The long table surrounded by candles was set by my grandmothers small hands. The ham was plated nicely and the bread buns sat together in a small basket. Embroidered napkins were set at every seat. As we all sat down for our meal, the painting of The Last Supper stared at me while we prayed. Our last Christmas together was one spent quietly as we all knew it would be our last together while still living there.
This December will be my first time back in my home country of El Salvador for the holidays ever since my grandfather passed away. Although he passed more than seven years ago, going back to the place where he took his last breaths during a time meant to be spent with family and loved ones is going to be difficult. Being home during the holidays means spending quality time with all my cousins, tias and tios. It also means spending time with my beloved grandparents. Everyone copes with grief in different ways and it took me a while to understand that. Memories can serve as a gateway of remembrance, and when it comes to my grandmother, they’re reminder that her husband is no longer with her. To this day, she is still in the process of grieving and it becomes harder for her to cope especially during the holidays.
And to be honest, it can be a bummer. Not everyone moves on quickly. I loved my grandfather, and I still do, but after seven years of not having him around, I learned to move on as did the rest of my family. Although, this year will be different. Being back at their house and walking through the halls where me and my grandfather used to play and laugh together
or seeing the table where we would sit while he would attempt to draw horses for me on his yellow legal pad will bring back a different type of memory; one of nostalgia and remembrance.
As a teenager, I now understand why it was easier for me at 10 years old to carry on; we process things
In this academic year, the school has hosted three pep rallies so far. The school needs more spirit at these rallies because not everyone is interested in the pep rally itself or the wigalow at the end, at the pep rally in early November, when everyone left only five people were in the gym. This could be improved by encouraging the students to stay for the whole pep rally by having them know how fun the wigalow is and getting your body moving after sitting in a chair for eight hours. If the students can do that we can get the school spirit back up. For these reasons, we find the schools spirit at pep rallies a miss.
Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, which includes wheat, barley and rye. Ingesting gluten usually leads to malabsorption and inflammation that damages the small intestine's lining. Unfortunately, the cafeteria does not offer many healthy alternatives to the meals they provide, which usually contain high amounts of gluten that can be dangerous for people with Celiac. The only meal that is gluten free in the cafeteria is nachos, which means that some people may be eating the same thing every day, which isn’t very nutritious. Though many people with dietary restrictions pack their own lunch, some people do not have the time nor resources to pack their own nutritious lunch. The lack of gluten free options in the cafeteria is a miss.
The school temperature has gotten considerably worse as the time passes by. At the start of the year the school was cold but still felt nice due to the hot Texas weather. However, the temperatures are dropping still and cold air doesn’t feel as nice. There are solutions to the cold temperatures inside the building, these being jackets and hot drinks like coffee. Unfortunately, most people are still cold with jackets, plus it’s difficult to wear bigger jackets in a desk. The cold temperatures in the school are a miss.
more family to spend this time with. I’m looking forward to new memories that I will create.
As I arrive back home, I will keep in mind all the happy memories I made with my grandfather not just during the holidays, but throughout the trajectory of my life. I will remind myself that it’s okay to be happy and enjoy myself. It’s something that he would’ve wanted for me.
Illustration by | Yael BeharOn Nov. 12, the band performed at finals of Bands of America (BOA) Grand Nationals. This was the first time the band had ever gone to Nationals and out of a 100 bands they got sixteenth in prelims, twelfth in semi-finals, then ninth in finals. Hornrank also moved them up to 28th place on the top 32 list of all the bands in the United States. The band getting ninth at Grand Nationals is a hit
Classroom temperatures drop, leaving students feeling cold
Band competitors score ninth place at Grand Nationals
“Social media has been able to spread more diversity and unite a lot of people throughout the world. But, social media is really all fake. Nothing is real and it promotes this harmful state of being for people of all ages. It makes everyone second guess themselves, either from their lifestyle or how they look.”
- Savannah Brewer, 10
““Pros, it’s like a good way to see what your friends are doing and cons a lot of negativity and it messes with a lot of people’s mindsets and mental health.”
-Amran Abdi-Yusuf, 10
“The pros of social media is that you get to connect with your friends from long distances, and the cons are that you get exposed to many inappropriate things.”
- Natalie Castro 12
“The pros of social media is that it’s a super easy way to make new friends and stay in touch, the cons of social media is that you can get into super dangerous stuff and get into dangerous habits. For example, eating disorders are very encouraged on social media and I would say we have become desensitized to a lot of topics.”
- Mac McNease
Now, more than any other period of history, people are being encouraged and enabled to connect more and more through the omnipresent medium of technology. Everything from phones to virtual reality simulators are constantly marketed to us under the mantra of connection.
Social media, particular, remains one of the most popular forms of media—but despite how widespread it has become, the connection that it offers us is not benevolent. In fact, the evidence points grimly in the other direction. Social media has an unequivocally negative impact on the mental health of its consumers, especially that of marginalized groups.
By preventing an escape from reality, social media decreases time spent on physical activities, hobbies, and face-to-face connection; even more troubling is how difficult it can be to stop.
value the attractiveness of a woman above all other characteristics. Social media exploits this culture, and directly threatens the self esteem of women as a result.
Part of the allure of photo sharing social media apps, like Instagram, is to provide an ideal for everyday people to aspire to. For women, a part of that is the beauty standard. Men are affected as well, but women suffer the most pressure to conform to what society deems an attractive person. A woman’s attractiveness is more likely to impact the trajectory of her social and professional
Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pflugerville, TX 78660 http://www.pfisd.net/HHS (512) 594-1100
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“The pros of social media is that you get entertainment and you get to see new worlds, like peoples cultures and ideas, but the cons are that you see very inappropriate things that you don’t even go looking for, they just pop up. Plus people can be very mean to each other on the internet.”
- Jane Deaton 9Views, comments, and likes provide a dopamine response that entraps consumers, amplifying hopes of gaining popularity and providing continued motivation to return to social media. For children and teens who may lack impulse control, the lengths they will go to reap the “rewards” of popularity are great, resulting in them posting embarrassing or incriminating content. Drawing time and energy from healthy habits and devoting them to practices that could potentially sabotage their mental health and future lives proves to be a consistently negative effect of social media.
The consequences of social media for marginalized groups, namely women, are also devastating. In our patriarchal society, people tend to
Therefore, social media tends to reflect the standards prevalent within society. Women near the top of the pyramid receive the most likes on posts and get pushed to the top of feeds. FaceTune, angles, and lighting create an unrealistic image of beauty that tempts comparison and punishes women’s mental health, pressuring them to conform.
