HIGHLANDER The new era of “Star Wars”
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2015 Holiday Handbook
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C is not for college
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THE
Winter holiday destinations PAGE 16
Carlmont High School — Belmont, California
December 2015 Vol VII Issue III
www.scotscoop.com twitter: @scotscoopnews
Choosing between passion and profit In today’s competitive job climate, many high school students are forced to think to their futures and ask themselves: Should I follow my passion or seek out profit? Kian Karamdashti
MINH-HAN VU
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” As a child, the answer to that question can produce dozens of answers. Flash forward to senior year of high school and many struggle to find just one. There is an annual question that 17 and 18 year-olds all over the country are forced to answer: What major will they pursue in college? Or, more specifically, what potential career path do they wish to follow? “It’s scary to think that at such a young age we are almost required to make such a huge decision,” said junior Ashley Wen. “Of course, whatever major or direction in life you choose to go in does not define your future, but it can have a significant impact.” Senior Akshay Mohan said, “It’s nerve-wracking to make such an important decision with so little knowledge of what college or the real world actually looks like. However, it is comforting to know that I’m not the only one that feels like this, and we all are going to get through it together.” According to a poll taken by MSNBC in 2005, 80 percent of incoming college students had yet to choose their major when beginning the application process. Also, once enrolled in school, around 50 percent of students will change their major, often more than once.
With these numbers reflecting the indecisiveness of incoming college freshmen, many people all over the world feel that teenagers should not be required to make such a significant career decision so early in their lives. Teenage contributor to The Guardian Abigail Lane said, “What you want to be when you grow up requires careful thought: we need time to learn about and consider all the options. But the rush to get good grades, and the fact that our grades heavily influence what we can and can't do, means that some students make hurried, expedient decisions, which may not be for the best in the long-term.” For many students, deciding which major or non-college route to follow usually comes down to two factors: profit and passion. Carlmont graduate and California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo freshman Daryush Shahid said, “In my opinion, the potential money you earn should not be the deciding factor when it comes to choosing your major. If your field of study isn’t appealing, you’re just going to be miserable so you have to be careful with your decision. You want to be able to find yourself in a major that is stable and will keep you financially secure in the future. Business has always intrigued me and I am happy I found a major that fits both criteria for me.”
The harrowing fear for many prospective post-graduates is the uncertainty that lies in their futures. As someone who made his decision and experienced its results, ASB supervisor Jim Kelly is extremely content with how things turned out for himself and his family. “I started out as a recreation administration major at Cal Poly and became the City of San Mateo’s aquatic programs supervisor, where I developed a lot of business, managing, and operating skills. However, I realized that as I went ‘up’ the ladder I was getting further and further away from what I truly loved: working with clients. I was sitting behind a desk for too long. Inspired by my brother, who was a teacher, and his family’s life in Australia, where he held summers and holidays with his family, I decided to make the switch to teaching. I have to say, it worked out very well for me.” Kelly’s experiences allowed him to relay some advice for students getting ready to make the jump to the real world. He said, “Pick a direction you are truly passionate about and really love and go in that direction. It’s okay to change your mind along the way, people always do. If you don’t truly love what you do, you’re not going to be very happy.”
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Impostor syndrome plagues successful students Sarah Schisla You’ve made it this far. Other people see you as successful, but you dread that soon they’ll discover the truth -- you’re a fraud. Despite the fact that you were first chair in orchestra, that you were accepted into your dream school, and that you have straight A’s, you still don’t think you deserve to be where you are. If you doubt your abilities even
when others think highly of you, you may be suffering from impostor (or imposter) syndrome. According to the Caltech Counseling Center, impostor syndrome can be defined as “a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist even in [the] face of information that indicates that the opposite is true. It is experienced internally as chronic selfdoubt, and feelings of intellectual fraudulence.”
Impostor syndrome plagues honor students around the world, but it most notably affects freshmen at prestigious universities. Stanford University sophomore and Carlmont alumnus Josh Fagel experienced symptoms of impostor syndrome almost immediately upon his arrival at Stanford. “We had the chance to share our full life stories, and there were people who had done incredible things, [while I was] just sitting
in the corner looking like a deer caught in the headlights,” he said. UCLA freshman Matthew Allen said, “This is just a more stressful and competitive environment. Even though I was in the top 5 percent at Carlmont, I felt overwhelmed and intimidated by the caliber of students here and got nervous about my grades during the fall.” Fear and stress serve to motivate. While these emotions can
be beneficial in small quantities, an extreme and constant fear of academic failure differentiates the impostor phenomenon from a healthy emotional response. The issue arises when people allow these fears to prevent them from realizing their full potential, thus giving impostor syndrome the power to hold them back.
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HOLIDAYS Keeping the holiday spirit alive The Highlander
Hannah Young
As the old holiday song goes, the halls and aisles of every home and store are decked with boughs of holly - long before the pumpkin season has even finished. “We don’t actually set up Christmas lights because first of all, my family is half Jewish, and secondly, we go away every winter so nobody would be home. I hate that I saw Christmas lights before Halloween this year. That really bugged me because I feel that all holidays are equally important,” said sophomore Anna Singer. Holiday lights have been popular for centuries, dating back as late as the eighteenth century. In lieu of electric lights, candles decorated the homes and Christmas trees of upper-class Germans. It wasn’t until the 1960s that outlining houses in lights became popular. Today, holiday lights seem to illuminate neighborhoods everywhere. The custom has been adopted by many countries and cultures, and some communities even hold annual contests to see which families have the most elaborately decorated houses. Ever since the introduction of electronic holiday lights in the mid-twentieth century, the holiday season has become extended and the decorations are more extravagant and innovative every year. However not everyone embraces the
December 2015
idea, especially those who don’t celebrate the holiday season or aren’t home during the two-week vacation. For other families, an extended holiday season is more than welcome. “For my family, the holidays are a more relaxed, fun, and giving time. We keep decorations and lights up longer because it keeps the festive spirit alive and that makes a lot of people happier” said senior Tara Shahrvini. While Shahrvini and her family don’t participate in any community decoration contests, she notes the social pressures to keep up with the holiday spirit. “It’s just a neighborhood thing. I live on a street where it’s almost tradition to put up lights no matter what holiday you celebrate. Every year it seems like families step up their game and decorate more than the last to be the best-decorated house,” said Shahrvini. Although a lot of people might argue that applying a “the more the merrier” policy to the holiday season would be lovely, others argue the line must be drawn. “We take ours down the first week or two of January. I think it becomes socially tacky to have decorations still up by the time stores start to advertise for Valentine’s Day which is usually mid January. That’s been the cutoff for a lot of people I know but most people are proactive and take
HIGHLANDER STAFF
As early as the beginning of November, crews were already hanging holiday lights at the Carlmont Shopping Center and other Bay Area locations. their decorations down after the new year,” said Shahrvini. There is also an economic aspect to consider in extending the season. According to information gathered by the Statistics Portal in 2012, 19.2 percent of retail sales in the United States are made during the holiday season, which “can start as early as September and some[times] even earlier.”
“[Retailers] just want money,” said junior Olivia DeVoy. “Christmas spirit is good, but [pushing the holiday season back] is all for money. I think it tramples Thanksgiving since stores go straight from Halloween stuff to Christmas,” said DeVoy. Whether or not there is unanimous approval for an extended holiday season, it does appear to be here to stay.
