Welcome back! First of all, I’d like to say thanks for the support on my last post. I had a tremendous amount of anxiety around the thought of putting out content again. It means the world to me that you guys tuned in and are back for more. If you’re new this is the BlackGradLife where I talk about all things music, the Black experience, and life after college. We’re definitely going to chat after, but I am ready to dive in.
Unless you have been living under a rock, you may have noticed the uptick in the sharing of everyone’s personal Ins & Outs for the year across the inter-webs. Well of course I knew I had to get in the paint and share mine. Before we get started just a disclaimer that these are MY ins and outs of the year. Feel free to argue with me about them in the comments. So without further ado, let’s get down to business.
In:
- Following Obsession
- I hope this first one didn’t send you all into a tizzy on my list of Ins this year. No, I am not talking obsessed like Joe from “You”, when I say following obsession is in this year, I mean wholeheartedly pursuing your passions are in.
- Loving out loud the things that you love and care about. Imprinting on the people and things that you fuck with.
- Sharing your interests and honing your skills in everything that you’ve always been interested in rather new or old.
- Pouring ourselves into work that interests us, into relationships that run our cups over with water, and into things that we could not imagine life without.
- The Cinema
- Well, I’m going to be that film snob here, but yes going to the movies is so in! Sure, I am a Regal Unlimited member, but the feeling of going to the cinema is unmatched and always has been.
- The sticky floor in auditorium 2. The stale popcorn hanging around the liminal space that house the butter and napkin dispensers. The weird wobbly walk amongst the dark corridor when you exit a movie with quite a long runtime. The reclining seats that I somehow always lose the feelings in my legs for having them crossed a bit too long.
- With the strike and of course Covid before that the act of going to the movie theater hasn’t been as booming, but I’m here to tell ya’ll that you should be locking back in.
- Tons of heat is on the way and I love discussing movies so I need you guys to go all in with me. I also talk mad shit about movies over at: https://letterboxd.com/withmyjoe/
- Not Having a Hangover
- Wow, wow, wow, wow. I could talk about this one for quite a minute. It just must simply be said that hangovers are out this year. If we are drinking together we are hydrating very well beforehand.
- There is no reason for you to show up to the turn up off a Dr. Pepper and 6 hash browns from Dunkin Donuts. We’re drinking 32 ounces of water before the turn up ladies and gentlemen all 2024. We’re eating beforehand too!
- I don’t care what time it starts, wake up earlier to get adequately hydrated. But the hydration doesn’t just stop there gang. We are mixing waters in. Pay the “Water?!” peeps no mind.
- You are staying ahead. And then to wrap it up at the end of the night, before you sink into your bed and roam off into the clouds you need to have some sort of hydration mix, I’m talking Liquid IV, Pedialyte, etc. You will thank me later.
- Routine
- The older I get, the more I fall in love with routine. I feel like they tell you falling in love with your routine is what it is all about. Finding the mundane aspects of your routine and loving them anyway. Following through with your routine regardless of difficulty.
- Last year I felt instances of monotony in my routine. I’ve decided to pay closer attention to those instances this year in just changing the way I think about and approach them.
- I plan to incorporate some regular locations into my routine this year as a sense of community and for the sake of being a “regular”.
- People without routines scare me. Structure is in this year. Refusing to let monotony win is in this year. Spend some time innovating and elevating your routine(s) this year.
- Individuality
- We find ourselves in an era where a-lot of people are wearing similar articles of clothing, they’re buying similar products they saw people share online, and they are regurgitating thoughts that they read on the shade room mind you.
- I am not advocating for hyper individualism, but I think now more than ever it is so important to stand out. Not being afraid to stand alone in your own thoughts, ways, and means of expressing yourself.
- Standing out amongst each other whilst connecting with others as bright lights so that together we can all shine like the stars.
Out:
- Brunch
- Shaking plenty of tables with this one I’m sure, but IDC…brunch is over.
- First things first why is chicken and waffles this high? Why am I paying $30 or more for a bottle of $6 champagne for my mimosa flight? Why are there people doing the pool palace next to my scrambled eggs? Do we really need the Migos blasting at 11AM? Ok maybe those last couple of lashings were for Atlanta, my bad.
- Seriously, brunch over the years has gotten ridiculously more expensive than what it is worth.
- Brunch is out in 2024. We’re going to fancy dinners. We’re checking out cool restaurants, bars, and speakeasies. I’m cool off brunch.
- Mindless Scrolling
- I can’t lie this will be the hardest out of the year for me.
- I love phone in bed/phone on couch time. I love having something on the television in the background, ambient lighting, and phone nuzzled between my hands.
- I really have no advice for you guys on ridding your own habit of this if you can relate.
- I plan to just work on the blog and follow obsession in those times where I feel like my screen time is getting a bit mindless.
- Hard Seltzers
- Oof. I can’t remember which year the white claws and the hard noons of the world took off the most in popularity, but I definitely feel this poolside drink has overstayed its welcome.
- I don’t want to sip on these beverages in 2024. I just can’t see any real instances for drinking these anymore. This year lets just either go all out in our beverages of choice or not.
- Sharing Opinions on Things You Hate
- We’re all entitled of course to have our own opinions.
- In 2024 let’s stop sharing opinions on things we hate with others. Unless it is with a close friend that is a shared hater with you (this is a safe space).
- Outside of that it is the year of shutting up about shit that we don’t truly give a fuck about. We’re loving out loud the things that we do like.
- Watching From The Sidelines
- Lastly it is out in 2024 to be watching from the sidelines.
- We’re putting in the work all year. We’re supporting the things and people we want to support all year.
- This is by no means a shot at any ghost followers, story tappers, or people that you personally feel “should” be supporting you.
- Connecting is the theme this year. We’re interacting, asking questions, giving feedback, and sending love all 2024.
So there we have it folks my personal Ins and Outs for 2024. Who was scared? What did we think? Let me know in the comments below, I argue write back. I’m hoping this read was as fun as writing it was. Again, these are just things I am personally feeling and not feeling for the new year. I would love to hear you guys opinions as well as what are some of your own personal Ins and Outs for 2024? If we can’t find any commonalities in our lists I do hope that we at the least share in the mindset that we’re rocking with what is in and flocking on what is out!
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Joe©
BLACK GRAD LIFE 
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