People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts)

"You live and you learn" — can't really argue with that one. And while the older we get, the more knowledge we acquire, some lessons just manage to get past us for way too long. But there's no shame in learning anything at any age! (Well, maybe a little).

One Reddit user wanted to know what people learned just recently that they should've already known years ago. The answers varied from silly to serious, with some people dipping deep into self-discovery, which could've saved them a lot of tears and confusion in the past. From Froot Loops all being the same flavor to mourning relationships with your friends, folks were eager to share their newfound knowledge with others.

Bored Panda selected the most interesting answers for this list, so scroll down, and maybe you'll also learn something new today. After all, we're not aware that we don't know something, until we learn of its existence. Don't forget to upvote your favorites, and if there's anything you learned 'too late' in life that you think others might not know about yet, be sure to share it in the comments!

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People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) « Everything worth doing is worth doing half-a*s ». You can do a part of something it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can clean a room and not the whole house. You can eat a salad with your burger. We have a tendency to be « everything has to be done 110% » or it’s not worth it. I think about people who laugh at people taking a diet soda with a burger: well why the hell not? You don’t have to be all in 100% and that makes the pressure more bearable sometimes!

579red , Karolina Grabowska Report

Final score:

387points

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Na Schi 1 year ago

This! Especially when you are mentally not in the best place cleaning for example the whole house/flat can be an overwhelming task. It's better to start little and set (much) smaller goals and get the rewarding feeling that you have done something nonetheless.

130points

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People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) Friend breakups can hurt just as much, if not more, than romantic ones.

anon , SHVETS production Report

Final score:

370points

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A_Cat_To_The_Past 1 year ago

I think we've all been there

84points

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People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) Quality matters more than quantity when it comes to friends.

I started to notice that most of my friends weren’t really my friends, only drinking buddies, and it hindered my process of getting sober for awhile. i didn’t want to lose them. but then i realized that if they couldn’t be with me in my sobriety journey, they couldn’t be in my life at all.

I’m 67 days into cutting back, and twelve days into not touching alcohol at all. my life is better without those people. i only have three friends now but it’s worth it. the support and encouragement i get from them outweighs the sadness of losing everyone else.

anon , Phil Nguyen Report

Final score:

358points

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Minnie Not Mouse 1 year ago

I send hugs! I have alot of friends, but few very close ones. I am glad you cut the negative people out of your life!

61points

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People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) It's better to be alone than in an unfulfilling/abusive relationship.

Don't continue dating someone if you constantly think "give it time, things might get better". That puts you in a never ending loop that becomes more difficult to get out of as time goes on.

No_Arm604 , Odonata Wellnesscenter Report

Final score:

339points

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General Anaesthesia 1 year ago

Contrary to what you may hope, generally people don't change. So get out before the going gets really bad.

72points

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People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) I didn’t learn it recently but I learned it earlier in life, don’t share stuff with your coworkers. Just mind your own business.

St_Virgo , fauxels Report

Final score:

272points

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Telepathetic 1 year ago

coworkers are NOT friends

137points

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People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) That it's ok to take a day for me.

imnotyourproblemyet , Lisa Fotios Report

Final score:

263points

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BobTDG 1 year ago

Look after yourselves Pandas.

87points

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People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) Other women know how to clasp their bra behind their back. As a teen I learned to clasp it in front of me then twist it around awkwardly... and then never stopped doing that

AlluvialPlain , Karolina Grabowska Report

Final score:

257points

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Minnie Not Mouse 1 year ago

I can somewhat do it from the back, but I put it on front, then shift it around and put on the straps! Easy-Peasy!

104points

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People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) Doves are literally just white pigeons.

Not similar, or related to, the exact same bird.

Pigeons with white privilege

VivaLaVict0ria , Pixabay Report

Final score:

239points

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C. Wade 1 year ago (edited)

This is a language thing. Nobody would make the mistake to think they're different animals in Romanian, for example, because we just call them "white pigeons".

96points

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People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) It's "piqued my interest," not "peaked."

