Country Day alumni Jared McCain, Jaylen Wells shine on NBA stage
BY SAHEB GULATI
In December 2024, the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced the Kia NBA Western and Eastern Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played during October and November. The winners?
Sacramento’s very own Jared McCain and Jaylen Wells.
Although both are enjoying success as
rookies in the NBA, McCain and Wells were once students and teammates at Sacramento Country Day.
McCain was drafted 16th by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the NBA draft. Before getting injured, McCain averaged 15.3 points per game and 2.6 assists per game, in addition to shooting 87.5% from the free throw line.
The Memphis Grizzlies selected Wells with the 39th overall pick in the second round of
the 2024 draft.
Entering the month of February, Wells is averaging 11.7 points per game while shooting 44.4% from the field, along with 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
Although McCain joined Country Day earlier, Athletic Director Matt Vargo first took note of his basketball ability in third grade.
“He was hitting half-court shots in the gym while his brother was playing. I remember him doing it twice,” Vargo said.
McCain’s brother also played at Country Day before transferring to Folsom High School — but even amongst other athletic talent at the school, McCain stood out. Early on, Vargo and Country Day Basketball Coach David Ancrum knew McCain was special, Vargo said.
Michelle Myers, former director of physical education and a longtime teacher at
Wildfires devastate Los Angeles, Country Day connections affected
BY KATE BARNES & EESHA DHAWAN
On Jan. 7, a surge of wildfires resulted in mass destruction of the Los Angeles area, with 29 fatalities, 22 individuals still unaccounted for, over 16,000 structures destroyed, at least 57,000 acres burned and an estimated 200,000 residents evacuated from their homes, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
The Palisades fire was reported at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 7. A half an hour later, there was reported gridlock on Sunset Boulevard as people tried to evacuate. By 3:34 p.m.,
CAMPUSCORNER
BLOOD DRIVE
Country Day will be hosting the first biannual Red Cross Blood Drive on Feb. 7 in the Benvenuti Gymnasium from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students at least 16 years old are eligible to donate, but students who are 16 require parental consent.
the fire had grown to six times its previous size, according to reports aired by News Channel 4 Los Angeles.
The Eaton fire was reported at 6:18 p.m. that same day. The Hughes fire was reported on the morning of Jan. 22.
All fires were fueled by winds of 80 mph, which climbed to 100 mph, projected by the National Weather Service.
The fires occurred in California’s off-season. Fire season in Southern California traditionally ranges from May to October; however, California Governor Gavin Newsom has previously stated fire season is perennial now in California.
MIDWINTER BREAK
There will be no school during Midwinter Break from Feb. 17-21. Also known as Ski Week, many students plan to spend their time skiing or snowboarding. Enjoy the break!
“There is no fire season,” he said in a video posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) the day the fires broke. “It’s fire year.”
As of Jan. 27, the Palisades fire is 90% contained, the Eaton fire is 98% contained and the Hughes fire is 95% contained, according to Cal Fire, the state agency focused on wildfire prevention.
Rain has improved the air quality since, but poses new threats of toxic run-off and mudslide danger, according to a USA Today report published on Jan. 27. Residents were also advised not to drink the water in certain areas, the report stated.
Sacramento Country Day alumna Zoe Genetos, ’24, a freshman at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), described the fires as “nerve-wracking.”
The Palisades fire first started 10 miles away from her campus. Genetos was able to see the fires from the top level of her dorm. Initially, she was more worried about the high winds.
“My friend’s roommate got blown over in the wind. No one thought it was going to be as massive of a fire as it actually was, because it’s California. We have fires all L.A. FIRES page 3 >>
INSIDE ISSUE the
“BALLOONERISM” REVIEW
Read a review of “Balloonerism” — Mac Miller’s second posthumous album. (PAGE 11)
PHOTO COURTESY OF SPOTIFY
COURT CLASH During the Nov. 20, 2024 76ers vs. Grizzlies NBA game, Jaylen Wells (back) attempts to steal the ball from Jared McCain (front). PHOTO PERMISSION FROM JUSTIN FORD
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
Ava Eberhart
Saheb Gulati
Zema Nasirov Garrett Xu
COPY EDITORS
Eesha Dhawan
Saheb Gulati Ryan Xu
NEWS EDITOR
Aaryan Gandhi
FEATURE EDITOR
Eesha Dhawan
SPORTS EDITOR
Andrew Burr
A&E/OPINION EDITOR
Kate Barnes
TECHNOLOGY TEAM
Ava Eberhart, manager
Daniel Holz
Rebecca Lin
Ryan Xu
PHOTO EDITOR
Rehan Afzal
PAGE EDITORS
Rehan Afzal
Andrew Burr
Jesse Dizon
Ava Eberhart
Aaryan Gandhi
Anisha Mondal
Anika Nadgauda
Zema Nasirov
Garrett Xu
BUSINESS STAFF
Aaryan Gandhi, manager
SOCIAL MEDIA STAFF
Ava Eberhart, co-editor
Anika Nadgauda, co-editor
REPORTERS
Noor Alameri
Lukas Chung
Ava Levermore
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
Zema Nasirov
MULTIMEDIA STAFF
Ryan Xu, editor
Andrew Burr
Jesse Dizon
Anika Nadgauda
GRAPHIC ARTISTS
Claire Gemmell
Anika Nadgauda
Zema Nasirov
Gavin Wang
ADVISER
Andrea Todd
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.
Kindness Club organizes clothing drive for families in need
BY MADDY SCHANK
During the holiday season, Sacramento Country Day School’s Kindness Club organized their second annual winter all-school clothing drive, collecting and donating over 2000 new and gently-used items, including sweaters, coats and shoes. The drive ran from Dec. 6 to 19, and all proceeds went to a non-profit organization named My Sister’s House.
The Sacramento-based nonprofit is dedicated to helping women and children who are underserved or have been victims of sexual assault, domestic violence or human trafficking.
On Dec. 20, 2024, juniors Eesha Dhawan, Grace Mahan and Sophia Monasa, who are the leaders of the Kindness Club, delivered clothing donations from Country Day’s students, parents, faculty and staff to My Sister’s House.
“We know there are a lot of people in the Sacramento area who unfortunately don’t always have access to essentials like warm winter clothes or shoes, and we wanted to do everything we could as a high school club to help with that situation,” Monasa said.
After deciding to do a clothing drive, the club leaders reached out to multiple non-profit organizations, such as Sacramento Children’s Home and St. John’s Program for Real Change, to see which ones would accept donations of clothing and shoes. My Sister’s House was the first organization to respond.
To spread the word, club members designed a flyer and put it up around campus and in the Friday folders for the lower schoolers to bring home. The club announced the clothing drive during the high school and middle school meetings and in the weekly emails sent out by Country Day.
“That definitely helped with reaching the parents,” Monasa said.
Once the Kindness Club started to accumulate donations, members counted and moved the donations to specific locations to be stored, such as the Head of High School Brooke Wells’s office.
“It pretty much filled up the office,” he said. “It was cool, because there was so much stuff, and it’s such a good cause.”
In 2023, the club held its first clothing drive for Dyer Kelly, a local elementary
school serving a low-income community.
For this year’s clothing drive, the club’s only goal was to surpass 800 donations, which was how many they had received the year before. They ended up more than doubling that amount.
However, twice as many clothes meant twice the workload, and for a club with about 15 members, it became overwhelming, according to Monasa.
“Everything needed to be counted up and packed to deliver, and we were definitely in a time crunch, counting and rushing at the last minute,” Monasa said.
In the end, the donations were packed up and ready to go. Despite bringing a large truck for the occasion, there still wasn’t enough room to fit all of the clothing, so they piled the rest of the clothing into a parent’s car and set off.
