Alaana Kumar

I'm a writer and editor with a background in International Development and History. My experiences as a Managing Editor, Content Creator, and Journalist has fueled my passion for crafting compelling narratives. I'm a lifelong learner and avid reader, and my mission is to use the written word to inform, inspire, and connect.

Just a phone call away | McGill Tribune

At 22 years old, I have lived in four cities across three different countries. Each move has come with the gruelling process of saying goodbye to loved ones and cultivating a new social circle in an unfamiliar place. While others my age may find comfort in living in one place their entire lives, I find solace in knowing I have acquired something in my childhood that is invaluable: A large network of relationships.

With the romanticization of letter writing, rotary dial phones, and life before t
StockTrak •

Gift yourself a break

For many, the Holiday season is a time to step away from day to day tasks and take some much deserved time away from work-related responsibilities. For students, it’s not always so easy.

Many students feel the need to utilize the time off from school to catch up on work, pad their resume, or get ahead in their studies. While it can be helpful to use time off to your advantage, it’s also important to understand the benefits that come with taking a few days to unwind and reset. If you’re feeling
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Step to the Side (Hustle)

The 2021 job market has many of us settling into jobs we aren’t necessarily passionate about. While paying the bills and working the traditional 9-5 is something to be proud of, there is no reason you can’t expand your horizons and conjure up a passion project to generate a little extra joy and income.

A side hustle can be any job, occupation, or business you run outside your primary work hours, as a means to boost income. This could be a small startup you launch alone, a part-time job, a busin
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Inflation: How to lose money without spending it

Inflation is the rate at which the value of a currency is falling. During periods of inflation, prices for goods and services rise. Economists categorize inflation into three types:
• Demand-Pull Inflation: When demand is greater than supply, prices rise.
• Cost-Push Inflation: Increases to the cost of wages and raw materials result in higher prices of everyday goods and services.
• Built-In Inflation: Occurs when workers expect their salaries or wages to increase to help maintain their living c
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Remote life for young adults

You may have heard the saying “college is the best four years of your life” and for many this may have been true. However, current college students and recent alumni might disagree. Our college and university experiences have been like no generation before.

I started my undergraduate degree, in person, in 2017. And in 2021 I watched a youtube video that supposedly commemorated my experience. The transition from in-person to remote learning to a hybrid model was a jarring and overwhelming journe
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The value of a good credit score

You’ve probably heard about the importance of having good credit, but have you ever wondered what that actually means?

Credit is the ability to borrow money, access goods, or use services with the understanding that you’ll pay at a later date. Having good credit means you’re more favourable to banks and lenders. Therefore, it’s important to protect your overall credit score.

In this article, we explain the ins and outs of credit, as well as some tips and tricks to ensure you’re maintaining a h
The Tribune •

Bruised, broken, and behind

“Text me when you get home.” My friends and family said it so often that, when my sister said it that night, it seemed like a suggestion I could ignore. It was 10:30 p.m. on Super Bowl Sunday, early enough to walk the 20 minutes home. I had done it hundreds of times before, so when she asked if she could call me an Uber, I laughed. I bundled up, hit shuffle on my playlist, and left excited for my late-night stroll— it was 20 minutes I could avoid studying for my economics midterm. I was lost in
The Tribune •

Life as an 1.5 generation migrant

Everyone seems to have labels for each other, often used as a means to define every characteristic of an individual. One universal label, “immigrant”, is used to define someone who comes to live permanently in a foreign country. This categorization can follow a family years after their ancestors migrated and is often broken down into three categories: First-, second-, and third-generation immigrants. The first generation was born outside Canada and moved here as adults; the second is the Canadia
The Tribune •

Starting the conversation about eating disorders

University life is filled with academic and social pressure which can give rise to increased mental health concerns. One class of mental illness that affects many students is eating disorders. According to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), it is estimated that between 10 and 20 per cent of women and four to 10 per cent of men attending university suffer from an eating disorder. These illnesses are characterized by irregular eating habits and an extreme fixation with eating, food,
The Tribune •

Mom, can you come pick me up?

As the add-drop period ends, the 2019–2020 school year is officially in full swing. This realization can be daunting for many students, especially those starting their first year at McGill. For these newcomers, reality is likely sinking in as the excitement of starting post-secondary education is replaced with the pains of the frosh flu; evenmore, settling into life away from home can feel exhausting. However, it is important to remember that students everywhere have experienced homesickness, an