The independent news organization of Duke University
At some point, I got sick and tired of running on this prison of a hamster wheel, of endlessly chasing after this feeling called “happiness” that seemed increasingly nebulous and unattainable.
Santa may not have left a present at the foot of my bed last Christmas, but in many ways, he had already given me the greatest gift of all—a gift that will keep on giving long after he is gone.
I am still struggling and will likely continue to over the next four years. But if I could do it all over again, I would.
[My probation list] is a safe space where my friendships exist in a state of constant flux, a Goldilocks zone where people can come close but not too close for comfort, a healthy buffer that preserves my sanity in the crucible of college socialization.
As much as we love (or hate) the food, mealtimes are so much more than just nourishment for the body—especially in a communal environment like college.
In a place as diverse as Duke, each and every individual is a cultural onion like no other. I cannot wait to uncover the stories they have to tell as I peel the layers of their identities over the next four years.
If I could go back in time, I would absolutely make the same decision to defer, even if it meant starting college later than everyone else— because I owed it to myself to ensure that I came into college in the pink of mental health.
