Junior Zoe Kamphuis was 8 years old when her parents called her in for a family meeting that would completely change her life. She remembers being filled with excitement, hoping to be surprised with a family trip to Disneyland. Although she knew that was unlikely, she never anticipated what the reality...

Freshman Hamza Siddeek has been observing Ramadan every year with his family since he was a kid. Siddeek began fasting when he was in elementary school, and he always helps his family prepare and decorate for Ramadan. Every year, Siddeek and his family hang lanterns in their home. “We don’t have...

In the Bay Area, it’s natural to view the annual summer vacation not as a well-deserved break from schoolwork, but instead as a time to work even harder. We’ve been running ourselves ragged all school year, only to pile on more responsibilities once it’s over. It’s perfectly reasonable to occupy...

Every other Thanksgiving, the doors of my house open to more than twenty relatives and family friends: lounging at the extended dining room table, perching on chairs and folding tables and commenting on the delicious cream puffs. For one brief night, the house swells with the music of conversation...

Written by Katie Russell Senior Alper Karakas and junior Sitara Simons, both of Turkish descent, consider their relationships with others from Turkey to be as close as family. Karakas, whose parents hail from Istanbul and Kastamonu (both in Turkey), considers Turkish culture to have...