I have never felt whole. This isn’t a devastating fact; it’s just what it is. When you receive diagnoses, go...

I like being introspective, and I read self-help books a lot—about all sorts of topics, ranging from happiness and optimism...

Friendships are some of the most important things in life, especially when you have a chronic health condition. We all...

I was headed to the basement of the student union for a meeting about Teach for America, a program that...

I think I’ve acquired certain oddities after spending so much time not just in the hospital, but also at doctors’...

“Sami, you must come here!” It was the sound of my mom yelling enthusiastically from the other room. I was...

Fear is a terrible thing. I don’t think that is news to anyone. A lot of people assume that just...

When I was growing up, my sister, in my mind, was the prime of physical perfection. In middle school, young...

We all have stories that we use to explain certain aspects of ourselves—experiences that changed us, not necessarily for better...

When I was growing up, my family would go on long road trips to Florida. During one particular trip, I...

“You only live once”—colloquially known as YOLO—seems like a scary way of living for me. A no-holds-barred, take-life-by-the-reins kind of...

My mom is retired now, but she used to be an elementary school librarian. I loved to visit her, especially...