OpinionatedNonsense , Andrea Piacquadio Report

Final score:

238points

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Ian Milne 1 year ago

And it’s champing at the bit, not chomping at the bit.

87points

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#10

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) Don't compare yourself with someone else. You are not them and you do not have their abilities or weaknesses. Use your yardstick on you. Compare yourself in terms of how you have done in the past. It is more accurate. And be kind to yourself if you are making strides and mistakes.

fuzzybunnyslippers08 , Elina Fairytale Report

Final score:

231points

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Max M 1 year ago

Yes i still fight a little with comparing myself to others, but it is alot less than it have been.

30points

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#11

Not recently, but I learned that being your own friend is one of the best things you can do for yourself. The only time in my life I started making friends was when I started being my own friend first, taking care of my health, going to the gym, taking myself out, exploring on my own, and learning on my own. Not only did it help me make friends, but it also helped me feel less lonely, as I really started enjoying my own company! I became an interesting person to be

cherry_3_14 Report

Final score:

206points

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StrangeOne 1 year ago

I like the conversations I have with myself.

56points

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#12

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) my own worth.

homeslicehanny , Pavel Danilyuk Report

Final score:

200points

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Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago

Needs way more upvotes!

41points

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#13

That the morning after pill has weight restrictions and if you are over a certain weight they will probably not work on you.
Also, more women and children get killed in car accidents because the airbag is not meant for women, it is made for a man.
Products made by men does not always work on women. Just saying.

Responsible_Pipe_180 Report

Final score:

198points

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Minnie Not Mouse 1 year ago

I read somewhere, I think on bored-panda, that they finally used a female crash test dummy, and got highly different results.

140points

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#14

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) That if I am unfulfilled as an individual my partner will never be able to fulfill me either. Similar to if you don’t love yourself you can’t unconditionally love others.

pnw-milf , Dương Nhân Report

Final score:

175points

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Anon Ymous 1 year ago

I never really vibed with the idea that you have to love yourself first to love others. To me it plants the idea that we are unworthy of love because of our own struggle. Allow yourself to love others and to receive their love in return while you are still working on loving yourself ❤️

78points

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#15

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) A consistent sleep schedule and plenty of sleep every night actually works. It won’t cure your depression/chronic illness/various maladies, but it makes it much easier to face them in the morning. And when I say morning, I mean it: even if you’re semi-nocturnal like me, it is so much easier to get important stuff done during the day.

This is the most annoying realisation I’ve had all year, but brains simply work better when they are rested and refreshed.

Catulllus Report

Final score:

169points

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Alvia Vseobecna 1 year ago

helps greatly with weigtloss also, if that´s an issue

35points

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#16

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) Exercising does actually feel good and it’s not just pretentious claims made by fit af influencers!

bethebumblebee , Leandro Boogalu Report

Final score:

154points

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Kate Haslam 1 year ago

Y'know, I've tried it, and it doesn't.

148points

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#17

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) Tall, white, loud men get more respect than anyone, no matter how stupid they are.

seehowshegoes , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:

143points

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JoMeBee 1 year ago

Respect? Or just attention?

171points

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#18

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) Replace your pillows every 1–2 years. Lots of mold and allergens get stuck in there. I finally stopped feeling sick when I changed them out.

happyhippo237 , Jens Mahnke Report

Final score:

134points

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Alvia Vseobecna 1 year ago

how about washing them regularly?

96points

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#19

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) That cows only produce milk after they've had a baby. Farmers forcibly impregnate them and take their calves away so they can sell the milk to humans. I always thought they just made milk all the time, which seems stupid in retrospect.

nat_lite , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:

130points

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Snorky The Pig 1 year ago

My grandparents run a small dairy farm, and they do not forcibly impregnate their cows or take the calves away. Unfortunately, the reason many other farms don't follow their method is capitalism and the fervent obsession with making money. There are humane ways to get milk, and it is very unfortunate that it is not the mainstream. We need to remember that cows (and all other animals) are also sentient beings who deserve as much love, respect and gentleness as we do.

