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Delhi continued to battle with air pollution for the 10th consecutive day post-Diwali as a dense layer of smog blanketed parts of the national capital on Sunday. Several parts of the national capital recorded very poor air quality levels on Sunday morning as per the data issued by the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR-India). Today morning, Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 351, Bawana 383, CRRI Mathura Road 323, Dwarka Sector 8 at 341, IGI Airport at 326, ITO 328, Lodhi Road 319, Mundka at 358, Najafgarh at 341, New Moti Bagh at 394, Okhla phase-2 at 339, RK Puram at 368, and Wazirpur at 366, as per SAFAR-India data. As of 5 pm on November 10, Delhi's AQI stood at 334, with Anand Vihar at 353, Dilshad Garden at 262, and Jahangirpuri at 377. For tomorrow, AQI in adjoining cities of Noida and Gurugram is forecasted to be at 208.92 and 77.51, respectively. Multiple visuals from Delhi's Kartavya Path showed the area surrounding India Gate engulfed by a layer of smog. The AQI in the area was recorded at 357 as of 7 am. High-rise buildings were also covered in smog in the Kalindi Kunj and surrounding locality, as the AQI was recorded as 323 in the area. An AQI is considered "poor" between '200 and 300', "very poor" at '301 and 400', "severe" at '401-450," and 450 and above is "severe plus." As the air pollution levels in the national capital reach "very poor," doctors say that even people with no history of respiratory diseases are suffering from breathing issues. Dr. Nikhil Modi, Senior Consultant for Respiratory Critical Care at Apollo Hospital, told ANI that apart from the regular patients, those who haven't had any respiratory issues in the past are showing up with symptoms such as runny noses, sneezing, coughing, and having increasing difficulties breathing. As it is, respiratory illnesses in the national capital are estimated to have shot up by around 15-20%. The Apollo doctor further suggested that the government close the schools for children as they remain vulnerable. Whenever the pollution levels have gone beyond a certain limit, the government has opted to close the schools, Dr. Modi said. "For the last few years, we have been seeing that the government has taken action. Whenever this pollution level has gone beyond a certain limit, they have opted to close the schools. This is important because children are from a vulnerable group. As adults, we are masked and can protect ourselves better, but children usually are not that effectively taking these measures. Secondly, their lungs are still in developing stages, so they are bound to have more harm due to this pollution," the doctor told ANI. Siddharth Singhal, Head of Health Insurance, Policybazaar.com, notes that while most standard health plans in India cover pollution-related ailments, it is always advised to also go for an OPD plan along with a health insurance plan to cover consultations, medications, and diagnostic tests that may be required frequently due to pollution. "Pollution levels in Delhi-NCR and some other parts of India have shot up post Diwali. Effects of this are very evident in the form of sore throats and breathing problems, among others. This can also result in respiratory ailments and chronic conditions like asthma, bronchitis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), pneumonia, and severe cases of respiratory or bronchial obstruction. Health insurance becomes critical to cover such expenses. Most policies typically cover emergency hospitalization for respiratory issues like asthma or COPD exacerbations requiring ICU or critical care," he adds.

Layer of smog covers Delhi as air quality remains 'very poor'. Here's why you need an insurance cover for this

Doctors in India are grappling to diagnose and treat unexplained and persistent symptoms of <keyword id="9814327" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="long-covid" source="Orion">long Covid</keyword> patients due to limited guidelines, whereas researchers have flagged inadequate studies on the condition. With the <keyword id="19896311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-health-organization" source="keywords">World Health Organization</keyword> declaring an end to <keyword id="19896627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid" source="keywords">Covid</keyword> as a global <keyword id="416511" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-emergency" source="Orion">health emergency</keyword> in May last year, focused efforts are underway around the world to estimate the burden of long Covid among the population. The condition refers to the set of lingering symptoms affecting varied body parts and persisting well beyond the acute Covid infection period, including cough, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, brain fog and difficulty in focusing. The viral disease is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. While studies have suggested that about a third of those moderately or severely infected are likely to suffer from long Covid, region-wise though, incidence could vary. A study by researchers, including those from <keyword id="19988007" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="harvard-medical-school" source="keywords">Harvard Medical School</keyword>, US, estimated that 31 % of the once-infected people in North America, 44% in Europe, and 51% in Asia, have long Covid, which is "challenging the healthcare system, but there are limited guidelines for its treatment". It was published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases in September. In India, however, studies on long Covid are few and far between. One such study by Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi, conducted from May 2022 to March 2023 on 553 patients who had recovered from Covid, found that about 45% had lingering symptoms, persistent fatigue and dry cough being the most common. "There is limited exploratory research on the long Covid syndrome with scarce data on long-term outcomes," the authors wrote in the study published in the journal Cureus in May this year. Understanding the long-term effects of the virus is important for developing management strategies, optimising healthcare delivery, and providing support to recovered Covid patients in the community, they said. Dr Rajesh Sagar, Professor of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, said, "Looking at the current state of long Covid studies in India, it is too premature to say that we understand the condition well enough to know how to diagnose or treat it." Animesh Samanta, assistant professor at School of Natural Sciences in <keyword id="19897094" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shiv-nadar-university" source="keywords">Shiv Nadar University</keyword>, Greater Noida, said, "While studies in India highlight the growing recognition of neurological complications in long Covid patients, more focused research on neuroinflammation is needed." Doctors, too, have reported a rise in patients complaining of symptoms that they did not have pre-Covid. "People who never had <keyword id="6465125" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="asthma" source="Orion">asthma</keyword> in the past, post-Covid, with every viral infection, they get a long cough, shortness of breath and wheezing, which require the use of <keyword id="31257" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="inhalers" source="Orion">inhalers</keyword> or nebuliser," senior consultant Dr Neetu Jain, who runs a post-Covid care clinic at Pushpawati Singhania Hospital and Research Institute, New Delhi, said. Dr Arun Garg, chairman, Neurology and Neurosciences, Medanta-The Medicity, Gurugram, said he was noticing a spike in stroke cases among young patients not suffering from known risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity. "Similarly, we are seeing more cases of encephalopathy (swelling of the brain) without reason and having a confused state of mind following one or two days of fever. Their MRI scans show no changes. These patients have increased significantly after Covid," he said. In the absence of medical guidelines to diagnose long Covid, doctors are having to resort to broad, non-specific tests and questionnaires to gauge a patient's 'quality of life'. Studies have shown that the fatigue experienced in long Covid is similar to that in cancer patients, with a quality of life similar to patients of Parkinson's disease. "We really do not have any test to diagnose long Covid, even though it is definitely a clinical diagnosis. We diagnose long Covid for people who had at least moderate to severe infection, following which they could never regain the quality of life pre-Covid. Checking for inflammatory markers like C-reactive proteins (CRP) can support the diagnosis," Dr Jain said. "Other than routine blood tests that measure inflammation, we do antibody tests to look for direct markers. In many of these patients, we are finding rare antibodies which are very new to us and were not there pre-Covid," Dr Garg said. Inflammation persisting despite recovery from acute Covid infection is thought to lie at the heart of long Covid. However, tests to measure this specific immune response are lacking, even as researchers have been working in this direction worldwide. One such effort comes from Shiv Nadar University, where a team led by Samanta has developed a fluorescent probe capable of detecting inflammation in brain cells that can arise due to Covid infection. The probe measures nitric oxide levels in brain cells, especially in human microglia cells, where increased NO levels are linked to the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Microglia are immune cells in the brain that fight disease and help maintain brain health. Lysosomes within microglia, which help clear foreign disease-causing agents like the SARS-CoV-2 virus, produce nitric oxide as part of an immune response to infection. The probe detects nitric oxide produced in lysosomes in response to infection and thereby allows for a measurement of inflammation levels. This examination method can provide "qualitative information on infection status", said Samanta, corresponding author on the study published in the journal Analytical Chemistry in American Chemical Society. He explained that patients with pre-existing conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis (an autoimmune disorder) could exhibit prolonged neuroinflammation and loss of brain cells following Covid infection. While the probe has shown efficacy in cell cultures, animal studies would need to be done, before testing it in humans, Samanta said. Looking at the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, the study by Harvard Medical School had found that 587 clinical studies were conducted on long Covid, of which about 53% (312) were testing potential treatments. Most of these were found to be conducted in the US (58), followed by India (55) and Spain (20). The trials looked at interventions including physical exercise, psychotherapy, and pharmacological ones such as paxlovid and fluvoxamine. However, "to date, only 11 of these 312 studies have published their results that were not confirmative," the researchers wrote. The team called for studies to look into sleep disorders which were rarely included in the registered clinical studies. Further, interventions targeting the biological processes responsible for long Covid are needed but currently lacking, they said.

