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You know what they say, “Never judge a book by its cover.” And boy, do we have a list of books for you! You see, it’s easy to assume that some things are simple, only to find out they require more skills, knowledge, and expertise than we initially thought. If you’re a graphic designer or manage any creative project, you’ll surely be all too familiar with clients asking for “something quick,” which turns out to be time-consuming.
Take cooking, for example. It may seem like a simple task when you do it at home without high expectations about the result, but it’s a lot more complex when you’re a chef and people pay you for quality food. It requires knowledge of ingredient substitutions, cooking techniques, leadership, food safety, and the ability to multitask and manage time effectively in the kitchen. Similarly, public speaking may appear easy if you’re naturally confident and charismatic. Still, it requires a great deal of practice and preparation to create an engaging speech that stays coherent from start to finish.
Brace yourself — it’s time to burst that bubble of deception and assumptions! We’ve collected a series of examples from an AskReddit thread where people shared their struggles with tasks that seemed easy but were harder than they looked. The list includes a variety of difficult tasks, from playing instruments to professional activities, that demonstrate how the perception of difficulty can be highly subjective.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
endableismwrote: "Doing anything when you have depression." Kumquatprincess replied: "I second this. Seriously ANYTHING."
ᶜʰᵃᵒᵗⁱᶜ ˡᵉᵍᵃˡ 3 years ago
I had a phase, and I had to go to the bathroom, and I didn't want to get up, or even just go in the bed - like, no motivation at all it was crazy
Kipper 3 years ago
That's what's going on with me, I can barely get out of bed at 11-12 ish lol
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Terry Tobias 3 years ago
I've been fighting a severe depressive cycle for awhile now. I shower maybe once or twice a week, laundry needs to be done desperately, and I don't have any motivation to make something to eat for dinner. I just started a new antidepressant though so I hope things will start to improve soon. I'm so over this!
OnAFreakingRollercoaster 3 years ago
Yes! You can't imagine the effort required to do the smallest everyday task. No wonder I'm exhausted 24/7. PS damn you brain for turning on me like this 🥊
Lene 3 years ago
When I had a very depressive time I talked on the phone with my dad's wife (we don't really like eachother and I honestly think she is quite dumb. There are so many very common things she has no idea about) and she asked me how I was. I was honest and told her I was really depressed and it was such a struggle for me to get out of bed in the morning and I was so tired etc. Her response was to say that I was welcome at their place. I was confused: How am I to go and pack stuff, get a bus, change to another bus and then go with that for an hour and then spend time in your home.... when I can barely manage to drag my being from my bed to my couch!??! She didn't know what to say so she went on with another topic to talk about.
Ray McArdle 3 years ago
I HATE depression! I've never had it, but to see and hear people talk about it is heartbreaking.
Gingersnap In Iowa 3 years ago
Welcome to my world. Just breathing takes all of the energy you have.
RELATED:
#2
Mr_A wrote: "Apparently figuring out what the opposite of 'easy peasy lemon squeezy' would be." venicerocco replied: "The correct answer is: Stressed depressed, lemon zest. Thank you."
#3
"Making friends as an adult (not in school). People today don’t say hello, they no-show to invites, and generally seem to have no interest in building friendships. Try moving and making new friends, especially if you don’t have kids. It is ridiculously hard."
Jenna Rogan 3 years ago
This is so true, especially the moving part. I moved to a new city almost 3 years ago and still have not made a single friend 😔
ᶜʰᵃᵒᵗⁱᶜ ˡᵉᵍᵃˡ 3 years ago
Aw, here take an upvote, I hope you find friends soon!
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Cassandra Adams 3 years ago
I just now after four years living where I do have found one viable friend candidate. I'm treating it sorta like dating 🤪
️️Upvote faery️ 3 years ago
Yep! I just moved 2 provinces over and am seriously struggling to connect with others!
Lene 3 years ago
I moved to a new place with my family 2 years ago. I am beginning to make friends and acquaintances because of my kids, yes, but I am also doing it on my own! I volunteer at an archive and it's so much fun! The other volunteers are at least 20 years older than me but they are very kind and I feel like they would stop and talk for hours if I met them on the street. So... even if you fon't have kids it's possible. Join a club or volunteer. Or perhaps just join a facebook-group from your local area and ask if anyone will come and join you for a coffee at Starbucks or whatever. I am an introvert but I realized that sometimes you have to be the one reaching out to others if you want to get a chance at making new friends. :) best luck to you all!
Brianne Amos 3 years ago
Even when you do have kids it's hard as hell. I never was able to make friends with other parents when we moved. When I started working, everyone was old enough to hbe my mom, so while they were all lovely people, we had nothing in common.
#4
"Saving money when you are poor.
It sucks to work your ass off for a month to only be 50-100 bucks richer at the end of that month and then see 4-6 months of savings go away when your car breaks down."
Maltaros 3 years ago
Or your rent gets raised by $150 / month and every place else is just as expensive.
Kristin Ingersoll 2 years ago
And even if you could find someplace cheaper, it costs thousands to move, unless you have access to a bunch of string, willing people and trucks.
Load More Replies... royal_antelope 3 years ago
That is something only people with money say. You never experienced poverty and it shows.
Load More Replies... #5
"Actually doing things. In theory it’s simple. Just do the thing. In reality I procrastinate until I hate myself."
Paulo Freitas 3 years ago (edited)
Not only that lol, but something that seams really easy in theory can be really really hard to do in practice even if you're a busy bee that never procrastinate, i love mechanics i love engines, in theory i can disasemble and reasemble an engine with no problems what só ever, in practice i don't even dare to Change my car's brake pads ( because i know Im gonna forget something and i'l end up a fiery wreck Somewhere )
Scrolling Panda 3 years ago
That's called executive dysfunction. It's a legit thing. I have it. It's a symptom of many mental health issues and also comes with many forms of neurodiversity.
