Social media is often synonymous with screen-obsessed millennials and Generation Z kids, so it may come as a surprise to most to see that so many are unplugging and deactivating from their online presence. Though Generation X and the baby boomer’s growing—yet delayed—presence on social media may explain the increased demands for privacy, “going off the grid” is a decidedly millennial trademark characterized by an aversion to artificial gestures of approval like reblogs, favorites and, well, likes. Living in real life (IRL) has obvious positives; people might actually look up...

The University of Puget Sound recently received a $250,000 three-year grant from the Andrew Mellon Foundation emphasizing experiential learning.The University proposes allocating these funds toward e-portfolios and symposiums to foster greater experiential learning and interdisciplinary collaboration and competition among students. Creating an online, browsable database for students to articulate their passions and interests while seeking out others’ portfolios would cultivate connections across majors. Students have a lot to learn and gain from each other. Establishing a platform which allows students to easily collaborate has the potential to aid in continued...