“What are we having for dinner?” Throughout my childhood, I frequently posed the question to my mother hours before we would sit down to eat. Wanting to avoid accusations of being a picky eater, I would offer a follow-up statement. Read more...

Photo: Abigail Siatkowski smiles for a portrait in front of Kerckhoff Hall. (Darlene Sanzon/Assistant Photo editor)

I was supposed to go to law school. I even applied to law school. But this paper, man. Changed everything. Transferring to UCLA changed everything. I came to UCLA from UC Davis without any prior experience in journalism. Read more...

Photo: Sharla Steinman stands for a portrait. (Michael Gallagher/Photo Assistant editor)

“It’s a blessing in disguise.” My grandfather, an infallible optimist, would often fall back on this adage when life didn’t go as planned. Although I never met him, my mother would use this same phrase to console me growing up. Read more...

Photo: Aditi Kumar stands for a portrait in front of Kerckhoff Hall. (Michael Gallagher/Assistant Photo editor)

While I love sticky, warm summer days and the smell of saltwater and sunscreen, my mind can’t help but drift back to the events that unfolded less than a year ago and permanently altered my outlook on life. Read more...

Photo: Kirsten Brehmer’s grandma and mother are pictured holding her as a newborn baby. (Courtesy of Kristen Brehmer)

Editor’s note: This post was updated on March 14 at 2:33 p.m. to provide retroactive anonymity to a source due to safety concerns. Flash bangs, rubber bullets and patrolling security forces have made it clear that political engagement in current affairs is no longer a novelty, it’s a necessity. Read more...