Golden Cosmos

Be Seen, Be Heard

A Collection to Empower LI1 Students’ Voices

Edited by:

Prof. Zoraida Risso Patrón

Mgtr. Ma. Angélica Verdú

Prof. Alex William Martínez

Prof. Vanesa Andrea Reyes

E-book Design:

Student Assistant: Camila Yasmín Páez

2024

Be Seen, Be Heard: A Collection to Empower LI1 Students’ Voices

1. Preface

2. Empowering our voices to prevent violence

2.1. Fanaticism by Afione, L. B., Schwallier, M. V., Reumann, A. and Prieto Romero, L.

2.1.1. Non-fiction piece: “Football and Mania”

2.1.2. Fictional piece: “Violence at the Stadium”

2.2. Toxic Relationships by Mei, A. T., Paillamán, C., Romay, M. V. and Sánchez, M. L.

2.2.1. Non-fiction piece: “The Impact of Toxic Relationships on Young Adults’ Mental Health”

2.2.2. Fictional piece: “Letting Go to Grow”

2.3. Relationships Matter by Giménez, M., Salazar, E., Torres, B. and Torres G.

2.3.1. Non-fiction piece: “Awareness about Toxic Relationships”

2.3.2. Fictional piece: “The Boy who is Still Standing”

2.4. Cancel Culture by Asencio, M., Fernández, A. and Michelena, A.

2.4.1. Non-fiction piece: “The Implications of Cancel Culture”

2.4.2. Fictional piece: “Trina Is Over Party”

3. Empowering our voices to embrace identity

3.1. Growing Up as Girl in the 2000’s by Alfaro, O., Beloso, G., Zalazar, R. A. and Zapata, D. J.

3.1.1. Non-fiction piece: “A 21st Century Girl”

3.1.2. Fictional piece: “The Doll in the Attic”

3.2. The Invisibility of Bisexuality by Cady, Y. F., Castro, D., Hernández, M. A. and Huenchullanca, M. A.

3.2.1. Non-fiction piece: “Unseen and Unheard: The Invisible Battle of Bisexuality”

3.2.2. Fictional piece: “The Night She Met Her”

3.3. Neurodivergent Women by Fuentes Sepúlveda, F., Heredia, L., Iglesias, A. and Pedone, M.

3.3.1. Non-fiction piece: “Exploring Female Autism”

3.3.2. Fictional piece: “On The Outside”

4. Empowering our voices to improve our well-being in the 21st century

4.1. Students’ burnout by Godoy, A. S., López, F. A., Mora, C. and Morales, E.

4.1.1. Non-fiction piece: “What the Local Agenda is Missing out”

4.1.2. Fictional piece: “Bearing Heaven’s Weight”

4.2. Video Games by Abad, J., Almuna, M., Brosco, R. and Martínez, E.

4.2.1. Non-fiction piece: “The Dangers of Video Games”

4.2.2. Fictional piece: “A Gamer Friend”

4.3. Video Games and Mental Health by Bonnat, Z., Paredes, O. A., Saavedra, B. and Velozo, L.

4.3.1. Non-fiction piece: “The Impact Video Games Have on Children’s Cognition”

4.3.2. Fictional piece: “Insanity is No Excuse for Bad Manners!”

4.4. Social Pressures in YA by Cabezas, B., Escalante, M., Grandón, C. and Ferrari, N.

4.4.1. Non-fiction piece: “Social Pressures in our Century: The Negative Impacts on Our Mental Health”

4.4.2. Fictional piece: “A Step into the Unknown”

4.5. Brains and Bodies by Aguirre Santana, S. C., Bulgheroni, D., Fernández, F. N. and Marzeniuk, M.

4.5.1. Non-fiction piece: “The Pitfalls of Technology”

4.5.2. Fictional piece: “The Morning the Sun Shone Again”

5. Empowering our voices to create new (job) opportunities

5.1. Entrepreneurs and ‘Bolucompras’ by Balbontin, M., Piergentili Villarruel, A, Sanchez, S. and Sieben, L.

5.1.1. Non-fiction piece: “The Growing Trend of Small Entrepreneurships in Argentina”

5.1.2. Fictional piece: “Freaky Fair”

5.2. AI Technological Advances by Barra Contreras, F., Ortiz, R., Roa Drexler, R. and Wagner Figueroa, E.

5.2.1. Non-fiction piece: “Are We Really Replaceable?”

5.2.2. Fictional piece: “Nothing was Lost”

5.3. Save the Planet, Save Ourselves by Couffignal, L., Gortan, M. P., Montecino Saez, B. A. and Quidel, A.

5.3.1. Non-fiction piece: “Save the planet, save ourselves”

5.3.2. Fictional piece: “Irreversible”

6. Bibliography

7. The Project

Preface

The theoretical foundations that inform best practices in the realm of education have determined that Project Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional method that ought to be applied in different learning environments more frequently given its well-documented benefits (Mergendoller, 2018; Main, 2022). Thus, applying this method in the context of teaching English as a Foreign Language has been one of the objectives of Lengua Inglesa 1 (LI1), a course taught in the second year of the Teacher and Translator Training Programmes at Facultad de Lenguas, Comahue University, Argentina. At the onset of this year-long subject, students start with a B1 level (CEFR) and are expected to reach a B2 level, developing the four macro skills of reading, listening, writing and speaking. It has been within this context that the project titled Be Seen, Be Heard: how your ideas can change the world has been designed, taking the theoretical tenets of PBL into account. Apart from this, it has always been a priority for the LI1 Team to align each activity, task or project to the subject’s objectives, which mainly aim at: raising students’ awareness of accurate language use, encouraging the development and appropriation of learning strategies, fostering students’ organisational skills and gradual autonomy development, strengthening learners’ motivation, promoting academic integrity and nurturing critical reflection.

As with many other creative processes, the inception of Be Seen, Be Heard has not happened in a vacuum. The LI1 Teaching Team’s experience resulting from action-research and the two main sources of inspiration - Ted Clubs (Anderson, 2016) for secondary school students and the book The Weight of Light: A Collection of Solar Futures (Eschrich & Miller, 2018) - have been foundational to its design. In this project learners are tasked with going through a multi-step group process which offers ample opportunities for them to value the power of their voices when they unite, while also using the English language to do so. To such purpose, in Stage 1, Inspire, students discuss matters of their interest to decide on a topic they deem central to either the local/national or international agenda. During Stage 2, Build & Develop, in subgroups, they have to: a) prepare an argumentative piece or an interview in the format of a podcast, explaining two reasons why their chosen theme should be on today’s agenda, including evidence based on experts’ claims, and b) write a short story, where the theme selected is clearly addressed, supplemented by the production of an audio-visual or audio representation. Finally, through Stage 3: Share, two final tasks are proposed: a Meet and Greet event and a publication. The Meet and Greet event is held with students from a private, local secondary school to provide both groups of learners with a chance to showcase their productions as a result of similar yet different didactic proposals. The publication consists in an e-book with all the productions university learners created to be shared at a larger scale. The complete guidelines of Be Seen, Be Heard: How your ideas can change the world can be accessed at the end of this work.

What the reader will find in this e-book is the compilation of learners’ productions as a result of having embarked on the completion of this group project carried out during a two-month period of time in the second semester. Due to the fact that students had freedom to select topics relevant to their interests, values and lives, the variety of themes addressed is unique. Yet, in an attempt to establish some type of unifying principle, the year’s course motto “Empowering our voices” has been used to divide this compilation into sections under broad themes that may encompass the sub-themes tackled in the different groups. To give you a sneak preview of the contents you will find in this compilation, here is a list of the sections and each of the topics learners have explored and expressed their critical views on:

1. Empowering our voices to prevent violence: Fanaticism, Toxic Relationships, Relationships Matter and Cancel Culture.

2. Empowering our voices to embrace our identity: Growing Up as a Girl in the 2000’s, The Invisibility of Bisexuality and Neurodivergent Women.

3. Empowering our voices to improve our well-being in the 21st century: Students’ Burnout, Video Games, Video Games & Mental Health, Social Pressures in YA and Brains & Bodies.

4. Empowering our voices to create new opportunities: Entrepreneurs & ‘Bolucompras’, AI Technological Advances and Save the Planet, Save Ourselves.

You can navigate this e-book the way you deem best, but try not to skip reading about the authors who have been the active participants in this Project Based Learning experience.

Regards,

The Lengua Inglesa 1 Team












Zori, Angie, Alex, Vane & Cami

References

Anderson, C. (2016). TED talks: The official TED guide to public speaking: Tips and tricks for giving unforgettable speeches and presentations. Hachette.

Eschrich, J. & Miller, C. A. (2018). The Weight of Light: A Collection of Solar Futures. Arizona State University. https://csi.asu.edu/story/bigurban/#snake

Main, P. (2022, September 26) Project-Based Learning. Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/project-based-learning

Mergendoller, J. (2018). Defining High Quality PBL: A Look at the Research. hqpbl.org. https://hqpbl.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Defining-High-Quality-PBL-A-Look-at-the-Research-.pdf


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BE SEEN, BE HEARD

Empowering our voices to prevent violence

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Empowering our voices to create new (job) opportunities

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Empowering our voices to embrace our identity

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Bibliography

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Empowering our voices to improve our well-being in the 21st century

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The Project

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FANATICISM

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Meet the authors in Group 1

Millie Victoria Schwallier was born in Villa Regina on 27th March, 2004. She currently lives in Ingeniero Luis A. Huergo. She is a student at the Translator Training course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue (UNCo). She loves pets, reading, dancing, singing, and music. Her favourite artists are BTS, Little Mix, and Faouzia.

Alex Reumann was born in Villa Regina on 28th May, 1998. They live in General Roca. They are a student at the Teachers’ Training course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue. They love animals, hockey, food, sleeping, travelling around the world and they love listening to music when they wake up everyday.

Lucia Beatriz Afione was born in Neuquen City, Neuquen, on 4th July, 2001. She is currently living in General Roca. She is a student at the Translator Training course at UNCo. She loves taking naps, animals, watching Criminal Minds and reading books. She also loves watching documentaries on serial killers.

Lucia Prieto Romero was born in Trelew, Chubut, on 7th March, 2001. She is currently living in General Roca, Río Negro, since she is taking the Translator Training course at Facultad de Lenguas, UNCo. She likes learning Japanese. She loves music, cats, her friends, horror movies and eating sweet treats.

