ACUMEN Dec. 7, 2018: Little Things

Little Things Volume XV Issue II Dec. 7, 2018

Dearest reader, It is oftentimes all too easy to let the little things fly by, unnoticed and uncared for. They don’t grab our attention. After all, between all the tests, competitions and extracurriculars, life becomes somewhat of a whirlwind—and there’s little time to spare for such seemingly insignificant things. Things such as a simple family dinner or a weeknight basketball game.

Such as the idle chatter between strangers, or the small acts of kindness we can provide each other. But as the age-old saying goes, it’s the little things that matter most. And years from now, as GPAs and test scores fade into irrelevance, it will be those very insignificancies that become the clearest of memories. And so we invite you to look closer at all the little things that go into creating that jumbled network of memories we call life. In this issue of the Acumen, we explore those supposedly trivial stories about small talk, work-life balance and even bacteria. They’re the little things, the insignificancies, and they matter.

-Alanna Wu, editor-in-chief

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EMILY DEXTER // PHOTO

SHRUTHI RAVICHANDRAN // PHOTO

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LILY MCANDREWS // PHOTO

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IN THIS ISSUE CALINA HE AND ANGELA QIAN // PHOTO

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06 Tiny Houses

08 Little Acts of Kindness 12 Life When You’re Little: Satire

14 When Time Runs Out 18 Little Things at CHS 20 Micro-Life

22 Closing the Gap 24 Little Talks 26 Small Businesses 30 Little Balls of Fur

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Tiny

HOMES, BIG

WORDS | LIN-LIN MO PHOTO | APURVA MANAS

Students, local entrepreneur reflect on tiny house movement

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Adventures

umans have been dwelling in small spaces since the beginning of settlement civilizations. Around 30 years ago, according to "Curbed" magazine, ordinary people like Jay Shafer bore the modern tiny house movement in the wake of an environmental enlightenment just a decade before. It led to Shafer exploring how to live in a minimal space, inspired by literature like Henry David Thoreau’s "Walden"; the 2008 housing crisis only catalyzed the rising popularity of the movement. Indiana is also experiencing the movement, seen in Carmel through Ben Ring, Environmental Action Club president and junior, and Emily Ruthrauff, Art Club president and senior. Right next door, Noblesville local Maggie Daniels founded a company called "Try it Tiny" to help anyone rent out pre-built tiny houses Airbnb-style and try the lifestyle for themselves.

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"Tiny homes, generally speaking, are often defined as 400 square feet or less and usually built on wheels," Daniels said via email. "The tiny house movement, for a long time, was a DIY movement and people spent considerable amounts of research, time and energy into making their tiny home tailored to their lifestyle."

In addition to expressing individualistic style, tiny houses are also great for reducing one's carbon footprint, which Ring lauds as a great reason to participate in the movement. He said the limiting space naturally reduces one’s purchases, leading to reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

"Now is an especially trying time because everyday there's another report or another headline about climate change and how everything looks bad," Ring said, "People want to make a difference."

Now is an especially trying time because everyday there's another report or another headline about climate change and how everything looks bad

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DESIGN BY TESSA COLLINSON

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Tiny houses, like this one, are known to maintain warmth and are more ecofriendly. A tiny house community called Inglenook will be built in both Carmel and Zionsville.

TINY HOMES AT A GLANCE

Although tiny homes vary in design, these are a few characteristics typically found in tiny homes

Some tiny homes use LED lightbulbs or composting toilets to go greener.

Solar panels generate enough energy to completely power a tiny home.

Due to their size, tiny homes don't cost much to maintain, allowing more financial freedom to explore different careers and hobbies.

Tiny homes can also have tankless water heaters, which saves energy, as they heat water as the liquid flows through them.

Many tiny homes have rainwater catch systems to collect rainwater for later use.

While tiny homes are versatile and portable, they exist in a legal gray area, as there are no laws about tiny homes or homes on wheels, making it difficult to find land for these little buildings.

One way tiny house dwellers control their plans for carbon footprint-reducing is building their own house.

This process takes eight to 12 weeks from planning to completion, Daniels said, depending if one hires help.

GRAPHIC // TESSA COLLINSON SOURCES // PLANETFORWARD.ORG, WASHINGTONPOST.COM, CNBC.COM

"Most don't really build cabinets because it takes up a lot more space and depth of them," Ruthrauff said, "So a lot of them just build shelves, or they have their stairs as cubbies which also helps build the LITTLE THINGS | 07

"Much like anything else, the amount of background knowledge will dictate the amount of time needed for proper research if someone plans to build it themselves," Daniels said.

Along with helping the greater good, tiny homes are an extension of the owner. In the process of building their house, personal style, function and geography are other crucial factors builders should consider, Ruthrauff said. For example, warmer climates suit warmer colors, big windows and taller, contemporary styles. Colder climates reflect cool colors, rustic looks and compactness that helps with heat retention. However, designing living and storage space is always the priority, she said.

storage space for them. They work around whatever their design is; whatever open space there is, there will most likely be a storage unit."

Because tiny houses are customizable at heart, Daniels said individuals or families can mold them to to their needs and wants, as well as to the trends present in the environment and community around them. Ring said he personally would like to try the lifestyle at some point.

