The battle began at 10:00pm. Our perfectly pitched tent suddenly became the target of hurricane-like winds. I threw our bags into each of the four corners while Ten valiantly attempted to hammer the outside pegs deeper into the sand. The wind and sand seemed to get the upperhand. “Ten!” I yelled from inside the tent.… Continue reading Day 5: Chimney Rock
We needed to drive West. That was the only obligation for the day. It did not matter how far we drove, or where we ate dinner, or how many times we stopped along the way… “Ten, do you realize how free we are right now?” I was almost beside myself with the pure joy of… Continue reading Day 4: Ogallala
We expected the flatness. Long, empty stretches of highway lined with cornstalks and soybeans. The sun climbed higher into the sky as we trailed across Iowa. And it was very flat. I looked over at Ten. "Is there any place to stop along the way today?" He was the official navigator for this trip, after… Continue reading Day 3: Omaha
“Hey what’s that sign say?” I asked Ten, pointing to the brown sign by the road. He squinted as it rapidly approached and answered, “Birthplace of Ronald Reagan”. “Awesome. Wanna go?” I said, making the decision for us as I pulled off the highway at that very exit. We’d been driving a little over an… Continue reading Day 2: Cedar Rapids
Just like every epic novel needs a good prologue to set the tone, my great California road trip deserved an introductory leg. And today was the day for it. My friend (and official copilot/navigator), Ten, has been living in Wheaton for the last month. Instead of making him come all the way down to Indianapolis… Continue reading Day 1: Chicago
"So what did you earn your degree in?" I always hesitate before answering this question. For the past month, my parents have introduced me as their 'new college graduate.' Their friends smile and pay their due diligence by asking me this simple, straightforward question. Seemingly simple, I should say. I often wish I could respond… Continue reading Beginning Over Again
"Amazon is intent on completely destroying the publishing industry." My English professor dropped this bomb at the beginning of our Senior Seminar class last week. Fifteen of us sat doe-eyed around the large table, shifting in our seats uncomfortably as we tried to take in his assertion. We all had one, maybe two or three,… Continue reading Happy Endings
As I step out my front door each morning, bracing myself for the cold wind that rises with the sun, I am keenly aware of the winter that is swiftly approaching. I try to memorize the landscape: the sharp green grass, the leaves tie-dyed with the colors of fall. Winter’s blanket will soon obscure it… Continue reading Portals, Swords, and Dunkin’ Donuts
“Chicken dinner!” I yelled, pointing out the car window. Black letters had been painted onto the big white sign in a neat hand: ‘Chicken Dinner, September 17, 3:30-10:00’. “What day is today?” I asked, to no one in particular. As I scrounged around the floor of the car looking for my phone, someone in the… Continue reading Yellowstone (Lake)
My blazing adventures in Greece have settled down to a simmering ember in my memory. The warmth of the sun, the taste of the sea in the air, the exotic languages-- it all feels so distant as I shuffle from class to class in the rain and attempt to play golf with layers of jackets… Continue reading “Let Us Return to the Pilgrim’s Progress”
the buzzy place 