
We all have cringeworthy memories that keep us up at night, things that make our faces sweat at 3 a.m. with the awful realization that yes, you did do that.
Today's burning question from Redditor skrt99: "What cringe thing that you did in your lifetime keeps you up at night?"
Some of you might find you're in good company.
"It was my first day in high school..."
It was my first day in high school and we were supposed to introduce ourselves through a skit, well I introduced myself like I was a WWE wrestler, complete with my own "ring-entrance walk", chants that I thought were supposed to hype up my new classmates and even had a made up wrestler nickname LMAO
I still wake up sweating every now and then remembering that.
"Lie about stupid things..."
Lie about stupid things like how rich my parents were, places we'd travelled to, etc (I grew up dirt poor with struggling parents).
"I once passed..."
I once passed what might've been the most disgusting sounding fart of all time, in front of a 100+ person class while giving a presentation. To try to cover it up, I said "well, excuse you, professor."
My friends still haven't let me live that one down.
"We both just sat in silence."
My crush came to my house to do a high school project. It involved the Internet and while she sat next to me she tried to navigate to Google on my computer. Unfortunately, the address bar auto-filled and took her to my last Google search... page two of results for her name. Every link had been clicked. We both just sat in silence.
"Asked my crush out..."
Asked my crush out, she said "omg ew what the f*ck" and ran away. Her friends nearby looked like they had witnessed a murder.
I am still haunted by this.
"In an attempt to be less awkward..."
In an attempt to be less awkward I'm trying to take more time to think before I speak.
This backfired in a big way in December.
I ran into a cousin who I hadn't seen for a few years. He said hello and I was trying to think of a greeting since it was just about Christmas. I thought I would say seasons greetings or something but then I realized that might be a bit lame.
So while I'm internalizing this in my head I'm basically just staring at the guy. Who is probably thinking I don't recognize him so now I begin to panic. Now I will need to include his name in this greeting so he doesn't think I'm rude.
It's been a long time, I still haven't said anything. It feels like the most time ever since anyone has ever talked.
So in my head I'm like okay SAY SOMETHING. Anything has got to be better than this.
But in my panic all words leave my brain and what comes out is....
"CONGRATULATIONS..... Joshua"
"I was very shy growing up..."
I was very shy growing up and had trouble carrying a conversation. Writing was a strength, though, so I decided to hand write a note to the girl I had a crush on and put it in her locker (cringe by itself).
To my surprise, she came up and started talking to me the next day after school. I had imagined her most likely ignoring my letter or if anything writing back. I was so extremely flustered all I could focus on was her smile and the heat of my full-face blush.
She finished what she had to say and walked away.
Then, to my horror, I realized I had no idea what she said.
"I was still inexperienced..."
I was still inexperienced with my GF at the time and thought it would be spontaneous and hot to pick her up off the bed and kiss her with her legs wrapped me standing up.
However, she had no idea I was intending to do this so I struggled to lift her dead weight for a few agonising seconds. Then I thought "f-- this" and used all my strength to lift her up but I overdid it causing her to hit her head on the ceiling light, I drop her out of shock and she hits her head on the end of the bed.
She was completely okay and we laughed about it but I was so embarrassed.
"Every now and again..."
Every now and again I go back to my very first almost sexual encounter with a girl. She's got her hand on my thigh, she's running a finger over my pants, she just told me I have really pretty eyes. Now would probably be a pretty good time to kiss her. Nah, I decided I needed to return the compliment, but I couldn't think of anything, so I blurted out that she was a butterface. Two things: she was NOT a butterface, and she didn't know what a butterface was. She asked me. I explained it to her. I remained a virgin for six more years.
"I made the mistake..."
I made the mistake in middle school to wear white jeans to school. Everyone of my "friends" kept laughing and whispering behind my back the entire day. It wasn't until my last class a girl I sat with was kind enough to tell me I had period blood on my pants, and gave me her hoodie to tie around my waist. I had given presentations in 3 classes that day so everyone in my classes knew I was on my period. Luckily it was a lighter flow day and it wasn't like a murder scene. Mom let me stay home from school for the remainder of my period and I lost all my friends in the process because they were assh*les.
But now I'm best friends with the girl who gave me her hoodie so I've got that going for me.
"When I was a teenager..."
When I was a teenager I had a little crush on one of my female friends.
One day she starts hitting on me and suggestively nibbles and sucks on my finger. I get all nervous and jokingly say "Hey you don't know where that finger's been!"
