All posts by Allison Ambuehl

Feature & General

Sleep Paralysis

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By: Allison Ambuehl

Imagine waking up in the middle of the night and realizing you cannot move at all. You try to speak or lift your arm, but your body will not respond. Some people even feel like someone is watching them or sitting on their chest. This experience is called sleep paralysis, and while it sounds like something out of a horror movie, it is a real sleep condition that many people experience.

Sleep paralysis happens when a person wakes up while their body is still in the stage of sleep called REM. During REM sleep, the brain keeps the body from moving so that you won’t act out your dreams. However, if someone wakes up before the stage fully ends, their mind can be awake while their body is still temporarily paralyzed. This can last anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. One of the scariest parts of sleep paralysis is that some people hallucinate during it. They might see dark figures in their room, hear footsteps or feel pressure on their chest that make it harder for them to breathe. Because of these experiences, sleep paralysis has been connected to ghost stories and supernatural beliefs in different cultures throughout history in the past. Some people believed they were being visited by spirits or demons during these episodes.

Even though it feels terrifying, sleep paralysis is usually not dangerous. According to sleep experts it can happen to anyone, however it is more common in teenagers and young adults. It can be triggered by things like stress, lack of sleep, anxiety, or irregular sleep schedules. Students who stay up extremely late, pull all nighters, or constantly change their sleep schedule are like more likely to experience it. Sleep experts say there are ways to reduce the chance of having sleep paralysis, such as keeping a healthy and regular sleep schedule, getting enough sleep every night, and trying to manage stress. Avoiding screens right before bed and creating a relaxing bedtime routine can also help improve sleep quality.

Although sleep paralysis can feel extremely real and frightening, understanding what it is can make it less scary. Knowing that the experience is temporary and harmless can help people stay calm if it happens to them. Sleep paralysis shows how powerful the brain can be during sleep, even though it may only last a brief time, it can leave a strong lasting impression on anyone who experiences it. For many people, it is one of the strangest and most unforgettable sleep experiences they will ever have.

Arts & Entertainment

Clairo: Rise to Fame

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By: Allison Ambuehl

Claire Cottrill, famously known as Clairo, is a multitalented indie/alternative music artist who is known for her intimate lyrics and gentle sound. She is a singer who needs no introduction to the younger generation, as she has been incredibly popular on social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram for almost a decade. Most people know of Clairo and her music, but how much do we know about Claire Cottrill and how she got to be the artist she is today?

Claire Cottrill was born on August 18th, 1998, in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America. Although she was born in Atlanta, Clario and her family then moved to Washington and stayed for three years, but eventually moved to Carlisle, Massachusetts where she spent the rest of her childhood.

Her parents are George and Allie Cottrill, her father is a prominent marketing executive for popular brands such as Starbucks, Coco-Cola, and Converse. Clairo is widely considered a ‘nepo-baby’ due to her father’s industry connections, but part of her brand is being a ‘self-made’ artist, she has addressed these concerns by confirming her father’s support has been helpful towards her career, so it’s up for your interpretation. Clairo describes her upbringing as supportive and constantly having creative outlets throughout her childhood, contributing to her love for making music.

Her exposure to music throughout her childhood led her to start posting her music on social media platforms at age 13, and she released her first official demo in 2014, called ‘Do U Wanna Fall in Love?’ under her real name. Her first viral hit she released was in August 2017, called ‘Pretty Girl’ after graduating from Concord-Carlisle high school. This song was so popular as it was recorded with her raw vocals in her bedroom, which resonated with a lot of viewers because of the raw and acoustic feel. She then went on to attend Syracuse University, while pursuing music full-time.

She continued to release music, growing her already established fanbase and released albums such as ‘Immunity’ in 2019, which included the song ‘Bags’ that won the best song of the year in 2019. She later released ‘Sling’ in 2021 which debuted in the top 20 of the US Billboard 200. Her most recent album titled ‘Charm’, was self-released in 2024 and nominated for a grammy in the Best Alternitive Music Album category. Clario’s success has been widely criticized due to her industry connections, however that doesn’t change the fact that she is a unique artist with a beautiful voice and the ability to connect with her fans.