Christine's Column

                         As the final weeks of the spring semester drag on, the boredom of endless assignments and exams has me anxiously waiting for summer freedom. The thought of waking up without the burden of early classes, tedious homework and stressful deadlines becomes an increasingly tempting fantasy. I can almost taste the refreshing lemonade, feel the warm sun on my face and hear the laughter of my friends as we enjoy the long, lazy days. The thought of trading textbooks for beach reads, pencils for pool floats and classrooms for backyard barbecues fills me with excitement. Although I know there are still a few weeks, my mind has already wandered to the carefree bliss that awaits on the other side.                Each day, I find myself counting down the few weeks that remain until the glorious summer break. The relentless grind of classes, assignments and exams has left me absolutely exhausted. My eyes are fixed firmly on the finish line, yearning for the freedom and rejuv

                 The Social Dilemma serves as a wake-up call about the perils of social media. The film shines a light on how these platforms, driven by a relentless pursuit of user engagement and data monetization, have become powerful tools for manipulation, addiction and the amplification of harmful content. It forces us to grapple with the unsettling reality that our digital lives are shaped more by algorithms than our own free will. The testimonies of former tech insiders reveal the industry's calculated strategies to hijack our attention, exploit our psychological vulnerabilities and sow division for profit. As we become increasingly entangled in these digital webs, The Social Dilemma urges us to critically examine our relationship with social media and demand greater transparency, accountability and ethical practices from these influential corporations. The film serves as a call for individuals, policymakers and tech leaders to collectively reckon with the societal costs of

               One thing about me, I absolutely hate, hate, HATE, the cold. I am meant to live where it is warm, I am not meant to live in Ohio. If I could never see snow again in my life, I would be so incredibly ecstatic. My mood is very dependent on the weather – when the weather is nice, I am nice and vice versa.             Since the weather has been so nice the past few days, this week at ONU has been so much fun. My roommate, Remi, and I have been laying outside by the pond, soaking up the sun and doing homework. Although, neither of us seem to get far in any homework because we always end up closing our laptops and talking. Anyway, it is very refreshing to be able to enjoy the warmth and get some vitamin D after surviving winter in Ohio.             The sunshine makes me eager for summer and over all things school. I don’t know what it is, but the past two weeks have felt like I’ve been drowning in schoolwork. Anytime my friends text me and ask what I am doing, I’m sitting

                 TikTok has undeniably redefined the way society consumes and interacts with content in the digital age. The platform's user-generated short videos have revolutionized entertainment, reshaped societal trends and influenced culture. With its addictive algorithm that tailors content to each individual, TikTok has captivated a vast audience, transcending age, gender and geographical boundaries. This diverse user base has led to the rapid propagation of trends, sparking conversations and shaping popular culture in real-time. Additionally, TikTok has become a cornerstone of social activism, amplifying voices on critical social issues and driving meaningful change through viral challenges and campaigns. The app's influence is a testament to the shift in societal dynamics, marking a new era of cultural impact driven by user-generated content. In recent years, TikTok has seen an unprecedented surge in its user base, indicating a rapid growth unparalleled by many socia

                                For weeks my boyfriend and I have been talking about going to Otherworld in Columbus, Ohio. Otherworld is an interactive light museum with rooms to walk through with different displays of LED lights and puzzles to play with. Well, we decided to make the trip this past Saturday to check it out and it did not disappoint. All the rooms and displays were very cool and a little trippy.             There were rooms filled with mirrors, creating the illusion that there was multiple of you, rooms with different themes such as under the sea, secret tunnels in each room that would lead you to different rooms and so much more. Every room was lit up with colored lights, some rooms even had displays that would glow and play a pitch when you hovered your hand over the different shapes. One of my favorite rooms was the interactive drawing room. This was an empty room with white walls that would mimic the design you make with your finger onto the wall. It kind of look

               YouTube is a popular video-sharing platform that has revolutionized the way we consume and share content. It has become a hub for creators to showcase their talent, businesses to promote their products, and individuals to connect with a global audience. There are individuals who have gained popularity by creating content on YouTube. They cover a wide range of topics, from comedy and beauty to gaming and education. Anyone with a camera and a passion can become a YouTuber! They connect with their audience through their unique personalities, creativity and relatability. Many YouTubers have built loyal fan bases and even turned their channels into full-time careers. YouTube has had a massive impact on the traditional entertainment industry. It has disrupted the traditional model of content creation and distribution, allowing creators to bypass traditional gatekeepers and reach a global audience directly. This has forced the entertainment industry to notice and adapt. We’

               This past week, I had two things going on that were a little nerve-wracking but thankfully, turned out good. The first thing was my 20 th birthday. Now you might be confused why my birthday would be nerve-wracking, but I had planned to go out and celebrate with all my friends at home. My coworkers, high school friends, some of each of their friends and even my mom were all there. So, there were a lot of people. Mixing friends wasn’t the worry, it was that I was bringing my boyfriend home to meet all these people for the first time. More specifically, it was that he was meeting all my friends’ boyfriends, and we all wanted them to be best friends – so there was a lot of pressure on the guys here.                It was a great night and a lot of fun to have everyone in one place to catch up and see each other. It was especially fun that my mom was there because all my friends love her. I think my friends were more excited to see my mom than to see me. Overall, it was a gr

               LinkedIn is a social media network for professionals that was founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman who believed people needed a platform to take control of their professional lives. The platform grew rapidly, reaching 1 million professionals by 2004 and 10 million by 2007. Later, LinkedIn was bought by Microsoft in 2016 for $26.2 billion. Today, it is the world’s largest professional network as it has over 900 million users in more than 200 countries. It is a place for professionals to join to connect with one another, stay up to date and apply for jobs. The app provides an opportunity of advancing your career by making it easier to interact with businesses, customers, employers, colleagues and potential employees.             The network has 745.84 million monthly users, with males making up 57% and females 43% of their user population. It is the number one channel for B2B marketing and the 18 th most popular social media platform. With over 75 million company pages/accou