This pressure transcends various boundaries of identity that subject trans women and women of color to even more unattainable standards; the idealized woman, albeit one that excludes a majority of the population, is that of the cis and white. A woman can be both of those things and still find herself excluded from “attractiveness,” but belonging to few or none of them makes it all the much harder.
Social media won’t be going away soon, as profit margins indicate. Still, users need to be educated about the risks of using them, and hopefully swayed to reduce their consumption.
Adviser: Kari Riemer
Principal: Michael Grebb www.facebook.com/HawkNewspaper
TheHawk , the official student newspaper of Hendrickson High School, is an open forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions.
Opinions expressed reflect the beliefs of the student author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire Hawk Staff, the Hawk Adviser, the Hendrickson Faculty and Staff, or the Principal.
Letters to the editor are welcomed, and may be dropped off in E211. Corrections will be printed when brought to the attention of the staff.
The Hawk is printed monthly at Community Impact in Pflugerville, Texas. 1,000 copies are printed each run, and are distributed to the student body for free before school on publication day and on newsstands throughout the building.
Co-Editors: Yael Behar, Kaitlyn Nash, Natalia Zavaleta Copy Editor: Lili Moran
Assistant Editors: Nadia Johst, Kate Hayes
Student Population: 2,134 Staff: 180 Dane Alvarez Rachel Calabuig Eliana Grant Delaney Hildebrandt Gigi Hirsch Sophia Johst Damo Kouakou Kamryn Mack Lily Miller Emily Rodriguez Elise Villa Levi Walters Artists Yael Behar Eliana Grant
The choir has big events lined up this school year for its team. Brandon Baker, the head of the choir, has started his first year working with the team, and is looking forward to the upcoming Winter Concert on Dec. 9th.
“[In] our Winter Concert, we’re going to have Kelly Lane Middle School and all the elementary schools. They're going to come to our concert and sing in that,” Baker said. “Hopefully, that’ll
be a successful event.”
The choir has partaken in a number of events before this one though, and have been working together well. They’ve been to regionals, previously had a concert before this one, and have participated in social events with different choirs.
“We had a fall concert in October, which was super successful,” Baker said, “We’ve had four students participate in the Regional Choir, which was really exciting. I took about 22 students to University Texas for their Long Horn
Big Sing, and it was a big choral day. We've done a couple of social events, and we’ve sung national anthems.”
The choir prepares tirelessly for these events, and everyone is committed to putting their best foot forward. But something that really helps the choir is the level of teamwork and mutual respect everyone has. Members of the choir try their best to ensure that the team has a sociable and warm environment for every person involved, no matter who they are.
“This is a very open and welcoming
space, and that was something that was already in place before I got here,” Baker said. “It truly is welcoming of all walks of life, no matter what the background of the student is. I’m really proud of that. I want to continue to make sure, no matter who walks through this door, that they feel welcomed, and loved, and accepted for who they are. I think a lot of people these days are looking for community and people that they can rely on, and I think this is a group of people that really exemplifies that.”
a concert. Out of those four, two went on to audition for Pre-Area.
Rodriguez | ReporterThere were six students who auditioned for the first round of Choir All-State after Region Choir, where young singers in the area compete to reach the next level. All six advanced to the second round of Region Choir. Out of the six, four made it to Region 26 Choir where they rehearsed for two days with a clinician in preparation for
“I am so proud of my students who are advancing,” choir teacher Brandon Barker said. “It is a huge deal to make the All-State. Roughly 70,000 students start the process to make one of the AllState Ensembles. Each round grows in intensity and difficulty. These students begin working on the music for the choir in the summer and continue throughout the year.”
Siddarth Rajen received a second alternate for tenor one and will wait to see if he is needed for the next round.
“Getting into pre-area meant a lot to me,” Rajen said. “All the people before the pre-area were really skilled so I didn’t expect to make it there. It showed me I wasn’t as bad as I thought and that with hard work you can achieve what you want to achieve.”
Deeana Jaini-Malave received the first chair for alto two for Area. She will
audition in Waco, Texas in January for the final round of All-State.
“Honestly I had no idea what my results were going to be, but I was in shock, ‘’ Jaini-Malave said. “I was really grateful that I’ve made it this far because if I were to talk to my past self, I would not think I would have made it this far. Even though I didn’t get into the area, my plan is to retry next year, work hard, and hope for the best.”
Following the band’s success at Nationals and the end of marching season, they’re now turning their focus to the start of the concert season.
“The end of the marching season is definitely bittersweet,” junior Tessa
Calabrese said. “I personally had such a great time during those few months but it is good to relax and gain back some free time finally. It’s a weird transition going from the rapid pace of marching band to immediately calming down and easing into the concert season.”
The concert is set for Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. in the PAC. All the school’s bands including jazz have been practicing a
variety of classic holiday arrangements to display at the show, including Sleigh Ride and Polar Express.
“My favorite part is obviously performing our pieces, but I also love seeing what the other bands have prepared,” Calabrese said. “It’s also really cool seeing audience reactions to our pieces and seeing all your friends and family light up after we’ve played
an exciting song.”
Calabrese has high hopes for this performance and is eager to begin concert season.
“I feel really good about this concert,” Calabrese said. “The music we’re playing is very exciting and fun. I’m thrilled to be able to show it off to everyone that decides to watch the concert. It’s going to be a good one.”
Some elementary school children would not be able to experience a typical Christmas with presents and food without Adopt-a-Child. Adopt-aChild is a program in which first period A day classes hold parties where they give children in need gifts from their wish lists. Adopt-A-Child will take place on Dec. 15.
“They come to school on the day of the party and get to celebrate Christmas,” social studies chair and Student Council sponsor Hellen Barczi said. “These children wouldn’t have [Christmas] without [Adopt-A-Child].”
The planning for this event starts in mid-October with a mass email sent by Barczi to all teachers with first periods to ask if their classes want to participate.
“Once we figure out how many classes [want to participate], we pull from 5 elementary schools,” Barczi said. “[who
will each] send 16 students to the high schools.”
The elementary school counselors coordinate with her by finding children in need and emailing her the children’s wish lists.
“[Then] I assign [these] students to those classes [who have the best chance of giving them the items on their wish lists and a good Christmas],” she said. “[On the day of the event], Student Council members will take the students to the classrooms[s] they are assigned to.”
Despite the event being a lot of work, according to Barczi, it warms her heart to know that it teaches students the power of giving to others in need.
“I’ve had parents contact me, telling me due to their circumstances, that they would not be able to give their children a Christmas, so [it was meaningful] for the high schools to provide their children with that,” she said.
