"Um..."

Whether it's the company or the conversation, we have all been there at one point or another, and it just so happened to me the other night. I had to attend an awkward dinner party. Thank goodness I had a friend with me to laugh at the most uncomfortable moments.

First, my invitation was from the older woman who I am staying with this summer, so it would have been extremely rude to say no. In the invitation, she happily added, “I’m inviting the boy from down the street; he’s about your age.”

Now, if you ever hear these words come from an older woman who has not seen you go on a date in about a month… run! Her intentions may have been good, but the outcome was the exact opposite.

As I descended the stairs to meet my new hubby, I saw the most awkward boy I had ever seen, and I was clearly a few years older than him.

All I can say is thank goodness the food was good, because the conversation was awkward. The older woman, who had invited me, went on and on about random topics until she tried to make a joke about the gentleman caller having a lot of girlfriends. Needless to say, he did not understand the joke, and from what I can imagine, the reason was because he has never had an encounter with a woman before.

I’m pretty sure if I had known the hand signal for all Star Trek lovers, he would have asked me on a date. But this sock-and-sandal-wearing man was not interested in me to say the least, nor was I in him.

If you ever find yourself in this kind of situation just remember the five fun tips to keep your head afloat:

1. Remember that sometimes, the worst situations can be the funniest ones, so have a good laugh at yourself.

2. If you are of age, make sure your glass is never empty, but don't make the dinner more awkward by becoming that one drunk girl.

3. Hopefully, the food is good; be thankful for the free meal.

4. If you have nothing in common with the other guests, take the time to learn something new. You never know, maybe you will gain a new hobby.

5. Bring a friend so that both of you will have a story to tell at the next awkward dinner party you attend.

Have you ever been set up before? How did you handle it?

Olivia Lewis| Image: Source