ISSUE 3, VOL 63
THE PROSPECTOR
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IDOLIZING POLITICIANS & INFLUENCERS Generation Z’s glorification of influencers in social media pg. 22
NEWS
Great America Waterpark Renovations pg. 4
INVESTIGATIONS LGBTQ+ Education pg. 16
PERSPECTIVES Breakup Letter to 2020 pg. 32
POSTSCRIPT Favorite CHS student Holidays pg. 36
IN THIS ISSUE
news
Great America Renovations........ 04 Cupertino Library Expansion...... 05 Local Election Candidates.......... 06
features
America 04: Great Renovations
Mechanical Keyboards..................08 featuring Andrei Yang and Wilson Lu
opinions
Decriminialization of Drugs......... 12 Returning to School: In-Person vs Remote........................................ 14
investigations
LGBTQ+ Education...................... 16
lifestyles
Stop Idolizing Politicians and Influencers............................ 22 Tik Tok is Ruining Your Life.......... 24
sports Playing Sports in Space for Astronauts............................. 26 Athlete Feature: Richard Oh....... 28
24: Idolizing Politicians/Influencers
perspectives Phineas and Ferb Theme Song: Cupertino Parody............................ 30 Breakup Letter to 2020....................................... 32
postscript Column: Personal Lessons From Driving Through Trailer Parks........................................... 34 Favorite CHS Student Holidays...................................... 36 COVER DESIGNED BY STELLA JIA
THE PROSPECTOR
STAFF 2020-2021
editors-in-chief Alexandria Hunt Lawrence Fan Stella Jia
copy editors Ankita Acharya Juliet Shearin Avi Pandit
news editor Juliet Shearin
photo editors Megumi Ondo
opinions editor Rachel Park
online editors Keerthi Lakshmanan Sanat Singhal
features editor Krithika Vekatasubramanian
business manager Ankita Acharya
lifestyles editor Jenny Wu investigations editor Joan Thyagarajan sports editor Henry Ma perspectives editor Sarah Pollans postscript editor Megumi Ondo
assistants Anand Ashar, Ananya Anand, Arnav Vishwakarma, Arushi Arora, Hyunjun Kim, Joshua Lee, Katelyn Chu, Kavya Kaushal, Kevin Jia, Kriti Kaushal, Megana Kashyap, Meghana Vinjamury, Nachiket Kerai, Norman Chow, Raissa Ji, Rajasi Laddha, Saniya Laungani, Sonia Patil, Theresa Nguyen
advisor Ann Peck Editorial Policy
“The Prospector” is an open forum of expression for student editors to inform and educate their readers. It will not be reviewed by or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisors may and should coach and discuss content during the writing process. The staff of “The Prospector” seeks to recognize individuals, events and ideas and bring news to the Cupertino community in an accurate, professional and unbiased manner. “The Prospector” will not avoid publishing a story solely on the basis of possible dissent or controversy. If you believe an error has been made or wish to have your opinion expressed in “The Prospector,” please contact us via mail or email. Letters sent become the sole property of “The Prospector” and can be edited for length, clarity or accuracy. “The Prospector” editorial board reserves the right to accept or reject any ad in accordance with its advertising policy.
Contact Us: prospector.chs@gmail.com The Prospector 10100 Finch Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014
A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Dear Reader, You may have ridden roller coasters like Goldstricker or Flight Deck, but 2020 was the Drop Tower that none of us were ready for. Its loops, ups and downs, and spirals — alike that of a roller coaster or water slide — brought us many changes, unfortunate events, and unique memories. Speaking of unforeseen rides, Great America invited our staff to an exclusive tour of their new waterpark, South Bay Shores, which is set to open in the summer of 2021. Staffers Joan Thyagarajan and Jun Kim’s detail the new renovations in their article on page 4. TikTok reached a peak in its own rollercoaster ride of 2020, as it became one of the most downloaded apps. Although it has helped pass time in this long year, underlying its fun trends and surplus of content actually lies its addictive nature, which creates negative psychological effects on users. On page 24, staffer Raissa Ji reflects on the impact that TikTok has on users’ emotional wellbeing. The ride of 2020 is soon coming to an end. With the holiday seasons closing off the year, staffer Megumi Ondo highlights a few of our community’s favorite holidays on page 36. Furthermore, staffer Keerthi Lakshmanan perfectly captures our tumultuous relationship with these past 12 months in the form of a breakup letter on page 32. As we approach the final descent of our ride, we want to thank all of you who have rode along with us. Although 2020 was a roller coaster, hopefully we can spend 2021 lounging in the pools of the South Bay Shores — hopefully it’s not the turbulent wave pool! See you in 2021, Alexandria Hunt, Lawrence Fan, and Stella Jia
NEWS
GREAT AMERICA Renovation
background HYUNJUN KIM social media assistant
Known for having the world’s tallest carousel in the world (standing nearly 100 ft tall), California’s Great America brings convenience and several “wow” moments to the guests all year-long. The park features various rides and attractions, not to mention the tallest wooden roller coaster in Northern California: The Gold Striker. Said Danny Messinger, the current area manager at Great America, “We are the only park in California to also have a waterpark inside of a theme park.” Allowing guests to experience the thrills at the water park for a one ticket price, the park is flexible with their provided attractions. As of today, the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic continues to stress California’s theme park closures—the higher the level of community transmission in public, the higher the risk of the virus. Therefore, it has changed people’s work, school, and social lives. Though amusement parks are also on the same boat, their works and projects entirely caused by the coronavirus, California’s Great America hopes to bring light to the darkness with their new water park project: The South Bay Shores.
Project Overview JOAN THYAGARAJAN
4 | THE PROSPECTOR
investigations editor
Throughout the Covid 19 pandemic, businesses have been adapting to new rules and regulations by creating plans that would help them thrive even under such unprecedented circumstances. California’s Great America has chosen to use the closure due to the pandemic to renovate the water park portion formerly known as Boomerang Bay, which will now be known as South Bay Shores. Said Danny Messinger, the current area manager at Great America, “We got about 70% of the way through the construction process before we got paused by Coronavirus [...] there’s obviously a lot of work left to do with the detail work like electrical and plumbing.”
