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How Do You React When Your Friendships Change?

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How Do You React When Your Friendships Change?

Have you ever heard the saying that friends come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime? Some friendships last, while others run their course. Do you have friendships now that you hope will last a lifetime? Are any of your current friends people you have known since you were very young? Have you ever become less close to a good friend over time?

How have you handled these changes in your relationships? Have you ever felt jealous of a friend — or had a friend feel jealous of you?

In “Jealousy Doesn’t Have to Ruin a Friendship,” Juli Fraga and Connie Chang write that everyone feels left out sometimes — but it’s how you handle that feeling that matters. Though the piece is written for adults, its advice can be useful for anyone.

When Bob Bergeson’s friend invited him to a Denver Nuggets basketball game with some new pals, he was excited to join in. Sure, the evening would cost him nearly $400, an amount he wouldn’t normally spend. But Mr. Bergeson’s splurge didn’t reflect a slavish devotion to basketball; he opened his wallet because he felt insecure about his languishing relationship with his friend, who he perceived to be getting closer to a new group of people.

“He started hanging out with the dads on his daughter’s soccer team and talking about them fondly and I thought, ‘Oh, man he’s kind of got some new friends,’” Mr. Bergeson, 42, a business consultant in Denver, said. “I needed to insert myself to make sure I still mattered to him.”

Just like you can lose a romantic partner to another person, “friends can also lose their slot in the best friend hierarchy,” said Jaimie Krems, a friendship researcher and assistant professor of psychology at Oklahoma State University. This fear of being replaced is often borne out of jealousy, Dr. Krems said. And one way to cope with it, she added, is by doing something social scientists refer to as friend guarding — actions like excessively praising a friend or cutting down a new rival, for example — to maintain a threatened relationship.

“Like all behaviors, there are good and bad aspects of friend guarding,” Dr. Krems said. Telling your friend how much they mean to you might bolster your friendship, she said, but badmouthing a newbie might anger your friend and cause them to pull away.

Miriam Kirmayer, a friendship expert and clinical psychologist in Ottawa, said feelings of jealousy and envy in friendships are quite common with her adult clients, but many feel ashamed of those feelings because they mistake them “as a sign of immaturity.” On the contrary, Dr. Kirmayer said. When handled correctly, jealousy can lead to a deeper understanding of yourself, and as a result, more fulfilling friendships. Here’s how.

The authors then give advice, including understanding your own triggers, learning to manage self-critical thoughts and reframing your jealousy into something more positive.

Lesson of the Day: ‘The Songs That Get Us Through It’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘The Songs That Get Us Through It’

Note to teachers: Some of the essays in this collection deal with adult themes. Please preview them and choose those that you think are most appropriate for your students.


Featured Article: “The Songs That Get Us Through It”

Every year, The New York Times Magazine publishes an issue all about music that explores the songs, artists and musical themes that capture our moment. As we head into a third year of the coronavirus pandemic, the headline for this year’s collection is “The Songs That Get Us Through It.” It includes 22 essays that touch on topics such as exhaustion, grief, community, mixed emotions and letting go.

In this lesson, you’ll choose one essay from the collection to read. Then, you’ll analyze what you think it says about music today. Finally, we’ll invite you to write your own essay, make an annotated playlist or create a piece of art to encapsulate one aspect of the musical landscape that you think is worth recognizing.

What are the songs from this past year that have helped you “get through it”?

Spend a few minutes scrolling through your music library, and then come up with a list of at least three songs. For this exercise, try to choose songs that are current or were made in the past year or so.

After you have your list, see if you can make any connections among the songs. Here are some questions to consider:

  • What topics do the lyrics touch on? Are they alike in any way?

  • What themes do these songs have in common? For example, a theme might be love, heartbreak, friendship, angst or growing up.

  • Are their sounds similar? If so, in what ways? How would you describe this sound?

  • Taking these songs together, what do you think they say about your life over the past year? What do they say about the world? What do they tell you about music now or where it might be headed?

