Problem: Article: A big part of resolving a crisis of identity is to learn and explore. This includes questioning what you think you know about yourself and the world and being open to change. At college, you have access to all sorts of views, ideas, and opinions that are different from your own. Start with classes. Are you dealing with ethical upheaval? Why not take courses in philosophy or political science these will open up the big questions of life to you, as well as suggest ways that you can make a difference. What about a crisis of identity in your faith or spirituality? Try enrolling in a religion course. A survey of major world faiths can be enlightening and give you new insights. Some people feel the same way when taking courses in science, too, like biology or astronomy. If you are questioning your sexual, gender, or racial identity, you may be interested in taking some courses in cultural studies, too. Consider signing up for a course in post-colonial studies, Alterity studies, or Women's studies, for example. Ideally, college is a marketplace for ideas. You're lucky enough to be in a place where you can seriously explore new views, not just in classes but on your own time. Interest yourself in and engage with new ideas, whether you want to find out more about politics, faith, sexuality, or something else. Make time to read, for one. Your college puts all sorts of library resources at your disposal, including books, newspapers, magazines, and online access to journals. For instance, if you're questioning your faith you might read something by an atheist, like Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion, or by a person of faith, like C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity. Go to talks and debates on campus, too. A political debate might give you a better sense of who you are as a voter and citizen, for instance. A debate on ethics might make you more attuned to issues of social justice. Consider spending a term abroad studying, if you have the chance. Travelling and living in a different country and culture is often a catalyst for self-growth and discovery. It forces you to confront and adapt to attitudes, values, and practices that you've never been exposed to before, giving you a better sense of self. Most people who study abroad come back with a better sense of maturity, self-confidence, and ability to accept ambiguity. They also report having a better view of their own cultural values and biases. Talk to your college's Study Abroad Office if you're interested in traveling for a term. Your school might also hold Study Abroad Fairs, workshops, and information sessions. Keep in mind that some of these programs are costly. But there may also be opportunities for work-study, where you can pay your way by working or as an intern or volunteer abroad.
Summary: Take a broad range of classes. Interest yourself in new ideas. Go abroad for a term.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Unless your journal is a blog that's open to the entire internet-browsing public, you should probably assume that no one will read it but you. If you choose to share it later, it'll be up to you to do so, but a journal is perfectly useful even if it's never shared. Try to consider your journal as a "safe haven" for your innermost thoughts. It's a place where you won't have to worry about being judged or embarrassed about the way you feel, so have no shame while you write. Most people have internal thoughts that they "filter" whenever they interact with other people. If you meet an ugly person on the street, for instance, you would never blurt out that you find them ugly - instead, you choose which thoughts to let out and which thoughts to keep in. The trick to good journal writing is to "turn down" or even "turn off" this filter. This can be tricky - often, its' something people don't have a lot of experience doing. If you're having trouble turning off your filter, try writing "free form" as an exercise - scrawling your thoughts down in a stream-of-consciousness form the moment they come to you, whether they make sense or not. While you'll want each journal entry to stand up on its own merits, you may find that your entries can be made better by explicitly referencing past entries. By searching for explanations of why you wrote the way you did previously, you can come to a greater understanding of your own emotions. For instance, were you in a miserable mood when you wrote yesterday, but are now feeling better? Comment on this! By doing so, you may start to understand why you felt this way in the first place. Not every day will be eventful. Writing won't always come easy. Instead of giving up for the day, try, instead, to answer any one of the hundreds (if not thousands) of journal prompts available online. Writing educators occasionally use journal-writing as an academic exercise - when they do, they sometimes share the writing prompts for the exercise online. A simple search engine query like "journal writing prompts" can yield dozens of interesting results. Use the tools at your disposal for consistent journal greatness! You may find that, by pursuing a prompt, your writing ventures into interesting new areas you might otherwise never have explored. Be adventurous and pursue these new topics to your heart's content! Many famous and highly influential books are either the actual journals of real people or works of fiction written in the form of a journal. Both can help you become a great journal writer. Below are just a few of the works you may want to consult for inspiration: The diary of Samuel Pepys The Diary of a Young Girl (Anne Frank's diary) The diary of Jemima Conduct The diary of Franz Kafka Bridget Jones's Diary Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Color Purple Flowers for Algernon Dracula Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

SUMMARY: Think of your journal as a safe place to express yourself. Write what you think as soon as you think it. Comment on past journal entries. Use writing prompts when you're bereft of ideas. Learn from the greats!

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Food-themed gift baskets are among the most common, and the traditional wicker basket is an appropriate fit in many cases. If you want to vary from this, however, try to stick baskets or containers that have a comforting, cozy ambiance. For example, you could stack wine and cheese items on a cheeseboard, place gourmet coffees and teas in a burlap gift sack, or arrange fruits and wines in a wooden crate. Knowing that you want to treat the recipient to a basket of delicious food is a good starting point, but "food" is too general to stand as a solid theme. Try to pick a specific type of food or common food pairing and work from there. Popular examples can include: Wine and cheese baskets, containing one or two bottles of wine and several blocks of cheese to accompany the wine; Gourmet tea or coffee baskets, accented with tea biscuits or coffee cake; Chocolate baskets, containing chocolate goodies in multiple forms; Fruit and nut baskets, offering several types of fresh fruit and cans of salted or flavored nuts. Think of the receiver's favorite foods. If the receiver loves chocolate, then some type of chocolate theme is probably a good way to go. On the other hand, that same basket would be a bad choice for someone who lacks a sweet tooth. Consider the time of year. Certain seasons and holidays are associated with different types of food, and you could build a theme around that. For example, autumn is associated with pumpkin, apples, cinnamon, and caramels; winter calls to mind hot chocolate and mint. The exact combination will depend on the theme you choose and your own talents in the kitchen, as well as the amount of time you'll need to wait before delivering the basket. If you plan to present the basket later that same day or the following day, you can probably include more fresh foods like fruits, cheeses, and homemade baked goods. These won't work if you're making the basket a week in advance, though. Opt for preserved foods, commercially prepared foods, or ready-mixes if you need to save the basket for more than a few days. Ready-mixes also work well for recipients who enjoy spending time cooking in the kitchen.
Summary:
Choose a rustic basket option. Narrow down the theme further. Use a combination of fresh foods, ready-mixes, and commercially prepared foods.