I never thought this academic year would be full of so many beginnings and simultaneous endings. We are all here at community college for one reason or another, so learning new things is expected, but nevertheless, the type of learning I experienced and the sheer amount of it weren’t. I lost friendships, reconnected and strengthened old ones, put some elements of the past in the past that were long overdue for retirement, had the privilege and honor of shaping a year of stude

In the summer of 2025, I took a month-long trip throughout Europe, taking trains through eight different countries. On one of the final days of my time there, I found myself sitting in a Barcelona Taco Bell, directly across the street overshadowed by the towering la Sagrada Familia cathedral of famed architect Antonio Gaudí. As I write this, I am reminded of the guilt I felt in that moment. Although, at the time, I could not place exactly the nature of it. Now, though, I unde

With the recent allegations made toward Ceasar Chaves, I feel it is important to have a discussion on survivorship and the culture of protecting abusers. For a long time being a survivor, to me, meant being vigilant and untrusting of others, especially old men. It meant being afraid of my own family, and it meant being quiet. I have seen the criticisms Dolores Huertas has gotten for only now speaking up about the abuse she suffered. But I know why; it is the same reason I was

Algebra, first developed and written in the 9th century by Muhammed ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi in The Concise Book of Calculation by Restoring and Balancing, is a type of mathematics describing a series of unknown variables, typically “x” and “y,” with “y” being the dependent variable. Along with mathematics, writing goes back to at least the Babylonian Empire and originated with cuneiform. Algebra can represent graphs and, in turn, real-life situations, such as (but certainly not

Reedley College’s Reading and Writing Center (RWC) is relatively young (22 years of service), but many of its tutors left lasting legacies. One such tutor is Stephanie Duarte. Duarte teaches English C1000 here on Reedley College’s campus and shares some wisdom for current and aspiring tutors of all subjects. Reflecting on that time, she recalls some struggles. Some students would book her for “a couple of hours,” which felt draining some days. Not because she didn’t lov

This year, we are celebrating a special event at our tutor expo: the 10th anniversary. Therefore, it is a good time to look back on our Reading/Writing Center’s history to find 10 Years of Legacy, Learning, and Success. This research has not only shown the passage of time but, more importantly, highlighted the lessons that, as a tutoring center, we have learned along the way. This research examined how being a tutor can equip you with the tools to follow your path and succeed

Drawing is one of my favorite hobbies. It’s an activity I used to indulge in often, when my creative spark was alive and burning. I remember how free and excited I would feel to be able to color a drawing that I sketched the day before, using the new Copic markers my dad bought for me. There is so much freedom in the realm of art, which is one of the things I like so much about drawing. In elementary school, I was inspired to create books with my own characters and little gra

For the longest time, to me, dancing was just movement. It was the idea that there were steps to follow, counts to learn, and, honestly, just making shapes with my body. Through time, somewhere along the way, it became something more. It was no longer just showing up, following the counts, going home, doing it again the next day. It became something that made me realize what I was feeling on the inside could truly live outside for people, for me, and I could do this through m

As Springtime arrives, the ground grows weak and can no longer hold back the creatures that flail their many arms or gyrate their limbless bodies to break through the surface to greet the Worm Moon. Consequently, in this sixth issue of Delectable Discourse, where I ask college students a scrumptious new question each month, I asked the following question: In light of the upcoming Worm Moon, which is the full moon in March, when was the last time you picked up a worm or other

In my essay in the Paper Jam ’s December issue, I reflected on learning that we only have limited time and what that means for communication and relationships. In the context of relationships, “…It would be easier to imagine anything else than not associating with the other person.” Recent events, however, mean that fully unpacking and elaborating upon its implied depth is both worth doing and necessary. As it stands, the description has an incredible amount of dimension, b

I have always wondered about the role I play in other people’s lives. Do they perceive me the way I perceive them? Do they think of me as frequently as I do them? I am often described as a selfless and responsible person, but I fail to see those qualities within myself. I do things for others without expecting things in return, however I always assumed this to be a common quality. As I have found out, it is a noble quality and is scarcer than I thought. I am responsible for p

"A pencil, just for the sake of being more sharp, has to go through blade. That's life we all had” - life lessons from a pencil. Drowning in The Daily TO-DO Our purpose in coming to class on time, attending tutoring to improve our reading and writing skills, or even studying for that difficult exam, is a clear objective we challenge ourselves with to help us fulfill certain goals that will benefit us in the long run. Although these accomplishments make us feel happy the momen