Counseling Services could quite possibly be the greatest resource available to Lawrentians and could also be considered the one that is talked about the least. Approximately one-third of Lawrentians utilize Counseling Services in some capacity but, yet, it’s still something many of us struggle to talk about. Why? It’s probably tied to shame or, at…
Dad, I’m proud of you.
For me, being a first-generation college student has a certain amount of pride in it — it’s pretty damn neat to embark upon the unbeaten path, after all. But, at the end of the day, it’s also incredibly alienating. Terms like “imposter syndrome” and “stereotype threat” are often lobbed over to first-generation college…
I thought a thought.
I thought a thought once, and I did not know what to do with it. So, I put it away — hid it away for a rainy day. But that rainy day never came — as if, as soon as I had a plan for a day full of clouds and raindrops, the skies were…
Love Thy Neighbor
God said to love thy neighbor. This I could do. Surely, I could love the family living next to mine, the ones who would have a barbeque each Sunday evening. I could definitely love those people and even their little dog too. Even if I never meet these people, I could love them. They looked…
Write Drunk, Edit Sober
“Write drunk, edit sober.” —Ernest Hemmingway Hemmingway advises us to write drunk, edit sober. In theory, this sounds great. When I read it, I envision a night of words flowing from my fingertips as I hold a glass of scotch — yes, the good stuff. I imagine words pouring out of me faster than any…
Blue Collar
When I was born, they wrapped me in a pink little blanket and placed a blue collar around my neck. My father’s collar stiffened as he added on more hours, already thinking about the many mouths to feed. My brothers sat at home eagerly waiting for their little sister to come home, each adorned with…
To the Monster Under My Bed
I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t listen when you told me how awful the world was — when you groaned and moaned and told me to hide away like you. I’m sorry I ignored your warning. When I heard your long nails claw at the floorboards at night, I didn’t ask you why — I…
VITAL Revisited
“Am I failing?” A phrase that I have used way too much already this term, and, interestingly enough, never in the context of grades. This question has come up most frequently in my role in the Center for Community Engagement and Social Change (CCE). The Volunteers in Tutoring at Lawrence (VITAL) program was covered in…
Convocation emphasizes importance of home and belonging
To kick off the 2020-21 Matriculation Convocation Program, President Mark Burstein delivered his talk, “Finding Home: Belonging During a Pandemic,” on Sep. 24 at 11:15 a.m. as a webcast. The event began with a prelude from several faculty members of the voice department collaborating virtually to perform “Show Us How to Love” by Mark Miller. …