For the past seven years, Unified Champions has been at Hendrickson. Unified Champions is a club in which the main goal is to include students who have developmental and intellectual disabilities in programs throughout school that they wouldn’t normally have the chance to participate in. Many events are participated in, such as Special Olympics, where people with disabilities have the chance to be in sports and play. And Unified Champions takes it a step further by also including them in theater, band, and journalism.
“Some of our students who have graduated continued their friendships with people who are still in the program,” Speech therapist and head of Unified Champions Maggie Stoecker said. “It’s an authentic relationship, which is nice. It’s not like students are coming in and talking to them like they are babies. They talk to them like they’re real friends.”
Some of the events for Unified Champions have been Rumble in
the Ville in November, where the Pflugerville ISD police department played a flag football game against the Rebel Falcons, which is the PfISD Special Olympics team. This is one of Unified Champions’ bigger events because it’s not just for the school, it’s integrated through the community.
Due to COVID-19, it was difficult for Unified Champions to reach out to the community. But Stoecker says that they are now trying to build the program back up so it can be like before or better. They will be having a Pep Rally Dec. 9th where they may be running a booth. Coming up in Jan. 2023, there will be men and women’s basketball and soccer nights, and then later in the spring of 2023 they will be playing baseball and softball games.
“They don’t have the same opportunities just because of the way that they were born and things are just a little bit harder for them,” Stoecker said. “And so when they get to have these opportunities that are just like their peers, that’s what this is really supposed to be about.”
The Speech and Debate team is presently working towards making it to the Texas Forensic Association (TFA) for State. Those who make it to state have a chance of competing at Nationals. TFA will be held towards the end of the second semester.
“All of us are striving to qualify for State,” sophomore Simon Alvarez said. “We want to win tournaments so that we can qualify.”
Alvarez has been competing at tournaments frequently in the hopes of taking his seven points to the ten required to go to State.
The team is attending various tournaments that often span over multiple days to win State points. The amount of points awarded for a tournament relies on placement. Students Maya Hay, Isabella Crim, Waleed Haider, Kaitlyn Nash, Isiah Duvvuri, Shauri Yedavalli, John Paul Buwule, and Heaven Kouakou have all qualified for State.
During practice, students practice debating against each other and also analyze arguments.
“We write an RFD (Reason for Decision) to determine who won the round,” Alvarez said. “We ask ourselves
‘why did they win the round?’ What could the other team have done to make us vote for them?’”
According to Alvarez, the freshmen this season have been working their hardest to bring pride to their team. They have been doing exceptionally well in STEM, a subcategory of speech and debate that consists of roughly a 7-minute speech.
“Our novices have been excelling in STEM,” Alvarez said. “They’re doing amazing.”
On Oct. 28 at Saint Mary’s Hall in San Antonio, the speech and debate team competed.
“I got second place in info,” Alvarez said. “Info allows you to write your own speech about whatever you feel passionately about. Like our team wrote about the complicated history of breakfast and all the problems with it. I love it.”
Overall, the speech and debate team is set on getting as many State points as possible for individuals who are striving to compete at TFA. Those who place at State will then begin preparing for Nationals.
“We are all confident that our abilities will take us far,” Alvarez said. “I look forward to competing at State.”
Kaitlyn
Nash | Co-Editor“I kind of had to give it up,” senior Benjamin Soloman said, recounting his ability to worship at a local Pflugerville synagogue that, as he recounts, has had multiple bomb threats ever since Solomon was in middle school. “They’re afraid we’re going to get hurt.”
Solomon may still have to wait years before he goes back to his synagogue, as according to the Anti-Defamation League, anti-Semitic incidents reached an all-time high in the United States in 2021.
However, anti-Semitism is not a new problem. The first persecution of Jewish people can be attributed to the Babylonian Era (605 BCE) when King Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Jews in the battle of Carchemish and forced Jewish people into exile after they refused to pay tribute to the King.
“As far as anti-Semitism, unfortunately, it’s nothing new,” soccer coach Jacob Stern said. “It’s one of the oldest things in the world. What I think a lot of people forget is before there was Islam, there was Christianity, and before there was Christianity, there was Judaism. Everything horrible that’s happened in this world, unfortunately, has happened to the Jewish community first and it still occurs.”
Recently, comments by rapper Kanye West, legally Ye, have opened a floodgate of anti-Semitic rhetoric across the country. In fact, on Oct. 28, Ye showed paparazzi a picture of a spreadsheet on his phone that he claimed to be a list of media executives that demonstrated Jewish media control.
“I think it’s really gross and disgusting to use a big platform that you have to speak bad about a generalized group like Jews, because there's a lot of Jews, and it’s not a one group kind of thing,” sophomore Yael Pomerantz said. “By saying “the Jews in the media”, [you] play into a conspiracy theory that’s been used to persecute Jews for a long time. It makes
me kind of nervous because I feel like I’m pretty obviously Jewish. I have a Hebrew name and I look Jewish.”
Stern attributes a large portion of the rise in antiSemitism to the growing use of social media by the nation and the world.
“Social media gives people the ability to have an opinion without wany type of facts and say what they want with absolutely zero consequences,” Stern said. “It’s saying what you want with a mask because if you say something that is deemed inappropriate and canceled, you can start a new account 10 seconds later, and start spewing whatever you want.”
Though Ye has been reprimanded by many brands he was working with, such as Adidas, for his anti-Semitic comments, his Twitter and Instagram account are still active and have millions of followers. Solomon believes that this rewards anti-Semitic behavior.
“They support the people that support [anti-Semitism]. I don’t know what to think anymore,” Solomon said. “There’s definitely people that support [anti-Semitism]. They won’t say they do, but just by supporting that one person, it feels like they’re egging it on. I feel that it gives people a bigger platform to spread it, if you’re promoting [anti-Semitism] or not.”
But in spite of Ye and the rise in anti-Semitism recently, Stern believes that the core values of Jewish people can get them through the hatred.
“Unfortunately, antiSemitsim is just like every other problem; there's not a simple solution because the simple solution is for people to think positively instead of negatively and since you can’t control how people think, there’s always going to be people thinking incorrectly,” Stern said. “One of the things you get taught growing up in the Jewish culture is hope for change. Hope is a big concept in Judaism.”
In early November, I woke up to a tweet from Kanye West uttering the infamous last words 'I'm a little sleepy tonight but when I wake up I'm going death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE,’ followed by a slew of anti-semitic sentiment. At that very moment, Kanye lost his billionaire status, several brand deals, endorsements, and his Twitter account. I (incorrectly) assumed that he would also lose massive fan support as well.
