Personal space

[madetomatch]

I'm a mature student and at this very moment studying in a university computer room with 14 computers. All morning the room was empty except for me (most students are doing exams). At about 2 pm another student walks in and sits down 2 computers away from me (I have my stuff spread over 2 computers so she couldn't sit next to me). If it had been me I would have sat as far away from the other student as possible. Now out of the corner of my eye i keep catching sight of her and am getting distracted by her typing (so distracted i have logged into MN). AIBU to be silently wishing she hadn't sat so close.

[Madblondedog]

I used to have a favourite computer in the uni library (I liked the keyboard, the view, and am somewhat of a creature of habit).

Maybe the other student is odd like me

[goodnightdarthvader1]

There's been lots of threads along this vein - people who camp next to another tent in an empty field, drivers that park next to cars in a nearly empty lot, people that sit down next to others eating their lunch on a park bench when there are 3 other benches to choose from.

People are odd, in my opinion.

[TheSecondViola]

My pet peeve is people in queues.... why do some people get so close? In one the other day, I kept moving away, coupkr behind me keep moving closer. At one point if your man had stuck his tongue out he would have been licking my neck! I nearly had a panic attack

[TheHouseOnTheLane]

Viola I step back smartly when people do that to me stamping on their feet and then say "Oh!!" as though it was their fault. Which it was.

[DownstairsMixUp]

I can't stand it either, don't care if I'm being unreasonable. I hate being on the bus the most and it's empty, someone will always sit right next to me.

[Bambooshoots14]

Yabu. She's not sat next today. You're not sheldon. You could move if it's that much of a problem

[LurkingHusband]

(I have my stuff spread over 2 computers so she couldn't sit next to me)

Not sure if it's just me, but this seems very unreasonable ?

[GraysAnalogy]

Whilst I would have sat away from you you don't own the computer room. Oh and move your bloody bags, that's just as bad as putting your bag down on a seat on the train.

[madetomatch]

LurkingHusband I'd spent 6 hours alone in a room designed for 14 people so my papers spread out a bit. If she had wanted to sit at the computer next to me I would have moved my stuff but I would have also moved to another computer. We are still the only 2 people in the room, so I'm not denying anyone else a space.

[sonjadog]

Yabu. She isn't sitting beside you.

How about you don't spread your stuff everywhere?

[Sallyhasleftthebuilding]

Would annoy me - bus thing - I always say on the isle seat - and not move!!

[SolidGoldBrass]

If someone comes and sits next to me in an empty space I get up and move. If that person follows me, I get ready for trouble. It's creepy, rude, intimidating and entitled to invade someone else's space like that.

[madetomatch]

She's gone now but I still don't get why out of 12 computers she could have used she had to choose the one closest to me (and it doesn't have any special features the others don't have).

[PersephonePitstop]

Maybe she wanted to read MN over your shoulder?

[gandalf456]

Yanbu. I hate this too.

Someone mentitled parking . I nearly crashed into someone who parked right next to me just as I was coming it out it was an empty car park. It was late and I wasn't expecting anyone to be there.

I am really funny about personal space though

[madetomatch]

Iamloved, I'm not sure how I was being unreasonable given until the other student arrived i was the only person in the room for 6 hours. I spend plenty of time in crowded computer rooms and never usually take up more than one computer, and it would have taken 2 seconds to scoot my papers over if other students had started arriving.

[CherryBlossom321]

The thread is entitled personal space, but it's not as if she walked in and sat on your knee, is it? She sat next-desk-but-one. Also don't know why it's necessary for you to spread your stuff across 2 spaces. I think YABU.

[OnlyLovers]

She was two desks away. Maybe that's her favourite computer, for reasons fathomable only to her. Let it go.

[MadamCroquette]

I hate this too, but I think some people just don't get it. In fact they may even be trying to be friendly by not sitting as far away from you as possible. I'm like you OP and would always give them their space!

[OnlyLovers]

Madam, that made me think of the London bus phenomenon whereby, if the bus is busy and a stranger is forced to sit next to you, they'll get up and move immediately a seat frees up.

I don't do this as I would feel like I was silently telling them they stank or something. And when someone does it to me I feel irrationally hurt.

[Mebathiscold]

Maybe you were sitting in her spot.

[SirChenjin]

I hate this as well - but some people have no sense of personal space.

[Drew64]

I hate the queue stalkers.
I'm always getting hit in the back of the legs by a trolley, basket or handbag and it's nearly always the elderly!
I step back into then and turn and glare!

[apricotdanish]

It's probably her regular spot, or as someone above said maybe you were in her spot!
If you were sat two seats away from my spot I'd still want to sit in my usual space. We have funny little habits like that. Well at least I do. It is indeed irrational but I have a particular seat I like on the train each morning and if someone sits in this I feel mildly irritated (deep down I know I'm B U though).