Wanted: Intern, Likes to Cook
October 26, 2005

Last Tuesday, I received the following email: “Dear Sarah Hepola, Are you ready for your trip in just two days?” I was not ready. I was not ready because my trip—to Texas, planned months ago—was not supposed to take place... more

Elisabeth's End
October 24, 2005

Almost a year ago, I began a serial on The Morning News called “The Education of Elisabeth Eckleman.” It was about a smart but somewhat naïve college freshman navigating her first semester away from home. I named her Elisabeth because... more

If You Could Complete Me, I Would Probably Let You.
October 21, 2005

In my last year of college, still smarting from a break-up that had occurred a year prior (or, perhaps, smarting from some other new break-up or, perhaps, simply smarting with indigestion), I saw "Jerry Maguire." It must have been the... more

Sushi and Fried Chicken
October 18, 2005

Around the corner from my house, there is a laundromat that doubles as a post office. Further down the street, there’s a mini-market that sells tacos in the back. I love the awkward economy of this arrangement, of two things... more

Welcome to the Neighborhood
October 17, 2005

I’m still getting used to my neighborhood, with its parade of twentysomethings disembarking the L train as if it were high school passing period. Everyone is so young, and attractive, and carefree, it’s as if they all have part-time jobs... more

Sick.
October 13, 2005

Growing up, I faked strep throat at least once a year—usually when I had an exam, a drama performance, or, simply, couldn’t find a thing to wear. It was an easy ruse, strep having few symptoms besides a slightly elevated... more

This Place Is So Me
October 10, 2005

At 22, having just graduated from college, I moved in by myself for the first time. It was a nifty one-bedroom backhouse, with wheezing AC units and windows that cranked open to reveal spiderwebs and crushed beetles, and I loved... more

Dear Oprah...
October 10, 2005

Dear Oprah, I am writing you about a very special guy. No, this time it’s not Jake Gyllenhaal. His name is Craig. See, recently I moved to the big city, and it hasn’t always been easy. (You must know that,... more

Like "Fantasy Island," Only More Delicious
October 07, 2005

When you’re down and depressed and, let’s face it, using the lid of your tupperware container as a plate—nothing hits the spot like a grilled cheese sandwich. For a while, I was an evangelical peanut butter and honey fan, but... more

Surprisingly Big and Incredibly Empty
October 05, 2005

I must be the one person in New York with too much space. I’m not complaining—my kitchen is big enough to have a dance-off, and don’t think I won’t. But it’s a little overwhelming, having come from Texas with little... more

Moving Day, a Tragicomedy in 25 Parts
October 04, 2005

Characters: Craig: Supernice, patient, generous, surprisingly strong, bad-ass friend willing to help me move. Sarah: Needs a haircut. Scene 1: Lessons in U-Haul, Part 1 Setting: 155th and Frederick Douglas, under a bridge, streets littered with broken glass and hypodermic... more