"Some of those challenges (in tiny living) are just for ourselves," Ring said. "Can I live with less? How little can I live with? I think a lot of us can live with less than we think we could, and so even though it might not be easy at first, it could be interesting to try." A

DESIGN BY WENDY ZHU AND ALANNA WU

little acts of

{kindness} Students, staff consider random acts of kindness as opposed to traditional gift giving WORDS | RHEA ACHARYA PHOTOS | CALINA HE, ANGELA QIAN AND MADDIE KOSC

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LITTLE THINGS | 09

Senator and sophomore Melissa Su holds the door open for orchestra students as they enter the school. Su said holding the door is an easy way to help someone out.

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or senator and sophomore Melissa Su, the holiday season is filled with more than just buying gifts for her family and friends. Su also participates in Senate’s annual gift drive, Care to Share, during which SRTs raise money and buy gifts to give to families who are below the poverty line.

“I feel really grateful that I get to help these families because everyone is in a different position financially, and the fact that you can help make their holiday season better is always a good experience,” Su said. “It’s very important because not everyone gets the opportunity to receive gifts or their biggest worry definitely might not be receiving presents during the holiday season so a lot of people have more things to worry about than that. And it’s awesome to reward them for

“I think that when we do random acts of kindness we don’t always realize how big of an impact we have because you don’t always get a ‘thank you,’” Share said. “But it’s not the point of doing them to get that ‘thank you.’

It’s the little impacts you’ll have on those people’s days that grow into something larger as you do more and more acts of kindness.”

According to counselor David Mikesell, the school’s “Culture of Care” initiative helps students become aware of the small ways in which they can impact the lives of those around them for the better and make them understand that gifts are not the only way to show you care about someone else.

Mikesell said, “I think that (it feels good) just knowing that someone else cares and they have noticed you. We don’t want students to

12.07 putting in the hard work even though they can’t reward themselves.”

Su, however, is not the only one who includes more non-materialistic gifts into her holiday plans. Besides giving to charities and families in need, many students and staff members are recognizing the merits of performing random acts of kindness.

Tara Share, Simply Smiles president and senior, said the reason behind doing something kind for another person is to genuinely make a positive impact, not just to be acknowledged for the deed.

think that nobody knows who they are or that no one is paying attention to their feelings especially if they are in pain. So their outlook can change through that if they do know that somebody else truly cares about them.”

According to Su, she also likes to show other people she cares about them by incorporating random acts of kindness as part of her life year round, not just during the holidays. Su has even used Instagram to encourage others to do the same by posting “Random Acts of Kindness Challenges” throughout the year.

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Sophomore Marissa Cheslock puts Post-It notes with inspirational messages onto the media center doors.

Cheslock said she did something similar last year in the girls’ restrooms.

Su said, “I love doing random acts of kindness because everyone can have a bad day or a bad week, and they just need something to cheer them up and keep them going and I think that’s really fun because not only does that make them feel better about themselves but that makes me feel good because I made someone’s day.”

Like Su, sophomore Marissa Cheslock understands the importance of doing small things to brighten the day of others both in and out of the holiday season. Last year, Cheslock came to school early to put up PostIt notes on the mirror in one of the Freshman Center’s girls’ restrooms. Each Post-It note had a positive message written on it, such as “Focus on the positive” and “Treat Yo’ Self.”

She said although it had not cost her much to do, she saw many people visit the spot over the next few days.

“With a tangible gift, you’re happy in the moment, but then you eventually forget about it,” Cheslock said. “But I feel like if someone says something nice to you then every time you see them for a while at least you remember them for that, and that becomes a positive memory.”

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DESIGN BY WENDY ZHU AND ALANNA WU

A SEASON OF KINDNESS Here are some random acts of kindness to show your appreciation to others this holiday season

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Bring some treats to your classmates.

Give sweets to show them how sweet you think they are.

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Send some nice messages to your friends.

Even if they aren’t feeling down, tell them how much you appreciate them.

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Senator and sophomore Melissa Su delivers a handwritten note to her friend.

Su had been performing random acts of kindness for her friends and giving this note was one of those acts.

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Help someone who needs it.

Whether it’s giving a hug or helping the elderly, share your time with others.

GRAPHIC BY TESSA COLLINSON SOURCE: BUZZFEED.COM

Short, Daily Struggles

In the Morning

LIFE WHEN

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hen the Acumen editorin-chief Alanna Wu asked me, one of the shortest people on staff, to write about my life as a short person, thanks to college applications, I thought about writing this in a college essay style, answering the prompt about my background. It would look something like this: Being short is the worst thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life. Don’t

goal is for you to be shorter than me, so my solution was to never give you any milk and tell you it was because you were ‘lactose-intolerant.’”

But, I suppose being short makes me happy sometimes.

What makes me happy is when my teacher asks me, “Christina, can you help me get the book on the shelf?”

I tell him, “Yes I can,” as I proceed to stack a desk on top of another desk and then add two chairs and four textbooks before I can reach the screen.

believe me? Let me tell you all about it.

When I wake up in the morning, I have to call my mom over to carry me down the bed, or else I will fall down.

When I eat, my parents have to bring the kids’ seat, so I can see everyone.

