Reading "Zong!" in several classes has been transformative—not only do I extensively write about it in my thesis, it helps me as a poet (re)discover the beauty of language, recognize the tragedies behind its history, and inform me of ways that I can affect our historical usage.

Q: What is your most memorable or favorite book you've read during your time here?

A: Oh God, there are so many! I really liked the short story 180H course (not workshop), and I loved reading Arthur C Clarke's "The Star". Such a poignant short story that blew my mind.

I've learned a lot in my classes here at Cal about reading and writing. But the things I'll take away are the moments that weren't planned, those days when I ran into someone at FSM and we had a conversation that stuck with me, those days when I went to Moe's.

I will always look fondly upon Wheeler hall: hiding and studying in the English lounge, taking up too much space on the staircases, getting lost on the fourth floor trying to find my professor's offices, and making small talk with other confused English majors as we waited in line in office hours...The beautiful, huge windows in Wheeler opened the windows of my soul and gave me knowledge, insights, and memories I'll treasure forever.

"Hold fast to dreams
for if dreams die
life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly."
    —Langston Hughes

“Sometimes I’ll start a sentence and I don’t even know where it’s going. I just hope I find it along the way.”
    —Michael Scott, The Office

Nothing to be done.
    —Samuel Beckett, “Waiting for Godot”