For the first time in the iPhone's history, commenters are digging into how a folding screen might change their everyday life. In a thread on r/iphone, redditors weigh in on the real-world utility of Apple's upcoming iPhone Duo (officially releasing on October 23, 2026), featuring an expandable screen that also allows you to use two apps at once. People have plenty of thoughts on whether this new form factor will revolutionize the smartphone experience — or if it's just a very expensive novelty.

The price of progress

Despite the practical applications, the reported astronomical price tag (starting at $1,999) is a major stumbling block. For many shoppers, the luxury of a foldable device simply cannot compete with the sheer utility of buying two separate, highly capable machines for the same amount of money.

Comment in r/iphone

It’s super “cool.” It looks like a prop out of a sci-fi movie. The software execution really looks well thought out, and useful for some workflows.

Is that worth the price to me, over an iPhone Pro plus iPad? Or iPhone Pro plus laptop? Hell no.

Comment in r/iphone

For $2k I can buy an iPhone 18 Pro AND an m4 iPad Pro… It makes zero sense for the price..

Comment in r/iphone

Its benefit is reminding me my current iPhone 16 is ok for the next 3 years and I’m saving 2000 bucks

Comment in r/iphone

Was hoping to replace my next iPhone/ipad with it but at the price point in Australia that idea is dead in the water…

Comment in r/iphone

I heard $2k so that’s a no for me. I’d buy a new iPad before I spend that on a phone.

The pocket-sized workstation

For remote workers and frequent travelers, the appeal lies in tidy device consolidation. Having a smartphone that bridges the gap between a standard handset and a full tablet means lighter bags and easier multitasking without needing to unpack another gadget.

Comment in r/iphone

For me, the main reason I would consider it is for my work phone, but it all depends on good app implementation. Right now, Outlook sucks without proper multitasking. Drafting an email but need to reference your calendar? You have to exit out of your draft, go to the other calendar, check want you needed to review, and then go dig out your draft again while remembering what you needed to reference in the calendar. Similarly, drafting an email while referencing a PDF will be easier.

Teams/Zoom also seems like it will be much better, especially when content is being shared.

But again, it really depends on how well apps take advantage of the format. Beyond that, I’d never consider it for my personal phone.

Comment in r/iphone

I do about 50% of my work on my phone (emails,slack, zoom audio only calls, write ups in Google Docs). Claude cowork is actually helping to push that number up higher and this could probably get it to 75%.

Just like you, the main reasons I go back to a laptop / larger screens are more complex emails where I need to reference documents or calendars OR calls where content is being shared OR hands on keyboard time writing content.

Comment in r/iphone

I discovered that an iPad 10" plus a keyboard was physically more portable than my laptop and did 98% of what I need except for coding and for coding a workstation was better than a laptop . I could go 6 months without touching my laptop

So this thing is far more portable than an iPad. All it lacks is a keyboard and I bet I can get a Bluetooth one for that .

Having an iPad experience in my pocket is the perfect thing for me.

I wish its camera had a longer zoom.

Comment in r/iphone

So I don’t travel much for work anymore (thanks Covid19) but prior to that I did. 10, 15 hours on trains / planes a week. I would’ve killed for a decent foldable phone at the time because it would’ve been one fewer thing to carry / charge / install apps on / sign in to things, etc.

I’m not saying I think it’s worth the premium, but I would’ve likely snapped one up then for the convenience factor.

Comment in r/iphone

As someone who travels a bunch for work and a lot of the times it’s quick one night trips, this has been a device I was waiting for. I wanted something that was compact but still better to watch movies on. Being able to split screen between an app with teams or outlook will help my productivity when I’m on the go then having to pull out my iPad or laptop all the time

Better for eyes and entertainment

A larger display isn't just about getting work done; it fundamentally changes media consumption and accessibility. Whether parsing small text, flipping through an ebook, or taking in the lush detail of the Lord of the Rings movies, the expanded screen real estate offers physical relief for the eyes.

Comment in r/iphone

I have quite bad eyesight. The bigger screen allows for bigger text

Comment in r/iphone

This. There's tons of things I just save to do later on my laptop cause I'm not gonna squint at my phone for an hour

Comment in r/iphone

Watching videos

Reading ebooks or comics

Taking casual photos and selfies

Last minute, emergency editing of documents (etc)

Other multitasking ideas between apps that I can't think of at the moment, but I'm sure is out there

Comment in r/iphone

Reading books was one of my biggest pros. I’m just imagining how cool it will be to have it partially folded and turning the pages like a normal book. I’m assuming it will allow you to have 2 pages open at a time

Comment in r/iphone

For me? Watching movies on flights lol. That’s literally it. I hate watching non-short form content on my Pro Max.

While a foldable Apple device opens the door — or screen, so to speak — to exciting new ways to work, read, and travel, it's clear that early adoption comes at a steep premium. The concept has certainly given tech enthusiasts a lot to think about.

How do you feel about the new iPhone Duo? Read the full discussion in r/iphone, and find more conversations like this in r/apple, r/gadgets, and r/technology.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

If you're attending a wedding, there's a certain list of songs you can always expect to hear spun by the DJ, and you could even take bets on what the first dance song might be. But although they may be popular, those tunes aren't always the most appropriate for a celebration of lifelong love.

In an entertaining (and educational!) thread on r/AskReddit, redditors are compiling a lengthy list of the supposed "love songs" they hear at weddings that actually have unromantic lyrics.

1. "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt

This acoustic staple often makes an appearance during ceremonies, but listeners point out that the singer himself acknowledges the track is far from a romantic fairy tale.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Haha absolutely this one. Even James Blunt agrees that it's not a nice love song.

Comment in r/AskReddit

That song ends with:

"And it's time to face the truth, i will never be with you."

And people play this at weddings?!🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤣🤣🤣🤣

2. "Marry You" by Bruno Mars

The title seems like a perfect fit for tying the knot, but paying close attention to the lyrics reveals a story about questionable decisions rather than devotion.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Bruno Mars’ "Marry You". People treat it like this grand, romantic declaration of eternal love. If you actually listen to the lyrics, it’s about getting completely trashed on patron, being bored, and deciding to do something stupid just for the hell of it.

Comment in r/AskReddit

"We're looking for something DUMB to do. Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you."

3. "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston

Known for its soaring vocals and powerful emotional delivery, this classic ballad written by Dolly Parton is frequently chosen for the first dance. However, many listeners point out that the lyrics explicitly describe a heartfelt goodbye.

Comment in r/AskReddit

That one always makes me laugh.. like.. she's literally saying "Goodbye" and "I gotta go"

Comment in r/AskReddit

My mom had this song play as she walked down the aisle for her second wedding.. she later realized it was a breakup song and joked that having that song play was maybe why they ended up divorced.

4. "Haven't Met You Yet" by Michael Bublé

Upbeat and joyful, this modern swing track feels like a celebration of finding "the one." The hidden issue, as listeners often realize, is literally front and center in the song's title.

Comment in r/AskReddit

"Haven't Met You Yet" Michael Buble

For a long time it was the number one most popular first dance song at weddings, but the whole song, including the title, is about how he hasn't met his true love yet.

So who are you guys dancing with? Mr and Mrs "might as well, while I'm waiting to meet my soulmate"?

Comment in r/AskReddit

That song is maddening.
A cheesy, empty imaginary wooing of a person who doesn’t exist.

5. "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder

At least the words in this tender tune are actually loving and reverential toward someone the singer cherishes. Too bad the message is directed at Stevie Wonder's newborn baby daughter!

Comment in r/AskReddit

“Isn’t she lovely” by Stevie wonder is played all the time at weddings. It’s about the birth of his daughter, not a girl he’s in love with. He does reference his wife in it, but ultimately the song is about the newborn child. It’s wedding adjacent subject matter I guess, but people just hear the tag “isn’t she lovely” and think it’s about a beautiful woman or whatever, they don’t listen to the verses

Comment in r/AskReddit

"less than one minute old" is literally one of the lyrics, haha

6. "Cherry Wine" by Hozier

The lyrics of this Hozier song describe a highly disturbing and abusive relationship, yet some couples continue to play it during marriage proposals and weddings.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Cherry wine by Hozier. Saw many clips of it being used for proposals, and some weddings, although it really shouldn't be

Comment in r/AskReddit

I was at a Hozier show where someone proposed during Cherry Wine, afterwards even Hozier questioned why they’d choose that song…

7. "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day

Soulful and bittersweet, this song is a popular pick for weddings and graduation parties alike, even though it's not quite fitting for either occasion.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Green Day “Time of your life” is also called good riddance for a reason. It’s a sarcastic song after he got broken up with. Also common at graduations

Comment in r/AskReddit

sometimes when sarcasm is laid on so thick, it goes back the other way and becomes the very thing it was mocking.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Time of your life by Green Day. Song is very much not a wedding song.

8. "Every Breath You Take" by The Police

What sounds like a story of romantic adoration set to a calm, soothing melody actually turns out to be a song about obsessive love, often associated with stalking.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Every breath you take is basically a stalker anthem somehow at weddings

Comment in r/AskReddit

my cousin walked down the aisle to Every Breath You Take. i was the only one in the church visibly uncomfortable. that song is literally a restraining order set to music

9. "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen

Both the title of this song and its gentle, emotional vibe make it seem like it would be perfect for a church service and other sacred occasions. The lyrics, however, indicate otherwise.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) is used ALL. THE. TIME. and um NOPE its totally depressing and about how love is a lie and always doomed to fail?

Comment in r/AskReddit

Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen. I’ve had to play that for 4 different weddings. Not a happy song

Comment in r/AskReddit

Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. People ask for it constantly, completely oblivious to the fact that the 2nd verse is about committing adultery. It's a classic, but don't pick it for your wedding!

No matter your musical upbringing, it's clear people have very specific tastes about what's appropriate first-dance material.

Which of these tracks have you heard played at a wedding? Read the full discussion in r/AskReddit, and find similar conversations in r/Music, r/weddingplanning, and r/popheads.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

Buying a used car can be daunting from the second you start searching to the moment when you hand over the money. In a highly detailed thread on r/LifeProTips, an auto shop owner offered a masterclass on how to inspect a pre-owned vehicle. The post quickly became a hub for seasoned mechanics and savvy buyers to chime in with their own advice. The community compiled a comprehensive list of straightforward strategies to keep everyday drivers from purchasing a lemon.

1. Hire a professional mechanic

While doing personal checks is a great starting point, nothing beats the peace of mind that comes from a trained expert looking under the hood. For a surprisingly small fee, an independent inspection has the potential to save buyers thousands of dollars.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

Everytime I've bought a used car, I've taken it on a test drive straight from the dealer to a mechanic and had them give it a full inspection / test. It's a few hundred dollars, but it'll save you a few thousand on the wrong purchase. If they WON'T let you take the car to get an full vehicle inspection done, walk away. Most will at the smaller used car dealerships. At the end of the day they're trying to sell good cars for a profit, not take people for suckers.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

The mechanic comes to the lot with all he needs to do the inspection on the lot, and also takes it for a test drive with whomever you're working with saleman-wise, just like you were taking a test drive. He was able to look underneath, listen for weird sounds, look at paint, engine oil, filters, battery, tires, etc. All the important items.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

One time I bought a used car from a dealership. They let me take the car home for a 3-day extended test drive. I got it inspected during that 3 day trip.

But just ask the dealer what options they will allow: bring mechanic to them, borrow car for a few hours and bring it back, or send it to a mechanic if your choice for you. It is not an unusual request.

2. Check the condition, not just the mileage

A low number on the odometer does not automatically guarantee a reliable vehicle in the long run. Cars used exclusively for short errands often never reach their optimal operating temperatures, causing issues.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

When buying a used, older car, buy on condition and service history, not mileage. A 5 year old car with 20k miles sounds great until you realise it means loads of short journeys where the engine, lubricants, oil and coolant has never got up to temperature properly. Many of these fluids act as lubricants or get thinner when fully up to temperature allowing them to penetrate small nooks and crannies better, keeping them working properly. A 5 year old car with 100k miles might seem like something to avoid like a dose of Chlamydia but chances are if it wasn’t a taxi it’s done mostly freeway/motorway miles where everything is warm and working well, it’s not particularly stressful on components like continuous stop/start town driving and as long as everything has been serviced and replaced on time may not be the bad decision. A correctly maintained car and engine should easily be capable of 100k miles or more.

Check for any outstanding recalls (for my Ford Focus it’s Ford ETIS and I can check it online for example) and I’m sure other manufacturers have their own online checkers. These recalls can be minor or major and save thousands in repairs.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

This is very important! A friend of mine had to travel through Europe all year round and put wel over 100k km a year on the car but it was wel maintained, had a history of all the oil and air filter changes. It once had flat tire and they replaced the whole wheel because it had some slight curb damage.

Than you have my uncle and aunt who bought almost the same exact car but only used it to drive the kids to school and to get groceries. They would let the clutch slip, floor the car while the engine is still cold and didn't care for speed bumps, potholes and sidewalks.

After 2 years you had a well maintained 240k km car which is hard to sell because of the milage and a 20k km car with hidden costs but with low milage so people would be more interested

3. Ask to review the title

Before getting attached to a particular model, ask to inspect the paperwork to verify the seller actually legally owns it. Examining the physical document can alert buyers to a shady dealership history or severe prior damage.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

This is a “protect yourself” tip: If you are buying a used car from a dealer or private seller, ask to see the title. If they won’t do that, ask to see a copy of the title with the previous owner info blacked out. It should be a red flag if they refuse or blackened out more than just the registered owner’s information.

Why? First to make sure they actually have the title. When I was young and dumb, I was once burned by a licensed motorcycle dealer not having the title and lying about it. Although rare, some sellers don’t have their ducks in a row when selling a car and will sell the car before all of their documentation is completed. This can turn out really bad for you if the seller never gets you the title or registers it to you. In my case, the dealer failed to tell me it was a consignment sale, failed to give the owner the money from the sale, which meant the owner never gave the title to the dealer. The dealer then suddenly closed his business. It lead to a large lawsuit with many involved parties.

