Meet Christina: MO Intern
“We don't need someone crazy. But one step short of crazy, what do you get? Obsessed? Passionate.” - Ben Gates “National Treasure”
Some people think that their life is ruled by their Big Three astrological signs. Each person has a sun, moon, and rising sign that dictate how they live. I take this idea of three big factors, forgo the star signs, and raise that my big three are that my sun is my dog, my moon is crying, and my rising is my current obsessions. My destiny may be written in the stars, but all I know is that every decision I make is dependent on these three factors no matter if those around me were beating to a different drum.
I grew up in a small town in Northern Michigan where most people in my community liked hunting, fishing, and being prejudiced. I never really felt like I belonged unless I was in my actual home where I could cry with my dog and draft elaborate stories about my dream lives, both fictitious and real, away from where I was.
Starting with the first of the three; my sun being my dog, Lottie. This factor controls your personality and I can definitely say my dog is my whole personality. She is my best friend and me and dog-form. When I first got her, I talked strictly about her for the first year and a half to the point where my friends banned me from talking about her at school. People say that people resemble their dogs, but it is so scary how alike Lottie and I are not only in looks but in personality. When I graduate from college I get to take her with me and I cannot wait for sitting with her listening to music and reading.
Skipping ahead to my moon in crying. Crying to me is the way I express any emotion. It is cathartic to me. Sometimes the emotions get too strong so I have to let them out, crying just seems to be the easiest and most common option. That being said I will cry at the drop of a hat. Any mention or thought of my dog I will cry in an instant. I cry at any big change in my life big or small no matter how I feel about it. I cry at any mention of my comfort characters. I cry when my book finishes. I may cry more than the average person and people try to bring me down because of the way it makes me look, but that is okay because it makes me who I am.
Influencing my outward appearance and my actions is my rising in my obsessions. I get soul-altering obsessions that last for years and I shape my life around them. This factor is where I am the most creative. I craft an aesthetic that encompasses the things I love. I listen to and write music about the topics. I read and write stories about them. I dress and design my spaces in a way that matches them. I make PowerPoints and mood boards on Pinterest. I will not share my current obsessions because there are way too many; however, they are my influences for after graduation wanting to move to the UK or Italy and work in public relations in the music industry.
I was told that my fixations on popular culture and travel would not amount to a career. Now, as a senior at the University of Michigan getting a degree in Communications and Media, I have created a life where I can get out of my small town and let my Big Three guide me to a future where I can let my creativity flow and my emotions guide me through my passions. Do not let the people around you stop you from finding the factors in your life that will guide you to a future where you are truly happy.