With the abandonment of mask and 6-foot distance requirements, it may seem as if the days of COVID-19 are no longer. Yet for the students and teachers struggling with longterm coronavirus symptoms, the ghost of COVID-19 lingers.
In November of 2021, junior Reid Kaluger began to lose his sense of taste and smell just as his other symptoms of COVID-19 died down. Presently, over a year after catching the virus, Kaluger has yet to fully regain these senses.
“At frst, I thought it was cool because I can’t smell bad things. But after a while, I realized my smell was not coming back. That was when I realized it was actually a pretty [unfortunate] thing,” Kaluger said.
According to Kaluger, his loss of smell seems random; there are some things he can smell, others he can’t. His reduced taste, however, is a greater “disappointment.”
“I eat less of what I used to eat because it’s become harder fnd foods I like. My selections are going down a bit. Certain foods I can’t really taste at all anymore, like cereal and cheese,” Kaluger said.
Although losing senses of taste and smell are the most well-known symptoms of COVID-19, efects can extend to injuries and degradations to other parts of the body, such as in the case of English teacher Megan
Walker. Although she contracted the virus from her preschool-aged son nearly a year ago, Walker still struggles with fatigue and muscle weakness, symptoms she noticed were lingering months after her initial sickness.
“I couldn’t walk from my couch to my kitchen holding my four-month-old child. It was very, very, difcult. I kept calling my doctor, and they kept saying to just give it time, but it was the beginning of March [two months after contracting the virus]. I started to think, ‘This isn’t normal. I need to go see someone,’” Walker said.
After multiple physician appointments and inefective prescriptions, Walker was referred to a UCLA long COVID-19 clinic. However, the massive infux of patients prevented her from getting an appointment until several months later, forcing her to manage her symptoms with little aid.
“It was a really, really rough couple of months. I wasn’t able to play with my kids. I wasn’t able to take my daughter for a walk
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Katarina (Haven) Beches
Ruby Crosthwait
the block. I couldn’t even go to the grocery store because everything required so much energy, and I was barely able to do the basics around the house,” Walker said.
While her intense fatigue has abated, Walker’s symptoms still have a large impact on her daily life and interactions.
“As a society, we’ve all decided that COVID-19 is over, and the world has moved on, but for someone like me, who is still sufering symptoms a year later, it’s a very relevant part of my life,” Walker said. “My family and I don’t go out very often because the last thing I want is to catch COVID-19. It’s been a little isolating and lonely.”
Finally receiving a diagnosis relieved some of Walker’s anxieties because it gave her a sense of security. According to Walker, with the help of doctors, she is physically improving and gaining strength; the process, however, is “incredibly slow."
“I think it would be easier if I had a timeline. If someone could say to me ‘You’re going to feel okay by this date.’ But no one is able to do that,” Walker said.
Despite the numerous anxieties and uncertainties surrounding her condition, Walker fnds comfort in her community and environment.
“My students are fantastic. They are extremely understanding. All my colleagues are wonderful, too, and they’re always checking in on me,” Walker said. “I try to remind myself that this is not my life forever. Things will change eventually. I will
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“This year my New Year's resolution is to nurture and improve my mental health. I had a lot on my plate during 2022 and the transition from middle school to high school added even more things to my schedule. This resulted in me not being able to take ample time to focus on my
“Rather than a specifc New Year's resolution, I like to give myself a theme for the year — an idea that guides what I’m supposed to accomplish. This year, my theme is focus. Whenever I have to make a decision, I want to be able to choose what the most pro ductive option is. I want to decision-making focus on my per success through year.”
-Micah McFadden, 10
“My New Year’s resolution is to learn how to make foods from all over the world! I love the fact that every country has their own unique and culture. I really love food so I want be able to recreate diferent types dishes in my kitchen.”
-Ashley Gomez, 11
“My New Year’s resolution is to start having better control over my body through practicing better ways nervous energy. than bouncing when I’m sitting example, I want on keeping my through methods deep breathing.”
-Marco Foster, 12
PHOTOS BY MARIN CANTRELL
Model United Nations (MUN) hosted their second annual on-campus conference on Jan. 21. South Bay Invitational (SBI) MUN included fve schools from the area, including RUHS, with about ninety delegates attending debate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This was RUHS MUN’s second time hosting SBIMUN; since the frst conference last spring, attendance rose by nearly 30 percent.
“I think [the conference] went really well. I was really excited that all of our hard work actually paid of and we were able to put something together. I personally loved watching all of the committee updates and seeing how our backroom staf created crazy narratives for crisis committees,” senior Madison Toth, MUN’s Director of Training,
According to junior Jack Raynor, who was one of 13 chairs, a formal title for leaders of committee, during the conference, SBIMUN went “smoothly” with “minimal hiccups.” Raynor chaired a novice committee, which helped introduce new students to the practice of MUN, and enjoyed the “interaction” involved.
This year’s SBIMUN was organized with six diferent committees, ranging from a group of delegates that discussed election cybersecurity to a simulation of the Hunger Games saga. Cabinet members in the conference met multiple times leading up to the conference, including the three days before the Saturday that it took place, to prepare. According to MUN advisor and AP European History teacher Nicholas Sklarenko, committee chairs such as Raynor all have an “extensive level of experience” in MUN.
“I chaired DISEC [the Disarmament and International Security Committee] with two of my really good friends, and I thought it was a blast. There was this fun energy when we worked together and I think that delegates sensed that we were friends as well, which made committee more efortless,” Raynor said.
Between the creation of a website, background guides (which provide information on the committees and issues delegates will cover), placards (which delegates raise if they want to speak), credentials (name tags) and committee assignments, the club has been preparing for this conference since the beginning of the year.
Delegates from RUHS worked to email as many schools as possible across Los Angeles County in order to invite them to the conference. Though reaching out to other schools was “a game of emailing and hoping for the best,” according to Toth, the actual delegate attendance went over “smoothly.”
“I thought turnout was pretty good as a whole. One committee had seven people not show up, leaving only eight delegates for the actual debate, which was rough. But, other than that, each committee was only missing about two or three people, which was expected,” Toth said.
According to both Raynor and Toth, a lot of aspects of the preparation process worked out well. Raynor, who helped write the background guide for his committee, said that getting that information together helped the chairs for DISEC cooperate.
“The three chairs for DISEC did a lot of teamwork. We wrote the background guide together, then I was able to grade the delegates’ position papers, and my other two delegates made a slideshow to help out newer delegates. We were defnitely able to work as a team, and the process wasn't a burden for anyone,” Raynor said.
Other than a small award slip up, which according to Raynor was fxed as quickly as possible, and slight difculties with the communication of chairs from Peninsula High School, which Toth said were easy to navigate and minimal, the conference worked out as anticipated, according to Raynor, Sklarenko and Toth.
“I loved getting feedback from the delegates. I got to make sure that everything we worked so hard to do was enjoyable for everyone else. I asked about the chairs, the topic and the conference as a whole. Overall, the feedback was very positive and I personally am very pleased with it,” Toth said.
According to Sklarenko, the reason the conference was able to fnally take place for the frst time last year and continue on to this year was because of the new level of experienced delegates MUN now has.
“For a conference like this, you want chairs in committees that are knowledgeable and passionate about whatever the topic is. At the start of the year, we got a feel for personnel and moved on to develop topics in committees that would work well for the people we have,” Sklarenko said.
SBIMUN marked a huge accomplishment for all of the students involved, and every delegate, chair, backroom and member involved truly learned a lot and opened themselves to a “new side of MUN,” as Sklarenko put it.
“I was super happy that all of our hard work and late night conversations really paid of. We put together something quite beautiful that can hopefully become bigger in the next couple of years. I feel the conference can expose more people to Model UN and ofer them a chance to get their feet wet, so I hope SBIMUN continues to do that,” Toth said.
Lim doesn’t have time for that. Although fying to Ohio to compete in a nationwide dance competition seemed daunting at frst, Lim was able to settle her nerves as the opening bars began and focused on the dance foor, her partner and the next minute and ten seconds she had to wow the judges.
This particular competition is one of the “most pres competitions to Nationals. also Lim’s frst time competing in an independent ly run competition that was not run or judged by people within Lim’s studio.
“It’s def nitely not as real until you get on the foor,” Lim said. “It was open to a lot more people and the competition was defnitely a lot harder.”
With the added pres sure from the magnitude of the competition, Lim felt “jittery” be fore performing last November. To
cope, Lim found comfort in her pre-dance “ritual” of doing hair, makeup, tanning and dresses to prepare for the performance.
“I'm numb right before I dance. And then when I'm on the foor, I don't really remember anything. I'm going through my routine and having fun trying to dance and pay attention to my partner,” Lim said. “When I get of the foor, it's like I can breathe again. I'm out of breath, but I def nitely miss it right when it stops.”
Lim’s hard work paid of, as she placed frst in her single dances and fourth in open scholarship. Scholarships can qualify her for monetary rewards in upper age di visions, but even without the money, Lim learned a lot from this competition.
“I put out my best so that my results what I want them to be,” Lim “I never really competed with that many other peo ple, but now I have a bet ter gauge of where I stand with other competitors and on what I need to improve on.”
Lim has been dancing since she was four years old, but has been ball room danc ing for three years now with the Fred Astaire Studio in South Redondo and specializes in international Latin dance. Lim had done competitive Irish dancing previously, but wanted to try something new.
“Right before COVID, I wanted to get back into dancing. I found out that there
great “camaraderie” at the studio. Caredis feels like the “family atmosphere” of the studio is what keeps her coming back.
“I've become really good friends with Jiselle because we both love dancing and we're both growing up doing this type of sport,” Caredis said. “It's nice to have someone my age doing this because I've been dancing for a long time and I didn't really have any friends my age doing this. So it's nice to have someone in high school dancing, to have that kind of friendship.”