When I am in the car, I still have to use a booster seat. When I am have questions in class, I have to do burpees, so the teacher can see me.

I never knew why I was short, so I asked my mom. She told me, “My

What makes me happier is when someone asks me, “How tall are you?”

My response never changes: “Today is a good day, so I am 5’1’’.”

What makes me the happiest is when my dad’s friend asks me, “How do you like first grade, Christina?”

I tell her, “It’s great! I’m one of the tallest people in my class.”

Now, admissions officer, at this point, I am sure you expect to hear about how people who can overcome their own

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“This is a life-sized photo” Christina Yang

At the dining table

Right before bed

DESIGN BY ROBBIE GE AND ALANNA WU

YOU'RE LITTLE adversities, and you think, “How is this girl going to fix her situation?” You think I can’t. But, you are wrong. I can. And I will tell you how.

Carry a stool with you at all times.

And if you’re rich enough, buy a jetpack.

This would have summarized all of my thoughts about height during elementary school, when my greatest adversity in life was about my height (or rather, the lack thereof). After reading this, like my counselor would say to me, you also would probably ask me, “So what?”

WORDS | CHRISTINA YANG PHOTOS | RICHA LOUIS to reach the pedal on the piano when everyone else could do that without a stool. But, I was still able to win competitions because I spent hours and hours practicing.

Sure, I never got the opportunity to run track competitively as much as I liked to run. But, I was able to focus on the extracurricular activities such as Mock Trial and HiLite that matter the most to me.

Sure, my friends who are younger but taller than me still tease me about LITTLE THINGS | 13

It was this two-word question that made me think about my “greatest adversity in life.”

Sure, I am short. But, that never stopped people from questioning my maturity—in my high school career, there have been many times when others thought I was older than my actual age.

In fact, this past Thanksgiving break, someone asked me if I was older than my brother (who is 12 years older than I).

Sure, I still needed a stool in order

my height. But, I take that opportunity to build off of their jokes and bring a smile on their faces.

All in all, my height is just a part of my identity that makes me, well, me. Without this particular characteristic, I would not be who I am today. Little things like how we look on the outside does not change who we are, but overcoming little things like this can help us build a bigger person within ourselves.

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or senior Bonnie Bostic, involvement Bostic’s volleyball schedule includes lots of little in volleyball is no small thing. After steps. She wakes up at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and starting competitive volleyball at age Thursdays to work specifically with a personal 12, Bostic has pursued her trainer. For the rest of the week, sport intensely throughout she works out on her own. high school and recently To practice with her team, There are moments where committed to Yale Bostic drives to Munciana University to play volleyball Volleyball—a 57-minute drive you’re just so tired and so next year. In order to from CHS according to worn out from it, but...I’ve uphold this commitment, Google Maps—at least three never felt extremely Bostic said she regularly times weekly. Most weekends, anxious or worried so devotes 20 to 30 hours per she attends tournaments in much about volleyball. week to volleyball. nearby states. Overall, she “Sports in my whole said these little things add up family are just big. I never to a large commitment. felt like it was forced upon “There are moments where me, it’s always been my choice, but it’s you’re just so tired and so worn out from it, definitely kind of ingrained,” Bostic said. but my personality is pretty confident and

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Staff, students contemplate workload, the importance of big, little things in their lives WORDS | CARSON TERBUSH PHOTOS | SHRUTHI RAVICHANDRAN DESIGN BY TARA KANDALLU

Senior Bonnie Bostic works out on a rowing machine, one of the many parts of her regular gym routine. Bostic said she usually visits the gym every day.

collected, so I’ve never felt extremely anxious or worried so much about volleyball. It’s definitely a stress; more in a good type of way though,” Bostic said. “There hasn’t been any negative impact in my mental health or performance in other aspects of life.”

For students who pursue time-consuming activities, like Bostic, the workload they are expected to complete can be overwhelming.

their daily life, and these commitments—whether big or small—can result in pressure.

“On a day-to-day basis, there’s a lot of pressure to get everything done; whether it’s the homework you have, whether it’s making it to all the various commitments that you have, whether it’s a job, whether it’s practices, whether it’s the chores that you have to do at home that are expected of you,” Stephan said. “They may be externally sort of put LITTLE THINGS | 15

If any student here took out a pen and paper and wrote down a list of everything they do in one week—assignments, classes, afterschool activities, social life—and looked at it from an outsider’s perspective, it seems daunting how much high schoolers are expected to accomplish.

According to counselor Melinda Stephan, who coordinates the College and Career Resource Center here, most students also have large and small commitments they must accommodate in

on students, and they may be internally put on ourselves as students to live up to a certain vision of what a Carmel student should be.”

One of those commitments all students can relate to is academics. However, junior Iris Yan said she puts far more academic pressure on herself than most students. Yan said she has taken seven AP classes in past years at this school and is taking seven more this year.

When asked how many AP classes she plans to take next year, Yan said “only” two or three, because

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DESIGN BY TARA KANDALLU

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During SRT, Bostic works on school work at the CHS library.

Bostic balances both a full training schedule for volleyball and a full school schedule for senior year.

