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The Next Decade of AI Innovation!

Krupa P
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The Next Decade of AI Innovation!

Introduction

We are living in a time where artificial intelligence is changing the world faster than ever! AI now isn’t just about making robots or creating art, it’s now being used for healthcare, schools, transportation, and even customer service. Over the past years, AI technology has gotten much stronger and advanced, and it continues to be part of peoples daily lives too. As this technology grows, the next ten years are expected to bring even bigger changes!

AI and Cybersecurity

As technology improves, cyberattacks are becoming more advanced. In these next ten years, AI is being shaped to help stop these threats by quickly analyzing large amounts of data to spot unusual activity. This allows systems to detect problems faster and respond before serious damage is done. AI is also able to learn from past attacks, making their security system much stronger overtime. This will help protect personal information, banks, and important systems from hackers.

AI and Education

In schools now, AI is mostly recognized as both a tool and a cheating method for students. But for future teachers it will be used as a very useful item, from helping make personalized lessons based on the students needs and giving instant and helpful feedback and help students improve where they struggle most. Many people have had theories on how AI will take over jobs, but no, teachers will not be replaced. Instead teachers will have their lives much easier as AI will also help grade work and organize lessons, giving teachers much more time to focus on their students success.

AI and Healthcare

In the future, AI could be built enough to help doctors diagnose diseases much earlier and create treatment plans tailored to each patients needs. By studying their medical history, genetics, and lifestyle habits, AI can help predict health risks and improve care. Wearable  devices and virtual doctor visits could help make healthcare more accessible, especially for people in rural areas.

Smarter Virtual Assistants

Virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa will become much more high-tech. They will better understand conversations, complete tasks more easily, and respond in more natural ways. These improvements will end up benefitting elderly people and those with disabilities by making technology easier to use.

AI and the Environment

AI can also help fight climate change. It can analyze environmental data to predict weather patterns and natural disasters, helping communities prepare in advance. AI can also improve energy use by supporting renewable energy and making power systems more efficient. In farming, AI can help grow food more sustainably

The Road Ahead of AI

AI is already changing the world, and the next ten years will bring even more exciting developments! Whether in education, healthcare, cybersecurity or protecting the planet, AI had much more potential to make life easier, safer, and more connected. Understanding these changes now helps us prepare for the future ahead.

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How to Overcome Procrastination, Perfectionism, and Panic (Help)

Nelo Anne
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How to Overcome Procrastination, Perfectionism, and Panic (Help)

As someone in a rush right now (and perpetually) with the semester wrapping up and way too many extracurriculars on her plate, I have often struggled with managing my time and giving myself space to breathe and process. Even now, I am struggling with the idea that, since I have three tests to study for and also an article due tonight, I might not be able to fit everything in, or my article might be too short for what I expect from myself… A few years ago, this would have felt like the end. Too much to do, too much to think about and not enough mental space for everything bouncing around the walls of my brain. This would lead to my freezing and not doing anything at all, or crying, or spending all my time obsessing over one task without paying any attention to the others. Now, as a high school student, I can experience these stressors and still be composed and efficient, allowing myself time to be upset, but working to reframe my mindset about my worth and productivity. 

 

Here are some tips to help you manage your stress, time, and being forced into a rush when life already feels like one all the time:

  • Write what you need to remember on a paper, planner or calendar rather than carrying it in your head all day. This stops you from spiralling and assures you that you won’t lose the memo
  • If you are someone who struggles with procrastination and time management (like me), make a schedule with those notes. Make sure to keep them kind but firm, which to me means rewarding myself and rearranging things if needed, but also assuring I am not getting distracted while completing my tasks and homework. 
  • Have someone check in on you. I frequently have one of my parents set a timer on their phones and come check on how I’m doing with my work a bit later, which keeps me motivated and instils a sense of accountability.
  • Build transition periods into your schedule so you can take body breaks (even scrolling breaks, if that works for you) to reset your mind and breathe. Just because sure to set a short timer to prevent your break from becoming a complete break-down of your careful plan!
  • Listen to music you like. Most people struggle with lyrics, but I personally don’t have an issue and am more incentivised to complete my work when I am listening to upbeat music with lyrics.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help – communicate with teachers when you need something. They are always happy to help (and if they aren’t, that’s not a problem with you). It can feel vulnerable, but never mistake vulnerability for weakness. Asking for what you need  is a sign of self-reflection, a growth mindset and ambition. 
  • I would also recommend setting time limits and using timers to combat perfectionism and actually finish your tasks. I used to never feel like doing anything because there was one minor section that could be improved in a miniscule way and I would obsess over it. That way you will never get anything truly “done”! This is another area applying the buddy system could work for you and certainly has for me. 
  • When something is overwhelming you, do the next small step rather than deciding to do nothing. It can be hard, but doing one trig problem is so much better than deciding to watch your show and “do it later’. Honestly, you probably won’t.
  • Celebrate your small wins! Eat a yummy snack while you study or do something you enjoy after finishing.
  • Organization = reducing stress, not perfection. Perfection is an unattainable goal, so why set it? You will never have success that way. Striving to improve and do your best fuels growth instead of anxiously obsessing about flawless results.
  • Never think you are alone. I often felt like everyone else had it easy and felt no anxiety around productivity and focus, but I soon realised they hid it better than I realised. 
  • Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, they are a crucial element of learning.
  • Rest is not a waste of time. It took me way too long to learn this. Sometimes waiting to study until 11 at night doesn’t actually help you prepare for the test tomorrow, and what’s best is to sleep then, take the test and then reflect and make an action plan instead of feeling bad for accepting the reality of that night. It’s not giving up, it’s understanding a mistake was made and recharging your brain so that next time you won’t make the same one. 
  • Know what works for you! Many of the tips I have mentioned work for my learning style and strengths/weaknesses, but may not work for yours. Try some strategies out (simple usually beats complex), and learn more about yourself in the process. Always remember you and your abilities are inimitably valuable, and your 100% one day could be the same as your 15% another. You’ve got this (now I’ll go cram for my social studies dissertation)!!

