If you’re like me, little things that go wrong in life can seem like the end of the world. It’s those things that keep us up at night as we replay them over and over in our heads until they become sagas of Tolkien-like proportions. What we often forget in those moments is that these things are really not that big of a deal anywhere else but inside our own heads. Nobody else is judging you as harshly as you’re judging you! Even if we know this logically, it can be hard to remember in the moment, so here is a reality check for five of the most common of those moments.
1. Bad Makeup and Hair Days
We have all had that moment when we look into the mirror after a long day and go, “Dear God please tell me I didn’t walk around all day looking like this!!” Your braid is a mess, there’s mascara under your eyes and suddenly you are contemplating every interaction you had that day and wondering if they were as horrified as you are. The answer is no! The likelihood that anyone noticed is so small because everyone is too caught up in their own stuff. Plus, if they did notice, there is very little chance that they judged you for it. The bottom line is, whether people noticed or not, it was one day. You have plenty of days to slay the makeup and hair game in the future.
2. A Failed Quiz
You completely forgot to study for your Psych quiz last week and now suddenly it’s back sitting in front of you with a nice big 50% on top. You failed. In the moment, it seems like the insult of the century. You’re thinking about how your teacher must think you’re stupid and you have no idea how are you going to get your grade up. You can even begin to think that because you failed you are a failure. Totally not true. It’s one quiz. In the grand scheme of your grade, it probably won’t even matter. Your teacher is well aware that shit happens, and the last thing they are going to do is judge you based on one grade. One little mistake does not change the fact that you are still smart, not to mention a kick-ass person in general.
3. Staying In By Yourself
It’s Saturday night and all your friends are ready to go out and let loose. You, on the other hand, just want to stay in and watch Netflix while eating banana chips. That sense of FOMO starts to nag at you, saying, “What if I miss something fun? What if people notice I’m not there? What if they judge me for hanging out by myself?” Screw that voice!! Do what makes YOU happy. Whatever it is won’t be fun anyway if you’re forcing yourself to be there in the first place. If your friends are good friends, they will understand that everybody needs alone time and won’t judge you in the slightest. Go eat your banana chips in your bed in your pajamas while admiring Jon Snow’s man bun, because that is what true happiness is.
4. Hooking Up with the “Wrong” Person
It’s the morning after and wow do you think you screwed up. Maybe it was your close friend, or the guy in your year-long Poly Sci class, or your ex’s teammate. Whoever it was, it seems like the end of the freaking world and that hibernation is the only way to escape the embarrassment and awkwardness.
Ok, I’ll admit it, it might be a little sucky the first few days. You will see them in Peirce and cringe a little, class will feel a tad awkward, and your friends won’t stop talking about it. Eventually, however, things will go back to normal. People will stop caring. The more you see them, the less awkward it gets, until it really isn’t awkward at all. Soon it will just be a funny story to tell at parties. Hiding in your room won’t solve anything (besides postponing the inevitable), so put some pants on, go out there, and just be your fantastic badass self.
5. Embarrassing Yourself in Public
We’ve all done it. Sometimes you trip over your own feet or forget that that last step is there. Or maybe you did that thing where you open your mouth in front of people and words come out that make zero sense and you instantly regret it. Suddenly your ears are bright red and you can basically feel the judgment emanating from those around you.
The benefit of these unfortunate situations is that they have happened to literally everyone. Even Leonardo DiCaprio has done something embarrassing at some point (although unlike me, he probably looked really cute doing it). Just laugh it off and continue with your day. No one is going to remember it in a couple hours because they are too focused on themselves. Trust me, you are the only one playing it over in your head fifty times, so stop torturing yourself and go eat some ice cream because you’re amazing and you deserve it.
There are so many other little things that can seem like a big deal in the moment, but the bottom line in all of those situations is that you are amazing and nothing can change that. Go easy on yourself and spend your time on more important things, like predicting whom Rory is going to end up with on Gilmore Girls, because we all know that that is what truly matters.