Persistent, Aspiring, Noble, Diligent, Achieving
SHSID|TIMES September October 2017 Edition
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The TIMES Team Editor in Chief Annie Fang Managing Editor Angelina Ding Director of Digital Media Irene Chan Features Editor Allen Xie Creative Director Angelina Ding Director of Photography James Zhang
News Sophie Li Alina Zhang Cindy So Grace Chan Junho Suh Lelan Hu Maggie Jiang Rachel Wu Tania Kim Lifestyle Irene Chan Evelyn Wan Jerry Chen Lucy Wu Michael Fan Natalie Song Tania Kim Ting Shing Koh English Literature Chloe Tan Chang Wei Tse Cissy Choy Koh Ting Shing Ksenia Shlykova Rachel Wu Sophie Li Chinese Literature Kathy Wang Happy Wang Helen Li Tiffany Li Tina Chen Ting Yang Student Journal Sophia She Audney Guo Emily Teng Jiayi Yue Linda Li Yeshin Moon
Cover and Feature Photos by: James Zhang Cover Illustration by: Yixiao Zhao
Sci-Tech Allen Xie Chang Wei Tse Emily Jiang Jeff He Kevin Bao Raymond Cheng Design and Illustration Angelina Ding Aldrin Cheung Andrea Chen Anna Heath Annie Xu Calen Weng Evelyn Wan Jenny Yu Joyce Ho Judith Luo Kevin Gu Lily Liu Maggie Huang Mia Hong Michelle Ding Mingyi Suo Penny Zhang Wendy Kim Yixiao Zhao Photography James Zhang Angel Wang Anna Jin Audney Guo Austin Chen Cindy Bu Daniel Xue Dennys Huang（Waitlist） Jacqueline He Niketa Kou Kevin Gu Maggie Chan Sophia She Thomas Wu Tiffany Hung
English Literature Advisor::Mr. Brian Brady Publicity Coordinator: Ms. Zhang, Nan Supervisor: Mr. Ma, Feng
Letter From the Editor Themed THE NEW WAVE, this issue is about the shifting values significant to our student lives. Coming from diverse cultural backgrounds, one of the most important factors that bonds us as a generation is the constant exposure to popular music, social media, and brands – all explored at length in this issue’s cover story, “Catching the Wave of Popular Culture.” In Times’ first Chinese opinion piece on the Hip Hop culture in China, we examine new modes of communication brought about in the widely popular Rap of China, which accompanied many of us throughout the summer. In Student Journal, we introduce the story of traditional Chinese culture enthusiasts who have developed new methods of showcasing their passions. The magazine has also witnessed new waves of its own. Not only are the videos in our new multimedia series Around the World: Food Hunting with Times created independently by SHSID students, you will also find an increasing number of original illustrations throughout the pages of this issue. In addition, we hope that your opinions on our work and your thoughts on campus happenings will find home in the newly established Letters section – from calls for reform of the ASB to student behavior at the Award Ceremony. Beyond the creative community we are, Times is also a platform for discourse and debate, always welcoming novel ideas and changes that will hopefully stimulate new waves of thinking on campus. Sincerely,
Annie Fang, Editor in Chief
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TABLE OF Cover Story 3
Catching the Wave of Popular Culture Exploring the trends and changes in popular culture.
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[OPINION] On Violence in Video Games
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JSTOR and the Online Library
News
How to deal with ever-increasing realism. Two newly introduced systems that are sure to facilitate research.
Lifestyle
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Virtual Reality College Tour
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[PHOTO SPREAD] Sports Meet 2017
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How to Up Your Photography Game
The New Course: Project Based Learning
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Through the Cultural Looking Glass
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A true American college experience through VR lenses.
The newest school course that may change the beginning of high school education.
Your Instagram game will go from 0 to 100, real quick. A glimpse at the best of both worlds.
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CONTENTS Literature 27 31
Science and Technology 37
Innovative Uses of Drones and How They Can Change the World
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The Flying Railway: A Soon Reality
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Check out how people are using drones to do cool things other than filming. Discover the tech behind China’s own take on the Hyperloop concept.
Student Journal 41 44
Chinese Culture in a Modern Context How 龙吟社 transforms its passion into a mission. Through the Process Angel Wang converts spontaneities, inspiration, and creativity into project Through.
LETTERS The Letters section is a space of discussion and reflection for the readers and writers of Times. Whether it be comments, critiques or concerns about articles in previous issues or your take on recent campus news, this section seeks to vocalize these important opinions.
ON THE SENIOR ASB Another year, another ASB election, but this year, a young man stood out and broke the monotony of the G11-12 ASB election tradition by calling out problems with the associated student body. With every word he spoke, the crowd grew a bit more restless; by the end, he received a standing ovation. But how much of it was true, and how much of it should we believe? One thing is for sure: the ASB has been composed of the same people for years, sometimes making it difficult for others to join. Within the ASB, there is another voting process that almost always elects the same president, vice president, etc. In addition, honorary members are guaranteed places in the ASB. With these barriers, it is true that newcomers may have a hard time entering the student body, and this, undoubtedly, seems to be the main concern of many students. However, although this structure can seem unfair at times, it is unarguable that the ASB resulting from it gets the job done. Events over the past years have only been getting better, and because the same people have been in the ASB for years, they have the experience to further improve the events and make more great high school memories for everyone. Moreover, people who truly want to join the ASB but found trouble during the election stage can still help out with afterschool ASB work and eventually join the team. In short, the ASB seems to value productivity over all else. Planning and organizing events takes a great deal of effort, and events may not turn out successful without the current structure. With that said, the election process still needs some work as it inevitably favours veterans over newcomers. - Kevin He 12(1)
ON THE AWARDS CEREMONY The awarding ceremony exhibited the most stressful speech I had ever given. Whereas our debate spectators wanted to hear us speak, this crowd did not. Awardee speakers understood that few would pay attention; awards do, indeed, seem detached from ordinary school life. Bearing that in mind—from the draft to the podium, I had dared not hope for much, but my expectations had still danced around the notion of a small, low rumble—with some room to ease in a personal touch on delivery and perhaps even enjoyment. Yet straining to hear even myself over the roars that struck from below, any optimism shattered. A certain despair had clung to my chest as I peered over at the heads turned down at phones, held together deep in chatter, and hung back in complaint and exhaustion. To such fellow students, I plead looking up so as we may convince ourselves we mattered, to stay quiet so as we may convince ourselves hard work paid off, and to show some courtesy so as we not feel a sense of utter failure. To such fellow students, I plead only civility. - Lelan Hu 10(3)
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ON “WANNACRY CYBERATTACK: IMPACTS AND IMPLICATIONS” DIGITAL, MAY 2017
Well written! But this article has a few issues I would like to point out. First of all, the malware did not CREATE a backdoor. It simply exploited an existing one, which was fixed via a patch released March. Additionally, installing the aforementioned patch did not significantly mitigate the attack. The real saving grace of this unfortunate incident was the accidental activation of a kill switch built into the malware by a cybersecurity firm employee. Finally, "brick" is an awkward term to use for describing the effects of the malware. Thank you. - George Xu 12(8)
ON “WANNACRY CYBERATTACK: IMPACTS AND IMPLICATIONS” DIGITAL, MAY 2017
Hey guys, still remember WannaCry? I bet you don’t. Quick refresher: WannaCry was a computer malware that plagued the Windows platform back in May this year. Many months have passed since the initial attack, so what we should be discussing now isn’t how bad the attack was (it was pretty bad), but rather the implications of ransom ware and how we could prevent similar events from happening again. The reason behind WannaCry’s success is people’s neglect of updating their systems. The security weakness exploited by WannaCry (EternalBlue) was found many months ago, and a patch was released soon after. The fix didn’t gain much attention until after the cyberattack, showing our neglect of updating Windows. The entire Wannacry attack should have served as a wake-up call for all of us, but just a month later another piece of malware by the name of Petya managed to devastate Ukraine using the exact same security exploit (EternalBlue)! - Daniel Xue 11(3)
ON “A LETTER TO CAPT” DIGITAL, OCTOBER 2017
Finally. Finally someone gives love to a movie. Well then again, I don’t really read these articles but when I do, I read movie articles. First off, this article is really well written, with a nice balance between serious and mockery that perfectly fits the not particularly serious topic. I really only have one problem with it and that is it’s kind of not focussing on the important aspect of Captain America. While having slightly touched on it, I believe that Captain America, as a movie, is not supposed to have such a deep meaning behind it. It is an action movie aimed at younger audiences who just want to see shield throwing shenanigans. I don’t think they care about if Captain America was an activist who shouldn’t have so judiciously employed violence. But then again, I’m just a freshman. Who am I to question the mighty seniors? I applaud your efforts to find a deeper meaning behind a movie often thought of as one of lower intelligence. Even if there is a meaning hidden behind the shield, unless you threatened to whack me with it, I really wouldn’t try to look. - Alex Shi 9(2)
Send your opinions to shsidtimes@hotmail.com or SHSIDTIMES on WeChat. SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2017
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Written by: Audney Guo, Jerry Chen, and Koh Ting Shing Styled by: Penny Zhang, Happy Wang, and Yixiao Zhao
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hen you think of popular culture, what comes into your mind? Is it Supreme, a popular clothing brand, or K-pop, a genre of music that has initiated a new mode of music production worldwide? Essentially, popular culture is “popular.” First coined in the 19th century, the term refers to a type of culture accessible by any member in any part of the world. Among all, three of the most prominent aspects of popular culture – music, media, and brands – have planted their roots in everyday life, and as they continue to develop new trends, popular culture itself is constantly being redefined.
