Multiple bikes stolen in the first quarter on Country Day campus
BY RYAN XU
Since the beginning of the 2024-25 school year, three bicycle thefts have impacted the Sacramento Country Day high school community.
Bicycles owned by high school students have been stolen from the communal campus bicycle rack, located behind the Benvenuti Gymnasium, since the beginning of the
school year. Each theft occurred when the bicycles were left on campus overnight. Two were secured; one was not.
The first theft this year occurred on Sept. 3, when junior Dylan Corcoran’s bike was stolen. Corcoran left her locked bike on campus at the bike racks, and found it missing the next day.
“I bike to school in the mornings but I realized I had community service and my mom
needed to pick me up after school,” Corcoran said. “I left my bike at school overnight multiple times last year with no issues, but this time my bike wasn’t there.”
Senior Radha Chauhan, who used her bike to commute to and from her internship at California State University, Sacramento, was also impacted by a theft.
Chauhan’s bike was stolen on the night of Sept. 17. It was left on campus, locked to the
bike rack with a cable lock.
Chauhan realized her bike had been stolen the next morning when she found her cable lock cut and left on the bicycle storage rack following the theft.
“I had a bad day and week after that. It wasn’t a cheap bike and I felt bad for my parents who bought me the bike,” Chauhan said.
Country Day Robotics team prepares for first qualifying meet
BY REHAN AFZAL
On Nov. 16, Sacramento Country Day’s robotics team will attend the season’s first qualifying meet, hosted by “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology” (FIRST).
The FIRST Tech Challenge is an international robotics competition, with multiple qualifying rounds at the league and state levels.
All teams must build their robots given the same set of materials, and then program them to complete different tasks. Currently, the Country Day team meets twice a week after school for an hour and a
CAMPUSCORNER
ROCKVEMBER FEST
On Nov. 8, Country Day’s high school students will compete and bond in a series of games and events. Students will also compete in the annual talent show and meet with advisers about grades all in one day.
half in preparation for the first qualifying round in November.
Junior Annabelle Do leads the team as captain, facilitating practices and ensuring that the team makes consistent progress in preparing for the meet. She founded the club last year in hopes of bringing STEM to a broader scope of students.
Sophomore Forest Liu was one of these students, joining the team in his freshman year to gain engineering experience.
“I really wanted to try things related to engineering because I had never had firsthand experience with building anything,” Liu said. “I also have an interest in mechanical engineering, so I thought robotics
TURKEY DRIVE
Country Day will be supporting the 13th Annual Turkey Drive with the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services. On Nov. 15 during morning dropoff, volunteers will be accepting turkey donations. Families may also donate money in place of a turkey—one turkey for every $15.
would be a good experience.”
Liu was able to gain a wide range of experience during his time on the team. This year, Liu has helped lead the mechanical engineering aspects of the preparation, helping build attachments for the team’s robot.
Outside of refining his technical skills, Liu also gained valuable interpersonal knowledge.
“I learned to work better with other people because you rarely are able to build any single thing, but especially any major projects by yourself,” he said.
Outside of his own personal development, Liu has also seen the team grow
over the past year. Last year, the preparation process was less methodical, and roles were not as clear-cut.
“This year, we’re assigning certain tasks to groups of people instead of just one. Last year, a big project we tried to do was building a conveyor belt, but we only assigned one person to do it, and it was pretty hard for him. So that project never became a reality,” Liu said.
As team captain, Do has worked to fix these issues for the upcoming season. This year, she hopes to streamline the preparation by learning from last year’s mistakes.
“We’re a bit more familiar with how the
ROBOTICS page 3 >>
INSIDE ISSUE the TEASPOON REVIEW
Read a review of Teaspoon—the newest boba shop opened at Loehmann’s Plaza. (PAGE 11)
PHOTO COURTESY OF TEASPOON
LURKING THIEF Unnamed student demonstrates how a bike can be stolen, highlighting Sacramento Country Day’s vulnerability to theft. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY REHAN AFZAL
STAFF
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
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Saheb Gulati
Zema Nasirov Garrett Xu
COPY EDITORS
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Ryan Xu
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FEATURE EDITOR
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SPORTS EDITOR
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Kate Barnes
TECHNOLOGY TEAM
Ava Eberhart, manager
Daniel Holz
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PHOTO EDITOR
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PAGE EDITORS
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Jesse Dizon
Ava Eberhart
Aaryan Gandhi
Ava Levermore
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BUSINESS STAFF
Aaryan Gandhi, manager
SOCIAL MEDIA STAFF
Ava Eberhart, co-editor
Anika Nadgauda, co-editor
REPORTERS
Noor Alameri
Lukas Chung
Vivian Li
Parsiny Nijher
Maggie Nuñez-Aguilera
Jacob Rabe
Jack Robinson
Maddy Schank
Sid Shukla
Zachary Vando-Milberger
Andrea Yue
Ryan Xu
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Rehan Afzal, editor
Simon Lindenau
Anika Nadgauda
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MULTIMEDIA STAFF
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Andrew Burr
Jesse Dizon
Anika Nadgauda
GRAPHIC ARTISTS
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ADVISER
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The Octagon is the student-run newspaper of Sacramento Country Day high school. The print edition is published eight times a year, and the website is updated regularly. The Octagon is committed to unbiased and comprehensive reporting, serving as a source of reliable information for SCDS students and the school community. The Octagon will publish all timely and relevant news deemed appropriate by the editors-in-chief and adviser. We seek to highlight high-school-related events and spotlight the voices of those with a story to share. Further policies can be found on our website or by scanning the QR code below.
Sophomore Project ends after 16-year legacy
BY EESHA DHAWAN
Sacramento Country Day’s Sophomore Project, an innovative 16-year campus tradition, has come to an abrupt end.
The Sophomore Project began in 2008 when middle school and high school librarian Jo Melinson collaborated with current head of high school Brooke Wells, then 10th grade English teacher, and two former teachers: human geography teacher Bruce Baird and chemistry teacher Matt Pick, to create a comprehensive research project.
The objective was to assist students in developing into competent researchers who could assess sources critically, support their claims with reliable data, correctly credit their work and effectively communicate their findings with peers, ultimately preparing them for college.
Melinson based the criteria for the Sophomore Project on research and discussion with college librarians, asking which skills would best prepare students for the work they would do in college.
She and her colleagues designed a research curriculum starting in sixth grade and continuing through ninth and then 10th grade, in which students learned to evaluate sources in sixth grade, then go on to learn strategies to help them identify and avoid misinformation. By ninth grade, they were instructed in the use of primary sources.
The Sophomore Project was essentially a research project which consisted of a research paper and a presentation with various check-ins and deadlines along the way. Students selected a topic of their choice, many with a Sacramento connection, to research and apply the research skills taught by Melinson. They were required to get at least one interview from an outside source.
