Hunter Nix – Page 4 – Literary Arts Blogspace

The Significance of Quote Books :)

Since my arrival at MSA, I’ve encountered a practice that I’ve never seen, in any capacity, really, before my time here. That practice is the keeping of Quote Books. A quote book is self explanatory; it’s a document, usually a note on one’s phone, that keeps quotes people said that the owner finds humorous, memorable, special, etc.

However, I’ve never been particularly fixated on the fact that people kept quote books. In fact, for such a mildly bizarre concept, I adapted to it fairly quickly, even beginning a quote book of my very own, which has grown substantially since my arrival on campus. Rather, I was always fixated on why it was that we quoted each other so frequently. I’ve developed a few different theories.

Theory one is rather simple actually. We just find the things that make their way into our quote books funny and think it nice to remember them, be it for the likely reason of storing a serotonin boosting reference for later or another reason. Regardless, theory number one is the likely but simplistic and therefore, personally unsatisfying answer, as to why these books exist in such variety across campus.

Theory two is a bit more complex, though not nearly so intricately argued a leap as theory three. The second theory is that people want a reference as to what MSA is like to show others. Quote books, with their somewhat chaotic and eccentric nature (context not provided), are honestly a decent reflection of life on campus. People here, and therefore the environment they cultivate, are indeed chaotic, eccentric, unpredictable, and even random. So, quote books come into being to capture the chaos and keep it to display to others and help them “understand” the MSA environment a little better.

Theory three, however, is my personal logic for creating my quote book. It is a strange mixture of the former theories, as well as another factor yet to be mentioned. While it’s true that I do keep my quotes because they are funny, I do enjoy being able to look back on them, and they do help me to explain the MSA environment to “outsiders”, there is also another reason: I need something to remember this place by.

Sure, I’ll retain the general memories on my own. I’ll likely always recall at least a rough outline of my class schedule. Odds are at least a few literary assignments will stick with me. Specific events like the back to school dance or other smaller outings or gatherings with my classmates will definitely leave their marks. Undoubtedly, these blogs themselves will leave their imprint.

But the quote book is what I leave myself as a reminder of the atmosphere I was immersed in here everyday at my first home. When I’m grown up, and I look back missing this place and these times so much it aches, I will look to this quote book. Sure, I may not hold within me the context for every entry, in fact I’ll likely loose the explanations behind many of them before graduation, knowing my memory. But I will always remember the people who spoke these lines, the relationships I had with them, and the impact they had on my life. I will never forget the subjects of my quote book, and therefore I can never forget this place and this environment that I live for.

And taking comfort in something so seemingly trivial is something I never knew I needed to this day.

Sincerely, someone who lives for the memories being made.

A Series of Friend Appreciations Installment 1 :)

When introduced to the idea of blogging, an idea occurred to me. Why not write a “review” (I use the term loosely and comedically) of my friends. It could turn into quite the little series, which is hopefully something you will enjoy, and definitely something that I would enjoy.

More importantly, this series could provide an opportunity to inform the world on the absolute miracles these people have worked on me with their presence in my life.

These are people that, in their own individual ways, have helped me put the pieces of myself back together into a person I never could have become without them, a person I’m proud of. The least I could do, should they consent to it, is tell the world of their doings and let people know the good they’ve done.

As promised, I will now begin with the series dedicated to friends in my life. These installments will likely come off as very sappy, with me gushing a lot, but that’s just how it will have to come across. These are people that mean a lot to me, and since I revolve primarily around words of affirmation, this is what the result of me trying to express that is.

This week’s installment: Locklyn.

From literally the first day I arrived on campus (and honestly, probably new student day, too if I could remember), Locklyn has been in my life. That first day was spent primarily with her and my now ex-roommate, Michael.

And from the very beginning I knew I was going to like Locklyn. I couldn’t for the life of me explain to you why, and honestly I still can’t really, but I will try.

It’s just that Locklyn is so…homey. I’ve never once felt out of place, unwelcome, scrutinized or judged in her presence, which is exceedingly rare for someone who lives their life in the proverbial spotlight (be it my own or someone else’s) at all times, as I do.

