Have you ever experienced that sad feeling of loneliness when you are picked last for a game at school during team splitting? And it’s not even because you are a poor athlete—you just have no friends, so you stand last in the middle of the gym, in the crosshairs of other people’s eyes, and think about… I don’t know what, but definitely not about something good.
I think many people have experienced this. However, childhood passes, and unpleasant flashbacks from it often stay with us until gray touches our hair (and even longer). And many people in this viral online thread recall such situations from their lives, and we, We, have collected a selection of the most touching stories for you here.
More info: Reddit
#1
Finding out your “friends” went out on the town. They never called or texted.
#2
Being sat at the randoms table at a wedding.
#3
When a group of people suddenly stop listening to you talking.
A few days ago, a thread appeared in the AskReddit community, which now has over 8.8K upvotes and around 3.1K various comments. It has stories, memories and discussions. The question, “What are examples of ‘being picked last in gym class’ as an adult?” from user u/Infamous-Echo-3949 in fact turned out to be truly important for netizens and worthy of their close attention. And for us, of course, too.
#4
When everyone goes out for walk/coffee/lunch at work and no one asking if you want to join.
#5
Brother’s b-day – brother gets celebration
My b-day – brother gets celebration.
#6
“Let’s get a group photo together!” *hands you the phone*.
Of course, in the era of the Internet and social networks, these feelings have changed significantly. Now, while we often replace live human communication with numerous chats and video calls, and you can work and live a full life without even leaving your apartment, various awkward moments associated with direct communication, of course, go away.
But, as they say, a holy place is never empty, and new situations appear. When, for example, you wrote to someone in a messenger a long time ago, the message is marked as read, and the person is online—but there is no reaction from them. Offended? That’s the word!
#7
You can come if you want to.
#8
Getting invited only on condition of being the designated driver.
#9
I worked at my last job for 4/5 years. It was customary when someone left the job to get them a card or a cake or something (it was a bakery so cake was very accessible lol). I was personally the one who bought the card/got everyone to sign multiple times but when I left I didn’t get a card or anything. So that kinda sucked.
There are also situations when people whom you sincerely considered to be your friends, or at least good acquaintances, go on a picnic somewhere out of town en masse—and they don’t even bother to invite you, let alone inform you about it. It happens when you sadly realize that in fact you were needed by people only because of some of your qualities—professional or financial.
#10
When you’re the one that always has to drop behind when the path is too narrow for three.
#11
When you quit a job because you’re overworked and they hire two people to fill your position.
#12
You only get invited to dinner/a night out once the inviter has already arranged it with someone else. Never “when are you free to come over” always “Bob’s coming to dinner Friday, if you want to join us”. The kicker is if Bob cancels and then you get “dinners cancelled – Bob can’t make it”.
“In fact, friendship in adulthood is not only selfless communication, it’s also a choice of a person based on some qualities useful to you,” says Irina Matveeva, a psychologist and certified NLP specialist, with whom We got in touch for a comment here. “In the end, if you are interested in communicating with someone—this is also a useful quality, isn’t it?
“Trust, loyalty and fidelity are incredibly important in adolescence—you can have a huge social circle, in real life and online, but only a few people will be of real importance to you. And if there are no such people, then in adulthood it’s a serious problem anyway.”
#13
People talking about party plans in front of you, but not inviting you.
#14
Leaving you on “seen” for a week while responding to other mutual friends’ messages.
#15
My friends not calling me to do a 5k because im too fat and slow. “They figured I didnt want to do it”.
When I found out, I was so insulted, I lost 100lbs and ran the 5k 6 months later lol.
“The skills of adaptation to new people are actually an incredibly useful thing at any age, and in any case, getting attached to one or several people throughout your entire life, disappearing into them, is not always very good.
“Because, for example, these friendly feelings may not be mutual. In any case, you shouldn’t withdraw into yourself if there’s an opportunity to find a new social circle, new people who will be important to you,” Irina sums up.
By the way, some experts advise analyzing yourself in such situations—maybe it’s our communication features, or the underestimation or overestimation of ourselves that prevent us from making friends? In the end, understanding yourself is always a universal tool that helps in most cases. Because the most important person for us, and the person who will always be with us, is actually ourselves.
#16
When you’ve met someone more than once but they still say “hey, nice to meet you!”.
#17
Nobody told me or my sister that grandma died because they didn’t want us to tell [our] dad because they didn’t want him at the funeral.
#18
Being “forgotten” to be invited to the corporate lunch.
Well, we sincerely hope there will be as few unpleasant situations and stories like these in your life as possible, but if they ever did take place, we would also highly appreciate you telling these tales in the comments below this list. In the end, maybe in the discussion of these comments you will find yourself a new friend, who knows?
#19
There’s the WhatsApp group you’re all in, but most people are in another different group …
#20
Your class forgetting to invite you to your ten year reunion.
#21
Being seated at the kids table during family events because there’s no room.
#22
Not having a friend group chat. All my coworkers mention their group chats with their friends. Why am I not close enough friends with people to have a group chat? I tell myself maybe I’m just old but I’m only 40.
#23
One time my friend called me and said she made a box of cookies for me but I have to pick it up at another friend’s house.
I was so happy thinking that she must have really valued our friendship to make a box of cookies for me.
And then I went to facebook and found out that they (my friend and the one that has the cookies box) had a party where they made cookies and I wasnt invited. The box that she wanted to gift me was hers. She made it then forgot to bring it home but cbf to come back to pick it up. I just happened to live near the house where they held the party.
#24
Not getting an invitation for the wedding, only the reception afterwards. While the rest of the friend group get invited, including their partners.
#25
No one replied your message in a whatsapp group and they carry on with other conversations.
#26
Being invited to an event on the day – an event that has been weeks or months in the planning. Cos if invited on the day, you know you’re just making up numbers. A seat filler.
#27
Cancelling on you constantly would be my best guess.
#28
Being invited to a party, showing up and the host asks why you are there.
#29
Anything with volunteering and being told that they’re full.
#30
When a couple asked if you wanna come to their wedding. “It’s spontaneous, but we got some cancel.”.
#31
For two consecutive days during break one of my colleagues happened to sit down at our table right before we all had to get up and leave. It felt like we were deliberately bullying him but it was just coincidence 😅.
#32
I do CrossFit and there have been numerous times I’m the only person who doesn’t have a partner for a workout and I get forced as someone’s third or with someone who is at a vastly different level. Feels no different from it happening growing up and is still demoralizing.
#33
Being single for the greater part of your adult life by far.
#34
Being at a company 20 years and interviewing for, but never being actually considered for a promotion….
#35
A job application telling you they’ll consider you in the future.
#36
When a coworker ignores your friend request on Facebook but they’re friends with all your other coworkers.
#37
When your friend from childhood you talk to calls you and then regularly right after says they’re getting a phone call and have to go, because it’s the person they called first who is calling them back and they’d rather talk to that person.