There are days when the air seems to have a whiff of positivity. You make the bus on time, breeze through the traffic, and excitedly skip to wherever you need to be. And then there are times when your alarm doesn’t go off for some reason, and you scramble to get ready just for a million things to go wrong. The sandwich you went to put in your mouth drops on the ground and the train you hoped to catch was so overcrowded all you could do was watch it take off into the distance.
But it can always get worse, and people on this list are living proof of that. If you’re having a bad day yourself, scroll down to find comfort in knowing that others have it tougher than you, and don’t forget to share the most unfortunate things that turned your day upside down.
While you’re at it, be sure to check out a conversation with an expert in positive psychology, Ruth Steggles, and positive psychology play consultant, Jeff Harry, who kindly agreed to give us a few tips on how to turn a bad day around.
#1 Not What I Expected On A CT Scan Following A Suspected Gallbladder Attack
It's exactly what it looks like. I'm now terminal at 40 years old. Consider this a PSA: go to the damn doctor when you're in pain. You never know.
Image credits: lickykicky
#2 What, No Tie-Down? This Happened Not Even 50 Yards Later
Image credits: Key_Advantage4239
#3 On My Way To Start College And My Car Caught Fire With Everything I Own Inside Of It
No one was hurt in the slightest, and I was the only one in the vehicle when it caught fire. Thankfully, I could get everything out of the car before the fire got too bad and we had to back away. The fire department put it out very quickly, so no real damage was caused. Also, a little bit of context: my father was in his car, and I was between him and a truck. I sped up to try and pass the truck and try to close the distance between us. He was guiding me and had some of my things in his car. As I accelerated, I heard a pop, and my car began to slow down, and before I could react, it popped again and entirely died. I threw on my flashers pulled off to the side of the road and began trying to call my dad when the guy in the truck who was in front of me came up and started seeing if I needed help when we noticed the crackling of a fire under my hood. I popped the hood, and we saw the firewall was about to be fully engulfed by flames, so I called 911 while he began pulling all my things out.
Image credits: CarDoor_Curti
The most up-to-date statistics show that on average, an American has 4 bad days a month. These add up to 48 days per year that are dedicated to bad moods and unfortunate events.
However, this seems to be an improvement since 2018, when respondents reported having about 60 bad days a year.
Interestingly, the 2024 Avocado Green Mattress and Talker Research survey has found that Americans can pinpoint the exact time when it’s going to be a tough day. At precisely 8:36 a.m., they can already tell that their day won’t go as planned.
#4 Facade Wall Contractors Used A Drill Too Long For The Job
Image credits: RealTeslaFan
#5 My Stove/Oven Broke And The Display Doesn’t Even Say The Time Anymore
Image credits: Strange-Movie
#6 Microwaved A Smucker’s Uncrustable (Premade Peanut Butter And Jelly Sandwich) For 15 Seconds And Got A 2nd Degree Burn. This Is About 5 Days After It Happened
Image credits: Praxzey
A quarter of the time, people feel like there’s no way to turn the downright smile upside down. 48% of respondents even admitted to canceling plans or calling out of work to go back to sleep after waking up and sensing a bad day.
The most common causes of a tough day were getting up and feeling sick (35%), followed by poor sleep (31%), and waking up with a headache (29%). Misplacing the keys (26%) and leaving the phone at home (25%) were other top contenders.
Additional reasons for things going south included running out of toilet paper, forgetting the wallet at home, sleeping through the alarm, and forgetting to charge the phone the night before.
#7 Rearranging Fridge, Watermelon Rolled Out. I Ignored Thinking I'd Grab It In A Second. It Continued To Roll Down The Nearby Staircase
Image credits: LazloDaLlama
#8 Thought One Of The Bulbs Burned Out In The Backyard
Image credits: XROOR
#9 Saw This After Hearing The Loudest Scream Of My Life
I was working and heard someone screaming at the top of his lungs. Went to the bathroom and saw this. The poor guy was taking a dump when this happened.
Image credits: Revolutionary_Town21
The survey further revealed that unfortunate events were most likely to strike at the start of the week. 60% of respondents said that Mondays had the highest chance of going into a downright spiral. Work schedules and the back-to-school season were some of the most common contributing factors.
