Looking Inward: Our Self Portraits
Photo by Niko Navalta By Niko Navalta, Aidan Hurley, Rosie Lopolito, Angie Shenouda, Brigita Przybylski, Kleigh Balugo, Tracy Fuentes A self portrait is often a clear indication of how an artist perceives themselves. In the spirit of alone, we asked contributors to create self portraits that represent their relationship with themselves when no one else…
Best Of 2022 Scrapbook
By Madison Kleinrock-Andrews, Ryland McGinniss, Lianelys Cabrera, Angie Shenouda, Tracy Fuentes, Kleigh Balugo (in order of appearance) At the start of 2021, Kindergarten contributors shared their favorite moments of 2020 in the form of a scrapbook. In honor of 2022 drawing to a close and Kindergarten’s 2nd anniversary, contributors both new and returning looked back…
The Hereditary Playlist
Music is one of the best things to be passed down. For this month’s playlist, we shared songs recommended to us by the people we love. Listen to the playlist here Kleigh Balugo “First Day of My Life” by Bright Eyes A while ago, my boyfriend Eryn made me an 11 hour playlist consisting of…
Cate Belmont on Self-Sabotage and Her Single “Make It Hurt”
Photo courtesy of Cate Belmont By Kleigh Balugo For many members of Gen Z, jamming out in your childhood bedroom to “Here We Go Again” by Demi Lovato or “7 Things” by Miley Cyrus is a universal experience. Blasting your favorite pop rock anthems is always emotional, even when you’re eight years old and can’t…
The Kindergarten Cookbook: Our Picnic-Ready Recipes
Photo by Kleigh Balugo What’s a picnic without food? For issue 18, Kindergarten contributors share their potluck approved recipes. After this, you’ll never volunteer to bring utensils ever again. Kleigh Balugo Garlic Tortellini I really don’t know how to cook at all but after eating at a very expensive Italian restaurant, I became obsessed with…
The Dreamland Playlist
Zzzz… This month’s playlist is in honor of hitting the snooze button and floating off to dreamland. Don’t let the bed bugs bite. Listen to the playlist here Lianelys Cabrera “Still Dreaming” by Raveena If there’s something dreamy in this world, that is Raveena’s voice, especially in this song because of all the simplistic but…
Being Asian in White Spaces
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo Dear Kindergarten Readers, What happens when you’re the only Asian person in a room? When I was younger, I found that being Asian in a white space had detrimental effects on my self esteem. I longed to fit in with my white peers, despite their tendency to isolate…
The Sprouting Playlist
We planted seeds and now that it’s finally spring they’re starting to sprout. For the month of April, Kindergarten contributors compiled their favorite songs to listen to when they’re gardening, on a picnic, or just out in nature in general. Listen to the playlist here Tracy Fuentes “Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac I imagine running through…
Out of Touch
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo Going to college with rich white kids has taught me a lot about myself. In my first year of college, I was desperate to make friends, as most freshmen are of course. Mostly because college can be lonely, especially when you don’t know anyone and especially when you…
Girls Like Me
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo In May, I wrote an essay called “Girls Like Me: Finding a Cure for Yellow Fever.” Writing it helped me cope with a past relationship where I was fetishized for being Asian. Since then, I’ve been thinking a lot about my place in the world and how my…
Kleigh’s Year in Review
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo Dear Kindergarten Mag readers, In the words of the great Frank Ocean… That’s a pretty fucking fast year flew by. It’s been a year since we started Kindergarten Mag! I’m so proud of how much we’ve done already, even though I know it’s only the beginning. It’s surreal…
Hometownless Hero
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo My parents really love to move. So much so that I’ve lost count of all the houses I’ve lived in. The funniest part though, is that the only thing they love more than moving away, is moving back. I say this because although I’ve moved around a lot,…
The Spirit Playlist
In honor of the Spirit issue and all things creepy, we picked ghostly songs for this month’s playlist. Warning! Listening to this playlist may make you feel like you’re being haunted by a troubled spirit. Listen to the playlist here Jacquelyn Rodriguez “La Llorona” by Ángela Aguilar With mysterious origins, numerous versions, and breathtaking performances…
Crying Like a Tall Child
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo Mitski’s “First Love / Late Spring” is one of my favorite songs of all time. As the weather in the city grows colder and colder, the days become darker too. I often roam the streets reminiscing about summer, though I like to pretend it never left. I always…
The Recess Playlist
For this month’s theme of recess, Kindergarten contributors hand picked songs we play when we’re walking across campus, songs that get us through the week, and songs we listen to when we study. Essentially, this playlist is your ultimate back to school soundtrack. Listen to the playlist here Kleigh Balugo “Campus” by Vampire Weekend The…
Our Most Embarrassing School Stories
Photo by Kleigh Balugo Illustrations by Kleigh Balugo School is where we spend a good chunk of our lives. We make a great deal of memories spending eight hours a day in a building with a bunch of people our age, being asked to write, solve, socialize. For our theme of Recess, we wanted to…
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,…
I’m Not Like Other Frank Ocean Fans
