Craze Issue 5: A Day In The Life

a day in the life issue

Table of Contents personal style

05-12 releasing the feels 33-39 morning folk 13-14 bad love advice 40-41 traveling companion 15-16 battle of the bands 42-47 embrace yourself 16-17 winter formal

photobooth 48-51 tastry pastry 18-19 the loud minority afterwords 20-21 52-53 from the sketchbook of netflix and chill 54-57 22-25 cop stories 58-59 college are bullies 26 rocky horror picture bless this mess 28-29 show 60-61 omaha binge foods 30-32

A Letter From the Editor...

This issue of Craze, we’re going to get a little wild. I’m not saying we’re going to complete reimagine the publication, but for the first issue of 2017 we’ve decided to organize things a bit differently. Instead of our usual array of stories, we’re going to take you on a trip through the day in the life of a high schooler at Westside. This begins in the morning before school, deciding what to wear, listening to music, and contemplating body image. Then we’ll move into the school day where we’ll encounter some interesting students and stress about college. Next stop is after school when we binge on food and clean our rooms before heading out for the night. The nighttime holds all kinds of surprises, such as bad love advice, school dances, and run-ins with the cop stories.

And with that, the day is done. You’ve made it through another day of school at Westside High.

— Grace Wolfe, Editor-in-Chief

contributors to the issue

Editor in Chief: Grace Wolfe

Photo Editor: Kyndall Goodwin

Design Editor: Lilli Marvin

Copy Editors: Elizabeth Facer

Managing Editor: Kati Stanzel

Erin Kruger

Staff: Kaylee Navarrette

Vinny Nelson

Kaelyn Mettler

Will Larson

Bailey Kochheiser

Julia Steiner

Staff: Isabella Tyler

Anastasiya Petrosyan

Ella Paulson

Megan Murray

Biruk Tewodros

Anna Greene

Nick Protzman

Emma Kopplin

Richie Porras

Samantha Chesire

Kendall Brekke

Anne Stepanek

The Morning

fashion // personal style

It's Fashion, Baby! expression through style

story by elisabeth facer, design by isabella tyler, photos by anne stepanek

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n the depths of winter, it’s almost impossible to remember that balmy feeling of the sun on your shoulders as you lay by the pool.

The hot blaze of summer is far behind us and has been replaced by a cold and dreary forecast, requiring more layers and seemingly more hassle, especially on those frosty school mornings. On these days, I roll out of bed and shuffle to my closet. That groggy morning feeling in my head makes it especially easy to reach for a familiar outfit worn countless times.

However, the icy weather leaves opportunity to try something new.

We asked junior Julia Romero, sophomore Ryne Siler, and senior Sophie Applegate to show us how they keep their style exciting and unique with minimal frigidness. A plethora of ribbed turtlenecks, jean bomber jackets, skirts, and of course the coziest flannels and sweaters may be exactly what we need to keep the wintery season a little less gloomy and a little more groovy.

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fashion // personal style

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Julia Romero // Junior

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fashion // personal style

Ryne Slider // Sophomore

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fashion // personal style

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Sophie Applegate // Senior

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playlist // morning folk

Morning Folk

greeting the morning air with song story, photo, and design by erin kruger

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s I wake up for school, soft hues of red and orange peer through the bedroom window as a signal of the day’s beginning. The beginning of the day is bittersweet; it’s beautiful, but with school starting in an hour, it’s also underappreciated. However, the acoustic strumming and melodic insight of folk music is something that brings the beauty of outside into our own rooms. Folk music is perfect for calming the mind and starts the day off on the right foot. As it clears our conscience, folk has the power to

prepare us for the long day.

I was introduced to Simon & Garfunkel and the folk rock period of The Beatles at a young age. I was raised on this type of music and I continue to stumble upon classics, along with newer indie-style folk.

As a long-time enthusiast of folk rock, I’m excited to share some of my favorite folk rock classics, along with more recent tunes from the genre. I hope this folk playlist will start your day off right by bringing the morning sunshine into your own room. Enjoy.

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Moonshadow//Cat Stevens Fly//Nick Drake Both Sides, Now//Joni Mitchell Catch the Wind//Donovan Fast Car//Tracy Chapman Guinnevere//Crosby, Stills & Nash Overs//Simon & Garfunkel Peace Train//Cat Stevens

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feature // inside my car

My Traveling Companion

a look inside a girl and her car

story by emma kopplin, design by william larson, pictures by ella paulson

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y beautiful red Honda Civic, Ruby, has a special place in my heart. Our relationship is everlasting—our bond inseparable. I will never forget the memories we made together: driving to Gretna on an empty tank, doing donuts in a Walmart parking lot, and even getting lost and being forced to jump a median. Needless to say, kids and their cars have an extremely strong

relationship. In this special relationship, minds meld and cars begin to take on the personality of their owners.

Looking into someone’s car is basically a looking at a window into their soul. Whether it’s full of fast food bags, tons of makeup and clothes, books, or basketballs, the inside of a car represents its owner. Junior Olivia Wing is here to show Craze a tour of her first car.

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opinion // body image

Embrace Yourself learning to love your body story by bailey kochheiser, design by anastasiya petrosyan, photos by anna greene

he covers on my bed feel like weights as I try to get up. The sun shyly creeps through my curtains, entertaining my cat as the light dances around my furniture. It’s 6 a.m. and I’m not ready to face the loud, hectic world. I think of all the school work I need to do, which encourages me to force the covers back. A cold air brushes my body as I slide off my bed and shuffle dazedly to the bathroom. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and do a double take. My face is red and splotchy, my eyes look too small without thick mascara coating them, and my hair is an oily, tangled mess. I begin to wish I had never got out of bed.

In my first year of middle school—the almighty seventh grade—I felt a sense of freedom I didn’t know back in elementary school. Here, I was older and more mature.

At least that was how it appeared.

