The Omniscient
Volume 15 Issue 2 January 2022 Cover Page
Winter Dance Concert Feature on page 4 Interview with Mayor Cindy Perry on page 6
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The Omniscient
January 2022
POINTS OF INTEREST
Page 4 & 5 - Northwood’s annual WINTER DANCE CONCERT took place on Dec. 10 and 11.
Page 15 - Northwood has TWO ATHLETES SIGNED to Division 1 schools.
THE NORTHWOOD Page 6 & 7 - The Omniscient staff interviewed returning MAYOR CINDY PERRY on her recent appointment to office.
Page 8 - Editor-In-Chief Grace Leonard gives tips on HOW TO LIVE A MORE SUSTAINABLE LIFE.
OMNISCIENT
EDITORS
STAFF WRITERS
Grace Leonard Editor-In-Chief
Liam Sovereign
Lily Kate Witcher Assistant Editor-In-Chief
Caroline Murrell
Ethan Westmoreland Design Editor
Alessia Iacono
Nellielou Errett Social Media Editor
Ivy Latta Brock
ADVISOR
Hannah Barnes
Ms. Eliza Brinkley ebrinkley@chatham.k12.nc.us
Page 10 - Staff Writer Alessia Iacono asks Northwood students about their NEW YEARS’ TRADITIONS.
Lex Mansour
Website: nhsomniscient.com Instagram: @nhsomniscient Twitter: @nhsomniscient TikTok: @nhsomniscient Spotify: The Northwood Omniscient
January 2022
The Omniscient
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THE OMNI’S FAVORITE
MOVIES OF 2021
REVIEWED IN ONE SENTENCE STAFF WRITER CAROLINE MURRELL
IN THE HEIGHTS - Lin Manuel Miranda’s musical is transformed into a lively and vibrant movie adaptation that tells a heartfelt tale of friendship, dreams and love.
STAFF WRITER ALESSIA IACONO FRENCH DISPATCH - Wes Anderson’s distinct filming style takes the screen in 2021 with a 3 story movie plot, providing a witty new way to showcase a movie and phenomenal acting from the ensemble cast.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF GRACE LEONARD
SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME The cast has perfect chemistry and fans of the previous Spider-Man franchises will be excited by the returning cast members.
STAFF WRITER IVY BROCK SEASPIRACY - Directed by Ali Tabrizi, Seaspiricy informs the viewer about the harm of overfishing and pollution in the ocean; it draws attention to the unethical treatment of aquatic life and calls for better practices in the fishing industry.
STAFF WRITER LIAM SOVEREIGN
STAFF WRITER HANNAH BARNES
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS Shang-Chi brilliantly takes on an entirely new cast and so effortlessly makes the audience attached to them with well-choreographed fight scenes and nuanced characters.
VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE - Tom Hardy as Eddie and Venom made sure not a single second of the movie went by without me either struggling not to giggle in the theater or stunned in dead silence.
ASSISTANT EDITOR LILY KATE WITCHER
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR NELLIE ERRETT
F9 - Vin Diesel and crew entertain with shenanigans and stunt-filled action scenes in the 9th installment of the Fast and Furious franchise; just remember to suspend all disbelief when they put a car into outer space.
HALLOWEEN KILLS - A horror film that is soon to be a classic, there are intriguing kills with emotional aspects that can pull in any horror-loving audience, although the ending is not for the quick-tempered.
STAFF WRITER LEX MANSOUR
GRAPHIC EDITOR ETHAN WESTMORELAND
FREE GUY - Ryan Reynolds starring as “Guy” had me laughing the whole time; the movie is also packed with action.
TICK, TICK...BOOM! - Andrew Garfield sings his heart out portraying Rent creator Jonathan Larson in this auto-biographical movie-musical biopic is Lin Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut.
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January 2022
CLASSES COMBINE FOR THE Concerts pt 1. ANNUAL WINTER DANCE CONCERT BY LILY KATE WITCHER ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
“When I have a student in Dance I who I get to see all four years, that’s not what a lot of teachers get,” Dance Teacher Kristen Oakes said. “A lot of teachers see you for a semester just by nature of what they teach; that’s what they get. So to see where a lot of students start at 14 and then end up by 18 – the maturity that happens in those four years is something I don’t know how to put into words. It’s also just awesome to watch that journey of self-discovery and self-confidence. It’s just really special.”
