We’re a society that loves labels—boxing ourselves in, sticking to the plan, following the path we think we’re supposed to take.A lot of us fall into that trap, myself included. It’s not always obvious when it’s happening, either. At what point does passion turn into limitation?When I graduated college last year, I was “the writer,” “the journalist”—the girl who loved storytelling and envisioned herself writing entertainment and culture pieces for major publications. And don’t get me wrong, I st...

No more 8 a.m. classes. No more casual catch-ups, living within walking distance of your friends, or grabbing drinks just because. No more showing up to class hungover and laughing it off.Before I graduated, people loved to warn me: “Those first few months post-grad are going to be miserable.”I didn’t believe them. I was ready to go.Of course, I knew I’d miss parts of it, my campus, my friends, the routine. But I didn’t feel attached in the way everyone said I would. And hearing those warnings o...

The color gray. It’s not white or black. It’s the in-between. The shade that doesn’t quite pair with anything. It feels dull. Flat. Uninspired.Sometimes life feels like that too. Gray.Stuck in the middle, unsure of which direction to go. Nothing quite clicking. Nothing quite fitting. It’s like you don’t pair with anything either. Everything looks gray. Sounds gray. Feels like it’s missing something.That’s the feeling I’ve been trying to shake.Lately, music has been my way out of it. The one thin...

Crust in my eyes. Cold morning air hitting my face. My body still tired and my mind still hitting snooze. The only thing that can fix this is coffee.I take a few sips before suddenly kissing the cup goodbye as the floor takes the rest.It’s 10:00 a.m. I always drink my coffee on the train before work to get my day started.Instantly irritated, all I wanted was my coffee. I never drop my drink.“F***,” slips from my lips as the cup falls.The stranger sitting to the left of me on the bench quickly sa...