We all have big dreams and ambitious goals we’d love to accomplish, like getting that major promotion while still having quality family time, getting fit and healthy despite a crazy busy schedule, or saving up enough to retire early and pursue our passions. The problem is that these huge, life-changing objectives can feel so daunting ... Read more

The post What is a Milestone? A SMART-er Approach to Achieving Your Life Goals appeared first on LifeHack.

Have you ever felt like you’re drifting through life, unsure of where you’re headed or what you’re working towards? If so, you’re not alone. Many of us find ourselves caught up in the day-to-day hustle, losing sight of our bigger aspirations and dreams. But what if there was a way to change that? What if ... Read more

The post Setting Life Goals: The Path to Fulfillment and Success appeared first on LifeHack.

Have you ever experienced that moment when you’re faced with an empty page, pen poised, ideas swirling in your mind but refusing to materialize into words? I can totally relate. It’s like standing on the edge of a cliff, captivated by the scenery yet hesitant to take that initial leap. But imagine if I shared ... Read more

The post Mind, Body, Soul: 30 Journal Prompts to Nurture Every Aspect of Your Life appeared first on LifeHack.

Ah, 2024. Another year, another set of resolutions gathering dust by February, right? Not this time. Let’s face it – we’ve all been there, setting lofty goals only to watch them fizzle out faster than a New Year’s Eve sparkler. But here’s the kicker: it’s not about cramming more into your day like it’s a ... Read more

The post How to Set and Crush Your Goals in 2024: Expert Tips and Examples appeared first on LifeHack.

Anxiety is something most of us are familiar with in one way or another. It can feel like a storm inside your mind, making even simple things feel overwhelming. Anxiety disorders are more common than ever, and while they can feel insurmountable, the right understanding and tools can make all the difference. In this article, ... Read more

The post A Practical Guide to Understanding Anxiety and Managing It Effectively appeared first on LifeHack.

Everyone goes through moments of doubt. Moments when the question of “what am I doing with my life?” feels more like a heavy weight than a fleeting thought. These times, often called existential crises, are not just about feeling lost or confused—they can be pivotal moments for personal growth. For example, a common existential crisis ... Read more

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Having the right questions can make all the difference when getting to know a guy, whether you’re building a friendship or exploring a romantic connection. Conversations are more than just words; they’re opportunities to spark curiosity, foster understanding, and build meaningful bonds. This guide provides questions that help you move beyond small talk and create ... Read more

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How do you build mutual respect, a quality that everyone values but few know how to cultivate consistently? We know it’s important—whether it’s in our personal relationships or at work—but actually developing and maintaining it can be challenging. This article is here to help you understand what mutual respect really means, why it matters, and ... Read more

The post Cultivating Mutual Respect: A Guide to Healthy Relationships appeared first on LifeHack.

Empathy is one of those quiet superpowers that can reshape our lives for the better. It isn’t flashy, but it has an impact everywhere—from our closest relationships to the way we interact at work, and even how we perceive our broader society. For example, consider a parent who takes the time to understand their child’s ... Read more

The post Empathy in Action: Techniques to Strengthen Relationships and Well-being appeared first on LifeHack.

Rapport is something we all seek, even if we don’t think about it every day. It’s that sense of connection, of feeling understood, and of moving smoothly with others in sync. Whether in our professional lives or at home, rapport matters—and it matters a lot more than we might realize. In today’s fast-paced, digital world, ... Read more

The post Mastering Rapport: Overcoming Challenges in Digital and In-Person Communication appeared first on LifeHack.

Words have the power to lift us up or tear us down, and nowhere is this more true than in our closest relationships. Understanding how language shapes our emotional connections can make all the difference between feeling deeply loved or feeling disconnected. One of the most potent tools for enhancing intimacy and trust in a ... Read more

The post Building Lasting Relationships Through Words of Affirmation appeared first on LifeHack.

Connecting with others is an essential part of both our personal and professional lives. Whether you’re meeting someone new, looking to break the ice at an event, or aiming to deepen an existing relationship, conversation starters can be more than just a casual question to fill the silence. They can be powerful tools for building ... Read more

The post How to Use Conversation Starters to Make Meaningful Connections appeared first on LifeHack.

