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People Who Were Childhood Friends With A Celebrity Reveal What They Were Like As Kids

People Who Were Childhood Friends With A Celebrity Reveal What They Were Like As Kids
Kevin Winter / Staff/GettyImages

It's strange not seeing a childhood friend after many years. You both would've gone through lots of changes, marriages, kids, heartaches, and celebrations. Now, imagine your friend starred in a box-office smashing movie or was the creator of a popular syndicated comedy show? That'd probably be a little weirder when you play catch up, right?


Reddit user, u/finnowenn2, wanted to hear the details of days gone by when they asked:

People who were childhood friends with a now celebrity, Who were they & what were they like as a young person?

50. Practicing For Future Success

I went to high school with Pink. I was kind of shy but a lot of my friends were better friends with her. She was alright. I remember her singing to herself a lot.

littlest_ginger

49. He ALWAYS Behaved

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Mike Myers went to a high school down the street from mine. We hung out with the same people.

Charmingly funny and very humble. I haven't seen him for a very long time, but I do watch his interviews and he seems to be the same guy he was. I always loved it when he came on the TV wearing a Toronto Maple Leaf Jersey.

Happy he has done so well. He was a jokester and always good to people.

Hasn't forgotten where he came from. That's endearing and rare.

TinktheChi

48. What A...Gentleman?

My grandma was neighbors with Al Capone. She casually told me that he would come over for coffee some mornings.

House was on 72nd and Prairie.

She tells me that on Grandma's wedding day they went to a speakeasy. After a dance back at the table was an expensive bottle of champagne with a note attached from Al.

Almostpushing50

47. Snoop Saved A Life

My Aunt knew Snoop during highschool, and at the time everyone there were getting into colors. She decided to join in, tied a bandana to her arm. Later in the day he took it from her, without a word. Turns out that people wearing her color were being hunted down.

Overall, pretty cool dude. I hear he hasn't changed much.

Unheed

46. Strider Was Always The Best

Not me but my father went to high school with Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn from LOTR). He said he was a really nice guy from the couple times he met him, and that he totally understands how he went on to save Middle Earth.

My dad is a huge LOTR fan if you can't tell.

Curator44

45. Best Brother, In Fantasy And Real Life

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I went to the same jr high and high school as Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester in Supernatural). All the teachers would talk about how nice he was and how he was going to make it big (think he was already a regular on a soap opera by then).

I finally saw him when I was in tech theatre, he had come to see his sister in a high school play. He stayed to the end and looked so proud of her.

wickedvicked

44. She Laid In Wait, Until It Was Her Time

I went to school with Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark). She was a couple of years below me, but I was in a few plays with her. She was just an average girl tbh, in every way. Really normal, didn't really stand out, but wasn't quiet or shy either.

She never got the big parts in plays and wasn't even considered to be one of the 'good' actors at our school, was always just a part of the chorus. Was quite surprised to hear she got a major part in a TV drama, seemed to come out of nowhere.

WrackspurtsNargles

43. Started From A VERY Different Place

I was best friends with Post Malone in high school, and he's pretty much the same person he was then in high school that he is now, just some more wild adventures, but his personality has been that same, and it's nice to see, with the fame and money he stayed who he is.

Fun fact; he use to be an indie music guy in high school, wore Hawaiian V necks, high water tight black jeans, and toms. Coolest, chilliest, and funniest dude you could of hung out with.

Contrasted94

42. Elvis In Combat

My great grandfather was in the army with Elvis Presley during the Korean War. I honestly didn't believe my Mom when she told me, but everyone from my uncles to even my grandma's ex husband say it's true.

Gavinator53

41. Perfectly Normal First Daughters

Well, this is going to get buried, but here it goes. I went to all girl's summer camp with both of the Obama girls for several years. One was a year above me and one a year below, so I never was in a bunk with them, but I did go zip-lining and sailing in the same "class" as Sasha one year, so I've definitely at least spoken to her. Sasha was a super normal girl for that camp (very into One Direction, dressed stylishly, great dancer, etc.) and Malia was more sporty, ridiculously good at track and tennis. Both of them were nice, cool, and very normal.

Also, they had Secret Service guys there to protect them. They'd hang out around the camp wearing earpieces and sunglasses, leaning intimidatingly against golf carts. It was an interesting time.

Renegade_Wren

40. Iron Man? Never.

Not me, but my dad was childhood friends with Robert Downey Jr.