Lim agrees that the “welcoming” and “supportive” people at the studio is one of the best parts. Owing in part to Lim’s constant presence at the studio, their friendship has developed as they meet the time commitment demanded to be competitive dancers. Lim spends five days a week practicing her skills and routines at the studio for a couple hours
“I defnitely had to learn how to balance school, and that was a whole new thing that I wasn't used to because taken dance as seriously before,” Lim said. “But I think people should defnitely give it a try, even if you think that you have two left feet. It's something diferent and really enjoyable!”
Lim plans to continue dancing and to go to more competitions, as her love for the people at the studio and her passion for dance keeps her going, as it is such a large part of her life.
“I think the social aspect of it is a breath of fresh air,” Lim said. “ It defnitely opened up new doors for me. I'm not mad that it overtook my life.”
It wasn’t the spotlights, cameras, ESPN broadcasters and college scouts in the audience that made her sweat. It was simply the nerves she regularly experienced before any normal volleyball game. Clearing her mind with a deep breath, Senior Mele Coral-Blagojevich was ready to play in the All-America Under Armour Volleyball Game in Orlando, Florida.
While playing in a tournament last year, she got recruited for a volleyball camp where 26 girls would later be selected to participate on the All-American level. Those girls were split evenly into two teams, Team Speed and Team Phantom. After a day for arrival and two days to train, the fourth day was for the big game.
“The game was honestly so much fun. From the start of the trip, we were pampered and taken care of really well, which not a lot of people get to experience, so that was something I felt grateful for. I got to meet a lot of new people and was surrounded by girls who love their sport, so I made lots of good connections,” Coral-Blagojevich said.
Coral-Blagojevich says that the most memorable moment was when her team, Team Speed, won.
“It was just like a big dog pile and everyone was hugging. It was a very sweet moment,” Coral-Blagojevich said. “I kind of forgot that it was being broadcasted on live television, and I heard that there were a few pro-scouts in the audience. But I wasn't trying to impress them, I was just focused on having fun.”
Being among the best in the country,
Coral-Blagojevich felt “blessed” because of the opportunity she was granted.
“There are only six spots on the court and not everyone gets to play the whole game, but I was able to be on the court which was amazing,” Coral-Blagojevich said. “I think it goes to show that no matter who’s on your team—the best people in the country or not good players—the most important thing is that you still add to your team. Being a good teammate and bringing energy remains true no matter who is on the court.”
“I've struggled with confdence in the past; it wavered from time to time. But this opportunity taught me that it’s okay to take risks,” Coral-Blagojevich said.
Volleyball coach and government teacher Tommy Chaffns has known Coral-Blagojevich prior to her joining the team at RUHS. Meeting her parents at a graduation party for a former RUHS volleyball player, he had no idea that their daughter would go on to be one of the top 20 players in the country.
“She was so advanced even before she came here. If anything, I tried to make sure her natural talents and leadership abilities were not restricted in any way because she excelled in those areas,” Chafns said. “I remember the frst time I watched her
play. She was so skilled, graceful and powerful. I thought to myself, whoever gets to coach her is going to be very lucky, so that was an awe-
some coincidence.”
Chafns is sad to see Coral-Blagojevich go but knows the team will retain the lessons of leadership that she displayed ever since she set foot on campus four years ago.
“She is a phenomenal leader. She holds her teammates accountable and celebrates others' successes just as much as her own,” Chafns said. “In her freshman year, she led us when we won CIF, which I've never seen any other freshman do.”
Playing club volleyball since she was seven, Coral-Blagojevich has been surrounded by volleyball since she was small. When her mom who coaches volleyball frst introduced her to the sport, she was immediately drawn to it.
“Whenever I would play volleyball around my mom, I would always be really happy. That’s something that still keeps me going today, my love for [the sport],” Coral-Blagojevich said.
As Coral-Blagojevich looks forward to attending Oklahoma University to play college volleyball, she hopes to have the opportunity to play overseas or for the U.S. in the future.
“I want to take volleyball as far as my body will let me,” Coral-Blagojevich said.
Senior Jaden Hancock is comfortable with the uncomfortable. Even by himself an ocean away in Portugal, Hancock fnds himself comfortable on trial with professional soccer club Gil Vicente, one of the top ten leagues in the world.
On his way to the airport, his coach forewarned him: “They will look at you as their enemy, but continue to play hard. Coaches and players will ignore you.”
He told him not to take it personally and that he would gain their trust “through his play.” When he arrived, he met players from Ukraine, Spain, Portugal, Africa and as his coach predicted, Hancock was greeted with a “cold welcome.”
“These kids are all competing for a job. It’s their livelihood. So when I go over there, they think, ‘Who’s this kid from America trying to take my spot?’” Hancock said. “I have to get myself in that state of mind, to think, ‘I’m fghting for this,’ because that's what it is for them.”
For two weeks Hancock trained, getting home from the stadium around 7 p.m. every night. After the frst couple of days, he got to know his teammates better and started making friends.
“In the face of something that I’ve wanted to do for so long, sacrifcing the familiarity of home is nothing compared to what might come up,” Hancock said. “The passion that I have for soccer drowns out the feeling of missing my people at home.”
The Expo marker message, “Play professional soccer in Europe” has framed his mirror since he was 10-years -old. Seeing the note daily, Hancock drives himself toward constant improvement through training.
“It requires an extreme amount of work to become good at what I want to be good at,” Hancock said. “But that made me confdent in myself; I know I put all the work in. I’ve been at that wall more than anybody.”
It was no surprise to Lee Hancock, Hancock’s father, when he scored the winning goal at the 2022 CIF Championships.
“It says just a lot about who Jaden is, that he never stops. He hates losing and wants to win. That desire and passion to continue to look at yourself and say ‘I have to change if we’re not winning yet' leads to those types of moments,” Lee said.
As a self proclaimed “late bloomer,” Hancock hasn't always been the strongest or the biggest on the feld, something that Lee calls a “blessing.”
“The fact that it hasn't been easy for him is the best thing that ever happened to him,” Lee said. “Because if you want to play at the highest level, you're going to face a lot of obstacles and if you get that opportunity to fail early, and then to overcome those, it becomes the focus on the journey as opposed to the destination.”
Although he aspires to play professional soccer, Hancock knows it doesn't have to happen right now. He plans on pursuing a college education because “there's still a lot of life to live after soccer.”
“Soccer is one aspect of who he is. That's how a lot of kids know him but he's a good kid with a good brain and a big heart,” Lee said. “He's a good problem-solver. He's a good friend. He's a good teammate. And those aspects of him are more important to me than his quest to be a professional player.”
by Claudia Turner
Affteen-day celebration ending in an assemblage of colorful lanterns strung through street after street. A gathering of relatives on the eve of Chinese New Year, ready to taste their homemade dumplings and hopefully fnd a coin stufed in the middle. A family goes out for dinner and meets up with friends at their local Chinese eatery. Chinese New Year is a holiday celebrated worldwide with varied customs and traditions, and there's no one way to celebrate.
"Most years, I'm far away from my family, who live in China," senior Chiana Fujiwara said. "So on New Year's, we make sure to call them to stay in touch. We also eat
brations outside the classroom that mean the most, as Chinese New Year is one of the only opportunities he has to connect with his relatives abroad.
"Chinese New Year is pretty important to my family because it brings us together. If we didn’t have Chinese New Year, I doubt we’d be seeing each other every year," said Lim. "In-person gatherings are the best because you get to meet your distant cousins and your long-lost relatives, people you're related to that you might not have even known existed."
Chinese New Year can also be a time to connect with one's heritage and culture. For Chinese-American students, it can be hard to fnd the space to enjoy and express their identity to the fullest. For people like Fujiwara, who has struggled in the past with feelings of unacceptance due to her Chinese heritage, Chinese New Year presents a valuable opportunity to remember to embrace herself and her roots.
INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL TODAY
dumplings with coins in them, because it's supposed to bring fortune and good luck. Those values are a big part of Chinese New Year in general."
Chinese New Year, sometimes called "Lunar New Year” or “Spring Festival,” is one of the lengthiest and most signifcant holidays in Chinese culture. It's a time to participate in various traditions, reunite with relatives and honor family members who have passed away. It is customary to start the festivities on New Year’s Eve and continue until Lantern Festival, which is celebrated 15 days thereafter. Since the holiday observes the lunisolar calendar, a calendar that follows both the phases of the moon and the positioning of the sun, the exact date changes yearly. Unfortunately for RUHS' only Chinese language teacher Cathy Wang, this year's Chinese New Year falls on Jan. 22, causing the time of preparation to directly coincide with fnals week.
"We'll have to adjust a bit because I don't want my students distracted from their studies," Wang said. "Next year, Chinese New Year will take place in February, so I'm planning on doing something big for the whole school. But as of right now, we're going to celebrate after the second semester begins, and we'll be sure to keep it easy and simple, just a taste for what's to come."
For sophomore Enzo Lim, it's his cele-
"One year we went to Beijing, and that was the most genuine experience that I've had with Chinese New Year," Fujiwara said. "I had dealt with a lot of internalized racism growing up. But taking that trip to Beijing and exploring my culture and experiencing Chinese New Year with my family turned my self-loathing into appreciation. Ever since then, I think I've been pretty proud to be Chinese."
Indeed, Chinese New Year in China is “pretty spectacular” and has a vastly diferent "feel" than Chinese New Year in America, according to Wang, whose status as a Shenyang city native means she has frsthand experience in all of the various traditions and events celebrated throughout mainland China.
"No matter where you live, you have to travel back home during New Year to see your family. We eat a lot of food, and the Chinese New Year's gala is broadcast from 8 pm until midnight, maybe a little bit later," Wang said. "There are so many amazing freworks. And everything is red because it's the national color and is considered lucky."
But due to travel constraints, high costs and other factors, namely the COVID-19 pandemic, many families don't get the opportunity to travel abroad for Chinese New Year. Instead, they reach out in other ways, making dumplings over the phone or hopping on a Zoom call to communicate with faraway friends and family. According to Lim, all of these are just as valid as any other way of honoring the importance of Chinese New Year, especially for teens who might not be as connected to their heritage as they would like.
