Up or Down??

I am 100 percent pro-hugs. I love them. They make you warm and smiley. Despite what most might think there are actual techniques to being a good hugger. It wouldn't be too far fetched to say that you can definitley rate hugs on a scale of 1 to 10. What is different about this particular scale though, is the fact that its not a scale of good to bad but a scale of good to extremely awkward. No one that I have met in my 18 years of living, has never encountered an awkward hug. We have all experienced them. There are many kinds of hugs that provide awkward encounters.We all know them, the ones that linger just a little too long, the overly enthusiastic hug from the person your not quite sure if you actually know, and the infamous last minute side hug. I have, of course, experience this wide variety on countless occassions. Lately in my life, the most recurring awkward hug is the hug between the person thats just enough shorter than you to make it quite interesting. You go in for the hug and naturally I go where I feel the most comfortable. If the person is taller than you then they wrap their arms around the top of you and you reach for the bottom. If you are taller than them they naturally reach for the bottom and you respond as usual. It is when they feel obligated to reach where you are suppose to be that it messes up the whole system.

When this happens you have the ability to save yourself , or if you are lacking entertainment for the day, making things a little more awkward.

To ensure the least amount of additional discomfort I suggest you follow these three steps:

1. Be on your toes, try and respond as quickly as possible

2. Once in the hug a quick one second squeeze will suffice, then release.

3. Dont let your discomfort show. End with a big smile, turn around, and walk away.

To add a some entertainment to your otherwise boring day I suggest the following:

1. Nothing is more awkward than ,while during your hug, you end up cheek to cheek, try it out youll see what im talking about.

2. Any squeeze longer than 7 seconds could get a little uncomfortable, especially if the huggee struggles with any lung or breathing issues.

3. When leaving the hug dont fully let go, place your hand on their shoulders, look them in the eye , smile and then say your goodbyes.

The next time you encounter the infamous awkward hug, whether you choose to make it uncomfortable or more graceful, just remember there will always be situations where life is awkward, but it is up to you what happens after the inescapable.