'Tis the season for #relationshipgoals and cute couple pictures blowing up my Instagram feed this summer. However, what about those relationships that aren't goals or never became relationships at all? What about those first dates that never made it to a second date? Though I call them failures, other people deem them "learning experiences." As in learning what I don't want to experience with a certain person.

So here it is: a compilation of awkward, horrible, cringe-worthy date stories that people have stored in the recesses of their minds. If you're feeling bad about your single status, or just want a laugh, these stories are for you.

Note: to protect the identity and dignity of these failed relationships, I'm allowing these stories to remain anonymous.

1. The Good Samaritan

"Once I took a girl to Olive Garden where we had a wonderful time. Later, she asked me to take her shopping at the grocery store. Having been satisfied with dinner, I agreed to help her out, as she was someone in need without transportation. After shopping, she kissed me, but later when I asked if she needed help carrying things in her house, she told me 'No, I think my boyfriend and I can handle it.' Taken aback, I looked at her funny and then a guy ran out of the house and greeted me with a smile and a handshake. After they got their stuff, I left and never heard from her again."

2. The Unsuccessful Hint

"This guy and I had become friends through mutual friends, and one time he asked me to go to lunch. I invited other friends to go with me because I knew he wanted it to be a date but I really didn't want to go on a date with him. I showed up with my friends and we sat through this lunch where he perpetually stared at me and tried way too hard to relate by laughing way too hard at my jokes and over-exaggerating the jokes he thought I would enjoy. My friends and I went to the bathroom together at one point and awkwardly joked about it, clearly having failed to prove my point that I did not want to date him. Afterwards, he followed me to my car and proceeded to ask me out on an actual date where I then cried because I felt terrible about turning him down. Our friendship fell apart and we haven't spoken since. Yay."

3. Family Ties

"It was in middle school that this girl and I started dating. Eventually, we ended up kissing. Our relationship lasted about three months before ending. However, on a seemingly unrelated note, I met my best friend who also happened to be my second cousin by marriage. One day after my relationship with the girl ended, I happened to be hanging out with her and my best friend. He mentioned that we were all cousins. As it turned out, this girl I had dated for three months was something like my fourth cousin. Did I mention she was also my first kiss?"

4. BO-y Trouble

"Before our second date, one guy picked me up at my house. But when he came in and hugged me, I got a whiff of the worst BO I had ever smelled in my whole life. I felt bad, but I was sure he realized, so I didn't mention it. After using our guest bathroom, my mom called me to her because apparently the atrocious smell had lingered. She wanted him out of our house immediately. We left, though the date was terrible because I couldn't handle the smell. The next time he asked me out on a date, I politely declined. When he asked why, I was completely honest with him, and I may have added the fact my parents thought he was disgusting. He immediately called me, humiliated, and kept asking me why I didn't say anything about it. I told him that it was so bad I thought there was no way that he hadn't noticed. Then he told me he can't smell. He's never smelled anything in his life, and he can hardly taste anything either. So now I looked like the jerk."

5. Target Practice

"It was prom, and my date was this guy I sort of liked, though I knew he liked me more. We had an okay time at dinner and at the dance, but I realized I just wanted to be friends with him. Then this slow song came on at the dance. Groan. We slow danced way too close and eventually I rested my head on his shoulder. But then, he tried to kiss me! I wondered, how are you going to get to my lips if my head is on your shoulder?! But I guess I instinctively turned away from him, because somehow his lips landed on my ear! The worst part is, he didn't immediately back off, he sort of just kept kissing my ear! It was horrible! I ended up leaving early because I had such a horrible time."

6. A Downpour of Dumb

“Once, I went bowling on-campus with a guy on our second date. It had been raining all week and the skies were still looking ominous, so I grabbed an umbrella before I met him. The actual date itself was kind of fun. When we left, we walked outside and found it was absolutely pouring. I offered to share my umbrella with him because he didn’t have any rain gear. After about a minute of walking, he grabbed my umbrella as if to hold it for me, but instead shifted it so that it only covered him, leaving me in the rain. When I asked him about it, he said, ‘I can’t let my shoes get wet. You’ll be fine.’ So, I proceeded to walk for fifteen minutes across campus in the pouring rain while my kind date strolled so slowly under my umbrella to protect his precious tennis shoes and continued to make conversation. Needless to say, there was no third date, although he did ask and did not seem to understand that he had done anything wrong.”