Even though the park has had no revenue for the past nine months due to COVID closures, the park has avoided bankruptcy since it is part of a larger group of amusement parks called Cedar Fair. Other amusement parks in this group that are located in different states have been able to open which helped the entire group survive and lightened PHOTO COURTESY OF MERCURY NEWS
the blow of earning no income for several months. The renovation includes a grand waterslide complex called Pacific Surge, over 50 feet in the sky, which includes two regular water slides and four trapdoor waterslides all leading to a massive whirlpool called Feeding Frenzy. The wading has also been expanded and outfitted with a series of mini-slides to make the park more kid-friendly. Aside from the new attractions, all the existing rides have been repainted and renamed and two new restaurants have been added. Overall, the waterpark has been given a different look, taking it from the Australian Outback to the Bay Area. Said Messinger, “We wanted to do something that tied us into the local community [...] a lot of South Bay pride here.” Every attraction from the kiddie pool to the major water slides has been given a name tied to a significant part of the Bay Area to integrate the park more into the local culture. Overall, the park has made major changes to its waterpark’s fundamental structure which will definitely bring an onslaught of guests when they are allowed to reopen.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF MERCURY NEWS
Cupertino Library Expansion LAWRENCE FAN, ANAND ASHAR online editor-in-chief, business assistant
14 new water slides 9 months of closure 11 parks splitting revenue PHOTO COURTESY OF COASTER101
NEWS | 5
On November 19, 2019, the Cupertino City Council unanimously approved the Cupertino Library Expansion Project with $8 million in funding. More recently, on August 21, 2020, the Cupertino Library approved a contract with Rodan Builders to design and construct the structure. While the City Council had set aside more than $8 million for the expansion, Rodan Builders offered a surprisingly low bid, just under $6.5 million. Construction is expected to commence in February 2021 and finish in December. To cover the needs of the public, the library has planned to erect a two-story and 5,600 square foot structure in the area of the existing Children’s Book Area, adding 10% more space to the existing library. In the building, the library plans to build large event spaces with a 130-seat minimum audience capacity and thewith a possibility of spillover seating, flexible rooms, and kitchen and storage facilities. Generally, approving a million-dollar budget would have caused clashes between council members. However, more than 940,000 people visited the Cupertino Library in the 2018 –- 2019 fiscal year, leading to insufficient seating space, few group and quiet study areas, no on-site space to support events exceeding 40 people, and inadequate space for children’s education, creativity, and enrichment programs. With such hustle, the council realized that an expansion of the library is vital for it to meet the needs of Cupertino residents. A Cupertino High School senior who lives adjacent to the library, Rikhil Konduru accentuates the crucial need for the project by mentioning, “Everytime we go to the library, the Think Tank is always booked, especially since it accommodates students from Cupertino High School, Monta Vista, and Lynbrook.” Not only will the new venues benefit students working on group projects or clubs trying to find meeting space, but it will also draw attention from members of the business and professional world alike. Konduru, who runs a small business, recognizes its potential, “As the CEO of a small company, I feel that this is very valuable to convene all of our clients so we can discuss company plans and negotiate with our partners in a space that is open accessible and user-friendly.”
The Candidates-Elect:
Local Elections
Check out more election coverage on our website, chsprospector.com
SANIYA LAUNGANI social media assistant
With election season comes change, and 2020 is no different. Dave Cortese will be the Santa Clara County district’s new state senator, while Kitty Moore and Hung Wei will join the Cupertino City Council. Although they share a background in social work and politics, all three bring different views and experiences to the table. Cortese, Moore, and Wei all have plans to make our housing and economy better. PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVE CORTESE
As state senator, Dave Cortese wants to reduce homelessness and violence against women. His previous work, in addition to being county supervisor, shows a focus on renewable energy.
6 | THE PROSPECTOR
State Senator-elect for District 3, Dave Cortese Cortese was first elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in 2008. He has previously served as vice mayor for San Jose and a trustee for East Side Union High School District. Cortese, a moderate Democrat, represents District Three which includes Cupertino. His platform includes increasing affordable housing and reducing homelessness in California, a problem exacerbated by the pandemic. He also wishes to convert to 100% renewable energy and amend building codes to require green construction. Cortese has designed a set of bills expecting the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions with California’s new construction state. He previously
helped create Silicon Valley Clean Energy, a nonprofit that provides clean energy to hundreds of California homes. Elected from San Jose, he can expect to use his prior experience on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to continue addressing housing issues statewide. Among his other overarching goals, he also hopes to end sexual harassment in schools, gender-based crimes, and reduce human trafficking and domestic violence. With the Board of Supervisors, Cortese approved a one million dollar review on sex discrimination policies in hundreds of Santa Clara County Schools.
Hung Wei supports housing for moderate-income families and more public transportation, among other moderate positions. PHOTO COURTESY OF EAST BAY TIMES
Hung Wei focuses on good governance and environmental leadership. In 20 years of community involvement, Wei’s stance is that an inclusive city provides housing for all. Wei indorses nonprofits the assist RV/vehicle dwellers as well as regional structures that support transit. Among her positions on critical issues, Wei has explained that she would advocate for housing solutions for teachers, seniors, and low-income families in FUHSD communities. Other plans include supporting moderate-income families and implementing more public transportation to reduce traffic and emissions and promote con-
servation. Her goals are to work with state housing laws to allow Cupertino to grow. As a board member for FUHSD, Wei also successfully added an athletic field to Lynbrook, Homestead, and Monta Vista high schools. Wei has supported implementing a district-wide 8 a.m. time at high schools, an initiative shown to improve school performance. Wei has also been a board member and president for the Fremont High Schools Foundation. Overall, like Cortese, Wei assumes mostly moderate positions intended to help Cupertino improve gradually.
Kitty Moore’s fundamental policies include library expansion and maintaining fiscal soundness. PHOTO COURTESY OF KITTY MOORE
along with Lawrence, adding 7 acres of new park space. Moore stands by supporting diversity among large employers. Her three main goals are increasing housing, protecting the environment, and maintaining sound city finances.
NEWS | 7
Kitty Moore is on the chair of the Environmental Review Committee as well as the Planning Commission. One fundamental tenet for Kitty Moore is library expansion in Cupertino. Moore works closely with city staff and library employees to ensure the development progresses as promised and on schedule. She supports regional transportation, which Measure B strives to fund. Moore is also aware of the limited parking space, which makes social distancing a struggle. Her solution is to use the purchased land at Lawrence-Mitty and connect the bike path that runs
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FEATURES | 9
andrei Andrei yang Yang
NORMAN CHOW
10 | THE PROSPECTOR
news assistant
For most people, keyboards are an essential tool used in their daily work conducted at a job or for school. However, they are often overlooked, and as vital as they are, people do not seem to give keyboards the respect that they deserve as an essential part of our daily lives. Tino student Andrei Yang seeks to change this, as he introduces people to the hobby of custom mechanical keyboards, where people build their keyboards from scratch. People who take part in the hobby usually seek a keyboard that gives them the best typing feel and aesthetics. This search for a perfect keyboard keeps people hooked on the hobby and motivates people like Andrei to spend hours on keyboards, whether it is to build or modify them. Ever since picking up the hobby, Andrei has introduced both his parents to the hobby, as well as a few friends. On why he has decided to do this, he says that there are a variety of reasons, but mainly it was out of curiosity. He recounts that “the first time I [knowingly] dipped my toes into it was because the Computer Lab’s peripherals were entirely filthy, and I’d been looking at small form factor keyboards (which are keyboards that usually cut down on things such as the numpad for convenience) I could take to school. There was nothing with arrow keys in the size I wanted and its slightly larger cousins that did feature arrow keys w e re n ’t quite as preva l e n t
yet. The cocktail of those requirements plus constantly looking at the Mechanical Keyboards subreddit created my first build.” This is the case for many of those who join the keyboard community, as they try to find a better alternative to more widely produced non-mechanical keyboards. Regarding why people stay invested in the hobby, he says that “I think the interest comes from the technical aspect and the need to care about this sort of thing, especially now at such a pivotal point within the community. The revival of dead technologies or designs otherwise left in the p a s t a r e coming back, a n d w e ’ r e re-learning a lot of the l e s sons that people thirty to fifty years ago learned and are improving upon that. There’s a rabbit hole that people enjoy and I think that people join the community because of that or eventually discover that and recognize quality.” In summary, he says that “I feel like what a lot of this can be distilled into is that you should carry around utensils and implements you enjoy using and looking at. Even if you never follow custom keyboards, that realization of using quality tools, whether pencils, pens, keyboards, or the paper you write on, is vital.”
