Issue No. 85 • October 2026
The Language of Home
What Your Family Should Know About Campus
Family Is Eveyrthing
Family Weekend
Growing Up Together, Apart
W E
E K E N D Photo by Payton Gaskill
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TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITORIAL Ryan E. Ross Cooglife Executive Editor cooglife@thedailycougar.com
COVER Ryan E. Ross Cooglife Contributor
WRITERS Mahdiya Bhiwandiwala Gauraangi Gupta
03 04 08 12 16 19 22
Table of Contents | Contributor Credits & Editor’s Note From Freshman Dormmates to Family What Your Family Should Know About Campus The Language of Home Growing Up Together, Apart Family Is Everything Letters to My Family From Campus
EDITOR’S NOTE
W E
Greeting, Coogs!
E K E N D
I am so happy to share with you our third issue of the semester, “Family
Elexia Lopez
Weekend.” Within these pages you’ll find stories of roommates turned
Ryan E. Ross
family, what your family should know about campus, how to maintain
Gillian Wisniewski
ARTISTS
cultural traditions in college and much more. I hope you enjoy each page, put together by myself and the talented artists, writers and photographers of Cooglife magazine.
Catherine Do Payton Gaskill Anastasia Rivera Ryan E. Ross Sophia Valenciano
If you are interested in becoming a member of Cooglife magazine, please reach out via email. Until the next read, Ryan E. Ross | Executive Editor
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From From Freshman Freshman Dormmates to Dormmates to Family Family Written by Gillian Wisniewski Transitioning to a university after graduating from high school might be one of the most deceiving events during a person's teenage years. College is filled with such drastic changes and spontaneous events that it can become overwhelming, causing people to forget to slow down and take in the moment. However, a beautiful thing that blooms from all of this chaos and madness is the connections and friendships made. There is always someone going through the same thing as you who is willing to help and connect, and they might be closer than you think. When I first made my decision to come to the University of Houston I knew I was going to be in for a long ride – 24 hours in a car to be exact, pun intended. // October 2026 4 COOGLIFE 4 COOGLIFE // October 2026
I am from the great state of New Jersey, a whopping 1,500 miles away from all of my friends and family. With that being said, I came here to start completely from scratch. I wanted to make new connections and experience the “southern charm” I had always heard about. I will give it to you guys, everyone here is significantly nicer and polite. That worked out very well on my behalf – especially with my freshman year roommate Ava. Ava and I first met through Instagram during the last few weeks of my senior year. I had not selected a roommate yet for my future dorm which was worrisome, but I had made a post through a “New Student” account on Instagram to find others looking for a
roommate roommateasaswell. well.Ava Ava saw sawmymypost, post,trusted trustedherher gut, and reached outout to to meme gut, and reached with withthethehighest highestsense senseofof urgencyforforususto todorm dorm urgency togetherimmediately. immediately.She She together expressed worry expressed herher worry ofof thethe portalclosing closingsoon soonand and portal whenit itdiddidthethepeople people when who hadn’t hadn’t selected selected who anyone to to bebe their their anyone roommate would would getget a a roommate random roommate random roommate assignedwith withthem. them.After After assigned quickskim skimover overherher a aquick InstagramI Idecided decidedto to Instagram trustherherasaswell welland andwewe trust selectedeach eachother otherto tobebe selected roommates roommates that that night. night. Over Over thethe summer summer wewe texted texted pretty pretty frequently frequently and andgotgotto toknow knoweach each well,I Ieven even other otherfairly fairlywell, flew down down forfor mymy flew orientation and was able orientation and was able to to meetAva Avaand andherhermom. mom. meet Instantlyafter afterthat thatfirst first Instantly connection I I knew knew wewe connection weregoing goingto tobebevery very were closefriends, friends,and andI Iamam close beyond grateful that beyond grateful to to saysay that still this day. wewe still areare to to this day. COOGLIFE // October 2026 COOGLIFE // October 2026
5 5
Ava and I did every activity together our freshman year: Weeks of Welcome events, hide and seek in the dorm buildings, football games, study sessions at cafes and more. We relied on each other heavily for support during everything, she was there for me when I called my parents saying I wanted to go back home, I was there for her after her first exams. There are countless nights where we stayed up talking to each other and providing advice on the issues we were facing. Her mom even welcomed me to their home for the snowstorm that hit Texas in the Winter of 2025. I stayed with them for a few days and spent time getting to know both of them.
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To this day, we still go out to dinner together. They truly are considered family in my heart. They have welcomed me with open arms, and words cannot express my gratitude. Although I do not room with Ava anymore, I still see her every week. It is so beautiful so see how much we both have grown over the last two years. If I hadn’t met Ava and trusted her to be my roommate, the odds that I would still be here at University of Houston are slim. She kept me on track and helped me come out of my shell. I am where I am today because of the connection we have.
