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Polluted by vaping
Among today’s novelty-seeking youth, there is another rising fad – vaping. According to a 2017 National Institutes of Drug Abuse, more than one in four high school seniors reported vaping in the previous year. Searching online, you can also effortlessly find many cool-looking guys teaching how to blow out bizarre shapes of smoke rings to stunt your peers. Same as poppies, vaping looks charming and gorgeous, but addictive and toxic in essence. It is not an innocent healthier substitution to real cigarettes as it acclaims. Indeed, the nicotine it contains is no less lethal. What’s more, the most...
Creativity in translation
Splendid books deserve to be shared, just like fantastic movies or music. I have translated excerpts in Chinese from books and poems to English. They are treasures that belong to the world, and I don’t want to see them trammeled by the scopes of language. A good piece of translation is part of the creative process, not a mechanical exercise that is easily done with a computer. A computer can translate words, but they can't translate feelings. Computer-generated translations can be grammatically correct, but lack imagination. When we start to draw the images that hide in our head and lead them...
Current Events, Climate Change and Your Health
With the two climate strikes that happened in September, important conversations are happening about what needs to be done to improve the planet for future generations. Surrounding the dates of the United Nations Climate Action Summit, strikers across the world demanded climate justice for everyone. The demands included an end to the age of fossil fuels, as well as an energy revolution with climate justice and equity as its driving factor. The climate strikes — which have involved everyone from school-aged children to senior citizens — show that climate change is no longer an issue that can be...
Making sense of the world through photography
Information has never been more accessible than it is today. With just a few clicks, I can find out just about anything on any subject of my choosing. With just the press of a button, I can access 24-hour news. While this certainly has its benefits (I cannot imagine having to write an essay on epistemology without the aid of the internet), I have come to realize that for many people, this has at least one big downside. In a time when we are constantly bombarded with general information, facts, and figures, people have become numb to some of the most pressing issues humanity is still trying to...
Does the United States Need a Universal Basic Income?
A large number of people believe the growing wealth gap between the rich and poor is a sign of a weakening democracy. Discussions surrounding whether the United States should implement a universal basic income and stronger public services have come into play. Many Americans believe that more public agencies will lead to inefficiency. They see the government as a necessary evil, rather than a helpful tool and prefer to keep the bulk of economic power in the hands of private markets. Plenty of people also have faith in the rags-to-riches story of capitalism, that anyone who works hard can also...
Which College Will Divest Next?
Signs and protestors proclaiming “Injustice is not an investment,” “Climate change is not a game,” and “We’re still here”... The heated adrenaline is almost palpable if you step onto college campuses today. The kids are asking for divestment. According to Fossil Free, universities have divested around $14 trillion to date. Divesting means that they will actively sell shares in companies that spark environmental or social concerns. In the words of 350.org, this implies “a fast and just transition to 100% renewable energy for all,” “no new fossil fuel projects anywhere,” and “not a penny more...
Vaping: A Youth Epidemic
Electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes, e-cigs, vapes, JUULs—no matter what you call them, these devices are popping up everywhere, and their explosion in popularity has created a huge public health threat for teens and young adults. A modern update to traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes deliver a heated liquid, often containing nicotine, in the form of a vapor that the user then inhales. With major companies like JUUL offering youth-friendly vapor flavors (such as fruit, candy, soda, pastry, and mint) and creating sleek, discrete devices that boast a trendy look, it’s not surprising that these...
How Companies Can Attract and Retain Young Employees
Businesses around the world are beginning to reckon with the fact that Millennials and Generation Z now make up over a third of the workforce. Where in previous years, youth unemployment was a massive issue among younger working generations, today the tides have turned considerably. As Baby Boomers begin to retire and Generation X starts to fill in for them, businesses are finding themselves struggling to attract and retain the younger employees that they will eventually need to continue their productivity and profitability. So, now that the younger generations have a slightly better...
Is it finally time to get rid of the SAT and ACT tests?
I assume that most of you guys already know about the entrance tests for college, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Testing (ACT). Standardizing tests have ignited a national debate in the last few years, and many parents feel understandably concerned about their children being judged on the basic tests that don’t seem to correlate with actual learning or with successful college and career outcomes. As a senior in high school who has been experiencing high school enough to state this: I strongly believe that standardized tests are unnecessary for students and it...
Opioid Crisis: How Youth Can Look at Pain Relief
If you’ve been keeping up with current events, chances are you are well aware of the dire reports of the United States' immense and worsening opioid crisis, which claimed as many as 130 lives every single day in the nation by 2017, the latest year data was collected. Yet amid the flurry of warnings and lamentations, one thing you likely haven’t heard is the enormous toll the crisis of addiction is taking on young people not only in America but also around the globe. For far too long, youth have been largely excluded from conversations surrounding the opioid crisis, not to mention today’s...