Wilson lu wilson Lu KEVIN JIA podcast assistant
FEATURES | 11
Thousands of students at Cupertino High face extreme cases of boredom, cooped up in their home for almost 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, that’s not the case for sophomore Wilson Lu who has taken an interest in custom mechanical keyboards. Said Lu, “I had a friend, and he was into mechanical keyboards, and ended up giving me a mechanical keyboard which opened my eyes to the world of custom mechanical keyboards.” Custom mechanical keyboards are different from the traditional keyboards seen on laptops and desktops. Unlike laptop keyboards, custom keyboards use moving plastic parts under each key unlike the keys found in the average laptop which have no moving parts. Mechanical switches tend to provide a deeper travel distance while pressed with either a clicky, tactile, or no physical feedback midway through the press. Said Lu, “Mechanical keyboards also come in many different sizes from a full size with a number pad, arrow keys, and function keys to a smaller 60% keyboard with only numbers on top with simple shift and control keys.” The process of building a keyboard is similar to stacking legos. Each key switch have a keycap on top which are then placed into each mounting plate to help align each key to the printed circuit board and then soldered in. After that, it is screwed into a case, plugged in, and ready to use.
Many keyboard enthusiasts build keyboards to find the ideal typing experience for them. Most builders lubricate each key switch internal with oils to help improve the smoothness and audio of each keypress. Those who want to save money and receive the best product possible would tend PHOTOS BY MEGUMI ONDO to look towards modifying, or modding, a cheaper mechanical keyboard that has been prebuilt. Lu has built three custom mechanical keyboards and modded the one that his friend has given him. Most of Lu’s free time has since been replaced from boredom to building. Said Lu, “I like to spend my free time lubricating keyboard switches to give a more premium feel and sound when pressed.” Although his love for mechanical keyboards may have kept his hands busy, it has also created new problems. Said Lu, “Financially, I have probably invested around eight to nine hundred dollars, it’s quite an expensive hobby. Each keyboard being roughly around 250 to 350 dollars.” Lu has said to have spent more money on this hobby than any other hobby he has tried. Even surpassing the cost of which it took to build his customized desktop. With students indoors all day, working on schoolwork could increase the risk of cramps and strains. Custom mechanical keyboards are more ergonomic/efficient and comfortable than the traditional keyboard, with key switches being lighter than average, making it easier to type on for long periods.
OPINIONS
TIME TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL JOSHUA LEE podcast assistant
On the afternoon of Friday, March 13, in 4th period, our lives were changed significantly. Our Principal, Mrs. Kami Tomberlain, had informed the entire school that it would be closed for three weeks. As soon as she said “closed,” cheers roared across the school. Fast forward to November 2020, experts and students alike are debating whether or not school should reopen. Clubs started meeting virtually, and many sports seasons were either delayed or canceled. Unfortunately, because of the rising cases of COVID-19 at the time of writing, the district delayed reopening until the fifth grading period of the school year. If this school year
12 | DESIGNED BY RACHEL PARK
“School is a place where people forge and strengthen bonds with other students” is virtual throughout the entire school year, seniors would have to spend their senior year missing out on the many experiences senior year would typically offer, such as Senior Prom, Senior Ditch Day, and Senior Night in sports teams and bands. Despite all the risks of COVID-19, it would be a better idea to reopen school as soon as the second semester starts. According to the World Health Organization, reopening schools would allow students to access reliable information to ensure that students and staff alike stay educated about the virus and staying safe in the pandemic. Teachers can’t monitor individual students all the time because some would have their cameras off in zoom class or visibly step out of their rooms. With in-person learning, staff members may be able to monitor if students are correctly practicing social distancing. While the virus is something that many should be concerned about, many do not look at the counter risks of switching to virtual learning. Said Joseph Allen, a professor of Harvard Chan
School of Public Health, “[The COVID] risk is important, but it actually can be managed and very few are talking about the risks of kids being out of school.” Furthermore, according to School Nutrition, around 30 million students rely on schools for food. Without school being available, students may face food insecurities because they are unable to go to school. Unfortunately, virtual learning problems go beyond the struggle for food; the changing environment is also affecting students in many other ways. School is a place where people forge and strengthen bonds with other students. Ever since the pandemic, students generally tend to stick to the bonds they already have because it’s a lot harder to form new connections with new people. Said Vihaan Manglani, a sophomore at Tino, “I miss the interactions like getting to know the people around you. It’s super hard over call because there is no definite communication within each other. It’s [even] worse when you don’t know anyone in the breakout room.” Although it wouldn’t be necessary to wake up an hour before school starts in virtual learning, the extra sleep in the morning is not as ideal as it seems. According to LA Times, virtual learning gives students the freedom to sleep in in the morning or stay up late, which leads to inconsistent sleep schedules. Because we go to school virtually almost every day, we look at the screen more often than usual, which may emit the blue light that makes falling asleep much more difficult. In many cases in which students sleep in, it would be because they stayed up late and needed the extra hour or 30 minutes to compensate for staying up later than their usual bedtime. On the bright side of virtual learning, this will not last forever as students will eventually return to school in person. However, students should still take safety measures to ensure that they remain as safe as possible while navigating the pandemic unless the virus is the least concern. Students should address their sleeping habits, get some exercise and take care of themselves, so that they will be ready to learn in person when the time comes.
