4 Good Habits for the Rest of the Semester

    After spring break, it is just one long steam roll to the end of the semester. It is easy to become overwhelmed and fall off your groove. Here are five habits to help you push through to the end! 

1. Review Notes Right After Class

No one's mind is invincible. If you wait for the day of an exam or quiz to review your notes from class, you will forget most of the information you received. Don’t believe me? It is a fact! It is called The Forgetting Curve. Even by reviewing a couple hours after class, you will significantly retain more information. 

      2.   Create Start Dates for Assignments

    All assignments come with due dates, however something you can create for yourself are start dates. A start date is exactly what it sounds to be, a date you start your assignment. This can be anywhere from two days before the due date to two weeks before. This will help combat procrastination. However, this will only be effective if you physically place the date on the calendar. My tip is to add events to your Canvas calendar, so you can see both start and due dates in one place. 

3. Plan Study Dates Weeks in Advance 

    Studying is extremely important for success on exams! For this reason, the same effort and planning that is put into assignments and projects needs to go into studying. By picking study days weeks in advance you can map out your schedule and set yourself up for success!

4. Use Friends to Hold Yourself Accountable

    If you know that following these tips alone will be hard for you, peer pressure can be a good thing! Even if you don’t have friends in one of your classes, plan homework and study dates with friends who are students. You don’t even need to go to the same school. Sometimes all you need is for someone to help you be accountable, and that’s okay!

    I hope you find these tips helpful, be calm and have a great rest of your semester!

Swallows Day Parade Returns for 2023

Students from Mission Basilica School holding swallow kites. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

San Juan Capistrano, California's Swallows Day Parade and Festival has returned for its 63rd Anniversary on March 25, 2023! This year's theme was "Back in the Saddle Again", appropriately named so after this being the first year with horses and horse-drawn vehicles since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic due to pandemic protocols and believe it or not, because of a highly-contagious equine virus called equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) that was being spread!

Padre Junipero Serra Riders: Las Tortugas. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The Swallows Day parade and festival is a yearly celebration of swallows migrating from all the way from Goya, Argentina to the city of San Juan Capistrano. This is one of if not the largest non-motorized parade in the United States.

Mission Basilica Students dress up as swallows. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

Hundreds of people participated in the parade and even more sat on the sidelines and watched the parade go by. A mercado was also open throughout the day filled with nearly a hundred vendors in the nearby Historic Town Center Park.

A re-enactor from the nonprofit charity organization the Hole in the Wall gang strikes a pose for the camera. (Photo by Olivia Morales) 

The parade made its way down Camino Capistrano passing by landmarks like the San Juan Capistrano Mission a.k.a. "the jewel of the California missions", the Mission Basilica, Los Rios Street, and El Adobe restaurant where former president Richard Nixon frequently dined when he visited his "Western White House" in San Clemente, California.

Residents came all the way from San Juan Capistrano's "sister city" Capestrano, Italy! They all held flags of all 20 of Italy's regions. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The Swallows Day Parade is 100% community-funded from over $130,000 and run by the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association, which also hosted the San Juan Capistrano Kids' Pet Parade this year this past February. One of the parade's announcers was Jim Taylor, who also announced for the pet parade. Taylor is the president of the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association. Lots of other schools and nonprofit organizations marched in the parade.

Ballet Folklorico dancers with Gupo Folklorico Nuevo Amancer: a dance group based out of Lake Forest, California. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The winners of the Kids' Pet Parade made a returned appearance in the parade! These were Lily Brazil and her dog Tilly, James Glynn and his banana ball python Split, Lily and Beatrice Marquina with their ducks Waddles and JoJo, Dominic Pule and his dog Zues, and Margo Kutner and her dog Skylar.

Best costume category winners Dominic Pule and his dog Zeus. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

Bird category winners Waddles and JoJo. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

Domestic pet category winners Lily Brazil and her dog Tilly. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

Exotic pet category winners James Glynn and his snake Split. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The Kid at Heart category winners Margo Kutner and her dog Skylar. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

It was so nice to see so many familiar faces from the pet parade: both winners and the organizers. Even the horse therapy nonprofit organization Mini Madness made another appearance!

Two miniature cows from Mini Madness representing their organization. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

There were lots of amazing contributors in the parade this year, but there were some who definitely stood out from the others. This included performers, re-enactors, and animals alike!

