We wanted to talk about the discourse of “nepo babies” in pop culture that has been all over the internet recently. In this episode, we discuss our opinions, trends on TikTok, and the reasons for controversy on “nepo babies”.
In this episode of the VC Social Podcast, Liv Lisheski, Leila Tindall, Ashley Cisneros, Valeria Colmonares, Brooke Smith, Nataly Juarez, and Jadin Lugo dive into the most relatable student pet peeves. We cover everything from quick everyday annoyances to the ones that cause real frustration. Through stories, hot takes, and a few laughs, we share our personal experiences and even vote on the worst pet peeves of all. Along the way, we get to know each other better and explore what really gets under students’ skin. Tune in to see if your biggest pet peeve made the list!
In this episode of Dating Diaries: 2 Different Generations, the host Dallas, sits down with Viviana, Bella, Rosie, and Heather to talk all things dating. The group gets into topics like dating apps, red flags, sugar daddies, and the lessons they’ve learned from their own experiences.
They also share some funny date stories, give their opinions on modern dating, and compare how perspectives can differ between generations. If you’ve ever had a bad date, questioned a red flag, or needed dating advice from friends, this episode will definitely feel relatable.
Lakers, NBA Stars, and PrizePicks: How Fans Watch Basketball Today –
VC Social
In this episode we talk about the Los Angeles Lakers, some of the biggest NBA stars right now, and how fans watch basketball today. We also discuss how sports prediction apps like PrizePicks make games more interactive. Our group (Alex, Christian, Jade, Bryan) share opinions on the Lakers, on players like Lebron James, Luka Doncic, Wemby, and Anthony Edwards, and we talk how sports culture is changing.
Down below are links to PrizePicks, LA Lakers team stats, and a link to a Survey.
In this episode of Hot Girl Makeup Hotline, your hosts Isabella, Valeria, and Mariah discuss makeup trends, dupes of high-end products and give you advice on how to find your signature look. They give insight about the impact of social media on beauty trends. Each of the hosts shares their favorite makeup looks and a variety of products that are actually worth your money. As your “beauty besties,” we help you discover the fun in makeup.
As college students, we tend to get ahead of ourselves when it comes to having stress while trying to deal with anything college-related, but from experience and many friends/peers of mine, music is the number one way to destress, focus, or even just to walk around campus. I wanted to get different people’s opinions and find out their way of thinking when it comes to using music to help, so I interviewed three students to understand why they listen to the music that they do. I asked them the same five questions and got very different but interesting answers.
Interview 1: Leslie
1. Is there a certain artist that you like to listen to when you want to destress?
– Tame Impala
2. How does that artist help you focus?
– The message in their songs, along with the beats, keeps me in the zone. The lyrics aren’t too distracting.
3. What genre of music helps you get into the focusing zone and why?
– Techno or house music. The beats keep me in a constant though instead of having lyrics steering me away from my assignments.
4. What song would you describe your college life right now and why?
– Passionfruit by Drake. It’s good vibes and I feel like I’m flowing through the school work taking it day by day.
5. What song plays in your head when you submit an assignment at 11:59?
– Only Angel by Harry Styles. It had a good mix of buildup and intensity then relief when submitting the assignment.
Interview 2: Alyssa
1. Is there a certain artist that you like to listen to when you want to destress?
– Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish
2. How does that artist help you focus?
– Ariana Grande tends to make songs that hit emotionally, Billie Eilish makes melodies that ease my stress and calms me down.
3. What genre of music helps you get into the focusing zone and why?
– Usually girl pop, but if I really want to get into my zone, I usually put on a lo-fi radio station, and I usually tend to put that on for when I study or do my assignments/homework.
4. What song would you describe your college life right now and why?
– My Future by Billie Eilish because It really has you thinking about not only school but life.
5. What song plays in your head when you submit an assignment at 11:59?
– Count Contessa by Azealia Banks. It has good vibes all around and makes me feel like I’m that girl because I got it done before the deadline.
Interview 3: Ashley
1. Is there a certain artist that you like to listen to when you want to destress?
– Taylor Swift because she has a song for every feeling. If I’m feeling stressed, I usually put on Evermore or Folklore. If I want an album to hype me up, I’ll put on Fearless because that is just such a good pop album.
2. How does that artist help you focus?
– Her music helps me focus because it creates a certain mood.
3. What genre of music helps you get into the focusing zone and why?
– Pop music for sure because it’s upbeat and motivating.
4. What song would you describe your college life right now and why?
– This Is Me Trying by Taylor Swift because I feel as though anybody can relate no matter what stage of life you’re in.