He hasn't changed.

sincerelymlb

39. Everyone's Gotta Go

Really odd one but dj khaled came to my 9th birthday party as he was my brothers best friend and he used to go to the bathroom very often

My brother is still great friends with him (FYI my brother is 4 years older than me and khaled was too)

onhoe

38. Good To Hear Khal Was A Cool Dude

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I grew up in Des Moines playing roller hockey with Jason Mamoa. Roller hockey was big all over in the 90s and both Jason and I were really involved as it grew and played on travel teams and what not.

He was a "cool guy" kind of kid and always taller then everyone else and pretty distinctive looking but not at all buff like he is now, even in high school. Just tall and lean. He liked to joke around, enjoyed being the center of attention and the guy other kids would want to be like. His mom was always there, took him to all his games and practices and was really involved...

...It's been fun to see his success and see him transform into a literal superhero. We never hung out outside hockey so I haven't stayed in touch at all, but he goes back to Iowa on a regular basis to see his mom I know. What is still the strangest and most interesting thing to me is that he's married to Denise Huxtable.

Edgerider99

37. *cries over Glen

I grew up going to a church youth group with Steven Yeun(Glenn from Walking Dead).
I was a few years older than him so not direct peers, but I remember playing backyard football with him and saw him every week for years until I graduated high school. He was a nice kid. But very unassuming and just kind of your avg kid. Never would've guessed he'd grow up to be a star.

Spyu

36. Thinking Out Loud

Ed Sheeran was in my circle of friends, went to a couple of parties with him.

Hes funnier than you would probably give him credit for and had a lot of time for people.

fishgutzzz

35. When The Vine Was A Branch

I was friends with Shawn Mendes in elementary school. He was one of my sister's best friends, and he sometimes came over.

He was a really solid dude, I knew him right as he started getting famous on Vine, which was pretty nice. I didn't really know him that much, since I was only ten or 11 at the time, but for real, solid dude

Ethqwin

34. Always Need To Have The Top Spot

My dad grew up in Massapequa (town on Long Island) and was best friends in elementary through High School with Jerry Seinfeld. Jerry would often jokingly call my dad the "second funniest kid in school" (of course referring to himself as the funniest).

jsilvy

33. He's America's Dad

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My dad interned with Tom Hanks when he first started out at the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival. He was always very kind and charismatic with everyone, and just a constant ball of energy. When his son Colin was born, he proudly showed him off to everybody. He was probably just days old.

About 3 years ago, there was a reunion of all the Great Lakes interns. My dad went, not knowing if he was going to show up and if he did, if he'd remember him. But not only did he show up, he approached my dad and remembered him by his full name. He is honestly just a really great man.

melodyponddd

32. Hey Michelle....

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Saw them mostly at Thanksgivings with both of our families or occasionally met up with them and their family if we visited LA. They're really good girls that dealt with a lot of stuff for trying to grow up and live a normal life while also being well recognized and chased around everywhere they went.

And by extension, I also know their sister Lizzie, who is getting close to the same attention as the twins got, but is able to handle it better since she's obviously an adult now and can process things better than if she were much younger. jackmolotov

31. Dookie Kids. 

Late to the party, but I knew Billie Joe Armstrong and the Green Day guys (and the Rancid guys) in their early times from my punk rock days. I did not know them well, but they were the nicest guys ever.

I was standing in line with some friends at one of their sold out shows, and Billie Joe darted out, ran up to us and said, "What are you guys doing standing in line when there's equipment to be brought in? Don't be silly." He then brought us back to their van and gave us each a cymbal, a bass drum pedal, etc. something little we could each carry in and jump the line as "roadies," since we were old pals from early on.

I ran into him backstage years later at a Weezer show. Again, I hadn't known them well, but knew them a bit before they were famous. Billie Joe came up to me, addresses me by name, and we had a nice chat.

Success couldn't have come to a group of more deserving guys. Hey_Laaady

30. We Love Steve.

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My dad went to the next high school over from Steve Carell and they hung out in the same friend group. Said he was goofy and funny but not exceptionally so. They actually ran into one another at my great-uncle's funeral a few years back and chatted a bit, said he seemed like he was still a pretty decent, normal guy. 1michaelfurey

29. J No! 

My mother went to elementary school with Jennifer Lopez and said that both her and her mother were complete snobs. Not cool. purple_vans

28. Benny. 

Benedict Cumberbatch (in the year below me) inherited my prep school blazer from the hand-me-down cupboard, my mum tells me. Not surprising, since iirc the only place you could buy them new was Harrods. Extremely pleasant fellow at 11, he was. iktw

"Extremely pleasant fellow" is my new favorite complimentary term. GrandmasterJoke

27. So Hedey....

I went to high school with Jon Heder, was a friendly guy, kinda goofy. When Napoleon Dynamite came out and became a craze, I couldn't believe it was him. anovaremnant

