We’re all human, which means we’ve all shared blush-worthy moments where our faces turned red out of humiliation, especially in college. Instead of freaking out and hiding your face in shame, take these suggestions below and remember that it’s not about what you do, but how you handle the situation.
Situation #1: Sending a text to the wrong person.
Sending a text message to the wrong person may seem harmless, but the shame and embarrassment lies in the content you send. If you accidentally send a text message talking about someone you have a crush on to a random person on your phone (hopefully, not your crush), then be honest and tell him or her it was an accident. You can even hide your embarrassment and say, “Ok, I just told you a secret of mine, now it’s your turn.” That will not only make you look confident but it’ll make the other person feel less awkward about the situation.
Situation #2: Tripping or falling over in public.
Whether you are a natural klutz or have two left feet, everyone loses their balance and stumbles. Some may do it more frequently than others, but it’s something that we all experience. So, instead of covering your face in shame because you think at least five people noticed your uncoordinated footwork, laugh it off and point fun at yourself. You can crack a joke such as, “I see why they call this time of year fall” or even bust a dance move after stumbling to show that you can recover with rhythm.
Situation #3: Realizing the person that you recognized from a distance is a complete and total stranger.
It’s not enough to just look at the back of a person’s head and assume that’s your friend from Monday’s class or the guy that you met over the weekend. The next time you think you recognize someone and can’t get a look at his or her face, spare yourself from humiliation and grab your cellphone and hold it to your ear as you try to get that person’s attention. So if the person isn’t who you thought you can play it off and act as if you were speaking with someone over the phone the whole time.
Situation #4: Your fly is open.
Leaving your pants unzipped is nothing new. It happens to the best of us. As soon as you find out your zipper is undone, walk into a crowd of people and quickly zip up. The people around you will be too busy focusing on getting to their class on time than paying attention to you.
Situation #5: Walking into the wrong classroom or a class that hasn’t been let out yet.
It’s easy to think when there is only a few minutes left on the clock, the seats in the classroom are filled with students in your next class instead of those that are about to leave. To save yourself from embarrassment, make sure to check the time and look for familiar faces waiting to enter the room as well. If you forget and immediately rush into the room, play it off by taking a look under the nearest desk as if you were looking for something, such as your campus ID. Then, apologize for the disruption and walk out. Honestly, the students will be concentrating more on getting out of the class than you walking in at the end.
Situation #6: Your stomach starts growling in the middle of class.
During lectures, some people will be fighting to stay awake while others will be taking notes waiting to be saved by the clock. If your stomach starts to rumble, shuffle some books or sheets of paper around until the growling stops and then take a bite of a granola bar or chew a piece of gum to relax your stomach. People will be more interested in getting the information they need to study for when they get their next exam than the roars of your stomach.