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Original poster

Very 'normal' things that make you feel awkward

644 replies

DancingDucks · 21/02/2025 10:46

First of all I'm sticking a 'lighthearted' in here. 😊

A friend and I had this conversation the other day and it made us both laugh, so maybe it'll cheer up a wet and windy day for some.

Some of mine:

When people wish me happy birthday on Facebook. It's very lovely of people but makes me feel so weird and embarrassed, so I now have my birthday hidden.

Waiting to get off a bus. Not sure what I think will happen, but I get all weird and stressed in case I forget to thank the driver. Which would never happen because it's so drummed into me.

Standing behind people at a cash machine. Even though I stand well back, I fear I might look a shifty and robby type, so try to arrange my face as benignly as possible, hence looking slightly vacant.

Walking past my own house. This is so weird and I've no idea why it makes me feel like I should give a jolly wave to my house.

Please tell me I'm not alone in my weirdness ...

OP posts:
PowerhouseOfTheCell · 21/02/2025 19:00

Buying loo roll and having to walk it home, always feel like people are walking by thinking ‘she be SHITTIN loads’. It makes me sweat with the stress Blush

KitKatKathy · 21/02/2025 19:04

I get terribly embarrassed when introduced to someone with the same name as me.

ARainyNightInSoho · 21/02/2025 19:12

KitKatKathy · 21/02/2025 19:04

I get terribly embarrassed when introduced to someone with the same name as me.

Oh, what? How many people have the same name as you? I have a really common name for my age (in the top 3 for my birth year). But I can’t remember being introduced to anyone with the same name for about 20 years and it’s probably only happened 3 times in my very long life. Anyway, what’s embarrassing about it? I felt sort of bonded to the person, we instantly have something in common.

Fangisnotacoward · 21/02/2025 19:12

mumgodloveher · 21/02/2025 14:15

Walking or driving past police or a police car/van. I've never been in trouble with the police in my life but I suddenly feel so guilty and have to arrange my face to try to look innocent. It's so stressful and I have no idea why!

Haha! I do this.

If a police car pulls up behind me, I start worrying about the (non-existent) 2kg of drugs that's in the boot of my car. Like the previous owner left it there and I've just never noticed! 🤣

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 21/02/2025 19:16

Fangisnotacoward · 21/02/2025 19:12

Haha! I do this.

If a police car pulls up behind me, I start worrying about the (non-existent) 2kg of drugs that's in the boot of my car. Like the previous owner left it there and I've just never noticed! 🤣

Show quote history

This actually happened to an ex-colleague of DH’s! He’d collected some equipment from a business owner, popped it in his boot to return to the office at some point and they contacted him awkwardly a few days later wanting it back. Turns out they were hiding their drugs in the box and DH’s colleague had been driving round with them for days! Luckily he didn’t get stopped by the Police though. I can’t remember if he gave the drugs back or disposed of them or handed them in though.

Itsaswelltime · 21/02/2025 19:21

BadgersGalore · 21/02/2025 10:58

Thank you OP, I didn't know I could hide my birthday on Facebook but I have now done it because I hate people wishing me happy birthday too. I fret about whether I've thanked them all, and if I've used a kiss for some and not others or a smiling emoji. Pathetic!

I get very awkward when someone puts out their hand and I have to shake it. I haven't lived the sort of life where hand shaking is a regular thing, and I never know how to do it. Grip hard? Limply move up and down? Besides which I don't really want to touch the hands of relative strangers with all their accompanying hand sweat and germs. But I do it anyway and cringe inside.

If you are a woman, the only people who should offer you their hand to shake are other women, in which case, if you want to shake, touch hands at the bottom of the fingers and close your hand as much as if you were carrying an orange in it. The handshake should last as long it takes to say How do you do?

Men who offer their hands to women don’t have good manners.

DameEdnaAverage2 · 21/02/2025 19:28

I hate walking out of a shop having not bought anything. I feel like everyone, especially the security guard, is thinking I've stolen something.

