West Students share about how highschool didnt reach ther expectations and in everyshape or form isnt like the musical.
‘25 kicks the ball trying to
score a goal on a game against Water -
loo. Giselle Garcia
we are very grateful you chose to read this article. We hope you enjoy it until the very end. We want to let you know that we are pround of y’all for getting throug this school year. It may have been difficult but we got through it! Now as summer approaches we hope that you can get any summer goals you may have set yourself accomplished and we hope you enjoy it! If your a senior and moving on to a new chapter of your life, we are very proud of you. We hope these articles help you to have fun over the summer and prepare yourself for whatever you plan to do in the future! Our staff hopes that these stories will make you laugh, help you out, or teach you something new! We hope you have a great summer! Go West!!!
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Compact coffee maker: As Starbucks gets more and more expensive and the need for caffeine seems to grow, having a coffee maker in your dorm could help you out. You could make coffee in the morning to get you ready for the day and tea at night to prepare you to sleep, plus if you ever have a long night, you’ll have your handy dandy coffee maker there to make you some coffee to keep you up!
Shower cady: When you have to go shower you don't want to be lugging around all your shampoo and conditioner in your arms dropping it every few steps, a shower caddy would be a good purchase. Instead of carrying it in your arms you can just have everything in your shower caddy and be ready to go, without having to struggle.
As the school year comes to an end, summer break is right around the corner. While most of us will be enjoying our summer, some seniors are preparing to move into dorm rooms or apartments. This is a big step so here are some essentials you may need to make your life easier in your
Mattress cover: being a college student, sleeping will be very important. With all your studying and learning you're going to have to get a good night's rest. A mattress cover will 1 make your bed a bit softer depending on what kind you get and two will prevent you from getting the actual mattress dirty. It can also prevent
Throw Pillows: A cute way to easily decorate your room to your liking is throwing some cute pillows on to your bed. You can easily get this for cheap. Pillows are one of the best ways to keep your room cozy!
Many of us have found ourselves talking or thinking about happy memories that make us feel warm and fuzzy -what is this feeling?- Nostalgia: a nice feeling we receive when we think of the past. Although many people don’t think much of it, it does have a sort of power, research has shown that nostalgia has helped people cope with life’s stressors, build strong relationships, nd and maintain meaning in life, and become more creative and inspired.
Nostalgia is not only a simple trip down memory lane but a psychological resource that can help us, but rst, we must understand how it works. It is a complex emotion that can be triggered by a smell, sound, conversation, or even by feeling lonely, where one remembers and thinks about a memory; usually, being meaningful, like remembering our childhood or a close relationship.
Although nostalgia can include feelings of loss or sadness it does not commonly put people in a negative mood because it allows us to remember personally meaningful and rewarding experiences we might have shared with others. It boosts our psychological well-being. is emotion helps us cope with mental distress. Research has shown that nostalgia can help increase feelings of self-esteem and social belonging. It also encourages psychological growth and makes us act more charitable.
Although you might think that this emotion makes us stuck in the past, it doesn’t work like that. Instead, it helps us remember our lives have meaning and the value of our life. It can also help us nd the con dence and motivation to solve our daily problems and
Design By Giselle Garcia
As the end of the school year approaches many seniors share their last moments and memories with their friends, teacher and peers. For many it brings them joy and for others tears. Let's see what Jorden Caperon’23 has to say about his senior year and the advice he gives.
Did you enjoy your last school year?
J: Yes, I got to make new friends and meet new teachers and I like helping out the new students that come in.
What sports were you involved in this year and what was your favorite part?
J: I did football, track, basketball and baseball. My favorite part would be the Competition, I like how we get excited for the game. My team helps me alot.
What are you doing a er high school?
J: Coaching for football and track here at West then possibly go to Kirkwood, im very excited.
Were there times in highschool where you struggled?
J:Yes, there was a time where I got a little stuck on my classes and I got sick for a couple of days and I just got so far behind but I managed.
What was your favorite memory from this year?
J: eater, Beauty and the beast was my favorite show. I made new friends and met new people.
How do you feel now that you're leaving this school?
J: Sad, i dont know what im gonna do, i love helping everyone here at West and being involved. Ima miss all the teachers, students and activities here in the West but they will possibly see me at the football games. Any advice?
J:Keep your head up, and dont get so far behind in classes and if you have any question about anything ask a teacher or administrator they will always be happy to help.