#6
"Losing weight. Changing habits is HARD!"
C Cat 3 years ago
Changing BAD habits is hard. But somehow it's so easy to drop good habits for bad ones
Bina Wei 3 years ago
Brain is usually just like "feels good. Gimme more."
Load More Replies... Marilyn Russell 3 years ago
Cut out gluten, dairy, sugar and processed foods for a few months, and take a probiotic to reset your gut flora. I had to go on a special diet to alleviate symptoms of a digestive disorder called Sibo, and as a sudden effect, I lost all the extra weight I was carrying for a dozen years. At age 52. Also intermittent fasting helped as it gives the gut lining more time to repair itself. I was never hungry and never counted calories. Only exercise I did was yoga and walking. I think weight gain and the inability to lose weight is closely related to gut health.
#7
"Folding fitted sheets. I've watched instructional videos that make it look so easy but I always just end up with a crumpled up mess, and that's how it gets put away."
Benita Valdez 3 years ago (edited)
I don't trust anyone who can perfectly fold a fitted sheet. That's some voodoo crăp right there
Vex Boxx 3 years ago
This is my superpower. Lame as far as superpowers go but it makes my linen closet pretty. All my sheets are folded into neat squares, each square made up of fitted, top sheet, and two pillowcases folded together.
Cindy Caruso 3 years ago
It's simple. Thanks a pillow case, do your best fold of the sheets then stuff the top and bottom and other pillow cases inside. Flatten as you can in one end. Fold top over. Done a bundle and don't have them falling all loose in the cabinet or having to find matching sets.
️️Upvote faery️ 3 years ago
I just "fold" the "corners" together, last the whole thing "flat", and then roll it up. It "works" for me!
#8
"Creating a routine is the easy part - actually following through and maintaining that routine is the problem."
Marilyn Russell 3 years ago
Try following something for 21 days - they say that’s the amount of time it takes to create a habit.
#9
"I use a wheelchair and people usually don't believe me when I say that getting around can be difficult, because many of them think that pushing a wheelchair is easy. (They literally tell me this.) The thing is when you use a wheelchair all day and it is basically your only means of transportation, it looks more natural. This becomes a problem when I point out accessibility problems. They often don't believe me because they see how I can navigate and assume that it's easy – just because *I* make it look easy."
Not-a-Clue-What-to-Call-Myself 3 years ago
Let someone else push your chair round the streets for 1/2 hour. They will soon see how bloody difficult it is!
Charity Angel 3 years ago
This! I really want to offer people this when they think I should be able to tackle [x] task without an issue. There is no such thing as "just popping out for some milk" any more. I also had the audacity to become disabled at the beginning of 2020, so I got absolutely zero support. Physio is only just starting now, more than three years later.
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Joss 3 years ago
I was only on a wheelchair for 8 months, but it was eye opening. Public transit...the pee in the elevators because homeless & disabled are the only peope using it...sleeves/wrists go over the wheel to get to the hand rails to turn the wheels....desperately trying to keep my sleeves out of pee and mud and God knows what else when it was cold. So many "accessible" restrooms where the door won't close unless I contorted myself painfully. Everyone talking to the person with me instead of me or taking slowly and loudly like I had me talk deficiencies just because my leg wasn't functional. Guy offered to help, I said no thanks. He said no really, it's no trouble. I said no thanks, I *prefer* to push myself. He said no no I insist and got behind me and started pushing. Had to slam the functional leg on the ground, throw on the breaks, and scream at him to get him to get his hands off my chair...mobility aids are like an extension of the body, don't effing manhandle w/out permission
Charity Angel 3 years ago
I suspect people think it's easy because most people who have had a spin in a wheelchair have done so in a hospital or grocery store, where the floors are smooth and flat, and an absolute joy to propel on. This is not the case outside, in the real world. Shoulders are not meant to be one's means of moving around. Footpaths are built on a slope so that rainwater drains off. They are also not completely smooth. Sometimes they are very narrow. Sometimes there is no dropped (cut) kerb for access. Sometimes, some delightful driver parks across the access point so you have to back-track and use the road. Hills are an absolute nightmare for a manual wheelchair user on their own. Some are literally impassible because a wheelchair doesn't have any brakes like a car or bike - those are called "hands". You either end up with friction burns to your palms going downhill (and that's assuming you're lucky enough not to have an accident) or, going uphill, when you release your 1/2
Charity Angel 3 years ago
2/2 hands to reposition them on your wheels, you roll backwards. You just can't move far enough forwards to overcome gravity. Don't even talk to me about cobbles. Doors! Doors are an extra bit of added fun. Inward opening doors are usually rammable, unless they are very heavy. Outward ones, though? They're extra fun, because you have to try and move yourself with one hand, while grabbing the door with the other. All of this is just the outside world - it's not even looking at places that have steps without any alternative. My shoulders are absolutely wrecked, because the world is not built for wheelchair users, and they are very likely the culprit of my never-ending migraines. Just to add another degree of difficulty to disabled life.
Load More Replies... Terry Tobias 3 years ago
Things are better here because of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). There are rules for making buildings and sidewalks wheelchair accessible, and having "reasonable accommodations" to help the disabled be able to succeed at work and school. A person still has to be able to perform the essential functions of the job, and the accomadation could be something as simple as giving someone a quiet place to work or changing their hours if that's possible. I've taken advantage of using reasonable accomadations to help me with both school and work and I'm fortunate that it was in existence.
#10
"Socializing with people. I have severe social anxiety, and even small interactions with strangers, and even some people I’ve known for a while are really hard for me. I don’t hate people or dislike being around them, but I’m just awful at keeping conversations going or initiating them. Outgoing people make it look very easy, for me it is not."
