lifestyle

21 Common Mistakes Socially Awkward People Make

17.

Sometimes silence is okay, I see many people trying to keep dead/boring conversations going so that there’s no “awkward” silence.

18.

There’s this one girl I work with that makes intense eye contact. Yes, eye contact is important and it’s weird if you never make it, but it’s also possible to make way to much eye contact as well. She just stares right at me while we’re talking and I’ll glance around the room for a few seconds then look back and she’s still staring straight at me. It’s very unsettling and as a result I really dislike talking to her.

19.

Making comments instead of actually conversing. A conversation involves both people having time to talk, listen, and ask follow up questions. Commentary doesn’t ever get deeper than both sides talking to themselves.

20.

Telling irrelevant stories. No one cares that you once rode your dirt bike in that area off the freeway with your best friend 17 years ago, followed by 15 mins of elaboration. Not saying that past experiences should never be brought up, but keeping them infrequent, on topic, & short & sweet is best.

21.

If you never get invited places with your friends, try and see if you are doing anything towards the situation. Have you already turned your friends down a bunch of times and therefore they don’t bother asking you anymore? Have you been to their place eight times and you’ve never invited them to yours? Sometimes these things are our own doing.

Written by Alex Cogen

Alex is a New Yorker currently living in Austin. She loves cats, grass, and latex but unfortunately is allergic to all 3. She makes mom and dad jokes more than she cares to admit (jk she'll admit it loud and proud). She isn't as funny as she thinks she is. She is the founder of thelazygurl.com.