You're familiar with this type of jokes, right?
It's so familiar due to one fact:
it's relatable.
How we want to graduate without the loads of assignments.
How petty we are at giving ourselves excuses in slacking off in going to the gym.
But of course they are just jokes, right?
We still would like to complete our assignments, and we won't slack off or cheat in doing them, right?
We still would try hard to be consistent in going to the gym, right?
Right?
Jokes are cool, really.
But jokes like this mostly revolve around a negative hypothetical situation. Which mean it should not happen.
In reality, it could happen, it would happen,
but it shouldn't.
Jokes like this should stay as jokes. It should not be expressed happily in the realm of reality, as it promotes self-depreciation.
But in reality, when someone is slacking to go to gym, or teasing to not do well in their assignments, they will be accompanied by laughters & cheers. And when someone expresses how serious he is in going to the gym, or how he want to excel in his studies, he will be laughed at, like he himself is a joke.
It really annoys me as it creates the environment of humans being worse, not better, are being celebrated.
When you really want to be serious about it, but people around still joke about it, it will detrimental to you, as this will make us encouraging each other's deterioration.
So what? Are jokes not allowed anymore? Or am I being a butthurt or something?
Like I said, jokes are cool.
So there is a simple solution to this, for both parties.
To those who want to be serious, tell people that you are serious.
Sense of humor is a normal thing in humans. Common humors are more common. And this kind of jokes is more common than ever nowdays.
So don't lash out & be a killerjoy if you are being serious than someone jokes about it. Don't just assume that he wants to kill your spirit, or he doesn't care about you. Most of the time, it is purely out of the reason that he wants to joke around.
But of course, on your side, you're not joking. So just tell them that you're serious.
If they do continue to joke around even after you informing them, there are 2 possibilities.
1. They don't believe you.
This applies if whatever you are talking about is really out of your norms. If you're someone who never work out, & then suddenly you talk to your friends about going to the gym, there is a low chance that they don't believe in you.
So, to solve this, you need to start to actually
show, by actions, that you're serious. Yes, it might be quite painful to hear teasings from your friends when you really want to improve yourself. But if they are really good friends, they will realize that you are being serious soon enough, depending on your actions. So don't focus on things that you can't change (your friends' teasings). Focus on the things that you can change, which are your efforts & actions.
2. They are not good friends.
Are friends who continuously make fun of you good friends? Even after you tell them to stop? Even after you tell them, and show them, that you are serious?
I recommend you to dump them and find new understanding & supportive friends.
And conversely,
if your friend tells you about something & you joke about it, and then he insists that it is serious, stop joking & be serious.
No one blocks you from making any jokes. But do take note of your friends' seriousness, either through words or actions. Don't hastily label them as killerjoy or 'not funny'. Most of the time, it is purely out of the reason that they are serious. And when they are really serious, as a good friend, you should seriously help them.
Sounds too serious or socially complicated? Well, actually no.
Despite all the lengthy explanation, your conversation will mostly turns out like this:
"Deadline is in 3 days & I have barely done anything."
"Well, good for me, I'm not alone I guess."
"No, I'm serious right now. I'm worried that I won't be able to submit it in time."
"Oh okay. Want to meet up so we both can finish it in time?"
So, in conclusion, there are times where we should be funny, and times where we should be serious.
Don't switch them around, it will be detrimental to your relationship with your friends.
How to determine? Just ask or tell. This is where communication is the key.
If everything blends well, you will find yourself being friends with understanding & supportive people.
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