January 2022 On Friday, Dec. 10 and Saturday, Dec. 11, students from three different classes came together to continue a long-standing tradition at Northwood: the winter dance concert. Northwood’s dance program dates all the way back to 1972 and has continued to grow ever since. The concert featured 58 dancers, with one Dance I and one Dance III section and the dance ensemble. The Dance I and III classes performed two pieces each, and the dance ensemble performed four. Themes ranged from a fun Christmas piece, ‘ Sleigh Ride,’ to a more somber number, to Taylor Swift’s ‘Evermore’. Although the dance concert looks effortless on stage, it takes a lot of detailed work to make it happen. “It’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that people don’t really understand,” Dance Teacher Kristen Oakes said. “It’s daily rehearsals that require the students to be present. It’s listening to my voice holler over music for months on end. It’s getting super nit-picky about hand placements. The phrase ‘one more time’ is never ‘one more time’; we do it at least 17 more times probably, and that’s all just for what goes onstage.” Not only did members of the department dance, but they also provided some of the choreography for the concert. Seniors Aza McFadden, Arianna Arnold and Nicole Hamilton and junior Lexi Anthenien all choreographed pieces for their classmates to perform. The student choreographers had to go through a long process to see their work hit the stage. “We had to audition the piece, so we had to come up with half of a dance and the theme and costume and music,” Hamilton said. “Then we showed that to Mrs. Oakes, and if she thought it was a good piece for the class, we got to move on and finish it and start teaching it to the class.” The choreographers say that although the process was difficult, it felt like an accomplishment when it all came together. “Watching our vision come to life on other people’s bodies is really cool because you never know how it’s going to turn out,” Arnold said. “So when it turns out the way you want it to, it’s a good feeling.”
The Omniscient For these students, dance is a part of their life both in and outside of the classroom. McFadden has been dancing for 11 years, has been a member of the dance ensemble for 2 years, and is a member of the dance team at Northwood. Arnold has been dancing at a studio since she was three and is also a member of the dance team. Hamilton has danced in both Massachusetts and Florida as well as at Northwood. All this dance experience has led to many special memories and opportunities.
“By being in the dance department, and by having all of these outside experiences with dance, I’ve definitely seen my movement evolve,” Arnold said. “Just the way I see art has changed, so I’m very appreciative.” With the opening of Seaforth High School, Kristen Oakes is now the sole dance teacher at Northwood. This dance concert was Oakes’ tenth as a teacher, but she also participated in Northwood’s dance concerts as a student dancer. “I think growing up here in Chatham County, I didn’t really understand how incredible that opportunity was as a student until I graduated,” Oakes said. It’s just a wonderful opportunity to provide students a chance to take dance that’s not just in the
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studio and competition world because that is a very expensive world.” Arnold credits Oakes with the breadth of opportunity within Northwood’s dance department. “I think that having Mrs. Oakes as the head of the dance department has allowed a lot of our shows and performances to come to fruition,” Arnold said. “I know if we weren’t fortunate enough to have someone who cares so much about having arts in our school like she does, then it probably wouldn’t happen.” McFadden agrees, but says that it isn’t just the dance department that is special at Northwood.
“Also not just in dance, I feel like our arts department is really big and very successful,” McFadden said. “I just think that’s so great, especially since a lot of other schools don’t have this, but our school makes it a priority as well. It’s just like a core class even. A lot of people come to see the show because it’s so big.” With the close of the winter dance concert, the seniors enrolled in dance classes during the fall semester have now completed their dance career at Northwood. “It’s kind of sad that it’s our last show since we’re seniors, but I’m excited to see how the dance department continues to grow over the next few years,” Arnold said.
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January 2022
A Chat With Pittsboro’s Returning Mayor: Cindy Perry
BY ETHAN WESTMORELAND DESIGN EDITOR
Tuesday, Nov. 16, PITTSBORO—Graphic Editor Ethan Westmoreland and Editor-inChief Grace Leonard met with Mayor-Elect Cindy Perry at Café Diem to discuss her plans and outlook for her upcoming term. What followed was an almost hour-long conversation about Perry’s perspective on Pittsboro’s state of affairs, the place of public officials in a community and the nature of governing in a small town. The Problems Prodding Pittsboro The chemical contaminants of 1,4-Dioxane and PFAS, both carcinogenic, have been observed in Pittsboro’s water supply for years. According to a 2020 Duke University study, the presence of PFAS—per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—is two to four times higher in the blood of Pittsboro residents than in the general U.S. population. This is an upsetting statistic to many citizens and served as a sort of call to action for the then former mayor, Cindy Perry. “This term almost means more to me than when I first got elected in 2015, just because there are so many problems right now; the water is such an issue,” Perry said. “It’s considered generally safe if you have a 1-in-amillion cancer risk because of a chemical exposure; we’re down to 1 in a thousand.” Mayor Perry, who happens to be the daughter of a chemist, marveled at the subject’s precedence in her job as mayor. “[Contamination] is such a compelling issue for people your age,” Perry said. “Because I’m 74 years old, what’s in my body is in my body; it’s probably a bunch of pesticides and herbicides from before we even knew they were dangerous... But it’s your generation and the people even younger than you who are looking at a lifetime of exposure.” But Pittsboro’s issues continue past the water. The town is currently experiencing a housing crisis, a problem emblematic of the country at large today. Photo courtesy of Ethan Westmoreland
From left to right: Staff Writer Ray Brock, Mayor Cindy Perry, Editor-In-Chief Grace Leonard, Design Editor Ethan Westmoreland.