Football and Mania

By Millie Victoria Schwallier, Alex Reumann, Lucía Beatriz Afione, and Lucía Pietro Romero

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When we talk about sport fanaticism, there are studies that assure aficionados suffer mental changes that put them into a state of “temporary madness” in which they do not distinguish between themselves and the team they admire. Their hormones and self-esteem can be affected because of football matches, which may look trivial for some people, but not for the fanatics for whom a simple game is a life-changing event. In this essay, we will talk about the dangers of uncontrolled football fanaticism and its consequences due to the fact that we believe it has to be part of the global agenda, as it can affect young adults in their daily lives.


One of the reasons why this theme can affect the youth is through the riots and brutality which are caused by fanatics of the sport. There are a number of cases, like the one that occurred in Argentina, in which a teenager was stoned to death after a match between Rosario Central and Newell’s Old Boys by followers of the latest while leaving the stadium. Another significant case of disturbances took place after Argentina’s victory in the World Cup 2022, where a lot of supporters were injured and even died during the celebrations in Buenos Aires City. These fatalities happened because most of the people involved were inebriated and putting themselves in dangerous situations, like climbing up really high places, from which they would end up falling off moments later. As a consequence of the thoughtlessness of some, these moments that were meant to be joyful ended up in tragedy.


Another main point to talk about is domestic violence, which increases significantly during and after great sporting events. For example, in 2013, the magazine SAGE Journals carried out an investigation where they collected data about family abuse calls in England during the 2002, 2006 and 2010 football World Cups. Results showed that these cases increased by 26% when England's national football squad won or tied a match, and by 38% when it lost. Researchers have come to the conclusion that these cases will increase no matter who wins or loses the match.


In conclusion, fans need to be more aware of the consequences of their actions. They don’t realise how they can harm themselves and those that surround them. They shouldn’t be aggressive towards their loved ones; instead they should enjoy the great moments they could have watching their favourite sport.

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“Violence at the Stadium”

By Millie Victoria Schwallier, Alex Reumann, Lucía Beatriz Afione, and Lucía Pietro Romero

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This story began a few years ago when Otto, an 8-year-old English boy, travelled to Argentina with his parents for Christmas. It had been Luciana's, his mother, idea. She missed her family, so she asked Vincent, the kid's father, if they could go, and he agreed. Otto was very excited because he was going to meet his grandfather, and when the day arrived, Luciana had a surprise for her son: she had bought tickets for them to go to the Bombonera where Otto's favourite team would play. Everything was amazing with his family in Argentina, and Otto could not wait to go see Boca play. So, he decided to go to the match with his father and grandfather. The child could not believe what he was seeing: dozens of policemen, cameras and men using strange instruments and flags, and some of them were without their shirts on. The first part of the match was calm and joyful for him and his father who had never seen something like that before either. When a Boca player got a yellow card, the match began to get warmer and warmer. Fans began throwing sticks and glass beer bottles. Vincent and Otto did not know what was happening: why were people this impolite? In the second half, the referee gave a penalty to River and the fans lost control. Vincent did not know how to get out of there when something hit Otto on his head. They saw blood coming out of him but they could not do anything to stop it, as everything was a mess. Half an hour later they managed to get out of the stadium and they went to a nearby hospital to see if Otto was OK. The child was shocked and for the next two days, he could not talk with anybody due to trauma. When he finally could speak again, he said that he would never play football again. The traumatising time he had to face was enough for him to never want to know anything about the sport he used to love so much. Luciana was deeply sorry, as it had been her idea to buy the tickets for Otto to see the match but now he had given up on his passion. She always felt that she had taken something away from him.

TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS

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Meet the authors in Group 6

María Victoria Romay (born on May 27, 2003 in Salta) is a language enthusiast who spent 8 years learning English at an institute. Currently, she’s taking the course at UNCO as she believes language is the ultimate communication tool and aspires to create a bridge between cultures to bring people together.

Tamara Andrea Mei is a 23-year-old young adult. She was born in Villa Regina, Rio Negro, Argentina on 20th November, 1990. She is currently studying to be an English Translator at Facultad de Lenguas, Universidad del Comahue. Apart from being a student, Tamara also enjoys crocheting and is trying to develop an entrepreneurship of it.

Camila Paillamán was born the first of July, 2000 in Villa Regina. Her interest in learning foreign languages motivated her to study English since she was 13. She’s currently taking the training course at Universidad del Comahue. She aspires to become a passionate and dedicated teacher in the future. In her free time, Camila enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

María Luján Sanchez was born in San Antonio Oeste on December 12th, 1996. She moved a lot and lived in different places with her family. She studied medicine in Rosario but didn’t like it so she moved to General Roca to become a translator. She likes to read, watch horror films and do sports in her free time.

The Impact of Toxic Relationships on Young Adults’ Mental Health

By Ma. Victoria Romay, Tamara Andrea Mei, Camila Paillamán, and Ma. Luján Sanchez

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Over the past decade, toxic relationships have gained significant attention on social media and many factors have contributed to the increased awareness of this. At the present time, there’s a rising urgency to address this topic on our agenda due to the frequency of these kinds of relationships amongst young adults, since most of us have grown up normalising certain conducts that - even if they seem insignificant – can potentially escalate to severe abuse. That’s the reason why this essay will focus on the importance of recognizing the signs of toxic relationships and the consequences of not setting specific boundaries.


There are numerous motives that justify why recognizing toxic relationships should be addressed in today’s agenda. The most important one is to set healthy boundaries that allow individuals to understand their needs and values, cultivating fulfilling relationships, mutual respect and self-improvement. Moreover, it’s also true that toxic relationships can turn into abusive situations rapidly, harming the safety of either or both of the people involved, thus the importance of confronting those particular prejudicial patterns early on.


Apart from causing detriment to our well-being, several researchers have concluded that toxic relationships produce serious damage to mental health and self-esteem. Not only that, but these relationships also impact your self-care and worsen the risk of diagnosis of depression and anxiety. As a matter of fact, a 2016 University of Michigan study has concluded that "stress and [negative] relationship quality directly affects the cardiovascular system. In the long-term, all of these factors damage your health and may even lead you to develop unhealthy coping behaviours like drinking or emotional eating”. As it's provided by this piece of evidence, the loss that toxic relationships produce extends beyond our emotions, but also has an impact on our mental and physical health. That's another reason to take action and bring more knowledge into this topic.


After all the previous discussion, as a group, we have determined that people should pay particular attention and try to recognize the signs of toxicity and set crucial boundaries. Toxic relationships do take a toll on mental health, self-esteem, and our physical well-being. However, the key to avoiding these damaging patterns lies in accountability and learning how to develop better relationship habits. We all deserve relationships that uplift us, and by acknowledging past destructive conduct, we open a door for a more promising and positive future.


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“Letting Go to Grow”

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By Ma. Victoria Romay, Tamara Andrea Mei, Camila Paillamán, and Ma. Luján Sanchez

I met Leo two years ago, when he started to play with his band at the bar where I was working as a singer. We instantly fell in love. He was the sweetest and most talented boy I had ever met. However, he didn't like to show his romantic side in public, especially in front of his friends. Some months later, we rented a flat together. I was studying music at university, although Leo said it was useless and a waste of time. My friends thought he was being foolish; that's why they couldn't stand him.


Later, a well-known local band went on tour with Leo´s band as their opening act, so he decided to quit his job at the bar. In order to continue paying rent, he asked me to postpone college until next year and to find an extra job. He promised me he would succeed, be famous and have a family together. I couldn’t refuse. If I did, I would become a careless girlfriend. Throughout this time, I got depressed. I was sick and tired of my new job as a waitress. I was feeling lonely and isolated because I didn't have time to see my family and friends. Weeks later, I found out that a video of me singing at the bar went viral on social media. Leo said it was great but I shouldn't wear that much make-up and proceeded to tell me about last night's after show party. My friends were quite enthusiastic about it and encouraged me to record more videos.


Finally, I was contacted by a famous music producer who saw my videos and wanted to listen to more of my original songs. Leo got upset when I told him. He said I was being selfish and I wasn't helping him to pursue his dreams. At that moment I realised my dreams were important too. Even though it was a difficult decision, I knew I had to leave Leo. I told my friends and they not only comforted and listened to me, but also, they didn´t judge me and continued supporting my career. I noticed it had been a long time since the last time I felt happy and loved.


RELATIONSHIPS MATTER

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Meet the authors in Group 11

Enzo Salazar belongs to the Teacher Training Course at FADEL, UNCo. He is 22 years old and comes from Tucumán, but he was raised in General Roca. He likes to introduce himself as someone reliable and friendly. Also, he enjoys getting together with friends and spends hours talking about any topic.

Bautista Torres belongs to the Translator Training Course at FADEL, UNCo. He is 22 and comes from Villa Regina, Río Negro. He considers both the English Language and Art his deepest passions among others like football. If he had to describe himself in 3 positive words, they’d be musical-enthusiast, talkative (at times) and ambivert.

Gonzalo Torres is 20 years old and comes from Villa Regina, Río Negro. He belongs to the Translator Training Course at FADEL, UNCo. He considers himself as a reliable, loyal, and trustful person. Drinking mate and enjoying sunsets are some of his passions.

Marco Giménez is 19 years old. He was born and raised in Caleta Olivia, Santa Cruz, but moved to General Roca last year to start the Translator Training Course. His passions are playing sports and drinking mate on the coast in his local town. He considers himself as someone introverted, but friendly and sociable.

Awareness About Toxic Relationships

By Enzo Salazar, Bautista Torres, Gonzalo Torres, and Marco Giménez

Have you ever experienced being emotionally or physically abused by a close friend, a relative, or your significant other? These abuses are shown in different ways, and there are signs to identify if you are in a toxic relationship or being mistreated. Thus, in order to argue in favour of the inclusion of this theme on the local agenda, we have decided to write down the following essay that will provide two main reasons why people need to know about toxicity and its consequences.


To begin with, the first relevant reason to be taken into account is to improve our own well-being. Our quality of life is remarkably lowered when dealing with unfavourable situations in which people suffer from harmful circumstances. For example, some members of our group have experienced verbal abuse multiple times by a third person in the faculty's campus; they have explained that they don’t not feel deeply affected as they recognise that those are just toxic behaviours, and nothing they have said is true, they only want to demean one’s self-esteem with those comments. All in all, if we do not work on improving our well-being, all this toxicity may affect our personal life considerably.