THERESA NGUYEN perspectives assistant
Going back to school has been a big issue for the past couple of months. Many are uncomfortable choosing between their health and happiness, but ever since March, students’ well-being has been the top priority. Despite the many months schools have used online learning, it is too early to go back to school. The number of casualties due to the COVID pandemic is quickly rising again and is fluctuating day by day. As of Nov. 17, Santa Clara County has been declared a Purple Tier county. Said Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody, “Today’s announcement from the State reflects that we appear to be heading into the worst phase of the pandemic to date.” Besides the obvious health risks posed by returning to school, it would be difficult to adjust to a ‘normal’ schedule after being exposed to a relatively lax one. Before remote learning, most students would wake up an hour or more before classes to accommodate for their modes of transportation. However, because of online learning, waking up an hour before school starts is no longer necessary. Transitioning back to in-person learning would mean losing up to 30 minutes of precious sleep, depending on the student’s schedule. Said the staff writers of Affordable Colleges Online, “Students who are sleep deprived are more likely to get sick because their immune systems aren’t functioning at the most optimal level. During sleep, the body releases proteins called cytokines, which are needed when you have an infection or are under stress.” While 30 minutes of extra sleep may seem trivial, the strenuous workload that comes with high school will stay the same regardless of in-person or remote learning. In some cases, going back to school can increase the workload because teachers tweaked their syllabus to lessen the burden on students during remote learning. Similar workloads mean that whichever option that provides more sleep will always be more appealing. Although sleep schedules will vary per student, staying at home will benefit the majority who decided to take advantage of their altered agendas. Going back to school would change lesson plans for teachers as well. Many teachers have created theirs with extended remote learning in mind. Even though they and
students alike would relish the idea of being back in a full classroom, health comes first. Said Lilah Burke, a reporter from Inside Higher Ed, “Research has shown that remote learning can be as good or better than in-person learning for the students who choose it. [...] Of course, some of the initial challenges for students learning remotely are likely to get better with time. Course instructors sometimes had only days to move their classes online in March and April. Some were still figuring out the technology at their disposal. Now, they are better prepared in many cases, and their students are more likely to have a high-quality experience.” Although students receive the same quality of education at home and school, many are still unhappy that they do not meet their friends. Said Amy Bintliff, a psychologist and professor in the University of California, “Students talked a lot about really missing being in person with their classmates [...] not only does it make them excited about learning and hold them accountable and motivate them to stay engaged in school, but they also actually learn a lot more.” A potential solution to this could be teachers allowing their students to work with friends during breakout rooms on Zoom. While it is not the same as talking to friends in person, it serves as a safe and temporary alternative for students to meet their friends during school hours.
“Besides the obvious health risks posed by returning to school, it would be difficult to adjust to a ‘normal’ schedule after being exposed to a relatively lax one. ” As remote learning continues, it is essential to remember that this will not be permanent. Making frequent goals to reach during online learning, whether academic or a hobby, can motivate those who struggle to encourage themselves while staying at home. And while online learning can be mentally draining at times, it will be better in the long term.
OPINIONS | 13
IT’S STILL TOO SOON
DECRIMINALISING HARD DRUGS ARNAV VISHWAKARMA business assistant
In early November, as the election proposition results came in, Oregon elected to decriminalize drugs. The state government had decriminalized marijuana over 40 years ago, but the focus has now shifted to hard drugs. With this, a question arises: will this be effective in the long run? Before understanding whether this proposition is beneficial or detrimental, it is essential to understand what it means to decriminalize drugs. A common misconception is that decriminalization means legalization, but the case is quite the opposite. Legalization makes a substance completely legal and removes any prohibitions against the drug. In contrast, decriminalization maintains its illegality but does not allow for the prosecution of individuals if they possess a certain amount. This proves beneficial as it does not punish individuals for a mistake they made; instead, this gives them a second chance to be reintegrated into society without a criminal record. The way Oregon plans to implement its decriminalization is not only to remove the possibility of being prosecuted for the possession of a certain amount of a substance but also to introduce easily accessible rehabilitation for those caught in possession of these
drugs. This progression is huge: not only are the drugs decriminalized, but individuals that may be suffering a drug addiction are offered services to recover from it free of charge. This will improve their livelihood both short term and long term, and allow them to come out of rehabilitation and contribute to society without being affected by their past or being labeled as a felon. This concept is not new to the world. By 2001, Portugal had decriminalized hard drugs within the nation, and it has seen a massive positive shift in the attitude towards drug usage. Not only have they managed to implement decriminalization, but they also get people the help they need — clearly, it has paid off. According to The Guardian, within just 15 years of the implementation, HIV infections from needle usage dropped by 100 people per million, a 96% decrease. Additionally, within just five years, the death toll from overdoses fell from 400 to 290 — although there was still room for further decreases, the policy demonstrated drastic improvement. Despite the benefits this policy offers, there is always another angle to the situation: what are the potential downsides of decriminalization and using government money to fund rehabilitation programs, and how can these issues be alleviated or accounted for? When it comes to spending government money, Oregon has drafted a careful financial approach to de-
14 | THE PROSPECTOR
“decriminalization maintains its illegality but does not allow for the prosecution of individuals if they possess a certain amount”
criminalization, managing to save more money than they ever would without the policy — benefits of which are ultimately passed onto the taxpayer. The state plans to use the income it generates from a marijuana tax to fund the increased availability of rehabilitation programs, which helps those struggling with addiction and reduces the incentive to purchase marijuana excessively. Another factor to consider is the amount
many people who go to prison for a small possession and leave knowing how to cook [meth].” Prisons are a place where many addicts are incarcerated together and have nothing to lose, which further enables addiction and leads to far worse consequences for ex-convicts. While decriminalization may encourage some individuals to experiment with drugs without fear of facing jail time, it will yield significantly better results than
As Oregon implements decriminalization, other states are watching closely, likely looking to implement a similar policy soon. As residents, it is important that we actively change our viewpoint on those who struggle with addiction and view it as a legitimate problem instead of having a preconceived mindset of crime associated with addiction. It is also important to voice our opinions so that decriminalization can be implement-
“Not only will the taboo on drugs be lifted, but those who were affected will be able to get the help they need properly and not have to live a life of being labeled as a felon. society, as a whole, will benefit.” incarceration provides. Great results have stemmed from decriminalization within Portugal, and it is only a matter of time before we see how Oregon fares. Although the two governments have different criminal justice systems, the idea and general help that people can receive will be replicated and allow us to truly progress with the justice system as a whole. Not only will the taboo on drugs be lifted, but those who were affected will be able to get the help they need properly and not have to live a life of being labeled as a felon. society, as a whole, will benefit.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE
ed among more states; while we may not see results immediately, change happens one person at a time. Decriminalization is a complicated issue with many different angles, but ultimately, the benefits it provides make it an issue worth fighting for.