Buccaneers of Tortuga is a historical re-enactment group portraying pirates that attacked Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1818. They re-enact battles with authentic weapons of the age with mischief and merriment.

A riderless horse solemnly strolled down the street to honor fallen cavalry deputy Brian Haney, who was tragically killed in a traffic collision in February. The riding boots are reversed in the stirrups represent a fallen leader looking back on his troops for the last time, and his horse is the one to carry him.

The Mormon Battalion and its re-enactors dress in authentic clothing from when people of the Mormon religion came to California in the mid-1800's.

Re-enactors from the Code of the West Old Repertory Company mourn death of former Los Angeles sheriff James Barton, who was assassinated in 1857 by the Flores-Daniels gang when they invaded San Juan Capistrano.

There were multiple animal rescues and nonprofit organizations including the Great Danes of Orange County, the Canine Companions, the Shea Center, and the Goods and Goats Market.

Representors of Disneyland even made an appearance since Disneyland helped fund this year's parade. Two horses from Disney's Circle D Ranch named Bert and Chief pulled their horse-drawn wagon.

The Buccaneers of Tortuga walking in the parade. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

A riderless horse honors fallen deputy Brian Haney. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The Mormon Battalion re-enactors walking in the parade. (Photo by: Olivia Morales)

Code of the West Old Repertory Company mourn death of James Barton. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The rescue organization Great Danes of Orange County. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

 

Disneyland horses Bert and Chief of Circle D Ranch. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

** A special thank you to everyone who made this year's Swallows Day Parade possible! **

Honeybees Have An Unsuspecting Pest

"Bee Happy" garden sign. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

Spring has sprung at California State University, Fullerton's arboretum and there is an expected "super bloom" with flowers and plants! This is thanks to the recent surprising and excessive rain in Southern California as well as honeybees.

Even though the rain has helped plants grow, the rain and weather have been a risk for honeybees. And not only that, there's another unsuspecting threat to bees: varroa "destructor" mites.

Varroa mites are responsible for as high as 30-35% of bees lost in a single year nationally Approximately one in three to one in four honeybees are bitten. These mites interfere with honeybees' communication and can result in death of the honeybee.

Varroa mite under a microscope. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

Dr. Sara Johnson and her students are hard at work at the apiary at the Fullerton Arboretum. Dr. Johnson is an Evolutionary Anthropology professor at California State University, Fullerton and is the founder of her project Urban Agriculture Community Based Research Experience (U-ACRE). Three of her many students recently spoke up about their majors, what they're studying with U-ACRE, and their hopes of how they can help save the bees.

• Steve Anticona is an Environmental Studies graduate student and his research research involves learning about the relationships between honey bees and honeybee reproduction and their allocation of resources.
• Emily Holden is currently studying for a major in English and a minor in Anthropology. Her goal is to work with library science and by working here I get the opportunity to test the ideas of linking media with data collection through varroa mite research.
• Gabriella Funes is studying for a degree in Biology with emphasis in Biotechnology. She's interested in looking into honeybee grooming behavior and hygienic behavior in response to varroa mites. 

"I think the significance of it to our food system, people need to understand is very high and I don’t see a lot of energy devoted to it," said Johnson.

Dr. Johnson shares that varroa mite research has been overlooked and that not a lot of people who don't take care of bees are not aware of it.

"A lot of this I didn’t know before I joined the program with the mites and like all the other things to consider when it comes to the colony and how the colony works," said Anticona.

Dr. Johnson shares why her and her students are specifically focused on varroa mite research and how many bees in their colonies have them. They also study honey production and pollination levels.

"Bees At Work" sign in front of the Fullerton Arboretum apiary. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

"If there's lots of these mites in the colony, it makes them very prone to failure. Failure in the sense that it weakens them and interrupts their communication," said Anticona. "These dynamics are kind of like what researches are trying to understand. Like if you feed them honey at a certain time of the year does it have a better effect versus a different time of the year. When do you apply the treatment for mites? Once a year, four times a year?"

Honeybees are able to remove mites off of each other, but with all the other chores and work that they have to do, there sometimes might not necessarily be enough time for grooming, which leads to the mites hitching a ride on them for longer.

"One of the behaviors that bees do is grooming. So, they clean themselves of anything that may be like, toxic, or any parasites. It’s part of the normal communication that happens within the colony. This method is what’s known as the natural mite fall," said Anticona.

