Beyond the Surface

  Hooked on Memes, Tricked by Trends: My Media Nightmare Growing Up With Limited Media Have you ever stopped to think about how much media shapes your day? My perception of media has changed way more than I realized. I didn’t grow up with social media, so I never paid much attention to it. People always said, “Don’t get social media, it’s bad for your mental health.” And honestly? They weren’t wrong. But at the time, I brushed it off. Now that I’m older, especially in college, I see how powerful media really is and how it sneaks into every part of our lives. Am I the only one that experiences this? I know some college students may relate because not everyone grew up with social media. I am one of the  minority.  Social media shapes communities—for better and worse. It messes with self-esteem, personal identity, and how we compare ourselves to others. Everyone’s sharing their best photos, best moments, best lives… and here we are, comparing ourselves to the highlights. It...

 Eat Smarter, Not Harder Something Needed to Change I used to drag my feet all day, wondering why I always felt so tired. Coffee gave me a quick boost, but it never really lasted. By mid-afternoon, I would crash completely, and it started to feel normal, even though it shouldn’t have been. Eventually, I started paying more attention to my daily consumption and realized something needed to change in the way I ate. I didn’t want to move through life constantly exhausted. So I started tracking small patterns and noticing how certain foods made me feel. That alone opened my eyes to how much my choices impacted my energy. Being Healthy isn't about Restrictions Eating well isn’t about following a strict diet or giving up the foods we all love. It’s about making smarter choices that give my body the fuel it actually needs. When I swap my sugary snacks for fruit or have a balanced breakfast instead of skipping—like I used to back in high school—I notice a huge difference. Eating healthier...

 Hashtags for sale?  You know,   h ashtags might seem simple little symbols floating around social media , but they carry a a lot more power than what people realize. In a world where attention. moves fast and connect spreads even faster, hashtags almost feel like a tiny billboards, labels we put "up for sale" to whoever might be search for them. They're not just selling a product, but they are providing something like connections, visibility, and context.  What are Hashtags? A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the “#” sign. On social media, hashtags organize content, highlight topics, and make posts easier to find. Personally, I see them as shortcuts that redirect my audience to references I’ve made or provide context without over-explaining. While I often use them as personal reference tools, they can also help posts reach a broader audience. Research shows that posts with relevant hashtags can  increase engagement by up to 12.6% on Instagram  (Sou...

  When the News is Slanted: How Media Shapes Our Views Uncover the bias: Understanding What the News Really Tells Us News is meant to inform us but sometimes, I’ve noticed it can be slanted in ways that twist the truth. Slanted reporting doesn’t always mean lying; often, it’s about what information is included, what’s left out, and how the story is presented. These choices can give a certain perspective without directly stating an opinion. Understanding this helps me pay closer attention to how news is delivered, not just what is being reported.   For example, I came across the New York Post article, “How CBS and CNN went from reporting the news to distorting it” , which criticizes two major news networks for allegedly exaggerating stories and letting bias influence their reporting. The article uses examples of mistakes and dramatic language to suggest that these networks cannot be fully trusted. To me, it shows how a report can frame a story about bias without ever ...

  Friendships Are Hard to Find The Rarity of True Friendship Friendship is one of life’s greatest treasures, but it isn’t always easy to find. Have you ever noticed how rare it is to find a stable friendship where both people are genuine, share similar experiences, or can set aside differences regardless of the circumstances? True friendships are hard to come by because they take time to build and require effort to maintain. They demand patience and vulnerability, simply getting to know each other and lifting each other up. In a world that often values convenience and surface-level connections, deep, meaningful relationships can feel almost impossible to find. Trust and Vulnerability One of the hardest parts of finding true friends is trust. To be fully understood and accepted, we must let people see our authentic selves, flaws and all. Opening up to vulnerability without knowing the outcome can be scary, and it requires commitment from both sides. It’s no wonder that so many c...

  Higher Education in Arizona: Balancing Opportunity, Affordability, and the Economy. Affordability matters I found myself resonating most with the issue of college affordability . Access to higher education is not always guaranteed, and my family’s experiences illustrate that clearly. While my dad graduated with a degree in Pharmacy and my sister completed medical school, not all of my relatives were able to finish college. My brother, for instance, had to drop out due to the lack of affordability. Currently, I am pursuing a degree in music, and I also connect deeply with “Meeting Job Needs for Chips Isn’t Easy” and “Can Phoenix Keep its College Graduates?” . Both highlight how economic pressures weigh heavily on students and graduates. Higher education is no longer just about personal growth or passion it has become a necessary step toward securing a stable paycheck and keeping up with the economy. This creates a high emotional toll on students and families alike, as they try t...