Socioeconomic status has long been considered as a potential explanation for discrepancies in professional expectations, lifestyle trends, and mental and physical health in America. The relationship between household income and mental disorders has been especially thoroughly examined. Numerous longitudinal studies over the years have consistently found a damningly strong correlation between the two variables. In…
It is common to find yourself in a scenario where a friend or family member suffers a physical injury, like a broken leg. The socially acceptable course of action would be to offer assistance in the form of rides to work or or offering to cook them dinner. We would send texts offering words of…
It’s midnight and Olin Library is packed with students studying for their exams. Soon enough, midnight becomes 2:00 am, yet most students still study away. In fact, most of these students don’t return to their dorms until around three, which is often a mere seven hours before their first classes. By the time they get…
Friends and family members of Alzheimer’s patients endure the heartbreak of watching a loved one lose their memory and independence. As the United States demographic becomes increasingly top heavy—with the portion of the population over 65 years estimated to more than double by 2060—the need for Alzheimer’s disease research is immediate. The suffering that Alzheimer’s…
Through hard work, determination and initiative, every resident in the United States should have the equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity: the very core of the American Dream. While it seems plausible in theory, many struggle to achieve this idealized version of the American life, as is the case for many undocumented immigrants. With…
While discussions about mental health are becoming more open and common, we still have a lot to learn on university and college campuses about how to best maintain that health and prevent illness. Specifically, how do institutions of higher education better deliver resources to the thousands of students who need them? One student at Washington…
After the civil unrest spurred by Freddie Gray’s death and controversy over excessive police force, Baltimore needed a way to heal and restore peace in the neighborhood. The “Play More B’More” initiative was undertaken by the city, engaging youth from underserved neighborhoods as interns and volunteers to promote the playability of their city. KaBOOM!, “a…
The shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon on October 1, 2015, which killed 9 people and wounded 9 more, brought the frightening reality of mass shootings back into focus. Not that such shootings were out of the public eye for long: on June 18, 2015, nine people were killed at the Emanuel African…
When people find out I don’t have Facebook, they always look so puzzled. “Why not?” they ask. It’s been two years since I deactivated my account and, yet, I still can’t find a coherent answer to this question. More times than not, I respond with an “uhhh” until somebody eventually changes the subject. I do…
Gone Girl. Some call it a traditional gothic horror tale that reveals the truth of marriage. Others have derided it as a misandrist revenge fantasy or a misogynist validation of every paranoia American culture teaches men to hold. Certainly, this controversy highlights gendered double-standards in the United States. But more, Amy Dunne, the main character,…