EDITION 5: UTOPIA & DYSTOPIA

CROSSROADS INITIATIVE

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Utopia.

A world basked with perfection.

It’s what we all want to achieve and what we all want to become as we wade through the dystopia we have created in our heads. With thoughts of comparison and competition running rampant and agony encompassing each second of our lives, we strive to reach this impossible utopia.

This edition’s theme seeks to find the balance between the two worlds to help us appreciate every part of ourselves by letting go of the unworldly views and greed we hold. As we continue to grow, we tend to self curate our own idea of a perfect life.

However, as we navigate through the complexities of our world, we must learn to maintain a balance between our desires and reality.

This is why the Crossroads team chose to focus on the theme of dystopia and utopia for this edition. By definition, utopian and dystopian societies seem so incredibly different. But in reality, life often walks the fine line between the two worlds. It’s too easy to get lost in the fantasy of a perfect life, just as easy as it is to get caught up in constantly recognizing imperfections.

This edition will highlight the importance of being grounded in our wants and desires while holding on to hopeful optimism. The two worlds are close together, so near that some alternate, but in reality, they are close together; so near that some alternate between the two worlds numerous times a day. This theme is for you to understand these worlds in a way that gives you more insight into them, rather than deem one world better than the other.

There is no “right” world, only ourselves that use the two to develop into someone better and embrace ourselves. Dystopia and utopia, two words that completely contrast each other yet entail the same basic principle. Your world is based on your perception.

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Popular Media

8-9

“Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics,” The Key to a Bad Trip

10-11

How Kid Cudi and Kendrick Lamar Address the Realities of the Party Scene: “Swimming Pools” by Kendrick Lamar

12-13

“Man on the Moon III” by Kid Cudi

14-15

Inception: A Striking Display of Artistry

16-17

Altered Realities

18-19

Hallucinogens: An Altered State of Mind

20-21

Chasing ‘Ego Death’: The Romanticization of Psychadelics

22-23

Mental Perceptions

24-25

What is Psychosis and Why Does it Occur?

26-27

Depression & College Acceptance Fantasy

28-29

The Ability to Create a Fantasy World

30-31

Schizophrenia

32-33

Insomnia: The Crisis of Never-Ending Nights

34-35

Creative Pieces

36-37

Films

38-39

Podcasts Layout by: Krisha Konchadi

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MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA

In popular media shows and films, the perception of varying worlds and mental phenomenons frequently make an appearance. Some media demonstrate what it feels like to alternate between the two different worlds and the pros or cons of each reality. Articles reviewing such films explore specific aspects of those elements within the media form and opinions on the effect it has on the audience.

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“Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics”, The Key to a Bad Trip Article by: Anna Royal Graphics by: Krisha Konchadi

Should filmmakers be turning the dangerous world of drugs and psychedelics into entertainment documentaries without addressing the harms of drug use? If you agree, then “Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics” is the documentary for you.

Released onto Netflix in 2020, this film explores the ups and downs of celebrities’ experiences with hallucinogenic drugs.

While interesting, the documentary strays away from addressing the negative effects of drugs and almost promotes hallucinogens.

Celebrities from the documentary raved about how hallucinogenic drugs gave them life-changing experiences. Actor Nick Kroll said tripping is “super fun.” While musician Sting portrayed his experiences with hallucinogens as rewarding, humbling and enlightening.

They also gave tips to potential drug users on how to prevent “bad trips”.

“Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics” fails to mention serious health consequences of taking these drugs. The film only slightly touches on how hallucinogens can make one feel paranoid or anxious. As the celebrities briefly talked about feeling paranoid or feeling like their bad drug trip would never end, but nothing else was mentioned about the harsh effects of drugs.

For instance, according to The National Institute on Drug Abuse, hallucinogenic users may acquire continuous mental health issues such as long-term paranoia, anxiety, speech problems and depression along with suicidal thoughts. In addition, according to the Drug Abuse

Warning Network (DAWN), in the U.S. alone were 5,000 emergency department visits related to LSD reactions in 2011. Most of this was never brought up in the documentary, creating the illusion that these drugs are not that harmful.

When addressing sensitive topics such as drugs to the public, people must be cautious about the message they are sending. The documentary should have included more accurate information about psychedelics and the harmful effects associated with it, rather than undermining the seriousness of the drug in a dangerous comedy.

