December 2020 - Vol. 9 No. 3

College Station High School

4002 Victoria Ave. College Station, Texas 77845

Vol. 9 No. 3

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

8

Driving paves road to freedom

10 Outdoor homecoming celebrates night under the stars

11

Graphics by Elisabeth Stewart

Election causes shift in presidential, congressional leadership Aliza Ali Managing Editor

Hydroponics stimulates plant growth

INDEX

News Opinions People Sports Entertainment Etc.

2-4 5-7 8-11 12-13 14-15 16

Former Vice President Joe Biden was declared as the winner of the 2020 presidential election on Nov. 7, beating incumbent President Donald Trump after being the first candidate to reach 270 electoral votes.

“I feel hopeful with the results,” senior Dani Payne said. “I got to actively participate [in the election] this year, which is very exciting, and I’m hopeful that this change in leadership will be a good thing for our country and that we will be able to grow and change for the better. I think [Biden] is a good start to fixing these issues. I believe that Biden and Harris will do a good job of

Social Media:

introducing our country to the change it needs to have, but I [also] think that us as citizens still need to advocate and keep government officials responsible and accountable for their actions and how they affect everybody in the country.”

In addition to Biden winning the presidency, Republicans gained seats in both the House of Representatives.

Democrats still control the House, and the party who gains control of the Senate will be determined through Georgia’s runoff election results in January. Runoff elections are second elections that occur when there is no candidate who won the majority of votes.

“I think that this [election] was an overwhelming success for Republi-

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News

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

The Catamount

Voters ponder upcoming runoff elections, international relationships continued from page 1

What Happens Next?

States must settle disputes over voting and recounts Dec. 8

The electoral college meets in each state to vote for a candidate

Inauguration Day The electors’ votes must be submitted to Congress for certification

Dec. 14 Dec. 23 continued from page 1

Congress meets to count the electoral votes Jan. 6

Source: The Washington Post, Constitution Central -cans,” senior Ben Crockett said. “Number one, this is the year of the Republican woman. Secondly, because of the minority vote. If the Republican Party wants to continue to be a viable party, they have to win those nonwhite voters. The third reason why I’m really happy is because it looks like we’re going to hold on to the Senate, and we’re going to increase our number of delegates in the House. This was the year that Republicans, by all predictions, were going to get crushed in the Senate and House, but it didn’t happen.”

Election results were delayed several days, largely because many people voted through mail-in ballots as a safety precaution. However, the delay in receiving election results has led to much dispute surrounding them.

Many people, including President Trump, claim that the results are fraudulent.

“Arguing that it’s fraud is just insulting, especially to people who worked the election,” Payne said.

“It’s also an insult to Americans as citizens, saying that they’re going to choose to lie and do things that are illegal instead of trusting the process of elections.”

States such as Pennsylvania, Georgia and Nevada were unable to release their election results until after Nov. 3. According to Pew Research Center, 50.3 percent of votes were cast through either mail-in or absentee ballots. Additionally, many states did not allow these votes to be counted until the day of the election.

“In my opinion, the laws in each state are affecting what Donald Trump does,” Payne said. “For example, in Pennsylvania, they do not start counting the mail-in and absentee votes until the day of the election. Because of that, Pennsylvania [took] a really long time before they could announce their election results. If they had been able to start counting earlier, and the results came really fast, I don’t think Trump would have focused on Pennsylvania as much.”

Donald Trump has done many things throughout his term that have been met with controversy and disapproval from people with all types of political affiliations.

“There are things that [Trump] does that I like, and I clap. There are things that he does that I don’t like, and I boo,” Crockett said. “I think trade wars are bad ideas, and he started several trade wars. When you start a trade war, there is going to be retaliatory tariffs and

“I think [Americans] should work to find common ground.”

- Collin Slattery U.S. History and Economics teacher that is going to make goods more expensive for the consumer.”

However, Donald Trump has also been responsible for things that many people have responded to positively.

“On the other hand, I like tax cuts,” Crockett said.

“I also clap for the peace deal between Israel and Bahrain. Most of the things I clap for are domestic policy.”

Swing states are states that could lean either Republican or Democrat. This election, these states in-

Jan. 20, 2021 - The newly elected president and vice president can take their oaths of office cluded Arizona, Nevada, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina and New Hampshire, along with Maine and Nebraska’s second congressional districts.

“They don’t just affect the outcomes, they completely determine the election,” U.S. History and Economics teacher Collin Slattery said. “Just like how Texas is always red and California seems to always be blue, some swing states tend to be always down the middle.

I think this election showed a lot of indications of that changing, but I [also] think that based on the electoral college system we have right now, it is not 50 states determining an election, it is more like three or four.”

Largely due to economic reasons, many people in several other countries are also invested in this election.

“The United States is economically involved in nearly every part of the world,” Slattery said. “For the next four years, [other countries] want to know what type of person they are going to be working with. Most countries are involved not just because of their country’s national security, but for the individual people living in those countries. A lot of people out there in the working world are impacted by the American economy in some form or fashion.”

Election season has a tendency to be an incredibly divisive time in the United States. This divide is especially prominent in 2020 amongst the civil unrest and the coronavirus pandemic.

“I think [Americans] should work to find common ground instead of working to find things that differentiate them from the other political party,” Slattery said. “I think a lot of politicians say certain things just to make sure that they don’t get lumped into a certain group instead of trying to make themselves a part of a certain group.”•

The Catamount

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

News

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SPARK: Climate change and what we should do about it Jenny Langhoff Entertainment Editor Climate change has been a topic for decades in environmental awareness. The detrimental effects of climate change have become more urgent, evoking people to begin reversing the damage done. The Catamount invited sophomore Casey Wilkins, junior Rylie Pendleton and seniors Vicent Musser and Anika Van Steinburg to dicuss the issue.

Do you believe that the climate changes on its own, strictly from mankind, or both, or not at all?

Vincent: I think it’s a mixture. In the pre-1800s, most of the climate was due to volcanoes and [other natural processes]. As the population started growing exponentially, human impact started to take a toll on the environment.

There are plenty of studies that can show we have a significant impact on the environment.

Riley: I agree with Vincent, but to elaborate, I’d like to think we are accelerating it, but it is also a natural process that will happen anyway.

Anika: I believe in climate change. It’s a natural occurring process, but it’s never happened as quickly as it’s happening now. We as people are a big reason for its severity.

Casey: I also believe that it does exist and that at this point in time, we are the main source of it.

What factors do you think greatly contribute or not contribute to climate change?

Vincent: Volcanoes are a surprisingly big part of climate change.

Riley: People focus on us, but looking at China, they have constant smog over their cities. Of course, America has a big part of it, but other countries need to get with it too.

Anika: I think large corporations are the big cause. They release large amounts of emissions into the atmosphere.