If you are in a class, compile a list of some of the topics, themes and sounds students came up with. Does your class notice any commonalities? Can you sort them into any groups? You’ll use this as a jumping off point for one of the Going Further activities.

Scroll through the entire article, which includes 22 essays. Each essay focuses on one theme (which you can see in the top left corner), one song or a set of songs (you can turn the music on or off by clicking the sound icon in the top right corner).

Choose one of the essays to read in its entirety (click “Read More” to unfurl the essay). Then, answer the following questions:

1. In a few sentences, summarize the essay in your own words. What are some of the key points the author makes?

2. The theme of this year’s music issue is “the songs that get us through it.” How does the song (or songs) featured in the essay you read relate to that theme?

3. Listen to the song (or songs) that are the focus of the essay. (You can find the song under the headline.) What thoughts, ideas or feelings come up for you as you listen? Can you relate to the song personally? Do you agree with what the author writes about what the song says about our world and about music today? What do you think it says?

4. What is one line in the essay that stood out to you, and why? In what ways did it move you, resonate with your experience or challenge your thinking?

5. Why do you think The Times Magazine publishes a music issue every year? What power can music have in our lives and in our world? How can it help us “get through” difficult times?

Here are three ways you might use The Times Magazine’s music issue as a model for creating your own multimedia piece about the music you are listening to:

  • Imagine The Times has asked you to contribute an essay to the magazine’s music issue. Choose one song, artist or theme you came up with in the warm-up activity and write a short essay about how it relates to the topic of “the songs that get us through it.” In your essay, you might write about what this music has meant to you over the past year, as Alexandra Kleeman does in her essay about how the music of Dean Blunt and Noname helped her through the pandemic. Or you might write about how it connects to a larger issue in our world today, as Lindsay Zoladz does in her essay about the relationship between Mitski’s music and TikTok, or as Sam Anderson does in his essay about what the obsession with “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” says about society’s rules on public discourse.

  • Create an annotated playlist of at least five songs related to a particular theme that you’ve noticed in music. You might draw on one of the themes explored in the article — exhaustion, teenage angst, mixed emotions or community, for instance — or return to one you came up with in the warm-up activity. For each song in your playlist, write at least one paragraph about how it relates to your chosen theme. You can find more tips for creating an annotated playlist in this lesson plan.

  • The art that accompanies each essay is another important part of the annual music issue. Each piece tells a story about the state of music today. For example, take a minute to study how this collage of the band Turnstile illustrates the essay’s theme of “community,” how this portrait of Mary J. Blige depicts “the beauty of vulnerability” or what this digital illustration tells us about fame. Again, choose one song, artist or theme that you brainstormed in the warm-up activity and create a piece of art that encapsulates it. Write a short artist’s statement that explains what your artwork says about an aspect of music today.


Want more Lessons of the Day? You can find them all here.

COMMUNICATION, THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL

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COMMUNICATION, THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILL

Good communication skills are usually a major requirement for any type of job you may want to take on, from front-office jobs, to technical jobs or to remote online jobs. This is one set of criteria that is unaffected by Covid 19’s increase in digital workplace technology.

“Good communication is just as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.” – Anne Morrow Lindbergh

 

So, what is communication?

Communication is the transfer of information, ideas, or messages from one person to another, one group to another, or one place to another.

For any transfer to be defined as communication, there must be a sender, a message or information, and a receiver.

The sender usually codes the message and sends it to the receiver, who decodes it, via various means such as speech, writing, mail, or even gestures.

When communicating face to face, the message will be conveyed through words, gestures, or body language.

 

Communication can be classified into four categories based on the mode of transmission used:

If the transmission method is face-to-face, television, radio, telephone, and so on, communication is verbal.

Nonverbal communication occurs when the transmission method includes sign language, body language, and gestures. Unintentional communication occurs when people are assumed to be sending a message by the way they dress, walk, or signal.

When the transmission method includes magazines, letters, books, emails, and so on, the communication is referred to as written.

Visual communication is typically pictorial, such as logos, charts, maps, and so on.

