In this last article of mine for The Communiqué—after three years as a staff writer and two years as editor-in-chief—I’m inspired by the Stoic Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. I want to share a brief, highly incomplete, and somewhat haphazard list of my meditations: thoughts and random pieces of advice.

These reflections are in no particular order, completely informal, and I don’t intend to sound self-righteous or all-knowing. They are simply the recent musings of an 18-year-old graduating from a small-town high school.

That being said, all the health advice below comes backed by the very prestigious and credible title of “daughter of a top-tier granola dad.”

 Enjoy… or don’t… this was extremely fun to write! I recommend you make a list of your own meditations!

• Gratitude! Express gratitude daily. In the morning, write down/meditate on the things you are grateful for in your life. Tell the people around you what you appreciate about them!
• Don’t let the perception of who you are/have been in Cresskill be the whole perception you have of yourself—it would be incomplete, flawed, and misleading.
• Walk as much as you can, for your mind and your body.
• Talk to service providers! Cab drivers, doormen, nail technicians, Starbucks baristas, any human. We are all people with different stories, lessons, cultures, and experiences to share! Be curious about everyone.
• Move throughout your day, stand whenever you can, and go to the bathroom/get water during class to break up long periods of being sedentary.
• Say yes to and seek new experiences. Actively remind yourself that even familiar experiences can be made exciting and new with the proper mindset.
• Keep up with the news and with politics! Easiest way to get into that is through Spotify news network podcasts (expose yourself to news provided from both sides of the political spectrum).
• Cryotherapy: Cold water immersion (cold showers, cold ocean swims, cold plunge, etc.) works wonders for muscles, metabolism, and creates an unparalleled and sustainable rise in dopamine, making you feel happier, energized, and motivated for long periods of time.
• Read poetry before bed. It is a delightful way to ease into sleep. (I also find that when I read poetry at night, I am much more sensitive to it and am more touched by the words.)
• Reading is a great way to gain tools to live mindfully and with awareness. You hone skills of focusing, finding pleasure in more difficult tasks, and reflecting on the world in an articulate, precise, and observant manner.
• Surround yourself with smarter, more knowledgeable people than you. Your personal growth will be remarkable.
• Sugar is poison—there is no need for processed sugar when we have honey, agave, and fruits (specifically dates).
• You won’t regret undersharing, but oversharing will weigh on you. (That being said, no one cares about what you shared as much as you do, so don’t dwell on it too much.)
• Matcha.
• Put everything on a digital calendar.
• Don’t talk ill of others.
• Family is the most amazing gift—be grateful for it and dedicate yourself to it. Family can also always be made and found with friends and mentors.
• Find and immerse yourself in your passions.
• Keep a little pocket notebook and pen on you at all times. Jot down things you wish to explore later, ideas you have, and thoughts you want to remember throughout your day.
• Always be dancing. There is nothing better in the world.
• Podcasts! Listen to podcasts!
• The Huberman Lab on Spotify is a fascinating, educational, and accessible podcast hosted by Andrew Huberman—a neuroscience professor from Stanford. Listen to the different episodes based on what you are thinking about (procrastination, sleep habits, dopamine levels, motivation, relationships, etc.). Understanding the neural mechanisms behind the different parts of our lives is extremely informative, pleasurable, and growth-inducing.
• Consume Omega-3. It is good for your brain! Either through your foods or through vitamin capsules (I try to take one capsule per day).
• Walnuts for the brain, gut, and heart! (A very good source of Omega-3.)
• Everything in life is about waves: ups and downs, highs and lows. An understanding of this concept usually provides me with methods of how to live my life—balance of working hard and playing hard, the wonders of HIIT, explanation of my emotions, intermittent fasting, productivity strategies like the Pomodoro technique, etc.
• Deep work in 90-minute intervals for maximum productivity and creativity!
• Clean your room and space—it feels great. But don’t feel bad about clutter—messiness is a sign of creativity! (The second half is mostly an excuse.)
• Protect the first 30 minutes (MINIMUM) of your day! The liminal space between being asleep and being awake is where our creativity peaks. Going on the phone shortens this creative and productive period. Use this time for learning, reflection, working, journaling, goal setting, meditating, or taking steps toward a goal you have set.
• Learn the most from whom you disagree with. In understanding other perspectives, you may be able to fortify and/or amend your own.
• Novel distinctions is a concept described by psychology professor Ellen Langer encouraging us to live life carefully—to look at the world around us with a fresh perspective. Discern the wonders in the people around you—there is always something new to acknowledge about people. Look for new details in your environment—the “inspirational” message on your paper coffee cup, or the design detailing on the wall. This way, you live fully in a mindful, deliberate way.
• It is never that serious! Awkwardness or mistakes are not a big deal, and life is just about experiences and learning from mistakes. Dwelling on faults and failures is natural and legitimate—but unnecessary. Romanticize putting yourself in unfamiliar situations, and be appreciative of your failures as a magical part of life.
• Pair eating fruits with nuts to control your blood sugar levels.
• You are who you decide to be. It doesn’t matter who you were or what you did yesterday or this morning—your personality, confidence, productivity, etc. are all entirely under your control to change or fortify at the blink of an eye.
• Notice birds running. It is the most magical and funny thing—they usually hop, so when they run it is so great.
• Don’t depend on others for building your life and identity.
• Do pushups every day (even if your knees are down—like mine always are).
• Take occasional (the more frequent the better) showers without any additional stimulation (like music). Showers are a good time to reflect, be with your mind, and think clearly. In the shower, our mind works without inhibitions—that is why we have creative ideas in the shower.
• Trust your gut and intuition.
• Life is about humans—those around you and those who came before you. Appreciate them: family, friends, mentors, authors, actors, artists, etc.—and their creation: literature, technology, architecture, society, and everything else. Appreciate people and their impact.

This list will change—and already has since I first wrote it down a couple of days ago! I hope you write your own and enjoy doing so just as much as I have!