Young folks typically want to fit in and be cool to impress those around them. They would say or do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. Unfortunately, only when looking back in hindsight do they realize how stupid and cringy their behavior actually was. Instead of coming off as suave and impressive, these people share how they managed to survive truly embarrassing and often painful experiences in their moment of uncool glory.
1. First Time For Everything
When I was just a kid, about 8 years old, my sister's teenage friends came to visit. Desperate to impress them, I made a bold move on the trampoline.
Foolishly, I declared that I'd do a backflip, something I'd never actually tried before. I got exactly what I deserved—I landed smack-dab on my neck and ended up with a broken wrist.
2. Jealousy Got Me Right Between The Eyes
I was hanging out in my dad's car while he was off shopping, with a buddy of mine chilling in the back seat. Suddenly, one of his pals showed up and they started chatting away.
Seeing them smiling and laughing in conversation made me feel somewhat left out and a tinge of jealousy creeped in. In that moment, I came up with a crafty idea to regain attention. I decided to roll down my window, call the guy outside, and commanded him to punch me.
I was pretty confident that he couldn't pack enough punch to cause me real pain, but it would surely demonstrate my toughness to everyone around. The boy looked perplexed and asked, "Why?"
With a casual shrug, I repeated, "Just punch me".
At last, he stepped forward and surprisingly gave me a solid punch—straight onto my face while I was expecting it on my shoulder. I sat in shock, biting back tears, as he and my friend continued their conversation as if nothing had happened.
3. In The Name Of Love
Back when I was in third grade, I decided to scale a tree to retrieve my friend's stuck kite. I had a bit of a crush on her. However, just when I was nearly at the top, the branch gave way. I ended up tumbling down and breaking my arm.
Once I got home, I pretended that everything was fine, like it was just an ordinary day. Yet, the moment I was alone, I cried my eyes out.
4. Wish I Could Gobble Up My Words
One time, I mentioned to a person that I owned a pet turkey. I don't even know why I even said it. I was in my early years, just about six, and I figured it would sound awesome.
But how did I manage to wiggle my way out of this lie? Well, I was lucky because Thanksgiving was just about to roll in.
5. Leap Of Faith
So, to wow this girl, I plunged from a 76-foot cliff. I was mostly successful, but truthfully, quite dimwitted.
That particular 76-foot point hadn't seen any jumpers that day—it was lot more than hearsay from the local folks that had steered me there. But heck, I just took the leap anyways.
6. Dare To Be Stupid—Done!
During my fourth-grade year, I pretended to have a seizure in the cafeteria because my friend dared me to.
The entire room fell silent after my act, until I heard my friend—the one who dared me—bursting out in laughter.
When the teachers realized what happened, their sheer anger was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. The result? A week of detention at school and a serious scolding when I returned home.
My family later moved to a different state and I had to leave that school.
7. Shades Of Embarrassment
When I was in the first grade, I was extremely envious of kids who wore glasses. So one day, I decided to wear an old set of my mom's sunglasses andI told my classmates they were prescription glasses. Can you imagine me, just 6 years old, strutting around school in huge sunglasses straight out of the 1970s? I could barely see anything through them!
Of course, my teacher immediately caught on but instead of embarrassing me, she played along—for a bit. Each time I removed them to read the chalkboard, she urged me to put them back on. Eventually, she called my mom to fill her in on my little ruse.
She was upset that I fabricated a story to her and my teacher. Consequently, the following day, I told my friends I had switched to contact lenses. It was a pretty wild claim back then, considering contacts weren't common, and certainly not for kids.
8. The Truth Is…
Back in fifth grade, I'd faked being a street hockey player to look cool and tough. I used to sport a phony sling for my arm, swearing I injured it during a hockey game.
But the truth was totally different—I was just a cute little geeky girl weighing around 80 pounds, who loved nothing more than burying herself in magazines about cats and hoarding Polly Pockets.
9. Staying Alive And Not Looking Cool
When I was around the age of 19, I found myself in a nightclub with a couple of buddies. While leaving the bar area, I spotted a group of girls comfortably settled in a booth.
I was genuinely enjoying myself and I wanted to make a suave impression. So, as we walked by, I extended my arm to its full length and pointed in their direction, kind of like how I thought John Travolta might do.
But things quickly took a turn for the worst when, due to not watching my path, I managed to walk headfirst into a wall.
