Tuesdays with Muerte

Introduction I listened to the lyrics to the AJR song,  BANG!  for the first time today and immediately noticed its connection to suicide. Curious why this wasn't obvious to more people, I googled it and discovered that I may be  one of the few people who think this way. I'm not crazy, right? Pexels.com Song Analysis Listen to the chorus: "Everybody come hang (come hang). Let's go out with a bang. Bang! Bang! Bang!" These repeated words brought to my mind a couple of terrifying statistics:  Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death for college-age youth and youth ages 12-18 ( CDC WISQARS ) The two leading methods of suicide (in high-income countries) are hanging and firearms ( The Parent Resource Program ). As I continued to examine the song lyrics, I realized EVERYTHING about the song supported my interpretation. This radio hit doesn't necessarily glorify suicide. It's more of a social commentary on the frustrating plight of American youngsters. It ...

Pexels Brigham Young University (BYU) students, like students anywhere else, are susceptible to the winter blues. Here are some common ways students might cope with the winter season: Outdoor Activities : Taking advantage of  winter intramural sports and activities  can be a great way to stay active and enjoy the season. Additionally, students might prefer going out on their own by taking advantage of local, world-class skiing or snowboarding resorts Alta or Snowbird , or simply taking a walk in the snow. Don't like the cold? Soak in the sunshine by heading to St. George for a day. Indoor Recreation : Keep up with exercise routines and plan weekly activities to break the winter routine. BYU and Provo offer indoor recreational facilities where students can engage in activities like pickleball, or  swimming at the Richards Building (RB), rock climbing at the Quarry, or playing indoor activities with friends during open court times at the RB gyms. Whatever indoor activit...