I first heard the phrase "that's awkward" when I was in sixth grade. A lot of things happen for kids at that time. It's when reputations start to matter, looks are everything, and wanting to belong becomes the single most important goal in life. I essentially learned that "awkward" refers to everything aside from that, everything that doesn't fit and doesn't belong. But somehow, looking back, I think it's those awkward moments, those weird, uncomfortable experiences that make our journeys so funny, memorable, and connected. So here's to bad haircuts and braces, to tripping on stairs and food stuck in your teeth. May we have many more awkward moments to come but in the meantime, here are 12 we can all relate to.
1. When you laugh too hard at something that isn’t funny.
I don’t know how I always find myself doing this one and it’s the worst. It usually happens when you’re trying to impress someone or you’re just disproportionately enthusiastic. Either way, it’s not just the fact that you’re laughing too hard which makes this situation awkward, but that everyone else isn’t laughing along with you.
In my experience, everyone kind of has this pitiful smile on their face as if to say, ”Aw, look at that. She’s trying.”
2. When you have a dryer sheet stuck to your clothes.
You know when you’ve been walking around thinking you look great and you check yourself out in a mirror to find a dryer sheet stuck to your pants? Or something feels off about your shirt all day and then you realize a sock is tucked in the collar from the laundry pile? Oh, that’s just me? Okay, never mind. Let’s move on.
3. Seeing someone you know in the grocery store.
Don’t deny it, I know everyone has experienced this one. You see your teacher or co-worker with a cart wearing "regular clothes," buying regular food and somehow it becomes one of the most awkward experiences possible. We’re all aware that everyone has a life outside of where you might see them and, just like us, they need to do normal things like grocery shopping too. That’s what I don’t get. It’s the most normal experience in the world and yet it’s one of the most uncomfortable.
And it gets worse if you’ve exchanged pleasantries and gone your separate ways and then you run into them again. The worst. I feel awkward just writing about it.
4. Third wheeling.
Self-explanatory. I relate to the guy on the couch.
5. When you’re about to say something deep and you forget it
Sometimes you get into these really deep intellectual conversations and you know you sound smart. You know they’re looking at you in admiration and respect and you’re just on top of the world. And then, as luck would have it, you completely forget where you’re going with a thought and the spaced out, "I have no clue what I’m talking about" expression takes over. Real smooth.
6. When you don’t know what to talk about.
This may sound mean but it’s the truth: you can’t get along with everyone. Sometimes the person you’re with may be a nice, normal, approachable person but somehow, you just don’t click. They want to talk about some new movie or politics or something you really just aren’t interested in discussing and you can’t help but look past them and figure out how to get out of this situation. From personal experience, I’d suggest to just keep nodding and "mm-hmming" until you find an escape route.
7. When you send a text to the wrong person.
Let the panic begin!
8. When you go to the bathroom with someone you know.
You know when you walk into the bathroom with someone you know and you’re not sure whether they intend to keep talking when you actually use the bathroom? It may sound gross but it happens to me all the time.
And if you end up talking, it’s even worse because you’re trying to do your business and have this discussion and coordinate everything … I’ll let you picture the rest.
9. Pretending you don't know someone who you know.
10. Seeing someone you like and tripping in front of them.
This one’s also pretty self-explanatory but sometimes you see that special someone or just some random, super attractive individual walking towards you and you’ll completely lose all sense of coordination and control.
Time to get personal: one time I saw someone I’d really liked for a long time and I, being the graceful, dignified, light-footed angel that I am, proceeded to trip on the stairs, spill an entire 16 oz cappuccino all over myself, and lie there in the puddle of said coffee for a good five minutes contemplating life. Yes, this really has happened to me. No, we never got together. If you think you’ve had it bad, think again.
11. When people fight in front of you.
12. When you know you have something on your face.
If I have lipstick on my teeth, just tell me. If I have food on my face, seriously, just tell me. I don’t understand how some people rationalize this out because it makes no sense.
Oh, she/he has something on their face. Should I tell them? No, that’ll embarrass them. It’s better for me not to say anything and to let him/her go around all day long with that on their face and they can just find it on their own time.
While we’re on this note, don’t kid yourself into thinking you’re a considerate person if you don’t say anything. I hope I speak for some when I say I’d rather have you just be brutally honest in that one moment than let what little reputation I have left go down the drain.
