#cls alumni

[jonathanshyu]

10/23 @9:40pm

Daily Check-In

Sleep: 3am-9:30pm (6.5 Hours)

Food: Lunch- Ami Sushi/ Dinner- Food from Bplate

Daily Plan:

10am: Wake up and go to work

12pm: Get lunch with my dad and my aunts and uncles from Taiwan at Ami Sushi

2pm: Get some assignments done

4pm: Meeting with Alumni

5pm: Get assignments done

7pm: Get Dinner at Bplate

12am: Sleep

Reflection: Today was another good day. I was surprised by my dad driving from Las Vegas where he went this past week to meet up with sisters. I have not seen my aunts for 3 years now and I have not been back to Taiwan in 6 so the fact that they came to visit meant a lot to me. My midterm for CHEM CL also got canceled so that relieved a lot of stress on me today. It is rescheduled but it is also changed into a heavy-weighted assignment rather than a test. I am going to try to rest for this upcoming week and get ready for next week!

Overall I rate the day 8/10.

[jcmarchi]

Startup aims to flush away the problem of icky toilet seats

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/startup-aims-to-flush-away-the-problem-of-icky-toilet-seats/

Startup aims to flush away the problem of icky toilet seats

We’ve all had the unpleasant experience of walking into a bathroom to discover a messy toilet seat. Now, an MIT alumni-founded startup is working to flush away that problem forever.

Cleana, co-founded by CTO Richard Li SM ’24, has developed an antibacterial, self-lifting toilet seat that promises a cleaner, more hygienic bathroom experience for all. Developing a new toilet seat is not quite as sexy as creating a fusion reactor, but Li believes in the importance of the company’s mission.

“A lot of people find it odd at first — a lot of our investors certainly did,” Li says. “This is meaningful to me and how I spent my time the past four years at MIT, and we now have the best solution available for solving this big problem.”

About 1,000 of Cleana’s seats have already been installed in schools, airports, gyms, and stadiums. Customers include Gillette Stadium, the YMCA, and even MIT, which has purchased several of the self-raising sensations for use on campus.

“Everyone who’s had to use a dirty toilet before knows how big a problem they are,” Li says. “Everyone is aware of it, but nobody has been able to address it in a simple, elegant way.”

Li’s foray into the toilet revolution began at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when he was a master’s student in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and germs were top-of-mind for everyone.

In 2020, Li connected with Cleana co-founders Kevin Tang, Max Pounanov, and Andy Chang, who were students at Boston University, and the quest to give the toilet seat autonomy began. Li began by prototyping devices in MIT’s Sidney-Pacific dormitory and MIT D-Lab, working with hand tools, heavy machinery, and 3D printers to test different designs.

There were a number of moments that tested the founders’ commitment to the toilet revolution. Li spent many nights — when public toilets weren’t in use — touring bathrooms around Boston and disassembling hundreds of seats to test the fit of Cleana’s product on different toilet bowls. In a testament to the importance of market research, the founders stood outside the bathroom of a local bowling alley with an installed unit, and attempted to interview users about their experience.

Early feedback, while perhaps awkward, was also encouraging: Cleana’s toilet seats were consistently reported as far cleaner and drier than their standard counterparts. In fact, a months-long study across several sites found that it prevented nearly 95 percent of common toilet seat messes in bathrooms where it was deployed.

“It wasn’t a pleasant experience, but it did get us the data we needed,” Li laughs.

Cleana’s smart seat looks a lot like a regular toilet seat with a special handle — but don’t let the standard design fool you; creating Cleana’s seat was a more complex challenge than it may first appear. The company couldn’t just use a set of springs to lift the seat up immediately (which could cause wiping interference, among other issues we won’t detail here). Cleana ultimately went through three major design pivots before settling on today’s product.

Cleana’s current seat is battery-free and in fact uses no electronics. It lifts mechanically after a predetermined amount of time, thus removing it from areas prone to common messes. Importantly, the seat detects when an individual is using the seat and utilizes a clever system to adjust when it should lift itself.

Cleana’s seat especially shines in public men’s and all-gender restrooms, where negligent behavior results in a considerable amount of splatter. The seat also incorporates antimicrobial agents to prevent the spread of germs, and its special handle spares users from having to touch the rest of the seat.

Customers have reported fewer toilet seat messes and less maintenance with Cleana’s seats.

“It saves the cleaning staff a lot of time,” Li says. “Sometimes, businesses had to send cleaning staff into their bathrooms multiple times a day to check on the toilet seat to make sure it’s clean. Now they’re finding that every time they go in, it’s already clean.”

The team is also creating a premium version of the seat geared toward the home, that automatically lowers the toilet seat and lid instead of lifting it. The product uses the same technology as its commercial seat, simply flipped around. The invention aims to end the age-old debate over lowering the toilet seat, while also protecting young children, pets, or dropped items from the risks of an open bowl.

“It’s funny developing a second product which is essentially the opposite of our first, but we’ve been absolutely blown away by the interest in it, especially amongst homeowners and developers,” said Li. “Several large plumbing companies with interest in the product have also conducted independent surveys, finding that more than half of consumers may adopt them in the coming years.”

Ultimately, Li wants to get to a point when he can go into any random gas station or restaurant, and, when nature calls, find his company’s smart seat waiting for him. That dream got real on a recent trip to the Roche Brothers in Watertown, Massachusetts, when Li was delighted to discover his sparkling seat in the restroom by chance.

But Li knows Cleana’s team still has a long way to go before the toilet revolution is complete. That’s why this past spring, when Li finally stood to collect his diploma at MIT’s Commencement, he wore not a sash around his neck, but a toilet seat.

Others kept their distance, but Li knew it was clean.

[kiarajoshi]

What Should You Look At While Learning Baking From The Best Culinary Institute In Mumbai?

Learning baking from the best culinary institute in India can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Choosing the right institution to ensure you receive high-quality training and a solid foundation in baking is essential. Here are some key factors to consider when evaluating culinary institutes in India for your baking education: Accreditation and Reputation:

● Check if the institute is accredited by relevant culinary associations or government bodies. Accredited institutions often meet specific quality standards.

● Research the institute's reputation within the culinary industry and among former students. Look for reviews, testimonials, and alumni success stories. Curriculum and Courses:

● Review the institute's curriculum to ensure it offers comprehensive baking programs. Look for a curriculum that covers both the basics and advanced techniques in baking.

● Check if the institute offers a variety of courses, including pastry and baking arts, cake decoration, bread baking, and more. This ensures you can specialize in your area of interest.

● Consider whether the curriculum includes hands-on practical training and theoretical knowledge. Practical experience is crucial in baking. Faculty and Instructors:

● Investigate the qualifications and experience of the faculty members and instructors. Experienced professionals often provide valuable insights and guidance.

● Look for institutes that have chefs and bakers with a strong industry background and a passion for teaching. Facilities and Equipment:

● Visit the institute if possible to see the facilities and equipment firsthand. Ensure that the baking labs and kitchens are well-equipped with modern tools and appliances.

● A well-maintained and organized learning environment is essential for hands-on training. Internship and Placement Opportunities:

● Inquire about internship and placement opportunities. Many culinary institutes have partnerships with hotels, bakeries, and restaurants, providing students with real-world experience.

● Explore the institute's track record in helping students secure internships and job placements in the culinary industry. Class Size and Student-to-Faculty Ratio:

● Smaller class sizes and lower student-to-faculty ratios often lead to more personalized attention and better learning experiences. Cost and Financial Aid:

● Consider the cost of tuition and any additional fees. Compare the tuition with the value of education and opportunities offered.

● Check if the institute provides financial aid, scholarships, or installment plans to make education more accessible. Location:

● Consider the location of the culinary institute. Choose one that is convenient for you in terms of commute and living arrangements if needed. Student Support Services:

● Inquire about student support services such as counseling, career guidance, and academic advising. These services can be helpful throughout your education. Alumni Network:

● A strong alumni network can be valuable for networking and job opportunities. Check if the institute has an active alumni association. Reviews and Recommendations:

● Seek recommendations from professionals in the culinary field or individuals who have attended the institute. Online reviews and forums can also provide insights into the institute's strengths and weaknesses. Visiting the Institute:

● Whenever possible, visit the culinary institute in person. Attend open houses or scheduled tours to get a feel for the campus, facilities, and atmosphere. Choosing the best culinary institute for learning baking in India requires careful research and consideration of your specific goals and preferences. Ultimately, the right institute will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to excel in baking and pastry arts.

If you are looking for cake-making classes in Mumbai, then you should go for APCA, Academy of Pastry & Culinary Arts. Cake baking classes offered by APCA help students learn the intricacies and fundamentals of cakes and decorations. Go for APCA right away!

[gnfcschool]

Alumni Pallawi, Nalwa House Capt 2007 batch #centonian #gnfcs #gnfcschool #shangrila #vincenthill #mussoorie #mussooriediaries #boardingschool #bestboardingschool (at Guru Nanak Fifth Centenary School) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl-6NSfLwGp/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[lavendertales]

New eyes—Javier Peña x f!reader

Chapter 1 of the Unholy series

summary: the new colleague Javier & Steve are supposed to show around is the last person on earth Javier would want to see. 

word count: 1.9k

A/N: many thanks to @pedropascalsx for basically inspiring me to write this Lay it on me 2.0 as I like to call it. Hope you enjoy the ride!

gif: @azertyrobaz 

series masterlist | AO3 

“I hate this.”

“You already said that.”

“Well, I really do. I really, really do.”