Doctors struggle to treat long Covid patients in India; researchers point to inadequate studies

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Last fall, the school where I teach decided to ban cellphones in the classroom. </li><li>Students have to leave them in specific locations at the start of each class. </li></ul>Last fall, as the school year resumed across the nation, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edzAqTlXZ1c">the school I work at </a>implemented a new cellphone policy.In short, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/high-school-banned-phones-in-classroom-kids-actually-liked-it-2023-9">phones were banned</a> in the classroom, not just in a "keep them out of sight" way, but by creating specific locations where students were required to leave their phones at the beginning of each class so their devices weren't near them. This was met with some <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-9th-graders-wish-parents-knew-about-high-school-2023-9">push-back from upperclassmen</a> and parents, but overall, one month in, teachers and students agreed that the policy was effective in helping limit students' distractions and instead create learning environments conducive to focus and engagement.<h2 id="907b1956-3df5-4038-a725-bd5678df3c28">Kids paid more attention</h2>As the school year progressed, I paid attention to how the policy continued to impact <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/9th-grade-teacher-shares-what-she-wishes-parents-would-do-2022-9">my classes and students</a>. I often had to remind students at the top of a lesson to place their cellphones in their assigned caddy, and some students slipped through this system, either by coming to class late or simply flying under my radar. But all year, I repeated "phones in the caddy, please" without complaint because what I saw the rest of the period was worth it: kids with me as I explained that day's class, kids with each other even as the conversation felt tense while they discussed ethical dilemmas, kids with themselves — their own meandering thoughts — when, instead of sneaking a look at their phone under the desk, they sat still within the novelty of an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mom-stopped-using-cellphone-for-day-made-her-better-parent-2022-10">undistracted moment</a> and maybe even looked within.Some of my favorite days were when, after class had ended, a student would pop back in five or 10 minutes later because they'd forgotten about their phone's existence. For <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-ai-tools-replace-teachers-high-school-students-learning-education-2024-8">certain students</a>, this was no different than forgetting yesterday's assignment at home. But for others, they collected their phones with a different kind of sheepish grin: "Ms. B, I kind of forgot I even had a phone."<h2 id="9d712bfa-6696-400d-9034-96e422f873f8">They enjoy not having their phones with them</h2>And truly, when I asked students to respond this last spring about how they felt about the cellphone policy after experiencing it for a school year, their responses were nice to hear, too. Here are a few:<ul><li>"Although it might be a little inconvenient, I really enjoy the phone policy. It's easier for people to enjoy each other when they're not on their phones. When we can have our phones outside class, half the people are just sitting on their phones playing a game."</li><li>"The phone policy is perfect. Not having notifications distract me every second makes me learn better. Outside class, I am normally on my phone and often use it to procrastinate, which doesn't help me get my work done, so I appreciate someone keeping me accountable to put my phone away when class starts."</li><li>"To be completely honest, I think the phone policy is a really, really good and reasonable one. It has helped me to be focused and connected with my classmates, and the classroom dynamic is way better without phones."</li></ul>I could drop 50 more responses that look like these. After reading them and after talking to my colleagues who reported the same observational results and remain enthusiastic about continuing our school's phone policy into its second year, for me, the question transformed from, "Did the policy work?" to "Why aren't all schools implementing a similar policy?"<h2 id="05ab1e1f-ab5c-4517-bff1-90f63e85fcb7">Teens are already dealing with a lot</h2>In talking to teachers across the country, the reasons <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-masters-golf-tournament-bans-cell-phones">phone policies</a> don't work or are not implemented center on three main issues: safety (parents want their children to be reachable, especially during our era of heightened school violence), liability (phones are expensive, and in some districts, teachers have been held liable when they confiscated a phone the student later claimed was damaged), and lack of clear, consistent policy support (it can be difficult to rally an entire staff around a policy, maintain energy for its consistent enforcement, and make sure the work of its enforcement is upheld equitably).Those are understandable concerns. It's also true that phones and related technologies are things today's teenagers will have to learn to grapple with — without the accountability of a phone caddy — in their imminent futures.However, if you're a teacher, administrator, parent, or just someone who cares about the experience of young people in your community, I urge you to think beyond these concerns — What if they complain? What if I can't reach them? What if it doesn't work? — and take a few moments to reread what my students wrote above.What I hope you notice is that their feedback is rooted in appreciation.You've probably heard teenagers are dealing with a lot these days: the negative <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/mental-health/how-does-social-media-affect-teenagers">effects of social media</a>, rising <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-tell-when-teen-is-uncomfortable-2023-11">rates of anxiety</a> and depression, plus the age-old pressures associated with growing up. When teens tell us they appreciate adults being adults, we should listen and then act by instigating some boundaries for them around their phones in the classroom. They might not say "thank you" in front of their friends, but then again, they might. In my experience, teens say all kinds of interesting things when they set their phones aside, lean forward, and start talking.

