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ON CAMPUS
October 31, 2019
The Northwood Howler
A legacy of empathy By Pranav Gaddam Staff Writer
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FUN IN THE SUN: Students enjoy a break from the stresses of school.
State of the Student: a year later By Mihir Kulkarni Staff Writer
From kickball games to free lunch, State of the Student is a day filled with special activities. However, these events throughout the day do not just magically appear, and the amount of preparation that goes into State of the Student may be more than you think. With nearly yearround planning and its own designated committee, State of the Student Day requires a multitude of resources to be a success. “I can’t imagine how difficult it is for the school to organize the classes, the theme and all the different food options just to help the students feel relaxed,” sophomore Gabriel Macatula said. The State of the Student committee, consisting of teachers, students, parents and administrators, decides the theme and format of the
day, and also organizes the logistics. Being a part of the committee entails a large time commitment, as they meet multiple times throughout the year. “When we get to the start of the year, then things start to get really busy,” Assistant Principal Eric Keith said. “We meet every couple weeks, and soon the few of us in charge start meeting every week.” Every year, the committee reviews the feedback given by the students and tries to improve the day. In light of this year’s theme being “Better Together,” the committee decided to make clubs a key component of State of the Student because they are a means of uniting students from all across the school. “This day is a perfect opportunity for kids to find a place where they can work with other kids and have fun with other students that have similar interests,” Keith said.
Challenging By Varun Vishnubhotla
Staff Writer
Northwood students typically spend late nights cramming for a test or submitting an essay at 11:59 p.m.. To promote healthier habits among Timberwolves, the Northwood administration partnered with Challenge Success, an organization advocating for academic health awareness since 2017, a fellowship that has proved meaningful for the last two years. English teacher Christina Banagas, a member of the Northwood Challenge Success team, started her health conscious approach to teaching after witnessing the student and faculty struggle with balancing their professional and personal lives. This idea came to the forefront at the annual WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) conference held in the spring. “I think we all have some perfectionist tendencies and they tend to throw the balance out of our lives,” Banagas said. “We heard about Challenge Success from other educators, so we went to Stanford for a conference about it.” It’s not just teachers who are involved in Challenge Success. An ASB-centered team, including senior Leah Kong, spreads information about academic wellness through student events such as State of the Student (SOS). Although SOS began in 2014, years before the Challenge Success partnership, the groups now work together to preach balance in students’ lives. This year, efforts
The committee also decided to shift away from mental health, as that was not the intended purpose of the day. Mental health is a serious problem that can present itself in many different forms, and not everyone is properly qualified to try and address it. Instead, the focus of the day has settled on skills that students can develop to become more successful. We want this to be a day that students find out how they can get involved and do things differently,” Keith said. “We’re hoping that they take those skills and they translate that to things on campus and beyond high school.” Although State of the Student has its own designated day, it will be followed up with activities in TA. These moments of reflection should be an ongoing process, and periodically thinking about how you can do things differently will help this day have a greater impact on students.
In the competitive climate we live in, filled with judgement and selfishness, empathy is becoming more necessary than ever. Numbers have seemed to define us, whether it is our grades or SAT scores, and we start to forget the importance of strong relationships. Everyone is different and we need to celebrate those differences through empathy rather than dividing and distancing ourselves. We need to work together so that everyone benefits and empathy is the key to that future. In order to shift away from this numerical mindset, it is important to address the issue at its root and there is no better place to establish this strong collaborative foundation than at school. “Empathy is important in every classroom,” Spanish teacher Luc Landeis said. “I have an important responsibility to help people be more empathetic and learn from other people’s experiences.” Through empathy, teachers and students can form connections and improve their understanding of others. Social skills like empathy equip students with an asset that they can use to network or form meaningful bonds. It can further train them to be able to work with new circumstances and help prepare students for their career and life beyond school. By encouraging collaboration with empathy, we can help establish a new generation based on collective success, prosperity and peace. This peace can only be maintained through leaders who are able to empathize with their coworkers, friends, family and even strangers. Being able to place yourself in someone’s shoes helps foster that leadership, and by using it in classrooms, students can learn better, connect with their peers and improve their
academic performance. Every human depends on interactions with others and by incorporating empathy in their daily life, these interactions improve in quality, benefiting your social circle. It’s a life skill that can shape the type of environment you learn in and help you relate to the diverse population around you. “When you sit down and talk to someone, you start to realize that we are a lot more similar than we are different,” junior Virgina Crook said. “Finding a common ground to connect with someone else allows us to learn about others and possibly even improve ourselves.” Through small but meaningful actions we can build a path towards that future and lead those who follow, but it’s only possible with you. Empathy isn’t a skill that can be easily mastered in a single day with the flick of a switch. It requires daily practice and is fostered over time. There are many ways to be empathetic in your conversations such as listening to others when they speak, demonstrating that you value their words rather than ignoring them and opening up about your own life, which can help build connections with others. Additional ways to embrace empathy are by challenging your prejudice and reflecting on the discussions you have. Similar perspectives on the topics of the day can form groups of peoplewith a multidude of issues to talk about. Whether it is giving a helping hand, chatting with someone sitting alone or engaging in fruitful discussions with people you have never met, kindness can touch the lives of people you never met. Kindness’s ability to ripple through a crowd and promote an environment of compassion will impact Northwood for the better. A more compassionate Northwood will fuel an environment with a legacy of empathy.
