Realization

When my grandfather passed away, it felt like the whole world blinked for a second. He was one of those people who carried the history of our family in his bones. Around the dinner table, we'd talk about how his life shaped ours, and it made me realize how much 'the man' meant,not just as a title, but as a living story we were all part of.

On TikTok, the word 'normie' is like a badge of honor and a target at the same time. Kids use it to describe people who don’t get into the deep internet memes or the weird subcultures. But the funny thing is, a lot of the people who make fun of 'normies' are just as normal in their own lives. It’s like calling someone ‘basic’ while you’re wearing a TikTok influencer’s outfit.

At work, when my boss says, 'Just make it,' I feel like she’s handing me a blank check but not explaining what she wants. In meetings, it can get confusing because ‘make it’ means different things to different people. To a designer, it’s a canvas; to an engineer, it’s a blueprint. But for me, it’s like being told to cook without a recipe or ingredients.

In my relationship, when my partner says ‘it is what it is,’ I hear it as a door closing instead of a solution. It feels like we’re avoiding the problem, like we’ve agreed that talking about it won’t help. But I keep waiting for the moment when it turns into something we can do something about, and it just keeps not happening.

Among Gen Z, the phrase ‘tfw no gf’ is both a joke and a flex. It means you’re living single and unbothered, like you’ve got it all figured out. But it’s also kind of a challenge,to say, ‘I’m fine being alone, but if you show up, I’m ready.’ It’s like saying, ‘I’m free, but not because I’m not good enough.’