Belfield Banter, vol. 15: Combatting Senioritis, Taylor Swift, and more!

April 22nd, 2021

Vol. 15

BELFIELD BANTER THE

The S t. Anne’s-Belf ield School Student Newsletter

In This Issue:

COMBATTING SENIORITIS: STAYING FOCUSED AFTER COMMITTING TO COLLEGE HIDDEN FIGURES: THE NIGHT WITCHES HOROSCOPES FOR THE WEEK TAYLOR SWIFT: SHE LIVED, AND SHE LEARNED (REVIEW) LOCAL BUSINESS INTERVIEW: MARIEBETTE CAFE AND BAKERY EDITOR’S NOTE: THE BANTER JOINS THE NSPA!

1. Make sure to eat breakfast before coming to school

Nothing draws my focus away from an otherwise engaging class quite like hunger. Every day before driving into the senior lot, I start drinking a cup of coffee and eat a piece of toasted brioche from Trader Joe’s with a blackberry jam spread on top. This keeps me from feeling tired or hungry while taking ammonium readings in my Environmental Research seminar or translating a passage in Latin. If you find yourself getting hungry during second period, bring a snack for passing time!

2. Bring a water bottle to class I’ll admit, I could be better about this. As Mr. Smith reminded me during my orientation to in-person school, wearing a mask all day de-

COMBATTING SENIORITIS: STAYING FOCUSED AFTER COMMITTING TO COLLEGE

by Ellie Powell — It happened last week. After months of excitement about course content, anxiety regarding the end of my senior year, and energy put towards extracurriculars, I felt tired. While I had certainly gone through periods of fatigue at STAB before, these were mostly due to a feeling of being overwhelmed. Now, I had such a relaxed workload that there was nothing to be stressed about; I had no reason to feel lethargic, yet I could hardly motivate myself to get out of bed. With shock and dismay, I stumbled upon an inevitable realization: I had caught an acute case of senioritis. The symptoms included drowsiness during class, focusing on my upcoming freshman fall rather than my senior spring, and a tendency to spend hours completing even the smallest homework assignments.

As I’m sure many of our seniors are also feeling less enthusiastic than usual, I would like to present you all with the tips and tricks that have kept me motivated through the past week and will hopefully continue to do so through the spring.

[cont p2]

hydrates you; it makes sense that you might be counting down the minutes until class ends if you feel uncomfortable due to dehydration.

For the adventurous souls reading this, herbal teas are just as hydrating as water with a bit more flavor. My favorites are cinnamon apple spice and chamomile, though I would stay away from the latter during school hours.

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I hope these suggestions have been remotely helpful. If you have any questions or want to submit an article to our last Belfield Banter next week, please feel free to email me at epowell21@students.stab.org.

3. Take interesting notes Taking more notes during class may sound like a punishment worthy of Sisyphus’s boulder, but I’m not suggesting that. While I hope that taking notes in general will keep some seniors engaged with course content, shifting to a different style of note-taking can also do the trick. If you find yourself doodling in class, try integrating these drawings into your notes. You could also try color-coding your notes, or starting an “overheard in AP Physics” section in your notebook--the possibilities are endless!

4. Allow yourself study breaks It can be difficult to feel as though you aren’t getting anywhere on a relatively simple homework problem. No one likes to think that their hard work isn’t being rewarded or that the time they’ve put into their work has no impact on what they’re getting out of it.

I recommend making sure that you’re taking breaks when you feel stuck on certain homework problems or readings. Try going for a walk in the lovely spring weather, making yourself a snack, or FaceTiming a friend.

5. Talk to your teachers Believe it or not, your teachers were once high school seniors, too. They completely understand how it feels to be unmotivated after committing to college and would likely be responsive to your honesty about it.

Communication is key here. Tell them what you’re doing to fight against this newfound tide of senioritis, and they can come up with class-specific tips to keep you excited about the material you signed up to learn last fall.

HIDDEN FIGURES: THE NIGHT WITCHES

by Q. Fu — The Night Witches, a title that at a surface glance seems like that of a medieval cult, actually belongs to a spectacular group of women pilots who fought in World World II. While the Night Witches didn’t really have any association with witchcraft in their contribution to the war, they earned their feared and honorary title in a way that is just as exhilarating as through the fields of magic.

On June 22nd, 1941, Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa. The Nazi army heavily wounded both the men and the morale of the Soviet army.

Stalin’s defeat provoked many young women to demand their enrollment in the military, questioning the helpfulness of their male leaders in battle and arranging plans of their own.