Along with dumping waste into the ocean and whole lumbering, deforestation. [Riley] brought up a good point about the whole collective, but we need to be held accountable and not just try to put the blame on other countries. We need to involve ourselves because it is our fault.

Vincent: These factors have global implications. Either trash goes over the ocean, or the pollutants get in the air.

Are the predictions reliable? (sea levels rising, dying species, etc.)

Anika: I think the predictions are very reliable. It’s been happening for years. There’s been a decline of land and sea animals because of global warming. Oceans can’t take large amounts of temperature increase, which in turn results in many other species to go into decline. I think a lot of the statistics are reliable.

Casey: I agree, at worst, the statistics being provided are over estimates. Being careful won’t hurt anyone.

Is climate change a movement because it is important to people or because it is a trend?

Anika: It’s a mixture of the two. There are people that care about the environment and have for a long time. We all remember the “save the turtles” trend. People were taking part in it, but the problem about making environmental awareness a trend is that people lose focus of the real problems. It puts the focus on us as individuals when we cause the least amount of pollution.

Vincent: We have one world. If we mess this up, there’s nowhere to go.

Anika: Everyone thinks a solution could be finding another planet to live on, but that’s not a solution because we’re avoiding the problem. It just grows into different areas.

Climate change, or at least environmental awareness is a movement overtaking America right now. What do you think of regulations/advancements to stop climate change?

Anika: I think those laws are great to put in place. We’re realizing how much we do waste and the laws are becoming more common in states and counties. Like taxes on plastic bags, it’s encouraging people to bring reusable bags. It puts into perspective how much waste we create.

If taxes are in place, instead of using three or five bags, one reusable one can be used. It’s not necessary.

Vincent: Ultimately, a change on an individual level is not enough at this point. We need some leaders to put their foot down and make changes.

Casey: At this point it’s the only way to back track because at some point, it’ll be too late.

Should working to slow down climate change be a responsibility among civilians? Is it a responsibility held in a global stance or prominent only in certain countries?

Anika: I think as individuals, we play a part in climate change, but the blame and responsibility of reversing the damage should fall onto the shoulders of governments and corporations that are causing climate change because individuals aren’t really the cause. For example, Shell in the past has been a great contributor to environmental businesses. I don’t think we should put all of the blame onto individuals because then nothing will change.

Riley: We should put more blame on the corporations themselves, but the issue is all they want is money.

Vincent: The pollutants have global implications for other countries that produce much emissions. Yet, those that are producing those large amounts of emissions are making money off of it. So, who’s gonna make the step forward to enact those changes.

Why do you think climate change has made an appearance in American politics? Should climate change be ad-

dressed by the law? Or at least have a place in government decisions?

Casey: Until we get everyone on the same page of climate change, there aren’t going to be many changes.

Anika: It’s a big focus in our country because we left the Paris Accord, which was a global effort to slow down and reverse climate change. America’s role in stopping climate change has been minimized when we are a big cause of it.

Riley: With the Paris Accord, I don’t think we are obligated to participate in it when other countries, like China, are doing nothing to stop it.

Anika: Just because other countries are doing nothing to stop it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t. You see that it’s an issue that another country isn’t participating in, so why would America do the same thing?

Riley: The issue with the Paris Accord is that it’s basically doing nothing. If you look at China, the Paris Accord isn’t affecting or punishing them because China isn’t listening to it.

Vincent: If it’s any consolation, I believe Biden wants to get back into the Paris Accord, but just like with many presidential claims, it may go unfounded.

Anika: I think it’s a priority to rejoin the Paris Accord.

The Green New Deal is a proposal that aims to address climate change and economic inequality. What is your opinion on the Green New Deal and do you think it’ll benefit or harm America?

Riley: I don’t think the Green New Deal will benefit America at all because it’s trillions of dollars all at once. We should take time. The Earth is huge and we have a bit of time as long as progress is made.

Anika: I don’t see a problem with the Green New Deal if it’s generally applying to help the environment. And what you said about time, we really don’t have time. Most of the projections for when climate change will become irreversible are in a matter of years. I don’t think we need to take it slow. It should be addressed right off the bat. Sure, it’s a lot of money, but if that money isn’t spent, what’ll happen to our planet and environment? After climate change becomes reversible, we are going to be at a steady decline.

Vincent: Humans are not very prudent. There’s a reason one doesn’t do one’s homework until midnight. Naturally, we are procrastinators. We want to see how far something can be pushed. The problem with Climate Change is, the line where you say “okay, now I’m really in trouble” may not be clear. If we push the limit too far, it could be too late.

Riley: If the limit is pushed too far, there are machines that can be employed to clean the atmosphere. If climate change does become an issue, we can force China to stop manufacturing so heavily.•

Graphics by Jo Naidu

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News

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

The Catamount

Foster families adopt, unite children with community support Elisabeth Stewart News Editor For foster children, a courthouse is often a dismal place where adults discuss parental rights and placement.

However, at the end of the long foster-to-adoption process, a joyous day arrives: adoption day. For volleyball coach Kacie Street, this day was Jan. 16, 2019, when her foster children August and Caleb joined her family permanently, surrounded by their former case workers and new relatives.

“It’s a big step, but if you have the right mindset, it’s not as hard as people think to take care of somebody else,” Street said. “You definitely have to make sure you understand that each child who has been removed from their family is going to suffer some sort of trauma, and be prepared for it, but at the end of the day, they’re kids, and they just need a safe place to be.”

In the College Station community, the need for foster families has grown dramatically, said Amy Ging, Assistant Executive Director at BCS Together, a local non-profit serving foster families. The entire fostering process requires a lengthy legal process, growth as a family unit and mutual support with the community.

“A good foster family recognizes the importance of reunification,” Ging said, who once fostered herself.

“That’s the goal. It’s not to have a child placed in your home and then adopted by you. Sometimes that ends up being the case, but the goal is kiddos to be able to go home to their family. Even if it appears to be a better situation with us, the research shows that really, them being able to go home to family is the best thing for these kids.”

In some cases, however, the biological parent’s rights are terminated due to ongoing conflict, and the children become available for adoption, as in the case of August and Caleb Street.

“It was our assumption that the parental rights were already being terminated so we were going to end up with them for a lifetime, which is what we loved and wanted,” Street said. “Of course, our number one goal was whatever was best for them. That is, I think when you foster, one of the hardest parts - letting go. You’ve got to do the best you can and then reunify them with their parents. You put a lot of love and effort into somebody and you just want to see what’s best for them.”

After completing legal background checks, home visits, first aid and CPR training, Street had four days to prepare for her sons, August and Caleb, to join their household.

“I think the biggest challenge, in all honesty, was going from not being a parent to being a parent full time, with not only kind of easing your way into it, but they were 18 months old, already walking and beginning to talk,” Street said. “It was kind of a whirlwind of going from zero to 100, or maybe 200, cause it’s times two.”

