If you don't understand something, it's probably best to seek to gain an understanding of it before undertaking it or using it. This simple concept is a great way to approach all aspects of life—especially if the thing isn't yours. The problem is that people who are older or senior to you tend to think that just because of their position, they don't need to consult with subordinates or those who are lower or younger than them. Unfortunately, time spent on this earth doesn't mean time is used wi…

When a big snowstorm hit the Midwest, a group of teenage boys were ready to tackle the snowfall with their shovels. It's an easy way to make a few bucks for a teenager willing to put in the effort! As these four kids realized, all they needed were shovels. They probably expected that they'd rake in the cash… but they kind of just did things wrong, as u/beaversm26 explained in her story below. She was curious if she was in the wrong for the way she interacted with these teen boys . Maybe they've…

Rooming with other people for the first time in the twilight years of your teens and early twenties is a grab bag of experiences. No one has any idea how to best properly live life yet (not that we ever figure that one—if someone reading this has, please let me know), and everything is constantly changing around them. Decisions are made on the fly, with consequences being an afterthought. You might meet someone one week and hit it off, deciding to room for an entire year the next week—oh, what…

Cosmetic items in games continue to reach new highs—when it comes to pricing—and lows in terms of the actual value you're getting for what you're paying for. Back when we were playing Nintendo 64s, the last thing any of us would have imagined was that one day, we'd be paying for unfinished games and senseless cosmetics. Now, thanks to the rise of updates and downloadable content, even our favorite and storied developers are shipping games that are missing content to be added later as “updates”…

Think back: can you remember what you wrote your college application essays about? For many kids, the subject matter requested is a story about something meaningful that happened in your life that changed you as a person. However, as the college admission readers of the world will tell you, these essays get repetitive. It's the same old stories about meaningful times in life, stories about family issues, or tales of friendship struggles. As one reader noted, she refused to read any more essays…

It's generally accepted that you should let kids win at things there's nothing more embarrassing than watching a grown adult demolish kids in sports or games. (The iconic “Billy Madison” scene of Adam Sandler playing dodgeball with children comes to mind.) Of course, there are exceptions to this rule—like if you're an uncle—and there's more of a grey area around how long this should go on. When they're really young, it's more about maintaining their interest in the game you're playing together.…

You've got one chance to wow the university of your dreams! The pen is in your hand (or more realistically, your fingers are on the home keys) and you're trying to find the inspiration to write the perfect admissions essay. Suddenly, you forget everything you've learned in the last 12 years of school … what could you possibly write to a college admissions office to get them to let you into their esteemed school? College applications can be a big stressor for high school seniors. They have to su…

As the saying goes, the punishment must fit the crime, and if the repercussions are too severe, no one is learning anything, and you're simply going to create a bad memory and lifelong resentment that will get brought up in 20 years at tense family dinners and when your kids attempt to talk to you about the trauma that you unintentionally caused them. Of course, as a parent, even if you have the best of intentions, you're not going to get everything right all of the time . And as teenagers, we'…

This bride took to social media to address something that happened at her wedding, but she then quickly deleted the post . That's because she never addressed her family members about the issue in person! Awkward… What did she think was going to happen? Did she think they'd read the post, scoff at it, and then go on their way? Hardly, as you can read about in u/throwrathefinances's story below. As this woman shares, she and her daughter were a big part of her cousin Dana's wedding ceremony. Her…

What would you do if your family planned a surprise trip for everyone… except for you? It's an incredibly awkward situation to be in, as u/EEZAK04 explained. Next, read about the people who let money burn holes in their pocket and were just plain irresponsible with their cash, like one dude who “ spent like $20,000 on fidget spinners .”

Up next, read about how this snow shoveller got some excellently petty revenge on a neighbor who stole their parking spot, writing that they “must have poured about ten gallons of water on his car .”

This person is clearly an entrepreneur, but they may not have gained their money in the most ethical way. Some people just make money with ease. It seems like no matter where they go, they're picking up a side gig or talking to someone who has a quick job for them, earning them $20 or $100 here and there. Up next, this woman invited herself on her sister-in-law's 8-day-long vacation, leading her SIL to think that “ We don't need to be around each other 24/7 .”

Memories are a funny thing in that each memory is shaped and reformed every time you recall it, making them easily susceptible to suggestion. Essentially, every time you recall a memory, you destabilize it and partially “destroy” it with your brain, then completing a process called reconsolidation to re-store it with your current thoughts and emotions added. As a brief tangent, this one one of the reasons why witness testimony is so problematic. This fluidity and fallibility of memory and abili…

Regardless of whether or not you've achieved immaterial enlightenment or are neck deep in the current iteration of the social-media-fueled consumerist frenzy, it's more than likely that you possess things that are your favorite. Chances are these items have some sort of sentimental value—a keepsake from a loved one or photographs that are irreplaceable despite having no measurable value. They may have some monetary value, too, regardless of whether or not you'd ever want to sell them. Heck, may…

It really should go without saying that you can't just go around renaming people just because you don't like their name for some reason. Even if—no, especially if—that person is a foster kid under your care. Some things like this are so outrageously laughable and out-of-pocket that they would be silly if they weren't so cruel… This 16-year-old foster child found himself facing hostility from his new foster family's extended family, who apparently came to the decision that his name, “Nico,” was…

Spending the holidays with your husband's ex-wife sounds like prime material for a straight-to-streaming holiday-themed romantic comedy, but the reality is that it's not nearly as funny when it is your reality. This stepmother turned to this online community for advice on a complex personal problem she was facing and wondered if she was in the wrong for encouraging her 19-year-old stepdaughter to speak up about ending their joint family holiday gatherings with the stepdaughter's mother, her hus…