When they arrived, My Sister’s House staff members were both surprised and thankful for the amount of donations they had received.
“It was a wonderful surprise to have collected so much for our clients and their children’s families. It came at the perfect time — right before our Adopt-A-Family holiday giveaway,” Deanna Dominguez, administrative assistant for My Sister’s House, said.
At first, Monasa was slightly worried that they wouldn’t be able to take all of
New sound system focuses on
BY MAGGIE NUÑEZ-AGUILERA
Sacramento Country Day implemented a new sound system on campus in early January, where students can submit their own playlists to be played on the new speakers in the high school quad.
The ability to choose one’s own music is something that some high school students have been excited about.
One of these students is freshman Sorelle Berger.
“Being able to put your own music out there really just is exciting. It makes the school experience a lot more interactive,” Berger said.
In an anonymous survey about campus music sent to students on Jan. 14, where emails were not collected, 12 of 18 students who responded expressed excitement about being able to play music of their choice.
Other students say the new sound system makes them feel more involved.
“I’m enjoying the sound system more as it feels like we actually get an opinion on the music. It’s nice to listen and hear the song you recommended,” one student responded.
In the same survey, some students also expressed concerns about the editorial titled “Music on campus should entertain, not overwhelm” in the Jan. 7 issue of The Octagon. These students
the donations, but it was quickly figured out by making room in another part of the building.
“They said this is one of the biggest donations they have received,” Monasa said.
To Monasa, the drive was successful, not only because of the number of donations they received, but also because of how thankful and appreciative My Sister’s House was for the help.
In an email, Christine Nguyen, Chief Operating Officer of My Sister’s House, wrote, “We are deeply grateful to everyone involved in collecting such a large and impactful contribution. Your kindness is truly appreciated, and it brings warmth and hope to those we serve.”
Shanice Butler, administrative assistant for My Sister’s House expressed gratitude, particularly for the donations of jackets.
“Many of the children do not have jackets, so the donations were much appreciated. As one parent said, ‘no child should go without a jacket,’” Butler said.
After the success this year, the club plans to continue the tradition of having an annual winter clothing drive next year as well.
“We are planning on holding another clothing drive next year. In order to serve more people, we want to branch out to different organizations,” Dhawan said.
student engagement
said the piece was overly critical of Head of High School Brooke Wells.
“I think it was kind of rude to go against Mr. Wells in a whole Octagon article. It doesn’t matter that much guys,” another student said in the same survey.
Other students expressed similar concerns in the same survey, saying they preferred when Wells had control of the sound system.
“Give it back to Mr. Wells. It’s weird that you canceled him. Better him than peers,” wrote a third student.
Although students have expressed concern that The Octagon’s editorial seemed like a personal attack on Wells’, Wells said he liked it.
“I love it. I think there’s a long and noble history of teenagers criticizing older people’s music,” said Wells.
As of Jan. 16, only one student-made playlist has been submitted, and that was from the musical theater class.
With the very limited amount of playlists that students have submitted as of now, Wells is urging more students to submit playlists.
“I love to hear different music, and the whole point is to make people happy,” Wells said.
Students can submit school appropriate playlists (meaning without excessive profanity) made by themselves or with classmates by emailing them directly to Wells.
WARM HEARTS, WARM CLOTHES Juniors Eesha Dhawan, Grace Mahan and Sophia Monasa pose during the clothing drive PHOTO COURTESY OF LESLEY MAHAN
Fires: Evacuations, closures, health risks as fires spread
the time,” she said.
UCLA never issued an evacuation warning, though the areas around the campus received one. Campus facilities including gyms, libraries and cafeterias shut down.
“Our resident assistants were telling us, ‘If you can leave, do leave.’ The school can’t tell us to straight up evacuate because there are so many students and they have nowhere to put us,” she said.
try Day families, including freshman Lukas Altschuler’s great-aunt, who was bed-bound and reliant on a life-sustaining machine at home and had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance during the fires.
29 fatalities
The school did provide the students with masks and expanded their mental health support hours for UCLA students.
Genetos, like many other students, had her bag packed the day the fires started. All of her classes were canceled for the week of Jan. 8 as air quality worsened and the fires moved closer. Genetos and her friends decided to leave for San Diego that same day to stay with sorority friends.
On Jan. 11, the school sent an email from BruinALERT — UCLA’s public alert and warning system — saying that the campus was going to be remote for the next week, forcing Genetos to return to Zoom.
“The one thing that really sucked is, I feel like we didn’t get that much communication from UCLA, but also it makes kind of sense because they did not want to create mass panic,” she said.
“It really stressed everyone out because she has been getting sicker and sicker and was always in her house. She has really bad asthma, and she could not breathe because of the fires. It was really frantic because the fire got less than a mile from her house,” Altschuler said.
High school math teacher Jo French, who grew up near Pasadena and Altadena, said an event like this is inevitable.
“With so many people down there and the way the weather is acting, at some point, something like this is going to happen. There’s not too much you can do about it. You just hope that in the aftermath, people can help each other,” French said.
While the causes of the fires remain under investigation, possible factors include arson, power lines, electric infrastructure and illegal fireworks.
However, severe drought conditions combined with the hurricane-force Santa Ana winds are most likely contributors to the fire, according to the Los Angeles Times.
22 individuals unaccounted for
Country Day alumna Lauren Lu, ’24, a freshman at the University of Southern California (USC) said the fires did not reach her school, but classes were canceled or offered via hybrid to accommodate those affected directly by the fires.
“Coming back from winter break, I was more worried about the air quality than being evacuated,” Lu said. “But I have heard of a lot of professors and students who lost their homes in the fire.”
The air was, and remains, a health concern. According to information posted for students on the UCLA website, the burning of houses, businesses and other structures has “caused more dangerous problems with the air quality in Southern California.”
The particulate matter from these structures has led to chemicals such as lead, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and asbestos in the air. Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at UCLA Suzanne Paulson, advised those in affected areas to stay inside with the AC running or wear masks.
The effects of the fires extended to Coun-
Winds are registered as “hurricane force” when they reach 74 mph, according to the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Using Landsat satellite data to study burn scars, The United States Geological Survey (USGS) assessed the Eaton and Palisades fires as “now among the most destructive wildfires in California history,” posting images and information on its website, dated Jan. 15.
few days due to low water pressure, according to the Los Angeles Times. The low water pressures in Altadena and Pasadena were caused by the multiple fires breaking out at the same time, which also hindered firefighters’ efforts, according to the report published on Jan. 9.
However, “No city in the U.S. or the world would have been equipped with on-theground water infrastructure to completely snuff out huge wildfires like these,” Greg Pierce, director of UCLA’s Water Resources Group, said in interviews with NPR and TIME magazine. “Firefighting, especially in environments like this — it’s not about water. It’s about aerial attacks.”
Normally, helicopters drop water and fire retardant on hill fires, according to CalFire, an organization with “the largest civil aerial firefighting fleet in the world,” according to its website. However, all aircraft were grounded on Jan. 7 and 8 due to the Santa Ana winds.
that their families are safe,” MacNeill said. “It makes me realize how quickly fires can come and how unprepared you can truly be. All you can do at the moment is attempt to save yourself and your family,” he said.
Altschuler also had friends who had to evacuate the fires to hotel rooms in Los Angeles areas that were not in fire danger. They are now staying in an Airbnb.
“It’s really cluttered and hard because they have tried to get everything they owned, all the important things, and forced it in these little hotel rooms where they also have to live,” Altschuler said.
