Tag: The Tempest Now and Beyond

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Career Education Now + Beyond

If you’re heading back to school, you need this advice for extracurriculars

School kids with backpacks walk towards a building.
[Image Description: School kids with backpacks walk towards a building.] Via Pexels

I’m not going to lie to you. Everything you do in school is not going to follow you for the rest of your life. Your grades won’t define your future, those certificates will stay piled up in your cupboard, your friend group might not stay together, and you’ll never use calculus to figure out your finances. 

When I graduated high school, I wondered, should I have put so much effort into extracurriculars? Maybe I shouldn’t have spent so many years in the Student Council, putting hours of effort into drafting minutes of meetings, writing emails, organizing my team, and being a bridge between students and teachers. When all this hard work couldn’t get me into the university that I dreamt of, what was the point of the hustle?

The answer came to me in little revelations. Putting effort into activities and extracurriculars does pay off. Whether it be a painting competition you participated in, organizing a sports event, or running a literature club, it makes a difference. I cannot guarantee that extracurriculars will help you get into university. But in a few years, you’ll realize how much it transformed you as a person. 



A few months after I started university, I found it very easy to put myself in new environments that would otherwise seem daunting. I could easily market my skills and manage my time productively. Furthermore, I was open to opportunities that came my way. 

Working with a team at school events is an opportunity to figure out what you want in your future career. Almost all activities in school are unpaid, but they help you grasp the idea of intrinsic motivation or satisfaction. You learn what motivates you apart from money and this can be the key to success in your life. It’s a chance to invest time and effort in the things that interest you. 

In fact, some aspects of our personality stay hidden until we challenge them. We’re meant to get out of our comfort zone and take chances. Putting yourself in tough situations doesn’t make you a bad decision-maker. It means you’re willing to see yourself grow and have faith in yourself. Confidence doesn’t come on its own. Having faith in yourself and your skills can tap into your true potential.

While clubs and organizations do so much to help you learn about yourself, they also help you learn how to interact with others. Extracurricular activities and student leadership keep you constantly in touch with your peers and teachers, whether you like it or not. Even text messaging or email help you develop a style of communication that sets you apart. You learn the dos and don’ts of interacting with people who work with you and the people you work for. 

Furthermore, if you become a leader in an organization or group, you learn additional skills. Leadership is NOT about being the best in your team. A good leader can recognize their teammates’ abilities and push them to do their best. Extracurriculars can help you learn these skills and even notice them in others. Being a good leader also teaches you to be responsible and accountable for your actions and decisions. Managing an event or participating in a competition with a team is a completely different experience than a group project. You will notice that the people you form teams with are motivated to perform better since they’re doing it out of their free will. You will also find certain people you cannot stand, but trust me on this: It helps you figure out ways to deal with people you don’t like. 

With all that communication, you also learn to manage conflicting interests and priorities. High school does this thing where you’re packed with everything: exam preparation, the biggest competition of the year, and a charity drive all at once. It can also give you a taste of multi-tasking: Learning to manage your academics and perform activities outside of that sphere is a very underrated skill. 

Assume that you’re part of a school club. That experience can answer so many questions you wouldn’t otherwise know. What kind of people get along with each other? What leadership style is necessary when your club isn’t doing well? What is the best way to assign duties? How do you deal with freeloaders? Do you need to stay back at school to finish decorating the auditorium or is there someone you can assign it to? How will you finish your artwork due Saturday when you have a big test the day after? Simply being a part of a larger organization can give you so many insights into how people work.  

School may be a nightmare for some, but we need to realize good things don’t come on a silver platter. The subjects you study in school today may not even be relevant by the time you graduate and start working. Instead, look for creativity in yourself and around you. Learn from the people you admire and stay open-minded. Invest time in yourself and your abilities. I assure you, it will make a difference.

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Work Now + Beyond

Workplace professionalism is a construct rooted in white supremacy

[Image description: people in a workplace setting, engaging in conversation and working on laptops.] Via free photos on Pexels
[Image description: people in a workplace setting, engaging in conversation and working on laptops.] Via free photos on Pexels

There has been a recent push across the U.S. made by several employers, advocating for the return to in-person workspaces after a year 42% of American workers (successfully) worked from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people, Black people, in particular, have been opposing this return to normalcy because white-collar workplaces have always been a source of oppression for us in a number of different ways; all equally as harmful as the next. 

