Contents
Cover Story: From Wolmer’s to the world p.7 Movie Review: The Vow p.4 Books: Five things I’ve learned from Ugly p.6 Hot & trendy hair accessories p.10 How to protect yourself from your BlackBerry p.12 Feeding your addiction, the ‘Crackberry’ fix p.13
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Help, I have a possessive ex! p.14 Nude photos? No thanks! p.15
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From the Editor
Thanks for supporting Sigma Run! T
een Spirit eZine would like to thank everyone who signed up with us and participated in the PanCaribbean Sigma Corporate Run. You’ve played your part in supporting Chain of Hope charity and hundreds of children in need of heart surgery at the Bustamante Hospital for Children. Your participation was appreciated and we look forward to running/walking with you again next year! LOVING AND ACCEPTING YOURSELF How many times have you had someone explicitly tell you or infer that you’re not good enough? Whether it’s in sports, academics or pursuing an interest, you should never allow anyone to define who you are. It is important for you to realise that you are not defined by other people’s labels or perceptions. Understand that it is important to have a clear idea of who
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you are, what your goals are and where you intend to go in life. No one should dictate that to you. Also, there shouldn’t be any conditions attached to loving and accepting yourself. You were created exactly the way you are for a reason and it’s important to use your gifts and talents to not only develop you, but serve others. Complete self-acceptance takes time, and as a teen, you will go through different physical and emotional changes that will have an impact on your sense of self. This is all a part of finding you, so never compromise who you are to fit in or gain acceptance from your peers. Have a love-filled day. Keresa
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Entertainment
Movie Review by Alana Gardner
ThE vow
H
PG-13
ey guys! I hope you all had a great Valentine’s Day. I know I did, even though I refused to drink the Kool-Aid and have a Valentine, but nonetheless, the day was great. Now for this week’s review of The Vow. I normally prefer to see a movie with some action, including car chases, gunfights and a little bit of comedy and romance mixed in, like the move This Means War. However, I decided to dig down deep into myself to find that part of me that loves a good chick-flick and I don’t think I could have chosen a better film.
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The Vow, inspired by true events, tells the story of Paige and Leo (Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum), a happy newlywed couple whose lives are changed by a car accident that puts Paige in a coma. Waking up with severe memory loss, Paige has no memory of Leo and faces a confusing relationship with her parents (Sam Neill and Jessica Lange), and an ex-fiancé (Scott Speedman) she may still have feelings for. Despite these complications, Leo endeavours to win her heart again and rebuild their marriage.
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Channing Tatum (left) with Rachel McAdams in a scene from the movie.
Now, The Vow was certainly not an average love story. I suppose it had to do with the fact that it was based on real life instead of your average fictitious love stories that everyone, (or should I say most females) either read or watch, hoping one day that story will be theirs. Tatum and McAdams play a couple completely devoted to each other. I have watched a lot of movies based on real people and their experiences in life, but to say that these two actors play their parts well would be a monumental understatement. The familiarity or the level of intimacy that these two created was so high, it felt like instead of watching a movie, you were actually there watching someone’s life unfold. If anything, the best way to describe this film is that it is unpredictable and predictable at the same time, if that makes any sense. This movie wasn’t about finding each other and falling in love, it was about already being love and remembering why you fell in love in the first place. It was truly an experience and I look forward to seeing it again. The Vow, a romance-drama film from Screen Gems and Spyglass Entertainment and directed by Micheal Sucsy, earns itself full five stars. It stars Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Sam Neill, Scott Speedman and Jessica Lange.
