So, it’s almost the end of the semester; for school-lovers and youtube-preferrers alike, this time of year is accompanied by a low-key nostalgia, a feeling akin to having the Breakfast Club music play on a constant loop at low volume in the back of your head. Everyone wants to be remembered, and yearbooks are a great way for you to make your mark on your classmates. But it can be difficult to create the perfect yearbook comment: one that says “I love you soooo much!” while also saying, “eh, you’re kind of cool, I guess.” To make things easier, I have delved deep into my signatures of yearbooks past to come up with a few tips for overcoming signer’s block.
1. Be careful with flattery.
People love hearing about how great they are. But to avoid sounding insincere, stay away from terms like “nice”, “fun”, “good friend”, and “cool”. Also, try not to simply list their talents! Bonus points for not sounding like a third grader who just discovered thesaurus.com and using words like “amiable”, “staunch”, and “prepossessing” to express the same uninspired sentiments.
2. Try word association.
Use the first thing that comes to mind when you think of that person as your theme. Darren’s in your Spanish class? Muy bueno. Exercise your “Spangish” skills to remind him of all of the fun times you two have had in the class, and of any interactions you had doing projects or assignments. He may not be touched by your recount of Latin American history, but at least you will have an identifier: “Spanish girl”.
3. Treat it like a mini-writing assignment that your English teacher will never have to see.
Think hard… Remember all those tips you’ve been taught about writing? You can use questions, sudden changes in tone, irony, and understatement to write a memorable yearbook comment the same way you can use them to write a memorable essay.
4. Be random.
Avoid using the classic phrase “have a great summer” at all costs. After all, no-one looks back on old yearbooks and thinks, “Thank-goodness Jon wrote ‘H.A.G.S.’ in my yearbook! No wonder I was the only one of my friends who didn’t get mono!” Truthfully, unless you two are close friends, you’ll only be remembered for what you contribute to her yearbook, and it’s the random things that stand out. Some of my suggestions include generic insults, quotes from military dictators, references to some of the better internet memes or cult movies, random web addresses, and inside jokes.
5. Making a confession?
Keep it brief. For starters, this helps to cut down the time spent with the yearbook, as to not arouse suspicion. More importantly, though, it packs a more powerful punch, leaving her guessing and interested. Some people think they need to find a secluded page on which to spill their guts, but I recommend hiding in plain sight. Your crush will be more surprised (and pleased) to find your message sandwiched between “H.A.G.S.” and, well, “H.A.G.S.”
Have fun, and happy signing!