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How to Dodge Nosey Questions from Family Members

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Hofstra chapter.

The holiday season is rolling around and that means it’s time to eat yourself into a food coma, hit some of those Black Friday sales and get grilled by your aunt about why you still don’t have a significant other. To help you combat the nosey questions you are inevitably going to get this Thanksgiving holiday here are a few tips to help you out.

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Learn how to divert the questions to someone else

Personally, my favorite method to avoid answering a question is to divert the attention to someone else. Family member asking why you don’t have a significant other yet? Brush that question off and bring it around to the cousin who happily posts a new picture of her bae on Facebook every other day. Not only do you get out of answering questions about your personal life but you can work on praising your other family members for their various achievements.

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Have topics on hand that you would rather talk about

Personally, I would rather talk about my internship at MSNBC or the work I do in various classes and clubs than talk about dating and other various personal topics. I just feel that if the topic of conversation must revolve around me at least make it about something I worked hard for and am proud of, not my current relationship status. The key here is to have a good redirect on hand and be able to keep the conversation about parts of your life that you want to discuss with your grandma in the room.

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Figure out how to remove yourself from a situation politely

If you really can’t get out of that award conversation find a way to politely leave the conversation. My favorite method is to excuse yourself from the table to get more food. Honestly who can blame you? Getting a seventh portion of potatoes is always a valid excuse to leave the table. If you can’t use the food excuse go to the bathroom or try and find solace in another family member across the room.

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Literally just shove food in your mouth

If you’re still at a loss and you can’t redirect, you can’t leave the table and your family just will not stop nosing in your personal life it’s time to cram your face. Your Aunts and Uncles certainly won’t want to talk to the niece who just shoved half a turkey in her mouth and will give you a moment to chew your food. Chances are in the time that it takes to do this the conversation will move on to someone or something else.

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Danielle Zulkosky is currently a Junior in the Honors College at Hofstra University where she is double majoring in Journalism and Political Science. She is currently the Program Director of Talk at 88.7 FM WRHU, the Vice President of the Hofstra University Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. In the Fall of 2017, she interned with the MSNBC Booking Department. When she's not busy with her many other clubs she's in you can find her writing for Her Campus or hanging out with her sisters in Alpha Epsilon Phi! After college, she hopes to get any journalism job offered to her. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter: @DZulkosky