Came to comment but then saw this. My brother went to high school with him too! I believe Jon's mom was a teacher there too. drainsink

26. Hoop Days. 

Not me, but my dad used to be friends and play basketball with Shaquille O'Neal when they were around 13. They lived a couple houses away from each other at one point. My dad always resorted to clinging to his leg to keep him from scoring. He was a tank compared to my dad even back then. CrystalShaman

25. All Hail.

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My husband grew up with Rami Malek. Probably comes at no surprise but he and his twin are just as cool and down to earth as you'd expect. carmino505

24. Before Winter.

I went to secondary school with Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran from GOT). He's always been a nice guy and glad to see he's doing well. Hasn't changed at all from what I've seen. alexfishboy

My brother went to university with him but he dropped out pretty early in the first year because he couldn't handle the constant attention. It makes me pretty sad that he's missing out on that. leahcar83

23. In the Twilight.

Taylor Lautner would get mad when people called him Sharkboy in high school.

Can't say I blame him

Edit: some SCV natives here! brendaishere

I used to work at a restaurant/entertainment place, and Taylor Lautner came in with some friends maybe a year ago. I ran his food, He ordered 2 kids chicken strips meals for himself lmao. Shigs__

22. The Night Fever. 

My siblings and I found some pictures the other day of our mom with John Travolta and Peter Horton hanging out on the beach and with his private jet when they were younger. Our grandma was and still is best friends with Ellen Travolta, John's older sister. :) amoleby

My uncle is actually John's current pilot. He talks about him a lot but has to be very secretive. I've never met him but my uncle has had dinner with his family a few times. Heard he was a cool guy. ikissedthedevil

21. Jurassic Past.

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I went to school with Chris Pratt - and he was a nice guy. Was able to bounce between all the different circles or cliques. Got along with everyone. I wasn't surprised when he became famous. ezbakeme

20. Oh Boys....

Went to high school with Neil Patrick Harris. He wasn't a bad dude, but wasn't humble in the least. He was still working on Doogie Howser. When he was at school, he wasn't allowed to be himself, surrounded by fans and others. He had the nickname of Drama Dork by some of the other cliques. He hasn't gone to one of the reunions.

Also went with Freddie Prinze Jr. He was a cool dude. But hung out with guys that stroked his ego and bullied others. I was an unfortunate victim to that. He hasn't made it to a reunion yet either. tossitawaycuzreasons

Hello from Albuquerque! My brother worked at Fool's Paradise (a magic store at Winrock) in the late 80's/early 90's and said Neil Patrick Harris would come in frequently, usually right as they were closing and had them stay open a couple more hours while he looked around/bought stuff. He wasn't unkind but perhaps a bit arrogant. HUGE magic geek. My ex-husband went to school with Freddie Prinze Jr. -didn't know him well though. Gottagettagoat

19. Old Blue Eyes...

My grandmother was Frank Sinatra's high school sweetheart. He asked her to marry him and she told him that he had no future and to get a job. He left town and became Frank Sinatra. We have all their letters. pizzaorpasta

18. A Galaxy Far, Far Away...

My dad went to high school with George Lucas.

George was the same age as my aunt, and had a huge crush on her. She was already dating my uncle at the time, and was super popular, so that never would have happened anyway.

My dad was a few years younger. He was on the tennis team with George and would get rides to practice from him from time to time.

My dad said George was nice and also pretty nerdy (no surprises there, and my dad was too so they got along fine). I don't think he was bullied necessarily, but it definitely wasn't popular.

He had big ears. They weren't friends, but they were friendly. At least as much as a senior would be to a scrawny freshman on the tennis team. He also talked about the car accident. It was a really huge deal in the town.

I like to think George Lucas would remember my family, but who knows. Catsdrinkingbeer

17. A Funny Dude. 

My dad went to college with Stephen Fry. Said he was one of the funniest dudes he ever met

Also my granddad went to art college with John Lennon. I unfortunately don't know if they knew each other well or not since my granddad passed away when I was 6. I learned that they went to college together through my mother. Reddit

16. The Rock.

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My mom used the go to the same gym as Dwayne Johnson(she had just started going again at this point and she hadn't been to a gym in 10+ years due to an incident where someone had a heart attack in her spin class). This was before he was famous and everything she just saw he knew what he was doing.

She walked up to him and said "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you I just don't really know where to start with all this." He immediately stopped in the middle of his workout and helped design an entire workout plan for her including showing her what machines/how to use them. Over the next several months every time he was there and he saw my mom he would ask her how her workout was going.

