February 14, 2025

Simplicity

Today I was in a battle. One between me and my alarm clock. As my alarm was going off, I convinced myself that snoozing for another Seven and a half minutes was a strategic decision for my well-being. Seven and a half minutes later, shockingly it went off again. I very briefly argued with myself that sleep is very important so… of course, I snoozed it again. I glanced to my left. My roommate was still sleeping, which meant my normal motivation to get up was removed. But with 15 minutes left until breakfast, I finally peeled off my one singular barely-there blanket and made my way to the bathroom.

My usual routine followed: brushing my teeth (accidentally swallowing some sink water, as always), washing my face, and applying my skincare in front of our extremely cheap makeshift mirror—a set of four cheap sticky panels that distort everything. One panel makes me look like a speck of dust, while the one directly below it makes my legs look like I could crush the Hulk, always giving me a good laugh.

I finally made my way downstairs dressed in an outfit I’ve worn probably close to 15 times by now. A plastic banana leaf plate in hand, I grabbed two boiled eggs and some dragon fruit and pineapple (an exciting change from my usual morning banana) and two cups of sweet coffee.

Then came heading out of the hostel to do work. Truthfully, that was not very appealing but duty called. Stepping out of our Uber, we were greeted by the bright blue and green uniforms outside the office. We walked upstairs to the office room, where the cutest older woman, Bernadette, was sitting. Bernadette is small, with the warmest smile, and knowing she’ll soon make sure we get coffee makes me even more excited to see her. Just writing her name down brightens my mood. I barely know her beyond her name, and we have no deep connection, yet I’d go as far as to say I love her. I love her energy, her kindness, and the way she always (except for today) gives us cookies. I want to be more like Bernadette—someone sweet and unassuming yet capable of bringing instant joy.

It’s awesome how the simplest things can make a day better. Whether it’s a really distorted mirror, a different fruit choice, or a smiling grandma who just wants to give me cookies and coffee.

By,
Kayla