There are blogs, books, podcasts—an entire industry devoted to gratitude. There are gratitude journals, complete with prompts in case you are stumped about how to express it. There are gratitude experts: Dr. Robert Emmons, a psychologist and professor, and Gretchen Rubin, blogger and author of “The Happiness Project.” There’s scientific research touting the many health […]
Why do some people not care about facts? In the Digital Misinformation Age, critical thinking is often replaced with more immediate forms of gratification. In general, whether we like it or not, much of our behavior is unconsciously caused. Reward seeking behavior driven largely by the pleasure center of our brain provides one of the […]
Having grown up playing video games almost my entire life, I have always had a deep-rooted love for them – so much so that they became the focus of my academic research, and a big component of my teaching. In my several years of experience teaching gaming-related courses and now helping to develop Emmanuel College’s […]
On October 1, 1950, the Boston Globe published an article on the feast of Saint Rosalia, the patron saint of Palermo. As the colorful and festive event unfolded in the Italian North End, a member of the processional band, the tuba player, was captured in a photo eating “a piece of pizza, famous Italian tomato-spice-cheese […]
“Life is a succession of lessons,” counseled nineteenth-century writer Ralph Waldo Emerson, “which must be lived to be understood.” The Emmanuel community is being schooled in some difficult lessons as together we navigate the abrupt pivot to a remote campus and fully online teaching. Faculty and students alike mourn for daily routines now completely upended. […]
Can you spare a square? It is hard to process just how quickly the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has forced itself upon us. Part of its devastating effects have been in its relentless pace. As I am writing, the World Health Organization (WHO) moved to classify COVID-19 an official pandemic one week ago. President Trump then […]
On the evening of Monday, June 4th, I was sitting in a dimly lit theater enjoying a getaway after finals and graduation. Determined to disconnect for a week, I wasn’t checking social media, I’d switched off CNN, and I was blissfully unaware of what was happening in American pop culture. Until an iPhone screen lit up […]
It’s difficult to argue the benefits of study abroad for college students—cultural immersion, language skills, new friends and professional connections, personal development and, for some, graduate school and career opportunities. But many students are unable to dedicate an entire semester to traditional international travel, due to financial constraints or an already rigorous course load. Since […]
Trust in American government has dropped dramatically over the past 60 years. In the early 1960s, more than 75% of Americans judged their government to do what was right all or nearly all of the time. Today, that figure stands at less than 20%. But, not all Americans trust or distrust equally. Using 25 waves […]
One of the first things students considering a major in writing need to understand is that they do not have to be geniuses to be good writers. The myth of the writer as genius is probably the single greatest obstacle that otherwise interested, talented and hardworking students have to overcome to pursue a career path […]
About Insights
Insights is a collaborative blog in which members of Emmanuel College’s administration, faculty and staff share their authentic viewpoints, perspectives, thought leadership and examples of scholarly work. Focusing on the needs and curiosities of both prospective and current students, the blog provides an opportunity for readers to seek out, learn from and make connections with the greater Emmanuel community.
About Emmanuel
Many colleges talk about being "in the Boston area," but Emmanuel is at the city's very heart. This means unparalleled access to world-class internships, cultural experiences, recreation and more just steps from campus.