C Magazine Vol. 5 Edition 4

C

March 2017 Vol. 5 Edition 4

Magazine Arts & Culture

MONSTER IN THE MIRROR

24

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Dear Readers, As our staff continues to grow, we are continually amazed by the level of creativity and commitment each of our writers exhibits on a daily basis.

In our arts section, staff writer Gabe Cohen’s opinion piece “Why Disco Doesn’t Suck” explains why the disco revolution of the 1960’s has been incremental in the rise of the now popular Electronic Dance Music (EDM).

Take a look into the world of yarn bombing, a growing worldwide movement. Flip on over to Nicole Li and Ahana Ganguly’s story to find out some background and read about the unique perspective of a local yarn bomber!

In “Advice from the Elderly,” staff writers Chiara Biondi and Maddy Buecheler interviewed some of Palo Alto’s wisest, gathering their best tips on life.

This edition, our cover story highlights the importance and seriousness of eating disorders and negative health trends that so prominently control the lives of many around the world. Staff writers Jasmine Abeyta, Julianna Roth and Darrow Hornik tell the stories of three Palo Alto High School students who have struggled with eating disorders.

We are excited to introduce four new staff writers this semester. Sophomores Rosa Schaefer-Bastian, Stan de Martel, Ryan Gwyn and Lara Nakamura are already great additions to the staff.

Happy reading, Reilly Filter, Ahana Ganguly, Katie Passarello and Sarah Shapiro Editors-in-Chief

PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL, 50 EMBARCADERO RD. • WWW.CMAGAZINE.ORG • @C__MAGAZINE

FOOD To Chai or Not to Chai...

Asian Immersion Fondue (& Fon-don’ts)

4 6 8

ARTS Artist of the Month: Adrian Smith The Dopest Gringo Alive New Kids on the Clioud Disco Doesn’t Suck Step-by-step: Scrapbooking Wear it’s at

9 12 14 16 18 20

CULTURE C Mag Perspective: Undocumented COVER: Monster in the Mirror Students in the Service Review: Good Girls Revolt C Mag Simplifies: The Drought The Oscars: Behind the Scenes Words from the Wise Your Wildest Dreams Hypebeast Culture Yarn Bombing!

23 24 31 34 36 38 40 42 43 46

Editors-in-Chief Reilly Filter, Ahana Ganguly, Katie Passarello, Sarah Shapiro Managing Editors Jasmine Abeyta, Atusa Assadi Design Editor Emma Staiger Creative Director Teddie Stewart Creative Illustrator Jordan Schilling Copy Editor Rima Parekh Social Media Hannah Darby Web Editor-in-Chief Nicole Li Business Manager Ally Scheve

Staff Writers Chiara Biondi, Maddy Buecheler, Hollie Chiao, Gabe Cohen, Stan de Martel, Lhaga Dingpontsawa, Ryan Gwyn, Amanda Hmelar, Fe Hmelar, Darrow Hornik, Katie Look, Olivia O’Farrell, Lara Nakamura, Mattie Orloff, Alexis Pisco, Julianna Roth, Talia Stanley, Rosa Schaefer-Bastian, Yashvi Tibrewal Illustrators Yoonjung Cho, Chloe Patterson Adviser Brian Wilson

TO CHAI OR NOT TO CHAI...

TEXT, DESIGN AND DOODLES BY YASHVI TIBREWAL • ILLUSTRATION AND PHOTO BY TEDDIE STEWART

You haven’t truly tasted great chai until you’ve made your own. Trust me. Total control over proportions and ingredients will take your favorite rainy day drink to a whole new level

classic

• ⅓ cup milk (not skim milk — almond milk is a great alternative) • ⅔ cup water • 2 teaspoons sugar • 1 teaspoon loose tea leaves • A tiny piece of ginger or 2 teaspoons ground ginger (optional) • 4 cardamom pods or ½ teaspoon ground cardamom Crush the cardamom and ginger with a mortar and pestle (or buy it preground). Pour water, cardamom and ginger into a saucepan. Place over medium heat. Allow to heat up, until small bubbles appear around the perimeter of the water. Add milk and tea leaves. Then, begin to stir the chai (stir continuously to prevent scalding the milk). When the chai comes to a boil, turn off the heat and stir well. Strain carefully into your favorite mug, and serve.

mocha chai

If classic chai isn’t thrilling enough for you, or if you’re a self-proclaimed chocolate connoisseur, use chocolate milk instead. Top if off with whipped cream if you’re feeling crazy or if you just want that Instagram #aesthetic.

cinnamon chai

Cinnamon adds a tasty kick to your chai that the classic doesn’t have. Crush in ½ an inch of a cinnamon stick or use ½ a teaspoon of pre-ground cinnamon. Add it into your saucepan with the milk and tea leaves!

masala chai

For those who like to live life on the edge, here’s a spicy, delicious and extra Indian twist on the classic. Grind the ingredients listed below together or buy premade masala mix and add them into your saucepan with the water.

• 4 cloves • 2 cardamom pods • 1 cinnamon stick • ½ teaspoon ground ginger • ⅛ teaspoon fennel seed • A tiny piece of fresh ginger

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FOOD | 5

asian immersion

sensational far-east eateries around town

TEXT, PHOTOS AND DESIGN BY NICOLE LI

What does one do on a cold day with an empty stomach? Eat good food, of course! Treat your tastebuds to the tastes of far-off countries while exploring different parts of the South Bay. photo: tofu house

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pho avenue At first sight, this little nook at the corner of El Camino and Showers looks like a gathering place for millennial men popping in from work. A sensible choice, because the service is extremely fast and the sprouts are crisp and fresh. Just a small size combination bowl with a full-bodied broth and firm rice noodles filled me up.

The well-spiced meat broth warmed my rain-drenched soul and was a perfect Wednesday-night respite from an already busy week. With firm beef balls and delectable tripe, the combo was well balanced even though the beef slices were a little dry. Whether you’re with a friend or dining alone, the casual, no-frills eatery is non-judgemental and inviting. A meal for two consisting of the combination and a chicken noodle came out at $23.

I enjoyed every aspect of my experience, from the simple and clean decor to the fulfilling meal, and will definitely return for more.

2500 West El Camino Real, Mountain View Parking usually available.

madras cafe Bustling and lively, Madras Cafe in Sunnyvale is a haven for families on a Saturday morning. Though it usually requires a bit of a wait to be seated, the bright and open space is friendly and welcoming. The food came remarkably fast once we settled in, starting with fluffy idli and well-spiced masala vada. The main event was the masala dosa, which was notably amazing. Potatoes and onions together never disappoint.

If you’re there, it’s worth trying the badam milk and the kesari bath dessert. Our filling meal for three astounded at just $25.

1177 West El Camino Real, Sunnyvale Parking in the square readily available.

tofu house What a culinary gem. Eating at Tofu House is like eating a homecooked meal, only better. The cozy but roomy establishment is incredibly efficient — we ordered while waiting to be seated, and once seated, the food came out fast. Small groups and large groups filled the rustic tables with people of all ages and backgrounds creating a bubbly, party-like atmosphere. Sitting in the toasty and light-filled restaurant, we paid no mind to the rain outside.

Tofu House’s expansive menu had us ordering a lot — ramen tofu soup, seafood tofu soup, chicken bibimbap, barbecue beef and a spicy squid dish that remained untouched throughout the meal (be careful with the spice levels here). As varied as the main dishes are, the side dishes are an equally fulfilling gift — kimchi, potatoes, bean sprouts, seaweed, cucumber, glass noodles and wild rice kept us busy. The portions are very generous, and they come out hot and stay hot.

We were treated to a heavenly mixture of soft tofu, fresh veggies and sauce-bathed meat. Our large dinner, including a tip, summed to $92.

4127 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Plenty of parking in the house-owned lot.

FOOD | 7

Fondue (& fon-don'ts)

As temperatures remain low this winter, what better way to stay warm than cozying up to a pot of delicious fondue?

cheese fondue

ingredients:

½ pound shredded Swiss cheese ½ pound shredded Gruyere cheese 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 garlic clove (peeled) 1 cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon brandy ½ teaspoon dry mustard Pinch of nutmeg Bread for dipping

steps:

1. In a small bowl, coat the shredded cheese with cornstarch and set aside.

2. Rub the inside of your fondue pot or heatsafe bowl with the peeled garlic clove.

3. Over medium heat, mix the wine and lemon juice and bring to a light simmer.

4. Slowly add the cheese to the liquid while stirring gently to avoid forming clumps.

Continue stirring until all the cheese is melted and the fondue is smooth.

5. Add the nutmeg, mustard and brandy to the cheese mixture and stir until combined.

6. Transfer the fondue to your serving dish and serve warm with assorted bread for dipping.

chocolate fondue

ingredients:

7 ounces semisweet chocolate ⅓ cup heavy cream ½ teaspoon instant coffee powder 2 tablespoon flavored liquor for flavoring (your choice, we chose raspberry) Pretzels, marshmallows, graham crackers and strawberries for dipping

steps:

1. Chop the chocolate into fine pieces and place in a double boiler on a stove set on medium heat.

2. Add the cream, instant coffee powder and flavored liquor to the double boiler while stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

3. Transfer the mixture to a fondue pot or other heat-safe bowl and serve warm with your favorite dippers. We chose pretzels, marshmallows, graham crackers and strawberries.

fon-don’ts • •

8 | FOOD

TEXT, PHOTOS AND DESIGN BY EMMA STAIGER AND AMANDA HMELAR

•

Don’t forget to start the heat source — no one wants cold fondue!

Don’t forget to soak the fondue pot to make for easy clean-up afterwards.

Don’t forget to have an Uber ready after consuming all that wine and cherry liquor!

artist of the month:

adrian smith

TEXT AND DESIGN BY ROSA SCHAEFER BASTIAN AND TALIA STANLEY• PHOTOS BY JORDAN SCHILLING

Not everyone follows the traditional path to becoming an artist

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A

drian Smith is a stern, athletic motorcycle-riding teenage boy.

He is enjoying life as a second semester senior by participating in activities such as varsity tennis and weekend trips to Tahoe. It may come as a surprise that he is an extremely talented artist.

Not fitting the mold, however, does not stop Smith from pursuing his hobby of painting and drawing. Friends who are aware of his artistic side did not initially realize how serious he was about art and were impressed when they saw his work for the first time.

“I knew he doodled, [but] I didn’t know it was this advanced,” Will Leighton, a friend of Smith’s, said as he held one of his most recent pieces.

Since Smith’s art was not something he used to focus on as intently as he does now, he has not shown his friends much of his work, “I’ve never really shown off any of my art before because I haven’t really been drawing, so it’s pretty much just an absence of time, I guess,” Smith said. “I’d want to publicize but [need to] wait until I get a more substantial portfolio.”

Throughout the year, Smith has started opening up to his friends about his passion for art, showing them his most recent

10 | ARTS

sketches and projects from class. As a result, Smith’s friends have begun to realize that art is not just a casual interest to him but rather an acquired skill, and are often impressed and proud to see this new side of him.

