A Northwood High School Publication Volume XXIII, Issue VIII: May 26, 2022
4515 Portola Pkwy. Irvine, CA 92620
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An ‘Enchanted Evening’ at Mission San Juan Capistrano
Adrian Chen The Northwood Howler
INTO THE NIGHT: Students take risks at every turn in an intense game of blackjack with a card dealer, while senior Sam Myers dances the night away to the lively beat of the DJ playing iconic songs such as “Woman” by Doja Cat and “Only Girl” by Rihanna at Mission San Juan Capistrano. By Karen Wang
News Editor
Ponds full of koi fish glimmered and mission bells swayed softly as students gathered to take pictures with roses and flower archways all around. Under the aura of low-hanging lights, the night was full of life as students took the dance floor just a few feet away, jamming to classics such as “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz and “Baby” by Justin Bieber at Northwood’s “An Enchanted Evening” prom on the evening of May 21 at Mission San Juan Capistrano. In a sea of suits, dresses and high heels, students enjoyed a night of pictures, dancing and eating at the historic mission. Although prom was limited to juniors and seniors, under-
classmen were welcome if invited by an upperclassman. Corsages and boutonnieres pulled together the formal atmosphere of the event. “It was a lot of the rush of planning and talking about what you’re going to wear with your friends,” senior Noor Hussein said. “The beautiful venue definitely added to the ambience that we all enjoyed.” Besides dancing, there were plenty of recreational activities such as poker games, corn hole and a rotating videobooth. Students also had the unique opportunity to get self portraits drawn by caricature artists. There were many appetizers and dessert options as well, including juicy chicken skewers, taquitos, shaved ice and chocolate fondue, along with a wide variety of sodas
and drinks available in white booths situated on the perimeter of the courtyard. “I spent a lot of time just eating cream puffs and dipping them into the chocolate fountain with my friend,” junior Kim Huynh said. “There was everything you could’ve asked for: strawberries, bananas, rice krispies and marshmallows.” Junior class council met twice a week to plan the venue and prom activities, along with the spirit days and lunchtime activities held the week prior to the event. These included flower pot decor, musical chairs and bottle frisbee. In particular, the council organized a fundraiser that gave students the chance to pie their teachers in the face for $5. “After all the AP testing students
had this month, we just wanted to make sure that everyone had a good time and could enjoy the last few weeks of the school year together,” junior class council member Chloe Mun said. “Planning did get stressful at times because we wanted to have enough activities so that everyone could find something they were interested in.” Because prom had not been held in over two years due to the pandemic, seniors in particular were excited about the opportunity to dress up for one last dance. “I really had a blast and it was so fun being with all of my friends for our first and last prom,” senior Yass Babazadeh said. “It was definitely an amazing experience to round out high school.”
Wild Rivers makes a splash in Irvine summer return By Rhea Gupta
Staff Writer
Sitting in the scorching heat of the summer, you dream of an oasis in Irvine, filled with glittering pools of water and billowing cabanas perfect for lounging. Luckily, this dream will soon become a reality: after its initial closure in 2011, the Wild Rivers waterpark is set to reopen on June 20. Wild Rivers will be located in the Great Park area. Not only will the park feature attractions such as the classic lazy river but it will also include in-ground slides, wave pools and a variety of attractions and slides, perfect for this year’s up-and-coming summer. “High school students should definitely visit Wild Rivers as a guest,” Wild Rivers seasonal employee sophomore Julien Valladares said. “It is a great way to cool off with this
coming heat.” The return of a major attraction in Irvine also opens up the opportunity for high school students to gain work experience through a summer job. Age requirements vary for each position, with the minimum age being as low as 14 years old. “Wild Rivers, if you were to apply for a position, would be a great place to look for work experience and try new things to make the most out of this summer,” Valladares said. Wild Rivers closed in 2011 because the company’s lease with the Irvine Company ended and the plan to use the waterpark’s land to build apartment complexes was already set forth. Since then, Wild Rivers owner Mike Riedel and his team continued to look for a new location for the park. The waterpark is now built on 20 acres of land and is expected to be 50% bigger as compared to the orig-
inal park. Prior to its closing, visiting Wild Rivers was a favorite summer activity among tourists and locals with its relaxing lazy river and water play structures perfect for children. Notable attractions at the waterpark will include Anaconda, a six-person raft ride featuring fun twists and turns and surprise drops, as well as the classic Castaway River or Lazy River. “I’m thrilled to bring Wild Rivers back to Irvine,” Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan said . “The water park has been a special place for our community, and I’m glad our residents will once again have this amenity in their
backyards.” The Wild Rivers virtual tour on their website provides an 3D flythrough and overview of what to expect from the park in terms of rides and activities. The opening of the waterpark this summer poses the perfect opportunity to escape the Southern California heat all while enjoying time with friends and family. In terms of ticket pricing, one-day passes are available at $65 and limited season passes are offered at photo provided by Wild Rivers $160.
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ACCENT/A&E
The Northwood Howler
May 26, 2022
3
Richelle Gunawan The Northwood Howler
Representing the Pack for OC Artist of the Year By Noelle Escalante A&E Editor
Orange County Artist of the Year is an annual competition held by high school arts programs across the county, with students nominated by teachers and mentors competing within the disciplines of dance, instrumental music, vocal music, film, theater and more. From this, four semi-finalists were chosen from Northwood, with representatives within commercial dance, classical music and jazz performance. Senior Yian Wang was nominated as a semi-finalist under instrumental music with a specialty in Jazz performance, junior Jonathan Kang in instrumental music for classical performance, senior Irene Lee in instrumental music for classical performance and junior Amelia Yum underneath the commercial dance specialty.
the competition and he’s been watching me since freshman year,” Lee said. “He’s given me a lot of opportunities through Northwood’s music program to pursue different avenues of music, rather than just competing, which is something I’m really thankful for.”
Each semi-finalist submitted a portfolio that represented dexterity and comfort within their field, songs in the artists’ comfort zone, along with harder pieces.
“I chose two combos with songs by Olivia Rodrigo, which were definitely more lyrical,” Yum said. “However, another piece I chose was a Jazz funk piece to the song ‘Overprotected’ by Britney Spears, which was super fun and detailed. I chose it because it was definitely a style switch and more of a challenge for me to dance to.” Semi-finalists also discussed their proudest achievements outside of the competition through the Northwood VAPA programs. “The proudest moment for me as a musician was during the pandemic, which was when I made the All-Stars for the all-southern Jazz band,” Wang said. “Es- pecially when I was newer in
mid It was special to me because of it being in a field that I really love.” Although no students at Northwood were selected as a finalist this year, each artist on campus continues Most to expand their knowledge and work of the nomon their craft. inees were submitted “I think that the biggest sucby Northwood faculty cess to me has been pushing myself members who were to try new things and to step out of able to see their semy comfort zone,” Yum said. “I lected students grow would usually be really afraid to over the years withtry out for anything, but pushing Ellie Chan The Northwood Howler in their talents. myself has allowed me to see my T-WOLF TALENT: (Left to Right): Jonathan Kang (11), Irene Lee (12), Yian Wang (12) and Amelia Yum (11) were “Mr. Case growth as a dancer.” represented underneath the Classical, Jazz and Commerical Dance categories for Orange County Artist of the Year. nominated me for
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SENIOR ISSUE
May 26, 2022
The Northwood Howler
THE HOWLER
‘22 SENIORS
ALBURG(L)ERS
here to steal your heart <3 Matthew Dimaandal The Northwood Howler
HOWLING ‘CAUSE IT’S OVER: Get it because Alburg(l)ers, Al-“burglars,” “stealing” your heart. Claire’s idea. Not pictured are seniors Kathy Chun, Rachel Gima and Mihir Kulkarni.