Just genuinely a nice guy. Sadly she moved and couldn't go back to the same gym but she has kept using the workout he designed for her and she kept a six pack well into her 50's. I know it's not really being childhood friends with them but it was still when he was super young and he had a profound impact on my moms life so I thought I would share. ticktickXXkinch

15. Scully....

My father-in-law went to high school with and briefly (like one date briefly) dated Gillian Anderson. He says she was really wild, your typical bad girl, but she was super sweet and genuinely a good person so she got away with it. funtime_snack

14. Before Clark. 

I knew Henry Cavill when he was a kid. He was sweet and reliable and generally a very nice person. Haven't seen him since around the era when he was taking roles in films like Hellraiser VIII because working as an actor isn't easy.

Can't really imagine what it must be like to be the subject of the intense media gaze that goes with being a global celebrity. fiveupfront

13. Shroomed. 

My mom went to college with Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul guy). They were in the radio department together and apparently he was super funny. They also took shrooms together and I've been jealous of my mom ever since I heard that story. arizonacardsftw

He was also a very successful writer on Saturday Night Live, and co-hosted one of the best sketch comedy shows ever called Mr Show. Bob wrote the famous "I live in a van down by the river!" sketch with Chris Farley. yougotthesilver

12. Playing Dress Up. 

The kid who wrote the Eragon series (Christopher Paulini) went to school a ways from here. I can't say I knew him, but its rural Montana so I ran into him a few times since nobody lives out here. He used to show up at our school promoting his book dressed in renaissance fair style clothing. We all thought he was kind of a geek.

He's worth like 30 mil now because of a book he wrote when the rest of us were still trying to figure out who to take to prom.

What's funny is that I actually recognize a few characters and places in his books as being partly based on locals and the surrounding area.

Edit: meant to say worth 30 mil but accidentally added an extra zero, its been fixed. Vict0r117

11. The Jokester. 

I went to junior and senior high school with Matthew Lillard. He was a class clown type, and also smart. I did a lot of theater with him, and he overacted. He was perfectly cast as Shaggy. Seachica

10. The Sweet Girl.

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My aunt was Zendaya's teacher in 4th grade. She says that she was a sweet girl.

They saw each other at a meet and greet a while back, pretty nice. RivenTheAhamkara

She's one of those Disney stars that I really hoped would make it. She was great in Spider-Man and I'm excited for Euphoria and Dune! _helloalien

9. Waterboy. 

Knew Ryan Lochte. Not much changed since he was a kid. Swims fast, thinks slow. I view him now as a teenager's mind in a middle-aged man's body, still doing things that don't make much sense: https://time.com/4458405/ryan-lochte-rio-robbery-olympics/ ThisUsernameIsTakend

8. Swim Baby! 

I knew Michael Phelps - he was a little famous when I met him (2003), but not uber famous yet. Great guy, friendly & funny. We played poker off & on - he loved to play but loved to win more and often would not fold. Felted him a few times for $100 - $300.

He was super ADHD and had trouble saying no to anything. He did best when he was not distracted by other people and had a lot of structure - swimming was perfect for him. falco_iii

7. School Daze....

Not friends really, but I went to high school with Cody Rhodes (real name Runnels). He was a nice enough guy. Only interacted with him a few times. He was on the wrestling team and in the drama club, so everyone knew what his post-graduation plans were. I also used to work at Toys 'R Us, and I can't tell you how weird it is to stock a shelf with an action figure of a guy you knew in high school. Paronine

6. Bad Biebs! 

My younger brother was friends with Justin Bieber. I didn't know him super well saw him here and there but always stood out even before he was famous as he was the type of kid who would very loudly make fun of and bully others.

I remember him being kicked off the city busses a few times for yelling at and being rude to mentally/physically disabled people along with just old people in general as well. All around my memory of him was that he was a fool. Dirty_Gurdy

5. God Bless....

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My mom went to a Christian high school with Marilyn Manson (yes ironic I know). They were pretty good friends and he used to draw her weird but cool drawings. My mom was extremely outgoing and was friends with everyone though. He eventually dropped out or transferred I believe. Rainbow_trout97

4. The Boss Lady. 

Not me, but my mom went to junior high with Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook. She says that both were sort of overachievers, and so there was always a rivalry between them. My mom considers her to have been a 'frenemy.' TriumphantHog

Thats pretty cool! I actually just recently DJ'd an event for Sheryl Sandberg a few months or so ago. She didn't show up but everyone talked super highly of her. NotZachA

3. The Royals. 

Went to school with several people in various royal families, European and African. They could never show in team sports photos or things like that for security reasons but surprisingly there were no actual bodyguards required (at least not that I saw). They seemed pretty down to earth compared to all the other rich fools there. woody36

2. Love you Emma! 

Emma Stone! She was very bright, intelligent, and naturally charismatic. She often got the lead in all of the school plays. I remember one year, in our 3rd grade play, the main role was something she really wanted, and I ended up getting it! Even though she was disappointed, she still told me Congratulations and that she thought I would do a good job.

