2901, 2021

The Little One

Chiara Bruzzi/ January 29, 2021/ Guest Writers, Relationships/ 1 comments

By: Camila Serrano
You ask me what it’s like being the youngest child? Listen to me. Here I am, rarely called by the right name, being coddled by my parents, and with a layer of thick skin from all the “you were a mistake” jokes. I will tell you. Listen to me. Put yourself in my hand-me-down clothes and hear me. The little one. My name is Camila, but ever since the day I was born my dad refers to me as “the little one” – a logical nickname, as I was not only the smallest baby in weight and height out of the three children, but the youngest in age as well. As I got older, I did not grow out of this nickname like I hoped. Instead, it was now being used by my mom, my sisters, my friends, and even my boyfriend. Do I like it? No, but there’s nothing I can do about it now. It has become a part of my identity, it’s who I am.

1501, 2021

Conservative Catholic School: A Toxic Environment

Chiara Bruzzi/ January 15, 2021/ Activism, Guest Writers/ 1 comments

By: Anonymous
What I believe is to be the largest factor in the toxicity of these teachings is misinformation. These people who hold places of authority above students misuse their jobs and often say things that come directly from the misinformation they believe and the opinions they choose to support. The following are some examples of statements (not exact quotes) that I’ve heard first hand that accurately portray the way they use misinformation to express their opinions: “The Christian white man is the most oppressed group in America because they cannot hide behind their race or gender. Nobody defends them.”
“Gays and blacks rule society because they get to blame everything on homophobia and racism.”
“Abortion is wrong, but when they find the gay gene and start aborting all of the gay babies, I don’t want to hear the liberals complaining.”

1501, 2021

A Few Thoughts on Being a Published Author

Chiara Bruzzi/ January 15, 2021/ Guest Writers, Mindset/ 0 comments

By: Daniel Fruman
It’s there. Laying on my desk. Just another object amid a clutter of papers, pens, trinkets, and books. Except this one is special. This one has my name on the top and is packed to the brim with words that I spent countless hours, sleepless nights, and lonely days writing. And it doesn’t matter. It’s just another thing cluttering my desk.
Ok, that’s not necessarily the case. I’m not a nihilist, nor am I a completely modest prude, to think so lowly of something that I breathed from forth the ether. However, it’s really starting to lose value. When I first decided I was going to publish a book, I saw it as this incredible milestone – an achievement that will alter my life. I shall be beloved and famed for this deed; I shall be raised to Heaven on the wings of Valkyries.

0901, 2021

The Author of my Emotions

Chiara Bruzzi/ January 9, 2021/ A Collection of Reactions, Guest Writers/ 0 comments

A Poem by Mia Scemla
Who is the author of my emotions and what is he writing?

0101, 2021

How Abuse and Depression Changed my Ability to Love

Chiara Bruzzi/ January 1, 2021/ Guest Writers, Relationships/ 1 comments

By: Miranda Marquez
Numbing it out, it’s all something you see in tv shows where the characters are looking for someone to pick them up when they can’t do it themselves. It seems dramatic, but that is what we look for most of the time: someone to do what we can’t do ourselves. It is easy to feel nothing, not to be hurt, or to at least pretend to don’t feel it. But you stop loving; you stop caring; you kill all those happy feelings, those things that can make your day. As a 14-year-old, I was the most joyful child, filled with friends, but, at some point along the way, I followed the wrong path. I got into a relationship where I was taught that abuse was love. It turns out that that’s not true. Once that moment in your life is over, you are worse off than before. You’re left with those bruises that won’t wash off, and what can a 14-year-old kid do with that? How can a teenager deal with emotions bigger than herself?

0101, 2021

The Mirror of Truth

Chiara Bruzzi/ January 1, 2021/ Feminism/ 0 comments

By: Chiara Bruzzi
When you look in a mirror, what do you see? Does the mirror represent who you are, or does it highlight all of your flaws? For most of us, it is safe to say that any time we look in the mirror, we notice something is inherently ‘wrong’ with the way we look. Whether that is the size of our waist, the fat under our armpits, or the minuscule imperfection in our skin, we notice it. We study it. We let it take on a personality of its own. We quickly start thinking of remedies on how to remove the imperfection, the outlier, and we don’t stop to think about the possibility of embracing it instead. In today’s society, flaws, or any indication of our bodies’ naturalistic component, are simply not an option. To be anything less than perfect is to be ugly, lesser, and unhealthy.

2312, 2020

On the Nature of Those Who Love Coffee

Chiara Bruzzi/ December 23, 2020/ A Collection of Reactions, Guest Writers/ 0 comments

By: Daniel Fruman
What is it Like to Love Coffee? To Truly Love Coffee?
Comment if you love coffee!

1812, 2020

A Heart Split in Two

Chiara Bruzzi/ December 18, 2020/ Mindset/ 3 comments

By: Chiara Bruzzi
Dong… the kangsê bell rings, and silence fills the room. My eyes close, and I find myself lost in my thoughts. In a soothing voice, I hear my dad say, “let’s begin with 21 breaths.” I breathe in and out deeply, letting every thought get washed away with the next exhale. My mind begins to clear as warmth fills my body. I am in a state of complete awareness.

0612, 2020

The Intangible Weight

Chiara Bruzzi/ December 6, 2020/ Guest Writers, Relationships/ 2 comments

By: Will Perez
As my final year in high school began, I left Alaska, where I stayed during the summer, to return to Miami. When I arrived in Miami, it hit me: I was under the impression that staying 4000 miles away from home with my brother would detract from all the mental trammels that had built up and festered during the extended quarantine. Those long months of solitude during quarantine had built up this impotent anger and feeling of helplessness towards the world. I wanted to seclude myself more than anything and succumb to the situation that fell upon the world without even giving it a try. That summer changed my mindset after I got back, but not for long. As much as I didn’t want to leave, I knew it was time for school in person because once again, I felt this obligation to return in person and make the most of what everyone described as “normality.” It seemed that all the progress I made was laid to waste as I relapsed into what some may describe as anxiety-induced depression. Every day seemed more bland than the one before, and I felt myself becoming crushed under the weight of everything. I was diligent in getting things done but I was soon overwhelmed, if it wasn’t one thing… it was another. I wanted nothing more than to sleep and isolate myself amidst the weight of everything.

0412, 2020

How Bullying Made me Successful

Chiara Bruzzi/ December 4, 2020/ Guest Writers, Relationships/ 1 comments

By: Matthew Gaynor
Those who have the biggest smiles are the ones who have shed the most tears; those who are the most caring have been broken the most; and finally, those who are the nicest have been tormented the most. All of these characteristics have one thing in common: They describe my past. I am a victim of bullying, and I do not think most people will understand, but I hope this post and my story will give you a new outlook on life and a story you will not forget.
For years, I have tried to understand why I was bullied. I use to want to piece everything about my history and knowledge into one. Now, I have finally accomplished that goal; here we go… how bullying made me successful.