Juggling school and the holiday season Kiera Pendleton-White
Finals. The last thing that separates a student from the two weeks of freedom that comes with winter break. With the finals coming up along with college application deadlines and the holiday season, it’s a wonder how students are able to celebrate while getting everything finished. As reported by a national study done by the American Psychological Association, students already experience a lot of strain and pressure. Around 27 percent of students said that they experience “extreme stress” during the school year. “My stress levels are definitely higher during the school year because I feel the stress to succeed,” said junior Alyssa Feigelson. On top of all the positive emotions that come from the holidays, an American Psychological Association study re-
ported that the holiday season also brings an increase in strain on people. Added to the stress of schoolwork, this can be an overwhelming time for students. “I’ll probably be more stressed during the holidays because I’ll be working on college apps up until the end of break,” said senior Kate Bryan. One of the holidays that happens before winter break is Hanukkah, which starts on Dec. 6 this year, so Jewish students have to juggle their existing schoolwork with the celebrating that accompanies the holiday. “As a Jewish-American, I’m used to school conflicting with my holidays. Most of the celebrations can be done near dinner time or on weekends so I don’t have too much trouble handling both,” said senior Nathan Kinsey. Even though some people can handle the holiday, others have to prioritize their class work. “Hanukkah is less stressful than other Jewish holidays because it isn’t the main holiday. But I know I’m going to
have to sacrifice family time for schoolwork,” said Feigelson. Another thing that school interrupts is the preparation for Christmas. Some of the more popular ways of preparing - house decorating, cookie baking, and gift purchasing - are all disrupted by the intense amount of studying that comes from finals and schoolwork. “I’m sad that I’ll have to miss some of the ‘Christmas spirit’ to work on my applications,” said Bryan. The study done by the American Psychological Association also reported that 59 percent of teens report that managing their time between all their activities is their most significant source of stress. Although there is no formula to deal with the situation, the Old Dominion University Counseling Center recommends that the best way to handle everything and reduce the stress that comes from different responsibilities is to finish one thing at a time.
HOLIDAYS
The Highlander
Gift shopping for teenagers Boys Video games
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Clothing
Shoes
Gift Cards
December 2015
Realistic spending this winter season $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Boyfriend/ Girlfriend
Girls Makeup
Clothing
Shoes
Jewelry
Shirt . . .
$20
Roses . . .
$25
Gift Card . . . $30
Total . . .
Where to spend this ? holiday season ? Somewhere Cold
At Home
Somewhere Warm
$75
Family Member Chocolate . . .
$10
Apparel . . .
$25
Homemade Card . . .
$0
Total . . .
$35
Close Friend
What to do:
What to do:
What to do:
• Ski • Snowboard • Make a snowman • Drink cocoa and coffee • Sit by the fire
• Spend time with friends and family • Shop • Cook • Decorate your tree
• Swim • Go to the beach • Play sports • Walk around the town • Eat gelato
Framed Photo . . .
$15
Cookies . . .
$5
Shirt . . .
$10
Total . . .
$30 ALYSSA FAGEL
Page 4 The Highlander
CAMPUS
December 2015
Getting a late pass doesn’t excuse you
Students are not clear on what happens when they are given a pass Aria Frangos
who wrote the pass. Most times, the absence would be cleared with the code ‘SA’ (or School Activity).” Senior Wesley Lim walks slowly to his seat, frowning According to Administrative Vice Principal Gregg Patin confusion, late pass still in hand. His teacher turns her ner, the apparently differing policies between teachers on attention back to the class, moving past the interruption. how to accept late passes from students are a result of ad“Doesn’t she have to accept your pass?” another student ministration’s desire to allow teachers to control their own whispers. classrooms as much as possible. No, she doesn’t. “The teachers are professionals who know how to do The late pass policy at Carlmont is a bit of a mystery their jobs well. Committees and teachers have discussed to the vast majority of the student the late pass policy, but I body. Students are bewildered by think teachers are still unteachers’ varying acceptance of with the outcomes “Teachers should be more unani- satisfied passes. Some teachers refuse to and students are confused,” accept passes from other classes, mous in their policy of how they said Patner. while others take them without a While giving teachers decide to mark a student tardy... control second look. over their class“By Ed Code, we still have to Students don’t really know what rooms is important, the mark students tardy even if they policies confuse stuthe policy is even supposed to be.” mixed have a late pass from another dents. teacher. The excused part is only “Teachers should be in that we have to allow them to Lily Lindemeier more unanimous in their make up the work and can’t take policy of how they decide Senior points off participation. The tardy to mark a student tardy. doesn’t go away,” said choir direcI don’t know if the policy tor Genevieve Tep. should necessarily be changed, but it’s not good how difAccording to Instructional Vice Principal Jennifer Cho, ferent teachers treat classes differently,” said senior Lily much of the attendance policy at Carlmont stems directly Lindemeier. “Students don’t really know what the policy is from state educational code. even supposed to be.” “A student may be late up to 20 minutes before he or she Being late can be disruptive in classroom environments, is marked absent from the class,” said Cho. “If a student is particularly due to events like the door opening and stucoming from another teacher or staff member on campus, dents walking in front of the teacher as he or she is beginthe absence would be marked by the classroom teacher of ning the lesson. that period and then can be cleared by the staff member However, Carlmont’s growing population is leading to
more hall traffic and increasing numbers of classrooms, and consecutive classes on a student’s daily route can be far enough away from each other to make getting to the next period on time every day a struggle. One of the longest routes is that from some of the science buildings (U-Wing) to the arts building (F-Wing). The length of the U-F walk is compounded by the fact that in F-Wing, many classes require putting away instruments or cleaning up art stations when the bell rings, while in U-Wing, students often need to clean up lab areas when the bell rings or risk ruining their lab if they don’t finish certain steps before leaving for the day. “I understand that teachers shouldn’t be allowing students to miss parts of their other classes by giving them late passes, but I don’t think late passes would be abused by Carlmont teachers,” said Lim, who has Chamber Singers in F21 right after Biotechnology in U21. “The U to F walk is already really long, and the construction by U-Wing makes it longer. If I have to stay in biotech for even a minute past the bell, which I often have to do to finish a lab or clean up, I’m basically guaranteed a tardy to choir.” Carlmont has already extended the passing periods from six to seven minutes, but even that time can sometimes fall short of what students need if their classes are far from each other and require clean-up. The policy on late pass acceptability exists in varied forms in different classrooms on campus, confusing students and frustrating teachers. “There is fertile ground here for figuring out a more effective policy,” said Patner. For now, when handed a pass to their next class, students should remember that it’s solely up to to their next teacher to decide if they’re excused or not.
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CAMPUS
The Highlander
December 2015
How does one study effectively? Adriana Ramirez
You sit at home, trying to make sense out of the jumble of words you had written in class that day. After trying to understand the information for 10 minutes, you give up. You sigh and say, “Oh well, I guess I’ll just wing it.” For high school students, pulling the “I don’t know how to study” card has been a way to excuse their way through classes. However, that is not effective in the long run. In order to improve academically, intellectually, and professionally, one must understand how to study efficiently. Everyone learns differently. There is no right or wrong learning style; it depends on what works best for you. Biology teacher Julie Paoli said, “You have to figure it out by yourself. Many people don’t until they get to college so if you start now, you are one step ahead.” In September 2013, StageofLife polled over 500 high school and college students across the US. Over 81 percent of these respondents have failed a goal they set for themselves. Setting goals is one way to organize your information. For junior Sonia Mahajan, organizing the information and setting goals is an effective study skill. “At the beginning of each month, I like to do a calendar to organize my schedule so that I am aware of when my assignments are due,” said Mahajan. Other students might not find this effective: this is why Paoli tries to hit different learning styles so students can find the area where they excel more. “Some people like the projects, others like the modeling - breaking down things more simply- visuals, or walking through it,” said Paoli. “Resources such as books and online video are also useful. You could maybe even try three different videos, then piece together the different parts.” People like pictures, especially those posted on social media; they are appealing to the eye and catch the attention of many. Social media scientist Dan Zarrella proved this over research studies done in 2014: adding pictures to tweets make them 94 percent more likely to be Retweeted. Mahajan finds visuals effective in her science and history class. For other classes however, she finds other strategies more useful. She said, “There are classes that I don’t study as much for. I think it is because they are much more memorization classes and I’m good at memorizing things that are easy to
Writing down homework in a planner is one way of keeping the day’s work organized. pronounce.” Other students might struggle with this sort of approach since people have different ways of acquiring the information given to them. Some people may have not found those skills yet, making it harder for them to actually study. Paoli believes that learning is hard as it is. “Elementary and middle school teachers go through material pretty regularly and make sure students have it all before the test and when suddenly school gets hard, we have this thought that ‘I am not smart enough,’” she said. “Learning is just hard.” Another suggestion Paoli gives her students is to form study groups, which helps for college. “I think the most helpful way to learn something is to teach it. This is the importance of study groups. People get to play out their strengths and when each teaches their material, they got it.” Not having the right study skills is not the only factor imposing students from success in their classes: phones, technology, and anything that can be deemed entertaining can be distracting. Poor time management is one of the worst habits a student could have, according to Paoli.