On the first day of school, I wore a dress that had small yellow flowers on it. I was so excited to wear the dress to school for everyone to see. Then, I was hit with a stomach- dropping surprise when I walked in the front doors and all the girls were wearing shorts that barely covered them. I

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got fierce judgmental looks from eyes that glared under glitter-coated lids. I began to shrink back, feeling less mature than these other girls. Worst of all, I started to feel less beautiful. How did I think my dress was pretty when the trend was diamond-studded Miss Me shorts? I will never be as beautiful as them. My legs looked pale and knobby compared to all the other students’ sun-kissed summer skin. I felt small standing next to the girl that had much bigger breasts than me. I wasn’t as perfect as everyone else. I hate myself. I’ll never be like them. The lie that nobody would want me began to manifest in my head like a tumor. This was the darkness that became my downfall.

Everyday at school slowly became a struggle for me. I felt no desire to be around people who saw me as less than them. I quickly fell into the habit of telling my mom I didn’t feel good and had to stay home. I would get throbbing headaches from the hours I spent at night stalking the Instagrams of people I wished I could be.

All I could ever do was hate on myself and nitpick everything about me. My schoolwork always had to be perfect or else I

wouldn’t turn it in. I obsessed over looking like the other girls in my grade. I began to eat less, and one bad grade made me cringe. I wanted it all, but what I wanted wasn’t making me happy. The more I tried to perfect myself, the deeper I fell into unhealthy habits that I later came to know as the dreaded depression.

I was submissive to depression for a long time before my parents took notice and I was forced to go to therapy. This was not an easy battle for me, and my depression refused to allow me to start recovering. I was developing a fear that I was too far gone, that I would never feel happiness. That’s when an idea was planted in my head: If I only said good things about myself, there’s nothing negative to focus on.

For once, I actually listened to myself instead of others—tuning out the negative thoughts and honoring the positive ones. It took time, but I realized people didn’t actually care what I did or if I was different. In fact, being different from others was what helped me start loving myself.

I was able to focus on what made me happy instead of what other people wanted.

I wore what I liked, dedicated time to my favorite hobbies, and joined the track team to meet new people. I didn’t feel so broken anymore. I felt happiness— like a weight

was lifted off of me.

The weight you feel when you neglect yourself is one of the heaviest to bear. The hardest, but the most important thing to do before you can begin to love yourself, is to stop trying to please other people. People are selfish creatures; it feels like nothing can fully satisfy them. I have always thrived off of pleasing other people, and I still do. The difference now is that I don’t live for others. If someone isn’t happy with who I am, then I don’t waste my time around their negative energy. I won’t let my self-image be destroyed because someone thinks I’m not pretty without makeup. I don’t feel bad for wearing a dress without shaving my legs. I live for me, and that means putting my happiness above others’ opinions of me.

Now it’s a Monday morning and I’m in the second semester of my senior year. I get out of the driver’s side and close the car door. I’m wearing my favorite Colorado t-shirt and my ripped jeans. I have on sandals and my toes are unpainted. I didn’t do my hair today—instead it falls naturally against my shoulder. I grab my backpack out of the trunk, and see myself in the window’s reflection. A smile spreads across my face as I finally discover that yes, this is who I am.

“The weight you feel when you neglect yourself is one of the heaviest to bear”

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In School

food // tastry pastry

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Something Unique tastry pastry brings new taste

story by ella paulson, photos by kyndall goodwin, design by lydia kasem

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fter a long week of eating school lunches that taste like cardboard, anyone would want to pig out. When we crave pizza, we can’t quite fulfill our desire with regular old Pizza Hut, but somewhere with a better sense of community.

The name Tasty Pastry might give off the impression of a classy dessert shop, but with the scent of pizza looming in the air, it’s far from it.

Tasty Pastry can be easily overlooked because of its size and location; driving down Leavenworth, the tucked-away storefront is easy to miss. After walking inside, anyone would be pleased to see smiling employees and happy customers.

“There’s just a lovely sense of community because everyone knows each other—it’s this little neighborhood shop,” Tasty Pastry manager Abby Berg said. “Everyone who lives around here comes here. We all know the same people.”

The familiar faces walking in can also get the satisfaction of watching their pizzas—cheese still bubbling—slide out of the oven, because of the restaurant’s open kitchen. Towards the back of the room sits a fireplace adding even more warmth to the shop. Along with the cozy atmosphere, what customers expect most out of a pizza shop is great pizza.

Tasty Pastry redefines pizza. Their dough is homemade and their products are fresh from the local Shadowbrook Farm. Not only does

Tasty Pastry have amazing crust and fresh ingredients, but they also offer unique pizza toppings such as beets and pesto. But for anyone who despises the idea of trying something new, the hot cheese and crispy pepperoni has the homemade feel that makes it different from most restaurant pizzas. While this might sound like the description of a typical pizza, anyone who takes a bite into their mouthwatering crust could agree that it’s better than the average pizza.

On top of the amazing sense of community and delectable pizza, Tasty Pastry offers service you can’t get at any chain pizza restaurant. The employees believe in creating an all around enjoyable experience for their customers.

“Environment is a huge, huge part,” Berg said.

Because of its size and location, employees get to know their customers’ names and greet them with genuine kindness. Along with caring about the people themselves, they also care about what they eat. And—luckily for us teens— Tasty Pastry’s prices are low, making our bingeeating less of a guilty pleasure.

Overall, Tasty Pastry is a great place to be on a Saturday afternoon. The smells swirling through the restaurant and delicious pizza will lift anyone’s mood, taming the hungry hog inside anyone until they go back the next week for more

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feature // afterwords

Afterwords

sophomore wins superior in short film story and photo by anastasiya petrosyan, design by samantha chesire

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ach member of the 1602 Westside Theater Troupe looks around with hope in their eyes from the balcony of the anxiety-filled theater.

Some hold hands while others patiently wait for the announcer to finish reading the list of winners from the short film category. Sophomore Evan Dondlinger fidgets in his seat. He had entered the short film competition, and everyone wondered if he’d be chosen.