“The problems are already here, they’re already crying out to be dealt with,” Perry said. “Years and years ago, when Chatham Park was first coming in, there was a question at one of the political sessions about about what gentrification was going to mean in Chatham County. And to tell you the truth, at the time, I hadn’t heard the expression. I didn’t know that much about the whole process. But it’s here, it’s now. Houses in Pittsboro are going for so much that it is pricing people of even moderate income, let alone low income, out of the market. There’s so much to be done even for a town that only has 5,000 people. The footprint of this town is roughly 2 miles by 3 miles… but the surrounding area has a real stake in what happens here.”
Pittsboro’s Political Participation The 2021 Presidential election had the highest voter turnout of any U.S. election in history. But this increased participation in the democratic process was not limited to national campaigns. “We almost always come in really high–80-83%. I think we came in at 87% this time,” Perry said. “We have a really motivated community. That’s one of the things I love about Pittsboro; it’s a community that is agricultural, academic, and artistic. And the three of them together bring people together into a really studied political venue. It really is amazing how interested people are in politics.” The Pittsboro population’s continued investment in politics is important to Mayor Perry, especially that of young people. “It’s wonderful to have experienced people and people who have had great careers,” Perry said. “I had a wonderful career, 25 years as an attorney here in town. And even before that I was a legal secretary for a law group in Chapel Hill. But the truth is that we
need young people and young people’s ideas to take on the next flow of things… So one of the things that I want to do is leave students and young people with the idea that ‘politics’ is not a dirty word. If there’s that much enthusiasm about the presidency, then why wouldn’t there be more enthusiasm about local politics? Because local politics is the most impactful to your everyday lives, and it’s more accessible.” P-Town Pride Mayor Perry revels in the importance of Pittsboro’s close-knit community. With a population of just over 4,000, the issues of the small town may seem insignificant to some, but Perry doesn’t see it that way. She recounted a story from the 2018 Mayor’s Climate Change Conference, one where Pittsboro’s status as a small town was valued: “They called me before I went [to the conference] and they said ,‘We want you to be a part of a panel: you and a couple of other Mayors.’ And I said ‘Y’all, I don’t think you understand how small my town is.’ And they said ‘Oh yes, we do!’ So there was the Mayor of San Francisco, the Mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Cindy Perry, Mayor of Pittsboro sitting on stage talking about Climate Change in front of all of these people… The idea started out being ‘Well, what can you do in a small town?’ You can do small things that really mean a lot.” This experience left a lasting impression on Mayor Perry. “A reporter from The New York Times was there and asked me if I would interview with him after,” Perry said. “A little gal from Pittsboro. Incredible! So obviously, that’s in the scrapbook.”
January 2022
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LIVING A MORE SUSTAINABLE LIFE
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BY GRACE LEONARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
In order to care for the one Earth that we have, we must all strive to lead more sustainable lives. While being completely sustainable does not come with ease, there are small steps everyone can take that makes for a healthier planet.
Cut Out Single-Use Plastics Plastic and styrofoam are not biodegradable materials, and when they are no longer useful they tend to be piled up in landfills or they litter the environment. While society has become dependent on plastics, there are some that we should commit to cutting back on or cutting out; these are called single use plastics. Single use plastics include plastic non-reusable drink bottles, take-out utensils and containers, plastic bags, straws and some coffee cups. Avoiding using these items may be difficult, but it can be done if you motivate yourself and find reasons to do the right thing. Try opting for reusable bottles made of glass or metal, glass or metal straws if you must have one and reusable fabric grocery bags, and try to consume less takeout--ask for no utensils and try to support businesses that don’t use plastic or styrofoam to-go containers.
Avoid Amazon Shipping and supporting big businesses can be quite harmful to the earth by furthering pollution. Most items in your town’s stores are already shipped in, and when ordering from Amazon, you add to that by shipping in a small amount of items at a time. Amazon is not the only culprit; all online shopping and big business contribute to the excess pollution. This is extremely wasteful and rarely necessary—it is just a lifestyle comfort. The simple solution is to only get what you absolutely need off of Amazon and try to purchase as many local products as possible. Purchasing your monthly needs, save for groceries, in one trip to a brick and mortar store rather than shipping each item one by one makes a bigger difference to atmospheric pollution than you know.
Source Your Food
Conserve Water and Electricity
Do you know where your food comes from or what’s in it? If you are not sourcing your food, you could be purchasing meat from CAFOs that could contain carcinogens due to how it has been treated. Fruits and vegetables also often contain carcinogens due to being treated with pesticides or proximity to another crop treated with pesticides. Food can also be grown in a way that contributes to overall waste if it was harvested in a non-native climate that requires more water to care for it. Sourcing your food is knowing where it came from and how it was treated. The best way to source is to buy local food that is in season, specifically at farmers markets. Also, ask the butcher where his animals came from, how they were treated and if they were given any injections. It is really important to avoid pesticides as it is harmful to the soil and to your body.
