My friends and I have a phrase we lean on a lot—especially when life throws something unexpected our way. Whenever one of us stumbles through a tough moment or learns a hard-earned lesson, we say, “It’s my first time being alive.” Over the past couple of years, I’ve realized just how often those words echo through my day-to-day. At 26, I’m the oldest I’…
© 2026 Amy Smilovic · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Substack is the home for great culture



