This is an ode to the moments that shifted something in me last year. This collection documents the months following my 24th birthday and features stories of lost optimism, crushing sadness, bursts of inspiration, the necessity of laughter and the hard lesson of self-control. My biggest inspiration for sharing my own personal stories came from my friends, family and strangers. By sharing their own tender moments with me, they taught me the importance of being vulnerable and because of them I know that it is healthy for the strong friend to cry sometimes. There were so many other great moments not included here that I will cherish forever. In 2018, I travelled back to London, found inspiration in Barcelona and found a new family in Italy. I stumbled upon a home in Austin and flew among the French architecture in New Orleans. I had one of the best summers in recent memory with my friends.

And thankfully, I found my writing voice again.