In fact, only a mere 3% of Black professionals want to go back to work full-time in the office. Therefore, white professionals must reckon with what that statistic illustrates about the type of environments that workplaces have created to the detriment of their Black employees.

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In the context of white-collar work settings, workplace professionalism is “working and behaving in such a way that others think as competent, reliable and respectful,” according to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. The concept of professionalism also emphasizes how people physically present themselves at work or as an extension or representation of their employer even while away from the office. 

Unfortunately, though, as a result of having to learn to adapt within white workspaces, Black people have had to learn to code switch—a term coined by Einar Haugen in 1954 to describe language alternation, or the mixing of two or more languages, or dialects—manipulate our natural hair texture, or overall abandon our culture as a means for survival in the workplace. And if we fail to successfully integrate or become what white employers deem as “professional,” we risk facing punishment.

In truth, this conversation is long overdue. “Professionalism is just a synonym for obedience,” Chika Ekemezie says in an article for Zora. And she’s right. “The less social capital you have, the more you are tethered to professionalism”: meaning, performing professionalism becomes even more essential the more financially insecure a person is, which puts a lot of pressure on working-class Black Americans to conform to a status quo that centers whiteness or we risk being barred from economic and job opportunities.

Consequently, “these expectations of professionalism are so common to us — from our outer appearance to the way we behave — we begin to create different versions of ourselves, doppelgängers to help us get through the day,” Chika explains. However, having to be what is essentially “reformed” versions of ourselves for long hours of the day, five days a week, can have negative consequences on our mental health and job performance.

According to a Harvard Business Review article titled “The Cost of Codeswitching,” the authors assert: “Seeking to avoid stereotypes can deplete cognitive resources and hinder performance. [In addition] feigning commonality with [white] coworkers also reduces authentic self-expression and contributes to burnout.”

Ultimately and unsurprisingly, workplace professionalism in the U.S. wasn’t designed with Black people and Black culture in mind. And especially in a white-dominated society, Blackness is seen as inherently unkept, unrefined, and undignified. 

The idea that we can successfully keep up this illusion of professionalism to remain physically integrated with white people is ridiculous. Because the culture surrounding what constitutes professionalism has forced Black people to adhere to whiteness in a way that’s simply unnatural and unsustainable. 

Even still, Black people have continued to fight a losing battle of performing respectability in the workplace that will never be good enough because the goal post for what professionalism means and who it truly applies to is always moving.

So, if there was ever a time to re-examine toxic workplace culture, it’s now. In the past year, Black communities across America have been hit hard by a global pandemic and have watched as the policing and justice system continues to have a flagrant disregard for our livelihood. And despite all of the racial injustice that was highlighted in both 2020 and 2021, the support for Black lives is at an all-time low.  

Coming back to the office would only serve as an added burden on Black American’s mental and emotional well-being. Working from home, on the other hand, has finally allowed Black professionals the freedom of self-expression without having to endure the inherent racism that comes from being amongst predominantly white work environments.

Understandably, though, adjusting to telework has been difficult for many and ultimately isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to rectifying, improving, or rebuilding racist workplaces. 

But whatever the case, in whatever a post-pandemic society looks like, we can’t resort back to western, white supremacist work culture just because it’s comfortable for some while disadvantageous for others. And to put it plainly, professionalism has long been about control just to remind racially marginalized communities white people hold the power and can wield it against us whenever and however they like.

In turn, there needs to be a continuous conversation for how we can accommodate Black, Indigenous, and other POC communities into the workplace all while dismantling the oppressive idea of professionalism. Because wearing a bonnet, a durag, braids, dread locs, natural hair, or just overall being unapologetically and authentically Black while working never hurt anyone.

And if we’re all working to build a more equitable society, traditional ideas of professionalism would have no place there anyway.

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Science Now + Beyond

Want to make compost in your backyard? Here is what you need to know

[Image Description: A hand holds a blue spade digging through brown soil with a yellow bucket next to it. Via Unsplash.]

If there is one thing that the pandemic taught us, the Earth does much better when we are not around to use it. During the worldwide lockdown, the environment had a break from our typical pollution rates, and it made me realize how much of an impact I had on the environment. A friend recently started making compost in her backyard, and I was intrigued by her decision to take it upon herself to collect her scraps and kitchen waste for compost. She told me that she was being more conscious of her footprint on Earth, which got me thinking about the change I could make by joining her.

