About 360 MAGAZINE

360 MAGAZINE is an award-winning international publishing on popular culture and design. We introduce avant trademarks to efficacious architects. We are a LGBTQIA2S+ friendly publication--officially recognized by the NGLCC. Our core demographic ranges from 19 to 39-year-old college-educated trendsetters within their respective international communities. The pages in this art book satisfy their strong interests including music, art, travel, auto, health, fashion, tech, philanthropy, design, food and entrepreneurship. It's an introspective digital/print/tablet portrait series, which encapsulates artists/brands/entities who embody the true essence of our publication- empowerment, equality, sensuality and most important of all, humanity within a global society.

How to Deal with Difficult Employers: A Guide

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When you enter the workforce, the odds are that you will often come across people whom you don’t get along with. Sometimes, they will annoy you. Other times, you won’t agree with their opinions. And sometimes, you simply won’t like them.

This is a part of life. However, it does get a lot harder when you don’t get along with a difficult employer. If this is something you’re struggling with, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn about four ways that you can deal with a difficult employer.

Take legal action

Sometimes, an employer may go too far. Instead of simply being difficult to get along with, they may do things that are illegal, such as harassing you or discriminating against you.

Employers cannot discriminate based on race, so if this is something that your employer is doing, you may have grounds for a lawsuit. Taking legal action can be intimidating, but it’s often the only way of ensuring that your employer stops their harmful behavior.

If you do decide to take legal action, you should consider getting a lawyer to help you.

Communicate

You’ve probably heard time and time again how important communication in the workplace is. While you may be sick of hearing it, it is true.

If you have an issue with your employer, you should consider communicating this issue to them. Of course, the way you do this is very important since you won’t want them to feel attacked. It may be the case that your employer isn’t even aware of what they are doing.

You may feel like you have no idea where to start, so following these tips for workplace communication may help you.

Consider finding another job

If you simply don’t get along with your employer, you could always consider getting another job. This doesn’t have to be as drastic as it sounds – you can always ask to stay with the company, but just work in another division or on another team.

Or, if you wanted to, you could try to find another job entirely. It may seem extreme to quit your job just because you have a difficult employer, but if it’s affecting you a lot, it may be worth it. Of course, this is a serious decision, so you should think it through. If you need some tips for an effective job search, click here.

Try to ignore it

Finally, you could always just accept that you have a difficult employer, and do your best to not let it affect you too much by simply doing your best to ignore it.

After all, you should only have to deal with them at work, so if you can find a way to cope with them for a few hours each day, it shouldn’t have a big impact on you. This is only true if you separate your work life from your personal life, however. It’s important to keep your personal life out of the office and vice versa if you want to live a balanced life.

Five Tips for Finding Peace After Living Through a Natural Disaster

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Your entire world can change in the blink of an eye. Few people ever think they’ll see their neighborhood on a news broadcast, but natural disasters affect millions every year. Thanks to climate change, the problem grows more severe all the time.

It takes time and plenty of TLC to put the pieces of your life back together again. Be gentle with yourself as you navigate the process. Here are five tips for finding peace after living through a natural disaster.

1. Seek Necessary Resources

Depending on how the natural disaster affected your property, you might not have a place to call home for a while. What about your children’s school? Your transportation to and from work?

Your first contact is your local emergency manager. They’re your best resource for meeting your immediate needs for food and shelter. After that, please reach out to the following individuals:

Your loved ones: Your loved ones deserve to know you’re alright. Fortunately, social media makes it easier than ever. You can mark yourself safe to alert your friends and relatives who also use Facebook. Let people know what they can do to help and how you prefer to be contacted – a flurry of phone calls may or may not be what you need.
Your employer: If you weren’t at work when disaster struck, you need to let your employer know how it affected you and what arrangements you can make until it is safe to return.
Your insurance company: First, document the damage and make a list. Take photographs. If you have some from before the disaster to prove the extent of your loss, all the better.

You might also reach out to local animal shelters if you have pets that you could not evacuate on time. They’ll take a description and reunite you with your beloved companion if they locate them before you do.

2. Give Yourself the Gift of Time

Surviving a natural disaster takes time. This statement isn’t fluff – it’s a physiological fact. While some people recover from a shock to the system more quickly than others, you need time for your body and mind to return to homeostasis.

