Even if we’re plastered and incoherent.

1. Don’t be “that” kid.

We all know “that” kid who can’t handle their booze who tries to be the“cool” kid. The one who thinks it’s cool to be the class clown on the dancefloor, or try and show off out on the streets.

“Look at me Susan, I downed a whole box of beer in a matter of two hours.”

Petey, it’s not going to end well, bragging about how much of a twat you are, because the one who brags does not always snags.

2. Don’t throw things on the dancefloor.

This includes liqour. Your DJ probably bought all his electronics and would not appreciate having to dish out more money, on the loser who thought it would be cool to throw his drink around like Oprah does dishing out cars. Sammy won’t be happy either if she finds out her eyeliner is running down her face before midnight. So keep the alcohol in your hole or go home.

3. Don’t pester the DJ.

Hasn’t anyone told you to accept what’s put out in front of you? This includes your airwaves too. If you ain’t happy with the continuous beats from Post Malone or Biebs, then you know where the door is.

“To the left, to the left,” as Beyonce would say.

DJs don’t come to work to hear you moan about how you’re sick of the new jam from Shawn Mendes or the racial blurs from 00s hip hop. Suck it up Buttercup or go home Charlie.

4. Don’t scrap.

This is a point I can’t stress enough. Okay, so your mate’s pestering your root of the week, suck it up. If she likes you, she’ll push them away, if she doesn’t, then who’s the problem? Don’t think you’ll win her over with an uppercut or a re-enactment from WWE because you’re wrong. You’ll receive a boot up the ass from the bouncer and probably a tresspass and if ya mate is savvy, maybe a charge. Not worth it, for Debra’s junk, bruv.

5. Push and shove

This is really a follow-on from point 4. We have all met a pusher and shover and they are absolutely a pain in the ass. You can either turn around and be civil with Drunk Myrtle and tell her to bog off and lose your voice in the same time or you can be MI and do it subtly, by returning the favour, and hope to god she doesn’t know any Mob. But guaranteed, they’ll give you the stink eye because you were “mean” to them. Sorry Bertha, didn’t know that it was a one-way street on the dancefloor and that it was fine for you to push me and I couldn’t reciprocate.

These musical gods and goddesses are that — they are up there on the top shelf of alcohol. They paved way for the music of today (and while some current artists didn’t get the memo of making great music and continuing on with adding statures to the bible of life, these artists did!)

I like to call the 90s music as “The Bible of Life,” because there were so many songs that came out with seriously good meaning, teachings, and were the “older brother or sister to go too when you didn’t understand stuff and were too scared to ask someone older.” I think we all know what I am referring too. Examples of artists that are in my “Bible of Life,” range from Backstreet Boys to *NSYNC, to TLC, to Christina Aguilera, to Vengaboys. There are plenty more to mention but I would be here all day. While, I don’t need to know about sexual deviancies, or how to do the Macarena, hearing songs about “quit playing games” and “bring it all back,” are reassuring that life doesn’t completely suck in our rough times.

The 90s music era was fun and vibrant. It brings good memories of my childhood, being able to stay up late on a Friday night, jamming the cassette tapes with my mum and brother, cranking our own karaoke. The constant whirring of cassettes being played and rewound, belting out lyrics, re-enacting dances from their music videos and generally, bonding as a family.

In amongst our busy times, we should reconsider spending time with family and embracing those fun times with family and friends. The 90s music (and my “Bible of Life” infiltrates my life and while our lives maybe at a crossroad with conflict, we need to find that happy place that will ground us and get us through that negativity.

Songs like “Quit playing games with my heart,” “Tearin’ up my heart,” and “The Hardest thing,” all sound like a melancholic gloop but these tracks follow the same formula. Good beats, good lyrics, hot guys, and one aim. Attract the masses and make a profit.

But, we look beyond this. We just want a good song and these songs are good. These songs are legendary and create a footprint for these boy bands but also, provide a platform for us 90s babies to fall back on when times are rough and we’re seeking a moment to escape realism.

I was unfortunate to have varicose veins at a young age (24, to be exact). When nurses asked me my age, they were shocked and most of them said, “wow, you’re young to be having this procedure done..” Yes, yes I am.

I don’t know how I got it, some say its to with hereditary and some blame it on my job, being on my legs all day. What was a pain, was having a pained leg in the middle of the day. Sometimes going from one extremity to another; sore in the cold to sore in the heat, it was certainly a wake-up call to go see the docs.

The docs were adamant that feeding the veins was the ulcer just above my ankle. I was already grossed out.

