The Final StrawIt’s funny how crazes just happen and then just as suddenly they vanish. When they begin people act like whatever the newest thing is has, in fact, always been a thing. Take straws for example. All of a sudden plastic straws became a point of contempt. Why not all plastic you may wonder? Maybe because that’s too large a scope. They felt that people weren’t ready to give up the convenience of plastic water bottles and plastic food packaging (though farmers markets generally continue to use cardboard crates for strawberries and other fruit). So let’s target straws. Do we even need them? Probably not. We could manage without them. So let’s say those are the worst thing ever. People can certainly change their habits around straw usage. Maybe a boycott against Fiji water or Whole Foods pre-cut melon containers would make a real impact, but straws, that’s something people can really give up. Yeah, let’s say straws are the reason turtles are dying. Let’s ignore climate change. Let’s just dismiss the fact that people throw trash into our oceans. Nope, it isn’t bleached coral reefs that are causing turtles to go extinct, it’s that green plastic straw protruding from your Pink Drink from Starbucks. So straws have been around for decades upon decades. Why are we just suddenly hearing all of this? Why now? People will ask you how you could be so ignorant. How they stopped using straws years ago. As if this were a major phenomena years ago. How absurd. So you buy into the trend. You go onto Amazon and order a set of six aluminium straws with a cleaning bristle. You even prime the order. You can’t risk going even one more day using plastic straws. You start to wonder what to do with the random straws you keep in a drawer inside their white paper sleeves from times you ordered in food. It seems a lot of people are wondering the same thing...a quick Google search: "What to do with plastic straws" auto-suggests: what to do with plastic straws, used straws, unused straws, and old straws. Googling "What to do about" yields even more interesting auto-suggestions: constipation, depression, low blood pressure, high blood pressure, anxiety. These are the things people are wondering. It takes you weeks to really research each of these topics. What to do about anxiety peaks your interest the most. You were already anxious enough before all of this straw stuff. Time passes and you go out with a friend to get a smoothie. Smoothies are still trending, right? Your friend is wearing black Lululemon yoga pants and carrying a bag that probably cost her more than your rent. She orders first. You go up to the counter and order your smoothie contemplating whether or not the $1.50 charge to add almond butter is worth it. The cashier asks for your name and you absentmindedly reply, “Good, how about you?” He looks at you with the kind of cynical confusion you’d expect from a college student working in a smoothie shop for minimum wage. He doesn’t try to make you feel okay about misspeaking but simply repeats himself. “What name should I call?” “Eleanor.” When he does finally call your name, you go up to the counter with your friend to retrieve your smoothies. You reach into your bag and pull out your shiny aluminium straw and put it into the plastic lid of your plastic smoothie cup. Your friend reaches for a plastic straw in its white paper wrapper and looks at you dubiously. “You’re kidding me right? The turtles are fucking fine.”   Illustration by me 
© Annie Fay Meitchik. All Rights Reserved. All content on anniefay.com is my own or credit is given when applicable, please do not use any of my images before contacting me above or @ anniefaymeitchik@gmail.com. Millennial Pink The millennial pink wisps obscured the sky as traffic lights flickered from mustard to crimson. As the queue of cars ebbed and flowed so did her thoughts. With the soft turn of the steering wheel she merged onto the freeway, feeling everything but free. Her spiraling mind tormented her. It felt like she always had to be engaged in an argument with herself. Even when she was prepared with all the right points to debate, she lost. = to be continued =   © Annie Fay Meitchik. All Rights Reserved. All content on anniefay.com is my own or credit is given when applicable, please do not use any of my images before contacting me above or @ anniefaymeitchik@gmail.com. in 2017, I wrote a blog post called "School Grind" to share my experiences with education. Since publishing that post, a lot has changed. This semester at The New School I took a course on creative nonfiction writing. I chose to revise my "School Grind" post to write the updated personal essay I'm sharing with you today. Enjoy!!  By the age of three, I knew that the freedom to express myself was what I valued most. After preschool, I lost some of my individuality when I entered the traditional schooling system. Accepting that I’m an unconventional learner allowed me to lead a fulfilling life once again. During my unconventional preschool experience in Encinitas, California I discovered that I controlled my own identity. At school and home I’d pair my messy-blonde curls and green eyes with sweaters and jeans. I’d explore nature, cook vegetarian meals, and listen to The Beatles. I was encouraged to utilize my sensitivity and individuality to paint, play piano, and write. After preschool, I attended traditional schools where it felt like nobody was entitled to a unique identity. Everyone was meant to think and learn in the same way. Despite being one of those kids they referred to as ‘gifted,’ straight A’s and prestigious internships never gave me the sense of fulfillment I’d possessed as a child. It wasn’t until 2016, during my freshman year at University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) that I finally realized I needed to withdraw from the world of conventional education. I found refuge in a café, as I often do, where I’d order matcha lattes and journal. All of that journaling led me to develop a plan for my future. I started a blog so I’d always have an outlet for my creativity. I spent months expanding on my initial idea before launching my website in March 2017. Nearly two years later and I’m stilling posting artwork, interviews, personal essays, and playlists every Sunday. I also recognized that being identified by my grades or test scores needed to come to an end. My search for an unconventional alternative led me to The New School (TNS). After leaving UCSB in 2017, I settled back into my life at home. Adjusting to all of my friends (with the exception of my sister) being away at school remains challenging. Fortunately, I’ve connected with new people, including my first boyfriend and love, Sasha. Being home also means that I have access to the things that give me purpose, like working at a local art gallery. Interacting with other creative people in galleries and museums has always helped me to focus on my passions for visual arts and writing. I majored in art at UCSB but the assignments, professors, and deadlines were restricting. I craved the freedom to create whatever I wanted. I’ll never stop being an artist, but I decided I’d rather study writing. In January 2018, I began a year-long certificate program in Children’s Book Writing which I’ll be completing next semester. Last summer, I felt ready to pursue my bachelors degree again and by August I enrolled at TNS to study Creative Writing online. I happily spend my days at my favorite beachside library in Encinitas doing work that actually fulfills my academic and personal needs. I enjoy eating Thai food, going to concerts, swimming in the ocean, watching Wes Anderson movies, and writing at my favorite café. I’ve accomplished so much this semester. The gallery I work at started selling my paintings. I traveled to London. I turned 20. Sasha and I celebrated our one year anniversary. I gave myself the opportunity to live a life that’s entirely for myself. I’ve loved myself all along, but I’m finally in love with my life again. My preschool self would admire the person I am today. I pair my messy hair and green eyes with sweaters and jeans (although I’ve added black Dr. Martens and a multitude of dainty rings to the mix). I embrace my personality in my creative work. I drive home to my family in my VW Beetle named after John Lennon. Most importantly, she’d be proud that I’ve made it back to a place where I have the freedom to express who I truly am. 
© Annie Fay Meitchik. All Rights Reserved. All content on anniefay.com is my own or credit is given when applicable, please do not use any of my images before contacting me above or @ anniefaymeitchik@gmail.com. |
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