16,000+ structures destroyed
According to a CalMatters post-fire report, total damage and economic loss will run between $250 billion and $275 billion. This amount takes into account costs of damage, loss of life, healthcare and business disruptions.
“Anyone who has not lived through a Santa Ana wind has no idea. It is literally, like, a scorching hot, 100 mph wind that tears through. You can’t do anything, and they are absolutely terrifying,” high school history teacher and former Los Angeles resident Liz Leavy said.
Leavy lived in Pacific Palisades since she was 2 years old until she left for college. She felt unsettled by the fires in her hometown.
“As I kept watching the news and calling up various memories of places, it felt very strange and disorienting,” she said.
French, who first started teaching near the Pasadena and Altadena area in 1999, shared the impact of the recent fires on his friends.
57,000+ acres burned
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced criticism due to her absence from the city when the fires started.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Bass left for a trip to Ghana to attend the inauguration of Ghanaian President, John Dramani Mahama, just as the National Weather Service began increasing their warnings about the coming windstorm. When she returned, more than 1,000 houses had already burned and 100,000 people had been evacuated.
Several fire hydrants at higher elevations in Pacific Palisades ran dry within the first
“I had one friend in particular — she and her husband spent the last 10 years customizing and fixing up a fixer-upper home. They had made it beautiful. Now it’s completely gone,” French said.
Junior Graycen MacNeill, who used to live in Los Angeles as well, shared his memories of Los Angeles.
“It’s a place that I grew up in, so I have an attachment to it. I used to go to the beach with my friends, and we always looked at the houses along the coastline,” MacNeill said.
Median home values in the Malibu and Santa Monica area are over $2 million. MacNeill said that the price of the houses burned should not change people’s perception of the fires.
“I’ve seen a lot of hateful comments online from people posting that ‘They’re rich. They live in Los Angeles, they have $40 million houses, they should burn down,’” he said. “These are my friends. I know them personally, they’re good people, and seeing people online say that is probably the hardest part because no one deserves that.”
For homeowners planning to rebuild, insurance poses a huge problem.
CBS News reported that California Department of Insurance spokesman Michael Soller confirmed via email that 1,600 insurance policies in Pacific Palisades alone were dropped by State Farm last year because of the area’s high fire risk. Residents were forced to get last-resort coverage through the California Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan or go without any insurance at all.
“I’ve seen lots of talk online about insurance companies not covering the costs because of how risky that area is and how dry Los Angeles is. A lot of people have lost millions and millions of dollars, and they can’t get anything back from that,” MacNeill said.
200,000+ residents evacuated
“Los Angeles is one of the most well-known places in the entirety of America, and seeing it being burnt down is upsetting.”
Fifteen of MacNeill’s friends have lost their homes to the fire. One protected their home by hosing down their entire house. The fires reached their backyard but their house ended up being fine, MacNeill said.
Most of his friends evacuated to hotel rooms and others relocated temporarily to Las Vegas.
“Nobody is ready to accept the fact that their house is going to burn down. My friends are very sad but they are thankful
Genetos said that throughout the devastation, the city of Los Angeles has made an effort to provide resources to its residents.
“Airbnb did a whole thing about, ‘if you’ve been displaced, you can stay in an Airbnb for a week free.’ There were also a bunch of free Uber rides and there are a lot of GoFundMe pages. Los Angeles in general banded together,” she said.
Though Genetos sees evidence of the community coming together, the loss of landmarks and places where memories were made is still immense, Leavy said.
“My entire hometown. Everything. All the neighborhoods, the schools, the library,” Leavy said. “All gone.”
PACIFIC PALISADES Satellite imagery of the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 12. PHOTO COURTESY OF SENTINEL HUB
Burned area, fire retardant is visible on ground (red)
Santa Ynez Reservoir
Burned neighborhoods
ASHY AUTOMOBILE A destroyed, ash-covered car in Topanga Canyon. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PARENTS AGAINST SANTA SUSANA FIELD LAB
Daniel Hernried Beyond the Classroom
When students walk into a classroom and are greeted by Daniel Hernried, they are not just greeted by a random substitute teacher for the day. They are greeted by a man who has taught special education and has had chairs thrown at him by students. Hernried is not only a fellow Cavalier as a Country Day alumnus from 2017, but also the current assistant coach for the ski team.
Hernried has always been drawn to helping all people grow, both academically and personally.
“All students come from very different backgrounds and have different things going on in life. It’s good to see so many young people so busy and hard working,” he said. “Because of my background in psychology, I know that a chair being thrown at me is not about me. Teaching is an opportunity to help people.”
His interest in counseling people in growth and learning started back in his freshman year of high school, where he worked as a volunteer for Davis’s Camp Putah. He was later hired as a camp counselor during his senior year at Nevada City’s Camp Augustus.
Hernried pursued a double major in psychology and art at Whitman College. His time working in special education at Davis High School was key in shaping his appreciation of the many challenges students face — those with disabilities and those without.
“The students there came from so many different backgrounds and all have different disorders,” Hernried said. “Working with them confirmed my joy for working with adolescents, teens and young adults.”
Hernried is pursuing a master’s de-
gree in Marriage and Family Therapy, specializing in art therapy at Dominican University of California. He is focusing on a field that blends psychology and creativity. It also enhances mental health, according to Hernried.
To Hernried, art is an opportunity of expressing anxiety when one is unable to put their feelings into words.
“Art has always been a way for me to process life and deal with everyday burdens,” he said.
Substituting is a side job for him, but it’s one he values because of the interpersonal relationships that are built.
“As a Country Day student, I know the pressures students are under. Being able to be back here makes me feel at home,” he said. “Although I can’t commit to a full-time job right now, I value what I learn from the students.”
Hernried also enjoys being able to substitute because it’s his way of being able to pay off some loans while also staying involved in education.
Outside of teaching, Hernried works with Physical Education Department Chair Jason Kreps to coach Country Day’s ski team.
“I’ve skied my whole life — I can’t get enough of it. In middle school, I asked Coach Kreps to let me join the team but he said no because I was in 8th grade. When I finally got in my freshman year, I was beyond excited.”
Hernried went on to be captain of his ski team for three years.
Now, he continues to share his enthusiasm by working with the high school’s ski team, he said. For now, he balances his studying, substitute teaching and his time on the slopes. Whether he’s guiding students in the classroom or coaching them downhill, his impact is felt in both spaces.
Gulati
The sounds of rockets being launched echo outside of the empty physics classroom, reverberating the presence of Sacramento Country Day alumnus Nihal Gulati, ’22. In the classroom, Gulati can be found watching rockets and spaceships launch into the sky during his free time — in between subbing classes usually taught by physics teacher Malak Abou Faour.
While Faour defended her PhD in Physics Education for a two-week period, Gulati stepped in to teach her AP and regular Physics classes.
Gulati attended Country Day from 2018 to 2022, and currently attends the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in Aerospace Engineering and EECS (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science).
While at Country Day, he co-founded the Solar Regatta club alongside other Country Day alumni, Arijit Trivedi, Ethan Monasa and Arjin Claire.
In Solar Regatta, the club constructs a solely solar-powered boat, and races against other boats built by other teams in a body of water. Gulati hopes that the current team will innovate and grow, as the boat has remained unchanged since his senior year.
“A lot of people I meet at Berkeley have gained experience through robotics or through other engineering clubs that were in their high school. It would be cool if the Solar Regatta team grew in advancement to become a good way for people to gain experience in engineering,” Gulati said.
The Solar Regatta club helped lay the foun-
dation for the engineering he continued to pursue at Berkeley.