One of Smith’s most recent and talked-about projects is a portrait of his friend

“I like how you can take something from a photo or your imagination and you can draw it on flat paper. You can make it look 3D and look alive.”

- Senior Adrian Smith Nathan Zeidwerg. The portrait originated from a photograph of Zeidwerg, which Smith has transformed into an incredibly realistic drawing over the past few weeks.

When Leighton first saw the drawing of Zeidwerg, he was immediately impressed.

“Did you trace Nathan’s face for that?”

Leighton asked, to which Smith respond-

ed that he did not. “You freehanded that?!”

Leighton then asked, surprised at how realistic it looked. “It looks like a picture or like he traced it; I immediately knew it was Nathan,” Leighton said, still in shock.

“I really took my time, starting with the eyes and went to the nose and mouth. Once I had all those parts of his face, I could make the shadows darker with the pencil which brought the whole drawing to life, because the darker the shadows, the more protruding it looks out of the paper. After I realized that it started to look good, I decided to spend more time than I usually would to perfect his face as a whole.”

While Smith’s art has recently taken off, he has been sketching since a young age.

“As a kid I used to have Pokémon cards, and I’d tell my mom to draw them for me. That’s when I first realized that I could draw them, too,” Smith said, remembering his early years of drawing.

Both of his parents draw and his father even uses this skill in his work as an entrepreneur. He draws up his ideas for product designs so he has a convenient guideline for when he makes the prototype.

“My parents supported me a lot. They liked how I developed a hobby of drawing as a kid and

they even bought me a sketchbook,” Smith said.

Inspired by the World Cup, Smith created his first drawing in his sketchbook which was a picture of Italian soccer player Francesco Totti. Since then, many of his drawings have been of people he knows or pictures he has seen.

“I like how you can take something from a photo or your imagination and you can draw it on flat paper. You can make it look 3D and look alive,” Smith said, noting his favorite part of being an artist.

Whether bored in class or stressed about school, Smith finds ways to relax through drawing. He enjoys doodling, but he also uses his time as an opportunity to practice new skills he has been working on, such as shading and proportions.

Although he loved to draw as a kid, Smith had little art training or experience until recently, when he took his first art class in seventh grade at Jordan. After that, he took a second art class at the Palo Alto Art Center, and he is currently enrolled in his third class, the Painting and Drawing course at Palo Alto High School. He originally enrolled in Painting and Drawing, not because he was interest-

ed in improving his art skills, but because he simply needed to fill a class slot. In Painting and Drawing, he is working on furthering his technique and learning some of the foundational skills. To his art teacher, Kate McKenzie, and his peers in art class, Smith is an artist.

“He’s really committed when he comes in and he works pretty hard. He really listens and follows directions, he really gives it his best,” McKenzie said. “I don’t have to give him much direction, I don’t have to give him much help because he absorbs [information] very quickly and he applies what he learns, and he’s doing a really good job.”

Smith has completed three official projects for McKenzie’s class and is currently working on a fourth, as well as many more on his own time.

“His art is pretty refined. That means it’s really nicely crafted, and neat and even and really well done,” McKenzie said.

Although he is just beginning to further his art and learn new skills, Smith has already established many strengths as an artist.

McKenzie praises his hard work and dedication to refining his raw talent into even better skills. “He’s a perfectionist so that means

that he’s always trying to get everything to be as neat and clean and crisp and developed as possible and that’s also really important as an artist. And he’s a good thinker, too.”

Art has become a large part of Adrian’s life; however, many of the people close to him still do not know how dedicated he is to his projects and are often surprised at how he breaks the mold. Even though he has only recently begun taking the time to pursue his passion, Smith has grown very fond of drawing and realizes how it has become a big part of his everyday life. “I think art puts me in a state of mind that I enjoy and… it keeps my mind active and on edge and it helps me see things differently,” Smith said.

Smith has shown others that one does not have to fit the mold in order to do something they love. It is very possible to have multiple passions and continue to discover new and diverse ones every day. Despite lacking the solid background in art that many other artists have, Smith has ventured out of his comfort zone and discovered something that he is not only very talented at, but also something that he is extremely passionate about.

ARTS | 11

AND ROSS CARDILLO: THE TEXT DESIGN BY TEDDIE DOPEST GRINGO ALIVE STEWART

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A

s I pet a dog that too closely resembles a toy, a young Ross Cardillo pimped in the gear of an alternative musician who couldn’t care less about his untied shoes comes up behind me to order a mocha that he says will "cause [him] pain later but screw it." This is a quintessential beginning to our interview with the Dopest Gringo Alive (DGA), a rapper from the Palo Alto Bay Area who recently dropped an album worthy of a lifetime's supply of free burritos. My meeting with DGA featured a combination of the best of hip hop, sexual preference, life experience and a clear conclusion that music is in this kid’s bone marrow. I appreciate his sensitivity and dedication to represent no one but himself, and to bring a fresh face to hip hop culture. If you can be your authentic self, then nothing else is needed but a lifestyle flexible enough to keep doing what you love. His ease and free speech are refreshing and filled with great one-liners that brightened my day. You can listen to his most recent album, "FuegO SuS," on Bandcamp and other singles on SoundCloud. I was honored to represent C magazine in interviewing this wonderfully unique musician.

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C Mag: Did you always have your rap voice? How did you develop yours?

DGA: I think the whole “rapping voice” should be demolished as a concept because there is no one singing voice. Why does there need to be one rap voice? I was talking to my friend, and I don’t know how to say this and not sound stupid, but he is a gay guy with a very classic effeminate voice, and he sent me something he recorded and he said, “Eh, I don’t like my voice.” And I was like, “No, forget that. Just use your normal voice, it’s lit, and figure out how to make your voice sound dope because everyone has something unique to their voice.” I also hated my voice up until last year, but I just figured out how I like to use my voice.

It’s more screechy-screamy and I mumble, and I have weird little tricks to play to the strengths of my voice. When I meet white rappers, I’m like, “I am watching you. Please don’t try and sound like a black person. Don’t do it, just do your actual voice.” That was really hard for me, because everyone I looked up to musically was a black guy from New York. I tried to emulate them and asked myself, “How do I do that?” I have this little voice from California, you know, I don’t talk like that and it felt weird. But now that I listen to stuff besides rap, I learned the other directions that you can go in with your voice.

C Mag: Where do you get your inspiration from for your rapping, and who are your favorite artists?

DGA: I made this list on Spotify [of my favorite artists], there is Das Racist, that’s a big one. I was obsessed with them all through high school, so anytime I was at Paly that’s what was playing in my headphones, and Run The Jewels... the Pixies were also a really big influence on me, and Nirvana, because I have gotten into that stuff over the past three years.

C Mag: When did you start rapping, or when did you start writing rap lyrics?

DGA: I think I was 12, and I didn’t like rap music up until that point. Then, I found a few rap songs I thought were cool, and I was like, “I can do that,” and then I just did it as a joke. But, eventually, I decided it was really fun so I increasingly rapped until the end of middle school. Then I was known as the kid that was pretty weird and got into [crappy] rap battles with people.

C Mag: What is your music to you?

DGA: You know, making the album. I was like, “Thank God I have value somewhere in my life."

Art is the only thing that can 100% distract me in a healthy way, you know. I just sink into it and I forget who I am. I don’t remember anything, and it doesn’t feel like a bad thing. I’m not hiding from myself; I am just living totally in the moment for a second.

that and killed, so I am just going to speak true to my experiences. It is the same thing with being Latino; I am Latino by heritage but not by lifestyle or my day to day culture, so I try to be respectful of that. That is where Dopest Gringo Alive comes from, it’s that I am a white person, but I am Latino, so I’ll call myself white in a Latino way and that was the whole joke.

C Mag: On average, how long do you do music.

Are you more of a structured artist or is it when you feel inspired, or is it just constant?

DGA: Well, the constant part is that I am always writing down little ideas and things. For example, if my friend says a funny phrase, I will write it down and that will be the potential for a new song title. I am always coming up with weird titles for songs, and that inspires me. And just little tiny lines I will write, but I used to be nonstop writing rap. It was a problem ... I would be in class and I couldn’t focus and I would write a verse on the back of the homework and it was pretty dumb.

A lot of the time, I can’t force myself. It just kinda has to come, and then I suddenly have to go do something. I’ll hear a sample, and I’m like, “I have to go do this right now!” So that’s good and bad. It is natural energy I am going off of, but it’s bad that sometimes I just won’t make anything for like three months and it’s kind of a sad feeling, and you feel like you’re stagnating, and how are you calling yourself a rapper person if you aren’t even writing anything?

C Mag: For the future, would you want rapping or making music to become your career?

DGA: Yes, 100% yes, but I am very cognizant of the fact that is really unlikely, no matter how hard I try. I am very done with the idea that I can’t be happy unless I blow up, and that is what I need for validation, so with this album, I was like, “I made a good album, no one's even heard it yet, that’s good enough like I don’t even need everyone to like it, I made a good album.” Basically, I just want to live life so I can keep making albums constantly, however that is. I can be a janitor and then have just enough money to have a microphone and record at home and then maybe get a little better job when I have a kid. There is no better time than the present to try and blow up, so I am going to give it my all. I am trying to make music videos, hit up blogs and stuff, my collaborative projects, more shows. It has been me since I was 14 just thinking I need to be a rapper, and me constantly trying to convince myself that there is something else I like more that would make more money or a more obvious route, but now I am done resisting it.

C Mag: So you identify as queer?

DGA: I use that a lot because it’s vague, and most people know what it means rather than pansexual, a lot of people argue it is different things. When I was little, I tried to just not think about it, but for me sexually, I just don’t care about gender. It’s just everyone, it doesn’t calculate into my sexual thinking, but I feel like I very much don’t have LGBT experiences in many ways and I try to be aware of that and how I bring it into my music.

I don’t want to overly speak for something that I don’t experience, I just decided that I wasn’t going to use that in my music because it’s too traumatic for too many people. I don’t need to use it. For me, no one beat [being gay] out of me while calling me a faggot. I didn’t go through that, but a lot of people did. A lot of people are afraid of being called

Cover of DGA newest album "FuegO SuS" SoundCloud URL: https:// soundcloud.com/dopestgringo Bandcamp URL: https:// dgamusic.bandcamp. com

ARTS | 13

NEW KIDS ON THE CLOUD “[I] always wanna try and differentiate [myself ] so I try to push the border, but at the end of the day, I still am using the fundamentals of music,” junior artist Liam Shalon said. He made his Soundcloud debut about a year and a half ago. According to Shalon, his alias, R.E.A, is not an abbreviation for anything. “I really like lions and what they stand for.