"Do Chinese New Year the way you want to, whether that's just going out to dinner and calling grandma, or traveling thousands of miles to Singapore," Lim said. "At some point, you might become more complex with your way of participating in traditions, but it's okay to take it slow and level up year by year to reach that goal. Chinese New Year, no matter how simple or traditional your celebration is, is open for everyone to enjoy."
The 2023 Year of the Rabbit will be the frst Lunar New Year celebrated in California as an ofcial holiday.
93%
of Vietnamese Americans observe Lunar New Year compared to 82% of Chinese Americans.
how they celebrate Chinese New Year abroad and at home
20% of people celebrate Chinese New Year around the world.
which is not the same as Chinese New Year, is celebrated widely by Asian Americans.PHOTO FROM CREATIVE COMMONS
Life is no piece of cake, but for senior Aivah Kassabian, baking makes life a little bit sweeter. Kassabian bakes and decorates elaborate gluten-free cakes and desserts, sharing her treats on her Instagram platform, @ aivah_bakes.
Inspired by her grandparents, Kassabian began baking around the age of nine. Today, she specializes in making cakes, but also bakes other treats such as cookies, cupcakes and banana bread.
“My Armenian grandma owns a restaurant, and I used to bake a lot with my grandparents as a kid,” Kassabian said. “I also watched a lot of baking shows, and I wanted to try to make what I saw on TV.”
Kassabian began making gluten-free sweets when her mom, Rye Kassabian, became
gluten-free around four years ago. Mrs. Kassabian recalled the difculty in fnding gluten-free treats “that were simple and tasted good,” so her daughter became like her “personal little baker.” Kassabian herself later stopped eating gluten, focusing her work solely on specialized gluten-free recipes.
“I make most of my cakes for my family and friends or for birthdays. I always bring leftovers to school for people to come and eat,” Kassabian said. “I also sell some cakes through my Instagram DMs or per requests from my mom’s friends.”
Kassabian spends, on average, 6-12 hours making each cake, depending on its complexity. Her creations are inspired largely by online images, videos and recipes that she adjusts to her own baking style.
“I've always been pretty creative,” Kassabian said. “I started watching YouTube videos and I would try to fgure out how to make [interesting designs]. I also get a lot of inspiration of of Pinterest.”
According to Mrs. Kassabian, her daughter has expressed her artistic abilities since she was a toddler, and consistently determines how to create her work simply by looking at an image of her inspiration.
“When she was two years old, she was already drawing little happy faces when
most kids were only drawing scribbles,” Mrs. Kassabian said. “She just kept practicing and each cake that she baked and decorated got better and better, and she would look for diferent techniques and diferent frostings to use.”
While her personal favorite is her red velvet cake, Kassabian’s “go-to recipe” is chocolate cake with buttercream frosting, as she has now “perfected” its technique.
“Her chocolate cakes and cupcakes are one of my favorites because they're so light and fufy and moist,” Mrs. Kassabian said. “Gluten-free pastries and cakes can often be dense, but she has mastered the tech niques and they aren’t overly sweet.”
Both Kassabian and her mom note her dedication to detail during the baking process, especially when decorating.
“The most frustrating part [about baking] is when [the treats] don't turn out the way that I want them to, appear ance-wise,” Kassabian said. “If the frosting isn't cooper ating, that really annoys me and I have to try again and again because I want it to look as perfect as possi ble.”
Kassabian bakes on the weekends and after school several times a month, depend ing on the quantity of orders she receives. While she would “love” to
run a bakery when she is older, Kassabian realizes the challenges of simultaneously “owning a business and baking,” due to the time commitment it requires.
“I hope to keep improving and perfect my skills over time. But for the most part, I just want to see where baking takes me,” Kassabian said.
Mrs. Kassabian would also love to see her daughter open a bakery, but supports her with any career she decides to follow.
“Coming from a line of family members on her dad's side that all own businesses, I know she'd have support and guidance in that area,” Mrs. Kassabian said. “She's always going to need baking as an artistic outlet, so even if she does keep it as just a side hustle, that's fne too. I want her to continue to bake and to maintain that passion for baking and whatever she chooses to do in
Two hour classes during the school day, two hour practices for fve days a week, along with subsequent homework and games. This became the routine that varsity lacrosse players Piper Flaherty and team captain Kiana Yantz commit to during the season, in additon to dedicating their time to coach youth girls lacrosse teams. Through the lacrosse programs Leverage Lacrosse and Redondo Lacrosse, girls in ffth through eighth grade are able to learn and play la crosse, as well as compete against other teams.
“It's a diferent dynamic because we're also being coached at the same time [on varsity] and still learning new things while coaching other people, so it gives perspective on what works and what doesn't,” Flaherty said.
An opportunity to start coaching presented itself frst to Yantz last year, through a recommendation by fellow junior co-captain Kyile Thompson to their coach Tomas Borgia, who also is the head coach and adviser for the youth teams. Flaherty soon started to fll in for Thompson or Borgia’s absences, which soon led to her regularly starting to coach.
“Lacrosse is relatively new compared to soccer. I mean, every parent thinks they can coach soccer, when they really can't, because lacrosse is really a technical sport,” Borgia said. “I like to empower my captains
and high school girls through coaching and through the years, [the younger girls] start to look up to them.”
The seasons include fall, winter and spring for Leverage Lacrosse, and exclusively spring for Redondo Lacrosse. Yantz and Flaherty both coach during the spring season, but until then, Flaherty still holds private lessons for anyone interested. Box (indoor) la- crosse is held in the fall, while feld lacrosse is held in winter and spring, both types of lacrosse in which Flaherty and Yantz have coaching experi-
¨As far as trying to fnd that balance, I think it's going to be better this year than last. With coaching on Tuesdays, I know when I should be doing my homework and I can plan it ahead of time on the weekend. But I do think spring is going to be the hardest,” Yantz said.
Yantz and Falherty have had to learn to balance coaching the youth lacrosse team and handling workloads from classes as lacrosse season comes nearer. They both coach during their Varsity Lacrosse’s on-season, committed to teaching their girls, which has proven to be a challenging task.
“When we have after school practices until 5:00 pm during the season, that's when things get hard because we have coaching right after, and I only have a few hours before it's time for me to go to
sleep,” Flaherty said.
Having played lacrosse since sixth grade and participated in their fair share of club teams, both girls pull from their experience from previous practicing club lacrosse drills and apply them at practices with the middle school girls they coach.
“When you frst start playing lacrosse it is so hard. It is like learning how to walk. It's so frustrating at the start but then it just gets easier,” Yantz said. “Don’t get down on yourself and just enjoy it because middle school is so fun.”
Flaherty and Yantz started their lacrosse journey through Redondo Lacrosse, and it all came full circle when they found themselves as juniors, coaching the future wave of Redondo Beach’s lacrosse players.
“Kiana and I have been really close for a while, so I feel that makes it easier for us to have an open dialogue about what we can do for practice drills and stuf. We don't need to be scared about hurting the other person's feelings or stepping on each other's toes when it comes to drills,” Flaherty said. “We've been on the same team so we have a lot of the same drills and a lot of the same knowledge of lacrosse, so it's easy to work together.”
Yantz and Flaherty took over some of the empty spots left by last year's coaches. Lacrosse captain alumni Asjia Roberson and Natalie Kokes served not only as teammates, but also as mentors to both the youth girls and to fellow varsity players like Yantz and Flaherty. Now, there are high expectations as Kokes attends the University of Washington and Roberson earned a scholarship to play for USC Lacrosse.
“It's hard to fll those shoes because a
lot of the advice I have is from Asjia," Yantz said. "I feel, even as a captain and a coach, it's hard to communicate what you want people to do, es pecially younger kids.”
With coaching the ages that they do, “dif ferent perspectives” are shared when coaching these girls. Both enjoy talking to these girls and sharing about not letting their frustra tions get the best of them.
“When frst start ing to play, just know that it will get easi er and you will get better at it, and it will take a while but it will even tually happen,” Flaherty said. “And always re member: how you play and how you prac tice does not determine your worth as a player.”
"He was my best friend. We both watched each other go from just mischievous kids to drug dealing and guns. It got really heavy, and we saw each other go through the rise and fall. And then he died, and that kind of saved my life,” senior Reed* said, recalling his best friend who died from a drug overdose.
Drug usage runs rampant in the South Bay and nationwide. By eleventh grade, more than 25 percent of Beach Cities students report using alcohol or drugs in the past 30 days. Further, 50 percent of teenagers across America have misused a drug at least once, as reported by the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics.
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), an addiction is a “treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment and an individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.”
Reed was 12 years old when he started using drugs.
“From seventh grade to junior year is when I was getting [messed up] every single day on pills, hard drugs, anything. Percocet, [cocaine, Xanax] just anything, everyday.”
Reed, currently sober from all “hard” drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, pills and more, now refects on the mindset of drug addicts and what led him down such a path.
“I saw a lot of things that young kids shouldn't see. So that compelled me to do a lot of stupid [stuf]. One of the main things I see [in hard drug addicts] or even a drug addict in general [is] it's almost someone who's trying to kill themselves without [actually] killing themselves,” Reed said.
Clear Recovery Center serves as a rehabilitation resource for those in Beach Cities seeking help. Consisting of professionals, clinicians, case managers and facilitators, Clear provides vital opportunities for adolescents and adults. According to Basel Shadfan, Director of Operations at the center, “trauma” can lead to drug use, but there’s always much more going on beneath the surface.
“I feel like I won't ever be truly sober throughout my life un-
by Katarina (Haven) Beches*All student names have been changed to preserve anonymity
til I've learned to just be happy with myself. It's not just about being sober because what makes somebody not sober? It's usually mental health [problems],” Reed said.
