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On a recent visit to Argonaut Elementary School, I spotted the only thing that still felt familiar to me: the four square court. It was nothing more than a few white grid lines, empty and blank against the black top, the paint faint and flaking off. The squares were uneven, crooked and lonely; overshadowed by […]

It’s that time of year again. The season of trick-or-treating into the depths of the night, searching for boatloads of candy dressed in outlandish costumes sounds like a whole lot of fun — for everyone except me, at least.  I hope someone out there can relate to my plight — I’m severely limited by my […]

It’s 2021 — yet the perception of rap as being unintellectual persists, nowhere more obfuscating than in wealthy, predominantly white enclaves (ahem).  This prejudice  amounts to a kind of racism and is singularly unreasonable. This is especially evident when Rap’s closest lyrical relative is the erudite, often highbrow poetry.  Admittedly, there are head-banging numbers like […]

We’ve all been there before.  You wrote an essay. You’ve revised, reworded and polished it until it sparkles like your mom’s kitchen countertops.  Then it’s time for the teacher to hand back your graded work.  You tell yourself to keep your expectations low. But secretly, you’re proud of your work, so your hopes skyrocket. You […]

There are only a few questions that have remained unanswered over the course of human history. Reconciling Einstein’s theory of general relativity with quantum mechanics, understanding the human consciousness and finding out exactly how life began on Earth have all stumped generations of the world’s brightest minds.  However, all of these trivial contemplations pale in […]

Common App Prompt #1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. I’m a clown. Just not a very good one. Clowns are supposed to make people laugh, go around replacing […]

Just a year ago, the walls of my bedroom were empty: sky blue paint and a Chinese vocabulary sheet were my only decorations. Now, however, jigsaw puzzles of picturesque sunsets and rustic farm life line my walls with color, bringing my previously dull room to life.  I started puzzling at the beginning of quarantine because, […]

Ping! “Your saved search has 4 new results!” a Depop notification displays. I immediately tap on it to see what new listings have shown up for the pair of shoes I have been scouring high and low for — 2015 Andy Warhol x Chuck Taylor All-Star Hi ‘Campbell’s Soup’ shoes. Though photos of the shoes […]