ᶜʰᵃᵒᵗⁱᶜ ˡᵉᵍᵃˡ 3 years ago (edited)
I had this kid come up to me once, huge eyes, hands clasped in front and stand directly in front of me and say, hi, and then stand there saying nothing just staring at me. I tried to ask lots of questions to try a conversation, but the answer was always "yes/no/something short, what about you?" And I'd try long/short/medium answers and other questions, the SILENCE WAS SO LOUD AND THE KID JUST KEPT STARING EEESH!! 🤣🤣 Edit:misspelled shirt 💩
Victoria Anderson 3 years ago
SAME! I also have trouble showing my emotions in facial expressions, so people get P.O.'d when I tell them in no uncertain terms to buzz off.
Marilyn Russell 3 years ago
I find after being isolated for so long - I lost my job due to Covid and then became my elderly father in law’s caregiver until he recently passed - I have nothing of interest to say to people at get-togethers.
Erica Politica 3 years ago (edited)
Story of my life. I had to get an Rx for Prozac. For the first time in my life I feel normal, and it's wonderful! Took 30-something years, but better late than never. 😊
#11
"Rehab and sobriety. I always thought It'd be easy but the first week was hell. I went in for alcoholism and I couldn't bathe my self I was so sick those first few days. The next 7 weeks were basically training myself in self control and how to accept my addiction. I'm 1 year and 7 months clean and out of the 20 people I met in the program, 10 relapsed, and 2 of the relapses were fatal overdoses."
maniacallysane 3 years ago
Just hit 5 months! It stays difficult.everyone says it gets easier.. I drink a flat of pop a week. Idk how I'm not gaining weight
Mike Fitzpatrick 3 years ago
Keep at it!! I have 11 years coming in the spring and I was so bad with sugary stuff I forced myself to switch to water. It took a while to get used to but I finally did it. I drink a LOT of water but the alternative is unthinkable. Eventually it will get easier but you will find yourself doing a lot of things differently and a lot of different things but you can handle it.
Load More Replies... Michelle C 3 years ago
I’m so glad the OP was able to complete the program and remain sober! That’s difficult for a lot of people and I know the pain of losing loved ones to addiction well.
Yogi's mom 3 years ago
Hang in there, keep talking to people, use your sponsor and make those meetings. Just for today. Let tomorrow take care of itself. You got this!
Priscilla Branch 3 years ago
I learned that Alcoholism is a brain disease. Changing habits (people, places and things) eventually leads to positive brain changes. You are literally changing your brain. Very difficult but I'm so happy you're sticking with it!
Cindy Caruso 3 years ago
It's very hard to learn how to cope with life. Addiction was your coping mechanism. Then you also have to learn how to have fun while sober too. I get it. I'm not an addict but, I understand your struggle. In life many loose the battle with themselves. I am glad your sober. Keep up the fight. Learn what makes you tick. My best advice is to find a hobby or interest that makes you happy. Good luck.
#12
"Holding a flashlight for your dad."
Victoria Anderson 3 years ago (edited)
Or in my case, mom. I'm shaking because I'm trying to hold it still, then she gives me the stink eye because my shaking is making the dang flashlight shake. Bit of a Catch-22.
#13
LaylaTheLoofa wrote: "Making decisions." MummaGoose replied: "As a single mum I resent having to make all the “simple” choices. Like what do we eat for dinner. Grr. Someone else decide for once."
Neuridivergent 3 years ago
Soup Sundays. Manwich mondays. Taco Tuesdays. Waffle Wednesdays. Tortellini Thursdays. Favorite Pizza Fridays. Salad (fruit) Saturdays.
Pete from Cali. USA 3 years ago (edited)
I know some people who can never decide but will criticize any suggestions I give them. Very annoying
Jo 3 years ago
Having to decide what I want to do for the rest of my life right now... I believe paralyzing fear is the correct term for my emotions rn. Yes I know I can change later but I cannot go to college and get a digree not knowing what I want to do, and after I get a digree it limits me to something in that field for the rest of my life. I have heard it all and it is still hard
Victoria Anderson 3 years ago
You can find jobs in fields outside of your major. You might be the tiniest bit overqualified, but a job is a job, especially if the pay is decent.
Load More Replies... Ambry Petersen 3 years ago
Be glad you don't have food allergies. my family has several, (some of them severe). Finding something we can all eat makes this simple task much harder...and much more annoying. Planning dinner ends up feeling more like putting together a circus.
#14
"Having fun at a party. How does everyone else have such a good time? I just find them depressing and annoying."
MarleneNH 3 years ago
Only fun is if they have an animal. Then, I hang out w him/her and avoid the people.
Victoria Anderson 3 years ago (edited)
Yes. Who needs cheap beer and bass music that induces heart palpitations, when you can have a good movie and a purring kitty or couch-potato puppy?
Load More Replies... Theresa Smith 3 years ago
That would be because booze. And drugs. Unless they love dancing maybe.
#15
EvilS100 wrote: "Plugging in the USB on the first try." myVisionIsAugment3d replied: "Here is a lifehack for you, if the socket is horizontal, the USB logo in the plug stays on top."
Doctor Strange 3 years ago
I can. Almost every USB port is designed so the usb logo goes up
Load More Replies... Shark Lady 3 years ago
None of my charging cables have the USB logo. I can only assume they wiped off at some point!
Theoretical Empiricist 3 years ago
I have a worse track record at this than if I'd tossed a coin.
Neuridivergent 3 years ago
Sure... That might work the first 10 times. By the 11th, my brain says "logo goes down." Have the same problem with traffic rules.
#16
KayGlo wrote: "Drawing something from memory. Like a bird or something. In mind - yep that's a bird. On paper - that's... a bird?" notLOL replied: "Draws squiggly lines far away in the horizon. Birds."