Secondly, seeing the title will potentially allow you to see how many other dealers the car passed through before yours. In most states, dealers are supposed to record a running list of dealer transfers. Seeing a dealer-to-dealer transfer isn’t an automatic red flag. Dealers swap cars ALL THE TIME when a customer wants a certain car. Dealers also get inventory from auction ALL THE TIME (more on this later). What is a red flag is an incomplete log (such as not seeing your dealer logged on title’s running list) or several dealer-to-dealer transfers. Several transfers is a sign that it is a lemon that keeps getting passed around.

Third, check the title to make sure the title isn’t “branded”, such as being a salvage car, flood car, scrap car, etc. You’ll also see if there is an outstanding lien. Run away and don’t look back if it’s a branded title unless the seller is honest about it and you know what you’re getting into. Buying a branded titled car is NOT a risk that an average person should venture into. Best case scenario? The car was totaled from simple cosmetic damage such as hail damage. Average case scenario? The car was in a crash in which the damage exceeded what the car was worth. Worst case scenario? The crashed car was fixed just barely enough to look good but still has a bent frame, has missing airbags, has unknown amounts of hidden mechanical damage, has severe electrical issues, etc.

Bonus Info: As a dirty secret of the industry, it isn’t just low cost and questionable cars that get sent to auctions in modern times. Lease returns? The dealers have zero ownership of lease returns. It’s the leasing company that does. Most lease returns are sent to auction. Low mileage trade-in’s? Many get sent to auction by dealers that can’t easily sell the vehicle (example being a Jeep dealer that is flooded with passenger car trade-ins and wouldn’t be able to sell yet another one). A dealer can’t sell a normally good vehicle after a couple months for whatever dumb reason? It’s sent to auction. Brand new cars when a dealership goes out of business or when they just consolidates? They’re sent to auction.

I think many people would be shocked that almost all dealerships heavily supplement their used car inventory from auctions, or buy from wholesalers that get them at auctions. Just assume the used car you’re looking at came from an auction unless the dealer came prove otherwise. Hint: Dealers hate saying it was an auction vehicle because of the stigma and will instead simply say it was a trade-in. Don’t believe it unless they prove it. They don’t consider it a lie because it was likely a trade-in at another dealer, but your dealer likely got it at auction.

Final tip: NEVER, EVER BUY FROM A “BUY HERE, PAY HERE” DEALER. It’s a 99.9% chance they are a scum dealership catering to people with no credit or people that are completely clueless to interest rates and such. For those with no credit, you’re better off saving what you can and then posting a wanted ad on Craigslist for a cheap car.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

I have received way too much gold and stuff on this post and I'm going to share it with you. This is a really good post. I completely forgot to talk about titles. And yes, Buy Here Pay Here places should be burned to the ground. They don't even have to worry about buying inventory since they replenish their inventory by repossessing cars from people they knew we're going to miss payments on the ridiculous loans.

I would like to append my post with your post so it gets more visibility if that is okay with you. I will give you credit of course.

4. Uncover hidden warning lights

Unscrupulous sellers sometimes disable warning bulbs to mask expensive ongoing mechanical issues. A quick trick before leaving the lot is to ensure all the appropriate dashboard indicators successfully turn on when the key turns in the ignition.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

That bit about fuel trims is some of the best used car advice I’ve EVER heard. One thing id add is to pay attention to the bulb check when you turn the key, make sure all the warning lights on the dash turn on. This is just to make sure they haven’t pulled any bulbs out for items that might not have set an engine code, like abs or airbags (this is really only for older, non CANBUS cars, so like 2007ish and older for most cars.)

Comment in r/LifeProTips

That’s why I only buy cars private sale, I find it’s a lot harder for someone to keep up the facade to your face, rather than just being a minion at a company. Prey on their morals a little, in a good way!

Comment in r/LifeProTips

I don't know if all cars will, but my 06 honda had an ABS sensor malfunction and it turned on the ABS light, the Traction Control light, and the Check Engine light.

If these 3 lights are on it would be a dead giveaway that there's something wrong with the ABS sensors (I believe traction control uses the same sensors).

5. Connect an electronic scanner

Modern automobiles rely heavily on internal computers that digitally log hidden faults. Plugging a relatively inexpensive diagnostic tool into the vehicle provides buyers with a vital glimpse into the engine's current health and performance.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

Get a $15 Bluetooth OBD-II adapter from Amazon and install the Torque app on your phone. It's cheaper than a scanner and will do everything you need and more.

For example, you can dash mount your phone or a tablet, and turn it into a space for extra gauges for your car; like an MPG or Distance to Empty gauge, transmission temp, intake manifold pressure/temp, 0-60 times, average speed, percentage of city/highway driving, real-time horsepower/torque estimates, and then some. It's great for a statistics geek like me.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

You can buy a Bluetooth ELM scanner for under $20 on eBay or Amazon, the download the free Torque app to your phone. If you are a more advanced user, Torque Pro is $5 and can read freeze frame and PID data.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

This app developer has very nice tips on how to choose a good adapter:
https://www.carscanner.info/choosing-obdii-adapter/

6. Acknowledge the salesperson's goals

Even the most charming, straightforward dealership employee is primarily focused on protecting their company's bottom line. Buyers need to maintain clear boundaries and prioritize their own financial well-being during intense price negotiations.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

The best advice in here is to not trust the person selling the car. I have heard so many people who will agree, but say that they have a particular sale person that isn’t that way. Not true. They all are. That is why they stay in the business around other like minded folks.

Source: 8 years in the car biz in sales and management.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

You’re spot on. Even the exceptional folks in sales that I really love are still in sales. Even if they remember your family’s car purchases from 20 years ago without having to look it up, and know what they did for a living and their life story, they still want to sell you a car. Some may be honest and up front with you, and some may not badger you to buy if you have hesitations, but I don’t know I’ve ever met someone who survives in sales that won’t agree to sell you a car you ask for, good or bad for you. It’s not an indictment against them... I don’t judge mechanics for wanting to fix things that are broken or custodians for wanting to clean things, after all.

7. Conduct physical and digital checks

Digging a little deeper than a basic cosmetic walk-around is essential for spotting red flags early. Armed with a standard flashlight and an independent vehicle history search, buyers can easily uncover hidden leaks or missing emissions equipment.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

FWIW you should always plan on looking under the car. A flashlight (not your cell phone) and a piece of cardboard to lie on while you do this is critical.

Look for oil stains. Look and smell for gasoline or coolant stains. Look to see if the various shields and covers are there. Check the condition of the exhaust system. And check to see if the catalytic Converter is there !

Finally you can (for free) use the “my Carfax” app and scan the VIN and get a quick maintenance report that way. Caution ... not all shops post data to CarFax.

And totally Internet search forums on the make and model and year for issues. Look at technical service bulletins. Have your research done ahead of time and use that in negotiating a price.

Comment in r/LifeProTips

Fleet vehicles and rental cars frequently won't have Carfax reports because they don't file insurance claims and they do their own in house repairs.

Navigating the used car market can feel like a minefield, but coming prepared with the right questions and tools makes a world of difference. Whether you decide to thoroughly inspect the vehicle yourself or opt to hire a certified mechanic, taking these extra precautions ensures you drive away with confidence instead of buyer's remorse.

What are the key details you look for? Read the full recommendations in r/LifeProTips, and find more conversations like this in r/whatcarshouldIbuy, r/AskAMechanic, and r/UsedCars.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

A 45-year-old handheld gamer spent weeks squinting at blurry text and blaming his screens. The screens were fine. He just needed glasses. After sharing this revelation in a thread on r/gaming, hundreds of redditors showed up with their own unexpected upgrades, most of which had nothing to do with frame rates or graphics cards.

1. A proper office chair

The thread's loudest consensus: gaming chairs styled after racing seats look cool and feel terrible. Redditors point to heavy-duty office chairs and mid-range ergonomic options as the real comfort upgrade.

Comment in r/gaming

Throwing that gaming chair away and getting a proper office chair in a "manager" style. Doesn't necessarily need to be anything super fancy, mine was like $250 from Costco, but it's infinitely comfier than your typical cheap computer chair.

The more expensive ones are surely better, but I can game for many hours without back pain

Comment in r/gaming

Because young boys think "oh cool, a race car seat!" and get one while their backs are basically made out of rubber.

And like all boys who grow into men, we rarely change habits until the pain gets really bad, and so we keep buying gaming chairs because it's all we've ever done.

2. A better screen

Display upgrades came up again and again, from the standard-definition-to-HD leap of the early console eras all the way to modern OLED panels with high dynamic range.

Comment in r/gaming

You don’t know what you’re missing until you play a game or watch a movie on a good oled display in HDR.

Been playing KCD2 lately, and the way light sources like flames or fireflies look in lower light environments is just beautiful. Brilliant pops of light, like they’re real. Very difficult to describe if you’ve only ever looked at an LCD screen. 

Comment in r/gaming

Aha when we bought a Xbox 360, we connected it to our 720p LCD TV with the Scart cable. The text was indeed super blurry and I told my parents “This is not what it’s supposed to look like!”. They refused to believe me. I had to search online and find out that HDMI cables were a thing. They bought one and could not believe how good the games suddenly looked.

3. Quitting competitive multiplayer

Some of the most upvoted answers in the thread had nothing to do with hardware. Redditors describe stepping away from online player-versus-player modes as a massive physical and mental relief.

Comment in r/gaming

It's wild how not just my mental health improved but my chronic jaw pain went away. I still have lingering issues, but nowhere near as bad as when I was playing those styles of games.

Comment in r/gaming

Preach it bro. Single player or couch multiplayer/LAN is where it's at.

4. Exercise

A large contingent of redditors credited regular workouts with making gaming sessions longer, more comfortable, and much more enjoyable overall.

Comment in r/gaming

A set of dumbbells. I often get too sedentary and feel bad when I decide to play games for a couple hours. I make it a goal to do a few sets of lifting my weights throughout the day until my arms feel like noodles and I break a sweat. Now when I game it feels more like a reward and not a bad habit.

5. Language skills

For non-native English speakers, language skills turned out to be a major unlock. Several redditors credit teachers, games, or both with giving them access to a much wider library.

Comment in r/gaming

Having a really good English teacher when I was high school

Well, I still struggle to read sometimes, but I tend to be better than most people I meet

Comment in r/gaming

JRPGs and CRPGs are the reason I can read so well in the first place. I had to write a persuasive essay in like 5th grade explaining to my teacher that the amount of reading I do in those games rivals any book she gave our class.

Comment in r/gaming

Almost the same here. I had a great English teacher in middle school, thanks to her I managed to learn the language despite 5 years of botched lessons in high school.

She got me to a level where I could enjoy my hobbies in English sufficiently and learn on my own from then on.

6. Better sleep

Flipping gaming sessions from late night to early morning, and prioritizing resting hours, transformed the experience for several redditors.

Comment in r/gaming

Getting up early to play games rather than staying up late playing games. Getting good sleep, and doing something I enjoy for a couple hours before actually starting my day is pretty rad

Comment in r/gaming

Sleep.

At 33, I've found that 1.5 hours of playing something after work then going to bed at a decent time is far better than playing something for 4 hours while chronically sleep deprived.

7. Writing about games

A few redditors found that writing about the games they play, whether through formal reviews or providing developer feedback, changed their relationship to the hobby.

Comment in r/gaming

Giving reviews on Steam for Games/Early Access/Demos I am playing, writing out my thoughts on the game and what matters to me about certain QOL issues for the game and having the Developers on Indie games thank me for my comments and feedback has made me feel more attached to the games I play.

Not really an upgrade but more a mindset change, instead of just consuming I engage with the games now in a way I didn't before.

Comment in r/gaming

Chained Echoes added a setting because I posted a review about motion sickness and what was causing it. I appreciate them so much for that.

Comment in r/gaming

Funny enough, it was starting a blog.

I was getting frustrated and overwhelmed because I had a lot of games in my backlog, so I would waste time trying to decide what I wanted to play.

Then one day I decided I would go through my list alphabetically (one game per letter) reached K before someone said I should write about it.

So yeah, the challenge and the blog have made it more interesting for me.

Sometimes though, wish adulthood wouldn't get in the way of it.

8. An eye exam

The original poster isn't alone. Multiple redditors in their 40s reported the same experience: blaming their hardware for a problem that turned out to be their eyes.

Comment in r/gaming

Ha, exactly the same thing as you. 44, cursing the screen, didn’t even consider my eyes were getting bad. New glasses. Everything is 8K now. 

Comment in r/gaming

Fellow gamer who works in eye care here, sounds like you’re going through presbyopia. It’s a natural part of aging that makes it harder to focus on near vision.

I definitely recommend a dilated eye exam about once a year just to make sure your eyes are always able to see the games you love!

Happy to hear you’re enjoying your hobby again!

9. Studio headphones

Several redditors made the case for ditching gaming headsets entirely and pairing studio-grade headphones with a small amplifier.

Comment in r/gaming

A good set if studio hesdphones and a little amp

The sound is insanely better than any headset I ever head now. Using the beyerdynamic DT770Pro now and could not be happier

Comment in r/gaming

Likewise with my Sennheiser HD490 pros. Not only do they sound sooo much better than my old Steelseries Nova Pros, they are 1000x more comfortable. I never thought I could be hearing luxury while also feeling it.

Comment in r/gaming

Good headphones, saved up and bought a nice pair of sennheisers 8 or 9 years ago. They're still going great, almost too great lol. It takes me awhile to readjust when I use wireless headphones when I'm travelling because they don't sound as good. And for gaming they're awesome, better with directional audio for online fps them most 'gaming headsets' available at the time - And also great for single player too, an all-round improvement really.

Have had to replace the cables like 3 times though :(

The thread's most popular answers range from concrete purchases to zero-cost mindset shifts. Office chairs and OLED screens share space with English classes and sleep schedules. The biggest gains, according to these redditors, rarely come from a new hardware addition, but from simply taking care of the person sitting in front of the screen.

What would you upgrade first? Read the full discussion in r/gaming, and find more conversations like this in r/patientgamers, r/pcgaming, and r/buildapc.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

Landing a dream job straight out of college isn't always realistic, and some argue that starting at the bottom can be an important part of building a career. In a post on r/Salary, redditors are discussing the contentious topic of entry-level jobs and whether recent college graduates should expect to pay their dues before landing their dream paychecks and schedules:

I've noticed that a lot of Gen Z is dissatisfied with their first corporate job after college... Nobody seems to be happy with their early career situation Lmaoo.