In Hebrew, my native language, they say lion is ‘aryay’, so it kinda sounds like R.E.A.” Since his freshman year, Shalon has garnered almost 50,000 listens on Soundcloud. A little over half of these listens come from his original single, Imaginary Castles. Although this is by far his most popular song, it is not his favorite. “To be honest, my favorite songs are the ones that haven’t been released, and they’ll probably never be released. [I’d say] one out of every ten songs gets released.” Shalon explains that it is this type of expansion that shapes the way music is today. “Ten years ago, if someone made an EDM song, nobody in the U.S. would really listen to it, but it’s because [of the fact that] someone made one that right now the Chainsmokers are in the top ten on [charts]. It kinda pushes [EDM] in that [forward] direction.”

Soundcloud is a music platform used by many Palo Alto High School (Paly) students. Most students use it for listening to music, while few upload their own songs. Soundcloud is an accessible way to get their music heard. Take a look into the minds and journeys of Soundcloud artists at Paly.

Shalon has collaborated with other local artists and explains that producing and making music without a record label is very popular now opposed to even two or three years ago. While making music has been a worldwide passion since the beginning of time, the evolution of music continues to expand and reform with each generation. “In the ‘70s, everybody had a rock band in their garage.

This is kinda our version of that. Everybody has a laptop, and if you have a laptop, you can make a song.” Shalon explains that because music is easier to create than ever before, there is more music being produced. “It also pushes people away from labels because you don’t need the kind of distribution that you needed before,” he said. However, Shalon doesn’t plan on making music for a living.

“I knew I wanted to [make music] at some point [in my life], and I’m not gonna do it when I’m thirty, and I’m not gonna do it when I’m twenty five either because I’ll be busy with whatever else. I have one shot. This is the time to do it.”

total listens:

47,000 Followers: 200 Started: Sept. 2015

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TEXT AND DESIGN BY ALEXIS PISCO PHOTOS AND ILLUSTRATION BY JORDAN SCHILLING

“My music is bad on purpose. It’s supposed to be funny,” animated junior Adrien Tompert said. Tompert uses the alias Yunq Squash+ on Soundcloud. “I’m ‘Yunq’ and I had a squash growing in my yard. So, Yunq Squash+.” He later explained that the “+” at the end was inspired by rapper Lil Uzi Vert. Tompert has been rapping and collaborating with his neighbor and fellow Paly Soundcloud artist Adam Chabane (member of The Bruvs) since the summer of 2016. Tompert’s most popular song, “Thicc Girl,” has 130 likes on Soundcloud and nearly 5,000 listens.

This song was inspired by “a dream where [he] meets a girl in the club and she’s really thick and it’s just a love story,” Tompert said. Tompert hopes to continue making music throughout high school but does not think it is something he could pursue for a living. He has been brainstorming and playing with the idea of “Cheeseboy” for the title of his upcoming song.

total listens:

4,600

Followers: 45 Started: Nov. 2016

Sophomores Adam Chabane and “Bruv 2,” who has requested to remain anonymous, have been a dynamic duo since freshman math class. As a way to destress after summer school in 2016, they began making beats and uploading them to Soundcloud. Since then, their friendship and music composition has taken off. “It’s fun because it’s not academic. Sometimes I’d rather make beats than do homework… people have different ways of taking breaks,” Chabane said. Their first and most popular song, “Ass by the Bruvs,” came together over the summer after Chabane created a beat and then they both began freestyling lyrics over it. Their music influences include artists such as Travi$ Scott, Rae Sremmurd, ILoveMakkonen and other popular trap rappers. The Bruvs hope to release new music in the next few weeks.

total listens:

1,600

Followers: 29 Started: July 2016

Sophomore Claire Moley is one of the only female Paly students that is a part of the Soundcloud scene. She has been singing her whole life, but only recently began uploading music this past October. Her biggest influence is R&B singer 6LACK. In addition to remixes, she records herself singing over the music she makes.

“I’ll take a song that I like and then I take samples of...existing beats,” she said. “Then I’ll mix them together and I’ll have that as the background, and then I’ll sing over it. I’m not advanced.” Moley does not make her own beats, but hopes to learn how to use them in an original song.

She released her most recent cover “HOZIER - WORKSONG” a few weeks ago and will continue putting new music up throughout the year.

total listens:

750

Followers: 35 Started: Oct. 2016 ARTS | 15

Disco Doesn’t Suck I’m serious.

TEXT AND DESIGN BY GABE COHEN PHOTO BY JORDAN SCHILLING

16 | ARTS

B

right lights paint the crowd creating an ocean of color. The pulsating thump of the bass drum causes your chest to viscerally pound to the beat. Sweat drenches every part of your body. All thoughts void your mind as you give in to the groove and dance harder than you’ve ever danced before.

No, you’re not at SnowGlobe, or any rave for that matter. In fact, this party took place 40 years ago at Studio 54 in New York City. Studio 54 was one of the city’s many infamous disco clubs that held ragers every weekend for New York citizens as well as a plethora of A-list celebrities who attended the club’s parties. The club was the flagship disco nightclub, setting the trends of disco music throughout the late ‘70s.

If you’re like most people, you are probably thinking something along the lines of “But wait! Disco music sucks! Stop talking about it!” Yes, disco music is inarguably one of the most hated genres of music to have ever hit the mainstream. Even the music business itself seems to view it in a negative light.

Google “disco sucks” to truly understand the ubiquity of disco hate on the Internet.

But here’s the thing about disco music: It doesn’t suck at all. In fact, if disco never existed, contemporary music as we know it would likely be drastically different. If you bear with me through this piece, I can show you how direct the link is between an act like the Bee Gees and an act like The Chainsmokers. Are you ready? Here we go.

We’ll begin in the late ‘60s to early ‘70s, right before disco hit the mainstream. The aesthetic of popular music laid within the politically charged anthems of the golden age of protest music and jam bands. Calamities such as the Vietnam War and its subsequent draft and Richard Nixon’s scandal spurred passionate anger in the youth of the late ‘60s, resulting in their dogmatic adherence to music that stood against authority, or in their words “The Man.” From the extended grooves of The Grateful Dead, to the sparse and articulate folk of Bob Dylan, their music, reflecting the psychedelic drugs its fans were experimenting with, was an experience of dissociating with yourself and widening your perspective on the universe. However, much like the effects of continued LSD use, protest music left many people sitting on grass fields in California with no direction in mind. Protest music was dying, and it was time for a new king to take the throne.

Disco music began as a sub-genre of motown, emulating the soul and funk music of the ‘50s with a strong focus on production.

As the popularity of protest folk dwindled,

motown gained traction and swiftly adapted to fill the empty space that protest music could not fill. “But what was missing?” you may ask. Well, if you haven’t guessed by now, I’ll tell you what that missing piece is.

It’s dancing. Dancing is what was missing from the outspoken folk tracks that dominated the airwaves, and dancing is what the motown producers of the ‘70s decided to focus on. It makes complete sense­— in addition to being an activity that anybody could participate in, dancing is undeniably fun. Disco producers knew this and worked as hard as they could on songs that would get people moving. Unsurprisingly, disco music blew up. The youth of the late ‘70s were sick and tired of sitting around complaining about the world — they wanted to have fun. Nightclubs became immensely popular amongst youth, which had not been the case prior to disco’s inception. From 1976 to 1979, disco stood alone as the behemoth of popular music. But then, as quickly as it had formed, the genre completely imploded within itself.

Praise for disco music turned silent, and an unyielding hate for disco arose from the general public to an ear-splitting volume.

The purpose of this article is to discredit the continued animosity toward disco music.

With that in mind, disco’s original critics had some fair points. By the time the “Disco Sucks” movement rose to prominence, the formula of a disco song had been washed, rinsed and repeated countless times over.

The demise of disco was not unexpected; a natural decline in popularity is imminent for a genre following the life cycle of popular music. It is not even uncommon for pop music to eventually receive backlash (Look up “Nu-Metal.”) The staggering amount of hate that disco still receives today, however, is rendered completely baseless when disco’s influence is considered on a broader scale.

The introductory comparison of vibes in a disco club versus the vibes of the SnowGlobe music festival had more significance than just an introductory joke. The fact of the matter is electronic dance music (or EDM) is a direct

Disco ---> Edm Playlist

descendent of disco. The EDM explosion of 2006 that brought the genre to the forefront of pop music began with the resurgence of ‘90s house music, or in other words, Daft Punk.

That name might bring 2013’s song of the summer “Get Lucky” to your mind, but forget about that song for just a second. Seven years before Pharrell took the mic and belted out 2013s most essential jam, Daft Punk was hailed as the crowned kings of the “French House” movement. House music is synonymous with rave music, taking hard hitting grooves and looping them to entrancing lengths with the sole purpose of making people dance. Sound like anything familiar? House music was built from the exact same template as disco music, the only difference being the programmed drums that could keep people dancing for infinite amounts of time which did not exist within the age of disco. Beginning with their 2006 Coachella appearance, Daft Punk took their trance beats on the road and changed the world with the “Alive 2006-2007” tour, which is now looked back on as the first example of a modern EDM show. This tour marked the first usage of a giant LED screen for visuals in a concert, which today, is completely standard for DJs and electronic music acts alike. The tour inspired millions of young fans to create their own dance tracks. One example of a kid such as these is Skrillex, who is quoted as saying he would not have started making music if it weren’t for his experience at an “Alive” show. With the fuse lit, EDM took off and began to evolve on its own.

There. The connection has been made.

I know it took a while to make, so I thank you for going with the flow on this one. To summarize the chain of events, the dancefocused ethos of disco was replicated by the “French House” movement of the 1990s, which in turn inspired modern day EDM producers and artists to embrace the groove themselves. If you seek proof of the disco to EDM timeline, I made a playlist that flows through the years and follows disco’s evolution to your favorite songs today.

6

Daft Punk - ‘Around The World’

1

Chic - ‘ Le Freak’

7

Justice - ‘D.A.N.C.E.’

2

Michael Jackson - ‘P.Y.T.’

8

Empire Of The Sun - ‘Walking On A Dream’

3

Madonna - ‘Holiday’

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Cherub - ‘Doses And Mimosas’

4

Steve Hurley - ‘Jack Your Body’

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Kanye West - ‘Paranoid’

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Daft Punk - ‘One More Time’

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The Weeknd - ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ ARTS |17

Julia Asher

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o t f the s i t r A Month

TEXT BY JULIANNA ROTH DESIGN BY OLIVIA O’FARRELL AND JULIANNA ROTH PHOTOS BY JORDAN SCHILLING

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espite the five hour dance practice, smelly pointe shoes and constant exhaustion, Julia Asher’s love for dance will not fade. She has been dancing for over a decade and has big aspirations for her future. Asher shares her story and her hopes for her career in dance.

Asher first fell in love with dance when she saw the Nutcracker as a child for the first time. While watching, she was mesmerized by the elegance of the ballerinas and their intricate costumes. Asher will always look back at this event as the first time she knew ballet was her calling. “I saw the Nutcracker, and there is this gold scene where little Clara turns into big Clara. [She] did a pas-de-deux, and I think that’s when I knew that I wanted to be on stage and I wanted to do something similar.”

