At its core, this shift isn’t about literature — it’s about looking like a reader. Books have become an accessory, a personality trait and a status symbol. As a result, people are reading more visibly than ever. The joy of getting lost in a story, of struggling with complex ideas and of truly reading seems to be fading.
Seeing posts about European travel and its commodification made me realize that “Euro summer” is about more than just vacationing. The phenomenon has brought to light travelers’ ability — or lack thereof — to be culturally sentient and understand the world around them in a nuanced way, even if in limited quantities.
I’ve lived a lot of my life doing things in order to make my younger self proud, and I think that 6-year-old, wide-eyed me would be more than proud to see where I am today. So, I’d like to write a small ode to her and tell her of all the things I wish someone had told me.
Nostalgia’s good and bad usually exist simultaneously — the bittersweet pain of homecoming. If we are feeling down because of the past, then we need to live more in the moment. However, if we experience joy and happiness from our memories, then we should continue to let it give us hope and meaning.
My freshman year of college, I was invited to tag along to a giant dumpster fire of a fraternity party with some people on my floor. I had been to parties at this particular house before. It was a typical...
