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Reminiscing on Uni High

Throughout my life, I’ve always tried to live with the notion that whatever I do or experience, I won’t be able to experience it again. More recently, over Thanksgiving break, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on what I’m thankful for, and first and foremost that’s the time I’ve spent at Uni over what will soon be 5 years. I’ve made lifelong friends, memories that will last a lifetime, and have also grown as a person. The one regret I have is not appreciating everything more when it was happening. The quote “ I wish there was a way to know you were in the good old days before you actually left them” comes to mind. If there was anything I could experience again, it would be time at Uni, just so I could take it all in before it inevitably comes to an end in a few months. More than that though, I feel it would be interesting to experience Uni through the lens of the person I am now, versus the person I was when everything was happening. For the most part, I feel as though I have changed a...
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Hot Pocket Mishap

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At the end of 7th grade, my previous school, Countryside, offered its students the opportunity to take a school trip to Puerto Rico. I remember the excitement I felt when the trip was announced. Traveling to a foreign (ish) place, with no parents, and friends. It was something I hadn't really ever done before. After talking with my friends about it, and confirming that other people wanted to go as well, I talked it over with my parents, and after a fair amount of convincing was given the green light for the trip. The trip would be the weekend following the last day of that school year, and upon the arrival of the said weekend, the excitement about the trip was at an all-time high. Between applying for the trip and the trip itself, I had found out I would be going to Uni the next year, and that meant this would be some of the last time I would get to spend with my Countryside friends. Upon our Saturday departure date, we encountered our first roadblock, a delayed flight. My family t...
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No "Yolk-ing" Around

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     My most memorable meal occurred on March 16th, roughly around noon. It was at what, to me, is the best restaurant in Chicago simply because of this particular meal, Yolk. More specifically, the one on Michigan Avenue. To start, Yolk’s atmosphere can only be described as a happy place. In fact, that’s similar to the way they portray themselves, as on their website it states “So what makes Yolk so special … it’s the place to see and be seen. It’s an experience. It’s fresh. It’s innovative. It’s sunshine and conversation. Add bright colors, smiling faces, and now you have something special.” Walking into Yolk and having a meal on any day I’m sure would have been amazing, but on March 16th, my meal at Yolk left an everlasting effect on me.           The context of my meal at Yolk started the day before. After some lengthy conversations, I had convinced my parents to bring a group of friends, Aakash, Brooks, Andy, Ian, and Ivan, up to Chicago...
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My Dlog about my Dog

          As many other families did, we got our dog, Millie, mid-quarantine, as we suddenly found ourselves with adequate time to train a puppy. My family had wanted a pet dog for a long time but knew that it would take a significant amount of time to train a puppy, and even after that would be a big responsibility. The COVID-19 pandemic had suddenly forced both of my parents, as well as my sister and I, to stay home from school/work, and so after a bit of research, we found a nearby breeder with an Aussiedoodle (mix between an Australian Shepherd and a Poodle) that we all loved. I think Millie can best be described as a bit of a weird dog. In the immediate weeks after we got her, her favorite thing to do was simply to find an air vent on the ground and sleep on top of it. In fact, when the air conditioning wasn’t on in her house she would often bother the first person she saw until we turned it on. A more recent habit she has picked up is sleeping on he...
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"Ekam" - Origins, Meaning, and My Experience

Someone's name serves as their central part of existence. When you are born, and you have no significance outside of the happiness your family feels as you enter the world, you are given a name. That name defines you until you grow to define yourself. Oftentimes, our names will be what lasts through life with us the longest, longer than any one person, often longer than any one object. The cultural, historical, or personal significance of a singular name carries silent importance. That is why, as often as our name just becomes something that we respond to, it's important to take a step back sometimes and reflect on what your name means to you, perhaps what it has done to you or for you as well.  My name has also always been a central part of my identity, but not always in a positive way. In my culture, "Ekam" is not an uncommon name and carries several special meanings. The primary ones that parents often have in mind while naming their kids are "oneness" or...
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