Another reason to include this theme in the local agenda is to make our community conscious of the consequences of harmful relationships. According to the article What is a Toxic Relationship? “You may find that a toxic relationship impacts your ability to engage in self-care. You may sacrifice your normal routine—including personal hygiene, exercise, hobbies, and more—if you're

constantly dealing with a tumultuous or toxic person or relationship. This sacrifice can lead to a decline in overall physical and mental health over time” (Scott, 2023). Taking this into account, the consequences of a toxic relationship can become worse if you are not aware of them, but there are several signs to know that you are into an unhealthy or destructive relationship. In sum, there are several ways to become aware of if you are in an unhealthy relationship. We suggest citizens should try to be conscious about this and try to quit it.

To conclude, through this essay we have stated why the topic Toxic Relationships should be part of the local agenda. We truly believe this theme does not have the adequate recognition among people. In sum, we consider it is really important to talk about toxicity, so citizens can become aware of these habits because they can lead them even into a toxic relationship with themselves

Paper Texture Sheet

“The Boy who is Still Standing”

By Enzo Salazar, Bautista Torres, Gonzalo Torres, and Marco Giménez

My best friend and I were very close to each other, or that was what I thought a few years ago. Our friendship began on a sunny day in September. We first talked at the bus stop where we used to wait everyday. At the beginning, communication was odd since we were strangers and didn't know much about each other. Nevertheless, she was funny, friendly and very talkative; it did not take too long for us to become friends. We used to spend hours talking about everything. However, for her, the most interesting topic to talk about was related to romantic and friendly relationships. The girl said she only had a few friends and that her boyfriends never lasted more than a few months. I did not understand why it was like that because, for me, she was someone you would like to keep close to, so I decided to help and support her in everything I could.

Months went by and that “perfect friendship” started to break down. Disagreements became more frequent, and she did not like when I talked with other girls or even boys because she said I only had to pay attention to her. Soon after, she disappeared when I was going through difficult times instead of helping me as I had done with her; even sometimes she tried to avoid my problems completely. One day, I tried to talk with her about our friendship and made it clear that I had not liked what had been going on, but she started to act weird and made an insignificant excuse, as usual. That night, I cried like a little child because my innocent side thought that I was a problem to her, but I tried to stay calm.


In the end, I realised the problem wasn’t me. Her toxicity was affecting me deeply and if I didn’t do something about it, I would be suffering more and more. I decided to end my relationship

with her until we lost contact and became strangers again. It took a long time to heal my emotional wounds. Even though it hurts, I still cherish the good times we had as best friends, but, honestly, a toxic person is someone I never want to have in my life again.

CANCEL CULTURE

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Meet the authors in Group 5

Micaela Asencio is a nineteen-year-old university student. She was born on 17th March, 2004 in General Roca, Río Negro, Argentina. After finishing her studies in ESRN 116, where she got her high school diploma in audiovisual art, she began studying at Universidad Nacional del Comahue and is currently doing the Translators’ Training Course.

Agustina Fernández is a nineteen-year-old university student at Universidad Nacional del Comahue, doing the Teachers' Training Course of studies. She was born on 5th December, 2003 in San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina. She lived there up to her college years, after finishing her studies at ESRN 99 and gaining her high school degree in education. Then, she moved to General Roca where she is currently pursuing a university degree.

Agustina Michelena is a twenty-year-old university student at Universidad Nacional del Comahue, taking the Translators’ course of studies. She was born and raised in Centenario, Neuquén, Argentina, on 19th February, 2003. She is an electrician, a title that she earned after finishing her high school studies at EPET 2. After finishing high school, she moved to General Roca to finish her university studies.

The Implications of Cancel Culture

By Micaela Asencio, Agustina Fernández, and Agustina Michelena

According to Cambridge Dictionary, “cancel culture” refers to “a way of behaving in a society or group, especially on social media, in which it is common to completely reject and stop supporting someone because they have said or done something that offends you”. Nowadays, this concept is quite common among the young adult community, mainly on social media, where the main forms of “cancellation” take place. In this written piece, we are going to discuss the social context of this matter as well as two reasons why this topic has to be part of the global agenda.

Including this way of calling out others on our global agenda is a great way of spotting and educating wrongdoers of every kind. If we go back in history, the idea of this kind of punishment was “a relatively obscure slang term – “cancel,” referring to breaking up with someone – used in a 1980s song. This term was then referenced in film and television and later evolved and gained traction on social media” (Vogels et al., 2022). Nowadays, cancel culture is known as the removal of support for someone, usually a celebrity, because of their behaviour. This kind of social punishment is really effective because it makes the “cancelled” individual take accountability for their actions, not only a person with this celebrity status, yet regular individuals who may not be as educated on certain topics as they should be. Therefore, this "call-out culture" is extremely useful when used properly.


Regarding the controversial characteristics of “cancel culture”, it has been claimed that there are several negative aspects relating to this theme; however, we have chosen to name these two points we consider to be the most polemical ones. To begin with, for some people, ”cancel culture” is similar to censorship because it leads individuals to be afraid of sharing their thoughts or opinions only because the idea of getting “cancelled” scares them. In this way, “cancellation” may be perceived as a control mechanism for those who don’t hold the same convictions, and this is what leads beings to intolerance. Also, people nowadays tend to forget to look at the bigger picture, so, internet users begin to find others’ mistakes and take them out of context and, consequently, penalise them for things that weren’t meant to be offensive. As you can see, “cancel culture” has its complexities, and, for this reason, we consider it is a theme open to deeper discussions in our global agenda.


To conclude, we can state that, as every other trend seen on social media, "cancel culture" comes with its pros and cons. As a society, we should be cautious when carrying out these sanctions because they may have harmful repercussions, since they may lead to a way of imposing someone's views on others. In our opinion, people need to be careful and leave behind the social tendency of having double standards.


Paper Texture Sheet

“Trina Is Over Party”

By Micaela Asencio, Agustina Fernández, and Agustina Michelena

On Monday, Trina wakes up, grabs her phone from the nightstand and accesses Twitter. She’s been following all the Tyler Johnson drama. The hashtag #TylerIsOverParty is the number one trend worldwide. He’s being cancelled due to an old tweet of him saying a racial slur. She tweets about this since she believes it is important to express your opinion when someone’s behaving incorrectly.


After having breakfast, she leaves for school, where she spends most of the time laughing with her friends rather than studying. Trina likes going to school and is excellent at it. On Mondays, they have classes with Camila, their new Mexican classmate, and they cannot help mocking her because of her terrible English accent.

On Tuesday, Trina begins her day as usual, she shares her dislike towards Tyler Johnson’s actions and feels great when calling out others' immoral behaviours. When she arrives at school, she senses disapproving stares at her. She shrugs this sensation off and thinks she is just making things up. When she enters her classroom and approaches her usual seat with her friends, they give her the cold shoulder. Trina is really confused about this situation.


After a morning of speculating about what she may have done for people, and especially her best friends, to act in such a strange way, she walks towards them and asks them directly. There, they explain that there is an old Facebook post of her using slurs as a joke circulating between people at school; she cannot believe her ears. She sees the screenshot and tries to clear up to her friends that that old tweet is just a funny meme she shared when she was a child, yet they don’t listen to her and leave her alone again.


Days pass by and Trina realises how mean people can be. She feels terrible and recognizes that she’s being called-out, not by means of worldwide trending hashtags or by users without a profile picture on Twitter, but by her acquaintances at school, in real life. Then, it hits her how cruel cancelling someone is, and how cruel of a person she was every time she participated in it, online and in real life with her classmates. After that eye-opening revelation, she deletes Twitter and sends a message to the school group chat explaining herself. She then turns her phone off and decides to watch television with her mother. They watch a news report about Tyler Johnson, and at that exact moment, she decides she is never going to get involved in that practice again.


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GROWING UP AS A GIRL IN THE 2000'S

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Meet the authors in Group 4

Oriana Alfaro is a twenty-year-old student from the Teacher Training Course of study. She was born in Choele Choel, a city in Río Negro but now she is currently living in General Roca to be near university after completing one year of online classes. In her free time, she likes reading, cooking and watching movies or documentaries.

Rocio Ailen Zalazar is a 21-year-old young adult who was born in Morón, Buenos Aires. At the age of 10, she moved to Villa Pehuenia, Neuquén with her family. She moved to General Roca, Rio Negro in 2022 to start the Teacher Training Course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue.

Dalila Jokebed Zapata is a 36-year-old student at Universidad Nacional del Comahue, in General Roca, Rio Negro. She is currently taking the second year of the Translator Training Course while having a part time job as a dental assistant. Her interests are languages, history and arts. She loves reading, cooking and learning about different cultures through documentaries and travel vlogs.

Guadalupe Beloso lives in Villa Regina; she's 23 years old and her zodiac sign is Gemini. She's taking the Teacher Training Course. Her favorite hobbies are reading, writing, making clothes and watching crime documentaries. She also loves talking about music, shopping online, having ‘merienda’ with her friends and learning dance choreographies.

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A 21st Century Girl

By Millie Oriana Alfaro, Rocío Ailen Zalazar, Dalila Jokebed Zapata, and Guadalupe Beloso

The Broski Report with Brittany Broski is a podcast made by a girl for girls. It tackles many important subjects from women’s point of view.

Interviewer: The recently premiered movie Barbie (Gerwig, 2023), which addresses women's struggles in society over the years, has been a worldwide success. After watching the film, most of us have reflected on our own battles, for example, growing up in a culture that imposes strict stereotypes through the media, as well as on the changes we are both witnessing and being a part of to create a more inclusive environment for ourselves and future generations. On this occasion, we are going to interview Samantha Smith, a writer in her twenties who will tell us about her experience of growing up in the 2000s, an era strongly marked by these issues. Hi Sam, how are you doing?

Interviewee: Hi Brittany! I’m glad to be here.

Interviewer: Great! So, what has it been like for you to grow up in the 2000s? Is there something in particular that has helped you in your self-discovery process?

Interviewee: Well, when I was 14 years old, I discovered Wattpad, a website where you could read other people’s novels or write your own. At first, I was just a reader, but then I started to create my own stories and this resulted in a process of self-discovery, which led me to identify myself as bisexual. I can say that this, plus other factors, such as the music I used to listen to, the movies and TV shows I used to watch and also the friends I had back then, were a great influence in my life.

