Recently I open my old facebook account, then find out some photos which in the past was cool for me becomes "Oh my Gosh, why I chose that kind of weird pose?" or common people said it alay. It's true that mostly people cross the mendes-gondes-alay time to grow up. Well, that time is the precious time to understand reality -how hard life is- and to adapt the real life. The time when you too old to be called child and too young to be called adult, yeah something in between.
In the long time ago I posted Talk About Mendes which also relates to this post. You can check it.
Back to the main point of this post which talk about alay. This is a conversation between 15 years old version of me and 20 years old version of me. Just imagine that I found time machine and came back to 6 years ago then had a conversation with 15 years old L. So, here we go.
L20yrs (L20) : Hey L, happy birthday by the way, you look awesome!
L15yrs (L15) : H3y, thx L, u look pr3Tty 2 I hop3.
L20 : Can you please not to use that kind of typing, it annoys me -__-
L15 : whY? itz easier 2 type, cz time iz m0Ney.
L20 : But, it's little bit hard for me to understand if you make short every single word because I feel uncomfortable to see it. Well, it's okay for me if you use that kind of words to someone who also easy to understand it who enjoy it, but I'm not kind of that people, even if I'm the older version of you. Hey, I know you don't really that kind of busy and you still in the school, girl, how can you make money, I was you, remember? It's okay to take time if you are longer to type it :).
L15 : Okay, I understand. But, since it's happening in my circle I always use it. Because it's too boring to use ordinary type of something and it's funny to do that. Actually if I do that my parents will not know what I'm texting about with my friends, hahaha. As I told you before that it is faster than just use common phrase. Okay, you were me and you know what exactly happen, you win.
L20 : Oh, yes, young people hate boring things. Then, you recently create facebook account, am I right?
L15 : No, I created it a year ago. Then I am totally falling in love with this social media. Compare to friendster, it's more mature because simple and elegant. In facebook also we have details info, about relationships, siblings, what do you like, games, and many more. It's about all in one. I can create a status about my feeling. It's really complete and I like it.
L20 : Oh, yes, my mistake, I'm sorry. Then what's your favorite feature in facebook?
L15 : Quiz! Sometimes they are really funny and I often spend much time in facebook to do quiz. It's fun!
L20 : Well, in the very first place what's your consideration to open an account in facebook?
L15 : I want to follow what's the trend and that's we have to be. If it's the trend of facebook, I have to get it because that's society demands to recognize you as part of this society era. If you don't want to follow the trend you will be out of this era and not be recognized. Too poor, I don't want to be out of date person. Despite that, in facebook also is something new for me. Yeah, let's say, there was friendster in the past, but then facebook offers more options about features so it makes me enjoy to be user of facebook.
L20 : So, you get recognize from society?
L15 : Yes, I get it. I have many friends in facebook, I want to wider my link. We often know each other from wall to wall feature and also chat in facebook. It's nice to have many friends. I always confirm people who add me because they want to be friends with me and I also find unique name and add them. After the approval, commonly we start conversation and then know more about each other.
L20 : So, you just randomly add and confirm people? Why do you do that? Don't you think that's dangerous?
L15 : Yes, because people will think that I'm popular and have many friends. I'm part of cool person! But, the main point is to make friends with others, since I don't have many friends in real life. Dangerous? Do you mean cyber crime? I never put my address and also my phone number in facebook. It just my profile name, the city I stay, some photos. Actually there's nothing in my account. I know it, my friend has that case and I'll be more careful about it. If someone asks me where I am, I will never answer it. If they ask me my number I will never give them. If they ask my full address I will never tell them. But also, sometimes strangers who become friends in facebook are nicer than people in real life. They sometimes comment my status and we share our though. I think if you just do it positively, you will get benefit of it.
L20 : So, it's about what people think about you?
L15 : Hmm, probably yes, because I live in the middle of billions people in the world, so being recognize is really the most important things. At least I will get it in the facebook which I can make a friends with people worldwide. I also have foreign friends from facebook. Since being up to date means have to follow the trends I will also get recognize in my play environment. They think that I'm cool because I have trend things.
L20 : Well, I stalk you, to be honest, I find your photos, I mean, your pose which, I don't know how to say it...
L15 : Don't you think that's cool? I'm a good model, right? I imitate some poses from the magazines. You know, sometimes I'm tired to pose and I have to take pictures, especially alone! I have to take a timer and mostly fail. Or I just take it by myself by using my hand. You know that I can't see what I look like in camera because the view is in opposite the camera. So, I just upload best pictures in my facebook.
L20 : You know, you usually use duck face, why you often do that pose?
L15 : Because that's cool! It's too boring to use smile. Yes, my teeth are weird, if I wanna smile an show my teeth people will judge me. I don't want to judge by other people. If I just smile without show my teeth it is just like girl next door and that's not cool at all. I see many people like to do duck face so I do. I can be cool and also hide my ugly teeth.
L20 : And you edited many photos by your self? Why you do that?
L15 : Because I want to make it cooler, then make it me prettier in the photo. I like to give watermark to prevent people to steal my photos. I can make the photo cooler, then just make it isn't boring. If I can make it excellent why just leave it ordinary? But, actually not all of my photos are edited, some of them I just upload with no edit because it's cool enough to upload.
L20 : Oh, okay then...
L15 : So, what I look like in the future? You are 20 years old me right? So
what are you doing now? Go to college? Work? or maybe Married?
L20 : Thanks for your time, if you keep work hard and study hard, you will find me in the mirror 5 years again. L, don't try too much to look cool, for me you are cool enough. If you feel comfort to do something just do it, don't just because it's trend. Being up to date is good I think, but not all of the trends you should follow, some of trends aren't suit for your self, you have to think clearly before you follow it. But, I see your effort is really amazing, you one step ahead compare to young people in your age around you. Enjoy your time, you will miss those moments, believe me. Thanks for the conversation. XOXO.
L15 : WHY DID YOU ASK ME EVERYTHING BUT YOU DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTIONS????
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Yeah, that time. 15 years old is the age where change my life. I never imagine before and that's good. 15 years old is the middle of the teenager and that's nice. But also it is the highest moment of my life who being alay. Alay here, as you read above, I'm to passionate to looked cool in front of people so I did what's hot now. I followed the trends, including didn't cut my bangs because that's the trend of fashion in the middle of friends who kept the bangs. I was really happy and enjoy to did that and that's the most important thing. It's acceptable. Compare to people who really want to do alay things but pretend not to care and at the end regret because never do alay things. Honestly, I often laugh when I see my alay pose, my alay status, or whatsoever. How could I did silly things like that? Hahaha.