Initially, I regarded the whole thing as comedic. I saw everyone on TikTok going crazy, and seeing legitimate news publications discuss the social implications of Kanye's blatant anti-semitism seemed a little far fetched - so much so that I couldn't help but laugh a bit. Social media has ushered in an age of free speech. Anyone can say anything at any time, and anyone in the world has the power to view those words with a simple Google search.
Celebrities obviously have more scope in terms of who hears their opinions, but that doesn't change the fact that anyone can say anything online. To me, there wasn't any difference in Kanye saying he was going to go ‘death con 3’ on all Jewish people, because anyone could have said the same. I made fun of the whole thing, and in general, my Jewish friends also regarded the situation similarly.
In the following days though, my opinion was challenged. I saw an increase of people online justifying his actions. I saw Kanye go onto interviews spouting even more antisemitic nonsense. Twitter and other social media slowly devolved into chaos. The fact of the matter is, little things like this can drastically
change the perception of racial minorities and ethnic groups. Even though I regarded his tweet as somewhat irrelevant, hearing about the substantially increased amount of antisemitism online as a means to justify Kanye's actions was admittedly off putting.
Synagogues in especially Jewish areas like New Jersey received an increased amount of threats through calls. Graffiti of swastikas appeared
able to say anything. Kanye, with all his scope, reach, and relevance, has the power to convey any kind of message, and in this instance, he made the conscious and deliberate choice to convey an antisemitic one. Sentiments uttered online still have the influence to create real world, in-person implications.
In a way, a celebrity like Kanye saying something as blatantly awful as this is the perfect situation to highlight how potentially dangerous social media can be –especially when considering lack of accountability online. Anybody could have said something similar, but it was Kanye saying it that really brought the notion to light.
more, extremist hate groups used Kanye's words as a means to add leverage to their agenda, and stereotypes about Jews that people have been trying to dissolve for decades resurfaced. He spewed ideas about what constitutes as a Jew, discrediting Jewish identities that have been forged through repeated genocide and persecution.
My whole life, I've remained sort of separated from the concept of face to face antisemitic comments. My perspective on anti-semitism has remained contained to the realm of online Neo-Nazis and anonymous Reddit users. Generally, I can take those anti-semitic comments online, and completely disregard them. People online will always have more bravado than in person. The bigger problem comes when ideas involving this sort of blatant hate speech transcends the realm of social media.
Social media has perpetuated the idea that anyone can say anything, which is true. However, that doesn't negate the consequences of being
Social media, as a whole, has already transcended past the Internet. Now, there's hardly a distinction between the things we say online and the actions we take in-person, as social media has become part of our daily lives. Kanye being anti-semitic online is, in essence, the same as just standing outside of a synagogue and telling the people entering it the same.
Regardless of if Kanye is genuinely some kind of neonazi or if he was intending to cause some kind of uproar on social media, it's more important to consider how his words impacted others, as opposed to just thinking about what he meant by saying 'death con 3.’ Even as a Jew myself, I find the reaction of the public to Kanye's words more interesting than the tweet itself. The whole situation is a testament to how social media can cause these domino chain reactions in real life, and how the internet has spread the idea of 'speech without consequences’ in a day where speech online is more impactful than ever before.
“The A hall bathrooms are the worst. Graffiti is horrible and people are constantly hanging out there.”
-Sofia Saucedo "Robby the Stockfish"
"B Hall bathrooms are like Gotham."
-Eli Evangelista "Old Man Strong"
"I like the C hall downstairs bathroom because it's a good place to just be alone and need to be quiet, especially if you need to cry.
-Lilia Jones "Officer Barrel"
“My favorite bathroom is upper C hall because normally it’s empty and fully stocked with soap and towels.”
-Audrey Hoch "Soupy Sue"
"I don't use bathrooms. It's a privilege to pee."
-Hendrix Scott "Caldwell Ensemble"
"My favorite bathroom is the theatre dressing room bathroom because it's secluded and no other people are in there and no one can hear you go to the bathroom."
-Presley Copeland "Penelope Pennywise"
In the last few years, the debate and discourse surrounding cell phone moderation in schools has notably increased. Many people, including teachers and students, have differing opinions on how to handle phones in a classroom setting, and if phones are even appropriate in classrooms in the first place. On top of that, different teachers have different policies regarding phones, and it’s clear that there’s no concrete consensus on phones.
For instance, Charlene Mitchell, a biology and environmental science teacher, believes that her students perform better when they aren’t constantly being distracted by their phones during a lesson. Plenty of students are glued to their phones and constantly check their social media during class. This can be a detriment to their learning, and overall attention rate in class.
“Generally, [phones] have a negative impact,” Mitchell said. “It’s a major, major distraction. At this age, I don’t think students have the ability to not get on Snapchat or Tik Tok. They need a teacher or the school to say something about it.”
Cell phone use is also of concern to chemistry teacher Hiral Mathur. Mathur has students who enter her class put up their phones in hanging pockets, to discourage distraction. This practice of putting away phones has evidently become more normalized as the school years pass, and teachers look for more ways to promote productivity.
“It promotes productivity big time,” Mathur said. “They are less distracted, they aren’t tempted to see who texted them…I feel like you can live 90 minutes without your phone”
At the end of the day, cell phone moderation is something that Mitchell believes is crucial in the classroom. Without it, student’s learning and attention span during lessons suffer. While phones, depending on the teacher, should certainly be allowed to be used in classrooms, it should be used in moderation. She believes it would also help if there was a school-wide policy on cell phone usage, and not completely different standards for different classrooms. This would ensure that the student body and
teachers alike can have more clarity on when and where it’s appropriate to use phones, and it would clear up any confusion surrounding the regulation of cell phones.
“I personally wish as a school there was a stricter policy across the board, because right now it’s very much teacher by teacher,” Mitchell said. “I think if we could implement something as a school, it would help a lot.”
While this practice has positively impacted Mathur’s teaching, she has a slightly different view than Mitchell, as she takes into consideration why not every teacher may choose to implement cell phone banning policies.
“I do understand that sometimes [phones are] part of the learning process, so like if we play Kahoot or we need our phone...for videos they need to watch,” Mathur said. “But if my students need it, they can go get it or there are days they will keep it on them. So I think it’s just a personal preference.”
Phones have come to be almost as common as pencils in the classroom, incorporated into various lessons and used regularly in students’ downtime.
Without a standardized district response regarding phones, teachers are left to moderate cell phone usage at their own discretion. This can range from lenient to a total phones-away policy. For junior Cecilia Acosta, though, their utilization in the classroom confers numerous benefits.
“I at least check it a few times every period to keep track of the time and see if I have any important notifications,” Acosta said. “I’ll also use it if I need a brain break but don’t want to leave the room.”
Among these benefits is assistance with Acosta’s mental health.
