As an overextended teenager, I started each fall with a combination of dread and excitement. Fall meant back-to-school, and, inevitably for me, back to juggling a million-and-one activities after a summer spent relaxing and enjoying lazy days. I was the stereotypical desi kid—striving for perfect grades while trying to excel in every extracurricular activity in hopes of being accepted into the coveted Ivy League. Of course, there are only so many hours in a day, and so fall also meant that certain things fell to the back burner-like getting enough sleep or taking care of myself. I always looked forward to adulthood and all the time I'd have to myself.

Little did I know that as time goes by, my life just gets busier—especially when the weather gets cooler. Each day is crammed with work deadlines, kickboxing classes, family obligations and what's left of my "social life." And I suspect I'm not the only one burning the midnight oil—daily life seems to be more hectic for almost everyone I know. With so much going on, it can be easy to forget about the important things that are bigger than our daily worries and activities.

That's why in our second issue we bring you stories that encourage us to give back to our community ("Hoping for a Match"), stories that help us take better care of ourselves ("Balle Balle Burn" and "Breast Left Unsaid") and stories that remind us of the struggles many other women endure ("Not-So Missing in Action" and "Directing Awareness").

This fall is also a time many South Asians are spending in reflection and celebration of religious holidays or festivals. In "A Fast Break from Tradition" and "DIY Diwali" we offer updates on old traditions associated with Ramadhan and Diwali. And with the holidays fast-approaching, we wanted to know what role religion played in the lives of young South Asians. In "Focus on Faith," our readers share their thoughts.

We hope you'll take some time out of your busy day to explore these stories with us and, perhaps, incorporate something from them into your own lives.

Ismat Sarah Mangla
Editor-in-Chief