may, jun & jul 2025
seattle, iowa, and a road trip down south!
My favorite words in the English language are the ones that sound like their meaning. For example, plethora, fabricate, and royal make for great examples but from a personal lens, epiphany takes the cake. I’m not sure whether it’s the vigor of the ‘ph’ or the soft landing at the end - either way, its pronunciation makes me think of exactly what it means: a profound, sometimes life-changing, realization.
I had an epiphany as I wrapped up my junior year of high school. I started to think about all the lasts I would have the following school year: the last first day of school, the last homecoming, the last winter break, the last spirit day, the last exam, and, eventually, the last day … graduation. As I solemnly considered the end of this chapter of life, I wondered whether or not I am ready for this, the change of pace that would inevitably come after high school and the people, places, and memories that the change would usher in. But as Khalil Gibran so elegantly posited, “Our anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but from wanting to control it.” After all, there is nothing I can do to prevent the future from coming so I might as well make the best of it, stay prepared, and, most of all, focus on becoming a better global citizen. Part of this journey through life involves physical travel and, in my case, there was no shortage of it during these past few months.
One of the greatest blessings of living in West Michigan comes for just one week every year in a small town called Holland. Known for being a historical Dutch settlement among many other things, various farms in the area join forces to plant millions of tulips in what’s called the Holland Tulip Festival. In a very small radius of the region, you can find every color and type of tulip you could imagine. I found myself feeling astonished yet so insignificant, a minor speck in the midst of thousands of rows of those beautiful flowers. No picture could do the experience justice but below is a small sample of my experience.
My travels over the summer break actually started before school ended. My family and I celebrated the Memorial Day Weekend in Seattle, my first time in the Pacific Northwest. We wandered around downtown, strolled through the Pike Place Market, and had awesome seafood directly from the Pacific Ocean. The area is also known for its stunning natural beauty with many mountain ranges and national parks. Mount Rainier was definitely a standout because it’s one of the tallest in the United States and overpowered the entire landscape around Seattle. Check out a few pictures from my trip below! As always, you can find more on my photography Instagram account: @krishna.flics.
I also had the opportunity to go to a week-long summer camp at the US Military Academy in West Point, New York called the Summer Leadership Experience. At the camp, I experienced first-hand what it’s like to be a cadet at the prestigious school. We spent the week getting trained on using weapons, completing challenging obstacle courses, touring the beautiful campus with a perfect view of the Hudson River, and even getting to sample some courses that they offer. Some of my most favorite memories came from spending time with my squad, around a dozen other students from across the US who had interests similar to mine. We did most of our activities together and became a really tight group by the end of the week, making saying goodbye one of the hardest parts. Something that wasn’t hard to let go of, however, was the MREs or Meals Ready-to-Eat. The MRE packages contain food that’s meant to be eaten when other food sources aren’t available. Considering that they are meant for difficult situations, most of them didn’t taste that great (especially the tuna). Despite the subpar food experience, though, it was awesome to truly get the whole experience of what cadet life is like.
If you all remember from last year, our Speech & Debate team travelled to Des Moines, Iowa for our National Tournament. The association chose the same location for this year’s tournament as well to celebrate their 100th anniversary. It was incredibly fun to meet like-minded students from across the country, compete in multiple events to speak about topics that I am passionate about, and, ultimately, make it to some of the final qualifying rounds! It was an awesome experience overall, but spending a week in the midst of cornfields made me deeply miss Michigan and its bodies of water.
Just days after returning from Iowa, I made several trips to the beach to do what I love most in the summer: paddleboarding. Wading into Lake Michigan, standing up on my paddleboard, and paddling away into the vast expanse of water brings an indescribable sense of peace to my mind and body. It strengthens my connection with my Michigan roots and, when the sound of the wind drowns out any manmade noise, it truly makes me feel one with nature. I’ll definitely miss these trips once the fall ushers in colder weather but, in the mean time, I plan to enjoy them while they last.
Above all the fun and exciting things I did this summer, the highlight was definitely our road trip down south. Over the course of just one week, we travelled through 10 different states and stopped in cities throughout. My personal favorites were Columbus, Ohio; Charleston, West Virginia, Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; and Savannah, Georgia. Getting the chance to travel through such a vast array of places in America (and driving through the Appalachians to get there) was one of the most life-changing experiences of the summer. It revived my belief in the different walks of life that Americans come from and how so many facets of society can connect with one another, even across arbitrary factors like state boundaries. Hilton Head Island was probably my most favorite location, just because of all the touristy things we got to do (including dolphin watching!) and the beautiful beaches they have that border the Atlantic Ocean. We also ate a special Fourth of July lunch from the famous Salty Dog Cafe with hushpuppies, calamari, and many different types of fish.
Our final destination on this road trip was Atlanta, after which we started the long journey back home, stopping at not one but TWO Buc-ee’s gas stations along the way. It felt almost like a spiritual pilgrimage; I had always been a fan of the Buc-ee’s cultish circle of respect that our generation has seemingly submitted itself to, but actually being in the midst of such a strong community made me profoundly delighted. Going in, I promised myself to not spend too much money: maybe buy a snack or two along with a small souvenir. Well, all promises can’t be kept now, can they? We left the Gen Z sanctuary with entire meals (including their delicious club melt sandwiches), dozens of snacks for the road, a shirt and stuffed toy paying homage to the largely-admired beaver, and a picture with the mascot himself. Life-changing experience. 10/10
With August just around the corner, that means that school - um, senior year - looms ahead of me. As much as I want to be relaxed and enjoy this precious time, I can’t help but feel a little nervous for what is to come. This year will surely be unlike any year before, filled with hours of staring at lists of undergraduate majors offered by colleges and celebrating our last few months of high school with my friends. But, for better or for worse, I’m here for it.
Cheers,
Krishna
Quotes of the Month:
Change is hard at first, messy in the middle, and gorgeous at the end.
- Robin SharmaThe arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone.
- Robin Williams
Songs of the Month:
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John
Only the Good Die Young by Billy Joel
Days on End by Brenn!
It Ain’t Me Babe by Bob Dylan
Atlantis by Seafret