success For the good of the (Wolf)pack
are being made to extend the SOS message beyond just the single day, Events later in the year will allow for a break in the stressful school environment. “To address the ‘Better Together’ theme of State of the Student, other members of the Academic Committee and I are working with teachers to incorporate their story into a panel or speech at the Pride of the Pack assembly instead of a traditionally paid speaker, so that the teachers are more connected with the students,” Kong said. School community-bonding occassions will try and instill a healthy balance between stress and enjoyment. Contrary to the Northwood stereotypical student perception of school, Northwood students should place school at the helm of academic success. Disregarding health for student academic achievement will bring about long term consequences, a fear of the faculty at Northwood. The goal for Northwood’s faculty is for students to maintain a healthy balance between stress and school. A transition from submitting papers at 11:59 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. is a step in the right direction and is embraced by all. As an address to the students, do not be afraid to reach out to teachers as they are there for academic success and to provide a helping hand. The next Challenge Success meeting is on Apr. 25 at Stanford University, where the teachers will build off the progress to create a health-conscious learning environment for students. Such initatives are bound to change stereotypes about Northwood.
Sreekar Kasturi The Northwood Howler
C O M ( PA C K ) S I O N : C l u b m e m b e r s s o c i a l i z e t h r o u g h g a m e s s u c h a s J e n g a . By Erin Kim and Varun Vishnubhotla Staff Writers
As the epitome of inclusivity on campus, Wolfpack focuses on eliminating the stigma behind special needs students by gathering support from students with varying backgrounds, all in the spirit of creating lasting relationships and cherishable memories. “Wolfpack means helping,” sophomore Gordon Au said. “It is being nice to other students.” Lunchtime meetings provide opportunities for students to lend a hand to those with special needs, as they
encourage members to build relationships with one another by striking up simple conversations, ultimately expanding students’ social skills. The impact it has had cannot be measured in words, but rather in the smiles it has put on many club members. “I feel like we are more connected through Wolfpack,” sophomore Simran Patel said. “Every now and then, I’ll see Gordon outside and he’ll fistbump me.” Wolfpack has been encouraging conversation and spreading its positive influence for a considerable amount of time. The club also hosts after school events, in which Wolf-
pack members accompany special needs students. “Last year, we had our ‘Coco’ and movie day and one of the returning special education kids came,” Wolfpack president senior Emmerson Orozco said. “For two years, I thought he didn’t know me. It was a big moment when he said, “Emmerson. I remember you.’” Wolfpack provides a humanitarian dimension to Northwood. Driven to make Northwood a more empathetic environment for students, Wolfpack promotes compassion, hosting lunch meetings every Thursday in the Room 1405.
The Northwood Howler
OFF CAMPUS
October 31, 2019
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Icebreakers for a chilly day By Erin Kim Staff Writer
In an age where texting, FaceTiming and Discord have overshadowed genuine face-to-face conversation (and no, comparing test scores does not count), these conservation starters may come in handy to feel that much-needed spark of empathy more often. And for those who need a little more convincing, here are some answers from fellow Northwood students! The Howler: Where have you always wanted to travel to? Amine Adlouni, 11: I’ve always wanted to go to Greece because it is a truly wonderful country where clear water meets beautiful architecture. It has some of the worlds greatest scuba dive spots, which I’d love to explore, and it’s also rich in history from the Greek and Roman Empires.
time without stressing about different things. As I grew up, there were more elements in my life that became important to me, especially because here in Irvine, everyone does so much both in and out of school, and it is so competitive. Sometimes I miss the fact that everything was so simple as a child. TH: If you had to relive one day for the rest of your life, which day would you choose? Sarah Hsu, 10: The day my first little sister was born because I became a big sister and everything changed for the better. I was able to care for someone else and have someone who would look up to me.
