I’m 25 and have yet to have a proper drink. Most people in my country started illegally drinking at 13-15 years old while out clubbing, but I just hate alcohol so much! I never understood the hype around it. I don’t even like it when there are a couple of teaspoons in my sorbet. I’ll have a tropical mocktail or soda, thank you.
I have a question: for those of us who aren’t tech-savvy, is there a way to get away from the Material Design UI? As a designer, I absolutely hate it! I tried playing around with the settings but it still looks too Google-ish for me. I find it boring, rigid, and oldfashioned. When I open the app, I don’t feel ‘excited’ to browse through the app. I want to feel compelled into clicking a button, upvoting/downvoting, sending a reply comment, and so on. I think if the UI was made to look more fun, it would attract a lot more users. Part of the experience of an app is the appearance and interactivity.
Yeah that was a jawdropping discovery… How people just decide to shoot themselves in the foot because the media told them some fake news. I heard some didn’t even know that they were benefitting from that Act. It’s ridiculous!
And yeah, I know the jist of how it works (not!) :/ It’s not like people choose to become chronically ill… I’m just sorry for the people who still have to live with the consequences of the actions by a bunch of obese anti-vaxxers who will be dead in a couple of years. This is why I believe that the insurance companies and those who voted against the ACA are murderers. They kill innocent people with them.
My solution has been to use time blocks and checkboxes. I have a plan for every single day, including occasional chores and water intake (because I forget to drink most of the time). I don’t assign any time except for wake-up time and bedtime. My time blocks are titled “morning,” “deep work,” “movement,” “chores,” and “evening.”
I use the Pomodoro method for deep work and just assign how many sessions I do, instead of the length of time, and force myself to take breaks to avoid burnout (I tend to struggle with letting go of a task before it’s finished). I also use timers to help with other tasks, say no more than 15 minutes for chores or getting ready for the day.
I used to plan out very detailed schedules and get overwhelmed and frustrated when I inevitably didn’t follow that routine precisely. I used to have meltdowns over doing a task a few minutes later than planned. I now allow myself to take as much time as I want, as long as I have around 80% of the checkboxes marked as done by the end of the day. I also repeat positive affirmations and journal at least 1 win every day to keep myself from criticising myself over minor details like not vacuuming that day.
This way, I don’t have to focus on little details of my day and when, but on what needs to be done. I can mix up my time blocks however I want; what matters is that they get done. I’ve recently started this system of setting 3 goals for every 4 or so weeks, then breaking down those big goals into smaller actions, and then plan out gradual progress towards those goals each week (e.g. if my goal is to drink 1.3L of water, I work my way up each week). And every Sunday night, I plan out every day of the week, including my sample day (breakfast, shower, dinner, etc) and the goals (e.g. drinking 1 glass between blocks, going outside for a few minutes, occasional chores, etc) using time blocks. I know it seems like a lot of work and hyperfixation, but it’s been saving me a lot of stress lately.
So if you’re confused, my day typically looks like this:
Remember how shocked everyone became when it was revealed that some rich dudes enjoy watching torture videos and paedophilia? Maybe we should treat this the same (I mean better, because nothing was done for the former). It should scare the U.S. population that their president enjoys murdering people – enough to take it seriously and take real action against it.
Ah yes, the good ol’ loving God wants you to slaughter his own childr---- WAAAAAIIIITTT A MINUTE!!
Yeah sorry, we already have free and universal healthcare so I didn’t think of it 😅 But you’re right! My mind boggles at how terrible the healthcare system is in the US. I feel awful for people with chronic conditions and vulnerable situations, especially. The fact that the most reliable option is not to be insured and hope that you won’t ever get seriously injured or sick is depressing. The people who oppose universal free healthcare and those who deny healthcare to the less fortunate are evil. I know it’s obvious, but Luigi Mangione (or whoever it was) did a good thing. I wish it were all of them, but at least he got you rid of one asshole.
Oof, where do I begin?
