Affinity For
Life
s e n e c S e h T d n i h e B I started this whole Affinity idea back in Febuary,and I honestly never thought I would stick with this idea. I start things but never quite finish,but Affinity is different and has potential. Hopefully you enjoy this magazine, as much as I enjoyed (stressed) making it. This is for the new generation of teenagers!
xoxo,
Evelyn Van Der Woodsen
Brand New Affinityforlifee.com With the addition of the magazine, I decided to update Affinity For Life to something more simple, and hopefully it will be easier to navigate. You can now be apart of Affinity For Life with one simple button. Now, you can click on the Be In The Magazine link and fill out the email. You can submit your stories, poems or photographs! Even talents, and I will reply within two minutes. Also, If you have relationship questions, we have a new column with a college graduate (from Boston Unviersity) that answers them! So email us! Hopefully everyone enjoys Affinity For Life 2.0 as much as I enjoyed creating it.
Awkward: I’m Not Outgoing!
“I’m really quiet, and only talk to my really close friends! It’s hard for me to talk to new people, I’m so awkward!”
I really like to dress different, but I always feel over dressed at school so I just keep it plain.
Sometimes people misinterept my quietness for being stuck up. I’m just comfortable talking to my close friends more,
Change fOr Or
for most people, phases are a thing every stunningly-ugly middle schooler does
through: whether it is associated with Hollister clad friends who consider shopping at Victoria’s Secret as being “sexy”, or streaking your hair with neon colors and we’ve all been through them.For celebrities however, they seem to be a little slow on the get-go.
[[“It ’s never
too late
who you were suppose to be .” to be
BRING IN THE DANCING LOBSTERS!
For the past few months, Amanda Bynes has been tweeting and behaving as she’s gone off on a bad acid trip: wearing wigs fished out of dumpsters, getting cheek piercings to imitate robot herpes, you name it. Some claim it’s a huge publicity to become relevant once more.
Justin Bieber went from the adorable 13 year old kid to a tatted up, bucket peeing ab
The Better? The Worst? By: Zoe West
TWERK! MILEY MILEY TWERK!
Miley Cryus , having gone from Daddy’s Little Country Star to the “rebellious daughter” on Myspace,is taking a new turn. She has taken her country boots and traded them in for a seat in the black community. Miley has taken Twitter,Vine, and Youtube by storm with her tongue flickering,and most famously her twerking.
A
From Baby Boy To Semi-Good Boy
s teenagers we deal with fitting in, and sometimes we do make fools of our selves when we attempt to, like wearing DC shoes cause all your friends had them, or maybe becoming meaner so you would seem cooler. That’s how life is, you have to go there to find yourself here. Make sure you progress from that person and better yourself because you can’t continue to spiral out of contro. At one point people will get tired of you, and you will be left to deal with everything all alone. Be the someone that you would be proud to know. Cory Monteith started using drugs at around 13, and dropped out of high school at 16. His drug habit got so bad he went to rehab at just 19,and was sober till he was 31.He went to rehab in April again, and although he did have a drug problem he was a lively and charmastic person who people discribed as alway having a smile on his face, and alway’s joking.He changed from stealing money for drugs to being the role model of every teen who loved him on Glee, but sadly he did die on July 13, 2013 of heroin combined with alcohol.
! e r b Om
Statem
e
! e c a l k nt Nec
! t e k c a J Jean
e r F
t i r i p S e
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
My Art...
s I ol
o h Sc
h g i H ! r ! ? e t v a O Wh
w o N
Sometimes you find out what you are suppose to do by doing the things you are not suppose to do.
You’ve wanted ths moment all your life, to be able to graduate out of
high school and not to deal with seeing the same people day after day, to have freedom. I feel like freshman year was just yesterday and I still had alot of time to do everything I wanted. Graduation is one of the most bitter sweet feelings you’ll ever receive. You’re so proud of everything you’ve had to endure to get to this point. Alot of your friends or people you knew dropped out because the pressure was too much. Alot of people had babies and had no choice but to in the best interest of their child. Your family is so proud because you are their child. They’ve seen you as a baby just learning the basics of life and now you are at a point where you have finished your education. You have your best friends. These people have been with you for 4 years on this journey. You’re excited at first that you’re all going to get to spend a lot of time with each other the summer after graduation because you always have.
You come to find out that this time you have left is small and you must appreciate.Though we want to get away from dumb people that you never could stand we forget that everyone is let loose. You must be in control of your life. You must guide yourself to the next step. You don't know what that next step is but you have a general idea. Then that's when it hits you. All your best friends have different general ideas. Maybe they're very simple like going to college or working, but as the time nears and nears they know what college they're going to. They all end up spreading out, just like everyone else you graduated with.Some are going into armed forces, some are working in the same town still, and some are going away for college to experience a lifestyle they never could before.It's a very depressing and lonely time as you transition yourself for a new life. You are now becoming an adult. You must work to obtain money to fill all your needs and wants. You want to continue school with a higher education in order to make that job easier.You're so busy scrambling trying to focus on how to start the rest of your life. Everyone else is too. and sometimes that sucks. Sometimes you hear that they're starting their new life somewhere else and you're thrown in a pit of loneliness. Who are your real friends? Will you make new ones? Will you ever see your old friends often enough to be considered good friends still? When you're growing up it's all about us. It's about playing video games with your friends after exam days in high school or playing tag with your friends outside when you were 10. It's stops being about "us" and who you want to hang out with to "me". I have to focus on "me". I have to figure out what’s best for “me”,You are forced to find out about yourself and it’s scary. It’s scary to think that you’re in this fight alone but this is a test to you. This is a test of you to find yourself. To look deep into your heart and mind and figure out what makes you tick. What do you enjoy? What do you believe? What is something you’re passionate about?All your friends are going through this too. And sometimes you won’t get to see them and sometimes you will. Sometimes life just pushes you away and it always feels like it’s away from everyone you knew and loved.but you learn that this life is about “me”. You must go with the flow or the current you’re trying to fight will always carry you away.
