Scrolling every day online can sometimes feel all the same, or, dare I say, even boring. With algorithms automatically delivering personalized content, it becomes even more difficult to branch out beyond our interests and discover something new and unexpected.
However, today we have something just for those who want to change up their daily browsing. Subreddit Hol’Up is full of surprising twists and turns that might leave you saying, “Wait a minute!” As an extra treat, the posts they share are sprinkled with dark humor, which folks online just can’t get enough of. Scroll down to find them, and don’t forget to upvote the ones that caught you off guard the most!
While you’re at it, make sure to check out a conversation with Tania Luna, a psychology researcher and co-author of Surprise: Embrace the Unpredictable and Engineer the Unexpected, who kindly agreed to answer a few questions about unexpectedness.
#1 Smackdown In The Courtroom
#2 Heartbreaking…
#3 I’m Stumped
To learn more about the importance of unexpectedness and surprise in our lives, We reached out to a psychology researcher, educator, and co-author of Surprise: Embrace the Unpredictable and Engineer the Unexpected, Tania Luna.
In the book, Luna, together with Dr. LeeAnn Renninger, shines a light on the most intriguing emotion that we humans feel and shows us how surprise can turn daily life into an adventure.
#4 Law And Order
#5 0-100 Real Quick
#6 Pro Gamer Move
Luna tells us that, despite common belief, surprise (our reaction to something unexpected) isn’t a single emotion but a series of responses that are called the surprise sequence.
Interestingly, the first thing our body does when reacting to an unexpected event is freeze for about 1/25 of a second. This probably happened quite a lot while you were scrolling through this list, only that you might haven’t noticed.
#7 Why Batman Doesn’t Get Dad Jokes
#8 Wholesome Holup
#9 Y’all Are Mean
Then Luna says, “Our brains rapidly analyze the situation to understand what’s happening.” After we grasped what was going on, she explained that “we adjust our perspective to make sense of the surprise.”
#10 Had Me In The First Half
#11 Dude’s Got A Point
#12 This Is Truly, And Epic Gamer Moment
Lastly, we get the urge to share what we went through. “We relieve the cognitive burden created by the experience by passing on our story of the surprise to others. Throughout this experience, our emotions intensify. We like to say that “surprise makes us -er” (happier, sadder, angrier, funnier, etc.),” Luna explains.
#13 ……but Do You Agree With Him?
#14 Wait What
#15 Wait A Minute…this Is Getting Too Relatable
As the authors mention in the book, “We feel most comfortable when things are certain, but we feel most alive when they’re not. Even though most of us try hard to feel prepared and in control, surprise is at the heart of our most joyful and meaningful memories.”
Additional benefits of inviting surprises into our lives include elevating the mood, boosting creativity, enhancing learning, deepening relationships, increasing our resilience, slowing our perception of time, and making life more memorable.
#16 Laughing In The Grave
#17 Holup A Minute Here
#18 So Wholesome
To embrace unexpectedness in our lives (besides visiting the Hol’Up subreddit), Luna suggests against searching for big, elaborate experiences or adventures but instead finding small, frequent surprises, which provide more fulfillment.
#19 Holup
#20 Wait Right There
#21 Ayo What’s This Person Planning
“Turn left where you’d usually turn right, sit in a different spot at breakfast, and shower in the afternoon. Spend more time in nature, look at people more fully, and say, “I don’t know, I wonder” often.” Accept an invitation, help someone who asks for it, and let your inner voice guide you to something spontaneous.”
#22 When Life Imitates Art
#23 Dear John
#24 Accomodation 100
Additionally, she recommends seeking novelty, like visiting a new neighborhood, reading a new genre, or signing up for a random class. “Leave someone a small gift, compliment a coworker, and take your dog on an unexpected walk. Be unprepared: don’t check the weather forecast, don’t Google images of a place before you go there, and ask ChatGPT to assign you mini missions for the day.”
#25 Who Even Carried It?
#26 Yup
#27 That’s One Intelligent Baby
For those who are really set on inviting more unexpectedness into their lives, Luna suggests giving themselves a surprise streak challenge. “Surprise yourself or someone else at least once per week!”
#28 That’s How Homies Meet
#29 The Kid In Green Is The Strongest By Far
#30 Children Say And Do Weird Things
#31 I’m Crying
#32 I’d Love Me Some Carrot
#33 Huh
#34 Just Glad He’s Ok
#35 The Pilot On The Flight Today
#36 Hm
#37 Oh Happy Birthday
#38 Those Men Were Awf- Wait What?
#39 Im Scared To Know
#40 Wait What
#41 Love It
#42 Not So Incredible
#43 Metric System!
#44 American Math Team Has Finally Beaten The Chinese In A National Competition
#45 That’s What You Get For Inventing Calculus
#46 My First Roller Coaster Ride Since This Pandemic Started
#47 I Love Cheating
#48 Can Someone Explain? Like Bruh, What?
#49 Wait…what?
#50 Jalifornia Vibes
#51 She Was Probably Very Good At Sports
#52 Anon’s Investment Pays Off
#53 Kid Says The Darndest Thing
#54 The Good ‘Ol Days
#55 Exorcist Needed
#56 *chuckles* I’m In Danger
#57 Sneak 100
#58 Make A Wish
#59 Wait A Minute
#60 Wait… What?
#61 Buzzfeed Moment
#62 Wait A Min Huh
#63 What Did He Say!
#64 LOL Noob
#65 I Don’t Wanna Know
#66 Nostalgic
#67 Read This Twice Just To Understand Better
#68 :3
#69 It’s A Knife?
#70 Prepare For Trouble And Make It Double
#71 That Hussy!
#72 Hmm
#73 Wait What
#74 Is It The Matter? They Said
#75 Fun Fact!
#76 Yuan The Ladies Man
#77 Let’s Have Shrex
#78 You Know If You Know!
#79 Bruh
#80 How Did He Get It In The Basement?
#81 You Never Know
#82 Who Wore It Better?
#83 Hmm
#84 My Child’s Activity Book Is Pretty Cool… Holup One Second!
#85 She Just Can’t Catch A Break
#86 This Some Bull
#87 Wait
#88 Metric System
#89 Anon’s GF Cheated On Him With Him
#90 Wait Holup
#91 I Am Sorry What?
#92 Good News!
#93 Devoted Wife Continues To Care For Husband After Traumatic Brain Injury … And So Does Her New Husband
#94 We Want Justice
#95 Holup, What?
#96 The American Dream