...
that was We’ve all been there once or twice. words: Ashley Garcia | design: Lily Zuckerman Awkward interactions are the ultimate kryptonite for a college girl's experience. Maybe you're trying to walk and talk at the same time, and you trip in front of your current crush. Or you misread social cues in front of other people. We enter college knowing it is everyone’s first time here, but it doesn't make those awkward interactions any easier to forget. The awkwardness of these situations will seem stuck in your head, but trust me, we have all been there. Here are three awkward encounters that we have all had to overcome.
you know, screams erupt as a heart shows up on the screen. You just liked the guy’s post, and the damage is done when your friend takes back the like. There is looming dread when thinking about how awkward it will be running into this guy on campus. If this situation occurs, just laugh it off and remember that everyone has done this more than once when stalking a man's social media. Chances are he has also done something similar. Who knows, maybe he might even become interested.
Misreading social cues
You rush into the elevator when you spot a familiar face from your class standing there. The doors slide shut and suddenly you’re both enclosed in a small space. An awkward silence fills the elevator, and you wonder if you guys are going to make small talk or just stay silent. You start the conversation with a simple “Hi, how are you?” and receive a “Good” back. The silence creeps back in and you both awkwardly stare at the floor numbers going up. You both stay silent until you reach the first stop and leave the elevator with a simple, “Have a great day.” The true awkwardness comes when you both start walking in the same direction to class and walk side to side in silence. The good news is you guys don’t sit next to each other and that interaction is over.
I can guarantee that more than half of you reading this have done this pain-stacking and embarrassing action more than once when hanging out with friends or alone. You're walking around campus and see someone in front of you raise their hand to wave, as if saying hello. Excitedly, you lift your hand and wave, feeling a rush of happiness at the thought of running into a friend. Just as you start to wave, the person next to you waves at the person you thought was waving at you.You pretend that it didn’t happen and walk it off. You keep replaying how silly you must have looked and beat yourself up over it. In hindsight, this is a classic college moment that feels like you’ll remember forever, but truly once the next week comes around, you’ll forget all about it and so will everyone else. Liking posts on Instagram, is it like a virtual love letter? A heart on Instagram cannot go unnoticed. This is the most dreaded moment in girlhood. When stalking a cute guy's socials, one friend keeps saying, “Be careful what you press,” and the other, “Don’t even touch the screen.” Next thing 44
The elevator small talk
Awkward interactions are an inevitable part of college, but some of those cringeworthy moments will make for great stories later. Remember to embrace life. You are not the only one going through hiccups. Embrace the awkwardness because that’s where some of the best stories and unexpected friendships begin.