Mite fall is a method of which the varroa mites are collected. An oiled grate is put into the bottom of the bees' box and over time as the bees groom themselves, the bees will pick off the mites from each other and the mites will fall into the grate.

"It also gets a little complicated because that’s when we talk about energy a lot, so if you think of a group of bees their job is not only to groom themselves they have to take care of the larva, the babies, they have to go out there and get food, some of them have to clean the hive. There’s all these things that need to happen and on top of that they have the parasites. So how much of their energy and their time should be spent on grooming?" said Anticona.

Honeybees pollinating Cherry Blossoms. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

There's a lot that goes into saving the bees, more so than what people realize. the first step is to get more educated about honeybees, varroa mites, and colony collapse, and hopefully that is what this article has done so for readers.

What do we consider to be LOVE?

    We have a different perception of love in comparison to years before. What people knew to be love was very different from today. The unspoken rules and actions of traditional love have shifted. In my opinion, thinking about how love was during my parents early ’20s was more wholesome and pure. Back then, people were more inclined to be “romantic.” Nowadays people don’t perceive love in the same way. As a 20-year-old in college, everyone (mostly) is stuck in this “hookup culture” mindset.

     

    Even those who just recently left college are stuck in the rabbit hole of this culture. People view emotions as a bad thing, especially when it’s associated with love. Being open about feelings and wanting to be vulnerable has a lot of negative connotation. Being a “hopeless romantic” is seen to be unrealistic, but in reality many people are just closed off to the idea of doing gestures out of love. For example, holding the door open, giving flowers, listening intently, etc. Those acts of love aren’t committed as selflessly anymore. In college, dating is seen as more of a “casual affair,” unlike it was known to be before (formal dating).

    Hookup culture is a less structured way of dating and has less “rules.” However, those “rules” can just be a way to lessen the amount of communication that has to occur. The mindset of hookup culture doesn’t allow for any emotional conversation or intimacy. It is harder to find people who want exclusivity and it might only get worse as time goes on. The idea of “hookup culture” has put a dent into the traditional ways of love and the meaning behind sexual encounters. Though this is very prominent in college, it creates an idea that there is no need to nurture deep connections anymore; that concept can carry onto peoples lives when they get older. 

    Everyone’s perception of love varies from their own experiences, but these concepts of hookup culture make me wonder: where will everyone end up in terms of love as a society? 

 Stripping Down the Hookup Culture: The Need for Emotional Visibility

https://youtu.be/EhzOohyAZjs 

The Reality of Growing Up

 The Reality of Growing Up

With graduation slowly approaching and the doors of adult-hood slowly opening, the stress and anxiety of an uncertain 20-something-year-old is at an absolute all-time high. The closer we get to graduation date, the more realistic life seems to get, not to mention scarier. 

My whole life I have identified myself as an athlete. I grew up playing volleyball and was trained from a very young age to be persistent with my craft and hopefully end up one day with a scholarship to play in college. Throughout college, I have only identified myself as an athlete in my head. When people refer to themselves as a "student-athlete", I referred to myself as an "athlete-student", as do many other collegiate athletes. My whole life revolved around sports and it paved a very easy-going lifestyle when it came to surviving in college. Being on a team provided me all my friends, gave me a daily routine that I followed for four years, provided academic advisors and mentors that assisted us with any problems we had, and basically made our lives a lot easier with the exception of having 20 hour work out weeks. My whole life I have been guided by sports, but with that now done, life has definitely felt a lot harder to navigate.

The reality of trying to find a job that you somewhat enjoy when you have no sense of direction of what you want to do in the future is definitely not a reassuring feeling. Joining corporate America is not something I look forward to and its been very hard to accept the hard truth that your childhood is soon coming to an end and the reality of growing up is becoming extremely real. The confusion and uncertainty leaves me restless at night and for the first time in my life, I feel like I have no idea what to expect in the near future.

This may not be the case for all, but it sure is the case for me. The reality of growing up has recently sent me into a shock, one that I'm sure I won't get out of until I have settled into my "grown up" life, but until then, I will cherish every single moment I can hold onto as a college student.

Has BookTok Made Reading Shallow?

There has been a resurgence of the popularity of reading ever since COVID hit in 2020. 

Ever since then, the “hot reader girl” aesthetic has taken Gen-Z by storm. People post themselves going to Barnes & Noble, reading in aesthetically pleasing places like cafes or the beach and recommendations. 

But is it just for show?