Everybody is complaining about hours or pay, but what I’m slowly realizing is we were never supposed to start our careers making 150k...

Those high earners started off with ehh pay, and maybe even bad hours too. And eventually after building experience and expertise and stacking wins they started to really come into their own. They could get the hours and work remote for good money because their experience commanded it.

I had to get out this mindset myself too and be grateful I’m building something that will set myself up for success in my career, while also being appreciative of how far I’d come and how much further I can go.

What do you guys think?

Commenters in the thread are offering their own perspectives on why the traditional career ladder feels broken for the newest generation of workers.

Entry-level pay is not what it used to be

For recent graduates, the frustration isn't about working hard, but rather that wages have not kept pace with the soaring cost of living and historical productivity gains.

Comment in r/Salary

The issue is those entry level roles haven't kept up with inflation and require substantially more requirements than they used to. An entry level role now requires a minimum of 2 years of experience and very specific experience.

There is also limited upward mobility so working excessive hours doesn't make sense. People have to switch jobs to make more rather than being promoted.

Comment in r/Salary

Entry level wages haven’t gone up while cost of living has skyrocketed in the last 15 years.

This thread has financially out of touch energy

Comment in r/Salary

Yes.  I started my first job out of college making the same salary my dad did 25 years earlier.  We have the same degree and did the same job, and we made the same money, except it was worth about half as much for me.

The social media distortion effect

Others argue that internet culture has warped folks' expectations for what a normal starting salary actually looks like, and in comparison to high earners and overnight successes, building a career step by step feels like a failure.

Comment in r/Salary

The problem is that the internet gives all the high earners a place to yap on that everyone is gonna see.

We aren't supposed to start out careers with 6 figure salaries, but the 1% of college graduates with a 6 figure return offer in their first year is disproportionately loud and noisy. Because of that, every college graduate is disappointed when they take a job paying 50k a year and then need to work their ass off for a few years to get a 6 figure position.

Comment in r/Salary

I started with $3 an hour to now. Yes, the progress is slow but you gotta pay you dues. Now the new generation is so used to influencers/youtubers making so much money, they think that’s what a job realistic should pay too 🤦‍♂️

The journey is the point

For many millennials, paying their dues after graduation wasn't something they enjoyed, but the process of working their way toward higher pay helped shape their work ethic, they say.

Comment in r/Salary

I agree with this general take. I’m an older millennial (just turned 41) and started my career in 2009, right off the heels of the recession, at a measley $29k base.

Fast forward 17 years of grinding, networking, and gladhanding and I’m thankfully still in the same industry but my base is now $215k. This year with bonus and RSUs I’ll crack $300k.

Comment in r/Salary

Younger millennial here and I started my first job in 2015 at $32k/year in NYC. Now, 11 years later I’m working fully remote, living in the Netherlands and making 4x my first salary. It’s my grit, networking and commitment that got me here.

Comment in r/Salary

Yes as a millennial I did think that, but never thought I’d get it as a college graduation gift. It took me 14 years post-undergrad to achieve six figures in 2022. That involved law school and a purposeful decision to be a county prosecutor making $51,800 in 2013. I fully expected to pay my dues. But that $106,000 in 2022 has now doubled in 2026. The whole journey is worth it and probably the point.

Getting taken advantage of vs. temporarily paying dues

Finding the middle ground, several people emphasize that there is a major difference between putting in the necessary time to learn a job and allowing a company to take advantage of you.

Comment in r/Salary

Paying dues vs being a doormat are different 

Comment in r/Salary

Also how long are we supposed to pay them? I’ve been paying my dues for 8 years and I’m still treated like I don’t deserve anything, because everyone else has been here 20+ years.

Comment in r/Salary

Seeing a lot of folks slamming OP for having to pay dues and not wanting the younger generation to have WLB, decent pay, etc. i don’t think this is the sentiment in my experience. I want this for all the more junior team members, and I’ll always advocate for setting boundaries with work. The reality is they won’t learn or move up as fast. Someone out there is willing to work harder, invest in their learning, network, etc to jump the line. They’ll secure better pay and work life balance faster.

While the traditional career ladder might look different today, the strategies for climbing it continue to evolve as workers seek a balance between fair pay and long-term growth.

What do you think about paying your dues at the bottom of the ladder? Read the full thread in r/Salary, and find more career conversations in r/careerguidance, r/jobs, and r/AskHR.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

In Hollywood, a sequel that matches or surpasses the original almost always triggers a third. A redditor in r/movies poses the question directly in a recent thread: has there ever been a sequel that did as well or better than the first, both critically and commercially, without a trilogy developing? These cinematic anomalies manage to strike gold twice and then ghost the box office for good.

1. 22 Jump Street (2014)

The 2014 comedy sequel leaned so hard into self-aware humor about unnecessary sequels that making a third would have undermined the joke entirely. Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller even completed a screenplay for a crossover with Men in Black, but the Sony email leaks torpedoed the project before it could get a greenlight.

Comment in r/movies

I always think this for 21/22 Jump Street.

Comment in r/movies

Lord & Miller have confirmed multiple times that they not only pitched a 21 Jump Street/Men in Black crossover but they also completed the screenplay. They were close to getting a greenlight when the Sony leaks happened, which killed the project.

And before you ask, no, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones had no involvement in the crossover.

Comment in r/movies

How can the sequel be better when both are perfect?

Comment in r/movies

The whole movie was making fun of unnecessarily sequels lol

2. Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

Guillermo del Toro's striking 2008 adventure deepened the franchise's quirky mythology and boasted some of the most imaginative creature designs in modern fantasy. The fact that the studio opted for multiple reboots instead of completing the original vision remains intensely frustrating for longtime viewers.

Comment in r/movies

Hellboy II: The Golden Army. I really liked HB1, but LOVE HB2. The fact they never got to make the 3rd still haunts me to this day.

Comment in r/movies

Almost worse is that they made a couple inferior reboots in the meantime.  Feels like insult to injury

3. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law’s second outing as the iconic detective duo elevated the stakes and delivered a thrilling, visually distinct cinematic experience. Fans were left hanging when the eagerly anticipated third installment stalled entirely during pre-production and has yet to surface.

Comment in r/movies

Sherlock Holms: A Game of Shadows (2009) has no right being as good as it is.

Comment in r/movies

From what I read, they tried for years & got very close to a 3rd. Everyone was on board, and I believe it was in serious pre-production until it was derailed by covid. Bummer.

Comment in r/movies

These movies are underrated. And people complaining that they turned Holmes into action films clearly didn't read much of the books or weren't paying much attention. They were basically pulp, in a good way. Good mysteries, fun romps, and plenty of action.

4. The Raid 2 (2014)

Gareth Evans' 2014 sequel expanded the claustrophobic apartment-building setting of the original into a sprawling crime saga, and redditors remain split on which is the better film. What they agree on is that the action choreography reached a level few movies have matched since.

Comment in r/movies

the raid is a better movie overall but the raid 2 is the best action movie ever imo so it’s #2 by a slight margin

Comment in r/movies

It's very close but the Raid 2 has baseball bat boy and hammer girl which gives it the edge. I also think the final fight in the kitchen might be my favorite one on one fight ever in a movie.

Comment in r/movies

The Raid 2 tried to be The Raid 1 and Infernal Affairs at the same time. I like the ambition tbh.

5. Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

Director Joe Dante turned a studio-pressured sequel into one of the most gleefully subversive comedies of its era. After years of being asked for a follow-up, he reportedly secured a contract clause preventing any studio interference, then used the film to satirize both the original and the Hollywood machine behind it.

Comment in r/movies

Gremlins 2, easily better and more fun than Gremlins. But it didn't do as well at the box office which is a shame given how much it just embraced being a crazy and zany movie.

Comment in r/movies

Funny thing is that the director didn't want to make the sequel. So for gremlins 2, Joe Dante has it written into the contract that the studio couldn't interfere in any way and he spoofed the first Gremlins and the studio heads. If you watch the movie in this light, you might gain a new appreciation for Gremlins 2. It's fantastic in so many levels.

Comment in r/movies

it was ahead of its time. a lot of it was joke commentary on the current time and poking fun at the first movie, which went over a lot of people's heads.

looking back at it, it kind of had to be either that or something else that nobody was expecting because otherwise it would have just been the same movie all over again.

6. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Denis Villeneuve took on one of the most influential sci-fi films ever made and delivered a sequel 35 years later that many consider its equal or superior. Despite critical acclaim, the film underperformed commercially, which may explain why a third has never materialized.

Comment in r/movies

I’ll bite. This was a movie that had no business being as good as it was given it released so many years after the original. It’s my favorite Villanueve film to this day.

Comment in r/movies

2049 is a near perfect movie that managed to make the first better. I think a third film will be made eventually years from now

Comment in r/movies

It's a perfect sequel. Expands on the original in ways that were totally unexpected but after watching feel like they were always intended and fit in perfectly. And it addressed the mystery of the first without directly answering any of the questions that were meant to go unanswered.

7. Crank 2: High Voltage (2009)

Jason Statham's 2009 sequel took the already absurd premise of the original and pushed it to a level that felt almost experimental for a major studio release. Fans have been hoping for a third installment ever since, ideally one that leans into the format the title has been teasing all along.

Comment in r/movies

I will continue to pray nightly for Crank 3D.

Comment in r/movies

It feels almost impossible to top part two. Seriously one of the wildest major studio releases. I guess with the way it ended they could dial up the insanity by going crazy sci-fi or supernatural with it.

Sometimes it is not a lack of quality that prevents a trilogy but timing, studio politics, or plain bad luck. From stalled pre-productions to creative crossovers that never saw the light of day, the cinematic landscape is full of spectacular follow-ups that never received a proper grand finale.

What is your favorite film franchise that stopped one chapter short? Read the full discussion in r/movies, and find more conversations like this in r/flicks, r/TrueFilm, and r/MovieSuggestions.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

Finding childcare these days often involves joining waitlists and spending small fortunes, leading some parents of young kids to wonder what happened to hiring the responsible teenager down the street to babysit. One redditor in r/unpopularopinion believes we're missing out by pivoting away from neighborhood sitters, and they laid out all their reasoning in this post:

Where I live, teen babysitters are almost unheard of and I hear less and less about it while I hear more and more about SUPER expensive daycare, nannies, and after-school care. I understand that teenagers are "young" but a good teen babysitter is also old enough to balance responsibility with being a fun, engaging, older kid to look up to.

I just don't understand why the generations who grew up under the supervision of teenagers decided they "weren't qualified enough" while actively bragging about how great childhood was in the '90s.

Teenagers have little to pay for, so they charge far less than 30-year-olds. They relate to kids, and can be enlisted on occasion. Zero pressure to employ them a certain number of hours per week, because they don't consider it a major source of income. They can be trained in any of the courses an older person would be able to, including CPR. It's so beneficial and fun for a young child to get to hang out one-on-one with a "big kid," someone in a different walk of life than their parents, but who can still keep them safe and take care of them...

Not all teens are a good fit, and it's up to parents to figure that out, but that's a process to go through with adult caregivers anyway.

In the comments, redditors reply with fond memories, modern-day safety warnings, and plenty of theories on why this teen side hustle seems to be disappearing.

The vanishing community connection

For many redditors, the decline in teen babysitters mirrors a larger cultural shift in which neighbors don't seem to socialize or converse as much as they used to, making informal childcare arrangements much harder to establish organically.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

Honestly, i feel like a big problem is people nowadays don't know their neighbors the way people did in the past. Generally when you hire a teen babysitter it was a neighbor's kid or a friend's kid. But since people don't spend as much time with their neighbors, that doesn't happen as much.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

I was kind of surprised by a lot of the comments here because my 13 and 15 year old daughters are booked out like a month. But then I saw replies saying to check colleges and stuff and it made me wonder if people just aren't plugged in and connected with their neighbors and community.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

Teen babysitters did not fall off because they were unreliable or anything. We are less connected to our communities now more than ever. That generation of teens spent a good chunk of their lives in lockdown and a lot of them haven't built the social connections needed to find opportunities in their neighborhood.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

This always seems like a neighborhood gig, though, where you would be familiar with them. When my brother and I were still young enough, our babysitter was Kim from three houses down.

Modern safety concerns

Between food allergies and strict supervision norms, parents today are often hesitant to leave young children with anyone who lacks formal credentials.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

I have to wonder if part of this has to do with opening teens and their families to possible legal troubles in this day and age. With food allergies and general reactivity, there may be a very real chance of lawsuits being filed for things that would have been considered (and probably were) accidents in the past.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

As somebody that works in public education, that is a big no-no now. Inviting a current student into your car/house is risking your career. Times really have changed.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

I think that with tweens and teens there's also a higher risk of them causing harm accidentally. Some of that can be mitigated if they're taught well, but you can never cover every situation. I'm not completely against tweens/teens babysitting younger kids, but I don't think they should be babysitting very young kids or those with extra challenges (disabilities, behavior problems, etc) or for long periods of time unless it's CERTAIN they can handle it (which isn't really possible unless you know the kid well and they've worked with the kid they're babysitting a lot, and for certain things like aggression it's always too risky).

Paycheck priorities

With retail and fast food jobs offering higher, more consistent wages, babysitting is a tough sell for adolescents looking to earn cash.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

It also doesn’t help that you can get a part time job at a fast food place for $15-$20/hour and most people aren’t financially capable of paying $100+ a day for child care

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

and as someone with teen kids, it doesn't help that parents think "well, I earned $3/hr babysitting so I'm prepared to offer $4/hr" and think that's a good deal for the kids and act surprised when the kids want a fast food job instead.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

Nannies/daycare/afterschool care are regular, recurring jobs, they do not fill the same need as teen babysitters.

I babysat a LOT as a teen: it was evenings, weekends, certainly not weekdays (when I was in school), usually 1-4 hours.

I did one two-week daytime block for a kid, but honestly it was too much, even split with my sister.

It also paid less than half minimum wage as the going rate. I stopped as soon as I was old enough to get a regular job.

