Thank you Destiny’s Child, I also “depend on me” #strongindependentwoman “Do you think kids ever realize how much their parents have done for them?” my dad jokingly said at dinner. My brother and I looked up from our plates and rolled our eyes. “Wow, not even making eye contact. Uh, hello??” I’m sure my dad […]
Super Bowl LI(t): A Lesson Of Persistence In The #drivefor5
Brady may have the rings, but he’s not the only GOAT. If you were like me and the millions of other Americans with their eyes glued to the TV on Sunday February 5th, what a game. I know most people were disappointed in the end results (and by most people I mean all of the […]
Calculating Your Trajectory: Dreaming Up The Future You
One day before heading back to college to start the spring semester of my junior year, I sat at the island in the kitchen, eating breakfast with my parents at 5 am. We were all still suffering from jet lag having returned from a three-week trip in India a few days earlier. I had been […]
Holidaze: Are We Thankful For What We Have Or What We Can Have?
Why you should focus on spending time with others rather than spending money on them The holiday season is everyone’s favorite time of year. It’s an opportunity for families to come together, eat lots of great food, and think about past few months. It’s a time for reflection and introspection, planning for any changes to […]
The day I became a foreigner in my own country
What to make of the 2016 elections, and how to move forward Disclaimer: I’m sure a lot of people will write this article off as some uneducated college student trying to find a way to promote her personal opinion, but I’m hoping to capture the sentiment of many Americans. Yes, I will be contributing some […]
The “I’m Fine” Phenomenon: Faking It Till You Make It
We’ve hit that point in the semester is the terrifyingly close. All those term papers you said you were going to start on at the beginning of the year are still untouched, with the due date approaching in the next week or so. Professors realize how much material they still have left to cover and […]
Why You Should Start Writing Right Now
Everyone has a story. As I was walking out of my midterm Monday night and headed toward the dining hall to catch dinner before it closed, I checked my phone and saw an incoming call from my aunt. Since my aunt and I periodically kept in touch via Facebook messenger, I was surprised to see […]
‘Tis the (Election) Season: How To Avoid The ‘Fact’ Trap
Why it is important to do your presidential research You probably saw the title of this article and thought to yourself, “Great, another online blogger trying to force their political opinions down my throat.” *facepalm* Well, I’m actually here with the exact opposite. This digital age we live in is both a blessing and a […]
Monkey See, Monkey Do
How we adapt the habits of those around us. A few weeks ago, I spent some time with my relatives in Houston who have a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. As we were driving to a restaurant for dinner, we passed by an interesting piece of architecture. “Oh wow, look at that!” my aunt said, pointing toward the […]
What I Learned Taking A Class About My Own Religion
It’s not as easy as you think it would be. “Dis u?” a friend texted me, with the image of a class flyer attached. I zoomed in on the picture to see if was a brochure for the new “ASIA 238: Introduction to Jainism” course. I laughed to myself and responded to the text, attempting […]
How To Find Your “Life Alert”
Learning to ask others for help when you’re down We’ve all seen that Life Alert ad. The one with the old woman on the ground saying, “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” and as she’s sitting there on the ground wallowing, the camera cuts to the spokesperson with the Life Alert device. Now […]
Now Where My Ladies At?: How South Asian Culture Has Dampered Women’s Ambitions
Sari Squad, Suit Up As my friend and I walked back to campus from our summer internship at the Houston Health Department, we were discussing one of our mutual friends who is spending the summer at Buzzfeed in New York City. We talked about how happy we were for him on finally getting his dream […]
How Pokémon Go Could Be The Best Campaign Against Obesity
And I would walk 500 miles because I gotta catch’em all. First and foremost, I don’t play “Pokémon.” I slightly judge people who play only because I usually see them playing in the worst settings, like driving, during a work meeting or crossing a busy intersection. And I was never really interested in Pokémon growing […]
Agape: An Experience That Taught Me About Respecting Others’ Perspectives
The way you perceive other people or how you perceive other people to view you could change how you see reality. I spent this Fourth of July as I have been spending almost all my Fourth of July’s since I can remember: sleep-deprived and eating chutney sandwiches while surrounded by 600-plus Jain people, most of […]
5 Reasons You Should Start Cooking at Home
Even as much as I love Taco Bell, everyone needs an alternative source of food once in a while. For those of you who, like myself, are staying in apartments for the summer and have to fend for yourselves, it’s easy to succumb to the temptation of getting takeout every night. But here are some […]
“Brexit” For The Confused: What Does It Mean?
