Tema Siegel, a senior at Newton South, participates in Jazz Ensemble and Newtones. When she is not practicing and performing with these groups, she composes her own music. Although she tried her hand at writing in elementary school, she only became serious about it two years ago. Her influences include Lake Street Dive, Regina Spektor, … Continue reading Tema Siegel – Better (An Original Song)
Molly Walsh is a senior editor for the Photography section of Rasalas! When she’s not behind a camera, Molly enjoys playing music, reading & writing, taking naps, and drinking an excessive amount of coffee or tea (sometimes a cup of each). Continue reading Molly Walsh – Love is All, Tallest Man on Earth (Acoustic Guitar Cover)
DISCLAIMER: The writer does not endorse or participate in underage drinking in any way, shape, or form beyond writing about it. However, he does acknowledge that it happens, and that this story depicts a situation where it happens. It isn’t unusual for me to be out this late. It isn’t even unusual for me to … Continue reading How Whitney Houston Saved My Life
The man sighs as he pulls on his well-worn boots, cinches his long coat tight around himself, remembering the last time he received a hug. Shaking his head to clear it, he slugs out of his small apartment and into the bitter cold London streets. He begins to drag his feet forward as he wonders … Continue reading Retail
In 1943, England launched a series of air raids on Italy in hopes of defeating the axis powers. Certain areas of the country were left untouched, however my grandmother’s hometown was bombed two times during that year. She was only six years old when she had to help her seven siblings assemble a bomb shelter … Continue reading Maria Teresa
The chubby Nigerian boy burst into tears. They traveled down his cheeks through his chin and dripped onto his orange polo shirt. I stood there, staring as his cries grew louder and louder. I didn’t know much about him, only that he was a fan of Michael Jackson and that he was from Nigeria. His … Continue reading 3rd Grade
No, being in a mental hospital is nothing like being in Girl, Interrupted. To be completely honest I’ve never watched or read Girl, Interrupted, but the Wikipedia synopsis did not hold the promise of an accurate portrayal. And from what I’ve been told, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest isn’t particularly enlightening either. Girl, Interrupted … Continue reading On Mental Hospitals and Movies
I visited my father’s childhood home for the last time in the seventh grade. It is located in Fair Haven, a small Jewish town in northern New Jersey. Tyson Drive is a decently short road, leading to a dead end. The house sits at the end of the road in a circular crevice, surrounded by … Continue reading 72 Tyson Drive
I carried Piglet from apartment to house to house, frayed and graying pink and decidedly female. She lives in the two homes on my back, one with yellow walls and one with newly painted bright middle-school blue. Now my walls are blue-gray clean, and Piglet sits at the top of a mountain of stuffed animals … Continue reading The Things We Carry
Reflections 