“You already said that, too. Stop being a big baby.”

Javier throws his hands in the air and rolls his eyes for what feels like the millionth time that afternoon alone. There’s nothing Steve can say that would soothe him, nor does his colleague wish to fix things.

Ever since ambassador Noonan asked them to show around a new colleague, Javier had been in a grumpier mood than usual. He believed that all of their time and resources should be spent on catching Escobar and his cartel, not acting as guides around the embassy. He’s made no efforts in hiding his displeasure, going as far as asking Noonan to remove him from this task.

“Not a chance, Peña,” she told him with a firm tone.

“Why not let Murphy take this one? Why do you need me in on this?”

“Because you two are some of our finest DEA agents, and your new colleague needs to see professionalism. Is that understood?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

And that was it. No room for arguments or more complaints. Javier embraced the idea, though he still hated it.

“Don’t act like you’re better than showing some new guy around,” Steve tells him.

“I just think we could be spending our time looking for Escobar or his men instead of playing tourists with a newbie.”

“Come on, it won’t be that bad. We just gotta show him around a little, update him on the Escobar case and that’s pretty much it.”

“You left out the part where Noonan asked us to basically babysit this newbie.”

This time, Steve is the one who rolls his eyes upon noticing his partner’s stubbornness.

“All she said was to mentor him in his first few days.”

“Babysitting.”

“Just shut up already, it’s not a big deal.”

Javier crosses his arms and leans against the desk, eyes set on the embassy’s far entrance. Even he realizes he’s complaining loud and proud, but he can’t seem to help himself. He’s really in no mood to show some overly-enthusiastic, fresh out of the Academy boy how things are done. But what else can he do, especially since Noonan gave him no choice?

He just has to suck it up and get through the day.

It’s easier said than done, though; he checks his watch once every two, three minutes, hoping, nearly praying that nine o’clock arrives faster. He keeps staring at the entrance, waiting for the figure of some 22 year old boy with too many life goals to be crushed already.

It’s only when Steve taps him on his shoulder as he’s busy checking his watch yet again that Javier nearly tastes bile in his mouth when he swallows.

His pupils are blown out, his lungs pump an unusual amount of air and he nearly chokes on nothing. He can’t believe it. This is no boy—this is a woman, in all of its beauty and meanness alike. A woman he hadn’t seen since he was a young boy attending the Texas College of Arts and Industries—Texas AI, as many alumni referred to it—and one he hadn’t thought he’d see, certainly not under these circumstances, and certainly not in Colombia, of all places.

He doesn’t move a single muscle. He can’t—all he can do is stare as Steve goes to welcome said woman.

Time has been very kind to you: you definitely look more mature and well-traveled through life. There are many contradicting feelings going around in Javier’s mind, from reminiscing all the competitiveness between you and him, to instant attraction.

Attraction he loathes from the moment it starts consuming his whole being.

“Welcome aboard,” he hears Steve greet you, then he sees him shake your hand. “I’m Steve Murphy, one of your—ah, what the hell, let’s say guides.”

Javier hears you chuckle, a sound so crystal clear, so calming and playful, it messes with his head completely. That is not how he knows you, and that ruins him even more.

“And this—”

Steve takes a few wide steps to reach Javier, pulling him in by the arm and thus pushing him face to face with you. While his facial expression drops, yours brightens up into a cocky smile.

“This is— “

“Well I’ll be damned,” you say. “Javier Peña in the flesh. Oh, what a treat this is!”

Steve frowns. “How do you guys know each other?”

You open your mouth to reply, and so does Javier, but Steve’s frown deepens as the wheels in his mind start spinning.

“Don’t tell me you slept with her!” he exclaims and slaps Javier’s arm.

His partner throws him a deadly glare, one that cut easily cut through him.

“God no,” Javier mutters, avoiding your eyes.

“Yeah, there’s not enough money in the world,” you smile and purposely stare him down.

“So then, how do you guys know each other?”

When Javier falters, you take it upon yourself to clarify the situation. This brings you immense delight, much more than you would’ve thought.

Turns out your first day on the job is shaping up way better than you would’ve anticipated.

“We went to college together,” you say. “We weren’t… the best of friends.”

Javier scoffs mockingly. “We were very competitive with each other.”

“Academic rivals, if you will.”

Steve makes a face. “Never thought I’d hear about Javi fighting to have higher grades, and with a woman, no less.”

That particular piece of information catches your attention.

“Why with a woman in particular?” you ask, a cheeky smile still residing on your lips.

“Well… Javi’s known for being… an affectionate guy.”

“Cut it out, Murphy.”

“So he’s a man whore.”

Javier rolls his eyes and finally returns your stare. He sees the cockiness in your bright, intelligent eyes; he sees the venom in them, the thirst for affirmation, the competitiveness, everything from back then wrapped in a single lethal stare.

“Somehow it doesn’t surprise me,” you say.

“My personal life doesn’t concern you,” Javier replies dryly. “You’re here for work and that’s it.”

You raise your eyebrows, admittedly, pleasantly surprised.

“Fair point. Will you be parading any eligible ladies by the office, per chance?”

Javier feels his blood start to boil in his veins; he clenches his teeth, unwilling to let his competitiveness get the best of him, not on his territory. This is his territory, after all. He’s supposed to show you how things work over there, not the other way around.

“Should we get moving?” he asks Steve directly. “Lot of work to do.”

“I see you play your college cards well.”

Steve turns to you, oddly curious now. “What college cards?”

“Oh, he had plenty. Whenever we butted heads regarding our courses and I said something he had no answer for, he pretended like he didn’t hear you and changed the subject entirely to not make himself to look like a fool.”

That makes Steve chuckle loudly, much to Javier’s anger. “He does do that!” he laughs at the realization.

“I could say plenty of things back to you, princess,” he mutters through gritted teeth. “But I wouldn’t want to wrinkle your ego.”

You lean in towards him, your mouth unreasonably close to his own. He shudders, but he shakes it off quickly.

“Mine’s bigger than yours,” you smile.

Something roars inside Javier’s chest, something loud and big and powerful. It gets stronger as he stares you down, yet he fights his usual instincts. This is no usual woman he’d take to bed. This is his old nemesis, his academic rival and enemy in every way.

Now, an enemy in the workplace.

“Remember you said it first,” he retorts.

“So, office tour first?” Steve offers, and you nod.

Javier stays a little behind, his own thoughts drowning out every other sound.

Out of all the people available… it had to be you.

So many DEA agents capable, and you had to show up. Sure, you were undeniably gifted in the world of academics, as shown by your final GPA results, but you were absolutely obnoxious when it came to comparisons. At least that’s how you were with Javier. You two were sworn enemies from your first semester in the first year: every course you had together was motive for competition. Whoever had the biggest grade, was known to be the best. It wasn’t planned; you simply seemed to bring out that side of Javier, passionate and feisty. But never in the way might one think of nowadays.

He lets Steve guide you around, show you the offices, telling you all the details regarding the team. He watches you be introduced to Carrillo, Trujillo and eventually, ambassador Noonan herself. Through all of those interactions that you have, Javier studies you carefully. You appear like an entirely different person with everyone else. You smile brightly, professionally, revealing the same academic competence as when you were 20 years old. Yet with him, you’re feisty, arrogant, pushy, and downright unbearable to listen to. He can’t help but think the real you is the one he sees, not those surrounding you.

But he can’t dwell on it too much, nor does he care enough to do so. All he cares about is finding a way to make things tolerable at the office, now that his territory had been brutally invaded by enemies.

“I trust you’re on your best behavior, Peña.”

Noonan’s voice awakens him. He realizes they’re standing in the same spot, all looking at you as if it’s some sort of welcome party.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replies absentmindedly.

She then draws attention to you again, and Javier catches a glimpse of your wide, proud smile, utterly unimpressed.

“You’re gonna be working closely with Horacio and his team. I trust you’ve met Trujillo and Ramirez, and of course, Murphy and Peña.”

“Yes, I have had the pleasure of meeting all these incredible men. Even Peña,” you smile at him directly.

His blood boils again. He swears he feels blisters forming at the surface of his skin from all that white, hot anger. It’s impossible to ignore that feeling, yet somehow he still pulls it off. He has to. Though in all honesty, he is astounded by the fact that you make no attempt in hiding your displeasure at having him around, but he doesn’t care.

He can’t. He’s never viewed as anything more but competition. Plain and simple.

“I think you’ll fit in with the team quite well,” Noonan seems to be ending some sort of welcome speech.

“Thank you very much, madam ambassador.”

Javier catches your eyes and sucks his cheeks in, making sure you know he’s just as unpleasantly surprised as you might expect him to be. He can’t let a pretty figure with shiny hair, a mouthful on her distract him from his mission. No matter how curious he might’ve once been from a physical point of view, he’s making a promise just as he keeps eye contact with you walking away with Steve: he won’t let your presence there disrupt his life in any way.

You won’t make or break him.

Not this time.

next 

[eideticmemory]

TWO GHOSTS | MATTHEW G. GUBLER

It’s been 15 years. 15 years has to be long enough . . . right?

Set 15 years after the end of Ever Since New York, so give that a read first!

Word Count: 3.1k.

Warning: Usual angst, porn, and poor communication amongst characters.

SOUNDTRACK:

Maps - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Stop the World, I Wanna . . . - Artic Monkeys

Space Song - Beach House

May 16, 2002.

New York City, New York.

“[y/n] . . .” Claire whispered. “Honey, c’mon . . . just, try to sit up.”

