Before buying clothes for a new school year, I found myself constantly choosing items that were a size larger than my body in an attempt to conceal my shape. These were also the clothes that I got complimented...

Perfection. A word that pervades modern society. What do you associate with perfection? Exquisite penmanship, immaculate rooms, straight A’s? Many believe perfectionism is good. I once did too. Today,...

You’ve heard the importance of first impressions, right? That people decide in the first seven seconds if they like you or not. That changing an initial perception is extremely, extremely difficult. So...

On my Ikea Billy bookcase rests 61 notebooks and 37 binders. I remember the lazy summer mornings, practicing completing the square from an algebra workbook in one of my many notebooks. I remember the dim...

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”  “An artist!”  Throughout elementary school, that was my instinctive response. I knew I liked the freedom offered by a blank canvas and the satisfaction...

As a 12-year-old, I would read “How to Write Your College Essay’” prep books. My parents thought it was a good idea to expose me to these ideas, as it was never too early to start preparing for my...

The incessant noise that often fills my head with doubts and carries my pessimistic attitude towards life is briefly lost in the wind as I ride out my fantasies as an outlaw during America's gilded age...

I looked in awe at my mother getting dressed for a party in traditional Indian clothes, jewelry and makeup. It was expected of me to dress similarly, but I couldn’t help feeling that it simply wasn’t...

Magnus Carlsen received a standing ovation after winning a brilliant fight against reigning World Chess Champion Vishwanathan Anand. Carlsen secured his title as the new champion with a grueling draw in...

Note: This story contains references to content that may be triggering for those who have experienced trauma or are sensitive to topics concerning sexual violence, self-harm or mental illness. With...

Why did I apply to 25 colleges, in spite of popular advice and appreciation for my sanity? Besides competitive admissions for my major and uncertainty about my strength among the applicant field, I disregarded...

My story started in a city North of New York City called Poughkeepsie. The concept of diversity there was so foreign that a local news reporter featured me and my friend for wearing traditional Indian...