Ten presentations were chosen by the teachers and those students would present their project to the high school, faculty and panel of judges (consisting of past winners) in a competition called the Sophomore Symposium. The judges then choose the top three winners from these finalists.
This year, it was announced that the Sophomore Project would be replaced with a new research project that aims to provide a better academic landscape for sophomores in human geography.
There are significant differences being streamlined, with a new emphasis on human geography rather than personal exploration.
“The new project is the same idea, but is just a paper that’s part of the human geography curriculum, not this standalone, separate Sophomore Project,” said Liz Leavy, human geography teacher who previously taught Sophomore Project.
Another significant difference is the drop of the presentation component, a defining feature of the Sophomore Project. Although writing a research paper helps develop fundamental skills such as research and appropriate citation styles, it fails to provide opportunities for improving social skills like public speaking and communication.
The faculty has not yet determined whether or not to bring back the competitive component, which was key to the project in years past.
Leavy felt the project diverted significant time away from the human geography curriculum. In particular, the presentations specifically took days, due to the increase in class size, she said.
“The class is called human geography, so I think we should be learning more human geography than doing a project on something that’s not necessarily related to human geography,” junior Rebecca Lin said.
In 2021 and 2022 the ninth and 10thgrade social studies curriculum taught world history across two years, leaving more room for the Sophomore Project. However, the current curriculum covers world history in ninth grade and human geography in 10th grade, making it difficult to balance a year-long project with the entire human geography course.
Feelings about the demise of the Soph-
omore Project are mixed, with some students being concerned that the new Sophomore Project could limit students’ personal exploration.
In retrospect, said Leavy, students see the project in a positive light.
“There’s a sense of, well, we’ve always done it, and a reluctance to change it,” she said.
Senior Ryan Pirie, the 2023 first-place Sophomore Project winner, appreciated how spread out the Sophomore Project was.
“I liked that it was longer because it still gave time. It wasn’t something that was rushed. You had time and you had people teaching you how to go every step of the way,” he said.
Without the stress of a looming deadline, Pirie enjoyed the chance to devote himself entirely to his research, allowing a more deliberate and thorough approach.
Lin was the first-place winner for 2024’s Sophomore Project on CAR T-cell therapy. She is interested in biomedical engineering.
Despite her win, Lin does not mind the project coming to an end.
However, like most students, she simultaneously feels that with the new research project, students miss out on an opportunity to expand their knowledge on a topic that they are interested in, as well as being able to experience interviewing a professional in the field, writing presentations and research papers.
“If they want to remove the Sophomore Project, they should replace it with something of equal value,” Lin said.
According to Melinson, some alumni from Country Day have gone into fields inspired by their Sophomore Project topic.
“After researching water resources, one student noted that because of the Sophomore Project, ‘I’ve become active in my local water district.’ Another student told me that her project helped her figure out her passion and work she wants to pursue in the future,” Melinson said.
Pirie also noted that interviewing people through the Sophomore Project was the most impactful skill he learned.
“With the paper, it’s a research thing. With interviews and presentations, it’s a human thing. You can’t sit behind a screen and do it. You have to put yourself forward
ISSUE 1 CORRECTIONS
It is The Octagon’s policy to correct factual errors and to clarify potentially confusing statements. Email us: octagon@scdsstudent.org
Page 5 “Cross-Country”: The cross-country team practice schedule was incorrectly represented. Instead of practicing Monday and Friday at Rancho Cordova High School, the team practices Monday through Thrusday on Country Day campus.
The Oct. 30 cross-country meet at Sacramento Adventist Academy is also misrepresented. Oct. 30 is the cross-country league meet, not their first season meet.
in front of people. It’s not something we do in school a lot, so I would love it if they still had a presentation, and especially the interview requirement,” Pirie said.
According to Lin, having an opportunity to interview people who were professionals in the field of her topic was an invaluable experience and allowed her to gain knowledge she could not find in a textbook or online.
“Talking to them, you don’t only get the information that you are asking for. They also tell you additional information that you can go back and then research on later. So it kind of opens your perspective on the topic a lot more than just web searching,” she said.
The Sophomore Project allowed Lin to develop and better her public speaking skills through both interviewing and presenting.
Lin sees the value in long-term work. Improvements should be made and revised, she believes, but the core of the project, the freedom to study an area of interest, the honing of research and interview skills and the value in the presentation of one’s work to one’s peers should be preserved in a new and improved Sophomore Project.
“The goals I had and still have for students are that they become strong researchers who are curious about a topic and think deeply about it as they gather information that will help them learn more and be able to introduce it to their peers in a thoughtful, compelling way,” Melinson said.
SOPHOMORE SPOTLIGHT Then-sophomore Claire Gemmell presents about biophillic design during the 2024 Sophomore Symposium. PHOTO COURTESY OF @SACCDS INSTAGRAM
New class representatives share their goals for 2024-2025
BY LUKAS CHUNG
The 2024-25 school year presents eight new Sacramento Country Day class representatives: senior president Bella Chand, senior vice president Priya Chand, junior president Isaac Reynen, junior vice president Jake Genetos, sophomore president Diana Haus, sophomore vice president Justin Lawson, freshman president Parsa Salari and freshman vice president Parsiny Nijher. Every representative was elected into Country Day’s Student Council with their own set of goals for the school year which they shared with The Octagon.
Q: What are your goals for Student Council and the school year?
Salari: I understand that my class is new to high school and that it can be quite a bumpy road. I want to make it an easier transition from middle school to high school.
Haus: I hope that as sophomores, we can continue to keep up our class pride and participation in events because all of the grades, especially the sophomores, have done a really good job being there for their classmates and feeling the school spirit.
Reynen: I want to make sure I’m an accurate representation of my classmates. I also want to make sure their interests in the junior year are seen so I can present their ideas to Student Council members.
Priya: My goal as a senior Student Council member is to plan more events, promote inclusivity, improve our school environment and just make more kids involved in school activities. I want them to be involved in not just dances but sports games and the little events we do on Fridays because it makes the school so much more fun.
Q: How do you plan to achieve your goals?
Nijher: I’m thinking about organizing a freshmen-only dance, and other events that are freshmen-only for community bonding. I will also encourage different groups to talk to each other and remind people to sit with anybody who is sitting alone.
Haus: A lot of people talked to me about not having enough tables for lunch, so I talked to the school’s administration. New tables for all students are going to be arriving in November.
Lawson: I plan on suggesting and planning events for juniors with the rest of the high school and without the rest of the high school. Maybe roller-skating or bowling — I’m going to figure out whatever the grade wants and get it done. If I can be spirited and get everyone out to all of the events, then I feel like it would be a successful year.
