Quintessence: The Flipside Issue

quintessence

the flipside issue --- Volume 3, Issue 1 --Skutt Catholic Flightline

contents Review: Aromas coffeehouse 3 Photos : h er e + g one 5 earl y b ird v s. ni g h t owl 7 st u d ent poet r y: n or m a li t y 1 0 part i es cla sh 1 1 b oo ks v s. m ov i es 1 3 changing a m usi c g enr e 1 5 per sp ect i v e 1 7 playlist: aggravate + subdue 19 student art: thomas baumert 21 stu dent a rT : cla i r e Pa p e 2 2 cont r i butor s 2 3 www.skuttcatholicflightline.com

left brain senior stevie yaghmour

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“While I’m certainly no expert in psychology, I would definitely say that I am a very “left-brained” individual. I am more of an analytical and objective thinker when it comes to just about anything, and I’ve been like this for just as long as I can remember.

Both of my parents are very left-brained, so it is most likely that I inherited these qualities from them. My father specifically exhibits just about every quality of a left-brained person, and he raised me to think in those terms. I am fairly glad that I was raised this way, as there are many perks to being left-brained. For example, topics learned in mathematics and science classes click for me very quickly, and I find it very easy to make connections to solve problems, either on tests or in labs. Being left-brained also makes it fairly easy to retain information for upcoming tests, and I generally don’t have to study for too long. With respect to how I view the world around me, being left-brained allows me to view the world very objectively; I consistently take in new information to form new opinions on certain issues. However, I tend to find it difficult to take sides on many issues, as I spend a lot of time analyzing both sides and generally cannot conclude one side to be better than the other. There are many times when I find myself wishing that I were more right-brained. For example, I am extremely jealous of artsy people, as I cannot draw or paint to save my life. I also wish that I was much more creative and intuitive. However, being left-brained has certainly been enjoyable.”

“I’m not really sure why I’m right-brained. I guess I’m pretty artistic and don’t usually follow mainstream movements. I’m a very visual learner. I need to see it in order to understand it. I’m also generally open-minded and almost always attached to music.

Being right-brained I think allows me to better understand people sometimes, because I can visualize and almost feel what someone may be going through, if that makes sense.

Kind of weird, but it’s just how I process things. I guess I’m decent at art, too, which helps with projects and presentations and such. I think I view the world from a much more innocent and impartial perspective than most. I like to be naïve in thinking that everyone has their own reason for doing what they do. I’m fairly observant as well, and often notice peculiarities that others may not. I love seeing the changing shapes and colors of clouds, noticing strange signs or buildings around town, or laughing at random people doing or wearing the most random things. I enjoy being able to experience things differently because I feel like if everything were black and white, life would get too boring.”

senior andREA sims

right brain Photos and interviews by Tom Hermanek Layout by Lily Yates

left brain,Right brain

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H E R E 5

G O N E

HERE + Gone

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Night Owl

Burning the candle at both ends

by Zoe Clark

“So at 10 o’clock, I usually put away my iPad and phone so that I can pretend I’m sleeping, because parents rules are in place. After that, I usually shower and either start curling my hair or braiding it. After my parents have gone to bed, I turn on my lights and radio and start writing. I keep writing until I run out of ideas. Then, I usually start drawing and take whatever I was writing and start trying to draw that- or just anything that comes to mind. I then finish whatever homework I should’ve finished earlier in the day, which is usually just paperwork since my electronics are still put away and unable to be used. This usually leads me to reading for another few hours or sometimes just two in the morning. I get up at about six o’clock and get ready for the day, and the cycle begins again.” -Sophomore Rachel Fuelberth

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Early Bird

Most people pride themselves on a sometimes-odd, but mostly regular clockwork sleep schedule. But more rare are those who stay up til the sun peeks out in the east- the night owls. And on the flipside, one finds those who wake up before the crack of dawn: usually called early birds. As eccentric as these habits might seem to some, there is a rhyme and reason to everything, and this is no exception. The following are two SkyHawk perspectives on the allure of staying up very late versus waking up very early.