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Illustration by: Mia Hong SHSID|TIMES
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COVER STORY Throughout the years, popular music has been diversifying and expanding its influence on a global scale. Tin Pan Alley in New York City, World War Two war songs, or catchy “party music?” With all of these concepts being related to popular music, people often struggle to find an accurate definition for it. Some say it’s “mainstream.” Some say it’s music that’s “easy to follow.” Some say it’s simply “widely known.” Indeed, it might be hard to define popular music in a way that incorporates everyone’s understanding of it, yet throughout the years, popular music has been diversifying and expanding its influence on a global scale: it is music that serves as a bridge, connecting listeners from different cultures with distinct tastes – it is a medium through which people discover new preferences or even ways to express their personal feelings.
Characteristics Popular music, in the modern sense, is composed of captivating melodies that linger in one’s head, simple rhythms with predictability, and attentiongrabbing elements. Younji Jung from 11(1)A shares her experience of listening to pop songs, “When looking for popular songs, 20% of the time I look after the lyrics and see whether the song is successful in conveying its message. 40% of the time, I look after whether the flow of rhythms, or melody, or even a single bass line of the song, is striking. The rest of the time I look after the tone of the vocals.”
K-pop: A Lifestyle? When we think about popular Asian music, K-pop comes to mind. Often, these tracks are not released individually, but packaged with attractive idols, catchy choreographies, and high quality music videos. Usually, the aesthetics provided by these Korean idols are cross-cultural — they attract fans from all around the world. Through time, large fan bases of these idol groups have built up, allowing the music to be-
come more popular. Vivian Hsia from 12(1)B, an avid K-pop fan, believes that K-pop emphasizes the artist over the music: when the idols become famous, their songs, clothes and styles become famous, too. The songs from different K-pop singers that she listens to can also be reflections of the various sides of herself. “[Korean singer] Bobby’s songs often represent the louder side of me as the rap music is tight in beat and exciting. But I also listen to a lot of smoother music when I’m feeling down.” Wendy Kim from 12(9), a hardcore fan of Korean boy band Highlight, indicates that she listens to K-pop because of its pretty album covers, strong dance moves, and her sense of Korean identity. “Because I moved out of Korea when I was still young, I really wasn’t connected to Korea, but this Highlight concert that I went to eight years ago really gave me a sense of my culture and my identity. I can be living outside of Korea, but I shouldn’t be disconnected from its music. Whenever my non-Korean friends ask me about K-pop songs, I always feel very proud of my culture.” Other students who constantly listen to K-pop often find it influential in their social lives, too. This rise in Korean popular music signifies the gradual diversification of popular culture – it doesn’t necessarily equate to Western values, as music from the Eastern Hemisphere can also be accepted by a wide range of listeners. Vivian Hsia expresses that K-pop introduced her to a new group of friends in school with shared music preferences. Maggie Wen, an avid K-pop dancer from 11(3), indicates that K-pop music has brought her into K-pop culture in general – she tracks and practices the choreographies of Korean popular music, and she also chooses to wear popular clothing pieces popularized by Korean idol groups, such as track pants and baseball caps. Furthermore, as Younji comments, “Now, hip-hop is the most popular gen-
re in K-pop, second to general idol pop music: it has become a crucial part in Korean culture as a whole. In fact, as we talk about hip-hop, share music on WeChat, and watch live performances, we engage in cultural interactions with the music and the bridge connecting different individuals.”
Platforms For Western popular music, Billboard serves as a music ranking platform that provides a list of the newest, most popular music. Sophia Wang from 11(2) states that Billboard is platform that informs her about what people in the States listen to. Benjamin Tang from 10(6), who enjoys listening to alternative rock and EDM, tends to reference Billboard when asked to play music for others. “All of us have very different tastes, but playing Billboard won’t get me wrong. It doesn’t mean that these songs are necessarily good, but they are commonly known, so when it’s played with a group of people, it wouldn’t be too awkward.” On the other hand, some people depend on platforms such as Billboard to establish their music palate. “For me, music is really K-pop and non K-pop. To me, non K-pop is equivalent to Billboard. So that’s where I find other songs,” says Wendy. Popular music in general also serves as a platform for more niche genres to be recognized by the public. A typical example would be “Despacito.” Before the synthesized English and Spanish version by Justin Bieber was released, the original Spanish version by Luis Fonsi was not as widely known. After Justin Bieber released his version, both songs immediately went viral. Similar to K-pop, the popularity of the artist has significant influence over the popularity of the song itself. In addition, the combination of languages adds a diverse element to the song. This element, combined with Justin Bieber’s popularity, contributes to the song’s prevalence in the global music community.
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COVER STORY
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Photo by: Niketa Kou Illustration by: Annie Xu
COVER STORY As a platform that allows people to share their ideas and interests, social media serves as the primary medium to spread popular culture.
WeChat. Instagram. Snapchat. They may seem like ordinary platforms to communicate and share pictures with, but the category they all fall under, social media, embodies so much more. As a platform that allows people to share their ideas and interests, social media serves as the primary medium to spread popular culture.
More Than Just VideoSharing Platforms Social media platforms have maintained close ties with different aspects of popular culture, such as music. Music has always been more than just the auditory experience. Music videos often attract viewers to new artists and genres of music through visual appeals. Teeya Lowe from 10(4) notes that her taste in music has been impacted by social media through exposure to various genres of music. She enjoys watching music videos and is especially attracted to the stories that music videos depict. Teeya states that her diverse music taste is influenced by social media, as social media provides the opportunity for people to branch out of their comfort zones and explore. YouTube, a revolutionary social media site created over a decade ago, has given rise to entertainers with multiple talents. YouTubers have evolved into celebrities as they design merchandise, create music, star in movies and TV shows, and go on tours. For instance, Lilly Singh, a Canadian YouTuber, actress, and writer, embodies what upand-coming YouTubers aspire to be. With her accomplishments in various fields, Lilly Singh has successfully established her personal brand through the help of YouTube. What started off as a simple YouTube channel has led to endeavors in acting, movie production, and writing. The influence of YouTube, especially on millennials, is apparent in students who are inspired to create digital content. Among SHSID students, Nicole Cheung, an active YouTuber from
10(11), posts dance tutorials, graffititagging videos, vlogs, and reaction videos on her channel regularly. She hopes to create original content that motivates her viewers while pursuing her passions, acknowledging that “social media lets people get in touch with different people and cultures.” Nicole also has personal experience with meeting new friends through social media, as she recently met up with a rising YouTuber and is planning collaborations with others. Bilibili, another platform more commonly associated with anime, allows people to post original content and support UPs (uploaders) they enjoy watching. Rachel Wang, a senior and anime and vocaloid enthusiast from 12(1)A, initially created videos explaining the newest features of a game called Yandere Simulator, but later gravitated toward sharing music on her channel. She recognizes how her content has been influenced by popular culture as she explains how the games she explores are “reflection[s] of many aspects of more popular subcultures, as the characterization of the main character as a yandere, in the game Yandere Simulator, shows one of the “dere” personalities popularized by much of Japanese ACG culture.” The term “dere” is used by anime fans to describe popular character traits attributed to female characters. Her song choices are also “covers of other more popular ones.”
