THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL
PEOPLE GENERALLY SEE WHAT THEY LOOK FOR AND HEAR WHAT THEYtheTo Kill A Mockingbird issue LISTEN FOR
volume 57 . issue 5 . february 2019 sequoitmedia.com. @achstomtom. @sequoitsports 1133 main street. antioch, illinois. 60002
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IN THIS ISSUE SOCIAL
GET CONNECTED WITH US. FOLLOW OUR ACCOUNTS FOR UPDATES AND NEW CONTENT. @ACHSTOMTOM
PERSPECTIVES 04 | EDITOR’S NOTE 05 | STAFF EDITORIAL 06 | SEQUOIT TO SEQUOIT 07 | LIFE OF A LEFTY 35 | WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE A MOCKINGBIRD
@SEQUOITSPORTS
@ACHSTOMTOM
@SEQUOITSPORTS
LIFESTYLES 12 | OVER THE COUNTER CONFUSION
14 | REVIEW: A DOG’S WAY HOME @ACHSTOMTOM
@ACHSTOMTOM
NEWS
08 | NEWS IN BRIEF
ON THE COVER WE ATTEMPT TO WALK A MILE IN OTHERS’ SHOES, SO DOES HE.
SENIOR ELKANAH GAHIMA GRACES THE COVER OF THIS MONTH’S ISSUE, A RECREATION OF THE FRESHMAN REQUIRED BOOK TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
volume 57 . issue 5. February 2019 Cover Photo Jessica Nettgen
THE TOM TOM | 2018-2019
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The Tom Tom is a student-produced magazine that is distributed to students, faculty and staff of Antioch Community High School, as well as the members of the Antioch Community. Members of the Tom Tom staff contribute to sequoitmedia.com, the Sequoit Media website, on a regular basis. The student magazine serves as a public forum and is supported by New Voices legislation in Illinois and policies of Community High School District 117. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of ACHS or D117, nor Antioch Community High School’s faculy, staff or administration. CONTACT INFORMATION Mailing Address: 1133 Main St., Antioch, Ill. 60002 // Phone: 847-395-9433 Website: sequoitmedia.com Email: thetomtom@chsd117.org MEMBERSHIP The Tom Tom belongs to the Kettle Moraine Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and Quill & Scroll International Journalism Honor Society. ADVERTISING Businesses and community members may sponsor the Tom Tom if their sponsorships adhere to guidelines. These can be found in the Sequoit Media Lab (room 263) or on our website (sequoitmedia.com). EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily M. Torres MANAGING EDITORS Diana Anghel Gianna M. Chiappetta PRINT DIRECTOR Benjamin J. Nauman DIGITAL DIRECTORS Alex L. Rapp Karley K. Rogalsk SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTORS Jessica J. Nettgen Eleni A. Sakas CREATIVE DIRECTOR Merrick W. Foote ASST. DIRECTORS Joseph M. Kestian Avery J. Frasch
SPORTS
30 | SPORTS SNAPSHOTS
FEATURES
15 | ALL ROSES HAVE THORNS 18 | AS ONE LIE LEADS TO ANOTHER 20 | DECIDING THE TOP PRIORITY 21 | FOLLOW THE LEADER 24 | ALONE TOGETHER 26 | WORLD WAR 117 28 | HURT PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE
ASST. CREATIVE DIRECTORS Kayla E. Grenke Emily Lara SENIOR EDITORS Alexander J. Riedel Kevin E. Tamayo Joseph Whittall JUNIOR EDITORAL BOARD Emily A. Higgins Alex C. Johnson
Madisen M. Krapf Valerie N. Rasmussen Alessia N. Rivera Sarah M. Smith
Jazzmyn J. Roman Valerie M. Rosek Grace A. Rowe Adrian Ruiz
Mollie T. Wagner Sierra M. Ward
Rilee A. Schreiner Matt P. Soberano Cassidy A. Thomas Katelyn M. Vaskovsky Beatriz C. Warnes
TOM TOM STAFF Grace R. Acello Haley M. Aitken Kylar A. Arias Charlotte M. Bongratz Reagan C. Brewer Gavin R. Calabrese Kyle A. Christian Evan M. Day Lena M. DeVore Kara C. Galarneau Julia C. Hackeloer Kaitlyn A. Howe Robbie S. Hulting Izzy J. Hunter Jake T. Ilkka Athan A. Kaliakmanis Sofia C. Klem Avery A. Krizanovic Jacob R. Leitza Kyle A. Miller Madison R. McBride Bridget J. Nauman Alexis N. Olson Brandon R. Pinto Shannon E. Price Maggie M. Quirke Brandon R. Reynolds
Walker A. Winkler ADVISER Patrick R. Johnson, MJE SEQUOIT MEDIA TEAM Iwona Awlasewicz, SBN Sarah Ogborn, Sequoia Sam Worden, Finesse ENGLISH DEPARTMENT CHAIR Dee Andershock ACHS ADMINISTRATION Eric Hamilton, Principal Aryan Haren, Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction Scott Leverentz, Assistant Principal for Student Services Steve Schoenfelder, Athletic Director Teri Klobnak, Activities Director Patricia McGuigan, Dean Grant Murray, Dean DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION Jim McKay, Superintendent Brad Hubbard, Asst. Superintendent Brie Cederna, Asst. Superintendent Jennifer Nolde, Asst. Superintendent Ryan Miles, Chief Technology Officer
MISSION STATEMENT The Tom Tom seeks to not only be the premier source of student news, sports and lifestyles at Antioch Community High School, but it also aspires to do so with integrity, respect, responsibility and pride. The Tom Tom believes wholeheartedly in giving voices to the voiceless through unique engaging methods of storytelling, while engaging with the Antioch community to see diverse and challenging perspectives. In doing so, we choose to tell some of the more challenging or untold stories even when they can be controversial in order to make our community stronger, more caring, and more tolerant. This program envisions a holistic experience of quality journalism through print publications and digital content, as well as promotes student spirit and school culture through innovative and inspiring public relations and advertising campaigns. We are the Tom Tom. We are originals. It would be an awfully big adventure if you choose to come along with us and work as one community, one Sequoit. RESPONDING TO THE TOM TOM Letters to the Tom Tom can be submitted through sequoitmedia.com or directly to the adviser’s email. All letters must be signed, must not contain personal attacks against an individual and may be edited. CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The Tom Tom is committed to seeking the truth, minimizing harm and presenting the most accurate reporting as possible. If you notice any inaccuracies in this or previous issues, please contact the adviser at patrick.johnson@chsd117.org.
EDITOR’S NOTE
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Maycomb isn’t the only place you can find prejudice, judgement and injustice. Antioch’s got plenty of that, too. has set. For a little while, my staff stopped finding the color in their stories; instead, they listened to what was around them. Even though we fell dull, like last year, we found our true colors again. Throughout the process of this magazine, my staff was able to see things in a new light. They found story ideas based off of topics that they would have never given a second thought in the past.