 

When the message is passed to the receiver and is well understood, the communication process is complete; in other words, the message and its meaning are well communicated. This is not always the case, because different people can interpret the same message differently. What one person perceives as a message will undoubtedly differ from what another perceives as a message.

 

Effective communication is required for good communication. Effective communication is the process of sending a message, information, or idea to a recipient in such a way that the purpose of sending the information is met in the most effective and efficient manner possible. If the message’s intended purpose is eventually well understood by the receiver, then such communication is effective.

The onus is thus more on the sender to ensure that the communication is sent in such a way that the receiver understands it.

 

What constitutes good or effective communication?

For a message to be considered effective;

–       It must be clear and simple enough for the receiver to comprehend.

–       It must be complete; otherwise, the wrong decision will be made, making the message unsuccessful.

–       It must be straightforward and precise enough to allow for better understanding.

–       It must be free of errors and mistakes.

–       The receiver must be known, and the message must be planned with the receiver’s language, level, position, and attitude in mind.

–       The respect and humility of the sender should be reflected in the message, especially if it is written.

–       It is important to encourage feedback.

 

Effective communication is a skill that requires a great deal of experience and practice.

What factors contribute to effective communication being the most important skill to possess? Some of the reasons are listed below:

  1. Good workplace communication contributes to the development of a positive and healthy relationship between the organization and its clients.
  2. It contributes to the development of a positive relationship between the employer and the employees.
  3. It contributes to the development of a healthy culture among employees and promotes unity and understanding, owing to the fact that employees come from a variety of cultures, each with their own set of traditions and beliefs.
  4. It increases productivity because everyone understands their roles since they are well communicated and understood.
  5. In a well-communicated environment, employees’ needs and goals are known, and their skills and talents are identified and put to use for the greater good of the organization.
  6. Good communication erases misunderstandings, it aids in the prevention or mitigation of conflict.
  7. Feedback is a part of effective communication, it aids in better planning and service delivery quality.
  8. Effective communication is two-way between the sender and the receiver, including between employers and employees, and it encourages employee participation.
  9. It increases employee job satisfaction because they feel heard and a part of the organization.

    10. Employees are encouraged to innovate because they are able to communicate their opinions and ideas.

    11. It encourages employee teamwork, which leads to a strong work ethic and increased productivity.

     

     

    Sources 

    https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/what-is-communication.html

    https://theinvestorsbook.com/effective-communication.html

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/communication-benefits

Changing Careers During The COVID-19 Pandemic

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Changing Careers During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Today’s post is going to be a little more personal. I will take you on a journey of changing careers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. I changed my career rather drastically, and by doing so changed my life drastically, and you can do the same through free online learning with Alison. Making the change is something that anyone can do, regardless of how long you’ve been in your particular industry or what your industry is. All it takes is the will to do it. The first step is taking stock of the skills you already have, and you’ll be surprised at how transferable they are. Add to this online education, making the jump has never been easier. At Alison, we have all the tools and knowledge that you’ll need to begin writing the next chapter of your life. Now get cozy, and I’ll tell you a story.

 

 

The Last Dinner Service, Now What?

As you probably saw from my byline, name is Rhett Freeman and I write the blogs for Alison. I used to be a chef, and I was pretty good, so how did I get here? The Corona Virus hit, and the hospitality industry got decimated. Restaurants closed permanently. Those that survived could barely make ends meet by offering takeout food and ready-made meals. People lost jobs on a massive scale because of restaurants closing down or cutting costs to keep their heads above water.

Making The Decision to Start Over.

I kept my job. I wasn’t earning what I used to, but I was glad I had something, and it was manageable for a while. Then the bills started piling up. I had to choose to sink or swim. I had to be honest with myself. I loved cooking and food, but I couldn’t make a decent living. The hours aren’t conducive to social life either. It’s by no means an easy choice to make, changing careers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

It was time for some career guidance. By using this tool, like me, you’ll be able to see the enormous number of available careers and just how many of them you would make an excellent fit for you. 

Going Remote.

