On college love, temptation, and heartbreak from a Muslim-American perspective .    By Sara Omer Illustration by Kathleen Halley-Segal I exist in a rift between two vastly different worlds, straining to hold them together. The first world was introduced to me by my parents. I can only reach this one through focus and expert dissociation. I awake from my slumber in the middle of a silent night while everyone around me is snoring and dreaming. I splash unnervingly cool water on

On quiet. By Gabriela McBride Illustration by Kathleen Halley-Segal The sonic experience of New York City is one of constant inundation. Amongst cars honking at freshly green traffic lights, jackhammers clanking, and the bangs of early-morning-scaffolding construction, moments that might begin to resemble silence are few and far between. The bit of me that resents being raised in the relentless cacophony of New York City yearns for the quiet and stillness of wide open outdoor

A drunken ethnography. By Selma White-Pascual Illustration by Kathleen Halley-Segal I clutch the gate next to me for balance as I shove my sweaty feet into a pair of six-inch heels I’ve just pulled out of my now deflated bag, perched atop a little ledge. Also on the ledge: a sultry perfume I’ve chosen for the night, makeup to retouch my face, banana blossom leftovers from Thai Diner on Mott Street, and the loose 20 dollar bill I’ll be using tonight. I’ve exchanged my trusty s