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
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
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
Cotton, one of the staple textile materials used in the United States, is a thirsty crop. Many locations that grow cotton, such as Arizona, are in the midst of serious droughts and water shortages. Because Arizona is lacking the sufficient levels of water to grow cotton, water basins, aquifers and the Colorado River are being drained by farmers to water their crop. As a result, an environmental footprint is being
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
The Finnish maternity package äitiysavustus, or baby box, is a tradition that welcomes new children to the world with a gift of life-enhancing baby supplies. Finland is a socially progressive country, and the government started supplying this box to new mothers in the 1930s to combat high infant mortality rates. The box has been a welcome tradition and a successful public health program ever since. The government combated the infant
