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22 Things I'd Rather Ask Than "How Are You?"

I want to have conversations with more substance.

Emma Beaudoin

Apr 03, 2017

Saint Mary's College - Indiana

22 Things I'd Rather Ask Than "How Are You?"

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I'm just going to say flat out that I hate chit-chat. Of course, I want to know how people are doing when I'm talking to them. But I also want to have conversations with more substance. It's definitely a challenge: how do you bring up open-ended, multi-faceted, sometimes difficult topics with people in everyday conversation? I don't know if I have the answer to that yet. But here are a few questions I want to ask people that go beyond "how are you":

1. Where are you from and what's it like there?

2. Do you have siblings? What are they like?

3. If you could drop everything and go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and why?

4. Have you seen any good movies lately? Why did you like it?

5. What is your favorite song, either right now or of all time?

6. What are your parents/guardians like?

7. What is your view on religion/spirituality?

8. What is your absolute dream job?

9. What is the best book or story you've ever read?

10. What's your favorite food?

11. Where's your favorite place to shop?

12. If a genie gave you three wishes, what would you ask for?

13. What's the best or most memorable vacation you've ever taken?

14. How did you meet your best friend?

15. Why did you choose to go to the college you did?

16. How many states and countries have you been to?

17. Who is the best teacher/professor you've ever had?

18. What's your "happy place?"

19. What was your favorite subject in school and why?

20. If you could have a meal with a famous person (dead or alive), who would it be?

21. If you have a significant other, how did you meet them?

22. What is your favorite holiday and why?

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Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

Emory University

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Flickr

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

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10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

The University of Alabama

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The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

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15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

Ursinus College

199946

Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions

StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

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22 Things I'd Rather Ask Than "How Are You?"

I want to have conversations with more substance.

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I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

1. Watch an R-rated Scary Movie in a Movie Theater

2. Buy a Lottery Ticket

3. Vote in an Election

4. Participate in a Run (or a Walk, Realistically) for Charity

5. Go on a Road Trip

6. Start a Savings Account

7. Get a Credit Card

8. Sign up for Spotify Premium

9. Go to a Club

10. Start a Meditation Routine

11. Go to a Yoga Class

12. Treat Myself to a Dinner for One

13. Volunteer for a Charity

14. Participate in a Research Study

15. Bake Something (That Ends Up Being Edible)

16. Go Skydiving

17. Be Called for Jury Duty

18. Figure Out What I Want to Do With my Life

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1."But what would happen if we all tried to be like Santa and learned to give as only he can give: of ourselves, our talents, our love and our hearts? Maybe we could all learn Santa's beautiful lesson and maybe there would finally be peace on Earth and good will toward men."

"Sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."

"If you won't use your heart, who cares if it gets broken? If you just keep it to yourself, maybe it'll be like my rollerblades. When you do decide to try it, it won't be any good. You should take a chance. Got nothing to lose."

"Remember, no man is a failure who has friends."

"Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it."

"If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find a that love actually is all around."

"Sometimes things look good on paper, but lose their luster when you see how it affects real folks. I guess a healthy bottom line doesn't mean much if to get it, you have to hurt the ones you depend on."

"'Maybe Christmas,' he thought, 'doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.'"

"Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to."

"There's room for everyone on the nice list."

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

1. Why are towels considered dirty when you get out of the shower clean?

2. Who closes the bus door once the bus driver gets off?

3. Why is there a "d" in "fridge" but not in "refrigerator"?

4. If you drop soap on the floor is the floor clean or the soap dirty?

5. Is the "S" or the "C" silent in the word "scent"?

6. Does expecting the unexpected make the unexpected the expected?

7. Would Lightning McQueen buy car insurance or life insurance?

8. Who put the alphabet in alphabetical order?

9. What color are mirrors?

10. If 2 mind readers read each other's minds whose mind are they really reading?

11. Is there a synonym for "synonym"?

12. If your shirt isn't tucked into your pants, are your pants tucked into your shirt?

13. Why is it called "quick sand" if you sink slowly in it?

14. If I try to fail, but succeed, which one did I do?

15. If Cinderella's shoe fit perfectly, why did it fall off?

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

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