Thank Thank Thank Thank you you you you Ava, Ava, A A va, va, you you you you are are are are truly truly truly truly family family family family toto tome. me. to me. me.
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What Your Family Should Know About Campus Written by Gauraangi Gupta
UH often likes to describe itself as a home away from home for all Coogs. Family week is the perfect time for every student on campus to have their two worlds collide: their family and their chosen family. Here’s a list of everything you can do and more:
Have them try out the dining halls
Take your family to your favorite dining hall on campus and get them the taste of your everyday food and go-to options. Show them the usual route and your spot when you have dinner or lunch. Introduce them to your unique meal combination you’ve mastered over the months.
Dorm tour
It might sound kiddish, but believe me that COOGLIFE // // October October 2026 2026 8 8 COOGLIFE
your parents would absolutely love a dorm tour! Show them where you have kept a family photo, where you study or where you doom scroll on a slow Sunday. However, make sure you have it all cleaned up. Do your laundry and throw away empty cups! Your parents have spent weeks looking at the clean corner you carefully chose for FaceTimes. It’s time to bring that to reality.
Walk with them
UH campus, while even under construction, has some solid spots for a quick traditions introduction, history lesson and a cute family photo. Take them to meet Shasta and Sasha in front of the RAD center and grab a quick lunch as well.
Show them the stadium and stop by at the religion center where you will soon be taking your graduation pictures. Give them a tour of your classroom and the library. Take them to the Den and tell the stories of football and basketball games.
Family photo
Especially for out of state students, family week is a big deal for your families. They wait for weeks or even months to finally see you. So be nice and don’t crib when they want to take a gazillion family pictures. Let them have this day. In fact, take them to all the must visit spots on campus photo spots!
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Traditions
Teach them how to make the Cougar paw hand sign. Correctly. Right hand goes up, not left! Explain them all about Shasta and Sasha, the Houston zoo and all our yells like “Whose House? Coogs House!”
Introduce your friends
This is where your two worlds collide. Make sure your family and chosen family meet each other. Introduce them and share all the fun stories with them on how you met, what you do together and how you spend your time on campus.
Football game
You can’t conclude family week without going to the game. So make sure you have the tickets ready and attend the game on Saturday, Oct. 17. Make sure everyone is wearing red and remembers the chants. Gather collectibles and send them off with some UH merch! Remember, enjoy it a lot. Family weekend is truly something special and you and your family deserve an amazing time.
Photos by Catherine Do 10 COOGLIFE // October 2026 10 COOGLIFE // October 2026
Family Weekend
BINGO Mom takes a million pictures
Dad asks about tuition
Someone asks about the dining hall
Met roommates parents
FREE SPACE
Family photo
Parent checks syllabus
Parent asks when your coming home
Parent asks about grades
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The
Language Home of
Written by Elexia Lopez
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Leaving home may mean stepping into new routines, expectations and communities. In a city as diverse and fastmoving as Houston, campus often brings together people from different states, countries, languages and cultural backgrounds. That diversity can be exciting, but it can also make you feel far from the people, places and traditions you grew up with. Maintaining your family’s language, slang and cultural customs while away from home is a way to find comfort while becoming who you are. Home is not always a physical place you can return to every day. It lives in the way your family says certain words, the music played during weekend cleaning, a favorite meal or the jewelry passed down through generations. These everyday aspects are the key to creating familiarity during stressful or unfamiliar moments. As you pursue your career and newfound independence, carrying these pieces of home can help you remember that personal growth does not require leaving your identity behind. One of the strongest ways you can maintain your culture and language is by connecting with others.
Everyday events like making small talk in class, waiting in line for food, or conversations with a roommate can lead to meaningful connections. Those moments can turn into friendships that make campus feel less intimidating. At the same time, you do not have to share the same background as someone else to connect. Talking with people from different cultures creates opportunities to learn from one another. You might teach a friend local phrases or expressions from where you are from, while they share words, recipes, holidays or traditions from their own hometown. Those conversations can also make you more aware of the language, accents and expressions you carry with you from home. Another important part of identity is language. You may naturally code-switch throughout the day. You may speak more formally in class, during an interview or at a professional event, then shift into the language, accent or slang you use with close friends or family members. Returning to a familiar language or slang can be comforting after a long day
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of assignments, of assignments, work and work responsibilities. and responsibilities. cookingcooking a familya recipe, family recipe, calling calling relativesrelatives at a regular at a regular time, practicing time, practicing a faitha faith or listening or listening to familiar to familiar music music It can allow It canyou allow to feel you connected to feel connected to the to thetraditiontradition while getting ready for ready the day. for the day. people people and places and that places shaped that shaped you, even you, evenwhile getting while adjusting while adjusting to campus to campus life. life. You may Youwear may awear necklace a necklace given by given a by a grandparent, make coffee make coffee the waytheit way is it is Cultural Cultural organizations, organizations, fraternities fraternities and andgrandparent, homeat or home keepora keep phrase a phrase in yourin your sororities sororities can also cangive alsoyou givea you stronger a strongermade atmade language language written written near your near desk. your desk. sense of sense belonging. of belonging. These groups These groups often oftenfamily’sfamily’s routinesroutines like these like can theseprovide can provide create create spaces spaces where where you canyoucelebrate can celebrateSmall Small and stability and stability when everything when everything heritageheritage throughthrough food, food, language, language,comfortcomfort else new. feels new. performances, performances, service service projectsprojects and andelse feels culturalcultural events. events.
