Volume 112 Issue 16 by The Stuyvesant Spectator

The Spectator

“The Pulse of the Student Body”

The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper

Volume 112  No. 16

June 3, 2022 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

stuyspec.com FEATURES

Sail On, Beach Boys

“Asian American”: The Holes in the Asian Umbrella

An ode to the legendary Beach Boys, the reigning champions of Californian summers, and one of the most important rock acts today.

Southeast and South Asian students reflect on what the word “Asian” really means to them, as well as on the inclusivity of the term in the broader Stuyvesant curriculum.

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2022 Endorsements (See Pages 2-3)

Junior Caucus, Sophia Dasser and Gigi Bryce

Ibtida Khurshed / The Spectator

Courtesy of LOV-LI Senior Caucus Ticket

Courtesy of Dasser-Bryce Junior Caucus Ticket

Courtesy of Mikhalevsky-Patel Junior Caucus Ticket

Junior Caucus, Margaret Mikhalevsky and Yashna Patel

Senior Caucus, Andrey Sokolov and Erica Li

Sophomore Caucus, Zoey Marcus and Josephine Yoo

Sophomore Caucus, Olivia Dogan and Salioudian Barry

Courtesy of Marcus-Yoo Junior Caucus Ticket

Stuyvesant Hosts In-Person Open House By TALIA ARCASOY, MADELINE GOODWIN, ELAINE HUANG, and MADISON KIM

person. These include virtual building tours and in-person Camp Stuy on June 9. Furthermore, the administration will also be hosting a Parent-to-Parent Panel Discussion on June 21 over Zoom. “Families can submit questions in advance, hear experiences of upperclassmen families, hear from Ms.

Andy Lin / The Spectator

Stuyvesant recently opened its doors to the incoming class of 2026 as a part of its first in-person open house in two years. This open house was organized by student groups, such as ARISTA and the Big Sibs, in coordination with the administration. As incoming students first entered the building on Thursday, May 12, they were welcomed by waves of enthusiastic cheers from upperclassmen volunteers. For many of these upperclassmen, participating in this tradition of greeting the incoming class was the most exciting part of their open-house experience. “Overall, I thought [the event] was really lively, especially when we started clapping and cheering for the new students when they were walking into the building, even though my hands hurt a lot,” junior Courtney Huang said. Incoming freshmen were taken on a tour around the school and were shown different activities that Stuyvesant had to offer. While some families went on student-led tours around the school building, others enjoyed a self-guided tour using directions from pamphlets listed with demonstrations from clubs and departments. “We gave them the freedom to explore,” junior and

Big Sib chair Sabiha Amin said. “As Big Sibs, it’s not only where we were in charge of hosting everything with the tour, but [also] making sure they were aware that they had other options as well.” This year was also the first time that families from the Discovery program were able to

attend the open house. “The Office of Enrollment extended their offers for the summer Discovery program early this year. We were happy that those families could join us and learn about Stuy[vesant] in person before having to commit to the program. It was great to have them join us,” Director of Family Engagement Dina Ingram said. While about 95 percent of offered invitations attended the open house, there are many available resources for families who were unable to attend in

[Assistant Principal Casey] Pedrick, the Big Sib Chairs, [and] Principal [Seung] Yu and I,” Ingram said. Organizing the open house event involved significant cooperation between different student groups, including ARISTA and the Big Sibs, and the administration, all of whom had different goals for the event. “[We also had to make] sure Big Sibs, ARISTA, Student Union (SU), and school administration were all working together to know what’s happening. I feel like we all have our own agenda; like,

