Life is Not a Joke

               As Steve Harvey said a couple of days ago in the Miss Universe Finale, I am gonna say the same “I apologize. It’s my mistake” Yeah, I haven’t been able to conjure up an article for this blog, but now I am back to give you another moral lesson that I can’t follow myself.

             Lets get down to business, You may have come across a lot of people who have these mottos like ‘Live life like it’s your last day’ or ‘Follow your dreams, and not money’, I, personally, am not convinced with this lifestyle at all. You just give up on all the responsibilities, your duties and everything so just you could enjoy for a bit. Yeah, that’s right for a little bit. The things that you now find extraordinary are not gonna be for eternity, a time will come when you will get bored of it.  

             Now let’s crack down to the theory of letting stuff go, of not giving a shit about anything. I will only say that You are not alone in this world. Your parents expected great things from you, your siblings always thought you would help them in need, you are the only role-model that your kids have, if you are gonna go enjoy and not caring about anyone, just go over the impact that it will have on others. We all have a purpose, we all have duties and responsibilities. Like Hugo Cabret said in the movie “Hugo”:

         “ I'd imagine the whole world was one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So I figured, if the entire world was one big machine, I couldn't be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too.”

        Why we have Steve Jobs and Bill Gates as role models and not the guy who has the hot dog stall in front of your school? Because when he was ‘enjoying his life’ Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and every other millionaire was working his ass off to reach where they are. Some of us might have different role models like singers or athletes etc. Did you know Michael Jordan practiced hundred shots a day to perfect his technique? Did you know Kobe Bryant completely changed his shooting technique rather than giving up when he broke his finger? Did you know Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi worked the graveyard shift as a receptionist while putting herself through Yale? Did you know Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban didn't take a vacation for seven years while starting his first business?

         Now everyone of us would like to be in their seat, but no one is ready to go through the hard work that they endured? We all want to be there when the trophies are handed out but no one of us is ready to sacrifice our comfort for it.

          So before you start ‘enjoying your life’, think about where it will bring to you in 10 to 20 years? If it isn’t where you dreamt yourself to be, then its not a path worth taking.

         There are also some examples like Mughal Emperor Akbar of subcontinent, who was given the whole empire at the age of 17 after the death of his father. So if your father also has Mughal dynasty or a Royal Empire, you can forget everything I just said.

                                                         So this is me, HassaanSK, signing off. Peace!

                                                         - The Stoodies over and out!

   

You Are Perfect, Yes YOU!

                      People are different. They possess different natures, different thoughts, different ways of interpreting situations, different mindsets. Some people are more social than others, some people like football more than cricket, some people prefer Play Station over XBOX, some people like hamburger more than pizza. I don't know who these hamburger dudes are and what the hell is wrong with them! Ahahaha. Just kidding. Anyways, people are different from each other. What makes them different is the way they have lead their lives or their lives have lead them. Obviously every person's life is different. People go through some situations which really affect their lives and change or construct the way they look at the world, and this phenomenon is continuous. It never stops. As you know, time and life are the best teachers in the world.

                     Now, I'm not pointing at anyone specific, but we all know that there are a lot of people who you find not so social. They hesitate. They sit alone. They become nervous easily. They can't even tell their name to a bunch of people without making a fool out of themselves. Yup! That’s me! Now, the problem doesn't end here. Society makes them a joke. What they require is help and confidence. What they get is criticism and insult. They get bullied everywhere they go. They have no one to talk to. They have no one who can comfort them. Now, a lot of people say that it's their fault that they don't have anyone to talk to because they are so unsocial. That's why I started this post with 'human nature' just to make you realize that it is, in fact, in their nature. You like FIFA, you can't help it dude. It's in your nature! Just like this, their nature prevents them from socializing. But that doesn't make them any less of a human than I am, right? Then why the hell do I think I have the right to treat them differently? They are humans. They obviously have feelings. They don't show their feelings but that doesn't mean they don't have them.

