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My camping experience at Mosquito Creek

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I was given the privilege of participating in a three day camping adventure at Mosquito Creek this week. The trip was done with my outdoor education class, so we were all able to learn new things together. Mosquito Creek is located 29 km north of Lake Louise, and is about 2 hours away from Calgary. There are no stores, strip malls, or restaurants there, so you are able to take full advantage of the outdoors and experience nature to its fullest.

In terms of shelter, the Mosquito Creek hostel isn’t as bad as I had anticipated. There are three individual cabins located at the site, each with several beds. For the most part, the beds are quite clean, and the hostel manager does a good job of cleaning up after tourists. They heat up quickly, so you can warm up after a long snowshoe or ski. There is a fully loaded kitchen at the site too, equipped with all the utensils you need. Food is not provided, so you will have to bring your own. There is a common room attached to the kitchen, with cushioned seats and a fireplace. In addition to this, there is a sauna located about 30 seconds away from the main cabin (the common room and kitchen). From personal experience, the sauna is the best way to end the day, especially during the winter season. The outhouses are conveniently located close to the site but unfortunately, the smell isn’t very welcoming.

There are several activities you can indulge in during both the daytime and nighttime at the site. In the day, you can go out for a snowshoe with a great view of the mountains and trees. The fresh, crisp winter air and sound of the water moving gently down the stream makes the experience even more enjoyable. There is a cross country trail that is connected to the main site, but it can be quite challenging if you are a beginner. Although it may be tough in the beginning, the view at the end can be very rewarding. The nighttime walks are quite special as well. You can get a clear view of the stars shining in the night sky, and the moon turning the mountains into a purplish blue colour. If you plan on going, remember to bring a camera so you can capture these precious moments!

I personally enjoyed this experience because of the activities we could indulge in, the breathtaking scenario, the clean and fully equipped hostel, and the peace and tranquility. The best part was definitely the peace and quiet at the site. Since there are no commercial buildings close to the site, there wont be any distractions! It can be a great time for you to escape reality, and appreciate what mother nature has to offer. So whether you’re an outdoorsman or not, I highly recommend you visit Mosquito Creek and have a stay!

10 ways to fall asleep easier!

Courtney Mel
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Are you having troubles sleeping at night? For whatever reason you just keep tossing and turning? Well I’m here to help that problem! I have constructed a list of 10 things that could help before falling asleep!

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1. Having a hot bath or hot shower. Having a hot bath or a hot shower will relax you and help you fall asleep easier. Add some bubbles for some aroma! Here is the store I love to go to to get bubbles!
2. Drink tea! I always find it easier to drink something warm like tea to help fall asleep!
3. Air freshener or candle. Use a lavender scent and spray around the room to get a nice aroma (lavender because it’s relaxing!) or even light a candle! Just be sure to put it out before bed!!
4. Read a book! It makes your eyes more tired when you read. Here is a site you can browse around for some great books!
5. Put your electronics away an hour before bed. I’ve read on other sites that watching tv and being on your phone is bad even right before bed!
6. Write in a journal. Write down all your thoughts! Good or bad into a book and it feels so much better relieving the stress.
7. Wash your bedding. Washing your sheets and blankets will for sure give it that fresh feeling right before bed.
8. Fluff out your pillows. Just shake and fluff out your pillow to make it more comfy.
9. Find the right position. Find a position comfy for you to sleep in that you can just ease your way to into dreamland!
10. Do something fun throughout the day! Exercise or do something fun or hardworking throughout the day to tired out your body so you can look forward to going to bed that night!

 

 

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Jewelry that harvests Energy from Veins

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Industrial designer and graduate student from Hadassah College, Naomi Kizhner has done something I find very interesting. She has designed jewelry that is theoretically supposed to extract energy from the wearer’s own body. The jewelry is supposedly embedded into the person’s veins and uses their blood to turn small wheels inside the device. When I first heard of this instrument, I thought it was actually really cool and a creative idea, but then again the idea of using blood to make energy was very nerve cringing. This thought is very nerve cringing because, the idea of using this device on people against on their own free will is disturbing and is unethically acceptable.

