January & February Issue of Slick Magazine

MAGAZINE

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Slick.

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Editor’s Note Dear Reader,

It’s wonderful to see you have decided to check out another issue of Slick Magazine! Due to scheduling and school holidays, we have taken the time to combine January and February into one issue. We hope everyone hasn’t forgotten their resolutions for the New Year! We have made some resolutions ourselves, the biggest being a complete overhaul of our design layout and logo. The editors of Slick Magazine are incredibly proud of our staff for keeping focused on their projects over the holiday break. After the holiday recess, our ability to create and produce quality articles has not changed in the slightest. We’re working on our skills by designing and participating in mini challenges to really hone in on our skills.

This month, we participated in a Ten Minute Photo Challenge. We gave our staff ten minutes to take the best photos that they were capable of on campus. Most of these photos are sprinkled throughout this issue. For our next issue, our staff will be challenged by stepping out of their comfort zone, and writing about topics they aren’t familiar with. We’re doing this in an attempt to improve our investigative journalism skills. As for now, we hope you enjoy this combined issue of Slick Magazine!

Matt Sargent

Candy Hart-Peratt

Dixie Chatt

Gracie Briquelet

e l b a T of

s t n e t n o C photography by: Natalie Han

Conversation Pieces........................................................................ 4-27 Creative Writing............................................................................. 28-31 Music................................................................................................ 32-49 Holiday............................................................................................ 50-57 Fashion............................................................................................ 58-61 Entertainment................................................................................ 62-67 Extras.............................................................................................. 68-71

By: Grace Galarraga

1/20/18 4

photography by: Grace Galarraga

So… I Can’t Ride A Bike

“We can all ride our bikes to the beach, it’ll be fun.”

First of all, this is a sentence I thought I would never hear. Ride our bikes to the beach?

What is this, 1987? No, it's actually 2015 in Southern California, and people regularly ride bikes everywhere, unlike me. I was used to taking some other form of public transport, perhaps a public bus or a subway, but a bike? The thought never came to my mind.

Second of all, I couldn’t exactly refuse this offer. It was the first time someone had asked me to hang out during the weekend since moving to California. Saying no would surely change my life for the worse.

Third of all, I couldn’t ride a bike.

Maybe I should start at the beginning.

I’m 6 years old. Life has never been better. I’m wearing a dress of some sort that’s probably dirty, complete with pigtails and an unbroken spirit. I’m in my childhood house in Flushing, Queens.

The house I grew up in was, through my eyes, ancient. The wallpaper was crumbling off the walls and the wood floors were scratched and stained. There was always a chill in the air, and the entrance of the basement seemed to haunt me every time I looked at it. I knew my mother and father didn’t want to live there anymore. I knew that I certainly didn’t care all that much. The backyard was substantial in size, perfect for any child to run around and play.

I, however, was entertained with books and movies rather than going outside and playing like other children. The outdoors were never really my thing, and I made sure I would never step foot outside.

I was more into Legally Blonde and Bruce Almighty than anything else. So when the dreaded bike was introduced, I refused it. Of course, it didn’t help that I was the most stubborn child my mother had the pleasure of knowing. Everything I did was because my mother had signed me up for it. From tap and ballet classes to piano, I never wanted to do any of it. I never had a desire to dance like the other girls in my class, I did it simply because I had to. The bike, however, was not a fully paid for a semester class. It was something I had to do on my own, something that I, as a 6-yearold, should have wanted to do on my own.

Something in me didn’t want to. So the bike remained in the garage, collecting dust as I grew older.

I’m 10 years old. I’m attending a different elementary school, and I’m in Murray Hill, Manhattan. I haven’t lost my childlike cuteness yet, and I’m completely unaware that it will soon be traded in for puberty and awkward moments. The bike at this point, was most likely collecting even more dust in a storage unit somewhere upstate. The children in PS. 116 were much different than the children at PS. 120. I was now a city girl, and walking everywhere became a habit. The need to learn how to ride a bike was long gone, as I thought I would be staying in Manhattan where walking and subways were a way of life.

We didn’t stay. It was the first time that I hated moving. For some reason the move from Queens to Manhattan wasn’t all that bad for me, but the move from Manhattan to Westchester was awful.

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It didn’t help that I had developed my skill for sarcasm and eye-rolling at this time, either. I was entering the disgusting age of teenagehood and while I wasn’t aware of it, my mother certainly was. As for the bike, it remained unused as I entered the worst years of my life.

I’m 13. I’m a demon child. I have a crush on the British boy in school, as does every other girl. The bike at this point is long forgotten, as I’m focusing on trying to look as attractive as I can with braces and glitter tights, to no avail.

Although, it was in middle school that the question came up. Or rather, the statement of, “wait, you can’t ride a bike?” The fact that I couldn’t ride a bike never really bothered me before.

I used the excuse that I lived in the city and never needed to learn, which seemed to shut everyone up. But I knew the truth. It wasn’t because of the city. It was because of me.

I can never know why I didn’t want to learn how to ride a bike. I suppose it was caused by an insatiable stubbornness, but I always thought there was more. All my life, I’ve never been my age. Not just by looks (I look about 12 and I’m a senior in high school,) but in how I act and think. There are people I’ve met with “old souls,” and I know I’m not one of them, although I would like to be. I’m young at heart, and that’s something I know I can’t change. Growing up, however, is inevitable. From a baby’s first steps to a child's first pedals on a bike with no training wheels, these are all parts of growing up. All my life I know I’ve missed a big part of it by not riding that confounded bike at age 6. Although it’s silly in the grand scheme of things, I haven’t quite grown up yet. While I know that there are countless other things holding me back from this phenomena, I know that riding that dusty, old, bike is one of them. Upon 2018 entering the world, I made a promise to myself. I’m sure that promise is evident by now.

The bike is baby blue. It’s compact and in a way, looks like it was made for me. The feeling of self-doubt that began festering inside me at around age 12 slowly grows bigger as I try my best to balance myself. It’s an odd feeling. As I recall, my mother compared it to “using the force.” Yes, my mother helped me in this situation. It didn’t take long.

I’m 17 years old. I’m in California, a place I never thought I would be living. It’s 5 in the afternoon and the sun is setting. I have tears running down my face. I’m the happiest I’ve been all day, because of this one moment. I feel the perfect balance underneath me, one that I am trying desperately to hold onto.

While I’m not doing anything entirely amazing to the average human, to me what I’m doing is a miracle. I’m proud to say that I can now ride a bike. As happy as I was to finally do it, I knew it meant something sad. I saw riding a bike as letting go of my final piece of childhood, something I had been holding onto for a while in fear of growing up too fast. I know I’ll always be young at heart, but letting go is something I need to get good at. With every pedal, I let go of childhood and replaced it with something new.

photography by: Grace Galarraga

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VEGETARIANISM By: Gracie Briquelet

If you wish to make a statement against the meat industry, or you dislike meat, vegetarianism might be the right choice for you. Meat-free lifestyles have become more common in recent years, so it would make sense for many people to attempt vegetarianism during the New Year. Once upon a time, I didn’t eat meat either. This venture only lasted six months because I didn’t get a sufficient amount of nutrients. The mistake that I made is actually fairly common for vegetarians who do not know how to maintain a balanced diet. Things can get a little tricky when you try to cut out meat and or other animal products without knowing how to correctly do so. To help others with their herbivorous lifestyles, I have compiled a list of nutrients that many people forget to incorporate or simply do not get enough of.

Protein

When I first tried convincing my parents to let me be a vegetarian, their first question was: “How will you get enough protein?” Protein is shockingly not the biggest concern, but one still should know how to consume enough plant-based proteins. Beans, legumes, and lentils are a fantastic source of protein for vegetarians. Soy products also tend to have a fair amount of protein, such as edamame, tofu, soy milk, and even soy ice cream!

Nuts have protein, and they are also high in healthy fats. Just be sure not to rely on them as your biggest source. If you are a vegetarian athlete, you will need to pay a little extra attention to how you are getting your protein.

Plant-based protein powders are a good way of adding a bit more to your diet, especially if you partake in a lot of physical activity.

B12

Vitamin B12 is a key vitamin for healthy nerve cells. It also assists the making of genetic material and helps iron to work effectively in the body. Teens and adults need around 2 - 3.5 micrograms of B12 each day.

For vegetarians who consume dairy, 1 cup of 1% milk has about 1.1 micrograms. If you also consume eggs, 1 large egg has (with yolk) has roughly half of a microgram. You will need to take B12 supplements, especially if you do not eat eggs or milk. Even if you are eating processed foods that are fortified with B12, you should be taking some sort of supplement.

Look for supplements in the form of methylcobalamin (methyl B12). This form is better absorbed by the body and does not contain cyanide, which is unnaturally synthesized in a lab. B12 is not optional. Your body needs it to function. A deficiency of B12 in one’s diet will result in fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, poor concentration, and bowel issues. Longterm deficiency leads to permanent nerve damage, depression, numbness, and faulty balance.

photography by: Dixie Chatt

A Guide To

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Iron

One should know that without iron, they could develop anemia. Anemia is a lack of healthy, red blood cells, which can lead to fatigue, dizziness, and skin pallor, among other symptoms. According to Health Line, “men and post-menopausal women generally require around 8 mg of iron per day. This amount increases to 18 mg per day for menstruating women and to 27 mg per day for pregnant women.”

The average recommended intake is 18 mg a day, but this number clearly varies from person to person. Foods derived from soybeans, beans, nuts, seeds, leafy greens, potato skins, whole grains, and certain fruits are generally packed with iron. Decide which foods work best for you and your family, and try to work them into your diet.

Some people are under the impression that red meat is the only way to get enough iron, but there is a huge variety of foods to choose from!

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Zinc

Zinc is yet another nutrient that is often looked over, but it holds a lot of importance in a vegetarian diet. A lack of zinc can lead to hair loss, a weaker immune system, and hormone imbalances.

Women need about 9 mg of zinc, and for men, 11 mg. Try to include more legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, wheat germ, and nutritional yeast in your diet, as these foods contain a good amount of zinc. Fortunately, these foods also contain other nutrients that you will need, so you are getting a lot of nutrients in one fell swoop!

Omega-3

Omega-3’s are fatty acids found in animal flesh, some plant products, oils, fish, eggs, and seaweed. There are clearly ways to include Omega-3 in your diet as a vegetarian. They help to reduce inflammation and are important for brain function. Walnuts, kale, spinach, flaxseed, soy, canola oil, and hemp seeds! It can sometimes be a challenge for vegetarians to get Omega-3 fatty acids, as a lot of Omega-3 is found in fish oil. It all depends on the person, but one might want to take vegetarian Omega-3 supplements. Be careful about which supplement you choose, because many contain fish oil.