Something you’ve probably heard all of your life is that you should not waste water or electricity. When it comes to conserving water it’s more about paying attention to what you’re doing; for example, don’t leave the water running when brushing your teeth or rinsing dishes, don’t take lengthy showers and don’t purchase non-local plants that require lots of water to thrive. It’s also about mindfulness when conserving electricity; for example, turn off all lights when leaving a room, or if they aren’t being used, don’t leave lights on when you’re not home. If you’re going on a trip, remember to unplug anything that uses electricity that you won’t need, such as clocks, and pay attention to what kind of technology you use, including if it uses minimal energy or not—you can purchase energy-saving light bulbs and other technology such as programmable thermostats.
Boycott Unethical Corporations While the decisions you make on a daily basis are impactful and should be as sustainable as possible, in reality, your daily choices aren’t the most significant factor in pollution percentages. Large corporations are the source of most of the pollution in our world. If citizens and corporations work towards sustainability together, then we will all live healthier lives and leave a healthier planet for our descendants. You can participate in improving the practices of corporations by writing to NC representatives to pass energy resolutions, boycotting these corporations and their sister companies, and working for these companies to influence their policies.
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January 2022
January 2022
The Omniscient
NEW YEAR AT NORTHWOOD: TRADITIONS AROUND CAMPUS
BY ALESSIA IACONO STAFF WRITER
People around the world celebrate New collards represent bringing in money in the Year’s in unique ways, ranging from dif- new year, the pork chops represent health, ferent foods, games and activities, and and the black eyed eyed peas represent luck. Northwood students are no exception. With We have biscuits and potatoes because some traditions like the ball drop and popping of the members of my family don’t like the champagne, there are more cultural and other options.” creative traditions among students that may Other than food related traditions, activibe less well known. ties with friends and family are another way According to an Omniscient poll of Northwood students like to ring in the new 33 responders, eight people say that food year. related traditions seem to be most common “In Korean culture it is traditional to kinds of New Year’s custom. celebrate New Year’s Day in order to have “We eat clam chowder to celebrate our a happy/healthy following year,” freshman Irish heritage,” freshman Max Naki Ellis said. “In the morning it is Mccauley said. traditional to eat Tteokguk—a korean “There are a few cultural traditions I rice cake soup—for breakfast and then participate in, and a lot of them my mom participate in Seh-beh. Seh-beh is a way practiced in her childhood in the Philipof honoring elders and ancestors by the pines,” junior Nellie Errett said. kids bowing to their elders and saying “My favorite tradition is to have 12 [differ- “saehae bok mani badeuseyo” which wishes ent] fruits. Each fruit represents a month of good luck for the next year.” the year.” “We wear green and keep 12 one-dolSpecial New Year’s foods that lar bills in our wallets—my mom calls it a symbolize luck and good fortune are eaten “fat wallet”—or good luck in the upcoming as a part of a delicious meal. year,” Errett said. “A tradition I have is eating collard New Year’s-themed activities vary from greens and black eyed peas with dinner nostalgic, fun games to creative crafts. on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day,” “I sit with my family and write down the senior Mya McClarty said. “The collard year’s ‘favorites,’ like our favorite book that greens represent wealth and the black eyed year, song, memory, family trip, etc. and peas represent good luck” compare them with every other year,” an “On New Year’s Day, my family makes anonymous student said. a dinner of collard greens, pork chops, “I make a luck pig out of a lemon and black eyed peas, biscuits, and mashed po- a penny,” freshman Leila Sabbagh said. tatoes,” junior Caydence Draper said. “The “They bring luck in the new year.”
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“My family goes bowling until the ball drop,” junior Isabella Papendieck said. Despite the many differences in New Year’s traditions at Northwood, students agree on one thing: no matter what, the new year is a time to spend doing things that make you happy, as well as a way to look back on the growth of yourself, a nation and the world around you. Happy New Year!
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January 2022
SENIORS’ FINAL STRETCH DOESN’T NEED TO BE DIFFICULT BY LIAM SOVEREIGN STAFF WRITER
Senioritis can be described as a lack of motivation at the end of one’s senior year in high school. Although senioritis is not a real disease or medically diagnosable, it is a case that affects seniors in high school where they have a desire to leave, feel inexplicable sadness or laziness, and feel that keeping up their grades aren’t worth it. Colleges have already accepted some of these students and they feel it is unnecessary to continue school, so they start skipping and, in some cases, failing their classes. “I don’t really get the point of going to school anymore,” senior Caden Little said. “I already have plans of what I want to do after my senior year and I don’t need a high school diploma to accomplish that.” COVID-19 is still a major problem across the world with mandated masks and new variants popping up like the new Omicron variant. Students still have college applications to deal with, as well as school traditions, extracurricular activities, and friendships to maintain. “I’m feeling burnt out about school just because there’s so many other things going on in my life right now,” senior Brett Buckoski said. “As seniors we have to worry about our futures and applying to college. Of course we’re still in the midst of a pandemic so we have to worry about that. And on top of all of that just teenage life in general. The measures I’ve taken in order to keep trying at school are that I know now at the moment if I don’t get my act together I will not do well on my final grade this semester and I need to pass all my classes in order to graduate, so passing my classes in the last term is what is motivating me to get back to school.”