Senior Josh Baker’s family fostered his younger sister, Grace, when he was 10 years old. She developed “mother tendences” at a young age, Baker said, to care for her younger siblings until they were placed into foster care.

“She was so used to just jumping from house to

▲Kacie,

Josh and adopted sons August and Caleb Street celebrate Thanksgiving. Coach Street and her husband adopted the boys after serving as their foster family. PHOTO PROVIDED BY KACIE STREET house,” Baker said. “She hadn’t stayed in a house for more than six months in her four years in the foster system, so I think she would just have to pretend to be okay for 6 months and move on.”

When she entered the Bakers’ care, Grace did not expect the arrangement to be permanent, causing adjustment difficulties. She might physically lash out at Baker’s parents, and struggled to adjust to the permanent situation.

“It’s really crazy when you go through classes to become a licensed foster parent and you hear all about trauma, but it’s not until they’re really in your home and you’re experiencing it firsthand that you’re like, ‘oh man, what do you do?” Ging said.

Many foster children develop harmful habits and behaviors, like aggression, mental illness, increased aggression and distrusting adults.

Despite the challenges, Baker made the decision to “pour himself out” to Grace in response.

“You really have to want to love somebody,” Baker said. “You have to have a want to foster and a want to adopt. Bringing somebody into the family, you’re bringing them into all the drama, all the chaos, everything that goes on.”

Seven years later, Grace has permanently joined his family.

Street and Baker both relied on local support systems, like church, extended family members and fellow College Station High School staff and teachers. Street also mentioned BCS Together, a local non-profit serving foster and kinship families with needed items.

“We have a closet where families can come and get clothing items for their children, shoes, toiletries, cribs, twin beds, mattresses, all those kind of necessity items,”

Foster families in the brazos valley

60 70

1,781

Source: Texas CASA

case workers

children in foster care child abuse reports(2019)

Ging said. “The range of things you might need for a child is large, so a lot of time it’s not until you get the placement [that you realize what you need].”

In January, they plan to open a temporary home to serve children recently removed from their homes and awaiting placement. Ging stresses the immediate need for foster families in the Brazos Valley. Their goal for the coming year is to locate 21 more foster homes.

For anyone willing to take the leap, Ging said, it’s all about loving and providing a safe place.

“There’s a lot of kids in need, and if we could make an impact or change a life in some way, then we wanted to be able to do that,” Street said. “That’s one of the reasons why we chose to look through the state for somebody to foster and possibly adopt because they’re here.”

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The Catamount

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

Series from youth connects to current life

THE CAT’S EYE VIEW staff editorial Homecoming Gala prioritizes safety, exceeds expectations Due to the pandemic, many school events have been structured differently this year, one of them being Homecoming, the Starlight Gala on Nov. 21. Unlike previous years, the event was held outdoors, masks were required and guests were restricted to CSISD students.

Despite initial challenges surrounding COVID, Homecoming surpassed all expectations and provided community in a socially-distanced setting.

Student Council and other organizers put much effort into planning a memorable event despite the limitations of COVID and the priority on safety. Traditionally, Homecoming has propelled gatherings both before and after the event itself, and according to social media posts, even this year students gathered without masks to take pictures and enjoy their time together before the school event.

However, the option of dining outdoors at the Gala event on food truck fare may have prevented students from pouring indoors to local restaurants, where the risks are certainly higher. Furthermore, tickets were accessible online and students made table reservations for their group for contact tracing. The tables, which only seated eight students, were spaced over six feet apart, so guests could reduce potential transmission while eating. Attendees stayed socially distant, wore their masks and followed the rules required to attend the event.

Moreover, the event added a whole new element of fun compared to previous Homecoming dances. Scattered across the lawn were games and activities, from Giant Jenga to cornhole, and both the CSHS Culinary students and the eight local food trucks offered a variety of food options to enjoy during the night. The Jazz Band opened the event with their upbeat music, and CSHS graduate and local musician Cole Whittlesey followed with fa- miliar guitar tunes.

Guided by lights strung in the trees, on the building and placed on the tables, students were able to move about freely in the outdoor area with more space to stay socially distanced.

Despite initial concerns, the Starlight Gala created community among Cougars in a way previous Homecoming dances have failed to do. We should take note and implement these new ideas into future school wide events.

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2020-2021 Newspaper Staff Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Executive Editor Senior Editor News Editor Opinions Editor Entertainment Editor Sports Editor Graphic Artist Cartoonist Faculty Adviser Assistant Adviser

Erin Park Aliza Ali Jo Naidu Ayden Woods Elisabeth Stewart Calla Duffield Jenny Langhoff Saul Canchola Sophia Amstalden Zoe Taylor Courtney Wellmann Teresa Laffin

Opinions

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Anyone unfamiliar women are spirited warriors. Perhaps the greatest with Avatar was probably example of the show’s ability to empower women is confused about the buzz through Sokka, a non-bender warrior with misogthe series caused when it ynistic tendencies who often feels helpless when he returned to Netflix a while cannot contribute to the battle. Although he begins back. I was immersed into the series as a boorish oaf who believes that a man’s the world of Avatar when I duty is to protect “feeble” women, he eventually Saul Canchola was younger, so the return falls in love with Suki, a Kyoshi warrior who epitoof two decades later made mizes the inherent strength in femininity. this year a little bit better.

Beyond the show’s progressivism, Avatar relWith its return to Netflix, I jumped back into evance to real life has made it so endearing fifteen the mythology and culture and found fresh comfort years later. Although bending itself is from rewatching it—one I didn’t find until reobviously a fantastical feat, the iswatching it now, renewing my affection for it. sues the characters grapple with The unique take on martial arts moves, which emerge in our world as well. Desconstitute the “bending” of natural elements, tiny is imposed upon Aang, strugis enough to produce great content. And for those gling to resolve issues with his less interested in combat, t he show incorpoown inner guidance.In a particurates humor and beautifully unique lar scene from the show, previous creative concepts, like the animals. incarnations of the Avatar appear Where else would you see a majestic to Aang, urging him to kill the ten ton sky bison effortlessly soaring archvillain, Firelord Ozai, even in the air? though to end another’s life The show avoided the standard goes against the teachings of source material, which made it the peaceful Air Nomad, leaving accessible to all demographics.

Aang confused and frustrated as Whereas many popular television he decides the fate of himself and sitcoms cater to a white, suburban of the Firelord. experience and capitalize on racial We too are facing an existenstereotypes, each nation’s culture tial question: what does it mean to be derives from its settings: the Fire ourselves in spite of what others expect Nation is as- sociated with Japan, Earth of us? What responsibilities and obliK i n g d o m with China, Water Tribes with gations does that create? The show tackles the Inuit peoples and Air Nomads with Tibet. those questions directly and provides a stunThis influences each nation’s archining revelation: we ultimately have Art by Calla Duffield the freedom to chart our own destitecture, clothing and decorum.

