You stretch, toss and turn, and attempt to arise out of bed, you emerge; what’s the first thing you do? Instantly grab hold of your phone and gaze at what’s new.
One thing in life that fills me with true satisfaction is being struck by an epiphany. For me, the feeling of having an epiphany is a most serendipitous moment of mental clarity. For others, epiphanies are bursts of joy, with dopamine or oxytocin rushes. I suppose everyone experiences them differently. When I gain new insight on a particular aspect of life or discover something that speaks to me uniquely, I come to the realization that I'm experiencing an epiphany. And at that moment, it feels that all wrongs have been righted, and a feeling of wholeness ensues. Thereafter, I become instantly devoted to the corresponding cause or passion ignited by that very moment...
Most people are familiar with the saying, “It’s not goodbye. It's ‘see you later’.” Although I may have utilized that angle while parting from my college friends, I had a much more contrasting reaction when saying goodbye to the physical location of Old Town Orange. I lived in the heart of Orange for the past four years. What brought me there was my enrollment in Chapman University, a school that is a hidden gem. I distinctly remember the first time I flew out to tour the campus. Although I was invested in absorbing information about the school and admissions, and all that jazz, what sold me on wanting to move there was the simply adorable, humble, and subtle town that Chapman calls home.
In no way is this an attempt to gain attention or virtue signal. I just have some strong convictions about social media (Instagram in particular) that I want to document. I’m sure many would agree that a lot of growth occurs in your teens and early 20s. And us Gen-Z-ers have been given the involuntary responsibility to define social norms on these brand-new websites. As early adopters, we may not have thought ahead about certain aspects to prevent negative repercussions. Many trends are now so ingrained that they may be nearly impossible to reverse.
It’s been roughly ten years since I had my own library card. But I did, for a short time. I vividly remember going to the Scottsdale Public Library with my mom and brother after school to get new SSR books. Although I routinely darted to the section that housed the “Diary of A Wimpy Kid” books, I loved the library as a whole. There was something pleasant about going from the loud, chaotic playground at recess to one of the quietest and serene places we know of, which is intended for maximizing focus. Libraries have always been underrated, and now they’re virtually extinct due to online bookstores and e-book popularity.