midsommar

Hey all! It's been a while. I did this photo shoot a few weeks ago to celebrate this article I wrote about Midsommar going live on HelloGiggles.

I wrote the article this summer while working in NYC as an academic assistant at the School of the New York Times, and the article finally being published gave a sort of finality to my return home. I spent my summer in my favorite city, surrounded by the most ambitious and talented people. When I tied up the loose ends on the creative endeavors I started while there, it felt like letting go of the last remnants of summer.

Returning home was much harder than I thought it would be. I'm in a much better place than I was last year, and I've learned to embrace the phase of life I'm in, but I'm still pretty isolated, and the transition coming back to my sleepy hometown from such an overstimulating place was jarring.

For the past few months I've struggled to find my creative motivation again. I've mostly been scraping by, publishing pieces that I'd written months prior. I had to adjust to small town life again, and the process of creating things in this space, where it can be harder to find inspiration. But lately I feel like I've come into my own once again.

The thing that's brought me the most comfort is remembering that my time here is temporary. I mean, life is transient of course, but my time living here is especially temporary. I'm moving next year. It's a double edged sword though, because that's also what makes it hard for me to form relationships, knowing that I'm leaving. I miss a time when pursuing friendships and relationships here seemed worthwhile.