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10. The Glory And Gore Are All Mine
When I was 18, I attended a gig where my favorite local band was performing. In the middle of a bustling mosh pit, I got really excited and hopped up on stage to show my support for the band.
Aiming for a grand exit, I planned to backflip into the crowd. Unfortunately, my calculations were off and my lower leg hit the metallic rim of the stage pretty hard.
The incident resulted in a deep 4-inch cut on my leg that revealed my shin bone. It was so bad, I had to stay in the hospital for three days.
11. My Self-Respect Melted Before My Eyes
One sunny day, I stepped outside and noticed my attractive neighbor enjoying the sun in her front yard. At the time, I was just a teen and had a mind to make a good impression.
The temperature was well above 100 degrees that afternoon, but undeterred, I leapt up to grab the ledge of my roof to begin a bout of pull ups. However, mid-way through the second one, it hit me that my hands were practically sizzling.
I let go without a second thought, letting out a loud yell. The end result was me landing on my tailbone, fingers seared, and my attempt to impress her was a resounding flop.
12. What A Rash Move
On the final day of seventh grade, I surprisingly hadn't yet experienced poison ivy. So, naturally, I concluded that I was probably invincible to it.
Deciding to make a show of it, I loudly announced to everyone in my vicinity that I was entirely immune to poison ivy. When they seemed skeptical, I proved my point by grabbing a handful of it and smearing it all over my face. This was, obviously, a big mistake.
It turns out, much to my misfortune, I'm not immune at all. That was quite a tough way to kick off the summer break.
13. Whispers Into Thin Air
Back in first grade, I used to behave as if my belt had a device similar to a walkie talkie attached to it. I'd quietly talk into my belt, acting like I was communicating with the FBI or some other fanciful idea like that. I earned a reputation as the kid who chatted to his belt.
14. Odd One Out
When I hit 14, I got this idea in my head that the ultimate way to win friends and influence people my age was to adopt a moody look, garbed in complete black, and pen down horribly dramatic, angst-ridden poems.
As Morrissey crooned, "I wear black on the outside because black is how I feel on the inside," I deeply identified with him. It felt like we were two peas in a pod.
I guess, in my mind, I believed that my friends would see me as a smart, budding philosopher, and seek my advice. I'm not too sure about the rationale behind shaping myself into a fake persona (and a gloomy one, no less) to get in the good books of the other kids.
Luckily, I moved past all that just in time to make a handful of genuine friends during my high school years.
15. Spilling My Hopes And Dreams Everywhere
Back in my grade school days, there was a girl I was trying to impress.
To me, the epitome of cool was wearing oversized outfits and backpacks that dangled down to your knees. I intentionally guided myself home following the same route as her. Once the school bell rang, I'd swap my usual clothes for an extra large t-shirt and loosen my backpack straps until they would knock against my knees.
I recall attempting to strut confidently right in front of her during our walk home. The strutting was so excessive that my backpack straps ended up snapping. Consequently, my backpack scraped the ground, spilling all my books and even my lunchbox along the way.
I sprinted all the distance to my house leaving remnants of my embarrassment and my aspirations in a trail behind me.
16. Thanks For Playing Along
Back when I was in sixth grade, I used to doodle all over my notebook, trying my hand at what I thought were grown-up signatures. It seemed innocent enough—but I really stretched the fib.
I even spun a charming little tale for my teacher, insisting that my mom was pals with the Lakers basketball team and, what do you know, I had all their autographs!
Looking back, I realize those doodles were far from being real signatures. Still, it was pretty cool of my teacher to humor me.
17. Sounds Like Desperation
When I was in first grade, my bedroom window was right across from my crush's window.
One day, I decided it might impress her if I played the Pocahontas soundtrack loudly and acted like I was the one actually singing. My plan was to make her believe I had a great singing voice. I'm not sure how I planned to justify the full orchestra sound, but she never brought it up.
18. Not A Proud Moment
When I was 10, touch screen phones, particularly iPhones, fascinated me. I thought they were the most amazing technology. At the time, I had an iPod touch. So, I decided to download an app that simulated a phone ring. The screen also displayed illusionary incoming calls. To top it off, I got a chunky phone case to make it look more like a real iPhone.
One day, I was traveling on the subway with my mom. I set a timer on my iPod app for it to ring in five minutes. When it went off, I swiped the fake lock screen and acted as if I was on a phone call.
After about three minutes of this pretend phone call, my mom interrupted and told me to quit it, reminding me that you can't receive calls underground anyway.
The subway was packed with passengers, and I've genuinely never felt more embarrassed.