EMILY M. TORRES editor-in-chief @emily_marilynnt
T
he world is not black and white, but that’s often how society sees it. Last year, the Tom Tom decided to show the Antioch community that there is more to life than what’s on the surface. The 2017-18 staff wanted to figure out why people only see the black and white, and not the shades of gray. Society seemingly forgets that there is more to life than meets the eye. The Tom Tom doesn’t like to just go with the flow, we like to be out of the box and make people think about things society might limit us from doing. Much like the staff from last year, my staff likes to find the stories that people won’t see on a day to day basis. To go along with our new theme for the rest of the year, this magazine is based off of the book “To Kill A Mockingbird,” a text that students read during freshman year. As the book has a variety of ideas ranging from racism, wrongful imprisonment, empathy, etc., our magazine is based off of these same main points. The staff from last year found that it was important to show the colors in every situation. This idea has carried over into my staff, especially in the stories that this magazine holds. We try to see the color in the seemingly dull world that we live in with everything we produce. Sometimes, just like last year, we fall under the trap that society
My staff and I want to show our readers our true colors. We want to show everyone that it’s okay to follow along, as long as you take a different road every now and then. This magazine will show you that the Tom Tom is not afraid to talk about the “hush hush” in society. We want everyone to see that the black and white can be colorful—you just have to allow yourself to see it. In our second magazine of the semester includes stories from what the life of a left handed person is truly like by senior editor Joseph Whittall, to a story about how people may take the wrong medication for certain pains by junior editor Emily Higgins. Junior editors Valerie Rasmussen and Alexandra Johnson go head to head about love at first sight. To kick off the feature section of our “To Kill a Mockingbird” issue, Tom Tom staffer Lena De Vore talks about why people lie while senior editor Jacob Leitza wrote about what it means to follow the leader. Tom Tom staffer Kaitlyn Howe writes about what it feels like to be a mockingbird. Thank you, as always, for reading our magazine. We hope you enjoyed our take on a classic piece of literature and that you were able to find the color that the Tom Tom strives to achieve in each magazine.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES this month
ROCK OF AGES by staffer Jake Ilkka OBJECTIVELY SUBJECTIVE by staffer Madison McBride ME BEFORE YOU by staffer Maggie Quirke THE URGE TO FIT IN by senior editor Alexander Riedel TIME TO WAKE UP by junior editor Alessia Rivera
4 | PERSPECTIVES | February 2019 | The Tom Tom
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK SEQUOITMEDIA. COM DAILY FOR NEW CONTENT AND FOR ALL OF THESE ONLINE EXCLUSIVES.
STAFF EDITORIAL
LIFE ON SCREEN It’s implausible to try and propose a solution to such a grand-scale problem that has grown roots into our society by now. The best we can do is attempt to paint a picture in our minds of the things we are missing out on. According to Common Sense Media, teens spend an average of nine hours per day online, including all forms of online entertainment. Imagine if we spent even half of that time working towards our own goals and bettering ourselves; some of us would be able to accomplish the things we yearn for: having a healthier lifestyle, bettering a specific skill and getting more sleep. At the same time, we realize it’s impossible
Jessica Nettgen
Sequoits enter the building each day
looking to find an outlet to learn about both life and themselves; however, they find themselves confined to the glass screen in front of their faces.
I
t’s almost natural to us at this point: sending “streaks” each morning, posting our meals on our stories, taking pictures with our friends every time we go somewhere, snapchatting in class or laying in bed scrolling through Instagram.
Without an ounce of thought, we continuously repeat these actions in our everyday lives. As high school students, it’s become the norm to spend hours on our phones. New technology has brought our friends and peers as close as touching our screens two times. Of course, it’s easy to look at the bright side of this outbreak. Some would say we are never bored and communication between people has become faster and easier. Others say we are able to capture every memory on camera and we are lucky that homework becomes easier with a smartphone at our hands; however, it seems that we have been ignoring the immense consequences this habit brings. We don’t want to say that creating new lifestyles as our society advances is bad; in fact, it’s completely normal. But what happens when these new additions intersect ever-standing concepts like respect, productivity and education? Looking around a classroom, there’s always that kid who listens to music constantly; the girl texting her friend from across the room, both of them giggling at their screen; and the guy who never ever stops snapchatting his streaks. During pep rallies, there are more people distracted by the entertainment of their phones rather than looking up to see the entertainment in real-life. And how come almost every fight at our school ends up online? More times than not, students are more comfortable with recording violence than than taking action to stop it.
to create a complete separation between technology and state. But, what if we used the time on our screens more productively? There’s a fine line between entertainment and betterment. Sure, we can watch Jake Paul’s drama and Tana Mongeau’s clickbait once in a while; however, we need to learn how to take a step back and invest time into beneficial online habits. To better our lives, there are other options than just Youtube to use as a source of entertainment. If you’re not familiar with podcasts, it’s like eavesdropping on a really good conversation. Like music, podcasts allow people to be productive while multitasking; they also allow one to learn more about any topic of their interest. Receiving notifications plays a role in how often we check our phones. It’s okay to mute your phone during school, after-school activities and any other priorities you have. Additionally, removing unnecessary accounts and email subscriptions from your friends list and contacts will not only lessen screen time, but also the amount of rings and buzzes you get in a day. Combined, these two strategies can feel refreshing and has the chance to shrink your online presence. We could continue to tell you about meditation apps, Ted Talks and more. Nonetheless, there won’t ever be a change unless you want one for yourself. Instead of spending nights on your phone doing useless things or not paying attention in class playing Pokemon, there are endless ways to better your time. When it comes down to it, all we can do is try to better our generation.
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SEQUOIT TO SEQUOIT:
FIRST SIGHT V. TAKING IT SLOW
VALERIE N. RASMUSSEN junior editor @val0270
L
ove. It’s more than just a word. It’s an overwhelming, indescribable feeling. It doesn’t just happen overnight; it needs time to blossom and grow.
You can find love stories in hundreds of Hollywood movies: two people share a look and they instantly know that they’re in love. I wish these stories were based on how things play out in real life, but the simple truth is that “love at first sight” is nothing more than a fantasy. In reality love develops over time, growing a little bit each day. Some people find themselves waiting their whole lives to feel that instant connection, but for many that simply doesn’t happen. Waiting for love to find you isn’t a plan, it’s an excuse. It is just a way to allow yourself to refrain from trying to change your current state of affairs. I’ve always believed that love at first sight was something that I would understand as I got older. Once I entered the “real world”, I believed I would have my movie moment. However, I have come to understand that love is not something that comes knocking at your door. Love is not as easy as a simple feeling. Relationships work because two people are willing to put in the time and work to create something beautiful. Every day, over and over again, one must choose to be with their partner. Relationships are like plants; they have to be watered with compassion and bask in the sunlight of trust if they have any chance at surviving. Love at first sight is a beautiful sentiment and although I wish that it could exist, it is only a fantasy.
6 | PERSPECTIVES | February 2019 | The Tom Tom
ALEXANDRA C. JOHNSON junior editor @woahalex2
I
t is the feeling in your stomach, the butterflies that just won’t go away. When you look at someone and feel an instant connection; you see them from across the room and lock eyes. You might not instantly feel love, but you definitely feel something. It has nothing to do with good looks; if it did we would fall in love with the first good-looking person we see. It’s the mutual energy that’s given without speaking a word to one another. Most people can’t believe in this concept because they don’t know how it could be possible. We live in a world where technology has taken over and love can be found all around us in movies, TV shows and books. It is only natural that the storylines leave an impression on a hopeless romantic like myself. Even though most of the time the stories are fictional, it gives me hope that maybe I can have something similar to what the characters in the novel have with each other. Most people tell me that I am too young to fall in love, but I don’t understand why there has to be an age limit on feelings for other people. These hopes have given me the ability to open up and let people in more often than not. I don’t know if I will ever find the type of connection I’m looking for, but because I believe so strongly in love I have faith that there is something good waiting for me. Alexandra Johnson
LIFE OF A LEFTY T
he left-handed minority is often at a disadvantage
JOSEPH R. WHITTALL senior editor @JRW_14
W
hat do Barack Obama, Tom Cruise and I all have in common? We are all left handed. One in ten people in the world are left handed. Ten percent is a sizable chunk of the population, you would think. While not as extreme as in years past, today’s society suppresses the use of the left hand. Our society and culture has evolved to be accustomed to the use of the right hand. Writing is for righties, while a lefty drags their hand across the lead or ink. Notetaking is for righties; a lefty is left with odd marks on their forearm. Binders have the same affect. Driving is made for righties; a lefty learns to get really good at shifting gears with the nondominant hand. Even classrooms are made for right handed people. Lefty desks are almost impossible to find and it becomes even more of a problem when there are two lefties in the class. Lefties live in a world where righties are given every advantage. Throughout my life, I’ve had to deal with all of these problems and many more. I’ve been gawked at when people realize I’m left handed. In sports, I’ve always had to learn things by myself, without example.
