Unfiltered w/Sunflower – Ep. 1: Unwanted Faces

 Welcome to My First Blog!

Hey everyone, and welcome to my very first blog post! I’m Sunflower, a fellow student at Texas State with a bit too much free time on my hands. I’ve tried journaling before—trust me, I really tried—but I usually fall off the wagon after a couple of weeks. So, after a few therapy sessions and a realization that I want to share my thoughts more openly, I decided to start a blog. Here, I’ll be dishing out my honest opinions on topics I think other college students can relate to. Each week, I’ll tackle a new subject, and I hope you’ll stick around and join the conversation!

Unwanted Faces: The Struggle of Running into People You’d Rather Avoid

Let’s talk about one of life’s little nightmares: running into people you really don’t want to see. I don’t know if this is universal, but why does it feel like the world loves to put those “unwanted faces” front and center? With roughly 40,000 students at Texas State, you’d think the odds of constantly bumping into the same handful of people would be slim. Yet here we are, awkwardly trying to avoid eye contact in the middle of the Quad.

As an introvert, this is extra painful. The other day, I was minding my own business when I spotted not one, not two, but three people I’d rather not have interacted with. No hate—just...ugh, the tension of pretending you don’t see each other when you clearly do is real. It’s the kind of unneeded stress that turns a perfectly normal walk to class into an episode of Mission Impossible.

The Ex Factor

Now, let’s be honest: the worst unwanted faces to run into are exes. Sure, some folks end on good terms, but most of us are just out here praying we don’t have to make that forced small talk or, worse, share an elevator ride. Personally, my ex tops the list of People I Hope Never To See Again. If you feel the same way, you know how far we’ll go to avoid them—rerouting our entire schedule if we have to. Don’t lie; I know I’m not the only one who’s planned out a “safe path” on campus just to minimize the risk of that run-in.

Avoidance Tactics 101

If I ever do see my ex in the distance, I’m still debating which of these three strategies to use:

1. Pretend You’re Blind – Keep walking straight ahead like you see nothing and no one. Maintain a laser-like focus on some imaginary speck in the distance.
2. Run, Don’t Walk – As soon as you make eye contact, pivot with the agility of an NBA point guard and book it in the opposite direction.
3. Stop, Drop & Roll – Dramatic? Yes. But it might be worth it to avoid the awkwardness altogether.

Personally, I’m partial to Option Three because, if nothing else, it’d make for a great story.

Look, it’s easy to get caught in a whirlpool of what ifs. What if you wave and they ignore you? What if you do that quick 180 spin, but they see you spin, and now you look even more awkward? Sometimes, I replay all these scenarios in my head like a never-ending highlight reel of cringe.

But here’s the thing: when we step back, it’s kind of hilarious how much mental energy we invest in these moments. Sure, you might catch a little anxiety spike (especially when there’s history or unresolved drama), but most of the time, these brief encounters pass quickly. And even if they don’t, at least you walk away with a spectacular story for your friends or for your next blog post.

The Life Lesson

If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: we can’t control who crosses our path, but we can control how we respond (or dramatically roll away). Sometimes it’s better to laugh than stress. Recognize how far you’ve ve come since that person was in your life, give yourself some grace when it comes to feeling weird or anxious, and remember it’s all part of the big, messy journey of college and life. Anyways ,That’s it for this week! If you’ve had any hilariously awkward run-ins, feel free to share in the comments—I’d love to hear your stories or any tips you’ve picked up. Til then, stay tuned for next week’s topic. Follow the insta for all updates! @unfilteredwsunflwr

— Sunflower