Damselz-In-Sanity

 I've been in college for about over a month now. In the 40 days I've spent here, I've visited the food hall over 100 times - of which the Hot chocolate machine has been broken for over 90. Bombay's humidity was quickly replaced by Boston's "Fall" (it's winter guys) and the only thing helping me through the transition was a cup of hot chocolate every morning. But about 2 weeks in, the hot chocolate machine broke.       Initially, a piece of paper, closely stuck by tape, lay pressed against the machine: " Hot Chocolate Machine is Broken! "  4 weeks in, it's now a laminated sheet of paper, carefully stuck to the machine. Someone took the time to type it out onto a computer, print it, cut it, have it laminated, and stick it up to the machine. Do you know what they could be doing in that time? (Hint: getting the machine fixed!) This post is not about the machine. (Obviously Kuhu, it's a Mental Health blog - get to the point!) We often pro...

"Wish I had hair like them." "How do they manage being the best at EVERYTHING?" "They're so fit  - look at me: a couch potato" We've all compared ourselves with the people around us. We all compare ourselves with the people around us. We get jealous, begrudged and green with envy. And sometimes we just smile to not let the world know. We get insecure. We feel bad. But what we always forget to accept is the state of the situation. Our situation - their situation. Literally no one out there is a 100% happy with their lives. And, unlike the cliches, maybe we shouldn't be.  Who said that you have to be happy all the time? If you're happy all the time then how do you become a better version of yourself? There will always be someone smarter, richer, more popular, and better-looking than you. Healthy competition is good. It's not a bad thing to have people be better than you. It's a bad thing if you accept that you can never work hard and ...

“Isn’t it funny how, day by day, nothing changes, but when we look back, everything is different.” -C.S. Lewis If you go to the gym for the first time, and you work out, and you come back, you look in the mirror, you will see... Nothing. If you go to the gym the next day, and you come back, and you look in the mirror, you will see... Nothing. Clearly, there are no results, can't be measured, it must not be effective, right? This is the thought that often leads to us quitting. The problem doesn't solely lie in the lack of patience, but rather, in the lack of material. If we don't see it, we tend to believe it doesn't exist. That's where we get it wrong. "Good things take time. Getting better takes time. Building a habit takes time." But they also take consistency.  Going to the gym for nine hours does for a day not get you into shape. Working out every day for 30 minutes gets you into shape. Studying a chapter one night before may work (sometimes); but in t...

Officially the time of the year when most of us know where we're going to college!  College is stressful: no cap. But what's equally more stressful is the process that builds up to getting into a good college. Whether you're in the Indian education system or an international applicant, we all know that competition is getting tough. Getting into a well-accredited college in India means  and abroad: But real talk: what happens AFTER the whole process? After you commit to a school? I like to phrase this feeling as Tun-tun mausi ke taane. Why? Because no matter what you do or where you end up - there's always someone to talk bad behind your back, nullify your hard work or simply claim, "Oh I'm better."  In the case of college apps, this is manifested by googling the acceptance rate. Let me draw you a picture: Person A gets into an Ivy League/IIT, person B is at a good college and person C got into a local/community college. It's been ingrained in our syste...

 I have been a movie buff for as long as I can remember. My 2 favourite categories: Bollywood and Animation. Now in the past, I've authored multiple posts on Bollywood (check them out here! ) but I realised, I've never written one on the latter! Animated films formed the crux of my childhood. While as a kid I absolutely loved the visuals and music, it was only when I became a teen and started to realise the depth behind each film. Animated films are NOT kid films. They're so much more than that. And when I realised this, I thought, why not write a blog on it, hmm? So, here are my favourite animated films which I beg you to watch at least once in your life! Number 1: The Kung Fu Panda series Po is the goofball you absolutely need in your life. The writers neither missed the comedic timing of his antics nor the subtle life lessons exuded through each of the films. It teaches you to believe in yourself. Yes you can be a panda and a dragon warrior in the same go. Yes, you can f...

✨Academic Validation✨ The dependence on physical awards as a sense of acknowledgement and appreciation. First things first,  This blog is not written to claim that academic validation is "bad" or that we should completely stop seeking it -  NO! It's authored to bring to the limelight the negative effects of academic validation on your mental health and how it affects not only yourself but your entire social circle.  With the school year almost coming to an end, award season awaits. For some of us, this is the most exciting time of the year - your yearlong efforts finally seek fruition. Some of us can only dream about standing at the podium. And for some, despite your hard work, you simply miss it by an inch. Now I'm someone who has experienced all 3 of the above scenarios; and if you're a "late bloomer", chances are, you have too. Getting awards, simply put, feels good.  It validates the sacrifices made: the late nights spent, and the occasional social e...

 I'm officially an adult.  And I'm going to formally experience "life" now. It's going to be tough. I know that. But the only thing that keeps me confident enough to face that fact is that I will never EVER relieve my senior year of High School again. If I could survive 12th grade, I can - hopefully - survive what the future holds for me. So, to officially start the post: School can be rife with stress. Every waking moment is spent either in front of a textbook, in class, doing an extracurricular or editing the millionth attempt of your Common App essay (if you're an International aspirant.) And when you're in a constant loop of the same, fatigue is but natural to catch up to you. This is what my - as well as most of yours' - senior year looked like: Last exam of 11th grade - a movie out with friends - AP's and SAT - Internships - Common App Essay - Extra-curriculars - Barbieheimer - First Semester Exams - Early apps - Durga Puja - Pre-boards - Re...

 Hello hello and welcome (back) to my blog :) After writing over 30+ essays for college apps and over 3000(totally not an exaggeration) pages of textbook content, senioritis caught up to me. It's always better to take a break than to slack off and produce poor results; which is why, 3 months ago, I decided to take a break from blogging.  Truth be said: I missed blogging. It's an activity I've pursued weekly since freshman year of High school. One, which has not only opened up so many opportunities in the field but made me better. A better writer, a better person. Obviously, you can't turn your back on an activity that has given you so much. So, I've decided to get back to my passion project, but with a few tweaks :) Timeline shift: DamselzInsanity began as a weekly blog in my freshman year of High School, during Covid. Over the years, while the pandemic subsided, my workload escalated. And as I enter university life, I know for a fact that maintaining a weekly sch...

 Happy New Year Eve Eve Eve! (mentally insert Pheobe meme) Heilo everyone and welcome backzo to the last #faltufriday post of the year <3 In all honesty, I'm not quite sure how to write this blog; so just a heads up, this post is going to be a very random collection of thoughts put together...and I hope you enjoy :) I've got some lukewarm news. If you haven't yet deciphered from my socials, yes, it's true.  This is my last blog post. For a while. Lemme explain. Blogging has been the most consistent activity I've kept up with, for more than 4 years now. It's one that has - not exaggerating - been a defining moment in my life. Now I'm not going to be senti and all in this blog because it's not the very last blog post I pen. So, no  goodbyes are hard but it's for the best; no No. Genuinely speaking, it was a very hard decision I've had to take but I knew it was the right one. Alongside being absolutely swamped with college applications and Board...

 Hello hello and welcome backzo to the last 'informative' post of the year! Previously, I had authored a blog sharing my favourite mental health TED talks with you all! With immense love garnered on it, several more binges later, I thought about doing a part 2! Without further ado, let's jump right into it! to give a watch once! 1.  Why we all need to practice emotional first aid When we get a small scratch or splinter, we know exactly what to do. Wash the wound, apply a band-aid and avoid contact. This has been ingrained in us since we were 5.  But what if it's an emotional scar? Are we really taught how to process grief? How to speak to someone who is vulnerable? In this TED Talk, Dr. Guy Winch discusses the societal favouritism towards physical health over mental health. He emphasizes the importance of practising emotional hygiene, drawing attention to the psychological injuries and wounds such as loneliness, failure, and negative thinking, and suggests simple habit...