Depends, I’ve met a some dudes that are super serious in there 24/7. That’s a pretty rare breed though and no way to do time imo. Me and mine, my brothers, we laugh, joke, pull pranks, chop it up (chat), cook food, train hard, struggle, bleed when we have to, together, all day, every day, have each others backs to the fullest, inside prison and out, till death

Nah once you get settled in, as long as you carry yourself correctly, it’s actually not too bad (for prison). I did 3 years in my early 20s. I’m not racist, but in prison it’s generally frowned upon to not stick with your own. You can be cool and shit with others, but your main “group” is mainly your own race. I had a few simple rules I followed. Don’t gamble. People will gamble what they don’t have, then lose, and put you in a bad position. (Remember 75% of people there have nothing to lose and don’t care) so you either look like a bitch and don’t collect what you’re owed, or you gotta fight him and go to lock up for a month, lose visits, and good time (every month I didn’t get in trouble, I’d get I think 6 days a month off. Between good time and work time, I was getting 13 days a month off my back number) so it’s a lot to lose, esp when you have a big back number like I did, I had a 6 year sentence with a 2 year parole ineligibility. Next rule, if it don’t apply, let it fly. You’re going to see shit that’s not allowed. If it doesn’t apply to you, you didn’t see it and just keep it moving. Next rule, don’t go to the “store” (other people will loan you say, 2 soups and on canteen day, you give them 3 back) unless you already have the money on your books. Don’t go to the store because your girl said she’d put money in your account. Wait until the money hits. I can’t tell you how many problems I’ve seen from people going to the store and then not being able to pay.

Those were my 3 main rules. I kept my head up, didn’t act weak and didn’t have any issues, and believe me, I was in youth corrections for most of my time, there was a lot of stealing and fighting. I was in good with the “big homies” of the gangs (the higher ranked members), so I never had any issues. They did try to recruit me, I turned that down quicker than anything. I’m not planning on bringing gang shit home with me to the suburbs lol, and I didn’t wanna be stunted out when they had to fight, or hand over some of my canteen for the “kitty” so members who don’t have food can eat. Fuck that.

My routine was awesome. 5:30 wake up, get ready for work. I’d leave the prison, drive to a psych hospital that was actually in my county, so got to see familiar places. We did landscaping there. They also fed us VERY well at the hospital. It was the best job to have in the prison because of the food they gave us. My daily pay was one of the highest, I believe $3.75 a DAY. Most of the other jobs paid $1.50 a day.

Id get back around 2, right before 2nd shift. My 2nd shift job was in the main building of the prison, which gave me a lot of movement. I was able to reserve the weights I wanted for me and my group for that day to be first on them. We’d work out, come back in and shower, eat, then I’d go back to the main building where it was nice and quiet, away from everyone. I’d read or just chill down there doing whatever. 3rd shift comes around, I hit the bed. I had a little tv, but we only had about 10 channels. Now you can buy tablets and shit. I’d normally be out quick as fuck, as long as the wanna be gangster rappers weren’t up, banging on their lockers, beat boxing, while one tries to rap. Fucking annoying as shit living in a dorm.

Then I’d wake up again the next day and do it all over. It was very routine. Same thing almost every day. Guards would tear our shit apart occasionally. I’ve squatted and coughed on average 2-3 times a day. Have no choice but to accept being strip searched in front of sometimes a hundred people.

Some nights we’d get a cool guard who would let us use the kitchen. We’d get like 10 people together, everyone would throw something in, and we’d make some banging food. For what we had to work with, the shit we could make with canteen food in the kitchen, was amazing. We lost the microwave because someone thought it’d be a good idea to microwave bleach and throw it on someone’s face. That was a fun day.

It’s a lot mentally. A LOT. Once you get into a routine though, the time goes by quick. I had a good routine. A good group of guys who all looked out for one another, and no, im not in a gang and my group of “friends” mostly weren’t either. I did meet some pretty chill gang members. Mainly the older guys, the big homies. The kids were just loose cannons trying to make a name for themself.

Weekends I didn’t work first shift. We had visits on weekends. I’d just chill. Play cards, watch tv, read, write, go outside when we could, whatever. I didn’t have problems with anyone, so I was grateful for that because like I said, I did see a lot of fucked up shit that could’ve easily happened to me. You just gotta carry yourself right.

Also, at least where I was, if you want an instant fight, tell someone to suck your dick. For some reason, that was like the absolute worst thing you could say to someone, and if you said it to someone who is banging, unless the big homie says you can have a fair fight, you’re getting jumped. If you do get a fair fight, don’t use your feet. To them, it’s very disrespectful, and chances are if you do, you just lost your fair one.

I did get transferred to an adult prison for my last 6 months. It was a bit more boring, this place didn’t allow TVs, and there was hardly any radio reception. I wasn’t there long enough to get a job. So I spent my days working out and just walking laps in the big yard, either listening to music, or beating down with a buddy. Even though the adult prison wasn’t as eventful, and a lot more boring, it was better jailing. People there had real time. Not some pussy ass little 3 year bid that you can get parole on in 11 months. So guards and inmates had a mutual understanding. We won’t make your job harder on you, and they won’t fuck with us. Made it so much nicer. There wasn’t stealing going on like in youth corrections. No one on any bullshit. People just wanted to do their time and go home. I don’t ever plan on going back, that life of mine is done, but if I had to choose youth corrections with everything I had going on, or adult prison and be a little bored, I’d go with the adult prison. It was a lot less stressful.

If you’re legit curious more about prison and what actually goes on, feel free to ask. I’m very open about it.

The top 4 hardest times I have laughed was in prison.

No you have fun all day, laughing and joking. Once your sentenced and have a date its less stressful than not knowing. We would make super strong instant coffee and stay up all night fooling around getting yelled at by guards to go to bed. Daytime, playing risk, cards and dominos. "Dont count your time here, make your time count" That was painted on the entry