Maturing brains of adolescents are “particularly susceptible to substance use disorder because the adolescent brain is learning patterns that persist into adulthood,” per the American Medical Association (AMA). Adults who began misusing substances when they were young can fnd it “difcult, if not impossible” to maintain appropriate social, cognitive and emotional cues.
Drug misuse and drug abuse, although similar, difer based on intent. Misuse refers to those who take inappropriate doses or combinations, whereas abuse is using drugs recreationally or to feel the “high.” Recalling her aunt, senior Maeve* has felt the detrimental consequences of drug misuse, abuse and addiction on addicts themselves and family members.
Exposed to drugs at the “peak” opportunity of addiction, which the AMA cites as between the ages of 15 years old and 21 years old, Maeve’s aunt took nitrous, acid, mushrooms, weed, pills and “everything under the sun.” The turning point for Maeve’s aunt was a prescription of Vicodin for pain medication, which subsequently led her to using opiates and benzodiazepines. For Maeve, seeing her aunt in such a state was “jarring” and “impactful.”
“I remember I tried connecting with her. I tried to talk to her and understand what was going on. But it was just so hard to be around someone when they're in that state. She was just completely doped up on so many things all the time,” Maeve said. “Addiction doesn't care if your body is breaking down. Addiction doesn't care if you're overdosing. You keep going back to it because your brain is chemically attached to it.”
As a child, Maeve was “oblivious” to the severity of her aunt’s addiction, but later, had a change of heart.
“Now looking back, I blamed her for everything. I was like, ‘Oh, it's just her fault. She's an addict.’ But it's very complex and [there’s always] other stuf at play,” Maeve said. Senior Ally* has dealt frst-hand with drug abuse in her family, stemming from her two older brothers, both of whom attended institutions for their mental issues that were exacer-
PRINCIPAL BRIDI
A: Q: Q:
bated by drug use.
One brother be- gan smoking marijuana nicotine in ninth grade to deal with his anxiety, but himself dependent upon it. Ally recognized her brother drugs as a “coping mechanism” for his depression.
“He would have mood swings. If he didn’t have he would be outrageous and would get into fghts no reason. Honestly, as a sister, I preferred him then I didn’t have to experience him being verbally tally abusive,” Ally said.
Reed considers drugs as a coping mechanism, as Maeve.
“You can say ‘Oh, you just like to smoke every fve seconds because you like to smoke,’ but it's like, are you really happy with yourself? If you’re getting [high] every second of the day every chance you get, you’re trying to escape,” Reed said.
The underlying issue with drug usage is accessibility, according to Reed and Maeve.
“It’s insane. I had access to guns, crack, meth, anything I wanted at my fngertips,” Reed said. “The big thing with this area is that you’ve got so many parents who only care about money and forget about their kids. That’s what happened to me. The combination of rich parents who don’t care about their kids and easy access to drugs and money is not a good spell for anybody.”
Addiction if your breaking Addiction if you're You keep to it because brain attached MAEVE ANONYMOUS
According to Cumberland Heights, an addiction treatment and recovery institution, “[50] years ago, chemical dependency was widely believed to be a moral weakness,” lief that fed the social stigma, preventing “millions ing out for help.”
“It can happen to anyone. It doesn't matter your nomic status, it doesn't matter where you live, what ing,” Maeve said. “People look at addicts and they junkies. They think they have no chance at life, beings. That's not true.”
Senior Kit*, who has witnessed frst-hand drugs on themself and their friend still classifes an addict, but notes that they have gotten “much
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANTHONY BRIDI
How do you approach student drug use and enforce specifc regulations at RUHS?
For students who may be having difculty with handling these addictions, what advice would you give?
A:
“As a whole, we have a very active community. We live by the beach, and there’s a lot of fun activities that we can participate in that are healthy. My frst piece of advice for any student is to try to fnd an outlet that is healthy and that you can do with your friends that doesn’t include drugs or alcohol. [Here at RUHS] we have 100+ clubs and almost half of our student population is in some way, shape, or form involved with athletics or theater or something beyond just their academic schedule, and that speaks volumes to who we are as a learning community.”
RUHS students grapple with the mental and physical consequences of drug abuse and how it has afected diferent aspects of their lives
An addiction is a “treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment and an individual’s life experiences."
quitting nicotine and lim-
iting their usage of other drugs. Seeing their friends grapple with similar issues makes them feel “powerless.”
“All I can do is ofer them my support, tell them how much I care about them and just hope that they make that conscious decision [to quit] because at the end of the day, I know no matter what words I say to them, nothing I can do is going to make them [change],” Kit said.
Shadfan also notes how teens who rely on drugs as coping mechanisms have issues later on in life, both physical or mental, as he has seen working for Clear. He stated that in his experience, drug addicts struggle to “build life skills on how to navigate through the world and through diferent situations in a healthy, sober manner.”
Addiction doesn't care your body is breaking down. Addiction doesn't care you're overdosing. keep going back because your brain is chemically attached to it."
MAEVE ANONYMOUS SENIOR
marijuana and but later found brother using depression. [marijuana], fghts with me for high because verbally and menas do Ally and weakness,” a be“millions from reachyour socioecowhat you're dothink they're they’re lesser the efect of classifes themself as better” since
of teenagers have misused a drug at least once in their life
Kit’s own choice to reduce their usage was not a “conscious choice,” but rather a choice made out of “desperation,” something they feel shame about.
“When I started coughing blood, [that was the wake up call]. I didn't get up and I was like, ‘I re ally need to improve my life,’” Kit said.
Education can be very benefcial, as is open discussion and harm reduction. Per Bradford Health Services, “Parents talking openly and honestly with their children about drugs begin ning at an early age has proven to be one of the most efective strategies for preventing substance abuse and addiction.”
“I’ve never done anything harder than pot be cause I saw my aunt and the way that she turned out. She told me, ‘Don't think it's a temporary thing.’ Drugs are temporary, but the consequenc es are forever,” Maeve said.
Reed on the other hand is somewhat “grate ful” for his experiences, as they have given him “strength.” He is now trying to help younger kids and friends with their addictions by providing support through conversations and sharing his story.
“It's made me a lot stronger. I'm able to have critical conver sation with adults or help my friends through traumas,” Reed said.
In addition to support, “faith” is vital, according to Maeve.
“Never give up on them. Never lose hope. My aunt did the worst; black tar heroin, fentanyl. I gave up and thought, she's going to die. That's just how it's going to be,” Maeve said. “And then she came out, she really needed us and we were there for her.”
Facts based on research by the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics for 2023
How much drug use went up among eighth graders between 2016 and 2020
A:
Q: Q: A:
Is there a step-by-step process to dealing with these addictions or drug dependencies?
“Stepwise, it's recognizing whether you can do your life with or without it, and fguring out where you can cut it out. Find the right people to hang out with and enjoy that time while still being sober, and then strengthen those friendships and bonds. If it's making your life go down in any way, then you're going to have motivation for reducing it. You just have to be able to connect the dots and once you start connecting them, you'll realize ‘Oh, this isn’t who I am.' It's about taking a look at your own personal values—how using [drugs] isn't in alignment with your values—and creating that cognitive dissonance to where you can be like, ‘I don't want to exist in this space where what I'm doing is not in line with who I am.’"
What advice would you give to students currently battling addictions or who are hesitant to look for help?
“You don’t have to do this alone. A lot of times, getting involved in stuf starts of as a social thing, but it can be very lonely. There’s so many people that want to spend time with you, that want to connect with you, that want to be there for you, that want to help you with your stress, that want to help fnd a way to get you through all of this. Let down your guard and be with people who support you being your best self.”
Teenagers often lack immunity to the terrorizing temptation of peer pressure and social media. The rising prevalence of vaping among adolescent communities is no exception. Despite the recent approval of Proposi tion 31, a ban on favored tobacco prod ucts, teenage vaping is not likely to sub side.
In the past election, lawmakers rat ifed a ban on fruit and candy-favored e-cigarettes, vape pods and chewing to bacco in an attempt to deviate adolescent attention from vaping. The ofcial ballot argument stated that 80 percent of kids who vape started with a favored tobacco product. However, according to the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey, only 22.4 percent of middle and high school vapers report trying e-cigarettes due to the availability of favors. Students more commonly cited curiosity or peer pres sure as reasons to try e-cigarettes. Even if we establish restrictions, the inherent issue behind the prevalence of teenage vaping is the stigmatization and normal ization of vaping in teen culture.
According to US News, one of the pri mary infuences for people to use e-ciga rettes is the pressure of “social media and curiosity,” with “pro-vaping messages on social media, [including] videos showing people how to do vaping tricks or mix favors.” With the imminent gloom of peer pressure—digital and in-person—on teenagers, the ban on favored vapes is less likely to prevent teenagers from con tinuing to vape because it fails to target the heart of the issue.
In fact, this has already proven to be true. A [year] survey conducted by the University of Rochester Medical Cen ter, with more than 3,500 participants, found that rather than quitting e-cig arettes, most vapers just switched to favored products that weren’t listed in the ban, with some even going back to smoking traditional cigarettes. The survey found that “fewer than 5 per cent [of vapers] actually quit smoking” following the ban.
The plethora of alternative options continues to infuence vapers to persist. According to the study, the ban did not cover favored, disposable e-cigarette products or menthol products, which were each soared in popularity by 30 percent following the enactment of the ban. Considering the peer pressure that continues to infuence adolescent vapers, as well as the addictiveness of vaping (whose nicotine is suggested to be as ad
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“You want to have a really good Thanksgiving?” my cousin said to me about 20 minutes before my mom started to put the food on the table. I was 14 and had seen my cousin smoke bowls out of her window time and time again. It wasn’t the frst time she ofered, but it was the frst time I accepted. And from then on, it was a normal thing.
It wasn’t until two years later that I started having my own supply, but even before that, looking back, I had a problem with weed. The worst part is you don't know you have a problem until it gets bad.