SU and the Parents’ Association (PA) want to promote the PA’s cause and the merch. The Big Sibs [and ARISTA] were making sure everyone gets the tours, but the administration also needed to make sure that they cover everything in the theater. Finding a balance between everything was really difficult,,” Amin said. The student groups and administration also had to coordinate the length and content of sessions and tours. ARISTA and Big Sib members were responsible for leading incoming students and their families around the building and answering their questions. While some families were on school tours, others attended information sessions with Principal Yu, Pedrick, and Ingram. “We do three information sessions each Open House in the theater, each rotating with families who are either then completing a tour or have been on tour and then enter the theater. It’s a rotation that continues through after 8pm,” Ingram said in an e-mail interview. “Open House is our three-ring circus, in a bit of a literal sense.” Incoming freshmen were especially interested in the number of clubs that Stuyvesant has to offer. “Because of the pandemic and everything, most of the clubs I wanted to join had to shut down [at my middle school]. Now, I am in high continued on page 4

NEWSBEAT The Jewish Student Union hosted a speaker event with Holocaust survivor Paul Galan. Stuyvesant recently celebrated the return of its annual Big Sib-Little Sib dance. Stuyvesant hosted a master session with Grammy winner Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and student songwriters from Stuyvesant’s All-City Modern Music Project. Stuyvesant held a documentary screening of “The Invisible Extinction” with film directors Sarah Schenck and Steven Lawrence and microbiologists Martin Blaser and Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello. Social studies teacher Robert Sandler’s NYC History class participated in a walking tour of Greenwich Village. Students toured historical landmarks such as Mark Twain’s home, Emma Lazarus’s brownstone, the sites of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and Weather Underground Bombing, Stonewall Inn, the Church of the Ascension, and the Salmagundi Club.

The Spectator • June 3, 2022

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Caucus Endorsements SENIOR CAUCUS: ANDREY SOKOLOV and ERICA LI RECORD:

Sokolov and Li have more than enough student government experience under their belts in order to lead the student body. Sokolov has served as the Sophomore Caucus Outreach Director and Sophomore Caucus Chief of Staff, and he currently serves as the Junior Caucus Co-President. On the other hand, Li was both a Caucus and Student Union (SU) External Outreach member, and she is now serving as the Director of SU External Affairs.

CAMPAIGN:

The Lov-Li ticket consists of a passionate, close-knit group of friends who have worked together to ensure that they are the optimal campaign to serve the rising seniors. The team has launched a website, which includes a letter to the student body, the duo’s experiences, and the policies that they plan to implement if elected. Beyond the fundamentals of their platform, the pair have great chemistry, having worked with each other in student government since their sophomore year. Sokolov and Li have balanced skill sets; Li is better at managing social media and outreach initiatives, while Sokolov excels in his experience with team collaboration and web development.

Courtesy of LOV-LI Senior Caucus Ticket

“We will ensure that senior year will be memorable, fun, and unforgettable. If elected, we will be the needed voice for you all.” This quote embodies the essence of the Lov-Li ticket quite well. Not only does the Lov-Li ticket possess a strong record of experience within the SU, they are able to recognize certain issues within the student body and advocate for solutions. Their faith in their ability to do so is reflected in the plethora of thorough initiatives they have planned, all of which align with their platform’s four core values. Regarding collaboration, the pair aims to work with a variety of extracurriculars and clubs throughout the year. Some examples include working with the Stuyvesant Indicator for yearbook photos promotion and continuing the tradition of working with the Writing Center for college essay reviews. The ticket also wants to represent other facets of Stuyvesant by holding an Art and Music showcase, as well as a Spring or Fall Fest, and by featuring smaller cultural clubs such as the Japanese Students’ Association and the Jewish Student Union in monthly emails. Another unique idea that the duo have planned is working with the Health Department to advocate for more sexual health education and resources such as providing condoms, Plan B, and birth control. Advocacy is another priority for Lov-Li ticket, as the pair seeks to represent important issues that have persisted throughout recent years. This includes addressing the lack of mental health resources at Stuyvesant and increasing accessibility to reliable therapists. To advocate for en-

PLATFORM:

The Lov-Li ticket believes that they are the platform that the student body needs as current juniors transition to their final year at Stuyvesant. Their platform primarily focuses on the four pillars of CARE: collaboration, advocacy, reliability, and experience. For each of these pillars, the pair has detailed plans they hope to implement that will benefit the senior class.