especially comforting comforting when when They can They be can be especially you areyou far are fromfarhome from orhome adjusting or adjusting to a to a new environment. new environment. Being around Being around people people who who understand understand certain certain family family expectations, expectations, traditions traditions or experiences or experiences can can make you makefeelyouseen feelwithout seen without needingneeding to to explain explain every part every of yourself. part of yourself. encourages encourages you to you explore to explore new new CollegeCollege opportunities, but it but should it should also make also make Connection Connection does not does only not happen only happenopportunities, room the for identity the identity you already you already carry. carry. hroughthrough friendships friendships or campus or campusroom for connected connected to family to family languages, languages, organizations; organizations; it can also it can be also builtbe through built throughStayingStaying slang and slang traditions and traditions does notdoes holdnot hold small habits small you habits carry youinto carry your into everyday your everydayaccents,accents, youitback; gives ityou gives a foundation. you a foundation. stay connected to home to homeyou back; ife. You life.can Youstay canconnected hroughthrough small “micro small “micro rituals.”rituals.” By sharing By sharing pieces of pieces home of with homeothers, with others, build cancommunity, build community, strengthen strengthen your your These These can include can include wearingwearing meaningful meaningfulyou canyou confidence and make and unfamiliar make unfamiliar spaces spaces clothingclothing or jewelry, or jewelry, decorating decorating your dorm your dormconfidence feel a little feel more a littlelike more your like own. your own. oom with room photos with or photos cultural or cultural items, items,
// October 2026 14 COOGLIFE 14 COOGLIFE // October 2026
Words From Home:
Graphic by Anastasia Rivera
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Growing Up Together, Apart
Written by Mahdiya Bhiwandiwala
The transition to college For most of us students, going to college turns out to be one of the most transformative experiences of our lives. This is especially true for students who say goodbye to their homes, their parents and their siblings and begin a new chapter of their lives away from the comfort they have always known. We often don’t realize that while we’re out in college experiencing personal growth and unlocking new versions of ourselves, our parents are also growing older and our siblings are getting taller (especially the youngest ones!). This change can sometimes be a tough pill to swallow and feels very bittersweet. But leaving home doesn't have to mean leaving our families behind. Instead, it can mean learning how to experience life with them from a distance.
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Leaving home means missing the celebrations and milestones
When we’re away from family, we aren’t always prepared to not be present for special occasions or milestones. Birthdays become FaceTime calls. Family dinners become pictures sent to the group chat. An upcoming exam or a work commitment means missing a sibling’s accomplishments. It somehow feels out of place and also wrong to not physically be there for those cherished moments that we know holds a lot of value in our lives. Sometimes, it also means waiting to go back home to have delayed celebrations just to replicate the original moment where everyone should’ve been together in the first place. Growing up together, apart doesn’t have to mean being in the same room to celebrate special moments. What matters is showing up in any way we can, even if we can’t physically be there.
Communication starts looking a little different
When we’re in the same house with our families, there really isn’t a start or an end time to have conversations. They just naturally flow throughout
the day whenever we see each other. But, when we’re apart from our families, long conversations become less and less frequent and communication starts looking different. Instead of long conversations every day, communication looks a little more like squeezing in a five-minute video call while walking to class, checking with each other through texts, sending pictures or videos of anything we’re doing or hopping on a quick call with our siblings when we find some free time between classes or work.Growing up together, apart doesn’t have to mean growing distant. It starts to look like finding new and consistent ways to stay connected and remain a part of each other’s lives, even when life gets busy.
other because we start to cherish our shared moments differently. When we know a moment is going to be over soon, we tend to hold on tightly to it. It makes us pay closer attention to things we would otherwise disregard, whether it be our parents’ routines, sitting together at the dining table or even doing the mundane things like grocery shopping with our parents. Growing up together, apart means realizing how much more the simple moments can mean to us when we know we won’t always have them and makes us appreciate the time we get to spend in each other’s company.
