Something’s been bugging me for a while. It’s caused me to lose sleep, have horrible days and develop an inconvenient twitch in the corner of my eye.

It all started last week, after the torrential monsoon we experienced.

I was minding my own business, dodging the mud puddles while walking to my car on Chestnut Street. I turned the corner onto Regents Avenue, and I saw this elderly woman speed down the road, through the water-covered street and completely drench a woman walking only 25 feet in front of me.

I yelled at the woman, “Seriously! Can you believe that? So inconsiderate!” I felt really bad for her.

Just then, she looked past my direction and fear came over her eyes.

Before I knew it, a huge Dodge Ram or Ford F-one-something-or-other came racing down the street and covered me in filthy, muddy, probably polluted water.

That’s when the twitch began.

Have we lost all sense of consideration? Has it come to the point where we all seriously think that the world does really revolve around each one of us? Have we become “me first” fools?

OK, granted most people aren’t like this all the time, but I’m getting the feeling it’s happening more often. Nobody can say they haven’t done it before.

Ever fought for a parking spot at Wal-Mart so you could walk 10 feet instead of 15? Ever sped up when you saw someone waiting to cross the street?

There are countless examples.

Why do we do it? Are we so rushed that every millisecond counts?

I know, and I’ve said it before, we all live fast-paced lives. We’ve all got places to be, people to see, yadda yadda yadda.

I don’t think anybody is going to be proud that they got anywhere in record time if they almost hit a couple of pedestrians on the way.

None of that really matters. When we die, no one is going to say, “Gee, that Heather Ryan, she was always on time.”

Most of us would want someone to say we were always considerate of others or we always put our friends and family first. Nice things. Good things. Important things.

If you’re really worried about being somewhere on time or just being the first – leave earlier. No one should have to worry about being pushed, hit or splashed because you’re in a rush.

No, this doesn’t strictly apply to vehicle skills. It’s a matter of showing a little respect for each other.

All it takes is a little thought about someone else, a figurative half-second walk in their shoes. No one wants to be known as a “me first” fool. After all, Justin Timberlake said it best: “What goes around, comes around.”

Trust me, just give a little thought to your fellow students. Karma (and the twitch in my eye) will thank you for it.

Reach Heather Ryan at diversions@chherald.com.