Socially Awkward

Something I hate - I HATE - is when I see someone who is socially awkward.

Let me be clear: I don't hate people who are socially awkward. I just hate the unfortunate fact that they suffer from being uncomfortable in social situations. Everyone should be able to freely share their ideas and thoughts in a group setting without feeling intimidated by others or embarrassed.

For most of us, we've all been in socially awkward situations. We've either felt intimated, embarrassed, or unsure of what others expect of us. Do you find yourself in these situations often? Are you good at handling them? Do you consider yourself a very shy person or are you an attention seeker?

Share your socially awkward stories or advice!

I've never been in that many socially awkward situations. I may not be the life of the party, so to speak, but I'm not the mute guy in the corner either.

One thing I do know is, usually socially awkward situations are caused by ourselves. We think too much about what the other people present are thinking about us, and we react on those perceptions we think others are having. Which may or may not be true.

I don't really have non-awkward social situations. I'm something of a introvert and, well, whenever I have a conversation with a stranger or someone I don't know REALLY well its always forced and weird and everyone who's in it and can hear it knows it. =D ITS WHY I CAN ONLY MAKE FRIENDS ON THE INTERWEBS.

Its been a challenge, sure, but I've gotten stuff out of it, so I don't mind. "Path less traveled", all that.

thanks!

I know it sounds weird, but I have more socially awkward moments with my close friends than I do with new people. Its almost like I think things out better with people that don't know me as well because I don't want to make a bad impression.

-Awkward Post is awkward-


Oh, I've got a good story about this.

Ok, so it was a friend of mines birthday, she was turning 16 or something, and I was invited to a party at her house(she lived with my grandfather, don't ask). I was pretty reluctant to go, because I figured it would be mainly girls, but she insisted so I decided to go along with it. After arriving and being welcomed by the friend in question, I as shown to the living room, and IT WAS FULL OF GIRLS! I was all like; "Oh shit, I don't know any of these chicks." So, I sat in silence looking at old photo albums for about a hour until it was time for dinner. Just when the food was being served I cracked. I just had to get out of there right that fucking second. So, I made some excuse, ran out the front door, and didn't come back. I later apologized about it and the incident was soon forgotten.

I think that was a special case, I don't believe I'm normally that awkward. It was just one of thous days...

I used to be pretty bad at social things, I still consider myself to be so, but I just don't let it show anymore. When I was a kid I was the most awkward kid you'd find for miles away, not only were I shy and refused to talk to people, I was a huge crybaby and got very angry way too fast. All that shit eventually went away, and I guess it's part of growing up and becoming mature, but I still don't really like people, especially not crowds. With the exception of things like concerts, were I don't really have to socialize with people.

My biggest problem is still that I can't engage in conversation with someone I don't know, not for the love of my life, never ever, nuh uh, not gonna happen. Yet, if someone I don't know engages me in conversation, while dying a bit inside, I act myself and just go with it, after a while the anxiety goes away.

Also, this. Despite not being socially awkward anymore. I dislike being in crowds and bigger parties. For me the best size of a "party" is like 3-4 friends, or if they're all good friends, then it can be more but I still prefer just a few people.

And at concerts I don't really go up to people and talk to them, if people come to me then I chat with them as if they were friends.
I kinda have the thing where some random guy talks to me, after just a few minutes of talking I can talk to them in very friendly terms.

I have felt socially awkward for years, heck I barely had any friends or spoke with anybody in my early teen years. However eventually I decided to get some counseling for this problem, as many people don't really know how to handle someone who is socially awkward, mostly resulting in ridiculing them or not wanting to approach them. After years of effort I have finally overcome this problem, and while I still somewhat have this problem at first encounters I am usually one of the more talkative person and even humorous people in crowd conversation.

It pains me to see people get shunned for being socially awkward, which is why I usually put extra effort in approaching such "underdogs". But there are ways to word on this. True it takes A LOT of effort (depending on how severe your problem is) to overcome this problem, but in the end overcoming it has changed my life completely.

