Questions tagged [awkward-situations]
For questions about situations which are awkward for anyone concerned. This tag should be used when awkwardness is the key part of the problem.
69
questions
41
votes
8
answers
22k
views
How to respond to "When are you getting married"?
My question is similar to: How can I respond when someone asks me when I'm going to get married to my girlfriend?
But my case is pretty different. I am a teacher and hence can't avoid public and ...
- 1,756
30
votes
6
answers
13k
views
Is it appropriate to tell someone of the opposite gender "your fly is down"?
I just spent 15 minutes talking in the hallway at work with a male coworker (I'm female) about the recent arrival of their second child. I spent the last five minutes of that chat trying to decide if ...
- 14.2k
28
votes
5
answers
60k
views
How to gently tell someone that you just want to be friends?
Already many months ago, "Bob" joined my circle of friends. He has a plethora of good character traits and it is really great to hang out with him. In addition, he is a bit shy and also introverted.
...
14
votes
3
answers
11k
views
How to respond to self-deprecating remarks
I have a few friends who will try to manipulate me with self deprecating remarks.
Perhaps I've been helping them with something for a while and am obviously making moves to leave when they say ...
- 1,542
36
votes
7
answers
13k
views
How to tell a friend I can see through her swimming suit
I (male) and a friend (female) went swimming in a public outdoor pool together. She met with another female friend there. When she (my friend) sat outside for a couple minutes the sun made her ...
- 377
21
votes
6
answers
12k
views
How do I or my husband tell my mother in law she smells?
She is fully able bodied and not short of money.
She has a hoarding problem, and her house just smells musty. She needs to do more washing basically.
The other day, she babysat for us. When we ...
- 2,961
7
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How to refuse a hairdresser because I want someone who's cut my hair before, without being rude?
I went to have my haircut, and the first hairdresser who became available was the one I know the least, and has only cut my hair once or twice before. For context, I've lived in the area all my life ...
- 577
140
votes
24
answers
36k
views
How do I answer the question "why are you vegan?" honestly, without making them resent me?
I am a vegan, only for ethical reasons. It is something I'm very willing to discuss. I have deliberated about it very carefully, for a long time, and have read papers and text books on the philosophy ...
- 1,299
128
votes
10
answers
30k
views
I live in a desirable, world-famous vacation spot. How do I handle visiting friends and set healthy boundaries?
I currently live in a desirable locale which is a world-famous vacation spot. Suddenly, I have a lot of friends and they want to visit me.
I don't want to be rude but I have a few issues:
For them, ...
- 1,163
96
votes
11
answers
73k
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 ...
- 9,799
86
votes
8
answers
67k
views
How to reject a proposal from a close friend?
I have been friends with a girl at work for more than a year. I have always seen her as a friend and I am pretty sure I never did anything to lead her on. I am going to switch jobs in a couple of ...
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
71
votes
7
answers
49k
views
Uncomfortable With Neighbor Mowing Our Lawn
A couple of days ago we looked out our window and saw that our next-door neighbor was mowing our lawn. We have noticed her lack of interpersonal boundaries on several occasions since we moved in a ...
- 771
54
votes
17
answers
49k
views
Dealing with people who always try to prove you wrong in a conversation [closed]
Consider the following scenario:
You have an acquaintance, who would probably be really good at turncoat (the game in which one person has to rapidly switch sides again and again on a topic). ...
- 651
29
votes
5
answers
22k
views
Best way to tell someone their house stinks?
I recently went over to a friend's home for the first time in a while. The first thing I noticed walking in the door was the unmistakable smell of cat urine. By the end of the evening my eyes and ...
- 400
26
votes
5
answers
76k
views
How to contact a girl whose number I got from somebody else?
Situation
Some days ago I went to a concert of the band of a good friend, let's call him Alex. He and his bandmates, invited a lot of friends to support them.
I know Alex pretty well since we've been ...
- 271
25
votes
9
answers
26k
views
How to refuse to shake hands without offending the other party?
TL;DR: I don't like to shake hands and I'm looking for suggestions about how to turn people down without seeming rude or stand-offish; or how to prevent a handshake gesture from being initiated at all....
- 359
21
votes
4
answers
7k
views
How to nicely tell someone I am not interested in a second date?
