Finding Humour In Awkwardness

Prefect Sophie reflects on how moments of awkwardness can lead to connection, courage, and growth.

Each week, our student leaders share their insights with their peers in Assembly.

When I hear the word ‘awkward’, I immediately think back to Year 7, right in the middle of COVID lockdown. We were all stuck on Zoom for a year-group workout. I was new at the time and extremely naïve. And right there in front of me - what would become my worst enemy, or some could say, my saving grace, stood the mute button.

Little did I know that tiny, innocent button was about to betray me in the most spectacular way. There I was, lying on the floor beneath my computer, arms in the air, pretending to hold a side plank, thinking I was extremely slick. I did this for the entire Zoom session. Meanwhile, my giggling was blasting through everyone’s speakers loud and clear. I returned to the embarrassment of a million missed calls and messages from girls I didn’t know at the time, and instantly the five stages of grief followed.

This moment of pure awkwardness and mortification not only taught me about the horrors of Zoom but also the importance of our Prefects’ initiative, Give More, Grow More. Although you may not realise it, when we face awkwardness, it gives us an opportunity to embrace those moments of discomfort, embarrassment, or even defeat. It’s in these exact moments that we can either choose to stay in a state of shame or instead accept what’s happened and move on. You cannot control what has already happened, but you can control how you respond. Learning to become resilient in times of cringe serves as a reminder that progress often begins in discomfort- and that by giving more of ourselves, whether it’s courage, effort, or vulnerability, we grow more in return.

When I think back to my awkward moment and the spiral of messages I received from girls in my year group, I realise that this humiliation created a meaningful connection. When we see a friend face an awkward moment, we have two options. We can make them feel worse by drawing attention to it, or we can find grace and choose to laugh with them. By doing so, we offer understanding instead of judgement. In the words of Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks, “Your graciousness is what carries you.”

Although my embarrassing moment is still laughed about today, I learnt something important—that being vulnerable is part of the collective experience that connects us all. It helps us grow and encourages others to do the same. Being able to laugh with others, even when it’s at your own awkward expense, shows that connection isn’t crafted through perfection, but through honesty and shared experience.

To the younger years, I encourage you to continue being authentic and to support your peers with grace, as you have so many more moments ahead together. And for Year 11, as we approach our final year, I’m sure we can all agree that time has flown by in the blink of an eye. So be kind, be supportive, and give more to those uncomfortable moments—they’re often the ones that help us grow the most.