Nostalgia for being "the big kids" watching the little ones

Despite the hurdles, plenty of people maintain fond memories of the special dynamic between kids and a slightly older teenager.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

As a former teen babysitter I agree. And I wasn’t that cheap either. But still affordable and I made great money and the kids liked me. Babysat for a lot of my teachers in high school and neighbors. The best money was when the neighbors had me babysit all the kids in the back part of the house while they partied in the front on New Year’s Eve.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

I use to babysit for a band teacher of mine after high school. His kids were 10 and 12. He and his wife would have date night and he would give me pizza money and money for babysitting the kids. It was fun. His house was huge, we would play laser tag in the dark and play hide and seek, and eat pizza. Then eventually his kids got old enough. I agree with your post though hienstly

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

Babysitting as a tween/teen got me experience to be a nanny and start working at an elementary school for the before/after school program. Working for a public school was a fantastic first “official” job at 16 and I only had that opportunity because I had experience working with kids already. Really wish teen babysitting came back as the norm, it’s cheaper for parents and gives the teen a chance to get work experience and money

The days of simply handing a neighborhood kid five bucks to watch the younger children might be largely in the past, but the value of that unique bond remains clear.

What do you think about hiring teens to babysit? Read the full discussion in r/unpopularopinion, and find more conversations like this in r/Parenting, r/CasualConversation, and r/AskReddit.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

Finding the time and energy to work out is tough on a normal day, but add a crying newborn into the mix and it feels nearly impossible. In a thread on r/daddit, one parent asked how to squeeze in a workout regularly weeks after welcoming a second baby to the family. Fellow parents are quick to share their wisdom on fitting in fitness amidst the new-baby chaos.

For now, pump the brakes instead of pumping iron

During the first few months, sleep and supporting a recovering partner take priority. It's common to take a temporary hiatus from intense exercise until the baby settles into a predictable routine.

Comment in r/daddit

I would start thinking about getting back to certain aspects of "normal" life no less than two or three months into this adventure, probably more like four. Particularly if your wife is breastfeeding, she will be fully exhausted for at least that long, so you really just kinda have to bite the bullet on me-time during that period.

Comment in r/daddit

Exercising is below parenting, sleeping, work and housework on your current list of priorities. For the time being you have to accept that it's not a priority, regardless of how much you want to do it.

If you're home from work then focus on your wife. Take the baby so that she can sleep or have time to herself. Otherwise you should be cooking, cleaning or do something else for the household.

Your main prospect for exercise is pushing a pram, holding a baby, and commuting to work. Evenings off won't happen until the baby's sleeping consistently in the evenings, roughly 6 - 12 months. Be patient until then and look after your wife

Comment in r/daddit

Yes, it’s difficult because you have a one month old. I’d say wait until kid is at least 6 months and stabilized more.

Took until the one year mark for me. And even then it was early mornings, otherwise I couldn’t guarantee I’d have the time or energy to fit it in

The home-gym hustle

When a full gym session is off the table, creativity kicks in. Some parents even find ways to include their little ones in their at-home exercises.

Comment in r/daddit

Bodyweight work outs. Use baby as a little weight.

Comment in r/daddit

Burpees at home, lunges and situps at home, kb swings and complexes at home... all of it at home for like 20 minutes tops at a time

Comment in r/daddit

I had trouble with this in the earliest newborn phase.

Once I was confident having him in the stroller I just started going for massive walks with him up as many hills as I could find. He slept well, I got exercise and mom got a break. Win win win.

Now that he's older I get up at 5am...

Squeezing it in during quiet windows of time

Early morning workouts, squeezing in exercise during a lunch break, or coordinating schedules with a partner so each person gets a chance to work out can all make a difference.

Comment in r/daddit

Early morning before the kids are up or lunchtime (I worked from home).

Is your wife getting time to exercise? If not it’s worth you two looking at a daily schedule for you and her to exercise. I’d block my work calendar around watching the kids so she could head out. Or she’d go before / after work.

Comment in r/daddit

I do it at night after my kid has gone to bed. It was impossible before around five or six months though.

I don't do it in the morning because in a competition between me and my kid of who can get up earlier, he is always going to win.

Comment in r/daddit

Either wake up before everyone, sneak a workout in at lunch, or after everyone goes to sleep

Taking a temporary step back from a workout routine is normal during the early months of a child's life. Soon, parents of tiny infants will find space in the schedule again to hit the gym more regularly.

How do you incorporate exercise into a busy family routine? Read the full discussion in r/daddit, and find more relatable parenting advice in r/Parenting, r/fitdads, and r/NewParents.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

Has a book ever completely taken over your life, to the point where you're missing appointments and staying up far too late because you're lost in the pages? If so, you're not alone. In a thread on r/AskReddit, redditors are cataloging the books that forcefully pulled them in and maintained a relentless pace all the way to the final page.

1. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Sweeping Western epics demand an emotional investment from their readers, and this well-paced journey is no exception.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Lonesome Dove. Didnt want it to end.

Comment in r/AskReddit

That ending wrecked me. I just sat there in silence for like 20 minutes after.

2. 11/22/63 by Stephen King

Page counts vanish quickly when the premise involves time travel and historical intervention. This suspenseful dive into an alternate reality has a way of mesmerizing readers.

Comment in r/AskReddit

11/22/63

Only read it last year but devoured it in 2 days

Comment in r/AskReddit

Just finished the audiobook. 50+ hours and I had my earbuds in my ears for almost a week straight.

3. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Classic literature often carries an unfair reputation for being dry or tedious. However, this legendary tale of betrayal and vengeance proves that 19th-century storytelling can outpace modern thrillers.

Comment in r/AskReddit

You look at a 1,200 page brick of a book and think it's going to be a slog, then you look at the clock and realize it's 3 AM and you just blew through 300 pages without moving. It has no right being that fast-paced for something written in the 1840s.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Yes! When I started a 1 hour commute for work a few years ago I thought I'd use the opportunity to listen to some audio books. First book I chose was The Count of Monte Christo. It was a bad choice because I enjoyed it so much that nothing else ever lived up to it afterwards! I would pull up after work and stay in the car until the current chapter finished but wished I could hear the next chapter.

4. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

A well-constructed psychological thriller relies on unreliable narrators to keep the audience off balance. Shocking narrative pivots force readers to abandon their nighttime routines just to find out what happens next.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Gone Girl. I started it one night and basically refused to sleep until I finished. The twists just keep pulling you

Comment in r/AskReddit

Gone Girl was a great read. I had even watched the movie first so the twist was already spoiled, but the way Gillian Flynn writes kept me hooked and drawn into it even though I already knew what was happening. I also read some of her other ones like Sharp Objects and Dark Places all of which were great. I wish I could go back and read them all again for the first time and feel that initial adrenaline rush.

5. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

The escalating stakes and unpredictable scenarios create a surprisingly frictionless reading experience in this fantasy series.

Comment in r/AskReddit

I was reading DCC and kept wondering "how can this get any crazier?" but without fail, the stakes are raised and crazier things do in fact happen!

The prose is easy to read too, you can finish one in a day

Comment in r/AskReddit

Dungeon crawler carl while not good was hard to put down. I feel they had gamified reading .

Also discworld.

6. Perdido Street Station by China Miéville

A gripping collision of urban noir, dark fantasy, and monstrous bio-engineering, Perdido Street Station keeps readers hooked with its originality and harrowing plot twists.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Perdido Street Station. Just when you think it can't get any weirder it doubles down. Then it doubles down on that, and continues to do so until the end. I couldn't put it down.

On the opposite end of the spectrum I'm reading Inspector Imanishi Investigates and it's bone dry, and it's great. 60s Japan. Fascinating.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Perdido Street Station is amazing! I never hear anyone mention it. It’s also one of the craziest books I’ve ever read (in a good way).

7. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

This hypnotic speculative fiction book is often included in other lists of readers' favorite titles, including the most surreal books and the most gripping books they've read.

Comment in r/AskReddit

I tore through this book in just a couple of days. I was so interested to find out what the hell was going on, and the setting was so captivating. I have Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel on my shelf for next year. I can't wait

Comment in r/AskReddit

read it in one sitting and thought about it for months after

8. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

Unconventional formatting can turn a simple concept into an obsession. The structure of the book forces participation in a deeply unsettling psychological maze.

Comment in r/AskReddit

House of Leaves. Constantly wanting to know more about the twisted world of this book is highly addictive.
Edit: and terrifying!

Comment in r/AskReddit

Nobody told me how fun this book was to read. It gets rightly talked about as a psychological thriller, but it’s also a whimsical metacognitive puzzle. Loved it!

9. The Liveship Traders series by Robin Hobb

This grand adventure of talking ships, cunning pirates, and a matriarchal merchant family keeps readers turning pages with its deep character growth and heart-pounding action.

Comment in r/AskReddit

The Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb.

I read The Farseer Trilogy and the Tawny Man when I was a kid. Loved it so much. Then I came across The Rain Wild Chronicles and enjoyed it less.

But I wanted to reread all the books recently. In the right order. So I discovered The Liveship Traders saga and oh my god. It is, to me, the best part of her work so far.

To anyone who likes Fantasy, very well written characters, complex stories who don't focus too much on being complicated, and a good dose of mystery and humor, go for it. I'd recommend it to everyone until I die! Bonus: Women main characters

Comment in r/AskReddit

First book in a long time to go in at 10pm, look up and it's 1am

Finding the right book can sometimes feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. But when a story really gets its hooks in you, the result is an unforgettable experience that lingers long after the final chapter ends.

What titles keep you turning pages until dawn? Read the full thread of recommendations in r/AskReddit, and discover even more literary conversations in r/books, r/suggestmeabook, and r/Fantasy.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

Every parent struggles with getting their kids to clean up, but how far is too far when it comes to discipline? One frustrated dad in r/confession decided that asking nicely wasn't working anymore, so he opted to use his car to send a message to his child who hadn't cleared his toys from the driveway. That's where this thread began:

So I've been asking my 8-year-old child to make sure his toys are moved off the driveway when I get home…. they're never moved off the driveway so now I just run over them to teach a lesson. If he behaves himself I'll replace the toys or if it was his favourite but the message seems to be getting through cause now he's moving them off the driveway for when dad (me) gets home. I feel bad for doing it but it was the last resort and seems to have done the trick, or am I just an a**hole?

In the comments, redditors express some uneasiness and criticism, along with safety warnings, for this destructive disciplinary tactic.

The "actions have consequences" defense

A handful of redditors support the dad's extreme methods, arguing that showing a direct, physical consequence is sometimes the only way a lesson sticks with a stubborn child.

Comment in r/confession

it taught a lesson. not bad

Comment in r/confession

Actions have consequences. This is a great lesson. Just make sure to reinforce he’s doing a great job and you’re proud of him for taking care of his things.

Comment in r/confession

I mean I think it’s a good lesson. It teaches him that actions have consequences. And I’m sure that was what you were initially trying to avoid when he first started leaving the toys there. Now you’re showing him what happens when he doesn’t listen. Flawless logic honestly

Comment in r/confession

Kids have a hard time understanding consequences in a non-permanent way. You can say, "If you leave your toys in the driveway they might get run over" and he wont understand it truly because its not real. He has to imagine that happening and understand that not only would make him feel bad but also he needs to pick up his toys to prevent that. Kids have a hard time understanding that until it becomes real. Like it did.

The "confiscate, don't destroy" middle ground

Many people feel that while the frustration is valid, driving a two-ton vehicle over a child's toys is unnecessary. Redditors propose alternatives that achieve the same goal without the waste, pointing out that simple confiscation often does the trick.

Comment in r/confession

Destructive discipline usually backfires long term. Why not just confiscate the toys instead of crushing them?

Comment in r/confession

Confiscation would be better. Show him how to take care of his toys. Destroying his toys doesn't set a very good example, plus it's wasteful and they will have to go in landfill.

Comment in r/confession

I used to have a "Saturday bag". All things not put away, I picked up and put in a plastic trash bag. If the children asked, the items were returned on Saturday. The leftover bag contents were donated.

Driving over them may be justified, but why risk a popped tire? Spending money to replace items seems like a punishment for you. Possibly TAH

Comment in r/confession

It also sounds like a waste of money to destroy items you plan to replace anyway. Why not put the items into the car and have them be off limits for a few days? And each time the same item is left out, another day is added to the total of days it’s off limits. Like time one is 2 days, time two is 3 days, etc. Like yeah, they’re teaching their kid that the items will be destroyed by leaving them in dangerous areas, but they’re also teaching the kid that it doesn’t really matter and will be replaced anyway.

The "this is dangerous" warning

Setting aside the debate over discipline methods, several commenters caution that creating a panic around toys left in the driveway could cause the child to impulsively run in front of the car to save their belongings.

Comment in r/confession

Hey ⚠️ just always be careful, one day he might be worried as he forgot his toys and run in to save them - putting himself in a dangerous situation ( or if he leaves it on the road and someone else is driving n hes trying to get to it)

Obviously you'd be careful lol XD but uhhh try and teach him to be extra cautious of cars.

Comment in r/confession

Immediately my thought too soo scary. Cars are for driving only. Not well suited as other tools

Comment in r/confession

Personally I would get out and take the toys and put them somewhere he/she has no access to. Then you can give them back as rewards or donate them. If it is a continuous issue then a good way to stop it is to put a play mat or build a play area and the toys go there, preferably in the back yard not the driveway or out front. It is not safe for kids to be playing close to the road.

The "causing deep resentment" argument

Plenty of commenters criticize the father's actions as cruel and emotionally damaging. Some share their own lasting memories of parents destroying their possessions, warning that this tactic teaches fear rather than responsibility.

Comment in r/confession

what’s happening is that toys are still in driveway all day and are only cleaned right before you come home, he hasn’t learned to keep things organized, he has learned to keep them away from you.

Comment in r/confession

So if he forgets once or twice, you still break something your kid loves. That's gonna stick with him until he's grown and not in a good way. All you're doing is making sure he grows up hating you.

Comment in r/confession

as a parent I think doing it intentionally is just teaching your kid that might makes right & to grow up to be a bully

While this father's drastic approach successfully cleared the driveway, redditors remain sharply divided on the long-term cost of his methods. Ultimately, a clean driveway might not be worth the risk of a resentful child or a dangerous situation.