Howler EIC sued for libel A poem is found By Claire Chien Howler Uber Eats™
Source: “Welcome back, Twolves: COVID-style” by Claire Chien, published in The Howler in August 2020 (Inserted words and letters are contained in parentheses)
By Mei Ono
Chieeeeeeef
The new and improved staff box except I’m just roasting everyone on the team (affectionate). Claire: Has probably formatted more AD pages than written articles during her entire time here. Also that’s the wrong page number Jonathan: Of course he plays “oboe” and reads “Berserk” Abby: Who is this again her position wasn’t even in the syllabus Kathy: Imagine having to periodically accept Facebook user discourse in the comment section of your THO article from a year ago Tyler: Really appreciate the help on deadline days, I’m sure it added a lot to your UC app Mihir: The forgotten Junk editor that pitches for every page except News and Junk Kevin: Funny Shrek moment *Moves the THO previews on front page to make it look like a new layout every month* Lana: This is the sixth K-drama pitch I’ve heard this year (no one clapped) Ashley: Just wanted to let you know that the cutouts you repeatedly spent hours dragging anchor points around could’ve been Photoshopped in 2 minutes <3 Yenna: No one knows she took Beginning Journalism Eugenie: Have fun being the only ASB insider informant next year. At least you’ll be doing more than adding names to the blacklist Rachel Gima: Is your computer
breaking down Rachel did InDesign crash is your file not saving did it get corrupted Rachel is it not uploading Rachel where is your layout Rahul: Befuddling Buffoonery, more like the real befuddled bu-fool is the page editor who spelled Buffoonery wrong this whole year. I’m sure it was another “intentional” joke on the junk page Matt: No one knows he took Beginning Journalism Nicole: Kazutora kinnie with carpal tunnel pick a struggle Anjana: Uncredited podcast cover drawer, first and last THO graphics editor probably Aniket: Why isn’t this issue in full color Ellie Chan: Overused the liquify tool one too many times Adrian: Why is Rachel Gunawan taking photos Andrew: Should’ve stuck with piano (JOKE)(THANK YOU FOR SAVING ALL OF STUDENT MEDIA) Rachel Gunawan: Rachel G, no Rachel the artist, the one with the tablet, yeah with glasses, no that’s Adrian Richelle: Anti-tree and for what. Where’s your Howler application Ellie Lan: uploaded an item ffdj(S*EWcsknfinal_final REAL ACTUAL FINAL.psd - 3:28 am Saba: Hope you’re ready to be the next applied mathematics teacher next year to teach unit conversions to the incoming artists Chloe: ‘I am going to suffer by making this graphic so needlessly complicated’ Parashar: Parashar please come
back we need experienced writers like you that have written more articles than Claire Arya: ‘I play my quirky games and listen to my quirky music and do my quirky hobbies’ Karen Bruce: Told you we would make you cry (of joy) during your interview Olivia: Congrats on being the only staff member that’s able to say half your articles are Timby fanfiction Noelle: Howler token e-girl Rhea: Year one on the team, already enough editorials to last you the next two Yejin: LA Times did not pay you to become a divorce lawyer Rita: I will get a little pet rat and make a kitchen set for it with all your little earrings Annie: Tmw you are kicked out from writing on your own page Diego: *is a staff writer* (red flag) (read his article) Annabel: Went through all the work to bypass Beginning Journalism just to publish furry romance. Was it worth the hours on AO3 Erin: Another extension? Are the freshmen ghosting you again? Karen Wang: You better be working on that lower vocal range for next year’s de-initiation Rachel Yokota: Rachel value pack buy 2 get 1 free(lance writer) Ms. Alburger: is a burger [kicker about how I don’t actually hate everyone, if necessary] [I am incredibly sorry and please tell me if you find any of this legitimately offensive]
With a new school year comes a new you, and whether you’re a bewildered (college) freshman (aka me) or a junior with premature senioritis, Northwood isrfect place for you to Although the school year is not starting off in person, extensive preparations are underway to ensure that students can still enjoy everything from our (I will be) Grammywinning music program to our (and) unparalleled variety of clubs. As a reminder for distance learning,mote utorial will be available 20ster, this year’s fallmester will operate by system. Students cor dro “We (I’ve) appreciate(d) everyone’s flexibility and willingness to work with (me, especially when I’m feeling grumpy and disoriented on deadline days) us,” Assistant Principal Eric Keith said. “This is a little bnd we’ll try to make it work with everybody ibly can.” Despite all the changes (we’ve been through) to this school year, Nortg clubs what academic model Furthermore, AS of ideas to (The Howler has) help(ed) everyone at Northwood (me) feel connected and involved (even though this year I have a grand total of one real responsibility: ordering food for everyone) , even without being on campusssssssss. “None of us could’ve (I couldn’t have) ever imagined (high) school turning out like this, but we’re (I have been) super hyped to take on all these challeng-
es (with the exception of InDesign on Zoom. Never again.) ,” eventBe on the lookoutties, events for freshmen and (I’ve had some really) good times for all!” Additionally, while it’s difficult to shift VisualrmiA) t due to its (The Howler’s) large class sizes, close-knit community and constant need for collaboration, Northwood instructors are working hard to “I’ll definitely miss being able to collaborate and perform with my peers. (I seriously love you guys! I can’t overstate how much The Howler has always brightened my day and somehow convinced me not to skip class as a senior.) in person, but I’m still super excited to participate in VAPA thisxcited to participate in VA ipate in VAPA thisxcited to participate in VA Regardless of what comes next, Northwood is ready to adapt through these unprecedented times.ipate in VAPA thisxcited to participate in “I’m personally proud of our administrative team and leadership (Howler) team, who have been really willing to reinvent things. (Shoutout especially to the page editors for breaking the cycle of rigid layouts, the writers for exploring everything from Timby fanfiction to podcasts, the photographers for stepping up and learning so quickly, the artists for carrying our visual media during the pandemic, and of course, Ms. Alburger for always supporting our ideas and encouraging us to be creative.) to fit this situation,” Pripate in VAPA thisxcited to participate in VA spate ipate ipate i asdf dfdsdf (As we leave high school,) Not e v e r y t h i n g ’s going to be perfect, but we’ll try to do the next best thing given the circumstances that we have.”
