When you were a kid, you probably wished to be older so you could eat chicken nuggets for breakfast and play video games all day. But now you undoubtedly know that the path to adulthood isn't easy. As the human body starts to change, pre-teens are bombarded with pimples, body odor, random hairs, and mega mood swings, and that's just the start! Puberty is an embarrassing time for everyone, and we've compiled a list of the most awkward but funny puberty struggles to prove that you weren't alone.
This Jumbo Pad Was the Real MVP
Let's be honest; there would be riots in the streets if men started bleeding every month. But women are expected to deal with this messy and painful experience with a smile on their faces and a skip in their step. And this can be irritating for young girls who struggle with the cramping and discomfort of welcoming their monthly visitor at school. And things got even more embarrassing for this teenager.
Although she hoped her school nurse would help her out during this awkward gym class moment, she soon realized that her jumbo-sized sanitary pad was to become the real MVP of her volleyball game.
Public Displays of Ear Affection
Your teenage years are the perfect time to explore new relationships and young love. After all, you've got to make use of all those hormones pumping through your body! And while this girl found young love in the form of her eighth-grade boyfriend, it seems as though he wasn't quite as confident with his public displays of affection as she was. Especially not when there were teachers hanging around the corridors.
As her boyfriend pulled away, she was left looking silly when she made out with his ear in front of her teachers and fellow students. We bet she got a weird nickname for that.
The Dreaded Unibrow
The reality of puberty is that it makes you hairy. Very, very hair. Yep, you grow hair in places you've never had hair before, and you grow even more hair where you were already growing it. The whole thing is very Yeti-chic for boys, but a lot of young girls find this excess hair to be traumatizing. But what's even more traumatizing is when you try and shave off your unibrow and end up shaving off most of your eyebrows.
This girl presumably had to wear a beanie hat over her nonexistent eyebrows until they grew back, and we imagine she's only ever let a professional touch her brows since.
Unintentionally Flashing the Neighbor
Puberty isn't an overnight thing, but the changes in your body can still come as a surprise. This is especially true for young girls who suddenly discover that the training bra they once begged their mom for is too small. It's an exciting time, but it's also an awkward time. And it's even more awkward when you have to deal with a sprained ankle, crutches, a loose shirt, and a larger-than-you're-used-to chest.
Of course, this teenager dealt with her tragic situation perfectly. When you accidentally flash your neighbor, you naturally never speak of it again and ignore them for the rest of your life.
A Sleep Walking Horror Story
Your monthly visitor normally makes her debut at the worst times, but sometimes she decides to be nice and make her very first appearance at night. And this teenager got that lucky treatment. But we guess it's not so lucky when you're a sleepwalker and you're away at summer camp. This embarrassing puberty story makes us want to curl up into a ball and rock back and forth for a few hours. Can you imagine the scene?
When this girl's fellow campers woke up in the morning, they probably assumed that they were the victims of a terrible crime. Let's hope the bathroom was cleaned before the parents were called.
Why Was She Allowed to Leave the House?
Fashion trends come and go, and most of us regret our past choices to wear low-rise jeans, butterfly clips, overalls, and pacifier necklaces. And while it's normal to cringe into oblivion when you see old photos of yourself, it seems as though this girl has more regrets than most. From the neon pink and pastel clothing combo to the olive green eyeshadow, we bet her awkward teenage look was seriously...uh...unique.
In fact, we have to agree with this woman's sentiments. Why was she allowed to leave the house? We place the blame solely on her parents. But we all make mistakes.
Ahhh, the Putrid Stench of Puberty
Puberty is wild. As if a rage of confusing hormones coursing through your veins wasn't enough, you also have to deal with the fact that your armpits suddenly stink like hot and moist rotten garbage. Yep, most teenage boys wake up one day and smell like they've been rolling around in the trash cans, and it's almost impossible to control. That didn't stop this teenage boy from giving it a good go, though.
He did everything he could to try and hide the smell coming from every single one of his pores, but even that wasn't enough. We bet his parents didn't appreciate their hefty water bill.