How our parents have to adjust
When we are away from our families, we can’t help but notice
Distance makes you cherish moments differently
Being apart from the people that we love makes us realize how often we take the moments of togetherness for granted, even if it means simply being around each other in silence. It may seem like distance makes families less close, but it can actually make us feel more connected to each
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how much our lives, routines and independence changes. What we often don’t pay attention to is while we adjust to our new lives, our parents have to do the same back home. Our parents learn to live a life that no longer revolves around having their children at home. The entire house feels quieter. The dining table has a few extra empty seats. The rooms that were filled with noise and clutter are now empty. Our parents have to learn how to fill the time that was once occupied with having all their children around. Additionally, they need to learn when to give their children space and when to check in with them. Growing up together, apart means realizing that as difficult as it is for us to be away from our parents, it is equally difficult for them to not see us everyday and be concerned for us. It also helps us understand that we are both growing, but in different ways and places.
Growing Up Together, Apart Maybe this is what it truly means to grow up together, apart. When weleave home, we believe our lives 18 COOGLIFE // October 2026 18 COOGLIFE // October 2026
are changing, only to return and realize that everything and everyone we left behind was changing and growing too. Our parents are getting older, our siblings are evolving and developing new interests, and we are also becoming a new version of ourselves that our families get to learn more of each time they see us. Being apart will inevitably mean missing out on moments we wish we could have been there for in person. However, life continues to move forward for everyone, even when we aren’t there to witness every moment. The bittersweet part is that we all may be apart in distance, but that doesn’t mean we grow entirely apart. The moments we share will always give us a reason to come back home. And that will always be a reason to smile.
Family is Everything Written by Ryan E. Ross
July, 4th, 2026
Jersey day at church
In the words of Michael J. Fox, “Family is not an important thing. It's everything.” The support given from my family has brought me so far in my collegiate career. They even encouraged me to attend graduate school here at UH. Even when i’m not around them, I am so thankful to know that they’re always rooting for me. Every accomplishment I’ve made and will make is a reflection of the love and support I am given. Thank you Mom, Dad, Winnie and Roman, I love y’all.
Siblings trip to Big Bend COOGLIFE // October 2026 19 COOGLIFE // October 2026 19
Graphic
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no
ia Valencia
l by Soph and editoria
Letters to My Family From Campus To Mom, Dad, and Hannah, I hope you guys know how much I love and miss you everyday. Being so far away from you guys takes a toll on me, but it has also made the moments we get together during breaks more special. I love and appreciate everything you guys have done to support me throughout my college journey. I hope you all are proud of everything I have accomplished, all of my achievements are because of you guys. You all are always with me in those moments within my heart, I love you all endlessly <3 Love, Gillian W Dear Family, I hope everyone is doing fine. It has been an adjustment getting used to college and my classes, but I am really getting used to campus life. It is nice being away from home, although I do miss home, but I thank you for your support. From, Ethan S
To my family, Thank you for always being there for me and supporting me every step of the way. I could not have done it without each and every one of you. So often I am in the moment and thinking about the next goal or assignment I have to do and I do not take the time to reflect, but I truly am blessed. I am blessed to have a family that supports and loves me so well. I do not know what else to say but thank you. Thank you for taking me to all my practices, helping me with my homework, always pushing me to do my best, and encouraging me as I go through my final year of grad school. Thank you and I hope I make you proud. Love, Megan B
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Hi Mom and Dad, Living at UH has been everything that I could ever imagined. There was so many fun events being held around campus that I attended, so many organizations that I joined, I feel like my wishes of being a university student has fulfilled. I met my roommate for thr first time, he’s so thoughtful and understanding of my autism. Classes are getting more tense that I thought, but I’m determine to make it through okay. Finally got the chance to go to their football games which was so much fun, minus the hot weather, but I’m trying plently of water to stay hydrated. I know y’all are worry about me going through this big change, being far away from y’all, thinking it’ll be too overhwleming for me. Honestly, I’m having a great time here with a big supportive group of friends I made. I miss y’all so much, hope I can come back home to visit. Love you, Jay
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To my family, To my mom, thank you for always reminding me to take care of myself. I love that I can be vulnerable and open with you about all my worries. Your words instantly make me feel better. To my dad, you are my biggest cheerleader. I appreciate the way you celebrate my achievements. To know that I have you by my side instantly puts me at ease. To my brothers, you guys are my perfect built-in and lifelong friends. Thank you for bringing a smile to my face when I need it the most. My life feels much brighter with you both in it. Having all of you in my life makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. With you all, every success feels more meaningful and every failure feels less scary. I love you all more than this letter could ever express! Love, Mahdiya
UH UH Family Family Weekend Weekend ‘26 ‘26
Photos by Payton Gaskill
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