Interviewer: Are there any changes you have noticed in society then and now?

Interviewee: I have noticed that there has been a change in our self-perception as women and I think it is strongly related to the use of social media. When I was a little girl, I remember I was self-conscious about being either skinny or fat. Now, women feel insecure about the angle of their jawbone or the shape of their eyes. Also, body image is just one of the many struggles we have to face on a daily basis. I believe that, as a society, we sometimes take one step forward and three steps back.

Interviewer: What piece of advice would you like to share with future generations as a young adult?

Interviewee: I would tell them to feed their curiosity and make the most out of every opportunity they have to do what they are passionate about and not be afraid of growing up. Getting to know themselves, evolving and maturing can be a tough yet beautiful process.

Interviewer: Thank you for this interview Sam; during our talk I couldn't stop thinking about Marilyn Monroe’s quote that said "Everyone's childhood replays itself all the time. No wonder no one knows the other or can fully understand them." (Monroe & Comment, 2010, p. 155) which I think is really connected to the lesson we learned from our conversation: even though we all grew up in the same period of time, men and women have different perceptions of the world and themselves due to what we incorporated during our childhood, owing to the fact that women were imposed strong stereotypes since they were born.

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“The Doll in the Attic”

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By Millie Oriana Alfaro, Rocío Ailen Zalazar, Dalila Jokebed Zapata, and Guadalupe Beloso

Sarah was in the attic going through her mother’s old boxes. They were full of dust and random items. Suddenly, she found something that caught her eye: a doll with long legs, blond hair and a beautiful dress. She ran downstairs, and when she found her mother, she asked what the name of that doll was and if she could keep it. Sarah had heard that name before, Barbie, but she didn’t know what was so special about it, so she started asking questions of her mom. At that moment, she learned that this doll had been created in the late 50s and that it had been present in most little girls’ lives over the last decades. Furthermore, her mom told her that there were a lot of versions of Barbie, with different outfits or styles and that this was a little bit overwhelming because it created the need to have them all. Moreover, this famous doll played an important role in society’s stereotypes given the fact that it portrayed the epitome of beauty and this situation led many girls to believe that if they didn’t look like the Barbie doll, they were ugly. In addition, it created a conflict with body image among girls, due to them wanting to have the doll’s perfect tiny waist and long skinny legs. This, plus the media blitz in regards to beauty standards, resulted in weight issues and eating disorders for many young girls. Sarah was listening carefully and her eyes were growing big in surprise, as she couldn’t believe that such a beautiful doll had had so many negative effects among some young girls back then.


After explaining all this, Sarah’s mother concluded: “But luckily things are changing, Sarah. Society is becoming more aware of women’s struggles. It is a slow process, but there have been a lot of improvements. So, what about having a mom-daughter date tomorrow? Let's go to the cinema so we can watch Barbie, the movie, and you can get to understand this better. I promise you will like it.”


The plan sounded good. Sarah had never played with a Barbie before as she was used to other kinds of entertainment. However, the little girl wanted to learn everything about what her mother’s childhood had been like and the difficulties she had had to overcome. After all, Sarah considered her mother to be the most amazing woman she had ever met.

THE INVISIBILITY OF BISEXUALITY

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Meet the authors in Group 8

Yered Farid Cady was born on 7th September, 2001, in General Roca. He was raised in a little town called Los Menucos. He finished highschool in 2019 and planned to start taking the Translator Training course the following year but the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. Now, in 2023, he is taking the second year of this course.

Milagros Aluminé Huenchullanca was born on May 7th, 2002. She is originally from El Bolsón, Río Negro. She is the youngest daughter of a family of six. She is currently a student of the Translator Training course at Facultad de Lenguas in Gral Roca, RN. She devotes her life to doing what she loves such as enjoying her life without prejudices.

Milagros Agustina Hernández was born on 28th November in 1999, being the fourth child of a family of five. She's originally from Cipolletti but is currently living in Gral. Roca. She is in her second year of the Teacher-Training course at Facultad de Lenguas, UNCO. In her free time, she enjoys drawing and reading.

Clara Dolores Castro is a teacher to be. She is the youngest in her family. She was born in Catriel, Rio Negro, in 1998. She now lives in JJ Gómez (Fiske Menuco). She has devoted many years of her life to studying Permaculture and is now part of the Transition Movement. This year she has decided to go back to university and finish her course of studies, the Teacher Training course at Facultad de Lenguas, UNCO.

Unseen and Unheard: The Invisible Battle of Bisexuality

By Clara Dolores Castro and Milagros Agustina Hernández

What is bisexuality? The term “bisexual” is used to describe a person who experiences attraction to more than one sex or gender. We, as a society, assume that we already know and represent bisexuality in all its shapes, but this isn't true at all. There isn't enough representation and we still have a lot to explore regarding the impact of being out as Bi. In this particular essay, we’ll be dealing not only with bisexuality in general but mainly with the little representation there is of this community around the world and the hardships of being out in a binary world.

Addressing this issue means giving voice to a part of the LGBTQ+ community that is the least talked about. Growing up as queer teenagers, we lacked that representation, as we lived in a binary society. Binary thinking has always been the main point of view; this is a belief rooted in a patriarchal system and refers to people only being attracted to one sex/gender and that is all, but this has changed… or that is what we want to believe. This is why we consider this is a theme that young culture needs to have access to, so that they do not feel lost, alone or unaccompanied.


The LGBTQ+ community is more and more represented, but not all of them have the same spotlight. B is the silent letter in LGBTQ+, the invisible one, the one that is not seen in movies, series or social media often. This is why we strongly believe their identity, journey and fight all through the years should be more addressed. Kim Hoyos, a Bi Latina filmmaker, says in her most recent article “It's been shown that more than half of LGBTQ+ Americans identify as bisexual. Yet, bisexuals are less likely to be out than their gay or lesbian peers and face significant challenges unique to their identity, like biphobia and bi-erasure.'' Bixesuality should not be circumvented any more. On the other hand, not only is it hard for the LGBTQ+ community to come out and express themselves but Bi people are taken for granted regarding this matter. There’s a tendency in society, and among the LGBTQ+ community as well, to overlook or invalidate the existence, and consequently the experiences, of those who identify as bisexual. Kelly Kenoyer, states in her 2017-article that “Bisexuals don’t have clear role models in the media. Bisexuals don’t have precedents for their sexuality, and neither queer communities nor the straight population understands them”, and sadly this is still true.


Bisexuals are still fighting for their visibility. Fictions like Heartstopper, Atypical, Red, White & Royal Blue, among others, are excellent examples of bi people being represented, and giving voice to that part of the LGBTQ+ that is not heard often.

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“The Night She Met Her”

By Yered Farid Cady and Milagros Aluminé Huenchullanca

Catalina and Louis are anxious for their first date on Valentine’s Day. They have been in a relationship for about six months. Everything seems to flow in a perfect way, until the day before February 14th when Catalina meets Maddison at a party. The feelings of love start to bloom in her heart as soon as she sees her dancing with her friend Michael. She doesn’t know yet but her life will take a 180-degree turn.

Louis is ready to have dinner with his girlfriend, so he calls her but she doesn’t answer the phone. He worries about what could have happened to her because they have planned this in advance. He doesn’t alert anyone else but he is really preoccupied. In order to check that everything is alright, he goes to her apartment. Catalina is ready for the date yet her head is full of confusing thoughts about what to do with her emotions. She has never felt attracted to another woman before, but she doesn't want to hide her feelings. As she is brave, she decides to talk to Louis about this matter, but, at the same time, she is worried about how he will react.

When the couple are together in the apartment, they have a conversation not only about their date but also about Catalina’s emotions. She confesses to him that she is struggling with her sexuality and trying to discover herself. Louis doesn’t understand what she is going through because of his beliefs. He was raised in a sexist and old-fashioned household. The first thought that comes to his mind is that now she is lesbian, so she explains to him about the existence of bisexuality and that she feels identified with it. Sadly, she also confesses to him that she doesn't love him anymore since she is into another person.

After a period of time, the couple decide to break up as they are not on the same page. Catalina comes out as a bisexual woman to those close to her, who understand and support her. She doesn’t end up with Maddison, but that night when she met her was helpful to Catalina to start living her life freely without prejudices.

NEURODIVERGENT WOMEN

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Meet the authors in Group 3

Born in Loncopué, Fernanda Fuentes Sepúlveda is a 19-year-old student who has earned a secondary school degree in education and is currently studying to become an English teacher. Even though she is an only child, she comes from a large family. She likes painting, reading books, watching series and spending time with her loved ones.

Lucía Heredia, a 19-year-old student born in General Roca, has earned a secondary school diploma in Natural Science and is currently studying to become an English-Spanish translator. She enjoys reading, watching TikTok videos, and spending time with her pets and family. Her hobbies include writing, painting and driving her car, which is called “El morocho”.

Born in General Roca, Alejandro Iglesias, a 20-year-old student, has earned a secondary school diploma in business administration and is currently studying to become an English-Spanish translator. Apart from listening to music, his other passions are watching TV series, reading and writing, especially short texts and poems.

Martina Pedone is an Argentinian youngster who was born in Neuquén. She is a 19-year-old student who has earned a secondary school diploma and is currently studying to become an English-Spanish translator. She’s keen on playing the piano, baking banana pudding, crocheting and lying down with her cats, among other activities.

Exploring Female Autism

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By Fernanda Fuentes Sepúlveda and Martina Pedone

  • Interviewer: Hello, everybody. I’m Martina Pedone, and today I’m in the studio with a young expert in neurodivergence, Fernanda Fuentes Sepúlveda.
  • Interviewee: Hello, Marti. Thank you for having me today.
  • Interviewer: To introduce this topic in a nutshell, neurodiversity is the concept that involves the variety of ways in which people can behave, function and process information, including dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Today, we are focusing on autism in women, which is an interesting topic that society is not fully aware of, and I believe it should be dealt with on the global agenda. Now, tell me, why do you think autism in women is “invisibilised”?
  • Interviewee: Well… To begin with, this is mainly due to the fact that autism tests are based on men's behaviour, so symptoms present in women are not considered by experts. As a result, most of them are late-diagnosed, misdiagnosed with anxiety or depression, or their symptoms are never identified. As Samhita Vadapalli states, this process can be delayed because of masking, which is a concept that explains why female autistic people copy the behaviour of other women in order to develop better social interaction skills. Also, since our sexist society has normalised women hyperfocusing on routines, organisation and tidying, these are not perceived as strange behaviours.
  • Interviewer: Wow! That’s interesting. So we can perceive that there is a noticeable distinction between autistic men and women. How can you explain this in relation to the symptoms they present?
  • Interviewee: It is so important that you have mentioned that, owing to the fact that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention affirms that "ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) is 4 times more common among boys than among girls" (JADE, n.d.). But this happens because men’s symptoms are more recognisable and related to problems with communication and social interaction, following restrictive and repetitive patterns in behaviours, interests and/or activities. Meanwhile, girls have more advanced language and social skills and their symptoms, like having a hyperfixation in people, celebrities, history or bands, are normalised in society. As regards this, we should keep in mind that most autistic women present different traits from the ones depicted in autistic men, and we shouldn’t generalise their symptoms altogether.