A quick explanation of the referendum that could shake up the world My phone buzzed at 7:01 a.m. with a text from my brother on Friday, June 24. “UK is leaving the EU.” A minute later, my mom responded, “I know. Lots of troubles ahead.” Maybe I was still groggy because I had just woken […]
You Used To Call Me On My Cellphone?: The Art Of Staying In Touch
How the digital world of today has caused us to lose the significance of true connection. During the speeches at my cousin’s wedding a few weeks ago, a common theme regarding my cousin was how she was so popular and had many friends. Whether it was the Jain temple, high school, or college, she always […]
10 Reasons Everyone Should Attend an Indian Wedding
It makes “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” look like a house party. Here are just a few reasons everyone should live through an Indian wedding, as I did a couple weeks ago: 1. Food While there is no particular order in this list, food is by far the MOST important aspect of a wedding. No […]
Where Did Summer Go?: The Tale Of A College Student
How to enjoy your summer break despite a busy schedule. A couple weekends ago, my friends and I all went out to dinner to catch up since we hadn’t see each other since finals week. Most of us had gone home for some time during the brief break before returning to Houston and moving into […]
To All The Working Parents Out There, Thank You
How living on my own taught me how much I should appreciate my parents. Last week was my very first week living on my own in an apartment, and, in all honesty, it kinda sucked. I didn’t really know anyone else in the area, and most of my friends who will be in Houston for […]
Know Yourself, Know Your Worth: Why We Are Obsessed With The “Like” Game
How social media appears to dictate our social standing. If you even try to deny the following statement, you are lying to yourself, so don’t even bother. How many of you have waited until a specific time to post a picture or status to rack up the maximum number of views/likes? 7 to 9 p.m. […]
New pope is model for overcoming illness, simple living – Commercial Appeal
In his first appearance after being elected pope, the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio wore a simple wooden cross instead of the bejeweled model typically worn by new popes. During my spring break, I watched white smoke billow out of the chimney of St. Peter’s Basilica signaling the selection of the new pope. Soon after, Cardinal […]
Seniors Edition: Concussions among the elderly
While concussions among football players are headline news, many people are not aware a second peak of concussions occurs later in life, typically among the elderly. A concussion is a mild form of traumatic brain injury which rattles the brain inside the skull. Each year 60,000 emergency room visits and hospitalizations occur among those over […]
Tingling Thigh Syndrome
During spring cleaning last month, my mom and I went through my closet taking our faded blouses and torn T-shirts, all which needed to be donated. Then we came upon a pair of old jeans which I had inherited from my older sister. I wriggled into the pants, barely able to button the waist. I […]
Most Americans choose meals based on wallets, taste buds
Last month at Subway’s, I glanced at the napkins, which have nutrition information of the sandwiches compared to meals at different restaurants. While I chowed down on my Veggie Delight, I compared its calorie count to a Whopper Burger at Burger King: 460 calories to 720 calories. I wondered if most Americans choose their meals […]
Social media kindles nonviolent protest – Commercial Appeal
Last February, before my 15th birthday, my parents permitted me to create my own Facebook account, if I “friended” them. I wanted one just so I could keep in touch with close friends and distant family. But as I watched demonstrations in the Middle East last spring, I realized that Facebook and the Internet had […]
LETTER: CAUSING MORE CONFUSION FOR YOUTHS – Commercial Appeal
I agree with Wendi C. Thomas that the “Don’t Say Gay” bill should not be passed. As a high school student, I believe that prohibiting teachers from talking about any sexual orientation will only cause confusion for the children. If passed, this bill will restrict full and better understanding of gays and lesbians. In fact, […]
Lausanne Book Drive – Commercial Appeal
Before school was out for the summer, the Health Occupation Students of America of Lausanne Collegiate School conducted a book drive for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Club leaders Monika Jain (left) and Keyuree Satam show off the more than 600 books collected from the high school and middle school students. Source: Commercial Appeal
India Abroad
Below is a letter I had written to the India Abroad, which they published in the “Letters” section of the newspaper.
Physician Teaches H1N1 Kids Lesson – Fox News
My dad and I worked together to make a presentation for middle school kids about swine flu MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A Mid-South physician got up close and personal with the H1N1 swine flu virus. At least he pretended to. He gave some middle school students a lesson on how fast the virus spreads. It’s a […]
Real life informs students’ personal finance essays – Commercial Appeal
Financial literacy: the ability to make informed judgments and effective decisions regarding the use and management of money. Kiarra Westmoreland wrote two pieces for the annual financial literacy essay contest — one at the suggestion of her high school personal finance class teacher, the other after her AP English teacher made it an assignment. Of […]
Less sleep leads to more problems
With schools open and homework loads rising, the hours of sleep kids are getting are diminishing. Tests and projects are keeping students up until late hours in the night. Sleep loss is a problem not only because it makes the kids cranky, but recent evidence shows that it also leads to obesity. Scientists have […]
Concussions among high school football players
A 16-year-old was rammed in the shoulder causing his head to pull back and hit the ground during football practice. While he was on the ground, unconscious, eight other guys piled on top of him. Ever since then, he has had nerve damage, weakness, and numbness. He was not able to remember anything for three […]
‘Millionaire’ helps girl see own riches
On my 13th birthday, my dad took me to see the movie “Slumdog Millionaire.” He had seen the movie earlier and thought it would help me learn about growing up. Being an Indian American, I have traveled to India and have seen the slums. When my dad drove me to the theater, I had no […]