Asher has been training as a dancer since she was three years old. It started when her grandmother took her to a mommy-and-me dance class. She danced for another three years without any hope of it becoming her full-time sport. Everything changed at the age of seven, when her grandmother made a bold decision. “One day when my parents had left for a trip, my grandma, without their knowledge, took me to San Francisco Ballet auditions. She auditioned me and I got in, and she never told my parents that she had taken me to the audition until I had gotten in.” Asher’s grandmother was eager to pay for her dance and drive the commute to San Francisco everyday.

Asher now trains in ballet, lyrical and jazz making her busy schedule even busier with school, dance and studying. She practices everyday after school from 4 p.m. to around 9 p.m. and has a specific daily routine once she gets to her studio in Belmont. Her training starts with ballet for an hour and a half to warm up and get her muscles loose. “I take ballet everyday but that’s just because it is the basics.

You need ballet in order to do anything else.” Next comes pointe. By now Asher’s feet are warm and ready to jump. Pointe is when dancers wear special pointe shoes that have a boxed toe so the dancer can

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wear it's at: A look at six Paly students' personal sense of style A. LUCIA AMIEVA-WANG • 2019

To Lucia Amieva-Wang, style and design are forms of nonverbal communication, a reflection of how she feels on the inside, portrayed through her choice of outfit. “It is a way to speak without saying anything,” she said.

“I'm not saying that someone’s fashion is their identity, because it's not, but people who like clothes, who like to style their outfits, do it because they honestly like the clothes and a certain look.”

Amieva-Wang pulls her style inspiration from the turn-of-the-century, ‘90s, vintage motif. Her everyday outfit usually includes thrifted jeans and a turtleneck with a denim jacket thrown on over it. The ‘90s don’t just serve as her style inspiration — her taste in music also stems from the age of flip phones and low-rise jeans.

When she is not out thrifting, searching for that one piece that no one else has, or scanning fashion magazines for on-trend outfit inspiration, Amieva-Wang is out in nature, hiking, camping, climbing and exploring. She dresses in outdoor clothing, specifically from notable brands like Arc'teryx and Five Ten, suitable for a road trip up the coast or a trek through the woodlands.

B. EVE DONNELLY • 2020

Rocking a fluffy statement leopard coat paired with black over-the-knee boots, it's clear from a first glance that Eve Donnelly’s wardrobe says a lot about her. She uses her personal style, ranging from a daring rainbow sequin bomber jacket to a flowy floor-length maxi (all featured on her ostentatious Instagram @evefuckingdonnelly), to showcase her personality and flare. When asked about why she uses her clothing as her medium of expression, Donnelly explained that she believes how one presents themself and what people see is very important, and it brings her a sense of personal satisfaction when she likes the way that she looks.

For some students, when exploring their own personal style, a big obstacle is fear of judgement and worrying too much about what others might think. For Donnelly, however, this could not concern her less. “I probably can’t swear, but, like, f**ck those b*****s,” she said playfully. “A lot of people don’t like the way I dress — I literally don’t care.”

C. LEILA CHABANE • 2018

On weekends, she can be found boarding the Caltrain en route to some of Redwood City's most renowned thrift stores. One look at junior Leila Chabane, and it is clear that her ‘90s hairdo isn’t the only grunge element to her look. For Chabane, fashion has always been an outlet for self-expression. “Fashion is fun,” Chabane said. “I love being able to sew something together that I pictured in my head or being able to try a new look by thrifting with my friends.” Known to some as the thrifting queen, Chabane is always out there searching for those killer deals. “Thrifting is good for the environment, really great in terms of expressing yourself and really cheap because I’m not willing to spend $50 plus on a T-shirt from Urban Outfitters." Amen to that, girl.

Chabane has a lot of wisdom to share when it comes to dressing for less. Moral of the story, don’t worry about spending hundreds on the latest trends — shop your local thrift stores and you may just stumble upon some wardrobe-defining pieces.

D. TAYLOR DUNCAN • 2017

From her funky Doc Martens to her distressed mom-jeans, senior Taylor Duncan’s wardrobe doesn’t just draw attention, it demands it. However, the confidence Duncan can’t help but exude wasn’t always apparent to those around her, as she struggled to find her own way of expressing herself in her earlier high school years. “My first two years of high school, I really cared about how others thought of me and looked at me,” Duncan said. “And then I realized I wanted to portray my own personality, and I’m loving doing my own thing.” Lesson learned: Wear what you’d like, because no one can control others' opinions, and only you can control your own. Furthermore, never underestimate the power of a good outfit and the effect it can have on your confidence.

‘Okay, I’m gonna become fashionable now.'

It’s just a part of my life that naturally progressed as I grew up,” Huang said.

From Calvin Klein to Hugo Boss, the spectrum of men’s fashion is nowhere near as wide and diverse as it is for women, seeing as fashion is an industry notoriously dominated by women. While girls are able to scour numerous stores and hunt online for the perfect prom dress, boys are just left with little choice.

Stereotypes cloud men’s fashion, and masculinity and sexuality are commonly called into question when a man appears "welldressed." “I think a lot of guys are scared that people will question their sexuality once they start dressing ‘better,’” Huang said. “But the experience will only make you stronger as a person."

F. SAM LEE • 2017

Senior Sam Lee challenges society’s traditional perception of fashion as an all-female medium and affirms that it is a physical manifestation of oneself, regardless of gender. “A lot of guys might think having a good sense of fashion might be feminine, but at the end of the day, not much is going to go your way if you’re dressed like a bum,” he said. According to Lee, fashion is a means of communicating one’s personality without uttering a word.

“Fashion is a way of storytelling,” Lee said. “I feel as if I can create a vibe with the clothes I put on, whether it be through a specific aesthetic I like or just to express my current mood.” Not only is storytelling a key aspect of fashion, it’s also a necessary component of society. “Storytelling is a part of culture, and I got to stay fresh all the time to develop the culture,” he said. It’s safe to say that Lee enjoys his fair share of fashion, and encourages other guys to explore that interest. “Don't worry about the haters. They can judge you all you want but they are probably just upset because they’re getting worked by your style.”

E. ALAN HUANG • 2017

With a flawless complexion and a killer wardrobe, Alan Huang is easily a senior who is “#goals.” However, like many a fashionista, Huang’s seamless style is not inborn. The transition from basketball shorts to blazers and collared shirts didn’t come instantly. “For me, there wasn’t really a point where I thought,

TEXT AND DESIGN BY FE HMELAR AND LARA NAKAMURA PHOTOS BY JORDAN SCHILLING

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$10

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C Magazine Perspective:

Undocumented A follow up

TEXT AND DESIGN BY KATIE PASSARELLO A year after writing the C Magazine cover story Undocumented with fellow editor Sarah Shapiro, I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to touch on the impact of journalism and the importance of understanding people’s real stories, especially from the voices of the voiceless.

For the first time in almost five months, I walk through the front doors of Beechwood, a private K-8 school in East Menlo Park, California that serves predominantly low-income and undocumented students in the Bay Area. Even though it has been so long, I can feel the familiar, positive energy of the school grounds the second I walk through the front gate. Before I reach the main office, a swarm of young students surround me, asking my name, introducing themselves, and inviting me to play soccer with them.

I greet each one, and try my very best to remember their names. I’m already beaming and it has only been thirty seconds.

The first time I visited Beechwood, I was preparing to write an article for Palo Alto High School’s arts and culture magazine about the experiences of undocumented students trying to apply to high school or college without social security numbers. While the community in which I have grown up is successful and affluent, just a mile from my doorstep are neighborhoods entrenched in poverty and fighting high crime rates. I am a people person, so getting to interact with and interview families who struggle to provide food and shelter was really compelling and eyeopening to me. For the article, I interviewed an eighth grade student at Beechwood and her mother.

The mother could barely speak English, s o I conducted my entire interview in Spanish.

Fortunately, I have studied Spanish through the AP level, but this was different, it was a real

and purposeful conversation. I needed to understand everything clearly, otherwise facts in my article would be faulty. The mother explained her family’s journey from Peru to the United States, her passionate hope that her children would attend college and find jobs, and her despair over not having seen her parents or siblings in twelve years. By the end of the interview she was in tears, yet grateful for her story to be told.

After my article was published, I could not stop thinking about Beechwood, about the student, about her mother. After about a month, I received an email from a staff member at the school. The student had been waitlisted at local private high schools; my heart sank. But then the last paragraph caught my eye, “...in a last attempt to persuade [high school of best fit], our Graduate Services Coordinator took your magazine over to the school and shared it with the principal. Yesterday… we got the call that [she] was in!”

I stared at the words until they blurred from my tears. I laughed and cried at the same time. While I had begun my article with the intention of enlightening my community on the true stories of undocumented students and their families, suddenly, I was able to help a girl gain admission into a private high school that would be able to support and guide her despite her status as an undocumented student applying to colleges.

Now, almost five months later, Beechwood has become an integral part of my life. During the summer, I volunteered every weekday to help with the summer program for K-3 students. The happiness I experienced from interacting with the students and staff members is something I have grown to treasure. Helping a student solve a math problem or swim across a pool for the first time, and knowing that I played a role in helping them get there, is more rewarding than any test score, GPA, or AP score I have ever earned. My time spent with each of these students has taught me that it is not necessary to cross oceans and continents to help people in need; in fact they are right next door. My article taught me that your words can make an impact, and that letting your curiosity help guide your decision making can lead to life changing experiences.

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Monster in the Mirror TEXT BY JASMINE ABEYTA, DARROW HORNIK AND JULIANNA ROTH DESIGN BY JORDAN SCHILLING ILLUSTRATIONS BY YOONJUNG CHO, JORDAN SCHILLING AND CHLOE PATTERSON

An inside look into the complex topic of eating disorders and the stories of three paly students who have fallen victim to this mental illness. DISCLAIMER: This story includes sensitive content relating to the topic of eating disorders and body image. If you have struggled with either of these, please read with discretion.

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he’s so skinny, she must be anorexic.”

“He’s huge, why doesn’t he go on a diet and hit the gym?” Comments like these are made online, in schools and on the street every day. When someone looks overweight, that is not an invitation to assume they eat fast food and never exercise.

Likewise, those who are very thin may either be congratulated for being fit and healthy even though their health may be a serious concern, or are criticized for being “too small.” While it might be easy to judge someone’s mental and physical health based on their appearance, these misconceptions regarding other’s health can be detrimental to their self-esteem and body image. Eating disorders are incredibly common and have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. People of all cultures, races and gender identities suffer every day in silence, unaware that they can have an eating disorder without looking skeletal.

There are two types of eating disorders that typically come to mind: Bulimia nervosa and Anorexia nervosa. Clinical psychologist and assistant professor at Stanford, Cara Bohon, explained the new way in which eating disorders are diagnosed, characterized and categorized. Mental health professionals use a diagnostic and statistical manual to classify different categories of mental disorders, the most recent version being DSM-5.