                    Now, what do you expect from a person who gets bullied everywhere he/she goes? They go into depression. Their feelings pile up into a gigantic nervous breakdown and then they go to some place where it is, and I am seriously using this word, nearly ‘impossible’ to bring them back. Now what they do? They do self harm. They starve. They start taking anti-depressants. They start taking sleeping pills because they can't take it anymore! They can't handle sleepless nights. They can't handle loneliness. They look for a solution, a shortcut, and they find it in pills, and in the long run, find themselves living miserable lives. But, why? Just because they are a little different? Now, come on!

                   Stop bullying guys. I don't believe anyone in their stable state of mind have evil in their heart. Those few words we speak just for fun can seriously damage someone's soul. Stop judging. It leads to nothing. Why do we hurt these people when we have the power to make their lives easier? Everybody loves super heroes, right? So, why not we be those heroes for a change? We have the powers, all we have to do is find them in our hearts. Passing a bad or a good comment really doesn't affect us in any way, but it can deeply affect the person we are passing that comment on.

                Now, to all those people who self harm or take pills or spend their whole night sobbing under the quilt, guys you are not different. You are unique, and this doesn't make you abnormal. Other people's opinion about you should not affect your personal life. It doesn't matter if you are a little fat or have a dark complexion or you dress a little different. You are beautiful just the way you are. Stop starving yourself because you don't deserve this. Stop cutting yourself because you are not a paper. Don't try to end your life because it is not a film, and please, please, PLEASE! Stop taking pills. You think it helps but it doesn't. In the long run, the only thing it does to you is ruin your life, and you don't want that. So be original and be proud of who you really are.

 

               What are the alternatives? Open yourself! Don't think you are a bad person and that everybody hates you. You are not and they don't! You hesitate? It's fine, it's normal. Just don't let this hesitation stop you. Share. Not with everyone, but I'm sure you guys have someone in your life who you trust and who is worth trusting. Share your problems with them. It helps, it really does! Don't listen to what people say about you. You are amazing and nothing can change that. Your parents love you, your siblings love you, and your friends love you! Sometimes they don't show their love but they really do! And this is the biggest example that you are not a bad person. You are perfectly normal. So smile a little. It looks great on you and be proud of who you are!

                 At the end, I would like to suggest all of you a book. It’s called ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers’, by Sean Covey. I would highly recommend this book to, not just the teens facing depression but, all of you.

                                                                                                                  The Stoodies over and out!

                                                                                                                  -Usmani

Make A Name for Yourself

                    Sup people, hope you all doin’ fine. Well, we all have that one or two students in our class who are the apple of the teacher’s eye. I prefer the term ‘Tattu’ for them and to be very honest, I’m one of them HAHAHA. I know you’re about to close this page, but please just give it a read. Seriously, the pluses of being a tattu are countless, no literally, COUNTLESS! So, today I’ll be discussing the benefits of being a tattu and how you can be one.

                   Let’s start with the benefits. First of all, for a guy like me, being the teacher’s ‘chosen one’, is like a drug cartel getting a free pass from the DEA. They trust you, no matter what, they just believe you. Whatever shitty excuse you produce, they’ll fall for it. For example, you don’t wanna go to school, just message him/her that, sir/ma’m I’m not feeling well, please don’t mark me absent and seriously they won’t! You get caught while cheating, just tell them it wasn’t you, make an innocent face and they’ll let you go. Let’s say, you’re good in academics as well as the most notorious one in the school, kind of like me. You get caught during a fight, luckily, that professor who loves you(not literally!) is walking by, I bet you, he’ll stop and try his very best to get you out of that shit. So, see! Try your very best to be a TATTU.

                 Now comes the critical part, how to become a tattu? Here is a step-wise-step procedure:

1)      No matter how bad ass kinda guy you are, just be respectable and an attentive student in the class. Sit straight and look sharp. Teachers love it when you are really attentive and listening to them carefully and when you respect them as if they’re your parent.

2)      Second step is simple, try to raise questions. Why, what, who etc. just question them, they love it when you question them as it creates the feeling that you have been listening to them, the whole time. Also, whenever they ask questions regarding anything, try to answer them or at least just raise your hand. They appreciate it when you share your opinions.