If possible, take time away from work to heal with those you love. The Federal Emergency Management Agency offers programs for disaster survivors that provide housing and medical assistance. The Small Business Association provides aid to those whose livelihoods suffered the impact of hurricanes, floods, and fires.

It’s important to be aware of the potential that you may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that’s triggered by witnessing or experiencing a terrifying event. Symptoms can include nightmares and anxiety, as well as uncontrollable flashbacks and thoughts about the event. Evidence suggests that the chances of PTSD and even suicide increase after someone survives a natural disaster.

A natural disaster can shatter your world in the blink of an eye. You and your loved ones could find yourselves without shelter or food, and understandably stressed and anxious. However, if you begin to feel like what you’re experiencing goes beyond normal stress, you may be experiencing some form of PTSD. In either case, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with a certified mental health professional in the wake of surviving a natural disaster. They will be able to help make sense of what you’re experiencing and prescribe an appropriate treatment plan.

If you don’t have the resources to see a mental health professional in person, look into free online resources, counseling and rehabilitation groups and even text therapy, which can be more accessible for some.

3. But Also, Safety First

Your first instinct is to heave a sigh of relief once the twister disappears in the distance and you and your family take your first tentative steps out of the basement. Inhale, exhale, and contact everyone who’s not in your immediate vicinity who should be. Then, take stock of the second shock wave – the illnesses and infections that often follow natural disasters.

For example, after a flood, mold becomes a serious health concern. The CDC has recommendations for assessing your risk and handling the potential hazards to your health. Untreated cuts and scrapes can lead to blood poisoning and tetanus. Get a booster if need be and wash all wounds, dress them with triple antibiotic ointment, and clean, sterile bandages. Pay attention to signs of discoloration and streaking lines around the injury.

It’s not unusual to become sick in the wake of a natural disaster’s wake. Storms stir up germs and displacement introduces you to new ones when your immune system is already compromised by stress. Please take a COVID-19 test and adhere to the required quarantine – even if you don’t have the novel coronavirus, you need a few days to rest and recover.

4. Stay Close to Your Loved Ones

Natural disasters make you cherish the ones you love. Nature intended for you to cling to each other in its wake. Honor that instinct.

Stay close to your loved ones. If you have children, they will need your guidance and support to heal. They don’t have an adult frame of reference to cope with what happened – they’ll need your help to process big feelings and make sense of the senseless.

Spending time with your loved ones also soothes your soul. Disasters have a way of reminding you what matters most. You can’t take material things with you, but the love you leave behind survives.

5. Accept Offers of Help

You might not realize how wide your friendship circle extends until you survive a disaster. However, please take advantage of offers of help. Don’t let pride deny you and your family the support you need to heal.

Please take advantage of available social services. You might not have ever needed a food bank before, but visiting one is better than letting your children go to sleep hungry.

If you’re spiritual, your house of worship is another sanctuary that may open its arms to you and your loved ones. Shelter yourself and those you care about in the arms of your faith, letting members of your congregation accept you and uplift your spirits.

Tips and Tricks for Mastering Online Casinos

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Online casinos are not just a great way to spend an evening. They’re an opportunity to make some big profits. Knowing how to play different online casino games can reduce the house edge and ensure you use the perfect strategy every time.

Whether you’re new to online casinos or a regular player, here are some top tips for mastering online casinos.

Develop a financial management plan

The first thing you need to consider is how you’re managing your bankroll. Without a plan in place, you’ll be liable to overspend. There’s little point in searching for the best no deposit bonuses for online casino play if you’re blowing your hard-earned money on an ill-fated bet.

Think about your household budget and what you can afford to spare. You may even want to consider putting deposit and playing limits in place. Most casinos have these features built-in to their platforms.

Choose the right games to play

After developing your bankroll management strategy, it’s time to examine which games you should play. As a rule, you shouldn’t be playing a game if you don’t understand how it works and what the house edge is.

You want to know the payout rates and the exact rules of the game before playing. Every online casino has variations when it comes to these aspects.

And don’t forget, stick to the games you actually enjoy playing. Ultimately, online casinos are about having fun.