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Bostic holds a plank on two medicine balls at a local gym. Because she plays volleyball, she usually focuses her workouts on her arms.

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there aren’t many left she hasn’t taken—“I’m kind of out,” as she put it.

Yan said though she has taken rigorous courses in all areas, her main academic focus is currently chemistry. “(I focus most on) Chemistry Olympiad, because that’s something that requires a lot

Both Yan and Bostic said their choices in time-consuming activities have sometimes made it difficult to maintain smaller things in their lives. Yan said she struggles to stay in contact and spend time with her friends amidst the busy Chemistry Olympiad competition season.

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of work to be good at. I made camp last year, which is top 20 in the nation, so there are high expectations for this year,” Yan said. “(Chemistry) has been kind of hard to work in with my schedule, but basically what I do now is I try to sleep at a decently early time, like anywhere from 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., and then I get up at 5:30 a.m. to study before school.”

“It’s the classic, ‘Oh, my friends are doing (this to spend time together) and I’m just going to study,’” Yan said. “Sometimes I kind of regret not hanging out with them and stuff, but at the same time, long-term, this is something I really want to do with this time in high school.”

Bostic said she feels that especially with a very supportive family, she does her best to keep track

of the small things in her life even while spending a significant portion of time playing volleyball.

“I try to allocate those days that I don’t have to drive up (to Muncie) to making sure my room’s cleaned up and relaxing for a second. Even though it’s important to be busy, it’s also important to take a moment to breathe. I think my family has done a pretty good job of, even though we’re all super busy, still fitting in family dinners and fitting in the important parts of growing up.”

Stephan said to any student who is struggling to balance big or small aspects of their life, academically or otherwise, there are plenty of resources available in the counseling center.

“We would always want a counselor to be a great first step if you aren’t sure where to go. We may not always be the person who is actually the one

WASTING TIME? DON’T BE AFRAID TO SAY NO Keep your long-term commitments in mind before saying yes or no BLOCK DISTRACTIONS Put your phone away and turn off notifications FIND THE TIME Pick a time of day when you’re the most efficient USE A PLANNER Allows you to visually layout your tasks

helping you sort of find solutions or options, but we can get you to the people that do either through your counselor or social workers that might connect you back to a teacher,” Stephan said.

To students who are struggling to maintain balance between big and small things in their life, Bostic and Yan both said it’s important to pursue things you enjoy and to know your limits.

“If you’re learning things and you are doing something you enjoy, then that mindset just makes it a lot more manageable,” Bostic said. “I know there are people that just do activities because that’s what they’ve always done or that’s what their parents want them to do and things like that, (but) when you’re not fulfilled and you have a crazy busy schedule, then that would definitely be difficult to not feel kind of out of control or stressed.”

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Take a look at 12 tips to improve time management.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP Concentration declines when you’re tired

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MAKE A “TO DO” LIST Write tasks down in order of importance and work your way down

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PLAN AHEAD Plan for your week on Sunday night to avoid stress during the week

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THINK ABOUT ENERGY LEVELS Consider your energy level throughout the week

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TAKE 5 MINUTES Think about your goals before starting a task LITTLE THINGS | 17 ACCOUNT FOR INTERRUPTIONS Plan for wasted time DON’T MULTITASK Multitasking only makes you slower

USE TIME TRACKING SOFTWARE Online apps can help monitor your time usage GRAPHIC // JACKIE HUR SOURCE // TIMECAMP.COM

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Bathroom Hand Dryer The silver button on each of the hand dryers at the school is pushed frequently. Yet, there was no major bacteria growth here as students push this button after washing their hands. Still, there were clear signs that some bacteria formed in this location.

Trail Doors (Door 21) The doors in this location are a major point of entry to CHS, resulting in a world of bacteria on the door push-handle. Following incubation, there were clear signs of bacterial growth, although it was not as severe as other locations.

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Greyhound Station Table Seeing as Greyhound Station is a place where students eat their lunch daily, as well as socialize throughout the day, it’s no surprise that the bacterial growth found in this area was the most severe. After just 3 days, this dish contained the most bacteria out of all five locations.

BACTERIAL BREAKDOWN

Take a look at some spots around the school and the bacteria they host

PHOTOS AND EXPERIMENT | HANNAH GRETZ, ANNA KLAUZ WORDS | HANNAH GRETZ, TARA KANDALLU

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ver the last couple of weeks, members of HiLite staff have worked on a science experiment, one that delves into some of the places that students frequent around the school. The experiment involved taking swabs at each of the locations, letting the bacteria swabbed grow via Petri dish for two days and then taking photos of the results. According to science teacher Craig Harper, the procedure for the experiment was very standard. When asked if it was possible that dangerous material was made, he stated “I think it’s pretty unlikely.” He also stated that if dangerous bacteria was grown the school would not have been exposed to it, as the petri dishes were sealed. The results of that experiement are shown here.

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Main Cafeteria Table As the largest cafeteria, Main Cafeteria is one of the most visited places in the building.

Still, it makes sense that it is also one of the most frequently cleaned. The table at Main Cafeteria was thus not as bad as its competitor, Greyhound Station, although the actual size of the bacterial cultures were larger than any other dish.