society in the world, says that 20 percent of their members are lefties, 10 percent higher than the global average. This suggests that lefties may be, on average, smarter than righties. Lefties spend their entire lives learning how to do things right handed, then adapting this to fit their left handed needs. They learn how to do things backwards. This also allows lefties to become more ambidextrous. List25.com says that lefties are better athletes, artists, multitaskers, video game players, drivers, faster thinkers and they process information quicker. On top of this, August 13 is a designated holiday for lefties. A favorite interaction of mine is when someone walks up behind me while writing and yells “Oh my gosh! You’re left handed? That’s so weird!” This is followed by a series of questions about my parents’ dexterity, if I’ve always been left handed and if writing long essays leaves a lot of lead on my hand. They always conclude by saying they have a left handed friend or family member and how they have tried to write with their left hand before, but it felt weird. “Did you know lefties die ten years sooner than righties?” This phrase is one of the worst things a lefty could hear from a righty. If you have a left handed friend, do them a favor, and stop saying this. If you’re one of the left handed few, and you find yourself being berated by your righty counterparts, don’t hesitate to tell them that thanks to the right side of the brain controlling the left side of the body, lefties are the only ones in their right mind.
10%
/
90%
While most would see this as a natural disadvantage, lefties do hold the upperhand in some aspects. Mensa, the largest IQ
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8 | NEWS | February 2019 | The Tom Tom
IN BRIEF SCHOOL DISTRICTS JOINING TOGETHER Local school districts joined together for a band festival at Antioch Community High School on February seventh. District 117 high schools were accompanied by other schools such as Antioch Upper Grade School, Grass Lake and more. Teachers from all different schools were there to help conduct the bands. Students joined together and packed the stands for a night filled with a beautiful and wide variety of music. Students played songs such as “Crown Imperial,” “Symphonic Overture” and others. Jazzmyn Roman
JAZZMYN J. ROMAN
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10 | NEWS | February 2019 | The Tom Tom
IN BRIEF WINTERFEST BRINGS SEQUOITS WARM CELEBRATION IN TRADITIONALLY COLD SEASON Antioch Community High School got to experience a new music festival called Winterfest that was held on Saturday, February 16 hosted by myBOOMtour. Antioch is one of the 13 schools in Illinois that is hosting this festival. This was a new experience for ACHS, replacing turnabout. “It turned out to be very fun and it was a great night with my friends,” sophomore Hunter Klotter said. The theme for the night was casual blackout clothing. Highschoolers from ACHS and Lakes Community High School came to enjoy music, eat food and hangout with friends. Additionally, students got to play on a blowup knockout and to compete in oversized Jenga, Checkers and Connect Four. The festival also included a silent disco and a main stage with multiple DJs. “My favorite part was the music and everyone having fun and dancing,” freshman Alexa Phillips said. “I definitely will go again next year because I had a really good time.” Valerie Rosek VALERIE ROSEK
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OVER THE COUNTER CONFUSION
The most common ways to get rid of pains might in fact be wrong. Management Medication Types,” NSAIDs act on the different substances within the body that causes inflammation, pain and fever. The other classification, acetaminophen, increases the body’s pain threshold, but does not affect inflammation in the body.
EMILY A. HIGGINS junior editor @emilyhiiggiiins
M
any know the feeling of grabbing the white palm sized container, filled with the red, blue or white pills and the feeling of amazement that something so small contains the power to heal any type of pain felt by the body. According to Understanding Trust in Over-the-Counter Medicines: Consumer and Healthcare Provider Perspectives, on average, twothirds of consumers prefer taking an over the counter medication over a prescription when available. These types of over the counter brands can be found anywhere, from local drug stores to supermarkets worldwide. Down the pharmacy aisle, many different bottles and labels of over the counter pain medications are provided to consumers for any type of aches and pains they may experience. The mistake most people make though, is popping the wrong type of pill for the pain they are experiencing from the lack of knowledge of the different classifications of over the counter products. “I have Advil, Tylenol and ibuprofen in my house,” junior Samantha Salmi said. “[I use] them all for different things because of my different experiences with them. I might take Advil because it is convenient, but I know to take ibuprofen when my hands start to hurt from playing my instrument.” The National Food and Drug Association classifies drugs into two categories: acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Anti-inflammatory drugs are meant for the everyday aches and pains like common tension headaches, minor sprains or soreness. Acetaminophen is a fast release drug that relieves pain quickly, but does not reduce inflammation within the body. According to Jim Morelli, a pharmacist and author of “Pain
12 | LIFESTYLES | February 2019 | The Tom Tom
In the first initial moments of feeling pain, the common reaction among most people is to take medication to relieve the uncomfortable feeling of pain. But what happens after one takes the pill? KidsHealth explains how the body endures and handles pain. Inside the body, tiny nerve endings can sense pain, such as from a burn or a blow to a body part. After ingestion, pain relievers work with the nerve endings and the brain to keep the feeling of pain at bay. Even though the body is covered with these nerve endings, only some can sense when these cells are injured or damaged. A hormone called prostaglandin is released, which is known to increase the perception of pain, fever, redness and inflammation that occurs with a body trauma. When prostaglandin is released, the nerve endings send messages to the brain. They tell the brain about the location of the pain along with deciphering what the pain feels like. When a pain reliever is taken, it blocks the receptors in the damaged cells from feeling the prostaglandin chemicals. This in turn means
that the brain will not get the pain message as quickly or clearly. A sharp pain can be masked as a dull ache makes it manageable for the body and less to worry about.
OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATION FACTS
Common household brands including Aleve, Advil and ibuprofen are all NSAIDs and can be used to treat swollen joints and soreness. The active ingredients within the medications are slower release, which may take time to feel the effect but is longer lasting. Acetaminophens like Tylenol are often used to break a fever and treat an unexpected headache or growing pains. The active ingredient works in the brain to suppress signals so the pain endured can not be felt. “I never really thought about how different over the counter pain medications can be from each other,“ freshman Ayden Jones said. “I always assumed that all of them did the same thing.” Even though most of the brands within the same classifications do the same thing, mixing up the classification and the type of pain felt may do the body harm or not get the desired relief. Knowingly combining two different pain relievers is a risky practice. If taking an NSAID, like Advil, helps with sore joints, but later that day one takes another over the counter product, like Tylenol for a cold, then an overdose may occur. Taking higher than the recommended dosage of NSAIDs and acetaminophen can also increase the risk of stomach ulcers and bleeding. So, what does that mean for consumers? It is important to know the classification of the medications and what the chemicals they consist of do to the body. When purchasing an over the counter product, read the label for ingredients. This ensures that double dosing does not occur and the pain being experienced can be relieved with the correct medications.