How Generation Z Will Change the Business World
By all accounts, the business landscape is evolving at breakneck speed, and young people are helping to fuel that rapid change. Generation Z, in particular, is poised to change the business world in a number of ways. For starters, young people are drawn to gig work, with more than half of Gen Zers reporting that they would choose full-time gigs over a traditional job. For Gen Z, gig work is appealing for various reasons, including schedule flexibility and the opportunity to be their own boss. The gig economy also negates the need for in-person interviews, which may be awkward for introverts or...
This Poem is For the Love
This poem is for the children whose schools have closed, the children who rely on whatever their pocket change can buy them in the cafeteria to get them through the day. This poem is for the people who lived through a lifetime of war and are as afraid of going outside on this still spring night as they were back then. This poem is for every family from my city to your city, to every city neither of us have ever been to or heard of. This poem is for the mother who lost her job and has to feed 3 kids. This poem is for the boy who searches for smiley faces in the rain drops sticking to his...
What high school should look like in a couple of years
Are you wondering what a student's life will look like in a couple of years? They will not have to work up so early like I did when I was still a high school student. I am so jealous! Back in the day, every day in the morning, I fight the sleepiness battle. My school starts at 7:50 a.m which I believe is extremely early for all students in general. Meanwhile, high school students are considered to be going through puberty, a step in their life before entering adulthood. Regarded, it’s the most significant period of time for teenagers to balance academics and social life. Getting enough sleep...
The Flaw in the Education System
Education is the very key to success. While less developed countries are struggling to deliver education to all of their people, developed countries still have a problem - a flaw in the system itself. What’s this flaw, you may ask? Have you ever asked yourself “Why am I learning Hamlet when I want to become a scientist?” or “Why am I taking algebra and do all of these complicated math problems when I want to become an artist?” Well, most would answer that it is to meet the requirement for graduation. This is the reason why the education system is flawed: students are forced to learn things...
Sunshine
Rays of light shine upon me, brightening the world amidst the darkest of days. Even though the shadows may steal our happiness today, the sun shall bring new light upon this world. Do not fear for the troubles that have been bestowed upon you today but set your eyes on the joy that lies tomorrow for although the rain may pour, sunshine awaits.
Tik Tok is Harming the Earth
I am ashamed to say, but being in quarantine I can say I spend majority of my day scrolling through tiktok. TikTok has played a major role in the entertainment of Gen Z and actually has good impact such as educating in politics and raising awareness of topics that don't get much coverage. On the other hand, TikTok is harming the earth without even knowing. Fashion is a major niche of the platform and many creators promote their favorite affordable clothing stores such as Aliexpress, Shein, and Zara. The issue with these affordable brands are the ethics and sustainability. Many of these brands...
Gene Editing: The Cure of the Future
Brian Madeux had Hunter’s syndrome, an inherited, rare genetic disorder caused by a missing or malfunctioning enzyme (“MPS II”). As a result, Madeux underwent more than two dozen operations (Marchione, 2017). A treatment that consisted of weekly doses of the missing enzyme was available, but it would cost more than 100,000 dollars per year and could potentially lead to brain damage. So, in November 2017, Madeux decided to undergo gene therapy, making him the first person in the United States to have a gene edited inside of his body. When considering whether gene editing can result in cures or...
Teaching the new generation about recycling: green initiatives for the youth of tomorrow
Today, environmental awareness is not an option, but a necessity, and its presence needs to make itself known in all areas of everyday life. The duties and responsibilities of parents and educators should be intertwined with those of global citizens, so that the generation born after the year 2010 can live, work, and thrive on a sustainable planet. According to the Center for Science Education, the measures we take today do not guarantee a friendlier environment, partly because it may take years for the changes to take effect and partly because not all countries contribute in the same way...
Why don't we humans care about the thing that cares about us the most?
Climate change is real. Temperatures are rising, and in a few years, if we still continue our ignorant and malevolent actions, the peaceful and green environment will not exist and trust me it wont be mendable. Fossil fuels: petrol, diesel, oil, etc. Non-renewable sources. The wreckers of the pleasant atmosphere. Burning of fossil fuels emits carbon dioxide which heats up the globe. The same globe that we live on, the same globe that takes care of us. It is taking care of you right now as you are reading this. It serves you with food, oxygen and so many things you don't know that exist but...