Caroline Bohra
Author
Caroline Bohra is a fourth year English major and Sociology minor. She enjoys long walks through the aisle of Trader Joes and is a self-proclaimed rom-communist. She’s a big fan of seltzer and gummy vitamins.
April 20, 2020
Art by Kirsten Hemrich
2020 was supposed to be OUR year. It was supposed to be the modern roaring twenties, I was supposed to walk the lawn for graduation, it was supposed to be good. Even the number 2020 is clean, even, almost perfect some would say. However, that is definitely not what happened. The year started off with Australia ablaze, threats of World War III erupting, Kobe Bryant being taken too soon, devastating floods in Indonesia, and then we got hit with a global pandemic. Corona is a lot of things—unknown, scary, unprecedented (this will be the most used word of 2020). It is also downright weird. For...
March 04, 2020
Art by Kirsten Hemrich
Dear Doodle,
Cause I love you a bushel and a peck,
you bet your pretty neck I do,
doodle oodle oh,
You’re a chicken noodle,
Doodle oodle oodle oh.
Sincerely,
Caroline
xoxoxo
The barstools in the kitchen: those are reserved for eating toaster waffles topped with cinnamon...
February 13, 2020
Art by Kirsten Hemrich
The first time I saw my Dad cry
We were standing in a raspberry field.
My fingers were covered in crimson juice,
fresh and sweet and slightly sticky.
That morning the TV wouldn’t stop repeating
Pictures of smoke, planes flying into the towers.
At the time I did not pay much attention to the news,
But I wanted nothing more than to make my Dad smile.
I proudly showed him the carton, fruit overflowing.
That night we made raspberry shortcake.
The first time I got my period
was at the Philadelphia Art Show...
November 14, 2019
Art by Kirsten Hemrich
It’s no secret that I am a sucker for a good romantic comedy or teenage coming-of-age movie. Both of these genres tend to operate on themes of innocence and hope, something that the world could use a little bit more of.
I have probably spent too many car rides staring out the window of a car, my forehead pressed up against the cool glass, staring out the window and pretending that I was the protagonist in my own movie. Maybe it was the opening credits of the movie, where the audience meets me for the first time and my future is a whole host of possibilities. Or sometimes it’s the...
October 24, 2019
Art by Kirsten Hemrich
Ten Years Old. Before even walking into the store, I am hit by the scent of Abercrombie & Fitch “Fierce” wafting into the mall. My fifth-grade mind had learned to associate this smell with attractive men shirtless on the beach, and preppy clothing galore. The smell of cardamom and citrus becomes even more pungent as I enter, my eyes adjusting to the dim lighting and taking in the upbeat pop music. It’s the definition of sensory overload. Before the obnoxiously attractive guy at the door can ask if I need any help, my friend already has her arm loaded with clothes to try on. I slowly...
October 02, 2019
Art by Kirsten Hemrich
My nickname in my friend group is “the emotional toilet.” Not really the most glamorous of nicknames. Essentially it refers to my tendency to become someone for the people in my life (mostly men) to vent to and drop their emotional baggage on without expecting the favor to be returned. I’ve always prided myself on being a good listener and trying to help people solve their issues. Being needed can be addicting sometimes, but there’s a fine line between helping someone and trying to “fix” them. It’s an issue that I am aware of and working on, but I wonder, how did I get here? There’s a...
September 18, 2019
Art by Kirsten Hemrich
From a very young age my father instilled in me a love of cooking. Over the years he tried to teach me the culinary basics: the art of pairing flavors, the five mother sauces of French cuisine, the importance of making sure meat remains tender, and the fact that if you ask any Italian chef they will downright condemn putting cheese on seafood. Thinking back now, I realize that I have encountered fish and cheese before (your classic lox and cream cheese on an everything bagel), but for some reason this “no cheese on seafood” rule always stood out in my brain as an important one. That is,...