Exploring your gender identity By Chess (Narrative.) For most people, their innate sense of gender is consistent with the gender they were assigned at birth – in most cases, either male or female. This is known as being cisgender. Although this is often seen as the default, there is a lot more diversity in terms of gender than many people realise. In recent years there has been an increase in the visibility of gender diverse individuals, and an improvement in general knowledge of...

Discussing boundaries with your partner By Sammi (Orenda.) While it's no secret that understanding boundaries is a key factor in any healthy relationship, openly discussing them with your partner can sometimes feel awkward, especially when you're having the initial conversation about what is and is not okay with you. Questions may run through your mind such as "Is my partner going to be disappointed if I say I'm not comfortable with this?" or you might face concerns about whether or not...

Free Contraception: The Answer To Overpopulation Or The Cause Of Promiscuity? By Mollie Jose (guest author) Free birth control pills were made possible in the USA by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) way back 2012. This mandate has promoted women empowerment. In another positive perspective, the cost-free contraception has given women the chance to choose when to get pregnant. This freedom, furthermore, will help slow down the population growth. Although the intention of this...

Inexpensive holiday decor for a small space By Jenna (~Abibliophobe~) One of the activities that a lot of people look forward to during the holidays is being able to decorate their home. However, for many people decorating can be difficult to do because they are living in a small space or they are living on a tight budget and decorations are often expensive to acquire. Also, plenty of the typical decorations such as a tree can end up taking up a fair bit ...

Thirteen Reasons Why By Brittany (.Brittany.) and Oliver (anemoia) In 2007, the novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher was released. In July of 2011, Asher's novel became #1 on the New York Times best-seller list. In 2016, Selena Gomez teamed up with Netflix to produce an original series based on the book. The series was released on March 31, 2017. The release of the series has since sparked a debate all over the world. The series is about the suicide of Hannah Baker and the events...

How to make chocolate covered pretzel rods By Cassie (cynefin) Source] Chocolate covered pretzel rods are a relatively simple, yet fun treat to make for all ages. Pretzel rods can be easily dipped in any color chocolate and decorated with a variety of sprinkles and other baking decor. This article will give a step by step tutorial on how to make your chocolate covered pretzel rods into festive looking desserts. You will need

8 Simple Ways to Reduce Digital Eye Strain and Vision Problems by Aaron Barriga (guest author) Let’s be honest, we spend a LOT of time staring at digital screens. Unfortunately, exposure to electronic screens can have a major impact on eye health. A number of problems with vision occur due to excessive use of digital devices, giving rise to terms such as “digital eye strain” or “computer vision syndrome”. Follow these 8 tips to keep your eyes healthy:

Enjoying the Holidays when you are alone By Jenna (~Abibliophobe~) The holidays are quickly approaching and, for many people, this can be a dreadful time of year. There are numerous reasons that people struggle with the holidays but one of the issues a lot of people face during this time of year is not having anyone to celebrate the holidays with. This can be due to not having a good relationship with family, being away for school and not having the ability to come back or...

Depression around my birthday By Essa (MerESSAmaid) Birthdays are normally a day that people really look forward to. However, I know that some people really dread them and become depressed when they are coming up. I myself am one of those people that get anxious and depressed when my birthday is coming up. I am going to explain why I think this happens and how I plan on stopping the things that typically happen for me this time of year. ...

Surviving the holidays as an LGBTQ+ teen By Sammi (Orenda.) The holidays are often regarded as a time of cheer and festivities with loved ones. However, for many LGBTQ+ individuals, this is not necessarily the case. Whether you're still in the closet and fending off questions about your love life, out and being misgendered by intolerant family members, or anything in between, even the most joyous of times can become difficult. While it can seem unbearable, it is possible to enjoy your...

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) By Brittany (.Brittany.) What is it? Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, also known as NAS, is a group of withdrawal symptoms that a baby is born with when the mom has taken certain types of drugs while pregnant. These drugs can include Heroin, Oxycodone, and Meth. The reason that the baby is born with withdrawal symptoms is because the umbilical cord is attached from the baby to the mom's placenta, which means when the mom smokes or does drugs, it makes...

What is acupuncture? By Cassie (Cassado) Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine that was developed centuries ago. Acupuncture is thought to reduce the intensity and frequency of issues such as nausea, chronic pain, or mental health conditions like anxiety. According to Live Science, acupuncture is, “a complementary medical practice that entails stimulating certain points on the body, most often with a needle penetrating the skin, to alleviate pain or to help treat various health...

Six Stories: A review By Jenna (~Abibliophobe~ ) Six Stories is a mystery/thriller novel written by Matt Wesolowski. It is a novel told as though it is being done on a podcast where an investigative journalist, Scott King, details the death of a teenage boy; the teen's death was never really solved by the police. Scott King interviews six people who had connections to the dead teen and through these interviews he tries to piece together what might have really happened. ...

Makeup tips and techniques By Patricia (Patricia92) Every person, and every culture, has their own rules and techniques for beauty and application. This article will show you some of the most basic techniques in your every day beauty routine. It will also show you some things that professional makeup artists do to spruce up even the best of looks. First of all, let’s begin with skincare. Skincare is vital in your overall makeup look. Just as an artist wants a clean, clear canvas...
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The effects of bullying By Cassie (Calico.) Bullying is more common than most people like to admit. Fortunately, people are more educated about it now than ever before and are becoming more aware of this issue. However, despite the effort to educate people about bullying and eradicate it, bystanders feel powerless to help and victims are left in the dark. Bullying is a vicious cycle and a lot of people don’t know how to handle it effectively. Bystanders are often too intimidated to...
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