A vegetarian lifestyle has plenty of health benefits, so long as you keep up a balanced diet that ensures adequate vitamins and minerals. Before making any major changes, one should speak with a nutritionist. You should always put your health first, so remember to listen to your body and be cautious.

photography by: Gracie Briquelet

Calcium

Calcium helps to build and support strong bones, and muscles and nerves need it to work properly. According to Young Women’s Health, “children and teenagers between the ages of 9 and 18 should aim for 1,300 milligrams per day.” This amount will vary based on your age and sex, though it is a rule of thumb not to exceed 2,000 milligrams a day. Some examples of calcium-rich foods would be seeds (chia, poppy, celery seed, etc.), cheese, yogurt, beans, lentils, almonds, dark and leafy greens, rhubarb, edamame, tofu, figs, milk, and other calcium-fortified foods.

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your secret color By: Christian Fukino

If someone asks you, “Who are you?”, how would you respond? Normally, you’d start with your name. You could also answer with personality, hobbies, likes, dislikes, etc., but you don’t mention your spiritual side, do you? What you might not know is that your spiritual side extends farther than just beliefs or feelings. In fact, this part of you even has its own color.

An aura, also known as a human’s energy field, comes in different categories based on a person’s identity. Auras can come in various colors, shapes, and sizes. A practiced aura reader can see more about you than you might have been prepared to tell merely by looking at your aura photo. I decided to try getting my aura read, and I was completely surprised by how well the reader knew me. The photo showed me with a strong red aura, and without telling her anything whatsoever, she saw my hobbies, my work processes, and more. Here are the primary aura colors along with their descriptions; try to find one that matches you the most!

red

pu

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r ple

A red aura represents a person who lives life to the fullest with courage and confidence. They do not like taking orders from others, and they need the world around them to be malleable. Red people can also be titled “mystic”, usually being more mentally capable than others, but are often impatient.

A purple colored aura signifies spiritual balance and leadership.

Different shades of purple can also represent creativity and psychic ability. A strong violet hue is the crown chakra, usually being granted to artists and healers. Individuals with this shade are in a state of equilibrium and awareness.

green

ll o w e y

blu e

ange r o

in dig o

People with green auras are environmentally active and connected. Creative and successful, these individuals are gifted in doing things well. Certain shades of green can also signify a specific kind of healer.

Those which a yellow colored aura are often light-hearted and optimistic. Despite their constant positivity, it also leads to them being more vulnerable to the stress of life.

Individuals with a yellow aura are children at heart.

Blue colored auras represent caretakers. People with a blue aura are calm under pressure, intelligent and strong. Often, these individuals are teachers or mentors. Certain shades of blue also define one who is a master of communications.

Individuals with an orange aura are thrill-seekers. Orange auras indicate those who live life to the fullest or could have creative power. A person with this color has more intense emotions, as well as strong vitality and heart.

Only appearing within the last century or so, “indigo children� have been given the sole purpose of revolutionizing the world. They are gifted individuals with creative and perspective sides. The indigo color indicates a person who does not listen to authorities and is highly perceptive and mentally strong.

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By: Ian Decker

In the United States school lunch program, food is being wasted at an unprecedented level.

In fact, it has been estimated that over $1 billion worth of edible goods is wasted annually in the American school system alone.

The modern day school system in America is the most wasteful in the world. Katherine Martinko, author of how schools can lead the fight against food waste, claims that about 40% of all food prepared in American cafeterias are wasted. Martinko strongly expresses her belief that, “schools are the most logical way to start� and inspires all of her readers to share the same conservation views she does (Martinko 1).

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photography by: Ally Brodmann

Building more appropriate food preservation habits at HBHS

The food waste epidemic in schools starts with the student, and at Huntington Beach High School, students need to strive to make a change for the better. Responsible eating habits should be developed early on in lower grade levels, but it is not too late to instill good eating habits for students.

Students must only take to food that they need in order to ensure that they finish their meal. Often times students will take more than necessary, and sometimes students are given food that they do not even want. However,

Huntington Beach High School is no strang- I encourage student to request to not er to wasted food, over the course of this study, accept the food that they will not eat I interviewed Melissa Erman -- the nutrition in order to save food that would otheroperations supervisor for the Huntington Beach wise be wasted.

Union High School District. She revealed that food left in the Huntington Beach High School

Professionals from a sustainable cafeteria on friday, is thrown out, and sent to a blog called Treehugger recommends nearby landfill. Wasted food needs to become that students get rid of distractions in an issue of the past for many different reasons. and around the school cafeteria. By According to the United Nations Food and Agri- removing distractions like phones and culture Organization, approximately 795 million screens, it will allow the students to people out of the 7.3 billion estimated people on focus more on eating, rather than social earth, are suffering from hunger related issues. media and entertainment.

And not only will a reduction in food waste possibly help benefit the people in third world countries, it will also save Huntington Beach High School a lot of money on an annual basis.

There are many different strategies that can be placed to reduce the amount of wasted food at Huntington Beach High School, but the most promising change is the determination of the student to finnish and save their lunchtime meal.

Reducing the amount of food you waste is benefiting the world around you in ways you do not see. Bill Dibenedetto in his article, Food Waste Has a Big Impact on Climate, Water, Land and Biodiversity, claims that food has created an unsuitable carbon footprint on earth, as well has huge economic losses due to our careless food habits.

Imagine the benefits Huntington Beach High School could gain from a reduction in food waste. Not only will it conserve thousands of dollars a year, it will benefit the people all around the world.

Saving food leads to saving lives, it leads to a better world.

So next time you are struggling to finish a meal, or running late to class, stop to think about all the good that you can do by saving that editable food. Think about the people in the world who are less fortunate than you who do not have an abundance of food. As well as think about the money you are saving your school that can go to help the sports you play, the extracurricular activities, and electives you choose to take.

I hope that everyone at Huntington Beach High School can strive to help the world and the community better by developing good food saving habits, because the first step to accomplishing this goal starts with you, the student.

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Combating Litter at HBHS By: Brian Slagle

Have you ever looked around our beautiful campus and then noticed a plastic bag making its way through the quad? If so then this is an article for you. Since I have attended this school from freshman year I have not seen a change in the amount of litter that roams our campus. Have you ever thought where this litter ends up? Have you thought of where it comes from? The litter on our campus is a problem that can easily be resolved with a little promoting and care for our school and ecosystem that we spend 5 days a week on for upwards of 5 hours a day. During this battle against litter it may a struggle to get the students on board due to ignorance of the fact that littering is an issue in our world and even our school, but I feel if even a portion of the students joined in to pick a piece of trash up a day we can make our campus cleaner and our ecosystem greener.

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A way we can start by fixing our campus littering problem is by simply picking up a piece of trash a day. If a percentage of the large population at our school joined in the movement we could start making the litter on our campus diminish. There will be those who argue that the litter will reoccur daily, which it will, but as long as those on campus who care help retaliate against this issue than we can make this campus a litter free campus

Posters and flyers simply aren't enough because that just leads to more material that could possibly littered. Visualize how simple it’d be to reach down and throw a piece of trash away while on your way to class or while with your friends at tutorial or lunch. Cleaning the trash that is on our campus will clean our city because even though it is littered at our school it can end up thousands of miles away in our ocean and beaches. Imagine walking on the beach and seeing a piece of trash that came from one of the school lunches. We as students can prevent that with a little effort against the litter issue at HBHS.

All I ask for is once a day pick up a piece of trash and throw it away to fight the mass of litter that can accumulate on our campus. Help me promote and make our campus, “cleaner and greener.”

Hello Neighbor, First off, your time is greatly appreciated.

People of Huntington Beach, the time for change is now. Being residents of this area, you have surely experienced the long wait times along Goldenwest, especially at the intersection of Goldenwest and Ellis. Not only is this wait frustrating, it can lead to environmental issues such as smog in the area, and even potentially lead to health issues such as asthma in the children of the area.

As many of you may have noticed, the light at Ellis and Goldenwest has an extraordinarily long wait time, mostly when turning onto or off of Goldenwest. On average, the wait is roughly 3 minutes. This is due to the corridor system that is currently implemented which favors traffic flowing north and south over those turning. Not only does this lead to many frustrating situations in traffic, it may also lead to environmental issues in the area surrounding the light. These environmental problems, along with the potential health issues associated with them, are the primary concerns for our community and generations to come.

A great solution to this frustrating and environmentally disastrous problem is to make a change from the corridor system, the faulty system currently in place, to the adaptive system being utilized in parts of Orange County and Los Angeles. By using your voice and contacting the Public Works Department, whose information will be listed below, we can get this defunct system eliminated.

Implementing the adaptive traffic control system would make the lights of Huntington Beach more responsive to the time of day, who’s been there the longest, and the way traffic is flowing. This would ensure that nobody is stuck at a light for an absurd amount of time and would keep traffic flowing. The only remaining question is, why hasn’t the adaptive system already been implemented? The answer is, it has. It is slowly taking its place in the traffic control systems of Orange County, including Huntington Beach. The progress is slow however, which is why us citizens must be persistent in trying to get this system in place.

Today, all I can ask of you is to contact the Public Works Department and express your irritation with the issue. There are many problems with the corridor system and it is up to us to use our voice to get this changed. Below is the contact information of Bob Stachelski, the transportation manager of the Public Works Department. By using your voice, together we can make a difference.

Thank you,

Rhett Walters

rwalters100@student.hbuhsd.edu

Bob Stachelski

Transportation Manager

bstachelski@surfcity-hb.org

Solution To Reducing Food Waste By: Saxon Varon

There are currently 53,000 homeless people in the LA county alone. On average, 100,000 dollars of food is wasted by students in the LA school district each day. If half of this money was used to feed the homeless, the change would be tremendous. In July of 2014 a new act was put in place that encouraged students to take a fruit and vegetable with every meal in order for the school to be reimbursed for the costs. After this was put into place the amount of food waste in schools increased drastically. There is 18 million dollars worth of food wasted annually that could be used to give to those in need. Many people may say that this regulation was put into place in order to to promote healthy eating for children but Julia Bauscher, president of the School Nutrition Association, stated,�We're not opposed to healthy changes, we just want changes that don't unnecessarily increase cost and force students to take foods they have no intention of eating." These changes to school meals has had very little benefit in comparison to the millions of dollars wasted on untouched food.

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We are lucky enough to attend a school that has taken huge steps in trying to reduce the large amounts of food waste within our community. We have implemented share bins in our school lunch cafeteria where students can add uneaten food. Other students are able to grab and eat this food so it does not go to waste. This helps with the fruits and vegetables that often times get left behind as those are the most commonly disliked foods.

