• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Advertising
  • Join PGM
Pepperdine Graphic

Pepperdine Graphic

  • News
    • Good News
  • Sports
    • Hot Shots
  • Life & Arts
  • Perspectives
    • Advice Column
    • Waves Comic
  • GNews
    • Staff Spotlights
    • First and Foremost
    • Allgood Food
    • Pepp in Your Step
    • DunnCensored
    • Beyond the Statistics
  • Special Publications
    • 5 Years In
    • L.A. County Fires
    • Change in Sports
    • Solutions Journalism: Climate Anxiety
    • Common Threads
    • Art Edition
    • Peace Through Music
    • Climate Change
    • Everybody Has One
    • If It Bleeds
    • By the Numbers
    • LGBTQ+ Edition: We Are All Human
    • Where We Stand: One Year Later
    • In the Midst of Tragedy
  • Currents
    • Currents Spring 2025
    • Currents Fall 2024
    • Currents Spring 2024
    • Currents Winter 2024
    • Currents Spring 2023
    • Currents Fall 2022
    • Spring 2022: Moments
    • Fall 2021: Global Citizenship
    • Spring 2021: Beauty From Ashes
    • Fall 2020: Humans of Pepperdine
    • Spring 2020: Everyday Feminism
    • Fall 2019: Challenging Perceptions of Light & Dark
  • Podcasts
    • On the Other Hand
    • RE: Connect
    • Small Studio Sessions
    • SportsWaves
    • The Graph
    • The Melanated Muckraker
  • Print Editions
  • NewsWaves
  • Sponsored Content
  • Digital Deliveries
  • DPS Crime Logs

Good News: Rooting Joy in Plants

March 23, 2023 by Haley Hoidal

One fall afternoon as I was shopping with both my roommate and boyfriend at Trader Joe’s, a green, leafy beauty caught my eye.

It was a tall, strong and wonderful plant called a Monstera.

I instantly rushed to it as my roommate called after me, saying, “No, Haley, you don’t need another plant.” Little did she know, I did.

I picked up my new friend and placed him in my cart. He was one step closer to his new home.

I brought my new plant back to my dorm and placed him next to my other various plants. He was at home in his new oasis.

I pose with my plant on the way to find a new pot December 2022 near Cosentino’s Nursery. Plants have brought me joy in my day-to-day life. Photos by Haley Hoidal

The next day, I went out in search of a perfect accessory for my perfect plant. As I traveled up PCH to Cosentino’s Nursery with my Monstera buckled up in my passenger seat, I was eager to find a pot that would suit him.

As I searched around the nursery, nothing stood out to me — until I saw the large 50% sale sign. I gazed upon a beautiful marshmallow-colored ceramic pot. It was magnificent.

I brought them both home and planted my new plant friend in his new pot. As he sat gleaming in the sun, I knew this plant was going to bring me so much joy.

My plants are situated in my dorm common room, which is a perfect space for them as they brighten up the room.

Sunlight comes through the window in my common room and illuminates my plant oasis in January. This has been my place of peace in times of stress and place of happiness in times of excitement.

I am not necessarily a morning person, but there is nothing I enjoy more than waking up early in the morning to sit in my plant oasis. As I open the blinds and window, I let in the glistening sunlight and hear the sweet songs of birds chirping.

Seeing the sunlight crawl across my beautiful plants, watching the light reflect from my disco ball dance on the ceiling and feeling the warm sun radiate across my back is the best way to start my day.

This past week, my Monstera started to grow a new leaf. The shiny, lime-green leaf stretched towards the sunlight as a reminder of the joy that my wonderful plant brings me.

My advice to others is that you can never have too many plants –– they will brighten your day and bring you peace.

___________________

Follow the Graphic on Twitter: @PeppGraphic

Contact Haley Hoidal via email: haley.hoidal@pepperdine.edu

Filed Under: Good News, News Tagged With: Cosentino's Nursery, dorm room, good morning, Good News, Haley Hoidal, joy, Monstera, PCH, plant oasis, plants, sunlight, Trader Joe's

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Featured
  • News
  • Life & Arts
  • Perspectives
  • Sports
  • Podcasts
  • G News
  • COVID-19
  • Fall 2021: Global Citizenship
  • Everybody Has One
  • Newsletters

Footer

Pepperdine Graphic Media
Copyright © 2025 ยท Pepperdine Graphic

Contact Us

Advertising
(310) 506-4318
peppgraphicadvertising@gmail.com

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
(310) 506-4311
peppgraphicmedia@gmail.com
Student Publications
Pepperdine University
24255 Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu, CA 90263
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube