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Photo Credit: Mazu Rakhsha

Fishy Business

By Ashton Amirianfar

You probably have a pet fish like a goldfish. These fish die a lot, but I have a fish that you would like. 

Betta fish are lovely fish that live a long time. The oldest betta fish lived to ten years, which is a lot for a fish. These fish typically live for five years, which is still long. Places like Petco and PetSmart sell these fish, but most have infections and are abused. If you want a baby betta fish from Petco or PetSmart, get a baby betta fish because there is a high chance they will have no infections. 

Betta fish require a tank of at least five gallons. These fish are also called Siamese fighting fish because they fight any fish they come into contact with and kill them, even their species. If you breed bettas with each other when they are babies, there is a higher chance of them not fighting or killing each other. Usually, when these fish breed, the female kills the male. I have had a betta fish for almost a year, and he is still in excellent condition. Betta fish are carnivores, so they need to eat meat like brine shrimp and freeze-dried food made for them. 

When you feed a Betta fish, make sure you give it food that is made for them. Betta fish also require good care, like changing the water often and filtering. When they become more prominent, make their tanks bigger. 

To buy a heater for these fish, the water temperature must be 76 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit or 25-27 degrees Celsius.

In conclusion, Betta fish are great pets, and you should get one.

The Importance of Creative Hobbies in Students’ Lives

By Mazu Rakhsha

Many students need a sanctuary from academics and competitive extracurricular activities to occupy their time without added pressure and anxiety, allowing them to explore their passions and express themselves freely. What better way to do this than to find a new creative hobby? Creative hobbies not only balance the hard work in student lives with fun and relaxation, they also promote long-term emotional well-being, encourage self-expression, and support the exploration of personal passions outside of school, efficiently enriching any student’s life.

First and foremost, having a relaxing, creative hobby to pursue helps students reduce stress and anxiety, ultimately promoting their long-term emotional well-being. Many stressors in a student’s life include pressure to achieve good grades, social media’s addictive whirlpool, and even social dynamics causing tension daily. While modern entertainment is nearly limitless, it has become well-known that the effortless method of entertainment that we have adjusted to brings only a hollow, fleeting type of happiness. While doom scrolling, playing video games, or binge-watching a television show for hours might feel good at the moment, it will leave the consumer feeling drained afterward and, over long amounts of time, will even lead them to feel unsatisfied with simpler pleasures because of the unhealthy high of dopamine it brings along. Although dopamine is the happiness hormone, “Overly high dopamine levels can cause negative side effects on a person’s mental and physical health. They may procrastinate for long periods or become agitated when they cannot access rewards” (Sandstone Care). When rushes of dopamine occur constantly, it can detract from a student’s ability to enjoy activities that do not provide instant satisfaction and rewards, making them less capable of focusing and staying motivated in class. Unlike the bottomless pit of technology-driven entertainment, taking on a creative hobby provides a comforting type of pleasure without overwhelming a person. Spending an hour knitting a sweater, completing a jigsaw puzzle, or sculpting a teacup with clay may not provide quick doses of joy like more modern entertainment. However, the feeling of accomplishment and pride at the end of the process will significantly surpass instant satisfaction. One study found that indulging in creative art therapies, or CATs, “significantly reduced stress in 81% of participants” (Patient). The gentle nature of these activities and their reliance on creating an intricate, enjoyable process with slow but rewarding outcomes provides a type of happiness much more worthwhile than the exhilaration derived from instant kinds of entertainment. Also, taking out the thoughts and ideas lingering in a person’s mind into the physical world provides a relieving feeling, like sweeping away the dust bunnies in your mind. Over time, these benefits will have lasting effects on the mind, creating a calm mental state and a balanced lifestyle that soothes children’s stress instead of merely numbing it. Pursuing a creative hobby provides mentally healthy entertainment for students, increasing happiness and general emotional well-being to succeed in school and lead a fulfilling life.

