BY AMARI SUKHDEO

When I first picked up M. NourbeSe Philip’s Zong! I had no idea how to approach it. It wasn’t like any book I had ever read. The pages didn’t flow with neat, linear sentences; instead, they were scattered with fragmented words and phrases that seemed to: float, tumble, or drown across the space of the page. At first, I felt lost, unsure of how to read, or even understand what was in front of me. As I pressed on, that feeling of confusion began to mirror something deeper—an emotional and visceral reaction to the horror that the book explored.

Zong! is based on a horrifying historical event: the massacre of over 130 enslaved Africans aboard the Zong ship in 1781, who were thrown overboard so the ship’s owners could claim insurance for “lost cargo.” The only documentation of this atrocity is a cold, detached legal text from a court case, Gregson v. Gilbert. Philip uses this legal record as the foundation for her poetry, rearranging and breaking apart its language to reconstruct the unspeakable.

As I read, I realized the fragmented structure was not just artistic, but necessary. The disjointed, scattered words mimic the chaos and destruction experienced by the people aboard the Zong. The way Philip draws out words across the page sometimes leaving long stretches of silence forces you to feel the weight of that silence. It’s overwhelming. The gaps make you pause, leaving space for the unspeakable to sink in. The repetition of certain phrases made me feel as if I couldn’t catch my breath. It was disorienting, and at times it even made me feel physically sick when I thought about the reality behind the poetry.

What struck me most was how Philip uses language, or the breakdown of it to evoke the unspeakable trauma of the transatlantic slave trade. There is no straightforward narrative here because there cannot be one. The atrocity Philip is engaging with defies simple storytelling. By breaking apart the words and scattering them like debris, she mirrors the loss of lives, cultures, and identities that slavery inflicted. This wasn’t just a book to read, but an experience to endure, one that pulls you into its chaos and refuses to let you look away.

Emotionally, Zong! left me gutted. I found myself sitting in silence after finishing a section, trying to process the sheer weight of what I had just encountered. It’s not just the content, the unimaginable cruelty of throwing people overboard but the way the form makes you feel it. The confusion, the suffocation, the overwhelming nature of the text—it’s as if the book forces you to inhabit even a fraction of what those aboard the Zong might have felt.

Zong! isn’t an easy book to read, but it isn’t meant to be. It’s a book that confronts you with history in a way that no straightforward narrative ever could. By refusing to conform to traditional forms, Philip gives voice to the voiceless and makes space for mourning, reflection, and acknowledgment.

BY KAHA GEDI

Did you know that we can live one second of our lives without social media? Yes, I would have never guessed this truly rare phenomenon to be true!

Fortunately, it’s possible because people, including me, who spend more than two to three hours per day mindlessly scrolling are getting way out of hand. Recently, I found an amazing Forbes article titled “3 Things You’ll Notice During Your First ‘Digital Detox’—By a Psychologist.” In this article, I will be talking about the benefits of a ‘digital detox,’ and how taking a break from social media and screens refreshes our minds and routines.

We spend a sizable chunk of our day wasting time, checking our phones too early in the morning, and mindlessly scrolling through social media networks like: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. No matter how hard we try, we just cannot put it down. Forbes states that as the new year approaches, we will be reflecting on our habits, and goals, and ask introspective questions like “What will I change?” However, one question we do not ask enough is “What do I actually like?” This question is so simple yet now in the “digital age” we might have difficulty answering it.

The article talks about how much time is spent on these networks to the point that we have become out of touch with real-world activities that used to bring us joy. As well as, if we considered taking a break from social media entirely by deleting these apps off our phones, except the ones needed for work, or school of course like: YouTube, TikTok, and others (you would know more than I do), for at least a week, we’ll notice three things in our lives.

First, you will notice just how much time social media occupies in your day. You will reach for it, but then be met with the realization that you’ve deleted it. This happens quite often especially if this is your first detox because you can’t just get rid of something that’s been ingrained into your schedule so quickly. You also will notice how much it has held you hostage. Spending 45% of our waking hours on screens, which is nearly half our day excluding sleep, has extreme consequences such as: cognitive declines, slowed learning, lowered self-esteem and increased severity of mental health symptoms. This isn’t surprising, because more commonly than not people obsessed with social media use it to fill a void in their lives and ignore what they can’t seem to handle, or face. This can cause avoidant coping mechanisms.

