Strange
Blame it on your brain
According to Dr. Frances Jensen, a neuroscientist at Harvard, adolescent brains are only 80 per cent developed and do not fully develop until the age of 20. That extra 20 per cent makes the adolescent brain very good at learning but also contributes to bullying in teens and risky sexual behavior. When it comes to bullying, some adolescents do not have the brain capacity to stop themselves before throwing a punch after being insulted, for example. Adults have the power to think before acting. The same goes for sexual behavior. Sex triggers a substantial response in the adolescent brain and sometimes, adolescent brains are too preoccupied to send the warning: use protection.
Funny
Another reason not to study tonight…
After its debut on December 2, Zynga’s Facebook game, Cityville, became the fastest growing game in history. In 12 days, Cityville had 26 million users. Cityville even managed to surpass the growth rate that Farmville, another Facebook game from Zynga, had when it was first introduced. This intense growth will likely only contribute to the value of Zynga, which is currently valued at over five billion dollars. Think the timing of this game’s release – right before the exam period – factors into its success?
Disturbing
Binge drinking a dangerous pastime for students
According to Stats Canada, 73 per cent of males and 51 percent of females have had a least one episode of binge drinking. There are major dangers associated with binge drinking, such as alcohol poisoning and even death. Sometimes it is difficult to recognize alcohol poisoning because those affected do not always exhibit all of the symptoms. Victims of alcohol poisoning may choke, exhibit low blood pressure or body temperature, and their breathing and heart rate could become slow, irregular, or even stop entirely. Binge drinking can result in permanent, irreversible brain damage. Rapid binge drinking, which usually follows a round of bets or dares, is especially dangerous because the drinker may black out before being able to expunge the alcohol or seek medical help.
