Planning a European trip on a budget often means navigating endless rental options. The difference between a dream vacation and a travel nightmare hinges on finding the perfect stay. What if we can change that for you? Let’s explore how you can master this challenge—your travel experience is about to change.
For countless travelers like Nour, who dreams of sipping café au lait by the Seine without breaking the bank, the quest to find affordable, charming accommodations can be daunting. She’s not alone in her search; every budget-conscious traveler faces this high-stakes puzzle on their journey.
Too often, a so-called budget-friendly “cozy corner” turns out to be nothing more than a cramped closet. Misleading descriptions, unexpected fees, and other hidden pitfalls make navigating Airbnb options a challenge—highlighting the need for a smarter, more reliable way to plan your travels.
Traveling to cities like Barcelona or Berlin? Weekdays are your secret weapon for lower rental prices and stress-free fun! While weekends are popular and pricey, weekdays offer cheaper deals and quieter attractions, so you can enjoy the city and its top spots without the usual crowds.
To Find the sweet spot between affordability and accessibility. Opt for rentals slightly farther from city centers without sacrificing too much convenience, enhancing guest satisfaction through tailored recommendations based on your preferences. You can always check per city what options you have!
And, of course, cleanliness is key! If you’re seeking the cleanest rentals, Paris, Lisbon, and Athens are definitely worth the price.
Curious to see how it works?
Imagine having all this data in a single plugin or browser extension, seamlessly guiding your travel planning. The possibilities are endless, and your wallet will thank you!
No more guessing games. Let our analysis help you plan smarter and travel happier. With your next trip just a click away, remember: an informed traveler is a happy traveler. Safe journeys and exciting discoveries await!
Unveiling Exam Success: Insights into Student Performance
Education shapes futures, but what factors play the most significant role in student success? This project explores student performance through data from a Kaggle dataset and a survey conducted among students from AUB and other universities. The goal is to uncover patterns and factors that influence academic achievement to inform educational strategies and mental health support.
The analysis highlights the prevalent academic and emotional challenges faced by students, such as high stress, poor mental well-being, inconsistent study habits, and inadequate resources. These factors collectively contribute to low academic performance and emotional instability. Using data-driven insights, the evidence demonstrates that high stress negatively impacts GPA, as shown in stress and exam score correlations. Furthermore, inconsistent study habits, particularly studying for 1-2 hours daily, lead to heightened variability in mental well-being, reflecting emotional instability. Parental influence also emerges as a critical factor, with students from higher-educated families performing better academically. These findings underline the need to address interconnected academic, psychological, and environmental barriers to improve student outcomes comprehensively.
In the spirit of collaboration, the incredible individuals behind this project:
Anthony Aramouny
Ghassan Shammas
Malak Wehbe
Mohammad Abdul Rahman
Rawad Abi Zeid
Zeinab Mortada
Prices Variation Rational
Commodities price variation in Lebanon has been the center of many socio-economic activities and concerns in the past 2 decades. In fact, notwithstanding the underlying concept of inflation (or deflation), the issue has a deep social stability construct: Food security for the poor and the poorer. No matter what the GDP is per capita, it is essential to understand that when commodities prices vary a substrate of the Lebanese society feels the impact much stronger than others: those below the line of poverty.
The Problem
Relying on the data published by www.humdata.org on the yearly prices of goods in Lebanon, it is clear that the consumer encounters prices variation, within the same period of time between the different regions in Lebanon. This is clear in the visuals published below.
We believe that the problem resides in the following issues:
Lebanon lacks sufficient personnel involved in the prices control at the economy of economy and trade.
It has Limited reach on price controls and prices ceiling.
It Lacks specialized domestic food security experts.
It lacks total agricultural programming to supplement the market with commodities in crisis.
It lacks cheap national transport routes for bulk products such as railways. The cost of transport may exceed 30% of the final cost of a commodity.
Details
It is necessary to divide the time series into 3 periods:
From 2012 to October 2019 i.e. precrisis period
From October 2019 until end of 2021 (crisis period with subsidized goods)
2022 until now, post crisis and post subsidies.