Interviewer: What an outrageous situation! I cannot believe how clueless society is when it comes to this matter. You have opened a world for me and our listeners. Now that I've been informed, I think we should give them a voice and let them be seen and heard. We shouldn’t invalidate their experiences, but make them visible, so that they can be properly diagnosed and understand themselves better.

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“On The Outside”

By Lucía Heredia and Alejandro Iglesias

Outside the restaurant, the lights flicker at the throb of my increasingly rising heartbeats. Through the window, I glance at the inside of the place full of diners whose laughs and small talks I can hear clear as water. This is not the first time that I stand outside of this restaurant. In fact, I can’t remember the first time that I did so, or the many that came afterwards, and the number of hours I spent outside only wanting to be one of those diners.


Each of those occasions, I couldn’t shake the lingering feeling of something being off with me. I have always been talkative, sometimes too much, but somehow words could not escape my mouth when I was outside the restaurant. It felt as if there was an invisible barrier that separated me from my friends and an idealised life, and I wondered why I had to be so different that I could not even understand myself.


Before today, the last time I stood here, under these flickering lights, I entered the restaurant. It looked endless, yet, at the same time, everything seemed to be so close to me that a pressure in my chest started growing. At that moment, I realised I couldn’t keep going without help, so I began seeing a therapist.

She was the first person who I felt saw past the surface and into who I really am. After some sessions, she told me I had ADHD, which made me really scared and confused. I was ashamed of the amount of time that I had spent without knowing this part of myself, but she assured me that it was normal for women to receive a diagnosis at my age. She also added that being divergent didn’t make me any less of a person and there was nothing to fear.


Now, back from my memories and into the present, my heartbeats have decreased. As I start walking, I notice that the pressure in my chest is gone. I have tried to enter this restaurant and to be a part of everything that goes inside for so long that I have never considered that my place could be somewhere else. I still have a long journey as I attempt to understand myself better, but now I’m ready to leave my spot at the window of the restaurant and finally focus on my own life.


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STUDENTS’ BURNOUT

Meet the authors in Group 14

Antonella Susana Godoy was born on 31th August 2003 in General Roca, Argentina. She grew up reading lots of books and having a huge passion for Language. In 2021, she graduated from high school. She's been studying at Universidad Nacional del Comahue to become an English Translator since 2022.

Florencia Agustina López was born on 18th February 2003 in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina. She lived there with her parents until she was 19 years old, but she currently lives and studies in General Roca, Argentina. She is in the second year of English Teacher Training Course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue.

Constanza Mora was born on 12th May 2000 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She's half Chilean and half Argentinian, and has resided in both countries for long periods. In 2021, she graduated from an adult high school. She's been studying at Universidad Nacional del Comahue to become an English Teacher since 2022.

Edison Morales is a 26 year-old student, born on 14th September in 1997. He was born and raised in Neuquén, Argentina, but he currently lives in General Roca, as he is pursuing the English Teacher Training course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue. He is known for the length of his hair, which he’s been growing since the pandemic started in 2020.

What the Local Agenda is Missing Out

By Florencia Agustina López and Edison Morales

Are students conscious of how particular the experience of being at university as a young adult is? After having taken this into account and reflecting on our first hand individual journeys, we have collected a list of reasons why this topic must be covered more than it actually is. In this essay, the reasons to prevent a high rate of burnout and make people aware of how hard university can be will be developed as to why these topics should be on our local agenda.


There is not just one way of avoiding burnout, but these are the ones that work for most people. Burnout episodes, in the school system’s vernacular, are reached after long periods of studying the same subject and having a monotonous academic voyage, or both at the same time. In order to avoid getting to that point, an individual should dedicate time for themselves and do some activities they genuinely enjoy. Figuring out personal skills and how to make the most out of them is essential to achieve reasonable goals, and get better time organization. According to the University of the People, the addition of exercising, going out and meeting people can result in a reduced frequency of burnout (University of the People, n.d).


Even when these pieces of advice might work for someone, the general public should be aware of the struggles that students could be facing at any time of the year. Mid-term and final exams, multiple deadlines and group activities may leave them dealing with anxiety, stress or contemplating the idea of dropping out. Most adults, at least in Argentina, are not really mindful of what university involves, making students’ everyday life even harder. A society that has this into account

provides a more bearable place for those who go through these circumstances

by taking as many responsibilities off their shoulders as possible for them to

focus on their tasks.

To recap, preventing academic burnout and making people aware of how demanding university can get for young adults should be dealt with by both the students and their circle of relatives. To us, our local agenda would be more student-friendly if these topics were contemplated collectively.

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“Bearing Heaven's Weight”

By Antonella Susana Godoy and Constanza Mora

The term is about to end. There are only three weeks left, and Atlas has managed to keep up with most of the courses' work, but the upcoming weeks present themselves as pure hell. As they go home after class, their head is full of racing thoughts: how will they finish five assignments and prepare for four midterms in less than a month? The youngster also hears their dad’s voice talking about how most kids, nowadays, are too soft and don't know what life is about. Atlas walks faster, as if doing so could help them escape that enormous mass of worry, also known as anxiety.


Once at home, they grab something to eat and sit down. Staring at the wall, with a tired look on their face and cramped shoulders, the student finds the food almost tasteless. They think of their mom’s understanding gaze, always soothing and loving.


After eating and plodding to their room, they look over the desk to the calendar full of deadlines signaled in red. The pupil can't help but feel that it is an unachievable goal, a game they can't win. They lay on their bed with the intention to take a nap and wake up to study, but fear overcomes them. They feel uneasy; the sacrifices of the past year, like missed out meetings with friends and postponed hobbies, might be in

vain. This is also why, day by day, a sense of despair has been building up within them. As Atlas drifts into sleep, their inner voice blames them for wasting time instead of being productive, as if it were forbidden to rest.


The next morning, they turn off the alarm and read a message from their best friend, who is also struggling with the end of the term, and is asking them how they are doing. They stare at the ceiling, thinking of how the past year has gone by. Then, they record an audio message explaining their feelings and hardships. The youngster fixes their eyes on their school bag, feeling a sudden sense of courage. There has to be a way, a strategy that can help them through all of this, and they have decided that they will master it.

VIDEO GAMES

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Meet the authors in Group 10

Joaquín Abad was born in General Roca on 10th of March, 1997. He is a Translator Training course student that loves video games and anime. Joaquin also enjoys reading fantasy and science fiction books and listening to music, especially indie rock. He started studying English when he was 6 years old and hasn’t stopped since, developing a deep interest in languages.

Matías Almuna was born in General Roca on 16th June in 2001. He has been studying at Universidad Nacional del Comahue since 2021. Besides, he loves playing sports like basketball or volleyball as well as playing video games. He spends most of his time watching TV series, mainly from the science fiction genre.

Rodrigo Brosco was born in Cipolletti on 2nd May in 2004. He is currently a student in the Teacher Training course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Apart from his academic pursuits, he is also interested in Chef training programs due to his love for cooking. He enjoys listening to music every day, with a particular fondness for artists such as Lana del Rey and Mitski.

Emanuel Martinez was born in General Roca on October 16, 2001. He is studying at Universidad Nacional del Comahue to become an English teacher. His first contact with the English language was in first grade at primary school. He likes to spend his free time playing video games or reading horror stories.

The Dangers of Video Games

By Joaquín Abad and Emanuel Martinez

Video games are a fun activity, but what if they could become a serious addiction? In this essay we will see two ways in which addiction to video games can have a negative impact on people’s lives, more specifically on their mental and physical health and their economic well-being. These two reasons, coupled with the ease of access to video games, which increases the

likelihood of someone experiencing the drawbacks, make us think this subject should be part of our global agenda.

The repercussions video game addiction has on a person’s health are far more serious than we would like to think. For example, this affliction increases the probability of developing anxiety and depression. It can also make someone avoid their responsibilities, a child may not attend school or an adult could decide not to go to work to play games. This would mean that the child is not learning as much and the adult would risk their job. Furthermore, the affected person may stop doing other activities altogether, even the ones they enjoy like sports or social events, developing a sedentary lifestyle. This type of life affects people’s physical health as it raises the chances of

obesity, diabetes and heart diseases. However, these aren’t the only negative effects gaming addiction may bring.


In recent years, video games have started adopting monetization schemes present in casinos. These techniques are employed with great understanding of the human psyche, looking to prey on vulnerable individuals. Level designers of games like Candy Crush are asked to design an extremely difficult level every once in a while in such a way that in order for players to continue, they must spend money to get boosts or extra lives, explains Rob Davies (n.d.) in an article published by "The Guardian". Players are eased into this business model via early wins, which provides them with a dopamine boost so as to hook them before the chances of a positive outcome are lowered and the true nature of the game is revealed. Unlike casinos, this situation is not prohibited or even regulated within the gaming industry, making it more dangerous.


To summarise, video game addiction is growing both in the number of affected people and in intensity, which is troubling since it severely impacts people’s mental and physical well-being as well as their personal economy. These two reasons are why we think consumers should be more conscious of the games they play and how much time they spend doing so, so they can avoid getting addicted.

“A Gamer Friend”

Paper Texture Sheet

By Matías Almuna and Rodrigo Brosco

This story takes place in New York, where there is a teenager called Thomas who absolutely loves video games and always plays after lessons. However, this routine implies a significant problem since it prevents him from socialising. Even though he lives a solitary life, he does not see this situation as an issue because he believes that he does not need anyone.

