Your Life Isn't A Lifestyle

“The sea, the sea” the famous line one is supposed to say when they have found something previously lost. How I wish St Andrews had never been founded by the cold and unappealing sea. It’s made St Andrews full of wannabe Whim Hoffs — these cliques are everywhere. They either introduce themselves as a swimmer or ask “fancy a swim later?” — you know we do not. We know you swim, you don’t need to remind us. Then off they head clad in towels, dress gowns, and dry robes, to live out and flaunt their constructed “lifestyle”, which is, I am sure, a source of great personal satisfaction to them.

You go to the library next: meant to be a place of study, but people insist on making it a part of their lifestyle. They bring matchas with them and vegan snacks: the library, alas, has become a favourite haunt of the socialites of this town, and has fallen to the wannabe influencers. I remember a good friend of mine saying “I must go to the library to show face”! I am all for competition in almost all aspects of life but for hours spent at the library? I am not. That lifeless, disinfected, disenchanting, revolting building deserves no credit whatsoever. Get out of it, especially if you are in first or second year. We all know your life is just performative.

Cafes, coffee shops, and breakfast bars are rife in this town. In fact one can barely toss a steak bake without it going through the window of one. In all of these delightful establishments, there again: the lifestyle lovers, shooting themselves up with caffeine for the look of it. Coffee, however, is a breakfast beverage. Your life is not a blank canvas waiting for someone to toss a pumpkin spiced latte on. Perhaps the greatest offender in this respect is Spoiled Life. Many great students and friends have been marred by it. Coffee isn’t a lifestyle, it shouldn’t be sold alongside an overpriced, overzealous shop of crappy clothes and jarring jewellery. Yet every yank comes along, spies this place from afar and decides they will sell their souls to it. If you fancy a coffee, go to Palompos. Coffee is coffee there, not some syrupy dish water. 

The sad truth here is is that originality exists nowhere now. Everything we do, wear, think, has already been done. People like to wear vintage clothes, or things that look worn and tired — but that is just last centuries’ culture. Perhaps it is a universal flaw that we always look back for inspiration. All of us, all of our “lifestyles”, our interests, are recycled. Originality is dead. Everyone follows the same trends, not because they think it is cool but because they think other people will think them to be cool. You’re not cool.