Genetos: Honestly I’m just going to talk to my classmates. If a junior is not going to homecoming, for example, I would ask them why, and if it’s something like they need a ride, I would give them a ride there.
Bella: We just held the Splash-a-Senior to raise money for Student Council events like prom. During class meetings, a lot of people come up to me about certain questions or what they would like to see change in Student Council, so that allows me to be the voice for my class.
Q: Why did you become a class representative?
Nijher: At my last school, I was in Student Council and I really enjoyed it. I liked talking to faculty, parents, kids and students from all of the grades, so I wanted that for Country Day. I became a class representative so that
my classmates feel represented because a lot of the time they might feel like their opinions are undervalued as lower classmen.
Bella: My mom helps a lot with the school, and I kind of found myself helping with events and stuff for Student Council. That’s why I decided to run for an official position on Student Council.
Priya: I just want to make our school so much more fun, and we’ve mostly accomplished that. Before when I attended high school, we didn’t do that many events, so I’ve worked really hard to plan something every Friday.
Q: What are some struggles you had with campaigning?
Salari: My other competitors were very
well-suited for the job, so there was a lot of stress to win. I didn’t think I was going to make it, so I’m lucky to have been chosen by my fellow freshmen.
Haus: I’ve kind of got over my public speaking fear, but that’s a really big struggle I had. Lawson: My speech was pretty hard to write because I knew my classmates were going to give some pretty good speeches. Although I had concerns, many people liked my “Justin Time” slogan.
Bella: I didn’t really have any struggles, as the other representative dropped out, so I just became senior class president by default.
Priya: As I was only against one person, I feel like I didn’t have it as bad as other grades, but I was worried that I wasn’t going to get as many votes as I hoped.
Bike Theft: Campus safety in question, lack of security cameras
(continued from page 1)
According to Chauhan, her family purchased the bicycle, an electric bike made by Bosch, second-hand for $1,000.
A third student, junior Lila Reynen, who uses her bike to commute to school, also had her bike stolen. Reynen left her bike on campus at the bike racks overnight but did not lock it, and found it missing the next morning.
These recent thefts highlight a greater issue Country Day is facing: campus security. Although the lower and middle school areas in Country Day have fences, the high school’s campus remains open with open access points at the front, side alley and back of campus.
Head of School Lee Thomsen and Maintenance Director Jay Holman have said that the
campus has no active permanent camera system.
“We have some buildings that have intrusion alarms, but that’s it,” Holman said.
Thomsen said that the school has previously installed smaller mobile security cameras, such as Arlo wireless cameras during isolated incidents.
“We had a situation where someone was breaking into lockers and we were trying to figure out who that was,” Thomsen said.
Additionally, Holman stated that an Arlo security camera was placed near the Geeting Hall, Country Day’s main office.
“We were having some problems with the bus and kids in the neighborhoods getting on the bus. We wanted to see who was doing it,” Holman said.
Thomsen and Holman also said that Coun-
try Day’s security patrols are provided by a company called PalAmerican Security. According to Holman, Country Day is patrolled three or four times a night during weekdays and six times on weekends, as part of a route that goes through other locations and businesses. However, the school does not have security personnel that are active 24/7.
Thomsen advises that students refrain from leaving valuables, including bicycles, on campus overnight.
Certain teachers and staff have allowed students to leave bicycles in their rooms. Country Day has also considered installing a bike shed — however, due to Country Day’s location and limited space this has not been possible.
“The challenge regarding the bike sheds comes from the power lines that run behind campus. We can’t put any permanent struc-
tures in the easement of the power lines. Also, because of sprinkler rules there’s not a lot of space on campus to put one while complying to the building codes,” Thomsen said. Bike thefts at Country Day have also raised concerns of students who use them to commute.
Senior Ava Eberhart, like Chauhan, cycles to her internship at California State University Sacramento.
“I store my bike in the maintenance room and every day, we’re supposed to take it out, lock it up at the outdoor bike rack and at the end of the day, put it back,” Eberhart said. “After the recent thefts I’m afraid to take my bike out of the maintenance room.”
Robotics: Team programs robot for autonomous tasks
(continued from page 1)
competition works and we’re better at strategy,” Do said. “We’re going to have more distinct roles this year, where some people will do building and others will do fundraising and outreach.”
So far, the hardware for the first iteration of the robot is being assembled, and the programming team is set to start their work soon. The robot will be designed to compete in multiple events, both autonomously and controlled by a a team member, according to Do.
“We do a set of tasks this year where we have to put these pieces called specimens into pockets that are four feet tall,” Do said.
“We also have to hook certain objects called samples onto a bar and create an attachment that can fully support the robot when it hangs off.”
Junior Sanjay Brink leads the programming team, and he is responsible for making sure the robot is able to complete the tasks.
“At the beginning of the match, for 30 sec-
onds, the robot has to move completely autonomously. That’s what we work on in the program,” Brink said.
For Brink, an average practice involves editing the code that controls the robot to make it more efficient. Along with his team, he also makes changes to the servos and sensors to ensure that the robot will be able to operate properly in the autonomous portion of the competition.
At this point in the season, team advisor Yanling Lei is optimistic about Country Day’s performance this year.
“We are making good progress,” she said. “And even though last year was our first year, we won two awards, which we didn’t expect.”
Regardless of the outcome Lei still believes that being on the robotics team is a valuable experience for students.
“It sounds scary, but it is really a friendly event,” she said. “We model our robot, borrowing ideas from other teams, fix ours and move on to the next event. Of course we want to win, but it’s also a learning experience.”
LEADING LOUD Sophomore class representatives Justin Lawson and Diana Haus and Student Council officer Krithi Munagala lead chants at the annual Ancil Hoffman capture the flag. PHOTO BY REHAN AFZAL
High School Class Trips
From Oct. 7-11, Sacramento Country Day freshmen, sophomores and juniors took part in their annual class trips. Seniors did not go on a class trip. They instead spent the week working on college applications and other activities. All students enjoyed a week off from school with grade-specific activities.
The freshmen class spent the week at Forest Suites Resort in South Lake Tahoe. Their adventure began Monday morning, with students arriving at school by 8:45 a.m. for departure.
Upon arrival in South Lake Tahoe, students were split into groups of four for their bunking groups. Each student was provided $30 to buy ingredients for a cooking competition, which would take place later that day, and to prepare their lunches for the next two days.
The cooking competition is a gateway to the Order of the Spatula, a cooking club formed by Brooke Wells, head of high school.
During the competition, freshman Brenden Yu accidentally set off the fire alarm.
“My group was cooking our dinner. We were making braised pork belly. The pan got too hot and the water was too low, causing the food to severely caramelize which set off the old fire detector,” Yu said.