In this version, some of the main eating disorder categories include Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder and Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder

(OSFED), in addition to Childhood Feeding Disorders; however, those who do not meet all of the criteria for these categories are placed in existing subcategories.

Eating disorders consume the lives of millions of people around the world.

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, at least 30 million people suffer from serious eating disorders in the United States, not including those who are undiagnosed.

Although eating disorders are common, especially among preteens, teens and young adults, many go unnoticed and untreated — something incredibly dangerous.

The following stories of three Palo Alto High School (Paly) students, whose names have been changed to protect their identity, illustrate how each struggle with various eating disorders is unique. The struggles of these three students exemplify the disparities between the types of disorders that exist and identify the complexity of issues relating to body image, food or both. Here are their stories.

Isabelle's Story Isabelle never suspected she would suffer from two different eating disorders in succession. She grew up with a fast metabolism and never worried about what she ate. Like any kid, Isabelle loved sugar, eating sweets whenever she could get her hands on them.

Things changed over the years, and Isabelle

would eventually fall victim to both Bulimia nervosa and Anorexia nervosa.

Last summer, Isabelle started to suffer from Bulimia nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by the act of throwing up previously consumed foods. Isabelle knew what she was doing was not normal, but her mindset created by her eating disorder took over and told her throwing up was necessary. With the arrival of summer, Isabelle began cutting out sugar in an attempt to “clean up” her diet to obtain a more perfect “bikini body.” She had been following different YouTube and Instagram stars who followed a vegan diet, and decided to try it out.

“I thought it was really cool, so I tried to go vegan for two weeks and I was successful … after the two weeks, I went to Mexico and I was super scared to start eating meat again because … I had lost a little bit of weight.” Isabelle’s diet triggered her eating disorder; the idea that she had lost some weight by eating “healthier” made her believe that reverting back to her normal eating patterns would result in gaining the weight she had lost. Isabelle’s fear of weight gain was so paralyzing that she would make herself throw up the small amount of food she ate. “I knew I had an issue and I tried to stop throwing up, and it would go from throwing up a couple times a week, to everyday, to once a day, then a few times a day … and it got to a point where I just couldn’t stop,” she said.

It was not until later that summer when Isabelle went on another trip that she was caught purging. “It was the most traumatic thing that has ever happened to me. Luckily, I got caught at the beginning of the trip, so I was able to eat more while I was there.” Isabelle was supervised for the rest of her trip and was fed the amount she needed to regain some of the weight she had lost over the two months she had been purging in order to maintain a healthier weight.

Once Isabelle returned home, she knew she had gained weight. Although she had stopped throwing up, she was not able to return to normal eating habits. “I had gotten into the habit where I had a weird relationship with food,” Isabelle said. She religiously counted every calorie she consumed to ensure she did not go over her limit for that day. Her hunger cues, such as her stomach growling, slowly started to fade to the point where her body was not giving her the proper signals to eat. She stopped eating breakfast and would never eat with her family because she did not know what was in the food her mom cooked.

Isabelle expressed the worst part of both her eating disorders: “Guilt was the worst thing for me because whenever I would eat a good amount of food I would feel so guilty.” Racked with guilt and fear over what food would do to her shrinking body, Isabelle continued to fall deeper into a caloric deficit.

During the time period that Isabelle was restricting her calorie intake, her exercise habits changed as well. “I would exercise to burn calories, not to just exercise.” She stopped seeing friends because of her anxiety over what they would eat and how she would hide her issues. Food and body image took over Isabelle’s life and stopped her from being the happy and carefree person she used to be.

Isabelle, like anyone with an eating disorder, had unique thoughts that influenced her desire to throw up and restrict her calorie intake. Her eating disorders were a voice in her head making her fear “unhealthy” food. There are many misconceptions about eating disorders and what they really are; Isabelle admits that even she had a specific idea about eating disorders that was shattered when she experienced one herself. “The stories I had always heard about Anorexia were that people would eat like 300 calories a day and that was not my case. I had associated Anorexia with sickly thin people, and I don’t think I was ever sickly thin and scary-looking.” Isabelle’s message is to not let one’s appearance fool them into thinking they do not have an eating disorder. Now that Isabelle has been diagnosed, she is monitored by doctors and has been going to family therapy.

When Isabelle went to an eating disorder clinic, she was officially diagnosed with Anorexia nervosa. People with Anorexia nervosa are typically characterized as low-weight within the context of their health history and demonstrate behaviors that suggest a fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. Patients also tend to have an altered perception of the seriousness of their problems.

Recovering from an eating disorder is a different experience for each individual. Some habits formed from eating disorders never fully disappear; instead, they slowly fade from the center stage of one’s life and become background noise. It is typical for those who are going through recovery to have all control over food taken away from them.

Health looks different for everyone, and medical professionals are the only people who have authority over what is a healthy body. Once the body is back to a healthy place, therapists and doctors then help guide the mind to return to healthier habits as well.

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Many therapists use the concept of having a “wise mind” to help explain to patients how they can challenge the distressing thoughts.

Isabelle has a lot of hope for the future.

When asked what advice she would give to other people struggling with eating disorders, Isabelle said: “Get help now, because I know I didn’t tell anyone for a couple months, and if I hadn’t gotten caught, who knows where I would be today?”

Emily's Story Although she was never officially diagnosed with a specific eating disorder, many close friends grew worried about Emily’s lifestyle after social issues arose at the beginning of her junior year. Emily’s obsessive lifestyle consisted of strict diet control and excessive exercise. While many may commend that behavior as motivational and healthy, her change in lifestyle, combined with insecurity and depression, quickly spiraled into a serious cause for concern.

Emily was rapidly overcome by insecurity and hatred for herself and her body. She became convinced that she was obese and unattractive, and that, no matter how many times they attempted to reassure her, her friends and family believed this about her as well. “I began to hate my body, my looks, my stomach, my legs, my arms, everything … I do not ever think I will be at a point where I will absolutely love the way I look,” she said.

Consumed by a fear of developing a larger body type and in desperate need for an outlet from stress, Emily reached a point where she was exercising in the morning and after school almost every day. That, combined with her selective diet, was an undeniable threat to her health.

“Once, after starving myself for two days, I decided to walk the dish, and on the first hill, I fainted and fell down. I felt very dizzy and nauseous,” she said.

Although she was able to recognize that her self-perception was negatively impacting her health, she continued this regimen for months, turning to seemingly “healthy” outlets such as fitness and nutrition because she was haunted by the belief that she was overweight. Emily was tormented by her unstoppable self-deprecating thoughts and a desperation to change her appearance — controlling her diet helped bring her temporary satisfaction.

“I am too obsessed and controlling over what I eat and feel down whenever I eat junk food. Counting carbs, calories,

sugar and fat gets very difficult because all of these elements are in all foods, but it has to be done in order for me to feel satisfied,” she said.

Despite having never been bullied for her body or appearance, Emily admits that she has felt negatively influenced by those who surround her every day. “Three out of my four best friends are very, very skinny girls. When they complain about their body or stomach or one teeny tiny pimple on their face, it makes me feel that much worse about myself,” she said. “I know I shouldn’t be influenced by others, since in the end all I care about is being satisfied with myself and not someone being satisfied with me, but it is hard to focus on myself when I feel like everyone is more attractive and skinnier than me.”

After a couple of months, Emily began to notice changes in her physical appearance, but after realizing she was still unsatisfied with herself, she decided to see an ACS (Adolescent Counseling Services) counselor at Paly to help her talk through her struggles with body image and food.

"You can't see health."

- Cara Bohon, Ph.D. However, she admitted that the counseling services were mostly just a safe space where she could express her feelings without judgement and didn’t see much improvement.

Emily never looked like skin and bones, she simply appeared more “fit” — her body became more toned and muscular, so those who didn’t know about her battle with food praised her for her progress, and that is exactly why Emily’s struggles are so complex; as Bohon said, “you can’t see health.”

Although Emily has never been diagnosed, it is apparent that her habits raise health concerns; she changed her diet and began to exercise obsessively with the sole purpose of changing her body and losing weight. She was obsessed with her scale, and hated herself to the extent that she felt the need to take drastic health risks to alter her body type. Emily now feels that her habits are healthful because she genuinely wants to improve her athleticism and has fewer diet restrictions for herself.

It is evident that Emily still restricts herself, and some may argue that

her lifestyle is not yet truly healthy because her meals don’t appear to be balanced. The improvement, however, lies in her purpose — her intention has shifted from wanting to change the way her body looks to wanting to improve her athleticism. Still, Emily has not completely overcome her insatiable need to burn the maximum amount of calories or transform her body to correspond with her ideal definition of “fit.” Because of this, her complicated relationship with food continues, although she is currently taking action and trying to improve her mindset regarding the concept of health by talking through her issues with trusted counselors, friends and family. She plans on majoring in nutrition in college with the goal of educating herself on the subject and allowing her to also help others who grapple with this issue.

Kate's Story The morning of the first day of second-semester junior year was the beginning of the worst semester of Kate’s life. That morning, her mother found out she had an eating disorder. Kate’s breakfast ended up in the toilet, like many before. Only this time she had forgotten to flush. When her mother discovered the vomit in the bathroom, she immediately knew what was wrong. Little did Kate know, her mother had been bulimic as a teenager and understood exactly what Kate was going through. But before Kate’s mother could tell her that, she rushed off to school, avoiding any confrontation or discussion about her eating disorder.

Once back home, Kate denied that she had an eating disorder. Yet, as much as she tried to tell her mother that she was fine and that it was just a “one-time thing,” her mother knew that this was an illness that wouldn’t solve itself without medical attention. In addition to being bulimic herself as a teenager, Kate’s grandmother had also suffered from Bulimia nervosa and her cousin had an eating disorder as well.

Those who have Bulimia nervosa typically go through binge and purge episodes, and their binges include large amounts of food in a two to three hour time period. During a binge, people feel a loss of control and cannot stop putting food into their mouths.

After a binge, bulimics will throw up their food either by self-induced vomiting, laxatives or diuretics, which is known as a purge. Similarly, people who binge and then do not throw up can also compensate

for the food they consumed by excessively exercising or fasting and skipping meals.

Patients who participate in this behavior on average once a week for three months or longer meet criteria for Bulimia

nervosa.

Although Kate had some of these symptoms, she did not consistently binge and purge. Rather than being diagnosed with Bulimia nervosa, Kate’s doctors instead determined that she had EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified), an eating disorder that meets criteria for multiple categories, such as Bulimia and Anorexia nevosa. Since the time Kate was diagnosed, the term EDNOS is no longer used by the medical profession. Nonetheless, we will continue to use it here because it was the specific diagnosis Kate received at the time.

Instead, the new “catch all” category is called OSFED. OSFED is the diagnosis for those who have a psychological problem relating to food and fall within one of five specific subcategories of eating disorders: Atypical Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa of low frequency or limited duration, Binge Eating Disorder of low frequency or limited duration, Purging Disorder or Night Syndrome. If a patient still doesn’t match the criteria for any of those five subcategories, they are diagnosed with Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorder (UFED), indicating that there is clearly an issue present but not enough is known to categorize what it is.