I'm a high school teacher, and my school banned cellphones in the classroom. Every school should do the same.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>When Omarni Webb decided she wanted to get a master's degree, she was determined not to go into debt.</li><li>Webb, 29, decided to apply to schools in Sweden, as Ikea was one of her favorite retailers.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Omarni Webb. Webb completed a master's degree in marketing in Sweden and later worked as a data analyst. She is currently on a career break. The following has been edited for length and clarity.In 2017, I left NYC and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-sweden-from-the-us-culture-shock-2023-9">moved to Sweden</a> to pursue a graduate degree in marketing.I had gotten my undergraduate degree in fashion business management at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, which was paid for through the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/student-loans/how-to-find-college-grants">Pell Grant</a>.After graduation, I worked in the fashion industry for around a year. But I realized that career growth in fashion, specifically design, was incredibly slow.At the same time, I had always wanted to study marketing. I figured that having a master's degree would give me an edge because I would know how to design clothes and market them.So, I started looking into schools in New York. I looked at Columbia and New York University but soon realized that I couldn't afford to go to either, even if I got accepted.Tuition at NYU's Stern School of Business, for example, costs over <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.stern.nyu.edu/programs-admissions/full-time-mba/financial-aid/tuition-cost-attendance">$80,000</a> a year — my kidney couldn't pay for that. I had gotten through college with no debt and wanted to do the same for my master's degree. I <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/more-american-students-avoid-debt-studying-abroad-college-europe-2024-10">realized I needed to find another option</a>.<h2 id="eb4bf495-4d05-4e93-ada3-26ab55a81151">I decided to start looking elsewhere</h2>My favorite retailers have always been Dollar Tree, Burlington, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ikea-first-time-visit-most-surprising-things-2023-12">Ikea</a>. I love knickknacks and how Ikea manages to create organized chaos.My love for Ikea inspired me to look up colleges in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-dad-in-sweden-shares-differences-in-schools-2023-11">Sweden</a>, the country where the furniture brand was founded. In the span of two weeks, I researched all of the requirements, sent everything in and that was that.A few of the parameters that I set limited my options. The classes needed to be taught in English, and I was only interested in one-year programs because I didn't have enough funds to sustain myself for two years. The options I found were Mälardalen University and Stockholm University.I got into Mälardalen University in Västerås, a city an hour and a half away from Stockholm. I remember screaming with joy when I got in.It honestly didn't hit me that I was in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sweden-work-life-balance-american-expat-happiness-burnout-2023-5">Sweden</a> until I was on a shuttle bus heading to the school. Growing up in Brooklyn, as the oldest of seven siblings, it was a breath of fresh air to live on my own for the first time in my life. I didn't feel scared, and I could adapt to the new environment.<h2 id="e86862fa-65dd-4986-a18c-46e1985add4a">I could travel often in Sweden</h2>Before <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/swedish-woman-moved-to-us-found-attitude-to-ambition-different-2024-10">moving to Sweden,</a> I had only traveled outside the US once to visit London. But while I was living in Europe, I traveled at least once every two months to countries like Germany, Estonia, Denmark, and Finland. I could catch a flight with a friend and go somewhere for two or three days before we flew back for classes.<div type="image" title="A girl reading a book in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris." height="3024" width="4032" msid="115157579" hostid="261" sizebytes="1532034"></div>I loved the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-sweden-from-the-us-culture-shock-2023-9">safety of living in Sweden</a>. It was a complete change from living in New York, where I constantly had to be aware and look over my shoulder.I never worried about walking outside in the early hours. I remember walking home from a friend's party in the dark, late at night. The cops pulled me over, and they gave me a reflector slap bracelet so that I could be seen in the dark.<h2 id="c1593a13-dd9e-47f9-a0e0-3064a08919d3">Living in Sweden can be expensive</h2>I remember wanting to see a Marvel movie in the theaters, but a regular ticket was almost $30, so I opted out.Eating out was expensive, too. But I loved <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lifvs-grocery-store-sweden-unstaffed-high-tech-rural-2021-8">buying groceries</a> because I could survive off $10 a week, which would get me rice, cheese, eggs, and meat.Although entertainment and eating out were expensive, everything else was affordable. I lived in a single-room dorm, which cost around $6,000 a year, and my degree added up to around $9,000.After completing my degree in 2018, I wanted to stay in Sweden. The work environment there seemed pretty chill compared to the US, where I was only likely to get a few weeks of<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/countries-with-least-paid-time-off-america-report-2022-12"> paid time off</a>.I also experienced Swedish summers where the sun hardly set, and it was absolutely incredible. I thrived in that time because I love the sun. Even during winter, when the days were short, I could adapt.But finding a job in Sweden was really hard, so I unfortunately had to return to the US.I went to Sweden to study marketing. However, during my studies, I decided to pivot my career into data analytics, which is the field I'm in now.The experience also gave me an opportunity to make lifelong friends that I'm still in contact with and see every other year. These friendships and memories are simply invaluable. I wouldn't be where I am if I hadn't gone to Sweden and had that experience.Do you have a story about studying abroad that you want to share? Get in touch with the reporter, Erin: <a target="_blank" href="mailto:eliam@businessinsider.com">eliam@businessinsider.com</a>.

