"Life starts over again when it gets crisp in the fall."
- F. Scott Fitzgerald

I was in the sixth grade when I decided that 13 was my favorite number. To me, a now-official teenager excited to renounce the ways of a childish 12, 13 was a fresh start. 13 was triskaidekaphobia, a fear I was proud to defy (and a word my younger self was proud to boast in her vocabulary). 13 was solid: a good two-mile time, the number of hair ties that survived my move from South Carolina to New York, and the lucky figure that allowed me to pick my project topic first in an English class raffle. 13 was special because I made it so. 13 was different. 13 defied the odds, and 13 was mine.

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Lucky: An Update in the Last Days of Senior Year

Hi everyone! It’s been a while since my last post. As I near my high school graduation (aaaaaah!!) I wanted to share an update with you on where I’ve been, where I am, and where I’m going.

“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard?”

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Growing Girls: Mini Reviews of "The Way You Make Me Feel" & "Sadie"

Happy February, bookworms! Today, from the notes of my blog mind maps, I am sharing reviews of two books that detail the adventures of two strong young women. Here are my thoughts on Maurene Goo's The Way You Make Me Feel and Courtney Summers's Sadie.

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The Four Types of Notebooks I Keep and Why (+ My 2019 Bullet Journal Setup!)

As the first semester of my senior year comes to a close, I have reflected on both the beginning of my 2019 so far and my school experiences. Looking back, I recognized that taking notes actually made my school experience a lot more enjoyable. Though I have never considered myself an artistic person, taking notes satisfied my desire to doodle while ensuring that I developed an extra layer of understanding. Outside of school, my notes and notebooks have offered storage for fleeting ideas and solace in times of need.

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In Defense of My School: Why Limits on Student Speech Matter

Words matter. Brashly shouted, carefully constructed, or artfully manipulated, words evoke emotions, persuade populations, and excite action. Words change the world, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.

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Happy New Year! (+ 2018 Recap)

A new chapter begins.

Happy New Year, everyone! For me, 2018 was rough, but I am looking forward to embracing this new year as a stronger individual. I can't quite explain it-- perhaps it's just a passing, first-day excitement-- but I can't help but think that this year will be a great one. Before I look forward, though, I took some time to look back at 2018: what I read, what I blogged, and what I experienced.

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