Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app

Continue in app Continue in browser

219submissions

Finished

50 Introverts Reveal The Incredible Lengths They’ve Gone To Avoid People

ADVERTISEMENT

True introverts know that there's no limit to how far one will go avoiding people and any contact with them. This anti-social behavior may seem crazy to the outside world, but drastic times call for drastic measures.

As Charles Bukowski once famously said, "I don't hate people, I just feel better when they aren’t around." Introverted people aren't scared of others - it's those shallow, uncomfortable little interactions we all tend to engage in that cause them to run and hide. We can't even blame them. Who actually likes making small talk with anyone rather than being alone? Besides, sometimes, you just need to be with your thoughts and not have Sheila from accounting interrupt them.

If you think introverts are lazy and unmotivated, you've never seen them maneuver out of a social environment situation. Scroll down to see all the proof about this personality type you need, and if you've got a major stealth tactic of your own, add it to our list at the end.

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

My roommates decided to have a random study party, with like 20 people in our apartment that is only 800 sq feet. Because of the unexpected intrusion, I got into the router settings and throttled the internet to dial up era speeds. When my roommates were trying to figure out what was happening, I told them we simply had too many people splitting the bandwidth and in annoyance they all left for the library. Best eight hours of silence ever.

logicbeans Report

Final score:

258points

JillVille Child Care 7 years ago

Now this took some creative thinking. Extra points!!

87points

View more comments

#2

If someone is browsing a section of a shelf at a grocery where I need something from, I pretend to look at other stuff until they go away.
I swear though today I think I was waiting for someone to leave the canned soup section while they were waiting for me to leave the salsa section diagonally behind them.

livelaughloaft Report

Final score:

237points

picklerick 7 years ago

so you were in a pickle!

68points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#3

I just took a new job where I basically interact with dogs all day instead of people. It is bliss.

sometimesidrawfish Report

Final score:

234points

Cerys Dunbar 7 years ago

WHAT IS THIS JOB

98points

View More Replies...

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#4

A few summers ago, we had to replace the air vents in my house so my parents hired a few guys from an air conditioning company. To change all the air vents, the men had to go room to room so naturally, I thought I could avoid them by literally camping out in the closet which had no air vent so why would they even need to check? The closet in question was actually a teeny walk-in closet in my parent's room with a door that opens inward like a bedroom door. So I grabbed my pillow, 3DS, and a snack, and was ready to brave the long day in there.
Unfortunately, I didn’t think far enough about what to do if they did happen to come upon my hiding spot. I think I was in there for about an hour when I suddenly heard footsteps nearby and yep, they were opening the door. I never panicked so hard in my life because how do you even explain this to someone? “Hello, I didn’t want you to know I was here so I decided to make this closet my home."
So what did my panicked dumbass do to make it even more awkward? I started PUSHING back on the door to shut it and I can just imagine what this poor guy must have been thinking. He finally stopped pushing, knocked politely on a freaking closet door, and asked if there were any air vents in there. I could only squeak out a mortified no.
I do have social anxiety which makes me do some pretty stupid things, but I definitely learned my lesson that time to not avoid people. Or better yet, not be an idiot!

jinjinsfreckles Report

Final score:

231points

Cerys Dunbar 7 years ago

i think you handled this very well

64points

View More Replies...

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#5

My grandfather has died like 15 times to get me out of social engagements. What a champ.

arcgarrets Report

Final score:

209points

Mark Jaress 7 years ago

Taking one - er, 15 for the team, I see

4points

View more comments

#6

It's Saturday and my phone is on flight mode to avoid calls and text messages, the curtains are all drawn so it looks like I'm not home, and I'm going to watch movies all day. Sounds like my ideal day, really.

i_pee_printer_ink Report

Final score:

172points

godavari doke 7 years ago

Sounds Just like me

31points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#7

I had this office job for about 6 months where I didn't really like anyone I worked with, so every day for lunch I would go out to my car to pretend I was going out to get lunch, and instead drive to a nearby mall parking garage, park, and eat the lunch I'd packed for myself. I could've saved gas and time by just sitting by myself at one of the tables at work. But then someone might've tried to talk to me.

Final score:

160points

Jenna Lanham 7 years ago

i sit in my car for lunch to avoid work people, im not the only one though

39points

View More Replies...

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#8

I remember one time, we had a door sales man at our front door me and my wife hide underneed the window we laid down on the floor. The man looked inside and saw us hiding there. He slowly walked away....

Zardoz1984 Report

Final score:

133points

Madison Unger 7 years ago

hahahahahh!

36points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#9

I volunteered for a position in another country where I don't speak the language so I could avoid conversations with my coworkers.

ColonelKick Report

Final score:

131points

Tiari 7 years ago

Hard to imagine that nobody there spoke English.

21points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#10

I didn't get up to use the restroom on a 12 hour flight because I didn't want to bother the guy next to me. Also didn't refuse the drinks they kept offering in fear of being rude. Some of the worst pain I've experienced..

livingdeadly Report

Final score:

130points

Cerys Dunbar 7 years ago

this is what i would do to be honest

31points

View more comments

#11

Once I had two meetings scheduled at the same time. I called both, said I had to go to the other, and went to neither.

suedeslayed Report

Final score:

117points

Chyppa Homer 7 years ago

Genius !

37points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#12

My roommate is very talkative. She'll talk at me for hours on end if I let her. Sometimes when I'm not in the mood for it, I'll hop in the car and drive until she goes to bed.

BoboHodo Report

Final score:

114points

Lady Lazarus 7 years ago

At least you can drive away. I live in NYC where this isnot an option

3points

View more comments

#13

One time someone tried to small talk with me and I literally just said "I dont talk to people" and walked away

Ana Flowers Report

Final score:

109points

Polfsky Pol 7 years ago

I'm an introvert and I find this sad.

3points

View more comments

#14

I was having a "bad day" with being a introvert, so I used one of those Grocery Delivery services, and texted the driver saying wasn't home at the moment and to just leave the stuff on the porch.
When I heard her drive up I literally stood in my hallway where I couldn't be seen from any windows and listened carefully.
I heard her come up to the door, knock, knock again, drop the bags and drive off. She sent a text that she had dropped the stuff off and I should hurry because some of it is perishable.
I opened the door and got my groceries.
That might be one of the lowest moments in my life. I still get pangs of shame whenever I think of it.

TellAPhony Report

Final score:

104points

Nigel Rodgers 7 years ago

That's fine dear

70points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#15

I call it "anti-stalking"; I'll make a note of a person's routine, times, dates, locations, and use this information to intentionally avoid them, lest I have to have... shudders small talk, or something.

Cepheus-Starhowl Report

Final score:

101points

Shelehs 7 years ago

"Anti-stalking", now I know what to call it.

9points

View more comments

#16

At my favourite local cafe the barista greeted me by name and remembered my order. I stopped going there.

Final score:

99points

Tiari 7 years ago

But... why? That way you never have to talk with him again, you only need to nod.

97points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#17

I moved to Japan because you don’t have to make small talk with strangers ever.

bellow_whale Report

Final score:

87points

Aoki 7 years ago

Highly doubt that, a lot of Japanese people are very interested in foreigners and love to try their English skills on them. Personal experience.

29points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#18

I went down the elevator with a colleague. We use the same subway line to get home, and I knew if we walked down together we'd also have to sit on the train together and make small talk for the next 45 minutes.
So at the building exit I said I had an errand to run, walked the opposite direction, and used a different subway line that added another 20 minutes to my commute. Worth it.

encompassedworlds Report

Final score:

85points

Dominique Boccalatte 7 years ago

I have done this many times

23points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#19

Picked up a girl at the bar once... I was 19 (didn't get carded) she was 26. Around 3AM I decided I want her gone. So I go around the house and set all the clocks forward to 630AM. I even went out to my truck and changed that clock. I woke her up and told her I had shit to do, it was morning. She was very confused, prob only slept about 30 mins.
I passed a f*cking bank on the way to her house... Big ass bright clock at 3am.
She was not happy.. never spoke again.

LexusBrian400 Report

Final score:

83points

Tiari 7 years ago

You, sir, are an a*s.

176points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#20

Leave the office through the back door to avoid saying bye to people

JeansAndHeels Report

Final score:

80points

Heidrance 7 years ago

this is perfectly justifiable to me. it isn't so much the actual saying "bye" -- it's the ensuing interrogation about plans and weather and traffic and how's work going and blah blah blah. if one could literally only say "goodbye" and have that be the end of it, it would be so much better.

22points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#21

I was invited to a low key dinner thing at the local Chili’s with a group of people I tangentially knew. Like 20ish people I guess. Ended up sitting at a booth by myself across the way from the main table because I didn’t know anyone enough to really put up the effort into sit next to them. That, and searing social anxiety. So I ended up being the odd man out (very self fulfilling in retrospect). I ordered an iced tea, got super anxious and self-hating about the situation and worked myself up pretty good. Had a bit of an agoraphobic, world-closing-in-on-me moment. Made the split second and irreversible decision to bail out and I left the only bill I had in my wallet on the table because I didn’t want to have to wait another f*cking second for the waitress to show up and pay for my ~$1.50 drink. That waitress got a $99.50 tip.

KiwiSnugfoot Report

Final score:

79points

Del 7 years ago

You guys have $101 bills in the US? Specific.

123points

View More Replies...

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#22

I called off my last day of work so I didn't have to say goodbye to people

kjholland25 Report

Final score:

75points

Nathalie Gauthier 7 years ago

Omg, this makes me feel normal again.

30points

View more comments

#23

Friends husband pulled a 'Homer disappearing backwards into the hedge gif' move when he was trimming the hedge and people came to visit. Doubly awkward cause they saw him do it and he just stayed in the hedge.

tamati_nz Report

Final score:

69points

Shauday Smith 7 years ago

this is the best.

25points

View more comments

#24

This was back in high school.
I woke up at 7AM on the day we had poetry recitation for Literature. I used to have extreme stage fright and didn't know how to act accordingly in front of an audience. So I came up with a game plan.
After getting showered and dressed for school, I purposefully threw myself down the flight of stairs, and pretended to get badly hurt, in order to avoid having to go to class. Ended up stayed in the hospital for a day.
3.5/10 would not recommend

Final score:

66points

Heidrance 7 years ago

Once in high school I had a partnered presentation. I thought *I* had public speaking issues -- partner full on passed out. No presentation was made. I still call it a win.

42points

View More Replies...

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#25

All last fall, I took camping trips with my dog only. Just wanted to enjoy the quiet, meditate, hike, and read. If you've never done it, I really recommend it.

Final score:

66points

JillVille Child Care 7 years ago

Ok, now camping with a dog is great fun. Not necessarily an introverted thing to do, just a really relaxing vacation style thing to do! Good thinking! My dog would love uninterrupted one on one time with me! lol

28points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#26

Put duct tape around the top and bottom of my dorm room door and taped over the peephole so no one could tell if my lights were on from inside the dorm

Birdman_the_third Report

Final score:

61points

Janine 7 years ago

Oh great idea.

11points

View more comments

#27

I was about fourteen, at my most awkward and gangly and antisocial.
It was fairly early in the morning, and I was in my room getting dressed. Suddenly I hear voices down the hallway. My dad had organized some guys to come in and install an air con system, and was showing them round before he left for work.
I was half dressed, in my underwear, and panicked.
A normal person would have, I don't know, called out that I was getting changed and asked them to wait?
I jumped, half naked, into my closet.
You can guess what happened next.
It happened to be that they needed to run pipes above the closet. My dad opened up the door and there they were, him and the three middle aged install guys all peering in at me cowering in horror in the corner.
I'm not sure if it was more mortifying for dad or me, though. He apologized and shut the door and just carried on like nothing had happened, as if his daughter usually hung out half-naked in closets.
The worst part was they were working in the house for about another three days. I literally climbed out my window each day after that to avoid seeing them.

dolphins_are_dicks Report

Final score:

61points

Leoninus Fate 7 years ago

kinda wrong for the dad to just walk in without knocking tho

36points

View More Replies...

