Misophonia rant - exam invigilator chomped through exam

[Macca84]

Just need a rant!! I've got misophonia and the worst possible sound to me is somebody eating and not being able to keep their mouths shut whilst doing so. I had a 3 hour exam today, one that I'd prepared so hard for, then all the way through I wasn't able to concentrate properly as I had to listen to to exam invigilator chomping apples through most of the exam - most of it I spent trying not to hear it sounds or discretely covering my ears and trying to read the paper and attempting to control my rage. I'm normally fairly calm but this kind of situation is a fooking nightmare to me. Just REEAALLY needed to get that off my chest!!

@DamnShesaSexyChick Do you have a problem with adjustments being made for people in wheelchairs, or is it just non visible disabilities you're ignorant to?

I think you do need to email and complain otherwise he'll keep doing it. Utterly unacceptable behaviour in a silent environment. People are so lacking in self awareness.

I'm allowed to disagree don't be so defensive, it's you who started a thread about it trust me there'll be people reading it thinking it's just yet another thing to feel embarrassed and self conscious about and I don't like that

I just hate the thought of people feeling self conscious about eating because of people like you sorry

Easy to avoid such self-consciousness surely. Just. Don't. Eat. In. An. Exam. Room.

I also recommend refraining from eating inside libraries and designated Quiet Study Areas in educational instituations.

Ah, I've just advanced searched DamnShesaSexyChick's posts, she literally argues on every single posts so I'll ignore! I'll speak to the exam board Monday - I may leave out the name of the specific centre but there's only a couple across the UK so hopefully the message will be rolled out. Also now have decent earplugs on order!

Come on @DamnShesaSexyChick, tell us more of your thoughts about people living with a disabling condition. Maybe you'd rather we were all locked away so as not to make you feel self conscious? We wouldn't want to upset your sensitivities would we?

@DamnShesASexyChick

I just hate the thought of people feeling self conscious about eating because of people like you

The thread has gone right over your head!

It’s nothing to do with people eating, it’s eating at a inappropriate time when the conditions for taking an exam should have been as quiet as possible.

Personally I think it’s irrelevant that the op suffers with Misophonia, the fact is that the invigilator should not have been crunching on three apples during the duration of an exam!

Suck a sweet or sip some water to stop their mouth or throat from being dry and to stave off coughing but crunching an apple is completely inappropriate and unprofessional.

I failed an exam once because someone was sniffing
Horrible great snotty bubbly sniffs
I was 16 and didn’t know I had misophonia then

It’s nothing to do with people eating, it’s eating at a inappropriate time when the conditions for taking an exam should have been as quiet as possible.

Personally I think it’s irrelevant that the op suffers with Misophonia, the fact is that the invigilator should not have been crunching on three apples during the duration of an exam!

I completely agree. Eating inside an exam room is like dressing up as a giant chicken to go shopping, and then complaining that everyone is staring at you.

I love my "going to the shops" chicken outfit...

That's really not on. Is it even allowed? I'm a teacher and we're only allowed to take water into the exam room, and it has to be in a clear bottle - basically the same rules as the students. There's no way we'd be allowed to eat!

DP is an invigilator. He says that you absolutely must complain, because it's pretty much one of the first DO NOT EVERs in training. You aren't even allowed to wear shoes that might make a noise when walking along the rows, silently check a phone or do anything else, even silently, that might disturb the candidates. The only noise permitted is that which is absolutely essential for the job and is at the lowest possible level.

Just think of the number of people who have missed out on a vital pass mark or will do in future because of his inability unwillingness to cope without crunching loudly for more than 30 minutes at a time.

I guess I have the same condition because my DH and 2 of my three kids WILL NOT FUCKING SHUT UP WHEN EATING! Slurping, smacking, chomping, gurgling and god knows what else during dinner and it drives me batty. Mouths open, making disgusting noises. Bleurgh. I have to remind them at every meal time. They don't hear it but I really do. I would have never managed to keep my gob shut in your exam. The invigilator would have been told after the first few bites.

Please do complain. Even without misophoniq, taking an exam when the invigilator is making a racket is just not on.

Complain, please, or he’ll do it again. I think that’s disgusting behaviour from him, I’d go mental if my class told me an invigilator was eating noisily.

Absolutely complain. I've had to take my turn invigilating university exams this month. No eating or drinking anything other than water in the exam hall. Same rules for invigilators as examinees.

I don’t have misophonia but that would have annoyed the hell out of me too. Eating apples is incredibly noisy - and who needs to eat three at a time? If the students aren’t allowed to eat then he shouldn’t have been eating either so YANBU.

DamnShesaSexyChick

If you have so little self awareness that you think it’s appropriate to eat an apple in an exam room then you have your own problems.

OP, I have misophonia and I would have been in tears of rage if that had happened to me. I work in a university and our invigilators aren’t even allowed to use a laptop in the exam room due to keys tapping! It’s absolutely not acceptable to eat an apple let alone three - was the invigilator a horse??