“As you scroll through your Instagram feed, you don’t realize that you have just wasted 30 minutes,” said Paoli. This does not mean “be so focused on academics so that you end up living inside your room like a caveman.” Studying well is about managing time effectively. “Use timers,” Paoli said. “Set some limits. Don’t look at the clock and think, ‘how long have I being doing this?’ People need to realize that there is a point where you are no longer getting it, or it is not sinking in.” For high schoolers, studying for their classes is not the only struggle because the SAT or ACT is just around the corner. These are tests you don’t want to cram for, according to Kaplan instructor and tutor Maria Sears; practicing frequently will help in the long run. “Have a study plan and stick to it,” said Sears. “Once you have a good grasp of the material and are able to solve the problems (correctly) on your own, the next step should be to practice your pacing by doing timed practice problems.” In the end, improving bad study skills and finding those that help you can lead to success. Paoli said, “Try to study smarter, not harder.”
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Page 6 The Highlander
NEWS
December 2015
Cybersecurity invades privacy Sophie Haddad Most people think that private information should remain private. The government agrees. But, in order to prevent data breaches that might expose your personal information, they need to monitor your personal information. The Senate recently tried to curtail malicious hacks by voting to approve CISA (Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act), a bill that claims to anticipate hacking by automatically sharing information about a company that has been hacked. Other companies at risk and the Department of Homeland Security (including the FBI and NSA) may access the information. A significant number of people are concerned with protecting privacy and oppose the bill. The shared information may include personal data about employees that is irrelevant to the hack, and companies can’t be sued for sharing personal information. The FBI and NSA can use the information for any purpose. “I think [the government] should have really minimal information, like all the information you find in a census -- how many people, what kind of people are in the US, things that can cater to them and help them to know how they should change and not that a girl liked a page on Facebook,” said junior Elsa Carreras. Others believe that preventing a hack takes precedence over exposing irrelevant personal data. Senior Lucas Coley said, “I think that preventing the hack would be an important enough cause as long as that information remains serverside and isn’t being used by
third parties or in other ways than to prevent an attack. The priority has to be preventing private information from getting out.” Part of the reason CISA was successful is because it came at a time when cybersecurity legislation was a priority. Just last June, the United States Office of Personnel Management suffered a data breach that exposed deeply personal information about 21.5 million people. “I think it’s definitely important for corporations not to get hacked, since they have so much information on normal people,” said Coley. Civil liberties groups and major tech companies represent the largest groups opposed to CISA. Nathan White, the senior legislative manager at the civil-liberties group Access, said, “The bill passed by the Senate today—if enacted into law—would still do almost nothing to improve cybersecurity while undermining the rights of potentially hundreds of millions of people.” Many are wary that this bill was designed for surveillance, not protection. CISA’s sponsors are Richard Burr and Dianne Feinstein of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The bill did not come from a Homeland Security Committee, which would be natural if the bill’s intent were really to protect companies. “It is a lot easier to prevent events from happening or catch people who are doing things wrong if you don’t follow the Bill of Rights. So, we as a country have to figure out what’s more important to us -- the security of the country or people’s civil liberties. [CISA] did seem to be more
about surveillance than hacking,” said government teacher Karen Ramroth. Five cybersecurity initiatives have failed in the past five years. The Cybersecurity Act was shot down in 2012 because Republicans feared more regulations on industries. The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) was CISA’s predecessor and was similar to CISA in many ways. It made it through the House, but the Senate decided to draft its own bill (what has become CISA) rather than vote on CISPA. Supporters see CISA as an important step in the right direction. DHS secretary Jeh Johnson said, “There is an urgent and compelling need for cybersecurity legislation – to strengthen our ability to protect the American public, American businesses large and small, and the federal civilian .gov system.” The House of Representatives has passed two cybersecurity bills, the Protecting Cyber Networks Act (PCNA) and the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act (NCPAA). Once the House and Senate reconcile the differences in their bills, they will send one revised bill to the president that has aspects of CISA, PCNA, and the NCPAA. The Obama administration voiced support for the bill, flip flopping on its opposition to CISPA, the failed cybersecurity bill and signaling the probability of the new cybersecurity bill becoming law. Though legislators have made their opinion clear, the debate over privacy and security continues.
California drinking age is challenged by petition Ivy Nguyen For some high school seniors and college underclassmen, social life means partying and drinking. For them, this means breaking the law. However, that may change. Business owner Terrance Lynn proposed a California initiative to lower the drinking age to 18. According to California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, the initiative has been cleared to begin collecting signatures. If it gets the signatures of 365,880 registered voters by April 26, then it will qualify for the November 2016 ballot and voters will decide whether 18-year-olds will be able to legally purchase and drink alcohol in the state. However, Lynn is not actively trying to garner signatures. According to U.S. News, Lynn said, “I will not raise any money [to fund the circulation of this initiative]. I’m a little bit hostile to money in politics [and] I’m not willing to go there and compromise my values.” So, if 18 to 21 year olds want this initiative to move forward, they’re going to have to work in order to get those signatures. Despite the youth who are in favor of this initiative, there are those who do not support it. This creates another obstacle that proponents must face in order for the initiative to qualify for the ballot. Senior Cailan Cumming said, “I agree that there is a major incongruity in our political system when 18 year
olds are able to vote, serve in our country’s armed forces, pay taxes, and serve as a jurist but aren’t granted the same right of drinking alcohol. However, I am able to overlook this incongruity and support the 21-year-old drinking age because it helps save lives, especially in regards to automobile accidents.” The argument in favor of the 21-year-old drinking age is supported by the National Minimum Drinking Age Act (NMDAA), which requires states to have an 18-year-old drinking age. However, those who support the 18-year-old drinking age have a counterargument. Proponents interpret the 14th amendment, which protects against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and age, as supporting evidence for the 18-year-old drinking age. Junior Ashley Wen said, “I think that while people often argue that our brains aren’t fully developed at age 18, they’re developed enough for us to take on the title of adult, and to have that title means that we’re worthy of being entrusted with many new privileges, like being able to go to war, to buy or rent a house, to buy scratchers. If we’re developed enough to make such decisions, we should be developed enough to learn how to control ourselves and regulate our drinking.” If the initiative passes, California would lose nearly $200 million in federal highway funds. This is because the
NMDAA punishes any state that has a drinking age below 21 by reducing its federal highway apportionment by eight percent. Despite that loss, there may be other ways for California to raise funds. AP Government and Economics teacher Karen Ramroth said, “The loss in funding could make an impact, but lowering the age could also end up being a good thing, economically speaking. If 18 to 21 year olds were allowed to drink, they might end up spending more money in places like restaurants or bars where they aren’t currently allowed to order alcohol.” Beyond the debate of whether young people should be allowed to legally purchase and consume alcohol, doctors and researchers from the American Psychiatric Association agree that responsible drinking is the key to preventing harm like addiction or accidents. “Whatever the age is, society needs to provide opportunities for young people to learn about responsible drinking as well as the dangers of drinking. Opportunities also should be provided for people to learn where they can get help, without the risk of being stigmatized, if they have issues with alcohol dependency,” said Ramroth. For many young people, the enticing part of drinking is the fact that it is illegal. Whether it will become legal for 18-year-olds remains to be seen, but no matter the outcome, lives will change. Since 2002 R
SPORTS
The Highlander
Page 7 December 2015
Boys volleyball: can you dig it?
