#i am living luxurious.. this is the life of peak luxury ...

[tamagotchikgs]

one of lifes greatest joys is having a fresh tissue after being tissueless

[thatacotargirl]

Hiii, I saw your posts about taking requests! (loving Shadows and Surprises btw 👏)

How about a nice fluffy one-shot (take your pick of the bat-boys 😊) where reader wakes up on her cycle with bloody sheets and bad cramps, and she starts apologising about the sheets but she's in a lot of pain, but he immediately takes care of her and pampers her (changes sheets, runs her a bath, gives tea and chocolate, lots of cuddles and kisses, etc)

Ahhh I love this, it's so cute! Thank you so much for the request - I hope enjoy!

Inbox is open for requests so please do send any through!

Warnings: blood, vomit, general pain (?)

To the Ends of the Earth

A Cassian x Reader Imagine

It had been a few months since Rhysand had introduced you to his Inner Circle. What started off as a small part-time job working on his accounts and book-keeping turned into a full-time lifestyle. After the first 2 weeks of proving yourself invaluable to him and his Court, Rhys invited you to move into the House of Wind and work alongside him full-time. Your tiny studio apartment with mould, rats, and goodness knows what else inside the walls was not the most luxurious of lifestyles, and you had already grown so attached to the rest of the Inner Circle that you jumped at the opportunity. It also helped that you had developed a teeny tiny crush on the delicious male that was Cassian, so living in the same home as him made life just that little bit sweeter.

Life had, truthfully, never been better.

Yet today, you felt sluggish. Tired. Frustrated. And what made it worse was that you had no reason to feel that way. You had slept well, eaten well, trained that morning - you should be at the peak of your health. But today was finding every possible way to challenge you. After confusing an 8 for a 3 for the third time that afternoon, you threw your pen across the study in complete exasperation. What was going on!

At that moment, the study door cracked on a touch, and the familiar scent of Cassian wafted in.

"Are you ok in here y/n? I heard a bang?". A bang was an understatement considering you had chucked a gigantic book on the floor in your frustration that near shook the House.

"Yes I am fine" you replied through gritted teeth, refusing to turn and look at him. You had tears in your eyes for reasons you could not explain, and you didn't want him to see you like that. Why on earth were you now crying over a 3?!

Cassian walked over to you and gently held your chin, pulling your face to look at him. You breathed in his scent, feeling an instant calm, and took a deep breath. When your eyes met his, Cassian looked at you with concern.

"You look exhausted, y/n, have you been sleeping?" he asked.

"Yes, Cassian, I have been sleeping - I think I'm just having a bad day that's all" you replied, a little too harshly, pulling your eyes away from his so he couldn't see the tears re-forming in response to his gentle worrying. You response made Cassian's concern grow, so he bent down, scooped you off the chair, and carried you out of the study.

"CASSIAN PUT ME DOWN" you shouted, smacking at his shoulders, mindful to avoid his wings.

"Not a chance. You look like you need to sleep, and considering you nearly bit my head off when I asked, I am insisting that you at least humour me with a one hour nap" he retorted, carrying you up the stairs to the second floor. You noticed that you passed your own bedroom door, and had been walked straight into Cassian's. He put you down on his bed and walked over to draw his curtains. You started to protest, but you couldn't deny that his bed was particularly comfy, and his scent had such a calming effect on you that your lids were already getting heavy.

"Sleep", Cassian said, pulling the duvet up to your chin. "I will wake you in an hour".

You wanted to argue back, but you hadn't truly realised how tired you were, and with the warmth, the scent, the darkness, the quiet, you found yourself quickly drifting off for your Cassian-prescribed nap.

-

The door creaked open exactly one hour late, and Cassian froze. He couldn't sense a threat, couldn't see anyone in his room besides you still curled up asleep in his bed, but he could scent blood. He padded over to you, concern lacing his voice as he gentle called your name and shook your shoulder to wake you.

"y/n? It's been an hour, are you ready to get up?" he asked, sitting carefully on the edge of the bed. You stirred and slowly leant up on your elbows, peering at him with half-asleep eyes. You opened your mouth to respond, but suddenly felt yourself hit with an intense stomach cramp and your mouth watered with nausea. You flew from the bed, pushing Cassian to the side as you headed straight for his bathroom. A few moments later and Cassian was beside you, holding your hair and rubbing your back.

When you had finished, he carefully leaned you back against the edge of the bathtub.

"Are you ok?" he asked, his face etched with worry.

"Better now I think", you replied, "I'm so sorry Cassian I don't know what came over me, maybe I ate something funny, I was feeling a bit off all day before you found me".

"So when I asked if you were ok earlier, you lied" he said, although the corners of his mouth tipped up into a small smile.

"Potentially" was all you could get out, before another wave of pain and nausea took over your body and you crawled back towards the toilet.

"I'm just going to head down and get you a glass of water, ok? Stay here" he ordered, before turning quickly on his heels and heading out.

After you had finished, Cassian still hadn't returned, so you decided to hoist yourself up and get back into his bed, feeling a bit better on the nausea side - although still having some stomach cramps. It was when you reached the side of the bed you had been sleeping on that you looked down and saw the large pool of blood covering the bed sheets. Gazing down, you realised it was not only covering the bed, but also covering you - bright red coating the entire inside seam of your pale blue leggings, almost down to your knees. You shook violently, panic and embarrassment taking over your entire body. You quickly threw Cassian's pillows on the floor and started to tear at the bedding, wanting to get it off and change it as quickly as you could before he could realise, but you had barely got half of the bed sheet off the giant bed before Cassian re-appeared in the doorway.

You turned to face him, a tray in his hands, and crumpled onto the floor. This is exactly what you needed today - the hot General that you have a major crush on has tried to do something nice for you and you have completely put your foot in it and destroyed his bed. Great. Just fab.

"Hey hey" Cassian quickly put the tray on his desk before dropping down to your level. "What's the matter?" he asked. You couldn't even get the words out between your sobs, gesturing blindly at the bed and yourself. You hid your face in your hands, utterly mortified.

Cassian's confusion was so evident that you dared to glance up at him. "Are you ok?" was all he asked. You nodded, then shook your head, then resumed sobbing. He pulled you into his chest and let you continue until your tears turned to small sniffs.

"I guessed when I opened the door" he said quietly, his hands stroking through your hair. "Your mad dash to the toilet was all the confirmation I needed - you almost sent me flying off the bed and, whilst I train you well, you're not normally that strong" he teased.

"I'm so sorry" was all you could get out, head still buried in his chest.

"Nonsense, what is there to be sorry about?" he asked.

"I ruined your bed".

Cassian laughed and helped you both stand up. "I quite literally cause people to bleed for a living. A bit on my bed is hardly cause for concern". He guided you over to the tray he had brought upstairs.

"So, I have got you some peppermint tea to help with the nausea, Rhys gave me a tonic he gives to Feyre to help with the pain - but he said Feyre always complains about how bad it tastes, so there's a lemon drop sweet for after just in case - and I stole a slice of Elain's chocolate cake that was in the fridge because I thought you might like that - oh and some cheese. I'm not sure why, but I thought you might want some, I always think cheese helps make any situation better, but maybe not if you've been sick..."

He was so excited as he showed you all the goodies he had found for you that your embarrassment fell away completely, even though you realised he must have announced your situation to the entire house downstairs. Before you could make any comment, he grasped your shoulders and walked you back to the bathroom, where the House had run you a lavender scented bath.

"Hop in the bath, freshen up, and you can enjoy the cake" he said, with a beam. He handed you a fresh set of pyjamas he had taken from your room and closed the door behind himself to give you some privacy.

After your soak, you changed and headed back into his bedroom. The sheets were fresh, with no sign of your incident, and Cassian was lounging on his side with a book in hand. You noticed that the book you had been reading, a smutty romance recommended by the House, was resting on the other pillow. Cassian must have grabbed it from your room when he got the pyjamas. He smiled at you when you came back and offered you a hand to climb onto the bed next to him.

"You are staying in here tonight, ok?" he said, "I don't want you to be alone and refuse help if you need it, especially since you were so stubborn earlier".

You laughed, quite happy to stay in Cassian's bed. He pulled the tray over to you both and offered you the peppermint tea and a fork for the chocolate cake.

"OH WAIT, take the tonic first!" he said, handing it to you. Feyre was right, it was disgusting. But, it did help the dull ache in your stomach, enough so that you were able to happily enjoy your slice of stolen chocolate cake. You made a mental note to apologise to Elain tomorrow.

After you were quite full and content, and had settled down to read for a while, you felt your eyes getting heavy again. Cassian noticed, and pulled you into him. You revelled in the comfort, enjoying every moment of it - you didn't think you'd ever get another chance to be this close to him and you certainly weren't going to pass it up.

"Sleep", he said "it'll help". He started to read aloud from his book, helping you to ease into a deep, deep sleep. One of the best sleeps of your life.

"Thank you, Cassian, for everything" you mumbled, eyes closed.

"You are welcome, y/n" he replied, pulling you closer to his body.

You were silent then, your body and eyes heavy, your brain slowly quieting and shutting down for the night. You felt Cassian lean down, assuming you had fallen asleep, and place a gentle kiss on the top of your head. As sleep called to you, you heard him very quietly whisper into the dark, "I would go to the ends of the Earth for you, y/n".

[andypantsx3]

A few months into your relationship, Shouto catches on to your weird behavior around his apartment.

“I don’t want to ruin anything,” you finally admit when he notes his observation—about how you tiptoe around his living room of designer furnishings, how you never seem to settle comfortably into his couch, how you carry his glassware with all the pomp and ceremony of an Olympic torch.

