Lifestyle

By Marissa Rotolo Hazel / @hazalbalci via Pinterest The month of March started with a brunch that unknowingly caused a ripple effect so unintentional, like a stone that keeps skipping long after you've stopped watching it. Brunch was followed by yet another flare of perioral dermatitis and a trip to Florida to celebrate my sister's 25th birthday. A case of mono that came and went. By the middle of March, I said a tearful goodbye to a job that started just as tearfully; in the

By Marissa Rotolo @faiezabirma via PInterest An overwhelming hole in my chest in the shape of my cellphone. A void in my brain that leaves me wondering how I once studied for exams and clung to information that truly mattered. Eyes that once relished; rest that once felt meaningful. This is the cynical cycle of thought that materializes after a doomscroll. When ten minutes turn into six hundred, and skipping one book on my shelf turns into cobwebs collecting dust. I used to

This blog explores the emotional side of personal growth — the loneliness, healing, identity shifts, and quiet rebuilds that happen when you choose peace, boundaries, and self-worth. Through reflective essays and honest storytelling, it examines what it really looks like to outgrow old habits, relationships, and versions of yourself in your 20s. If you’re navigating burnout, rebuilding your identity, learning balance, or grieving old versions of yourself while creating a lif

By Marissa Rotolo Khachatryan Syuzanna / @syuzann_na via Pinterest I’ve had Pinterest boards for my wedding since I was way too young. From mason jar centerpieces to old-money chic aesthetics, my boards have seen it all. But not once did I pin the words “brand deal.” That, however, seems to be the newest goal for influencers and Gen Z couples. Somewhere between the champagne toast and the bouquet toss, Gen Z found an opportunity to monetize. Forget “I do.” The real vow is to

By Marissa Rotolo 8athena8 / @8athena8 via Pinterest I feel it most when the sun starts to set, and I have to switch on the big light. Like the ending credits of a glorious film and your brain can’t help but wonder what next? A Bon Iver song, beautiful but tragic all in the same breath. Sunday blues are a feeling of nostalgia that rips at the deepest parts of the soul. Like the feeling of being in a crowded room, laughing, sulking in pleasure, only to go home alone at night

By Marissa Rotolo Pepsi Smile🙂/ @phytoplanktonH2O via Pinterest “At 22 years old, I write in this journal knowing my life right now is fleeting. Writing/editing blogs, psychology classes, team dinners, even getting annoyed over parking spots & ring cameras: in one year from now it’ll all be different. This last fall semester at Miami has been a testament to the love I have gained, the growth I have done, the idea that all you need is love. A space to cry, to laugh, to suppo

By Marissa Rotolo Allie / @allienjones333 via Pinterest Where the question of whether you were a Bratz or Barbie girl mattered most, and the combo of capri leggings under your jean skirt with a lace Justice tank top was simply untouchable. Feather hair extensions? All the rage. Now, it feels like the awkward phase has disappeared into the abyss. Dare I say it...tweens today are cooler than we ever were. With the rise of Tiktok tweens today are exposed to curated content at un

By Marissa Rotolo ELLEN LONG / CurlyClicksPhotography I used to sleep in my bed at home knowing I’d soon be back in my college town. Back in my bubble and surrounded by people my age, untouched by outside opinions, holding a sense of sovereignty over my own life. I used to sleep in my college bed with the belief that when I moved home for good, I’d have a plan. A job. A budget. A few long-distance trips figured it out. A timeline for moving out. None of that turned out to be

By Marissa Rotolo Rentini Travel / @rentini via Pinterest Your local coffee shop. A church pew. The stoop outside your apartment. These used to be the soul of our social lives. Now? We’re trading them for a 6-inch screen. The third place refers to an area that is separate from your home (first place) or workplace (second place). A third place could be a café, church, stoop, gym, or the all-too-consuming: our phones. In the past, third places were especially common. However,

By Marissa Rotolo 𝓝 / @noyaaaa444 via Pinterest Last weekend I woke up in a frenzy as I reached for my half-crumpled water bottle on my bedside table. I wiped crusty mascara from under my eyes and picked up my phone. Memories of the night before screamed at me in the face the second the screen opened; my own personal Pandora’s box. All with the intention of never doing that again, joined with the knowledge that I’m definitely going to do that again. This is the experience of