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Teen Spirit
Book Review
Five things i’ve learned from ugly
auTHor: consTance briscoe by Kandice Mondrieffe
A friend introduced me to this book some time in 2009. She was reading it and told me bits and pieces and I was super interested in real life stories about abuse, so I borrowed the book and it has been my favourite read ever since. Ugly by Constance Briscoe, is a non-fiction book that so many persons can relate to. It tells Constance’s story and the struggles she had to overcome. Constance’s mother, Carmen, put her through some horrible situations and she wasn’t afraid to tell it all in detail. Her mother was abusive both verbally and physically. Throughout the book, she highlights her mother’s constant mocking, demotivation and verbal abuse. She called her ugly several times, with Constance ultimately believing she was ugly and did many cosmetic surgeries later on in life to try and make herself more attractive. Carmen’s boyfriend would molest Constance and when she complained, her mother would tell her that she’s too ugly for any man to want her, commenting on all the typical features of black girls such as a “broad nose” and “rubber lips”. Regularly beaten and starved, she was so desperate for peace, she took herself off to Social Services and tried to get taken into care thinking that would be better than her mother’s horrid treatment. When that failed, she swallowed bleach “because it kills all known germs and my mother always told me I was a germ.” Constance’s mother moved out leaving her when she was 13 without light or food, but she found several jobs and went through school, not letting her bad situation be a burden. She has a follow up book called Beyond Ugly, where she takes the readers on a journey of how she overcame all the obstacles in her life. Ironically, after the book was published, her mother sued her.
Here are five THings i’ve learned: 1. Always look for the silver lining in a situation. Constance went through so many struggles and issues in her life and instead of giving up, she fought through it and now she’s the first black high court judge in Britian. 2. People will always judge you. What they think doesn’t matter; only what you think about yourself does. This might be a cliché, but Constance shows us how true that is.
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3. Never let your situation hold you back; pull through and believe in yourself and you will make it. 4. When the time comes for you to be mature and serious, do it. Don’t just give up and think you can’t do it because possibly you’re too young. Grab the situation by the horns and prepare for the worst while still doing your best. 5. As Damian Marley once said, follow your passion, responsibly. Constance could’ve choosen a different life; she could’ve turned to prostitution and drugs, but she knew what she wanted and she decided to get it the right way.
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Cover Story
dwayne extol: From Wolmer’s to the world by Najique Gayle
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olmer’s Boys School won the Boys and Girls Athletics Championships in 2010, led by their influential sprinter and team captain Dwayne Extol. He was an integral part of his team’s victory, competing in the 200 metres, 400m, 400m hurdles and the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. Extol also represented Jamaica on the international stage at the Penn Relays, IAAF World Junior Championships, World Youth Championships and at the regional CARIFTA Games.
Ts: Which other sports do you enjoy? extol: I have always been a huge basketball fan because I actually played basketball for about five years while I was at Wolmer’s. I love football, watching the English, Spanish and Italian leagues. Since being in college, I started to enjoy watching College Football.
Extol’s life has changed somewhat since that time. He is now a freshman at the University of Alabama, majoring in Telecommunications and Broadcast Media, while pursuing his passion for track and field as a member of the university’s Crimson Tide track team. Extol has competed at a number of indoor and outdoor track meets since arriving in Alabama in 2010, focusing on the 400m flat, hurdles and relays. For the 2010-2011 season, he was instrumental in his school’s placement at the Alabama Relays, Texas Relays and the NCAA Championships.
Ts: What are your favourite sports teams and players? extol: Favourite teams... Liverpool, Inter Milan and Mi-
Ts: When did you first start running track competitively and who inspired you to do so? extol: I started running competitively in second form af-
my mind around the idea of what being on my own will be like somewhat when I get done with school. It is teaching me how to successfully manage myself in every area of life.
ami Heat. Favourite sports personalities are Fabian Davis, Steven Gerrard, Courtney Walsh and Asafa Powell.
Ts: What impact has attending university abroad had on you? extol: It is changing my outlook on life and is shaping
ter my coach, Bert Cameron, encouraged me to give serious thought to track. www.ezineslimited.com
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Ts: is it hard being away from your friends and family here in Jamaica? extol: Definitely, because the love and comfort I would get from being with my family isn’t there anymore, and it is hard to deal with some days. It causes me to get lonely and feel withdrawn at times.
