“If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?” It’s such a broad question I struggle to find an answer. I suppose most people would respond that they’d ask for a tree that grew money, or a genie, or super powers. All of these answers seem too easy—too selfish. I stir the straw of my drink three times, as if I’ll find an answer in the contents of my watered down lemonade. The liquid and tiny ice cubes spin around and around in circles, like an underwater tornado. A wrinkled old man sporting a pair of thick black-brimmed glasses at the table next to me is reading The New York Times. Although his face is matured and spotted brown from years in the sun, his eyes are bright. He greets a kind, crooked smile to a golden retriever that eagerly sniffs the man’s wing tip Italian leather shoes. He lifts up his grey fedora, revealing slicked back white puffs of hair. Out of the right pocket of his sports coat, he whips …

This is what is expected of a girl: Picking apart everything about yourself until you’ve run dry, until the only thing you crave more than being beautiful is attention from a man. Your sadness is only meant to exist so that a man can fulfill you, complete you because you are incomplete without him; being whole on your own is not enough. We were taught to look up to a certain type of model. Our society teaches us that the ideal female is one that is mysterious (but not TOO mysterious), allusive, skinny (but not TOO skinny), acne free, you aren’t pretty without makeup (but you can’t wear too much), confident (but not cocky), and interesting (but not inside the borderline of being strange). Every girl is your competetion, not friend. Women are flowery, fragile. Women are supposed to be looked at, are supposed to cook and reproduce. Your body is theirs, not yours, not anymore. This is what is expected of a guy: Boys are taught to “man up”. Men don’t cry, even if you are hurt, …

Feminism is one of the most controversial and misunderstood concepts in our society today. Before confusing those who don’t know what feminism is, here is the exact definition:  Key word: Equality I spent years scrunching my nose and rolling my eyes when I heard the word feminism. I would scoff and claim to be high above what seemed to be a silly notion to me. My lack of understanding and education caused me to see feminism as nothing more than women who believed they were better than men and didn’t want to wear shirts. Going into my sophomore year of high school I read a poem online that changed the way I would see feminism forever. “I AM A FEMINIST            For every trans woman who’s been slaughtered solely for existing. I AM A FEMINIST            Because Malala Yousafzai took a bullet to the brain for wanting an education. I AM A FEMINIST            For every lesbian, bisexual and pansexual woman who’s been sexually objectified. I …

A month ago, I returned home from a trip to Australia with National Geographic. Many people back home were curious what my on assignment project for studying wildlife and biodiversity consisted of. A lovely Canadian named Beverly and I were assigned to work specifically on the Great Barrier Reef. We decided our final would consist of sharing some insight and education on the reef and some tips on how to protect it. The following piece will be submitted into a book that will combine every final project: Hot sun kisses my back as a cold wind dances through my hair. Splash! The cold water shocks my skin like an electric eel. Every hue of blue you could imagine rests in the rocky waters I’ve just jumped into. Through the yellow mask strapped to my head, the world underneath me looks like every snorkeling brochure I’ve ever seen. Fish of every color swarm below me. I make eye contact with a huge Hump-headed Maori Wrasse (Cheilinus undulates) and he quickly tries to scurry off. In this moment it …

Don’t tell me that my eyes are like stars Don’t tell me my hair is soft as silk Do not tell me I am beautiful just based off of the skin I was born in, the bone placement I did not pick, and the voice I speak with Tell me my mind is a terrible, terrifying, intriguting place Tell me that my dreams are orange sunlight hitting skyscrapers in the late afternoon, making the whole city look on fire Tell me through chokes of laughter that you never want to leave my side because no one can make your insides glow like that My mind is who I am My words and actions are a reflection of who I choose to be My outsides consist of a genetic assignment I am not a body or face I am soul

I spent three weeks in Australia with National Geographic. I met incredible people, saw some kangaroos, and swam in crystal clear waters. Enjoy.

  This is my favorite passage from one of the best books I’ve ever read. The bold parts are the ones that really stood out to me and made me think: “I’d like to repeat the advice that I gave you before, in that I think you really should make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, …

These are some personal notes I reworked from my journal + some beautiful photos I took this past week. I take three deep breaths, clench and unclench my trembling hands, and repeat the mantra that has been circling through my head for days, “The world is a beautiful place and I am no longer afraid to die.” For two years I’ve missed out on countless incredible opportunities because my anxiety controlled me. This year the anxiety became so bad there were a lot of days where I couldn’t even leave my house. I put myself in a tiny box and tightly sealed the lid, allowing myself to stay in the abyss of my comfort zone. Coming from a family that travels a lot, I struggled to keep up with the outgoing mindset everyone had about all the activities we would do while on these trips. As a result, I would just insist everyone should go ahead because I wanted to practice my ukulele or go for a walk. Endless excuses spilled out like ink on a piece of paper. My …

1.) Get Inspired   I know it sounds ridiculously cliché to read quotes to find inspiration, but I can’t count the number of times on both my hands and feet I have felt something powerful from the words of someone else. In moments that I feel frustrated or stuck I read little pieces of Demi Lovato’s, Staying Strong 365 Days A Year. My friend Grace and I sat on my bedroom floor for hours, hunched over this book, flipping through the pages and ripping out the quotes we liked most. Next time you can’t inspire yourself, allow the words of someone else to create that for you. 2.) Regroup, Take a breath Chances are your mind is clogged because of the amount of pressure you’re facing in your daily life. Meditation is not just a religious activity, it is spiritual for the soul. 3.) Find some new music, create some new music  \   I’ve been writing silly little songs that seem to resemble Ingrid Michelson’s style. The simplicity combined with the easygoing lyrics make for a …