g n i r n e n v u e R t a o h t w t i t pg. n a w you be
THE
PUN
CHANT
Oddly Specific Ways to Hit on Someone pg. me + you
Irvington | Sea Dubble-u SEa
Irvington High School’s Creative Writing Club is a student-run, interest-based club dedicated to providing a welcoming environment for writers of all kinds to convene and share their ideas outside of an academic setting. Members get a taste of publication through submitting to The Penchant, our online literary magazine. Meanwhile, monthly prompts, in-club competitions, and major writing contests are provided to allow members to explore the implications of writing, improve on their own techniques, and receive feedback from their fellow peers. Overall, our collective mission is to enable the students of Irvington to write what they wish and have their voices heard. All images used are either submitted to us or public domain, CC0 photos. All rights remain reserved to their original owners, for those that have specified such guidelines. Photo Credits: Cover Photo by Phil Botha on Unsplash 56| Photo by Ron Fung on Unsplash 84| Photo by Bryan Goff on Unsplash 20| Mayur Gala on Unsplash and Pure PNG 20| Credit to source 9| Photo by Miguel Alcântara on Unsplash 100| Froge Friend Special thanks to not-michelle wong and soof moo To learn more about us, visit our social media: Facebook: @penchantlitmag Instagram: @the_penchant Issuu: @penchantlitmag To see our submission guidelines, please visit https://tinyurl.com/penchantsubmit, or follow us on Facebook @penchantlitmag.
the punchant Irvington | Car Washing Club EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Janice Park CONTENT EDITORS Yale Han Nichelle Wong LAYOUT EDITORS Roland Zhang Helen Yuan
CONTENT Nobody signed up so we’re shutting down operations and
LAYOUT merging with DECA </3
Even though I see the same ground beneath my feet Even though I’ve forgotten to speak One step forward One more step Running How long has it been? The concept of time stretches far I feel like I’ve aged a million more Running Is this the end? Is this where I collapse Like when I realize that There is a test tomorrow And all I’ve been doing Is eating good food Good food is better than Studying Sleeping is better than
RUNNING by sophie leung Running I put one foot And another foot Right after the other They can sometimes move the wrong way Causing me to slip But I get right back up Because I know so well That the distance is far Running Which way is front Which way is back? All I know is that there’s only one direction to go A direction I sure don’t want to follow
Than to put up with The lack of breath The sound of gravel The untied laces A red face And a sweaty back Running Should be changed to sleeping Even though it requires So Much Effort To write that extra letter There is more joy in moving my fingers Than to put up with The lack of breath The sound of gravel The untied laces A red face And a sweaty back
Running Should be changed to sleeping Even though it requires So Much Effort Running To write that extra letter I can almost see the end There is more joy in moving my fingers Even though I see the same ground beneath my feet
56|We were out at sea on a sailing ship
Running I reach the top Wow, I did it! I was sure I would feel great But then I look back down Running Never doing it again All this time Wasted on wasting away As my body feels like Decomposing Never doing this again Never Doing this Again Running Now I’m going a different direction With a different destination Running I’m running back Back to the couch Waiting for me On what seems like the other side Of the world Resting Breathing is like eating your favorite food I can’t think straight
PROSE BUT BROKEN UP WEIRDLY
PAGE 9 OF THE QUEST PACKET by anonymous Remember your QUEST Build on another to create your topic Doing them compromises their effectiveness a year-long project can dramatically reduce your grade Student stress makes QUEST more fulfilling, and your senior year stressful Be aware QUEST No date will be given No need to be late… You are going to learn.
The rain began to rain, and the wind began to whip|84
FRIENDS WITH (TAX) BENEFITS: THE BEST ANTIROMANCE PROMPTS FOR APRIL FOOLS’ by not-michelle wong
IT’S JUST PROSE SORRY TO DISAPPOINT
Ah, the two most romantic days of the year: Valentine’s Day and April Fools’. What? Don’t look at me like that. Today is the perfect day to ask someone out. In honor of the influx of couples that will surely be pouring onto campus, here are some of the best anti-romance writing prompts that turn traditional tropes on their head (written by someone who is totally not single salty about the romanticization of love in the media).
Friends With Benefits Two befuddled twenty-somethings help each other navigate the confusing realm of life after college. Together, they work to figure out and file tax benefits. Yet both desperately yearn for something more…good health insurance… Fake Marriage Both are freelancers so they contribute money to their joint account whenever needed. They tell people they’re in an open marriage, but they’re actually in deeply committed monogamous relationships with other people. Fake Relationship Most people in fake relationships have ulterior motives, and it’s no different for these two. Because of their shared love for horror, they spend almost every weekend at each other’s house watching movies late into the night. Everyone assumes they’re dating (a straight guy and a straight girl spending time together? Oh, the horror), no matter what they say otherwise. They just let people assume that until the girl (or the guy) falls in love with someone else. Then, it gets complicated: how can they “break up” while still continuing their movie marathons?
We felt the ship tip, it was going down|20
Sleeping Your Way to the Top An intern falls asleep on top of an old keyboard and keyboard smashes a random combination of letters that unlocks old, encrypted files the company has been trying to access for the past 2 years. Cheesy Pickup Line Leads to Something More An artistic grocery store employee begins sticking pickup lines onto different items (Ex: “you’re my honey-dew” “I’d canta-lope with you”) to brighten people’s days. The trend catches on and the entire grocery chain store basically becomes known for their cute messages. The Ups and Downs of a Relationship Rom-com: a market analyst and their favorite stocks. Unrequited Love Someone is platonically/romantically in love with at least one person per friend group, but everyone else either likes someone else or does not care about love. I mean, how is that even possible???!? bruh* *not from personal experience Public Confession Well. I’ve always wanted to confess by doing something big, like in an April Fools’ magazine. So, uh, the name of a certain person is somewhere in the letters below :) Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxy z If you like any of these prompts, feel free to take them. Treat this like the writing-prompt-s blog on Tumblr. Don’t forget to works cited!! 19|So we launched our lifeboat, so we wouldn't drown
WONG
Castaways, we are castaways|20
Oddly
Specific by not-michelle wong (still)
THOSE DUCKS ARE HAPPIER THAN YOU PROBABLY
Ways to Hit on Someone
c
1. Ask everyone out on April fools. When they say no, tell them it's April fools so that means yes. Ignore other potential paradoxes involving you asking them. 2. Ask someone to an event "to cover it for yearbook/journalism/another organization" 3. Tell someone "I don't have a crush. It's not you." On April fools 4. Tell someone who does layouts "wow you make really amazing layouts." Whether or not on April fools is up to you. 5. Tell someone "wow I really like your Voice articles/CWC pieces/yearbook (imagine liking yearbook)/sports trophies/debate tournaments/etc." 6. Similes are valuable tools. Say "I want us to be like that really annoying clingy couple at lunch that's always hugging for no reason right in full view and blocking everyone's way." 7. Text everyone "I like you" and then be like "whoops I meant to send that to [someone else in friend group]." Except it's a different person each time. Then sit back and watch as chaos happens. 8. Ask someone, "hypothetically, if I were to have free luxury cruise tickets to the most beautiful place in the world, and school and responsibilities didn't exist, and we were the only two people in the world, would you want to come with me?" 9. Ask them to a dance or something. But like, as friends. And then proceed to think about how much they treat you like a friend the entire time. :). 10. This is not a confession. If you are reading this, I do not have a crush on you.
I have a confession to make|10
PHOTO
99|I’m going to get fired for this
Yes this is a cry for help|100