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The designer states that the jewelry is not supposed to be a practical energy source but a discussion piece, “about how far we will go to in order to ‘feed’ our addition in the world of declining resources”. She also stated, “There are lots of developments of renewable energy resources, but the human body is a natural resource for energy that is constantly renewed, as long as we are alive…I wanted to explore the post-humanistic approach that sees the human body as a resource…”

The name of the project is called “Energy Addicts” and is made up of three pieces of jewelry, which are the following: The Blinker, The E-Pulse Conductor, and The Blood Bridge.

The Blinker

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The blinker is a piece of jewelry that is placed on the bridge of the nose across the eyelids, and is apache of transforming the energy generated during the opening and closing motion of the eyes into electricity.

 

 The Blood Bridge

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The blood bridge is a piece of jewelry that has spikes at each ends that would be inserted into a vein in two places on the lower arm, thereby redirecting the blood past a wheel inside the casing. Just the movement of the blood is able to turn the wheel to create movement that is converted into electricity.

 

The E-pulse Conductor

 

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The E-pulse Conductor is worn on a person’s spine and it harvests energy directly form the electric pulses sent by the neurological system.

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These pieces of jewelry are embedded on the surface of the skin to harvest energy from simple movements of the body, transforming blood flow to useable energy. This technology looks really amazing, but again the ethical applications are just way over my head and don’t really approve of it.

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Youth of YYC: Michael, 17

Wentao
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“For me, dance is communication, every kind of dance is like a language. I express myself through my body movements. Because when I first came back to Canada, my English was so ESL. In order to communicate with other people, I thought I should use something else to express myself. So, I chose to use my body to express myself.”

– Michael, 17

Are CDs and DVDs dead?

Katja
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cds-01Did you ever use VHS tapes as a kid? I still remember popping one into the VCR and never ceasing to be amazed that an entire movie could be contained within a little black plastic box. They were crucial to my consumption of media — until one day they weren’t. VHS came and went, and now it just feels strange to imagine storing movies in inch-thick cardboard sleeves.

So what about DVDs and CDs? Some people believe that the long and arduous death of discs began with the invention of the iPod. If you consider how long it’s been since you walked into a video rental store or bought a CD at HMV, this probably comes as no surprise. In fact, it seems like DVDs had a relatively short-lived stint as the video-consuming medium of choice – in 2003 they usurped VHS rentals in the US, but by 2010, Blockbuster was already filing for bankruptcy.

Matt Lynch of Seattle’s Scarecrow Video points out that “The real problem with streaming is simply that the consumer doesn’t actually have any ownership over the movie”. However, the importance of consumer “ownership” of a film is debatable. And, let’s not forget, thousands of movies and albums are bought on iTunes each day – the dispute of physical vs. digital is not necessarily the same as ownership vs. streaming.

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Streaming services have been instrumental in Norway’s collapsing rates of music piracy (source)

In fact, this is where the conversation gets really interesting. It seems like the natural transition would be that, as CD and DVD sales come to an end, digital music sales such as iTunes will sweep the market. However, recent reports are showing that it’s not this simple. The increasing popularity of music streaming services like Spotify led to a downturn in digital music sales in 2014. Apple has already begun looking past music downloads – they bought Beats Electronics (including its Beats Streaming Service) in 2014. Google Play Music has also adjusted to a shift in consumer’s digital music-buying habits: introducing their “All Access” service has allowed unlimited music downloads to users who pay a 10$ monthly subscription.

Personally, I don’t imagine I’ll wake up tomorrow to find that CDs and DVDs have simply vanished, having become officially obsolete overnight. I also don’t see myself making the leap from iTunes user to strictly-Spotify listener anytime soon. As of 2015, there’s still a market for both discs and downloads, however unclear their future may be. If nothing else, this serves as a reminder that technology is evolving faster than ever before— and while our relationship with how we consume music and film is evolving, our love for them certainly isn’t going anywhere.

Life sucks, but then it doesn’t

Serena Gadamsetti
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You know what sucks? Breakups suck, endings suck, life sometimes just sucks, a lot. But you know what’s awesome? Realizing you’re going to be okay when it’s all over.

tumblr_my1w1eubO01r9n4hjo1_500Heartbreak and the my-life-is-over-I’m-going-to-die-alone type feeling really messes with your emotions, but at the same time, here’s a few things to do and learn how to be you, on your own, again!