It's Always the Worst Moments
Most kids are pretty clueless when it comes to puberty, and there's no doubt about the fact that many schools don't prepare pre-teens for the changes their bodies are going to go through. Because of this, we don't blame this young girl for crying when her period arrived just before she went on her family camping trip. All she wanted to do was to hang out by the lake and toast s'mores, after all.
Instead, this girl had a sleepless night when she was left with questions and queries about the whole experience. We bet that wasn't a camping trip to remember, but rather one she wanted to forget.
The Anatomy of a Teenager
Boys can deal with smelly armpits and a few pimples on their faces, but teenage girls really get the brunt of puberty. The whole process is emotional, painful, and downright confusing - especially if these young girls haven't been taught a lot about anatomy. This girl hadn't, which is why she thought that she needed to change her tampon every time she went to the bathroom. And we really don't blame her.
Although we feel sorry for this mom's bank account, we have to give her grandma a round of applause for finally giving her the information she really needed about her body.
When Makeup Becomes Your Enemy
If you got through puberty without a whole face of pimples, you were lucky. Most people spend their teenage years dealing with pus-filled whoppers on their faces while buying every single spot treatment on the shelves. And while most teenage girls dealt with these pimples by using a bottle of concealer every single day, it wasn't quite as common for boys to do the same. But this story proves that it did happen.
Unfortunately, it didn't work out well for this young boy. He thought his sister's makeup would do the trick, but he seemingly forgot that teenage boys are mean and rotten to the core.
They're in the Neck, Right?
Let's be honest; teenagers are barely listening in biology class. So, how can we expect them to know everything they need to know about their bodies at such a young age? We'd like to think that they know where their feet and hands are, but their other male body parts? Well, this guy's awkward puberty story proves that kids don't have a clue when it comes to their anatomy. Because they're not in your neck.
We don't blame this guy's dad for joking about this little tidbit today, but we also have to admire the young boy for at least having a good guess when he didn't know the answer.
The Famous Shower Freakout
No matter whether you were a teenage boy or a teenage girl, you probably said "howdy" to a lot of new hair when you were going through puberty. From facial hair to body hair, this stuff seemed to simply appear overnight. And while some teenage boys proudly showed off the one hair they had on their top lip, other teenagers preferred to shave off the new fluff. Like this person.
This teenager's pretend-it-wasn't-you plan didn't exactly go the way they wanted. Not only did their parents know exactly who left the hair, but they then had to have an awkward talk.
"247 This Is a Voice Cracking Emergency"
Voice cracking is a tell-tale sign of a boy going through puberty. And while it would be easy to describe this phase with biological terminology, most teenage boys would tell you that it's one of the worst things they've ever had to go through. After all, how are they supposed to get their first girlfriend or boyfriend when their voice randomly goes up three octaves and sounds like a mouse with the flu?
Things got even more awkward for this JC Penney employee, and we can only assume he had no option but to hand in his resignation right there and then. He surely couldn't have ever shown his face again?
When Biology Class Goes Wrong
Let's have a round of applause for all of the high school biology teachers out there, shall we? These guys are heroes and must have the patience of saints to deal with these giggly and awkward semi-humans. Especially when it comes to lessons on human anatomy. After all, it seems as though teenagers going through puberty struggle to know the true reality of what they and their peers are going through.
This guy even fainted when he saw a picture of female genitalia being projected in front of him. It was a pretty dramatic reaction, so maybe he just had low blood sugar?
Pregnant... Or a Period?
It's no secret that teenagers know nothing about their bodies. Aside from what they look like in the mirror, of course. As their hormones rage and their brains and bodies develop, teenagers don't know why or when puberty happens. So, we can't blame young girls for not understanding menstrual cycles. And we definitely can't blame them for being terrified when they wake up with blood stains on their bed sheets.
While it was highly unlikely that this girl could have actually been pregnant at 11 years old, we're still glad her mom was around to teach her the real rules.
When Do Kids Start Pyooooberty?
