“Oh my gosh! Was that the last order?” I said over some frantic button smashing. “Omg, I think we just four-starred. Omg, we beat it. It’s over. We beat the game!” My brother was yelling over the ending credit music of the game Overcooked . The game we grinded over for weeks, countless hours sitting on the living room couch. Day and night, we were coming up with strategies, stressing over eggs, dirty dishes, and uncooked pasta. And now, we finally beat it... But how ? How cou

Simplicity & Beauty of the Channelled Whelk  As I read Anne Morrow Lindbergh book Gift from the Sea, I could not put the book down because I felt as if I related to each specific shell. However, the one I resonated with the most was chapter II “Channelled Whelk”. This chapter reminded me of a current issue I face, which is finding “simplification of life” (Lindbergh 18). When I was 8 years old, my father brought a huge Channelled Whelk, I could not-—till this day—hold the sh

Challenges Faced by First-Generation College Students   For many first-generation college students, stepping onto a college campus is more than just pursuing a degree; it is about breaking barriers, reshaping family narratives, and striving for a better future. These students want an educational journey filled with ambition and perseverance, yet they often encounter significant challenges that can make success seem like an uphill battle. Financial struggles, lack of guidance

More than a Word, Less than a Definition     My parents always speak about me getting married someday and having kids of my own. However, in their perspectives that future is me with a man. Their traditional values decide what my love life should look like, without considering the fact that I have my own wants and dreams that do not fit their idea of love. I often find myself feeling uneasy whenever my parents bring up the idea of kids or marriage with me—a feeling rooted in