The banking and financial crisis in Lebanon imposed mainly two constraints on the food security issue: i) the strong volatility of the exchange rate against a fixed low official rate of LB1500/$, ii) a subsequent spiraling inflation rate that was strongly reflected on the prices of goods in the country.
Meanwhile, during the first 2 years of the crisis, the government had subsidies on fuel and its derivatives, wheat and bread and some other commodities. The subsidies were lifted during 2021, and the prices were” floating”. For a short period of time, the prices oscillated without any rational and later stabilized due to the rapid dollarization of the retail market: The Lebanese Pound became almost obsolete, superseded by the US$ as a cash for retail transactions. It is to be noted that the salary of the public sector is still indexed to the “old” Lebanese pound exchange rate and hence the public servant are actually those who suffer the most the impact of price variation in Lebanon. Explore Our Interactive Dashboard below: For a more in-depth look at our project, we invite you to explore our interactive dashboard. It’s designed to provide you with detailed analytics, and visual insights into our work.
We value your thoughts and feedback! If you have any questions, comments, or insights, please feel free to share them in the comment section below.
The rise in traffic accidents in the United States poses a critical threat to public safety and disrupts the efficiency of road networks. This trend not only jeopardizes lives but also undermines the reliability of the transportation system, leading to unpredictable and dangerous road conditions. Additionally, these frequent incidents have significant economic implications, straining resources and impacting the broader economy. In 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated the economic cost of motor vehicle crashes at $340 billion, nearly 2% of the U.S. GDP. Beyond immediate costs, these accidents strain emergency services and disrupt the transportation of goods, affecting productivity. The current state of road safety in the U.S. presents a significant challenge, with 1.7 million traffic accidents recorded in 2022, with the majority recorded in California. This alarming figure is not just a standalone concern; it is projected to escalate to an estimated 2.7 million by 2025. Such an increase not only signifies a growing risk to public safety but also hints at underlying issues in traffic management and driver behavior. The most telling evidence of this problem is its direct impact on traffic flow. Approximately 80% of these accidents significantly disrupt traffic, leading to delays, increased travel times, and economic costs associated with lost productivity.
Factors Behind US Traffic Incidents
When addressing the challenge of road accidents, a critical first step is identifying the root cause, which literature suggests can be attributed to either Road Conditions or Driver Behavior. Analyzing the data reveals a notable trend – a significant proportion of accidents occur in optimal weather conditions, free from rain or snow that could compromise traction. Equally, visibility does not emerge as a primary factor, with over 90% of accidents transpiring when visibility extends beyond 3 miles. Intriguingly, the majority of accidents unfold during peak traffic hours, indicating a prevalence of low to medium-speed collisions. Importantly, the data suggests that road design is not a predominant issue in these accidents. This underscores the imperative of delving into driver behavior as a key focus for addressing and mitigating the high frequency of road accidents.
The majority of accidents unfold at key intersections—stop lights, junctions, and crossings—marked as conflict points. These areas pose heightened risk as drivers executing left or right turns must seamlessly merge with oncoming traffic while yielding to vehicles with the right of way. To address this challenge, various mitigation measures can be implemented. Introducing turning loops, employing stop signs, and incorporating give-way protocols are among the strategies aimed at enhancing the safety of these critical points. These measures are designed to streamline traffic flow, clarify right-of-way assignments, and ultimately contribute to a reduction in accidents at these high-risk locations by reducing the need for decision-making by the driver.
Recommended Mitigation Measures
To address the escalating issue of car accidents, particularly those stemming from complex driver decision-making at intersections, a targeted approach is recommended. This approach involves implementing specific traffic management solutions designed to simplify the decision-making process for drivers, thereby reducing the likelihood of accidents. The key elements of this strategy are as follows:
1. Turning Loops:
Purpose: Turning loops, also known as dedicated turning lanes, provide a designated space for vehicles to make turns without disrupting the flow of through traffic.
Implementation: These loops are often marked by dedicated lanes with clear signage, allowing turning vehicles to enter and exit the flow of traffic more safely.
Efficiency: Turning loops have demonstrated a high efficiency rate of 94%, making them a highly effective solution for managing turning movements at intersections.