Use any and every bonus

Online casinos are awash with bonuses to entice people to play with them. The online gambling industry is expected to be worth $92.9bn by 2023 due to the relaxation of anti-gambling laws in many parts of the US.

This has meant casinos are in a fierce battle to compete for customers. To do this, they offer bonuses. Smart players will often create accounts with different casinos to take advantage of these bonuses.

Hunt down different bonuses and figure out a strategy for the best way to use them. Make sure you read the terms and conditions of each bonus to ensure they’re worth your time.

Study new gaming strategies

Some games have a lower house edge than others. For example, blackjack and roulette are among the table games with the lowest house edges. Beyond that, you need to take advantage of those low house edges by learning the strategies that shift the odds in your favor.

For example, playing blackjack using a basic strategy can lower the house edge to a mere 1%. Practice developing new strategies by reading online gaming guides targeted at specific games.

Advance your knowledge gradually, and you’ll soon become an online casino master.

Choose your casinos with care

With so many online casinos to choose from, how do you select the one that’s got your best interests at heart?

Firstly, ensure that they’re registered with the proper authorities. Most online casinos tend to be based in friendly gambling jurisdictions, such as Malta, the Isle of Man and Luxembourg.

You can also lookup online reviews from your fellow players and see what they have to say. Reputation is everything in the world of online casinos, and it can tell you a lot.

There’s also the playing experience to consider. Some casinos specialize in certain types of games. For example, you might find a casino that places emphasis on their live dealer games. Others may have incredibly large progressive slots jackpots.

Once you’ve found a casino you can trust, it’s a matter of comparing their gaming catalogs and gaming experiences.

Play with a calm head

The majority of online gambling losses come from people playing on tilt. In other words, they’ve just lost money, and they’re desperate to get it back before they log off for the night. This is when losses magnify.

Always make sure you’re playing when you’re calm and can think logically. Avoid alcohol, drugs or any other substance that could interfere with your decision-making abilities.

Perhaps the best skill any online gambler can have is knowing when it’s time to log off for the evening.

Conclusion

There are no guarantees when wagering your money at an online casino, but smart management of your account, where you play, and the bonuses you claim can push the odds in your favor and increase your likelihood of a big win.

Start your journey to becoming an online gambling master by selecting an online casino to play with. Choose your games. Master one game before moving on to the next one.

What’s your favorite online casino to play with?

BLESSING – DEBUT EP

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Singer/songwriter Blessing releases her debut EP the girl next door. Listen HERE. The EP features previously released tracks character, boys like you which was included in Teen Vogue’s “New Music Friday” playlist upon release and girl like me along with new tracks freak, rage and 19 and peaked.

Lyrically rich and sonically lush, the girl next door and its six songs are anchored by Blessing’s singular voice, a textured and emotional instrument than can swing as boundless and heartfelt as it can charmingly self-effacing and witty. A byproduct of Blessing spending her senior year of high school at home during a global pandemic, these songs pull from personal experiences and self-reflection as she was closing out her teenage years alone in her bedroom.

Speaking on the girl next door, Blessing shares, “Each of these songs are really the things I never bothered saying being that I felt no one was listening. That truly gave me the advantage to writing everything I was feeling at the time. I just thought well since no one is ever going to hear these I might as well say it all, regardless of how desperate, embarrassing, or unpleasant my words may be.”

About Blessing:

Hailing from Houston, TX, 20-year-old Blessing is the youngest of five siblings and through most of her life, she never felt like she fit in and eventually fell in love with the freedom you have in creating music, especially songwriting. With a sound that’s been called “irresistible” by American Songwriter, Blessing sets out to craft pop music with underlying R&B influences that dive into love, ambition, obstacles, and heartbreak – songs that map the innocent, messy, volatile growing pains of a teenager. Having just spent her senior year in high school at home during a global pandemic, Blessing draws inspiration from personal experiences and weaves her candid emotions and witty observations into catchy songs that teenagers and young adults can relate to.

To Buy/Stream the girl next door:

Multi

Follow Blessing:

Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

Photo Credit: Coughs

How to Gain More Twitter Followers Quickly in 2022

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Twitter is a powerful social media platform that can be used to build an audience and grow a business. However, to be successful on Twitter, you need to have a strategy in place. In this blog post, we will explore what you need to do to gain followers on Twitter in 2022. We will also discuss some of the latest trends and changes that are taking place on Twitter. So, if you want to learn how to succeed on Twitter, keep reading!