Heck if I hadn't overcome my problem I would have never been able to meet my girlfriend, who has been a blessing to me ever since.

i love to mingle and blend to many type of group.
at first it was awkward, but as we do a couple of mingles i found it is a fun things to do.

ussually, i observe the people around them and find out their interest first to adapt.

you can avoid the awkwardness you face through experience.
so go out there and mingle!

>make a thread about being socially awkward
>nobody replies
>9 replies

That penguin is a -LIAR-

I never feel comfortable around people I don't know in social situations.

@GuGu
who is the liar?

she said, she hates people who is socially awkward, by making these thread that does not mean she is socially awkward :p

I usually just tend to say awwwkwwaard, out loud.

Surprisingly relieves the tension.

Yea I admit. Im Socially awkward. Even online I am. I'm use to my friends after awhile; but when it comes to people i'm just meeting im so quiet and shy. >.

Until I was about 4-5 I didn't talk to anyone, including family. And played primarily by myself.

My mother thought I might have an ASD. Which it is possible I might have a slight case of one, though I pretty much don't have anything to worry about it now if I even did.

As such I didn't talk, I couldn't speak properly when I was younger. I had to constantly attend speech classes to try and fix the problem. And I didn't become passable until about the 2nd grade, and not 'normal' until the fifth grade.

To this day I still stumble constantly over words because of it and it leads me to be nervous when speaking to new people and doing any sort of public speaking. Though as I went through college I have gotten a lot better of such.

One thing that I have always had problem with, is physical contact, such as hugs and such. I am uncomfortable with physical contact of any kind, but things like hugs will really get to me, unless you are really close to me like my fiance and mother.

So yay!

Went to bed, woke up, looked at thread. People replied - yay!
...
Wait, what the -


WHHHHHHHYYYYY!!!???!!!



For a second maybe, but in the end it can really just make things more awkward. People might think to themselves, "Okay, I thought this was awkward, but now I KNOW this is awkward."



Come on dood! It is the Socially Awkward Penguin meme. I had to make one...



I said I hate seeing some being socially awkward (because I feel bad for them), not that I hate socially awkward people lol.

When the group of people consists of more than 1 person (strangers or no strangers) I'm a total attention seeker. But when its a one on one conversation I'm really shy, I just can't think on anything to say when its only me and another person. =/

Also, +rep because I don't think your post dissevered a -rep.

I usually fare quite well at the very few social gatherings that I do attend.

My usual stance is introduce myself, then just go sit down somewhere, and people eventually come up and talk to me.

However, if I see someone who appears to be left out or shunned, I'll go and initiate contact- generally with positive results. Sometimes all I do is act as the ice breaker, and allow the person to move on and talk to other people.

Basically what I'm saying is that- although a rather anti-social person- I'm absolutely fine interacting with people, with no awkwardness at all.

EDIT: And yeah- that -rep was screwed up. Probably some emo kid.

@TakuFox - Thanks pal. And yeah - that brings up another "awkward" term to discuss: Awkward silence.

@PumpJack - Haha, your policy is to sit back and let them all come to you.

Worked so far. By my recollection- that's how I made practically all my friends. It's only in recent years where I've become very comfortable to be the one to initiate contact.

As for awkward silences, I find that acknowledging it is the best sure-fire way to break. Hasn't failed me yet.

Incidentally, I don't think we've heard your take on things; how do you fare in social situations, Neko?

I am very confident in social situations. I like people, so I am not shy around others if it is a gathering or event. I don't go around trying to talk to everyone at a party or would be the one to make a toast at a wedding, but I don't get nervous if I'm the center of attention. I used to be on dance line in high school, so I'm used to having a thousand pair of eyes looking at me.

I do get nervous in more intimate situation like if I have to meet someone's family. Also, if someone is acting awkward, I start feeling nervous. It is sort of like when you see someone get embarrassed publicly, you sort of feel embarrassed for them.

Edit: Lol, come on guys... Seriously? What could I possibly of said of that deserves a negative rep?