Looking back, I haven’t lived a very eco-friendly life. For the most part, I only did the bare minimum, saving water where I could and trying not to litter. But because of my friend’s influence, I decided to start composting my flowers and plants in my front yard. It is pretty gratifying to think that all my kitchen waste will soon become a highly organic, nutrient-rich product that will help grow a beautiful flowerbed.

Composting is defined as the “biological process in which the organic portion of refuse is allowed to decompose under carefully controlled conditions.” Doing this helps reduce the amount of waste that needs to be processed at landfills, consequently creating a greenhouse gas called methane. A compost bin at your house seems like an insignificant change, but if your friend joins you and then their friends join, it will soon make a difference.

Composting is an excellent way to recycle your kitchen waste, as well as some scraps of cardboard and paper lying around. As mentioned, this is a process that I have just begun, so I am in the collection phase of the process. It is as simple as clearing the plates after dinner into separate plastic and keeping all the scraps of paper and cardboard that I find lying around the house.

Leading a sustainable lifestyle seems like a small price to pay for saving the Earth.

You can compost some food waste, including grains, fruits and vegetables, coffee beans, teabags, manure from herbivores, eggshells, and nuts. These, alongside some grass clippings, hay, leaves, and weeds, are called green waste. You can also mix green waste with brown waste, including cardboard, sticks, cloth, dried leaves, and wood chips.

Matter such as animal waste, poisonous or diseased plants, fish, meat, and dairy products should be kept out of your compost as they may lead to odor problems and pests.

How do you start after collecting all your materials?

  • Pick a suitable location for your compost pile or bin. Preferably a dry shady spot in an open field or a backyard.
  • Ensure that you have enough space for your pile. It would help if you started on bare ground for the best results.
  • Layer equal parts of the green waste as the brown waste but begin with the bulkier brown waste such as twigs and then add the green waste, adding the moisture.
  • While piling your material, add the manure, which will act as a fertilizer for your compost.
  • Your pile should be moist and not soggy, so if your green waste is not providing enough moisture, you may need to water your pile a little bit.
  • Your pile should measure around 1 meter high and 1.5 meters wide, anything larger may be harder to manage, and anything smaller does not heat up enough.
  • Composting is a process that takes about 2-4 weeks. Ensure that you are turning the compost every two weeks, and you will produce compost quickly.

The advantages of composting are that there is “less use of chemical fertilizers, there is an enhancement of water retention for the soil,” and it is an eco-friendly way to make use of your waste. However, the disadvantages are the foul smells if it is not well kept, an unpleasant appearance, and it may attract rats, snakes, and bugs.



Leading a sustainable lifestyle seems like a small price to pay for saving the Earth one compost pile at a time. It is an opportunity to be self-sufficient and move towards a lifestyle with little to no waste. Go on and try it!

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Career Now + Beyond

Just because I teach children does not mean I have maternal instincts

[Image Description: Woman standing in front of children in a classroom setting.] Via Unsplash.

While I have never thought of myself to be particularly maternal, I find it relatively easier to work with children. This is why I have increasingly considered exploring a career in teaching. However, this may come with a cost. In an interaction with a distant relative, I expressed my interest in pursuing teaching as a career and simultaneously not wanting children of my own. What followed next was an inexhaustible lecture on how having children is one of the greatest pleasures of life. I tried to explain how I do not picture myself as a mother in the future. According to them, however, I might have the instincts in me somewhere because nothing else can explain my desire for teaching. On the contrary, I think that teaching as a profession would provide me with a sense of fulfilment that is separate from my parental choices.

It is often inherently assumed that most women want children of their own at some point in their lives. In recent years, there has been a growing conversation about normalizing women not wanting children of their own due to various reasons. Many women choose to prioritize their careers instead of starting a family. More often than not, these women are still interrogated and counseled on the importance of having children. Ever since I began teaching, I have been questioned by various colleagues and friends about having changed my opinions on having children. I, however, do not feel that teaching has affected my maternal instincts. 



Teaching is often perceived as a gendered occupation. Whilst this has changed in recent years with more men entering teaching, it still remains largely female-dominated. According to author Bryan J. Nelson lack of male teachers is mainly because “working with children is seen as a woman’s work, men are not nurturing and something must be wrong with them if they choose to work with children.” Nelson explained that there is also the existence of a fear that men are more likely to harm or abuse children compared to women. It is difficult to determine whether or not men are more likely to be abusive than women in teaching, however, these stereotypical notions have undoubtedly added to the gender gap in the profession.

