When I got to university this year, people kept saying how they finally had realised what they liked. And they’d realised that they hated clubbing, American comedies, or vacuous conversations.
They’d always hated them, they’d just never admitted it, because everyone else liked it. But now instead of going along with the crowd, they were confident to do what they liked. You want to wear bed sheets to class? You rock that stained Mr Men duvet.
High school was a different story.
Cool girls had butter chicken orange skin, fluro thongs and skirts hitched high enough to expose both. And we mustn’t forget the low-cut-tee-push- up- bra party look (cos we’re so, like, mature).
The author decides to have some fun. Photo: Supplied
We go, all trussed up, to parties and drink RTDs and dance like we thought adults did. This was FUN. So I did it, and tried to look like I enjoyed it. (I’m a control freak. I do not loose myself, man.)Unfortunately, whilst waving my arms, my bra hoisted up.
I owned a push up bra, but lacked anything to push up. I’d solved this by stuffing it with toilet tissue - which proceeded to fall out.
Unfortunately I was too preoccupied wiggling to notice, until my friend pointed out I’d lost a boob.
What did this teach me? Nothing. Well, not until now. I kept humiliating myself in similar ways (“Bitch, please. I can so outdrink you!”) until this year.
I kept getting into situations I hated, that ended in embarrassment and that I hadn’t wanted to be a part of anyway. I looking back, and I realise I can’t remember a time I’d come home happy.
Why do it?
We go along with the crowd: we binge drink, wear gold toilet chain necklaces, have friends we want to disembowel, and watch Adam Sandler movies all because the group does. Go with the flow, man.
See when the group decrees that this is FUN, so you will LIKE it, you start to accept that this is what fun must be. Part of it’s a fear of being alone, rejected, or *gulp* boring.
You start to doubt your own judgement of fun. You may like macaroni castles or sock puppet shows. Or bird watching. Or you may fall in love with fictional 19th century characters. (If you do, call me!)
You can go with the crowd and end up with friends who you don’t like. Like that friend of a friend you’re now friends with. You probably like them as much as you like ripping out your toenails.
This is my New Year’s resolution for 2014: I will stop bending to social pressure. I’m going to do what I want, not what others want me to do, especially when it comes to having fun.
Ignore what everyone says you should do, and stick to what you want to do. And don’t be afraid that people will call you boring.