Madisen Krapf
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REVIEW
A DOG’S WAY HOME
A
new movie directed by Charles Martin Smith, “A Dog’s Way Home,” hit theatres last month. The film tells the story of Bella, a rescued pitbull stray that is taken home into the arms of her owner, Lucas, and his mother. The film takes place in Denver, Colorado, where the ownership of pitbulls is against the law. The ownership of Bella is known by the local animal control and frowned upon to a point where the animal control goes out of their way to capture Bella at any moment they can, creating conflict and grabbing the audience’s attention. One day, Bella escapes from the house in a chase for a squirrel when she is caught by animal control and brought to the pound. Lucas receives a fine and bails out Bella for the day; unfortunately, Lucas is told that if this happens again Bella will be put down. As tensions stir, and the stakes for Bella being captured are high, Lucas decides to take her to another home in Farmington, New Mexico, which is 200 miles away from Denver. Dropping her off and returning back to Denver, Lucas leaves Bella in the hands of family friends. Then one day, Bella seeks an opportunity to escape the house, marking the beginning of her two year journey back home. Along the way Bella befriends a cougar, other dogs, a homeless man and other families who all help her along the way during her adventure. The film has multiple scenes where it highlights just how much of an impact animals have on their owners, as well as the impact owners have on their pets. “The movie does a very good job of telling a story with multiple scenes that grab your attention,”
14 | LIFESTYLES | February 2019 | The Tom Tom
JOSEPH M. KESTIAN assistant director @j_kestian9
senior Rebecca Ustich said. “Some of the scenes even make you upset because of the different situations the dog goes through on her journey.” An aspect that seemed to stand out in the film are scenes where there is a huge emphasis on a VA hospital in the town. The hospital is a war veteran rehabilitation center, a place where war veterans are treated from the physical and mental damage of war. There are parts of the movie where Bella is introduced to the veterans and creates an environment that fades from depression and escapes to a world of enlightenment. “I really liked at the end of the movie how it shows how Bella’s presence in the hospital became a normal occurrence,” senior Cole Kazakeich said. “The hospital made dogs who help the veterans a part of the hospital environment because of the impact Bella had on the veterans. It was nice to see a scene like that in the movie.” Bella is voiced by actress Bryce Dallas Howard, who narrates throughout the entire movie. The supporting character, Lucas, is played by actor Jonah-Hauer King. “I saw it with my family and liked it more than I thought I would,” junior Adalia Tate said. “I usually don’t like animal movies, but this one was better than expected.” From my personal experience, I would give the film 3.5/5 stars because of the movie follows tropes and is often predictable for the audience. Though it is a bit cliche, it can be a film that is enjoyed by many animal lovers.
Valerie Rosek
ALL ROSES HAVE THORNS
the words said from others create an invisible word written on others’ face.
BEATRIZ C. WARNES tom tom staff @bwarnes28
D
“
id you see what she was wearing?” “Can you believe who they were with last night?”
“Ha, they try so hard.” “They do realize they don’t have to raise their hand every time, right?” The daily whispers in the hallways cause others to hurt more than people realize. Reputations aren’t always the truth and teenagers tend to forget that. People hear things from their friends that heard it from their friends that found something out from a random source. Those words jab at people until they swirl up inside and change their character. How can someone’s reputation be judged? It is a part of them that cannot be described as either bad or good.
School psychologist Robin Vlosky believes that considering someone as either bad or good as judgmental. Vlosky believes that everyone inevitably finds their way to the middle ground even though some are thrown into either side without a choice. This is done by others because of how much their words affect people’s viewpoints on their peers. Vlosky continued to specify how certain students may deal with these words being spewn at them. “The student’s character more influences how they deal with [rumors],” Vlosky said. “Some students are able to brush this off and say ‘this is totally ridiculous.’ This comes from some students having the strength to say [they] don’t need this.” Personal morals cause people to select the individuals they don’t agree with and group them together. This group can be created with the help of rumors, fake friends and other disreputable situations; nevertheless, this does not mean there is only one victim in this scenario. It is a common theme among such friends that they are dealing with personal matters that cause them to lash out at others. Vlosky
found that there is no way to determine the motivation behind spreading rumors, for it is such a complicated idea. Some may purely be doing it for attention, but there are those dealing with issues that can’t find it in themselves to go about it the right way. Therefore, there is no way to say that those who spread rumors are bad people. It is no doubt that what they may say or do to others is wrong, but no singular moment has the power to change someone’s character immediately. Not all “bad people” do bad things, which goes hand in hand with the fact that not all “good people” do good things as well. Some may have a good reputation but be hiding multiple layers of secrets behind them. No one is perfect and those assumed to be are therefore forced to deal with multitudes of pressure and stress. “I try really hard in classes and it could get really stressful,” freshman Izana Nordhaus said. “People made fun of me last year for being a try-hard. There’s different connotations to it because some call me an overachiever and even though they have the same meaning, it sounds a lot more negative to say try-hard.”
Isabelle Hunter Freshman Izana Nordhaus is pictured in the Information and Learning Center studying for her classes. To some this may make her out to be a try hard, but to her it’d the normal thing to do.
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“YOUR REPUTATION DOESN’T DEFINE YOU AS A PERSON. IT’S JUST WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT YOU.” SOPHOMORE // LILYA OCAMPO Nordhaus finds herself accepting of the “try-hard” title. She looks for the positive side of everything because her caring about her academics can hardly be considered a bad thing. It’s easier for her to brush things off because those traits don’t have a negative side to them. These parts of her are things people get jealous over, but were they to be bad things instead, that jealousy would be replaced with hate. People with poor reputations don’t have this kind of a luxury; the issues come whether they like it or not. These issues plague not only
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their reputation but their mind as well. Vlosky explained that long forms of distress caused by another person can lead to anxiety and in many cases, depression. Along with that, friendships break and people leave. Some find that with rumors being spread, people who they assumed were their friends believe the source instead of whom it was about. High school is a place all about meeting new people, but that doesn’t mean they’ll all be friendly. Sophomore Lilya Ocampo describes this feeling, along with the effects of her “bad” reputation. She believes that having such a reputation has lost her many friends, but for good reason. This has now led her to meeting new people with which she can be herself. That logic doesn’t always work for everyone. Ocampo thinks of her reputation as important to herself and not to anyone else. “I’ve met people who have the worst reputations who end up being the best people that I know and there are people who have no reputation and are awful people,” Ocampo said. “Your reputation doesn’t define you as a person. It’s just what people think about you. It may be true, it might not be true. So [you should] never judge anybody based on what you’ve heard about them.” Jugements are the basis to all things rumors related. These are caused by different perspectives each individual person has. Their
point of view is based off of their own truth, but that may not align with those of others. A person’s truth is constantly disrupted by what they hear, read or even say themselves. There’s no set way to perceive anything and this causes some to question whether anyone’s reputation is truly either good or bad. Having either a good reputation or a bad one can simply not be compared, for they are different to each person. Nordhaus and Ocampo had reputations seemingly on different sides of the spectrum of good versus bad, but both think of them the same way; anything anyone says is simply just a reflection of themselves. A person can believe themselves to be one way and be perceived as another, but that does not determine their character. Character can simply be described as a rose. To many eyes they’re beautiful, but some don’t see that version of it. Instead, they focus on the thorns, forgetting the beautiful colors others stay focused on. Some stay away to avoid getting pricked while others risk it, and find it in themselves to smell the rose anyway.
Isabelle Hunter | 17
LI ES Grace Rowe
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AS ONELIE LEADSTOANOTHER There are many different
reasons for why people choose not to speak the truth.