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#28

Learned german. Don't wanna talk to that random stranger who trying to sell you something? Say a few lines of german and they'll go away.

chikenjoe17 Report

Final score:

60points

kasa alex 7 years ago

I just tell them I've gotten a surprise period attack and I really need to find a tampon right now

19points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#29

Shit, I've dumped my half full basket on the floor and left for another store after seeing people I knew. It's one thing going through the initial small talk, but to keep bumping into them every aisle, that's too f*cking much.

MrSpudgun Report

Final score:

52points

RaroaRaroa 7 years ago

That is one of life's awkward moments. See someone in you know if one aisle, say "Hi". See them in the next aisle..... what do you say this time? I just skip a couple of aisles, get ahead of them, then go back to those aisles at the end.

17points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#30

Pretended to have a second job in the evenings so I could avoid parties to stay home and play World of Warcraft.

Calm_Canary Report

Final score:

45points

Debbie Andersson 7 years ago

Well you do earn a lot of gold if you spend at least enough time for a part time job, soooo.

9points

View more comments

#31

We had a lot of cats in one of the houses I lived in when I was a kid. I think I was around 10. This was out in the country, with a single narrow road dividing a row of houses and a vast cornfield. We would get the very occasional solicitor. One particular time I do recall is when a couple modestly dressed older ladies with pamphlets were making their way down the row of houses, knocking on each door. Our door was an old wooden one with a rectangular window cut out at the top. I had seen them waddling across our yard, so I prepared myself. I grabbed the nearest cat and lifted it up to where its head was poking out the window. knock knock knock Held that cat up in the window as steadily as I could. Cat became wiggly, looking down at me and meowing while putting paws up on the glass and protesting whatever confusing thing was happening. knock knock knock Put cat 1 down and reloaded with cat 2. More wiggles, sniffs, confused paws, and meows. Knocking stopped. My reasoning was to make the ladies think we had some mutant cats with super long necks but regular sized cat heads and paws. Maybe they would picture a tiny cat head attached to a serpentine body with pairs of paws all down their neck. Maybe they thought it was a large octopus or squid-like creature whose great body filled the entire house and on the end of each tentacle was a cat head and a couple paws. Perhaps the creature was created by a mad scientist whose lab was in the crawlspace, and the only thing the creature could eat was old ladies and then used their pamphlets to pick their teeth afterward. So, instead of just avoiding the door, I guess I was weird enough to think I could scare them off so they wouldn’t come back. I have no idea what happened on the other side of the door. I wonder what their perspective looked like. How convincing it was.

TacoTuesdee Report

Final score:

44points

Alysha Jones 7 years ago

"...reloaded with cat 2." Love that line. lol

32points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#32

My friend once texted she was on her way over with her boyfriend to pick up something they had asked to borrow. I panicked because her boyfriend is sweet but gregarious and intense and I wasn't feeling it. So naturally I moved my car from my driveway to the next street over and then hid in the spare rooms bed under a pile of blankets after texting her I wasn't home but to grab it anyways.

NurseyMcNurseface Report

Final score:

41points

Madison Unger 7 years ago

why didn't you just stay in the car on the other street? It just seems like it would be a lot easier.

29points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#33

Changed positions at work to a position where i make less money over all to avoid talking to guests

CaptainCckBlock Report

Final score:

41points

Kjorn 7 years ago

if you're more happy why not

21points

View more comments

#34

I gave birth to my baby at home, alone, with my toddler watching. I unexpectedly went into labor and even when I could feel the baby’s head, I just thought to call my husband and tell him to “please hurry!” The thought of having to call an ambulance and deal with people was too much.
EDIT: My first labor was induced and I felt no contractions. So with my second, when the pains came on, I swore it felt like I just had to go to the bathroom. I started timing the pain and the first 3 contractions went from 7 min, to 4 min, to 2 min apart. I thought there was no way I could be in active labor. Once I realized I was in labor, I did call my husband and ask him to come home from work, but I thought “Wow this is intense, but people labor like this for hours so I’m okay.” At no point was I ever in crippling pain. I just happened to be sitting on the toilet (again thinking I had to use the bathroom) when my water broke. I called my husband again to tell him he really needed to hurry now. I reached down to wipe my leg and that’s when I felt the baby’s head. I put the phone down, pushed twice, and my son was born. So yeah, I called my husband instead of an ambulance. Even after he was born I told my husband to just “hurry home!” My husband did call and ambulance for me and at that point we were transported to the hospital. The time from my water breaking to my son being born was 5 minutes.
I did not deliberately hurt my child. I would have much preferred to be at a hospital. I am introverted, but it has nothing to do with my ability to effectively parent my children. However, my family does tease me now that it is so like me to not call an ambulance for myself. I completely acknowledge that I should have called for help! But as another person stated, yes I as in pain and irrational.

Final score:

39points

Heidrance 7 years ago

dude -- if your kid was born that fast, would the ambulance even have gotten to you before you had him? no worries. (although now you can't guilt trip your kid with the traditional "i was in labor with you for XX hours!")

36points

View More Replies...

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#35

Erased peoples names from my phone so that when they call all I see is an unknown number and since it's an unknown number I don't have to answer it.

-brightlights- Report

Final score:

38points

Marcin Barczyński 7 years ago

Yeah, but people don't know about this, and their perception of your avoidance is the same as it was before you erased the names. In the end, the only one you're deceiving is yourself.

18points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#36

In college, I lived in a single on an all girls floor. The second and third floor were all boys. One morning, our maintenance man was cleaning the first floor girls only bathroom and I really had to poop. I’m an extremely shy pooper and never interacted with boys so there was no way I was going upstairs to either of the boys bathrooms.
I emptied out my garbage can, lined it with two plastic garbage bags and took a shit into the garbage can in the corner of my room.

HandmadeArrow Report

Final score:

37points

Desiré Yen 7 years ago

Desperate times call for desperate measures!

23points

View more comments

#37

I’ve scaled wet, steep and slippery rocks when hiking just to avoid small talk with the people on the actual path

PMme_YOURSHOES Report

Final score:

34points

Madison Unger 7 years ago

I feel like i've done this before 😂

6points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#38

* I take all of my breaks at work in my locked car
* I leave work Friday, go to the store for the next week shopping, go home, and stay in my room until Monday (bathroom is attached, will get food from kitchen but only if my roommate is gone)
* sometimes I shop out of town to prevent me from running into anyone I know
* Amazon is amazing
* occasionally uses headphones without music just so people won't talk to me
I'm sure there's more things I've done.. But those are basically daily things.

boxofmarshmallows Report

Final score:

34points

Cerys Dunbar 7 years ago

i use headphones with no music to eavesdrop

32points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#39

When I was in my early teens, I was just hanging out with my family in the garden/backyard as it was a nice sunny day. The doorbell rang and my parents went inside to go and answer it, from where we were you could faintly hear the voices of the people at the door. I didn't recognise the voices, so I went and stood in the shed at the back of our garden, out of view. The people at the door who I hadn't met before were friends of my parents. Anyway they all came into the garden and sat down, chatting. Meanwhile I'm still stood in the shed, just waiting for them to leave. I considered coming out of the shed, but the longer I stood there the more I realised how strange it would be if I just appeared randomly from the shed. So I just waited for them to leave. This was before smartphones, which I easily could have killed time on. So instead I just stared at the walls and read the back of paint tins. I think they were there for about an hour and a half, and I didn't leave the shed until they were gone.

jdfsociety Report

Final score:

33points

Abigail Hatch 7 years ago

I've done stuff like that. The internal conflict becomes unbearable!

5points

ADVERTISEMENT

#40

I have been driving a mile to other gas stations for about a year now to avoid going to the 7/11 3 minutes away from my house walking distance because I don't want to make small talk with the cashier who works there.

Final score:

31points

Jason 7 years ago

Credit Card at the pump?

15points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#41

I’ve left parties/hangouts where drugs or alcohol are involved (I mention it because it plays a key role in my excuse) and just say I went home to pass out or throw up. Really I just wanted to go spend alone time on the internet or playing league.
I like seeing people, but I can’t socialize with a big group for hours on end, exhausted after 30 minutes or so.

UpvoteBecauseIcan Report

Final score:

31points

Pandora Fay 7 years ago

Pretty standard Intorvertism...

10points

View more comments

#42

I once was walking through Hot Topic and I thought I saw an employee walking out of the back. Not want to have them ask me "how are you doing today?" or "can I help you find anything?" I ducked behind some clothes. Upon further investigation, I realized there was no door to the back. It was a mirror. I had seen my reflection out of the corner of my eye and ran away to avoid social interaction.

Final score:

30points

Jennifer Francis 7 years ago

Yup, I’ve totally had that sinking feeling of another human approaching, just to realize it was a mirror.

2points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#43

Started cutting my own hair. Got real sick of making small talk, and paying the "you have a vagina" tax for my hair (it's shorter than most of the modern men's fashion cuts)

KillerSeagull Report

Final score:

29points

Jenn 7 years ago

'you have a vagina tax' funny and sadly and frustratingly true!

43points

View more comments

#44

I would get grounded intentionally as a teenager so I would have a solid excuse and reason for not being able to hang out for a couple weeks while I recharged my batteries.

StillAders83 Report

Final score:

28points

Cat Meow 7 years ago

No grounding needed here. In fact, my parents would have to do the exact opposite and force me out the house AND interact with other kids in the neighborhood

3points

View more comments

#45

In school when I was having a “I don’t want to be in public anymore but I don’t want to ditch because I’ll get into trouble” Day I would find my favourite science teacher and ask if he could make arrangements for me to hide in one of the empty classrooms and study by myself rather than go to actual class.

Beth Fraser Report

Final score:

28points

Amber Robertson 7 years ago

Greatest teacher ever.

27points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#46

I had people extremely concerned about how ill my daughter was. To the point of getting regular texts checking up on her.
She was my go to excuse to bail out on plans. I'd always say she was throwing up or something but I guess I did it too many times. That plan back fired sooo badly.

theanxiousknitter Report

Final score:

27points

LunasTeam 7 years ago

mistakes were made

12points

View more comments

#47

My old roommate was talkative and would fill empty air with endless chatter just to continue a conversation no one else was clearly interested in and actively not contributing to. He also talked only either about anime or inflate his own ego.
I started wearing headphones with music loud enough for people around to hear just so he physically could not speak with me.

TheRedMaiden Report

Final score:

25points

Skure 7 years ago

That is happening to me right now... At this f**** moment

21points

View more comments

#48

Hide in my room for house and only left once the other people had left. Gone to the grocery store at 1am so that I didn't have to talk to anyone. Now these are me in extreme states. Although I'm introverted I'm also pretty social. Sometimes I just go through fazes where I just want to hide from the world.

SeattlecityMisfit Report

Final score:

22points

nanashi 7 years ago

I think this is pretty much ambivertism. you enjoy socializing but you also need to 'hide' and recharge to do that.

3points

View More Replies...

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#49

Grocery shopping can be so torturous, sometimes I end up not getting half my list because too many times people are standing in front of what I want. I can only bother to ask so many strangers to move until I'm over it.

poor_b*tch Report

Final score:

20points

Cassie 7 years ago

We're too far out to get shopping delivered, but I can order it on Walmart Grocery to just pick up and I take my teenage son to interact with the person and put the bags in the car.

