Each and every one of us Pandas face so many problems in our daily lives. From the pressure to do well in our work and studies to worrying about loans and feeling deeply anxious about the smallest things (that totally throw our entire day out of whack, that’s for sure).
The bad news is, most people deal with the same problems. The good news? Most people deal with the same problems! And it’s a great feeling knowing that you’re not alone in this chaotic but beautiful journey that we call life.
The Average People Problems Instagram page, created and managed by writer, editor, and new mom Samantha Matt, is full to the brim with issues—small and large—that are as hilarious as they are intimately relatable, especially for us average adults. Scroll down for the best of the best, and remember to upvote your fave posts, dear Pandas. When you’re done enjoying this list, you’re welcome to drop by the comment section and tell us all about what problems you’re dealing with right now.
Bored Panda reached out to Samantha and she was kind enough to tell us all about the inspiration and history behind the Average People Problems project, her creative process for coming up with engaging content, as well as her book. The Boston-based creator told us that the project saw a bit of a metamorphosis. Scroll down for the full interview, Pandas!
More info: Instagram (APP) | Instagram (Samantha) | Website | Book | TikTok | Twitter
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Samantha, from Massachusetts, detailed the roots of Average People Problems. "The @AveragePeopleProblems Instagram originally started as @20SomethingProblems. It began as the Instagram account for the online magazine ForeverTwentySomethings.com, which I founded in 2011 and ran for nearly a decade," she told Bored Panda.
"As I, along with many of my readers and followers, aged out of being 20-somethings, I knew I had to change the page handle to widen the audience and make everyone feel welcome—because after all, we all related to so many of the same 'problems,' no matter what our age was. Why? Because we all feel average sometimes (or most of the time, to be honest). So, before my book, 'Average is the New Awesome,' was published, I changed the Instagram handle to @AveragePeopleProblems! "
The founder of APP, Samantha, opened up to Bored Panda that she uses her everyday experiences as inspiration for the content that she posts. She said that she tries to reference the experiences that she has had that others will probably relate to. However, not everyone is as open about these experiences. And that's where APP comes in, giving voice to all those problems.
And if it's a triple cotton layer you can quietly mutter and make faces at jerks and get away with that. I'm really going to have to pay attention now if I'm not wearing one.
"The difficulty or ease in coming up with this content is usually based on my life at the moment. There was a point where I was pretty much only coming up with jokes about going to Starbucks and I realized, wow, I should probably start doing more with my life than just... going to Starbucks," Samantha was candid with us.
"When I'm feeling uninspired, that's a good push to get myself off the couch and back into the world, although there are many mundane experiences and struggles we likely all have while sitting on the couch doing absolutely nothing, too. And, you can write about nostalgia always."
She told us that she targets a wide audience of people by striking a balance in her content. "A lot of memes and tweets have such wide appeal that anyone from a celebrity to a college student can relate, but other times, something can be specific to niche demographics, like moms, people who graduated from high school in the mid-2000s, or adults who are struggling to buy homes in today's housing market—all things of which I am," she explained.
However, there are times when the content doesn't hit its mark. Sometimes, the problems are very individual. "There are also many times when people don't relate to content like I thought they would, making me realize I'm alone in these few thoughts, but the more memes and tweets I throw out there, the more likely people are to relate to a good number of them."
OMG that is SO TRUE! My lovely wife is trying really hard to lose weight on some plan or other. Me, on the other hand, just casually could do to lose a bit, and so I embark on a half-hearted plan to eat less takeaways and rediscover fruit. After two months on our respective plans, my wife has lost three pounds and I have lost just over three stones. I'm feeling quite smug but very low-key smug because my wife is spitting feathers. Awks.
Samantha told Bored Panda that she works full-time in digital media, alongside being a mom and running the Average People Problems account. She also opened up about her book, 'Average is the New Awesome' which Seal Press/Hachette Book Group published two years ago, in January 2020.
"The book is based on many stories I wrote for my website, ForeverTwentySomethings.com. 'Average is the New Awesome' exists to help people feel better about wherever they are in life. There is such a stigma around the word 'average.' People are afraid to be normal and are terrified to be happy with anything less than what they've defined as exceptional," Samantha said.
"But lack of major success, as defined by one person—because everyone looks at this word differently—doesn't mean failure. We need to be able to celebrate small victories and be happy about how far we've come, even if we're not where we ideally want to be yet—and this book helps people come to terms with this and embrace their own average."
The author feels "extremely passionate" about helping people feel good about their lives and making them laugh. "This is my mission in all the content I create, and I can only hope it continues resonating with people." Now that's a mission that we, and anyone who's a fan of wholesome comedy, can get behind.
The Average People Problems social media project is a celebration of ordinary awesomeness. It’s a bittersweet acknowledgment of the fact that even though we were told that we could do and be pretty much anything we wanted to, reality had different plans.
Real-life kind of just…happened to us and here we are, surrounded by a small heap of anxieties and problems that are, at the same time, very personal and incredibly universal.
