Written by Monica Hand. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Honorable Mention in the Spring 2019 Creative Competition, “Challenge.” – The hardest thing you will ever do is love her. Though you pine to love her the way she needs, With an unconditional, forgiving fury. It’s not easy- you know that. She knows that. You tell her it’s her fault you can’t […]
Written by Michaela Lavelle. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Honorable Mention in the Spring 2019 Creative Competition, “Challenge.”– Every exhale is a knickknack I put on your shelves Coat on the rack and shoes at your door I make myself at home moving in my favorite memories, my greatest fears, mugs, goals, dreams, plates and picture frames My fingers touch the […]
Written by Ethan Russo.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. At this late day, The Great British Baking Show should need no introduction. It has conquered Britain, America, and indeed the world. And it’s no wonder, either; the show– known as the GBBO to its more devoted acolytes, due to its name in the UK, The Great British Bake Off– is impossibly charming. […]
Written by Pilar Padilla. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Pilar Padilla is currently a junior at Westwood High School in Austin, Texas. – Over the past few weeks, Austinites were hit with the shocking news of the University of Texas at Austin’s ties to the academic cheating scandal that swept prestigious colleges across the nation. The school is being sued by […]
Written by Frida Silva.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – There’s an ongoing joke in the lesbian community that Hozier is actually possessed by an ancient lesbian spirit, and that’s why his songs sound the way that they do. I, for one, strongly agree. I’m not saying a straight man isn’t capable of expressing such a profound, almost sacred, love and admiration […]
Written by Praveena Javvadi. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – You. You are the train. You will go. And you will fill. And you will come bustling apart at the sides with all kinds of Joy and despair and laughter and tears and anger. And love. And you will go. And you will fill. But I am the stop. And as […]
Written by Shae Carey.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – In her essay “A Room of One’s Own,” Virginia Woolf says, “for my belief is that if we live another century or so—I am talking of the common life which is the real life and not of the little separate lives which we live as individuals—and have five hundred a year each […]
Written by Patrick Lee.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – My perception of academia coming into college was that of an exuberant idea factory, pumping out world-changing publications and smart people capable of ethically advancing the human base of knowledge. But, as in many cases, the appearance of things has the effect of masking its truer form. To this day I still […]
Written by Emma Robinson.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – My vintage camera collection spans across different eras, types, and models. From the 35mm film variety to digital cameras, and most recently, I added an authentic Polaroid 600 Square from the 1980s. My Polaroid camera is the product of a four-year long search for first, a vintage Polaroid camera that works, and […]
Written by Jennifer Dong.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – From her sugary, upbeat synth-pop tracks that dominated the radio in 2008 to the somber ballads featured on the soundtrack of last year’s A Star is Born, Lady Gaga has undoubtedly taken the music world by storm. While Gaga is mostly known for her operatic vocals and bold lyrics, her impressive, wide-ranging discography […]
Written by Luisana Cortez.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – Part of the foundation to our current existence is language. Language is not the only factor that drives historical events or mere incidents in societies, but it is inarguably one of the greater forces, simultaneously upholding and negating the attitudes, beliefs, and imaginations of many. If this sounds too abstract, it’s because […]
Written by Shini Meyer Wang.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – Ripe with relevance, symbolism, and nuance, director Jordan Peele’s second horror hit holds a mirror up to us, prodding at our neglected awareness of the monsters within as individuals and as a society. A theme of duplicity not only saturates the story, but also its structure. Two narratives make up the […]
Written by Maggie Chadwick Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss Selena Quintanilla, hailed the Queen of Tejano Music, is known around the world for her songs, fashion, and, unfortunately, her untimely death. Even though her life came to an abrupt and heartbreaking end, her name and legacy live on. Selena continues to have such an impact on pop culture, especially in the […]
Written by Dila Sarikaya.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – What if your favorite star sent you a letter inviting you to visit them? Would you go? Joyce Maynard was faced with this decision in 1972 after her first article, “An 18-Year-Old Looks Back On Life,” was published in The New York Times magazine. In this article, of which she says the […]
Written by Sophie Corless.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. I. What happens on an infomercial,When the late-night viewer falls asleep?When the commercial,Has no viewers, do the glimmering products weep? II. Where does the flash go,After blinding an unsuspecting star?Does the camera hold the photo,And treasure it as a new piece in his repertoire? III. Does a magazine feel remorse,For printing less than […]