For me, it was mostly because it was “just” weed. All my life, teachers, counselors and all kinds of adults demonize drugs (rightfully so), but they always said that weed is just a gateway drug. I’ve seen people become addicted to much worse, so having a problem with weed sounded stupid to me. It made me feel as though I could never really have a problem with it.
That way of thinking justifed my addiction to me, and to this day I have trouble justifying my sobriety because it’s “just” weed. Even when I was in the depths of it all, barely cognizant most days, grades dropping, my family worrying, barely leaving my room, it was all fne. Because it was “just” weed. It even got to a point where I couldn’t even tell if I was sober or not. The come down would be too much, too confusing, so to clear it all up, I would just smoke again.
But even then, I didn’t think I had a problem. My family made me stop, and while I resented them for it, it wasn’t until then that I realized I had a problem. I didn’t want to be sober. Being sober meant I had to deal with myself– with my thoughts, with my mistakes, with everything I deemed wrong about myself. When I was high, I forgot about all of it. The only thing in my head was stupid jokes (for example, one time I came up with a theory that Hellen Keller was just a decoy made by the government to cover up Dobby from Harry Potter's existence). But I felt they were better alternatives to self criticism.
Two weeks ago I hit a year sober, and there are still times I would prefer the drugs over my own well-being. I know being sober is what's best for me, but I still don’t like it. If the consequences and the paranoia weren't there, if I could just get high and forget about it all, I would. It’s not good, I know that. I know that I have a problem, but I wish I just didn’t. But I also cannot ignore how far I have come without weed weighing me down. Being sober is the best decision that I’ve ever made, whether I like it or not.
Ifound the perfect dress for winter formal. It was an asymmetrical gown with fve tiered layers of chifon—the prettiest shade of rose pink I’d ever seen. A sleeveless bodice. Just my size.
And it cost $1,700.
I did not buy the dress. But it got me thinking about the fve other formal dresses in my closet: two black, one wine red, another electric blue and one from last year’s prom. I realized that by the end of senior year, my closet will hold at least eight dresses from all of the functions I’ve attended, and my brother wore the same shirt, shoes and blazer combo for every single dance. Between the two of us, I’ll give you one guess whose closet has the higher price tag.
Let’s face it: dances are expensive. Regardless of what you wear, there are ticket and transportation costs, be it the cost of the bus you’re renting with friends or gas money for the Shell next to Vons. But the ensemble is an entirely diferent story. For girls, it’s more than likely that you spent time agonizing over what dress to wear and the hair, shoes and fawless eyeshadow look to go with it. You’re seeing a Pinterest board; I’m seeing dollar signs.
The biggest diference between feminine and masculine formal wear (price wise) is that masculine clothing is an investment. With two suits, two shirts and one pair of dress shoes, a guy can make four diferent outfts for any number of occasions. Feminine formal wear is diferent—especially for high school dances—because it is highly unlikely that a girl will wear the same dress to two diferent dances. That is not to say that certain dresses can’t be worn more than once; I’ve styled
one dress at least three diferent ways after I wore it to formal last year. Yet not every piece is versatile. Especially if the purchase is bought with a specifc theme in mind, the likelihood that you’ll fnd another event to wear that foor-length, navy-blue, constellation-themed gown is slim to none.
If you don’t want to spend $1,700 on a dress you’ll only wear once, the Internet’s favorite fast fashion brands have got you covered. Companies like SHEIN, Princess Polly and Lucy in the Sky have dresses starting as low as $20, with aesthetic designs that are so cute your Instagram comment section will be full of fre emojis and all-caps messages telling you how STUNNING you look.
The catch: those dresses are products from companies with labor law violations and contribute to the fast fashion cycle. According to a November 2021 report from the Swiss research organization Public Eye, Shein employees work over 75 hours a week with no contract, health benefts, overtime pay or regular days of. (The labor laws in China, where SHEIN is largely based, dictate a 40hour week with a maximum of 36 hours overtime and one day of rest per week.)
The thousands of garments they produce satisfy weekly fashion cycles, churning out clothing that lasts four wears until, inevitably, it falls apart. The plasticky material and its packaging end up in landflls–sparkling, shimmering reminders of that one prom afterparty discarded like a torn Polaroid.
by Rena FeldeThe urge to improve our lives with ceaseless shopping is destructive.
According to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, consumer spending in America reached an all time high during 2022, at $14 trillion. With mainstream trends and constant exposure to advertisements, it’s no wonder why our wallets and spirits are left empty. Mass consumerism, exacerbated by TikTok and YouTube haul culture, leads to pitfalls in our fnances, environment and peace of mind.
Since the inception of social media, apps like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram have harbored trends, introducing new styles and products to society. An example of a trend is “curated identities:” niche aesthetics that often entail a specifc clothing style or lifestyle. Aesthetics such as “that girl,” “dark academia,” “cottage core” and “granola” all encourage viewers to buy unnecessary products to ft that aesthetic.
Seeing TV advertisements or hearing an ad in your favorite podcast are easily identifable as marketing, but a commonly overlooked form of advertisement is infuencers and trends. With infuencers’ romanticized lifestyles, viewers want to achieve the same look or style and will purchase items like jewelry, shoes, clothes, tech and makeup to achieve this end. Though “get ready with me” videos are entertaining, they constantly feature non-essential beauty and health products, and give the illusion to her viewers that they can achieve a lifestyle like hers by buying the products she uses. The identities that infuencers encourage the average consumer to purchase unsustainable amounts of products to try and live like the unrealistic TikToks and Instagram posts they see.
Along the same lines, YouTube and TikTok hauls push the narrative that there is
always something new to buy. I’m not saying you should only spend money on essentials and never splurge—I agree it’s nice to treat yourself—but not every week. Saving your money for a higher quality product and delaying gratifcation is much more rewarding. To make a general statement, mass consumption roots from personal desire, social pressures and status signaling.
The more we scroll and interact with our devices, the more data social media and search engines obtain from us. With the collection of our liked videos and creators we follow, algorithms are able to recommend exactly the content, hauls and aesthetics we want to see, which intrigues us with products and lifestyles to buy into. The desire for necessities like shelter and food are inherent human traits, but modern marketing invokes an insatiable hunger for nonessential products.
Purchasing power lies at our fngertips, so through services like Amazon, Doordash, Postmates and other online vendors, consumers no longer have to fnd time to travel to stores, look through aisles and wait in line; spending money is now done with a double click, a tap on your screen, or sometimes even just with Face ID. With this ultra-efcient process, we get instant dopamine hits and money seems so much less valuable since we aren’t physically counting cash or swiping a credit card.
As a teen girl who spent hours on TikTok every day for months, I have seen more than my fair share of products I “have to buy” and heard too many people enthusiastically say, “TikTok made me buy it.” I was constantly immersed in fashion fabs, home decor and tech trends that eventually faded away after a few weeks or so.
To address the environmental aspect of consumerism, it is obvious that mass
by Lucy DavisThe other option is to thrift. The South Bay has six diferent Goodwills, stocked with dresses waiting to be revived. The condition in this case is that few dresses come of the rack ready to wear: mending, hemming, detail work and adjustments may be needed to restore the dresses to their former glory. Not everyone has the expertise or time for that kind of project (I certainly don’t.) In a best case scenario, combing through racks of clothes at multiple different locations takes time, even on the of chance that the perfect dress is waiting to be found.
Now is the time to imagine my resigned sigh as I realize that I still need to worry about my hair, nails, shoes and makeup. So trivial. So expensive.
Which is why, more and more, I realize that it’s okay to compromise. I skipped homecoming this year because I didn’t want to fnd a new dress–instead, I stayed home and watched "Star Wars" with my dad. I’m using a hand-me-down for formal tomorrow. Some of my friends are going all out—more power to them—but at the end of the day, the night is going to be out of this world, no matter what I wear or how much (or little) it costs.
consumption comes at the detriment to our planet. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the average American throws away around 81 pounds of clothes and textiles every year.
Knowing the drawbacks of consumerism, we often seek eco-labels like “natural” and “good for the planet,” but that is really just another type of marketing.
The tree-hugging, nature-loving aesthetic preaches sustainability so consumers within that aesthetic may opt for eco-labels and products deemed “good for the planet.” But, labels of that sort only feed into our delusion that even though we’re purchasing a lot, “at least it’s sustainable.” I’d like to stop you right there. No matter how clean, renewable and “green” your purchase is, only buying essentials in the frst place is your best, most sustainable option.
On top of that, actively think about whether the product is a want or a need. Challenge yourself to endure the utterly horrendous struggle of not being on trend for a few weeks. Observe the money you save and your self awareness growing, perhaps saving yourself from buyer’s remorse in the process. Marketers, which currently take the most prominent form as social media infuencers, distort teens’ social development because they encourage us to tie our self-value to brands and base our identity on products. Awareness of this damaging mindset can break that cycle.
Unfortunately, young adult culture is centered around being on-trend and often trying to prove yourself to others, usually through materialistic means, so falling into mass consumption is almost a given. Throughout this new year, practice fnding joy and excitement in things that don’t involve purchasing, but rather creating or experiencing.
Formal fashion highlights the disparity between feminine and masculine consumerism
Mass consumerism fueled by social media "haul" culture harms the environment and peace of mindPHOTOS VIA FREEPIK
The worst part is you don't know you have a problem until it gets bad.
ANONYMOUS STUDENT
“
The newest adaptation of “A Man Called Ove'' (2012) changes the story in a few ways — the most obvious in the new name “A Man Called Otto.” The book was originally published in Sweden, where Ove is a much more common name than it is in America. And while this new movie, starring Tom Hanks as Otto Anderson, contains many diferences from both the original novel and the frst screen adaptation (2015), it overall evokes the same wide emotional range of hope, despair and humor.
A favorite of mine, “A Man Called Ove” (written by Frederik Backman) follows your stereotypical grumpy old man character archetype: a go-to for tearjerkers and sappy, fufy stories, albeit not one I generally fnd myself reading. “A Man Called Ove” hooked me in from the frst description of Ove trying to buy a “regular old computer” from a millennial at the Apple store.