The second his name is called, screams and shouts erupt. Some people are even crying from joy. Dondlinger’s face reflects a clear image of shock and excitement. The hard work that he put into this project had finally paid off as he receives his welldeserved award.

Dondlinger worked on his short film project, “Afterword,” with sophomore Caleb Kirilov, and it went on to compete in the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln—a three-day event in which theater students from Nebraska gather to participate in workshops, watch shows from other schools, interact with other students, and compete in individual events.

These events are normally called IE’s, and can include competitions from monologues, duet scenes, solo musical, tech theater aspects and much more. One of the categories on the list of possible options of IE’s was short film. For Donglinger, this was a pleasant surprise.

“I’ve always been interested in making films, but when I saw the short film category on the sign up sheet, I was really interested,” Dondlinger said. “I got together with one of my friends from Warrior Television and we made a film.”

For Dondlinger and Kirilov, the work came relatively easy. After taking the Intro to Television class their freshman year, the amount of learning and practice they needed to make their film decreased.

Dondlinger went into this knowing exactly what he was doing both with the technology and the style of his film; he wanted short, intense action and emotional scenes done in a professional style.

“The filming came really easy for us because we both knew the basics of filming and editing. We just went out and shot some stuff,” Dondlinger said.

Although that part of it was easy, problems arose.

“There was a lot of scheduling issues because I

couldn’t find a time when both me and Caleb could meet up. It went down to the last day to get it done, and we edited it Wednesday before we had to go [to ITS],” Dondlinger said.

The short film only had three actors: Dondlinger, playing the main role, and his parents, Ted and Kara Dondlinger, who played the supporting roles. The plot of the story is as simple as its cast. His character is biking down his neighborhood street, but then he is hit by a car. After that, he goes into what Dondlinger calls a “weird afterlife thingy.” Dondlinger’s inspiration for this specific plot line came from action movies that involve car crashes.

The shooting took three days, while the final product took them a week to finish. Planning, brainstorming, and getting the film done took two months. Dondlinger realized the time and energy that it took to make it paid off when his name was called.

When Dondlinger realized he won, he was overflowed with emotions and wasn’t able to say much.

“My first reaction was just pure joy,” Dondlinger said. “I go down to [the stage] and it’s all just hitting me­—all this time and effort really paid off.”

The troupe was almost happier than he was, because he was the only one to receive an award for Westside. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop any of the troupe from sharing their genuine happiness with him.

“My favorite part was after, seeing everybody and they’re all giving me hugs. I almost cried,” Dondlinger said.

Because Donglinger received this superior award, he is qualified to go to International Thespian Festival in Lincoln this June. There he will compete with the same piece against students in the same category. The challenge of going against them will be difficult, but he has a good chance of winning after receiving this award.

Dondlinger wants to pursue filmmaking after high school. Winning this honorary certificate was the first step to a possible life-long career that he’s passionate about. He’ll begin by creating more short films to take to upcoming festivals in the future. In the meantime, he will savor the joy he felt and continue to prepare for his competition at the festival in June.

“it’s all just hitting me­— all this time and effort really paid off.”

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feature // from the sketchbook of

From the Sketchbook of... exploring the art work of ana arissimo story by anna greene, design by emma kopplin, photos by lydia kasem

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na Carissimo’s sketchbook is unique in several ways. Even when she has artist’s block, she finds a way to think of something brilliant and creative to draw. Her cartoon-like drawings draw

your eye to something new every time you look at them. Carissimo expresses herself through sketching, and it helps her prepare for her future plan to be a graphic designer.

Q&A with Ana Q: What materials do you use?

Q: Whats your favorite thing to draw?

A: A tool that I really like right now is the Pentel ink brush pen.

It’s not like an actual brush pen, but it does have the actual bristles.

A: Mainly, I do like drawing humanoid figures. The female shape is a whole lot easier to draw than the male shape.

Q: Why do you enjoy sketching?

A: I enjoy sketching because it helps me get better and it’s going to help me achieve my goals. I hope to be an animator.

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feature // from the sketchbook of

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opinion // colleges are bullies

Colleges are Bullies three letters that determine your future story by megan murray, design by kaylee navarrette

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veryone has taken, will take, or has heard of the ACT. They’re the three dreadful letters that consume your life. Somehow you are expected to sit in a room for four to five hours, processing and solving a different question every 30 seconds.

It’s this draining test that makes junior year dreadful.

Because it is so painstakingly long and mentally challenging, most try to only have to take it two—maybe three times, but only if desperately needed. Although no one enjoys going through the process of staying in on a Friday night, studying, stressing, and waking up early to spend Saturday incarcerated, everyone seems to enjoy talking about it. About a month after you’ve served your sentence, the comparison of scores between friends will all of a sudden become an unavoidable subject.

Over the course of my junior year, I took the ACT five times and the SAT twice. I spent a total of 35 hours trapped in a room, determined to prove myself to some board of admissions all the way across the country.

The first two times I took the test, I was satisfied. I was proud that the hours spent huddled over a tenpound book, timing myself, hadn’t been for nothing.

My score wasn’t where I knew my colleges wanted me to be, but it was only my second test, I had the rest of junior year to show them what I knew I could do.

For me, the third time wasn’t the charm. Nothing had changed, despite my continued practice and determination. I stared at the scores listed on the college’s website, seeing that I was below the school’s average. I began to categorize myself as below average—nothing special. Even after the fourth and fifth times, and I was

still below average. It felt like I had walked into quicksand. The more I tried, the lower I got. By comparing myself to the college’s “average,” I had made myself truly believe that I wasn’t worthy. It felt as though I had wasted my time, and I should just give up on my dream school.

Despite being six points below my dream school’s ACT average, I was accepted. This has taught me that it’s important to take a step back and peer behind the curtain of college admissions. Don’t always believe what you see either. Many of the country’s top colleges have been caught falsifying their average SAT, ACT, and even acceptance rate just to attain a higher status. According to NBC News, top schools such as Claremont McKenna College, Tulane University, and Emory University have been caught falsifying their data.

