I’ve begun to understand there is a silent beauty and growth in "almosts." There’s no gold sticker for being in limbo between what we want and what we ask for.
Throughout his discography, Mac Miller grapples with this issue, making fans internationally connect with his lyrics as he describes the indescribable.
In Mac Miller’s “Rain or Shine,” also known as "ROS," he confronts the realities of the vulnerability of connection and explores how loss is a necessary part of love.
College culture promotes a space where students are constantly on the drive to find where they fit, whether it’s a friend group, a relationship or even a career path.
One thing I’ve realized through my efforts to solve the struggle of loss is that it’s never linear. In the same breath, I’ve learned no matter what you lose, you’ll always be glad you put yourself out there and tried, even if it means you end up with an “almost.”
In "ROS,“ Miller explores the concept of a time limit and how our interactions with others can be on a ticking clock and we might not even know it.
Miller somberly frames this idea, but it can also mean appreciating the little things, like telling a friend you love them or holding the door open for a stranger.
Other songs like “Someone like you,” “Soulmate” or “Objects in the Mirror” also reflect this optimistic but vulnerable state, where Miller addresses common internal thoughts many young adults face but don’t always express.
“Objects in the Mirror” largely deals with addiction, whether addicted to a more literal substance or to a figurative idea, like a relationship. I think it can also be viewed as a homage to the gap between what we try to suppress in the past and the experiences that are left in the future.
As the saying goes, objects in the mirror are closer than they appear; they can never fully be erased, which relates to the idea of our past building our future piece by piece.
We are all mosaics of everyone we’ve ever known, and have to find a way to carry our lessons from one another in a larger effort of personality.
There’s a hidden beauty in these “almosts:" we carry them with us, even when we don’t want to. In truth, we are all mosaics of everyone we’ve ever known, and it’s our job to use these tiles to define our human experience.
Being in your 20s boasts many milestones, each one more celebrated than the next, but at the same time, we don’t always talk about the navigation of happiness in college life.
With more time to reflect among the cold weather and spending more time inside, seasonal depression and the winter blues specifically get us stuck thinking about what could have been.
It's easy to feel behind, overwhelmed and hopeless. Nearly 25% of college students feel seasonal depression, according to Appalachian State University.
Just as students connect to Miller’s music for its relatable themes and ability to describe common human experiences, students share winter blues in common.
Shorter and darker days can further seasonal depression, along with social isolation, according to OhioToday. Ohio University offers resources for coping strategies as well as individual and group therapy through Counseling and Psychological Services.
If you are feeling the effects of seasonal changes past regular CPS hours, check out the Let’s Talk Hours program in the Living Learning Center Room 160, Sunday through Friday, 5-10 p.m.
Above all, make sure you are taking care of yourself and others this season. Everyone you meet is sorting out their mosaic for the first time.
With love,
Emily
Emily Stokes is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Have something to say? Email Emily at es542222@ohio.edu