“I try to go to bed around eight o’clock so I can get at least seven hours of sleep, though I try to aim for eight hours. I decided to start waking up early when my family joined the YMCA, because I thought getting up early and working out would be a good use of my time. Most mornings I wake up between 4:30 and 4:45. Usually I’ll go to the gym, but if I had a lot of homework the night before, I’ll catch up on that. I think it’s a good thing to be a morning person. For one, after school so many people text and FaceTime and distract you. No one is up at 4:30 in the morning to bother you. You can get done what you need to get done. That’s why I’m a morning person.”

-Junior Tom Hawley

Night Owl / early Bird 8

normality What is normal?

Is it not questioning?

Not wondering?

Doing as you’re told, When you’re told to do it?

No. Normal is nothing more than a word A limit of imagination and individuality Humans aren’t normal Humans are insane creatures They run to fire They pay for fear They become addicted to a hormone of survival Humans are insane and amazing Because of individuality Thought Creativity Will.

It is when society decides what to do Decides what is normal That humans turn to sheep Humans listen to mindless hoards Babbling conformity And change to fit in Going with the flow Running off of cliffs as if they were lemmings Normal is a bad thing Something to avoid Humans make their own choices Deal with those consequences or rewards And others follow those choices to try to be great Famous Popular Normal.

Humans were built to break the rules Built to defy To rebel To be as abnormal As their mind allows And when they listen to that Then imagination is truly endless

Student Poetry: megan snow

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Parties Clash how Conservative and liberal media rhetorically Conflict

by Maria Miller The terms ‘fake news’ and ‘media bias’ are thrown out there everywhere in our current political climate, but what really makes a piece fake or biased is not often explained. More often than not an article with bias skews the reader’s perception of an event through their word choice, tone, and epically through the quotes they choose to feature in the story. Here we have a perfect example of this phenomenon, two articles the first written from the very liberal media outlet ‘The Huffington Post’ and the other from the very conservative outlet ‘Breitbart News’ both covering Vice President Pence’s walkout of the NFL football game in his home state, Indiana.

Huffington Post – Mike Pence Walks Out Of NFL Game Over Kneeling Protest Places blame on Pence

...several football teams kneeled or held arms in solidarity, Trump insisted his criticism had Points out the good of the protest

“nothing” to do with race... president’s revelation suggested the White House orchestrated Quotation marks undermining what the President claimed

implements a harsh, accusational tone

the walk out on purpose... Trump asked Pence to leave the stadium if any players knelt during

the anthem an extremly likely event...“This is what systemic oppression Exaggerated verbage

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looks like...”

Quoted a player about the purpose of the protest

Breitbart – VP Pence...: ‘I Will Not Dignify Any Event that Disrespects Our Soldiers, our Flag’ Places blame on protests

NFL anthem protests have cost the league fans of every race, color, creed, and political Points out negative outcomes of the protest

affiliation. On Sunday, those protests also cost them the Vice President of the United States.

...all Colts players stood and showed respect for the flag. However, several 49ers did not...

Patriotic and accusatory tone

“so many Americans are inspiring our nation...we should rally around our

Flag...”

Quoted Pence about the patriotism of the event

Parties Clash 12

Books Vs. Movies

A look at different Titles

by Sam Klemme

Movies have become a big pop culture phenomenon. With almost every major book comes a big budget movie. So that raises the question: which was better, the book or the movie? Within the last few years, such titles as “The Giver” and “The Ender Games” have come out with mixed reviews. Let’s take a look at what Skutt Catholic has to say about pop culture icons.

Harry PotterThis book by J.K. Rowling, which follows the wizard Harry Potter, has become a titan in the movie industry with its eight movies, each grossing a large sum of money. It has had theme parks and merchandise carrying its name pop up across the world. Most critics enjoyed this movie, but never gave it perfect scores. The books have received better scores in general with one of its worst being only a four out of five.

“I prefer the books because there are several aspects that are in the bools that were either not in the movies or were inaccurately done in the movies.”

-Senior Chris King

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Hunger GamesSuzanne Collins’ Hunger Games shows the world in a dystopian nation where entertainment consists of an annual death match between members of each faction living in the country of Panem. This trilogy has had each of the books made into a movie which and each of them earned a lot of money. The first two movies received above average reviews, but nothing spectacular, especially near the last two installments when ratings started to drop. The book ended up recovering about a 4.2 rating on average according to GoodReads.

