When I was a junior in college, I studied abroad and taught English to hundreds of kids in Rwanda for five weeks. Those five weeks were the most exciting and influential weeks of my life—but they came with a fair amount of difficulties. Among those difficulties: learning to communicate with…
In a recent study, the Psychedelic Research Group at Imperial College London explored the potential of using psychedelics to treat certain mental illnesses such as depression. The research team argued that this may be a more effective treatment, as it relieves symptoms by activating serotonin 2A, as opposed to 1A—the…
A popular topic of conversation (at least in the world of psychology) is whether or not video games make people more aggressive. For years, the bulk of research said yes, they certainly do; even the American Psychological Association declared violent video games—such as Halo and Call of Duty—a danger to…
Everybody is creative in their own way: one may utilize creative thinking to make an acceptable meal out of their very few supplies; another may display creativity in planning a fun outing with friends; and another may demonstrate their creative abilities in their drawings or writing. These tasks and those…
We all have pet peeves: loud chewing, incessant complaining, nail biting… the list goes on and it really never ends. Certain habits prove to annoy us, and they drastically affect the perpetrator’s likeability. Take, for example, the humblebraggers: these are the people that try to mask their boasting with a…
When I was in grade school, the idea of being athletic and smart was inconceivable. You were either good at sports or you were a book nerd who aced all their tests—at least, in the minds of my fellow classmates. I, however, played varsity soccer for four years and still…
We all understand stress to be harmful, but to what degree? Many of us suffer from the exhaustion that comes with stress, as well as its negative effect on our mood, but it doesn’t end there. Stress can also lead to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and mental illnesses like depression…
When something has upset me, I like to listen to sad music, watch sad movies, and read sad books. I have no desire to “cheer myself up,” with happy tunes or inspiring plots—instead I like to completely engulf myself in the gloom. Plain and simple. This may sound counterproductive or…
Here at Thriveworks, we believe that there’s so much more to life than merely surviving—that everybody can make extraordinary advances, or better yet, thrive. You can thrive in your career, relationships, and even in extracurriculars like exercise or art classes, despite setbacks or hiccups along the way. The key, according…
Just this past weekend, I was playing the classic game of “Would You Rather” with a few close friends when an ever-popular question was proposed: would you rather have a low-paying job that you love or a high-paying job that you hate? Some of us declared our answers immediately, while…
The National Sleep Foundation makes very clear sleep recommendations, depending on an individual’s age: toddlers (1-2 years) should get 11 to 14 hours of sleep each night; preschoolers (3-5 years) should get 10 to 13 hours of sleep; school-aged children (6-13), 9 to 11 hours; teens (14-17 years), 8 to…
