ALWAYS HERE TO HELP
Closed Mouths Don’t Get Fed
There’s a particular kind of inspiration that comes along with a clean slate. A Monday morning. January 1st. The day after an I’m sorry, an it’s okay, and a silent hug. There’s nothing quite like the weight of time past being lifted off your shoulders, curling into the air as you smell the…
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No New Friends, Daily Routines, and Other Barriers to Joy
Being happy should be one of the simplest things in the world. You do the things you love with people whose company feels like a warm hug, and you savor each moment like it’s your last. Well, easier said than done. Despite spending much of my time studying the psyche of the human…
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Studying Abroad: Field Notes on Learning and Living
Traveling is, and always will be, the best gift I have ever received. I see it that way — as a gift — because each new place I visit imparts a secret that only it and I share. Each adventure brings unique experiences, customs, and perspectives I otherwise would never have considered. I…
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Identity Death
While not a formal diagnostic term, identity death draws on psychological theories of identity disruption and transition (Erikson, 1959; Breakwell, 1986), often describing the internal collapse of a once-stable self-concept in response to significant life changes. Has anyone ever asked you what the meaning of life is? It’s one of those questions we…
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Will You Be My Valentine?
This semester, I’m taking a course required by my university’s curriculum called What’s Love Got to Do With It? At UF, this class is highly sought after, with students of all ages vying for a spot in discussions about relationships, sex, and, of course, love. During our last class, we gathered around, feeling the tinge…
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Healing Through Words
During the lowest points of my life, when I was afraid to ask for help and pitied those who pitied me, my only refuge was found in words and the spaces between them. When no one seemed to understand me, I turned to writing to make sense of my emotions, convincing myself that…
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The Birth of Very Berry Pai
During my first week of college, I threw myself into every opportunity to meet new faces and connect with different voices. One, in particular, stood out to me as pivotal in my journey toward self-discovery: “Hey, you’re Very Berry Pai, right?”—a simple phrase that shifted my perspective and, perhaps even more dramatically, the…
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Lifting – What I Wish I Knew
When I first started strength training, I had a feeling it would become a lifelong hobby of mine. Although I was in the minority of women leaving the cardio section behind, I quickly realized that weight lifting was the one type of movement I looked forward to each day and a form of…
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Is Our Political System Failing?
Only now, after years of hearing others talk about politics and observing how media outlets shape perceptions of political turning points, has it occurred to me that my love for politics is not rooted in how politicians behave but in how everyday people behave when discussing topics they know little about. The two-party…
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I Regret to Inform You…
Dear Reader, I regret to inform you that this may not be the last time you read those words. Reflecting on all the times I have faced rejection takes me no more than five minutes. I can count the major rejections I’ve experienced on one hand, and honestly, even those never stung for…
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chocolate and politics 