Category: Essays
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Taking the Bottle
This was the fourth hospital our family had gone to in two weeks. The first was because my dad had to get cancer treatments. The second was my post-surgery check-up. The third and fourth were for my brother and his wife’s daughters, twins that were born about three months early. They had been rushed into…
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Say “Yes” to NIL
Dear Whoopi Goldberg, As a girl who grew up playing sports, I have so much admiration for you and the fact that you helped found the All Women’s Sports Network. I love that you have created a space for female athletes to be recognized and celebrated. Since your platform promotes female athletes, I thought you…
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The Complexity of True Crime as Entertainment
In 2011, Indiana University student Lauren Spierer went missing. Though I was young when it happened, I vividly remember being interested and involved in her case—my parents volunteered in search parties, we prayed and fasted for her and her family, and we saw the missing posters up across town for years. Everyone in Bloomington was…
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Abolish Seasonal Daylight-Saving Time
Twice a year, most U.S citizens are faced with a time change as they go into and out of Daylight Saving Time (DST). In the past, this attempt to conserve daylight hours was helpful in reducing energy costs and moving daylight hours to accommodate working hours. However, research has shown that this change in time…
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A Tale of Two Tongues: The Cognitive Benefits of Bilingualism
When I think back to my childhood, I can still hear the singsong rhythm of French music echoing in the kitchen. I was eight then, tracing unfamiliar words across the pages of my textbook, the smell of my dad’s crêpes sweetening the air. My little brother, still in diapers, tried to babble along, too young…
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Dear Empty-Nest Parents
Dear Empty-Nest Parents, The moment a child leaves home is one of life’s great paradoxes. On one hand, you feel proud watching your child step confidently into adulthood. On the other hand, your house seems too quiet, your routines slightly unfamiliar, and your heart unexpectedly tender. It’s a transition that people often brush off with…
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How American History and Media have Shaped the Public’s View of the Israel-Hamas War
Back in my hometown of Columbia, Missouri, I had a very diverse friend group. Some of my friends were Arabic, and we would frequently discuss religion, culture, and other differing aspects of our lives. It was almost always lighthearted. No one came away from any conversation feeling heated or being angry at one another. One…
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AI Art and Creativity
In 2018, a portrait entitled Edmond de Belamy, from La Famille de Belamy sold for $432,500, nearly five times more than the buying price of the Andy Warhol or Roy Lichtenstein pieces that were present at the same auction. The sale sparked controversy, as this portrait was created entirely by the French AI art program…
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Hope: A Catalyst for Climate Action
When faced with the stark reality of the climate crisis, many individuals feel that any action they take is insignificant. This sense of hopelessness is the most powerful obstacle to change. In a survey by Ispsos, 59% of American respondents reported they actively avoid news covering climate change, and three-quarters of surveyed young adults believe…