Despite the setback, Yu described the experience as memorable.
The winning team of the cooking competition included freshmen Taber Livesey, Lukas Altschuler, Yu and Lucas Holz. All four were invited to join the Order of the Spatula.
Before returning home, the freshmen class visited Tahoe Treetop Adventure Parks, where they participated in team-building activities. These activities included navigating obstacle courses and group challenges, such as making a gold ball go into a cup using only open pipes and balancing their weight on an unsteady wheel to keep it from touching the ground.
“The trip provided the freshman class with a
blend of adventure, friendly competition and teamwork,” freshman Deven Patel said.
The sophomore class spent their class trip at Greenhorn Ranch located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
They participated in horseback riding, archery, fishing, swimming and a competitive shelter-building challenge. In the evenings, they enjoyed line-dancing, karaoke and gathering around campfires.
Sophomore Ajeeth Bains decided to get a haircut during the trip by sophomores Yuvraj Dhillon and Ryan Scripps.
“I would get it again. It was good, better than I was expecting and I would say it was very weird to get it on a class trip,” said Bains.
Bains liked how everyone talked to each other and was respectful.
“We all went horseback-riding and we were all in a line, no one was being annoying. Everyone was just experiencing nature, it was very peaceful,” added Bains.
The junior class traveled out-of-state to Ashland, Ore., where they attended the annual Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The trip was not only an educational experience but also an opportunity to see professional theater.
On the first day of the trip, students were given three hours to explore the town on their own before getting room assignments.
After that, students had another three hours to explore Ashland, which is known for its deep-rooted history in performing arts.
Each evening at 7 p.m., the group attended performances at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, beginning with a classic Shakespeare comedy, “Much Ado About Nothing.” The clever dialogue and romantic plots kept the students engaged as the actors brought Shakespeare’s play to life.
“The trip was a fun experience, and I would definitely recommend it to the upcoming juniors,” junior Kamron Khodjakhonov said.
During the afternoons, students spent most
of that time walking around Ashland, visiting local shops and enjoying the small-town environment. This free time allowed the juniors to experience Ashland’s character beyond the theater.
Country Day’s senior class did not travel for their annual class trip. Instead, they stayed on campus to focus on college applications. The week was filled with workshops, study sessions and application work aimed at assisting seniors with their college admissions process.
On Monday morning, seniors participated in a workshop dedicated to going over seniors’ personal statements, supplemental essays and University of California (UC) applications, as well as common applications, and confirming the accuracy of transcripts. This session was there to help students complete necessary forms and work on their applications, writing and completing Peer Adjectives and Anecdotes.
Later in the afternoon, about half the senior class went bowling at Country Club Lanes. Those who went found it enjoyable.
“It’s a good area to just unload ourselves, considering that we were doing college applications and whatnot,” senior Nicholas Hughes said.
On Tuesday, after working on California State University (CSU) applications, about half of the senior class went to SkyZone Trampoline Park, located in Sacramento.
“Even though it’s a place more for kids, we still had fun,” senior Griffin Misquitta said.
Wednesday was dedicated to the SAT, which many seniors opted to take.
“I get the point of senior week, but I kind of wish we had something like Ashland,” Misquitta said.
Overall, Misquitta said that the best part of trips is the bonding that comes along with it, which is what he looks forward to in the spring of 2025 when the seniors have their class trips.
STORY BY SID SHUKLA; PHOTOS BY REHAN AFZAL, AARYAN GANDHI, MAGGIE NUÑEZ-AGUILERA & SHUKLA
Imani Thiara takes the sTAGE
As the lights dim to prepare the beginning of the play, the audience is silent with unbearable suspense. Without warning, the blinding yellow lights flicker on, flooding the dusty stage and its intricate furniture.
Emerging from the bright red curtains, senior Imani Thiara explodes into the spotlight.
For Thiara, every movement onstage is more than an act: it reflects her unshakable love for acting — a love that began at 8 years old.
Though Thiara would always sing around the house when she was younger, her love for acting officially began when her mom and aunt enrolled her in a junior acting camp.
Seeing that her mom and aunt were both dancers and that the costume designer was a close friend of her aunt’s, she agreed to join the camp.
“I absolutely loved it. I went back the next year, and the year after that, and I eventually became really close friends with the director,” Thiara said.
Thiara feels a deep connection with the acting community, particularly due to its inclusivity and welcomingness.
“You can get into other fields of interests or sports outside of acting, but it’s kind of like, ‘Oh, there’s already a team, and they’re kind of their own people,’” she said.
Initially shy, Thiara unexpectedly found herself being able to meet new people and make new friends, allowing her to build confidence.
She also discovered that she has a love for per-
High School.
“After finding out, I’ve been doing musical theater there since freshman year.”
Thiara’s journey has been far from easy. After breaking her back when she was younger, she was inevitably forced to sit out of musical theater — the form of theater that happens to involve the most dancing and moving.
“I was doing gymnastics, but then another girl and I were tumbling at the same time, and so I got kicked in the back and I fell,” she said.
Tumbling routines include skills such as somersaults and handsprings, which are often the exercises that carry a higher risk of injury.
Though it was not a permanent injury, Thiara was ultimately forced to sit out of musical theater until she fully healed. Still, Thiara struggles to balance her time between school and acting, constantly looking for new ways to manage the little time she has.
“The hours are, well, it’s a lot. It’s a lot of work to put on a production pretty quickly. Plus, school and life in general have been difficult to balance,” she said.
Schoolwork took the majority of time away from Thiara’s acting career; nevertheless, certain aspects of school have still impacted her in a positive manner.
Thiara believes that Country Day has played a big role in supporting her dreams of becoming an actor because of how supportive both her friends and teachers have been of her career.
“I’ve had a few of my friends come out and
nervousness by doing a shake out — a pregame ritual where she physically shakes out her limbs and pumps herself up. This helps to ease herself both physically and mentally.
“The company does a shakeout backstage while we’re all in our costumes,” Thiara said. “And then right before I go on stage, I do a mini little shakeout with myself and tell myself, ‘Okay, you got this.’”
With her immense devotion to acting that began ever since she was young, Thiara was almost certain she would make it her dream career. However, as she grew older, she was presented with more realistic career options.
“I kind of found different things that I was interested in that would be more realistic,” Thiara said. “But acting will always be something that I come back to.”
Despite this, being onstage is where Thiara feels most at home.
“I kind of just stare right into the spotlights and try to pretend that it’s not people there. I just get lost in what I’m doing, which is really nice.”
