Listen, I’m not ashamed to admit that I had absolutely zero idea what I was doing when I did THON 2022’s line dance for the first time. Plus, I already can’t dance. Trying to learn the line dance for the first time? Forget about it.

To put the awkward shame of not knowing the line dance into perspective, we rounded up a few shared experiences that are someone less uncomfortable.

Getting A Second Form Of ID For A Bouncer

This is a very strange feeling. I don’t know if I should be insulted that they don’t trust me or flattered because they think I’m younger than I actually am. But regardless, rummaging through your wallet for your student ID is a strange and awkward practice that I think is unnecessary, especially when you come to the same establishment on a weekly or even daily basis.

Squeezing Past People In Thomas 100 Or The Forum

It’s a common sight in your typical lecture hall here on campus. Someone overslept and stumbled into Thomas 100 in their dirty sweatpants and sweatshirt, and the only seat that’s open is in the middle of the third row. Now, they need to squeeze through an inch of space in order to get to their desk. Maybe they’ll accidentally drop something or spill their coffee or even hit someone in the face with their bag. It’s a very unpleasant situation for all parties involved, but it’s nowhere near a first-time line dance.

Slipping On The Ice Around Campus

Getting around campus during the winter is like a little game, with the goal being not breaking any bones or tearing ACLs. Ice is so common here in State College in the winter months. But what hurts more than the physical pain you feel after a slippery spill? The stranger across the street sees you hit the dirt. No words, no checking in, they just continue going to where they’re going, and you’re just laying there wallowing in your shame. It’s a tough scene, but not as bad as not knowing the line dance.

Trying To Find Your Friends At A Sporting Event

We’ve all been there. You get through Gate A after all your friends went in ahead of you, and now you have the tall task of trying to find a needle in a haystack. So, doing your best meerkat impression, you make yourself tall or try to stand on a bleacher, looking quickly and desperately for your group. The act of walking around Beaver Stadium or the Bryce Jordan Center itself can feel a bit awkward, but having to find your three or four friends in a group of a hundred people is just so much worse.

Requesting The Wrong Stop On The Blue Loop

Maybe this is just a “me thing,” but I have definitely done this before. I’ve shamefully pulled the yellow wire and realized that I am supposed to get off at the next stop. So, the bus pulls over, and we just sit there awkwardly as no one gets off the bus. It truly is a low point in pure awkwardness, but not as bad as a naive line dance.

People Singing You ‘Happy Birthday’

This is one of those things that feels awkward for no reason, and there’s no clear answer why. You just sit there with your cake in front of you and a birthday hat on while 20 people just stare at you, half-heartedly singing a song that is not really all that catchy. You’re there to eat your cake and open your presents, not be awkwardly stared at and sung to.

The ‘Birds & The Bees’ Talk

One of my least favorite memories ever is the day I had to talk about puberty with my parents. And in a very close second, it’s the day the school nurse came into the classroom and showed us some very awkward and uncomfortable videos. But I’d take going back to 2009 in my fifth grade classroom and watching those videos again over needing to do the line dance for the first time any day.