life & style // no. 12 How to become a karaoke god » These four useful points will help you achieve musical enlightenment EG Manilag Staff Writer he holidays have arrived, and with them come seasonal parties. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other non- denominational parties often have one main thing in common: Karaoke. If you want to be the star of the show in front of your co-workers, family, or friends, the Other Press has you covered with this essential guide on becoming the deity of that small dimly lit stage you'll be performing on. Prepare your arsenal Preparation is the best thing you could ever do to step your karaoke game up. 1. First, always prepare a lot of songs. It doesn’t matter how you do it—whether you memorize the numbers of the songs in the karaoke book, list the songs in your smartphone, or even write them down on a piece of paper—the choice is yours. However, don’t forget to be versatile, remembering that you need to entertain your friends and family as well. It’s best to pick the songs that suit their interests— they should be able to jam to your song choice. 2. When you're completely locked and loaded, the next thing to do is vocalize. It doesn’t hurt to try. Amateur or not, it’s always good to know if you're at your best vocally. Just sing a few bars before hitting the stage. It can help break the tension in your vocal cords. 3. This last step is a very crucial one. Dont just mumble the verses then perfect the chorus. That is not only weird, but it’s highly contagious. Almost everything— with few exceptions, such as high notes— must be consistent and clear. This is so the audience can appreciate your full performance. Illustration by Athena Little night. We can't help that from happening... that’s just the way it is. It’s their forte. Get this though, we can help ourselves to not to get eaten by insecurities in those moments. Instead of feeling overpowered, focus on yourself. Don’t be afraid to sing and have a good time. Don’t stop even if your voice cracks, if no one claps at the theotherpress.ca Make gestures This is my all-time favourite. I don’t know about you, but I’ve naturally developed this awesomely weird gesture—or whatever you call it. Whenever I try to hit some relatively high notes, my neck just turns to a 45-degree angle (or more, depending on how high the note is). I think it’s cool, but my friends used to laugh at me because thought it was weird. But gradually—after numerous karaoke sessions—their perception changed, and they became fascinated with my “technique.” Since then, it has become my signature move. Ultimately, what I want to impart is that when you sing, especially at a karaoke bar, you should develop some “moves.” If nothing works, you can always play with the microphone. Start by using your hairbrush at home—works like a charm. Bea fan According to author Mark Twain, “The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up.” The message is clear: it’s all about mutual relationships. In karaoke, we should always cheer and clap for our friends whenever they're singing. It will not only boost their confidence, but also their performance. Asocial psychology textbook on OpenTextBC reports that “The presence of others can increase performance on many types of tasks, including jogging, playing pool, lifting weights, and working on mathematics and computer problems.” Researcher Geen and colleagues stated this of their social psychology study. It’s always Be egoless We all know that one friend who sings like Beyoncé or Bruno Mars every karaoke best parts, or if no one claps at all. Just remember this: it’s karaoke, not a paid gig. So, leave the ego at the door. better to be a good sport. After all, you're going to find yourself up there eventually. Seriously. Many have tried this, but few have survived. You always need to memorize and finish the songs you sing. How I met my best friend on Tinder » Honestly, I had no plans in mind when joining the app Tania Arora Staff Writer hwo years ago, I landed in this city. Miles away from home and in a different land, I had no family or friends around me. Since I was jobless, I had nothing to do apart from my studies from school. The time difference made it difficult for me to talk to my family or friends back home— they were asleep whenever I was wide awake and free. I will be honest, when it comes to intimate matters, I am one of those “old-school” people. When I downloaded Tinder—an app which is well-known for casual sex—I had no plans of getting laid. When I reflect on that time, I still am confused why on earth I even installed Tinder if I did not want to get laid. I was just looking for reasons to go out, meet new people who knew more about the city, and just have a companion for dinner or lunch at a place I wanted to try. It sucked eating all my meals by myself with no one around to talk to—or complain with about the ingredient measurements that went wrong. My friend was the fourth guy I met. The first three dates were kinda okay-ish. I was, as usual, running late. Guys have their ways of trying to impress girls, and the same applied to him too. He was on time. When I met him, he got out of his car, greeted me with a hug, complimented me on my look, and opened the door for me. First impression: 10/10. We met at 8 pm. The entire night we drove from one end of the city to the other, exploring every part. Long walks at the White Rock pier, glowing lights in Gastown, Stanley Park, and North Vancouver. Even Granville to Burnaby Mountain Park. It wasn't any sort of sexual desire that led us that far. We had so much to talk about, and because of that the entire sprawling night felt short. I have always been an extrovert; I can go hours talking about my experiences. This guy was an introvert. But he found his comfort zone—sharing his thoughts, dreams, and past. We shared as much as we could in the night, never shying away from any detail. It wasn't liking or loving at all—it was pure friendship. It was a night in which we both realized we had found someone that we could call at night to share anything or everything without getting judged. We realized that we found a friend we must hold on to. Miles away from our families, we made a new family. It was 4:30 am when I got back home. We shared a warm hug as we parted and there was no “three day” rule that we bothered following. We knew what we shared and both of us valued it. I can never explain to anyone my intentions of downloading Tinder and I don’t want to. I never explained our meeting to anyone and never would (until now). It has been two years now, and our bond has grown, and we are as thick as thieves. Two years ago, I'd call him my Tinder date, but today I call him my best friend.