Of all the things to go missing off of supermarket shelves during the pandemic, I didn’t expect it would be yeast. The lysol wipes, the pasta, even the toilet paper—that made sense. But yeast? In these days of isolation, everyone seems to have had the same idea as me: this is the perfect time to…
Spring feels like winter these days. The seasons have seemed to confuse one another. Winter blues have made their mark on spring. Staggering statistics rise with more bad news. It feels as if the new day brings old news. Rinse and repeat. Although professors, administrators and faculty continue to lend kindly to the comfort of…
When I hugged my parents goodbye and boarded a plane from Lagos, Nigeria to Chicago, USA, I couldn’t have imagined the freshman year that was ahead of me. In fact, if you had asked me 10 months ago what I thought my greatest challenge would be studying abroad, I would have probably said adjusting to…
As I write this, I can hear muffled chords floating through the wall from where my sister practices her trumpet in her room upstairs. The fire is on in our living room, despite the fact that it’s mid-April—in Colorado we’re still recovering from a blizzard two days ago. Piles of homework, sketches and half-completed puzzles…
Amidst the stresses of being a student, in addition to the old identities Hope College students maintain in their lives outside of school, there is plenty to be anxious about, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. With barely a week left of class, there is plenty of free time to look…
I am someone who enjoys life the most when there is a flurry of activity going on around me. Whether it is in response to a difficult situation or my ongoing battle with mental health, I tend to thrive when I have a multitude of things on my plate. Additionally, my best work is done…
How are you doing, Hope College? Long time, no see. For me, today is day 26 of quarantine. In some ways, it’s starting to feel normal. I get up at 9:00 everyday, do my classwork and classes, go for a walk and whatever else helps me feel productive. I’m the kind of person who feels…
Easter weekend not only celebrates the resurrection of Jesus but also gives many Hope College students a long weekend to relax and rejuvenate before finishing out the last few weeks of classes. The three weeks of adjusting to online classes between spring break and now passed quickly for me, but I’m certain the experiences of…
On the days my mother goes into work, the driver who shuttles workers between the parking garage and the hospital hands her a mask as soon as she boards the bus. When she arrives, she changes into hospital-issued scrubs right away. Before entering her patients’ rooms, she must go through all the careful steps of…
It’s quiet here. This is the first time in my life that I have been really and truly alone, accompanied by the ticking of an analog clock, whatever words I deem to utter out loud and the low notes of a passing train. My father is an essential worker who is keeping his distance, wary…