Sometimes when I can’t think of what to write in my article for the week, I literally Google “what to write about in my Odyssey article.” Generally, nothing actually of use comes up and it’s just a way to procrastinate, but today something interesting popped up. It was a Yahoo answers page — the golden standard of what comes up when asking Google random questions — and the author was actually talking about "The Odyssey." As in the epic by Homer. Someone had to write a newspaper article about Odysseus. It was weird, not gonna lie, but it gave me some ideas. I am an english literature major. Analyzing writing — and writing about writing — is what I do, but I hate "The Odyssey"(sorry Homer). Lucky you, I did not decide to write about the ancient epic and you will not be reading about Odysseus and his journey in this article, but I do have some literature to analyze — one quote at a time. There's certainly something to be learned from classic literature, and I'm not just saying that because I'm an English nerd. Here are 10 quotes that everyone can take inspiration from:

1. "Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs." — "Jane Eyre "

Oh how right she is! Life is too short to be spent in misery or anger. Forgiveness is important, and we must all learn to let bygones by bygones and embrace the beauty of our relatively short time on earth.

2. “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.” — "Paradise Lost"

The mind is a powerful thing, and we must all learn how to use our own power to our benefit. It’s so easy to fall into a trap of negative thinking, but any thoughts that trap and paralyze us are of our own creation. We can just as easily build a cage to ensnare us with our thoughts as we can set ourselves free. The choice is up to each and every one of us.

3. "No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true." — "The Scarlet Letter"

Be yourself. Don’t try to be something you’re not. If you do, pretty soon you’ll become confused as to who you are. Don’t ever get so caught up in being someone else that you start to be more like them than yourself. You were put here for a purpose uniquely suited to you, don’t forget that.

4. "She had waited all her life for something, and it had killed her when it found her." — "Their Eyes Were Watching God"

I think sometimes we get caught up in the way we think things should be and cannot let go of that idea. We can wait our whole lives to find that perfect someone or get that perfect job, only to realize that we’ve wasted our lives away pining for something that in the end wasn’t worth letting so many perfect moments slip by unrecognized.

5. "Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change." — "Frankenstein"

Oh change. Such a love-hate relationship we humans have with that little word. It is painful and wonderful all at once, and something that we all must get used to — whether we like it or not.

6. "You are your best thing." — "Beloved"

There’s something to be said for being true to yourself and following your instincts. Your own thoughts, actions, and all around character can be the best thing for you. Believe in yourself and your capabilities.

7. "I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I'll go to it laughing." — "Moby Dick"

This is my philosophy. Enjoy life and face every day with a smile and a good laugh. You can never be more prepared for the day’s challenges than with good humor!

8. “Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts.” —"Great Expectations"

While there is an art to inviting the day to come with a smile, sometimes that’s just too much to bear. It’s okay to cry. It’s not something to be ashamed of, and it’s a beautiful thought to think of our tears as rain upon the parched earth – something healing and life giving if we allow it to be.

9. “Fight till the last gasp.” —"Henry VI"

Never give up. Perseverance is key to being successful in life and, well, never give up.

10. “I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.” — "Alice in Wonderland"

As humans we are all changing and evolving, and that’s a good thing. Life gives us all new experiences and teaches us lessons on a daily basis. It’s a sign of personal growth to be able to look back and see how far you’ve come and recognize that you can never be who you once were again, but you are a better person now because of that.