You couldn’t. You just, couldn’t. It was as if your entire body was filled to the brink with sand — coarse, wet, heavy sand — and it was weighing you down, keeping you anchored to Claire’s bed. Your head rested in her lap, and your fist gripped, tightly, onto the fabric of her jeans — which were stained with your tears. Her hand ran along your spine, and her arm wrapped around you, protectively. She wanted to shield you, she wanted to keep you safe, happy. She wanted to distract you from your luggage laid out on the floor.

But, the pressure of her body, coddling you, God, it just hurt. Everything hurt, and you couldn’t get it to stop, and you couldn’t stop sobbing, ugly sobbing, snot running down your lips.

“Cl—Claire . . .” you whined. “I . . . I . . .” your hand flew to your mouth, muffling a loud and painful sob that echoed throughout the room.

“I know, I know . . .” she cooed, kissed the top of your head, and ran her hand over your hair. “It’s okay, don’t try to talk, just rest.”

Claire held you, all day and all night on May 16, 2002. She held you until you lost your voice, until you cried yourself to sleep, and after that, she still held you.

Because it was May 16, 2002.

And May 16, 2002 was day one without Matthew Gubler.

After crying yourself to sleep that morning, you awoke alone in Claire’s bedroom that night. You rubbed your tired and sore eyes, and sat up, surprised to see the sun had gone down. Your mouth felt dry, and your throat was sore. Claire had left you a bottle of water, and you chugged it in one gulp. You stood from the bed, slowly and groggily, stumbling your way through the boxes of clothes, and decorations that Claire hadn’t even put up yet.

You wandered aimlessly into the bathroom, and switched on the light. You didn’t recognize yourself in the mirror. Only a faint resemblance of what you looked like that morning, before the airport, before the tears.

You had dressed up. Did your makeup. And now, your clothes were wrinkled, and your face was smeared with mascara. You looked miserable, you felt miserable, you were miserable.

Claire walked in just as another tear rolled down your cheek. You looked at her reflection, and saw she was eyeing you, sadly.

“Hey,” she attempted to smile. She stepped over to you and held onto your shoulders, catching you as you fell back, dramatically, into her arms.

“Hey, hey, look at me,” she whispered. You hiccuped as you looked in the mirror, making eye contact with her. “It’s just day one . . .” she said. “It’s just . . . day one.”

And it’s true, what everyone says: one day turns into one month, and one month turns into one year.

And one year turns into one decade.

October 13, 2017.

New York City, New York.

Today, is Friday the thirteenth.

Day 5,629 without Matthew Gubler.

And somehow, someway, you feel just as stuck, and frozen, and scared shitless as you did on day one.

You haven’t felt this way in a very long time, though. And of all the days, of all the nights, to feel like this, to be stuck and frozen and scared . . . tonight is not the night.

A knock rings at the dressing room door, startling you from your thoughts. You cleared your throat, and found yourself, once again, focused on your reflection.

You know this person. You’ve spent 5,629 days growing into this person. And y’know what? She’s fucking hot.

“[y/n]!” Another knock follows.

“I’m coming!”

“When?”

“Ramona, I will fire you, and trust me, I really need an assistant!” You shout, fixing your dress in the mirror once again.

“Oh, yeah, right. Then who would make your coffee and make sure you’re on time?” she replied. “. . . You’re late!”

“Okay!” You stumbled to the door in your heels, flung it open, putting your hand on your hip.

“Wow . . .” Ramona said, nearly speechless. “You look . . . hot.”

“That is not how you speak to your boss, dude,” you laughed. “You really think I look hot?”

“Marshmallows on an open fire, smoking, kind of hot.” She winks.

You chuckle, “Thanks, I needed that. Walk with me.”

“Okay, um,” she starts, walking beside you as you strut down the hall. “Hair and makeup are gonna take care of you in no less than thirty minutes, that gives you, approximately, two minutes to get into the studio.”

“Two minutes?” You stop in your tracks. “That’s it?”

She can’t help but grin, just a little, “Told you you were late.”

You scoffed, “Okay, so are we shooting when I step into the studio?”

“Yep!”

“Great . . .” you sigh, walking over to the cosmetic chair.

“But, hey, you’re the big boss, they can’t film without you.”

“Yeah, except big boss told everyone we’re filming at seven sharp, and big boss probably won’t even be ready at seven sharp!” You ramble.

“Okay . . .” Ramona nods, slowly. “Are ever gonna tell me why you’re so nervous about tonight, or . . ?”

“Uh, why am I nervous about a major, televised, celebrity event that I not only put together myself, but choreographed?” You rambled. “I don’t know, pick a reason!”

“Wow . . .” She says. “As valid as all those reasons are, I think something else is going on and I will find out, so you might as well spill.”

“Can’t talk!” You pip. “Getting my makeup done! Tell them I’ll be in at seven.”

You exhaled deeply the minute Ramona stepped away, closing your eyes. Not opening them until your hair was done perfectly, and the makeup artist added her final touches.

You, once again, came face to face with your reflection.

“[y/n]!”

But you didn’t have time to process it.

“[y/n], cameras are rolling, thirty seconds to seven.”

Of all the days, of all the nights, you tell yourself, looking into the mirror, to feel like this, to be stuck and frozen and scared . . . tonight is not the night.

“[y/n]!”

Because you are the big boss now.

Your purple dress — perfectly matched to the NYU logo — hugs your body tightly as you walk across the floor, the hem splayed over feet, which are covered in tall, silver heels. The clack of your shoes silences everyone as you walk by. Everyone, except for Ramona, who steps in before you can enter the studio.

She clips an NYU pin to your dress, “For good luck,” she smiles.

“3, 2, 1 . . . rolling.”

You enter the studio, and the room fills with a flood of “oooooh!” from each and every one of your students. The camera pans over their faces as you walk across the hardwood floor, smiling at them, laughing at their expressions. Their jaws are dropped, hands clutched over their chests.

“[y/n]! Holy shit!”

“Hey!” You laugh. “Language! We’re rolling!”

“You look great!”

“Thank you, how are you all?” You ask.

“Nervous, thanks for asking.” They all laugh.

“You guys will be fine, I’m an excellent teacher,” you giggle.

“Damn right, but are you sure you can’t hold our hands while we’re on stage? Just for a little bit?”

“Big babies!” You shake your head. “You’re ready. Signals from off camera indicated a time crunch, and you quickly brought the group together for a big hug.

It’s been a long time coming. Tonight. Or, as printed on all invitations and promotional materials:

New York University’s 2017 Celebrity Alumni Event: In Support of the Ballet class of 2017.

Coordinated and Choreographed by [y/n] [y/l/n], executive producer and star of the hit reality show, New York Best and Ballet.

Big boss.

The camera follows you as you exit the studio, walk down the hall, “They’re gonna kill it,” you smile into the lense. “I know it.”

All you can think about is the blatant, gross hypocrisy. The way you’re completely, beyond a shadow of doubt, confident in your students and their ability to pull this off.

And you can’t even say the same thing about yourself.

With the cameras off of you, you put your hand against the wall, and steady yourself. Ramona walks up to you, walking along your side. “Got you a water, you should stay hydrated tonight.”

You give her an appreciative look, taking the bottle of water and standing up straight, “Is it too early to start drinking?”

“I guess not, guests are starting to arrive.”

“Holy shit, already?” You gasp.

“You did plan this thing, right?”

“Ugh,” you huff, dramatically rolling your eyes.

“You’re expected in the ballroom, a margarita will be waiting for you at the bar.” Ramona grins.

You continue down the hallway, as she watches you walk away, a crew of people following behind you.

“[y/n]!” Ramona calls.

You turn to her, stopping in your steps.

“Marshmallows on an open fire, smoking, kinda hot,” she smiles.

You laugh, out loud, and give her a nod. Then, you continue on your way downstairs.

More people had already arrived than you thought. The ballroom was packed, covered by a sea of people, tables, cameras and crew meandering through the crowd to catch every ounce of footage they could. You were filmed as you walked down the steps, passing the stage and stepping onto the floor with a grand smile.

“Pretty good turn out, huh?” You chuckled, beaming at the camera as you branch out to greet your guests.

This helps.

The smiles, the laughs, the presence of people that support you and your program enough to show up, pay a lot of money, and witness the magic of NYU ballet in all its glory. The light highlights the brightness of your smile, the glow around you in your element. Your chuckle echoing around the room, as you coasted from table to table, person to person, thanking them for coming.

Reconnections were made, stories were told, and retold, and thoughts of college had you blushing on the spot. You’re so lost in the whirlwind of energy, of being the proper hostess, and managing everything in sight, you didn’t notice that an hour had passed.

Until a crew member taps you on the shoulder, and tells you it’s five minutes to show time.

“Excuse me,” you nod, removing yourself from your current conversation and heading backstage.

You blow kisses to the band of nervous students, give them two thumbs up as cameras trailed behind you. “And . . . you’re on, [y/n].”

You stand up straight, hand your margarita off to a crew member, take in a deep breath. And walk. You march up to the podium, the bright lights beating down on you as you stand in front of the large crowd.

“Hello, everybody, welcome!” You announce, bringing the room to a gentle silence. “Thank you all so much for being here. I’m [y/n] [y/l/n], director and head of the ballet department here at New York University.”

You become flustered at the wave of applause, cheering the crowd and backstage. “Thank you, thank you so much. As a NYU alumni, there is truly nothing that makes me happier than to teach this extraordinary class of students. They’re focused, they’re determined, incredibly talented, and the best of the best. So, without further ado, I present to you the NYU ballet class of 2017, presenting a remastered rendition of their first performance in 2014.”