There seems to be a preconceived notion that all teachers would want to have children of their own. Even if they initially begin their careers with not wanting children, after spending an ample amount of time with kids it is assumed that they would eventually embrace motherhood. I, however, wish to challenge this view. As a teacher myself, I have never felt the desire to have children of my own even after spending long hours working with them.

I began teaching in my early teens and since then I have periodically taken on teaching/tutoring jobs. In all my jobs thus far, I have found teaching to be the most gratifying and a career that I see a future in. However, not once have I felt the desire to have children of my own. People may assume that this will change once I get married but I have also spoken to teachers who are married and would not like to have children of their own. Some teachers have also said that they would not have had children of their own had they began their careers before having children.

People find it difficult to dissociate one’s career choices from their life choices.

People often say that ‘childless teachers cannot truly understand children’. This statement automatically implies that women without children may not have maternal instincts. Maternal instinct, however, is largely a myth. It comes from deep love, devotion, intense closeness, and time spent thinking about the child. And is not limited to just mothers. Psychotherapist Dana Dorfman agrees that many aspects of maternal instincts are a myth. It is not necessary to be a mother to understand and care for children. Understanding and care come from observation and experiences. Many people land in jobs that they have had no prior experience in, however, with time they learn and excel at their job. So, why are teachers subjected to this form of generalization?

The idea that being a teacher affects one’s maternal instincts or vice versa is largely misogynistic as it exposes the underlying trend of women being incomplete without children. In the case of teachers, it becomes rather problematic because people find it difficult to dissociate one’s career choices from their life choices.

Globally women have gained greater autonomy to choose their careers and overcome misogynistic trends prevalent in societies. Choosing teaching as a career option and simultaneously not wanting children is largely questioned and viewed skeptically. So much so that people often go to extreme lengths to explain to me that working with children will lead to me changing my mind sooner rather than later. However, that is yet to happen.

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Race Money Now + Beyond

The origins of tipping at American restaurants are rooted in racism

[Image description: A woman at a restaurant getting her order taken by a waitress.] Via Pexels.

In the United States, it’s a common custom within the service and hospitality industry to tip waged workers. The federal minimum wage for tipped workers in the US is $2.13, compared to the main federal minimum wage which is $7.25, and has remained just short of two dollars for many decades.

People have been critical of the exploitative practice of tipping for years. The critiques mostly surround corporations utilization of tipping to legally get away with paying their workers an unlivable wage. Essentially, customers are responsible for paying restaurant worker’s wages through tips.



And although tipping is optional, many Americans view not tipping service workers as rude or unethical due to their low wages. The other spectrum of people’s critiques simply highlights how grossly low and unethical paying individuals $2.13 is.

Restaurant workers are more likely to live below the poverty line than the general population, and that likelihood increases depending on things like race and gender. Activists have been trying to raise the minimum wage for hourly workers for decades. The Raise the Wage Act, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, would additionally raise the minimum wage for tipped workers for the first time in almost three decades.

American capitalism makes our economy inherently unethical and predatory.

The stagnation of wages for tipped workers is itself abhorrent and a clear illustration of how predatory capitalism is on lower-income and working-class people. Workers’ wages being reliant upon (optional) tips from customers, rather than a guaranteed right from million or billion-dollar corporations is unethical. However, upon an even deeper examination into the custom of tipping in the US, its history is more corrupt than most know. 

Tipping actually originated in “medieval times as a master-serf custom wherein a servant would receive extra money for having performed superbly well,” Rachel E. Greenspan explains in an article for TIME. In the mid-1800s, wealthy Americans discovered the concept of tipping after travels to Europe and brought the custom to the states in order to seem dignified and well-traveled. 

The custom stuck in the Post Reconstruction Era, after slavery “ended,” as a way to opt-out of paying Black people who were now looking for work. Restaurants would pay Black workers little to nothing and forced them to rely on (optional) tips from white clientele, which “entrenched a unique and often racialized class structure in service jobs, in which [Black] workers must please both customer and employer to earn anything at all,” says Dr William J. Barber II in an article for Politico. Thus, legally continuing the practice of slavery but in a re-imagined way.

The custom was nationally unpopular for a while and only a custom done in the South because many people felt forcing customers to tip was condescending and classist. People thought it cruel to suggest poor people should give an additional amount of money on top of their bill. As a result, some states even made laws against the practice.

Additionally, tipping was thought to be a concept reserved only for Black workers, whereas white workers deserved to be fairly paid for their work. However, as Black people began moving north for economic opportunity and to escape segregationist laws, the custom of tipping followed, becoming the national standard within the US’s restaurant industry.