One way to lessen burnout is to avoid thinking of school ending when classes are still in session. Grades are still important even after getting into a college, as colleges are still able to access grades even after someone has been admitted. College admissions aren’t fixed and can be revoked. Maintaining grades shows colleges that students can be proactive and can still show effort towards their academics. This is especially important as in college, students are expected to manage their own time and workload. Seniors at Northwood may succumb to feelings of senioritis as the school year comes closer to an end. Senior Mackenzie Fassinger is in her first year at a public high school and says school seems pointless now that she has gotten into college. “I think senioritis can be a problem,” Fassinger
said. “For example, since I have already submitted my college applications I don’t feel as motivated to make good grades, and community service seems pointless since colleges won’t see it… This is my first and last year of high school and I want to get the most out of this, while also getting good grades.” According to www.kaptest.com, there are many different ways to combat senioritis like taking breaks, having fun, and enjoying time at home. Fassinger gave some of her own advice on ways to combat senioritis. “To avoid [senioritis], students could use planners to organize themselves ensuring all their assignments get done and commitments fulfilled; I would also recommend looking to the future to impact their lives, whether it be tomorrow or in ten years.”
January 2022
The Omniscient
COMMOTION IN THE OCEAN
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Why We Need to Make Waves About Pollution
Greenpeace.org states that large fishing companies are a big component of the endangerment of various fish species in the ocean. These companies destroy habitats, emit air pollution from burning gasoline to power boats, fish for rare and endangered species for profit and throw the most amount of plastic into the ocean. According to seashepherdglobal.org, about 46% of all plastic waste in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch are fishing nets alone. However, the pollution in the ocean doesn’t just hurt sea life. Noaa.gov says that an estimated BY RAY BROCK 50%-80% of all oxygen comes from the ocean. This STAFF WRITER oxygen production comes from small organisms called plankton. Plankton includes drifting plants, Most people have heard that the ocean holds tons of trash in it but not everyone knows why that algae and some bacteria that can use photosynthesis for nourishment. Photosynthesis can only happen if matters. Not only does the pollution in the ocean these organisms can reach sunlight; if there is oil, affect wildlife and their ability to live, but it also plastic or anything else blocking out the sun, they affects the human race as a whole. can’t produce any more oxygen. According to conservation.org, there are about According to noaa.gov, thousands of oil spills 17.6 billion pounds of plastic dumped in the ocean happen in U.S. waters every year. These spills harm every year. If nothing changes, the weight of plastic the environment in two ways. One way is fouling, alone will outweigh all the ocean’s fish by 2050. also known as oiling. Fouling is when oil That may seem like a long time from now but in reality, most current high schoolers will be in their physically harms the plants or animals in the affected area. For example, a bird can become mid-forties. Many people today can help stop this from happening so they don’t regret it in the future. unable to fly due to oil coating its wings. These kinds of impacts are overlooked by some people Savethesea.org says that more than 3.5 million people depend on the ocean as a primary source of but can be detrimental to the animal’s chance of survival. food. In only 20 years, that number could The other way oil can affect an environment is potentially double to 7 billion people. Not only will by the level of oil toxicity due to oil spills. Since oil people go hungry due to the pollution in the ocean is made up of many toxic compounds, it can cause but many people will also die from different health problems. These compounds can be a sicknesses. The annual economic cost of hepatitis mixture of thousands of different chemicals but from tainted seafood alone is $7.2 billion. they are primarily made up of hydrogen and carbon. Overfishing is also a problem for sea life.
Exposure to oil can cause immune system defects, heart problems, stunted growth or even death in some cases. People concerned for the well-being of the ocean have protested the state of the ocean by organizing boycotts like “Plastic Free July” in order to stop plastic pollution. This, of course, isn’t the only thing people are doing to help reduce the amount of pollution. Some have cut down on plastic usage by getting reusable water bottles or reusable shopping bags. Many popular YouTube creators like Mr. Beast, Mark Rober, Nick DiGiovanni and many more have come together to support the Ocean Conservancy Project. This movement aims to collect plastic pollution from the ocean and dispose of it properly. Every dollar donated to the cause is a pound of trash that the organization is able to recover from the seas. If you would like to help this cause, you can donate to it at the oceanconservancy.org website.
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ALUMNI REFLECT ON TIME AT NORTHWOOD
Rachel Donnald Class of 2015 English Teacher
Emilie Williams Class of 2000 Product Designer
January 2022
Michael Whitfield Class of 1992 Data and Operations
How has Northwood changed since your time here?