Our school not only has a food share bin for students but is also have started testing out a system where left over food is picked up by the food bank and given to the homeless. This is currently in the process of being tested and can later be used in all schools if it works, which it is expected to do. In an interview with Eric Flores, the food services manager at HBHS, it was revealed to me that “because of our production system we are able to keep waste at a minimum.” This is very beneficial for the homeless in our area as they get all the extra food.

Originally, I thought of having bins near every trash can at our school, but Mr. Flores informed me of the many health and safety measures that must be in place for that to happen, as students can drug or contaminate the food that is put into the box.

Therefore, the system that we currently have of a food bank collecting and implementing a system into our cafeteria works the best as they follow all health and safety regulations that are currently in place.

More than 46 million people turn to the Feeding America Food Bank Network to make ends meet,” which is an outrageous number compared to the 18 million dollars of wasted food in our school system annually. If we can lower the amount of food waste in our area it will greatly help those who are actually in need. By simply taking a small extra step in recycling uneaten food into drop bins the homeless population will be able to survive and thrive as food is the fuel for success.

After learning that our school has a system in place that helps with the food waste at our school, I want everyone at HBHS to know about this and know that they have the ability to help others. Everyone should put any extra food they have in these bins in order to have the least amount of waste and the most amount of food to help. As a guideline, students should only donate food that is either from the school lunch or that is unopened and completely sealed. There are many health problems with opened or unsealed foods that can carry diseases and spoil. Let’s say you have a bag of Cheezit’s in your lunch that you don’t want anymore rather from throwing it away you can help someone out that has nothing by putting it in the cafeteria located in the student center where a company will take your Cheez-it’s to a homeless shelter and use your “trash” to help others. Who wouldn’t want to help someone in need?

Everyone should take the extra step and take any extra snacks to the cafeteria even though it might be out of the way for you, you are helping someone who is in need which is always a good thing.

Now that you are all knowledgeable about the benefits of dropping any extra food off in the cafeteria, the amount of food waste here at HBHS could hopefully drop a drastic amount, and maybe even help a person in need too.

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f o Fight r

Females

By: Valerie Rudd

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artwork by: Dixie Chatt

The

Becoming apart of a sports team is a memorable moment for most people; your teammate's, working to become better; your parents, yelling your name on the sidelines; and the crowds, cheering you on to become the hero of the game. Some of these feelings should be shared among friends and classmates, but how can they be shared if some sports are not being announced or broadcasted on campus?

Huntington Beach High School has many ways to get a certain subject across, in which also includes sports schedules; but majority of girls sports on school campus do not get much recognition compared to others. This is simply not just a problem in high school, the article “It’s Dude Time; A Quarter Century of Excluding Women’s Sports in the Televised News and Highlight Shows” by Cheryl Cooky, Michael A. Messner, and Michela Musto, shows that this is a problem also in the real world with “only 3.2% of coverage [in news media] was dedicated to women’s sports”(Cooky, Messner, Musto 12).

This problem has been becoming more relevant over time, but this subject did not fully develop on its own. Another article,“Women Play Sport, But Not on TV: A Longitudinal Study of Televised News Media” blames most of the problem,”in part, due to the overrepresentation of men in sport newsrooms”(Cooky, Messner, Hextrum 11).

On our campus, there are multiple medias to where schedules and news are spread through the campus, the announcements, Campus Update, and also ASB. Now they all cover sports somewhat, but they do not fully cover every sport on their platforms. Aoife Fisher, one of the student announcers that takes over the announcements every morning, agreed that,”that girls sports definitely don’t get as much attention as guys sports, but I don’t know what the cause of that really is”(Aoife Fisher).

Some argue that women are getting a fairly good amount of time on television, but some of that time, mostly see women negatively. “Let’s (Not) Talk Sex An Analysis of the Verbal and Visual Coverage of Women’s Beach Volleyball during the 2008 Olympic Games”

by Kim Bissell and Lauren Smith is an article that points out on tv, during the 2008 Olympic Games, that newscasters were “emphasizing female athletes’ sex appeal, femininity, and purported physical weaknesses”(Bissell, Smith 5). Women should not be portrayed as barbies in a beauty contest, they play a sport to show their love and commitment to the game, not to be called out for their femininity.

As a student of the HBUHSD, there are not many ways to solve the nationwide problem of the difference between men’s and women’s sports, but can start by helping on campus.

If one does play a sport, get the word out, on social media, make posters if necessary. On the HBHS website there is a form that can be filled out for announcements that can be announced in the mornings. It could be anything from a game schedule, to a congratulatory message.

Oilers, this is the time to become passionate in what is most valuable in life, and not take it for granted. Getting to that stage ay be hard, but it all can be worth it in the end.

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K

By: Kat Beason

ids, teens, adults, and young adults in this day and age are addicted to their phones.

I set off on a journey to test this issue. During winter break, for your entertainment and my suffering, I went to a little mountain town, Buena Vista, in Colorado for about three days with no internet, unless you signed into the cabins wifi.

I was with my Aunt, Uncle, and two cousins, Lily and Lucy.

We left for Buena Vista the night I flew in.

It was challenging at first not being allowed to text or message any of my friends, go on Snapchat, and search for memes, but I had my aunt and cousins to talk to me instead.

It was nice to just talk to them, hearing all the funny stories of the past year, and have my aunt embarrass me with stories of me when I was their age, about 9 or 10. When we got to the cabin we unloaded the cars, got stuff ready for skiing the next day, and went to sleep. It was very tempting to turn on my phone and do what I do everynight: watch videos and talk to people until late hours, but I didn’t. This was turning out to be a lot more difficult than I was expecting.

photography by: Kat Beason

logging off

The next morning we went skiing till about four in the afternoon.

I had my phone on me for emergency purposes but never had to use it. I struggled not to pull it out it at lunch because it was just habit. Without my phone it made it easier to enjoy the beauty of where I was. A herd of deer even came by and I wasn't too busy on my phone to miss it.

We spent the rest of the evening playing card games and watching an old movie. When it came for time to sleep I was about to turn on my phone and go talk to people until my aunt noticed and stopped me.

I didn't even realize I was back on my phone until she intervened. I quickly put my phone away and went to sleep.

It was very difficult to fall asleep that night though‌ All I could think about was getting on my phone and watching something on YouTube or if I needed to return any messages.

The next day was New Years eve and we had left early in the morning to go skiing again but left earlier from the slopes that day because there was not a lot of snow and rocks were starting to stick out in open areas. When we got home I helped make chicken pot pie and we played a game of Progressive Rummy waiting for midnight. It was at this point where I had enough and got out my phone and started going on all my social media apps and eventually ended up playing some games‌ Slightly disappointed in myself I stayed up till 1 am to wish everyone in California a happy New Year and went to sleep. I was on my phone for almost the rest of the time I was in Colorado.

This just proved the fact that we are indeed addicted to our phones and internet. I for one know I always need to know the wifi password whenever I am at someones house‌ No, this is nothing to be proud of but it is what we do. There are other people out there that are worse than me and that is a fact. If I could barely go two whole days without my phone and the connection to internet, how would other teenagers fare? This day and age people are buried in there phone. Yes, it is the age of technology but we need to take out heads out of our phones and live life outside for a bit. We ignore what is around us and focus on something that isn't physical.

If you are not one of these people, props to you. You enjoy life in the now, outside of a different reality. I just hope we can break the habit and emerge into the realm of reality, lifting our heads high, and un-crook our necks and absorb some of the beauty and wonder that surrounds us.

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Women And Their Place In America By: Candy Hart-Peratt

Our modern society has taken on a familiar battle, a battle that women have been fighting for centuries all around the world. A fight for equality, respect and worth.

One of the most outspoken generals of this army is Tarana Burke, a revolutionary of a woman who has created a foundation to aid fellow females all around the world who are struggling with the after effects of sexual assault.

The cinematic industry in Hollywood has brought lots of attention to this subject in the recent months. Celebrities are using the the most televised platforms to broadcast their support towards the Feminist movement. On January 28th, 2018 the sixtieth Grammys Award Show was televised and taken as an opportunity for many activists to publicly show their resistance towards modernized sexism and their support for large organizations such as #TimesUp and #MeToo. Though attention is only just now being shed upon this subject, #MeToo has been fighting for a better world for women since the early 2000s #MeToo is a campaign that originated in New Jersey with the founding of Tarana Burke. Burke launched this campaign after 10 years of working with the To Be Company that took in young girls from low income neighborhoods and focused on improving their self-worth and their confidence. While working for To Be, Burke was able to help young girls deal with abuse and learn coping mechanisms. This is where Burke birthed the idea of creating something bigger, something that could reach men and women all over the world and show them that ultimately, they are not alone.

Researchers at Vox have conducted interviews from women in America who had an occupation in a myriad of different industries and came to the conclusion that 25% to 85% of all women have experienced sexual harassment in a work environment, and even further, 75% of those misconducts are left unreported. #MeToo was a beginning to significantly reduce these numbers.

#MeToo became a trending hashtag via twitter and what started as a small movement to help women of color, globalized into a community of survivors from all corners of the world to give support to one another and share strength amongst the audience. Their stories with sexual harassment all ending with the words, “Me Too.” With announcements and references at large televised events such as the Golden Globes and trending worldwide on our largest social media platforms, this movement continues to persist onward and shows no signs of slowing down in the near future. #MeToo has turned into a battle cry for the new feministic wave.

If you or a loved one are dealing with sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673, or confide in a trusted loved one or adult. You are not alone. Our community and millions of women will continue to fight on; we will fight for a world where no women, man, child, or human will every have to say “Me Too” and instead can say “Once Upon a Time."

c i g a M

mirror

On The

Wall . . .

The Mandela Effect

By: Kelsey Fuller

Nelson Mandela, when do you remember him dying? Back in the 80s or 2013? This is where the “Mandela Effect” began. When people expand their horizons they began to realize that things may not be the way they seem.

The Mandela Effect is where things have been changed over time, but people remember it another way. Such as Nelson Mandela himself. Many people remember him dying in the 1980s, while many other people remember him dying in 2013. Here are some other famous effects.

1. Luke, I’m not your Father?

Everyone knows the famous line from “Star Wars”, “Luke I am your father.” But what if I told you it never existed. The actor, James Earl Jones distinctly remembers the line having Luke in it. Supposedly the line has changed to “No, I am your father.”

2. Lion and the Lamb If you have a bible and or are religious, you should know the famous bible quote about the lion and the lamb. But what if I told you it was switched to the wolf and the lamb?

Actually, people have pictures of the bible with this quote. So why would it change?