Fizbosshoes · 21/02/2025 19:30

DameEdnaAverage2 · 21/02/2025 19:28

I hate walking out of a shop having not bought anything. I feel like everyone, especially the security guard, is thinking I've stolen something.

Once I had bought things in wilko, but had taken my own bag for life type bag, from home. A security guard stopped me and accused me of stealing , it was mortifying, particularly as I had one of DDs friends with me at the time!

DameEdnaAverage2 · 21/02/2025 19:38

Fizbosshoes · 21/02/2025 19:30

Once I had bought things in wilko, but had taken my own bag for life type bag, from home. A security guard stopped me and accused me of stealing , it was mortifying, particularly as I had one of DDs friends with me at the time!

Show quote history

Oh, that's awful! I'm so sorry that happened to you and I hope you got an apology! I really think I'd die on the spot in the same situation.

ThatAgileLimeCat · 21/02/2025 20:14

Tipping. Everything about it. Handing it over. Then the whole "are you sure?" "Yes thank you so.mich", "thank you so much" back and forth. Then the awkwardness of forgetting cash the next time and not having a tip and thinking that they must be thinking it's a passive aggressive game of some sort.
Either have all tips on card or have a box to put the cash on. Anything else makes me want to hide.

Rizzla · 21/02/2025 20:15

Another hairdresser one, when they get my coat at the end and then hold it out for me to put it on. I get really awkward as I’d rather just take it and put it on myself. It’s the same with the hairdressing cloaks. Why is the hairdressers just so awkward?!

coxesorangepippin · 21/02/2025 20:15

It's a British thing

No other culture is awkward like us

coxesorangepippin · 21/02/2025 20:17

Have I managed to arrange my expressionless autism face into something that looks suitably interested? Wait, is my smile always lopsided?

Got to fill that awkward silence when a question is asked… but then is that annoying that it’s always me with my hand up??

^
Oh don't get me started

Teams is awful for everyone

You cannot have a proper conversation if there's more than one person, cringe

Funkyslippers · 21/02/2025 20:18

I don't like walking past someone's window when I'm visiting them incase they see me. Don't know why. I'd rather just suddenly appear by surprise at their front door 🤣

Funkyslippers · 21/02/2025 20:22

Seeing someone you know in the street when you know they'll expect more than a hello & you can't be bothered. I either hide till they've gone or if it's too late I pretend to eg look in a shop window till they're gone

Funkyslippers · 21/02/2025 20:28

FoolishHips · 21/02/2025 14:06

Oh and walking towards someone I vaguely know on a dog walk. We both look at each other at a distance but it's too far to walk towards them like a grinning lunatic so I look away and try to work out when to look up again.

Omg I do this all the time! I pretend I haven't seen them so look to the side then act surprised to see them when they're close enough

Funkyslippers · 21/02/2025 20:32

Going to a garage for MOT/repairs. I never know where to park. Sometimes they have MOT drive-in bays, like right in the actual workshop. So, am I supposed to drive straight into them? I've never had the courage incase they shout at me that it's for the employees only!

ChompandaGrazia · 21/02/2025 20:37

IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere · 21/02/2025 16:59

When the butcher delivers my meat order I find it so awkward - it was ok when the dining table was by the window and I could see him coming but it just feels really odd for him to be delivering my food like I am too good to fetch it myself. He's in the next town from us so for me to collect it would require 2 bus trips each way and carrying home two really heavy bags. So I have taken to leaving the cool bag on the bottom step (our front door is upstairs) and messaging the shop to say I have to pop out so it will be safe in the bag for 10 minutes (can't see it from the road).

I also hate to have groceries delivered so only do it when DD is staying so she can deal with it!

I had a Waitrose delivery, which doesn’t come in bags and you have to unpack it on the doorstep.
I was so busy that I hadn’t notice the delivery guy until he said ‘you haven’t realised it me have you?’ I was a friend, I actually died and this is my ghost typing this.