But even with this in mind, I still had lost all hope for my dream college. Despite the lack of hope, I proceeded to turn in my application.

I thought I didn’t have a chance in the world. I looked at schools that matched my scores, even though I wasn’t all that interested. I wish I had never looked at the schools’ scores. I wouldn’t have spent my junior and half of my senior year comparing myself to two digits on a computer screen, convincing myself that I was below average. Schools have somehow managed to have major influence over how we value ourselves. Just like we are trying to make ourselves appear perfect on paper, so are schools. It’s important to not let colleges bully you into believing you’re not good enough. If you truly want to go to a certain school, they will look past your ACT.

“I wish I had never looked at the schools’ scores.”

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After School

opinion // clean myself up

Bless This Mess how to clean your room

story and design by kendall brekke, design by grace wolfe

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am a messy person in all aspects of my life: my car is a trash can, my room a is disaster, and I as an individual am a giant mess. For me, being messy is more than having a few shirts on the floor—it’s a lifestyle. I can already tell I’m going to be the scattered brain aunt who has 3-year old candies in her purse that she tries to pawn off on her young nieces and nephews. However being messy also has

it’s ups. You don’t understand the pressure of having to find an outfit when the only clean clothes you have are a Justin Bieber T-shirt from 2009, and a pair of leggings with holes in the crotch. It really does make you more creative. So here are a few tricks of the trade I’ve picked up in my time of being a messy gal, and maybe they can help you fool the universe into thinking you have your life together.

Step one assess the mess: What are we working with, is it a complete disaster? Look around and see how long this is going to take. This will help you gauge the amount time you need to take to clean before you can go back to goofing around.

Step two take out the gross stuff: Take out that bowl of soggy cereal and the tube of old cookie dough, along with any other old dishes. Those old mugs encrusted in mac and cheese need to go. After this not only should your room smell less pungent, but everything from here on out should be relatively easy.

Step three hide your embarrassing things: Find a space deep in your closet to shove your Twilight novels and your One Direction bobblehead. Remember to never be embarrassed about the things you love, but if you have a first time visitor who maybe isn't ready for your large knowledge about Edward and Bella’s love life, then your closet is a great hiding spot.

Step four take care of your clothes: For me, this is the bulk of my mess. I recommend stuffing your clothes into your laundry basket with as much as it can hold. If you still have a mess of clothes laying around, some good hiding places are under you bed, your closet, and in random drawers of your dresser.

So after all that your room should be almost halfway decent. The only thing left is to open your windows, if you can. This lets in all that natural light making your room look fresh and welcoming. Then you gotta make your bed this makes your room look nice and put together.

And there you have it, you’ve kinda cleaned your room. For whatever reason you needed to clean I

hope this helped weather it was for an angry parent, or to avoid making it on an episode of Hoarders.

Sadly, there is no cure for being a slob if there was I would have found it by now, it’s probably hidden under a pile of clothes in my room. So in the meantime embrace your mess and use these tips into tricking the people you love into thinking your’re not a piece of human waste.

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food // binge foods

Omaha Binge Foods restaurants to explore in the big o story by emma kopplin and isabella tyler, design by anne stepanek, and photos by kyndall goodwin, anna greene, and ivan reyes

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Big Mama's S

ince we live in Nebraska, there’s definitely no way that we know what good soul-food really is. Some probably don’t even understand the concept of soul-food. This is exactly what makes Big Mama’s such an important place. Hidden within a building in North Omaha, Big Mama’s serves as one of Omaha’s best kept secrets when it comes to food.

Walking into the restaurant, the vibe of a busy city instantly fades away. The atmosphere reflects a very cozy feel, almost like you’re in your own kitchen.

Definitely not like any restaurant I had ever been to before. With the smell of fresh chicken and waffles lingering in the air, the restaurant could not have better captured the homey feel.

Big Mama herself has been cooking soul food since she was a little girl.

“The first thing I learned how to make was biscuits when I was six,” she said. “And I make them the same way today.”

Big Mama was born and raised in Omaha and has always had a passion for cooking. In 1973, she graduated from culinary arts school.

“All they teach is French cooking,” she said. “So I said, ‘When I open my restaurant I’m gonna cook the food that my mom and my grandma taught me.’ That’s why I cook here.”

Everything at Big Mama’s is made from scratch

3223 North 45th Street

with the only exceptions being the salt, pepper, hot sauce, ketchup, and syrup. According to Big Mama, they peel 20 potatoes every day in order to make their homemade mashed potatoes and fries.

You’d think that a restaurant like Big Mama’s wouldn’t be well known, but in reality, Big Mama’s has been featured several times on the news and even on ‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives’.

“It was our customers that wrote to the ‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives’ show,” said Big Mama. “The World Herald has been following me ever since I started cooking out of my church.”

Big Mama is happy with the exposure that the restaurant has received over the years since it’s in such an easy-to-miss location.

“It lets people know that we’re here, and we’re in such an out of the way place that we need to let people know that we’re here, otherwise people forget about this place,” said Big Mama.

If you’re planning on stopping by the restaurant anytime soon, Big Mama recommends the catfish and, of course, any dish that includes their famous chicken.

Though many of us don’t often make the drive to North Omaha, Big Mama’s is definitely worth the haul.

The cozy atmosphere, dedication of the chefs, and friendliness of the staff will give you that nice warm feeling of being home.

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food // binge foods

200 South 31st Avenue

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Thirst Tea Cafe

hirst Tea Café, little shop with big personality, cozy in dodge circle, Midtown Omaha.

Known for it’s sweet selection of teas, salty snacks, and a hype, upbeat, dubstep environment.

Snacks sold at said establishment include everything from the satisfaction of classic eggrolls from $2.75 to the creamy textured surprise of Takoyaki for $3.50. But what makes The Thirst Tea Café popular is its mastery of the west coast bubble tea. In fact, it’s the one of the only places you can get bubble tea in all of Omaha.

