What is this YOLO nonsense?

NB: For those of you who don't know, 'YOLO' stands for 'You Only Live Once.' 

Let's make something very clear from the outset. YOLO is a new age concept that is used it to justify bad decisions, because of the superficial legitimacy that is unexplainably linked to it. In other words, the term has become the automatic go-to excuse for irresponsible behaviour amongst today's youth.

So let's say that hypothetically, you are in front of me and about to down 10 tequila shots. If you tell me that it's because you want to have a night off, I'd think WHAT A FANTASTIC IDEA. Everybody deserves a break once in awhile. However if your rationale starts with 'YO' and ends with 'LO,' then I'd be like great, well bloody done on your priorities in life. Ok not really, but I'd definitely cringe upon hearing that irritatingly overused term. I mean what the heck is YOLO anyway?  It honestly sounds like someone is trying to say YOYO with a waffle in their mouth.

Believe me, I'm all for having fun and going a bit mental once in awhile, but I am not a big fan of overtly shunning responsibility in the name of some badly formulated excuse called YOLO. Yes, we only live once, but look deeper beneath that meaning... You get ONE life to live to the fullest, to achieve what you're supposed to achieve, and to figure out what your purpose is. So if you really want to use that term, do it in the name of something fantastic and meaningful. Because it is not a legitimate excuse for cheating on your significant other, regularly throwing away cash on pointless nights that you will never even remember, or just irresponsible behaviour in general.

Call me overly serious, I don't particularly mind. I'd like to think that I'm a logical creature who will find a balance between chilling out and working hard, because having fun once in awhile is absolutely imperative for one's happiness.

In conclusion, forget this superficial YOLO nonsense. Look deeper behind the meaning. Take nights off, but play it smart. You only have one life to make the best of the resources and gifts that you have been given, so don't waste it all away by making consistently dumb decisions that result in unfruitful or negative repercussions.

the link between club behaviour and personality.

I admit that the title of this blog post might be confusing at face value. How can CLUBBING tell you anything about your personality, right? After all, it is a form of entertainment that is embedded in materialism and usually devoid of any real interaction between people. Resultantly, it is impossible to truly learn about a person's core character through such a pastime. However, I believe that the way someone handles themselves on a big night out can speak wonders about what they are generally like as a person.

I need to state from the outset that I did not write this post to pass judgement on anybody.  In hindsight of all my years of clubbing, I have simply become the patient observer of behavioural patterns, all of which I find incredibly interesting. This has allowed me to single out five categories (that are always present in any clubbing scenario) that can be used to gauge someone's personality. Let's look at each of these in detail, starting now!

.........

Appearances 

I always say this: do not judge a person's appearance at the start of the evening. If you really want to tell whether they can carry themselves or not, wait for the end of the night. When people arrive at a club, they generally look immaculate. Ironically, you just have to give it a few hours before cracks begin to appear in that seemingly perfect facade. By then, the gentleman who you thought was so charming may very well have his head in his hands because of an overdose of alcohol. The girl with the amazing stilettos, well she's about to take them off to walk barefoot on the road. This is the time of the night when class turns to crass, and when you can actually see the few who remain impeccable.

Alcohol

The way a person drinks says plenty about them. Within this category, you will notice the spontaneous people who consume alcohol without a care in the world, or the ones who easily succumb to peer pressure. You will pick out the logical creatures who will be insistent on drinking sensibly. I myself have a tendency to fall in the category of the 'over-thinker.' I am generally a responsible drinker (with a few exceptions, wink wink), because I don't really have the time or will to go through hangovers anymore. But hey, if you're the carpe diem kind of person, that's totally awesome.

Money

In any situation, the way someone handles the bill is highly indicative of how they've been brought up, or what they believe in. Are they the kind of person who is insistent on buying a round, or would they just prefer to get their own individual drink? For example, I have some girlfriends who are completely adamant on not allowing guys to buy them drinks. This is completely fine, and simply signifies that they are strong women who prefer not to feel indebted to anybody.

Interactions 

Would your friend ever leave you hanging just to pick someone else up, or is he or she the kind of person who will remain unfailingly by your side? Do you know someone who will remain angry and negative for the whole night if something does not go their way? How a person treats another, whether a friend, bartender or cleaner, will give you a good reflection of what they are all about. It is through here that you can gauge who you can really rely on to take care of you should something bad happen. Let's face it, strange things do happen in the dark.