NEWS
SENIOR ISSUE
The Howler May 26, 2022 2 Northwood December 16, 2019
May 26, 2022 The Northwood Howler 5
This article feels like a college essay and I don’t like it
By Adrian Chen
Household Appliance
As a photographer, journalist (person who keeps a journal) and overall sentimental human, I find comfort in collecting memories. My first memory of high school was walking into Treble Clef, silently panicking because I knew no one and was deathly afraid of being alone. This feeling subsided slightly when I encountered a friend from elementary school, and by the end of class, I had gone from complete survival mode to being somewhat excited for the next four years. I’m a cautious person, so it’s interesting that the things I loved most about high school were also the things I found completely by accident. Although I enjoyed singing, I never imagined myself joining Treble Clef. Chorus had merely been a filler class for me to take until I replaced it with basketball, but that plan changed when Mr. Halop won me over with his limitless energy and objectively terrible sense of humor. Over time, I’ve only found more reasons to love this class. From taking silly post-concert pictures to sing-
ing “Sicut Cervus” whenever we got the chance, the memories I’ve made with my chorus classmates are ones I will always cherish. I am so fortunate to have met such a talented, vibrant group of people, and it is a community I will greatly miss once I graduate. The Howler was also a class I impulsively joined and quickly became attached to. Photography had
always vaguely interested me and I was curious about what I could learn in a classroom setting. With my lack of experience, it’s needless to say that my first photos were disasters, but with these photos came a sense of joy in photography that I had never felt before. Even as senioritis kicked in and I started caring less about school-
work, I still found myself wanting to put effort into this class, both for upcoming deadlines and for my own artistic growth. The Howler has taught me valuable lessons about discipline and communication, but I think the most important thing I gained was a new passion that I hope to pursue for a long time. My first idea for this article was
a collection of journal entries that reflected my high school experience, but my journal is mostly uninteresting so I scrapped that idea immediately. However, there’s one entry that I wrote recently and find myself revisiting often. I think it summarizes my current emotions quite well. April 19 11:17 p.m.: “I committed to [a college] today?? Yay :0 It still feels unreal but simultaneously extremely real. I feel like I’ve been doing college things since forever but it also feels like time has barely passed since I started applications. Obviously I’m excited because it’s college!! But I’m also not really good with change. It’s easier to be afraid of losing what you know than to look forward to something you’ve never experienced.” My high school years weren’t perfect, but they certainly were special. I’ve learned to take risks and to live for myself, two lessons that I will hopefully remember as I attempt to transition into Adulthood™. I’m so grateful for the memories I’ve made at Northwood, and I’m excited for all the new experiences I have yet to encounter.
An over-thought reflection The Timberwolf Plan from your busy Layout Editor By Anjana Narasimhan
The Last THO Graphics Editor
Believe it or not, at the beginning of high school I drafted “Northwood High School Plan.doc,” a detailed list on what I wanted to achieve and the person I wanted to become in high school. This plan was built on idealistic expectations, believing that I could achieve every goal I set for myself. The ultimate goal was to get into a prestigious university. I was lost on this journey, forgetting to enjoy my high school experience, and I overlooked my strengths and talents. Reflecting on the plan I created before, here are the lessons I learned, which I hope resonates with any high school student. 1. Know your strengths. Don’t be lost in the competition. I spent my time comparing myself to others in areas that were not my strengths. It took away from opportunities where I could have shined. I should have pursued arts and related clubs, which was my stronghold. I eventually did find my way to it with lessons learned. 2. Be kind to others. Kindness can make a difference in the lives of your teammates, friends, club board members and your teachers. Pause,
By Abigail Fang Absent Abby
I, as a general rule, care very much about what people think of me. I won’t go into the specific thought processes I have when I have to interact with people (especially new people) because I am genuinely not ready to get exposed in print for eternity, but even I can recognize it’s excessive. This lifestyle of overthinking has mildly harmed my ability to have fun and enjoy high school. I don’t really know how to pinpoint a way, method, process, etc. to get out of such a mindset. I know that many other people experience the same fears as me and I wish I could know how everyone else gets through it (if at all). But I also know that these fears seem to quiet and settle down a little when I’m in a dimly-lit room with my friends in The Howler, laughing over articles or dumb jokes. And
that’s what I think The Howler offers at its core—a community welcoming of everyone, especially people who make mistakes but are willing to experiment and explore. The hard skills I’ve learned in The Howler—InDesign, spotting Oxford commas, how to structure a hard news article—are valuable, but not what will first pop into my head years down the road. Instead, I’ll think about what I have learned from my friends in The Howler (hopefully you can spot yourself in this list), which is how to laugh at myself; how to work steadily and stoically; that listening patiently to someone is underrated; that offering food can be the best way to make people feel loved; that maybe the coolest people are those who truly don’t care what others think; and that everything (everything) is cheesecake. Coming out of high school now, I’m proud of myself for the risks I took. Aside from The Howler, some
of my experiences here—policy debate in particular—were integral to my development as a person and as a student. Most importantly, I think (and I hope) I expanded my worldview through the content I learned, the people I met and the experiences I had. I also do have a lot of regrets. I wish I had really tried to learn how to dance. I wish I had stayed in choir. I wish I had gone to more creative writing workshops, or talked to this person, or attended this event, or took an opportunity I didn’t think I could succeed at. I wish desperately that I had told myself in freshman year, or even before that, “You deserve to take up space. PLEASE take up more space for yourself.” But I find myself being okay with all of these regrets. I have college approaching, and with new people to meet and new experiences to try, it’s satisfying to know that I still have a lot more to accomplish.
listen and appreciate the people around you. 3. Persevere. Challenges are opportunities to learn and grow. Do not make decisions when you are angry or upset; give it time. Moments of sadness and regret are temporary. Eventually, it will get better. Be prepared for failure, but do not be scared to try. 4. Do not take more than you can handle. Do not have the attitude of all or nothing. The toxic mentality to constantly perform well in school and juggle multiple extracurricular activities will ultimately be your downfall. Set limits on responsibilities you take up. 5. Recognize the people that truly care about you. For me, The Northwood Howler was a place where I could demonstrate my graphic design and art skill. I worked with incredibly talented and hardworking individuals. At the end of high school, I found a place where I belonged and where I felt respected for my talent. If we are truly a Timberwolf pack, we should encourage each other to succeed. We should not push each other down for the ultimate validation of college success. We should appreciate and respect one another unconditionally.
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SENIOR ISSUE
May 26, 2022
The Northwood Howler
Could have been worse Thriving amidst the unknown By Ashley Lee
Tentative Pessimist
By Arya Bhattacharjee
Procrastinator Pro Tempore
Many students around our campus have exquisitely interesting and unique stories to share, plenty of which have been reported right here in The Howler; yet one student in particular doesn’t quite stand out. Senior Arya Bhattacharjee, regardless of how bland he may seem on the outside, has some interesting stories to share. Today, The Northwood Howler has gracefully given this soul the chance to share the stories that he so desperately would like to tell. The Howler: How do you feel, Arya, for this chance to finally spread your wings and share your deepest and darkest secrets? Arya Bhattacharjee: Where have you taken me? Why is it so dark? What secrets are you talking about? I have nothing to hide! TH: I’m sure you don’t… Anyways, how would you rate your experience as a staff writer on The Howler out of 10? AB: I’m still very confused as to what this is, but I guess I’ll humor you. Well, I loved being able to dig deep into topics I never really knew about, but sometimes writing could get a bit overwhelming so I can’t really rate it as high as I would li— TH: Moving on, how do you feel about the fact that the majority of the school doesn’t understand the vast majority of your Junk articles? AB: Are you calling me unfun-
ny? I’ll have you know that I’ve won exactly zero awards for my comedic writing. You can’t say anything against my brilliant sense of sarcastic humor. TH: On a more serious note, what is something you would like to tell your close friends about, that you haven’t yet had the opportunity to? AB: I suppose that I’m more grateful for them than I might seem. I’m pretty bad at communicating with other people, especially about emotions, but I love all my friends dearly and they really did save me from some very dark times. I’ll never be able to thank them enough for the great memories they’ve given me. TH: Aww, that’s very sweet of you. So who do you currently have a crush on? AB: *Coughs* No comment… TH: We’ll let it slide for now. That being said, it has come to my attention that you’ve recently taken a couple of Advanced Placement tests. Any thoughts on your performance? AB: Somehow that question is even more painful than the ride here, wherever here is. Can I just go now? TH: One last question: Did you enjoy your time in high school? AB: I mean, it could have been worse… Hey, wait. Where are you taking me? HEY! ST— The remaining footage had been lost due to unforeseen circumstances. We hope you enjoyed this completely ethical and informative look into Arya’s life.