Self-love is a topic we hear about often, but putting it into practice can feel elusive, like trying to hold onto something that keeps slipping away. You know it’s there, but it’s hard to hold on to. The concept of self-love involves valuing oneself and letting go of toxic influences. It’s about stepping back from ... Read more

The post A Guide to Self-Love: From Overcoming Doubt to System-Based Growth appeared first on LifeHack.

Breaking up with someone is often one of the most difficult experiences we face. It can feel as though your entire world has shifted, leaving you disoriented and unsure of what comes next. But even amid the pain, a breakup can also be a profound opportunity for growth. This journey—one of rediscovering who you are, ... Read more

The post How to Get Over Someone: A Step-by-Step Guide to Moving On with Your Life appeared first on LifeHack.

Stress is a common experience that can either drive us toward success or hinder our progress if not managed effectively. What if you could understand stress better and turn it into something you can handle and even benefit from? This article will guide you through practical strategies for managing stress by blending effective techniques with ... Read more

The post Mastering Stress Management: A Guide to Thriving, Not Just Surviving appeared first on LifeHack.

Resilience is the key to transforming challenges into opportunities for personal growth. It’s not just about bouncing back from setbacks—it’s about thriving despite them. Resilience is not something you either have or you don’t. Instead, it is a skill you can cultivate and strengthen over time. In this article, we’ll explore the multifaceted nature of ... Read more

The post How to Develop Resilience: Key Steps for Thriving Through Adversity appeared first on LifeHack.

Self-reflection may seem simple, but it holds the power to transform your life in surprising ways. It’s about taking the time to pause, look inward, and really understand your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. But why should anyone care? Well, because understanding yourself is the first step to improving anything about your life. Whether it’s better ... Read more

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A few years ago, I bought two orange traffic cones at a hardware store for twenty bucks. It was one of the best, most stress-relieving purchases I made. Parking space is scarce in big cities. In our car-centered culture, the rare days you absolutely need a large truck in a precise place can be a […]

Despite, well, everything, we are trying to get back into the classroom as much as we can at the start of a new academic year. I am scheduled to teach Introduction to Sociology for the first time this coming spring and planning the course this fall. Whether in person or remote, I will be ecstatic […]

As the new year brings in a new peak in COVID cases across the country, we all have a right to feel a little down in the dumps. One trend picked up by surveys earlier in the pandemic was a drop in self-reported happiness. Now, with a new year of General Social Survey data released, […]

It is good to be a Korean today because the world is fascinated with Koreanness, from K-pop to K-dramas, K-movies, K-food, K-fashion, and K-beauty. It is no exaggeration to say that Korean culture has become synonymous with being cool and being hip. Things were quite different, however, not too long ago. It was around 2018 […]

Social networks are a great way to introduce people to the power of Sociology. In my Intro class, I make a point to show students the way their social networks shape the spread of divorce, how people ask for help, and the surprisingly tangled world of dating. Now there’s a new take on networks – […]

Lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on all kinds of social behaviors, from discrimination to civic engagement and protests. What effect has the pandemic had on more extreme behaviors, like terrorist attacks from groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)? Many armed actors, such as ISIS, threatened to use the […]

In recent years, sociologists have given attention to hookup culture and other modern forms of dating. Too often, however, this discussion ignores the experiences of trans people, and occasionally it focuses too narrowly on the college campus, ignoring the current prevalence of dating apps among many age groups. Focusing on trans experiences is especially important, […]

Picture this. Walking down 135th street in Harlem, you spot a park in the distance. As you walk closer, you hear a basketball bouncing and kids yelling. It’s a small, outdoor court, well-maintained with fresh paint and a sturdy chain-link fence surrounding it. The ball is constantly in motion, being passed, dribbled, and shot from […]

Television distorts, mocks and marginalizes fat people. Fat characters are reduced to caricatures whose stories and identities aren’t developed and don’t matter. In one study by Tzoutzou et al., all 36 compliments about appearance given to women were for thin women. Not one positive message was included for a woman of an average or overweight […]

Over the course of the past year, M&M’s have been plastered all over the news, social media, and even Super Bowl commercials. In January 2022, Mars Wrigley gave the brown M&M shorter heels and replaced the green M&M’s boots with sneakers in a push toward more inclusive marketing.  What resulted was outrage. Tucker Carlson became […]

