'Social distancing’ and ‘self-isolation’ have become part of the daily lexicon by now. And so have terms like ‘banana bread’, ‘Dalgona coffee’, ‘All dressed up but nowhere to go’, and more. Agree? Since we went into lockdown last year, all kinds of weird (‘new normal’) behaviours have taken over Instagram—from the incessant baking to the countless challenges.
And we want to know why! So we asked Saliha Afridi, a Dubai-based clinical psychologist, to shed light on the reasons the pandemic is affecting our cooking, sleeping, exercising, and other habits in unexpected ways.
WHY IS EVERYONE BAKING, ESPECIALLY BANANA BREAD?
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Keep Calm, and Carry On
In times when the need for some mental peace is greater than ever, many of us turn to different coping mechanisms to find solace. In this special feature, we speak to 13 strong, successful ladies on what brings them calm in moments of chaos.
The Great Wall(s)
Cosmo spoke to four female street artists in India who are turning mundane brick-andmortar into revolutionary works of vibrant, meaningful art.
For the Love of Local
Turning the spotlight onto our homegrown fashion labels, Cosmo spoke with six fashion enthusiasts about their favourite sartorial picks by Indian designers.
The Influencer Trend We Are Rooting for: Real. Effing. Skin.
It’s about time we gave up on those filters!
When Did Positivity Get So Toxic?
Happiness has become the ultimate status symbol, something you can show off to the world as a sign that you, unlike others, are doing just fine. But, asks Daniella Scott, is the positivity movement actually harming us while pretending to help?
Decoding Your Immune System
It’s not the sexiest subject, but it is vital to our health and well-being. So it is time to get to know the body’s bouncers (oh, alright, the cells, organs, and organ systems) whose job it is to protect us from threats.
How Your ‘Attachment Style' Affects Your Relationship
Whether your style is ‘anxious’ or ‘secure’, it dictates how you behave with a partner. We explain the famous theory...and the different attachment styles.
2021's Best Reads
Want to know which works of fiction will blow your mind this year? Here are eight of them.
All Made Up!
Four cool guys with exceptional make-up skills create glamorous eye looks, exclusively for Cosmo...smashing gender stereotypes with their sparkly, glitter-fuelled gaze.
5 Minutes With Neha Dhupia
Actor Neha Dhupia talks to Cosmo about her latest stint as a film producer, the kind of projects she’d like to put her weight behind, and why she’d love to swap lives with husband Angad Bedi.
USERS COULD SOON HIDE ‘LIKE' COUNTS ON INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK
The tiny red hearts that appear under Instagram photos of kids, kittens and sandwiches can be a source of stress for many users, an insidious way of measuring self-worth and popularity.
Your Facebook Friend Has Some Thoughts To Share About Your Covid Vaccine
Mark Zuckerberg wanted to make Facebook a source of reliable information about the pandemic. Instead he created a perfect platform for conspiracy theorists
FACEBOOK WORKING ON INSTAGRAM FOR KIDS UNDER 13
Facebook says it is working on a version of its Instagram app for kids under 13, who are technically not allowed to use the app in its current form due to federal privacy regulations.
The Receipt Keeper D'Angelo Wallace always knows how to cut through the chaos.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW what’s going on with YouTubers or anybody else with a modicum of influence online, you’ve got two options. You can watch their videos and scour Instagram—or you can get thee to a YouTube drama channel. And no one does a channel quite like D’Angelo Wallace. The Texas-based 22-year-old packs his superlong explainer videos (many of them run over an hour) with timelines, charts, and commentary—a hybrid model that perfectly encapsulates the messiness of the influencers he covers. He now has more than 2.18 million subscribers. “I will say it’s not necessarily a case of me always striving to have the best research, or I’m always going to be 100 percent correct,” Wallace said. “I just am obsessed with the storytelling of it all.”
HANDWRITTEN
Looking for a soothing pandemic hobby? Try hand lettering.
But First, Coffee
It’s a rare day when you open up TikTok or Instagram Stories and see your fave influencers *without* a giant Dunkin’ iced coffee in hand. And for years, Starbucks’ ubiquitous cups have been seen as a status symbol—even considered an actual accessory.
MOM UNDER FIRE
FULLER HOUSE STAR CANDACE CAMERON BURE IS FED UP WITH HATERS MAKING SNIDE REMARKS ABOUT HER FAMILY.
Florence & Zach: SECRETLY MARRIED?
Florence Pugh and Zach Braff had Hollywood abuzz after a pal wished her a happy birthday on social media Jan. 3 and cryptically referred to her as “FPB.”
IMPROVE YOUR DRONE PHOTOGRAPHY
10 must-know Lightroom tips
Q & A: WHAT'S NEXT FOR FACEBOOK IN THE ANTITRUST CASE?
Could Facebook be forced to spin off WhatsApp and Instagram?