I’ve always been quite fond of my name—Iris. My mother’s decision to name me after the rainbow goddess turned out to be fitting for the years to come as I grew up between a clash of cultures and identities. The different colors of what I had seen, felt…

You’ve seen it—whether sitting in the dorm hallways, meandering in broad daylight, or lying in bed at night—students and their loved ones update each other about their lives. Sometimes, they speak in loving tones. Sometimes, they debate in exasperated whispers. Other times, both sides laugh hysterically as their…