'Well it's mine and I got it for my stuff': Teacher calls out annoying coworker for hogging her own personal mini-fridge

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Oct 13, 2023 8:00 AM EDT

When we think about the difficult lives of teachers, we often draw our attention to the annoying students they are forced to educate, but we rarely acknowledge that teachers may also have to deal with annoying coworkers just like everyone else. Having an insufferable coworker at your school has to be infuriating after a full schedule of teaching neurotic and whiny students all day. These teachers rarely get a moment of peace at their desks, and when they do, they generally need to do some lesson prep or get some grading done before their next class. 

This Redditor's annoying coworker took notice of her recently purchased mini-fridge she kept under her desk. This was her own purchase, which she used to save time from going to the teacher's lounge down the hall. As most work problems begin, it started with a simple request: the annoying coworker asked to keep a drink in OP's mini-fridge. OP said it was fine, assuming it would be a one-time thing. Unfortunately, it wasn't, and it ended up escalating to the point that OP snapped at her coworker. 

Keep scrolling below for the full story and for the best reactions in the comments section. For more content like this, here is a list of comments teachers wish they could make to their students.

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  • 01
    Liquid - "She crushed my sandwich and I only told her she could keep one drink in there" ABD evian TRTS & PLA evian & PLAID neobor evian evian
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  • 02
    Font - AITA for telling my cowoker to walk down the hallway or buy a lunchbox? I have a coworker who is a bit awkward. She lingers after conversations are finished, interrupts when I'm doing prep without asking if it's a good time, etc. She's nice so I don't say much about it, like I said, she's just awkward. On occasion I've mention "now's not a good time," and I'm met with "it'll be quick." Little irritating things here and there but not worth creating a bigger issue out of. I believe she's ju
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  • 03
    Font - Now the main issue of the post. I have one of those small mini- fridges wedged between my desk and the wall. One of the ones that fits a handful of drinks, a sandwich, and has that useless little freezer at the top. I bought and it's plugged in with permission from school admin. After lunch when there's space some of the student athletes run in to pop a gatorade in and then grab it at the end of the day (relevant later). Two weeks ago she asks if she can keep a drink in there. I said sure
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  • 04
    Font - nope. She shoves a sandwich and some tupperware in their crushing my sandwich. I asked what she was doing, she said it's, "easier than walking down to the teachers lounge." I pointed out that she crushed my sandwich and I only told her she could keep one drink in there. She asked what the big deal was and I honestly felt like a 5 year old saying, "well it's mine and I got it for my stuff." She mentioned that I let students use it and I told her that's after my food is out for the day and
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  • 05
    Font - While I know I'm not wrong for evicting her tuna salad from my fridge, I think I might be the for how I handled it/worded things. AITA?
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  • 06
    Font - catskilkid 23 hr. ago ΝΤΑ She is human creeping ivy. If you don't prune it, it will take over everything. You proved it, she won't take a hint, won't leave, thinks her input is more important then yours without any other info and now wants dibs on your fridge. Hopefully this bluntness may have other benefits like respecting you, your time and your possessions. Most people like this are oblivious so expect her having an attitude and talking badly about you. 42.2k Reply Share
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  • 07
    Font - Thediciplematt. 23 hr. ago ΝΤΑ Establish boundaries and stick with them. Good luck this year! Kids are wild. Teachers can be special sometimes... limited exp working in anything but education really messes one up. 287 Reply Share
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  • 08
    Font - LogicalTexts 23 hr. ago . NTA. She doesn't understand subtleties, so you needed to be blunt and unmistakably clear. Your property, your decision who you share it with. 194 Reply Share
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  • 09
    Font - Veracious Quokka. 23 hr. ago NTA. She brought up it being "easier than walking to the teacher's lounge," which opens the door to your comment. She overstepped. 135 Reply Share
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  • 10
    Font - KronkLaSworda - 23 hr. ago ΝΤΑ Sometimes you have to be direct with people. She was literally arguing about you not letting her taking liberties with your stuff.
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  • 11
    Font - No_Mathematician2482 22 hr. ago ΝΤΑ She smashed your sandwich, and didn't even apologize? So ! You said a drink, not a bunch of containers. If she had asked first, would you have been ok with her adding her lunch? No matter your answer you are still NTA here. She could buy her own tiny fridge; they are fairly inexpensive.
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  • 12
    Font - _hootyowlscissors. 20 hr. ago NTA. Perhaps you were a little blunt but who reacts to "you crushed my sandwich" with "what's the big deal"? 100% NTA.
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  • 13
    Font - Futueteipsum7 - 23 hr. ago NTA. She made the conversation more difficult and left you no choice but to crack a rib to get to the heart of the thing.
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  • 14
    Jaw - OldandBoldDude - 23 hr. ago To avoid such a situation, you should not have let her use it in first place.
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  • 15
    Font - chaingun_samurai 19 hr. ago She asked what the big deal was "You have no respect for my belongings that are in there." NTA.
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  • 16
    Font - Witch_on_a_moped. 23 hr. ago NTA. She seems to not take politeness, so being blunt may be the only way to go with her. Why she even brought up the students drinks is
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  • 17
    Font - Dragon2439 23 hr. ago NTA. You were nice to offer it at all and when she pushed beyond what you offered you told her no and why. Given what you said about her having difficulty picking up social cues you were direct and clear.
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  • 18
    Font - Garden_Weed_Tender 20 hr. ago NTA, letting others use your stuff is the nice thing to do but not to the point where it suddenly gets considered as communal. Next thing you know it she'll be taking your sandwich out and dumping it on your desk because she needs more space.
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terrible coworkers aita workplace-stories school work stories toxic-workplace coworkers lunch teacher School of FAIL high school education food reddit thread Reddit Terrible Teacher funny toxic-work-environment
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