Questions tagged [acquaintances]
Questions about people you know but who aren't close enough to be called friends.
61
questions
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How to turn down all future invitations without sounding rude?
Situation:
I am invited to various functions by someone I see regularly (peers, coworkers, friends of friends). When I reject their invitations they will continue to invite me to things even if I ...
25
votes
4
answers
9k
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How do I politely refuse/cut-off a person who needs me only when they want something?
Context: I'm currently doing my bachelor's at a very small local uni. I'm usually known as one of the knowledgeable folks who's open to helping others (many people pretend to know nothing here just to ...
- 353
0
votes
2
answers
745
views
Repel flattery used to start conversations
I get annoyed with this. People start conversations with flattery like:
you have got this, you have got that you cover 360 degrees.
which I know is flattery with ulterior motives. I get irritated ...
5
votes
1
answer
631
views
How to politely address the rude accusations being thrown your way?
I don't know if the title of this post is explanatory and descriptive or not, but I shall be giving a detailed insight of my problem below.
Situation:
There is this committee in our college who ...
- 155
0
votes
2
answers
390
views
How can I ask for recommendations from an acquaintance?
I used to live in city X, and I have an acquaintance Y back then that I have not contacted since I left X. I recently moved back to X (after 6 years) and have some problems at home where I will need ...
- 101
9
votes
5
answers
2k
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How do I turn an acquaintance into a friend?
This is probably the most embarrassing and stupid sounding question I’ve ever asked in my life; but it’s unfortunately one without whose answer I’m stuck. Before I start with my story, I’d just like ...
- 93
28
votes
9
answers
14k
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How to explain my complicated family background to people that I don't know very well?
In 2016 I moved 8,000 km from Canada to Ireland with my Irish husband and daughter.
It's coming up to Christmas and some people have asked me (including some newly found cousins) some seemingly ...
- 1,965
3
votes
1
answer
732
views
How do I start a conversation with a friend I had a crush on in junior high?
Backstory:
I met the person when I went to tuitions during my high school junior year. We didn't explicitly talk to each other as I was really shy but had some small talk here and there. As I didn't ...
- 41
8
votes
2
answers
595
views
How to contact and spend more time with the friends of my best friend?
Around a year back I met who I'd now definitely consider to be my best friend. She's always there and looks out for me. We are both busy but we see each other a few times a month and always have a ...
- 1,581
3
votes
1
answer
355
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How can I effectively use social media to become closer friends with people I don't see often? [closed]
There are some people who I want to get to know better, mainly childhood friends I've grown apart from, former co-workers and children of my parents' friends. I'm connected to them on Facebook but don'...
- 131
12
votes
2
answers
1k
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Asking people to meet outside of work/gym/etc
Lately I feel like all the people I meet only get and stay acquaintances to mine. I don't have a huge friend group and would enjoy forming new friendships, going out more with people, etc.
If often ...
- 1,581
8
votes
1
answer
434
views
How do you maintain relations after you've received help from an acquaintance?
I'm not talking about workplaces. I'm talking about friends outside the workplace.
Maybe you have a friend and got introduced to his friend (X) sometime. Then after a couple of years you needed help ...
- 1,908
4
votes
1
answer
672
views
Making an acquaintance of a bank manager
I'm currently reading "Get a Financial Life" by Beth Kobliner after hearing it praised so much over on Money.SE. In the section on Banking, Kobliner says:
Why it pays to know your bank ...
- 15.2k
2
votes
1
answer
226
views
How can I pursue a friendship by sending a reply to a mass email without having my intentions misinterpreted? [closed]
I recently got a very general “Happy Holidays” mass email from an acquaintance’s work email -- imagine a mail merge with “Dear MERGIE, Happy Holidays from everyone here at Acme Widget Co.” I am ...
- 175
0
votes
3
answers
659
views
How can I ask an acquaintance to make no offers on an apartment we are both interested in?
TL;DR
An acquaintance of mine wants to buy the same apartment as me, and neither of us is willing to back down.
Background
In short, we discovered before going to the showing that were both very ...
- 21
3
votes
1
answer
507
views
How to tell acquaintance that I don't endorse his reckless habits?
For two years, we have been renting out part of our house to a family who we were introduced to through church. Our family is no longer part of said church, but we are still on friendly terms due to ...