He now is a part of Space Enterprise at University of California Berkeley — a rocketry club — where he has designed circuit boards, written code and helped launch rockets into the sky. Right now, the club’s current goal is to be the first college team to hit space, with liquid fuel — a technology that isn’t common with rockets.
When he is not engineering, or coding things for the rocketry club Gulati enjoys playing video games such as Valorant, and Marvel Rivals, and reading fantasy and sci-fi novels. Some of his favorite authors are Andy Weir, Brandon Sanderson and Christopher Paolini. His favorite Sanderson books are Rhythm of War and Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, but he thinks that they are all great.
Although he is not pursuing a teaching career, he enjoys being back at Country Day, and helping out students in things he knows how to do.
“I love learning. I love teaching people things,” Gulati said.
After college, he hopes to pursue a career in aerospace engineering at a launch company, or at a satellite company.
“I just like the idea of building something of that sort, some kind of huge project that hundreds of — maybe thousands of engineers work on — that is ultimately some of the biggest things that humanity builds. Pushing the envelope on the kinds of things that we have done in the past,” Gulati said.
Nihal
STORY BY JESSE DIZON & SID SHUKLA; GRAPHICS BY ANISHA MONDAL; PHOTOS COURTESY OF HERNRIED & JESSICA LOYA
Rachel Pirie, ’24, joins baking club, collects stickers of Peter the Anteater
BY VIVIAN LI
Rachel Pirie, ’24, attends the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and is majoring in chemistry.
Q: What classes are you taking this year?
A: We have to take general education courses. I didn’t take a lot of classes — just chemistry and math: Single Variable Calculus II, New Chemistry Student Seminar, Majors General Chemistry and Majors General Chemistry Laboratory.
Q: How big are your classes?
A: Math is my largest class with over a hundred students, while chemistry is around half that size. Larger classes, however, don’t really feel too big to me. Personally, I usually try sitting closer so I get a better view of what’s on the board because sometimes professors write on the whiteboard and don’t use very good markers.
Q: How was the transition from Sacramento Country Day School to UCI?
A: Irvine’s a pretty big school, and Country Day is small, so it takes a little bit of an adjustment to get used to larger class sizes and lecture halls. Country Day helped me with figuring out what studying methods work for me to understand the material, so that has been helpful.
Also, if you need help in classes, you can’t go directly to the professor after class, so instead, show up during office hours to get help. That’s only an hour on some set days, and sometimes the professors just disappear to do other things like research.
Q: Has professor unavailability affected your grades or academic performance so far?
A: I don’t think the professors canceling their office hours has really affected my academic performance. I will occasionally attend the office hours that the teaching assistants host because they deal more with teaching the questions that will be on the tests or overseeing the lab work I do.
Q: Why did you want to attend UCI
A: The weather here in Orange County is amazing all the time, and UCI has pretty good STEM programs.
Q: What are some elements of UCI that are new to you?
A: UCI has a lot more opportunities in general for different majors. They promote STEM opportunities and resources including undergraduate and graduate research.
Q: How do you feel about your mascot?
A: I love Peter the Anteater. It’s an awesome mascot. It’s super goofy, and there are a lot of sticker collaborations with, for example, Frozen and Sabrina Carpenter.
I don’t know if other colleges have a big sticker culture, but at UCI it has become popular for some people to make and distribute Peter the Anteater stickers or “Petr,” a spoof on the mascot, I think, created by a humanities student a couple years ago. Think of “Petr” as a poorly-made, knock-off of a popular character.
Q: What is your favorite part about UCI?
A: There’s a big park called Aldrich Park that’s right in the middle of the campus. It has a walkway all around it, so it’s easy to find my classroom buildings by going along the inner circle. It gets me there faster if I sleep in on accident or on purpose.
I usually cut across it to go to the science library. I don’t often spend time in it, but it’s nice to look at and to know that it’s
there whenever I need it.
Q: How is your major in chemistry so far?
A: Since I took chemistry in my junior year of high school, it was just dusting off some cobwebs. As for my classes in chemistry, the labs are different from high school labs as they’re longer. In around four hours, we have to complete everything.
The major itself is OK. I think it is definitely going to be a rigorous path, but I can’t imagine not being a chemistry major. It is tough, but it is fun.
Q: Why did you decide to major in chemistry?
A: I didn’t know what I wished to do exactly, but I wanted to have a set plan at least. I only realized I liked it when I took high school chemistry. It was just something that clicked with me. I find it fun.
Q: What is your housing situation like?
A: It’s been good. I like my roommate. She’s really chill. She gave me cookies, which was very nice, and I think we have a good agreement in splitting the chores: I’ll vacuum, take out the trash, all that stuff. I usually enjoy chilling in my dorm room. I’ll either do my homework, go to a library, hang out with friends or go to different club events.
Q: Have there been any dorming issues so far?
A: Well, I have locked myself out of my dorm a couple of times. That’s not fun. I had to call the housing office, and here they charge you a whole $10 since you can’t have multiple copies of your key card.
Q: What clubs did you join?
A: I’m a part of the baking club. The last food we made was a hand pie. But since
it’s a large club and student-led, we don’t really do much. We just sort of chill, hang out and have snacks.
I’m also in the chemistry club, which is usually just information regarding undergraduate and alumni experiences.
Q: How’s the cafeteria food?
A: It’s OK. Could be better. It’s a rotating menu, and sometimes they have good stuff. There’s always pizza and burgers, and you can get a variety of sandwiches including grilled and ham cheese. There’s also rice, pasta and tacos. They have a vegan option on most days.
Q: Do you have any favorite food options?
A: I like the ube tea they occasionally serve. It’s a little special treat and, apparently, has boba in it. Sadly, I did not get any boba in mine.
They make good fries here. I really like their french fries. They’re thicker, like Burger King’s, and usually fresh out of the fryer, so they’re nice and hot.
Q: What is one piece of advice for the Class of 2025?
A: Bring a lot of snacks. Not during lectures, since my professors don’t really like anyone eating, but just to munch on, especially since you might get tired of cafeteria food quickly.
FIVE STAR OR SUBPAR?
Quality of classes: School Spirit: Food: Social Scene: Clubs: Location: Student-Teacher
Interactions:
CAMPUS CRAWL Rachel Pirie poses with friends, stockpiles anteater stickers and lives up college life at University of California, Irvine. PHOTOS COURTESY OF PIRIE
NBA Rookies: former Country
(continued from page 1)
Country Day, taught both McCain and Wells.
“Jared was always the energetic one,” Myers said. “Moving from one skill to the next laughing and giggling.”
Myers described Wells as humble and cerebral.
“You could see the wheels turning in his mind,” Myers said. “He would make shots but he didn’t want to draw attention to himself.”
At one point, Athletic Director Matt Vargo coached both McCain and Wells together, on the fifth/sixth grade boys basketball team.
“Sometimes it was almost too easy,” Vargo said.
On Feb. 13, 2015, the pair played against league rival St. Ignatius Parish School, then the only other undefeated team in their league.
Approaching the end of regulation, Wells tied the game with a three-point shot with two seconds left — right after the team overcame an 8-point deficit with just over 30 seconds remaining.
Then, McCain, who was in fifth grade at the time, hit clutch free throw shots to win the game in double overtime.
Arjin Claire, ‘22, a friend of McCain’s, vividly remembers another moment when McCain hit a game-winning shot: a corner three at the buzzer.
“I still remember sitting on the bench, then rushing the court. His brother was the first one to him,” Claire said. “I was looking into the future. He’s hitting NBA game-winners now.”
In addition to playing basketball with McCain, Claire was also his teammate on the San Juan Soccer Club, where he described McCain as being extremely athletic and competitive.
Although they were young at the time, Claire also remembers McCain as nice and outgoing.