The Musical Mosaic of Band

Nelo Anne
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The Musical Mosaic of Band

Band nerds… They have to stay after school and come early, and they need to take hours out of their schedule to practice at home each week. Why would anyone want to do that? For some reason, this is often the reaction I see from non-band kids. The truth is, band is just like any other hobby – it takes time, effort, and practice to develop skills and an appreciation for it. The people who have this attitude toward band are often on a basketball team or love sketching. It isn’t any different in the sense that when you truly like something, you devote yourself to it.

In grade seven band, we watched a TED Talk about the cycle of enjoying something, being good at it, and practicing it. The more you practice (even if it isn’t fun at first), the better you get. The better you get, the more you enjoy it, which makes you want to practice more – and the cycle continues. Karate masters don’t practice just because they’re good at it, but because it gives them something deeper and brings out a new side of life. While this idea applies to many activities, I want to focus on the benefits of one of my own favorite ones: band.

Developing life skills

Countless life skills can be developed in band class. First of all, when every role matters and everyone plays a part, you learn teamwork and collaboration. Everyone has their moment to shine, but in most bands you are often supporting another instrument group – lifting them up while they take the lead, before the spotlight shifts again. This teaches patience and appreciation for other people’s work, abilities, and growth. In a band, no one section is the “best” or “most important” at any given time.

A band is like a mosaic window. One piece of glass can be beautiful on its own and recognized individually, but it gains its true meaning when it becomes part of something larger, coming together to illuminate a powerful image.

Social responsibility and leadership are also prominent in a band or orchestra setting. We depend on each other to practice, to know our parts, and to be there as support when needed. Band gives everyone the chance to step outside their comfort zone and expand their leadership experience. There are louder ways to do this, like taking an improv solo in a jazz jam or volunteering to be an MC at a concert, and quieter but equally important ways, such as practicing consistently or letting someone else take the trombone 1 part. You learn to understand that you are a vital part of the experience you are creating for others, and that comes with responsibility.

Proficiency doesn’t happen in a day, or even in a year – or five. There will always be musicians to look up to, but instead of envying them, you learn to let them inspire you.

Patience is by far one of the most challenging parts of band. Long-term effort can feel tedious or even impossible, but progress appears sooner than you expect. This helps youth understand that dedication leads to improvement, and that perfection is not a realistic goal.

Over time, students learn to accept constructive criticism, look up to older or more experienced musicians and clinicians without feeling inadequate, and improve their listening skills (which, trust me, not everyone is good at). There are also cognitive benefits involved, such as stronger memory, focus, motivation, discipline, and pattern recognition.

Success and belonging

Everyone belongs in a band in their own way, just as every piece of stained glass is different. Band allows a wide range of learning styles and strengths to succeed because it is an open and adaptable environment. Not all students thrive in traditional classroom settings, but band gives people with different experiences and abilities a place to grow together.

Band can also become a “home base” in high school. It is often the most consistent group of people in a student’s schedule, and long-term friendships and memories are formed through shared experiences – camps, concerts, clinic days, and even international trips. Even the people you don’t talk to much still have your back.

Beyond connection, band opens doors to other musical opportunities such as jazz ensembles and experiences outside of school. Music theory, while not necessary for everyday adult life, is still a valuable skill. It can be intimidating when some classmates have played piano since they were five and seem to already know everything, but that challenge can become motivation to adapt and grow. In the end, it is a skill that pays off.

By providing a space where different abilities are valued equally, band helps students feel included, builds self-worth, and reinforces the idea that everyone has something important to contribute and an identity within the community.

A mosaic is only complete when every piece is present – every contribution and every sound. Band reflects this idea: complex, diverse, and whole because of the differences that shape it.

The Intricacies of Monday: A Poem

Kheta
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The Intricacies of Monday: A Poem

 

Waking up in the morning next to a device which holds the world within.

Opening the bright screen to unpack the 20 unread messages

But today was different.

You chose to leave your distractions on the bed and proceeded

to open the curtains.

The soft gold light shining in through your window.

Without complaints or frustration, it shows up to lighten your room every single day.

You turn one knob, and fresh water rushes out.

How fortunate is it to be able to have access to fresh water

Downstairs, you chose a pair of shoes from the several pairs you have available.

As you walk onto the bus, you glance at the bus driver

Today was different.

Most days, you walk into the bus looking only at an empty seat, but today you realize what surrounds you.

