The Final Lap to Come….Studying Abroad

With three years of college done, the final lap has begun.

As a junior in college it has definitely been the most difficult year. This was the first year I had to juggle work and going to class full time while still staying involved on campus. As a member of the SMU Service House, I was required to complete over 60 hours of community service and serve on a committee. Junior year was filled with lots of stress and tears but it did not stop me from enjoying the opportunities that came knocking on my door.

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What Exactly are Memes?

Memes have take the internet by storm through many popular blogs.

Meme pronounced as “meem” takes on an idea or behavior that spreads from person to person in a culture and usually takes the form of an image, website, hashtag, or video. Internet memes have become popular since the beginning of the internet and entertain people around the world. Probably one of the best memes was the “rick roll” which featured Rick Astley singing “Never gonna give you up.” The music video is used as a bait and switch to lure Youtube viewers as they watch a video they think is related to the subject they are looking for. They are then re-directed to the popular music video and confused about the “rick rolling.”

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The Rise of Arab Spring

The occurrence of Arab Spring on December 18, 2010 sparked a new revolution in Tunisia along with other countries.

It began with the self-immolation of Mohammed Bouazizi in protest of the injustices of the police. Retaliation occurred against the corrupt power. The main target was the corruption of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. This movement represented more than a political revolution but also a social media revolution that inspired others to stand up for theirrights.

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Remembering the Boston Marathon in a New Way

The 2013 Boston Marathon may have physically  impaired survivors but their spirits remain stronger than ever.

On April 13, 2013, bombs went off at the annual Boston Marathon Race where three people were killed and hundreds of others were injured. Almost a year later many in the United States are commemorating the deaths and those affected by the tragic accident. Survivors and their family members are standing up and taking action through social media and other forms of digital communication. Social media such as Twitter and Facebook have been circulating with tweets and posts of inspirational survivor stories.

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See-Through Texting

In the era of texting, more and more users are developing the habit of multitasking.

Texting and walking has become such a common sight to see at college campuses, malls, and other public places. In recent years, the Internet has been circulating with videos of texters walking into objects in public due to their failure to walk and text at the same time. Three years ago, video of a women falling into a water fountain while texting became an overnight sensation. As shown in the video she seems clueless of her surroundings and engrossed in her texting conversation.

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Retouching Beauty

Since the rise of blogs in this digital age, women have emerged as some of the top bloggers in retouching controversies.

In 2006, the Dove Beauty campaign raised questions about the perceptions of beauty in the media and bloggers took to the web expressing their own opinions. One of the most well known female blog sites is “Jezebel” described as one of the top blog websites aimed at women’s interests.  The blog emerged in 2007 in the midst of all the airbrushing controversies and has helped expose the biggest retouching scandals in the past years.

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Japan’s Technological World takes a Toll on Birthrates

Japan is a country known for its innovative gadgets. But is it worth the price of a declining population?

Tokyo, Japan, known for its face paced lifestyle is the world leader in technology. This country has more Nobel Prize winners than any other country and leads the pack with thousands of researchers who dedicate their lives to coming up with the next big thing. Although Japan’s technological successes are impressive, its population is taking a toll with birthrates decreasing to “1.3 children per women” and it will keep declining in years to come.

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Valentine Technology Etiquette

Sometimes love and technology don’t mix

More than ever, technology and other digital innovations have been growing rapidly in this world.  While its great to keep up with all the cool apps and latest technology, sometimes you can forget that face-to-face communication is still essential. What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than sitting across your significant other during a romantic dinner and avoiding any technology faux pas. Here are a few tips for keeping this special day drama free.
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Nonprofits and Social Media

 The Giving World of Social Media

With the increasing interest for community service and donations, nonprofit organizations have grown in their scope and impact on society. A nonprofit or not for profit organization is a type of association that uses it revenue and donations for the greater benefit of the general public and does not operate for profit. In addition to the growing service for nonprofit organizations, the digital age has also been taking off and many have taken advantage of this new way of communicating to stakeholders and the public.

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Banksy and Social Media

Art and Social media take on a new role

Art takes on many different forms and social media helps get an artists name out in the public. One famous documentary called “Exit through the gift shop” is an example of this phenomenon. The documentary follows the life of Thierry Guetta, an ambitious French man eager to capture the underground world of graffiti with his camera. He begins following the most famous graffiti artists like Shepard Fairey, the creator of the Obama Hope poster and the infamous Banksy.

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