For those of you who may not know, bubble tea got its name from the pearl shaped jellies or ‘bobas’ more commonly know as bubbles, that sit either suspended in or rest on the bottom of the tea.

“It’s like drinking a snack.” Owner Tommy Pang, explained.

When drinking bubble tea through the thick straw, these fruity bombs of sweet deliciousness explode in your mouth with an array of different flavors. There’s even a flavor for every time of day.

“If I’m tired in the morning I like to get the Thai tea, because [of its] higher caffeine, it gives you the kick as well as the snack.” Said owner Tommy Pang.

“But for fruity flavors I really like Peachy, which is Peach and Leachy with jellies on the bottom.”

So, no matter how you’re feeling, if you’re hungry and you want an exciting and fresh experience, The Thirst Tea Café is the only way to go.

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feature // student hobbies

Releasing The Feels teens’ methods of self expression story and design by julia steiner, photos by biruk tewodros

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e’ve all had that feeling of something trying to escape us. It’s something flitting at our hearts or tickling at out our throat. Something consuming our minds or tumbling in our stomach. A dancing at our fingertips, a lightening behind our eyes.

Energy, searching for a way out.

I believe the way in which someone expresses themselves reflects upon their character. The platform we choose for self-expression is the area

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in which we may unleash our deeper feelings, so it should be a special place where we’re allowed to be fearlessly passionate. Sometimes emotion drives the creative process, while other times the activity itself creates emotion. The arts often serve as a second voice for people. Because Craze feels self expression is so crucial to one’s being, we decided to put a spotlight on some Westside students and the unique ways they express themselves.

feature // student hobbies

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jane knudsen - grade 9 illustrator 10 years ago, a 5-year-old sat at her kitchen table, scribbling away, creating what would be her first original character. When satisfied with her work, she showed her parents. His name was Estavon with a ‘v,’ because five year old Jane Knudsen had no idea how to spell it.

“He wore a beret and had a really long nose,” Knudsen said. “He was an inherently unlucky guy.”

Pretty advanced character development for a 5-year-old, right? That moment was the start of a lifelong love of drawing. Besides having accurate body types, Knudsen’s style is cartoony and unrealistic. She primarily sticks to drawing people, because it comes naturally to her.

“I’m still at like a fifth grade level with objects and maybe a sixth grade level with animals,” Knudsen said.

Her interest in drawing didn’t take a serious turn until she entered seventh grade and began to study drawing and human anatomy. She started to produce rough sketches and work through the editing process.

Knudsen is now considering a career in animation.

“Before [seventh grade], I never really thought drawing was my thing, because I wasn’t really confident in the area,” Knudsen said. “Once I got confident in the area, I realized how much I like actually doing it. That made me realize, this is what I like to do.”

With newfound confidence, Knudsen decided to put some valiant effort into her work. She practiced when she could and resisted calling it quits. She stopped worrying about what critics would think and developed a positive attitude towards her art.

Inspiration for Knudsen’s work comes from many places. She often draws characters from stories that she writes or from movies and books. She works to develop each character’s personality and background.

Knudsen utilizes the idea of body language and clothing to convey the character’s personality. She also strives to get across messages she likes through her art.

“Subtlety, I like to push inclusiveness,” Knudsen said. “I try to have a lot of diversity within the characters I draw with skin tones and body type.”

Knudsen enjoys making art pieces related to subjects she’s passionate about. Despite her occasional artist’s block, when she gets an idea, she can express it through drawing.

“If I wasn’t drawing, a lot of possible ideas I have wouldn’t go anywhere,” Knudsen said. “I feel without drawing, I wouldn’t really be that creative of a person.”

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feature // student hobbies

ian wear - grade 12 makeup artist Just like science isn’t completely a man’s world anymore, makeup has become more than just a girls’ game. Senior Ian Wear is one of many boys defying gender roles and breaking the stigma against men wearing makeup. Wear only recently began his journey with makeup, despite it being something he was always interested in.

“I didn’t wear a full face of makeup out in public until over the summer,” Wear said. “I was very scared to, and I just did it at home for a while.”

Scrolling through Instagram, Wear found the courage to confidently wear makeup outside of his home. The media gave him the push he needed.

“The thing that made me want to get into [makeup] more was seeing other boys like me out there on Instagram,” Wear said. “I never thought that it was a normal thing for a boy to do makeup. Being able to see that there were other people doing it inspired me to get into it myself.”

Wear has done makeup for a few of Westside’s productions, including “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Little Women,” and “The Lottery.” He has also considered makeup for a job in the future. In college he’d like to work at Sephora or Ulta, or do makeup for people as a side job.

Wear said he loves a natural look: pink tones, blush, and nude colors. He enjoys the creative aspect of makeup. There are endless looks to try, a nearly overwhelming variety of products to experiment with, and innovative beauty trends that pop up every day. Wear’s favorite things about makeup is the way it makes him feel about himself, and how everyone has their own unique style. When someone treats makeup as an art form, it becomes an area for self expression.

“Don’t let society’s gender roles hold you back from anything you want to do,” Wear said. “If you want to do it just go for it. If it makes you happy, there’s nothing that can hold you back.”

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feature // student hobbies

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tyler douglass - grade 12 music writer Music notes are always flying through senior Tyler Douglass’s. Music is what gets him through life, and helps him express his emotions. Douglass’s music writing began with an assignment for the music theory class he took as a sophomore, and it turned into a passion. Years later, he continues to write different arrangements of songs and classical music. He plays all brass instruments, the bassoon, bass, and keyboards. Even with the experience of many instruments, he wanted more from music. Once he saved enough money, Douglass bought a special computer with audio workstation software. Now, music is the only field of work Douglass can imagine going into.

“It’s my primary goal right now, to be able to write or play or do anything involved in music,” Douglass said.