According to Verywellmind,com, “Avoidance coping is a form of coping in which a person changes their behaviour to avoid thinking about, feeling, or doing difficult things. It involves trying to avoid stressors rather than dealing with them, which might seem like a great way to become less stressed, but this isn’t the case. More often than not, confronting a problem, or dealing with a stressor is the only way to effectively reduce the stress it causes.”

Secondly, we will find that the overwhelming amount of time we have will force us to explore old hobbies we used to enjoy whether that be: reading, writing, painting, etc. However, these activities feel harder, or less satisfying than they used to. Research suggests that excessive screen time can impact our cognitive abilities and enjoyment levels, making it harder to partake in hobbies that we used to enjoy.

Social media and the internet are designed to activate our brains’ reward systems, providing instant but shallow satisfaction. This constant “instant gratification” can make us not want to do other activities that require patience and focus. Over time, this can lead to anhedonia, which is the loss of pleasure in previously enjoyable activities. With a digital detox, people often find that past activities feel less immediately rewarding compared to scrolling on their phones. This change highlights how dependent we’ve become on screens for quick bursts of pleasure.

The first couple of days in the digital detox can be uncomfortable. Without the regular dopamine hits from social media, people often experience: boredom, restlessness, and even frustration. However, pushing through these moments gradually allows for a deeper reconnection with your favourite activities and yourself. While it may feel challenging, this process can be rewarding as people rediscover the satisfaction of completing a task, or engaging fully in a hobby without distraction.

Once it’s over, people find themselves using social media more mindfully, and they have a better chance of having: improved sleep, reduced anxiety, and an overall better mood. The detox helps us recognize that we indeed can live without hours of screen time, and how much life there is to live, even just in one day.

BY KAHA GEDI

Teaching isn’t just about giving information; it’s about creating learning experiences that students find interesting and useful. When teachers try new ways to connect with their students, learning becomes more exciting and not to mention meaningful. Here are five essential tips for schools and educators to support students.

Introducing Michigan Virtual, or LANSING, Mich, who unveiled a bold 2025-2030 Strategic Plan for transforming education. They are a leader in learning innovations and are sharing key tips for educators and schools to build off their new 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. This ambitious plan accentuates three strategic priorities: driving educational change, broadening student pathways, and powering professional learning. These efforts aim to address Michigan’s urgent need for educational talent development and provide innovative, technology-driven learning solutions for students and educators alike. These efforts aim to address Michigan’s urgent need for educational talent development and provide innovative, technology-driven learning solutions for students and educators alike. Other regions, including Toronto, Ontario can also learn from these strategies and use them to improve their own educational systems too.

To support both students and educators, schools should look to:

• Adopt new learning models: Schools should explore innovative educational measures like virtual training and project-based learning to meet diverse needs. These models allow students to engage in hands-on experiences that relate to real-world problems, helping them develop important skills like teamwork and critical thinking.
• Expand career pathways: Focus on integrating flexible, real-world learning experiences to prepare students for life beyond school. This could include: job shadowing, internships, or partnerships with local, or small businesses, giving students a chance to explore different careers and understand what skills are needed. I think this is a great idea because it diversifies students’ experiences and helps them get ready for the real world. It shows them how what they learn in school can be used in real-life situations. By taking part in these opportunities, students can make important connections and learn more about their future careers.
• Prioritize professional development: Investing in flexible learning opportunities to keep up with trends in education technology is crucial. Providing teachers with ongoing training helps them learn new tools and techniques, which they can then use to enhance their teaching and better support their students.
• Foster collaborative networks: Engaging with partners such as Michigan Virtual to introduce and attain system-wide transformations. Collaboration allows schools to share resources and best practices, creating a stronger support system for educators and students alike. By working together, schools can implement new ideas more effectively.
• Leverage technology: Use AI and other tech tools to create personalized, high touch learning environments that enhance student engagement. Technology can help make lessons to fit individual student needs, making learning more enjoyable and effective. For example, virtual reality experiences, which can be provided with a higher budget, and can be used once in while during classes, can definitely make lessons more interactive.

In conclusion, to make education better, teachers need to change how they connect with students. By trying new learning methods, offering real-world experiences, supporting teacher training, working together with partners, and using technology, schools can create meaningful learning experiences. Michigan Virtual plan shows that these ideas can help students and teachers today and prepare them for the future. By using these strategies, schools can improve learning and help students succeed.