Sondos Elbershawi The Northwood Howler
S TAY E N G A G E D ! : C e l l p h o n e s i n t h e b a c k k e e p t h e s t u d e n t s o n t r a c k .
Face time is better than FaceTime By Varun Vishnubhotla
TH: What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten? Ethan Sloate, 12: I ate the barely cooked large intestine of a chicken while I was in Mexico.
Staff Writer
TH: What is your biggest pet peeve? Ronald Wang, 11: I hate it when people complain about their grades and test scores when they got a decent grade because I’m just sitting there with an 85 and someone is really complaining about a 92. TH: What do you miss most about being a kid? Amithi Ravi, 10: I really miss being able to just spend my
Victoria Ta The Northwood Howler
365 Gratitude Journal By Pranav Gaddam Staff Writer
With this year’s State of the Student promoting #nhsbettertogether, students can practice the valuable skill of gratitude off campus through the 365 Gratitude app. While traditional journaling often ends up being a hassle, this app uses reminders to help users stick with their habits. They also have a reward system of medallions that gamifies journaling in order to keep users interested. Their prompts are thoughtprovoking because they force you to reflect on things people often take for granted, such as recognizing the friends and family that stood by you in the past. It also encourages selfreflection through prompts that require you to identify your strengths and weaknesses. It might seem wishy -washy or too high effort to spend so much time on answering these deep questions, but they really do allow you to open up and think about things you might forget when you’re going through the motions of life. On top of that, the design is simple but effective, specifically with the repeated placement of positive messages when opening the app. My favorite part of the design was its commitment to user stimulus with interactive activities. For example, the app-opening animation suggests that you take a deep breath to immediately get you into the relaxed, meditative mood. Daily inspirational quotes follow right after, which reinforce the positive mindset that the app encourages. One thing that differentiates 365 Gratitude from traditional journal-
ing is its community group chat to communicate with other like-minded people and share what you are grateful for. Other features include a mood tracker to track your progress, a gratitude jar to store your grateful moments and a personal messaging AI called Joy to chat with. Through the usage of these features, users are given incentive to stick to their journaling habit and keep up their score streaks. Overall, the app is an excellent way to reflect on your loved ones and experiences while tracking your state of mental well being, costing $2.99 monthly for the yearly plan or $5.00 monthly for the regular plan to access. Prior to paying, there is a free seven day trial that allows you to explore the app. Try it out and see how you like it! You might be surprised by how much a bit of daily journaling and reflection can help give you that sense of gratitude. And for those who would rather not pay, Jour is another journaling app that is more basic, lacking many of 365’s features but capturing the essence of the app. Instead of the stories and prompts with 365 gratitude, the journaling is broken up into specific sections, focusing on one question at a time. This allows for users to reflect more in depth and with the user-friendly design, Jour is easy to use. Another benefit of Jour is the small journaling sessions called Journeys that are geared towards a certain topic like self-love, letting go, and the power of gratitude. I would definitely recommend either app to anyone who wants to get into the empathetic mindset or for those who are struggling to stick with journaling.
With a nationwide screentime epidemic becoming increasingly prevalent among high school students, the Northwood Administration took it upon themselves to rejuvenate students’ attention spans in the classroom by instructing students to place their cell phones in individual pouches. The shift was controversial at first, but as the routine took hold, students and teachers alike began to laud the policy as one of the best ways to boost student participation and attention in the classroom. Surprisingly enough, students have also developed meaningful interactions with their
classmates as a result. Introduced this year to create a distraction-free environment, the cell phone policy consists of students placing their phones into a cloth numbered holder at the beginning of class, giving their undivided attention to the lesson for the period, and retrieving their phone at the end. Due to the lack of distractions, students are obligated to pay attention during lectures and interact with classmates rather than being glued to their phones. Junior Rahul Raju has noticed a detachment from his phone in the first months since school kicked off with the new policy. “I just think that I am not as desperate for my phone anymore,” Raju
said. “I mean, I don’t even use it for half of the day. I think it is a pretty good policy for the school and I hope that they build upon this idea.” Schools around the globe have implemented the policy, and its results have restored the traditional excitement that is tied to on-campus social life. In a survey conducted by Australian professor Neil Selwyn, 80% of Australian parents expressed their wide spread appreciation for the ban of cell phones in the classroom. They felt that their children were more engaged. Looking at Northwood, it is evident that the policy has transformed our school to a more focused and socially engaged haven for learning and creating lifelong memories.
