School excursions often provide unforgettable experiences and bonding opportunities for students, but for teachers, they can be loaded with logistical headaches. So when a teacher was asked to single-handedly finance a field trip—with zero compensation—Reddit user u/Unfunded_Teacher took to the platform to vent about this bizarre demand.
Representative photo by Pexels | Anny Patterson
“Want me to pay out-of-pocket to take students to the zoo? Okay, but you’ll miss out on a killer photo shoot,” read the title of their Reddit post. In 2017, the teacher oversaw a class of 18 children, and a sudden curriculum change mandated a zoo visit. However, the school insisted that, since the budget had been set months before, the teacher would foot the entire bill for all 18 students.
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Administrators also insisted the teacher snap photos for the school’s Facebook page. With no reimbursement and an empty-handed budget, the teacher came up with a clever alternative: “I love my students but I love my savings too, not as much as my students but still. I couldn’t justify spending over €360 (approx $389) on a single, non-tangible thing. So, I took the kids down to a local farmer, Pete’s farm. All Pete asked for was a 5 euro ($5.46) donation per person and that too was voluntary.”
Representative photo by Pexels | Anastasia Shuraeva
Rather than blowing hundreds at the zoo, the teacher offered around €50 (about $54) to good old Pete, who let the students see an assortment of farm animals. “I gladly emailed the pictures to them, with a subject title of ‘Petting Zoo Pictures’. I got an email back simply saying that my conduct was not exemplary. No reprimand, no written-up warning but no photos for admin too. The kids enjoyed it though,” the teacher wrote. Although the original Reddit post was eventually deleted, commenters remained stunned by the school’s gall.
Image Source: Reddit | u/AmbitiousPirate5159
In the comment section, user u/saraphilipp suggested, “I’d have told them for $400 you can have the photos. You see, my budget was created at the beginning of the year and you’ll have to pay out of pocket for the photographer fees.” Meanwhile, u/GozerDestructor quipped, “You should make the photos look as bleak and Soviet as possible. A cold, grey field, with one sad child holding the tether of a single goat (Use the ugliest child and ugliest goat available).”
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User u/river_song25 didn’t hold back: “I would have told the school flat out hell no. The zoo trip is the school’s idea, not mine, and I won’t be spending my money for myself and 18 kids (and probably some adults since no way am I dealing with 18 kids by myself at the zoo) … Either the school pays or the kids can simply NOT go to the zoo at all, because no way am I spending my money … to pay $360+ in admission tickets fees to the zoo for other people.”
When other commenters doubted the story’s accuracy, user squid52 retorted, “I’m shocked at the number of people who think this is unrealistic. It’s like… have you ever actually listened to a teacher? We all have stories like this… Every single teacher has spent their own money—often a lot—on things that should be provided by the employer. At the same time, having our time stolen by the employer. It’s a big mess.”
Furry friends are importantRepresentative image via Canva
Couple has annoying conversation
The one phrase people most want to ban forever—and 20 more that drive us all nuts
If you’ve ever cringed at hearing “It is what it is” or rolled your eyes at someone saying “No offense…” before delivering something totally offensive, you’re definitely not alone. Some expressions are so irritating, so overused, or so grammatically cursed that hearing them once more might just push us over the edge.
We asked our Facebook audience, “ If you could ban one annoying phrase from existence forever, what would it be?” and holy moly, did the floodgates open. Typically, a given question might rack up around 5,000 comments—but this one? Over 14,000. People shared responses that were funny, petty, brutally honest, and occasionally downright poignant. From phrases that try (and fail) to sound wise, to those so overused they've lost all meaning entirely—here are the top contenders folks are completely done with.
The one phrase nearly everyone wants to vanish
By far the most repeated offender was:
Over and over, users cited this as the ultimate non-response. It’s dismissive, it ends conversations, and it offers exactly zero comfort or help.
Another big category? Expressions meant to comfort that end up being painful or insulting. These include:
Many commenters explained that these phrases, while often well-intentioned, feel dismissive in times of grief or hardship.
Grammar gripes and word crimes
Grammar lovers had a lot of feelings. Some of the most-cited “please stop saying this” phrases included:
And let’s not forget the collective rage over “pacifically” when people mean “specifically.”
Words that reveal more than they intend
Several users took issue with phrases that feel passive-aggressive or intellectually lazy, such as:
As user Jacqueline C. put it, “'To be honest...' What does that mean? That you're not honest any other time?”
Phrases tied to racism, sexism, or toxic positivity
A significant number of respondents took aim at harmful or politically charged phrases. Among them:
These comments weren’t just about annoyance—they were about the emotional weight and social impact of language.
James G. didn’t mince words when he wrote: “‘Go back to your country, then’ 🤬. The epitome of racist. I love my country, plus my ancestors did not ASK to be brought here the way they were.”
Corporate speak and empty buzzwords
You knew these were coming.
These phrases sparked a different kind of rage—one reserved for staff meetings and marketing emails.
Iris H. summed it up: “Most corporate speak. Downsizing. Low hanging fruit. Pivot. etc…..” Just say what you mean, please.
Why this resonated so deeply
There’s something unifying about shared irritation. These phrases might seem harmless or routine, but for many people, they’re like verbal paper cuts—tiny annoyances that, over time, sting a lot more than they should.
Whether it’s poor grammar, dismissive condolences, or flat-out hate speech in disguise, we’re collectively craving language that’s thoughtful, clear, and kind.
So the next time you find yourself reaching for one of these expressions, take a beat. Maybe there’s a better way to say what you mean. Or maybe… just don’t say anything at all.
And if you’ve got your own phrase that should be banished from existence? Don’t worry—there’s still time to add to the list.
Got another phrase that needs to go? Drop it in the comments on our original Facebook post.
Bonus: The top five most hated phrases from our poll
Let’s make 2025 the year we finally stop saying all of them.