To prevent bad days from occurring, respondents try to find time for themselves each day to relax (41%), make time for things they enjoy (37%), and ensure they are well-rested (35%). In fact, 71% of respondents said that sleep can make or break their day, and having enough of it can help to deal with things that may go wrong during it.
#10 My Wisdom Toot. You’d Think It Would Be Wise Enough To Not Do This Type Of Stuff
Image credits: mdaws7
#11 I Guess My Sunscreen Wasn't Water-Resistant
Image credits: Pale-Equal
#12 My Legs After Mowing My Lawn While It Was Still Wet
Image credits: Fickle-Supermarket16
But even if a bad day is unpreventable, there are ways to turn it around. Ruth Steggles, an expert in positive psychology, suggests stopping and noticing what’s going on around you. “Identifying what is actually upsetting you then allows you to address the root cause. If it is something you can't change, look for some small thing you can change.”
Similarly, positive psychology play consultant Jeff Harry advises to sit with the feeling and let yourself fully experience the bad moment. "If you allow yourself to fully feel the bad moment, then you can let it go. If you don't allow yourself to feel it, you suppress it, meaning you hold on to it, and then you have more bad moments and suppress those until you have so many you are holding back, which results in not only a bad day, but many bad thoughts about yourself, which can affect your week, year, or your entire life."
#13 Someone Threw A Brick Off An Overpass. I Was The Lucky Winner
Image credits: InevitableFun3473
#14 My Entire Neighborhood Is Submerged In Flood Water With Raw Sewage In It
Image credits: NoMoreScaryDreams
#15 The Semi Truck Got Nailed By A Freight Train. My House Is On The Other Side Of Those Train Tracks
Image credits: astakask
Steggles also recommends having a list of things that a person enjoys doing so they can go back to it when going through a rough patch. Like reading a book, taking a bath, dancing around in the kitchen, or going for a walk. “It is helpful to know your feel-good tool kit,” she says.
#16 Flashback To When My Dog Chewed A Hamster-Sized Hole In The Drywall. The Last Photo Is Him With The Drywall Dust On His Nose Caught Red-Handed
Image credits: LeviathanMozart180
#17 Here’s The View From My Front Door, I Would Like To Note That It’s Not Even 4 PM And This Is How Dark It Is Because Of The Fires Nearby My Town
Image credits: Pezington12
#18 Bedroom Ceiling Collapsed
Image credits: kmcatie
Putting on some tunes may be the most simple remedy to a bad day. Listening to favorite songs can help a person to wind down and take their mind off of things for a while. “A music playlist that gradually moves from uncomfortable emotions to comfortable ones can be a healthy coping strategy and facilitate a positive mood change,” says board-certified music therapist Megan Hoffer.
#19 Came To My Car Window Smashed This Morning. I Don't Know Any Tomas And I'm Not In Debt To Anyone
Image credits: siggiarabi
#20 Found Out The Hard Way That Apparently I'm Very Allergic To Fire Ants
Was getting the mail without shoes on, felt a sting, and immediately swatted it off. Fast forward 5 minutes later, and I'm completely naked in my house, scratching like I've never scratched before. Then I noticed my palms and fingertips were now blue, followed by hives from the top of my neck down to my toes.
Image credits: thatoneguyy22
#21 Let’s Get A Roomba They Said, You Will Have Less Cleaning They Said
Image credits: nocakes96
When things go south, it might feel instinctive to get away from people. However, research suggests doing the opposite and reaching out to others, especially those who are happy and supportive of us. A friendly conversation, even a short one, can change our mood, lower blood pressure, and make us feel good.
#22 Someone Reversed Their Boat Trailer Into My Rental
Image credits: vikingmushrooms
#23 This Dental Estimate My Partner Received Was Just To Make Him Pain-Free. This Is After Insurance Too. The Dental Industry Is Absolutely Insane
Image credits: chiiave
#24 Couldn’t Hit 88 Mph As The Storm Hit
Image credits: MimirX
Those who want to help out someone whose day isn’t going as anticipated should acknowledge their feelings but avoid reinforcing them or leaving them be, says Steggles. Therefore, she suggests telling them, "I am sorry you are feeling that way. What will you do to cheer yourself up?" or “I am sorry you feel that way? Is there anything we can do together to help you feel differently?"
