Slovenia delivered exactly what the itinerary promised: castles, lakes that look illegally pretty, and lots of hiking. If Iceland made me feel small, Slovenia made me feel hungry. Ljubljana was charming, Lake Bled was absurdly picturesque, and the Soča Valley scenery was genuinely amazing. Somewhere between that turquoise river and a plate of something I couldn't pronounce, the country quietly became one of my favorites.

Iceland was graduation therapy disguised as a geography lesson. Black sand, glaciers, waterfalls that made my problems feel hilariously small - we are just specks vibes, fully unlocked. Standing in front of landscapes that looked CGI made me feel like a tourist in my own life, which was exactly what I needed.

New York taught me that ambition has a smell - subway vents, halal cart smoke, and the faint anxiety of everyone trying to be somebody. I walked until my legs filed a complaint, ate $6 rice plates that tasted like victory, and kept thinking the city was a movie set until a rat the size of a shoe confirmed it was very real.