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The Censorship of Controversial Topics in Schools

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When I was first introduced to school at the old age of four, my mom told me three things: one, that I have to go even when I don’t want to; two, that if she got a call from the school nurse during the middle of the school day and had to come pick me up only to find out I was faking, she would be pissed (having previously learned from my two older siblings); and three, objectively the most important of all, that school would prepare us for the real world - though I would argue my mother’s anger still reigns supreme. And so, I walked into Kindergarten not knowing what hell I was getting myself into. Homework assignment after homework assignment, I’ve grown up alongside the developing school system believing that what I was learning would genuinely help me foster necessary skills for my future. Yet, the closer I get to graduating high school and entering college (thank god), the more I realize the school system failed me even more than my self-respect. Think about it, with all that’s g...
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Why Othello Sucks as a Person

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   I'm sure we've all read the standard Shakespearean play. Whether it was Much Ado About Nothing , Hamlet , Romeo and Juliet , or in our recent case, Othello , we've all had to bear witness to the most dramatic writing with horrible movie adaptations that have the LOUDEST mouth breathing known to man. In this piece, we'll talk about Othello specifically, because that's the only one I can barely remember (and yes, I finished it only seven hours ago).     Now, I would just like to start off by saying I'm a very critical person. So, my hatred for Othello did not surprise me in the slightest. However, I was surprised by the fact that I could not explain why I despised Othello so much until Mrs. Feldkamp showed us a book review in class where the author was heavily hating on Othello's personality. After listening to it, my opinion of Othello solidified, as I knew that there were actual reasons as to why I hated Othello and not just because Shakespeare wrote his...
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"Mom! How Do I Turn On the Dishwasher Again?"

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    It's been almost a week since I've finished my college applications, and I've never been so happy to go back to regular class homework. Yet, somehow, they find a way to follow me everywhere I go, even in places where they hold literally no importance.     Take my job for instance. It's a Panera Bread, not a Troy High AP class. So, imagine my surprise when one of my managers who, mind you, isn't in college and isn't applying, begins talking to me about the college application process, what college is like, et cetera. Then, she randomly adds, "I'd never let my four year-old at the age of 17 or 18 move out to a college across the state or country." And I, being a yes-man, nodded my head and smile in agreement, knowing fully damn well I'm doing just that. With my disagreement of her opinion coming from a standpoint where I am said 17 year-old, however, I looked at her belief with new eyes. And, when I did, I understood why she thought that.  ...
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The Awakening

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     For my book club book, The Awakening , by Kate Chopin, the main character, Edna, faces societal expectations, and throughout the book, will slowly learn to branch away from them and understand herself independently. What I find so interesting about the story is Edna's husband, who truly is just the worst character in the story. While I understand that there were different standards back then on how a relationship should work and how the man and wife should act in their roles, I find it difficult to accept Mr. Pontellier as more than just a piece of trash. Not only is he obsessed with the way others view him, but he's quick to point out his wife's errors (which weren't really any mistakes but rather his own controlling mindset finding fault in everyone but himself). An example I'll use is literally in the second chapter of the story. Coming home intoxicated late at night, he wakes up his wife to tell him about his day, which is already a sign of disrespect; the ...
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Let's Talk About the Problem With Trauma

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Why aren't I traumatized enough?   This question ran through my mind as I began to think about the topic for my personal college essay. Looking back, it's definitely a little crazy that I wished for something that could negatively impact me for maybe the rest of my life to happen to me, but what's shame when you're desperate?      Although I finished my essay a while ago, when given the opportunity to edit it in class, I revisited it. And, when I did, I became thankful that I didn't have anything to trauma dump about to an exhausted admissions officer. Why? Because I realized they don't care. They don't care about how my grandparents died when I was just a baby and how it affected me, they don't care about me splitting my head open because my older sister accidentally kicked me into our family gaming console when I was just a toddler, and they certainly don't care about my struggles with my identity after alienating myself with the hijab. Because to...
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For All the Dogs

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  The OGs: To Jess, thank you for making me laugh at the most random things. I swear, your humor and joy were only too easy to fall into, even on days when I wasn’t feeling my best. And, thank you for allowing yourself to be subjected to countless jokes made by Aly and me about your childhood photos, as we got to poke fun at you. Your ability to change things from serious to comical always made me cheer up, and from you, I’ve learned that I don’t need to always take myself seriously, as being lighthearted once in a while never hurts. To Aly, thank you for telling me the craziest stories about your life. They were always so entertaining and helped distract me from the boring lessons about allusions and motifs. I of course cannot forget to mention your numerous sessions of retelling your dreams to me. The randomness, craziness, and tone you used to narrate your nighttime slumber never failed to amuse me. Also, shoutout to your chaotic and out-of-pocket (yet equally hilarious) sen...
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Mama Didn't Raise No Snitch

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        Whether it be our own actions or witnessing others doing it, we've all seen it. Cheating. It's societally been viewed as a terrible and downright vile act to do, but you won't generally won't see many students breaking a sweat when doing it. After all, what's guilt when that gorgeous grade gets you to where you wanna be? I mean, in the competitive area (or should I say arena) of college applications, it's only survival of the fittest. Watch out for yourself or fall down into a role where others won't spare you another look. And not even just society, but also friends, family, and even yourself. These intrusive thoughts screaming at the idea of failure are probably all any student who cheats hears when they might pull out the good ol' Chat GBT when they want just one  answer to a difficult question on a homework assignment. But it's just like the psychology of the foot-in-the-door phenomenon explains, someone may do small acts of cheating t...
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