Hello, Oh No!

Most of us have had the “Hello, Oh No” moment.

You’re walking down the street, minding your own business, when you see someone you know. You raise your hand to say hello, but just as you do, they look away.

It’s a moment of pure awkwardness. Just like extending your hand for a handshake and it’s not noticed, as can be seen in the post –  Missed Handshake!

You’re not sure if they didn’t see you, or if they did see you and just didn’t want to say hello. Either way, it’s enough to make you want to crawl into a hole and disappear.

There are a few possible explanations for why someone might do this. Maybe they genuinely didn’t see you, (Personally, I try to refrain from waving at bespectacled people, that is, people that wear glasses – until we’re close enough, because they may just not see you from afar).

It could be they’re shy and don’t know how to start a conversation.

Or maybe they’re just not interested in talking to you.

Whatever the reason, it’s important not to take it personally. Everyone has their own reasons for doing things, and it doesn’t always mean anything about you.

So the next time you find yourself in this situation, try to laugh it off,  there’s always next time.

In the meantime, here are a few tips for avoiding this awkward situation in the future:

• Make eye contact before you raise your hand. This will give the other person a chance to see you and prepare to greet you.
• Smile when you say hello. This will make you seem more approachable and less threatening.
• If the other person doesn’t seem to want to talk, don’t take it personally. Just keep walking.

Remember, it’s not always easy to know what to do in social situations. But by following these tips, you can avoid the awkward “hello…oh no” moment and make more positive interactions with the people around you.

A good way to deal with the situation if it does happen to you is to pretend you were waving at someone else and keep walking!

Any way you choose to deal with the situation if it happens, handle it with grace.

Don’t let it get you down. It’s just one of those things that happens sometimes. So next time you find yourself in this situation, try to keep your cool and laugh it off!