how about making an excuse?

 
   

What do you say when you don't want to go out for an appointment?

I have too much work to do. 34 

I have a family meeting. 26

I have only 10,000 won now. 10

 
"DO NOT make an excuse like that to me~ change your position with me and think about it~if you are me now, are you able to smile at me?" In 1994, there was a hit song named "excuse" by Kim Gun-mo, a Korean popular singer. As much as it was a hit, the lyrics of the song were great enough to appeal to people with a familiar and interesting content, excuses. So, for October, The Yonsei Annals asked 100 Yonseians about common "excuses" they use in their daily routine. 

   Today, you have an appointment with your friend. However, you are too tired to go out. To find the words Yonseians usually say to their friends in this situation, the Annals asked What is your usual excuse when you do not feel like going out for an appointment? 34 respondents answered "I have too much work to do."Really it must be so. Your mother will give you lots of work to do; washing dishes, doing laundry, cleaning up a house. 26 students chose "I have a family meeting." Isn't it watching TV meeting that everyone does not have to say a single word? If you do not mind, go out for your friends whom you can count the number of with your fingers, huh?

   Even though you slip out of the family meeting to meet your boy/girl friend, you face the painful parting. You asked what is problem but she keep on saying good words to hear. Like this, when people say good bye to their lovers, they try not to hurt the partner's heart. Relating to this, the Annals asked What do you usually say when you bid farewell to your girl/boy friend? 27 people picked "We are so different from each other." Do you mean, the face? Yeah, I agree. Your face is somewhat lacking compared to your lover. Also, 20 picked "I want to be faithful to my duty." Oh, what duty? Participating more sincerely in a blind date that your boy/girl friend does not know about?

   

What do you say to your parents when you want permission to be out all night?

I have a M.T. today. 35

My friend is alone now. 16

I promised to go to jjimjilbang today. 8

   On your way to home with a hopeless feeling, you meet your friend who always fawn upon you. "Lend me some money." Do you want to give him/her some money? Me, neither. So the Annals asked What do you say when you do not want to lend money to your friend? 64 Yonseians answered "I have enough money just for my expenses." Are you going to buy a complete collection of international literature? If you are not, what on earth are the thick green papers in your wallet/purse for? One person advised us to burden on other person saying, "I heard that OO got some tuition fee." If you keep on living that way, you might be OO in the end!

   As you were tormented by doubts about human relations such as your family, lover, friend, you decide to be out all night. However, your parents might worry about you. Then What will you say to your parents to be permitted to be out all night? 35 respondents replied "I have a M.T. today." If you use ban M.T., dongahree M.T. whenever you want to stay out, you might use your kindergarten friend after all. Can you remember even their faces? As the second largest, 16 answered "My friend is alone in his/her house now." Oh...how sweet you are! Anyway, your friend have a same sex with you, right?

   At dawn, you are going home with a sleepy eye. You are insane and cross the crosswalk ignoring the color of the light. Far from you, a police officer comes running to assess a fine on you. In this situation, the Annals asked What will you say when you are pinched by a traffic cop? 42 answered "This is the first time!" Can't you count with ordinal numbers? It is easy. First, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth... 7 people picked, "Let me go! I must run after that person!" At this point, you do not have to add something superfluous like "He/she is a thief!" Then, you will be accused of fraud and taken to the police office.

   

What do you say when your senior presses a drink on you?

I feel like throwing up. Urghh! 28

I quit drinking yesterday. 16

Just drinking coke makes me drunk. 11

   Escaping from the police, the senior who is expected to join the army next week call you on the cell phone. In the farewell party, your drinking capacity already passes the limit but your senior forces you to drink constantly. So the next question was What do you say when your senior presses a drink on you even though you do not want to drink? 28 students said "I feel like throwing up! Urghh!" Before acting, putting your finger down your throat might help to your natural acting. There was a student who wrote "So much for today!" Are you drunk already? If I am your senior, I will say this. "So much cute tricks for today. One shot!"

   As the atmosphere of drinking party get hotter, you play a game, maffia (a game of guessing who the maffia is). When people are pointed as a maffia member, they make an excuse to make others confused. So the question, In maffia game, what do you say not to be pointed out as a maffia member? was asked. "Yes, you are right. Hurry up for checking this out!" was selected by 24 students. Today's proverb is... He that commits a fault thinks everyone speaks of it. 20 picked "I am rather doubtful about you!" However, the more you say like that, the deeper you are falling into the mud!

   Coming home from the drinking party at around midnight, you fall asleep without taking a shower. At that very time someone in your family tries to wake you up. Then what do you say? For the question, If you are too tired to take a shower, what do you say when someone disturbs your sleep?, 34 answered "OK. OK." OK means you will take a shower at once, not continue sleeping! Oh, 4 people answered "(talking in your sleep)@#$%^&*" I am sure that talking in your sleep brings you the certain effect. For example, my sister said this. "To the starry world...kkanttappia...blablabla~"  I was surprised and never touched her with fear.

   After taking a shower, you get a grade sheet from your mother. She scowled at you terribly like striking you at once. Connecting with it, we asked If your grade is not that high compared to your parents' expectation, what will you say to them? 35 chose "My professor is known for rarely giving good scores to students." However harsh, there would be at least one student who got an A, right? Keep it up! 15 people selected, "I am so grateful to get even this grade." Are you begging for a punch from your parents now? Oh, someone got worse! He/she wrote, "I do not feel so good either!" I appoint you to a real opponent in this age~!

   

What do you say when someone disturbs your sleep saying "Take a shower?"

OK.OK. 34

Just a little later. 31

I am clean even if I don't take a shower. 15

   By the time your irritability is at its height, a friend said that he/she will introduce someone. Next day, a fat and ugly guy/lady says, "Are you OOO?" After eating something, you want to go home as soon as possible. Then, what will you say to your partner? To find out, the Annals asked If your partner is not in your favor in a blind date, what do you say to your partner to go home quickly? One person wrote "I have to return the comic books that I borrowed." Such a cheeky answer, Isn't it? How about this? "(Pretending to answer the phone) What? Traffic accident? I will go right away!" At this moment, tidy all the things up before running away. It could only give your partner the opportunity to see you one more time!

   For three days you went to great pains to make excuses. I bet everyone including you makes nearly same excuses in the daily life. When you make excuses, keep it in mind that excuses are kinds of lies. They must be said only when you do not have choices any more. Also, if you offer an apology, say a plausible one because a palpable one only makes people who hear it from you feel disgusted.

Illustrated by Kim Yu-jin

저작권자 © The Yonsei Annals 무단전재 및 재배포 금지