While I drink my iced coffee and walk my dogs in this fine spring weather, the world is shifting around me in unsettling and marvelous ways. With the haphazard flourishing of dandelions comes the equally-haphazard (yet heartening) flourish of ideas to combat climate change. There is the continued bloom of the #MeToo and #BLM movements, … Continue reading The Newest Issue of OAR Has Arrived!
by Jaclyn Tockstein As a senior in the Professional & Digital Writing major (with only a few weeks left until graduation), I'd like to tell a short story about the importance of creating space for the purpose of creativity. Like many of you, I went through most of my schooling believing I was perhaps a … Continue reading Creating Space
by Madeline Elier Reading is fundamental to the human experience. It gives us a space to learn about the world and begin to process how to exist and interact with others as social beings. Growing up, I read books like Charlotte’s Web, Alice in Wonderland, and Madeline, all of which portrayed a lifestyle that was … Continue reading Importance of Diversity in Children’s Literature
by Renee Seledotis Ernest Hemingway’s “Iceberg Theory” states that the deeper meaning of a story should shine through implicitly. Like an iceberg, the surface of the story, what is revealed to the reader, should be barely anything compared to what lies beneath. The more the author knows about the story, the fuller and richer it … Continue reading Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory: A Tool for Detail
by Kat Zuzow Fanfiction is the product of a fan who has immersed themselves in a TV show, cartoon, anime, book series, etc., and has let their imagination run wild in the pre-created universe they lost themselves in, so far gone enough to write about it. It answers the question “what if this happened instead?” … Continue reading Fanfiction Deserves Recognition
by Ashley Glasper When I first enrolled in college, I swore to never take an online class. I was always an “in-person” type of student. I loved being on campus. around other people, and seeing my teacher face-to-face. Even sitting in a classroom that was lecture-style with 100 students was intriguing to me, so imagine … Continue reading Relearning How to Learn
by Channer Podlesak It’s my sophomore year of college, and I’m sitting in my room trying to figure out what classes to take during the upcoming semesters. I’ve just officially switched from a biology major to English, a decision that was equal parts exhilarating, and intimidating. As I’m scrolling through the long list of courses, … Continue reading The Class I’ve Been Waiting to Take
by Caitlyn Ulery When we were first asked to quarantine ourselves back in March, I believed it was a blessing. With my classes and my job moving fully online, surely I would have infinite free time to devote to writing! I had grand intentions of writing daily, of creating at least one noteworthy poem a … Continue reading Creating Art from the Ugly: Finding Motivation to Write in Quarantine
by Caitlin Sinz Writing for me has always been an outlet to express myself, creatively or just getting emotions out on a page. I have been writing something since about the age of twelve. I think back then I used it to escape from my own thoughts and dive deep into a creative realm where … Continue reading The Power of Journaling
by Cassidy Eubanks Pinterest: A popular place to compile recipes (Easy French Macaron: pinned to “Yummm” board), DIY projects (DIY: Tank Tops (Muscle Tees): pinned to “Useful” board), and wedding plans (Lord of the Rings Inspired Wedding Day, pinned to “Autumn Wedding” board). But today we’re going to discuss a lesser-known function of this site: … Continue reading Pinterest as a Writing Tool
by Sharese Stribling It’s fall here in Michigan right now. The leaves are changing, the days are getting shorter, the air crisp and cool. Yesterday there was even frost on my windshield! Frost! I had to let my heater run in my car for at least ten minutes before I could actually start my daily … Continue reading What it’s Like Being a Mood Reader