Instead of plugging in your AirPods, you take a minute to hear the hustled noises coming from all directions.

You hear the blurred chatter of the people behind you.

The engine sounds of multiple cars all waiting for one light to change colour.

Busy.

The perfect word to describe a Monday morning.

As you enter through the school doors, you make eye contact with several familiar faces.

Today was different.

You chose to put on your best contagious smile, not only for your friends, but for every other student who has yet to experience the subtle details in the world.

While you walk through the same old hallways, today you feel disparate.

As if someone else is walking, and you are observing from a bird’s eye view.

Your ears catch the shuffling sounds of backpacks and the clicking lockers.

As you open your own locker your eyes move to the magnetic mirror hanging on the door.

Your eyes stare into you.

Your ears blur the sounds from around.

Today, you have unfolded the niceties of your life.

No complaints.

No expectations.

Only gratitude.

 

Author’s Note:

The evocative poem reflects the life of a student going to school on a regular Monday morning. My intention in crafting this poem is to show appreciation for the simplicity and details in our everyday lives. Oftentimes, we get so busy in the world around us that we forget to show gratitude towards the ethereal yet impactful elements that surround us. Hope you enjoyed it 🙂

Why “Main Character Energy” Is Tiring and Performative

Ellie P
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Why “Main Character Energy” Is Tiring and Performative

Lately, it feels like everyone online is supposed to have “main character energy.” Everybody knows the cute morning routines, the perfect outfits, the productive days, and the aesthetic little coffees. It looks like everyone is living in a movie, and somehow, we’re all supposed to be the star of it. But honestly? That kind of pressure can get tiring really fast.

Social media makes it seem like you always need to be improving yourself or doing something interesting. If you’re not being productive, glowing up, or chasing some big dream, it can start to feel like you’re wasting your life. Even normal days can feel disappointing because they don’t look exciting enough to post. Sometimes it feels like you’re failing just because your life doesn’t look like a montage with good lighting and background music.

The thing is, most of what we see online isn’t real life. It’s the best parts of someone’s day, edited and posted on purpose. Nobody is showing the boring classes, the bad moods, or the days where nothing really happens. But when that’s all we see, it’s easy to forget that being tired, unmotivated, or just “okay” is completely normal.

This pressure to always feel special can also mess with how we see ourselves. If everyone is supposed to be the main character, then what does that make the rest of us feel like when we’re struggling? It can make people feel behind, invisible, or like they’re not doing enough, even when they’re already dealing with school, jobs, family stuff, and mental health.

We need to normalize not always having it together. You don’t need a “perfect” routine or a big life plan to be doing okay. Some days, surviving your classes and getting home is more than enough. You don’t have to be inspiring every second of your life to be worth something.

Having goals and/or wanting to grow is great, but it shouldn’t feel like a competition or a performance. Life isn’t meant to look good all the time. It’s messy, awkward, boring, and sometimes really hard, and that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. Maybe instead of trying to be the “main character,” it’s okay to just be human.

How Stress Physically Changes Your DNA Expression

Vasundhara Joshi
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How Stress Physically Changes Your DNA Expression

Stress is usually talked about like a feeling. Anxiety before an exam. Pressure from expectations. That constant sense of being behind. But stress does not stay in your head. It leaves physical marks on your body, right down to how your genes behave.

One of the most surprising discoveries in modern biology is that stress can change how your DNA is expressed without changing the DNA itself. This process is called epigenetics, and it explains how life experiences can literally shape biology.

Your DNA is like a massive instruction manual, but not every instruction is read at the same time. Cells turn genes on or off depending on what the body needs. Stress interferes with this system. When you experience stress, especially chronic stress, your body releases hormones like cortisol. These hormones send signals to cells that something is wrong and those signals can alter how genes are expressed.

One way this happens is through chemical tags that attach to DNA. These tags do not rewrite your genetic code, but they influence which genes are active. Stress can increase a process called DNA methylation, which often silences certain genes. Some of the genes affected are involved in immune response, inflammation, and emotional regulation.

This is why long term stress is linked to real physical outcomes. Studies have found that people under chronic stress show increased inflammation, weaker immune systems, and higher risk of conditions like heart disease and depression. It is not because they are imagining symptoms. Their gene expression has shifted.

What makes this even more fascinating is that timing matters. Stress during early childhood appears to have especially strong effects. Research shows that children exposed to prolonged stress can develop epigenetic changes that affect how their bodies respond to stress later in life. Their nervous systems become more sensitive, reacting faster and more intensely to pressure.

But this is not a hopeless story.

Epigenetic changes are not permanent. Positive experiences can reverse or reduce them. Exercise, sleep, therapy, social support, and mindfulness have all been linked to healthier gene expression patterns. Even something as simple as consistent rest can lower cortisol levels and help restore balance at the cellular level.

This challenges the idea that biology is destiny. Your genes are not a fixed script. They respond to your environment, your habits, and how you care for yourself. Stress may shape your biology, but it does not define it forever.

Understanding this science changes how we should talk about stress. It is not just a mental hurdle or a sign of weakness. It is a biological force with real consequences. And taking stress seriously is not indulgent. It is preventative healthcare.

