Note: This blog post pairs nicely with Taylor Swift's "A Place in this World" or “The Outside” I don't know what's worse: a pity invite to the party or none at all. Either way, it bruises my ego all the same. I thought middle school would be the end of that bitter embarrassment when your classmate doesn't hand you an invite to their party at the bowling alley, but it turns out, that familiar feeling comes around again when the girl you've been trying to make plans with invit

It seems everyone my age is doing something totally different -- one is a mom of 2 while one has decided she doesn't want kids; one just got engaged while another has never dated; one is living at home, another moved out of the country; one is in a long-term relationship while the other just wants a Saturday night kiss in the back of the club; one is starting a business while the other has just started their 3rd degree; one is buying a house while another can hardly afford re

Throughout middle and high school, my girlfriends and I would celebrate Anti-Valentine's Day. While others adorned themselves in heart-patterned clothing and head-to-toe pink, we single ladies wore graphic tees with broken hearts and covered ourselves in shades of black. While the girlfriends got their teddy-grams and flowers, we rolled our eyes and pretended like we were above it. Maybe there was just a part of us that wanted to be contrarian, but for me, it was more about h

Have you ever felt embarrassed or ashamed to admit you feel lonely? I certainly have. But here’s something I've learned about loneliness: it doesn’t matter how much you do or how big the group is you're doing it with. The cure for loneliness is not found in being busier or even surrounded by many people; it’s more about truly being seen and known, which takes vulnerability. But feeling safe enough to be vulnerable with someone takes time, doesn't it? So, how do we find the pe

There is a reality to living abroad that cannot truly be anticipated, and it's a reality you have to live in order to really understand...