Like most of y’all reading this, I’ve had a harrowing experience in an Ikea. Many people have gotten lost in the giant store or bought elaborate furniture sets that they can’t put together for the life of them. My story is a little more of a deep cut, but it’s equally devastating. 

When I was growing up, Ikea had a play area for kids. Parents could drop off their young kids so they don’t run amok and get lost in the endless expanse. The devastation came when my kid sister was finally tall enough to join me in the play area, and I got some upsetting news from the staffers. At five years old, I was too tall to play with the other kids, and I was banned from entering the play premises. Why they discriminated based on height instead of age, I have no idea. Clearly, this experience was a bummer, but it wasn’t so traumatizing that I can’t enjoy some relatable Ikea memes today!