LENA M. DEVORE tom tom staff @lenaadevoree
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rdinary people lie all the time. Tall tales, bluffs, lies for the greater good, plagiarism...the list goes on. There are many explanations as to why people normally lie, but there are also people who do it simply because they cannot stop. They find it enjoyable. These types of people are considered pathological liars, someone for whom lying has became a habit and a way of life. According to Psychology Today, in extreme cases lying can be recognized as a personality disorder or a manic episode, whether it’s uncontrollable or a symptom of larger personality disorders, like psychopathy or narcissism. By no means should a pathological liar automatically be considered a bad person. Typically, pathological liars create false information about themselves or something else due to their development of bad habits. Mark Lundgren, a retired Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, is a counterintelligence officer at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois. He’s dedicated 25 years of his life to being an agent and supervisor, combatting terrorism, investigating public corruption and serving in a counterintelligence role. “To be labeled a liar, one needs to have fallen into a pattern of unhealthy mischaracterizations, that often are not logical… these are what I would call pathological or compulsive liars,” Lundgren said. “Quite often [I deal with people that lie] during investigative interviews. The truth is shaded and occasionally the bald-faced lie is told.”
as one gets older, the amount of lies may decrease because of the development of morality and the ability to self-regulate. There are many assumptions that come with a person who pathologically makes up lies. Some believe that it is a disease or that the liar inherited it from their parents, but every person’s situation is different. It can be taught to or learned by a person at a young age. “[I think it can be hereditary] because if somebody is raised around people who are constantly lying, they’re obviously going to want to try it and it might not be genetically inherited, but just the way that you’re raised definitely influences that,” sophomore Emily Lewis said. Pathological liars can’t ignore the urge to tell lies regardless of the situation. In some cases, people who are pathological liars may enjoy lying because of the extra adrenaline they receive when telling a lie. “I think those kind of people like to lie and it gives them an adrenaline rush they like and enjoy the attention they get out of it,” senior Autumn Zienty said. “Some go too far and continue with some of their lies that aren’t necessary or appropriate to lie about.” There can be a motive to lie if the person is trying to protect someone else or themselves. It can become someone’s natural instinct in a dangerous situation. Sometimes in a relationship or in a scary situations a person may feel pressured to lie. The feeling of uncertainty towards the other person can be draining on someone else’s mental health. Once one starts to lie, it can be hard to stop and that is when things become hard to believe. Ironically, people are usually untruthful because they fear of a negative consequence. Although some might believe stopping lying is impossible, it can be resolved with control and understatement of the truth. Everyone is dishonest at some point, even though everyone knows lying is wrong. “I believe honesty is key, lying only digs people into deeper holes and makes it very tough to get out of it,” sophomore Jocelyn Grech said. “It’s better to take the consequences and move on.”
According to Business Insider most people start to make up lies at the age of three or four. At that point during the brain’s development, there is an incredible and powerful tool produced: teaching one how to lie and connecting it with the language children use.
Lying can be hard to overcome, especially when a person is constantly coming up with a new or different story. The liar may start to believe the words they are saying and lose sight of the truth simply because they no longer know the real story anymore. The person may also start to believe that they need to do it more often, which could lead to dangerous situations and false accusations.
Some experts consider lying a developmental milestone because it requires the person to be sophisticated in their planning in order to manipulate someone successfully. According to The Washington Post,
“Lying to get ahead ultimately damages character while chipping away at your own sense of self-worth,” Lundgren said. “Character is something you can’t buy, steal or cheat, it is something you earn.”
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DECIDING THE TOP PRIORITY Dedication is generally a positive trait, but sometimes it has its dark sides.
HALEY M. AITKEN tom tom staff @haley_aitken
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eing fully dedicated to something can be important, but it also might not be the best for one’s mental health. When someone is involved in something, it may start to take over their life and individuality. It may be that one is engaged in sports and spends lots of time after school at practices. If one loves their job and spends a lot of time working, they may not balance their time evenly between responsibilities. It may even be if one has a boyfriend or girlfriend, they might find themselves spending more time with that particular person and less with other people in their lives. When one is involved in sports, it can become a big part of someone’s life; having practices everyday and even the weekend can take away a lot of someone’s free time or time to focus on school work. Being dedicated is not always a bad thing, unless time is not being balanced evenly and one starts forgetting their goals in their life. “Sometimes, I feel like I have no free time,” sophomore Kaitlyn Bargamian said. “Especially with the time my practices are at, along with homework.” There are some teachers that put in extra work and
20 | FEATURES | February 2019 | The Tom Tom
Julia Hackeloer
spend all their spare time staying after school to finish work that they did not done during the day. There are some teachers that spend time doing their school work, rather than spending time with family. Spending too much time working might affect a teacher’s family because they don’t get to see their loved one as much as they are used to. “I spend way too much time at work and not enough time with my family, and they are starting to see that,” English teacher Iwona Awlasewicz said. “I think being dedicated to my job is super important but I need to find a way to balance time between things.” Having a boyfriend or girlfriend may also become a problem if one does not know how to balance their time with and without their significant other. If one spends more time with their loved one than friends, they might start to lose their connection with those friends because they do not spend as much time together anymore. Learning how to spend time equally between things may be crucial to keeping one’s friendships. “I definitely spend more time with my boyfriend than my friends,” sophomore Cheyenne Miller said. “I do not see that as a bad thing, but I do try to spend an equal amount of time with my boyfriend and my friends.” Having hobbies is important to one’s happiness, but it cannot become so important that it starts to take over aspects in life. Balancing out time between certain things can be necessary to living a full life. Whether it be a sport, a significant other or a job, it is crucial that one finds the key to their happiness.
“DON’T LET [DEDICATION] TAKE OVER YOUR LIFE.” ENGLISH TEACHER // IWONA AWLASEWICZ
FOLLOW THE LEADER
Valerie Rosek
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Everyone knows the newest trends, but not many know how or why they exist. is where the stereotypical hipster comes in. Here, the trend begins to form, building until it becomes popular within its own little niche.
