The questions listed below are the questions that are most likely to be asked at the dinner table. Whether you need a cheat sheet on how to answer them (see below) or you realize that you are a frequent user of the all too familiar avoiding the question game with some obscure answer, here are my top five questions I have heard get asked at many different family dinners.

Caution: friends and significant others may be asked the same questions if attending dinner somewhere else. Specifically, when moms, aunts, and grandmothers are around, no one is safe.

1. How were classes this semester?

"What's important is that we have our health."

No one wants to admit finals (or that the whole semester) did not go well. And with family coming in for the holidays, who wants to be the bearer of bad news? I know I don't.

2. What is your major?

"I'm keeping my options open, trying out new things to see what I'm interested in."

Luckily this does not apply to me but I have plenty of friends that are dreading the "major" question. Time to pull out your inner actor/actress and see what kind of show you can put on for anyone that asks.

3. Are you thinking of graduating early?

"You only live once, I don't really want to rush my youth."

A.K.A. I barely know what I'm doing tomorrow and you want me to figure out what I'm doing 2 years from now? Yea right, good luck with that. I definitely do not want to give up the only time I can be out until 3 a.m. on a Tuesday and be up for my 8 a.m. on a Wednesday and still pull off a day's work.

4. What have you been up to this semester? Anything crazy or fun?

What we want to say: You have NO idea.

What we actually say: No not really, I've really been working hard to pull up my GPA. My school work always comes first.

Cue turning to the favorite cousin and going day by day in explicit detail everything that has been going on this semester.

5. Question 5 is the mother load of all questions: Are you seeing anyone?

"Nothing too serious"

Now in my case, this is not true, but everyone else knows that the second they open up that can of worms at the family dinner table, the questions won't stop coming:

1. Really? What's their name?

2. Where are they from?

3. How old are they?

4. Why aren't they here?

5. Are they coming?

6. When can we meet him/her?

So on and so forth...

The dinner table is a trap, but it's also one of the most enjoyable places to be. Good food, good company, and (usually) good conversation. I wish luck to anyone and everyone who has a big family like I do.

Get ready for 21 questions at the dinner table especially with the upcoming holidays and be prepared to be mortified or put in the hot spot for all the extended cousins you didn't know you were related to until 37 seconds ago to see.