CW: PTSD As we meet new people, we have many questions that may come up, whether it be what someone does for work, inquiries about their family, or where they were born. When we think about family, this can also include our pets. For many of us, our animals are truly part of our family. […]
When you bottle up negative emotions, it can add extra stress to your life and body. This can make dealing with anything much more difficult. It can also lead to angry outbursts or eventually depression. If you only rely on reaching inwards during times of difficulty, it can be tough to try and console yourself. […]
CW: Suicide My Grandma and Grandpa have been two of the most important people in my life since the moment I was born. For just over 19 years, I never had to imagine life without either of them, until last November, when my Grandpa passed away. This was a gut-wrenching few months for my family […]
By the age of 10, I had already moved eight times. Since then, I’ve moved six more. The first few times, I remember being frustrated at having to shove my favorite toys into boxes and the U-Haul truck pulling in and out of my driveway. As I got older, I adopted an angsty attitude toward […]
It can be hard to know how to support your friends when they’re struggling. Even if you can relate to what they’re going through with a similar experience, it can still be a challenge to support them. If a friend is going through something relatably difficult, think about what you would’ve needed to hear at […]
CW: Alcoholism/Abuse A year ago, my life felt harder than it ever had before. Having a therapist at the time to talk it over with made it easier for me to recognize what I needed. I was taking on too many responsibilities while running on empty. I was always “mature for my age”, but I […]
Unfortunately, “no school November” has come to an end, and with that marks the transition into the holiday season. While my state hasn’t had any snow just yet, I can smell that freezing flurry looming in the air. I am looking forward to building snowmen with my little sister, experiencing my brother feeling the magic […]
Picture this: a friend of yours confronts you with a problem they are going through, maybe a break up or family drama, distraught and upset. They are coming to you in a hard-to-approach state, and you don’t know what to do. We’ve all been there, myself included. It seems like a daunting situation, one that […]
In the early summer of 2019, my mom introduced my sister and I to a man and his daughter. Three years later, they are living with us and a lot has changed. To others, it probably seems pretty cut and dry, a simple blended family situation. However, we face problems every day and struggle to […]
Content Warning: Mentions stories involving depression, suicidal thoughts, abuse, and more. If you are like me, you may enjoy books that feature characters and plotlines that are different from the people and experiences involved in our own lives. Writers like to call this a “window,” because you are getting a glimpse as to how others […]