I have a good friend who is absolutely cross with me, because, as he claims, I am all coding and no fun lately, as in 24/7.
I also have rules about not dating at the workplace for obvious reasons, ...
user1617
18
votes
7
answers
10k
views
How can I decline a hug without offending?
My boyfriend shares an apartment with an older man who has a physical disability which prevents him from walking. The housemate is very kind and intelligent. However, sometimes when I am alone with ...
- 181
14
votes
4
answers
3k
views
How do I explain to extended family/acquaintances that my husband has high-functioning Autism, and has particular habits?
So, I have been married since March 2018 to my loving husband. All through our relationship, I have known that he has mild aspergers, combined with being very introverted and deaf (I am deaf as well) ...
- 3,571
8
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How to tell an artist friend that their art has been getting worse if they think otherwise
Not long ago, a friend of mine got some rather harsh and even somewhat rude criticism, anonymously, that their art has been regressing for a while and that they're squandering all of their potential. ...
- 161
4
votes
3
answers
853
views
Awkwardly passing someone on a long empty road?
I live on a long rural road where there are barely any people. I have to take my dog out for walks, or sometimes I just go for walks alone, and usually the street is a pretty desolate place. However, ...
2
votes
4
answers
4k
views
How can I refuse to disclose my occupation, without marring friendship in slightest?
I want to follow up my earlier question please. As I wrote, this year is husband's 10 year high school reunion. Some schoolmates emailed him about catching up separately. He's grappling — society, ...
user2423
286
votes
10
answers
40k
views
What to do if you are accidentally following someone?
Imagine this: you're a male in their late twenties. It is dark and you're taking the shortest route to your home/car/llama. After sometime you realize that you have been following someone. To make it ...
- 2,393
135
votes
7
answers
35k
views
Girlfriend's nosy mother keeps expressing that she'll show up unannounced
Some context: my girlfriend and I have been dating for a year, and we've decided to move in together now that she has graduated and found a job in her chosen career. We're both financially ...
- 1,213
113
votes
17
answers
41k
views
How can I respond when someone asks me when I'm going to get married to my girlfriend?
Frequently I'll have my friends and family tease me, or ask questions about when my girlfriend and I are going to get married. Sometimes, they'll even make these kinds of jokes to me while she's ...
- 2,856
91
votes
14
answers
135k
views
How to respond when a Doctor's Receptionist asks the reason for the appointment, after confirming appointment is made?
I have recently come across a situation that made me feel very uncomfortable, especially if it had been more of a personal issue.
I contacted my doctor yesterday with pains in my hand/wrist as I didn'...
- 951
83
votes
10
answers
30k
views
How do I gently reject an indecent proposal?
Background
People:
Bob, John and Alice are old acquaintances of mine. They are a little older than me, mid-to-late twenties. We are not close friends, but we get along together well and see each other ...
76
votes
5
answers
19k
views
Offering to share my umbrella without sounding creepy
Yesterday afternoon I (male, late 30) went to the supermarket in my neighborhood to buy something. Since the sky was menacing rain, I took along an umbrella. Lucky me, when I got out from the ...
- 631
71
votes
6
answers
16k
views
Politely telling an incompetent software project volunteer they are too inexperienced
I am currently the project lead of an online volunteer run software project. I originally created this and work on it my in free time. There are also a few other people who took interest in this ...
- 593
60
votes
7
answers
23k
views
How to ask my father in law to stop entering our house unannounced?
My father in law refuses to listen to our requests not to work in/on our house during weekdays.
So, there's a bit of a backstory here. We bought a house 8 months ago, started renovating and during ...
- 8,500
59
votes
6
answers
21k
views
How do I tell a woman that her pants have a menstruation stain?
I was working in my work space today and a female coworker came to give me some information that I needed, then left. I'm male.
Suddenly, when she was on her way back to her work space, I saw a ...
- 714
47
votes
10
answers
12k
views
How to communicate to a new coworker that I am not comfortable being touched?
Last week a new coworker joined our team, and yesterday we were both invited to eat lunch in the work cafeteria with some other colleagues that I have known for around a year and a half. As he, ...
- 917
45
votes
10
answers
29k
views
How can I invite my daughter's friends over without being odd?