JACOB R. LEITZA senior editor @jacobleitza
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umans, by nature, are a social species. What started as a tool to survive the harsh wilderness turned into one of the most essential parts of civilization. Everything is influenced by society and it has a surprising amount of influence on even the most individual of activities. The teams people root for, the genre of music people like, what clothes people buy, all of it is influenced by the culture surrounding them. Many choices people make are shaped by those around them and nowhere is this more apparent than in the phenomenon known as mob mentality. Most people know mob mentality as a negative thing, because that is how it’s typically documented and remembered. When someone thinks of mob mentality, they’ll usually think of the Salem Witch Trials, the Red Scare of the 1950s or the guillotining frenzy of the French Revolution. These events stand out because they are examples of mob mentality causing a loss of humanity, but the patterns behind this kind of occurrence stretches beyond the senseless violence. One of the most prevalent, but less documented forms of mob mentality takes shape in a simple trend. When separated, it may seem absurd to compare the purchase of Gucci flip-flops to the desire to commit murder; however, they’re more alike than one may think. Before something hits mainstream, there’s always the people who did it first. Not the people who made it popular, but the ones that came before even then. This type of person is not at all the wild, trendsetting hipster many would think of. In reality, they’re usually the person who isn’t interested in trends at all, who doesn’t try to start their own, but still does something unique. They’re the Steve Jobs type, who do what they want until other people eventually catch up. They’re the people who have ideas so crazy that at first, no one takes them seriously. Eventually, however, some people start to catch, and then more and more until it doesn’t seem as crazy anymore. In order for the trend to really get going, it needs support; this
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Then, all of a sudden, it’s a full blown trend. Word of mouth gets around, social media spreads ideas like wildfire, celebrities start to associate themselves and the public goes wild. As people start to accept the trend, more people see it and accept it themselves in order to feel like part of the group. Julia Coultas, a researcher at the University of Essex, further explains this need to feel like part of the group as part of a study on conformity. “For an individual joining a group, copying the behavior of the majority would then be a sensible, adaptive behavior,” Coultas said. “A conformist tendency would facilitate acceptance into the group and would probably lead to survival if it involved the decision, for instance, to choose between a nutritious or poisonous food, based on copying the behavior of the majority.” For the human mind, there’s no difference between joining a group and increasing chances of survival. Essentially, humans jump on new trends because most people think it will keep them alive and in a way, they’re right. In today’s world, where people are less worried about sabertooth tigers and more worried about the next paycheck, being a part of the majority can keep someone financially stable. However, being a part of the group is not without its disadvantages. When an individual joins a larger group, they experience a phenomenon known as deindividuation. It can sound pretty complicated, but in simpler terms, this is when the individual loses their self-awareness and restraint and blindly follows the group. Luke Holm, in an Owlcation article on social psychology, explains deindividuation in the context of a round of applause. “The individuals, one by one, quickly lose their capacity for being self-aware,” Holm said. “Without knowing what they are doing, they can easily join in on the applause, stand up, or even cheer. Even if an individual does restrain themself from joining in on the standing and/or clapping, they will likely feel very awkward and have a strong desire to conform to the rest of the group.” Once someone starts to blindly follow a group, they’ll find themselves participating in more trends they have been introduced to without even thinking about it. While listing some of the most popular trends in circulation, sophomore Sophia Semersky gives an example of a fashion trend she follows that she doesn’t even like.
Valerie Rosek
Senior William Piper holds his New England Patriots hats. His favorite football team has been the “Pats” ever since he was a kid. Piper is a true fan and rode the bandwagon since before it was “cool” to cheer for them. Seeing all the new fans makes him proud of his team and their success.
“[One of the most popular trends this year is] scrunchies,” Semersky said. “[Also], these Nike socks that go above the leggings for some reason. I don’t know why I’m doing it, it’s kind of ugly, usually with leggings and white converse.” Even though she doesn’t think it looks good, she still follows the trend because it’s popular. On a much wider scale, this is what happens with almost every trend as the individual loses their own tastes in order to fit in better with the group. People mindlessly buying clothes is less serious than other examples of deindividuation, as shown by junior Jack Bay. Bay makes a comparison between following brands and attacking people on social media. “You see these things on Twitter where one person with a large amount of followers or a celebrity will say something about someone else, and instantly, you go into that thread and you see everyone like, ‘Oh, I totally agree. This person is terrible,’” Bay said. “They just made one little mistake. Yeah, it’s definitely just like that. You see a famous person, for example, bringing up the Golf [brand], you see Tyler, the Creator wearing Golf in his music videos. Everyone goes out and buys Golf because hey, Tyler the Creator’s cool, I want to be cool.”
A niche group suddenly gains the support of the public, snowballing into a full-blown movement where individuals are lost to the group. The trend followers become a faceless mob. Not a lynch mob, but a mob wearing Supreme, drinking Starbucks, and listening to Lil Baby out of their AirPods. Some would argue that this kind of mob is even more terrifying. Luckily, one of the defining features of trends are that they’re temporary. When a trend goes mainstream, there are typically two ways for the trend to go: either it fades into obscurity, or it becomes the new norm. Either way, the individual regains their sense of individuality or finds a new trend to follow, and the cycle begins again. Trends are not in any way a bad or dangerous thing. In fact, they can be great. Trends take the mob mentality hardwired into people’s brains and turns something that could make act violently into something that just makes people drool over the newest Jordan collaboration. Although, seeing how Jordan releases have sometimes turned into literal riots, maybe the two are more connected than anyone.
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ALONE TOGETHER
The feeling of isolation can
find you even in a crowd of your closest friends.
SHANNON E. PRICE senior editor @shan_eileen01
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t’s the little things; the tiny, thoughtless motions people make and actions people take that have the capacity to make someone feel isolated. It does not have to be deliberately malicious to have an impact. It’s as simple as not responding to a “hello” in the hallway; it’s talking over someone or failing to engage them in conversation; it’s talking about a movie that everyone except one person has seen; it’s not including someone in an inside joke. It’s the little things that, to someone who feels set apart from their closest friends, can be as painful as a punch to the gut. When people think of social isolation, it is typically defined as the complete absence of human interaction, but loneliness can still be present even when a person has a complex network of relationships. When someone feels that they are deprived of human connection, it may have a devastating impact on their mental health. Social studies department chair Jaclyn Orlov spoke on the impact of social isolation on the human psyche. “Humans are naturally social animals, so depriving us of socialization causes us to have an impact on our view of self, on our view of others and a variety of things socially and emotionally,” Orlov said. “A lot of symptoms can develop from feeling like you’re isolated from social interactions with peers. Things like depression, anxiety, fear and irrational fears.” Orlov went on to describe how these effects can be amplified when the source of the isolation comes from the people to whom the lonely person is closest. “[Social isolation] is more damaging when people feel isolated from their friends because their friends are people they view as allies,” Orlov said. “So if they feel isolated from their allies, sometimes there’s nowhere else to turn.” The nature of the connections within a friend group is just as important as having them in the first place. Some people are content with having many acquaintances; others require deeper connections that allow them to reveal their true selves. If a group has both types of people within it, this can become a source of isolation for the person who needs that deeper relationship. Sophomore Elijah Ruano opened up about his relationship with his group of friends.
24 | FEATURES | February 2019 | The Tom Tom
“I care a lot about each and every one of my friends and I know they care about me too, but it’s kind of hard to remember that sometimes,” Ruano said. “I’ll treat them with a lot of care, and then sometimes I don’t get that back. It just might just be my head, but that’s how I feel.” People who require those closer connections with others who also have friends that do not need that same attention can sometimes feel like their friends don’t care about them. It can make them feel as though they are in a one-sided friendship. Even if he doesn’t always get it in return, Ruano–as well as many other people–just wants to give love to others. “I want to be the guy who cares about everyone so much, even if they don’t in return,” Ruano said. “People may hate me and I’ll still try to be friends with them. That’s just who I want to be.” Isolation can still occur when the give and take of affection between friends is mutual. For some, timing is everything. A lot of friend groups have been together for years, so for a newcomer feeling included can be difficult even if the group treats them well. Such is the case for sophomore Erika Mehring. “I have a group of friends that they have all been close since middle school,” Mehring said. “Although they do treat me like I belong in their group, sometimes it feels a little secluded because they’ve all been so close longer than I’ve been a part of their group.” Established groups of friends can have history that is inaccessible to a newer friend. The newcomer can feel like they’re intruding or barging in on something that they are not supposed to be a part of. Mehring went on to describe how she handles these feelings and other conflicts within her friend group. “Over the past couple of years, I’ve become a lot more aggressive and honest with people,” Mehring said. “I used to bottle up feelings and then not talk to people about it, but now if some situation is happening, my friends know that I will call them out. It’s not necessarily a good thing, but it’s something that I do to cope.” It doesn’t take a trained psychologist to know that maintaining good relationships with friends and making sure that everyone in a friend group is included is vital to keeping everyone happy and healthy. “[Inclusion] is extremely important because I think exclusion is one of the most heartbreaking and degrading feelings in the world,” Mehring said. “Seeing your group of friends hanging out and knowing that they didn’t invite you sucks.” Often just as difficult as coping with the feeling of being isolated is figuring out what to do about it. Trying to communicate and reconcile the conflicts that cause social isolation may be the best way to fix the situation, but simply talking does not always work. Sometimes, the best thing for a person to do is to is to find new things they can connect with. “I think a good thing to do is find some way to connect to people, and maybe stepping outside of the friend group,” Orlov said. “Sometimes new relationships build new social connections, and that’s enough to fill that void.”
