1A produces a completely normal and not at all uncomfortable show about awkwardness

WAMU 88.5 | By Haili Blassingame

Published September 18, 2024 at 7:57 AM EDT

A hallway is empty with most of the lights off and one classroom light still on on what would otherwise be a blended learning school day at Yung Wing School P.S. 124 in New York City.

It’s the last day of high school and you’re finally going to tell your crush how you feel. You’ve worn your favorite top and practiced what you’re going to say a dozen times. And right before you make your big confession, your crush looks at you and says they’ve always had a crush on… your best friend.

Or maybe you’ve forgotten your boss’s birthday and when you walk into their office, they think you’re about to give them a card, but instead you ask for a raise.Or what if you tuned into the program today and just heard silence for several minutes instead of an intro?

All of this would probably make you feel pretty… awkward.

Most of us have experienced awkward moments in our lives, whether it’sstuttering in front of a crush or presenting an idea at a meeting that’s met with crickets.But avoiding awkwardness can mean not having necessary conversations or missing out on meaningful connections that may have started with an awkward exchange.

What can we learn from awkward situations when we sit with them instead of running from them?