STORY BY JACOB RABE; GRAPHICS BY ANISHA MONDAL; PHOTOS COUR- TESY OF KYLE BARR, NIC CRUMLEY, DAVIS MILLER, SCOTT TOOLEY, MIKE YEE & GRDN MEDIA
Worth your Buck? New Lunches
Starting Oct. 1, Sacramento Country Day implemented a new lunch program, partnering with My Hot Lunchbox, a national school lunch program based in Cary, NC, to provide students with a variety of new food options.
The program offers new vendors such as Panda Express, Subway and Panera Bread, along with existing ones such as Noodles & Company and Round Table Pizza.
The goal of the transition was to revamp the lunch schedule so students get a wider variety of options to choose
orders.”
As someone who ordered lunch every day last year, junior Chloe Zhang was eager for the new lunch line-up.
“I was more excited this year because the restaurant options were more familiar,” Zhang said.
For student benefit, Adams plans to make new adjustments including getting larger portion sizes and ensuring that the food arrives on time.
“I know the food sizes we have right now are pretty small, compared to what the students are used to. I’ve already contacted Round Table to request for a second option with a larger size,” she
Adams wants to ensure timeliness because the lunches arrived significantly late during the first week of the pro
the second week went much smoother and I anticipate it will continue getting
better over time,” Adams said. “There’s going to be hiccups along the way.”
One such hiccup includes the rising prices alongside the use of this new program. Last year, lunches were $9.30 for middle school and high school students while lower school students paid $9.10.
This price increase is not an issue specific to Country Day, it’s something that has spread worldwide. Last year, Country Day chose the prices by trying to balance what the restaurants charge the school. This year, the prices are up to the restaurants.
“The price rise is not desirable,” freshman Simran Datta said.
Prices have increased for other reasons as well. Last year, the restaurants
Lunches by My Hot Lunchbox
and it ended up costing me an extra $4.56,” Zhang said.
Students believe that although the portion sizes are smaller and the prices are higher, the food quality has gotten
“With this new lunch, the flavor and the quality of food is better. I would say quality is more important than quantity,” Datta said.
When compared to the previous program, the new lunch options have been more favorable.
“The fact that we’re getting such good quality food is something I’m very grateful for,” said Datta.
Behind the scenes, Adams has constant communication with vendors and My Hot Lunchbox through an account manager, who helps with coordinating
In a Google Form sent out on Oct. 22, we asked Country Day high school students if they believe the new lunch program is an improvement of last year’s lunch program. Respondents answered:
Yes: 70.6% No: 29.2%
the school lunches. She has made it a habit to check-in every morning to give reminders to ensure timely deliveries.
My Hot Lunchbox provides students with an app to simplify the ordering process. Students are also able to order on My Hot Lunchbox’s website, depending on their convenience.
In previous years, students ordered lunch for the whole month through an online form. However, students were only able to pick one meal per restaurant which would repeat the following weeks.
With the addition of the new app, students are able to change up their order every day of the month. Zhang finds this feature helpful for multiple reasons.
“With the new app, it’s more personalized. I can choose what days I want to
order,” Zhang said. “On the days I leave early, I don’t have to order lunch and I can save my money.”
In fact, students are able to place or cancel their lunch orders as long as these changes are made by noon the day prior.
While students explore the new lunch options, Adams plans to collect feedback from students through online forms and respond accordingly. Since the school has already confirmed the lunch system for the rest of the school year,, they plan on using the feedback to adapt the system in future years.
“The reason for this partnership was to help the parents and students by making this process easier,” Adams said.
STORY BY ANISHA MONDAL & PARSINY NIJHER
GRAPHICS BY ZEMA NASIROV
“Physics
EDITORIAL: Country Day needs to change the physics curriculum
Within the College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) program, the science courses are regarded as the most academically rigorous ones. At Sacramento Country Day, the 2023-24 school year’s AP Chemistry and AP Biology classes had 16 and 13 students, respectively.
However, last year’s AP Physics C class had just five students.
Senior Ryan Pirie, a current AP Physics C student, said the class’s difficulty comes from the intensity and the amount of material needed to be covered. For that reason, Country Day should take some measures to make the class more appealing to students.
According to physics teacher Malak Faour, one possible solution is to better prepare students for AP Physics C through an intermediary course like AP Physics 1.
“I had a student last year who took AP Physics 1 before my class, and it helped him do really well in Physics C: Mechanics,” Faour said. “It’s because Physics 1 covers the concepts in the Mechanics course with less math along with thermodynamics.”
As of now, AP Physics C at Country Day encompasses Mechanics and Electricity & Magnetism (E&M), both with separate end-of-year AP exams.
Junior Rebecca Lin, a current AP Physics C student, said she would have preferred to take AP Physics 1, especially after freshman year physics.
“I think an intermediate course is necessary because at least for me, I don’t understand everything after class,” Lin
said. “So, it’d help to have a class that gives us a strong foundation for when we eventually take AP Physics C.”
Freshman-year physics at Country Day is by design not nearly advanced enough to provide students with a strong conceptual foundation going into AP Physics C.
“In ninth grade, any math we did in physics wasn’t harder than basic algebra, which makes sense because a lot of freshmen hadn’t taken Algebra II yet,” Lin said. “But, in AP Physics, we’re expected to apply calculus to physics concepts.”
Another proposition is separating the Mechanics and the E&M courses into two individual year-long classes, like how Rocklin High School does. Alternatively, Whitney High School only offers AP Physics C: Mechanics.
“Many other schools split AP Physics C into year-long courses because it’s very difficult to pack all the material into one year,” Faour said. “Plus, the College Board’s new change this year put the Mechanics exam and the E&M exam on separate days, which implies they’re different classes.”
By separating the class into two, students benefit because they can choose how much of a commitment they can make. Students can take one or both classes in the same year.
Currently, the AP Physics C: Mechanics course has seven units and E&M has six. With a total of 13 units to cover in time for the AP exam in May, Faour tries to spend no more than two weeks per unit.
“Some units take longer than others. For example, the rotation unit in Mechanics is one of the hardest, so I try to budget no more than three weeks for it,” Faour said.
Because all of the class time is devoted to learning the ma-
terial, Faour said it limits the number and depth of labs she can assign.
“If split into separate classes, I can do three labs per unit instead of one. We don’t have time for creative labs like building a Newton swing because that’d take a week,” Faour said. However, Faour said it’s not the class that’s hard to teach, rather the struggle is having students comprehend and feel confident about their knowledge after a unit.
Typically, a majority of the students in AP Physics C are seniors and a small portion are juniors. Furthermore, some seniors can’t fully concentrate on the vast material with the influx of college applications.
For instance, Faour said she didn’t assign any homework during the college application work week for seniors and class trips for other grades because they wouldn’t have the time for it.
What should be done to help students keep up with the intensity of two AP courses fit into one class?
