I went home one weekend recently and I noticed something about people’s reactions to something funny. I was joking around with my family when my mom started to laugh. While she was in the middle of laughing, she paused to say, “that’s funny.”

I realized that I had heard other people say this before when they were laughing as well. I asked my mom why she had to clarify that the joke was funny when I could clearly see that she was laughing.

By her laughing, I understood that she thought that my joke was funny. I didn’t need for her to clarify but it made the situation even funnier.

People say that something is funny while they are laughing, but they don’t say narrate their other emotions while they’re happening as well. You don’t typically hear someone stop in the middle of yelling at someone and say, “This made me angry.”

This got me thinking about how today’s society has brought “text talk” to life. I have heard my peers say “LOL” when they are in a conversation in the place of laughter. Sometimes they will laugh and add onto it.

Just laugh! If something is funny either say it is or laugh. Don’t do both. I noticed that sometimes people will say something is funny even if it’s not. They might do this because their fake laugh is obvious.

If you fake laugh, you are wasting a laugh that could have been used for a funny situation or an actual funny joke.

If someone makes a terrible joke I will sometimes laugh anyway because they award situations that they just put us in, which makes it funny. If a joke is really bad, then don’t lie to them.

The person who told the joke will most likely be able to tell if you are genuinely laughing anyway. A great aspect of laughing is that it is a great way to express how you are feeling.

It is good to laugh. It is my preferred choice of exercise. When others can make me laugh so hard that I am out of breath like I just ran for a year, that makes me grateful. When my cheeks are so sore that it feels like I just got punched in the face—that is the best kind of pain.

A genuine laugh is almost like medicine. Don’t tell me something is funny. If it really is funny, then show me. Just laugh.

Karena Ozier is a freshman elementary education major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or at kmozier@eiu.edu.