OPINIONS | 15
of money the state could save money by not incarcerating individuals. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the average inmate costs prisons between 75 and 100 dollars per day. Even with a lighter sentence of 15 days, a prisoner costs the state north of a thousand dollars. The financial aspect of decriminalization would affect those who are struggling with drug addiction and taxpayers, as they would be able to see their money go towards other items. A phrase that is often thrown around when talking about substance usage is the “War on Drugs,” and as decriminalization is implemented, it is reasonable to think about whether this will really help the situation. In addition to questions of whether decriminalization would lead to an increased usage of drugs, it is also essential to consider how incarceration affects this issue. Jake Arthur, a current outreach director for addiction centers, describes how “[He] has worked with
INVESTIGATIONS
“WE WOULDN’T HAVE FELT ALONE” THE NEED FOR LGBTQ EDUCATION
ANKITA ACHARYA
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LGBTQ+ education is required in the state of California. At Cupertino High School, many believe students need to receive more. California was the first state to require schools to teach LGBTQ+ history and information in schools. Currently, the Cupertino High School curriculum includes LGBTQ+ information in a short section of freshman year sex education. Said an anonymous senior who identifies as bisexual, “I barely remember what I learned about the LGBTQ+ community at school. Frankly, it didn’t have an impact on me, and I wish it could have helped me sort out my confusion sooner.” According to the Human Rights Campaign, LGBTQ-focused sex education for LGBTQ+ teens is crucial to letting them receive the same health benefits from sex education as students not in the LGBTQ+ community. Because of a lack of knowledge and trusted, informed adults to turn to, LGBTQ+ youth are often forced to find information online which can be
dangerous and inaccurate. Less than 5% of the LGBTQ+ youth surveyed in the National School Climate Survey have had health classes that positively represented LGBTQ+ topics. Said the senior, “It would have helped to learn about how questioning students could seek help or join some kind of community [...] so that we wouldn’t have felt alone.” Along with information for questioning students, Accredited Schools, an accreditation-focused school and student resource, recommends that each letter of the acronym be explained (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning), terms such as AGAB (assigned gender at birth) be defined, and the importance of being an ally be discussed. “More education when I was as young as a freshman would have helped me a lot, but also helped the overall culture at school. When something is explained, and people understand it, they don’t see it as weird or worth making fun of,” said the senior.
Lavender Scare: During the 1950s,
thousands homosexual people for fear that they were communist sympathizers or potential the US federal government fired
national security risks. In 1953, President Eisenhower signed Executive Order 10450, barring homosexuals from holding a job in the federal government, which was formally repealed by President Obama in 2017. PHOTO BY CBS NEWS
AIDS Epidemic: Beginning in 1981,
cases of AIDS/HIV flooded the nation, disproportionately affecting the LGBTQ+ community and other minorities. Despite the large number of infections across the country, the Reagan administration failed to respond appropriately in a timely manner, often making jokes about the matter, causing the death of thousands of Americans. PHOTO BY https://blogs.commons. georgetown.edu/
Stonewall Riots: On June 28, 1969,
PHOTO BY THE HARVARD GAZETTE
a spontaneous rebellion formed in retalia-
INVESTIGATIONS | 17
tion against a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village. Unlike many establishments at the time, The Stonewall Inn welcomed all members of the gay community. This event is widely considered the beginning of the Pride Movement for LGBTQ+ rights.
WITHIN THE CLASSROOM RACHEL PARK
18 | THE PROSPECTOR
opinions editor
LGBTQ education at Cupertino High School is mainly carried out in US history classes during students’ junior year. Kimberlee Morgan, a U.S. History and AP US Government teacher explained that “as far as the curriculum, there are standards that require inclusion of an LGBTQ history within U.S. history. That’s really where it falls mostly in the Social Studies Department.” LGBTQ education has been happening outside of the US history department as well. “I’m familiar with the fact that our science department has a unit that covers gender and identity issues in the biology class. I’m mostly familiar with the English department’s incorporation of Aristotle and Dante in our freshmen literature classes.” says freshman literature teacher Jenna Ray. (Aristotle and Dante by Benjamin Sáenz is about a teenager, Aristotle, befriending Dante, who is questioning his sexuality.) However, Ray also says that “for any given topic there’s not enough time to go in as much depth as [I] would like to. I like that we have tried to build more time to have discussions around LGBT issues. But obviously, we can always use more. Then the challenge becomes balancing: if we had more curriculum in one area, then we would have to cut curriculum somewhere else. So it’s a struggle.” Even for the US History classes in which LGBTQ education is mandatory, Morgan believes that there is not enough time. Said Morgan, “There is never enough time in class to cover any information, especially in remote learning. US history at the high school level is a survey class. You’re getting snippets of information. Still, teachers are very conscious of connecting to
relevant information.” Both teachers mentioned how the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club at school is a great resource for students. Ray, the advisor for the GSA club, adds on: “The GSA club does a lot of informational events. Periodically, they’ll put on a Q&A panel in which people who identify as different sexual orientations or gender identities answer questions that people have.” To improve our current LGBTQ education at our school, Morgan states that “the biggest thing is continuing the teacher’s own understanding and education of the history and movements that have happened and are happening.” Said Morgan, “we as teachers can continue to work on improving our own content knowledge. One of the ways that we are doing that is through Ms. Kelly Roush, our social studies curriculum lead. She is tasked with bringing in speakers for professional learning for teachers. We use that dedicated time to be able to add to our own content knowledge and take that back to our students.” Ray explained how the staff has been improving their own education as well and becoming more conscious. “I’ve really appreciated that staff members have been open to learning about what types of language to use and ways that they can improve their own teaching of different topics, by considering where their own personal biases are. So that’s good, but always something that we can improve.”
For students to have open conversations and feel comfortable, Ray said “anytime you have a challenging conversation, it’s always good to have norms that the whole group agrees with to draw boundaries. Along with that, education will help a lot. There’s a lot of instances where people will say or do something, not realizing that what they’re saying is harmful. Informing people is going to be one of the best things we can do to help.” Regarding the same topic, Morgan stated that helping students have tools to foster conversation and understanding is important. Said Morgan, “I don’t think it’s just unique to topics on LGBTQ. At least my observations, a lot of times joking around comes from a place of being uncomfortable or unknowledgeable. People put up a defense with a joke, so they don’t have to really reflect or think. This is where I wish we could be in person. In class, you could have facilitators that are more educated to pose questions, keeping the conversation going. The conversation is what fosters understanding. If someone doesn’t know anything, having prompts or questions is a first step in learning more about any topic.” Teachers overall have a positive view on the current LGBTQ education at Cupertino High School and are positive about its outlook. “I’m happy that we are trying to include more diverse voices overall, across the curriculum.” says Ray.
“There is never enough time in class to cover any information”
INVETIGATIONS | 19
How Do Students Rate their knowledge on the LGBTQ+ Community?
20 | THE PROSPECTOR
5 = Extremely, Well versed 4 3
2 1 = completely Unfamiliar
DO CUPERTINO STUDENTS knkow lgbtq+ history?
85.3% 84.4% OF STUDENTS THOUGHT THAT CUPERTINO DID NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE LGBTQ+ EDUCATION
OF STUDENTS HAVE HEARD OF THE STONEWALL RIOTS
94.4% 36.8% OF STUDENTS HAVE HEARD OF THE AIDS EPIDEMIC
OF STUDENTS HAVE HEARD OF THE LAVENDER SCARE
INVESTIGATIONS | 21
LIFESTYLES
STOP Idolizing politic MEGHANA VINJAMURY social media assistant
S A A
22 | DESIGNED BY JENNY WU
YA
STAN!