250points

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#20

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) Jogging slowly is still running.

marylikestodraw , Daniel Reche Report

Final score:

113points

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scag$y 1 year ago

Did You Know? Jogging was invented in 1867 by Thomas Jog, when he tried to walk twice at the same time.

67points

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#21

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) If you're going to take inappropriate selfies, disable the photo sync to your mom's icloud first.

anon , Polina Tankilevitch Report

Final score:

111points

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Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago

Or don't take "inappropriate" selfies. Never could understand that trend.

160points

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#22

I recently started dating someone about a week and a half ago and he seems so healthy. Everything he says is with intention and it seems so out of this world to me. I've had so many bad relationships and friendships and people just mistreating me that I almost don't know what to do with myself.
I learned that it's okay to trust what someone is saying and forgiving people that hurt you in the past (WITHOUT giving them too much energy, aka. Having to look past them, etc.) Is so healing. I hope this relationship really is healthy and I'm hoping for a better future with him by my side. Yes I know this is super early but I finally understand the phrase. "When you know, you know" I'm 30 btw.

inspireyourmhinds Report

Final score:

92points

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Judy Reynolds 1 year ago

Even if the relationship doesn't work out, these are valuable insights!!

47points

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#23

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) What getting tires rotated actually means.

Also that the line in Billy Joel's "We didn't start the fire" is "trouble in the Suez" not "trouble in the sewers."

BrittLee8 , Andrea Piacquadio Report

Final score:

89points

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Not-a-Clue-What-to-Call-Myself 1 year ago

What DOES getting tires rotated mean?

28points

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#24

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) TV screens are measured diagonally

HRPunsNStuff , Max Vakhtbovych Report

Final score:

89points

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ckcl 1 year ago (edited)

And for some reason still in inches, not metres/ cm (in Ireland at least).

38points

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#25

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) How to budget my money.... I've cycled in and out of debt for years, could have been really ahead, never knew. Someone taught me and I'm blown away at how remarkably "easy" it is now that I know.

anon , Karolina Grabowska Report

Final score:

87points

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Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago

I have a checking account and a savings account. I put $200 into my checking with every paycheck and the rest into savings. That $200 is all the money I allow myself to spend for two weeks apart from basic necessities like rent and bills. It's a very austere existence, but I need to make sure I have enough in savings for a rainy day.

32points

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#26

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) I didn’t know how much of an impact making my bed in the morning had on me.

brittanydude , Ron Lach Report

Final score:

84points

POST

Becky Samuel 1 year ago

No, no, no. Airing the bed by pulling the covers down gives all that night-time sweat a chance to evaporate and keeps your whole bed and mattress fresher for longer.

89points

Kathryn Baylis 1 year ago

Sure, right after you get up. But before you leave, make your bed. Sheets that are all wrinkled just feel dirty even if they’re basically clean. Besides, you then do one home to a messy bed.

17points

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WonderWoman 1 year ago

I pull covers down in the morning, and in the late afternoon, I make the bed - and indeed having a made bed does make me feel better. I like walking into bedroom in the evening and seeing it looking pretty.

9points

JOHN DOE 1 year ago

Well i just learned today, from the comments, that a lot of people sweat while they sleep and that there are adults who don't make their beds everyday.

8points

Chiara1125 1 year ago

Ok thanks! I'll just keep being messy

6points

Steve Hayward 1 year ago

I always thought this! The bed needs to breathe!!

4points

Synsepalum 1 year ago

My Irish grandparents (yes, from Ireland, for those of y'all who are like that) agree.

2points

Let’s Be Kind 1 year ago

Not to mention what the fresh air does towards getting rid of dust mites 😬

2points

Noho 2000 1 year ago

Thank you for that. You just eliminated decades of self-loathing for not making my bed.

1point

Trinity 1 year ago

Not only that, but it makes your bed a horrible environment for bed bugs. Bed bugs love made beds because it maintains the same temperature and light. So while made beds look lovely, they're wonderful breeding grounds for bed bugs.

