The cynic in me tends to flair up when people say things like “if it’s meant to be, it will be” or “everything happens for a reason.” While I understand these are typically intended to be words of comfort and encouragement, I cannot help but think they are wrapped in privilege. How lucky one must … Continue reading Beautiful Insignificance
inspiration
Flow.
Social scientists define “flow” as the "mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity." Flow is what makes writers write, artists create, and to-do listers draw more and more of those delicious horizontal … Continue reading Flow.
An Attempt at Encapsulating a Journey
This isn’t a travel blog, so I am not going to pretend that it is. That’s a good thing, too, because travel blogs are detailed and should point you in the right direction when you are exploring a new area – and navigation has never been my strong suit. I accepted my lack of spatial … Continue reading An Attempt at Encapsulating a Journey
Ping Pong in Detroit
When I was little, my grandparents had the best basement to play in. There was a big piano, these creepy facemasks, a pole to swing around on, and an assortment of other treasures waiting to be discovered. There were also pool and ping pong tables. My grandpa was a great ping pong player. I remember … Continue reading Ping Pong in Detroit
A Solo Trip to Perast
Until recently, I had never traveled anywhere alone. Not really. I had certainly been alone in transit, but I have always been going somewhere, to someone, or with someone. Even when I was flying to Montenegro by myself, I knew that someone from the Embassy was expecting me. A few weekends ago, I decided that … Continue reading A Solo Trip to Perast
Bukovica to Lovćen to Kotor
This weekend was one of renewal. I needed it. Saturday morning my fellow Fulbrighter, Joanie, and I decided we needed to get out of Podgorica and into nature. We found a cheap cab to Cetinje, the old capital of Montenegro, and, from there, took another taxi to Bukavica, a small village farther up in the … Continue reading Bukovica to Lovćen to Kotor
A New Chapter
A few weeks ago, I got into my car after meeting my parents for lunch at a restaurant in a random Michigan town and, for about the hundredth time that day, I looked down at my phone to check my email. My stomach dropped when I saw that the message I had been waiting for … Continue reading A New Chapter
Unexpected Love Letters
A few weeks ago, I was given an assignment in the Emerging Leaders Program I am a part of. Our task: To solicit positive feedback from ten people who know us well. One of the things I appreciate the most about working within the realm of Student Affairs is the emphasis our field places on … Continue reading Unexpected Love Letters
Vivid Happy
Do you remember that scene from “My So-Called Life”? The one where Angela wakes up one morning and is miraculously over Jordan Catalano so she dances around her bedroom to the Violent Femmes? This isn’t like that. I want it to be, but it’s not. For those of you who don’t connect most major life … Continue reading Vivid Happy
The Perception of Perfection
Striving for perfection is a pointless race with yourself. Perfection is all about perception; and perceptions are different for everyone. So, what does this mean? It means that there is no such thing as true "perfection." It's make believe. A mirage. The crest of a mountain that none of us can reach while we are … Continue reading The Perception of Perfection