Funkyslippers · 21/02/2025 20:51

InTheWild · 21/02/2025 15:24

The small walk back to your spot, after you’ve had your turn bowling. I don’t know why it’s awkward , but it is.

Walking into one of those trendy, cool independent shops that are usually very quiet. I feel the pressure to make sure I look round every inch, slowly inspecting things I can’t afford, then it’s the cheery “thank you, bye” to the sole shop assistant/owner on my way out. I swear I can feel their eyes burning into the back of my head 🤣

Omg the bowling one! I usually just look like I'm totally rubbish at it, even on the rare occasion I've got a strike. My expression says it's a fluke

When I'm at a car boot sale & business is slow and the seller looks ultra grateful that you've approached their table and gives a cheery "hello!". If it's a load of tat I don't know whether to feign interest but don't want to build their hopes up or just to keep walking which seems a bit rude!

MyIvyGrows · 21/02/2025 20:57

I’d forgotten the hot terror of saying my own name or job title out loud. What if I get it wrong and just say some random gibberish?

ThatAgileLimeCat · 21/02/2025 21:06

Calling to order a Chinese or Thai takeaway. For some reason every other kind of takeaway is fine

Introducing myself, especially when I have to include my job title. I have got it wrong before now and I'm quite senior, so they must wonder how the hell I keep getting promoted when I don't even know who I am or what I do 🤣

The ending of an online meeting.

Breakfast with colleagues when staying over for an evening or meeting

Travelling with colleagues

Winning any kind of award or receiving any recognition

Waiting in line for the loo on a plane.

Checking in at a hotel.

Essentially as soon as I start.my working day or leave the house I forget how to human. Thankfully I lead a pretty neurodiverse team-we cut out as much of the cringe stuff as possible and help each other our when we can't avoid it. Role plays, fun facts and enforced jollity are banned.

Decafflatteplease · 21/02/2025 21:13

I hate room service in a hotel and have been known to hide in the bathroom while DH answers the door 😂 this was more pre DC tbh now we don't have chance for hotel stays!

"Offering the peace" at church wants to make me claw my own eyes out. Just so awkward. I end up pretending DC need me so I'm bending down talking with them until it's over! In COVID we just waved but now we are back to hand shaking or hugs and I just feel so awkward. Strangely though In formal settings eg meetings I'm fine with shaking hands!

The window cleaner...we deliberately chose one who uses poles rather than a ladder so I don't have to tidy upstairs 😂

maudelovesharold · 21/02/2025 22:37

The window cleaner...we deliberately chose one who uses poles rather than a ladder so I don't have to tidy upstairs

I just pull the curtains in rooms which I deem too untidy for the eyes of the window cleaners! I also, like some pp, skulk out of sight. In my case, in the hallway (I sit on a comfy chair by the hall table and scroll on MN!). I feel really awkward if I’m in the same room they’re cleaning. There are 2 window cleaners - one does the upstairs and the other does downstairs, working on opposite sides of the house, so it would be difficult to dodge them!

notprincehamlet · 21/02/2025 23:42

My neighbour is a bin retrieval ninja. The second the empty bins hit the ground he's wrestling them off the binmen. I can't decide if he's being neighbourly or if it's some kind of power trip - I no longer feel I have autonomy over my own bins. I suspect there's a neighborhood WhatsApp group where I'm bin slacker of the week every week. I might be overthinking this. Or he might just be a card-carrying bin wanker.

UncertainWife · 22/02/2025 00:11

Art fairs where the artists are at stalls selling their own work. I feel so awkward when I don't like their work as it'll be obvious when I just walk past and don't properly check out their stuff. But then when I do like their work it's awkward too, I feel I should buy something. I always feel sorry for the artist or crafter if they don't get many visitors to their stall. The whole thing makes me cringe.