One day, his perspective changes when he notices that many of his classmates share activities and he has never been invited to any of them. Consequently, he starts feeling extremely lonely and yearns for somebody to play with. After this, he decides to have a conversation with a stranger in his favourite game. Unfortunately, Thomas is not talkative and his new partner remains silent. After playing for hours, this makes him uncomfortable. He feels disconsolate, and despite his efforts, he cannot achieve his goal of getting a companion. The following day, Thomas goes to school feeling depressed; he cannot complete his homework as well as he expects to. At the end of the day, as he is returning home, he notices someone who has a pin on his backpack from a game that he recognizes; it is called Call of Duty. He truly wants to talk to this individual, but he cannot, considering that he is not the best at talking in real life. Once he gets home, he starts to play Call of Duty to intentionally find that guy. Then, he encounters a gamer who is amiable, although he is not certain if he is the one he saw with the pin. Nevertheless, he does not mind if that is not the same person; he has finally met his new and only mate. The next day, Thomas is delighted, and going to his class is easier now that he knows he is not alone anymore. Suddenly, he discovers that the boy with the pin is in his class and quickly gets close to him to say hi.


After Thomas introduces himself, the other student does the same. He learns that his name is Michael. Thomas asks him if he plays Call of Duty, he nods and shares his gaming nickname. Unexpectedly, Michael is the same gamer who played with him the previous day. As a result, they become best friends and spend wonderful moments together.

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Videogames and mental health

Meet the authors in Group 12

This is Blas Saavedra. He is a student of the Translator Training Course at Facultad de Lenguas. He is a strongly passionate vocabulary collector. Thus, his strength is the ability to gather words and their synonyms. Blas will always look for a way to rephrase whatever he says.

This is Zoe Bonnat. She was born in Bahia Blanca, but now she is living in Neuquen. She was a student of the psychology training college, but she quit in order to start the teacher’s training course at Facultad de Lenguas in General Roca. She enjoys writing essays because it is an opportunity to improve her vocabulary skills.

This is Omar Alejandro Paredes, currently he is a student at the Facultad de Lenguas, and is enrolled in the translator training course. He has an affinity for writing non-fictional pieces, such as essays, and prefers to employ a vocabulary as wide and rich as possible in order to maintain the reader's interest.

This is Lautaro Velozo. He was born in Neuquén but he has spent half of his life living in other cities. Nowadays, he resides in General Roca. He is currently enrolled in the translator training course at Facultad de Lenguas. Writing fictional pieces is Lautaro's favorite way to learn English and improve his skills.

The Impact Video Games Have on Children’s Cognition

By Zoe Bonnat and Omar Paredes

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Millions of children spend hours or even days playing video games. Most of us know that this particular form of entertainment has been a trend since it was created, but do we know in depth what impact this could have on the minds of the youth? There are thousands of scientific articles and studies providing evidence about the negative and positive effects. We are going to focus on both of them in order to analyze why this problem should be part of the global agenda.


The main drawbacks of this common hobby are connected to the fact that those kids who are raised in poor family environments and are into the video gaming world might have higher chances to develop an aggressive attitude. According to a study published in Medium, “The researchers identified a positive correlation between exposure to violent video games and aggression among a sample of young people (ages 12-19 years old), taking into account their beliefs about aggression and their family environments”. This investigation shows that the negative consequences of the young ones' bad-mannered personalities can have more than one cause. In summary, if youths are surrounded by a hostile environment and bloody games, they can lead them to an antisocial, depressive or aggressive temperament.


On the other hand, not all the effects are detrimental to players. In the same article, it is mentioned that people who enjoy strategy games can improve their mental skills, like problem-solving or intuition ability. To sum up, it is possible to affirm that although this type of pastime is not the only factor in a kid's upbringing, it is true that a little one can be positively and negatively influenced by it.


After thoroughly analyzing this crucial issue and providing some relevant background information from a reliable source like the article, we hope readers now understand why this topic should be considered part of the agenda, and something of interest to young adults. We would like to highlight that videogames themselves cannot have a total influence on children’s cognitive performance because there is more than one key aspect to consider when examining a theme as extremely delicate as young ones’ behaviour.


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“Insanity is No Excuse for Bad Manners”

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By Blas Saavedra and Lautaro Velozo

My name is Elliot. I am sixteen years old and I love playing 'Grand Theft Auto V' or 'GTA'. My father tells me that I must not spend too much time on that game because "it is too violent". Honestly, I do not see it as a highly brutal video game, but he is who pays the bills. Even though I am glued to the screen, I am an outstanding student. Therefore, Mom and Dad do not restrict my playing time.


When I was thirteen, I met Michael in the GTA online mode. Since that time, we have shared every day playing and talking. He has told me about his family issues and that he always gets into trouble at school. He took that too far and even tried to burn a teacher's car. Thus, he got kicked out of his last educational institution. The good news is that Mike has moved to mine. In the first weeks, he has been acting as a well-mannered boy but, as time passes, he adopts violent behaviour again. My parents say that his evilness is caused by the previously mentioned game. However, I believe that the cause of Michael’s temperament is his hostile home environment. He usually comments to me that his father always bothers him, and his mother does not prevent these situations. She joins the argument and poor Mike ends up in his room playing GTA to avoid any other argument. Michael only finds a comfortable place, free from his father’s shouts, in our classroom. Unfortunately, this peace unleashes his frustration and he behaves devilishly.


Michael does not reach a point of evilness like in his last school until he tries to force the safe that is stored in the headmaster’s room. The headteacher offers Mike a way out of this problem: he has to apologize for everything he has done recently. Nonetheless, my friend feels that the deal is humiliating and does not accept it. Consequently, the schoolmaster calls the authorities and Mike is punished. Finally, Michael has to spend the entire summer in a juvenile reformatory. I think I will play less GTA from now on.

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SOCIAL PRESSURES IN YOUNG ADULTS

Meet the authors in Group 7

Brisa Cabezas was born on 9th March in 2002, in General Roca. She currently lives in General Roca. She is taking the Teacher-Training course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue in General Roca. She’s passionate about cross training, reading, singing, playing the guitar and spending time with all her special people.

Malena Escalante was born on 26th November in 2001. She is from Choele Choel, a city located in Rio Negro. She is currently living in the city of General Roca, where she is taking the Teacher-Training course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Malena really likes volleyball, listening to music and spending time outdoors.

Cristel Grandón was born on September 1st, 1991 in Temuco city, Chile. She is currently living in Cipolletti, Rio Negro. She is studying the Teacher-Training course in UNCo, General Roca. Her interests are singing, playing ukelele, listening to classical music and spending good time with people she loves.

Nina Ferrari was born in Bariloche, on 16th June, 2003. She lived some years in Neuquén and when she became a student at the Teacher-Training course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue, she moved to General Roca, where she is currently living. Nina loves reading, studying and spending time with people she loves.

Social Pressures in Our Century: The Negative Impacts on Our Mental Health

By Brisa Cabezas, Malena Escalante, Cristel Grandón, and Nina Ferrari

As a young adult, have you ever thought about the consequences of social pressure in your life? The American Psychological Association defines social pressure as “the exertion of influence on a person or group by another person or group.” Nowadays, YAs are being affected by the pressure and expectations of what their life should be like. Therefore, we consider that this theme should be included on the agenda as it is important to share with others what we are going through so as not to feel lonely and to have tools or strategies to improve our mental health in order to deal with the changes of being a YA.


In this century, many teenagers are deeply concerned about their future lives and how they are going to get the future demanded by older generations. As a consequence, this has led people/young adults to lose their mental health for years now, while trying to reach the goals and expectations of others. As part of this generation, we are also experimenting the implications of what being a YA means, and that’s why we think that this problem has to be treated so that we can live in a more meaningful way instead of worrying about our future. Nowadays, it is important to talk about these pressures with others so as not to feel alone while confronting them.

As we have mentioned before, it is crucial to have tools and strategies to face these problems generated by our society and previous generations for the purpose of taking care of our mental health. The article called ‘Impacts of Social Pressure’ by Better Help Team suggests: “If you find yourself regularly having difficulties with social pressure or other issues, speaking with a therapist could be of value to you”. As the author explains, sometimes we might have some problems that we cannot solve by ourselves so it would be very helpful to get professional help.


Considering all this, we can see how this problem is currently playing with the mental health of young people but we understand that the passage from a stage to another, in this case, from being an adolescent to an adult, implies breaks and changes. Nevertheless, we don’t expect these pressures to suddenly disappear but we truly believe that talking about this theme, and giving it the attention it requires, can lead us to find more ways to deal with these issues and the feelings they may cause us young adults.



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A Step into the Unknown”

By Brisa Cabezas, Malena Escalante, Cristel Grandón, and Nina Ferrari

In a big modern city lives Heather, who is about to turn 18 years old. Her parents are planning a big party to celebrate her passage to adult life. Therefore, everyone is excited except for Heather who is dealing with an existential crisis due to the fact that she’s carrying a lot of worries as being the older child in her family. As the elderly sister, Heather feels the pressure of having her future life planned now that she’s finishing high school, she has to choose her next step as an adult.

The night of the party finally comes, and Heather is getting dressed while her family and friends are waiting for her in the living room. As soon as she walks down the stairs, people around her congratulate her and immediately start asking her about the plans she has for her future: “are you going to go to college?”, “what are you going to study? being a doctor could be a great idea or maybe a lawyer”, “are you going to look for a job?”. Heather starts feeling anxious and tries to avoid every question but she panics and runs away from her home. As she escapes, she falls into a hole.


With a terrible pain in her head, Heather wakes up. She doesn´t know where she is. Suddenly, she notices that she is in a forest, and there is a mirror in front of her. Heather looks at herself in the mirror and almost faints when she realizes that the Heather in the reflection smiles at her. Mirror Heather starts to whisper and her voice sounds like a melody… She claims that there is nothing to worry about; things are going to get better and what may happen in the future is not as important as living your present consciously. The voice starts to get softer and softer and Heather finally falls asleep.


Heather opens her eyes and realizes that she is in her house again. She is in her bedroom and she never escaped! She feels confused, but at the same time she feels relieved. Even though the passage to adult life is a step to the unknown, there is nothing more important than living your present life and enjoying it as much as possible. Heather decides to return to the living room where her family is waiting for her, and there she decides to tell them about her dream. Her family understands, and although they admit that they just want the best for her (and that is the reason why they asked so many questions) they state that they are going to be more understanding. Finally, Heather enjoys her birthday party and starts trying to think about her future without the pressure that she felt before.


