Staring Here: Life Lately in the In-Between

Hello, dear readers.


My name is Claudia. I am in my late 20s (27 to be exact), a special education teacher,  born and raised (and still residing in) NYC, a PhD student in Curriculum and Instruction, a dog mom, an introvert, and, for now, still living with my parents while I save to move into my first apartment seven months from now.


This blog was a spur-of-the-moment idea. As someone who values quiet and the simple things in life, I needed a space to come to. Not a physical space but a mental one. A slower, softer space. One where I can reflect, process, and just be myself. 


Right now, I’m in an “in-between” season of life.

I am juggling a full-time teaching job and a doctoral program, both of which require a lot of outward energy. And for an introvert like myself, that energy is precious. Pretty much all days, I come home mentally tapped out-talked out, “on” all day, and just craving stillness, quietness.  


I love the work I do. I love my students. However, the people in charge, the “higher-ups,” do not always hear us teachers and are not always supportive. They are exhausting and cause major headaches for no reason whatsoever.  


I am grateful to live with my family (and even more thankful for the home-cooked meals), but it is hard to find solitude in a house full of noise. I dream about the quiet of my own apartment-the kind of quiet that makes room for deep thinking, deep rest, and relaxation, and maybe hearing my dog snoring nearby.


Being single at 27 is its own kind of quiet.

Sometimes it feels spacious. Peaceful. Like I get to be fully myself. At other times, it feels like a too-long pause, as if I am waiting for something that no longer exists. Chivalry isn’t dead anymore, or is it???? Dating in NYC is…an experience. One minute, someone likes you. The next they don’t. And don’t even get me started on the ghosting. Talk about frustrating. 


As an introvert, putting myself out there just to end up with no outcome for a relationship is exhausting. I would rather be home in my pajamas, reading, thank you very much. I have entered a state of mind where, if it happens, it happens. 


Lastly, I’ve been exploring how style can help me show up in the world more confidently, without sacrificing my quiet nature.

I am drawn to the “old money” aesthetic-not for its flash, but for its subtlety. Neutrals. Tailored coats. Clean limes. Timeless over trendy. It feels like fashion for people who do not need to yell to be heard, and that speaks to me. I am slowly curating a wardrobe that helps me feel like the woman I am becoming: confident, calm, grounded (even with my high levels of stress), and a little bit elegant (even when my dog sheds on everything).


So, this blog is my journal, my mirror, my breathing space.

A piece to write through the mess and beauty of what I call my life.


I will be sharing my journey as a woman learning to navigate a noisy city with quiet confidence. Some days will be about outfits, things I read, saw, or thoughts I had on the subway. Some will be deeper than others. All of it will be real.


If no one reads this, that is okay.

This is for me.

But if you are here:

Hi. I am glad you are.

Let us figure it out together, quietly.

Claudia 🕯️📓🐾

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