19. Stunt Gone Wrong
A few 15-year-old girls moved into my neighborhood when I was just nine.
One bright day, my pals and I thought we'd impress them with our bicycle stunts. I was doing my best Evel Knievel impression when suddenly, my handlebars froze up and I crashed face-first onto the pavement.
Their father had to carry me all the way home as I sobbed and bled. My front teeth had sliced my inner lip deeply, and blood was pouring from my nose. Even though I probably needed stitches, it was 1980, so all they did was place an ice pack on my battered face.
Now, at 51, I still bear the mark of that accident. I didn't manage to look cool that day, and I admit it's been a challenge ever since.
20. Leap Of Stupidity
In my little league baseball days, there were a couple of kids who had the knack for executing amazing diving catches. I couldn't resist the urge to show that I could do it too. So I leapt into the air, arm stretched out and all—but the end result was FAR from ideal. I landed flat on my face and the ball was nowhere near me.
Looking at their chuckles and grins, my coach and teammates surely thought that I was the team clown. And to be honest, I couldn't help but agree.
21. On The Slow Train
In my early years at school, I flew through each grade and took advanced courses. I was set to finish high school at the age of 15. But then, I stepped on the brakes out—I began craving acceptance and popularity among my peers so much that I feared excelling might make them resent me.
So I deliberately reduced my efforts and level in all my classes, and distanced myself from anything 'advanced'. I wanted to blend in and become "ordinary" and "cool".
Looking back, I've spent a considerable amount of time regretting that side-step, and I'm now putting my all into catching up to where, I believe, I should have been all along.
22. Don’t Show And Tell
When I was seven, I had hosted a Girl Scouts gathering at my home. Post-meeting, we decided to stay outdoors and have some fun. To make things more interesting, I introduced my "Skip It" toy to the play.
I honestly don't recall how long we toyed around with that, however, at one point, the idea occurred to me to use it as a tool to demonstrate the so-called "unbreakable" nature of our basement windows.
Turns out, the windows were indeed breakable and as a consequence, I found myself in a bit of a pickle.
23. Hurting More Than Just My Pride
During recess, I was attempting to get the attention of a girl I liked. She was perched at the top of the slide, ready to come down. I made my way up the slide's exterior railing, projecting a brave front to impress her. Things were sailing smoothly until a buddy showed up and shoved me off.
I took a tumble backwards, fell a drop of roughly eight feet, and found myself landing on my wrist. It suffered fractures in three places. Despite the throbbing pain, I brushed it off, maintaining my cool facade. Rising to my feet, I casually mentioned to my friend that I'd injured my arm and wouldn't be going up the slide anymore.
After school, I went home to share the news of my injury with my dad. I remember him gasping at the sight of my wrist. Instantly, he ushered me into the car, obviously alarmed by the swelling. We went to the hospital, where X-rays were taken and I was fitted with a cast that enveloped my arm, reaching beyond my elbow.
The following day at school, my cast caused quite a reaction. My nonchalant demeanor in handling a broken wrist shot me to the top of the popularity ladder. I was now known as the brave kid, and my story was retold for years. Unforutnately, the girl never became my girlfriend.
24. Shades Of Tackiness
During the initial three weeks of my final school year, I sported yellow-tinted glasses. I thought they were the coolest thing—but my happiness was crushed instantly.
My sister visited one weekend and jokingly remarked how everything probably looked like it was bathed in pee. I didn't put those glasses on again after that.
25. Lies To Impress
Once in middle school, the most stunning girl in our class, who also happened to sit next to me, asked me if she was pretty right in front of the entire class.
I replied, "No," with a stone-cold expression. The whole room burst into laughter. She wasn't upset at me, surprisingly enough. But later on, I kicked myself for lying just to amuse my classmates. I can't help but think that if I'd told her how I really felt, that I liked her, I perhaps could've gone out with her.
26. A Fib To Regret
I once falsely claimed to everyone that I had kissed a girl, when the truth was the complete opposite.
I cannot forget how much shame I felt when someone called me out on it. That incident happened when I was only 14, and now, even at 38, it remains the worst embarrassment of my life.
27. Shattered Intelligence
I ended up hurting my wrist badly and having to rush to the hospital after I stuck my hand through an abandoned house's window.
Just days before, I had watched a TV show that demonstrated how a car's window could be smashed with a rock or a piece of ceramic.