“They are just things. This is a home,” Shouto says, like that at all negates the fact that you could break a single one of his salad bowls and spend the rest of your life repaying the debt.

“Hella expensive things in a very nice home,” you reply. “I am not falling asleep and accidentally drooling onto your ten bajillion dollar couch, Shouto.”

Only the tiniest of creases between his brows tell you he’s displeased. “I would like you to be comfortable here. I do mean that they are just things.”

You shake your head. Shouto can be as unfussed as he wants, on his pro hero salary with his fat inheritance slapped on top like a dollop of cream on life’s richest slice of pie. But you were raised in a hand-me-down home, furniture and housewares either inherited or thrifted from generations past, and you are not about to play any kind of game that would leave his couch as worn down as your family’s ancient, squashy sofa with the tears hidden on the undersides of the cushions.

“I’m good, Sho,” you say reassuringly. “I’m just going to take my best care of your things.” You pat his couch ever so lightly for emphasis, so gently it almost doesn’t make a sound.

Shouto watches you for a long moment. His eyes pick over you carefully, and he says nothing, until finally his expression shifts. 

You watch with suspicion as his face suddenly goes meticulously blank, and you realize you know that look. It’s the perfectly unreadable poker face that almost always precedes peak little shit behavior.

“Whatever thought you are having is a million percent no from me,” you say quickly, but Shouto’s hand is already closing over your thigh, tugging you closer to him across the luxurious fabric of the very couch you have tried never to crease.

“Shouto, do not fuck with this couch,” you tell him as the material of your pants makes a fwip across the sofa fabric. Shouto arches a perfect brow at you.

“If you will not believe me that I do not care about the state of this couch,” he pronounces evenly, “then I will just have to show you.”

Before you can even demand an explanation, he’s rearranging you to his liking, stretching out over you and pressing you down into the sofa with intent. 

Then it dawns on you exactly what he’s about to do.

“Wait, Sho—the bedroom—” you garble out, as your heart rate picks up into double time under his anchoring weight.

Shouto lowers his face to yours, mismatched eyes glittering like gemstones in the low light. “We’ll get there love,” he says, his low, soft tone shivering right up your spine. “But first, we’ll start here.”

His gaze grows heavier with promise, and a long-fingered hand skims up the side of your shirt. Your breathing stills. 

“I’m going to have you over every single surface in this apartment,” he says. “Again and again, love. Until you understand that there is only one thing in this house that I consider priceless.”

His mouth presses to yours, softly, as he shifts into the cradle of your thighs.

“And that,” he says against your mouth, sounding satisfied at the little shivery exhale this draws out of you, “that one, single priceless thing...is you.”

[intoxicated-chan]

OMG YAY

i love the first part of angel of small death and the codeine scene i just want to know what happened next when he says he’ll look after them boromir has peak dad energy to me.

BUT ALSO i feel like it would be really cute to see him teach them how to use a sword and defend themselves

ANYWAY TAKE YOUR TIME LOVE YOUR WRITING

𝐒𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞

Summary ➳ While wandering the castle, you stumble across the brothers practicing.  

(A/n) ➳ I had this sitting in my word docs for so long that I forgot! I am so sorry anon!! But I seriously might make this into a series, but I do want to see your guys request/questions, I love hearing them! I’ve also decided to add Faramir!!!

Word Count ➳ 630 

Content Warnings ➳ Gender Neutral Reader, Reader’s age is eight, Reader is referred to as (little one/child), light violence...  

Series’ Masterlist 

Thirteen Years Before LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring – Reader's age is eight, Boromir’s age is twenty-seven, Faramir’s age is twenty-three 

Life within the castle was completely different when you lived on the streets. You were surrounded by luxuries you dreamed of having, a soft bed, warm meals, and clean clothes. Every day was a new lesson in etiquette and behavior, yet the adjustments were challenging.  

You still craved to be out and onto the streets, rushing through the thin alleys, and having your heart pumping while being chased by others or guards. You were out of place. 

It was the afternoon when your wandering brought you to the training grounds. You jumped at the sound of swords clashing and grunts, you peered your head around the corner.  

Boromir and his younger brother, Faramir were sparring with their swords. But you could only focus on their banter and laughter, it was a different sight to whenever their father was around. They were happy and relaxed in his absence.  

You didn’t notice you had been spotted until Faramir called out. “Hello there. Come now, do not be shy.”  

You froze, trying to decide if you should flee or stay. Boromir looked in your direction, his smile widening as he sheathed his sword. “Come closer, child.” He waved you over. “You needn’t hide from us.” 

Though rather hesitant, you stepped forward. “What brings you here, child?” 

“I was... Walking.” You replied, your eyes dropping to the ground. 

Faramir approached you, kneeling to your level. “Have you ever held a sword before?” His hand comes under your chin, carefully lifting your head to meet his gaze.  

You shook your head, your head turned to the wall, eyes widened when you eyed the numerous swords hanging. “No, I have not.” You gaped.  

“Today’s a good day to begin.” Boromir handed you a wooden training sword, its edges dull, much safer to handle than a real sword.  

But the sword felt heavy in your hands, but a nod from Boromir gave you encouragement. He began teaching you the basics, his instructions were better than the teachers.  

And he was patient. He understood your shyness when being watched, he knew what it felt like to hold a sword for the first time. Like it was not made for you.  

And with his guidance, you began to learn. It was your footwork that was good, but it seemed that the sword kept slipping out of your hands.  

“Hold it like this.” He adjusted your grip. “Keep your stance firm, do not tremble under my eyes. Stand tall and proud, child.”  

Faramir sat nearby, his sword resting beside him. “You’re doing well.” He commented. “Better footwork than I have.”  

As the training went on, you were getting more confident and comfortable. You picked up on his tips. And Faramir’s occasional comments and laughter added to the lighthearted atmosphere.  

You even managed to catch Boromir off guard with a swift strike from your sword, drawing a laugh from both brothers.  

You continued until the sun began to set, you were getting exhausted. But you needed it after being cooped up in the castle. Boromir caught you when you tried to lunge at him.  

“Easy now.” He chuckled, taking the training sword from you. “I think that is enough.”  

You all sat on the grass together, and you felt a sense of peace. Your exhaustion caught up with you, drifting off to sleep in Boromir’s arms.  

Boromir looked down at your sleeping form, his hand caressing your hair. “They’re a remarkable child.” He uttered. 

“They’ve filled the castle with warmth, and I have never seen you smile so much.” Faramir replied. “They’re lucky to have you.”  

“No.” Boromir corrected softly. “We are lucky to have them.”  

© Intoxicated-Chan 2024, I do not allow my work to be copied, translated, modified, adapted, or put on any other platform without my permission. 

[thebardisabird]

Writing has been hard for me lately. A lot of things have happened in the past year for me that damaged my zest to write. But that passion doesn't ever truly die, I think, so I'm doing my best to pick myself and continue doing what I love. So here's my contribution to Karamatsu month. A very candid conversation and a gentle reminder.

When Karamatsu had asked you to take a walk with him, you initially had thought nothing of it. Often you two would walk Akatsuka Park together; you, because you enjoyed the benefit of being able to clear your mind with some fresh air, and he because it was how you two met, so it held a special place in the grand scheme of your friendship. 

“Ah, does the air not smell so wonderfully crisp?” Karamatsu inhales, stretching his arms out as his lungs take in the cool afternoon air. You get lost in your own breathing for a second, “Just the season for it too,” a small smile ghosts over your lips, “I love this time of year.” 

Karamatsu hums in agreement, arms crossing over his chest as he slides his eyes closed and walks with a purposeful blindness.

Your mind shifts to light conversation, “How was your week? Anything new with your brothers?”

His chuckle is airy as he peaks an eye open toward you, “Raucous as ever - but how could they not be? We share the same fire in our blood after all.” 

This made you laugh as you recalled that same exact “fiery blood” getting them in trouble with Chibita just the other night. Karamatsu hears your laughter and mirrors it, thinking of his brothers and their antics - antics he’s very much always a part of. He recollects the memories that have permanently altered his life; how he wouldn’t trade them for the world. Yet as you both walk, a chill runs through the leather of his jacket. The reality of his adulthood creeps up and reminds him that even this situation - spending every day of his adult life with his brothers, living without much to care about, or even the luxury of getting to have these walks with you whenever it pleases you both - may be temporary. But such is life, isn’t it? Shouldn’t a man his age strive for independence and distance so as to be free of burdening his family? Karamatsu tucks his hands into his armpits, a certain vulnerability striking him now. You feel the difference in his attitude almost instantly.

“Kara…you okay?” 

His answer doesn’t come right away, though he still walks with you without missing a step. His signature shades have slid down the bridge of his nose a tad, revealing the troubled look of his downcast eyes and knitted brows. In searching for a response he remains silent; though this renders to you as him not having heard you. “Karamatsu…?” you call out again, worry lacing in your utterance of his name. 

The wrinkles in his brows grow deeper, “Am I…a burden?” 

The timbre of his voice was far lighter than normal, hesitance coating his words in a way you weren’t expecting. You tilt your head with some confusion, not understanding his question as it’s phrased, “What do you mean?” 

The cedar hues of his eyes drift off to the side as though he meant to avoid your gently bewildered expression. 

“I just…I think of my brothers…I think of how we’re still living at home,” he chews his lip as he continues, “We’re adults…and yet we rely so heavily on our parents.” 

You nod as you take in his words, the idea of what he’s trying to ask beginning to formulate in your head. Karamatsu removes his hands, looking down at the guitar-worn digits, “I…” the sigh he lets out is palpable, “I feel like I have nothing to show for myself or my future. I need to know when I’ll be more than just…this.” 