#17
"Being a good dad, sh*t is tough. I have a 18month old daughter and my wife is expecting. I get up for work and 12 hours later I’m back at home and almost as soon as I walk through the door, I’m on dad duty. Trying to entertain my daughter, give my wife some time to relax, sort out dinner, clean the house. All these things need to be done and time to do them doesn’t exist! Then there’s Tim to exercise (which I haven’t) spend quality time with the wife and then hobby’s (I’m a gamer) It’s a thankless job at time but man if my daughters hugs don’t just melt me every time. The real heroes are the single parents and those with kids with disabilities, you have strength beyond comprehension."
foryouwhynot IB 3 years ago
I’m a dad and can confirm I have no life outside of work and family…I don’t even have my game system hooked up anymore!
Joss 3 years ago
Find a way to get gaming back...learning to game with dad makes up some of my favorite memories. First I just watched, then we traded off who was watching and who was in control (single player games) then eventually I was a gamer on my own too
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Michael Gilbert 3 years ago
You made a choice. I'm 61 with no kids. Best decision I ever made.
#18
"Being an adult. They never had to do homework, could stay up late, eat what they wanted and had the money.
I wish I was a naive kid again."
Neuridivergent 3 years ago
Nowadays most professional jobs require continuous training. There goes "no more homework."
#19
"Teaching preschool or kindergarten. Preschool and kindergarten teachers are SAINTS and the most professionally proficient of all teachers IMO. It is an extremely difficult and in some ways dangerous job."
Michelle C 3 years ago
God bless our teachers! I became one precisely because I had many who invested in me in ways that I’m not sure I can sum up here adequately. To all of my teachers out there: whether you read this and figure out who I am, thank you. Your work is more appreciated than you may ever realize. ❤️
Brianne Amos 3 years ago
I worked in elementary for years and avoided kindergarten like the plague. They are so cute for a visit, but the whole day is exhausting!
ᶜʰᵃᵒᵗⁱᶜ ˡᵉᵍᵃˡ 3 years ago
I still remember my 2nd grade teacher, she was the greatest! I gotta see if I can look her up and say thanks, wonder if she'll remember.
#20
"Self discipline is the single hardest skill to master in this world that makes it so easy to just... not..."
#21
"Marriage. I think many people believe that they will be romantically in love with the person they are marrying. In many ways you do but most with long successful marriages will tell you it takes work to make a marriage last a lifetime. That level of commitment is hard to maintain. The rewards are enormous and you'll never be closer to another human if you're doing it right My wife and I just celebrated our 40th and we've known each other for more than 45 years. Planning on being together till end."
foryouwhynot IB 3 years ago
My wife and I hit 15 years this past summer. It’s never been easy but I’m still here. I couldn’t imagine life without her and I’m not interested in anyone else.
Steph Hobbs 3 years ago
And it requires both of you to make that same effort. Once one gives up, the other can't do it by themselves.
Shelby Moonheart 3 years ago
Marriage takes work and then it is fun too. My dad would say the first 50 years are the hardest. Mom and Dad were married 60 years when she passed. They were such a great example of what it takes.
KombatBunni 3 years ago
This year is lucky 13 for my partner and I. I hope we make it to 75 like my grandparents did
Thee8thsense 3 years ago
One key we have found is empowering your partner. It seems many tear one another down instead. If my husband said "I'm going to move that mountain", my reply would be "Awesome! Do you need a hand?". Even if in my mind I was thinking "How the hell is he going to do this?", I would not express that. As long as the idea doesn't harm anyone, why not support one another through life?
#22
"Letting go. No, you won't just switch it off. You won't just stop it when you want. You won't stop craving for it. You won't stop missing it. You'll always get yourself almost back to it because you've made a habit to do it so many times daily that your brain hardly ever registers when you're consciously with it."
ShaZam Beaubien 3 years ago
We are told to always try .... letting go feels like losing so it is extremely difficult to do.
Shelby Moonheart 3 years ago
Letting go is remembering something else. Remembering is ACTIVE. Let go by not dwelling on the thing you need to let go.
#23
spicyfriednoodles wrote: "Life after university graduation. People always say that they can't wait to graduate but little did they know it's just gonna be an uphill battle from there." hypodopaminergicbaby replied: "Hardest time I’ve ever had getting a job, now that I actually have time for one." paco987654 added: "Honestly I didn't expect a downhill battle but I kind of hoped for an even field."
Pete from Cali. USA 3 years ago
Very true. We were Ina recession when I graduated and I couldn't find a job in my field. I ended up doing data entry / data quality control for a few years at near minimum wage
Cindy Caruso 3 years ago
Yeah I graduated with a degree in a government field just as a government hiring freeze was set in place. Literally the same month. Never could use the dang thing. And everyone else found me over qualified for their non profits ect. So into IT field as a low level technician. Never did get ahead.
Load More Replies... #24
"Self-care, for some reason. I don't know why, but when people talk about it, it sounds so simple. Then doing it is like... could include changing habits that have been a part of your life for a very, very long time."
Michelle C 3 years ago
I just started picking up some new habits and resuming habits I stopped sometime ago, such as journaling. I’m already having a little trouble keeping them up even though I know they will pay off in the long run!
#25
"Gardening. It isn't just water it and you're good; its constant attention, care and maintenance! It's really a lot of work if you have a decent size garden but IMO well worth it once you're eating what you grew."
ShaZam Beaubien 3 years ago
Don't be afraid when gardening. I think a lot of people get hung up on the little things and it causes a fear that they will not try again.
Diana Robison 3 years ago
I have a brown thumb... Everything I plant I kill somehow despite following all of the recommendations/instructions.