“I liked the books better becasue the story unfolds in your own imagination. Whereas movies show you how the author thinks of it, reading the book isn’t cornered into a small time frame, but it allows you to fully experience the story” -Sophmore Sam Baumert

Percy JacksonThis series by Rick Riordan follows the adventures of a teenager named Percy Jackson, who is the son of the Greek God Poseidon. These books have had two movies come from it, those being “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief ” and “The Sea of Monsters.” The movies received little to no good feedback.

The books however had gotten great reviews, with most coming out at about a four out of five rating.

“When I found out that the book was being turned into a movie I was intrigued. Unfortunately, the movie was no where near as good as the book. The movie just could not produce the same level of interest and overall excitement and enthusiasm” -Junior John Bollish

Books Vs. Movies

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changing a Music Genre My transition from country mUSIc to classic rock Story by Robert Killgore, Layout/Photos by Lily Yates, Artwork by Thomas Baumert

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In today’s age, there is a lot of different music genres people are enjoying, including rap, pop, country, and classic rock. With country music, people either love it or hate it. With classic rock music, people think of their uncle telling them,”Back in my day music was awesome and not trash like modern day pop music.” Personally, I prefer to listen to classic rock and music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

What made music back then so great and so much better than modern day music is that it featured amazing guitar solos, keyboard solos, and the lead singers didn’t have to rely on autotune to sing extremely well. However, I didnt always like this style of music as I misguidedly listened to country.

The reason why I liked country music was that my family liked it and since that was the only music we listened to, I thought it was good. That would change as I started watching Supernatural duirng the summer of junior year and was introduced to classic rock. The series played music from artists inlcuding Metallica, Black Sabbath, and Motorhead. As I watched the show, songs by AC/DC, Def Leppard, the Rolling Stones, Boston, and Bob Seger appeared. Supernatural helped kickstart my love of classic rock and I moved further and further away from country music.

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Once I got my car in the beginning of my junior year, I finally was able to avoid listening to country music in my family’s car.

My dad had old albums of rock music in our storage room, so he gave me AC/DC’s famous Back in Black album and Styx’s greatest hits to listen to while driving. I ended up listening to them for a month as I drove everywhere, and then used my USB cord to listen to my rock playlist after that. I can safely say that I will never go back to l istening to country music and will forever be a fan of all things rock.

Changing a Music Genre

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Perspective our way of regarding the world

by Maddie Mollner

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things in a way that people don’t normally see sometimes, and if you look closer you can see that it affects your emotions and the way you perceive your surroundings.”

-Amanda Minckler

“Havana Garage makes me feel slightly explorative because when I’m around there I feel like I’ve discovered something new within my city in contrast to an area that seems pretty dull most of the time in west Omaha.

During the day, I would feel bored here because the social activity isn’t taking place and you don’t see all

the lights and people moving around and the shadows following them. At night it’s more lively and you see people having a good time, not caring so much about what happened during their day. I think there’s always some risk associated with traveling downtown at night in dark spaces and places that aren’t well lit by streelights, but at

the end of the night when you realize that nothing has happened to you it’s liberating to know that you’re safe. I think it’s necessary to individually know both light and darkness in order to appreciate and properly perceive the other.”

-Nate Meister

“From an outsider’s view, the people inside seem like very unique people that you maybe wouldn’t want to interact with. But once you meet them, they’re all actually very cool and each one of them has something to offer.

Being on 33rd and Harney, right in between midtown and south Oma-

ha, on one hand you have the high-class business district and expensive apartments; on the other hand you have kids growing up in less-than-average income houses and you see all different kinds of people in that area. I prefer the area at night. It looks a lot prettier and the surrounding build-

ings look nicer with the moon shining on all of them. It’s easier to pass by certain places in the daytime than in the nighttime, and I think it’s a matter of how the light makes things more or less noticeable.”