3. Magic Mirror on the What?

We all remember watching “Sleeping Beauty” and the famous line “Mirror mirror on the wall…” it has been changed to, “Magic Mirror on the wall” You can no longer find this in the movie itself. Although in Shrek 4 the gingerbread quotes, “Mirror, Mirror on wall…”

4. Life is[n’t] like a box of chocolates I watched “Forrest Gump” two weeks ago remembering that the movie quote for sure says “life is like a box of chocolates.” But once again a famous movie has changed.

The line is now, “Mama said, life was like a box of chocolates.” Apparently, actor Tom Hanks says this was representing the passing of his mother in the movie. Although this still does not seem right, it unfortunately is.

5. Artificial Loops I remember my favorite cereal. The one with the toucan, Fruit Loops. Now known as Froot Loops, and apparently was never Fruit Loops. I remember going to the store when I was younger seeing Fruit Loops.

Many remember seeing the cereal box saying Froot Loops.

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artwork by: Dixie Chatt

love is patient By: Kat Beason Love Love is the blues and the yellows on a freshly painted canvas.

Love is a mother holding her child for the first time ever.

Love is a rarity none of us see, yet it’s all around us.

Love It’s an emotion.

It’s an action.

It’s a gift.

Love, by definition, is “An intense feeling of deep affection.”

To some it’s more.

To some it’s just that.

To some it may be less.

Love is learned.

Love is given.

Love is earned.

Love: The thing keeping most of us alive, whether we have it or are still searching.

Love is blind.

Love is painful.

But most of all, love is patient.

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Nostalgic Dream

By: Christian Fukino

artwork by: Gracie Briquelet

t’s the end of fifth grade. The last day of school concludes in mere hours, and I’m moving to a different state for middle school. All of my friends are staying here. I might not see them again if I leave. I don’t want that to happen. All of us agree that we want to get together again after this, so we all carve our names on the back of the main building as our word. On this day, a promise is made to return to this school.

It’s been 7 years since I made that promise. The dream I had that night reminded me of my biggest regret, and I recall not wanting to go to school that morning. After moving away, I found new friends in middle school, made it to high school, met the girl of my dreams, and passed all of my classes. My senior year of high school was coming to a close, with only a few months left. I truly had forgotten about it. For my entire high school life, I didn’t have any plans to return, nor did I have vivid memories of my old friends.

Not once in the last seven years did I think to myself, “I wonder how my old friends are doing.”The problem was, once I had that dream, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Before long, it was on my mind every day.

As spring break began, I had some time to thoroughly ponder about it. I didn’t want this to haunt me for any longer, so I ended up packing some things for a trip. My parents, being the way they were, wouldn’t let me go without letting them tag along. I didn’t have a choice; still, it did make sense, because I’m sure they wanted to revisit their former home one last time as well. My dad reversed the truck down the driveway, and my mom and I boarded. Thus began my journey down the long, empty highway to the place where I grew up. The shadow of night had arrived by the time we found a motel. I couldn’t sleep - I was completely restless - so I ended up sneaking outside of our room and walking into the small forest behind the motel.

Suddenly, I remembered this forest.

Images of me running through the trees with my old group of friends - exploring, discovering, wandering, smiling… All of these memories flooded into my head as soon as I walked up to the trees before me. What struck me the most was how little the forest had changed in the past years. It didn’t look like any of the trees were gone, and the slight scent of the leaves was reminiscent of my childhood.

I realized then that my old house was actually just a couple blocks from here, and that the neighborhood where a few of my friends lived was directly to my right. Even in the darkness of night, I could see my past as brightly as midday.

As the sun rose the next morning, we finally drove towards my old elementary school. At the time, my mind was flustered. I couldn’t keep track of what I was thinking about, whether or not I was ready for what was about to happen. Part of me felt guilty that I was doing this without the rest of my old friends. I’d probably never see them again. I rolled down my window for some air.

After a 10 minute ride, we turned the corner into a small neighborhood, and I was able to see it again. For a brief moment, I felt nostalgic excitement. It was like I had returned to 7 years ago and was about to run over to my friends.

We would talk about anything and everything until the first bell rung and we had to run to our class. At lunch, we’d run to our spot behind the main building, where no one would find us. We’d spend a lot of our time there - after school, at lunch, in the mornings, and even on the weekends, sometimes. That was our spot.

It belonged to no one else but us. As I got a closer look, however, all of that excitement left me. The school was abandoned.

It didn’t look like anyone had been there for years. All of the colors were faded.

The walls that once adorned a bright red hue now displayed a faint gray. The blue tiles along the roof barely looked saturated whatsoever. Much of the glass along the buildings was shattered, and the plants were growing tall. No one was here - not my friends, not the old students, and not the old staff. I shouldn’t be here either.

We parked the car along the street in front of the school since the parking lot was gated off. The only easy way in was a hole in the fence along the grass field. That field was once where we’d have P.E., running and playing different sports, but the grass had grown taller than my knees.

I stood in the middle of the field and felt lost.

The wind gently blew across the ocean of green, rippling waves all around me. I looked up and gazed at the clouds slowly drifting in the still blue sky above me. The warmth of the sun and the chill of the breeze... As deserted as it seemed, there lingered a certain kind of peace at the school.

My parents let me roam by myself, but limited me to a half hour. As much as I despised that, I understood - we were trespassing, after all. The classrooms were all dark and empty. Desks lined the rows that they were originally put into, but they were faded and covered in dust. Everywhere I looked, the school seemed to have been left behind as time moved forward.

As I walked down the empty hallways, I couldn’t help but imagine what it was like when I was last here. The school wasn’t forgotten. It was bright and colorful; students and teachers constantly walked along the halls. This was once a state-recognized school, and now it seemed like nobody even knew about it. Everywhere I went was the same. The gym, the office, the cafeteria, and even the playgrounds were left in a faded shadow. I began wondering why I even bothered to return.

I heard my parents call to me as I walked behind the main building, saying that it was time to go.

Before I headed back, however, I noticed a little bit of sunlight shining down before me. There was a patch of blooming flowers and bright green grass at my feet. I turned the corner, and I saw a small meadow that had grown behind the main building and extended to the opposite street. Then I remembered. I looked down at the wall. Four names were carved into the bricks of the building.

PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA PARTY PARTY PARTY PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA PARTY PARTY PARTY PIZZA PARTY PIZZA PARTY

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PIZZA PIZZA PARTY PARTY PIZZA PIZZA PARTY PARTY

artwork by: Gracie Briquelet

forgotten classics presents:

B

By: Natalie Han

After digging through the internet, I managed to find four tracks by the group: “B*tches”, “Interracial Dating”, “Giving Up Da Gun” (a rough demo for the future Vampire Weekend track), and my personal alltime favourite “Pizza Party.” Ezra Koenig is able to show off his lyrical and songwriting genius with a song simply about taking a break from college and eating a slice of pizza with pals. The repetitious drum loop that plays in the beginning of the song infects you and enthralls you in. Each line is delivered with purpose and hypnotises you with it’s catchiness and flow. Koenig is able to

The group met while attending Columbia craft the perfect atmosphere for the listenUniversity in New York during the mid-2000s. er and puts out the message that there is no Before their meeting, Koenig grew up in New need for expensive corny toppings. Instead, Jersey and had been involved with other music people need to simply enjoy a classic slice of pizza. projects with his childhood friend, Wes Miles, the lead singer of Ra Ra Riots. Meanwhile,

After the group ended and Kalaidjian Kalaidjian came from Atlanta and brought his love for rap with him to New York. Together, left, Koenig, Tomson and their two friends, the duo decided to have a bit of fun and invited Rostam Batmanglij and Chris Baio formed Vampire Weekend in 2006 and released Tomson to join their rap group. The members their debut album which would receive were sick of the usual band set up and opted critical acclaim. L’Homme Run was simto instead utilise a laptop to record with Koeply the rough beginnings of what would nig making the beats, Kalaidjian doing vocals, become Vampire Weekend. Even today, and Tomson playing guitar. The band would play small shows around their campus and was L’Homme Run has a large online cult following and continues to inspire many with able to obtain a bit of attention from the public. their unique music style and brilliant yet Nevertheless, L’Homme Run never officially bizarre lyrics. released any albums or singles but instead uploaded their songs and demos to MySpace.

efore the critically-acclaimed, indie pop band Vampire Weekend formed, the lead singer Ezra Koenig and drummer, Chris Tomson were in a serious rap group with Andrew Kalaidjian called L’Homme Run. Their sound was influenced by pop and Dominican music, as well as the likes of Belle and Sebastian and 50 Cents. The group was known for their humorous and satirical lyrics which would later become memes on the internet. Their most iconic lyric was “Yo Tony, where’d you get that fresh pepperoni?” which has since been transformed into several internet memes.

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artwork by: Gracie Briquelet

billie eilish By: Angie Martinez

The color yellow. Yellow, it is bright and eye-catching. A color that symbolizes different things. Happiness. Optimism. Positivity. When it’s manipulated however, we come to the realization that yellow is not all that it seems. As a lover of music, I like to keep up-to-date with different music artists. I happened to stumble upon an artist by the name of Billie Eilish. I’m a fairly picky listener of music at times, but this girl instantly changed my standpoint on different genres of music.

Most fans have come to know that Billie is extremely underrated and deserves more attention. At the young age of sixteen, only two years older than me, Billie Eilish can be considered an overnight sensation.

Alongside her brother, Finneas O'Connell, his melancholic lyrics and her soft voice make for an amazing combo. Originally from Soundcloud, Billie and her brother released a song in 2015 titled, “She’s Broken.”

Another good song from the sibling’s Soundcloud days is a song entitled, “Fingers Crossed.” Both songs were meant to be for their friends. The songs were never meant to become popular. It was something they did for fun. Billie’s voice is something we connect to calmness. The way she sings is something that is interpreted as happy. But when reading inbetween the lyrics, we find that there is always something more to the story. The deep lyrics can be credited to Billie’s older brother.

Her debut album, Don’t Smile at Me, was released on August 11, 2017. It had been previously recorded in 2016. The entire track is 25 minutes long and includes eight songs.

One song, “Ocean Eyes,” quickly became an all time favorite for both new and old listeners.

The lyrics tell the story of falling in love with someone, and compares it to falling off a cliff.

When describing her music, I would say it starts off light. Her voice and the melody behind her is like the beginning of a rollercoaster. It’s predictable. It stays at a comfortable pace and that’s what we like. It’s evident that Billie knows what appeals to listeners.

In her song, “COPYCAT,” the lyrics are menacing, but hidden behind the beat of the song itself. After she sings the line, “I don’t belong to anyone, but everyone knows my name,” the overall message of the song begins to peek through. During the bridge of the song, it seems as if Billie is apologizing. The dark and intimidating lyrics cease and she brushes off the apology with a classic, “sike.”

After saying sike, the song returns to its regular beat and lyrics.