It’s imperative to know the history behind malpractices deemed as “normal.”

Fast forward to today, conversations (or arguments) surrounding the ethics of tipping at American restaurants occur often on social media between wait staff and restaurant workers and restaurant-goers. I’ve always found these discussions to be futile because the ethics of greedy corporations are never questioned, which in turn produces no real, systemic change for waged workers.

Rev. Dr William J. Barber II further states in his article, “We may live in a very different society from 150 years ago, but the subminimum tipped wage still exacerbates the inequalities passed down from that time.”

American capitalism makes our economy inherently unethical and predatory. So, rather than people regularly arguing amongst each other on whether working-class people are responsible for paying the wages of other working-class people, we should be collectively challenging our government to pay us livable wages.

Although the history of tipping in America is racist, raising the federal minimum wage benefits all working-class people regardless of race. Thankfully, an organization of restaurant industry leaders called Restaurants Advancing Industry Standards in Employment (RAISE) was founded in 2019 to champion living wages, basic benefits, and fair promotion policies for waged workers in the restaurant industry.

In addition, wages for hourly workers reliant on tips are being raised in isolated policies across the states like in Michigan or Washington DC. However, there obviously needs to be a national standard that correlates with the cost of living in America.

With racism being examined so closely this year, it’s imperative to know the history behind malpractices deemed as “normal.” And instead, challenge or dismantle those norms to begin building an economy that equally serves all.

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Work Now + Beyond

My boss’s constant gaslighting made me question my sanity

[Image Description: Woman with hands on her face.] Via Pexels

Gaslighting is commonly associated with romantic relationships. However, this form of abuse is present everywhere, especially at work. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, gaslighting involves psychological manipulation and/or emotional abuse to exert power or gain control. I did not realize gaslighting at work existed until this summer. I found myself in a very bizarre situation where I was constantly subjected to manipulation and found myself under immense stress and self-doubt.

I worked at an organization that I believed would value and empower me because that is what the organization claims to promote. Just after a few weeks though, I began doubting the quality of my work and felt terrible most of the time. Gaslighters will have you constantly question your self-worth to prevent you from succeeding.  It is up to you to set boundaries to protect your mental health and sense of self-worth. Always remember nothing is more important than your mental health.

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I remember feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work I had. I was struggling to strike a balance between work and other commitments. It is commonplace to feel like that once in a while, isn’t it? Well apparently for gaslighters there is no room for validation or empathy. I communicated my feelings to my supervisor who instantly dismissed my feelings and expressed her dissatisfaction with me. It got to a point where I doubted my own sanity. I almost accepted that I was at fault and perhaps incapable of handling tasks effectively.

However, I was fortunate enough to have supportive colleagues who stepped in to rescue me from a toxic situation. Gaslighters will negate your feelings and opinions and instead insist that their approach is always correct.

I did not let this experience define me and neither should you.

It is difficult to identify gaslighters or gaslighting but if you have ever doubted your capabilities or sanity at work then you have probably been a victim of gaslighting. Gaslighters are very smart! They tend to pass on judgments and passive-aggressive comments under the guise of well-intentioned feedback or support. 

Gaslighting is more frequent at work because it is a competitive environment and everyone just wants to excel. It is, however, also underreported because the victim usually ends up thinking it is his or her fault. Working with a gaslighting boss or colleagues can become demeaning and undermine your self-confidence. It aids negativity, which can seep into your personal life as well as push you out of your preferred career.

Every once in a while, it is alright for your boss or colleague to disagree with you. But if it occurs recurrently and you find yourself second-guessing your choices all the time, you are probably being gaslighted. Confusing you makes them feel correct. They may even drop back-handed compliments to maintain an upper hand.

I personally believe people that people gaslight at work due to a lack of self-confidence and assurance. Undermining other people’s credibility reduces their chances of getting ahead. This in turn makes the gaslighter feel in control or powerful. It has been proven by research that gaslighters tend to have low self-esteem. Their behaviors make them assume a sense of power or control.

In order to ascertain whether you are being gaslighted or not look out for recurrent behavioral patterns that are confusing you. If you constantly find yourself perplexed and doubt your abilities, you are being gaslighted – trust your instincts. Do not allow your boss or colleagues’ behavior to take over you. 

