Highlander Vol 12 Issue 2

Thr Th rough th the

Gen ener era ati tion onss

1961

2021

IN THIS ISSUE: Behind the mask

Read it on pg 6 Street vendors: the untold truth

Read it on pg 30 Monty’s relaxing recipes

Read it on pg 44 January 2021 | scotscoop.com @scotscoop

Highlander Staff Highlander Editor-in-Chief

Faculty Adviser

Emma O’Connor

Justin Raisner

Scot Scoop Editor-in-Chief

Editors

Natalie Doud

Chelsea Chang Amber Chia Erin Kee Raina Lahiri Anika Marino Isabelle Nunes Allison Raisner Claire Tseng Pavel Turovski

ScotCenter Editor-in-Chief Bella Reeves

Social Media Editor-in-Chief Maddy Ting

Managing Editors Rachel McCrea Auva Soheili

Elise Hsu Zachary Khouri Cambell Kirk Khalid Kishawi Maya Kornyeyeva Hanna Kryhina Preston Kwok Kaylene Lin Kasey Liu Sean Liuli Sabrina Lo Ethan Man Niamh Marren Ayal Meyers

Campus 4

School online puts student rights on the line

6

Behind the mask

8

Private schools and public schools offer different learning policies

9

Carlmont goes global

Sports 10

Snow sports amidst a pandemic

12

COVID-19 affects esports industry

13

January sports previews

16

The pandemic is not over

18

Academic burnout has been stigmatized

19

The economy needs a Green New Deal

20

America’s political satirists are maintaining its democracy

47

Editorial: Internet privacy is important

Opinion

Staff Writers Adila Azizali Josh Barde Joshua Baxter Anita Beroza Mira Bhatt Audrey Boyce Brianna Cheng Jessica Conley Eoin Cunningham Kiana George Leanna Gower Phoebe Gulsen Jack Hansen Elle Horst

In this issue . . .

Miles Ozorio Erwan Pal Mari Ramirez Ava Richards Julia Roseborough Leela Shailan Cali Shohet David Su Kat Tsvirkunova Anna Wilkinson Ruya Yaman Edward Yeretnov Kai Yoshida Payton Zolck

Scotlight 22

Through the generations

28

The changing landscape of groceries

30

Street vendors: the untold truth

32

The pursuit of passion

33

Students reinvent themselves through quarantine trends

34

Breaking bad habits

36

Students kickstart their future

38

Video games serve as safe haven for students

Feature Highlander is a newsmagazine dedicated to providing Carlmont students, staff, and community with high-quality news, features, and opinion articles. We want to keep our readers informed on important issues ranging from events at Carlmont to international news, and want to engage them with unique stories and designs. Highlander is a publication completely run by the students of the journalism classes at Carlmont High School. Story ideas are generated by the students and the published content is up to the direction of the editorial staff. This issue’s editorial was a collaboration between Emma O’Connor and Auva Soheili. The back cover was created by Emma O’Connor. The front cover features Sofia Dell’Aquila and Sofia Sharron. Graphics on the front cover were created by Auva Soheili.

Carlmont High School 1400 Alameda de las Pulgas

Fun 39

Video games in quarantine

40

Netflix quarantine trends

42

Carlmont Critters

44

Monty’s relaxing recipes

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Dear Reader, Happy New Year! As we head into 2021, the second issue of the Highlander newsmagazine is here to provide some familiarity and help keep the Carlmont community connected.

We bring you an issue reflecting the ups and downs of last semester, throughout which, Carlmont students have made an effort to explore their passions. This issue touches on adapting and creating a new reality during the COVID-19 era while the future remains largely unknown.

Although the new year is usually accompanied by celebrations, we hope that this year it can be used as a time of reflection. We think of the new year as a new beginning, a fresh start, but just because we turn the page on the calendar doesn’t mean the stressors of the previous year disappear. On the bright side, COVID-19 forces us to recognize the truth, that we must look for ways to fix our problems instead of merely labeling as last year’s issues.

Since Highlander is a community-oriented publication, we try our best to fulfill our role of representing the whole community.

However, this has become increasingly difficult seeing as we are unable to interview in-person. Moreover, most of our staff has little to no connection to this year’s incoming freshman as the Journalism class is solely juniors and seniors. These barriers have made it challenging to reach out and contact sources. Since this publication strives to provide articles that appeal to our readers, we invite you to reach out to us if you would like us to cover a specific topic. Feel free to email us at highlanderscotscoop@gmail. com.

We hope you have as much fun reading this issue as much as we did creating it.

With love,

Cover Ideas:

School online puts student rights on the line Kasey Liu “Turn on your camera,” your teacher says. Whether or not you feel comfortable with this, you may wonder, “Can they force me to turn my camera on?” The simple answer is yes.

Many policies, such as the use of cameras and microphones, recording classes, and taking attendance cause students to feel uneasy. While the policies implemented are formally allowed, there are some limiting factors.

In Article 14.5 of the California Education Code, the California Distance Learning Policy states, “Distance learning may include video or audio instruction in which the primary mode of communication between pupil and instructor is instructional television, video, telecourses, or any other instruction that relies on computer or communications technology.”

The use of “video or audio instruction” may vary from school to school, but for Carlmont, teachers are officially allowed to require cameras to be on, according to Principal Ralph Crame.

“The best practice is that the videos be on, so we can require that,” Crame said.

So technically, teachers are allowed to force the use of cameras and microphones on Zoom. However, this may not be the morally responsible action for teachers to take.

In a poll asking Carlmont students about their comfort level with the usage of cameras, only 16.7% of those surveyed reported that they felt completely comfortable with turning cameras on.

Lotus Tang, a sophomore, shares this sentiment.

“I don’t like having my camera on. Sometimes I have to go to the bath-

How comfortable are you turning on your camera?*

2.4% 1

Uncomfortable

26.2%

28.6%

26.2%

2

3

4

16.7% 5

Comfortable

How comfortable are you using your microphone?*

4.8%

21.4%

16.7%

38.1%

1

2

3

4

Uncomfortable

19% 5

Comfortable

room, and it doesn’t make sense for teachers to make me keep my camera on when I’m going to the bathroom,” said Tang.

Some teachers, such as physics teacher Gregory Fung, are quite understanding of such student circumstances.

“It’s important to respect student privacy. I think it’s my job as a kind person to be flexible to those who have situations where they’re not ready to be seen on screen, or for everyone to see their whole rooms,” Fung said.

Despite their flexibility, teachers still strive for the contact with students gained through visual meetings.

According to Crame, teachers choose their profession largely to have exchanges with their students. During distance learning, when connections are hard to form, the use of cameras helps to lessen the gap between teachers and students.

However, for students who don’t feel comfortable with using video conferencing, Crame suggests making your own video invisible to yourself so that you aren’t constantly distracted by your appearance.

“I think as young adults it’s important to be comfortable with who you are and comfortable with yourself because beyond high school, colleges and other industries are going to require video conferencing like this,” said Crame.

However, if a student feels unbearably uncomfortable with using their camera, Crame recommends having a discussion with your teachers.

“There will always be a way to accommodate whatever it might be,” Crame said.

*42 students surveyed

4 HIGHLANDER CAMPUS

FAQs Seona Sherman

“How lenient should teachers be with testing?”

In Article 14.5 of the California Education Code, the California Distance Learning Policy states, “the state should ensure that the same standards are applied to distance learning for course and program quality, course content, pupil achievement levels, and coherence of curriculum that are currently applied for those purposes to traditional classroom instruction at public educational institutions.”

This implies that teachers should maintain the level of strictness that they normally would, even for tests. However, Crame disagrees, explaining that teachers’ leniency and policies are subject to change.

“Teachers are adapting, and they’re taking account of what’s best for them and what they’re looking for in a given assessment,” Crame said.

Varun Avari Kapoor

Aiden Abrari

“What is the official camera and microphone policy?”

“The official video policy is that the cameras are required to be turned on,” Crame said.

However, as described in the article, many teachers are flexible and are encouraged to make accommodations for their students.

Due to distractions such as dogs barking or family conversations, Crame expresses that the microphone policy is slightly different.

“Usually teachers are asking students to be muted until they’re going to speak, because there might be background noise,” Crame said.

Nicole Marenco

“How are teachers supposed to take attendance?”

Crame states that teachers are allowed to take attendance based on if they see you and if you have your camera on.

“That’s really the only way to verify you’re actually on the other end of the computer and not out playing with a dog or making dinner,” Crame said.

Seona Sherman

Aiden Abrari

Varun Avari Kapoor

Nicole Marenco

“Are teachers allowed to record Zoom meetings? What do teachers do with the class meeting recordings?”

According to Crame, teachers are allowed to record class meetings at any time, and do not need permission from students or parents.

Many students have concerns with teachers recording everything.

“Having recorded sessions of everyday class just takes away people’s privacy and makes them feel unsafe, especially since the online platform is so open and untrustworthy,” Seona Sherman, a junior, said.

While teachers are allowed to document meetings, they are not allowed to publicly post the recordings. They can only publish the recordings on Canvas because it is a password-protected page that students have access to.

“Teachers use the recording to self reflect on how they are doing.

It serves as a record of what they covered and they can go back and refer to if needed. It can also benefit students who may have missed the class,” Crame said.

Kasey Liu

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 5

Behind the mask The impact of COVID-19 on teachers’ mental health

6 HIGHLANDER CAMPUS

Ava Richards Distance learning has drastically changed how Carlmont classes operate.

With Zoom lectures, online testing, and so much more, nothing is the same as it used to be. It’s expected that students will be struggling with the transition to online learning, but what about teachers, the people whose jobs have been completely turned around?

Jim Kelly: Jim Kelly is the Activities Director for ASB, working with his students to plan activities for the Carlmont student body to enjoy. He says the hardest part of having distance learning with such a community-driven class is the inability to form close relationships.

“You can’t have those subtle interactions anymore, like a little nod when a student comes through the door. Everything on a screen just seems like it has to have so much more intent to it,” Kelly said.

According to Kelly, distance learning has come with many other challenges in addition to strained student-teacher relationships.

“My anxiety levels have been higher, and there are times where I’ll just realize, ‘Wow, my heart’s racing,’ completely out of the blue,” Kelly said. “I think it’s just a combination of everything: the pandemic, the fires, the anxieties of my students.

We all feel it, and we’re all wearing it.”

To combat his anxiety, Kelly has been trying to go outside more and encourages his students to do the same, with “Workout Wednesday” being his typical asynchronous assignment.

“Physical health is really important

when it comes to mental health,” Kelly said.

During these troubling times, Kelly says his primary motivation stems from his classes and the lessons he gets to teach.

“Big picture: our world needs better leaders,” Kelly said. “If I can plant a seed in some of these amazing students’ heads so they have the confidence to go out and become a leader, that’s always a driving force for me.”

Sara Shayesteh: Sara Shayesteh is a science teacher, this year teaching only AP Biology. She finds one of the most challenging parts to deal with in online learning is the silence that ensues on Zoom.

“Everyone is on mute, so connecting with students and trying to get to know everyone, has just been so hard,” Shayesteh said.

Shayesteh has struggled this year, saying that she feels like a first-year teacher all over again as she tries to reinvent her lessons.

“I’m just trying to ‘fake it till you make it,’ by putting on a happy face and pretending like everything is fine. But it’s really hard, and I’m exhausted,” said Shayesteh said.

She says that seeing and hearing her students on screen makes her happier and encourages her to get through the hard days.

“When people unmute, or say something in the chat, or do shout-outs for other students, it just makes me so happy,” Shayesteh said..

She urges everyone to think of others during this time and reach out to those who may be having a difficult time with

distance learning.

“I’ve dedicated once a week to intentionally reaching out to students who might be struggling, and the responses have been really positive,” Shayesteh said.

Molly McNinch: Molly McNinch is a math teacher and teaches AP Calculus AB and Algebra Readiness Support. One of the things she misses the most is “the vibe of a class.”

“I miss the energy of a full classroom and excited kids. I’m missing the human-ness that you can’t always get via Zoom,” McNinch said.