Because dog knows we have to spend enough time in line that we can make really close friends, and maybe even find family we never knew existed.
Samantha, the founder of APP, wrote a book about mediocrity called ‘Average is the New Awesome: A Manifesto for the Rest of Us’ that deals with the idea that ‘good enough’ really is good enough. And that we can define greatness even if we don’t end up as astronauts and billionaires.
The APP project currently has just over 87k eager followers over on Instagram with many more to come.
I hate summer, you're sweaty and uncomfortable and it's exhausting to move, can't sleep at night because it's so hot, catch a cold when you crank up the fan too much, cat is constantly trying to escape onto the roof so you can't open the windows . I can always add a layer of clothes or blankets and make myself comfy with a hit beverage and a book.
Hey! The container store is fun. And you meet so many people with a common interest, which means for an exchange of great ideas, so you can buy even more cool containers. 😳 It's a conspiracy!
One incredibly relatable problem that many of us Pandas deal with is overthinking. Suzanne Degges-White, a Licensed Counselor, Professor, and Chair at the Department of Counseling and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University, recently explained to Bored Panda why we overthink and how it’s related to perfectionism and anxiety.
"One of the primary negative consequences of overthinking is that you end up missing opportunities! Overthinking can lead to procrastination as you try to examine choices or circumstances too closely and for too long,” Professor Degges-White told Bored Panda.
Me.....every......damn.......day! Cube neighbor constantly sounds like she' asleep!
How to cancel plans with Ashley: I'm so sorry, but I'm going to have to cancel. I just remembered that I'd planned a sleep over at Justine's.
But if you have trouble with this, there's always binge watching.
“Overthinking can also lead to paralysis and not moving forward or taking a chance as the overthinking creates stress and anxiety as you spend too much time focusing on the 'What can go wrong?' versus the 'What Ifs' in life," she warned that overthinking leads to a lot of missed opportunities.
"Overthinking and anxiety have something of a 'chicken and the egg' relationship—if we're prone to anxiety, the more likely we are to engage in overthinking, and the more we overthink something, the more anxious we tend to become.”
Good point. I never thought of that. But as far as making my bed, at 65 I'm listening to the Admiral.
Like a lot of other tendencies, overthinking exists on a spectrum. It isn’t a binary situation where you’re either an overthinker or you aren’t. “Some of us overthink things, but still commit to something before the metaphorical bell rings. Others, including those who tend towards obsessive compulsiveness, get so locked into overthinking that they can't move forward,” the professor pointed out to Bored Panda.
Performance anxiety, making wrong choices, or our past experiences can make us more prone to overthink things because we’re more anxious about the future. Meanwhile, some folks are simply born and raised to over-analyze things.
I am 39. Bought some Red's at the Walmart. Instead of being carded, lady hit the "does the customer look over 50?" button. I dont like you either walmart lady!
"Perfectionists are definitely overthinkers as they worry about minor flaws and what they can do to avoid them. Perfectionists can get tripped up by their need to achieve perfection and focus on the minor details and be unable to fully commit to something, whether it's turning in a project at school or work or committing to a relationship if they feel it or they or their partner isn't 'perfect.'"
Like in most areas of life, the first step to fighting back against a problem is recognizing that there is a problem. "Once you realize you are overthinking things, it's time to tell yourself that 'enough is enough.' Our minds will go where it's comfortable for them to go—and for whatever reason, our brains seem to enjoy worrying a bit.”
Considering she was marrying him for his money and intended to ship them off to boarding school, I would say she got what she deserved.
Professor Degges-White had some advice on how to stop overthinking. "Replace the worries of 'what can go wrong' with thoughts about 'what could go well.' Rather than wasting mental energy on negative thinking—especially when it's cyclical and going nowhere—intentionally remind yourself to focus on the positive possibilities,” she said.
“Accept that your best effort is enough and that perfection in most things isn't achievable. And that's okay,” the professor continued. “When trying to make a decision, practice going with the first response that comes to mind. Most of us do know what we want to do, but let our heads get tangled up in knots by overthinking the possibilities—just follow your gut and see what happens.”
YES! When we're both talking at the same time it sounds like we're working in a call center.
She added: “Set a time for thinking about a problem. When you contain the "space" for overthinking, you give yourself parameters and lose less time in overthinking and deliberating. Some people begin to stop the overthinking well before the timer goes off—they learn that it's not productive."
This also needs to be available as continuing education that comes with an available hot line to call, just to talk you down.
Only 21? I'm thinking at the rate iPhone are "upgraded" and released it would be more like iPhone 210.
I have ADHD and this happens all the time. I lose interest and I'm out of there.
Me nearing 40: ooo long weekend. i'm so exhausted from parenting and house chores I can't wait to get back to work
Not really so much in your late 20s, but definitely in your 30s.
