The Great Escape: The Secret Language Partners Use to Get Out of Sticky Social Situations

By | November 22, 2011

We know, we know: love conquers all. But when it comes to awkward social situations, there may be no greater advantage to traveling in a pair with your partner than using a secret language to make your great escape.

We’re not talking about learning “Klingon” or a dead language to communicate your distress. We’re talking about the little facial expressions and nods that seem to signal to each other “let’s make up an excuse – and get out of here.”

Hey, sometimes you simply need an out. So let’s take a look at this secret language and figure out how it can work to your advantage.

Couples Who Share Personalities

One of the elements at play in the “great escape” is when a couple is truly on the same page. They have the same taste in friends, social situations, and definitions of “fun” – and that’s the reason they’re both looking at each other and trying to read each other’s facial expressions. If they can both signal their “distress,” the social escape is a done deal.

That’s why it’s so important to be with someone who shares a lot of your sensibilities. Couples who don’t will miss out on small moments like this.

One of the best demonstrations of a “great escape” was on NBC’s the Office, in which Pam and Jim try to escape from a dinner party together. We see them exchange facial expressions back and forth so well that they know exactly what the other one is thinking.

If you’re in an incompatible relationship, exchanging a glance or two will not be sufficient for this type of communication to happen. This means the “great escape” won’t occur, and what’s worse, your partner might actually enjoy your sticky social situation a little too much.

How to Develop Your Telepathic Skills

Okay, so you won’t really be telepathic with your significant other, but using sneaky body language to communicate how you feel is a great way to send code when the social situation necessitates a private conversation.

There’s just one problem. How do you develop these skills?

First, it’s important to have a lot of experience in social situations with your significant other. Not only is it a bonding experience, but you start to get a sense of how your significant other behaves in larger social situations. If they’re feeling awkward, you’ll start to get an innate sense of that where other people might not. It’s not exactly “telepathic,” but it’s one step towards better social communication with your partner.

If you want experience out and about, be sure to check out Kupple.com, a great resource for finding activities that the both of you can do as a couple. The more experience you have, the better you’ll be able to read your partner’s feelings, and the better they’ll know what you’re thinking simply by taking one look at your face. It might not be telepathy, but it still helps out in a jam.

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