We used to play gymnastics at her house all the time and pretend we were Kerri Strug, her parents got us both USA leotards! She was a sweet girl, we kind of split up later in elementary school and don't talk anymore but she was a great friend! Also wanted to add that I called her by her real name, Emily, haha shanksta3

1. Hi Ms. Granger...

Giphy

I went to the same school as Emma Watson and we shared many of the same teachers though she graduated the year before I started. From what the teachers say, she was very studious and serious about her work and wanting to achieve.

She was really good at art and English (and is still really good friends with the old English department) and even contributed a hand drawn postcard to our school's centenary celebration (we all had to do postcards for an exhibit). She was really nice but you couldn't talk to her or fangirl over her if you didn't know otherwise the teachers would penalize you (this was during the Harry Potter years). unicorn_corpse

REDDIT

People Describe The Creepiest Things They Ever Witnessed As A Kid

"Reddit user -2sweetcaramel- asked: 'What’s the creepiest thing you saw as a kid?'"

Four mistreated baby dolls are hung by barb wire
Photo by J Lopez

For many childhood memories are overrun by living nightmares.

Yes, children are resilient, but that doesn't mean that the things we see as babes don't follow us forever.

The horrors of the world are no stranger to the young.

Redditor -2sweetcaramel- wanted to see who was willing to share about the worst things we've seen as kids, so they asked:

"What’s the creepiest thing you saw as a kid?"

Serious Danger

"Me and my best friend would explore the drainage tunnels under the Vegas area where we grew up. These were miles long and it was always really cool down there so it was a good way to escape the heat of our scorching hot summers. We went into this one that goes under the Fiesta casino and found a camp with a bunch of homeless people."

"Mind you we are like 11 years old lol. And we just kept going like it was nothing. It wasn’t scary then but when I look back at it we could have been in some serious danger. Our parents had no idea we did this or where we were and we had no cellphones. We could have been kidnapped and never have been found."

oofboof2020

Waiting for Food

"I was at a portillos once when I was 12 and I was waiting with my little brother at a booth while my parents got our food. This guy was standing with his tray kind of watching me then after a couple of minutes he started to walk over really fast not breaking eye contact with me."

"He was 2 feet from the table and my dad came out of nowhere and scared the s**t out of him. He looked so surprised and just said he wanted to see if I’d get scared or not. He left his tray full of food near the door and left. My folks reported him but we never went to that location again since we found a better one closer to home."

nowhereboy1964

Captain Hobo to the Rescue

"When I was a pretty young teen, my friends and I were horsing around in San Francisco and started hanging out to smoke with some homeless guys. Another homeless dude came up and began aggressively trying to shake us down for anything (money, smokes, a ride, drugs- all of it) and wouldn’t take no for an answer."

"We got in over our heads and could tell this guy was now riling the other 2 guys up and they were acting like they wanted to jump us. Some grandfather-looking old homeless man appeared out of nowhere and yelled at us to get the f**k out of here- nice kids like us don’t belong down here at this hour!!"

"Captain Hobo saved our lives that night. My parents sincerely thought we were at a mall all day lol."

FartAttack911

Survival

tsunami GIF Giphy

"I was 7 and survived the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. Witnessed the wave rise way above the already massive palm trees (approx. 40ft?) and my family and I watched/heard the wave crash into the ground from a rooftop."

faithfulpoo

These Tsunami stories are just tragic.

On the Sand

Scared The Launch GIF by CTV Giphy

"We were a group of kids who went to swim in a local lake. And there was a dead body on the beach with their hands raised and their legs bent unnaturally that local police just took out of the same lake. I've never put my foot in these waters again."

oyloff

Be Clever

"I was walking to school and I was about 5 or 6 years old and some guy pulled up beside me in his car and asked if I would get in. He also offered me sweets to do so. I said no. The creepy bit was when he calmly said ‘clever boy’ to me, then drove off. I’ve never even told my parents or anyone else about this as it would most likely freak them out."

OstneyPiz

Bad Jokes

"Dad's side of the family pranked me by burying a fake body on our back property and had me dig it up to find valuables. Was only allowed to use a lantern for light. They stuffed old clothes with chicken bones. Sheetrock mud where the head was... Random fake jewelry as the treasures... I was like maybe 10 or 11.. I remember digging up the boot first and started gagging because it became real at that point."

Alegan239

YOU

Who Are You Reaction GIF by MOODMAN Giphy

"Woke up to find my little brother staring at me in the dark, asking, Are you really you?"

