Things I Like, Things I Don't Like

I saw a friend's post about his pet peeves. It got me thinking about mine, but for every pet peeve, I had a pet positive. So here's a list of stuff I thought about at 9 AM two Sundays ago and I am now finishing today, Tuesday night.

Free morning coffee. I've come to realize how much I love just regular old coffee with zero-sugar creamer. It gives me peace.
When my friends don't respect boundaries. Specifically when friends bother me about other friend's business. Like, I wouldn't tell them about your business, why should I make that exception for you >_>
Getting my friends flowers. I love going to University Flower Shop. You can give them a budget and tell them your desired colors. They do a great job of arranging the bouquet. I love doing this because a lot of people have never gotten flowers before and it's such a simple but beautiful gift.
Men >_>. Ugh, I know generalizing men is bad, but this last summer I got harassed nearly every day. Men who ask me out on the spot without really having a conversation with me, men who can't check my vibe, men who ask me if I party and drink. Like who do you think I am? The last one gets to me because are you trying to see if I have low standards in life? When they ask that off the bat I know they don't have respect for me from the start.
Watching corny stuff with my roommate Edna. Edna is one of my favorite people ever, and I find coming home after a long day and watching something stupid on TV so enjoyable. Not going to lie, I know it's not as enjoyable for her because I talk the entire time but seriously shout out to her.
When trying to change a system, someone says no and then doesn't come up with a better solution. I've been in so many meetings where we talk about something fundamentally and historically bad in the system. Yet, when trying to come up with a solution or a change, someone always says, "No, I don't think that idea is feasible." No follow-up, no other suggestions. Like yes, thank you for giving me absolutely nothing. You've contributed nothing to this meeting and you've wasted an hour of my life because we still have a problem at hand and we don't have a solution.
Design. My Desi-Christian club. When I joined freshman year, I didn't care for it. Sophomore year I probably couldn't call myself a member. However, junior year, I went to the National Winter Conference for Design. It was so much fun and I realized how family Design is. We had a worship night last last Friday and I've never felt so home before. Like wow, I love everyone in this room so much. I met some pretty great people in the club who are just the most supportive and kindest people, even if their choice of words can be harsh.
When people invade my weekend. Specifically, asking me to do club work on MY weekend. The way I shape my schedule is that I have absolutely nothing to do on the weekends so I can decide what I want to do and get some rest. Asking me to do club/ work on a Saturday or Sunday is the most disrespectful thing you can do to me unless I offer first. Like please I work like 12 -14 hour weekdays I need to sleep ;______;.
My sister and my best friends. Even if I'm not the most responsive, Melinda always sends me cute stuff and affirmations. Silvanna and Sophie always check in on me even if they know I'm in a nasty mood. Their words feel like warm hugs.
When people are judgemental of my identities. Being a Christian-Indian, I get a ton of comments about being colonized. I feel like I'm so unbelievably open-minded and kind to other's identities, so why do people feel the need to comment rudely on mine?
Eating a lot of food at once. This is a vice for me. I love just stuffing my face with a ton of food to the point of barfing. It gives me a pleasure that I cannot get by eating moderate amounts of healthy food and being a healthy person. Due to this being so unhealthy, I limit this pleasure to once a week.
EXPECTING A FULL CONVERSATION FROM ME AFTER 10 PM. After 10 PM my brain is fried. I'm exhausted. I didn't catch a break in the day. It's okay if you can tell I'm into the conversation, but if you can tell I'm not just give me a break ;___; . Please text me sometime throughout the day I promise I will be more awake and stable to respond than after 10 PM. Also if you go through DND for no reason after 10 PM I might explode.
Walking. I love walking, especially on campus. It's like a micro-positive thing you can do for your body, and it helps you WALK through your thoughts.
When non-Indian people try to out Indian me. I don't care if your boyfriend is Indian and you know the best Indian food in town because your boyfriend said so. I don't care about your opinions on North/South Indians. I'm Indian, my opinion on my culture is more valid than yours bro.
Changing into my night dress. I think every woman should get a silky night dress. I don't know what it is about it, but it boosts my confidence. Nothing I've ever worn before makes me feel prettier than that dress, and knowing it's a dress that only I get to see myself in (and my roommates lol) reminds me of my worth that maybe a lot of other people don't see, but I do.
The short jokes. I cannot f---- stand them anymore. When I was younger, I was secure in my height. I didn't care, I felt like it amplified whatever I did in fact. The older I've gotten, the more it's been brought up, and the more vulgar people have gotten to me about it. From the physical aggression, I've experienced related to my height with men feeling that they can touch me because I'm petite, to making unsolicited sexual comments about how they imagine their penis can fit in me, to girls who say that I'm undeserving of men who are on the taller side because they decided to objectify me to just my height. The comments some girls make to me are insane because I'm not actively seeking out 6'+ men. They come to me. Instead of making offensive comments at me that undermine my entire character, get mad at the men who sexualize my height. I just want to be seen for who I am and my character, not for my height. That's also a universal struggle for women though.
Feeling the soreness from a good workout the next day. Like YES! I DID IT RIGHT!
Disruptions to my routine or schedules. Because of my ADHD, creating a schedule/routine is incredibly difficult. When I finally adopt one, I hate it when someone interrupts it for something purely of their convenience, like "can you print this thing out for me and drop it off". like bro.
When people laugh at my jokes. Thank you for laughing at my joke even if you didn't think it was funny. I appreciate your recognition of my humor.
Watching the scenery. It grounds me in the present moment and reminds me that the colors that are so vivid now might not be as vivid later. It's important to remember how the yellow lines contrast with the gray concrete. To recognize the car rides back home. To be aware of how beautiful our everyday life can be.

Pet peeves and pet positives aren’t set in stone—they ebb and flow depending on where we are in life. Taking the time to reflect and write them down helps me understand why something might bother me or what exactly makes a small moment feel so special. It’s not just about listing things I love or hate; it’s about recognizing patterns, setting boundaries, and leaning into the things that bring me joy. Ultimately, it’s a way to get to know myself better and be more intentional about how I experience the world and I recommend you do the same.