Your heart sinks as you see the hurt show in full bloom on Karamatsu’s face. It’s a subject of conversation you often avoid with him, not out of dishonesty, but because you’ve seen what the call of independence has done to his family in the past. It’s a sore topic, you know this. Yet your hands find one of his own, enclosing the now tightly grasped fist and gently easing his fingers open to accept the warmth of your comforting ones. 

“Those are answers that take time…no one ever knows right away what their future holds.” 

Karamatsu looks on at the delicate hold you have on his hand before finally locking eyes with you. 

“Give yourself time and grace,” you say softly, “You’re exactly where you need to be…and the people who love you are happy to have the time with you that they do.” 

He swallows thickly at your words, there’s a kindness to them he feels he doesn’t deserve - but he absorbs each letter nonetheless. His free hand unfurls from its frustrated grasp, coming to blanket your reassuring touch with his own, thankful, one. He loses the ability to speak for just a moment, but he silently prays that the sincerity in his eyes reflects how grateful he is for you. You lend him a bright smile, tugging on the same you were still encasing, “Come, let’s finish our walk before it gets too cold.” 

The weight that on his shoulders shakes free of its hold as he’s yanked forward a hair. He stumbles before he remembers to walk accordingly, and he finds his steps feel lighter now. The pleased silence between you two doesn’t last long as he inhales once more, “Ah…”

Seeing him return to his usual self brings you joy, but that is quickly replaced with playful annoyance when he says, “I must be rubbing off on you, darling, with how poetic with your words you’re becoming,” the statement paired with the glint of his grin and his arms flared out in a dramatic display. You can’t stop your eyes from rolling though it’s easily accompanied by affectionate laughter, “If you say so, Karamatsu.”

[mocha-tapioca]

spoilers for drdt beyond the prologue utc

funniest plot twist guys actually wouldn’t it be funny if teruko was actually the rival this whole time. like if david (the guy we all collectively love and hate atp) was actually the protagonist because he still clings onto the hope that there is still some good in this world while teruko has all but given up on it because nothing good has ever come out of hoping for her. like what if this is david’s world and we’re all just living in it

okay i typed this all out for fun n i was gonna say goodnight but now that im like. writing this out. wait lowkey why is this clicking a little. something something teruko “i keep losing everything i love so i have no choice but to slowly rot in my own despair while shielding myself from letting things get worse for me. but i’m still alive anyway so i’ll survive quietly” tawaki vs. david “there is something (maybe even someone) beyond this sadistic game show that allows me to cling onto hope despite it all, and if that means everyone else including me will die then so be it” chiem

the ways they cope with loss—lashing out only to bottle it up in the end vs bottling it up only to lash out at the end—oh i love them. i love them so dearly thank u for these compelling dynamics drdt dev

is teruko actually the protagonist? she should be—we’ve been following her perspective this whole time after all. but at the same time she is constantly having her cynical worldview challenged by other people, like charles and eden and whit and david, who all cling to hope and happiness despite it all. for all the cast’s eccentricities, they have the luxuries of being able to wish for something teruko doesn’t have: a life worth living outside of this killing game. something that, as she slowly loosens up during this trial, makes her realize that oh, maybe i could have a future like this too. it’s something that i’ve noticed rivals in the canon games have too (maybe minus nagito but he was not someone whose personality i’d analyzed back in middle school where my danganronpa roots lie. also he lowkey freaks me out). maybe with these guys by my side, i can finally learn to hope again. idk power of friendship guys wahoo

david is surrounded by people who love him, who he encourages like a knight in shining armor—like a main character, perhaps. we don’t fully know how much of act it is, especially considering how this is chapter two and we got our current emo eyebag loser literally one episode ago. but what we do know is that he treasures xander a lot, though the nature of that relationship right now is unknown—romantic? platonic? parasitic, even? im not rlly into the drdt ship culture so i couldn’t tell u. the fact that david’s memories are also starting to return can help us assume that in both the current killing game and during hope’s peak, they’d idolized each other. could david be connected to the sterlings, that business family we keep seeing within the drdt universe? could the sterlings be the true mastermind and the reasons behind this place’s existence?

idk how to continue this but something something “i am the protagonist and i cannot die” seems like some sort of vague setup for a 5th/6th chapter death involving teruko that will involve david needing to take over. ties it back together for her essentially being the reason behind the first murder

[murfpersonalblog]

Carol Cutshall better get an Emmy this year, I ain't playin!

"Cutshall and her team had to embrace a new reality, one initially devoid of the first season’s material pleasures..... Free of their maker, an austere Louis and Claudia flee New Orleans for Europe in search of a coven of vampires to call their own. There they find themselves in the ravaged wasteland of World War II, where sorrow pollutes even the blood they drink."

"It was such a drastic change going into season two. We went from the height of glamour, which we last saw during a Mardi Gras party, to the polar opposite in the premiere. When you look at Louis and Claudia in their shearling coats in Romania and the amount of mud and blood on them, those looks are built for surviving and searching and starting over."

This what I meant when I talked about AMC intensifying the horror for show!Claudia vs book!Claudia. They're starting over, runaway slaves free at last from Massa Lestat's domestic terrorism; following the Drinking Gourd north to the promised land of milk & honey--but their exodus isn't some glorious adventure--it's Hell on Earth!

I adore the juxtaposition Carol makes between the obscene opulence of Mardi Gras NOLA vs the Grimm realities of war-torn Europe. Book!Lou&Claud traveled across Europe in a lavish carriage Claudia picked out, and had the luxury of taking their fancy coffins with them in it.

NGL I was hoping Carol would talk about these outfits in particular:

AMC's Lou & Claud look like they've been sleeping underground/in a battlefield, dressed in animal skins/furs--not the fancy furs PETA jumps folks for, but nasty Caveman Couture rags. And I can't help but think about the furs they wore in the film, looking rich AF, even as Lou complained about how sad he was. 🙄😒

So I am SO IN LOVE with AMC sending Louis & Claudia to WWII Europe. They're in Ploiești/Romania in 1941--in the book they're in 1800s Varna/Germany. Romania was a major ally for the Nazis in WWII, and the LAST place Claud should be--let alone Louis (a gay Black African American man)--let alone because Romania was bombed TF up in the early 1940s.

They're running slow AF like regular humans--no super vamp speed at their disposal to flee from the bombs--cuz they've been STARVING. They're eating the dead like a bunch of ghoulish necrophages (come through, Witcher 3 folklore!).

Like, in the film the big idea was that drinking dead blood could kill a vampire. But in TVL & Blood Communion we know that's not the case when Lestat drinks the corpses Armand gave him, and when Lestat gives the Vampire Court Rhoshamandes' corpse--it's not deadly, but it's not great, either. Drinking blood should be PEAK sensory pleasure; but this just shows what they've been reduced to.

So to see Louis & Claudia tearing into pieces of the dead to suck up what's left is like cannibalism at its rawest, basest & most primitive--straight out of a dystopian zombie apocalypse. There's no transcendent power in the dead like what Maharet & Lestat described. Lou & Claud are scavengers in a battlefield, fighting for scraps just to survive and endure, but not really live.

And I feel so much worse for Claudia, cuz she LITERALLY didn't ask for this mess! Unlike Louis--and unlike book/film!Claudia--she was Born into Darkness w/out her awareness or consent. AMC puts this poor girl through HELL. The things she's seen & experienced made her "built for survival;" but she's also "built like a bird," and just as ignorant about vampires & the Old World as Louis--though they're both bookish intellectuals who THINK they're ready for Europe.

So they have no effing idea, cuz Lestat never told them WHY Europe was such bad news. They're blind and completely in the dark!

And then they FINALLY arrive in Paris--a breath of fresh air after the war.

But glamour returns to their lives as the pair forge ahead in Paris.... Seduced by their habit of living loudly and proudly — at least at night — Louis relaxes into his post-Lestat life, taking up photography and exploring his sexuality in subtle ways. “The look I landed on for him was that of artists and café society, and French workwear with a little bit of a blue-collar look,” Cutshall says. “It’s not the finery that we are used to for Louis, but his fastidiousness in how he wears it — tucked and belted — is still there.” There is a visual hierarchy among these old-world vampires. Louis wears the costume of the common man, placing him below the coven’s creative director, Armand, the so-called love of his life"

The "visual hierarchy" of Louis being "placed BELOW" the Old World vampires had me vibrating in my seat, especially wrt Armand, the biggest baddest boogeyman vs fledgling vampires in the books.

"We want to break away from the disguise he had in season one, because he is the mega predator,” Cutshall says. “He's not threatened by anyone. So, in everything he does and wears, he can be like an animal who is not afraid to lie on their back and bare their belly."

Which is precisely what I said about Lestat in his Mardi Gras dress & his Matador pajamas. Cuz Lou & Claud are constantly put on the exact same level--at the BOTTOM of the food chain & the gendered/social hierarchies of vampire covens in both NOLA & Europe.

But what's interesting's that AMC diversified the Theatre--there's Black & Asian vampires, not the all-white coven from the books.

The Theatre has truly become a microcosm of the entire world, highlighting just how sheltered Lou & Claud were in the New World. The history of America is very black and white--or rather: white versus black. After the Native Americans were wiped out, American racism molded & shaped centuries of slavery & oppression specifically designed to keep Black people at the bottom of barrel, even when they were "freed/emancipated." But in the Old World, power & conquest was continental--Africa & Asia & Europe were ALL major superpowers at one time or another, kicking each other's arses. Race & racism still plays a huge part in European imperialism, OF COURSE, but WWII showed how white folk are just as prone to killing & oppressing each other, let alone anyone else. 😂 Louis & Claudia's problems w/ Lestat are radically different from their problems w/ Armand (now a brown Asian, as Russia & Ukraine are also globalized; dispelling the myth about Russians only ever being white people).

