During MTV's hit series Jersey Shore, some of the cast members made some monumental mistakes. While the Jersey Shore cast became a family, they had a fair amount of drama and even became involved in dangerous situations.
Had they been LARPers, the Jersey Shore cast might have avoided some problems. Here's how:
Call a hold. In LARP (live action role playing), safety is always a priority. If things get out of hand, anyone involved in the game can yell "hold." All others are supposed to repeat this command so that all players stop play and examine the potentially dangerous circumstance. Had the cast been LARPers, Ronnie might have avoided two scuffles, and the jerk man and elephant woman who (separately) went after Snooki might have had to stop in place until game marshal (police) intervention.
Practice verbals. In most LARPs, spell casters need to call spells correctly to cast them, even if it's as simple as "I cast this spell." Failure to do this properly can result in a flub, meaning the spell cannot be delivered onto its target. In many circumstances on the show, the guys in particular should practice their verbals. Entering into clubs and personal conversations unprepared, they frequently say and do the wrong things. Had they perhaps role played or practiced their verbals, they might have scored more frequently.
Date using common interest. The best way to find a date is to connect with someone who likes the same things you do. LARPers have the opportunity to do this because they meet other LARPers at LARPs (sometimes resulting in sex at LARPs). Perhaps Snooki and the guys looking to hook up might have had more success with both hook-ups and long term relationships if they focused more on just being themselves. LARPers as a whole are seen as pretty dorky--but in being themselves, others are often attracted to them.
Know your turf. Many LARPs are tactical and some are even war games. LARPers do not like getting lost in the woods in the dark looking for their home castles--so they usually scout the area immediately in daylight. This allows them to get back safely to their home area, especially if their comrades are killed. Jersey Shore cast members did not assume this keen LARPer strategy. This resulted in some of them feeling unsafe walking alone at night, feeling stranded and at one point even preventing a house mate from doing the deed because she is too drunk and disoriented to find her way home.
Don't always let your boobs hang out. Yeah, corsets are hot, whether they're on the Seaside Heights boardwalk at the Jersey shore or on a barmaid. The ladies on Jersey Shore tend to wear revealing clothing most times. A female LARPer understands that flattering threads are also necessary, but some situations call for more modest dress. For example--if a female LARPer is going to be in a heavy-combat situation, she will likely wear loose pants and a supportive upper garment. A Jersey Shore participant, hoewver, might go into combat unprepared, wearing a miniskirt to the bar where she will later find herself doing flips and exposing more than her underwear.
The Jersey Shore cast seems like a decent crew. Though they'd rank as beginners on any LARP's social combat scale, they show potential. Hopefully, as individuals, they can learn from LARPers in the future.
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