“Ah!” I screech to myself as a torrent of thoughts crash into being -100 degree heat, the contents of Wendy’s fries digesting in my stomach, family, anxiety- as chatter and speculation cease to continue. The bus rolls to a stop as the campus of Georgia Southern surrounds me, greets me. The Boys State 2010 session […]

Unfamiliar experiences? Yeah, I guess I’m the one who always hesitates before trying a new adventure. There is one major event that comes to mind when I think of the many things that I have accomplished. Rock climbing. Yes, you’ve read correctly, rock climbing. Fears concerning unfamiliar experiences are feelings I wish to overcome during […]

Every eight-year-old girl has a dream. Many want to be princesses, some want to be cowgirls, a few want to be president. Me? I wanted to see the penguins. So, at a time when most of my friends were spending their money on Barbie dolls and colorful hair ties, I was saving for a trip […]

Time Magazine’s list of the world’s most influential people is filled with brilliant thinkers, powerful leaders, and talented artists. All of these people have done something remarkable to leave their impact on the world. My greatest inspiration, however, does not come from a world-renowned political figure; it comes from the heart and perseverance of a […]

“No matter how much it hurts, is it worth losing me?” The question hangs in the air as I think about the needles and IVs. I stare into her deep, slightly squinty chestnut eyes. I want to scream, “nothing is worth losing you,” but my stubborn side doesn’t let me. I turn to look out […]

I remember vividly my first real bolt of inspiration. I’m six years old and convinced that ballet is too technical. I prefer chocolate. Suddenly, the golden afternoon light fills the mirror just so, and for one moment, I see a ballerina. Awe rushes through me, and a ballerina becomes the most beautiful thing in the […]

“Isabelle, come party with us!” As a sixteen-year-old, peer pressure can be dangerous. But I’m thankful for what I’ve seen within my friends and family. It keeps me away from drugs. As my friends and I grew up, some achieved high grades while other achieved a different kind of high. As for me, I started […]

One of the most peaceful times in a four-year-old’s life, as well as their parents, includes nap time. My parents always made sure that my sister, Kelly, and I had a sufficient amount of sleep during the day. Once we fell asleep, they became almost inaudible throughout our down time. This typically occurred anyways until […]

I sit in the dimmed auditorium of my high school, peering up at the students on the stage with a boulder in my stomach. Clutching the three pages of my poem in my sweaty palms, I tell myself that I can do this. I have read this poem before, probably several hundred times. I have […]

Dressed upin my Halloween costume a week, before it was even Halloween my five-year-old self ready to leave for a concert. This was my first concert. We drove downtown to the Denver Performing Arts Center; everywhere I looked I saw people in Halloween costumes flocking towards the Boettcher Concert Hall, where the Colorado Symphony was […]