After adapting to Siri quite early, I never imagined a life with Amazon’s Alexa, but now having purchased one it’s crazy to think of my life without her. Voice commands have been something of a norm for us for a few years now. When Apple introduced Siri, I felt anxious to get my hands on her. Of course, at that point, the tech was severely limited, and upon comparison, we’ve come extremely far. When I decided to purchase Amazon’s Alexa, I didn’t think it was going to change m

Growing up, I always made it a point to compliment anyone – even strangers. Much to my confusion, friends or classmates often called me weird for it, but I never really understood why. I complimented people purely to spread a little bit of kindness around; I clearly got nothing in return for doing so, other than the typical “thank you” or smile. I simply wanted to make someone happy – and my spontaneous compliments did just that. There’s something about a stranger giving a c

The internet during the Covid-19 pandemic has seen some stark changes. Internet media consumption has risen dramatically and social media use increased on the most popular websites by 20 percent according to The New York Times. On top of that, conspiracy theories, more specifically the Q-Anon theory, gained mass popularity amid the pandemic according to Dan Olsen of Folding Ideas. Schools now use video conferencing apps like Zoom and Google Meets to host classes. College and

In response to the shift in online learning and increasingly diverse students, colleges across the country are changing their policies regarding the usage of preferred names. Some students at LCCC feel that the preferred name policy needs to be updated. The LCCC Gender and Sexuality Acceptance (GSA) resources state, "The Office of Student Records and Registration provide the forms that give the option of using a preferred name that will show up on the faculty roster.” Accordi

Finding a job or internship could be hard during a pandemic, but there are many ways that LCCC’s Career Development Center (CDC) can help. "The Cougar CLAW is an excellent source that is available to all LCCC students and alumni,” said Tina Moyer, Director of the CDC. The Cougar CLAW is a career management system where employers are able to post job opportunities for LCCC students and alumni. The CLAW contains hundreds of listings, and students can create a free profile a

As a 19-year-old who experienced more than most individuals my age, I constantly try to recognize opportunities for growth. At this chapter in my life, I found that some of my most eye-opening experiences came from what I learned in interpersonal and intercultural communication. Nowadays, with cancel culture being all the rave, people often don’t take the time to hear one another out. Regardless of pop culture trends, I always try my best to allow any party to feel heard

In the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak, the world has almost entirely shut down. People are barred from meeting each other due to the risk of infection, and the new motto exclaimed by leaders and politicians alike is, “Stay home!” Alex Eddinger is a Lehigh University student with a 4.0 grade point average and a strong intent to keep it that way. When the colleges decided that the Spring and Fall semesters would go online, Eddinger knew he needed to make some adjustments if h

3 miles, 2 miles, 1 mile, and finally…take a deep breath. This is how a mindful runner gets through their runs, by focusing on their last stretch and running to the finish line. While much has been written about mindfulness and running, many may be wondering about the concept of “mindful running.” “It’s purely about being mentally connected within your movement and not being distracted,” said Chevy Rough, a mindfulness and performance coach from Runner’s World Magazine. M

It is so fun to be on the opposite end of this, considering last semester I was just a journalism student, trying to write the best article I possibly could. In the current stage of my life, I guess you could say I am trying to hit the ground running. With graduation just around the corner—and the world as we know it mostly likely forever changed—I have been trying to find my next focus in life. Who am I, and what is the story I am trying to tell? Who am I past the college st

Photo by Cassidy Klingman Bags containing product from the Cougar Cabinet In their third year of operation, LCCC’s Cougar Cabinet food pantries continue to fight against food insecurity in the school community, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Schnecksville and Allentown locations previously operated as client choice pantries, meaning that students, faculty, and staff members were able to come inside and choose which items they needed. Once the pandemic hit, t