-Matthias Walters

Nate Meister Junior

time. I think looking at places during the day and at night have different effects because the colors change throughout the day, but if you’re in a “bad” part of town the lighting adds an emotional aspect to it. I think light can affect

Matthias Walters Junior

“If I were standing at the Joslyn during the day, I would be pretty happy just looking at art. If I were standing here at night I would be pretty scared; I’m a teenage white girl in a not-great part of town and it’s night-

Creigton student

Amanda Minckler

evitcepsreP dlrow eht gnidrager fo yaw ruo renlloM eiddaM yb

er

B

ness is normal, but this fear can restrict our horizons from broadening and our eyes from being opened to new worlds and new perspectives. The darkness may hinder our eyesight, but perhaps the day will come when we can uncover what is underneath the cover of the shadows and realize that the darkness can help us see.

and our eyes from being opened to new worlds and new perspectives. The light may amplify our eyesight, but perhaps the day will come when we can uncover what is actually above the cover of the shadows and realize that the light can do more than help us see.

not always have to be associated with the positive connotation that it has acquired throughout history.

By exploring the hidden world inside the light, eyes can be opened and perspectives can be changed. Not every facade is a refuge and not all streets above the number 50 are safe.

To be comfortable in the light is normal, but this comfort can restrict our horizons from broadening

Howard Street 3229

B

Dodge Street 1008

not escape. But upon further examination, darkness does not always have to be associated with the negative connotation that it has acquired throughout history. By exploring the hidden world inside the shadows, eyes can be opened and perspectives can be changed. Not all alleyways are threatening and not all streets below the number 50 are sketchy.

To be afraid of the dark-

eing outside of a shadow feels like being inside of the real world. Once the sun comes up, perspectives flip and everything in our line of sight is exposed. The sunlight reaches every corner and everything in front of us is as basic as it looks.

The light is seen as a welcoming realm in which one is comfortable and aware. But upon further examination, light does

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eing inside of a shadow feels like being outside of the real world.

Once the sun goes down, perspectives flip and we are left with previously established stereotypes about the “bad part of town.”

Streetlights can’t reach every corner and we feel stranded in an unfamiliar area surrounded by unfamiliar people. The darkness is seen as a choking abyss from which one can-

Perspective/ evitcepsreP

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Harney Street

aggrAvate

by Emma Brisbois

you bad Blood - Bastille happy little pill - troye sivan Kiwi - harry Styles Diet Soda Society - the maine Dopamine - Borns shes so mean - matchbox twenty ok - Robin schulz Latch - sam smith

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subdue me oblivion - bastille heaven - troye sivan Sweet creature - harry styles taxi -the maine

emerald pools - borns , can t let you go - matchbox twenty love me a little - Robin schulz Make it to me - Sam Smith

AggrAvate + Subdue playlist

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21 Student art: thomas baumert

Student art: claire pape 22

Graphics Editor

the flipside

c o n

t r i b u t o r s 23

the flipside

c o n

Quintessence Editor-in-Chief

t r i b u t o r s 25

Student art: Alyssa schmiTt

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“Rachel has directed me on the right path so many times,”

come

those that matter most enter our lives “She helps me stay sane most days. she’s basically like my sister,”

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“My british friends had an enormous impact on how i decided i wanted to live,”

gone

and leave them just as suddenly by Hope Stratman “We were really close growing up. He was one of my first friends,””

Come/Gone

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Republican Senior Danielle Botdorf “My parents, brother, and relatives influenced my political beliefs and I am comfortable in my beliefs. I believe what I believe because throughout my life, I have been learning about different aspects of life the Church teaches. My stance on guns is if you are allowed to have guns, then you should.

But I do believe there are excessive types of guns. I believe in people having small guns for self defence and guns for hunting. On immigration, I believe that immigrants should be able to come no matter the reason.”

Sophomore Sean Bean “My older siblings don’t really influence my political beliefs, but sometimes they might say something interesting and it has a profound impact on me. My stance on guns is I am all for it if people use them for self defence and hunting. But I do believe that automatic weapons are a bit overboard. On immigration, if it is done legally, I am okay with it.”