#25 Bought My First Car, Got Hit Within Less Than 12 Hours
Image credits: Kellybelly5200
#26 The Store Manager Was Furious At Me (The Customer)
Image credits: Chrisp720
#27 Welp
Image credits: Allocerr
“I recommend that you say "you feel" because it isn't the day that is bad, but their perception of their experience makes it so. I also always try to empower the other person to be responsible for changing things. Taking over and doing things for them may diminish them and make them feel worse,” Steggles explains.
#28 Took Out My Earbuds And The Tip Said "No Thanks, I'm Good"
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#29 My Fiancé And I Bought Our First Home A Month Ago. Not Living In The Place Yet, But Today We Found Our Front Window Shattered
Image credits: Jay_PDT96
#30 Forgot To Close The Window Before Getting A Carwash
Image credits: Modern-Day_Spartan
Lastly, she concludes by saying, “Mindfulness is the key to not being dragged into the drama of a bad day. It involves identifying the problem, noticing how you feel, and then choosing what you want to do. If that is what you want, there is nothing wrong with having a bad day.”
#31 A Sea Lion Took A Bite Out Of My Salmon While It Was Being Reeled In
Image credits: SippinLimonadas
#32 Just Got My PS5 Recently. Had To Evacuate My House A Few Days Ago Because Of A Tropical Typhoon. This Is What I Came Back After The Storm Has Settled
Image credits: Affectionate_Big8864
#33 I Slipped In The Shower And Went Face-First Into The Knobs. Now My Lips Look Like This
Image credits: Hexiix
#34 I Came Back From Vacation, And Ants Built Their Colony In My Laptop. Those Crumbs Were All Eggs, And The Inside Of The Laptop Was Full Of Them. The Computer Wouldn’t Turn On
Image credits: NevermindWait
#35 Dropped Off My Car To Get My Brakes Changed. Got These Pictures Texted To Me Instead
Apparently, the shop hand didn't know how an electronic e-brake works. Said he parked it in front of the shop, and when he came back out to pull it into the bay, he found it across the parking lot embedded into a wall.
Image credits: Skytrip
#36 Water In My Parents' Garage From Hurricane Helene. It's Going To Get Worse. Luckily, The Entire First Floor Of Their House Is A Garage. It Was About 10 Inches When This Was Taken
Image credits: CowSeparate5803
#37 2 Hours Into A 7-Hour Road Trip
Image credits: SpeedySpooley
#38 Got Rudely Awaken By The Sound Of Everything In My Kitchen Cupboards Crashing To The Floor
Image credits: thecookietrain
#39 I Am 46. How Bad Must I Look To People?
Image credits: DreamTalon
#40 Guy Found A Novel Way To Break Into My Store
Image credits: Cowboypunkstarcactus
#41 We Grew A Half Acre Of Carrots That All Turned Out Like This (15,000 Lbs)
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#42 Can’t Get Back Inside Because She Threw A Hissy Fit And Opened The Stove Bottom Drawer, Which Is Keeping The Door From Opening
Image credits: CSirizar
#43 This Was Not How I Expected To Spend My Wednesday
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#44 Diaper Got Mixed With Laundry And Went Into Washing Machine. Everything Is Covered In Absorbent Hydro Gel
Image credits: SpelunkPlunk
#45 Got Woken Up, Naked In My Bed, By Four Police Officers Executing A Search Warrant For Someone Who Hasn’t Lived At My Address In Years
Image credits: MrBeaverEnjoyer
#46 My Mom Left Her Car For 2 Months, Came Back To It Covered In Mold
Image credits: FeaRoFDerbi
#47 Took The Wife Out Of Rehab For A Walk Through The City. She Was Making A Selfie And Lost Her Grip On Her Crutch. It’s Still There... Impossible To Retrieve
Image credits: goprinterm
#48 Was So Looking Forward To Making A Pie
Image credits: itisSUNNYinhere
#49 The Paint Store Guy Didn't Close The Can Properly
Bought a car one week ago. Picked up paint while on vacation to paint my mom's house. A teenager working at a paint store didn't close the can properly. That's 1 gallon of slightly greenish-gray wall paint on the floor of my new car.