What do you think about this discipline strategy? Read the full story in r/confession, and find more parenting conversations in r/daddit, r/Parenting, and r/Mommit.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

While there's plenty of news coverage and footage of the historic events of September 11th, community members on Reddit are uncovering and sharing smaller, deeply personal anecdotes. In a thread on r/AskReddit, redditors are discussing lesser-known stories of compassion and bravery during this major historical event.

The immediate community response

Commenters highlight stories of community members and medical workers organizing immediately to help those in need, showing resilience and quick thinking.

Comment in r/AskReddit

I worked in one of the NYC hospitals. All the Manhattan hospitals had long lines of people coming to find out if their loved one was there. It was heartbreaking. One thing I haven’t seen reported was this: The Sikh cabdrivers quickly organized a free cab service to take people from one hospital to another. I thought that immediate action was one of the most practical, smartest and kindest things to do. The people on the lines outside the hospitals looked so frantic and weary too.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Hospitals in NYC mobilized nurses, doctors, everyone with medical experience, staff on days off, staff on vacation, etc. Retired doctors responded to hospitals to help. All hands on deck.

Time passed and they waited for the flood of victims that never came.

Comment in r/AskReddit

The first ambulance to arrive on scene on 9/11 was from Hatzalah, the Orthodox Jewish community ambulance service. 

Global gestures of solidarity

Kindness pours in from around the globe when disaster strikes. People share tales of distant towns, foreign leaders, and remote tribes offering surprising forms of support and comfort on that fateful day.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Every plane was ordered to be grounded immediately. 38 planes landed in a town on the edge of Canada called Gander. This town of less than 10,000 people suddenly got 6000 refugees within 4 hours. For nearly a week the town worked round the clock to make the plane people as comfortable and welcomed as possible. Theres now a musical about it called Come From Away

Comment in r/AskReddit

My favorite fact: The passengers ate so much of the town’s food that Gender literally had to restock from the mainland mid-week. The grocery store owner refused to accept payment from anyone, said “We’ll figure it out later”.

Later came. The town got $20,000 in donations from the passengers within a month of them getting home.

Humanity check: passed with flying colors.

Comment in r/AskReddit

On 9/13/01, the British flag was lowered at Buckingham Palace and the American flag was raised in its place. The royal guard/band came out front and played the Star Spangled Banner. Source: me, I happened to be over there on a two week trip when this happened and we were in London that day and saw/heard it.

Edit: here's video of it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToECtXPMvNM

Comment in r/AskReddit

A Maasai tribe in Kenya gifted the US fourteen cows, which are sacred in their culture.

Unlikely heroes and incredible escapes

Fast thinking and intensive preparation bring about extraordinary survival stories. Redditors reflect on the unexpected ways both people and animals navigated absolute chaos to find safety and protect one another.

Comment in r/AskReddit

I visited the museum last month, and there was a wild story I’d never heard before next to a worn-down squeegee handle on display. A window washer and five other men were inside an express elevator that plummeted before stopping near the 50th floor. After prying open the elevator doors, they found themselves facing a solid drywall elevator shaft. Using the blade and handle of the squeegee, they hacked through the sheetrock and tile until they made a hole big enough to squeeze through into an adjacent restroom. They escaped the building just minutes before the tower collapsed.

Comment in r/AskReddit

I just saw that story on a Nat Geo documentary that just came out this year called 9/11: Reunited. They had the window washer and two of the other men get together for the first time and tell their stories. As they told it, the elevator doors were about to close when the window washer guy stuck his hand in and boarded the elevator to ride with them. Without him doing that, they'd all be dead.

The docuseries is a little contrived, but I found it a decent watch. It's on Hulu.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Two guide dogs lead their owners out of the towers that day. Salty led his owner and coworker from the 71st floor while Roselle led her owner and 30 others through smoke out of the tower from the 78th floor, making it out just before the tower fell.

Comment in r/AskReddit

For dogs to remain calm and focused amidst all of that chaos is a testament to their training and to their relationship  with their individual person. Amazing. 

Lingering reminders and near misses

Some of the most striking details involve twists of fate and everyday sights that took on entirely new meanings in the aftermath. Commenters point out how minor schedule changes completely altered lives.

Comment in r/AskReddit

A friend of mine who I did not meet until seven or so years later was supposed to be on Flight 11. His alarm just simply did not go off and by the time he woke up, the plane had already hit the tower and his parents assumed he'd been on it. The phone lines were so jammed up he was unable to get in touch with them until that afternoon. 

He still has his boarding pass. 

Comment in r/AskReddit

The pastor at our church was also a commercial pilot out of Boston Logan and was supposed to be flying one of the planes. But another pilot asked him to switch his schedule. So he talked about it one Sunday and discussed his survivor’s guilt.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Morgan Stanley only lost 7 employees despite having thousands in the towers. Rick Rescorla accurately predicted a second attack on the buildings and insisted on evacuation drills. He led 2700 people down the stairs while singing. Literally ONE guy saved a whole company. 

Rick was last seen heading into tower 2 to sweep for survivors. He was victim #7. 

 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/02/11/september-11th-attacks-world-trade-center-rick-rescorla-the-real-heroes-are-dead

Comment in r/AskReddit

This is the one I was looking for. Single handedly cut the number of lives lost that day almost in half. Knew an attack like this would come someday and ran drills to practice for such an event.

Comment in r/AskReddit

The amount of office space New York lost that day was more than all of downtown Kansas City combined. That’s not to trivialize the loss of life, but rather to put into perspective just how much building was in those buildings.

The resilience and kindness shown by everyday people during unthinkable circumstances will always stand as a powerful reminder of our shared humanity. Finding light in dark moments is rarely easy, but the ongoing impact of these small gestures on such a horrific day sticks with those who remember.

What stories of resilience stuck with you from September 11th? The conversation continues in the thread in r/AskReddit, and find more conversations like this in r/UpliftingNews, r/HumansBeingBros, and r/MadeMeSmile.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

When physical love gets messy, can long-distance relationships make things better? In a thread on r/unpopularopinion, one person made a bold claim about romance: Long-distance relationships are inherently better than traditional, in-person ones. The argument is that digitally interacting removes superficial physical distractions, allowing couples to fall in love with personality first. They praised the romance of constant video calls and surprise visits. This is where the debate began:

When you meet someone online, the attraction is real. You haven't seen them yet, still, you feel the love.

It might sound superficial but it isn't. When you meet someone in real life first, you are drawn towards them physically. Their physical attributes make you attracted towards them.

In LDR, this isn't the case. Your person might be behind a screen, an ocean away from you but you will still feel the love through constant video calls, cute messages to wake up to and sending each other gifts. It's filled with little surprises frequently. You might plan a surprise visit to them and the amount of happiness you see in their eyes is not comparable to seeing your partner every day.

You don't see them regularly so the attraction is stronger in LDR and it's very passionate.

LDR is filled with lots of challenges and it gets tough at times. But it's worth it for the right person in the end.

In the comments, this perspective struck a nerve, prompting redditors who have been through the romantic ringer to explain why miles apart cannot compete with sharing a daily in-person routine.

The digital illusion

Many commenters point out that interacting strictly through a screen allows people to curate their image, making it easy to fall for an idealized fantasy rather than a flawed human being.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

From what I've seen, you're really just building yourself an image of the other person without ever really interacting with them.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

When you meet someone online and have a long distance relationship, you're not really in love with them, you're in love with your idea of them.

You never spend enough time with them to break the fairytale illusion. For some people that's fine, but most people don't want to spend their whole life yearning for a dream that'll never come true.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

“When you meet someone online, the attraction is real.”

You can’t say this though. I’ve heard of plenty of cases of LDR relationships where both parties were “in love” before they met, but then they finally met up, either one or both people fell out of love after actually meeting the person and seeing who they are and their everyday habits. How is LDR the only case of “real attraction”? You can’t even see the person living their everyday life, who they truly are.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

You don't know how the person really is on a day to day basis. You don't know if you're actually compatible.

Also I have been in a ldr for 2 years and it was heartbreaking and unsustainable long term

The ultimate end goal

Others challenge the foundational logic of the argument, noting that the entire purpose of a long-distance commitment is usually to eventually close the geographical gap and live together.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

Yeah, I don't even get this logic tbh. All of the LDRs I've heard about, the end goal is to...eventually get to a place where they can actually be in each other's company everyday.

So literally all of the LDRs Ive known, the couple wants to eventually be in a normal relationship.

So, this post is literally only talking about couples that met online and don't have any plans to share their lives together.

Which, that's perfectly fine if you're happy with that life, but to say that's the better is in fact, cope.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

As someone who did LDR once. It only works out if it isn't permanent.

If you get into an LDR with someone without any future plans of who is moving to whom and how you will earn money etc. You are 100% setting yourself up for failure.

And no, just because you haven't seen them doesn't mean your love is purer or more real. Humans are superficial, you can get infatuated with their voice or profile picture or what have you, it's no different.

Silver linings and reality checks

Even those who successfully navigated periods of distance and credit the experience for improving their communication skills insist that sharing physical space is still the ultimate reward.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

my husband and i were long distance for a couple years before i moved to canada to live with him. it's absolutely not comparable to being together in person every day.

i do think LDRs can start from really healthy places and blossom into great long term relationships though. our relationship is definitely stronger because we made it through those couple years of being long distance

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

I was in an LDR for 4 years before my now husband and I moved in together. The time long distance definitely made our relationship stronger. We had to choose each other every day, and had to learn how to connect and communicate with each other despite the challenges of being long distance.

But being together in person is way way way better than long distance. Not even close. We have been together for 8 years now, and every day I wake up and look over at him and feel so lucky that we were able to make the long distance work. 

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

I think it forces you to learn communication, which is something that makes it last. But I think in person is also a challenge if the skills you learn don't transfer there

While distance might indeed make the heart grow fonder, people agree that true intimacy requires showing up in person day after day. Navigating time zones and video calls builds exceptional communication skills, but it simply cannot replicate the comfort of reading a book on the same couch or sharing a morning coffee.

Have you been in a long-distance relationship? Read the full thread in r/unpopularopinion, and find more conversations like this in r/CasualConversation, r/dating_advice, and r/relationship_advice.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

No two daily hygiene routines are the same — some people shower at night, some in the morning, and some whenever they feel like it. But there are unexpectedly ingenious strategies that can help anyone feel a bit cleaner. In a thread on r/AskReddit, redditors weight in with the simple but transformative personal care tips they wish they had learned sooner.

1. Rethinking flossing

Many people view dental care as a chore focused on simply removing trapped debris. However, a major mental shift occurs, one group claims, when realizing the true purpose behind the string — turning a bemoaned habit into a daily necessity for a healthier mouth.

Comment in r/AskReddit

flossing isnt getting chunks of food out of the hollow space, its acting as a tiny toothbrush to scrub the in between surfaces of teeth. *mind blown* idk why but it made a lot more sense to "scrub" the in betweens daily, than to "lasso debris" out of the space lol.

direct result of this knowledge increased my flossing 10fold, bc if youre only brushing...thats like 80 percent complete without flossing 😞

Comment in r/AskReddit

Different side of the same coin- “flossing is dislodging rotting food from your teeth” got me to floss consistently

Comment in r/AskReddit

I didn't have dental insurance for a long time and couldn't afford to go regularly. I went last year for my first cleaning in like 5 years. They'd scheduled me for an hour and a half since it had been so long. The front desk staff was flabbergasted when I walked out 20 minutes later.

All down to flossing daily and using an electric toothbrush.

2. Experiencing the magic of a bidet

While the bidet is not traditionally central to American life, upgrading the bathroom experience with a simple water attachment is popular for a reason. Once people add it on, they often wonder how they ever managed their daily routines without this refreshing fixture in their homes.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Installed a bidet on the toilet. It is next level clean.

Comment in r/AskReddit

I have one as well. Game changer. I don’t get the hate some have for bidets. It’s so much cleaner than rubbing your butt with toilet paper after pooping

3. Rotating pillowcases frequently for clear skin

Maintaining clear skin may involve looking beyond just serums and cleansers. Implementing a strategic bedding rotation system helps keep an excess buildup of oils and nightly sweat away from the face while sleeping.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Buy extra pillowcases. To prevent acne it's important to change your sheets regularly, but changing just the pillowcase is more than half the battle and like 5x easier.

Comment in r/AskReddit

In the same vein - i put a fresh T-shirt on my pillowcase every night. Then I wear that shirt to bed the next night. Keeps my pillow, face, and back much cleaner and clearer.

4. Establishing strict outside vs. inside clothing rules

Creating a clear physical boundary between the outside world and a relaxing living space significantly reduces the amount of urban grime tracked indoors. Starting with what you wear is the way to go.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Never wear your outside clothes into bed. You have no idea how gross your clothes get after a day out, even after just 30 minutes on the subway. If you actually watch what people do in public spaces, you'll get why. Even when I’m just hanging out at home, I keep two separate sets of loungewear: one for the living room or kitchen, and one exclusively for bed.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Not allowing shoes in the house has been life changing. To think of all the public restroom germs I was spreading over my floors… Yikes!!

Thanks Reddit for teaching me better.

5. Seeking out men's product alternatives

Navigating the personal care aisle can reveal stark differences in product effectiveness and pricing across gendered sections. Many consumers are abandoning floral, delicately scented options in favor of stronger formulas that provide superior value and reliable odor protection.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Women’s deodorant just makes me smell like a rotten flower, I switched to using men’s deodorant and it works so much better.

Comment in r/AskReddit

The size and price makes men's deodorant an obvious purchase. The size difference between men's Loreal deo vs. Women's Dove or Sure/Rexona is nuts. Like 50% extra for the same price or less and works better. 

6. Shower drying with technique

Stepping out of a warm stall into a freezing bathroom is not fun. Adopting a strategic water-removal technique can drastically reduce the temperature shock.

Comment in r/AskReddit

My sister said in passing that she never gets cold coming out of a shower because she uses her hands as a squeegee. I asked her what she meant, and she simply pressed her finger against the skin of her arm and slid it down. So now after every shower, I do that. I have less damp towels, dont track water, and even after a cold shower I don't feel like I am freezing. I was tempted to get an actual squeegee just for this purpose, but my hands are free.