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo “U-N-I-T-Y, Neptunes and peace signs” Endless is my favorite Frank Ocean album. And not just because I’m too pretentious to say it’s Blonde, ok maybe it’s a little bit because of that. But it really is my favorite. That’s saying a lot too because I’ve been a hardcore…
Girls Like Me: Finding a Cure for Yellow Fever
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo I walk through H-Mart scavenging the shelves for snacks that remind me of home and my childhood. Trader Joe’s mochi ice cream just doesn’t cut it anymore. Across from me I see a group of white teenage girls in head to toe Brandy Melville, laughing and stuffing their…
Letters To Our Future Selves
By Alex Zavala, Ash Fuentes, Natalia Lee, Kleigh Balugo To close out issue 5 and our internal coming of age movies, Kindergarten contributors wrote letters to our future selves. No matter where we are or what we’re doing, we’ll always have these letters to read back. Plus, no one is more fun to talk to…
The Coming Of Age Playlist
In the spirit of Issue 5, Kindergarten contributors curated the soundtrack to their lives. These are the songs that would play in the background of our coming of age movies. Listen along with us as the credits start to roll. Listen to the playlist here Ash Fuentes “Cliche” by Mxmtoon None of the songs I’m…
Side Character Syndrome
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo Why don’t main characters in teen movies ever look like me or my friends? This is a genuine question I have. When I was younger I didn’t understand that the lack of representation for Asians and other POC in the media was rooted in racism. I didn’t think…
Nostalgia Is A Liar
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo Nostalgia is the biggest liar ever. I didn’t think it was true but I know now for a fact. Especially after being locked in our houses for so long, it’s so easy to romanticize the past. Like most people, I spend so much of my time lusting over…
The Soulmates Playlist
Our third issue, Soulmates, is centered around love. In the spirit of soulmates and Valentine’s Day, Kindergarten contributors made a Spotify playlist of their most listened to love songs, most of which we’ve cried to. Whether you love or hate love songs, we’ve got you covered with recommendations. Listen to the playlist here Abbey Steinman…
Printable Valentines For You
By Tracy Fuentes, Kleigh Balugo, Ash Fuentes, Cait Thomson, Alyanna Moralda, Lyra ♡ Happy Valentines Day! ♡ Kindergarten contributors made their very own valentines for you to print out and give to your lovers, soulmates, friends, family, neighbors, pets, and mailmen.
The Perfect Pair
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo There are so many cliches about the “perfect pair.” Mostly they’re soulmates of the food pyramid. Ketchup and mustard, mac and cheese, burger and fries, the list goes on and on. Those are pretty high expectations to live up to. But, if you really think about it. Any…
Best Of 2020 Scrapbook
By Tracy Fuentes, Ash Fuentes, Kleigh Balugo, Lyra, Abbey Steinman, Isabel Cruz Despite all the negative things last year brought, 2020 was a memorable year for all of us. Reflecting on the past year, Kindergarten contributors created scrapbook pages of their favorite memories.
The Resolution Playlist
Photo by Kleigh Balugo In honor of our second issue, Resolution, Kindergarten contributors compiled their most loved songs in to a single Spotify playlist. Covering a wide range of different genres, artists, and time periods, this is what Resolution sounds like to us. Listen to the playlist here Alyanna Moralda “Everything Is Everything” by Ms.…
Jack Of All Trades, Master Of None
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo It is common practice to take on new hobbies or learn new things in honor of the new year. Personally, I have never been one to wait around for the new year to try something different. Since I was little, I have always been interested in art and…
At the Dinner Table
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Francesca Bernardino, Tracy Fuentes, Kleigh Balugo, Ash Fuentes During the holidays, family dinners are unavoidable, along with the awkward conversations and invasive questions that come with them. Everyone can relate to being asked if we’re single, what we’re studying in school, et cetera. Some more controversial topics may arise, such…
Get Cozy With Kindergarten
The winter months are all about layering and bundling up. Ash, Tracy, Abbey, and Kleigh compiled their most festive and comfy clothes to show Kindergarten readers what they’re wearing this December, minus shoes in a few pictures because technically you’re not supposed to wear them in the house. Even though it doesn’t get too cold…
Confessions Of An Untraditional Capricorn
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo I am a Capricorn sun and after reading tons of Seventeen Magazine horoscopes, Costar app notifications, and Instagram infographics, I have learned that I am supposed to be very traditional by nature. I know a lot of people don’t believe in astrology and think it’s all made up,…
The Evil Consumerist Machine Forced Me To Buy Hello Kitty Keychains
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo Giving gifts to your loved ones is second nature during the holiday season. When I was little, I would always look forward to opening presents on Christmas morning. However, after I attended my first feminist theory class in college, I learned that being excited to open presents on…
Meet Tracy Fuentes: Bookworm, Anime Expert, And Co-Chief Editor
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Kleigh Balugo Tracy Fuentes sits on her couch, embroidering an orange mushroom onto a pair of jeans. “The Weekend” by SZA plays in the background, as she focuses intently on not stabbing herself with the needle. Tall bookshelves grow from the floor, like trees in a forest. The shelves are…
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