The show also promotes gender equality at ny. Avatar appreciates that liberation from imposed every turn, a refreshing break from action stories’ destinies and identities. Anyone can change, and to typical reduction of women into objects of romanallow prior faults and shortcomings to define ourtic fascination and side commentary. In the series, selves is to live inauthentically. •

The Catamount Newspaper

The newspaper is produced by the Advanced Journalism: Newspaper Production class at College Station High School,

4002 Victoria Ave., College Station, Texas, 77845. The opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not reflective of the administrators, faculty or staff of the College Station Independent School District.

Submissions to the editors are welcomed but must be signed and should not exceed 300 words. The editor reserves the

right to edit submissions in the interest of clarity and length or to not print a letter at all. Letters containing obscene or libelous material will not be considered. The Editorial Board consists of all staff.

The newspaper is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC) and a winner of their Bronze Star award

in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019 as well as their Silver Star Award in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

College Station ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex or handicap in providing

education services. Monica James, Director of Human Resources, 1812 Welsh, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5412) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Title IX. Molley Perry, Director of Special Services, 1812 Welsh, Suite 120, College Station, Texas 77840 (979-764-5433) has been designated to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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Opinions

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

The Catamount

School requires healthy work-life balance I, like most other high school students, have a huge tendency to procrastinate. There are days when I feel lazy and unmotivated.

I just want t o l a y i n

ant tasks that invoke distressing and unappealing emotions and fear of failure are common factors in why people procrastinate, rather than lack of time management skills and general laziness.

Usually, I am able to get everything done at some p o i n t . This is probably why I still procrastinate because no matter how long I put things off, I can still Aliza Ali bed get it done eventually. Therefore, I never all day learn to be better about it. and watch Disney ChanOver time, I’ve learned that it’s pernel movies with a bunch of fectly okay to give myself a break sometimes. pillows and a big, fluffy There are times when it is absolutely necessary. blanket wrapped around m e .

In the past, I used to hold a major animosLately, due to drowning in ity towards taking breaks, senioritis and major burnout f r o m particularly everything going on in the world, I when I was docan feel myself going deeper down t h e ing schoolwork, path of procrastination. Sometimes this is because I and felt the need simply don’t feel like doing my work. I lack the motivation to keep pushing and drive that is necessary to finish everything I need to do through no matwhen I have these feelings. ter how much it afOther times, I procrastinate because I don’t know fected my mental what I’m supposed to be doing. There are times when I health and made me don’t understand the assignment and am too stubborn to feel miserable. Huask for help, so I avoid doing it for as long as I can to avoid mans, surprisingly, the negative emotions that come with it. This was a huge are not robots and problem I had back in the spring. need breaks to re This is actually one of the biggest reasons energize and reboot.

Stepping back and Art by Calla Duffield being lazy, and learning to be okay with it, why people procrastinate in general. According to Psychology Today, procrastinating due to unpleasimproved my mood and state of mind significantly. •

??? QUESTION

OF THE

issue

HUMANS of CSHS

PHOTO BY KENNEDY SHARP

Hannah Haliburton junior

“I like acting a lot, and I like the people [in theatre]. It’s just a family. Eveyone in there is really different because all the roles of theatre are so different from each other.” “[My most recent preformance was] The Jugle Book, [playing] Mowgli. It was fun to play a childish, innocent role. I got to change Mowgli’s gender and kind of make it my own. In the play, Mowgli started out as very innocent and childlike, and then grew up in that short play and left the jungle, and that was very cool to show.”

Check out our Instagram to learn more about the Humans of CSHS @cshscatamountnewspaper

COUGAR UNVEILED by Zoe Taylor

WHich type of vehicle do you drive?

3.4% Sports Car

12.1% Truck

18.1%

20.7% SUV

Car b

Graphics by Calla Duffield

116 people polled

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

The Catamount

Growing garden cultivates comfort, community Last Spring, when everything first shut down because of the Covid-19 pandemic, my mom got into a new art Calla Duffield niche. Except this time, instead of obsessing over crochet, or resin, or silk painting, she decided to nurture something that would bloom on its own: flowers. A landscape of pink and orange zinnias, purple Texas sage, yellow and red lantanas, fuschia coneflowers, bubblegum butterfly bush and lilac salvia soon came alive in my backyard.

But above all flowers, milkweed was her most prized flower; she hoped to attract Monarch butterflies to the garden.

After failing many times to get the plant to take root, one meager sprig, her last hope, sprouted happily and proceeded to take over the garden.

Every morning, I watched her proudly survey her work and thought how good it would feel to see a living thing that I planted grow. While in social isolation as a result of the coronavirus, I needed

to make sure I wasn’t wasting my time in a hole of selfpity. My solution, like my mom’s, was gardening.

A f t e r weeks of planting and pruning and plucking, I surveyed my crops. The watermelon plants and cucumbers were the first to fall victim to the Texas heat; the vines died without producing a single sprout. The jalapenos and banana peppers had yet to produce, the few tomatoes and lone eggplant had the texture of styrofoam and tast- ed like it too, and the “snackable” red bell pepper could only be seen under a microscope. It was hard work, with little to show for it, but somehow, I still found it fulfilling.

T h e r e were other rewards than the harvest itself. Just being immersed in the tiny worlds of birds and i n sects Art by Calla Duffield t h a t w e don’t often notice was worth the hours

of time I spent caring for my plants.

My mom’s earlier milkweed attracted caterpillars, which ate the plant leafless and soon rendered it lifeless. I started feeding them cucumbers (not recommended) as a last resort until they chrysalized. These chrysalises produced warm orange monarch butterflies that kept me company while I tended to my plants. In addition to butterflies, many kinds of bees and dragonflies visited, as well as the occasional hummingbird. Nature certainly is beautiful, and when immersed in it, despite Covid, I don’t feel so isolated.

In the past few weeks, the milkweed has regrown and I have cared for the caterpillars that are feeding from the plant.

I disinfect milkweed leaves, clean up caterpillar frass (poop), and move their chrysalises from places where birds could easily spot a snack.

I don’t think I will ever be able to understand how the garden’s magnificence is composed; the wild balance of colors and texture is ethereal and delicate yet untamable. But I am grateful that while the world takes a hit, my garden grows on, and I with it. •

Money, responsibility, indepenedence are gift and curse High school is one of the biggest developmental stages for teens. It’s the bridge of childhood to adulthood, where in the four short years we attend, we have some of the biggest changes in lives. It’s the point when I Ayden Woods lost the childhood mentality and was faced with real world challenges that completely changed my life.

One of the milestones a lot of high schoolers hurdle is the balance of getting a first job and keeping their grades up. A first time job opened up a world that I know I’ll never escape: the world of money.