After listening to sentimental piano music to get into “the mood” to write for this senior issue, I’m realizing that I’m more excited than sad about the approaching end, thinking about the potential start of a better future. So I want to begin this article by assuring the seniors that whatever emotion you’re feeling at the moment is perfectly acceptable. The first Howler issue that reached my hands in eighth grade was the Senior Issue, so I’ve been dreaming about this moment since the time I enrolled in the course. Back then, the idea of leaving that final impact on every student seemed so grand, but now, I don’t know how to start this article. I’ve considered leaving advice based on my experiences for the rest of the students here, but in all honesty, I still don’t have everything figured out. The number one question I’ve been asked by underclassmen is “What would you have wanted to know as a freshman?” and I’ve learned that no matter what others say, we’re all bound to forget their
advice and make the same mistakes as them. We never even think about why something is so problematic until we’ve gone through the same exact experience. Without sounding too didactic (because who am I to tell you how to live your life?), the greatest lesson I learned is that nothing will ever go as you have planned. I used to plan each day to the last minute: checking Canvas courses days ahead to prepare for potential questions teachers would ask in class and thinking about college supplemental essays years before they were due…and I still love planning because it’s assuring to see that it’s possible to finish everything I want to within a given time frame, but at one point or another, there’ll be a moment when an unexpected barrier is laid across your path; if you’re not ready, you might just stare at that big rock as if you’re expecting it to move away on its own. The greatest setback about planning is that you find yourself fixating on the future. Your current life becomes a long task list that you create to feel the pleasure of checking off another repetitive day from your monotonous life. To advise anyone
to not stress out or worry about the future would be a hypocritical and impossible task, but maybe instead learn to accept the uncertainty of the unknown. Whether it be waiting for college decisions, internship opportunities or even a promposal response, there are moments when we all have to helplessly wait for others to make a decision. Maybe it’s a crazy thought, but finding the beauty amidst the craziness of life makes it worth enduring. Finding a person or two to share life with might be the perfect place to start. So many of us are goal-oriented people who dedicate our entire lives to accomplishing something in high school, college or a career. But there’s bound to be a moment when our efforts seem to be in vain. The moment when our dreams seem to be futile and the path is endlessly long. So perhaps life is more about how you choose to walk down its path rather than your destination point because hopefully, 10 years from now, you’ll remember the conversation that moved your heart or made you laugh until tears streaked your face rather than how you messed up on an exam.
Nicole Curtis The Northwood Howler
The Northwood Howler
The best staff writer’s superiority complex
SENIOR ISSUE
May 26, 2022
7
Chloe Song The Northwood Howler
You can just skip over this one By Lana Hwang monotone editor
By Diego Moreno Feral Gramps
The staff writers are the single group carrying The Howler because without us, there would be no newspaper. Sure, the graphics are pretty, but without the staff writers’ vision on what to draw, the graphic artists wouldn’t get anything done. Our Junk articles are supported by the jokes alone and the graphics are only the garnish. Don’t even get me started on the photos either. Anyone can go out and take pictures of students or some pretty sunset. The people with real skills are the writers who have to caption the pictures because those captions have to be both clever and explain the photo in 20 words or less. Not even the editors are responsible for The Howler’s success just because they decided to become big shots and order us staff writers around. Editors’ pitches would remain that—just pitches—without the writers creating the masterpiece articles. These people betrayed the staff writers and have forgotten where they came from, but us staff writers won’t ever forget (especially after Mei’s roast). Business team: Who are they and what do they do? They are the ones responsible for taking up pages we could’ve used to write stories, and for what, to sell ads? The ads are sold because these students read our articles, then notice the ads, not the other way around. All of these people need staff writers, but the staff writers don’t need them.
However, the graphic artists sure are talented. My Rudolph comic would never have happened had Rachel not drawn it, and the food graphics that Rice makes are so beautiful and made the articles better. If it weren’t for the graphic artists, our articles wouldn’t be as good. The photography team does take awesome action shots such as the football team winning the CIF game, the celebration of our student section or even our theater kids performing “Ash Girl.” Without the talent of our photographers, we wouldn’t have such great photos and would be unable to have visuals to our articles. Our business team is what keeps us afloat. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to print the paper, so I guess our business team is a necessary part of the Howler team. Editors are the ones who give ideas for the articles we write, and it’s thanks to their edits that the articles end up amazing. Not to mention, they’re the ones who create the layouts that make our articles nice to read, so it seems they are also important to the team. Also, Mei plugged my article so gotta forgive them. I guess what I’m trying to say is that even though the staff writers are the most important and most amazing group on The Howler, the other groups are required for The Howler to function, and without them, The Howler would not have reached its true potential. Thank you to everyone on The Howler for everything you have done. You guys are what made The Howler what it is today, which is an amazing publication with the best articles, photos and graphics around.
As per Howler tradition, I feel the need to impart you with sage advice that you will no doubt ignore, but even though I am about to graduate high school, I don’t feel confident enough to give advice to anyone about what they should do. No matter how bleak it may sound, you are alone in your decisions. Everyone makes their own life decisions, benefitting or suffering from the consequences. I could give you specific advice on what I would do if I could go back in time. I would be less afraid to try new things, reach out to people first, make more meaningful friendships; the list goes on and on, but my regrets are specific and personal to me. They aren’t something that the whole
high school population thinks about when reflecting on what they could have done differently. And that’s how it should be. Nobody has the same high school experience and no one’s high school experience is going to be perfect. Everyone will have some sort of problem, there’s no getting around that. Some might have problems with schoolwork, some might have problems with relationships, some might have problems with finding their identity. The sad truth is, no matter how perfectly you handle your problems, you’re bound to make mistakes. The next step you take is where you can grow or wither from your mistake. You can learn from them and prevent repeated failures, or gain nothing but self-doubt and disappointment, which I suppose is more of a loss than a gain, but you get the
idea.
Though this might not sound very uplifting in the present, the age-old saying that you shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes, in my opinion, is only half-true. Making mistakes isn’t nearly as scary to me as repeating mistakes is. I trust that you will be able to live through your mistakes, even if it may not feel like it at the moment. As long as you learn from them and persevere, no matter what might be discouraging or holding you back, you can live with fewer regrets. All I can leave you with is this cliche and very general advice: Live your life the way you want to live it and live with it. Revel in your accomplishments, learn from your mistakes and, though this is nearly impossible, create as few regrets as is humanly possible for you.
8
May 26, 2022
CENTERS
SPREAD
May 26, 2022
9
10
SENIOR ISSUE
May 26, 2022
The Northwood Howler
Northwood, it’s been a great ride By Mihir Kulkarni
Howler Soccer Enthusiast
I wasn’t supposed to be here. Writing had always been something I enjoyed doing, but I never thought it would shape my high school experience in the way that it did. I didn’t expect to find myself on the staff of the school newspaper, but after a series of chance events, my journey with The Howler began, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Full disclaimer: I would not be on The Howler if it wasn’t for my mom. When I wasn’t really sure which electives I wanted to take as a freshman, she was the one who pushed me to take Journalism. Although I was hesitant to listen at first, trying out something I was completely unfamiliar with pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me make some of my closest friends. I guess mother does know best after all. Although I’ve learned so much about writing and journalism on The Howler, I’ve learned plenty about myself as well. Before, I didn’t see myself as a very confident person, but being a leader on The Howler has made me more aware of how to manage a team. After plenty of practice, I’ve also mastered the art of estimating my layout dimensions without measuring anything whatsoever. It feels weird to be graduating already; I feel like high school has gone by in a blur, especially because of the pandemic and hybrid learning. Now as a senior, I think it’s important to share what I’ve learned. I’m warning you, though, that my words of wisdom probably won’t be very wise at all. My advice for anyone going through high school is to take risks. Whether it’s enrolling in a new elec-
Another
By Erin Tsai
Plasmatic Substance
Once upon a time, there was a group that called themselves The Howler. This group was made up of students at Northwood High School who took on jobs as writers, editors, photographers and even artists. These individuals were very skilled at what they did, which was to put out monthly newspaper issues and publish articles on their website. They went around doing heroic deeds like standing up for the truth, rescuing students from misinformation and destroying all Oxford commas from the vicinity. There wasn’t another group on campus that was quite like them. … Okay, stop the cameras, cut the sappy music already. I can’t do this. In all honesty, it’s amazing what we’re able to do, even if nobody
tive or trying out for a sports team, getting out of your comfort zone and finding what you enjoy is what will help you make the most out of your high school experience. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first signed up for Journalism, but the risk I took helped me find a sense of family that I was always looking for throughout
high school. I’m thankful for all the support I’ve received throughout high school, and I’ll say goodbye to Northwood with memories I can cherish. It really has been a fun ride. And remember, if there’s always been that one thing you wanted to try, don’t hesitate. Go for it.