Content creators on YouTube and the older generations seem to think so. There seems to be a good amount of people that think that some individuals are only promoting reading for “aesthetic.” 

“The Book Leo”, a content creator on YouTube, made a video about this phenomenon. She references articles that discuss how BookTok romanticizes the aesthetics/lifestyle of being “‘a reader’ instead of actually reading.” 

One of the articles in question has received criticism because of how it paints new readers. “In the shallow world of BookTok, being ‘a reader’ is more important than actually reading” written by Barry Pierce, has gotten a lot of attention since it has been released. 

There are many concerns that some individuals have surrounding this phenomenon but we will be focusing on the “aesthetics” of BookTok. 

Some individuals are concerned that newer generations are using reading solely for the purpose of looking a certain way. 

In the article, Pierce says, “There is an uncanny falseness behind it all, a showy nothingness that only approximates bibliophilia. Who doesn’t want to be seen as literary? Being perceived as having read a lot of books warrants a fair share of cultural capital. If you can fake it, then why not?”

There may be another way to look at this though. 

Maybe it is good that younger generations are hooked by the aesthetic of being a reader and will consume more books because they want to fit this image. 

Romanticizing reading has been a thing for years! This has been happening far before BookTok was a thing. 

It’s a good thing that more people are reading books. We shouldn’t shame anyone for their enjoyment of anything. Some may buy hundreds of books just to make their bookshelves look nice, but if someone classifies themselves as a reader, we should support their decision. 

It seems as though some people have this issue regarding BookTok because it is an entertainment-based app. There are a lot of criticisms of BookTok, but there is a lot of good that has come out of it too. 

Although BookTok and some individuals’ love of reading could be seen as shallow, maybe this isn’t always the case. Everybody has their own perception of themselves and how they’d like to be viewed. 

We should be happy that younger audiences are reading and if they aren’t hurting anyone, what’s the problem?

My trip to Japan in 2023

My Trip to Japan During Sakura Season 

This past week (March 11th-20th), I had one of the best experiences of my life because I got to finally travel to Japan! 

It was the first time I have gone out of my comfort zone and explored outside the U.S and Mexico. However because of my appreciation towards Japanese culture such as art, food, fashion, and even anime, I felt very at peace once I settled in. 

Luckily and coincidentally,  my boyfriend and I just so happened to be exploring the country during Sakura season. One of the most important seasons of the year in Japanese culture celebrating the bloom of the cherry blossom trees. The season starts in late March and usually ends in April since that’s when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. 

Not only were we excited to see a few trees in early bloom but we also excited to experience a new culture and cities such as Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo, Shibuya, and a few others. 

Here are a few photos from my trip! 

Hope you enjoy! :) 

That Time of Year for March Madness Again

It's that time of year again! March Madness is upon us, and the excitement is in the air. The NCAA Men's Sweet 16 tournament is one of the year’s most anticipated events and will provide exciting basketball action. This summary will briefly overview the tournament, the teams that have advanced to the Sweet 16, and what to look for in the upcoming matchups. Get ready for the madness to begin!

Princeton Tigers, Michigan State Spartans, Florida Atlantic Owls, Arkansas Razorbacks, SDSU Aztecs, Xavier Musketeers, Creighton Bluejays, Kansas State Wildcats, Miami Hurricanes, Tennessee Volunteers, Gonzaga Bulldogs, UConn Huskies, UCLA Bruins, Texas Longhorns, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Houston Cougars.  All these teams have fought hard to make it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and have proven they have what it takes to stand as elite in their sport, respectively. 

These teams are all incredibly talented and have impressive records this season. The Princeton Tigers have an incredible 15-1 record in Ivy League games, and the Michigan State Spartans have had a winning streak since November. The Florida Atlantic Owls, Arkansas Razorbacks, and SDSU Aztecs all have impressive wins. Xavier Musketeers won a hard-fought battle against Seton Hall in the first round. The Creighton Bluejays, Kansas State Wildcats, and Miami Hurricanes performed excellently in their opening-round wins. Tennessee Volunteers, Gonzaga Bulldogs, UConn Huskies, UCLA Bruins, Texas Longhorns, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Houston Cougars have all had fantastic seasons and are ready to make some noise in this tournament!

However, if you are a California native here, things could get interesting for residents of California, stretching from Los Angeles county to two hours south of San Diego County. Both SDSU and UCLA are on opposite sides of the bracketry layout, which could mean there is a slim chance that SDSU could face UCLA for the championship if they both perform well and outplay their opponents in the following three match-ups respectively and win.

