Social Domination
Being a teenager is all about ruling any social scene. If you work on it enough you can feel comfortable no matter who you're around to work your social charm. We're teens, socializing is a major part of what we do. While we might be pretty perfect at it online on facebook, twitter, and instagram (except for people who post their feelings, BTW's that's hella awkward) when it comes to "real life" interactions a lot of people just epic fail. It's like a true life version of a Jimmy Tatro awkward interactions YouTube video. Here's some tips for social domination.
Awkwardness is something everyone deals with, but the truth is some people are just way more awkward than others. Awkwardness isn't always a bad thing, it can break the ice, be funny and segway into a real interaction, but usually it's just an embarrassing mess. Awkwardness really is just doing or something "weird" that makes people uncomfortable. For example, super quiet people - that's super awkward. Why? Because if we're supposed to be having a conversation and I'm the only one talking then, it's not a conversation. It takes two to conversate. There's nothing "wrong" with being quiet, it's great to be reserved and calm and what not but really there's a time and a place for it, and all the time is not the time. You've got to speak up, make yourself known, and share your opinion. People actually care what you have to say. Quiet people are a lot of the times forgotten because they didn't make an impression at all, and the whole saying nothing thing doesn't help that either. It's like trying to get through to Casper the Friendly Ghost, are you even there? If you're going to dominate socially you've got to take the risk of showing who you really are. You may appear to be quiet, but everyone knows that not the whole story. It's time to step out of your comfort zone and join the festivities known as social life. I'm sure people will remember you as long as you're confident with yourself and make a mark. We're all awkward, some people are just a whole lot more socially inept than others. Get with the program of social conquest and make some moves in social domination.
Every type of person has got that foil (look at me using literary terminology ... ewe). For the ridiculously quiet people, there are those people who just seem to never shut up. They talk and talk, run their mouths, and just never seem to have an off switch. They talk and speak, even when everyone else has tuned them out and nobody else is listening. If you're one of these people, you probably know it. It's great that you're comfortable talking to people but maybe you're a bit too comfortable. The too much information, talking about skin rashes, sloppy hookups, or bathroom escapades is not doing anything for you. You've got to know where to draw the line, and that's usually right before you say something stupid. I'll admit, I'm pretty good at talking - I'm a "people" person apparently, but I'm a mix of the two extremes. If I'm not comfortable, I'm deadly silent, but when I've hit my groove I can demolish anyone else for likability points in any conversation. But you've got those people who have to interject their opinion, idea, or make a comment no matter what and it gets old fast. If you find yourself cutting off people mid-sentence, you need to slow your roll and bring back the vocal train - you just pulled a final destination and murdered the conversation. Nobody likes being interrupted, and if you do it repeatedly, that's showing that you could care less about the other people speaking. Well you do care, so take the time to listen. People will take notice that you haven't spoken in a while and ask you your opinion. That's the perfect time to plan what you're going to say and do it in the most concise way possible. If they want you to elaborate then they'll ask. The worst kind of conversation killers are the ones who have to tell some extravagantly long back story to just to say a simple sentence. Like dang I don't need the exposition to the prequel known as your life, get to the point. If you're going to dominate socially, you've got to control your speech and make it effective. Deliver those hilarious one-liners, those killer mainstream references (all my freaking allegories are irrelevant, no one ever understands my witty commentary), and speak only when necessary so people don't get tired of hearing your voice. You've got the personality to take the battle for social relevance, easily - armor up, and go to war.