Written by Caroline Rock.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – Growing up as a daughter in a military household, packing up my possessions to move every two years made me very aware of everything I owned – and everything I didn’t need. It was my dad’s idea to do a purge before each move so we wouldn’t bring unnecessary items with us. […]
Written by Luna Malloy.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – Leaving Neverland. Surviving R. Kelly. The Inventor. Abducted in Plain Sight. Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened. The Bundy Tapes. Evil Genius. Perhaps you’ve watched any number of these recent documentaries. Maybe you’ve seen them referenced in the media, or in the case of Fyre, lampooned by some tragic Evian water […]
Written by Hector Osegueda.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss Little trees, for whatever reason, tend to make people happy. Plants, in general, are known to have mentally therapeutic properties — green spaces in homes and offices can increase happiness, decrease stress, and boost productivity. Plants have also been extensively used to help veterans and hospital patients who suffer from PTSD. However, even […]
Written by Yulissa Chavez.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss – What is maturity? How does an individual know they have reached the age of maturity, and that they are not simply playing into imposter syndrome? The United States of America seems to be indecisive of an age that clearly marks when an individual is mature enough to handle the consequences and benefits […]
Written by Shini Meyer Wang.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – Where are we now? In the space between phone calls. In the flicking of a lighter. In the rhythm of the nighttime. In the crevice of a sunrise. In the screech of time ticking. In the farming of ourselves. In the bookshelves of some hopefulness. The walls stare. The floor dusts. […]
Written by Terrane Ansley.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – I sat in the grass that I was allergic to and waited. The sound of the head coach’s whistle was rarely heard; he opted for yelling instead. In rare moments, he would blow the whistle before letting it drop to his chest. Then he would yell. The veins on his shaved head […]
Written by Allison McCarty. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Thinking back to my childhood, my most nostalgic and familiar memories are of the early morning commutes to my grandparents’ house in my father’s pickup truck. The melodies of AC/DC and Kiss pulsing through the speakers as we traversed the stop-and-go traffic of Austin. I remember swaying to the beat with my […]
Written by Hans Barrels.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. “[People] iffy, uhBlicky got the stiffy, uhGot the blicky, uhDrum it holds fifty, uh” This is the introduction of 6ix9ine’s 2017 breakout hit “GUMMO.” The song itself spurred the creation of memes online making fun of his many 69 tattoos, rainbow hair, and scream-style rap. His appearance, however, is intentional, and the media’s […]
Written by Sam Chavez.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – “Keep Austin weird.” Austin is one of the stranger metropolitan areas around, and it definitely has the sights to prove so. I decided to challenge myself and gave the city a bit of a walk-through for a day, aimlessly wandering and letting the streets guide me. Initially, I was struck by the […]
Written by TL.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – Bloomberg podcast host, Michelle Fay Cortez, asks her audience “what if the cure to a lifetime of mental illness is really just a party drug from the 1980s?” She is referring to ecstasy, a psychedelic drug known as MDMA when in its purest form. Recently, many promising studies indicate that MDMA can be […]
Written by Emma Robinson.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. — The spring 2019 semester ushered the creation of the Onyx Honor Society. The all-Black honors society formed at UT with the objectives of “the advancement and inclusivity of the black community through academic excellence, leadership, and community engagement.” The founders of Onyx are President Dayjah Harris and Internal Vice President Adriant Bereal. […]
Written by Luisana Cortez.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – To The Subjects of Graciela Iturbide’s Art black & white tapestry of women, their backs mirrors to the cloth of juan diego’s virgin. ink flowing into skin, into paper, into a lonely woman’s camera. once, the quinceañera was given a crown of iguanas. once, a flock of chickens taking flight, mindless of […]
Written by Jennifer Dong.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – A modest and poignant portrait of the human experience rendered through inequality, nostalgia, and love, Roma has established itself as one of the best films of 2018. As the winner of the best foreign language film at the Oscars, the narrative is centered on Cleo Gutiérrez (Yalitza Aparicio), a maid for a […]
Written by Shini Meyer Wang.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – “Looking is not seeing” describes precisely how we are before having the “aha” moments. It’s how we naturally observe the people in our lives, not thinking twice. But suppose one day you were to flip open the pages of a psychology textbook. Then, these familiar moments might unlock to tell hidden […]