A New Era, A New Image As social media has evolved over time, the values it promotes have also moved in a different direction. People are now more likely to present more natural images of themselves to society and be accepted as who they are. As Nicole puts it, she has grown to feel more comfortable and confident through presenting her natural self on social media. Mobile applications such as Snapchat challenge traditional beauty standards, such as having perfect skin or delicate facial features. With the 24-hour time limit
on all posts, people feel more at ease when they are aware that the disfigured photos they take are not permanently public. People also intentionally try to make themselves look quirky on Snapchat as it is a form of entertainment for themselves and for others. This devaluation of beauty has affected the creation and characteristics of popular culture as traditional values originated from popular culture have been altered via social media. Although social media has gradually lightened its emphasis on traditional standards of beauty, platforms such as Instagram continue to promote perfection. Applying multiple filters, adding artistic and quirky captions, and maintaining an aesthetic feed have become common among Instagram users. Teeya expresses her concerns of posting something less than perfect, “on social media, everything is a permanent mark,” which discourages her from posting more candid pictures. Nonetheless, people have found ways of expressing their candid selves to people they are close to with the creation of “Finstas.” “Finsta” is the portmanteau of the words “fake” and “Instagram,” which provides a platform for people to share less polished versions of their lives with their closest friends. “Finstas” are built on the idea of being completely real, with people presenting themselves unfiltered. On the other hand, social media has also modified itself to people’s traits, such as short attention spans. Posts on WeChat, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and more all promote and further encourage people to have short attention spans. With 140-character limits on tweets and 60-second time limits on Instagram videos, social media helps people develop the skill of presenting themselves in short, concise, but still eye-catching ways. This affects how content is created in the production of popular culture as well. Being catchy and creative but not time consuming for viewers allow something to become trendy.
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BRANDS
Photo by: Niketa Kou
“These brands are rebellious and strong in character. People who wear trendy brands have their own style that they hang onto. They don’t really care what other people think.” - Vivian Hsia 12(1)B
COVER STORY
Popular culture has also placed importance on fashion. Fashion trends today show that some members of the younger generation tend to follow name brands. Clothes are no longer just basic necessities of everyday life – they have become symbols of the younger generation’s identities, catching onto the wave of popular culture.
right now is colorful and trendy tracksuits,” notes Vivian. Another part of the brand effect, Vivian argues, comes from the brand’s image being associated with exclusivity. “People started paying attention to these brands because having a brand makes people feel trendy, that they are part of something.”
Looking Beyond Just Brands
The Rise of a New Era?
A shift of focus to the brand of a product shines new light on what matters nowadays. It is not without reason that this trend of brand loyalty has emerged within the younger demographic. Increased connections between brands and quality now reflect their complementary nature; rather than prioritizing one over the other, it is now a combination of both that matters. Vivian expresses, “When I shop, I have top choices of brands in mind, but I would still purchase high quality clothing even if they are not in the range of popular brands.” To most, the brand is more than just a name for a single product – it is a symbol of their identity. People can now express themselves through their stylistic choices. As an active student athlete, Charlotte Yeh from 11(6) always wears shorts and sneakers, opting out of jeans and more casual shoes. Just by wearing that particular brand, one can speak volumes about being an athlete or a dancer. She believes that “brands give a broad idea of what one’s identity, such as an athlete, but clothing styles could narrow down the range to a specific one.” Speaking to her multifaceted self image, Vivian regularly “choose[s] clothes that are more sporty and young.” She believes that as a student and a dancer who “moves a lot and dances a lot,” her choices tend to go to outfits that are comfortable to wear and pop in color. “The colors I choose make me feel lively, energetic, and young. One of my favorite outfits
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Supreme. Anti-Social Social Club. Thrasher. These younger-generation brands, and many more, continue to show up in closets of fashion enthusiasts around the world. The reason, it seems, lies in the bold statements they make. “These brands are rebellious and strong in character,” Vivian theorizes, “people who wear trendy brands have their own style that they hang onto. They don’t really care what other people think.” However, it is one thing to purchase those brands and another thing to style it your own way. She states, “There are three types of people. There are the people who style these brands in their own way, which involves an entire process of color coordination. There are also people who just really like the brands, and pick and choose individual pieces to wear. Finally, there are people who just buy it for the brand, having seen it on social media and other platforms.” Different from traditional shop windows or by word of mouth, the popularity of these new brands come from the most influential means of spreading information today – social media. For most youngsters, social media seems to act as the main source of information through which new trends can truly become popular. Charlotte claims that she gets her brand-related information from their official Instagram accounts and celebrities’ Instagram accounts. Vivian believes that a main reason that these brands have occupied the scene on social media is because “as people are scrolling through their feed, they
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would come across a post by a celebrity or internet-famous individual and think: Wow! What’s this brand? It looks pretty good. On the other hand, because these pieces of information come and go on the internet’s busiest platforms, what the next “popular trend” will be is difficult to predict. As these newer, trendier brands have gained momentum over the past few years, one begins to wonder – is this something that is here to stay? The answer is uncertain; the presence of these brands can hold for anywhere from just a couple of months, like the neckties worn as belts back in 2004, to more than a few years. As for now, Vivian thinks, “they are actually in an upward trend. These brands can hold out for a couple more years, to say the least.” However, Charlotte offers an alternative perspective, “These trendy brands would be blown away soon because people’s sense of fashion changes all the time and the price of these products are relatively too high compared to similar products from other brands.” Like many other aspects of popular culture, whether or not these brands will maintain their influence, or even further their impact is to be determined; however, the fashion sector of popular culture is certainly dynamic.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, there are so many more approaches and perspectives to viewing popular culture. What’s more important is the concrete impacts that popular culture has made on everyday life. Together, music tastes, social media images, and brand preferences shape people’s identities through their choices and provide them with a new medium to see the world through. There is no way to know what the future may hold due to the constantly shifting dynamics of popular culture. The scene of popular culture may be entirely different tomorrow.
COVER STORY People can now express themselves through not only articles of clothing, but also their stylistic choices.