She tries to make up for the lack of connection with her loved ones.

“I struggled with mental health growing up, and when I’m feeling not great, I tend to push people away,” said McNinch. “So I’ve been trying really hard to see my friends on Zoom, play Trivia with my husband, and of course, my cat is always a nice little catharsis.”

Her biggest motivator is making sure her students are successful, despite the difficulties that come with distance learning.

“My motivation is to make sure distance learning isn’t something we all hate and regret, and my students don’t think they failed,” McNinch said.

McNinch thinks that one way for students to help make teachers feel better during distance learning is going to office hours and striking up a conversation.

“For me, it’s really nice when kids take a little bit of time to get to know who their teacher is,” McNinch said. “So take five minutes to reach out and tell them that they’ve been doing great, or you appreciate them.”

Art by Ava Richards

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 7

Private schools and public schools offer different learning policies Ethan Man

Ethan Man

While many of the COVID-19-caused restrictions have been set in stone, one guideline that continues to differ from place to place is how schools should offer education amidst the pandemic. Many public schools, like Carlmont, have taken the county’s recommended path, which usually results in distance learning.

Meanwhile, private schools have had more leniency.

One such school, Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, has already experimented with returning to classes in-person.

“Bellarmine has required masks, social distancing, and they’ve made us fill out a survey every time we come on campus,” Evan Broccoli, a junior at Bellarmine, said. “They’ve also started pilot programs [to go back in-person], but I opted out since I was only going to have one class in-person in the morning.”

Conversely, public schools like Carlmont have mostly opted to stay in distance-learning until an effective plan is established.

Carlmont Principal Ralph Crame has seen firsthand the importance of county

guidelines in determining plans for public schools.

“There are specific guidelines that schools in San Mateo County, and any schools in the state need to follow to make sure that they have a plan in place that has specific criteria that are addressed,” Crame said. “The bottom line is we want to make sure that students are safe, staff are safe, and we’re not exasperating the spread of COVID.” While recognizing these protocols, students have shared a wide variety of sentiments about whether or not schools should return in person.

“There’s a consensus amongst my friends that we want an all or nothing type system,” Broccoli said. “Either we all go back full time, or we all stay online.”

Others, such as Tommy Chin, a junior at Carlmont, have expressed different views on the situation.

“I want to wait until next school year to come back, and start on a clean slate,” Chin said. “It’s already been tough this year, for students and teachers alike.”

In contrast, some students like sophomore Andy Liao, want to return to some level of regular school life as soon as it’s safe to do so.

“I think if we get a vaccine before summer, we should go into hybrid learning for the rest of the year so we get some school experience,” Liao said.

“Hopefully, by the next school year it’s entirely safe and we can go back to normal school.”

Others have prioritized safety over all other factors.

“I think the best and safest time to return is when vaccines are available for everyone,” Josh Sun, a junior, said.

Despite the different policies, students and staff across the Bay have been eager to return, antsy from staying at home for so long.

“From a non-scientific standpoint, I would love to go back,” Broccoli said.

Distance Learning for School Districts in San Mateo County As of July 14, 2020

Virtual Instruction

Virtual to Hybrid Learning

Hyrbrid Format

No Decision

183

public schools part of the 24 school districts in San Mateo County

93,221

students in the San Mateo County Public Schools Raina Lahiri

8 HIGHLANDER CAMPUS

Carlmont goes global

i Lahir

With the first semester completely online, many students took this opportunity to expand their knowledge beyond the classroom, attending virtual classes while traveling.

From Washington, Hawaii, and even Germany, Carlmont students are making the most out of this imperfect situation.

Cori Nicolson, Polina Engovatov, and Keona Garza-Helmer have all been tackling junior year head on, all the while taking trips far away from their pre-pandemic realities.

When Garza-Helmer’s family got a call saying her grandmother would need surgery, they rushed off to Germany to be with her while she recovered. The Garza-Helmers stayed in Germany for a month, while Keona and her siblings attended school virtually the entire time.

Online learning allowed the Garza-Helmers to travel to the other side of the world and not miss a single day of school. However, this was not without its challenges.

Since Germany is 9 hours ahead of the United States, Keona’s synchronous classes occurred at night, keeping her awake until the early hours of the morning.

Her daily routine was swapped with that of most Carlmont students as she completed homework and other activities during the day, and started her school day around 5 p.m.

“I think it’s harder to manage homework because of the time change and jet lag. I tried to maintain a normal schedule, waking up late and eating breakfast before I started work, so I only had a few hours to do homework which was a challenge,” Garza-Helmer said.

Similarly, Nicolson also traveled to see family. Because her parents are divorced, she has been traveling to Washington in order to see her dad.

“My dad decided it’s too risky to rent a hotel room or something in California for the weekend and that flying up to his house gives me and my brother less exposure to people because airlines have been doing a good job managing COVID-19,” Nicholson said.

Although she’s only been going on weekends, she has expressed how virtual learning has helped her during this time.

“Online school has given me a lot more chances to travel because it’s online so I can basically do it wherever I have wifi which is pretty convenient,” Nicholson said.

While Garza-Helmer and Nicholson have both used online school to visit family, Engovatov’s family used distance learning as an opportunity to travel to a new place. For them, this meant two and a half months in Hawaii.

“We’ve always wanted to go away for a semester, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity,” said Engovatov.

Much like the Garza-Helmer’s Germany trip, Engovatov’s travels required her to adjust to school from afar. Between trying to make new friends, becoming immersed in the culture, and taking early morning classes because of the time zone, she has taken on these challenges in stride.

“It’s actually nice because my day is more balanced since I go

to bed earlier, and my entire day is not focused around me going to bed around 2 a.m. finishing homework,” Engovatov said.

For them, traveling while having online school causes these trips to feel like less of a vacation, and more like merely a change of scenery.

“I’ve been really busy with school wherever I go so it’s hard to kind of enjoy it,” Nicholson said.

Despite this, all three students mentioned how this opportunity has helped them become immersed in the culture, rather than simply exploring as tourists.

Garza-Helmer said, “It was really interesting to see how different Germany is from California. I feel like I got a more immersive experience since I lived there for a while.”

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Calista Shohet

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He a- y z ar man G a er on G e K

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 9

Snow sports amidst a pandemic How will the slopes change to accomodate COVID-19?

Leanna Gower

The Bay Area is known for its winter culture, with many residents traveling upwards of three hours to Tahoe Donner resorts for the snow season.

However, the ongoing pandemic raises questions about this tradition and how it will be done safely.

It’s estimated that some 10 million people visit Tahoe during the winter season, adding to the 15-20 million total throughout the year, according to the Tahoe Transportation District Manager, Carl Hasty. Out of the estimated 10 million people, Hasty said people from the Bay Area, Sacramento, and Reno make up a large part of Tahoe’s traffic.

“My family and I usually go up to Tahoe to snowboard whenever we have time, so some seasons we’re up in Tahoe nearly every weekend, and others we’ll only visit once,” Lucas Calenda, a junior, said.

This season was cut short due to the pandemic, but COVID-19 cases in Tahoe were relatively low, while many California cities were sheltering in place. The cases spiked to roughly 12,000 in late July due to tourism. With the previous snow season cut short, the ski resort industry is taking precautions to avoid another closure.

Some resorts have been open for

summer activities like mountain biking or hiking, while others have remained closed, brainstorming ways to reopen safely.

The sudden closure of ski resorts left many avid skiers and snowboarders wondering how the resorts could reopen safely because lodges are limited and often very crowded, which doesn’t easily allow for social distancing.

Resorts communicated with the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), the California Ski Industry Association (CSIA), the state of California, and other Tahoe ski resorts, to create a plan of action for reopening while abiding by all local and state mandates. Many resorts represented by Ski California, a trade association, have chosen to follow the national “Ski Well, Be Well” guidelines set by the NSAA. “While we’re living with COVID-19, we have to do all we can do to ensure everyone has a safe experience,” Mike Reitzell, the Ski California president, said.

Visitors will need to wear a mask when inside and within six feet of people outdoors. Some resorts decided to implement social distancing on the chair lifts, while others banked on the airflow to keep their lifts full.

With the gear most skiers and snowboarders wear—gloves, goggles, and

Art by Maddy Ting

10 HIGHLANDER SPORTS

often a face-covering during cold weather —many resort workers think guests will be safe on the slopes.

“The beauty of the ski industry is that social distancing is already there. The chair lift is moving; you have airflow. Once you’re on the hill, you can spread out, and you’re already wearing goggles, masks, face coverings, and glovers as a part of normal attire,” Travis Bennet, the marketing specialist at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, said.

Often, a chair lift seats three to six people, but this year the skiers need to maintain social distance; so there will only be one person per lift.

The decision to distance guests will likely create a backup traveling up the slopes and limit the people who can go up on the mountain at once, making the lines longer.

“Even though we’re in a pandemic, I am still going to go to Tahoe with precautions taken. Hopefully, it will still be safe to ski on the slopes, and I plan on social distancing whenever I can,” Riley Baum, a junior, said.

Like Baum, some Carlmont students plan on going to Tahoe for the season, while others don’t want to risk contracting

the coronavirus. Many resorts don’t have an estimate of how many people will purchase season passes or even how many people to expect.

While guidelines differ from resort to resort, many have similar plans based on their size and popularity.

Three well-known ski resorts, Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood, finalized plans to combat overcrowding during the pandemic.

They will require reservations for a specific time arrival for each person or party, that will favor season pass holders.

Along with the reservations for the entire resort, the three resorts will monitor their restaurants and lodges and regulate how many people can enter at once. In contrast, other resorts like Sugar Bowl and Boreal will limit indoor access and only allow 15-20 minute warming periods or restroom use.

While regulations will be implemented indoors, the snow season is about being on the slopes, where people can easily social distance and enjoy the snow as usual.

Baum said, “As long as we all practice social distancing, wear a mask, and follow precautions, this ski season will be fun, despite COVID-19.”

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 11

COVID-19 affects esports industry Sean Liuli

play. However, the European division nels, TSM, and Cloud9 at the top. remains online, which is what Mouritzen Many agree that aside from the lack of A student wakes up to the sound of a complains about. in-person play and the growth in viewernotification from his phone. He turns to “I love competitive integrity, and North ship, people have not seen many changes. his nightstand, checking his alarm clock.

America has the most of that with the new Abbas said, “I don’t think the pandemic 3:30 am, it reads. He knows that today, format by far,” Mouritzen said. had a huge impact on the industry other exactly at this time, he was supposed to However, some do not see this as a big than forcing them to get a little creative be in Korea, watching his favorite esports problem. with how they stream matches.” team play.

“I would guess that it has had a small He knows that he should have been impact on the players if it all. If I had to sitting in one of the largest stadiums in the guess, I would say the big difference is world, listening to the loudspeakers boom- not being able to bond with teammates by ing with the casters’ voices desperately seeing them in person,” Stephen Abbas, the trying to keep up with everything going on president of Esports Club, said. around him.

Esports Club has faced similar difficulHe knows that he should have been ties during the pandemic. According to feeling the thunder of the crowd. HunAbbas, organizing has been challenging dreds of fans seated across the stadium, since everything has gone online. each cheering for their own team, hoping “Organizing esports during the panthat they will be the ones to take home the demic was difficult because it’s hard to title and the millions of dollars on the line gauge interest over text. If the this year. meetings were in-person, I But this year is different. This year, he’s could talk one-on-one with people and get watching from home. This year, there will a better sense of what they’re thinking,” be no crowd, no loudspeakers, and no Abbas said. stadium. But that will not stop him from Although organizing events has become watching. more complex, the industry has benefited Esports is currently one of the fastfrom the growth in viewership due to evest-growing industries in the world. The eryone being indoors. According to Activmulti-billion dollar investment banking ision Blizzard, the company that develops company, Goldman Sachs, expects esports the popular esports title “Overwatch,” this to surpass both the NHL and MLB, and year’s Overwatch League Grand Finals rival the NFL in viewership numbers by gained more than 1.55 million viewers, 2022. making it the most-watched event in the But with the recent outbreak of league’s history.

