We might not all feel social anxiety as hard as this TikToker, but most of us can empathize with the dread of tedious small talk and pleasantries. The mundane foundations of language are simply a fact of life, however, and we all have our own ways of coping with the daily interactions. For most of us, a strong cup of coffee, a hard workout, or a sweet treat is enough to fuel the social machine, but for others, it’s less simple.
A TikToker going by the handle Perobsessed777, whose real name is Freddie, has his own method for controlling the madness, though he might not have it completely down pat. The 30-year-old took to the app to share his elaborate process for drive-thrus, and viewers weren’t convinced he had it all figured out – or that it was even real.
We can understand writing down your order, since the process can sometimes be tantamount to an oral language exam you didn’t study hard enough for, but this guy takes it a little too far. As users were quick to point out, there isn’t a phone on the market that doesn’t come with some variation of the “Notes” app, and nearly every restaurant with a drive-thru has an order ahead app to streamline the process.
Convenience be damned for Freddie — instead, the TikToker uses full sheets of printer paper with his intended script taped around the mirror, console, and sunshade. In addition to the coffee order he came for, “yes,” “no,” and “thank you” are slung around the cab. There’s no doubt that social anxiety is a real thing, but our guy here is definitely picking the least effective solution for the problem, and users took notice of the absurdity.
“This CANNOT be real,” one user cackled with crying emojis.
To elevate the humor of the situation, the TikToker points to every single talking point as a cheery barista takes his order and depressing music plays in the background. Plenty of onlookers struggled to believe the interaction; after all, if someone struggles this much to order a simple Frappuccino, what are they doing on a social app like TikTok?
“Bruh, if its that bad, order through the app. Y’all do too much.”
But for every naysayer, there were two cheerleaders. Around 12% of the population live with a social anxiety disorder, and more than a few viewers identified with his struggle. Mountains of supporters cheered from the sidelines, “Ur trying and that’s all that matters.”
“Stay strong. Don’t listen to these negative comments. I have social anxiety too.”
The comment section is split down the middle, with plenty mocking and others rushing to Freddie’s defense. A quick look through his profile shows that he regularly struggles while ordering food, but the consistent issues seem to point to satire rather than social anxiety. From elaborate scripts to AI-generated orders, he’s constantly trying– and failing – to grab a bite to eat or drink.
The shtick usually ends with him leaving a script at home or forgetting an important part of the AI-generated answers and giving up entirely. Adding to the confusion is another TikTok user, Thescumbagdad, who constantly parodies Freddie’s videos, and a mysterious since-deleted video that those in the comments keep refereeing to as “the original.”
We may never know for sure whether Freddie does or doesn’t suffer from have oppressive social anxiety. It’s hard to tell if the video is a parody of the since-deleted TikTok, a product of his creativity, or an actual mental health problem. If it turns out to be true, we can only hope that Petobsessed’s viral videos and thousands of TikTok followers help him master his social anxiety, and if it’s false, may he bamboozle hapless TikTokers for years to come.