vironmental issues, the ticket plans to set up a school flea market that aims to help seniors declutter their closets, an event which has never been done before. Furthermore, through a College Pen-Pal initiative that pairs students with alumni in their accepted schools, the college transition process will be made easier. Lov-Li hopes to push for changes through one-on-one talks with Principal Yu and Student Leadership Team meetings, where students are able to express their concerns. Sokolov and Li put more emphasis on implementing feasible policies instead of appeasing the

student body with unrealistic ideas. Some of their plans focus on honoring annual traditions for the senior class, such as senior merch for the departing Class of 2023, a letter capsule, and senior sunrise. Other plans that they hope to enact focus on renovating and accessorizing certain areas around the school, including the senior bar, the Student Union room, and the senior atrium. Finally, the Lov-Li ticket hopes to continue the tradition of releasing Elective Guides and is working on the production of a new Stuyvesant Schedule Widget app. Though each of these wide as-

sortment of initiatives may sound feasible individually, the sheer quantity and scale of all of them combined raises the question as to whether they can all be achieved in a single year. Taking note of Li and Sokolov’s many extracurricular activities and leadership roles outside of the SU, it is questionable whether the pair can handle the immense responsibility that comes with being Senior Caucus Co-Presidents without making heavy sacrifices. It is also important to remember that Sokolov’s past involvement in the Junior Caucus occurred during the same time as alleged claims of corruption

arose. The current campaign’s lack of acknowledgement as to how instances like these may be prevented suggests that it may possibly happen again if precautions are not taken. However, the Lov-Li ticket’s comprehensive and well-thoughtout initiatives that revolve around continuing senior traditions and advocating for the student body, along with the pair’s compatible dynamic and familiarity with the inner workings of the SU, makes it a wellrounded candidate for this election, which is why The Spectator endorses this ticket.

JUNIOR CAUCUS: MARGARET MIKHALEVSKY and YASHNA PATEL RECORD:

Courtesy of Mikhalevsky-Patel Junior Caucus Ticket

Ample prior experience and detailed planning of policies make Mikhalevsky and Patel stand out from other tickets, while unique events promise an engaging year to the sophomore class. Their workfocused relationship ensures that the caucus will be professionally managed and productive throughout the year. What spearheads the Mikhalevsky-Patel ticket is its priority of making JProm more affordable. Mikhalevsky-Patel has a clear and detailed plan of how to achieve lower ticket costs. With the price of JProm in 2022 being the lowest yet, $80, due to savings from last year’s junior caucus, it would be very strenuous to attempt to top that price reduction. However, Mikhalevsky-Patel presents a very detailed and realistic approach, emphasizing the unique partnership it currently has with PayLite. Mikhalevsky-Patel states how, from its current experience with

event planning, Stuyvesant does not allow monetary transactions within school, nor does it fund events that take place outside of Stuyvesant. With its current partnership with virtual payment platform PayLite, Mikhalevsky-Patel expresses how that creates a huge advantage for them compared to other tickets, as they would be able to start fundraising and outdoor event planning the moment they step on caucus, rather than spending extra effort finding other partnerships,. PayLite allows for fundraisers dedicated to JProm to occur outside of Stuyvesant, and the two plan to request allocations from the Parent Association and Alumni Association at the beginning of the year. Mikhalevsky-Patel also hopes to further promote these events through social media accounts, as well as the creation of a TikTok account. Many of the ticket’s planned

college readiness resources are not entirely new from those provided by previous junior caucuses, but Mikhalevsky-Patel also proposes many more resources catered to juniors, including its drivers’ education program, personal finance series, and scholarship spotlights. With previous leadership experiences and a great dynamic between Mikhalevsky and Patel, the Mikhalevsky-Patel ticket embodies both creativity and feasibility within its policies, setting a clear path for the grade on what steps the ticket would take to reach their goals. Thus, The Spectator endorses this ticket. out initiatives that revolve around continuing senior traditions and advocating for the student body, along with the pair’s compatible dynamic and familiarity with the inner workings of the SU, makes it a well-rounded candidate for this election, which is why The Spectator endorses this ticket.