Photo by: James Zhang SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2017
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NEWS
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NEWS
Virtual Reality College Tour Written by: Junho Suh | Photos by: Sophia She
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n September 7th, 2017, three prestigious universities from the United States paid a visit to SHSID. Vanderbilt University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Northwestern University, together with the InitialView team, introduced virtual reality glasses at the event, offering students a “true American experience.” After providing general information about American private research universities, each representative went on to present their respective institutions. Each university highlighted the opportunities that they provide to their students. Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, is rich in career opportunities as the offices of many companies are located in Nashville, such as that of Google, Microsoft, and Bank of America. Washington University in St. Louis, or Wash-U for short, introduced its university using three keywords: curiosity, creativity, and innovation. As a middle-sized research university, it focuses on the free cultural, religious, and political student lives on campus. The atmosphere of the university encourages students to actively participate in events and to develop their social lives within the university. Furthermore, the university allows students to have self-designed majors, such as majors that combine Math with Psychology and Neuroscience with Engineering. Finally, Northwestern University, located in the city of Evanston, establishes itself as the epicenter for opportunity and diversity. The admission officer highlighted their attempts to connect classrooms with the world by not only placing their academic focus on lectures, but also on analysis of the real world and the ap-
plication of knowledge. Following the presentations, the universities introduced each university’s campus through virtual reality videos. With the help of student volunteers and staff members from the InitialView team, multiple sets of virtual reality gear and Google Cardboards, devices that allow VR experiences on mobile phones, were provided to the audience. The videos took the viewers through the campus halls and buildings with audio explanations. Through the VR glasses, the audience of the college tours was able to have realistic experiences of the campuses. Each campus displays each university’s unique characteristics. Washington University’s campus shows its diversity and its emphasis on constituting a campus that students can enjoy. Northwestern University’s campus, on the other hand, is very compact and simple with buildings focused on academics, reflecting the overall scholarly atmosphere of their university. Vanderbilt University combines greenery and antique buildings, creating a relaxing environment. The experience that this college tour provided was unique in multiple aspects. Having three top American Universities in one location is a rare opportunity, and this was the first time that virtual reality devices were used to enhanced the experience. Tina Chen, a sophomore from 10(2), says this event was “really creative, [with] new technology [that] attracted students and allowed students to explore the campuses.” If another rare opportunity like this comes around in the following year, it would certainly be an event worth going to. SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2017
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Photo by: Jacqueline He
Photo by: James Zhang
Photo by: Maggie Chan
Photo by: Austin Chen
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Photo by: Maggie Chan
SPORTS MEET 2017 Written by: Tania Kim
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Photo by: Thomas Wu
n October 12th, 2017, SHSID’s annual Sports Meet for 9-12th grade took place. Despite the three days of rain and the ominous weather forecast that portended another day of classes, the sports meet was fortunately able to begin as planned under a rainless sky. At the opening ceremony, all classes from 9-12th grade presented performances related to their designated themes, and the teachers and students gathered to perform Chinese broadcast gymnastics and martial arts at the field. After competitive morning competitions, there was a carnival at the volleyball court organized by the ASB at lunch time. Students participated in different activities at the game booths set up by different clubs and filled their empty stomachs at the food fair. The day concluded with intense student vs. teacher dodgeball competitions and homeroom relay races. Overall, sports meets are a chance for students to not only show their individual sportsmanship through different competitions, such as races, shot put, and high jump, but also to show their team spirit through relay races and class performances.
Photo by: James Zhang
NEWS
The New Course:
Project Based Learning Written by: Rachel Wu | Photos by: Tiffany Hung
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NEWS
PBL offers students different STEM subjects with a wide variety of corresponding projects to choose from, ranging from the investigation of the roles of fruits in Chemistry to the making of Math-related videos.
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ften, when one thinks of different subjects, the one thing that connects the seemingly unrelated fields of studies is a project. Projects are not only designed to test students’ soft skills but are also often enjoyable, useful learning experiences. Just as a famous adage says, “When I hear, I know; when I see, I remember; when I do, I understand.” Indeed, projects are not only beneficial for the interactive learning of students, but they are also crucial to the application of knowledge in real life. During the opening ceremony, Principal Ma mentioned the importance of projects in his speech, where he explained how the ability to ask questions, pursue and interpret knowledge, and have a long-term goal in life are keys to success in the modern world. According to him, in an increasingly digitalized world, basic information and theoretical knowledge alone are no longer enough for the growth and success of an individual. Only through increased long-term, teamworkbased projects can one learn soft skills such as time management, presentation, and skill sets that are less easily replaced by machinery. Thus, SHSID has developed a course called Project Based Learning (PBL), designed for freshmen and sophomores. In order to fit the course of PBL into the high school schedule, a sacrifice of class time of other STEM subjects such as Math and Chemistry was made, enabling PBL to last two periods per week. As one of the main courses of the year, PBL offers students different STEM subjects with a wide variety of projects to choose from, ranging from the investigation of the roles of fruits in Chemistry to the making of
Math-related videos. As a new course, PBL is incredibly diverse in its scope of investigation, ranging from designing a solar house to investigating and potentially creating dishes made from the principles of molecular gastronomy. The diversity in PBL does not end with the types of subjects offered. Among a total of 22 choices within the different STEM courses, the courses are further divided into challenge and standard levels. While there are generally no preliminaries for choosing the challenge level, students in this level have the chance to come up with their own research topics, and students in the standard level are given specific topics and guidelines to follow throughout the course. At the end of the term, students will be graded on their research based presentations. Because their scores will not be counted into their GPAs, PBL offers a chance for students to challenge themselves and dive into what they are passionate about without fearing failure. Projects also have the benefit of allowing students to independently formulate ideas and conduct research. Teachers who have expertise in their particular subjects head each project, but they take on the role of supporters rather than main leaders as soon as the students understand the essential concepts in their investigation. As a brand new, academically significant, and potentially fun school course, PBL has quickly found its popularity among students. When asked about her thoughts on PBL, Haruka Shuei, a sophomore from 10(10), replies, “So far, PBL has given me a pretty good impression. It’s related and applicable to real life, and will surely aid in our future endeavors!” SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2017
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OPINION
On Violence in
Video Games Written by: Kevin Zhou | Illustrated by: Aldrin Cheung
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t’s clear to all that the media plays a large role in tween consuming such violent entertainment and fuour daily lives. According to Common Sense Meture violence. And while there are skeptics that try to dia, teenagers digitally entertain themselves for deny this by pointing towards alternative studies, I be9 hours a day on average. Certainly, the teenager of lieve it’s almost common sense that a person engaged today is molded much more by mass media than a in everyday violence will turn out to be a teensy tiny bit teenager a few decades would be. As a consequence of more violent than otherwise. an increasingly digitalized and interconnected world, But such an approach frames this argument over realmost no teenagers—or anyone, really, for that matstricting violence in media as a merely scientific one. ter—can claim to be uninfluenced by entertainment. If the studies are correct—if violence in our entertainBoth the number of ment is really all it takes to people and time spent on make us violent ourselves— playing games has reached then we should obviously The job of determining what is almost absurd, levels. In restrict it. In contrast, if appropriate for your children 2012, there were an estithe studies are not correct, mated 201.5 million gamers then the status quo should lies in the hands of individual in America. These gamers prevail. An easy response to men and women each dealing spent 11% of their leisure an answerable question. A with different situations, not time playing games. The robotic response. Framing numbers aren’t getting any the debate like this already an arbitrary, hard law that smaller in China, with gampredisposes us towards rerestricts violence. ers in China spending 15% stricting violence in enterof their leisure time playtainment, because we iming games—the most in the plicitly accept that any sort world. One would hope that such an influential meof harm must be accompanied by an equally quick dium would be a positive force for society. response. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. A sigRegardless of whether entertainment can actually nificant portion of games today are violent, almost affect us morally, there is almost no case for the restricdespicably so. Games like Grand Theft Auto promote a tion of violence in our entertainment. The primary worldview of violence and crime, where it’s not only reason put forth for the restriction of violence in our acceptable but openly encouraged to murder and kill. media, the potential to inflict permanent and horriFirst person shooters desensitize children from the idea fying harm on our children due to the video games of war, imbuing in them misguided concepts of war they watch, is not a convincing reason. Violence in enbeing fun. Hack’n’slash games do no more than glorify tertainment doesn’t directly harm a person. It doesn’t a senseless sort of violence—and the saddest part is burn them. It doesn’t break someone’s property. It that many of these games, despite being rated M (for doesn’t do anything that would be categorized an acMature), are played by those who haven’t even reached tual crime in society. And when we start delving into their teens, much less maturity. the murky and dangerous world of “indirectly bad These games are thus accused of promoting vioinfluences” to justify restrictions, we quickly find that lence in adulthood—and rightly so. Many studies almost anything can be categorized as “dangerous.” show, at the minimum, a correlated relationship beDo we ban alcohol, knowing its potential for abuse?