“I don’t think I could say a bad thing about him,” Claire said. “He was an incredible person.”
Although McCain was definitely more skilled at basketball than his peers, he never showed off, Claire said.
During recess, Claire remembers setting screens and McCain physically picking him up and lifting him out of the way — an example that Claire said demonstrates McCain’s infectious energy and joy.
“When you’re around him, your mood is lifted too,” Claire said.
Max Wu, ‘22, was Wells’ classmate and described him as quiet and friendly.
“They had not only great sportsmanship but great manners,” Myers said, a byproduct of their upbringing and being surrounded by coaches like Ancrum.
Both Wells and McCain were regulars at The Lab, a series of basketball clinics run by Ancrum on a regular basis in the Country Day gym.
When Ancrum coached McCain and Wells, he often let the two compete against older players. Having them play with their grades would have been a disservice, he said. They needed to be challenged.
STORY BY SAHEB GULATI; GRAPHICS BY ZEMA NASIROV; PHOTOS PERMISSION FROM JUSTIN FORD/GETTYIMAGES
On Nov. 20, 2024, at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., Wells (#0) of the Memphis Grizzlies and McCain (#20) of the Philadelphia 76ers face off during the game.
In The Lab, McCain and Wells interacted and competed against high school and college players — and at times, even professional players or coaches.
“We have NBA coaches that come in and play, so they weren’t really fazed by anything,” Ancrum said. “They had seen it all here.”
During their time at Country Day and in The Lab, Vargo describes McCain and Wells as students of the game who worked hard and were competitive. These positive traits are essential in the development of NBA players, he said.
“If you can take that pressure as a middle school kid, you’re not afraid,” Vargo said. “You can see that confidence in both of their games now.”
Ancrum agrees. Regardless of the score, he never had to worry about either player being scared of the moment.
On the weekends, Myers would often come to school and see McCain or Wells in The Lab. Myers recalls starting to see McCain work on specific shots under Ancrum’s direction.
“When he would make them, he would freeze and turn around to see where I was,” Myers said. “He would grin ear-to-ear and be like, ‘I can’t believe I just did that.’”
As is typical in The Lab, both McCain and Wells were given nicknames: McCain was “Curly” and Wells was “Spike,” short for Spike Lee, in reference to his afro, Ancrum said.
Ancrum also recalls encouraging Wells to adopt
20:00
Day Cavaliers in the spotlight
The following statistics for Wells and McCain are the most up-to-date for the 2024-25 season. Points per game (PPG), rebounds (REB) and assists (AST) represent key basketball statistics tracking a player’s scoring, rebounding and passing performance.
11.7 3.2 1.7
REB AST 15.3 2.4 2.6
a more physical style of play during his time at The Lab.
“He was always a great shooter,” Ancrum said. “I used to get on his case all the time about shooting too many jump shots, but funny how that turned out.”
After graduating middle school at Country Day, Wells joined Folsom High School, where he was The Sacramento Bee’s All-Metro Player of the Year after averaging 26.3 points and 8 rebounds a game.
“All of sudden he just got tall and kept the same skillset,” Ancrum said, referring to Wells’ later success in college and professional basketball after graduating.
In 2021, on his Next College Student Athlete recruiting profile, Wells described his efforts in high school to be more dominant physically, more explosive and increase his rebounding.
“I have been quietly working on my art, one thing at a time,” Wells said in his personal statement on the platform.
This year, both McCain and Wells were selected to compete in the 2025 Castrol Rising Stars game, celebrating the league’s top new talent, at the NBA AllStar Weekend.
However, due to injury, McCain will not be participating in the event, which is scheduled to take place on Feb. 14 at Chase Center in San Francisco.
In December, McCain was diagnosed with a season-ending injury: a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee, requiring surgery.
Before the injury, first reported in a game against the Indiana Pacers, McCain was the favorite to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award.
Before that, McCain played at Centennial High School in Corona, Calif. and Duke University.
At Centennial, McCain was a two-time California Gatorade Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American.
Simultaneously, McCain amassed a significant fol-
lowing on social media platforms, including 1.5 million followers on Instagram and 4.5 million followers on TikTok, where he has received 185.5 million likes. McCain’s content largely consists of dancing and lip-syncing videos.
Given McCain’s social personality, Ancrum isn’t surprised by his newfound fame.
“It was just a matter of time before Madison Avenue came calling,” Ancrum said.
Claire has continued to follow McCain since his departure from Country Day.
“When Jared left, I remember being sad,” Claire said. “Little did I know I would be watching him on TV.”
Although there are positives and negatives to having a large social media presence, Claire said that McCain lets his game do the talking.
“I think that’s the right way to go about it,” Claire said.
Before being asked if he expected the pairs’ meteoric success, Ancrum’s phone buzzed.
He picked up.
Curly.
“What’s good?” McCain said.
“Yo, I’m having an interview out here,” Ancrum said. “You’re messing with my interview time. I’m trying to grease you up, son.”
“Oh, my fault,” McCain said, laughing.
Ancrum ended the call.
“I call Curly just to check and make sure he’s OK because he’s hurt. When you’re hurt, people don’t call as much,” Ancrum said. “I just want him to know that whether you make a layup or a 40-footer, I’m still your guy.”
Ancrum doesn’t take credit for the recent success of McCain or Wells, nor is he surprised by it.
“They just happened to be at Country Day and I was fortunate enough to coach them,” he said.
Instead, Ancrum points to the outstanding work
ethic of both players.
Both Myers and Vargo also credit the parents of McCain and Wells with giving them support and putting them in an environment to succeed.
“Their parents put them in a position to get the best training and experience,” Vargo said.
However, Vargo knows that ultimately, both McCain and Wells had to take advantage of their opportunities and continuously work on improving their skills.
According to Vargo, they’ve done just that.
“He’s putting in LeBron-level body care at 20 years old,” Vargo said of McCain.
Vargo is pleased to see the sacrifice of both the players and their families be rewarded in recent years.
“It’s nice to see good guys winning, if that makes sense,” Vargo said. “They’re great kids.”
Myers isn’t surprised either by McCain’s and Wells’ performance — it’s indicative of their character and upbringing, she said.
“I’m really proud to have played a small part in their lives,” Myers said.
This includes witnessing them overcome challenges, learn new skills, build their confidence and develop both physically and emotionally. Myers also over time built friendships with both McCain’s and Wells’ parents.
“Even though they were young adolescents, they graced me with conversation and told me about different parts of their lives,” Myers said.
Myers wishes the two a lengthy, successful career and knows that when it’s time to retire, both will find ways to give back and stay involved.
“Can I tell you my favorite Jaylen moment?” Myers said.
“I’m watching him play and when he scores, LeBron James pats him on the head,” Myers said. “Goosebumps.”
“Gym Usage Blocked” by Gavin Wang
EDITORIAL:
Frustration grows over limited gym access at lunch
BY EDITORIAL STAFF
Picture this: Groups of eager students piling outside the gym’s doors, many of whom have skipped lunch to play their favorite sport. But there’s only one problem: The gym doors are locked, and the gym is not open for lunch.
“It’s like a museum; the gym’s behind a red rope which you can’t touch,” senior Max Weitzman said.
This feeling of frustration is not limited to just Weitzman; in a poll sent out to high school students, 100% of respondents wished they had more time to use the gym.
Because Sacramento Country Day is such a small school where all 598 students use the same gym, it’s inevitable that our gym will be occupied most of the time. However, the problem is that there are so many solutions to fixing this issue — solutions that could be implemented immediately. By creating an organized form for sports to reserve the gym and by clearly communicating the reasons for the closure, more students can be satisfied with the gym’s usage.
