Let’s face it: we all are a bit awkward in some way, shape, or form. We do awkward things, behave awkwardly, feel awkward, and in turn, cause other people to feel awkward. It’s basically our human nature to produce awkwardness. I'm not here to tell you that being awkward is a bad thing; in fact, sometimes throwing a lil' awkward into a serious situation can be just the type of tension-release the doctor called for. However more often than not, we find ourselves embarrassed in these awkward moments, fully prepared to crawl under a rock and hide the rest of our days away. At least we can all take comfort in knowing we are all in this together when it comes to encountering awkward moments throughout our lives (some of us, more than others). In fact, here are ten awkward moments that practically everyone finds themselves involved in eventually.

1. Wave Confusion.

Oh yes, that classically awkward situation when you think someone is waving at you so you wave back, only to realize they weren’t waving at you at all. They were waving at someone near you or behind you or next to you. It’s happens to the best of us, pal, so don’t sweat it; just remember to pick the crumbled pieces of your pride off the ground though before you keep on walking.

2. To Hug or Not to Hug? (Or to Uncomfortably Side-Hug…?)

You're familiar with this one, I'm sure: that undeniably awkward moment when you're considering going in for that hug, but then think, "well… maybe we aren't on that level yet," or "this is too informal of a situation for a full-on hug, isn't it?" So you and whoever you're pondering over hugging (who is, most likely, unsure of whether or not to hug you, too) simply stand there in awkward non-hugging silence for a steady half minute staring at one another. And finally, when you two do eventually attempt a hug of sorts, it turns out to be one of the most strange hugs you've probably ever had.

3. Being Caught Staring

Crap. He caught me; it's over. Okay eyes down, eyes down; maybe pretend you were just lifting your head up in thought, pondering some of the world's deepest questions. Yeah… no one's gonna buy that. You knew it was a bad idea to go back for that second glance, but seriously, who the heck is that guy?! You've had this same general chemistry class three times a week for two months already, and you'd swear on your grandma's homemade chocolate chip cookies that you'd never seen him before in your life. And not to mention, he looks pretty cute… well, at least the side of his face that you can see.

4. Farting in Front of Others

Need I really explain this one further? It happens to us all, none of us can control it, and it's a basic bodily function; so why is it so darn embarrassing to fart in front of other people? Regardless of how many beans you eat, it's bound to happen to you at some point.

5. Tripping on Literally Nothing

Have you ever tripped and looked down to see that the only two possible culprits are your own two feet? Sure you have, because it'd be hard to find someone who hasn't. The worst part isn't even the miniature heart attack you have the second you trip and there's a possibility you could face-plant or end up with a massive rainbow bruise on your hiney; the worst part is looking around after you've regained your balance and notice that at least twenty people in the room just witnessed you trip on thin air.

6. Clogging a Toilet That's Not Yours

This is arguably the most embarrassing thing a human being in today's world has to deal with. Have you ever clogged a toilet at a friend's house, and then wondered how you were going to go about telling them that your business is currently clogging up their pipes? Or maybe you've just had to be that lucky person who walked in on a clogged, overflowing toilet in a restaurant bathroom and mustered up the courage to tell management that the bathroom floor of the ladies room is currently under a quarter inch of water and other unspeakable substances.

7. Someone Hearing You Talk/Sing to Yourself

Honestly, this can be more creepy or funny usually, than solely awkward. A large sum of the population actually talk to themselves, in reality, as it talking to oneself has shown to help us follow directions better and stay on-task. Sometimes, talking to yourself can just be helpful to think out loud and process your thoughts vocally. So why exactly do we feel weird if other people catch us talking to ourselves (other than the fact it's sort of a stigma that gets associated with being a clinically insane maniac)? Beats me, but if you've ever talked to yourself and someone else walked into the room and overheard you, you most likely had an awkward exchange afterwards, that went something along the lines of:

Other person: "Are you talking to yourself?"

You: *clearly lying* "No."

Other person: *squints at you*

You: *squints back*

8. Taking a Bite of Food Before Someone Asks You a Question

Don't you just hate it when this happens? People always seem to pick the second right after you took a massive bite of food to ask you a question. Like bro, could you not have asked me like two seconds ago when the next psychology quiz was before I took this larger-than-life bite of chicken lo mein? No? Okay, fine, you can wait patiently for me to respond so that I can adequately chew and enjoy the taste of my lunch.

9. Sending a Text to the Wrong Person

It always seems like whenever this happens, the problematic text is accidentally sent to literally the last possible person you wanted to receive it. Bouncing back from a "dude, did we seriously get tattoos on our butt cheeks last night" text that accidentally was sent to your mom, rather than your best friend, can be one awkward cookie to crack my friend.

10. Pushing a Pull Door

Now to present the bread and butter of all awkward moments: pushing a pull door. Opening a door is a basic, simple skill… or so you think. However, all of us have had a moment or fifty when we are touched by absolute magic. The word "pull" is directly in front of us, yet we don't even see it! Whoever told you unicorns are the most magical phenomenon out there was lying; clearly, humans who push pull-doors are the epitome of majestic awkwardness.

There you have it, folks! Awkwardness is inherent in all of us, whether we'd like to admit it or not. It's not always a bad thing, though, because inserting a little awkwardness into the world can bring a little humor into the dark and serious moments of life. So embrace your awkward side; the universe will thank you.