Ts: How do you manage to balance your training along with your school work and personal life? extol: Balancing all these areas of my life is easier because of how I grew up at Wolmer’s Boys. The system at Wolmer’s is designed for us to adapt to our environment and succeed, regardless of circumstances wherever we go. Training and classes take up most of my time from Monday to Thursday night, but I spend Fridays and Saturdays watching movies and catching up with friends, and Sundays to catch up on school work.
Ts: What drives you to do well? extol: My drive is personal. Being the oldest child, I am driven by my family, but knowing that God has given me the ability to make a positive impact on those who weren’t able to achieve as much as I have, I stay encouraged so I can fulfill God’s purpose through me.
Ts: What do you enjoy doing in your free time? extol: I spend my free time giving back to Tuscaloosa (where the University is located). I help out with various groups that are involved with senior citizens and underprivileged children. When I’m not doing that, I’m either playing football or playing FIFA online.
ldest child, o e h t g in e “b y my family, i am driven b s that god ha but knowing ability to given me the ive impact on make a posit eren’t able those who w s much as i to achieve a o ncouraged s e y a t s i , e v a h od’s purpose g l il f l u f n a ic through me.”
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Ts: What kind of music are you currently listening to? extol: I love music and I love it in almost every form. Right now, I’m listening to Mali Music, DJ Nicholas, Lecrae, Jah Cure and Konshens.
Ts: apart from being a professional athlete, what would be your dream job? extol: Working in the media has been a dream of mine since I was 13 years old. I would like to be a part of the major media houses throughout the Caribbean and even the world at some point. Whether it is being a news director or a sports analyst, as long as I get to be around cameras I’ll be fine.
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Fashion
Hot & trendy hair accessories by Kandice Moncrieffe
H
air accessories seem to be a huge trend in the fashion world: they never get old or go out of style. Cute hair accessory pieces are definitely a must-have in any girl’s closet. In this article, BandHit owner Denne’il Larmond shares some styles that are perfect for any occasion.
dual-coloured headband
Add this to your style as an everyday headband. Wear it to school or to a party with white, purple and rose pink outfits.
lace caplet fascinator
Wear this as a fascinator to jazz up any simple outfit.
feathered fascinator/broach
This can be worn on a blouse as a broach or in your hair as a fascinator. www.ezineslimited.com
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dragonfly rosette bow Put this in your hair as a headband to add pizzazz to any black, white, yellow, red and grey outfit.
rose Headband
This will look perfect and goes well with black, white, blue, grey or yellow.
black and White Polka dot boutique bows This can be worn as an everyday accessory, to a party, school or church, and goes well with a black and white outfit.
double bow
This is perfect in your hair to accentuate any outfit, whether simple or extravagant and goes well with white, rose pink or grey.
Check out Bandhit Accessories on Facebook www.facebook.com/BandHitAccessories www.ezineslimited.com
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Tech
How to protect yourself from your blackberry by Justine Powell
b
esides being a good source of happiness and communication, there are many dangers associated with BlackBerry (BB) smartphones. Many of us have become so attached that we remain unaware of the fact that it is slowly manipulating our lives. Can you relate? HIGH MAINTENANCE New housing? New skin? New privacy screen? BB service? Malfunctioning trackpad? Aaah! Do you find yourself in constant financial straits? Many of us spend thousands of dollars on our BlackBerry, whether for data service, repairs or just physical appearance. Did you know that we spend approximately $20,000 a year on data service? Don’t get caught up in such a situation. Manage your expenses wisely. After all, it is a gadget and not a baby. PHYSICAL HARM So how many of you own a party phone separate from your BlackBerry? I thought so. Somewhere along the line, you decided that you cannot afford for your BB to get stolen and even if you can afford it, you do not wish to experience the hassle of having to re-add all your contacts, right? It doesn’t end there, because I bet many of you find yourselves running into cars, tripping over stones and down staircases while constantly pinging. But what the heck? Who cares? Because tumbling while pinging is the only understandable public embarrassment, right? Wake up and smell the coffee: many persons experience serious accidents courtesy of their BlackBerries. Some are robbed, attacked and many killed. www.ezineslimited.com
