Last week, I found out one of my professors had passed away. When I say that I acknowledged this gradually, I mean it — even now I am still coming to terms with fully accepting what has happened. We all are. And that is okay. I went to class one day and Professor Lifongo was…
Please say hi to my sister
Sallybug — that is the nickname a nurse gave to my twin sister when she was born because she was so tiny. Sally was born with many special needs, from complications with her heart to losing the ability to walk without a walker. Sally’s handicaps help define her because they are embodied parts of her…
College and sex work
My mom often calls me after watching the news with worry in her voice, telling me about some young college girl out for a jog at night who was kidnapped. And then she, of course, forbids me to ever go running outside again. But the most common stories she tells me are the ones about…
No more CORE
CORE is something almost all of you should be able to recognize to some degree. For transfer students coming to Lawrence in their sophomore years or above, CORE sadly may not have been a part of your Lawrence experience at all. But for all of you who came here as awkward little freshman babies, CORE…
Roomies ‘n ramen
I am a twin. Therefore, much of my childhood was spent always with my sister — in matching outfits, of course — and our constant proximity meant sharing a room too. We slept in a room half decorated with her Kim Possible posters and half smothered in my unicorn decorations. Although we had some arguments…
I don’t want your gross emails
One day, way back when the dinosaurs had just been killed by a giant meteor, there were some cavemen sitting around a fire. Obviously, their means of entertainment was limited seeing as they were mainly focused on just surviving every day of their lives. But nevertheless, one of the cavemen decided to share with his…
A world of worth
We are living in an amazingly progressive time — technological advancements are allowing people to live longer and with better health than ever before in human history. The overall quality of life of humans has been steadily increasing along with the literacy rate as education becomes distributed to everyone and not just those who can…
The fallout
Content warning: sexual assault Matt Lauer. I did not know much about him other than occasionally seeing his face amidst frantic scrambles for breakfast despite being late for school when my mom had the news on. A talking head on a screen spewing scripted commentary in hopes that the people watching would actually listen. Which…
Family in the world
When I was a little girl, I got in trouble many times, but one such incident became unforgettable because that time I did not deserve to be yelled at. My iPod had gone missing and my dad was, of course, visibly upset that I had lost something so expensive. But I had never misplaced that…
Me vs. Poetry
You would think something as common and harmless as poetry would be an infantile step in the great pursuit of greatness for an English major. But alas, my English teachers who vigorously cheered me on throughout my childhood were either gravely misguided and I have absolutely no ability to pursue this major, or an evil…