Image credits: zalik9
#50 Well, I Managed To Go Four Years Without Getting COVID, And I Got It Right Before A Trip
Image credits: the_orange_alligator
#51 The Watermelon I Spent All Spring/Summer Growing
Image credits: PresentationNew8080
#52 Neighbor's House Got Struck By Lightning Twice, Two Days After They Closed On It. They Had To Gut The Whole Top Floor Because Of Rain And Electrical Damage
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#53 Unemployed And Doing Job Interviews. Thought I’d Wax My Eyebrows To Look Put-Together
Image credits: Karnakite
#54 Just Opened My AirPods Case To Realize They're Still In Italy
Image credits: william_pakesheares
#55 Decided To Shave My Head To Give It A Fresh Start, Turns Out I Have A Bald Spot. I’m Female
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#56 Had A Visit From An Armed Response Unit This Afternoon Because I Went To The Shop With My Umbrella On My Back
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#57 Saw This Work Of Art Parked Today, I Think The Cheater Was Found
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#58 My Mom Broke My Laptop Today, Doesn't Give A Damn
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#59 My Car Randomly Caught Fire In The Coffee Shop's Parking Lot. It Is A 20-Year-Old Car, So She Had A Good Run, But She Was Working Fine
Image credits: greygoose1111
#60 Microwave's Door Blew Up. House Was Built One Year Ago
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#61 Ex And I Broke Up And Both Moved Out. When I Came Back To Check If Her Stuff Was Out, I Found This. Now I'm Being Charged $3k In Damages Because Nobody Can Get Ahold Of Her
Image credits: fuzzygonemad
#62 My Neighbors' Tree Fell Onto My 4-Month-Old 2024 Toyota And My House In A Storm This Weekend
Image credits: AdventurousTrash72
#63 A Severe Storm Ripped Through The Enchanted Fairy Festival In Central Pennsylvania, Destroying Vendor Tents And Causing Tens Of Thousands Of Dollars In Damage
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#64 My Mortgage Payment Went Up $731/Month Due To Property Tax And Insurance Increases. I Have Never Even Filed An Insurance Claim
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#65 After Two Years Of Living In My House, I Came Home To Learn My Mantelpiece Was Just Glued On
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#66 The Whole Kitchen Sink Just Fell Out Of The Counter
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#67 Apparently I’ve Been Breathing In Copious Amounts Of Black Mold Spores For The Past 6 Months
Image credits: Loki_Doodle
#68 Tire Blowout. I'm Still Not Entirely Sure How This Happened, But My Silencer Came Loose And Got Into My Right Rear Wheel
Image credits: Admiral_Corginius
#69 Please Don't Bury Your Pet In A Plastic Storage Bin. Someone (Me) Might Accidentally Dig It Up One Day
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#70 Went To A Wake For A Family Member Today. There Was Only One Other Person There
He was a much loved member of the family but for a variety of reasons no one else attended. That includes his sister and brother and one of his two daughters who lives not far from the venue.
Image credits: Carrmann
#71 Glass Jar Split When Opening Sauce For The Wife
Image credits: Welshevens
#72 The Coffee Dispenser Gave Me A Coffee Full Of Ants. Extra Protein, I Guess
Image credits: TrashAtEvrything
#73 Bought A New Processor But It Looks Like The Amazon Employee Beat Me To It
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#74 Been Drinking From This Water Glass For A Few Days And Just Realized There’s Mold Growing In It
Before everyone asks, I cleaned it a few days ago in the dishwasher. I’ll be handwashing it from now on.
Image credits: welcome2blackparade
#75 Learned My 5-Year-Old Car Never Had Airbags Installed. Seatbelt Saved My Life In 60 Mph Sudden Hit
Image credits: MielleThe
#76 The Only Pepper From My Garden After 5 Months
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#77 New House, New Stupid Expenses
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#78 Fell Through The Ceiling Today. My Heel Did Make A Near-Perfect Circle On The Ground When I Landed On It, Though
Image credits: sadako233
#79 Not exactly What I Meant When I Asked To Put A Trampoline Inside For Our Son
Storm ripped the rope holding down my neighbor’s trampoline. The safety net pole went through our bedroom wall and into our TV.
