Maybe He’s Born With It, Maybe it’s Social Anxiety
Posted inHealth

Maybe He’s Born With It, Maybe it’s Social Anxiety

Ever since I was five years old, I’ve struggled with even the simple act of saying “Hi” to strangers. Unfortunately, today’s world revolves around how social you can be. Which means my anxiety has cost me many job interviews, lapsed friendships, and annoyed relatives.
Jab Main Office Baccha Tha Badi Shararat Karta Tha
Posted inPeople

Jab Main Office Baccha Tha Badi Shararat Karta Tha

Are you at that phase of your career when expectation levels are at zero and indulgence levels are set to max? Enjoy it. Save the existential angst for later in your career. The days of this happy, consequence-free existence that you’re too ignorant to enjoy right now, are numbered.
It’s Exhausting to Be an Ambitious Woman. There I Said It
Posted inGender

It’s Exhausting to Be an Ambitious Woman. There I Said It

Between pleasing ourselves and the people around us, we women lose sense of our ambitions. I crushed my competitive side to come across as less aggressive and more agreeable. I smiled more when asked to. I conform, but then I keep asking myself, “Did I settle?” “Don’t I deserve more?”
#MeToo: Is it Okay to Feel Guilty about Outing a Sexual Harasser?
Posted inGender

#MeToo: Is it Okay to Feel Guilty about Outing a Sexual Harasser?

Days after I outed my abuser at the height of the #MeToo movement last October, I was overcome by gut-wrenching guilt. A big part of it was seeded in my belief that for the most part, people deserve second chances. Were a few unwelcome dirty messages a crime big enough to warrant the obliteration of his public image?
The Early Bird Might Catch the Worm, But What About Us Night Owls?
Posted inPOV

The Early Bird Might Catch the Worm, But What About Us Night Owls?

Being a night owl was never a conscious decision – I don’t derive any secret joy from knowing I’m awake while the world around me slumbers peacefully. It’s no fun needing a cup of coffee just to check your email inbox in the morning, nor is the feeling of drifting off into a fugue state by lunchtime something I would recommend to others.
Rediscovering the Charm of Elaine Benes, TV’s Favourite Feminist
Posted inPop Culture

Rediscovering the Charm of Elaine Benes, TV’s Favourite Feminist

Sitcoms have long used what I’d call the “Robin/Lily binary” for female characters – they’re either nurturing, quirky, non-threatening women, or rebellious, outspoken women who aspire to maleness in the most superficial way. But Seinfeld’s Elaine Benes is nothing like that. She lives an independent, self-sufficient life, one in which she has all the career and personal issues that someone in their 30s might.
Hi, I’m a Writer and I Freelance For a Dying
Posted inPOV

Hi, I’m a Writer and I Freelance For a Dying

The freelancer has inspired a slew of #LifeGoals exhorting others to quit their job, follow their dreams, and travel the world. Yet, somehow, all this carpe diem spirit around the freelancer lifestyle doesn’t really address the real question: Who will pay your rent?
Why Professionalism Needs to Die
Posted inPOV

Why Professionalism Needs to Die

It’s time we write an obituary of professionalism. Today, professionalism involves showing up at office (even though you can do most of the work from anywhere else), not asking questions above your pay grade, and wearing a shirt not folded at the elbows.