Category: Volume 2025
-
Writing Matters: “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
The topic of “writing” elicits images of strict English teachers staring down their spectacles at wide-eyed students, demanding nothing less than Shakespeare from their young charges. Even experienced wordsmiths encounter angst over transforming their thoughts into artful written compositions. Consequently, many people today eschew writing in favor of vlogs and photo sharing. However, without writing, I would not…
-
Moment in the Mud
Once, there was a little pond, and on that little pond was a small flotilla of tiny leaf boats. This was my doing, of course. Eight-year-old me had quite the imagination. Frog catching and worm inspection were also prime time entertainment. During the summer, my dad and I would spend hours in the garden catching…
-
Polyester Perks and Pitfalls
It is incredibly likely those of you reading this paper are currently wearing at least one garment comprised of a fabric called polyester. In essence, polyester differs from traditional, natural textiles because it is woven from plastic thread, making it cheaper and more durable, but also (generally) more uncomfortable and pollutive. Common Objective, a platform…
-
The Paradoxical Nature of Horror
Whether on Halloween with family or at a sleepover at midnight, almost everyone remembers the first time they saw a horror movie. Everyone knows the feeling of the adrenaline coursing through them when the jump scares don’t seem to ever let up, and everyone remembers how hard their heart was pumping when the characters…
-
The Choice
Dear reader, I want to first acknowledge that there are different situations and conditions that can prevent us from being happy all the time. All of us have felt it. With that said, I firmly believe that in most situations, we have the choice to be happy—and this is a story about choosing happiness and…
-
One Guy’s Lawnmower is Another Guy’s Future
It sat on the corner. Out of the bag poked a slender, broken, metallic arm reaching for freedom. I had seen it a couple of weeks before, hardly a stone’s throw from the church building. I watched, waiting for it to be claimed. A short two years before, I had started the adolescent ritual of…
-
A Building Dilemma: Going Green or Saving Green?
Buildings are everywhere. We work, sleep, and recreate inside buildings. The earth is dotted with different structures that serve a myriad of purposes. Vast establishments, tiny houses, and everything in between are anything from places of worship to chemical laboratories. These buildings went through quite a lengthy process to come into existence. As an aspiring…
-
Peace is an Option: Habitat Modification as Canada Goose Population Control
Ryan Gosling deserves to live. I’m not talking about the famous actor, though I wish him much longevity; rather, I’m speaking of Ryan, the baby Canada goose found (and named) by my brother last spring. He had been dragged under our deck by a predator and was nearly dead, suffocated by mud. He was a…
-
Hypnotherapy as a Treatment for Depression
A forty-seven-year-old by the name of Tonja has been going to various therapy sessions for the past eleven years. After being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, Tonja has suffered from a myriad of health problems. Unfortunately for her, none of these therapy sessions seemed to yield the results she wanted. In search of mental and…
-
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…