Things I Have Learned Through Hardship

As you might know from my Study Abroad Diaries series, I’ve been living in the UK on exchange for the last three-odd months. And although I’ve had a lot of amazing experiences (I just went on a two-week trip around eastern Europe, which you can find evidence of on my Instagram until the next Diaries

The Tumblr Ban and the End of an Era

I have a complicated relationship with Tumblr.

I’ve been on the site for over seven years, and it’s my most-used social media platform. And although I routinely refer to it as a hell-site and a toxic dumpster fire, it still has a place in my heart. It was one of the first spaces where I felt like I could be myself, and it helped me grow into the nerd and writer I am today.

Yet I also recognize that it’s not without faults. And one of its biggest is that today, Tumblr banned all adult content in a move that while not yet platform-threatening, has huge consequences for the future of the site.

2018 Curly Hair Care Routine (Minimal + Affordable)

I already did one of these a couple years ago, but my routine (and my hair!) have both changed since then. I’m using different products, and my hair is longer. So I thought I’d give a little update on what’s new since my last hair post.

What I Learned From My First Journalism Job

I learned this summer that you have to figure out what people are interested in talking about and what they don’t want to talk about. I learned when to press people and when to step back and let them do the talking, when to ease up and let them get comfortable and when you can go deeper. And while I already knew that sometimes people just don’t want to talk, and you can’t force them, I also learned that sometimes people just need a little nudge and they’ll open up so beautifully.

4 Knockout Podcasts You Should Be Listening To

. This podcast is great because it talks about stuff you probably haven’t heard of (hence the title) but is still super intriguing. The problem with learning about history is that often, your interest in it is dependent on who you’re learning it from. Bad teachers make history boring, and thankfully, the hosts are anything but boring.

8 Self-Care Tips to Help Manage Mental Illness in the Summer

A lot of the time I try to ignore my mental health in favor of my own internal stubbornness and pressure to be productive. That’s not healthy. Sometimes, you just gotta put whatever you’re doing down and give yourself time to breathe.

Don’t feel guilty for taking time for yourself. If you need the time, take it. There’s always tomorrow.

How I Write + Set Up My Blog Posts

I realized recently that although I’ve talked about how I blog during school, I’ve never explicitly discussed how I write and put my posts together on this site. I’ve gotten pretty attached to my method over the last couple of years and learned a few new tricks along the way, so I figured it might be good to share.

How to Learn When to Give Up

I have always been stubborn. I’m a stubborn teenager/semi-adult who was a stubborn kid and an even stubborner toddler before that. Sometimes, that’s a good thing; it pushes me through hard situations and keeps me going. But it also means I’ve never known how to give up on things.

New Year’s Resolutions

After a brief hiatus, I’m back! Put yourself first. I’ve never been good at putting myself first. It’s caused me a lot of pain and heartbreak over the years, and it’s something I want (and need) to stop. Putting everyone else first can seem harmless, but over time, sacrificing myself for others just reinforces the

19 Life Lessons I Learned Before I Turned 19

Today, I turned 19.

There’s still definitely a lot I don’t know, but I’ve learned a lot over the last nineteen years of my life. Here are some of the best lessons I’ve learned.