• About Ryan,  Health & Wellness

    The Importance of Critical Friend Check-Ins (CFCs)

    Wow! It feels like I haven’t written in years. Honestly, since the last time I wrote for this blog, months have been feeling like years. When I got the urge to write again, I knew I wanted to address this strange absence, to explain to y’all why I haven’t been writing and what’s been the root cause of my procrastination. But as I started to brainstorm, I realized that I needed to share what’s inspired me to write again: critical friend check-ins (CFCs). For the purposes of this post, I am defining a critical friend check-in as the act of showing true empathy and concerns for a friend holistically, in…

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  • Health & Wellness

    First Well-Woman Exam? Don’t Be Afraid!

    I don’t know too many millennials who visit their doctor or dentist like they should. At the age of 23 and after two jobs that have provided me with health insurance, I’m just now finding a great primary care physician. My first appointment was back in March of this year, and because my doctor is in high demand, I waited a few weeks for this appointment (worth it though). I found my doctor through my insurance…Not going to lie, I went through the list of doctors they gave me and didn’t stop Google searching until I found a black women with great reviews. When I searched my now-physician, I was…

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  • MOOD

    A Vow To Myself

    Have you ever blown up over something that ended up being insignificant in the long run? Afterwards, did you feel silly? Does that scenario run through your head when you can’t sleep at night? Yeah…I’ve been there. You can ask my friends, my partner, or even my parents. I can be rather impatient or short-tempered with things I don’t care for. Each time I see someone share that Facebook post that asks you to name your own toxic traits, I think “I have a bad temper” in my head. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m NOT confrontational (on the regular). I have to be pretty comfortable around you to share…

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  • Lifestyle

    Battling Envy…Sort Of

    Envy…he’s something else. *Insert eye roll emoji* August is one of those months where it feels like envy is winning the battle against solidarity. In August we see our friends and family members starting medical or law school, starting their last year of medical or law school, starting new jobs, finding new romances, moving to new cities…the list goes on and on. We begin to look at ourselves and think, “What am I doing with my life?” If we’re lucky, we can call up a parent, mentor, or friend. Most times, we turn on Netflix to drown out what seems to be the tunes of other people’s success. Well I’m…

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  • Lifestyle

    For The Person Who Didn’t Move Back Home After College

    To Whom This May Concern:   I know that you might be lonely. You might feel defeated. You might miss home more than you ever expected. I want you to know that it is okay to feel those things. It’s also okay to feel like you are having the time of your life and never want to move back home again. It doesn’t mean that you love your hometown or family any less.   If you’re anything like me, you probably switch back and forth between these feelings on a daily basis. Some days I sit at my desk after an argument with my partner and think, “I miss my…

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  • About Ryan

    Hello world!

    Wow! I only ever dreamed of having my own blog, but here I am starting a new chapter in my life. To share a bit about myself, my name is Ryan Paige and I am a 23 year old black woman from the south suburbs of Chicago. I moved to St. Louis for college in 2013 and have lived here ever since. I am an only child, an introvert, a Harry Potter fanatic, and a lover of musical theater. Inspiration for Love, Rye came from many places. I chose the name (first as my personal Instagram name) because it is the way I sign cards and letters addressed to my…