As an English major at Purdue University, I learned a little about literature and a lot about life. My professors (nearly exclusively) were incredibly intelligent, free thinkers who had more wisdom to impart upon my classmates and I than most cared to take advantage of. 

I, however, was enamored then and am still today.

Sometimes classes sucked, and that’s for every student. But I thoroughly enjoyed the path Purdue provided, and it would be an understatement to say it changed me. 

It made me.

I had an incredible range of girl boss professors, and even a few heteronormative boy bosses too. Today, we will of course focus on the women! I was a furiously quick notetaker in school, and a bit of a hoarder of the precious snippets my doctorate-wielding professors shared with me. When it came time to clean out my old college notebooks, I copied all of my favorite lecture quotes into one journal.

Of all my incredible leaders and influencers, Megha Anwer impacted me most. She never questioned the route I was on (“What the hell are you going to do with an English degree?”) but instead loved that I was on a path of my choosing and did nothing but encourage and enlighten me along the way. Below are some of my favorite quotes I’ve kept from her.
PS I’m leaving these to you with absolutely NO background information, it’s more fun this way.

“There’s too much light in this world.”

“Always pursue the things that disorient you.”

“We live in a world where art is a letter from fart and if it’s in an elevator all we want to know is who did it and why is it there?”

“It is pretty but is it rare?”

“Relationships are fucking ugly.”

“We should all sweat the next time we disagree.”

“I don’t care if you sneak into Heavilon at midnight…actually I can help you with that.”

“I don’t believe in guilt or shame. Those are shitty emotions and we should have nothing to do with them.”

“Say what you are, not what you would like to be, not what you should be. Just say what you are and that is enough.”

Cheers to us all, today and every day.

Love,
​Ashley