#26
goldengirlsmom wrote: "Finding a career you’ll want to go to every day that won’t crush your soul. Remember when you were young and teachers told you that you could be whatever you wanted to be... yeah, not so realistic when you want to pay bills and maybe have a little beer money too. I didn’t go to college and struggle with the thought of not being able to have a lateral career move without a degree, but then I see my friends absolutely floundering with their student loan payments and think maybe I don’t have it so bad after all." MacbookPrime replied: "I went to college, grad school, got a PhD and work in a senior role at a highly coveted company. I still don’t feel happy. The one thing I’ve learned after all these years is that happiness is not defined by title or company affiliation or number of letters after your name. My resume won’t be on my tombstone. But in many ways, I’m stuck because of the responsibilities I have now and all the people in my family and my profession I’m accountable to. I feel like I’ll always be in the pursuit of happiness, rather than enjoying the moment I’m living in."
Diana Robison 3 years ago
I have 10 years experience in my field, but if I were to switch companies I'd take about a 25% pay cut (and start at nearly what a new hire in the field makes). It's especially frustrating when we get a new supervisor who is awful, I have to just try to grin and bear it and remember there isn't a supervisor in the company who has been there longer than I have so this too shall pass.
#27
"Dancing. I wouldn't say it looks "easy", but when I see people do it, they're so good at it and it flows so well it looks easy. But damn, I just CANNOT get my body to do anything more than a bop and maybe some stupid arm moves. I'm 25 and dance like a 50 year old at a reunion. Dancers are so delicate and make it look so easy, it's honestly amazing. It's just hilarious when I try to do literally anything and fail horribly."
Diana Robison 3 years ago
Yes!! Me dancing in my mind: I'm a swan, beautiful, graceful, gorgeous. Me dancing in reality: I'm an all left footed octopus having a seizure.
#28
"Coding. Watching tutorial: Oh, this is easy. Writing code: "WHERE IS THE MISSING SEMICOLON? WHERE?""
Stardust she/her 3 years ago
In theory, my codes are excellent and are genius but in practise there’s a 100 or more bugs
Gerald Ogden 3 years ago
99 bugs in the code/99 bugs/take one down pass it around/130 bugs in the code...
Load More Replies... Theresa Smith 3 years ago
Straight A student from K to Grad school Couldn't understand Java to save my life. First time a book made me cry.
Kenneth McCartney 3 years ago
Most of programming is testing. Test...change that a bit ..test again...change this a bit..test again..etc.
Ace 3 years ago
I started coding back in the days of punched cards, when there was a half-day minimum turnaround between sending off your hand-filled coding sheets and getting the card deck back. It really helped to instil the discipline of getting the syntax right on the first stab. Not that anything ever worked first time, but you could minimise lost time by being very careful with your semi-colons and parentheses. And your ones, fives and zeroes, for that matter.
#29
"Work. I'm a lawyer and had a client call saying she needs a help with a merger, but "don't worry, it's super easy peasy lemon squeezy." That project took 6 months and I almost had a breakdown. She didn't understand why the bill was so high since it wAs SO eAsY..."
Not-a-Clue-What-to-Call-Myself 3 years ago
Exactly! If it's THAT easy, do it yourself rather than paying someone who's studied & trained to have the necessary qualifications & experience.
Load More Replies... OnAFreakingRollercoaster 3 years ago
See above post about the stressed depressed lemon zest opposite of easy peasey ... 🍋
Maltaros 3 years ago
I took a job where the previous person was a total screw-up and everything was months behind. I managed to actually do the job and get everything back in shape. I even created some new ways of doing things more efficiently. The owner's son took over as office manager. He wanted to change the priorities and didn't understand why we couldn't do so. Yeah, you want revenue but if we changed things to do him his way we would never send out the bills. I ended up quitting because he didn't even want to learn why things were done the way they were.
#30
"Science. There’s a huge difference between being a scientist and being a fan of science. Both are important, but they aren’t the same. A lot of people take a science class or start following a science based Facebook/Twitter/subreddit and only see the successes. Science is a critical thought heavy endeavor that requires equal parts patience, smarts, and luck. As a researcher doing basic science you’re going to have >90% negative data. For every scientific publication you see, there are months or even years of negative data behind it. The stuff that science fans and cheerleaders share on Facebook from pages is distilled from the frustrations and efforts of scientists that probably drink heavily."
Thee8thsense 3 years ago
Well, it is generally said that scientific method consists of 5 steps (although I feel like there are more, in actuality). The steps are: 1. Make an observation/Ask a question 2. Do background research 3. Form a hypothesis, or testable explanation 4. Test with experiment 5. Analyze data and draw conclusions The end result would be to communicate results. So, it stands to reason (slight pun intended), that some would find science not so easy to grasp.
Karen Philpott 3 years ago
So who does the actual work on your theory? The lab tech! You think you've got problems, we have more. We have to balance your expectations with the budget, equipment and materials and time to try, time and again , to make what you want to see happen. Very little acknowledgement comes our way for our work. So if you think scientists probably drink heavily? We're probably out of this universe.
#31
"Handwriting things neatly. I just can't do it!"
Ambry Petersen 3 years ago
My handwriting is a cross between ancient hyroglyphics and chicken scratch.
Michelle C 3 years ago
If I take my time, I’m fine, but if I am particularly emotional about something, I’m writing or have to do it in a rush, it looks terrible. I also write in cursive far more easily than I do in print since I’ve been writing in cursive for most of my life now.
#32
"Looking presentable every day."
Diana Robison 3 years ago
THIS!! With today's demanding schedules and all of the needs of a house Idk what kind of black magic some people do to have time to look polished all of the time. I gave up on makeup a decade ago because I need the extra sleep more!
Karen Philpott 3 years ago
I can take 5 minutes for moisturising, foundation, eye powder, liner, mascara and lipstick. If I'm not presentable then that's someone else's issue.
