Seeing Stone Harbor

  Friendship is one of the most valued form of relationships that people can have. I know that I love and value my friends as much as I love and value my family, and I treat them accordingly. My friends have taught me so much about myself and the world, and I wouldn't trade them for anything. As a white, cisgendered woman, I was definitely born with privileges that many people are not fortunate enough to have. Because of my privilege, it's important to be able to put myself in a position where I am able to help speak up for people in certain spaces in which they might not otherwise have a voice. I was always aware of my privilege, but that is not to say that having friends of diverse racial, religious, political, and sexual backgrounds didn't help me discover how to use my privilege for good. Learning about how to be a good ally to minority groups can best be done in a space in which you can listen to those minority groups. It is easiest to learn from people who have experi...

 Ever since I was little, I've wanted nothing more than to travel the world. Now that I'm older, i'm realizing that it might be more possible than I thought. I am going into my senior year at Loyola Maryland as a political science major. Now, this may be annoyingly cliche, but my main area of interest is international relations and international conflict. It would seem almost non-sensical of me to not take the opportunity to apply to postgraduate school abroad.  One of my closest friends is a philosophy major at St. Andrew's University in Scotland. Recently, he was telling me the benefits of university abroad. One of the main benefits is the cost. In the UK, graduate programs are nearly a quarter of the cost compared to in the US, where you could be paying upward of $75k in tuition alone per year. In the UK, however, most programs do not exceed $20k in tuition per year, as well as the cost of living being significantly cheaper in most UK cities (excluding London). In ad...

Go for a run. Exercise releases so many endorphins in your brain and it is so much better than doom scrolling. Try a new recipe. If any of you are like me and love cooking, then get off your phone and try that new recipe you saw. Play a card game. If you're going to get unnecessarily angry, it no much more fun to do so during a game of UNO than because you saw a video you disliked. Read a book. If you need constant engagement, then pick up a new book. So many good releases have come out this past year that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Draw. Let your creative juices flow. It doesn't have to be perfect, just put pencil to paper and let your brain do the rest. Clean your room. Having a clean room means having a clean mind, and who doesn't like it wen their room is freshly tidied? Go for a drive. Personally, I find nothing more peaceful than a solo drive on some backroads while playing some good music. Theres no better way to clear your head. Clean out your closet. O...

After its wild success at the box office, Barbie has become a topic of conversation nearly everywhere. What I didn't realize is how much controversy that would soon follow as a result. Barbie hits on various topic, the most obvious being uplifting women and showing that we can accomplish anything. However, I think a few of its messages have gotten lost due to people believing it to be "anti-men". Barbie is not anti-men. Barbie is a feminist film, and because the message of feminism has been wildly misconstrued, people believe that this movie was an excuse to emasculate men in our society. What people fail to remember is that feminism is not a concept that only benefits women and puts down men, but is a way of thought that is supposed to uplift both. Feminism, in short, is the belief that men and women should be equal, not that women should be above men. Feminism, in fact, can also benefit men in so many ways. Feminism has to do with the idea that traditional gender roles ...

1. Margaret (feat. Bleachers)- Lana Del Rey For those who enjoy melodic ballads, this is the song for you. Del Rey's sultry vocals over a dreamy synth orchestral track blend together to create a simply stunning song. Jack Antanoff, one of the producers, revealed that this song was written as an ode to his now wife, Margaret Qualley. This song portrays the complex emotion of being in love with the most simple of phrases: "When you know, you know." 2. How Much Is Weed? - Dominic Fike Fike is a breakout star in recent years. How Much Is Weed? is his leading track off of his new album, Sunburn, which came out in July of this year. How Much Is Weed? is a guitar heavy indie pop masterpiece, with a heavy focus on imagery. The bridge is the standout part of this song, with an undeniably catchy tune. 3. Never Learned To Dance - Medium Build There is not much to say about this song aside from how intensely it resonates with my soul. Melancholy musicality and heavy lyricism will nev...

 In June, Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian oligarch and former confident of Tzar Vladimir Putin, launched a rebellion against Putin. On August 23rd, his private jet crashed and Prigozhin is now presumed dead. There is currently no confirmation on whether this was a targeted attack, or the true state of Prigozhin as of today, but news investigations are currently being led as to the circumstances of his assumed death. As of now, 10 others are confirmed dead. Former US President Donald Trump is currently en route to Georgia to surrender himself at the Fulton County Jail in connection to his attempts to reverse his loss in Georgia during the 2020 election. He will be the first US president in history to face these criminal charges. Wildfires have devastated Maui, Hawaii, and have now claimed at least 115 lives. There is an estimated $6 Billion in damages as well, the best way to help the people of Maui is to donate directly to its residents. On August 9th, an Ecuadorian presidential candi...