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For example,

Henry hopes that ATINYs are walking on air after seeing this GIF and post made from “Turbulence.” 🚶🏻‍♂️💨

The phrase “walking on air” is an idiom used to describe a feeling of great happiness or excitement. The exact origin of the phrase is unclear, but it is believed to have originated in the early 1800s.

One theory suggests that the phrase may have been inspired by the sensation of walking on clouds or mist, which was often depicted in art and literature during the Romantic period. Another theory suggests that the phrase may have originated from the idea of walking on a trampoline or other bouncy surface, which would give the illusion of walking on air.

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Fun fact:

“Flutist” is more common in American English 🇺🇸; “flautist” is more common in British English 🇬🇧.

🎵 Neither is wrong. Just pick based on where you are—or which one sounds cooler to you.

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We know starting early saves stress. We hear it all the time. And yet … here we are. 😅

But here's your reminder: 📅 Start small today. ⏳ Do future-you a favor. 💪 One task at a time beats last-minute panic every time.

You’ve got this. Let’s flip the script. 🔄

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[theyuniversity]

“Blithe” vs. “Lithe”: A Tale of Two Graceful Words

Words can be tricky — especially when they sound like siblings but don’t act like them. Enter “blithe” and “lithe.” These two rhyme beautifully but carry very different meanings.

📘 What Does “Blithe” Mean?

Blithe (pronounced blahyth or blīth) is an adjective that means:

Cheerfully carefree or lighthearted, or

Showing a casual or improper lack of concern.

Examples:

She had a blithe spirit that made everyone feel at ease. (positive)

He gave a blithe shrug at the bad news. (negative/slightly careless)

It comes from Old English blīthe, meaning “joyous, kind, cheerful.” Over time, it took on both joyful and unconcerned shades of meaning.

🧘‍♀️ What Does “Lithe” Mean?

Lithe (pronounced līth) is also an adjective, but it refers to:

Flexibility, grace, and ease of movement.

Examples:

The dancer’s lithe movements captivated the audience.

He had the lithe frame of a gymnast.

From Old English līthe, meaning “mild, flexible,” it’s used mostly to describe physical grace—often in athletes, dancers, or cats!

🏴‍☠️ Monkey D. Luffy, one of my favorite manga/anime protagonists of all time, is both lithe and blithe.

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Who’s your all-time favorite teacher?

[theyuniversity]

“Never make fun of someone who speaks broken English. It means they know another language.” ~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

“Broken” English isn’t broken. It’s brave. 🌍🗣️

Behind every accented sentence is someone who dared to learn a new language — to connect, to survive, to thrive.

👏 Respect the effort. 🌱 Celebrate the growth. 💬 Language is power—no matter how it sounds.

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Welcome to the sixth post in the series: Punctuation For Beginners. This post is all about hyphens and em dashes.

Punctuation is the name for the marks we use in writing. Punctuation marks are tools that have set functions. We use them to give a sentence meaning and rhythm.

These are the most common punctuation marks:

The Full Stop

The Comma

The Question Mark

The Exclamation Mark

The Semicolon

The Colon

The Hyphen

The Em Dash

The Bracket or Parenthesis

The Inverted Comma/Quotation Mark

The Ellipsis

The Bullet Point

The Apostrophe

(Sign up for our newsletter to get our Daily Writing Links, and you won’t miss out on any of our posts.)

Today, we will be writing about hyphens and em-dashes.

Punctuation For Beginners: All About Hyphens & Em Dashes

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In a world that often measures productivity by grades, resumes, and how “useful” your time looks on paper, it’s easy to feel guilty for spending time on things that simply bring you joy.

But here’s the truth: your happiness has value.

Whether it’s doodling in the margins of your notes, rewatching your favorite show, going down a Wikipedia rabbit hole, baking banana bread, or stargazing at 2 a.m.—if it fills you with joy, peace, or wonder, it matters. It shapes who you are. It replenishes you. And that is never a waste.

Some of the most meaningful parts of your life won’t show up on a college app or job resume. But they’ll show up in how you treat people, how you see the world, and how you stay connected to who you are.

So don’t rush to justify every moment with an outcome.

Let joy be enough. 🌟

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🤬 Expletives Are No F*@KING Joke

In this short grammar lesson, we’ll be talking about expletives—but NOT the kind that means ‘profanities’ or ‘swear words.’

👨🏻‍🎓 In grammar, expletives are sometimes called “dummy pronouns.” They occur in clauses beginning with “it” or “there” when the “it” or “there” does not refer to anything. Although very few people we know are familiar with the term in the grammatical context, they are extremely common; we bet you used dozens of sentences today that began with expletives.