Morals

Clubbing has the potential to be packed with every possible vice you can think of, and thus serves temptation on a silver platter. If you're in a relationship, would you cheat (either emotionally or physically) on your girlfriend or boyfriend? Could you end up succumbing to peer pressure if your friends ask you to try a certain substance? Would you leave your friend to go home with someone else? In situations that are so dangerously enticing, watch a way a person handles their code of morals.

.....

This blog post has been a somewhat cynical deconstruction of an activity that seems flippant at face value. However, I believe that it is this superficial nature that gives us the room to pinpoint aspects of someone's personality. In saying all of this,  the way a person clubs cannot possibly tell you everything there is to know about them, especially if they only visit such events once in awhile. As I acknowledged earlier, clubbing is an activity that is deficient of genuine conversation, and thus could never establish a complete overview of a person's character. What I am merely arguing is that you can single out specific personality traits by comparing how a person behaves to the listed categories.

A facade can only be held for so long before it starts to crumble. Club well, club right.

- Nadia

my kind of guy (general responses to a questionnaire)

Dear readers, 

In my quest to procrastinate from University work, I have resulted to doing one of these weird questionnaire things. I figured it was time to give out a bit more information about me, because I don't often write about myself in my blog. Anyway without further ado, here is a very general idea about what I like in guys. Oh my. 

1. Do you need him/ her to be good looking?

Not necessarily, but I'd like to be somewhat attracted to him. 

2. Smart?

Yes.

3. Preferred age?

Several years older than me at minimum.

4. Preferred height?

Between 5'10-6'1.

5. How about sense of humor?

Yes.

6. How about piercings?

Don't mind.

7. Accepts you for who you are?

Yes, but I wouldn't mind a guy who challenges me to be a better person. 

8. Pink hair?

No.

9. Mushy or no?

At appropriate times. But when you're in love, all that kind of stuff is pretty awesome. 

10. Thin or fat?

Thinner, leaner. 

11. Black, Brown, Yellow or White (skin color)?

I have a tendency to date the latter half of these options. 

12. Long hair or short hair?

Short and clean cut. 

13. Plastic or metal?

Flesh. 

14. Smells good?

Yes.

15. Smoker?

No.

16. Drinker?

Yes, but he needs to be able to hold his liquor. 

17. Girl/Boy-next-door type?

If that means humble, sure. 

18. Muscular?

Leaner. 

19. Plays piano?

Sure. 

20. Plays bass and/or acoustic guitar?

Sure. 

21. Plays violin?

Sure. 

22. Sings very well?

Sure. 

23. Vain?

Someone who takes care of his appearance, but is not vainer than me. 

24. With glasses?

Sure. 

25. With braces?

Temporarily is fine. 

26. Shy type?

No. 

27. Rebel or good boy/girl?

A level headed guy who is not naive. 

28. Active or passive?

Active. 

29. Tight or bomb?

? 

30. Singer or dancer?

Singer. 

31. Stunner?

Sure. 

32. Hiphop?

If he wants to club to that, great. 

33. Earrings?

If he wants. 

34. Mr. count-my-ex-boyfriends-until-you-drop?

? 

35. Dimples?

Sure. 

36. Bookworm?

Someone with knowledge. Bookworm isn't necessary. 

37. Mr/Ms. love letter?

Yes.

38. Playful?

With me. 

39. Flirt?

With me. 

40. Poem writer?

Unnecessary. 

41. Serious?

Yes, but not all the time. 

42. Campus crush?

Sure. 

43. Painter?

Sure. 

44. Religious?

Depends. 

45. Someone who likes to tease people?

As long as he has EQ and knows when to stop. 

46. Computer games geek? Or internet freak?

Internet. 

47. Speaks 20 languages?

Sure. 

48. Loyal or faithful?

What a stupid question. 

49. Good kisser?

Yes, but he can be taught. 

50. Loves children?

Yes. 

playlist: vodka

The taste of vodka by itself is so vile that one would probably end up gasping for breath after consuming it. Having your heart broken into pieces evokes similar feelings.

There is nothing like a shattered heart. Your chest feels raw, like someone unceremoniously tore it open to let your body bleed dry. You feel empty, like you've lost a part of yourself. You think of that person at any given moment, and each time you die a little more inside. All the songs listed below will encapsulate the same raw pain that is inescapable after you realize that the one you love is no longer in your life. 

Perhaps a little vodka might help you for the moment, but know that with time, you will be okay. 