 

1.Take up a hobby. The nice thing about this is it gives you the ability to get back into something you hadn’t had time to do for a while, or something you’ve always wanted to do but never had the time to. Maybe your significant other hated whatever this hobby is, but you had a secret passion for it. Whatever your reason is, do the hobby, do it for you and have fun! Start knitting, reading, writing, painting, start playing a sport, anything really. Do something to distract you, but something you enjoy.

2. Go out with your friends. A lot of people don’t like doing this because they don’t want to seem like they’re going back to their friends only because they’re now single, trust me, don’t think that. Your friends love you and they want what’s best for you. They’ll be there while you mourn the end of the relationship and they’ll also take you out and try and take your mind off it. Trust them, sometimes they know what they’re doing, sometimes they don’t, but they’ll try to cheer you up. Plus, having strong friendships is always going to be important. And take the opportunity to let your friends introduce you to new people, because making new friends is a great way to distract yourself.

3. Give yourself time. Time heals all wounds. Cliche, but let’s be real, it’s true. You can’t expect to be okay and living life again within days. Mourn the end of the relationship, appreciate all the happiness and love it brought you, but understand that it was a part of your life and it wasn’t your whole life. You won’t be okay now, but you’ll be okay later on and wiser too.

4. Never doubt yourself. The relationship has come to an end and there can be a million reasons why it could of worked out and a billion reasons why it didn’t, but at thlarge-1e end of it, it’s you who has to live with you. Don’t ever consider yourself worth any less because you aren’t with that person anymore. It sounds typical as heck, but you’re young and you’re going to be okay. People come and go, a lot of the time they are learning lessons that hurt, but you can grow from them.

5. Live your life. Well, okay I’m just making this sound like some sappy life lesson, (it is a sappy life lesson, who am I kidding) but ultimately that’s what breakups are, they are lessons. Being in a relationship with someone provides you with a much more intimate friendship that you’re used to. It’s new and exciting and you’re getting to know someone on such a deep and emotional level, but you also need to learn not to lose yourself in that person. Love is a big thing to exaggerate when we’re teenagers, but I believe we learn how to love at a young age. Really being close with someone and learning everything that’s going on in our hormonal angst is a big deal these days, so we need to hold onto that. Once a breakup happens, being a teenager, you find yourself lost and no longer in control of your emotions, but that is okay. Take what you’ve learned from this person and let it help you grow. Grow and understand that people can be drastically different, they can be selfish or selfless, they can care too much or not enough, but take those lessons and move on and apply them to wherever your feelings and life takes you.

These are some of my personal opinions on what you can do to deal with your breakup, but from the health perspective, take a look here.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar: Review

Jessica Mai
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Hi everybody! I recently bought the Chocolate Bar from Too Faced and I am loving it! The Chocolate Bar comes with 14 eyeshadows – 2 of the highlight shades are larger (quite nice, since a highlight is what I usually do with any eye look) and a heavenly cocoa powder scent. Have a look!

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The eyeshadows all go on a dream – they’re heavily pigmented, have a very buttery texture and look AMAZING even without primer. Below are the swatches: L – R: Gilded Ganache, White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Black Forest  Truffle, Triple Fudge, Salted Caramel, Marzipan, Semi-Sweet, Strawberry Bon Bon, Candied Violet, Amaretto, Hazelnut, Creme Brulee, Haute Chocolate, Cherry Cordial, and Champagne Truffle. I personally use Milk Chocolate, Triple Fudge, and Creme Brulee the most with White Chocolate as a highlight shade, as seen in my selfie below.

I love this palette for the endless neutral eye looks I can do for school or chocolate bar swatcheswork, and there are also the more glitzy looks that effortlessly transitions day looks to night looks. They blend seamlessly, and I have yet to experience any patchiness or a chalky texture. In my awkward poorly lighted selfie, I’m wearing Creme Brulee on my lids with Milk Chocolate in my crease, White Chocolate under my brow bone, and Triple Fudge smudged along my lash line. I’m a monolid, which means I don’t have an eye crease – this can make things pretty difficult when it comes to wearing eyeshadow, mainly because it either doesn’t show up, shows up too much or smudges, however, since buying this palette I’ve had a chance to experiment with the multitude of great colours, all without having to worry about having it smudge.