1point

Nykky 1 year ago

Plus, if you're in an area with bed bug problems, NOT making the bed is better. Bed bugs love smooth, clean, neat sheets, and hate wrinkly ones where they get lost. It's bizarre.

0points

Lyone Fein 1 year ago

You can still do this in a neat and tidy fashion.

0points

Virginia Brown 1 year ago

I don't like getting in an unmade bed. But I also let it "air out" for 15 minutes before I make it. I don't want dust & pet hair on the sheets next to my skin at night.

0points

scag$y 1 year ago (edited)

The best thing in the world after having a s****y day, is to go into the bedroom and the bed's made. Ready to crawl into. It's totally underrated.

11points

Benyam Amare 1 year ago

The act of accomplishing something even minor the moment we wake up sets the tone for the rest of the day i belelieve

10points

René Sauer 1 year ago

Waste of time. A few hours later you will mess it up again anyway

5points

Willa L 1 year ago

Yeah and its not even comfortable to sleep in a bed that is made in my opinion

2points

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Zophra 1 year ago

An impact of wasted time. Why bother.

5points

Kim Lorton 1 year ago

Meh. If you sweat,, it just raps moisture and dust mites.

4points

Miss Frankfurter 1 year ago

“First Make Your Bed”. Makes all the difference to the start of my day. But I do have the unique talent of being able to make the majority of my bed while I’m still in it. Seriously. I can.

2points

featherytoad 1 year ago

lol, me too. I'm not a restless sleeper and I only sleep on one side of a queen mattress. When I'm still in bed I just straighten the side I don't sleep in and when I get out, straighten my side. I don't cover my pillows under the comforter, I just prop them up against my headboard so, it's super easy to make my bed while I'm still in it.

1point

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Willa L 1 year ago

I like sleeping with the blankets pulled out of the bottom of the bed and nestled around me. If I made my bed it would just be for nothing because I would pull the blankets out anyways.

2points

LeeAnne B 1 year ago

I sleep on top of the covers. I have for ages. I do straighten the bed in the morning. It's just nicer to lie down on crisp, straight linen.

1point

anima vienna 1 year ago

Honestly, I never understood that this is 'a thing'. It literally takes seconds to shake the pillows and turning the duvet for airing. Done.

1point

Colin Matthews 1 year ago

famous motivational speech by a usa general that says begin the day by making your bed, it's a great simple discipline forming habit

1point

Carla Olavarría 1 year ago

It’s really depressing to see a bed unmade after sleep time, to me it screams decay!

0points

Carla Olavarría 1 year ago

It’s a simple task that changes everything, no matter if your clothes are still in a pile on the chair, or if there is some mess around, but when the bed is made, you see everything better. My mood changes , and also my opinion about other people when I como to a place in day hours and the bed isn’t made.

0points

Kitten’s mom 1 year ago

Nope not at all. There is nothing more comfortable than crawling back in to my cozy perfect spot. 10 fancy pillow (that just move to sleep) & perfect corners are just not for me.

0points

Liisbet Kärm 1 year ago (edited)

I let it air for an hour and then make it look all nice and neat, but no impact over here. It just looks good.

0points

nooneimportant 1 year ago

no no no im getting back into it tonight I WILL NOT MAKE A BED unless ive just changed the bedding... periodt!

0points

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#27

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) Not to mess with my birth control, the hormone unbalance was a unpleasant experience.

pettybettyluv , JESHOOTS.com Report

Final score:

80points

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Ally Joy 1 year ago

So is a child

64points

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#28

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) my blood type

Linorelai , Karolina Grabowska Report

Final score:

75points

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Lynne Bear Hugs 1 year ago

I'm AB+, so in 3% of the population. It's so nice to be 'rare' and special in one way. Lol!

25points

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#29

I thought you could only put one thing in the oven at a time.