Writing by Donny Tran
Still Smiling: Life After Death
How would you feel if you lost one of your parents?
For Aria, It became the saddest reality of her life.
Although it still lingers over her, she has found life after the death of her father. She hasn’t fully dealt with the loss but she takes it day by day the best wayshe possibly can, and you have to admire her for it. I was shocked that she didn’t start immedially crying when the subject came up, it may seem like she has learned to cope but she say she feels like one day she will breakdown but until then she is just enjoying life.
When did you find out your dad passed?
“The doctor said his
My dad’s work phone kept calling, heart had stopped” and I wondered why it kept calling, then I heard my mother yell and I went upstairs to see what’s wrong. She was talking to one of my dad’s co-workers, and I heard my Dad was rushed to the hospital. I tried to call my uncle and he didn’t answer so I called my aunt. I was basically calling people for twenty-minutes. I overheard the doctor say something to my mom about flight arrangements, then I heard my mom scream. The doctor said his heart had stopped. They told her he died , but she didn’t want to tell me, but when I heard her screaming, I already knew somehow. I was on the porch with my mom crying and my little brother came to the porch and he saw us crying. So I told him what happened and we started alot. My father had the trait for sickle cell, when he was 40, he was diagnosed with it. Before he died we found How has this changed you? out he was sick. I was worried but Alot (laughs). I guess for the better. I’m alot aware of things.Before I leave I make I didn’t think much of it cause it more sure to tell my mom I love her and my happens yearly. I asked him was he brother. Oddly before my father died we got okay and he said he’s good. We found closer. I felt like it was a sign. My parents seperated nearer to his death, they also out he had Walking Pneumonia, his were became closer kind of like friends. So it was heart stop because of that. a good end.
How did you feel? For about 3 weeks I shocked but I still have times where I can not believe it. I honestly felt like it was a dream that he was on a business trip and he’s coming back, but I start to realize he’s not coming back. It really hit me at the funeral even after that I still think he’s at his trip. Did people treat you differently?
Yes and no. Everyone was being symphatic, but I asked my friends to treat me the same and not to be awkward. What advice would you give? Even the teachers treated me differently, because I broke down cry- Try to deal with it now, deal ing when I told one of with it and cope with it. If you them I’m leaving early. can don’t wait.
! a r e m a C ! s t h Lig
Stephanie
It took a while to finally get her here, but meet our August covergirl Stephanie. Your first impression may be she is probably stuck up and not friendly at all, but once you get to know her, it will freak you out on how down to earth she is and goofy! She has ambitions of being a reporter for E! Watch out Giuliana Rancic, because Stephanie is coming for your job.
This is your last year of high school, what are your thoughts and emotions? I’m sad but at the same time I’m excited to leave. I love Towson but I’m excited to move on.
Favorite memory this summer? God.. probably going to senior week with my best friend Libby and my boyfriend!
What mark do you want to leave when you graduate? I don’t know (laughs). I guess, keep all the same friends I had all four years. I don’t ever want to lose contact because I been friends with most of my friends since second grade.
Favorite place in the world? Probably...I don’t know.This is so hard, because so many places make me feel so comofrtable. I guess I would say here (grandfather’s house) I’m most comfortable anywhere with family and friends.
What celebrity do you adore? Jennifer Aniston! If I had to choose one celebrity as my mother it would be her! Future plans? I just got an internship with The Ravens and my dream is to be on E! news I grew up with media (Mother was on WJZ & Father is a radio personality)
“Nothing bad has happened to me. I’ve had a pretty good life and I’m so blessed.”
Welcome To High School
As scary as you may think high school is,It will not even be close to scary, the people aren’t scary but the grades will probably be the things that scare you the most, and the teachers too!I was a freshman before, and I remember being excited but scared wondering who am I going to sit with? Do I have any classes with my friends? Are my teachers going to be like Mrs. Trunchbull from “Matilda”? You will probably wonder how you will even fit in, but here’s the secret about high school, NOONE truly feels like they fit in. Now I can’t be there with you when you start high school, but here’s a few tips to help you along the way.
High School:
How not to lose your mind freshman year
The upperclassmens are actually really nice after a while, but not all warm up to freshmans but don’t ever be scared of them! Don’t bother them and they don’t bother you! Be super nice to your teachers, It will help you so much They can help with grades and recommendations!
You NEED an agenda, it’s a must! Stay organized as well, because when you miss alot of papers even one small paper can drop your grade down like three grades now
Always speak to your gudiance counselor, you would be surpised how much they can help you!
Sadly, friends do come and go, but that’s the magic of high school! You can make all new amazing friends who you will probably be friends with forever. Best way to make new friends is to compliment them!
Join clubs that actually interest you not clubs you think coleges will like on your application! Clubs are also a good way to meet new life long friends who have the same interest as you.
Grades don’t define who you are or how smart you are, so don’t be sad if you get one bad grade just do better next time!
Start your community service hours as soon as you step foot into high school because you will be scrambling to fulfill your hours senior year!
DON’T Be POPULAR! That’s the most important because people who peak in high school don’t have a great life after high school, they basically are l losers, just focus on school, and don’t worry about popularity.
Be nice to everyone! You may say you don’t need to be nice because you will never see these people again, but it’s not true. In the future (maybe) you will go to a interview, and the person interviewing you is the same person you made fun of in high school for being a nerd. Karma has a funny way of kicking you down!
Don’t fall victim to peerpressure, you can say no to anything.The people you meet in high school won’t matter after you graduate so their opinion of you won’t matter.
AffInity
for Life