In my two years at UCR, I have seen many changes. I have changed from being a freshman at a new setting to a confident and empowered junior who knows that UCR is where I was meant to be. I have developed friendships and bonds with wonderful people that I believe will last a lifetime. Unfortunately, I have also...
Anyone who walks into my shared office knows that I love to hoard things. The miraculously sound, pumpkin squash on my desk from last Halloween? It’s been given a pair of eyes, luscious lips and was essentially turned into a flirtatious dog, thanks to the loving touch of coworkers. The eclipsing, yet untouched metal cabinet in the corner? It’s...
At first glance, the bus system appears to be a bland facet of American life, a common source of transportation for many Americans whisking themselves to the start and end of their daily lives. Unbeknownst to most, buses are the true equalizer of American society. In the 1950s, Rosa Parks became a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement by seating herself in...
With the majority of my peers in high school relocating to the midwest or east coast after graduation, I felt ashamed to admit that I was attending a university that was a mere 45 minutes away from my hometown. I felt that since I still had the luxury and convenience of coming home nearly every weekend, I would miss...
Today, like every day for the last 18 years, I woke up white.
I sat through class today without being looked at as being the “positive” exception to my race, and was able to contribute effectively to classroom discussions without feeling like I was speaking on behalf of all white people. I walked back to my residence hall without being...
If people ask what I’m usually scribbling down in my notebooks, I feel I have to discredit my fan fiction by stating it’s “not real writing,” even though I believe it is. Common among blogging or writing communities on the Internet, fan fiction is produced and read in prolific amounts. Fan fiction receives its name from its writers, fans...
From the moment I stepped onto UC San Diego’s (UCSD) campus, I did not feel the butterflies that I thought I was supposed to feel. Every book I had read described a feeling of joy, of feeling at home, of possibility. All I felt was a deep dissatisfaction.
Six months later, I was again on UCSD’s campus, but now as...
I love BuzzFeed. People like to bag on BuzzFeed for their Disney obsession, but it’s cool with me because I love Disney. I’m sure I saw my first “Disney Princesses reimagined as other races” post through BuzzFeed.The fan art was simply gorgeous. The Disney princesses look great as other races. So when I saw a similar post by Clipd,...
If somebody asked me about good places to eat in my hometown, I would be able to give that person a list of options and explain in detail whether the service, quality of the food and ambience justifies each restaurant’s price point.
I could do the same for clothes, makeup and other products. I have formulated opinions on these...
As I reviewed my notes for the forthcoming high school Model United Nations conference in a seat by the sliding doors of the 12:30 p.m. BART train, I jerked my head up as an evidently wasted man with a bottle of alcohol got on board and began causing a ruckus. “Don’t look this way … please don’t notice me,”...