Get Rid of the Non-Followers

Twitter can be a great platform for promoting your brand or sharing your thoughts with the world. However, it can also be a breeding ground for so-called “non-followers.” These are people who create fake accounts or follow large numbers of people in the hope that some will follow them back. Non-followers don’t interact with your tweets, and they offer no value to your online presence. They can harm your Twitter reach and engagement levels. If you suspect that someone is a non-follower, you can check their profile to see if they’re following a large number of people but have very few followers themselves. You can also use a Twitter unfollow app to get rid of any non-followers on your account.

Engage with Your Audience

An incredibly important thing that you should do if you are trying to increase the number of Twitter followers you have is to engage with your audience. Much like many of the social media platforms that exist today, one of the most important metrics is engagement. In other words, the more engagement your account receives, the more likely it is to be shown to people who are not your followers.

In addition to engaging with your followers, there are many different ways to engage on Twitter, and you need to be using all of them. For example, a popular way of engaging with people on Twitter is using Twitter chats. Another way to engage with your audience is by replying to comments on your posts or commenting on the posts of other users.

Use Visual Content

The next thing that you’re going to want to do to gain Twitter followers is to post visual content as much as possible. We have always known that humans are visual creatures, but since the invention of social media and the rise of popular social media platforms, such as Instagram and Twitter, we realized just how much of a visual creature we are.

One way to think about it is the fact that many people use Twitter for entertainment purposes and there isn’t anything entertaining about having to wade through a massive block of text. If you can’t think of anything creative to post, you could always use an application that allows you to turn text into an image.

Be Consistent with Everything

One of the most important things that you’re going to have to do to increase the number of followers you have on Twitter in 2022 is to be consistent with everything. What exactly does this mean? This means that there are a lot of things you need to be doing on Twitter to be successful, and you need to be consistent with each of them.

For example, when it comes to posting, you need to be consistent with posting and post regularly rather than irregularly, since this won’t gain any growth. In addition to this, you’ll also need to be consistent with the quality of your posts. Another thing to consider is whether or not you should be posting within a niche, and if you are, you should be consistently posting within that niche.

Always Use Hashtags

If there’s one thing that you can begin doing today which will dramatically increase the number of Twitter followers you have, it’s using hashtags. Hashtags essentially group similar content which shares the same hashtag. This means that if you are not using hashtags, you will not be able to increase the searchability of your content.

This doesn’t mean that you should use every hashtag that you can find. It seems that 223 is the best number of hashtags that you should post. One of the reasons for this is that many hashtags come across as spammy, and this is something that a lot of Twitter users avoid.

Promote on other social media

While Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms, it is important to remember that other platforms can be just as effective when it comes to promoting yourself or your business. While Twitter is excellent for short, timely updates, YouTube allows you to post longer videos that can provide more information about your product or service, and with different Youtube promotion services you can reach an even wider audience. Both sites also offer opportunities to engage with potential customers, so be sure to take advantage of them.

Woodstock Music × Art Fair

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The Museum at Bethel Woods calls for 1969 Woodstock attendees to offer oral histories for upcoming exhibit

The Museum at Bethel Woods, the National Register Historic Site of the 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Fair, is working on compiling an archive of oral histories of Woodstock from the people who experienced it firsthand. The Museum is asking festival alumni to connect, and arrange for their stories to be heard and recorded. The goal is for these combined narratives to tell the untold story of the festival, preserving them for generations to come.

“Realizing the average age of Woodstock attendees is 75 years old, now is the time to find the lost stories of the festival and save their place in history,” said Neal V. Hitch, Senior Curator, The Museum at Bethel Woods. “In order for the impact of Woodstock to be felt 100 years from now, collecting oral histories of this iconic festival is critical. It is our goal to find as many attendees as possible and document their firsthand experiences, which will also inspire the next generation of young artists, musicians, and music lovers.”

If you or someone you know was one of the almost half a million people who stood in the crowd of Max Yasgur’s farm listening to Santana, swam in Fillippini’s Pond, left a note on the Message Tree, or got stuck in traffic on 17B, The Museum at Bethel Woods wants to hear from you. With the goal to gather at least 4,500 oral histories, every perspective is valuable in rounding out the picture of the greatest festival of all time.