“It’s a good way to take a break if I’m overstimulated or having a rough day,” Acosta said. “And, it doesn’t completely suck my attention in like a book would.”
Still, Acosta has received mixed responses from teachers regarding phone use.
“Most teachers don’t care as long as it’s not being distracting or disruptive,” Acosta said. “But a few will politely ask me to put it away.”
Phones aren't always used to her benefit, however.
“All the notifications can definitely be distracting when you check it,” Acosta said. “My phone is silent and doesn’t vibrate and notifications still distract me.”
Regardless, she emphasizes the importance of communication, even during school, particularly with her parents.
“My parents text me probably once a day or so to communicate," Acosta said. "It’s how we communicate about my schedule, after school plans, and imporwtant stuff that comes up. They don’t usually expect me to answer right away, but will definitely be confused if it takes a while.”
Other students recognize the importance of parent communication as well, such as senior Anna Rogness.
“Communication with my parents is important during school," Rogness said. "If something happens, they should know what is going on."
According to Rogness, her parents don't typically expect a fast response.
"They understand I am busy and respect that I am at school," Rogness said. "But, I am usually
able to provide [a response] for them."
Other than parent communication, her phone usage varies.
“I use my phone quite often in class depending on what we are doing, but other times I don’t touch it for the entire class,” Rogness said. "Teachers don’t typically mind the phone usage, as long as it isn’t disrespectful, like while they’re talking.”
She cites multitasking as an advantage of phones in her classes.
"I am able to complete assignments easier sometimes if I have multiple devices to help," Rogness said. "I also love listening to music.”
But, she also mentions a commonly faced problem: distraction.
"Phones can be hard to put down, and it can be distracting," Rogness said. "This relies on self control.”
Both individuals reached the conclusion that phones were best suited to different scenarios.
“Honestly, it’s pretty neutral to me," Acosta said. "As much as it helps things run smoothly, it can also be distracting at times, so to me those things cancel each other out.”
The holiday season is typically viewed and spoken of as a cheerful time meant to be spent with your loved ones. Media depicts it as a colorful celebration that strengthens bonds between immediate and extended family.
“During the holidays I feel fairly good but when extended family comes over it can be difficult and more stressful,” senior Gabi Pearce said. “They tend to ruin the mood.”
The glorified expectation of holidays depicted in movies and commercials does not hold true to the reality of many teens.
“There’s a lot of commentary on my looks,” Pearce said. “My extended family can be very judgmental. It messes with my self-esteem.”
A main source of stress around the holidays is weight, both under and over. Inappropriate comments from family about weight can increase self-esteem issues and can lead to the development of an eating disorder.
“They drink and tell me my outfits are weird,” Pearce said. “They also make fun of me
and my siblings which can be difficult.”
Disruptive behaviors, like overconsumption of alcohol, can lead to damaging behaviors. Many teenagers dread the time they are forced to spend with family members that make them uncomfortable. In most cases, they are unable to stand up for themselves because it is their relative who is viewed as superior and exempt from criticism. “To cope with this I talk to my therapist about it and I take anxiety medication,” Pearce said. “I also plan a few responses ahead like ‘hey, I didn’t like that’ or ‘can we not talk about that anymore?’”
Discomfort and dislike for family members mostly comes from inappropriate comments, usage of incorrect pronouns, being deadnamed, and draining arguments over politics. It is notable that some people are forced to spend the holidays with family members that are also their abusers, which can make the holiday times incredibly traumatic.
is no different for transgender sophomore Sebastian Biles.*
Biles has told members of his family, but the adjustment took time.
“My mom, dad, and brother know, but it has taken them three years to start using my name and pronouns,” Biles said. “I’m still deadnamed by a majority of my family.”
me and I’ve stopped talking to a majority of my family to avoid deadnaming and misgendering,” Biles said “And for people like my aunt who know, but we’ve never sat down or said anything, it’s hard.”
“My parents and friends are all on the same page about my extended family, so I have them to talk to,” Pearce said. “I’m very lucky to have them.”
Pearce has a support system put in place, allowing her to freely discuss any concerns regarding her relatives.
Holidays are a time meant to be spent with those who are loving and respectful.. It should not be cause for stress or discomfort. Majority of teenagers don’t control where and with whom they spend the holidays. A helpful support system, backup plan, and set of coping mechanisms can assist teens in getting through difficult situations.
“Your extended family doesn’t define your worth and who you are,” Pearce said.
With the holidays approaching, transgender individuals battle not only their own internalized transphobia, but family members transphobia, mistreatment, and ignorance. This
His visits with his grandparents have gotten worse and various other family members acknowledge the change but don’t change how they refer to him. Otherwise the topic goes untalked about with no change.
“It has made the holidays awkward because no one recognizes
For a lot of trans people who face hard times visiting family, it affects how they recognize the holiday, having replaced happy memories with many memories of anxiety.
“I think it definitely has affected the way I see the holidays,” Biles said. “It’s hard to enjoy it when they only accept you for who you used to be.” *Pseudonym
Laughter fills the house, the kitchen busy with movement, while the crowded tables decked in festive trinkets eagerly await the moment all the food arrives.
Although the holidays are typically viewed as the season of togetherness and family, there has equally been an emphasis on food, considering the trend of the traditional holiday feast. And, while for some, this emphasis is met with excitement and delight, for others, such as senior Michelle Jordan* and junior Penelope Brown* it can become an anxiety-inducing headache.
“During the holidays I am definitely more at risk of falling back into my old unhealthy eating habits,” Brown said “The stress on food during family gatherings, not just eating but others’ comments on people’s eating habits makes it difficult to stay in a healthy eating mindset.”
According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), the holidays can become an incredibly daunting time for those who struggle or have struggled with disordered eating given the prominence of food during this time of year. For Jordan, this
emphasis on eating is tough to ignore.
“The holidays have often caused me to steer away from my unhealthy eating habits,” Jordan said. “This is mainly because they become harder to hide and create excuses for when I’m around a bunch of people. Some of the triggers are cheesy foods like mac and cheese and also sweet things like pumpkin pie because of their nutrition. Oftentimes it can be difficult to eat those types of food because I know how unhealthy they are which can make it hard to enjoy holiday foods like everyone else.”
Comparably, while the food does cause tension for Brown, it is mainly the people that make the holidays provoking.
“The biggest trigger has been family members' comments while eating or at gatherings,” Jordan said. “I’ve had people tell me that I’m eating unhealthy on these occasions, which makes it incredibly difficult not to slip back into my old practices. It doesn’t have to be comments made just to me - it could be comments made about themselves or other family members on their bodies. The judgment is what triggers me.”
