30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community

We often hear about criminals reoffending once they are released from prison and that makes us believe that people don’t change. But prison is an environment that definitely changes people, whether it is for better or worse.

The inmates have to follow a lot of strict rules and they have a completely different lifestyle there. They might be locked up for several years or even decades, so they must get used to it and view it as normal. It would be interesting to know which of the habits inmates acquired in jail they continued to practice, whether willingly or not.

Conveniently, Reddit user youknowyoulick asked that question and the thread received nearly 4k comments. In this list, you will find the ones that people found most intriguing or surprising.

More info: Reddit

This post may include affiliate links.

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community My friends baby daddy was in jail, apparently learned how to give really good massages. Now owns his own massage therapy clinic and employs like 30 RMT’s

Fluid-Imagination301 , gaelx Report

Final score:

186points

POST

Vicky Verz 2 years ago

I love how he turned his life for the better by using his experiences in prison to open up a business. Hands down the best comeback story on here

85points

View More Replies...

View more comments

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community When my dad came home from prison I remember him being very polite. He was careful not to bump anybody, and he always said excuse me if he were trying to pass somebody.

kindalikeacoustic , S B Report

Final score:

162points

POST

Vicky Verz 2 years ago

While this is basic manners, from the OP's post it seems like he was never like this. It's good that he learnt this lesson but I feel sad about how he learnt it

63points

View More Replies...

View more comments

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community There was a guy I knew in prison who converted to Islam while he was in there. He would never swear, so instead of "m**********r" he'd say "motherflower" and I still say it. It's actually been a bit of a conversation starter and I have friends who've started saying it too. That man, probably still in prison, has no idea he's a trend-setter.

Sweet-Palpitation473 , Rob Mitchell Report

Final score:

150points

POST

Lauren Caswell 2 years ago

Yippee Kayak other buckets!

65points

View More Replies...

View more comments

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community In jail I learned the very useful concept of "Program."

Think of your normal life, all the things that you do in a day or week that fill up the time: hobbies, time with friends and family, the gym, cooking, shopping, a job, etc. All of these activities are what make up your life as you know it, your identity. Responsibilities and obligations are what get most people out of bed every morning. Now take all of that away. You now have tons of free time and nothing to fill it with. The human subconscious needs to be busy, its a holdover from our days as hunter-gatherers since being occupied was necessary for survival, and with absolutely nothing to do people go mad.

Program is how to fill that time in a responsible and productive way. In the simplest terms its making a schedule and sticking to it; deciding how to fill that empty day with activities that serve your goals. During my time inside I got in great shape, did a ton of reading, and learned a lot from various interesting people. When Covid Lockdowns began I wasn't worried at all because I knew how to Program.

SirKedyn , John Fowler Report

Final score:

147points

POST

Laura Binns 2 years ago

I love this. Also good for when you're trying to stop drinking or eating because you're bored.

47points

View More Replies...

View more comments

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community I did 12 years in a state institution. The only really strange thing to me was answering the telephone. First off, you don't receive calls. Second, once the call connects, you can hear them say hello and then a prompt plays letting them know the call is recorded and what not before you then say hello. For about a year people would answer when I call them and I would wait for the recording to play before responding.

LHDC417 , gabohalili Report

Final score:

135points

POST

dream of delusion 2 years ago

i’m sure might’ve been awkward a few times… “hello! …. ……..are you there?”

9points

View more comments

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Reading

r00tk1ll3r , gurmit singh Report

Final score:

122points

POST

Vicky Verz 2 years ago

This is one of the better skills I've come across on this page

35points

View more comments

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community My husband still makes "jail snacks", he also turns meals into sandwiches because bread was cheap and filling. Spaghetti between bread slices is an example. If we go somewhere like a restaurant, he's extremely uncomfortable if he doesn't have his back against a wall so he can see the room and no one can be behind him. He's very quick to anger/react if he feels disrespected.

I also know people who hide items they feel are valuable. Even if they live alone, they hide "commodities" like good snacks, Crest Whitestrips, etc.

chut2906 , Jonathan Rolande Report

Final score:

119points

POST

Vicky Verz 2 years ago

It's sad that they feel they have to hoard food. I've seen so many posts like this in this page

50points

View more comments

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Former prison librarian. I learned to always look in window reflections to make sure my back was covered. I had to count inmates as they came into the library so that there weren't too many people. I can look in a room full of people and give a really accurate estimate of how many bodies are in a room because of this.

mindfulminx , Bruce Guenter Report

Final score:

114points

POST

Mike Schantini 2 years ago

Qualifications to be a top notch fire marshal

41points

View More Replies...