1point

View more comments

#50

I sat in my car for a half-hour in ninety-something degree weather because I was too nervous to spend lunch in the work breakroom or sitting in a fast-food joint. My car didn't have air conditioning.

AishlarSnow Report

Final score:

20points

Caroline Murphy 7 years ago

This is why I want a car.. I can't drive so have to eat around people

4points

View more comments

#51

In my company almost everybody says hi! and good morning etc. everytime you pass someone down the hall, even though there are more than 300 people working here. I just smile and pass...
But I say hiiii!!! good morning, good evening and all those small niceties to all cats and dogs I see on the street. And with a genuine smile this time.

Final score:

20points

Brandi Walker 7 years ago

I like animals way more than people too, but you could still be having a good morning and a genuine smile to people without saying anything to them.

5points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#52

My husband host UFC nights at our house and unfortunately our bathroom is downstairs. I was dying for a wee so texted him to tell him he needed to get everyone outside so I could run down have a wee and get back upstairs without anyone seeing me.
He made everyone go out to the car to see if they could tell him what the strange sound was that was coming from my car. Strangely enough when they checked the car was silent.

Final score:

19points

Brandi McClure 7 years ago

good husband

13points

View more comments

#53

Allow me to start this by telling you I am a healthy 70 yr old, but given to bouts of vertigo and when I fall, I break. My neighbors know this. I am not always a recluse, but oftentimes I prefer to be alone...some times for days. I was going through one of these times, when a neighbor knocked on my door. I didn't have time to turn off the tv or the lights, or think to turn on my phone. I just didn't answer the door. She knocked several times before I heard the sirens blaring. Yes, she called 911 and then I had to explain why I didn't answer the door for the 10 minutes the neighbor was knocking or answer my phone. Embarrassing. After that, I put a note on the door..."In a mood, leave a note."....with a notepad and pen in a baggie on the door handle. Works!!

Final score:

19points

Magpie 7 years ago

This is great! ty

5points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#54

I was at a party. Sitting in a corner, reading. This person comes up to me and starts trying to make small talk and make me dance. A polite “no” doesn’t work. So, I look them dead in the eye and start meowing until they get so weirded out that they back away slowly and leave. Nobody comes near me the rest of the party.

Final score:

18points

Brandi Walker 7 years ago

Wouldn't it have been easier to just not attend?

10points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#55

This isn't that much of a story of how I went to great length to avoid someone, but it's quite a funny avoidance story. So a few months ago, I wanted to get a job (I'm 16 so some money of my own would be nice) so I walked about 2 miles to my local visitor centre (I live in the middle of nowhere) to see if they had any jobs going. I went in, got too scared to talk to the person at reception, then walked the whole 2 miles back home.

BrynoLad Report

Final score:

17points

Robert Morson 7 years ago

I do this practically every time I have to talk to someone new. Usually, I circle the block, come back and do it right. Usually.

5points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#56

I pretended to have gone to a different town for a whole week, just so I could skip school and have no one looking for me.

mawaruunmei Report

Final score:

17points

#57

I use the Amazon drop point opposite my house so I don't have to answer the door. Ever.

Tasha Tyler-Mitchell Report

Final score:

17points

Anna Brandigi 7 years ago

You don't have to answer anyway??

9points

#58

I avoid social interactions by litarally acting as weird and as annoying as possible because people scare me

Ben Jones Report

Final score:

17points

Victoria Pietsch 7 years ago

I kinda do the same thing. My natural instinct is to push away people so they can’t betray me later on. I try to scare them away so I won’t have to deal with them again.

7points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#59

So I'm the type of person that can't say no to an invitation. This got me into quite a few pickles growing up. And for some reason, I always had one friend who was insanely clingy. I got sick of these people and having to say yes to all their invites to have sleepovers, so my mom got really good at coming up with reasons for me to come home early from things. She would always call a few hours after I had gotten there and we had a code for when I wanted to leave. This ended up causing quite a few tears coming from my friends growing up. All my friends always thought my mom was super strict and mean, when in reality, she is the most chill, kind, easy-going mother there is. To this day I still sometimes use my mom as an excuse to get out of things. I'm now 25 and she lives 3 states away :D

Final score:

17points

Gwyndall 7 years ago

What a nice, understanding mom!

10points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#60

Never missed a day in English because I was to afraid/shy to ask notes/updates from classmates if I ever did miss. Was sick as hell coming to class one day and kept coughing, had tears pouring out of my eyes because my throat was raw and I lost my voice trying to explain why I even bother coming.

solipsisticxsophist Report

Final score:

16points

#61

I am a high school teacher and use public transport. I intentionally take the earlier and later bus just to avoid meeting my students.

Final score:

16points

Aubrey Poppleton 7 years ago

Good to know that teachers are just as awkward as students.

12points

View more comments

#62

I've cancelled appointments with my therapist, because I didn't feel like interacting with people.
My therapy is for social anxiety.

Final score:

16points

Magpie 7 years ago

Yeah it is hard.

4points

View more comments

#63

Eighth grade I continued to go to detention for weeks rather than turn in a school project. It kept me from having to wander the hallways alone at lunch.

Smoothpoopertaker Report

Final score:

15points

Shauday Smith 7 years ago

this makes me sad

11points

View More Replies...

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#64

When I walk in the hallways alone before school, I would turn down a different hall if I saw a teacher coming towards me. It's not because I don't like them. I'm awkward when I'm only saying hello in passing!

NeilThePoodle Report

Final score:

15points

#65

Told my family I was going out shopping. Went out the back door, snuck back into my room. I stayed hidden in my bedroom for quite some time. Thankfully I had snacks because I didn’t fully think it thru. When I was ready to be social, I took some old shopping bags, filled them up a bit. Then I snuck back out the back door, walked around the front, and come in the front door with my bags of stuff. It was a good day.

RedRose6495 Report

Final score:

15points

Jeanette Kvinlaug 7 years ago

Would they not respect it if you said you wanted to be alone in your room for some hours? If not, genious. :)

4points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#66

I made a fake Fb page of one of my family members, updated a post that stated someone in our family seriously injured in an accident and sent it to someone that was asking for me to hang out with them. Told them I was very upset and needed time to myself.

HenriySmith Report

Final score:

15points

ADVERTISEMENT

#67

Faked a seizure (I'm epileptic so it's not TOTALLY weird..)

Cmen6636 Report

Final score:

15points

Robyn Becker 7 years ago

No it's still weird. I had two people in my class do this every time they had to sit down and write a hard exam, they annoyed the s**t out of everyone

5points

View more comments

#68

The last time I went to a play by myself, I bought 3 seats - my own, and the two on either side of me so that no one would sit next to me.

Samuel_R_Irvin Report

Final score:

14points

Caroline Murphy 7 years ago

If there were plenty of seats left, then why not? But it's selfish if the show was sold out because two people would have missed out

6points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#69

Once I was at my bf's place and his friend dropped by unannounced. I didn't want to meet a new person that day so I hid in the closet 'till he left.

Gloworm02 Report

Final score:

14points

#70

Back when I was 16 and I moved with my dad's new gf and she had 2 other kids , I didn't really have a problem with them but it felt like hell to make small talk, especially at the dinner table, so to avoid eating together I would come with an excuse like , I'm not hungry , I have eaten something bad earlier.
But the thing is , I was starving , an I endured it until everyone was asleep , and then I would've eaten what happend to be in fridge.

Tira1337 Report

Final score:

14points

Alia Gail 7 years ago

aw that’s actually really sad. i do the same thing sometimes tho lol

5points

ADVERTISEMENT

#71

Super Introverted and get REAL awkward around people a majority of the time. An old friend I hadn’t seen in over a year came over, but also brought along her best friend (whom I’m assuming is as socially awkward as me). Both of them brought along their kids. After about a half hour of painful “conversation” it became deafening quiet. After a few minutes of the silence, my panic mode was at an all time high and I blurted out “HAVE ANY OF YOU GUYS GONE TO A PARK!?”... they both just stared at me and then said “..yes?”. I couldn’t wait until they left and I could lock my door and go crawl into my blanket fort and overthink that situation for the rest of the month. Even had to send an apology text later that night 😂 A fucking park? Ugh.

Final score:

14points

Bonbon (Submission author) 7 years ago

Please excuse the grammar- I have no clue how to edit my post.

2points

#72

In the 6th grade, I had a science presentation to give but being my social fetus self I pretended to have laryngitis for a week instead of giving it. My mom only found out when she came home early one day and I was singing along to my CD player. She wasn't mad though because she also has social anxiety. When I actually have the presentation I almost fainted and had to cling onto a desk to keep from falling. Flash forward four years and I had a lead role in my school play. Yes, I'm introvert who likes the spotlight. We do exist.

Final score:

14points

John Bennick 7 years ago

How interesting. I'm an egomaniac with an inferiority complex. 😎

3points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#73

Hitting the drive thru and eating in the parking lot

Final score:

13points

BoredBirgit 7 years ago

Always.

1point

View more comments

#74

Going to a gym at 2am, seeing that there's one person inside, and waiting in the parking lot until he leaves.

thegreencomic Report

Final score:

13points

Cerys Dunbar 7 years ago

he might be an introvert to thats why he went so early

7points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#75

Sometimes when I'm walking around where there are a lot of people, I will put the phone on my ear and make believe I'm having a full conversation with someone.

poopwatersplash Report

Final score:

13points

Alia Gail 7 years ago

Once when i was doing that someone actually called me. it was really awkward.

20points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#76

Recently, I sat in my car outside a restaurant where some of my friends were meeting. After about 20 minutes of this, I decided it was "too much" for me and just drove home.

TriSarahTops47 Report

Final score:

13points

Ingo Sauer 7 years ago

I once visited a friend and her flatmates came home and sat down with us to chat. I'm really bad at saying goodbye when in a larger group. If possible I just slink away. Unfortunately I was boxed in on a sofa at the end facing a room corner. Instead of asking my neighbours to get up and wanting to avoid exchanging a round of goodbyes, I tried to worm my way through between their backs and the sofa backrest, almost pushing them off the sofa. I still can't believe I actually thought it would work, but I was desperate to finally leave and depressurize. I never contacted that friend again.

2points

#77

I ate only a box of Nutrigrain bars in my dorm room over the course of a week because I was too uncomfortable to go to the cafeteria when I first went to college.

buddykat2 Report

Final score:

12points

neverdontmind about a thing 7 years ago

gosh i took me a year to go to cafeterania in my collage

1point

View More Replies...

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#78

I was on vacation in Kazakhstan.
Saw a tourist information booth.
Started walking towards it until I saw it was manned and quickly turned away before they could help me

Morten Nyrup Report

Final score:

12points

#79

I started working at a new company a little over a year ago and became good friends with one of my coworkers. He invited me to his new years party and I said I would come and asked how many people there would be. He answered, "I dont know maybe 40?"
I was so worried about going that I ended up yelling my lungs out into a bundle of shirts in my car to tear my throat up so I could tell him I was to sick to go. I couldn't talk right for like 4 or 5 days after that.

useduser93 Report

Final score:

12points

Jennifer Francis 7 years ago

Wow, that’s some serious commitment.

7points

#80

At wedding receptions, I often hide in my car throughout the night, and will go inside to talk to people for 5-10 minute intervals throughout the night so that people will remember me as being there.

Final score:

11points

Magpie 7 years ago

This is good! ty

3points

ADVERTISEMENT

#81

When I was a kid and I was over at a friends house playing, if they asked me to sleep over I would call my mum and ask permission, when she said yes I responses "oh no, why not? Please mum!" And she knew that was my signal I wanted to come home!

Final score:

11points

#82

I dropped a class because a guy asked me out.

toogroovytoo Report

Final score:

10points

Mikleo 7 years ago

If you do that every time, you won't pass.