COVID-19, several things have impacted However, even though viewership the industry. Leagues are making changes numbers are up, that does not mean that after being forced to push almost all tourviewers enjoy watching the streams. naments and events online.

“To be honest, even though I’m watchWithout traditional local area neting a lot more, it’s not as interesting since work-based tournaments, teams have had it’s all the same teams,” Jake Generalis, a to deal with online play difficulties: inconsophomore, said. sistent pings across different regions and Because of the pandemic, leagues have the lack of player-to-player interaction. not been able to branch out which would “With North America being localized allow new teams to play. For these reawith best of threes on LAN, it sucks playsons, leagues have been recycling the same ing online in Europe with high ping and teams through similar tournaments. best of ones with draws,” Niclas Mouritzen, In addition to leagues not adding new a professional “Rainbow Six: Siege” player teams, teams have not been able to add for one of Europe’s top team, G2 eSports, new players. Without roster changes, viewsaid. ers who want to see their favorite talents The North American division of “Rainjoin their favorite teams are not happy to bow Six: Siege’s” professional scene recent- see the same players over and over. ly decided to run only localized tournaOne prime example of this was Valoments, where players would not have to rant’s Ignition Series tournaments. North suffer from the problems of long-distance America repeatedly saw teams like SentiSean Liuli 12 HIGHLANDER SPORTS

winter

Fall sports previews Miles Ozorio 2020 was an odd year for sports.

Seasons were cut short, and some were abandoned altogether. That was the case for many of Carlmont’s winter and spring sports.

However, in true athletic fashion, the world of sports prevailed. For the 2021 school year, Carlmont’s athletes are back in action. Here is a comprehensive season preview of some of your favorite Carlmont teams playing this winter.

Gary Nakayama

Gary Nakayama

Football Carlmont’s varsity football team looks to bounce back after a disappointing end to their 2019 campaign. After losing their final five games, the Scots finished at the bottom of the Peninsula Athletic League’s Ocean Division. Their league record of 0-5 was partially due to a talent-filled division, with three out of the league’s six teams qualifying for Central Coast Section playoffs.

“Last season, we moved up to a tougher league. We lost a lot of close games but could have easily won two or three,” William Hesselgren, a senior and defensive end on the team said. “Injuries and late-game mistakes got us.”

For the 2020 season, the Scots are aiming for a fresh start. After four years with head coach Jake Messina, the team turns to new head coach Eric Rado for leadership. The Scots have a new quarterback, too. Justin Lavulo, a senior, intends to take the majority of snaps behind center with the absence of last year’s quarterback, Timothy Netane, a junior, who no longer plays football.

“Justin’s been working out hard all offseason, setting a good example for the team,” Hesselgren said. “He should be a

Gary Nakayama

good leader for this season.”

With a large number of returning varsity players like Lavulo, the expectations for Carlmont are high. The Scots have taken their extended offseason to refocus, learning a new offensive scheme and adjusting to a new head coach and defensive coordinator. Since September, the players and coaches have put in work with on-campus team workouts and practices.

After 2019’s last-place finish, the Scots are in a new league. The PAL’s Lake

Division pits Carlmont against some less-skilled teams than last year, and the Scots hope their new league will result in an excellent record and a CCS berth.

Games are permitted between schools once both counties are in...

Orange Tier

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 13

Girls Volleyball

Gary Nakayama

By the standards of most teams on the Peninsula, the girls varsity volleyball team had a great season last year. Not by Carlmont’s, however. After winning the CCS Division I trophy and making it to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) NorCal Final in 2017, the Scots were eliminated in the semifinal round of CCS playoffs last season.

After the departure of head coach Chris Crader following the 2018 season, the girls were led by coach Michael Lapuz, who, at the time, was also the boys volleyball coach.

Girls Water Polo

Gary Nakayama

With a league record of 2-7 last year, the girls varsity water polo team seeks to bounce back after a mediocre 2019 season. Despite their record last year, the Scots ensured they would learn from every mistake. Their desire to improve was best seen against Woodside, where after losing 18-7 in their first matchup, Carlmont would rally to defeat the Wildcats 11-8 on Senior Night. The Scots will continue last season’s attitude of improvement as they remain in the PAL Bay Division for the 2020 season.

Girls Cross Country

For this season, the team is left without two key players, Alisha Mitha and Morgan McClellan, who graduated last spring.

Despite the high expectations and notable players absent, the team has a strong group of returning players like Grace Xu, a junior, and Jules Tan, a senior. Xu and Tan will look to lead their team deep into CCS playoffs, and hopefully, another CCS title.

Games are permitted between schools once both counties are in...

Orange Tier

Part of the Scots’ attitude last season was due to the team’s tight bond. Since they saw each other five to six days a week, it was important for the Scots to maintain a good team dynamic, and they did just that. Despite losing multiple players due to graduation, the team aims to continue to build strong relationships with one another in the 2020 season.

Games are permitted between schools once both counties are in...

Orange Tier

Part of the Scots’ success last year, despite their injuries, was due to their hard work and perseverance. This year, the team seeks to continue that hard-working attitude.

To build upon last season’s success, the Scots must stay healthy. If they do, the girls cross country team will likely have a great 2020 season.

The girls varsity cross country team has a lot to look forward to this upcoming season. Due to injury, the Scots had their top three runners out for the bulk of the 2019 season. Despite the significant losses, the Scots managed to win the PAL Championship. Their season Games are permitted ultimately ended with disappointment, as Carlmont finished seventh at CCS. between schools once The loss of top runners Alessandra both counties are in...

Ayers and Kaimei Gescuk, who graduated last spring, will undoubtedly hurt the Scots. Still, the team has a strong collection of returning runners, many of Chris Guerrero whom are seniors.

14 HIGHLANDER SPORTS

Purple Tier

Boys Volleyball

Gary Nakayama

The boys varsity volleyball team loves to dominate the PAL. After an undefeated league championship in 2019, the Scots didn’t lose a single set in their three games prior to their 2020 season’s cancellation. Part of their success was due to co-captains Ethan Mayoss and Kyle Lau, who both graduated last spring.

Along with the graduated players, another change is the relatively new addition of head coach Dan Nelson. After the team’s first CCS berth in 2019, Nelson took over for Michael Lapuz, who had coached the team since 2016.

Boys Water Polo

Gary Nakayama

After an unusual 2019 season, expectations for the boys varsity water polo team are high. The Scots had a 1-5 league record, partially due to the absence of their coach, Justine Hedlund, who missed the season due to maternity leave.

Despite their unremarkable performance in 2019, the team has a lots to look forward to this season. Along with Hedlund’s return, the team’s captains and leading goalscorers, Zachary Nathan and Oliver Crawford-Shelmadine, are both

Boys Cross Country

Malcolm Slaney

In 2020, the boys varsity cross country team looks to grow upon last season’s success. Although they won the PAL Championship, the team was disappointed after a fourth-place finish at CCS eliminated the possibility of a State Championship appearance. With last season’s conclusion, the team lost Caleb Metzler, Max Hariri Turner, and Aidan Truel, three varsity runners who graduated last spring.

The team also suffers the loss of their number one runner, Sam Jones, a senior, who no longer attends Carlmont. Last

With the absence of their captains and a short 2020 campaign, Carlmont will look toward their seniors to lead the team to a third consecutive undefeated season. Seniors like Joshua Ahn, Ryan Tomita, and Dominique Veinstein have been on the varsity team since their sophomore year, and all have played essential roles in the Scots’ recent success.

Games are permitted between schools once both counties are in...

Orange Tier

coming back for their senior season. The team’s captains lead a group of seniors all looking to have an amazing year. In their extended offseason, the team has put in more work, sometimes practicing at 6:30 a.m. during distance learning.

For the 2020 season, the extra work and experienced core are expected to pay dividends.

Games are permitted between schools once both counties are in...

Orange Tier

year, Jones qualified for State alongside Aidan Dimick, now a junior.

Despite the notable personnel losses, the Scots are prepared for this season, with Jack Peacock, a junior, serving as co-captain alongside Dimick. Although their season was moved from its usual fall start, Carlmont’s runners have taken advantage, training both individually and as a team. Overall, it’s safe to say the Scots have their sights set on State.

Games are permitted between schools once both counties are in...

Purple Tier

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 15

The pandemic is not over; stop acting like it is

Natalie Doud

younger people’s fear of the virus is correlated with the extent to which it affects them personally.

On the contrary, this reduced fear of the coronavirus does Nine months. not solely exist among teenagers, as I’ve noticed this in my That’s how long it’s been since California’s first shelter-inown home. Our groceries have not received their usual intense place order was issued. For the first few months, our commusanitization in a few months, and going to the mall is no longer nities worked hard to sanitize every finger, wipe down every a scary experience. Restaurants are opening indoor dining, and grocery item that entered our homes, and maintain a distance many people are “forgetting” their masks when they go out in of at least six feet from people with whom we didn’t live. public.

However, it seems that one day, a myriad of people, mostly Additionally, social media is a prominent contributing teens, decided that COVID-19 would no longer control their factor to this decrease in safety precautions and care for lives.

COVID-19. This is because a handful of influencers and ceThus, many Carlmont students have rebelled against the government’s restrictions, both state and local, and continue as lebrities on social media can be seen going on luxury trips or partying with large groups of people, setting a poor example though these restrictions do not apply to them. However, this for their millions of young and impressionable followers. By nonchalant attitude towards the pandemic can seriously put seeing these celebrities proceed with their lives normally, some others’ lives at risk. of their followers may do the same if they see no consequences Many students are finding it challenging to remain in their resulting from their negligence of the ongoing pandemic. social bubble, and I know we all miss the days when we could Celebrities’ social media posts can skew their viewers’ perroam around freely and see our friends closer than six feet ception of the pandemic. This is mostly because the majority away. We all miss having these frequent social interactions, of users’ feeds now consist of influencers posting about their but that doesn’t justify the many students going to parties, “exclusive” and “socially distanced” events and gatherings. In better known as COVID-19 incubators, and disregarding the reality, these events are just coronavirus hubs and shouldn’t be pandemic’s safety requirements. No, it doesn’t count if you’re idolized. For example, according to CNN, influencers Bryce wearing a mask at a party with 100 people; that’s like putting a Hall and Blake Gray hosted a few large parties, consisting of small band-aid on a big, open wound. Going to a party is one of the most irresponsible and unethical things you can do right several hundred people. They were consequently charged with misdemeanors in August 2020 for breaking local health orders. now for several reasons.

In a time where social media has such an immense influThis lessened regard for COVID-19 restrictions affects ence on our generation, it is imperative that celebrities use everyone, not just the person who chooses to break regulatheir platforms to adequately inform their followers on the tions. For instance, a lot of students, and people in general, pandemic and other prominent world issues as well. Instead, are struggling with being so isolated at home, with their main interactions being solely through Zoom. Seeing people out and they’re flaunting their privilege and fostering an unconcerned mindset among their followers. partying is like rubbing salt on the wound. It’s disappointing Furthermore, COVID-19 case numbers have not dropped and frustrating since this lack of care will only increase the COVID-19 cases and the time we need to isolate ourselves in a significantly enough for anyone to be out with their friends or stop worrying about their safety. According to The New York social bubble.

Times, the U.S. is approaching its third peak in COVID-19 Moreover, by deciding to expose yourself to potential coronavirus carriers, you are doing a disservice to society and caus- case numbers. At least 17 states are seeing higher spikes in case ing a dereliction of civic duty. This behavior can put both those numbers than any other time during the pandemic.

The coronavirus has not subsided, and the cases are only in and out of your social bubble at risk, no matter their susceptibility to the virus. The more people who have COVID-19, the increasing as the months go on, leaving no excuse for people more likely someone older or immunocompromised is to catch simply to live their lives as though it is nonexistent. Even if you are not at high risk for the effects of the virus, be mindful of it, which, if you’ve forgotten, can be deadly. those who are.

