THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2023, FUN - PART III

 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2023 - FUN - DAY III

This week, I’m writing about FUN.  What’s fun for you?

Fun doesn’t necessarily have to be easy.  Years ago, I canoed in the Mississippi River near Winona - and slept on a sand bar.  It was fun, even though I had to use my arms to power the oars.  And my friend, Bob Bottichek, intentionally flipped over the canoe, and we had to return to the boat.  (Good survival skill - but I wasn’t sure Bob was my “friend” for a little while - I might have called him an idiot or something). 

I’ve hiked various places that weren’t necessarily fun, as in “haha,” but were fun, as in getting outdoors and finishing something - with a friend.  Vladimir was my frequent hiking buddy in Connecticut, and we climbed some challenging spots (as we solved the world's problems). 

Do something silly with friends.  I’m not sure this counts as a college prank. Still, during orientation week in our junior year, four of us grabbed a leftover watermelon from the orientation event, took it to a local restaurant (middle of the afternoon), and asked for plates and knives.  (We did order and paid for soft drinks).

Another college fun night was went two couples went to the local square dancing group (it was announced in the newspaper, so - hey, we went.  The group was older and enjoyed having college students join in.  

Here is a sample list for some fun activities:

Join a team sport. Whether joining a volleyball league or just playing badminton with two friends, some friendly competition will keep you entertained.

Do a cultural activity. Go to the theater, a museum, or a concert with your friends. Look for shows and artists you haven’t ever seen before.

Throw a themed party and invite everyone you know. The theme can be costumes, a murder mystery, or a celebration of an event like the Super Bowl or the Oscars. By having a common topic, your guests will have something easy to discuss, and you’ll all have more fun.

Check out a new restaurant. Go to an entirely new place for the food or the happy hour specials, and indulge in the great conversations over good eats.

Cook together. Invite over a few friends and create an elaborate meal, or have fun baking new kinds of desserts.

Dances can be fun.  I’ve gone to several “senior dances” with a DJ, and we laugh and enjoy the evening.  I can “almost” line dance, but when I go the wrong way, everybody gets a good laugh!!!

Another idea is to hang out with positive, like-minded people. Part of having fun is hanging out with people who bring more fun and joy to your everyday life. If you're hanging out with a Negative Nancy or a constant complainer, getting in a fun-loving mood will be challenging. Try looking for the following traits in the people you associate with.

Spontaneity. Adaptable and adventurous people can break up strict routines and help you find fun in the most unlikely places.

Humor. People who make you laugh will help you smile, even in boring situations.

Optimism. Positive people are excited about life and are guaranteed to have more fun than negative, whiny people.

My bridge group is fun.  We laugh and congratulate winners and mock berate losers.  One man says, “I brought my suitcase today”.  (If you lose, you move to a different table.).  When I go home, it can be hard to remember if I played good bridge that day, but I remember the fun.

Humor comes from releasing inhibitions. Your friends will love you no matter what, so don’t be afraid to act silly or goofy in front of them. Sing into your hairbrush, dress up in the most ridiculous outfits, or dance like a fool. You’ll be having more fun in no time at all!

I self-proclaimed the first day of April as “Academic Apparel Day,” and I wore my academic cap and gown to classes.  (After what I paid for that gown, wearing it once a year isn’t enough.)  Students eventually catch on that it is “April Fool’s Day.”

I wore Halloween costumes to campus.  At Dakota State, several faculty wore costumes - it was fun!!!

One suggestion was to have fun at work. Try decorating your office. Put up fun posters or bring in a brightly-colored vase with some flowers - even plastic or paper flowers!!!. You might have dead flowers for somebody’s “significant” birthday - generally ending in zero. 

Bring in food. Bake cookies or provide some chips and guacamole and see how it puts everyone in a more friendly, happy mood.

Add humor to your work area. Hang up a funny calendar and pictures that make you smile. They’ll enhance the moods of the people around you, too.

I like blowing up balloons and letting them go - and they blow all over the room.  (I’ve stopped that as one of the sourpuss nurses thought the balloon could hit a sprinkler head.)

A couple of things - be cheerful, don’t do stupid harmful tricks, and know when to stop.  Respect your friends.  If somebody says, “I’m not comfortable with <xyz>, " don’t do it!!!

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

FUN WINS

FUN TRANSFORMS

KAREN ANNE WHITE, SEPTEMBER 7, 2023