Kate’s struggles with her eating disorder began about a year and a half ago when she went to her pediatrician for a normal doctor’s visit. The appointment was like any other check-up, but this time, her doctor told her that she was seven pounds heavier than at her last check-up. Her pediatrician asked her about her eating habits and, like many other people her age, she informed him that she ate dessert every night. Kate’s doctor suggested that she should only eat dessert once a week. Little did that doctor know, this conversation was the start of Kate’s unhealthy obsession with her weight.

Kate had been studying eating disorders at school, and after this conversation with her doctor decided to give purging a try. One night after eating a big dinner, Kate induce vomiting and was relieved to have erased

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that evening’s calories. From that evening forward Kate began to employ a range of unhealthy techniques to control her weight.

She would purge, exercise excessively and restrict her food intake.

Kate’s first step to recovery came a year and a half later, after her mother discovered the telltale signs of her illness. Kate met with her pediatrician, who quickly helped her find a therapist, dietician and an eating disorder specialist. She sees her dietician every other week and works with that doctor on her relationship with food and her overall nutrition and eating habits. She goes to her therapist weekly (finding the right therapist took quite some time but now Kate has a close relationship with her therapist, which has been hugely helpful). Lastly, Kate sees her eating disorder doctor. She meets with this doctor every three weeks to check in and make sure she is recovering.

Urine samples, weight checkups and taking vitals are just some of the many processes and tests Kate has to go through while at her triweekly eating disorder doctor appointments. Thanks to these numerous appointments and meetings throughout the past year of her recovery, she is continuing to make progress in controlling her illness.

To begin her recovery, Kate needed to understand why she saw food differently than someone without an eating disorder.

In Kate’s brain, food was to be avoided.

Food was no longer pleasurable; it felt like a poison which needed to be expelled from her body. As Kate put it, “[to me], lunch is not normal to eat, which obviously I know logically is not true, but the voice in my

head keeps telling me…that eating, in general, is not normal, not healthy. When food goes into my body, I’m like ‘Oh I have to get it out, it’s not normal to be eating.’”

What’s worse, Kate’s struggle was twofold. Not only did she need to force herself to eat, but once she was able to get the food into her system, she had to fight her urge to throw it back up. A huge part of Kate’s recovery has been retraining her brain to view food differently and to understand that eating is normal. One of Kate’s exercises to retrain her brain is to know her intentions before she starts eating. Every time she sits down to eat, Kate goes through a set thought processes. She asks herself, “Why am I eating lunch?”, then consciously walks herself through the idea that “lunch is normal, [and] everyone needs to eat lunch.”

She is making good progress, but there are still many doctor visits and checkups in her future.

Kate knows that eating disorders are mental illnesses and that there is no quick fix. As she has gone through this journey, Kate has also come to realize that a lot of work goes into healing from an eating disorder.

“Recovery is not easy and it doesn’t happen at the flip of a switch. I’ve been working at it for a year and a half and I’ve given up so many times. You don’t just choose to recover, and then everything turns back to normal. You have to choose recovery every day, at every meal, and it’s not easy.”

It may not be easy, but like her mother and grandmother before her, Kate is on the path to reclaiming her healthy life.

Health is not something that you can see. Although someone may appear healthy on the outside, they are not necessarily healthy on the inside. Someone may be suffering from an eating disorder and you may not even know it, because eating disorders are mental illnesses — what can be seen with the eye is not a measure of health.

The effects and symptoms of eating disorders are unique to the person and their situation. Bohon suggests that one of the first steps towards general body acceptance is separating thoughts about food from body image. “...Food is something that nourishes you, ...it is also delicious, it is something that we use in a social way, it is multifaceted, so to have it be intrinsically tied to body image diminishes all of the things that food can be. If we think of food as our fuel it can have a really positive connotation, if we think of [it] as celebratory it can have a positive connotation there, as something to have fun with and experiment with new recipes it can also be something that is pleasurable and enjoyable,” she said.

Once food is separated from the idea of body image, the focus changes to taking steps towards body acceptance, which start with retraining the mind to appreciate “what your body does, not how it looks.” Another method she suggests is to take steps towards changing what is considered ideal. Whether intentional or not, expectations related to appearance are marketed to us every day, and by changing our reactions to body complaints or harmless comments we can slowly retrain our mind to reject these ideals.

"You don’t just choose to recover, and then everything turns back to normal.

You have to choose recovery every day, at every meal, and it’s not easy.”

Crisis Text Line: Text BAY to 741-741 • National Eating Disorder Association Helpline: 1800-931-2237

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Let us

paly madrono 2016-17

KNOW...

The Madrono staff [you know, those guys ^] would love to hear from YOU: • Have an idea for something we should cover? Let us know!

• Take a cool photo we might want to put in the book? Let us know!

• Interested in joining us on the staff next year? Let us know!

• Want to just see how the yearbook is put together? Let us know!

Stop by MAC 104 during 6th period and say hello! or email us at: madronoyearbook@gmail.com

choosing to serve TEXT AND DESIGN BY EMMA STAIGER AND AMANDA HMELAR PHOTO BY JORDAN SCHILLING ILLUSTRATIONS BY YOONJUNG CHO

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t the thought of war for many Americans, there is a feeling of distance; war is not a part of everyday life in the United States. Individuals have the freedom to choose whether or not they want to face war, and although the military may seem removed from our lives, many choose to join. Serving our country is a decision made to lead a life no longer as a civilian, but rather as a soldier. Straying from the well-worn route of going off to college right out of high school, the following stories exemplify students whose pathway is forged by the desire to serve and protect the United States of America.

raymond

Although he has faced some resistance from his family, Raymond Fang (‘18) has already set out on a pathway that he hopes will help him become a soldier in the United States military. Most of his family members hold careers in medicine, but Fang is on the verge of breaking the mold and pursuing his enthusiasm for law enforcement. “To me, it’s like a revolutionary step. A lot of times when you think about the American Dream, you do what you want. You don’t do what someone tells you to do,” Fang said.

Fang’s experience as a police cadet bred in him a passion for law enforcement. As he met other cadets and veteran police officers who served in the military, Fang gained further insight into the law enforcement and military institutions and the unique dynamic of brotherhood and trust. “[As] a police cadet, a lot of police officers [I work with] are former veterans, and [I found that] when you are in the police department there’s a sort of teamwork,” Fang said. “You can rely on people to always have your back.”

With something as daunting as joining the military comes many emotions, and among the more prominent feelings, Fang says, is eagerness. “I’ve known a lot of friends and police cadets that have gone to the Marines and the Army, a few veterans and a few police officers, and because of that I feel like I get to follow in their footsteps because these people are like role models to me,” Fang said.

Fang has explored the depth of what joining the military means to him, and in conjunction with a desire to serve the country, he looks forward to the opportunity of forming bonds with his comrades. “I just want something where I can trust the person on my left and right. That’s one of the biggest reasons why the military has always attracted me,” Fang said.

ethan

The idea of being an American, although important to many, holds extra meaning to some individuals. “I love America,” senior Ethan Bundy said. “I don’t really know how to explain it, it’s just an inner feeling.”

Bundy’s unwavering patriotism has led him to strongly consider the military as a post-high school option. “I just think that there’s not really a more noble way to use your life than to put it on the line for other people,” Bundy said.

Not everyone shares Bundy’s positive sentiment. “I’ve had people tell me they don’t want me joining because they don’t want me to die, and I’ve heard people say that the military has no business doing what they do,” Bundy said. Regardless, he remains steadfast in his support for the military. “I completely disagree with that. Terrorism is not just going to go away; people are going to have to deal with it.”

Although the idea of a son joining the military is enough to frighten most people, Bundy’s parents have been very understanding of his consideration. “They really respect it and they’re really encouraging about it,” Bundy said. “All of my extended family is really supportive of my cousin who just enlisted. They all wish us the best.”

Bundy looks towards a possible career with the military as a chance for him to make a positive impact and protect the country that he loves.

“I think what the military does is good — not always, sometimes there are mistakes made — because for the most part, the purpose they serve is good,” Bundy said. “They do the right thing.”

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“i just want something where i can trust the person on my left and right. that’s one of the biggest reasons why the military has always attracted me.” raymond fang (‘18)

chuck

Chuck Stephenson (‘16) has wanted to pursue a career in the military since he was in elementary school. Now a cadet at the United States Military Academy, West Point, Stephenson is fulfilling a lifelong dream. “I wanted to go to West Point because I saw it as an opportunity to get a top tier education while also serving my country in the years to follow,” Stephenson said.

After applying and being accepted to West Point, Stephenson entered into “The Beast,” West Point’s version of basic training. During this time, Stephenson was exposed to the hardship that life at West Point entails. “There were some very challenging times, but it was an experience I’ll never forget,” Stephenson said. “The Beast” only marked the beginning of the challenging life that West Point cadets face on a daily basis. “Waking up at 5 a.m. to clean bathrooms, four to five classes every day, you can only leave for a weekend every couple months; it’s a pretty huge commitment,” Stephenson said.

Although life as a cadet can be difficult, Stephenson has found support in his peers.

“The people here make you want to stay,” Stephenson said. “I’ve made some of my best friends here.”

In becoming a West Point cadet, Stephenson has committed himself to active military service as a second lieutenant for five years upon graduation.

He has not forgotten this commitment and understands the possibility of serving during wartime. “It’s a possibility you need to accept if you’re joining the military,” Stephenson said. “I joined to serve my country; if we’re called upon during a time of war then that’s how we can serve.”

Throughout his experience at West Point, Stephenson remembers his childhood dream of joining the military. His choice to enroll in West Point was the culmination of a lifelong desire to serve his country, and Stephenson has not forgotten what that means. “It’s a way I can give back to my country and be a part of something bigger than myself.”

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Review:

GOOD GIRLS REVOLT

How a group of female journalists filied a lawsuit that gave them the right to write while simultanously spurring the feminist movement 34 | CULTURE

TEXT AND DESIGN BY HANNAH DARBY AND ALLY SCHEVE ART BY CHLOE PATTERSON

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panning all seven continents, the political and social climate of the 1960s. FilWomen’s March on Washington ing the lawsuit not only meant risking their demonstrated the capabilities jobs and livelihood but also the relationships women have to inspire change. the women had with the reporters they were Amazon Prime TV’s “Good partnered with.

