Feature

Feature October 8, 2020

AN ABNORMAL BEGINNING TO SENIOR YEAR BY MIA BERGMAN

2 0 Editor Just one year ago, seniors were experiencing many of the things they had been anticipating for so long. They were looking forward to the football games and Homecoming spirit week and one last chance to decorate their hallway. Preparing for the big rivalry game with friends, hearing the band warm up and cheering as your classmates score a touchdown all seem like distant memories now. This year, the halls are emptier and undecorated, missing the usual Kaneland spirit before a Friday night football game. Senior Gabriella Spizzirri misses this feeling, especially with it being her last year of high school. “I was especially looking forward to the football season because I feel that is when considering all of our options right now. If we were to do a Homecoming, it’s not going to be until spring. That being said, we’ll still have some sort of spirit week in October.” The spring semester offers a glimmer of hope for sports and events, like Prom and graduation, that students have envisioned since their first days as Knights. The class of 2021 has witnessed traditions like senior pranks and skip days since freshman year. They have seen senior athletes lead the way for years, and they are finally ready to take on those roles and play their last seasons as Kaneland Knights. For senior and football player Justin Jamrowski, his final year has not started the way he envisioned. in place of in-person tours, but it is hard for students to get a real feel of the school before making the commitment. On top of any closures, many ACT and SAT tests have been cancelled or are completely booked. In response, many colleges have gone test-optional, however this may not be helpful to everyone. “It’s nice that most colleges are making their schools test-optional, but for the purposes of scholarships I still feel like it would have been beneficial to take the tests earlier,” Spizzirri said. Even without being able to visit many colleges or having the same opportunities to take standardized tests, seniors can still find a silver lining. With the hybrid model, seniors are in school for five out of every the best school spirit is shown throughout “What I miss most is playing Kaneland ten days, unlike many other local schools. the year. Ever since I was a little freshman football under the lights on a Friday night, “I am disappointed that it won’t be a in the nosebleeds of the Rowdie section, I and what would have been my last Home- normal senior year. But I am looking at the looked forward to being in that front row coming,” Jamrowski said. positives over the negatives; at least we on the fence supporting the team,” Spiz- Some fall sports such as football, boys can be at school and interacting somezirri said. soccer and girls volleyball have been what with classmates,” Spizzirri said. 2 1 This year, Homecoming and other annual events will look different than past years. Homecoming offers many senior traditions, such as small-town parades, the announcement of Homecoming Court and the Powderpuff game. These events culminate in the Saturday night dance. While Homecoming was scheduled for the week of September 14, this year the dance could not take place then. Student Council co-advisor Joshua Maurice remains hopeful Homecoming will happen one way or another. “We are just trying to figure out what we can and can’t do. There are some things we can do, and we’re working on that right now. We are also trying to figure out how we can better support the seniors,” Maurice said. “Know that we are definitely pushed back to the spring. Fortunately for senior and varsity tennis player Brenna Sheehan, she can still have her senior tennis season. “Something positive about this year would be tennis. It’s one of the only things we still get to do and enjoy to its full extent,” Sheehan said. The class of 2021 also has another challenge to overcome: the college application process. Sheehan has experienced difficulties in her own college search. “I was looking forward to being able to visit colleges this year and being able to decide where I want to go to school, but all my visits got cancelled and most schools are not open, so I have to blindly apply to colleges,” Sheehan said. Many colleges are offering virtual tours While few may have imagined a year like this one, it’s best for seniors to stay positive and make the most out of the year they’re given. Some moments that we were always told would make high school so memorable are not going to happen this year, but for seniors it means that this year will be remembered because of its uniqueness. Like Spizzirri, Jamrowski wants to enjoy his senior year no matter what direction it goes. “I am kind of bummed out about this year, having most of my best friends on the other day of school and not being able to spend my last year with them. You always hear stories from parents or from movies about how great senior year is, but I am planning on making the most of it,” Jamrowski said.

Photo by Brianna Michi Kaneland cheerleaders prepared for the football players to run out of the tunnel before a game last fall. This is a scene that might not occur again until spring 2021. 14 Feature

Photo courtesy of Olivia Burtell Kaneland 2020 graduate Benjamin Durbala waved the spirit stick at the Homecoming assembly last fall. With limits on capacity, assemblies have not been a part of school this year.

