Life is full of experiences that we hype up as being great things. Sometimes they live up to that hype, but all too often, they don’t. In reality, they can be rather underwhelming if not outright unpleasant.
Following are several experiences many people walk away from feeling they were badly overrated.
New Year’s Eve at Times Square
On TV, it seems great. In person, it’s crowded. It’s noisy. But that’s not the worst of it. Did you know that some attendees wear diapers because there are so many people and so few toilets?
Surprise Public Marriage Proposals
You’d better be certain you’ll get a “Yes” because it’s more than a little awkward when the person says “No.” Even worse, though, is that it creates such pressure that some people say “Yes” when they don’t want to.
Parades
Unless you’re tall or in the front row, attending a parade isn’t all that fun. You’re crammed in among strangers, always straining to see, and just generally not having a great time.
Partying Every Weekend
That lifestyle might have been fun when you were a young adult, but it takes a toll. It’s also expensive and can create dependency problems that can spill into the weekdays as well.
Enlisting to See the World
Serving in the armed forces is patriotic and noble, and signing up to serve your country is an honorable act. Signing up to get to go places is a terrible idea, though. First, you don’t have the right motivation, which could affect your performance and endanger others. Plus, you might end up badly wounded or dead.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame
Once you’re there, you might realize it’s just a bunch of names on a sidewalk with hordes of tourists all around. With all that foot traffic and people putting their hands on the stars, it’s also a great place to get sick.
Seeing the Mona Lisa
Yes, it’s maybe the most famous painting in the world, and if you’re an art lover, seeing the real thing might be worth it. If you’re not, though, you might discover you spent a lot of money to see an old painting kept behind unbreakable glass.
Gender-Reveal Parties
How many people do you think want to attend a party where parents reveal the sex of their to-be-born baby? It sounds like an excuse for attention and gifts.
Axe Throwing
This has become pretty popular, and it might seem pretty cool. For most people, though, it’s pretty “meh” and goes into the “Been there, done that” category.
Adult Birthday Parties
How many times have you groaned upon receiving an invitation to a friend or relative’s birthday party? Usually, it just becomes an occasion for people to get drunk and maybe behave poorly.
Prom
Throughout high school, you hear about how wonderful and magical prom will be and how you’ll never forget it. Then you go, and you find out it’s a huge letdown and just costs a lot of hassle and money.
Living Alone
If you’re a true loner type, this might be for you. However, just about anyone else gets lonely, never having anyone to talk to at home. Still, be careful about the roommates you pick.
Champagne
Sure, some people do enjoy it, but that’s not most people. Notice how on New Year’s Eve, everyone joins the toast at midnight and then abandons their unfinished glasses for what they were drinking before.
Lobster
Few would argue that fresh lobster dipped in warm drawn butter isn’t one of the best meals ever. The overrated part has to do with the price, especially in a restaurant. Is it really that good?
Picnics
Picnics can require a lot of time and effort to plan. Then you have to deal with bugs, humidity, hot sun, etc. Finally, there’s the mess to clean up.
Las Vegas
After one night on the Las Vegas Strip, there’s not much new to see, and the casino sounds get old fast. The key to enjoying Vegas is getting out to enjoy what the rest of the city and the surrounding areas have to offer.
Disneyland/Disney World
As a kid, you might never want to leave. As an adult, however, it doesn’t take long to get tired of the crowds, the commercialization, and especially the prices.
Traveling
Destinations are great; it’s the getting to and from them that can be pretty awful. Airports and flying especially rank up among people’s most hated experiences consistently.
High School
It’s supposed to be the time of your life. Maybe it is if you’re a VIP among the “in” crowd. Many others look back to those years and remember bullies, cliques, insecurity, social awkwardness, and other unpleasant things.
Destination Weddings
Many have tried, but no one has yet figured out exactly what couples were thinking when they planned destination weddings and expected friends and relatives to spend a ton of money going to them. Hint: do a simple ceremony and reception at home and save the destinations for the honeymoon.
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