Experiences shape perspective. The same place can feel completely different to two people, depending on where they come from, what they’ve lived through, and what they compare it to. Recently, I was talking to an Afghan girl I met at my university in Germany. She asked me if I would go back to India. I … Read more
I recently changed the default alarm tone on my phone. The old one felt unpleasant — the kind of sound that made me anxious before the day had even begun. It reminded me that most of life comes pre-selected. The default alarm sound. The default career path. The default way of spending weekends. The default … Read more
I’ve been reading things I wrote in my notebook over the past few months. What surprised me wasn’t the improvement in my writing, but the difference in my handwriting on each page. Sometimes it’s neat, sometimes ugly. Sometimes slanted, sometimes straight. Some days cursive, some days not. Consistency and stability are not things I can … Read more
I’m writing this sitting in the middle of my university cafeteria, in the middle of the day. The place is loud and chaotic. People are having lunch, talking, and moving around. Shoes scrape the floor. Chairs drag. Plates hit tables. Cutlery clinks. Phones ring. Laughter interrupts conversations. The outer walls are made of glass, so … Read more
My goal this year is to use social media more. That might sound like a strange resolution at a time when many people are trying to quit it. But, after years of avoiding social media, I’ve learned how to make it work for me, rather than against me. For a long time, I wasn’t interested … Read more
Some of the clothes from my childhood are still in good condition. They weren’t expensive, but they were well-made. They didn’t loosen, fade, or tear easily. They were made to last. I can’t say the same about the clothes I buy today. These days, buying clothes feels frustrating. After a few washes, they’re no longer … Read more
Whenever I travel to a new place, one of the first things I notice is how easy it is to walk around. For me, one of the clearest signs of a good city, town, or village is how accessible daily life is on foot. Unfortunately, many modern developments destroy that quality. Growing up, I walked … Read more
Seedless fruits are taking over – and it needs to stop. They feel unfinished, dull and a little soulless. Walk through any supermarket, and you’ll see it: seedless grapes, seedless watermelons, seedless everything. Meanwhile, the real fruits — the ones with seeds, texture, and character — are slowly disappearing. Convenience is winning, but the compromise … Read more
We should pause and examine why we fail. If we don’t, we risk repeating the same mistakes. Worse, we begin telling ourselves the wrong stories — blaming ourselves for things we couldn’t control, or blaming luck for things we simply didn’t try hard enough to do. I’ve had times when I worked intensely on something … Read more
Cooking, to me, is more art than engineering. It leaves room for expression, experimentation, and a bit of risk-taking. A dish won’t fall apart if you add a little more of something, a little less of something else, or swap an ingredient entirely. In fact, that’s often how better dishes are born. And I believe … Read more