3points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#83

I got married so I have someone else to go into stores and make food orders over the phone.

Final score:

10points

Cerys Dunbar 7 years ago

i hope that isnt the ONLY reason you married them

14points

View more comments

#84

Use the kids as my excuse.
"Aw, she's getting tired, it's almost her bedtime, we should probably go now"
"Oh, the baby just fell asleep. I guess I can't come over now. Darn!"
I love them.

liquiddaisies Report

Final score:

10points

ADVERTISEMENT

#85

Over a decade ago (when it was very unpopular) I grew a big beard, got myself big glasses which tend to slay down my nose and kept practicing both - long stare without blinking and expressionless face. Oh, and here and there I've mentioned few "accidents" with unpleasant people which try to assault me and what happened to them. Since I'm 6ft. 2in, with a body build of walrus, now all I do to avoid small talk, is look at annoyers with irritated glance over my glasses and so-called "Poles face". People tend to keep away from me, either from fear or just in case. Best part? In reality, when I'm with few trusted and loved people, I'm cheerful and talkative as hell. Go figure...

Final score:

10points

#86

Cannot count the amount of times I have hidden in my bed, literally not moving and barely breathing, to avoid the attention of a parent or housemate.

I'm also at expert level of faking being asleep 😭

Final score:

10points

Fluffy Destroyer 7 years ago

Me too, every night, at 11, my parents check on me and I'm "asleep", then I go back on my computer until 3 am.

6points

ADVERTISEMENT

#87

I hate answering the phone if it's someone I don't know. One day, I was busy, and I forgot myself, and picked up the phone. I immediately realized what I had done, and in this case, it was some credit company, or a salesman...I don't know. They asked if I was the homeowner. I said "No". They asked if the homeowner was there. Again, "No."
"Well, are you the wife of the homeowner?"
"No. I'm the babysitter."
They asked for my name for their records, to show that they had actually made the call, and not wanting to give my own name, I panicked and started to give my sister's name (Janice). After the "Ja"...I paused, drawing the syllable out, and ...quick thinking on MY part, changed the pronunciation of the second syllable, so the name came out as... "Jaaaah...NYCE" with a long I . I knew right away that it didn't sound like a real name, but maybe something foreign...so I 'covered' myself by continuing the conversation with a heavy accent from some unknown country that I made up to keep up the ruse. I just kept talking as this random person of no known origin until the person just quietly hung up on me. I just put my head down on the desk and sat there for a very long time...

Final score:

10points

Ingo Sauer 7 years ago

:) sometimes I surprise myself with successful improvisation. Sometimes not so much.

1point

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#88

I have a 300 minute cell phone plan, 7 days to renew and 256 minutes left... most of the minutes used are text messages. I hate phones. Disconnecting my house phone brought me so much peace. I love to type talk, but rarely speak. I babysit my niece and nephews (talking to kids doesn't bother me). If the kids get to chatty, I turn on cartoons and they get mesmerized :P. My entire family are extroverts. If I had something to say, I wouldn't be heard anyway. My husband was very social, he never shut up, so I didn't have to talk in social situations. Unfortunately, he died. His family lives with me and I do talk with them occasionally. Mostly with my brother in law. In the mornings, I lay in bed, waiting for everyone to leave the house before I get up. I am a morning person, I just can't stand the morning nonsensical chatter. Yet I'll discuss life and theory all through the night. I love an intelligent conversation. When people I don't feel comfortable with attempt to talk to me, I look them straight in the eye and say "If you spent 5 minutes in my brain, you would have to be committed." The odd thing is, that with the right people you can't shut me up. Life is strange, antidepressants let me go shopping.

Final score:

10points

J Audrey Hammer 7 years ago

It's typical for introverts to enjoy deep conversations. We just don't like the insincere fluff type of talking.

3points

View More Replies...

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#89

I recently went on holiday to Bali, and quite a few people I knew were going over at the same time, staying not far from me. The usual promises of ''we'll catch up when we get over there''. I knew that catching up with them would involve drinking silly amounts of alcohol and just talking shit, so I faked that I had gone to another region of the island instead on a whim, and just had to be careful if I ventured out that I didn't go to places they were likely to be.

OkeyDoke47 Report

Final score:

9points

#90

I've pretended to be hard of hearing so people keep it short with me at least.

Carsiana L. Musser Report

Final score:

9points

Marcin Barczyński 7 years ago

I can think of at least three ways this could backfire.

3points

View more comments

#91

Left the Hardees me and my coworkers were eating lunch at to go sit in a graveyard.

mysterious_baker Report

Final score:

9points

ADVERTISEMENT

#92

Use studying as literally every excuse ever...

Final score:

9points

Mikleo 7 years ago

Using studying as an excuse to avoid studying...

4points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#93

I was in a train and a lady constantly wanted to start a conversation with me , so I just pretended that I was talking on the phone for 1 whole hour .
I was just making up my own sentences , and it probably didn't make any sense , but it saved me from small talk .

Final score:

9points

Taylor White 7 years ago

did it?

4points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#94

I once spent my recess at school in the toilet cubicle because I was being bullied and I have extreme social anxiety.

Final score:

9points

#95

I was driving up to the store, saw someone I knew walk in, I didn’t even stop. I just kept driving to another store. I didn’t want to do small talk with them. And I knew it’d be a lot of small talk because something new just happened in their life that they’d bring up and want to talk about.

Ohaiyogozaimasu Report

Final score:

8points

Ingo Sauer 7 years ago

My first instinct, if I spot a neighbour in a shop I'm in, is to avoid them. Always has been.

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#96

I spent a lot of time in the bathroom as a kid just because I knew it was a place where I could read and no one would bother me.
In college I would keep my dorm room locked and if someone knocked on my door and I just did not want to deal with it right then I'd pretend not to be there. I usually would be sitting at my desk with headphones on, so it's not like they would hear anything. I'd stay perfectly still and wait for them to go away. The best part of this is that I found out later that I wasn't being as sneaky as I thought I was and at least one of my friends knew I did this. Oh god the embarrassment.
Now that I'm an Adult or whatever I work in an office and I always take my lunch breaks in my locked car. I consider lunch to be my break from talking to people bc my coworkers are very chatty. I also wait until I know the office kitchen is empty to retrieve my food from the fridge. Sometimes I have to wait until like 2pm. Idk what I'm gonna do when it gets too cold for me to hide in my car... Probably just stop taking lunch breaks.

ridingontherocket Report

Final score:

8points

Ingo Sauer 7 years ago

I wear my headset in the office all day though I hardly ever need to use it. And if know someone's in the kitchen or the men's room, I'll wait till they leave and the room is empty.

1point

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#97

So I was supposed to go to a female friend's house for the first time (who's actually very close to me) but since my parents are very conservative I told them I'm going for a movie with my friends and the tickets are already booked so they can't say no. Next day when I'm supposed to go, I get super anxious thinking it'd be awkward, cancel on her, but still had to go out because of the 'movie. Now I'm out with no one to go to or no where to go with very minimal cash for around 4 hours. That day sucked.

dratonius Report

Final score:

8points

Aine 7 years ago

have you ever thought that she might like you just like you are?

2points

#98

My sophomore lockers in high school were down a set of stairs, which were pretty awful and a general death zone. I had gone down to get something from my locker, and when I went back, I heard voices and I paused. I turned the other way and walked up the massive, steep hill on the side of the school to avoid anyone seeing me. It was winter and snowing too.

yarrowsparrow Report

Final score:

8points

ADVERTISEMENT

#99

I don't like to talk while I'm in any public transport, but when I was in college some girl that lived near my place insisted on siting with me and talk about some really weird fanfiction that she wrote. I would stay in college 15 extra minutes to avoid her, and if that didn't work and she still happened to catch the same bus, then I would get off the bus lying about forgeting something or going somewhere else.

Final score:

8points

Alia Gail 7 years ago

oh god i hate when people do this cuz you don’t want to be rude and they can’t take a hint its absolutely AWFUL.

10points

#100

I went to a conference for two days, at which I knew no one. So, instead of joining a random table of other conference-goers ton eat the delicious food the conference provided, I walked about 20 minutes away to a cafe and bought my own lunch.

Final score:

8points

Amy Munson 7 years ago

I do it every time.

2points

#101

My parents once had their friends over and I was trying to hide because I knew they would want me to play with their kid who was really spoiled. I ran to my parents room and tucked myself into a ball on the dog bed my mom has behind her laundry bin for our dogs and buried myself in a pile of dresses. Emerged two hours later after reading all the tags in the clothes hiding me.

Final score:

8points

Here to Troll 6 years ago

You don't seem to understand the definition of "hilarious".

2points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#102

Once I worked at a retail job where we printed custom T-shirts. This job had a little program going with a school where if the child read so many books they could bring a certificate to get a free T-shirt. Well, Saturdays were usually a super busy/annoying day because customers would come into the store, spend forever having me explain things, then leave without buying anything. (I hate pointlessly talking) We closed early on Saturday at 1pm. Now I had just about had it with customers for the day and it was closing time. No customers were in the store so I shut everything down. At 12:59 I was locking the front door when I see it. A little girl and her mom walking to the door with her certificate in hand. They were getting very close to the front of the store which happened to be one giant window. The lights were out but it's possible they could have seen inside. I RAN as fast as I could to the back of the store and dove in the back. Didn't even have a chance to turn the back light off when I heard them pull on the door. They knocked a few times then left. I really hope they didn't see my mad dash away from them. I just didn't want to talk anymore.

Final score:

8points

L. Murphy 1 year ago

Anyone who does this to employees should be publicly shamed in the town square.

0points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#103

I go to the grocery store as soon as it opens at 7am...no one else is shopping and I have the store pretty much to myself...

Final score:

8points

Jenny Hedlin 4 years ago

I get my groceries delivered.

0points

View more comments

#104

use my bf like 50 times already as an excuse to not go out with people. I try to explain that I'm introverted and have social anxiety and don't want to go out. After a while people do not understand it and I'm tired of explaining. Instead of having to tell them a whole big lie about why I don't want to go out at 11 o clock at night or really ever because I'm introverted and on very few days social and extroverted I use my boyfriend as an excuse and say ... oh his family is coming over or oh I have to be home at this time were having dinner to friends kinda works I guess. I have a very small group of friends but for the most part my boyfriend and I love doing everything together and since I love him it doesn't matter to me it just makes me happy which again people do not understand how I could do everything with one person and not get board. In addition, I hate initiating conversations and parties are the worst. When people ask me to go I always make up excuses because I will end up being the girl in the corner who desperately wants to leave.

Final score:

8points

Lexi An 7 years ago

I do this with my husband .. " oh his back is out! Maybe another time?" Or " I have no clean clothes and neither does *$@^" hehe 😂

2points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#105

I dont know how or where people meet/make friends. Iam 25y female living at my parents sometimes going to the supermarkt is exhausting enough. I just wish i had a friend. Not everything is googlable. Even if i talk (read text and chat) with people they stop after a bit. I just dont know what iam doing wrong and why people dont like me. I always try to make everybody happy.

Final score:

8points

Abigail Hatch 7 years ago

People are mean, and sometimes no matter what we do, they'll make us feel bad about ourselves. That's why I have my chickens to talk to! :D

5points

View more comments

#106

hid in my wardrobe for two hours with my duvet and laptop to avoid my housemates asking me if I want to go out to a bar with them.

Final score:

7points

#107

I have a bad food allergy but I'm not entirely sure what causes it even after testing. If I'm at a dinner or my girlfriend has people over I don't feel like talking to or anything I can fake the reaction and get out of it.

camerondnls2 Report

Final score:

7points

ADVERTISEMENT

#108

I work in a grocery store and every time I go to lunch, there is always customers sitting in the lunchroom(we don't have a break room). So instead of just sitting inside on a chair, I instead walk out and sit in the cold in 40 degree weather in late fall to eat some salad and a chocolate bar.