Your body is always listening to what your life is telling it. The goal is not to eliminate stress completely. That is impossible. The goal is to give your body enough safety and recovery that stress does not become the loudest signal your genes receive.

Sources:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/619306

https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Epigenetics

You’re Not Alone: Gentle Ways to Distance Yourself From the Winter Blues

Ellie P
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You’re Not Alone: Gentle Ways to Distance Yourself From the Winter Blues

December’s coming! This could mean snow, cheer, holidays, and more! Although, for a lot of us, it means isolation, cold weather, and a deep feeling of sadness that we can’t quite shake from ourselves. Seasonal depression, or just winter blues, can be really hard on yourself, or the people around you. It’s really hard to stay positive and keep your head held high when all you want to do is curl up in your warm bed and head off to sleep. If this resonates with you, stay and relax while you read about 5 ways to keep yourself grounded this winter time.

Stay Connected with Light:

With winter days starting our sunlight a lot later, and ending it a lot earlier, we can see our mood go into a dark place itself. Our body needs sunlight to reduce stress and help us feel calm and focused. When you’re going around the day, try to expose yourself to as much light as you possibly can. Open blinds, sit near windows, or just sitting in a sunny place can be the first step into brightening up your winter season.

Make a Bucket List:

When the cold weather hits, a lot of plans get cancelled and rescheduled to fit the crummy weather. Staying home and relaxing is nice once in awhile, but once it goes into weeks without plans, we can feel isolated and alone.

When you don’t feel well enough to brave the cold weather, you are not alone. Look around your community or neighborhood for any winter events scheduled. With holidays coming up, there are many markets you could find yourself at to support local vendors, or sales going on with fun activities like ice-skating and other fun outside entertainment, or just walking around public places like the library to have a cozy day of reading. With plans in the future, it gets harder to self-isolate and the winter blues are kept at bay.

Stay Creative:

There are many ways to keep your mind flowing when the snow days are keeping us in. Bake or cook a recipe you found online, make a snowman outside and have a competition with some friends or family, or simply make a winter craft. Gingerbread houses are a fun and easy way to be artistic, and have a fun treat afterwards to help yourself to. Keep your mind busy. Winter is designated for fun, creative days when you just feel the need to create something beautiful.

Build a Cozy Routine:

It’s hard to stay in a schedule when the weather is changing it every single day. The little things in a routine matter. Wake up every morning with a cozy playlist, read before bed, or journal about your day! These habits can help us keep grounded. If you miss a day, don’t worry at all. The most important step is being able to start back up again, and stay in your personal routine for as long as you can.

Set Goals for Yourself:

Goals don’t have to be big things that you put yourself to. Having an unachievable goal can make us feel unmotivated and helpless if we don’t succeed. Instead, try setting yourself little goals around the day. Setting a “Read for 10 minutes” goal every day will help you keep motivated for everyday tasks, while also helping you build skills and keep your mind challenged. Some examples of simple goals could be making your bed every day, going outside, reading, journaling, and/or making a healthy meal. These goals aren’t meant to be strenuous, just motivation and good habits to keep your mental health positive.

Seasonal depression can come out of nowhere and attack when you least expect it. Please find help if you are in risk by talking to family, friends, or a counsellor. These habits can help prevent a crisis, and build healthy routines for every day. Hopefully this article just gave you the motivation to help avoid the winter blues, before the seep in.

Why Youth Perspectives Are Often Dismissed

Ellie P
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Why Youth Perspectives Are Often Dismissed

Many young people have experienced what it feels like to share an idea and not be taken seriously. This can happen at school, in community spaces, or when talking about social issues. Often, youth are listened to politely but not really heard. While it can feel personal, this happens because of bigger patterns in how society views young people.

One major reason youth perspectives are dismissed is because of age-based assumptions. There is a common belief that being older automatically means being wiser. When young people share their opinions, they are often told they “lack experience.” While it’s true that youth may not have as many years of life experience, they do have real experience living in today’s world. Young people understand current education systems, technology, and social pressures because they deal with them every day. That kind of experience matters too.

Power also plays a big role. Most decisions in schools, workplaces, and government are made by adults. Youth are often called “future leaders,” which sounds positive, but it also suggests that their ideas only matter later. 

This can be extremely annoying, particularly when young people are supposed to be concerned about important issues like mental health or climate change but aren’t given much influence over how those issues are handled. Although youth are frequently encouraged to be informed and involved, their opinions are typically excluded when it comes to actual decisions.

Stereotypes are another reason why young people’s viewpoints are frequently disregarded. Young people are sometimes perceived as being easily swayed by others, lazy, or overly sentimental. Even when young people have obviously thought things through, these presumptions make it more difficult for them to be taken seriously. Many young people feel that they must continually demonstrate the validity of their opinions as a result.

Youth perspectives are important despite these obstacles. If youth voices continue to be dismissed, many will stop speaking up altogether. Taking young people seriously now, not just in the future, is an important step toward creating more inclusive and effective communities.

Feeling Behind Is a Lie Social Media Tells

Anie U
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Feeling Behind Is a Lie Social Media Tells

 

There’s a quiet, growing anxiety that creeps in every time you scroll. Someone just got accepted somewhere, the place of their dreams. Someone else started a passion project. Someone appears to have it all figured out, down to the very last detail. Without actually realizing it, you start measuring your life against highlight reels and milestones that were never meant to be universal. Suddenly, being exactly where you are, taking a scroll break on your phone, feels like being behind, even when no one ever agreed on a timeline in the first place.

