Was Queen Victoria a borderline nymphomaniac?

  BY: Victoria Heath This past weekend, millions of maple-loving Canadians celebrated Queen Victoria by frolicking in parks, playing hockey in the streets, and eating poutine in their cottages— basically, by being ideal Canadians. Most Canadians, however, have no idea…

In 1977 marijuana fell from the sky in Yosemite Valley, and now it’s a climber’s legend

  BY: Victoria Heath In 1977, a mysterious plane crash in California’s Yosemite Valley became an infamous climber’s tale; one that fits so perfectly with 1970s’ America that it almost seems fictitious. 1970s’ America, and its ‘Dirtbags.’ The 1970s was…

What it’s like to grow up as a Third-Culture-Kid in Saudi Arabia

  It was Orientation Week at Virginia Tech, and a pivotal moment. It was not only my induction into the world of university, but also my re-integration into life “stateside.” My group’s (stereotypically obnoxious) “Orientation Leader” instructed us to sit…

Are we self-censoring because of online surveillance?

BY: Victoria Heath It’s the biggest leak of government secrets in history, and it all started with a short message to journalist Glenn Greenwald, in December 2012. “I’ve got some stuff you might be interested in.” Just a few months…

Geek culture may be on the verge of a welcomed self-implosion.

BY: Victoria Heath In 2013 the Western world watched in mass confusion as teenagers everywhere wore T-shirts, tank tops and bags sporting the words “GEEK,” “NERD,” or “DORK.” At the time, adults wondered what the hell these kids were smoking.…

Now you can visit the majestic Canadian island where more than 500 wild horses roam freely

BY: Victoria Heath I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard you right. Did you say there’s an island with feral horses just running around, doing horse things? — Yeah, it’s freaking magical. On a recent trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia…

These journalists are cutting through the bullshit and fear mongering of today’s media

BY: Victoria Heath For people who actually want to “change the world,” or at least stop themselves from making it shittier, news today is extremely frustrating. It’s primarily negative, full of the same pointless rhetoric, and riddled with bickering hosts…

Hipster “discoveries” are overshadowing historic culture – and locals are pissed

BY: Victoria Heath Jeffrey Almonte is only 19 years old, but he’s already amassed fame on YouTube and Facebook. A native of East Harlem, Almonte has posted plenty of viral witty and humorous videos on his social media pages, but…

Forget the senior citizen center – grandmas are spending retirement at the casino

BY: Victoria Heath The year I turned 21, my dad took me to the Hollywood Casino & Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. I had actually been to a casino before during a family vacation to Las Vegas a few years…

It’s time to stop giving in to the imposter syndrome.

BY: Victoria Heath Speaking on a panel before me at a conference in Nova Scotia were five immensely successful, intelligent, and strong women who had made their mark in the field of security, a historically male-dominated, testosterone-filled industry. Even these women,…

Pakistan’s music scene is beyond anything you’ve ever heard.

BY: Victoria Heath In its true essence, music should transcend language, culture, religion and time. It is a window into a place, a community and an individual. More often than not, however, we tend to isolate ourselves musically by listening…

How politics, religion and education have been taken over by bullshit

By: Victoria Heath Leo Tolstoy, the Russian literary once wrote, “Yes, it is possible to sabotage the things that can erase us, but not without joy on our side. The complexity of the present time seems to demand an awakening…

Football hooliganism: a contrasting tale of Brits, Russians and Irishmen

BY: VICTORIA HEATH Smashed beer bottles, torn flags, blood spatters, broken chairs, empty tear gas canisters, and scraps of metal littered the streets of the usually tranquil seaside city of Marseille, France after a huge brawl between rival groups and police in…

These majestic train routes will change the way you travel.

By: Victoria Heath Human history is shaped by transportation, and the railroad in particular has become a sought-after time capsule for travelers to explore and romanticize. Every summer, teenage backpackers embark on weeklong journeys throughout Europe via rail as a…

Western feminists capitalizing on the experiences of others has led to the rise of McFeminism

­­­­ BY: Victoria Heath Too often, cable television turns into cringe-worthy segments featuring shouting-matches between guests and hosts, or an array of offensive, childish comments exchanged between “expert” panelists. These shows, headed by well-known political pundits and talking heads like…

Adult surf camp is the vacation that will pull you from the mundane and change your life

BY: Victoria Heath It’s 10 a.m., and you’ve been catching waves since sunrise. You lick the saltwater off your lips and rub your shoulder. It’s sore, but that’s just proof you’ve accomplished something. A week ago, you couldn’t even stand…

The YouTube channel that will make you less of an ignorant asshole

BY: Victoria Heath In 2011, Hank and John Green started the YouTube channel “Crash Course,” with the dream of making education entertaining for kids and adults. Within five years, however, their honest and personable educational videos have amassed over four million…

The fitness tracker you’re wearing is exposing sensitive information about you.

  BY: Victoria Heath I bet you were sold when you saw the 15-second Apple Watch ad featuring a sweaty Nick Jonas. Five seconds in, his angel face looked down at his Apple Watch to check his sprint time. Unsatisfied…

These islands might just disappear forever – but you can help save them.

  BY: Victoria Heath You’ve seen the notorious click-bait title: “Travel to these islands (and/or places) before they disappear forever.” One quick Google search and hundreds of hits appear. I’m irked by these “lists” and confused by their purpose. Am I…

A Recovering Bulimic Explores the Growing Prevalence of Eating Disorders in the United Arab Emirates

  BY: Victoria Heath Sitting on the dorm room floor, its cheap carpeting scratching my knees, I held a cold, aluminum trashcan in between my hands. I asked myself that weighted question, “How did I get here?” My personal lapse…