IVY NGUYEN
Elena Mateus
The ball is flying at you at 50 miles per hour. You have one option, no time to make a decision, and within a split second you throw yourself at the ground, hoping to prevent the ball from hitting the floor. It’s intense, it’s fast-paced, it’s volleyballand it will soon no longer only be for girls at Carlmont High School. Students at Carlmont have taken steps to create a fully recognized and funded men’s volleyball team. This team is projected to compete in the Spring season of 2016 with other teams district wide according to Carlmont Athletic Director Patrick Smith. At the heart of this newfound reality is Liam Young. The junior entered Carlmont with a passion for the sport; he asked to practice with the girl’s volleyball team as a freshman and, after being rejected, took the initiative to work towards the formation of a team for guys to enjoy the sport just as much as girls can and do. “I’ve actually spent two years trying to get enough people for a team, but this year I wanted to start a club for guy’s volleyball
to make people more aware,” said Young, “We now have successfully gotten funding from Mr. Smith and coaches to actually field a team.” While there has been no men’s volleyball team in the past at Carlmont, many high schools in the Central Coast Section (CCS), like Aragon and Half Moon Bay, have sustained a men’s team for the sport. So why has Carlmont left the creation of a men’s volleyball team undone until just this year? “It’s been relatively difficult to create a team, but not impossible; just like anything else it takes real work to see it be successfully done,” said Young. Smith is optimistic about the future of the sport for guys at Carlmont: “We are in a good situation because it’s already a PAL sport and there’s already six schools in the league that already have teams, so we’d be the seventh and be able to jump right in.” Current captain of the girl’s varsity volleyball team Erin Alonso is surprised that such a team has not yet been given birth to on Carlmont’s campus. “Volleyball is just as much a sport for guys as it is for girls, and I don’t understand why it isn’t a given just to
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have a male counterpart team, just like all the other sports.” And Alonso is right; men’s volleyball on a larger scale is a well respected, well developed sport. Over 100 colleges maintain men’s teams that participate in the NCAA. And according to a survey conducted by the National Federation of High School Associations, in the four years from 2004 to 2008, high school participation in boys’ volleyball rose by more than 15 percent, from about 42,000 to nearly 50,000. Young attributes the disconnect on campus to geographics. “The further south you go, the more gender neutral the sport is seen. It’s probably because here in the north there’s a lot more guy’s opportunity for sports- like baseball, football and soccer.” Smith noted the same trend. “It’s been played in the southern part of CCS in the San Jose area and it wasn’t really grabbed onto here. It was just in the past couple years that Burlingame and Aragon got teams,” said Smith. “And once some schools do it, other schools start to look into it. Word of mouth spreads and kids get into it.” Yet to some, there still exists a stigma
that volleyball is strictly a girl’s sport. “I’ve never seen volleyball played by guys; I’ve only seen girls,” said senior Malia Canepa. Despite potential setbacks, Young remains hopeful for the future of Boy’s Volleyball at Carlmont: “It’s taking awhile to get a ton of guys, but I think if we can actually make the team, we will change the mindset of many people and help them realize that volleyball is a guy’s sport too.” “Volleyball is an incredibly fun sport, for both guys and girls, and should be made available to both,” junior Alex Jin said, “I can’t wait to play for Carlmont this year.” The Carlmont team is projected to field a full varsity team with a full practice and play schedule. “I’m excited to get this thing off and running,” said Smith.“Boys volleyball will give kids an additional connection to the school that makes it more than just a place to come study.” “Sure, there is club volleyball for guys,” explained Young, “but playing for your high school is different; you represent a place you spend most of your time at for four years, and you represent a community; something bigger than yourself.”
a legacy, star wars has left
Bijan Khalili
The influence of “Star Wars” is everywhere. We see it in our clothes, Halloween costumes, and even in our kid’s meals. Science fiction has been influenced by “Star Wars” since its release in 1977. Sounds, visuals, and even the music from the films have become part of what makes up the foundation of the science fiction culture. The film also helped launch the science fiction boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and made science fiction films a blockbuster genre. It has also been parodied in films and short videos, including “Spaceballs.” Many people have fond memories of their first time watching “Star Wars.” “I remember my father taking me to my first ‘Star Wars’ which was ‘The Return of the Jedi’ when I was 9 or 10. My dad took me on a Saturday afternoon and it was one of my first experiences sitting in the theatre and getting lost in the ‘Star Wars’ world,” said science teacher Dan Raffa. According to the Statistic Brain Research Institute, “Star Wars” has made a revenue of $1.5 billion on games and toys alone. No matter what you do, it seems that you can’t get away from “Star Wars.” Many companies recognize “Star Wars’” appeal, such as Disney, who bought “Star Wars” maker Lucasfilm on Oct. 30, 2012 for $4.05 billion. Robert Iger, chairman and CEO of Walt Disney Co. has announced limited details of the new Star Wars Land in Southern California. “Even if you haven’t watched one of the movies, you still know
about it because of its mass popularity, and huge market of products,” said junior and “Star Wars” fan Jack McLean. “Star Wars” has been around for decades; from the first episode “Star Wars: A New Hope” in 1977, to the “Revenge of the Sith” in 2005, and now the upcoming Episode VII coming out this year, “The Force Awakens.” Due to the film series’ frequent film production, “Star Wars” has kept its level of popularity for many generations, and often times works as a way for parents and kids to bond. “When my dad was growing up, he was really into the books and the movies. I still have those same interests in ‘Star Wars’ and it shows that it has a long-lasting legacy,” said senior Cole Harper. So what makes the sci-fi saga so appealing? “I think the story is just very interesting and people find a lot of the action scenes entertaining. Also, the movies being released in the wrong order helps because it’s not typical, which sets it out from the rest,” said McLean. Looking through a marketing lens, “Star Wars” has never failed to have outstanding earnings. All the movies one after another have made a total of $4.349 billion, with the total franchise revenue at $28 billion according to the Statistic Brain Research. “I mean, it’s obvious. If everyone is benefitting and making a lot of money off of the movies and merchandise, there is no reason to stop producing more,” said senior Brent Jang. “Episode VII - The Force Awakens” is set to come out on Dec. 18, 2015, enhancing the craze for “Star Wars” even further. “Now I’m starting to watch the older episodes again to refresh my mind and get myself ready for the new one,” said McLean.
relevant to know, these things are
Taran Sun
The Millennium Falcon executes a flawless barrel roll as shots from the enemy Tie Fighter scream towards it. Ranks of motionless Stormtroopers stand in flawless formation. Darth Vader’s skeletal mask stares bleakly towards the sky. Lightsabers activate viciously as a shadowy figure stalks towards the waiting Jedi. “Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens” is set to hit theaters on Dec. 18, and if the hype surrounding the movie is any indication, it will explode into pop culture at light speed. Trailers of the incoming cinematic singularity have been chock full of jaw-dropping action shots, yet revealed little of the movie itself. Before taking a popcorn-filled journey to the next installment in one of the most iconic franchises of all time, there are five things that need to be known.
‘The Force Awakens’ takes place 30 years after ‘Return of the Jedi.’ The events that resulted with the downfall of the Empire are mere memories and tales, no longer fresh in the minds of those present in the Star Wars universe. The majority of the characters that fans know and love are no longer present in the universe. Fortunately, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo and Chewbacca are making their long-awaited returns. Thank you George Lucas and J.J. Abrams, you amazing human beings.
The Death Star is back. Again. The most iconic weapon of evil in the Star Wars franchise has, of course, returned once again. An immense battle station reminiscent of the original Death Star itself is easily visible on the poster of The Force Awakens. Prepare for another gorgeously cinematographic space assault by the resistance.
The Empire has fallen, and the First Order has taken its place. The Empire, headed by Darth Vader and Darth Sidious, has faded into memory. Out of the power vacuum, the First Order has emerged, a new oppressive power taking the place of the previous Empire and backed by the full force of the Imperial Stormtroopers.
Luke Skywalker is nowhere to be found. Although Mark Hamill’s name is one of the top-listed on the new Star Wars poster, his face is nowhere to be seen on the poster itself, or anywhere in the series of trailers recently released for the movie. Critics have speculated that after the success of the rebellion, Skywalker retreated into isolation, and will need to be found in order to preserve the peace in the galaxy.
