By Cameron Drue, TIWP Student I wish I could say I wasn’t a follower of the beauty standards created by men, or that I never let the patriarchy influence me, but I do. To fit a man’s view of beauty, I put pounds of bleach in my hair every two months, straighten my wavy hair every […]

By Aly Kirke, TIWP Student I feel the moss beneath my feet. Between my toes. It’s squishy. Soft. Cool like the pillow I turn over as I fall asleep. I’m alone, but I’m not lonely. The trees whisper me secrets in the wind. I feel like I belong, like the trees and the stars are […]

By Caroline Hesby, TIWP Student Once in a while you slip across the screen of my eyes, a quiet figure, your glasses still resting—slightly fallen—on the bridge of your nose, and a toothy smile that little me always sensed something more behind but wasn’t quite sure what. You left quickly, predictably, yet suddenly, before I […]

By Maya Petzoldt, TIWP Student “Who do you have a crush on?”No one. I don’t have a crush on anyone. I promise.“Who do you like, Maya?”You, platonically.Are you asking if I love someone? You of course, like a friend, a sibling.“Will you go out with me?”Of course, what’s better than a day with friends? I’d […]

By Ayumi Nagayama, TIWP Student 1. Oh my gosh, why can’t I draw hands? 2. Why is life so expensive? 3. How do you draw a perfect circle freehand? 4. Why is life so hard? 5. I’m hungry. 6. What if my family dies? 7. Awwww my dogs are cute! 8. Why does my favorite […]

By Kayli Harley, TIWP Student I was water then, eroding the skin of my face each night and waking up swollen and healed. But I could feel the salt beneath the layers, stinging and humming to be touched by air, to dissolve. I was water then, and I didn’t want to be. My room became […]

By Tate Johnson, TIWP Student

By Katerina Bonderud, TIWP Student I am a student. It seems like school is what makes up my life. And sadly, it really does. I like to think people are doing what their heart desires, and that on weekends they deep dive into their crazy endeavors. But for me, most of the time, I’m doing […]

By Maxine Pollock, TIWP Student My dress swished against the tall grass as I ran. The white linen brushed the feathery reeds, each speaking in a brief moment of connection before I was gone. The ground was damp underfoot, my bare feet propelled by the bounce of the earth. My long dress swished over the […]

By Zoe Moga, TIWP Student I like to sit in little coffee shops near the grand libraries of the city, re-reading Jane Austen novels filled with protagonists too modern and radical for the time they lived in. I can just imagine Elizabeth Bennet thriving today. Can’t you just see it? I would want to be […]