a blog from the universe by Veronica P. '27

Finals season is well and officially upon us, but I couldn’t help but feel the itch to blog. So, I turned to the world’s best enabler- a coin flip- because who can argue against the will of the universe?

heads– write this blog

tails- continue locking into 2.003

the universe (Siri) has spoken!

Recently, I had a person ask me: “you know it’s bad luck to be superstitious, right?” Which is really funny only because it accomplished his intention of making me, the superstitious person, look ridiculous when I replied- “really?!”

Gullibility aside, however, I think things like magic 8 ball outcomes and tarot card readings can be really helpful to encourage reflection. All the material is there- how you feel about your life, what decision your gut really wants to make- but practices like these help draw them out to the surface; the whimsy of it all only adds to the appeal.

So— in keeping with the theme while also in the interest of not entirely derailing my finals schedule— I’m going to pull one tarot card to prompt my blog writing today:

Tarot 101

Before we start interpreting, here’s my general understanding of how to approach tarot. I’m going to model this with my own interpretation, but I encourage you to try it out yourself as well:

• Try and get a good grasp of what the card is saying
• Ask yourself if the message hits home in any aspect of your life- it could resonate in more ways than one. Be creative- this deck was designed to be universal enough that there’s almost always some interpretation that lands.
• If it does, consider the advice provided by the cards- whether or not you take it is up to you

My Card: The Eight of Cups

here’s a digital image of what my card looks like!

Something I love about my tarot deck is how the artwork really tells the story, which I’ll try to paraphrase now:

At this point in the journey, the nymph feels dissatisfied with her ‘lukewarm’ life, and has decided that she needs to reunite with her wood elf, whatever it takes. Thus, she bravely sets off into the woods alone, where she befriends a dragonfly that offers to help her on her quest.

To me, this card pinpoints that familiar rut many of us tend to fall into- that moment where life doesn’t seem quite as exciting or fulfilling as it once was. The key to escaping this, the card ventures, is to reflect on what exactly it is that you desire- those wants in the back of your mind that always seem to elude you. After this round of soul searching, it’s time to change course, to take the necessary steps to get you there. It may not be the easy choice, but it’s a lot better than wondering ‘what if?’

My personal card-induced reflection/ramble:

Immediately, the notion of a ‘lukewarm life’ jumped out at me. As a freshman, I found that my life often felt filled to the brim with novelty and uncertainty. Everything was a learning experience; the world had just opened up for me in a big way, a treasure trove of shiny new things to explore. As a sophomore, I can’t help feeling like my world is smaller again; I’ve already strolled down that path, and I’ve realized what lies there wasn’t for me- often, coming to that realization was painful. What once was viable, uncharted territory is now lost. Sure, I know my way around better, but I feel more jaded. It doesn’t make much sense to go exploring even further when I’ve found plenty of perfectly nice places to settle.

Talking with other college sophomores, I’ve found that a lot of them share this sentiment. Talking with juniors and seniors, it’s as if I’ve finally learned the language they’ve all been speaking, stripped of my ‘freshman-ness’ and now able to join the club.

It’s not that the novelty is completely gone- it’s just that it now takes a lot more effort to access; it seems less worth it to try and tap into. We have roots in places that need tending. Often, it’s more rewarding to nurture and appreciate what we know. Sure, the loss feels fresh now- but with time, surely I’ll be assured that settling was the right choice, won’t I?

Perhaps I’ve overly abstracted this with the metaphor- but it feels like it applies to so many aspects of my life: the major I’m pursuing, the extracurriculars I’m involved in, the communities I spend my time in, the people I interact with. On paper, I’m at a place in my life that should feel fulfilling and right, finally with enough footing to start building towards something. But every weekday comes with a giant to-do list, in my face and obscuring my vision from anything beyond the immediate demands- turning in my problem sets, meeting my research deliverables, organizing my floor’s next event, completing the next application. By the time that weekend rolls around, I’m so exhausted by my week that I frantically indulge in whatever provides the most immediate relief- whether it’s going out with friends or binging a show or spending too much money on Newbury Street. At MIT, ‘work hard play hard’ is the norm, oscillating between extremes. Ultimately, it’s as if my net displacement is zero- I’m not really going anywhere, but I’m still constantly moving.

So, when I got this card, I immediately resonated with the sentiment of stagnancy and dissatisfaction. But then, it was almost as if my tarot book was mocking me. “You know what you need to do,” it asserted, when I most definitely do not. When you perpetually feel at risk of falling behind, it’s hard to convince yourself that it’s worth it to stop and gather your bearings.

But I suppose I can buy into the notion that somewhere, in some crevice of my brain, lies that intuition. So, post finals hectic-ness, I’m going to try and set an appointment or three with my journal and see if I can find it out.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, after pulling this card I hesitated on whether I would post this blog at all. My interpretation feels incomplete, lacking a concrete resolution. At the very least, however, it’s motivating to consider the idea that you’re the one in control of your life. If you feel unsatisfied, you have the instinct within you to pinpoint exactly why— and the ability to follow up that discovery with action.

Besides, the universe told me to write this blog, so I suppose I have to listen.

p.s. to any prospective applicants: i swear i didn’t rig this tarot reading to encourage you to apply to MIT, but if that’s what your gut really wants- be brave <3