Pop Culture Media’s Role in Helping Fans Cope

I’ve been thinking about the many ways that people cope with their life circumstances, and how infrequently we talk about our coping mechanisms with others. When my husband’s mother first passed away, sleep was a difficult time for him. He frequently woke up in the middle of the night in a panic, or in tears following nightmares related to his mother’s death. He’d have vivid nightmares...

A Beginning: Discovering Literary Elements in Castles and Everyday Places

Back in high school, I never considered myself much of a reader or writer. Sure, I loved reading manga and challenging my writing skills in anime RPG forums, but it was all non-academic to me. My teachers always seemed disappointed or disinterested in these hobbies, so I wrote them off as being purely entertainment. It wasn't until years later that I made the connection that my hobbies could be studied and used for growth and academics...