Abstract
In Search of a Compass is a reflective nonfiction essay about navigating uncertainty while balancing work, school, and personal growth. The piece explores the quiet struggle of feeling directionless yet continuing forward despite fatigue and doubt. Through moments of late-night introspection and everyday routine, the essay examines how purpose is not a sudden revelation but a gradual practice built through persistence. It speaks to students and working adults who feel caught between responsibilities, offering a message of resilience, that progress doesn’t always require certainty, only the willingness to keep moving.
Bio
Ervin Tan is a student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, pursuing a degree in Aeronautics with a minor in Economics. His writing often explores themes of purpose, perseverance, and identity, drawing from the challenges of balancing work, study, and self-discovery. When he’s not writing, Ervin enjoys running, travelling, and reflecting on the quiet moments that shape everyday life.
Recommended Citation
Tan, Ervin
(2026)
"In Search of a Compass,"
Night Flight: Online Literary Journal: Vol. 7
, Article 13.
Available at:
https://commons.erau.edu/night-flight/vol7/iss1/13