Society today tends to follow the beliefs and practices of the people they idolize. Whether they are politicians or influencers, celebrities tend to put on a facade, and as an audience, we never know what they are genuinely like apart from what we see on social media and the news. Gen Z mainly receives news and other information about celebrities from social media platforms. Most people tend to bandwagon on whatever/whoever is the most admired or talked about, which is usually misleading and tends to lead to an infatuation towards certain celebrities based on trends. An example of a politician who is heavily idolized by his supporters is Joe Biden. As he has won The 2020 Presidential Election, many Americans have begun glorifying him without being aware of his political opinions and views, especially since he contradicts himself. A common problem, particularly on social media, is that most people glorify politicians because of their social media presence,
not their policies. An example of this would be when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) streamed herself playing Among Us, which immediately became a trending topic causing more people, especially in Gen Z, to become infatuated with her. Most of her “fans” are completely unaware of her views and opinions similar to Biden. Instead of idolizing politicians based on their social media presence, we should view politicians critically based on their policies and beliefs. Many people, especially teens, idolize influencers who are popular on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. More women started to get plastic surgery (mostly non-surgical such as lip fillers and botox) because the infamous Kardashian family completely transformed their outlooks. The Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge is one of the dangerous trends that emerged from the Kardashian family’s idolization because people were obsessed with getting “Kylie Jenner Lips” without paying hundreds of dollars for routine injections. For some background information on this challenge, it consists of people, mostly girls, to suck on a shot glass, creating a vacuum, for 30 seconds to one minute. A common side effect was bruising around the mouth and even potential tissue damage of the lips with repeated use. Idolizing the Kardashians also leads people, mostly of younger ages, to follow unrealistic beauty standards, which ultimately leads to them feeling like they have to replicate this look to be successful or liked. Another influencer who should not be glorified by her fans is Zoe Laverne. Her fans overlook all of the things
cians and influencers she did, including grooming a 13-year-old boy and telling people that they should kill themselves. The minor was one of her fans, and because he was infatuated with her, she misused her power to manipulate him. Her audience is mostly younger at around ages 12-15, and since they are idolizing Laverne, they do not understand the dangers of normalizing her behavior. Not to mention, she also encouraged her fans to vape, again misusing her power to manipulate her followers into participating in risky behavior, which
influence their demographic, some seem to be steering their fans in the wrong direction. S i n c e many people tend to mold their lives around their idols, it is crucial to draw a line between a role model and celebrity infatuation. An influenc-
AN INFLUENCER’S JOB IS TO ENTERTAIN THEIR AUDIENCE, NOT MENTOR THEM. er’s job is to entertain their audience, not mentor them. Although politicians are elected to represent different communities, their supporters should view them critically instead of glorifying them. Politicians and influencers tend to hide behind a mask so far as what is on social media and news, which takes away from figuring out what they are like when there are no cameras or paparazzi around.
slay!
LIFESTYLES | 23
could cause potential harm in the future. Chris Brown is an influencer idolized by rap audiences to a point where they justify his abusive behavior similar to Zoe Laverne’s situation. For some context, in around 2009, Rihanna reported that Brown had been physically assaulting her throughout their relationship. Despite the proof and actions taken against him, his fanbase continues to support him, ignoring his past allegations, which again normalizes toxic behavior that will later influence their future actions. Brown’s fans still glorify him because idolization makes people look past or even defend immoral acts. Although influencers are supposed to
queen
24 | THE PROSPECTOR
tiktok is ruining Your life
RAISSA JI copy assistant
The world-renowned video-sharing app TikTok as we know it today came to be after the Chinese company ByteDance acquired Musical.ly, a top-charting No. 1 US iTunes app, for $1 billion and merged it with the pre-existing TikTok. With 500 million users, TikTok videos always garner thousands or millions of views, likes, shares, and comments. Contrary to popular belief, videos of TikTok users dancing to “Renegade, renegade, renegade” and “Now from the top, make it drop, that’s some WAP” are not the only content you can find on the app. Whether it be K-pop, politics, art, dancing, cooking, or merely random comedic videos and skits, TikTok has it all. Because of TikTok’s unique algorithm instilled in its “For
“MOST OF WHAT PASSES FOR LEGITIMATE ENTERTAINMENT IS INFERIOR OR FOOLISH AND ONLY CATERS TO OR EXPLOITS PEOPLE’S WEAKNESSES” -EPICTETUS Life,” “... [the videos] are super short and low commitment. If you don’t like what you’re watching, even in the first second … maybe even less than a second … all you have to do is swipe.” You swipe instantaneously when you’re uninterested until something you like pops up, which in total probably only takes several seconds; you just achieved instant gratification, which means you can achieve what you desire in a short period of time. Of course, the issue isn’t necessarily the fact that you swiped away on an uninteresting video, but rather lies in the big picture. Take studying, for example. Like Choy stated, “studying for a test or doing your schoolwork … it’s not fun, but the students who are able to go through the pain of being disciplined, studying, and doing their homework are going to end up getting better grades.” The idea is that though you may not achieve instant gratification by studying, the effort will pay off in the long term and you will achieve delayed gratification. On the other hand, if you desire instant gratification, you would put off studying and instead, relax and watch TikTok. You will be unhappy in the long term, however, because there is no delayed gratification, or meaningful gratification, behind your actions. Of course, swiping away on a TikTok video is a trivial matter, but it is still training the mentality of instant gratification in the user’s psychology.
If oblivious to this phenomenon, you might fall into the trap of instant gratification and become insatiable with the desire to find good content on TikTok. Addiction to TikTok, or just social media in general, is detrimental on its own. It is without a doubt that TikTok is a transformative app that has been a great source of entertainment, especially for the younger generations—a lot of pop culture and slang have arisen. Instant gratification, however, has similarly arisen as an unexpected consequence, which can become potentially detrimental towards the young and impressionable users. All said and done, TikTok is still an enjoyable app to scroll through during your free time. Next time you do so, however, be sure to acknowledge the feeling of instant gratification in play.
LIFESTYLES | 25
You Page”, users can spend hours scrolling through, video after video. Though a seemingly harmless social media, TikTok may lead to adverse side effects on a user’s psychology because of how the app is structured. The dangerous idea of short term gratification arises, which can be detrimental to a person in more ways than one. It’s important to remember thatTok’s unique algorithm instilled in its “For You Page”, users can spend hours scrolling through, video after video. Though a seemingly harmless social media, TikTok may lead to adverse side effects on a user’s psychology because of how the app is structured. The dangerous idea of short term gratification arises, which can be detrimental to a person in more ways than one. It’s important to remember that TikTok’s motive is to engage its users and make money—its interests may not align with its users’ well-being. When talking about TikTok, many mention how scarily accurate and fast its algorithm can cater to their interests. After only several minutes of interaction with the videos fed on the For You Page, TikTok can discover the niche you’re interested in. If you like dancing, the algorithm will provide you with videos of users like @charlidamelio and @addisonre. If you like cooking, the algorithm will feed you videos of users like @tasty and @gordonramsayofficial. Depending on if you rewatched, liked, shared, or commented on a video, TikTok’s AI will understand how you work and send in another endless stream of videos catered to you. How it’s algorithm exactly works is unknown, of course, which’s why TikTok is so successful. When a video you do not like pops up, however, is where the problem starts. Like YouTuber Elliot Choy stated in his video “TikTok Ruined my
SPORTS
26 | DESIGNED BY HENRY MA
Astronauts in the International Space Station decided to put on a friendly game of tennis, organized by the US Open. Coached by real tennis pros all the way from planet Earth, the astronauts used miniaturized rackets to slowly bump a tennis ball back and forth over a temporary net. Although this form of the sport was nothing like traditional tournaments seen back on Earth, it still made a popular spectator sport.