can fully appreciate the work that goes into each issue but us. Not too many people will read this anyways, because the celebration of our own seniors will be overshadowed by the lack of “celebration” over college acceptances. Which is fine. If anyone at Northwood would understand what gets people to read the news, it’s us. Graduation is always bittersweet—after all, it’s a time of change and change is always bittersweet. We physically leave the friends that have been with us since elementary, lose touch with some and fall apart from those that we met along the way. It really feels bitter to think about how quickly we leave. But the change is sweet as well—there’s so much independence, exploration and experience to be gained. Graduation isn’t as bitter as medicine but just as necessary, and it’s not as sweet as sugar, because that’d be too unhealthy. I’d say graduation is the taste of dark chocolate
(the best kind of chocolate). This is also a time of great change. I used to loathe change and clung onto the familiar out of fear. I was so scared of change. I still am— change is scary. Change is never going to be not scary. But four years at Northwood have taught me that change is unavoidable and not all that bad, so I should stop trying to reject it and embrace the change that comes my way. Well, maybe I’m not welcoming it with open arms, but I’m at least willing to shake its hand. We’ve gone through so much more in our teenage lives than we ever signed up for. The world has changed a lot, and so have I. I believe—I know—that I have been changed for the better. I can’t wait to see where we’ll all go. I hope to see you all again. Or not. Who knows where we’ll end up? Certainly not me. Best (tentatively), Erin
typical
senior
article
for
The
Ellie Lan The Northwood Howler
Howler
GOODBYE, CLASS OF 2022 Abby Fang
Adrian Chen
“It’s a good day to worry over (hopefully) nothing.”
“I like bread.”
Anjana Arya Narasimhan Bhattacharjee
“they didn’t let me draw my quote”
“I would like to thank me, myself, and I for my ability to procrastinate everything, including this quote.”
Ashley Lee
Chloe Song
Claire Chien
Diego Moreno
Ellie Lan
Erin Tsai
Kathy Chun
“Write your own narrative. It’s your own to write. “
“hyukhyukhyuk”
“I never have anything to manage :( “
“It’s hard to be a staff writer while illiterate.”
“oh hi mark—”
“We live in an idiocracy.”
“Always charge your AirPods.”
SENIOR ISSUE
The Northwood Howler
May 26, 2022
11
Photo Editor, drummer and everything in between By Matthew Dimaandal The Guy From NTV
I just want to address the fact that I do not work for nor am I actually qualified to film anything for NTV. I have been confused so many times for being a part of NTV whenever I am out doing photo assignments for The Howler. Despite being confused for either NTV or yearbook, I enjoyed my time on the Howler. I started as a humble staff writer, and then I was suddenly thrusted into the position of photo editor the next year. I had no prior experience with taking photos, much less editing them. I found it to be an interesting opportunity to learn some new skills. And I did learn new things. I also learned a valuable lesson after being a photo editor for an entire school year: Doing a bunch of things is really stupid. Do not get me wrong. Partici-
pating in extracurriculars is good, but having a mentality of saying “yes” to all the opportunities that came my way led to less than ideal situations. I thought getting more involved would be good, and there are some benefits in doing that. I learned how to improve my drumming, developed my leadership abilities and became a jack-of-all-trades type of person. It just got to the point where I was in six music ensembles at the same time, photo editor for The Howler, club president, all while applying for colleges and manging a classload of APs. I greatly value all the unique experiences and lessons I learned from it. But I did not value the countless nights of barely getting sleep to catch up on my homework. I replaced the time I could spend doing homework or relaxing with extracurricular activities that left me exhausted and burnt out. It got to the point where I would
sleep on the floor because I was too exhausted to climb into my bed. For any underclassman reading this, take my word for it and do not overload yourself. Slowing down and making time for yourself is more important than anything else you might do during high school. Everything goes by so fast as a senior, but slowing down helps me recognize all the good things that have happened to me: all of the unlikely friendships I’ve made, nights spent rushing to publish the paper while drinking a slightly unhealthy amount of caffeine and all the crazy shenanigans that I get The Howler staff into—that was what made high school memorable. Not the nights staying up cramming for some APUSH test or whatever AP assignment I had to do. Appreciate high school while you can because you never know when some random global catastrophe will take it away from you.
The
trails
By Yenna Kim Shell Connoisseur
Rachel Gunawan The Northwood Howler
Imagine sitting at a cafe that pulses with a muted ambience, sipping on an iced hazelnut latte while studying array lists for the AP Computer Science exam. Striding across the Crystal Cove shore with a grabber tool and trash bag in hand, leading a
behind
beach clean-up as the president of a Northwood club. Rallying Friday nights as a part of the Wall of Sound. Hits all the hallmarks of an idealized Northwood student, am I right? With those romanticized images plastered onto my mental vision board, I ambitiously planned my four-year path at Northwood as a stepping stone to my future as a potential software de-
us
veloper. Mid-sophomore year, that carefully drafted vision was upturned with the revelation that I wanted to pursue my lifetime passion for art. This epiphany coincided with the opening to apply to The Howler, just before spring semester began. I decided to join as a graphic artist despite taking Journalism the previous semester. Although my short experience with journalism allowed me an Alburger-gifted clearance to write, I kept my distance due to a mix of apprehension to write and a firm determination to learn digital art. A few weeks into the spring semester of sophomore year, I found myself questioning my impact on The Howler hierarchy; being plunged into the tight-knit unit of journalist-minded students and experienced digital artists, I was out of my depth. But with every class, I was introduced to a new inspiration, a new point of view, to make my own. As an artist, I was accustomed to planning the visual layout of an artwork, including details like color schemes and composition; as a journalist, I considered the importance of human voices in reporting and storytelling. Somehow along the way, I took on the position of Centerspread Editor, which allowed me to simultaneously develop and weave both aspects of art and writing together to create an appealing visual impact for the Northwood community. I am endlessly grateful for these past two years that I’ve been designated with making monthly spreads. In taking these steps to grow with each creation of the Centerspread, I no longer doubt my impact. Through it all, I am still learning that our paths in life are designed to oscillate, and that it is up to us to see the beauty in the wavering lines that trail behind us.
GOODBYE, CLASS OF 2022
Lana Hwang
Matthew Dimaandal
Mei Ono
Mihir Kulkarni
Nicole Curtis
Rachel Gima
Rachel Gunawan
Rahul Khanna
Tyler Wong
Yejin Heo
Yenna Kim
“I actually have 20/20 vision.”
“Feels bad for the rest of the senior class to not be able to have a senior quote.”
“Unclench your jaw”
“Whenever in doubt, use duct tape.”