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Overall, I would rate this a 9.5/10, as it is definitely great and worth the hype; and while I would definitely buy it again, I think I’d like to experiment with some other hyped up palettes.

 

 

The Hobbit: a theatre production

Katie Kim
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The play production of The Hobbit was presented at The Storybook Theatre on February 19, 2015. The story is set in Middle-Earth, an imaginary place where elves, trolls, goblins, dwarves, wizards, dragons, and hobbits, people who are half of the size of normal men, live. An evil dragon by the name of Smaug had taken over the dwarves’ land and treasure, so a hobbit by the name of Bilbo goes on an adventure with a group of dwarves, lead by Thorin Oakenshield, to reclaim the treasure and land.

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Actors with character changes were interesting to watch because each actor portrayed multiple personalities well and according to their varying characters. Especially the roles played by actor Kurtis Gibbs was amusing because his characters were not alike in their nature, but he presented both with distinct emotions and personalities. Additionally, the character Gollum was well played by Simon McKenzie. His movements were very true to the character because Gollum is a creepy, not quite human character. By roaming the stage in an awkward motion, he portrayed his character appropriately. Kevin Trumble, who played the Elven King and Tom the Troll, especially had a booming projection of his voice that was appropriate with the characters he played. Overall, the actors showed tight teamwork, allowing the work on stage to carry out seamlessly.

The directing of the play was excellent; the blocking went well with the theme of the play. As the plot is about an adventure, the fast tempo of the play seemed natural, allowing the audience to fully understand the story, even though it was lacking, compared to the book. Additionally, the fast pace of the actors’ movements complimented the tempo. The blocking was well done, given the limited space that the stage allotted. It was especially enjoyable to see Gollum jumping off of the set pieces because it enhanced the character. Also, when Thorin reclaimed his position as King Under the Mountains, the rest of the dwarves kneeled before him. The difference in levels showed the importance of Thorin’s character over the rest of the dwarves. The blocking was used purposefully to show different personalities and relationships.

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The design of this play was impressive. Gollum’s makeup and the set pieces were especially impactful. Gollum wore full body makeup to effectively create the creepy, not quite human character that was mentioned earlier. As for the set pieces, although the actors had confessed that the rock set pieces were made of spray foam and Styrofoam, the rocks actually seemed realistic from the audience. Also the use of the projection screen was effective. It created different setting that otherwise would not have been included. For instance, the moving projection of the sky when the eagles were “flying” was effective. However, the sound cues were often themes from the movie, so it would have been better for the play to use other music to set it apart from the movie. Generally, however, the design was creative and effective.

 

On the whole, the play was enjoyable and I would definitely recommend it to other people. Especially since, the production was generally true to the books, more than to the movies, so even the most avid Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit fans would not be disappointed. The entire audience was united in their reactions through the entire show, laughing and being on edge at the appropriate times. The actors digested their characters very well and had captivating stage presence. The play was a great adaptation of a famous book.

Blogger of the month, March 2015: Gayathri Menon

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Blogger of the month, March 2015: Gayathri Menon

Ever since joining last August, Gayathri Menon has been a constant and unwavering presence here at Youth Are Awesome. From casual blogs about food and movies to opinion pieces that deals with important issues like gender equality, it’s safe to say that Gayathri has dabbled in all forms of youth blogging. Being the March Blogger of the Month, I was given the chance to interview Gayathri about her experience as a blogger so far, how it has shaped her, and her favorite pastimes.

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Q: You have been a YAA contributor for at least half a year. Some might even consider you a veteran blogger. Could you briefly describe your experience so far with Youth Are Awesome, and tell us what has motivated you continuously to write?

 A: Veteran, oh my. I feel so old! I have had wonderful experiences blogging with YAA. Not only has it given me a medium to express myself, but also helped me meet new people and wander around realms that had been relatively unexplored by me. I describe myself as an “impulsive” writer, which means that I write as much and as frequently as I want to. I write about anything and everything, ranging from the events in my day to the current events . I’m glad YAA gave me this platform to let all those thoughts, opinions and ideas take the form of words.

Q: As we blog and share our ideas, we also grow and change as a person. Describe to us the changes you have went through from that novice blogger writing your first blog to the person you are now in terms of your personality and blogging style.