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OPINION What about cigarettes, despite the clear and undeniable harm it brings to both the smoker and people around the smoker? Do we restrict wrestling, which can be just as violent and dramatized as most video games? As a gamer myself, I fully expect to be accused of being too biased on the issue to comment. After all, I play games, and since most games contain some degree of violence, it’s unavoidable that I deal with the same immoral sort of violence that corrupts most other gamers. Unfortunately, I can only find concern for people who play senselessly violent games like Grand Theft Auto or Call of Duty and have managed to confuse them for reality. Of the people I’ve met through my time as a gamer, the vast majority knows enough to differentiate games from reality. It’s absurd to harm the many to reach the few. Certainly, parents must watch for the potential influence of violence in entertainment. But the state need not be involved. The job of determining what is appropriate for your children lies in the hands of individual men and women each dealing with different situations, not an arbitrary, hard law that restricts violence. Certainly, parents must watch for the potential in influence of violence in entertainment, butut the state need not be involved.
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NEWS
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and the Online Library Written by: Junho Suh Photos by: James Zhang
hile doing research for projects, have you ever had a irritable feeling when you simply cannot find the book you want in the school library or the sources that prove your point on the internet? There are many sources on the internet and a large number of books in the SHSID library, but despite the vast amounts of useful resources we can access, it is difficult to know which ones to read or where to find them. Now, this can be solved by two brand-new systems — the online library system and the newly introduced JSTOR research engine. The online library system is a search system for the books in the school library. Students and teachers can simply type in an author’s name, a book’s title, a publication date, or even a keyword to search for a book or for other relevant materials they want to read. The system is accessible anywhere on any electronic device connected to the school internet at libcat.shs.cn.
“We have a lot of great books in the library, but it’s hard to know which ones to read... The system would help with that.” Mr. Seeley, one of the founders of the online library system as well as the High School Assistant Principal of Curriculum, has been working with our librarian, Mr. Tommy, for years to make the library more accessible to students. “[The] library is important for the English department specifically and it still needs more attention and development,” Mr. Seeley explains. “The resources in the library grow every year and we have to keep track of them and make the best use of them […] We have a lot of great books in the library, but it’s hard to know which ones to read,” Mr. Seeley says. “The system would help with that problem and help teachers to find books that are relevant to their lessons.” To facilitate book-finding, books in the search system have been organized into different categories such as popular fiction, non-fiction, poetry, biography, and so on. Students and teachers can quickly locate a book of a specific theme, genre, or topic with this system, which conveniently replaces the conventional, fatigu-
ing search through countless shelves. Creating this online system was and still is heavy-loaded work. A team of teachers sacrificed their rest time to work on this ongoing project, taking about 5 years to achieve today’s result. Mr. Seeley wrote out all of the HTML code and CSS code for styling and put it up on the school’s network after watching about 8 hours of online tutorials on programming because he initially had no experience in coding. He admits that that was the most challenging part for him; however, he remarks, “it’s definitely better to have a project when learning something new, [so] it was helpful to me overall.” Moreover, Mr. Stewart and Mr. Shillinburg, two other English teachers at SHSID, inputted all of the library books into an Excel sheet, and a group of teachers helped to write the keywords. This job required knowledge about the books and was an arduous, time-consuming task. Besides the printed books that students can borrow from the library, students also need access to journals, scholarly articles, and other sources for research. Thus, after surveying different departments, the school purchased a new resource for student research— JSTOR. Last year, the school tested Questia, a research search engine that is commonly used in American public schools; however, the English Department immediately found that the quality of the articles on Questia is not very high. As a result, the school turned to JSTOR, which almost all the teachers used when they were in university. Mr. Seeley says, “JSTOR is in my opinion the best database for research. I’ve used it for nearly 20 years and it’s never let me down.” Students can search for just about anything in any discipline including mathematics, arts, music, science, inter alia. In the future, the search system will continuously add in more books, and more students will gain access to JSTOR. Mr. Seeley says, “Overall, I just want students to read, not only for their classes, but also for pleasure. Reading has been fundamental to my own identity and development, so I want others to see what can be gained from reading.” We all hope that this research system can encourage and help more students read more books that they like and that JSTOR can help us to learn more about the world.
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LIFESTYLE
Written by: Irene Chan Illustration by: Penny Zhang | Typography by: Evelyn Wan Photos by: Irene Chan and Google Images Have you ever scrolled through your Instagram feed just to admire all the pictures those professional Instagrammers take with the perfect lighting and the perfect angles? If you’re tired of your blurry pictures of scenery and the foodie photos that just don’t seem to look good, here are some easy ways to up your photography game.
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No more of just whipping out your camera to snap whatever object you see. Take 5 seconds to think, how could this look cool? If you’re taking a picture of an object, they typically look much better at a waist level, where you’re at the same perspective as the object. For portraits, don’t be afraid to experiment! Minimalism is a great technique to use when taking an artsy portrait. This is when a single “model” is posing in front of a clean background; the photo is then taken from afar so that the main subject is dramatically framed by his or her surroundings. For pictures of scenery, it doesn’t hurt to think outside the box. Thousands of people probably took photos of the exact same thing you’re taking a photo of, so try using a panorama to widen your shot a little. Take a photo upside down or one from the reflection of the water.
You have got to find the light. When in doubt use natural lighting: the sun! There’s no light in your room to take selfies? Go find a place where lighting is best, like your kitchen or next to a window. It’s dark and you still want to Instagram your food? Ask a friend to open their flashlight and help you! Of course, Shanghai has its gloomy days. Instead of waiting for another day of sun, you can take advantage of indoor lighting. In most cases, however, indoor lighting is often too yellow or too glaring for a photo. This is when turning up your ISO comes in place. The mixture of natural lighting and artificial lighting can create some funky photos. Another small trick is to manually adjust the white balance. An auto or preset won’t yield the best results for indoor photography. If your photo isn’t lit (pun intended), no one can appreciate it.
No, I don’t mean putting your photo in a frame, although that would make it look nicer. What this means is you add context to the photo. For example, I use this most when I’m taking photos of food on a table. A cup of coffee looks dull on its own; so provide an atmosphere for the photo. Maybe put in a few utensils in the background, take off your sunglasses and add them in, grab a book or a magazine of the similar colour scheme to put next to it. Suddenly, your photo tells a story of a lazy afternoon, instead of simply a cup of coffee.
The Rule of Thirds is perhaps the most well known ‘rule’ of photographic composition. Basically, one tries to imagine the shot being broken down into thirds (both horizontally and vertically) so that there are 4 focal points at the intersection of the lines and 9 slots in the grid. The theory is that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines to make your photo becomes more balanced. This enables a viewer of the image to interact with it more naturally.
Now you’re thinking to yourself, what if I don’t have a DSLR? Or don’t know how to use Lightroom or Photoshop to edit my photos? Start by better utilizing the built-in functions of your phone. One tip to keep in mind is: don’t delete your images too fast, those photos that don’t look so good at first glance can easily be tweaked to look amazing! Leave all your images in the gallery until you’ve had some time to really look through them. A couple of apps I swear by are Snapseed by Google, VSCO, and Lens Distortions. Right now, Snapseed is arguably the easiest to use mobile photo editor. There are a variety of changes you can make to tweak your photo ever so slightly to make it pop. You can turn the brightness up and down. You can use ambiance to change the overall exposure of every aspect, like the shadows and the highlights. You could turn the sharpness down to soften up a portrait photo. VSCO is really useful because it provides a variety of filters. Unlike many other editing apps, their filters are quite subtle and don’t dramatically alter the photo to the point where it looks unnatural. And lastly, Lens Distortions is an app that allows you to add light hits, fog, lens flares and more. There are a lot of free effects available for use upon download, but you do have to pay to unlock more features. Start off simple, with a light hit. You can adjust it to a corner of the photo so it seems like light is leaking through a window and hitting the objects of your photo. Lens flares are created when non-image forming light enters the lens and subsequently hits the camera’s film or digital sensor. This often appears as a characteristic polygonal shape. Lens flares are difficult to capture, especially with a phone. With this app, you can add lens flares to pictures of sunny scenery to add that little extra dazzle.
