Youthful Life: X

The 20s are all about putting yourself out there. The dating game has changed drastically. In addition to having to understand the rules of interaction in person, you're tasked with being well-versed in the language of textual conversations, sliding into the DMs, picture liking, snapchat conversations, and the mutual match. It's become nearly impossible to avoid dating apps, and that may not necessarily be a bad thing. With a little finesse, you can still get what you really want even if it all started with a swipe to the right. This is how to get away with tinder.   Like a lot of people of I know I was super skeptical and vehemently against the idea of getting on the bandwagon of connection apps like Tinder, Hot or Not, Blendr, or the infamous Grindr. To me it sounds impersonal, unorthodox, and kind of desperate. I couldn't connect with someone in real life how was I going to have a meaningful interaction with someone through a mediated app? On top of that I was morall...

The 20s are all about being grateful for those around you. There comes a time in your life where you gain this awareness of truly how blessed you are. It's the moments when you realize you're surrounded by people that you value and reciprocate those same feelings for you. It's this moment of immense clarity where you are conscious of what you built for yourself, but even more so what has been afforded to you. People will do good unto to you if you let them do so. There are no such things are ordinary people, everyone can be extraordinary. The day I discovered that sometimes happiness was easy as deciding to be so was the day that found an immense power within myself. Instead of letting circumstances beyond my control bring me down I tapped in an inner goodness that serves as a never-ending source of positivity. Even more so is coming to the understanding that the moments that I cherished most where the ones where I let myself be happy. Too many times had I stood in the ...

*This is my unpublished response to   "The Year of the White Male" . Half-Assed Allies Wanted by Joseph Oteng Mention the phrases police brutality, sexual assault, or marriage equality and straight white men seem to prepare themselves for an onslaught of social justice jargon which often ends in definitive name-calling à la racist sexist homophobe. On this campus and so many others like it exists a culture rightfully concerned with social justice, inequality, and the differences that make us diversely human. College is a time where some students discover themselves, learn beyond ridged binaries, and challenge prejudiced beliefs. Others however cannot be bothered to google an identity, examine privilege, or curb biased speech let alone attend a lecture, join a discussion, or a demonstration. The excuses abound for why people don’t get social justice, don’t want to, or don’t care to. The implications, however, are burdens that no one can carry. In failing to do so,...

The 20s are all about being okay with not knowing. For some people, not having their future planned out down to the minute can be gravely terrifying while others relish in the spontaneity of their lives. Often the world of young people is split in two seemingly diverging paths - one that leads to jobs and family, and another that entails traveling on a whims' notice. The reality is you can have both, and most have a little bit of each. No matter what your happiness in life though comes from your inner satisfaction. Do you believe that you deserve to be happy? Some things are just beyond belief. When I was a little kid there was no problem that was beyond fixing when my dad said everything was going to be okay. I remember this one time I had been riding my bike around the cul-de-sac. I was recently training wheel free and zoomed around the curves of the asphalt like a speed demon on a mission. My helmet was fastened tight but I had neglected to put on my knee pads. One ino...

The 20s are all about living it up. There is no time like the present and time is of the essence now more than ever. All of those cliché things that people tell you about living in the moment, being where you are, and enjoying yourself ... just so happen to be true. College is one of those unique places and times in your life where you have little to worry about other than yourself. Your responsibilities are limited and your possibilities are seemingly endless. These really might be the best years of your life. My journey during this senior of mine has been to figure out not only how to have fun or what my college experience has meat (because I'm annoyingly complicated and perpetually in this meta-state of self-reflection) but what I'll be doing when college is over. Newsflash, my graduation is only 106 days away. This year, this month, and even this week has been filled with some monumentally important advice from all the random people in my life. Professors, administrator...