There’s still a good amount of time for self-reflection and resolution-setting as the last few hours of 2018 wind down. In between stores and work closing early and sequins and glitter beginning to come out in full force, you can still look back on what’s happened and look ahead on what’s to come.
Podcasts have boosted in popularity in recent years. Pretty much anyone can start one, about any topic, and talk for as long as they want about it, with a few tangents and distractions here and there. This popularity and accessibility, while convenient, can also feel overwhelming with the sheer number of podcasts available per the infinite number of topics.
Video games have become much more interactive than they used to be. If you wanted to play with others, they would have to physically be there, with up to four players sharing the same console connected to the TV, each having their own controller. Two people with Game Boys could connect to each other using a cable, and some games allowed them to play against each other that way. Looking back, all of it seems a bit excessive, especially now that we can connect to anyone around the world in an instant with a simple Internet connection.
The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives.
This poem/short story was inspired by one of my all time favorite books: I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson. Continue reading The Realm of Calm
The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives.
Winter weather is upon us! While some people embrace the cold, others (myself included) would much rather stay indoors under a pile of blankets. Cold, gray days can also trigger seasonal affective disorder or intensify depressive symptoms. Although I continually struggle with fighting the physical and emotional chills that come with this weather, I’ve found that a nice, hot beverage is a powerful way to soothe and defrost myself.
Sometimes, we just need someone to talk to, but for whatever reason, we might need be able to do so. We may feel uncomfortable with the stuff we want to share, or it may simply be the middle of the night, and everyone you talk to is asleep. As always, the Internet is here to help.
The variety of social media platforms, the kind of content they show, and who uses them allows people to wear different “masks” depending on what site or app they go on. Facebook has become more family-dominated, so many teenagers feel like they need to filter themselves so their parents, grandparents, and other extended family don’t see everything. Meanwhile, teens may use Instagram to present a seemingly perfect and aesthetic lifestyle to their peers (finstas, on the other hand, make teens feel like they can show their “true selves”).
Continue reading Multiple Selves, LGBTQ+ Youths, and Social Media
Those in foster care are seven times as likely to have a diagnosis of depression.
They are also six times as likely to have behavioral problems, 4.6 times as likely to have anxiety, 3 times as likely to have ADD or ADHD, and twice as likely to have developmental delays, according to a 2011-2012 National Survey of Children’s Health. While there can be many possible explanations for this, one absolute explanation is uncertainty, a main characteristic of the foster care system.
The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives.
Have you ever gotten ready to do something nerve-wracking (like for me, giving a speech in class), and you start to feel nauseous in addition to being nervous? Or have you ever gotten excited about something and felt “butterflies” in your stomach?
The SOVA Project is happy to feature this blog post written by one in our team of fantastic SOVA Ambassadors—these are young people who help create meaningful blog posts from adolescents’ perspectives.
The holidays can be a wonderful thing. Personally, I love the idea of being with family and celebrating Chanukah, but when I’m actually with them, my feelings change. I feel out of place and overwhelmed and like I don’t fit in. I ask myself: “how can I stop myself from spiraling downwards?”