I lived in NYC with my 6 siblings during undergrad. For graduate school, I was determined to go abroad.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Gen Zs have found a more authentic resource when researching colleges: college content creators.</li><li>College content creators give study advice and post snippets of day-to-day school life on TikTok.</li></ul>In the summer before his senior year of high school, videos of students waking up in dorm rooms or wandering down the college quad started to flood Ryan Fuhrman's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-is-bad-boring-fyp-2024-2">TikTok For You feed</a>.The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-tiktok-algorithm-for-you-page-works-watch-time-report-2021-7">algorithm</a> clearly knew that he should be researching college— and he took it as a cue to get started."Dorm room in NYU," he typed into the TikTok search bar. In a matter of seconds, he could <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tour-nyu-freshman-dorm-room-building-2023-9">tour the dorms</a> of New York University, checking out the bedding and wall art of each student who had chosen to share.In a similar manner, he went on to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/college-food-best-dining-halls-2017-8">judge the food quality</a> at the University of California, Los Angeles's dining halls, and get a feel for what a day in the life of a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-college-freshmen-successful-first-year-professor-2024-9">college freshman</a> might look like at the University of Southern California.Unlike scrolling a school's website or browsing a brochure, TikTok allowed him to see colleges through other students' eyes."It made me believe, 'Wow, that actually could be my day,'" Fuhrman, 18, told Business Insider.Fuhrman is not alone. According to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nearly-half-genz-use-tiktok-instagram-over-google-search-2022-7">Google's internal data</a>, nearly 40% of Gen Z prefers searching on TikTok and Instagram over Google Search and Maps, BI reported in July 2022.When it comes to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-choose-college-campus-tour-data-2023-12">deciding on a school</a>, these TikToks illuminate parts of college life that previous generations had little access to and often didn't discover until their freshman year — after the decision of where to go had been made.Instead of the typical campus tour hosted by one of the college's brand ambassadors and led along a curated map of the school's most attractive amenities, Gen Zers have multiple feeds through which they can examine a campus' vibe. And unlike the 15-minute promo videos produced by schools, much of what's featured on social media is coming from people they can relate to.<div type="image" title="Helaine Zhao standing outside of Harvard" height="1363" width="1817" msid="114753464" hostid="261" sizebytes="200338"></div><h2 id="c9b73a20-6e08-4a15-944b-3ebc651c868a">The rise of college content creators</h2>As of October 29, there were 2.3 million TikTok videos under the hashtag "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/College-life">college life</a>." The hashtag has gone viral, with 30.5 billion views.The popularity of college content on TikTok has introduced a slew of content creators covering their school life.From her very first day, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@helainezhao?lang=en">Helaine Zhao</a>, a Harvard freshman, started posting vlogs about life on campus.In a video posted in September, she shared her morning routine at college. The video shows her getting out of bed, putting in her contact lenses, picking out clothes, applying make-up, exercising at a gym, and getting breakfast. The video gained over 6 million views.Zhao, who started posting content in March, has gained over 92,300 followers on TikTok. And while she's eligible for TikTok's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-creator-rewards-program-challenges-google-search-youtube-2024-3">Creator Rewards Program</a>, which allows creators to monetize their content, she has not yet joined. Still, she occasionally signs paid collaborations with study brands like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/learning/notability-note-taking-app-ipad-apple-review">Notability</a>, a note-taking app. Zhao preferred not to share how much she earns from the sponsorships.She recalls using the app to research colleges when she was deciding between Stanford, Harvard, and Yale."It was definitely a very helpful tool to get to experience these campuses without actually going to them in person," she said, although she eventually did visit the schools in person during their admitted student days.One college content creator she followed at the time was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@elisempham?lang=en">Elise Pham</a>. Now in her junior year at Harvard, Pham has more than 155,800 followers.<div type="image" title="A girl poses at Harvard" height="1000" width="1500" msid="114753468" hostid="261" sizebytes="54994"></div>"As the child of a single immigrant father and a mother who passed away when I was 9 years old, I didn't necessarily have a lot of resources and mentorship regarding the college application process," Pham, 20, told BI.She saw the value of providing resources for students who need college advice. So, when she started college, she began posting college admissions videos on TikTok about Harvard to help prospective students.She then founded the Ultimate Ivy League Guide, a college admissions consulting business that provides students with online guides and courses on college admissions. She's running the business while finishing her last two years of undergrad, and plans to continue working there full-time after graduating.Pham told BI that while she doesn't take personal income from the business, it earns a low six-figure amount a month. "The money is used to build a program that can make education more accessible for students from all socioeconomic and geographical backgrounds," she said. Pham provided BI with documentation of her business earnings.Similarly, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lillianzhang_?lang=en">Lillian Zhang</a>, a University of California Berkeley graduate, started posting content about her college life and internships during her junior year. It was during the thick of Covid, and she decided to cure her boredom by providing useful content for students.As it happened, some of her UC Berkeley vlogs went viral. In one vlog, which gained over 200,000 views, she wakes up early to go to the gym, has a mid-term review at school, then grabs a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stanford-student-internship-matcha-tea-farm-japan-what-she-learned-2024-10">matcha</a> latte and quesadilla for lunch."I think people just want to see what life at the school was through my experience," said Zhang, 24, who has more than 113,100 followers on TikTok.<div type="image" title="Lillian Zhang, a UC Berkeley alumni, speaking to students" height="3012" width="4016" msid="114753467" hostid="261" sizebytes="177026"></div>She added that prospective students had reached out to her to ask questions about school and internships."When I was still at Berkeley, there were people who recognized me from the videos. That was a really cool experience hearing how the information that I've shared has helped," she said.These days, Zhang works as a product marketing manager at a Big Tech company and posts mostly <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-worst-career-advice-on-tiktok-2024-8">career and financial advice.</a>In her first year of receiving income as a content creator, Zhang made around $47,000, mostly from sponsorships. This year, her revenue from content creation amounted to a low six-figure number. Zhang provided BI with documentation of her social media income.<h2 id="9db52995-a72c-4c11-8da5-4ec1c508d2f5">An authentic first-person perspective</h2>TikTok can be a useful tool for students to gain extra <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/more-american-students-avoid-debt-studying-abroad-college-europe-2024-10">insight into colleges</a> they are interested in.Lucie Vágnerová, the cofounder of the higher education consulting firm BKT Education in Brooklyn, advises her students to use social media during their <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/only-1-in-4-americans-think-going-college-worth-it-2024-5">college research</a>."You might see a snippet from the cafeteria, people kicking a soccer ball around the quad, or even whether it's stressful to study in the library," she told BI. "Just real-life stuff that a college website won't necessarily tell you."Students can get a "vibe check" to see if they can relate to other students and appreciate the school culture, she added.At the same time, college content can also change how prospective students view a college for the worst, Greg Kaplan, a college advisor, said."We have seen students change their school lists based on what they observe about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-10-party-universities-in-america-ranked-2024-9">fraternities and sororities</a> and not apply to those schools if they don't think they will fit in," said Kaplan, whose company, Kaplan Educational Group, provides college application guidance to around 350 high school students yearly.<h2 id="47905484-234c-45bb-be67-7bb333c7f6e0">TikTok is useful — but it has limitations</h2>Vágnerová said prospective students should use TikTok with a discerning eye."As much as I love to see what's happening with social media creators coming out of campuses, I always tell students, 'This is one piece of the puzzle; don't linger anywhere too long,'" she said."Look for other social media creators. Look for location tags on Instagram stories. Get a comprehensive picture of a campus or an academic culture rather than just looking at it through the prism of one person," she added.And while TikTok can influence students' perceptions of a school, other factors that students consider before making their decision typically include cost, rankings, and location.<div type="image" title="A college student posing with his UCSD hoodie." height="1092" width="1456" msid="114753466" hostid="261" sizebytes="142156"></div>Of the 17 schools he applied to, Fuhrman said the schools he was accepted to included NYU, USC, and California State University. When it came down to his decision, he decided on the University of California, San Diego, because of its reputation, rankings, and cost. Fuhrman, who grew up in San Jose, also toured several schools in person.Still, he says it was TikTok videos that gave him confidence in his decision.On the app, he has a collection of saved videos titled "UCSD." One video shows the beaches of La Jolla: "That kind of made me fall in love with the school," he said. Another video he saved shows the modern interior of Franklin Antonio Hall — an engineering facility with an auditorium, 100-seat classrooms, and collaborative study space for students. The building opened on campus in 2022. "I would never have known because every single promotional content for the school just shows a picture of the library," he said."But the school is so much more than that."In between studying for a degree in structural engineering, Fuhrman, who has around <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ryan.furball">3,400 followers</a>, has also joined in on documenting his college life on TikTok."I think that inspiring others like me who didn't really have the school on their radar is my goal, ultimately," he said.