Sometimes speaking to a trusted colleague can help. I was lucky enough to have trust-worthy and supportive colleagues that I vented out to. They stepped in to make sure I was doing alright and reminded me that my work was valued.



There is little conversation about gaslighting at work but it is extremely prevalent and dangerous. It can demotivate people and push them out of their chosen careers. It is important that you figure out whether or not you are being gaslighted. Once you are sure, try to keep a record of all your interactions with the gaslighter. Take screenshots of emails and messages. That is what I did! This is especially important if you plan to report the case to your management or HR.

Always remember nothing is more important than your mental health.

In my experience, a confrontation with the gaslighter never goes well. They will not listen to you and instead throw unwarranted arguments at you. It is best to get support from a management team or HR. It was difficult for me to get any form of help because my gaslighter was at the very top. Albeit, it was a testing experience but I held my ground. I did not let this experience define me and neither should you.

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Tech Now + Beyond

Pakistan’s app-banning streak is both a personal and political attack

[Image Description: Girl using a smartphone.] Via Unsplash.

As a Pakistani woman, I have always viewed social media as a safe haven of sorts where I can share my views and opinions without being sidelined. In a country where women are so often marginalized and subjected to misogynistic trends, social media offers us a form of refuge to express our very constrained freedom. And this is exactly why Pakistan’s latest bans on dating apps and Tik Tok left me appalled. To me, these bans and blocks signify a further limitation of rights for women and the prevalence of sexism and misogyny in the country.

Recently, Tinder, Grindr and other similar dating apps were blocked for disseminating immoral content. This was followed by a ban on Tik Tok as well. According to Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA), notices were issued to the five dating apps, and companies failed to respond within the stipulated time. 

The decision was made to prevent the circulation of ‘immoral and obscene content’. Put simply, the ban on certain apps was imposed to appease the conservative factions of the country. 

Pakistan has had a long history of internet/social media bans and blocks. In recent years, the government has banned YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook as well. Content is monitored and often removed if it is deemed immoral by the authorities. 

The recent blocks have sparked a renewed conversation about the government’s attempts to control the flow of ideas on the internet. Restrictions on social media sites are normalizing censorship. Increased regulation is limiting free speech and paving the way for the conservative factions to benefit from it.  The rapidity of ‘moral policing’ is such that it is only realistic to expect a handful of social media sites left to access in the country. The government’s motives are unclear but what it does tell us is that the ban is geared towards suppressing free expression and the endorsement of conservative values in the country.

The ban on Tik Tok felt personal because it is the one platform that gives everyone a chance to express their creativity and showcase their talents. 

In the contemporary world, the internet and social media serve as one of the major avenues to express freedom of speech and expression. It is difficult to imagine progress without it. Blocks and restrictions can be a major setback for the upcoming generations, limited and monitored access to the internet will curb ideas and innovation. Amongst other things, it will sabotage the ability of technology in helping to eliminate the negative connotations attached to Pakistan.

The most recent ban on Tik Tok was yet another measure to suppress entertainment and creativity in the country. Tik Tok is one of the only platforms that made a vast majority of the Pakistani population feel welcomed (quite literally). People from various cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds are not only able to access the platform but also produce content that was viewed and appreciated widely. 

There was no way to control the flow of information or trends on the app; perhaps this is why it was so threatening. Although, the ban was uplifted in the face of politics. But it felt personal because it is the one platform that gives everyone a chance to express their creativity and showcase their talents. 

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There have been numerous calls within the country by human rights campaigners to uplift the bans. As much as I want the ban to be unlifted, I cannot help but think we are headed towards a state with strict controls and censorship on the internet and print media. I find it rather daunting because social media seems like the one avenue where I can truly voice my opinions in a country where women are so often silenced. 

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Science

Understanding labor of love through the life of Maryam Mirzakhani

(Image credit: Courtesy Stanford News Service)
Courtesy Stanford News Service Professor Maryam Mirzakhani is the recipient of the 2014 Fields Medal, the top honor in mathematics.

“Life is not fair. I was born in a loving family. I was born with a smart head and had good people around me. I didn’t complain about how fair it is. Many people in this world don’t have these things. Why should I complain now?”

These are the words of the renowned mathematician, Maryam Mirzakhani, who passed away at the young age of 40 of recurrent cancer. Maryam is the first and the only woman mathematician, to have won the Fields Medal, considered an equivalent of the Nobel Prize.

