Search Our Writing:
Sitting in the In-Progress Place
Mar 12, 2026 | By Hannah Liu TC ‘29
Are we there yet?
I was never really one to ask that aloud. My little sister did, lots, but I would rather just peer over the front seat to check the GPS myself. It was just easier that way. I don’t like to inconvenience people. As a kid, I always made my sister ask the waiter if we needed an extra fork or another napkin. Even now, I sometimes avoid asking for things I want because I’d rather avoid the awkwardness.
Abundance and Gratitude
Mar 11, 2026 | By John Kiely MC ‘26
Growing up, my family attentively observed the Catholic fasting rules of Lent. Because it was easy to incorporate these rules into our scheduled meals, which were sometimes vegetarian anyway, they never created much of a problem for us on Fridays. Just another thing to keep in mind when making the shopping list. In fact, some of my favorite dinners, like hard-boiled egg and cheese sandwiches (they’re much better than they sound) were only served during Lent in my house. Not because there’s something wrong with eating them during the rest of the year, but because that’s just the routine my family fell into. Maybe that’s why I like them.
Praying in the Sandwich Line
Mar 10, 2026 | By Nathan Brown UT Austin ‘28
I eat at this sandwich shop twice a week. There's typically a short line, so the elapsed time between arriving at the shop and leaving with my sandwich is between five and ten minutes. My instinct is to fill the "dead time" by pulling out my phone and browsing the internet. I'm not alone: most people in the shop do the same.
Thrown Into the Wilderness
Mar 9, 2026 | By Jack Batten BF ‘27
The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to him. (Mark 1:12-13)
Fasting: What’s the Point?
Mar 8, 2026 | By Tiffany Gee UT ‘26
I didn’t grow up observing Lent. To my teenage self, Lent meant seeing my Catholic friends arriving at school with ash on their foreheads. The same friends would later inform me that they were giving up social media, or sweets, or red meat. Not understanding what any of this meant at the time, I accepted this practice was for those more religious than I. Maybe it was some type of New Year’s Resolution thing I didn’t know about.
Faith Over Facts
Mar 7, 2026 | By Sadie Shank GSAS ‘26
Recently, I’ve been reading Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. Lewis is famous for carefully explaining Christianity. He lays out arguments about morality, human nature, and what they might suggest about God. For someone who likes reasoning things out, it’s comforting. It makes faith feel a little sturdier.
Upcoming Events:
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Writing Voice Workshop
THURSDAY, JAN 22ND, 6:15-7:50 PM,
Elm Institute
This week, we will hone our writing voice in different styles.
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Editing for Writing with Voice Workshop
THURSDAY, JAN 29TH, 6:15-7:15 PM, Location TBD
Based on the previous week’s workshop, we will edit our pieces to hone our writing voice.
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Veritas Weekend
FEB 6-8TH, Boston
Save the date for Veritas Weekend in Boston! More information below!
Signup Date Passed
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Theme Introduction Meeting
THURSDAY, FEB 12ND, 6:15-7:15 PM,
Location TBD
Our theme this semester is… mirrors! We will be exploring the literary tradition and potential topics for mirrors.
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Theme Introduction at Elm
THURSDAY, FEB 19ND, 6:15-7:50 PM,
Elm Institute
We will be continuing our exploration of the theme of mirrors at the Elm Institute, with a session led by Peter Wicks.
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Writing Retreat
SATURDAY, MARCH 28TH
We will be adjourning to the countryside to spend a day dedicated to making progress on our drafts.