3)      Another trick is that at the end of the class, approach them, tell them what part of the lecture you loved, and what you understood. They really love feedback, believe me. Also greet them when leaving or entering the class.

4)      Finally try your hardest to get good grades, it is the most difficult one but hey “nothing ventured, nothing gained”, right? Work hard, work smart and get good grades.

               Well this is your short guide to become a ‘Tattu’. Again, I’m not guaranteeing you that it’d work but hey, there is nothing wrong in trying right! And look at the bright side, if you fail in becoming a tattu at least you’ll still be noticed by your teachers as efforts never go to waste.

                                                                                                               The Stoodies over and out!

                                                                                                               -AK-47

Stop Taking It For Granted

        This is the message I would like to write on a board and go around the world in eighty days. See what I did there. Ha..Ha I am funny.

        Anyway, for me, one of the most important and fundamental rule to live contentedly on this planet is, this, that we should stop taking things for granted. From our personal household to our workspace, we have countless things to be thankful for but what do we do? We just go on with our lives like it’s nothing, like it was other people’s duty to do that for us and believe me, it’s NOT!

        Let’s start from our homes. You ask your younger sibling to give you a glass of water and he or she does that. You just gulp down the liquid without giving a second thought, but let’s rewind back a few moments. When you asked him/her, they could have been busy in their own work, they are not obligated to do it, yet they did it, so don’t you think that they deserve something as little as a simple “Thank you”, just to tell them that you appreciate their effort, how small it might be. For example, the next time someone asks you to do them a favour while you are in the middle of a FIFA match, reevaluate your emotions when you do that favour for them after sacrificing your comfort. Now tell me wouldn’t you like him/her to show a little compassion, a little gratitude? OFCOURSE you would!

        Same is the case with parents, and I know you will be like ‘It’s their duty, they brought us here and now it’s their onus to raise us but just for a second, let’s say they don’t. What can you do? There are millions of parents who abandon their children, who don’t treat them the right away but your parents work their ass off to get you good education, to buy you a nice attire, to ladder your status up in the society, and we don’t give a damn about it. We just get on with our lives, thinking that they are doing what they are supposed to do, but for one moment, think that, wouldn’t they like to go on vacations? Free from all responsibilities. Meet their old friends by taking a day off? But they do not. Why? So you could live life comfortably. So don’t you think they deserve a little appreciation? A little respect? And you can reach this conclusion only after you stop taking their efforts for granted.

           Why do all the big names thank their staff and co-workers after they get an award or get some recognition? Because they don’t take the rest the team for granted. They know they worked hard to get them there. They wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for them and they know that.

          In short, when you start appreciating the little things in your life, that’s when you start living your life. Be thankful to God, be thankful to all those around you who are willing to go the distance. Be thankful, because your “for granted” might be someone’s dream, like when it rains, we don’t bother to care about it, we are like “yeah, so what? It’s nature’ but have you ever looked at the people of SAHARA during rain? It is nothing less than a miracle and a BLESSING for them.

         So start appreciating yourself and those around you, because like you, they DESERVE it!

                                                                                                        
                                                                                                       The Stoodies Over and out!

                                                                                                       -HassaanSK

                                                                                                                  

Life's Hard, Deal With It!

                           Okay, let me apologize to you in advance for being a depressing ass nigger.  There are some moments, some memories in every person’s life which teaches them something. Something useful, something scary, something positive. I’m sure all of you have those few memories. I have always been a lame dude my whole life, going out was not my thing. I remember, my cousins used to, literally, drag me out of my room to go out and play with them and the fellow neighbors’ kids. I still am like this. You can ask the other two stoodies. Anyways, I don’t really know about the other countries, but in Pakistan, there is a trend, that just like ice cream men, there are popcorn men, paapar men, golla ganda men, gol gappa men. I don’t really know how to say these names in English. Let’s just say these are unhealthy shit which kids love to eat.