- 31
97
votes
17
answers
42k
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How do you deal with colleagues, acquaintances asking you for knowledge that you gained with months of effort?
I'm pretty sure that these are things that we all face. Let's say that you spent months researching about something (be it moving from full time job to being a freelancer, creating a website, starting ...
- 1,908
-1
votes
1
answer
459
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How to tell someone you are pregnant at such a late stage? [closed]
I am 35 weeks pregnant and I didn't tell an acquaintance of mine yet.
She is an old co-worker of mine and works a few blocks away. She quit working at the same company as me in January. She was ...
- 1,965
1
vote
1
answer
554
views
Disproving false beliefs of an acquaintance which may be dangerous or affect our relationships [duplicate]
There is a similar question here: How to tell someone believing in pseudoscience & conspiracy theories is wrong without making them feel stupid/upset? My question has a different setting: I'm ...
- 271
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3
answers
2k
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Responding to self deprecating jokes I can't relate to
The other day I was talking to an acquaintance--someone I see often but haven't really talked to enough to consider a friend. While talking, this person would make self deprecating jokes about their ...
- 15.2k
32
votes
3
answers
18k
views
How to ask a casual acquaintance for phone number without being awkward?
I commute to work every day and there is a woman I talk to every day because we take the same train. I've been talking to this woman for a few months (4+). We chat for a few minutes before the train ...
- 1,965
12
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How to rebuff probing questions when introducing my girlfriend to acquaintances as a friend?
I come from India, where the culture is a little more conservative than in the West. I am a woman dating a woman (Let's call her D), currently in the US. My girlfriend's roommate's parents recently ...
anon
8
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How to respond to "What happened to your face?"
Long story short, this weekend while playing with my sister she ended up leaving a large scratch down my face beneath my eye. It's pretty shallow and has barely hurt, but it's very obvious (as it's ...
- 15.2k
13
votes
2
answers
6k
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How to advise someone that I've thrown away a project they were helping me with, without offending them?
A couple of months ago I undertook a long term household project to build a large outdoor entertainment area including a deck, pergola and various other niceties. I did not have the all the skills ...
5
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Trying to reconnect with childhood friend
During elementary school one of my close friend groups was composed of three persons all living next to each other. Myself (m/22), another guy (m/22) with whom we are still best friends and hang out ...
- 301
208
votes
19
answers
34k
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How do I deal with people trying to convince me to wear makeup?
I don't wear makeup. I have worn it 3 times in my life, and the last time was a really light amount for my wedding 10 years ago.
My reasons for not wearing makeup are varied and personal. The main ...
user6818
9
votes
3
answers
1k
views
How to stop people talking to you while using the bathroom
It seems that there are a certain group of people who would like to chat with you, whilst you are using the bathroom.
It can feel quite invasive and just down right awkward.
Responses, in general, ...
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11
votes
4
answers
937
views
How can I tell a friend that their self-published book needs editing?
Background
An acquaintance of mine and his wife just self-published a very short book. Unfortunately, it has scores of grammatical mistakes on most pages. My friend and his wife have a great message ...
- 213
23
votes
6
answers
19k
views
How can I tell someone I don't like the way they speak?
I can't stand "cutesy voice". That is, people who put on a high pitched squeal when they talk, who choose to say things like "wuv" over "love" or say things that are dark in a cute way. It's made ...
- 446
32
votes
6
answers
9k
views
How can I stop acquaintances from reposting my photos on social media without credit to me?
Background
I'm a amateur photographer, often volunteering at events. I befriend other volunteers and visitors to these events on Facebook. I would often take pictures of everyone, the volunteers, ...
- 8,050
9
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How do I tell someone that I don't want to be friends?
I met a girl through a mutual friend about a year ago. Because of circumstances, we see each other every so often. She occasionally asks to do things together. I usually say I'm busy but sometimes I ...
- 93
29
votes
6
answers
10k
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How to deal with a suite mate who gossips about me within the first few days of move-in
I am an Asian female college student. This semester, I'm placed to live with two American female roommates in an apartment suite, so we all have separate bedrooms and share a kitchen and a restroom. I ...
user7921
1
vote
1
answer
1k
views
How to Invite shy acquaintance to a talk without her friend?
Around 2 weeks ago, I began talking regularly to somebody at school (let's call her Judith) who I only knew on a "face-level". She is a friend of one of my friends , who I'll call Emily.