LITTLE THINGS | 19

Bathroom Sink Handle This location was clearly full of bacteria, as several germ-infested hands turn the handle each day. While the bacteria was not as bad as the Greyhound Station table, the amount of bacteria growing was still overwhelming.

MICRO-LIFE

Microorganisms invisible to the naked eye are involved in every aspect of our lives WORDS | KRIS OTTEN

Escheria coli

Yeast is a type of singlecelled fungi used to make bread and ferment beer.

MI Staphyloccocus

Escheria coli

Staph bacteria in food can cause diarrhea and vomiting.

Contamination occurs most commonly in dairy products such as milk and cheese.

Escheria coli

Enterococcus

Staphylococcus

O BE S I N F O

OD

CR

Escheria coli

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Salmonella

Infections are spread through contaminated food and can cause fever and diarrhea.

Escheria coli Escheria coli

Lactobacillus acidophilus

Yeast

Mycoplasma

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“There’s natural bacteria that lines your gut and a lot of those are either helpful or cause no harm...and some of them help break down certain molecules and give you nutrients,” Marble said. “Others of them are beneficial because they’re taking up space where other harmful bacteria could be.”

Microorganisms are not always just good or bad. Certain bacteria have different varieties that can either benefit or harm you. An example of this is a type of bacteria called E. coli.

“There’s some E. coli that live in your guts and do no harm to you, basically. There’s other strains that are very lethal and make toxins that can kill you,” Marble said.

In the end, despite certain species that are harmful towards us, microorganisms are an essential piece of our environment.

A Klebsiella

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ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are millions of microorganisms that affect us throughout our lives without us even knowing. However, it is a common misconception that all of these microbes are germs. According to AP Biology teacher Daniel Marble, only the microbes that cause harm are considered germs.

“There’s lots of different kinds of microorganisms, so there’s a lot of different types of bacteria,” Marble said. “(There’s) fungus, there’s single-celled plants and animals that we’d call germs collectively because some of those are harmful.”

Despite their mostly negative reputation, many species of microorganisms can actually be beneficial in our bodies and everyday lives.

SOURCES: FOODSAFTEY.GOV, CDC.GOV

E. coli

Some strains of E. coli in undercooked food and recently, romaine lettuce, can cause diarrhea, fever and fatigue.

Enterococcus

Enterococcus lives in the mouth and digestive tract and is usually harmless. However, it can cause urinary tract infections and can infect surgery Lactobacillus acidophilus sites.

Lactobacillus acidophilus Enterococcus

Staphyloccocus

Lactobacillus acidophilus

Lactobacillus lives in the intestines, and its acidity curbs the growth of harmful pathogens.

Enterococcus Mycoplasma

Staphylococcus

GRAPHICS AND DESIGN BY GRAY MARTENS AND MARVIN FAN

MICROBES IN THE BODY

Enterococcus

Staphyloccocus

Mycoplasma Klebsiella Staphyloccocus

Enterococcus

Klebsiella

Lactobacillus acidophilus

Escheria coli Lactobacillus acidophilus

Staphyloccocus Staphylococcus (Staph) lives on the skin and in the mouth. Contact with anotherEnterococcus person’s Staph bacteria can cause skin infections and fever, along withKlebsiella other problems.

Mycoplasma

Mycoplasma live in Mycoplasma the throat, mouth and intestines and can be harmful to humans.

They are called “crabgrass bacteria” Staphyloccocus because they are hard to detect and remove.

Escheria coli Mycoplasma

Staphyloccocus

Enterococcus Klebsiella

Escheria coli

LITTLE THINGS | 21

Lactobacillus acidophilus

Klebsiella lives in the digestive tract and on the skin. Certain strains of Escheria coli it can cause pneumonia and blood infections in Klebsiella hospital patients.

Klebsiella Lactobacillus acidophilus

Klebsiella

Mycoplasma

E. coli

Escheria coli

E. coli lives mainly in the Mycoplasma intestines and the throat, and while most of its species are benign, a few have the potential to cause respiratory illnesses and food poisoning.

SOURCES: NCBI.NLM.NIH.GOV, CDC.GOV, BUSINESSINSIDER.COM Escheria coli

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ight years ago this month, I was in the hospital, not with a broken arm or leg, but to see my newborn brother for the very first time. I remember that day so clearly: from the recovery room to the photos I took of my baby brother on my iPod Touch. Most of all, I remember the joy. Christmas was just days away, and as I held my brother Andrew in my lap, I felt that I was holding the most amazing gift my family had ever been given.

As the coming months turned into years, I got to witness this little human learn to sit up, crawl and function in this foreign world.

I got to hear him learn to talk and call me “Mom-Mom” before he could even pronounce my name.

A lot has changed since then, for both Andrew and me. I like to think we’ve grown up together. Our ages are 10 years apart. As Andrew

12.07 DESIGN BY TARA KANDALLU AND NATALIE KHAMIS

Dexter and her brother Andrew play in a pile of leaves. She said she encourages students to spend as much time with their younger siblings before graduating.

has grown into a little boy, I have become a young woman.

Because I am much older now, everything is about to change.

The night I was drafting this column, I was tucking Andrew into bed when he looked up at me and said something he’s repeated over and over again: “I don’t want you to leave for college.”

