Everyday Psychology

  BLOG #8- Love Language Cross-Culturally- November 28th, 2024 Love languages are a popular topic on social media these days—basically, the idea that everyone has their own way of expressing love in a romantic relationship. Whether it’s physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, or gifts, we all have our preferred way of both giving and receiving love. It’s a pretty interesting concept, but now that I’ve been studying cultural psychology, it makes me think about how these love languages might actually reflect the culture we’re a part of. Heine’s (2016) book on cultural psychology discusses how culture shapes how we view and interact with the world, including how we approach romantic relationships. He talks about three main elements that differentiate what I’ll call “love language” across cultures: Passion, Intimacy, and Commitment. For instance, in Western cultures, things like physical touch and words of affirmation might be seen as essential to expressin...

  BLOG #7- Similarity-Attraction Effect, November 27th, 2024 As I’ve mentioned in other blogs, moving to university was a pretty scary experience for me. Coming from a small town in Newfoundland, I’d been friends with the same twelve girls my whole life. The thing that brought us so close was our shared childhood. So, when I arrived at St. Francis Xavier University, I was excited but definitely nervous about meeting new people and building a new friend group. My best friend Maggie, who also came from Newfoundland and shares those same friends with me, joked in our first year that our goal was to "replicate" our friend group from home. At the time, it felt like such a silly, impossible idea. Fast forward four years, and somehow, I’ve managed to find twelve amazing friends here at StFX. What’s wild is how similar they are to my friends back home. When my university friends came to Newfoundland, it was like magic—everyone clicked instantly like they’d known each other forever. I...

BLOG #6- How University Influenced My Sense of Self- November 25th, 2024 As my university career comes to an end and I prepare to tackle post-graduate opportunities, a heavy feeling weighs on my heart. Coming to St. Francis Xavier University was about more than academics—it was about independence, building a new life, forming new friendships, and stepping out of my comfort zone by moving from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia. The person I was when I first stepped onto the StFX campus is entirely different from the person now preparing to take a leap beyond this small, familiar community. Looking back at how much I’ve grown over these past years fills me with both pride and nervousness. I love the person I am today, but the thought of who I might become after university brings its own anxieties. How have I changed so much already? And how much more will I change? My identity is shaped by both independent and interdependent views of self. When I first arrived at university, I was focused on d...

BLOG #5- Surviving Exam Seasons- November 25th, 2024 As a university student, exam season often feels like a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s an opportunity to showcase everything I’ve learned. On the other, it brings an avalanche of stress and pressure that can easily overshadow my well-being. When exams roll around, it’s easy to fall into the trap of prioritizing study sessions over everything else. I often find myself glued to my textbooks, sacrificing sleep, social interactions, and even my gym routine. This relentless focus on academics not only harms my mental health but also takes a toll on my physical well-being. With that in mind, I want to share a personal experience that highlights the dangers of neglecting mental health. This summer, I took the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), and my stress levels were through the roof. I knew it would be a difficult and time-consuming process, but I wasn’t fully prepared for the intense mental strain it would bring. It felt like...