There are no strict rules when it comes to the human body. Every single person is different, and everyone develops at their own pace. Of course, this is hard to understand when your friend finds their first chest hair and you're still rocking a baby face, but we hope you've gotten over that now. Either way, you have to admire the irony of this 7th grader's voice cracking while asking about puberty.
We're no experts, but we'd like to hazard a guess and say that this little dude has probably already started puberty. You've got to love an awkward teenage voice crack.
"Your Butt Is Bleeding"
Anyone who has ever been to church will know that it's a pretty awkward time, anyway. You have to be on your best behavior, you have to keep your composure, and you have to look your best. But that's hard to do when you're a teenager and your period comes at the exact moment you're sitting in the front row in a pale yellow dress. To be honest; she couldn't have picked a worse time.
Thankfully, there was a high school senior on hand to let this girl know that something was up. He wasn't very tactful or sensitive with his words, but at least he tried.
When the Funeral Is Just Too Exciting
Although teenage girls have to deal with menstrual cycles, teenage boys have to deal with something equally as embarrassing. This awkward (and fairly regular) turn of events means that they often have to wear loose-fitting pants and cover their crotch area with school books, their backpack, or a cushion. But this young boy soon realized that he couldn't do that, especially with dress slacks that were way too small for him.
We don't know what's more awkward; the fact that this happened at his grandfather's funeral or the fact that his grandma pulled him aside and spoke to him about it!
A Teenage Supply of Bandaids
Sure, cracking voices and menstrual cycles were bad. But they could be hidden by a throaty cough and sanitary products, right? The same couldn't be said for zits. From dripping pustules to red-raw scars, there's a high chance that you had to deal with at least one of these inconveniences. And this person struggled so much with their massive volcano zits that there was only one solution; cover their face in bandaids.
Sure, this person probably looked like an extra from 'The Mummy' during their teenage years, but who cares? That hormonal spotty stage is most people's worst nightmare, anyway, so it couldn't have gotten much worse.
There's Always That One Person
You can't choose your family. And while you don't have to love them, you do have to tolerate them. Yes, even when you're going through puberty and dealing with a rush of emotions you've never felt before. This young girl tried to tolerate her aunt during a Passover dinner, but there are some lines that you just don't cross. And calling out your daughter's neice for her changing body seriously crossed that line.
We can't imagine how embarrassing and awkward this must have been for a teenager, so we don't blame this girl for shunning her aunt's mother and refusing to ever speak to her again.
The Most Awkward Conversation Ever
Let's be honest; nobody wants to have a conversation with their parents about their changing bodies. It's cringe-worthy, it's embarrassing, and it's awkward. But without proper education, a lot of teenagers have worries and concerns that leave them with no choice. And when this girl saw brown stains on her underwear, she knew she couldn't just ignore it. She needed help, and only her dad was around to help her.
The subsequent conversation must have left this teenager with her head in her hands, especially as she got the brown stains completely wrong. But at least it wasn't what she thought.
An Allergic Reaction to a Stupid Decision?
If you had bad acne when you were younger, you can probably relate to this former teenager. After all, pimples can have a hugely negative effect on people. From a lack of self-confidence to bullying, most people would do anything to get rid of their pimples. And this person decided that a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser would do the trick. It wasn't long before their skin really paid the price.
While we can slightly understand the logic, a quick look at the ingredients would have told this teenager that wiping a cleaning utensil on their face probably wasn't a good idea.
Reminder: Clear Browser History
There comes a time in every teenager's life when they get a little... curious. Without proper education at school, they wonder how to do certain things. And that's where the internet comes into play. Teenagers born during the age of the internet have had the world at their fingertips, but this is a reminder to any teenager that they need to clear their browser history if they're using a shared computer.
This person used their parents' laptop to view 'those sites,' and we have a feeling that they haven't been able to look them in the eye since then. How awkward.