But Santiago's an altogether different beast--but eerily familiar.

"Her thirst for attention is surpassed only by Santiago, the extravagant emcee of the theater troupe. For Santiago’s big onstage entrance in episode two, Cutshall took inspiration from performers like Peter O’Toole and Laurence Olivier. “I started with Fred Astaire, but with a bit of a bondage twist for Santiago’s curtain look,” she says. “Who were the top dogs of the time that he would want to emulate? You can feel him striving for that."

What is fundamentally wrong with Santiago (and Lestat) is that he's a HUGE showboat, desperate for attention & validity, specifically from LOUIS, a vampire older than Santiago, attractive & new & interesting, who's approval he actually wanted & expected. But Louis's too mature/smart for Santiago, and immediately clocked him as a clown and a BUFFOON.

AMC dyed Santiago's hair blonde on purpose, ISTG, cuz the parallels w/ Lestat are hilarious. Armand's the coven master & creative director, but Santiago's the emcee & "show pony," just like Lelio!Lestat was back in the day. Les' pony on meth meme is SO apt!

And just like Lestat pulled the rug under Armand at Les Innocents, taking on a leadership role for the Children of Satan and ushering in their new era as vampires who'd join society via the Theatre, Santiago usurps Armand's position as the ringleader against Claudia & Louis. Even though Armand wanted all that to happen, he's more passive than Les & Santiago, far more active & dominant despite being significantly weaker & younger in the Blood than Armand. Wolf Killer Lestat and "top dog" Santiago are cut from the same cloth, down to the pinstripes--which Carol already said were supposed to symbolize cage/jail bars--"back in your cage, sweetheart."

CAROL! I desire you CARNALLY! ❤️

[docholligay]

Shamash Points--Live Action nominations

All eleven people who put in an answer for this got a point! So these three are extra points, and thank you for playing!

1 point for bringing something that actually sounds like something I might find intriguing so I can only assume it's done badly to @iscahwynn

Yuri Is My Job. YIMJ tells the tale of Hime, a clinically narcissistic highschooler who is obsessed with maintaining her perfect, angelic persona in the hopes of landing a rich husband and living a life of luxury and ease. Through shenanigans, she winds up working at a yuri-themed performance cafe where the girls all pretend to be running a salon attached to the fictional St. Liebe Academy. Every girl there performs their wholesome and cutesy character interactions for the onlooking patrons while being absolute dumpster fires as soon as they can step out of sight. Hime assumes she'll run rings around the current staff, but soon learns that she's in the big leagues now when it comes to manipulating people for fun and profit.

2 points for being the exact kind of white women trash I expect to @madegeeky

Deadly Women. Complete garbage. Yes, woman that sounds as though she's absolutely swimming in Xanax, please tell me all about women who murder. The reenactments are a work of art of bad acting and color grading that makes me flashback to the 90s so hard I should sue for whiplash. But, oh, my favorite aspect, by far, is Candice Delong, former FBI profiler. All that energy the narrator is missing? Straight into her. The intensity and enthusiasm with which she says lines like "And that's when the tornado started" is beautiful. She should be both admired and judged for how hard she leans into the drama of it all, especially considering how often she speaks of women killing children. M'am, I'm gonna need you to show a bit less enthusiasm for the child murders, please. It's a glorious trash fire and I love it.

3 points for making me laugh so hard I had to read this whole thing to the dinner table to @skylineofspace

For me, the peak of shows that I am unreasonably compelled by despite being just genuinely not good is ABC’s Once Upon a Time. If one is not familiar, this show is about a group of fairytale characters that have been transported to a modern day nondescript Small Town (in Maine); we follow both the present characters who have lost their memories, as well as flashbacks to their time in the fairytale world. (Until the end of the first season where everyone gets their memories back but we still keep doing flashbacks all the time). Our viewpoint character is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming (Emma), who comes to the town to get back her son, who is now being raised by the Evil Queen. (Emma spends the majority of the show amicably co-parenting her son with the evil queen in a situation that only doesn’t count as queer-baiting because both characters are never not dating a male love interest). In the hands of a good writer, the concept of the ideal based archetypes of a fairytale being brought into contrast with the real world could make for some really interesting material! This is not the hands of a good writer. This is the hands of former Lost writers working on behalf of the Disney corporation. The specific point at which I dropped out was after they just directly re-create the plot of Frozen whole sale in the middle of season 4. All that being said, I did very genuinely find a lot of the characters to be interesting in concept and the way they interwove a lot of the fairytale backgrounds is exactly up my alley (One of the major characters is Rumplestiltskin, who is also the Beast from beauty and the beast and the son of peter pan (who is evil)).

[duchessonfire]

WAIT IM NOT DONE! LET'S BE CLEAR I WON'T BE SATISFIED UNLESS I GET TO LIVE IN YOUR BRAIN :'''') do you ever vividly imagine specific "what ifs?" that you know will not fit in your savior AU and that you set aside. share the brain rot pwetty pwease? i think its so interesting to explore such outtakes. it makes for great dynamics when the pre-existing roles/context get tossed aside. IT'S THE SAME DUCHESS-CODED- CEGAN but- what's that?? IN ANOTHER SCENARIO?? peak content.

My Cegan-comrade, I am so glad you've brought up this topic because I have so many Cegan AUs planned...

In no particular order:

🌶️ I have an A/B/O AU where Carl is an Omega and Negan claimed him during the line up so that Rick won't be tempted to fight him.

🦇 A vampire AU where Rick is a vampire hunter that has been hunting Negan, one of the oldest vampires in America. But when Carl gets into a deadly car accident and falls into a coma, Rick makes a deal with his sworn enemy and asks Negan to turn Carl into a vampire to save Carl's life.

🐺 A werewolf AU where Carl is a werewolf whose pack is being taken over by Negan's bigger, badder pack, and Negan decides to take Carl as his war prize.

💰 A non-apocalypse AU which is basically a reverse sugar daddy/sugar baby story. Carl is in his early 20s and became insanely rich after selling his app to a tech giant and now lives in luxury. Meanwhile Negan, who used to be Carl's PE teacher, is now a widower who has just been kicked out of his job for beating up someone. Unbeknownst to Negan, Carl has been madly in love with him since his high school days and jumps at the chance to help Negan financially.

Honestly at this point, the brainrot is set in far too deep. Chances of recovery are next to 0. 😔

[l4v3nd3r-bl00d]

i thought i'd do an updated introduction post since i’ve been so inactive, so new mutuals/followers can know more about me!😊❤️

my name is kittie, i am 18, i have been diagnosed with autism & adhd since i was 15 (important to know because it explains why i am the way that i am lol) i don’t mind what pronouns you use for me, literally any are fine. i am just a person. 😁

i first started collecting violet exacts in 2019 however my collection has grown pretty slowly since i can’t hold down a job because disability.. disables. 🥲😭💔

i enjoy old things quite a lot, at the moment my main areas of interest are in: gothic architecture, silent film era (georges méliès films are my fav), skeleton keys, children’s books & toys from the 40s-70s, taxidermy, postcards, and vintage fashion/lingerie from the 40s-70s.

i also cosplay, i just don’t post it on the internet very much, my favourite anime are: kamisama kiss, vampire knight, nana, paradise kiss, love live, k-on, the future diary and chobits.

my main/oldest special interest is japanese fashion subcultures! (lolita, mori kei, fairy kei, dolly kei and cult party kei to be specific)

i don’t game regularly but my favourite games/game franchises are: american mcgees alice & madness returns, fran bow, sally face, little misfortune, stray, silent hill, elder scrolls, resident evil, skyrim, bloodborne, life is strange, the walking dead, the last of us and batman: arkham knight.

some of my favourite shows/movies: ahs (obviously), the office, dexter, the walking dead, its always sunny in philadelphia, lost, kamikaze girls, ghost world, sharp objects, wayne, a series of unfortunate events(both the series and the movie), gummo, ginger snaps, donnie darko, twin peaks, black mirror, and every wes anderson, tim burton and a24 project ever.

okay now here is a dump of all of my fav albums because i feel it’s very telling

blonde redhead - misery is a butterfly & 23

scarling - sweet heart dealer & so long, scarecrow

air - le voyage dans la lune & talkie walkie

oingo boingo - only a lad

brennan wedl - holy water branch

daniel johnson - hi how are you

teen suicide - dc snug film/ waste yrself & i will be my own hell

fox academy - luxury beverage

sidney gish - no dogs allowed

s.maharba - s.maharba

mcr - i brought you my bullets, you brought me your love & three cheers for sweet revenge

katie jane garside - lullabies in a glass wilderness

roar - impossible animals & i’m not here to make friends

candy claws - ceres and calypso in the deep time

imogen heap - speak for yourself

ricky eat acid - three love songs

dandelion hands - bleak week

catatonia - equally cursed and blessed

mort garson - mother earths plantasia

black box recorder - england made me

lady radiator - bounce energy hear me out

coma cinema - posthumous release

color filter - sleep in a synchrotron & i often think in music

jenny01 - jenny01 best & cluster

otto benson - songs before bed

marysgate - special memory

fear before the march of flames - the always open mouth & odd how people shake

the avalanches - since i left you

elysian fields - queen of the meadow & ghosts of no

leslie gore - i’ll cry if i want to

my bloody valentine - loveless

smashing pumpkins - siamese dream & mellon collie and the infinite sadness

jack off jill - clear hearts grey flowers

colour filter - sleep in a synchrotron

elliot smith - xo

panic at the disco - a fever you can’t sweat out & pretty odd

maple bee - chasing eva & home

nastyona - another secret

heartsrevolution - kitsune hearts japan

rasputina - transylvanian regurgitations &cabin fever

chris vrenna - american mcgees alice

queenadreena - taxidermy

bunny boy - Shelly & the bunny tree & did the angels come to kiss you

hole - live through this & celebrity skin

akira yamaoka - silent hill 2

hooky - something to look forward to

jack stauber - micro pop & pop food

satanicpornocultshop - arkhaiomelisidonophunikheratos

sparklehorse - its a wonderful life

susumu yokota - symbol

every album by the cure ever

i’m not very interesting so i don’t have a whole lot to say about myself on a personal level, i just like to share the media that i enjoy lol. don't be shy to message me if u ever wanna talk, especially about anything music, fashion or fandom related, just a heads up though that i sometimes really suck at replying(i apologise in advance)🥲

here are links to my other social media if you want to follow me elsewhere, though all personal accounts, not violet or ahs related.

tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kittiebot?_t=8pZwtHs5DjU&_r=1

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kittiebot13621?igsh=MnFpbzlpaWo0enpn&utm_source=qr

pinterest: https://pin.it/4Rlko08SX

spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/qenp8br378218on2h77lzldq8?si=-sS3g8ATQECdosiCSmBVyw

- kittie😇❤️

[infjinthecity]

Soaking Up Local Culture - Longjing Tea Village

My mum was in China last week and I took her to a few of the cultural sites – including the Longjing Tea Village. It was my third trip to the village this year and I have to say, I think it’s one of my favorite parts of Hangzhou. This city houses nearly 12 million people; it is a bustling, thriving metropolis. And the tea village is smack bang in the middle of the city. If you go at a non-peak hour time, it’s easy to forget that you’re in such a huge, sprawling city because the village boasts a real small town, rural charm. It’s less than six kilometers from my apartment so it's incredibly accessible for me, and I just love it!

Longjing tea enjoys a long history that dates all the way back to the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907AD) – China is old guys. The tea that is grown in the West Lake district I Hangzhou is among the most expensive, luxurious green tea in the world. I am always banging on about how cheap everything is in China, but I can’t say that this time. The tea is expensive! Whether you’re drinking it at one of the small sit-down restaurants in the village, or you are bagging it up to take home, expect to pay a small fortune. It’s worth it though. Longjing tea (otherwise known as Dragonwell tea) doesn’t have that strong bitter taste that most green tea has and the health properties of this particular kind of green tea are next level. Apparently, the life expectancy of lifelong Hangzhou residents is higher than the average life expectancy of other Chinese people, and it’s because they drink this tea with such dedication!

There are many great restaurants in the little village all owned and operated by folks that live there. The farmers who own the tea plantations around the village also live in the village. Harvesting month, otherwise known as the Flush, is in April and that’s when you’ll see the most activity on the hills. The Ayis are out on the mountains each day picking by hand – rain, hail, or shine! The tea that is picked during that time goes for an insane amount of money!

My mum was blown away that something so quaint and picturesque was located right in the middle of the city. The gorgeous green lush tea fields that dot the mountain sides surround a small, yet thriving, restaurant and tea house culture below. People come here to sit and eat, and drink tea obviously, and just hang out and soak up the local vibes. Local Hangzhou residents come to the village to get in some exercise and hike the steep weaving fields right to the top – the views from up there are quite spectacular.

I’ve eaten at three different restaurants in the village now and I am yet to have a single bad experience. The food is all very traditional local Hangzhou cuisine, and while Hangzhou is not really known for having great food, I can’t complain when I’m here in Longjing village.

Now that the weather is cooler and I can enjoy the outdoors, I expect I’ll spend quite a lot of time meandering these fields and getting in some hiking myself! For anyone who comes to Hangzhou to visit me, this will always be the first place I take them. I heart Hangzhou, but I especially heart Longjing Tea Village.

[aestheticpearl]

— 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠

[𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫] vincent solaire

“lovely please be careful” vincent is trying his best to keep his eyes on the road as you continue to stick your head out of the window to feel the chilling wind blow against your face.

“this feels amazing!” you shout to him, barely hearing yourself over the loud wind ringing in your overly sensitive eardrums.

the roads are empty and you feel like the only people in the world in this moment. it’s blissful for you, these kinds of drives are your favorite thing currently, you love being able to spend time with vincent and you have to admit it’s fun to listen to his blood pressure rise whenever he glances over at your figure practically hanging half way out of the window.

“vin you gotta try this!” he laughs.

“i can’t lovely, someone’s gotta watch the road”

you sit back down properly, head in the window and all.

“i’ll drive” he laughs again. “heyy what’s so funny mr i can’t park on a hill?” you smile at him.

“i can park on a hill, but that’s besides the point” you give him a look before he continues. “i love you very much but no way am i sticking my head out of the window while you drive, you’ll decapitate me or something”

“i would not! i’ll have you know i’m a great driver i can’t help it if i like going fast” you laugh.

“oh i know” you nudge him gently. “hey watch it i’m driving here”

“thank you for driving me around, it makes me feel alive”

“anything for you lovely”

you smile at him as he takes your hand gently, moments like these making you forget all the bad things that have happened in your life just for a couple of minutes at least. vincent has always been there for you and you’ve always been so grateful for him, you’re certain that you wouldn’t have made it this far without him.

“thank you for everything vincent, you make this new life worth living.”

“aw lovely you’re gonna make me cry, i wouldn’t want to live this life with anyone else.” you lean your head on his shoulder as you watch the road ahead.

“i love you lovely” he gives your hand a gently squeeze.

“i love you too.”

“maybe next time we’ll take the convertible then you can really feel the wind.” you know he’s joking but you can’t help but feel a little excited.

“i would love that!”

“or maybe one that has a sunroof?” he suggests.

“yes! i’ve always thought having a sunroof in a car was peak luxury that and having a tv screen in it” vincent can’t help but chuckle at the statement.

“for me it was double door refrigerators.”

“ooo that’s a good one.”

“and now i have one which feels pretty cool.” you start playing with his hand while listening, note to self try to get vincent to agree to letting you do his nails. “it all feels so surreal”

“what having a double door refrigerator?”

“no” he laughs at the comment. “being with you”

“how so?”

“you’re just so perfect, i’m glad i totally broke covert to talk to you. lovely, you are worth filling out that long form over and over again.” you feel your heart squeeze at the statement mostly because those papers are a pain to fill out.

“that means so much vincent, i love you so much” he smiles.

“i love you more lovely” he says before placing a quick kiss on your lips and then quickly turning back to face the road.

you feel at peace with vincent, there’s no where else you’d rather be right now.

please reblog to show support ✧·˚ ༘ * ༄

god i fucking love vincent, holy shit

.love always <3 pearl

.masterlist

.harry’s house masterlist

[m1ckeyb3rry]

Ok before I say anything else BRUH I took the quiz you reposted and guess who I got….also mf sae…..bro??? Wavelengthed too hard but STAY STRONG NO CONVERTING

EVIL YUKI SHSHSHSJ actually know dw all the shit and slander yuki has to go through now is just setting him up to become rough and tumble yuki so he can get the development he deserves it’s all part of the plot!!! STOP ITS SO EMO but ig its better than one of them being left behind by the other shevdhshsh (or you let mc live and then we can be with Karasu instead/j) I’ll never be get over how interesting hollyhock mc is though (the whole belonging/ownership/love dynamic is SO unique I love it sm) on the complete opposite side of the spectrum we have otoya being done TOO MUCH justice LMAOOO it’s ok the story and plot slap so he can have a pass

DADFAILURE LOSERS I LOVE IT HAHAHA esp while yuki has his life (pretty much) together truly the embodiment of tabieitaken shenanigans also KING OF KALOS GOES SO HARD??? Mm yes we love yuki supremacy (also the ref to his emperor of 1-on-1 title ugh so peak)

That’s actually insane I feel you though because I’m also scared shitless of getting mobbed by insane parts of fandoms (partially why I’ve never really used tumblr to do anything before besides lurk and also why I am NOT subjecting myself to being one of those regular translators on twitter or tiktok or whatnot I’m not about to get people attacking me in the comments for wild shit shshshsb) BUT I agree lowk….i mean tullireo isn’t going to be rubbed in our faces in the story anyways (I assume) since we’ll be too busy burying Barou’s corpse (I’m screaminf) but THSTS SO REAL “I make money so my wife can breed pokemon and keep them all for herself instead and I’ll build them a whole pokemon pasture/sanctuary” (that would be me as a pokemon breeder fr) bro it was just meant to be the team vibes…it’s giving elegant but strong

LMAO chigiri and Reo forced platonic close proximity chigiri is just THE bestie whether it’s gossip or wingman duties he’s got it all but I’m crying otoya tweaking because he’s like “NOOOOOOOOOOO MY OTP” and Karasu patting him like “idk what you’re on about but hate to break it to you but I don’t think Tullia doesn’t likes you that way”

Wait I know the exact vibe you’re going for it’s giving “drops random lore/information and disappears for three months” LMAOOO fr that older mentor who comes gives hints and guidance kinda like a walk through tutorial guide in a game where they’re like “oh yeah you should go here” only to never be heard from again LFMOAOAAOAOAO GANDALF REAL but that kinda puts a bit of distance in his dynamic I feel? So yes TULLIREO WE ALL CHANT guess I gotta side with otoya this time tullireo OTP LOWK DO IT it’s just the vibes too yk…they just match….guys…..

