If someone always seems a bit irritated, I refer to that person as a sourdough. These are the people that make it a struggle to be their friend. They might or might look on you with favor the next time they see you. Sometimes they don't even speak.
I've had students who fell into the sourdough category. They came in every day with a frown. Some people might refer to this as having a chip on one's shoulder. Debbie Downer on SNL always makes me laugh, because she humorously finds something negative about everything.
The video that has gone viral from the Sasquatch music festival 2009 brings a smile to my face every time I see it. A guy starts dancing all by himself and before you know it, others join in for an awesome dance party. He was not afraid to take a chance and do his own thing. How refreshing!
The message here is loud and clear to me. Being yourself is more important than always attempting to be what others expect you to be. Shy students are often intimidated by the more popular, outgoing set, and sit back in fear of doing something that will make them a topic of ridicule. Only as adults do some of these kids break out of their shells.
It doesn't stop with age. As adults, sourdoughs continue to look askance at those attempting to have a little zest in life. Now that I'm older and wiser, I ignore all sourdoughs. Too bad it took me so long.