The award-winning 7,000 square foot Museum at Bethel Woods sits on the 800-acre campus of the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts–the site of the Woodstock festival. Its permanent collection and special exhibits are a window to the 1960’s and the music cultural phenomenon. Bethel Woods is dedicated to preserving and presenting that history in a way that captivates audiences across generations.

About Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts inspires, educates, and empowers individuals through the arts and humanities by presenting a diverse selection of culturally-rich performances, popular artists, and community and educational programming. Located 90 miles from New York City at the site of the 1969 Woodstock festival in Bethel, NY, the lush 800-acre campus includes a Pavilion Stage amphitheater with seating for 16,000, an intimate 422-seat indoor Event Gallery, the award-winning Museum at Bethel Woods, and a Conservatory for arts education programming.

Through the in-depth study and exhibition of the social, political, and cultural events of the 1960s, as well as the preservation of the historic site of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, Bethel Woods educates individuals about the issues and lessons of the decade while inspiring a new generation to contribute positively to the world around them. The not-for-profit organization relies on the generous support of individuals, corporations, and foundations to develop and sustain programs that improve the quality of life in the region and beyond.

For more information go HERE.

AXE × DOGECOIN

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The first-ever AXE product available to purchase exclusively with Dogecoin was announced today (4/20 – DogeDay 2022) and drops April 27.

Your favorite crypto-inspired scent is back with a twist: AXE Dogecan. The Stick is available exclusively for Dogecoin.

It all started with a now famous tweet: “if it gets to $1, we’ll make it happen.” AXE first teased the idea of the limited-edition Dogecan on DogeDay 2021, promising to release the original musk if Dogecoin hit $1. The buzz was huge across social media with fans clamoring for the brand to release the product.

Even though Dogecoin didn’t go to the moon last year, AXE released Dogecan to meet the demand from the Doge community. AXE released one thousand limited-edition cans, which were given away for free and snatched up in under 10 minutes.

If you missed out on last year’s Dogecan, this is your moment to grab one of your own limited-edition crypto-scents – only available on April 27 for purchase exclusively with Dogecoin**.

Follow AXE on Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook for all the details on how to purchase on April 27 and smell irresistible.

So, what will the brand do after the limited edition sells out this year? Wait and see – it’ll certainly be out of this world. To the moon!

**Smartmedia Labs is powering the activation by leveraging SmartMedia Tech’s enterprise NFT/web3 platform. T&C apply

GEORGE MICHAEL – FREEDOM UNCUT

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Sony Music Entertainment and Trafalgar Releasing announced the premiere of GEORGE MICHAEL FREEDOM UNCUT, a deeply autobiographical feature documentary narrated by the late Grammy Award winner. GEORGE MICHAEL FREEDOM UNCUT will be released as a global cinema event on Wednesday, June 22. Details of participating countries and cinemas will be listed HERE from April 27.

Throughout the film, Michael reveals openly and honestly the two distinct sides of his life: his very public music career and his private personal life that cameras never truly saw. Michael was heavily involved in and dedicated to the making of this documentary before his tragic passing in 2016, making GEORGE MICHAEL FREEDOM UNCUT an incredibly special posthumous release and a poignant and moving tribute to his legacy.

The film delves into the turbulent period after Faith leading up to, during and after the making of his “Listen Without Prejudice: Vol 1” album in 1990. At this pivotal period of his life, Michael is able to fight for his artistic freedom and lead the way for others. He meets his first real love, Anselmo Feleppa and navigates both the heartbreak of Anselmo’s early tragic passing from an AIDS related illness and the devastating loss of his mother. GEORGE MICHAEL FREEDOM UNCUT is also a brilliant reminder of Michael’s outstanding musical genius during the Wham! years and throughout his solo career. The film features timeless duets with George’s favourite artists and explores how he influenced the cultural landscape of his generation as one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time.

Interwoven with exclusive, personal archival footage, this year’s theatrical release includes never-seen-before footage from one of the most iconic videos in music history, Freedom! ’90, directed by Oscar nominated David Fincher. The music video has been recently remastered in 4K and will screen in full ahead of the main feature in cinemas worldwide.

