Y.O.L.O has evolved from a catchy acronym meaning “you only live once” to what some young people worldwide call a sure epidemic.
This word went viral after Drake, a Canadian recording artist, used it in his song, “The Motto.”
Since it debuted in “The Motto,” which was released in October 2011, Y.O.L.O has also been referenced in other songs to promote the idea of living life to the fullest. It’s quickly evolved into a way of life for some FAMU students who seek adventure and exhilaration.
Some students like Tourre Allen, a first year pre-pharmacy student from Tampa, call it a “hot” trending topic.
Allen said that a person should do everything in life to the fullest “because once you’re dead, it’s over with.”
People who are against the Y.O.L.O trend say the acronym suggests an unorthodox approach to life . That suggests danger seeking and living without consequence.
Some young people, including Disney Channel star Zac Efron, went as far as tattooing Y.O.L.O on their bodies. Others who support the movement simply tweet about it or make it an update for their latest Facebook status.
Young people around the world are tweeting about doing both dangerous and adventurous things while using the Twitter hashtag #YOLO. Some activities that were worthy of a #YOLO tweet in the Tallahassee area included “lost a follower,” “college life,” “just took a shower in a truck stop restroom sink,” and “making eggnog pancakes just because.”
Cameron Hughes, a second- year business administration student from Orlando, called the term “stupid.” He said people use the word as an excuse to do something they always wanted to do .
“No, I don’t support it because if you wanted to do something, living once shouldn’t be the reason,” Hughes said. “You should do something to empower yourself because you feel it benefits you.”
Other students like Charles Davis Jr., a secondary education student at Howard University from Miami, feel’s that Y.O.L.O can have a very positive implication. Although he confessed to seeing the term used in both positive and negative lights, Davis admitted that he finds it cool.
He said the term could be used to denote doing something that he may have otherwise not had the courage to do. Davis explained that such things could be as simple as “eating sushi, skydiving or running a marathon.”
Social media advanced searches on the word Y.O.L.O” confirm that students in Tallahassee, and all over the nation, are participating in this live-free culture that was created by Y.O.L.O.
“Getting Y.O.L.O tattooed on me is kind of extreme,” said Ja’red Hunter, a third-year biology pre-medicine student from Jacksonville. He laughed at the thought of someone marking his or her body to support the trend. However, he had no problem expressing his support for the positive implications behind saying “you only live once.”
“I’m the type of person who’s always lived carefree. To me, Y.O.L.O is just a word for who I am and what I’ve always done.”