Moreover, being introduced to creative hobbies relieves emotional distress and encourages self-expression, helping students reflect on and better understand their feelings and ideas. Creative hobbies are adapted entirely to the person pursuing them–that is what being creative is all about you and your thoughts, feelings, and ideas. So naturally, finding a creative outlet is a beautiful way to learn the art of self-expression. In such a vast world, especially as a young student, it can be easy to get lost in crowds and blend in, losing touch with one’s interests and ideas. Spending time on a creative activity is the ideal way to channel fresh ideas and new interests to explore; it can be surprising what somebody comes up with when spending time on a canvas (literal or not), and creations reveal a lot about a person. For example, a student spending time on photography may notice trends in their pictures, whether a keen eye for small details in bustling landscapes that reveal the student’s detail-oriented nature or a collection of natural photos that tell the student about their unconscious adoration of willow trees. To put it briefly, creative hobbies give students insights into their personalities–and help them reveal known parts without directly or verbally expressing themselves. Creative expression allows students to identify themselves and their personality and share it with others, which helps them become more mindful of their nature and use this knowledge to influence future courses of action wisely.

Lastly, having students implement creative hobbies in their lives supports the exploration of personal passions, significantly impacting their future pathways and even opening up new opportunities. Suppose students never attempt any imaginative activity that revolves around their original ideas. In that case, they may never discover their passion for that activity–or even a passion for a different activity based on that initial exploration. The truth is that creativity, whether artistic or not, drives our society. Original and innovative ideas are constantly needed to expand the art world and consistently make scientific and technological advancements that help our society run more efficiently. The roots of the ideas of some of the most successful artists and innovators began in childhood when they explored their passions as mere hobbies. For example, Steve Jobs, the creator of Apple and the iPhone, had a passion for technology rooted in his early years. As a teenager, “he spent much time building electronics. . got a summer job at an electronics company.” These were two highly creative activities he was partaking in, and they began only as hobbies, later forming the foundation of some of the most important innovations of the twenty-first century. So, this prompts one question: what lengths could future students’ passions, which begin only as creative hobbies, go to if pursued more significantly? The answer is uncertain, but the value of discovering one’s true passions at an early age has become apparent. While not every passion will lead to a life-changing innovation, they open future doors.

To conclude, creative hobbies are capable of enriching students’ lives in a multitude of ways. They promote emotional well-being by promoting long-term anxiety relief and providing students with a clean mental landscape after engaging. Moreover, they heavily encourage self-expression, aiding in students’ discovery of themselves and their ability to share their identity with others. Finally, creative hobbies cultivate personal passions that can lead to far greater things, such as career paths and brilliant innovations. Collectively, the benefits of pursuing creative passions outweigh any opposing argument that could be made against these non-intimidating sources of fun and relaxation, making a lovely afternoon of painting, a few hours of photography, or a few evenings spent knitting a cardigan the perfect addition to any student’s day.

The Pollution of Plastic in Ocean 

By Mielle Bitton

The ocean is a beautiful place to go on a hot, sunny day. You feel the waves crashing on your feet when you step into the water. Suddenly, you look down, and there is a big chunk of plastic cups and straws in the ocean. You get excited and think, Who would put all that plastic in the sea?

As stated on the Oceanic Society website, “Between 4 and 12 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year—enough to cover every foot of coastline on the planet! Moreover, that amount will triple in the next 20 years.” Not only does the plastic hurt the ocean, but it also hurts living animals swimming soundly. As it says on the Oceanic Society website, “Plastic pollution impacts sea turtles, whales, seabirds, fish, coral reefs, and countless other marine species and habitats. Scientists estimate that more than half of the world’s sea turtles and nearly every seabird on Earth have eaten plastic in their lifetimes.” It is heartbreaking that all of these animals were hurt because of plastic. We are also to blame; we are the ones using plastic. We are the ones making the plastic, and this needs to stop.

Here are three ways to stop plastic pollution. 

1.  Stop using disposable plastics. This can help in various ways. The next time you go to the grocery store, you only need to bring your reusable bag or paper. We'd like to say you are going on a jog; please don't bring a disposable plastic bottle; use a reusable one. 

2. Start cooking at home more. This is not only better for you and healthier, but it also reduces the amount of plastic takeout bags and plastic straws you use. If you are going out and you are passionate about this topic, you can ask the server if they will not bring you any plastic straws. 