I wake up some nights in a cold sweat remembering the look on her face at that moment.
"I lied to my counselors..."
I lied to my counselors about getting into a certain pre-med program that apparently was a MUCH bigger deal than I thought it was right before leaving for college... I had gotten into A premed program but when asked on the spot I couldn't recall and I just agreed to whatever name was thrown out for it. They got super excited and congratulated me and I assumed that would be the end of it.
Well... They made a huge announcement the next day over the PA system of the School congratulating me and even gave me a certificate and took pictures shaking my hand... teachers were congratulating me all day and I even started getting special treatment.
I'm sure they eventually found our after I left the and I've been to embarrassed to even visit my old high school...
"I had a massive inappropriate crush..."
I had a massive inappropriate crush on my married math teacher in middle school. The poor man was clearly not at all endeared by it. Puberty was very cruel to me and I was not cute.
On the last day of school, I was too shy to approach him to sign my yearbook, so I had my friends do it. He signed it and suddenly that's when I worked up the courage to go ask him myself.
He awkwardly signed it a second time and didn't say a word to me.
"It all started..."
I accidentally started a cult in high school.
It all started with my group of friends having some laughs. I started to joke about being a "family" and gave everyone weird family roles. Like you're the weird aunt, and you're the grandma, etc. But then there was one weird chick who started taking it super seriously and wrote down everyone's "roles".
Then she started adding tons of people and even started doing strange rituals to initiate people into the "family". At that point I bailed.
They ended up vandalizing property, threatening students and teachers, sent out death threats, etc. The police actually started watching them as a serious gang threat.
All because of some f*ckin joke i made.
"My first party..."
I went to my first party with alcohol and I was flirting with this random girl, she gave me drink after drink until I was feeling pretty bad.
We ended up kissing. I threw up on her face.
Be it on a blind date, at a party where you don't know anyone, or sitting next to someone on an airplane, starting a conversation with a total stranger is difficult.
As much as we'd all like to be friendly, far too often we find ourselves at a loss for words.
It doesn't help that we generally have no idea of what these people's various interests are, making it anyone's guess how they'll respond.
But some have this problem solved, finding a go-to topic which is always guaranteed to get a response, no matter who you're talking to.
Redditor Blugged_Bunny was curious to hear what people thought was the best way to begin a conversation with strangers, leading them to ask:
"What is your go-to 'small talk' topic with strangers?"
Did you check the forecast?
"We sure are having a lot of weather"- r_Ju_Tacular.
"As a British person, the conversation usually starts like this:"
“'You alright?'"
”Yeah you?”'
“'Yeah not too bad, weathers a bit sh*t innit?'”
“'Yeah”'.
"The end."- chelstippins
Why beat around the bush?
"Straight to politics and religion."- Turd_Ferguson009.
Just let it happen.
"Make an observation."
"Literally anything."It helps if it’s something about them like an article of clothing that catches your eye, something they’re doing, anything that you can relate to or are interested in but it doesn’t have to be."
"It can be something in the environment that is drawing both of your attention."
"People bullsh*t about the weather all the time."
"Make a comment about it, gauge their willingness to talk about it to you and build off of what you get from the response."
"If all you get is 'haha yeah', leave it."
"No shame in silence."
"Some people just don’t want to talk."
I"f you’re talking about the weather, 'Man it’s a great day out today!'"
“'Yeah absolutely! I drove here with my windows down all the way here!'”
"Boom, you’ve got something to latch onto."
"They probably enjoy getting outside for some fresh air. "
"They probably enjoy driving."
"Ask about their car."
"Ask if they go on drives a lot."
"Ask if they do outdoor stuff."
"What kind of outdoor stuff?"
"Once you’ve got something to work with, the key is to ask."
"Let them do the talking."
"People love talking about themselves."
"You learn some light hearted things about the stranger, they feel more comfortable, and you can add bits and bobs of your own experiences in response so they get to know you too."
"It works in literally any situation."
"From an elevator ride to a first date."
"It’s so easy to personalize small talk and it makes it so much less uncomfortable."- 1arrocknroll.
"But enough about me, what do you think about me?"
"Usually people love to talk about themselves, so a few questions about them and some follow up questions to their answers usually does it."- I_can_see_the_music.
"Food, glorious food..."
"Food."
"People typically love food."
"I mention I’m new/newer to an area."
"And ask them what they like, where they eat out."
