What names mean to transgender and nonbinary people, and the impact of chosen names.
Story By Jax Kiel
Early in her transition, Sarah Mayes went to a Starbucks kiosk at the mall and ordered an iced coffee, looking for something routine and thoughtless to do.
“[The barista] asked what my name was and I said ‘Sarah,’” Mayes said. “And that was the first time I said my name out loud to a stranger. To someone who wasn’t very intimately connected to me.”
The woman smiled, wrote the name, and a few minutes later the iced coffee cup labeled “Sarah” came…
The lasting impacts of being raised by an alcoholic parent
Story by Anonymous
I remember my first drink, a Heineken my roommate bought me on my 21st birthday. I have always been afraid of alcohol, but that night I did not want fear to rule anymore. Yet, as I took my first sip, I wondered if I was making the biggest mistake of my life.
I am what people refer to as an “adult child of an alcoholic”, a fancy term meaning that my dad drank — a ton. I am talking bottles of Jameson Whiskey in less than a…
How film photography changed my life.
Story by Tony Mueantonthian
I vividly remember the first time I transformed my closet into a makeshift darkroom.
I was sitting in the middle of the floor while my friend held a blue, fluffy blanket around the door frame so the light wouldn’t leak through. The first few attempts were challenging, but after developing over 20 rolls, I never felt more confident in myself.
There’s something profound about film photography. The step-by-step method of loading film into the developing tank, the strong smell of chemicals and the anticipation for the final results are the…
I was prescribed Adderall to help me focus in school; now I wonder if I have become too reliant on the drug.
Story by Anonymous
Editor’s note: The author has chosen to remain anonymous out of privacy concerns.
I n September 2015, I entered my junior year of high school newly diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD). From reading tests in elementary school to the enhanced rigors of high school, I became well aware of my lack of focus and ability to complete tasks my peers seemingly found effortless.
After months of speaking with my parents, I finally got them…
How I rechanneled my passion for sports after rising — and falling — from my favorite thing in the world.
Story by Connor J. Benintendi
“Connor!”
My dad shouts my name from the downstairs entryway, the inflection in his voice cueing my haste to pull up my cotton crew Nike socks as fast as possible. “Hurry up, we’re going to be late!”
I run down the hallway to the stairwell, tapping my foot to each step I had long-ago memorized the rhythm of. Cleats in hand, I reach the laundry room. …
A closer look at why young adults are feeling lonely.
Podcast by Sela Marino
Podcast transcript
Sela Marino: Hello and welcome to Klipsun Out Loud, podcasts from the Summer 2021 edition of Western Washington University’s award-winning student magazine, Klipsun. This edition’s theme is Limitless. I’m your host, Sela Marino. Today’s topic is about the rise in loneliness in young adults. Today I am here with Connor Craig and Tess Wardle, would you like to introduce yourselves?
Tess Wardle: Hi, I’m Tess, I’m a queer plant collector that spends way too much time playing the Sims in a vain…
Being diagnosed with ADHD in your 20s.
Story by Alisha Dixon
M y fists clench the canvas material of the pillow I have sitting in my lap, an anxious habit that helps me stay grounded. I’m staring blankly at my laptop while my brain works hard to solve what’s on the screen: a variety of shapes — all different sizes and patterns facing different directions. Like pieces of a puzzle, a few of the shapes are supposed to fit together to create a larger picture.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know. I can’t do this one,” I say.
“That’s alright. We’ll…
Overcoming the difficulties of my newfound living situation.
Story by Emily Feek
M y bedroom is a time capsule, almost entirely untouched since the time I graduated high school. My cat JoJo just made the three-hour move home with me and meows until I let him out of his kennel. When I look around, I can’t decide whether I’m grateful for the familiarity of my room or if I want it to be more impersonal — more adult. Between the shelf of stuffed animals and the notes from middle school stuck to my magnet board, I feel smaller.
How time, patience and self discovery in college empower students to overcome uncertainty.
Story by Jordan Stone
“You’ll figure it out when you get to college.”
I’ve been getting this answer for as long as I can remember. And each time I’ve expressed concern or worry about my future, this was the response given. It didn’t matter if it was from friends, parents, teachers or even counselors. The response has always been the same.
I didn’t believe them. It wasn’t until my journey of self-discovery that I learned they were right.
I didn’t even know where I was going to…
Panicked in a pandemic, teaching young kids taught me life keeps moving.
Story by Tunny Parrish
A s I stumbled into a darkened hallway, I stifled back a sob, feeling the tears seep into the two masks over my face.
“Damn it,” I said to myself. “Not again.”
For the second time this week, I had to excuse myself from work to combat a rapidly increasing panic attack. This one triggered by slime — ugh, how I hate it, but how the eight-year-olds I was teaching that week loved it. …
Klipsun Magazine
Klipsun is an award-winning student magazine of Western Washington University