Many of those following this careless behavior often belong We all need to do everyone around us a favor and cease this to a younger demographic because COVID-19 has lethal and abundant carelessness and stoicism, as the end of the pandemic more consequential effects on an older demographic. Accordis not approaching. ing to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, eight By educating yourself and others on this prevalent issue, out of 10 deaths due to COVID-19 reported in the U.S. have social distancing as much as possible, and following the govbeen adults 65 years of age and older. However, this does not ernment’s safety guidelines, you can help prevent a rise in cases validate the persistent inattention to the virus’s detrimental and thus a correlated increase in deaths. effect on a more vulnerable group of people. This instead Staying home saves lives; it’s a simple concept. emphasizes the unethical grounds of such actions, as it appears 16 HIGHLANDER OPINION

COVID-19 CASES IN SAN MATEO COUNTY AS OF OCTOBER 2020 OVERVIEW TOTAL CASES IN SAN MATEO COUNTY

TOTAL TESTS ADMINISTERED

% OF POSITIVE TESTS

TOTAL DEATHS

AGED < 49

AGED > 50

CASES BY AGE GROUP CASES BY CITY (NOT ALL SHOWN)

CASES PER 10,000 RESIDENTS Belmont East Palo Alto Foster City Redwood City San Carlos San Mateo

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Natalie Doud

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 17

Academic burnout has been stigmatized Elise Hsu A student begins the school year anticipating an academic challenge. However, as weeks go by, the student grows increasingly stressed, staying up late and skipping meals to do homework. Soon, they have trouble focusing in class and late assignments start to pile up.

One night, the student checks their planner, dreading their lengthy to-do list. After noticing they have four late assignments and a report due at midnight, they throw the planner and begin to cry, lamenting, I can’t do this anymore; why did I ever think I could?

This student, like many others, is struggling with academic burnout. According to Florida National University, burnout is a state of prolonged stress that causes physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. Although burnout can be caused by excessive amounts of academic work, it can also appear in other places, such as romantic relationships and parenting.

According to Psychology Today, burning out doesn’t just happen overnight; it slowly creeps up on someone without them noticing. For example, a student may brush off early signs of academic burnout as a normal amount of stress.

However, by the time someone acknowledges they are burned out, their symptoms may hinder their functionality on both a professional and personal level. This means a student could be missing class frequently and struggling to turn in assignments.

Academic burnout is already manifesting itself in Carlmont students. In a 48-student survey comprised mostly of juniors, 62.5% of respondents said they felt unmotivated to attend and participate in school. Of that percentage, 86.7% also said they felt unproductive this school year. Of course, the pandemic

plays a role in these results; for many, distance learning has increased workload and decreased interaction with classmates.

Teachers also play a role in facilitating academic burnout, whether they know it or not. They may assign a “reasonable” workload for their class, but their students may get the same amount of work in other classes, adding to their burden.

During the pandemic, some teachers have even increased the amount of work they assign, believing students stuck at home have nothing better to do. But students are actually quite busy; they have to balance their homework, family time, and other activities outside of school. To help students, teachers should regularly check in and adjust their curriculum to suit their needs. This way, students feel less stressed and teachers know how to help them succeed.

However, students may be hesitant to tell someone else if they are burned out. They may believe that asking for help exposes weakness; it actually demonstrates strength, since it shows that one is willing to acknowledge their shortcomings and work to amend them. And discussing burnout isn’t just reserved for teachers; a student can choose to discuss it with whomever they trust. When it comes to burning out, support from others is necessary to recover.

To further decrease the stigma associated with academic burnout, teachers should make it clear that they are there to support students who may feel overwhelmed. Many students feel as though they are alone in their struggles, and offering support lets them know that someone is available to help.

Academic burnout can be very damaging, but if students know they have support, they can work towards reigniting their motivation.

18 HIGHLANDER OPINION

The economy needs a Green New Deal Eddy Yeretnov

their lost money; this means that there will be limited consumer spending even COVID-19 initiated an economic cri- if we defeat COVID-19 — the problem sis some economists say is comparable to with less consumer spending is fewer customers for businesses, which in turn that of the Great Depression. To recover, we need a modern New Deal, something leads to smaller profits, which require layoffs. Once workers are fired, they many call the Green New Deal. will not be able to afford spending in Our Current Situation: the economy, which leads to a rinse and The job market that graduating students will be entering isn’t in good shape. repeat of this vicious cycle.

Learning from our history: According to the Bureau of Labor So, what is the solution to this conStatistics, in April of 2020, the U.S. hit an all-time high in unemployment at 14.7%. tinuing downturn?

We find a solution by learning about Contrary to what President Donour history and the legacy of former ald Trump may claim, we are not in a President Franklin Roosevelt. FDR V-shaped recovery (which means that inherited the worst economic crisis in the economy is recovering at the same American history from former Presirate it declined). While the unemploydent Herbert Hoover. By implementing ment rate has steadily shrunk since the a radical New Deal, FDR and Congress all-time low, it recoiled more so due to increased consumer confidence and cash corporate bailouts and lower interest flow by increasing spending, defeating rates rather than a real V-shaped recovthe Great Depression. ery. Now that the Federal Reserve (Fed) The New Deal held two parts; it incan no longer lower interest rates since creased worker protections and spending they are already at 0, the Fed has little in the economy through public works remaining tools to create any improveprojects. ment.

The increased protections like social With high unemployment comes a security assured consumers that they decrease in consumer spending and a were in recovery and prompted those reduction in profit; the use of corporate saving in fear to spend more and stimusocialism, government support of large late the economy. This consumer conficorporations, in bailing out the rich will dence is something we can recreate now come back to bite both the wealthy and by defeating the COVID-19 pandemic working class. and ensuring healthcare as a fundamenEconomic Depression: tal human right.

Some believe that after a COVID-19 Public works are where we enter the vaccine arrives, we can “go back to realm of the Green New Deal. Just as normal” and forget the pandemic ever they were in the past, public works will existed. be vital in restoring our economy. The There are two problems with such a government is the only entity that can theory. print money. While printing money First, the distribution of a vaccine seems to be counterintuitive by creatwill be a long and complicated task ing inflation, it is, in fact, the opposite. that could take well into 2021 to reach Modern Monetary Theory dictates that the number of people needed for herd inflation does not hurt the economy as immunity. long as gross domestic product growth “I can foresee that even with a really good vaccine, mask-wearing will contin- outpaces inflation. This money can be spent on modernizing our grid and creue well into the third or fourth quarter of 2021,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director ating a sustainable future for generations to come. of the National Institute of Allergy and Moving forward: Infectious Diseases, said.

Many Carlmont students will be Second, the concept of cash flow rings entering the workforce under the next true here. Those who were unemployed presidential term. High unemployment won’t be automatically reimbursed for

lowers job opportunities, especially for workers without experience due to job scarcity.

The Jobs Guarantee program embedded in the Green New Deal will drop the unemployment rate to historic lows and create a base of consumers spending all of the money printed by the government.

These new consumers will get our economy moving again.

Goldman Sachs’ analysts predict that the Fed will begin increasing its interest rates two years earlier under a Democrat-controlled government (which would likely be more prone to increase spending) than a Republican one. Rising interest rates occur to control inflation and are a sign of a recovering economy, a signal that increases consumer confidence.

It’s about time we think about the Green New Deal as an economic advantage rather than something that would be a burden.

OVERVIEW The Green New Deal is a non-binding resolution which would affirm the United States of America’s commitment to combat climate change and create a more sustainable future.

GOALS - A transition to 100% clean energy - Guarenteeing health care to all Americans - Investment in public transportation - Providing quality education to all Americans - Updating infrastructure - A jobs guarantee program

THE COST OF INACTION

7.4

million less jobs in a Trump vs. Biden administration due to higher spending and stimulus

HOW WE PAY FOR IT Using the Modern Monetary Theory, no tax increases are needed to pay for the Green New Deal as it is paid for through strategic defecit.

Eddy Yeretnov

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 19

America’s political satirists are maintaining its democracy Ayal Meyers Political comedians are front-line fighters for democracy; it is time we recognize the symbiotic relationship they have with us and America.

In light of Donald Trump’s presidency, news programs and political satire saw a dramatic spike in viewership. According to the Associated Press, cable news ratings went by 72% over 2019. In part, this was a byproduct of the younger generation’s increased interest in social and political issues. However, bored by the formalities of network news, millennials and early members of Generation Z turn to comedy programs and the monologues of late-night comedians as an information source.

Programs like Saturday Night Live, a 45-year-old show that has made fun of every president since Richard Nixon, weave together various humor with social and political critiques. On the other hand, monologue-based shows feature one comedian, either directing viewers’ attention to a series of news headlines or focusing on one overarching theme. According to the New York Times, some of the most popular political satirists include Trevor Noah, John Oliver, Hasan Minhaj, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, Samantha Bee, and Stephen Colbert.

Ample research has shown that this sort of political satire is a win for democracy. Political comedy encourages young people to enthrall themselves in modern affairs, prompting them to seek more information. It provides them with an appealing method of following political campaigns and enables them to feel better about their ability to participate in politics and even

feel more inclined to join in acts of political expression.

Political comedy serves as a powerful tool for youth to learn about and navigate the complexities of politics while acting as an exciting, fast information source. The New York Times reported that only 46% of eligible American voters between 18 and 29 voted in 2016. With problematically low levels of youth voter turnout, discussing politics in an accessible manner is precisely what makes these programs important.

Compared to the 50% of Fox News’ viewers older than 68, these comedy shows consistently draw more than 40% of their views from people between 16 and 29. Compelling young people to vote requires capturing their attention and interest, something comedians attain by embedding additional aspects of entertainment in a shorter amount of time.

For example, I don’t want to sit down and watch an hour of NPR, but 20-minute episodes of Minhaj’s “Patriot Act” have taught me more about complex topics such as taxes, student loans, and American immigration enforcement than my 12 years of public school. Minhaj first came to fame on Noah’s “The Daily Show” before receiving his own Netflix segment.

On “The Patriot Act,” Minhaj’s vibrant energy and witty humor are paired with an in-depth analysis of pressing issues. For such a short amount of time, it is a wonder how he manages to incorporate so much information and humor.

On “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” Oliver’s likable personality and cynical tone keep younger people informed through comedy. His unique strain of intelligent satire spreads across the internet, prompting laughter while informing

20 HIGHLANDER OPINION

viewers. His clips provide quick insight into the news for millions of young people on Twitter and Instagram. Recently, his segment on net neutrality ended up crashing the Federal Communication Commission’s website as viewers of Oliver’s program flocked to offer comments about a pending proposal.

This was not the first or last time Oliver made a statement that prompted newly informed and intrigued people to investigate and crash a federal website.

This is not to say that there is no bias. More often than not, the mockery is directed towards the executive branch—no matter the party in power—and it is mostly clear which side of the aisle the commentator leans toward. Like Meyers, some have openly denounced Trump and blatantly explain their excitement for the end of Trump’s term. Meyers’ twisted-mouth impersonations of the president combine physical imitation with political judgment as he covers various news headlines concerning the White House and other global affairs.

Despite some bias, research from groups like the Pew Research Center has shown that viewers of these comedic political shows tend to be more informed and knowledgeable than audiences of other shows. A Pew Research Center study found that youth who regularly watch comedic entertainment media such as “The Daily Show” are 60% more likely to be correctly informed about current affairs than those who do not watch. Not only do these shows empower youth to get interested in politics, but they also equip their viewers with the proper knowledge and information needed to mitigate ignorance.

For a generation with a declining attention span, political humor can be an effective way to keep them engaged and interested in the news. Dr. Amy Bree Becker, a Loyola University professor, conducted a study that proved watching a comedy interview increases the likelihood that a young person will

participate in a protest, march, or demonstration by 38%.

At Carlmont, many students are highly political. In 2016, weeks after Trump was elected, more than 300 Scots gathered for a walkout rally called “Love Trumps Hate.” In 2018, following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, hundreds of Carlmont students participated in a national walkout where they expressed their condolences for the 17 people killed in Parkland and protested gun accessibility, sharing fears for their lives.

