After a two hour conversation about politics, the ‘revitalization of Detroit’, and public education, I gained a friend and a new perspective from asking an older man, “Hey, What are you reading?" After our conversation, Mr. Wells gave me this dollar and told me to pay it forward. This dollar has sparked many meaningful conversations among my friend group. I can only hope that it’s somewhere with someone continuing to pay it forward.

The tangible feeling in the air of fear, unity, uncertainty, and empowerment in the face of a changing nation. Ignoring the signs to stop, slow down, or admit defeat, people came together to find some way to make sense, heal, and keep moving forward.

The hike along the base of the Mulanje mountain in rural Malawi was beautiful in itself; however, this hike was made infinitely better by the children who accompanied us on their walk home from the market. They spoke very little English, but somehow communication by asking their name and how they were in the native language (Chichewa) was satisfying enough because their smiles and laughs at our broken Chichewa made for an even more beautiful moment.

The 6:30 am sunrise dotted with hot air balloons over a field of temples in Bagan, Myanmar was such a beautiful and awakening experience after coming directly from sleeping on a bus the night before. This excursion was a spontaneous side trip, shared with 6 of my exchange friends as we sat atop a temple.

This child is unable to communicate to the world in any way. A brain impairment created a loss of speech, and apraxia took away her controlled motor movements. None of that matters here- here she is a happy and healthy six-year-old child.

It’s the final home game of a fantastic season. It’s the first snow and the first emotion of Christmas time. I am living this “too-good-to-be-true” moment with my brother’s best friends, two guys I am so happy to get to know and laugh with. My brother is 2400 miles away and I am enjoying his company through them. 110,000 people are singing “Let It Snow” and we’re all cherishing this beautiful moment.

This picture is beautiful because it reminds me of a care-free day with Shelby whom I miss very much. It was autumn, and Shelby was out with me raking leaves. We took breaks to play catch using sticks from the yard. She loved sitting in the piles as she is seen doing here. I was having fun technology free out in nature with my greatest companion. Is there anything more beautiful than that?

We exhausted ourselves from running up and down the sand dunes in this summer storm. We are muddy, soaked and undeniably happy. We are 250 miles away from our jobs, internships and classes. We are friends. We are independent humans living this adventure together by choice. These muddy feet are a blessing.

After a weekend of traipsing all over Southwestern Michigan, watching the sunset over Lake Michigan was a much-need respite. It was even more memorable because of my friends who I shared it with. Comedy actor, Neil Patrick Harris, playing the iconic Barney Stinson puts it quite well: “Whatever you do in this life, it's not legendary, unless your friends are there to see it."

This was my single part of a 20-person, 12-hour project of complete strangers starting to become really close friends. It was an honor in being able to be part of it. Also, the applause we got for it was pretty cool too...

After studying in Oxford for five weeks, I had explored the entire city, learned its rich history, and taken part in its time-honored traditions. Looking out at the entire city atop the Magdalen Tower on my last day there was surreal. It felt like floating on a cloud. Standing there, I began to fully realize how much I had accomplished there and how fortunate I was to have had this opportunity.

I took this photo a month after I had broken up with my boyfriend of 15months simply because we were going to different colleges - I was still incredibly in love with him. On the day it was taken, I had finally decided that I wanted to move on. This rainbow was a symbol to me that everything was going to be okay; it gave me hope for the future.

Despite the early hour, the sunlight still managed to provide enough soft lighting suitable for a run through the arboretum. The blue sky provided a perfect contrast to the darkness of the trees. There was a slight layer of frost on the ground, which was articulated by the sunlight. The quiet of the morning was the perfect place to contemplate one's present state of mind. There was something so magical about being alone, finding solitude, in such a vast open space.

Cousins meet for the first time in their lives. They don't yet understand or know how complicated, chaotic and beautiful relationships are. They are the start of a new story and legacy. They were speaking, though we could not understand them.

The flurry of emotions and experiences and news and thoughts I was experiencing during my sister's wedding necessitated a quiet lookout for some processing. A highway exit, small parking lot, sprint up a hill, jump over a barbed wire fence, and a loss of my breath were exactly what I needed.

This fairy-house found while running through the Arb on a chilly November day instantly warmed me up with nostalgia for my childhood days - the days when my sister and i would build fairy-houses in the backyard in hopes we could entice the magical creatures to make themselves visible to our curious eyes.

On a crisp, fall afternoon in Washington D.C., my parents and I were headed home after a day of sightseeing. Earlier that day, they had gotten into a minor dispute at a coffeeshop, debating which kind of cookies they should buy. In this photograph, my father is carrying the controversial cookies, but my parents are exchanging a loving glance, signifying that any controversy is now overcome.

I had been imagining the perfect, sunny vacation for months, so the irony of the rain on the windshield almost made me laugh. However, as I rode in the Jeep, wearing soaking wet clothes, with my best friend, smiling at the ridiculousness of the situation, I realized that this was the perfect vacation.