BB LEAVE ME ALONE, I’M TRYING TO STUDY Many of us are victims of such scenarios I bet, and the red light keeps flashing: ping me, tweet me, text me, tag me. Do not blame your BlackBerry for your inability to stay focused. Remember, you will have the BB all summer, but now it’s all about the books! Exams are around the corner. MENTAL BREAKDOWN How many of us were close to experiencing a mental breakdown when there was a global BlackBerry smartphone system outage in 2011. This is not a good look! Remember, there was life before the BlackBerry and there is life after it. GOODBYE PRIVACY How often do you find yourself munching a private conversation to publicise? Oh and let us not forget, the unfortunate giveaway that you read someone’s message and did not reply. Over the years, the improvement of the BlackBerry device has reduced privacy and has increased stalking. HEALTH ISSUES Hunchback of Notre Dame! Why are you hunching over your BlackBerry? Knuckles hurting? Eyes running water? Whether it is texting or instant messaging, accessing word documents or performing searches, this new BB generation will surely reap the consequences in years to come in the form of carpal tunnel syndrome or worse, a severe eye condition. Do not let yourself become a victim. Reduce your BB use.
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Tech
feeding your addicTion, THe ‘crackberry’ fix by Micheal Farquharson
i
n recent times, there have been rumours that everybody’s favourite addiction, Blackberry, and by extension its creator Research in Motion may be on their way out. The notorious device, known for robbing hours of productivity with its Blackberry Messenger and BrickBreaker game, could potentially be on its last legs. With falling stock prices, delayed and disappointing products and just general failed expectations, it is to be expected. I make no attempt at hiding my disappointment. To be honest, after going through five of them, (a Gemini, Tour 2, two torches and my current Bold 9930) I have to admit they have their uses. In fact, this article was typed on my 9930. They offer a somewhat cheap communication alternative. The money the average text-a-holic teen or young adult would spend on credit is circumvented through a 30-day data plan and works out to be far more efficient. BLACKBERRY DOESN’T CUT THE MUSTARD As a smartphone, a Blackberry just doesn’t cut the mustard. After using iPhones and owning an Android phone, going back to Blackberry felt weird. It was like selling your Lamborghini Murcielago to own a 3 series BMW. ‘Crackberries’ aren’t as organised, the phones are slow and temperamental, they overheat, they freeze and the apps are elementary at best. You move from playing Angry Birds, Need for Speed and FIFA on your iPhone or Android, to Copter, BrickBreaker and Word Mole on your ‘Crackberry’. And if you’ve bought one BlackbBerry, you’ve used them all, really. www.ezineslimited.com
It appears that complacency has become the order of the day and honestly, it will be their downfall. Mark you, BlackBerries are aesthetically pleasing and ergonomical - the Bold series in particular has made a name for itself with its keypad. But at such a ridiculously steep price tag, I’m demanding more from the device. MOVING FORWARD, REMAINING STAGNANT What people fail to understand is that outside of North America (let’s rephrase that, Canada), parts of South America and the Caribbean, the Blackberry isn’t as sought-after as one might think. Here, if you don’t have a Blackberry, “you not saying nothing”; elsewhere, people actually share my view. But think about it, how would you function without your Crackberry? Classic example, those three or so days when RIM was down - total pandemonium. Reason? People were simply bored. They realised that for the first time, they owned a $40,000 paperweight. After first blaming service providers, people were acting like addicts in remission. RIM is the only company I’ve seen that chooses to move forward by remaining stagnant, reviving dead technology or making baby steps in development. But it’s a business phone at its core, so we can’t blame them for not making leeway for our idle tendencies. It is unfortunate, as it seems the addiction won’t end. As long as Blackberries are made, someone will buy them.
