INTRO*VERSION

NOISREV*ORTNI

CONTENTS

02

WHY ARE WE HERE?

An introduction to Intro*Version

03 Mountains, moving, and missing home

THE WORLD IS TOO FLAT

A NERVOUS TRAVELER’S GUIDE TO SOLO TRAVEL

Don’t let anxiety keep you from adventure

On actively seeking joy 07

SPELLING BEE: NOT JUST FOR NERDS 11 A review (read: new obsession)

ITS OKAY TO DO THINGS BECAUSE THEY MAKE YOU HAPPY 12

why are we here?

(and not at home with our cats?)

This magazine was created for the Writing in the Media module at the University of Kent.

Hello everyone, this is your editor speaking (writing?). My name is Carina Mignon, and I’m an introvert. As an introvert, it’s both likely that I’ll be anxious about most things, and unlikely that I will ask for help with them. So I created this magazine to turn things on their heads and try to help both myself and others be a little more confident everyday. An introversion inversion, if you will. Here, you will find (hopefully) helpful tips on how to navigate the world even when you really don’t want to.

BY CARINA MIGNON

The world is flat: Thoughts on life outside the mountains

Moving to England, missing the mountains, and getting to know the horizon for the first time

As an international student from the United States, I knew that my life would be different after moving to a new country. When I made the decision I braced myself for culture shock, homesickness, you name it I thought I had it all figured out But when I got here, I learned that no matter where you go, or where you ’ re from, or how different you may seem, people are just people. I wouldn’t call what I had an easy time adjusting, but it certainly wasn’t as drastic as I thought it would be by any means I gained an appreciation for the universality of things like kindness (and youth). But of all things that I exhausted myself researching to be prepared for all contingencies when I got here, there was something I didn’t even think to consider I didn’t anticipate that the landscape itself would need so much getting used to

On the train ride into Canterbury from London, I was enamored with the rolling hills and little villages, settled into the green. There were sheep, horses, sunbeams and homesteads dotting the countryside I found it quaint and peaceful The sky even seemed bigger, bluer, brighter. At the time, I didn’t realize why. I just enjoyed the view while it lasted, impatiently waiting for the train to reach the station A few weeks later, though, I was looking out over the city from the University campus (which ironically sits at the top of the biggest hill around) and realized that the sky didn’t just seem bigger here, it basically was There weren’t any mountains For me, that’s how the world had always looked, and I didn’t notice how special it was until I left

The view of Canterbury from the University of Kent campus

I grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, a city in the midst of Appalachia In Asheville, if you look in any direction you can see the Blue Ridge Mountains They’re called that because from a distance they appear to be this gorgeous misty blue that changes hue the further away each peak is There’s nothing like it In some places, they’re so close that they eclipse the sky and all you can see is the trees We were surrounded, but it never felt like we were trapped. To those who live among them, the mountains are a shelter So, for me, who had lived all my life under the protection of the Appalachians, to watch the horizon get further and further away as the train approached Canterbury was mildly unnerving. That horizon line was as foreign to me as anything else I encountered here The Kentish countryside is beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but although I’ve been here for over two years,

there’s still something so strange about looking out and seeing so far into the distance

Even when I was a kid, the lack of mountains was always a mark of ‘other’. Whenever we drove across the state to my brother’s university, or all the way to the coast, I took notice of when we officially left the mountains behind and entered the Piedmont, or the plains, both characterized by their unfortunate flatness. It was the way I knew we were on our way to Elsewhere. But, consequently, it was also the way I knew we were closing in on home Even now, when I get off the plane after a whole day of travel, it’s not just the fresh air that brings me relief. The sight of the mountains, my mountains, is all I need to feel like I’m home

