#academicpost

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My Ambitions

Above all else, I long for stability and success. I want that one day, when I wake up and start to look at myself in the mirror, I would feel good about myself. I would start to believe in myself, without any doubts. 

I don’t usually think about the future, I haven’t until I realized that if I wanted to achieve all the great things I dream of, then planning ahead is one of the most important steps to that, right?

I was always more of a “live in the moment” type of person and I don’t exactly plan on changing that entirely but from this point forward, I’d like to think more realistically. I’d like to start thinking ahead with a direction to that success and stability.

I dove into a course that majors in communication and I don’t regret it, which is something I don’t take so lightly. It was a big moment for me. The course allowed me to practice my passion for writing, professionally, which is one other thing I dream of. I want to make it as a writer. 

I want to make it as a writer, whether that means creating blogs for a living, or handling social media posts, or possibly even having a bestselling novel, I want to write and I have a strong desire to achieve stability and success through that.

I would like to make a career out of something I genuinely enjoy, mostly because I would like to start loving life and living that I don’t wanna waste it any more than I already did. 

Someday, I wanna feel alive, and to feel present that I’m not on “auto-pilot” watching the world move as I wait for what is out there for me. 

Someday, I want a house. It does not have to be a luxury, like a hilltop mansion or a personal island. I just want a place to call my own. I want a place that I built on myself where I don’t feel like I owe anyone anything. 

Someday, I also want to see my friends succeeding in their own personal endeavors, as we all have that one common goal that in the future, the next times we all get together and hang out, would be overseas, taking tours in different countries.

Someday, I want to do grand things for my mom to thank her for putting up with me and all the bad phases I had when I was younger. I’ll always be grateful for her, for believing in me when at the low points of my life, I admitted I need the help. I want the rest of my family to start seeing that I’m worthy of something. I want to finally feel and believe that I am enough for them, hoping I could somehow compensate for the many disappointments I have brought them. They remind me of those so much. Someday, I would like to change that.

Someday, I would like to finally reach a place where I finally have that sense of stability and that sense of success.

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Social Gaming

In the trend-following society this days, it is so common for people to be exposed to all kinds of social gaming activities despite whether are you one of the digital gaming players or not. The game of Pokemon series video games published by Nintendo has recently came out with its latest release known as Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon in the year 2017, which has caused an obvious impact socially among people. This social gaming has not only brought an addiction to current players, but has also shown a great influence on attracting non-players of social gaming to try it out. Pokemon being well-known as a cartoon series itself has not just only bring impact on children and teenagers, but its social game has also a large number of players from individuals of all ages and demographic sectors.

Not surprised at all, social gaming has become an important element of digital lifestyle activities to most individuals in this era. However, it is believed that most of us has never come across the question such as what the social impacts of social gaming to the people are. Does social gaming bring more of a benefit or does it create more harm to the community as a whole? No doubt, it is being said that video games or social gaming has become a catalyst of change in social wise where it is generally preparing players to emotionally deal with certain realities that brings heavy impact to the individuals themselves. This may include cyber bullying (that even leads to physical bullying), love and relationship problems, suicide as well as bridging certain gaps in life (Sloat 2016).

How often is it normal for people to have the thinking that all digital game players are anti-social and living in their own world away from the reality? Well, this is a rather mainstream mind-set among most of us. Based on a scientific research carried out on students, it is proved that addicted game players have lower social skills in comparison with the non-addicted game players. It is also stated that social games might be able to fulfil or satisfy needs of social interactions done online among the players which will then lead to physical social isolation. Definitely, physical social isolation with people and loneliness will cause a person to never improve on his or her individual’s social skills (Zamani et. al. 2010, p. 63).

To look at the bright side, social gaming can build up cognitive development among players. Most social and digital gaming require mental rotation abilities, speedy and accurate attention allocation, and also higher spatial resolution in terms of visual processing. Therefore, cognitive advantages of social gaming improve attention functioning, generates neural processing and helps in recognition of pattern (Vitelli 2014).

Similar to many other aspects, social gaming has its pros and cons at the same time. Self-discipline might be the key to control one’s addiction towards this digitalize world of social gaming.

List of References

Sloat, S 2016, The social impact of video games, Inverse, viewed 17 November 2018, <https://www.inverse.com/article/17065-how-next-generation-video-games-will-teach-us-to-think-beyond-player-number-one>.

Vitelli, R 2014, Are there benefits in playing video games?, Psychology Today, viewed 17 November 2018, <https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/media-spotlight/201402/are-there-benefits-in-playing-video-games>.

Zamani, E, Kheradmand, A, Cheshmi, M, Abedi, A & Hedayati, N 2010, ‘Comparing the social skills of students addicted to computer games with normal students’, Addict Health, vol. 2, no. 3-4, pp. 59-65.