BRAINS AND BODIES

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Meet the authors in Group 9

Sofía Candela Aguirre Santana is a student in the English Teacher and Translator Training courses at Universidad Nacional del Comahue. She was born on August 16, 2003, in General Roca, Río Negro, where she later graduated from secondary school with a major in pedagogical studies. Currently, Sofía is taking part in a university project called "Puente Music”, which combines her two passions, music and the English language.

Delfina Bulgheroni is a student in the Translator Training course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue. She was born on April 14th, 2003, in the city of Neuquén, where she completed her secondary school studies with a major in humanities before moving to General Roca to attend college.

Florencia Nicol Fernández is a student in the Translator Training course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue. She was born on 10th May, 2001, in Cutral Có, Neuquén, where she completed her secondary school studies with a major in mechanics. She has also acquired her Cambridge English Level 2 certificate.

Marcos Marzeniuk is a student in the Translator Training course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue. He was born on November 23rd, 2000, in the city of Neuquén. He spent the first years of his life in Cinco Saltos and then moved to Cipolletti, Río Negro. There he completed his secondary school studies with a major in electromechanics and acquired his Cambridge English Level 2 certificate.

The Pitfalls of Technology

By Sofía Aguirre Santana and Florencia Fernández

We are all aware that teenagers are the future of our planet, so it is crucial to analyse and understand how technology affects them since this is the greatest tool we count on nowadays. People frequently overlook the fact that the content in social media, rather than how much time we spend on them, is the real issue when talking about these platforms. That is why we believe this topic must be added to the global agenda for two main reasons, both related to how social networks have a negative impact on young adults' mental health worldwide.


Ever since its appearance, technology has been useful for countless aspects of human life. However, it has also posed some disadvantages that cannot go unnoticed when it comes to its effects and how we use it. One of the main difficulties technology has caused is the reduction of young adults' attention span at educational settings. For example, research shows that, currently, "Another concern is that teens’ ability to multitask between various activities, those online and offline, could shorten their attention spans.”

(Benvenuti et al., 2023). This explains why students get so distracted during lessons at school. It is getting more and more complicated for teachers and professors to keep adolescents hooked and motivated in class, and this is due to mobile phones as well. Unfortunately, this problem happens in every country in which electronic devices are extensively used, and because of this, it should be put on the global agenda.


Another disadvantage this tool has caused is young adults’ issues with body image, and mental health has got much worse owing to technology. We are exposed to a ton of information on a daily basis, most of it unauthentic as anyone may share the most amazing aspects of their lives while leaving out the "negatives”. For example, Han (2012) a modern philosopher, claims that the advent of social media platforms has brought about the emergence of what he terms "the society of achievement." Exhibition value in this context is primarily dependent on attractive appearances and the pressure to be positive. As a consequence, compulsive exhibition results in an obsession with maintaining physical and aesthetic perfection.


To sum up, we want to reiterate how crucial it is to understand these main causes because doing so can help us recognize when we repeat some of these behavioural patterns when using social networks. We firmly believe that one way to address this matter is to ask young adults how we can help them to profit more from social media.


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“The Morning the Sun Shone Again”

By Delfina Bulgheroni and Marcos Marzeniuk

The ringing of her daily alarm wakes Sarah up. No amount of sleep can wash away her drowsiness. Yesterday she went to bed without dinner, and today she will go on without breakfast. Her head throbs as she remembers today’s assignment. She fell asleep at 3 a.m., but she wasn't rereading her material or revising her notes; she was scrolling endlessly through her phone, looking at pictures of women she could never become, their thin waists, their long luscious hair, their flawless faces.


Later, in class, she can feel her conscience slipping on and off as she stares at the instructions written on the whiteboard ahead. Her eyes want to stay shut so badly, and the professor's words are intelligible in the stagnant air of her 8 a.m. lesson. She lowers her head, her phone seems to be glued to her hand and she can’t stop staring at it. The perfect lives that people show on social

media are far more interesting than anything in today's class. She knows she is doing something wrong, the situation has gotten worse over the last weeks but the thought of talking about it with someone frightens her. Questions cross her anxious mind “What if no one gets it? What if there’s no treatment for me?” She looks down at her pen. For some reason, she feels the urge to complete as much as she can; she might as well do something. If there’s no treatment, she will have to come up with one: To try for the sake of trying. Her foggy memory only lets her partially answer the questions, but when she leaves, she feels a comforting sense of warmth in her chest, something she hasn't felt in a long time.


The sensation is strong enough to lead her into the counsellor's office. Suddenly, she can't shut up. She tells her everything. The hours she spends on her phone, the meals she skips in a hopeless attempt to obtain the perfect body, her noticeable lack of concentration, everything that she was bottling up inside came stumbling out of her mouth. There’s sympathy in the woman’s eyes and her kind words reassure her that all of that is actually more common than she thinks, that she’s not alone. The counsellor hands her a granola bar. Sarah chews on it as tears run down her face. She feels better already.


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ENTREPRENEURS AND “BOLUCOMPRAS”

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Meet the authors in Group 13

Luana Sieben was born in 2001 on 30th May. She is an entrepreneur that studies at the Teaching training course in the university of Comahue. She loves animals,and she is the mom and roommate of her lovely cat, Skuishi. Luana loves food, especially “ñoquis”. She is very energetic and funny.

Silvia Sanchez was born in 2002 on 10th August. She is a sports lover who finds joy cooking a lot of meals for her friends and family. She studies in the Translator training course and always savours every memento with a cup of coffee. She also enjoys her free time bothering her cat Chimichurri.

Mirko Balbontin was born in 2003 on 11th June in Cutral-Co, Neuquen and began studying English at the ripe young age of 7 years. At the moment, he is studying in the translator’s course in the Facultad de Lenguas of the University of Comahue. He likes makingdesserts and dumb jokes.

Antonela Piergentili V. was born in 1993 on the 16th September in the city of Allen, Río Negro(Arg.) She studies to become atranslator at the Facultad de Lenguas, University of Comahue and is alwaysseen with a cup of tea or a mate in her hand.

THE GROWING TREND OF SMALL ENTREPRENEURSHIPS IN ARGENTINA

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By Luana Sieben and Antonela Piergentili V.

Why do we work? All of us work for a living, and making unnecessary expenses is tempting even when we cannot afford them. We Argentinians know such purchases as “bolucompras”, which are a habit that in the last decade has become part of the popular culture. This new trend has opened up a new market to create small entrepreneurships that permit young adults to make a living without having to expose themselves to the job-hunting market.


Infobae has published an article called Cuáles son los consumos preferidos de los argentinos en primavera y cuánto cuestan este año (24th September 2023). This explains, in detail, the expenses of the general Argentinian population during spring, and most of them are related to unnecessary expenses. Now, as a group, we have realized that this creates a new market that a few decades ago was not prolific, and thus a lot of young adults are taking the risk of creating their own small business. For example, nowadays, there is a large demand for manicures, and social-media apps are overflowing with young people offering their manicure services in their own home. To summarize, this new demand for more casual, freelance work is helping new generations become financially independent and start their own business.


In our country, finding a job is not an easy task; it is difficult because there are many restrictions. Businesses ask for requirements that are impossible to meet, especially for young adults. For example, they ask for previous experience of at least three or five years, with an age limit of 21. Creating your own entrepreneurship avoids this problematic situation. We have found an interview done by Descubre tu camino, an independent online radio from the city of Neuquén, of a young female entrepreneur that actually talks about how she started her small business. The same entrepreneur is one of our classmates, and co-author of this piece, and, in this interview, she expressed how she created her small business to afford her cat’s food. She told us that many others are doing something similar to have another income in their houses.


To summarize, this unique way of working is here to make an impact on our economy and youngsters are taking advantage of it, not only to generate an income, but also to take their first steps into how to be self-sufficient.

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“Freaky fair”

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By Mirko Balbontín and Silvia Sanchez

In the morning of a sort of sunny, sort of cloudy day, Selene was setting up her stand of handmade “Lil’ Freaks” in the weekly Freak Fair held on the outskirts of her hometown. Selene’s “Lil’ Freaks” were a huge hit with her university classmates and even teachers. Therefore, selling them in the fair was the logical step to take. Their artisanal, rough fur and leathery skin made her weird creatures very eye-catching, and the quality was undeniable. This was vital in getting business at the fair: why would someone buy her creations instead of Gary’s “Suckling Bumbees” or Ada’s far more popular (And monstrous, really) “Gigglies”?


Many people would walk by her stand and comment on her wares, on how cute yet expensive they were; well, how else would she pay for the clothes she’d wear?

Others would say “I can make one better than that”, which would make her want to smack off their hat. But the best were those that said “I’ll take it” and she’d be over the moon to hear it. The day went on hearing the same couple of comments, Selene would observe her surroundings. Watching as families passed by with bags full of stuff: be it clothes like pants as big as tents or jackets for those with four arms, creatures from rival stands like Ada’s, who was already running out of her ugly little monsters, and chocolate I-Screamfrom Grito. That last one made her crave some for herself.


As the sun set and the fair wound down, people began to pack up and leave with their earnings. Ada had sold everything in her stand, obviously, because it seemed people love her horrible monsters. Gary hadn’t had so much luck, and it showed, he looked quite glum as he packed up his unsold merchandise. As for Selene, though, she was quite pleased with herself. She had made quite a good amount of money, having sold a lot of her freaks. When she was done counting her hard-earned money, she thought to herself, “Yes! I can definitely afford some I-Scream and a nice little shopping trip, as a treat.”.

AI TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES

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Meet the authors in Group 15

Evelyn Wagner Figueroa was born on May 31th, 1997 in Neuquén City but she grew up on her grandparents’ farm in a town. Currently, she is a student of the Translator Training Course at National University of Comahue. She likes spending her free time going for walks and watching football matches, considering herself a passionate fan of Boca Juniors team.

Florencia Barra Contreras was born on May 14th, 2002 in Villa Regina. She grew up with her mother. Since 2010 she has been studying English, which has made her realize she is fond of languages. Currently, she is studying the Translator Training Course at National University of Comahue. In her free time, she loves training aerial and floor acrobatics.