The best possible solution is to figure out a way to provide AP Physics 1 at Country Day for sophomores and juniors. That way, students have a better grasp of AP Physic C: Mechanics when they take it.
If not, the next best proposition is separating AP Physics C into two courses as done by the College Board and other schools in our area.
Country Day needs to make some changes to AP Physics C so that students feel more inclined to take the class and are also confident that they can succeed.
ADVICE: Navigating and repairing rocky family relationships
This advice column responds to questions shared by Sacramento Country Day students anonymously. To submit, send a question to the Google Form sent out on Oct. 13. Responses are not guaranteed, but all submissions are welcome.
Q: Recently, things have been getting rocky within our family dynamic. My parents are constantly arguing and getting into problems which affect my personal life and school performance. How do I get my family to seek family therapy? Get counseling?
I want to start by acknowledging how difficult this must be for you. Being caught in the middle of constant family problems — arguments between your parents that affect everything from your daily life and schoolwork to your mood — is understandably exhausting.
But here’s the good news: you’re already thinking about solutions, which is a huge first step.
So how do you approach this topic of therapy with your family? Although it may feel daunting, especially if your parents aren’t the type to embrace therapy or counseling, I urge you to approach your parents from a place of vulnerability, letting your parents know how their arguments are affecting you.
After all, they are your family. They care. They want to help you out. If you have not made it crystal clear how their problem has been affecting you, they may never understand what you’re going through.
So make this about you. Instead of saying “We need therapy,” say “I’ve been feeling really stressed, and I find it harder to keep up with schoolwork nowadays.” See how that shifts the focus? The key here is to not accuse anyone, but to explain how the situation is affecting you.
Now, let’s be real: your parents might resist. A lot of people, especially older generations, can be skeptical of therapy. The way forward is to tell them as it is: therapy is simply a tool to
learn new ways to handle conflict, and is not about pointing fingers.
But while you’re waiting for them to warm up to the idea of therapy, make sure you’re taking care of yourself too. Don’t wait for your whole family to start therapy; there are ways you can start with individual counseling before them, like talking with our school counselor Tiffany Fisher. Fisher will always be willing to provide you with a safe space to process your feelings and help you find ways to manage the stress.
Remember this, though: their problems? Not yours to solve. I know you want to fix things as the caring family member you are, but you have to realize there is only so much you can control.
It takes a great deal of maturity to consider therapy to begin with. No matter how long it takes, you’ve already done your part.
Frenzy” by Claire Gemmell
OUR ANGLES: Change the legal voting age to 16 or keep it at 18?
BY ANIKA NADGAUDA & ZACHARY VANDO-MILBERGER
Change the voting age to 16
What exactly does it mean to be an American adult? Is it being 18 years old? Or is it being able to drive, paying taxes and having a job? The two of those don’t always go hand in hand. Many 16 and 17-year-olds already go through the day-to-day responsibilities of adulthood, so why don’t we give them an equal say in policies that affect them just as much as everyone else?
Lowering the voting age to 16 in the United States has become a topic of growing debate in recent years. Many argue that allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote can enhance civic engagement, provide representation for a key group in society and align with the responsibilities many teenagers already hold.
One key reason to lower the voting age is that 16-year-olds are already taking on significant responsibilities that demonstrate their capacity for informed decision-making. For example, teenagers at this age can obtain driver’s licenses, work jobs, and even pay taxes.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 22.5% of high school students were employed in July 2024. Many of these teenagers contribute to the economy and pay taxes, yet they do not have a say in how their tax dollars are spent.
Allowing 16-year-olds to vote would give them a voice in the political decisions that directly affect their lives.
Another reason to consider lowering the voting age is that many young people today are politically informed and engaged. With the rise of social media and access to information through the internet, young people are exposed to news, political debates and current events more than ever before.
According to the World Press Institute, 51% of 14 to 18-year-olds say they get their political news from social media. While not all of this information is reliable, it’s not just our youth that is getting information from the internet and social media; plenty of adults do as well. According to the Pew Research Center, 54% of surveyed American adults say they sometimes get their information from social media.
The availability of political content online has allowed teenagers to become more aware of the issues that affect them, from climate change to education policies.
Critics of lowering the voting age may argue that 16-yearolds lack the maturity and experience necessary to make informed voting decisions. However, studies from countries that have lowered the voting age to 16, such as Austria and Scotland, show that young voters are just as capable as older voters when it comes to making informed decisions.
A study published by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education found that the level of political knowledge among 16 and 17-year-olds in Austria, was similar to that of older age groups. Additionally, turnout among young voters in Austria is relatively high — 90.3% in 2017 alone — suggesting that lowering the voting age did not result in voter apathy but instead fostered greater political engagement.
Lowering the voting age to 16 would also help to increase voter turnout in the long term. Research shows that habits formed during youth often persist into adulthood.
By allowing 16-year-olds to vote, the U.S. could cultivate a generation of lifelong voters. Furthermore, many high school students are already learning about government and civics in school.
Lowering the voting age could create an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge in real-life elections, helping to bridge the gap between education and practical political participation.
Another point to consider is that many policies directly im-
pact teenagers, yet they have no say in how those policies are shaped. Education policy, for instance, affects the quality of schooling for millions of high school students, but students under 18 have no direct way to influence these decisions.
Likewise, environmental policies, which will affect future generations more than any current group, are often decided without the input of young people.
Allowing 16-year-olds to vote would give them a stake in decisions that will shape their futures, making them more likely to engage with political issues that directly impact them.
Finally, it’s important to acknowledge that several cities in the United States have already taken steps toward lowering the voting age. For example, in 2016, the city of Berkeley, Calif., passed a measure to allow 16-year-olds to vote in school board elections. The first election they will be allowed to vote in will be held on Nov. 7.
In San Francisco, there has been a similar push to lower the voting age for local elections. These initiatives suggest that lowering the voting age is both feasible and potentially beneficial, particularly at the local level where the impact on young people’s lives is most direct.
Lowering the voting age to 16 in the United States would recognize the growing responsibilities of young people, promote long-term civic engagement, and allow teenagers to have a say in dictating the policies and administrations that will directly affect their lives.
The data from other countries and cities that have experimented with a lower voting age show that young voters can make informed decisions and contribute meaningfully to democracy. By lowering the voting age, the U.S. can ensure that its political system is more inclusive and representative of all its citizens.
Keep the voting age at 18
Picture this: a 16-year-old, fresh from getting their driver’s license, is handed not just the keys to a car, but a ballot for the future of the country.
While many young people want to voice their opinions as early as possible, arguably this is a surefire way for some parents to sneak in a second vote.
Many kids are too nervous to defy their parents, even if they have different opinions. Many people would, on their own, be inclined not to vote at age 16, but parents would have the incentive to force them to register and vote in favor of the parents’ decisions.