3. Recycle. This is the most common answer that everyone does. You will be surprised to know that many people need to recycle. Everyone has good intentions, but sometimes, it is hard to remember when to recycle and what to recycle.

Did you know that 40% of the ocean is completely covered in plastic? That is wild! As stated in The Center of Biology Diversity, “Thousands of animals, from small finches to blue whales, die grisly deaths from eating and getting caught in plastic.” When you think of sea animals, you think they must be having the best time swimming around, and I am sorry, but you are wrong. Turtles are dying left and right because of this. They are mistaking plastic for food and choking. When they encounter, using plastic, most animals swim through it and get caught in it or try to eat it, which, as you know, does not work so well. 

As you can see, this is a big problem, and we are the ones who can fix it. Next time you use plastic, consider all the animals that could die. Going to the ocean is always fun, but not when you know plastic is everywhere. 

Sources

oceanicsociety.org

nrdc.org

biologicaldiversity.org

Dreamscape

By Jordana Danielpour and Andrew Azizollahi

Many people have different types and sorts of dreams. However, many do not know that these dreams can mean something, and they can correlate to one's feelings, emotions, what one might think of others, and profound insight into one's character. 

Types Of Dreams and What They Symbolize

1. Falling can symbolize and represent not having a grip on your life or being out of control or uncontrollable. 

2. Being chased can correlate with and relate to anxiety, or you are attempting to abstain from or circumvent a subject or thing in your regular and daily lifespan. 

3. Taking an exam or test can indicate dread, a phobia of not succeeding, or negligence. 

4. Dying apprehension or fear concerning transmute or change. It can also indicate being scared or fearful of the unspecified or unraveled.

5. Flying can symbolize emotions of freedom or self-efficiency. Another meaning of flying in your dreams can represent a want or demand to leave or bolt for freedom from life, truth, or reality. 

What is the Purpose Of Dreams?

The primary purpose of dreams is to control or manage multiple individuals and different types of feelings. This can include regulating fears, integrating reclamation, deja vu, or rejoinder to an activity, topic, or thing from your day to assist or help recall them, puzzle out, find an answer to, or even fail to remember issues or things to be solved in reality, the universe, or the world. Another idea is that dreams assist the brain in knowing or forecasting future events or things. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, dreams occur for certain motives and reasons, precisely when dealing with predictions or ways or methods to regulate feelings and help the brain. Different types and sorts of dreams occur for specific reasons related to feelings, emotions, yourself, inner traits, and even what you might think of others. They are also essential because dreams enable and represent profound insight into one's mind, future, past, or even character. 

Sources

healthline.com

verywellmind.com

sleepfoundation.org

now.tufts.edu

What is Color Theory?

Melissa Gomes

Color theory is a fascinating subject that has captured the interest of artists, designers, and scientists for centuries. It is the study of how colors interact with each other and how they affect our emotions and perceptions. Color theory is the science behind how we see and interpret colors. One of the primary concepts in color theory is the color wheel. A representation of the primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) and the secondary colors (orange, green, and purple). The color wheel is an essential tool for artists and designers because it shows how different colors can be combined to create new colors and how they connect in terms of hue, saturation, and brightness.

Another important aspect of color theory is color psychology. This is the study of how colors can influence our emotions and behavior. For example, red is often associated with passion, anger, and excitement, while blue is associated with peace, trust, and serenity. By understanding the psychological impacts of different colors, designers can use them to create specific moods and emotions in their work. Color theory also plays a crucial role in branding and marketing. Corporations often use specific colors in their logos and advertising to create a particular image or association with their brand. For example, blue is intrinsically used in the tech industry to convey trust and reliability, while green is used in the health and wellness industry to represent nature and healing.

In conclusion, color theory is an essential subject that underpins many aspects of our lives, from art and design to branding and marketing. By comprehending how colors interact with each other and how they affect our emotions and perceptions, we can create more effective and graphic communication.