Sports that require specialized equipment like volleyball suffer the most from the lack of gym availability.
“First, you need a court to practice volleyball, basically anything like a court and a net,” junior Rebecca Lin explains. “Without that, it’s just harder to play. It’s impossible to do drills with multiple balls without an actual court. You’ll just end up chasing balls around.”
If volleyball is about hitting a ball over a net, and there’s no net available in the first place, how are students supposed to practice and improve in their sport — or even play it? How are athletes supposed to nurture their love for the sport — to surpass their peers and become the best version of themselves?
Though not all students at Country Day play a sport purely to surpass their peers, there is one thing that every student at Country Day plays a sport for: to have fun.
“It’s a good way for us to unwind during lunch,” junior Gavin Wang said. “It’s one of the only times seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen can all connect over sports.”
The lack of gym availability has definitely affected the amount of fun students have. For instance, juniors Lin and Kai Hirahara have a tradition of facing each other in annual badminton matches; however, last year they were forced to cancel their match due to the lack of gym availability.
“We play one badminton match every year. By the end of senior year, we’ll tally up our wins and see who had the
most wins overall. It was hard to do that because the gym never opened. We ended up not doing the match last year,” Lin said.
The logistical challenges of keeping the gym open must be addressed. As the head of the high school P.E. department Jason Kreps explains, the gym is still a classroom used by various teachers.
“The gym’s also our classroom, so we have a lot of stuff set up. There are definitely days that just don’t coincide with having an open gym,” he said, adding that these setups can’t be taken down or put back up quickly.
Additionally, teacher availability for supervision is limited, with most staff attending meetings during lunch. With the available staff that could potentially oversee the gym, Kreps points out supervisory concerns.
“If you have another faculty member coming down here to supervise the gym, they might not know how to make sure things are on the up and up — like sweeping afterward, making sure food’s not in the gym, people aren’t going into our equipment room, those things,” he said.
There could be a potential solution to fixing this problem regarding supervision. In response to the lack of teachers available to advise the gym, which accounts for the majority of the issues, Weitzman believes that eighteen-year-olds should be qualified to watch over the gym.
“I think people who are 18 or legally adults should be allowed to go in the gym without someone watching. I’d be willing to take liability if anything went wrong in the gym,” he said.
However, finding a qualified supervisor isn’t as simple as someone may think. According to the Head of High School, Brooke Wells, 18-year-old students would need specific qualifications to supervise the gym.
“It’s a good idea, but 18-years-old isn’t relevant in terms of the school. They’d need to be fingerprinted to be alone with students, and I’m pretty sure you can’t supervise as a student,” Wells said.
Furthermore, Wells highlights the challenge of getting faculty members to oversee the gym, adding that they should generally be meeting with students instead.
“You just have to increase faculty lunch duties, which is hard because they should be meeting with students and doing all these things. We can move the garden duty to the gym, and I could be in the garden, but then I’m not always available either,” he said.
Kreps also points out that overcrowding further complicates the situation.
“It seems like once the high school sees a couple of peo-
ple in the gym, they all just start flooding into here, and it becomes a little chaotic,” he adds.
For students, outdoor play is simply less enjoyable compared to the comfort and convenience of the gym.
“Your hands get all dirty, you get all sweaty, it’s raining outside . . . but with the gym, it’s nice and air-conditioned — just more fun to play in,” Weitzman said.
Sophomore vice president Justin Lawson voices the superiority of the gym, saying that in the gym, they get to practice with the balls they use in games and shoot on the hoops they use in games.
Although many factors prevent students from using the gym during lunch, there are still ways to maximize the gym’s availability.
At the start of every week, Wang schedules time for sports to be played in the gym.
“I go to the PE office, and I find out which teacher has the gym for the week. We sort of go over their schedule, and so during the times that they are free, I ask to reserve the gym space, and then afterward I try to find teachers to supervise,” Wang said.
For students who want to schedule time in the gym for their sports, the best way to guarantee time during the week is to talk with the P.E. teachers beforehand to see which days are available.
Kreps says that’s a solution that could work.
“If people want to use the gym, the best thing to do is come ahead of time and just schedule in the week ahead,” Kreps adds. “For instance, I just had Gavin come in because we were going to be doing volleyball Wednesday, but now we’re not, so we just scheduled some flex times.”
Beyond scheduling, other creative solutions exist to increase how much students can play their sports. Lawson believes that the student council could contribute by providing outdoor alternatives for sports like volleyball.
“A potential student council thing that I would be willing to help out with is getting an outdoor net for volleyball in the next coming weeks,” Lawson said.
No matter what solution is presented, effective communication is the main factor behind solving this issue. Many students don’t realize that the gym is closed due to factors out of the teachers’ control. Students could also come up with workarounds once they know the reasons why. Students would have a lot more understanding of the gym’s unavailability if there was effective communication between both teachers and students, and more organization, planning and forethought from all individuals involved could improve access to our school’s gym.
MY ANGLE: International student experience at Country Day
BY ANDREA YUE
March 4th, 2024, was the first day I witnessed wild turkeys wandering on roads shared with automobiles — and the first time I walked up the sidewalk to Sacramento Country Day School, jet-lagged but brimming with a mix of nervousness and excitement.
But my story really began the weekend before, when I arrived at my host family’s house after a 20-hour flight from Shanghai, China. Exhausted but eager, I watched my brother — who’d flown in from Arizona to help me settle in — effortlessly chatting with my host parents and strangers alike. It didn’t take long for me to discover that nodding and smiling could get me through 80% of conversations. The other 20%, however, left me wondering why everyone was laughing — and whether I should laugh along or quietly Google what I’d missed.
International students applying for admission to Sacramento Country Day are required to provide language test scores and undergo online interviews to be accepted. I studied hard for my TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), but since I was in elementary school, most of my training focused on reading and writing. Speaking and listening, especially at the speed of native conversations, were my biggest hurdles — and have led to some unforgettable moments.
During the National High School Journalism Convention in Kansas City last year, I confidently asked the waiter for a glass of “spirit.” The polite waiter, perhaps noticing my age and shaky English, nodded and brought me a Sprite. It wasn’t until a friend pointed out the difference between “Sprite” and “spirit” that I realized I, a 16-year-old, had tried to order alcohol.
The language-barrier obstacles did not stop there. They weren’t always humorous and became increasingly conspicuous when combined with cultural differences.
When I entered the school, I was so happy that every classmate was so welcoming and chatty. Growing up in China, I was never the most outgoing person. In a culture that values humility and restraint, I had learned to keep my thoughts to myself, especially in classrooms where speaking up often felt like disrupting the harmony.
In the past few years, I found interest in aspects of American culture, particularly through the works of the Beat Generation.
On the plane to Sacramento, I finished The Dharma Bums, written by Jack Kerouac. I thought these interests made me unique — until I arrived at Country Day.
Surprisingly, what I considered niche and quirky back home was almost mainstream here. Mentioning some 60s or 70s rock music in conversations didn’t spark the excitement I had hoped for; instead, it often elicited a quick change of topic. It was a strange feeling — my once-prized unique interests now felt ordinary, sometimes irrelevant.
When the English teacher briefly mentioned Kerouac in class, my heart raced with excitement, but I stayed silent. The fear of being met with indifference kept me from diving deeper into the conversation.
Additionally, regarding a systematic difference, physical education was all about individual performance back in China — how fast you could run and how far you could jump. Team sports were rarely emphasized, and I had little experience with the camaraderie I was expected to exude and play in American sports. Determined to stay active, I joined the soccer and basketball teams at Country Day, even though my skills were, to put it kindly, a work in progress.
