Blog #3

Favorite Online Newspapers:

1. The Harbinger Online - The website, with its big, bold. colorful fonts, gives the reader/visitor a very strong first impression. The stories are updated often; even yesterday, at least two were updated. The overall theme is very well balanced, and the website is very user-friendly, not overly complicated, and easy to navigate. Stories are very relevant and interesting, especially to students.

2. Point of View - The articles here are more opinionated and political. Some topics include bankruptcy, immigration reform, and executive decisions in the White House. The website gives a very technical and professional feel, and gives me a very intellectual impression of the student body. I find the polls to be very interesting because people actually go on it and vote; the opinions are varied which opens the floor to possible discussion.

3. The Tower Pulse - When I first clicked on the website, I immediately noticed the graphic change of the big picture headlines at the top of the page. I really like this site because the topics are highly, highly relevant to students as well as society. Just yesterday were the Oscars, and within a 24-hour period, there is already there is an article talking about the highlights of the night. The topics do not only cater to the movie culture, but other pop culture and trends as well, like Twitch Plays Pokemon.

Best of SNO:

1. "Ignore Dehydration Symptoms at Your Own Risk" - I am drawn particularly towards the headline; it is as if the article is challenging you to read it, and that's how I think headlines should be: compelling. Reading the article brings me into the point of view of someone who is actually undergoing dehydration, which is an important aspect of the story's impacts to the reader, especially because it highlights clear symptoms, which people may or may not recognize as the onset of something very serious.

2. "Self-harm is Damaging but Treatable" - This article focuses on a very sensitive topic that prevalent yet often avoided in society. Though cutting and self-harm can be viewed with a certain social stigma, the article takes a very direct approach to addressing the causes and effects of such a damaging action. Such strong writing can also enable sufferers to reach out and find help, as if they were to read the article, they would realize that they aren't the only ones going through such an ordeal and that there is a very possible way to help them out of their mentality.

Features Editor
Michelle Huang