PrettyLola2004

Siblings can really be a bunch of creepers.

No one should talk to others in the dark though.

Woman stressed at work
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

When we hear about other people's jobs, we've surely all done that thing where we make assumptions about the work they do and maybe even judge them for having such an easy or unimportant job.

But some jobs are much harder than they look.

Redditor CeleryLover4U asked:

"What's a job or profession that seems easy but is incredibly challenging?"

Customer Service

"Anything customer-facing. The public is dumb and horrendous."

- gwarrior5

"My go-to explanation is, 'Anyone can do it, but few can do it for long.'"

- Conscious_Camel4830

"The further I get in my corporate career, the less I believe I will ever again be capable of working a public-facing job. I don’t know how I did it in the past. I couldn’t handle it in the present."

"I know people are only getting worse about how they treat workers. It is disturbing, embarrassing, and draining for everyone."

- First-Combination-12

High Stakes

"A pharmacist."

"You face the public. Your mistake can literally kill someone."

- VaeSapiens

"Yes, Pharmacist. So many people think their job is essentially the same as any other kind of retail worker and they just prepare prescriptions written by a doctor without having to know anything about them."

"They are very highly trained in, well, pharmacology; and it's not uncommon for a pharmacist to notice things like potentially dangerous drug interactions that the doctor hadn't."

- Worth_University_884

Teaching Woes

"Two nuggets of wisdom from my mentor teacher when I was younger:"

"'Teaching is the easiest job to do poorly and the hardest job to do well,' and 'You get to choose two of the following three: Friends, family, or being a good teacher. You don't have enough time to do all three.'"

"We all know colleagues or remember teachers who were lazy and chose the easy route, but any teacher who is trying to be a good teacher has probably sacrificed their friends and their sleep for little pay and a stressful work environment. There's a reason something like half quit the profession within the first five years."

- bq87

Creativity Is "Easy"

"Some creative professions, such as designers, are often perceived as 'easy' due to their creative nature. However, they may face the constant need to find inspiration, deal with criticism, and meet deadlines."

- rubberduckyis

"EVERYBODY thinks they are a designer, up until the point of having to do the work. But come critique time, mysteriously, EVERYBODY IS A F**KING DESIGNER AGAIN."

"The most important skill to have as a designer is THICK SKIN."

- whitepepper

Care Fatigue Is Real

"Care work."

"I wish it could be taken for granted that no one thinks it's easy. But unfortunately, many people still see it as an unskilled job and have no idea of the many emotional complexities, or of how much empathy, all the time, is needed to form the sorts of relationships with service users that they really need."

- MangoMatiLemonMelon

Physical Labor Generally Wins

"I’m going to say most types of unskilled labor and that’s because there’s such little (visible) reward and such a huge amount of bulls**t. I’ve done customer service, barista, sales, serving, etc; and it was all much harder than my cushy desk job that actually can be considered life or death."

- anachronistika

Their Memory Banks Must Be Wild

"I don't know if I'd call it incredibly challenging, but being one of those old school taxi drivers who know the city like the back of his hand and can literally just drive wherever being told nothing but an address is pretty impressively skilled."

"Not sure if it's still like this, but British cabbies used to be legendary for this. I'm 40 and I don't think most young people appreciate how much the quality of cab service has gone down since the advent of things like Uber."

"Nowadays it's just kind of expected that a rideshare/cab driver doesn't know exactly where you're trying to get and has to rely on GPS directions that they often f up. Back when I was in college, cabbies were complete experts on their city."

"More even than knowing how to get somewhere, they could also give you advice. You could just generally describe a type of bar/club/business you're looking for, and they'll take you right to one that was spot on. Especially in really big cities like NYC."

- Yak-Mak-5000

Professional Cooking

"Being a chef."

- Canadian_bro7

"I would love to meet the person who thinks being a chef is easy! I cook my own food and it’s not only OK to eat but I make a batch of it so I have some for later. So, to make food that is above good and portion it correctly many times a day and do it consistently with minimal wastage (so they make a profit), strikes me as extremely difficult."

- ChuckDeBongo

Team Leading, Oof

"Anything that involves a lot of people skills and socializing. I thought these positions were just the bulls**t of sitting in meetings all day and not a lot of work happening but having to be the one leading those meetings and doing public speaking is taxing in a way I didn’t realize."

- Counterboudd

Not a Pet Sitter At All

"Veterinary Technician."

"Do the job of an RN, anesthesiology tech, dental hygienist, radiology tech, phlebotomist, lab tech, and CNA, but probably don’t make a living wage and have people undervalue your career because you 'play with puppies and kittens all day.'"

