Don't be an octopus, guys

Somewhere along the way we all came to the realisation that we are Squidward Tentacles — the grumpy, unenthusiastic octopus no one liked as a child. The bitter adults/adolescents that we have grown up to be are nothing short of this detestable character. Whatever reasons there may be for morphing into this green creature, the good news is we don't have to be like him. We can be the ever bubbly SpongeBob Squarepants instead. 

Now this is easier said than done: wiping off your poker face and stretching your mouth into a painful smile. Life isn't full of sunshine and rainbows but we can at least pretend; that's what SpongeBob would do. The next step is to go easy on the sarcasm. If we want to give off positive vibes we might want to keep the periodic "I hate everyone" attitude at bay. That comes with the opportunity cost of mingling with people, but you will get used to it. Especially if you get into a habit of unnecessarily annoying them like the yellow sponge, which is kind of fun to be honest.

A big reason why we are Squidward is our penchant for sleeping which probably comes from a lack of motivation, discipline, good PEOPLE (See? everything is connected somehow), food, etc. So get into a routine that is properly structured and not stamped with "sleep" as the only activity.         

Wake up every day with inflated hopes and a vivid imagination of how nice and bright the day is going to be. Or at least pretend to do so instead of continually hitting the snooze button.

Crushed hopes and dreams? Check, you are Squidward. But what if you don't have to give them up just yet? SpongeBob would push it until he has achieved what he wants, even if the end result isn't what you had originally envisioned. 

Most importantly, don't stress too much about why you never have fun or drown in the abyss of misery. Feign excitement even if you don't feel it. Well, fake it till you make it, right? 

By now, at the end of this article, if you have already given yourself up to depression, then you are beyond help Mr. Tentacles. I too have come to the conclusion that it is all pointless because the Squidward syndrome has been ingrained so deeply into our generation that we might just evolve with it.

Mashiyat Nayeem is Squidward Tentacles in disguise. Please do not try to stalk her at Krusty Krab.