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Relationships
Help, i have a possessive ex! by Alana Gardner
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hen we part ways with our past boyfriends or girlfriends, sometimes they may not fully understand the concept of a break-up. They may continue to show up, call or act in a way that may suggest that you two are still in a relationship. You probably may feel annoyed or almost worried that they haven’t moved on and are overstepping their boundaries. If you’re not sure on how to deal with this, Teen Spirit has five tips to help you deal with a possessive ex.
You’re not a dog
Baby, one more chance?
Stalkers are just creepy. If your ex is stalking you, he/she is definitely going too far. Stalking isn’t right even if you’re in a relationship. If you tell the person to stop, chances are nothing will change. It’s not that simple. He/She probably won’t even acknowledge or admit to stalking. So, even though it will suck, you may have to move under the radar to deter stalking. There’s really no way of making your ex stop stalking you than that, other than seeking the intervention of the authorities.
Maybe they don’t want to stop or reduce contact with you simply because they want to give the relationship another go. If you strictly have no intentions of giving your ex another try, you should let him/her know.
Such a loser
Some people can be ‘tough headed’ at times, or at least when it’s convenient to them. If your ex is persistent and continues to pursue you, clearly he or she needs some heavy enlightment on the fact that you’ve broken up. For your happiness, and theirs, you’ll need to lay it to them straight. It’s daring, but nothing says I’m over you better than making it quite clear you’re interested in someone else.
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You are not a pet or object, so you cannot be owned. Your ex is then overstepping his/her boundaries by seeking to control, monitor or have influence over who you hang out or have contact with. If they have somewhat placed a ‘dog leash’ on you, it’s time to break free. At this point, distance apart is necessary.
Stalker alert!
Good over evil
It’s always believed that good will triumph over evil. Here’s an idea: take it upon yourself to find your ex someone new. Maybe if he/she had someone new to direct all that loving attention to, you’ll probably be left alone. This way, both of you will be happy. However, double dates may be out of the question.
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Social Media
Nude photos? No thanks! by Micheal Farquharson
s
o apparently there is this worrying trend of people having… let’s say personal tapes and pictures and whether intentionally or by some accidental or malicious means, it ends up in the hands of everyone who was not supposed to be privy to this. To be quite honest, as unfortunate as this is, I honestly don’t have much sympathy for anyone in this situation. Not only is it an idiotic thing to do, it’s dangerous and can lead to so many unwanted and unexpected ripple effects on your life and potentially your likely non-existent career. Okay, benefit of the doubt, your significant other sends you these pictures.
Here’s a couple good ways to ensure that it will be seen by the world:
Storing them on your phone. How stupid that is should be self-explanatory. Storing them on your laptop. Again, not as secure as you might think, considering they can be stolen. Bragging about them. The male ego is the most dangerous tool on the Earth and only serves to prove to our female counterparts that they got the intellect along with the rib. Sending them via email and Bluetooth. Believe it or not, your email isn’t as secure as you might think and it is pretty easy www.ezineslimited.com
to hack. You might think that only your significant other is going to view them and your personal media is broadcasted on the internet. And once it’s there, it isn’t coming off. What, are you suffering from Alzheimer’s and won’t remember the moment you were just a part of? I’m sure it was a good idea in your head and it seemed romantic, but no, it wasn’t.
want to know why it was such a bad idea?
Just because you saw it on TV doesn’t mean you should try it. I don’t know what’s all the excitement about showing off your pubescent sexual exploits. Your non-existent careers will take a dive. I’m sure you are aware of the damage it did to a few TV and radio hosts who got a little frisky and taped it. Employers take all these things into consideration, especially if you were the unfortunate one to cause some sort of public outrage. In no uncertain terms, it would suck to be you. The embarrassment. I personally couldn’t deal with having to explain my actions afterwards. The stigma to follow is not a good look and honestly, with parents like mine, you just made your life unnecessarily difficult. Moral of the story: just be smart about these things. Teen Spirit
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