Load More Replies... Ambry Petersen 3 years ago
I haven't worn makeup in years. As a stay at home Mom who homeschools I'm too busy to worry about makeup, let alone have time to actually put it on.
Maltaros 3 years ago
I am missing something. I don't understand why this is hard unless there is something else going on.
Cindy Caruso 3 years ago
Are you a man... Oh yeah must be. A woman can't just throw on a suit and comb their hair. Women are not that lucky thanks to social expectations.
Load More Replies... #33
"Sleeping. So envious of people being able to sleep any time and any where."
Not-a-Clue-What-to-Call-Myself 3 years ago
I try to be a good role model for my insomniac husband but no matter how often I demonstrate instant napping, he still doesn't learn.
Marilyn Russell 3 years ago
The key is to deal with the stressors in your life as best as possible. Calm your nervous system down with adrenal support supplements and magnesium, and try some yoga. Seriously.
Michelle C 3 years ago (edited)
For me, it depends : are they just able to fall asleep easily or do they have narcolepsy or something similar? I would rather be unable to fall asleep easily than have health-related concerns like narcolepsy, to be honest.
#34
"Changing a headlight for a newer chevy. It involves the bumper and stuff. I miss twist and pull."
#35
"Riding horses. Like, more than just a trail ride. People who have been doing it for a long time make it look so effortless, but it's such a workout. Also you have to be strong and unmoving with half your body parts but loose and fluidly moving with the other half of them."
Michelle C 3 years ago
This is especially true if a horse gets spooked or just doesn’t want to listen to you, too! You can get hurt seriously- if not fatally- if you are not careful in your interactions with horses.
Ambry Petersen 3 years ago
Actually all your body must be moving. You have to grip with your knees and use hands lags and feet to send various signals to the horse....so yeah definitely not easy., fun, but not easy.
foryouwhynot IB 3 years ago
My sisters first mother in law is a massive horse show queen. I went out to visit them all once and she got us all on horses. Before then, it had been a good decade since I had ridden, but honestly as long as your core is good and the horse is well-trained you’ll do fine.
#36
NoobSov wrote: "Being in your 20's. As a clueless kid I thought by now I'd have everything figured out and my life on track. I'm still clueless but now I also have depression." The_Highest_Five replied: "In my 30s. Still clueless."
Red Ruffensor 3 years ago
I've got you all beat. I'm 64, and it only seems to be getting worse.
Michelle C 3 years ago
I’m in my 30s and I often question what else I need to be doing to make life easier for myself and for those around me.
#37
"Playing an instrument. Have played most percussion instruments, trumpet, some baritone, and was 1st chair tuba/sousaphone for 4 years and difficulty varies based on instrument and physical attributes."
#38
"Coming up with witty comebacks on the spot."
Ambry Petersen 3 years ago
I can once in awhile. My bio dad had quite the wit when he was younger though.
#39
"Waiting tables. I know you think anyone could do that job. But it's seriously more difficult than anyone could imagine to do it well. Career waiters could very easily work for the CIA. They have an uncanny ability to read people and an almost psychic ability to anticipate requests. When it's done poorly its obvious. But a good waiter knows what you were going to ask for and they hand it to you before you've thought to ask. If waiters worked for wages instead of tips you'd be paying the good ones close to 75k a year to put up with your bullsh*t."
ᶜʰᵃᵒᵗⁱᶜ ˡᵉᵍᵃˡ 3 years ago
aahhh that's why my mom always knows what I'm up to, she was a waiter! Really tho they're the nicest people in my family lol
#40
"Raising kids."
Diana Robison 3 years ago
Raising kids is easy... Raising kids to be responsible, empathetic, and generous adults is hard.
#41
"Wrestling / any type of fighting or grappling. The amount of guys out there who think that they can “kick people’s a*s with instinct” are sorely mistaken. I was a high level D1 wrestler at the second lowest college weight class, and I still get people who are extraordinarily surprised when they get drunk, challenge me to a wrestling match, and it does not go the way they think it will. Like you don’t challenge a Pro Golfer to 18 holes and expect to beat them if you’ve only ever golfed for fun a couple of times... but somehow that doesn’t translate."
Devin Singh 3 years ago
Where the f**k is it normal to challenge someone to a wrestling match when you're drunk. Lmao
#42
"Skating. At least for someone who knows how to skate decently. Pros make some of the hardest tricks look ridiculously easy they’re so good at it."
#43
"Beekeeping. You see videos of these old dudes in their veils and beekeeping suits and it makes it seem so relaxing and easy. Turns out that bees aren't so good at finding enough food on their own and they can get sick really easy and in the winter they can mold. Have you ever seen moldy bees? Sometimes they're not even dead... It's still worth it though."
Terry Tobias 3 years ago
You've won the comments for today! Take my upvote!
Load More Replies... Steph Hobbs 3 years ago
My cousin did it for a few years but no matter what she did, every year they were invaded and killed by wasps. It was so sad.
Marilyn Russell 3 years ago
I wanted to keep bees but then I read all the things that could go wrong.
#44
"Those captcha things on google. I can honestly never read them and the website always thinks I’m a robot."
#45
"Rainbow Road on Mario Kart. I still don’t think I’ve ever come 1st, ugh."
Michelle C 3 years ago
That was easily one of the most challenging levels of any game I have ever played!
#46
"Writing a post or comment on social media that gets recognition."
#47
"Pretty much anything that a professional does. They make it look easy cause it's their job. Throw a football 65 yards accurately? Psssh simple if you're an elite athlete. Cut open a chest cavity to fix a few coronary arteries? It's just another day at the office for a surgeon. Frame up a structural wall within a 2000 sq ft house? Just a bunch of wood and nails is all you need. Make crowded teeth perfectly aligned? Surely it's just a matter of wearing trays 1 through 55, voila! It's all straight. In reality, each of these tasks takes someone who trained for years to visualize the problem, solve it, and execute it to the T. It looks easy, cause they practiced the hell out of it."