Gen Z turns to TikTok to find the perfect school. Some college students are cashing in.

​Remembering Ratan Tata: Have you seen these photos of the beloved industrialist?​

<ul class="summary-list"><li>School choice issues are on the ballot in Nebraska, Colorado, and Kentucky.</li><li>Advocates of school choice said it gives parents more educational options to best fit their child's needs.</li></ul>School choice is a hotly debated issue — and it's on the ballot in a few states.Colorado, Kentucky, and Nebraska are allowing residents to vote on school choice, which allows families to use public funds to cover costs if they choose to send their kids to a school outside their local district, including charter and private schools.Advocates have said it allows families to choose the school that best fits their child's needs, giving parents more freedom to decide among the educational options their community provides. Critics have said that school choice puts public education at risk by diverting funds away from public schools and that some school choice initiatives have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/private-school-vouchers-arizona-cautionary-tale-savings-accounts-parents-cash-2024-5">disproportionately helped wealthier families</a>.Some voters will have a say on the issue. Colorado's<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.5280.com/2024-statewide-colorado-ballot-measures-guide/#amendment-80"> Amendment 80</a> establishes a constitutionally protected right to school choice for children from kindergarten through 12th grade. If the amendment passes, families in the state will be able to secure funds to choose between public schools, private schools, charter schools, and homeschooling.The Kentucky ballot initiative — <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.sos.ky.gov/elections/Pages/2024-Constitutional-Amendments.aspx">Amendment 2</a> — would allow the state to fund education costs for students from kindergarten through 12th grade who are outside the public school system. The Kentucky Center for Economic Policy <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://kypolicy.org/the-impact-of-diverting-public-money-to-private-school-vouchers-in-kentucky/">estimated</a> the initiative would cost the state $1.19 billion annually. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-governor-legislature-school-choice-6d8dde6cf2b52d121484c22b87d37db9">said</a> the proposal would put public school budgets at risk, while Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2024/09/27/rand-paul-calls-school-choice-a-civil-rights-issue-wife-says/75395331007/">said</a> it would support parents who want to have a say in their kids' educations.Nebraska's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/elections/Petitions/2024/Private%20Education%20Scholarship%20Partial%20Referendum.pdf">Referendum 435</a> gives voters the opportunity to decide whether they want to retain or repeal an existing state law that allocates $10 million a year for parents to send their kids to private schools. If the law is repealed, it would get rid of the state's school choice program.If the state ballot initiatives pass, they would build on the existing school choice programs across the country. Over the past few years, some states, like Ohio and Arkansas, have expanded their school voucher programs to allow most parents to receive funding to send their children to private schools. Arizona added to the momentum by creating the first universal voucher program in 2022, and nearly 30 states have some form of a school choice program.School choice remains a partisan issue, and experts and lawmakers have debated the merits of boosting funding for public education and allowing parents to choose where their children go to school.

School choice is gaining momentum, and it's on the ballot in 3 states. We want to hear what you think.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>As a high school educator, I saw that parents of younger kids are more involved in school.</li><li>Knowing parents personally makes it easier for me to share more about their kids with them.</li></ul>When I was a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/librarian-shares-tips-to-encourage-kids-to-read-for-pleasure-2022-7">high school educator</a>, I got a surprising phone call from a parent one morning. They asked, "How can I volunteer and help the school?" I was speechless — I'd never heard someone ask to volunteer at the high school level before. It's more common for the parents of younger children to volunteer, but secondary educators appreciate help just as much. When I'm friendly with students' parents, it's easier for me to reach and support the kids.We educators work hard to make school a great experience for kids <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/former-teacher-used-dread-back-to-school-limited-budgets-unhelpful-2022-8">despite limited resources</a> and staffing, so volunteers make a difference — and not just the PTA members who generously donate hundreds of hours. It's just as meaningful for a student's family to hang artwork, serve snacks at finals, or plant a garden over a single afternoon.<h2 id="750d8b06-e636-4fb0-8a81-2d81203b03db">Parents are more involved when kids are little</h2>When I know a kid's parent personally, I often email to share anecdotes about their student's growing confidence and moments when they were <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/barbie-dolls-celebrities-inspiring-women-2021-8">role models to others</a>. Parents always love hearing positive news.I've also reached out to parent volunteers when I had concerns about their kids. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/secrets-destroy-trust-relationship-therapist-advice-2024-1">trusting relationship</a> we built through working on mundane school tasks — washing down tables and shelving books — made me feel comfortable reaching out directly rather than going through a guidance counselor. Teens need all the adults they can get rallying around them at school, even their parents.But I don't see many parents in school <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/middle-school-social-worker-shares-what-she-wishes-parents-knew-2022-11">hallways in middle and high school</a>. In preschools and elementary schools, parents pop in to read a story, host birthday parties, or chaperone trips. Family involvement dwindles every year after 5th grade, and by high school, I only see parents discussing serious stuff like grades and college admissions.<h2 id="93313d91-b2e1-42a8-a17c-adc86ce931f7">It helps me connect with the families</h2>When that very first parent volunteer called me on the phone and asked how she could help, I asked what her skills were. "I can plant a window garden," she said. It turned out that her daughter, Joni, was also a longtime volunteer at the library. Parents who generously volunteer often encourage their kids to do the same.Joni had served as library intern since 9th grade, and devoted many hours to helping peers at the circulation desk. "Joni talks about you all the time," said her mom. "I just had to meet you and see the library she was so excited about."The day Joni's mom planted the window garden, Joni barely spoke with her, but they exchanged smiles from across the room. A busy 11th grader, Joni continued her usual Friday afternoon routine of helping at the circulation desk and doing physics homework. I could see so much love and pride in Joni's mom's face when she glanced across the library and saw her daughter helping her peers in such a professional manner.Teens want to feel ownership of their school and social lives, so it's probably best that parents back off a bit. But when they do volunteer, they send the message that higher education isn't just a means to an end — but it's also a caring community built around lifelong learning. Some parents who usher at plays or poetry readings enjoy it so much, they say they want to go back to high school again."It's really cool of you to volunteer, Dad," one boy said to his father, a carpenter whom I called in to repair a bookcase, "Just don't make a habit of it, OK?"