A: In the beginning, my blogs had been ‘formal’ in tone and I chose not to explore topics that were sensitive and potentially controversial. As time passed, I shed my inhibitions about being “wrong” and started writing in my characteristic style; informal language and a couple of (bad) jokes. The voice I use to write is very similar to the way I talk, and that is the major change that has taken place in my writing and my personality. I’ve learnt to loosen up and express myself freely.

Q: From science to television, you have covered a variety of topics in your blog posts. Of all of the posts that you’ve written, which has resonated with you personally and why?

A: I had covered “HeForShe”, Emma Watson’s campaign for gender equality. It is one of the topics I feel the strongest for. Despite being in a modernised and advanced world, there still exists a feeling of negativity towards women. Being one myself, and having experienced a little chunk of what the outside world has to offer, I felt the need to bring attention to the real definition of feminism in my own little way. It is sad how feminism is associated with “man-hating”, when in reality it is far from that. I felt the need to put the real definition of feminism in its raw beauty in front of the readers, and decide for themselves if they are with it or not.

Q: As a YAA blogger, you represent a voice of today’s youth. In your opinion, what kind of social issues do you believe are imperative to address as a society?

A: A wide variety of social issues exist, and we, as the next generation, too feel it in social settings like schools, organizations, etc. Issues like bullying, harassment, gender inequality, and various other social evils should be addressed by the youth. We, as the voice of the youth, should bring the opinion of the youth about such issues in mainstream media. Being the next generation, it is very important for us to develop a set of values which would bring progressive development to not only us, but everyone around us as well.

Q: We’ll finish with a light one. What are you up to these days in your free time, besides writing blogs?

A: I love writing during my free time. Whenever I’m not studying, I can be found reading, crafting, catching up on (the many) movies I’ve missed, and sports. I also love exploring the city, especially Downtown.

Thank you Gayathri for this wonderful interview, and congratulations for becoming this month’s BOTM!

Youth of YYC: Tawndunn Quintet, 13-16

Wentao
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“Music brings people together in a way that nothing else can.”

– Tawndunn Quintet – Solana (13), Keilin (15), Mo (16), Joan (13), Haena (15)
Shot backstage at the Conservatory and Bella Hall open house with members of the Advanced Performance Program

 

Is the Samsung S6 worth it?

Rebecca Yang
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Yesterday was the launch of Samsung’s highly anticipated Galaxy S6, accompanied by its curved companion, the Galaxy S6 Edge. The devices are equipped with an astounding battery life and the most expeditious charging time with only 10 minutes required for a full battery life. Furthermore, Samsung presents to us a more efficient camera with one of the highest resolution screens on the market. For more of its features, check out this Cnet video.

But did the S6 hit the mark that it needed to? A great complaint about the S5 and its predecessors, has been the design. It is clear to say that the S6 has definitely improved that aspect, with its metal frame and glass backing. Yet, this also presents the same complaint held with many other  iPhones phones. The new and improved sleek design prevents the removable backing for extra storage, which is a key feature that made Samsung stand out from its competitors. Also, does metal and glass framework sound familiar? The S6 is bears some quite stark resemblance to its rival. However, it is up to the consumers to decide if the changes are worth it. A new design, a revolutionary 14nm, 64bit octa core processor, a revamped battery life, a real-time HD camera, and much more, this phone may be just what we may be looking for…for most anyways.

Before we start tearing this phone a part, before its market release, let’s all recall the wise words of Louis C.K.

Go Your Own Whey #3: Muffins, A Reprise

Talia Santarossa
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Go Your Own Whey #3: Muffins, A Reprise

Week 3: Muffins, again

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By pre-measuring all of my ingredients. the baking was quicker, cleaner and easier.

After the failures of my last two recipes, I had a new idea: instead of using recipes which used whey as a primary ingredient, why don’t I try making a normal recipe and modify it to my own tastes? Needless to say, this own turned out soooooo much better.