5. What song plays in your head when you submit an assignment at 11:59?
– Time Of Our Lives by Pitbull feat Ne-Yo because it’s such an uplifting song.
Quote from my interview with Leslie
“The way music has the power to transport you back to a certain feeling or time is beautiful.”
For context, this playlist is one of my favorite playlists to listen to because it’s calming music to help you focus.
Final Thoughts
After taking the time to interview these students, I reviewed everyone’s answers, played all the requested songs, and sat down with them as I listened to everyone’s choices. Even to understand the way a song can mean so much to a person. It’s crazy to think how different each person answered and the type of music each one uses to focus.
When you’re scrolling on TikTok or Instagram and you see a video that says “sponsored” on it, you probably scroll past it. It’s not the ad’s fault, it’s not your fault, it just happens. With the increase of advertising through social media, companies are usually required to add the sponsored feature or often add links to make it easier for viewers to access the product. Instead of responding in a positive way, most viewers find these videos an interruption to their scroll.
There actually were studies at the University of Twente and Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences where they had tracked a number of participants’ Instagram feeds by looking at analytics and conducting interviews; The results confirmed that sponsored ads have much less watch time and overall less engagement compared to organic content.
This raises the question of how companies will move forward in marketing through social media, and who will actually even respond.
While I don’t have the resources these Universities have, I have a microphone and an iPhone, so I have conducted a series of short interviews with social media users of different kinds of demographics.
I asked,
“Why do you scroll past sponsored ads on TikTok, and why do some of them catch your eye?”
This video is of an interview with my coworker and friend Kianna expressing her opinion and answering the questions above. Of the 10 people that I interviewed, all the answers were generally the same. Viewers response to authentic content is significantly better than their response to ‘hokey’ sponsored content.
Thank you for reading, and I hope that this article urges you to consider why you avoid certain ads, and why others attract you.
Most people don’t have a skincare routine, but I’m here to tell you the importance and ease of starting yours today! There are four base products everyone should have, which are a cleanser, hydrating serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen. Skincare is for everyone, whether it’s for acne, preventative care, or corrective care.
Itzel Reyes, a licensed esthetician, says, “This is an effective skincare routine that incorporates all the essentials to bring your skin back to life…they are professional grade, result driven products.”
It is important to have a skincare routine not only to look good but to have healthy skin now and as we get older. Also, if you think it’s too late to start yours, it’s not as long as you start! People usually think skincare is only for people with acne, but they’re wrong. Itzel sees clients who also want to prevent their skin from getting dry during the fall season or who want to protect it from getting sun damage. She also has clients who already have sun damage and hyperpigmentation, which is caused by not using or having the right products to protect their skin.
“Would you believe me if I told you this was 80% home care…”
Ultra Gentle Cleanser
Step 1: start with your cleanser and make sure you fully rinse it off before applying the other products.
Hydrating Serum
Step 2: After you’ll want to add a pea size amount of your hydrating serum.
Moisturizer
Step 3: Add about a nickle size of moisturizer and make sure to wait about 20 seconds before adding your spf!
Sunscreen
Step 4: Lastly don’t forget to put your sunscreen, which should be two finger length amount. Make sure to massage it in to not have a white cast!
Today, matcha is a staple drink at any coffee place. But with it causing so much demand places today sell you a cup at $7-$10 full of cheap powder, artificial sweeteners, and cold foam. What happened?
I had first started drinking matcha 5 years ago, hearing it could help me with my stomach issues. It wasn’t until recently I came to the conclusion that what people are selling you today does not taste the same as it did before. There was once an earthier taste, way more grassy, if you will. 🤭
I want to say it was 3 years ago where I went in one day to get a matcha when the barista told me they were out of powder for the week. Later I went to another place and again I’m told they were out of powder. The times where it felt only me and Kourtney Kardashian drank it were over.
Unfortunately, throughout that time, it became a recurring situation where there was never enough supply to last coffee places the whole week. But it wasn’t until January of last year when I saw a video for the first time that there was a matcha shortage but I knew it had started way before that.
It feels like every week there’s a new coffee shop that opens and there is not enough matcha to go around.
I spoke with Veronica Sara – a matcha lover who has taken classes in Uji Japan learning about matcha and its origin. She physically got to grind matcha leaves by hand to create the powder. She shares,
“You only get 10g of matcha powder in 30 minutes of stone milling”
Getting back to what was said earlier, a lot of places will buy cheap powders and mask the drink with different flavored fruit syrups, foams, etc. And you pay upwards of $10 for a cheaply made drink.
I can name a couple of places here in the 805 that are or aren’t worth your money, but we can save that for a future segment.
What I can assure you of today though is that if you are looking for its true rich texture, flavor, and quality you are best off buying a great quality powder that originates from Uji, Nishio or Yame and making it yourself.