But that was never an issue with Locklyn. I know that I can, and have, talked about anything with her and it would never make her think less of me. In fact, knowing that little ball of emo maniacal energy, the more messed up it is the more she would probably want to talk about it.

The point is, Locklyn is a safe harbor in a way that very few of my other friends are able to be. She does it flawlessly, and accomplished it in stunning speeds to boot. I wouldn’t trade the world for this vault of a best friend, and I’m beyond glad I got to meet her.

I hope you all can have at least one interaction with her, too. I promise, it’s beyond worth it.

Sincerely, someone who enjoys talking censorship free.

P.s. I look forward to sharing the same schedule with you all year, ya little psycho. >:)

A Review of Life Changing Books: Installment 3 :)

Greetings everyone! I’m very excited to see you all again and, in an effort to get through to all the blog ideas that are quite literally pouring out of me at this point and stockpiling rapidly, we continue this little series. 🙂

The next book in our little series is another work by the famed John Greene, “Looking for Alaska”.

This absolute miracle work of young adult fiction centers around the experiences of main character Miles “Pudge” Halter as he settles into life around the boarding school “The Creek”. There, he meets characters such as Alaska Young and Chip “the Colonel” and we get to see Miles embark on his journey through the series.

From petty prank wars, to the absolutely devastating death of his classmate and friend, and everything in between, “Looking for Alaska” puts a previously unexplored spin on the classic telling of the teenage experience. It’s not often certain experiences, especially the more traumatic ones, are explored in such visceral detail, however this book has no qualms in detailing Miles’s feelings about each and every event in his life at The Creek.

And that, my dear reader, is what I adore about this work. No matter how grisly or dark or stupidly teenage-esque an occurrence gets, this book does not shy away from it. “Looking for Alaska” is unyielding in it’s depth filled pursuit of inner connection with it’s readers, and that brazenness is something I can only hope to live up to when and if I begin novel writing.

This book changed my life because it wasn’t afraid to. That’s the important part.

And, as someone who has endured what can easily be considered far more than my fair share of trauma in my life, I’m very proud anytime I find a work of literature that explores that. Works such as this, which don’t hesitate to put emphasis on failed sex attempts and drunken breakdowns and spontaneous forays into the forest that lead to nothing but petty pranks and bad consequences, are truly what brings me comfort as someone who has been through so much.

I love seeing works like this that give a true picture of the “teenage experience”. Because it is messy. It is nonsensical. It is a roller coaster. It can be awful. It can be amazing. It is often both. It is a good story.

And this book tells it flawlessly, hence the reason your read for this week is “Looking for Alaska”. I promise, it’s very worth it.

Until next time, ladies, gentlemen, and everyone between, above and beyond.

Sincerely, Someone looking for their own Alaska.

A Review of Life Changing Books: Installment 2 :)

As promised, the list of works that have truly changed my life continues. This week’s installment: “Turtles All the Way Down” by John Greene.

In this book, seventeen year old Aza Holmes navigates a missing person’s mystery, young love, loss, and extreme anxiety, particularly over physical health.

This book did something no other piece of literature ever has for me. It gave me a term for the way my anxious mind works. In her story, Aza compares her anxious thoughts to a literal downward spiral, as in a whirlpool of thought that goes further and further down, getting tighter and tighter.

I never knew how much I related to this feeling until I experienced it. This metaphor, though not exactly identical to my own experience, gave voice to a sensation I wasn’t even aware others experienced. That is one of the most powerful things a piece of literature can do.

My spiral, however, tends to spin outward. Sure, there are certain thought processes that feel constricting, but my vice is a sort of “creative surplus” rather than an anxious buildup. It often feels like my mind is too big for, well, itself. It’s like my thoughts are spilling over, growing out of me and leaving all that is safe, and solid, and known behind and it can be terrifying.

An entire universe blossoming out of your head when you’re just trying to stay together is no easy concept to digest. This book helped me believe that, somewhere out there, someone, be it the author or my fellow readers, understands how it feels to have thoughts outside of thoughts.

Hence, the reason it places so very high on the “life changing” list.

