Esports: Is It Too Late To Get Into It?

Getting into Esports seems like a daunting task, but it’s actually not as difficult as its made out to be. You don’t need the most expensive equipment or the most up to date computer, all you need is an open mind and a willingness to try something new.

There’s plenty of Esports related games that don’t require a super-powerful PC to play. Counter Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, and Super Smash Brothers Melee all require very low amounts of power to run without lag. You’d be surprised how old of a PC you could use to run these games, as they were all designed many years ago and built for requirements of their time.

To get into Esports, you need to take a look at your options and compare them to the games you want to play. Just want to focus on shooters? All you’ll need is a nice mouse with decent sensitivity and a decent keyboard. Want to play fighting games? You’ll usually just need to find a controller that’s calibrated correctly to the game.

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Personal Computer Sales Rise: Is Remote Work the Future?

The pandemic-induced stay-at-home orders have forced many people to commit to owning a personal computer (PC). Between Zoom meetings, club meetings, and just general online work, it has become almost necessary to buy a device with more power and control than your smartphone.

According to Gartner, worldwide Personal Computer shipments grew 10.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020 and 4.8 percent for the year. This sustained consumer demand resulted in the highest global PC market growth in a decade.

“The worldwide PC market saw a strong finish to 2020, recording a third consecutive quarter of year over year growth, although there continued to be supply shortages due to this high demand,” said Mikako Kitagawa, research director at Gartner. “Robust consumer PC demand again drove sales, particularly in regions where governments maintain stay-at-home orders as the COVID-19 pandemic persists.”

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Dopamine-Driven Feedback Loops: What Are They?

Do you ever close an app on your phone just to open it again two seconds later? Or rather, do you find yourself going through the same systematic motions throughout your phone’s different screens over and over again? You’ve likely fallen into a dopamine feedback loop.

A dopamine-driven feedback loop is a “self-perpetuating circuit fueled by the way the neurotransmitter works with the brain’s reward system. Feedback loops, in general, are circuits that return output as input to a given system to drive future operations and, in this case, behaviors,” according to WhatIs.com.

Chasing after dopamine involves completing tasks that we suspect will bring us some type of rush, even if on a very small level. The pull wheel on social media timelines like Twitter and Instagram is reminiscent of a slot machine where you pull down the lever out of the expectation of receiving something back. Whether the result is good or bad, at least on social media it’s free. Pulling it as much as you want means it becomes normalized, and searching for that piece of content you were afraid you’d miss out on is an endless journey.

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Summertime COVID: False Sense of Security?

There’s a lot of debate on whether the COVID-19 vaccine is worth it. Of course, looking back on this idea even a few months back may have left the public more worried, but the vaccine rollout combined with warmer weather has left many wondering if they can wait it out.

The Monmouth Polling Institute found that although Americans are generally happy with the direction of the vaccine roll out, a quarter of the population is still unwilling to receive the vaccine.

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The Weather Is Warming Up: What Comes Next?

As the weather gets better and COVID-19 restrictions start to lessen, it’s natural you’ll be on the lookout for things to do outside. But what’s safe? Even if indoor locations are open, you may still want to find COVID-free and safe opportunities to have fun outside.

Last summer, my girlfriend and I made it a point to see as many natural landmarks as we could. They were breathtaking to behold, and they offered a large degree of freedom. We felt comfortable exploring these new environments and it helped us greatly forget about COVID. There was a ton of privacy, far away from strangers. We didn’t worry about contracting COVID from someone bumping up against us or sparking an impromptu conversation.

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Losing Friends From The Pandemic: What's Next?

The pandemic has brought a lot of change, but that goes without saying. Worldly change aside, we’ve all experienced very stern differences in our personal lives as well. COVID-19 has pushed us all inward, and the insulated experience of it all has pushed loved ones away too.

About a year ago when the pandemic was nationally declared, I remember speaking with one of my oldest childhood friends about it. He said to me, “I see this as a fresh start. A rebirth.” I didn’t know what he meant at the time, but I assumed it had something to do with housekeeping your personal life.

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What To Do When Someone Takes Your Credit

It’s always a little awkward when someone takes credit for your achievement. Being part of the team doesn’t always mean being part of the process, and it can rub you the wrong way when someone jumps in the limelight but wasn’t there originally in the crossfire.

This idea can take a lot of different shapes and forms. Maybe you have an arm-chair boss who only swoops in to accept the award, but you and your co-workers have been drowning in issues that the boss never attempts to resolve.

Travis Greenberg, a senior anthropology student, has experienced this phenomena in his own life.

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Getting To Know Your Professors In The Remote Age

Can you believe that this semester will be the third semester and one year anniversary of virtual learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic? Who would have been able to imagine us holding zoom meetings as opposed to in-person meetings, using the “unmute” button to answer a question instead of raising our hands, and not worrying about how your class will judge the bottom half of your outfit because you could be wearing jeans or pj’s for they know.

There is a ton of convenience, functionality, and safety with having classes through zoom, but students often find it a struggle to get to know their professor through an online class especially if it is completely asynchronous. In order to get to know a professor, you must speak up and make your presence known, but being the center of attention can instill awkwardness and can even make you feel bothersome. But by taking small steps to making yourself known to your professor, it can make your learning experience and their teaching experience all the more beneficial.

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Vaccines Are Coming, So Where's The Excitement?

Vaccines for the general public are inching closer and closer. Some friends, family members, and colleagues may have already received their first dose if they’re part of an early phase.

Having a discussion about vaccine distribution in the home can be awkward. According to Pew Research Center, intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine is only 60 percent as of Dec. 3. “21 percent of U.S. adults do not intend to get vaccinated and are ‘pretty certain’ more information will not change their mind,” the Pew Research Center suggests.

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How to Deal with Favoritism at Work

One of the most awkward experiences you’ll have in a workplace is living alongside favoritism. Maybe the favoritism comes from an equal or a higher-up, but you start to notice someone getting special treatment that others don’t. Their mistakes are brushed under the rug, and it seems they can do no wrong despite clear evidence they’re an issue. How does it happen? Higher-ups have a lot of reasons for using favoritism amongst their employees, but more often than not it’s to gain something. It’s about what the coworker represents.

Suzanne Lucas, a freelance writer who has worked in corporate human resources for a decade, discussed favoritism in the workplace for thebalancecareers.com.

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