With these tips in mind, your feed is sure to look more professional. Take a couple of seconds before taking a photo to think about what would make this shot stand out? What elements of lighting or photography techniques can be implemented? Feel free to add your own touch to these tips and make them your own. SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2017
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THROUGH Through th THE CULTURAL Cultural LOOKING GLASS Looking
Glass
Written by: Tania Kim Illustrations by: Joyce Ho
If you have ever talked to someone from a different cultural background, you may have noticed that they follow traditions distinct from your own. Their family may enjoy turkey for Thanksgiving while you may not even celebrate this holiday. It is often fascinating how different cultural lenses we wear can influence our perception. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of examples that show how certain things are perceived and interpreted distinctively in different cultures.
B UB B L E T E A Because we live in China, we are all familiar with 珍珠 奶茶, or bubble tea. Invented in Taiwan, 珍珠奶茶 is a milk tea drink with chewy tapioca balls that are also known as bubbles or pearls to many people. As it gained popularity in Taiwan, bubble tea not only spread to neighboring regions but also to other countries around the globe. However, this inspired different interpretations of the beverage. We can figure out from the name “bubble tea” that it is not always the same drink in other countries. Even at a close neighbor, Korea, bubble tea refers to any colorful flavored drinks with tapioca balls. There are non-fruit flavors like taro, chocolate, coffee, and caramel, while fruity flavors such as strawberry, mango, and honeydew are also available.
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LIFESTYLE R AVEN S
In many cultures, ravens are regarded as birds of death and ill omen; they are often viewed with disgust. Many works in literature, such as Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven,” present this connotation. The raven in the poem sets the overall gloomy and horrific mood. However, the raven can be interpreted in a different light. In Japanese mythology, ravens represent the sun, and their appearance is seen as “evidence of the will of Heaven or divine intervention in human affairs.” This belief persists in Shinto, an ethnic religion in Japan. Shintoists regard ravens as birds of good omen because one of their goddesses, Amaterasu, was said to have transformed into a raven. However, Hinduism holds a different view. Dhumavati, the Hindu goddess of widows, is often portrayed as old and ugly. She is feared and hated by people and is often depicted as riding a black crow.
D R AG ON S
Are you used to the lizard-like dragons with expansive wings that breath fire? Or are you used to the water-dwelling dragons that resemble snakes with four legs? In your mind, are dragons evil creatures, or are they auspicious ones? Although they are regarded as mystical creatures, they are all depicted uniquely in different cultures. The two most typical depictions of dragons come from Europe and Eastern Asia. In Europe, dragons are usually depicted as evil creatures that harm human beings. In many tales, they destroy villages with their fiery breaths and abduct damsels in distress, who are later (spoiler alert) saved by a heroic figure. On the other hand, in Asia, dragons are featured in a completely different light. Most portrayals of dragons come from China. Historically, dragons represented imperial power. In ancient China, many of the emperor’s possessions, such as his clothes, were embellished by dragons. Nowadays in Asia, dragons are still auspicious creatures that symbolize prosperity, power, wisdom, wealth, and good fortune. Chinese proverbs and idioms such as 望子成龙 (meaning “To hope one’s son will become a dragon”) embody the sentiments that Easterners have towards dragons. These two completely different appearances of dragons and distinct views towards them make us wonder why and how have the western “dragons” become the equivalent creatures of eastern “龙,” (dragon in Chinese). This also leads us to think about the origin of this imaginary creature. The Chinese dragon is a mixture of animals that Chinese people have admired. Its face resembles that of a lion, the strongest among the beasts; its deer horns symbolize strength; its body resembles that of a snake, which Chinese people admired for their speed. However, European dragons are creatures that are portrayed through oral tradition and western folklore. In fairy tales, dragons are often portrayed as greedy evil creatures that have to be slain by heroic figures, serving as a testament the slayer’s bravery. One of the most iconic dragons is Smaug from J.R.R Tolkein’s The Hobbit. During his reign, Smaug claimed mountains of stolen gold and demolished cities. Both cultures agree that dragons are dangerous, powerful, and highly intelligent. These differences in perception make us think about the the real meaning behind the objects and the accuracy of translation. Hence, these also emphasize the importance of understanding other cultures. Misunderstandings are common in cross-cultural communication, and they may result in misconceptions and even dissent. Bringing a red rose to a Chinese funeral may seem disrespectful even though the person holds no ill will. There is a need to make sure we not only understand the other cultures but also respect them as they are.
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LITERATURE
What is a Pumpkin? Illustrations by: Judith Luo
Her Four Senses Written by: Koh Ting Shing
“Just try. You’ll never know until you try.” He took her by the hand. Blind since birth, Katie had developed a sharp sense of hearing, smell, and taste. Yet she was never keen on her sense of touch. There was a something about the unfamiliarity that she always feared, and the fact that she couldn’t see what she was feeling with her finger tips scared her more than anything. Her parents, instead of helping her, made sure she never had to face her fear; and with help constantly by her side, she never needed to touch anything. Charlie, her friend since primary school, did not understand her fear, or why people around her did not try to help her conquer it. As they grew up, Katie became more and more hesitant with using her bare fingers. Wearing gloves, the sensation of anything became blunt, barely noticeable. She alienated herself from others, and was oblivious of how they thought of her. Charlie was the only one who stayed around. One day, during class, Charlie leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Come meet me in the art classroom after school. I have something for you.” She nodded silently and slowly. As the bell rang, she fumbled and held her bag in one hand, her cane in the other, and tapped slowly to the art classroom. As she entered, she could catch a strong whiff of something, but she couldn’t make it out to be anything in particular. “What’s this, C?” But she knew all too clearly what was happening. It wasn’t the first time Charlie had attempted to do something like this. “Don’t worry, I’m here. I always have been and always will be. I’m just trying to help you.” “No. You know me. I’m not ready. I don’t think I will be.” “Yes, you are. You have always been. All of this is just in your head.” A pause. “I know you. You’re afraid that if you start touching things,
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then your understanding of the world will change, be entirely different. You think to yourself, ‘why bother knowing what the world is like, if I can’t see it?’ You keep telling yourself that this is enough, but there is so much out there for you to discover.” She was breathing a little more freely “Without vision, life can still be beautiful. Come on, Katie. Trust me; try. You’ll never know until you do.” Little by little, she eased her weight off her cane, and moved. She allowed him to move her closer and closer to something. Lifted a finger, a gentle touch with her fingertips. She started tracing a silhouette, picturing the whole with the parts she felt. What is was felt so close, yet far; just as she thought she had reached the end of it, there was a whole other dimension she had yet to explore. Fingertips traced down. A faint of a smile blossomed on Katie as she went through the objects on the desk, one by one. Gentle touches, soft contact. The touch of something against her bare hands was — she couldn’t describe the feeling: bumpy? wrinkled? It was raw, refreshing, a sort of magical. “This is a special one, Katie.” She started to realize what it was, and things began gently flowing into her mind from her other senses, as if through her fingertips. Grandma’s pumpkin soup. Daddy’s pumpkin pie. Charlie’s pumpkin bread? She raised an eyebrow. Pumpkin had always been her favourite food in the world. As she slowly moved around the sides of the pumpkin, her smile turned into small chuckles of laughter. “It’s a pumpkin, just for you.”
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LITERATURE
Till the Last Hour Written by: Rachel Wu
Mother: Wake up pumpkin, it’s time for school Hurry up, eat your pie Don’t leave before you’re full Friend: Morning! pumpkin How was the night I believe the dance was no fight or flight? Deskmate: Hey sweet pumpkin How’s your day! The boy from over yonder wants to be your date. Love: My darling pumpkin, pray take these flowers and when I ask you this please answer: “till my last hours” Daughter: Kind mother pumpkin Age has given you a fragrance And though you’ve lost the colour of beauty worry not your essence Mother: Oh poor little pumpkin Laid there to shrivel and rot they say her soul left her still and forgot Now she’s filled with candies stomaching a candle of sage Lit up, carved up by the festive hands of age dust-laced, with a forced smile On her face
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It Smiles for You Written by: Sophie Li
what is a pumpkin? none other than a sacrifice, an empty template a blank slate a new beginning faceless until you drew your sword and drew upon its skull a gnarled smile for you-scrape away! scrape it hollow scrape whatever was left of it you breathed it life, it burned in flame what is a pumpkin? simple. a display of inanimate faces hollowed eyes grimacing grins it smiles for you and none else.
