Vanshika Unveiled

When I think of my childhood, as in elementary school, I imagine myself walking through crowds of students and not having any room to breathe. I would have to physically lift my head 180 degrees just for some fresh air. I’d always been pretty short and as a kindergartener, you could say majority was taller than me. With the quality of being short also came the feeling of powerlessness. Everyone is just so much bigger than you that you can’t help but feel so small  sometimes.  That’s why when I read “Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau in my English class, I was kinda enlightened. He talks about how everyone has their own moral conscience, and how everyone should act on it and trust their inner sense of justice. Following your thoughts and conscience is a way to assert the power you hold over your own life. This made me think about how everyone has control over themselves and has a voice. We all have the option, for ourselves, to stand up for what we believe in, and this...

Just imagine a time where you were feeling downright mad, upset, and annoyed. At that point of time, you must’ve been thinking, “why does the world hate me so much!?” Well hate to break it to you, but the world does not hate you. The world doesn’t even know who you are. Each of us are in different houses, different cities, different states, different countries, and there are billions more of us. What makes us special? What makes us stand out? Because when you look at the bigger picture, one might argue we are simultaneously equal and insignificant . But I’m having a change of mind these days. Many assume the world doesn’t revolve around anyone, and while I agree in some ways, I actually kinda sorta disagree.   Theoretically, our individualistic nature operates such a subjective perception of reality, where only we matter. Call it the matrix if you will. Due to our operating  software , we only see our own world, we fail to comprehend and take into account someone else, as much...

Most view memorials as one thing: an imposing statue or edifice. And while this may be true in a way, it is also false. A memorial isn’t just something physical, and contrary to popular beliefs, even something silly, like a meme, can serve as a memorial. Yes, I said memes, and I know what you might be thinking, “how can a meme be a memorial?” Well, by definition, a memorial is “something that keeps rememberance alive” ( Merriam-Webster ). And while a meme may be an unconventional way to do that, it does exactly that. Although in a less tangible way, a meme keeps the memory of something alive. It also offers something so important and unique that physical memorials don’t and can’t: global reach and accessibility. One huge drawback of a memorial in Washington, for example, is that most people out of Washington probably haven’t and will not ever see it. However, if you look at memes and viral media, they can be present all over the world and can be circulated to places on the other side o...