Girls Revolt” not only illustrates the power Patti and Cindy were the first two women of women but also the dawn of the feminist to get on board with Eleanor and had to movement. Set in 1969 and modeled after a carefully recruit others at the magazine, maktrue story, the show depicts a group of woming sure what they were doing would never en who recognize the blatantly unfair treatget back to the male staff members. Holding ment in their workplace and decide it’s time secret meetings in the women’s restroom, for a change. The show follows the careers of the lawsuit brought the women together, three women: Patti Robinson, a bohemian encouraging them to communicate with one progressive; Cindy Reston, a sweetheart unanother about their personal and professional der pressure to please her unloving husband; lives. and Jane Hollander, the ultimate good girl who, in the end, “We stand on the shoulders of these isn’t afraid to speak her mind. women, we really do, and their story The show’s protagonists deserves to be seen and appreciated, so work at Newsweek, a weekly encouraging people to watch the first magazine that was one of the season is key.” most prestigious publications of their time. It is run by male - Suzanne Patkmore-Gibbs editors and staffed by male reporters, while women take roles as researchers and are assigned to a male Suzanne Patmore-Gibbs, a woman who reporter to assist in the writing of his news helped turn “Good Girls Revolt” into a TV stories. In many instances, the women end up show, shared her experience with introducing helping with more than just research, someit to Amazon. “I read the fascinating, but times writing entire stories without receiving rather dry, nonfiction book and was very any credit. inspired by the struggles of Lynn Povich and Working at such a successful magazine, it her fellow researchers — and I was utterly didn’t occur to these hard-working women astounded that people didn’t know the story,” that the way they were being treated was unPatmore-Gibbs said. After telling the story just. It wasn’t until Patti met congresswoman to Lynda Obst, a renowned producer, they Eleanor Holmes Norton, then a lawyer for were able to find a scriptwriter and bring the the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), show to Amazon. “It was a tricky balance, that she learned denying the women the melding the humor and heart with the edgy credit they deserve and a legitimate chance and political, and there were a lot of debates to write was illegal. Although pursuing the about how much sexism we should see,” lawsuit may seem like an easy decision to Patmore-Gibbs said. current Americans, it was difficult for these There is still progress to be made in the women to advocate for their rights due to the fight for women’s equality, and the treat-

ment of women in the 1960s and 1970s can be hard to watch. Some viewers were taken aback by the men’s constant sextual comments and seemingly inappropriate workplace conduct. The show depicts men continuously grabbing at the girls, making comments about their appearance and trying to coerce them into dates. But, being asked to empty the trash, go get cigarettes or fetch some coffee was just considered a fact of life.

“We found that readers, and later, audiences, had little tolerance for these displays and found them unbelievable, which made us laugh because they were all based on real stories,” Patmore-Gibbs said.

Unfortunately, the negative aspects of “Good Girls Revolt” ended up outweighing the positive message of the show.

After one season, Amazon decided to discontinue the show. “We did lose our advocates in a regime change, and there weren’t any women with a real vote involved in the final decision-making with regards to season two,” Patmore-Gibbs said. “That’s why we need to fight to have more women at the table, period.”

Although another season won’t be made, this movement will not be forgotten. “We stand on the shoulders of these women, we really do, and their story deserves to be seen and appreciated, so encouraging people to watch the first season is key,” Patmore-Gibbs said.

On January 21st millions of women, men and children nationwide stood sideby-side to participate in a march to ensure women’s rights are not forgotten. It is in these moments that the work of women like those at the Newsweek publication should be remembered and appreciated. “Good Girls Revolt” gives a personal viewing of the fight for women’s rights in America and the resilient women that started a movement.

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C MAG SIMPLIFIES TEXT AND DESIGN BY RIMA PAREKH, LHAGA DINGPONTSAWA AND STAN DE MARTEL ART BY TEDDIE STEWART AND LHAGA DINGPONTSAWA

OVERVIEW What do long showers, car washes and watering grass have in common? They are all competing factors worsening the drought. Around three years ago, California’s governor, Jerry Brown, declared that California was officially in a drought. Close to 33 million people are affected by the drought, and even with the recent spike in rainfall, it remains an important issue. The lack of both rain and snowfall has dried our reservoirs; California’s main source of water comes from the Hetch Hetchy, but as of now, we are using different water sources to compensate for the shortage in our primary water-providing reservoir.

WHY ARE WE IN A DROUGHT? A drought occurs when there is an imbalance in the water cycle, specifically when there is an increase in evaporation and a decrease in precipitation, and this is often influenced by climate change. Rising global temperatures can affect the amount of time it takes clouds to form, how often clouds produce precipitation, the amount of rainfall, the rate at which water evaporates and the wind patterns that carry clouds across different regions. California’s state of extreme drought in 2014 was a result of a high pressure zone in the atmosphere, dubbed the “Ridiculously Resilient Ridge,” a four miles high and 2000 miles long pressure zone located off the West Coast. While these “mountains” of air pressure are not uncommon, they usually break down and bring rain to California. This zone had been in place for an unprecedented amount of time, resulting in the severe lack of rain.

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WHY SHOULD I CARE? California is sinking Because of the lack of surface water in California, several industries have started using groundwater, or water that is pulled from beneath Earth’s surface. In fact, 60% of water used by farmers comes from the soil. But, with the use of groundwater comes severe consequences. When water is drained from the soil, land and aquifers contract, similar to the manner in which a mattress deflates.

Excessive extraction of groundwater has caused parts of California to sink, and this cam eventually spell disaster for people living on the California coast. California’s use of groundwater could be a major factor that will cause San Francisco to sink underwater as soon as 2050.

Seawater intrusion Seawater intrusion occurs when saltwater from the ocean enters aquifers, and while seawater intrusion occurs naturally, the process is exacerbated due to the extraction of groundwater. Because human use of groundwater has caused the earth to sink, the levels of groundwater and aquifers have fallen as well, and this makes it easier for saltwater to flow inland. Much of the water we drink is obtained from groundwater aquifers, so as groundwater becomes increasingly contaminated by saltwater from the ocean, our supply of water will be reduced further.

MYTHS Persistent rainfall helps relieve drought so California is out of the drought!

People think that large amounts of rainfall can end the drought. While consistent rainfall can help improve conditions, the reality is that most of the rain runs into draining channels and streams rather than soaking into the ground, but during times of drought, the soil becomes too dry to absorb water. Runoff water also contains sediment and pollutants that are washed from the ground.

The best situation during a drought is for water to soak into the soil, and this only occurs when rainfall is spread out over months rather than simply a couple of days or weeks.

We shouldn’t be worried because prices for produce haven’t changed as a result of the drought.

Retail prices for vegetables and fruits have been changing, but studies show that it isn’t in response to the drought. While this may be seen as positive to consumers, it actually shows something very worrisome to Californians: The price of produce hasn’t changed because farmers still have access to water due to continued unsustainable agriculture pumping for groundwater.

WHAT YOU CAN DO The drought has ravaged some of California’s nicest landscapes, so what can we, as Palo Altans, do to help our state recover? Most people know that our state is in an extreme drought, yet the water consumption remains alarmingly high. It may be as easy as taking a shorter shower, but for some, that seems impossible to give up; luckily, there are many alternatives to this. The average person uses 80 to 100 gallons of water a day, so it’s important to do what we can to reduce water consumption.

• Remember that the dishwashers and washing machines use loads • Grass is not native to California — people should use Californian grass which is accustomed to less water. of water, so consider doing dishes and laundry by hand every so often.

• Turn off the faucet when the water is no longer needed, specifically when brushing your teeth.

• The average flush uses around 1.6 gallons of water and is the largest user of household water, so don’t flush as much.

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The OSCARS: Behind The Scenes TEXT AND DESIGN BY HANNAH DARBY AND ROSA SCHAEFER BASTIAN • ART BY YOON JUNG CHO

An inside look at the nomination process for the Academy Awards

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s sparkling Jimmy Choo stilettos step onto the red carpet, a sea of photographers erupt in constant clicks and blinding flashes. At the entrance of Dolby Theater, popular celebrities strut into the most celebrated awards ceremony of the year. Behind the glamour and prestige of the Oscars lies a selective group of people who are given the power to turn actors, directors and films into legacies. So who are these people deciding which movies attract the most attention, earn the most in box offices and live on forever?

The movie industry is more than complicated. There are a series of awards that come before the Oscars, such as Directors Guild Awards, Producers Guild of America (PGA) Awards, Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, Golden Globes and many more, leading up to the grand finale, the Academy Awards, to finish the award season. Jonathan Leess, an Emmy Award winning media business professional, is a member of the PGA and participates in nominating and voting for producer awards in television and motion pictures. Although Leess is not a member of the Academy (AMPAS), he is eligible to vote for best picture producer’s awards that are presented in late January. These are one of several considered prognosticators for the Oscars’ Best Picture Award.

“To become a member of the Academy, there’s a long list of requirements and prerequisites,” Leess said. One must actually be invited by the Academy’s Board of Governors to become a part of this selective group. To become a member of the PGA, one must have been a credited producer on at least two shows or movies, been recommended by two PGA members and pay an initiation fee and annual dues to the guild once accepted.

Members of each of the professional guilds receive personal (digitally identified for security) DVDs of many of the movies that are heavily marketed by the studios and offered “For Your Consideration” during the award season. As a member of the PGA, Leess also receives many invitations to private movie screenings, sometimes with the director, producer and/or actors present for Q&A.

38 | CULTURE

The award winners of the PGA, DGA, SAG, Golden Globes and other professional guilds, could impact or help sway some of the members of the Academy while they consider their votes for Oscar-nominated films.

Within the Academy, there are 17 branches that focus on different categories of the industry. These categories include writers, directors and actors.

“Each category nomination can only be made by the members of that category,” Leess said. “For example, nominations for Best Actor are made by actors, Best Writer by writers, but all members of the Academy can vote for the winner of all categories once the nominations are made.”

People often look past the honor of a nomination and only focus on who ends up on the stage, Oscar in hand, thanking the Academy. They fail to realize that only a handful of films get nominated for this award each year and that the honor goes far beyond winning.

“Being nominated by your peers is what the awards are all about. If you’re nominated, that’s a huge win of industry recognition. But of course, winning is the pinnacle of total accomplishment for any award,” Leess said.

Even though studios work hard and spend a lot of money to help influence the Academy and different guild members, the nomination still depends heavily on the performance, writing, directing, cinematography, set design and the film itself.

After the nominations have been carefully chosen, the task of deciding on a winner becomes notably more strategic. “Once the nominations are announced, the studios go into full hyperdrive. The actors, directors, producers all hit the road for weeks going to private screenings, dinners, luncheons, TV talk shows, late night TV, etc., all paid for by the studios,” Leess said. Winning an Academy Award generally brings in much more revenue for a movie and everyone involved in its production, which, in addition to the honor and promise of a legacy, serves as more than enough incentive for movie-makers to chase after the win.

The Oscars are reserved for the most

thought-provoking movies that were created with diligence, and transport the viewer into the depths of the film.

Beginning in 1929, the Academy Awards have escalated from a televised dinner party to an internationally viewed event featuring over 3,000 of the most beloved celebrities. The fate of this year’s films will be revealed on cards placed in envelopes on Feb. 26.

Although it may seem like movies are created to receive the final prize, the entire process of producing a film is about much more. Whether it be a chance to express a voice for the voiceless, tell an untold story or transcend us into another world, movies have the power to inspire.