“I care a lot about each and every one of my friends and I know they care about me too, but it’s kind of hard to remember that sometimes,” sophomore Eli Ruano said. “I’ll treat them with a lot of care, and then sometimes I don’t get that back. It just might just be my head, but that’s how I feel.”
Valerie Rosek
Being in a social environment does not necessarily mean they are feeling social. Being put into a social situation at some times may feel as being completely left alone. “Although they do treat me like I belong in their group, sometimes it feels a little secluded because they’ve all been so close longer than I’ve been a part of their group,” sophomore Erika Mehring said.
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RLD WAR 117 Whether it’s Maycomb, Antioch or Lakes, stereotypes and false assumptions exist everywhere.
KARA C. GALARNEAU tom tom staff @karag__
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onsidering Antioch and Lakes Community High School are in the same district and only a few minutes away from each other, the two are very similar. The two schools have an intense rivalry regarding essentially everything: be that athletics, academics or which is the overall better school; the students are constantly competing with each other. According to the Illinois Report Card, the enrollment and class sizes are virtually the same, only Lakes has a slightly larger number of students. Along with the slightly larger enrollment number, Lakes also has two percent more graduates and college-ready students than Antioch. The classes and teaching requirements are the same for both high schools because they are in the same district. Even though Lakes and Antioch are so similar statistically, the two schools still think of each other as opposites.The most common stereotype seen is Lakes being viewed as the wealthier preppy kids, but Antioch is considered the less privileged farmers. “It was around two years ago at a basketball game that we lost to Lakes and their crowd screams ‘start your tractors,’ that’s just the biggest stereotype I’ve seen for the 11 years I’ve been here,” Antioch Community High School football coach and teacher Bryan Glashagel said. At any game between Antioch and Lakes the conflict between the two is prevalent. The students are constantly chanting from either side, eager to see what team will win. The clash between the two schools is something that pushes both sides to do their best and improve every year, making them extremely close in skill level.
“When you go to a game against Westosha or Grant nobody shows up, but with Lakes the entire school is always there and people have to sit on the stairs,” senior and Cardinal Crazy leader Connor Flatley said. “Everyone likes the competition and the drama so they go and it makes the game even better.” The competitive drive from both schools is what fuels the rivalry between Antioch and Lakes, but the school spirit from the Sequoits overwhelms the Eagles. The one thing Antioch has on Lakes is their sense of history. ACHS has been open for over a century, and thousands of Sequoits walk the same halls that alumni did before them. Many alumni are also relatives of current students, which has kept the Sequoit traditions alive. The community of Antioch itself also keeps students close, as there is a downtown with parades for every occasion and various spots in town where residents go. “I think there is definitely more of a community feel and Antioch has that downtown mainstreet that really gives it a sense of identity,” Glashagel said. “If you don’t live around here you might not know where Antioch is, but you know that Antioch High School is in Antioch. Their high school isn’t named after a town like ours is, so when someone asks where Lakes is you don’t exactly know.” Although Lakes and Antioch may not have the nicest attitudes towards each other, the closeness that Antioch Community High School has is something that the Eagles notice. “As a Royal Rusher, in terms of spirit, we always know that their spirit is so much higher than ours,” Royal Rush member and Lakes senior Danielle Fuller said. “[Antioch] has been around for longer so there is a big sense of hometown pride and we always know anytime there is a game against Antioch the fan section is going to come to play and there will be everyone cheering.” The competitive nature of district rivals is something that will never go away and both schools will always think they are superior.
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HURT PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE “Sticks and stones may
break my bones but words will never hurt me,” isn’t always the truth.
28 | FEATURES | February 2019 | The Tom Tom
MOLLIE T. WAGNER junior editor @molliewagner_
Valerie Rosek
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hy do people scream when green lights turn red, when the sun drips its glow across the sky to welcome the moon; or when the girl’s hair that sits in front of them falls over their computer screen. These things are not meant to be sad or aggravating. Oftentimes, they’re seen as beautiful; yet the ones who can’t see past the damage and drown themselves in their own despair can’t feel the warm hug of the sun as it sets, can’t stop and breathe when the light turns red, and can’t move past what hurt them. Instead, they hurt others.
Make them feel important. It might not end up well, but a single effort is better than none at all. Junior McKenna Kalisz has experienced many complications with herself and her relationships when it comes to feeling hurt by the ones she loves.
According to “The Personal Growth Story” on medium.com we can always offer love to those people who are hurting either from close proximity or from further away. We should be careful as we teach people how to treat us — no matter how
Even the saying “the phone works both ways,” is an example of validation from peers. Certain friends never reach out first—whether it be with initiating plans, figuring out the time of pre established plans or them being too timid
much a person is hurting, they deserve to be loved in a way that makes them feel better. Hurt people hurt other people, and they are hurt within themselves even more. Being able to understand takes hearing. Listening to these people, not falling with the punches they throw but learning to roll with them. Stepping back and not taking the ones that are hurting, seemingly cruel statements to the heart, even if that’s the only thing that seems reasonable. People can often be compared to a poster— slapping other’s personalities, problems and perspectives onto their surface as stickers and claiming them as their own because they don’t have depth of their own to publicize for the world to see. They front things they don’t necessarily like and say things that they could never wrap their head around, but only because they’re hurting internally over things the outsider, the one being victimized, could never understand. Or maybe they can, which is where empathy plays a role. Junior Lily Highley shared her experience with having empathy for others and how it has followed her throughout her life. “Growing up when other girls were mean to me, my mom always said that people who are hurting tend to hurt others,” Highley said Among these hurting people, they usually don’t love themselves enough, to the point where they seek love and approval from others to hopefully fill the empty void, which isn’t always achievable. Unless their behavior is being bought into, they won’t be successful at their own game: manipulation.
“I think that people tend to act out when hurting due to the fact that when we are alone to our own thoughts we begin to believe that there is no possible way anyone else is going through exactly what we are,” Kalisz said. “Because of this idea of feeling alone, some let it consume them to the point of acting out.”
“I THINK ABOUT IT A LOT MORE NOW THAT IT SEEMS THE WHOLE WORLD IS OUT TO GET US TEENAGERS, SOME JUST HAVE IT HARDER THAN OTHERS.” JUNIOR // LILY HIGHLEY
to ask for homework help, everyone has that one friend that only comes in contact when the other end rings first. It comes from the feeling of being loved and appreciated when someone else contacts them first, and they feel validated that way. In some occasions, if they don’t come right out and say this, or they aren’t asked about it, their habits will never break, and their end of the line will continue to grow dust and remain silenced. According to medium.com, reactions stem from past experiences that lead people to certain beliefs that, in their eyes, is accepted as truth. They are actually just preconceived ideas projected onto others to protect their ego. Instead of making their words malicious, they must be pondered on. Being empathetic, climbing in their skin and feeling around for awhile to get a real glimpse of a different reality. Other times, there is a primal instinct implanted in our DNA. Regardless of who they are, people feel violence. People will lash out for no reason and hurt others in the process. “I could recognize they were hurting due to the fact that when they are voicing why they are upset they will often get more caught up on the smaller things,” Kalisz said. “It was little stuff that they shouldn’t be getting upset over.” The offer should always be open to love them, either close to them or from far away. Although people don’t deserve to feel this type of hurt, the ones they affect shouldn’t be hurting as well. Rising above the hurt and hopefully bringing them along.
