Living in a 14-story, on-campus apartment building on the 11th floor has really taught me a lot about elevators and the awkward events that take place in them. I take an elevator every single day, even multiple times a day, and for the most part, the events that take place are always the same in the sense that they are always incredibly awkward. I hope that I am not alone in the awkward encounters of being on an elevator and that you have all experienced some of the things I certainly have.
1. Everyone pulls out their cell phone to avoid talking to one another.
2. Someone clicks the wrong floor number and when the doors open on that floor, nobody gets out.
3. There's a weird guy that smells bad and you have to try your best to hold your breath.
4. Someone tries to make conversation but it gets quickly interrupted by having to make an exit on their floor.
5. You enter an elevator with someone you think you know but don't know if you should say hi too.
6. You get off the wrong floor and you have to back up and enter the elevator once again.
7. You have to wait over 10 minutes for an elevator to even come to your floor.![]()
8. It's a busy morning and you end up having to stop on every floor down to pick up another group of people.
9. You get in an elevator with someone who lives in the apartment next to you and you start to think that they may be following you.
10. A hot person gets in the elevator and the sexual tension is high.
11. You get severely disappointed when you see that you won't get the elevator to yourself.
12. Someone who lives on the second floor takes up everyone's time by getting in and avoiding taking only ONE flight of stairs.
13. You get in the elevator in "going out" attire and everyone else is in sweats.
14. You get in the elevator with a couple who is demonstrating a high level of EPDA (Elevator Public Display of Affection).
15. You get into an elevator with a group of friends and you're feeling like the odd one out since you're not a part of the elevator conversation.
16. You forget to click your floor number button.
17. The elevator is packed and you realize you have gotten in way too many people's personal spaces.
I hate to admit that all of these events have actually happened to me on my college apartment elevator, but sadly they have. Every single one of them making me feel more awkward than I can explain. There's just so much room for disaster when forcing a large number of people into a space the size of a closet.
How many of these have happened to you?