This intrigued me and my friends, so we decided to try it out on a dilapidated house nearby. I hurled a rock at the window expecting it to shatter. I was totally unaware that the glass used in buildings and cars are notably different. With confidence, I announced to my buddies, "Check this out!" and, linking my hands together, I pushed against the window.
Sure, it shattered—but it also left a sharp fragment of glass that slashed my right wrist badly!
28. What A Unique Move
Back in my first grade, I jazzed up my identity by dubbing myself Fimp. I concocted it and believed it was pretty rad and unique.
However, instead of the intended cool effects, somebody labeled me as "Fimp the wimp". This nickname stuck with my classmates for a good couple of years…
In the next year, I cranked up my cool-meter by tweaking the way I walked. I had this distinct extra bounce on my right foot with each step. Recently, I came across a video of my younger self flaunting this quirky walk, and believe me, I appeared to be a gimp—Fimp, the wimpy gimp.
29. Losing More Than Just My Dignity
When I was a kid, around 10 or 11 years old, I was fascinated by scars. Thinking it'd be cool, I picked up a piece of broken glass and accidentally cut my arm. I bled so much that I passed out; my mom had to ring up an ambulance. The doctors stitched up my wound and left me with a prominent scar that I still carry with me.
30. An Epic Fail
While riding our two-level school bus, I missed my usual stop. Rather than creating a fuss or making a fool of myself trying to get the bus to stop, I decided to just jump off.
The bus was moving at a pace between five and 10 miles per hour.
Sadly, my attempt was disastrous. I tumbled twice and smacked into a lamppost. This mishap provided a hearty laugh for everyone on the bus.
31. If I Had Only Listened
When I was in the eighth grade, my buddies and I were hanging out at the neighborhood playground on Halloween night, dressed in our costumes, waiting for the rest of our crew.
The playground was equipped with a tall rope climbing tower. Feeling confident, I bragged to a friend about my knack for climbing it. She whipped out her phone and started timing as I scrambled up.
The feat drew everyone's attention. Next, I boasted about my speedy descent, despite her cautioning it was a bad idea. Naturally, this sparked encouragement from the crowd.
Now, I had done this loads of times, but never while donned in Sunday flats and a Halloween outfit.
Unfortunately, I lost my grip on the ropes and took a 5-foot tumble, smacking into several ropes as I plummeted. The result was a painful 4"-long rope burn on my leg. Shortly after, I had to ditch my friends, getting help from one to hobble home to treat my wounded leg.
It took a month for my leg to fully recover and a whopping five years for the sight of the scar to finally fade. My fall that night has since become an infamous tale in our group. And the pal who guided me home that fateful night, well, she's banned me from climbing rope towers entirely.
32. Standing Out Of The Crowd
At the state fair, I chose to be a little unique, sporting a full suit and toting a mini fold-up fan. Plus, I was often found in black turtlenecks and had a peculiar habit of purchasing books simply for their size, just so I could be seen lugging around a massive novel. Yep, I sure was an oddball as a kid.
33. Train To Nowhere
I remember being at a party in a house that had some railway tracks approximately 50 yards at the back. A four-foot-tall chain link fence was all that separated us from the tracks.
After we'd enjoyed a generous share of drinks, a few of us found ourselves in the backyard. Suddenly, we noticed that a train had pulled up behind the house.
The four of us, including me, enthusiastically were dared to reach the train and jump on it, and we did. One of the lads was so intoxicated, he couldn't even cross half the yard. Another lad hilariously collided with the fence at top speed, ending up flat on his behind.
The remaining friend and I managed to negotiate the fence and hop onto the train just as it began to chug forward. We gave a triumphant wave to our party mates as the train started pulling away. And just before it picked up speed, we hopped off and clumsily made it back to the fun.
34. A Wounded Self-Esteem
I'd stick plasters on my arms hoping folks would see me as strong. Cringe.
35. The Pain Paid Off
Back in seventh grade, I had a massive crush on a boy. To win his admiration, I crafted a plan to showcase my toughness—convinced him that I was basically impervious to pain, even when I intuitively wasn't.
With this mission in mind, I let him fling an entire red ant hill at me during our break time. Armed with gloves, he scooped the mound up and launched it directly at my face.
All the while, I stood my ground, feigning nonchalance as I was repeatedly bitten by the ants. However, as soon as he was distracted, I scampered off to the restroom where a friend frantically splashed cups of water on me to relieve the discomfort.
Miraculously, we did eventually end up as a couple, so I suppose my ludicrous scheme paid off somehow.
