The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan is a collection of autobiographical essays and short stories. Published posthumously in 2014, the stories and essays teach their readers to be more open to the world and experiences awaiting them in life (Scholes). The book begins with a challenging consideration that there is no word to denote the “opposite of loneliness” despite the fact that many people, including the author, have spent a lot of time to achieve such a state (Keegan). The insightful nature of the works coupled with the underlying theme of promise and potential are what make Keegan’s work unique, as it has no common characteristics with a collection of juvenilia that so many aspiring authors would write in her age (“The Opposite of Loneliness, by Marina Keegan: Review”). However, there is an underlying sense of unintended foreshadowing as Keegan expresses fear of losing something, and this something was most likely the opportunity to become someone impactful in life (Gregory). While reading The Opposite of Loneliness with the early death of its author in mind can be distracting, the effect from the writing does not lessen as Keegan’s provocative and intelligent writing calls readers to reflect on her perspective (Nelson). The words “I will live for love, and the rest will take care of itself,” which begin the dedication of the book and which Marina pronounced on her graduation day, are fundamental for the tone of the entire collection of essays and short stories (Keegan 1). Looking forward to the future of finishing college and pursuing her writing aspirations, the author is optimistic about what life has to offer, and reminds her audience, several times, that there is a vast expanse of opportunity and time ahead of them. In order to be open to them, Keegan decides to renounce the feelings of regret or fear that may come hand-in-hand with any achievement in the modern competitive world (Hazelton). Furthermore, she frames the idea of “commencement” as something that usually prevents people from going ‘all in’ and therefore set themselves for loss and disappointment. While the author acknowledges that some people know what they will be doing in life, the majority of them are still indecisive and thus are afraid of choosing one track on another. The optimism here is that Keegan asserts that starting a new beginning is possible at any point in one’s life. The sense of possibility or opportunity, the immense and identifiable potential energy, accompanies the open mind and is essential for being open to new beginnings in life. The autobiographic essays are highly considerate of the complex period in human life, which is the teenage years. For instance, in “Stability in Motion,” Keegan maps out her experiences as a teenager that were instrumental in transforming her as an individual. By using the example of her 1990 Toyota Camry, the author argues that in many cases, things people own become reflections of their personalities and help them transform and seize opportunities. When owned by Maria’s grandmother, the car reflected the stability and discipline: “the black exterior remained glossy and spotless, the beige interior crisp and pristine. Tissues were disposed of, seats vacuumed, and food prohibited” (Keegan 143). Once passed down