Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY, Author at Study Breaks

How ‘The Sims’ Decodes Gaming Gender Dynamics

Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

While there are many memes going around about how The Sims game series is popular amongst a female audience, the appeal to slice-of-life games for women starts in girlhood.…

April 3, 2024

A set of dark brown fingers is cradled by a pair of light brown hands; the hands are painting the nails on the figure, the sharp nails being coated in a chrome-like red, appearing revitalized as yellow sparkles shine around it. An orange ring lies down the middle fingers, while the background blends into a hazy cloud of blues and purples.

The History of Nail Art: From Past Traditions to Future Innovations

Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

How has the culture and beauty standards surrounding nail art shifted and developed from 3000 B.C. to the modern day?…

March 20, 2024

Four different Snoop Dogg's stand against a dark background with twinkling stars cast in pallid turquoise, presumably at different points in time (or not, who are we to judge?). They show all of the different sides of Snoop Dogg -- rapper, shoe model, celebrity chef and just plain ol' celebrity. His multitudes are put on full display as rapper Snoop flaunts some rhymes for an audience that cannot be seen. A cartoon snail sits atop the Snoop at the far-left.

Snoop Dogg’s Side Quests

Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

Why does Snoop Dogg’s ever-diversifying career always keep us on our toes, never certain of where he'll go next?…

March 19, 2024

The heads of three women with dark skin float against a yellow void. Most of them are disconnected from their bodies, free floating -- except for one whose hand holds a sparkling orange drink -- against an ethereal rainbow glow with transcendent looks on their faces, creating a sublime effect.

The Soft Girl Era & it’s Popularity Amongst Black Women

Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

The Soft Girl era is not just a trend about aesthetics or fashion — it's a movement of empowerment and self-affirmation for Black women.…

March 9, 2024

Beyoncé Is Redirecting Country Music to Its Black Roots

Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

With “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyoncé ushers in a new era of understanding Black peoples’ influence on Country MusicKP: Country Music …

March 4, 2024

A smorgasbord of photos cut and scattered across the frame bedeck a vibe of chaos. Wads of bills fly over mahjong tablets and a surfer, sushi intersects with face-adorned sticky notes and a young woman enjoying books in the grass, who in turn is paired with a curly-furred dog sitting above a paint supplies and a novel held wide open, not to mention several others. White lines are drawn in bold shading around the images, emphasizing specific effects and emotions.

How Vision Boards are Redefining Online Goal Setting

Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

Why are vision boards so popular on social media? What makes them so effective for personal development and progress?…

February 20, 2024

In this article -- about how sites like TikTok are enabling new ways of preserving memories like a digital scrapbook -- a girl with a red shirt and hair is smiling at posts on her iphone against a blended background of pink, orange and green, dotted with brown stars. A speech bubble extends from the phone, containing old photographs and hearts, representing the memories found in the posts therein.

The Rise of Digital Scrapbooking: How TikTok Makes Nostalgia Trendy

Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

How has TikTok made a universal feeling we all have become viral? How do we use this platform to commemorate milestones?…

February 19, 2024

In this article, about the timeless quality of Sanrio character Hello Kitty and her special toylike, Hello Kitty and Friends, a cat with a red bow in a blue dress stands in front of a pink background with hearts. She is joined by -- moving clockwise -- a frog dressed in a red and white suit with a bow-tie, a bat dressed in a black cap with a jester collar and a pink skull, a bunny with a pink cap and a yellow bow and a chunky, yellow dog with little brown cap. The kitten, frog, dog and bunny are smiling as they wave at the camera, whilst the bat sticks their tongue out, glaring mischievously.

From Retro to Relevant: Hello Kitty’s Timeless Intergenerational Appeal in the Modern Era

Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

Exploring the timeless appeal of the iconic Sanrio character Hello Kitty and her friends amidst the resurgence of Y2K trends.…

February 11, 2024

Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

Contributing Writer

Allegra Walker

University at Albany - SUNY
English, Africana Studies

"Allegra is a Junior in college double majoring in English and Africana Studies. When Allegra is not writing, you can find her watching theatre and wandering through museums in New York City!"

How ‘The Sims’ Decodes Gaming Gender Dynamics

Snoop Dogg’s Side Quests

The Soft Girl Era & it’s Popularity Amongst Black Women

Beyoncé Is Redirecting Country Music to Its Black Roots

How Vision Boards are Redefining Online Goal Setting

From Retro to Relevant: Hello Kitty’s Timeless Intergenerational Appeal in the Modern Era

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Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

Contributing Writer

University at Albany - SUNY English, Africana Studies

"Allegra is a Junior in college double majoring in English and Africana Studies. When Allegra is not writing, you can find her watching theatre and wandering through museums in New York City!"

University at Albany - SUNY
English, Africana Studies