Do you know what an upside-down face emoji means? Or what someone is trying to say when they send a skull emoji? Sometimes emojis are harder to understand than words. How often have you received an emoji and didn’t quite know what it meant? Or used the same emoji with different people—but meant different things … Read more
How many times have you been fooled by a movie, a song or a book? How much time did it take to realise the subtle manipulation – or even the outright propaganda? And when you did, did it make you angry that your mind was deceived, even for a while? I’ve felt that many times. … Read more
Spring is around the corner here in Germany. For the past few days, I’ve been getting ready to welcome it. I washed, dried, and stored my winter clothes. I brought out my spring outfits. Not only that, but I even started planning what to buy for the warmer months ahead. While doing all this, I … Read more
Some of the kindest people I’ve met were also the weakest. At the same time, some of the most unpleasant people seemed to be the most powerful. The same pattern also appears at a large scale. Peaceful societies sometimes struggle against tyrannical ones. Nations that prefer stability and harmony often find themselves threatened by those … Read more
If you’re thinking about starting to write — whether it’s keeping a notebook or journaling — you’ve probably already heard about the benefits. People say writing helps you organise your thoughts, improve memory, reduce stress, and communicate better. As someone who has been writing for a while, I’ve found all of that to be true. … Read more
I’ve noticed that people get stuck in their passions in two different ways. The first type keeps learning but never starts doing. The second already knows enough to begin — but doesn’t start because they think they are not good enough. The first problem is easier to solve. Learn just enough to start. Then do … Read more
Until a few months ago, I bought most things online. It felt efficient, modern, and effortless. But after a few frustrating experiences, I started to change my shopping habits. Deliveries arrived late. Returns became a headache. Sometimes the product wasn’t what it looked like. Once or twice, it never arrived at all. I realised that … Read more
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