"Usually works and people have their choices validated and I always know where to find good local snacks."- TheProfWife.
Can you believe it?
"Did you see that ludicrous display last night?"- housemuncher.
Nothing!
"As a Norwegian - we leave strangers alone."
"No need to bother them."- neihuffda.
The sky's the limit.
"So, do you like stuff?"- Bwon669.
All of these seem like surefire ways to get a conversation started.
But use cautiously, as who knows how long it will take these conversations to end.
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.
Quality comes with price. That's a fact you can't escape. If you hire someone to fix your home, and want them to do the best job, you're going to have to pay above average prices. That's fine. Pay the people what they're worth for the great job they did. However, we live in a world where everyone is looking for their payout, even if what they've given you is less than ideal.
Don't overpay for any of these.
Reddit user, DrLizardLover, wanted to know what we're paying too much for when they asked:
"What is just stupidly overpriced?"
If you didn't know any better, you would think making office and school supplies was a lot like mining for diamonds in the center of the Earth.
Though, we also know diamonds are a rip-off so maybe that's not the argument we should be making.
Another Collegiate Payment
"College books"
Spooly_Boy
"Especially when they say you have to buy the newest copy every year"
disantiyesnt
Good Thing We're Going Paperless
"Printer cartridges."
DataPlenty
"Apparently it's because in order to make printers affordable to everyone, you must lower their prices. The cartridges are the upsell and is where the profit comes from."
AltaSavoia
We Carry Them Around On Our Phones
"TI-84"
"I could get an old cell phone from a dumpster that’s 10x as powerful. Why the f-ck they still charging $80 or more for these things?"
edgeblackbelt
If living in 2022 has taught us anything, it's that convenience has a price.
And it's high.
$50 For Twizzlers
"Foods and drinks at movie theaters or sporting events"
Icy-Company7718
"I can answer for the theaters. They don't actually get much, if any, of the ticket sales. A lot of their operating budget comes from the snack bar."
Head_Razzmatazz7174
Fees On Hidden Fees For Hidden Fees
"Concert tickets"
"(AKA Ticketmaster)"
Catilily_3141
"I thought I was on the school box office site when I was on one made to look like it. I bought two reasonably priced ncaa basketball tickets and when I went to check out it went up to $70 with fees. Found the school website and checked out for $26 total."
blackcatmystery
Costs A Lot To Be A Woman
"One bra is like…40 dollars"
Noliel_Laicaster
"except i have big honkers so i'm forced to pay upwards of $80 for a bra because the only place I can get them in my size is Lane Bryant or Torrid"
kelsiewest11
"Just women's clothes in general. If I'm paying $40 for a pair of dress slacks, they damn well better have pockets. I have to have black slacks for my delivery job and ended up buying 3 pair of men's pants for $20 each, just to have the pockets."
Head_Razzmatazz7174
What can hurt the most is the idea companies and people will charge you for things you need to have. It's almost as if they know you're willing to pay the price...
Awful.
History Has Funny Way Of Changing Perspectives
"Lobster. Was literally considered food for the peasants at one point in history. They used lobsters as bait on ships"
magoted
The Most Expensive Day Of Your Life
"Anything tied to a wedding"
nickp123456
"Friend of mine needed a generator for a wedding. He booked it as a "corporate event" to get cheaper hire."
"When the company arrived to setup and saw it was a wedding they demanded extra money, because it was a wedding. Same location, same generator, same rental period."
salmonlikethephish
Sipping The Last Bits Of Money Out Of The Dead
"Funerals"
Longjumping-Oil4497
"I definitely think that add-ons for funerals are sold like biggie sizing your happy meal. And the concept of memorializing a person for eternity has been sold as bare necessity. But I do know that the pomp and circumstance a lot of people need to lay somebody to rest, costs money."
"I want to see people honored in their death, but spending $5,000 on a pine box does not make sense to me"
444unsure
People Need Help? Charge Them.
"Mental health services. Blessings upon blessings to the mental health professionals who offer sliding scales."
AphelionEntity
America Gonna 'Murica
"Getting an IUD put in or taken out without insurance costs 1300. Takes 5 minutes to put in and it’s a piece of plastic."
m_hahn_solo
"Wow thats so much. I'm in Canada so having it inserted, removed, and follow up appointments are free. But I had to pay for the IUD. The first time I used the insurance from college so only paid $30. The second time I graduated and didn't have insurance so I went to planned parenthood where its cheaper and paid 230. The third time I had insurance from work and it was free. Honestly all birth control should be free."