However, where does this “feeling behind” sentiment actually come from, and why do we feel the need to run on someone else’s timeline?

Where the Feeling of “Being Behind” Comes From

The idea of being behind often has less to do with reality and more to do with comparison. Platforms encourage us to compare our private, unfinished lives to other people’s public highlights. Research confirms that frequent social comparison on social media is strongly linked to feelings of inadequacy, lower self-esteem, and higher anxiety¹. When everyone’s curated progress is displayed side by side, individuality quietly turns into silent, or not-so-silent, competition.

However, the main issue that continues to perpetuate these comparisons is the lack of context. People grow at different speeds, with various resources, challenges, and priorities, unique to their circumstances. Therefore, two lives may look similar on the surface, but feel completely different behind the scenes, highlighting the distinct journey of the individual.

There Is No Universal Timeline

One of the biggest myths social media sells is that success follows a strict, rigid schedule. Graduate by this age. Achieve this by that year. Have everything figured out early. In reality, identity development is a core task that extends well beyond the teen years into adulthood, involving cycles of exploration and commitment¹. Many people change directions multiple times, pause to recover, or take longer paths that ultimately suit them better.

When you constantly focus on where others are, it becomes harder to notice your own progress. This isn’t just anecdotal; studies show that the “fear of missing out” (FoMO), that anxiety that others are having rewarding experiences without you, drives compulsive social media checking and has links to lower life satisfaction and higher depression². Over time, this comparison drains joy from moments that would otherwise feel meaningful.

How Comparison Steals Joy From the Present

When you constantly focus on where others are, it becomes harder to notice your own progress. Small wins feel insignificant. Rest feels unearned. Even growth can feel invisible if it doesn’t look impressive online, if it doesn’t compare to the heights other brilliant teams can accomplish. Over time, comparison drains joy from moments that would otherwise feel meaningful.

Advice: How to Stop Feeling Behind

Start by changing how you measure progress. Instead of comparing milestones, look at personal growth. Ask yourself what you’ve learned, how you’ve changed, or what feels more stable than it did a year ago. Limiting comparison triggers, such as muting certain accounts or taking breaks from scrolling, can equally help create mental space and further reflection that promotes gratitude and acceptance.

Most importantly, redefine success on your own terms. You don’t need to be ahead or follow agendas found on social media. Instead, align yourself with what truly matters to you.

Conclusion

Feeling behind is not a personal failure: it’s often a distortion born from comparison culture. Life isn’t a race, and there’s no prize for arriving early. Growth happens quietly, unevenly, and differently for everyone. Trust that moving at your own pace is not falling behind, but instead, it’s moving forward in your own way.

Sources: 1, 2

5 Weird Science Facts To Randomly Think About Later

Daniella
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5 Weird Science Facts To Randomly Think About Later

Science doesn’t always look like lab coats and equations. Sometimes it’s just a collection of oddly specific facts that make everyday life feel a little stranger (and more interesting). Here are five quick, quirky science facts you didn’t know you needed.

 

Your Brain Can’t Tell the Difference Between a Memory and Imagination

When you imagine an event in detail, your brain activates many of the same neural pathways it uses when recalling an actual memory. That’s why daydreams can trigger real emotions, and why remembering an embarrassing moment can make you cringe all over again.

This overlap also explains why eyewitness memories aren’t always reliable. Each time you recall a memory, your brain slightly rewrites it, blending imagination with reality. Over time, memories can change—not because you’re lying, but because your brain is constantly editing.

 

You Can Smell Rain Before It Starts

That distinctive “rain smell” has a name: petrichor. It’s caused by a mix of plant oils and bacteria in soil that release chemical compounds when rain hits dry ground. One of those compounds, produced by bacteria called actinomycetes, is so potent that humans can detect it in extremely small amounts.

Evolutionarily, being able to smell rain may have helped early humans anticipate weather changes, making it a surprisingly useful sense rather than just a pleasant one.

 

You’re Glowing (Literally)

Your body emits a faint visible light due to chemical reactions inside your cells. As cells produce energy, tiny amounts of light are released as a byproduct. This phenomenon is known as bioluminescence, but in humans, it’s far too weak for the naked eye to see.

Highly sensitive cameras can detect it, though—meaning that technically, you are glowing right now. Just… very, very subtly.

 

Time Really Does Feel Faster as You Get Older

Time perception isn’t about clocks; it’s about memory. When you’re young, everything is new, so your brain records more detail. As you age and routines take over, fewer moments stand out, making time feel like it’s speeding up.

This is why vacations feel longer in hindsight, while repetitive weeks disappear. New experiences slow time down—not physically, but psychologically—by giving your brain more moments to hold onto.

 

You Can’t Tickle Yourself (And Your Brain Planned It That Way)

Tickling relies on surprise. When you try to tickle yourself, your brain predicts the sensation before it happens and cancels out the response. This prediction system helps you distinguish between self-generated actions and external threats.

