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Caption: 2018 STORIES CATEGORY WINNER: Alexandra Pirsos '21 "Traveling opens the mind the differences between reality and perception, in yourself and in others, just as showcased by this haphazard mirror selfie in Dubai." Click on the image to learn more.

Description: "This year when studying abroad for winter term in Dubai, I randomly took this picture of myself at an art museum. It was not until I returned home that I realized how this singular photo truly represented my entire abroad experience. In this photo, there are three mirrors, but I look completely different in each one. Dead center I look “normal”, to the left I look taller and thinner, and my skirt looks wider, and to the right I completely disappear. I realized this is exactly what happens when you travel. You start in your home country or state and everyone sees you just as you are in the right mirror. You disappear among the landscape of your country because everyone around you acts, looks, and speaks the same. However, when you travel to a place that you don’t necessarily fit in on the surface, people are more aware of your presence. This can be good if they see you for who you truly are, but there is an equal chance that they will see an altered version, just like the mirror on the left. The reason I love that this was taken in a mirror is because as humans we are most concerned with our own self perception, when in reality the people from the country are viewing us just as much as we are viewing them. Traveling opens the mind the differences between reality and perception, in yourself and in others, just as showcased by this haphazard mirror selfie in Dubai."