You exited the stage, the curtain behind you shielding the students that were already positioned in place. You stood backstage, watching them on screen, with your hands bound against your chest. The curtain was drawn, the music kicked up, and they went.

They move effortlessly, dare you say it . . . perfectly. In sync, and with a wide range of motion that rolled without a hitch. The crowd watched in awe, and you were right there along with them. Cameras focus on your face as you’re entranced by the class, and so immensely proud.

“They’re incredible,” you beam. “Aren’t they amazing?”

The full set took about half an hour, and when the curtain flies down, closing dramatically, you jump up and down, and run over to the group of kids who couldn’t wait to see you. The joy can be felt through the lense of every camera trained on you.

Their energy and excitement is putting you on cloud nine. Your own adrenaline is rushing, and pumping in your ears.

You let your guard down. You hand out kisses and hugs left and right, and step back in the crowd on a high, head empty, no thoughts. No feelings except for happiness and pride.

“That was incredible, [y/n], absolutely incredible.”

“Wonderful show!”

You were saying thank you faster than you could hear the accolades, caught in a rush of people passing you by.

You turn to see your students trailing behind you, shaking hands as they’re showered in praise. You grin at them, entirely consumed with elation by their looks of satisfaction, of relief, of relaxation and accomplishment.

You let your guard down.

You got comfortable.

“[y/n]!”

You let yourself slip.

“[y/n], [y/n]!” A hand is placed on your shoulder, causing you to turn around, a smile still plastered across your face.

“You know Matthew, right?” Your co-producer asked. “You guys graduated the same year?”

You nearly collide with him. You stop on the toe of your heels, and come to a screeching halt. Your eyes connect like magnets, the pull is strong and intense. Your breath catches in your throat, you smile fading along with your breath. You instantly begin to sweat under the light of the cameras, your skin heating up, your hands shaking.

“U—u—uh,” you stutter. “Yes! Hi!”

“Hi, [y/n]!” He exclaims, happily, opening his arms to give you a hug.

“Oh!” You gasp as he pulls you into his chest.

And he smells, so good. He’s grown, and it feels different holding his tall frame in your arms. But the embrace is quick, and brief, and he holds your shoulders in his palms as he speaks to you, “The show was amazing, blew me away!”

You’re expected to talk. You’re expected to breathe. But you’re left speechless by the scruff lining his jaw, the curl atop his head, the suit shaping his body, and topped off with a jet black bow tie.

“Thank you, thank you,” you ramble. “Thanks for coming, um, let’s catch up later,” you nod, to which he politely nods back, and clears a path for you to walk on by.

You let your guard down.

And now you can’t seem to catch your breath.

Your feet were killing you by the end of the night. You didn’t get to take a proper seat — without the cameras, and the crew, and the crowd, until nearly ten o’clock at night. As you were trying to regroup, Ramona found you hiding away in your dressing room, halfway asleep.

“[y/n]?” she taps your shoulder. You groggily lift your head, and look to her, “There’s a car waiting for you out back. It can take you home or to the hotel across the street. What do you think?”

“Mm,” you hum. “Hotel. Hotel is fine.”

The Lillian Hotel had been acquired specifically for tonight’s event. A cozy room, with an even cozier bed was waiting for you, calling your name. And after tonight, after day 5,629, it’s all you can think about.

You give Ramona a quick hug, and thank her for everything before you sneak out of the building. You take the back exit, avoiding an entanglement of people and paparazzi.

The atmosphere of the elegant hotel was much calmer. You were given the key to your room, and you turned on your heels to head to the elevators. Your shoes created an echo against the tile, and the sound suddenly silenced when you saw him. Waiting for the elevator.

“Matthew?” You call, timidly. The courage comes out of nowhere, flies out of your chest before you can catch it in your throat.

He stops in his tracks, and turns to you, holding the strap of his bag. “Hey!” he grins.

You give him a shy smile, as you let out a dry laugh and step closer to him.

His eyes darken, not noticeably, but just a little. He looks down at you, and you look up at him, and all you can say is . . .

“Matthew . . .” you clear your throat. “Thank you for coming tonight, and supporting the program, and for . . . being so professional about everything, I know it . . . couldn’t have been easy, I really appreciate it.”

His eyebrows furrow, only for a second, and his face almost goes blank. He looks down at his shoes, taps his foot as his mind swirls with words to say. But all he can is chuckle. Laugh.

“I knew you were gonna do this,” he says.

You tilt your head, “Do what?”

“This . . . think . . . think that what I did today had anything to do with you.”

“I—“ you stutter. “Okay . . .”

“I came tonight to see friends, to catch up, to visit New York. And I knew I would see you, and I knew . . . I knew you’d, I don’t know, expect me to fall to my knees the second I saw you. I can’t do that . . . I, personally, see no reason to do that. I acted professional, because I am professional, not to cushion your feelings.”

And although, he’s changed, he’s grown, he’s matured, and he’s a completely different person than when you saw him last, Matthew Gubler still knows how to make a dramatic exit.

He turns away from you and continues down the hall, boarding the elevator without looking back at you. You — who’s paralyzed, stuck, scared shitless. Standing in the foyer of the hotel lobby, wondering why you’re unable to move, to breathe, to keep your eyes from misting.

And back to day zero.

You knew for sure that you’d struggle to sleep. That Matthew’s word would eat at your gut and brain like a parasite, haunting you, rattling around your head. But, the second your head hits the pillow, you were out like a light.

And you dreamt of him instead.

The way he was 15 years ago.

The way he made you feel.

Bing, bing, bing!

“Huh!” You jolt awake, spasming out of your sleep violently. Suddenly, the sun had risen again, and it was burning your eyes through the windows.

Bing, bing, bing!

“What the—“ You sit up, rub your face, and anxiously search for your phone, wondering why you were being called so early in the morning.

Ramona’s name flashed upon the screen, and you swiped to accept her call. “Hello?”

“[y/n] . . .”

“Ramona . . .” you slur.

“Have you checked twitter this morning?”

“Tw — no? No, it’s . . . seven in the morning, of course I haven’t checked Twitter.”

“Check it.”

“Ra—“

“Check it!” She shouts.

You groan, and navigate to the Twitter app. “Oh . . . oh, I’m trending . . . that’s good, right?”

“Yeah, uh-huh, check who you’re trending with . . .”

“Okay . . .”

Clicking on your name, you instantly sat forward, your eyes going wide, “NO!”

TAGLIST:

@muffin-cup

@pinkdiamond1016

@ncsls0515

@spencersbed

@safertokiss

[rosecaffelatte]

Big Sister Kawanishi

⸺ headcanons and a drabble

It has come to my attention that Taichi has a big sister, thank you @whitesoda​. With my lifelong experience as a little sister, I bring you some headcanons and a little story (1.7k) about how the VBC met Kawanishi’s sister for the first time...

Taichi’s sister is about 5-6 years older than him which means that she’s a grown-ass lady

also means that she has already moved out of their parents’ home for university

let me tell you something

She.

Is.

Gorgeous. 

and she knows it

in high school, used people who she knew they had a crush on her for things like giving her and her friends rides, buying her food and drinks, sharing their homework with her, etc.

because why waste the power her looks have given her

not uncommon for her to be approached by modeling scouts while strolling through the shopping district

but she always declined or rather her parents because school always come first

however, after moving out where her parents don’t have as much control over her as they used to, it didn’t take that long to get another opportunity for some quick modeling gigs which she gladly accepted

it was short-lived financial independence because her lectures kept her more than busy, so she immediately quit after the first week of lectures

her major? Economics. Yes, a mean-heavy field of study but she cannot deny her love for mathematics. Also, understanding and researching the complexity of economic relationships, discussing macroeconomic aspects, and analyzing decision-making behavior, markets and prices at a microeconomic level intrigue her

you guessed it, Dateko alumni 

back then, their age difference never posed a problem. You saw her and Taichi playing together at home, going to the playground, playing with the other kids in the neighborhood where age didn’t matter anyway

and yet, as the years go by, their age difference became more evident when Taichi entered elementary school because around that time is when puberty hit his then 13-year-old sister and boiii was it an annoying and stressful time for the entire family

not answering her phone but making so many phone calls with her cellphone that her monthly bill added up to 7,500 Yen, sneaking out to parties and not coming home until 2 am, drinking, smoking, keeping her relationships a not very well guarded secret, bleaching her hair to a color you achieve with thick Asian hair after one session (toner? in 2005? AHAHAHAHAHA good one)

you can already imagine all the fights between her and their parents

they actually feared that Taichi could become another textbook example of a teenage rebel... for absolutely no reason haha

this image of the older sibling taking care and protecting their little one? Yeah no, not in this household

it was literally embarrassing for her to be seen with her little brother which little Taichi, who used to be the personification of sunshine and full of life energy as a child, never understood, even though her friends always loved it when little Taichi came into her bedroom

their relationship became more distant after Taichi’s 14th birthday when he slowly became... Taichi. Very kept to himself, not very talkative, something very annoying to his sister who is the complete opposite of him: very outgoing, always has to add her 2 cents, full of temper, loves to be the center of attention

and yet, after spending some time living on her own and making it until the last year of her bachelor’s program, his sister finally has her life under control and for a hold or herself

she became a mature lady who also puts effort into rebuilding her relationship with her little brother which Taichi notices

well, as good as she can: now that both of them don’t live at their parent’s home anymore, it’s kind of difficult

but when it’s a weekend where she can make it back home, she tries to take the earliest train in the morning, just after the sun starts to rise to get the most out of her few free days

while everyone is still out for work and school, she cleans the house, runs errands, and cooks food before her parents come home in the afternoon

which means that the family car is available in the evening

time for a detour...

