ALEXANDER SMITH WRITES — I found myself on a plane home just two days after LMU announced it was closing down campus and moving to virtual learning. However, home for me was not the usual house or apartment, it was a hotel in downtown Houston. My dad has been in the hospitality business…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: THE SUITE LIFE TURNED SOUR
SKYLER GALLARZAN WRITES — Last week, I had sent a text to my grandma and grandpa: “Hi Mama and Papa, I am sure you have been seeing the attacks that have been happening to Asian Americans in the news lately, especially older citizens. I just wanted to let you know…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: PROTECT OUR GRANDPARENTS. STOP ASIAN HATE.
ANDREW DAHI WRITES — Imagine quarantining in the middle of a civil war for an entire year. Never leaving your house or having outside human interaction. Your wife, who is healthier and a good 10 years younger, goes out for necessities, giving you no good reason to leave the house. Still,…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: SYRIA AT THE INTERSECTION OF COVID AND CIVIL WAR
KEVIN SHON WRITES — March 19, 2020 was like a never-ending state of confusion. Classes were online. People were fighting over toilet paper at Costco. Sporting events, concerts and festivals were put on hold. There was no traffic in Los Angeles. Fast-forward to April 2021, I own five different CDC-approved…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: PFIZER BOOSTS MY HOPES, BUT CAN THE COUNTRY RECOVER?
KEZIA LAKSMONO WRITES — So, on April 2nd, in the heart of Jakarta, I strode into a large building where the vaccine was being distributed and almost cried with joy as I got my jab of the Sinovac vaccine. This name might be unknown to you – with all the…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: MY FIRST DOSE OF THE SINOVAC VACCINE
KEZIA LAKSMONO WRITES — I was reminded of “Pantun,” an oral literary form of expression traditionally used amongst Indonesians, during this pandemic. In its most basic form, it consists of even-numbered lines which are recited according to a fixed rhythm. For example: “Kalau ada sumur di ladang, bolehlah kita menumpang…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: POETRY FOR THE PANDEMIC AND BEYOND
SARAH SHARPE WRITES — How did we get here? It is September of 2020. I don’t think I’m alone when I say that this has been one of the most challenging years of my life. It feels as though everything has gone awry, and I know there is still more…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: UPS AND DOWNS OF 2020, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
JOSEPH LITTAUA WRITES – Quarantine has given me the opportunity to analyze how internet culture has changed this year. From the Zoomers’ (Gen Z’s unofficial nickname) rapid and constantly changing sense of humor and memes to new trends from the most seemingly random of songs, some social media trends come…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: I’LL HAVE A PLATE OF NOSTALGIA WITH A DASH OF DIALOGUE WITH THE MOON
ASSOCIATE EDITOR CAMILLE BRYAN WRITES — Savannah, a small town in Tennessee, along with the rest of the United States, has had a recent surge in coronavirus cases in the past weeks, up to 238 since July 23. The day Wuhan ended its lockdown that number was 2. The residents…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER?
JOANNE PANG WRITES – COVID-19 continues to spread amongst communities, and Hong Kong’s zero-case streak has been reset now to over 100 cases daily. The government urges citizens to stay at home unless necessary; but for the gamers out there who want to play with their friends, what can be…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: #PLAYAPARTTOGETHER
SARAH SHARPE WRITES — It is the evening of July 20th in the year of 2020. I am just getting home from my evening walk, about to watch the nightly news and catch up on my studies. I’ve done this same routine nearly every night for the past three months.…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: EDUCATION IS A PRIVILEGE
CHARLES E MORRISON WRITES — About two turbulent months ago, former Vice President Joe Biden had established a commanding lead in the Democratic nomination campaign, although his two more liberal competitors had not yet ended their efforts; and the looming coronavirus pandemic was threatening to fundamentally transform the political landscape. And…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: THE ARC OF A HISTORIC CRISIS
ANNALISA DEL VECCHIO WRITES – Would it be right to describe the visibility of the Himalayas for the first time in thirty years as a good thing? Yes, in a way. The snow-covered peaks have been obscured by air pollution for decades, but the coronavirus pandemic has helped reduce pollution…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: CLEAN THE AIR, FLATTEN THE CURVE
RASHID AL ARMELI WRITES – With Coronavirus, all the movies about an AI (Artificial Intelligence) virus taking over suddenly became real. Until the news struck, all I thought about was what I was planning to do the next day. Suddenly the building I live in sent out emails about changing cleaning supplies…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: MACHBOOS, ANYONE?
JOANNE PANG WRITES — During these chaotic times of COVID-19 self-quarantine, people will turn to video games to beat boredom. Avid fans of Nintendo rush to their latest device, Nintendo Switch, which is a device that can hold a large number of games providing hours of entertainment. It has sold…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: A HEALTHY WAY TO DEFEAT YOUR PANDEMIC BLUES
ZHI JIAO DANIELLE GOH WRITES — As America enters its worst coronavirus week, it is time to start reflecting on how we ended up on this perilous peak. Herewith, a possible to-do list for the future of the universe: 1. Stop blaming The general public seems to have settled on the theory…
Full Article CORONAVIRUS CHRONICLES: SIX RULES FOR THE FUTURE