Just Say It

My friend Ishani says whatever is on her mind. Once, quite seriously, she told a professor not to expect her to be in class much because it was at 8:30 AM and she simply cannot manage to get up. She says what everyone else is thinking, without apology.

Although I wouldn't go that far, lately I've taken to saying the superfluous things that come to my mind. You know what I'm saying, when you see an acquaintance and you think to yourself, "hey, she gave a really great presentation in class yesterday" or "I really like her shoes", but most of the time they are just passing observations and remain unsaid because you may not even remember the person's name. But since I've found myself traveling solo this year at TCNJ, I've found that those little remarks give me a sense of human connection, and in the process I hope that I brighten their day too. Ever since my friend Onion committed suicide last month, I've been more in tune to the subtleties of human interaction. A short exchange of words can change the course of a person's day, and one day can change the course of a life.

A Few Scattered Chords

Every afternoon, the boy living in the room above me sings and plays his guitar. I don't know who he is, and I probably never will. More often than not, it's a welcome distraction. I lay on my bed and look up at the trees, as my room is partially underground in the basement of Centennial Hall. I catch melodies and words, but most are distorted as they travel through the thin walls. But it doesn't matter. It's comforting to know that I'm not the only one sitting alone, foregoing my work and thinking of nothing but the solitude of that moment. It's a precious, refreshing melancholy. I've learned in college that most things aren't meant to last forever, and that life is a collection of moments that you choose to do with as you wish. After this semester is over, I'll never live in a dorm room again, and my "traditional" college experience will soon be a distant memory. But that's okay. Once the pain of the broken friendships fades, I'll have memories like this, of being a twenty-year-old student caught in the middle of childhood and adulthood, listening to the falling rain punctuated by a few scattered chords.

Something to Brighten Your Day?

So my boyfriend showed me this video yesterday - it's a 13 year old Korean boy named Sungha Jung, he's a famous guitar prodigy on YouTube. I'll let the music speak for itself.

Seen Here Playing "More Than Words" by Extreme

Hello Everyone, I Should Be Writing A Final Paper

It's the last week of classes here at TCNJ, and I am in the process of writing a 15-20 page paper about the Jews in the Habsburg and Ottoman Empires (well, I've clearly taken a not-so-well-deserved break...). I tend to write about the Jews a lot, if they had a minor in Jewish history I would probably opt for that. I can't really tell you how or why this interest arose.

Anyway, so I noticed that a few friends of mine had started blogging, and I really can't tell you what I plan to accomplish by making my own, but here we are. I titled it "Alhamdulillah", which is one of my favorite Arabic words. It is used in a variety of ways, but most basically it translates as "Praise to God". I am deeply blessed in my life and I love the Arabic language, so it combines two of my favorite things. I also opted for a pink background, because who needs more sadness in life by looking at dark, scary colors? I know I could use a pick-me-up. I'm taking a class entitled "Holocaust", enough said.