36. Half-Baked Idea Gone Wrong
Back when I was a sophomore, I played a prank on a friend by baking cookies with dog poop and giving it to him. But that was the joke of it all—he would eat virtually anything.
However, he had been sick for a full day, throwing up frequently before coming to school, yet he didn't suspect anything odd about the cookies.
Once I confessed, he rushed off to the nurse's office to get sick but chose not to turn me in. However, my best friend at that time reported me out of anger as she was upset that I embarrassed him.
Surprisingly, I became a sort of secretive legend at school. People were discussing a story about someone who pulled off this prank, not knowing that I was the culprit.
I would reveal it was me, and they would laugh, probably because I had always been the quiet, unassuming one. The buzz and intrigue around this incident were quite incredible.
The story soon reached the principal's ear, and he confronted me. His accusation was jaw-dropping—he told me I was guilty of "bio-terrorism". To protect myself, I lied, claiming that I had only made up the entire thing and there were no dog feces in the cookies.
By this point, I had already discarded the cookies, so I had to retrieve a batch from the trash for him. He seemed uncertain about what to do next. Since school rules didn't permit him to make me taste the cookies, he let me go, promising to revisit the matter.
A few hours later, I was back in his office. Cue the awkward silence. After a few minutes, he then revealed that he had taste-tested the suspicious cookies himself. He confirmed they didn't taste unusual, so he decided not to punish me but warned me not to pull such a stunt again.
37. Curls Of Desperation
I really didn't like my hair but wasn't sure how to fix it.
My mom wasn't any help at all in this matter. She had the idea that boys should just run a comb through their hair and nothing more. In her eyes, things like hairspray, gel, and other hair products were meant for women only, so she suggested, "Perhaps you should consider getting a perm".
Assuming her advice would give me a trendy '80s mullet look, I went along with her. The outcome, however, was a bit of a shock—I ended up resembling Richard Simmons.
My new nickname became "Curly" for a good three months.
38. Stop Bugging Me
When I was in the third grade, I decided to pull a funny stunt during our Christmas play. I don't know what triggered the idea, but my brain imagined it would be hilarious to act like a fly was bothering me right in the middle of a song.
I began to mime a confused expression, batting away at an invisible insect circling my head. The audience watched me slightly puzzled, but no one confronted me about it.
Later, I found out the entire play was filmed and each parent received a copy. As luck would have it, the cameraperson focused on my comical act precisely when I was frantically pretending to fend off the nonexistent bug. Upon viewing the tape, my teacher humorously highlighted the fact that there are rarely any flies around in December.
However, this incident led some of my classmates to treat me as though I was a bit loopy for some time. Looking back, I might have been...
39. It’s Crystal Clear Now
Back in third grade, I was jealous of my buddy who had glasses. I thought he was the height of cool and glasses seemed to be his secret. So, I figured if I got glasses, I'd be cool as well. That very day, I managed to persuade my mom that my vision had become blurry, and I couldn't read the school's chalkboard properly.
We ended up visiting an optometrist, and shockingly, I tricked him as well. He prescribed me a pair of glasses that caused a painful squint each time I tried them on.
The irony is, the friend I admired so much wasn't even that cool. He was like a carbon copy of Milhouse. Regrettably, he ended up switching schools due to bullying he faced quite frequently.
So who do you think got thrown into the spotlight after him? Yup, me.
40. Time To Straighten More Than Just My Teeth
I was so desperate to have braces as a kid. To get what I wanted, I got creative—I'd reshape paper clips and pretend they were my retainers. Even though it led to a lot of cheek discomfort, I couldn't deny how awesome it made me feel.
41. The Filthiest Dip
At the 4-H camp, the 'in-crowd' planned to sneak away from the motivational talk and go swimming after dark. Figuring I wanted to fit in, I went along with them.
Within moments, shouts echoed towards us, with a camp supervisor hot on our trail. The rest dashed back to our lodgings, but I chose to take cover under a bed. The supervisor caught up with us, warning that a dip in the nearby pond was ill-advised because it was actually a sewage treatment lagoon.
As I was rinsing off later, one of the 'popular kids' turned to his buddy, puzzled. "Who even is that guy?" He shrugged. "No idea. I guess he was just trying to fit in".
42. Self-Sabotage Hurts
Once upon a time in junior high, I was strolling through the corridors when a group of girls hollered from behind me. They teasingly said, "Hey, did you know Katie has a crush on you?" Just so you know, Katie was really good looking.
