NONFICTION

The Paradox of Knowing
It begins, as it often does, with a question: What is real? Morpheus’ voice—a steady metronome of certainty—asks this of Neo, but the question isn’t rhetorical.

Live a Little
Photo Credit: Ziggy Crook
I’m not the kind of girl that usually finds herself in reckless situations. You’d probably find me doing homework, reading a book, or working at most hours.

Athenæum
I placed my elbows on the iron railing, and I watched the mosaics change with the sun. On the plaster edging appeared an enormous hawk, sat so close I could touch him.

lying is always the better option
Photo Credit: Grace Sleeman
There was no need to tell the truth because lying became the better option. Whether she believed me or not, I don’t know or care to remember.

Over-Intellectualism at Nineteen
I thrive on the unfamiliar
And yet, I disdain it more than the crawling feeling down my spine

Silence!
Lock away a musician in a soundproof room, and he will hear the rhythm of his heart and the flow of his blood. A man enters the mountain hermitage and finds he cannot escape the noise of his incessant thoughts.

Lord Byron
Through his free-thinking, unobstructed passion, and unconventional self-expression, Byron inspired numerous others from his era and beyond, speaking directly to their souls through his writings and eccentric personality.

Guadalupe Trail
Photo Credit: Isabelle Orozco
Growing up in the desert really makes you appreciate the rain. You want to jump high enough to touch lightning, fight against gravity on the rain-drenched trampoline.

Optimistic Absurdism
Photo Credit: Grace Sleeman
Imagine Don Juan pushing Sisyphus' boulder. Would he be happy? Take Don Juan away from his galavanting and give him the fate of Sisyphus, would his life still be one of wild abandonment? Yes!

More Than An Ending
Photo Credit: Isabelle Orozco
What is it about a story ending that we can’t accept? What is it about the limitation of a book or show that causes us to search within ourselves for more?

Stream of Consciousness
Photo Credit: Isabelle Orozco
When it comes to portraying the internal workings of another human being, the traditional method of writing narrative can be too rigid and linear, leaving the creative little space to experiment…

Summer Fling
Photo Credit: James Body
August feels like a pool of sweat gathering on the back of my neck, collecting itself into a swollen drip, threatening to slide beneath the collar of my shirt, but somehow never gathering enough momentum to dampen the fabric.

How Physics and Philosophy Intersect
Photo Credit: Olivia Mallaby
It is truly as Albert Einstein once said: “The greatest scientists are artists as well.” Why? Because both scientists and artists have one vital thing in common: they strive to create something from nothing.

From Eden to Eternity: The Artist & The Muse
Photo Credit: Grace Sleeman
What is an artist without his art? To contemplate, one may relate this question to a wider theological one—what is God without His worshippers?

My Color Wheel Has Stopped Spinning
Photo Credit: Kristin Hildebrand
Recently, I have noticed that I’ve worn black considerably more than any other color. Even as I write this, make no mistake: I have made no exceptions.

The Undertones of Death
Photo Credit: Kristin Hildebrand
Despite all of these uncertainties, I do know that life is a gift of sanctity. We must reject mediocrity and strive for excellence. To each person, this means something different.

Bad Bunny's Never-ending Activism
Unlike many modern celebrities, Martínez Ocasio is highly aware of the magnitude of his platform and how he can use it to improve the circumstances of the Puerto Rican people

Anthropomorphism: The Human Lens
The other day, a sparrow spoke to me. It gracefully flitted to perch on my window’s grill. It tried penetrating the glass, looking at me watching it.

The Unsilenced Song
Essay winner of The Olive Branch Collective
“I want to go home, but home is the mouth of a shark. Home is the barrel of a gun. No one would leave home unless home chased you to the shore…”

Viewing Cancer Tangibly
Let this be a reminder: cancer exists. As terrifying as it may be, you have to find the confidence to acknowledge it. Fear can be forgiven, ignorance can’t.