School
Beyond the Iron Curtain
My National Geographic Picture Atlas of Our Fifty States The year was 1986, and I was drowning in the intoxicating currents of Gorbachev's winds of change. At sixteen, armed with a fountain pen and delusions of literary grandeur, I had already published several pieces in local and national press. My parents—two engineers who had transformed our apartment into a miniature Library of Alexandria—watched with bemused pride as their only child scribbled verses between math equations and dreamed of conquering the world through journalism.
By Baruh Polis7 months ago in Confessions
"The 5 Seconds That Broke Me — and Then Built Me Again”
It was just five seconds. Five seconds of silence after the call ended. Five seconds that shattered my world. I still remember the vibration in my pocket. I was walking home after a tiring shift, lost in thought, wondering if life would ever become more than just survival. The call came from my brother. I picked it up with a tired, “Hello?”
By TrueVocal7 months ago in Confessions
Behind Smiles
Behind Smiles You see her every day. She's the kind of person who makes others feel lighter just by entering the room. Her smile is radiant, her laugh contagious. She remembers birthdays, sends late-night encouragement messages to friends, and cracks jokes even during tense meetings. Everyone calls her "sunshine." She's the one people lean on when things go wrong.
By TrueVocal7 months ago in Confessions
Why I Won’t Tell You to Dump Your Boyfriend — Even If He’s Abusive. Content Warning.
From the outside, it’s easy to say what you’d do if your friend’s partner hit her. Or screamed at her. Or tracked her phone. Or belittled her until she barely recognized herself.
By No One’s Daughter7 months ago in Confessions
His Heart, Her Playground
From the moment she walked into his life, Jay knew Mia was different. Not in the clichéd way romantic movies describe — not like fireworks or violins. No, Mia was more like a storm: unpredictable, magnetic, beautiful, and dangerous if you stood too close for too long.
By Saboor Brohi 8 months ago in Confessions
I Ghosted My Dream University. Top Story - June 2025.
I still live in the Czech Republic. Something about the affordable cost of living, short work week, sustainable public transportation, and abundance of people who like me here has driven me to stay. In fact, I have signed on for a second year as an English teacher with the same company, setting this up as potentially the longest I’ve stayed in one place since my undergrad. Yes, I’ve been back to the States a couple of times, because I’m saddled (blessed?) with a family that wants to see me regularly, but doesn’t want to go through the trouble of getting passports. I genuinely enjoy living in Europe, which is why it came as such a surprise when I realized that I don’t want to stay in Europe.
By Steven Christopher McKnight8 months ago in Confessions
Chapter 1: The First Time I Saw Her
It was the first time I saw her—and from that very moment, I was captivated by her eyes. It happened during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The world was quiet, locked down, and everyone’s faces were hidden behind masks. I had just stepped into college life, and that day, I was at the registration office, queuing up to submit my documents.
By Ben8 months ago in Confessions
My First Business Venture
I’ve been reflecting on my current business project a lot lately, and I realized that my very first venture occurred when I was just ten years old in the Soviet Union. It’s a story I enjoy sharing because it illustrates that universal childhood desire to earn money and the creative lengths kids will go to achieve it.
By Baruh Polis8 months ago in Confessions