Final score:

7points

Ingo Sauer 7 years ago

Under those circumstances I'd do the same. No matter what weather, being away from people is worth it.

1point

View more comments

#109

At school 15 min before school ends I excuse myself to "go to the washroom" in reality I just pack up early because I hate talking to people. My last period teacher sent me to the nurse because she is worried about the amount of time it takes me to pee...

Final score:

7points

Tulip (Submission author) 7 years ago

haha lmaoo

0points

#110

Any time I go to church fellowship parties and do not want to be there, I spend just long enough time there to say hello to people and to eat...hey, free food is free food.
-
Once I have had enough of it all and want to pull my hair out, I just tell people I have to go because I have lots of homework to do. I am in a PhD program right now so no one questions me and I can leave whenever I want. Not sure what I will do once I hopefully finish it in 2 years. Better keep taking classes until I die I guess...

Final score:

7points

Thomas Williams

ADVERTISEMENT

#111

I would just chill in the bathroom during lunch all throughout like eighth grade

agamemnons Report

Final score:

6points

#112

I didn't order pizza, even though I was hungry. I would rather go without eating than to talk to someone about a medium sausage pizza

Josie Ruble Report

Final score:

6points

BoredBirgit 7 years ago

No pizza - that's hard 😓

4points

View more comments

#113

I'm doing a PhD, so its basically a readymade excuse anytime I need it - I just tell people that I can't go out to [insert social event] because my supervisor is on my back (she never really is), and so I have to stay in all weekend and write.

Final score:

6points

#114

I try to use my work gym at a time when I know no one else will be there. One day, I get there and it's totally empty (bliss). So I joyfully get changed in the locker room, come out and start exercising. 20 minutes into my treadmill routine, somebody knocks at the gym door. It was obviously another employee who had lost or forgot their key card. I heard them knocking but pretended I couldn't hear them with my headphones on. I know they could see I was in there because there is a peep-hole in the door. They knocked for a couple minutes and finally went away. No one else showed up. It was a perfect day.

Final score:

6points

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

#115

One time a car pulled up at my work 2-5 min after closing. With a mix of being done acting like someone who doesn’t have social anxiety, and the annoyance of having to open the store and dig out change from the money bag locked up already, and turning all the machines on etc. I decided to hide from the customer. They decide to use the drop box, and I kid you not, they took 5 minutes to get their drop box bag in, and it was just a bunch of hangers, no clothes! Then I had to strategically walk around the store to avoid them seeing me as they left, since there were full windows on the front and right side of the store. By the time this was all over, I was leaving very late.
With social anxiety, I overall found college traumatic and stressful. I couldn’t even walk to class without thinking everyone was judging me, and that everyone could just see my struggles with my mental health from being alone in the city. I spent the entire first semester trying desperately to make friends, and being rejected 100%. I spent the second semester never leaving my room except for work, or after midnight for food. I was actually happy when the college kicked me out, because I no longer had to try and explain to my very extroverted family how miserable I was. It no longer was an option.

Final score:

6points

Mukul 7 years ago

That's sad. Hope you are doing well.

9points

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

#116

I know EXACTLY when I became an introvert. When I was 14, I started to spread my wings by going out with the guys. It was a lot of fun and I looked forward to doing it more. But the next morning, I found out that my beloved cocker spaniel had passed away during the night. After that, I never went out again and was introverted for life. I'm elderly now and still haven't gotten over the loss of my Taffy (heart...sobbing).

Final score:

6points

Phillip Moderow

Jenny Hedlin 4 years ago

Sorry for your loss. My service dog was attacked by a fake s.d. at a grocery store and that ended me ever going out period. Well i do try to keep therapy appts,but it takes all my strength.

0points

View more comments

#117

Bluetooth earphone's are an Introverts best friend. When someone approaches start mumbling to your self and point at your phone then walk off. No one gets offended and you avoid the small talk

Final score:

5points

#118

When I'm walking down the street I purposefully look far ahead of me and if I see someone I know but don't really want to talk to, I pretend to be looking at other things and appear not to see them, so that when I come close to them I can just smile and keep walking, instead of having that awkward period of walking towards someone you don't intend to talk to and having awkward eye contact.

Final score:

5points

Magpie 7 years ago

I have less than perfect vision, even with the glasses. So i tell ppl early on that if i walk past them that is why. It is true actually ...well sometimes. My real friends understand this and will say hello first.

1point

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

#119

I have cameras aimed at both of our doors that play pre recorded messages. My favorites are "can I help you" and "we're not interested". Any time a neighbor or someone with a clipboard shows up I can reject them from the couch.

Final score:

5points

Mallory Morrison

#120

When someone sat next to me and try to open up a conversation I immediately stand up and walk away or try to avoid them. It's rude, yeah... but I don't want to talk to them. I just want to be alone cause I feel better and more comfortable. I'm a loner but I love who am I today. I'm a loner cause I'm hard to trust anyone around me

Final score:

5points

#121

While walking through the halls in public buildings, I often stop and look at something on the wall to avoid saying hi to people.

Final score:

5points

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

#122

When I am with new people and I am feeling tired of being near other humans I send a message that says "Pet Rock" to my best friend, who'll call me near crying telling me he made his gf pregnant and giving me a safe excuse to go back home.

Final score:

5points

#123

We used to lock the door at my Work office so that solicitors couldn’t get in. I also would shut the blinds so they couldn’t see in (we never had clients come in and employees had keys). Well one day I saw a solicitor walking across the parking lot. The blinds weren’t closed so I quickly dived under my desk. Then he opened the door and I realized no one had locked the door. I debated staying under my desk but realized there was a chance he’d seen me so I slowly crawled out and made some excuse that I was fixing my computer. I don’t know if he believed me or not.

Final score:

5points

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

#124

When I was in 6th grade I was one of the top students at my school. Coming up was an award ceremony. The day before the ceremony, all of my teachers kept telling me things like "Oh tomorrows the award ceremony! Make sure you come! *thumbs up*" Right away I was suspicious. First of all, I didn't hardly speak to my teachers. Secondly, I already suspected I would get some kind of award, but I could feel something else was going on. The next morning I told my mom that I couldn't go to school because I didn't want to participate in the award ceremony. Unfortunately I couldn't stay home all day, so my mom took me to school late. When I got to school, all the students were harassing me asking me for money and I was so confused. Plus I didn't want to talk to them anyway. Then my best friend told me that at the ceremony I won some kind of special award, a trophy, and like $60. And that the teachers kept calling my name to go accept it. I was so embarrassed. The entire day everyone kept talking to me and asking where I was. I figured later that if I would have just went, no one would have tried talking to me at all.

Final score:

5points

Julia Therrien 7 years ago

relable

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

#125

This isn't really about avoiding people:
There was a knock at the front door and the door has a window in it, but just tall enough to where I have to jump to look out. I jump and look and one of the two Mormon ladies at my door locked eyes with me for the split second I was jumping. This obviously meant I had to answer the door, since they knew someone was home.
Long story short I spent a half an hour bullshitting religious junk with these ladies (I'm Atheist, but I can't be rude and tell them I'm not interested).

Final score:

5points

Magpie 7 years ago

In Australia we can get " Do Not Knock" stickers. You can print them for free from the site. It is actually against the law for them to knock. Wonderful invention!!!!!

4points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#126

I didn't have many friends in school. So on days that I was alone, I used to walk around pretending to look for one of my friends or hide in the loo just so people wouldn't pity me or ask why I'm alone.

Final score:

5points

Nikita-Jade van der Merwe

#127

I've always attended dance classes at the gym every weekends. During the short period breaks, I pretend I need to go to the bathroom. I'll stay in the cubicle until the class resumes so I could save myself from the awkwardness. Most of the attendees are close and know each other so could you imagine how idiot looking you get when they start chatting and you're the only silent person there.

Final score:

5points

Jennifer Labating

ADVERTISEMENT

See Also on Bored Panda

Guy Divorced 3 Years Ago Drops Off 3 Y.O. With His Ex-Wife Completely Out Of The Blue

Guy Divorced 3 Years Ago Drops Off 3 Y.O. With His Ex-Wife Completely Out Of The Blue

Guy Divorced 3 Years Ago Drops Off 3 Y.O. With His Ex-Wife Completely Out Of The Blue

“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

#128

I pay my sister to go buy me things so I don’t have to interact with the species we call people...

Final score:

5points

Kristen Nakia 5 years ago

me.

0points

#129

being an introvert, trust me if yo make a mistake everyone will stare into your soul. A nightmare for introverts. I had an experience where i won an award, however instead of going up the stairs, i instead went up the side where the microphone is by mistake. My apologies were echoing through the hall. Cant leave my mind..

Final score:

5points

Julia Therrien 7 years ago

that's not introverts, that's social anxiety-_-

3points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#130

I'm usually super extroverted, but there have been more times than I can count where I have avoided doing things just to avoid social interaction. Anyways, I had this essay I had to write in my history class that was based off of a worksheet we had already completed. I hadn't even so much as looked at the worksheet, so I didn't know what to write about at all. However, the teacher got up and started walking around during the time we had to write, and because I didn't want to get called out for not writing anything, I literally just wrote an entire essay about why I wasn't writing about the topic and explaining how I had not studied it and just profusely apologized for wasting his time and paper when he read it. I ended it by saying how I didn't want to be called out in class while literally everyone else was writing and that I didn't want to be asked about it at all in class, and asked for him to just forget about it because I really did NOT want to be confronted about it. So one day in class, he literally just pointed at me (we were doing classwork) and said "you" and then "you know what I'm talking about" I made a face and simply just said yeah, and that was the last I ever heard about it. he's a super understanding teacher, and this the 3rd year I've had him as a teacher so go him.

Final score:

5points

ADVERTISEMENT

#131

Piss in bottles to avoid roommates.

ReptilianHologram Report

Final score:

4points

Kristen Nakia 5 years ago

yuppp

0points

#132

I work in the dark. Nine or ten hours a day. I'd be the only person there also having my lunch in the dark so as to avoid lunch with my colleagues.

People from the Arctic, I feel ya.

Final score:

4points

#133

Jumped down half a flight of stairs and ran into the basement to avoid a teacher I didn't like. My class was on the third floor.

Final score:

4points

#134

On my drive to/home from work, I usually see people walking beside the road and I feel so bad for them having to walk, but I cant bring myself to giving them a lift because I fear that I'd have to make small talk when they're in the car and I just don't have it in me to chat with random strangers at the start/end of my day.

Final score:

4points

Mikleo 7 years ago

Most people don't want to enter a stranger's car in the first place.

10points

View More Replies...

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#135

I used to park my car a few blocks from my house (even though I had a parking space right at my house). Then, about a block away from my house, I would start walking backwards so my footprints in the snow looked like they were leaving my house, instead of going into my house. Home, safe and sound and in solitude.

Final score:

4points

BoredBirgit 7 years ago

That's much effort - what if the neighbours had seen ya...

2points

#136

Have had social anxiety all my life, it just got worse when I went to college. One day I just couldn't handle the idea of talking with people but was too much of a goody two shoes to skip class. My solution: Pretended I was sick and had lost my voice so I didn't have to talk and people left me alone.

Final score:

4points

#137

I went out to eat soup for lunch, but I was really alkward to ask about it, so I spent an hour hanging in front of restaurants staring at the menu signs before finding one that actually says SOUP. Then I went to a bookstore and bought a book to read while eating. It took me 6 minutes to eat the soup and leave.

Final score:

4points

Pacifico Fernandez

Magpie 7 years ago

I *always* take a book to read. Even if i have just finished reading it.