The newest Force user is -get this- a Stormtrooper. Finn, played by John Boyega, begins as a member of the First Order. He is a foot soldier for the Empire 2.0, and a member of the Order’s version of the Stormtroopers. The movie will likely revolve around his pivotal transformation shown in the trailers, from rejecting the order to wielding the classic weapon of a Jedi: the lightsaber.
Page 10
LIFESTYLE
The Highlander
December 2015
Your hamburger could cause cancer DOES IT CAUSE CANCER? The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies substances in groups based on the strength of evidence.
POSSIBLY BA
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Y BL
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COFFEE FLUORESCENT LIGHT
RED MEAT
STEROIDS
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Avid meat-lovers everywhere had to pause mid bite into their double bacon cheeseburger to digest the disappointing news. On Oct. 26, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a study stating that processed meat causes cancer. The news instantly made headlines and sparked a debate over whether people should actually change their diet. To disappoint meat-lovers even more, the WHO also stated that red meat is a probable cause of cancer. The International Agency of Research on Cancer (IARC), a group within the WHO, classifies processed meat in the same carcinogenic category as tobacco. This categorization suggests that smoking a cigarette poses as much of a risk as eating meat. Scientifically, this is not true. Processed meat and tobacco are in the same risk category because of the sufficient evidence, not because of the magnitude of risk. Opinions about cancer tend to be clouded by the mass circulation of inaccurate statements spread by word of mouth and by media. According to the National Cancer Institute, studies concerning potential risks for cancer have spread in the media and created misleading ideas about what causes cancer and how it happens. “People are naive. They hear about these studies on social media and they think everything can cause cancer, but it can’t. Some things do play a role, but not everything causes cancer. It’s not like a flu. It’s not contagious,” said Sabrina Madback, president of the Carlmont Youth Against Cancer Society. The idea that everything causes cancer stems from the countless number of substances and behaviors that are linked to an increased risk of cancer. “It’s surprising that something like meat can cause cancer, because everyone eats
PR O
Kimiko Okumura
NH
SMOKING
YES
PROCESSED MEAT
SOLAR RADIATION
CAPROLACTAM
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WWW.IARC.FR KIMIKO OKUMURA
it. A lot of people wouldn’t expect it, and I think that’s why it’s made a lot of people think everything causes cancer,” said senior Connor Leong. There are others, however, who do not see meat as a serious threat to their health. It has become a topic of debate over whether people should regulate their behaviors and eating habits better. “People think some things won’t cause that great of an effect. You definitely see the effects of smoking after a while. But from simple things like eating meat, there’s not a lot of physical proof that it’s a direct cause to cancer. So people are less worried about it,” said senior Kevin Shu. According to Global Burden of Disease Project, there are about 1 million cancer deaths due to tobacco each year, compared to the 34,000 cancer deaths due to diets
high in processed meats each year. The multiple campaigns against tobacco push for more awareness, so knowledge www.iarc.fr of the health effects of smoking are widespread. The effects of processed meat are not as evident, but that does not rule out the possibility that meat consumption cam be a factor in causing cancer. “There’s a lot more education to prevent people from smoking, whereas there’s not too much education about eating meat,” said Leong. Despite some news articles saying otherwise, the WHO recognizes that the risks from eating meat may be small, but the knowledge is important for public health. “Well, I don’t like cancer, obviously, but in a way I think it’s a good thing since hopefully it’ll drive people away from meat before more people’s health and the planet
itself continue to deteriorate,” said Mandegarian. American citizens have better medical access, but in developing countries, cancer poses a bigger risk. Those countries do not have adequate health treatments for cancer or the income to purchase other food. Farm animals are reliable food sources in developing countries. If grain crops fail, the animals can instantly be slaughtered for food. Urbanization and rising incomes in developing countries allow more citizens to incorporate meat into their daily diet. According to the WHO, 70 percent of cancer deaths occur in low to middle income countries, such as Africa, Asia, and Southern and Central America. The rising risk of cancer is prevalent not only in developing countries, but low- and middle-income families within America. There are ways everyone can lessen the impact of cancer. “We should participate in events like the Make a Wish Foundation or Light the Night. When we all meet together, we all raise awareness, and we all support each other. We’re always able to raise money to help those people who don’t have as much. We can get them tested [for cancer] for free. We can help pay their bills to get them treated. If we all come together as one society, we can help them,” said Madback. Americans can help not only those with cancer in other countries through fundraising and support, but also themselves. “Some things are inevitable. Cancer can be almost anywhere in anything,” said senior Mario Valenzuela. “But, there are certain things we can control like not smoking and knowing what you’re putting your body. We can this take step by step, gradually. Even though cancer is something that is never ever leaving the atmosphere of this planet, we can definitely try and fight against it.”
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The Highlander
ENTERTAINMENT
Page 11 December 2015
Entertainment is an escape from reality Karen Gao A teenager watching television while sitting on a couch is often criticized as being lazy and unmotivated. A different teenager who reads a book is praised for being intelligent and academically motivated. However, these activities are usually done for the same reason: to escape from reality. Fandoms are a way to disengage from the real world’s stress and pressure, especially for young people. Teenagers find such escape through the world of video games, television shows and other forms of entertainment. Fandoms are a subculture of fans who share a common interest and exhibit the same excitement for a certain area of entertainment. This could include an interest in a particular video game, form of art, or fictional series. “Fandoms often help me forget all my
problems for a short while. But again, it is pretty addictive,” said junior Swathi Nair. “Sometimes I can get distracted by fandoms because when I start watching an anime, I often want to finish or at least watch it until the latest episode. But if you are organized, it’s a good refresher.” Though some view entertainment as an unproductive method of amusement, others value it for the enjoyment it provides them. Nair said, “Real life often has too many rules, laws and especially expectations. In a fandom, there are almost none of those, it’s like unlocking and living your alter ego.” According to Columbia University professor Drew Ramsey, a person’s involvement in their fandom is more than “idle interest” and is closer to “intense involvement,” as the person places the entirety of their desires onto the characters and story. “I think people get into fandoms because
something calls to them, like the characters or the storyline,” said junior Alyssa Feigelson. “Often times, fiction is happier than reality, so people will read or watch to escape. Sometimes this is healthy, sometimes it becomes obsessive.” Escapism is mental diversion through entertainment that allows people to forget about the real problems of life, according to Merriam-Webster. By focusing on entertainment sources and fiction communities, people are able to avoid the stress and pressure they experience in the real world. Junior Stephanie Flores said, “I get into fandoms because I love being able to communicate with people who love and treasure the same things that I do. I think people use fandoms to escape reality because it’s a form of coping with things like depression, anxiety, or even to simply be able to talk to people who love the same interests.” “People of fandoms are able to escape by
joining fandoms because being in a community made up of people who share similar interests creates a safe haven,” Flores said. “Almost everyone is friends and many people try to support one another.” The line between reality and fandoms is not always clear, as people connect to other real life fans through these communities. Flores said, “I have met some of my best friends through the world of fandoms, as well as many acquaintances. Fandoms are important only to the point until when you can appreciate both reality and fandom. ” Though entertainment mediums can be addicting, a controlled amount often helps people relax. “I definitely get distracted reading sometimes — I lose hours at a time, or I’ll watch five seasons of TV in under a week,” Feigelson said. “I think it’s very important to maintain a life and your escape, balance them out.”