#48
"Those cool construction and home decoration videos on YouTube. They make it look so easy and even, but these workers literally do it for a living. I can’t even fold paper exactly in half on the first try."
ᶜʰᵃᵒᵗⁱᶜ ˡᵉᵍᵃˡ 3 years ago (edited)
here's a tip: get both corners, then hold with one finger while the others gently crease back to the ends, then carefully slide your nails (or fingers, depends on how sharp you want the crease) to the middle. Usually works perfect. OR, get the corners, hold the middle in your lips so it stays and then crease it
Tavi “Raptor” Parks 3 years ago
I guarantee even with that help I'd still mess up!
Load More Replies... #49
"Getting up earlier. It’s even harder now that it’s fall and dark at my “GET OUT OF BED NOW or call off” time."
Stardust she/her 3 years ago
I set an alarm 30 min before I have to. Wake up as it jolts me out of sleep and makes sure that i don’t wake up from a very deep sleep
#50
"Asking your boss for a raise."
#51
"Singing. No joke. Singing. Like, you've gotta keep a good posture and you've gotta keep your hands to your sides. Other thing is that when you're trying to do solo's (idk if it's just so I'm gonna guess that other people have to deal with this) your voice CRACKS. I'm sorry but this is true for me."
Steph Hobbs 3 years ago
So true! Learning where the sound should come from, and hearing yourself but keeping in volume with those around you when singing in a choir is so much harder than I thought it would be.
#52
SeniorDiggusBickus wrote: "Finding the person I always saw myself falling in love with." Nuova_Hexe replied: "Are you the person that person is going to fall in love with?"
Michelle C 3 years ago
“Become the person that the person you’re looking for is looking for,” some say. Be prepared as well: consider what your future will look like with the person you intend to marry when you get serious with that person and whether you hold the same values and goals for your individual lives and married life.
#53
phamtasticgamer wrote: "Playing the triangle. A lot of my non-musician friends joke about how easy it is to play it. Then they actually hold the damn thing and look stupid." KarmicFedex replied: "I can still remember my band director... "You guys laugh about the triangle players, but you have no idea how hard it is to stay focused while counting 132 bars and not miss your cue.""
#54
"Atari video games. They look basic but for crying out loud."
#55
"Diapering a baby. Feeding a baby. Getting a baby to sleep. Looks easy until you have 12 babies in your classroom that all need to be diapered, fed, and rocked to sleep in the next 15 minutes."
#56
"Retail work. Any customer service based job sucks, but I think retail tops it. Most McDonalds at least have s good amount of staff for rush hour (in my experience) where as in retail you sill regularly go through the busiest times with no where near enough staff."
Marilyn Russell 3 years ago
I never want to go back to retail or generally working with the public.
#57
"Being a chef. A great many students starting out in the school I'm about to graduate from likely think that you can take your sweet time in this field. You can't. Everything, EVERYTHING, must be prepped before service starts. At the height of a dinner rush, everyone is going crazy running around making orders and food is flying out the window. This lasts for hours, on a daily basis. It's a sweaty, thankless, brutal career. I wish those students and other aspiring chefs the best."
#58
"Hitting a golf ball. They just sit there, laughing, taunting you."
Robert Trebor 3 years ago
They call the game golf because all the other four letter words were taken.
#59
"Maintaining a fish tank of any size. Get a even harder when you add plants."
Steph Hobbs 3 years ago
I had no idea how hard it was! I've had a dog and a cat, easy peasy, but the fish?! Oh my goodness! I followed everything I was told to do, monitored the water, cleaned the tank on schedule, fed them the right food, the right amount, didn't leave old food in it, yet guaranteed a month at a time one would die. Broke my heart (and my little boy's) so I gave up in the end.
#60
"Digging. Anytime its shown in movies or TV it looks easy af but the second you have to grab a shovel and break dirt.... bleh."
Bec 3 years ago
Our water main broke a few years ago and we spent $3 grand to have it dug up and repaired. My Dad was like, why didn't you just dig it up yourself? There's no way we could have dug 6 feet down in heavy clay soil. While we probably did get gouged a bit, it's not like we had a backhoe we could borrow and do this ourselves.
#61
"A basic physical exam at the doctor. Looks like a simple 'look at the throat' 'listen to the chest' 'yup they have a heart all right.' When in actuality Doctors spend thousands of hours practicing it so that when you come in with a murmur or 'Funny-looking-kid-syndrome' they can recognize it immediately. And yes, there are entire class sections on how to respectfully ask your patient to turn their head and cough as you push on their balls (they're looking for hernias)."
#62
"Whistling with your fingers."
#63
"Self publishing a book. Okay, it's easy to just toss some words on a page, upload it to Amazon, and get it published, but actually getting people to buy your book once it's out there is insanely hard. It doesn't matter how good your book is, nobody knows who you are so there's no reason for them to click Buy on your book. You need to do everything you can to promote it yourself - which can include paying out of your own pocket for ads that may or may not help. Source: I self published a novel, stumbled at the "promote it" step, and had dismal sales. Now I have the sequel written and awaiting beta readers. I'm going to need to try the whole "promote myself" thing again and hope I have better luck."
#64
"Sheep shearing. They hate you, they weigh 100-200lb, unwashed wool is kinda nasty (greasy from lanolin, has burrs in it, dirt, often some poop even in the best conditions), they are bumpy, the shears will cut them if you mess up, you will feel very bad if you mess up, your back will feel very bad even if you don't mess up. The Youtube videos never do it justice."
#65
"Swimming for exercise. Even for someone that’s in good shape, works out often, etc, swimming is incredibly tiring after such a short amount of time."