The Phenomenon Behind Taylor Swift's Sold-Out Eras Tour

Taylor Swift is one of the most successful and popular artists of our time, with a loyal fan base that spans across the globe. Her recent tours, particularly her "Reputation" and "Lover" eras, have sold out within minutes of going on sale. So what makes her so popular and why do her tours sell out so quickly? Let's take a closer look.

First and foremost, Taylor Swift is an incredibly talented performer. She has a powerful voice, writes relatable and catchy songs, and puts on a show that is both visually stunning and emotionally captivating. Her tours are always well-rehearsed and choreographed, with unique set designs and costumes that add to the overall concert. Fans know that when they go to a Taylor Swift concert, they're going to get a memorable and high-quality performance. 

In addition to her talent, Taylor Swift has built a strong connection with her fans over the years. She is known for being very interactive with her audience, often pausing between songs to chat and express how grateful she is for their support. She also makes an effort to meet with fans before and after shows, taking photos and signing autographs. This personal touch has helped create a loyal and passionate fanbase that is eager to see her perform live.

Another factor that contributes to the success of Taylor Swift's tours is her marketing and promotion strategy. She has a massive social media following, with millions of fans on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. She uses these channels to tease upcoming shows and release exclusive content, such as behind-the-scenes footage and tour merchandise. By building excitement and anticipation among her fans, she creates a sense of urgency to buy tickets before they sell out.

Taylor Swift's tours are also often accompanied by special events and experiences that make them more than just a typical concert. For example, during her "Reputation" era, she partnered with Ticketmaster to offer fans the opportunity to participate in a "Taylor Swift Tix" program. This program rewarded fans for their loyalty by allowing them to earn points through activities like buying merchandise and sharing content on social media. These points could then be redeemed for tickets to the tour, as well as exclusive experiences like meet and greets and backstage tours.

Personally, I think the main reason why the Eras tour sold out in minutes was because of the new songs she released. Taylor Swift curated some of the most iconic songs of 2020 and 2021. Her songs started reaching people who were never even fans of hers in the first place. I am a product of exactly that. I never really cared for Taylor Swift and her music, but ever since she came out with “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” I have been a big fan. The song is both catchy and carries a special meaning behind it. I thought it was so powerful of her to take back the copyright of her songs that she lost to her label.

I am so proud of Taylor Swift and can't wait to see how the Eras tour turns out!

Embracing my Inner Tinker

Like Tinkerbell, it took me a minute to appreciate my inner Tinker. 

Tinkerbell was my favorite movie growing up. I loved everything about it, especially how each fairy had a unique talent. When my sister and I would play fairies, as a set of sisters do, I could never decide if I wanted to be Silvermist or Fawn. I’d even settle for Vidia, the evil fast-flying fairy, before I chose Tinkerbell. The only relatable thing about her at the time was that she was blonde. 

I recently re-watched the first Tinkerbell movie and had an eye-opening realization. Before I get to that, let me give a brief synopsis of the movie. Tinkerbell was born just like any other fairy after a baby laughs for the first time, adorable, I know. She floats into Pixie Hollow, where she meets the rest of the fairies and finds her talent. It is a sorting-hat type of situation where the talent chooses her by glowing when she touches it. She’s chosen to be a Tinker. They essentially build everything for the other fairies. They cannot talk to animals, harness sunlight, or control water. Since their work is done solely at Pixie Hollow, they are not allowed to go to the Mainland.

The whole movie is based around the different types of fairies getting ready for the first day of Spring. Each fairy works in their own way to help, like Rosetta who gets the Tulip bulbs ready, or Fawn who encourages the baby birds to fly. Suddenly, disaster strikes, and all of their preparation gets ruined. The blame is put on Tinkerbell, and she feels immense pressure to fix it. Using her Tinkering abilities, Tinkerbell invents creative contraptions to speed up the preparations. In the end, Spring arrives on time and she gets to go to the Mainland, all thanks to her curious mind.

I never wanted to be a Tinker. This was a consistent opinion throughout my life, and it wasn’t until recently that I realized the specialness of being someone like Tinkerbell. In the movies, most Tinkers are characterized as clumsy and awkward. I’m clumsy and awkward, but so many other elements make a Tinker who they are. 

