MSJ Book Club’s Readathon encourages students to explore and share stories

The virtual Winter Break Readathon hoped to encourage students to share their love for reading.

By Anandita Devata & Kaylee Liu Staff Writers

From Dec. 22, 2022 to January 9, MSJ Book Club hosted a virtual Readathon, in which participants read any books they had access to and submitted their thoughts on them. Designed with a low-commitment structure, the Readathon aimed to encourage students to spend more time relaxing and reading over Winter Break.

To participate in the event, students submitted a Google form for each book they read during Winter Break, detailing its name, genre, and their opinion on the story. The reviews shared through the forms were collected for a chance to be displayed on a poster in the school library. The offcers also used the club’s Discord server to publicize the event and encourage participant engagement, adding a new “what r you reading” channel to allow participants to share posts about the books they were reading. Overall, the club received approximately 30 responses from students, including The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han and The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller. “[I’m] pretty happy with the Readathon’s [turnout],” MSJ Book Club President Junior Reva Agarwal said. “We wanted to get more people to read, even if it was just one or two [books]. I wasn’t expecting that so many

“[I’m] pretty happy with the Readathon’s [turnout] ... We wanted to get more people to read, even if it was just one or two [books]. I wasn’t expecting that so many people would read over winter break.”

-MSJ Book Club President Junior Reva Agarwal people would read over winter break.”

Although the event ran smoothly, there were some logistic issues due to how close the Readathon was to fnal exams. The club wanted to publicize the Readathon after fnals but before students retired for break. To accomplish this, the offcers used Facebook and their Discord server to send out details about the event and worked with the club advisor and the library to reach even more people. “We had a very short timeframe ... so we coordinated with the library to send out a school-wide email about the Readathon as soon as fnals ended,” Agarwal said.

The impact of the Readathon refected the overarching purpose of MSJ Book Club, which was created to provide an inclusive environment for students to freely share their love for books. “At MSJ, we strongly associate reading books with academics, and I think that’s not very healthy all the time,” MSJ Book Club Vice President Junior Grace Xiao said. “Reading books can be a great way to destress [and] we wanted to share that with students.”

“At MSJ, we strongly associate reading books with academics ... Reading books can be a great way to destress [and] we wanted to share that with students.”

-MSJ Book Club Vice President Junior Grace Xiao

Although MSJ Book Club has only been an offcial club for about a year, the infux of members this past semester, with almost 30 people attending their January 13 meeting, showed the results of the offcers’ efforts and, in part, the Readathon. In the future, the offcers hope to host more events similar to what they have held in the past, such as a page-to-screen event in which members watch a movie based on a

“The kind of atmosphere that I want for [MSJ] Book Club is that people can just chill ... They can discuss books, and they can read together.”

-MSJ Book Club President Junior Reva Agarwal book. “The kind of atmosphere that I want for [MSJ] Book Club is that people can just chill. They can do their homework if they want to, they can discuss books, and they can read together,” Agarwal said. ▪

“I think it [the Readathon] was a cool thing to do, to encourage people to read a lot more, and I think we should keep doing that.”

-Event Participant Freshman Shwathi Asokumar

“We aim to provide an inclusive platform where students are free to share their love of books.”

-MSJ Book Club Secretary Junior Hannah Chacko

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A tale of Smokie Love

By Esther Lau & Annika Singh Co-Opinion Editors

Bagels, informative articles, colorful graphics, and the famous #SmokieLove are all crucial parts of the Smoke Signal experience. Applying to the Smoke Signal has been one of the most rewarding decisions we’ve made in our high school careers. e nights spent coming up with exciting pitches for each cycle and designing spreads have taught us valuable skills in creativity and time management (definitely recommend overcoming the fatal flaw called procrastination). With applications due in three days, we wanted to share the reasons why we love the Smoke Signal, and why you should too.

Annika: I have to admit something.

e Smoke Signal and I were in a onesided relationship for multiple years. Since discovering the paper on Instagram in seventh grade, I’d been anticipating the day I’d get to be a part of the Smokie family. And when I finally walked into M-2 for the first time as an excited sophomore, I had no idea what to expect. Sure, I thought I would be writing articles, but the infamous mock week, the hours spent drafting story ideas, and the immense pride after seeing my articles in the paper was something I hadn’t prepared for. But, that’s my favorite part about the Smoke Signal — it surprises you in the best way.

Since my first day, I’ve grown to be a much more confident writer and editor: one who’s not afraid to take risks and be

A letter to the parents of MSJ

proactive (shout out Editorial meetings). I’ve learned so much about leadership and communication from Mrs. Cohen, the Editorial Board, and the writers. e opportunities the Smoke Signal has given me to expand my creativity and knowledge are unreplicable. And the people? Well, they’re the best part. ey encourage you, push you, and become your family. If not for the people and the thrill of writing exciting Opinion stories, apply for the bagels — they’re a delicious bonus.

ing with journalism to unite readers in action, while also continuing to develop my skills as a storyteller.