Why Some Students Have High Motivation

By Mazu Rakhsha

Do you struggle to muster the energy to study, even for ten minutes? Do you miss assignments regularly, lose sight of your goals and ambitions, and inevitably end up in the same slump you did last year? Or are you a high-achieving student who puts all possible effort into every task you complete–and turns them all in on time nonetheless? In this case, one student has much stronger motivation to succeed, prompting the question: why are some students inherently more motivated than others? While every circumstance differs, it is clear that ambitious students are driven by their natural pleasure in learning, an ability to envision how each academic step they take propels them toward their future dreams, and a sense of fulfillment derived from succeeding in school.

One of the most vital types of motivation is intrinsic motivation, or, in this case, a natural desire to learn. What the motivated student will always have, but the unmotivated student is likely to need more. Intrinsic motivation is what keeps a student present and engaged in class, grades, external pressure, and a wish to succeed in life put aside. Students need more time to ponder how each move they make influences their future or what grades they will achieve at the end of the semester while looking at a complex math problem or writing an essay. Instead of constantly needing to muse over other factors to lead themselves to success, the intrinsically motivated student will have fun learning. They will be engaged by the math challenge and work hard on their essay because they enjoy putting their thoughts into writing. This type of motivation is solid because it comes first and stays present in a learner when everything else becomes unclear. For example, a first grader could enjoy the writing process of their first story without having any idea of their future profession or knowing why grades are important, and an 11th grader who is unsure of their future and whose grades are faltering slightly can still have the intrinsic motivation to remain engaged in class and succeed. A 2012 study by Cho and Perry showed that “intrinsic motives have three times the impact on. . .engagement levels compared to extrinsic motives” (Workstars). After all, it is much easier for students to stay engaged in something because they enjoy it now than to remind themselves of far-off goals and ambitions when they want to succeed in a class. Therefore, naturally motivated students will always maintain a thirst for knowledge and an eagerness to learn because of their high levels of intrinsic motivation when working.

Furthermore, motivated students are likely to be able to picture their future clearly and have an idea of how their academic success will drive them toward their ideal future. Foreseeing the achievement of very long-term goals–such as future careers, university educations, and more–can encourage a student to work hard and set a foundation for these aspirations. For example, a student who dreams of becoming a doctor may understand that they need to excel in their science classes to move, slowly but surely, toward their future goals. When students can hold onto their vision of the future and understand how their current academics can move them towards those goals, they will align their grades and success in school with a purpose, increasing their motivation to succeed.

Finally, achieving high grades and overall academic success will provide a sense of fulfillment for some students, keeping them motivated to push on. Although this can be detrimental, some students may rely heavily on their grades to provide them with feelings of validation. Seeing high scores on assignments, assessments, and report cards can feel gratifying, almost like receiving candy. Essentially, high academic achievement triggers hits of dopamine, which “does not make you feel good or happy; it simply makes you want to do the thing again” (Mental Health America). When high grades and academic success trigger rushes of dopamine in a student’s mind, they begin to crave the feeling of accomplishment, keeping them in a cycle of motivation and high achievement.

To summarize, ambitious students are motivated by their natural enthusiasm for learning, their capacity to envision their academic success as a pathway to future dreams, and their fulfillment from succeeding in school.

Driverless Cars

By Ashton Amirianfar

Driverless cars are a new technology worldwide and have significantly impacted people. Car companies like Tesla, Lucid, and Waymo are among the most popular driverless car companies. Waymo is the best of all; it is an Uber with no driver and has many cameras and sensors to ensure your safety. People get anxious about these cars because they say they are unsafe and can crash. These cars have been tested for many years, so there is a low chance of them crashing. 

Waymo, Tesla, Cruise, Volkswagen, Motional, and Lucid are the companies producing the most driverless cars.

Waymo is owned by Google, Volkswagen driverless cars are owned by Microsoft, Cruise is owned by General Motors, Motional is owned by Uber Technologies, Lucid Motors owns Lucid, and Elon Musk owns Tesla. You may have heard of companies like Uber Technologies, General Motors, etc. Uber is an intelligent taxi with a driver, Tesla is a car company, Lucid is a car company, Volkswagen is a car company, General Motors is a car company, Microsoft is a tech company, and Google is a tech company. These companies are excellent and reliable, and you should try their Vehicles.

