Definitions are such a big role in our lives. They give a person a label, and whether it is good or bad it can build up someone’s confidence, or tear it down. We allow these definitions to have so much power because of this reason. We care too much about what other people label us as rather than what we label ourselves as. When thinking about myself, I usually steer towards the positive things over the negative.

My friends would use a lot of different words to define me as a person. Some nice, some not so nice. I’m called a slacker and gamer on a daily basis, but also smart and funny too. Thinking of a fitting word for me was more challenging than I had expected. I thought of all the different terms that could describe me until I finally found one that fit me the best.

Humorous.

I believe this is the word that defines me as a person the best. I try my best every day to be funny and get people to laugh. Whether it’s with my friends, a teacher, or my parents, I’m always on the lookout for an opportunity to crack a joke or a witty punchline. While this is mainly seen as a good thing, it sometimes is a bad thing as well because people typically don’t take me seriously when I am trying to tell them something.

Merriam-Webster says that humorous is “possessing, indicating, or expressive of an ability to be funny or to be amused by things that are funny.” I firmly believe that all of these words describe me. My parents have been laughing at my jokes for many years and so have my friends. My mom would always tell me when I was younger, “I don’t know what I would do without your jokes, Carter. They keep me young!” Hearing this from the person I’m closest to in my life was very inspiring and boosted my confidence. I’d bring her spirits up with my tricks, and she’d do the same for me with her kind words.

Humorous has a general definition, but when I think of what it means, I like to put my own twist on it. When I think of humorous, I think of making people laugh, being a comedian, and being able to raise the energy of the room. When I make a smartass comment, I am trying to do all of these things while getting some attention. I see humor as the gateway to people’s laughter. Being able to hit a person’s funny bone (which is the humerus, no pun intended) is a special kind of quality to me.

My own humor is unique. It might be because I am a male that I behave the way I do. Men are supposed to impress the females in life in order to win them over (Vanityfair). Observe any animal in the wild and you’ll find this to be true. So the reason my sense of humor is the way it is might just be my way of trying to find a mate.

Labeling a person “humorous” makes them feel good about themselves. When someone is called humorous, they are going to take it as a compliment. Usually we use the word “funny” as a synonym instead of the word “humorous” because it’s more simple to say. When my friends and family laugh at my jokes, it makes me feel good and gives me a positive influence.

Humorous isn’t just walking into a room and telling a “that’s what she said” joke and getting a chuckle. Humorous isn’t just trying to make you feel better about yourself. Humorous is consistently telling well-thought out lines that gets the entire room into a happy state of mind. Humorous is getting that friend who’s having a bad day into a better mood. Some people are as funny as a heart attack but still think they’re humorous. Being humorous is something that is practiced and mastered, not born with an individual.

A true master of humor knows the right and wrong times to use their abilities. If your mom unknowingly sets you up for a perfect “that’s what she said” joke at your grandfather’s funeral, you probably shouldn’t pounce on that opportunity. Now say you’re at a family reunion and your aunt sets you up for one, then it’s open season. It’s all about the timing and execution of the jokes. You must know when to go all in or not. That’s what she said.