My daughter is turning 4 years old in August. She has been going to preschool since September. Her class is pretty small, with only 6 kids. She's good friends with most of them. She'll be joining them ...
- 1,915
41
votes
7
answers
20k
views
How to ask a friend to stop joking about a nonexistent relationship between other friend and me?
My initial situation is kinda similar to the one described here, but includes a troublesome third person.
I brought an acquaintance "Bob", who's also a good friend of my BFF, into my group of friends,...
- 413
39
votes
8
answers
17k
views
How to have dinner without romance involved
I live in a tourist hotspot in japan, in particular a place where people often go when travelling solo. This means that when people I know (even just passing acquaintances) come here, they often ask ...
- 524
35
votes
6
answers
9k
views
How to open up to someone about loving them, when you don't know if they love you back?
I feel attracted to someone. I did have a relationship with her before (we were little children at that time, 5-7 years old), but we couldn't continue because of age and distance.
We are both ...
- 1,116
29
votes
9
answers
4k
views
What methods help to avoid "that awkward silence"? [closed]
Introverted people tend to become embarrassed either when approaching someone or when a certain topic in a conversation runs out. It is often followed by apparently "losing the ability to find a new ...
- 1,094
23
votes
5
answers
2k
views
How to effectively make others aware of my hearing impairment, which is non-obvious?
I have been hearing impaired since birth due to nerve damage. Since the problem is with the nerves themselves, there is no treatment so there's no hearing aid or surgery that can help.
I read lips ...
user4548
23
votes
4
answers
6k
views
How do I prevent people from thinking my deformity disables me?
Explanation:When I was younger, I broke my arm close to my growth plate near my elbow. As a result, part of my arm grew and the other part did not, resulting in a boomerang shaped arm (if I hold my ...
- 925
22
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Dealing with TMI (Too Much Information)
Some people are natural "sharers". They have no qualms about giving the most intimate details of their lives, diseases, relationships, etc., to even casual acquaintances.
One example was a ...
- 4,346
21
votes
6
answers
7k
views
What to talk about with a person you meet through a mutual friend on the bus? [closed]
It often happens to me, that I met some friend in the bus/tram/subway etc., but my friend is not alone, but with his/her friend (whom I don't know at all).
We are talking about something, my friend ...
- 353
20
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Does talking about mildly taboo topics with people normalize the subject for them?
There are a lot of topics in daily life that many people avoid mentioning outright because they're slightly "icky" or it's considered "private" or somehow mildly taboo. One of these things I've run ...
- 14.2k
19
votes
7
answers
11k
views
How can I respond to well-meaning comments at the gym?
I go to the gym twice a week. I like the people there, I love what I do, my trainer is great.
The only issue I have, is that, well, I'm fat. I'm tall and fat, and people constantly assume that no ...
user75
18
votes
12
answers
19k
views
How should I respond when someone makes a self-deprecating remark about her look?
I had a look at that excellent earlier question, but think that these two questions are too different from each other.
Situation
It's about a group of friendly acquaintances and friends who have known ...
18
votes
3
answers
8k
views
How can I tell my closest online friend that I'm actually male?
Preface: Some folks will think I'm a terrible person after reading this, and perhaps they're right. In truth, there were several points early-on when I'd thought about breaking things off, but ...
- 191
17
votes
3
answers
3k
views
When you feel like a conversation has gone on too long, how do you make it end? [closed]
In this question, one of the answers talks about ending conversations before they get awkward.
Once you think a conversation is going to get awkward, how do you end it?
- 1,358
16
votes
5
answers
2k
views
How to minimize embarrassment when I ask a question but they nod and smile?
The Background
I work with a LOT of non-native English speakers. As such, miscommunications are a daily occurrence. I've noticed that sometimes when they don't understand something, they'll just nod ...
- 15.2k
15
votes
4
answers
4k
views
How can I again be on friendly terms with a girl I have a crush on since she's avoiding me after I gave her a small gift?
I've met a girl in my department at university, and although I wasn't initially interested in her, she would often laugh at my dumbest jokes and flash me unwarranted smiles, so I thought perhaps she ...
- 153
14
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How can I estimate the length of my responses or reactions to avoid wasting others' time?
I often notice for myself, as well as for certain other people, that depending on personality and some other subtle factors, there are types of people who (usually unintentionally) start over-...
- 1,094