Marina Raskova, the first-ever Soviet female pilot, became known as the mother of the Night Witches. Her reputation in the Soviet Union was equivalent to American pilot Amelia Earhart.

After countless ignored letters addressed to the Soviet Government, she personally demanded action from Joseph Stalin himself. Stalin looked down on the idea of Marina’s women recruits, like most men and officials at the time, but after Raskova’s perseverance, he agreed to let her lead what would soon become the famous 588th regiment.

6. Remember that this is the last push You only have a few more weeks of studying at St. Anne’s-Belfield School. Let that sink in.

While this means that you only have a few more weeks of work until summer, it also means that you are hurdling towards a huge transition in your life. Be sure to take in every moment with your friends and teachers before you leave to meet aa whole whole new town.

Despite a surface truce, Stalin gave the Night Witches a bare minimum concerning efforts and resources. The planes provided for the all-female avian corps were made of canvas and plywood; they were trainee biplanes that were so old they

weren’t even equipped with basic tools like lights and radios. Due to the planes’ lack of navigational capabilities, the pilots had to precisely navigate their destinations across the globe using nothing but rulers, stopwatches, flashlights, pencils, maps, and--if they were lucky—a working compass. The Po-2 biplanes were so light and fragile that they could not carry parachutes or even a roof, and in harsh Russian Winters, the planes would get so cold that touching their wings with your fingers would rip off a layer of your skin. Given these dangerous conditions, the planes were known as coffins with wings.

The dangerous properties of the Po-2 Biplanes made it so a plane could only carry two bombs at a time, one under each wing. In order to make meaningful dents in the German front lines, each two-person team had to re-arm for up to 18 missions a night. The weight of the bombs forced the plane to fly at lower altitudes, making them easily visible by the naked eye. All missions had to occur at night.

The first planes would attract German spotlights as bait, and the later ones would idle their engines so as not to be heard, then glide to the bombing area, delivering a surprise to the distracted Nazi camps.

To the unaware Germans, the sound of planes gliding above their camps sounded like a witch’s broom scraping the clouds, which is how they earned the name of the “Nachthexen” (naht-ghexon), or Night Witches.

The Night Witches flew more than 30,000 missions in total and lost 30 pilots out of the 89 they had in combat. This was actually a remarkably low number, considering that mid-mission, the planes would often accidentally set themselves on fire due to raw candles being the only source of heat these women had through hours of freezing temperatures. It was common to have 3040 new bullet holes embedded in the planes from each mission and a few dozen more in the pilots’ map and helmets.

Their contributions to the war effort were undeniable, and some theorists even say their last mission was one central reason that Germany surrendered 3 days after they flew it. The glory of the Night Witches, however, faded from memory faster than the speed at which the regiment was thrown together.

The pilots were never invited to the big victory-day

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in Moscow because officials decided that their planes were too slow. After the Allies won the war, the government denied the 588th further service in the Red Air Force due to unnamed medical reasons.

They were forced to resign their commissions and return to serving as “housewives in the kitchen,” as Stalin put it. After all, they were nothing more than a bunch of girls.

Despite the legendary actions of this regiment, their names and victories were almost completely erased from history. Few know about the existence of the 588th, including historians and textbooks, simply because of their gender. Some as young as 16 years old, these women would soar through open fire in an idle plane while wearing eyeliner drawn with a black sharpie so as not to be smudged. They would have 46 bullets in their planes and still curl their hair every morning so it would keep its bounce once stuffed in a helmet. They were never given justice by history, and although the last night witch, Nadezhda Popova, left us on July 6th of 2013, I hope their stories will be treasured by those who now know of them.

HOROSCOPES

by Emily Gohn ­— Aries: Happy Aries season! Are you feeling brand new this week? After the New Moon in Aries on Sunday, these next few weeks are all about new beginnings and fresh starts.

Taurus: While your ruling planet of Venus travels through Aries over the next few months, you may be struggling to find time to relax. Remember to prioritize self care over the next few weeks as Venus enters Taurus.

Gemini: Over the next week, your ruling planet, Mercury, spends time in fiery Aries. Remember to not let your emotions get the best of you, and perhaps focusing on school or a new project will help keep your priorities in check.

Cancer: As your ruling celestial body, the Moon, moves into its home planet of Cancer at the beginning of this week, you may be feeling more in touch with your emotional side. Perhaps exploring some of these feelings will help you find where your priorities lie before the moon moves into fiery Leo later this week.