A recent photo from Dina Litovsky showing a model’s inflamed feet in slingback heels went viral, with reposts from National Geographic and a whole host of Instagram influencers. The photo garnered just over 500k likes and comments criticizing the prioritization of beauty over pain. This is not the first time these images have gone viral. […]

How are borders made? State borders are the product of political conflict, nationalist discourse, unequal economic systems, and, as this essay shows, significant public financial investment. Public policy and political narratives naturalize state borders, often hiding how their origins are arbitrary and violent. State borders often mark space following war and conflict, but they also […]

Societies grow and change all the time, but it can be tough to think about big-picture shifts when you’re living through the practical details of the day to day. Take the recent popularity of large language models (LLMs). In the short term, we face important sociological questions about how they fit into the norms of […]

In recent weeks, we’ve seen multiple examples of women on the political right straddling two kinds of womanhood: the girlboss and the tradwife. The visibility of these women exposes a hidden link between conservative womanhood and girlboss feminism that deserves our attention.  Katie Britt broadcast her response to the State of the Union from her kitchen. Michelle […]

One of the biggest challenges and joys I have in teaching Introduction to Sociology is making ideas like social construction, cultural objects, or bureaucracy visible and intuitive to students. A big part of our value as a general education course is in showing students how to use these ideas in the world. I make a […]

Thomas Taverner published this remarkable problem in the Dubuque Chess Journal in 1889. White is to mate in two moves.

Apocryphal but entertaining: Allegedly the Duke of Wellington sent this letter to the British War Office during the Peninsular War of 1808-1814: Gentlemen: Whilst marching to Portugal to a position which commands the approach to Madrid and the French forces, my officers have been diligently complying with your request which has been sent by H. M. ship from London to Lisbon and then by dispatch rider to our headquarters. We have enumerated our saddles, bridles, tents, and tent poles, and all manner of sundry items for which His Majesty’s Government holds me accountable. I have dispatched reports on the character,...

A problem from the January-February 1991 issue of Quantum: Prove that the area of the yellow rectangle is half that of the full octagon.

“We discover in ourselves what others hide from us, and we recognize in others what we hide from ourselves.” — Vauvenargues

When Qantas’ last Boeing 747 departed Australia to retire in the United States, it drew a kangaroo with its flight path.

Say what you will about hell, it’s very well organized. According to the 17th-century grimoire Ars Goetia, the underworld is ruled by 72 demons, each with its own sigil (above) and served by a sort of infernal bureaucracy: Aim (also Aym or Haborym) is a Great Duke of Hell, very strong, and rules over twenty-six legions of demons. He sets cities, castles and great places on fire, makes men witty in all ways, and gives true answers concerning private matters. He is depicted as a man (handsome to some sources), but with three heads, one of a serpent, the second...

Franz Liszt’s 1851 étude “La Campanella” is one of the most technically demanding pieces ever written for piano. In bar 102, below, the left hand has to jump 35 half-steps, nearly three octaves, in the space of a sixteenth note. That’s about 46 centimeters.

An optical illusion. These circles are concentric. (Baingio Pinna and Richard L. Gregory, “Shifts of Edges and Deformations of Patterns,” Perception 31:12 [December 2002], 1503-1508.)

TO WIDOWERS AND SINGLE GENTLEMEN. — WANTED by a lady, a SITUATION to superintend the household and preside at table. She is Agreeable, Becoming, Careful, Desirable, English, Facetious, Generous, Honest, Industrious, Judicious, Keen, Lively, Merry, Natty, Obedient, Philosophic, Quiet, Regular, Sociable, Tasteful, Useful, Vivacious, Womanish, Xantippish, Youthful, Zealous, &c. Address X. Y. Z., Simmond’s Library, Edgeware-road. — Times, 1842

On May 19, 1914, G. Howell Parr of Baltimore lay down and rolled three continuous miles to win a bet of $1,000. Details, from the New York Times: Wagered $1,000 he could roll three miles. Made the time limit June 1. Started at 8 o’clock last night from the Elk Ridge Kennels. Finished at 11:10 A M. to-day at Charles Street and University Parkway. Rolled fifteen hours and ten minutes, with intermissions for rest. Covered approximately 15,840 feet, or about three miles. Took about four feet to a roll. Made about 3,960 rolls. Won the $1,000. Every time he rolled...