Rocio Ortiz was born on October 2nd, 2000 in General Roca but she grew up in Cervantes, where she currently lives with her family. She is studying the Translator Training Course at National University of Comahue. In her free time, she loves playing with her dogs and spending time with her family and friends.

Rocío Roa Drexler was born on June 3rd, 1998 in Neuquén City. A self-taught English speaker, she was drawn to languages from an early age. Currently, she studies the Translator Training Course at National University of Comahue. She is also a coffee enthusiast and barista. In her free time, she usually stays at home reading crime novels or manga.

Are We Really Replaceable?

By Florencia Barra Contreras and Rocío Roa Drexler

People may believe artificial intelligence will take over their jobs, but it can actually bring substantial benefits for those who learn how to use it appropriately. Recently, AI technology has been on the rise, and so has its usage. AI-assisted jobs are becoming increasingly popular and people are even employing this technology for their own personal use. These rapid developments may not appeal to everyone, but it is imperative to recognize that there is a fundamental change happening, and it is necessary to adapt to it. There are two main reasons why this technology should be on the global agenda: not only is it accessible and relatively easy to use, but it also serves as a wonderful aid for students and workers.


Since there are many free-to-use platforms such as ChatGPT, anyone can improve their knowledge, making AI a democratized asset. To make the most of AI tools, one must develop the skill of prompting. Working with AI is quite similar to the basics of programming a computer: the more detailed and specific the input is, the more useful the output will be. In the foreseeable future, employers will be hiring AI-savvy workers. Companies seek to upgrade their capabilities, and the use of this technology can enhance productivity by drastically reducing the workload. Taking notice of this, some professors have already been encouraging students to make a correct and conscious use of it, so in the future they have better work opportunities.

AI is not autonomous: it requires human input. Given that it lacks memory and contextual understanding, we cannot rely completely on it. However, it is exceptionally useful for streamlining certain tasks, as many laborious jobs can be automated. Ethan Mollick, associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, has stated in an interview (Grant, 2023) “I actually think that it is a general-purpose companion for almost anything you do that involves thinking or writing. It is incredibly useful”. He has also mentioned he has a mandatory AI use in his class, with a policy that requires students to provide the prompts used and holds them responsible for the accuracy of their outputs. Mollick has implemented this measure to avoid reading poorly written texts again.


In conclusion, we can assume that AI is the future and the future is here. It would be obstinate to ignore all the possibilities the usage of this technology can offer to the world. Furthermore, it is most likely that there will be an increase of AI-related jobs and most professions will be AI-assisted.


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“Nothing was Lost”

By Rocio Ortiz and Evelyn Wagner Figueroa

It was my first day in ‘New Language’s Interpreting Services’ company. I was nervous because I had studied my entire life to be a professional and there I was. My boss showed me around, but I was just keeping an eye on the whole space without uttering a word. I was shocked since everything was eerily quiet; the walls were painted white in the same way the atmosphere reflected people’s silence as they used some kind of automatic translator. The work was simple, remote, and offered a well- paid salary. Everything was perfect until I had to log on the computer.

A few minutes later, I walked into my office as soon as the first meeting began. There were people from three different countries who were talking about some smooth adjustments. I was analyzing some solutions to help them with their idiomatic expressions since the computer was faster than me; it instantly generated three possible outcomes to the problem and finally, it chose a single perfect automatic answer. When my activity was done, I felt incompetent. I thought that all my working skills were not needed for this career as it seemed that technology could do all my tasks. The day passed by slowly as well as the second business reunion came; customers were from dissimilar regions yet they spoke the same language and they had the oil and gas industry on their agenda. On that occasion, the computer generated an immediate adaptation which did not fix the linguistic context and its idiomatic variation. I decided to read all the automatic versions provided, also I made the necessary modifications for a marvelous translation and interpretation, which was handy for all the present ones.


By the end of my working day I felt reassured. That is why I had a more positive perspective. I had dedicated more than half of my life preparing myself to be capable of understanding languages though I had not learned anything related to technology usage. Although I had briefly feared that technology might replace me, it would never happen. I had adapted myself to the current and future times; A.I is a tool in our vocation, not a threat.

SAVE THE PLANET, SAVE OURSELVES

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Meet the authors in Group 2

Airton Quidel was born on January 12th, 2001, in Cutral-Có, Neuquén, Argentina. He attended E.P.E.T 10, where he finished his studies in Industrial Mechanic and later started Traductorado Público en Inglés at Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Besides studying, Airton enjoys playing video games, reading mythological books and wasting too much money on gummy bears.

Belén Anahí Montecino Saez was born on July 9th, 1988, in Plaza Huincul, Neuquén, Argentina. She moved to General Roca to study Profesorado de Inglés at Universidad Nacional del Comahue in 2020. Currently, she is taking part in an extension project, called Puente Music, which allows her to increase her knowledge of the English language while enjoying her keen interest in music.

Lourdes Couffignal was born on April 9th, 2000, in Barrancas, Santa Fe. She is currently living in General Fernández Oro, Río Negro. She is taking the Translator’s Training course at Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Her interests go from listening to music every day to baking and watching films, especially horror or coming-of-age ones.

Maria Paz Gortan was born on March 4th, 2000, in Centenario, Neuquén, Argentina. She is currently living in General Roca, Río Negro. She studies at Universidad Nacional del Comahue to become an English Teacher. She enjoys going back to her hometown during the weekends to visit her parents and to play long hours of Monopoly with her friends.

Save the planet, save ourselves

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By Gortan María Paz and Montecino Saez Belén

The current environmental situation is something that cannot be ignored. The TED Talk “Are We the Last Generation or the First Sustainable One?” by Hannah Ritchie (TED, 2023) brings into discussion how our generation is the one determined to make a change. In general terms, there are two reasons why this should be a priority on our global agenda: to take action to improve our territory and to look after ourselves by making clever choices.


It is no secret that the climate crisis is one of the problems that worries humanity the most nowadays. There are several reasons why we feel concerned about this situation. One of them is that planet Earth is now becoming a harsh habitat to live in since the emission of greenhouse gasses is destroying the ozone layer. This combined with deforestation is leading us to a tragic end. Another reason is people’s impossibility of having a healthy and balanced diet when it is well known that many of the foods people consume are contaminated with plastic and toxic chemicals which are harmful to the human body. In order to provide a viable solution, there are some actions that we can take in our lives from now on.


Ritchie (TED, 2023) mentions some positive results about being the first sustainable generation, which is needed to maintain and preserve lives while providing a better lifestyle for everyone. First, reducing CO2 emissions by switching fossil fuels for renewable sources, such as solar and wind energy technologies that provide abundant and cheaper energy for communities. Then, tree plantation activism can help avoid deforestation and, consequently, purify the air we breathe. Finally, rethinking the ways in which we nourish ourselves by changing our eating habits makes it a friendly environmental process to cut down on consumption. In brief, sustainability is an opportunity to make the world a better place.


In conclusion, as the data the scientist claims in The TED Talk “Are We the Last Generation or the First Sustainable One?”, it is clear that we are in charge of making some adjustments to promote a healthy and long-lasting lifestyle. Ritchie states that “we need to reframe the way we talk about sustainability as [it is] often promoted as a sacrifice” (TED, 2023) and we agree with her. As far as we are concerned, people’s willingness to make a change for the better is always a good place to start.


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“Irreversible”

By Couffignal Lourdes and Quidel Airton

That Friday, he woke up early in the morning, as per usual, to work on his habitual projects as a research biologist. He had been an environmental activist most of his life. He used to get into serious trouble for his group's actions, but this did not stop them from doing as much as they could to save the planet and, consequently, themselves. When the news hit him, though it was no surprise, he still felt like the world was crushed under his

feet. “The climate crisis is irreversible now”, they said on TV. “The battle is over, officially. There is nothing to fight for anymore. Nobody has ever listened. Well, at least not the ones with the power to make the greatest changes,” he thought to himself.


Later that afternoon, he went to an emergency meeting with The Greens, which was an activist organization he was a member of. First, they just sat there in silence. He could feel the sadness in the air and see the defeat in everyone's eyes. He could taste that feeling of doom he had thought was only felt in dystopian future science fiction films. The oceans had been inhabited by plastic for a while now, drinkable water was scarce, green spaces were rare, several species of animals had become extinct and the world had been at a loss for quite some time but to hear this now was no less of a shock. It was irreversible; they had done it; they had destroyed everything.


While everyone else in the room started talking and going crazy trying to find a miracle to solve the situation, he was just sitting there looking at a fixed point. He was reminiscing about the beauty that had been ripped away from the lands. He remembered the monarch butterflies flying around in his grandmother's garden, the birds chirping every morning, the beach and the clean waves crashing against the shore, all of that was either long gone or not the same anymore. It was gut-wrenching to think about it. How could they have destroyed it just like that? Well, it took years, but not as many as you would think. It hadn’t been enough, the time and the efforts hadn't been enough. Human greed was unstoppable and it had finally extinguished hope.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

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All efforts to cite the works our students have used to create their different pieces included in this volume have been made. If any author or reference is missing from the bibliographical list, contact us at lenguainglesa1fadel@gmail.com so that this can be adjusted.


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  • Gerwig, G. (Director) (2023). Barbie [Film] . Warner Brothers Pictures , LuckyChap Entertainment, Mattel Films, Heyday Films.
  • Monroe, M. & Comment, B. (2010). Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters. Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

GROUP 5

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GROUP 6

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GROUP 7

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GROUP 8

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GROUP 9

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  • Benvenuti, M., Wright, M., Naslund, J. & Miers, A. (2023). How technology use is changing adolescents’ behaviours and their social, physical, and cognitive development. Curr Psychol 42, 16466–16469. Springer Link. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04254-4
  • Han, B. C. (2012). The Transparency Society. Stanford University Press.

GROUP 10

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GROUP 11

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GROUP 12

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GROUP 13

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GROUP 14

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GROUP 15

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  • Grant, A. (Host). (2023, March 21). ChatGPT did NOT title this podcast (w/Allie Miller & Ethan Mollick) [Audio podcast episode]. In Rethinking with Adam Grant. Ted Conferences, LCC. Retrieved October 3rd, 2023 from https://link.chtbl.com/HXL-SvSg
  • TED Audio Collective. (2023, March 21). ChatGPT did NOT title this podcast (w/ Allie Miller & Ethan Mollick). Re:Thinking with Adam Grant [Video File]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndQHR3kdEvM
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THE PROJECT

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