The Ana Edit Issue #2: Content Recommendations
In this week’s issue, we are going to discuss overlooked resources that can improve your life. Before I unveil the shocking tips, we are going to dive into my past week. If this does not interest you, feel free to skip it. If you want to see what I was up to and get the full experience, then keep reading!
My Week In A Nutshell
On Monday, August 10, I had a long overdue hair appointment. During quarantine, I dyed my hair blonde, more accurately a blond balayage, for the first time. Much to my dismay, I also had to get a haircut. Those who know me personally know that I abhor haircuts and fancy a long do. After prolonging the inevitable, I chopped off all the dead, brittle hair. While I am not crazy about the shorter style, I am pleasantly surprised at how it turned out. Might I add, shorter hair is so easy to look after! My showering time has been cut in half and combing my hair takes 2 minutes less than it did before. Perhaps next time I will be less reluctant to relinquish my locks. Only time will tell!
Besides the new hairstyle, I made another monumental change this week. The change is an adorable 3-pound puppy! I currently have a dog named Muffin who is the love of my life (pathetic or heartwarming, you can be the judge of that). Although I am immensely grateful for him, I recognize he is not as happy as he once was. During quarantine, I am not the only one who is suffering from isolation and sequestration from my friends; Muffin struggles too. In times when social distancing is the new norm, doggy playdates are not exactly a priority. Our canine friends are morose and I would be remiss if I did not help him. So, my solution is to get another puppy. Not only have I wanted to get one for eons now, but Muffin will have someone to keep him company. In the following weeks, my new puppy will arrive and I will certainly show you the bundle of joy.
The Content For Which You Are Here
Two Ways to Improve Your Life: The Unexpected Ways to Slightly Elevate The Quality of Your Days
Articles and Apps
Technology does not have to be demonized. It is a valuable resource and there are apps that can cause your productivity to surge or can provide the much-needed respite and escape from the world. Articles, on the other hand, are a way to stay informed in this volatile, capricious world that is ever so unpredictable. Additionally, articles can be a great medium to learn new things that can help you in every facet of life. What is happening in Lebanon? What is it like to be blind? Will we remember quarantine? What factors influence what we remember in the first place? I hold the answers to all these questions and you can too. Keep reading for my top recommendations for applications and articles for you to consume in the figurative sense, of course.
Applications
Notion is a wonderful note taking app that is far superior to the typical note taking system. Furthermore, Notion is completely and utterly versatile. I use Notion to organize my notes for class, project management, tracking workouts, and miscellaneous lists. One of the key distinctive features is the ability to easily switch between multiple views such as transitioning from a gallery to a todo list to a calendar. The only caveat with Notion is its complexity that is a natural byproduct of its robustness.
Microsoft ToDo is an app developed by Microsoft for team and individual use. Todo lists are superlative ways to stay on top of things and ensure your duties are completed. The most successful people such as Elon Musk are avid planners and meticulously go through their days; the power of planning is unparalleled. A digital todo app such as Microsoft is ideal because you can easily manipulate the order of tasks and access the list from wherever you are.
Pocket is an app, with an accompanying website, that allows articles to be saved for later use. It is salient that we stay informed, but sometimes we do not have the time in the present to learn about the crises of the world. I use pocket to compile a master list of all of the articles I plan to read. With that being said, you do not have to use pocket for its intended use. You can use it to save any website from the internet including forms you have to fill out, but will postpone until a more convenient time.
Articles
For the Lover of Semantics and Those Seeking a “Feel Good” Article
How a long-forgotten word rallied a nation - BBC Worklife
A word buried in the history books helped Danes mobilise during the pandemic, flattening the curve and lifting community spirit.
2.For the Movie Connoisseur
The 21st Century’s 100 greatest films - BBC Culture
The best that cinema has had to offer since 2000 as picked by 177 film critics from around the world.
3.For those Who Hate Corona and/or Are Interested In Understanding Memory
You’ll Probably Forget What It Was Like to Live Through a Pandemic
Memory researchers say these months will eventually become a blur for those of us isolating at home.
4.For Those Who Want To Understand Biases and Human Nature
"Reality" is constructed by your brain. Here’s what that means, and why it matters.
What the science of visual illusions can teach us about our polarized world.
5.For Those Who Are Uneducated On World Issues (there is no shame in being ignorant to a topic as long as you acknowledge and attempt to resolve this shortcoming)
China’s repression of Uighur Muslims: Concentration camps, forced labor, and other abuses - Vox
There is more and more evidence of China’s human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
6.For Everyone (Especially Those Who Are NOT Hearing Impaired)
Seeing at the Speed of Sound | STANFORD magazine
Lipreading, which makes one sense do the work of another, is a skill daunting to describe. Rachel Kolb, ‘12, deaf since birth, shares its mysteries.
Thank You For Reading
