We asked and you delivered: Here are Exeter University students biggest icks

The season of love is upon us, and for many of you, this means celebrating the love you found here at Exeter Uni. For others, the day of love may be an opportunity to reflect on every time you came oh-so-close to falling for that boy but Cupid came along with the wrong bow and arrow: Instead of falling madly in love with him, you were hit with a big fat ick arrow. We’ve all been there, the situationship that’s going south anyway has just flatlined because you saw him with tomato sauce in the corners of his mouth. Or, the girl you were ready to introduce your mates to has just informed you she’s a Spurs fan, and you support Arsenal. So, to celebrate the romantic day of the year we’ve got a definitive list of Exeter-based icks just to keep you questioning if the person you met in TP really is worth spending V-day with.

1. Being an Invades rep

Huge huge ick. Not only are you a rep, but Constant Instagram spamming? No thanks.  I assume you enjoy the thrill of thinking you are above the other reps. Deep down I know you have to hit your ticket numbers which is why you have to stoop to the low levels of sending a link to tickets to your first year flat chat, even though you’re in your third year. Imagine the person you’re seeing sat at one of those tables in forum handing out wristbands for the coach: Enough said.

2. Reposting a 4Play picture on their story

We get it, you went to Fever Monday. I will allow any freshers this one, we’ve all been there: Fever Monday seems so exciting and getting snapped with your mates in Room One is thrilling. If, however, you’ve hit anytime past your first year exams and you’re still doing this: Respectfully, get a life. Everyone has attended Fever, you don’t need to alert your Instagram to your whereabouts. Especially if it’s a sweaty, slightly dishevelled picture including a person you definitely have never met and will never see again. Screenshot them like everyone else and laugh in years to come on the group chat, don’t subject your entire Instagram to the pics.

3. Raw-dogging a Macbook up forum hill

If you have the confidence to walk to campus with nothing but your MacBook and some headphones, I applaud you, this could never be me. I respect the dedication to the cause but I still fear for your poor Mac. It’s defo been through some wars and honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve ended up in Princesshay’s Apple store on multiple occasions.

4. Crying in the Fever smoking area

I can safely say, that I am guilty of this one. This doesn’t however, mean I did not get the ick for my very own behaviour. Unless you are genuinely crying for good reason, there doesn’t appear to be a need to cry on that top floor smoking area. It’s small enough that quite literally everyone is going to see you cry. Your case also isn’t aided if you’re going up to other girls barely forming sentences about how evil a certain flatmate may or may not be. From experience, keep it to the girl’s bathroom to avoid more conscious people remembering your moment of weakness.

5. Posting on Overheard about something they have lost

There is no issue with posting on Overheard for your lost possessions, Overheard proves useful in reuniting many a student with a missing watch, phone or actual possession of value. My ick lies with those of you writing 2000 word, MLA cited essays on Facebook about your silly fresh antics on a Wednesday night. Your “most prized possession” is definitely not the Ralph Lauren Chaps crewneck you dropped on bottom floor, nor is it the piece of your minion costume that was lost to the thieves of middle dance floor. Sadly, your items of no value have probably been lost to the Timepiece vortex (someone has definitely taken it home and won’t own up on Overheard that they’d drunkenly snaffled your goods.)

6. Hesitating at the barriers in Forum library

Guilty. Still given myself the ick every time I reenter those barriers with a millennial-esque pause in fears I will just walk into the clear plastic.

7. Going to a lecture in their ones

Ick or no ick… this has yet to be debated. Nothing like a Wednesday morning lecture with a bunch of men in blue shirts, chinos and various club ties. Only some degrees will be lucky/unlucky enough to experience this sight. Whilst to some, they may appear dreamy, to others it screams “did you know I play a sport?”, “please give me some attention, I play sports” and that is ick-worthy.

8. Foraging on the floor for a TP cup

Second year me was disgustingly feral when it came to cup collections. Many a night out I allowed myself to have because techically “I made back my ticket price by finding cups” – this is not true. Don’t be that person at lights up that’s on all fours scrambling and scavenging for some cups, it is EMBARRASSING.

9. Petting the campus cat

Bonus points if they sit down with the cat, pick yourself and your dignity up off the floor. No further comment x.

10. Shooing a seagull on forum steps

Our lovely Devon campus is rife with beautiful scenery and elements of the natural world, this does not encompass the devilish seagulls that wait to get you on Forum steps. Nothing ickier than your partner getting ready to open their sandwich only to be joined by a seagull. The ick really comes from that awkward shuffle away from the bird, followed by a shooing movement and eventually an uncomfortable jig away from the creature determined to get your Marketplace sausage roll. Forum steps’ crowds are usually left in giggles, unlike you who is left staring at this supposedly romantic individual and left questioning what you ever saw in them.

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