Written by Isha Gupta
Humans are social creatures; we pride ourselves in making connections and bonding with others. However, our constant focus on others causes some of us to worry about how others perceive us. Some of us care about this more than others. While I would love to claim that I am exempt...
Written by Lindsay Maggioncalda
When my mom said I couldn’t leave the house after midnight on a school night, I’d go anyway. Several of my best friends were suicidal, and I would always come when they said they needed me—no matter what. Being there for them took priority over everything else...
Written by Krissy Ludemann
I had always been a big kid, both tall and overweight. I was teased and bullied through most of my childhood—I have distinct memories of being spit on after getting off of the school bus as well as having a group of boys follow me around the playground calling me “Miss...
Written by Michelle Victor
I have to admit that some things come pretty easy for me, like leadership, public speaking, playing softball, eating massive amounts of Taco Bell and even talking to strangers. Sometimes my strengths can turn out as, not necessarily weaknesses, but not great judgement calls,...
Written by Jacqueline Woo
I hope that by sharing my story, you too can be inspired and re-evaluate what happiness and success means to you.
Both volleyball and dance were my two main, positive outlets in my life. However by the time freshman and sophomore year came around, I was finding it difficult...
Written by Mikaela Wayne
For as long as I can remember, my oldest brother, Coby has excelled in school. He was solid at times tables, in touch on political issues and had an extremely irritating habit of always knowing the answer to everything. When he was in middle school, I distinctly remember him...
Written by Shannon Yang
Assistant Principal Miriam Stevenson grew up in an unstable household. Economically vulnerable, her family moved about 19 times before she turned 10. Throughout their childhood, Stevenson and her three siblings underwent emotional instability. Together they endured psychological...
Written by Josh Spain
“Sweet are the uses of adversity which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head.” William Shakespeare. The first time I truly faced adversity in my life was in seventh grade. The morning of the first football game of the season, I broke my...
Written by Miranda Smith
When I was 16, I fell in love with another counselor at an all-girls summer camp in Maine. No, I’m not pitching you a twenty-first century coming-of-age rom-com (but look for it in a theater near you, summer 2040), but this is how my entire world flipped upside down over...
Written by Emily Cao
“I am intimidated by the fear of being average.”
For as long as I could remember, I have always been scared of a lot of different things. As an elementary school student, I had an entire menagerie of fears. They were my little collection of cynicisms about the world around...
Written by Challis Michael
Cancer. Cancer? CANCER. I had heard the word, said the word and discussed the word, but until January of 2014 I had never lived the word. My life until that point had been pretty idyllic and I knew it. I grew up in San Diego, moved to Arizona for college, then London...
Written by Jenna Marvet
A high schooler has many weights they must carry with them. The stress of classes, exams, friends, relationships and future plans looming in the distance. It’s all difficult, but adding the trauma of sexual assault on top of the heavy stack made me worry everything would...