The Fields Medal is awarded every four years, to persons who have made distinguished contributions to Mathematics. Maryam was honored for her groundbreaking work in studying the dynamics and geometries of curved surfaces. Born and raised in Tehran, Iran; Maryam showed exceptional brilliance in the subject during her middle school years, going on to complete a Ph.D. from Harvard University.

In terms of her achievements and her caliber as a mathematician, her life is nothing but exemplary. However, the more I read about Maryam, the more I see her as an artist, who simply loved what she did. To me, Maryam’s life is the definition of the labor of love, a quality that every creator must possess in order to produce the best work possible.

Through her values, she metamorphosed the idea of leading life with passion, becoming an example for the rest of the world to follow.

Maryam showed the world the value of enjoying the process. In her own words, she described herself as a “slow thinker”, who had the patience and the optimism to tackle the most challenging issues of theoretical mathematics.

Like a dreamer, she doodled over large white charts laid out onto the floor, scribbling formulae on the margins of her mathematical drawings.

The chart acted as her canvas and her ‘painting’ represented the beauty that she saw in solving a complex and time-consuming problem. Her drawings gave her a window to the possibilities that the geometric complexities represented, and with it the drive to find answers through them.

Another aspect of Maryam was her remarkable quality of being optimistically ambitious. She was undeterred in the face of tough mathematical problems, and found answers not just through sheer grit but also uncomplicated hope.

Her colleague, Alex Eskin, remembers, “She is very optimistic, and that’s infectious. When you work with her, you feel you have a much better chance of solving problems that at first seem hopeless.”

However, most importantly, Maryam held the simplest values in the highest regard as her way of life. She valued her family and her work, without caring much for distractions.

Her husband, Jan Vondrák reminisced this quality of hers, stating, “She didn’t worry about what people said. People criticized her. She really didn’t care. She knew what she wanted to do.”

Like a dreamer, she doodled over large white charts laid out onto the floor, scribbling formulae on the margins of her mathematical drawings.

Maryam’s fortitude and strong character were the reasons she continued working despite suffering from critical illness in her last years. She did not have answers when she began, but she had the uncompromising belief that she would figure them out eventually.

And that is the kind of force that can move mountains. As I discover more about Maryam, I believe that each one of us driven by a passion, can derive hope and strength from her life, and forge our way ahead.

Just the way Maryam did.

Categories
Health Care Love Science Wellness

This is what happens when your doctor doesn’t take your period seriously

[Image Descrition: Woman with a concerned and perplexed look at the left side of the camera.] via samakalikamalayalam.com

Recently, Indian social activist Shehla Rashid wrote a very personal note on Twitter, where she disclosed that she had been having suicidal thoughts over the last two weeks.

She described that her suicidal tendencies grew so much that one night she began searching for ways online to end her life. The following morning, she had her period. Perplexed, Shehla ran a google search “PMS+suicide” and discovered the medical condition called ‘premenstrual dysphoric disorder’ (PMDD).

PMDD is a severe form of physical and emotional stress that occurs before one’s period. It can cause extreme bouts of anxiety, severe depression, or sometimes anger and rage. Medically speaking, this condition is caused due to a heightened sensitivity to one’s reproductive hormones causing changes to brain chemicals that control the general mood and behavior.

However, PMDD is often diagnosed as pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), making those who have it suffer through extreme emotions in the weeks before their period. PMDD begins nearly 10 days before menstruation, during which someone can feel completely engulfed by extreme stress, and lapses the day period begins.

Most of us undergo PMS, which involves symptoms like mood swings, fatigue, headache, insomnia, anxiety and often unexplainable thoughts of sadness, and devise our own ways to handle it. While some prefer hot water bags and painkillers, for some a hot cup of green tea along or dark chocolate works.

Whatever the preference, PMS is a well-known and well-discussed condition.

PMDD, on the other hand, largely goes undiagnosed or wrongly diagnosed as PMS. According to studies, nearly 5% of people who menstruate have PMDD, with the number being 3 million in the US and almost 10 million in India.

Owing to its worrying psychological symptoms, PMDD in 2013, was termed as a depressive disorder in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic And Statistical Manual of Mood Disorders, released by the American Psychiatric Association.

So why is PMDD so unheard of?

The primary cause is that those who aren’t cis men – so cis women, trans people, and nonbinary people – are seldom taken seriously in a medical context. Consider the stereotype that people are always moody and irrational when they’re menstruating. The extent of normalizing emotional stress is such that we often ignore the serious indications of underlying medical conditions for years. PMDD is one such example. Gynecologists and medical practitioners alike will often misdiagnose PMDD as PMS, further making the treatment difficult.

