"Loneliness is the poverty of self, solitude is the richness of self" ~May Sarton

For the last month, I have been living without a phone, and I am here to tell you that I am alive and well.

I am a survivor.

Long story short, on THON weekend, I dropped my phone in the toilet and due to panicking and slight sleep-deprivation, I turned on the phone right away which fried its insides and shut it down for good.  I finally received a working phone in the mail this week, marking nearly a full month living in the "Stone Ages" (as some of my friends have so kindly told me).  

Photo Courtesy of magicatwork

While I felt extremely disconnected from the world during this month, I cannot say that I minded.  I realized that I don't need to check Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat every other hour.  I realized that I did not miss out on anything that my friends were up to, just because I couldn't text them.  I realized that having my phone only distracts me while studying, and that I was so much more productive without it.

Society fools us into thinking that to be "connected," we need to be constantly checking social media, and that using technology is the only way to communicate.  Sure, it is fast, but much more quality conversations are always had face-to-face.  

And, while I walked to class without my phone, I made eye contact and smiled at strangers walking by without a second thought, which brightened my day.  While waiting outside of classrooms or offices for meetings, I could no longer rely on my phone as a clutch to keep me occupied.  Instead, I was much more observant of the people around me and had time to think about my day and do some self-reflection.

Photo Courtesy of Patrick Marioné

I will admit that the first few days, I felt oddly lonely.  Without my phone, I had extreme fear-of-missing-out, and felt odd not communicating with people 24/7.  However, after a while, I embraced the idea of solitude.  

"Solitude," the state of being alone, is completely different from "loneliness."  "Solitude" is often associated with peacefulness, and tranquility--being alone because you want to.   Merriam-Webster defines "loneliness" as "being without company, sad from being alone, and producing a feeling of bleakness or desolation."

So, when I went to study in the stacks without my phone, I was in complete solitude.  I accepted the fact that I had no way of reaching anyone, and no one could reach me.  I was there for one reason, to do work for a few hours and see how much I could accomplish.  That idea brought me a feeling of contentedness, and allowed me to do my best work efficiently.  I was alone because I wanted to be, and I was happy to be there.  

Solitude is really nice, and I would have never discovered this if I hadn't broken my phone.   So, the next time that something inconvenient happens to you, embrace it.  Be open to the possibility that, by adjusting to the situation at hand, you may just find a new perspective that breathes fresh air into your life.

"I don't believe in guilty pleasures. If you enjoy something, you just enjoy it. No sense feeling guilty about it." ~Cristina Moracho

What is your guilty pleasure?  Is it ice cream?  Netflix?  Shopping sprees?

Mine is The Bachelor.

Photo Courtesy of Tamara Korovina

If, by any chance, you are not familiar with the show, twenty-eight women compete for one man and the chance to become his future wife.  The show is set up so that the man, "the bachelor," goes on a group date and several one-on-one dates each episode.  He eliminates a few girls at the end of each week, until he is left with one--his fiancée.  When there are three or four women left, the bachelor meets with each of the girls' families, and in the season finale, the remaining contestants meet the bachelor's family. 

Just allow me to say--the show is absolutely insane and wrong on so many levels, and yet, I love it.

Is it right for a man to date twenty-eight women at once?  Not at all.  Is it entertaining?  Without a doubt.

Photo Courtesy of Ryan Fung

The Bachelor is undeniably my guilty pleasure because it is dramatic and shocking every week without fail.  The dates are fantastical, lavish, and completely swoon-worthy.  The mansion is beautiful and the gowns are spectacular.  In the end, the engagement ring is huge and the proposal is romantic.  Of course, all of this is artificial, but it satisfies my sweet tooth for romance, drama, and reality TV.

I am completely aware that there are much more wholesome and enriching things I could be doing with my life for two hours every Monday, but I wouldn't want to be doing anything differently.

Why should anyone have to defend their guilty pleasure?  Unless the thing you enjoy the most is destructive emotionally, or harmful to your physical well-being, just enjoy it!  My guilty pleasure allows me to stop thinking, worrying, and stressing for a few lovely hours, and I honestly look forward to Monday nights because I can't wait to relax for a change.  

Author Cristina Moracho said, "I don't believe in guilty pleasures.  If you enjoy something, you just enjoy it.  No sense feeling guilty about it."  I could not agree more.  

I think that all of us should have one guilty pleasure--something that helps us get through a tough week or allows us to let go of stress.  Indulging in a guilty pleasure is healthy in moderation, and this indulgence has the power to give us a kind of emotional and mental therapy that we all need every once in a while.

So, the next time you are sitting down to watch Extreme Couponing, Finding Bigfoot, or whatever reality TV you are most embarrassed to love, don't give it a second thought.  You are worth it.  Just concentrate on enjoying life and all that it has to offer, including television, ice cream, and shopping malls.

“Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.” ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Blast off, BJC!  Can you feel the energy?

A few short weeks ago, many of us experienced our first THON.  And if our experiences were at all similar, THON may be the most emotional, awe-inspiring event you in which you have ever participated.

From the second the doors opened to the final few minutes, the Bryce Jordan Center was full of energy, optimism, and hope.  It was incredibly moving to see so many people standing and dancing together in support of the same wonderful cause.  Confession: I teared up a little during every single line dance.

I have followed THON for the past couple years, just watching the last few minutes on the Livestream to see the total, and my high school had its first-ever Mini-THON my senior year.  As soon as I chose Penn State, I knew that I had to get involved, but I had no idea how incredible it would be to actually experience the weekend.  The countless hours that go into fundraising, preparing, and interacting with the families before the event are certainly powerful to witness, but the feeling in the Bryce Jordan Center on THON weekend as a culmination of everyone's hard work, is impossible to describe.

The Four Diamonds--Courage, Wisdom, Honesty, and Strength embody all that THON stands for, and all the qualities that can overcome the terrible disease that cancer is.  In interacting with some of the THON kids, it struck me how much more courage, wisdom, honesty, and strength they had than people three times their age.  Despite the stress and awful circumstances that they must be enduring in their fight against cancer, they are the strongest little warriors I have ever seen.

Robert Louis Stevenson said, "Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others."  In hearing the families speak, none of them ever got caught up on fear, but conveyed messages of hope, recovery, and positivity.  This quote is a perfect representation of why THON, the largest student-run philanthropy, is so successful and strong.  There are so many reasons for these families to be fearful, but their optimism makes us admire their strength, which drives us to take action, which helps families feel more secure, which gives the families hope, which gives the kids courage.  When the kids and families share their courage, there are no boundaries.

This year, THON raised $9,770,332.32 For the Kids.  According to the official THON website, more than $127 million dollars have been raised since pairing with the Four Diamonds.  With over 15,000 student volunteers and more than 400 student organizations who actively fundraise for THON, more than 3,300 families are able to be assisted directly by the Four Diamonds.  Many families never have to see a single bill.

THON weekend made me so proud to be a Penn-Stater.  The sense of community and determination here is unparalleled.  Hopefully, all our efforts this year will have a major impact in helping all the families and the kids to keep fighting so that in the future, we can dance in celebration of a cure.

(One mission, show your diamonds//Every cub a Nittany Lion)