How to be a Wannabe Hippie

Posing as a hippie is a great way to learn more about other social cliques or to get closer to that cute girl or boy in your psychology class. To be a hippie, you must think, act, eat, talk and assume all aspects of the new age granola lifestyle. Here are the essential items, behaviors and elements you will need to blend in with the hippies.

Things You'll Need

• Rose colored glasses
• Anything from Tibet or Thailand
• Incense or oil preferably from India
• Book on new techniques for astral projection
• Patches
• Hemp jewelry
• Tote or bag made of burlap
• Sandals
• Tye-dye clothing
• Knit beanie
• Sleeping bag and/or other living necessities (just in case)

Instructions

1. Find your hippie flavor. Think for a minute about the word "hippie" itself. Let your mind wander to the associated images in your unconscious image library. Flowers, hair, tie-dye, guitars, love, paint, mud, batik, incense, drum circles, hand-holding, granola, patchouli and knit beanies. Focus on the most stereo-typical image you can conjure up and keep this foremost in your mind. This will be your launch pad for developing your own unique hippie persona and outfit so that you may fake your way into any hippie circle you so wish to take on.

2. Gather items from head shops, thrift stores, garbage cans, grandma's closet, people's yards and Goodwill donation bins to assemble yourself an outfit that makes you appear homeless yet aware. Not bathing or shaving for a time before and during will help to enhance the overall impact both visually and aromatically.

3. Seek the reason behind all of this ridiculous acting and then mush it together with all other hippie activists that have come before. Most hippies don't have new reasons for their social position or existence. Many just cling to a little dab here and there of purpose and protest but more or less are quiet, introspective, mumbling idealists. They may have great ideas in mind but have trouble expressing them. Many simply recycle old ideas and theories and regurgitate them in current tongue. World peace, anti-war, anti-establishment, free love, or simply liking the pretty colors will suffice for this step.

4. Observe others in the culture from a safe location. Many collaborate at coffee shops, book stores, bonfires, poetry readings, craft faires, earth and religious festivals or ecological protests to name a few. Watching the way they interact, speak, their body language and studying their dress and movement will help you to test what you have learned thus far. If the spirit moves you to try and interact a bit, by all means don't hold back. Avoid direct questioning by answering with vague non-topical quotes from others or acting like you didn't hear the question because you were "absorbed" in the vibe.

5. Go over the previous steps one more time and make sure that you are ready to enter the world of the fake hippie. With observation, vague and idealistic laced speech and custom garb you should have no problem blending in with the crowd. Enjoy the overall sense of community but do not allow yourself to become over saturated or drawn in to the permanent lifestyle that many around you fervently pursue. Once a hippie, always a hippie and remember always that you are only a fake hippie. You have learned well, enjoy your time spent and don't forget to ask the cute girl from psychology out for coffee.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid direct confrontation and political arguments with hippies. Many of them are very stubborn and will take offense to even the slightest hint of support for any party, policy, or dictatorship-like authority ideas. Use your words sparingly.

• When in doubt, sing or suggest that the group start a drum circle, bonfire or jam session. Many hippies come bearing these instruments accordingly and will only need the hint of an idea to blow a gathering into a full-blown musical frenzy. This will allow you to slip away un-noticed and attention to be directed away from whatever it was you said to cause a stir.

• Bring your own water and food to these gatherings and make sure you keep an eye on what is yours and who you are sharing with. This is especially important during "Phish" concerts as you may be offered a star cookie and end up on the planet Mars. They are trying to be nice, but you also do not want to lose your mind or grip on reality. That could result in many, many bad consequences.

Resources

• The Way of The Hippie
• The History of The Hippie and Culture From Wikipedia
• Hippie Travel Destinations and Info
• Collection Of Hippie Related Links, Resources, History, and Community Information