SING GAP

WORDS AND PHOTOS | EMILY DEXTER

Managing editor Emily Dexter contemplates the implications of a large sibling age gap

“Let’s not think about that tonight,” I told him, but I know there’s only so long I can go on saying that. Soon we’ll have to face the facts: leaving for college means leaving my little brother behind. It means Andrew will suddenly have a lot more in common with his classmates who don’t have siblings.

I know we can still call and talk to each other next year. I know we won’t be apart forever. But I also know that earlier that night, before he went to bed, Andrew and I shared a blueberry muffin and a book by Dr. Seuss, and you just can’t share a muffin over FaceTime.

I’m not the only student at CHS who has a much younger little sibling, and I’m certainly not the only one with a little sibling. Before long, we’ll all be moving onto our post-high school lives, while our little siblings wait for their turns.

Let’s not waste this time we have with our families. Yes, I know we’re busy. I know our relationships with our siblings may not always be quite so picturesque. But while we’re still here—before we move on and go our separate ways—let’s take the time to actually be with our little siblings. Let’s take the time to A show them we really care.

Q/A: AGE DIFFERENCE Senior Chae Haley shares her thoughts on the age difference berween her, her sibling

QUESTIONS | RIYA CHINNI SUBMITTED PHOTO | CHAE HALEY

Haley poses with her youngest brother as a part of her senior photos.

Haley said she values the memories of taking care of her brother.

LITTLE LITTLETHINGS THINGS| |23

What is different about having a sibling who is 14 years younger?

What are the pros and cons of having a large age gap between you two?

There’s so much more responsibility with (having a much younger sibling). I’m basically my brother’s second mom. My middle brother will be 14 in December and I think of him as any other sibling. But my younger sibling, I think of him as my responsibility. You get to experience all the ‘firsts’ of his life, which is really cool and rewarding.

You get to see all those first memories, which is really, really awesome to see. I’m a senior so next year I’ll be going away to college, and I won’t be able to see as much (of ) him as I would have if we were closer in age, but I value the experiences of when he’s younger versus when he’s at an older age.

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WORDS | JESSE COOPER

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Staff, students discuss importance of small talk, how it actually makes you smarter

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veryone faces this uncomfortable experience at one point: gripping onto a conversation like you’re hanging off the edge of a cliff.

According to Merriam Webster, small talk is defined as “light or casual conversation; chit chat.” However, the definition does not give the topic enough credit. A 2010 study conducted by the University of Michigan showed that small talk actually makes you smarter; “Recent research has shown that social interaction involving discussion of a common topic produced short-term benefits comparable to brain training games.”

Interpersonal Relationships teacher Brenda Lester said via email, “I could see how someone who enjoys small talk might be more likely to stay informed about a variety of subjects. I could also see how intellectual engagement would make someone smarter as long as they keep an open mind.”

Sophomore Hannah Decker said that small talk is important.

“I mean, I guess it’s inevitable. It’s generally something where you find a common ground. It could be about the weather, or it could be about sports,” Decker said, “There’s differences, you just have to push through the small talk to find what you have in common.”

Lester explained why some people dislike small talk, “Some may feel concerned about being judged on responses they give to small talk. Also, people who are 12.07

introverted just prefer not to expend the energy...people who are shy may be more concerned about saying the right or wrong thing,” said Lester.

Lester also said that it is important to sometimes use small talk to establish a conversation.

“Once a certain level of comfort is established, the fear of judgement may not be such a concern by the parties involved. At that point people may feel more comfortable and that they feel they are in a deeper relationship that allows the differences in opinions to be accepted....”

The study concluded with the fact that small talk does improve brain functions: “It is fascinating that simply making friends (and sometimes dealing with enemies) can provide cognitive benefits.”

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MAKE IT MEANINGFUL

To someone else, silence is not a reassuring factor. To avoid this in your next conversation, here are topics and tips to get you started on the right foot.

The darker the color is, the longer the conversation. Remember for the next time you initiate small talk.

HOBBIES People open up more easily with the ir passions, and c reates commonalities on both sides.

WEATHER sed, Although overu short it is reliable for talks and offers n and open discussio observation.

ENTERTAINMENT This can help you d continue talking base ’s on gauging the person e. interests or knowledg

SPORTS This can help you meet other fans and introduce you to new teams or even new sports.

FOOD It’s a lighthearted, enjoyable topic, and food is applicable to anyone and everyone.

HOMETOWN You can easily form a connection with others, and the availability of topics is typically wide.

SOURCE: VERYWELL.COM, PSYCHOLOGY TODAY

WHAT NOT TO SAY LITTLE THINGS | 25

Personal Gossip Gossiping paints you in a bad light, especially towards strangers.

Politics Arguments between parties are common in political conversations.

Finance Asking personal financial questions is intrusive and inappropriate.

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Businesses

Teacher, students contemplate impact of business department on development of student-run businesses WORDS | ADHI RAMKUMAR PHOTOS | NICK BECKMAN AND PRANAV JOTHIRAJAH

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n a typical school day, while most CHS seniors who are part of the Transition to College Program (TCP) schedule utilize their release periods to catch up on school work, tackle college applications, or simply go home and enjoy some free time, senior Andrew Dimond spends his time in a rather eclectic way: running a lighting company.