Similarly, “A Man Called Otto” begins with Otto buying fve feet of rope (he does not want six feet of rope, and he is explicitly clear that he will not be paying for two yards of rope when he is only buying fve feet). The seemingly lighthearted scene sets up Otto’s character: an impatient, old fashioned yet practical man who has very
little tolerance for those who interfere with the routine of his life. It has the same sense of humor as the beginning of the book, with the exception that it is clear from what he buys in the movie that Otto plans to kill himself.
The movie continues in a lighthearted way, but with the darker undertone of Otto’s inner turmoil. Beneath all of his rigid schedules and protection of his neighborhood, he feels that his life is not worth living ever since his wife died. In fact, the ongoing joke, handled tastefully with both acknowledgment of the seriousness of the situation and humor, is the constant interruption of Otto’s attempts to depart.
From various sources, these interruptions — during very vulnerable times — allow Otto’s relationships to develop with the people around him, both new and old neighbors in his carefully maintained neighborhood. As the movie progresses, we begin to see Otto get closer with those around him, even if he won’t admit it.
While “A Man Called Otto” was shot with a dull, neutral palette, it is the emotions that stand out in glaring color. The movie was both feel-good and solemn, a very similar experience to the one I had with the book. The plot didn’t move quick-
ly, nor did the characters go through a fantastical journey, flled with magic or romance. It was simply an old man and his life. As an avid believer that teenagers make unpredictable protagonists, the careful progression and subtle moments in this movie felt like something I would watch on a Tuesday late afternoon to make my day a little wittier and more meaningful.
Yes, the plot could seem dull or obvious to some people, but the movie for the same reasons felt cathartic. Despite the name change and a reduction of characters for book-to-movie practicality, it evoked as many strong emotions as the book did. I even enjoyed many of the chang es in the movie, unlike in others where departures from the book’s original plot make it feel too dif ferent. A new character named Malcolm is a teenage paperboy Otto fought with for throwing magazines around from his bike. Malcolm would later show just how kind Otto was when he later came to the old man, whose wife had been Malcolm’s teacher when she was alive, and
asked to stay at his house after being kicked out for his identity as a trans man.
In the same vein, I saw characters in the book brought to life with showstopping acting like Marisol (Mariana Treviño), the exuberant new neighbor and the frst person who can match Otto’s energy with overwhelming enthusiasm and willpower. And, of course, the obligatory pet that the old man archetype adopts to show his soft side, the stray cat.
I would not recommend “A Man Called Otto” to those who prefer more of a fast paced, fashy and unpredictable plot, or those who are easily triggered by
“The Pale Blue Eye” — just thinking of this movie brings tears to my eyes and not in a good way. Seriously, after fnishing this movie I sat in silence, crying about the 2 hours and 10 minutes of my life that I will never get back.
“The Pale Blue Eye” is a flm adaptation of a novel written under the same name. The flm centers around detective Augustus Landor (Christian Bale) and cadet Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling) on their journey to solve a series of strange murders. However, this “journey” is closer to the feeling of leisurely getting ready for school before realizing that you are actually twenty minutes late to class.
The character development, to put it kindly, was not the best. I knew nothing nor was I interested in knowing anything about a single one of these characters, I couldn’t even distinguish one character from another and I felt no empathy towards any character in this movie. Sure, I may have had moments of compassion, but never a true empathetic connection as one would normally have with any intricately-made, complex character.
So, let's start out with the one enjoyable character in this movie (or as enjoyable as a character can be in this movie), Edgar Allan Poe. The portrayal and casting of Poe was truly spot on. Melling fts this role. He made some incredibly dull scenes about fve times brighter.
Towards the beginning of the movie, when sightings of Poe were rare, I felt
by Scarlett Mischebored and on the verge of sleep. The cool tones associated with other characters were terribly drab, and I wasn’t able to focus on the movie at all; once Poe entered with the warm-toned setting that I’ve come to think of when thinking of him, my attention was immediately redrawn to the scene. The joy in having Melling on screen was that I never knew quite what to expect and that was particularly gratifying, considering how predictable everything else in this movie was.
Unfortunately, the main character of this movie, Augustus Landor, was not quite as fun to have on screen as Poe. Now, I’m going to frst and foremost address that I do not like Christian Bale, nor do I understand why people fnd him to be such a phenomenal actor. Maybe this aversion comes from his portrayal of Batman and
my dislike for comic-movie inaccuracies; however, one will never truly know why I loathe Christian Bale. Yet, even while keeping my bias aside as best as possible, I still could not see a “spectacular, astounding Academy Award winner” while watching Bale’s portrayal of detective Landor. He lacked personality. There was no distinctive feature about him. He was bleak, and as the movie title suggests, “pale” throughout the entire movie with no shades deeper than a ghostly blue. It may be due to the fact that I haven’t read the novel which would lead me to feel so dissatisfed with his character, but I feel that this might not be the case. After researching this movie a bit more, I thought, ‘Perhaps, this is not Bale’s fault, but rather, the director’s.’ But, before deciding that director Scott Cooper was the demise of this movie, I realized that maybe it was the
scriptwriter who truly fumbled the bag. Can you guess who the script writer is? No?
It’s Scott Cooper. That’s right, Cooper not only gave way for the terrible and bland conversational chemistry between main actors, but he was also in charge of the utterly brittle and pointless words that were spoken between the characters. This is ironic, considering that Cooper was originally an actor who turned to movie directing with the hopes of writing compelling scripts, and that goal has defnitely not been achieved.
I don’t have much else to say on the matter of Scott Cooper other than that he destroyed what I have heard to be a decent book. What I do have to say is that the hour and a half I waited for there to be any kind of actual plot was not worth it.
I wish that I could spread out the action in this movie, so that it isn't all stuck at the end. Anything is better than listening to a couple of rudimentary characters droning on and on about nothingness for most of the movie. When the plot twists started to happen, I actually had the smallest sliver of hope for this movie; however, the movie abruptly stopped. This also abruptly stopped any pretense I had that this flm might be okay.
Overall, this movie was bleak and lacked foundation. I felt like everything was slow and yet the ending was rushed. At the very least, this movie truly lived up to its name, as it was immensely “pale” and the cool tones of “blue” were constantly hurting my eyes.
"The Pale Blue Eye" falls short of having an engaging storyline despite its loaded cast
Hanks portrays a stubborn widower in the new movie adaption of "A Man Called Ove"PHOTO VIA NETFLIX
by Sara Miyake-Singer
After “telling his truth” by doing an interview with Oprah, an Apple TV+ series, a Netfix documentary series and more interviews with Anderson Cooper, Stephen Colbert, Michael Strahan and Tom Bradby, Prince Harry “tells his truth” yet again via his novel “Spare.” Well, more 400-page-drunk-text than novel.
The book, ghost written by J.R. Moehringer, is made up of three parts each with 80+ short anecdotes written as chapters. This results in an incoherent mixture of Harry’s thoughts and experiences, which culminate to create the most bizarre book I’ve ever read.
Some of it was good. Brief passages about his time in the military (though a bit boring to read about), his experiences meeting people from around the world through royal charity work and his occasional refection on his out-of-touchness all provide thoughtful introspection and were compelling.
I also found the book’s central themes-the efects of tragically and publically losing his mother at an early age, his deep hatred for the press and his struggles being the “spare” to his brother's heir while living in a rigid, trapping environment for all to see-- to be very interesting. I’ve heard many complaints that because Harry is a prince, his problems are irrational. But I disagree. Although constantly hearing about them is wearisome, I think these dilemmas are very valid since living in a “gilded cage,” as he calls it, seems ex-
cruciating, and it was fascinating to read. These elements of the book made for a decent read, and I felt that if the book was solely focused on this and about his growth from his experiences, it could have been much better. But, I don’t think he is in the right state of mind to write such a book. So, instead, these good elements of the book were superseded by countless odd and annoying chapters, which, unfortunately, make up the majority of the book.
A lot of them feature TMI and unnecessary details. I have no idea what compelled the release of factoids such as Harry fnding the book’s opening quote on Brainyquote.com, Ginger Spice’s relatability as she also has red hair, he and his wife singing to seals because they could be Scottish mermaids, his doing hallucinogens at Courteney Cox’s house and imagining a toilet speaking to him and many passages that I cannot repeat for a school audience (they’re infamous on TikTok if you REALLY want to know), but they’re all there, and numerous. They certainly enhanced my strange reading experience as they elicited multiple eye rolls and fts of laughter. They made the book worse in the sense of an actual deep reading experience, but better in the sense of pointless entertainment.
As if reading those passages wasn’t cringe-worthy enough, I found myself feeling even more second-hand embarrassment when reading the parts focused on Meghan Markle in relation to Princess Diana. Even though I previously mentioned enjoying his refection on his mother, I
found parts of it unsettling as the grief and idolization he reserved for his mother are transferred to his wife. Details of it come across as creepy and a somewhat unhealthy way to process his trauma.
This weirdness, however, isn’t just reserved for talking about the female members of his family but for the male members, specifcally his brother “Willy” and his monarch-father “Pa.” The chapters referencing them are flled with recollections of, seemingly, the most humiliating, mundane and odd details about the two that are interlaced with petty complaints. Some are completely justifable such as “Willy” pushing Harry into a dog bowl and Charles and William’s horrible complacency in allowing their stafs to leak negative stories about Harry to make themselves look better (the irony and self-righteousness from Harry is astounding.) However, I am under the impression that Harry chooses to memorialize some facts and random, petty conversations/ arguments just to antagonize the two.