 

The Baking Process

I used a really basic muffin recipe and there really isn’t too much I can say about it, simply because I used the recipe as it was, for the most part. The only notable things I could mention is that I used the “mise en place” method, meaning that I pre-measured out all of my ingredients before starting that way I would have not only less mess, but less hassle. It was a great decision (and the one thing I can thank my Jr. High Home Ec. teacher for) and made the process a lot easier. Instead of using the full 2 cups of flour, I replaced 1/2 cup of it with unflavoured whey powder (which, for the record, is disgusting alone). Also, I added about 1 tsp. of vanilla extract because I just happen to love vanilla. The batter looked, smelled and tasted pretty normal and when I baked the muffins, they looked and behaved very normally. Success!

 

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I tried using an ice cream scoop to measure out my batter just for the heck of it. It worked surprisingly well.

The Taste Test

Because I didn’t mess with the recipe too much, the muffins tasted virtually the same as I would have expected had I made the original recipe. The only difference I could detect was that they seemed a bit dry, but that could have been from overbaking slightly or even improper measurement on my part. Because I love muffins, I loved these just as much, also knowing that I was able to cut the carb content a little bit, but add some much-loved protein.

 

Conclusions

Out of all of my experiments to date, this was by far the most successful. I would definitely recommend this to anybody. As for myself, I may try to make them again with more whey to up the protein content even more, but I need to be careful because the powder alone has a really nasty taste and I need to make sure to balance it in such a way that I can’t taste it. These will be back in my kitchen very soon!

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Perfectly normal muffins.

 

Weekly Pinterest Top 10 (#7)

Ailin Li
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This weekly post has started to turn into the occasional bi-weekly post, but I’m sure that none of you would have noticed if I didn’t point it out. Life has been pretty busy lately (in a good way) so I haven’t been on Pinterest too much. But I digress, you came here for cool pictures and I shall give them to you! For all the previous posts in this series, you can visit the links provided: Weekly Pinterest Top 10 #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, and #6.

{Art}

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This isn’t the type of art that I usually share, but sculpting sis still a type of art. I think it’s cool what some people can do with snow. Me? I can’t even get a snowball to stick together decently. My childhood attempts at snowmen more so resembled something along the lines of a snow alien. Although, I could build a pretty decent snow dome and hide in it for a couple minutes. When you’ve lived somewhere that snows all your life, and constantly think of it as annoying, it’s easy to forget the beauty in the cold. Visit the original source for more cool snow sculptures!

{Beauty}

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There are so many DIYs and tips out there for beauty, so it’s hard to know who or what you should listen to. Due to misinformation, the general public is often unaware of the dos and don’ts. This photo debunks some of the myth surrounding skincare tips. As with all tips, you don’t necessarily have to follow them and you may even disagree depending on what works for you.

{Decor}

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Since I’ve gotten into my top choice university, I can start planning out all of my residence details. A lot of these things may be provided in your dorm so you may not need them (and I don’t recommend any of the food items they suggested), but this is a good list to cover all your bases.

{Fashion}

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When you first wake up in the morning, picking out an outfit can be one of the last things on your mind. Throw in colour-coordinating your outfit and you might be tempted to just go to school or work in your pyjamas. This chart is a great print-out poster cheat sheet for you to quickly glance at and then piece together a solid outfit. It’s also a great reference if you have a lot of one colour in your closet and want to incorporate some more.

{Food}

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I like to save these fitness photos for the day that I decide to actually be physically active. When do go for a run, I need to have food beforehand because if I wait until afterwards I’ll end up eating too much. Before, I never knew what I should be eating and what foods to absolutely avoid before exercise, so this simple list helped a lot.

{Hair}

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If you can’t tell what’s happening in this photo, it’s a trick to get rid of split ends. All you need is to get a chopstick, straw, or pen, and some scissors. Wrap small sections of hair around your stick-object (as pictured above) and then snip off all the ends to your heart’s desire. There’s the option of just going to the hair salon but who has the time or money for that?

{Laugh}

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There are some people who have too much time on their hands and some pretty cool Photoshop skills, and we are very glad that these people exist. These “dirds” (a combination of a dog and various types of birds) are some of the cutest creatures I’ve ever seen. They may be even cuter than just a dog or a bird alone. My favourite is the Rottweiler and and crow mixture. In reality, if I were to actually happen on one of these dirds I would probably run away.

