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Eco-anxiety, the psychological effects of climate change
People care about the planet and the environment. Most people recognise that we live on planet earth and rely upon a stable environment, so when seemingly little climate action takes place and the headlines fill with stories of a ‘climate emergency’, there is a huge toll on the mental health of individuals. This is the rise of Eco-anxiety.
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Christmas culture!
For those who like to get into the Christmas spirit, these are my Christmas Culture recommendations based on my entirely subjective and undeniably #basic opinions.
Accepting eco imperfection
When I first decided to change my planet killing ways, I was shocked at how difficult it was. I couldn’t step foot in a supermarket without being overwhelmed by the amount of plastic that surrounded me. I felt so guilty when I didn’t bring my keep cup to the local café, or when I forgot my eco-friendly fruit and veg bags at the supermarket. I would’ve hated to be the person who served me and put through all the loose items in my trolley.
Christmas traditions
How do you celebrate Christmas (if it all)? What kind of traditions do you have? Can you still practice these in adulthood? I love the Christmas season. I love the weather, the seasonal produce, and the atmosphere. Most of all, I love celebrating Christmas with family and friends. My family has some quirky Christmas traditions. To be honest, some of them are what some people may consider ‘childish’, but I don’t give a damn, and I’m still going to do them anyway. Here’s some of my favourite Christmas traditions that are guaranteed to give you a happy holiday.
I need to be alone
Sometimes, in social situations, I start to feel very overwhelmed. My body gets very tired and I feel on the verge of tears. I can’t think properly. I get irritated at the smallest thing someone says or does. What is wrong with me? I wonder. Then I realise that the feeling is familiar. I am socially exhausted, and I have been in this situation many times before. All I really need is to be alone.
Non-alcoholic drinks for the silly season
As a non-drinker, it’s nice to have alternative party drinks that are a bit more exciting than the usual soft drink options. These drinks also provide an enticing alternative for alcohol drinkers who are usually bored by the non-alcoholic options. You might want to consider some of the following if you’re hosting people over the holidays.
Defeating writing distractions
PhD students have quite a bit more flexibility in their working day. Sometimes, too much flexibility. What makes it worse is that there are so many sources of distraction around me. I easily use it as an excuse to delay writing my thesis chapters. There’s making sure I am on top of current events and can spend an hour just reading the morning news. Then there’s finding out what people are saying about the news so I can possibly spend another hour on Twitter. Then there is reading journal articles in my field, answering emails, grabbing a coffee with other PhD students, checking and rearranging my calendar, and so on and so forth. By the end of it all, I would have wasted several hours and not have really written a single word.
A rant about stealing Santa
If you’re not aware, ‘Stealing Santa’ is a version of kris kringle gifting, where you buy a present (it could be for a particular person or not), and then people have the option of stealing / swapping another person’s present for their own. I was first introduced to the concept by The Office (US version), where a thoughtfully gifted teapot almost doesn’t end up in the right hands and everyone else fights over an iPod.
My 200th post
I was wondering just how many blog posts I’ve written. I’ve done the math a few times now, and it turns out that this is my 200th post.
Christmas: you either love it or you hate it
In my experience, Christmas (if you celebrate it) is one of those things that you either love or you hate. Personally, I love it. I’m deeply passionate about all things Christmas: the food, the movies, the decorations (consumerism wins again), and the time spent with friends and family. It’s something that I look forward to every year, and when it’s over, I fall into a brief state of depression. That’s how much I love Christmas.
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