“ While we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one ” (Dumbledore – “Goblet of Fire”).   I am young and immersed in the cinematic world of Harry Potter . Dumbledore greets students with these words and I vow to never forget them.   It’s the last year of high school, and I have chosen this as my senior quote. People laugh, but they do not know the comfort and content that Harry Potter brings me.   Years later, I say this quote to my students.   There are a million differences amongst us, but what connects humanity? Our love, passion, and heart. Everyone goes

  How it all ends. The pavement is damp under my black flats as I walk across the parking lot. The weather is freezing and mad at me as it whips around. Climbing into the Jeep, I situate before leaving. Heat on full blast. Coffee cup, still half full and chilled from the remnants of earlier chaos, slips into the holder. The music shuffles. I shuffle it again. Lately, I am becoming disinterested with many of my former music selections. Finally, a bearable song plays through the speakers. I put the car in reverse and leave.   As I pull out of the parking lot, my mind lingers on the act of reversing a car.

  Are you there?     With so many dead ends And spiraling roads to nowhere I ask why you Why you   A final roll call With one person missing While the officer finishes His last drop of whiskey   Screaming out broken windows Cutting your hands trying to fix my heart You broke me But I broke you first   The way pavement smells In the rain How come You never stayed?   Each day The mirror shattered A mosaic of lies   What a beautiful (fucked up) story You created For our eyes.   Thank you for reading! If you are enjoying my content please visit https://medium.com/@hannahladuke to check out more!  

    She looked up at me as I finished reciting poetry I’d scribbled down earlier.   “Wow, I can’t believe you are so creative”.   For years I hid my writing, only to be shown to my sister, the only other soul who placed value in my passion. A critic, a lover, and an honest reviewer, her words mean the most.   When she said those 8 words, I was blown away. Am I creative?    Unknowingly, my sister has given me approval to be creative with my words once again.   The article “You Are Not An Artist”  deeply resonated with me. The author describes a journey much like mine, skewed with opinionated

  Thank you for reminding me. Coffee Grounds White noise sounds Glow of a fire Eternal desire   You remind me of comfort You remind me of the wild   Crash of the ocean Constant commotion White moonlight On a starry night   You remind me of strength You remind me of dreams … Thank you for reading! If you are enjoying my content please visit https://medium.com/@hannahladuke to check out more!  

  How do you learn best?     Every person has a unique way of learning. Have you ever watched a video and totally spaced out without catching any information? Or have you ever read the same paragraph over and over again only to realize you still have no idea what is going on? Well, the method you might currently be using may not be the most productive way for you to learn.   At the start of the school year, I review the 4 types of learning with students and ask them to complete a 5 minute quiz. While they may groan about “already having to do work”, this information is crucial. Not only

  What are you waiting for? Some days just aren’t it. Everybody has “off” days where they don’t feel quite right. Maybe nothing is ~wrong~ but it definitely feels like it. It’s okay to have these days. The world will keep spinning as you heal. In the meantime, there are tools out there that can boost your health.   The world is overcome with technology, so we mine as well use it to our advantage!   Below are 6 apps that can support you on your journey to better mental and physical health! All of these apps are available in the app store and can be used right on your phone (which you pretty much

  There is beauty in death Much to be found Such as a carved pumpkin Grinning and round   There is beauty in death Everywhere in the trees As oranges, reds, and yellows Fall with the leaves   There is beauty in death Look where you want Ghosts, witches, and skeletons Ready to haunt   There is beauty in death And during October We rejoice in the season Many times over  

  Photo by Donald Tong   There are times when I cold-turkey quit social media. There are times when I am trapped in the endless blackhole of social media. There are times when I allow myself to embrace sadness like an old friend, because of social media. There are times when I feel on cloud nine, because of social media. And there are times when I miss out on real life, because of social media. Why in the hell do we care so much? I wrote the short poem below to express how many of us feel the need to acquire acceptance from strangers. We are not to blame, the platforms are intentionally designed with

  Photo by João Jesus   Society’s definition of normal: ideal social life, career, body, knowledge, and personality. The real definition of normal: typical, expected, or average. Now in the definition of normal, conformity is a present theme, but tell me what is it we have to conform to? The real definition mentions nothing about an ideal person so why has it become society’s definition? Why has the word ‘normal’ become a label? I have a bit of a theory. In a world with tragedy and confusion, I believe we are all trying to find our own way and figure out how to cope with our own “stuff”. Nobody really knows how to do this