Once that first paycheck came in, I was instantly hooked, each week anticipating the next paycheck with vigor. Having disposable money I could spend on myself was a fantastic feeling. However, Art by Sophia this same feeling inverted itself as soon as

I had to start paying for my own things. If I want a new video game or new hoodie, I have to pay for those things now, and I quickly learned that money doesn’t come easily and the more I spend, the less I have. I realized that even though I had some cash, I would not have remotely enough to support myself as an adult and that I couldn’t work at a pizza joint forever.

With the rapidly onsetting realization of adulthood the prospect of moving out one day and living on my own is intimidating. I wonder how I’m going to pay bills with a minimum wage job while also being a full time student in college. I’m having to make decisions that affect my future before I’ve even graduated from high school. At 17 I’m making the decision to pursue a career through higher education that will decide my income and livelihood for what will most likely be the rest of my life, all while trying to survive the struggles of high school without losing myself Amstalden along the way. •

Opinions

7

Voices What is your new

year’s resolution?

“I’m too good at procrastinating and I need to stop.”

Gavin Lehde, senior “I hope to be able to remember 2020 as a year of change.

2021 will be our year of recovery.

Kassidy Jones, freshman

“To not have another 2020 in 2021.”

Wyatt Shugart, sophomore

“To stop caring about what everyone thinks.”

Angelina Lopez, sophomore

“To look at the changes positively and roll with the punches that the world will send my way.”

Abigail Franklin, senior

“Don’t be overwhelmed by life.”

Tabor Smith, senior

8

Student Life

The Catamount

f Minivan

• Characterised by large cargo space and dual sliding doors on both sides • A mid-sized brochure, similar to a SUV, that has a low center of gravity • Usually seats seven or more and targets larger families

Sedan

• Has four doors, four windows, and a fixed roof • Usually seats four or five people • Great for smaller families or people who do not need much cargo capacity

Roadsters/Convertibles

• A car with a roof structure that can be ‘converted’ to allow open-air or enclosed driving • Features either a retractable hardtop roof or soft folding top

GRAPHICS BY ERIN PARK

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

ur-wheeled

h

me

Newfound ability to drive advances freedom Ayden Woods Senior Editor One of the biggest moments in a teenager’s life is getting the license. After months of hard work and successfully passing the driver’s test, the license is a golden ticket into a new world of opportunities.

“Driving given me much more freedom than before, rather than having to sit at home and only go places when we need something. I can just go out and drive if I just want to get out of the house,” Senior Nicholas “Nike” Liao said.

To many seniors like Liao, life completely changed once they get their license. Senior Andrew Satterfeild said that driving has a major impact on his life and he depends on it.

“I feel like driving has made me more free because I’m not restricted to a friend‘s car to get around town. I can go farther and meet more awesome people,” Satterfeild said.

Senior Bryant Kimber said that he no longer has to ask parents or friends

for rides.

“I think driving is great and helps get me where I need to go,” Kimber said.

Liao said that driving has opened up freedom that he never had before.

“Just getting to be able to go and do

My life would be pretty boring if I couldn’t drive.

-Andrew Satterfield SENIOR the things I like without having to wait or ask anybody,” Liao said.

Satterfield said that once he is done with school, he spends a lot of time going around town and having fun.

“Driving enhances my day. I go to HEB after second period and can do pretty much whatever. It gives me a lot of freedom,” he said.

Liao also said that without the ability to drive he would need to rely on

other people for transportation.

“I drive pretty much everyday to get wherever I need, whether it‘s getting to school or running errands,” Liao said.

K i m b e r said that one of his favorite parts of driving is the time when he is alone in a quiet car relaxing. Satterfield uses his License to travel.

“My favorite part about driving is that I can go wherever, whenever. I can visit my cousin up in Austin and catch the beach down in Corpus,” Satterfeild said Satterfeild said that driving has become a crucial part of his life that he uses almost every day.

“My life would be pretty boring if I couldn’t drive,” Satterfeild said. “Because there’s not an easy way to bike or walk around to get most places it would be extremely annoying to go to, let’s say, Bahama Bucks to get a drink. Driving makes it be a 10 minute trip instead of an hour long trek.” •

The Catamount

Student Life

9

Hatchback/Compact

• Has a rear door that opens upwards • Typically feature a four-door configuration, excluding the rear door, although two-door hatchbacks are not uncommon • Small in size and very maneuverable, they make great city cars or short distance commuters

Sports utility vehicle

• Built on a body-on-frame chassis • Provides increased ground clearance and off-roading capabilities.

• Often includes both off-roaders and soft-roaders

Sports car • Designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, or thrill of driving • Most only having two doors and a maximum of 4 seats

PHOTOS BY AYDEN WOODS

10

People

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

The Catamount

Homecoming Happenings

Despite COVID restrictions, festivities connect Cougar community

▲Pep rally participants band together for the singing of the school song. PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN

▲Homecoming King Owen North and Queen Elizabeth West celebrate at the game on Nov. 20. PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN ▲(Above right) Caroline Lobb plays

the guitar with the Jazz Band at the Gala. PHOTO BY ELISABETH STEWART

Senior Warren Kurk plays a purple tenor trombone during the band’s halftime performance. PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN

▶

▲Cheerleaders stunt with students.

PHOTO BY ELISABETH STEWART

▲Teachers join Steppers. PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN

▲At the Gala students dine on food truck fare at tables (above left) and play games like Connect Four. PHOTOS BY ELISABETH STEWART ◄ The Strutters perform

a prop routine at halftime of the game. PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

Down TO earth

The Catamount

People

11

Horticulture students explore hyrdroponic plant growth Jenny Langhoff Entertainment Editor Advancing the Earth occurs in many different ways, usually from the ground up. As the agriculture of plants, horticulture takes that literally with housing new inventions to better plant growth. At CSHS, the Advanced Plant & Soil Science class, taught by Sheridan Clinkscales, challenging students to view and grow plants in a new light, the class allows students to be scientists while manipulating plant growth in innovative ways.

“I love how interconnected everything is, not just with the subject material, but how we as a class are able to work together to learn the course, rather than just doing individual work,” senior Anika Van-Steinburg said.

The Advanced Plant & Soil Science class includes labs and projects to allow students to form and test theories about improving plant growth. Recently, students were assigned to build their own hydroponics, the method of growing crops without soil using aqueous solvent.

“This semester they had to build their own hydroponics system and grow plants in the system for one month,” Clinkscales said. “During that month they monitored the water quality and the plant growth. They will do a video lab report over this project.”

Students found the inner workings of such a complex, but advanced way to grow plants, is becoming more popular globally. The students also developed lab skills, such as measuring with tools, making wet mount slides and using the scientific method to design an experiment and more.

“Hydroponics is quite a new concept in the realm of agriculture in which plants are grown by using a self recycling nutrient solution that gives the plants a constant supply of nutrients and water that the organism would otherwise acquire from the soil,” senior Alejandro Baneuolos said. “We take data such as pH level, salinity, oxygenation and growth of the plant from our experiment to see that the system is working at an optimal condition. I love how we put the knowledge we learn into use by doing labs, which also helps in reinforcing the material.”