According to a 2023 survey by Pew Research, 16% of parents surveyed thought it was extremely important that their kids took on their same political views. This may not seem like a lot, but in a close election, the 10 million it adds up to can easily sway the result one way or another.
Peer pressure goes hand-in-hand with parental influence. If 16-year-olds, who are still largely dependent on their parents, have a hard time resisting their parents, they will have an equally hard or even harder time resisting peer pressure.
The pressure to do what one’s peers do and say is immense, especially in early high school where people are often new to the school or meeting new people and want to be comfortable socially. In high school, sometimes people will go as far as bullying others just to get on the good side of a select few ‘friends.’
Another problem with lowering the voting age is the difference in maturity between younger and older voters. A 16-year-old could be a sophomore in high school, whereas an 18-year-old may already be a college student. In most
states, a person becomes an adult at 18, and this comes with more responsibility.
The difference is huge between those two ages, and, along with the educational and age difference comes a gap in maturity. Voters need to have maturity so that they can make educated decisions rather than voting impulsively. 18-year-olds have two more years of experience in the world, leaving them much more time to educate themselves on voter issues.
Stress is another factor to take into account when discussing this change. People under 18 years old are likely occupied with school and college applications as well and do not have the time to vote. This leaves them even less time to vote and would lead to higher unnecessary stress.
Even statistics on voters suggest that lowering the voting age would have little impact. In fact, only 11% of the voting population were 18-29 year olds from 2018-2022, according to Pew Research. Lowering the voting age by a mere two years would have a miniscule impact on this data and therefore have very little impact on the outcomes of any votes. What is the point of putting more stress on already hardworking high school students if their vote would have little effect on the ballot anyway?
Dropping the voting age to 16 would upset the balance of power in our country. The voices of parents would be amplified through their kids’ votes, and the vote would be biased due to peer pressure. Furthermore, the 16-year-olds who did vote for themselves and not for their parents or friends would have very little influence anyway, due to the population of younger voters being low compared to middle-aged and older people. The voting age should remain at 18.
OCTO-BLOCK
1. A perfect serve; our girls’ volleyball team gets many of these.
5. This one should be unmistakably apparent, or in other words, painfully _______.
6. English class might require you to take words beyond their _______ meaning.
7. A vehicle Ms. J might reprimand you for parking improperly.
2. Mythical beast composed of various animal parts. 3. Country Day’s newest English teacher, profiled in The Octagon’s September edition.
A sacred song or hymn; the first word of the title of our summer reading book.
Professional who cares for animals.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
According to a 2023 survey by Pew Research
teaspoon BoBa review
Are you looking for a drink to make your day unforgettable?
Stop by Teaspoon, a new boba shop in Loehmann’s Plaza. It’s a ten-minute walk and a two-minute drive from Sacramento Country Day.
From the burst of juice from popping bobas to the sweet sensation of Tapioca pearls, there are drinks on the menu with different mixes of flavors you would never expect, such as the Ube Astra drink, a coconut-infused Ube blend layered with milk, honey boba and Crème Brulée foam. Ooh-la-la!.
With exceptional service from the Teaspoon staff, I found myself appreciating the entire experience of this boba drink destination.
Mango FuntiMe
As the name suggests, the “Mango Funtime Smoothie” consists of a smooth and sweet mango puree. This smoothie creates a tropical sensation, instantly transporting you to a tropical beach. The distinct flavor and bright yellow color tastily resemble a mango, hence its name.
Sitting at the bottom of the drink are popping mango boba which burst in your mouth with every sip, giving
a vibrant mango flavor that makes you want to drink more and more.
The “Mango Funtime Smoothie” is the feeling of summer in one drink. It is perfect for a hot day and refreshing on the taste buds.
This is the Teaspoon drink I recommend most (other than the classic choice; keep reading).
silky strawBerry
The “Silky Strawberry” drink was more chunky than silky.
The house strawberry marmalade infused with organic milk drink was not my favorite. The strawberries stayed at the bottom of the drink. Even after shaking the drink, the strawberry marmalade kept sinking to the bottom.
I ordered the drink because it was visually appealing with a fade of color from the strawberries to the organic milk. But it didn’t meet my expectations, and I real-
ized the ‘fade’ was due to the drink’s inability to blend. The strawberries felt clumpy coming up the straw and it was hard balancing the tapioca pearl with the mixture of strawberries in my mouth. It tasted as though drinking a mixture of strawberries in milk. After a couple of sips, I could not drink anymore.
I would only recommend this drink to someone who enjoys the taste of not even strawberry ice cream but strawberries and milk.
caraMel creaM
Delectable is the word I would use to describe the “Caramel Cream” drink. It was like drinking a lighter, more sophisticated milkshake.
The hand-roasted caramel is drizzled on the sides of the glass and then filled with organic milk. The tapioca pearl works well with this drink because the sweetness of the drink and boba balance each other out. The car-
You can always go right with a classic. It is typical for all boba shops to have Thai iced tea. Although Teaspoon’s rendition is not too different from other boba shops, I was pleasantly surprised at the flavors of this drink. The slow-
rating rating rating rating
amel lining the glass is infused into the drink to create a creamy sweet–not sugar-sweet–flavor. I recommend this drink if you are tired and need a pick-me-up. Sipping “Caramel Cream” feels like a rich drink while sitting and talking with friends over the winter holidays.
thai tea
steeped Thai tea is topped with organic cream and honey boba. The cream worked perfectly with the warm tea at the bottom of the drink. My favorite part is shaking the drink and swirling the color between the mixture of tea and cream.
Isat frozen in my seat, mouth wide open in shock, as the credits began to roll in the dark theater.
“Well, what do you think?” my mom asked. It took me a minute to respond, as the ending of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” had left an uneasy feeling rolling around in my stomach.
“I think that was one of the worst movies I have ever seen.”
WARNING: If you have not yet watched “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” or even “Beetlejuice,” read with caution because this piece contains spoilers.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” directed by Tim Burton, was released on Sept. 6, 36 years after the original 1988 “Beetlejuice” came out. Both movies are based around the main characters’ struggles with Beetlejuice, a mischievous ghost who is set on marrying Lydia Deetz and escaping the afterlife.
With new cast members including Jenna Ortega as Lydia’s daughter Astrid Deetz and returning stars such as Winona Ryder as Lydia, Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz and Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, the sequel was set to be just as good as the original, if not better.
Similarly, the plot showed promise, as it focused on the life of a grown-up Lydia and what became of her after Beetlejuice was defeated — an open question at the end of the original.