Nicholas Holland Class of 1985 Assoc. Dir. of Bands, Charleston Southern University What was your favorite thing about Northwood?
RD: I think that we’re in a season of change right now…It seems like we have more academic opportunities every day, more AP opportunities, and I’m seeing the arts program develop in a lot of ways that I don’t think they had when I was a student. So lots of good change is happening.
RD: My favorite thing was the arts program for sure, and marching band was really the defining experience of my high school career, as well as dance. High school is such a time of artistic expression; you just have a lot of creative energy, and I really value that I was at a school with a strong arts program.
EW: Well, it looks like they put up a lot of buildings...I hear from my family that it’s changed a lot. My cousin is actually a senior right now in school.
EW: Band was my favorite thing. We got a lot of fun travel trips, and we had our little group in the band - it’s probably still like that, I assume. I thought the arts at Northwood were always really great, I mean there’s a really great theater program...Northwood was really high level with the acting department, and everything I learned with music in the school set me up for the future.
NH: I know [the band] has changed; we were pretty small when I was there, and they’ve since developed and kind of gone through some ups and downs. They grew a good bit, and they got a lot more competitive and successful. I think they’re kind of back on the upswing, building the program back up and making it more competitive in the state which is awesome. MW: It seems like Northwood is a lot bigger now, and you guys are 3A now when we [used to be] 2A. There’s more recognition; [Northwood has] a reputation now for the academics as much as the athletics. How do you think Northwood prepared you for higher education and/or your career? RD: I think that Northwood does have very strong academic standards. I feel really fortunate that I was able to go to Northwood for high school because the rigor has been there for a while, and I still think we’re keeping that up… Northwood being a school that promotes extracurricular involvement, students learn how to manage their time very effectively, so that served me very well in college as well. And obviously as a teacher. EW: It’s funny, I didn’t realize quite how progressive the education I was getting actually was. I felt like I worked really hard in school...but I think there was some level of ‘just keep going’ or some level of grit to figure things out...I feel like just the attention that individual teachers gave some of us as kids there was really helpful and it encouraged us. I was doing all this random technology stuff at the time and nobody said “don’t do that;” they encouraged it. NH: One of my favorite things about Northwood is that it was pretty diverse for a rural county school…I had friends that were Latino, I had friends that were African American. In terms of diversity, I thought it was great. MW: It was a close community, and the teachers really cared about the students and knew your parents, your grandparents. Being [in] a smaller town, you knew everybody.
NW: I have to say the band. Just being in the band was almost my whole world for a while, and then when I made the track team my junior year, it was kind of different for sure…I still keep in touch with many of my friends from high school. We’re not nearly as close as we used to be, and not all of us are still around sadly. It was a special place for me for sure. MW: I think it was the teachers. I can name a lot, but it was the teachers that were the best memories I had of highschool. At the time, I probably wouldn’t have said that because I didn’t like school as much as I do now, [but] looking back on it, I do realize the importance of having good teachers now. Do you have a message for any current Northwood students? RD: I would say that when I was a high schooler, I always said, “I’m getting out of Pittsboro the second I get a chance”, and it wasn’t until after I graduated and did have some experiences outside of Pittsboro that I realized how special Northwood is…Northwood might be a place you really value one day. Even if you’re not having a great time in high school right now, you will value it later. EW: Keep going, just keep going, just work through it…really give it your best effort…You can make up for a lot of other things if you just keep going on. NH: It would be to work hard. A lot of hard work and a little bit of talent will win the day. Even if something doesn’t come easy to you, don’t give up…We can change the world with real hard workers. MW: Listen to your teachers, respect people and yourself, and keep pushing. Don’t ever give up, keep following your dreams and make it happen.
January 2022
The Omniscient
2 NORTHWOOD ATHLETES SIGNED TO D1 UNIVERSITIES
BY LEX MANSOUR STAFF WRITER
As of Dec. 2021, Caroline Murrell and Hannah Forbes are the only Northwood students who have been officially signed to D1 schools—North Carolina State University and The University of North Carolina at Wilmington, respectively. Murrell and Forbes reflected with The Omniscient on their signings and the accomplishments that have led up to this moment.
Photo courtesy of Ethan Westmoreland
Caroline Murrell(center) with her parents at the N.C. State signing.
redshirt an athlete for a season, and this can mean an extra fifth or sixth year for the athlete on the team [where they will have the opportunity to make money by being contributors to the team].” Q: How has COVID affected your sports, practices, or work ethic? A: “During last year’s cross country season and this past track season, we have had limited opportunities to race, but I still felt like I was able to make the most of it.” Q: How did you prepare to become a D1 athlete? A: “Doing all the right things, showing up to practice, doing the little things right. Not just doing the workout at practice, but eating well and sleeping well. Not just focusing on [my] sport, but also other areas of school like clubs and especially [my] grades because that is something that is also super important to college coaches.”
Q: How long have you been playing your sport? A: “Since 5th grade, so like 7 years.”