1point

View more comments

ADVERTISEMENT

#138

I was feeling brave, so I signed up for Comic-con. I joined a group of local people; I knew of them from the local comic shop. I sat alone on the coach. I tried (and failed) to attach myself to a group of people.

The con was mostly fun. I went to 4 panels (of things I didn't know about) and spent 3 hours in the toilets...

Final score:

4points

Isabel Care 7 years ago

I attended a Highlander convention at an airport hotel in November. Stayed at a campsite 20 minutes away and had lunch in my car. Those staying at the hotel complained of the cold rooms and sharing one bed with the blankets from two just to try to keep warm. My trailer tent with duvets, sleeping bag, two hot water bottles etc was toasty. Took knitting to distract me from people overload. Managed most of two days with occasional breaks in my car.

4points

#139

Volunteered at a BBQ to help a friend out. Didn`t really feel like being the one to do the cooking because of my anxiety so i alienated myself to somewhere nobody was. Had a person i knew come up and start a chat wondering what was wrong which made things worse. Didn`t really have anything to do to help with everything set up so I ended up eventually sitting on my own and not too long after felt a little too awkward so I took a walk around the block went to get food even though there was free food and drinks for everyone. Ended up going on a hike to the river for about 30 or 40 mintues, and running back because i forgot i had promised to help the friend out later in the evening.

Final score:

4points

ADVERTISEMENT

#140

Someone was talking to me at school and I was feeling really scared because I never know how to small talk. Instead of answering back after he was finished talking to me I said "I don't like talking so I would really appreciate it if you would let me sit in solitude." I then walked away and hid my face behind a book so no one else would talk to me.

Final score:

4points

#141

I had a history project due, and it was a poster. The size was enough to cover my whole body. I literally walked the halls of my middle school covering my face with the poster, all day long. IM PROUD

Final score:

4points

#142

Some painters were in our apartment and my mom and brother were moving things around. I went inside the restroom because all I can think of is how do I avoid them.

DemonicBunny Report

Final score:

3points

ADVERTISEMENT

#143

I have this colleague that lives in the same part of town I do, so we walk to work mostly on the same route. She walks very slow, so when I catch her ahead of me I have to stop several times on my way to work, because I don`t want to catch up to her. I am not a people person at 6 something AM ! More than once I even took huge detours because of her. I hope she won`t find out, she`s actually quite a nice person
:)

Final score:

3points

Elizabott 7 years ago

I think you like to leave sexist comments on photographs of female protesters, so who cares what this article says. Commenting that a female protester being sprayed by a water cannon "forgot to wear white" should make you feel like the lowest, dumbest, worst thing out there. Go tell your mother what you said and see how funny she thinks you are.

1point

View More Replies...

View more comments

#144

Typical Monday, I hated everyone and everything so when I went to get some chips from the vending machine, I saw someone was already there. I backed up and literally hid near the side of the wall. When they left, I Thought I receive my chance to get my prize, but there were no more chips. I suspect the person before me...

Final score:

3points

ADVERTISEMENT

#145

My first day of sixth form I was too scared and anxious to go into the study area after school (which was full of year 13s) to wait for a lift so I walked 5 miles home next to a really busy road with no proper crossings. My shoes broke about half way but I was in such an anxious state that the only thing I could think of was to just keep walking forwards.

Final score:

3points

#146

I’m too scared to buy lunch because all the dinner ladies have resting bitch face and I’m scared that they hate me so much. I literally starve everyday and don’t get to eat anything until I get home at 6 on some days.

Final score:

3points

Julia Therrien 7 years ago

can u bring your own lunch?

1point

View more comments

#147

I told my bf I was sick w/ stomach flu so I didn't have to go to his family get together.

Final score:

3points

ADVERTISEMENT

#148

I had one or two friends in school and the days that they were off sick or away I would walk around pretending to look for them or hide in the loo just so people wouldn't pity me or ask why I'm alone.

Final score:

3points

Nikita-Jade van der Merwe

#149

I avoided telling people my birthday, and coming to work in that day. or if I can't avoid not working on that day, I'd hide in my cubicle and pretend to be extra busy or sluggish just so people won't approach me. people are kind, they want to wish me Happy Birthday, have small talks, trying to get to know me better... I understand that. but I don't enjoy receiving those wishes from someone I'm not close with. I also don't bother to learn someone's birthdays either so I don't be required to wish them as well.

Final score:

3points

#150

so there's two ladies i work with, one gets here really early and the other pulls up to the lot the same time as me, almost everyday. so i sit in my car and put up my windshield shade and nonchalantly watch her as she walks passed my car. i make sure she is far enough away so i can get out and go to work, its not that i don't like her, shes nice, i just don't want the awkward side by side walking or 'who goes first when there's only room for one'

i also clock out on. the. dot. so i can leave before anyone else and not have to talk, i don't even like saying 'bye' so i hastily walk out in silence.

another tid bit, me, my bf, and daughter were home, all lights on, cars in the driveway, of course were home, these two teen girls knock and ring our bell to sell something. my bf is laying on the couch not making any move to get up, i'm in the kitchen watching them on my phone through the camera video, they know were home, but i don't want to talk to them.

last one, i walk at lunch same route this older man starts saying hi as he is always in the same place working on his yard, everyday. eventually he starts to ask me questions as i walk by, how long do you walk, how far, one day he kept me for 10 minutes asking all questions about where and what i eat like a telemarketer. so i started wearing my head phones and he hasn't tried talking to me since

Final score:

2points

ADVERTISEMENT

#151

No matter how hungry I am I would never go downstairs to eat if my roommates are in the kitchen. Or living room because I have to pass thru there.

Final score:

2points

Pacifico Fernandez

#152

I wear earphones every class vacant even if there's no music so my classmates won't talk to me. If they tried to, I am pretending not to hear them.

Final score:

2points

#153

I am near sighted so i don't put on my glasses when grocery shopping so that I don't have to feel anxious if there are people that I know in the aisle. I probably won't have any eye contact with people unless they are really near me.

Final score:

2points

Michelle Nerie Galagar

#154

I flaked out on a job interview that a friend set up for me. I figured the job would be easy but my friend kept stressing I must show a personality and be outgoing. The job was valet parking. As an older man I started caring less and these issues don't affect me but I'll be damned if I'm gonna fake a personality to fit in. I'm hearing impaired so sometimes I have to shut it down when there is too much background noise, this is one handicap that helps keep my perversion alive. I guess extroverts are able to scream to communicate and get all personal at loud venues, I just don't have it in me.

Final score:

2points

ADVERTISEMENT

#155

I was quietly living my life until i heard the door bell ring. I rushed myself and answered through a camera. It was a delivery guy and he had a package for my next door neighbour. He wanted to leave the package with me and i would deliver it to my neighbour. (I live in an appartment)
I let him in into the building. I ran to my living room and explained what i did to my sister. She said: "Well, now you have to accept the package". I froze. I couldn't do it. I asked her "Can't you just answer it for me, please?"
She went and took the package. Over the afternoon, I tried to came up with a plan to get that to the neighbour without having to talk to him. I even considered leaving at
Later that day, my mom arrived from work. I talked about the package and asked if she could deliver to him. She said it was no problem and gave him. My mom is a life saver!

Final score:

2points

ADVERTISEMENT

#156

Was at school, in my least favorite class, we had a seating plan on the first day, and I got put next to a guy I didn't know, so being socially awkward, I went to the bathroom and put water in my eyes to make it look like I had been crying, he didn't talk to me, for the rest of the year. Social anxiety everyone!

Final score:

2points

Julia Therrien 7 years ago

i have social anxiety and that literally makes no sense

-2points

#157

(Not really a way I avoided people just a story I wanted to share about being an introvert) It was a "special" day at school and we got to bring coffee and cookies. The teacher had a Keurig machine that we were free to use. I should've known it would have drawn attention to myself to use it when I walked in, but stupid me didn't think ahead. I have Scopophobia and everyone was staring at me and my eyes were starting to water and I actually spoke out loud and said to the teacher "Can you please tell everyone to st...st...stop st...st...staring at me please?" Then I was full on crying, which drew even more attention, and I ran and hid in another hallway at the other end of the school. FML

Final score:

2points

Magpie 7 years ago

Sympathy.

1point

ADVERTISEMENT

#158

I hope I'm not too late but I would always tell my teacher I had to go to the bathroom during group projects so I could get away from getting picked. I was once in the bathroom when a crush of mine came in the bathroom. She knocked on the stall I was in and, being the weirdo I was, didn't respond. She walked in and saw me scribbling on a piece of paper. We stared at each other for what felt like forever, until she went to the other stall. (Now we're best friends... but yeah)

Final score:

2points

Amaki.Bun (she/they)

Julia Therrien 7 years ago

awwww

1point

View more comments

#159

To avoid talking to a hairdresser, who spoke mainly Mandarin, I pretended to be really lousy at it but truth be told, I can be quite fluent at it. Had to keep reminding myself to speak basic Mandarin with her.

Final score:

2points

#160

me: you're such an introvert
mum: no i'm not why do yo say that
me: well... you don't like people
mum: that's not true, i like people, i just don't like being around them

Final score:

2points

Julia Therrien 7 years ago

sooooo introversion hhahahah

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#161

I'm staying over at my girlfriends house over winter break and she decides she's going to throw a little get together for some of her friends. I figure, sure it won't hurt to have a couple drinks and meet her friends. Next thing I know there are 60 people I've never met in this house having like a real party, which is very much not my scene so I went to her room turned off all the lights and pretended to be asleep for hours before she finally came in and ripped me a new asshole for being antisocial. Naturally this wasn't very encouraging so I went downstairs forced myself to throw up in front of the crowd then immediately went back upstairs to continue pretending to sleep until everyone left...the next afternoon.

Final score:

2points

#162

In my sophomore year I was so shy about socializing I would hide out during lunch every day and draw in my Chemistry teacher's classroom. She had a dry erase wall that I filled with doodles and I ended up making giant Chemistry poster that is still hanging on her wall. I even helped her grade papers and organize supplies and dangerous chemicals that students weren't allowed to touch. We became very close and still keep in touch today. It was much more pleasant than interacting with those insane high-schoolers.

Final score:

2points

PyroarRanger 6 years ago

I want this sort of relationship with a teacher

1point

ADVERTISEMENT

#163

When I was in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade I went to a school that had like a house with toilets outdoors, I never went to the toilet during the breaks cause the other kids were there, I always waited until the lessons where I would sneak outdoors to the outdoors toilet, only in my socks to make it look like I was going to the normal indoors toilet, even when it was freezing cold with ice and snow on the ground, I made my way to the outdoor toilet, everyday for 3 school years, only to avoid other kids to be in the toilet.

Final score:

1point

Debbie Andersson

#164

The very first PTA project I always initiate for every classroom I'm in is an iron grill gate. Putting on a padlock, I'm very happy that people got the message. Also, when I was still single, I would lock the gate from the outside, thus, discouraging potential suitors.

Final score:

1point

Rei Villegas-Villamar

Kiss Army 6 years ago

I don't get it?

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#165

I wear a mask (part of my Halloween costume) and headphones that are blaring music just to avoid people... I get stared at more which actually is slightly against what I want, but at least people don't know who I am

Final score:

1point

#166

Had to do a presentation in class with a group. Pretended that I had a super sore throat so I wouldn't have to speak.

Final score:

1point

#167

Guy I was dating spent the night and I didn't want to have to deal with him in the morning so I said I was late for a 6 am spin class. Got dressed in my workout clothes and rushed him out the door at 5:30. Drove around the block, came home and went back to sleep.