Eventually, they said I needed to get my leg stripped and almost instantly I thought the worse. Who wouldn’t? Some of my older friends were telling me of old procedures like tipping hot water into my leg and slipping the vein out that way. I felt faint just thinking about it.

Once the veins were out, my leg had improved. There was a warning that one day, later on, they could return. One day.

So what are the pros about being affected by these?

1. Having an excuse to use the esculator/elevator

Some people feel a bit guilty when they just can’t be fluffed walking up stairs or exercising. Having an excuse to just being lazy every once in awhile is a pro and even if you get that look or your conscious starts telling you to use the stairs, throw the “I have a sore leg” look. It works everytime.

2. Quick breaks

Sometimes, we like to push ourselves until we can’t stand anymore. I know that I work a lot, stand a lot and push myself to extremes. Lately, been trying to tell myself to slow it down but do I listen? Not really. If this sounds like you, grant yourself a quick break.

3. Elevation

Whether you’re travelling on public transport or dining out, it is ideal if you elevate your leg. The doctor told me to elevate my leg when my leg gets irritated. The doctor said if you elevate your leg, you’re allowing the blood to flow freely round your leg and having blood flowing freely is better than a congested leg. So take that opportunity to elevate your leg!

And the bad news, the cons for having such a thing!

1. Prioritise time.

We don’t always necessarily have time to pull out of our rear-ends, especially in our busy lives we have accustomed. But if you think you’re going to be late to your destination, allow yourself some extra time. Just last week, I was heading to work and I was going to be late so what did brain box do? He rushed. I had just made it on the escalator and whaddaya know? My leg gave out briefly. Not ideal.

2. Keeping that leg in shape.

Some of us are gym junkies and some of us couldn’t care-less about staying in shape. But with a bit of exercise, keeping your leg in shape and strengthening it, could just do you some justice! But who has the time today to do exercise? Just walking to the letter-box and back again, could be enough to keep that blood flowing.

3. Stockings.

When it comes to having varicose veins, the doctor may just let you know that you’ll have to wear a skin-coloured compressed stocking. At first, you’re like “I don’t want to wear such a thing.” I was like that. Until I started seeing other people out and about wearing the same thing as me. It helps to wear a compressed stocking. It keeps everything in tack. Ideal in winter as it acts as an extra layer to keeping snug but for us summer enthusiasts, it’s a pain. That unbearable heat.

Whether you have varicose veins or about to get them stripped, it isn’t completely the end of the world. These are just some of the things that have helped me get through the whole ordeal. You’ll eventually find your own remedies that gets you through it, too.

Writing is very theraputic.

Sometimes, we can tap into our imaginations and just escape reality.

It’s a bit like gamers and their fascination, to pick up a controller and tap into their gaming world and forget reality.

Or a sportsman to pick up a rugby ball or basketball or netball or racquet, smash a few hours with their weapon of choice, and to forget reality.

Can you see a pattern here? We all have a weapon of choice we can pick up, to forget reality, for a bit.

Just like my weapon of choice is writing, what’s yours?

I’m writing this because I feel some people in our society, not naming anyone in particular, should really pick up their weapon of choice and forget about reality, for a bit.

The past few months have been frickin’ hectic. I mean, working and studying, can just be a deathtrap, all on it’s own. Long days, long nights, sweet all sleep.

Tip: if you love your sleep and adore it like a block of chocolate on pay day, don’t work and study.

The stress, the hesitations, the intense ponderings about “what if this happens?” is annoying.

But if you have a strong stamina, always striving for success, goals in place etc. then please be my friend, and continue to do whatever you have to do, to succeed.

On my journey this semester, I have encountered many people. Many people from all walks of life; people who have the stamina like me to fight for their future, work the long hours, have that ‘she’ll be right attitude’ about having no down time, to people who blatantly tell me that I don’t know how they feel.

I mean, we all get caught up in our own bubble and have Simple Plan’s “Welcome to my life” lyrics flowing through our minds because we think other people don’t know how we feel. I used to think like this back in high school, then I matured and thought, um I’m not the only one on this planet to go through this shit.

Maybe those people will change their mindset too.

My point I am getting at is that we all have stressful times in our lives and we need to address when the stress is getting too much. There is no point in bottling that kind of crap up, for too long.

Picture a bottle of soft drink, shaken up. How long is it going to stay in there for, till it explodes? It’s a ticking time bomb. We are a ticking time bomb when it comes to stress. Someone just has to make a smart comment and ka-boom! Bye Felicia.

So, if you’re getting to that point of, “Bye Felicia,” then I suggest you this:

Pick up your weapon of choice,

And forget reality for a few hours.

Simple.