Mikhalevsky and Patel have leadership experience both inside and outside of student government, as Mikhalevsky is the current Sophomore Caucus Co-President while Patel is the Chief of Staff. Outside of caucus, Mikhalevsky is the Vice President of Stuyvesant Spectrum, is on the Student Leadership Team Subcommittee for Inclusivity, and was on the Planning Subcommittee for JProm to gain experience on the logistics of the event. In addition, Patel is the blood drive coordinator for Stuyvesant and works with the New York City Blood Center to advertise and host donation events.

CAMPAIGN:

Despite the fact that Patel and Mikhalevsky are running together for the first time (Mikhalevsky has run separately for the past two years), they have a close working relationship, fostered by countless events and planning sessions that the two have gone through. The two are also clearly in reverence of each other, which shows great promise, as building off of each other’s strengths often plays a hefty role in the relationship between caucus co-presidents.

PLATFORM:

The Mikhalevsky-Patel ticket revolves around their four bases: advocacy, community, growth, and teamwork. Their focus is to help students overcome the overwhelming stress of junior life, which they will do through their policies on college readiness, their maintenance of a close partnership with the college office, and a plethora of unique events such as Luna Park, Dunk Tank, and a schoolwide Quiz Bowl tournament.

To view all caucus ticket reviews, please scan here:

The Spectator • June 3, 2022

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Caucus Endorsements JUNIOR CAUCUS: GIGI BRYCE and SOPHIA DASSER Courtesy of Dasser-Bryce Junior Caucus Ticket

Dasser and Bryce have not been involved in student government this year; however, they have exhibited that they have put careful thought into the feasibility of their proposed plans. Their extroversion and detailed policies exhibit that they are capable of representing the junior class. Dasser and Bryce are running on the campaign TIS, which stands for transparency, inclusivity, and support. For their transparency point, they place great importance on involving students in the caucus’ plans. In September, they plan to send out

a form with a list of potential events so students can choose what events they would like the caucus to prioritize for the year. This also goes with their proposed suggestion portal for caucus as well as open forums so that students can talk to caucus members about what is going on. Another aim is transparency with their budget, so students know where caucus money is going. For inclusivity, the pair are prioritizing redoing the selection process for caucus members so that it is free of nepotism. This greatly ties along with the fact that they them-

selves are “fresh faces in caucus.” To ensure that caucus member selection is fair, they plan on reviewing the applications anonymously, and having an “impartial member of SU” make final decisions about applications. And lastly, for the support point, the ticket has both academic policies and fun events planned for the caucus. Some of their strongest policies are homework buddies, through which students will be paired with other students in their class to study together if they wish, crowdsourcing notes for students who are absent or wish to have access to more details from class, and quizzes that mock the Talos descriptions of classes for students to decide what class to take. They also have social events planned such as movie nights on Rockefeller Lawn and a Matchmaker form to find a date for Junior Prom. Like other tickets, Dasser and Bryce have less unique policies such as weekly caucus updates and college presentations for juniors. Though this ticket lacks prior experience in student government, it demonstrates a strong capability for leadership through its involvement at Stuyvesant, emphasis on student involvement in choosing policies,

RECORD:

Although the duo is not currently involved in student government, Bryce and Dasser each have considerable leadership experience. Bryce is a part of the Grow NYC Youth Leadership Council and the Stuyvesant Environmental Club, and plays soccer for both school and local teams. She has years of experience in local volunteering for environmental advocacy, and is responsible for bringing programs such as Immigrant Social Services to the Stuyvesant community. Dasser worked in the Student Union as a Director of External Affairs in her freshman year, and is currently a director of events for both ARISTA and the Muslim Students Association.

CAMPAIGN:

Despite only having met at the beginning of the year, Bryce and Dasser have good rapport. They are each able to seamlessly pick up from where the other left off when describing their policies, demonstrating the confidence they have in their plans for the junior class.