However, despite these triggers, Brown has developed some security measures in order to prevent any “spirals”.
“Honestly, I still struggle to cope during the holidays,” Brown said. “During those family gatherings I just try my best to avoid any situations that appear to emphasize food too much, and once the gatherings are over, I spend some time focusing on self-care.”
Jordan, likewise, has some reminders in place to stay grounded. “Something that's helped me a lot is reminding myself that it’s okay to eat things that are unhealthy and that doing so isn’t going to make much of a difference,” Jordan said. “I’ve also worked on reminding myself about what the holidays represent like, spending time with family and being thankful, to help distract myself and make it less stressful.”
Jordan encourages those who struggle with disordered eating to continue to seek and work towards recovery despite the
challenges that present themselves.
“I know that making certain steps to get better feels really hard, but the small steps you make are a major achievement and you shouldn’t expect to recover all at once,” Jordan said. “The holidays especially can be super stressful and triggering, but try to distract yourself from the food aspect of it, and there are healthy ways to cope that don’t end up hurting you, so stay strong.”
As the weather is growing particularly cold, people’s bodies and hearts are freezing as they battle this seasonal change. For some with seasonal depression, this transition is more painful than expected.
According to Medlineplus Genetics, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) occurs in .5-3 percent of people within the general population. In these affected brains, there is a surplus of melatonin being produced due to the lack of natural summer light. Because of the extra sleeping chemicals, feelings of depression can be triggered.
“For me, seasonal depression is [characterized by] being irritable and sad right when it starts becoming cold outside,” senior Zoe Jimenez said. “I started to notice these symptoms a few years ago. I became irritable, depressed, and not social.”
For those battling this mental health condition, maintaining relationships can be fairly difficult.
“These traits usually affect my relationships by causing a bit of drama,” Jimenez said. “[The symptoms] make me want to cry and not talk to anyone or do anything. I can be a little angry at times if I’m feeling irritated.”
Coping is a difficult task, especially with the lack of motivation.
“I cope by going outside, hanging out with friends, reminding myself that this’ll pass, and making sure I remain kind to others,” Jimenez said. “I always make sure to keep a positive mindset and try not to get [careless].”
Besides emotion-based coping, there are other, medical ways to combat these feelings. Medications, Vitamin D, and different types of therapy (including light therapy) help those
affected by SAD battle their symptoms.
“Doctors are [also] a great solution,” Jimenez said. It’s reported that it is important to stay connected with loved ones during these times while also remaining productive.
“I work two jobs, maintain friendships and relationships, and I still [continue] to do the same things I would do in summer and spring, “Jimenez said. “I know that [such activities] make me feel better. I know it’s hard, but it’s possible to persevere through it. Find what makes you feel better.”
I am a Grinch and I’m not afraid to say it. However, one thing that I can tolerate about the holiday season is the attire that comes with it. Though I am annoyed slightly by the movie as my mom plays it every Christmas, this sweater from the movie Elf is one of my favorite Christmas garments. Green is my favorite color, which goes along with my Grinch-like moods and the lights on the sweater turn on with a button, making it one of my brightest shirts. Not only that, but Buddy’s ecstatic face makes me feel like the holidays may not be that bad after all.
I love my dogs. But something that I love more than my dogs are my dogs in sweaters. Especially Christmas sweaters. June (left) is wearing a classic sweater that really compliments her coat and is incredibly reflective of her personality. aOn the other hand, Peggy (right) is pictured wearing a red sweater that says “Dance Off” and has deers doing questionable dance moves such as the Floss and Dab. Although their faces show concern, they sported these sweaters throughout the house, flaunting them off to everyone. Overall, I recommend getting your dog (or any other fluffy creature) a sweater for the holiday season and watch them interact with something that should never have been created for animals in the first place.
In July of 2021, my great grandma died and we had to accompany my grandma to her house until her husband could join and go with her to the funeral. We were all given tasks and mine was putting away her jewelry the group took on cleaning out her six closets. We could get any of her clothes that we wanted, and one of the outfits I chose was a vintage christmas vest. I took it because there had to be some way I could style it and all its vintage glory. The material is of velvet substance and is originally meant to be worn as a pantsuit so there are pants that match it as well. The only downside is that the material makes it incredibly uncomfortable and hot. It is truly a Christmas vest but NOT a Texas Christmas vest.
Purchased at the local Target, this vile green sweater displays a hungry Homer Simpson chompin’ on his trademark donut. The holiday appeal comes in with the sweater’s festive pun “‘Tis the season to be jelly” that encircles Homer. While the appearance of this sweater is tacky, its soft interior lining and the pop culture reference has warmed my Grinch heart.
Rescued from the local Goodwill bins prior to last Christmas, this is my favorite (and only) holiday garment. Pictured is a blue sweatshirt with simple art of Jesus getting down in front of a crowd, all of whom are chanting “Go Jesus, it’s your birthday.” The appeal is self-explanatory.
The best part of the holiday season is dressing in holiday apparel. Next time you go to a mall, stop by Hot Topic for the best Christmas earrings. These little mug earrings I found were cheap, but the memories they bring are priceless. With the little candy cane and whip cream on top, they remind me of Christmas nights by the fire enjoying hot chocolate while watching movies like The Polar Express as I sing the hot chocolate song. If you get a chance, stop by and buy yourself a pair.
As the holiday season rolls around I get to wear the worst, and yet my favorite, section of my wardrobe; my ugly Christmas sweaters. I got this Star Wars Christmas sweater, which is my favorite, at Target when I was around 11 and it surprisingly still fits. I like it for its Star Wars theme, as well as the vivid red and green color scheme, which helps in promoting that feeling of Christmas cheer.
Waiting Room by Phoebe Bridgers
Holocene by Bon Iver
As It Was by Hozier
Nothing New by Taylor Swift ft. Phoebe Bridgers Day After Tomorrow by Tom Waits (Phoebe’s Version)
Anna Rogness, 12
Last Christmas by Wham!
Christmas Song by Phoebe Bridgers
I Am The Grinch by Tyler the Creator The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole & Frank Sinatra
Mary Did You Know by Pentatonix Val Hernandez, 12
December by Ariana Grande
All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carrey
Last Christmas by Wham!