What surprised me most wasn’t the competition but the encouragement. Even when I fumbled passes or missed shots, my teammates cheered me on with genuine enthusiasm, which was a far cry from the solitary focus on personal achievement I had
previously always known.
Sitting on the bench during games, I initially had no idea what to do. I sat silent, unsure how to contribute. But over time, I learned that cheering was about showing support, lifting each other up and being part of something bigger than myself.
The first time I high-fived a teammate after a goal, I felt a rush of belonging. It wasn’t just about the game; it was about the shared effort, constant communication, and the unspoken understanding that we were in it together. This form of teamwork warmed me; encouragement has always been a driving force for progress.
Another structural disparity was the grading system, specifically the all-important grade point average, or GPA. The grading system in the U.S. was a mystery to me. In China, everything boiled down to a few high-stakes exams — midterms, finals, or monthly tests. In China, there was no such concept as GPA and no chance to correct mistakes for extra points.
At first, I didn’t understand the importance of these smaller assignments. Also, I missed several opportunities to correct my quizzes because I didn’t realize some teachers offered extra credit for revisions. It wasn’t until I saw my GPA take a hit that I realized how much I had underestimated the system. Looking back, I was like a chef who only focused on the main course and forgot the appetizers, only to realize the appetizers were half the meal.
The role of teachers here was another “cultural shock.” In China, teachers were like conductors — standing at the front of the classroom, delivering lectures while we took notes and solved problems. In the U.S., teachers were more like guides, encouraging us to explore concepts independently and work together in teams.
In my calculus class, I didn’t know how to say some mathematical expressions in English. Hence, I focused only on solving the assignments and was a bit afraid to communicate with oth-
ers during group work. Luckily, I had inclusive classmates and an equally-inclusive teacher, Mr. French. I found out that in the group work, the partners would remind me of which part of the knowledge I was unfamiliar with. Since then, I have realized the value of group work.
What struck me most was how approachable the teachers were. They didn’t just want us to learn but to enjoy the process. Whether staying after class to explain a concept or cracking a joke to lighten the mood, my teachers made it clear that they were on my side. It made me understand that education could be so empowering and caring.
In terms of the living experience as an international student, living with my host family was absolutely an enjoyable and valuable life lesson, especially when we shared meals together.
When it comes to the huge difference in the food culture, having the ability to cook for yourself is a vital lesson I learned (though I’m still trying to figure out how to make something that doesn’t look like it belongs in a chemistry lab).
Mealtimes with my host family were rich with cultural exchange. Whether it was joining a conversation at the dinner table, asking for help in the kitchen, or simply sharing a piece of culture with each other, my host parents were attentively assisting with my English speaking skills. At the table and all the hours in between, my host parents gave me encouragement when I was not confident about something, and it’s just so fortunate to have someone to listen and talk with when you are away from home for a long period of time. International study isn’t easy, but it has been an immensely worthwhile experience.
In all, being an international student isn’t just about adapting to a new place; it’s about discovering new parts of yourself — like how you can turn “lost in translation” moments into inside jokes. And while the journey isn’t always easy, it’s always worth it.
ADVICE: Stepping away from social media & judgement
BY ANONYMOUS
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 Jan. 16. Responses are not guaranteed, but all submissions are welcome.
Q: TikTok is getting banned. I don’t know what to do with my time. I need my daily TikTok. My life is over. What now?
As much as I want to scream at you like the screenager you are, I’ll keep this (somewhat) professional.
Your life isn’t over, and judging by your overly dramatic question, maybe your reaction to TikTok’s ban says less about the app and more about how much time you’ve been spending on it. Maybe the Supreme Court‘s unanimous decision just did you a huge favor; maybe it was about time to say goodbye to TikTok anyways. The truth is — like it or not — you’re going to have to find a life outside of TikTok.
Instead of spending three hours watching dance trends you’ll never actually try, go find out what life looks like when your “For You” page is … you know, you.
Go on that 8-mile hike at the UC Davis Stebbins Cold Canyon Natural Reserve with your friends, teach old Terry next door piano, and enjoy brunch with Ms. Tippett’s from 2nd grade. I can assure you that you’ll love teaching old Terry more than you’ll ever love watching those endless TikTok shorts.
Now if you insist on being glued to your phone, continue creating those short TikTok-esque videos. But this time, make those videos knowing you don’t need an algorithm to validate them. Feel how freeing it is to know your creativity is not defined by the number of likes you get — how freeing it is to make something just for yourself.
Granted, TikTok is still a social platform that connects people. If that’s what you’ll miss, know that TikTok is just one of many mediums that strike conversations. Your friends are still out there, and you can still communicate with them in ways that don’t involve tagging each other in brain-rot videos. Text them. Call them. Heck, even meet up with them in person.
One day in the future it’ll hit you: life without TikTok feels … better. No algorithm pressuring you to keep scrolling. No anxiety about how many people like your post and worrying about your post flopping. Just you, with the chance to focus on things that genuinely make you happy instead of feeding the content void. You’re bound to find something even better than TikTok. Hopefully that “something better” isn’t Instagram Reels. That would be replacing one addiction with another, wouldn’t it? Which brings up the topic of addiction and TikTok addiction is real. If you are feeling severely anxious about not having this in your life, you might want to check out articles and studies conducted on TikTok addiction (they exist) and perhaps consider some help or support.
Q: I’ve always been very insecure about my looks and my body, but recently it’s gotten worse and worse. I’m looking at the people in my class and the upperclassmen, and I can’t help but always think how ugly I am. Wouldn’t it be nice if I was considered attractive?
How do you know whether or not you are attractive? I mean, how do you really know? Who exactly is the judge of these things?
Beauty isn’t how high your cheekbones are or how sharp your jawline is — it’s the way you laugh at the small things, the way your eyes light up when you talk about something you’re passionate about and the way you show up for the people you care about.
It’s hard not to compare yourself with others, especially during adolescence, when appearance-based comparisons are common. A study published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence in 2015 highlights just how such comparisons can heighten body dissatisfaction and negatively impact self-esteem.
But remember what you don’t see are the insecurities we all carry. The person you think has the perfect body or the perfect face? They likely have their own struggles, just like you.
So instead of focusing on what you think you lack, notice what you love most about yourself.
Attractiveness starts from how you treat yourself, both mentally and physically.
So go enjoy an acai bowl on that Tuesday night. Sign up for that Pilates class to help you feel more confident in your own skin. Start that meditation or journaling routine to remind yourself you’re worthy of love.
At the end of the day, don’t forget you’re only just a teenager, and your body is still going through puberty. No one expects you to look like Timothée Chalamet or Megan Fox when you’re 15, so neither should you.
Unless you are planning to be a supermodel, it’s not likely that you are going to build a life around your looks, but rather around a career that requires intelligence, work ethic, good judgement and talent. Chalamet and Fox are successful not just because of their looks, but because they exhibit those other qualities. That’s why they’ll continue to be loved long after their jawlines weaken, their hair goes gray and their hairlines recede.
Now is the time to look and feel awkward, to find your style and to give yourself time. You’re not in a race to “glow up”; wait a little while, and your confidence and features will develop as you “grow up.”
If you remain depressed or overly-self critical about your appearance, it might be worthwhile to talk to a supportive adult about your feelings and options available, such as therapy.
“Cultural Exchange” by Gavin Wang
Doug Christie and the Kings Winning Streak
STORY BY AVA LEVERMORE & PARSINY NIJHER; GRAPHICS BY JESSE DIZON; PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE NBA
For many people, their favorite artist releasing an album is a rare occurrence, and in my case — sadly — it’s even rarer. As you can probably tell from the title, I’m referring to Mac Miller, who died on Friday, Sept. 7, 2018, age 26, due to a drug overdose.
