Yesterday, my mom was going through a bunch of old papers and finding out what things she needed to shred and get rid of. There were documents from all parts of our lives, from Duncan (my lab who passed away almost three years ago) and his many medical procedures to old school worksheets. While I was working on something else, my mom gave me a long envelope with a packet that she told me she wanted to read. In that packet? A psychological evaluation from when I was eleven years old in 6th grade. And in that packet, I had…
Two and a half years ago, I wrote about podcasting when I was beginning to explore the various interests I was diving into, from comedy to politics to niche Black subcultures. Perhaps it’s fairly routine and funny to think about the state of mind I was growing through back in August of 2018. I was ferociously trying to crank out college admissions essays and attempting to plan out my last year of high school as I took on new responsibilities at the school paper. Those podcasts today for me would at minimum be a little embarrassing to be listening to…
Last week, the relationship between me and a five-pound bag of light roast I bought ended. It was bittersweet, literally, and a tad acidic of a breakup, but I think it was for the best. We had grown too familiar with one another, and after drinking one flavor profile for two months, it was time to move on.
I’d say I’m about a year through my dive into taking coffee brewing seriously at home. Up until then, I’d been drinking coffee almost daily for three years, I’d occasionally brew a Moka pot at home haphazardly or make an espresso drink…
This past week, I’ve felt no joy or any semblance of justice.
I hadn’t followed the way the trial played out, and I never will ever watch a trial like it. I never invested any energy nor time to seek legitimacy in the settler-colonial empire that we live in. It felt painful to see how much energy was spent in wishing for a conviction that we had all but known was inevitable. I am by all means wishing nothing but strength to George Floyd’s family and that they can begin to gain some closure. …
I’m about three and a half years into writing this blog. Every single Saturday, I’ve been attempting to think about the random sporadic thoughts I have about my life. Some of those takes have aged well, others have not and I find asinine and uninformed. But the reason why I just have left things up is that frankly, I think I’d rather be transparent and honest with those I’m community with about how I’ve gotten to where I am. …
If I may begin to reflect (which I do every week), I’ve just been sitting around with the fact that things are significantly going to change in the next month. Vaccine rollouts for all adults have started in most states, cities are bustling back like usual, and maybe I’ll be in a classroom in the fall. It just seems like things may genuinely be heading closer to “normal.”
But that instinct and feeling to return to what we would consider being “normal” are unsettling to me. And this sentiment that’s only been growing in my mind since we got sent…
As I reflect almost daily about where my life will take me, I’ve spent a lot of time the past few weeks thinking about one term: “academic.”
Before I even want to consider or discuss that current thought, I’ve been reminiscing about all the previous visions for what I wanted to do when I grew up. From the earliest memories, the first “career” I thought about pursuing was being an archaeologist. My fascination with Ancient Egypt and discovering the past was enough for me to get drawn to the idea of spending the rest of my life back on the…
When I visited the British Museum and the Tower of London (home to the Crown Jewels) when I was in seventh and later eighth grade, I was confused. I saw artifacts, diamonds, books, and weapons from all corners of the world, concentrated under two roofs. And, even in my middle school mind, with little international political understanding, I asked myself and my family one question: “So when are all of these things being returned?”
In the nearly seven years since that first visit to the British Museum, I’ve grown to understand and develop what I feel like is a more…
Is there anything about this past quarter that has not been said? No.
Amidst a polar vortex, a pandemic, inflexible school-wide grading policies, winter 2021 was rough. In terms of fatigue, physical and mental exhaustion, no quarter has come close to this. I am frankly just drained. And I feel like now I’m just getting a chance to look at how everything went as a whole, from then to now.
The first few weeks of the quarter were surprisingly mellow. I had felt like I was on top of everything and was pacing myself well. My readings were really up…
Tomorrow will have been one year since I wrote a blog post I never knew I would ever write.
A year ago this past week, COVID-19 was declared a worldwide pandemic, and I along with all of my classmates were booted off campus to go home at the end of spring quarter. It was amidst packing up, saying our goodbyes, and somehow completing finals that I was reassured that my approach to college was the right decision: live it to the fullest. Those first two quarters, I sought most to attend whatever events, concerts, or talks I could. …
Noah Tesfaye
Just someone trying to share my story and find who I am, one post at a time