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Democrat

by Colin Fullinfaw Throughout the history of the United States, one aspect of society has continued to shape the lives of citizens from the Pacific to the Atlantic and everywhere in between: politics. Specifically, the words “Republican” and “Democrat” are what set populations apart. The sound of these two words brings up argumentative thoughts into the heads of Americans. Differing viewpoints on sensitive topics such as guns and immigration bring arguments and political divisiveness to the forefront of American families and beyond. It seeps into friendships, with usually amiable people having quarrels over which party’s candidate is the best fit for the highest office in the land. Out of all this, surprisingly, we manage to find common ground on some issues. Immigration isn’t all about keeping undocumented immigrants in or out. It’s about the shared humanity in all of us. Guns really can be regulated in some way or another. This article will help recognize those differences and similarities, and also how we are much more alike on a human level than are different.

Senior Zoe Weland “The household is pretty evenly split on political beliefs. Most of my beliefs demand equality for everyone.

On immigration, it is great. Our country was built by immigrants, so I don’t see why it takes so long for them to be able to arrive here.”

Senior Christian Mancilla “My family is majority liberal. To some sense, my parent’s political beliefs influence my political beliefs. I believe guns should be used for self-defense and hunting; however, if someone has a certain background or is a convicted criminal, they shouldn’t be allowed to have one. I support the idea of the United States aiding refugees while they are in the process of gaining citizenship. They shouldn’t have to wait months or sometimes years in order to gain citizenship.”

republican vs. democrat

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here + gone

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U r B A N -

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City

vs.

rural

-

orgANic

by Alaina Anderson Every individual thrives within a different environment. Some savor the man-made chaos of the city, while others appreciate the serene tranquility of the countryside. This preference is determined by the uniqueness of the individual and is therefore different for each person.

Urban/Organic

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remembering our roots students celebrate twenty-FIve years of excellence

by Natalie Pearson

What comes to mind when you think of Skutt Catholic? Perhaps you think of the word “friends,” or “family,” or even “new,” “young,” or anything in between. Skutt Catholic as we know it today is the culmination of a single idea that began in 1993. And while we don't have the long history that other older schools do, we certainly have the same enthusiasm as well as youthfulness. So, as we celebrate our 25th anniversary this year, remember where we came from when this school was only a small seed of hope planted on 156th and Center; remember our roots.

Walking the halls of our school today, it's easy to see how times have changed. Where there were once empty display cases, now they're filled with trophies of games and tournaments long since past. Posters line the walls with colorful graphics and vibrant slogans.

The entire media center has been revamped, with a

13 remembering our roots

modern, updated look- a far cry from the old tables and hard wooden chairs it used to have. Trends have changed, dance moves are crazy and different, and fashion has evolved like no one ever imagined.

But personally, I like to think that nothing has changed. Even though the world has somewhat moved on, our relationships have not. Friendship is friendship, and love is love. A friendship in 1993 is the same as a friendship in 2017. And no matter when you were born or when you graduated, you will still have those unbreakable bonds and unforgettable experiences for years to come.

So remember your roots. Remember Skutt Catholic’s humble beginnings, when this school was just an idea in the minds of V.J. and Angela Skutt, and the beautiful vision it has become.

From 1993 to 2017...

remembering our roots 14

Tall vs Short

In society, your stature says a lot about you. Tall people are usually regarded with a position of power, while shorter people look weaker and maybe not as importaant, or even seen almost as less. But no matter what, your height is a biological fact that is purely based on genetics, which is something you really can’t help. Despite what others say, you are you and no ruler can tell you any different. Here are some SkyHawk perspectives on how they stack up.

Seeing high above (or below) the clouds by Andrew Mize

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senior Nathan Fullinfaw- “It isn’t too bad being short, but I can’t say that I like it. There are some advantages to being short though, such as I can fit in small spaces.

A disadvantage is that some people think I’m younger than I really am, and I’m not really good at sports that favor taller people, like basketball. I do cross country and used to do soccer because both of those sports don’t require you to have any certain height to be good at them. I remember one time when I was doing service hours, a lady I was helping guessed my age two years junior Megan Kanger- “For the most part, I like being younger than what I actually was, and I had to tell her on the tall. Since I was little, I have always wanted to my actual age. Just the other week I was at a concert, be tall. My two older siblings were always taller than and some guy pushed passed me and said “Excuse me, me, and I just wanted to be as tall as they were. So, shorty.” To which I took a slight offense but couldn’t when I was finally taller than my sister, I was pretty help but agree that the comment had some truth to happy. I am not the tallest one in my grade, but I am it. I feel like some people in school might think I’m an the tallest girl out of my friend group. Just like with all underclassmen sometimes, because of my short stature. things, being tall has its advantages and disadvantages.

