Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Difference Of Appearance, Charlotte H. Moreno

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Appearance can seem like it’s everything.

My father is from California; his parents are from Mexico and El Salvador. He has tan skin and dark hair and is bilingual in English and Spanish. My mom, though also from California, is a combination of Irish, Cuban, and Hungarian. She passed on her fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes to me. [excerpt]

A Piece Of Myself, Alison Lauro

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I believe in empathy.

In the hustle of our daily lives it’s easy to forget that there is an entire world of people around us. We are often blinded by what’s going on in our own lives, listening to the daily gossip, intent on focusing on our own struggles, celebrations, and the moments in between. When daily struggles come about, or tragedies consume our families and ourselves, it’s hard to remember that we are not the only ones suffering; it is equally difficult in happy times, when luck is on our side, to remember that most people are not so …

Fat People Exist, Julie E. Davin

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A couple weeks ago, I closed the stall door behind me in a Patrick Hall bathroom and was greeted by this sign. I quickly scanned the text, smiled at the picture, and had one of those warm, fuzzy, faith-in-humanity-has-been-restored kinds of moments.

Fearless: Emily Zeller, Emily I. Zeller

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Finding unique, powerful, and innovative ways to combine her love of music, her passion for social justice, and her Jewish faith on and off campus, Emily Zeller ’14 fearlessly serves members of the community through the passions that most deeply motivate her.

Emily serves as the president of the Hillel group on campus and is excited about the new opportunities that Hillel has had this year, such as bringing in a student rabbi to lead services (this year was the first time that a rabbi had been brought in specifically to hold services for students on campus during the High …

What The Phub?, Kendall T. Wolf

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“Nobody talks to each other anymore.” When my grandfather said this as we sped down the highway, I wondered what to make of it. Is he simply being a negative elderly man, or is there some truth to the statement? Considering that I had been trying to tune out his questions with my headphones the whole drive, I guess I deserved some type of scolding. As his questions were repeated, my mother pointed out to my grandfather that I could not hear him, to which he shook his head and said, “Nobody talks to each other anymore.” Finally, I put …

Studying Abroad, Toilet Paper, And Other Exercises In Missing The Point, Rashida Aluko-Roberts

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I have been in Ghana only for a few days, and I can already tell I am going to love the place­—the people, the food, the environment, all remind me of my home country, Sierra Leone.

However, I don’t think I can adjust to the constant uttering by some of my peers about how this experience “makes them appreciate how much they have.” In the past four days, I have heard that same phrase over and over again. [excerpt]