Douglass writes music depending on how he’s feeling that day. Music is what drives him—it’s his place for letting go of emotions.

That’s part of why he advises people not to force creativity, and to let the music flow out naturally. Because of this his work always has a personal touch. Sometimes it’s derived from humor or the 8-bit tunes he incorporates because they’re reminiscent of his childhood of playing Gameboy and Pokémon. Music is like a second language for Douglass—he uses it to display emotion as well as communicate ideas.

“I can’t talk to people very well, but I can write out something and explain how I’m feeling a lot better than I would if I were to try to in words,” he said. “You can go and listen to any type of music that you can tell someone put effort into, and you can automatically relate to that person. You can garner some sort of connection out of that that you can’t from other things. That’s what inspires me to write.”

Douglass believes in the importance of releasing bottled-up feelings. Without music, he’d be in a negative mental state, with no way to express himself.

“Everyone should have some way to let go of emotion,” Douglass said. “If I forget to go back to music, then I’ll just sit there in a depressed slump.”

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The Night

opinion // love advice

(Not So) Bad Love Advice love advice from a master story by kaelyn mettler, design by william larson, photo by kendall brekke

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suck at relationships. It’s not that I don’t want one or I’m a crazy freak loser—well maybe it is—but it’s that I’m just so socially awkward that none of my relationships really work out. I think the problem is that I always seem like a super cool

potential girlfriend until he realizes that I just lay in bed and cry a lot and I’m not as sexy as I first was.

So, in light of my mess-up’s, I’m here to be the older sister you never had and give you the worst love advice you never knew you wanted.

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Step 1. Put yourself out there!

First off, approach anyone you find attractive.

I’ve done it, and it hasn’t worked out for me, but if you try it, it may work. It’s easier then it sounds. Once, I ran up to someone and asked if they wanted to go makeout. The guy rejected me, but instead of feeling sorry for myself, I

just backed up and—once he wasn’t looking— ran out the back door and burst out laughing.

You miss one hundred percent of the chance you don’t take, so hey, maybe go out on a limb and try it.

Step 2. Meet new people.

If you want to expand your circle, join a club.

Surround yourself with the things you enjoy and you could meet the love of your life. For example: say you like French and you excel at speaking it. Join French Club and search for

a hot croissant. Maybe you join and someone in the club is super gorgeous and you both are eating spaghetti and you accidentally meet in the middle? Okay, that’s gross, but you get the picture.

Step 3. Direct Messages are your best friend!

The beauty of the 21st century: slide into their DM’s. Sometimes I do this and nothing good comes out of it, and a few times this has happened I’ve been ignored completely. Still,

it’s easier to take rejection over the internet.

Turning to social media is actually a great way to get turned down and its my preferred method of being dissed.

All in all— In the end there’s no article you can read that will direct you to the perfect relationship.

All people think differently, and there isn’t a guarantee that any how-to’s will help you meet your next beau. Just go up to them and ask for their number. Be brave. There isn’t any reason

you should listen to me based off of the last few paragraphs but if you feel like today’s your lucky day, maybe it is. Just go for it! I might not know a lot about relationships but I do know confidence is key.

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photo essay // battle of the bands

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battle of the bands westside’s talent on exhibit during winter formal

story, photos, and design by lilli marvin

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ollywood High kept true to its classic namesake on February 4 as musicians from across all grades performed in the annual Battle of the Bands competition. Ranging from acts such as Colored Glass, a soulful acoustic

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duo to a lively 311 cover band 622, all ranges of talent were displayed.

Despite the disappointing lack of bras thrown on stage, Winter Formal 2017 left behind big shoes to fill for upcoming performers. See you next year!

photo essay // battle of the bands

deez notes

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colored glass

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photo essay // battle of the bands

622

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liv + trev

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A Winter Wonderland the many faces of winter formal story and design by lilli marvin, photos by kyndall goodwin

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he big night has arrived. Hours have passed grueling over cut creases, slaving away at perfect curls, and panicking at the thought of getting the perfect snapshot of the night. No worry, all of your hard work

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wasn’t for naught. Craze Magazine was on the scene, capturing the good, the bad, and the...funny? Here are some of our favorite couples, outfits, and friend groups from the night.

snapshots // winter formal

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snapshots // winter formal

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music // the loud minority

The Loud Minority band breaks into omaha’s hardcore scene story, photos, and design by nick protzman

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ext up: Loud Minority!” the host announced into the microphone.

An art show was being held at NEO, a hub for music and art in downtown Omaha.

Four kids moved towards the front of the room, pushing through a crowd that was at it’s biggest size throughout the night so far. The group of four were easily recognizable from being frequent attendants of hardcore and other local music shows. The public was about to get their first taste of Loud Minority, Omaha’s newest punk band.

Friends of the band eagerly waited to hear the songs that the band had been practicing for the past couple months, while the rest of the audience had no idea what they were about to witness. As frequency from the amps began to pick up, people nervously glanced at the expensive art surrounding them, wondering how the pieces wouldn’t get damaged. As their first song began with a burst of energy, the audience’s worries quickly disappeared as they began to run into each other to the beat of the music. Soon enough, almost the whole floor was a mosh pit. Loud Minority put everyone in a trance with their refreshing energy that was a departure from the more mellow poetry and artspectating that had occurred so far that night.

After finishing their set relatively quickly, the band was met with all sorts of praise. Many left the venue because they’d come for the sole purpose of seeing the group perform for the first time.

Loud Minority, previously known as Greyface, is a hardcore punk band that consists of four young musicians. The members are mostly all in high school, but have been playing music for a long time. Vocalist Raf Valadez is a senior at Creighton Prep along with bassis Brendan Doyle. Drummer Ramon Martinez is a sophomore at Westside. Ramon’s brother, Jaime Martinez, is the guitarist and is a sophomore at UNO. “I don’t even feel young,” Ramon said. “The punk scene in Omaha has welcomed us warmly and has been very inclusive. It doesn’t feel as if our age matters.”