Overall though, it really isn’t that bad, and I don’t On the bright side, I can reach tall shelves and I can see really mind it, even though I would like to still grow a over the heads of people in front of me in class. On the few more inches.” other hand, I feel bad if I sit in front of someone shorter than me and I know that they can’t see the board because of me. It also made finding clothes, such as jeans, difficult for me when I was younger because a lot of the jeans were too short and I would have to get the extra long jeans. All in all, I enjoy being tall and any disadvantages that go along with being tall are worth it.”

junior Dillon Ryan- “I’ve been the tallest in my class all through elementary school and middle school.

Honestly everyone thinks it’d be so amazing to be tall, but I don’t really like being super tall. Yeah it’s got its advantages of being able to see over people in crowded areas or getting things that are up in high places. But I think the disadvantages far outweigh those advantage.

For example: being super uncomfortable in any sort of desk because you have no where to put your legs, sometimes feeling awkward in crowded places because you feel like your legs and arms take up twice as much room as the guy next to you, or everyone constantly commenting about your height saying things like, “woah your tall!” Or “you’re tall. do you play basketball?” Overall I still like being tall just sometimes it would be nice to be just a little shorter!”

junior Caroline Connelly- “I’ve always been short.

Like anything in this world, there are advantages and disadvantages. Most tall people can figure out the obvious disadvantages, like not being able to use the top shelf of my locker, but they don’t realize that I can’t reach the pedals and see over the dash in most cars, so I can only drive my Honda CR-V. Freshmen and seniors alike trip over me in the halls a lot because they don’t realize I’m there, causing more than a few bruises for both parties involved. In addition to my 5’1” stature, I look much younger than I really am. Being short also means that there’s always someone around me who’s willing to give me a piggyback. The general consensus among shorties is that the majority of us have impressive verticals (we can’t reach anything without jumping!), and we see the world as our personal jungle gym. It’s hard to see over the crowds, so anything that can be used to get a better vantage point, will be used. I never have to duck for anything in my way, either. My stature also tends to make activities either much easier or much more difficult. I’m a former gymnast, and for obvious reasons, my height was a great advantage.

Now I shoot trap. Suffice it to say that guns that fit a 5’1”, left-handed shooter don’t come around very often.

I have to get... creative when it comes to shooting. Even though being short comes with some major annoyances, I really don’t think I’d enjoy being tall. It’d just be too weird.”

Tall vs. Short

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My Blend of words

by Kierstene Frye It’s not a challenge to create a sonnet It is just the rules that I get controlled by A few lines, some stressed some unstressed, one couplet The rhyming end words, a plot must tie I brought out this paper and pen I wished for inspiration for this Looked at the nothing on the white lined paper and then Words of this sad sonnet, I thought I made a miss I tried cute poems, wrote a sonnet filled about cheese Made a short one, a long one, put others to society’s shame I knew not to write about the animals;like the birds and the bees This isn’t a country song, but instead this sonnet came Walk down memory lane or poets block,let words blend And finally my sad little sonnet has come to an end

9 student poetry: Kierstene frye

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Aromas coffeehouse: a great local spot to

locally roasted

brewed &.

enjoy coffee and company Where coffee chains abound, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut of going to the same place and ordering the very same thing, time and time again. Aromas Coffeehouse, however, with locations just South of The Old Market, in Benson, and in Westroads Mall’s Flagship Commons, can bring a local and unique feel to Omahans’ coffee rituals.

Aromas’ flagship location in The Old Market, located in what was once a warehouse, is a large, open space with high ceilings and concrete floors. Upon entering, one’s eyes are drawn through the cafe to the coffeehouse’s logo alight on the back wall.

On one side, a pastry case and and an espresso machine gleam in the light; on the other, locally roasted beans and other merchandise tempt visitors. As visitors approach the counter, they are greeted by a friendly barista, and place their order for a brewed coffee, latte, tea, maybe even a handcrafted soda.

