A Signature Course
Written by Reese Grayson. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Originally published as part of the Spring 2018 “Rebirth” Issue. – I asked students to discuss a class they felt was important, memorable, or revolutionary – a signature part of their academic career. Class: Elizabethan Poetry and Prose Department: English Teacher: Dr. Jennifer Kate Barret “I have never had a professor like […]
Green Capitalism
Written by Noah Van Hooser. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – More than ever, we as consumers are sold the fantasy of ecologically-conscious consumerism, which allows us to envision hope of a recovering environment. We’re encouraged to make careful selections of where we dispose of our trash; the sheer number of bins offered to us (compost, recycle, individuated spaces for metal, […]
Middle Ground
Written by Kati Chen. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – My first memory of making my mother angry starts with a mirror. When I was a kid, I spent countless hours staring at my reflection, pinching and poking my face. Everyone told me they saw my mother’s features in my brows, my eyes, my long, slender fingers. I didn’t get it. […]
Meet Me at the Intersection of Our Stories
Written by Eleni Theodoropoulos. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. … The worst person at a party is the one who never asks any questions. I don’t mean the quiet person—their inner voice is sometimes too loud and distracting to allow for it. I mean the person so content with their own story that they do not ask to hear a stranger’s. […]
American Identity and Chinese Traditions
Written by Kevin Chen. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. … “Kevin, zhù rén wéi lè.” Delight in helping others. “Kevin, you should always quán lì yǐ fù.” Always be fully committed. “Kevin, tòng gǎi qián fēi.” Seek to improve your character. My family taught me Chinese idioms at an early age. These phrases were conventional wisdoms passed on through Chinese history […]
Winter
Written by Kate Diller. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Winter is the best season, and you’re not going to change my mind. I live for freezing days with harsh breezes that nip at your cheeks. I grew up in places that do winter well, have the season as it was meant to be. The sharp contrast of your cold surroundings and […]
Canvas Stalking, Google Docs, and Email: The Trials and Tribulations of Dating in College
Written by Ian McEntee. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. I am and will continue to be a serial dater. Nothing serious tends to come from these dates, but hey, free coffee is always fun once in a while. The issue lately has been finding new ways to meet people. Yeah, Tinder is a thing, but sometimes you just want to change […]
The Social Caterpillar
Written by Dila Sarikaya. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. College students love to talk to graduating high school seniors about how incredible college is. The instant freedom, the raging parties, the new worldly perspectives, the brilliant professors, the sense of accomplishment. They told me to expect it all, and they were right. I’ve experienced all of it, every bit of their […]
Our Water and the World’s
Written by Amina Amdeen. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. On October 22nd, the city of Austin issued a boil water notice to its residents. At UT, the water fountains and bottle refilling stations were covered with plastic and taped up. Within hours, grocery stores around the city had empty shelves where bottled water used to be. According to a Forbes article, […]
Queer Hollywood Finds a Light
Written by Patrick Rogers. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Boy Erased is one of two major motion pictures released this year to bring the truth about conversion therapy to the big screen. Based on Garrard Conley’s 2016 memoir, directed by Joel Edgerton, and featuring names like Troye Sivan, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Lucas Hedges, the film is not a happy […]
The Arctic Ocean Explored
Written by Allison McCarty. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. The Arctic is one of the planet’s most crucial environments, especially when it comes to the topic of climate change. Exploring the Arctic Ocean, an exhibition that is currently on display in the Visual Arts Center, exemplifies the importance of the Arctic and its Ocean as an environment and source of culture. […]
Out of the Box
Written by Sam Chavez. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. I once lived in a box. I lived a life of routine, conformity, and simplicity. Small-town gossip was the world news and everyone knew each other’s names. My home in La Feria, a small town in the Valley or South Texas, holds my roots and will always have a special place in […]
An Open Letter: Feeling Like a Fraud
Written by Hector Osegueda. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. It’s common to find oneself struggling with the persistent and pervasive feeling of being a fraud. Under the impression that any accomplishment is tantamount to sheer luck, and faced with the fear of inevitable exposure of being a phony, many are left to worry that they exist in a place they don’t […]
The Power of Food
Written by Alyssa Hiarker. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Pick a memory where you were undeniably happy. What do you remember from that moment? Do you remember what you could see? What you could smell? What you could taste? Your memories may be clouded, the specifics of those instances may be lost to time, but your senses are tied directly to […]
Does Social Media Hinder or Help One’s Understanding of Politics? You Decide.