We have a construction project going on at work, and of course the construction guys are in their early to mid-20's. I overheard one of the new guys that showed up ask one of the other guys if there were any "cute girls" working here. His reply, "Nah, just one fat, old lady". I'm the only woman here. 😔
You mean you'd actually have a job 1 week after graduating college to be able to say that? Surely you jest! Sadly, getting a job right after graduating college is a pipe dream.
ME JUST AFTER GETTING LICENSE: This is so awesome I love driving everywhere. I can drive for days and not get enough. ME NOW TO WIFE: I'll go with you only if you drive from and to home.
Why did the narrator just sound like Morgan Freeman in my head as reading that, lol?
My mum (60s) loves to point out that her generation managed to buy houses because they worked hard and saved. She just completely ignores me when I point out that in 1970 the average cost of a house was 3x the average wage and couples where only one went out to work could afford a house, whereas today the average cost of a house is SEVEN TIMES the average wage and you need two decent earners just to buy a shoebox.
Let me loose in a cheese shop and I could easily spend $63 on cheese. The challenge would be holding it down to $63.
And you can't go to the MD to find out if it is actually something because you can't afford it. This remains true because if you even have insurance they only pay for so many visits a year and you have already maxed out on that. (For those of you who live in the U.S.)
Then, instead of working, i lie in bed for two hours convincing myself that Wal-mart is just a couple blocks east and i could get snacks and not starve if i could only get up and go. And i am still here, hangry and ready to give up in life because scr#w the store. And people. And money. And shoes. And walking.
Don't worry. They don't want you looking at them either. Life has a way of evening itself out.
Lip Smackers debuted in 1975 though. And they came in jumbo size...the cylinder was about 2.5cm by 10cm.
I don't want to 'have a job' at someone else's wedding. I wanna skip the reception, show up for cake and to tell them how beautiful the reception was, and then go back home, eat more cake, and watch netflix.
Hey Paris! Stop being a clueless spoiled little rich girl. Can you fit that on a T shirt?
right?! My 13 yr old sees me work all day, clean the house, sweating over bills, checking out my wrinkles in the mirror and says he'll hate being an adult
Ugh no, I'm the opposite, I want spring and summer to f**k right off. WINTER FOREVER
Is it normal to visit your parents and just get some snacks without being offered any? I'd never do that, but maybe that's a cultural thing.. or just my weird family.
and this is why I pay for my stuff myself.. not putting up with anything just for the sake of a free glass of wine :)
This went on for far too long. I had to stop at 61. Lesson: always wait until the late afternoon to check out BP. That way they've been narrowed down to somewhere between 30 - 50. You may end up wasting the same amount of time, but you'll get to check out everything for the day.
I kinda feel sorry for Samantha Matt. She seems to be in her late 20s, already contemplates her life choices (cmon you don't have to be married and have kids yet) and complains about being cold, bored and having to go to work, while getting excited about organising her pantry instead of going out. Lighten up Sam
Life is gonna sting hard if it actually happens too her.
Load More Replies...Way too much stupid s**t on this one, it’s life. She has way too much time for complaining and not getting out of bed. These kind of posts are getting very irritating.
She isn’t as funny or clever or original as she thinks she is
Not a single tweet about how horrible her student loans are. Complaining about mundane s**t leads me to believe she has a great safety net named Daddy.
So being financially able to afford student loans means daddy takes care of it? I wish it was that easy. I had to pay mine I just didn't complain cause it wasnt that bad I guess.
Load More Replies...It definitely says that it's an article about Average People problems which was created by Samantha Matt so it makes sense that it's mostly from her.
Load More Replies...Still ...a better format where after every screen capture they spend 2 paragraphs describing everything in the screen capture.
I hope she gets some help for her financial irresponsibility. She's going to have a really hard time once she's starting to age and needs to slow down for her health.
This went on for far too long. I had to stop at 61. Lesson: always wait until the late afternoon to check out BP. That way they've been narrowed down to somewhere between 30 - 50. You may end up wasting the same amount of time, but you'll get to check out everything for the day.
I kinda feel sorry for Samantha Matt. She seems to be in her late 20s, already contemplates her life choices (cmon you don't have to be married and have kids yet) and complains about being cold, bored and having to go to work, while getting excited about organising her pantry instead of going out. Lighten up Sam
Life is gonna sting hard if it actually happens too her.
Load More Replies...Way too much stupid s**t on this one, it’s life. She has way too much time for complaining and not getting out of bed. These kind of posts are getting very irritating.
She isn’t as funny or clever or original as she thinks she is
Not a single tweet about how horrible her student loans are. Complaining about mundane s**t leads me to believe she has a great safety net named Daddy.
So being financially able to afford student loans means daddy takes care of it? I wish it was that easy. I had to pay mine I just didn't complain cause it wasnt that bad I guess.
Load More Replies...It definitely says that it's an article about Average People problems which was created by Samantha Matt so it makes sense that it's mostly from her.
Load More Replies...Still ...a better format where after every screen capture they spend 2 paragraphs describing everything in the screen capture.
I hope she gets some help for her financial irresponsibility. She's going to have a really hard time once she's starting to age and needs to slow down for her health.