Photo by of Brianna Michi The class of 2021 celebrated their Powderpuff victory during last year’s Homecoming week. This was a rare victory for the junior class over the senior class.

October 8, 2020 Feature

HOW TIKTOK IS AFFECTING OUR GENERATION BY SOPHIA OPP

Editor Following For You In less than four years, TikTok has reached around 800 million active users, making it one of the most popular social me However, while it may be an obstacle standing in the way of productivity, TikTok is a way for everyone to pass the time, no “TikTok helped some people realize that we are more alike than different,” junior Olivia Fair said. dia platforms of 2020. It has many of us matter their interests. It provides a range Even the less serious, comedic trends hooked, scrolling for what feels like (and of videos that can reach multiple audienc- that pop up daily help us connect with in some cases actually is) hours upon end. es. each other. TikTok is slowly changing TikTok is used so frequently that some- “People on the platform our generation’s humor as well as what thing as frivolous as a social media app can see cool activities, danc- we discuss with our peers. On the other has affected and taken over our genera- es or whatever they find inter- hand, some of the content is inapproprition. esting,” McMillan said. ate for the younger users on the app, Accessibility is one thing we can ap- The app allows users to which is a drawback. preciate about the app; it provides fast connect with people who Like any other social media platform, Like any other social media platform, entertainment that satisfies our boredom share similar interests, bring- hateful remarks are an unfortunate within seconds. ing the community closer to- result from its use. Recently on “I just go into the app, and I am already gether. This is especially evi- TikTok and other social media watching funny videos,” senior Cole Mc- dent with recent movements platforms, the term cancel Millan said. like Black Lives Matter; the culture has been used culture has been used A lot of students feel they would be app is helping our generation to describe our genbored if TikTok was taken away. Because fight against prejudice and eration’s tendency tothere is content that caters to everyone’s injustice. wards public entertainment preferences, it is easy to shaming. become addicted, which can bring about “Cancel problems. For example, it has been problems. For example, it has been culture has proven that teenagers lack sleep, proven that teenagers lack sleep, the ability to the ability to break someand TikTok is just feeding into and TikTok is just feeding into one down, and when people that issue. partake in this action, they partake in this action, they “A teenager needs be “A teenager needs be- forget how the other person forget how the other person tween eight and 10 hours tween eight and 10 hours may feel,” Fair said. may feel,” Fair said. of sleep every night. Yet of sleep every night. Yet TikTok has downsides, but TikTok has downsides, but most adolescents only most adolescents only still, students see it in a genstill, students see it in a genget about six-and-a- erally positive light. erally positive light. half to seven-and-a- “It is truly all about the way “It is truly all about the way half hours,” according These Kaneland students create you interpret the content you interpret the content to Better Health Chan- TikToks to express their creativity and what kind of videos you and what kind of videos you nel. and have fun. The creative free- watch. I have become a lot watch. I have become a lot It is difficult to focus dom provided by the app leaves more positive and focused on on homework, chores endless options for content ideas. my life,” sophomore Lucia Ariand other priorities ola said. when there is a constant Students have pointed out distraction. In a poll of that TikTok has introduced 586 Kaneland students, them to new friends, new about 50% spend one to hobbies and even new inmore than four hours per come opportunities. Users day on TikTok (10% of which across the app have promoted their small spend four or more hours). businesses and have even made money With the start of the 2020-2021 just from making videos and gaining folschool year, and after such a long lowers. break, students will probably need to “I have been given the opportunity to have more focus than they are used to. join a Creator Fund, meaning I can make From March to mid-August, students were out of school, leaving them hours to do whatever they pleased. This school year may be harder than most, considering the hybrid schedule; remote days this year “ TikTok helped some people realize that we are money from the TikToks I create, based on how much attention they receive,” Ariola said. There is no doubt that TikTok is influencing our generation, but there are so are much different from last year. There is much more work to do, and distractions more alike than different. many effects, both major and minor, that it is hard to determine if this is a positive such as TikTok may make that work feel - junior Olivia Fair platform for us. Nonetheless, this app Page design by Anna Olp impossible to complete. “ 15 Feature means something to our generation.