15. Prompt of the Day – Embracing Adulthood: My First Job Experience

Daily writing prompt
When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)?
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When I started working part-time as a student in Edinburgh. The concept of part-time was brand new to me. Being from a country that has the idea of work as something to become right after college or university (preferably a white collar job with stable income), part-time jobs are meant for people who are financially unstable. The deeply rooted sense of working outside my comfort zone was something I wanted to explore, and I found that working part-time in hospitality gave me so many experiences that I otherwise would have missed had I just been focused on being a student.

I wish more and more students understood how part-time jobs really help you with hands-on skills. For me, I appreciated the hospitality industry a lot more, really took in many varieties of roles, and never felt lesser than, while also understanding that I come from a privilege where I get to choose it temporarily and not that I have to do it out of necessity. But doing a job meant extra income, which I later got to use to fund my solo trips and buy items I otherwise wouldn’t have spent my parents’ money on, and I appreciated how money can be handled and utilized while earning it.

Only when you work, pay your bills and rent, cook your meals, do your household chores, and organize your finances (and more miscellaneous tasks) does one realize how much they have grown up in the process of taking care of themselves.

14. Prompt of the Day – Feeling Out of Place

Daily writing prompt
Tell us about a time when you felt out of place.
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I think I’ve always carried this feeling of being out of place with me, like a quiet companion that shows up whenever I move. Growing up as an NRI (non-resident Indian), I’ve lived in different countries and states, never staying anywhere long enough to sink deep roots. It’s not that I can’t find comfort. I actually settle into new spaces pretty easily when they feel welcoming. But there’s always that initial period, those first few days or months, where everything feels off.

Moving has been a constant in my life. I moved recently, actually, and that familiar sense of displacement came back, softer this time, like meeting an old acquaintance. Each time I relocate, I go through this quiet adjustment period where I’m learning the rhythm of a new place, figuring out where I belong in it, and wondering how it really feels to be growing in one home for as long as possible.

13. Prompt of the Day – A Skill to Learn

Daily writing prompt
What skill would you like to learn?
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A skill that I would love to learn is negotiation. I am the kind of person who gets swayed quite easily, and I don’t like confrontation or anything that makes me feel like I am in a vulnerable situation where I have to keep proving myself again and again. Negotiation is quite a life skill that I wish I had more of. It is uncomfortable indeed, but it is an important skill that applies to every area of your life.

When I think about negotiation, I realize it is not just about getting what you want. It is about standing firm in what you believe while respecting the other person’s perspective. For someone like me who avoids confrontation, this feels like an uphill battle. But I know that learning to negotiate would help me in so many ways. From discussing salary packages to setting boundaries in relationships, negotiation shows up everywhere.

The discomfort I feel around negotiation comes from a deeper place. I worry about being seen as difficult or demanding. I worry about damaging relationships or creating tension where none existed before. But maybe that is exactly why I need to learn it. Because avoiding difficult conversations does not make life easier. It just postpones the inevitable and sometimes makes things worse. I am slowly realizing that negotiation is not about being aggressive or pushy. It is about clarity, confidence, and communication. It is about knowing your worth and expressing your needs without apologizing for them. And that is a skill worth developing, even if it means stepping out of my comfort zone many times.