This year’s Essayist is an exploration of the individuality of every Temple student.

The Essayist exists in The Temple News to highlight the personal lives and experiences of Temple students, whether they’re unpacking complex stories, reflecting on impactful experiences or honoring important moments or people in their lives.

What do these different topics all have in common? They are always unique, a story only the writer could tell themselves.

Each student has a personal story to tell, but for this edition, they focused on what contributes to their individual identity. One student has spent their adolescent years working toward an Olympic-level goal, while one compares her life path to that of an acorn,

One has lived vicariously through a character they wrote in a novel, while another draws her freedom of self-expression from a clown duo.

Every student has a quirk, and every student should embrace the little things that comprise their individualism.

Sincerely,