- forthegoddessathena

Harder Than It Looks!

"Sometimes, when my brain is fried from thinking and my ego is shot from not fixing the problem, I want to be a garbage man... not a ton of thinking, just put the trash in the truck, and a lot of them have trucks that do it for you!"

"But if the robot either doesn't work or you don't have one on your truck, it smells really bad, the pay isn't what it used to be, you might find a dead body and certainly find dead animal carcasses... and people are id**ts, overfilling their bags, just to have them fall apart before you get to the truck, not putting their trash out and then blaming you, making you come back out."

"Your body probably is sore every day, and you have to take two baths before you can kiss your wife..."

"Ehh, maybe things are not so bad where I am."

- Joebroni1414

Twiddling Thumbs and Listening

"Therapist here. I’ve always said that it’s pretty easy to be an okay therapist—as in, it’s not that hard to listen to people’s problems and say, 'Oh wow, that’s so hard, poor you.'"

"But to be a good therapist? To know when your client is getting stuck in the same patterns, or to notice what your client isn’t saying? To realize that they’re only ever saying how amazing their spouse is, and to think, 'Hmm, nobody’s marriage is perfect, something’s going on there'?"

"To be able to ask questions like, 'Hey, we’ve been talking a lot about your job, but what’s going on with your family?' And then to be able to call them on their s**t, but with kindness and empathy? Balancing that s**t is hard."

"Anybody can have empathy, but knowing when to use empathy and when and how to challenge someone is so much harder. And that’s only one dimension of what makes being a therapist challenging."

- mylovelanguageiswine

Constant Updates

​"For the most part, my job is really easy (marketing tech). But having to constantly stay on top of new platforms, new tech, updates, etc etc is exhausting and overwhelming and I really hate it."

"Also, the constant responsibility to locate and execute opportunities to optimize things and increase value for higher-ups. Nobody in corporate roles can ever just reach a point of being 'good enough.' More and better is always required."

"Just some of the big reasons I’m considering a career change."

- GlizzyMcGuire_

Performing Is Not Easy

"Performing arts and other types of art. People think it’s a cakewalk or 'not a real job,' not realizing the literal lifetime of training, rejection, and perseverance that it takes to reach a professional level and how insanely competitive those spaces are."

- ThrowRA1r3a5

All About Perception

"I suspect everything fits this. Consider that someone whose job is stacking boxes in a warehouse has to know how to lift boxes, how many can be stacked, know if certain ones must be easily accessible, know how to use any equipment that is used to move boxes around."

"Not to mention if some have hazardous or fragile materials inside, if some HAVE to be stacked on the bottom, if a mistake is made and all the boxes have to be restacked, etc."

"But everyone else is like, 'They're just stacking boxes.'"

- DrHugh

It's easy to make assumptions about someone else's work and responsibilities when we haven't lived with performing those tasks ourselves.

This gave us some things to think about, and it certainly reminded us that nothing good comes of making assumptions, especially when it minimizes someone else's experiences.

Left-handed person holding a Sharpie
Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash

Many of us who are right-handed never even think about how the world is designed to cater to us.

It probably doesn't even cross your mind that 10% of the world's population is left-handed.

Because of this, there tends to be a stigma for being left-handed since society tends to associate the left with negative things.

For example, the phrase "two left feet" applies to those who are clumsy and therefore, incapable of dancing.

Curious to hear more about the challenges facing those with the other dominant hand, Redditor johnnyportillo95 asked:

"What’s something left-handed people have to deal with that right-handed people wouldn’t even think about?"

If only manufacturers appealed to an ambidextrous world.

Furniture Obstacle

"Those desks or couch chairs that have a small desk attached. They do make left handed/sided ones but they are few and far between."

– Prussian__Princess

"And they’re only on one side of the lecture hall, and it’s never a good seat. There is ONE front row, lefty desk in the entire room and it’s in the far corner, obscured by an ancient overhead projector."

– earwighoney

Everyday Objects For Everyday People

"as a left-handed person myself, one thing we often deal with is finding left-handed tools or equipment. many everyday objects, like scissors or can openers, are designed with right-handed people in mind, which can make certain tasks a bit more challenging for us lefties. we also have to adapt to a right-handed world when it comes to writing on whiteboards or using certain computer mice."

– J0rdan_24

Dangerous Tools

"The biggest risk is power tools. I taught myself to use all power tools right handed because of risks using them left handed."

"Trivial, I love dry boards but they are super hard to write on."

– diegojones4

It's hard to play when you're born with a physical disadvantage.

Sports Disadvantage

"Allright, Sports when you are young. Every demonstration from PE teachers are right handed. You cant just copy the movements they teach you you need to flip them and your tiny brain struggoes to process it. As well, 98% of the cheap sports equipment the school uses is right handed."