Yet, what struck me most when reading passages of Harry’s relationship with his nuclear family was how uncomfortable I felt. Harry doesn’t shy away from transcribing exact conversations he had with his brother and some of them are so personal that I feel that no matter what happened, they shouldn’t have been shared. Although, according to Harry’s account,
they do seem to have wronged him, his father and brother seem to deeply care about him and the unnecessary revelation of these moments is hurtful to them in a way I don’t feel they deserve. In an interview, Harry claimed to want reconciliation with the two, but I’m not sure how true that is based on these leakings. So, what was the purpose of sharing such personal informaiton? Well, according to Harry, it was so his father, brother and the world could understand why he left. Speaking for myself, I 100% do. The British press and his family’s toxicity make leaving seem perfectly reasonable, but I already formed this opinion four interviews ago. As for his brother and father, I can only speculate, although I imagine we won’t see a reunion soon. I really do wish the best for Prince Harry. I hope he fnds happiness, but I don’t think this book was the way to do it.
When Hermosa’s well-known eatery Mermaid closed its doors for good after more than 50 years of steak and seafood goodness, it seemed likely that whoever took over the business would continue this norm.
After two attempts that failed to last more than a few years, I expected another one to take its place, serving simple steaks and fried seafood. Especially with Hermosa’s other pier restaurants, greasy seafood and burgers seem to ft right in. However, in December 2021, the South Bay got "Vista," a modern refnement of tiki bar food, infuenced by Polynesian and Asian cuisine.
Walking down the Hermosa Beach pier quite often, I kept seeing the newly renovated restaurant surrounded by string lights, a variety of plant decor and a cornhole game set up. When I fnally got the chance to try it, I was greeted by the owner, Justin Safe: an East Coast seafood lover wanting to show the South Bay his take on savory, favorful meals, cooked to perfection.
My family and I decided to sit inside
where minimalist color palettes, vinery and modern table settings made the place even cozier. Contemporary pop music fowed throughout the restaurant, creating a fun and youthful atmosphere.
The menu included a variety of “small plates” (appetizers), ranging from palm sugar monkey bread smothered in coconut butter (or placed on the side) to blue crab nuggets topped with tartar remoulade and shichi-mi, diferent kinds of salads and “large plates,” consisting of diferent entrées that are made to share or enjoy on your own.
We started of with the jumbo lump crab & yuzu guacamole for $18 and the blue crab nuggets for $17. I ordered the signature double “butter” burger for $16 and I did not regret it.
It took around 3 minutes before we saw the beautifully put-together masterpiece of an appetizer. Garnished with edible orange and yellow fowers, topped with a lemon and lime to fnish it of, the guacamole looked too pretty to eat. Served with homemade fufy tortilla chips that
melted in your mouth, this guacamole was the highlight of my dining experience. The lasting lemon and lime favor blended perfectly with the salty chips, sweet crab and fresh avocado.
After two more minutes, the blue crab nuggets came out, served in a cute pastel green bowl, topped with ci lantro and a few more edible fowers. The breading tasted like a light, crispy panko crust bordering a buttery warm sweet blue crab cooked beautifully.
Following the two meals, our waiter, who was very nice and happy to answer any of our questions about the menu, brought out my burger. The juicy double-deck er patty dripping with warm butter brought this meal to life, additionally covered with classic cheese, crisp lettuce, smashed avocado and roasted garlic aioli. My tastebuds were in heaven as everything came together and made a truly fantastic burger.
Vista, with its charm, was reasonably priced for the area and showed a unique
on simple meals. Considering it’s a couple of steps away from the sandy beach, the spectacular views of the ocean sunset, pleasant atmosphere, great service and mouthwatering food make sure this restaurant will stay in Hermosa longer than anpat -
by Andrew McKenna
Clutch free throws, aggressive defense, a game-tying buzzer-beater three, and a back-and-forth overtime period; what more could a basketball fan possibly ask for? Tuesday night’s boys varsity basketball game on Jan. 24 against Culver City High School went from a Redondo blowout by as much as 14 points in the fourth quarter, to an overtime thriller. Learning from a loss they sufered earlier in the season to Culver City, Redondo knew they had to start of strong if they wanted to win.
“I feel like we didn’t come out with enough energy in the frst game,” junior guard Devin Ringer said. “They came out way more aggressive than us last time, but this game I felt we came out strong early and we were able to keep our intensity the whole time.”
Ringer, who ended the night with the game-high of 22 points, struggled with his shot in the frst half. After making an early three-pointer, the normally sure-fre shooter struggled to convert on several shots, scoring just fve points the rest of the half.
“I think it was my mindset; I was just
playing a little bit careless (in the frst half),” Ringer said. “I knew that I had to get to my spots and that we had to make something happen. It was a close game at halftime that we couldn’t let slip away, so I knew that I had to start knocking down shots to help the team win.”
With this in mind, Ringer returned to his normal scoring ways, racking up 14 points in the second half. Starting of the second half strong, Redondo turned a 29-29 tie at halftime into a 46-39 lead at the end of the third quarter. That lead climbed even higher early in the fourth quarter, growing to 53-39 with 6:30 left in the game. That’s when things turned south for Redondo.
“It was a mixture of [Culver] having a strong defense and us playing careless on ofense,” Head Coach Reggie Morris said. “We struggled with our ball-handling and they were really aggressive on defense, so they were able to take advantage of it. We had lapses in focus, and we just picked the wrong times to lose focus.”
That late 14-point lead dwindled to just three points with just under fve seconds left in the game. Despite the late-game col-
lapse, Redondo still had a great shot at surviving the comeback. Culver City quickly got the ball in on the left wing, took a dribble, and heaved up an of-balanced shot. The ball took a high, awkward bounce of the rim before settling inexplicably on the heel of the rim and rolling in. The game was now tied 65-65 and was headed to overtime.
“They just did a good job of executing on that play,” Morris said. “We tried to set up some things so they would catch for a two, but we didn’t execute on our end. It was just a good job by them.”
Now faced with overtime after blowing a double-digit lead, Ringer and the team were tasked with regrouping themselves and overcoming the momentum that Culver City had gained. Ringer opened up the period with a big three to get Redondo going, but soon after picked up his ffth foul, fouling out of the game with a signifcant amount of overtime still left to play. Redondo persevered despite this, though, doing just enough to squeak out a 77-74 victory.
“As soon as [the Culver City shot] went in, I knew we had to get one back. Unfortunately I fouled out (in overtime), but my teammates were able to pull through without me. I’m happy that we were able to win, but the game shouldn’t have even been that close in the frst place.”
Now sitting at 15-9 on the season with a 5-2 record in Bay League contests, Redondo faces Santa Monica tonight, whom they beat 61-55 earlier in the season. Although Redondo was able to win this game, Morris
was hardly impressed with his team’s performance, claiming that there is “a lot of room for improvement”. The one positive he saw in this contest, however, was his team’s efort.
“I think that we showed some toughness and resilience to not give up and to keep playing. I have to at least acknowledge that,” Morris said. “We still have a lot of things we need to tighten up, though. If we want to be a good team, we need to learn to play hard for all 32 minutes.”
The girls varsity wrestling team made their way to Rowland High School on Jan. 14 to compete in the Ralph Harris Invitational Tournament. Despite only six girls competing compared to other schools whose rosters flled up all 14 diferent weight classes, the girls placed second in the tournament.
Senior Laxmi Upadhyaya who competes in the 126 lb weight class won three out of her four matches, pinning three of her opponents in the tournament. However, in her frst match, she fell short, getting pinned by her competitor in the frst minute. Upadhyaya believes that although she
was intimidated going into the match, she should have gone into it with a diferent mindset.
“Even I was joking around with my team about how fast I was going to lose. Even though it’s fun, a good example to set for the rest of the team is that you should never think that you’re going to lose because you’re both two people circling on a mat, you have a chance for anything,” Upadhyaya said.
Upadhyaya believes that there can be a lot of turning points in the matches, especially when you are close to pinning someone. However, when this happened
in one of her matches, her counterattack prevailed, and she was able to pin her opponent.
“Especially when you take someone down, there’s so much weight and pressure that it’s easy to get rolled. So even when you think you’re about to win, it’s easy to get rolled,” said Upadhyaya.
In the three matches Upadhyaya won, she believes her motivation came from wanting to compete for her team. She knows that her coaches and parents spend so much time and efort to support them, and she wants to live up to how much they do for them.
“It’s a great feeling knowing that a lot of the hard work that we do pays of, and that feeling is defnitely what kept me going,” Upadhyaya said. “I’ve learned to love the sport a lot more as I’ve gone on because I’m proud to be on our team,” Upadhyaya said.
In practice, Upadhyaya often is matched up against Faith Bree during practice, a freshman who although is not in the same weight class (Bree competes in the 121 lb weight class), still fnds ways to challenge her. On Satur day, Bree won all three of her matches, pinning her opponents in the frst period of each match.
Bree believes that confdence and mental toughness are key factors in wrestling.
“Wrestling is equally mental as it is physical. When you’re going out onto the mat, you can’t rely on anybody. Bree said. “And you have to have a game plan and convince yourself to have that confdence because if you’re nervous or have any selfdoubt, it eventually is going to come out in Bree also agrees that the team atmosphere and her coach are what propels her to continue to wrestle and fnd motivation even when she’s physically or mentally
“You are putting yourself out there and the people around you who support and help you have seen you at your worst and they can see when you’re hurting or struggling and they build you up,” Bree said.
Girls water polo edged out a win against Palos Verdes (PV) 6-5 on Tuesday, Jan. 24, giving the girls an overall record of 10-12 and a Bay League record of 3-1. Although Redondo’s defense shined, head coach Shelby Haroldson knows the ofense can improve.
“We weren't really able to capitalize on a lot of our shot opportunities. [The] selection just wasn't quite there,” Haroldson said.
Entering the second half tied 3-3, Redondo few out of the gate with an immediate goal by freshman Remy Errett. PV retaliated with two goals, ending the third quarter 5-4. Senior Mia Calvo scored to tie the game in the fourth and junior Kiley Pierce gave Redondo the lead with 90 seconds left of the game.