_sicsixsic Report

Final score:

75points

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Snorky The Pig 1 year ago (edited)

That depends. You may not want to put a chocolate cake together with a dish that has garlic or something in it. (experience lol)

84points

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#30

Babies can’t drink water before 6months old

Sunshine_goodtimes Report

Final score:

72points

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Adam Vonder Ahe-Cossey 1 year ago (edited)

Since they are on an all liquid diet, they won't dehydrate, and since their stomachs only hold anywhere from 2.7 to 5 ounces at 1 month old, they need every ounce of fluid to contain nutrients for growing, which they get from breast milk or formula. Giving babies only water also can cause hyponatremia - the body has too much water in it, which dilutes electrolyte concentrations in the blood and can cause a whole host of issues. It's the same thing that happens when athletes sweat and chug water instead of electrolyte formulas...

85points

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#31

Practice doesn’t make perfect

alivebutawkward Report

Final score:

24points

POST

JoMeBee 1 year ago

Practice usually makes better! Except when my my son took violin lessons. Oh, the pain...!

28points

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#32

Not super recently, but way too late in life: Don't rinse after brushing your teeth. Why is nobody going around telling people that? We had a whole toothbrushing course in primary school, and they never even mentioned it.

schaweniiia Report

Final score:

23points

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Gin. No tonic 1 year ago

Apparently, rinsing washes away the concentrated fluoride in the remaining toothpaste. If you need fluoride, don't rinse for 20 mins, but if don't need it, rinse away! (Some places have enough fluoride in the drinking water, so toothpaste fluoride is an excess and can have negative effects)

22points

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#33

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) I did not know that the need to pee all the time would start well before the third trimester. I was very unprepared and wondered why these things weren't more commonly discussed or at least why the women in my life hadn't warned me about them

Proper_Marzipan_2797 , Helena Lopes Report

Final score:

22points

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Sonja 1 year ago

Because no one ever talks about the unpleasant things that happen during pregnancy. No one wants to talk about what being pregnant really means and does to you. They all want to pretend it's just a magical experience that will leave you glowing and happy and ecstatic as soon as the baby is there and you'll be back to normal in a few weeks tops. But I saw my sister and my SIL going through pregnancy 5 times together. And I definitely knew I didn't want to have kids even before that and it only made me even more sure of that although they really tried to sell it to me by taking me everywhere and trying to convince me that I too wanted kids. And they had easy pregnancies, no dire complications. But hell no. I'm not the motherly type, never wanted kids, never will.

37points

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#34

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) Froot Loops are all the same flavor

Content_Pool_1391 , m01229 Report

Final score:

21points

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Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago

And none of them taste like fruit.

33points

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#35

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) If your toilet tank is constantly draining and refilling don’t wait 4 months to fix it. Your water bill is going to be f*****g crazy

tvp204 , Karolina Grabowska Report

Final score:

21points

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Robert T 1 year ago

Check what kind of toilet cistern you have. Some (like that described) overflow into the bowl. Others have a separate pipe to the outside world. If you have the separate pipe type, know where it comes out and check it periodically to see if it is dripping. It will likely only take a washer that costs pennies to fix it.

5points

#36

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) Attachment styles. I'd rule out at least 5 guys that I dated and caused heartache a lot sooner if I had known about attachments styles, particularly Avoidant Attachment styles.

Like narcism, I can now avoid these types of people BUT it came at a great cost to my heart.

anon , Scott Webb Report

Final score:

18points

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Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 1 year ago

Never heard of this before, but I found an NPR quiz. Not very scientific, but I got "secure".

5points

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#37

That lint rollers have more then 1 layer.

marzie00 Report

Final score:

13points

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Minnie Not Mouse 1 year ago

How many lint rollers did you go through?

23points

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#38

People Share What Things They Learned Embarrassingly Late In Life (30 Posts) That “C-Suite” means CEO, CFO, COO. I’m in my 40s and have a corporate job and have worked with all of those positions frequently. I just never thought about what C-Suite actually meant.

ExtraAgressiveHugger , Sora Shimazaki Report

Final score:

10points

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Boris Long-Johnson 1 year ago (edited)

I thought it meant c**t - the suite of c***s. Seems more appropriate in the companies I’ve worked for. For bored pandas censoring C you next Tuesday! Also the Scunthorpe problem!

15points

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