In the movie, Lydia, who is now the host of her own TV show “Ghost House with Lydia Deetz,” and her daughter Astrid return to the hill house in order to attend the funeral of Lydia’s father, Charles Deetz. After an unexpected marriage proposal from Lydia’s boyfriend Rory, disaster strikes. Astrid is trapped in the Afterlife by Jeremy, a ghost in search of free- dom. Lydia and Delia Deetz, her stepmother, are forced to make a deal with Beetlejuice in order to free her.
As the movie went on, it was obvious that it consisted of many moving parts, which I didn’t dislike, but it definitely complicated things.
For example, there was not one, not two, but three antagonists in the movie: Jeremy, Astrid’s love interest, tried to trick her into taking his place in the Afterlife. Rory, Lydia’s fiancé, was exposed for only wanting to marry her because her TV show made her rich. And, obviously, the third is Beetlejuice, who tried to force Lydia to marry him like he did in the original.
Adding to all that, Beetlejuice’s soul-sucking ex-girlfriend Delores, a confused zombie named Bob, and the death of Lydia’s stepmother, Delia, by poisonous snakes, and you get what is best described as a fever dream of a movie.
The soundtrack of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” definitely reflected this chaos, with a completely random scene in which a bunch of zombies dance to “Soul Train Theme” by
The Soul Train Gang as Astrid is being forced onto the train to the Great Beyond.
The wedding scene near the end, though less random, also had a choreographed dance. Beetlejuice forced everyone in the chapel to dance to “MacArthur Park” by Richard Harris.
This scene was similar to the one in “Beetlejuice” when ghosts Adam and Barbara Maitland forced the Deetz’s dinner party to dance to the Jamaican folk song “Day-O”; however, the “MacArthur Park” scene was definitely less amusing because it lasted for a solid seven minutes.
My problem is that even with all of this extra content, like the scene near the beginning when a disgruntled French artist falls down a pothole and ends up in the Afterlife (Confused? So am I), the movie was only one hour and forty-five minutes long. I got the feeling that some scenes were added just to take up space without giving any meaning or context to the story, and the whole movie, though action-packed, felt rushed and overcrowded.
The best way I can describe it is like the producers were firing scene after scene at me, and there was no time to recover before the next one hit me in the face.
That’s why even though I know “Beetle-
juice Beetlejuice” is supposed to be more funny than scary, I didn’t laugh once. The whole movie just left me feeling uneasy, and if I’m being honest, the more graphic scenes, like the one where Beetlejuice literally spilled his guts, made me wish for the more laidback, “scary” parts of the original “Beetlejuice,” where there was more emphasis on humor. I’m thinking of the scene where the Maitands disfigure and decapitate themselves in order to scare the Deetz family away, but Delia is more concerned with how little closet space there is.
Another part of the original I miss is the ending, when the Maitlands accept the Deetzes into their home, and they become a big family. I think “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” also tried to incorporate the theme of family, especially when Lydia and Astrid reunited with Richard, Lydia’s dead ex-husband and Astrid’s father.
In the scene, he helps Lydia and Astrid heal their fraught relationship by telling them that they make each other better, which by itself would have been just as wholesome as the daughterly relationship between Barbara Maitland and Lydia in “Beetlejuice,” if it weren’t for the ending of the sequel.
The ending, in my opinion, was the final nail in the coffin for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” There is absolutely no coming back from that. It goes like this: Astrid defeats Beetlejuice and saves her mother, who quits her job. They go on to have a happy relationship, and there’s a sort of montage of Astrid growing up, meeting a guy and getting pregnant. Except when she goes to the hospital to have her baby, a baby Beetlejuice comes out of her instead! And then Lydia wakes up next to Beetlejuice, and then she wakes up again, alone, as if the whole movie was a dream (though I guess there are multiple interpretations).
Infuriating. If the ending means what I think it means, then all the parts of the movie that I thought were actually worth watching, the ones where Lydia and Astrid heal their relationship, didn’t actually happen, which is unacceptable. I want my money back. Just like the rest of the movie, the ending left me feeling agitated and ill at ease, and I did not find it funny in any way. Needless to say, I would rather say a certain someone’s name three times than watch “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” again.
Rating
STORY BY KATE BARNES; GRAPHICS BY REHAN AFZAL; PHOTOS COURTESY OF WARNERS BROTHERS STUDIOS
ParanormalExperiences
Jaq Howes
Junior Jaq Howes was 11 years old when he encountered something he couldn’t explain.
Late one night, home alone, with most of the household lights switched off, Howes was doing laundry.
With most of the house shrouded in shadow, Howes glanced out the window, expecting to see an empty street.
Instead, he locked eyes with a deer-like creature standing on its hind legs, staring directly at him with a ‘ghostly light’ in its eyes.
“I’m pretty sure there are no deer in my neighborhood,” Howes said.
Howes admits he has had a vivid imagination since he was little, seeing things that weren’t there even before this incident. Nonetheless, he knew that those things were just illusions.
But this creature, in particular, looked very real. Howes also mentioned that he had seen a random YouTube video that that had something in it resembling the creature he saw, but it was a video that he saw only after seeing the creature four years before.
According to Howes, the most significant takeaway from this experience is to lock the doors at night and have a weapon, like a baseball bat, near his bed.
Morgan hansen
One of the scariest things that someone can experience in their own home is an intruder.
The second is a ghost.
It’s October 2015 and junior Morgan Hansen is at home with his parents. The house is quieter than usual, as his sisters are away on their class trips.
Wandering around a dark, empty hallway in his home late at night, he walks past his sister’s room. But instead of seeing an empty room, he sees something disturbing.
In the corner of the room, Hansen sees a figure, and for just one moment, he can see the shadow of a man.
The only thing he can make out is that the figure is about 8 feet tall and wearing long sleeves.
That man has never reappeared, and that night is the only memory of that figure that Hansen has. But this wasn’t the only paranormal experience he’s had: his whole life, he’s been hearing the voice of a woman — or a ghost — call out to him.
“Morgan…” she whispers.
“I still don’t think that paranormal beings exist. I think I might have just been going crazy at that point. But who knows,” Howes said.
Lila reynen
It’s the middle of the night. The dark, unfamiliar hotel room is silent, save for someone repeating a single phrase: “Help me.”
Junior Lila Reynen is on vacation in San Antonio, Texas in February 2023, and after a long day, she goes to sleep around midnight.
Later that night, her father wakes to the sound of someone he couldn’t see murmuring over and over: “Help…help me...” He calls out to the voice but no one answers, and when he looks around, the only thing he sees is that Reynen isn’t in bed, so he decides to just go back to sleep.
Reynen wakes up early the next morning — when it is still dark — and when she does, her father tells her what happened.
But Reynen didn’t remember anything about not being in bed, and to this day, she still can’t explain it.