Since Loud Minority’s first show, they’ve been booked for multiple gigs. Playing alongside wellknown and respected acts from Omaha, Loud Minority has quickly secured itself a spot in the hardcore scene.

Loud Minority stays true to the sound pioneered by classic hardcore bands in the 80s, including distorted

instruments played at a fast-pace and an abrasive singing style filled with angst. Like many punk bands do, the lyrical matter of Loud Minority’s songs deal with real-world issues. Valadez’s lyrics touch on subjects such as immigratiom, suicide, anti-authority, and graffiti.

“I’ve seen cops do messed up stuff,” Valadez said.

“When you grow up around cops because of stuff related to your family, they create a bad image for themselves.”

For only being around for a short period of time, Loud Minority has been gaining a decent following through their network of friends and hardcore fans alike.

“I’ve been playing music professionally since I was 13 and being in Loud Minority has been way more fun than anything,” Jaime said. “The music is a lot more vigorous and has a lot more energy to it so how people respond to that is way crazier.”

Ramon has played music alongside his brother for a long time in many forms. They’re both hip-hop producers and have worked on various beats and projects together. Shortly before Loud Minority was formed, they had a band containing the two of them called Los Brazos, self-described as “instrumental jazzpop”. Considering their history in music, it was natural for them to go into Loud Minority together.

“I love music so much because of the way it can make me feel,” Ramon said. “It’s really fulfilling to see people enjoying our music and being excited like I am when I go to see music.”

The band has continued to add to their list of songs in hopes to record a demo in the near future. Each member has a different musical background, bringing multiple influences and ideas to the table.

“I don’t see myself as a frontman. We all get energy from each other like a jazz band,” Valadez said. “I don’t think I’m a talented person. I’m not a good singer, I just scream to get stuff off my mind.”

Hardcore and punk has been a thriving culture for decades. Being a band with younger members, Loud Minority is pulling in a crowd full of fresh faces and exposing them to a whole new world.

“We want to create an environment where you can not care and let go of yourself for a little bit,” Jaime said. “We want to break everybody’s ‘curse of greyface’.”

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television // binge watching

Netflix and Chill the site’s most bingeworthy shows

story by vinny nelson, design by erin kruger, and graphic illustrations by grace wolfe

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inding the right binge-worthy material on Netflix is pretty hard without some sort of recommendation. Since you’re about to waste hours upon hours of time, I’ve hand picked four series that I’ve personally

watched and think are worth your commitment.

If you’re not in the mood to go out tonight, here’s a slew of binge-worthy series on Netflix.

So login, get comfy, grab some snacks, and binge while the semester is still young.

Trailer Park Boys netf lix rating: 4/5 stars personal rating: A

Fresh out of prison, Ricky (Robb Wells) and Julian (John Paul Tremblay) return to their home trailer park, Sunnyvale, to greet their families and friends—only to find out a new thug has taken over their territory and trailer. Watch as the boys try to regain their park back—all while getting really

intoxicated, high, and stuffed with food.

The outlandish shenanigans the group get into makes Trailer Park Boys irresistible to watch. Get ready to laugh for days, because Ricky, Julian, and Bubbles (Mike Smith) get into some very illegal action.

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Breaking Bad netf lix rating: 5/5 stars personal rating: A+ This nail-biter focuses on a high school chemistry teacher, Walter White, (Bryan Cranston), who has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Unable to work, Walt gets caught up in the dangerous world of methamphetamine in Albuquerque, NM. Walt and his partner, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), begin making the purest meth on the market to pay for his medical bills. It’s a cutthroat business in Albuquerque; with the DEA, Mexican drug lords, and his family to watch out for, Walt certainly faces a lot of obstacles.

If you haven’t seen or don’t understand the buzz surrounding this show, let me clear it up for you: this show has won a whopping 16 Emmys and two Golden Globes. Rolling Stone recently ranked this show third on the list of 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time—10.3 million viewers tuned in on the series finale, which was up nearly 4 million from the episode before. If you haven’t seen this show, I strongly recommend it because it has a huge impact on pop culture today.

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television // binge watching

Malcolm in the Middle netf lix rating: 5/5 stars personal rating: A+ This FOX comedy is a classic, with a crazy mom Lois (Jane Kaczmarek), goofy dad Hal (Bryan Cranston), and four wild boys. The show centers around Malcolm (Frankie Muniz), a middle child that is freaky smart, and his adventures with his wildly diverse siblings. This show has won seven Emmys and even a Grammy for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture,

Television, or Other Visual Media.

What makes this show so great is that you never know what’s coming next. No matter the circumstances, there is always trouble in and out of the house—whether it be the constant financial struggle, the everyday sibling fighting, or just plain mischief. If you’re looking for some pure comedy gold, this is it.

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Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt netf lix rating: 4.5/5 stars personal rating: B+

This Netflix Original comedy produced

by Tina Fey starts off with Kimmy Schmidt (Ellie Kemper) being rescued from an underground cult, where she had been held captive for 15 years. She then moves to New York to see what she has missed for nearly two decades. This comedy follows Kimmy in the Big Apple as she tries to move forward from her dark past. With a new roommate, Titus Andromedon (Tituss

Burgess), and a new rich boss that has two wild kids Jacqueline Voorhees (Jane Krakowski), Kimmy has it going with new friends, a job, and even a boyfriend.

Each character in this show has hilarious quirks and motivations. The character development is what makes this show bingeable. If you love NBC classics like 30 Rock or The Office, you need to check this show out.

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feature // cop stories

students share their encounters with cops story by richie porras, design by samantha chesire, photos anna greene

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he night is young, the belly laughs are just starting, and your friends are acting like fools.