I’m tired! 😩 We’ve normalised unhealthy, unsustainable, and elitist lifestyles way too much! There are ways to be successful, happy, stylish, and joyful without these things. Many countries are already committing themselves to such efforts, so I know I’m not asking for much. I understand freedom of choice, and I’m usually quite libertarian, but some things just bring temporary fun and no benefits at all. In fact, some harm those around us too.
Renewable energy, electric cars, second-hand retail, artisanship, fair trade, multiculturalism, science-based education based on facts and credible sources, government transparency and accountability, a true democracy where the electoral candidates actually represent their party’s base and voters don’t feel hopeless, economic equality, socialism, natural fibres in fabrics, simple and natural food, therapy, mindfulness, healthy homemade packaged food, and kids staying off social media needs to be good again!
I understand how it can be miserable, especially if one has been raised in an environment where marks and discipline.
Not exactly. I get OP’s point. I’m 25 so I’ve experienced both, and they weren’t the same for me.
School is more about the experience and the journey than the results, or at least that’s what it feels like. It’s the place where you get to spend time and joke around with your friends while developing knowledge together. Your teachers form genuine connections with you, and most of them do care about your well-being and development. If you’re lucky, you get to have a mini party on your ride home with fellow students singing and dancing on the school bus. You get to go on fun outings and field trips. You’re ultimately responsible for no one but yourself, and every day yoy learn something new.
With work, there’s a very hostile environment. Everyone has a huge ego problem, your boss makes it clear that they’re not your friend, you’re forced to collaborate and be friendly to your colleagues even though you may not like some. You can’t just decide to take a day off because clients and colleagues are depending on you. It can be monotonous and stressful. Your only social activities are probably icebreakers or eating out on a day that’s supposed to be relaxing (like Christmas holidays and whenever you’re nearby). You have other responsibilities when you get home as well, which aren’t a sports club or music lessons but chores and admin stuff.
I know not everyone’s experience is the same. For some, school is where they met their worst bully and had a miserable time whereas work was where they met their best friend and had fun. This is just me explaining why I relate to OP in our view of school vs work.
School didn’t even feel obligatory for me, it was just a planned fun day. I enjoyed most of it: the teachers, the students, the timings, the duties. I even enjoyed some of the homework (and I hate the idea of homework)! There were little tasks that seemed exciting like taking the attendance to the administration’s office, going around picking up each class’s donations and consent forms, decorating the classroom door for the Christmas competition, getting the keys for the teacher from their staffroom, going next door to borrow a marker, doing group presentations, and being my turn to read the class book, and so on. Work usually lacks these little everyday tasks and just focuses on earning the company money and being professional. It kills joy and personality.
A couple of reasons, besides the obvious:
It promotes brainrot and discourages us from being creative and doing real research ourselves. It may take longer but manual development is more valuable and unique.
It warps our perception of reality. With the way LLMs word their answers, they seem really convincing. Later you might realise it was actually wrong or only partially correct. This is problematic when users search for mental health advice, career planning, legal advice, etc.
Many, including the American government, use AI-generated slop to spread propaganda and misinformation more effectively than ever. It’s scary just thinking about how many people can’t recognise the difference between AI and real, and those are usually the ones voting against the collective good of society.
It’s just not worth it. It makes mistakes, it hallucinates, it forgets… With the time we spend trying to get the AI model to generate what we need in attempt to skip the hard work or the knowledgeable, we might probably be able to do a proper piece of work if we put in the effort. When ChatGPT first came out, I admittedly used it a lot for my assignments, and I would say it was more hindering than useful. At the end of the day, I didn’t learn anything and I wasn’t satisfied with the work. “If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself.”
Honestly, same. She’s not as radical as yours, but I had this idea that my mum was clever, sensible, and capable of critical thought. She used to read a lot, made better political arguments compared to my dad, and somehow managed to raise her children into smart individuals. The combination of me growing up, her getting addicted to Facebook, and the pandemic warped my perception of who my mum really was. She forms emotionally-driven opinions, she jumps to conclusions, she’s gullible, and she’s close-minded.
