On the first night of Hanukkah, vandalists spray painted messages calling Jews “devils” and “liars” at a Temple in Iowa. This brazen act of anti-Semitism was not an isolated incident; rather, it...

“Why are you so annoying?” “You’re the annoying one!”  “Oh, I’m so sick of you!”  Sibling screaming matches and silent treatments are both typical scenes from the Ilias household,...

Student names have been changed to respect the privacy of individuals.  A month ago, I was rejected from my top choice college. I applied there early action and my rejection, in a word, sucked. Though...

I dug my cleats into the batter's box once again, flinching as a bit of dust snuck into my eye. There were two strikes in the count, and I refused to allow a third. As the pitcher delivered his next pitch,...

As a teenager, I practically live on long, hot showers, cheap online shopping and meat-filled meals. But as much as I cherish these luxuries, I know some of my favorite vices are detrimental to our planet.  My...

I spun my fidget spinner impatiently, watching the clock in the back of my eighth grade science class. I couldn’t focus on the day’s particular lecture, as my mind was consumed by an activity I found...

It’s probably fair to say that much of my time in this world has revolved around challenging strangers to dance battles, forcing random drive-thru workers to wave at my vlog camera, wearing Olaf onesies...

When Spotify released its end of year “wrapped” — a summary of what music you listened to in 2020 — my friends and I excitedly began comparing top songs, artists and genres. One of them listened...

In the fall of seventh grade, I distinctly remember the day my P.E. teacher brought my class to the tennis courts and toted out large, strange looking paddles and wiffle balls. For the next hour and a...

“What do you want for dinner?” Each time my parents ask me this question, my mind plunges into a frenzy of indecision and my eyes adopt a vacant stare. It’s such an open-ended query; there are...

Curry and lentils steamed on the stove, my father sat with his feet up on the couch while my mother and grandmother quietly talked with one another. An intense Pakistani drama played out on the TV, with...

As my iPhone alarm blares on, I reach over to my bedside table to hit the snooze button. It's already 8:56 a.m., four minutes before the start of my first period. Oops. I lumber to my desk, a mere two...