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30 | SPORTS | February 2019 | The Tom Tom
SNAPSHOT WRESTLING Over President’s Day weekend, the seven Sequoit wrestlers that successfully made it through the sectional tournament traveled to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to compete in the IHSA wrestling state tournament. Out of the seven qualifiers, the team came home with four medals. Juniors Elijah Reyes and Daniel McPherson placed fifth, and junior Alex Barbarise and senior Michael Volkmar placed sixth in their weight classes. Although the individual state tournament had come and gone, the season was not quite over for the team. The wrestlers later took on the number two ranked team in the state, Marian Central Catholic High School, in hopes to advance to the team state tournament this weekend in Bloomington, Ill., but fell just three points short in continuing their season. Jessica Nettgen
SARAH M. SMITH
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SPORTS SNAPSHOT WINTER RECAPS
BOYS BASKETBALL
This winter has been very eventful for the girl sports. Each team found great success in many different places, in and out of competition. With a record of 5-21, the girls basketball team found hope in each other, creating strong bonds and having fun off the court. Senior Samantha Brown had a few words about the season.
As a team, the Sequoit boys basketball team strives to push each other to do their best at each and every game, no matter the outcome. “The season has come with a few ups and downs, partly due to the numerous game cancelations,” senior guard Jack Gillespie said. “It has been tough to work through all of the poor weather and the situations that the [game and practice] cancelations bring, but I believe it has made us a better team and it will end up helping us, come postseason.”
“We had an amazing team,” Brown said. “We refused to get knocked down, prospering throughout the season.” All the varsity teams allowed their relationships throughout the season to flourish, making each team unique. Sophomore Ally Olsen reflected on the gymnastics season similarly. Much like every other team, the Antioch varsity cheer team appreciated the bonds that they created, but they also found great success on the mat. Varsity flyer senior Rebecca Bargamian finished her career placing third in the state. Bargamian was overwhelmed with all the success.
Despite many complications, the Sequoits have had a successful season. At time of press the team had a record of 12-12. VALERIE M. ROSEK
“Every year was more enjoyable than the last,” Bargamian said. “We grew closer together and that is what ultimately made us successful.” The cheer team was not the only one of the winter sports to find success at the state competition though, as the varsity dance team brought home fifth place for the sequoits. Senior Casey Kiyohara felt her last season was the best one. “We made so many memories,’’ Kiyohara said. “Although we all wished for a better outcome, I am so lucky to have been a part of this great team.”
Valerie Rosek
32 | SPORTS | February 2019 | The Tom Tom
The final winter sport that has found success was the girls bowling team. They placed 12th place in state with many bowlers exceeding their expectations. ADRIAN RUIZ
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WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE A
MOCKINGBIRD M BY KAITLYN HOWE
ockingbirds are performers. Their singing is a gift to those who have the pleasure of hearing it. They follow the guidance of another tune and turn it into their own. Their presence can be made known with a simple whistle from their beak. Their lives are devoted to the delight of those around them. Their lone goal is to serenade others with their voices. They have no hate, no prejudice, no grudges. They don’t tear others down, or use them for their own benefit. To kill a mockingbird would be a sin. Despite wanting to be, I am not a mockingbird. Mockingbirds do no wrong. They often represent innocence. Besides their singing, mockingbirds’ innocence is their main trade mark. Due to their innocence, mockingbirds become extremely delicate. They become easy targets, waiting to be taken advantage of by those desperate enough. Their hearts are always on the line. Mockingbirds look for the best in others, but not without being aware of the risks others carry. I do wrong; I am not innocent. It would be one thing if my mistakes were my wrong doings, but I wish that were the case. I am not a mockingbird because I choose what I do incorrectly. My wrong doings are not innocent; I know when I have done something wrong. There are oftentimes where I have a decision between the right thing to do and the easy thing to do. A mockingbird, with their only priority being to do good, would choose to do the right thing. I do not always choose the right thing to do. I rarely associate doing good with my actions. Simplicity is more attractive to me than being a good person.
Mockingbirds emphasize and beautify the music of those around them. Mockingbirds do not get jealous. Others’ success is only motivation for them to celebrate, not motivation for them to be better than each other.
Mockingbirds do not feel they have to one up each other. They enjoy others’ music and repeat it for all to hear. I cannot enjoy other people’s success. I cannot celebrate others’ victories. When I hear of someone’s triumphs, I cannot help but want to accomplish something greater. I feel no satisfaction in the success of others—only jealousy. I am not able to let anyone else shine without immediately wanting to dull them. But I will admit, the effort is there. I may not make my own music, or even repeat the tunes of others, but I am able to recognize beautiful music when I hear it. Recognizing it is one thing, but being able to find joy in it is a whole different topic. I am not completely heartless. The wrong decisions I make are not always felt without guilt. I recognize my wrong doings, and genuinely feel bad about them. I notice there is room for improvement. Sometimes I make up for my bad decisions by focusing on others. I observe what they do right, and take notes on what I need to change for the future. There are mockingbirds all around me. By simply observing them, I figured I could improve from them. My own jealousy is my worst enemy. Maybe I am not able to celebrate others’ success because I am so focused on success for myself, or just success in general. But, there is guilt here, too. I wish I could disregard my constant jealous feelings. Maybe, it would affect my life greater than I may anticipate. Maybe, if I were able to find happiness in others, then I would be happier in general. I want to be able to do this. I want to be able to surrender my-self loathing to something bigger than myself. The desire to be better is there. Who is to blame for my inability to enjoy others’ success? Who’s fault is it that I cannot be happy for my peers during their victories? I
34 | PERSPECTIVES | February 2019 | The Tom Tom
could argue it is society’s fault and say my generation has been taught to never accept defeat. I could say it was the way I was raised, and that my parents always wanted the best for me. I could argue it is my peers’ fault and say it is their own heartlessness has rubbed off on me. But, I think it is more internal than that. There is a certain satisfaction in knowing you are the best at something. The feeling of being “untouchable” is something one could get used to easily. Everybody knows that one kid that always has to be first or the best at something. It may get annoying to watch that person continually succeed, until one succeeds themself. Being at the top can have a rough trek preceding it, yet a gorgeous view succeeding it. While at the top, one may notice all who are below them, still making their climb. It causes one to reminisce on their own climb. They may remember the struggles they endured and the challenges they overcame. Winning is great, but being able to reach one’s hand down and help their peers also reach the top can take more strength than the climb itself. Mockingbirds are able to reach their hand (or wing) down and offer help to the next person. I strive to be a mockingbird. I may not always show the qualities of a mockingbird, but mockingbirds make mistakes too. Nobody is perfect. Mockingbirds can do all they can to sing perfectly, and still miss a note. All their best efforts can go down the drain. Mockingbirds get tired. They may get to a point where they are tired of singing and just need to catch their breath. Mockingbirds fall, too. Sometimes they fall while just wanting to fly. They have to learn to get up, too. Maybe my imperfections are the same as those of a mockingbird. Maybe I relate to a mockingbird, but in a way I never expected. Maybe, just maybe, I am a mockingbird.
Julia Hackeloer
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