It’s a survival mechanism: if your own movements felt unpredictable, you’d constantly be startling yourself. Unfortunately, it also means you’ll never win a tickle fight with yourself.

 

The best part of science is that it explains the small, weird things we experience every day—without making them any less fascinating. If anything, knowing the reason just makes the world feel a little more magical.

 

Sources:

Nature vs. Nurture

Elizabeth A
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Nature vs. Nurture

Are we born a certain way, or do we become who we are because of the world around us? That question sits at the heart of the nature vs. nurture debate, and honestly, it’s one of the most human questions we ask. Not because it has a neat answer, but because it forces us to think about identity, growth, and responsibility.

Selective focus photo of green vine photo - Free Splash Image on Unsplash
Image taken by
Goutham Krishna on Unsplash

 

Nature is what we arrive with. Our genes shape things we never consciously choose: physical traits, basic temperament, natural strengths, and even some vulnerabilities. You can see it early. Some kids are naturally curious, others cautious. Some seem emotionally steady, others more sensitive. There’s something grounding about nature. It reminds us that not everything about who we are is a personal decision or a moral success or failure. Sometimes, it’s just biology doing its thing.

 

 

But nurture is where life really starts to leave its fingerprints. Family, culture, education, friendships, trauma, opportunity, and timing all shape how those natural traits show up. A person may be born with musical ability, but without exposure or encouragement, that talent might never surface. Someone else might not seem naturally confident, but with the right support and environment, they grow into leadership. Nurture shows us how flexible humans are, how much we change, and how deeply our surroundings matter.

A man holding a small plant in his hands - Free Green Image on Unsplash
Image taken by
Jennifer Delmarre on Unsplash

What makes this debate interesting isn’t choosing a side, it’s seeing how tightly the two are connected. Nature sets the range. Nurture influences where we land within it. Genes may give someone a tendency toward anxiety, but environment can either intensify it or help manage it. Someone may be born naturally athletic, but training, access, and motivation decide whether that ability goes anywhere.

There’s also something deeply hopeful about nurture. If everything were purely genetic, growth would feel limited. If everything were purely environmental, we’d ignore real biological differences. Together, they create balance. They explain why people can start in similar places and end up completely different, and why people with very different beginnings can sometimes arrive at the same outcomes.

In the end, nature vs. nurture isn’t about proving one side right. It’s about appreciating how layered human development is. We are shaped by forces we didn’t choose and experiences we didn’t control, but we’re also capable of adapting, learning, and becoming more than what we started as. That mix is what makes people unpredictable, resilient, and endlessly interesting.

And maybe that’s the real takeaway. We’re not just born or built. We’re both.

Productivity Culture Is Ruining How We Learn

Vasundhara Joshi
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Productivity Culture Is Ruining How We Learn

Somehow, learning stopped being about understanding and started being about output.

We measure success by how many hours we study, how many tasks we check off, how late we stay up, and how “locked in” we look. If you’re not constantly doing something, it feels like you’re falling behind. That mindset has a name: productivity culture. And while it looks impressive on the surface, it is quietly hurting how we actually learn.

Productivity culture tells us that faster is better. More notes, more practice problems, more extracurriculars, more everything. But real learning does not work like that. Understanding takes time. Confusion is part of the process. Struggling through a concept is often where learning actually happens, even though it looks unproductive from the outside.

Think about how often studying turns into a performance. Highlighting pages you will not revisit. Rewriting notes just to feel busy. Watching lectures at 1.5x speed because slowing down feels like wasting time. It looks efficient, but days later, the information is gone. Productivity was achieved. Learning was not.

Actual learning is slower and messier. It is rereading something and still not getting it. It is sitting with a problem longer than feels comfortable. It is asking questions that make you feel behind. None of that photographs well. None of it feels impressive. But it works.

The pressure to always be productive also changes how we see rest. Breaks become something you earn, not something you need. Guilt creeps in when you step away, even if you are exhausted. Ironically, that is when learning suffers most. A tired brain does not absorb information. It just goes through the motions.

There is also a deeper issue. Productivity culture turns learning into a competition. Who is doing more? Who is ahead? Who looks the busiest? When learning becomes about keeping up, curiosity disappears. You stop asking “why” and start asking “what is on the test.” Education becomes survival instead of exploration.

Real learning asks different questions. Do I actually understand this? Can I explain it to someone else? Can I connect it to something I already know? Those questions take honesty, not hustle. And they require space, mental space that productivity culture does not leave much room for.

This does not mean effort does not matter. It does. But effort without intention is just noise. Studying less but thinking more often leads to better results than grinding for hours on autopilot. So maybe we need to redefine what “working hard” looks like. Maybe it looks like stopping when your brain is unable to think. Maybe it looks like focusing on one concept instead of five. Maybe it looks like admitting you do not understand something yet.

Learning is not meant to be optimized like a machine. It is meant to be lived through, slowly and imperfectly. And that is not a weakness. It is the point.

Why Your Brain Is Better at Patterns Than You Think

Vasundhara Joshi
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Why Your Brain Is Better at Patterns Than You Think

Every time you recognize a face in a crowd, finish a friend’s sentence, or predict the next note in a song, your brain is doing something impressive. It is finding patterns. Pattern recognition is one of the most powerful skills of the human brain, and it is the foundation of many STEM fields, including computer science, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence.

