As many of you know, I have been accepted into and participating in events through Leadership Little Traverse, a nine-month civic engagement and professional development program. The reason I mention this is because it has turned into something completely—and wonderfully—unexpected. In addition to learning leadership, team-building, and real-world application skills, we’ve also dove head-first into the history of the Little Traverse Bay region. Though it would only make sense

Sometimes I really miss college--the roommate bonding, the clubbing on the weekends, the relief of finishing a giant research paper right before the deadline. After smiling at all the photos from this year's graduates (including some dear friends), I can't help but think about all the tips and "by-the-ways" I wish I could tell them. That's a major reason for this blog post, but I'm also using this time to reflect (as one does when writing anything!). So, to celebrate 12+ mont

Goal-setting is essential for anyone who wants to succeed in life. It doesn't matter what your goals are--they could involve bettering yourself in health or fitness, completing a project, learning a new language, or getting a good job or college acceptance. Unfortunately, most of us run into obstacles along the way that make the end seem impossible to reach. One of those barriers is perfectionism. Though I'm project-oriented (versus study-oriented), I've always been somebody

While January lasted 10 years, December has lasted 10 seconds. After a brown Christmas, I'm back to work planning out the year ahead. But I can only do that if I can examine what exactly I'm leaving behind. Instead of the usual format, I thought I'd switch up this post with a choppy pro/con analysis of 2018, rating the year from personal, professional, and global perspectives. Keep in mind this is all opinion--and if you're looking for 2018's all-inclusive almanac, you might

You never know to what extent your personal hobbies may affect your career. Flash back to sophomore year of college. Inspired after researching them for a class (and also needing something to put on my resume), I sent an email to a local nonprofit called Friends of Grand Rapids Parks. Intending only to volunteer, I met one of their staff members at Global Infusion for coffee. We discussed volunteer opportunities and my availability over chai, and we were almost finished with