One Bold “Yes”

One Bold “Yes” It was a dry, fall evening. Summer had abruptly ended with a chapter I didn’t want to read out loud, and I was content with silently turning the page. I remember wondering what my life would look like if every plan had gone my way—would I even be happy? I was sharing … Continue reading →

Strength in Softness

Each and every one of us holds a library full of stories. Each story will present a challenge, a climax and then it will end. Some story plots might sprout into a trilogy or series before the story is complete. And other narratives will unfold and close with a nice lesson learned. We are the … Continue reading →

When We Throw Our Love Away

I sit by this large, bright window every day. It’s not a particularly spectacular window. In fact, the window and what it looks out to is arguably very boring. The glass faces a concrete parking lot, but the view is mostly hidden behind some shadowy tree branches that watch you with a sort of tired, … Continue reading →

Confessions of a Serial Leaver

I’ll admit it. I’m a serial leaver. When situations seem out of my control, I like to slowly retreat then checkout. I like to leave. You see I like the feeling of starting over. When I was younger, I played a lot of Pokémon. I would restart the game each time my starter wasn’t a … Continue reading →

On Changing Seasons

Right now, I’m sitting outside. It’s a little after 8 p.m., and though I don’t have a mirror, the sunshine’s rays are hitting my nose in a way that feels good and golden, and maybe my skin is glistening a bit from its warmth. You wouldn’t be able to tell tonight, but the seasons are … Continue reading →

Nancy’s Story

These past few days I’ve thought a lot about what kind of stories tug at a person’s emotional chords. This is mostly because I write hard stories to encourage people to give to nonprofits. Earlier this week, I was looking at statistics on hunger in America. It truly hurt my heart thinking about how these aren’t … Continue reading →

12 Things Every 22-Year-Old Should Do

Twenty-two has been an incredible age for me. From getting engaged to graduating college and landing my first “big girl” job, my life is going through some major changes.  For most of us, 22 is an age for transitioning — and it’s not always easy. Most days, it’s a struggle between stepping forward and falling … Continue reading →

Crazy Love: All or Nothing

Crazy love. When I think of “crazy love”, I think of unrelenting, passionate and overwhelming love.  I think of the way I crave chocolate during finals week, or the way my dog reacts to an untouched rawhide bone.  When I think of love, I think of E.E. Cummings’ last stanza of “somewhere i have travelled, … Continue reading →

I Create Things: USC CreateAthon 2014

I consider myself a creative – most journalism students do.  I like creating things: writing copy, taking pictures, playing with design and color palettes. When prompted to join USC’s CreateAthon team, I hesitantly said yes.  For those of you that don’t know, CreateAthon is 24-hour marketing blitz that helps non-profit organizations receive marketing they otherwise could … Continue reading →