With the exception of one small (err, actually kind of major) thing (see also: Phillips Exeter Faculty Lie to Sexual Assault Victim, Tell Her She Wasn't Assaulted), I totally love my high school. I mean, come on! Our classes took place around a Harkness table -- we constantly debated, discussed, and learned from each other. It was a totally epic learning experience. But that didn't stop one of the most ridiculous Facebook conversations ever from happening on the alumni page this week.
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As the young folks like to say, "YASSSSS!"
As a college counselor and life coach for gifted teenagers, a social scientist who values the scientific method and the quest for truth, and simply a concerned citizen, I have watched with growing alarm as American universities have spiraled out of control. After Berkeley announced it had literally installed escape hatches so administrators could stay safe during violent student protests and Evergreen State College was shut down when police could no longer assure public safety, I knew that something would have to change.
"I peed on the campfire last night, and it steamed my lady parts," I told my backpacking companions last night, in what I thought would be a helpful contribution to a conversation about relieving oneself in nature.
The response was one I'd already heard several times that weekend: "Eva! You're... something else." I suppose it could be argued that I'm socially awkward -- though I definitely don't feel that way. And I'm pretty sure most people don't see me that way. Why? Just because you say and do awkward things... doesn't mean you have to be awkward or unpleasant to be around.
There's a super exciting new book out that I urge everyone (especially teenagers and parents) to read at once! It's called iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood--and What That Means for the Rest of Us.
It's about how growing up with a phone in your hand makes you sad, anxious, and bad at social skills. Taylor Swift's New Single "Look What You Made Me Do" Is the ULTIMATE Example of A/B Testing8/25/2017
When I did my master's research on adult playfulness and leisure skill development, I spent, like, forever trying to recruit 60 people to participate in a study. Then I entered the startup world and learned about CRM (customer relationship management) software, marketing automation -- and even just A/B testing (sometimes called split testing), which is when you compare two versions of a web page (or marketing email, or whatever) to see which one performs better. This allows you to maximize your reach and chances of success by making data-driven decisions.
And this is exactly what Taylor Swift has done with her new single, Look What You Made Me Do.
Love is pretty much the greatest thing ever. People who don't understand evolution think sex is the most important thing ever -- but without love, our species wouldn't exist. It doesn't matter how many women you can knock up if no one loves or cares for anyone and all the babies die.
As such, we evolved to be acutely sensitive to loneliness (and other negative emotions, like jealousy). And we evolved to love love.
I love my friends. That's why I'm mean to them.
"Hey, man. There's this really cool Exeter party on Friday. I'd totally invite you... but, honestly, you're kind of a clinger, and I don't want to have to babysit you." Maybe You Stopped Improving Because You Were Driven By a Fear of Failure, Not a Desire to Succeed.8/3/2017
Being driven by a desire to win means that when you achieve your goal, you’ll feel joy. Being driven by a fear of failure means when you succeed, you’ll feel relief.
Whether training for your high school swim team or trying to make it to the pros, you've probably experienced a plateau. All athletes do! There are tons of physical reasons -- and one very mental reason -- why this happens.
You're entitled to your own opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts. Which is why I'm taking the time to point out some of the reasons that words are not violence -- and that there is truth to the old rhyme, "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names will never hurt me."
"It is a happy talent to know how to play," Ralph Waldo Emerson once said.
He was exactly right. According to my master's research, playfulness isn't a trait -- it's a skill. But due to the ubiquity of technology (read: passive entertainment) and high-achieving childhoods, many young adults have yet to develop their leisure skills. The fact that they're making less money and are more likely to have debt than ever doesn't help. |
About the Author
Eva is a content specialist with a passion for play, travel... and a little bit of girl power. Read more >
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