“Movies are incredibly difficult and expensive to make.

Hundreds and hundreds of people are involved in so many areas of the making of the final product, so when all of the efforts from behind and in front of the camera come together perfectly, I have a real respect and admiration for the magic,” Leess said.

As you sit flipping through the channels on the night of February 26, make sure to stop and watch the magic of this year’s movies become legacies.

If you were a teenager again, what would you do for a day?

WORDS FROM THE

I would go and practice my skiing and get better at it when I was young.

- Joel Rosenberg

I would sit down with my parents and grandparents and talk about their early lives.

WISE What have you learned about living a happy and succesful life?

- Arden Anderson

Joel Rosenberg

The importance of making good choices and keeping your options open. I didn’t know the happiness we get of seeing our grandchildren grow and prosper. Also, the joy and satisfaction of helping others by volunteering in an area that I can be passionate about.

- Arden Anderson

The small accomplishments are what allow you to succeed. Every step of the way you’re going to encounter failure, but when you succeed, even the smallest of ones, you need to celebrate those and embrace them as motivation.

- Ruth Buecheler

TEXT AND DESIGN BY CHIARA BIONDI AND MADDY BUECHELER • ART BY TEDDIE STEWART

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What things have always made you happy throughout your life?

Family. We have always enjoyed our extended family and the celebrations and traditions that we have, in addition to using humor and laughing a lot.

- Arden Anderson Ruth Buecheler

What is the best advice you would give to your teenage self?

Close relationships. They are everything. Were then and are now.

- Joel Rosenberg

I wouldn’t try. I was not mature enough to really understand the lessons I understand today. I might tell myself, “Don’t fear rejection.” Take more risks in becoming close to others.

- Joel Rosenberg

Arden Anderson

Think about whether or not there is too much expected of you. If there’s too much expected of students, then it becomes too stressful and learning can become a chore. To the extent that one can try to liberate themselves from that pressure, it’s really worthwhile doing. Concentrate on being able to enjoy what you’re learning.

- Peggy Pizzo

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Your Wildest Dreams TEXT, DESIGN AND ART BY CHIARA BIONDI AND HOLLIE CHIAO

A compliation of Paly students’ weirdest dreams

Last night, I had a dream about a friend of mine, his name was Jaiveer. We were frolicking in a meadow together, holding hands and twirling each other around. Every second of the dream, I could not have felt more at peace with myself, with who I am as a person and just my life in general. Jaiveer sat me down, and he brought a picnic lunch, and we just spent some quality time together. I just wish that one day that could happen in reality.

I went to sleep and then I saw this really famous soccer coach, and he walked outside of my backdoor. I go out there, and there’s just this big fork. The fork just flies away.

-Adrien Tompert, Junior

-Tanay Krishna, Junior

Remember the movie Sky High? My superpower was really lame, but I was still one of the superheroes.

Everyone made fun of me ‘cause I was a lame hero. It was something like I could make my hair grow fast or something. Something pathetic. I was basically Rapunzel. I think my superhero name was Rapunzel. That would be really cool.

I had a dream I was on a boat that sank. It sank to the bottom of the ocean, and I was captured by mermaids, and put in this cage where they started stabbing me with mermaid harpoons and stuff. They were ripping out my organs, and when they ripped out my heart, I died. So basically, I died — I saw my heart and it was all good.

-Skylar Burris, Senior

-Ethan Bundy, Senior

I’d like to go to the NFL. -Jamir Shepard, Freshman

I was in college and it was my second day there. Did you see that movie “The Edge of Seventeen?" Hailee Steinfeld’s friend was my roommate. She was very quiet but all of the boys wanted to talk to her because she’s gorgeous. My friends and I wanted to get boys to talk to us, so we got one of those pull-up bars that you can attach to the door and we start doing pull-ups. Then, a bunch of very attractive men come by and say “Hey, what are you guys doing?” And we’re like, “We’re doing pull-ups!” They thought we were so cool, and second day of college, we already have friends that are very attractive! When I go to college, you can bet your ass I’m getting a pull-up bar.

-Joanna Falla, Senior

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Hypebeast Culture The evolution and culture of men’s streetwear and the movement through the eyes of Bay Area students

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TEXT AND DESIGN BY RYAN GWYN AND MATTIE ORLOFF PHOTOS BY RYAN GWYN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MATTIE ORLOFF When designer Shawn Stussy opened his California flagship store in 1990, graphic tees were relatively new to the fashion industry.

However, by pasting simple designs onto t-shirts, Stussy would go on to change fashion indefinitely. From this small endeavor rose the obsession of branding not what you wear, but who you wear. In the past 15 years the fashion industry has transformed into a game of brand hierarchy.

To the average youth, the words “Supreme,” “Palace” or “BAPE” on an article of clothing would not represent something out of the ordinary but, to a select few, these words represent the holy grail of clothing. Palo Alto High School (Paly) junior Ercan Goksec gave his opinion on what makes these bands popular. “The brand name and the fact that everyone knows about it makes it worth the money, especially the style of the brand and all of the different designs.”

Streetwear is a term for clothing worn by subgroups engulfed in the brand movement.

These people who wear the clothes are labeled as hypebeast. However, many people have their own reason for wearing the clothes.

Music has a huge influence on fashion and artists play a big part in helping promote brands. “I got into wearing these brands around the beginning of junior year,” junior Mikael Rochman said. “I didn’t really know a lot about them until I noticed some of my favorite music artists wearing them such as FamousDex, Travis Scott, Kid Cudi, etc.” The interest in these brands is a direct result of the ever-growing hip-hop and rap music culture. The icons in the music industry are the faces of these companies; they don’t advertise on TV or in newspapers but rely almost entirely on the high-profile names that thrust the clothing into the spotlight, such as Kanye West, A$AP Rocky and Pharrell Williams, to name a few. These artists are the faces of the brand, and contribute to the reason the clothing sells out in seconds.

The resale value of some of these pieces of clothing can be three or four times the regular online retail. For example, the original retail price for Yeezy 350 Boost Pirate Black shoes can go for $200, and can be resold anywhere between $900 and $1,100. For streetwear enthusiasts,

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buying clothes online at the retail price has become a challenge. The time it takes to fill in shipping information can be the difference between ordering and losing clothes completely. To get around this issue, computer software, known commonly as a bot, has been developed by hypebeasts to submit orders as quickly as possible. As an avid user of a “bot,” Menlo-Atherton Junior Makoa Riso explained it as “a program that stores credit card information and automates the entire checkout process of a purchase in milliseconds in multiple instances.” Riso has been using a bot to aid in his buying and selling of clothes since winter of 2015.

Unlike mainstream brands, these streetwear companies have a different way of selling their clothes. They create an atmosphere of hype by selling only a limited supply of retail, making their merchandise harder to obtain. Supreme drops about five to fifteen items every Thursday at 8 a.m. PST. Merchandise pressed with the iconic branding of the company generally sells out more quickly.

Through the streetwear movement, men’s fashion has seen an unprecedented upward push in the industry. The task of buying and selling clothes has forever been altered by the underground market for sought-after, rare pieces of clothing. Both nationwide and locally, hypebeasts are changing the way people view brands and the market for highprofile clothing. When it comes down to it, fashion is about self expression. As Akinola says, “Regardless of the money and being fresh it’s about looking good and feeling good.”

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yarn bombing! bringing joy to the world through guerilla knitting

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background

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n eclectic pink wrap covers a dormant militant tank in a Copenhagen square in Denmark, softening and poking fun at a machine used to kill and devastate by symbolically smothering violence with warmth and happiness.

Yarn bombing, also known as guerrilla knitting, urban knitting or graffiti knitting, features public displays of knitted or crocheted yarn instead of more traditional graffiti or public art mediums. Although still technically illegal in some places, yarn bombing is not vigorously prosecuted.

Fun and colorful, nonviolent and non-threatening, yarn bombing promotes peace and unity rather than destruction and aggression. Now, the simple idea of reclaiming and personalizing cold or sterile public places has become a worldwide movement.

Yarn covering a bus in Mexico City brings color to every passerby’s day. A seat cover aboard a Philadelphia subway train adds a dash of color to a typically mundane commute. Knit cherry blossoms adorn a once-bare tree at Joy Kogawa House in Vancouver, Canada, bringing life back to the barren branches.

Knitted yarn in a large pothole in Paris, France turns an eyesore into an artistic walkway. With cracks filled in with colorful yarnworks, these dilapidated and run-down streets now seem inviting and homely and may go a long way to inspiring people to take care of the environment around them and spread kindness.

a local perspective • kim taddei Tan udders adorned with magenta “teats,” swinging jubilant from clotheslines, have taken over the squat, greyish dairy. Accompanying them are hot pink “dingle-dangles,” as Kim Taddei calls them, hanging from the multicolored sleeve covering the signpost.

Purple and red yarn spiral giddily around a pole. A small scrap of paper taped to the arch over the door, quiet and understated amongst the colored yarn, features a handwritten haiku: “The cows on the hillside come to town.

Udder chaos.”

Taddei’s start in yarn bombing came a year after her mother died. “I wanted to do something to commemorate her birthday …

There’s a little bakery [in Tomales, CA] that is really the focal point of the town, so I decided to yarn bomb it.” Every year since, she has honored her mother’s memory through knitting.

Yarn bombing is a painstaking process that requires pre-planning and plenty of dedication. Taddei spent weeks knitting dozens of udders and preparing for her bombing of the bakery. “I had spent weeks ahead of time knitting about 25 cow udders, so basically, because it’s a dairy area, I knit about 25 pink and tan baby hats and attached these hot pink teats to them … I had to research how many teats a cow actually has (it’s four, if you’re wondering).” She spent months constructing a lifesized sheep, churning out hundreds of pompoms to cover the enormous chicken wire

scaffold. And, of course, there are elements of stealth involved: “I didn’t want to get caught, so my boyfriend and I did it at three o’clock in the morning … It took us about 45 minutes, and we almost got caught!” Taddei kept her identity as the yarn bomber secret in her town for three years.

The practice of yarn bombing — and the items she creates in the process — hold deep emotional significance for Taddei. When a child sat on the sheep she made and crushed it, Taddei was crushed too. “I broke down and cried for about three days.”

Yarn bombing is also important to Taddei because of its inherent peace and artistic value, and the craft melds well with her gentle humor. When she borrowed a friend’s house for a vacation, she knit a roll of toilet paper and left a note with it: “Life is too short for single ply.” When she gets bored, she yarn bombs the stop sign in front of her house with brightly colored sleeves. Yarn bombing, she feels, is playful and freeing. “Patterns … sometimes I feel constrained by them.”

Yarn bombing has been the best way for Taddei to express herself creatively and honor those she loves, and it lets her bring a little joy to the world in the process.

TEXT AND DESIGN BY NICOLE LI AND AHANA GANGULY ART BY AHANA GANGULY

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