Marilyn Russell 3 years ago
I used to do 100 lengths of an Olympic sized pool when I was 16, just for something to do, even getting up for 6 am, and when I tried to swim a length or two of a hotel pool…
#66
"Flying remote controlled helicopters. It looks so effortless when watching seasoned flyers but in reality it’s like balancing a marble on an upturned bowl."
Confused Duck 3 years ago (edited)
"an upturned bowl", the bottom of the bowl is flat though, or else it wouldn't stay still on the table, hence, flying a remote-controlled helicopter is easy. Or am I just confused? Quack.
foryouwhynot IB 3 years ago
Take a bowl with no edges or anything on the bottom and place a marble on it…go ahead, I’ll wait.
Load More Replies... #67
billingsley wrote: "Easy as pie. Pie is the most difficult thing I've EVER done/made." So_Motarded replied: "Hell yeah. Keeping the dough cold while avoiding overworking it, and somehow perfectly distributing the butter throughout the mixture so that there aren't massive butter chunks... ugh, it's difficult."
indiecognition 3 years ago
The expression actually refers to eating pie, not baking one. But as someone who prefers eating cake or pizza to pie, it still doesn't make that much sense.
#68
"Doing make-up."
Karen Philpott 3 years ago
Putting make on? Don't plaster it on. You don't need to look like you're going on stage(unless you are on stage). If in doubt about ways to put it on and what looks good on you, seek out the cosmetics counter in your department store or pharmacy, and ask for help.
#69
"Being a server."
#70
"Stand up comedy. Go up on stage during an amateur night."
#71
"Adult coloring books, especially those intended to reduce stress."
indiecognition 3 years ago
Any coloring book can be an adult coloring book, if an adult is the one coloring it
#72
"Writing a 250-word open-ended reflection where you're expected to be creative. All I want as a grad student is some goddamn STRUCTURE and also a RUBRIC."
#73
"Hanging out with friends during that “I’m not at school but I’m still dependent on my family” period where you have spare time but have no way of getting anywhere."
#74
"Soldering."
Greennovator 3 years ago
Elecro-mechanical engineering here ... Don't skimp on flux, put a little puddle of solder on the tip for even heating, a let the joint heat up enough and the metal will generally flow into it on its own. Remove the iron/tip and let solidify before moving anything around.
#75
"Getting away with murder."
Stardust she/her 3 years ago
My friend and I hypothetically planned a heist and no matter how good the plan was, we would eventually get caught
Neuridivergent 3 years ago
Pretty much. Too many things can go wrong and police tools are too good. Unless you own a pig farm. In most jurisdictions, no body, no crime. Pig farms creep me out.
Diana Robison 3 years ago
Pigs need trained to eat human meat I believe. Wild boars though... 😂
Load More Replies... #76
"Golf. I feel like most people think they can just grip it n rip it and don’t take into account how hard it is to have a consistently good swing with solid contact."
Diana Robison 3 years ago
Or how physically tiring it is!! My first time at a driving range I had a blast... And felt it for the next 3 days!!
#78
"Being a kid. You can't choose what to eat, you can't just find night-shift work if you aren't a morning person, you can't relax after school because you go home with stacks of homework every day, you have asshole peers that you're forced to be around every day, you're always under supervision, and nobody takes you seriously. Don't get me wrong, it's full of fun times and I still miss it, but we take adult life for granted sometimes."
Devin Singh 3 years ago
lmao no. Being a kid was a thousand times easier. Hell, everything up through college was damn easy. I wish I could go back to those carefree times.
#79
"Online dating. As a girl I have a wide range of prospects but it's a lot of work to find someone I actually want to meet and I'll generally have some good 1st dates when I do but then the guy goes MIA."
Steph Hobbs 3 years ago
It's a part time job managing a dating profile and doing online dating. After 3 years decided it's just not for me. I never really felt safe going out to meet someone, you don't really know who they are. Happily single for just over a year now.
#82
"Math, I swear to god pieces of my soul became trapped in math work and perished when I burned them."
#83
"Killing enderman for ender pearls."
Tavi “Raptor” Parks 3 years ago
Before the nether update it was even harder because you had to hope and PRAY that one would spawn, and then even then you had to hope a pearl would drop when you killed it-
Diana Robison 3 years ago
Water helps... But really it's easier to level a cleric and buy them.
#84
"Programming. It's like lego sets. Anyone can follow the instructions and make the millennium falcon. But it's a whole different ballgame when you're given a pile of assorted blocks and someone says "Okay, now... recreate the Taj Mahal. But the client wants it to look like Big Ben. It also needs to be able to interlock with the Sphinx, the Great Wall, the Eiffel Tower, and the Maojang Temple to create a super monument. Yes I know the Maojang Temple hasn't been designed yet, just make some good guesses. We can add parts to it once we know what we need.""
#85
"Street names. Everyone thinks it's great fun and likes to offer suggestions but every tree, lake, and other natural feature has at least a dozen variations which you can't repeat for emergency service reasons. That and you get cities which want a street name change anytime the road changes direction regardless of a logical break point like an intersection."
#89
"Making lemonade. Sure squeezing one lemon is easy peasy, but do you know how much juice that makes? Not a lot."
Diana Robison 3 years ago
County Fair Lemonade: Get a LARGE cup (like the XL from the gas station) cut a washed lemon in half and squeeze it in to the cup then put the rind in the cup. Mix 1/2 -1cup of sugar with a cup of warm in a separate cup to dissolve it. Fill the cup with the lemon with ice, pour sugar water in, top with cold water and shake/stir. (It's easier to make than to type).
indiecognition 3 years ago
When life serves you lemons...complain about not having enough lemons 🤷♂️
#90
"Any competitive videogame, a lot people think it's easy to make money from esports, I've heard many times "they're just playing video games, they shouldn't be making so much money". Well then... try."
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