Baseball is a favorite up in space stations orbiting the Earth. In 2008, astronauts from the International Space Station threw a ceremonial first pitch to commemorate the Yankees vs. Red Sox game, while in 1995, astronauts from the Space Shuttle Columbia did the same to commemorate a Yankees-Braves game. More recently, astronauts Jessica Meir, Drew Morgan and Christina Koch drew the eyes of millions as they pitched a couple of balls aboard the International Space Station in 2019.
In February of 1971, Am naut and golfer Alan She came the first person to on the Moon. Before leav two golf balls off of its su that he smuggled onto th spacecraft. According to the golf ball went for “mil and miles.” It’s actually m possible for a golf ball to on the moon — if hit at th — as space has no air re
ALEXANDRIA HUNT, KRITHIKA VENKATASUBRAMANIAN print editor-in-chief, features editor
On February 6th, 2018, astronauts held the first ever sports competition in space. Astronauts from Russia, Japan and the US played a game of badminton. Though zero-gravity and the intricate gadgets lining the walls of the space station posed unique challenges to the players, they adopted a new set of rules that accounted for these environmental factors. In the end, neither team won as the match was declared to be a celebration of “friendship.”
In space, astronauts often participate in informal track and field events. For example, some astronauts organize relay races. Although there is no specific number of meters like typical track relay races, the astronauts race from one end of the space station to the other — less than 350 feet across, or close to the length of an American football field. During relay races, the astronauts organize themselves into teams of three and relay back and forth until all astronauts in the team have finished “running.”
SPORTS | 27
merican astroephard behit a golf ball ving the moon, he hit urface — ones he Apollo 14 o Shepherd, les and miles mathematically o travel for up to 2.5 miles he right angle and speed esistance and low gravity. PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE
STELLA JIA, HENRY MA
28 | THE PROSPECTOR
print editor-in-chief, sports editor
Quarterback. Touchdown. Gridiron. Even just a few years ago, those terminologies meant nothing to Senior Richard Oh. Growing up in Korea, he had little to no knowledge of football. Said Oh, “It wasn’t ‘til attending a macroeconomics summer camp in Johns Hopkins University did I first meet football. In Korea, I didn’t know anything about sports, let alone American football. Getting involved in sports allowed me to socialize more with my peers, gradually making me more interested in the sport itself and its violent nature. And here I am now playing football in the soul of America.” After being exposed to football at a summer camp, he was determined to become a quarterback for the high school team. Ready to set foot into the world of football, Oh was met with an unfortunate setback. Right before Oh entered high school in America, he injured his right arm, losing his upper-body strength, and he had to miss a portion of the summer practice in order to rehabilitate. Said Oh, “When I broke my arm, I really felt crushed. My low physical stature as a football player is not going to get me anywhere in the future. I found myself lying in my room, looking up at the ceiling , thinking ‘what am I going to do with my future’. But as I gradually recovered from the injury, my mindset changed from more of a, ‘I’m not going to be able to do it’ to ‘I’m going to be able to do it.’ Those kinds of solidified mindsets.”
Although Oh faced difficulties, he had support from his team and Coach Oswald. After coming back from surgery, he found positive notes in his locker from his teammates. Said Oh, “I developed a stronger bond with my teammates [...] Their notes made me feel like I had an impact on the team that I constantly want to maintain.” Along with gaining physical skills, football has also revealed other paths of interest for Oh. While Oh was injured, he took a lot of time to read about concussions and became exposed to the fields of neuroscience and philosophy. Balancing his time between his varying passions, football and school has required mental and physical discipline. Said Oh, “As a student athlete, sports take a lot of time, both in practices and games. To maximize my time I try to use those small remaining chunks of time like during football games for reading books, research papers and constantly studying. When I’m in the locker room prepping for a game, I’ll use the bands to warm up my arms while watching a lecture on Quantum Mechanics from MIT. I try to inject all those things into my lifestyle making it more of a natural thing.” It never seemed possible that a sport as heavily based in American culture likase football would be able to influence his life to this athletic and academic extent. Said Oh, “This is the reason why football is so precious to me. Because not only did it allow me to grow on both the physical side and intellectual side, but also helped me to find a passion for philosophy and physics.”
SPORTS | 29
PHOTO COURTESY OF RICHAR OH
PERSPECTIVES
30 | DESIGNED BY SARAH POLLANS
and
Lyrics Rewritten by Ananya Anand
PERSPECTIVES | 31
There’s a 180 days of studying at Tino, till break comes around just to end it So the annual problem of students at our school Is finding a good way to spend it. Like maybe… Going to T4 Or buying some tickets to the annual helmet game. Discovering a new friend who has good grades Who puts us to the shame! Writing college apps Completing homework late Or taking a mid-class nap (hey wake up!) Joining new fun clubs Twirling at a dance Or missing a Zoom class (you’re late!) As you can see there’s a whole lot of stuff to do Before school ends this break (come on pioneers!) So stick with us ‘cause Tino students never ever fall. So stick with us ‘cause Tino students never ever fall (guys you should be studying right now!!)
