It’s no secret that my life has not been the easy this year. Between the existential shadow that Sophomore year casts on me, the paralyzing fear that sinks in whenever I’m reminded about my old man’s legal status (or lack thereof), my mental health has not been where I’ve needed her to be. I’ve been…
Category: Personal Essays
ASTROLOGaY
It happens every single time. We’ll be in a group discussing something like love or sex or what our favorite fruits are and because of a striking pattern someone (usually me) will bring up the zodiac, asking for the group’s sun/moon/ascendant signs. Those who understand will quickly state their alignments and those who don’t will…
From Conversation to Peace
After missing my period in December of 2016, I began to get a little nervous. I’ve always been a bit of a hypochondriac, assuming the worst of any abnormality in health. I called my mom. She soothed my worst assumptions, then gently suggested that I make an appointment with my doctor back home. I…
The Yale vernacular
One day — shortly after returning to Yale following summer vacation — I said something grammatically incorrect to a friend. Perhaps I used a double negative or switched up the proper syntax of a sentence but the actual content of my utterance was irrelevant. After I finished speaking, my friend looked at me, puzzled, and…
Hair Here and Abroad
Originally, I set out to compare my own personal hair experience in the United States versus in my experience in Ghana. However, considering SheaMoisture’s recent business ventures, I’ve decided to make a few changes. BLACK HAIR IS POLITICAL. Not just in the United States but everywhere. Policing Black hair has always been used as a…