For some reason, people like to personify life and portray life as a being that gives you lemons. One of the most well known rhetorical statements involves lemons, and what one should do with said lemons given to you by life. The answer to this depends on the person and their mood, but for your convenience, here are some choices.

• When life hands you lemons, make life take the lemons back. You are a strong, independent individual, and you are not going to be life’s charity case. You can handle it, you’re [wo]man enough to find your own lemons. Do not let life underestimate you, you could eat life’s lawyers for lunch.

• When life hands you lemons, ask for sugar and water. Honestly, have you ever drank plain lemon juice? It’s nasty. You won’t be making lemonade any time soon without water and a bunch of sugar.

• When life hands you lemons, say thank you… and then give them back if they’re not what you want. Acceptance is not the same as passivity, but it’s still common courtesy to be polite and use your manners.

• When life hands you lemons, make chocolate milk. That’ll show life not to underestimate you. Blow the pants off of life, amaze them with your magical skills. Make a drink with a completely different chemical composition, without any of life’s ingredients, to show life you’ve got pizzazz. Now life is confused.

• When life hands you lemons, use them for a revenge plot. The acidic pH of a lemon makes it a perfect weapon. Offer someone lemons (maybe they’ll think about making lemonade), then squeeze the juice into their face to momentarily blind them with a burning pain.

• When life hands you lemons, bake a pastry. Have you ever tried lemon pound cake? Honestly, it’s no surprise they call it pound cake. You can’t stop eating it. Ever.

• When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. Finally. There’s nothing wrong with working with what you’ve got, be classy.