Juicing emerges as popular weight-loss method Holly Chen Juicing has gained traction since the ’90s, but with the evolution of social media, it has reached its peak in 2015. Nektar Juice Bar has 29,700 followers on Instagram. Celebrities, such as Cindy Crawford and Jennifer Aniston tout its many benefits, from cleansing the body of impurities to offering a quick way to shed pounds. Lexicon of Food, a news site dedicated to food-related news, describes juicing as, “the process of extracting the liquids and vital nutrients, including vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants, from raw fruits and vegetables. Juicing may be introduced into a daily routine as part of a specific dietary plan, in a digestive cleansing, or as a means to consume more raw produce. While there is room for debate over the benefits of juicing and not all juices are of
equal quality, it has been accepted that including fresh, raw juice into the diet can aid in good health.” Urban Remedy, a San Francisco juicery, offers juices such as the, “Metabolism kit,” a cleanse guaranteed to detox and help users lose weight. Reviewers rave how they lost pounds, as one said, “I feel less bloated and lost weight.” Especially during the holiday season, this quick alternative seems pleasing to those who don’t have the time to go to the gym. Sophomore Miya Okumura said, “For those who are too busy to eat a whole fruit, juicing offers a quick alternative to get the
same amount of vitamin intake. But still, whole fruit is better than juices.” Not only is juicing a way to quickly get in the needed vitamins for a day, but it has also been suggested that it can “cleanse” organs and rejuvenate the body. Senior Danyi Wu said, “Now I use juicing as a way to reset my digestive system. It is used to clean the colon and help rid the body of impurities. But before, I would only drink juices and go on cleanses where the only thing I consumed was the juice. I would lose about one or two pounds from such diets.” However, some are dubious on juicing’s “beneficial” claims.
Dr. Glen D. Braunstein writes on Huffington post, “much of the early weight reduction [from juicing] is due to loss of salt and water. And with protein-poor diets like the Master Cleanse, muscle, and not fat, is broken down initially. Thus, these diets are associated with electrolyte imbalance, nutritional deficiencies, weakness and difficulties concentrating, to name a few of their problems.” The downside of juicing is its tendency to be a short term solution. According to LiveStrong, a website about health, fast weight loss can result in loss of lean muscle, excess loose skin, development of gallstones, and liver issues. Yet these downsides don’t discourage the masses. According to the L.A. Times, the juicing industry is estimated to be worth $100 million. It is up to the consumers on what they put into their bodies.
Page 12 The Highlander
FEATURES
December 2015
Slacking seniors risk college rescindment Zoe Wildman
After that one last click of the “submit” button, it feels as though a huge weight has been removed. College application season is officially over. Now it’s time to relax. Many seniors look forward to second semester as much-deserved time to unwind and ease off of the self-imposed academic pressure that has been weighing on them. It can be very tempting to take this relaxation too far and receive grades that are two, or even three, letter grades below the student’s average. As a Carlmont guidance counselor, Kristin Vernon has had a great deal of experience with second semester seniors. She said that “it's super common for seniors to experience burn out during the final semester of high school, but grades are just as important as ever. All four year colleges' acceptances are conditional, based on the outcome of the final semester grades. Colleges' expectations are that the final semester grades are consistent with the grades earned throughout high school and they
have been known to rescind an acceptance, especially if it's for a D or F.” As Vernon said, many colleges have policies about grades during the seniors’ second semester. For example, the University of California school system says on their website that if an admitted student receives a D or and F in an "a-g" class in the second semester of senior year they “should immediately contact the admissions office of the campus to which he or she was admitted and let them know. The admissions office at the campus can then best advise the student about his or her options,” and that student will not be able to make up the class the following summer. If seniors’ grades drop dramatically senior year, some colleges will request an explanation and may even rescind their admission offers. Ellen Fisher, an independent college counselor at College4u, said, “Although the end of senior year will provide you with treasured memories for the rest of your life,
Passion or profit? Continued from page 1 Despite all the craze surrounding college admissions, some graduating students have chosen to not follow the masses of their fellow classmates, creating their own path instead. For these students, college applications and major
you do not have a ‘Free Ride’... your final transcript will be sent to the one college you choose to attend. Your final transcript needs to look as wonderful, or better, than the transcript the college accepted you on. If the college sees a drop in your grades, your acceptance can be withdrawn. This does happen.” Even after college applications are sent in, it is important to keep in mind that many colleges require a mid-year and end of the year report of students’ grades. It may seem as though once applications are in all there is to do is wait, but maintaining good grades during the entirety of senior year ensures that the acceptances you do receive are a decision only you have to make. University of California Santa Cruz freshman and former Carlmont student James Pak said, “I definitely had less motivation to put in effort in my classes [second semester]. My focus shifted more towards maintaining my grades to not get in trouble with colleges. However, after going
selections have no relevance. “My career path doesn’t involve a traditional ‘education.’ I am looking at being a wilderness therapist,” said senior Lukas Kelly. “Basically, I would be taking at-risk youth and rehabilitating them through nature. The career has everything I could ever want. I would be deep in nature constantly, and I would be helping change these kids’ lives. Sure, it’s dangerous and the kids may bring a lot of trouble, but I know it’ll all be worth it in the end.”
to college I realized that was not the best attitude, and I should’ve put in the same amount of effort regardless of the semester. You’re going to need the same skills going into college; it only gets harder, so slacking off second semester will make you less prepared for the even harder classes to come.” Fortunately, some seniors are aware of the repercussions that come with slacking off senior year. Carlmont senior Lauren Reo said, “After my apps are completed I plan to work with the same diligence I worked with during first semester. Colleges will still check my second semester grades so there's no excuse to relax and let academics slip.” “If seniors are having a hard time staying motivated or focused, they should definitely consider stopping by to chat and vent with their counselor about how things are going,” said Vernon. So, seniors, while slacking off after college applications are done may seem tempting, just remember that, in general, C is not for college.
At the end of the day, students’ happiness seems to be the defining factor in choosing their journey after high school. Lukas Kelly said, “We only get one life, and I don’t want to waste mine behind a desk trying to make as much money as possible. The pay isn’t high for what I want to do, but it is my passion and my dream, and nothing is going to stop me from reaching it.”
FEATURES
The Highlander
Impostor syndrome Continued from page 1
Professor Rance LeFebvre of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine said, “I see [impostor syndrome] as a very real problem, although not in epidemic proportions.” Most people just live with it, [but] I know some students would do much better if they could believe in themselves and their capabilities more.” In nearly 30 years of teaching at UC Davis, LeFebvre has seen many students affected by intellectual self-doubt. “Some cope with it and use it as an incentive to keep working harder, [which isn’t] a bad thing. [Others] talk themselves into less than they know they are capable of,” he said.
The
Page 13
Those who suffer from impostor syndrome often dwell on their failures rather than their accomplishments. Despite legitimate accomplishments, some find it difficult to find fulfillment in what they see as insufficient achievements. Senior Alex Hunsader said, “I find myself focusing on how I could have started learning programming or other fields I like, rather than what I have done.” High-achievers often have no problem admitting their failures, but sometimes struggle to take credit for their achievements. “I think that everyone sometimes feels like they don't deserve their achievements and awards. I don’t really think it’s only top students,” said senior May Jiang. “When we get our tests back, who doesn't see a good grade and wonder if it was just an accident?” Some struggle to take credit for their academic accomplishments, instead attributing them to chance or external factors and considering the possibility that they did not actually earn their success.
Highlander
Editor-in-Chief Zoe Wildman
Managing Editor Alyssa Fagel
Scot Scoop Editor-in-Chief Sarah Schisla
ScotCenter Editor-in-Chief Elena Mateus
Art Director Minh-Han Vu
Faculty Advisor Justin Raisner
“I definitely think hard work and studying pay off, but there are always outside influences that impact our performance. Hard work doesn't always result in high achievement, and high achievements don't always imply hard work. I don't know about ‘success,’ but I'd like to imagine that I generally deserve what I get, even if I don't think that I've necessarily done everything I can to be able to attribute 100 percent of my achievement to my own work,” said Jiang. Others doubt their abilities, even calling their strengths into question. “Especially in freshman and sophomore year, I thought that every test could kill my grade. I would spend hours cramming for AP Euro, not because I didn't know the material, but because I doubted my abilities,” said Hunsader. Adults are not immune to the impostor phenomenon either. “It does not end after graduation. It often is a lifelong struggle. I know of at least three colleagues who were very successful but committed suicide because they never
Editors Megan Tao Kelly Song Avery Adams Kimiko Okumura Adriana Ramirez
December 2015 felt like they measured up,” said LeFebvre. While self-doubt remains a part of adult life for many, impostor syndrome generally takes root during late adolescence. “Impostor syndrome stems from the high school norm of comparing yourself to everyone around you. The high school environment is so pernicious to mental health because you only feel like you’ve accomplished a lot if you’ve accomplished more than the person next to you,” said Fagel. No one person can be the best at everything they attempt, and constant comparisons often lead to an inability to internalize and accept one’s own success in whatever form that success may take. Fagel said, “It's impossible to completely detach yourself from what others are doing, but I've definitely decreased the amount that I compare myself to them. The best way to overcome impostor syndrome is either to murder everyone around you or to do your best in everything and just accept that it’s your best.”