"Welcome to Womanhood"
For many teenagers, the arrival of your period is a welcome sign that you're getting older. But it's also pretty embarrassing when you have to tell your parents and ask them for a pad. The last thing any teenage girl wants is for their parents to make a big deal out of this painful and uncomfortable moment, but this mom obviously didn't get that memo. Sure, the crystal prism necklace sounds nice, but was it really necessary?
This was certainly a way to welcome this girl into the realm of womanhood, but we can't imagine any other 13-year-old would appreciate such a bizarre and outlandish celebration of the moon.
An Awkward Hallway Run-In
One of the worst things about going through puberty is the lack of control. You can't control your hormone levels, you can't control your mood swings, and teenage boys definitely can't control their moments of excitement. This young boy thought he'd hit the jackpot when he had these involuntary moments down an empty school hallway. He could focus all of his attention on calming himself down, right? Well, not quite.
While we'd love to think that the girl didn't notice his moment of excitement, we can't help but think that she knew exactly what was going on. Sorry about that, buddy.
Staying in the Deep End
There are two types of teenagers in this world. There are those who embrace their changing bodies and love to show them off, and then there are those who feel awkward and uncomfortable in their new body. The girl below was part of the latter category, and so swimming lessons soon became her worst nightmare. Things were so bad that she couldn't even really focus on the hot swimming instructor!
In fact, she had to settle for the hot instructor hating her while she stuck to the deep end and covered her chest. We bet she still doesn't like swimming to this day.
Always Carry a Spare Pair of Pants
In an ideal world, your period will make its very first appearance while you're at home without anyone else around you. After all, you don't want to have to make a big deal of it. And while this girl was lucky enough to get her first period at home and in the bathroom, she didn't account for the fact that her younger sister wasn't up to speed on female biology.
It took this girl's sister a little while to realize that she hadn't simply lost control over her bladder, which probably made for an awkward few years in this household.
To Swim or Not to Swim?
Most girls go through a rite of passage when it comes to their menstrual cycle. They start off with pads and then graduate to tampons when they're a bit older. But doing this isn't easy - especially if you're not confident. Tampons look and sound pretty daunting, and most girls have absolutely no idea how to use them due to the confusing directions on the box. Because of this, one girl almost missed out on summer camp swimming.
Thankfully, her friend was on hand with all of the important info, which allowed her to go tubing before they went back to school. That's the kind of friend every girl needs!
Becoming the Butt of the Joke
The worst part about high school is watching other people develop quicker than you - especially if you're holding out for a larger chest or a mustache. But the reality of puberty is that everyone goes at their own pace, and there's no rhyme or reason as to why or how some people develop the way they do. Take this girl for example, who grew a butt over the course of two weeks!
In that amount of time, there probably wasn't a moment for this girl and her mom to go to the mall and buy some more jeans. So, they had to deal with the embarrassment instead.
The Worst Birthday Gift of All Time
Those who suffer from long and painful menstrual cycles would do anything to never have one again. After all, who wants to bleed every month for 40 years of their lives? We certainly don't. And while the average girl starts her period aged 13, this girl was just 10 years old when she was unlucky enough to get her period for her birthday. To top it off, there were only thin liners in her house.
Every woman knows that you need multiple options in your house when it comes to your menstrual cycle, and so we can't help but think that this girl wants to forget her 10th birthday.
Attempting to Hide the Excitement
Any former teenage boy will relate to this one. After all, every boy has been in a situation where they've got excited in a very un-exciting and inappropriate moment. Whether it's talking to a teacher in the school corridor or presenting to the class, most boys would simply try and hide their excitement with an item of some sort. This boy knows he should have done that, but he didn't.
Instead, he decided to get super creative and add an interactive element to his presentation. And this might have even worked. Let's hope he got extra credit for his creativity.
When All the Girls Stick Together
While every teenager goes through puberty, there's a real divide between boys and girls. Both genders go through completely different phases, and so neither one of them understands what the other is going through. And we bet the boys had no clue what was going on when this young girl left a red mark on the cooler during their park party. Thankfully, all the girls stuck together and helped her out.
Although they couldn't provide the sanitary goods, this story goes to show that even the most awkward moments can be made better by people who know what you're going through.
