I try my best to be honest in every post … and I’ve got to be honest, last week wasn’t my favorite. It probably makes it to the Top 5 Worst Weeks I’ve Experienced So Far (and I’m lowkey scared to see how that list transforms throughout my life…) Last Monday, I was blindsided by … More What To Do When a Friendship Ends
Do I think I’m funny? Yes, often. Do my blog ideas sometimes get out of hand? Also true. If you’ve been around The Paper Trail long enough, you shouldn’t be surprised that I’ve decided to write another article filled with my unsolicited advice (sorry). But today I want to give my unsolicited advice on why … More Giving Advice: My Advice on What Not To Do
Let me lay out my current landscape for you. I sit here, sipping the hot tea smuggled out of the dining hall on my college campus, writing a post on my self-development blog while all around me my plans fall to ashes. I’m majoring in creative writing and psychology with no clear roads in front … More 6 Fears That May Be Holding You Back From Your Passion
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
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
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
As I sit here, sipping my hot vanilla chai latte from the Starbucks right across the street from my dorm, I’m reflecting on the fact that it’s really hard to be grateful when life doesn’t seem to be following your explicit instructions. For instance, I want to be a writer. I am not a consistent … More How to Have Gratitude Even in Tough Seasons
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