Katie Gaster
Stories (12)
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The Meat Industry
Climate change has been getting some of the attention it needs recently, with kids even striking school to make a statement! It's a hugely important topic, maybe the most important? I believe if everyone does just a little bit to help fight climate change, it makes the world of difference. When it comes to making that difference, it seems the easiest thing you can do is cutting back or cutting out your meat intake.
By Katie Gaster7 years ago in Futurism
A Trip to Athens
In February, my Dad invited me out to Athens, where he was volunteering at a refugee camp. He wanted me to experience the city, so of course I jumped at the chance to explore it myself. It wasn’t a place I’d considered visiting before, and I didn’t know what to expect. My previous trips to Greece mostly consisted of laying on beaches and floating in hotel swimming pools, but this wasn’t that kind of trip.
By Katie Gaster7 years ago in Wander
Spirituality: What Does It Mean to You and Me?
A lot of people don't resonate with the word "spirituality," and they may even roll their eyes at it. But ever since I began to connect with the word and what it meant to me, I've been really interested in understanding what it meant to others.
By Katie Gaster7 years ago in Longevity
Stripping: A Little Understanding
Sexuality has been on my mind the past few months. More specifically, the difficulties women can experience expressing and finding power in their sexuality. In my previous post, I discussed how I have found this to be case, and I place the blame somewhat on how society objectifies the female body, causing women to struggle with owning their sexuality.
By Katie Gaster7 years ago in Filthy
Anxiety: A Little Understanding
Anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental illnesses. If you don't live with it yourself, you probably know someone who does. I think it's really underemphasised how important it is to understand what it's like to suffer with anxiety—especially since so many people do on a daily basis. The way people are treated when it comes to their anxiety can really affect how they handle their disorder. If someone is encouraged to suppress their anxieties, I can only imagine how problematic that could be for their mental health. Obviously, I'm not a medical professional, but I do suffer from anxiety and hopefully my experiences can shed some light on what it's like to live with the disorder.
By Katie Gaster7 years ago in Psyche
How One Solo Trip Abroad Changed My Outlook on Life
Last summer, I booked flights for a group trip to Tokyo with some of my uni friends. It was the most expensive and exciting trip I'd ever booked, and I couldn't wait to explore Japan with my buds. Except nothing is ever quite that simple with me, is it? I had booked myself as 'Katie' instead of the name on my passport, which is 'Katherine.' Yup. We tried everything we could to fix it and get me to Japan, but that one little mistake was a deal breaker. Devastated is an understatement.
By Katie Gaster7 years ago in Wander
Struggling with Sexual Expression
As women, we are raised with the understanding that our bodies are viewed differently to men's bodies. The media, society, the boys at our schools, the adults who push problematic school uniform rules onto us. Girls must wear skirts, but not too short because then it's inappropriate. Remember to keep those shoulders covered, otherwise your skin will distract the boys and the teachers! We're taught that our bodies are something men will feel the entitlement to shove their dick against in a club before we're even aware of their existence. We know if we confront them with our frustration and disgust, we're the ones causing shit. We know it's easier to simply move out of the dick's way, and give our friends that watch out for the creep look.
By Katie Gaster7 years ago in Viva
My Solo Trip To Croatia
Last summer, my time at university came to an end. All of a sudden I was an adult. I had responsibilities, real London rent to pay and work to do. It had been an intense few years in the city and I suddenly felt like I had been dropped into the world. For some reason, in a place of such uncertainty and instability, I decided it was the perfect time to run away and go on a solo trip I couldn't afford. I have a dangerous habit of diving into things without a second thought, but this was my biggest dive yet.
By Katie Gaster7 years ago in Wander
Pregnant at University
University is a significant experience of every student's life; you’re pushed outside of your comfort zone from the get-go. Whether it’s learning how to live on a budget or how to use a washing machine, university constantly confronts you with new challenges. The idea of becoming pregnant during such an intense stage of life is a daunting one. As someone who has never experienced being pregnant at university, I reached out to a good friend of mine who gave birth to a beautiful baby girl this March all the while completing her most intense year at university yet.
By Katie Gaster7 years ago in Families
6 Ways You Can Help the Environment Daily
I am in no way an expert on the environment, but apparently mankind is giving her a really hard time. I often feel pretty helpless, watching a polar bear bobbing around on a melting piece of ice on Frozen Planet. I get a pang of guilt when I see a picture of a turtle caught in plastic on my Twitter feed. But there's actually so much we can do to help the environment by making small changes in our daily lives. For those who can relate, I've made a little list for you.
By Katie Gaster7 years ago in Lifehack
Funemployment
Last December, I moved from London to my mum's house after quitting my freelance career in film. I moved with the goal of earning money to go traveling, but I’ve not yet bagged a job. I've been at my mum's for a couple of months and at least twice a week a friend or family member asks me if I've found a job. Every time I tell them I don't, I get a pang of embarrassment and disappointment right in the belly. I'm a pretty optimistic person but I can snap into some really dark feelings of self-doubt at the fact that I'm still unemployed. It bothers me a lot, and it bothers me how much it bothers me.
By Katie Gaster7 years ago in Motivation