“My company is Dimond Landscape Lighting, and basically what we do is outdoor illumination,” Dimond said. “So we operate on low volts of circuits and we do things like uplighting of the home, exterior path lighting and anything that has to do with outdoor illumination.”

Dimond said the idea for such a company originated when he was looking for a job; he did not want to work a traditional job,

“We started the first year, and we actually lost a ton of money. Basically, we had a few thousand dollars to start, which was my personal savings, and my bank account dropped all the way to $1,873,” Dimond said. “However, at CHS, I’ve taken IB Business (Management) 1-2, Accounting 1 and currently Accounting 2, which have helped me become more successful. One thing that directly attributed to the eventual success was accounting, which helped me (formulate) an online software of my own to help me keep track of my books and make sure that they were accurate. IB Business (Management) was just great in helping me to branch out and be a better communicator, which allowed me to allocate more clients.”

Dimond’s sentiments are echoed by a recent 2018 study published by the Frontiers

12.07 so he began looking at businesses already existing in the Indianapolis market. What he found were two businesses in the area specializing in outdoor illumination.

Because these companies were upcharging customers, Dimond said he decided to take advantage of the market opportunity and create a company that would operate with lower service prices. However, despite the profitability of his company, Diamond’s entrepreneurial experience has not been entirely free of roadblocks.

in Education journal, which determined that adolescent students who receive quality hands-on entrepreneurship training have higher levels of entrepreneurial alertness and efficacy, in turn enhancing the competency of young entrepreneurs.

Joshua Shelton, IB Business Management teacher and DECA advisor, said he agrees with the findings in the aforementioned study and believes courses in the business department at this school provides a one-ofa-kind learning experience for students.

GRAPHICS AND DESIGN BY AMY TIAN

After school, Andrew Dimond, founder of Dimond Landscape Lighting and senior, wires a transformer box to provide power to the lighting system. Dimond said he utilizes his release periods to work.

Shelton said, “I think the one thing that differentiates us from other places locally and nationwide is that business courses like IB Business Management integrate DECA in the projects done in class, which allows kids with opportunities for real-world experiential learning where they can apply the concepts

“(Chard Reid, former IB Business Management teacher and DECA adviser,) really influenced us to start this tutoring service while in IB Business Management because there’s a DECA category called Business Growth Plan,” Ploss said regarding his small business. “In this category you have LITTLE THINGS | 27

that we’re learning here into the real world, and that’s something that I didn’t even get in my graduate course work until we got to our end-of-course internship.”

Brett Ploss, co-founder of BVL Tutoring and senior, said he agrees with Shelton’s perspective on business courses at this school. Ploss said he has taken Introduction to Business 1-2 as well as IB Business Management at CHS, which have benefited the growth of his entrepreneurial skills over his high school career.

to prove that you are an actual business by paying taxes to the state of Indiana. So Mr. Reid really gave us all the skills, showed us all the websites we needed to refer to, and taught us about taxes. That really influenced our business.”

Dimond said he does not believe the findings in this study are entirely valid, because ultimately, small-scale startups require students to have a strong impetus to improve and develop over time. While courses in the business department at this

>>

STARTING-UP A COMPANY Take a look at the steps to creating your own successful company

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school are certainly helpful in equipping students with technical background, Dimond also said they are not necessarily required to be a successful entrepreneur; rather, he said being passionate about the motives and goals behind the business is even more crucial.

“I think that having an understanding of the concepts helps, but truthfully, in business, it really comes down to whether or not you can build relationships with people. So I think it’s important that you have the conceptual background in business, but really what you need to do well in business is build relationships, because friends build businesses with friends, and there’s no book that’s going to teach you that,” Dimond said. “That’s the stuff you have to learn by actually going out into the business world, understanding how to speak to people, how to sell yourself, how to position yourself, how to brand yourself, how to do that from a company perspective, and then how to add value to the other person or the other company.”

Shelton said while the business department at CHS already offers unique opportunities merging the traditional classroom experience with application-based learning, there is still room for growth in the business department offerings. Additionally, he said gaining more experience outside of the classroom such as job shadowing, apprenticeships, internships and study trips are feasible opportunities to present to students if teachers can figure out how to assess those experiences in the same way they are assessed in the classroom,

Use online resources, market data, and survey people you know about your idea

Think of what is missing in an industry or a problem you want to solve

1 Find your target market, make a marketing campaign, and establish a strong company culture

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Get a name for your company, tax ID, license, bank account and patent

Develop Product

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Hire specialists to manage product development

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Use your personal savings, request a grant and/or solicit venture capital investors

SOURCE // ENTREPRENEUR.COM

12.07 because student performance in such learning options cannot be measured through examinations and grades.

Shelton said, “I think that every course in our department should attempt to provide kids with the opportunity to apply skills to a real-world situation, not just with the business department, but with other departments as well. But particularly, I think it’s very difficult to learn business in a

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classroom, because business is about interacting with people, it’s about building relationships with people, it’s about solving problems, and a lot of times being confined to the classroom doesn’t allow for us to experience that.”

