Advice rows and columns

Dear 20-year-old-in-office, there's something about you that tells me that you are at the maroon (pink is for whites) of your health. You are energetic and always on the run. Looks like you're going to be awesome if you aren't already. Let's call it professional rush. It lasts for a few weeks and if you're lucky enough, a few more months. Following which, moribundness sets in. The fight is to avoid that phase. In the process, young people like yourself end up in the spiral way too easily. It won't be your fault to be honest. Corporate culture. And before you realize it, you're part of the herd that can't distinguish between personal life and office hours. One of the ways how this seamlessness is built into the system is by getting addicted to something that provides you momentary relief. It could be anything from insane cups of coffee to an energy drink that beats coffee at caffeine to a tar-blessed cigarette to a fattening beer bottle. Colleagues often bond better over addictions because everybody in the group is stressed looking for an outlet to feel better even it that lasts for a few minutes. Which might explain why you'll go to a pub/bar after having a tight day at work instead of going home, bathe and relax. Let's call it prisoners' code. Each follow it blindly. The amount of abuse the body takes is conveniently overlooked but guess what, your body isn't THAT blind. It can afford to love you but for a limited while. After that, it strikes back. Do you really want that? If yes, don't think twice before borrowing that cigarette from a colleague who insists that you should just because you're 20 and expected to try everything. That said, saying no is a part of everything too.