LMAO my first thought was fr “that scrawny ass kid with a bug net on route 2” imagine they don’t even battle the boy is so scared of ghost type aeguslash that he just runs (I see that typo but I’m not fixing it because it’ll get autocorrected into something unrecognizable and I’m channeling my inner Nagi and being lazy)

LMFAOO reader fr like “where tf did my genes go…” THE PARENTAL LORE GOES CRAZY LMAOAO imagine their kids going to school and yk how elementary school kids usually get those assignments that’s like “what do my parents do?” Etc? Yeah their daughter has to fill out that and her drawing is reader on top of a pile of dead team z grunts carrying nagi or maybe they’re just holding hands but nagi def has to be shown asleep taking a nap and uncle Barou flying in the sky as an angel and readers giant ass red gyarados in the back looming over it all and like a crying Mr. Mikage on the floor

LMAO Reo exclusively using luxury balls so true lowk the premier balls kinda fit Barou’s aesthetic too maybe he splurges on them generally to keep everything consistent and neat looking LOL bro my luck was ass with quick balls actually I think I’ve only ever caught my donphan (as phanpy) with one LMAOA

Pause I see the abamasnow vision (it’s intimidating but imagine it’s as dumb as him LMAOA openly walking up to fire types) arcanine accidentally burning tf out of it is so funny they would SO bully him for that for the rest of his life

Aiku getting what he deserves!! He has his happy ending though he’s just gotta finish up his community service first LOLL ok but him actively very involved with sae and Barou because he deals with them on a more regular level because they’re on the same team and he’s like “I can’t deal with their bitchlessness anymore PLEASE get a girl I’ll even help you but you need STRESS RELIEF. NOW.” LMFAOO wait I’m very excited to see aiku put in his place LMFAOO

When the familial relationship steals the spotlight from the romantic one>>>> LAMSOA /hj perhaps this can be a character study in the future…I’m crying their relationship is so sweet though ugh

EYES WIDE OPEN OMGOMG NEW GRAPHICS!!! No I lowk love the clean look too it fits the vibe fr!! Guys yk it’s serious when the graphics ready…pokemon au here we come!!!!!!!

- Karasu anon

LMAOOO IT’S BECAUSE WE’RE THE SAME PERSON FR no but i think it’s so funny we’re both NOT itoshi lovers which is pretty rare i feel and yet we’re the ones who ended up getting sae himself 😭 the universe wants to convert us to itoshism but we MUST stay strong

HELP YOU’RE SO RIGHT this is just the development he requires…rough and tumble yuki’s bad past is actually a bad past LIFE where he led to the death and despair of all of his current friends (that’s lowkey a crazy fic premise like the whole hollyhock gang reincarnated but only yukimiya gets his past memories back so he has to live with the knowledge that he once betrayed everyone he now loves 😰) agreed at least it’s not one living/the other dying!! LMAOO no because hollyhock reader x karasu is such a normal dynamic tbh free hollyhock karasu from her he does not have the insanity to match her freak 😭 it really is like i said HAHA with a normal reader and author karasu would be endgame but (un)fortunately for him reader is fucked up and i’m an angst lover so he does not get that privilege 🙂‍↕️ also yeah every time otoya does some dumbass shit in the manga/anime i’m like okay YOU are the one who’s starring in hollyhock?? YOU are the bloodthirsty ninja who dies because he loves someone that much??? he would actually be so hype to know that that’s how he’s viewed though…we’ve talked about bllk otoya meeting hollyhock otoya but imagine PURSUIT otoya meeting hollyhock otoya he probably bursts into tears because at least he’s living his cool ninja life SOMEWHERE

YUKIMIYA SUPREMACY ALWAYSSS i had sm fun coming up with everyone’s little nicknames (barou’s being the “never-champion” because he never actually got to challenge mr mikage vs reader’s being the “reluctant champion” because she never even wanted to be champion in the first place…did somebody say #siblinggoals 😜⁉️) and the king of kalos just rolls off of the tongue sooo well especially because his mentor is chris PRINCE like come on now!! pls pokémon au tabiektaken are basically the epitome of their miraverse dynamic like it’s how i would write them if i were in charge of the manga HAHAHA they’re so funny together

PLSS i respect you sm for that because it’s such a double edged sword like on the one hand i love making my silly posts and having my followers and mutuals react but on the other i’m always afraid a post will break containment and reach the wrong audiences because some people are BRUTAL 😭 but if you do ever decide to become tumblr active trust i will defend you from any hate 🤫🫡 can’t say the same for twitter because i don’t have an account nor tik tok because people on there are a different brand of terrifying but i can tussle w some tumblr trolls if needed!!

yeah i def think tullireo will have that togetullia from pi vibe!! like there’s very obviously something going on and it’s mentioned now and again but reader’s relationship with nagi / search for barou are much more forefront so it’s not at all the main focus!! with such an expansive story though it’s so important imo to have more relationships than just the main pairing otherwise things fall flat and/or the main pairing can almost feel out of place?? like why are y’all falling in love when NO ONE else is 😭⁉️

otoya bawling over the loss of his otp meanwhile karasu’s like “there there buddy it’ll be okay plenty of other girls out there anyways what’s an otp 🙂❔” HAHAH he’s the dad with 0 clue of modern slang or anything also wait this reminds me of a specific exchange nagi and reader have during the aegislash arc where nagi’s like “wait i think we’ve been isekai’d” and reader’s like “how do you know what that is” and nagi’s just like “oh reo loves reading villainess isekai manhwa on his pokétch before bed every night” and reader’s like “huh okay” and it’s never mentioned again LMAOOO

yeahhh that’s exactly isagi’s vibe!! along with aiku’s a bit but isagi’s more mature aiku is like the problematic version of that trope 😭 isagi’s the voice reader hears in her head when she tries to ride her bike inside ykwim…agreed it really does differentiate him from the main cast a bit too much for a romantic relationship between him and tullia to make sense!! especially given he’s meant to be barou’s contemporary and barou’s looked up to as The Big Brother of the story isagi kind of ends up giving off that vibe too 😩 now REO on the other hand…otoya and chigiri cooking fr i lowkey love the juxtaposition too where tullia is super motivated and has a dream she wants to accomplish of her own merits whereas reo has everything handed to him but he’s only doing things because his family expects him to?? idk could lead to some fun interactions…plus the first nagi and reader battle (where her houndour uses pursuit on his growlithe) only even happens because she wants to battle for experience but tullia’s already challenged reo so nagi’s her only option ☝🏻 so if you think about it that kind of foreshadows tullireo…maybe my mind already knew what needed to be done FJSKSKA just like i only noticed the arcanine/houndoom parallels AFTER the fact

that kid is so cocky too imagine he throws out his fucking rattata or metapod and he’s like “beat this 😜” because nobody else on route one has been able to yet and then nagiy/n’s daughter’s just like “ok 👍” and out comes aegislash…wait lowkey ykw would be cute is if the bug catcher just becomes her traveling companion after that because of how strong “her” aegislash is (i bet after their daughter has enough pokémon of her own reader’s like ok give aegislash back now and train your own team up) like he’s like “woah if i stick with you i’ll definitely become more powerful” and ofc nagi’s daughter is as nonchalant as he is so she doesn’t gaf but then they end up falling in love or smth and having that black cat introvert girl x golden retriever extrovert boy dynamic FJDNFJSKJS omg now we’ll have to come up with nagiy/n GRANDCHILDREN lore (unrelated but the thought of nagi as a grandfather is so cursed)

I’M CRYING AT THE IMAGE OF BAROU IN HEAVEN he’s definitely one of those baby angels with the trumpets and little white wings but it’s just barou’s head and massive hair pasted onto it 😭 and gyarados is just drawn with a massive grin on its face meanwhile mr mikage is just face down on the ground LMAOAOAO and nagi is holding hands with y/n who’s like 🙂 meanwhile nagi is just drawn to be 😴 imagine the teacher’s like why is your father asleep and their daughter’s like “he sleeps a lot 😄” so the teacher is concerned for the child’s welfare?? and that afternoon she pulls up to the nagi household and knocks on the door determined to confront “mr and mrs nagi” about how nagi’s always sleeping and if their daughter is being cared for properly but when they open the door the teacher’s like WHAT THE FUCK because it’s y/n l/n and SEISHIRO nagi not just two randoms standing there 😰 safe to say she runs away real quick…i feel like their son being the older of the two is a lot more like barou somehow?? which is crazy because neither nagi nor reader are anything like him but he just takes after his uncle sm…i kinda picture him looking like season 1 kiyora actually in the sense that he has a very barou-esque coloring but more of nagi’s hair texture 🤔 lowkey he probably acts like wicked game kiyora too like always getting into fights (in this case pokémon battles) and whatnot but also pretty chill (he got the reuniclus because it’s a former nagi team member so it’s much calmer and holds him back whereas aegislash would def egg him on HAHAHA)

okay wait now i’m stealing that for reader’s phanpy…it’s her second pokémon/the first she ever catches so imagine she just panics and throws a ball at it and karasu’s like bro that’s not going to work lmao but it was actually a quick ball she took from his stash because she didn’t have any of her own so it DOES work HAHAHA ofc karasu’s like what the hell because he always tries to use quick balls and they never work for him despite being really effective when yayoi and apparently reader use them (maybe he catches gible in one though?? and that’s why he doesn’t even need to battle it and is able to capture it while otoya and reader are arguing)

