17 Awkward Office Moments They Don't Prepare You For In College

Look at you! You've graduated college and you're just DYING to get out there and strut your stuff in the oh, so exciting world of the American office space. However, it won't be long before you realize that school didn't exactly prepare you for some of the most common and excruciatingly awkward situations that can happen in the office. If you haven't already run into them, here are a few examples of how quickly things can get really weird in your workplace.

Getting a little too casual on casual Friday.

Jeans and a casual button-down are a safe bet for most companies. Strapless dresses, flip-flops, Iron Maiden T-shirts, and those pants that say “tasty” on the butt are not. That’s how you get nicknames around the office.

Office parties

Is there alcohol (if not, what are you doing there)? How much is acceptable to drink? What’s the small talk sweet spot that’s somewhere between boring and awkward? Is that your HR rep in the corner staring at you with a pen and paper in his hands? Better dust off that résumé pal.

Getting caught staring at a co-worker.

Especially if you were staring at a particularly ATTACTIVE co-worker. Now you’re not only a creep, you’re just another statistic.

Catching a co-worker staring at YOU.

Should you say something or just pretend it didn’t happen?

Using the work gym and therefore the work locker room.

God help you if your boss is there at the same time you are.

Someone in the office ran out of paid time off…

…so they’ve decided to come in sick anyway and contaminate the ENTIRE OFFICE.

Now that guy won’t stop sneezing…

…and you’re not sure if you’re really obligated to say “bless you” for the 89th time after he’s already infected everyone on your floor.

You asked your office crush out for a drink. They said no.

As if being rejected wasn’t bad enough, now you both have to force awkward small talk in the break-room anytime either of you wants a yogurt. Real smooth, Casanova.

Making eye contact with a co-worker after you take a number two.

They know what you just did. You sure as hell know what you just did. Let’s go back to pretending that neither of us are putting too much thought into this (even though you both totally are).

When you offer to make coffee for one person…

…and somehow get stuck making coffee for the whole office, every day, until you die (at which point your children will inherit your coffee-making duties, beginning the cycle anew).