Forever-25
Keep an eye on your wallet, since you know most of the world is keeping theirs firmly on it.
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.
Not everyone is going to believe what you believe. Our own experiences and values add up to make us who we are. Without them, we'd all be the same amorphous blob of consciousness covering the planet in bland beliefs. You hold something in high regard, and that might mean someone else disagrees with you.
Hold your ground, and be ready to die on that hill, kind of like these people.
Reddit user, realduckbutter, wanted to know what you will never let go of when they asked:
"What’s the smallest hill you’re willing to die on?"
What is it about this hill that makes it worthwhile to fight over? Is it something ingrained in your core or something that you can never let go?
This Is Good, Great, And Dandy
"Oxford commas are GOOD and should be EMPLOYED LIBERALLY."
CopsaLau
"I agree with this, I agree with this, and I agree with this."
ajt9104_
Squats All Day
"Nice butts are better than big butts."
Crockpot_gator_Snot
"Shape > Size"
"on that note, 99.9% of of people don’t give a damn about color imperfections or stretch marks. It’s completely irrelevant. The shape is what makes a nice butt."
"Edit: I admit that my statistic it totally made up. I made to say that MOST people don’t care."
bouchandre
Doesn't Hold Up
"KFC gravy isn't as good as it used to be."
AshySlashy902
"KFC isn't as good as it used to be. The biscuits are so hit or miss now."
SuperstitiousPigeon5
Me Am No Good With Words And Things
"It's "I couldn't care less," not "I could care less." If you could care less, you care a little!"
thedoginapound
"That’s what I’m saying!!! People make no sense sometimes"
Rebelsinblacktattoo
The workplace is somewhere you (possibly) go to every day. If there's something about it you like or don't like, don't let it go.
Proper Bathroom Ambience
"Bathrooms at the work place should all be required to play music to help drown out the sounds being made"
zerorush8
"THANK YOU. I’ve thought this for years. Just some simple elevator music. Anything."
"I’d rather hear 10 hours of Yiruma’s River Flows In You than 10 seconds of whatever is flowing out of the poor guy next to me."
jaylward
Better Be Some Money That Comes With That Title
"Don’t give me a “promotion” unless it comes with a pay raise. The only reason I would want a promotion is because I get paid more, not so I can flex my title on ppl"
traws06
"Flex that title into a raise somewhere else"
meanie_ants
So Grateful
"All companies regardless of what industry they're in do their best work and are the most consumer friendly when they're in second or third place in their industry. The 'leader' is almost never the best option."
Nayko214
"The best service and the most exciting food is at two star Michelin restaurants because they’re playing offense not defense."
gastro_gnome
"Cashiers should be allowed to sit down during their shifts, ex. Aldi. There should be no reason why they need to keep standing in place for an entire shift"
kdotismydad
"This is so f-cking American. I've never in my European life seen a cashier standing up."
PercussiveRussel
Whatever it is about these hills we're all supposedly dying, you cannot deny the fact it's super fascinating to see bodies dropping on them.
Do Any Of Us Know What We're Eating?
"When people say “it has chemicals in it”. Your mom is chemicals. Everything is chemicals."
nosmase2
"The whole "don't put it in your body if you can't pronounce it" nonsense is infuriating. An apple has things in it most people couldn't pronounce if you wrote out the chemical composition. And does my having taken organic chem and biochem classes mean I can eat things others can't?"
"Don't even get me started on the anti-GMO crap."
dude_logman
Diamond Eyeglasses? Diamond Cups? Why Stop There?
"Lab grown diamonds are real diamonds. Chemically. It’s purely marketing that makes you pay more for mined diamonds."
ScoobyTrue
"I believe you may be wrong. They are purer than mined diamonds."
"I'm looking forward to windshields made out of diamond."
ScottColvin
*tap, *tap, *tap
"Mobile gaming is better when it's simple games like Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja"
ofsquire
"Yeah I thought I wanted big impressive games on my phone but then I realized there’s no point. I’m never going to play on my phone over a console"
realduckbutter
Holding Up The Line With Your Niceness
"Pay-it-forward drive-through chains are pointless. They aren’t really helping anyone, they’re just making everything awkward."
lassie86
"Im a starbucks barista and like its a nice thing dont get me wrong, but the way our systems work things get confusing and orders or items get lost so people end up getting free but wrong orders :( it also puts the customer on the spot to make a decision to continue or not and i hate that it's so awkward. I always just say hey your order has been paid for have a great day!"
imasokas2percentmilk
It Hurts So Good
"If Q-Tips were not meant to go deep in your ear canal, then God would not have put the g-spot in there"
Virtual-Stranger
Meet lots of people, develop a set of values, then enact those values upon yourself as you engage with the world. Be the person you want to be.