Stay Another Day by East 17
Happy XMas/War Is Over by John Lennon & Yoko Ono Devin Nguyen, 12
Snowman by Sia
December by Ariana Grandy Santa Tell Me by Ariana Grande Jingle Bells
Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano Maya Hay, 11
The Merriest by June Christy
Feliz Navidad by Michael Buble
My Favorite Things by Kelly Clarkson Baby It’s Cold Outside by John Legend and Kelly Clarkson
Winter Wonderland by Michael Buble Gabi Pearce, 12
This Christmas by Donny Hathaway
All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey
Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt
You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch by Tyler the Creator
Jingle Bells by Frank Sinatra JohnPaul Buwule, 11
O Holy Night by Mariah Carey
Ron de Vinola by Guillermo Buitrago
Grito Vagabundo by Guillermo Buitrago
Underneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson
All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey Sarah Curran, 11
The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole
Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms
Let it Snow by Dean Martin
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Johnny Mathis
Simon Alvarez, 10
“Last Christmas, I went to New Mexico, where we ate a lot of turkey and potatoes during Christmas. It was really great because I got a bunch of games and I let my grandma play GTA, which was fun to watch. What made this Christmas so special was when I learned to ski; we only skied for two hours, and I sucked at it overall, though I enjoyed it.”
- Carter Hendley, 10
“During my 8th grade year, I hung out with my friends for Christmas. All we did was watch movies and open presents. It was cool because I got to hang out with another family, and it was a different experience than when I spent it with my family in previous years.”
- Jaylen Scott, 11
“My most memorable Christmas was last year when all my cousins and family came over to my house. It was really fun because I haven’t seen them in a really long time, and it made me feel really happy to see them. The food was really good; we catered a lot of restaurants, which were really delicious.”
- Jahnvi Patel, 9
“Last Christmas, I went over to my stepmother’s house. My sister and I were put on one side to be judges for a Christmas cookie bake-off. Everyone made their own cookies and we went into a separate room to taste them. In the
end, it was a hard decision because all the cookies were delicious, so we ended up just rating everybodies cookies instead.”
- Ariana Smith, 11
“I went to Myrtle Beach last year for Christmas, and it was really fun because I got to see all of my family. We ate steak and turkey, which was really good, and we had a lot more traditional Christmas foods. We did a lot of shopping during the holidays, along with playing football. The Christmas experience was so memorable because I got to go to a different state and see my cousins since we all live in different parts of the country.”
- Micaiyah Brewer, 10
“At the age of 15, I traveled to Mexico for Christmas and spent a lot of time with my family. Posadas are prepared on Christmas Eve so that they are ready on Christmas. One Christmas memory I remember is falling down the stairs while attempting to open a present and busting my lip open, but the holiday was still enjoyable. On Christmas day, we spend time with family and have a little gathering where we eat food.”
- Marielena Monroy, 11
Damo Kouakou | Reporter
Starting the season 3-0, the girls Varsity Basketball team have high hopes for going back to the playoffs and succeeding. Last year they finished the season as district champs, only one step away from state finals but, with an unexpected loss they were left with sadness. Only losing a few seniors, most of their team and a couple new additions are keeping their confidence up.
“We’re trying to go to state and be district champs, but we’re also trying to make a name for ourselves because some people think since we graduated our five seniors they think we’re not good,” sophomore Niyah Waters said.“But we’re trying to make a name for ourselves and prove to them we still up top.”
The team is motivated to improve on the difficulties they faced last season throughout the season. Their confidence has increased even more as a result of
their consistent work in getting better at what they need to improve in.
“We need to be consistent,” Waters said. “In one game we play good and then the next we look like a JV team.”
With many of the players graduating last year, the young players are going to have to step up to fill in the missing spots.
“Losing Erica [senior last year] I’m trying to fill in that spot by getting in the gym every day and working on my shot so I can step up and replace that spot,” Waters said. “Also our new captains are stepping up and they’re doing their job.”
Behind all the winnings, the players have had a good chemistry throughout the recent games. Keeping the energy up around the court the players have Coach Norma Sierra to help them plan and stay concentrated for the games.
“Our team culture is very family oriented,” Waters said. “Coach, she makes sure that we don’t talk bad about
anyone, so we can show up and get it done on the court.”
To stay motivated the team gets reminded of their goal to go to state. To accomplish that, they will do whatever to help them achieve their goals. For the players to be in their best shape, The coaches had lots of preparation to get ready for the season during the offseason.
“Getting in shape by getting in the weight room, running, and just us preparing for the next season,” Waters said. “[We] try not to have a repeat of last season where we got so close to state and then just lost.”
Coach Sierra and the players’ motivation allows them to deal with conflict and adversity well, trust one another, speak openly and honestly, and show positive regard for one another.
“Sometimes we have team meetings and we talk about our goals and if something’s bothering us,” Waters said. “We’re not afraid to speak up.”
Due to their closeness and team camaraderie off the court, they are able to maintain their composure when playing.
“Off the court is really just like funny jokes, but on the court, I’m serious,” Waters said. “I’m not trying to lose because I’m competitive. I just want to win.”
Communication and behavior are both significantly influenced by emotions. The team promotes more collaboration and teamwork through off the court bonds, so on the other hand causing arguments and misunderstandings that will bring the team down.
“ Keeping my composure on the court is the advice my coach gave me,” Waters said. “Whenever I start to get upset because it affects the team. So if we keep our emotions in check we’re going to do well.”
Sophomore Niyah
the environment [of basketball], it’s really family, oriented,”
High. “I love being around my
said. “I was really excited for the season to start up again. We ended kind of bad last year, so it’s been good to go again.”
“I
Coming from Pflugerville to play at Oregon State for football to going back to Pflugerville, Storm Woods had a long journey to now arriving at the school to be a coach. Still having love for football, he wants to give his love to the kids he coaches to be a better man.
“During [my time in college football], it was a dream come true but looking back, it was actually a catch 22 which for me was not learning everything that I could have learned during those time periods,” Woods said. “You have four years that you will never get back. You can party or you can stay up late for the rest of your life. But for four years, if you dedicate yourself, then the NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association] presents yourself with a dream.”
Wood has a great belief in making the future generation better by guiding them with his coaching. Many kids look up to him with what he accomplished with the many hours he put into the game of football. From his college coaches to the important people in his life, he was guided to his greatness today.
“A great piece of advice I’ve been given is, ‘what God has for you, no man could take,’” Woods said. “Meaning is, yes, people will talk about you, people will doubt you, you will doubt yourself,
you will have fears but the person that created us all, is everywhere at all times and has a divine plan for you, which nothing can trump so just being confident gives you power.”
Being self made, Woods had made his own brand to bring athletes their fitness and sport dreams into reality by training them and teaching them that the next stage into the NCAA is not for the weak. With becoming a coach, he has a bigger platform to influence young athletes with what he learned while being in the NCAA.