While this documentary advertises psychedelics as a surreal experience worth exploring, it neglects health problems caused by hallucinogenic drugs. Although it is okay to talk about people’s positive experiences with drugs. However, there must be risks in disregarding the serious health issues associated with psychedelics and promoting drug use.

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How Kid Cudi and Kendrick Lamar Address the Realities of the Party Scene Article by: Krisha Konchadi Photo by: Simrah Ahmad

“Swimming Pools” by Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar, known for speaking on tough topics such as racism and addiction, brings up the downfalls of alcoholism culture in the song “Swimming Pools.” Growing up around alcohol consumers, Lamar speaks on his personal understanding of people’s unhealthy relationships with drowning their sorrows with a bottle in the song “Swimming Pools.”

Lamar raps about trying to fit into the lively nature of his surroundings, but feeling pressure and forced to succumb to the romanitization of alcohol. In the chorus of the song he talks from a party goer’s perspective and says “Why you baby sittin only two or three shots.”

These lyrics touch on the feeling of obeying the pressure of the party scene; constant self sabotage and breaking comfortable limits.

Towards the end of the song, Lamar also talks about how alcohol may lead to temporary “love” and “vibes,” it is bodily abuse that leads to the heavy addiction and dependency to liquor. Overall, “Swimming Pools” uses an upbeat pop-like sound to counteract the serious lyrics where Lamar speaks from the perspective of someone who feels the pressure and negative effects of the party scene.

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“Man on the Moon III”

by Kid Cudi Article by: Krisha Konchadi Photo by: Simrah Ahmad

With the third release of an album named “Man on the Moon,” Kid Cudi has created another series of songs that talk about the emptiness that comes with the highs and lows of partying and drugs.

In the song “The Void,” Cudi talks about the use of substances as an escape for his life. While these lyrics may come off as putting substances in a positive light, Cudi uses the word “void” to describe his state of post-substance mind. Such as in the chorus lyrics “I will fall in the void just to avoid anything that can bring me down,” Cudi describes his experiences as if falling in a void, rather than a pleasant escape.

Furthermore, in the song “Tequila Shots” Cudi talks about his tendency to self sabotage as he falls into the pressure of drug addiction because of his mental battles. In the lyrics “Lord seein’ me swervе, do this to my loved ones, I’ve got some nerve,” Cudi speaks on the reality of his sabotaging behaviors, and how it affects not only his mental health but also his family members.

Cudi continues to speak throughout the song about his internal battles that cycle through self destructive behaviors and depressive thoughts.

Overall, Cudi captures the reality of self destruction and mental war from drug addiction and partying.

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Inception: A Striking Display of Artistry Contains Spoilers

Article by: Caleb Yu - Photo by: Simrah Ahmad

Eleven years after its release, Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception’ is often introduced as the British-American director’s magnum opus thanks to its remarkable cinematography, meticulous editing and brilliant storyline. Unlike other exceptional films, there is little simplicity in the plot of the movie. The film itself revolves around complex topics such as time, consciousness and one’s perception of reality. Nolan uses these intricate concepts as tools to build into the overarching theme of unresolved attachments.

“Inception”follows Dominick Cobb, an infamous “extractor” who uses dream-sharing to acquire information from people’s minds, as he uses his skills to reverse his wrongful implication in the death of his wife Mal. Thanks to a proposal from billionaire businessman Saito, the extractor simply has to plant an idea rather than divulge one, and his record would be cleared.

In spite of this worthwhile incentive, Dom is hesitant to partake in the operation as he still feels tremendous guilt for planting the idea of suicide in Mal’s subconscious, guilt that often pushes him into a deep state of self-loathing.

In order to cope with his despair, Cobb constantly visits an inauthentic manifestation of Mal in his dreams. Cobb’s unhealthy coping mechanisms cause him to become deluded with the idea of a life with Mal, while the haunting memories of his late wife’s death completely stain his subconscious perception of her.

Nolan deciding to reveal Cobb’s internal struggles once the viewers already have a clear presentation of his character is a precise choice that allows Cobb’s mental condition to not entirely define him, but rather become an aspect of himself that adds to his multifaceted personality. The final result is a refreshing action film that presents subtle yet powerful statements about mental health that many films fail to convey. Our protagonist’s seemingly standard demeanor mixed with his twisted fantasies expresses how one’s mental health is never black or white and an individual doesn’t have to be entirely characterized by their internal hardships in order for them to have significance. As a movie, Inception is intense, captivating and visually spectacular; yet the explicit effort put into these feats never impeded the film’s ability to dive into complex concepts in an effective and meaningful way, making Nolan’s film an insightful and enjoyable cinematic experience.

