HELIOS 7 CREATIVE PROJECTS TO TAkE On OVER SummER VACATiOn

Create a summer musIC playlist

Summer is a wonderful time to relax and listen to some music to get in a good mood. Creating a playlist can help you pass the time and develop your music taste. Try searching for new artists on Spotify or Apple Music. You can also share your playlist with friends or create a shared playlist with songs you all like. Another way to curate songs for your playlist is through Shazam, an app that can identify song titles and artists in real time based on a short sample of the music. When you hear music that you enjoy, you can identify the song with Shazam and add it to your playlist.

learN a NeW laNGuaGe

Though learning a new language in two months might sound unrealistic, with consistent practice and love for the language, you can be proficient enough to engage in basic conversation by the end of the summer. Learning a language is a great way to experience a new culture. For those traveling to another country, try picking up basic conversational skills and practicing with native speakers. For those learning from home, using language websites or apps can help you understand the basics without firsthand experience of being in the country.

kNit ClothiNG or aCCessories

Knitting cute clothing and accessory items is another great way to spend your time during the summer. Learning to knit requires a bit of money and a whole lot of patience, but after some practice, you will be able to create a variety of knitted objects. To get started, pick out the proper materials: a ball of yarn and a pair of knitting needles. There are plenty of helpful videos online to guide you through knitting basic items, such as a scarf. As your skills improve, you can try taking on bigger projects, such as a swimsuit or a tote bag.

reaD a Book

The amount of free time you have in the summer means it is the perfect time to start reading. Start by finding a genre that interests you, then search online or ask friends for books in that genre. Visit a local library to borrow them or go online to buy them—Barnes & Noble, Target, and Amazon are popular booksellers. Other options are buying secondhand or downloading digital versions of books. To make your reading marathon more interesting, keep notes of themes and bookmark favorite parts to come back to.

play Games With frieNDs

Playing games is a great way to stay in contact with friends during the long summer break. With countless games on various platforms, you can play games on a mobile phone or on a gaming computer, even when you’re traveling. Gaming can also help you develop skills that are useful in everyday life, such as sharper reflexes and better problem-solving strategies. There are different levels to gaming, so you do not have to be a professional gamer to play. Popular video games include Minecraft, Super Smash Brothers, and The Legend of Zelda.

—Compiled by Lise Desveaux, a Culture Editor.

“If it bleeds, it leads.” This has been a common phrase concerning stories in the news since the 1800s. The premise is that the press tends to feature exciting, usually negative stories, involving danger or anger, which have more potential to be sensationalized. Sensationalism is defined by the Webster’s New World College Dictionary as “the use of strongly emotional subject matter, or wildly dramatic style, language, or artistic expression, that is intended to shock, startle, thrill, excite, etc.” Sensationalism poses a real threat to journalistic integrity: Many news outlets are tempted to publish dramatic, embellished stories to gain traction. To run a successful, honest news outlet, however, one must balance information with engagement, making stories emotionally engaging and interesting without over-sensationalizing.

The biggest reason for sensationalism in the news is ratings. News outlets like CNN, Fox, and MSNBC cannot report pure statistics because their ratings would drop if they did. With low ratings, they would lose advertising revenue and be unable to continue providing information, no matter how factual. In an interview on the podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” CNN anchor Anderson Cooper explained how pursuing better ratings can lead to a more negative slant to the news. “I think people say they want to see good news,” Cooper said. “The truth is, there are actually a lot of good stories that are put out, and I can tell you, the ratings usually drop on those kinds of stories. People don’t actually really respond to those stories, even though they say that that is what they want.” This discrepancy is due to a psychological phenomenon known as the “negativity bias.” People are more drawn to negative information, clicking on negative stories or tuning into news with scary or provoking headlines. This human tendency means that news outlets are motivated to focus on negative stories to generate more engagement, higher ratings, and greater revenues.

Yet focusing purely on engagement rather than accuracy can lead to disastrous results. For example, Dominion Voting Systems brought a lawsuit against Fox News for knowingly spreading misinformation about the 2020 presidential election, which recently ended in a $787.5 million settlement. When asked why Fox News hosted MyPillow founder and conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell, allowing him to spread false information, Fox Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch claimed in his deposition that it was a financial decision. Another way Fox News— especially prime-time hosts such as Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, and