Senior reviews

Top three assigned reads

Senior Cindy Wang looks back on favorite reading assignments from high school CINDY WANG staff writer

A very fitting start to a class entitled “AP English Language,” George Orwell’s essay on the collapse of the English language felt groundbreaking. The essay revealed that writing I had once thought was sophisticated and mature-looking was actually much more convoluted and imprecise than it should have been. I’d once strived to complicate my sentences, thinking that more pretty words, phrases and syllables would prove my worth as a writer. However, by pointing out the prevalence and weaknesses of overused metaphors, words clearly taken from the thesaurus and phrases instead of single words, Orwell’s essay transformed how I approach and view literature of all forms. “Politics and the English Language,” George Orwell AP English Language

In her extended report, Barbara Ehrenreich chooses to leave her financially stable life as a successful writer to investigate whether or not people can truly make a living on minimum wage. What appeared to be an unnecessarily long and detailed report turned out to be one of the most fascinating reads of my years in high school. After following Ehrenreich through her ups and downs as she worked for restaurants, assisted-living facilities and cleaning-lady companies, I developed a new, poignant and informative perspective. There was so much about the world around me and our society that I’d made assumptions about and never questioned until I read “Nickel and Dimed.” art by JOANNE SUNG AP English Language “Nickel and Dimed,” Barbara Ehrenreich

Poor Hector. Although I read “The Iliad” back in freshman year, I will always remember the travesty in that one scene when Achilles acts like a jerk and drags Hector’s body in circles after his death, refusing to give Hector a proper burial. Whether it was the action, the emotional drama or purely my nostalgia for all the Greek mythology I’d read as a child that drew me into the plot and the characters, I found Homer’s work to be thrilling. While not as life-changing and perspective-shifting as some other literary works I’ve read in various English classes, it was interesting to see the parallels and the shifts in gender and societal norms from hundreds of years ago to now. Advanced Literature and Composition “The Iliad,” Homer

HUGH CHAN a&e editor H u g h r e v i e w s a n d r a n k s a l l G i r l S c o u t C o o k i e s s o l d i n M i s s o u r i * L e m o n a d e s w e r e n ’ t r a n k e d d u e t o a v a i l a b i l t y i s s u e s . H O W T H E C O O K I E S C R U M B L E

thin mints 1. 1. thin mints

Predictable? Perhaps, but Thin Mints remain the epitome of Girl Scout Cookies. The layer of chocolate enveloping the cookie is thick enough to enhance the overall flavor but it doesn’t interfere with its crispy texture. The mint is incorporated subtly; at first, only the chocolate is noticeable, but the mint establishes its presence well by the end, leaving a refreshing aftertaste. Thin Mints are by far the most popular Girl Scout Cookie, and after just one bite, it’s clear to see why these delightfully crisp cookies remain so popular.

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do-si-dos 2. 2. do-si-dos

Do-si-dos came extremely close to ranking ahead of Thin Mints, and my preference between the two ultimately depends on my daily mood. The peanut butter is not thick enough to ruin the delicate harmony established between the various components of the Dosi-do, but there is enough so that it is the underlying flavor in the cookie sandwich. The delectably crunchy cookies are moistened by the peanut butter, while a slight tinge of salt prevents the cookie from being too sweet, making it one of the most balanced treats in the Girl Scout Cookie lineup.

trefoils 3. 3. trefoils

10 02.12.20 SPREAD DESIGN BY H.CHAN In the words of Albert Einstein, “Everything should be made as simple as possible.” This mantra is best exemplified by the deceptively basic Trefoil. While it’s the least complex of all Girl Scout Cookies, the clean notes of vanilla and butter are accentuated by the Trefoil’s simplicity. The shortbread cookie is crumbly but moist, one-dimensional but immensely satisfying. Trefoils are one of the most addicting treats, and those who shun them for their plain appearance are painfully unappreciative of the Trefoil’s true beauty.

samoas 4. 4. samoas

This ranking, which is relatively low when taking popularity into account, may be somewhat controversial, but Samoas are far too sugary to be enjoyable. The components of chocolate, caramel, coconut and shortbread cookie should work well together, yet the coconut and cookie flavors are entirely overwhelmed by the aching sweetness of the caramel and chocolate. After biting into just one Samoa, I could feel my arteries begging for mercy. The overall Samoa experience was deeply disappointing, and the widespread popularity of these cookies is unfathomable.

lemon-ups 5. 5. lemon-ups

Lemon-Ups are new this year, but their debut is largely underwhelming. Rather than tasting bright and tart, as all lemon-flavored things should, Lemon-Ups taste like stale Fruit Loops. Savannah Smiles, which Lemon-Ups replaced, were vastly superior to these overly dry, wannabe-citrus disks. The cookies aren’t necessarily bad, but they’re extraordinarily boring and rightfully reside in the lower echelon of Girl Scout Cookies.

tagalongs 6. 6. tagalongs

The individual flavors of the Tagalong are delightfully pronounced, but the cookie is distinctly nausea-inducing. The revoltingly slimy peanut butter is encapsulated so abundantly within the cookie that each bite is laborious to swallow. Putting aside the sickening mouth-feel of the cookie, the flavors of chocolate and shortbread are actually well pronounced. If the texture of the peanut butter didn’t resemble the mucus of someone suffering from the flu, the cookie would probably rank near the top. Nevertheless, the fact remains that each part of the cookie I ate threatened to come back up.

s’mores 7. 7. s’mores

11 LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT These disgraces of a cookie smell like sweetened Play-Doh, and they taste like it too. S’mores combine the worst traits of the other Girl Scout Cookies into a catastrophic monstrosity of a treat. The filling has the same vile texture of the Tagalong’s peanut butter and manages to be sweeter than a Samoa, while the two cookies above and below the filling are as dry as Lemon-Ups. I almost always offer some redeeming quality in a negative review, but S’mores manage to defy this expectation by being utterly atrocious. Additionally, these blasphemous cookies cost a dollar more than their far superior counterparts. The very existence of these cookies dishonors the integrity of the Girl Scout tradition, and the image of all other Girl Scout Cookies are tarnished by the dreadful S’mores.