With foundations in biology and chemistry, Advanced Plant & Soil Science involves critical thinking and problem-solving skills to shape students into scientists. “[The class] challenges students to problem solve and learn how to address and fix an issue in new and creative ways since there have been instances with some hydroponic systems to develop issues,” Van-Steinburg said. “ If you had no previous knowledge about plants and soils beforehand, then you wouldn’t know how big of an impact soil has on the health and growth of the plants and organisms within it.”

Students also appreciate the supportive and encour-

▲ Advanced Plant and Soil Science students Alejandro Baneuolos and Anika Van-Steinburg work with hydroponics in the campus greenhouse. PHOTO BY JENNY LANGHOFF aging environment and how they can use different individual skills to contribute to a significant finding or product, working together for a better learning experience.

“Having a class with a diverse group of people who have different skills can help those who fall short in one skill,” Baneulos said. “In my case, there were people in the class who knew how to build things out of wood since they took construction classes and they helped me in figuring out how to actually build the concept that I had in my head.”

Looking forward, the Advanced Plant & Soil class has many more prominent projects to come, giving students more opportunities to learn and grow their knowledge of horticulture.

“In the spring semester, the students will do an AgriScience fair project,” Clinkscales said. “They will design a project to test seed germination, collect data, create a science fair board and present their findings to the class.”

Whether one is interested in vigorous lab work, horticultural business, plant-related research, sustainability, or even agriculture in general, Advanced Plant & Soil Science is a class full of opportunities for students to learn and better understand all that goes into growing and maintaining plants. •

HYdroponic Basics Hydroponics is growing plants directly in water by using different materials to support the roots Light - each plant requires a different amount of light for survival Fresh water - filtered water with a balanced pH (around 6-6.5) Oxygen - there must be space between the base of the plant and the water reservoir for oxygen in the container Root Support - typical options include peat moss, coconut fiber and rockwool Graphics by Ayden Woods and Elisabeth Stewart

12 Sports

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

The Catamount

Boys cross country player on road to recovery after third injury Elisabeth Stewart News Editor Junior Parker Corley’s path to cross country success has not been without its challenges and bumps along the cross country trail.

When he joined the varsity team his freshman year, a stress fracture cut his season short. The next year, another injury prevented him from running at district and state. This year, at the close of his season, he faced a third injury. However, no wound can deter him from working hard and supporting his team.

“I still went to all the practices and was still able to work out on the bike,” Corley said. “I got something in. I still did all the stretches and stuff with them, went to all the meets to cheer them on, but just wasn’t able to run.”

Corley has gained multiple victories so far in his junior year with hard work and dedication to his team, sweeping awards at district and helping them progress to regionals in November.

Corley first began to run 11 years ago as a pastime.

“My dad was just trying to exercise more, and I wanted to start running with him,” Corley said.

He has not halted his running regime since. Daily practices with the boy’s cross country team include stretches, a five to six mile run, a midday workout and another run after school.

“There’s very few runs where we run by ourselves, just because it’s so much easier to workout a lot harder and push ourselves [together] than it is just to run by ourselves,” Corley said.

One of his teammates, sophomore Ricardo Lopez, believes on Corley’s attitude is key.

“Parker is like an extra leg of support,” Lopez said. “He’s always there for the team. Even though he hasn’t run much over his career, he stills pushes and tries his heart out, and I think that shows a lot of motivation for the other guys.”

pARKER IS AN EXTRA LEG OF SUPPORT. -Ricardo Lopez Cross Country Runner Coach Rodney Wellmann, who runs with the boys team every day, said that Parker is “always willing to go the extra mile to ensure his team is successful.”

Now, at the end of his junior season, Corley emphasizes preparation to improve in the next year. “[We’re] just going to keep working really hard, and striving to do better than the year before,” Corley said. •

▲Junior Parker Corley races on Oct. 29

at the district meet. The team placed first and Corley placed 12th. PHOTO PROVIDED BY PARKER CORLEY

Cross country runner’s dedication, resilience shines on course Jyotsna Naidu Executive Editor

▲Junior Kendall Boone races at the state meet in Round Rock on Nov. 23. PHOTO PROVIDED BY KENDALL BOONE

During a summer cross country practice before her freshman year, Kendall Boone suffered a knee injury, cutting her season short. Despite the odds stacked against her being unable to race at first, Boone worked tirelessly during her freshman and sophomore years on the sidelines and made the varsity team in her junior year.

While Boone humbly regards her greatest achievement to date as finally completing a race in her junior year, she joined her team after placing third in the district to compete against twelve other teams in the state championships on Nov. 23.

“Every time I ever got to the breaking point that maybe I shouldn’t keep doing this, something just kept pushing me [to] not quit cross country,” Boone said. “I love it too much to just give up on the sport.”

Boone’s commitment to the sport was

built upon while rehabilitating her knee in prior years. She began by completing her workouts on a stationary bike, attending all the team’s practices and meets and serving as the team manager.

“Having to show up to practice every morning at 6:30 a.m. taught me the dedication it takes to be in cross country,” Boone said. “I know the behind the scenes of how cross country works and that helps [me] participate.”

But the journey to race was long and hard as Boone wrestled with the idea that she might never be able to race again, but in the end, she said that the “hard work paid off.”

In these bouts, Boone followed the guidance of the head girls cross country coach, Josh Munson, benefiting from his talks, which reflected in her training, she said.

“The mental toughness that she’s developed through those tough times has helped her in her racing because if she can get through [her injury], then she can get

through a 20-minute race,” Munson said.

Munson relies on Boone to lead by example on the varsity team, composed of mostly underclassmen, which includes leading and working alongside her teammates through stretches and workouts. Thus, throughout the pandemic, with the uncertainty of being able to compete in each race, the team has stayed united and “become more dedicated to the sport,” Boone said.

Looking ahead, Boone and her teammates will return from the state meet with experience to carry to the next season. Her resilience has both contributed to her fastpaced success as an athlete, but also her grit as a person.

“She knows what pain and discomfort [are] and that’s what our sport is: getting comfortable with the uncomfortable,” Munson said. “Seeing what she’s done to get to this point just makes all of us coaches so proud of the commitment and the perseverance that she’s shown.”•

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

The Catamount

Sports

13

Fan support continues to thrive despite COVID-19 restrictions Jo Naidu Executive Editor Friday Night Lights is still a major cornerstone of Texas high school culture. Despite the limited seating and engagement, many student organizations from fine arts to spirit teams to the fans all unite under the stadium nights to experience the Cougar Pride.

“Our role this year is more important than it ever has been to bring spirit and make [our school] a more positive place,” senior and cheerleader co-captain Elisabeth West said. “It has brought everyone together, and we work harder to encourage every group because it’s just been such a great year to get to know everyone more personally.”

