1. Waiting on the platform with other commuters that you see daily and refusing to acknowledge their existence.
2. And making awkward eye contact which you then follow with a forced smile.
3. Hoping they don’t take that as a cue to start making small talk.
4. Tripping over your feet to get into the train and clinging onto the nearest person for dear life.
5. Getting into the train and then racing someone towards an empty seat.
6. Failing to get the seat.
7. Walking forward in the carriage, pretending that you weren’t going to go for the seat anyway.
8. Getting squished by sweaty strangers when you finally find a spot to stand in.
9. Having someone step on your feet with their high heels.
10. Then trying to stop yourself from screaming in pain.
11. Apologising to them even though they’re the ones at fault.
12. And having to endure their bewildered look after your completely unnecessary apology.
13. Getting caught nosily peering over someone’s shoulder to see what they’re doing on their phone.
14. Accidentally brushing your hand against someone else’s when you go to hold the pole.
15. Exchanging more awkward eye contact as a result of the above.
16. Having to awkwardly push into a stranger when someone wants to get off the carriage.
17. Or when you’re standing near the doors and are forced to get off to let people out and have to quickly get back on before the new set of people do.
18. Just about squeezing in and positioning yourself under a stranger's armpit.
19. And then hearing people huff and puff passive aggressively behind you for taking their place.
20. Rereading the onboard map to avoid any further confrontation or awkward eye contact.
21. Hearing someone bellow “Move down the carriage!” when there’s only an inch between you and the strangers in front of you.
22. And having to awkwardly pretend to shuffle forward.
23. Seeing someone get up and trying to sit down before they fully move out the way.
24. Trying not whack anyone with your backpack whilst you take it off.
25. Whacking someone with your backpack while you take it off
26.Apologising profusely and wishing a hole swallowed you in that very moment.
27. Accidentally touching thighs with the person next to you and screaming internally.
28. Reading the back page of the newspaper that someone opposite is holding on to and accidentally making eye contact with them.
29. Falling asleep and doing that awkward head jerk motion only to see people staring at you.
30. Waking up so confused as to where you are.
31. Walking up the left side of the escalators only to get stuck behind someone just STANDING there.
32. Then a bunch of passive aggressive groans because they think you’re the one holding everyone up.
33. Getting to the barrier with a bunch of impatient people behind you. What could go wrong? Everything.
34. Your travel card ends up not working, making you hold back an angry crowd.
35. And you end up doing the same process all over again. Every. Single. Working day.