i def had to think about zantetsu for a second but him having an absolute idiot of an abomasnow just fits him so so well lowkey the aesthetics are matched too?? imagine he can mega evolve it eventually HAHAHAH you just see dumbass zantetsu with this enormous mega abomasnow and you’re like wait am i cooked?? but then one fire type move and it’s out for the count 😭 pls it’s especially funny because reo actually doesn’t have any fire types so he has to actively work to beat abomasnow meanwhile arcanine BREATHES and it’s gone 😩 zantetsu lucky fr that nagi doesn’t gaf abt battling him…wait lowkey yk what would be fun is just a mini arc of like ovas/spinoff chapters?? showing what characters other than reader are up to…maybe one focuses on manshine trio and the reo vs zantetsu rivalry, another shows a day in the life of isagi and gives a bit more characterization to the other elite four candidates (kunigami kaiser bachira) as well as the elite four themselves, another is like aiku’s field journal of him getting bullied by pokémon, another is yukimiya’s contest training, another is hiori like settling a dispute amongst some safari zone pokémon (or even amongst his team to show the dynamics we talked abt earlier), and maybe even a tabieita one to show what they’re up to when the girls aren’t around 🤔

oaeu aiku is lowkey so entertaining to write though i can’t even lie he has some HILARIOUS lines i just started the barou version and there’s sm lorenzo slander i’m crying…people can’t even get mad because they’re not MY thoughts they’re aiku’s!!! that’s why i was able to get away w sae slander hehehe 🤫🤫🤫 anyways we finally had the dream team of aryu sendou niko and aiku show up as well as the aiku + niko duo getting some screen time so it’s been fun 🤩

no because lowkey a character study of noel noa’s rise to fame through the eyes of someone who’s known him from the start could lowkey be insane if only i didn’t have like ten requests, oaeu, pursuit, and my upcoming 1k event to worry about 😩 not to mention peregrine and hollyhock KFJDJSJS rip to them fr

YAYYYY I LOVED THE GRAPHICS the grey matching nagi’s character color…houndoom being the only splash of color and really standing out…the super neat font (serving barou realness tbh) idk i just really like it it’s def not the same vibe as the oaeu one for example but that one def gives “this is a silly cute crack fic” whereas this one you can tell you’ll need to lock in a bit to read if that makes sense

ALSO DID YOU SEE THE NEW TRAILER it’s looking like we’re getting s1 animation again but honestly it’s whatever s1 was liveable plus they always do my man nagi (mostly) right so i’m chilling…they made otoya’s face and chin SUPER pointy in that one screencap i reblogged but otherwise idm it too much!! KARASU LOOKS SO CUTE I’M SO GLAD HE’S FINALLY GOTTEN SCENES i really like his hair actually it looks sm softer and fluid in the anime style vs the manga!! at the end of the day at least we didn’t get yona of the dawn-ed like maybe the anime isn’t perfect but at least it exists ykwim?? although given how well the manga sells i’m surprised they don’t put more effort into the anime…anyways 🤷🏻‍♀️

[gemsofgreece]

How was life during the Byzantine empire and how different was with the rest of Medieval Europe?

I am afraid this could be the content of a proper book as it is very generic. I was trying to find something that could help me make a short enough post and I stumbled over this gem

My new gender is "effeminate person that speaks to statues" from now on although "Small Greek" (Graecula?) might be just as accurate

Yeah anyway the Byzantine Empire was the most advanced European and West Asian state of the Middle Ages from the 4th to the 11-12th centuries, as after that its collapse and the simultaneous fast rise of the West begin.

The Byzantine Empire had the largest and very diverse and rich cities, so beautiful that they attracted travellers from all over the known world just to see them (medieval tourists in short 😝). Constantinople more than any other, which chroniclers of the time sometimes described as “glowing with gold”. It was the center of the world's trade at its peak, it traded products between the East and the West.

It had universities and almost all people were getting at least some level of education, even if basic, including girls. It likely had the lowest percentage of women's illiteracy. Of course there was serious inequality by today’s standards but Byzantium was still one of the best places to live as a woman in the middle ages. Women had properties, ran their own businesses, could ask for divorce (in extreme circumstances) and could remarry but they were not obligated to. Women also participated in all festivities alongside men. There are also a few instances of women being influential and strong minded creators, like authors and poets (ie the aforementioned Anna Komnene, and not Komnenos as it says above, surnames here are gendered guys, stop turning all Greek women into dudes)

Byzantium preserved and studied extensively Classic philosophy, literature and science at a time these were still unknown to the west.

While Byzantium is perceived as an extreme Theocracy, in reality the Patriarch (the Orthodox equivalent of the Pope) was subordinate to the Emperor (unlike the Pope and the western kings) and therefore the emperor could oppose to the patriarch if his decisions were getting too much against the secular state's benefits. While the emperor was viewed as a saint on earth, this view was rather superficial and full of pretense. The commonwealth could get very easily restless and agitated when the emperor didn't meet their needs - this is why peasants and the army would often collaborate and overturn an emperor. Therefore, in the Byzantine Empire anyone could claim the throne no matter how humble his background was as long as he was skilled, intelligent, brave, popular and ruthless (or at least determined) enough. In general, even though there were social hierarchies, it was a place where you could rise in power, wealth, education and status despite your origins if you tried a lot or had a fair amount of cunning. Oh and the Byzantine Empire was the only medieval state to have been ruled by four women (a few of them ruthless indeed) without a man (or with a man being just a consort, I believe). But also, all empresses were expected to temporarily rule if their emperor husband was at war or sick, therefore they were always involved in the empire's affairs and their opinion mattered hugely both with the emperor and the court. Some empresses had very humble backgrounds as well and, you know, that’s kinda a big deal when it comes to medieval women. Even women could rise in power despite their background.

The Byzantine Empire liked festivities, showing off, luxuries, having fun - because, again, the commonwealth had to be satisfied. Peasants didn’t eat meat often, however there was a considerable diversity in the cuisine and also feasts where meat was offered for free to all.

There were also some technological feats (like some early robotlike devices), weapon innovations and medicine advancements like some pretty elaborate surgeries (including the first separation of conjoined twins - it would be attempted again 700 years later). The hospital as we know it today (trying to cure the patients) is a Byzantine invention as up to that point a hospital was just a place to accomodate dying people. The Byzantines took better care of their hygiene (there are records of Western Europeans being confused at how often Byzantine princesses wanted to take a bath).

About the worse stuff, the Byzantine Empire might have been one of the most invaded or threatened states in history, even by medieval standards. A war was experienced by every second generation on average! Invaders attacked from all sides. However, the cities had very strong walls, the Byzantine army was pretty strong (and hired good warriors from all Europe and Anatolia) and Byzantine diplomacy was also pretty advanced, often offering taxes and tolls to avoid conflicts. Such measures could rapidly impoverish the empire and the emperor had to impose huge taxes and then as said above the peasants would riot and the emperor would fall and the next one would either fight off the aspiring invaders or hide the financial issues until the next riot or happened to be a very competent ruler that led the empire to a new era of development and financial prosperity. This happened so many times that it made the empire a hilarious rollercoaster in terms of the economy. Nevertheless, it always kept the façade of luxury even at its worst. With that way or another (even if it might seem at times a not very proud way), the empire lasted and flourished longer than any other Medieval state until its pretty gruesome downfall.

Everything I mentioned above was better than the respective conditions in Western Europe in the Middle Ages. However, excuse any potential inaccuracies because it’s hard to shorten such a big topic and it might have some generalisations. I do believe what I wrote is pretty accurate though.

[xtrablak674]

Finding Your Tribe

Initially I had come across the image during my morning Tumblr'ing, and as I was wont to do I was doing a reverse image search to find a higher quality version of the image. I mean if I am going to download smut, better have a good-looking version of said smut. During my search I had come across the young man's Twitter account and prayed to my goddess that I wouldn't have to scroll long to get to the image I was looking for.

The thing about scrolling through someone's social media is you get a sense of the person, even if it's a highly curated and polished version. Its the version that they would like the world to see. One thing that became immediately apparent to me is that this curly-haired light-eyed sort of middling looking young man had found his tribe.

His "friends", because I am not sure what the kids are calling them these days, especially when the lines between plutonic and sexual were so clearly blurred, were clearly of the same tribe. Young people and others who had similar sexual interest and also loved documenting their merry-making in photographs, gifs and videos. Celebrating their lust and loves in a very public fashion. It had me very curious what these misfits did for work, because clearly they didn't care that their faces with dick in mouth were on very open display for all to see.

I could map the similar aesthetic between them, artsy but alternative, definitely not the main-stream gays that colour places like Chelsea but the on-the-edge queers who would exist in places like Bushwick barely boarding on being hipsters but divergent enough to be their own sub-genre of gay. Whereas a Manhattan gay may brag about wearing Prada and Louis Vuitton these ones would thrive in a new piece thrifted at L Train Vintage, never caring for those luxury brands but finding solace in their grandfather's old boots or jacket, paired with their grandma's pearls.

After watching the twelfth episode of Tracker last night where Colter finally met up with his wayward and possibly murderous older brother Russell, this made me think of the last time I had a tribe to speak of. And it would be back when my mom was still alive and I lived with my two younger siblings. It was the only time in my life I had a true connection to someone else around me, and albeit after her passing and our separation I would never truly find anything remotely the same.

In college I had a "crew" of sort largely based around the terraces where I lived my freshman year at this private college in upstate New York. They were gay, like I was at the time, some were lower-class like I thought I was, and would only later find out I was actually middle-class. None were of color, which then made me a novelty of sorts. I recall quite often being quizzed about how to use the language these upper-class queers had just learned from Jennie Livingston's infamous documentary Paris is Burning.