Your brain is constantly taking in information from your senses. Instead of processing every detail separately, it looks for similarities and connections. This helps you react quickly and make decisions without overthinking. For example, when you read, you do not look at each letter one by one. Your brain recognizes the shape of whole words and understands them instantly.

Scientists believe this ability developed as a survival tool. Early humans needed to recognize patterns in animal behavior, weather changes, and movement in their environment. Spotting a pattern could mean the difference between safety and danger. Over time, the brain became incredibly efficient at this task.

Today, engineers and computer scientists try to copy this skill. Machine learning models are trained to recognize patterns in data, such as identifying faces in photos or detecting diseases in medical scans. However, even the most advanced algorithms still struggle with tasks that humans find easy, like understanding sarcasm or recognizing emotions. This shows just how powerful the human brain really is.

Pattern recognition also explains why humans sometimes see patterns that are not actually there, like shapes in clouds or faces on the moon. The brain is so good at finding order that it would rather see a false pattern than miss a real one.

Understanding how our brains recognize patterns helps scientists design better technology and gives us insight into how we think and learn. The next time something feels familiar or predictable, remember that your brain is quietly running one of the most advanced pattern detection systems in the world.

“Why the Human Brain Is so Good at Detecting Patterns.” Psychology Today, 2021, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/singular-perspective/202105/why-the-human-brain-is-so-good-detecting-patterns?msockid=0538e8eb77306d4209e4fbf776846c71. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.

This Year’s CBO: What to Expect on the Canadian Biology Olympiad 2026

Jeanne Y
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This Year’s CBO: What to Expect on the Canadian Biology Olympiad 2026

Preparing for the Canadian Biology Olympiad can be quite the hassle. Without immediate access to past papers or a set curriculum, it can be hard to know what to study for if you’re preparing. I assume since you’re reading this article, you’re either preparing for the CBO or at least considering taking it, so here’s the breakdown.

  1. What is the CBO? What are the benefits of taking it?
  2. How do I study for the CBO?
  3. What will be on the CBO?
  4. What does test-day look like?

In this article, I will break it down step by step. Without further ado, here we go!

What is the CBO and what are its benefits?

The Canadian Biology Olympiad is an incredibly difficult biology exam, meant for students who wish to challenge their knowledge and biology abilities. The entire exam is about an hour and consists of multiple choice, true/false, calculations, and short answer.

Assuming you’re interested in Biology somewhat since you’re still reading this, and that you’re a high-achieving student, here are the benefits of taking this exam:

  • Above and beyond prep for other advanced exams, including the Alberta Biology 30 Diploma, AP Biology Exam (I took both)
    • Could potentially be helpful for IB as well, but I didn’t take IB so I can’t say for sure
  • MCAT material – each topic is explored quite deeply, and sometimes you approach undergraduate biology that is categorized as MCAT prep. It’s a nice look-ahead though!
  • Preparation for other biology exams, like the National Biology Competition with the University of Toronto
  • The opportunity to progress to the International Biology Olympiad, which is hosted in a different country each year! The top 3 participants in the country will be chosen to represent Canada at the IBO each year.
  • University and scholarship recognition – this contest is challenging enough that if you do well, it makes an insanely impressive line on your resume/achievement list

How do I study for the CBO?

I won’t lie. This competition is probably the most difficult exam I’ve taken, granted that I took it without specialized studying specifically for the CBO, didn’t get a tutor, and didn’t have a textbook to study. I was taking AP Biology and preparing for the Biology 30 Diploma, both of which I did well on, but the preparation was nowhere near enough for the CBO. If you want to do well, you need to have structure and scheduling.

If you’ve ever studied for a contest before, you’ll know that previous contest questions are a precious but non-comprehensive resource. Although you won’t have those questions for the CBO, you’ll have IBO papers that are available online for public access. While they might cover some of the same topics, the questions they ask are usually in a completely different format and can involve specific on-site lab data.

The way you schedule your studying will depend on your personal schedule and however much time you have to dedicate to studying. It’s critical that you have consistency over all. You will be overwhelmed if you procrastinate.

Split your time between learning from your biology textbooks, Youtube videos, AI tools, and testing similar questions from contests like the NBC (tend to be easier) and the IBO (go up in abstraction significantly). Leave certain days to review knowledge you’ve already learned so as not to forget it.

What Do I Study?

There’s no textbook for you to do this from. There’s no set curriculum, and that’s what makes studying for this competition so difficult.

It mentions that it’ll go over basic high school biology on the website, but seeing as I’ve finished basic high school biology and am still totally confused by some of the questions I saw last year, this is not enough.

Now, by no means is this a comprehensive list of study topics. But knowing the microbiology and even organic chemistry of this should be considered the “basics” for this competition.

General Biology Basics:

  • amino acids – structures, properties, locations, behaviors, zwitterion concept
  • thermodynamics and energetics of metabolism
  • membrane structure and FMM
  • cell organelles and cytoskeletal structure

Molecular Biology

  • DNA and RNA
  • RNA Processing
  • Gene regulation
  • Genetics

Ecology:

  • Population genetics
  • plant structure
  • Nervous System
  • Circulatory System
  • Ecology and population dynamics

You want to get into the nitty gritty, because these are broad topics and there’s a lot to know.

