Lauren Simenson

31 Jan 2017

Facebook should be seen as valid means of exposure to issues

At its inception, Facebook was strictly a collegiate venture. It was originally created with a malicious intent in mind when people were asked to compare two photos and choose which one was more attractive.

14 Dec 2016

One can overcome writer's block by using own voice

Writer’s block is kind of a funny thing, because whenever I have it, I don’t have the absence of ideas, I instead have an overwhelming amount of words coursing through my mind. The problem is, they sometimes are not all my own ideas.

07 Dec 2016

The term 'millennial' should not be an insult

In the age of social media, no one has to look too hard to come across an unprecedented amount of opinions against a certain group of people who were born around the years of 1980 and 2000.

30 Nov 2016

Seasonal Affective Disorder can be treated, but should be taken seriously

Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a form of depression that regularly occurs during fall and through winter due to the changes in the season. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms include feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day, problems with sleeping, changes in appetite or weight, leaden feeling in arms or legs, oversleeping, hypersensitivity to rejection and problems getting along with other people.

16 Nov 2016

Continuous additions to world of 'Harry Potter' cause mixed feelings

Last weekend I saw a trailer on television for the new "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" movie, the latest film installment in the Harry Potter world created by author J.K. Rowling.

09 Nov 2016

Campaign season has turned ugly, is no longer about being informed

There have been no shortage of words and opinions written, screamed, turned into memes or sprayed menacingly onto burned buildings about the 2016 presidential election. In fact, the overwhelming amount of coverage the election has received has made me not want to add my thoughts to the topic – until now.

02 Nov 2016

Zodiac signs not to be taken as accurate descriptions of others

Scorpio season is finally upon us, which means that I have begun to fantasize about my birthday cake, one of my favorite pastimes.

26 Oct 2016

National Pizza Month, while unnecessary, is a good excuse to chow down

It is finally the time of year for Americans to celebrate the best holiday of all. No, not Halloween, National Pizza Month!

19 Oct 2016

'A Prairie Home Companion' continues to be an influence

The deep voice, and sometimes the nose breathing, of radio show host, musician and author Garrison Keillor has been a soundtrack to my childhood ever since I could remember, even when I used to beg to be able to listen to literally anything else. Now, I look forward to hearing old episodes of this baby boomer classic more than I ever thought I could imagine, or will admit to my parents.

12 Oct 2016

Applefest offers food, music and autumn colors

It is common knowledge that Americans have the least, and take the least amount of, vacation days than almost any other country in the world. I firmly believe that there is always time for a quick getaway to recharge, change up your everyday environment and just plain enjoy yourself!