• Express Yourself

    • Visual Arts: Fall-Winter 2023

      Visual Arts: Fall-Winter 2023

      “Self Portrait” by Katie McDowell (18), New Orleans Center for Creative Arts  "An Old Man in Military Costume" by Simone Wuttke (18), Dartmouth College (recent Benjamin Franklin High School graduate) "This oil on canvas painting is inspired by Rembrandt's 'An Old...

    • The Stages of Grief

      The Stages of Grief

      I have sat with anger ingrained in my ribs night after night. I know the five stages of grief. Why am I so stuck on anger? Denial was the first one. It hit when I stood in front of my fridge all alone in my house with my knees wobbling, staring at the screen on my...

    • Be Well

    • Yoga: Partner Poses

      Yoga: Partner Poses

      Partner Yoga Poses by Laurie Azzano of Lolo’s Youth StudioYaaaas, finally! Hello, summer! Inhale deadlines. Exhale freedom. If you’re like most, summer represents one big sigh of relief. No more early morning alarm clocks, homework, tests, school drama, or crazy,...

    • Saqqarah’s Brownies

      Saqqarah’s Brownies

      Makes 20-24 brownies (depending on how big you slice them) BAKE TIME: 30 minutesIngredients 6 eggs 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 2 sticks butter 1/2 cup Crisco shortening 1 1/2 cups baking cocoa powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons...

    • Resources for Your Mental Health

      Resources for Your Mental Health

      If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, or any form of mental distress, reach out to someone right away who can be there for you. Professional help is always an option when your psychological well-being is at risk. There is zero shame in...

    • Teen-Friendly NOLA Clinics Fall-Winter 2023

      Teen-Friendly NOLA Clinics Fall-Winter 2023

      Teen-Friendly NOLA ClinicsClinics that serve adolescents usually focus on the reproductive health needs of adolescents and young adults but may also provide primary care services. The ages served vary depending on the clinic, but they usually include preteens (11 or...

    • Have Fun

    • Mindfulness Guide for Your Zodiac Sign

      Mindfulness Guide for Your Zodiac Sign

      Have you ever wondered how you can apply astrology to your everyday life but don’t know where to start? Astrology can be very complex and sometimes overwhelming to interpret, so I have compiled a quick guide to help you consciously incorporate daily practices to...

    • How to Be an Eco-Dresser

      How to Be an Eco-Dresser

      Did you know clothing isn’t biodegradable?That means it doesn’t decompose once it’s dumped in the trash—it just sits in a landfill and creates nasty greenhouse gases in our environment. “We have to think longer and harder about the clothing we wear, where it came...

    • GLITTER!

      GLITTER!

      New Orleanians love their glitter, and, more than ever, we all deserve a little extra sparkle in our lives. Addie Ellis of the local biodegradable glitter company Glitter Nymph shared with us how to make shimmery oil that is good for your skin and nature. Since you...

    • Must Read Books Fall-Winter 2023

      Must Read Books Fall-Winter 2023

      I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea What it’s about: Laure will do anything to prove a Black girl can be a star in the cutthroat world of Parisian ballet, even make a deal with a primordial power she finds in a pulsating river of blood in the...

    • Volunteer Opportunities for Service Hours

      Volunteer Opportunities for Service Hours

      Are you looking for inspiring ways to volunteer in the local community while fulfilling your school’s service hour requirements? We’ve talked to some great organizations in the area that rely on volunteers to help their wonderful programs run. Learn more about each...

    • Expand Your Mind

    • Unplanned Pregnancy in Louisiana

      Unplanned Pregnancy in Louisiana

      Imagine that you just found out you are pregnant. For some young people, this may be exciting news; for others, it is not. Questions swirl: How can I take care of a baby and finish school? How can I afford to be a parent if I don’t finish school? How will my parents...

    • Lucy Scholz

      Lucy Scholz

      Lucy Scholz is my “shero” because she ran 300 miles from Los Angeles, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of The Speed Project. That’s roughly like running to Houston, Texas, or Seaside, Florida, from New Orleans! Not only did she win the 2023 competition and...

    • When I Grow Up: Careers in Skilled Trades

      When I Grow Up: Careers in Skilled Trades

      Careers in Skilled Trades With the cost of college continuing to rise, skilled trade careers are a great alternative pathway to stable, well-paying work and upward social mobility. Many trade workers provide essential services and help build and maintain important...

  • About Us
  • Read Geaux Girl!
There comes a time when you have to move on.
The old laughs and smiles become more serious.
This chapter of the book is closing, and a new one appears.
I say farewell to that life, and all the things I’ve done.
But that life will always be with me, it stays in my heart.
It whispers my triumphs and failures, and it tells me to keep going.
Because I say farewell to that life, but not forever.

 

My life in school this past year was one I will never forget. It was a very stressful way to end my middle school years. Virtual school, sitting in front of a computer, looking at an empty screen with only my face in it while I sulked because of all the work that I was so reluctant to do. I was very unmotivated and didn’t have any good time management skills whatsoever. But I learned to toughen up and do what I needed to do. I knew that school wouldn’t get any easier, so I made myself strong-willed and determined. I set goals for myself to get work done. I started to talk to people more and get help from friends that I knew would have my back in such a stressful situation. I would also recommend taking breaks from work every once in a while, so you don’t overwork yourself.

I struggled a lot with mental health. I was really insecure and depressed. I felt like I didn’t fit in my own body, as if I was trapped in a dark hole full of my own negative thoughts. As I was going through this tough time, my family was going through it with me. They lifted me up in ways I don’t think I ever could have on my own. They made me feel like I was myself again. You don’t have to go through it alone; find people that can relate to you and try to build each other up from that place within yourselves. I also started to try to go outside more, take walks, and listen to music, so I would recommend this to anyone.

Family has always been important to me. We’ve been through so much as a whole. It’s to the point where I don’t think I could find another group of people so close in the world anymore. We’ve gained and lost together. Our mom passed away when we all were building such a foundation in our relationships with her individually. That experience taught me not to expect good things from the world because it’s not fair. The only thing I look at with hope is my older brother. He stopped his entire career to be home with his torn family. That time in my life created a new meaning of family for me. We aren’t just siblings anymore; we are a group of soulmates living in one eternity. I wouldn’t dare go through something alone when I have soulmates to go through it with me.

Khalia Cain is a 14-year-old student at Harriet Tubman Charter School who will soon be attending Frederick Douglass High School. This submission tells us how she overcame the horrid year of 2020 with tips about how you can overcome similar struggles in everyday life.