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OPINION
Written by: Helen Tianxin Li | Illustration by: Andrea Chen
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INNOVATIVE
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Photo From: GoPro
USES OF DRONES AND HOW THEY CAN CHANGE THE WORLD Written By: Raymond Cheng
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SCI-TECH Civilian drones have become increasingly powerful and popular due to technological developments and people’s enhanced interests. These drones are aircrafts that aren’t piloted by humans on board. As opposed to military drones, civilian drones are usually made from light composite materials that enhance maneuverability and reduce weight. Normally, drones are used to take photos and videos that are otherwise difficult to take, but people have been expanding drones’ use to areas such as filmmaking, surveillance, and racing. As drones are extremely nimble in the air, many filmmakers are starting to use drones to film movie scenes. In fact, they have become so useful that even blockbuster films are using them to shoot action sequences and breathtaking panoramas. Movie cameras are usually very heavy, and setting up the equipment takes a lot of time. For aerial shots, expensive helicopters and static cranes are usually used. Drones, however, provide a smaller, lighter, and more intricate solution. Many scenes in Sam Mendes’s Spectre, the latest James Bond movie, amply use drones to film. In a scene where James Bond escapes from a fire, the cinematography was completed mostly by drones. The drones, which carried 6K movie-grade cameras, caught Bond’s swift maneuvers and moved parallel to the direction of movement with great stability. Drones were both nimble and precise enough to shoot in close proximity to the intense action
The drones, which carried 6K movie-grade cameras, caught Bond’s swift maneuvers and moved parallel to the direction of movement with great stability. scenes, while traditional equipment would only be able to film from a distance. Chappie, the 2015 film directed by Neil Blomkamp, is also a film that used drones extensively. The main drone operator of the film, John Gore, discusses a specific scene shot with a drone in an interview, stating, “That scene was filmed using a drone, and while this shot – impossible to take with a helicopter – would have been traditionally done on a cable camera; the quadcopter gave the shot a greater sense of speed and organic movement.” Besides being a breakthrough in the movie industry, drones are also often used for surveillance. Police officers frequently use drones to gain an aerial perspective of an area. Drones are also implemented during criminal investigations, hostage situations, and pursuit of suspects. In addition, some have used them to spy on people’s privacy. The Australian natural resource company Rio Tinto has begun to adopt drones to supervise its employees at work. These drones would spy on the workers in workspaces to acquire information on when they work and when they rest. Keith Weston of Rio Tinto writes that drones “give us actionable, real-time insights and metrics on equipment and people movement, customer satisfaction, even retail spending,” and their goal is to “capture individual insights on where employees are spending their time and money and improve the quality of their lives.” During the filming of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the movie crew even had to cover up out-
Photo From: Getty Images door props and sets to prevent drones from spying on them. The local authority also hired security staff with a fleet of drones to detect intruders on set and stop rival drones. The main entertainment value of drones is in drone racing. Drone racing is a motorsport where participants control drones while wearing head-mounted displays that show live camera feeds from the drones. In other words, participants pilot the drones from the point of view of the drone itself. With advanced lithium batteries, these miniscule drones can speed up to 120mph. Glittering with LEDs, they fly through obstacle courses or in colossal sports stadiums, occasionally so fast that they go out of bounds. As drone racing is starting to establish itself as an innovative sport and engage thousands of hobby-
With advanced lithium batteries, these minuscule drones can speed up to 120mph. ists, drone leagues have been quickly set up to accommodate the interests of drone enthusiasts. Drone racing organizations, such as Drone Racing League, host annual competitions that attract millions of people worldwide. Filmmaking, surveillance, and sports are not the only fields being changed by drones. They can also inspect city infrastructure, monitor wildlife, and even deliver packages right to your doorsteps. While drones aren’t the most common occurrences these days, in the near future, they may very well be. More consumer drones are been created, and sales are expected to double every year. Be ready to have drones with better automatic stabilization, longer ranges, and bigger batteries that can help us in ways we can’t even imagine, as these inconspicuous machines have the potential to transform the way we live.
Photo From: Amazon SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2017
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SCI-TECH
THE “FLYING” RAILWAY: SOON A REALITY Written by: Jeff He Photos From: Hyperloop One (a similar project in US)
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magine yourself taking a train from Shanghai to Beijing. Having downloaded two movies and brought two books along the way, you feel confident to combat six hours of pure boredom. After 30 minutes, the train stopped. “You are now at Beijing East Station,” the broadcast says. No, this isn’t timetraveling. You have just boarded the fastest railway in the entire world. And guess what? With solid research and development, such a scene could become a reality in the near future! Recently, China Aerospace Science & Industry Corp announced their research progress in an ultra-high-speed railway system. By ultra, we are referring to vehicles that can go above 1000
By ultra, we are referring to vehicles that can go above 1000 km/h. km/h. Due to the technical difficulties, only a few companies have conducted research on this type of railway, including America’s HTT and Hyperloop One. Similar to these two companies, China Aerospace Science & Industry Corp’s current model features a wheelless railway system that makes use of advanced technology such as electromagnetic propulsion. Instead of using wheels to propel the train, CASIC has grounded its concept in three main technologies. First of all, the entire railway system would
be enclosed in a near-vacuum tunnel. A near-vacuum tunnel reduces the air resistance for the train, eliminating a major obstacle that stops the train from reaching an extremely high speed. The second technology used is magnetic suspension. By installing small superconductor magnets, which are materials that have virtually no resistance, on the bottom of the train, a strong magnetic field is created, interacting with the aluminum coils installed on the tracks, eventually lifting the train up. The train doesn’t come in contact with the tracks; thus, there is zero friction opposing the train’s forward motion. Lastly and most importantly, the train makes use of electromagnetic propulsion (often used in satellites). This form of propulsion utilizes electrically conducting gases and a magnetic field. A charged, hot gas is produced in the engine, and the magnetic field surrounding the gas interacts with the electric current in it. Through their interactions, the gas is ejected at extremely high speeds and pushes the train forward with an enormous force. Therefore, with a powerful engine and almost zero resistance, the railway can reach the theoretical speed
Ten times faster than traditional high speed trains and five times faster than airplanes. of 4000 km/h. This is 10 times faster than traditional high-speed trains and five times faster than airplanes. It would only take about one hour to travel from Beijing to Guangzhou! Currently, CASIC is planning to launch the project in three stages: building a 1000km/h railway system on a regional scale, building a 2000 km/h railway system on a national scale, connecting cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, and eventually building a 4000km/h railway system on an international scale, connecting China with nearby countries such as India and Nepal. Therefore, such a system provides convenience for people, as it will only take about half an hour to travel across China. At the same time, this system greatly benefits the economy as well. CASIC is hoping to tie the ultraspeed railway with Chinese government’s “One Belt One Road” initiative, facilitating trade and communication between China and other Asian countries. The ultra-speed railway provides an infinite number of possibilities, and it is destined to impact people’s lives in profound ways. In the future, traveling from Shanghai to Beijing may be as easy as taking a taxi!
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STUDENT JOURNAL
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Chinese Culture
IN A MODERN CONTEXT Written by: Linda Li and Jiayi Yue | Photos by: James Zhang
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he crowd hustled with excitement as the hosts announced the next performance: 《牵丝 戏》. The lights dimmed until there was only a glimmer of purple illuminating the scarlet robes of the performers. An aura of mystery settled over the auditorium as the music slowly started. Their bodies lifted seamlessly, evolving into synchronized movements, captivating the audience. As the first few thrusts were thrown, their smoothness gave the impression of dragons gliding across the stage. Although only a few minutes long, the performance became one of the highlights of the Art Festival. Comprised of a handful of dedicated high school students, 龙吟社 brings our school a fresh outlook on Chinese culture, helping us explore its beauty though performances and interactive activities. Intrigued by a club so one-ofa-kind, we shared a conversation with Kathy Wang and Ashley Huang from 11(1)A, the leaders of the club.