I'm a high school educator. I wish parents stayed active through school events. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>I <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-move-family-kids-to-dubai-similarities-to-america-2024-8">moved my family of five</a> from Connecticut to Switzerland in 2016.</li><li>We were welcomed into our new community with open arms, and it's so easy to get around.</li></ul>In 2016, my family was eager for change. We were having a hard time finding an <keyword id="23304879" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="inclusive-school" source="keywords">inclusive school</keyword> for my 9-year-old <keyword id="23304878" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="neurodivergent-son" source="keywords">neurodivergent son</keyword>, who was depressed from years of bullying and exclusion. On TV, politicians also continued to fight to keep assault rifles legal in homes four years after the mass shooting of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School, a short drive from my house. Just before the presidential election, my husband's employer offered him an opportunity to move to Switzerland. At first, the move felt too wild to consider. But as political tensions in the US continued to rise, we only felt more depressed and isolated. Families and friends fought over how the country should be run, and we still had no school for our son. By the end of the year, my husband took the offer and we officially decided to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mistakes-i-made-switzerland-first-time-airbnb-restaurants-buses-2024-7">move abroad</a>. <h2>We folded seamlessly into our interconnected Swiss community</h2> <div type="image" title="amy's daughter walking along the water in switzerland" height="3024" width="4032" msid="113637041" hostid="261"></div>Because of my husband's job, we quickly obtained resident permits to live in Switzerland and acquired health insurance. I also found an international school that was willing to work with our son. When we arrived in our hilly Swiss neighborhood a mile from Lake Zurich, it felt like we were welcomed with open arms — especially by local expats. All around me were families from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America who were also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/typical-immigrant-united-states-jobs-construction-food-services-florida-california-2024-4">new immigrants</a>. When I got lost in parking lots, tunnels, and tiny streets and constantly misinterpreted cultural signals, I expected to be scolded, but I wasn't. Our international community offered helpful tips and advice. On the days I was hopeless at learning German, couldn't unlock a grocery cart, or failed to interpret labels on cereal boxes, someone was there to help. Though our backgrounds and beliefs varied widely, we united in our general awe of our new, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-beautiful-places-to-visit-from-expert-2024-6">beautiful country</a>. Most of us had no family nearby, so we became each other's people. <h2>Many aspects of life are just easier here</h2>In our suburban Connecticut neighborhood, there were no sidewalks, accessible bike paths, or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-public-transportation-new-york-city-ferry-opinion-2023-8">public-transportation</a><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-public-transportation-new-york-city-ferry-opinion-2023-8"> options</a>, so we had to drive everywhere. Having the freedom to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/car-free-in-the-suburbs-happier-healthier-2024-3">get around without a car</a> in Switzerland has been life-altering for us. It eases our days and helps us stay connected to the beautiful nature around us. Here, most people stroll down long wanderwegs (paved trails) lined with trees and primroses on their way from home, school, or the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-vs-target-grocery-shopping-which-is-better-review-2024-9">grocery store</a>. If walkers need to rest, there are red benches perched beside fields full of happy cows. We can swim, walk dogs, run, and hike pretty much anywhere on pristinely maintained paths. And if we're traveling a little farther, the local <keyword id="20415868" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="public-transportation" source="keywords">public transportation</keyword> is clean, safe, and convenient. Bus stops and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/traveling-with-kids-first-amtrak-train-new-york-worth-it-2024-5">train stations</a> sit on most corners. Beyond being physically connected here, there's a communal responsibility for people of all ages. That means it's even pretty <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tips-keep-children-safe-disney-world-2024-8">safe for my children</a> to get around by themselves. Independence is highly valued. I often see young kids — usually wearing bright-orange lapels so others know they're traveling alone — walking along sidewalks or hopping onto public transit to get to school. <h2>As the US continues to deal with extreme political divides, we're staying abroad</h2> <div type="image" title="amy's kids looking at a field of cows" height="3024" width="4032" msid="113637035" hostid="261"></div>The US will always have a special place in my heart. But, for now, it's not somewhere I want my family to call home. Earlier this year — almost eight years after <keyword id="23304877" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="moving-to-Switzerland" source="keywords">moving to Switzerland</keyword> — I returned to the US to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/weekend-trip-new-york-city-on-budget-not-worth-it-2023-12">stay in Manhattan</a> with my youngest daughter. It was strange to be back; I felt like a foreigner. I had fun showing her our homeland, playing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-rent-out-my-pickleball-court-to-strangers-made-money-2024-9">pickleball in Central Park</a>, visiting writer friends, touring artists' studios, listening to live jazz, and feeling nostalgia for the version of America that's been inaccessible to me for a long time. But then, I stumbled upon a wall of barricades in front of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue — people were furiously shouting at each other about contrasting political views right on the street. Sadly, that scene was the only reminder I needed of why I left in the first place. Correction: September 24, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated when the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting happened. In 2016, it had been four years since the shooting, not five.

I moved my family from the US to Switzerland 8 years ago. The difference in our quality of life is astounding.     

Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> urged CEOs of US majors to take advantage of India's growth story as the country is making all efforts to become the third largest economy of the world in his third term. India is currently the fifth largest economy of the world after the US, China, Germany and Japan with a GDP of around USD 3.9 trillion. India has been the fastest growing large economies of the world with GDP growth rate of over 7 per cent for the last three consecutive years. Addressing CEOs of the large US tech firms on Sunday, Modi said India will make every effort to become the third largest economy in the world in his third term (2024-29). Companies should take advantage of India's growth story for collaboration and innovation by co-developing, co-designing, and co-producing in India for the world, harnessing the opportunities from the country's economic and technological growth, he said. Assuring the business leaders of India's deep commitment to the protection of intellectual property and to fostering tech innovation, Modi highlighted the economic transformation happening in the country, particularly in electronics and information technology manufacturing and semiconductors. Modi asserted that his government was committed to making India a "global hub of <keyword id="20073013" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="semiconductor-manufacturing" source="keywords">semiconductor manufacturing</keyword>". The meeting took place at the Lotte <keyword id="19904497" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="New-York" source="keywords">New York</keyword> Palace Hotel on Sunday during the second leg of Modi's three-day US visit. It saw the participation of CEOs of 15 major US-based firms working on cutting-edge technologies such as AI, quantum computing and semiconductors. "Had a fruitful roundtable with tech CEOs in New York, discussing aspects relating to technology, innovation and more. Also highlighted the strides made by India in this field. I am glad to see immense optimism towards India," Modi said in a post on X. During the conference, Modi said technology collaboration and efforts such as the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET) lie at the core of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, according to a Ministry of External Affairs press release. Organised by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Engineering, the CEOs of top US tech firms, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayena, Accenture CEO Julie Sweet and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang attended the meeting. Others who participated in the roundtable included AMD CEO Lisa Su, HP Inc. CEO Enrique Lores, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, Dr Noubar Afeyan, Chairman of Moderna, and Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg. Modi also talked about India's BIO E3 (biotechnology for environment, economy and employment) policy to develop the country into a biotech powerhouse and on the topic of AI, noted that India's policy is to promote AI for all, underpinned by its ethical and responsible use. The CEOs appreciated India's growing prominence as a global technology hub, driven by its innovation-friendly policies and flourishing market opportunities. They also expressed strong interest in investing and collaborating with India, agreeing that investing in startups would be a synergistic opportunity to innovate and develop newer technologies in the country. Others who attended the conference included Biogen Inc CEO Chris Viehbacher, CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb, Chris Boerner, Eli Lilly and Company CEO David A. Ricks, LAM Research CEO Tim Archer, GlobalFoundries CEO Thomas Caulfield, and the CEO of Kyndryl, Martin Schroeter. "Further cementing technology and business connect. PM @narendramodi interacted with the top tech leaders and CEOs of USA, in a Roundtable hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Engineering, in New York today. PM emphasised India's growth prospects and discussed initiatives to foster collaborations and innovation across diverse sectors," the official account of the MEA said in a post on X. The prime minister had a separate meeting with Krishna P Singh, CEO of Holtec International, which is into nuclear and solar power generation. They discussed Holtec's plan for expanding manufacturing in India and advancing energy cooperation, PMO India said in a post on X. Earlier on Sunday, Modi addressed the <keyword id="20115166" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-diaspora" source="keywords">Indian diaspora</keyword> at the packed Nassau Veterans Coliseum on Long Island in New York. He also held bilateral meetings with world leaders at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session here. Modi reached New York on Saturday after attending the Quad Leaders' Summit hosted by President Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113516805" title="Why is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the US this weekend?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

