The cold serves as a reminder to tune into the love that once fueled you, as it lives inside you as well. All it takes is remembering. Even the simplest recall of a memory warms me more than a sweater ever could. Do I wish it could physically manifest as well? Yes, but sadly this is reality, and we make do. I am all the love I’ve ever received, and it is my duty to nurture and maintain it.

The enrollment deposit to Boston University may have been a couple of hundred dollars, but the thrilling idea of going to school 1,000 miles away from home was priceless. An uneasy knot formed in my stomach almost as soon as I threw my cap in the air at my high school graduation and realized the reality of my college choice. Was I ready to move away from home? Could I handle being in an unknown city without family nearby? Am I strong enough to get through the hard times by myself?