Photo by Vinh Tran By Vinh Tran I actually do want to quit smoking eventually, even if it’s not really smoke–it’s still horrible for you. I want to kick the habit, I want to quit. But that’s the thing about giving something up, some things are worth never returning to again, however, other things are…… Continue reading Smoke Break
Category: Essay
College Is Just Part Of My Redemption Arc
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Alexandra Pelas The jobs I want don’t require a degree, but I’m still here, majoring in political science and buying used LSAT prep books. A part of me always wants to be the smartest person in the room, I never am, and I resent that. My need to feel intelligent…… Continue reading College Is Just Part Of My Redemption Arc
“A” Honor Roll
Photo by Ian Watson By Ian Watson I made the terrible mistake of closely tying school to my identity during my adolescence and now I can’t escape it. I don’t think I can clearly pinpoint the exact time where this happened, but it definitely began very early, probably at the beginning of elementary school. Straight…… Continue reading “A” Honor Roll
Don’t Erase Me
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Tracy Fuentes I think we’ve all realized by now that the education we receive from kindergarten to twelfth grade is not very comprehensive, especially when it comes to the history of those who are not straight white men. As a Filipina American, I never learned anything about Filipino Americans in…… Continue reading Don’t Erase Me
Taking Up Space
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo There’s nothing that I envy more than people who can unapologetically take up time and space in the classroom. In my freshman year of college I took a feminism theory class. I showed up on the first day with all my squeaky clean notebooks and freshly sharpened pencils,…… Continue reading Taking Up Space
My Summer Superpower
Photo by Alex Zavala By Alex Zavala Growing up, Summers in the suburbs felt like the beginning of some sad story sitting carelessly in my Notes app where every story sounded the same. I’d wake up, fight the Summer heat by staying inside all day, pace around aimlessly, watch reruns of Spongebob, fall asleep, rinse,…… Continue reading My Summer Superpower
The First Room on Your Left
Photo by Isabel Cruz By Isabel Cruz Over a few humid days and cool nights, I packed and loaded all of my belongings into my small Nissan hatchback. Eager to finish as soon as I started, I removed my presence from the residence one bag at a time and thought how ill-timed my move back…… Continue reading The First Room on Your Left
Reunion
Photo by Ash Fuentes By Ash Fuentes Not to sound like Vin Diesel in every Fast and Furious movie in the franchise, but family is important or whatever he says. The top lessons taught by the franchise are don’t turn your back on family, you don’t have friends you have family, something about loyalty, more…… Continue reading Reunion
Harmony in Multitudes
Photo by Lianelys Cabrera By Lianelys Cabrera Diary Entry #1: I have to admit that I express myself better through visual creations, hence the embroidery piece that goes with this mini-essay. Still, given the topic of this month, I’d like to take the time to dive deeper into the concept of harmony and its synonyms.…… Continue reading Harmony in Multitudes
Here, in Isla Vista
Photo by Dylan Delaney By Isabel Cruz The way people lie around in this town, you’d think they were dead, under the relentless Southern California sun. At worst, they are hungover, hoping to find relief in the heat. At best, they are taking a nap between classes, laptop left open, blackened by the outdoors, and…… Continue reading Here, in Isla Vista
