Notions on the Road
American Privilege With An Extra Shot
As soon as the smell of the chocolate-colored elixir hits my nose, I am mesmerized. It is a process that never ceases to draw me in, from the way the mystical brown dust gently settles into a cream filter to the excitement of the metal kettle filled with steaming water. Even the most mundane acts come to life in new and unusual ways: When the water is finally released onto the crushed beans, a visual of an elephant spewing water from his long nose comes to mind. But despite the flights of fancy of my imagination, the pour itself is always careful and calculated; it is vital that the water reaches the whole surface area of the filter, from the outer rim to the center of the coffee dust. The pour over, as connoisseurs fittingly call it, is a technical, intentional process, designed to provide the most balanced brew.
As an avid coffee lover, the desire to discover the absolute best coffee has shaped my experience on the road this summer. My first pursuit upon arrival in a new city is always to find the prized local coffee shop—I have no choice but to answer the siren call of a cold brew in the midst of a tiring summer heat.
'Go To Church Or the Devil Will Get You'
Travelling along the highway is a funny thing. At its best, the road can be a place for self-discovery and dreaming. As the black tar and white lines replay over and over before you it is easy to get lost in thought. I think about that guy I never had the guts to talk to this past year at school, the paper I should have written, or the club I should have joined. I think about my Grandma and wonder what she thinks of it all.
Sometimes the motion of the road breeds joy; sometimes it brings pain and bad memories. But no matter what, it simply goes on and on until you reach your destination. The road spares all judgment and allows us the freedom to be human: It gives us space to make our own choices.
Live Authentic
What about that moment when a human actively decides to step outside herself? Phrases such as “getting out of the comfort zone” and “taking risks” describe this phenomenon—they point to something deep within us telling us not to be complacent. We hear these words all the time—even the act of applying to college in and of itself is an act of getting outside oneself. And our life at Harvard seems constantly marked with the brush of possibility, if only we get out there and chase it.
The first day I walked on Harvard’s campus as a tourist, I remember going up to a girl after sitting in on a philosophy class. I asked her, “What is it like to be a student here?” She paused, smiled, took a deep breath and looking me straight in the eye, she said, “You can’t expect anyone to hold your hand here, but if you put yourself out there you will love it.”