Lulwa Al Khalifa - American University

Saturday fully booked. Sunday fully booked. Monday, terribly, fully booked. I needed an immediate COVID PCR test, but available testing seemed like a luxury only a few could attain. Until, lo and behold, we found the DC Mayor’s official website disclosing free testing sites around the city. It was a universal healthcare miracle. Or so we thought.

Amalia Contreras - California State University, Fullerton

She’s debating walking into the room, she hesitates. Her hand rests on the door handle. She looks up at the ceiling expecting to see the answer to her dilemma. She could easily leave. But she goes back to her room, like a dutiful mother tending to her child.

Julia Feuerborn - Missouri State University

I am Asexual. Not like the plants—believe me, I’ve heard that many times before. In this case, asexual is a sexuality, meaning a person who does not experience sexual attraction. So let me repeat, I am not talking about the asexual reproduction plants do. That is a different type of biology. And I’m terrible at biology.

Maria Fleming - Miami University

Our childhood house was beautiful. It was old, about a hundred years old, and each floorboard creaked. It was definitely haunted. The adults avoided the attic like there were demons up there, but us kids say it as another fun place to go play.