We all have a handful of things we should probably know by now, but still quietly Google on a semiregular basis.
You might be a functioning adult with a job, bills, and responsibilities, but for some reason, a few basic life skills just never stuck. Maybe no one taught you properly, maybe you were too embarrassed to ask, or maybe your brain just refuses to store that one simple piece of information. Either way, you’re not alone. Here are 12 embarrassingly simple things you still have to look up because, well, someone should’ve explained them better.
1. How many tablespoons are in a cup
Every time you try to cook something without exact measurements, this one pops up. You know it’s basic kitchen maths, and yet the numbers refuse to stay in your head. Was it 8? Or 12? Wait, was that fluid ounces? At this point, you should probably have it printed and taped to the fridge, but Googling feels faster. It’s comforting to know you’re not the only adult who acts like every recipe is your first-ever attempt at basic arithmetic.
2. The difference between affect and effect
You’ve probably looked this up more times than you’ve actually used either word in a sentence. They’re just too similar, and when grammar isn’t your thing, you end up winging it and hoping no one notices. Every now and then, you get confident and try to use them correctly in an email, only to second-guess yourself immediately and open a new tab. At this point, you’re convinced they were invented just to keep people humble.
3. How long to boil an egg
You’d think this would be burned into your memory by now, especially since eggs are like the universal go-to food. And yet, every time you want soft-boiled or hard-boiled eggs, you’re Googling again like it’s brand new information. There’s something about the timing—too short, it’s raw; too long, it’s grey and weird. So back to Google you go, pretending you didn’t search the same thing last weekend. It’s practically part of the recipe at this point.
4. What temperature to cook chicken
Cooking chicken is one of those things where the stakes are weirdly high. Undercooked? Terrifying. Overcooked? Basically jerky. So even if you’ve cooked it a hundred times, you still double-check that magic number every time. It doesn’t help that different websites suggest slightly different temps, so you usually end up Googling “safe chicken temp” and “how to know if chicken is done” just to be sure. Honestly, it’s a miracle anyone ever learned this without the internet.
5. How to spell “definitely”
This one feels personal. No matter how many times you get it right, your fingers still hesitate mid-word. “Definately” looks almost right. “Defiantly”? Also familiar. Suddenly, you’re staring at red squiggly lines like a school kid again. You end up Googling it just to copy and paste it into your message, acting like that wasn’t your tenth attempt. At this point, it’s less of a spelling problem and more of an annual tradition.
6. How to tie a tie
Source: Unsplash If you don’t wear a tie every day, chances are you re-learn this skill every time a wedding or formal event rolls around. The process starts with optimism and ends in mild swearing and a YouTube tutorial. You follow along slowly, pausing every three seconds while muttering “over, under, around—wait, what?” until you finally get something that looks decent enough. Bonus points if you tighten it, and it still ends up too short.
7. What day of the week Easter falls on
Source: Unsplash You know Easter moves around, but trying to remember how or why feels like advanced calendar science. It’s tied to the moon and a specific Sunday, but beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess. Every year, it sneaks up on you, and you find yourself typing “when is Easter this year” as if it’s a trick question. You’re not alone—half the country probably Googles it the same week they buy Mini Eggs.
8. How to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius (or vice versa)
Whether you’re British trying to understand American weather or American trying to read a UK recipe, you’ve probably Googled this conversion more times than you’d like to admit. And yet, it still doesn’t stick. You vaguely remember something about subtracting 32 and multiplying by a fraction, but who has the time? You type it into Google and hope for a quick answer—because all you really need to know is, “Can I wear shorts today?”
9. What actually goes into a self-assessment tax return
Source: Unsplash Filing taxes as an adult if you’re self-employed is one of those things nobody prepares you for. You open the form, stare at it blankly, and then open Google. “Do I need to claim this?” “What is a P60?” “Can I write off snacks?” Even if you’ve done it before, the rules seem to change just enough to make you second-guess everything. At this point, your browser history in January (or April, if you’re an early bird) could basically be used as a cry for help. You’re terrified that HMRC is going to call you out on something you did wrong.
10. How to fold a fitted sheet
This one’s basically a myth. Sure, there are tutorials and diagrams, but most people still end up balling it up and shoving it in the linen closet. Folding a fitted sheet properly is like knowing a secret handshake for adulthood. You might try to follow along once a year, get halfway there, and then mutter, “good enough.” And really, who’s checking? As long as it ends up in the cupboard, it’s a win.
11. How to write a formal letter
Despite years of school, this one slips away the moment you’re asked to do it. Where does the date go? Do you use “Dear Sir” or “To Whom It May Concern”? Is “Sincerely” still a thing? You could wing it, but that fear of looking unprofessional kicks in, and suddenly, you’re Googling letter formats like you’ve never seen an envelope before. Why does it feel more intimidating than writing an essay?
12. How to restart your router
Tech support advice always starts with, “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” And yet, every time your Wi-Fi glitches, you’re Googling “how to reset router” like it’s a brand new process. You stare at the blinking lights, unplug the wrong thing first, then wait the magic 10 seconds (is it 30?) before plugging it back in. When it works, you feel like a genius—until it happens again next week, and you forget all over again.