So what can be done to understand and manage PMDD?

The most important way is the correct diagnosis. 

If you struggle with severe symptoms before your period, please consult a general practitioner or your gynecologist. They might suggest a blood test to determine your hormone levels. This would be beneficial in prescribing the right medication to manage hormonal imbalance.

The International Association For Premenstrual Disorders, has a PMDD Self-Screening Quiz that can be taken 1-2 weeks prior to one’s period. Using this test can enable you to distill your thoughts and have greater awareness around your own sexual health.

If diagnosed with PMDD, developing healthier habits can go a long way in improving one’s mental and physical health. These include: regular exercise, reducing caffeine and alcohol intake, practicing mindfulness and meditation, and incorporating healthy dietary supplements.

However, the most important manner to build more awareness around PMDD is to listen to menstruating people when they express concerns around reproductive health and respect what they feel. It is hard enough for people to be open about their sexual health and its issues, but it becomes harder when their concerns are brushed aside as mood swings.

A larger platform needs to be built in a manner that families, communities and professional spaces can understand PMDD and help those with the condition.

PMDD will only stop being misdiagnosed as PMS when that two-way communication is built.

Categories
Work Science Now + Beyond

This company just proved a 4-day work week is better

Image Description: A woman smiling whilst sat at a desk on her laptop Via Ellyot on Unsplash.com

In today’s day and age, achieving the perfect work-life balance has become one of the most ambitious goals for millennials across the globe.

Each one of us wants to exceed professional and personal expectations in the given 24 hours. These goals range from being there for your friends and family at all times, while at the same time accomplishing career milestones. It is, however, impossible to meet these expectations when on an average of 40 hours a week is spent in offices and professional spaces, with only weekends left to cater to personal commitments.

But, imagine if our work week shifted from being five days to four days with the same pay? Sounds incredible, right? It also happens to be a phenomenal success.

leaving long weekend GIF
Image Description: Homer Simpson walking backward into a bush with the caption “Leaving work early for a 3 day weekend like” Via Giphy.com

Perpetual Guardian, a company based in New Zealand, ran a six-week productive trial on their 240 employees, converting a five-day week to a four-day week without any changes to the employees’ payroll. The result of the trial concluded with a whopping 78% employees claiming to have managed better work-life balance along with showing consistent signs of productivity.

The trial further highlighted several positive reinforcements in workspaces, where employees felt that their employers cared for their overall well-being. This meant increased job satisfaction and eventually a drop in attrition rate. In addition to that, employees were better able to concentrate on their tasks and allocate the proper amount of time to each of them, completing it within four days.

The study also concluded that workers displayed signs of better team management.

However, the most crucial aspect that the trial highlighted was that despite having a shorter working week, employees did not feel stressed out or overwhelmed by the work.

On the other hand, they displayed healthy signs of owning their assignments, executing them with minimal work demands, and an overall psychological well-being.

This trial is a beacon of hope for millions of office-goers who suffer from mental exhaustion and a critical lack of work-life balance. But before this experiment becomes a reality, there are also other important work guidelines that I believe should become the norm:

  • No compulsion to check emails after office hours: I have found this to be one of the most anxiety-inducing habits that prevent us from plugging away from work. In 2017, France passed a law that mandated companies having more than 50 employees to define hours outside of which employees were not expected to send or reply to work emails.
  • Flexible lunch hours: While having flexible working hours in corporate setups globally might be a far-fetched dream, for now, maintaining a flexible lunch hour ensures that workers can divide their time between work and breaks as per their comfort.
  • No expectation to continue work at home after office: A lot of private organizations and often senior management, expect employees to finish off tasks after working hours. This implies that one is virtually still in office, answering emails, making calls and ensuring that the work is completed before 9 am the next day. This expectation is stifling to the healthy development of an individual and his/her personal life.

Workers spend 40 hours a week at offices and must have the time to grow and develop outside their work environments. The New Zealand trial paves a way for offices around the world to make their routines more conducive towards employees’ well being.

Respecting an employee’s personal time is one of the most important features that I have begun to recognize in senior leadership. It also prevents employee fatigue and inculcates healthier relationships in professional spaces.

Employees that have better social and personal relationships generally also tend to be friendlier, more helpful and positive towards their peers.

Plus, wouldn’t it be simply great to have a TGIT than a TGIF?