The pandemic taught the world that people don’t have to come into an office every day to do their jobs. What kinds of courses and certificates would be required? Will the free courses be accredited? How could I begin learning online with limited finances? You’ll have to ask the same questions. Alison can answer them. 

By taking the free workplace personality test, you’ll understand yourself better and make an informed decision about the kind of work that suits you best. Combine that with the career guide, and you’ll have a clear picture of what you want to do and the goals you need to set.

As it turns out, my love of literature and writing was just what I needed to start turning my fortunes around. All I needed was to sign up for a few copywriting courses. It also helped that I worked on the soft skills that will allow me to wow potential employers

The Transitioning to A Home Office.

You’ve done the work getting your Certificate and Diploma. You landed your new job. Do you have everything you need to start working from home? Getting a laptop, desk and office chair is just the tip of the iceberg.

There’s still more to learn. Working from home isn’t the same as working from the office. Not just because pants have become optional. Time management will be even more critical. Working from home can be very distracting. You’ll have to stay motivated even though it can sometimes feel like you’re working on an island.

Avoid the possible pitfalls of working from how by embracing the tools and knowledge available for free with Alison and turn your career change into a life change.

 

 

3 Signs Your Job Is Burning You Out — & What To Do To Feel Better

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3 Signs Your Job Is Burning You Out — & What To Do To Feel Better
Signs of job burnout

In the past two years, the pandemic revolutionized remote work, created a hot job market due to “The Great Resignation,” and laid bare the new realities of burnout.

Most of us associate burnout with staying up late to finish a mountain of work or sitting through back-to-back Zoom meetings — but it’s more nuanced than that. Burnout is an occupational phenomenon caused by workplace stress that hasn’t been properly managed, according to the World Health Organization.

Burnout is more common than you might think: A 2021 survey from Indeed found that more than half of workers experienced burnout. In another survey from the American Psychological Association, nearly 3 in 5 employees reported experiencing the negative impacts of work-related stress, like a lack of interest, motivation, or energy.

But as prevalent as burnout is, it can be tough to pick up on, because people are used to being spread thin, and overworking is often celebrated in today’s “hustle culture.” Understanding what burnout looks like is the first step toward finding relief.

Whether you’re learning to code on top of your 9-to-5, you’re not happy with your current job, or you haven’t quite mastered setting boundaries between work and home life, research suggests that these are the symptoms of burnout that you should know about.

Overwhelming exhaustion

You feel: Worn out, depleted, and fatigued

Burnout can manifest in physical symptoms, like insomnia or trouble sleeping, headaches and stomachaches, and changes in your eating patterns. Most notably, you’d be exhausted and lack the energy you need to be consistently productive, according to the Mayo Clinic. Put another way: Dragging yourself to go to your computer to start working would feel like a slog.

Cynicism and detachment

You feel: Irritable, jaded, and pessimistic

Everyone has cynical thoughts about work from time to time, but with burnout, a negative attitude starts to impact your performance. “You start not functioning as well, you’re missing deadlines, you’re frustrated, you’re maybe irritable with your colleagues,” Jeanette M. Bennett, a researcher who studies the health effects of burnout, told The New York Times. You might feel disillusioned by your company, bored, detached from the work, and disconnected from your coworkers.

A lack of accomplishment

You feel: Ineffective, under-valued, and unproductive

Unfortunately, burnout messes with your self-efficacy, or your personal belief that you can accomplish something. As a result, you might feel riddled with doubt and avoid difficult tasks altogether.

“Employees may question, ‘Am I capable of performing this work?’” Dana Udall, psychologist and chief clinical officer for Headspace, recently told Fast Company. “Burnout can lead to a blow to one’s confidence, as well as reduced creativity and problem-solving.”

