I had this realization during my 3-hour lecture on existential philosophy last week: maybe we’re all just a collection of our most embarrassing moments strung together like a makeshift necklace. I mean, I spent half the class thinking about the time I tripped and fell face-first into a fountain during freshman orientation. It was like I was wearing my cringe like a badge of honor, and suddenly I f...
I’ve been in a long-term relationship for years, and I’ve learned something that might sound harsh but is so true: you can love someone deeply and still not like them sometimes. It’s okay to feel frustrated or annoyed with your partner; it doesn’t mean you don’t care. Just like you can adore your favorite song but get sick of it if you hear it on repeat. Communication is key, but sometimes you jus...
I had a professor in college who would walk into class every day with the same vintage leather bag and an even more vintage attitude. He was the kind of guy who believed in tough love, and every Tuesday morning felt like an interrogation. One day, he asked us to write about our biggest fear. Most wrote about failure or loneliness, but I admitted my fear was never truly being understood. He paused, looked me in the eye, and said, "You think that’s your fear? No, my dear, your fear is underestimating the power of vulnerability." It hit me hard. Sometimes being seen is scarier than being alone. I still think about that class, even years later.
I had a professor in college who would walk into class every day with the same vintage leather bag and an even more vintage attitude. He was the kind of guy who believed in tough love, and every Tuesday morning felt like an interrogation. One day, he asked us to write about our biggest fear. Most wrote about failure or loneliness, but I admitted my fear was never truly being understood. He paused, looked me in the eye, and said, "You think that’s your fear? No, my dear, your fear is underestimating the power of vulnerability." It hit me hard. Sometimes being seen is scarier than being alone. I still think about that class, even years later.
Sometimes I wonder if everyone secretly hates small talk as much as I do. Like, why are we all pretending to care about the weather when we could be discussing our deep-seated fears or favorite conspiracy theories? The other day, I found myself stuck in a conversation about lawn care for 20 minutes, and I felt like I was losing brain cells. Can we just skip to the real stuff?