A few weeks ago, colleges across the United States exploded with discussions about race on campus. Major movements at Mizzou and Yale made the headlines of all the major news outlets, but journalists didn’t fail to mention similar protests at Claremont McKenna, Southern Methodist, Colgate, Bowdoin, and my own Ithaca College. It’s a little strange to read…
There seems to be some magical age when a kiss becomes significant. Most people’s actual first kiss doesn’t “count” because it happened in the kindergarten sandbox, before they really knew what it meant. And then there’s me. I’ve always told myself my first kiss didn’t “count” because it happened with another girl, even though we’d…
I don’t know how it happened, but somehow, when I returned to my camp counselor job at the Jewish community center this summer, I got assigned the job of outdoor exploration specialist. Which is funny, if you know me, because I’m not particularly outdoorsy. I hike occasionally with friends, sure, but I hated my earth science in…
When I signed up to be a subject in a research study about how food is related to brain activity, I just thought it’d be an interesting way for 15-year-old me to make some quick money. I didn’t know I was signing up for a longitudinal study, that I wouldn’t be done with the whole…
Only a few weeks after the Supreme Court announced that same-sex marriage is now legal in all 50 states, I went to my first gay wedding. It was also my first “stranger wedding”–I didn’t know either of the grooms or anyone at the event besides my date, so I felt like a neutral observer. In fact, I…
“Next on our open mic…Sabina!!” I grabbed the crumpled sheet of paper at my feet and stood up, practically tripping over the emcee as I walked up to the stage. “This is my first time reading,” I said, and the crowd responded by cheering and waving their “Muppet Arms” excitedly in the air, a tradition…
“Before we go, look at how hilly it is.” “Okay.” “And then look how flat it gets on the drive.” And off Matt and I went to Michigan, where it was indeed much flatter than hilly Ithaca and seemingly everything was made of brick. I only had 36 hours in Michigan before flying home to Portland, and I…
“Do you know anyone in jail?” the officer asked. “Um…” I thought through everyone I went to public school with. One them had spent some time in jail, but I was pretty sure he’d been released. “No.” “Hold out your arms,” he instructed. He ran a metal-detection wand over my body, but it didn’t beep. I’d…
“You’ve never played the lottery, right?” “…right…” “Sometime during winter break, we need to have you buy a lottery ticket.” My dad is a smart guy, but sometimes he gets really adamant about certain strange ideas and I find myself wondering where on earth they’re coming from. My winter break, as you know, was mostly filled…
I met Heidi at summer camp at the University of Oregon in 2008, roughly 6 1/2 years ago. We’ve been good friends for years, despite us always living three hours apart. Sometimes we won’t talk for months, but we always pick back up where we left off, which is a sign of a true best…
Victim to Charm 