By Avry Giordano I, like the majority of pet owners now, have a pandemic animal. In particular, I fall under the “Pandemic Pup” category of pandemic animals. It began on a fateful afternoon in August 2020. My stepmom and I had been convincing my dad for years to get another dog, insisting our current dog, Floyd, needed a sibling. Listen, prior to the pandemic, my stepmom and dad would go to work in the city every day from 6 am to 8 pm, which left no space to take care of another dog. When the pandemic hit, like many other people, they were forced to work remotely until this year. After a couple...

On a rainy day, you can often find me scouring the racks of a thrift store. As I walk through the electric doors and stroll through the endless rows, I feel at home among the eclectic collection of clothes and knick-knacks. The first time I went to a thrift store was in 2020 and it marked the beginning of my clothing journey. Thrifting allows me to find unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that can’t be found at the mall. It also helps me save money, as I don’t need to drop hundreds of dollars on a single outfit. Thrifting has helped me curate my individual style and explore my creativity through clothing. My...

By Sophia Montero My tennis journey began when I was eight years old. It started off as one of the many sports my parents had me participate in. It didn’t seem important at the time, but little did I know that it would become the reason for my unique college recruitment process. My recruitment process, like many others, began junior year of high school. I was expected to meet a high academic standard, continue my extensive tennis training and create connections with potential coaches. There was an abrupt change in the expectations I had for myself and how I was going to achieve my goals. I...

By Olivia Falletta When I was younger, I hated makeup. I was the only little girl at my dance recitals who wasn’t excited for the one day a year her mom let her wear red lipstick. Nobody really knew where my aversion stemmed from, not even me. I just knew I wanted nothing to do with makeup. In 2020, my high school soccer team was shut down due to COVID, and I found myself with an excessive amount of free time. I decided to dust off an old eyeshadow palette I had purchased years back simply because my favorite YouTuber had endorsed it. Since it was nearing Halloween, I thought it would be cool...