Not to get too intellectual about a Disney movie, but… 

Tinkers help others when they need them most. Even though they may not be in the spotlight like the other fairies, they still serve a significant purpose in their community. Without them, the nature fairies would not be able to work as seamlessly as they do. Tinkerbell is driven, hard-headed, and determined to accomplish whatever she puts her mind to. She thinks outside of the box by using unconventional methods. Her life is not glamorous in any way, but she finds ways to romanticize it in every way she can. 

Being someone like Tinkerbell is a lot of pressure. They are the support system that holds everything and everyone up. They are the person in the corner that you can go to for help. They are curious, and they have a genuine desire to make a bad situation good. There are not many people like that in the world. Having that sort of talent should be celebrated. I did not realize that when I was growing up. I guess I was too distracted by the idea of tracing water droplets or leading a trail of lightning bugs. 

I’m now more appreciative of my inner Tinker. I can admire the talents of others without discounting my own, which took me a long time to accept. I think Tinkerbell is a great example of growing out of insecurity and embracing whatever it is that makes you special. This is something I'll continue to work on as I grow up, but it was nice to find a reminder in something so familiar like this movie. 

Are there any lessons you learned from your favorite childhood movies that you still live by today? 

Audiobooks, is it really reading?

The debate of the century... are audiobooks considered reading. Passion runs deeply when this subject is mentioned. You either religious listen to audiobooks or read. It's rare that a person does both. This is one of the most heated debates in the reading community, but which side is right? It all depends on your definition of reading.

If you believe that reading is just consuming the story, then listening to an audiobook is considered reading the book. But if you considering reading looking at the physical letters then audiobooks aren't reading. It is all dependent on your view of things. Both formats give you a completely different experience though.

I personally think audiobooks is more like a podcast. You get the message but aren't fully emersed in the experience. As someone who has done both, reading the physical is so much more impactful. I find when I read books, I resonate with the characters o much more. For the few hours that I am reading the book everything else subsides. What is going on in the book happens around me as well. My brain is able to focus so much on what is going on.

When I read audiobooks, it allows my brain to wander. I at some point tune it all out, even for the world's most interesting stories. Audiobooks can be put as background noise. There is no commitment required. When you read you have to dedicate time to it. I think that could be a good thing for audiobooks, but it feels like a little bit of essence of reading is lost. Also, you don't get the benefits of reading. Reading helps with write and learning new words, when you hear these things, you miss out on the grammar of things.

Audiobooks also take too long. If I listen to the book on regular speed, then I get so bored. I always speed up the book to twice the normal amount. My mom told me the other day, "Why do they sound so weird". If you decide to this, then slowly increase the speed. If you increase the speed all at once, it'll be hard to understand. First start at 1.25, the gradually increase as you get used to the speed.

Overall, I personally like actually reading the books because all the benefits discussed earlier. If I am going on a road trip where I am driving, I do usually listen to an audiobook because I like to consume books at all times. But audiobooks are all about preference. At the end of the day who cares if you are listening to it. It doesn't matter, just consume the story.

Are you even lucky if you're born on St. Patrick's Day?

 

                                                                  (Photo by Angela Zarate)

     March 17th has become synonymous with leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, and celebrating the luck of the Irish. Everything is green! Everything including clothes, party decorations, the food at the markets, and even some stores have entire sections dedicated to St. Patrick's Day. But between the folklore and myths that come with St. Patrick's Day, are St. Patrick's Day babies considered lucky?

Although there isn't any cool superstitions regarding babies being born on St. Patrick's Day like the tradition of wearing green if not a leprechaun can pinch you, but we can learn a lot about St. Patrick's Day babies by looking at their astrological sign. Here are 3 things astrology say about St. Patrick's Day babies. 

1. They're Well Balanced

Based on their astrological birthday profile, St. Patrick's Day babies are both really sensitive and practical. Since St. Patrick's Day babies are also Pisces, it would make sense that they would rather keep the peace and are less likely to argue. 

2. They Have a Unique Personality

Based on their zodiac birthday profile, babies born on March 17th have a "magical sparkle". They are described as being "enchanting company" due to the positioning of the Sun on March 17th. The Sun is under the same positioning as Venus and is described as the planet of harmony, beauty, and art. So the babies that are born on St. Patrick's Day, have all the characteristics that influence that day.