Test Day

You’ll get a link, a code, and a bunch of nerves.

Keep calm and keep going when you get overwhelmed. Remember, you’ve prepared a long time for this moment and you know your stuff. If you get stuck, skip the question and flag it so as not to lose momentum. Try not to guess, because the contest docks marks for incorrect answers.

You got this. I believe in you!

How Nostalgia is defined by Teenagers in the 2020s

Sina M
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How Nostalgia is defined by Teenagers in the 2020s

Introduction

Teenagers have always had a craze for decades. For millennials, it was the 80s to 90s; for most of the younger Gen Z, it is the 2010s. A time before the chaos of the current events in the world. In January 2026, people need to wake up because it’s 2016. But has it gotten a bit out of hand? Tracking the trend of nostalgia down to its motives will help answer this question.

If you are not familiar with the term chronically online, then you may not understand how the algorithm on social media platforms works to make trends.  The same songs are constantly used gives the possibility of turning the clock back less hope. The rise of AI has only made the doomscrolling phenomenon a more relatable habit; time flows by, and so people continue to miss out on opportunities for an easy way out. Maybe you have heard about all of this, but that isn’t all there is to the problem. 

Nostalgia is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as a feeling of pleasure and slight sadness when you think about things that happened in the past. According to Swiss medical student Johannes Hoffer, it is determined more by the strength of imagination than by whatever was missed. Most people remember things from being a younger toddler, yet the extent to which they experienced the times (if they were alive during the time) varies. So, is it fair to have the debate of being nostalgic over 2014 or 2015 if you were barely in school at the time? Sometimes listening to a single song is enough for you to compare it to the releases now. There was something that made things seem simpler, like Instagram being an app for pictures long before reels came along. 

Right when you decided to learn something new by clicking on this article, new pathways between neurons (neuroplasticity). Humans continue to develop and adapt to different mental and physical conditions in their lives, where they use their senses for details that help them recall events. Nostalgia starts here and is not always bittersweet; in fact, it can be expressed in a variety of tones. Looking back can be a really wondrous and beautiful thing. As significant as it is, though, it can also be tiring. 

Lockdown on Time

The 2020 effect is a theory that has changed how young people view the passage of time. Stuck in lockdown, there wasn’t a chance to try anything new, so all the days looked the same. Your brain cannot comprehend a day going by if it was experiencing the same actions. Some people on social media comment on how 2020 does not feel like it was 6 years ago, but rather 1 or 2. Or how they feel like their age during COVID instead of the present. Time seemed to move slower back then, possibly because they had less experiences, and more so all of them were different. The lockdown did not force the brain to forget to survive in isolation. 

When you do understand the era of the 2010s, dominated by two American presidencies, the start of global internet trends, and external conflicts, it does not seem as optimistic. Nostalgia and this realization are two truths; our lives can be full of moments that, when once looked back on, are missed. In the middle of economic disaster, disease, and political instability, caring for similar experiences is significant to wellbeing as endorphins quickly rise from connection and relatability. 

Effects of Media

Movies and TV shows are the most relevant examples of forming this sense of connection tied to a sentimental longing after recovering from COVID. Except that now Netflix has taken over the market, which has changed the usual hobby of focusing on the screen. When people go to the movies, they must ensure their phones are turned off. But as for staying to binge-watch Netflix, second-screen viewing, turning on a movie only to just scroll or play on a smaller screen is more common. Movies are normally expected to let their audiences piece together ideas, but with every decreasing attention span, sentences are repeated so they catch on. The greatest reason for nostalgia of the past is connecting with others and being fully present. Profit is now prohibiting such natural desires that it makes it difficult for young people to enjoy their own lives without turning on their phone to scroll as a source of dopamine. 

The 2010s felt refreshing for the most part because there was something new coming out. There is no denying that there were devastating things (like the 2008 economic crisis) that took a hit on people’s lives, but it’s not normal to deal with situations the same way.

Media and Nostalgia on Youth Today

Teenagers are now more depressed than ever, although they age quite slowly compared to other generations. A division on political beliefs and some of the most destructive conflicts that have taken center stage have slowed the time of the “Be Calm and [ ]” posters. Trends die down much faster, and you may notice five users in a row saying the same thing but in other words. Materialism is at an all-time high despite fluctuating economics, with purchases of Labubus being widespread, a factor in the lack of creativity. More people are pressured to do the same things since social rules and ethics have vastly changed since pre-COVID times. However, it is not saying that pessimism is also common on social media platforms and forums, but a familiar chain of reactions is extremely noticeable. It may seem it’s all or nothing for most people. Perhaps young people are not that nostalgic, but it’s their way of simply trying to survive, as they have been for the past 6 years. They are currently grappling with some of their earliest memories from their youth, being 10 years ago, through finding inspiration and hope.

To think that back then nostalgia was a disease is now a daily thought or idea can only serve for how externally changing circumstances continue to impact people, starting with the youngest minds. The question to ask now is, how can we create more positive and less repetitive or profit-driven spaces for them?

Quite a long article, but thank you for reading! Write down your thoughts below on the broader implications of these trends.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

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