“So, who wants ice cream? Satori’s treat!” announces Yamagata. It’s Friday and they just finished their daily training.

“Hey!” The redhead dramatically turns around. “I paid last time!” he protests.

“Yeah but you ‘forgot’ to bring your wallet, so I had to fill in, remember?” explains Semi mildly irritated.

“Oh, I totally forgot!” The slap to his forehead loudly echoes across the locker room. “Thank you for your kindness, Eitan~” he sings and flutters his eyelids.

“Another nickname?” Semi shoots a clearly annoyed glance at his friend but he is already skipping to the shower room.

The underclassmen are trying their hardest to stifle their giggle, even though Semi or the other seniors wouldn’t react negatively. They do, however, pack their things without showering since it takes too long to wait for all the third-graders to finish first and just go take a quick shower in the communal shower a few hundred meters away from the locker room.

“So no ice cream for you guys?” asks Reon.

All of the underclassmen politely decline the invitation, mostly because they have to catch the train to go home. It’s already 5.40 pm. In the end, it was only the third graders who want to go out, much to Tendou's wallet’s joy.

“You’re going home too, right, Taichi?”Ushijima asks before he pulls his jersey over his head and throws it into the laundry basket near the entrance to the showers. No manager means that they have to take care of washing their jerseys, bibs, and jackets themselves.

“Uh, yes...” Kawanishi stammers, wondering how he’d know.

Seeing his confused expression, Ushijima explains, “Well, I have noticed that you’ve been going home a lot more frequently in the last few weeks.” He takes another towel out of his locker and looks over to his teammates. “Then have a nice weekend,” he wishes before vanishing behind the bathroom doors as well. With the other boys, Kawanishi bids his farewell.

⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ

“BUAHAHAHA!! Eita, you always amaze me with your fashion sense!” Tendou throws back his head and lets out a loud laugh.

“Shut up,” Semi mutters. After club activities, they all went to their dorms to quickly change out of their uniform. I mean, who wants to go out in their school uniform on a Friday evening?

“Well, it’s too late to change anyway–“

“Hey!”

“–so we should get going now. To the train station!” Tendou announces, posing with one hand on his hip and dramatically pointing to the sky until he notices that the others already went ahead of him. “Hey! Wait for me!”

“Isn’t that Taichi over there at the gate?” Yamagata asks. There’s indeed a tall figure, standing at the gates with a backpack slung over one shoulder.

“It is. We should call for him, so we can go together to the train station,” Ushijima proposes.

The others agree and nod. Yamagata raises his hand to wave at him and yelled, “Hey Taichi! Let’s–” but suddenly stops in his tracks.

All of them notice and turn around. “Hayato? What is it?” Semi asks, confused. No answer. He even waves his hand in front of his face but no reaction. Mouth still wide agape, eyes fixed on whatever turned him into a statue. Instead of waiting for a response they’d probably never get, the boys follow his gaze and turn around. And, oh boy, you wish you were here.

The sight in front of them triggers a different reaction in each and every one of them. If it were possible, Yamagata’s jaw would drop to the ground. Semi chokes on his own saliva and starts to cough while Reon pats him on his back out of reflex. However, his gaze is still fixed on the mysterious woman, standing next to their underclassman. Even Ushijima is floored by her beauty and just stands there with his eyes widened. Tendou is the only one who interrupts their silence with a quiet “Holy shit...”

The woman may look short at first but considering that she’s standing next to Taichi, she must be at least 180 cm. Her brownish strawberry blonde hair is curled into big locks that are so healthy and shiny that you can see it reflecting the sun from a mile away. She obviously spent some time on her looks. Her makeup was minimized to eyeliner, mascara, and bright cherry-red lipstick. You can see the silver jewelry sparkling under her hair when she moves around. Just as red as her lipstick is her thin bomber jacket that loosely hangs from her shoulders, exposing the black ribbed top that really emphasizes her... bosom. The tight skinny jeans also compliment her figure and perfectly hug her curves.

With a cheeky grin on her face, she plays with the car keys and talks to Taichi who, on the other hand, looks rather annoyed and nervous as if he’s about to get caught for something.

“Why are you here?”

“What? Can’t I pick up my little brother, so we can drive home together?” she chuckles. She’s fully aware of the glances from the girls and boys who walk past them, so does Taichi. She fully enjoys all the attention but doesn’t show it. Only someone who lived with her for over 10 years under the same roof, knows better.

However, both of them heard Yamagata calling for him, so they interrupt their conversation and look at Taichi’s teammates. It is Ushijima who first gets a grip of himself.

“Walk.”

Out of every person in this world, why them?

If avoidable, Taichi prefers not to be the center of attention but with a literal light buoy next to him, this proves to be slightly difficult.

The closer the seniors get to the couple, the clearer they get to see her beauty, taking away their breath. The woman turns her cheeky grin into a warm smile.

“Well, hey! Do you know Taichi?”

Semi, Reon, Tendou, and Yamagata can only stammer out a shy “hey” and nervous laugh.

“Hello. We play in the same team as Taichi. Nice to meet you.” They’re so glad that they have Ushijima speaking for them.

“Oh yeah, volleyball! It is my pleasure. I’m Taichi’s older sister. Thank you for taking care of him. I hope he doesn’t cause you any trouble.” Her laugh makes the legs of four of the five upperclassmen weak like jello.

It is as if their brains are all connected because, at this moment, they only have one thought:

That is Taichi’s sister? They’re related?!

The faint hint of shock in their faces does not escape Taichi’s notice.

Great. Now I’m the guy with the hot sister. I don’t even wanna know what they’re thinking right now...

“Not at all,” Ushijima responds calmly. Apparently, he has overcome the initial shock of meeting a literal model in real life.

“Well, we don't want to hold you up any longer, so we’ll get going. Maybe I can make it to your next game!”

“We look forward to seeing you.”

She waves them goodbye and walks off the school grounds with Taichi following her closely after he nods his teammates goodbye who absentmindedly wave back, except for Ushijima.

The siblings haven’t even gone off a few meters when the sister said a bit too loud, “Let’s go, Taipi. I parked the car a few streets away from here.”

As soon as she finished her first sentence, her brother speeds up to her. When looking up, she sees Taichi, giving her the evil eye. He slightly bends down and says with a very calm voice, “I will tell mom how you always took money out of her purse for you know what.”

You might think that wouldn’t scare any grown-ass adult who already moved out and lives on her own, right? Well... not if you need the family car to go out that night.

“I’ll give you 1,000 Yen.”

A snobbish laugh escapes Taichi’s mouth.

“2,000 Yen.”

Taichi proceeds to take out his phone to dial their mom’s number.

“What do you need so much money for?! I need it to survive, you know?” she argues.

“So I don’t live on my own either?”

“What are you talking about?! Everything is paid for you!”

“And dad doesn’t pay the rent of your apartment and gives you money for food or what?”

In defeat, his sister clicks her tongue and takes 2,000 Yen out of her purse which Taichi gladly accepts.

“If you pull off another move like that from before, it’ll be double the amount,” he adds.

She just rolls her eyes. “Whatever. Got enough money.”

After they finally arrive at the parking lot, they get into the car. As they drive off, Taichi’s stomach rumbles.

“What’s for dinner?”

“Your favorite food, Sukiyaki. Thought I’d do something nice for you but I guess that was the last time,” she jokes.

“Well maybe don’t call me by that stupid nickname in front of my teammates,” Taichi snarls.

She takes her eyes off the road and looks over to the passenger seat. Eyebrow raised, she asks, “What? Do they bully you? Do you want me to do something? I know some–“

“No, it’s just normal teasing under guys,” he interrupts. He’s so tired from training that he’s leaning his head against the window with his eyes closed. He’s not much of a big eater but after a training session under Coach Washijo, his body is always craving carbs.

His sister looks at him a bit longer, making sure he’s telling her the truth. “Okay. But if one of them ever starts anything, tell me.”

No answer. Taichi has already dozed off. But he doesn’t need to hear that: he knows that his sister will be there for him when times are tough.

⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ

Meanwhile, at the train station, the four boys have just passed the gates and are heading to their platform. They haven’t spoken a word since the siblings left.

Semi is the first one to speak, “Taichi’s sister, uh... she’s really... beautiful.”

“Hot,” corrects Yamagata.

“Flaming hot,” adds Tendou.

“Cheeto.” That deserves Yamagata a finger gun snap from Tendou.

“You guys think Taichi’s adopted?”

Semi furrows his eyebrows in confusion. “What are you talking about? They obviously look related!”

“In which universe, Eita?” Tendou objects. “They don’t look related at all. She’s way too hot! You think so too, right, Wakatoshi?” Tendou turns to their captain who has been quietly letting his friends have their discussion.

Everyone stops. They slowly recall the moment they caught sight of Taichi’s sister: even Ushijima turned into a pillar of salt. The image of their rather stoic friend, who is obviously lacking emotional intelligence and apparently any emotion at all, acting like a normal high school student? Crushing on someone and losing his coolness?

“She’s...” He hesitates. A very interesting sign of which everyone takes note. All of them take one step forward, eagerly waiting for his response. Their intense stares urge Ushijima to answer.

“They have the same nose.”

Silence, followed by a common loud sigh.