2. Stop Signs:
Purpose: Stop signs are effective in controlling the movement of vehicles at intersections, ensuring that drivers come to a complete stop and yield to oncoming traffic before proceeding.
Implementation: Placing stop signs at appropriate points within an intersection helps regulate traffic and minimizes the risk of collisions, especially in situations where the right of way needs clarification.
Efficiency: Stop signs exhibit a commendable efficiency rate of 90%, proving to be a reliable means of directing traffic and minimizing conflicts.
3. Give Way Protocols:
Purpose: Give way markings and rules dictate which vehicle has the right of way, helping to prevent conflicts between turning and oncoming traffic.
Implementation: Clearly marked give-way lines and signs indicate where drivers must yield, promoting smoother merging and reducing the likelihood of accidents caused by confusion regarding right-of-way rules.
Efficiency: Give-way protocols have demonstrated an efficiency rate of 86%, contributing significantly to the orderliness and safety of intersections.
In addition to the above insights derived from the analysis of the data at hand, we sought the opinion of technical experts. The work was presented to a group of transportation engineers at Dar Al-Handasah for technical validation on the proposed mitigation measures. The engineers (Marwan Younes, Elie Beyrouthy, Rami Tawk, Elena Abi Aad, Lea Braidy, Tarek Tawouk) have worked on road design projects in Europe, USA, Africa, Arabian Gulf Countries and many more. The team confirmed that, when implemented in compliance with existing codes and standards, these measures would indeed reduce the number of accidents and lead to a safer road network with minimal infrastructure and road layout changes making them cost effective.
These measures collectively represent a cost-effective approach to traffic management. Their implementation, involving relatively simple infrastructure changes like signage and road markings, is less costly compared to more extensive road modifications. The practicality of these solutions lies in their simplicity and effectiveness, making them easily adaptable to various traffic scenarios and beneficial for drivers, pedestrians, and the broader community by creating safer, more efficient road environments.
Car accidents remain a significant concern across the globe, negatively affecting many lives daily, which shows the need for continuous efforts in ensuring road safety. Annually, the toll of car accidents in France highlights a critical need for detailed analysis and proactive measures that would help tackle this issue and mitigate the risks that citizens, whether drivers, passengers, or pedestrians, face daily. France has 55% more deaths per inhabitant than Germany in 2019. Specifically, France experienced 52 deaths per million inhabitants due to traffic accidents, compared to Germany’s 34.
The proposed solutions will target an audience in charge such as government agencies related to transportation and safety sectors, road safety advocacy groups, and urban planners and infrastructure developers. Government agencies can leverage our findings to inform policy and safety measures. The urban planners and infrastructure developers will be provided with data-driven directions to design safer roads and intersections, focusing on the weak points of where accidents are most likely to occur. Lastly, road safety advocacy groups will be able to utilize our insights to focus on effectively enhancing their campaigns.
Geographic Patterns of Accidents in France:
This data paints a detailed picture of where accidents are most frequent within France. Certain regions, perhaps due to higher traffic volumes or challenging driving conditions, show elevated accident rates. This geographical analysis is pivotal in directing safety measures to where they are needed most.
Trends:
Seasonal Trends:
Road safety is a critical issue that affects communities across France. In 2019, these incidents inflicted injuries and claimed lives which raised serious concerns about the factors contributing to their occurrence. From the severity of injuries sustained by different road users to the risks associated with specific driving maneuvers, the data displays a concerning picture. Moreover, the difference in outcomes for those wearing seatbelts and helmets versus those who do not bring to light the vital role of safety measures. This section will explore the problem of traffic accidents in France, using visual evidence to illustrate the scope and impact of this pressing issue.
We saw more car crashes in the summer, especially in June and July. This is probably because lots of people are traveling for their summer breaks, and there are many visitors who don’t know the roads well. Summer is also a time for big parties and festivals where people might drink alcohol, which can lead to more accidents. Roads get really busy, and sometimes safety rules are forgotten, which makes it more likely for accidents to happen.