Without thinking, I instantly retorted, "Well, then let her know that I don't think I'm grown-up enough to be dating girls. I won't entertain the idea of dating until I'm older".
After this bold response, I strutted away with a proud grin, almost as if I'd just uttered the wisest words...
43. That Sure Did Sting
When I was around six or seven, our school held an assembly on the topic of nicknames. The responsible teacher started the session by asking who among us had nicknames, and what those were.
I always desired to have a fun nickname. One of my classmates got up and revealed his nickname was "Red Ranger". His real name was Jason, which matched the Red Power Ranger, and I was green with envy.
Subsequently, the younger, less wise version of me believed that if I concocted a nickname on the spot and announced it in front of everyone, they would begin to call me by that name. Then I'd have the rad nickname I always wanted!
With limited time to ponder, and considering my naive kid logic, the best name I could create was "Mega Sting". So, I bravely stood in front of the entire school and all the teachers, announcing that my nickname was Mega Sting.
Later that day, I informed my family that I had finally achieved a nickname, and it was Mega Sting. They've been teasing me about it ever since. And here I am, a 24-year-old still known as Mega Sting.
What a fun memory!
Pexels
44. Saving The World But Not My Pride
Back in my childhood, I had a big thing for inventing my own superheroes. Every day, when I was headed to preschool—and often to kindergarten too—I'd look absolutely outrageous. I'd turn up in a cape, a vibrant yellow bandana, a vest with a cowhide pattern, and even chaps sometimes.
To be honest, I'm not too sure about the whole concept of the superhero guy that I'd imagined back then. But I had this unwavering belief that it certainly impressed the girls.
45. Nobody Fell For It
I would often purposely trip or stumble when I was around girls I fancied, hoping they'd notice and come to my aid. I'd daydream that they'd say, "Oh no, you've fallen! Let me take care of you... With my affection...".
But in reality, every time I'd fall over, hardly anyone would give me a second glance. And the few who did would just chuckle and walk away.
46. The Longest Moment In My Childhood
Back when I was in the second grade, I came up with this fun idea to record a song on a cassette tape, kind of like giving a personal shout-out to everyone in my class.
The song went a bit like this: "Hello, Alex! What's up, Sam?! Fancy shoes, Colleen!"
I had our teacher play it during class time. However, not long into the song, I suddenly realized that this wasn't such a great idea after all. Those following four minutes felt like eternity to my younger self.
47. What An Ooey, Gooey Mess
I dyed my hair a frosty blonde and made an attempt to style it with gel, just like most of the cool guys in my seventh-grade class did. However, since I'd never used gel before, I ended up overdoing it and arrived at school with ridiculous over-gelled hair. Plus, there was a huge blob of gel stuck right in the center of my hair.
48. Nothing To Smile About
When I was in middle school, I thought gum-chewers were the epitome of cool. To imitate them, I'd mimic the chewing action, often when I actually didn't have any gum. This had disastrous results—I had no idea it would lead to a lifelong teeth grinding habit.
By the time I hit 30, my teeth were as worn down as someone twice my age. To salvage what was left, I had to get some teeth reconstructed. Now, I can't risk a 20-minute nap without wearing a mouth guard.
49. Sorry, Mom For My Childhood Inspiration
During my kindergarten days, we delved into 'The Old Woman in a Shoe'—specifically the version in which the old lady is a bit destitute and seems to overlook the welfare of her children.
This story struck a chord with me, so much so that I found myself in a big, fat lie—I told my friends that my mom only served me bread and water for meals, and how my makeshift bed was the hard, cold floor.
Word spread to my classmates' parents, provoking puzzled faces and judgmental sidelong glances every time mom came to collect me from school. My teacher even asked to speak to her, along with a lady with a clipboard who I now believe was someone from child services or the like.
This bewildering mystery, however, unraveled when I came clean about my storytelling. To this day, decades later, it's a story my mother loves to recount on various occasions!
50. That Was The Stupidest Pact
I chose to label Barbie dolls as "uncool". I even teased the other girls in my class who were still into them. But I was keeping a deep, twisted secret—after school, I'd play with these dolls with my closest friend. We promised to keep this our secret, aiming to uphold our image of being cool.
At that point, we were just five-year-olds attending kindergarten. Reflecting on the past, I understand now how silly I was as a kid, not knowing what being 'cool' truly meant. I should've proudly displayed my Barbie collection instead.
