At the outset of this project I planned on writing a series of essays tracing the arc of my college career, retelling and reflecting on some of its most impactful moments. However, I realized while writing that while college provided a backdrop, I was actually compelled by more general questions of experience, selfhood, and the relationships of individuals to one another, systems around us, and to ourselves. 

 

This project may seem a bit eclectic, but it is not directionless. Each piece is trying to address, in their own ways, how we experience and make meaning in our lives, how we think about what is important, and what to do about it. 

 

The project’s title comes from Ulysses by Tennyson, and references the search for purpose, knowledge, and meaning, with the acknowledgement that these questions, experiences, and perspectives have been produced in relation to a particular stage of life (college). 

 

The collection of essays has been broadly divided into three sections, though the lines between sections remain blurry. Section One is approaching these questions primarily through narrative - stories and anecdotes. Section Two reflects on my view of myself and my work, while Section Three features more directed exploration of specific topics.