BY CARINA MIGNON

The Blue Ridge Mountains

BY CARINA MIGNON

a NERVOUS traveler’s guide to solo travel

DON’T LET ANXIETY KEEP YOU FROM ADVENTURE

Before I went to university abroad, I had never traveled alone Getting on the plane that first time was probably the most nerve-wracking thing I’ve ever done. At the time of writing this I have taken the trip from Asheville, NC to Canterbury, UK (or vice versa) a total of 15 times in the span of about two and a half years And as someone who experiences an immense amount of travel anxiety,

that number astounds me While I’m not necessarily a nervous flier, the whole voyaging process puts me on edge Even though I’ve made this trip successfully so many times I still get so anxious. That being said, I had to come up with a few ways to help mitigate my anxiety if I wanted to get anywhere I thought I’d share those here in the hopes of helping any fellow nervous travelers

SEPARATE YOUR TRIP INTO LEGS (AND BUDGET FOR EXTRA TIME)

Separate your trip into each step or ‘leg’ and make a written itinerary with all of the corresponding locations and times that you need to reach over the course of the voyage. This can be on paper or on your phone, whichever is easier for you to access and keep track of I treat it like a to-do list, any cab, car, train, or bus rides, metro lines, or flights all get recorded and checked off as they are completed This also includes airport gates or platform numbers when you have them, and of course all expected arrival and departure times. This list does need to be at least moderately flexible given that you may need to account for schedule changes or unexpected detours, but just be mindful to budget for some extra time around legs with uncertain durations (like airport security), and cross any other bridges when you get to them. There’s no use in over-stressing

HAVE ALL OF YOUR TRAVEL INFORMATION READILY ACCESSIBLE

This is necessary for travel anyway, but making sure that all of this information (documents, tickets, directions), whether you end up needing it or not, is easily accessible during your journey can reduce the amount of stress you may feel about not having it or needing it on short notice Know what you need of course, but also what might make your trip easier For instance, I always have my flight numbers written on my hand so I can look for them on the screen and check my gate immediately upon entering the terminal. This can be useful especially if you ’ re going through larger airports that may have multiple flights going to the same destination

HAVE A QUESTION? ASK A QUESTION

Seems obvious, I know, but if you find yourself confused about where you are, where you ' re going, or what your next step is- ask somebody! Find a help desk or an airline employee, it’s their job to help you get where you need to go. Just ask politely and it’s more than likely that they’ll be more than happy to point you in the right direction. But, if this is daunting for you, like it is for me, then see the next suggestion:

BECOME YOUR OWN REPRESENTATIVE

I’m the type of person who will never ask anything of anyone to avoid being an inconvenience in restaurants, stores, etc. But when you ’ re traveling, asking a question can be the difference between making and missing your departure So, if you wouldn’t normally ask for yourself, just pretend you ’ re asking for someone else’s sake Think of it this way: If you don’t step up and keep moving, then your client (who’s also you!) won’t be getting to where they need to go, and that’s unacceptable

KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING NEXT, BUT DON’T DWELL ON IT

When you ’ re on a long trip (or even a short trip), there’s no point spending upwards of eight hours worried about what you’ll do the minute you get off the plane Instead, do things that help you feel calm like watch movies, listen to music, look out the window

(that last one ’ s not necessarily recommended for nervous fliers) You can prepare yourself for what’s next as you approach your destination, but if you ' re over an hour away, just do what you can to de-stress while you have the chance.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, FIND JOY

I’m aware that this is easier said than done but even having the intention to find something, anything enjoyable in such a time of stress can make a difference in how much my anxiety has a hold on me. Whether it be a fun snack or some downloaded episodes of that show you ’ ve been meaning to finish, find a moment of joy Because at the end of the day, you ’ re on your way to somewhere and the opportunities are endless. Now go on, get out there.

YOU GOT THIS

spelling bee: not just for nerds

Contrary to what the title suggests, I am in fact a nerd. I love books, I love reading, I love words. It’s not too much of a stretch then, when I say that I spend my free time playing word games I play everything from Wordle to crosswords, and it’s something I could never get sick of However, I know that’s not the case for everyone. For some, I bet that sitting down and doing word puzzles is not their ideal morning (or afternoon, or evening), but recently I’ve been playing a game with a seemingly universal appeal A friend of mine, who is decidedly not a fellow nerd, recommended it to me, and now there’s a whole group of us that play together.