“Rather be dead than cool” - JJK
“HAGS”
“I bet you can’t guess my ethnicity without googling.”
“Never give up on your dreams… keep sleeping.”
“This is the overindulgence principle of the Stimulus Struggle.” - Desmond Morris, The Human Zoo (1969)
“I’m not living a double life.”
“Livin lovin laughin life.”
12
SENIOR ISSUE
May 26, 2022
The Northwood Howler
Don’t sleep on the power of sleeper philosophy By Rahul Khanna Mr. Serious
Sleep! No, really. You should take a quick nap before reading the rest of this article. I promise I won’t get offended—after seeing the hate threads and outrage comments on Twitter, I’ve realized that having people fall asleep to my writing isn’t half bad. Now, assuming you fell asleep… didn’t that feel amazing? If I’ve learned anything in these past four years of high school, it’s that people seriously underestimate the value of sleep. No matter how stressful or busy your day is, one good nap or good night’s sleep can completely change your mood and outlook on life. In fact, the power of sleep is exactly why choosing an open first/ second period was one of the best decisions I made in high school. Many people I’ve talked to have strayed away from this because they prefer to leave school early, but getting that extra hour or two of sleep in the morning has been life-saving. This is especially true during those busy weeks when I’d consistently be awake past midnight… allegedly. The fact that Northwood doesn’t have an active sleeping club or “Honors Integrated Sleep” class is irredeemable and an insult to everything
my sleep-deprived self stands for. As I prepare to leave this beloved school, I’ve been thinking about what type of legacy I want to leave behind for others to follow. Clearly, something had to be done about people’s perceptions of sleep. That is why I’m proud to present the culmination of 12 years of pre-college education—the Sleeper Philosophy. Ancient philosophers like Aristotle or Plato had nice handwriting, but let’s face it: Their ideas were mediocre at best. Here is an outline of the Sleeper Philosophy, which if followed to the fullest extent, can guarantee personal and social success.
rifice your daily activities for sleep, NOT the other way around. 2. One leads their life making decisions that help them sleep better at night. Not telling your parents about that driving ticket may sound easy, but does it translate to good sleep? Similarly, selling radioactive mate-
rial from U.S. facilities on the black market may be financially smart, but is it really worth it if the released chemicals interfere with your sleep schedule? The only sure-fire way to evaluate your daily success (or lack thereof) is to see how well you slept the following night. That’s the beauty of
the Sleeper Philosophy—it forces all of society onto an equal moral footing irrespective of wealth. If Elon Musk had nightmares last night while you slept perfectly, who do you think is winning at life? Of course, this philosophy also has the advantage of explaining why Northwood’s students are consistently unsuccessful.
Sleeper Philosophy: 1. One spends their day focused on getting more sleep. For too many years I tried to keep myself alive on the college-admission treadmill, balancing unhealthy amounts of classes with excessive extracurricular activities and clubs. After embracing the Sleeper Philosophy, I realized that this style of living was too “tiring” (so to speak), and so I dropped a few activities and focused on what was best for myself—getting more sleep. Why eat dinner or go to class when you could just be asleep? Make sure to balance your life in such a way that you sac-
Anjana Narasimhan The Northwood Howler
SENIOR ISSUE
The Northwood Howler
May 26, 2022
13
These are my thoughts Confessions from a budding ballerina By Kathy Chun
A Former Tutu-lover
By Yejin Heo
Immortal Belieber
Namely, on bicycles and a little guidance on living. I really don’t think I should be the person handing out slips of advice to unsuspecting readers, but right now I just know that I am beyond grateful for my four years at this school, for a kind of rare closeness with the people and the unabridged big love that has resulted from them good, bad and ugly I’ve experienced thoroughly during my time here. Each year, these spring months fling me into a state of incoherence, and I hope to release some similar doubts you may have about yourselves through these thoughts; now I’m just worried that what lies ahead is too existential and too stark of a contrast from my Junk articles, but let me continue. There’s this video my parents
have of the first time I ever rode a bike that I kept thinking about as I wondered what to write about in this goodbye article. Here, I’m in a little pink shirt and a little pink helmet and I’m pedaling just as hard as I can and the bike is inching forward and I’m crying, “I can’t do it, I can’t do it,” and all the while I am doing it, and maybe that is just what living is. Maybe we will never know if we are really living—we sometimes can’t see the path of our own feet and we will always be thinking about when life truly begins, and all the while we are biking, biking, biking. And maybe sometimes we will bike without our helmets on and wind will gust through our hair on sunny days, and at other times we will need a set of training wheels and also someone to install them for us as well as elbow pads and a bell on the handle-bars that we will ring to tell
others “I’m passing by” or “I’m here now” or “I feel like I’m going to crash help help help.” And sometimes riding a bike hurts your legs and you think about how cars can get to places much faster and maybe we sweat through our nice clothes while trying to balance in the bike lane, but at least we’re moving. I learned to ride a bike while yelling that I couldn’t. Sometimes that’s how living is. It’s wearing a number of contradictions and inconsistencies that seem too complex to unpack and slowly collecting the courage to do it anyways. And sometimes an extended metaphor such as this one isn’t enough to fully encapsulate the unpredictable ride that life is. I think I like it that way. This state of incoherence is now where I find my peace at, and here, I’ll continue biking, biking, biking.
Short letter to my classmates By Rachel Gima #12
Out of the innumerable amount of skills I’ve gained throughout my four years at Northwood, the one that stands out to me the most is my ability to sleep nearly anywhere. Friends and teachers alike have found me leaning on bookshelves, sitting in desk chairs and perched on lab station stools, using my sweatshirt or clarinet case as an impromptu pillow. This skill was furthered by my time in The Howler,
and I found myself (more than once) waking up on the floor of the pod on a deadline day wondering where my page was. Like my Northwood experience, The Howler has given me much more than new accidental nap spots, and has been an integral factor in the growth I’ve experienced during my time here. The Howler is a class that requires creativity, and with creativity comes a level of vulnerability that I didn’t necessarily experience in other classes. I can solve math problems
with a formula or a graphing calculator. I can use credible theories and scientific laws to back up my CEJs. I can cite dates, historical figures and key events in my DBQs. I write essays analyzing literary and poetic devices from other authors. But The Howler is a student-produced publication, and as such, allowed me to express myself creatively and forced me to be vulnerable with my peers in an intellectual setting. Despite the stark contrast this presented from my other classes, it took me a couple years of being a part of The Howler to understand and articulate that challenge. Looking back, however, this aspect of the class is one of the main reasons why it’s been instrumental in my academic and personal growth. The Howler became a place where I let myself make mistakes and take criticism from my peers, and despite the insecurity this initially presented, doing so immensely helped me mature as a writer and student. I owe a million thank-yous to Ms. Alburger and to all of my classmates for coaching and inspiring me to work harder and to grow. No words or gestures could express the gratitude I hold for everything you all have done for me. I only hope that anyone reading this is able to find a similar creative outlet that brings them the same freedom and growth as this experience has given me.
