“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world's problems at once. But don't ever underestimate the importance you can have, because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” Michelle Obama [...]
Winter in Ohio. A wash of dull green, steel gray, lifeless browns and whites. The sky hangs close and I struggle to remember the version of myself who ran before work and grabbed drinks at sunset. The sun isn’t that big of a deal, I think, until it comes back for a few hours here [...]
In the space between 18 and 22, we’re often asked, quite broadly, what we’d like to do with our lives. It’s a question usually posed from a well-meaning adult, who’s just trying to engage with us and doesn’t know how else to relate. I've heard it over and over again: “What’s your major?” followed swiftly [...]
Last night, I went shopping for a new bathing suit. I grabbed a few of the deep purples and rich reds that I always seem to pick despite the bright, neon patterns around me and headed into a stall. A few years ago, trying on a bathing suit would’ve been a quick process I barely [...]
I am a sponge. As I make my way through life, ideas, feelings, opinions and emotions surround me on all sides, swirling about, and I soak them up. They are big and loud and bright and demand to be let in. And so I absorb them all. I am a sponge. As we talk, your energy, your [...]
This year, I have watched too many people that I love struggle. They have struggled more than any other year I can remember, and with so many different things: with the deaths of family members. Anxiety and depression. Fear for their futures after a divisive election. Illness. Rejection. It hurts me, so much, that they are hurting. [...]
It's really common as a young person today to be aloof in the pursuit of relationships and friendships. To show just the right amount of interest, send the perfectly timed text, the subtle Snapchat. Ask your favorite teenager or college student; they'll tell you all about the terms we have somehow agreed upon. It's extremely common. It's [...]
How many snap judgements have you made today? This week? How many times have you been able to write a person off based off of a story or two you've heard about them? "She's obnoxious." "He's a jerk." "What an idiot." Just like that, an entire person, reduced to just a word. Two or three [...]
The woman’s image flashed across the screen for a few moments, then vanished. Dark, glossy hair. A confident smile. Shining almond eyes. My classmates and I squinted, glancing from our papers to the screen. Shrugging, we scribbled on our papers, Asian. Soon a new woman’s portrait crossed the screen. Native American. Then a man with [...]
Bridget Cook 