Another reason this particular book ranks so high is the metaphor of “turtles all the way down”, which is actually referenced within the book. In it, the phrase is used in a sort of parable about a woman in a college lecture to argue a professor that the Earth is on the back of a giant turtle, which is standing on another turtle, which is standing on another turtle, all the way down. Hence, the metaphor. And, though it might not necessarily be the meaning intended to be drawn from this particular inclusion, what I took from it was this: it is completely okay to be wrong about the world. You do not have to have everything all figured out, there’s no pressure to be right. And that, in and of itself is beyond reassuring for someone with my spiral problem.

If you struggle with any thought disorder, diagnosed and concrete, or unexplained and vague, I suggest checking out this book. It’s no substitute for mental help, but it may help you, at the very least, be a little more grounded for a few pages. Until next time. 🙂

Sincerely, someone learning to ride the upward spiral.

A review of life changing books: Installment 1 :)

Throughout my time as a person who appreciates literature, I have come across several works by a range of authors that resonated with me in a different way than normal content.

To put it another way, I’ve stumbled across several “life changing” works. And, considering the wonders they’ve worked for me and my personal thought processes, I’m planning a series to review them and recommend them to you. Because each and every one is truly worth the read.

First and foremost, Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephan Chbosky. This book completely altered how I perceive the world around me, people and my relationships with them, and even my own self and my identity. I cannot even begin to describe the feelings this book produced in me, and reading this absolutely amazing story for the first time is an experience I envy any soul lucky enough to do so.

The story of Charlie is a deceptively simple high school tale, told from the perspective of a uniquely keen eyed teenager who struggles to be “present” among other people. More commonly, a “wallflower”.

Throughout the book, Charlie tells his story through a series of letters to an anonymous “Friend”, formatted to seem like he’s speaking directly to the reader in these installments. This detail alone brings so much depth and meaning into the telling of this story, and completely alters the way it would have been received had it been written traditionally. It’s my personal favorite touch of the book, because it’s inclusive.

From there, you go on to actually hear Charlie’s story about his trauma upon trauma, high school experiences, his thinking and feeling processes, and what it is like to live as a wallflower.

However, there is one specific quote that really sticks to me. If you’ve seen the movie, or even the preview, you know it.

“I would swear, in that moment, we were infinite.”

The ability of such a simple phrase to completely encapsulate a feeling of such depth that I cannot even begin to express it after dozens of pieces written in attempt speaks volumes as to the effects this book has had on me, and could have on you. If this does not convey what this book can offer you, and entice you to read it.

Cannot recommend it enough.

Sincerely, a wannabe “wallflower”.

An Awkward Introduction :)

Hello everyone! You likely know me by the name Hunter Nix, but now I answer to Elliot and, if you haven’t met me around campus or couldn’t already tell, I am a Junior Literary. Which means these lovely little blogs are a part of my life now. And, truthfully, I’m not entirely sure how to feel about that. Of course, there’s the part of me that, as the inner author, leaps at any writing opportunity. I am sure my fellow Literary students will agree with me on this. As expected, there is also the inner critic who is worried my blogs will not go over well with the audience, given that publicly sharing my work is something I’m relatively new to.

However, there is also a discernable third option I was not quite prepared for. An as of yet unnamed inner party who wants nothing more than the simple goal of writing something that is worthy. Not something I can be proud of, or that people enjoy, like every other piece. But rather, the idea that, in five years time when I randomly remember that MSA blogs exist and revisit this site, I will still find satisfaction deeper than “that is written well enough to please” in my writing. I want these blogs to mean something.

Not necessarily some unfathomably deep meaning or complex message. Truthfully, my head is already so full of ideas that are so varied I’m sure these blogs will wind up ranging everywhere from Midnight “meaning of life” contemplations to breakdowns of my weekend trip home.

Rather, I want these blogs to convey something that is special to me. Even if they’re written about some seemingly trivial topic or an everyday discussion. I want them to hold meaning. To be personal.

I’m thinking that I’ll try my hand at a bit of everything. Series, reviews, excerpts of my work or the work of my peers, mentions over friends I’ve made on campus that have done something “blog worthy”, etcetera etcetera.

So, I hope that you, my lovely little audience, will stick with me as I explore what it is that I’m searching for and how I can find it. I promise, one way or another, it will be worth it.

After all, the one thing we can all agree on is that I am never boring, right?

Sincerely, an overly anxious Junior.

Hunter Nix <3