Graduation parties can be the ultimate test of your social skills, especially since you graduated over a year ago. This past weekend I went to my friend Connor's high school graduation party. Truly, the reason I wanted to go was because I knew I would run into people from high school and wanted to test my newfound social super powers. If you all didn't know I was my high school prom king (as in the ultimate sign of popularity). My best bromantic friend Taylor came and picked me up and we were on our way. We pull into the neighborhood and see the tell tale line of cars double parked (eff double parking) on the street. We see the bounce house and we know we've arrived. We step out of the car and take off our sunglasses, and it's a moment of epic wow-ness straight out of a movie. We walk up the driveway and there's parents sitting around talking about how amazing their kids are (average at best, sorry you only graduated high school - it's not that hard) and knocking back beers. Oh, welcome back to suburbia (not the Utopian hilarity of Cougar Town - more like the chaos of Desperate Housewives). We greet Connor, the graduate and congratulate him on his accomplishment - he made it through the melodramatic catastrophic mess known as Kings High School. Taylor and I stake out the food, and I just wasn't having it all - Chik Fila A is okay, but really it was like tasteless chicken pops. Naw bro, look at me - do you think I do bland? We grab some classic coca-cola and soon more people start arriving. We catch up with Kaitlyn (PF), Jenna, and Kristen (mini-cat) and we're more than content. No awkwardness whatsoever, even though we haven't seen each other in more than a year. Then came my yearbook girls, Taylor (Tay-Ho), Cierra (Ci-Ci), Kelly, Kristen and Madison. It was a reunion extravaganza up in there. Hugs all around and everyone wants just back exactly where we left off, except we all dressed better and looked older. We got freshly spun cotton candy, and wafted the popcorn like nobody's business. We left message on the sheets (literally) about taking over the college scene. Everyone else either graduated with him or was still in high school and it was a stare fest (and I would know, I get stared at all the time). It's so funny that people are still wary when it comes to talking to me but really though, how hard is it to come up and say "hi or hey - or how's college." I wasn't going to be the one to do it. I didn't need social approval in high school and I certainly don't need it now. I talked to my brother, Christian's friends Drew (Connor's older brother) and Trey. The group of us sat and talked for a while and random others came to talk. The bouncy house was beckoning me, so Taylor, Kristen, Kelly and I went for it. Who cares if it's childish or socially unacceptable (especially with little kids on it) - I gave none. All of a sudden one of the kids punched Kristen in the mouth and that was the end of that. That was our cue to go, so we did. Successful gathering if I do say so myself. We made the rounds and let errrrrrbody know we were back for social domination.
Being a teenager is all about being able to flourish no matter the situation you're placed in. You've got what it takes to run the social scene, make a statement and make sure everyone remembers you. You're worth remembering, you're unique, and different from anyone else. You've can do it, you've just got to put yourself out there and make yourself known. All's fair in friendship and social domination warfare (is that how that goes?).
My blog post question for the day is ... would you consider yourself popular? Well, truthfully I'm going to have to say yes. I guess technically I would be. People just seem to like me, and I like almost everyone so it's kind of a mutual thing.
Awkwardness is something everyone deals with, but the truth is some people are just way more awkward than others. Awkwardness isn't always a bad thing, it can break the ice, be funny and segway into a real interaction, but usually it's just an embarrassing mess. Awkwardness really is just doing or something "weird" that makes people uncomfortable. For example, super quiet people - that's super awkward. Why? Because if we're supposed to be having a conversation and I'm the only one talking then, it's not a conversation. It takes two to conversate. There's nothing "wrong" with being quiet, it's great to be reserved and calm and what not but really there's a time and a place for it, and all the time is not the time. You've got to speak up, make yourself known, and share your opinion. People actually care what you have to say. Quiet people are a lot of the times forgotten because they didn't make an impression at all, and the whole saying nothing thing doesn't help that either. It's like trying to get through to Casper the Friendly Ghost, are you even there? If you're going to dominate socially you've got to take the risk of showing who you really are. You may appear to be quiet, but everyone knows that not the whole story. It's time to step out of your comfort zone and join the festivities known as social life. I'm sure people will remember you as long as you're confident with yourself and make a mark. We're all awkward, some people are just a whole lot more socially inept than others. Get with the program of social conquest and make some moves in social domination.