3. They Might Actually Be Very Lucky 

The shamrock is considered to be a lucky symbol. We tend to always seek one on St. Patrick's Day and we always wonder if they actually bring good luck. According to Irish tradition, if parents put a four-leaf clover under their children's pillow, they will get good luck and spirituality. But you can always have good luck because some say that while finding a four-leaf clover will bring you luck, giving it to someone else will double your luck.

Unforgettable Oscars Moments

Even though we didn't get a "The Slap" level Oscars moment this year, there we some occurrences that captured the audience's attention on social media during the 95th Academy Awards ceremony this past Sunday.

Jamie Lee Curtis won Best Supporting Actress

Although most people were expecting it, nobody thought it would actually happen. Listen, Jamie Lee Curtis is an icon, legend and national treasure. There's no denying that. While her reaction was endearing and her speech was quite emotional, the question everyone was asking on social media was: Really? Her role in Everything  Everywhere All At Once was not Supporting Actress worthy and the Internet let everyone know. 

Jimmy Kimmel and Malala Yousafzai

During one of his bits, Kimmel asked Malala a misleading question made to be taken as a joke. He said: "As the youngest Nobel Prize winner in history, I was wondering, do you think Harry Styles spit on Chris Pine?" Her response under pressure was graceful and precise: "I only talk about peace." Followers of Yousafzai found the bit cringeworthy and patronizing to her and her work. 

Apart from those moments, we also gained emotional ones like Brendan Fraser's speech and the tearful reunion of Harrison Ford and Ke Huy Quan after 28 years, in addition to some historic moments like Michelle Yeoh's win making her the first Asian actress to win in the Best Actress category and second woman of color to win after two decades–first one being Halle Berry, who gave the award to Yeoh.

Regardless of this year's memorable moments, there have been countless other unforgettable occurrences that will forever be remembered and linked to Hollywood's biggest night of the year.

Life is Beautiful wins Foreign Language Film (1999)

Truly, what a fun way to celebrate such a beautiful movie. 

One of the best acceptance speeches in the history of the Oscars. From the euphoria to the humility of that bow, passing through broken English to the Dante quote and the dedication to his wife. It's a riot of Italianness!

Viral Selfies and Pizza Party (2014)

This memorable star-studded selfie was Ellen DeGeneres' attempt at breaking the Internet, and she did it within an hour. A-listers such as Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep took a group selfie that became the most retweeted picture on Twitter that year. Afterward, Ellen ordered pizza for everyone and all those probably starved celebrities accepted it without a second thought, giving us some iconic pictures and memes.

Women making history (2002 / 2010)

Halle Berry became the first woman of color to accept the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Monster's Ball. Eight years later, Kathryn Bigelow received the Oscar for Best Director thanks to her work on the 2008 film The Hurt Locker, making her the first female director to win in that category.

Heath Ledger's Posthumous Oscar (2009)

There wasn't a single dry eye to be found in the audience once they announced that the late Heath Ledger won the Oscar for his portrayal as the Joker in The Dark Knight. And even more heart-breaking when Ledger's mother, father and sister went onstage to accept it on his behalf. A well-deserved award for such an iconic actor.

Smith vs Rock: The Slap (2022)

One for the ages. A joke gone wrong. This unforgettable Oscars moment completely stopped the flow of the coveted night and left everyone flabbergasted. This resulted in the Academy giving Smith a 10-year ban from attending any of their events and a wave of memes, debates and comedy bits at every event afterward. It was definitely expected to be addressed this year.

"We have strict policies in place tonight. If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for Best Actor and permitted to give a 19-minute-long speech." Kimmel stated, poking fun at the event during his opening monologue.

And the Oscar goes to... La La Land / Moonlight (2017)

Without a doubt, the most chaotic Oscar victory of all time. No one will forget the mortifying climax of the 89th Academy Awards ceremony when the Oscar for Best Picture was awarded to the wrong film. It was so iconic that the unprecedented mess made headlines for weeks and was even dubbed Envelopegate. The La La Land team was incredibly graceful throughout the confusion and chaos and Moonlight had their much-deserved award–eventually.

You never know what's going to unfold at the Oscars, but the drama is for sure guaranteed. Uncountable remarkable moments have graced the Dolby Theatre and our televisions during the Academy Awards every year. Some filled our hearts and brought us to tears, some made us laugh and other were simply outrage-inducing, yet they were all memorable and kept us entertained long after the trophies are accepted. What other unforgettable moments can you think of?