Her story of success has only just begun and seeing how many people have begun to show their love for her makes me proud. I hope that in the near future, Billie will still be as popular as she is right now. Once fame comes to people, most of the time, they begin to change along with their new lifestyle. Billie is one of the few real music artists who don’t think that they’re absolutely amazing. She may be a rising artist, but she’s still a teenager.

The

Observatory Concert

review

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artwork by: Dixie Chatt

By: Jameson Jaksch

My excitement built the closer we got to the venue. I had waited months for this day and it felt surreal. Tyler, the Creator and Brockhampton together at one show. This was a once in a lifetime concert and I already knew it would be one that I would remember until the day I die. Just seeing the way the venue was set up made the anticipation grow even more. I really couldn’t explain the excitement I was feeling. Until the drop off which brought all emotions to a screeching halt. I stepped out of my moms car into a secluded parking lot, “Have fun, be careful!” she yells to me as I shut the door. I stood there confused as to where to go. I spot a parking attendant which confused me as there were no cars to attend to, “Sir, could you tell me which way the venue is,¨ I asked him. He communicated to me a very confusing set of directions. I thanked him and started my walk to the venue which felt more like a journey then anything. It seemed as if no one was there. Why weren’t other people walking the same way I was? Was I in the wrong place? Was the concert rescheduled? Every question I had was about to be slapped across my face when i saw the line into the venue which stretched out for what seemed to be a mile. The awkwardness I felt grew more heavy as I passed every person on the way to the back of the line. As I waited I noticed the style of the two people in front of me, “I really like your style”, I add. They thank me.

“Who are you most excited to see?” Their response was Brockhampton. Then they asked me the same and I told them I was there to see Tyler. We then went into conversation about what schools we go to, what electives we take, that kind of thing. “So are you here with friends?” they ask me. I froze, “Um… yeah I have a couple coming,” I tried to explain that they were running late. I actually did have a friend that was supposed to meet up with me in line but we never even met up at all through the duration of the show as she ran extremely late.

“Well, you can hang out with us until they get here,” I thanked them. I then started to feel a bit more at ease, and lost the feelings of confusion and awkwardness as time went on.

The line actually moved quite quickly, or at least quicker then I thought it would. We then approached the security area where I spotted a fashion oriented Youtuber who calls himself GOKARTS! “Hey, you’re a youtuber,” I called out as he walked past me. He just sort of smiled and kept walking. Guess he’s not gonna even going to say hi or anything. The people who I had met earlier asked who he was and I explained. Then finally, I stepped through security and made it into the main area. This was a dream come true. I was about to see 2 of my favorite artists in person playing some of my favorite songs. I couldn’t stop smiling.

That was until I saw the Golfwang booth.

....and so much more!

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The line was insane, and I couldn't understand why people came to a concert just to buy clothes. I mean don't get me wrong I love Golfwang, but I didn't understand why these people couldn't have just bought it off the website or at the store itself. I hadn’t eaten anything all day and there were a plethora of food trucks to choose from and with no one performing yet, I thought I’d just grab something to eat. I pulled up to a taco truck and made my order.

Right as I was about to sit down to eat, Banes World came on. Everyone sprinted to the stage area. I had never even heard of this band before, why was everyone making such a big deal? All the commotion was building up my curiosity, so I quickly shoved down my taco and made it into the stage area. I was up front and this view was where I would be for most of the show which I couldn’t have been more grateful for. The band started playing and I could see why everyone was so excited within the first couple of songs. The performance was pretty decent, but the music itself was great and I think that's what people were most excited for. A lot of people were there but the crowd wasn’t nearly as big as it would be in the hours to come. It was in that moment that I realized how early I was. I did find it a shame though that not as many people got to see Banes World considering they were better than one of the performers who came on after. That one performer was Clairo, who was by far the worst performer of the night. From what I had heard it was her first show, but to me that's still not an excuse. To start she had no enthusiasm whatsoever, and when your surrounded by performers who are pretty much built off of enthusiasm it really shows. To make things worse a staggering realization rushed in for everyone in the audience, the fact that her music isn’t really made for a live experience.

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This combined with an uncharismatic performance, made everything bland and boring, and as time went on you could even hear some people boo. Near the ending of her performance some of her friends came out to join her on stage and the concert started to pick up speed once again.

Although the concert didn't fully gain full force until the next performance by the DJ Taco. I wasn't in the crowd for this bit as I had gotten extremely dehydrated and needed water, but I could tell it was a high energy performance judging by the reaction of the audience.

It wasn’t until Steve Lacy came on that I actually went back in, and out of everyone who had come on before he was the best so far. I found it really impressive that he maintained charisma while singing and playing guitar at the same time, and he wasn’t just being charismatic, he was moving all around the stage, clapping, shouting out to fans, you name it. Yet, days later I would hear Youtubers talking about their disappointment with his performance and I completely disagree. Their gripes were with the sound itself, and maybe it was because I hadn’t heard any of his music before hand, but I thought it sounded great, and he kept me very entertained through the whole performance, and surprisingly even made me sad when he went off stage. This only left me wanting more and heightened my expectations for the next performance which was Brockhampton.

The hype grew to a heated level once stage managers started setting up the decor which featured a couch and a 1950s style T.V. A sort of american dream feel.

As the lights went down, Ameer Vann walked on stage wearing nothing but

street clothes and a surgical mask with the song “TEAM” playing in the background, and at first I expected this to be the first song they played. But then he started putting on the classic orange jumpsuit and soon after it was fully on and all of the members of Brockhampton jumped on stage and “BOOGIE” started out of nowhere with the crowd going absolutely nuts. Including me. I couldn’t tell if I was feeling euphoric, adrenaline filled, scared, or happy. All I could feel were a flurry of emotions, and it felt amazing. This was way better than anyone who had come on before and I honestly wasn’t sure if Tyler could top this. It was one banger after another, and for awhile I couldn’t get enough of it until at some point I started to exhaust myself after all the jumping and moshing I did. At one point my phone fell out of my pocket because I was jumping so high. By the time “GOLD” came on I felt like I was going to pass out, not to say I wasn’t having a good time, because I had never felt better. So I guess I just tried to mask the pain and kept jumping. When it was over I was completely out of breath, and thought I was gonna have to have security bring me water. Although I really wanted to stay up front for the headlining performance, I knew in my state it wouldn't be smart and that i'd probably pass out. So I made my way out of the audience area and into the food truck area, drank some water and sat down for a bit.

After about 15 minutes, the background of the stage lit up and everyone knew Tyler was about to come on. I quickly rushed over to the audience area and pushed past as many people as I could so I could get more near to the front. In the end I was sort of in the middle and it was kind of hard to see but luckily im tall so I had somewhat of an advantage.

Then everything went silent, and eerie synths could be heard coming from the stage which lead up amazingly to the intro of “Where This Flower Blooms.” With a great intro, Tyler's performance was off to a great start but many were questioning if he could top the eclectic show Brockhampton had just put on. Yet Tyler continued to impress with one of the most charismatic performances I've ever seen, and although Tyler's performance wasn't as energetic as Brockhampton’s, he brought way more to the stage in terms of communication with the audience and immersion. I felt like I was living through every song that he performed. I would also like to add how he managed to keep a great balance of bangers and mellow songs as well. He started out soft and would keep moving forward until it heightened into a banger.

Slow down again to let the crowd rest, and then come back punching harder with something even more impactful. I feel like even though Brockhampton was super energetic, they didn't know when to switch from hard to soft and back again, and this left many people in the audience exhausted. There was also a mosh pit for a lot of Tyler’s songs, and I joined in without hesitation. The pit formed mostly for the old songs he performed, and I noticed how a lot of the people in the pit were Odd Future fans too, so the pit ended up being weirdly emotional. I heard people talk about how proud they were to see Tyler grow from playing small obscure venues, to playing festivals around the world and even hosting his own. Some people started tearing up at one of his last songs which was “See You Again,” and I just remember feeling like I was apart of something and as if I was sharing a moment with everyone in the crowd. When the show was finally over, everyone was speechless and left with chills, including me. I couldn't stop thinking about the show, from the ride home, to falling asleep, it was on my mind for the rest of the night. It was a night to remember and something I would give anything to go back to.

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photography by: Izzy Agnello

The Man Made Of Stardust By: Izzy Agnello January 10, 2016.

Seven men were confirmed dead in Manhattan, New York. Davy Jones, a man who grew up in Brixton, London and played jazz on his plastic saxophone. Ziggy Stardust, a bisexual rock superstar alien who acted as a messenger for extraterrestrial beings. Major Tom, an astronaut who cut himself off from Earth and drifted away into space. Aladdin Sane, an American Ziggy Stardust known as “a lad insane.” The White Duke, a racist, fascist cocaine addict. Halloween Jack, “a real cool cat” from Hunger City. Jareth, the goblin king. All of these personalities have one thing in common, they were all characters who were created to entertain and used to glamorize rock. From Davy Jones to Jareth the goblin king from the 1986 film, Labyrinth, David Bowie never failed to impress.

“He still runs my universe as well. Like, every morning I wake up and think, ‘What would Bowie do?’ … The things he created, were self-expression for him, but also a sense of protection for who he personally is as David.”

It was stars like Gaga, Janelle Monaé, and Adam Lambert who attempt to live the Bowie way: they try to create something new and powerful, like a force of nature that flips the music scene upside down. Most artists just believe creating an album is enough, but to some, there is far more to it.

Some popular artists fail to look inside themselves and hire other people to feel for them. Music should not be a thing, it should be an emotion that an artist feels and

Bowie was known as the chameleon something to express through their creof rock n’ roll. People never knew when he ations. A song should not just be an empty was going to change his face. His style inpile of notes, it should be a chapter in a spires the fashion and music world to this day. never-ending story.

The alter egos he created inspired top fashion designers to pop stars like Lady Gaga.

Bowie was not just a musician. He was a storyteller; every song depecticted the

Lady Gaga paid tribute to Bowie in story of his characters. To many The Rise her early years of musicianship by painting and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders a lightning bolt across her face. “He’s sort of from Mars was not just an album. It was a like an alien prince,” she expressed during an musical novel starring everyone’s favorite interview with British TV presenter, Alan bisexual alien.

Carr.

Bowie shaped the world of rock and self-expression. He is credited with the creation of glam rock as well as the one who inspired the creators of punk rock. However, his legacy was not just music and clothes. It was the flawed man behind the colored hair and the face paint who had struggles comparable to the rest of the world.

All around the world, people see people who are coming out into the LGBTQ + community. Whether they are daughters, sons, peers, parents, or friends, there are always people struggling with their sexual identity.

Bowie, a man in the 70´s, began to challenge gender roles. He wore skin tight clothes and the occasional dress, such as on the album cover of The Man Who Sold The World.