Why you should hug more By Anlon Zhu Staff Writer
Empathy is not just verbal! Scientists have shown that a few hugs a day can fix the feeling of exhaustion after a long day––magical, right? Is science really necessary to figure this out though? Nice short hugs have been gestures of love and comfort for as long as hugs existed. “I like to give big hugs that squeeze the life out of them,” senior Nathaniel Irwan said. “And very, very firm handshakes that squeeze the life out of them. I think it increases the bond between me and that person.” If you don’t have the strength it takes to give your friends those big bear hugs or vice-grip handshakes, simple actions like fist bumps are just as effective. “I regularly fist bump and shake hands with my friends,” junior Amine Adlouni said. “It’s kind of become second nature! The action isn’t really a big deal, but it’s always nice to do.” And if you would rather hug your pets, that works too! Expressing affection towards a furry friend can reduce a ton of stress and boost your mood as you do homework. “Every morning when I wake up and go downstairs, my dog comes
to sit in front of me and we hug,” sophomore Kaitlin To said. It’s weird, but sometimes the simplest actions are all it takes for us to feel that wholesome, empathetic love we humans need.
decrease in positive affect.” In other words, a good hug can make a person feel a little bit better in a comforting way. Imagine a bunch of scientists hugging each other as they run through their methodical trials and record their qualitative observations about how they feel in a notebook (just kidding, they probably had an unbiased random sample with some complicated way of quantifying subject emotions). Overall, hugs are great! Both science and students have proven that just a tad bit of effort can go a long way in making people feel happier. Students also say that anything “touchy,” like fist bumps, high fives and pats on the backs, is nice and makes them happier. These simple acts of physical interaction all release oxytocin, often known as the love or happiness hormone, as long as you’re not creepy about it. So next time you run into your friend Victoria Ta The Northwood Howler or a less-than-happy-looking peer, But if all that is not enough to hit them with a fist bump, dap them convince you, a 2018 study conduct- up with a fancy secret handshake or ed by Associate Professor Nicholas hug them with all of your bear-like Duran of Arizona State University strength! Give the people around you found that “receiving a hug was asso- that little boost of joy that they need ciated with a smaller conflict-related for the rest of the day.
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October 31, 2019
(Don’t) Stress Our Students
The Northwood Howler
Daniel Dai The Northwood Howler
Em(pathetic): when you try your best but you don’t succeed By Dylan Yee Staff Writer
There will be a time when your friend needs your help to make them feel better. Here are some helpful tips on how NOT to do it. 1. If your friend drops their sweet new iPhone 11, shatter yours on the ground in front of them to make them feel better. 2. It sucks when your best friend gives you some bad news. Keep talking, so they never get the chance. 3. Often times when your friend is in a bad mood, they will try to distract themselves on the internet. Cut the internet to keep them focused. 4. Let’s say your friend can’t stop talking about their ex. Date their
ex so you know how they feel. It pays to be relatable. 5. Type up a full transcript as they rant on and on. If they see you are actively engaged, it will motivate them to keep going. If your friend starts crying, 6. cry harder than them so that they don’t feel the worst in the room. 7. Avoid cliches like “I’m sorry” and “I believe in you.” We say “bruh” now. 8. Laughter is contagious. Keep laughing at their problems and eventually they’ll join in. Spike his or her Hydro 9. Flask with laxative. Y’know, to get the bad feelings out. Bonus Quote: “Can I offer you a nice egg in this trying time?”
Anna Ma The Northwood Howler
The State of the Student Address By Anlon Zhu Staff Writer
Daniel Dai The Northwood Howler
Members of ASB, Timby and my fellow Timberwolves. We gather here today under the fortitude of the Oak as a united body of students to meditate on the spirituality of empathy and its utility as a mechanism for surpassing the infinite plane of material values and greed. Empathy. Em–pa–thy. What is empathy? It is the ability to understand and share the feelings of one another, the fractal web of spidery threads that anchor their dewy ends to individual homosapiens, intertwined through heavy hearts and sympathetic souls to unify us as one body, one being. E pluribus unum. We are many, and yet, we are one. We share the same challenging examinations that burden our minds for the next week. We share the same desire to sleep and the same procrastination that delays it. We share the same Howler articles. We could not be divided by the forward slash, the mathematical symbol of division that divides even the most indivisible of numbers. It is here, under the fortitude of the Oak, that I say to this union of the T-Wolves. We must find each other in each other. We must realize that despite our inequivalent schedules, our incongruous hobbies, talents and skills and our dissimilar beliefs and values, we are one. We must be empathetic for the good of the pack.