First Person

A shrine to a stuffed bear named Pattington, complete with cowboy hat, CareBear bandages, and a mended heart.

Ode to Pattington: A Stuffed Bear that Reminds Me to Rest

What’s easier to love than a giant stuffed bear wearing a pink cowboy hat?
On top of stacks of books sit a bench, bed, and subway. These places represent where recent college graduates rediscovered reading for leisure.

The Renewed Pleasure of Reading as a College Graduate

Academia can distract from a love for reading. Here’s how new graduates got it back.
A person smiles as they push away words and objects related to diet culture and weight loss.

Why I Stopped Setting Weight Loss Resolutions

My sister and her fat positive and anti-diet politics showed me that I should resist weight loss resolutions.
A woman in bike shorts is surrounded by flowers.

A Pandemic Breakup Changed My Relationship to Clothes and Community

Comfy clothing has a strong reputation as post-breakup attire. Mine offered a new way to understand my body and loved ones.
Three versions of Miley Cyrus, as a teen idol, astride a wrecking ball, and sticking her tongue out, overlap in paper cut-outs.

Nobody’s Perfect: Miley Cyrus and My Breakup with Perfectionism

Perfectionist tendencies are magnified in the age of COVID-19. Is everyone ok?
Illustration of a person clutching a small plant on a couch. Surrounding her are massive, leafy greens.

My Plants Keep Me Rooted

Sometimes a family is one gardener and 20 houseplants.
Three black and white photos of the author and her high school friends against an orange background.

How the Pandemic Revived My High School Friend Group

A tale of lost time, cycles of growth, and the comfort found in old friendships.

Back Tracks: An Introduction

Telling the stories behind the background music of my life, from the tender moments to the lonely ones.
An illustration of the author's cat, Pinky, lounges on an orange bed.

Why It’s Radical to Nap

For people of color, resting is a right and should always be a priority.
1 2