One of the nerdiest things about me is my intense love of writing theory. I love analyzing plot structures, foreshadowing, realistic dialogue, and effective story pacing. Sometimes I wonder why I decided to start a self-development blog rather than a writing theory blog. Perhaps if I go through an emotional crisis, you’ll start seeing fanatic … More Character Paradoxes: Fun for Fiction, but Not For Life
In personality psychology, there are several different theories trying to define and explain our “core” personality traits. You’ve probably heard of questionnaires like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Cattell’s 16 personality factors (16PF), and the most recent (and most scientifically replicated) Big Five personalities. Another personality theory is Eysenck’s Hierarchal Model, which includes three main, … More Introverts Are More Than Their Introversion
I feel like everyone is quick to talk about negative feedback. No matter what your goals are, there’s always going to be a rough patch. There’s always going to be a critic telling you not to try. There’s always going to be discouragement. When I said I wanted to be a writer, the first thing … More How To Take Encouragement
This new year, I hoped to refocus my attention on my writing growth. All the things: be a consistent writer, become more confident, spend time learning, actually post on my blog every week. The first week was great. I achieved 2 out of 3 of my writing goals, which isn’t bad considering before I was … More The Latest In Erin’s Life: New Semester Fiasco
When my mom dropped me off at college for the first time, I basically had to fend for myself. I didn’t know the campus. I had no friends. I had no idea winter could be so cold. Self-preservation kicked in and I became an extrovert for 2.5 weeks. I talked to random students as we … More Why Being Your Own Advocate Isn’t Enough
Everyone has their own world to take care of. In college, every student is finding a way to survive, succeed, and flourish. Some people define this as going to lots of parties and making experiences. Others define it as academic success and pursue what would look good on a resume. I have my own world … More Prioritizing Community in a “Take” Culture
And once again… it is the last day of the year. Goodbye 2021, forever. I think we were all more excited last year when we got to kiss 2020 goodbye. In case you want a refresher on 2020, the “nonstop train ride through hell” (a direct quote from me in 2020), read “If 2020 Were … More Welcoming 2022 With Glee
The new year is almost upon us. All the mystery anxiously weighing on our shoulders. Will 2022 be a worse version of 2020? Will 2022 be the break we deserve, with cupcakes and rainbows and absolutely no crying? Perhaps, like me, you’re a little apprehensive about another new year. After all, I’ve got things to … More How To Get Rid of Anxious, Hypothetical Thinking in the New Year
Another semester of my life is coming to a close, so another recap is in order. Recall that the Paper Trail is a reflective experience – in a couple years, I want to be able to look back on my electronic “paper trail” and see how far I’ve come. Every once in a while, I … More A Semester in Review: All the Things, No Time To Do Them
As you may have noticed… I haven’t been consistently posting for the past few months. I didn’t post last Monday, and despite my best intentions, I simply couldn’t write up a post for today either. Me being me, I was completely, 100% prepared to pretend I would still have time to blog in the coming … More Life Update: A Pause on Posting
The Paper Trail 