The Road Not Taken

The Road Not Taken

Thank you Robert Frost.
Alyssa DiLorenzo
Alyssa DiLorenzo Apr 5, 2016
119
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"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

...

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference."

Robert Frost wrote the poem above called "The Road Not Traveled" and I didn't fully grasp it until recently.

The way I interpreted this poem was that the author was having a sigh of relief, that he was happy he strayed away from the crowd. I have always had the fear of missing out and deep down I wanted to be like everyone else but that is not the person I am. I am not someone who follows along with the crowd. I do things the way I think that I should. I am not the average college kid. I work two jobs go to school twice a week, yes I am a full time student, and I live at home. I used to be afraid I was missing out on parties and drinking but now I am afraid I am missing out on much more than that. I am afraid that I will miss out on traveling and learning because I am wrapped up in other things,

I took the road less traveled by. I work and study and keep to myself. I skip class because I believe I deserve to sit on the beach instead. I am not afraid to call out of work to go to a concert because I am not afraid to do what it takes to make myself happy.

In my opinion, the road less traveled by is the road where you go to make yourself happy. Normally, we are on the road to school and work and responsibility. It makes all the difference when you begin to realize it is okay to make yourself happy. I thought the road less traveled by was the road you took when you are different from everyone else. I am now beginning to see that the road less traveled is the road you take that allows you to fully be yourself and make yourself happy.

The road less traveled by is beautiful, drama-free, and the only road I want to be on.

Cover Image Credit: Sueddie
Alyssa DiLorenzo
Alyssa DiLorenzo Apr 5, 2016
At Salem State University

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10 Things I Threw Out AFTER Freshman Year Of College

Guess half the stuff on your packing list doesn't really matter
Gabby Florio
Gabby Florio Aug 6, 2017
326420
views

I spent the entire summer before my freshman year of college so WORRIED.

I also spent most of my money that summer on miscellaneous dorm stuff. I packed the car when the time finally came to move in, and spent the drive up excited and confused about what the heck was actually going on.

Freshman year came and went, and as I get ready to go back to school in just a few short weeks (!!), I'm starting to realize there's just a whole bunch of crap I just don't need.

After freshman year, I threw out:

1. Half my wardrobe.

I don't really know what I was thinking of owning 13 sweaters and 25 T-shirts in the first place. I wear the same five T-shirts until I magically find a new one that I probably got for free, and I put on jeans maybe four times. One pair is enough.

2. Half my makeup.

Following in the theme of #1, if I put on makeup, it's the same eyeliner-mascara combination as always. Sometimes I spice it up and add lipstick or eyeshadow.

3. My vacuum.

https://secure.img1-ag.wfcdn.com/im/d5ea3c03/resize-h2000-p1-w2000%5Ecompr-r85/3021/30217778/Express+6+Volt+Cordless+Bagless+Handheld+Vacuum.jpg

One, I basically never did it. Two, if I REALLY needed to vacuum, dorms rent out cleaning supplies.

4. Most of my photos from high school.

I didn't throw them ALL away, but most of them won't be making a return to college. Things change, people change, your friends change. And that's okay.

5. Excess school supplies.

Binders are heavy and I am lazy. I surprisingly didn't lose that many pens, so I don't need the fifty pack anymore. I could probably do without the crayons.

6. Cups/Plates/Bowls/Silverware.

Again, I am lazy. I cannot be bothered to wash dishes that often. I'll stick to water bottles and maybe one coffee cup. Paper plates/bowls can always be bought, and plastic silverware can always be stolen from different places on campus.

7. Books.

I love to read, but I really don't understand why I thought I'd have the time to actually do it. I think I read one book all year, and that's just a maybe.

8. A sewing kit.

I don't even know how to sew.

9. Excessive decorations.

It's nice to make your space feel a little more cozy, but not every inch of the wall needs to be covered.

10. Throw pillows.

At night, these cute little pillows just got tossed to the floor, and they'd sit there for days if I didn't make my bed.

Cover Image Credit: Tumblr
Gabby Florio
Gabby Florio Aug 6, 2017
At Boston University

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The Shape Of The Monster: Depression

The second piece in a series about mental illness.

Rachel Smith
Rachel Smith May 14, 2019
765
views

The last thing I want to do is glorify mental illness, give it a platform, give it a name. But I need to talk about it, to work through it, to show that it's something many people experience.

It goes like this.

Hey! Sorry I haven't called you back. Everything has been so busy.

Every time I think about even picking up the phone and calling you, something heavy but familiar sets in my stomach like a weight.

You know how things get.

You know how easy it is to want to slip into absolute nothingness, right?

I've been trying to write, but my writer's block has been limiting me a lot.

Everything I write is so bad. The flow is off. It doesn't sound like me. It feels so crooked and wrong. I can't do anything right.

How are things? Has work been alright?

I hope you feel successful. I hope things are easier for you. I hope you are as happy as you seem.

I'm okay.

I don't want to be here. I don't want to be anywhere. I feel crooked and wrong like I just want to scream and cry and dissolve.

I've just been so tired!

I have been tired for at least a decade. Tired of never sleeping. Tired of never feeling anything more than either absolute devastation and absolute nothingness. Tired. Tired. Tired.

I hope I can see you soon.

I hope I can bring myself to get out of bed and out into the world. I hope I can force myself to shower, and get dressed, and be a contributor to society, to social obligations.

I miss you.

I miss you.

I love you.

I love you.

I promise to call as soon as things lighten up a bit.

As long as the chemical imbalance doesn't destroy me altogether, hopefully, I can feign vague interest for a short phone call.

Goodbye.

Goodbye for now, maybe goodbye forever, maybe I'll work up the courage to call you in another 2, 5, 7 weeks or so. My life is made of "maybes." Maybe one-day things will be better. Maybe one day I'll be happy. Maybe one day I won't be anything. Maybe.

Rachel Smith
Rachel Smith May 14, 2019
At Missouri State University

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