Curiosity is the lust of the mind; it cures boredom but nothing cures it. The spirit of this is to teach you at least one new thing. I welcome responses so don’t hesitate to email me!
-Kratom: A tea from Southeast Asia, part of the coffee family, can help with anxiety and depression and acts as a natural pain-reliever. Similar to green tea except it can make you feel fantastic. Legal and you can buy it online.
-Aphantasia: An inability to form mental images. I’ve had it as long as I can remember. I remember trying to identify it as a kid but there wasn’t a name for it until 2015. Nearly 2% of the population has it. Imagine not being able to visualize. A fascinating area of study that I would love to be connected with.
-Mental Health: I’ve researched sleep a bit and would love to get into sleep research. I think it could be the future of mental health research. In High School I slept an average of 5hrs nightly, (#IB). Tip for anyone sleeping under 6hrs a night: You can sleep more, feel better, and do better. Work smarter, not longer. A Harvard Study said, 90% of those who had a mental health illness also had a sleeping disorder. Depression and anxiety are common on college campuses, and I think sleep deprivation is a cause or exacerbation of it. (Book: Take a Nap, Change your Life)
-Weight Loss: I was obese since I was a kid. Freshman year of college I lost 30lbs. It’s doable, you just need the right info and some control. AuthorityNutrition is a great site. Basically, eat more protein, walk a lot, start splitting all your portions into two, and CUT CARBS (replace with protein).
-New Experiences: I’ve never been adventurous. Your comfort zone is needed, but venturing out is formative. True growth comes from new tests. Don’t give excuses, take chances. Most of what I’ve gotten in life was because I took a chance. If you want something or are unhappy, talk to someone who has power and you can be pleasantly surprised if you expect disappointment. Life is ephemeral; treat it like a gift.
-Yoga: I fell for the Westernization of Yoga even though I’m Indian. Forget Hot Yoga as a workout, Yoga is a spiritual experience. You use breathing and poses to center your mind and get in touch with the universe. It’s easy and it comes with health benefits including flexibility. Also, the spiritual aspect is amazing (Yamas/Niyamas)
-Rock Bottom: Everyone hits a low point in their life. If you absorb, reflect, reevaluate, and learn then I promise you’ll come out of it with a wisdom and calm that is eternal. Nothing will affect you the same and you can live reborn knowing that when life gave you nothing, you were able to make something pure. Life is transitory; Perspective determines how your time will be.
When I was little, my mom unknowingly gave me very wise advice: When you meet someone, observe what they’re good at and see how you can grow. Now, I feel that jealously is wasteful. Choose to admire people for their strengths, regardless of how they may be used. Respect is knowing that everyone is beautiful despite nobody being perfect.
-Reflect: Desire is the heart of worry. Time isn’t wasted if it’s lived. We were born with the ability to be better.
“Lead us from delusion to truth, from darkness to light, from mortality to immortality”
S/O: Maddie Buyers, SigEp, Lil Wayne, AU’s Eagle Endowment, Faith Bruton.
(Looking for work opportunities in D.C.)
Saagar Gupta
Washington D.C.
[email protected]