Leo: As your ruling celestial body, the Sun, moves though calm Taurus over the next few weeks, you may be feeling more in touch with your sensible side. Perhaps prioritizing school or a new project will help put this energy to good use.

Virgo: As the moon moves into Virgo on Wednesday, you may be feeling more in touch with your emotions later this week. Use this time to get your priorities in order before the moon travels into free-spirited Libra on Saturday.

Libra: As your ruling planet, Venus, moves through level-headed Taurus, you may be feeling more in-touch with your emotions. Perhaps taking some time to explore your feelings will help you learn more about yourself before Venus moves into Gemini.

Scorpio: While your ruling planet, Mars, travels through Gemini, you may be feeling more productive and able to juggle all the activities on your plate over this next month. Enjoy this while it lasts, as Mercury goes retrograde in Gemini later in the year.

Sagittarius: As your ruling planet of Jupiter moves through creative Aquarius, perhaps now is a good time to start a new creative project. Remember to not let your perfectionist tendencies get in the way of trying something new this week.

Capricorn: Take advantage of these next few weeks before your ruling planet of Saturn goes into retrograde in mid-May. As Saturn moves through creative Aquarius, consider growing a new project.

Aquarius: Are you feeling more brave this week, Aquarius? As your ruling planet of Saturn moves through its home in Aquarius, now may be a good time to take a risk or start a new project.

Pisces: As your ruling planet Neptune moves out of Pisces and into assertive Aries, you may be feeling less in touch with your true feelings. Perhaps take these next few weeks to do some self exploration and learn where your priorities truly lie.

April 22nd, 2021

SHE LIVED, AND SHE LEARNED: A REVIEW OF FEARLESS (TAYLOR’S VERSION)

Vol. 15

by Sasha Rinkevich — I’ve been a Taylor Swift fan for a long time. I have clear memories of riding in the backseat of a friend’s car in elementary school with the windows down, blasting “Our Song,” “22,” and “You Belong With Me.” As I’ve gotten older and evolved, her music has done so with me. I remember dancing to “Shake It Off” when it first came out and getting 1989 on my iPod shuffle for my tenth birthday. Reputation came out when I was in eighth grade, which I found completely appropriate given that I was dealing with the drama that is so synonymous with middle school. I listened to Lover when I first switched to STAB, which easily matched the joyful mood I felt while making the many wonderful friends I’ve found here. And, naturally, Folklore and Evermore were the albums that I listened to religiously while in quarantine.

As a loyal Swiftie, I was outraged when I learned of the position Taylor was in regarding the ownership of her masters. In case you missed it, the master recordings of her first six albums, along with the record label under which she released them, were sold to someone else even though she was actively trying to purchase them. Furthermore, they were sold to Scooter Braun: an investor and record executive who Taylor (via a Tumblr post) stated was responsible for “incessant and manipulative bullying” towards her for years. She called the acquisition her “worst-case scenario” in the same post. As suggested by Kelly Clarkson, Swift promised in 2019 to re-record her first six albums under her new record deal with Republic Records to gain ownership. Starting last November, she has been contractually allowed to do so. If you are interested in learning more about her situation, here is a more indepth account.

Making good on that promise, Swift released her first re-recorded album, 2008’s Fearless, on April 9th. A carbon copy of the original, save for improved instrumentals and a few vocal tweaks,

Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is the intended replacement to the original version. To create incentive for fans to buy and stream the re-recordings over the original, Swift also released six newly recorded “vault tracks,” or songs that she wrote during the original album cycle, but didn’t quite make the cut.

The replicas of the original Fearless tracks are, note by note and line by line, true to the originals. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) evokes the same youth and emotion as its predecessor but sounds stronger and more certain. The slight vocal tweaks, notable only to those who have listened to the original album thousands of times, reflect Taylor’s pride of owning the album that shot her to stardom and wisdom she’s acquired in the thirteen years since its initial release.

I’ve been listening to Fearless for much of my life.

I know it frontwards and backwards. Every vocal inflection and drum beat is familiar to me. So when anticipating the release of the new version, I was curious to see if it would feel the same as the original. Sure enough, Taylor delivered. As I sat in the dark, early hours of the morning of April 9th, listening for the first time, the album felt nearly the same as I had the first time I had listened to the original all of those years ago. Except this time, it was created on Taylor’s own terms.

Taylor still has five albums to re-record: her self-titled debut, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation.

In anticipation, many of her fans will be only listening to the albums she owns. It’s going to be interesting to see what other surprises she has in store.

