Things That Feel Illegal but Aren't

Walking out of a store without buying anything shouldn’t feel like a crime, but somehow, it does. A look at the small, everyday moments that make us question our own innocence.

Walking out of a store without buying anything is one of the most unnecessarily stressful experiences known to humankind. You walk a little too fast. You try to look normal, but what does normal even look like? Suddenly, you’re thinking about your arms—where do they usually go? You consider making eye contact with the cashier to seem less suspicious, then immediately regret it. Now you’ve overcorrected, and it’s too late.

Other things that feel vaguely criminal but aren’t: walking into a café just to use the bathroom, grabbing an embarrassing number of free samples at an ice cream shop, or doing that awkward speed-walk when someone's holding the door open for you and you're still a bit behind. Then there’s the sheer panic of needing two tries to insert your card at checkout, like you’ve somehow failed a test you didn’t know you were taking.

There’s no real reason for the guilt, but that doesn’t stop it from existing. So you’ll just keep walking—calmly, casually—like the totally innocent person you are. Or at least, that’s the goal.

Why Mondays Should be Optional

Mondays are dreaded by everyone, but do they have to be? In this thought piece, I talk about why making Mondays optional might just be the key to a better, more balanced life.

Monday’s have always been like a silent villain during the week, quietly stealing away our joy and energy. It’s the day that rudely interrupts the peace and calm of the weekend with a host of deadlines and alarms that suddenly need attention. And for what reason? To prove that we’re functioning members of society? Surely there must be another way to prove that instead of subjecting ourselves to Monday’s dread. 

Now, consider this entirely logical solution: making Mondays optional. For those of you who can get right into it at the start of the week—good for you. You can keep your Monday. But for those who don’t, imagine the gift of having a longer weekend. Tuesdays would become the new Monday, but with way less pressure because of the extra day to mentally prepare. The world really wouldn’t end if we all shifted our schedules by one day. In fact, people might become more productive. I myself have read enormous amounts of studies on burnout and work-life balance which shows that giving people longer breaks leads to better focus and creativity. By getting rid of mandatory Mondays, we’d create a society that values mental well-being, rather than glorifying exhaustion. 

And think about all the possibilities. Sunday nights would no longer be a countdown to dread; instead, but rather, could stretch on with the same ease as Saturday. We’d start off the week feeling refreshed, with no sense of the usual urgency and resentment. It’s not just a wild idea, it might actually be a necessary step in our approach to work, time, and life.

A Fresh Start: Returning to the American school system.

Stepping back into the American school system after being in the Indian one feels like entering a familiar, yet completely different, world. It's an opportunity to adapt and see how this chapter unfolds.

After four-and-a-half months of what some might call a break but felt more like a gap year, I’m finally stepping back into the American school system from the Indian school system. The shift is quite daunting—moving from a world where success seems to be measured by your exam scores to one where the journey counts as much as the destination. It’s strange to think that after so many months of following my own beat, I need to get back into the rhythm of classes, assignments, and everything that comes with it. 

This transition isn’t just about adjusting to a new curriculum. It’s also about figuring out how to go through this completely different setup without looking like too much of an outsider. The way classes run, the way people are—everything seems so much different. It’s definitely going to be a bit of an adjustment. 

Perhaps there’s something to enjoy in that too. Starting fresh in a new system has its perks—you have the opportunity to reinvent yourself, and old expectations aren’t hanging over your head. It’s new territory, and while it might take a minute to find my footing, I’m just going to see where it leads.