West and other senior leaders of the football, band, Strutters, Cougar Raggies and student council along with principal Tiffany Parkerson make up the newly-founded Spirit Leadership team. The team plans school events and brings the student perspective to promote school spirit. Senior and captain of the Strutters dance team Madalyn Stapp initiated the team, and was integral in the planning of the outdoor pep rallies and two away games that allowed for the Strutters, cheerleaders and band to attend.

“I’m extremely blessed to be in a position to have such a contribution to this year and still maintain traditions that our whole school holds dear to their hearts,” Stapp said.

Both Stapp and West also share their gratitude for Parkerson who has put their vision into action and has “[fought] for this year for our school,” West said. Senior and leader of the Raggie student section, Macy Fouch combats the limited attendance with her loud cheers, even creating her own cheer with the sister, continuing to dress up for themed games and fulfilling her freshmen dream of leading the student section.

“Last year, one senior would call [cheers], but I like this year that we get to all together [call cheers],” Fouch said.

“We get the student sections hyped up. We stand. We cheer and we’re just trying to make sure that the football boys stay hype, even if they’re losing. We’re just there to support them.”

On game days, safety guidelines are strictly enforced by assistant principals for mask wearing and social distancing although Fouch often sees students high in the stands who are not wearing masks but feels safe at games as do many parents including Cougar Band Booster member Markus Nimocks. Apart from the spirit teams, the Friday Night Lights experience is not complete without the mighty Cougar band and guard performances who were able to have a showcase although their marching contests were cancelled.

“The color guard really brings the show to life and is a visual representation of what the band is trying to portray, which shows the musical aspects of the fine arts,” senior and colour guard captain Helena Marquez said. “We‌‌are‌‌all‌j‌ust‌ ‌one‌ ‌big‌ ‌family‌ ‌and‌ ‌we’re‌ ‌all‌ ‌united‌ ‌and‌ ‌that’s‌ ‌where‌ ‌I‌ ‌think‌

▲Fans in the student section cheer the Cougars on during the Homecoming football game against Caney Creek on Nov. 20. The number of tickets sold in this section has been limited and students are required to wear masks during the game. Season tickets were also limited, and families are spaced out in these sections, reducing overall crowd size at games. PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN ‌the‌ ‌mighty‌ ‌[in‌ ‌the‌ ‌mighty‌ ‌Cougar‌ ‌band]‌ ‌comes‌ ‌from.‌” Alike to fellow band members like senior Kai Nimocks, Marquez is grateful to the administration, specifically her band directors who ensure the group’s safety and frequently check in on them while they practice for several hours in the summer heat. While colorguard has direct ties to the band, the combined effort of each student involved in Friday Night Lights both fuels the crowd and unites their community in seemingly impossible circumstances.

“It’s amazing to see all those groups come together for Friday Night Lights, and I think that’s so important in the Texas football atmosphere,” Stapp said. “With Covid-19 and things being stripped away from us, it’s amazing to see all these groups come together and fight towards something we’re so passionate about.”

•

▶ Seniors cheer during the first outdoor pep rally on Oct. 16 at Cougar Stadium. Moving the pep rally outdoors allowed the school to hold a cheering event for all students that still meets required COVID-19 safety protocols.

Since that date, two more pep rallies, including Homecoming, have been hosted at the stadium, and the last regular season pep rally is scheduled today at 3:20 p.m. PHOTO BY COURTNEY WELLMANN

14

Entertainment

- n a Roll

The Catamount

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

Local businesses serve fresh, tasty Sushi yummi yummi

Jenny Langhoff Entertainment Editor Near the Post Oak Mall off Harvey Road, Yummi Yummi Mongolian Grill & Sushi offers authentic and delectable Korean cuisine at great prices. Along with the tasty food, the restaurant provides customers with an easy-going and entertaining atmosphere where customers can watch their food be cooked fresh, and be served right after.

Yummi Yummi has a range of seating areas from booths to tables to stools where one can choose to eat

in a more private area, near the grill to watch one’s food be cooked, or in the center of the restaurant. The booths are set along the sides of the restaurant near the windows for great lighting while tables and chairs are centered in the middle to provide a laid-back setting. There is also seating available near the food prep and grill area.

Along with atmosphere, Yummi Yummi also has a menu with great variety, including fresh seafood (raw and cooked), meats, salads, rolls, soups, teas and desserts. The restaurant also of-

fers vegetarian options with their Veggie Lover Bowls and salads to ensure customers with different palettes have the option to eat.

Eating at Yummi Yummi Mongolian Grill was an enjoyable experience. I loved seeing my food being prepared from the ingredients to the final plate. I ordered Chirashi, which is a mixed variety of fresh fish, including salmon and tuna, diced with avocado and served on a bed of sushi rice. The meal was great and I liked the presentation of the beautiful colors and the fresh taste•

NAKED FISH Saul Canchola Sports Editor

When I first entered Naked Fish, my girlfriend and I were welcomed by the hostess and I could immediately smell food coming from the kitchen and my eyes were glued to the beautiful bar in the center. We had gone later in the day when it was nighttime, so the LED lights on the bar and the walls radiated a beautiful display.

The host sat us in a booth next to the kitchen. She handed us menus that detailed many different types of entrees, including signature sushi rolls, soups, salads, and noodles. They also have many different variations of the entrees like cooked rolls, spicy rolls, and a kids menu. Shortly after looking through our menus we decided to order the Crunchy Dragon roll and the Shrimp Tempura roll with a jalapeno popper appetizer.

Our waiter took out orders almost immediately and returned with water for us.

The restaurant played some melancholy music that neither me nor Grace were famil-

Photo of at Yummi Yummi suishi by Jenny Langhoff

Atami Sushi

iar with, but we enjoyed it in the background of our conversation. The poppers were spicy and fried, topped with fresh cool avocado and covered in eel sauce. It made our mouths water and we feasted on them , not leaving any evidence that food had been on top of the plate.

After devouring the poppers our waiter came more than frequently to check on us.

Soon she delivered our main course, which smelled so good and looked a hundred times better than the poppers. We were also given metal chopsticks, which made us feel like we were eating in the Gatsby mansion.

I’ve had many different kinds of sushi from various different places in town, but Naked Fish is my favorite. It was reasonably priced for fresh sushi, with our bill coming out close to $22. Along with scrumptious food, the restaurant itself is great to go with your date, friends or your family. It’s a quiet and relaxing place to also study and do homework while eating delicious food•

Erin Park Editor-in

On a Sunday afternoon, three fellow staffers and I stepped into Atami Sushi located on University Drive, where the atmospheric space separated into two different dining areas -- one for sit-down dining and the other for a fancy hibachi. Determined to treat ourselves with an entertaining fire show, we headed towards the hibachi grills.