When I was two, I peed myself in my very first ballet class. Before you judge me (though I would too), I’ll set the record straight: Yes, I was potty-trained at the time— and not to mention, a pretty well-spoken toddler at that. So imagine my mom’s surprise as she arrived after class to pick up an excited budding ballerina, only to find me sobbing in the corner of a bathroom stall. It was brutal. A red nose, two puffy eyes—everything. I could barely explain myself in the back seat of the car, blubbering gasps squeezing between my words. Long story short, the teacher had become frustrated with the growing list of giggling toddlers asking to use the restroom and scolded the entire class for being unable to use the restroom beforehand. So imagine a 2 year old desperate to make a good first impression on her already-angered teacher, add a generous excess of confidence in her bladder-control abilities, and you know the rest. Thankfully, I haven’t peed myself since then (knock on wood), but every time I look at this picture of myself, I remember the feeling of losing control. Of feeling helpless. Of having things spiral out of grasp, as I desperately reach for something to hold onto. Throughout the past four years, I’ve had my fair share of pee-worthy moments, both in and out of North-
wood. But now that I’m standing here at the opposite end of the messy, upside-down tunnel that is high school, I’m grateful for those moments. My favorite memories aren’t ones of calm mornings spent sitting at The Oak, but rather hectic evenings scrambling to finish group projects in history class. FaceTiming with friends before finals week to bond over feeling overwhelmed and running across campus to find classrooms on the first day of school. I first stepped foot on campus in 2018 as a doe-eyed 14 year old, unsure of myself and my place in the world around me. But four years later, now as a rugged high school senior at 17—I’m still figuring it out. And that’s okay, because life isn’t always about feeling like you’re in control. It’s about accepting that sometimes, things don’t go as planned. And sometimes you feel overwhelmed. And sometimes you really really need to pee. I gave ballet another shot years later, and though I’d love to tell you that I grew up to be the principal ballerina of [Famous Ballet Company], I’m not gonna lie: Ballet ended up not being for me. But I’m left with no what-ifs, and in their place, I have an endless treasure-trove of memories. Of crying and laughing tears. Of recharging with friends and alone. Of experiencing high school in all its vibrant colors. And that’s all I could have asked for.
The Northwood Howler 14 May 26, 2022
VIEWPOINT/SPORTS SPORTS
March 10, 2022Howler 9 The Northwood
We are more than where we will go from here
By The Howler Editorial Board Editorial Board
Year after year, students clamor around The Oak in search of the longawaited centerspread: a map of the United States, along with the names of seniors listed under which college or institution they will be attending that fall. Chatter and shouts, laughter and whispers bound across the halls as fingers trace each corner of the print. The news circulates through direct messages and parent group chats, unfolding onto dinner tables. There’s no question that the age-old tradition of the college map in the senior issue centerspread was made with the best of intentions—a cause for celebration of the blood, sweat and tears each graduating senior poured into their years of public education and tedious college applications—but it utterly fails to recognize the efforts of those that won’t be taking the often defaulted to Northwood-to-college pipeline. Too often the “toxic academic environment” at Northwood is acknowledged but never addressed. Although no singular group of individuals is the root cause for Northwood’s elitist attitude toward college, it’s clear that The Howler championing college admissions every year promotes the unrealistic perception that a student can only be considered successful if they will be attending a socalled prestigious institution. Thus, The Howler has decided to no longer publish an annual college decision map. Over the years, our best efforts to make the map represent all seniors at Northwood have failed. The data we use to make the map is selfreported via the senior survey, and
we often found it to be inaccurate, as students were frequently listed under a college they didn’t actually attend. Furthermore, it is difficult to identify those who do not select college as their next destination. Without inclusive and reliable data, we were left feeding into the elitist notion that attending a college immediately following high school graduation is the only acceptable path forward, which ostracizes the approximately 5% of Northwood seniors each year that elect to take alternative paths such as trade school, joining the military or taking a gap year. While this is a small proportion of the senior class, replacing the college map with a more inclusive spread would make a big difference to those 1 in 20 seniors who otherwise would not be celebrated along with the rest of the senior class. Even for those planning to attend college next, this spread often induces more anxiety than contentment. Especially in Northwood’s competitive academic culture, the map invites unwanted, toxic comparisons between peers that do not factor in personal aspirations and circumstances. Instead it becomes a measure of worth, effort in school and entitlement. Somehow those that got into elite schools are seen as superior in the eyes of outsiders, having “won” high school. The accuracy issue inherent in self-reported data is only amplified by students who opt out of the map for fear of facing judgment over their choice. In 2020, 27.3% of seniors opted out of inclusion in our map, and that number skyrocketed to 48.8% in 2021. This creates a false impression that skews attendance towards topranked universities, placing an invis-
Classifieds: Northwood High Students and faculty members may place classified ads in The Northwood Howler by contacting the Business Manager at: northwoodnewspaper@gmail.com The Northwood Howler is published by Northwood High School as an open forum for exchange of news and ideas. Views expressed in The Northwood Howler do not necessarily represent opinions of the NHS administration or the Irvine Unified School District. Signed letters to the Editor are welcomed and encouraged. They can be placed in Adviser Marina Alburger’s mailbox or delivered to Room 1102. The Northwood Howler reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar and clarity. Advertisements do not necessarily represent the opinion of the newspaper. Mission Statement: To serve as a medium for school news and the expression of student ideas while adhering to the highest standards of journalistic integrity. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jonathan Kang
SENIORS Arya Bhattacharjee Adrian Chen MANAGING Claire Chien EDITOR Kathy Chun Eugenie Chang Nicole Curtis Matthew Dimaandal COPY EDITOR Abby Fang Karen Bruce Rachel Gima Rachel Gunawan THO EDITORS Yejin Heo Parashar Bharadwaj Lana Hwang Kevin Sohn Rahul Khanna Yenna Kim BUSINESS Mihir Kulkarni MANAGER Ellie Lan Aniket Kamat Ashley Lee Diego Moreno PHOTO EDITOR Anjana Narasimhan Ellie Chan Mei Ono Chloe Song GRAPHIC EDITOR Erin Tsai Saba Nabaeighahroudi Tyler Wong PHOTOGRAPHER Andrew Lee ADVISER Marina Alburger
STAFF WRITERS Olivia Cai Rhea Gupta NEWS EDITOR Karen Wang ACCENT EDITOR Rita Lai A&E EDITOR Noelle Escalante CENTERSPREAD EDITOR Richelle Gunawan VIEWPOINT EDITOR Annie Lee SPORTS EDITOR Rachel Yokota JUNK EDITOR Annabel Tiong
ible yet heavy burden on underclassmen who are indoctrinated to believe that the name of their future college is the chief determinant of their worth as a person. To clarify, we are not denying that making it into an elite school is an accomplishment worthy of celebration. But when trying to celebrate that accomplishment results in students (and parents) defining worth through comparison to the successes of others, a toxic environment is fostered. Through the college map, questions of how deserving or hardworking a student is are immortalized in a place where not only classmates, but also distant acquaintances and strangers can make presumptions based solely upon the college a student plans to attend. Needless to say, college is not a reflection of one’s character, nor is it an accurate depiction of one’s individual effort, as admissions often do not holistically account for students’ various circumstances. What ultimately matters is your skill set, which can be developed at any college, and your willingness to advocate for yourself. Thus, we must reconsider how to display our shared sense of pride for persevering through high school in a way that does not reduce our experience to a name on a map. Students that wish to share their future plans can do so through social media or gatherings of friends and family. Furthermore, seniors should relish in the knowledge that those who deeply care for them will not need a centerspread to celebrate their future plans; and for those who wish to know where every college-bound senior will be heading, consider that, if you haven’t been told personally, it’s really none of your business.
Saba Nabaeighahroudi The Northwood Howler
SENIOR NIGHTMARES: Five nights into admissions, college mascots loom over students stressing about the quality of their applications.