For example, the following sentences start with expletives:

It is vital that you arrive to the concert on time.

There were several raucous students at the football game.

😌 Fortunately, the rules for expletives are straightforward:

When “it” is an expletive, it always takes a singular verb.

It is finally time to go home! 🏃🏻‍♀️💨💨

It is amusing that children still believe in the Tooth Fairy. 🦷🧚🏻‍♀️

It was an exhausting undertaking to organize my parents’ garage.

When “there” is an expletive, the number of the verb is determined by the number of the noun phrase that follows:

There is a place we all call “home.” 🏡👪

There were hundreds of fans in line for autographs. 😍📝

There was an error in your calculations. 🧮

There were six spelling mistakes on your handwritten essay.

Give the following questions a try:

The meteorologist claims that it ( is | are ) going to snow this weekend in Los Angeles. ☃

When we looked at the expansive menu, we learned that there ( is | are ) more than 22 different types of fried chicken. 🍗

The college tour guide candidly admitted that there really ( isn’t | aren’t ) much to do on campus during the winter holiday. 🏫👻

Last year, there ( was | were ) a surprising increase in the number of students applying to small liberal arts colleges in Alaska.

According to Nan, it ( is | are ) painfully obvious and understandable that there ( has | have ) been more accidents on the busy street leading to the new shopping mall. 🚗💥🚙

💁🏻‍♂️ Here are the answers:

is

are

isn’t

was

is, have

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🎨🎻🚀 Your college activities don’t need to break the bank.

Passion, creativity, and consistency matter more than pricey programs. Colleges want to see who you are, not what you can afford.

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Quick grammar check ✅

People aren’t objects—so don’t refer to them with “which.”

Use “who” or “that” when talking about people:

✔️ The teacher who inspired me ...

✔️ The friend that helped me ...

❌ ... The student which stayed behind

❌ ... A colleague which worked tirelessly

It’s a small fix that shows big respect.

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📚💡 Did you know?

Johns Hopkins University (JHU) was the first research university in the United States, founded in 1876. Inspired by the German model, JHU combined teaching and research—a revolutionary idea at the time.

Today, that legacy lives on through groundbreaking discoveries and student-driven inquiry. 

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📚✨ Word Spotlight: MYRIAD

/ˈmirēəd/ — noun & adjective

💡 Why use it on your college app?

“Myriad” means ‘a countless or extremely great number.’ It’s elegant, academic, and shows range—without sounding try-hard. (But just like with anything else, don’t overuse it.)

📝 Instead of saying:

➡️ “I’ve had a lot of experiences…”

Try: ✅ “I’ve had a myriad of experiences that shaped my passion for medicine.”

🌟 It’s versatile, punchy, and makes your writing stand out—just don’t overdo it!

🔠 Bonus tip: You can say “a myriad of” or just “myriad” (both are correct).

E.g., “Myriad opportunities” = ✅

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[theyuniversity]

This is so relatable.

If you’re a student on a budget, here are some tips for pursuing your hobbies/activities without breaking the bank.

After all, you don’t need the most expensive gear to be great. In fact, having less often makes you more creative and resourceful.

✅ Buy used: From Facebook Marketplace to eBay, used gear is your friend.

✅ Ask for help: Teachers, coaches, and community organizations often have funding, discounts, or equipment.

✅ Apply for scholarships: Even for things like summer camps or race fees—many programs want students like you.

✅ Start small: You don’t have to do every race or own every lens. Focus on what matters most.

✅ Budget intentionally: Choose your gear like you choose your goals—intentionally, not impulsively.

Investing in your passions is investing in your future self.

When colleges read your application, they want to know:

What drives you?

What do you care enough about to work for, even when it’s hard?

What keeps you going when there’s no immediate reward?

Your answer might be: “Running through pain, rain, and $150 shoes that took me months to save for.”

And that’s powerful. 💪

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Run.

[theyuniversity]

✂️ Editing Like a Pro: Cut, Polish, Refine 🪄

Good writing isn’t written—it’s rewritten.

Trim the fluff 🔍

Sharpen your voice 💬

Let your ideas shine ✨

🔗 Editing is where the magic happens.

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🧠 Your brain is not a browser. You don’t need to keep every mental tab open.

❌ Close the guilt tab. ❌ Close the comparison tab. ❌ Close the “what-if” tab. ❌ Close the “I’m not doing enough” tab.

🌿 Not everything needs to be solved today. 🎯 Focus on one thing. Do it with heart. 💫 Peace isn’t found in doing more.

It’s found in doing less, with purpose.

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