Tag student writings

Being a First-Generation College Student

As a first-generation college student, I’m also the only member in my biological family to have attended and graduated high school. I see the promise of education very differently than my family. Knowledge is my sanctuary–it’s my safe place. I grew up witnessing both of my parents struggle with addiction, unemployment, and incarceration. Their relaxed and carefree views on life impacted the rest of the family. My brothers and sisters

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It’s about More than Just the Coffee

Think about the last time you went into a gas station and got a cappuccino simply by pushing a button. You realize that what you were drinking probably wasn’t really a cappuccino, right? Machines like these are partly the reason why some people order a cappuccino and then ask why there’s so much foam in their drink, not realizing that what they asked for is a shot of espresso with half foam and half

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Legends of the Stars: Aborigine Astronomy

To see and understand the law. Aborigines abide by a cosmological understanding of the universe that is deeply tied to legends of ancestral beings of the Dreaming. Their lives center on understanding and respecting these forces, persisting through the tradition of passing down knowledge from generation to generation through various forms of art and storytelling in efforts to ensure future generations understand and preserve the laws of the land. The

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Mental Health, Grade Obsession, and the American Student

When I was in high school, getting a C on something as inconsequential as a homework assignment would ensure that my lunch period would be spent crying in a bathroom stall in a panic attack over my failure of a life, eventually ending in my silent acceptance of my future as a homeless person. It wasn’t until after graduation that I learned I was not the only one struggling with

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Reaching Back to Help

I remember the first day I met Josh at a friend’s house in Colorado. He never seemed to care about anything going on around him, or anyone, for that matter. His lack of compassion appalled many, yet somehow it appealed to me. His infectious laugh could fill a room. He was an intense person with a dark and mysterious energy. I was attracted to him. On the outside, he appeared fun-loving and pleasant, but

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Using Environmental Education to Improve the Lives of Inner City Youth

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” –Nelson Mandela Millions of Americans are still unaware of the problems surrounding the current environmental crisis. Although eco-consciousness across the country seems to be steadily growing, we have to wonder why more people aren’t actively posing more questions about these issues? In 2015, the United States Census Bureau reported that 62.7% of people were living within

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