Many of us have our own habits, more or less normal. Others, however, have obsessions that are a little more obscure. While we may not always want to admit it, they make us unique and interesting.
CAS first-year Annie Li’s habit might seem mundane. She rewatches a specific scene from a movie on repeat if a melodious sound accompanies it, appealing to her sentiments.
“I really enjoy the aesthetic components of the film, which is composed of sounds, apparel and the setting,” she said. “I am particularly drawn to characters’ voices or even the sound of high heels tapping the ground. This habit has been following me for years, and now I guess this is the reason I began to listen to ASMR ever since I discovered it.”
One of her favorite scenes to watch on repeat is from Carol, a movie about two women falling in love regardless of their age gap of social status, starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.
“The lazy and raspy voices of the actresses convey the subtle magnetic tension perfectly, reminding me of a late afternoon in a jazz bar where people drink martinis and talk smoothly,” Li said.
She also noted that this habit helps reduce her stress, especially during exam periods. However, Li understands the possible downside is declined hearing, since she often wears headphones with the volume up to watch the scenes.
Meanwhile, CAS first-year Maria Olifer likes to incessantly write on sticky notes.
“I’m a little obsessed with sticky notes,” she said. “I love having different colors for my notes and they’re all over my desk and agenda.”
Olifer said this likely prompted by her love for organization. She feels that writing things down helps free space in her brain to think about other things. While this habit makes organization much easier, she is aware that it’s not so environmentally friendly.
“I’m definitely killing trees,” she said.
For Gallatin first-year Josie Schneider, her obsession is to keep prepared for an apocalypse. She has a drawer in her dorm where she keeps clothes and other gear ready to go in case the world suddenly comes to an end.
Schneider said that her dad was an influence that contributed to this greatly. He would collect various objects such as cans of cereal or survival kits in case something were to happen to our planet in the near future. Her family stores a lot of basic necessities in their basement in preparation for any unexpected global turn of events.
As she keeps up with her collection, she noted some disadvantages. In particular, she said that it is quite expensive to accumulate many materials over time.
Whether you like rewatching movie scenes or writing everything down on sticky notes, it may be strange and you may be hesitant to admit it. But if there’s anything we can learn from these students, it’s that many people have something odd about them that they don’t like to admit — you’re not alone. So, don’t feel guilty about = your pleasure — embrace it. It makes you special.
Email Jasmine Zhong at [email protected].
