Nicole’s Notebook

     As mentioned in a previous blog post, my wifi router was temporarily out of service. Interestingly enough,  an advertisement for that same system popped up on my Quizlet as I was furiously cramming for my AP bio test. At first I thought it was a coincidence, yet I remembered companies purchase search history and utilize the information to customize the ads we see. Less than a day after we purchased a new wifi system, Quizlet had already discovered I was in the market for a new internet system, meticulously crafted an ad, and displayed it on my mobile device.      This was a concept that was touched on in PBS’s “The Persuaders.” Much of this video revolves around advertisements, as it describes the complicated maze companies must weave through in order to sell products to consumers. This video was produced in 2004, over 10 years ago, but there is no doubt advertising and marketing has become as difficult as saying afloat a treacherous storm.     The part of the film that

     James Charles. Youtube sensation. Successful male makeup artist. The first male Covergirl. There is no doubt James Charles is a successful business man as well as a Youtube celebrity, reaching millions of people through the internet. Among his other talents, James finds joy in photo editing and is notorious for his dramatic Facetune usage.      Do not get me wrong. Many if not all social media influencers, as well as ordinary people, use Facetune to adjust the lighting, enhance their natural features, or smooth out their skin. However the use of apps such as Facetune or photoshop in general create an over looming feeling of pressure for people to fulfill these unreachable expectations.      As we are glued to our screens, we are bombarded with fake pictures and begin to compare ourselves to these flawless images. Images of clear skin and full lips, bright eyes and a petite nose. Pictures of a curved figure, a thin waist, a flat stomach, and toned legs. Picture perfect

         On Saturday, April 21, 2018, my middle school nightmare came true: my wifi router broke. The bridge that kept me connected to my peers was broken and the means of staying socially “in the loop” was terminated. If I am being honest, the lack of internet connection in my home was more of an inconvenience than a tragedy.      To say the least, the lack of wifi in my house was quite annoying. Because I find keeping track of flash drives to be a hassle, Google Docs is my best friend. Most of my homework is stored in Google Docs, and the lack of internet made utilizing this tool more challenging than helpful. I could no longer search up an AP bio question I could not find in my textbook. I could no longer reach Mr. Griffin’s website or Mr. Masincupp’s Google Classroom with the click of a button. I dusted off my scientific calculator for Desmos was temporarily unreachable. Because my printer is wireless and dependent on internet connection, transforming my digital homework in

     A successful businesswoman, a role model for a many, a shallow, rich girl obsessed with her physical appearance. Whichever phrase you use to describe the 20-year-old reality television personality, Kylie Jenner's name has been all over the news since the release of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" in 2007. Kylie has been getting more attention than usual, because she was found at Coachella without her two month old baby Stormi, stirring up much controversy from the general public. Two successful news corporations, News.com.au  and The Guardian responded to and commented on Kylie's Coachella attendance, having two very different takes on the same event.      "A 'cool mum' doesn't up and leave her newborn for a weekend of partying at Coachella -- yes that's you Kylie Jenner ... If you wanted to party don't get pregnant #WhatAConcept."        "Kylie Jenner should be everyone's example of learning how to use protection

  Though I was never obsessed with "Camp Rock" as many of my other peers were (High School Musical was right up my alley), Demi Lovato's name was always in the spotlight. A childhood celebrity and mainstream media influencer, Lovato has proven to be a successful singer and actress... on the surface.      Scrolling through my YouTube page, Demi's documentary caught my eye. Ignoring the countless hours of homework I needed to complete, I found myself clicking on the 78-minute video, delving into a world I thought I knew. I was wrong. As a successful actress, singer, model, and businesswomen, most would presume Demi's life is perfect, yet that could not be farther from the truth. Within the first minute, I discovered Demi's teenage years were saturated with alcohol, cocaine, Adderall, weed, and eating disorders. I learned more about Lovato's life than I ever thought was possible.     Seeing the troubles she endured reminded me of a quote that framed

     Promoting from elementary school to middle school represented the end of my "tween days" and the emergence into my teen years. In middle school, I was obsessed with social media. Apps like Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and occasionally Ask.fm scattered my iPhone homepage, and I could not get enough. At one time, I had 60 different Snapchat streaks, the highest being around 400. I was obsessed with the number of likes on my newest Instagram post and spent hours crafting the wittiest tweet. Interestingly enough, this was the time in which I thrived socially. I had a decent amount of friends and my middle school experience was unforgettable.      I soon departed from my "cringey" middle schools, and my emergence into high school was a whole new ballpark. Bombarded with countless hours of homework, I no longer had the time nor desire, to waste my precious time scrolling through pictures or tweets and clicking through numerous Snapchat stories. I dreaded sendi