This man, who didn't want to be anyone but himself, became an androgynous icon in the queer world. Bowie has helped thousands of people who do not fit into the heterosexual norms. He helped those who did not define the conventional male and female. He helped them feel like they belonged and that they can express themselves however they please.

Bowie struggled like everyone else, particularly with sexual identity. At first, he was bisexual, then gay, but then, in a 1992 interview with Rolling Stone, he admitted to being a “closeted heterosexual.” This declaration did not affect Bowie’s love of changing gender roles, bodies, and love.

“Questioning my spiritual life has always been germane,” Bowie admitted. Before he had become a musician, he was learning to be a monk. For a brief period of time he was interested in Buddhism. After his fame, he was not so sure, but he had always believed in God.

The Thin White Duke. The fascist on cocaine that almost destroyed David Bowie in 1975. This character was created during the time period where Bowie was pale and slender. All he had in his system was cocaine, milk, and chili peppers. Unlike the glimmering Ziggy Stardust, the White Duke wore monochrome and clothed himself in two pieces of a three-piece suit. He was described as an “Aryan Superhuman,” and Bowie was quickly sucked into his character.

His addiction was killing him. Fueled by cocaine, he did interviews saying how Hitler was the original rock star. Bowie was not a fascist but his addiction pushed him over the edge and he fell too deep into character. Bowie was not Bowie.

Iggy Pop, another rock giant, was also an addict at this time and Bowie agreed with him to sober up and to keep an eye on each other. With Iggy’s help and the creation of Bowie’s abstract album, Low, the Duke died and left Bowie to continue to inspire for the next forty years.

During the 80s and 90s, Bowie was extremely anti-fascism and anti-racism, completely different from the Duke. Bowie described the music videos for “China Girl” and “Let’s Dance” as a “very simple, very direct” statement towards racism. During an interview with MTV in 1983, Bowie criticised the channel for not providing enough coverage on black musicians. Later in his career, Bowie formed a band, “Tin Machine,” who took a more firm stance against Neo-Nazism and fascism. Eventually, the group was criticized for being too moralistic.

Bowie was an imperfect man living in an imperfect world. He transported his fans around the galaxy and back. He demonstrated the flaws of man in a glamorous way.

Bowie may have only been a man and his characters may have only had been myths, but he died a legend.

On January 10th 2016, we lost a visionary, rebel, and a hero to those who did not know they needed one. A person who was more than flesh and blood, but a man made of stardust, just like everyone else. When one thinks about it everyone is made of stardust. People just need to find something that makes them glow. Bowie is not gone.

He still shines through the top forty music charts and will live on in the hearts of his family, friends, and fans. Finally, after years of work, suffrage, and entertaining the world, this beautiful man finally found his place amongst the stars.

photography by: Izzy Agnello

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E S R E V I N U : EXO

By: Andrea Cervantes

artwork by: Gracie Briquelet

For all you kpoppers out there, most of you have most likely been anticipating Exo’s winter album Universe. Universe was released on Tuesday, December 26th after being postponed due to the tragic passing of SHINee’s Jonghyun. Even after this delay, they still managed to come prepared with a new concept for this winter album. A lot was on the table since this is the first winter album without former member Lay. Although this is the first winter album without Lay, they have still managed to thrive, showing their unique mellow style to their fans. Exo continues to represent themselves following the same routine of presenting a slower ballad as their title track for each album. Even though their title tracks seem to maintain the same concept, they still manage to present new ideas with every album, providing a glimpse to a new era of Exo.

“Universe” is their title track which starts off the storyline of their album. The song talks about a couple breaking up and how one still has hope for what they had, using lines such as “I’ll search the universe/ Until I can find you again.” With powerful vocals from members D.O, Chen, Baekhyun, and so on, they represent the mood of the song, moving from a softer more gentle tone to a stronger and powerful tone. As the tones of the members change so does the tune of the song. It starts off with the soft sounds of the piano and slowly becomes more dramatic with the use of the drums and guitar. There seems to be no difference between the Korean and Chinese version as they both consist of the same lines and vocals throughout the songs. Overall, the song is a great introduction to the rest of their album.

Their next song, “Been Through,” shifts moods from “Universe” as they talk about having a bad day, but soon going home to the person that makes them feel better using lines such as “You shine like the stars/You light up my heart” and “Dazzlingly shine upon me at the end of today’s struggles.” Their use of the vocal line gives a tender feeling to the song which is soon transitioned to become more powerful as they hit the chorus. As they continue, they drop the beat slowly building it back up for the introduction to their rap line, rapped by Chanyeol and Sehun. The combination of the tunes, vocals, and rap in this song completes the concept as a whole.

To continue with the shift of moods, “Stay” seems to balance off with “Been Through” with a more uplifted tone throughout the song, but with more dramatic lyrics. “Stay” discusses a breakup of a couple as one can't fully process why it happened, soon blaming him/herself for the loss of their relationship using lines, “Can’t believe, can’t believe/ Your words, saying that love has stopped” and “Two things remain with me, farewell and comfort.” The song gives more attention towards the rest of the vocal line; Suho, Xiumin, and Kai, as the mixture of their voices are thrown together to make a softer R&B ballad. With the strong rap from Chanyeol and Sehun, it is soon concluded with lines “Stay stay beside me.”

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“Fall” gives a new texture to the album as they are now talking about falling for someone, falling so deep that they feel as if they are drowning in this person. The use of the lyrics, “I said I fell for you but you made me fall so deep” and “You try to take over my subconsciousness/I know it’s dangerous but I’m taking another step,” gives the song a dramatic turn to the love of one person. The use of the guitar gives an acoustic tune to the song which makes the vocals stand out. Chen’s and D.O’s backup vocals tend to stand out as well as they support the soft contrast of the mood of the song. This song brings out a new aspect of Exo as they seem to be branching out towards new sounds for their music and group as a whole.

The song “Goodnight” acknowledges the soft tenderness that they present in their music as they are getting ready to conclude their story. The song discusses being in love with someone, but only being able to see them in their dreams and once they awaken they can’t help but feel the emptiness of being without them. This has become a personal favorite due to the many different aspects that they have presented in this song. With the soft melody and the use of the vocals from Chanyeol, it brings out the idea of them not being a poppy hip-hop group, but a group that can acknowledge different sounds and still makes it their own.

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“Lights Out” concludes Universe as the album is finished with a bit of a change to the storyline. The song talks about being that person that someone goes to when they are feeling down using lyrics, “When you lift your head/Smile for me/So you can forget your pain” and “Like the clouds covering the sky/If you get covered too/Then you, you/ I’ll shine on you.” As Universe is concluded, so is the storyline of being the one that is suffering from this heartache. They are now being shown as the person that is helping the one in pain as they understand what they are going through. With the tenderness sound of the piano and the alluring vocals of the members, they help end the album on a good note.

Overall, the album is very different compared to their previous winter albums as they seem to be going for the use of acoustic ballads than their usual uplifting hip-hop sound. As yes listens to their previous albums, you can tell how they have matured throughout the years as they reflect that into their music. Throughout each song, you can tell how each member has grown as a vocal artist even including the rap line themselves. With all the different melodies that they have presented in this album, you can get a glimpse of all the hard work they have put into producing this album and the many reactions that they hope to receive from it.

In conclusion, the album is great and is possibly their best winter album yet. Exo continues to grow throughout the years and I hope they continue to work hard to produce more unique styles of music like this in the future.

artwork by: Gracie Briquelet

By: Izzy Agnello

Izzy’s CorneR : Jessica Bogwicz

Welcome back to Izzy’s corner, where we shine a light on people who enjoy or are involved in music at HBHS. Music can affect anyone, from your neighbor to your English teacher.

Music clubs and small shows, spanning from Brooklyn to the village. The music scene in New York has always been something else.

Clubs like the Bitter End are home to the beginnings of awe-inspiring musicians. These are the places where Bob Dylan played pool and Lady Gaga strummed her chords to stardom. Even today there are shows daily. The Brooklyn Bowl seems to put on 4-5 shows a night. All the venues in Brooklyn house the up in coming jam bands waiting for their big break or are there just to have a good time. These are also the places Jessica Bogwicz plays with her band Bushicks.

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Bogwicz grew up in Syracuse, New York.

Ever since she was little she enjoyed music.

Originally, she wanted to play sax because she wanted to be like Lisa Simpson, but she ended up picking up bass because her older brother played it. Bogwicz began as a classical musician until her interest in rock grew. During her own high school days, she played both bass and violin and eventually traded in the orchestras for a more upbeat college jazz band.

Like most young musicians she hoped to make music apart of her career and future. Bogwicz was one of these people. She even used to record songs in her bedroom using her laptop but now music is a part of her day to day life and there’s always is going to be a part of her that wants to hit it big.

For now, she works in specializing in copyright, she now works in music publishing, and spends days with her cat, Iggy.

Listening to bass players like Joe Dart and genres like progressive rock and funk inspire her to play. She feels as if music has helped her grow into the person she has come today, one of the reasons Bogwicz enjoys her craft.

Also, getting over the nervous feeling and wave of anxiety you get when you get up on stage is another great part of being a musician. Creating new memories at shows with your bandmates and the new people you meet are the experiences most musicians get to treasure.

However, creating to music that you and your audience enjoy creates true bliss and happiness, a wonderful feeling both you and the people get.

Bushicks is a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, it’s also what gave them the name for their band. They are a blend of rock, soul, and blues, and are usually caught playing with jam bands. Bushicks currently celebrated their 2 year anniversary of playing shows. She met one of her bandmates in college and never talked after graduation until he contacted her to work on a project. This led them to form Bushicks their original drummer left them to start a solo career. Luckily, found their current drummer through a friend.

Bogwicz served some music wisdom about what you should do to get out to the world as wellas what to do when you mess up. “Always act like you did it on purpose. Don’t stop,” she explained.” Just keep going.”

When it comes to booking shows, book significant amounts of them to gain experience and to become recognizable. Also, make sure you are performing at a well known and honest venue, and make sure you have a good lineup of good people. At your shows, network and meet new people you never know who someone is until you meet them. Lastly the most basic rule every musician should follow, practice, practice, practice.

I’d like to thank Jessica for Skyping with me and telling me about the New York music scene, herself, and her band, also my cousin for unplugging the WiFi right before our call. I hope to see you soon. Stay Bodacious Oilers.

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By: Kelsey Fuller

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owadays, everyone says “New year, New me.” We all know no one can stick to that plan. Why say something you can't follow through with? Here are some simpler ways you can make yourself a better person without saying the annoying “New year, New me”

1. START WITH MEDITATING EVERY DAY Meditating helps cleanse your mind from a stressful day. Whether you do it before or after school. Or maybe at school. All you need is five minutes to relax and breathe. Being able to clear your mind after a tough day at school will only be beneficial.

