Sometimes teenagers find themselves dealing with awkward situations, and they want to get out of it without telling an obvious lie or making it even worse. Especially when it’s their friends or peers creating the discomfort. But not all teens know how to get out of a situation like this in a way that allows them to save face with their peers.
To find out, we asked some creative, tech-savvy teenagers for their tips for using technology to make a clean getaway. Whether they’re avoiding peer pressure or just want to leave, pass these ideas on to your teenagers today.
4 Ways to Use Tech to Deal with Awkward Situations
1. Send a code word
Lillie’s a fan of the fake urgent phone call to deal with an awkward situation. “I have a code word with my friend Alexis,” she reveals. “If I text the code word to her, she’ll call me right away—and I can take the phone call and then say I need to leave right away.”
2. Get a text from “Mom”
Text yourself. “When I find myself in an uncomfortable or awkward situation,” reveals Sue, “I will change my name in my phone’s contact list to “Mom” then text myself saying ‘You need to come home right now’ for some made-up reason. That way, I can casually show the text and just say I have to get home.”
3. Blame your parents
Blame your parents. “When I have to get out of an awkward situation,” says Tara, “I always blame my parents and make them look like they’re being really overprotective so I can get out of something more easily. My favorite excuse? I say I forgot to walk the dog and that my parents will kill me if they find out.”
4. Invent a crisis
If all else fails, there’s always the old, technology-free standby: invent a crisis. “If I’m dealing with a certain situation that makes me uncomfortable,” says Haley, “I will try to discreetly gather my things up and tell people that I really have to be home at a certain time.”