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ALTERED ALTERED ALTERED ALTERED ALTERED

REALTIES REALTIES REALTIES REALTIES REALTIES

Altered realities are a common topic easily explorable within yourself. Such realities range from harmless daydreams to more severely impactful symptoms that can bring detrimental effects to one’s daily life. Writers dive deeper into some causes of altering realities and the effects it can have on individuals.

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Hallucinogens: An Altered State of Mind Article by: Risha Kaporde Photo by: Simrah Ahmad

Thinking back to the 70s, hippies were well-known in the U.S. and with them, hallucinogens rose to popularity. As time went on, the fad of hallucinogens decreased, but studies indicate the drug has made a comeback for the 20th century. Hallucinogens are perception-altering drugs that activate a neurotransmitter, serotonin 2A, to affect neural circuits. They imitate the transmitter and bind to the receptor, which then changes the behavior of the neuron. Hallucinogenic effects are most apparent in the prefrontal cortex that deals with behavior, personality, decision making and disorganized speech.

The drug itself is most popularly known as shrooms, LSD or acid. Shrooms are psilocybin mushrooms that become psilocilin, a psychedelic substance, once digested. These are natural hallucinogens that contrast to the chemically created ones such as LSD, a synthetic chemical that causes visual and auditory hallucinations similar to shrooms.

Although hallucinogens are not considered addictive, users who want to irresponsibly consume the drug may develop a higher tolerance which can lead to substance abuse. The abuser may experience disturbing visuals, changes in mood, scattered thoughts or Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder along with psychosis. HPPD consists of flashbacks with sensory feedback; feedback can range from seeing halos to geometric patterns. While psychosis and HPPD are uncommon, there is no cure, making the possibility of the disorder dangerous.

The age groups that make up the majority of consumers are teens to young 20s. The drug is detrimental to their growth and causes persisting problems that may interfere with education.

“The brain is a very special and sensitive organ in our body. Doing any kind of drugs can harm our brain and cause lifetime damage. This is especially true for teenagers and young adults because the brain is under major development from birth until about age 25…” Santa Clara high school wellness coordinator Michelle Sandoval said. “[Hallucinogens] can also cause harm to the emotional centers of the brain which hinders the brain from being able to regulate emotion. This can make people irritable, depressed or anxious without the ability to control it much.”

High School is a critical time for many adolescents. With the stress piling up from classes and drama of friends, it is easy to fall into a routine with substance use and plummet into a depressed state.

Fortunately for abusers, there is always time to get help before their addiction becomes permanently detrimental. Treatment for an altered perception is available for users who are having trouble quitting, and it is drug rehabilitation counseling. Although there are no official medications for the drug, some doctors will prescribe an antipsychotic, medicine for altering brain chemistry, if the leftover effects are rough. One example of these effects are disturbing visuals that disrupt daily life. It is essential for the user and their friends and family to immediately recognize the downward spiral of daily drug usage and seek out help by contacting a drug hotline.

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Chasing ‘Ego Death’: The Romanticization of Psychedelics

Article by: Diya Jain Graphic by: Krisha Konchadi

In a day and age where drinking alcohol and doing drugs are often perceived as cool and fun, the idea of a drug induced “ego death” has increasingly gained interest on social media.

The definition of what entails an “ego death” itself is complicated to describe in words, but the experience is not solely linked to the consumption of illegal drugs. In a general sense, it is often referred to as enlightenment and the discovery of true awareness about life. In many cultures and religions, an “ego death” can be achieved even through meditation. However, drugs such as LSD are seen as an easier and quicker way to experience the phenomenon.

Many psychedelic drug users have attempted to explain the experience and commonly refer to the feelings attached to “ego death” as a sense of freedom, understanding and eventual helplessness.

As the concept became more well known and discussed, it also seemed to become more competitive. Thousands of social media users active in psychonaut communities began to share their experiences on the internet, especially on a popular social media platform called Reddit.

Examples of the newfound competitive nature of achieving “ego death” can be seen on the popular Reddit messaging board r/Psychonaut, on which many users brag about their experiences and many others see achieving “ego death” as a goal to work towards.

Although the experience may seem life changing and positive, especially in a spiritual context, using psychedelic drugs to get to the point of “ego death” is extremely harmful to users’ mental health.

Some side effects of the experience include - but are not limited to - PTSD, anxiety and an intense feeling of depersonalization. These have gotten so out of hand that some users claim their experiences with “ego death” led to a decline in their social skills, lack of physical self recognition and even suicidal thoughts.