Produced by Big Geoff Overseas Limited in conjunction with Sony Music Entertainment and distributed theatrically worldwide by Trafalgar Releasing.

David Austin says, “The film is George’s final work. Narrated by George himself, it is the complete story.”

“George Michael was an inspiring artist whose story deserves to be shared on the big screen globally.” Tom Mackay, President, Premium Content, Sony Music Entertainment says, “In honor of George’s birthday this June, we are thrilled to be working with David Austin and our partners at Trafalgar Releasing to bring fans unprecedented access to his extraordinary life both on and off stage.”

Marc Allenby, CEO – Trafalgar Releasing says, “We are proud to be bringing George Michael’s final work to the big screen in this global cinema event. As an artist whose music continues to resonate across generations, this event will be a fitting tribute to George’s life and career, giving fans the opportunity to celebrate communally in cinemas worldwide.”

RED BULL CULTURE CLASH

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4 Stages. 4 Crews. 1 Winner.

June 24 at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall celebrating the trailblazing underground nightlife sounds of Latinx music featuring four crews: Recreo, Gasolina, Subsuelo, and The Do-Over

Red Bull Culture Clash, the innovative live music experience featuring four opposing crews on four separate stages, is excited to announce the return to the U.S. this summer with two shows, bringing once-in-a-lifetime music experiences to fans on both coasts.

Red Bull Culture Clash New York took place in Warsaw in Brooklyn on May 19 and celebrated the burgeoning talent leading the city’s underground nightlife scene including hip hop, hyper-pop, reggaeton and hardcore featuring four crews: Half Moon, Club Cringe, Apocalipsis, and CORPUS.

Red Bull Culture Clash Los Angeles will follow on June 24-25 and highlight the Latino musical and cultural diaspora in one of the largest U.S. clashes yet. Artist lineup and event details for Red Bull Culture Clash Los Angeles will be revealed soon. Ticket sales are now available, click HERE to buy yours!

Drawing a sold-out crowd when it last took place stateside in Atlanta in 2018, Red Bull Culture Clash aims to showcase each host city’s unique musical and cultural offerings – past, present and future. Inspired by Jamaican sound system culture, Red Bull Culture Clash is more than a DJ battle or band competition. Red Bull Culture Clash features head-to-head performances from four crews over four distinct rounds. Crews and their participating artists are given the reigns to take over each corner of a venue and face off for a four-round bout, bringing big sound, heavy tunes, fierce competition and an exciting roster of special guests, all in an effort to outshine their competition and win over the crowd – because at Red Bull Culture Clash, the crowd decides who reigns supreme.

For more information on Red Bull Culture Clash, visit HERE.

Read on for all details and ticket info for the Los Angeles show.

Red Bull Culture Clash LA

On June 24, Red Bull Culture Clash is coming to Los Angeles to celebrate the Latinx music diaspora across several iconic genres. It will have four crews in four stages:

The Do Over featuring Tony Touch
Gasolina featuring Luny Tunes, DJ Playero, DJ Blass, Oplus
Recreo featuring Milkman, Sky Rompiendo, Alvaro Diaz
Subsuelo featuring Ape Drums, Los Rakas

The first round (and the only round without judging) will be all about warming up, so take the time to get to know each team. But the second round will be judged on the choice of song and wordiness. During the third round, the teams will exchange styles and practices and try to beat each other. If special guests are welcome at any point in the first three rounds, in the fourth, they will be required.

To learn more about the event format and what to expect, and to purchase tickets for Red Bull Culture Clash LA, visit HERE.

Follow along at #redbullcultureclash and click HERE to access the official page of the event for more information.

Seven Tips to Get Seen Faster by a Doctor

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Doctors see so many patients every day of their careers, and they may find it challenging to tell whether you need to be seen right away or if you can wait for a bit. Still, when you need to be seen by a doctor, you have a few options to speed up the journey to getting evaluated.

1. Call Ahead

Some doctor’s offices may take call-ahead appointments. This feature is convenient when you need an opinion on something but are afraid of the wait times. Still, they may have you make an appointment, especially if they are busy or are observing more rigorous COVID-19 safety guidelines. With any luck, they’ll have one available for you the same day you call.

