Yours Truly, Ally

As sophomore year comes to a close, I have deeply reflected on how much I have changed since last year. Last year I was suffering from anorexia (granted, I still am recovering, but I have made much progress), I was depressed, anxious, along with a whole string of self-doubt and myriad number of other issues. 1 out of 5 women struggle with an eating disorder. Image retrieved from Harvard Health. For those who actually read my blog, or know me personally, here is a old article I wrote for the Campus Chronicle from roughly a little over a year ago: Stress is completely normal, especially in college. This week alone I have an ungodly of notes to take, quizzes to complete, and I have a speech to give in class. Most nights I go to bed at 5am, and I’m lucky if I get even six hours of sleep. While maintaining a 4.0 this semester poses its own challenges, dealing with much deeper mental health issues seems to consume the entirety of my day. As an adolescent, my self-image was...

As a 20-year-old female, one would assume that I stereotypically rely on technology a bit too much. For the most part, that is true. To prove my point, or to at least prove to others I'm not completely horrible, here's a glance of what the daily life of Ally is like. Photo retrieved by yours truly [8:30 a.m.]: On a typical day (with the exception of my 7:50 a.m. class) I get up at around 8:30 a.m. and IMMEDIATELY check my phone. Typically, this includes checking my text messages that are most likely only from my boyfriend, checking Snapchat, Instagram, and of course, Facebook. I probably glanced at one too many Dr. Pimple Popper videos (whoops). [9:00 a.m.]: After finally getting out of bed, I unwillingly stumble out of bed, nearly falling several feet, and use the bathroom. And if you guessed correctly, I did, in fact, bring my phone. I spend about several short minutes before I go on to the next task. [9:05 a.m.]: As I quickly find clothes (probably from the prio...

It is hard to argue that the World Wide Web hasn't left a profound impact on the way individuals communicate. While the internet poses many benefits, such as promoting connectivity amongst internet users, it is also simultaneously promoting a falsified sense of communication. Image retrieved from D-Tech Consulting. According to an NBC news article , 8 out of 10 Americans reported they rely too much on cellphones. Even worse, a Pew Internet & American Life Project shows "cellphones are an essential part of 83 percent of American lives, used to retrieve information immediately, to relieve boredom or to help in emergencies." Pew additionally interviewed 2,777 adults from April 26 to May 22, to which they found: 51 percent of cell owners used their phone to get information they needed right away 42 percent used their phone for entertainment when they were bored, and 40 percent were in an emergency situation in which having their phone with them really helped...