Date: April 20, 2025
Author: Julia Matthews

Last night, my friends and I were hanging out, just doing the usual—talking about random stuff, joking around, and of course, playing “Smash or Pass.” It’s a pretty simple game, but sometimes it gets interesting, especially when someone throws out a curveball. We were scrolling through pictures of celebs, and that’s when we stumbled upon one that stopped us in our tracks.

It was a picture of this guy who I think is an actor. Honestly, I wasn’t sure, but I recognized the face. Anyway, he was wearing baggy clothes, which—don’t get me wrong—he looked fine, but it wasn’t exactly a look that showed off much. You couldn’t really see his body or any of his features that usually come with the typical “smash or pass” criteria.

Naturally, my friends started saying all this stuff about how his personality was super attractive and how he’s got that “mysterious vibe.” Everyone was all in with the “smash” answers. Then, it was my turn, and without even thinking, I just blurted out, “I dunno, I can’t see his body under those clothes, so I’m not sure.”

The room got quiet for a second, and I could see my friends’ faces. Some of them just started laughing, but I could tell I’d caught them off guard. I don’t know, I guess I just couldn’t get on board with all the hype without seeing more. Maybe that’s too honest? I mean, I wasn’t trying to be mean or anything, but I guess I was just thinking about the whole picture—literally.

I mean, is it so wrong to want a little more than just the idea of someone? It wasn’t like I was saying I would “pass” on him forever, just that it’s hard to make a call when I can’t see what’s under the layers. Am I being too shallow, or am I just being real? Honestly, I’m still not sure, but it did get me thinking.

At the end of the day, I’m not gonna pretend to like something just because everyone else is into it, you know? I just have my standards, and sometimes, that means being brutally honest, even if it’s not what others expect to hear.