new years – The Orbital

6Feb

By Michele TheilNo Comments

Opinion

A Forecast for Social Media in 2018

As we welcome in the new year, it’s an important time to reflect on the previous one. Our ups and downs, our successes and our failures. One important thing to reflect on is our use of social media. Research shows that there were approximately 3 billion active users of social media, 2 billion of which were avid users of Facebook alone. It brings a large number of benefits and is clearly the most preferred form of communication these days. However, it’s important to know that social media comes with a lot of downsides too and so should be used with caution. Social media has many advantages. First and foremost, it gives us the ability to connect with people from all over the world, quickly and in real time. It helps us maintain strong relationships with friends and family and gives us the...

New Year’s Revolution

Cemre asks for 2016 to be the push we need to bring more change As we are mostly aware and are constantly reminded on social media, 2016 was a year of tragedies. It’ll probably go down in history as the worst year our generation has seen so far, and while some scoff and move on - and good on you for being able to - others are shaken. Justifiably so. Sure, other bad years, 1939 or 1999 come to mind, were generational disasters for some still alive today. And it’s not just celebrity passings - which to mock is to be insensitive to the celebrity and the people who loved, were inspired by, or needed them - but the endless acts of hatred, violence, bigotry. Probably because we thought those things were left in the 20th century. Last year, though but a month ago, was emotionally and mentall...

Introspection

I’m wandering around aimlessly, alone. It’s dark out, so dark. I can barely see before me. It feels like it should be snowing. I wish it was snowing. That would be more romantic at least. Without the snow it’s just sad. I am so very alone. I’m sitting now. I’ve changed my mind, I stand. I sit again. I lie back, and stretch out on the cold, damp floor. I move to make a snow angel. The gravel scratches my bare ankles. When did I lose my shoes? I’m staring at the sky and it is charcoal. I can hear shouting. It’s muffled; everything sounds underwater. I close my eyes and I can see bright colours, swirling and twirling in a black ocean. Electricity vibrates through the current and the bubbles are fluorescent. This isn’t beautiful. This isn’t artistic. I see this every time I close my eyes. I ha...