I don’t think she would ever justify killing someone, but she’s suddenly anti-vax, she’s anti-choice and would vote for anyone who vows to maintain that culture, she’s obsessed with drag queens and transgender people, and she gets her news from Facebook. All of her comments involve the phrase, “I’ve seen the comments on Facebook.”
In 2024, I decided to cut contact with her because she kept spreading misinformation and sharing petition links to ban gender-affirming care. And in addition to that, she was preaching about the Olympic ceremony being blasphemous and “woke.” My reason for going no-contact with her was that I couldn’t bring myself to maintain a relationship with someone who made other people’s lives dangerous. Everyone took her side and accused me of causing a drift and being immature because I couldn’t handle other people’s opinions, apparently.
I ended up talking to her again after a couple of months because I visited my family and I couldn’t avoid her. She was going through a tough time and she was crying so I gave in. I still have a relationship with her but only because I actively choose to live as if I don’t know those details about my mum. She’s otherwise a good person; she donates to charity and she cares about democracy, the environment, and her children. But whenever I remember the kind opinions that she has, I get angry all over again. It sucks because she was indeed more sensible, but her brain got rotten by social media…
IT’S BIDEN’S (SLEEPY JOE) FAULT!! Thanks for your attention to this matter. President DJT.
You described it perfectly! I resonate so much with the feeling of the sun on your skin. When I visualise myself in a peaceful place, I imagine myself running through a field of tall grass with the sun’s warmth on my skin.
If you don’t mind me asking, how come you stopped taking them? I’m asking because I can’t imagine my life without them now that I’ve learned of the difference they make. I’ve tried grounding techniques and journalling but they never helped quite as much as the medication did, so I can’t rely on those methods.
SSRIs. I already knew this was likely to be my conclusion, but I really wish I started the treatment sooner. So many years feeling incompetent and damaged! Months of school missed, almost getting expelled, turning down invites, awkward friendship moments, scared of my own shadow… Anxiety is mentally brutal. It’s not just being scared or exaggerating, it’s a very real struggle that can destroy your social life – which is needed to live a healthy and prosperous life. I spent so many days unable to get myself out of bed because anything outside of that area seemed like a threat.
I started SSRIs 8 months ago. I can’t say it’s been perfect, but that’s not what I’m aiming for. Some periods are tougher than others, but I’m so grateful I’m at a state where I actually feel like I’m living – not a shell of a person. I’m not self-sabotaging myself as much as I used to, and I’m gaining more and more independence and confidence in my daily life. I’m finally able to say that I’m happy and motivated.
I’m sure that therapy will help resolve some of my childhood trauma, so I’m looking forward to that, but I want to go into the sessions with a clear mind. Without the medication, I wouldn’t be able to process and live by my psychologist’s advice. I’m extremely grateful to have found a treatment that works!
As a non-American, I’m not angry at all Americans. In fact, some have been very brave and selfless. I’m angry at Republican officials and voters, billionaires, millionaires, spineless Democrats, and non-voters. We’re in this position because of them. Unfortunately, that makes up a huge part of the American population. I applaud and admire the minority who are actually doing something, even if it’s only to offer a bottle of water to the protestors or donating goods, but it’s frustrating seeing that most are just letting it happen, whether it’s because they agree with it or don’t want to join the activists. I empathise with their need to go to work, take care of their families, and look out for their safety, but I’m sure that those out in the streets have these responsibilities as well.
Even worse, they’re smarter than him.
Whoever the source, some billionaire or government official convinced him it was a good idea and his smoothie brain is going along with it. I just wish the rest of the world didn’t have to literally die as a result of this (his state of mind & ego), but apparently, that’s too much to ask.
Got a negative report because some students were being loud in the corridor before the teacher came in. I (and a few others) were doing my homework, but the entire class got punished 🙃 If I had more courage back then, I would have marched straight to the assistant head’s office and refused to get it signed by my mum. It was only 5 points, but I hate when quiet people minding their own business get unfairly blamed because they happened to be in the same group as those causing chaos.
Thank you for the suggestion :) it wasn’t really my style, so I looked up some others, and I found Photon. I love it! It has the clean and modern UI that I was looking for. The only minor downfall is that it’s a progressive web-app.