Youthful Life: X

"Part of adulthood is searching for the people who understand you." Hanya Yanagihara Adulthood can be lonely. In the pursuit of our passions we often sacrifice connection to others, but at what cost. Life is about connection - relationship, proximity, care, love. Without those things what is the purpose of life, and yet still we find ourselves adrift, aloof, and away from all those we've forged connections too before. We're all looking for something, but what could we be searching for that continues to evade us? We are looking for those who understand us, and even more so to be understood. We want to be around people get us, experience us the way we want them to, see us for who we are, and celebrate us in our imperfect actuality. We want those who want to hear our life stories from cover to cover, who will take notes in the margins, and resonate with the characters. We strive for people who see us transparently and yet remain despite what they see. We want peo...

"You don't get older, you get better" Shirley Bassey Birthdays are these odd days that remain seared into my mind's eye representing this arbitrarily significant repeating 24 hour span of my life. I can remember almost all my birthdays and each one remains important, even when it didn't go according to plan. There is this surreal aspect to your birthday coming around. It's a demarcated day dedicated to the celebration of you. For one day the world does seem to revolve around you. People come out of the woodwork, well-wishes pour, and suddenly you're the center of attention. It's as if the regular rules of the world are suspended. I don't know, there's something exciting about it but simultaneously it seems disingenuous. I want people to care about me year round, and to be able to articulate that consistently, not just on the special occasion of the day I was born. It's wonderful, and I appreciate it but I want that same kind of energy ...

The 20s are all about embracing change. Other than ourselves changes the one constant thing in our lives. Change comes whether we like it or not. Sometimes it's for better and other times it's for worse, but it comes nonetheless. Change doesn't ask you to do it work but it does ask you to come along for the ride. Change happens with or without your permission. Change is whatever you make of it, so make it work for you. Everything changes. This is your new normal. This year absolutely everything has changed. C.S. Lewis said it best, "Things never happen the same way twice," and boy was he right. Every year of my college experience has been drastically different. The one consistent thing is that I've never ever felt settled in both who I was and who my friends were. This year that has been true a certain extent with my friendships still in flux, but I know who I am for once. I know who I am not. I know what is right for me. It is the most empowering thing I...

Being a teenager is all about doing everything to the fullest. We're teens but that doesn't mean we have to half-ass things or not give our best. You've to put yourself wholeheartedly into whatever you do and make sure it gets done the way it should. No need to slack off or not take it to the next level. We're young and wild, and that means taking everything there like Degrassi used to do (that's Holly Freaking J). You've got to give it your all no matter way. That's the way you should live your life.  *This is the story of my NACURH 2012 CU Boulder experience, part 3 of 3, hit it (check parts 1 and 2 here OLTL  & YOLO ) Waking up and having no idea where you are might be one of the weirdest things ever. I wake up and Sam is getting ready for NCC (national communications coordinator) boardroom, so I tie his tie and get myself dressed in all white, complete with high socks and some true UVM green. It's just about breakfast time but Felicia and E...

Being a teenager is all about your absolutely wild self. Teenagers are different from any other age group because of the kind of youth we have. We're known for being run by our emotions, and all over the place, and that's totally not a bad thing. I'll be the first to admit that with all the stuff I do and all the things I say people must find me weird as hell. Let it be known that we're all kind of strange in multiple ways. When you're with your friends, you let the crazy out and a total mess. We're in a league of our own. There are way too many things that I do that are absolutely ridiculous. Sitting in class nowadays can be boring as hell. Professors lecture on and on and frankly I'm on the verge of literally not being able to careless. I'm watching other people and completely making fun of them. If a guy and a girl are having a conversation I'll be be mouthing and reenacting the conversation, and I'm sure I probably look weird as heck. I...