Throughout my high school career, I faced many disappointments.  Failed tests. Embarrassing moments. Friend drama. My very first disappointment happened before my first day of freshman year. After...

“If you could do anything, what would your dream job be?” I was given this question as an icebreaker at a club meeting. While taking the moment to think about my response, I realized there were...

All my life I had rigid expectations for what my future would be. I had mapped out every detail.  What grades I would get, the extracurriculars I would participate in, what college I would go to, what...

I am not much of a health nut. I do not really watch what I eat or count calories, and I will not choose a salad over a cheeseburger. But, there is one food that I will stand by till the end of time: the...

The coincidental meet-cute, fake dating to entice a jealous ex, a grand declaration of love, followed by a passionate kiss in the rain: these are characteristic of the romantic comedies we know and love.  The...

I live in the space between two words: Indian and American. On paper, they sit neatly together as “Indian-American,” but in reality, that hyphen represents the layered identity many second-generation...

When I was younger, the mall was one of my favorite places to go to.  I loved how I could just spend my time there without an exact goal, simply existing there with my friends. When I went back last...

Each second in swimming matters, each pound lifted, each yard trained, and every breath taken. Still after every hard week in the chlorine, I wonder why it matters to me if that hard work isn’t recognized.  Swimming,...

Every time I open up my phone, my social media feeds are filled with influencers.  These influencers are shoving products down my throat. They say things like, “Run! Don’t walk, you need to buy...

Who’s the evil one? Do you have twin telepathy? Who’s smarter? Do you ever fight?  These questions are ones that I face often. Being a twin often feels like living in a world full of clichés. What...

The battle of the red and white-themed bubbly drinks. With dull color yet fizzy carbonation, Coke and Pepsi have taken the soda world by storm. The longstanding rivalry has existed ever since their creation,...

Flawless SAT and ACT scores. Meeting countless looming deadlines. Writing the perfect essay that encapsulates your entire personality in 500 words. Compiling the best extracurriculars. Creating a rigorous...