In Response To: You’re Not A Real Person Until You Do These 7 Things.

Hi guys, some of you might already notice my love for random articles. I read them for inspiration, knowledge and it soon became one of my favourite past time! So, I thought I should do blog posts that are "in response to" those articles. 

Today's article that I choose to do is - You're Not A Real Person Until You Do These 7 Things. 

1. Eat at a restaurant alone.

Not a drive-through, takeout, or delivery. Not even a Noodles & Company. A sit-down restaurant — the kind with cloth napkins and the bill in a little leather folder. The starkly awkward, self-intimate feeling is key. The waitstaff might give you a questioning look, and they will probably say something pitying like “Just one?” but eventually you’ll be left alone with just the food and your thoughts. The experience is meditative and thought provoking, like taking a warm shower or driving around the suburbs at night.

I've never done this before. I've however tried eating alone at places like fast food restaurants, hawker stalls or simpler places (mostly when parents ditch me and I'm not the kind who will starve myself). I sort of fear eating alone although I do feel achieved everytime I do so. It's like it deserves a tweet saying; "So I ate alone today! Achievement unlocked!"  

You get what I mean? As for restaurants, I will try this one day for sure. Gosh, I can't believe I've never eaten alone in a restaurant before. Soon, baby, soon. 

2. Drive on the highway, pump your own gas, and deal with an auto-related emergency.

Believe it or not, plenty of grown-ass people are too afraid to drive on the highway. Even stranger, state laws in Oregon and New Jersey outlaw pumping your own gas—so, literally, there are potentially millions of American drivers that have never fueled up their own cars. As far as auto emergencies go, of course, it is best to never have one. But, at some point, you or a friend will probably have car trouble and the adult thing to do would be to step up and not let somebody else handle the proceedings. Bonus points: Riding up front and carrying on a conversation with a tow truck driver.

I've totally drove on highways before. The furthest I've drove was to Kwai See's house at Batu Cave. I didn't know the way at all but it was okay because I had Chung Shin and Sharon with me so no worries on that. I've of course pumped my own gas and I actually love doing so except for the paying part! I like how the workers there will sometimes give you a kind smile and I don't know, but pumping gas makes you feel grown up. Everything about driving makes me feel grown up anyways. Car trouble? Dealt with a few before. There was once, my remote went out of battery and my car's alarm couldn't stop ringing and I didn't even know what's happening. But thank god I was at my college's parking so I got help from guy friends. I've also met with an accident and I almost thought my car was going to explode because smoke (which was actually just vapour) was coming out. Okay lah okay, in short, I've never really dealt with any car problems myself because my dad will be the first one to notice the problems and he will immediately send it to be fixed. I have no idea what are auto emergencies btw. 

I have my own bonus point thought! Bonus point: I once drove without noticing that a plastic chair was in front of my car all along. So, someone stopped me and kindly told me I have a plastic chair in front of my car. Alright, not really a bonus point hahaha.

3. Know how to get around your own city without a car.

Given the last point, this might seem contradictory. But most cities are also set up to be traveled on foot, by bike, bus, subway or train. All of which allow the traveler to become more engaged with his or her city than by car, because navigating traffic is less of an issue. While driving requires an admirable set of skills, and its own license, public transportation can be just as daunting for those who have never dared to try. Hint: Google Maps makes this more manageable than ever.

Only by train though! Unless travelling by foot includes walking around Bukit Bintang? In Malaysia, any means of travelling using the public transport requires knowledge of self defence, lots of luck or just bring a pepper spray along lah although I doubt it will help anyways. I mean like, by the time you gather enough courage to spray the robber, he would have ran away with your bag. Also, for someone as clumsy as me, there's a chance that I might accidentally spray at myself instead. 

4. Stand up for something you believe in, even if it’s uncomfortable.

Some like to pass it off as diplomacy or taking the high road, but staying silent is often the easier response to a lewd or offensive comment. As an adult, recognize when it’s appropriate to tell someone off! Interrupt a dinner party, cause awkward silences, express your opinions when they are not popular. There’s definitely a forgotten chapter of “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” that involves standing up to creeps and bigots.

Lol, if you're not aware yet, I'm a very straightforward person. I'm not good at hiding my hatred for someone. Also, go ahead and ask me if you look nice in that dress and I'll give you my most honest opinion (unless I'm not close to you)! If you're acting like a bitch, I'll sometimes give you every reason why I think you're a bitch and why you should stop. Don't you worry, don't you worry child, I don't do this all the time HAHAHA. In short, I'm still a nice person so let's be friends :P

5. Actually do a majority of the things you pin on Pinterest.

This is a little less serious, and will date itself in a few years, but Pinterest embodies all of the crafts we want to make, all the delicious foods we want to cook, the buildings we want to construct—who we would be if we only had the means and the time. If you’re truly an adult, a real person, the time to stop pinning and start living is now.

Not really sure what a Pinterest is and I don't have one! D:

6. Travel on your own, for more than a weekend.

This might be self-explanatory, but knowing how to get around an unfamiliar place, without relying on someone else to steer, is so, so valuable. It’s probably fairly easy to get through life having only traveled with family, mission trips, or study abroad programs—some people never travel at all. It doesn’t even have to cost anything if you plan things right.

I've not eaten in a restaurant alone and you expect me to travel alone? Not independent enough to do so yet but I do believe that one fine day, at the age of 27, I'll be travelling to different places (sometimes with family, sometimes with friends, and sometimes alone) and I'll take great pictures of things I see and eat.

7. Tell your family and loved ones how much they mean to you.

[No explanation necessary.]

[No explanation necessary.]