As the night creeps up and the daylight falls down, the middle-aged crowd stays in and watches “The Big Bang Theory”. The flashy clothes exit the closet, your pride and joy of a car is taken out of the driveway, and the impressive playlist you’ve been storing all week finally has its time to shine. In the meantime, the police disperse through the city, ready

to take some dimwitted teens to jail. One moment, you’re making euphoric memories with the homies, and the next, alternating red and blue lights illuminate the interior of your car. You’re either going to sit in the back of the car on the way to the slammer, or get away without a scratch. Without further ado, these are some police stories that have happened to the teens of Westside.

This old man was following me home because I dropped his son off late. He’s my brothers friend and I didn’t know he had to be home. The he followed me up to my house and then I punched him because he hit my little 15-year old brother and so I started hitting him and then the cops pulled up, but I knocked him out. Initially, I pulled up in my driveway and he

pulled up in my grass and hopped out and I had to hit him. Then the guy tried to press charges on me but he couldn’t, obviously, because I’m a minor and he followed me home and it was on my property so nothing really happened. Then the cops investigated us for like an hour, they went back to his crib, and never came back.

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One time I was with three of my friends during the summertime at like 10, and we went to the cemetery because I had this ouija board. We parked the car at a hospital and we jumped over the fence with the ouija board. It was like scary because there was like lights and stuff turning on. So we sat by someone’s grave and started playing [the ouija board] and then it started moving and we asked for their name. I don’t know if you’ve ever played it before, but people are like ‘No I swear it’s not me!’, but like it wasn’t me. So it moved and it started spelling out a name, but it didn’t finish, and then it just stopped. We just started

walking around and then we tried to get out, but I felt like getting in was the easy part and getting out was harder. So then we jumped out. Then we were walking across the street but there was like four cops and they said, ‘We have your car.’ They sat us down on the side of the street and asked what we were doing, but there was like two mean cops and then there were two other cops who were saying ‘You know you shouldn’t be messing with that’, and started telling us stories. It was pretty funny. But then they made us call our parents and they eventually showed up and we ended up making @MEANSTREETSOMAHA on Twitter.

So I was at my buddy’s house. We were chilling and my buddy goes, ‘Dude let’s have a garage sale!’ So we just took a bunch a stuff from his house and started selling it without permission. Now, nobody was stopping at the garage sale so my dumbass had the bright idea and I said, ‘Dude I’m gonna jump in front of cars, force them to stop, and they’re gonna come to the garage sale’. So I started jumping in front of cars, halting them. A couple people came and bought stuff because of it. A cop comes and I look at my friends, they look at me and had the look of, ‘DON’T DO

IT, YOU DUMBA**’. I tell them I’m gonna do it, so I jump in front of the cop car, put my hand out to halt them, two cops get out the car, pull their guns out and say, ‘WHAT THE F*** ARE YOU DOING? WHY YOU JUMPING IN FRONT OF THE CAR!? WHAT’S GOING ON?’ I said, ‘WOAH WOAH WOAH! All I wanted was for you to check out my garage sale.

We got some awesome stuff over here. Check out the garage sale.’ Then they put their guns back in their holsters and said ‘When we get off, we’ll come by and check it out.’ Then they drove away.

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opinion // rocky horror

Let's Do The Time Warp Again the impact of rocky horror picture show

story by isabella tyler, design by vincent nelson, photos by erin kruger

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he first time I watched ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ I assumed that it was definitely subject to controversy when it was released. Even in 2017, there are many people who wouldn’t be okay with the raunchy themes and humor the film has to offer. To my surprise, no one cared about the movie when it was released in 1975. But the small percentage of those who did made it into the cult-classic it is today.

Those who went to go see ‘Rocky Horror’ were those who had nowhere else to go. They were outcasts who enjoyed seeing midnight screenings of B-movies and cheesy horror flicks. ‘Rocky Horror’ offered sanctuary and escape from the outside world where its audience were considered freaks or weirdos. It gave them a sense of security. Because of this, film goers did something that had never been done at the movies before, and took their love to another level.

Fans would shout responses to the characters’ lines, throw props at the screen, and come in costume to each midnight showing.

This phenomenon quickly caught on with fans around the U.S., and soon ‘Rocky Horror’ had its very own cult following. When more and more people began to gather at these midnight showings, it made the audience feel like their differences were being celebrated. Everyone who wasn’t accepted in society—whether it had been because of their style, race, sexuality, or gender

identity—had a place where they belonged. ‘Rocky Horror’ was a place where they could be who they wanted without worrying about backlash from others.

Watching the movie now, in an era of political correctness and the acceptance of all lifestyles, it makes me happy to see that people realized that acceptance was equally important back in 1975.

It’s amazing to think that when the thought of legalizing gay marriage was unheard of, there were still people who were thinking ahead of their time. It’s important to realize what ‘Rocky Horror’ did for so many people—help them feel less alone in an unaccepting world.

Today there are still midnight screenings of ‘Rocky Horror’ all across the U.S. and they’re still extremely popular among fans. In a fast-moving world where we can’t seem to enjoy the little things, it feels nice to sit down with a group of people and just get weird.

‘Rocky Horror’ screenings are the perfect place to do that.

Maybe people still see it for the nostalgia factor, or maybe it’s for the feeling that simply cannot be replicated when the audience shouts dirty jokes at the screen. Whether you see this film as a joke, an interesting take on society, or just a crazy cultclassic, there’s no denying that ‘Rocky Horror’ has truly made an impact on its audience and will continue to do so for generations to come.

“It’s important to realize what ‘Rocky Horror’ did for so many people—help them feel less alone in an unaccepting world”

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Here at Craze, we pledge allegiance to keeping it real, To giving a voice to the unheard students To expressing emotions through art To being too loud To avoiding clichés like the plague To finding a reason to celebrate at all times To gaining life long friends Because what makes Craze unique is the family that forms with it, Making each issue the product of a lot of love.

We hope after reading you: Want to explore the restaurants and shops of your town Have gained solace from a personal story that hits close to home Begin to look at the world around you differently Or maybe feel like maybe your school isn’t so bad after all And that’s just why we’re here, us cool and relatable teens.

Because Craze helps you not care what others think But encourages you to think for yourself.