An Interest Blossoms
龙吟社 has only been around for a little more than a year, but it has already garnered the support from students and faculty. When asked about how the club was initiated, Kathy and Ashley answered without hesitation that it was because of their shared passion for Chinese culture. Kathy shares with us how her attraction to the topic
is not a whim, but a long term interested inspired by reading antique novels and watching Chinese drama since a young age. Kathy and Ashley’s interests stretches from history to fashion to even Chinese myths and superstition. “The distance between the modern and ancient worlds enriches Chinese culture’s aesthetic value, which in turn arouses our curiosity more,” Kathy reflected.
The Dragon Cries
Both fascinated by the grandeur of Chinese culture, the two girls knew they had to initiate a club and soon began brainstorming for a club name. They poured their ideas out, but nothing met their standards of having a catchy name that is both deep and reflective of Chinese characteristics. On the day of the club application deadline, the girls were chatting outside Lawson when a thought dawned upon them to use characters in the titles of Song dynasty poems. After a careful selection, Kathy and Ashley settled upon the characters “龙吟” from “水 龙吟,” which is the name of a tune in which ci poems are composed. The character “龙” is a representation of the Chinese totem dragon, and “吟” refers to superstitious chanting. “Together, we believe the name expresses the hopes we have for spreading Chinese culture,” said the girls.
The Flowy, Scarlet Robes
As an appeal to a wider range of viewers and a more direct way of showcasing an aspect of Chinese culture, the club signed up with a dancing performance for the Art Festival. “None of us had any serious dancing background so it took quite an effort to rehearse it well,” confessed the girls. The club watched and re-watched clips on the internet for hours to make sure they could master each move. In addition to the considerable time, sweat, and dedication put into daily rehearsals, the performers would sometimes get their sleeves tangled together as they tried to work out the right amount of force used in every move. One of the most memorable parts of the performance was their sensational outfits swirling on stage. “Our costumes are not exactly the kind you’ll find from Chinese history, but we incorporated as many historical features as possible … and made our own modifications as well. In Chinese traditional clothing, the most famous and widely-circulated one is Han dynasty clothing, so our performances used a slightly altered version of it.” Most ancient Chinese costumes consisted of three layers of clothing, referred to as “inner,” “middle,” and “outer” respectively. To simplify the changing process and make their costumes portable, only the outer layer cardigan de-
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sign was kept while the inner and middle layers were replaced with modern garments. In addition, most Chinese clothing uses a one-piece structure, meaning that the entire garment is cut from a single piece of silk cloth. “Our performance costumes, however, are assembled from pieces of cloth connected to each other,” Kathy pointed out, “as for the pants, we omitted the traditional skirt structure to ensure flexibility of movement.”
Traditions in a Modern Mold Just like how the girls modified the traditional three-layered costume to a simple cardigan design, many adaptations to traditional culture have been carried out, such as in their fortune telling (看相) stand at Chinese Culture Day. The traditional process includes extremely complex and serious methods, but the club looked closely into how more familiar aspects could be incorpo-
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rated. The girls considered the ancient Chinese methods of looking at one’s hands, facial appearance, and birthday, as well as methods of other cultures
What once was a childhood hobby has morphed into a mission to raise awareness about the heritage of China, something being rapidly lost due to Westernization and popular culture. such as Egyptian tarot cards. With this diverse combination, they settled on using coins and drawing slips. From what the participant drew, members running the stand would then predict his or her future. “It was apparent that many peo-
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ple had never seen or experienced anything like this before,” remarked Kathy, and hopefully, with the spark ignited more people would become interested in understanding Chinese culture.
Final Thoughts 龙吟社 is expanding its horizons this semester and focusing on the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as modern China. “We hope that this combination of traditional and folk customs will bring members a more comprehensive understanding of Chinese civilization,” the girls noted. The female to male ratio has also begun to balance out within the club, which can be accounted for by their continued efforts in incorporating more aspects. What once was a childhood hobby has morphed into a mission to raise awareness about the heritage of China, something being rapidly lost due to Westernization and popular culture. The legacy of 龙吟社 certainly cannot be overlooked.
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THROUGH THE PROCESS
Written by: Emily Teng Photos by: James Zhang and Angel Wang
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A
couple of photos, a collection of paintings, and one deserted campus… so many spontaneities converged in project “Through,” where a photographer’s artistic vision is transported from the camera lens onto T-shirts prints that are now worn by students on a daily basis. Project “Through” is an online WeChat shop launched by Angel Wang from 12(1)A to sell clothing that showcases her photography through merchandise. But this summary does not do the project justice. While Angel’s intention was simple – she wanted a medium to share her art – it is the process of discovering her artistic style and the project’s true purpose that built it higher and stronger along the way.
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1. SEEKING INSPIRATION I think that the concept of being “boundless” accurately describes the philosophy behind “Through” and Angel’s personality, as the sudden whims of creativity seem to fuel her project and her own character with endless possibilities. At the same time, these whims were never raving, as the years of studying and appreciating visual art have shaped her aesthetics. A particularly important influence to Angel is her favorite artist, Egon Schiele. “The portraits he drew are very geometric and focused on lines, so when I photograph, I also pay a lot of attention to composition,” said Angel. Through the exploration of lines and geometry in her daily life, Angel utilizes these elements to capture the reoccurring theme of nature and man. “I like to frame my composition where the person is in harmony with his/her surroundings.” By drawing inspiration from artists, nature, and experience, Angel’s photos are not replicas of the world; instead they are reflections filtered by her own vista, a constantly evolving lens.
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2. FINDING PURPOSE IN AN ABANDONED UNIVERSITY Perhaps it was this habit of constantly searching for inspirations from other artists that directed Angel to stumble upon photographs of abandoned sites on the internet. Her visit to the deserted campus of Taiwan University last winter led her to discover another path for the project. Visiting the site purely out of curiosity, she was stunned upon arriving at the tarnished scene: below the highway were shelters put together with plastic; a batch of chicken and dogs scattered across, sniffing and poking at a pile of garbage; the abandoned campus was in ruins. In disbelief, Angel couldn’t imagine how Taipei, one of the most metropolitan cities in Taiwan, still had broken parts like this. The trip not only yielded a series of photos titled “Outsiders,” but it also led Angel to realize that her artwork could have a more profound significance than merely being visually pleasing. After discovering that most of the residents there were receiving minimal government subsidies and recycling trash for living, she wanted to use her camera to document and disseminate their stories on her website. “I was thinking that aside from selling my photos for money, there should be a larger meaning of helping others,” Angel stated. When she heard that World Vision, an Evangelical Christian Humanitarian Aid Development Organization, has a program in Taiwan for low-income families, she donated 50% of her revenue from “Through.”
3. A CONSTANT PROCESS After listening to this story, the evolution of her project is apparent, yet there still seems to be a unifying theme across each stage. When I brought up this feeling of simultaneous cohesion and progression, Angel thought for a while and replied, “Throughout the project, I’m always doing things that I’m interested in, but I think from the start until now, it’s the constant process of making my work more meaningful in its form and impact.” The “constant process” that Angel frequently mentioned pairs perfectly with the title of her project. “‘Through’ is this constant process that exists in art and life in general, you’re always in the process of something.” Angel’s “constant process” is infused with limitless spontaneity and imagination. At one point in the interview, she said, “I want to be a carrot farmer in Iceland,” accurately and vividly representing her ability of fathoming ideas that one would almost never think of, let alone speak out. When asked about the future of the project, she answered that she wanted to feature other student artists, and the launch of her public WeChat account would be the first step of that process. “I want to make ‘Through’ less like a shop, but more like a bigger, more collaborative art project,” said Angel. I’m looking forward to see her creative voice thrive when bringing more unconventional artists into the mix. SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2017
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September October 2017 Shanghai High School International Division 400 Shang Zhong Road Shanghai, China 200231 Website: www.shsid.org