All in all, the newfound “ego death” obsession commonly seen on the internet is contributing to a romanticization of dangerous hallucinogens and encouraging all readers and viewers to engage in potentially harmful activities in search for the simultaneously euphoric and detrimental feeling.

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MENTAL PERCEPTION

MENTAL PERCEPTION

MENTAL PERCEPTION

MENTAL PERCEPTION

Everyone’s mental perception differs. One’s abilities to be self-aware of their experiences vary, and the feelings one can take away from the occurrence is based on the individual.

Articles portray such mental perceptions and the impact on individuals

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What Is Psychosis and Why Does It Occur? Article by: Sarah K.

Graphic by: Natalie Yu

Although many people tend to mistake psychosis for psychotic disorders, there is, in fact, a tremendous variance between the terms.

While the term “psychotic disorder” describes the collection of severe neurological illnesses, characterized by a temporary disconnect from reality, such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, bipolar disorder and severe depression, psychosis is considered to be a symptom of several mental disorders rather than an illness itself, explains Stephanie Hairston in the article “Psychosis and Psychotic Disorders.”

Psychosis is the break from reality, usually associated with delusions, hallucinations, agitation and incoherent speech. Even though everyone experiences it in a unique way, most individuals describe the episode as confusing and frightening, claims Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ken Duckworth. However, psychosis is not as rare as it appears to be.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) in the United States alone, over 100,000 people experience the symptom annually and approximately 3 of 100 people are believed to encounter it at some point in their life.

It is important to keep in mind that the symptom does not typically occur abruptly as an independent factor, but derives from the course of developed psychiatric disorder that stimulates gradual, non-specific changes in thoughts and perception. The onset of early warning signs is referred to as first-episode psychosis (FEP), during which the person’s mind begins to subtly lose touch with reality. While the signs may not denote a severe problem, health specialists advise medical assessment as the prevention of profound consequences like psychotic illness.

Despite the efforts of medical experts, the exact causes of psychosis are still not known. However, NAMI has determined that psychosis can be triggered by a variety of genetics as well as life stressors during the crucial stages of brain development. In addition, untreated, severe psychosis can moderately progress into more acute conditions, such as psychotic disorder. Risk factors that may significantly contribute to the overall progress of symptoms include physical illness, substance abuse and psychological or physical trauma. In general, teenagers and young adults are at greater risk of developing psychosis because of the hormonal changes in the brain during puberty.

Regardless of the cause of the problem, special medical attention is highly recommended for those with psychosis, especially during FED, because early diagnosis, along with adequate treatment, such as medications or psychotherapies, creates ideal conditions for successful recovery.

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depression & college acceptance fantasy Article by: Dheeksha Bhima Reddy Graphics by: Natalie Yu & Manasi Narsina

Ivy League. Stanford. MIT. UCLA. These names guide the dreams of many teens’ futures.

The end goal of students’ academic lives. The names parents wish to say when referring to their children. However, as college acceptance rates continue plummeting, these dreams for many students push further and further away from reality.

Georgetown University’s acceptance rate for early action was the lowest ever, at just less than 12 percent. MIT accepted just eight percent of the 8,394 who applied early action. At the Georgia Institute of Technology, more than 15,000 seniors applied early action, with just about 1 in 5 out-of-state students admitted.

The decreasing admission rates are linked to the increasing number of students applying during the COVID-19 pandemic. As colleges drop their requirements for the SAT and other standardized testing, more students are hopeful that they could earn a seat in elite colleges according to the LA Times.

However, the removal of standardized testing has also led many students to take even more pressure on their college admissions. They increasingly take on multiple extracurriculars and focus on a perfect GPA all at the expense of their mental health, according to the LA Times.

“High school has been so narrowly directed and intensely focused on the great scores, the accolades, the awards, the leadership and the community service to demonstrate to a college that you’re worthy,” former dean of freshman at Stanford Julie Lythcott-Haims said. “We’ve asked them to trade their healthy, happy childhood in exchange for the chance to be one of those people who will be admitted to the quote-unquote right college.”

For many students and their parents, the college to which they or their children go is becoming a status symbol. While going to an elite college represents success, a mid or low-tier college represents failure. This mindset is detrimental to the mental health of students with almost a 60% increase in teen depression. It also helps further emphasize the fact that college admissions to elite colleges are just an unending fantasy for many teens.

