100 Reasons to Stay Alive

There are times when it may seem like the world has nothing to offer you. The skies are grey, the routine’s a bore, and all the edges somehow seem blunted. Let’s take some time out for some much needed therapy, and be thankful for all that there is to be alive and pumping.

When life gives you lemons, desperately squeeze every last drop of juice out, the same way I’m squeezing this listicle-to-overkill joke dry.

1. Corner pieces of birthday cakes.
2. The spoon going into that first dip of perfectly smooth gourmet yogurt.
3. The last bite of steak.
4. Cheeses with a nice rind.
5. Not being vegan.
6. Lo-fi photography.
7. Penguin classic books.
8. Interior white brick walls.
9. Camera collections that line up on shelves and look like the Von Trapp family, only Nikon.
10. To wait for that promised growth spurt.
11. To finally finish reading James Joyce’s Ulysses.
12. For more Frank Ocean.
13. For that text back.
14. For dat boi to come (Oh shit, waddup).
15. Big paws on little puppies.
16. Small paws on big puppies.
17. Paws.
18. Puppies.
19. Dog.
20. Lazy Sunday sleep ins.
21. Dreaming of lazy Sunday sleep ins because you work weekends.
22. Your own couch sometime in the future.
23. Everything plush.
24. Christmas markets.
25. Raindrop(s).
26. Droptop.
27. Proving your parents wrong (suck it, dad).
28. To wait for Riverdale to actually get good.
29. Becoming immortal waiting for Riverdale to get good. Because it never will.
30. To laugh at Riverdale for being the high-budget soap opera mess it is.
31. The next five Power Ranger Movies
32. The next five Power Ranger Movies
33. The next five Power Ranger Movies
34. The next five Power Ranger Movies
35. The next five Power Ranger Movies
36. Numerical based gags like number 31-35.
37. Spite.
38. To throw shade.
39. The grind (*100 emojis*).
40. Being pulled closer.
41. Back seats of Rovers (that you know is out of your budget)
42. Biting tattoos on shoulders (preferably your own).
43. To waiting for Chainsmokers to not be a thing anymore.
44. For that nationwide The Veronicas comeback tour.
45. Original server Runescape.
46. 80’s Adidas gear.
47. Trucker hats.
48. Dior knock-off sunnies.
49. Wood framed photos.
50. Moleskin diaries.
51. To one-up the basics at Buzzfeed and their zero commitment listicles.
52. To laugh at flat-earthers.
53. To watch the sunrise during winter.
54. Cool drops of summer rain.
55. Fresh tennis balls.
56. Animals in Predicaments.
57. Dogs tied up at Coles.
58. Shiba Inu videos to the intro of This Charming Man by The Smiths.
59. Over the shoulder inswinger with decent top spin.
60. Nathan Lyon.
61. Every Splendour in the Grass line-up.
62. When that one uncle gets drunk and ruins Christmas for everyone but you, because you also live for drama.
63. Hardwood floors.
64. Bay windows.
65. Polished marble kitchenette islands.
66. The colour cerulean.
67. Brand new packs of crayons.
68. Butchers paper.
69. Heh.
70. Clothes still warm from ironing.
71. When you wait to board a plane.
72. Hugging your friends after being away from them for ages.
73. Hugging your friends a minute longer than comfortable.
74. Making eye contact while hugging your friends for too long and whispering, “Never let go, Jack.”
75. The Simpsons, season 300.
76. Drake’s marriage album.
77. Drake’s inevitable divorce mixtape.
78. Drake’s bitter court settlement album, which his ex-wife will be entitled to 30%.
79. Succulents.
80. When someone rests their head on your shoulder.
81. Roller rinks.
82. Rainbow suspenders.
83. Disco not being dead.
84. The collective works of David Foster Wallace.
85. Beat tapes.
86. ‘How things are made’ videos.
87. Video essays on pop culture.
88. Well-earned sleep where you’re so tired, you can feel it in your feet.
89. Seeing that “In transit” notification for a package you ordered.
90. The excitement of all the things you have yet to experience.
91. The excitement of making plans with someone.
92. For quiet moments of being content with the now.
93. For tomorrow and all that it holds.
94. To throw trap arms to your kid’s nursery CDs.
95. To reach a comfortable age where every day is sweatpants day.
96. To be able to say you did everything you ever wanted to.
97. Because it gets better.
98. Because you have your entire life ahead of you.
99. Because life ain’t so bad.
100. https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

Words by Garry Lu