Written by Yulissa Chavez. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss Politics may appear problematic but being ill-informed on policies or platforms before voting is even more problematic. Social media provides users with a mass of information, opinions, and ideas in a matter of seconds; however, this accessibility can also be counterintuitive for those who may not understand the multifaceted factors that are […]
From Chemical Bonds to Shakespeare
Written by Nathan Pastrano. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. For most students, switching career paths can be a very difficult decision to make. I know this, because I was one of them. I began my first-year studies as a chemistry major with a genuine interest in healthcare and pharmaceutical innovation. However, as my first year of undergrad came to an end, […]
Words We Need
Written by Kate Diller. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Showing yourself kindness, while empowering, is shockingly difficult. You’d think it would be easy, we’re kind to others every day. So why is it that we can’t apply that to ourselves? I think about this almost every day. It’s something I really struggle with, even as I preach to my friends about […]
Making Africa: An Attempt to Complete the Single Story
Written by Brooke Quach. Photos by Brooke Quach. When you walk into the entrance of the Blanton’s “Making Africa” exhibit, one of the first things you may encounter is Chimamanda Adichie’s most popular TED Talk: “The danger of a single story.” Adichie dissects how “the single story” can “flatten” another group’s experiences by constantly exposing the public to negative tropes […]
Taking a Break at Book Club
Written by Christina Lopez. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. The Liberator held its first Book Club on Monday, October 15th. Sitting in a circle, munching on pastries and sipping coffee, attendees discussed how they use humor as a stress reducing tactic. The discussion was centered around three satirical or humorous articles, meant to convey the message that at such a stressful […]
The Unloved Specialty
Written by Sarah Low. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. There are many reasons as to why psychiatry may be one of medicine’s most unloved specialties; after all, in the eyes of many, psychiatry may as well be the practice of psychological “voodoo magic” meant to warp and control patients’ minds. Even the term “shrink” (slang oftentimes used to refer to a […]
Bilingualism: A Cultural Rebirth
Written by Christina Lopez. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Originally published as part of the Spring 2018 “Rebirth” Issue. My first words were the punchlines to jokes in Spanish that my grandma taught me. After I was born, both of my parents were working and attending school, so my grandma raised me. Born in Juarez, Chihuahua in Mexico, she immigrated to […]
My Journey So Far
Written by Hira Vayani. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Originally published as part of the Spring 2018 “Rebirth” Issue. I wake up; it’s time College has been on my mind – for years Growing up, college was never an if; it was a when It’s almost time for my first class – I’m a complete mess What will it be […]
A Non-Traditional Path: The Transfer Experience
Written by Allison McCarty. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. As a prestigious and globally recognized educational institution, the University of Texas at Austin can be an intimidating school to transfer into. UT is home to an enormous number of students, and the new students every semester who transfer can often feel confused and isolated when trying to traverse the massive campus. […]
Finding Your Home Away from Home
Written by Sam Chavez. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. It’s that time of the semester when students are trying to figure out their living situation for next year. While some students go apartment-hunting, others like me face a dilemma in choosing a dorm. Whether an incoming student or a fourth-year student, navigating through housing can be a whirlwind, as time keeps […]
Fortnite: What It Means to be Inclusive
Written by Hector Osegueda. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. A little over a year has passed since Fortnite: Battle Royale took the gaming world – and popular culture – by storm. Fortnite has swept through and permeated a variety of venues, and it seems that everyone has an opinion on the game. There are few games in recent memory that have […]
Mental Illness: Fighting the Stigma
Written by Dila Sarikaya. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. **mental health trigger warning** The first week of October is known as Mental Illness Awareness Week, which was established by Congress in 1990. However, mental illness — and the stigmas that come with it — have been around for decades and continue to exist today. During Mental Illness Awareness Week, […]
Followers and Friends: Changes in the Digital Social Landscape
Written by Amina Amdeen. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. The amenities of the modern age we live in are innumerable. Our digital connections span the globe. In the same amount of time that it would take you to text your mother in the next town over, you could direct message an old acquaintance in a café in Japan. Global connections are […]
A Short Guide to Health Professions Writing
Written by Nathan Pastrano. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Convincing medical school committees why you want to be a doctor can be very difficult, especially when it has to be done in less than one to two pages. The Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) requires at least two primary essays per applicant: a personal statement, a personal characteristics […]
The Psychonaut
Written by Sarah Low. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. I found Salome again. I found her in my dreams. Indeed, I am reporting that the entire ‘exchange’ had happened for months. And for the sake of finding your daughter’s remains ever again, I ask that you heed my word and my warning. First, I can assure you that I am a […]
Entrepreneurship and the Liberal Arts