Comment in r/AskReddit

I keep the shower curtain closed while I dry off and it helps a lot. Only dry legs/feet after top part of body is done. I also leave the door only opened a crack, and if it's winter I'll preheat my very tiny bathroom with my space heater. You can also preheat shower gel/soap, shampoo, condition, etc. by putting in warm water in your sink.

7. Applying conditioner strictly to the hair ends

Hair care for many means heavily lathering every product into the roots. Modifying this approach to target only the lengths and tips preserves natural scalp balance, extending the time needed between heavy wash days and preventing heavy residue buildup.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Lean over and apply conditioner ONLY to the hair 2 to 3 inches away from your scalp down to the tips. Makes your hair way lighter, not get dirty looking as fast, doesn’t remove all the natural oils and prevents buildup on your scalp.

Comment in r/AskReddit

This technique will also help with anyone who gets bacne 

8. Trimming underarm hair to control body odor

Managing underarm freshness sometimes requires addressing the environment where odors tend to linger. While not everyone prefers a smooth aesthetic, reducing the volume of hair can significantly enhance the effectiveness of daily antiperspirants.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Not shave, but trim back your armpit hair. It definitely helps with odor control.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Dudes can trim their armpit hair. Not saying shave it. But trimming it down 1-2 inches seriously reduces armpit smell.

9. Acknowledging not everyone's noses can be trusted

The human olfactory system is notoriously unreliable when it comes to detecting personal scents on a daily basis. Accepting the idea that baseline aromas adapt over time serves as a crucial reminder to stay vigilant about daily maintenance.

Comment in r/AskReddit

If you can smell yourself a little, everyone else can smell you a LOT.

Comment in r/AskReddit

I can smell myself a lot. I am actually kind of a psycho about the way I smell thanks to my ex-husband. When I smell myself, I will absolutely ask my friends or my current partner and they can never smell me the way that I can. I don’t know what the deal is with that though.

A thorough grooming regimen requires more than just hastily applying soap to the skin. Reevaluating basic self-care routines often reveals surprising shortcuts to staying fresh, clean, and comfortable. Sometimes, all it takes is a minor tweak in the shower or sink to completely transform how you feel throughout the day.

Which of these daily adjustments would you be willing to adopt? Read the full recommendations in the thread, and find more conversations like this in r/LifeProTips, r/selfimprovement, and r/AskMen.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

Figuring out what to eat for dinner can be a source of aggravation for certain couples. Compromising on tastes, dietary needs, and cravings turns what should be joyful eating into frustrating negotiation. But one redditor in r/unpopularopinion bypasses the nightly debate with their partner by employing a somewhat controversial strategy: The couple makes two completely different dinners side by side.

My fiancé and I have cooked separate meals for a couple of years now. We realized a lot of the time we didn’t want the same meal or we just have way different preferences overall. We both cook so eventually we were kind of like “I’ll just cook what I want.” Now, neither of us have to compromise on what we want and deciding what we want to eat is a little less stressful when it’s just for yourself. If either of us don’t feel like cooking or want what the other person is having, there’s never been an issue for that person to cook for two.

We always cook at the same time and eat together, so the only main difference is that we’re both in the kitchen and there are double dishes at the end. I get that it only really works if both people know how to cook, but it definitely relieves the burden of one person figuring out what to cook and making it every night.

ETA: I think a lot of people are missing that we both really enjoy cooking and talking about what we’re going to cook/trying something different every day. It’s a part of the day where we spend time together talking and cooking, then we sit and have a meal together and we can try what the other person made. It’s never been a chore for us, so the extra time and work doesn’t bother us.

In the comments, redditors serve up mixed reactions, ranging from genuine envy to outright horror at the resulting pile of dishes.

The time and chore overload

For many folks, the primary benefit of trading shifts in the kitchen is avoiding extra labor. Commenters point out that creating two separate meals from scratch goes against the promise of dividing household chores, especially when the dirty pots and pans multiply.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

I don’t think it’s an unpopular opinion that it’s better.

People don’t do it because it’s inconvenient, a time sink, and monetarily inefficient.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

The amount of dishes that people choose to put up with for a mid meal is insane lmao

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

It's only better if you don't like the same foods.

If you eat the same meal, one can cook while the other cleans up elsewhere.

I think it would make cooking more stressful if we were both trying to make different things using the same space. And also timing two complete meals to be done at the same time.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

Cooking for 1 and cooking for 2 is the same level of effort

Most people aren’t picky enough to demand something different than their partner every day and will go for the saved time/less work

Finding freedom in separate pans

Despite the logistical hurdles, other redditors completely understand the appeal of doing things independently. For those with specific fitness goals, distinct dietary needs, or divergent taste buds, treating their kitchen like a shared food court provides relief.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

This is brilliant! I've been married 34 years and this sounds like a dream.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

I cook a normal size recipe for my self and them eat the leftovers for 3 days. Sometimes even eat some for lunch.

Found we were constantly having to alter ingredients because someone does not like something. We are much happier this way and it is not more work because we make enough to last a few days.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

I’m into fitness and my wife isn’t. Hard to stick to it if I ate what she does.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

I mean I'm on a different diet than my wife is and I usually get home 90 minutes to 2 hours after she does. So she gets something on her way home or makes something and then I make myself something when I get home.

She doesnt like to eat hot dogs & eggs or ground beef & eggs as often as I do.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

Yeah, my partner and I have done this for years. I think it makes sense when both partners cook. I think the idea of a shared single meal is often based on the idea that it's one person's responsibility to do the cooking. When that doesn't apply, though, meals get much more flexible.

The joys of a shared workload

Another camp praises a more collaborative approach, where partners swap or individually assign dinner duty to ease the daily grind. They happily accept whatever is set in front of them if it means resting instead of standing over a hot stove.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

If that works for you great. Personally if someone else is cooking, I'll eat whatever they're making as long as it didn't have mushrooms in it. I'd rather eat something I'm not in the mood for than cook.

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

We take turns like one night he'll cook something that he's good at and the other nights I will they like my food and they like his so we got our specialties

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

My partner and I have almost the same pallet and he loves cooking. I’m just gonna count my blessings ❤️

Comment in r/unpopularopinion

This means you have enough counter space and enough burners on the stove, and both have time to cook every night. We usually trade off cooking while the other person has other things going on. It just sounds like double the work. It's never been an issue for us to compromise on what we're eating for dinner. 

Deciding whether to share a single meal or tackle two different dinners solo comes down to a couple's unique preferences, kitchen size, and appetite for dish cleanup. While some partners thrive on the creative independence of cooking exactly what they crave, a large contingent savors the relief of not playing chef every single night.

How do you divide dinner duties in your relationship? Read the full discussion in r/unpopularopinion, and find similar conversations in r/Cooking, r/marriage, and r/relationship_advice.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

Need a break from games where you just run headfirst into combat? In a thread on r/gaming, one redditor asked for game recommendations that emphasize the satisfaction of solving a good mystery or puzzle. Check out this list of games that feature cerebral challenges, puzzle boxes, and logic-driven experiences.

1. Outer Wilds

Redditors praise this space-exploration game for its interconnected mysteries and the feeling of discovery that comes from piecing together stellar phenomena.

Comment in r/gaming

Outer Wilds is a classic. This game has some of the best "eureka" moments out of any game.

If you want a good balance between Puzzle, Combat, Explorations, then Id recommend Tunic. It is very Zelda adjacent and has a really cool focus on Puzzles and Exploration.

Comment in r/gaming

Outer wilds is my favourite game of all time. It's a great exploration based puzzle game and the less you know before starting it the better.

2. The Witness

For players seeking pure logic and observation, this open-world puzzle game delivers an intellectually rigorous experience that rewards patience and perception.

Comment in r/gaming

The Witness is one of my favourites. Pretty much pure puzzle solving, no real narrative (arguably there is some stuff, audio journals, some secrets, but none of it really clicked with me), but it's super satisfying figuring out the rules and uncovering/activating more of the island as you complete more and more puzzles.

Comment in r/gaming

Have you ever found the secret puzzles that were literally designed into the map? I feel like it’s kinda what you’re asking for but not exactly of course. I loved that game either way tho definitely recommend the Witness

Comment in r/gaming

I've enjoyed alot of the games you mentioned. I saw the witness im comments and thats another really good one.

I really enjoyed the myst and riven series of games!

Outer wilds is also noteworthy!

3. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

Gamers who enjoy figuring out tricky puzzles highly recommend this atmospheric game, which involves wandering through a hotel loaded with brain teasers.

Comment in r/gaming

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is one of the best puzzle games I've ever played.

Based on the games you listed, you'll absolutely love it. Some of the puzzles are pretty tricky, but you're exploring a big mansion with tons of puzzles, so you rarely have to remain stuck on any specific puzzle.

It's seriously so good.

Comment in r/gaming

I second Outer Wilds as others said. I'm currently playing Lorelei and the Laser Eyes and it's really good but about as hard as blue Prince I'd say, in the sense you are expected to take your own notes and do some basic maths

4. Myst

Sometimes players will find the best puzzle experience by returning to the roots of the genre, where keen observation and a physical notebook were essential survival tools.

Comment in r/gaming

Highly recommend the OG. Play some Myst, it basically created the puzzle computer game genre. 

Comment in r/gaming

Myst. I just remember thinking how anyone could solve those puzzles. I was 12 though and hadn't tried since.

Comment in r/gaming

It is a classic.  Pure mystery puzzle solving in a strange world with almost zero hand holding.  A true classic.  

5. The Room series

Those who enjoy tactile, mechanism-based problems may like these titles, which focus on unlocking intricate 3D puzzle boxes.

Comment in r/gaming

"The Room" games are nice.

The "Monkey Island" games are fun and funny, "Grim Fandango" is great.

Comment in r/gaming

The Room 4 is great, I loved it so much I went and bought the bundle of older games. Unfortunately the originals are much more simple and straightforward.

Still satisfying though

The satisfaction of finally cracking a difficult code remains one of gaming's greatest rewards.

What kind of puzzles do you enjoy most? Read the full recommendations in r/gaming, and find more conversations like this in r/patientgamers, r/CozyGamers, and r/IndieGaming.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

Bringing home a baby for the first time is a steep learning curve, filled with beautiful moments and some baffling surprises. In a thread on r/newborns, redditors share the bizarre, funny, and difficult realities of new parenthood that books and blogs often leave out.

1. The truth about feeding schedules

Medical professionals often suggest feeding a baby every two or three hours, but the timer actually starts the moment a feed begins, leaving very little downtime between feedings.

Comment in r/newborns

Seriously no one talks enough about this. I remember thinking “ah I’ll have 3 hours between, that’s plenty of time to rest!” Boy was I wrong lol

Comment in r/newborns

Mine is almost 5 months old and I am still waiting for anything longer than a 3 hour stretch 😭

2. Bath time can be very stressful

While commercials show smiling babies happily splashing in warm water, for many infants, the transition in and out of the tub triggers distress.

Comment in r/newborns

Everyone always said bath time was so beautiful, bonding, restful, calm etc.

My child acts like I’ve plunged him into a volcano. Baths are 90% devastating. I will say it’s improved, but I’m still traumatized

Comment in r/newborns

This is so reassuring, I keep seeing comments from people about how bath time is part of the wind down for bed, bedtime routine etc. Ours will occasionally be ok in the water (sometimes we'll shower her, sometimes bath), but as soon as you're trying to dry her off and get her dressed again, it's like you've subjected her to the seven levels of hell. She is inconsolable.

3. Unpredictable pooping patterns

Digestive cycles in the first few weeks are full of surprises!

Comment in r/newborns

For me it was that they can go days without pooping at all and then suddenly have like 3 huge diapers in an hour.

Comment in r/newborns

Omg, my 4 month old is like this too! I think I’ve changed a diaper without poop in it like 3 times since he was born, and I was shocked every time lol

4. Having to coerce a baby into napping

Newborns are famously sleepy, yet convincing them to actually rest in a safe, designated spot involves a rotating menu of solutions.

Comment in r/newborns

That getting a baby above 4 weeks old to take naps is a freaking full time job. My baby doesn't like sleep.

Cars, stroller, carrier, crib, contact, you name it. He doesn't like it. It's a full time job.

Comment in r/newborns

This one lol for the first few weeks I was like wow we must have an easy baby, no rocking, nursing to sleep nothing!! Now, if you don’t hold him at exactly the right angle, with your left arm only, while singing at the correct volume - good luck! LOL

5. The surprisingly loud sleepers

Setting up a peaceful nursery might be the dream, but the active sleep of tiny babies can startle an anxious adult.

Comment in r/newborns

The active sleep you mentioned was what shocked me. I can’t believe no one told me that not only do you have to sleep with them by your bed, but that they literally make noise the whole time 😂

Comment in r/newborns

Not just any noise. My newborn sounded like he was possessed by a demon, throwing his legs up into the air. Absolutely insanity and it only happened at night even though he slept half the day

6. Buying puppy pads along with diapers

Parents quickly figure out that traditional changing mats are no match for unexpected messes, and many redditors recommend borrowing a trick from pet owners to survive diaper changes.

Comment in r/newborns

That puppy pads would be my most used item 😂

Comment in r/newborns

I still use these when I change my daughter!

7. The unexpected toll on parents' bodies

Repeatedly picking up, rocking, and wearing a growing child can lead to surprising aches and pains for parents.

Comment in r/newborns

The physical toll on your body. Had to go to physio for tendonitis from so much rocking, patting, babywearing, etc.

Comment in r/newborns

This!! The physicality of it has shocked me

8. The snake-like skin shedding

Emerging from a warm, wet environment into the dry air has a bizarre effect on a fresh baby's skin.

Comment in r/newborns

That they shed their skin as they adjust to no longer living in a liquid environment. Not bad but was very surprising!

Comment in r/newborns

The peely skin was a huge surprise to me too. I was so worried I did something wrong! Luckily it was all over within a few days.

9. The illusion of a sleep schedule

While parents constantly try to establish a nighttime routine, they often find themselves back at square one every couple of months.