It’s been six years since his passing, and I think I can speak for many fans when I say we were hoping for his camp to release “Balloonerism” before it was announced at Camp Flog Gnaw in November 2024.
“Balloonerism” is Mac’s second posthumous album, following in the footsteps of “Circles.” Released precisely five years before “Balloonerism,” “Circles” is widely regarded as one of — if not the best — posthumous albums ever. I agree.
One of the things I value most about “Balloonerism’s” release is its extraordinary ability to function as a musical time machine. Mac recorded the album in 2014, and the production and style offer a glimpse into an era that has long since passed.
The album is influenced by various genres of music, most notably jazz. Some tracks have instrumentals reminiscent of those of artists such as jazz-fusion rap artist and singer King Krule — not exactly what you would expect from Mac.
Few things compare to the feeling of listening to the previously unreleased work of a departed artist. It’s surreal to know that someone who has positively impacted music culture and profoundly influenced you, the listener, is gone and never returning.
When this happens, you understand the lyrics from a different perspective. Every word has a sense of weight and finality because it can never truly be repeated.
That said, it opens the door for increased appreciation for their existing music.
Themes of death and longing are ever-present in “Balloonerism.” From a purely emotional standpoint, the feelings it invokes are similar to those produced by “Tim” by Avicii — an EDM pioneer who died in 2018 by means of suicide — despite the complete dissimilarity in their music genres.
“5 Dollar Pony Rides” was one of the most anticipated tracks on the album, re -
being mostly completed during Mac’s lifetime, but it
leased as a teaser for the album (around a week before its full release). It reminds me of a few of the tracks on his mixtape, “Faces,” — which would make sense as Mac recorded it around the same time in 2014.
This track is exceptionally well-produced, from the classic melodic vocals to the jazz instrumental in the background.
Unsurprisingly, the lyrics are meaningful. They reflect on missed opportunities in a relationship — or lack thereof, digging into what could have been in a melancholy but not outright sad tone. “Every time I reminisce, I keep thinkin’ it was better…”
The decision to release this track as a teaser makes sense to me. It is the most polished one on the entire album,
likely didn’t fit in cohesively enough with any other album; hence, it has not been completed and released until now. It earns a 4/5.
“Funny Papers” has a darker tone than the aforementioned “5 Dollar Pony Rides.” It focuses heavily on death and the irony of it all.
The lyric moves from “Somebody died today / I saw his picture in the funny papers,” to the juxtaposition: “Somebody gave birth to a baby boy / I saw his picture in the funny papers.”
The repetition of phrasing and imagery (funny papers) with the twin concepts of death and birth sends us a message about the power and futility of life. Simply put? Your life could end, and in the exact same instant, somebody else’s can begin. It’s just something
we have to roll with. The world doesn’t stop spinning; eventually, everybody fades into obscurity. The lightheartedness of a newspaper’s ‘funnies’ section provides an interesting counterpoint to the heaviness of death.
In the track, Mac also says, “Didn’t think anybody died on a Friday,” which is morbidly ironic given Mac ended up dying on a Friday.
“Funny Papers” is honestly my favorite track on the album, and for this reason, it gets a 4½/5.
“Rick’s Piano” has a slightly different sound than the other two, but the vibe is the same. The themes of mortality and uncertainty are also present in this track, with an additional layer of the pressures that fame entails.
Mac sings about the inherently transient nature of life, which can be seen as yet another example of foreshadowing of his own death.
This track offers something that the others on the album don’t, but I can’t exactly describe it. I just like it, and for this reason, it gets a 4/5.
In most reviews, the writer is expected to find a weakness in the art — whatever it may be — in an attempt to make their opinion, especially a favorable one, seem more valid. A concession of sorts.
I can’t find anything about this album that I don’t like. It has its quirks, don’t get me wrong (a 30-second tambourine-only intro and a ten-minute long — yet excellent — outro), but there is simply nothing that makes this album unlistenable.
Mac Miller has let the music do all the talking in life and death. His posthumous albums haven’t marred his legacy as one of the greatest artists of his era one bit; in fact, they have bolstered it. The album gets a strong 4/5, and I would like to end the review with a quote from “Tomorrow Will Never Know,” another song on “Balloonerism,” that perfectly encapsulates what Mac would have wanted the purpose of this album to be: Carrying on his legacy as if he were still alive. “You wonder when God will just listen and give you a break / And He says, ‘See, living and dying are one and the same.’”
Llunar new year traditions
Freshman Brenden Yu mentions two very important and common traditions of Lunar New Year.
“On New Year’s Day, we like to eat hot pot, a dish involving a steamboat of hot broth accompanied by various meats, and it is a dish that we find very delicious. This isn’t a tradition that is unique to us, but rather common. Another common tradition is wearing red, which symbolizes luck,” Yu said.
Yu mentions a very specific story from Chinese culture about the origins of this holiday and its traditions as well.
“There’s this story of what we call the Yen. The Yen is a dragon, a mythical beast that would come and terrorize this Chinese village. This dragon would come and eat the livestock and children of the village every year. In order to ward off that monster, the villagers had
to get creative. They said ‘how do we ward off this monster?’ One of the solutions was the Nian Gao, a traditional Chinese sweet rice cake, which enticed and filled the dragon so much that it didn’t eat livestock or children. The villagers then set off firecrackers. The loud noises and spooking nature of the firecrackers warded off the dragon. It was a sign of ingenuity from the villagers,” he said.
Yu is always excited for this holiday because he is proud of his culture and is always happy when the time for the Lunar New Year arrives.
“Every year, when this holiday rolls around, it draws me back to my heritage and makes me proud to say that I’m an Asian American, especially in this new age where being Asian American is actually a cool thing, not something to be ashamed
Freshman Junzhen Fang, celebrates Lunar New Year, by connecting with friends and family. One of her traditions is to make dumplings and eat them during the holiday.
Her first way of connecting with her family is by sending blessings of luck and wealth.
During Lunar New Year, Fang also sends and receives red envelopes filled with money to and from members of her family.
Fang has a special start to Lunar New Year.
“Lunar New Year always starts out as another exhausting morning and I would suddenly receive a lot of messages from friends and relatives in China. They’re so happy and cheerful that I can feel their vibes through the screen. They make a normal day in the US special for me,” she said.
Junior Jaq Howes also celebrates the Lunar New Year with an abundance of food. Throughout the day his family goes sightseeing and then eats an entire feast.
“When we are in the United States without extended family, we will often call our family. Then later in the day order Chinese takeout for dinner,” Howes said.
His favorite meal is fried mochi, which are chewy, pasty rice treats. Like Fang, Howes’s
favorite tradition is also the handing out of red envelopes filled with money.
“This holiday is one of the few times I can really connect with my extended family and have fun with them. It’s always good when I can see my great-grandmother, as well as when I can spend time with my cousin whom I don’t usually get to talk to. It’s a great way to bridge generations and have fun,” he said. 2 0 2 5
STORY BY ANIKA NADGAUDA AND JACK ROBINSON; GRAPHICS BY NADGAUDA
unar New Year was celebrated on Jan. 29, 2025. This holiday signifies the beginning of a new year in the lunar calendar. Every new year, there is a switch between the zodiac animal representing that year. The latest Lunar New Year was the year of the dragon (2024), which symbolizes power, good fortune and strength. This year is the year of the snake which represents wisdom and intelligence. Many students at Sacramento Country Day School celebrated with special traditions and food.
Brenden Yu Junzhen Fang
Jaq Howes