6. Crocodiles 2024

  Our Timeless Treasures (a photo of me from one my favorite childhood memories)          In the tapestry of our lives, childhood memories are the vibrant threads that weave together to create the fabric of our identity. From the first steps we took to the melodies that lulled us to sleep, these memories have a profound impact on who we are today.     Childhood memories possess a purity and innocence untouched by the complexities of adulthood. They are the tender moments of joy, the innocent laughter with friends, and the warmth of familial love that continue to resonate with us, even as years pass by.  These memories serve as pillars of strength, guiding us through life's trials and uncertainties.      Yet, beneath their surface of innocence lies a reservoir of emotion that tugs at our heartstrings. The nostalgia of childhood memories that transport us back to a time when the world was filled wit...

  I thought I was going to be an author when I was younger.      I had no idea where I felt this sudden spark of ambition, but six-year-old me kept cranking out stapled little booklets left and right. Writing these little stories helped distract me from the fact that I really had no true friends to have playdates with, my only “close” friend being a person that would always boss me around. The genres of these books would range from stories based on real events that would implement morals (since my life at the time consisted of many wild adventures with my family,) to a never-ending series of facts of an animal or certain color that I particularly enjoyed.       My most vivid memory involving this early passion for creating literature comes from a late spring afternoon in my first-grade classroom. Our only assignment that day was to be able to teach the entire class to do an activity that we genuinely enjoyed. Of course, with the only active hobby ...

 Are you Destroying Your Brain? You might be thinking of your screen time, hours of sleep, diet, or physical activity among many other bad habits—which I too suffer from like all of us—to be the culprit and answer to this question. I thought so too when reading the title to an article published by writer David Nield; however, the habits above were not the answers to his question—although they could be just as destructive in their own respectful right ( Source ). According to a new research conducted, it seems just “the process of remembering…long-term memories” seemingly comes at a “high cost” as it causes “massive inflammation within the brain”( Source ). The writer reports the swelling within the brain causes “DNA damage in the nerve cells” when a person attempts to recall memories which get “fused into neurons” when being “retrieved from storage”( Source ). Usually brain swelling is associated with “terrible neurological problems such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease”( Sou...

With cell phones so easily accessible, it's easier than ever to capture a photo of any moment. Because this has always been the case for many of us, we may not recognize what a valuable luxury this is: to be able to snapshot precious memories and preserve them clearly for years to come, and allow us to better share them with others down the line. Prior to the invention of photography, the only way to preserve realistic images of anything was through painting, which would naturally take hours upon hours to complete. While this was not a particularly big issue when it came to landscape paintings, this had major implications for what was possible for capturing the likeness of people. Because a person would have to remain in the same position for so long, only static poses were possible, and it was recommended that the subject not smile to prevent muscle discomfort or cramping. Additionally, having paintings made of themselves was not something that was accessible to the average person...

Memory serves as the cornerstone of our existence. By preserving our experiences, knowledge, and identity, it is what distinguishes the human race from the rest of life on Earth. But it turns out that memory fluctuates in strength across our lifetimes—it is inconstant in that it can improve as well as worsen. That’s no reason to worry, however, because there are a myriad of techniques that have been developed to enhance memory. The ancient art of mnemonics stands out as a timeless method that continues to captivate the imagination of memory enthusiasts and cognitive scientists alike. Imagine constructing a mental edifice—perhaps a mansion or a familiar street—and furnishing it with vivid, memorable imagery. Each room, corridor, or object within this mental construct serves as a repository for specific memories or information. When traversing your memory palace mentally, you activate spatial cues that trigger associated memories, facilitating effortless recall. The Paris Review Memory p...

I recently read a blog by one of our classmates, who was inspired by the television show Suits, about whether or not photographic memory is real. Suits is one of my favorite shows of all time and I have rewatched it four times. The student’s blog made me wonder why people rewatch shows when they know what will happen. There's a certain allure to revisiting the stories we know like the back of our hand, a comforting embrace in the form of familiar characters and plotlines. It's the reason why, despite the plethora of new content constantly vying for our attention, we find ourselves drawn back to the same beloved shows and movies time and time again. There is a “sense of security” in knowing what to expect, in immersing ourselves in a world where we are already aware of how the plot plays out ( Source ). Whether it's the cozy ambiance of a sitcom or the thrilling escapades of an action-packed series, rewatching allows us to rediscover the comfort of familiarity in an ever-ch...

Living a happy life is something most people strive to achieve, however, to achieve this people must learn to enjoy the present. Without this ability, they can not live a fulfilling life as they will never have a moment in their existence that they appreciate. Some might say they can look back on their memories with fondness, but what good is it to reminisce a memory filled with melancholy? Living in the moment would enable you to make the conscious decision to appreciate any situation you are put in, making every moment in your life a memory that you can look back on with gratitude. As someone who has not faced clinical anxiety or depression, I characterize anxiety as the state of being stifled with fear of the future and depression as being paralyzed by the regret of the past. These two are the stems of unhappiness for most people. Depression causes a person to lose faith in themselves and feel guilty about their actions, this affects a person’s ability to create a life they can be p...