She's Flatter Than Cardboard
Teenagers don't just have to go through puberty. They also have to deal with being a teenager, which isn't easy. Yep, high school is like the real-life version of 'Mean Girls' and it seems as though every student is trying to be as hateful as Regina George. It's tough, and Sarah realized this for herself 30 years ago. She doesn't think she'll ever forget what the class bullies said to her.
Most girls are overly conscious of their chest as it is, especially if they develop at a different rate from their peers. So, someone telling you that you're "flatter than cardboard" must have been a punch to the gut.
An Exception to the Cracking Rule
While it's incredibly common for teenage boys to experience voice cracks while they're going through puberty, it seems as though some boys don't want to follow the rules. Yep, we know the concept of rebellious teenagers isn't too shocking, but we bet this guy's classmates were pretty shocked when he returned to school with a voice like Morgan Freeman's. All it took was for him to lose his voice in the first place.
We have a feeling that many adult males reading this would have done anything for this to have happened to them. But the awkward and uncomfortable voice cracks were character building, right?
What's Wrong With a Training Bra?
Most people have had some kind of experience with school bullies. Whether you were a bully yourself or whether you were the one getting bullied, there's no doubt about the fact that bullying can make or break your high school experience. But who knew that a 6th-grade scoliosis test was a place where bullies thrived? They did in this girl's case, anyway. All because she was still wearing a training bra.
While we hate the fact that this girl had to suffer at the hands of girls who had simply developed quicker than her, we're glad she managed to ditch them from her life. Good riddance!
Oops, That's Not Chapstick
Women learn more about their bodies as they get older, but there's one thing that doesn't change in a woman's life. Yep, we're talking about her bottomless purse. Women will have everything from household tools to sandwiches in their purses, so it's common for ladies to pull out the wrong thing when they're rummaging around. When this girl was younger, the same thing happened. But she found it incredibly awkward.
She failed when she pulled out a tampon instead of chapstick, but at least she can laugh about it now. After all, a woman's purse is like a giant labyrinth.
The Christmas Gift From Hell
The thing with puberty is that everyone goes through it, but everyone is still awkward and embarrassed about it. Every human on this planet has or will go through puberty, but most teenagers still don't want the people around them to know that their bodies are changing. So, this mom should have known better than to gift her daughter a bra in front of their whole family. Come on, mom!
The teenage girl was obviously embarrassed and uncomfortable at the time, but luckily it seems as though she's gotten over the initial hatred towards her mom and can now see the humor in the situation.
That's Not What You Use a Broomstick for
Whether you daydream through work meetings or while you're on the train, there's no doubt about the fact that most humans have been daydreaming since they were little. Teenage boys also daydream a lot during their boring classes, but doing so comes with a slight risk. After all, you never know when those pesky hormones are going to rear their heads and cause a little disturbance in the pants department.
We have a feeling that this guy now has PTSD as a result of this broomstick situation, but at least it might have helped reign in his excitement a little bit.
It's That Diaper Time of the Month
Let's be honest; dads are a bit useless when it comes to their teenage daughters. They don't understand the mood swings, they don't know a lot about anatomy, and they definitely can't get on board with their daughter's new interest in romance. Of course, you do have to give this dad credit for trying during his daughter's time of the month. We're going to have to give him a C-minus.
Credit to this dad for buying his daughter pads, but calling them diapers? Really? That's the ultimate un-cool dad move, and we can't imagine she was too happy with that name.
Taking Slick Hair to a New Level
Teenagers often feel snowed under by expectations. Whether it's from their parents, their teachers, or their peers, looking good is just another expectation that haunts their nightmares. These youngsters believe they have to look a certain way to fit in, and we have a feeling that this former teenager's attempt to create a slick hairdo also haunts her dreams. So if you need reminding; never put Vaseline on your hair.
We dread to think how long it took this teenager to get essential oils and Vaseline out of her hair, but we can only assume that it wasn't an easy process. Her hair probably looked pretty shiny, though.