Fatal Outcomes by Road User Type:
In 2019, the landscape of traffic accidents in France presented a cruel picture, particularly in terms of injury severity. As our visual analysis reveals, drivers constituted most of the affected individuals, accounting for 70% of deaths, while passengers and pedestrians accounted for 15%. The data indicates that drivers are most often killed underscoring the considerable risk associated with driving. Pedestrians, though fewer, face a considerable rate of serious rate of deaths and injuries per accident, due to the lack of protective barriers during accidents. This information underscores the need for robust safety measures and targeted interventions to protect all road users.
Weather Conditions:
It is well known that weather can have a major impact on road situations. It is something logical where accident occurrences are challenging to control, especially in extreme weather conditions. Since the majority of accidents happen in normal conditions (due to normal weather being more probable than other conditions) it is an advantage to us as we can control other conditions.
The Life-Saving Role of Safety Equipment:
The analysis starkly shows the difference safety equipment can make. In France, the use of seat belts and helmets is shown to drastically reduce the severity of injuries in accidents. This serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of wearing safety gear.
Seat Belts Save Lives: According to the World Health Organization, the use of safety belts by front-seat passengers reduces the risk of fatal injuries by 45 to 50 percent. For back-seat occupants, the risk of death and serious injuries is reduced by 25 percent. In France, since 1973, wearing seat belts in the front seat is mandatory. Compliance with this law varies between 60 to 90% depending on the road type. If seat belts were not worn by front seat occupants, there would be a 55% increase in fatalities. Conversely, if seat belts were consistently used by all occupants in a vehicle, fatalities could be reduced by an additional 30%.
Helmets for Bikers: Motorcycle helmets are 67% effective in preventing brain injuries. Riders without helmets are more than three times as likely to suffer a brain injury compared to those who wear helmets.
Rules and Wearing Safety Gear:
Police Enforcement: Police play a key role in ensuring compliance with safety gear regulations. Through traffic stops, checkpoints, and regular patrolling, they check if drivers and riders are wearing seat belts and helmets, as required by law. This enforcement encourages consistent use of safety gear.
Awareness and Penalties: Alongside enforcement, awareness campaigns about the importance of safety gear and the penalties for non-compliance further encourage adherence to these rules. Understanding the life-saving benefits of seat belts and helmets motivates more people to use them.
Left vs. Right Hand Turns:
Left-hand turns appear to be particularly hazardous, leading to more accidents compared to right-hand turns. This finding could influence traffic management policies and the design of intersections to enhance driver safety.
Left Turns Are Riskier: In France, during 2019, car accidents often happened more during left-hand turns than right-hand turns. This is because left turns are usually trickier. Here’s why:
More Traffic to Watch: When you turn left, you have to look out for cars coming both ways. This means you have to check more places before you turn.
Harder to See: Sometimes it’s harder to see if it’s safe to turn left. Cars coming straight towards you can be hard to judge, especially if they’re moving fast.
Crossing Paths: Turning left means crossing the path of oncoming cars. This is riskier than turning right, where you don’t cross traffic.
Timing is Tough: You need good timing to turn left safely. If you turn too soon or too late, it can cause an accident.
To wrap this up, let us take a closer look at the lessons we learned from looking at car crashes in France for 2019. From what we’ve seen, it appears that doing some simple things can help keep us safe on the roads.
To begin with, seatbelts are amazing. They keep so many people from getting hurt if there’s a crash. It’s like having a superhero’s shield right in your car. And then there’s the weather. Driving can be difficult in the rain, snow, or even too much sun, which may result in accidents. We must be extra careful when the weather is bad.
We also observed that driving behavior, such as speeding or lack of focus, can have a significant impact. We all share the road, so we all need to drive like we care about the person in the next car or walking across the street.
Now, what do we do with all this? We talk about it, at school, at work, and at home. We make sure everyone knows how important it is to drive safely, wear seatbelts, and watch the road. We make sure the police are watching out for drivers who cause a risk to others, and we call on local communities to install improved streetlights and signage.
But there’s more we can do, too. We’ve got three big solutions:
Better Roads: We need roads that are easy to drive on, with clear signs and safe spots to walk and cross.
Stronger Traffic Laws: Rules that make sense and that everyone knows, ensuring that no one is speeding or messing around.