While I have ...
5
votes
4
answers
415
views
How to comfort someone in pain from a mild injury?
While playing a game of baseball with coworkers after work recently, one of my coworkers twisted his ankle. Obviously he was in pain, and we paused the game and asked if he was all right, but then I ...
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3
votes
3
answers
450
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How can I encourage a handicapped person to be as independent as possible?
This is a follow-up to How to approach the owner's handicapped son about him distracting our work?
After a couple more weeks with him around, we agreed that he is likely being too protected by ...
- 8,478
5
votes
0
answers
692
views
How to deal with this type of food eating friends? [closed]
Since my childhood I am still living alone because of this problem i.e food sharing problem with my own friends.
Suppose if I went to party, friends are also invited. They putting their hands in my ...
- 51
16
votes
3
answers
7k
views
How to resume contact with a former manager who I haven't talked to for 3 years?
My manager left the company 3 years ago. I have been on good terms with him. I kept in touch with him for a few months after he left. Then other things became a priority, and I unintentionally ...
- 899
2
votes
2
answers
992
views
How to follow up on a party invitation from an acquaintance given weeks ago?
I work at a small company where most people are friends with each other. I get along with a few of my co-workers in the office and at work organized parties, but wouldn't call any of them friends.
I ...
- 21
7
votes
3
answers
732
views
How to handle first encounter with a disabled person?
By first encounter, I mean meeting the person in an event, such a meetup in a cafe, or a seminar, or such. The event is to be expected, but is not planned by us; we are invited to join the event, if ...
- 8,478
0
votes
2
answers
522
views
What's the proper way to react to hugs at a workplace? [closed]
I'm not a hugs person, and even less at work, so I always have trouble reacting to hugs, I don't mean random hugs but like birthday hugs, hugs when someone is congratulating you about something ...
- 119
4
votes
2
answers
2k
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Should I pursue a friendship with a classmate or let it be?
I started talking to this guy in one of my classes, and he asked me out for a date a couple weeks ago. After that our communication sort of stalled, and I figured he wasn't interested anymore. But ...
- 415
11
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Should I apologize for not acknowledging a colleague in office? [closed]
At my new office, I got to know a few people and among them is a woman ("Alice" for simplicity). I could call all of them acquaintances including Alice.
I usually greet Alice outside of work, with ...
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84
votes
17
answers
26k
views
How do I respond when an acquaintance asks if I'm smart?
I recently graduated college and I am now working as a programmer at a startup tech company for a year. I'm a competent programmer, but I'm definitely not a rock-star.
When I'm meeting other young ...
- 911
8
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Guy I met very briefly won't stop messaging me
As the title says, there's a guy I met for five minutes several months ago who won't stop messaging me on Facebook. We're both (straight) guys, so it's not romantic, he just seems to want to shoot the ...
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vote
4
answers
4k
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When is replying a chat with "thanks", "OK", appropriate?
Sometimes when I request an information from a colleague, I must wait a bit before I get the answer. This usually ranges from 1 hour to 24 hours (more or less).
[10.44] Me : Do you have Bob's ...
- 8,478
60
votes
16
answers
16k
views
Why are people unwilling to share information about their salary?
Reading this question I was surprised that it seems to be common sense that people do not want to share this information and might even get upset, if someone asks them how much they earn.
Is this ...
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95
votes
11
answers
72k
views
How to respond to someone when they ask how much you earn? [closed]
When I'm at social gatherings/parties, people would inquire about my job and, because I'm an app developer, they think I earn substantially more than I do. (Oh, the joy!) They then follow up asking ...
- 9,779
11
votes
2
answers
822
views
Dealing with criticism of my mispronunciation of words [closed]
I learned a lot of higher level vocabulary words from reading books, as opposed to hearing people say them. This however leads to situations where I will pronounce a word based on the way I understand ...
user52
14
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Saying "No" to someone who refuses to let up
I had an incident yesterday where it was late at night and an acquaintance/friend called me to come over to help him with a non-emergency urgent matter, so I told him I would love to help him, but it'...
user52
17
votes
2
answers
4k
views
How can I politely ask someone to blow their nose in public?
From time to time there are cases when I would really like someone (a friend/acquaintance of mine) to blow their nose, whether it be because they're constantly sniffling, or that I can see snot in ...
- 6,938