“I love all my guys, but from this senior class, just them accepted me with open arms, loving me, teaching me, allowing me to teach them. I felt like I built a lot of lifelong relationships within one year,” Woods said. “And for me, that’s huge, because that’s what I tried to do everywhere I go. So [it’s] a life changer by just being more accountable with these kids which gives me a deeper belief in myself. And then just being a product of the community, just making sure that Pflugerville was immortalized somehow, someway.”
Given this new opportunity of coaching the team, Woods has already taught the young defensive backs their ways to not just being a great athlete, but also being confident in their greatness.
“I just put myself in their shoes and
give them what I wasn’t given in their age,” Woods said. “Us coaches want to win and we want to produce great men.”
Growing up in Pflugerville, Storm has his heart here, which is why he is giving his time to teach these kids here so the world could see the talent.
“My goal is to mortalize Pflugerville somehow, someway,” Woods said. “That’d be a coach, an athletic director, or a prominent figure in the community. There’s a lot of talent here and there’s always been. Now I’m in a position to sort of not be the talent but mold the talent, feed the talent, love the talent. ”
Woods embraces coach Cedrick Welch at final game of the season. “The ideas do creep in of giving up and doubting yourself [on the field], but then you just go back to your mantra,” Woods said.
“That mantra gives you power over those thoughts that you’re having at the moment.”
Teaching these generations of kids will benefit this community which is Wood’s goal with his coaching.
“A lot of things that teenagers miss
right now they will have to redo in adulthood, so learn now [rather] than wait because in your later adulthood, people have more responsibilities,” Woods said. “So from that standpoint, I encourage for them to focus on themselves.”
With the ending of the Fall tennis season comes new opportunities for the spring season, sparking a feeling of excitement among the coach and players.
“Our season at the moment is done, but [the fall season] has been an adjustment period because we’ve [recently] gone through three coaches,” senior Val Hernandez said. “Starting with the new coach, we had no idea what to work on.”
With the new players coming in and last year’s seniors leaving, the tennis team is adjusting to the changes.
“We had so much to work on, as we [also] lost a lot of seniors this year,” Hernandez said. “I’m the only person that has been here all four years, so I have to help [coach] and tell him what I think works best. It’s about adjustment.”
When it comes to after school practices, the tennis team focuses on an array of activities to work on.
“Occasionally, we’ll do workouts or conditionings in the weight room, track, or courts,” Hernandez said. “For games, you can either [compete] by yourself or with a partner in doubles.”
The skills required in tennis are often generalized as exclusively physical, however Hernandez believes more is required.
“The biggest skill is willpower,” Hernandez said. “Tennis is so much of a mental game where you cannot be substituted. You can’t just quit midgame or have someone come in for you. You have to have the willpower to win and the drive to succeed.”
The impacts of playing tennis are not just limited to physical and cognitive skills; there is progress one gains when pursuing this sport.
“I love the personal progress of tennis,” Hernandez said. “I was such a different player in my freshman year. I was very emotional and took criticism with difficulty. Now, as an [experienced] player, I understand that it’s all about perseverance.”
Though tennis is a competitive sport, the team finds ways to support each other and keep the good energy flowing.
“I try to make [practice] more comfortable,” Hernandez said. “I try to high-five and cheer to comfort my teammates. We show community [support] on and off the court. You want to be loud, proud, and excited in order to bring up the energy.”
The great energy and community bonding isn’t just limited to accomplishments, however. Certain memories are made between teammates.
“It’s definitely a bonding moment in
the team when someone gets pegged in the head,” Hernandez said. “It’s something that we laugh about that only players will understand.”
The positive team environment helps their success and outlook for the next season to come.
“I think this upcoming tournament season will be [successful] because we’ve had so much time together,” Hernandez said. “Last year we went to state, which is a pretty big [accomplishment]. My goal for the next season is to [keep at] the improvement.”
As spring approaches, the players prepare for their next season, hopeful to keep up the work they’ve been putting in.
“I love going out there and competing,” Hernandez said. “It has been insane throughout the years, but I would never ever give it up.”
For two minutes every day, millions of people around the world stop what they are doing to do one specific thing; take a picture.
BeReal is an app that was initially released in 2020, but has since gained drastic popularity. Users are prompted daily to stop what they are doing and take a front and back camera photo with a message from the app stating “Time to BeReal.”
The time where users are prompted differs day-today, creating a sense of spontaneity.
“I downloaded BeReal because I saw a TikTok about it and it seemed like a cool concept,” senior Aiden Doseck said.
Since it’s rise in popularity, BeReal has surpased 50 million installs worldwide.
“I like BeReal because the whole point of it is to be honest about what you’re doing and show people who you really are without changing anything,” senior Margaret Badua said. “I think it’s more genuine because you’re forced to ‘be real’ and show what you’re doing at that moment.”
Another feature of the app is that users can react to their friends’ pictures with a picture of their own or a comment.
“I love to react to other people’s BeReals and see
what everyone is up to,” junior Kimberly Rowley said. “I think BeReal is more genuine because there are no filters.”
The app prides itself on showing the authenticity of people on social media by catching them off guard with prompted photos.
“In my opinion BeReal is definitely more genuine since it doesn’t only have a two minute timer, but it also encourages other users to not be afraid of being themselves and silly in their pictures instead of spending so much time posting a picture that is thought out a lot,” junior Allison ChavarriaHernandez said. “I can just show little parts of my life to my close friends without caring about the pictures looking ‘perfect’.”
An additional thing about the app is that it doesn’t limit users to the two-minute time slot; they can save their photo for any part of the day.
“I think it’s a little bit more genuine, but you can choose when you do your BeReal, so not really,” sophomore Katelyn Kral said.
Not only that, but Kral believes BeReal is less time consuming because of the lack of complication.
“There’s not really much to scroll or look through,” Kral said.
Because of the rise in popularity of the app, some bugs have yet to be fixed by developers.
“The only negative of BeReal that I can think of is that sometimes it lags and takes a while to load so you miss the two minute window you have to post,” Badua said. Rowley believes that one downside to BeReal is the very thing the app is known for; spontaneity.
“The negatives of BeReal are definitely the random times that it goes off sometimes,” Rowley said.
BeReal, similiarily to Instagram and Snapchat, offers an archives page where users can look back on the different pictures they took for different days.
“The archives are a good way of showing the past experiences I’ve had,” freshman Lucas Zavaleta said. “It helps me remember the daily life of the past few months. I like to reminice on my life because I don’t typically take pictures everywhere I go.”
However, ChavarriaHernandez believes that despite some flaws in the app, people who have not already downloaded BeReal should when they get the chance.
“I definitely think more people should get BeReal,” Chavarria-Hernandez said. “It genuinely is a different platform that doesn’t come with all the stress that other social media platforms come with and it’s like a safe space for individuals.”