Final score:

1point

#168

i worked at a printing n packaging company with the office + showroom are at a busy business building. sometimes I went to office in weekends just to be alone from people at home, but mine's a showroom sort of office with glass walls, so sometimes people will try to poke in and call me up for services even tho I put up a 'closed' sign n the operating hours are printed large at the glass wall. I'll pretend I can't notice them while intently staring the laptop screen reading manga. by chances I have to address them after my signs are ignored, i'll put up a 'I hate you through my smiles' face, and when consultation ends and they did asked about operating hours, I made them feel very bad for disturbing me. if my mood are bad that day, i'll directly tell them no without hiding my 'hate face'. wondered why i'm still employed till today tho.

Final score:

1point

ADVERTISEMENT

#169

As a summer camp counselor every day I would go to my car and read a magazine, all day. Did that for a week.

Final score:

1point

#170

In secondary school, I once didn't want to talk to my friends because I'd just ended a relationship and I didn't want them to ask about it. so I wore a plain black hoodie, hid somewhere in the middle of the line to each class, I didn't say anything in the role-call. At lunch and break I hid in the councillor's office because the toilets were too crowded. Turned out the school called home because they thought I was skiving. I spent more time explaining and apologizing to mum, dad and my teachers than I would've spent talking to my friends.

Final score:

1point

#171

Sometimes, on weekends, I'll bring up an entire day's provisions at like 9am to avoid interacting with my roommates all day.

Final score:

1point

ADVERTISEMENT

#172

One time I was at the mall food court with my parents and we ordered taco john's. My mom forgot to order cheese sauce for the potato oles so she handed me a dollar and told me to go get some. I really didn't want to talk to the guy at the register so I walked up close enough til my mom couldn't see me. When I was out of her sight I waited a few seconds then walked back and said "they were closed." I have nothing against my mom I just didn't want to talk to anyone.

Final score:

1point

#173

There is a hallway at school where everyone's classes are together . I hate using it though because people found out that I am socially awkward and have Scopophobia. Now people have been trying to talk to me and stare at me in the halls on purpose. I now I have been hiding in a different hallway and just run to my class 5 seconds before the bell rings to avoid everyone looking and speaking to me.

Final score:

1point

Julia Therrien 7 years ago

:(

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#174

part of the reason I always bid for graveyard shifts with weekdays off is because i liked going to the beach or during the winter skiing on weekdays and having no one around, one early morning I got to the beach and no one in sight, about half hr later some guy pulls up, and with a mile of beachfront he had to set up right next to me, I had some Judas Priest cranking on the car's stereo and apparently that wasn't enough to make him leave so I next put on the nastiest most hardcore metal on the stereo and that did the trick, he decided he didn't need to be on that spot of the beach, I am not a loner but I do enjoy solitude and introspection and this dude was most definitely intruding.

Final score:

1point

#175

I used to hide in the bushes at my bus stop.. all day.. so I could avoid going to school. Not because I didn’t like school. But because I didn’t like people. It started in 2nd grade. I would eat my sack lunch and go home when the bus dropped the other kids off.

Final score:

1point

ADVERTISEMENT

#176

Frowning is the way to freedom. They are always thinking that I'm annoyed and try as much as possible to avoid me.

Final score:

1point

#177

One time i was home alone and heard a knock on the door. immediately i an from he living room to my bedroom, slammed the closet door open and ran inside. Closing it then waiting. turns out it was my family coming back.

Final score:

1point

#178

Whenever I go shopping I always use the aromatic self check out machines. No matter where or how big or small the purchase. But I also choose to shop at places like 24 hour Wal-Mart's to go late at night to avoid crowds.
The only bad thing is that at a certain point in the night they shut down the auto teller and only have one lane with one person open. My interaction with the human teller is so awkward that I decided to calculate the best times to avoid people and not miss the machines before they shut down.
So now I have a 2 hour window in which I buy all my groceries, household necessities, and pet supplies. Does it take me forever to check out 50+ items on that tiny counter, yes. But the feeling of triumph I feel as I exit the store without having talked to another person all day long, is more than worth it.

Final score:

1point

Melisha MichaelJackson

Debbie Louise 6 years ago

Being an introvert must be exhausting!

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#179

I live with my mom and step dad. Whenever people come over I hide in my room and will txt my mom and ask her to go and get me a drink or food. She understands that I have terrible social anxiety so she helps me with out judgment. She also goes with me to the doctor plus I can't drive because of my chronic illnesses. So she will drive me to the many doctors I have to go to and she sign in for me

Final score:

1point

Julia Therrien 7 years ago

this is how i wish all people were-- instead of treating social anxiety like freaking shyness where you can "break out of your f*cking shell" by more "social interactions" ...smh. they don't realize how severe the consequences are if that social interaction is damaging....

2points

View More Replies...

View more comments

#180

In college, I had the choice of paying $100/month to rent a house with 6 other people, or $400/month to rent an apartment by myself. Solitude was more important than groceries.

Final score:

1point

#181

Once I had to get drunk to get a job interview. Otherwise, I'm very shy and no one is hiring me to work

Final score:

1point

ADVERTISEMENT

#182

Walking the wrong way down the street
Too scared of attracting attention to myself by turning round suddenly so walk around the block

Final score:

1point

#183

I was 19 yr old and was a very shy person. Our relatives came to my house and one of them was a beautiful girl. To avoid them I pretended that I was going to take shower. I was sitting there for 1 hour waiting for them to leave. My parents were so embarrassed because of me.

Final score:

1point

#184

I was diagnosed with acute shyness.. Cute? What’s so cute about it?
I would check out the shops before going in them.. If there was more than 2 people I ran home.. When I worked I panicked until lunch then ran to find solitude for a few minutes.
I once had a job at a funeral parlour showing bodies.. In them days it was the Greeks and Italians who liked to have their loved ones out on show... For some reason it was always at night, and the Greeks and Italians came by the truck loads.. WITH FOOD..
After getting the loved one all ready and everything perfect, I would hide behind a curtain.. The families would stampede into the room and the quietness would turn into a central station at peak hour!!!
One night I moved and knocked a silver tray off a table.. It echoed as it spun to a loud, fading stop.. Everyone became quiet.. I peeked through the curtain to find everyone, ashen, was looking my way.. When someone started walking towards me, I panicked and turned the lights off....................... The next thing I heard was running feet as the place emptied.. Funny how quick people can run..... They were jumping over the chairs I had set up, elderly ladies were grabbing people out of their way...... And I was panicked stricken.. There was no way I could go out and bring them all back in...
I shut the coffin, packed the food up and put it in the ‘fridge’ locked up and left... Cursing myself for being so cowardly..

Final score:

1point

Margaret Armagh Mac Maoláin

ADVERTISEMENT

#185

I walk my dog every day and live a pretty friendly neighborhood. Once people started stopping to actually talk to me I decided the best approach was to hold the phone to my ear and pretend I was in the middle of a conversation. This worked well until as I was speaking to nobody the phone began to ring extremely loudly in my ear. Sometimes being a complete jerk is hard.

Final score:

1point

#186

I'm not that introverted but sometimes I panic. One time in the dorms on the first day someone invited me over to their room and I had no excuse so said yes. Being awkward and a musician, I brought my trumpet along and managed not talking much but just playing music. And then more people came. At some point I decided there was enough and jumped into the giant closet which we all had (one each). I carried on practising in there where no one knew. And then i realise I'd left my sheet music outside.... It seemed quiet enough so I leant in the doors to open but it seemed someone was sitting against them or something. But I keep pushing and suddenly the doors give way and I tumble out. A lot of girls are staring and just at that moment 3 girls were coming in. I grab my music and jump back in shutting the door as I'm completely terrified and practically all the girls on my floor saw me fall out a closet. Luckily the girl whos room it was was just like oh yeah she's in there don't worry about her which sorta made it better....? I never lived that down.....

Final score:

1point

Emmelin Lyngstad 7 years ago

That girl sounds like a friend for life. X")

1point

ADVERTISEMENT

#187

This seems to be an article about social anxiety, not introversion. With introversion you recharge during alonetime, while extraverts gain energy from crowds. Social anxiety is when you fear people and are affraid of what they think of you.

That being said i have plenty examples of both.

Pretending not to be home when door to door salesmen come around.
Pretending you didnt see the other one walking in your direction untill the last 10 meters, (otherwise it is 500m of awkwardness cause you cant hear eachother yet). Bathroombreaks, just to get a moment for yourself.

When im somewhere on my own, like a bar or a festival i sometimes pretend im looking/waiting for someone, cause i feel like im being judged for being there on my own.

Many people say they can stand small talk. I rather have scientific/philosophical discussions, but im fine talking about about nature, weather, pets. I often go "ooo did you see that bird! And aww look at my cat" and you cant really call that high quality subjects either haha. But i cant stand when it is about reality tv, gossip, stuff to do with appearance etc i guess. Basicly 90% of what most people talk about. Everything connected with modern day life, consumerism and popularity.

I have some extreme examples for social anxiety, but i dont feel comfortable sharing them, since they are connected with some very bad stuff people have put me through.

Final score:

1point

Emmelin Lyngstad 7 years ago

It's supposed to be an article about introversion, but apparently people can't distinguish those two. 😐

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#188

One time when i was 11 I told my family that my dad had bought me some headphones on his weekend (my parents were divorced and we switched weekends with each parent) and that they were noise proof just so i can get out of listening to any thing they say. :))

Final score:

0points

#189

When I was 10 years old I freaked out due to a science presentation I had to present (I have major stage fright). There were some settings that parents could make for their children's Microsoft accounts to make sure that they only spent a limited amount of hours on the computer. I woke up 6 in the morning and watched Youtube for 2 hours because our school doesn't have community laptops yet (and I purposely didn't put the presentation on a flash drive so I could use my teacher's laptop which is what all the students did) and I didn't have to present until a week later.

Final score:

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#190

When out clubbing or at a bar with my extroverted friends, they always laugh at me because I get "very social" when I drink and disappear for close to an hour sometimes. I tell them I met new people, started chatting and lose track of time, which is true like 25% of the time. What they don't know is that the other 75% of the times I "disappear", I'm alone in a bathroom stall taking a breather and sometimes, a quick power nap.

Final score:

0points

#191

When out clubbing or at a bar with my extroverted friends, they always laugh at me because I get "very social" when I drink and disappear for close to an hour sometimes. I tell them I met new people, started chatting and lose track of time, which is true like 25% of the time. What they don't know is that the other 75% of the times I "disappear", I'm alone in a bathroom stall taking a breather and sometimes, a quick power nap.

Final score:

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#192

Anyone who stays at my house for more than 4 days receives death wishes from me (okay not really)...I'm not sure why, but I can't handle even hearing people BREATHE in the same house as me....which sucks because I'm still a teen. I'm never home without earbuds in my ears.

Final score:

0points

#193

I will put my phone on airplane mode so no calls come thru. I'll run to my room when people I don't come over and stay there till they leave. Honestly I have become a master at ignoring people. But my favorite is to just lead people on with an "I'll see" when it comes to any sort of social plans.

Final score:

0points

#194

I received a $35 refund check from the bank, but they failed to sign it. I ignored it because I didn't want to call them. I also neglected getting my son eyeglasses for a year because I was terrified to call the eye doctor. I can handle most social interactions, but using the phone gives me panic attacks.

Final score:

0points

J Audrey Hammer

Julia Therrien 7 years ago

im sorry but you need serious help if you're affecting your son's life...i have severe social anxiety disorder but that is horrible. Period

1point

ADVERTISEMENT

#195

Everytime we have guests, I would turn on the vaccum and come out with my laundry and act busy cleaning my room, so my mom won't call me down to say hi to the guests.

Final score:

0points

#196

Every so often, I will pretend that I am mute or deaf. This is often not far from the truth on either account, since my vocal cords are scarred and I have a hearing problem. It's interesting to see how people react to me, but it's even better to just have them turn around and walk away from me.