“The sense that success or failure is very high stakes has led to an intensifying of the competition to get into elite colleges, even though for most young people, where they go to college will have less impact on their career future than they believe,” The Jed Foundation chief medical officer Dr. Victor Schwartz said. “The result of this seems to be that there is no room for error at all. If you get a B in seventh grade, there is a perception that your future is shot.”

However, to diminish the fantasy of elite colleges, students could rather focus on doing what they love and enjoy in high school. Rather than crafting the perfect college narrative, they could focus on extracurriculars they are passionate about and be more accepting of a few grade slipups. Additionally, understanding that a college education is very similar regardless of the college they attend also helps relieve the pressure of college admissions.

“Having reasonable goals, expectations and modeling the acceptance of the fact that we all fail sometimes, make mistakes and missteps and showing how to constructively respond to them are important,” Schwartz said. “We also can help by modeling values and ideals that we believe are important and valuable.”

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The Ability to Create a Fantasy World Article by: Yijia Zhou Graphic by: Manasi Narsina

“When I was in middle school, I could never pay attention in class. I was consumed by my stories. I felt insane. I would use fantasies to fix any of my problems. I was sad; I went into dream world. I was happy; I went into dream world. But, it was so addictive. It was like a drug.”

The user lr1220 on Reddit under the subreddit, r/MaladaptiveDreaming, had posted about his condition two years ago. He had associated this obsession with a form of dissociation, a disconnection from reality that for him, started young and progressively turned into a pleasant nightmare that haunted his everyday lives.

The official term maladaptive dreaming was defined and coined by Professor Eli Somer of the University of Haifa in 2002. Mal, the latin root and prefix meaning “bad” or “evil,” and adaptive, describing something that serves a specific function and improves one’s fitness, combine to form the term maladaptive, which means to not adjust appropriately to a situation or condition.

Maladaptive daydreaming is an abnormal and often highly addictive fantasizing that distinguishes itself from other disorders by its intense vividness and high structure. Patients could suddenly merge into another world in the middle of a lecture and stay for hours while their body in reality would often do something in repetition. User Vira_Blaise even claimed that her body had continued the act of driving when she fell uncontrollably into another daydream on a highway. Thankfully the experience lasted only for a short amount of time, but the experience has brought her tremendous anxiety and even played a part in her later diagnosis of depression. Vira commented that she would be afraid to do anything without someone accompanying her, causing inconveniences on both her and those around her.

This form of psychiatric condition usually develops from a traumatic experience in childhood and is meant to help the individual cope with the pain associated with the memory.

“It was like our brain pulling the ripcord,” a licensed therapist Kati Morton said in her Youtube video “Maladaptive Daydreaming.” “It’s a way to cope or get through an overwhelming situation when we don’t have other skills to help calm our nervous system down.”

At this time, maladaptive daydreaming is not listed in the DSM, the diagnostic tool published by the American Psychiatric Association, as a diagnosable mental illness because there are more that need to be known, and there are only a few groups, such as those on Reddit, coming out to voice their support.

Maladaptive daydreaming clearly has its own set of symptoms, but psychiatrists are not giving it its own treatment by oftentimes misdiagnosing it with other conditions like depersonalization derealization disorder, a type of dissociative disorder that consists of the patient feeling out of body. Currently, there are only small groups, such as the one on Reddit, huddling together and seeking comfort in the vast world where there is no foreseeable official treatment. However, despite their small recognition, the seriousness of maladaptive daydreaming is not small and should not be disregarded.

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SCHIZOPHRENIA Article by: Dheeksha Bima Reddy photo by: Kriti Jain

Imagining constantly thinking you are about to be harmed regardless of living in a perfectly safe household.

Imagine hearing random voices throughout your day even though everyone suggests they never heard anything.

Imagine not being able to communicate your thoughts, having them only come out in sputters and nonsensical phrases. These are common problems that people with schizophrenia face every day.

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness which results in a combination of hallucinations, delusions and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that usually affects daily functioning. People with schizophrenia are considered disabled since the illness impairs their ability to function and will require lifelong treatment.

Some common symptoms of schizophrenia include delusions or false beliefs that are not based in reality, hallucinations or seeing or hearing things that don’t exist, disorganized thinking and speech, extremely disorganized and abnormal motor behavior and lack of ability to perform daily and unconscious tasks. Symptoms usually vary in severity from time to time, but they are always present.

Symptoms start showing around the early to mid-20s for men and late-20s for women.

