Tips for Staying Positive

It's officially October now which means one thing for those of us in school: midterms. Well, midterms, essays, and overall high stress levels. The warm frivolous days of summer are long behind us, the introductory lessons just finished, and now we all, students or not, feel the pressure to seriously get back to work. It's … Continue reading Tips for Staying Positive

Loans for Learning

Flashback to early 2012, when I was just starting my 12th grade economics class. My teacher asked the class to answer one not-so-simple question: what do you value most in the world? Cue the anticipated "friends" and "family" responses as we went through everyone. As she got to me, I proudly (though while blushing) stated: … Continue reading Loans for Learning

Letters From Exchange: The One Where I’m Starting to Stress

Pretty soon I'm going to have to title these something else, because my exchange is certainly coming to a close.  To just jump in and address the title, I am starting to stress out quite a bit. It's my own fault, really. Well, it's a combination of having a lot going on and procrastinating proactive … Continue reading Letters From Exchange: The One Where I’m Starting to Stress

Thoughts Before My Final (Word Vomit)

Why don't I ever focus? Do I just honestly care so little? I think my faith that things will always work out permits my general laziness to overtake any determination to focus on something that feels like actual work. Sure, tonight it's a youtube addiction, but if it weren't that it'd be Tumblr or something … Continue reading Thoughts Before My Final (Word Vomit)

Quirky Cultural Differences (#6)

This is long overdue, and becoming less quirky with time. I just really like the title. Sue me. Not to complain about my own life back home, but undergrad is significantly easier here. The selection and quality of cheese is pitiful. I've come to (sadly) understand that frozen burritos are a North American thing. Skin … Continue reading Quirky Cultural Differences (#6)

How Being an Avid Fiction Reader Can Make You Feel Dumb

Before I knew it it was four in the morning and I had to be up in six hours and I simply didn't care. I momentarily thought about going back to that academic reading since I was now so awake, but I knew it wouldn't work. I knew that my energy was really adrenaline from the plot, and that no matter how much I live and love to learn, working-class politics of Victorian London was not going to inspire the same kind of focus and alertness in me as Dashner's plot twists. And to be honest, I felt a little dumb for it.