16 Funny Ways People Desperately Avoid Awkward Social Interactions

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In some instances, avoiding certain people is not just for introverts—whether it’s an ex, a nosy neighbor, an awkward coworker, or someone who doesn’t know when to stop talking.

While human interaction can be enriching, there are occasions when certain individuals prove to be more exasperating than enjoyable. People will go to great lengths to avoid people who can’t take a hint or that they’d rather die than ever have to interact with again.

People shared in an online forum the most ridiculous or hilarious things they’ve done to avoid an awkward social interaction they didn’t want to be a part of.

1. Man Overboard

Exes should be left right where they are: in the past. When one man saw his ex waiting for him at the pier, he decided he would not get himself into that “situationship” again.

When this man saw his ex at the boat dock, he literally jumped off the boat and swam ashore to avoid having to talk to her. He then walked to a bus stop, got on a bus, and commuted home soaking wet.

Those actions spoke louder than any conversations he’d have had; we hope the ex heard it.

2. Voluntary Throwing Up

History can be pretty boring, even for the brightest kids. What does our future life have to do with the Voyages of Colombus?

One online forum contributor found a creative way to escape his History class. He figured out how to make himself throw up without having to use his fingers. So, one morning in class, when he couldn’t take another minute of torture, he decided to puke on his teacher’s shoes.

Puking is not a fun experience in itself, so we can only imagine how much this guy must’ve loathed history.

3. Detour

Taking the long way home or completely backtracking is totally worth it in the name of avoiding people we don’t want to speak to.

One dog walker who didn’t want to have an awkward encounter was more than happy to take a longer route. He saw a “roaming gang of old women” and decided that he didn’t want to waste 20 minutes of his life in small talk and gossip. Thus, he took a 2 block detour that was 100% worth it.

4. Embarrass Your Way Out of Math Tutoring

One student who didn’t want to go for their math tutoring devised a clever way to avoid it. He went to a friend’s house for a drink (or ten) and was so inebriated that his mom actually refused to take him. She didn’t want to deal with the embarrassment either one of them would face.

Was his hangover and bad grades worth it? Not so clever now, when you think about it.

5. Fake Dog Poop Scenario

Dog poop is gross and can’t be helpful to anyone unless you want to get out of an awkward situation.

A man shares that he once got stuck in an awkward conversation while out for a walk with his dog that he thought would never end. He saw his way out when he claimed to have stepped in dog poop and needed to hurry home to wash his shoes.

6. Fake Phone Call

Who’s not guilty of faking a phone call to leave a place you no longer want to be? This must be the oldest trick in the book to get out of awry-going dates and conversations with your mother-in-law.

It’ll be a different story if that phone rings when it’s still on your ear, so make sure it is on silent!

7. Modern Tower Of Babel

Another fool-proof trick to cut yourself out of an encounter is to create an imaginary language barrier. If the conversation is going in a direction you aren’t comfortable with, feign a lack of understanding of all communication.

Start speaking Mandarin if you have to. This works for de-escalating an awkward or angry person. It can also work when dealing with authorities or other nosy people. It’ll throw them off and give you time to think quick.

8. Silent Treatment

Conversation is two-way traffic, and the easier way to get out of one is to block the traffic from your end. Many people resort to one-word answers or no answer at all.

If the conversationalist is intelligent, they’ll get the hint. If they don’t, they’ll carry on a one-sided conversation that will eventually run out of steam (we hope).

9. Making a Commotion

Creating a distraction is a clever way to escape an awkward social interaction. Some people purposefully drop an object, especially one that will make a loud noise, and make a hasty exit before everyone gathers themselves back to calmness.

This seems like a move from a cartoon or movie that doesn’t happen in real life, but people claim it really works!

10. Mail the Discomfort Back to Sender

For some, when the discomfort gets too much, they choose to make the other party uncomfortable.

How? By offering random compliments excessively or exaggeratedly to create a sense of unease and end the conversation. It’ll be like it’s not your fault the interaction ended. Win-win.

11. Feign Slight Mental Disorientation

No one wants to chat with someone who’s clearly mentally distracted. In a bid to extract themselves from an unpleasant interaction, some pretend to mumble or talk to themselves.

If you create an impression that you’re preoccupied and not open to conversation, the other party will let you be. That is if they won’t think you’re having a stroke and call you an ambulance.

12. Get Busy Elsewhere

Pretending to be busy with something else will automatically get you out of a sticky situation. If the interaction takes a direction they don’t feel comfortable, some people will take out a book or start fiddling with their phones.

Only a fool will want to keep talking to a disinterested party.

13. Liar, Liar

The jury is still out on whether lying to get out of trouble is bad.

One online user decided to lie (or rather omit) about her graduation date. Unknown to her family, she graduated a year earlier and took advantage of a year off with her parents. She planned to act shocked like everyone else when the news that graduation had already happened arrived.

That’s one way to avoid all the nagging and conversations that her parents probably would have attempted. She didn’t have to deal with “when will you get a job?” or any other similar questions for an entire year.

14. Go Bonkers

If all else fails when escaping an awkward situation, you can always start acting crazy. It may or may not work, but one user says their way out of an awkward situation is to “start screaming like crazy.”

We’ll come to visit you at the Looney Bin if things go sideways.

15. Ask an Odd Question

Ask a question that comes out of nowhere and will throw them off guard. It might be enough to stop the conversation and allow you to plan your exit.

For example, “If you could be a dog, what breed would you choose?” Their silent confusion may give you a moment to excuse yourself.

16. Lost and Found

Parents often find themselves in uncomfortable conversations with other parents or strangers. Thankfully, having kids is a great way to get out of most anything. Start yelling, run to your kids, talk to them—there are so many ways to break up the conversation and escape.

One mom shares that she put her 1 year old’s shoe in her pocket so she could say she needs to go back and look for the other.

Source

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