I wish my family was never shaken to its very core. But it was. However, underneath that immense disguise was a blessing. Last year, the day after Christmas, my parents trudged into my room, tears sliding down their faces, saying, “Tressa, we need to talk to you.” That was when I learned my aunt Terri […]
“I’ll do it” are three words I do not regret saying. I was offered the chance to be a coach for my school’s select baseball team. This was an opportunity to do something that I enjoy, and also teach a group of talented kids teamwork, sportsmanship, and focus. On a cold January evening, I met […]
He never complained. He loved to make people smile, he loved his family, he loved his darling black lab Magic, and he loved watching the fireworks at the Fourth of July picnic. He was an amazing artist and my best friend. Some people are hard to love, but my cousin, Scott, wasn’t. He was born […]
As I approached the tower for my first day as an Ocean Rescue lifeguard I thought I knew it all. Fresh out of recruit training and graduating in the top of my recruit class, I had the vision that I was invincible as a lifeguard. I climbed the freshly painted wooden tower, unpacked my gear, […]
In The Communist Manifesto, Marx describes how the capitalist bourgeoisie, owners of the means of social production, exploit the proletariats. A capitalist society only enables those with property, or those that own the means of production to succeed. Proletariats are affected in many ways by this abuse.When capitalism controls society laborers are nothing but “a […]
Dealing with children can be extremely difficult and physically draining. This was the case when I was offered a summer job my freshman year of high school. I had known the D. family since I was about 8 years old, so I couldn’t refuse this wonderful offer. Georgiana was the first to be born when […]
“You are the top 5% of your class. Many of you are smarter than I am. You will work hard in this course, and I demand that you perform at your full potential.” These words, spoken on my first day of high school by a small, sixty-something-year-old woman sent waves of dread and self-doubt through […]
I am a naturally neat, organized, and meticulous person. I enjoy sorting my books and make up into different containers and shelves according to size, color and type. The beginning of school is one of my favorite times of year for the opportunity to buy new matching folders and notebooks with colorful pencils and clean […]
I sat in my mom’s closet, gripping the letter that had so quickly snuffed out any hope of my attending the most prestigious private school in our county. Moments earlier, my parents had handed me the letter, gingerly delivering the blow that I could not attend because I had not performed well enough on the […]
I was a middle schooler, eighth grade, when I first received audition music. However, this music was not 13-year old caliber. It was – wait for it – high school music! Scary, I know. My band teacher at the time, Mr. Burger, had suggested to me, as well as a few other trumpet players in […]