When I was 27 years old, I found myself alone in the Amazon, drinking a potent tea that made me see demons. It was unquestionably one of the most harrowing experiences of my entire life. It’s only upon reflection weeks, months, and years later that I have made sense of the experience and what it…
When I was in fifth grade, I transferred from my public elementary school to a private middle school in Manhattan. As I began to settle in as the new kid on campus, the dreaded moment arrived that is depicted in every American movie about school - where would I sit for lunch? I walked over…
My initial interest in the Islamic holiday of Ramadan started during my trip to Pakistan, during the height of the pandemic. I went for a wedding and came back with love prospects, an addiction to chai, and a case of COVID-19. I remember during my time there, my love interest and host told me that…
Transitions are a scary, inevitable part of life. We may know in our brains that nothing lasts forever, yet this knowledge doesn’t necessarily make it any easier to digest the reality of moving cities, changing careers, or ending a relationship. The transition from the comfortable to the unknown is always met with feelings of doubt…
Stephen Schwed 