Q: What area do you plan to major in along with your sport? Will sports interfere with academic achievement? A: ”I am majoring in psychology and minoring in Spanish. I don’t think [sports will interfere with academic achievement] because at D1 schools, they have a lot of resources for student athletes. I will have access to tutors and academic advisors to help keep me on my feet.”
Q: What inspired you to pick and sign to the college you did? Was it difficult to decide? A: “I signed to NC State. It was a hard decision, and I was looking at a lot of different schools at first, so it was hard to narrow down. I took a visit to NC State and UNC Charlotte and ultimately decided NC State because of the legacy they have and the team culture. They have really awesome teammates and great coaching, and I think I am going to become the best runner I can be.”
Hannah Forbes(center left) with her family at the UNC Wilmington signing.
Q: What teams are you on and what sports do you play? A: “I am on Northwood’s Cross Country, Winter Track, and Spring Track teams.”
Q: What are your thoughts on being signed? A: “It was a big weight weighing down on me, trying to decide where I want to go, where I would be happiest. It’s nice being signed and definitely a relief.” Q: Are you receiving a scholarship or financial aid? A: “No, the way it will work for me is I can earn my way into money. With any sport in the NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association], coaches have the choice to
Photo courtesy of Ethan Westmoreland
What teams are you on and what sports do you play? A: “Freshman year I played volleyball, basketball, and soccer, but now I only play volleyball. I play here at Northwood, and I also play at NC Volleyball Academy.” Q: How long have you been playing your sport? A: “This is my third year playing club volleyball, but I’ve played volleyball all four years at Northwood.”
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Q: What inspired you to pick and sign to the college you did? Was it difficult to decide? A: “I chose UNCW because I have always loved the school. I love the beach, and the environment of the college is really great. I also love the coaches, and the girls on the team were so nice.” Q: What are your thoughts on being signed? A: “Signing was a really good feeling; it was fun making it official.” Q: How has COVID affected your sports, practices, or work ethic? A: “COVID happened the first year of club, so I didn’t really get to play much that year. I used the time to practice a ton. I was in the gym all the time, and it really helped me improve.” Q: How did you prepare to become a D1 athlete? A: “I did a lot of preparing before I committed, but the way I see it is I still have a lot of improvement to make before I get to UNCW.” Q: What area do you plan to major in along with your sport? Will sports interfere with academic achievement? A: “I am planning on majoring in psychology. I definitely think that I will have to learn to balance school and volleyball. Both are super important to me, and I am super thankful to have the opportunity to play while also pursuing my degree.”
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The Omniscient
TEMPERATURES DROP, PINING HEARTS RISE
January 2022
Social Media Editor Nellie Errett answers Northwood’s burning questions about dating
How do I know if I am ready for a relationship? It is important to think of your mental health before getting into a relationship. You need to put yourself first. If you are constantly searching for a partner, odds you are not approaching relationships with the right mindset. You should not be blindly looking for any random person to fill the role. After thinking this through first, you should then make sure that you are in a good place mentally before committing to someone else. You don’t always have to fit the idea “love yourself before you love someone else,” but you should at least be able to communicate your negative feelings and thoughts with a partner to make sure you can have a healthy relationship.
I now know that I am ready for a relationship; how exactly do I flirt?
Where should I take my partner on a date?
Flirting is very important. It will grab your crush’s attention and show them you are interested. When flirting with the person you are interested in, try not to be too “in their face.” You don’t want to come off as creepy. It is okay to be obvious, though. If you are not obvious in your flirting, the other person might have no idea you like them. My favorite flirting technique is to smile and look in their eyes. You could even try the “look in the right eye, look at their lips, look at the left eye” technique. This will show your interest through your body language. If you want to go a step further, you can ask said person a question about their life or their opinion on something to spark an interesting discussion. Flirting is also helpful when figuring out if someone likes you. If you flirt with a person and they are not reciprocating your energy, there is a chance they do not like you.
Going on a date is a very exciting experience, and you want to make sure it is special. Planning well makes all the difference, so here are some great date ideas to make it a memorable moment. - Going to a nice meal and a movie - Roller or ice skating - Sports games - A day trip to the lake If you are low on money, but want to do something nice, try: - Hike to a nice view and picnic -Stargazing at night - Having a game night at home - Cook together and try to make a fun meal - Karaoke
How do I know if this person is right for me?
What are some red flags in a partner?
After beginning to date, it may be hard to tell whether this person is right for you. You learn new things about this person over time. While hopefully most things about them are things you like, there may be some things you don’t like. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should leave at the first sign of incompatibility, but if it is something that is a dealbreaker or that is causing your feelings to change, you should discuss with your partner your concerns. You should also make sure that you can be equals with your partner. No one in a relationship should feel inferior to the other. This may be hard to tell when you are headover- heels for someone, so maybe focus on if you feel like equals or not. You can have your differences, but do you truly feel comfortable with this person? Do you 100% think that your partner thinks of you as highly as they do themself? If you find yourself not feeling like an equal to your partner, you may want to reconsider your role in the relationship or even the relationship itself.
