It’s been a Sunday tradition (and week necessity) to attend church on Sunday, and I simply knew that my stranger of the day was in the room from the very first minute of the sermon this morning. As I was walking out (and heading straight for a coffee refill from the lobby), I met Gina Daugherty, a member of the serving team at Velocity Church in downtown Lawrence. Gina is 28 years old, and finds herself residing in Lawrence, Kansas while her husband attends the University for a graduate degree in Politics. Originally from Ohio, Gina is hopeful for the … Continue reading 100 Strangers: #4

Another unusually hot Saturday, but that didn’t deter me from going to watch some Kansas football (I actually enjoy the band equally if not more, but that’s an entirely different subject). Looking around for a stranger was so easy it became hard. I had so many options to choose from that I simply couldn’t decide. After getting awkwardly denied by one, I found my way to an approachable woman in uniform, and am so glad to have met Linda En, a 40 year-old Kansas University Police Medical Center from Kansas City. While Linda dedicates her time to serving the public, … Continue reading 100 Strangers: #3

On this unusually hot, humid Friday night in downtown Kansas City, I met my second stranger. My boyfriend and I were wandering around aimlessly, admiring the Tiffany diamonds and colorful paintings lined up at the art festival, but an all-too familiar bookstore caught my attention. As a writer, I have an unwritten rule that I can’t just walk past a Barnes and Noble without stopping. Having the patience and self-composure that I’ve never seemed to master, my boyfriend diligently followed me around as I read the back covers of dozens of books and mumbled about literature and publishing. Suddenly, out … Continue reading 100 Strangers: #2

Today, despite my nerves and shaky hands, I met my first stranger. First off, I contemplated chickening out of the project several times. In fact, my entire twenty-minute walk back from class consisted of talking myself out of actually approaching and singling out a stranger. What if they looked busy? What if they gave me a creepy answer and started stalking me? What if they laughed at me? Or worse, what if they said… no? Trying to tune out the typical war between my brain and my heart, I began to pace around the lobby floor of my dorm. I … Continue reading 100 Strangers: #1

I’ve made it officially through my first month of college. I have yet to gain the freshmen fifteen, a large number of friends, and a sense of understanding football. The things I have gained include (but are not limited to) a best friend/roommate/long-lost sister, incredibly toned legs due to my nearly five mile daily walk around campus, an idea of my future career, and a general sense of direction. The pros tend to outweigh the cons these days, I am happy to report. However, let’s turn back to that lack of large number of friends… I don’t have any excuse any more. … Continue reading 100 Strangers

Dear Brain, It’s been a hot minute since I took the time to sit down and address you, but if not now then when? I’ve been doing my best to live in the moment lately, but there are just too many things falling off my to-do list these days that I’m just hanging on for the ride. Have you noticed it too? That this whole “freshmen year” “off to college” “survival of the fittest (on your own)” kind of thing is just a giant roller coaster ride? It’s been three weeks and we’ve already made the rounds around the track, … Continue reading An Open Letter to My Brain III

As I’ve previously mentioned, I’m not the most athletically inclined person on the planet. And yet, I can still shoot a free-throw in basketball, ace a serve in tennis, and bike up steep hills (not that anyone would want to do this, ever). But my friends and family make these activities look like child’s play. They can catch fastballs, run long-distance, lift very heavy weights, and tackle giant boys in thick pads and helmets. This is impressive, and I prefer to observe all this impressive-ness from the bleachers. My boyfriend of nearly a year is a football player, and looks … Continue reading Butter Fingers