the writing nib

  • “You’re not the river, you’re the city” – John Green

    “You’re not the river, you’re the city” – John Green

    For this post I write some of my thoughts about being in a new city, why I’m here and I try to show how the purpose of my being here and the environment empowers me to think of myself as a great city and not just the river that runs through it. The title is…

  • Hi again.

    Hi again.

    It’s been a while! All those memes about university life destroying your mental and physical well-being are true! I’ve been writing all kinds of things in the last two months: academic papers, social media posts and angry texts trying to educate people on why the n-word still has power today because of the continued oppression…

  • Here’s the Breakfast Menu at Tiffany’s

    I have admired big cities for a long time, mainly because I come from a big city myself, sort of. I actually grew up in a large suburban town in Dar es Salaam, the largest city in East Africa, but during the few weekend nights I found myself in the city I would carefully stare…

  • Pineapples Remind Me of the Place I Call My Home

    It might be both a good and a bad thing to attach meaning to things. I was just eating pineapples for dinner and was reminded of the place I call my home. How in the evenings my father would bring a pineapple or two and I would groan (when he’s not around, of course) after…

  • #SantaIsOverParty

     Recently, I came across this tweet: I actually never thought of it that way, ever, until just a week ago and I felt that this tweet has so much truth in it that I needed to write something on it. So let’s get on with it. Before anything else, I’ve never watched this Grinch movie.…

  • A Very Short Time in Kampala

    A Very Short Time in Kampala

    It must be amazing to go to bed after seeing a view like this (sorry it’s a bit blurry, I’m not a professional photographer). From the fourth floor of a building in Bukoto area in Kampala, I almost dropped my jaw. I had never seen anything like it, honestly. The part of Dar es Salaam…

  • The Perks of Reading The Perks of Being A Wallflower

    I remember when I was in high school. I hated every moment of it. I told myself I would try hard to “participate” while in university. And I am trying. Trying. In The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky shows us how challenging it can be to “participate”, especially when you’re what most people call…

  • 25 Quotes from Looking for Alaska by John Green

    25 Quotes from Looking for Alaska by John Green

  • Spring

    Spring

    It’s finally Spring! Gone are the heavy jackets and dark-colored clothing, the annoying scarves and gloves that make you want to scream each time you have to open your iPhone with Touch ID. Now it’s the season of floral mini-skirts and light stockings. The season to go on picnics and not worry about taking walks…

  • Long Live the Boybands

    It was probably you or your annoying 13-year-old cousin sister who had just gotten her first smartphone. Sometimes it was basically everyone on the internet. The sound of boy bands equaled high-pitched screams and gags. Though there are many, it is important to acknowledge the impact of one important boy band of this decade; One…