– AjCheeze

No Future In Softball

"I tried to bat right handed for so long in gym class growing up because the gym teacher never asked me what my dominant side was and the thought never occurred to me as a child to mention it! Needless to say I never became a softball star."

– Leftover-Cheese

Find A Glove That Fits

"In softball and baseball we need a specific glove for our right hand that's often impossible to find unless you own one, and we have to bat on the other side of the plate."

– BowlerSea1569

"I was one of two left-handers in a 4-team Little League in the 1980s. Nobody could pitch to me. I got a lot of "hit by pitch" walks out of it."

– Jef_Wheaton

These examples are understandably annoying.

Shocking Observation

"Having right handed people make comments whenever they see us write, like we’re some kind of alien."

– UsefulIdiot85

"'Woah! You're left-handed????'"

"I find myself noticing when someone is a lefty, and sometimes I comment on it, but I try not to. I'm primarily left-handed (im a right handed wroter but do everything else left), and every single time I go to eat with my family, someone says, "Oh hey, give SilverGladiolus22 the left hand spot, they're left-handed," and inevitably someone says, 'Wait, really?' Lol."

– SilverGladiolus22

Can't Admire The Mug

"We never get to look at the cute graphics on coffee mugs while we’re drinking from them."

– vanetti

"I just realized…I always thought the graphics were made so someone else could read them while you drink. Hmmm."

– Bubbly-Anteater7345

"I'm right-handed and I often wondered why the graphics were turned towards the drinker instead of out for others to see."

– Material-Imagination

The Writing On The Wall

"Writing on whiteboards is a nightmare. I have to float my hand, which tires out my arm quickly, and I can't see what I've already written to keep the line straight."

– darkjedi39

"Also as a teacher, it means I'm standing to the left of where I'm writing, so I'm blocking everything I write. I have to frequently finish writing, then step out of the way so people can see, instead of just being able to stand on the right side the whole time."

– dancingbanana123

Immeasurable

"Rulers."

"How the f'k is no one talking about rulers? It's from 30cm to 0 cm to me, or I have to twist my arms to know the measure I want to trace over it."

– fourangers

Just Can't Win

"EVERYTHING. The world has always been based around people being right handed. As a Chef, my knife skills SUCKED until I worked with a Left Handed Chef. Then it all made sense."

"Literally, everything we do must be observed, then flipped around in our heads, then executed. This is why Lefties die sooner, on average, than Righties."

"I had to learn how to be ambidextrous, just to complete basic tasks (sports, driving a manual, using scissors, etc). I am used to it now, and do many things right handed out of necessity, as wall as parents and teachers 'forcing' it upon me."

"But, at least we are not put to death anymore, simply for using the wrong hand (look it up, it happened)."

"Ole Righty, always keeping us down."

– igenus44

The world doesn't need another demographic to feel "othered" for being different.

But if you're right-handed and tend to make assumptions about left-handed people, you may want to observe the following.

Ronald Yeo, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Texas-Austin told CNN:

"We shouldn’t assume much about people’s personalities or health just because of the hand they write with."
"And we certainly shouldn’t worry about lefties’ chances of success: After all (as of 2015), five of our last seven U.S. presidents have been either left- or mixed-handed."

Word.

Dog lying down on a bed
Photo by Conner Baker on Unsplash

Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.

While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.

Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.

Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.

For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.

Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:

"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"

The Tiny Issue Of Water...

"Absolutely not."

"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649

Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...

"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."

"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."

"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."

"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep

The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...

"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."

"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3

Hungry Cookie GIF by De Graafschap Dierenartsen Giphy

What Do You Mean Allow?

"I have no choice."

"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412

"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle

Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way

"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show

Hug GIF by The BarkPost Giphy

Who Needs An Alarm Clock?

"I let my two cats sleep with me."

"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."

"And so do I."

"We've all developed a lil routine."

"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_

Whose Bed Is It Anyway?

"Yes."

"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."

"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor

"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."

"Would not come out."

"Got some food and some water in dishes."

"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."

"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."

"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."

"She was too busy eating."

"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."

"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."

"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."

"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."

"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."

"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."

"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."

"She would not go."

"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."

"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588

sleepy kitten GIF Giphy

Sleeping Is A Prerequisite...

"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."

"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."

"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle

Saying No Just Isn't An Option...

"'Let'."

"Lol."

"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren

Felines Only!

"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz

Angry Tom And Jerry GIF by Boomerang Official Giphy

Is That My Hair On That Pillow?

"My dog is perfect."

"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."

"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."

"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester

It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.

Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...