Thank you for reading my word vomit over the past few weeks. I hope that this has helped calm your own anxieties about the future, even though our paths may not be similar.  My biggest takeaway from...

When I was younger, I was determined to never grow up. But through growing up, I have had the pleasure to learn that it's a part of life. One of the people closest to me taught me a very valuable lesson...

My college applications are complete. I feel like the battle is finally over. It’s no longer in my hands. I applied to seven different colleges; two to three for each city I am interested in. When you...

I am thinking about attending college in Chicago. While the idea of a new city excites me, I worry about not having a familiar place to fall back on if things get rough. Subsequently, my appreciation for...

Throughout my 17 years, I can confidently say that the opportunity of growing close to new people is one of the greatest gifts. Each person has their own unique experience and lessons they can teach you....

I have realized that I severely neglected the discussion of the holidays. So, in an attempt to atone, here’s a brief update on my experience this season. My family celebrates Christmas, and following...

Over break, I have pushed myself to spend more time working on creating new, well-planned paintings. I usually just dive in blind, with nothing to guide me other than (maybe) a color palette picked out....

I have struggled with healthy eating in the past. I would eat too much and then go for longer periods of eating too little. My tumultuous relationship with food has improved as I’ve grown, but at times...

I live a life that is consistently inconsistent. I do what I need to do to get school work done, make money, keep up a social life. I do what I need to do to survive.  That’s how I have approached...

Recently, I have been trying to think of more “pros” that come with college. The one that sticks out to me the most is the prospect of meeting new people. The thought of being exposed to thousands...

No matter how cliche it may be, the expression “there is no place like home for the holidays,” holds more weight this winter. It is starting to sink in that this will be my last Christmas living at...

Growing up I developed this system: get your work done, then you can go play with friends. As beneficial as it may seem, this system has taken a bit of a negative turn as of late. It has morphed into prioritizing...