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I'm a college student.  And it's weird. Weird might not even be the right word.  It is sincerely overwhelming.  In 2016, everyone knows just about everything, or are aware of it.  Same gender love is alive and well, it's considered common knowledge to address someone by the gender he/she identify with, and cultures from all over the world are being embraced.  It's a beautiful time to be alive. In the midst of it all, it's almost easier to get lost. There's hurt and pain while there's celebration and happiness.  There's anger and forgiveness.  There's pressure to know who you are.   There's pressure to be open-minded and adventurous.  There's pressure to be on a track for your life and know what you're going to do forever.  It's a lot to take in, a lot to decide, and even more to discover. Everyone says you find yourself in your twenties, yet it's also the time people want straight answers as to what you want to do with your life.  With the pressure, I think it so important to remember the journey makes the destination worth it. Your journey is what builds your life with experiences and memories, it's what makes you excited to return somewhere or inspired for your future. It's not that I don't care about giving people answers, but I always try to remember it's okay if I don't have my future entirely planned. It's okay if one month I want

Recently my lovely, kind-hearted boss married the love of her life.  Even more recently, I looked at the pictures from the celebration of love. Sitting in my lecture at 9am, I am entirely caught up in the photos of the brides.  I am in awe of their beauty and I am in awe of their love for one another.  It's evident.  Never mind the wedding dresses, the wedding rings, the wedding bouquets, never mind all of the obvious, and look.  The way they look at each other, the chemistry between the two of them as they hug each other.  It is sincerely something of a dream. I have been told I am very expressive.  My fifth grade teacher told my parents to help me control my facial expressions because my feelings are often on my face. I am a transparent person in all the right ways, you know?  One of my friends and I matched yesterday, and we took a bunch of pictures and she captioned it, "I need to find someone that looks at me the way Ari looks at me when we match." I told my boss I hope I find someone that looks at me the way she and her new wife look at each other. I know it's a beautiful experience to see people out and see them so shamelessly involved in one another.  My friends have captured numerous pictures of me looking at them, and it's

Think of the last time you communicated with someone.  What do you think of? A conversation with words, a phone call, or text? Communicating can be anything from a greeting to a wave, to simply listening. The tone of your voice can say more than your words.  When solving a conflict, it's important to keep your tone and your words kind.  Conflicts can easily be frustrating, but the way one goes about it can determine the outcome.  When discussing a problem, focus on the end goal.  What can be done to get there?  It is not about blaming one party or the other.  It is about coming to a resolution. Listening is such a vital part of communication.  It's often forgotten about amidst the words in conversation.  When you listen, you are receiving information.  When you listen, it gives you time to process what is being said.  When you listen, you take the time to decide the best way to respond.  It is not just about who can talk the longest or who has the most to say, but it's about being active on either side of the conversation. Sometimes people don't need a response from the listener at all.  Sometimes we just need someone to listen, and sometimes we just need to talk.  One way or another, it's important to be present when in conversation.

This past Labor Day, I took a trip out to the falls.  I misjudged the busyness of the falls, and when I arrived, the entire area was hosting quite the number of people. On this trip, I went alone.  The plan was to climb to the top of the fall and sit on the rock that overlooks the drop and the bank it flows into, and to read some assignments for class. Instead, I only read maybe one act of my play, spoke to people for longer than I intended, and naturally, people watched. People watching is such a funny concept that has become fairly socially accepted.  While I sat on my little perch, I watched as people talked and took pictures for each other.  Everyone smiling and watching out for each other as they climbed over rocks and through the baby currents.  It reminded me of the holiday season or a festival.  The atmosphere had such a connected, interpersonal feeling.  I sat there and thought about everyone and how they were interacting. I realized if we were all in a mall or somewhere just as goal oriented, hardly anyone would be stopping to say a small hello to a passerby.  People would not be as open as they are on a beautifully sunny day, or at a festival.  Honestly, that made me kind of sad.  I recognize everyone has their own agenda.  I'm okay with people being busy, but for