Comment in r/newborns

their sleep will change every 2 months and it’s literally a guessing game and 9 hours at 2 months means absolutely nothing.

Comment in r/newborns

My baby sleeps 10 hours to 2 months and you just destroyed all my hopes that it will continue 😂

10. The endless photo obsession

Despite the exhaustion and chaos, taking a break often just turns into staring and sighing at pictures of the baby.

Comment in r/newborns

Finally got a LO to sleep last night on her own and used the baby monitor for the first time and sat on the couch and spent the next 2 hours looking at photos of her.

Comment in r/newborns

This. My husband does bedtime and gives a big bottle of pumped milk so I can decompress and leave the house at night as long as I need/want without issue or planning. Half the time I’m at the gym, staring at all the photos I’ve taken of her all day 😂

The newborn phase is a dizzying mix of intense challenges and adoration. No matter how many parenting books people read, certain realities only sink in once they're in the trenches, cleaning up mystery messes at 2 a.m. and formulating elaborate routines to try and get a tiny human to nap.

Do you have any wisdom to share about navigating the newborn stage? Read the full recommendations in r/newborns, and find more conversations like this in r/Parenting, r/Mommit, and r/daddit.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

Is cash still the best form of payment? The king above many card and digital payment pawns? In a thread on r/Frugal, one person shared their father's old-school money philosophy: Never use a credit card unless it is an absolute emergency. The poster wondered if this advice still holds up in an era of chasing cash-back bonuses and travel points. Redditors chime in, debating if sticking to physical currency is a missed opportunity for protection and surprising perks of its own.

The upside of plastic

Many commenters argue that writing off credit cards entirely leaves too many benefits on the table. When used correctly, cards offer a layer of security that cash simply cannot match, along with rewards programs that put money back in your pocket. But people emphasize treating the card like a debit account and never carrying a balance.

Comment in r/Frugal

Using a credit card responsibly and treating it as if it is a well budgeted debit card is far better than using cash. Aside from cash back rewards, fraud protection can save you time, money, and headaches. If you lose cash, it's gone. If you lose your credit card, you can turn it off and get it replaced. Credit cards are extremely useful tools if used responsibly

Comment in r/Frugal

Using a credit card responsibly is objectively better than paying in cash. It provides better security when it comes to fraud and theft, provides benefits like cash back rewards and car rental insurance, and helps build up your credit history in case you ever need it for a home loan for example.

Key word being responsibly. If you don’t change your spending habits and pay off your statement in full every month, then you come out ahead. It doesn’t even have to be complicated: a simple flat rate cash back card like Citi Double Cash or Chase Freedom Unlimited is more than enough to earn back on everyday spending.

Comment in r/Frugal

So long as you can pay the balance in full every month and avoid interest fees, it's outdated.

You lose cash or have it stolen, you're out of luck. If either happens to your card, you replace it.

Cards currently provide some sort of rewards back. Best of all, you can contest charges. I had an appliance shipped to my house that gave up after three days. I spent a week trying to contact the company that sold it to me. When I initiated a charge back, suddenly the company was interested in talking to me.

The psychological spending trap

Not everyone dismisses the older generation's caution. Some people point out that swiping a piece of plastic removes the physical friction of parting with your money, making it dangerously easy to overspend. They note that reward programs are designed to encourage heavier spending habits.

Comment in r/Frugal

1. Cash is MUCH  better at being aware of how and when you're spending your money and you'll have better self control when you see and feel it physically leaving.

2. all the points and perks have moved to mobile and virtual currencies. So you won't get any discounts with cash.

Tl:dr if you have good spending discipline use credit / apps. If not use cash.

Comment in r/Frugal

It can be effective to use cards like this. However, you have to be careful you aren't falling into a trap where the ease of a credit card doesn't increase your spending more than your "cash back."

For a lot of people, having X dollars in your account to last til the end of the month is--in practice--a more effective budgeting strategy than just keeping track of all your spending.

Rewards programs exist because over the entire population they work to increase spending.

Comment in r/Frugal

This. While everyone agrees that you should never carry a balance, I th8nk there are hidden "risks" of using a credit card that aren't acknowledged enough. In addition to overspending from not warching spending, incentives such as those points programs, 0% balance transfer offers, inteo interest offers, are designed to get you to spend with the hope of entirely spending too much and eventually carrying a balance. They aren't there to help you! In that sense there is an element of gambling to using credit cards, especially for those incentives. And that may be the actual principle behind not using a CC. 

One work around is using a budgeting tool such as Quicken, YNAB, Monarch, etc and managing your money against a budget. And honestly I don't think everyone who claims to never carry a balance really manages their money this way against a budget.

Comment in r/Frugal

Using a credit card "responsibly" can still lead to bad habits and then dangerous situations. Consider credit cards points as a bonus, but don't chase them

The strategic use of cash

A noticeable camp of commenters finds a happy balance by carrying cash for specific situations. With an increasing number of businesses passing credit card processing fees onto consumers, paying with paper can sometimes result in surprising direct savings. Others prioritize cash to support local mom-and-pop shops and keep money within their communities.

Comment in r/Frugal

I would usually agree, but everyone is starting to charge a fee for credit cards. They charge a 3% fee while you get 1% back.

Comment in r/Frugal

I use cash for small, local businesses to help them avoid cc fees and for their own accounting choices.

Big chains and places I use my credit for points and purchase protection. I pay it off each month.

It helps me to write down all my spending in a note book so I stay focused. This includes atm withdrawals for cash

Comment in r/Frugal

The second point you made is simply untrue. There are quite a few stores I go to that offer a pretty nice discount for paying cash (anywhere between 10% to 25% in some cases).

How do I find these places? I simply ask the cashier if they will give me the item(s) for the desired lower amount if I pay with cash instead of card. If they say no, I either buy or leave. If they say yes, I get the discount, and they gain a lifelong customer.

The decision to use cash or plastic ultimately comes down to individual discipline and habits. While card and digital payments offer undeniable security and perks, the physical act of handing over bills remains a reliable way to keep a strict budget in check.

Are you strictly paper or entirely digital? Dive into the full conversation in the thread in r/Frugal, and find more conversations like this in r/FinancialPlanning, r/LifeProTips, and r/simpleliving.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

Raising a teenager is full of complications, and around-the-clock smartphones are one massive complication. But while many parents struggle to get a full-sentence answer out of their kids, one mother in r/Parenting is facing the exact opposite problem. She turned to the community to figure out how to help her daughter build independence:

The biggest issue I have is her texting me from school, relying on me to help her make decisions she should be making on her own. I HATE that they allow phones in school. Not in the classroom. But everywhere else during the day. “Should I go for geometry help during lunch?” “Ugh I forgot my Invisalign.” “I’m so stressed I have so much homework.” “Should I email the athletic director and what should I say?”

She’s a sensitive kid, very indecisive, stresses a lot, and has anxiety. But a really good kid. We’ve talked a LOT about her needing to make her own decisions. I really feel like I don’t coddle her and I don’t always help her out when she texts me throughout the day - I often give a quick “your decision” or “I’m busy, good luck” response. Which I often am! I work (my schedule is very fluid, sometimes I’m at home and sometimes not) but it’s often pretty grating to be getting texts about things my 15-year-old should be figuring out on her own during my workday.

I think I really need to set some boundaries here and have a talk about this or this issue isn’t going away. She’ll likely be in college in 3 years or wherever she is at 18 she just can’t be texting mom about every little thing. Or god forbid what if something happens to me, I might not always be around for her in a time of need. My biggest concern though is that she’s using this as a crutch because she’s had a lot of social struggles, especially recently. Her closest friend ditched her and she’s struggling to find her place at school. Sometimes she has no one to talk to at lunch, so I know it’s a relief to be able to chat with me a bit or to vent. She had a really, really tough time with lunch at the end of last year and it really broke my heart.

It’s hard to find people who can relate to this because most people’s teenagers want nothing to do with them! My daughter on the other hand wants to talk and be with me constantly. And yes while it is in some ways nice, it just worries me that she’s not maturing as she should and gaining her independence. Ironically she did go away for 2 weeks this summer and thrived, and I thought maybe we’d see some changes, but now with the new school year I feel like we are right back to square one.

In the comments, redditors offer a mix of gentle reality checks, practical strategies, and reminders to cherish the close relationship.

Encourage her with questions

Many commenters point out that the daughter is likely lacking confidence. They suggest flipping the script by asking questions that guide the teenager toward her own conclusions.

Comment

It sounds like she definitely lacks confidence and is scared of making the wrong decision.

How about putting the question back to her? "What do you think?" And then praise her "sounds like a solid idea, good for you thinking it through" and so on. Its better that she trusts you to text you because so many 15 year olds hide everything from their parents

Comment

This is the way! Help her build some confidence. Even some “hm I’m not sure, what way are you leaning” tells her there isn’t a perfect answer that mom already knows. Help her work through the decisions and validate she made the right one, even if it seems inconsequential.

Comment

Respond with more questions, so she learns how to think things through. "Are you struggling in geometry?" "Homework is stressful, do you have a list of assignments?" "What do you want to talk to the athletic dept about?"

No answers from you. Only more questions.

Comment

I feel like trying to get her to not text you isn't the answer. She needs help learning how to problem solve on her own. Text her back questions until she can talk/think it through herself

A shield for loneliness

Since the original poster noted that her daughter had a falling out with a close friend, several redditors suspect that texting mom is a safe way to avoid feeling alone in the hallways.

Comment

This 100% read to me as a lonely kid who is isolated and misplacing friend interactions onto her interactions with you as a result. A lot of these questions are things my friends and I would naturally chat about together throughout the day in high school. Hell, even as an adult I’ll text my best friend to ask her opinion on what I should get for lunch. Not because I can’t make the decision myself, but because i like to connect with people by sharing ideas and opinions on things and crowdsourcing ideas, even for mundane things. I bet this behavior will go away once she makes a new close friend

Comment

Ok hear me out as this is just a stab in the dark - is it possible she doesnt have any friends at school and she's texting so she can "look busy". As in she's waiting for class and everyone is chatting sl she doesnt want to just stand there on her own so she's texts you so it looks like she has friends/has something to do?

In which case she's not actually asking you to make the decision she's just thinking of random crap to say so that she can be texting instead of being on her own.

This sounds like loneliness to me not anxiety.

Comment

Was she texting you this much when she had her friend? Does she have more friends at school? If this is since she lost the friend, I would be cautious at removing the crutch too fast, maybe see if she can make friends before.

Cherish the closeness

A final group of readers offers a broader perspective on the parent-child dynamic. They urge the mother to recognize how lucky she is to have a teenager who actively wants her input throughout the day.

Comment

Not a parent but I think it's a very good sign that OP's daughter texts her so much. It means she sees her mother as comfort, and that she really entirely trusts her. At this age I had 0% trust in my mother and I would have NEVER confided in her anything.

Comment

I used to email my mom constantly throughout the day in high school because I was bored.* This would have been 2008-2012. Maybe see if she would be willing to switch to emailing? I feel like emails give you more time to respond. I liked people's suggestions of responding with a question, too, to encourage her to think for herself.

* Now I'm a 32-year-old man with two kids of my own, and I call my mom at least twice a day. My partner is constantly FaceTiming their mom. We just really love our moms! (My dad is fine, just not particularly conversational unless you get him going about Bob Dylan or westerns.)

Comment

She obviously loves you so much and feels comfortable coming to you about everything so I wouldn’t jeopardize that.

Navigating the teenage years is never easy, and setting boundaries requires patience and care. As redditors point out, this phase of constant communication might mask a temporary lack of confidence or a longing for friendship. By guiding her with questions instead of giving her the answers, her mother can give her the tools she needs to thrive independently.

How often do you text your parents? Read the full story in r/Parenting, and find more conversations like this in r/relationships, r/TrueOffMyChest, and r/family.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

As the cost of living climbs, a growing number of adults face an uncomfortable dilemma. They are caught between raising their own children and managing the care needs of their aging parents. In a thread on r/Millennials, redditors openly discuss the expectations placed upon them by parents who failed to plan for retirement, following this post from a daughter:

My parents are in their early 70s. They are divorced and both live alone. They have zero savings and live pay check to pay check. They are struggling with inflation and I help where I can. My mom has a home she can sell but I have no idea how much she still owes on her mortgage. They've both had serious health issues in the last few years and I'm concerned for them and how long they will be able to live independently. They have no plans for what to do and no way to pay for a good care facility or senior community etc. I'm an only child and it's so stressful with them having no money and no plan. I am pretty sure I am the plan. My parents currently live 1-2 hours away.

I am 35 with a toddler and another on the way. I work full time, as does my spouse and while we are doing well financially to support ourselves and our children, we would not be able to support both my parents. I have already helped them out financially many times but cannot pay all their monthly bills. My financial goals are to save for my kids who need to be my priority. We don't have room in our home for a parent to have a bedroom here unless my kids share, which might be okay as small children but I imagine that has a limited time frame. And then who do I pick? Mom, dad, or in-laws? I also can't afford to leave my job and provide care to a parent if that is the level of support they need. I've taken days off to help them recover from surgeries etc., but now combined with my kid(s) being sick/unable to go to daycare many times a year, I am struggling to make it all work.

My in-laws are financially okay to support themselves but also have mentioned they expect to live with us when they can't live alone and were very offended when we said it wasn't possible. Unless they can buy us a bigger home and pay for a caretaker to help them while we are at work!

Anyways my husband and I are very stressed about our parents at a time when we should be focusing on our upcoming baby and planning for our future.

Can anyone relate? We are Canadian so luckily healthcare costs are not a concern, but I know long-term care facilities have massive waitlists and seniors homes are very expensive.

The conversation explores the boundaries younger generations establish to protect their financial futures.

The impact of preparation

A recurring observation among commenters is that parents who took the time to secure their retirement are the ones people feel most eager to help. Conversely, those who expect their children to fund their lifestyle often face pushback.

Comment in r/Millennials

You are bang on with the ones that plan generally seem to be tolerable and the ones that don't, aren't.

Comment in r/Millennials

Nope,

My parents have had their assisted living care financed and planned out since the early 90's.