32 | THE PROSPECTOR
My dearest 2020, When we began our affair in the early cold of January, I thought you my soulmate. I had just gotten out of a rather sour relationship with 2019, and you looked so beautiful, my 2020. You marked the start of a fresh decade. The future. Here is something I never told you: I made a bucket list for you, my love, and all the glorious things we would accomplish together. (Prom, homecoming, a better sports season, a new workout routine, straight As… how tragic.) I consider March 13th our anniversary, did you know? I would call it our first date. If I had to pick a day to remember the train ride you took me on, that would certainly be the day. You looked gorgeous then, I will say. The announcements said in-person learning was canceled in the middle of the day and I laughed and cheered and took you by the hands and we
left school still dreaming up all the things we’d do with one another. God, it wasn’t supposed to last so long. But...it did. And our relationship’s first true obstacle arrived: the trial run of remote learning through April, then May. I am sorry, my darling,
ter, that we were meant to be together and this was only a minor phase. How silly I look now! Oh, 2020, my cutest flower, you certainly had the last word in that argument. At the mere thought of our summer together, I never fail to get butterflies in my
The way our time together seems to have blurred into both the longest period of my life and the shortest is quite the miracle. for all we struggled through then. I slept through classes and nearly turned nocturnal after one too many nights staying up until 5 AM. I know I kept telling you it would only last two to four weeks, and we would be right as rain af-
stomach. Our community in lockdown, the number of Covid 19 cases rising by the day — oh, how you made my heart flutter! I was always so nervous around you. Perhaps my flushed cheeks and difficulty swallowing was because
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NPR
riously. How was I supposed to know? If I had, I would have broken up with you a lot faster.) The way our time together seems to have blurred into both the longest period of my life and the shortest is quite the miracle. But how like you, 2020, to keep making… miracles occur. (I would use a better word, but I fear offending you. You do have quite the temper, my honeysuckle. I have not forgotten the murder hornets, even if you did.) Shall I mention the week-long American national election, or Supernatural’s Destiel being confirmed? Here, fall into my arms and recount our months as star-crossed lovers with me; will you remind me of our
country uniting in support for the Black Lives Matter movement, how we marched in the streets and watched the world stand up with us? So, dearest, I will not deny we have had a memorable affair, a relationship I do not believe I could erase from memory even if I tried. You are stunning, switching moods with the flick of a switch, a vibrant partner to be around. Some might say...a little too vibrant. How shall I put this? My gorgeous, I think it is time we broke up. Way past time. I can give you one month more, but when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve — I beg of you, my vicious sweetheart, never call me again.
Your somewhat fond lover,
Me
KEERTHI LAKSHMANAN social media manager
PERSPECTIVES | 33
you were too beautiful, or perhaps I narrowly avoided infection myself. I regret we could not make more memories in the summer. How short it felt! Oh, 2020, you double-edged blade, granting me no beach days or July vacations in Mykonos. Instead our dates were endless days huddled by the air conditioner, eating potato chips by the handful and watching the onslaught of new Netflix reality shows. Do not mistake me! I would never complain about spending time with you. You must remember, my passive-aggressive 2020, that I am grateful I stayed healthy by your side. (That being said… sweetie, I hope never to watch Too Hot to Handle in my life again. There are some things I will not do, even for you, and that is one of them.) My darling villain, 2020. My sweetest nightmare. How could I know you would bewitch me so entirely? (No, se-
POSTSCRIPT
trailer parks:
34 | DESIGNED BY MEGUMI ONDO
how they changed me as a child
SONIA PATIL lifestyles assisstant
At 3:15 p.m., the bell rang as a sea of middle schoolers poured out, rushing to get to their bus. Nike backpacks, biology textbooks and crazy hands are thrust everywhere in my face. As my friends and I trudged down the stairs and out the doors facing the dark gray sky, we walked off on our separate paths. I always held a grudge against them, longing to ride their bus that only went through the nicer, quieter neighborhoods. With dread, I hopped up onto my own personal prison on wheels and let the gust of chaos wipe across my face. As I entered, bits of paper flew across, racist jokes were spit out, music was played so loud you could barely understand the words. On the bus this particular day, a kid missing half his teeth was bragging about how he would be going on Judge Judy for getting caught stealing weed. The ginormous eighth graders towered in the back, pushing kids around and using their infamous trip-wire to watch kids fall on their faces. That day, the extremely large kid in the back, who was nicknamed Jumbo, was having an extra good time showing off his new lighter while he tried to burn the brown faux leather seat. As we continued to ride on, he got into a heated argument with the bus driver, and he was shouting from the back of the bus. He started to curse the bus driver and make fun of his job as he jiggled around in an annoying dance. That’s when the bus driver had it. As soon as Jumbo got up, he slammed the brakes and bam! Jumbo rolled down the bus aisle faster than the bus could even stop. He fell right into the double doors, so heavy that the glass almost cracked. The bus driver had enough common sense to open the doors, and out fell Jumbo onto the street. His little
brother, Fun-sized Jumbo, ran after him. As the scene unfolded in front of my eyes, excited middle schoolers captured the moment on video. For me, it was just another typical thing to come out of this circus of a bus. I continued to stare out the fogged window as we made a sharp turn into another trailer park, looking down at the rundown alleys, people in pajamas smoking on their porches, torn-up furniture littered across the streets and the middle school girls yelling at the shirtless kids playing basketball. While the bus ride was not my most favorite part of the day, my bus was no comparison to the way people in my actual school acted. In other words, the people in my school had no filter. With what little percentage of diversity my small town had, most of it was in the trailer park neighborhoods. I found that kids from the richer neighborhoods, who rode the so-called “nicer” buses, actually felt more comfortable expressing offensive thoughts and still having support from peers. If a kid on my bus tried to say the same thing, they would just get the crap beaten out of them. There was a type of unspoken enforcement on my bus that actually created a more accepting environment than the one I had at school. I faced more crudeness and racism from rich white kids than the kids from rundown areas, and it did not help that I was one of the three Indian people in my entire school. Even if someone’s background may seem completely off-putting at first, the only thing actually holding people back from understanding each other is perceived judgements that are already made, whether we are trying to understand their ethnicity, religion, social views, experiences, or anything. While it’s easy for me to say that all people from trailer parks fall into one type of character, it’s just as easy for them to put me into a stereotype because I am not like them.
POSTSCRIPT | 35
“If I had to choose, my favorite holiday would probably be Christmas because it’s a holiday when my family and my cousins’ families get together. One of my favorite memories of a Christmas holiday was when my cousins and our families took a trip to Reno. We were so young, energetic, and silly. I vividly remember laughing and yelling while jumping up and down on the hotel beds. I attempted to do the splits in the air and all of a sudden I heard a distinct noise that I had only heard as a sound effect on tv shows. Before I knew it, there was a tear in my pants. The whole night my cousins and I laughed and kept singing the song from the episode of Spongebob where he ripped his pants.” -Teacher Precious Mae Bagamaspad
36 | THE PROSPECTOR
“My favourite holiday is actually New Years Eve. My parents and I have this tradition of watching a movie about an hour and a half before 12, so that the movie ends exactly at the start of the new year! We always celebrate with chocolate cake too.” -Senior Khushleen Kaur
tino’s favorite holidays MEGUMI ONDO postscript editor/photo editor
“My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. My family will drive down to LA where my dad’s side of the family lives. My aunt and uncle make the best thanksgiving dinner and it’s always fun to see extended family since we have none in the Bay Area. In recent years we haven’t been able to go for various reasons so I really look forward to resuming that tradition.” -Junior Annabelle Kao “My favorite holiday is Christmas because I always see my family, except for this year because of corona. My favorite memory is the tradition that we have of gathering on Christmas day and having a huge dinner with more than 20 of us. It’s great to be able to see family and spend time with them just because we have such a great vibe and I love them a lot.” - Junior Naomi Murdock
POSTSCRIPT | 37