View more comments

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Flushing before it hits the water on every drop to mitigate the smell everyone has to deal with. Lots of flushes. Work probably wonders what the f**k is going on in the restroom when I’m in there.

And general toilet cleanliness etiquette so it’s nice for the next person. I don’t want to clean up your nastiness, you don’t want to clean up mine. It’s a good way to get into it with someone for the dumbest reason. Just leave it nice.

Edit: There are people being downvoted below for comments about water conversation. They are not wrong, this is wasteful. To be clear, I was not advocating many flushes. I was just answering the question honestly about what stuck with me.

I do advocate the cleanliness part tho. Do that.

To avoid wasting water there are environmentally friendly before-you-go sprays that create a scented oily slick on the water’s surface that mask and trap smells beneath the surface pretty well. Then you only need minimal flushing. I’d suggest looking into that for work/office/communal restroom situations.

Problem is they don’t have that inside, and if I have to choose between flushing a few times, or trying to explain why the smell is good for everyone because I’m saving the planet and we should all be happy about that instead of pissed at me…

Could I lose the habit now? Sure.

GRAVITRON_748 , Marco Verch Professional Photographer Report

Final score:

111points

POST

Sophie 2 years ago

Despite the fact that it takes so much water to ship potty potpourri, let alone the facilities, etc., there are so so many worse ways to waste water. Flush twice if it feels right. Better for the plumbing.

18points

View more comments

#10

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Mentally practicing music. I am a guitarist/bassist and wrote many songs without the use of a guitar.

Formal_Cow_8084 , Brad Montgomery Report

Final score:

111points

POST

Vicky Verz 2 years ago

This is mad skills tbh

64points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#11

I slept on the floor for 10 years after getting out.

Because the first night, to punish me, guards took away my mattress. So to spite them, I slept on the floor the whole time.

It took a good job, and a nice apartment for me to finally sleep on a bed. I haven't slept on the floor in a long time.

traderboi123 Report

Final score:

108points

POST

IDK_Something 2 years ago

This "punishment" infuriates me!! The ending is good, however.

48points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#12

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Made a habit of addressing something that could potentially become a problem. Harshly and immediately. Currently trying to drop the harsh part.

Apart_Advantage6256 , Pedro Ribeiro Simões Report

Final score:

104points

POST

cat? 2 years ago

i’m glad that you were able to recognize the unhealthy part of your habit and work on it, good for you :)

45points

View more comments

#13

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community My boyfriend was in jail quite some time ago and still holds onto his habits. He washes his clothes in the shower or bathroom sink, he sweeps every morning, he jumps out of bed as soon as he wakes up, he lives pretty minimally, he's super fit and works out everyday, and (he didn't learn this in jail but it serves as an example of fitness and self-sufficiency) he rides his bike everywhere. I sometimes have to remind him that he can indulge in luxuries like using the washing machine or sleeping in.

twinkies_and_wine , Martin Monroe Report

Final score:

99points

POST

Alice Landers 2 years ago

Sweet thanks for sharing!

7points

#14

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Out of juvie I had a habit of being quick to aggression....which seems like the opposite of what the goal of juvie systems should be...

Out of jail I noticed that I had a habit of waiting for some person somewhere to operate a door for me. I wasn't standing there a long time but there was a definite pause until I was like "oh it's one of them manual doors, I can do this".

Also, I'm quite good at hiding things (no, not up my a*s, you a*s fanatics). Over here trying to find my weed again.

Also, observing people, noticing what people are doing.

throwawaysmetoo , Enrico Razzetti Report

Final score:

97points

POST

Eoin Chak 2 years ago

What is juvie?

3points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#15

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Save every extra sugar packet I come across in case I get hungry between meals

cbauser , Cathy Stanley-Erickson Report

Final score:

92points

POST

Nathaniel 2 years ago (edited)

Is this more to do with poverty or something? Childhood with neglect to cause this?

15points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#16

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Friend worked in a bad prison for 10+ years.

Said he become immune to s**t talk.

Nothing, literally nothing, could p**s him off or make him emotional or unbalanced.

