I stood up from my seat, adjusted my skirt, gathered my notes, pushed in my chair, and approached the podium at the front of the room. I stared closely at my notes as I carefully placed them on the podium. I looked up at the class froze. I knew right then it was a losing battle. I was sitting in...

Written: July 2019 Revised and edited: May  2020 I remember sitting in my freshman civics class hearing my teacher introduce us to this over-the-summer trip to Lake of the Woods titled “AV Convocation Wilderness Experience”. I remember thinking that anyone stupid enough to purposely live in...

Written: May 2019 Revised and edited: April 2020 Hi. I’m Genevieve. Though I may be a seventeen-year-old girl in high school, I’d like to think that I’m a lot more than that. I value the art of storytelling and being vulnerable with others. Because I find so much value in my own story,...

Written: November 2019 Revised and edited: April 2020 I was 10 when I found discipline. I was 14 when I found independence. 15 when I found faith. 16 when I found perseverance. 17 when I found leadership. 18 when I found freedom. Some kids like to draw or color. Some like to pretend the ground...

You know what I find hard to do sometimes? Breathe. You know?

He was the new kid at school, but everyone already seemed to love him. I befriended him because I wanted to be more popular and outgoing. He initially seemed great. However, as I spent more time with him, I realized he was poison. He was judgmental; I felt worse when I spent time with him. Untrustworthy,...