PLATFORM:

The Bryce-Dassar ticket is solid in both its long-term policies and events to promote transparency, support, and inclusivity. Because the two are both new to being part of Stuyvesant’s student caucuses, one of their main goals is to prevent nepotism within the caucus, such as by having an impartial member of the SU be present for the interviews. They also plan to introduce a new structure to the caucus, with rolling applications and accessibility to switch between departments. Their policies include both academic support, such as through homework buddies and a quiz for what classes students should take, and more relaxing events, such as a Fall Festival, movie nights, and secret gift exchanges.

and detailed plans for execution of those policies. Because of this, The

Spectator endorses the Bryce-Dassar ticket.

SOPHOMORE CAUCUS: OLIVIA DOGAN and SALIOUDIAN BARRY RECORD:

Ibtida Khurshed / The Spectator

The Dogan-Barry ticket is a strong contender for Sophomore Caucus. They both have ample experience in leadership and possess good communication and speaking abilities. Their focus on realistic policies reflects their knowledge of their limitations. Additionally, they possess a good dynamic and work together efficiently. Though their policies and platform have plenty of room to grow, it is clear that they intend to improve and maximize their impact by partnering with other caucuses. Both Dogan and Barry are evidently wellresearched and capable, and it is apparent that they hold the potential to be an effective and efficient Sophomore Caucus. Though Dogan-Barry’s policies do reflect their focus on responsibility and realism, sacrifices are made in terms of creativity and originality. While their idea to consolidate study guides for the student body is helpful, it is also unoriginal. Similarly, their policies involving themed event nights and partnerships with local businesses are within the scope of their abilities but lack creativity. The Dogan-Barry ticket also wants to retain a focus on student engagement.

For example, they want to implement a more welcoming platform called Ideanote to anonymously collect students’ complaints. However, this idea requires students to familiarize themselves with the new platform first, which could hinder engagement. They make up for the lack of uniqueness in their policies through their practicality. Almost all of their

policies are reasonable, which is refreshing when compared to some of the other tickets that are still trying to eliminate the headphone policy. The Dogan-Barry ticket’s focus on the smaller aspects, such as more organization days and access to Band-Aids, allows for their objectives to be more rooted in reality, thus making it clear that they intend to fulfill their prom-

Both Dogan and Barry have had ample experience in leadership and organization at their middle schools and at Stuyvesant. Barry was president of her seventh grade class and is currently one of the SING! directors and a step Co-Director. At her middle school, Dogan was the event coordinator of SO and founded the Red Cross club. At Stuyvesant, Dogan is the only freshman on the Stuyvesant Red Cross Board, and she aided in organizing logistics for the Health Fair this year. Dogan’s experience in event coordination, combined with Barry’s prior student council knowledge and leadership in dance-related clubs, is an especially auspicious consolidation that holds promise for the effective execution of their policies. Though neither Dogan nor Barry have had prior experience in student government at Stuyvesant, their background in other areas of leadership and participation should account for this potential deficiency.

CAMPAIGN:

Barry and Dogan possess good chemistry. Their personalities are complementary, and they are not afraid to discuss issues and ideas together. During an interview with The Spectator, they were able to bounce off of each other effectively to formulate thoughtful and thorough responses.

PLATFORM:

A big objective of the Dogan-Barry ticket is to create policies that are feasible and realistic so that they can uphold the promises that they make. They want to focus on student engagement through talk circles, forums, and social media activity. Their website and social media are adequately developed, though they could use some improvement if they wish to heavily rely on them for student engagement. They also wish to continue previous caucuses’ policies, such as consolidating study guides and holding event nights, because of their established successes. Another goal of theirs is to make resources and information more accessible to the student body through organization days and the creation of useful guides.

ises and supporting why The Specta-

tor has chosen to endorse this ticket.

