12+ Funny Things Everyone Is Secretly Guilty Of Doing

5. Waiting To Leave When Someone Sits Down Next To You

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The most awkward situation is when you get ready to up and then someone sits next to you and you start to feel as though leaving now might offend their sentiments. You look at the person, considering your choices, and suddenly the straightforward act of leaving becomes difficult. Although you don't know the person seated next to you, you feel as though leaving will offend them. This social awkwardness can cause an internal struggle: should you gently leave or stay and bear the discomfort? You consider how long you have been seated there and how long they could expect you to remain. For what length of time have you been seated next to someone in such circumstances? As you try to read their body language and whether they are engaged in conversation or just savouring the quiet, minutes can seem like hours. You might even find yourself striking small conversation, attempting to create noise to cover the uncomfortableness of leaving. This situation emphasises the sometimes unstated guidelines of social interaction, where our own requirements for comfort and space may occasionally be subordinated to our need to be courteous. In the end, you could be realising your own need for personal space but yet yearning for a clear signal, a means of elegantly leaving without offending anyone.