This year, Carlmont students joined in Black Lives Matter demonstrations all across the Bay Area and held a mock presidential election. However, in a partisan atmosphere, some students feel uncomfortable with politics. A FiveThirtyEight study revealed that younger people, ages 15-24, are less likely to get involved in politics because of time constraints and confusion about current events or the political system.

The study, which also pointed to misinformation on social media as a primary cause for confusion, can explain the mindset of Carlmont students who are less politically active. For Carlmont students who want to get involved but feel disconnected, political satire may be the perfect way to learn and get involved enjoyably. As Carlmont students begin to turn 18, they, too, can start impacting society not only through their voice but also through their vote.

Political satire inspires young people, like students at Carlmont, to involve themselves in politics while equipping them with an understanding of current events. The TV personalities motivate and allow students in our community and across the country to feel comfortable expressing their views and manifesting their beliefs through action – most notably, voting. Voting is the core of democracy, and by encouraging people to vote, political comedians are maintaining it.

Ayal Meyers

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 21

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rnyeye Maya Ko

Through the Generations

Article by Payton Zolck Design by Isabelle Nunes In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day and age, sitting behind a computer screen has become a normal part of life.Though high school has become synonymous with technology, this hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always been the case.

The constant change of culture and environment insured no generation would grow up the same. The four most recent generations, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, have all experienced differences in the amount of technology available to them. Ultimately, these differences shape them as generations and individuals alike.

22 HIGHLANDER SCOTLIGHT

Baby boomers The Baby Boomers generation consists roughly of those born between 1946-1964 and who attended high school between the 60s and early 80s. This generation witnessed a change in society’s culture, emphasizing ideas such as freedom of speech. While experiencing the complexities of the 60-80s, this generation’s high school years consisted of vibrant times.

According to research done by the New York Public Library, the 60s witnessed an upsurge in ideas of free speech. This growing movement was accompanied by the uprise of Cold War politics, the Vietnam war, other civil rights movements, and student protests.

Jackie Cockreham, a class of 1970 Carlmont alumni, talks about what it was like being a teenager when she was in high school and some of the societal changes during that time.

“It was the prime era for the hippie generation, people were starting to look towards individual freedom of speech, and there was a start of unrest. It was the environment of the 60s; there were a lot of riots, like at Berkeley. LSD became an issue as well,” she said.

With this national change came a melting pot of different cultures within the generation, which created differing individual experiences and perspectives. Those born on the edge of Baby Boomers and at the beginning of Gen X, such as Erik Migdail, a Carlmont English teacher, witnessed a different high school environment.

“There were still the cliques and the popular and less popular kids. There was still the underlying social dynamic,” Migdail

said.

Despite some of the consistencies throughout different eras in high school, the technological differences pose an important distinction between the Baby Boomers generation and later generations.

Technology was not the widespread tool it is now, but it did play a role in the lives of the baby boomers.

“There was no technology, and you would go to the library down the street to do our research there. You had your many books, and many were out of date. The only sort of technology that affected me and lifted me up for future jobs was typing [on a typewriter] and using shorthand. The typing definitely made a difference as I couldn’t have gotten the jobs I did without it,” Cockreham said.

However, a rather technology-deficient generation changed as new technology started to form with the transition to Gen X. Migdail emphasized this change of technology that he witnessed during his teenage years.

“I had an electric typewriter. There were film strips and overhead projectors in the classroom, and xerox machines started to become more prevalent. Telephones were landlines.

You had TVs and radio. Eight-track tapes had gone out of popularity while I was in high school, and cassettes had gotten big. I remember my friend got one of the first walkmans I had ever seen,” he said.

Ultimately, baby boomers were the first generation to experience the impact of technology on their highschool education.

Photos by Sofia

Sharron

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 23

Generation X

Gen X, the generation between Baby Boomers and Millennials, consists of those born between the mid-60s and early 80s. Gen X is seen as the first generation that experienced the start of accessible modern-style technology.

“Technology was virtually lacking. We had film strips, and when the video cassettes came out, that was like ‘wow.’ You were lucky if you had a television with a VCR,” David Gomez, a current Carlmont history teacher, said.

Alongside the spread of video cassettes, computers started to become more readily available and individually accessible. A study from the IPL research site points out the introduction and surge of popularity of “personal” computers and brands such as Apple, Commodore, and Tandy during this era. These new computers also started being introduced into schools, businesses, industries, and homes.

“When I was a junior, I took a computer class, and it was my first class ever to have personal computers. The computers back then didn’t have mouses, and you had to do all the programming yourself. We were at a basic level; even the computers were called basic. You couldn’t even do much with them; there wasn’t any internet as far as I know,” Gomez said.

An evolution of technology occurred within the generation as Genevieve Tep, Carlmont’s choir teacher who is on the cusp between Gen X and Millenials, explains some of the technology available when she was a teenager.

Tep said that when she was in high school, they were just starting to adopt cell phones. She had a brick-sized cell phone which had a tiny battery. Tep also pointed out the introduction of pagers, a device that digitizes voice messages, a prelude to the modern-day text.

Gen X, the first generation to witness the first shift regarding technology, was the first to adopt current everyday items such as computers. Yet, despite this introduction of new technology, everyday reliance on such resources were not present.

“We had classes that were like, ‘let’s learn the internet,’ and like [the internet] existed but, it wasn’t a thing that was used,” Tep said.

Generations growing up in a technology-dependent period may not realize that using technology was a skill to learn and not just something everyone instantly knows.

Technology is not the only thing that has changed throughout the years; culture and the high school environment have changed as well. Tep points out the change in how the world is seen regarding safety.

“I think the perception of how safe the world is has changed. Even though violent crime has gone down, and the world is arguably safer than it was 30-40 years ago, the perception because of what’s on the news has really changed,” Tep said.

For Gen X in high school, the weight of the “Atomic Age” was felt as, according to npr, students would have to practice drills in class. Images of nuclear war were constantly present through their TVs and news.

“We had drills to get under our desks for the Cold War and were always getting under our desks in case of a nuclear attack,” Gomez said.

The sudden accessibility of technology led to an increase in exposure to the media, which according to Cigna, can be linked to an increase in fear and anxiety regarding violence.

While the shift to becoming more cautious started with Gen X, the impacts of technology on the idea of safety is more evident in the school systems today.

“Now we’re always concerned about intruders and violent gun attacks where someone comes on to campus and shoots and kills people. When I was in high school, we didn’t really have that fear; we didn’t have drills to prepare for intruders,” Gomez said.

While the baby boomers were the first generation introduced to technology at a young age, Gen X was the first generation that felt the effects on a larger scale.

24 HIGHLANDER SCOTLIGHT

Millennials Millennials consist of those born in the early 80s to the mid-90s. While the increased availability of technology accompanied Gen X, millennials experienced the modification of technology to become more user-friendly.

The rise of jobs in the tech industry was followed by an increase in pressure to go to college for millennials.

“There were a lot of expectations for us.

For me, there were a lot of emphases that we were all going to go to college, and there wasn’t a lot of exploration of alternative opportunities. There was a lot of pressure that we would all follow one path, and that path was college,” Carlmont alumn Jessica Senderson said.

During the millennial era, technology was on the way to becoming more convenient for its users. Cell phones became available to the public in 1984, so people no longer needed to rely on landlines for calls.

“We had our flip phones, and we didn’t have individual class computers, but teachers used them with projectors. I think my senior year Facebook came out,” Senderson said.

The use of technology in classrooms also became more popular in the millennial high school age.

“We were able to turn in some assignments online. I think at that point when we were in high school is when we were kind of starting to make that turn, where there was a lot more technology in classrooms, but it wasn’t there for us yet,” Senderson said.

Although often overshadowed by all of the positive impacts of technology, the increase of technology also caused increased levels of stress in millennials. According to the American Physiological Association, 48% of millennials are worried about technology and social media, affecting their mental and physical health.

In general, while millennials were met with more user-friendly technology, they also faced more of the downsides of said technology than prior generations.

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 25

Gen - Z

Born between 1997-2012. Gen Zers are no strangers to technology as computers and cell phones are used on the daily for school, work, and social lives.

“With instant messages and current technology, especially in Corona times, it’s just like you are able to connect to other human beings even if it’s not in person. Just being able to see someone’s Instagram post and be like, ‘Oh, looks like they are having a good time,’” freshman Marlo Lewis said.

In many ways, the advancement of technology allows people to connect more and be in touch without seeing each other in person. However, Migdail also believes that it can affect people experiencing “the fear of missing out, (FOMO)” or being torn down by their peers instead of feeling supported.

As a result, Gen Z faces the commonality of cyberbullying and negativity reflected on the internet. Bullying within the school environment and the formation of cliques can now follow someone home via social media and instant messaging.

Looking in books for hours for the correct piece of information is a thing of the past when all it takes is a quick one-minute search to find articles about any and every topic. Senior Nicole Klein goes to point out that this easily accessible information can also have negative impacts.

“While we have access to so much information, at the same time, it becomes more vital that we are able to navigate all this information and not just fall for fake or false information,” Klein said.

The internet is a place where you can find a lot of valuable information, but it’s also littered with fake news. As such, it’s important to be able to navigate the internet and be able to decide for oneself what is real and what is fake.

Additionally, social media has been programmed to be addictive causing many to be glued to their phones.

“There is potential for people

to get addicted to technology. Technology can cause many negatives such as wasting time, comparing yourself to others you see on social media, feeling left out, and technology can also sometimes lead to depression,” Klein said.

The integration of technology into our everyday lives has also had many positive impacts regarding advancement, communication, and accessibility to information. According to a study done by Pew Research, 52% of adults in the U.S. see technology as a positive due to an increase in the ability to communicate and find information quickly and possible improvements in health, medicine, and medical research.

As technology has become more and more intertwined in day to day activities, it has become a platform for Gen Z to voice their opinions, advocate for important issues, and participate in activism.

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Nicole Coleman

Technology has not only advanced, but become more accessible through the generations. While the baby boomers had little contact with technology, Gen Z has never known a life without phones and computers at their fingertips.

Consequently, each generation had slightly different high school experiences.

High school is a stressful time in and of itself as many teens struggle to juggle classwork, extracurriculars, and a social life.

The integration of technology has only increased this stress as teens now have to fight an algorithm engineered to be addictive.

According to the American Physiological Association (APA), one-fifth of Americans see technology as a source of stress. The APA points this to be because of the reliance and constant checking of technology, which increases stress levels.

There are good and bad things that come with everything in life, and technology is no different. As it has progressed through the generations, the consequences and benefits of using technology have grown along with it.

Although what comes next is unknown, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to go into the future weighing the positives and negatives of the new advancements.

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 27

The changing landscape of groceries kai yoshida As the world shut down, the grocery industry thrived with more customers than ever before and the landscape of the food industry was transformed.

The food industry is swayed dramatically by supply and demand. With the arrival of the pandemic, drastic effects have taken place. Perhaps surprisingly, the demand for many food items have actually gone down, and producer prices, prices paid to the producer for their goods, have dropped significantly.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the producer prices of eggs and raw milk have decreased the most. From January to June 2020, their prices fell by 36.2% and 35.1%, respectively. Furthermore, dairy products have also been reduced by 2.2%.

Why is this? When the world went into lockdown, the dairy farmers’ biggest consumers stopped buying: restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops all

closed. Unsurprisingly, there became a vast milk oversupply, and only so much could be donated to the food banks.

Raw milk spoils quickly and cannot be preserved unless it is turned into cheese or other dairy products. Before shops partially reopened, the Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) estimated that 3.5 million gallons of milk went to waste every day. The newfound surplus of milk led to a drop in milk and dairy producer prices.

Unfortunately, the producer price does not correlate with the consumer price, which are the rates people pay at grocery stores. On the other end of the spectrum, grocery products are in high demand as people stock up on food, following the lockdowns.

“I do the shopping for two households now since I do not want my elderly parents to have to venture out to a grocery store. I also pay more attention to sales,” Carolyn Wallace, an English teacher at Carlmont, said.