PM Modi invites US CEOs to take a 'byte' out of India's growing technology sector

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Baby-tracking apps are becoming more popular, especially for first-time parents.</li><li>As a mom and educator, I feel like parents need more authentic connections than information.</li></ul>Nearly 12 years ago, I found a rudimentary <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-parenting-and-pregnancy-apps-2018-3">app that helped me track how often and for how long I fed my baby</a>. I told my mom about it, excited to share how advanced things had gotten since her days of feeding babies. My mom responded matter-of-factly, "Honey, you don't need all that. Just let the baby nurse when she's hungry."Annoyed at her dismissiveness, I asked a seemingly obvious question, "How will I know when she's hungry?" She replied, "Babies are pretty good at letting you know things like that."It turns out she was right. I ended up deleting the app after realizing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/couple-doesnt-use-baby-monitor-no-anxiety-2024-10">my baby was an expert at making her needs known</a>. In addition to relieving myself of data collection, I was lucky to have my first seed of skepticism regarding parenting and technology firmly planted in my mind. I went on to have three more kids, and while I surely Googled things from time to time, I stayed out of the whole baby tracking wave.<h2 id="d2bccd93-0cd4-4ecf-b948-94e0b4d80bfd">My friends tell me about all the apps they use</h2>Recently, several of my friends have had babies. They tell me about the apps they use to track developmental milestones, nap schedules, duration of those naps, every ounce of liquid that goes into the baby's body, and every bit of excrement that comes out.These friends, all new moms, seem to have a love/hate relationship with their baby-tracking apps. On the one hand, they feel validated and reassured to have all this data in their phone — irrefutable evidence of attentive parenting. On the other hand, they know something feels off about the whole thing.In most cases, the app knows more about their day-to-day existence and that of their baby than their own partners. They wonder aloud if their apps are providing them support or an unhealthy sense of isolation and high-stakes thinking. As a mom and an educator who began teaching before the iPhone was invented, I don't wonder quite so much.<h2 id="72903342-341b-477b-b827-b51ddfba967e">Parents are more isolated</h2>In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there was optimism that technology in the form of household appliances would reduce the heavy burden on homemakers. However, the net effect of conveniences like washing machines, vacuums, and electric irons was not all ease. As Nicholas Carr, author of "The Big Switch," says in the book, "The psychic price of the new tools and the new roles they engendered was sometimes high. Adding that "for many, electrification brought a new sense of alienation and loneliness into the home." I can't help but notice the recent proliferation of social media and app-based technology in the parenting sphere has had a similar impact on parents. The elusive promise of more ease and free time for social connection has instead led to more isolation, less community support, and increased societal expectations.Take, for instance, apps that don't just help parents track the minutiae of baby care but rather track the practice of parenting young children. Some apps promise to guide <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/accept-big-feelings-little-kids-normalize-same-for-parents-2023-9">parents toward raising well-adjusted kids</a> through the use of research-based best practices. Other apps come with expertly vetted scripts that parents can use to speak to their children should they hit, bite, or say, "I hate you." These apps remain largely focused on how parents can appropriately respond to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parenting-advice-family-experts-strangers-2024-2">their child and their big feelings</a>. While marketed as parent-support, most parenting apps are child-centered to the extreme, using the parent as a conduit to deliver a particular parenting approach. While some might find this helpful, others might interpret this level of prescriptive guidance to mean that parenting is a practice best outsourced to experts in the form of palm-of-your-hand guidance.<h2 id="469bb93f-88be-4982-87e9-d3fb2df979d1">There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to raising kids</h2>But my collective years of raising and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/its-time-to-ditch-the-gentle-parenting-scripts-2024-7">teaching children</a> have shown me there is no one-size-fits-all approach, nor is there a magic bullet for the relentless nature of attuning to the ever-changing needs of children. Parenting can be tedious, labor-intensive, baffling, and mind-numbing in equal measure. Of course, the same could be said for washing clothes by hand on a washboard. Parents are motivated to seek ways to ease the burden, and experts are motivated to offer them. But it's important for parents to examine whether their perceived solutions to the difficulties of parenting are isolating them from their own inner knowing and from one another rather than bringing them closer to both. In my case, my mom's candid advice taught me two things: I could trust myself to read my baby's cues, and I could turn to other moms for free, no-nonsense support.Apps may be chock-full of information, but they're lacking in what has made household work, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parental-stress-is-a-public-health-crisis-2024-9">child-rearing</a>, more palatable for centuries. Things like connection, community, and a reasonable acceptance of the imperfect nature of family life are the intangibles that may not offer immediate solutions but perhaps offer something even better: the space and support to find our own solutions.Christine Carrig, M.S.Ed., is the founding director of Carrig Montessori School in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. You can subscribe to her Substack or follow her on Instagram @christine.m.carrig.

