50 Notable Songs of the Decade

A little while back, my dad posted a status on Facebook, asking for new album recommendations. Of course, I saw this and was inspired to post a status of my own (absolutely typical, as my dad and I are “the exact same person” - my mom). The guidelines of my post, pretty much the same as my dad’s, were an album that you think the entire world absolutely needs to hear, but no country music, no Post Malone, Travis Scott (that genre), and preferably no rap unless you think it to be a complete masterpiece that I’m really missing out if I don’t hear.

Read More

Bias, more like BiASS

After I got into Michigan, before I was even thinking about freshman class registration, I remember my dad telling me that I absolutely need to take John U. Bacon’s class, “the History of College Athletics”. Each semester since, I’ve searched for the class on the course guide, but each time to no avail. Finally, this summer, Bacon announced that he’d be teaching not only the History of College Athletics, but also a course titled "Leading by Coaching”. Well, the History of College Athletics was an 8:30 class, and I had managed to create a schedule that did not start before 10am any day of the week, and that also did not have any Friday classes worked in. Fortunately, Leading by Coaching was at 11:30, so this decision was a no-brainer.

Read More

You Know What They Say When You Assume!

As I’m mostly settled into my new apartment in Ann Arbor, and a week fraught with great times comes to a close, I am looking forward to beginning the academic year today. I’m getting used to life in Ann Arbor for another year, and I am nothing short of optimistic, elated, and proud to be here. Yesterday, I attended “Pride Outside”, the University’s LGBTQ+ pride festival. It was a really nice culmination of my first week back—I felt proud to be a part of the University’s community, as well as the LGBTQ+ community.

Read More

One Man's Trash...

It’s incredibly unorthodox in terms of my personal style to open with a quote, but I want to draw your attention to the lyrics of Ed Sheeran’s “Castle on the Hill”: “Found my heart and broke it here // Made friends and lost them through the years // And I've not seen the roaring fields in so long, I know I've grown // But I can't wait to go home”.

Read More

Today

When I was younger, my family would play Rock Band on our Xbox just about every night. We took the game pretty seriously—we bought the drum kit, the microphone, the guitar, and the bass, so that all four of us could play at the same time. We each had our favorite song selections from the game, and of course I would quickly grow tired of my brother’s favorites (I went through a phase of hating the band Cheap Trick because of the frequency at which we would have to play the song “Hello There” per Tony’s request). Among others that we all loved though, were “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads, “Give It Away” by the Beastie Boys, and “Today” by the Smashing Pumpkins.

Read More

Religious Changes in College

For the entire second half of high school, I would recite the Shema before bed just about every single night without fail. It wasn’t until the fall of my freshman year that this routine started to dwindle, and now it’s become a rare occasion for me to find myself saying the lines before bed. This has never been purposeful; I’ve just simply grown out of the habit, and I hardly think about it before bed anymore.

Read More

Don't Forget Where You Belong

When driving, I have a pretty much set rotation of albums, bands, and playlists that I listen to. When I get in the car, I usually make the decision based on my mood, combined with the weather outside, as well as whose music feels the most relatable in the moment (it’s an extensive process). Typically, I decide on artists such as Quinn XCII, Third Eye Blind, The 1975, or Wilco, just to name a few.

Read More

Welcome!

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to check out my blog! I’m excited to launch this new chapter in my life, and for the ability to share with all of you the inner workings of my mind!

On the way to walk one of my favorite Wag! dogs the other day, my dad and I were talking about what I might want to expand upon for the latter half of my undergraduate career. Prior to last winter, I was pursuing the Pre-medical track, with aspirations to attend medical school. My passion has always been English, however, so at the beginning of my sophomore year I declared a major in English with the intention of continuing to take the classes required to apply for medical school. Roughly halfway through that winter semester, I came to the realization that I was not passionate about the classes I was taking, and it did not feel as though I was spending my time and funds in a way that was truly fulfilling. After a discouraging exam grade in organic chemistry, a relatively careless and ever-frustrating biology professor, and an inspiring and reassuring relationship with a fiction workshop professor, I decided to withdraw from chemistry, and no longer pursue a track in the sciences.

Since, I have begun thinking about my future aspirations, and after talking with my dad, I figured starting a blog may not be an awful idea. I am eager to start sharing my thoughts, ideas, and opinions with the world, and I look forward to the potential opportunities this project may bring me down the road!