Staff Writers
Holly Chen Aria Frangos Sophie Haddad Karen Gao Kian Karamdashti Bijan Khalili
Anya Meredith Ivy Nguyen Taran Sun Kiera Pendleton-White Connie Yi Hannah Young
The Highlander is a newspaper dedicated to providing Carlmont students, staff, and the community with high-quality news, features, and opinion articles. We want to keep our readers informed on important issues ranging from Carlmont to international news, and want to engage them with unique stories and images.
Page 14 The Highlander
The Tao of Megan Megan Tao “The job of the newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” -Finley Peter Dunne
TV erroneously inspires careers The only qualification needed to be a lawyer is a questionable police record and the ability to cover it up. The only way to make it in the cutthroat world of D.C. politics is to have connections, and by connections I mean an affair with the president. Thanks to Shonda Rhimes, I know exactly what job I want and how I’m going to get it. People have not only been turning to television and movies for entertainment, but also as guidance to choosing a career. Shows like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Suits” have led people to pursue careers such as surgeons and lawyers, believing that because they enjoy the television show they will enjoy the career. SPOILER ALERT, being a surgeon or lawyer is nothing like what is depicted on television. Choosing a career based off of a TV show seems incredibly misguided, but I think it’s one way that can spark an interest in a general field. However, TV shows tend to dramatize real-life situations in order to make the show captivating and the characters’ lives desirable; therefore, people don’t just develop an interest in a general field, but a desire for that exact job. According to The Enterprise, University of Delaware’s criminal justice program saw an influx of students when shows like “CSI” came out. After watching these shows, people don’t want the job portrayed in the show, but the life of the characters who have the jobs. There’s a difference between pursuing a career based on an actual interest and pursuing a career to try and mimic the lives of these characters. I think it’s justifiable for a TV show to generate a broad interest. It’s fine for someone to watch “Scandal” and deduce that you want to work in politics. However, choosing to become a political fixer because you want to be like Olivia Pope is not a valid reason to pursue that career. For example, when a person suddenly wants to become a lawyer after watching a show about lawyers, they don’t actually dream about the endless paperwork and the less than interesting cases (because not every case in the world is an unsolvable murder case). They dream about the excitement of putting a murderer in their rightful place and standing up for “justice.” They dream about being a superhero in a suit. FOX’s new TV show, “The Grinder,” tries to capture this notion by juxtapositioning a newly retired TV lawyer with his brother who actually is a lawyer. This show uses the absurd premise to stress the difference between being a real lawyer and a TV lawyer. It immediately highlights the flaws of the TV lawyer, pinpointing that he doesn’t actually know any of the legal terms he frequently misuses because he never actually went to law school. Instead of TV shows manipulating their audiences into thinking their lives will be worthwhile if they pursue a particular career, people have to take advantage of this unconventional resource. So, after watching a TV show, how does one differentiate a general interest and a pseudo desire? Research. No one knows automatically what they want to do without doing some form of research or observation. If one actually does take an interest in being a lawyer, some research will shed some light on what being a lawyer actually entitles. Since TV is so relevant and so widely used as a source of entertainment and information, it’s not out of the question to why it is used as a source of reference when choosing a career, but most of the time people fall victim to its captivating plotlines led by epic characters that happen to have fairly mundane jobs.
OPINION
December 2015
American rights are a privilege Anya Meredith
Junior Thashmika Singh moved here in 2013 from South Africa and has had a similar experience. “Safety in general is something Americans don’t recogIn elementary school we made our little hand-traced nize well enough. In South Africa, we are so confined in turkeys and learned about Thanksgiving as a day of giving our homes, we have to have security systems in place 24/7 thanks, but today we are more worried about what time we to feel safe and we are constantly paranoid. Here you can will get to Best Buy the next day rather than remembering take a walk at 9 p.m. and not be afraid,” said Singh. what we’re grateful for. Even simple things like driver’s licenses are different in While living in the U.S., we often find it hard to recother countries. ognize our freedoms of religion, to be anything we want Singh said, “There is an advantage of driving at a youngto be, freedom to vote, having voluntary army enrollment, er age here. You start at 16 freedom of speech, health care here and in South Africa we freedom, and democratic govonly start driving at 18. I defiernment. nitely think Americans take We regularly complain advantage of this, because about having to wake up at there are so many stories on 7:00 a.m. and go to school, the news about kids driving but we need to remember that recklessly and not appreciatmost other countries do not ing the privilege.” have the educational opportuSimilar to this, Naja Edslev, nities that we do. a student from Denmark deSpanish teacher Rosa Arscribes the difference between galuza moved here in 2002 driving here and in Denmark. from Peru after she applied “Most of my friends here Rosa Argaluza for a bilingual California have their driver’s license, and Spanish teacher teaching program. have had it since they turned “Something I have no16. Getting the license wasn’t ticed while living here is that very expensive for them, and you have to encourage kids to go to college. In Peru, all of renting a car is affordable enough too. When I tell people the kids don’t need to be encouraged to go. They all just want to go by themselves, no one has to tell them that they that a license in Denmark is approximately $2,000 and that we can’t get one till we’re 18 years old, they can hardly should,” said Argaluza. Since having the freedoms such as expressing our opin- believe me. We use bikes instead, but that still isn’t really ions, practicing the religion we want to, or getting to re- comparable to having a car. I find it so amazing that people ceive an education has been all we’ve ever known, it’s easy my age can go wherever they want, whenever they want!” said Edslev. to forget that we have so much that others do not. Freedoms as simple as these demonstrate what Ameri“While living in America, I have also noticed the differcans take for granted. ence I feel from freedom of speech. I can actually feel the So maybe try to go beyond mumbling a few things difference in how I can talk here and how I could talk in you’re grateful for when your mom forces you to at Peru. I feel like I can say whatever I want without punishThanksgiving and try to genuinely appreciate the liberties ment here.” said Argaluza. we have as Americans.
“I can actually feel the difference in how I can talk here and how I could talk in Peru. I feel like I can say whatever I want without punishment here.”