- six degrees of separation, The Script

- dakota, Stereophonics 

- all i want, Staind

- i'm still here, Vertical Horizon 

- the reason, Hoobastank 

life is precious

Humans have this tendency to want to make their lives difficult for themselves. In fact, I am the champion of doing this. I tend to over-think and do what I think is smart, as opposed to what will actually make me happy.

For those of you who don't know, I am currently studying at the University of Melbourne, and I have been living a peaceful life here for the past two years. Today, a tragedy occurred on the street where my beloved institution is located, and I'm going to give you a play-by-play account of how I came to learn about what happened.

My friend and I had left the campus and were proceeding to walk towards the central business district, when we noticed a police car struggling to race downwards. After another block or so, we saw that that an entire intersection along the street had been barricaded. We realized that something terribly bad must have happened, and at that precise moment I received a text that answered our questions: 'Wall collapsed on Swanston Street. 2 people killed.'

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/teenage-victims-of-wall-collapse-were-in-the-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time/story-e6frf7kx-1226608727684

It's hard to believe that the street that leads up to Australia's top university is now tainted with the tragic memory of the two people who lost their lives through something as accidental as the collapse of a wall. However, the horrendous incident also led to a woman being grievously injured. For all of you who are reading this, let us pray that she pulls through and survives. Let us also pray for the two people who were taken away, and for the families and friends who now have to grieve from the horrible tragedy.

When we wake up in the morning, we don't think that our siblings, parents or friends are going to be hurt by a freak accident. Even if we do vaguely speak about how today or tomorrow could be our last, what do we ever really do about it? In my case, I have the tendency to talk about how life is short and precious, and then I still allow myself to be affected by the smallest and stupidest things. What is even worse is that I sometimes actively deny myself of what truly makes me happy, because of reasons that usually revolve around my brain or ego. I am a typical human being, and I admit that sometimes I need to shelve my pride. I know that I am not the only one here.

As people, we end up being easily upset and dissatisfied, and sadly I find that we are always looking for reasons not to follow our hearts. The unfortunate thing is that most of us will never pull out of this mentality until something bad actually happens to wake us up. A common occurrence is that we might go through one day of being completely happy, and then the next thing we know, we're back to resuming our previous, redundant patterns. We just don't really realize the depth of how short life actually is.

I am here today to pose a challenge to myself, and to you. I want us to face the fact that life is bloody unpredictable. It is wild, painful and passionate. It is precious, thrilling and beautiful. It is short. Not to state the obvious, but you seriously will never know what is going to happen. Make it a point to ask yourself this: 'If today was my last day on this planet, am I doing what I would want to be doing?' Let us stop making ourselves unhappy. Let us realize how many good things we have, and quit all the stupid habits that blind us from being grateful. Maybe if we all start living a little bit more for ourselves, we would stop being so dissatisfied. Tell the people you love that you care about them. Live in such a way that your life becomes so fulfilled and devoid of any possible regrets, because time is precious and it is slipping away. I dare you to come with me on this challenge, because we owe it to ourselves to make the rest of our lives the best of our lives.

real music.

I live and breathe music, and there is barely a single moment that I am without it.

I want to reflect on what I will term as 'real music.' I'm talking about the songs that make sense. The songs with lyrics that hit you in the heart, and pull you into a world that you didn't imagine possible. Unfortunately this quality lacks in the music that is released today. Sometimes I hear what is on the radio and I am absolutely baffled, if not insulted, at the commercialised gibberish that people try to pass off as 'songs.' Consequently, I believe that we should all take a moment to search up the old tracks that made impacts on us in the past. Let's pick the best one, and then share it on our Facebook walls. Let's remind the world of what songs should be like.

In my case, I've chosen the acoustic version of 'Smooth,' by Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas. This song is so ridiculously timeless and sexy, and it creates a whole new meaning to the the term 'real music.' Enjoy!

I recommend: the video 'To This Day'

'To This Day' is simply incredible. Somehow it manages to tackle the topic of bullying whilst still maintaining the ability to encompass an exquisite level of creativity, sadness, vulnerability and hope. I watched it by chance, having had no idea what it was about. It shook my heart in places I didn't even know existed. I have great respect for the guy who wrote the beautiful poem (or in other words, the voiceover behind the video), Shane Koyczan.

It was difficult to choose, but I have to say that my favourite quote from 'To this Day' has to be this one:
'If you can't see anything beautiful about yourself, get a better mirror. Look a little closer. Stare a little longer. Because there's something inside you that made you keep trying despite everyone who told you to quit.'