I am with HK, I find it much eaiser to cope by adding masking noises than by wearing earphones or ear plugs. I can cope with multiple people chewing or drinking far more easily than just one person near me doing so, which I think is because there is less other ambient noise to cover it up but also because there is absolutely no masking of what the sound IS, the sound is in complete focus. Also, it's much worse if I am trying to focus elsewhere. Someone chewing near me while I am working will lead to complete meltdown on a bad day.