Up by one with 28 seconds on the clock, Palos Verdes (PV) received the ball for their fnal possession, freshman Peyton Cardenas waiting patiently at the goal. After burning 8 seconds of the clock to ensure Redondo couldn’t return and score afterward, PV made their move toward the goal and took the shot. With a swift block and save by Cardenas, the girls secured the away win.
“I was pretty nervous throughout the game because it was neck and neck,” Cardenas said. “Especially because if they got that last goal on me then they could have won, but in the end we pulled through and it felt great.”
After the game, a teammate called Cardenas a “brick wall”; a ftting title for the freshman who made ten saves and only let up fve goals this game. After having a fve-game losing streak, the team set their minds straight for the Bay League, winning three in a row.
“We struggled a lot with the defense at the beginning and we just weren't as
It was a really close game and it’s always great when we push through just enough to come away with some of those wins,”
motivated as we are now, but we are defnitely doing better with our communication and defense.”
Haroldson agrees that the team has improved vastly over the past month and that their “hard work” over winter break is paying of. The next day, the girls faced of against Mira Costa for their fnal Bay League game. In their previous matchup, they lost to Costa 4-14.
“I mean, that was over a month ago and we are a totally diferent team than we were in the beginning of the season. So we're looking forward to hopefully a close game.”
Though the team was hot in the past week, the girls lost to Costa 7-6. Although they couldn’t beat their division rival in their fnal regular season game, the sharp contrast in the score between their frst and second matchup against Costa boosts their confdence going into CIF.
“It was a really close game and it’s always great when we push through just enough to come away with some of those wins,” Haroldson said.
Boys soccer fell to Culver City 1-0 in a tight defensive showdown on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The game was close, with strong defense from both sides holding the score at 0-0 until overtime.
The previous game against Culver City resulted in a Redondo victory. With the home feld advantage also, the day seemed to lean towards Redondo. The game started of with small moves and a close shot by senior Kyan Panis, forward. Later, a push by forward Jeremy Gonzalez, senior, allowed Panis to make a run, but he fell before he could complete the play.
“At the beginning of the game, we were dominating them, but throughout the game, we couldn't really put a stamp on the
“We weren't creating enough quality chances up top,” Davis said.
As the second half drew on, many other attempts came steps away from success, but a strong defense and lackluster conditions hampered Redondo’s abilities.
Frustration and tension were mounting as the overtime neared without a goal. The players, urgent to get a goal in before the
shot was again blocked and junior Jamie Vasquez sent the ball forward, but Culver City recaptured the ball. From a little beyond the box, Culver City’s team was able to shoot the ball, sending over Redondo’s defenders, past the goalies raised hands and into the net, fnishing the game 0-1.
“It's just an unlucky break that they have the chance and then they capital ize of of it,” Wood said.
Expectations for Redondo are at an extreme high coming from last year's championship, and the boys have a Bay League record of 2-4-1 this season, but all of their losses were by only one goal. They hope to turn around
game,” senior Caleb Davis said.
Defensively, Redondo’s back line—Sebastian Haskel, Ryan Wood and Caleb Davis—neutralized most of Culver City's ofensive plays. The defense was well prepared through the entire game, handling incoming threats well and returning the ball to Redondo’s mid feld and strikers.
“It's just being organized when you're in the back and communicating to your team mates and getting them ready for the next play. Always thinking ahead. Never ball watching, always thinking about what they're gonna do next,” Davis said.
A newly introduced game plan provided opportunity and dynamic play to the feld.
“I think the new formation that we used this game really helped us. We were able to get some of our winger players to help with the pace and give us options up top and we always have our talented midfelders, so I think this new formation that we had really helped,” Wood said.
The second half started with a close shot for Panis, but a quick defensive response gave the goalie time to block.
end of the game, rushed their moves and played more aggressively.
“We were really hungry for that win. We did a really good job, putting them under pressure the entire game,” Wood said.
Near the end of the 90 minutes, Culver City came close to a goal on Redondo.
Junior goalie Nick Kizlinski blocked the frst shot with a dive, but the ball was left rolling past him and Culver City had an opportunity to score. Within a second, the defense was able to kick the ball out past the goal line, and Culver City had less luck with the corner kick.
“For about 90 minutes, we had them on their back heels.” Wood said.
Senior striker Tyler Busse was again able to bring the ball to a shooting point, but the fnish came short. On the defensive end, Wood was able to close of a push by Culver City before they could approach the goal.
Culver City was then again able to bring back the ball to Redondo’s side, only for Kizlinsky to block the goal. Bringing the ball back from the corner, Culver City’s
in the next game against Santa Monica on Friday, Jan. 27.
“It defnitely gave us very big shoes to fll. And I think, you know, it's defnitely gonna be a big task to try to live up to such a good season last year,” said Wood.
It defnitely gave us very big shoes to fll. And I think, you know, it's defnitely gonna be a big task to try to live up to such a good season last year,”
RYAN WOOD SENIOR
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by Sara Miyake-Singer & Priya Ramcharan
The South Bay can feel like a bubble — safe and clean streets, high-achieving schools, well-of families living in beautiful homes. In reality, the sheltered nature of the Beach Cities exacerbates an already-present drug culture that infuences teenagers’ lives.
According to a 2020 survey by Beach Cities Health District (BCHD), 40 percent of 11th graders in the Beach Cities reported current drug and/or alcohol use, a rate that is 20 percent higher than that reported by LAUSD students. In fact, senior Riley* estimates that 80 percent of the people they know use drugs, seeing it as “normal.”
“Obviously it depends on the people you’re around but I feel as though there are a lot of people here who partake in drug culture. High school makes you feel jaded. [Drug culture] made me more jaded. Weed, cocaine, alcohol, opioids, narcotics: it’s all around here, and a lot of times it’s done casually,” Riley said.
Similarly, freshman Jude*, who resists pressure to use drugs after witnessing substance use’s efects on his sibling, describes drug use as “casual,” afrming its frequency in the
“It’s almost like an aesthetic to be [a teenager] and high. People think it's hot to smoke and have bags under your eyes from a hangover when it ac-
Jude says that he “doesn’t even blink twice” when he sees people smoking at parties. Riley’s frst experience with substance use happened at a party in eighth grade where they tried alcohol.
“Once I started, I began doing it every week. I didn’t have a good reason at all. [My friends and I] would just drink when we hung out,” Riley said. “I soon started smoking weed. It became a part of my Friday night, es pe
cially because the pandemic gave me more time to do it. Once that started, I smoked twice as much because it was something to do while I was bored in quarantine.”
Laid-back notions regarding drug use ft with the beachy, chill stereotype of the West Coast—in 1996, California became the frst state to legalize medical marijuana. Wavelength Magazine, a publication centered on West Coast surf culture, also draws the connection between surf-heavy beach cities and weed culture, citing surf shop owner Matt Warshaw, who described how “[m]arijuana was the surfer’s drug of choice, and it ft easily within established surfer culture.”
“The culture of the South Bay very much destigmatizes and welcomes soft drugs [such as weed], which, in [some] cases leaves people seeking a stronger feeling than that,” senior Kit* said.
The correlation between a teenager living in a beach city and drug use is further amplifed due to the affuence common in South Bay families. According to Riley, RUHS families’ wealth makes access to drugs easier. To Jude, wealth causes teenagers in the South Bay to be “more sheltered and unaware of the risks of drug use.”
“It’s really easy to get stuf around here. You can go to a store and buy legal drugs even while you’re underage. Even if it’s illegal, since people have money to spend, they can easily get it because people are more willing to sell it to them,” Riley said.
According to Kit, drugs are “very accessible” to today’s South Bay teens, especially through social media.
“The apps are crawling with plugs [users selling drugs], ranging from weed to molly [ecstacy] to coke. I could open snapchat at this moment, and it would probably take me around two minutes for me to fnd someone selling,” Kit said.
Dr. Donnie W. Watson, a program director at Thelma Recovery Center in Torrance, an outpatient drug abuse treatment program, agrees. Watson adds that contrary to the stereotype that most drug users are from low income communities, many are from affluent commu -
nities. The Society for Research in Child Development also found that attending schools with more afuent schoolmates is associated with heightened risks of intoxication and drug use.
“You have to have funds to buy drugs and substances. There used to be [the idea] that poor communities had more drug use among teens. That's never really been the case. If you have more funds, you can purchase more substances, and then culturally, if it's accepted, it becomes not a big deal, and it's [perceived] as a rite of passage for kids,” Watson said.
Additionally, Watson notes that the high number of peers using drugs and the glamorization of it in the media help contribute to potential drug usage.
“Teens see friends or folks on TV, articles, beautiful people, stars, singers and entertainers using substances, so it becomes more and more normalized,” Watson. “With continued use, about one in fve teens start using substances and then develop a real dependence problem in 10 years. Somebody may experiment, use it, smoke it and walk away from it, but there's another group of teens [for whom] it becomes a part of their life. They do it three or four times a week. They do it at parties. They do it to go to sleep. It becomes an integral part of their lifestyle.”
For Jude, exposure to their sibling’s drug use motivated them to resist any possible gateways to addiction.
“My [sibling] sometimes ofered drugs to me. Seeing them being so reckless with their life, and mine, too, assured me that if I was gonna do anything, it would be my own will. I was so scared of taking the wrong dosage or the stuf being laced, I want to protect the time I have right now instead of throwing it away,” Jude said.
Although Riley has taken a step back from using drugs because it heightened their anxiety, they hope that people will be more empathetic towards those immersed in drug culture.
“I try to provide support to my friends who are still involved with that stuf in parties. People are stressed and have many diferent problems, so they need something or someone to help,” Riley said. “I don’t know if it’s the best way to deal with it, but I hope people aren’t too judgemental about others using that kind of stuf.”
40 percent of Beach Cities 11th graders reported current drug or alcohol use, as of 2016
The culture of the South Bay very much destigmatizes and welcomes soft drugs [such as weed], which, in not all cases but some, leaves people seeking a stronger feeling than that."
ANONYMOUS SENIORILLUSTRATION BY I. LANGA