                                                                                                               At evening, whenever we friends used to play on the street, these men used to come with their things. I remember I used to buy popcorn for Rs. 5/- because that was the amount of money I used to get from my parents. Rs. 5/- were not much even at that time. I always used to imagine how much popcorn I will get for Rs. 15/- or for Rs. 20/- Greedy douche, I know, right! Well one day I thought of saving my money up to Rs. 20/- That meant I had to sacrifice my 3 days of daily popcorn. It was hard, considering all the other children would be eating and I would just be watching them, but then the bag full of popcorn worth Rs. 20/- used to come into my mind and I agreed to do this action full of sacrifices.

                                 So I stared. Evenings were hard, wind was hostile, nature mocking me. What made it even worse were the eyes of popcorn man looking at me, as I stood at the corner while all the other children gathered around him. But I had to go all the way. There was no chance of quitting. I had to finish it. Then finally the day came! I was struggling in keeping my patience. While playing, I was constantly looking at the end of the street from where the popcorn man used to emerge on his bicycle. After every minute or two I used to put my hands in my pocket to count the four crumbled notes of Rs. 5/- At last I heard the joyous tone of the popcorn man! I remember I was the 1^st one to reach him. With boastful expressions, I ordered him to make a packet of popcorn for Rs. 20/- I thought he would be shocked or would give me some kind of expression, but he didn’t even care! Well, I didn’t let this ruin my moment. I was delighted! I could feel that bag of popcorn in my hands!

                            Life fucks me everywhere, so why not then? I fuckin’ fell! Yup! Apparently my legs thought it would be the perfect time to slip. There goes the popcorn. For a minute I wanted to cry! Why me?! Why the hell me?! But then it happened. Popcorn man, picked me up, took my bag and filled it again with the exact same amount of popcorn as before. I was looking at him like I used to look at Batman. There, right there, that popcorn man became my hero. You guys have no idea how much I enjoyed that bag of popcorn.

                          I know I made you all bored but you guys will be thinking that the popcorn dude did a good thing. Well, for me he did not! He took away the only chance from me to learn what life was teaching me. Guys you don’t always get what you want or what you deserve. Now whenever I used to get low marks even after preparing so hard for exams, this memory always came to my mind. Is there any chance that the examiner would come to me and give me more marks? Not even in a perfect world! We students work really hard for our exams and most of us still fail to achieve what we want, especially in Pakistan. My fellow Pakistanis will agree, but the point is that there is nothing we can do. Life is unfair, deal with it! Sometimes we just have to chin up and face the music. We only loose when we stop trying and give up. So never give up! If life is stubborn, be stubborner! Microsoft word just told me that’s not a word but you guys got my point, right? Just imagine me shouting the last 5 lines with a freedom theme music playing at the background. Ahahaha!! No? Okay... Anyways, thanks for reading this! Keep on visiting this blog and check out our posts. This means a lot to us! See y’all later. Peace!

                                                                                                             The Stoodies over and out!

                                                                                                            -Usmani

Love and Respect, That's All They Want!

                 Sup peeps! Ayaan here. Okay, honestly tell me what comes to your mind when you hear the word “parents”, a lot of things, right? Well I’m pretty sure that to some of you thoughts like, the folks who brought us up, the people who love and prioritize us over everything, who take care of our needs, who work hard so we can have a brighter future etc. If so? Then the feelings are mutual my friend! And some of you might have different opinions like: parents are a buzzkill, a pain in the ass, never let us have fun, people who embarrass us in front of our friends etc. again the feelings are mutual, and now you must be thinking what a hypocrite asshole I am!

          Okay, so the guys who only had good thoughts about their parents, well your folks couldn’t have asked for more and it’s a really good thing that you think of them this way, and the rest of you, who have a bit different opinions, must be thinking “what about us?” Well don’t worry because you guys are my main concern today. I won’t be judging you, believe me! I’m just like you. I know how tough parents can be at times, but hey! It still doesn’t change the fact that we’re here because of them. What I’m writing here and what you’re reading is all because of them, so the least we can do is respect them!