What to do if you’re experiencing burnout

Healing from burnout is a process that can’t be solved simply by taking some PTO to rejuvenate and getting right back to work. Here are some strategies that can help:

  • Audit your day and figure out how much time you’re really spending on certain tasks, from your job responsibilities to your household chores. Also keep track of your mood and energy levels throughout the day, Dr. Jessi Gold, a psychiatrist at the Washington University in St. Louis, told NPR. Which activities energize you or give you meaning, and which ones make you feel depleted? There are lots of useful mobile apps that make it easy to track your mood in the moment, like Moodnotes, Daylio, and Moodfit.
  • You might be so in the habit of overworking that you don’t even realize when it’s happening. Be proactive about stepping away from your computer and taking breaks to do something relaxing. If you’re taking Codecademy courses, remember that they’re self-paced, so you can take as much time as you need to complete the lessons and set a weekly schedule that works for you. If you tend to get in the zone and lose track of time, you can use the Focus Timer feature that’s built into our learning environment. Another tool: Try the Chrome extension Mindful Break, which will remind you to take a break at set intervals throughout the day. Here’s a list of activities and strategies that programmers in the Codecademy community turn to when they need to feel refreshed and recharged.
  • Research has shown that having compassion for yourself and others can go a long way in mitigating some of the effects of burnout. That could mean reaching out to a trusted friend or family member for emotional support, focusing on being kind to other people, and yes, even practicing self-care. If you’re looking to connect with other people who are also learning how to code, consider joining our Codecademy Discord, or browsing our Forums.
  • It’s important to note that it’s not on you to “fix” your burnout alone. In addition to finding coping mechanisms that work for you, speaking to a mental health clinician like a therapist or counselor can be huge. (You can find a therapist on Psychology Today, GoodTherapy, or through your health insurance provider’s website.) Talk to your manager about your workload, what the expectations are of you, and what compromises can be made to mitigate the effects of burnout. Although those conversations can be uncomfortable, being honest about what you’re experiencing and what you need is a step in the right direction toward healing — and preventing burnout from happening in the future.

Catalog Home | Codecademy

If you’re not sure where to begin or what to learn next, this is a great place to start. Check out our top coding courses, Skill Paths, and Career Paths.

Secrets of the Trade | Where to Find the Best Design Resources

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Secrets of the Trade | Where to Find the Best Design Resources

Creative Market - library of the best design resources

Have you ever heard of a little gem of a website called Creative Market? It’s a marketplace similar to Etsy where designers and illustrators can sell their handmade digital work. Creative Market is one of our favorite resources here at Designer Blogs. It’s one of our first go-to places for gorgeous typefaces and textures, but you can also find an endless number of the best design resources there.

In this post I put together some of my favorite goods, you can find for sale there:


Product Mockups

photographer but still want amazing photos to feature something you’ve digitally created? Mockups are a great way of showing how your art will look ‘in action’ without spending lots of money on actual prints. On Creative Market you can find mockups of mugs, boxes, socks, posters, and everything else! Use them for a better presentation of your work as a great addition to posts. We always use poster mockups for our free printables.

Below you can find sample graphics I really like. Click the image to learn more:


Stunning Photos

Not so long ago we shared with you 20 Sites With Stunning Free Photos for Your Blog Posts. However, if you can’t find what you are looking for there, Creative Market should definitely be your next stop because you’ll find an endless array of gorgeous photography. It is also a great place if you are looking for just the right framed photo to add to an empty wall in your home.


Patterns & Textures

The patterns and textures at Creative Market are all designed by independent creators so there are all sorts of unique styles and options to choose from.


GRAPHICS & ILLUSTRATIONS

You can find a wide assortment of amazing graphics and illustrations for digital scrapbooking, card making, prints for your home, etc.


FONTS

This is only a sampling of the seriously gorgeous fonts they sell. The best part is that all of their fonts are very affordably priced, so you won’t break the bank trying to establish a diverse font collection.

For more hand-written fonts, make sure to check 8 Trendy Modern Calligraphy Fonts You Must Know.


Licenses

Creative Market now offers three license types: Personal, Commercial & Extended, so be sure to purchase the correct license at check-out based on your needs. Learn more about their licenses here.


The Best Design resources

Make sure to add Creative Market to your favorites because it is the place where we always find the best design resources.


*Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links, which means your clicks and purchases help support Designer Blogs at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we absolutely love.

