For women, going out in public can be a task within itself. From trying to look slightly presentable too grabbing pasta from Publix to being gawked at while pumping your gas… with no question of if he will even pay for your gas! All we ever want to do is go out, get things done, and go back into seclusion. But for the majority of us, these tasks last longer than we would like, such as work or class. For those of us who are seen in public more than we should, there are ways to go about these awkward situations we find ourselves in.
This revelation hit me a long time ago when I worked in retail and had to communicate with strangers more than I would have liked. Then it resurfaced when I got another job working with the general public. This time these people wouldn’t be strangers because it was the same faces day in and day out.
For any and every girl there will be a time when someone you aren’t remotely interested in will strike up a conversation with you. There are multiple ways to reject or rather decline those advances and here are a few that have proven successful in the past, and present.
Listen closely to what he or she is saying.
I have found that most men that approach me talk about themselves and rarely ask me a question or when they do it’s the wrong questions. Just the other day, a guy asked me about milkshakes at Chick-fil-A. After telling him I was lactose intolerant and never had one, he asked me if that makes me have a bowel movement… okay, sir. Then told me his name, never asking what mine was; plus he left the conversation picturing this nameless girl taking a dump. Mission accomplished!
Be situationally deaf.
I couldn’t tell you how many times I have coincidentally lost my hearing while out in public to avoid answering questions from a distance. Never mind that the headphone trick just ceases to do its job, I have to fake like I have hearing troubles altogether. Drastic times, truly call for drastic measures. Although it should never be that serious, avoidance always seems to do the trick. I witnessed it as I was typing out that sentence.
Keep that same energy.
If you just so happen to cross paths with the same persistent young man on a regular basis keep the same energy you’ve had since day one. If you are truly uninterested don’t let that nagging, persistent, or determined to weigh you down attitude allow you to change your mind. You will regret it girl, and what’s worse than giving in to annoying behaviors like those previously mentioned… knowing that it could have been avoided if you stood your ground. Don’t let him pressure you into going on a date, or giving your number out. No means no, not maybe… so keep that same energy for life!
-HCXO