Written by Yulissa Chavez. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Students in the College of Liberal Arts generally do not have immediate access to start becoming entrepreneurs. The lack of access and encouragement to pursue outlying goals that the College of Liberal Arts does not often promote can give students in the College of Liberal Arts the misconception that an innovative career […]
The Two Ahmeds
Written by Tarek Zaher. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. In 2007, six years after the horrific 9/11 attacks and the resultant cultural backlash against Muslims in America, just about the worst thing possible that can happen to a nine-year-old Muslim boy trying to survive socially in rural East Texas happens. Jeff Dunham, a famous ventriloquist and comedian, introduces his viral new […]
The Mythical Latina
Written by Ariane Stier. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. We have all met her, in some form or fashion: the media’s mythical Latina. She has a bombshell hourglass figure, light tan skin, long dark hair, and a thick accent from an unspecified foreign country. She might be a maid, and most likely she is an immigrant. Whether she is portrayed […]
Reforms to Title IX
Written by Brooke Quach. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 started as a federal law pertaining to gender discrimination in university athletic departments and has now expanded to cover all programs and activities at public and private educational institutions that receive public funding. The law states that “No person in the United […]
Work Beyond the Classroom
Written by Christina Lopez. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. It takes planning, persistence, and prioritization. As college tuition costs skyrocket, more full-time students are taking on jobs to finance their college experience. According to CNBC, a 2015 study from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found that in the past 25 years, over 70 percent of college students […]
A Dark Ride
Written by Niti Majethia. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. How to be intoxicating? Make your flaws your very own trademarks. How to be a work of Art? Let your deepest wounds breathe. Let them teach you how to set your inner soul free. How to be raw? Do not tame your chaos. Unleash the true golden lioness roaring underneath your […]
There is a Wolf
Written by Hannah Jarzombek. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. There is a Wolf that Lives in the Woods and Speaks with a Loved One’s Voice The wolf is not the villain in this story. . . . The book burned quickly in the late evening fire. Abram stared at the delicate pages curling in on themselves before they burned into […]
A Presentation of Truths
Written by Nathan Pastrano. Last spring, I found myself doing what I considered to be daring. No, not daring as in eating an entire pint of ice cream in one serving, going downtown the night before an exam, or even skydiving. Instead, I was completing my last five undergraduate English courses in one semester. Yup, you read that right: all […]
Le spectacle
Written by Eleni Theodoropoulos. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. The spicy smell of salep and the sound of frothing milk filled the air between the show tents. Vendors called out their products, bargained, and jeered at you if you ignored them or preferred their competitor’s baklava. Ophélie’s parents lapsed into an argument over by the stained glass jewelry. How come you […]
a memory
Written by Matthew Yu. Photo by Matthew Yu. a memory everlasting, a line that twists into an oval, sprouting features, lips, contours of a face I’ve known for so long, but can’t comprehend -so I stare into its velvet black eyes, whose laugh pulls at my hair and crinkles, echoing away into space like pieces of cellophane that slide down […]
The Unstoppable Jaguar
Written by Bahareh Sharafi. Originally published as part of the Spring 2018 “Rebirth” Issue. – The astounding motivation of African Americans is why the significant progression that will take place for Black America can only be described in one word: phenomenal. The compassion, the sleepless motivation and the initiation of ambition that revolves around these humble individuals will reveal itself. […]
Opportunity and Proximity
Written by Hayley Wood. It’s 3:30 on a Wednesday afternoon. The Texas sun illuminates the east side of campus as students trek towards the stadium for their commute home. For those heading southbound on E 23rd Street, life at UT is strikingly different from their peers headed home to West Campus. The 680 bus becomes crowded until every nearly every […]
The Journey
Written by Niti Majethia. Originally published as part of the Spring 2018 “Rebirth” Issue. – The dark in you will say what it wants.. never listen to the darkness listen to the art the art that lights up all your insides when you talk about what you love.. compassion that flows within you when you release the longings of your […]
The Power of Alternative Breaks
Written by Yulissa Chavez. Photo by Yulissa Chavez. The Alternative Breaks Program (AB) within the Longhorn Center for Community Engagement aims to help students become more aware of the social problems that occur outside of the UT Austin community. This year, the coordinators of the Alternative Breaks Program decided to bring their team of seven students to the very south of […]
Please Hear Us
Written by Brooke Quach. #Metoo. Aziz Ansari. Cat Person. #Timesup. Performative allyship. Consent. Sex Ed. These are only some of phrases, names, and ideas that have been thrown around social media in the midst of the movement against sexual harassment and assault. These terms embody the nuances of the movement and bring to light the systemic problems that perpetuate these […]
The Lockers in Rainey Hall
Words by Reese Grayson. Photos by Reese Grayson. There are very few buildings at UT that have been untouched by the university’s massive expansion and the need to use space more efficiently. Old buildings are either replaced or renovated to serve another purpose. Although many spaces on campus have been repurposed, original architectural designs and structures tell a story and […]
