Facebook and Twitter users might have noticed an interesting new trend currently sweeping social media. YOLO, an acronym for "You Only Live Once," is being posted all over people's profiles, particularly teens. The problem? They're using the the motto, which encourages a "no regrets" attitude, to justify bad behavior like underage drinking and poor grades.
The slogan originated from the Drake and Lil Wayne song, "The Motto (YOLO)." OK, I 'm a big fan of Drake and I'm all for living it up while you can, but using the sentiment as an excuse to warrant unsavory choices is just not smart. Not to mention, it kind of defeats the purpose since the whole point of the saying is that you only live once, so you should live your life well.
But just in case you're not sure where the line is, here's a list of 5 things that YOLO never excuses:
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- Attempting to carry your kid while skateboarding. Seriously, that's just plain stupid.
- Wearing socks with sandals, scary super long claw-like nails, or other fashion faux pas. I don't get why people still do this. It's 2012, you should know the basics of fashion by now. Not acceptable, friends, not acceptable!
- Forgoing birth control. Don't let Rush Limbaugh get to your head! Aspirin between the knees does not equal safe sex. Educate yourself and your kids PLEASE.
- Eating unhealthily all of the time. We all give in to our junk food cravings occasionally, especially during a holiday time when there's ton of yummy desserts! But eating unhealthy every day is detrimental to your health and if you're passing those habits on to your kids, that's a serious problem. Learn to love fruits and veggies.
- Cutting people in line. This applies to sidewalks, clothing stores, subway and train lines, and especially coffee shops. If I had a dollar for every time I had to say "Uh, excuse me?" to the person who tried to bypass me in the Starbucks line in the mornings, I would be a millionare. Lesson to the world: don't try to get between me and my coffee. It won't work.
And 4 things it does excuse:
- Taking a sick day to spend time with your kids. Everyone gets caught up in their daily lives and it's easy to go a few days without having spent more than a couple hours with your children. So, if you make a point of making use of a comp day to spend time with your family just this once, it's fine. Every now and then, it's important to re-charge and bond with your loved ones.
- Spending as much time outdoors as possible. New reports show that kids spend way too much indoors and adults, who spend most of their time in offices, are even worse. Go outside and get some fresh air whenever you can. Guarantee it'll make you feel better!
- Doing something scary. Don't use YOLO, to say, bet all your money on a game. But, do take some risks. Hey, if this 101-year-old can go paragliding, you can too.
- Getting that puppy you always wanted. You'll love him, he'll love you — there's no downside, trust me!
What other things do you think YOLO excuses?
Image via flickingerbrad/flickr
