Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Explain What Instantly Ruins A First Impression

People Explain What Instantly Ruins A First Impression
Image by Anastasia Gepp from Pixabay

They say first impressions are the most lasting.


This means that however you present yourself to someone upon first meeting dictates how they're going to remember you for the rest of your relationship. Make a good first impression? Expect a great, long-lasting relationship.
Make a bad first impression? Well, the relationship might be DOA from then on out.

Reddit user, u/i_Fahmy, wanted to know what kills someone's aura when they asked:

What instantly ruins someone's first impression with you?

Crafting a first impression doesn't have to be tricky. All you need to do is be polite, be open to listen to others, and allow others to speak.

Turns out, some people don't know how to do that last part.

Rudely Carrying On

"Interrupting without apologizing"

lightningbug24

"I find myself doing this sometimes but to ask questions/try to predict where the story is going as a way to show I'm actually listening instead of staring at my phone and saying "that's crazy" every 3 seconds."

LittleMsSparkles

Putting Others Down

"Talking sh-t about an ex, sibling or parent. As a first impression."

Icy-Ad-7331

"Sh-t talking or gossiping about anyone in general. If someone is just meeting me for the first time and one of the first things they talk about is something that works to put others in a negative light, then that sets off major alarms to me."

PianoManGidley

Maybe Let Someone Else Speak?

"You're so quiet!"

"First of all, I haven't even had a chance to say anything yet. It's not that I'm quiet, it's that you're dominating the conversation. Second of all, what kind of response are you expecting when you say this? Am I supposed to delve into my deep childhood memories and explain the psychological reasons that I'm not jumping into the conversation? What the f-ck do people expect to hear when they say this?"

typhondrums17

Mostly, we want to think the people we're meeting aren't self-serving or annoying. If you immediately make the conversation only about yourself, then odds are you're going to rub everyone else in the conversation the wrong way.

Talk, Talk, Talk, But Only About Themselves

"All statements, no questions. Most of the boring people I know aren't interesting because they aren't interested in anything other than themselves"

GGAllinPartridge

You Know What's Even Worse Than THAT?

"One-upping someone else's story"

StructuralSynapse

"Oh man, you know what's even worse than this? This one time I knew a guy who wouldn't even let people finish their stories before interrupting them. Way worse."

tehmlem

"That reminds me of the time I told a way better joke than the guy who made the same joke quieter than me"

apocalypse_chow

Better IRL

"Show offs, clout chasers or people who feel the need to overhype their life on social when in reality they live kinda boring lives"

Vast-Dark-2711

Chomp, Chomp, Chomp

"Chewing with their mouth open or talking with their mouth full"

Westsidebill

"Oh my god this. In a similar vein, mouth breathers."

"The date is over if any of these three things mentioned occur. It's so off putting."

VulcanVegan

Want to really sink the relationship, personal or professional? Try these out.

No. Just kidding. Don't try these out.

Don't Let It Define You

"People who use mental illness as a personality. I don't mean people who struggle with mental illness, I mean the people who glorify the struggle as an excuse or quirky trait. I struggle myself, but I'll be damned if I use it as an excuse to make people feel sorry for me."

Nobodys_Perfect96

"Speaking as someone who used to use my trauma/depression for making others pity him, I get this. I've learned from my mistakes."

SingleReflector

Focused On Someone Else

"Not being able to get off their phone when you're supposed to have their attention"

"This is most common with home repair contractors where there's always another job that "demands attention"

"I have literally gone with other companies simply because the other wouldn't even acknowledge that my time was worth anything"

The_RedWolf

Considering Anyone "Beneath Them" Is A Big Red Flag

"How they treat people who can't do anything for them. Especially when they're rude to the homeless or janitors."

redboy2122

"I have also seen that in a social context ie people who mistreat those they consider "beneath"them"

"I've seen it a lot from privileged people towards gays, immigrants and women."

kindadid

Be honest, up front, and polite. Simplest rules to follow to make a good first impression.

And don't talk too much. That seems to be a reoccurring one.

Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Pedro Pascal; JK Rowling
Toya Sarno Jordan/Getty Images for Disney; Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

Pedro Pascal Opens Up About Why He Called Transphobe JK Rowling A 'Heinous Loser'

Actor Pedro Pascal recently explained why he said Harry Potter author and anti-trans activist JK Rowling behaves like a "heinous loser," and suffice it to say he has absolutely no regrets.

The comment came in reference to Rowling gloating over the U.K. Supreme Court's recent decision to define what exactly constitutes a "woman" in the eyes of U.K. law, a decision that subjects trans people to violence, among other problems.

Keep ReadingShow less
JD Vance
Johannes Simon/Getty Images

Vance Dragged After Making Cringey Middle Finger Joke About 'Pink-Haired People' At GOP Dinner

Vice President JD Vance was criticized profusely after he attempted to make a joke mocking liberals during his appearance at the Ohio Republican Party dinner this week—only to have people calling out his lack of class for holding up his middle finger as he delivered the punchline.

Vance was in the middle of giving the event's keynote speech when he said the following:

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Trump Ripped After Posting Disturbing Parody Music Video About His Attack On Iran

President Donald Trump is facing harsh criticism after he shared a music video featuring the 1980 song "Bomb Iran"—a parody of The Regents song "Barbara Ann" that is best known for being covered by the Beach Boys—amid a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that could further inflame tensions in the Middle East.

The controversial parody song by Vince Vance & the Valiants plays over footage of B-2 stealth bombers, the same aircraft used to drop 14 GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Fordow enrichment plant, Natanz complex, and Isfahan site.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Zohran Mamdani
Omar Havana/Getty Images; Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Trump Just Tried To Slam Zohran Mamdani's Looks And Voice—And It Was Projection At Its Finest

President Donald Trump lashed out at Zohran Mamdani after the 33-year-old democratic socialist handily defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday—only to be called out for projecting his own feelings of inadequacy onto the star candidate.

Mamdani ran a campaign centered around economic populism, arguing that the city, a global financial center, has grown unaffordable for everyday residents, citing soaring rents and grocery prices, and outlining policies aimed at reducing the cost of living.

Keep ReadingShow less
salad
Anna Pelzer on Unsplash

Doctors Explain Which Seemingly 'Healthy' Foods Aren't All That Good For Us

Every day it seems like some new health fad pops up.

Eat this, don't eat that.

Keep ReadingShow less