Red flags come in many different forms, and it can be it hard to recognize them. Here are some that you can spot yourself: - They push your boundaries, even if it is something small, like they won’t stop tickling you when you tell them to stop. This can lead to bigger problems with consent. - They are overly mean during arguments. Every couple will argue, and the way you deal with these arguments is so important. If you find yourself being yelled at, cursed at or called names, you should take this as a sign they do not know how to hold respect for a partner or have poor conflict-resolution skills. Both of these are bad for a relationship. - You don’t feel as in love with them anymore. It’s normal to feel more comfortable in a relationship over time and to not be as nervous, but the love should still be there. Wanting alone time is always understandable, but if you’re wanting most of your time by yourself, it might be a sign you are falling out of love. Many people grow apart from their partner, and that is totally okay.
January 2022
The Omniscient
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BEING LEFT ON ‘READ’ BY CAROLINE MURRELL STAFF WRITER
As soon as you wake up, the first thing you do is open Snapchat to check if your crush from math class responded to the snap you sent last night. What you see makes your stomach drop; the red “opened” symbol beside their name stares at you, almost mocking the fact that they read your message and didn’t respond. Did I say something wrong? Do they hate me? These questions plague your mind throughout the day, as well as feelings of self-doubt and embarrassment. You dread the class you share together and can’t even bring yourself to look at them even when they ask you what answer you got for #7. You go home and plop down on your bed, ready to sulk the rest of the evening, when suddenly your phone pings. It’s a Snapchat from your crush! You’re anxious to open the message, but you still wait a few minutes before opening it to avoid seeming desperate. When you finally open it, the message says “Hey! Sorry, I’ve been really busy the past day and forgot to answer my snaps.” Relief floods over your body, and you even start to feel silly about being so upset; they had a perfectly good reason for not being able to respond. So why did you get so worked up over it? In this age of modern technology and social media, we are now able to constantly be in contact with the people in our lives. This phenomenon can be a blessing, but also a curse. On one hand, it’s convenient to have a fast and easy way to communicate with our family and friends, but on the other hand, it can make us unhealthily dependent on being in constant contact with others. On most text messaging and social media platforms, there is a feature in messages known as “read receipts,” letting you know whether or not the person you have messaged has seen
your text. Though it seems insignificant, being ignored hurts. We may feel this way even if a person decides to leave us on “delivered” by not opening our message. We are prompted to question if that person is mad at us, or if we are annoying them. As communication via smartphone continues to assert itself as the norm in teenagers’ daily lives, with 98% of Generation Z owning a smartphone according to a Pew Research Center Poll conducted in 2018, so does this new kind of anxiety. The concern with being left on “read” is one of the many negative effects that the overuse of social media and texting can have on our mental health. According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology titled “No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression,” there is a strong link between regular social media use and an increased risk for depression, anxiety and loneliness. Feeling ignored and rejected by someone because they didn’t respond to your text message can contribute to these feelings. So, how can we ease our minds when we are
left on read? Don’t assume the worst We all get busy, and sometimes respond ing to texts may not be our first priority. It is perfectly plausible that the person who has left you on read is in the same boat. We shouldn’t always expect people to respond to us right away because we are not always their first priority. This isn’t always personal though, and there’s no use in speculating about the unknown and worrying unnecessarily. Distract yourself Staying on your phone and obsessing over the “read” icon in your messages will just make you feel worse. Put your phone down and read, watch one of your favorite shows, or go on a walk. When we’re on our phones constantly, it can be easy to forget that life goes on outside of the realm of cellular data. When we realize this, being left on read may start to seem less significant. Call a friend Just because one person in your life may not have the time at the moment to communicate with you doesn’t mean other people don’t. When we feel ignored, it’s easy for our minds to spiral into thinking that no one wants to talk or spend time with us, which usually isn’t true. Call or text a friend to meet up! They may even be open to listening to your feelings about being left on read and will offer advice, if solicited. Your entire world does not revolve around one person, and though it hurts to be ignored by them, there are plenty of other people who care about you and like to spend time with you. ~ Feeling anxious or sad when you’re left on read is a normal response to feeling rejected and ignored, but it’s important to remember that our thoughts aren’t always our reality and an ignored text message is not the end of the world.
The Northwood Omniscient is an award-winning student magazine. In 2021, the publication received the Tar Heel Award for its website from the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association (NCSMA) along with recognititon for many individual students’ pieces. If you are interested in journalism, current events, writing or graphic design, then The Northwood Omniscient is for you. As a journalism student, you will practice your writing, editing and creative skills while working with other student journalists. To become a staff member for The Northwood Omniscient, join Journalism Club or apply for the Journalism class. To learn more about both the club and class, please contact Ms. Eliza Brinkley at ebrinkley@chatham.k12.nc.us.