Every type of person has got that foil (look at me using literary terminology ... ewe). For the ridiculously quiet people, there are those people who just seem to never shut up. They talk and talk, run their mouths, and just never seem to have an off switch. They talk and speak, even when everyone else has tuned them out and nobody else is listening. If you're one of these people, you probably know it. It's great that you're comfortable talking to people but maybe you're a bit too comfortable. The too much information, talking about skin rashes, sloppy hookups, or bathroom escapades is not doing anything for you. You've got to know where to draw the line, and that's usually right before you say something stupid. I'll admit, I'm pretty good at talking - I'm a "people" person apparently, but I'm a mix of the two extremes. If I'm not comfortable, I'm deadly silent, but when I've hit my groove I can demolish anyone else for likability points in any conversation. But you've got those people who have to interject their opinion, idea, or make a comment no matter what and it gets old fast. If you find yourself cutting off people mid-sentence, you need to slow your roll and bring back the vocal train - you just pulled a final destination and murdered the conversation. Nobody likes being interrupted, and if you do it repeatedly, that's showing that you could care less about the other people speaking. Well you do care, so take the time to listen. People will take notice that you haven't spoken in a while and ask you your opinion. That's the perfect time to plan what you're going to say and do it in the most concise way possible. If they want you to elaborate then they'll ask. The worst kind of conversation killers are the ones who have to tell some extravagantly long back story to just to say a simple sentence. Like dang I don't need the exposition to the prequel known as your life, get to the point. If you're going to dominate socially, you've got to control your speech and make it effective. Deliver those hilarious one-liners, those killer mainstream references (all my freaking allegories are irrelevant, no one ever understands my witty commentary), and speak only when necessary so people don't get tired of hearing your voice. You've got the personality to take the battle for social relevance, easily - armor up, and go to war.
Graduation parties can be the ultimate test of your social skills, especially since you graduated over a year ago. This past weekend I went to my friend Connor's high school graduation party. Truly, the reason I wanted to go was because I knew I would run into people from high school and wanted to test my newfound social super powers. If you all didn't know I was my high school prom king (as in the ultimate sign of popularity). My best bromantic friend Taylor came and picked me up and we were on our way. We pull into the neighborhood and see the tell tale line of cars double parked (eff double parking) on the street. We see the bounce house and we know we've arrived. We step out of the car and take off our sunglasses, and it's a moment of epic wow-ness straight out of a movie. We walk up the driveway and there's parents sitting around talking about how amazing their kids are (average at best, sorry you only graduated high school - it's not that hard) and knocking back beers. Oh, welcome back to suburbia (not the Utopian hilarity of Cougar Town - more like the chaos of Desperate Housewives). We greet Connor, the graduate and congratulate him on his accomplishment - he made it through the melodramatic catastrophic mess known as Kings High School. Taylor and I stake out the food, and I just wasn't having it all - Chik Fila A is okay, but really it was like tasteless chicken pops. Naw bro, look at me - do you think I do bland? We grab some classic coca-cola and soon more people start arriving. We catch up with Kaitlyn (PF), Jenna, and Kristen (mini-cat) and we're more than content. No awkwardness whatsoever, even though we haven't seen each other in more than a year. Then came my yearbook girls, Taylor (Tay-Ho), Cierra (Ci-Ci), Kelly, Kristen and Madison. It was a reunion extravaganza up in there. Hugs all around and everyone wants just back exactly where we left off, except we all dressed better and looked older. We got freshly spun cotton candy, and wafted the popcorn like nobody's business. We left message on the sheets (literally) about taking over the college scene. Everyone else either graduated with him or was still in high school and it was a stare fest (and I would know, I get stared at all the time). It's so funny that people are still wary when it comes to talking to me but really though, how hard is it to come up and say "hi or hey - or how's college." I wasn't going to be the one to do it. I didn't need social approval in high school and I certainly don't need it now. I talked to my brother, Christian's friends Drew (Connor's older brother) and Trey. The group of us sat and talked for a while and random others came to talk. The bouncy house was beckoning me, so Taylor, Kristen, Kelly and I went for it. Who cares if it's childish or socially unacceptable (especially with little kids on it) - I gave none. All of a sudden one of the kids punched Kristen in the mouth and that was the end of that. That was our cue to go, so we did. Successful gathering if I do say so myself. We made the rounds and let errrrrrbody know we were back for social domination.
Being a teenager is all about being able to flourish no matter the situation you're placed in. You've got what it takes to run the social scene, make a statement and make sure everyone remembers you. You're worth remembering, you're unique, and different from anyone else. You've can do it, you've just got to put yourself out there and make yourself known. All's fair in friendship and social domination warfare (is that how that goes?).
My blog post question for the day is ... would you consider yourself popular? Well, truthfully I'm going to have to say yes. I guess technically I would be. People just seem to like me, and I like almost everyone so it's kind of a mutual thing.
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