“There’s our train.” Ushijima is the first walk towards the white line.

Disappointed, they all follow him to the door of the approaching train.

Somehow, the moment they enter the train wagon, everyone knows that this would be the only time they’d ever speak about Taichi’s sister.

Af if telepathically connected, they make a pact in their head with each other to never speak about her again, not only to prevent an awkward atmosphere during club activities next week but also to save their face which they definitely lost while staring at their underclassman’s sister like some brainless Neanderthals right in front of said underclassman.

[nerdygaymormon]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints put out a list of examples showing religious freedom is being challenged or curtailed. Each example is losing the freedom to discriminate against LGBTQ people without consequence. Seems this is what the Church has reduced what religious freedom means.

I thought knowing more about each example the Church listed would be useful to understand the multiple kinds of situations the Church thinks queer people should be discriminated against. 

The Obama administration issued a policy to forbid federal contractors from refusing to hire homosexuals, the president of Gordon College signed onto a letter seeking a religious exemption and this led to a lot of criticism from alumni and students. As a result, the accrediting agency requested a review of the school’s conduct policy “to ensure that the college’s policies and processes are non-discriminatory and that it ensures its ability to foster an atmosphere that respects and supports people of diverse characteristics and backgrounds, consistent with the commission’s standards for accreditation.” While the accrediting agency said Gordon College’s accreditation wasn’t in danger, the College agreed to launch a campus taskforce on human sexuality to identify protocol improvements in on-campus living, education, and campus to “demonstrate greater pastoral sensitivity on issues surrounding human sexuality.”

The chief of Atlanta’s fire department wrote a book in which he referred to homosexuality as "unclean," "a sexual perversion," "vulgar" and "inappropriate." The mayor fired the chief and the chief took the city to court and lost a half dozen legal arguments, the city only lost on its pre-clearance rules for outside employment. The court said the fire chief’s status made it "not unreasonable for the city to fear" his views might cause "public erosion of trust in the fire department."

The Hastings College of the Law had a nondiscrimination policy that required recognized student organizations to "allow any student to participate, become a member, or seek leadership positions in the organization" regardless of the beliefs or status of that student. The Christian Legal Society (CLS) violated the policy by requiring students who join to “agree with its statement of beliefs about God and adhere to its standards of sexual conduct.” CLS took the school to court, and the US Supreme Court ruled against CLS and said the school was treating all student groups equally.

A lesbian from Oceanside, California was treated for infertility at the only clinic in her area that accepted her insurance. The 2 physicians at the clinic refused to perform artificial insemination because they claimed such treatment to an unmarried person violated their Christian religious beliefs. The lesbian took the clinic to court for violating the state’s Civil Rights law that prohibits businesses from discriminating on the basis of sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, and ethnicity. The state supreme court ruled unanimously in favor of the lesbian. 

New York City was worried about violating the US Constitution’s Establishment Clause, and therefore prohibited holding worship services in the City's public schools. The Bronx Household of Faith had been meeting in the pastor’s dining room and was finding it too expensive to lease a space and applied to rent a school building on Sundays. The courts upheld the City’s ban, the US Supreme Court refused to accept the case and let the ruling stand. Since then, the city has decided to allow religious groups to rent school buildings on the weekend.

A graduate student in Eastern Michigan State University’s counseling program was assigned a client who’d previously been counseled about a gay relationship. The grad student notified her supervisor she couldn’t counsel him because of her religious beliefs. EMU’s counseling program adheres to the ACA Code of Ethics, which requires not discriminating against clients on the basis of “age, culture, disability, ethnicity, race, religion/spirituality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status/partnership, language preference, socioeconomic status or any basis proscribed by law.” The student refused to to work with the university to resolve the issue and was kicked out of the program. Due to the publicity, the state of Michigan passed a bill to let students refuse to counsel or serve a client if it conflicts with heir sincerely held religious belief if the student refers the client to a counselor who will provide the counseling or services.

Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children is the state’s largest provider of services to children in crisis, which includes providing homes to abused, abandoned, or neglected children. An employee was fired when her coworkers discovered photos of her with her lesbian partner at the Kentucky State Fair. In response to the firing, 5 employees resigned, and the social work programs from Spalding University and University of Louisville withdrew their students from working with them. The fired employee sued but lost, however, the lawsuit has led to the state requiring faith-based groups that contract with the state to not pressure children in their care to participate in religious services and to give religious materials only to those who want them.

Yeshiva University is a private Jewish university in New York City, about 80% of the undergraduate student populations live on campus. Two lesbian students sued the university for barring same-sex couples from living in its subsidized, on-campus married-student housing. New York City’s civil-rights law prohibits discrimination based on personal characteristics, such as race, age, gender and sexual orientation. Yeshiva required a marriage certificate and at the time New York State didn’t legally recognize gay marriage. However, the state supreme court ruled that Yeshiva violated New York City's ban on sexual orientation discrimination. Yeshiva now allows all couples in the dorm.

[tearsofthemis]

Tears of Themis : Chapter 2 “Unbearable Love“ Part 4

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▌Location- Stellis University Campus

(I was swamped with work until Saturday and completely forgot about Mo Yi’s invitation. When Sunday came and I woke up without the harsh sounds of my alarm, I suddenly remembered my plans with Mo Yi.)

MC: “I forgot to tell him that I’m coming, I wonder if I’ll be able to bump into Dr. Mo.”

(I took out my phone and started browsing through the art exhibition’s introduction while walking toward Stellis University’s exhibition gallery.)

MC: “The PAX Group is the sponsor for this art exhibit. No wonder there are so many priceless works of art on display. Rembrandt’s ‘Night Watch,’ Cezanne’s ‘The Card Players’...”

(Suddenly, a news notification popped up on my phone and prevented me from reading further. “The next Madam PAX candidate revealed, famous designer Shen Xi and young CEO Lu in a love to death relationship!”)

MC: “Ugh whichever annoying app is sending me such useless gossip news, consider yourself uninstalled.”

(After I deleted the app, another notification popped up. “Famous actor Li Zhou visits a private clinic late at night with a mysterious woman. More to come this Monday!”)

MC: “They already had to visit a clinic, and even then these news outlets won’t give people their privacy… Ah!”

(Darkness filled my vision as I was enveloped by a hot and cold breeze. It was a gentle feeling, yet cold cold to the touch like a fleeting moment in time.)

???: “Xiao jiejie [1], watch where you’re going.”

(After hearing an irritating voice, I rubbed my sore nose and looked up to see a fashionably dressed man standing before me. His furrowed brows had a tinge of youth to them, and underneath the dappled sunlight shining through the trees, his deep indigo hair shone with flecks of navy blue. Was this the source of the cool scent from earlier? It sure doesn't match his fiery temperament, but you know what they say, “the nose knows.”)

???: “Oi, are you stable now? I’m gonna let go.”

MC: “Ah, I’m so sorry…”

(That’s when I realized he had steadied me by holding onto my arms. He must have warned me after noticing that I was wearing heels.)

???: “MC? A lawyer from Themis Law Firm?”

(He picked up my employee ID from off the ground and was looking at it curiously.)

???: “Your made an appearance on the news recently, so I’ve heard of your name.”

(I made it on the news? Ah, he must be talking about the QingPing Restaurant case.)

MC: “Sorry, I'm so sorry, I was looking at my phone and wasn’t paying attention.”

???: “Check your ankles, see if you’re hurt anywhere.”

(I tried putting weight on my ankles; there was nothing unusual.)

MC: “I’m alright. Thanks…”

(He held onto me a while longer, until he was sure I was alright, before pulling back. )

???: “As long as you’re alright. Here’s your ID, I’ll be going then.”

(I took back my work badge and was about to thank him for catching me when I noticed his cheeks were damp with sweat. His t-shirt and dress shirt were slightly wrinkled, and his necklaces were tangled together. Did he… run over here?)

MC: “Just now… it was you who bumped into me!”

(I was walking slower than usual while I was looking at my phone. If the other party wasn’t running over, then the chances of us colliding would have been pretty unlikely!)

???: “Haha, whoops, and here I was thinking that I had fooled you. You caught on quickly.”

MC: “You were in the wrong, and yet you dared to push the blame on me. How incorrigible! Are you a student at Stellis University?”

(He pulled out his student ID and waved it around up high as if he was trying to provoke me.)

???: “So what if I am? Do you want my student ID? So you can what, take it and tattle to my profs? Seems like I really shouldn’t tell you my name.”

MC: “...”

[Observe His Student ID]

MC: (Argh, wave it again, I dare you! It’s not like I’m going to go as far as to snatch it out of your hand. Even if you’re not afraid of looking childish, I am!)

[Observe His Hair]

MC: (Look at that hairstyle. Did he fix it himself with hair wax? So he cares about his appearance…)

???: “Why aren’t you saying anything, jiejie? You keep staring at me. Are you mesmerized by my handsome smile?”

MC: (C-cough!)

(Who gave you that much confidence. So narcissistic!) 

[Observe His Clothes]

MC: (That shirt is not particularly eye-catching, but it’s definitely from a trendy brand. It looks like his family’s well off. No wonder he's so… arrogant!)

[Talk to Him]

(Look at his evil grin which screams that he wants to start something. I really want to ask what...)

MC: “You’re a student? How old are you?”

???: “Don’t get upset at me. You weren’t watching where you were going as well. If you want me to take responsibility for the accident, the most I’ll accept is splitting the blame with you. Fifty-fifty.”

MC: “...”

