How many times have you gone to a family get together or function and a family member asks you “those questions” that you try to avoid at all costs? I know I have been in this situation at almost every family function and to this day I still try to avoid "those questions" because it gets awkward and I don’t always know how to handle them.
When Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around you know there will be those family members (that you never see) who ask the awkward and dreadful questions that you try to avoid every single holiday. You think of ways to answer these questions ahead of time or better yet ways to ignore them altogether, because you know all too well that they're coming as soon as you walk through the door at your grandma's house. Whether you stuff your mouth full of food so you can’t speak (because remember we were taught that it’s rude to talk with your mouth full) or even change the subject to asking how their cat is doing, you usually can’t get away fast enough. When trying to run away, you’re probably trying to find that cousin or aunt that you know won’t bother with "those questions." Is it just me or do family functions always make you feel like you are in an interrogation session?
Here are the dreaded questions:
The most asked question (in my opinion) is the "Why don't you have a boyfriend?"....The question we dread the most and hate having to explain as to why we are single. Let's face it. The answer is simple. No one can handle all this weirdness and awkwardness for more than 5 minutes. It would take a special person to handle and put up with it (yes, I'm sure he's somewhere out there, Grandma). You do not have to have a significant other to be happy or be a better person. And no, we don't care that so-and-so from down the road has had a boyfriend for years and that he's proposing. I'd rather spend my night with a pint of Ben and Jerry's, because they're the men who really matter.
"You're still in school?"....Yes, yes I am still in school. You may have changed your mind a few times on what you want to do but you finally picked the perfect major. So what if it takes you a couple more years to finish. That's an extra couple years you can enjoy the college life with your oh-so fabulous friends.
When you do finally pick a major and your family finds out, you get hit with the question, "What are you going to do with that degree?" In all honesty, most people probably don't even know what all they can do with their degree and if they do, they may change their mind before that degree is even completed. It may take you changing your major multiple times and if that's the case, just make the joke about becoming a "professional student."
"When do you plan on having kids?"....Whoa now. Let's take a step back. Most of us can't even decide what we are going to do, where and what to eat, or what to wear much less when we plan on having kids. Planning out when to have kids is most likely not in any of our agendas. I'm happy when I finally decide what ice cream and Netflix show to binge on for the night (it's sad, I know).
"How are your grades?" Is a very popular one in my family. You may have times where your grades are sinking faster than the Titanic, but you just nod, smile, tell them your grades are doing fine and walk away. Walk away very fast so you can avoid that awkward silence. Along with how are you grades comes the next question, "What's your GPA?" WHY DOES IT MATTER. I don't think knowing or not knowing my GPA is detrimental to your life, thank you.
Then there's always the question about your hot mess of a life. "When are you going to get your life together?" Never. Just kidding. We should just laugh because we probably haven't had our life together in months or ever. Actually, it may be a while before we do get this hot mess of life together because we are young and make mistakes and learn along the way. Sorry Mom and Dad!
While there are probably more questions that our family members like to throw at us, these were just the most popular ones that my friends and I have gotten on multiple occasions. If you can go to a family function and avoid these questions, then you've dodged a bullet and should consider yourself safe....Until the next one that is.