Tesla and Lucid need to make sure you are there while the car is driving on its own, so you need to use the steering wheel every few minutes, but Waymo is different; you need to order it on the app, and it will pick you up. You can put stops on it and play music. To play music, you can connect to Spotify, Apple Music, and I Heart Radio, but you have to connect through the Google Assistant app because Waymo is owned by Google. These cars detect other Vehicles, People, etc. Waymo is my favorite because of all these great features.  

Driverless cars are way more safe than you think. These cars are way safer than you think because of the cameras and sensors; they can detect things such as lane splits and many more. In my opinion I love driverless cars, it is a thing of the future. The technology on these vehicles is excellent. I love that you can play music; on some, you can watch movies and many more! To sum up this article, I hope you enjoyed my article and are getting to try one of these vehicles yourself.

Source

Nytimes.com

Empathy: the Hidden Power of Literature

By Mazu Rakhsha

While reading is generally regarded as a beneficial hobby because of its help in new vocabulary acquisition, critical thinking development, and other cognitive benefits, there is one equally important lesson that fiction provides. However, it is sometimes overlooked or underestimated: its capacity to build empathy in readers. We are constantly striving to build a better world with humane treatment of everyone around us, but establishing good morals begins early on in life, and the development of the traits that connect with this, such as empathy, has always been challenging to control. People naturally have different personalities, life experiences, and perspectives, so how can one develop an empathetic outlook on life when restricted by a narrow array of experiences? Although the answer remains unclear, and fiction will never be able to save the world, literature can create a foundation of empathy for those who interact with it–and its effects may be powerful enough to leave a long-term positive impact on our world and the minds it is driven by.

First and foremost, the varied perspectives that well-rounded characters in novels introduce to us are limitless, and merely being exposed to these unknown lives provides readers with a deeper understanding of others–the key to empathy. Well-rounded characters with consistent yet realistically paradoxical personalities, unique lifestyles, and an array of formative, character-developing experiences that form their temperament are scattered throughout the literature. Encountering these characters can emulate the feeling of meeting–and genuinely getting to know–a new person whose experiences are wholly different from yours. The effects of this have been researched extensively by various studies, and despite differing conclusions, the overall judgment is that reading fiction mirrors empathy-building social connections and life experiences. A 2013 study of this occurrence revealed that when reading, the reader must predict the actions and behaviors of others, and “in order to do this, the reader sympathizes with the characters in the story. . .to experience the events as if it is the reader’s own experience.” When this happens, “The sympathy a reader feels for the characters is then integrated into the self-concept of the reader, through which the reader accumulates his/her ability to feel empathy” (NIH). Suppose this is done consistently, especially with many vibrant characters and stories. In that case, the reader will develop deep empathy not only for a few select people’s circumstances but also for many perspectives, almost as though they have lived many lifetimes. If you have “experienced” them all (in this case, through literature), you will understand them well, making for high levels of empathy. Overall, exposure to fresh perspectives through unique, well-developed fictional characters is one of the critical factors in fiction that builds a reader’s empathy.

Moving on, being introduced to moral dilemmas and conflicting points of view in fiction forces readers to see both sides and understand them well (therefore empathizing with each side) before coming to their conclusion. Even if a reader has not had firsthand experience with ethical conflict, they will go on to be able to make informed and empathetic decisions when introduced to these types of issues later on in life since, as mentioned before, reading a fictional character’s experiences is practically a simulation of real-world situations. In conclusion, encountering moral dilemmas and contrasting opinions in fiction can become a training ground for empathy, allowing readers to manage actual life conflicts with compassion and understanding.

In conclusion, although frequently valued for enhancing cognitive skills such as critical thinking and transporting readers away from their lives and anxieties, its strength in cultivating empathy is brutal to overlook once recognized. When exposed to stand-out characters and differing perspectives, readers unconsciously engage with fictional experiences as they learn from their own life experiences and emotional development, causing them to perceive future events with greater empathy. By witnessing moral dilemmas and conflicting viewpoints, readers also learn to make informed decisions based on an equal understanding of multiple parties in their own lives. While reading fiction is hardly enough to save the world single-handedly, it can help influence empathy and future positive action in its readers.