IKEA hacks that go viral? It’s often the simplest ideas, brilliantly executed, mixed with a healthy dose of “It’s so easy, even you can do it” appeal. The latest sensation comes from Ayse Balci of @interiorundco, whose stylish DIY project has been turning heads on Instagram, amassing an impressive 115,000 likes and counting. Have you seen it yet? It’s a fantastic DIY project that transforms the popular and affordable 13 3/4″ LACK side table into a stylish chrome cube side […]

The post How a Basic IKEA Table Became a Viral Sensation (So Easy Anyone Can DIY It) appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

We’ve all seen the IKEA LACK shelf. Many of us have probably installed one or two in our homes. It’s practical, unassuming and one of the most popular IKEA pieces for budget-friendly decor. But just when we thought we’d seen it all, design producer Justin Miller who goes by the handle @miztermiller on Instagram, gives this humble shelf a fresh twist and got us looking at the simple, chunky shelf with renewed fondness. Miller’s latest hack transforms five 74-inch LACK […]

The post The IKEA Hack That Turned the Ugliest Wall into a Striking Focal Point appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

IKEA has just unveiled a major upgrade to its beloved PAX wardrobe system, introducing a new foldable frame design. This innovation tackles head-on the long-standing challenges PAX customers have grappled with for years. IKEA makes two bold claims that have caught our attention: first, they promise to slash assembly time by half, and second—brace yourselves—they suggest you can now “fold-up the PAX and go” when it’s time to move. These upgrades could be a game-changer for both assembly and relocation. […]

The post The New PAX Wardrobe: IKEA’s Boldest Claims Yet (And We’re Excited To Test) appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

The IKEA NÄMMARÖ storage box serves as a practical solution for the garden and balcony, functioning well as an outdoor storage box and bench. Made from acacia, a naturally durable hardwood, it is pre-treated to withstand the sun, rain, stains, and general wear and tear. However, the loose lid can be a pro or con, depending on your specific needs and space configuration. For John Sharpe, the design was a bit of an inconvenience. “The original box has no hinges,” […]

The post A Quick Fix Makes This IKEA Outdoor Storage Box So Much More Accessible appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

Is it too early to start talking about Christmas decor? Probably. But when IKEA drops a genius item like the VINTERFINT Wall Decoration, we can’t keep it under wraps. This space-saving tree is exactly the kind of clever solution we at IKEAhackers love. While nothing quite matches the magic of a traditional live tree, the VINTERFINT offers a chic alternative for those with tight spaces. As homes shrink and urban living spaces become more compact, the traditional Christmas tree is […]

The post IKEA’s New Charming Christmas Tree Is Winning Over Small-Space Dwellers appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

Sometimes the best hacks are the ones hiding in plain sight, just waiting for a bright spark to shine light on it. Süreyya Tuncer of @sues_daily took a simple IKEA MOSSLANDA picture ledge and turned it into an affordable curtain pelmet. I’ve come across lots of picture ledge hacks over the years but this is the first time I’ve seen it used this way. It’s a straightforward repurposing of the ledge yet this simple twist made a stark difference. Süreyya […]

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Have you ever stepped into a home and immediately felt that warm, welcoming atmosphere? It’s such a delightful experience, isn’t it? While IKEA offers lots of choices for cozy home decor, it can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, making it easy to choose pieces that don’t quite fit together. Your space may end up disjointed and cluttered, which is the opposite of the relaxing atmosphere you’re aiming for. And as if navigating the IKEA maze isn’t tricky enough, sifting through […]

The post Can’t Get The Cozy Home Vibe? Here’s What You’re Missing appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

When I first started working in the big city, my friends and I rented a house. I always tried to make my little room as cozy and personal as possible, beyond the basic bed and wardrobe that came with the place. And I made sure to leave it in as good, if not better, condition than when I moved in. Later in life, I had the opportunity to rent out a property. Unfortunately, I experienced the frustration of having my […]

The post 17 Sneaky Ideas for a Rental Makeover Your Landlord Won’t Spot appeared first on IKEA Hackers.