How many times I have seen another tropical storm, another hurricane, another tornado, and thought, how could this all be one state? If my sister’s apartment is flooding in Tallahassee, and the winds knock away a signpost, and carry it into my friend’s car, how could I be untouched in Jacksonville? Continue reading Is Florida’s weather special?
Behind my house, there’s a long field that becomes a pond after heavy rain, and a marsh a few days later. Ahead of it are two more retention ponds. This is effectively a gallery for Canada Geese. I’ve seen their graceful V’s in the sky and their elegant heads and necks, and I’ve seen the fragrant droppings over clumped grass that they leave behind in their honking wake. I sympathize both with the malicious image of the goose contained in Untitled Goose Game and the aspirational image in the Mary Oliver poem. Continue reading A starred review of Canada Geese
With everything going on in the world, it can be easy for students to forget about volunteer hours. And with the many restrictions across the country, it’s hard to know where to even start. But there are endless opportunities available to students. Continue reading Volunteer service can be personally enriching
Across a globe of countries separated by oceans and borders, one of the rare, shared connections is art. It’s seen throughout history that art constantly draws people in because of its expressive nature. Between cultures it takes diverse shapes and methods. Today, one of the most widespread art forms is music. It’s easily accessible because of the radio and mobile apps like Spotify. Continue reading Music has positive impact on mental wellbeing
The Artisan has gathered a group of students, each from a different arts area, to write a letter to the year 2021. We asked students to share hopes, plans and positivity about heading into the new year. Continue reading Letters to 2021
On Dec. 8, 2019, as I watched Tyrod Taylor of the Los Angeles Chargers complete a 14-yard pass to Virgil Green, thereby giving us the downright embarrassing final score of 45-10, I wondered, “Why do I still root for this team?” Continue reading Why do we still root for the Jaguars?
My first exposure to coffee was the harsh, bitter taste of decaf in the lobby of a Hilton Inn. I’d begged for it, after seeing how my mother constantly filtered through one more cup in the mornings, two splenda, and a slow pour of milk that just clouded up to the surface. Mom would drink more on these long road trips, in cups that weren’t good, but practical. Continue reading A slow, careful roast
I wanted to know what flying was like until a few months ago. That day, my father and I woke up at four in the morning to pack our car with our new swimming mask, fins, and water shoes, then drove to Pompano Beach, Florida to go scuba diving for the first time. Continue reading Sixty feet underwater
When I was younger, I never understood how someone could love a butterfly. They scared me back then. I thought butterflies were just another creepy bug to avoid. I never saw their beauty or their grace; only their horrifying, spindly legs, and something I thought could kill me if it got too close. Continue reading Putting the Wings Back
During a migraine, neurons send messages along the trigeminal nerves, which is a major pain pathway, to the blood vessels on the surface of the brain. These blood vessels expand or dilate in response. I have been living with these migraines for far too long now. Continue reading Underneath the skull