Image credits: PeaceGirl321
#80 I Had This Car For 3 Months. Now I Have A Back Injury And No Car
Image credits: Striking_Intern_1135
#81 My Brother Went Outside This Evening And Saw This. Yes, They’re Maggots
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#82 A Slight Misunderstanding At The Bakery
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#83 Drunk Throws A Fit Over My Mother, IDing Him, And Comes Back With A Rock In Hand
Image credits: Skinfreaaaaaak
#84 Hung My Shirt Out To Dry, But The Wind Took It
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#85 Happy Friday, Everyone! This Is Exactly How I Wanted To Start My Weekend
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#86 This Stink Bug Is In Between The Glass Of The Microwave. Not On The Outside, Not On The Inside. In Between. No Clue What To Do
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#87 I Didn’t Think The Suction Cups Were That Strong On My Forehead. I Have Work Today
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#88 What I Ordered vs. The Funeral Flowers That Were Delivered For My Mother-In-Law's Funeral
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#89 I Tried To Enter My Car, And This Happened
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#90 I Thought My Friend Was Reaching Out Or Was Interested In Talking To Me
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#91 I Feel Sorry For This Person
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#92 Was Using A Sieve For Wheat Flour To Make Chapati (Flat Bread) For Myself And Found Out It Was Full Of These Insects
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#93 Someone Drilled Through My Gas Tank
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#94 Toxic Ex Cut My Expensive Gaming Monitor Ports
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#95 No, I'm Not Pregnant. Thinking It's Time I Schedule A Colonoscopy Or Something. If I Even So Much As Look At Gluten, This Happens
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#96 Ordered Radishes For A Dish For Dinner... Supermarket Sent These Instead
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#97 I Dropped My Spaghetti On My Bed
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#98 Reminder To Always Clean The Filter
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#99 Apparently The Onewheel Low Battery Alarm Should Be Taken Seriously
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#100 Well That's Unfortunate
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#101 Oh Well, Just Five Dates. Still Hurts
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#102 Let's Go On A Hike, They Said. It Will Be Fun, They Said
Image credits: Ninjassassin911
#103 Reports That The Fridge Was Emptied Before Our 3-Month Trip Were Greatly Exaggerated
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#104 My Alarm Somehow Failed To Go Off And It Cost Me My Job
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#105 Someone Parked Their Car In Front Of My Garage
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#106 Felt Something Odd While Eating. Then This Fell Into My Food. This Is The Majority Of A Dental Implant That I Got About 8 Years Ago. Looks Like My Week Will Start With A Visit To The Dentist
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#107 You Gotta Be Kidding Me. Finally Caved And Paid For An Oil Change Because I Hurt My Back. Expected The Worst. Was Not Disappointed
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#108 My Wife Bought A Dress For A Wedding Tomorrow, And Only Now Noticed The Cashier Did Not Remove The Security Tag
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#109 This Has Been My Bed For The Past Two Nights. My Kid Has Been In The Hospital For Three Days, And I've Been Sleeping On A Sheet On The Floor Of The Emergency Room
Image credits: BMOforlife
#110 I Fell This Morning
I work as the emergency manager for a hospital in New Orleans, and we’re currently bracing for Hurricane Francine to touch down as a category 2. I had to report to the hospital early this morning when I fell down the stairs at my house.
The pain is radiating through my knee up to my groin. I was hopping around first and moved to crutches before the physician in the virtual visit told me he wanted me in a wheelchair until we could get X-rays. Thankfully, I just found out it’s only sprained, but they’re putting me in a boot, and I’ll be on crutches for the next couple of weeks before getting into physical therapy.
Image credits: ibelongto_thestars
#111 Opened The Cabinet In Our Bathroom. The Nail Polish Bottle Decided To Ruin The Day
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#112 Haven’t Had Oysters In Years. Finally Decided To Buy Some, And They’re All Spawning Oysters
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#113 Neighbors' Kids Broke Window In My Brand-New House
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#114 Came Back From Walking My Dog To Find This
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#115 Two Weeks! She Hasn't Bothered The Wax Warmer For Two Weeks
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#116 My Mom Sold A Lot Of Items She Gifted Me Years Ago Because She Was In Debt. She Didn't Tell Me
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#117 Put My Laptop Back Together And Pushed Too Hard On The Screw From The Bottom
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#118 I Had One Sip. The Lid Wasn’t Screwed On
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#119 My Tooth Fell Out. It’s Been Loose For A While
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#120 I Fell Asleep After Being On Call At The Hospital And Crashed Into A Tree Near A Business. I Was Like 1/2 Mile Away From My Home
Image credits: FoxtrotEagle
#121 My Protein Shake Exploded. Over 300 Dollars Worth Of Stuff Was Destroyed
Image credits: Only-Lie6098
