This piece is a cautionary tale as we inch ever-closer to living one year with coronavirus. Like Icarus and the flies in a stranger’s bathroom lights, we have the potential to sink if we aren’t careful.
Read MoreLetters to my younger self.
Read MoreYou might’ve seen them before. Moodboards of people looking smart in their oversized blazers and turtleneck sweaters, holding old copies of literary classics like Wuthering Heights and The Iliad as they’re in the middle of a discussion you’re not privy to. They are surrounded by an aura of intelligence and mystery since that’s what the Dark Academia aesthetic tries to be. However, there’s more to this aesthetic than Instagram and TikTok would like for you to know. But not all secrets stay unrevealed. Read on if you want to learn more about this intricate web of academia, money and privilege that’s woven by the Dark Academia aesthetic.
After years of yearning to be a New York City Cool Girl, I reflect on how it affected my high school relationships, psyche, and view of home. It turns out that no matter how curated and sleek my image is, I’ll never be from a big city. It also turns out that it doesn’t matter anyway.
Read MoreAfter going to a therapy session in high school, I came to understand that I spent way too much time worrying about the future. Now I embrace the moment, doing things for my present self rather than my future self.
Read MoreExamining the past is one of my favorite ways to contextualize the present. Reading through over a thousand diary entries, I reflect on how I’ve grown, and how journaling has helped me preserve hope & get me through some of my hardest times. If you need a reminder that things will turn out alright, this is it.
Read MoreHere are some of the most valuable life lessons I’ve learned in my nineteen years of existence. Some pointers are seemingly minuscule, but each has made me the person I am today.
Read MoreWith a boom in documentaries and television films about serial killers, a disturbing fan culture of idolizing these murders has emerged. We glamorize their pasts, people on Twitter drool over how “hot” these killers are, and murder memorabilia is sold far too frequently. Has our society stooped so low that “stanning” serial killers are the new normal?
Since the beginning of this year, we, as a society, have faced innumerable hardships. From COVID-19 to wildfires to fighting for the end of police brutality, 2020 has been an unstoppable force of devastating events. Many of us have experienced effects on our mental health. Have you ever pondered a word that could perfectly describe this chain of events? In this essay, I demonstrate how the word “Kafkaesque” encompasses all aspects of this year into a single word.
This article explores the suppression of male self-expression in relation to Harry Styles’ recent Vogue cover shoot. The images of Styles in a Gucci gown that feature in the magazine have faced backlash from journalist Kate Mulvey, who suggests that feminine expression among men is somehow an indicator of weakness. This is not the case. Discussing the idea of toxic masculinity being reinforced by women who continue to romanticise stereotypically ‘manly men’, I explore the dangers of this restrictive attitude, referencing the fashion industry, Styles’ career, and the disintegration of gender as we know it.
In my twenty years of living, I like to think I have gained some knowledge from the world around me. It is debatable how much or of what use all of this advice is. Whether you choose to listen to this advice is your decision, but here are some experiences and advice that no one asked for, in no particular order.
My insecure mind can be damn loud sometimes, I just want to shut it up. You hear it too, right? The “‘You aren’t enough’s” and the “‘You’re so embarrassing’s.” Even the best of us get stuck on past mistakes and occurrences. Sometimes it can cost us our wellbeing, rest, and self-love. This is how I helped myself move on to a more productive mindset.
Read MoreThis writing piece explores what has led so many people to be reliving their Harry Potter phases over TikTok. With Harry Potter POV's and edits on so many people's For You Pages, it's safe to say that our childhood obsessions are resurfacing in the face of an ongoing pandemic and turbulent political environment. Harry Potter has become so big on TikTok as a coping mechanism, because it represents a beacon of hope, while also showing main characters fighting against darkness that mirrors our current world. There's a lot more behind these TikTok trends than meets the eye.
Read MoreThis article centres around women’s performativity and their relationship to food. Exploring how it is desirable for women to love food, but only if they align with patriarchal standards of beauty, thinness and whiteness. This ‘paradox of women with an appetite” has bled through into culture, culminating in this impossible standard for women that must be attractive for their love of food, whilst never eating more than a bite. It seems that women can enjoy food, but only if they look like they don’t.
Anxiety is not a lone experience - but it can feel like one. Taking my first solo trip at eighteen, and bridging the growing gap between me and myself - I’m realizing the power and strength that comes with being able to feel comfort in the mirror.
Growing up is hard for everyone, and doing so as a Black girl from the suburbs comes with its own unique set of challenges. In this piece, I reflect on the meaning of my name, and with it, my life experiences.
Read MoreSome people make playlists for the people they love. I make playlists for the city I miss.
Read MoreNannies, babysitters, grandparents — most of us had someone who watched over us as a child. But, rarely do the stories of these caregivers get told. They gave us piggyback rides in our youth and blanketed us in a warm protection when our parents were away. They deserve a hug every now and then, too.
Read MoreA trip to the Strand, a Little Women book jacket, and a little Twitter research demonstrates that the publishing industry is no more inclusive than ever, despite its best efforts to appear so.
This past month, I spent a lot of time reflecting on myself and my needs. Ever since quarantine started, and even before that, it seems like I am constantly reminded to “take care of myself,” but what does that really mean?
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