As a Montessori school director and a mom, I know an app can't replace a village

<ul class="summary-list"><li>JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon spoke at The Atlantic Festival 2024 this month.</li><li>Dimon said American schools should change how they approach education.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jamie-dimon-likes-musks-department-of-government-efficiency-idea-2024-9">Jamie Dimon</a> thinks the curriculum at American schools needs an upgrade.The <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jamie-dimon-succession-planning-priority-2024-9">JPMorgan Chase CEO</a> discussed the country's education system during an interview at The Atlantic Festival 2024 this month. Dimon said that high schools and community colleges could do more to prepare young folks for adulthood. He described graduates leaving school to stock shelves, which he said isn't a bad thing, instead of "making $60,000 a year as a coder or planner or finance person or program management.""We don't educate them about livelihood," Dimon said. "We worry about whether they can do math in eighth grade — which I think is good — but I think we should change the purpose of education. You leave learning about life, and you have a livelihood."<div type="image" title="Jamie Dimon" height="1777" width="2500" msid="113711499" hostid="261" sizebytes="322210"></div>Dimon, <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-executive-kids-2014-6">who raised three daughters</a>, said high schools should offer classes focused on nutrition and wellness. He also said there should be classes about financial education, including how to save money.Dimon is part of the New York Jobs CEO Council, which works to address income and opportunity gaps.Dimon has spoken about the importance of education in the past, including in June when he told Axios that schools aren't giving students proper training for entering the workforce."Businesses have to hire a lot of people and they have to train them, so when the school system doesn't do it, it makes this harder for companies," he told the outlet.He added: "What you need in a lot of these things is, certificates and training that get them the good job."

Jamie Dimon says American schools should teach nutrition and financial literacy

<ul class="summary-list"><li>School calendars are often shared as PDF files, lengthy written documents, or even images.</li><li>I used AI to turn my school's PDF calendar into something I could add to my Google Calendar.</li></ul>Anyone responsible for a school-aged child has dealt with the nightmare task of the school calendar. School calendars are often formatted as a PDF, image, or Word doc — and are often incredibly mobile-hostile. Trying to find it on the school's website or in your email (why do schools send everything as attachments?! ugh!) is a nightmare when you need to look up whether your kids have school on President's Day.If you've never been caught slackjawed when your child informs you that they have a half day that day, I salute you. The rest of us, we're out here sweating and scrambling and dedicating 30% of our brain cells to juggling a school calendar along with the after-school activities calendar, the endless forms that need to be filled, making sure that the yellow shirt is washed before the color day of Spirit Week. (This work, of course, is more often done by moms).I understand that public schools are in the business of educating, not web design. Revamping the clunky calendar formats and websites are not a top funding priority. So I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and do it myself.Well, sort of. I want <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-chatgpt-at-work-job-save-time-ai-2023-2">AI</a> to do this for me.I was inspired last week by Dan Seifert, a former reporter at The Verge and now Google employee, who posted on Threads about how he used AI to take the Word doc with his child's school calendar and pop those dates into his Google cal with just a few moves.This, to me, was the dream.Seifert described how he did this using his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/best-google-pixel-phone">Google Pixel</a> phone. I reached out to Seifert, but he wasn't authorized to speak on the record in detail about this. Since I don't have a Pixel, his exact method wasn't going to work for me, but I am grateful for his inspiration.After about two hours, three separate LLMs (ChatGPT, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-ai-gemini-bard">Gemini</a>, Claude), and a lot of frustration, I finally was able to get this to work. To test further, I tried out my methods for two other friends and their school calendars and got it to work for them, too. Some tweaking was required to deal with one weirdly formatted calendar, but I was still able to get it there. Triumph!Since I have suffered, I am pleased to spare you all and tell you how I did it so you can, too.<h3 id="037236f3-c580-4600-99c4-3d8f8f70b15b">A few caveats:</h3><ul><li>I am not a master of AI by any means, and there may be a much better way to do this. I'm happy to hear any suggestions you might have to streamline it.</li><li>I was using the free versions of these LLMs; its possible that the more powerful paid versions could do this better.</li></ul><h3 id="43dfa2c7-df5b-4b8c-995d-61afe4adb3aa">Here were my steps:</h3>Step 1: Get your school calendar. This can be a PDF, a screenshot of the calendar, or a copy-and-paste of all the text from a written document.Step 2. Use ChatGPT to read the PDF or image and turn it into plain text.Prompt: "I have a PDF of a school calendar with a list of dates. Please take this PDF and turn it into a text list of all the dates and their descriptions."Step 2. Turn that plain text into a Google Calendar-friendly CSV file. This might take a few tries to massage it to get it in the exact right format for Google Cal. You might have to ask it to make sure the dates go first.Prompt: "Can you take that list and turn it into a CSV file with the dates in the YYYY-MM-DD format that's ready to import into Google Calendar?"Step 3. Download the .txt version it provides, or copy and paste it into a text editor.Tip: I found that <a target="_blank" href="http://Claude.ai">Claude.ai</a> was better at this step than ChatGPT or Gemini. Claude could also create a downloadable version, which saved me a step of having to paste and save it myself.Step 4. In Google Calendar, create a new calendar with the + sign next to "Other calendars" (located in the left rail if you're on a desktop). Name it "School calendar" or whatever.Tip: Share it with your partner so they can never claim they didn't know that random Tuesday was closed for "Teacher Development Day."Step 5. Import your .txt file into Google Calendar. Go to Settings &gt; Import &amp; export &gt; Import. Upload the file from your computer and select the calendar for import. If it gives an error message or says 0 events added, you'll need to go back and fiddle with the formatting again from Step 2.Step 6. Be satisfied with yourself for being a master of efficiency. Congratulations.<h3 id="5122d1a6-68cf-4e55-8474-1032bfecd987">A few things you should know</h3>This wasn't as simple as I hoped. It took a little trial and error, and some of the LLMs couldn't do all of the steps on their own, which is of course, incredibly frustrating.For some reason, Gemini fared the worst of all of these at being able to do this. It also strangely gave me the wrong information about how to use Google products. For example, it told me at first it could read a PDF in my Google Drive, but then later told me it wasn't allowed to access Google Drive files.It also gave me bad instructions when I asked about how to add all these dates to Google Calendar (it suggested creating a single event and putting all the plain text in the description) instead of telling me how to import a file. I assumed that Google's Gemini would be better at helping with other Google products, but not quite.I imagine that Google (and others) will be making this workflow much easier very soon. This seems like the ideal use of AI as a productivity tool: "I have a document in my Gmail or Drive with a list of dates. Please add all those dates to my calendar." That's the magic that you want AI to do.And yes, there are companies out there specifically working to help families manage this annoying task of managing the calendar. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ohai.ai/">Ohai</a> is an app aimed at moms that acts as an assistant that can help with calendar management as well as other tasks (it's $27 a month and looks promising, although I haven't tested it myself).There's also the<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.skylightframe.com/"> Skylight calendar</a>, a $300 digital calendar touch screen device (there's also a $600 larger wall size coming out this fall). My editor, Hayley Peterson, just got one for her family and says she loves it.But I have a feeling that all this hassle will be moot by the start of the next school year. When the new iPhones have their fancy new Apple Intelligence and other AI models have grown even more powerful, I imagine that all this will be as simple as a few taps on our phones, with no hassle of importing a .txt file (shudder).I know people are worried that AI might replace our jobs, swarm us with misinformation, and harm us in ways we haven't even predicted yet. I am worried, too. I don't use AI much at work (I wrote all these words with my own two fingers). But I am also really, really happy to make this tool actually do something that improves my life in this small way.

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