Author, Twenty-Two

The 21st century is a wonderful and complicated time to be a young woman. From access to higher education and advances in gender equality to the innovations of social networks and limitless travel destinations, no twenty-two-year-old woman has ever had more options before her than the college graduate of today. And yet, even with the world at her feet, she often has more questions than answers, more pressures than prospects, and more disenchantment than direction.

Stepping into this glaring disconnect, Allison Trowbridge offers Twenty-Two, a series of personal letters that marries true life experiences and advice with the fictional life of the recipient, Ashley, a young woman looking for mentorship from someone one step ahead in life. Twenty-Two is a book that speaks to millennial women, a generation hungry for a bigger life story yet uncertain about how to get there.

Milk & Honey Magazine had the dear pleasure of chatting with Allison about her new book, Twenty-Two: Letters to a Young Woman Searching for Meaning, available April 4th! (we got to read it too, and trust us, the book is AMAZING!)

Meet Allison Trowbridge!

What sparked Twenty-Two?

I wrote the book I needed when I was 22. This is the book I looked for and couldn’t find when I was in need of wisdom and direction about my vocation, impact, relationships, and what it means to live a meaningful life. In many ways, those are all questions I’m still asking today. “Twenty-Two” applies to any season of change and uncertainty, but having this book in my early twenties would have been pivotal for me. I hope it gives some guidance and hope to young women journeying through similar seasons today.

Have you always loved writing?

Yes! Writing for me is hard, but I’ve always loved it. As a kid I would walk around describing what I saw in my head, and imagining the words I would use to write it. I was first published when I was 12, but even as a toddler I would draw pictures in blank books and dictate the story to my mom. She was an art teacher, so we were always drawing and painting. I see writing as the same thing, in many ways. It’s creating a new way of seeing the world, and then allowing other people to step into it. That’s the best part of writing for me--the creativity part.

What would you tell 22-year-old you?

The journey is the destination. Growing up, I always had this belief that one day I was going to arrive. That at some point, probably around the age of 35, I’d become a finished product--the realest me. What I’ve learned, however, is that we don’t “become” somebody. The joy of life is in the process of always becoming. When you realize there is no finish line, it frees you up to enjoy and fully experience the ride. To focus on the character and ability to love others you develop in the process.

What have you learned most as you've gotten older?

I’ve learned to stop looking for neat answers to messy questions. When I was younger, I saw the world in black and white. When I thought I found an answer, it meant that everyone who disagreed with me was wrong! But the world is so much more messy and beautiful than that. There are no easy answers to the hardest questions. Instead, we get to enter into those tensions and wrestle with them. We get to listen to people and learn from their views and vantage points. Each of us is one tiny facet in this diamond of humanity, and those 7 billion perspectives create the brilliance of our world.

Typical day for you?

I’m currently doing an MBA at the University of Oxford, so my typical day kind of feels like a Gilmore Girls episode set at Hogwarts. I spend a lot of time in class learning business finance and accounting (more interesting than I expected!), and evenings in 800 year-old dining halls. We wear robes called “sub fusc” to exams, and study in epic old libraries. I love going to the Oxford Union, where speakers from all over the world discuss international issues in the giant debate chamber. I’ve also gotten into polo! Which is hilarious because I’m terrible, but I love the horses. There are white tie balls and speakers and conferences and so many events it makes my head spin. This year is a sensory overload that I’ll be processing the rest of my life, and quite different than the surf town where I grew up in California!

Describe how your faith has impacted your life.

I don’t think there’s an area of life that my faith doesn’t touch. It impacts how I see the world, and understand my place in it. It affects my desire to make an impact, and to love others well. My faith leads me to the poor, the oppressed, and the heavy-burdened. It shapes my work and my heart and my worldview. It gives me grace for others. And hope for our very broken, very beautiful world.

You're so pretty and fit! How do you keep in such good shape?

This question made me laugh out loud. Thanks---I feel like a hot mess 98% of the time. One unexpected benefit of Oxford is that cars are pretty inefficient on one-way cobblestone streets, so we ride our bikes everywhere. I’ve gotten great at cycling in high heels and a ball gown. I consider biking my free spin class, and I like to think it helps balance out all the British pub food we eat. Beyond that, I love (short) runs in the meadow by my house, and mornings at the gym. I just started using fitness apps, like “Sweat” and “Fitstar,” and really like them! Apps are great for student budgets.

Dream life 10 years from now?

Honestly, I would love to have a family, make an impact in the world, and be surrounded by a community of people I love--and who love me--unconditionally. I’ve spent most of the last decade working on the issue of human trafficking and slavery, and I hope to continue my human rights work in many capacities. And of course, I’d love to keep writing! When I started “Twenty-Two,” I thought it would be a one-time book for me. But the more I wrote, the more I realized I have a lot more to say. I hope there are many more books to come. :)

Pre-order Twenty-Two, xo

*Photo Cred - Katee Grace Photography