Seated at a table encompassing the grill, I flipped through the diverse menu that can seem costly, especially for a student. After contemplating, I ordered the chicken hibachi with fried rice, which cost $21, and the A&M sushi roll, $13.

First came the sushi rolls. My friend ordered the Cowboy roll, which included crawfish and tuna. As for mine, the A&M sushi roll, eight pieces of sushi were stuffed with crawfish and avocado topped with crab and cream cheese. To the side was a neatly-stacked pile of ginger and wasabi. A huge fan of savoring sushi with ginger, I delved straight into the pink tower. The rolls were huge and flavorful. The cream cheese and crawfish made a phenomenal combination, balancing each other out, along with the refreshing taste of ginger.

The food was amazing, though the hibachi style was not as great as the sushi rolls. As I tried the chicken and the rice, I found myself reaching for my glass of water to douse the tang of salt and soy sauce.

Overall, I enjoyed my third hibachi experience, but the sushi stood out to me most, which says a lot. Atami sushi is definitely a place I would revisit. •

The Catamount

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

Entertainment

15

Striking a Chord

Music provides sense of identity through emotional connection Erin Park Editor-in-Chief To some, earbuds can be the equivalent of a portal to a different universe. Tuning out the busy chatters of a cruel world, people can find inner composure within as they escape reality.

“We perceive the world mostly with our eyes to access information, but I think our ears are how we access a distraction,” fine arts department director Jason Hooper said. “It is a reason why it gives meaning beyond just vibrations in the air [and is] inferior to our actions.”

That meaning of music reaches everyone differently. For CSHS choir president and senior Connor Mason, it is a coping mechanism.

“Music helps me relax, especially with my mental health,” Mason said. “I can always fall back to it no matter what, and I feel like that goes for other people especially with it having so many different genres.”

The wide range of music genres speak to all the different emotions people feel on a d a i ly basis, and, accordi n g to psychology and s o ciology teacher

Chad Lehrmann, this variety allows people to have easy access to a healthy outlet for emotional release.

“Music speaks to an inner pain that people feel, and it lets us do things that are outside of societal norms,” Lehrmann said. “We might ask, ‘is it okay to express this?’ in daily life, but in a song, it could be acceptable

“Music is a part of

our journey.”

-CHAD LEHRMANN PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY TEACHER

b e tation m u -

cause of the drama, art and presento it.”

Unconventional responses to s i c come in many different ways, and Hooper, who once

worked as a music therapist, can recall a time when he performed for a federal prison.

“Being in a room of caged prisoners howling and screaming in pain, I felt their anguish and their yearning to be free,” Hooper said. “It was such a powerful and unforgettable experience that showed me that music is a universal thread.”

Historical records back up the idea of music being universal. Referencing the Civil Rights Movement and the late 1960s, Lehrmann said that different types of music powered different movements, giving voices to feelings that Americans did not know how to express with words.

Even further back in time, all early civilizations known today wrote music in a five-note scale, also known as the pentatonic scale. To Hooper, this does not sound coincidental.

“Music seems not to be a social construction but something that goes deeper into our biology,” Hooper said. “It’s as if it existed before we did.”

To this day, music has continued to be a popular platform for expression. It has also been a way to build a life story as it connects back to specific emotions.

“Music, I feel like, connects to a base of who we are, like an identity,” Lehrmann said. “It’s like we are forming a soundtrack of our lives. Music is a part of our journey.” •

Impacts of Music Genres on the Brain Classical

•Releases stress hormones •Causes a dopamine rush due to calmness •Helps improve visual attention

Heavy Metal

•Helps cope with stress, depression and suicidal thoughts

Pop, Rap, Coutnry and Reggae Art by Jenny Langhoff

•Gets the blood puxmping •Decreases calmness

Sources: Itssaraglows.wordpress.com

16

Etc.

Friday, Dec. 4, 2020

The Catamount

what dreams are made of

Feelings, life circumstances evoke specific types of dreams Calla Duffield Opinions Editor You’re hurling from the sky, heart pounding through your chest as your stomach performs a Simone Biles gymnastics routine. It’s a non-stop drop off of the Takabisha roller coaster. The thing is, you’re not actually falling to your doom. You’re in your bed, sweating and heaving, thinking, “how did that dream feel so real?” And the interesting, or, depending how you see it, scariest thing is we don’t fully understand what makes these unconscious stories so hard to distinguish from reality, or why they even occur.

While we’re trying to pretend everything is normal, dreams tell us that no matter how hard we try, they may be a better measure of peoples state of mind than waking actions or routine.

According to AP Psychology teacher Jessica Kouba, there are a few main theories as to why we dream.

“The oldest one, [Sigmund] Freud’s theory about wish fulfillment, [says] that we dream about things that we want to happen or that we want out of life,” Kouba said. “Then, there are some theories that it’s our brain’s activation synthesis, just random neurons

Common Dreams and What They Mean

firing and we’re just trying to make sense of that.”

Patrick McNamara, an associate professor of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine, describes this state for National Geographic as “emotional disinhibition,” when the consciousness is flooded with emotion.

Whatever the reason for dreams, according to articles in The New York Times and National Geographic, stress definitely plays a part. And that role has been inflamed by the pandemic.

An assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Deirdre Barrett, said in an interview with Medical News Today that “any big life change tends to stir up one’s dream life and result in more and more vivid dreams,” adding that her “research after 9/11 found an increase in vividness and anxiety in dreams.”

Sophomore Peyton Faulkner found herself in a “really weird place mentally over the summer. Life was extremely chaotic,” she said, which she thinks contributed to a month-long recurring dream.

“In the hallway [of a mental institution], there would be these gates and doors with my closest friends and family underneath each one. I would walk

down the hallway and each one would say something that was either really cruel or made no sense. They would be completely emotionless the entire time, no facial expressions or anything like that at all,” Faulkner recalled.

Faulkner believes that this dream stemmed largely from stress due to her state of mind, school and the coronavirus pandemic.

“The pandemic had me stressed out in general, and I was doing band auditions for school and those definitely had me on my toes,” she said.

However mystifying dreams may be, from how real they can feel to what influences them, one thing is for sure: “We know that sleep consolidates memory,” Kouba said. “If you’re dealing with something traumatic, or some strong emotions, then dreaming might be like therapy for your brain.”

If this is true, then after the chaos of 2020 from the pandemic and the upsets it has inflicted on everyday life, we could all use “dream therapy” to help us sort out our thoughts. And in the waking world, sharing your “quarandreams” may be a way to connect while we’re all so far apart.•

Falling

Being Chased

Symbolizes fear of real life failure, in areas such as work or relationships Often indicates need to enjoy life more and worry less

May reveal inner desire to escape from fears and ambitions

Public Nakedness

Taking a test

May indicate feelings of fear towards revealing imperfections and shortcomings, as well as feelings of insincerity or disingenuity

May imply fear of failure or feeling unprepared for challenges in life

Source: Very Well