The establishment has all the coffeehouse staples: coffee beverages like pour-overs, lattes, and mochas as well as tea beverages like full-leaf brewed and tea lattes; some more adventurous options include toddy cola, a cold brew coffee that is carbonated like a soda and lightly sweetened, and a rootbeer chai latte.

For those accustomed to the taste of espresso from a certain coffee giant, Aromas’ espresso might strike the palate as more light and delicate, far less bold than what one would find from a chain. This doesn’t necessarily put Aromas’ espresso above or below the others, but it’s a noticeable difference that’s important to mention.

The “Toddy” or cold-brewed coffee, which is brewed over many hours at room temperature, lacked an acidity drawn out by heat that can be overpowering in some brewed coffees, and was easy and pleasant to sip on. The carbonated and sweetened version of this beverage, or “Toddy Cola” as Aromas calls it, is a unique one for sure. Visually, it resembles a Coca-Cola in a fancy glass on ice, and at first taste, the sweetness and carbonation is reminiscent of the taste of the soda, but the bold yet pleasant coffee flavor hits one’s tongue soon after. It’s something that any coffee drinker should try.Aromas also sets itself apart in its tea lattes.

In fact, the coffeehouse has taken a classic popularized by coffee chains, the chai tea latte, and made it their own.

Aromas’ chai is less sweet, more spicy, and, in a way that’s difficult to describe, simply tastes more earthy than mainstream versions of the beverage. photos and story by Tom Hermanek layout by Maria Koliopoulos

locally roasted + Brewed

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Variant o g u e By: Clara Pohlman

There are many windows in our everyday life to express who we are and how we want the world to perceive us. The most pertinent example is in style. Not simply the way we act, but in clothing and layers that accurately show the way in which we want to be looked at by others. Every style from preppy, grunge, or even “in fashion,” all hold a special meaning to the person inside the clothes.

They are a way to show a person’s true colors and present an opportunity to look at an individual by seeing them the way they see themselves.

Differing fashion senses elicit unique personas

Variant Vogue 5

Variant Vogue 6

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Seeing THE

i g h t

FLip perspectives

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by Lily Yates Some have called our country’s current era the most polarizing political environment to date. We see countless news articles, telling us why ourgovernment will never get anything done - there is no hope for compromise. Compromise. It is a word that many people have forgotten the meaning of - and sometimes I wonder if I have not forgotten it myself. As I grow, I have increasingly skidded to a stop at the same, resounding question: what is the line between standing up for what is right and making an effort to understand what makes people act the way they do, and the merits of their views? I have found no answer. It is hard for me to believe that anyone has truly discovered the perfect balance. Or is the perfect balance nonexistent? Should we never compromise our most basic and important beliefs? Should we always passionately stand up for what we know to be true in the face of adversity? I see the effects that people who live this have on our world, and I admire them. But the next moment, I am humbled by the empathetic words I hear someone directing toward that person with which they do not agree, and I admire them. While most everyone can agree that in an interaction involving another human being at all, some aspect of compromise is helpful. Different people see the world in different ways. But then I think of situations that make my heart hurt physically- that bring me to tears, when there is no justification for the actions or beliefs of others. Is it not in some way morally weak and in some cases even misleading to simply sit in the back of the room and disagree in silence? The question haunts me, and I believe that it will always be a fear of mine - that I am not courageous enough. That I am not empathetic enough. But we have always found our way through conflict. And with every situation, you can find the flipside.

SEEING THE LIGHT

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contents seein g t h e li g h t 3 fashio n: va r i a nt vog ue 5 l eft b rain + r i g h t br a i n 7 student poetry: kierstene frye 10 tal l v s. sh ort 1 1 rememb er i n g our root s 1 3 u rb an + orga n i c 1 5 photo s: h er e + g one 1 7 r epu b l ican v s. d em ocr at 1 9 co m e + g one 2 1 student art: alyssa schmitt 24 cont r i butor s 2 5 www.skuttcatholicflightline.com

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quintessence

the flipside issue --- Volume 3, Issue 1 --Skutt Catholic Flightline