SOPHOMORE CAUCUS: ZOEY MARCUS and JOSEPHINE YOO

Courtesy of Marcus-Yoo Junior Caucus Ticket

The Marcus-Yoo ticket is a highly competent and qualified ticket that would capably spearhead the class of 2025 through their sophomore year. Their platform emphasizes the four pillars of EPIC: efficiency, practicality, inclusion, and compassion through a balance of feasible and ambitious policies. Part of Marcus and Yoo’s plan to uphold their inclusion pillar includes providing prayer rooms for those with religious lunch. They have heard complaints about the lack of accessible places to pray, so religious lunch is

often only inclusive in name. The pair already has some places in mind and hopes to collaborate with the Muslim Students Association, the Junior and Senior Caucuses, the Student Union, and the administration to bring true inclusivity to religious lunch. They also wish to hold a multicultural day when students can come in wearing clothing specific to their cultures and bring in food after school to celebrate in the cafeteria. Of course, there will be restrictions and transparency regarding food ingredients. In the practicality pillar, Marcus and

Yoo plan to allocate funding toward improving bathroom supplies, such as feminine hygiene products and toilet paper, as well as advocate for more flexibility when swiping in and out of the school building during free periods. Otherwise, they have standard homework policy suggestions which are unlikely to budge administratively, but it is admirable that they have a detailed plan of action. These are some of the Marcus-Yoo ticket’s policies that could realistically affect the student body. As for fun events, Marcus and Yoo have some creative and enjoyable activities planned, like a Dave and Buster’s arcade event, a post-AP party, and a sophomore dance. They hope to make sophomore year a fun experience filled with unique events throughout the year. Their advocacy for said policies may be unsuccessful, as many Sophomore Caucuses past and present have found, but if there is any ticket capable of bringing their fun dreams to fruition, Marcus and Yoo are that ticket. The pair displays great chemistry and seems to be comfortable with running for student government, given that they also ran for Freshman Caucus. Despite coming up short last year, they have definitely returned stronger and better. Both are well or-

RECORD:

Both Marcus and Yoo have fairly impressive leadership experience and have shown initiative in trying to establish changes to better their community. Yoo was the co-founder of the Asian American Association at her middle school, is a co-founder of an upcoming music club, and serves as a member of various sports teams at Stuyvesant. Marcus was the leader of her middle school’s student council, a position that allowed her to reform policies impacting the student body and better understand the needs of the student body. She is also part of various extracurriculars like the Stuyvesant Theater Community and the speech and debate team.

CAMPAIGN:

Since Marcus and Yoo went to the same middle school and have been friends since then, they work very well together. They also ran for Freshman Caucus together, so they’ve had experience in campaigning with each other. During an interview with The Spectator, both of them were able to bounce off of each other’s ideas well in the sense that once one person finished talking, the other was able to add more details or examples without hesitation.

PLATFORM:

A big part of ZOJO’s pillars revolves around inclusion, which is why they plan to create prayer rooms for those with religious lunches and increase menstrual product and toilet paper accessibility and quality through fundraisers. Marcus and Yoo also plan to revise the escalator system by ensuring that whenever an escalator breaks down, the escalator that is still working will be switched to the up direction. They have started reaching out to the administration regarding this problem, which shows how they have already been upholding their pillar of efficiency.

ganized, productive, high-achieving, and articulate, and their ambition will be pivotal in bringing change to their grade. Their creative yet plausible

ideas make them a worthy ticket for Sophomore Caucus. Thus, The Spectator endorses this ticket.

The Spectator • June 3, 2022

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News Introducing the New SU Website By SARAH HUYNH, JINA KOH, and RAVEN (RUIVWEN) TANG The Student Union (SU) IT department launched a new website for all students to use in early May, featuring links to important forms, schedules, announcements, and a customizable interface. The website was created to deal with the need to access information more quickly and easily from a centralized space, as shown by the website’s simplistic style. Some links include the Stuyvesant website, early excuse form, health screening form, absence form, and other resources covering upcoming events and the A/B 10-period schedule. The website has also made it possible for visitors to use the Application Programming Interface (API) and pull data about the current period and testing schedule. Senior and SU IT Assistant Director Willow Veytsman coded a significant part of the website in his free time using a computer programming language called JavaScript. He was inspired by computer science teacher Peter Brooks’s schedule app and the SU emails containing the weekly schedules. Veytsman felt that Brooks’s schedule website could be made more efficient with instant configuration to the current day. “It was nice, but it wouldn’t automatically tell you what’s going on. You had to choose the schedule and everything,” he said. Veytsman also hoped to centralize scheduling resources provided through SU emails in one place. “I never remembered whether it was an A day or a B day,” he said. “Throughout the week, I would get more emails, and I would always scroll back through my emails, which would always