They wanted to make sure they would never be a financial burden to us kids.

Comment in r/Millennials

My parents have always said that the biggest way they can take care of us is making sure they can take care of themselves in their old age. They have prioritized making sure they are set financially for anything that could happen, so that the burden doesn’t become ours.

Drawing the line at financial support

Many adults find themselves sandwiched between the demands of toddlerhood and the looming reality of elder care. Without the luxury of extra income or free time, they opt to establish firm limits to protect their household.

Comment in r/Millennials

Definitely focus on and prioritize your kids. I'm not saying cut your parents and in-laws out entirely, but it's ridiculous for them to assume that you owe them anything. You have your own family to provide for. They should have planned ahead when they decided to have their own children.

I've explicitly told my parents that their money is their money, and they can choose what they want to do with it, but I will not be responsible for their care in their old age. They've never said that an inheritance is contingent upon me providing care for them, but if that were the case then I'd give up any inheritance.

Comment in r/Millennials

I bought a house about 10 minutes away from my parents so I could help them more. but they have actually ended up helping me more then I've helped them. 😅

Any help they get from me will be purely time and presence because I don't have money. Thank gods my dad has been very fiscally responsible and they can comfortably live off their government social security and retirement savings.

Comment in r/Millennials

I think it depends on the relationships you had with them. If your parents took care of you earlier in life and did the best they can with what they had, helped with schooling and home purchases. Then absolutely they should expect some help in their old age and you should give it to them. With that being said, many people have fractured relationships or poor financial management themselves, so there's only so much you can do

The space constraint

Moving parents into a shared home is often proposed as a budget-friendly solution, but the prospect of combining households presents serious logistical challenges. Redditors weigh the practical limitations of cohabitation and find creative workarounds.

Comment in r/Millennials

I would only allow my mom to move in if it was a separate area.

No way am I sacrificing my marriage for all her poor mistakes

Comment in r/Millennials

I was just going to comment that my response would be "sure mom and dad, but we've only got one bedroom so you'll have to adjust to sharing again."

Comment in r/Millennials

Tell your parents to meet their new roommates - each other!

Comment in r/Millennials

My parents planned well, but while we get along great, there is no way in hell I’m living with them again barring some catastrophe! My mother and I are both too set in our ways and those ways clash too much for it to be an option.

Navigating the evolving relationship with aging parents is rarely straightforward. Adults seem to be emphasizing early planning and putting up firm boundaries to avoid passing similar complications down to the next generation. The path forward requires open communication but relies heavily on realistic expectations from everyone involved.

What approach works best for you when it comes to parental care? Read the full thread in r/Millennials, and find more conversations like this in r/PersonalFinance, r/Family, and r/Adulting.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

People have remarkably strong feelings about what goes onto their plates. Some like to keep their foods separate, while others are hypersensitive to things like the lingering taste of dishwashing soap on just-cleaned ceramics. In a thread on r/AskReddit, redditors are chiming in to answer a culinary question that haunts many home chefs and restaurant patrons: What is a deceptively common ingredient that completely ruins a meal, no matter how small the amount?

1. Artificial sweeteners

Adding a touch of sweetness to a beverage or a baked good is standard practice, but the exact source of that sweetness can throw off sensitive palates.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Any replacement for sugar like saccharine, sucrose, estevia, etc. just give me the sugar.

Also hate when they use citric acid instead of lemon juice

Comment in r/AskReddit

Stevia and sucralose are the worst offenders. I’d rather drink whatever it is completely unsweetened.

If I see “no sugar added” or whatever, I expect it to be unsweetened, not laced with that foul-tasting garbage.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Stevia ruins everything. I have no clue how people can guzzle down anything with stevia in it. Anytime I see the words “low sugar” I get all hopeful until I see the word stevia on the ingredient list. Blech.

2. Lavender

Botanical and floral elements are often utilized to elevate a culinary experience. When implemented incorrectly, though, these fragrant additions can transport the diner straight to a laundromat.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Maybe not super common, but lavender. I’ve never had something with lavender that wouldn’t have been better without the lavender. I feel like they put it in deserts to be fancy, but the food just ends up smelling like laundry detergent.

Comment in r/AskReddit

YES!

I’ve tried some posh desserts/teas, etc with lavender and it’s like a mouthful of Mr. Bubble.

It made me even more diligent about checking with people before putting cilantro in anything. I do not envy the people with the gene that makes it taste like soap, and that’s a much more common ingredient than lavender (in my neck of the woods).

Comment in r/AskReddit

Some people don’t know there are different types of lavender and one is very soapy. The other is more sweet in scent and flavour.
Some cooks think they can be used interchangeably.

So yeah. Some chefs/bakers use the wrong types and it’s best to not use lavender in cooking.

3. Fennel

Certain seasonings offer a distinct flavor profile that is nearly impossible to mask. Such strong notes inevitably draw battle lines.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Fennel. You can’t convince me this is an appealing flavor.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Same. It took me years to know what it was about Italian sausage I didn’t like until I made a new recipe that called for fennel and I took a little taste before adding it and was like OH GOD that’s the thing I don’t like in sausage lol.

4. Black olives

Pizza toppings and salad additions provide a wide scope for experimentation. Some savory bites, however, are renowned for leaving behind a lingering unpleasantness.

Comment in r/AskReddit

If a black olive was ever near the dish, I can tell

Comment in r/AskReddit

"just pick them off"

No! They leave behind their flavor and it's ruined!

Comment in r/AskReddit

"A black olive was somewhere in the room when this pizza was made- send it back!"

5. Seafood shells

Texture plays a vital role in how food is enjoyed. Encountering unexpected, crunchy remnants during dinner can set off certain folks.

Comment in r/AskReddit

Shell. Sorry Maryland, getting shell in my crab cakes does not prove it’s real, it proves laziness in the kitchen.

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As a Marylander I agree. I don't ever buy crab meat and NOT pick through it. I dont care how much they claim its clean, i assume it has shell fragments until i have picked it myself. I never order crab cakes in a restaurant. I make them at home if I want one.

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Shells are not supposed to be an ingredient! (This is why I don’t eat seafood with skeletal material attached. Except maybe a shrimp with the tail still attached now and then.)

6. Cilantro

A fresh garnish can bring bright color and vibrant flavor. Yet science proves that an individual's DNA directly influences how a certain leafy herb is perceived on the tongue.

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Yeah unfortunately I taste soap so it quite literally ruins anything it's on for me

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YES exactly. Put it on a delicious curry and I taste 0% curry but 100% cilantro. Might as well just eat bland porridge with cilantro at that point.

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It took 35 long years for me to be vindicated over my hatred of cilantro. Living in the Mediterranean, people look at me like I'm mad. I'm SO glad there's so many others!

7. Fish oil

Certain dietary supplements are celebrated for their health benefits but are notoriously difficult to incorporate into standard recipes. Highly concentrated additions have a tendency to overpower even the most resilient dishes.

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I think the main thing I've found with the pills is that the oil inside is rancid. I would take the pills and then be burping rancid ass fish oil burps for hours.

Get one of those pills, cut it open, and smell the oil. Guarantee it's rancid.

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Fish oil. The tiniest amount of fish oil in anything will override any other flavors in the dish for me. And in case anyone is wondering, fish to me, tastes like the smell of a dirty wet dog.

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My brother once blended a fish oil pill with his chocolate protein shake. I cant remember if he took a sip or not but I remember smelling it from across the room.

Everyone has their own specific flavor aversions, and sometimes simply trying to pluck an unwanted ingredient out of the dish does not work. Once you identify a culinary culprit, the easiest solution might just be preparing meals at home to your exact specifications.

What ingredient sends you heading straight for the nearest exit? Read the full list in r/AskReddit, and find more conversations like this in r/Cooking, r/food, and r/Baking.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.

If you talk to anyone of a certain age, they're likely to paint their 20s as a free-wheeling, no-holds-barred, rule-breaking fest — with plenty of mistakes along the way. But some of the moments from those youthful years also turn out to be formative and important, even if they felt like stumbles at the time. In a thread on r/AskReddit, redditors weigh in on the life choices they are most grateful they made during their 20s.

1. Accepting the learning stage

The first decade of adulthood is generally filled with confusion, false starts, and career pivots. Instead of stressing over a master plan, many people ultimately find peace in treating this era as a valuable trial period.

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Not having everything figured out. Your 20s are basically the tutorial level

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Leaving toxic work environments immediately rather than treating workplace endurance as a badge of honor.

2. Exploring relationships

Society often pushes young people to settle down and find a permanent partner quickly. But taking the time to date around and figure out what you actually want in a companion can reap huge dividends later in life.

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Exploring relationships. So many of my friends are going through divorces because they married the first person that gave them attention

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Yes!! This isn’t talked about enough why back then there was so much emphasis that you had to be married by 23 and kids soon after. Yes some have survived but the majority that thought they were so grown up back then are mostly divorced.
I waited until I was 30 to settle and meet the one had lots and lots of fun in my 20s with my fair share of mistakes but nothing permanent.

I’m now happily married 7 years in :-) and 38 with no regrets!

3. Spending time with parents

Once you enter the working world, it's easy to let family time slip down your list of priorities. Those who make an active effort to include their parents rarely look back with regret.

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My dad passed away 2 years ago and my friends always used to come hang out at the house and my parents would come hang out also. I cherish my time with my parents because one day they won't be there. When I have people over my house, I invite my mom over. Everyone loves her and she's very personable.

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Im 31 and still go to stay with my parents for 1-2 months every year. Our lives are total opposites in that they live in older suburban Florida, and I mostly live in nyc or abroad, but I so love that time with them

For anyone whose parents are willing and able I would highly recommend long stays while you can

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I went to Japan in 2019, all the friends that said "yeah I'll go" vanished when it came time to book some tickets.

My dad found out I was going alone and asked if I minded if he came for a week, He ended up coming for all 26 days.

Over the years we wouldn't STFU about it so finally my mom said "I wanna go too!" So her and I are going this fall

4. Uncomfortable and risky adventures

Exploring the world does not always require luxury accommodations or big budgets. Embracing the grit of cheap travel and taking wild leaps of faith allows young adults to build a stockpile of incredible stories.

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Traveling cheap, fast, and uncomfortably, so I could afford to see many more places.

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At 26, I put a rooftop tent on my Jeep and drove to Alaska for like a 50-day road trip.

Best decision of my life. Blew every penny I had, basically.

I ran into a lot of retired folks doing Alaska road trips. When I told them I was blowing every penny I had for this, I was surprised that the response was universally the same: "Good for you. We've wanted to do this for decades, but now we're too old to enjoy the things you can do. We can't go on big hikes. Some adventures in life you can't do when you're old."

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I’d rather have a few uncomfortable trips and a lifetime of stories than wait until everything is perfect.

5. Seeing as much live music as you can

The joy of seeing your favorite artists perform mere feet away stays with you for decades.

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Live music all the time. Went to concerts on a Tuesday night and back to work on Wednesday after driving home. Tickets were much cheaper too even 10 years ago.

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Every single concert I went to. No regrets. Those were amazing and I still remember them.

But they were affordable back then.

6. Waiting to start a family

Delaying parenthood gives individuals the space to build personal maturity, emotional readiness, and financial footing before taking on such a monumental responsibility.

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Not having children yet. I adore all kids and have been super super close to my nieces and nephews since I was a teenager myself. My dream has always been to be a mom but I decided to wait till 30 and I have no regrets at all. I feel it was the perfect decision for my life and my child’s life

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I've been with my wife since we were 16/17 and we had our first kid when we were 33/34. Taking our sweet time allowed us to get a financial footing and to get to a place where we're much more mature and equipped to handle raising tiny humans.

This was definitely the right decision and I'd do it again, but I still would have liked it to be possible to have them earlier.

I can't help but feel sad for the extra time we could have had with them and for the help we won't be able to provide when they have children of their own. Both of our moms had us when they were 23-25 and they've been absolute lifesavers when it came to lessening the burden in the early years. I'm not sure we'll be able to do the same because if our kids follow our example, we'll be in the 70s by the time we have grandkids.

7. Going back for a graduate degree

Hitting a wall in your career is frustrating, if common. Returning to school in your 20s might feel like taking a step back, but the long-term payoff in intellectual confidence and job satisfaction often proves worth it.

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Going back for a graduate degree. I was at a dead end job making $22k a year. Went back to school and got an advanced degree. First job out of school was $65k (in 2002) and it has just gone up from there.

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Earning undergraduate and graduate degrees and moving 700 miles away to a better job market during a recession. And a long trip to Europe age 21.

8. Dental care and other healthy habits

It might not be the most glamorous saga of your youth, but mundane dental hygiene is a big win for your future self. Building a rigid flossing habit early on saves you from endless physical discomfort and exorbitant bills down the road. Other seemingly boring health-maintaining routines are, in retrospect, giant wins.

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Flossing and taking good care of my teeth.

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I didn't see a dentist for about a decade due to a lack of insurance. I brushed and flossed daily though. When it was finally time to see a dentist, I was so afraid only for them to say my teeth were in remarkably good shape. Zero cavities, just some swollen gums from brushing too hard.

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To the point of healthy, one thing I did in my early 20s (because thank god 20s me enjoyed this stuff) was just doing tons, and tons, of research about answering important life questions.

How do you eat healthy? What are the best ways to exercise? What are the cheapest ways to travel? How should you think about budgeting? How do you make friends / make people like you? Even things as mundane as the optimal way to brush your teeth. There are evidence-backed answers to all of these questions.

I would devour peer reviewed papers, articles, books, etc. All these habits got ingrained and now I feel as though just my regular autopilot is constantly improving my life, and into my 30s I just do them without thinking

If it involves trekking across the country on a tight budget or finding time to hang out with parents, the choices we make in early adulthood set the tone for the rest of our lives. Giving yourself grace to grow and experiment yields the most rewarding memories.

What choices do you think you will look back on with pride? Read the full thread in r/AskReddit, and find more conversations like this in r/LifeAdvice, r/CasualConversation, and r/Adulting.

This story highlights the perspectives of Reddit users, not Reddit, Inc. Some posts or comments may be lightly edited for clarity. Questions or concerns? Contact us at upvoted@reddit.com.