Increased demand for products means increased prices. The

consumer price of food rose by an average of 3%, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In contrast to the producer price, the consumer price of dairy products increased by 2.1%.

However, the most drastic price increase was seen with beef and veal.

This can be traced back to the closure and limited production of meatpacking factories. In the early stages of the pandemic, several outbreaks occurred in the processing plants. In July, the CDC estimated that 9% of the total U.S. COVID-19 cases consisted of workers from meat processing plants, and eventually led to a price jump where beef and veal prices increased by 20.4% at supermarkets.

“I definitely have noticed an increase in prices, and I do look for sales in order to keep my food costs down. These days, more than before, if I find a sale on something I need or enjoy, I will buy more than one of the products. I do admit that even though meat prices have gone up, I still buy the occasional steak,” Wallace said.

The pandemic has not only affected the prices of foods and let traditional grocery stores prosper but has also been a boom for a complete-

Art By Kai Yoshida

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Bakery

Art By Kai Yoshida

ly different shopping method: online grocery shopping. Pre-pandemic, online groceries only accounted for 3 to 4% of sales, and in August 2019, sales reached $1.2 billion; soon, that figure skyrocketed to $7.2 billion in June.

“Before the pandemic, many families already depended on Instacart to get groceries delivered to their doorstep. The pandemic turned Instacart not only into a household name but also an essential service, especially for seniors and other high-risk groups. Our order volume grew rapidly at the beginning of the pandemic and has remained high throughout the summer,” said JJ Zhuang, vice president of engineering at Instacart.

This San Francisco company handles an online grocery service in the U.S. and Canada.

This method of buying food has been gaining traction over the past few years. The most popular companies are relatively recent establishments such as Amazon Fresh, founded in 2007, and Instacart, founded in 2012.

Online shopping has been the optimal option for some people during the pandemic. Shoppers do not need to risk their health by physically going to the store and can bypass long lines due to capacity restrictions. Also, it saves a lot

of time; there’s no need to walk down aisles looking for food, or wait in cashier lines, or driving to the supermarket in the first place. But for others, it is not their cup of tea.

“I have never explored online food shopping, mostly because I feel more confident handling my own purchases rather than having others pick out groceries for me,” Wallace said.

The biggest weakness of online grocery shopping is that one cannot handpick their items, especially produce. And that is a deal-breaker for many. While still a work-in-progress, companies focus their attention on the grocery staff and their ability to pick out the best fruits and vegetables.

“The freshness of produce matters a lot. When onboarding new grocery staff, we provide comprehensive in-app training, with a lot of focus on guiding shoppers to pick the best groceries.

Customers are notified when a shopper starts shopping and are encouraged to have real-time two-way communication with the shopper about specific needs,” Zhuang said. “We also pay a lot of attention to customers’ feedback about the groceries they receive.”

Over the past months, online grocery shopping has gotten a massive boost

in popularity with 202% more online grocery web searches, potentially marking a permanent change to the grocery industry. Many companies have taken advantage of 2020; Instacart’s order volume has surged by 500%, and they responded to the situation by doubling their workforce.

This increasing popularity may carry on past the pandemic, and in the future, online grocery shopping may become the primary option for the masses.

“COVID-19 certainly accelerated the pace of this transition by making a lot more people aware of the need, the ease, and the dependability of online grocery shopping. We believe if we do right by our customers by laser focusing on customer experience, many of the new customers who came to Instacart during COVID-19 will stay with Instacart even after the pandemic,” Zhuang said.

“They’ll see that online grocery shopping can save them valuable time, making refreshed food and healthy eating much more accessible.”

Whether or not these online grocery companies become mainstream in the future remains to be seen. However, these companies, like the grocery industry in general, have flourished during this pandemic.

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 29

Street Vendors: The UNTOLD TRUTH Leela Stuepfert Along the Alameda de Las PulgasSan Carlos Avenue corridor lies an eye-catching, multicolored umbrella over an array of fruit. Upon a closer look, these vibrant colors reveal a fruit stand in front of Carlmont High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior parking lot.

Behind this stand sits a vendor hoping to provide a source of income for his family by selling produce. Beneath the surface of his job lies an unseen story of hard work, sacrifice, and persistence.

Born in Guatemala, Francisco made his initial daring journey to the U.S. 25 years ago in hopes of a better life. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I first came to the U.S. in 1995, and I have gone back and

Raina Lahiri

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forth multiple times over the years for work to help support my family in Guatemala. This last time I came, I brought back my seventeen-year-old daughter with me,” Francisco said. “Most of my family, including my wife and two of my other children, ages seven and 18, are still there. I hope one day, my daughter can learn English, go to school, and one day find work and opportunities which very few Guatemalans back home have.”

Compared to the U.S., the unemployment rate in Guatemala is tremendously high, forcing many immigrants to migrate to the U.S. to search for work illegally. According to a study done by the Central Intelligence Agency, more than half the Guatemalan population is below the national poverty line, and 23% live in extreme poverty.

“Back home in Guatemala, there is no work and a lot of even bigger problems for people. Many people send family here for work in order to send money back home as soon as possible,” Francisco said. “It is not always easy here either.”

Street vendors all over the country have felt the economic pains of the pandemic and have become self-reliant to stay afloat due to a change in customer behavior.

“In the beginning, people were reluctant to come close to the stand because they were scared to touch the fruit,” Francisco said. “Business is doing okay, some days are better than others.”

The government’s sponsored relief programs exclude many self-employed, informal businesses such as street vendors due to documentation requirements and one’s legal status. The lack of work permits or social security numbers makes them ineligible for unemployment benefits.

“These guys spend their day and time sitting outside and selling fruit. They don’t get paid to sit there. They get paid when you buy fruit, and the more fruit you buy, the sooner they can go home to their families,”

Allison Davies, a Belmont resident, said.

“They’re always very respectful and helpful.”

Illegal vendors work in fear of police intervention, having their stands confiscated, or being fined. Despite these concerns, Francisco’s ambition to support his loved ones pushes him to make the 45-minute commute over the bridge from the East Bay. “I commute here Wednesdays through Sunday every week from where my daughter and I live to sell from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. or later,” Francisco said.

Early each morning, Francisco’s cousin, who also works as a fruit vendor, collects and distributes fruit for them to sell from a large industrial street area in Oakland. The commonly used location serves as a central distribution source for local grocery stores and merchants.

“There is a large street area in Oakland that supplies many other local grocery stores and merchants with fruits for these businesses early each morning,” Francisco said. “The reason to buy from me is the fruit is fresh and not old and from a freezer. It has more flavor, and I think people who buy from me appreciate that.”

In order to successfully run the stand, thoroughly understanding the customer market is vital. Francisco does this by tracking the number of daily customers and his overhead costs to calculate his profit margin.

“On average, I think I have around 10 to 20 clients per day. I buy each of these mango fruit boxes for $18 and sell each for $20. Some days the cost to buy is a little more for me or less, and then I may have to change the price for customers based on that,” Francisco said. “I make around $40 to $50 per day here, and that is usually enough for my rent and food for me and my daughter.”

Street vendors, like Francisco, try to strategically locate their workplaces in areas with a steady pedestrian or traffic flow to increase market exposure and maximize their daily revenue.

“I have worked in many different areas,” Francisco said. “I chose this specific spot to sell because it is a good, safe corner and has lots of cars and potential clients.”

Francisco receives different customers, including some of whom he refers

to as his “regulars,” which include local neighborhood residents.

“I buy fruit from him often because he is right down the street. It always looks so fresh and juicy,” Davies said.

“He even told me exactly how many days to wait for them to be completely ripe.”

From a customer’s standpoint, outdoor stands can be configured to encourage social distancing, which a grocery store’s indoor environment does not provide.

“I’d rather support a street vendor than have to wait in line at a grocery store. It is a lot better if you want to be outside instead of being trapped in a store with so many other people,” Simone Beilin, a senior at Carlmont, said. “It is also a much more genuine experience.”

The various social and political views regarding immigration remains a hot button issue around the world and especially in the U.S. “Being undocumented does not make you disqualified to earn an honest living or receive the help you deserve like anyone else.” Beilin said. “In my mind, this is not up for debate. The government needs to implement a better system for obtaining citizenship in America because a lot of people are in need of immediate asylum or help.”

Despite the challenges Francisco endures, his persistence highlights most immigrants’ aspiration for dignity, safety, and a better future for themselves and their families. His colorful offerings to our community serve as a sign of hope for our future, and his story redefines what “success” can mean to many.

Francisco said, “It does not help to worry. I am doing what I can, and I am happy.”

Art by Leela Stuepfert

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 31

Kiana George The typical routine of a high school student tends to be an on going cycle of long, monotonous days that consist of the same activities: going to school, doing homework, maybe an extracurricular sport or activity, doing more homework, sleeping, and then repeating this process all over again. This vigorous cycle eventually desensitizes students to their interests because their whole existence revolves around achieving good grades and juggling activities, leaving little or no time to dive deeper into their passions.

But when the pandemic hit, that same monotonous routine became a muddled blur as everyone sheltered in place. Students didn’t have to physically be in school six to seven hours a day. Sports teams, clubs, churches, and volunteer organizations were put on pause. Events were cancelled, stores shut down, and socializing was discouraged. Suddenly, there was more time than ever before for students to discover more about themselves and the world around them.

When the whole world went into shutdown, one door opened: the time to pursue passions.

Veer Juneja, a junior at Bellarmine High School, took the pandemic as an opportunity to put his love for education and politics into action. At the beginning of quarantine, Juneja and his four friends created Empowering Youth Action (EYA) with a mission to inform their peers about

important issues and advocate for social reform through local projects.

EYA’s very first project was called “Voices during the Virus,” in which they raised money for a non-profit that made masks for medical professionals. Their group was able to raise $11,000 for doctors across the Bay, and were even recognized by the UN youth envoy for their accomplishments.

In the beginning of quarantine, EYA was a small, singular group. Now, they have grown into eight chapters, including one at Carlmont, with over 100 members.

Juneja said they wouldn’t have been able to do this without the pandemic, “The virus cancelled all my soccer practices and games so I had a lot more free time. Without the stress of school, extracurriculars, and sports, I was able to use this extra time to create EYA.” Not all students did something as extensive as Juneja. Many students took up simple passions to fuel their personal happiness.

Meghan Bhatt, a senior at Carlmont,

began making all kinds of elaborate cakes over quarantine as a relaxing and de-stressing hobby.

Bhatt believes that baking was a positive way to pass time when seeing other people was not an option.

“During quarantine, my passion for baking grew because I had more free time to explore new things I have never done before,” Bhatt said. “I had never attempted to make cakes before because I thought they looked too complicated and time consuming, but now it’s become one of my favorite things to make.”

Similar to Bhatt, Valentina Espinosa, a junior at Carlmont, also took up a new hobby during quarantine: surfing.

“Since quarantine happened during the summer, my sister, dad, and I had much more time and the beaches were mostly empty, so I was able to go surfing almost every weekend” Espinosa said.

Espinosa believed that quarantine was the opening gate to a new passion that she now enjoys doing on a weekly basis.

“I would of never had enough time to surf if quarantine had happened because the beaches are always packed like my schedule, but now surfing is one of my favorite activities and I love the rush you get from it,” Espinosa said.

The silver lining of the pandemic has been that students have had a chance to step back from the exhaustion of school and their social life, and move forward by tapping into their passions, learning more about themselves and their ability to make an impact in the world around them.

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Students reinvent themselves through quarantine trends Kaylene lin Two weeks off from school and an extended spring break. At first, it seemed like paradise.

But those two weeks quickly turned into a month. Then another month. Then nine more.

In the 11 months since the start of quarantine, the community that Carlmont teachers, students, and administrators have worked tirelessly to foster has rapidly changed. Following new distance learning protocols, Carlmont’s once lively campus has turned into empty hallways and deserted classrooms.

But in replacement of an in-person community, Carlmont classes, clubs, and events have all moved online. As the future becomes uncertain and more of everyone’s lives are spent through the internet, many students have been taking advantage of social media to remain in contact.