Written by Maggie Chadwick.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – The culture of the United States is dominant and widespread. It permeates into other countries to the effect that, in many places with distinct languages, histories, and customs, you can watch mainstream American TV shows, American movies, and listen to American songs. Since American culture is so universal, it only makes sense […]
Written by Sophie Corless.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – “I can feel your incriminations and your judgment, and I am fine with that.” Cheney lies on a cold metal table with his chest opened wide,A pulseless void where a heart should reside,An expendable heart hovering his physical form,Political morality, a quiet storm.His chest is filled with a stronger motor,To power his […]
Written by Christina Lopez. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – Last October, I brought home a blue betta fish named Fitz. I flooded my social media accounts with pictures of him swimming and hiding in his aquarium plants. I was so proud that he was mine, and I was ready to take on the big responsibility of having his little life […]
Written by Ryan Hurt. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – True, authentic love is a mystery. It can be right in front of our faces without our realization, while at the same time being remote when we think it’s right next to us. From a sincere “How are you?” all the way to “What the hell are you thinking?” (tough love) […]
Written by Lorece Harris. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – I used to think love was loud. I grew up in a Latino household, where everyone had an opinion and we wanted you to know about it. That meant when we fought, it was earth shattering, and when we celebrated, it was the feeling of unconditional support and belonging. And it […]
Written by Hector Osegueda. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – It’s often the seemingly innocent ideas that cause the most damage. Ancient alien theories are among those ideas. We’ve all encountered one in particular; that immemorial and monumental structures, such as the pyramids at Giza, the Nazca lines in Peru, or the Moai of Easter Island, are products of extraterrestrial contact […]
Written by Shae Carey. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – Every Friday, I make the long drive down IH-35 to my hometown to work at my beloved job at a luxury cat hotel. The drive is inconvenient, but I know it like the back of my hand, and I often zone out as I barrel down the far left lane. As […]
Written by Dila Sarikaya. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – As a child, I never gave much thought to the fact that my mom had a home-cooked meal set on the table for my family every night. That is until I discovered that most of my classmates went out for dinner nearly every night, something I found very bizarre. A restaurant […]
Written by Yulissa Chavez. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – What does “love” mean today? Some may say it is the quality time one shares with a significant other. Others may define it by the number of growing experiences a couple has together. Whatever love is—it is anything but simple. In the digital age, everything has become accessible through screens—even dating […]
Written by Allison McCarty. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – I have generalized anxiety. That statement is just a fact, not written in sadness or contentment, but simply expressed. It’s something I live with, but as a student, it does create barriers. Having anxiety and being in college isn’t the most favorable combination. I trek UT’s campus anxiously, eyes centered on […]
Written by Sam Chavez. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – A moment that brings tears, excitement—and terror. The moment your child opens an acceptance letter to his or her dream school. After a collective sigh of relief and celebration, life seems smooth sailing. Well, until the inevitable tuition bill enters the inbox. In the United States, the average cost of college […]
Written by Grace Schrobilgen. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Originally published as part of the Spring 2018 “Rebirth” Issue. – In a school as large as the University of Texas, it’s easy to feel like you aren’t making a difference. These feelings are only exacerbated when you aren’t passionate about what you’re studying or can’t see yourself building a career based […]
Written by Brooke Quach. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Originally published as part of the Spring 2018 “Rebirth” Issue. – Khoi picked at the hard specks of rice that had dried translucent into the sides of the white ceramic bowl as he wondered what Barrington Place Elementary would be like. The white walls reverberated with the sounds of the flute and […]
Written by Nathan Allen Pastrano. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Originally published as part of the Spring 2018 “Rebirth” Issue. – Today marks one year since I applied to become an Orientation Advisor (OA). The hesitation in hitting that submit button at the end of the application almost got the best of me, but I decided to go for it, and not […]
Written by Quynhanh Tran. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – In seventh grade, I discovered the young adult series Maximum Ride. I spent a week devouring each novel, some of them twice through, and I still couldn’t get enough. After realizing there wasn’t any more to the series, I went on the internet and discovered Maximum Ride food fight fics (there […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
