Volume VI Health & Wellness
Commodifying Life: The Economics of Drug Patents
How patents allow unreasonable drug prices through the creation of pharmaceutical monopolies.
Written by: Hanwen Zhang | Edited by: Luke Chang | Graphic Design by: Janessa Techathamawong
Traveling to another country for affordable medication is one of the grim realities of the American healthcare system. Although policymakers have attempted to reduce the price of insulin through price caps and cuts, insulin prices have nonetheless dramatically risen over the past few decades: the cost for one vial of Humalog (a fast-acting type of insulin) rose from $21 in 1996 to $182 in 2024.
The Psychological Perspective of Hypnosis as a State of Consciousness
Written by: Morgan Nguyen | Edited by: Mariano Frare | Graphic Design by: Ziona Somy
Hypnosis often sounds like a hoax, something conjured for cheap laughs, where volunteers cluck like chickens on cue. But beneath the spectacle lies a practice far more nuanced and legitimate than its theatrical reputation suggests. Hypnosis is a real psychological phenomenon with scientific backing. Used for centuries to explore the mind, it is recognized as a legitimate tool in clinical psychology, helping with pain management and other conditions.
The mental mechanics behind procrastination and how to overcome it
Written by: Lauren Lu | Edited by: Mariano Frare | Graphic Design by: Annie Yuan
For the typical college student, myself included, hastily studying for exams, cranking out a paper the night before it's due, and starting homework late at night is not uncommon. In the moment, I'm miserable—I curse myself for postponing my work to the last minute and vow never to let it happen again. And yet, each time I successfully click that shiny "submit" button just before 11:59 p.m., I forget my lesson. It’s so easy to let this vicious cycle of procrastination repeat itself, but why does it happen in the first place?
Exploring the effectiveness of a “dopamine detox” to alleviate our reliance on social media platforms
Written by: Ziona Somy | Edited by: Selina Hui | Graphic Design by: Lauren Lu
Imagine this: It’s winter break, and you’ve survived a grueling stretch of exams. Exhausted, you plop onto the couch. Guess what you do? You instinctively reach for your phone, and before you know it, you’re deep into a session of “doom-scrolling,” instead of grabbing a meal with friends or diving into your favorite hobbies. Some would call this sullen state of idleness “addiction,” and unfortunately, addiction to easy entertainment forms such as social media is a prevalent issue today.
The rise of trends like “SkinnyTok” isn’t just annoying; it’s dangerous, and it needs to be curtailed before more people fall into the endless spiral of toxic diet culture.
Written by: Anjella Kang Lee | Edited by: Somya Mehta | Graphic Design by: Daniela Banda-Hernandez
As busy college students, we’ve probably all heard cliche phrases to encourage us to sleep more. For example, “sleep is the best medicine” or “get enough sleep, and everything else will fall into place,” but with endless assignments, late-night entertainment, and the influence of social media, quality sleep often takes a backseat, despite its crucial role in enhanced memory, growth, mood, and immunity.