Quarter-life Reflection: A Century Young And Lessons Learned
Recently, I celebrated my twenty-fifth birthday. In honor of the big quarter-life milestone, I wanted to sit down and genuinely reflect on some of what I’ve learned, felt, and experienced over the past twenty-five years and what I hope for…
Rave Party And Culture: Community Of Self-Acceptance
When I first met my partner, I quickly realized that the greatest difference between the two of us was our tastes in music. He was absolutely crazy about electronic dance music (EDM). He played it nonstop, had attended nearly every…
Vacation Days: The Benefits Of Taking A Vacation Per Year
Since my partner and I first met, we’ve dreamed of vacationing in Italy. We’re both drawn to the cultural, artistic, and culinary adventures that await overseas. However, we ended up continually putting off our trip over the years. Unfortunately, this…
The Happiness Project: A Week Of Extreme Nice
A few weeks ago, I re-read one of my favorite self-enrichment books: The Happiness Project. Written by Gretchen Rubin, the book tells the tale of a woman who dedicates a year of her life to discovering the meaning of happiness…
Body Positivity Movement: Mantras, Practices, And Comparison
Over the past few decades, personal scrutiny has intensified amidst photo-shopped, airbrushed, and otherwise unrealistic portrayals of bodies in the media. Pop culture, advertisements, and mainstream music have objectified female bodies to the point of dehumanization. Women are incessantly bombarded…
Best Self Help Books For Women Of Color
Best Self Help Books For Women: To Enrich Your Life Self help books for women have exploded over the past few decades. At least one-third of adults have purchased a self-enrichment book during their lifetime. These types of books account…
Samoan Diaspora: Millennial Thoughts On Heritage
What Does Diaspora Mean, Anyway? Diaspora refers to the scattered population of any ethnic group that has settled away from its ancestral, indigenous homeland. In recent years, the term, diaspora, has taken over pop culture. Netflix’s exceptional hit, She’s Gotta…
Beyoncé: A Case Study For Love Through Music
Part I: Lemonade by Beyoncé Beyoncé Knowles’ 2016 album, Lemonade, is the pinnacle of contemporary feminist music. The visual album is a cinematically stunning showcase of the maelstrom of emotions Queen Bey experienced when she realized her husband, Jay-Z, was…
Therapeutic Potential And Health Benefits Of Owning A Pet
Recently, my partner generously decided to pick up a second job so I could leave mine and focus entirely on school. The result: a lot of alone time for me. Solitude can certainly be embraced as a wonderful opportunity for…
My Boyfriend Wants An Open Relationship, But I Don’t
So, my boyfriend of three years recently told me that he wants an open relationship. If that wasn’t bad enough, he brought it to my knowledge in a way that makes it seem like I have no choice but to…
Mother, I Don’t Want To Get Married
My boyfriend and I have lived in the same community for pretty much our whole lives. We’ve known each other for so long that, at least to me, we’re more like brother and sister than anything else. My mother is…
