Content warning: This post contains mentions of physical abuse, drug use, and overdose.

Written by a CSUCI student.

It’s crazy to think that drugs do not impact anyone's lives, because for me it’s always been a thing. I’m not saying that I’ve lived a grueling life, in shelters or anything like that, but I have always been aware of terrible things out there and I’ve witnessed some serious drug ad...

Written by a CSUCI student.

Anxiety has never been an easy thing to deal with. For as long as I can remember, I have always had this anxious feeling I could never shake off and feeling like I was always on a deadline. This was normal to me; at first, I thought everyone felt like this, but now I know that is not the case. I used to think everyone lived their life feeling worried and not being able...

Written by a CSUCI student.

You know, I always hear people talk about how a dad is a little girl's first true love and how dad will set the example of who their daughter will see as a potential partner in the future. I also always hear my family say how kids grow up so fast and they remember me running to the door when I would hear my dad get home from work. I really wish I could still remember t...

Written by a CSUCI undergraduate student. 

Middle school and high school were years that I pressured myself to keep up with the constant beauty standards that were placed on us teen girls by influences like social media, gossip, and popular shows and movies that came out in those years. Coming from a family that couldn’t afford to buy all the insanely priced fashion brands, it was incredibly diff...

Content warning: This post contains brief mentions of self-harm.

Written by Brianna Gutierrez, a 21 year old senior and Health Science Major at CSUCI.

There are many internal battles that individuals go through alone. While it is okay to try and figure out our way through the hardships that life throws at us on our own, we may subconsciously be creating harmful coping mechanisms. I would like to...

Written by a CSUCI student.

Written by Sofia Noriega, a Ventura County high school student, featuring artwork by Liv Houser.

Love is blind, 

it is hard to recognize right from wrong sometimes.

So tell me this, 

would you want to have someone insult you so no other 

people would admire your beauty but them?

Would you want to have someone who excessively wants 

you to be by their side?

Guilt trips you into thinking han...

This post was written by a CSUCI student.

We are not defined by our body. We are defined by who we are and how we present ourselves to the world. As we age our bodies change, as do our personalities. We have lived in a society where skinny is thought to be the norm and what is best. Thick and “fat” are seen as horrible and disgusting. Body shaming is no joke and can lead to many mental health iss...

By Vivian Blancarte, a CSUCI student.

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine was training for a marathon and would always post his run stats, sometimes running anywhere from 10-18 miles. I remember one day asking, “Why do you do that to yourself?” He simply replied, “Because I love it.” But what is there to love about putting your body through all that discomfort, I thought to myself.

I am not...

Written by a CSUCI student.

Prior to having taken a class that specifically talked about the opioid crisis in the United States, I truly had no knowledge of any of this. It is very interesting to actually learn about different experiences and also from real-life experiences. Personally, I feel that it is very easy to read an article discussing this serious issue and not really make any connection...

Content warning - This blog post contains sexually explicit content.

Written by a CSUCI student.

Alcoholism always starts out fun. In the words of a friend, “All I knew was that it was a drink that made him happy and silly.” -- until that drink overtook them.

The first time is always the funnest, everyone’s a lucky winner.

Warm. Funny. Dizzy. Vomit. Again, another, because I’m a beginner;