Youthful Life: X

" People who smile while they are alone used to be called insane, until we invented smartphones and social media.”  Mokokoma Mokhonoana Another week of quarantine life.  Who would have thought this would be our lives? I went on spring break from my second semester of law school, and just never went back. Suddenly I, along with the rest of the world, was sequestered at home for the foreseeable future. Each day I spend some intentional time grounding myself in reality. This physical distancing still feels surreal in some ways. More and more I'm spending more time in the virtual realities of Zoom class sessions + hangouts, Facetime calls, texts, DMs, social media, video games, and on, and on. The entire concept of limiting screentime has gone out the window. I can't quite be content living vicariously so I do my best to bridge the gap between my two realities. I'm doing what I can to make this mundane. I'm ensuring that I still feel. I'm keeping my head...

"Too many of us are hung up on what we don't have, can't have, or won't ever have. We spend too much energy being down, when we could use that same energy — if not less of it — doing, or at least trying to do, some of the things we really want to do." Terry McMillan We cannot convince someone to like us ; more importantly we should not have to do so. People should want us, as we are, because of who we are. We should have not sell ourselves, demand recognition, or pine for attention. Let go of people who never reached out to you, those who never attempted to catch you, and those who stood idle as you took a risk. People should be able to see our inherent worth, and to value it as priceless. Anyone who needs convincing is unworthy of your essence, time, energy, or effort. We have to stop wasting our time on those who have no intention of choosing us. Why do we seek the acknowledgement, permission, acceptance, etc. of others knowing that it will never be ours? Wh...

Truth - There are so many unwritten rules that we abide be on a daily basis. Humans are some of the most devastatingly fascinating creatures to observe and to interact with. It's as if each individual has their own personal guidebook to follow in addition to some deeply etched away commandments that we communally agree to (with or without our consent). We stumble upon one another and must quickly decide which set of guidelines we are supposed to follow in order to appropriately treat one another. In the grand scheme of things the laws keep us safe but also separated; it's a danger that more often than not pays off benevolently when we throw out the rules and follow our hearts. Do you have what it takes? Are you in the league?  "I don't know the first real thing about the dating game. I don't know how to talk to a specific person and connect. I just think you have to go to person by person and do the best you can with people in general." Jason Schwartzman...

Being a teenager is all about doing your part to better the environment. We're all apart of this world and that means it's up to us to take care of it. It shouldn't just be special occasions like arbor day or Earth day where we actively take part in making mother Earth cleaner. That's like only doing your laundry twice a year, foul as hell. It's time to buckle down, strap on some gloves, and get one of those fascinating green thumbs (apparently they actually exist). This is environmentally aware. Community service is one of those things that you should really enjoy. It feels great to help people and not expect anything in return. In college, there's tons of opportunities to get involved and give back to the community that you've become apart of but you definitely have to make the effort yourself. It's kind of like Dexter's Lab where Dee-Dee happens to ruin everything, and you've got a Mandark just messing everything up. A lot of people stop d...