In regards to triggers and s**t talk, he reached nirvana

Maleficent-Number-10 , in0_m0x0 Report

Final score:

87points

POST

Jef Bateman 2 years ago

Worked with a guy who had the opposite response to time in prison. He came out thinking everything you said was a veiled insult of some sort. Sample dialogue, "Robby, do you still have that spade drill bit?" "Why wouldn't have it? What would I have done with it? Huh? Huh?" He was also deranged by drugs, so I'm not sure prison is 100% to blame.

37points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#17

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Hypervigilant. Size up everyone everywhere I go. Especially public transport and public spaces.

shep_ling , Les Infill Report

Final score:

81points

POST

Vicky Verz 2 years ago

I think many people do this regardless of whether they went to prison or not. It's better to be safe than sorry

35points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#18

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community My bedroom is basically set up like my old cell.
In my bedroom I have everything at arms length.
I sit with my back to the wall when I'm out.
I still pace back and forth in small spaces.

ieatassfordays , PseudoDude Report

Final score:

77points

POST

Max M 2 years ago

I never been in jail, but i will try to sit anywhere with my back at the wall and sits at the end of benches, so i only have people at the one side. I don't like sitting between people.

27points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#19

Never talk to police period about anything

Vzdubz Report

Final score:

69points

POST

Vicky Verz 2 years ago

I hate how the police system is just brutal these days. Police are supposed to make things better for the public. They are supposed to make us trust them with any problems and they are supposed to solve them. I hate how we all fear the thing that was created to maintain law and order and keep us safe.

25points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#20

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community The dorm pod I was in had metal stairs that made loud noises when you walked down them. Almost got in a fight with 3 other people because I woke up at night and had to p**s and woke everyone up.

To this day I can't fall asleep without peeing immediately before laying down. Like, even if I went less than an hour earlier I have to stand there and focus with yogi-like intensity to squeeze a few drops out or I lay awake feeling like my bladder is full.

StubisMcGee , Yuya Tamai Report

Final score:

68points

POST

Robert T 2 years ago

I don't like having to get up in the night, so I do this too. At my age, I'm lucky if I can get through to 6am without having to go again. LOL

25points

View more comments

See Also on Bored Panda

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

#21

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Being entertained doing absolutely nothing like staring at a wall I just don’t get bored anymore

No-Improvement-6734 , Celeste Report

Final score:

68points

POST

Aroace tiger (she/they/he) 2 years ago

Same and I've never been to prison. My head is enough

25points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#22

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Hey, it's not just people who were in jail but people who worked there too. I haven't worked in a jail in decades but I still use mirrors and reflections to look around corners everywhere.

count_frightenstein , Paul Keller Report

Final score:

65points

POST

Sawyer Kidder 2 years ago

This reminds me of Harry Potter lol

4points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#23

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community If i dont have dice but want dice and have toilet paper and toothpaste. You make basically a macramé paste with them and put it into a window corner, rotate it while its drying to keep it level. Boom dice.

alaskaguyindk , James Bowe Report

Final score:

63points

POST

Stephanie Did It 2 years ago

I think OP might have meant papier mache instead of macramé.

62points

View more comments

#24

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community I became a stoner and developed long term problems with food. I also started compulsively buying books because when I didn’t have a book in solitary it was hard to stay sane and calm. I’m far less talkative and social than I used to be.

aryeh86 , Marina Report

Final score:

61points

POST

Vicky Verz 2 years ago

Prison systems need to be changed completely. While it works for some people, others just get even worse than they were before. Punishment should improve a person, fix the mistakes, not screw them up even more

39points

View More Replies...

View more comments

See Also on Bored Panda

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

#25

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community is patience a habit?

glitchmagnet93 , José Miguel S Report

Final score:

58points

POST

Vicky Verz 2 years ago

Definitely

22points

View more comments

#26

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community I eat with my plate tucked between my arms, huddled over it like a trough, shoveling it in as fast as possible.

hungry_hat , alljengi Report

Final score:

57points

POST

IDK_Something 2 years ago

Growing up with siblings, I eat like this, too. 😬

32points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#27

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Mind my business

avalonian422 , Mari Dallavara Report

Final score:

56points

POST

Purple3262 2 years ago

As it should be...

10points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#28

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Never been but I saw this same Q on here and one take away I have is the shower squeegee.

After you shower you use your hands like a squeegee blade and it removes 75% of the water off you.

Now your towel isn't wet at the end, its damp

canehdian78 , Jaysin Trevino Report

Final score:

53points

POST

Vicky Verz 2 years ago

I do this. Makes drying the towels easier if they aren't too wet in the first place.