Spring Fashion

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Spring Fashion

A recent T Magazine article proclaims that “the bare bellies and garish hues of the early 2000s” are back. Why? Well, according to the British designer Christian Cowan, whose spring 2022 collection featured baby blue sequined bandanna tops and plumed headpieces in neon pink, “It’s pretty simple. We want to feel hot, even full of ourselves. It’s the kind of energy we need, especially after two years of boredom.”

What are you wearing right now? What new fashions would you like to try? And do you agree that fun fashion is “the kind of energy we need” after two years of a pandemic?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.


Want more Picture Prompts? Find them all in this column.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Word of the Day: adversary

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Word of the Day: adversary

_________

The word adversary has appeared in 244 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Feb. 21 in the Opinion essay “Can a Hidden World Be Saved From an Invasive Scourge?” by Gabriel Popkin:

On the Delmarva Peninsula, the low-lying expanse of coastal plain that bulges east from the Chesapeake Bay, some of the last remaining sizable green and wild spaces are wetland forests that shroud tidal rivers and creeks on their languid journeys toward the bay: the Nanticoke, the Marshyhope, the Choptank, the Tuckahoe, the Pocomoke.

… One tree makes these wetlands possible: The ash. But now these trees face a formidable adversary. A few years ago, a small beetle showed up and started to change everything: the emerald ash borer, originally from Asia, was most likely a stowaway on a container ship and was discovered in Michigan in 2002. It is now found in 35 states and was confirmed on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 2015. This invasive insect has killed tens of millions of ash trees in the United States and threatens millions more in its continuing path of destruction. On the Delmarva, it could upend entire ecosystems.

Can you correctly use the word adversary in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how adversary can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try one of our monthly vocabulary challenges.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

How Much Do You Know About Palau?

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How Much Do You Know About Palau?

Can you find Palau on a map? What else do you know about this island nation with 18,000 people?

How Have You Noticed Inflation?

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How Have You Noticed Inflation?

Americans have felt inflation at the hair salon and in the frozen food aisle. They have seen it while buying pet food, pantry staples and diapers. Yes, gas is pinching them. But so is the price of bacon.

Nearly nine in 10 Americans say they have noticed prices rising around them, according to a survey conducted mid-February for The Upshot by Morning Consult. And, when asked which of the price increases have caught their attention, many mentioned necessities like gas, milk, ground beef and bread — a notably different universe of products than the narrower set of items, like used cars and raw lumber, that were soaring in price last spring.

The survey results make clear why consumers remain glum, even at a time of rapid job and economic growth. Inflation is now inescapable. And what it’s touching is deeply personal: a specific brand of baby formula, “the sausages my husband buys,” “my usual Alaskan salmon dinner at Captain D’s.”

“This is not just a used car phenomenon,” said John Leer, the chief economist at Morning Consult. “When it was used cars, you could have the option essentially of opting out of inflation,” he added. “You could say ‘I don’t want to buy a used car, so this doesn’t affect me, life goes on.’”

As opting out has become less and less possible, Americans now rate inflation among their top concerns for the first time in nearly four decades. In Washington, the topic looms over President Biden’s legislative agenda and Democrats’ prospects in midterm elections. The monthly release of government inflation figures — which on Thursday showed inflation reaching a 40-year high, driven by the steep prices of gas and food — has become an anxious political event. And the sanctions on Russia that are rattling the global economy now threaten to push energy and food prices higher still.

In this moment of growing alarm over inflation, the survey asked 2,200 people to name specific products and services whose higher prices have stood out to them over the past year. The open-ended responses show how closely people are paying attention.

They can quote what a three-pound bag of ground coffee cost at Costco last year. They have noticed that some costlier products have shrunk in size, too. Even before fuel prices hit a record high this week, nearly one in four people cited the rising cost of gas. Eight people pointed to the fact that the Dollar Tree chain of stores now charges $1.25 per item. Sixty-three people have apparently been tracking the cost of toilet paper. One-hundred-twenty-seven mentioned a haircut.