It’s a simple spelling game: you ’ re given seven letters and you make as many words as you can with them There are a few rules: one of the letters is mandatory (the one in the middle), and the words have to be four letters or more, but you can use each letter as many times as you like within them There’s a new puzzle every day, as well as an unlimited mode so you can switch things up whenever you like

When the daily puzzle is released at midnight, the previous day’s full word list is too, so you can agonize over the obvious words that you missed, or lament the ones you ’ ve never heard of Did I mention it’s totally free?

But I digress– what makes this game so fun is that you can play it on your own if you want to, but you can also play with others. Now, spelling bees aren’t historically a team sport, so you might be wondering how that’s possible Remember how I said I play this with a group? I do We sit with the daily puzzle individually of course, but we check in throughout the day. We compare answers, help each other out, lend our respective expertises, and sometimes just sit together trying to figure it all out It makes something as simple as a spelling game social and fun Not all of us are word-nerds like me, either. One of us, the one who started playing first, actually can’t stand reading. Spelling Bee is an enjoyable and easy way to work your brain and learn new words, and maybe connect with friends whether you can sit with one another in person or not

Where can you start playing? spellbee.org

it’s okay to do things just because they make you happy

On Actively Seeking Joy

We’ve all heard about “little treat” culture, or the popular trend of rewarding oneself with small and inexpensive “treats” Some claim that it’s life changing, others say that it’s consumeristic and excessive, but the question remains; why do it at all? Here’s my experience:

Like a lot of anxious people, I tend to be overly cautious Or so I’ve been told To me, I always thought that I behave in a way that’s logical to save money and stay focused However, recently I’ve learned that a lot of what I was doing, and particularly what I was telling myself to justify it, did as much harm to my wellbeing as good

When I was a kid I was very particular about what I spent (or didn’t spend) my allowance on, collecting every dollar I could in a piggy bank left in my closet in wait for something worthy of trading my precious hoard for it This philosophy followed me into adulthood, manifesting as what I always thought was world-class self-control, but in reality was a way to excuse self-neglect. For instance, if I was in a restaurant surrounded by friends placing orders, I would say I was fine even if I was hungry

Even on my own, I never bought anything I didn’t absolutely need, never dared to venture what I had convinced myself was beyond my means. Furthermore, this was an issue that extended beyond the financial and into the mental I wouldn’t let myself sleep in even if I was up until five in the morning I wouldn’t give myself a break even if I had been working all day.

For years then, I lived with the mindset that if I do anything for myself (buy things, get takeout, sleep in) it would somehow be a waste I told myself that it was for a purpose, that I shouldn’t do whatever fun activity now so that I could afford (both literally and metaphorically) to do something else later. But for the most part, all I was doing was saying no to opportunities and experiences that I realistically could have participated in without repercussion, all for the potential of a future ‘better’ thing

It was a self-destructive cycle of denial that didn’t actually have any of the benefits I told myself it would every time

Realizing this after a recent rough patch, I decided that while I’m by no means a shopaholic, I didn’t have to always tell myself no. It wasn’t worth it. So I started saying yes I got myself chocolate when I wanted something sweet, and pitched in for pizza when my housemates were ordering delivery I sat outside for a while when the sun was out instead of heading straight to the library to work yet another day away. It was nice. It felt like I had a bit more balance, a bit more control Now, I’m not saying that the key to happiness is found at the bottom of a Starbucks cup, but I do think that there’s merit to the idea of finding joy in the little things and actively seeking it out. I learned a lot in the past few months about allowing myself simple pleasures in life First and foremost that little is gained when all you tell yourself is no If you ’ re having a hard time, doubling down on self-restriction is no way out Joy can be found in all sorts of places; sometimes all you need to do is say yes.

JOY CAN BE FOUND IN ALL SORTS OF PLACES; SOMETIMES ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS SAY YES

So, if you ’ re anything like me, I just want you to know that you don’t have to rationalize denying yourself things that bring you joy You don’t have to do anything extravagant, in fact, please don’t (at least not at my behest). But, if you had a bad day, or a rough week, or even a mildly troublesome morning, it’s not going to be the end of the world if you do something nice for yourself Even something as simple as a “little treat” can make all the difference