It couldn’t hurt to call ahead and ask about the waiting time. You want to prioritize your health, too, so staying out of a sick waiting room can keep you from catching a cold or virus. Even just giving your primary care facility a heads up that you’ll be coming in can help them prepare accordingly for an extra patient.

2. Utilize Telehealth

Many people couldn’t leave their homes without the risk of getting sick at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Doctors began to use electronic devices to communicate with their patients and continue their routine visits. More appointments became virtual even after the initial surge waned. Now, many people have checkups with their primary care physician, sessions with their therapist and more, all over video chat.

Telehealth visits offer convenience for the health care professional and their patient, as both can feel relaxed in an area of their choice while communicating via a device. About 90% of physicians enjoy meeting via video chat with their patients.

Your primary care doctor may offer telehealth visits. If you have a quick question, you may be able to schedule an appointment with them when times are slow, as they won’t have to prep a room or any devices for you.

3. Know Your Caregivers

Once you start going to a certain place, you begin to know people. You learn the names of the nurses, doctors, receptionists and anyone else you may come into contact with. If someone you don’t know answers the phone when you call, ask for one of your trusted caregivers by name. They may be more willing to squeeze you in for a last-minute appointment if they know you well.

If you don’t have the opportunity to talk to someone you know, be personable to the receptionist or other person who does answer your call. Get their name and begin a short conversation with them. Explain your concerns and why you need to be seen. They may be willing to squeeze in an appointment for you, but don’t be surprised if you have to wait a while like everyone else.

4. Set up a Concierge Medicine Appointment

If you enjoy privacy and comfort in a medical setting, concierge medicine is probably for you. Memberships can give you unlimited access to 24/7 telehealth appointments and in-person visits without waiting times or extra costs. You might have to pay a hefty premium for concierge care, but you’re getting quality service that you have complete access to, no matter the time of day.

This subscription service can be handy for people who have to make trips to a doctor frequently or want a personal relationship with their health care provider. Your physician will be able to devote more time to you since they don’t have as many patients to care for. The quality of service will be better, and you’ll feel listened to. For example, mobile doctors in San Diego are part of this concierge medicine model, bringing personalized healthcare directly to your home or office. This ensures even greater flexibility and accessibility, making it an excellent option for those seeking comprehensive, on-demand medical attention.

5. Go to Urgent Care

Urgent care facilities near you are committed to bringing patients in, getting them diagnosed, preparing their treatment and sending them on their way, all in a timely manner. These clinics are typically open 24/7, so you can rely on them even when your primary care doctor isn’t taking appointments. They cater to people who might not have insurance or are underinsured, so everyone gets the appropriate medical care they need.

Your area should have a couple of urgent care facilities nearby. Some may require you to have appointments. Luckily, you may be able to call ahead or go to their website to book one without waiting.

6. Find a 24/7 Service

Many services offer access to a doctor via video chat at any hour of the day. These doctors may not be in the same area as you, but as long as you have stable internet access, they’ll be able to see and talk to you. You may have to pay a subscription fee, but it may be worth it, considering you can find a doctor any time you want.

The only downside with this option may be that you don’t always get to choose which doctor you will see. Even if you like the physician you receive, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to speak with them again when you have another question. Still, at a less than 20-minute wait for telehealth appointments, you can be sure a doctor will have your attention. You also get to skip the waiting times for in-person visits.

7. Head to the Emergency Room

If your situation really can’t wait, it’s best to head to the emergency room. Doing so might leave you with a few scary-looking bills, but your health and safety come above all else. A trip to the ER might benefit you, especially if you won’t be able to be seen by a doctor for a long time.

You should always go to the emergency room first if you think something is life-threatening, and anyone you call will likely tell you the same thing. However, if you have a concern that is not affecting your breathing or daily activities, stay on hold for a doctor rather than going to the emergency room. That allows them to save beds for people in more critical conditions than you.

Use your best judgment when determining whether you should head to the emergency room or wait for a doctor to see you at your primary care facility. Someone who lives with you should have an opinion, too. You know your body best, but if you’re downplaying or ignoring something, your loved one can inform you that you need to head to the ER. Much of it depends on knowing your body and understanding just how long you can wait to see a doctor.