Tell us how you won't let anything go in the comments below.
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.
There's a lot we don't know about women. Where do they hibernate? How do they keep warm in the winter? When they shed their skin can you make a belt out of it?
Oh, excuse me, I seem to have left open my copy of the Animal Encyclopedia.
There is a bit of a learning curve when you enter into a long-term relationship with a woman, and these men were quick to share their most insightful gains.
Reddit user, Foolu, wanted to know what you now know and can never forget when they asked:
"Guys of Reddit, what is something you learned about girls after getting into a relationship?"
What happens in the bathroom stays in the bathroom, unless the internet is involved. Then by all means let us know.
Get The Hanger
"Hair. It gets f-cking everywhere"
justfukinwitchu
"With a wife and a teenage daughter, I could stuff a pillow with all of the hair I pull out of the shower pipes after they've got blocked again."
Scallywagstv2
Warehouse Pricing Is Critical To Survival
"You get through 4 times as much bathroom tissue."
Scallywagstv2
"My dad used to complain about the amount of toilet paper used and we were under strict instructions it was one sheet per toilet trip. Like you expect 3 woman in one house to use one strip of cheap toilet paper every time we go toilet? Ha! Even mum tried to tell him he was being ridiculous."
ngatiara
Only Way To Purify Your Soul
"They shower with lava. At least thats what the water temperature felt like."
Kooky-Experience-923
"Absolutely, the closest temperature to hell is the best to destress in"
distantdreams-0
Is your house ready for your partner to move in? No?
Too bad. It's happening, and what you see will never be the same again.
Never Enough Hanging Solutions
"You don’t have enough hangers"
Sh-tbashGod
"This one got me lol. I had a cloth bag absolutely full of hangers laying my dresser for years. A f-ckton of them just accumulated over time I guess. Anyway I had planned to eventually throw them out but forgot about them. Fast forward to about a month ago when my girlfriend is moving in. It took time for me to realize the situation when she said "I'm gonna need more hangers."
Narapoia
Costs A Lot To Look This Fabulous
"Make up is expensive as f-ck"
sheepboi13
"Bras too. I thought just the higher end ones would be expensive, but assumed the day to day ones costs much less than they do."
TheRetroVideogamers
Like Magic
"Bobbypins are magical items that will materialize out of thin air"
linksflame
"And disappear just as suddenly"
AnnuallySoup
This is the really crucial stuff, the bits you should always keep at the forefront of your mind.
Speak Your Mind Always
"COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING. Seriously, if there's an unanswered question, f-cking mention it and get the answer. Neither men nor women are mind readers. So many things can be avoided by just talking with the other one in the relationship."
"Always assume ignorance over malice. Chances are whatever happened it's because of assumptions made and not because one was trying to actively hurt/annoy the other."
"The only dumb question is the one you don't ask."
lurking_my_@ss_off
You Are Bespoken To Them
"You have to teach someone how to be a good lover to you."
"People don’t magically know how to meet your needs. And they certainly can’t read your mind."
RedditorChristopher
"Basically communication is key. This can be said about every single relationship though, not only about girls specifically"
AhhCaffeine
Just, Absolutely Sucks
"Periods really f-cking suck"
deuslapis
"You ain’t lying. Spend 1/4 of your life trying to save yourself from bleeding and cramping to death to have some old man politician tell you what you can and can’t do with your body... meanwhile, they have never had to deal with a single cycle."
purple_lassy
"What might be a really small thing for me to give her (a gesture, compliment, smile, etc.) can mean a whole lot to her."
heathos33
"This is so underrated. I'm in a new relationship and I know my bf cares for me in his own way but I would give ANYTHING for a few compliments here and there."
AgentTex
"Tell them that. Not that you want one right now, but that you appreciate hearing his feelings about you here and there."
"Communication is the only way to a positive path."
Pazzolupo
Entering into a long-term relationship with anyone will change your life. Be ready to learn and use that info to help the relationship grow.
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.