My thoughts tend to interrupt themselves. They crash and burn on the interstate that is my brain. Yep, every day feels like a multi-car wreck when tasks, reminders, and ideas constantly weave between my neurons. Sounds relatable? I'm not surprised. People barely have time to control their surroundings let alone their own minds. We all…
Hi! My name is Emily O’Malley, and I’m Hannah’s roommate. I’d like to think that we lucked out; it isn’t every day that your roommate is also in your major! Since I didn’t plan on majoring in English before starting college, she and I didn’t coordinate it, but I love it. The most important thing…
Poor Grammar. It has such a strong, hateful stereotype, doesn't it? People call it unnecessary, ugly, devious, and even sadistic. But Grammar and its convention henchmen are actually quite helpful and vital to the English language, at least literarily. The trick is how to use it. Sometimes, people forget that the point of grammar is…
Conversations about my writing usually go something like this: "How is your book going?" "It's going." "When will it be published?" "It's a work in progress," I usually say with a sigh. And it is. Compiling a book of any kind takes months or, more often than not, years of work. For instance, the drafts…
Great news! On Literative.com, a website for writers to hone their craft, my piece "When People Watching" won first place in the June writing contest. This month's contest was supported by Endless Beautiful, an organization dedicated to inspiring writers and artists alike. You can view my winning piece here, as well as the second and…
While I was growing up, my father said that it wouldn't be smart for me to become a writer. In middle school, I used to pride myself in the idea that I would, one day, find myself to be a famous author. I'd hand my father a short story as he reclined on the couch,…
If you live in the United States, you know that tomorrow is the blissful, food-filled day of Thanksgiving. Although every family upholds their own set of traditions, I thought I'd let you in on a personal tradition (one I started last year) that you can follow, too. There is a small, pale, wooden box that…
‘Tis the season for college applications. If you are a senior in high school or a transfer student, you are most likely in the midst of writing the most important essays (arguably) you will ever write in your life. More than anything, word count seems to be the bane of any student's existence. Supplemental essays…
Dear Future Wanderer, The present is flooded with the desire to know the future; people incessantly want to know what will happen rather than what is happening. With this in mind, I hope you understand that, in this letter, I refuse to ask you questions. I will not demand answers because I am not meant…
Time is a liquid. We carry it throughout the day in our cupped hands; we slosh it around as the hours pass; we watch as droplets fall unto the ground when we stress and when we are unproductive; we watch time glide down our fingers when we procrastinate. And when the day is over, we throw our…
2B or Not 2B 