As the college application season comes to a close and seniors nervously anticipate their admission decisions, the fervor among parent group chats on apps such as WeChat and WhatsApp has dramatically increased. From nonstop comparisons to never-ending questions about others, parents continue to create an environment of unnecessary stress and pressure for students.

Being in a group chat where parents only talk about the highest caliber of achievement creates an echo-chamber where an unattainable standard becomes the norm. In the process, parents give their children the impression that their peers are doing better than them, imposing an unrealistic ideal upon them. In the end, parents want to be able to brag about their children in those very same group chats, valuing the prestige of their children’s accomplishments over their children’s happiness. Ultimately, this perpetuates a toxic cycle where students always feel as if they will never be enough. Having every achievement and action compared to others’ diminishes students’ accomplishments and sense of self-worth. According to a study published in the peer-reviewed medical journal World Psychiatry by

Developmental Scientist Marc H. Bornstein, M.D.,

“by watching or listening to others who are already embedded in the culture, children come to think and act like them.” rough the constant comparisons from parents, students internalize the idea that their value is based on trivial numbers such as their college’s rank or SAT score, instead of how they find personal satisfaction in their passions and ambitions for the future. For students, being hyper-fixated on obtaining prestige high enough for parental satisfaction only results in added pressure to perform better, leading to worsened mental health.

Of course, not all parental expectations stem from comparisons and relativity. However, there’s still a fine line between ambition and impracticality that makes all the di fference. Out of the 1614 MSJ student responses to the Challenge Success-Stanford Survey of School Experiences in 2021, 40% of respondents felt that they are able to meet their parents’ expectations only sometimes. But, instilling a sense of inadequacy and frustration — big or small — into an academic experience is counter-intuitive, for education’s purpose is to help one overcome their weaknesses and hone their strengths. So, what is the threshold at which expectations garner motivation instead of crippling pressure? Instead of sending your child down a predetermined path towards lofty success, place value on their ambitions, endeavors, and their ever-changing highs and

Esther: As a sta ff writer last year, I fell in love with the writing process and found my voice over the course of 15+ stories and collaborations with 30+ writers. At the same time, I grew in confidence as a leader through my Events Manager role — going on monthly bagel runs (the exhilaration of driving to Noah’s New York Bagels at 7 a.m. is like no other), hosting our bi-annual sta ff potlucks, and coordinating all Smokie merchandise. is year, my transition into the role of Opinion Co-Editor has also been a monumental growth opportunity. It’s provided me with a platform to combine my interests in community organiz- lows — embrace the ample flexibility students have now to deviate from a previously monotonous path. Value the arduous ventures they embark on, the new connections they make, and the positive changes that they foster, as these takeaways are worth so much more than a tacit competition. ough it’s beneficial to think about colleges and careers in the long-term, there is also merit in recognizing that the little steps we take towards our interests ultimately turn into the bits and pieces of the adults we become beyond school. e students know themselves best, and that, in turn, means that they know how they want to use the little time they have at MSJ to the fullest. And, as appalling as it sounds, students don’t always reciprocate the absolute desire to get into whichever school that tops the charts of the US News & World Report

So, instead of gossiping and swooning over the latest prestigious college acceptance of a kid that’s not yours, please look up, turn off your phone, and congratulate your child for giving their very best in their unreplicable and incomparable journey. ▪

Beyond my specific roles in the Smoke Signal, I’ve grown to be unafraid to take risks, regardless of the expected outcome. In leadership, I’ve learned the power of positively a ffi rming others and building a family on a team. As a part of our “well-oiled machine,” as Mrs. Cohen endearingly calls us, I’ve been exposed to professionalism that even some largescale newspapers struggle to reach. More than anything, however, the Smoke Signal has opened my eyes to find countless sources of inspiration within our community. As I reach the end of my time at MSJ, I can say with confidence that applying to the Smoke Signal is the best decision I’ve made here, and I can’t wait for you to have the same opportunity. e creativity and professionalism in M-2 is unmatched. e Smoke Signal teaches you what it means to be a leader and student journalist, and we’re so excited to continue learning and growing with this organization. Rows of bagels, an incredibly comfortable couch that’s perfect for sta ff work days, and exciting stories await you. Take a leap of faith and apply to join the Smokie family at www. tinyurl.com/smokesignalapp23-24!

P.S. Mrs. Cohen would like to say that delicious bagels are once a month, while camaraderie is a daily dose. ▪

By Chahak Gupta & Nessa Tong

STAFF WRITER CHAHAK GUPTA