-JORDEN CAPERON ‘23
Walking through the halls, as a freshman all your dreams are crushed as you realize high school
is not like the musical. People don’t sing at random times, nor start dancing, and the stress in high school, the musical, the movie, is nothing compared to the stress we experience now. Although we may have not expected the dancing and the singing, we also did not expect the stress. Watching the movie, you may have thought highschool seems sorta fun, but the stress students receive for aca-
demic validation seems to put a stop to this notion of “fun”. e amount of students taking an unbelievable number of AP classes is as high as ever. e college board has said that 1.2 million students took AP classes, and in a study done by newsport institute 87% of students said AP classes are stressful and lead them to feel “overwhelmed at some point during the school year by everything they had to do.” On top of that students are expected to have a 4.0 GPA and do extracurricular. Nicholas Da-
vis said “We don’t see the teens in the musical do homework or study for any sort of test, they seem to have all the time in the world to go on dates and practice musical numbers. eir eyes dont have any bags under them from the late night study sessions.”
School has been very stressful for many students and hasn’t been the de nition of fun. For many of us high school students may not have been what we expected, with the pressure from our peers to choose the
hardest classes, and to go to the best colleges. e Newsport Institute says “the College Board has eliminated the SAT subject tests, putting more academic pressure on students to get high grades and do well on the college admissions tests that will be considered” Many students will prioritize academic validation, and put it over their mental health and social life.
ere has been quite an impact on mental health thanks to this. A 2019 review study found that academic pressure is associated with the following mental health symptoms; Anxiety, depression, increased substance use, poor sleep quality, and high levels of stress and burnout. But the school system isn’t changing and the pressure to be the best seems to be the culture at West. An anonymous source said “I had gone my freshman and sophomore year to a di erent school, but when I came to West it was much more di cult and I felt like I had to be in the hard classes to t in...it was hard to get used to.”
Stress has only gotten worse. Cross river therapy says “ 45% of students in high school admit to being stressed almost every day in school and 61% of teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 feel stress over producing satisfactory grades.” Giselle Garcia, 26 says “ I hate school, it’s overwhelming, I feel like it could be fun if we changed the way the school system works, but I feel like all I do is busy work.” Many students seem to agree, and on top of that, the busy work only causes students stress. Also because of the grade system, do-
ing bad on a single test drops our grade very quickly, so having to do good the rst time is a priority to many students.
But thier is a way to deal with this stress. Having a balanced schedule, not overwhelming yourself, meditating, having a healthy sleeping schedule, are many things that can help to reduce stress and burnout. Being active releases chemicals in your brain that help you feel good; therefore boosting your self esteem, and helping you feel and sleep better. Another way is aparting time to be with friends and family, CDC says “Having meaningful relationships can create a sense of belonging. A feeling of being cared for, valued, and supported can help us become more resilient...Connecting with others can help us cope with stress and become more resilient” Another way is mediating, you can journal, do breathing exercises or even draw how you feel. e University of Rochester says journaling “Helps you prioritize problems, fears, and concerns. Tracking any symptoms day-to-day so that you can recognize triggers and learn ways to better control them. Providing an opportunity for positive selftalk and identifying negative thoughts” Also balance, you want to challenge yourself but not to the point of a burnout. Have time to work and get what you need to get done, well done. But also apart time for fun, making a schedule is a great way to keep yourself organized, but don't freak out if something changes your plans last minute, instead learn to
Although highschool is not like the musical, we can make it fun and less stressful for ourselves, by maintaining a balance and not overwhelming ourselves. We all know our limit, which is di erent from everyone els, so don’t follow the crowd and take as many AP classes as you can, instead do the classes that interest you, but also try to challenge yourself a bit.
As summer break comes closer, you may be wondering what you’re gonna do? although many people may think there is nothing to do in Iowa City, there are actually multiple fun events and activities in Iowa city to enjoy on your own or with friends and family. Here are some…
If you want to explore the world of art close to home the Stanley museum of art is a good place to go. Explore old and modern art, like drawings, paintings, phots, and even ceramics or sculptures. Its located in the down town area, and is a great way to spend time with your friends on a hot summer day.
If you’re into cars this event is for you. This Car club meets June 30th, July 28th, August 30th and September 29th. You don’t have to register or even bring a car, you can just go to look at other’s cool cars. They get together at the coral ridge mall parking lot from 5pm to 9pm. If you need someone to talk about cars with, or want to see some, this is the place to go!
Want something fun and thrilling to do with your family and friends? The Cryptique escape rooms would be a great idea. Try to escape and save hostages from a hotel in the hotel hostage escape room, “communicate” with spirts in a cemetery in the curse of colechester cementary escape room, and help fnd the family heirloom and learn some hidden secrets in the family heirloom escape room. If solving exciting puzzles with friends and family sounds like your cup of tea visit cryptique escape
Want to learn some Iowan history, this is a great place to go. Built 1855 explore its history, and present. Have a walk around and learn some history, on a cool summer day.
Want to get artistic? Go to Renee’s ceramic cafe, an art studio where you can learn to do multiple different things, from painting to ceramics! Depending on what you want to do, you can walk in or make an appointment. Great way to spend time with friends and family!