(How did I… get into this predicament…)

???: “Oi, what are you doing at the university anyway? Are you here to see the art exhibition?”

MC: “Yeah, I’m headed to the exhibition hall.”

???: “How interesting, you’re sightseeing yet you have no idea where the exhibition hall is? You’re walking in the opposite direction.”

MC: “Don’t try to fool me again. I’m an alumni of Stellis University, how can I not know where the exhibition hall is? Unless you’re suggesting that the building grew legs and relocated itself.”

???: “Not relocated. A new one was built last year.”

MC: “A new building?”

???: “Yup, the school’s new art museum also doubles as Stellis City’s municipal exhibition hall.”

MC: (Ah… I must have buried my head too far into work. I’ve completely stopped paying attention to the changes in the outside world.)

???: “Forget it, I’ll just take you there myself. Consider this as my half of the payment for bumping into you.”

▌Location- Exhibition Hall

(Just like that, a nameless Stellis University student took me to the newly built exhibition hall. There weren't too many people gathered by the front doors, and from afar, I think I saw someone who resembled Mo Yi.)

(Almost as if that person sensed my gaze, he turned around and waved me over. It was Mo Yi.)

——-

T/N: [1] New character likes to call MC 姐姐, and although it technically translates to big sister, it doesn’t quite capture the meaning, thus we will be leaving it as jiejie. In Chinese, calling someone older than you by jiejie is a form of respect, as well as acknowledgement that they’re pretty. This is one of those because I’m addressing you as an elder (to me), I respect you as an elder (respect your elders rule). In some cases, it can also be used as flattery, for instance, when you call someone of an older generation (say in their 40-50s) as jiejie, it’s saying something along the lines of “Wow, you don’t look a day over 20″. Bonus points in their book! Although it has to be used appropriately. In the earlier instance, he calls MC 小姐姐 which literally translates to small big sister, which is a paradox, but it’s just to say like oh you’re older than me (probably) but you’re small and cute. There’s really no good way to translate these things. TLDR: 姐姐 cannot be fully translated well, so we’ll be leaving it as jiejie.

——-

[Previous Chapter] | [Masterlist] | [Next Part]

——-

《CREDIT》 Translator: @humi-and-co​​ Editor: @cL QC: @hallowsivy​ 《未定事件簿》Tears of Themis is a 2020 Chinese otome game by 米哈游Mihoyo. All original credits go to 米哈游Mihoyo.

《 VOICE ACTORS 》 ??? | Yang Tianxiang: https://weibo.com/u/1745507755

[kmp78]

Hey K👋 Great blog! What’s Carl Leto’s story exactly? He’a a dentist? As in rich and PAID for Jared’s EDUCATION? I thought they were dirt poor and none of them had degrees? Also what do u mean JL is peddling a rags to riches story? Isnt that true?!

Hi, anon! Thanks for reading. 👋

Well, JL (and SL) went to a few different schools in their childhood/teen years, and one of them was Emerson Preparatory School in Washington D.C.

And that school´s tuition fees are...

Well, a bit more than a single mom with on/off employment would be able to afford on her own! 👀

That´s a damn posh school!

As was Flint Hill School in Virginia which he also attended:

And seeing as Carl Leto officially adopted the boys, he would have been legally obligated to provide them with an education, aka pay the bills.

And while Carl Leto def would not have been a millionaire, as a doctor he certainly would have earned quite nicely indeed!

So yeah while in the very early years of JL´s life he, SL and Constance no doubt were poor and struggling to get by, their situation certainly improved immensely when CL married Carl - but that part very rarely gets any attention in JL´s "food stamps and the muddy banks of the Mississippi" stories... 🙄

And as far as JL´s claims of not graduating goes...

https://www.emersonprep.org/alumni-association

His former school seems to think they handed him a diploma! 🤔

[career-launcher-nagpur]

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[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

Since the beginning of the 2020 pandemic, I have been doing basically nothing with my hours that are not occupied by work (thankfully a job I can do from home) besides watch British comedy. So far there are four panel shows of which I’ve watched every single episode since March 2020: Taskmaster, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Catsdown, and WILTY.

I have decided I want to do a post about my favourite episode of all four of those shows, now that I have seen all of them and can have an informed opinion. Here’s the fourth one.

WILTY

Season/episode number: s07e04

Date it originally aired: May 24, 2013

Lineup: Mel Giedroyc and Dermot O'Leary on David Mitchell’s team, Matt Dawson and Josh Widdicombe on Lee Mack’s team, with Rob Brydon hosting

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4er8rBrelyw&t=751s

Why it’s my favourite: First of all, strong lineup. I confess that I didn’t know who two of the four guests were before this episode (and I still don’t really, although I’ve worked out that the guy who made out with Mel is involved in some way with one of the singing and/or dancing reality shows), but Mel and Josh are both so lovely that if you put them together on any show it’s going to be great. Taskmaster was the first panel show I watched back when I began all this in March, and WILTY was the next one. So at that point I hadn’t seen any of the other panel shows and didn’t recognize a lot of the guests who showed up on WILTY; seeing Josh and Mel, two of my favourite Taskmaster contestants, on the lineup made me excited for that episode. And that episode did not disappoint.

This episode was Josh’s first time on WILTY, and one of his first times on television. The Last Leg had just barely started at the time. He’d done a few Mock the Week episodes. I actually just checked his IMDB page to see how right I am to think he was quite new to television in May 2013 (the episode aired in May 2013 – it was presumably filmed a while before that), and he had done a bunch of one-off appearances on random other shows. But nothing recurring or establishing.

That’s relevant here because I thought that context made the episode more fun. For one thing, Josh was clearly having the absolute time of his life out there and it was just adorable to watch him be so excited to be there. But also, I think he’d been a non-television person recently enough so he was unusually relatable for an audience member who has not been on television. He seemed slightly star struck with everyone on the stage. Especially because being up there with Mel Giedroyc so clearly meant he was getting to work with his teenage crush. And, for some reason, give her his favourite underwear.

When they were trying to figure out who Mel made out with in the past, Josh immediately guessed David because he knew Mel and David were both Cambridge alumni. Then when Mel said it happened on a show where she worked in the ‘90s, Josh immediately knew she meant Late Lunch. Which is what I mean when I say it felt like watching an audience member who’d recently been promoted to panelist. The panelists don’t all know things like this about each other because no one memorizes their coworkers’ Wikipedia pages. That’s something you do if you’re a fan, especially if you grow up as a comedy fan who’s so into comedy that you want a career in it yourself so you learn all about your favourite comedians.

He also had one little comment that I loved in the “This is my” round. David claimed (falsely, of course) that the woman who went up there had once convinced him to let go when he was hanging from a diving board. The other panelists were giving arguments as to why they thought David would not have ended up in that situation. Josh was the one who said, “If David Mitchell had been hanging off a diving board, someone would have taken a photo and tweeted that.” That’s something I think all the time during people’s stories on WILTY! I often think someone should bring up the argument that, “Hang on, you’re a damn celebrity, you’re claiming that this weird thing happened to you in public, but your story involves people responding to you like normal and not like you’re a celebrity.”

Watching Josh do this show as stand-in for all the viewers who see those panelists as celebrities and not just as coworkers was a detail that made it delightful and memorable, and that made all the great jokes and great personalities on this episode even more fun to watch.

This episode had so many good elements. Mel. God, Mel just makes everything she does good. She’s so earnest and lovely and sweet. And effortlessly funny. I realize good comedy is less effortless than it looks (really, I guess any impressive talent is less effortless than it looks), so I guess I should say she’s apparently effortlessly funny. At one point a shot that showed us behind the desk revealed that she was barefoot, which is the only part of this episode that’s more adorable than Josh’s crush on her.

The three regulars (Lee/David/Rob), who are always great individually and great in their chemistry with each other, were at the top of their games that episode. Dermott, who I’m pretty sure is a reality TV person and not a comedian, fit in much better than a lot of non-comedians do on that show. He could banter with the best of them.

The stories were strong. Lee’s story about consoling the school snake was funny enough for me to enjoy it despite the fact that it gave me anxiety because I have such a bad phobia of snakes that I get freaked out just from hearing someone describe one. But he told that lie so well. David’s “This is my” story about the diving board had me lose my breath with laughter, as did Mel’s story about cutting her friend’s hair during a sleepover. Obviously, Josh’s underwear and Mel’s story of making out with someone in the ‘90s were fantastic.

Overall, in this episode, everyone seemed to be happy to be there and to be having a great time. I think the few weak episodes that happen in WILTY are ones where it feels like the people there (guests, captains, or host) are sort of going through the motions and their hearts aren’t completely in it. And it makes sense that some episodes will be like that; my heart sure as hell hasn’t been in every shift of work I’ve ever done. But this episode was the opposite of that.

I’ve mentioned before that that thing where Josh Widdicombe hears something funny and reacts to it by putting his hands together and having his eyes shine like an excited child - that is a nice thing. Such a nice thing. Anyway I just re-watched that episode and got as screenshot of that thing so I shall include it here.

Runner up: This is tough, but I think I’ll go with s05e02, because seeing Robert Webb on there with David was so much fun.

Honorable mentions: This is tough, but I am going to try to actually challenge myself slightly here and limit myself to three. S06e06 was a hell of an episode – Greg Davies, Richard Osman, and Bob Mortimer all together. All of Rhod Gilbert’s appearances on it have been absolute gold (Bob Mortimer and James Acaster rightly get talked about as WILTY guest royalty, but I think Rhod gets overlooked as someone with a life that’s clearly been tailor-made for that show), but s07e01 stands out as my favourite with him. Finally I think I have to go with s13e02, the one where Victoria Coren-Mitchell and David were on a team together. That’s leaving out a lot of good stuff, though. I at least feel the need to mention that Claudia Winkleman has also had fantastic stories as well as fantastic performances every time she’s been on. There are so many good episodes.