People with schizophrenia are most likely not aware that their problems stem from mental illness. Therefore, it is usually the duty of friends and family to persuade them to receive medical attention. One way to help a family member or friend with schizophrenia is by talking about their concerns and suggesting them to a qualified mental health professional. In severe cases where the person is a threat to themselves or others, call 911 immediately so they could be evaluated by a professional.

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Insomnia: The Crisis of NevEr -ending Nights Article by: Bia Shok photo by: Kriti Jain

A dark room, soft sheets and delicate silence is not enough for some to fall asleep. No matter how many glasses of milk they take or how many hours they spend tossing and turning, they remain awake. Insomnia is a sleeping disorder that has been a common problem for usually individuals of older age, but has also emerged as a problem among teenagers recently due to increased stress and electronic use.

With stress and poor sleeping habits becoming more common among students, insomnia is a common sleeping disorder, according to Mayo Clinic. Symptoms of insomnia include but are not limited to difficulty falling asleep at night, waking up during the night, waking up too early, not feeling well-rested after a night’s sleep, daytime tiredness or sleepiness, irritability, depression, anxiety, difficulty paying attention and increased errors or accidents according to the US National Library of Medicine.

Such symptoms can heavily affect students during the day, leading to a compromised performance at school and an increase in other mental health disorders. According to “Why do humans hallucinate on little sleep?” By Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute Stanford University, depending on the length and severity, continuation of sleep deprivation eventually leads to an approximate hallucinations among 80% of normal people.

Eventually, this lack of sleep can affect individuals and their perception of reality, acting as a hindrance to their daily lives, as proved by the study by National University of Singapore, when a group of college students did the same simple tasks both when they were sleep deprived and not sleep deprived. The results in which brain parts were activated and their performance of the tasks proved the detrimental effects lack of sleep have on individuals.

Portola High junior Abby Kwon has experienced sleep insomnia for around a year now, ever since the pandemic exacerbated. Although over time she has gotten more used to the symptoms, lacking in sleep affects her daily life.

“I noticed that without sleep I am so much more sluggish,” Kwon said. “I’m a highly sensitive person, so my nervous system just cannot take caffeine, but on those days I have to have a shot of espresso before I leave the house, which kind of ruins my day because I’m jittery and it helps me stay awake, but I’m never a hundred percent there.”

Individuals that experience increased rates of anxiety and irritation due to insomnia will, in turn have trouble sleeping, propelling the disorder.

It is important that students find a routine for sleep while staying away from electronic devices before their sleeping time, as blue light can intervene with the circadian rhythms of individuals. Students should also reach out to psychiatrists and professionals who can give them medication or advice if they are having recurring problems with sleep. Various tips online also provide suggestions to combat insomnia for individuals wishing to resolve the issue.

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creative pieces creative pieces creative pieces

@wozza9 on instagram “a project i had done with my dance company @dopedancecompany”

@vitkovskaya_art on Instagram

“Our Reality”

“Mystical Place”

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FILMS Touch of Magic

by: Shailee Sankhala and Grace Shao

Puppet TO DRUGS

by: Elena Kim, Cecilia Mou, Shailee Sankhala, Grace Shao, Peter Pan and Emily Pham

Growth

by: Grace Shao and Shailee Sankhala

DISCOVERING May

by: Shailee Sankhala, Grace Shao and Jake Sanjongco

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CROSSING BORDERS PODCASTS

System Change, Not Climate Change ft. Mitzi Jonelle Tan

A Step Into the Future: Antidepressants Ft. Saoud Moon & Megan Chiarelli Produced by Shailee Sankhala

Stepping into Healthy Living ft. Ava Mistruzzi Produced by Shailee Sankhala

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JOURNALISTS: Diya Jain Krisha Konchadi Risha Koparde Sarah K. Anna Royal Dheeksha Bhima Reddy Bia Shok Caleb Yu Yijia Zhou FILMMAKERS: Shailee Sankhala Grace Shao Cecilia Mou Jake Sanjongco Emily Pham Elena Kim Peter Pan PHOTOGRAPHERS: Simrah Ahmad Kriti Jain GRAPHICS DESIGNERS: Krisha Konchadi Manasi Narsina Natalie Yu LAYOUT DESIGNERS: Krisha Konchadi Lindsey Ko PODCASTERS: Saachi Raju Shailee Sankhala Maryam Jalali Akanksh Divyananda Minal Chunduru Rachel Shim Madelene Young Layout by: Krisha Konchadi