2. KEEP A JOURNAL Popular these days are Bullet Journals, they help provide organization, but with a fun twist. You can also keep a planner or a regular notebook and jot down what you feel. Venting to your journal will make life a bit better. It will also remind you of tasks like homework, extracurriculars, and appointments.

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photography by: Kelsey Fuller

o t s y a w 5 top r yourself e t t e b 3. ASK FOR FEEDBACK

This one is very simple. You will never learn from your mistakes unless you get some feedback. This will allow you to grow and mature. Even it’s as simple from asking for feedback from a teacher. To an argument with your friends. Showing your willing to accept the blame, you will show people you actually value them.

4. REDUCE YOUR TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA This will make you feel so much better.

When on social media you have this pressure to be like other girls or guys. We should be able to be comfortable with who we are outside of our social media presence. So try putting the phone down, and then find yourself.

5. BE MORE POSITIVE You can do this by just thinking less negative things. Your self-esteem will boost.

You will not only see a change in yourself but the people around you as well.

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By: Angie Martinez

I may be fourteen and have absolutely no experience when it comes to relationships, but let me tell you something; Food is my thing.

Fourteen years spent on food. Only food. As a teenager, who has never had her first kiss nor gone on a date, I still enjoy giving advice to those that are in relationships. Since the young age of four, my number one piece of advice for all my friends has been to eat food. My valentine is food. I bring all my fellow lonely people, food. You know who you are. I present to you all what to eat when you’re lonely.

Ritz Cracker Sandwich

A classic when it comes to simple food. It’s simple and efficient. Absolutely no work. Usually what I do is take peanut butter, sometimes almond butter if I’m feeling fancy, and a banana.

You put peanut butter, and slab it onto the ritz cracker. The banana is perfect, because when cut up it’s circles. Personally, I don’t think there’s anything better than peanut butter and banana. But wait! There’s something better? But maybe more pricey. It’s Nutella. If you’re allergic to peanuts, like the 0.6% of the population, Nutella is probably the option. I don’t know you and you might have a wild allergy to tree nuts.

Get that checked out first, buddy. Anyways, Nutella and strawberries are just incredible. I can’t even begin to express how good that combination is. I swear it’s actually amazing.

artwork by: Dixie Chatt

food + lonely valentines treats

true love Pancakes

Pancakes are best at 10 pm or 10 am. Pancakes are easy and delicious. Waffles are great and all, but they take too much time. Time you don’t have. Time that could be spent binge watching Netflix. Usually, since it costs very little, going to the store and buying the cheapest box of pancakes. But as most things are, homemade pancakes are better. Therefore, I have one of the best buttermilk pancake recipe. When doing research for which pancakes were best, I came to the conclusion, the number one key is to never. Never. Overmix the batter. Don’t do it.

Since this is a Valentine’s Day recipe thingy, I used chocolate chips. But that’s only because I love chocolate and need more of it, especially on Valentine’s Day. The recipe is pretty straightforward.

The ingredients include: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Whisk that, slowly adding in eggs, buttermilk, and four tablespoons of butter. Mix but, Don’t overmix! Preheat your stove and preheat! So important! Put in your pancake mix and flip when you need to flip. Simple. Easy. Pancakes are amazing, and like I said. Add chocolate chips. Add maple syrup and other stuff.

Molten Lava Cake

Obviously, the number one step in baking is preheating an oven. No, don’t use an Easy Bake Oven. An actual oven. Butter your ramekin, which is some glass dish, and then sprinkle sugar because it obviously wouldn’t be sweet enough. Combine the butter, cinnamon, cayenne. You know, cayenne to spice up that romance you’ll never have. Continue combining nutmeg and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Almost as frequently as you binge watch The Office. Cool slightly. But not as cool as you. Whisk the flour, confectioners' sugar, eggs and yolks, vanilla extract and almond extract in a bowl until creamy. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture. Divide among the prepared ramekins.

Obviously, you have to bake it. No, don’t eat it yet. Bake it for 12-14 minutes and let cool for 5 minutes. Dust with snow, just kidding confectioners’ sugar. Bam! Whoosh! A cake has been made in your kitchen. Or maybe it’s not your kitchen. I don’t know who you are, m8?

I’m not good at ending articles. But, I hope your Valentine’s Day is good either alone or with your special someone. Or a pet.

Because pets always make someone feel better.

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Meets Valentine’s Day

By: Katy Houchen and Kenzie Jones

We are the Blonde Squad, almost like the Buzzfeed’s the Try Guys and Lunchy Break combined. Basically, we are here to help you guys prepare for every event and holiday. As February is approaching so is Valentine’s Day. This holiday can be super fun or really dreadful without someone to share it with, so we thought that we’d make a guide to celebrate with your best friends.

Obviously, there are the basics of Valentine’s Day, it’s always on the 14th of February, it is usually shared with a significant other, etc. However, do many of us know the origin and the story behind this day that 50% of the world dread? The patron saint whom this mysterious holiday falls after is known as St. Valentine. We do know February as the celebrated month of romance, but who was St. Valentine and how did he fall in association with the holiday of love?

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One legend says that Valentine was a priest and that when a law was instituted that it was more appropriate to put unmarried men in the military, rather than married men. Valentine secretly married young lovers, which outraged the Emperor Claudius II, and soon he had had Valentine killed. Other stories suggest that Valentine was imprisoned and he fell in love with one of his jailers’ young daughters.

The first “valentine” was sent as a way for the lovers to communicate, in the form of a letter. Before his death it is alleged that he had signed his last letter to his coveted love “From your Valentine,” a term that we still use in cards and letters we receive on this holiday today. Although the stories are murky and there will never be a true truth to the origin of the celebrated day, we still have these anecdotes to commemorate the truth of this beloved day.

So Valentine’s Day is usually full of gloom and sadness when you don’t have a significant other to share it with. However, this could also be the perfect opportunity to have a fantastic night with your friends. We first started at the place that has all the necessities for this heartfilled holiday: Pinterest. Pinterest has all the necessities to find inexpensive gifts and ideas that are from the heart and personal. Some of these include candies with funny sayings, homemade, Valentine-themed brownies or deserts, or holiday-themed pajamas. All of these are super easy, as well as inexpensive; they also are perfect for your best friends, when you want to show them some love and appreciation on this otherwise heartbreaking holiday.

photography by: Kenzie jones

BlondeSquad

There you have it, the perfect Galentine’s day night; a night full of laughs, adventures, and friendship.

So forget the stereotype of having a boyfriend or girlfriend this Valentine’s day, go chill with your boys or your girls. Celebrate the way that makes you happy, because there’s no better night to treat yourself than a night devoted to love. Show yourself some self-love and have a great holiday, Until next time...

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photography by: Kenzie jones

Next step was to find the perfect rom-com to fill our night. Instead of picking a movie we decided it was far more appropriate to watch Parks and Recreation’s “Galentine's Day.” This episode is about how this girl Leslie, who has a best friend in a different area, and she feels like she needs more best friends. So, she has a Galentine's day brunch with all the girls in her office. She compiles a bunch of questions to ask all the girls to see if they have the same answers as her. All the girls eat and answer fun questions, but they find out that they are being tested/ ranked so they all leave. After that they all become friends, and that is where we looked for inspiration. We got chocolates and made brownies all in order to have the perfect Galentine’s day. The only difference with us three is that we are friends no matter what, so we thought this would be so much fun, which it was!

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By: Natalie Ha

ANTHONY EGAN NH: How would you describe your style?

AE: I prefer having a sort of “vintage” style. I wouldn’t say a certain era, but I usually wear a belt, jeans, maybe chinos, and a jacket.

NH: What/who are some of your influences?

AE: I get a lot of clothes from my uncle so I would say he’s my influence.

NH: Does social media or anything else influence your fashion? Say Youtube or Instagram?

AE: Not necessarily. There is some cool stuff that is new that I try to make look old but other than that no.

NH: Any fashion tips or tricks?

AE: Buy as many long socks as you can because they are a dime of dozen. Once you have a pair for every day of the year, everyone will love you.

NH: Where do you shop for your clothes?

AE: Savers, Goodwill, Active, and Target.

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photography by: Natalie Han

t r o p e R e Styl eport R e l Sty

NH: What is your favorite piece of clothing that you cannot live without?

AE: My socks definitely! Like I’ve said I have a lot of socks and everyday I try to wear a different pair so if someone comes up to me and ask, “Hey what socks you got on today?” I can astonish them with my socks every day.

NH: Can you elaborate more on your socks?

AE: It began maybe three or four years ago. I got my first pair of long socks in middle school. Ever since then, I never really liked the look of the ankle socks so I’ve been stockpiling these long socks. Over the years, I think $2,000 have been spent on all my socks. I have around 365 pairs of socks.

NH: What are your opinions on dress codes?

AE: The biggest evil in the world is not being able to express yourself.

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ELLA JOHNSON NH: How would you describe your style?

EJ: Very 90s and very random in general. I like a lot of androgyny and male fashion in the 90s.

NH: What/who are some of your influences?

EJ: My friends and I take inspiration from 90s shows and films like "My So-Called Life.�

NH: Does social media or anything else influence your fashion? Say Youtube or Instagram?

EJ: I follow some Instagram accounts like @toopoor and @internetgirl.

They have pretty interesting outfits that I am influenced by.

NH: Any fashion tips or tricks?

EJ: Layering clothes always makes an outfit more interesting and the more accessories, the better. For example, I love wearing big earrings.

NH: Where do you shop for your clothes?

EJ: I shop at thrift stores for mostly. Pretty much everything I own comes from Savers, Depop, and vintage stores.

NH: What is your favorite piece of clothing that you cannot live without?

EJ: My favourite piece of clothing is probably my brown Sherpa corduroy jacket or any T-Shirt that is obnoxious.

NH: What are your opinions on dress codes?

EJ: Nobody likes dress codes and they make people insecure and more likely to shame.

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photography by: Natalie Han

Que El Cielo No Es Azul (What Color Is The Sky?) By: Moses Sandoval

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If you haven't seen the movie, I would advise you to go and watch the movie. I have gone to examine the movie about five times, and every time I spot something new. There are so many frames in this movie, and honestly, they are all perfect. Every scene in Coco was developed by some city or town in Mexico.

Pixar explored and found many cultures and traditions, stating “the research trips not only inspired the looks but the story as well.”

The Fruit of Music

Let's face it- Coco was a hit. A movie needs to have quality content to entertain the audience. This can be done with a good punchline or a clumsy character. Sometimes even the simplest characters can help grab the audience’s attention. Disney knows how to work this and has even perfected this with depressing scenes. One thing that Disney has incorporated well is the use of music.