CIF Corner: NHS Spring Sports By Rachel Yokota Sports Editor
In a record-breaking season of “firsts” for Northwood’s spring athletics, all nine spring sports have made it to CIF. Boys Baseball (D5): Boys baseball made a strong comeback against Brea Olinda in the last two innings of CIF Round One and won with a score of 6-3. They pushed their CIF Round Two with Nogales High School into an extra inning but lost with a close score of 6-7. Boys Golf (D4): After boys golf breezed through the season undefeated, they became Northwood’s first boys golf League Champions on May 2 and 3. Junior and captain Pasha Besharaty and freshman Linus Vo competed in CIF Individual Regionals and the starting lineup participated in CIF Team Championships on May 16, receiving the title of runner-up. Boys Lacrosse (D2): During CIF Round One against Redondo Union High School, senior goalie Yossie Bibi made a total of 14 saves, seven of which were in the third quarter. However, the program ultimately lost to Redondo Union High School. This ended the boys lacrosse season with 10 overall wins and two losses in league play. Girls Lacrosse (D3): Girls lacrosse played against Chaparral High School on May 5 in Round One. After being down 2-6 at halftime, they recovered and held Chaparral to one goal during the second half. In the last minute, they
pushed the game into overtime with a goal by senior Emily Silva but lost by a score of 7-8. Softball (D5): In CIF Round One, softball dominated over Garey High School with a score of 6-0. During CIF Round Two against Fillmore High School, sophomore Lauren Silvia led the team with four hits, with senior and Stanford-commit Allison Morikawa following closely with three hits. However, Northwood lost with a score of 5-6. Swim (D1): Varsity girls and boys both won first place in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) Championships which was the first time for the girls program to do so. At CIF Prelims and Finals, freshman Derek Hitchens broke the 2017 school record for the 100 backstroke with a 50.04 and junior Christopher Leung broke the 2018 school record for the 200 IM with a 1:48.57. At CIF Finals, the girls program fended off Harvard-Westlake High School and placed 25th in the 200 medley relay after an outbreak of COVID-19 prevented nearly half of their athletes from attending. The Boys program placed fifth at CIF Finals and 11th at CIF State. Boys Tennis (D1): After dominating Sage Hill High School during CIF Round One with a score of 15-3, boys tennis defeated Servite High School in Round Two on May 6. In the quarter-finals, they lost to Mira Costa High School. Highlights of their CIF run include the starting doubles pair, seniors Sumay Kalra and Spencer Ho, going undefeated and landing a spot on the top four podium at PCL.
Track and Field (D2): The varsity boys program took the title of PCL Champions for the second year in a row and 10 athletes and four relays qualified for CIF Prelim events. From this, senior Kaela Brown, junior Dominic Cotton, senior Eunice Lee and the Girls 4x400 relay qualified for and competed in the CIF Finals on May 14. Brown moved on to CIF Masters in pole vault and finished eighth on May 21. Boys Volleyball (D4): Boys volleyball only lost one set after playing a total of seven during CIF rounds one and two against Brentwood High School and Canyon High School. For the first time since 2004, the program made it to the quarter-finals, though they were knocked out of the playoffs by Millikan High School.
Matthew Dimaandal The Northwood Howler
TENNIS ACE: Senior Spencer Ho shows off his unstoppable spirit.
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The Origin of Portola Parkway: Timby X Buster III - The Paw-rting
Adrian Chen The Northwood Howler
INTER-SCHOOL MASCOT ROMANCES COME, INTER-SCHOOL MASCOT ROMANCES GO: Everyone goes through rough patches... but howl I ever live without you? By Annabel Tiong Junk Editor
“Shoot.” Scrolling past notification after notification, Timby groaned as he realized how upset Buster would be, but truthfully, he had just been busy. He anxiously drafted an apology text, blankly watching the text cursor fling backwards as he fumbled over the right words. Suddenly, his phone began vibrating violently. “Hey…” What made the already sinking feeling in his gut a million times worse was the silence on the other end. Neither of them knew where to begin. “Timby, I’m serious. You know, I just miss when we used to be close. But now it feels like
Phineas
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we’re miles apart, even though we both live in Cypress Village. Just because you happen to be across the border means you can act like I’m part of Tustin Unified or something?” Timby almost laughed. “I’m sorry. It’s that time of year… Everyone wants me. ASB keeps begging me to be the photo op for their watered down high school version of the alpha wolf recognition we do back in the pack. And there’s supposedly a desperate need for me at rallies and spring sport CIFs or whatever. It’s just a lot.” “Wow… so you put everyone before me, huh.” “You’re being unfair. Why can’t you just respect that I’m busy right now? Besides, do I
Ferb
really want to hear that from the dog that left my paw four hanging at the tennis game last week?” “Stop bringing up old business,” Buster retorted. “I told you that’s because we were competitors.” “And I told you that it’s just sportsmanship when this exact same thing happened during football season,” Timby shot back. “I guess you really can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” In that moment, it was what was left unsaid beneath the clawlike gaping gash of Timby’s words that made them both speak simultaneously. “Maybe we should take a… paw-se.” Weeks turned into months, and they both knew. One day, Timby decided to text Buster.
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“Hey.. u free to meet up rn?” And so they stood, once more, T-wolf and Bulldog, awkwardly pacing outside on the street of Northwood High School. The distance had done more than push them apart: It had made them doggone strangers. “Buster, I…” The bulldog held up a firm paw before Timby could finish. “I want to end things off pawsitively. Do you remember when we first met? At the big CIF game…” Timby grinned. “Of course, you got dognapped. And then we instantly hit it off. I’d never talked with anyone about myself as much before.” “And then we went to the Spectrum and had some issues, but things worked out. Vaqy even came to our six month celebration!” “We even found the doggy mix! Ah stick… How did we end up here?” “It happens,” Buster said, a sad smile suppressed deep beneath his fur. “But I have something for you.” He unfurled his paw to reveal a gorgeous, sandpaper tan stick with ridges in all the right places, small offshoots even branching at the perfect angles. Timby had never seen anything so beautiful. “I can’t repay this!” Then came the sad smile once more. “You paid me in memories. See you around I
guess, Timby.” 1 YEAR LATER “I would like to officially congratulate you, Timby, for allowing Northwood to be named as having the best mascot in all of the world.” The principal shook his paw firmly at their annual meeting. “As a reward, we would like to give you the honor of renaming Northwood’s street address.” “Oh wow.. Could you give me some time to think about it?” That night, Timby went home pondering the enormous task he had been granted. This was the whole school after all. Kids would have to write this address on their LinkedIn for college applications. It’d have to be put on Google, typed into Maps a billion times. It was really, honestly, quite a big deal. He turned around in exasperation, and in doing so, heard a little crackling from under the table. Peering into the crevices of the long forgotten space under his desk, he saw a bright red bag. It was a doggy mix. And then he remembered. A name came to him. When he arrived at school at the beginning of next school year, Timby smiled in satisfaction at the shiny new street plate hanging from the traffic light outside the entrance. “That was fur sure an amazing arc.”
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By Annabel Tiong
Junk Editor
There’s seventy seven days of summer vacation (Wow IUSD really be skimping on summer, do better) Then school comes along just to end it So the annual problem for our generation Is signing up for college claaaaaasses Like come on… Taking math bridge course Or taking health classes Or climbing up the long fire road (running sprints for Volleyball camp) Discovering strats to ace the S-A-T Or giving Netflix a long watch(er) Healing mental health Creating bucket lists (that never get done) Or locating reading packets Let’s just SparkNotes! Finding why I’m learning Sleeping worries away Or going slowly insane, man (NHS) Core Values! As you can see There’s a whole lot of stuff to do Before schools starts this August Clearly not fall! So wish us luck ‘Cause there is no way we are gonna do it all So wish us luck ‘Cause we just want to cry and crawl in a tight ball
Mom! Yes, I have started all my college applications!
Saba Nabaeighahroudi The Northwood Howler