It’s not the easiest thing to get into, but I guarantee you once you get the hang of it, there’s really no going back. Also while a great quality powder can be pricey it’s worth the price compared to spending on a mid coffee shop.
There’s this saying I see in videos time and time again where they say depending on the color of the drink you’ll know if it’s actually good or not. The greener the better.
@dogloverimani on TikTok
But it also gets complicated and confusing because it also gets to a point people overdo the powder, and it’s not only adding to the shortage, but also people are overconsuming the number of grams they should be having for a daily intake. This, in some cases, causes people to end up in the ER because of a lack of poor knowledge.
I had the privilege of watching and observing all this play out in real time. However, it saddens me that matcha became another victim to overconsumption culture. There’s not, and most likely never will be, enough to get around to truly appreciate. The plot was lost and its beautiful culture was forgotten.
Ever looking for a nice breakfast spot to eat at? Check out my favorite 3 spots to go have a nice brunch out here locally in Ventura County!
Breakfast Burrito w/ Country Potato’s
3. Mrs. Olson’s Coffee Hut (Oxnard, CA)
One of my top 3 breakfast spots to go to is Mrs. Olson’s Coffee Hut. Located at 2800 A Harbor Blvd, Oxnard, CA, this breakfast restaurant is lovely for its outside patio because of its scenic view of being by the harbor where people dock their boats, being close to the water, and for the patio being all sand to make it feel like you are having breakfast on the beach. Mrs. Olson’s has been around for 50 years! “What started as a small coffee shop only holding 45 people, it has grown into a neighborhood favorite breakfast restaurant being able to hold 350 people” says new owner of Mrs. Olson’s Coffee Hut. “Based off our sales, The Big Basic (2 eggs, potatoes or hash browns, choice bacon sausage or turkey sausage. beef patty or ham steak with additional charge) has to be our customers favorite dish along with The Breakfast Burrito and the Chilaquiles.”
My favorite dishes at Mrs. Olson’s are: 1.Country Fried Steak and Eggs ($18) 2.Classic Eggs Benedict ($15). 3.Chilaquiles ($16)
Everything on the menu is super delicious. Great food and great customer service, hands down a beautiful environment to be eating breakfast by the beach.
2. BG’s Cafe (Oxnard,CA)
BG’s Cafe is what you really call a “Hole-In-The-Wall” breakfast joint where it is really easy to miss on the front street, but the trick is to enter through the back of the restaurant where there is more parking . Located on 428 S A St, Oxnard, CA BG’s Cafe has been serving delicious food since 1971 in downtown Oxnard. This family-owned restaurant has the tastiest coffee I’ve ever tried , and I don’t usually have the care for drinking coffee.
My Go-To meals at BG’s Cafe are: 1. Homemade Chilaquiles with Country Potato’s and Eggs -$18 (seen in photo). This is an everyday favorite Mexican breakfast and also a customer favorite item. 2. The Ham Steak and Eggs -$20. This dish comes out with a huge slab of cooked ham and comes with a side of eggs, golden hash browns and some fruit.
BG’s Cafe is truly a hidden gem, I’ve been going here ever since I was a little kid and the food has only gotten more delicious. I highly recommend visiting this great establishment.
Chilaquiles w/ Eggs and Potato’s
New York Steak and Eggs w/ Country Potato’s
1. Arts Corner Cafe (Ventura,CA)
My personal favorite breakfast spot to go to is Arts Corner Cafe. Arts Corner Cafe is a top tier breakfast spot in Ventura. This family-owned restaurant is located on the corner at 1907 E Thompson Blvd, Ventura, CA. Arts is a lovely breakfast restaurant to go to on a date, eat with family, or just to simply get good food. They have a nice outdoor area to eat your food along with indoor seating as well, but I prefer to eat outside. They also have amazing cocktails for the 21+ crowd that comes on by. My go to drink is their Paloma $12. A customer favorite is their Mimosas that come in this big goblet for $12-$15.
The main 2 items I order are: 1. The Cinnamon Roll – $11 This big cinnamon roll is great for an appetizer or dessert so make sure to not be eating alone. Comes with this rich glazed cream and some syrup on the side. This item is a for sure another customer favorite! 2. New York Steak and Eggs w/ Country Style potato’s – $30 (seen in the photo). The juicy steak is covered with a chimichurri sauce over it and blends really well in flavor with the eggs and potato’s.
The whole menu has really great quality food and drinks. It can be expensive but that’s why you get the amazing love and quality type of food they prepare. The customer service is also welcoming to all! I suggest getting there early in the morning because they are usually packed as the day goes by.
VC Social 