At other times, will pretend to have a phone call and talk in German or Chinese in order to avoid interacting. This works great in elevators. Favorite topic: my cats.

Final score:

0points

Amanda MacRitchie

#197

In my junior year of high school I was given an oral assignment, reporting on current American vs. English arms. I never did any of the research for the report, because back then you had to go to the public library to do the research. I wasn't going to go where there were crowds of people I didn't know, so the research never got done. The day my report was due, I went to my high school counselor and transferred out of the class, only to be put in a class that assigned me another oral report. Karma.

Final score:

0points

Julia Therrien 7 years ago

damn

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#198

I like to keep my personal life and social life completely separate. I don't mind talking to co-workers if it's about work, but hate telling them personal things. The research lab I worked at would do a monthly outting to a bar down the street, usually around 3 in the afternoon. To avoid this I would always have something that the boss needed done ASAP, our boss never went. To avoid suspicion I would stay at my desk until everyone come back to grab their stuff and leave for the day, 6-7pm. I would spend the time watching Netflix on my phone with an important looking data sheet open on my computer. Everyone thought our boss was just an ass to me.

Final score:

0points

#199

A long time ago, while a student living in an area heavily-populated by other students (where furniture gets left quarterly at the curb for whomever wants it,) I saw a great shelf on the curb. I got my roomie to help me drag it into our apartment. Both still holding the shelf and almost to the door, the guy moving in - who'd apparently only sat the shelf there temporarily - came outrunning yelling at us to bring back his shelf. I was closest to the door and ran in...leaving my roomie, literally holding the evidence, to deal with him. The guy was cool with it, thankfully. One minute later, it would've just been a mystery what had happened.

Final score:

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#200

When I was in school I used to use the bathroom right after eating lunch because I was too shy to pee with a bunch of people in there during breaks.
Well this one girl who was more of an aquatance than a friend thought it was funny to follow me in there and talk on her phone and do her hair. Then she would go back to lunch and tell everyone I just sat in the stall doing nothing. God I hated her sometimes. Another thing that would happen is that during gym I was really scared to get changed in front of people so I would go to the shower stall and pull the curtain. But the other girls would whip it back or try and guilt me to come out and "be normal" and this one jerk who would mess with me would loudly tell everyone what my bra and underwear looked like.
I'm so glad school is over and I don't have to deal with that b.s. anymore!

Final score:

0points

Melisha MichaelJackson

Emmelin Lyngstad 7 years ago

What a bunch of bullies. :1

1point

#201

When going grocery shopping, if I see solicitors I make sure to have a pair of headphones on me so I can put them on. They don't talk to you if they think you can't hear them. Just avoid making eye contact.

Final score:

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#202

When I was 11 i was at introvert peak as i had just moved to UAE. Now i went to this awful school becuase it was the only one that would acsept me and brother in late july . ( In UAE parents have to find schools in march or april to maximize cheapness as schools can range from 14,000 - 100,000) So there was this bitch named charsi and her little minosons named Afroza & Umakar. Now charsi loved to make rumors about me saying I stoal her money , had sex in the bath room (EVEN THO THE SCHOOL SEPERATES THE GENDERS) etc. So when her "friends" wern't at school she'd try and me do her bidding .So when ever so went right i go left . she go's up i go down i went so hard to avoid her and the bitches at that school i would hide behined so high schooler so no one would see me. Moral of the story : Middle school is a bitch breeding ground

Final score:

0points

InnocentLookingPervert

Emmelin Lyngstad 7 years ago

I say it again; what a bunch of bullies. :1

1point

View more comments

#203

One day in my Science class my teacher said, "Okay, Matt do you have a project?" I said, "Yeah, but I'm not feeling too hot." I got out of class for the day. And then the next day, "Matt, would you like to present your project?" I mumbled, "No." And ran out of the classroom.

Final score:

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#204

I was so shy in high school that I did not attend my own graduation ceremony and opted to have my diploma mailed to me instead.

Final score:

0points

#205

I always feel extremely uncomfortable while traveling by train, as I have to avoid eye contact with two to three people sitting right in front of me. Sometimes I close my eyes and pretend to sleep (can't actually sleep because I snore sometimes in my sleep and make it hard to decide how to act or be embarrassed about it if I don't know if they saw me snoring), go to the toilet and stay there for a while, pretend to enjoy the view outside the window even when there is a tunnel there is nothing one can see.

Final score:

0points

#206

Took a longer route to head home with uber so that I could avoid telling him directions for the shortcut

Final score:

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#207

All of these people need serious help, and this is coming from someone with severe social anxiety.

Final score:

0points

#208

I had climbed into my house through my bedroom window just because my mum had guests over and I wasn't keen on walking past and greeting them.

Sadly, when I climbed back out to walk in the front entrance and greet my mum, after the guests left, I forgot to unlock my bedroom door. Oops.

Final score:

0points

Anonymous Doorknob

#209

When I was 19 I skipped my classes often;I'd not recieve calls from anyone, I'd pretend like no one's in the house so that I wouldn't be doing small talks; there were days where I even skipped my exams; I wanted only my presence n wanted no one around me; I had been in that place for a few years n still don't know some of my neighbours; I can't help it n like only my company; well it is also true that I'm not like this everytime, I do socialize.. only thing is I don't do it often..

Final score:

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#210

I love my brother, but he is very high energy and sometimes i need to escape. When we moved in together, i started saying i needed to exercise and lose weight, and would just go out and walk for hours alone. I ended up losing 23kg and am almost the same size as before i had kids. Nice.

Final score:

0points

#211

I'll stay in my room for hours if I hear that someone I might not know, is in the kitchen. Even though I know it's gonna be fine if I walk out there, I just really, really, really don't want to.
Sometimes I'll wait for hours in the morning, before I get any kind of morning rituals done. All for that sweet sweet alone time.

Final score:

-1point

Leo McKinnon 7 years ago

Being an extrovert I can't relate. Must be tough to not wanna be around people huh ?

-1point

View More Replies...

View more comments

#212

At Wal-Mart when I see those guy who try to sell you internet and cable. I reroute how I'm going to get the that section of the store so I can avoid talking to them.

Final score:

-1point

ADVERTISEMENT

#213

I once peed in a plastic bottle in my room just because my roommate and his friends were in the living room and I would have had to go through there to go to the bathroom

Final score:

-1point

#214

My dad works as a mechanic and I live right beside his shop. I see his customers come in and out a lot whenever I'm home during the week. Every now and then. when I have a day off from work, I see someone I know from church out there. They're good people but since half of them are retired, they like to have small talk a lot I guess. So to avoid having very long conversations with them, I stay inside with the door locked all day, play video games, and hope they don't come over to talk for any reason.

Final score:

-1point

#215

I have severe social anxiety disorder...i remember in middle school, relatives would stop by my house and i would run and hide upstairs (sometimes for 6 or more hours without food) to avoid speaking to them. My mom would be extremely mad at me, and my older brother would make fun of me, to the point of crying, for days.

Final score:

-1point

ADVERTISEMENT

#216

On those days that i feel super introverted that I just can't handle social interaction, lie to my mom and dad saying that I feel sick, have an assignment due or have to study for a test so they could let me stay home. I then lock Myself in my room and watch movies all day long.

Final score:

-1point

Francis Waleanisia

#217

I was chilling with a friend but i was done with it. I told him i had to work and hoped that he would leave. Instead he said o oke i wil stay here until the traffic is gone. So i left and waited for 2 hours outside until i didnt see his car anymore. Very very embarrasing

Final score:

-1point

#218

One time I was invited to my friend's party, but of course I couldn't bear to turn her down. I hid under the table all day and stole food from the tabletop...

Final score:

-2points

Leah Glidewell 5 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

ADVERTISEMENT

#219

This submission is hidden. Click here to view.

#219

#18 ... That would actually be $98.50 tip ...

Final score:

-5points

rohan panjabi 5 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

View more comments

Greta Jaruševičiūtė

Greta is a Photo Editor-in-Chief at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication.In 2016, she graduated from Digital Advertising courses where she had an opportunity to meet and learn from industry professionals. In the same year, she started working at Bored Panda as a photo editor.Greta is a coffeeholic and cannot survive a day without 5 cups of coffee... and her cute, big-eared dog.Her biggest open secret: she is a gamer with a giant gaming backlog.

Greta is a Photo Editor-in-Chief at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication.In 2016, she graduated from Digital Advertising courses where she had an opportunity to meet and learn from industry professionals. In the same year, she started working at Bored Panda as a photo editor.Greta is a coffeeholic and cannot survive a day without 5 cups of coffee... and her cute, big-eared dog.Her biggest open secret: she is a gamer with a giant gaming backlog.

What do you think ?

Rafaella Bueno 7 years ago

I can definitely relate to a bunch of these (while others are just way too much effort for me), but truth be told, a lot of those people, specially the most extreme ones, aren't just introverts or awkward, that's plain social anxiety (I have it too). Being an introvert doesn't even mean you hate interacting, just that you need to cool down by yourself later.

13points

Del 7 years ago

Couldn't agree more. The vast majority of these stories are social anxiety. People really don't get what being an introvert is. You do, Rafaella.

4points

Load More Replies...

Taelle Oreseth 7 years ago

Well, think about it this way: If anyone can develop social anxiety, regardless of whether they are an introvert or extrovert, then these stories could have come from introverts who also happen to have social anxiety. Just saying. Things are not always mutually exclusive or inclusive.

0points

PawWings 7 years ago

true

0points

Full Name 7 years ago

It's weird being an ambivert. I have zero fear of public speaking and I'm a loudmouth who cracks dirty jokes....but goddamn do I like to just avoid all humans sometimes. Self checkout kiosk? Sign me up!

6points

Petra Christovová 7 years ago

I soooo can relate with this. At one of my past jobs I worked in a open-space office, where half of the people were jerks full of themselves who talked all day mostly about b******t. It was immensely annoying and after few months completely unbearable. I had to buy an ultra expensive Etymotic research earplugs with great sound insulation which helped a lot and I left after a few years anyway .. I envy people who work alone or even better - with animals.

2points

Load More Comments

Rafaella Bueno 7 years ago

I can definitely relate to a bunch of these (while others are just way too much effort for me), but truth be told, a lot of those people, specially the most extreme ones, aren't just introverts or awkward, that's plain social anxiety (I have it too). Being an introvert doesn't even mean you hate interacting, just that you need to cool down by yourself later.

13points

Del 7 years ago

Couldn't agree more. The vast majority of these stories are social anxiety. People really don't get what being an introvert is. You do, Rafaella.

4points

Load More Replies...

Taelle Oreseth 7 years ago

Well, think about it this way: If anyone can develop social anxiety, regardless of whether they are an introvert or extrovert, then these stories could have come from introverts who also happen to have social anxiety. Just saying. Things are not always mutually exclusive or inclusive.

0points

PawWings 7 years ago

true

0points

Full Name 7 years ago

It's weird being an ambivert. I have zero fear of public speaking and I'm a loudmouth who cracks dirty jokes....but goddamn do I like to just avoid all humans sometimes. Self checkout kiosk? Sign me up!

6points

Petra Christovová 7 years ago

I soooo can relate with this. At one of my past jobs I worked in a open-space office, where half of the people were jerks full of themselves who talked all day mostly about b******t. It was immensely annoying and after few months completely unbearable. I had to buy an ultra expensive Etymotic research earplugs with great sound insulation which helped a lot and I left after a few years anyway .. I envy people who work alone or even better - with animals.

2points

Load More Comments

Related on Bored Panda

Related on Bored Panda

Trending on Bored Panda

Also on Bored Panda