16points

View more comments

#29

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community well my brother had a hard time closing the door to poop he said it felt weird to poop alone

-roarnation , dianaconnolly101 Report

Final score:

51points

POST

cat? 2 years ago

💀💀💀

13points

View More Replies...

View more comments

See Also on Bored Panda

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

#30

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community I can play Spades a bit better now

HGMIV926 , Quinn Dombrowski Report

Final score:

44points

POST

Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium

Unlimited content

Ad-free browsing

Dark mode

#31

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Not reaching over somebody's food.

acidphosphate69 , Jonathan Rees Report

Final score:

25points

POST

#32

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community 3 Michelin Star Ramen Meals

OLDSCHOOLGG , edkohler Report

Final score:

24points

POST

Thee8thsense 2 years ago

But only if you have money on your books.

3points

View more comments

#33

Stand up for myself, even if the other guy is bigger and stronger. Once you show you're a b***h once, you're always going to be a b***h to everyone. Better to get punched in the face and take it like a man, even if you ultimately lose the fight. This may not work for everyone though. They say I've got good chin.

thedanimal722 Report

Final score:

22points

POST

Random Anon 2 years ago

It works, though I hate that it does. Back in school, after putting two "gangsta" guys in the hospital, myself along, my life changed. I was the kid most people would mistake for a girl. But it seems those watching were convinced I was going to kill them both. I don't remember much of it and was told after, I just went nuts at one until he went limp and then went to work on the other until he too went down. By the end, it was really bloody and I passed out walking towards a tap. Their parents weren't happy but because their shenanigans were known by the police, it's either we all go to juvie or no one does. They chose the latter.

2points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#34

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Ice cubes. Spoon. Soup. Eat it as fast as possible this way. Don't let someone have the chance to take your soup

Elfere , Muhammad Ashiq Report

Final score:

21points

POST

cat? 2 years ago

can someone explain this one? i don’t understand “ice cubes. spoon. soup. eat it as fast as possible this way.”

8points

View More Replies...

View more comments

See Also on Bored Panda

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

#35

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Cheapest, best way for a single guy to eat, and all the stuff you need is so much cheaper on the outs, compared to buying it on commissary!!

wood49 , Phillip Stewart Report

Final score:

18points

POST

Vicky Verz 2 years ago

This is a good life skill to have these days

5points

#36

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community Wipe the toilet with toilet paper after I pee (even with the seat up). For years I used to wipe the sink with toilet paper every time I used it.

--malcolm , Carlos ZGZ Report

Final score:

15points

POST

Mike Schantini 2 years ago

Must have been tough during the pandemic

6points

View more comments

What do you think ?

S. Mi 2 years ago

We desperately need to consider our prisons. How does allowing people to be victimized or victimize others prepare them to re enter society? It doesn't. It either increases those tendencies or adds to trauma, which challenges coping

aj B 2 years ago

Yes but if we rehabilitate them they won't come back and the rich a*h*es getting paid to keep them there will have to sell their second homes, and we can't possibly have that. /s

Load More Replies...

Creature Cargeaux 2 years ago

Making my bed with folded corners everytime I get up. & sometimes I still hand wash my socks & underwear because I don't feel like doing a full load of laundry. Which, in jail you only get to send your stuff to be washed once a week & if you send your uniform in to be washed they'll just give you a new one. So if you like the way yours fits, you keep it & hand wash it. Sometimes you'll get ones that are too fucken small or too baggy. So when you find one that's just right you hand wash that s**t. But there was something about hand washing things that was really calming to me. Like I had a little bit of control over my life. Maybe even the fact that I got to "choose" my uniform fit made me feel a little more like myself. But hand washing s**t has been a constant since I got out of jail 3 years ago. My husband thinks I'm nuts. But it's just something I do.

kathryn stretton 2 years ago

Once knew someone (U.K.) who spent only a few months in jail, but when he came home he would open the fridge door and just sit cross legged on the floor looking at it's contents. Apparently the food in jail was dire.

Load More Comments

30 Unexpected Habits People Learnt In Jail And Still Do In Their Everyday Life, As Shared In This Online Community

Games

Jurgita Dominauskaitė

Jurgita Dominauskaitė

Saulė Tolstych

Saulė Tolstych

Word Search

WordroW

Jigsaw

Crossword

Sudoku

Picdoku

Killer Sudoku

Kriss Kross

Word Flower