[uwmadarchives]

12-Week War Wonders

By: Gioia Spatafora (she/her/hers)

Ralph M. Waters Papers and the Wartime Mobilization of Anesthetists

The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Archives receives a wide range of reference questions each week. As the reference desk archivist, this means each day is full of variety and small mysteries to solve.  Sometimes that means shifting through the Board of Regents’ Faculty Employment Index to find the exact dates a former professor taught at UW. Or using the digitized Badger Yearbooks to find an image of someone’s family member during their undergraduate studies. Regardless of the difficulty of each individual question, it is a great way to get to know the collection and learn about the history of UW-Madison.

Recently, we were sent a question concerning a temporary medical program that trained anesthetists for the Second World War. The patron had read a 2013 article from the periodical, Anesthesiology (article information provided below), and was searching for more correspondence between Ralph M. Waters and one of the program’s participants. The article is well researched, and the citations are accurate. That said, locating specific correspondence in a 26 cubic foot collection can still be rather difficult[1]. As it turns out, this program has only two cubic feet specifically related to its history, but it is a wonderful example of academic innovation and the long-term impact of Badger alumni.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, anesthesiology became a program in the late 1920s and was led by Ralph M. Waters (1884 -1979)[2]. Waters, a member of the American Society of Anesthetists (ASA), recognized the need for more trained anesthesiologists in the United States and especially in the Medical Corps. To assist in filling this need, he created a program called the Wartime Mobilization of Anesthetists[3].  This was a twelve-week course intended to train doctors in anesthesia for use on the battle front. The program lasted for roughly one year and graduated seventeen doctors, several of whom continued to practice anesthesia after the war[4].  

While it currently takes four additional year of medical school to become trained as an anesthesiologist, the twelve-week course offered from 1942 to 1943 was intended to prepare doctors in a variety of techniques and with the obvious intent for low-morality rates. The Ralph M. Waters Papers house the Wartime Mobilization of Anesthetists papers, which includes information on the trainees and correspondence during the war[5].  The letters show the strong bond between Waters and his proteges throughout their efforts. They are full of shared goals and personal triumphs and detail the difficulties of war-zone anesthesiology. Waters was updated on their progress, helped gain them optimal field placements and provided copies of medical literature throughout the war.

The relevant letters were scanned and sent to the researcher. Not only was I glad to find the patron’s material for their research, but I was incredibly impressed with the success of such an aggressive medical program.

[1] BOX 5-7, 12/4/4. Ralph M. Waters papers, 1921-1971. UW-Madison Archives, Madison Wisconsin. Accessed July 2019.

[2] “About Us.” About Us - UWSMPH - Department of Anesthesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, anesthesia.wisc.edu/index.php?title=About_Us.

[3] Parks CL and Schroeder ME:  "Military Anesthesia Trainees in WWII at the Univ of Wisconsin"  Anesthesiology 2013;118:2019-27.

[4] Ibid.

[5] BOX 5-7, 12/4/4. Ralph M. Waters papers, 1921-1971. UW-Madison Archives, Madison Wisconsin. Accessed July 2019.

Images from UW-Madison Archives, Ralph M. Waters Collection, 12/4/4, Box 6, Folder 1.

[misteratl]

Thank you to @asuhornets (Alabama State University) and Ms. Hazel Scott for the amazing interview and alumni spotlight. Check out the article with the link below , I discuss my new children's book and other future projects. Thank you again ASU 🙏📚♥️ - . #MyASU #AlumniSpotlight #newchildrensbook #Brushlikejake #henrykdaviesjr #Henrytheauthor #Blessed - https://www.alasu.edu/dental-hygiene-focus-alumnuss-new-childrens-book?fbclid=IwAR2qDa5NBwBkDpbfbfqrMN_mjL-tmaS0ujb2Esny-61zPB_TdiM5KUKe_ZM&fs=e&s=cl https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce6t1zqFZym/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[communityinclusion]

Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration features several Think College achievements in their latest issue of Impact Magazine

Impact Magazine at the Institute on Community Integration (ICI Minnesota) is a triannual publication focused on issues that impact people with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities. Several staff and consultants from the Institute for Community Inclusion’s (ICI Boston) Think College authored publications in this Spring 2022 issue. Think College Co-Director Meg Grigal and Susanna Miller Raines, Program Manager for Think College Inclusive Higher Education Network, co-edited this compelling issue on Inclusive Higher Education for People with Intellectual, Developmental, and Other Disabilities.

What is Think College all about?

Think College is a national center at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at UMass Boston. Since 2003, Think College has received 15 federal and state grants to work on issues that impact postsecondary education for students with intellectual disability (ID). Think College is also a call to action. The Think College team raises awareness, enhances existing college opportunities, and creates more opportunities for students with ID to go to college. Cate Weir, Project Coordinator at the Think College National Coordinating Center, wrote Think College! A Program and a Mantra about what Think College means for inclusive higher education.  

Assessing Inclusive Higher Ed Programs

Think College’s Co-director, Meg Grigal and Senior Research Associate, Clare Papay co-wrote Inclusive Higher Education: Assessing Progress Toward Better Futures for College Students with Intellectual Disabilities with David R. Johnson from the University of Minnesota. This article highlights model demonstration programs called Transition and Postsecondary Education Programs for Students with Intellectual Disability (TPSID), which emphasize supporting students to enroll in typical college courses alongside peers without intellectual disability (ID). Over two-thirds of students who enrolled in TPSID programs had a paid job three years after graduating. But not all inclusive higher education programs receive TPSID funding! Read or listen to the full article to learn more about assessing progress in inclusive higher ed.

Accreditation in inclusive higher education will help prospective students and their families measure programs’ quality.

Accreditation for Inclusive Higher Ed Programs

Think College consultant and Senior Policy Advisor for the National Down Syndrome Congress Stephanie Smith Lee co-wrote Accreditation Moves Forward with Martha Mock from the University of Rochester. Accreditation is important for all university programs, including inclusive higher education programs. Accreditation helps assure students, families, colleges, and universities that an inclusive higher education program meets an acceptable level of quality. Read or listen to the full article to learn more about accreditation. Visit Think College’s website to access training modules and materials to help programs meet accreditation standards.

Regional Alliances to Support Inclusive Higher Ed

Inclusive higher education benefits from stakeholder alliances, including groups of representatives from various inclusive higher education programs, key state agencies, organizations, parents, alumni, and students. These alliances can help create learning communities and shared funding opportunities for like-minded inclusive higher education advocates. Learn more about state and regional alliances in Susanna Miller-Raines’ article, The Collective Impact of State and Regional Alliances to Support Inclusive Higher Education. Miller-Raines is the Regional Alliances Manager for the Think College Inclusive Higher Education Network.

A MAICEI student meeting with an education coach at University of Massachusetts Boston.

The Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative

Students with ID often stay in high school until age 22, four years longer than their peers who graduate at 18. But students with ID can also graduate at 18 and go to college with their classmates. The Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative (MAICEI) provides access and supports that lead to academic, social, and career development success for eligible students with ID alongside their non-disabled peers enrolled in Massachusetts public 2- and 4-year colleges and universities. The MAICEI program gives students with ID the extra support they may need to attend college and complete high school at the same time. ICI Program Director Maria Paiewonsky, Debra Hart, ICI’s Director of Education and Transition, and Mary Price, State Director for the MAICEI at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education co-wrote Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative about the MAICEI program and promising practices that lead to its success.

Student MAICEI Perspective: Nykenge Blue

UMass Boston-MAICEI Partnership Program Coordinator Ashley Luce spoke with Nykenge Blue, a transfer student at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Nykenge transferred from Bunker Hill Community College last year. “Transferring from community college to university hasn’t been easy,” she shared, “It has taken a little longer to get to know people, but I’m proud of myself for getting around campus after just one semester.” Nykenge has taken food history and communication classes at UMass while interning in the food court. Read or listen to the full conversation with Nykenge and Ashley in Campus Conversations.

Student MAICEI Perspective: Samantha Gibbs

ICI’s Maria Paiewonsky spoke with Samantha Gibbs, a first-year student at Salem State University in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives support from MAICEI. Of her experience navigating the college campus, Samantha shared, “You learn to be flexible. You expect your day to go one way, but really it is going the other way. Sometimes you plan to meet someone on campus, and you might get lost. Then you need to find help. One time I was lost on campus, and I had to ask other students for directions.” Read or listen to the full conversation with Samantha and Maria in Campus Conversations.

Read or listen to the full Spring 2022 feature issue of Impact Magazine on Inclusive Higher Education!

Learn more about Think College and access resources for inclusive higher education. You can also share this issue with your networks on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and by email.

[mohabmattalah]

Rehearsal with Agareed band at Kuwait Alumni Association 2013 🎵🎶🎼🎹 #music #band #musician #liveperformance #mohabattalah #keyboard #musicians #keyboardist #solo #guitar #drums #stage #studio #singing #singer #song #sing #musiclovers #arabicmusic #lute #lutenist #musical #keys #musicinstruments #yamaha #korg #roland #gem #kurzweil #musicals (at Kuwait) https://www.instagram.com/p/CL-gH9NAXc9/?igshid=e88b8tyxudeu