        Uhmm.. Let’s discuss some of the major misunderstandings we have with our parents:

1)      I know how over-protective they can be at times. They don’t let us stay out late, don’t let us hangout with our friends, how they picture our friends as a group of stoners and drug addicts and how they tell us to stay away from them, believe me I know! But have you ever thought why they act like this? I mean they can have an ‘I don’t care’ attitude, but they don’t! Why? Because they love us and they don’t want anything bad happening to us.

2)      Some of the parents can be really emotional, like the second we step in the house they just rush towards us hugging and asking ‘where were you?’ and ‘are you okay’, and when we’re out with the squad, around 101 missed calls and voice messages are there, left by our parents and I know how embarrassing it can be! So now comes the main part that HOW we react in these situations? When we come home, mom tries to hug us and we’re like “back away mom! I’m not 12 anymore” and when they start asking us questions, we usually just ignore them, go upstairs and slam the door in their faces! C’mon now, is that the right thing to do? I mean the whole day we’re out with our friends, don’t our parents deserve some of our ‘precious’ time? You can do the math for yourself.

3)      Some parents can be a little strict and serious whom we call “a pain in the ass”. They want us to study hard, get good grades, and stay away from all the distractions etc. Are they really a pain in the ass? I mean frankly, the things we do achieve is due to that strictness, that fear of punishment is what that keeps us going! And by the way is it too much to expect some good grades and discipline from your own son/daughter? Is it too much to expect a little? Well I don’t think so.

       So I urge you all to keep patience and just respect them. Trust me! They want nothing from you other than respect, love, some attention and hard work. And all of these demands will definitely help you in the future in becoming a successful person and that is what all of our parents really want from us. To become successful in life!

                                                                                                                   The Stoodies over and out!

                                                                                                                   -AK-47

What's Right and What's Easy!

          “Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy” Ahh… Dumbledore! You BEAUTY! The essence of life concluded in one little sentence in a fiction novel.

       Hey, I am the 3^rd musketeer here. So let’s get on with it. If someone needs one golden rule to live by, I would suggest him/her this, because let’s face it, “LIFE SUCKS”. It throws you, beats you, screws you until you give up, until you are down on your knees. Now that’s where the character of a person is revealed. It is easy to just give up, just let it be, just close your eyes and rest, but as Alfred once said to Batman, “Why do we fall sir? So we can learn to pick ourselves up” But it’s not a piece of cake to get up, it’s bloody excruciating but we still DO! And why? Not because it was easy, not because we heard some epic line in a Badass hero movie, but because its right, because that’s what defines us!

       Now let’s link this with ourselves, STUDENTS, It’s nothing different with us. It’s easy to just bunk the classes, leave college, hangout with friends, and just don’t give a Damn! But it’s not the right thing to do. It is crushing when you have to stay up late night for your exams while your little brother snores right beside you, it’s depressing to listen to the professor when you know the “squad” is out there playing football, but BELIEVE ME! It is one of those things that you will be proud of when you are successful in the field that you used to dream about since childhood.

        Let’s crack the “Live like it’s your last day” philosophy while we are at it. I, myself, have met many people with this philosophy. We look at them, we’re like “He/She is so awesome. He/she doesn’t care for anyone and is so cool” But have you met any of them when they are thirty or forty? Surely you have! The janitor at your school! The attendant at McDonalds which gave your Cheeseburger yesterday.

       I know what you guys must be thinking “Well he is the Buzzkill among the three”, but that’s not the case, I can be a maniac myself, a carefree asshole, but it still doesn’t change who I really am. You have all your life to enjoy but that is IF you can make your life WORTH LIVING, and you can do it by DOING WHAT’s RIGHT not WHAT’s EASY.  
 

      Well sometimes it doesn’t work as well, like I had feelings for this girl, and by gathering every bit of courage I could muster up, I texted her, because I knew I was doing the right thing although it was not easy at all. The next thing I knew, was that she had blocked me! But hey that’s LIFE at its shittiest, things can always go better from there! So just do your part and enjoy everything!

                                                                                              The Stoodies over and out!
                                                                                              HassaanSK