Awareness Campaigns: Let’s use entertaining and memorable methods to educate people about traffic safety.
Let’s make this report start a conversation that keeps going. Every time we get into a car or cross the street, let’s remember what we learned. If we all do our part, with better roads, clear rules, and good tips on staying safe, we can make our roads places where everyone gets to where they’re going, no trouble.
Team members: Mahmoud Jachi, Ali Korkomaz, Mehdi Atris, Taima Kelani, Hussein Dakroub, Mohamad Ayoub
In an era marked by a rapid exchange of information and digital connectivity, our attention spans have undergone a notable transformation. From an average of 150 seconds in 2004 to a mere 47 seconds in 2020, the ability to sustain focus has become a precious commodity. This shift carries far reaching implications, impacting not just our productivity but various facets of our lives. The ramifications of this decline are many such as decreased productivity, wasted time, disruptions to sleep, effects on mental health, and potential impacts on career opportunities.
In this blog, our focus will be directed towards concentration levels of university students in Lebanon. We will unfold the primary reason behind this decline and recommend a significant solution to address these challenges
Increase of social media users:
In a society dominated by social media and a tendency to immediately check notifications upon waking up, we’re confronted with a plethora of mental health challenges. Based on data from Statista, the percentage of social media users from total population has been gradually increasing since 2017 reaching over 4.59 billion users as of 2023, which accounts for 57% of the entire world’s populationusing various social media applications such as Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, and Discord. Social media penetration, which represents the percentage of social media users per population, seems to be at a high in Lebanon with a value of 89.5% in 2023. This means that the majority of the Lebanese population is using social media. Such a high penetration rate implies that social media has become a significant part of daily life for a large portion of the Lebanese population
Repercussions of social media: High distraction rate
Given the increase in the use of social media apps, and the high social media penetration in Lebanon, we surveyed 280 responses to study the effect of social media on university students in Lebanon.
The survey line chart visualization represents the answers of 3 main questions which are in respect to the number of hours spent on social media:
How often do you get distracted by Social media when you are busy doing something?
How easily distracted are you?
How frequently does your interest in daily activities fluctuate?
The above graph showed a positive correlation between between the amount of time students spend on social media and their likelihood of getting distracted. Those who dedicate more hours to social media tend to encounter increased levels of distraction. This heightened distraction, in turn, leads to fluctuations in their interest levels in various daily activities which includes studying.
Remedies: Pomodoro technique
The Pomodoro technique is a technique involving taking intervals of time to study and rewarding yourself at the end of these intervals (25 minutes, 50 minutes). During the 25 minutes, individuals commit to completing their tasks and maximize their concentration by silencing/ turning off notifications, closing unnecessary tabs, and creating a study-friendly environment.
Rewards for completing a Pomodoro session come in the form of leisure time which is often spent on social media. This technique represents a form of delayed gratification that through routine makes it easier to focus on the task at hand. The technique is supported by the science of evolutionary biology which states that the human brain states in a state of alertness to avoid looming threats. Hence deactivating and reactivating the brain helps restart your body’s internal focus timer.
Pomodoro effectiveness
To prove the effectiveness of this technique, we conducted an experiment on a group of university students were we tracked the number of phone checking in 2 hours before and after using Pomodoro as well as the percentage of tasks they completed.
As we can tell by the bar graphs above , the number of times the students touched their phones without Pomodoro was significantly higher compared to using Pomodoro technique trials. Moreover, the percentage of tasks completed in 2 hours significantly increased after using Pomodoro technique in comparison to without it.
Our Solution: Pomodoro Prime App
A potential remedy for the problems caused by rising social media usage and shortening attention spans is our app’s creative features which utilizes the Pomodoro Technique. The apps features involve tabs to be chosen depending on what type of Pomodoro session a student would like to perform:
Create an individual focus session with customized time intervals in which you can then periodically take breaks in between
Join a Pomodoro session and connect with others studying with predefined time intervals that have periodic breaks in between.
In between these study sessions, there’s an option efficient break in which breaks that are commonly spent on YouTube mindlessly scrolling is now substitutable with options for stretching and meditation exercises during study sessions that will improve focus and calmness for better performance in the next sessions.