Music Equals Family

I hope that Pixar is proud of the work they did. While developing the story, Pixar started realizing that their story would be about music; that is the life of Mexico after all. Then again, you can't have music without family. Whether it’s support or inspiration, a family is needed. Sometimes, one realizes that the family is most important to late, like poor Miguel. He realized this when his great-grandfather was about to suffer the final death. He was willing to accept the terms of quitting music and being sent to the land of the living, in order to save Hector, his great-grandfather.

My Perspective

What more is there to be said.

This movie was great. honestly, I felt at home in every scene. I'm really proud and even honored that Pixar decided to use my culture's tradition. Pixar did works with the movie. I felt like I was living through this exciting adventure."Un Poco Loco" Is a song that is played by the young Miguel and that kept me singing for days.

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artwork by: Dixie Chatt

Games To Look Forward To In 2018 By: Amber Zeng

In 2018, gamers can expect titles from popular franchises like Far Cry 5, Spider-man, and Kingdom Hearts 3. However, there are also some smaller or more niche games set to be released in 2018 that I’m personally excited about.

Here are four games to look forward to in 2018.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom Release Date: March 23, 2018 Platforms: PS4, PC

This game is a sequel to the first installment to the series Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, created in 2010 by Level-5. In the game, you play as the young dethroned king of Ding Dong Dell, Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, in his quest to create a peaceful kingdom where everyone can be happy. Enlisting the help of other playable characters such as Roland, the 48 year old president of a successful country from the normal world, who is transported to the world of Ni No Kuni in the form of a young 20 year old man, and Tani, the daughter of the leader of the sky pirates. The game has amazing graphics and has beautifully animated 2D cutscenes by the renowned Studio Ghibli, but, contrary to the first game, the combat style has changed drastically. In the first game, players either used familiars to fight, like in Pokemon, or they casted spells.

This sometimes bored gamers during combat because physical attacks became useless as you progressed through the game. However, based on the initial demo gameplay, the combat has shifted the focus to swords that have different mechanics that work based off of the reach of the sword, the distance of the enemy, and the speed of the swings, etc. This also allows the player to utilize blocking, rolling, ducking, and other agility moves to avoid enemies attacks. But, even though swords have become the main focus, the user can still cast spells independently by using small spirits called Hiddledies. One thing to keep in mind while playing is that this game is likely to be a similar length to the first installment which averaged at about 70 hrs, so it isn’t a short game.

artwork by: Amber Zeng

Ori and the Will of the Wisps Release Date: 2018 Platforms: PC, Xbox

This game is a sequel to the game Ori and the Blind Forest which was released by Moon Studios in 2015. Not too much is known about the story taking place within the game, but you play as Ori, the white guardian spirit of the forest. The game takes place right after the first game with Ori revitalizing the forest. It will also probably be similar to the first game which had a 2D puzzle-platformer playstyle. The original gameplay relied on the timing and precision of the player, and as you progress through different areas of the game you gain different abilities. These abilities allow the player to solve puzzles and progress through the game. The art style is beautiful and utilizes colors to add to the feel of the game. Voice acting is also very limited and only appears when parts of the story advances, and other areas are usually filled with atmospheric orchestral scores that add to the mood.

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A Way Out

Release Date: 2018 Platforms: PC, Playstation, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iPhone, Android

Release Date: March 23, 2018 Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

This is the sequel to 2010 hit game, Super Meat Boy, which was hailed as one of the best platformers in the genre. The original storyline was simple: Bandage Girl has been kidnapped by the evil Doctor Fetus and it’s up to Meat Boy to save her. In the second game, some time has passed and the couple has a child named Nugget. But, the evil Doctor Fetus strikes again and kidnaps Nugget, and Bandage Girl and Meat Boy set out to save her. The controls for the original game only included running and jumping, but they have been expanded for the sequel.

Now the characters are constantly sprinting and have the ability to attack various enemies. They also have different agility moves like jumping and sliding. While the controls are simple, Super Meat Boy was well known for its difficulty. The slightest hesitation or miscalculation will result in the player’s death forcing them to restarting all the way from the beginning. The developers use clever tricks to block the players path and prevent you from completing the level. So, you should expect a similar level of difficulty and tricky obstacles in this sequel of the original. In addition, when a player completes a level, the game auto generates a harder level, so everytime you play the level the difficulty increases to a certain extent.

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This is a new game created by EA which is directed by the creator of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. It is a coop story driven puzzle game that follows the storyline of Leo and Vincent, two different men, who are forced to work together in order to break out of prison. As you play through the game, you will learn about the characters, their motivations and history. There is not much information on the story and characters besides the general plot, however, based on the director you can expect a thorough and complex storyline that will connect to the players on a personal level. In game, players have to work together in order to escape the prison by solving puzzles. Each puzzle leverages different skills from both men so there are multiple ways to solve a singular problem. This makes the gameplay more flexible and dynamic because the player is not constrained to one combination of actions. The gameplay also features gun battles, car crashes, stealth scenes, etc. The game is played in split screens with one half showing Vincent and the other half showing Leo.

artwork by: Amber Zeng

Super Meat Boy Forever

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By: Ally Brodmann

photography by: Angie Martinez

The Scoop

Very few things hit the spot like a creamy cone on a scorching summer day, but should you go for a double scoop of mint chip… or the more “healthier sounding” frozen yogurt? However, what is the truth? Is frozen yogurt truly a healthy dessert option, or is it just a tad healthier than ice cream?

In recent years, frozen yogurt has become a popular alternative for its reputation that it is healthier. Nevertheless, several factors need to go into your decision on which sweet treat is best for you.

Ice cream has quite the history. The Roman Empire enjoyed an early form made by combining ice and different flavors of cream with fruit and milk as far back as 200 B.C. If you think that’s old, variations of yogurt have been around since the Neolithic period, which was around 6,000 B.C. It was finally exported to the U.S. from the Middle East during the early 1900s. Frozen yogurt, on the other hand, has been a relatively new creation with TCBY (“The Country’s Best Yogurt”) claiming to be the first commercial frozen yogurt producer. It finally opened in 1981.

Ice cream and frozen yogurt are both sweet treats made from dairy, but there is a significant difference that sets them apart. Ice cream is only labeled as “ice cream” if there is enough cream that fills the requirement. Frozen yogurt is not made with cream and there is no fat requirement. Since the difference in the ingredients of ice cream and frozen yogurt is cream, the main nutritional difference is the fat content. The fat content in ice cream is 10-18%, whereas in frozen yogurt it is lower. Non-fat and low-fat flavors are available for both.

If you think frozen yogurt is healthier for you, you are not alone. If you look into the nutrition facts, though, and the swirl of creamy self-serve isn’t always the better option. People don’t realize how much sugar there is in frozen yogurt rather than in ice cream.

The freezing process used to make your dessert may kill some of the healthy gut bacteria found in regular yogurt.

To compensate, some manufacturers of frozen yogurt (and standard yogurt, as well) add extra probiotics after production.

While deciding on the type of frozen yogurt and certain toppings you choose, ice cream might actually be the healthier choice surprisingly. However, ice cream boasts more fat. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. Fat can slow the body’s digestion of sugar, meaning you’ll feel more satisfied and won’t experience a blood sugar spike like you might with a swirl of sweetened yogurt.

How many ice cream lovers shifted their loyalties to frozen yogurt, simply because they became conscious of the amount of weight they were putting on and decided to eat healthily?

Most people believe that frozen yogurt is a healthier choice as compared to ice cream. All in all, they are both extremely delicious treats that will keep your mouth watering.

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A Look Through A Skeptic's Mind.

By: Sheldon Stires

Conspiracy Of The Month: The Phoenix Lights

Spring has sprung and you and some of your friends and family are camping in Arizona. It's the middle of the night and you have the strange feeling to go outside of your tent. As you exit your tent, you look up and see an V-shaped object flying in the air. You have just become a witness of the Phoenix Lights.

Main Theory

In the evening of March 13, 2001, the Phoenix Lights became one of the first mass UFO sightings. It was seen as a series of 5 lights in the shape of a V that were hovering over Phoenix, Arizona. After about 3 hours, they just disappeared. It has been claimed that the lights made a sound comparable to a jet but a bit quieter, which is odd due to the low altitude of the lights at the time. Another claim was the lights didn’t show up on radars which in general is hard to get evidence from since no no one ever looked into any records of that night.

Evidence

The US government tried to play off the sighting as it was flares or smaller planes but evidence suggests otherwise. If they were flares, they wouldn’t have been as quiet as they were and wouldn’t have lasted for nearly 3 hours. Also, why would they have been in an exact v-like formation? For other evidence that the lights were something unexplained yes, it could have been planes but, smaller planes that fly that low usually make louder noises than the reported lights did.

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top 5 colorful animals By: Carter Bernard 1. (Golden) Pheasant

You may have heard of this animal, but did you know that it is considered to be the most colorful bird in the world?

You may remember these birds from Bambi as being annoying for causing the hunters to shoot. Or you know them for being a very common bird that is hunted, but they are very beautiful.

2. Maratus (Peacock Spider)

The Peacock Spider is quite small and similar in size to the Jumping Spider.

It has a flap-like abdomen that it uses in its dances to attract a female mate, not to mention the literal dance battles it does against other males using its waving arms.

3. San Francisco Garter Snake

One look at this color-clashing snake and it instantly won over my heart. I already love snakes, but sadly this red and neon-blue beauty is endangered in California. There are only a few thousand adults left. I included this slithering creature not only because it’s one of the most beautiful snakes in the world, but because it might not be around soon if you didn’t already realize. This Garter Snake, like others, is venomous, but it is used for prey and usually just irritates humans. It is not considered dangerous to us.

4. Chameleons

It’s no secret that these animals are famous for their ability to blend into their surroundings in an instant; however, this is false. Chameleons don’t change to blend in, they naturally look like the environment they come from so they can hunt prey.

Chameleons are actually similar to a mood ring. The color of Chameleon's skin changes based on temperature and mood, as well as to mate. They are already colorful with their base color, like the Leopard Chameleon.

5. Octopuses (cephalopods)

If you were to guess the closest thing to a shapeshifter on Earth, it would have to be an Octopus. While it’s cousins, the Cuttlefish and Squid rival it’s color capability, it has even more tricks to match. An octopus is like a 3D painting: able to shift, morph and twist. The Octopus can also change its look from smooth glass to rocky coral. An octopus can change the texture of its skin and the cells of its body called chromatophores which shrink and expand to change color. That’s all amazing, but they are also colorblind, meaning it does all it’s tricks basically blindfolded. Behold the Queen/King of color and disguise.

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