EDITORIAL The leading cause of cancer: everything Meat causes cancer. But so do cell phones. And grain. And food coloring. And, well, basically anything else you might consume or touch today. As scientists and doctors all over the world eagerly search for a cure to this horrifying disease, others look for explanations. A recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that processed meats can cause cancer. As a result, many health fanatics worldwide instantly tossed all so-called “killers” into the trash in order to keep the disease away. But since when has the word “can” stopped adventurous human beings from doing anything? If we lived everyday avoiding activities that had the potential to harm us, we would never leave our houses in fear of being hit by a car, or even get out of bed in fear of tripping and hitting our heads. WHO has tested over 900 potential carcinogens over the last 40 years, and only one has been deemed not carcinogenic; and it’s what you find in water. And as for the 900 substances deemed “probably carcinogenic”? For many, the science is still uncertain--how much of the substance do we need to consume before we’re at risk? Is it dangerous only in large doses, or is just a little bit life-threatening? The only activity that is really being proven over and over again to cause cancer is smoking. For other substances, the science is less clear. Some studies have found over-consumption of caffeine to be unhealthy. But unlike cigarettes, coffee is still widely consumed without fear of its effects. That’s why we drink it in moderation. And it’s not just what we put inside our body that has some scientists concerned. The American Cancer Society has suggested that the radiofrequency given off by cell phones has been proven to increase one’s risk of developing
cancer and tumors. And yet Pew Research Center found that in January 2014, 90 percent of Americans owned one of these trendy devices. Cancer is a horrific disease; there’s no doubting that. But today’s technology-driven society loves our iPhones. And our processed foods. And we’ve become so accustomed to some of these things that completely erasing them from our lives just isn’t plausible. But if we stay informed on the ways to reduce our radiation exposure, and continue to use our beloved cell phones in moderation, then for now these carcinogenic ties alone aren’t reason enough for us to alter our entire way of life. It’s pretty hard to imagine life right now without communication devices we can take with us wherever we go, so some may even say keeping them around is for the best. Scientists will continue to research carcinogens and the health risks posed by the things we eat and use every day. And if we want to stay healthy, we need to stay informed. At the same time, it’s not practical to avoid everything that may be risky. The most we can do is to practice moderation, and decide what we can and can’t live without. For some people, a little bacon is worth the risk posed by processed meats; for others, giving it up is a small sacrifice if it means avoiding a risk, however uncertain. Meanwhile, as we continue to approach our favorite substances in moderation, scientists will hopefully conduct studies that provide greater certainty about what is dangerous, and in what quantities, and maybe find substitutes that don’t present the same health risks. Sure, WHO has declared that meat can cause cancer. But maybe that small correlation isn’t as life-altering as health fanatics are portraying it to be.
The editorial article expresses the views and opinions of The Highlander as a whole. This month’s editorial was written by Alyssa Fagel.
The Highlander
OPINION
Page 15 December 2015
Merry Christmas and a happy Jew Year Alex Wildman
With Christmas just around the corner, most students are ready to push through the last few weeks of winter semester to the family, food, and gifts that await them on Dec. 25. These students don’t think twice about this time of year: The time of year when Costco converts into Santa’s workshop and the radio is flooded with yuletide cheer. To them it’s exciting; expensive, but exciting. However, there is a small population of students and non-students alike who don’t have the privilege of partaking in the happiest time of year. These students make up the religious minority that is often left behind by greater society, especially during the holiday season. According to a study done by the USC Dornsife College of Arts and Sciences, more than a third of San Mateo county’s reported population affiliates with a religion that falls under the Christian umbrella. The minority religions, the largest of which are Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism, make up less than five percent of the county’s population. It’s not that those five festive weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are unbearable for religious minorities, atheists included, but they are definitely uncomfortable. The plentiful Christmas lights illuminate the divide between Christian America and, well, everyone else. As a Jewish Atheist (yes, that is a thing), I’ve felt this separation first hand. During the “most wonderful time of the year” being a Jewish individual, especially a Jewish student, in a predominantly Christian community can start to feel not so wonderful after a few seasons in school. As a child I was embarrassed when I didn’t know the names of all seven reindeer or all the words to the carols
we went around singing in school. Writing letters to Santa in class was awkward to say the least, as my Jewish parents never attempted to trick my sister or I into believing that the jolly old man existed. At the age of eight I decided it was time to enlighten my fellow third graders and reveal the Jewish kids’ Christmas secret: Santa is not real. While I ended up receiving reactions ranging from shock to anger, the altercation opened my eyes to the world around me, and where my religion and I fit in that world. In an article for My Jewish Learning, Rabbi Joshua E. Plaut said, “Christmas, in effect, has become a prism through which Jews can view how living in this land of freedom has shaped our religion, culture, and identity.” Plaut’s idea holds true not just for Jews, but for all nonChristians. Despite efforts from various other religious groups to celebrate their respective holidays during this time, they are always drowned out by the ringing of the jingle bells and the singing of hymns. At other times in the year religious minorities aren’t drowned out as much as simply ignored. Earlier in the semester, Jewish and non-Jewish students alike voiced their concerns over the ASB events that conflicted with two major Jewish holidays, Yom Kippur and Passover. While administration and ASB addressed the situation to the best of their ability, the fact that it even happened is the issue. In grade school, it wasn’t a holiday party; it was a Christmas party with letters to Santa and DIY ornaments to add to the tree that I never had. Last year around Christmas time, a young boy named Sammy was tasked with writing a letter to Santa for a class assignment. Sammy, being Jewish, wrote a response I can only wish I thought of first.
In his letter, Sammy simply said, “Dear Santa, I know what’s up. Happy Hanukkah and Shalom!” Underneath he followed with a brief wishlist addressed to his family that concludes with him saying, “I would like to eat for Hanukkah some latkes, gelt, and jelly doughnuts. Would you like to join me Santa?” I wish I’d thought of something so witty at Sammy’s age, unfortunately I was less comical and more confrontational in my approach to Santa at school. Now that I’m older and times have changed, I’m beginning to realize that it isn’t so much the selective celebration of Christmas that is the problem, but the attitude it creates that is. It’s not the holly jolly atmosphere of Christmas time, that’s all well and good, it’s the strengthening of the American Christian mentality that gets us into trouble. There is an established separation of church and state, but as a democracy we elect individuals to make decisions for the whole, and every single one of those people have their own religious beliefs that end up influencing their political decisions. The Protestants who first settled on the shores of the east coast came as refugees fleeing religious persecution. Now, America is a world power built on the backs of immigrants with the goal of establishing freedom for all. Like the Protestants so many years ago, there are currently hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing to America for asylum, for a chance to be free, and we, as a largely Christian nation, are turning our backs to them at what is supposed to be the most merry month of the year. It may be uncomfortable to sit through those Christmas parties and I will continue to fight for more acknowledgement for the religious minorities of America, but I will also be grateful to have the freedoms I have that so many others do not.
Disney’s new Empire
MINH-HAN VU
Work and stress denies students a well deserved break Kelly Song
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except a computer mouse. When students think of winter break, many don’t think of what usually comes with winter. They don’t think of hot chocolate or snuggling in pillows or even warm cookies. Chances are, the only thing on their mind is the immense amount of work that needs to be done. In the eyes of high school students, “break” has become a myth. It is replaced by an endless demand for perfection, an infinite cycle of textbooks and worksheets. With seniors scrambling to submit their essays for college applications and the rest of the school stressed in preparation for second semester, break simply no longer exists. The meaning and the value of break needs to be rekindled. Education is valuable, but if it becomes invasive, it no longer holds its importance. Rather than being an enhancement of knowledge, it becomes a burden if too often prevalent.
According to U.S. News and World Report, a typical high school student spends about 17 and a half hours on homework each week. That means in a typical 36-week school year, students spend over 630 hours staring at textbooks and laptops. Yet somehow, this trend to constantly assign work for students still continues. The importance of taking a break is forgotten in all the chaos. Students face the pressure of community service and extracurricular activities, and the rush to be the perfect candidate for college can often become consuming. Students forget that they are human beings who need to recharge at times. Too much of anything is never good, and the same goes for homework. A Stanford study recently found that countries that assign more homework don’t necessarily perform better. Countries like Japan, Denmark and the Czech Republic assign less homework, yet students still outperform countries with large amounts of work. American and British students have more homework than most countries, yet they still only score in the international average. The two ends don’t seem to meet, and that speaks volumes about
the mentality of students in this generation. And not only are students’ personal lives in school important, but spending time with family is equally beneficial to growth and maturity. If students are overwhelmed with work, they cannot possibly make room for their families. According to a study at the University of Michigan, spending time with family is crucial to achievement and behavior. Studies on family meals show that students who have dinner with their family do better in terms of academic scores and social behavior. Students spend their days apart from their parents and siblings during the school year, so holidays are a crucial time to allow the establishing of relationships rather than completing assignments. But most importantly, it’s crucial to keep in mind that a personal break is sometimes necessary. No one can decrease the workload assigned, but an emotional “break” is far more crucial than a physical one. They are not a waste of time, despite what anyone might say, and it’s okay to not be engaged every day. So keep busy with what needs to be done, but don’t forget to press the snooze button a couple more times over winter break.
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Greetings From
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