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List of apps that improve life

The emergence of technology is a milestone of society and there is no denying that it had brought many great contributions to improve the quality of people’s lives. From prompting the invention of innovative machineries and equipment, providing access to wider connection channels such as the internet, to creating smart devices so convenient and easily accessed by a simple click from a mouse or tap of a finger. Technology did not just enhance tools of industries but it also took programming and coding to a new level. Thus, the development of interactive applications and programs--which brings us to the main purpose of this post.

The items below is a list of applications that would help better one’s well-being mentally and physically, allowing them to enjoy living much more. These apps would be categorized in my take on the important aspects of life. Such includes: education, productivity, health and fitness, and relationships.

EDUCATION

It is a process of learning. It is receiving knowledge and wisdom essential for survival, or to simply, get by. 

Khan Academy

From personal experience, this app was very useful. It basically helped me throughout high school. I would not have passed all my chemistry and math subjects without this. The app offers well-explained lecture videos and courses which also includes practice tests and activities. It gives proper pointers and evaluations just to help students really understand the topics. 

Elevate

Elevate is a brain training app that aims to improve proficiencies in writing, reading, listening, speaking, and mathematics. Other than using Khan Academy, I used this app to not only develop the skills stated above, but also in processing information. I could say that I would not have been this fluent in English if I was not introduced to the app. This, I highly recommend if one ever wants to boost their abilities in such fields. A bonus is that training sessions come in a form of games that really gets your attention with the outstanding graphics and animations.

PRODUCTIVITY

Google Keep (Notes)

It is an effective note taking app, very convenient and easily understood at first glance. Till this day, I still use it, It helps store reminders, lecture notes from school, as well as to-do lists and grocery items when I do need them. Overall, Google Keep offers a an excellent service in organizing and listing important notes. I would rate it a 5 out of 5.

Evernote

Evernote, like Google Keep, is also a note-taker and organizer. It also functions as a daily planner and task manager. Google results show it is one of the best note-taking apps ever. I have used this before and I will not argue with the claim. It is indeed, very useful.

HEALTH AND FITNESS

For this category, information gathered was from the internet and not from personal experience. Apps related to this aspect are the following:

MyFitness Pal

What I read about this is that it is a calorie-counter which works well in keeping track of how many calories you take in per day. I find that it helps maintain a consistent workout and diet plan. 

PEAR Personal Fitness Coach

With the name alone, the purpose of such app is easily noticed. It is like a personal trainer in your pocket. Keeps track of steps taken or laps if one ever goes jogging. It is a motivator for people who includes workout activities and exercises in their lifestyle.

RELATIONSHIPS

Facebook Messenger

Of course, there are many apps that offer similar services as Messenger such as Instagram, Telegram, Discord, Twitter, and others, but in my experience. This app is what I mainly use to sustain a level of connection with my friends and family so I listed it here as one of my top recommended apps for building and strengthening relationships.

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Sonder

“Breathe. You are here and you are living.”

I feel like people can get lost sometimes. They tend to rush things because they so badly and so desperately want to get better. Everyday, they push themselves further, some, till they give out, and for others, until they are satisfied.

The perseverance, the drive, and determination are commendable but to me, it’s not all that matters. 

It is not what matters the most.

What matters more than your career or your job and the gains you earn is that you feel you are present, that you are living and you love that you are. I think it’s beautiful -- being happy, being content with who you are, and appreciating that growth of who you’ve become. It’s an amazing feeling to live in a way you want to and not what others expect you to.

“Sonder,” I tell myself. It is knowing that people have their own personal problems and stories, that you may only be making up such a small percent of other people’s lives -- which may sound like a downer but I take it as a relief or a reminder that it’s okay that I put myself first. 

It’s a relief to me also, because I think I’ve done a lot of embarrassing things in my life and knowing that I may only be playing such a tiny part in the lives of others, sonder  tells me that every person I came across to or have encountered has so many other things to do and so many other things to work on that are way more important than looking back on the time I dropped a cup of coffee or the time I broke a plate in our kitchen, or the time I stub my toe on the couch leg.

The thing is, those who saw and watched in those times, are gonna laugh about it for most likely, just a few seconds, or perhaps, even a full minute but the moment will always fade so quickly. That’s a good thing. They move on and to whoever went through the same, you can move on too.

You can think about other things or you can not. You can just simply, exist. Just be.

“Sonder” -- your life, your control, it is yours, not anyone else’s.

“Breathe. Let it in.”

Because people tend to rush things, they forget about all of this. It is okay to take it slow. It is okay that at some point of your life, you just live and breathe. Taking breaks is so important.

All of these, I tell myself because I have the tendency to panic and believe me, I am working on that at my own pace and it feels such a relief to finally feel that I am present, I am here and I am living.