“Because of quarantine, many people are spending a lot more time on social media than before. They have nothing better to do,” Cameron Ward, a senior, said.

In turn, this dependency on social media has allowed trends and online communities to thrive.

Kaylene Lin

“I think even though celebrities had a really strong influence on other people, quarantine definitely upped it a little bit because people are craving change. We’re stagnant, staying at home all the time, and you want to do something different,” Leila Farhi, a junior, said.

TikTok, a social media app that began gaining popularity in 2019, has become a platform for many of these new trends.

For example, influencers like Noah Miller have created many popular comedy and dance trends that anyone can recreate at home.

So, even with a lack of on-campus interaction, these trends have enabled Carlmont students to be involved in a broader community.

Along with TikTok, other social media apps such as Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter have also become a breeding ground for trends and influencers. Video games like Among Us, shows such as “Euphoria” or “Tiger King,” and the infamous tennis skirts are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to quarantine trends.

However, this emphasis on online interaction brings up the question of how trends form in the first place, and whether or not they can be harmful.

“Influencers and celebrities influence a lot of trends because of their large following. Their fans will see something they post, whether it be a TikTok dance, a meme format, a video game, etcetera, and think, ‘Wow, well if that person I admire thinks that that’s cool, it must be cool!’ and then everyone hops on the bandwagon, and the trend spreads,” Ward said.

While this may sound like nothing to worry about, this idea of bandwagoning can have detrimental effects. Even though many of the trends that have sprung up over quarantine have been harmless fun, mindlessly following a celebrity or doing something that an influencer does can hurt many people.

For example, the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge a few years ago spurred a wave of people to suction their lips in hopes of making them larger. Inspired by Jenner, many of the people who participated in the trend experienced swelling or bruising around their mouth. Some were even hospitalized after suctioning their lips for too long.

“Social media idolizes celebrities so much that we want to be exactly like them. We think they can do no wrong,” Fotini Argyris, a senior, said.

On the flip side, Argyris still believes that although the ideology behind social media can be harmful, its ability to keep people connected and spread positive trends outweighs its cons.

“My favorite trends recently have to do with fashion and how much people have been experimenting with their style, especially because of quarantine,” Argyris said. “This time to ourselves gave us more insight into who we are and how we want to express and present ourselves to the world.”

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 33

Breaking Mira bhatt Think back to when you were four.

If you were given a marshmallow and told not to eat it, what would you do?

You would probably eat it. But what if you were told that if you don’t eat the marshmallow for 10 minutes while no one is in the room, you will be given a second marshmallow, and you would be allowed to eat both marshmallows. Then what would you do?

It turns out that most kids would still eat the marshmallow, but a few would be able to wait. A famous study, known as the “Marshmallow Test,” conducted in 1972 by Stanford professor Walter Mischel tracked a group of 4-year-olds for over 40 years and found that the kids who had the willpower to resist eating the first marshmallow were more successful than their peers: they did better in school, went to more prestigious colleges, got better jobs, and stayed married longer.

There have been hundreds of studies about willpower since then, and all of them have found that willpower seems to be the single greatest correlator with future success more than IQ or wealth.

So are you destined for failure if you quickly gobbled up your marshmallow when you were four? Thankfully, the answer is no. But the study does tell us that if you want to succeed at something, you’ll need the willpower to do what’s difficult instead of doing what’s comfortable.

The way to develop this willpower is through habits. Good habits are crucial not only for success but also for building a foundation for life. For instance, if you form a habit of eating vegetables every day, it will benefit your health in the long term.

While many people understand the importance of having good habits, they still struggle to break their bad habits.

A social media survey of 29 Carlmont students reveals that 50% of the students

bad habits

Have your habits become better or worse during quarantine?

15%

21%

64% Mira Bhatt

Better believe they have bad habits. Of those students, 64% said that these habits have worsened during the ongoing pandemic.

“Now with being distanced, we don’t have teachers telling us how to break these habits, we have to figure it out on our own, which is fine, but I think that’s why the majority of high school students deal with the same problems,” said Cesar Olvera, a senior at Carlmont. “We don’t know how to deal with them until we get older and figure it out ourselves.”

Since students began attending online school, many have struggled to form effective habits for their new lifestyle.

Worse

Same

They may feel overwhelmed, stressed, or depressed because they cannot see loved ones. As a result, many students are spending excessive amounts of time online.

“I think that there’s a lot of students who haven’t gotten back on track. There are all kinds of bad habits with phones.

Just the amount we’re checking phones and the amount we’re on social media is not healthy,” said Michelle McKee, an AP Psychology teacher at Carlmont.

Building healthy habits can help alleviate some of this stress and improve peoples’ moods. While good habits are

34 HIGHLANDER FEATURE

known to take a long time to form, there is an easy way to improve poor habits.

The book “The Power of Habit” explores the science behind habit creation and reformation. Author Charles Duhigg states three simple steps to building a habit: create a goal and an action plan ahead of time, apply that action at a specific time every day or every week, and reward yourself. These steps are also known as a habit loop.

For example, if someone wants to build a habit of exercising daily, they might make an initial goal to walk 30 minutes every day. They would need to set a specific time and place for this action and decide to walk around their

neighborhood, for example, after eating breakfast every morning.

Nadine Lahlouh, a junior at Carlmont, attempted something similar, as she tried to form a habit of exercising.

However, she did not succeed.

“I tried going for two weeks every single day for about 30 minutes, but when I didn’t see results, I just gave up,” Lahlouh said.

However, data from the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI) suggests that two weeks isn’t enough time to form a healthy habit. The NCBI states that following this routine takes an average of 66 days. While habits can be initially challenging to build, it

gets easier with time.

Psychological ideas surrounding habit-formation generate advice for simple and sustainable behavior modifications; habits can be easy to implement and have a realistic potential for long term change.

While building healthy habits can be challenging and time consuming, it ultimately improves many aspects of life. “I think that, oftentimes, when you’re forming a habit, there’s not a lot of immediate gratification. It takes time,” McKee said. “However, good habits can be beneficial to physical health, mental health, and emotional health.”

HOW TO CREATE A HABIT LOOP

11

Create a goal

Choose an attainable goal that you would like to achieve

Choose an action plan

22

Find an action you can do on a daily basis to achieve your goal.

3 3

Find the where & when

Plan when and where you will do this action. Make sure you encounter this time and location often.

Do the action

Every time you encounter your chosen time and location, do the action.

44

Congratulations, you have created a habit!

Keep in mind that habits can take a couple of months to form and it will get easier with time. After roughly 10 weeks, your habit should be automatic.

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 35

@ kolaycaofficial

STUDENTS KICKSTART THEIR FUTURE Jenny Xu

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Art by Amber Chia

Anna Wilkinson More than 50% of high school students say that they want to start a business someday.

Three Carlmont students have already accomplished that goal with the creation of Kolayca and M and S Jewelry.

The students who run these businesses are just a few of the many students at Carlmont full of entrepreneurial ideas.

While some Carlmont students have maintained their businesses for many years, others have recently created businesses to help with the repercussions of COVID-19. Because over 60% of small businesses have been closed down since the beginning of quarantine, sophomores Maddie Weissenger and So-

36 HIGHLANDER FEATURE

fia Panagrossi decided that they wanted “chool kills artists” are just a few of what to find a way to help families in need.

Azizalili puts on her clothes. Within This duo has been donating the promany of her audacious designs, Azizalili ceeds to the San Carlos Second Harvest, also features the definition of Kolayca. whose slogan is “Building a hunger-free These designs are just a few of the many community.” This organization provides that compose Azizalili’s brand. food to people within the community.

“My main goal for Kolayca is “We wanted to start the business beto display my culture, passions, cause we wanted to help out during the and designs to reflect who I hard times. We donated there because truly am,” Azizalili said. we realized that some people lost their Whether Azizalili is jobs due to COVID-19 and might not be renting out studios for able to afford food,” Panagrossi said. photoshoots or PanaIn May of 2020, Weissinger and grossi and WeissingPanagrossi started a jewelry brand on In- er are finding the stagram, with the username @m.and.s._ time within their jewelry. Since then, they have made busy schedules to over 60 different handmade designs and make their jewelry, have raised over $400 for the San Carlos these three students are extremely Second Harvest. dedicated to their work. Both businesses To make these designs, they find out have worked hard to raise awareness what their peers are interested in and and grow each of their following. Their what colors people would most likely efforts have not gone unnoticed. buy. The tedious process starts with them While not all students are aware of having to buy all of their supplies, such each business, there is a common apas charms and beads. Each design takes preciation for fellow classmates who are them around 20 minutes to ensure it is taking risks and expressing themselves, made perfectly for each customer. such as starting a business.

“This process taught me to never think that an idea for a business is not good enough,” Weissinger said.

While these girls started their business during COVID-19, another Carlmont student had established their business many months before.

In the middle of January 2020, Nuray Azizalili created her business, Kolayca.

Wanting to study fashion design in the future and having an ample amount of ideas, she decided to make Kolayca to gain some experience and to express herself artistically.

Azizalili isn’t the only entrepreneur in her family with a goal to create something artistic. Nuray’s parents also own their own business and have for many years. Azizalili wants to follow in their footsteps and hopefully continue to have a business when she is older.

“You have to engage your audience and make memorable products that people find interesting,” Azizalili said.

The name Kolayca is Turkish for “easy” and Azizalili uses this to show that fashion should be accessible to all. The designs created come from her background in painting and design.

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Associated Student Body Junior President, Jonathan Sison said, “Students are showing their dedication and strive to push themselves out of their comfort zone. Personal growth occurs most when one is not comfortable.”

@ kolaycaofficial

Jenny Xu

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 37

Video games serve as

safe haven for students Cambell Kirk Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the world is filled with anxiety.

How do we stay safe? How long will the pandemic continue?

Amongst the chaos, a silent but very real problem has infected millions of teens: loneliness.

Students struggle to maintain close contact with their friends because of quarantine orders, distance learning, and concerns for their family members’ health. Luckily, many were able to find that video games were a remedy to the loneliness that crept into their lives.

Video games were already growing in popularity before the pandemic, but now they’ve reached a record level of success.

According to The NPD Group, a market research firm, gaming sales in the US increased by 37% in August.

Call of Duty: Warzone, a first-person shooter game, has skyrocketed in popularity. According to PC Games magazine, the game had 75 million active players in August, and that number climbed another 30 million come late March when the

pandemic hit the world full-force.

Other games such as NBA 2K20 saw an 82% increase in active players during the period, while FIFA added over 7 million new players.

By far, the most successful new game was Nintendo’s social simulation game Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which quickly became immensely popular around the world after it’s debut in March.

The game captivates players as they’re transported to a world of fantasy. Players work to build a town while filling the role of various adorable animal characters. The goal is to gather and craft items, harvest food, and develop a village into a harmonious community. It plays the perfect role of providing comfort and social connection to its users in a time of isolation and struggle.

The premotor and parietal cortex are activated during action games. These regions control sensory movement

“It’s all about social interaction. You build your own gardens with other people. You play in teams overcoming other teams; it’s really checking a lot of those social needs in a time of isolation,” said Isabela Granic, professor of developmental psychopathology at Radboud University.

There are two main psychological explanations behind the game’s explosive success. First, it offers people an alternate reality to escape to during a time of struggle. It is instinct to want to distract yourself from life’s difficulties, and Animal Crossing lets users chase a peaceful and harmonious new life. Additionally, it satisfies human nature; people need social interaction to be happy.

For Mark Castro, downloading Animal Crossing was out of curiosity.

“I started playing because all my

Playing video games can improve cognitive abilities, such as mental rotation and attention

During game play, dopamine is released in the brain. This chemical is associated with positive feelings and satisfaction

Art by Cambell Kirk

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friends were playing. I saw all their islands, and the game looked fun to me, so I decided to get it,” Castro said.

As time went on, he realized the connection he made with the game was much more profound than a mere tool to help him pass the time.

“It’s been great having it because my friends and I can go to each other’s islands and hang out when we can’t phys-

ically be together,” Castro said.