Many fans suspect that the release of 1989 is not too far off.

Whether you’ve never heard the 2008 recording or are a well-versed Taylor Swift fan, I highly recommend giving Fearless (Taylor’s Version) a listen.

JASON BECTON, CO-OWNER AND FOUNDER OF MARIEBETTE CAFE AND BAKERY an interview with Ally Alvarez — What inspired you to open MarieBette?

I used to work in a corporate advertising job, and it was not the most fulfilling experience. As a gay, Black man, sometimes it’s easy to be ign-

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ored in a big corporate structure. I had a conversation with a colleague, and we talked about how liberating it would be to have our own businesses. I have always enjoyed cooking and entertaining, and in college, I spent a semester abroad in France and loved the food culture there. I also grew up around my grandmother who really loved to bake and cook.

So I switched to an advertising job that offered more flexibility and began going to culinary school part time. Afterward, I worked at the Four Seasons Hotel as a prep cook, and later became one of its restaurant chefs.

When my husband Patrick and I were ready to leave New Jersey, we moved here and opened MarieBette because we wanted to have a business where we could work together.

Since you mentioned that your previous job was not fulfilling, what is the most rewarding part of your job now?

A few things. One is being in control of your own career because there is a lot of freedom in making your own choices, but there’s also a lot of responsibility in that, so it can be scary sometimes. There are often instances where you just wish someone could make decisions for you. Overall, however, it’s nice to know that your successes are your successes and your failures are your failures. Another thing that’s great about having my own business is seeing how Charlottesville has really embraced it. When we moved here, it felt like we were immediately part of the community.

What was the most valuable thing you learned while living in France?

The food culture is so different. In France, people go to the bakery every day after work. It’s a ritual. People mostly get their food from openair farmers’ markets that are scattered all over Paris, and it’s amazing to see how things change with the seasons. I saw all of these meats and cheeses and produce that were so fresh. And while people do go to supermarkets, they also enjoy going to individual stores for various items.

They go to the bakery to get bread, the patisserie to get pastries, and the fromagerie to get cheese. Shopping for groceries is a joy rather than a chore. It was nice to be exposed to a different mindset.

What are the most challenging and fun aspects of owning your own business?

The challenging and fun parts are related. The challenging parts are when employees don’t get along or when customers aren’t as respectful or patient as they could be. On the flip side, the fun parts are when everyone works as a team and there’s a real sense of camaraderie.

It’s nice to know that we’ve become part of peoples’ lives.

Kids here grow up knowing what a canelé is and look forward to hot chocolate month every February and to the stencils we do for Black History Month. That’s very meaningful to us.

What is your favorite item on the menu?

What do you make at home?

When our dining room is open, we have French onion soup, which is one of those things you can have so much of that you get sick of it. But now that we haven’t had it for a while, I miss it because it’s such a savory, flavorful soup when it’s made right. In terms of pastries, the pretzel croissant is one of my favorite things -- but nothing beats a warm chocolate croissant right out of the oven. It’s magical! At home, Patrick loves to cook vegetables, and I love meat and fish. We like to prepare dishes using local ingredients.

It’s great to be able to create simple meals with confidence.

The Banter Staff: Eleanor Powell----------------------------------Editor-in-Chief Jack Dozier---------------------------------------Junior Editor Emma Finley-Gillis-----------------------------Director of Graphics & Formatting Emily Gohn--------------------------------------Features Editor Hannah Laufer-----------------------------------Sports Editor Sonia Kamath------------------------------------Director of Student Outreach

April 22nd, 2021

Vol. 15

EDITOR’S NOTE: THE BANTER JOINS THE NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC ASSOCIATION

By Jack Dozier — Hello STAB community! On behalf of the entire Belfield Banter Staff, I am pleased to announce that The Banter has joined the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). The National Scholastic Press Association acts as a resource to middle and high school student press organizations from public and independent schools. Being a member of the NSPA will give The Belfield Banter access to journalism resources that will help us grow and improve The Banter in the years to come. This school year has been a watershed for our student newspaper, in that this issue is our 15th publication this year, and we continue to break publication records previously set by our staff.

Thank you to the student editors, reporters, designers, artists, photographers and contributors who have made this happen, and thank you most of all to our Faculty Advisor, Mr. Taylor, Chief Strategic Communications Officer, Ms. Hà, and the Marketing and Communications office. Your guidance has made everyone connected to The Belfield Banter find meaning and friendship in this challenging year.