{Live}

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I think that this is a great analogy to use when describing why you shouldn’t compare yourself to the people around you. When we look at other people, their lives may always seem better than ours in comparison but we don’t know what these other people are going through behind closed doors. It’s easy to get caught up in the superficial aspects of life and constantly define success objectively, but at the end of the day this is your life and only you are in charge of your own happiness.

{Love}

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I love all the new the live-action remakes of the old fairytales that have been coming out over the years, but once in a while I question the casting choices. Obviously, Hollywood can’t find actors and actresses who look exactly like the characters they’re portraying, but modern technology could make the hunt easier. Here are some of the people I can see in these roles: Julian Morris as Prince Eric, Ian Somerhalder as Prince Phillip, Anna Kendrick as Jane, Tina Fey as Mother Gothel, and I think Adam Levine could pull off Tarzan.

{Nails}

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Before seeing it on Pinterest, I would have never considered using tape for nail art. Now that I think about it, it’s pretty ingenious. These lines can be extended into aztec or tribal designs, geometric styles, or anything else your heart desires. It’s much safer than trying to paint a design on your nails and having to wipe it off in repeated failed attempts. If your tape and nail polish are good quality, I think that this DIY is foolproof.

Hopefully you were able to find something in this post that made you laugh, inspired you, or just wasted a good few minutes of your time!

FTC: This is not a sponsored post, and all opinions are completely genuine. ♥

The youth perspective on assisted suicide

Malika Daya
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As you all must be aware of, the Supreme Court of Canada has decided to allow assisted suicide in Canada under certain circumstances. Those circumstances are of which: a competent adult seeks assistance from doctors due to an extremely painful and incurable medical condition that causes intolerable suffering, in such a scenario a doctor should not be prevented from helping the patient speed up death.

This decision has caused havoc and chaos, and has always been a heated debate in regards to morals and ethics. Should someone have the right to decide when they want to die? Or by doing so are we going against the natural order of life in general? Apart of this debate is of course religion, and different peoples various world-views.

So what do we, as the youth, have to say about all of this?

As an individual I personally believe that suffering too, is a cleansing of the soul, alike to how you were brought into this world you will also leave. You weren’t asked if you wanted to be born, it was a game of fate and destiny, and so is death. Regardless of the circumstances, I believe that we should stop interfering with the natural order of life. Think about the people from the past who also had to endure these conditions of unbearable pain, they didn’t go to the doctors office to get assistance to die, they let nature take its own course. In this world you get a fair share of happiness and suffering, they were both written in your destiny, you don’t have a right to take your own life when the suffering becomes overwhelming. However this is just my perspective, one of many I’d like to share with you.

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I went around asking other youth on their individual perspectives and this is what I got:

Gayathri says, “Ethically, I believe it to be wrong because it is in direct violation of the hippocratic oath taken by all doctors to never take a life. But if it means to end someone’s suffering, then I guess it can be considered “good”.

“…Assisted suicides should only be for those who are still in a cognizant and relatively sane state of mind. There are a lot of procedures that should go into assisted suicide in order to make it safe for the person receiving treatment and ethical as well. Not only does it prevent families from having to go through a devastating “regular” suicide with no closure, it allows a person to be free of their suffering. Our right to live should be paralleled with our right to die.” ~Jessica Mai

Ailin shares her perspective, “…I support Jessica’s last statement; we are told that we have free will but if that doesn’t include the power to decide the fate of our own lives, then I think we’re missing a big part of it…This may sound harsh, because we humans would like to think of every life as precious, but what is the point of keeping someone alive if all he can do is remain suffering and/or immobilized for the rest of his days until their condition takes his life anyways?”

Talia shares, “If someone were to choose to end their own suffering, that’s their prerogative. Doctors have the option whether they will or will not perform euthanasia on a patient who requests it…By giving people the choice to die based on their own agenda, life and death becomes less of a ‘wait and see’ gamble… I believe that it is well within one’s inherent rights to be able to choose one’s one fate…”

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Overall who’s to say what’s right or wrong? Many of us haven’t experienced or been in such situations where death seems to be the only option, all we can do is understand the severity, consequences, and benefits of this adjustment to the Criminal Code. Suicide is not a matter of which should ever be taken lightly, all we can do is hope for healthy lives of which we can live a quality of life over a quantity of life.

 

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