Ploss said he believes students should consider taking business courses at this school not only to learn necessary skills to develop businesses early on in their careers, but also to acquire transferable skills applicable to a wide variety of settings.

GRAPHICS AND DESIGN BY AMY TIAN

On considering business options at this school, Dimond said, “Whatever you decide to do outside of high school, (business and financial) skills will always be applicable. A doctor still has to run their practice, a plumber still has to know how to bill and run their accounting software. Business and entrepreneurship are just kind of core in everything that everybody does.”

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LITTLE THINGS | 29

Dimond Landscape Lighting provides commercial (top left: Coxhall Gardens) and residential (bottom right: neighborhood home) lighting in the Indianapolis area.

Dimond said he started his company when he realized there weren’t any similar businesses in the area.

Little Balls of Fur Students, IndyHumane board member debate effect size has on perceived cuteness of animals WORDS | WENDY ZHU

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Yuto, sophomore Carol You’s cat, sleeps on a blanket. Yuto weighs only three pounds, but You said size is not as important as personality and features when determining cuteness.

SUBMITTED PHOTO | CAROL YOU

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or sophomore Carol You, owning a pet has always been a personal dream. Ever since she was a child, she has always wanted an animal companion, whether it be a dog, cat or rabbit. However, according to You, that dream never came true—until recently.

On Nov. 3, You and her family brought home their first pet: an exotic shorthair kitten named Yuto.

“We didn’t get a dog because (my parents) thought taking care of a dog would be too much work,” You said. “We got our exotic shorthair kitten because he just has a really cute and clueless look on his face. I remember when my dad just sent me pictures of our kitten, and I just fell in love with him because he was so cute.”

Weighing just under three pounds, Yuto is smaller than half a gallon of water, and his adult size will only be around six pounds. You said Yuto’s size makes him seem cuter.

“He’s small and likes closed spaces, so sometimes he likes to sit between my legs or under my knees when my knees are bent, but 12.07 I don’t think he’d be able to fit if he got too big,” You said. “He’s also cute because he acts like a little baby, and he’s really playful and curious.”

According to You, size only contributes to cuteness in some cases.

“Smaller things are not necessarily cuter, but sometimes they are, like with animals. I think small animals are cute because a lot of them are babies, and I love animal babies. For

example, I think baby chicks are really cute, but chickens aren’t,” You said.

Despite this, You still believes size is not very important in determining whether or not something is cute, especially with pets.

“I think (Yuto’s) face and personality mainly make him cute,” You said. “Obviously, when you have a pet, you’ll continue to love it very much no matter how big it gets because it’s your pet.”

Delaney Joyce, cat owner and senior, said she agrees with You. Joyce’s cat, Mia, weighs only five pounds, and although Joyce said via email that Mia’s size adds to her cuteness, she also said it does not necessarily determine it.

“Even though she would still be super cute no matter her size, I definitely think her small size has to do with her cuteness. Everyone that sees her wants to pick her up and play with her,” Joyce said.

GRAPHIC AND DESIGN BY RHEA ACHARYA AND LILLIAN HE

TALKING TO ANIMALS

See what students have to say about their pet’s size PHOTOS, SPEAK-UPS | LILY MCANDREWS

Miso, axolotl

According to Joyce, size is not only a factor in Mia’s cuteness but also the cuteness of all animals in general. “Some baby animals are super cute and then eventually may grow out of it as they get older and start to look more adult,” Joyce said.

Bonnie Gallivan, member of the Board of Directors at the Humane Society of Indianapolis, said size affects how people describe dogs at the shelter.

“It is true that our smaller dogs are often referred to as cute,” Gallivan said via email.

“I have not heard our large dogs referred to as cute. More frequently the descriptions of our larger dogs include such terms as handsome, beautiful, good-looking and strong—words more associated with adults.”

However, according to Gallivan, people still find larger animals cute in some cases. She said even with larger breeds of dogs, people have always found puppies cute due to their age. “I would be hard-pressed to remember a time when someone did not say that all of our puppies are cute, including the puppies of

“The size of Miso does impact her cuteness a bit because if she was as big as a dog, I would honestly be a bit terrified of her. As for her personality, I don’t think it would change much if she was a different size.”

-Sophomore Trinity Wolfangel

Lenny, ball python “I know it’s weird saying a snake has a personality, but he is small and dramatic. If his food isn’t the right temperature, he won’t eat. He is a three-foot-long snake with a big personality.”

-Sophomore Anna Koebcke “I don’t believe size has anything to do with cuteness or personality because I think trust and the animal’s comfort in me is what makes them cute.”

-Senior Becky Strapulos

Rusty, bearded dragon LITTLE THINGS | 31

large breed dogs,” Gallivan said. “For example, we had a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy that was larger than some of our small-to medium-sized dogs, but the dog was still referred to as cute. This may be because puppies are seen as vulnerable because of their age. Humans may be attracted to that which is vulnerable because they feel the need to protect.”

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“He loves to jump on things, and it’s really cute to see his little legs try and jump onto something. His small size is definitely something that we love because we love to cuddle him like a little teddy bear.”

-Sophomore Melissa Su

Mickey, maltese

SUBMITTED PHOTO | MELISSA SU

“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.�

Mother Teresa