Normally, it's extremely difficult to self-describe in one word. However, interviewers and teachers LOVE asking us to do it. How can everything about a person be summed up in just one word? Well for me, this has never been a hard task. In fact, when I introduce myself, I always start by saying “hi, I'm awkward.” I am not embarrassed by my awkwardness, because I am willing to bet that anybody reading this is just as awkward as I am (even if they don't know it yet). Here is a list of the top four awkward things I have done that I am sure you have done too. I dare you to get through all four without relating to at least one.
1. Have concerts featuring me singing in the shower
Come on, who hasn’t rocked out to their favorite song while in the shower? You're alone and nobody is watching...or so you think, until one of the people in your dorm casually walks in and informs you that you are singing the wrong verse. Not only has this happened, but this same friend also told me that I am tone deaf. I don't care, because I was having fun singing my Taylor Swift song at the top of my lungs. To my friend from my dorm, however…now we've got bad blood.
2. Not knowing a date was indeed a date
I remember the first time I was asked to get coffee with a boy who I knew from class. We were always talking and seemed to be good friends. When he asked, I assumed he wanted to hang out, and so of course, being the incredibly awkward person I am, I invited three of my friends to join. Luckily the boy was kind and gave me one more chance, asking if I wanted to sit at a different table and leave my friends to hang out. Of course I just smiled and told him I was good where I was. Is it shocking that we never hung out again after that? Whoops. Moral of the story, if a person asks you for coffee (alone), assume it is a date.
3. Disrupt a class by having my phone go off
Now why would this one be awkward? It happens all the time; we all forget to put our phones on silent before classes once in a while. While this is true, the phone doesn’t always remind us to pick up tampons and we don’t always immediately run out of class, tripping up stairs on our way out. Hey, I was a first year, and I panicked. Making awkward situations more awkward is one of my skills. In situations like these, it is best to just pretend it didn’t happen and not make a scene; lesson learned.
4. Going on a first date (knowingly)
Being an awkward person isn’t that bad, until you try to go on a date. I remember my first date in particular. I had this huge crush on a boy for a while, but of course I couldn’t talk to him because in addition to being awkward, I'm also shy. Nevertheless, one day he approached me and asked to go on a date. I nodded my head (awkwardly), and we set it up. The date finally arrived. The boy asked me what I wanted to do, and I being oh-so-smooth said that we shouldn’t do anything in public, because we might be seen together. I know, yikes. Not only did I sound like a snarky bitch, but I also sounded uninterested, even though I was very interested. I can't be the only one awkward enough to have messed up a first date in the initial five minutes, can I? Expert tip, if you are nervous about being awkward on a date, think before you speak, because this will prevent most of the awkward ramblings from spilling from your lips, saving you the embarrassment I felt.
