#also sorry about the pretentious rant! I just hate that word since people were misusing it in reference to Ashton a few months ago

[allsassnoclass]

Happy happy birthday!! 🥳 Congrats on another rotation around the sun! I went to send a bday message and realized I hadn't responded to your last (idk what the term would be, response to my ask? correspondence? who knows) so i'm combining them like the rebel i am. How did your retreat go? I hope it wasn't too stressful and you were able to have a good/productive retreat. I'm sorry to hear you're also in a bad group project; it is such a frustrating situation when your group doesn't cooperate.

I didn't settle on being a geology major until last semester so it's a little new for me, but I like that it's a science that doesn't always *feel* like a science if that makes sense? Also a lot of our classes on climate change fall under the geology department and that's something I've always been interested/passionate about. Plus, plate tectonics is super wacky and neat! For writing I'm best with shorter, darker works (while I have plenty of longer ideas I do not have the ability to finish any of them lol) and also a little bit of poetry? But not a whole lot bc I think it's a hard line to walk btwn good poetry and sounding pretentious and I don't want to end up on the wrong side lol.

Anyways enough about me! How did you end up picking your major? Are you going to do anything for your birthday? I am sending loads of well wishes and good vibes your way and I hope you have a lovely birthday week -💙

hello love! thank you for the birthday message!

the retreat went well!  we had a lot of people drop during the week leading up to it so it was a really really small retreatant pool but everyone there seemed really into it.  Idk for me it was not nearly as impactful as usual, probably because I was stressed about getting everyone fed and facilitating a good retreat for my small group, but that’s okay because it seemed to be really fruitful for everyone else and the formation leading up to it was pretty good for me. as for the group project I actually got so angry about it in class today that I talked to my teacher afterwards and he’s on my side so hopefully things end up okay. I hope your group project also ends up okay!

I'm glad you’re vibing with geology! plate tectonics are super wacky and neat I agree with you there and I find it really interesting that a lot of the climate change classes fall under the geology department? I wouldn’t have expected them to be there but that’s cool that you get to study that!

I think the thing about good poetry vs pretentiousness honestly mostly has to do with the level of sincerity.  pretentiousness, by definition, includes putting more importance on something than is deserved and thinking that you’re better than others for it.  it’s performative.  if you sincerely believe in and feel what you’re writing then it’s not pretentious.  there are a lot of people out here romanticizing little things and picking apart specific, small human emotions under a magnifying glass to give them importance.  that’s not pretentious, it’s actually a good skill/mindset to have in my opinion. don’t let fear of being pretentious keep you from writing whatever poetry you want to!

I picked my major because ultimately I want to be a theatre director at a high school.  I started out as a music business major (which was super fascinating and I kind of wish I had stuck with it) but I would be most successful with that if I moved to New York, LA, or Chicago and I didn’t really want to do that. I went through a few other major combinations before landing on theatre for my only major and music and English lit for minors.  I’ll probably end up going to grad school for theatre ed so it’ll be easier for me to get my teaching certificate. but yeah basically I chose my major because I just really want to direct high school theatre and this is what my school offers that will get me close to doing that.

I did not do anything for my birthday except open the presents my parents sent me! on Friday though I'm going to have a little lunch date/study session with a friend who’s birthday was the 12th! we typically go for walks on Fridays but tbh I'm behind in homework and upset about it so he’s going to pick up lunch for us and we’re going to just do a little special meal together while still being productive.  I did also get to go to the social for our retreat today though! wasn’t sure if I'd be able to make it because I had rehearsal for theatre but I got let out early so everyone there sang happy birthday to me which was neat.

I am receiving your good vibes! holding up a mirror so some of them bounce off and go back to you, too.  how has your week been so far? what are you up to?