Ms. Trevor how do I say FIERCE? And what exactly is shade? Girl, teach me how to vogue! I mean I did my best to hobble together bits an pieces from my short-lived foray in the queer culture of New York City, which I had only really begin to explore the peaks of in my last two years in high school right in the middle of Manhattan. But this didn't feel exactly like my tribe, I seemed to be torn between allegiance to the HEOP Black kids on campus and the LGBT queer kids, not totally fitting in with either because of either class, orientation, how I preformed gender or how I performed race.

Post-college I continued the activism I had started moving into HIV/AIDS education through GMHC. Joining their youth program which was made up of primarily of other post-college kids but unlike upstate was more diverse having more woman, Black and people of color in its ranks. I can say I felt a connection to these young people as we tried our best to educate others our age and younger about how to navigate the complexities of trying to stay safe while being a young queer.

I have always had very mixed feelings about work relationships and albeit there are some people I met at my first advertising agency job that I would connect with an be friends with years after I left that company. I am not sure any of those relationship had a tribal feel to them.

My next significant connections would be to small or micro-business owners I had associated with through a non-profit that was out to help us with micro-loans. I was never really interested in the loans having long had an aversion to debt, but I did like the fellowship with the mostly Black business owners and using my own brand design business to help these folks out, at least with the visual aspects of their own brands.

But like all things that passed too.

The last fifteen years I have been a loner, most of my friendships drifting a part for one reason or another. I even stopped dating and then sexual relations too. It is a popular platitude to say to young people that you will find your tribe, I just haven't found that to be true. It has felt like all throughout my life I have had to partition pieces of myself to be accepted in certain areas. Even my fifteen year stay on Flickr seemed to be primarily based on folks sexual desires towards me, not really seeing me as a whole but just parts of a whole.

At this point I have let it all go, and find solace and comfort in my own company or in having parasocial relationships with the characters in my comics, books or television shows. If a tribe is a thing, its a thing that has always eluded me, maybe my not being able to compromise my values to 'group think' and allow folks to make me feel less than I am has not allowed me to assimilate into a group dynamic. Maybe my strong sense of self and moral aptitude and not ever being one to succumb to peer pressure or other ill-conceived notions has left me adrift. I am not sure I will ever understand how to be a part of a group.

My nephew was talking to me last week about this group chat, and I thought I have never been in anyone group anything. Even my attempts to start them have failed, like the group I created on Facebook for my fellow grand jury members. I thought we had an amazing eighteen month together, but I think afterwards we became the strangers that we were before. This has been the rhythm of my life since my mom died and I truly don't think it will ever change, and curiously I am okay with that.

Albeit our society loves to preach about how important relationships with others are I have found I think the most important relationship you can have is one with yourself, one unbound by pretense, pretensions and falsehoods. One unencumbered by expectations, animosity and aggression. One that lies in seeing who you are and appreciating all aspect of whom that person is and what they bring to the table never asking them to select which pieces are the most suitable for acceptance. But embracing, loving and encouraging them to come as they are and be welcomed.

[Photo by Brown Estate]

[americanrecord]

Hi, Kelsey! I hope you’ve have a nice holiday season. I was wondering if you had any tips for me? I’m starting university again after dropping out three years ago. I’m a pretty anxious person and am already feeling overwhelmed with my upcoming courses. How did you deal with pressure? Thank you ❤️

hi, ella! i have had a nice holiday season (despite the weird health issues going awn)!! and i hope you have too :-)

of course, i have tips! first of all, congratulations for making the decision to go back! that’s really exciting and a really big step toward wherever in the future you want to end up. i’m not sure if you’re going to attend online or in-person (either commuting or through living on campus), but i’m pretty sure all of my tips will be mostly applicable for all forms. (edit: they were mostly on-campus)

i also totally understand the anxiety. i got a little lucky when i was thrown into college life during the peak of the pandemic because we were all kind’ve bound to our dorm room and made to socialize, so i had nothing to do (beyond write fanfic lol) besides make myself be social with the other girls. however, i did experience really heavy bouts of anxiety when i was put back into standard in-person classes after a few years of luxury in online schooling (i found this method just agreed best with me — working at my own pace and not having to prioritize socializing. i actually became much more introverted during college/post-pandemic), just because i found it very difficult to make friends in an environment where nobody—including myself—really wanted to be there.

but i won’t start there.

firstly, i’m not sure if this is applicable to you, but do not mind any sense of “feeling behind.” it’s not like high school — absolutely nobody judges anybody of any age being in any level of a college class. in my upper level classes, i regularly had 35+ year olds either finishing their degree, returning for a second degree, etc etc, and that was just life. in college, absolutely nobody is working on the same time table and nobody will bat an eye at you saying “yeah, i decided to come back” or even if you just say “i took a few gap years and worked instead while i figured out what i wanted to do.” that is — if they even ask! most of the times, people don’t. you’re just going to be ella from class in their head. nick, this man from my writing class, was 36, and he was nick from writing class in my head all semester (until he read out some really misogynistic work he wrote that he praised as real literature and also rewrote the work of other students, then he was just nick the arrogant asshole.)

find your schedule. you unfortunately asked the loser for advice, so i’m going to address school first. i know that can definitely be a source of anxiety - either the desire to do it perfectly or just from the overwhelming sense of having an average of four or five class loads dropped onto your lap at once. i will say that the first thing i learned about college was that i had more free time than i ever conceptualized having. i also did not work a job. but even my friends who did — always had several hours of homework/tv/what have you time per night. the monday/wednesday, tuesday/thursday set up of each class is very helpful, i found! in between those class blocks — use it to eat and study. like, please. this might’ve just been what worked for me, but when i used the several 5-6 hours during daylight between clases + before dinner to exclusively work (i rarely even had working lunches), i was always able to have my work done before dinner and therefore take so much stress off my shoulders when i knew i’d have all night to unwind. doing that homework in general is just a great way to take off needless anxiety. it’s the only way i ever felt okay to walk into class unless i had something figured out with my professor.

other miscellaneous homework tips are to: (1) do the readings at first and keep doing them unless you get to class and realize they really don’t matter and won’t be showing up at any other point to bite you in the ass. most of the time, they do matter and are necessities for those who want As. (2) stay organized. find a rhythm. take notes by hand for better retention and use them to create study materials later (rewriting flash cards or rewriting quizlets were what helped me. rewriting in general.) (3) do not force yourself to stay up to an ungodly hour to study or do something (unless this really does work for you) because the chances are that your retention rate will be obliterated or the dip in quality will be noticeable. just get up early the next morning. (4) if you’re worried about missing out on socializing because you’re always holed up & working — offer to do homework with somebody else. my roommates and i would have “homework parties” where nobody talks/everybody has headphones in, but just being in the same vicinity was a motivator/a good way to not feel isolated. either that or just go sit at a library or in a cafe so you feel surrounded by people; the library was my personal go-to. i lived there my last semester on campus! #lawclasses

interact with your professors! it will only benefit you as a student. shoot them emails when you have questions or stay behind after class, introduce yourself, and ask your questions in person. going to office hours or basically doing anything to establish yourself beyond a name on a roll sheet and a vague figment at a desk is a great look in their eyes. it will make them friendlier, more likely to give you assistance or cool extra materials, or even much more sympathetic in times of need (like when you’re struggling with due dates or toward the end of the semester.) literally every professor will tell you their least fave student is the silent and absent one who shows up four days before the end and goes: please, mrs. so and so, can you turn my D- to an A :)? no! all my professors that i worked closely with, either through frequent communication or just through writing projects are the ones that live with me. my last writing professor and i got along so well that they invited me to work on their book with them. it never came to fruition because both of our schedules fell through, but just the idea of being asked was really special to me and it was only because i made the effort to make myself a real person in their eyes. sorry for all the personal anecdotes btw, it’s the only way i know how to relate.

GPA, at the end of the day, is not the end all be all. you do not need a 4.0. it’s a very good thing to have, but you don’t need it and you won’t be left out of future employment if you don’t have it. just do your best. a B in that really hard class is an A in a blow-off class. if you do all that you can do & take advantage of all of your study materials + do all the work, you’ve done the best you can as a student. the world will keep turning if you don’t get a perfect mark, and i like to think it turns smoother when you can reassure yourself you’ve done your best.

know when to take a break. burnout is real. it’s so real. my sister just experienced it so bad because she was working at her interior design coursework for like 14 hours a day, 7 days a week (she’s a perfectionist to a fault). don’t do that. don’t neglect copious amounts of sleep, or food, or hygiene routines, or social hours, or brain-numbing time because all of that is as useful and important as time devoted to studying. it’s the only way to guarantee that you will survive long enough to continue studying! just save a certain amount of time per day for yourself and your interests and your mind just for your mental health.

if attendance isn’t mandatory and your mental health needs it, it’s okay to skip a class here and there. it’s always best to do this strategically - when you know you won’t be missing anything or if you have access to whatever materials you missed, either through the class site or a friend — but sometimes those days off are the only way to recharge. i would sometimes skip my classes without mandatory attendance to just work in advance on those very classes. if you have a better way to devote your time (genuinely better) and won’t get knocked for it, it’s not the end of the world to miss the class. i didn’t embrace this until my very last semester on campus, always way too anxious to miss.

this is all that i can think of off the top of my head. please let me know if there’s something you’d like me to hone in on, but this kinda covered all the getting started bases!! i know you will do great and that you will find your niche and your schedule, but if you ever need me for anything, you know where to find me!! another thing that got me through college, perhaps the only thing that did so mostly happily, was tumblr!! it’s why i never felt lonely! 🩷

remember, life exists outside of academics! you are worth so much more than a letter grade or a number <3 what matters to employers is you got the degree!