Like many teens, Castro utilized the team-based concept of Animal Crossing to help him cope with the lack of human interaction quarantine imposed on him.

There are still a plethora of other options available for those who aren’t interested in designing towns.

Part of Nikita Yentus’s weekly routine was meeting up with his friends to play basketball. They’d play a few games while discussing the current events of the week.

When the quarantine order was Games that involve imposed on San Mateo County, Yentus strategy and thinking struggled to find ways to recreate his stimulate the Prefrontal weekly routine.

Cortex. When you play NBA 2K20 came to the rescue.

Fortnite, for example, this “Although it isn’t the same as face to region works to help you face, the game helped me stay in contact formulate a plan of action with my friends,” Yentus said. “My daily routine became doing online school and then hopping on to talk to my friends and virtually play the sport I love. It helped me stay sane, even though every

thing was pretty crazy.”

Granic agrees that competitive games are incredibly helpful.

“It’s a sort of background playground for them to socialize while they happen to have a joystick in their hands.

Competitive games have mental health benefits for young people, just as we’ve known for offline sports as well,” Granic said.

As the pandemic shows no sign of ending anytime soon, companies continue to push out new games. All over the world, kids continue to use them to connect with their friends as the world remains in uncertainty.

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER 39

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VIDEO GAMES IN QUARANTINE Article and art by David Su

March - Warzone Warzone is Call of Duty’s take on a battle royale, where 150 players are dropped onto the map to fight to the death. In Warzone, players must scavenge for weapons and survive in a shrinking safe zone. Since its launch in March 2020, Warzone has remained the fourth mostwatched game on Twitch. “It’s one of the best battle royale games out right now,” Robert Amato, a junior, said.

July - Minecraft Minecraft is an open world sandbox game where players can shape the world however they want and can play solo or on a server with friends. A new wave of content creators have drawn much attention to the game. Personalities such as Dream and TommyInIt have remained top streamers on Twitch as the game’s popularity once again exploded in July.

Student Poll: what kind of game do you enjoy the most? shooter game

37%

Casual game

36%

Party game

27%

April - VALORANT Developer Riot Games has made its first entrance into first-person shooters with its competitive shooter Valorant. Riot Games has begun to develop an esports scene for the character-based shooter and is steadily growing the game’s player base. Valorant pulled a whopping 1.7 million viewers on Twitch at launch, but as of October 2020, it has fallen to around 50,000 average live viewers.

August - Fall Guys September - Among Us Among Us is a party game where a group of people try to weed out imposters from the group, all while the imposters try to eliminate as many players as they can without being caught.

Although released in 2018, Among Us has made a massive comeback, going from an average of 3,000 concurrent players in June 2020 to 176,000 average concurrent players in October 2020.

In Fall Guys, little bean-shaped characters compete against each other in multiple stages of mini-games, which range from obstacle courses to soccer. Every round, players are eliminated until eventually there is one player left standing. Released in July 2020, the game became a Twitch phenomenon, where it became the second most-watched game on Twitch in August. “Fall Guys was really fun,” Luke Kuroda, a junior, said. “But then it died.”

40 HIGHLANDER FUN

etflix quarantine trends Mari Ramirez

With quarantine, many Carlmont students were left with excessive amounts of time on their hands. The following TV shows were ranked as Top 1, on Netflix’s list, during the stated months. Students also share their inputs regarding the popular shows.

August: The Umbrella Academy A family of former child heroes, now grown apart, must reunite to continue to protect the world. “I was so excited when season two came out because season one was amazing,” Tony Martin, a senior, said.

October: Schitt’s Creek When rich businessman Johnny Rose and his family suddenly find themselves broke, they are forced to leave their pampered lives to relocate to Schitt’s Creek, a town far from their world. “Schitt’s Creek is hilarious, but the last season just came out, so it was bittersweet to watch,” Katrina Sharonin, a senior, said.

September: Julie and the Phantoms

Julie is a teenage girl who discovers her passion for music with the help of a band of teen boys, The Phantoms, who have been dead for 25 years. “I didn’t expect to like this because it seemed weird, but I’m so happy I gave it a chance,” Olivia Troy, a senior, said.

November: Queen’s Gambit An orphaned chess prodigy embarks on a journey to become the world’s greatest chess player while battling addiction. “It felt like an extra long movie and it was fantastic. I’m sad it was only a mini series,” Sasha Belov, a junior, said.

Art by Mari Ramirez

JANUARY 2021 HIGHLANDER

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Carlmont Critters Students and teachers alike spend time with their cuddly companions.

Article and design by Maddy Ting. Photos taken by respective owners.

TEDDY

Owner: Emma Evans, a senior TEDDY-ED! This little corgi graduated top of his class in doggy school.

“He thinks that if he runs upstairs to my dad’s room that he can hide things, so we know he’s doing something he thinks is against the rules when he runs up there for no reason.”

MUSHU

Owner: Sabrina Lo, a junior Age: 1 year old Favorite Activity: sleeping Favorite Food: cashews

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cashews!

42 HIGHLANDER FUN

MUFFIN Owner: Alex Nyholm -Goncalves, a senior

‘Rescued in Richmond’ “We fell in love with him as soon as we got him. Only 4% of bunnies are social, so we got lucky when we found out he’s one of them.”

OBI

Owner: Ian Hagmann, Physics teacher “Obi is a rescue cat that I adopted five years ago. He loves to go outside with me and go on walks around my backyard. Besides that, he likes to sleep on his blanket, cuddle at night, and play.”

SAY HI TO THE CAMERA! Physics students often get glimpses of him on-screen during class.

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Monty’s Relaxing Recipes Article and photos by Eoin Cunningham Navigating school in an online platform is no easy feat, and if you’re like me, chances are you need a break. Studies have shown that activities like cooking can make you feel more relaxed and happy. To save you the stress of having to find a recipe yourself, here are some recipes shared by Carlmont students.

Chicken karaage Serves 2-3

For those who want to try something just a little harder, Chris Wong, senior, has a recipe for Chicken Karaage that is the one.

Ingredients: • • • • • •

600g chicken thighs 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons mirin 1 tablespoon grated ginger 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) ½ teaspoon five spice

• • • • •

350*F

1 hour

½ teaspoon sugar Sweet potato starch & mochi flower 1:1 ratio (to coat chicken) Japanese mayonnaise (to serve) Lemon slices (to serve) Vegetable oil for frying

Directions: 1. Cut the chicken into two pieces. Combine the chicken with the soy sauce, mirin, ginger, five spice, sugar, and cayenne pepper and let sit for 15 minutes, covered.

2. Combine the sweet potato starch and the mochi flower in a tray or large bowl. Using chopsticks and a fork, grab the chicken and coat each side with the flour mix one piece at a time; shake off excess flour, mix and place on a tray.

3. Heat the oil to 350 degrees Farenheit in a saucepan.

Add the chicken to the oil in small batches to prevent the oil from cooling down too much. For each batch, deep fry for 1 minute, then remove the chicken to a rack and let rest for 30 seconds before returning to the oil for an additional one to one and a half minutes, then let rest on a wire rack.

4. Serve the chicken with the lemon wedge and a little Japanese mayonnaise.

44 HIGHLANDER FUN

Kimchi Fried Rice Serves 2-3

High

1 hour

Our second recipe is for Kimchi Fried Rice and comes to us from Eric Wang, a senior. Eric put it best when he said, “Rice, kimchi, spam, onions, butter, soy sauce, sesame oil.” That’s what is so great about this dish, it is so simple and easy that there’s no need for exact amounts when it comes to the ingredients.

Ingredients: • • • • • • •

Rice Kimchi Spam Onions Butter Soy sauce Sesame oil

Directions: 1. Cook the rice: a ratio of two cups of water for every cup of rice will be fine.

2. Melt a butter in a pan and then fry the spam and onions. Once fried to your liking, put them aside.

3. Add the rice and kimchi to the pan and fry them. Add back the onions and spam and then add the soy sauce and sesame oil to taste.

Banana bread From Alexia Wong, a senior, we have a recipe for the home baking classic: Banana Bread.

Serves 14-16

350*F

2 hours

Ingredients: • • • • •

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 egg

• • • • •

1 cup mashed ripe bananas ¾ cup sugar ¼ cup cooking oil 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel (optional) ½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions: 1. Grease the bottom and a ½ inch up the sides of an 8x4x2 inch loaf pan. Set aside. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and an ⅛ teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. Set aside.

2. In another bowl combine the egg, bananas, sugar, cooking oil, and lemon peel(optional). Add egg mixture all at once to the dry mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in the nuts.

3. Spoon batter into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees Farenheit in the oven for 50 to 55 minutes. Once out of the oven, let the pan cool for ten minutes before removing the loaf from it.

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Congratulations to all of our Pacemaker Award winners!

Francesca Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Urzo

Phoebe Gulsen

Honorable mention Designer of the Year

Fifth place COVID-19 Broadcast: news

Allison Raisner

Kiana George

First place Multimedia sports story

Honorable mention Broadcast feature story

Maddy Ting

Ava Richards

First place Marketer of the Year

Honorable mention Literary magazine cover

Kasey Liu

Lexi Romanowsky

Honorable mention Comics journalism

Fourth place Comic strip/panel

Rachel McCrea

Ava Richards

Fourth place News photo

Camille Kay, Audrey Swenson Fifth place Local climate change reporting

Honorable mention Broadcaster of the year

Saya Deshpande, Kiana George Honorable mention Multimedia feature story

Brianna Cheng, Zachary Khouri, Merle Nguyen, Auva Soheili, Maddy Ting Honorable mention Multimedia news story of the Year

To find out more about awards and news updates, connect with us!

46 HIGHLANDER OPINION

Editorial: Internet privacy is important The most advanced technology 70 years ago–a computer weighing over 50 tons–did not even have half the power of a 2-by-6 rectangle found in the pocket of any average American nowadays.

During this pandemic we have become even more heavily reliant on it.

From staying connected with friends and family, to Zoom calls for school and work, and using social media as a means of seeing the world while in our living rooms—we have used technology for a sense of normalcy. Though technology and the internet have become an integral part of society, they have drawbacks that we cannot ignore.

For instance, the growing division in the U.S. is not by chance. It is largely due to the internet. Popular apps are programmed to keep their users engaged, so they only give you content that you want to see. At first, this may seem like a good

thing. Say you enjoy sewing; once the algorithm realizes you gravitate towards these kinds of videos, it makes sure sewing videos pop up in your feed. In this case, the algorithm is helpful because it shows you what you’re interested in.

However, the constant flow of only the information you want to see becomes dangerous when applied to things like politics and conspiracies.

As of late, the terms and services of popular apps such as Instagram have also grown more vague, giving the app more control in private areas of the users’ life. Instagram now has the ability to look through calls and text messages, watch users through their camera phone, and use their pictures as they please.

But apps are not the only invasion of privacy that we have willfully brought into our lives for the sake of convenience. The little home helpers remind-

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ing you to take out the trash, telling you the time, and eavesdropping on your conversations are better known as Alexa or Google Home.

Privacy in one’s home is no longer guaranteed, in fact it is safe to assume that with all the gadgets in your home, you have less privacy than your grandparents.

Even though information is quite literally a couple taps away, it seems many are uninformed about how much big companies are infringing on privacy.

Scrolling through the terms and conditions without a second glance and pressing accept is a habit we need to break.

Next time you’re faced with the pages on pages of text of another contract, read some of it and think about how much of your privacy you are willing to relinquish before pressing accept.

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Artist Profile: Sofia Hawkes

I started doing art around 7th grade. I really loved colors so I saw art as a fun way to let loose and express myself. I started to take it more seriously freshman year when I took art classes and got the chance to focus on technique. From then on, art took a prominent spot in my life, and I have a lot of fun practicing and developing my artwork. I usually paint with acrylics because they dry quickly and I like to use layers in my art, but I am starting to get into oil paints as well. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not sure where I want to go with art in the future, but I plan on attending a liberal arts college so I get the chance to see how I can use art in the future.

Art by Sofia Hawkes