take forever.” It took a few months for the website to be put together and formally launched because it was intermittently worked on, and its release was also set back. “I actually finished the app a couple of months before it was released, and then most of that time was spent finding someone who would put in the information and getting that email sent out to everyone,” Veytsman said. Though Veytsman spearheaded this project, he acknowledges that the idea for the website is not original. “I feel like every Stuy student who knows CS at least had the thought that there should be an easier way to access this sort of information, and I know that there were several projects in the past that tried to make it work,” he said. The website has received generally positive feedback from the student body, particularly regarding its accessibility. “Having everything on one page and keeping it simple is best when I need to quickly check the time or day,” sophomore Lesley Lo said. Students found certain sections of the website, such as “Quick Links,” to be especially helpful. “I don’t have to go to [the] Stuy website to see what’s happening each day anymore or search up the calendar,” junior Christina Shen said. “It provides easy access to commonly used websites for Stuyvesant students, including Talos.” The website can be accessed through a computer browser, as well as bookmarked on a phone. “I also have like 69 tabs open, so if you save it to your homescreen, you can just click it. Even if it ruins the aesthetic on my phone, it’s more convenient,” junior Venus Wan said. Many students enjoy the customization possibilities of the

website’s theme, even though it is not a main feature of the website. “The first thing I did was to mess around with a few of the [theme] settings,” junior Keara O’Donnell said. For regular site visitors, being able to change the website’s color can be an enjoyable feature. “I recently found out that you can change the color, [and] I think that’s my favorite part right now,” Wan said. On the other hand, some students find the new website unnecessary and inefficient. “I understand why this website was made and understand why other students may find it useful,” freshman Vicki Chen said. “For me, however, I have gone without [it] for a long time now, and using it would be more a hassle than anything. Whether it’s an A or B day, I base it on the day before.” Users had suggestions to improve the visual appeal of the website beyond color theme customization. “I mean add[ing] some graphics or something so it’s not just words,” Shen said. Given the current improvement goals, creating an app version of the website is not a priority but is still a future possibility. “If we had the chance to, we certainly would because the app would be very useful, just another medium in which we actually carry things out. I certainly do see us maybe exploring that in the future, but at the moment, no,” SU Vice President Ryan Lee said. In the coming weeks, the website will undergo further development. “As we recently released the website about a month ago, there are still a lot of bugs and a lot of features that we want to add based on feedback and also just brainstorming,” Lee said.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and NASA

WORLDBEAT A mass shooting in Robb elementary school on May 24 in Uvalde, Texas by an 18-year-old resulted in the deaths of 19 students and two teachers. This is the second deadliest school shooting in national history, after the Sandy Hook Shooting in 2012. A mass shooting occurred on May 14 in Buffalo, New York, where 18-year-old Payton Gendron shot and killed 10 people; the shooting was classified as a hate crime. The month of May celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month. The month of June celebrates Pride month. In a survey conducted by The New York Times, kids have the highest levels of anxiety ever seen, with about 94 percent of 364 counselors noting that children are expressing more signs of anxiety and depression now than before the pandemic. A convention was hosted by the National Rifle Association (NRA) in Houston, Texas, to oppose gun control, with speakers such as Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz present at the event. Elon Musk struck a deal with Twitter to buy it for around $44 billion dollars, but then proceeded to put a hold on the deal.

Stuyvesant Hosts In-Person Open House continued from page 1

school, with even more clubs, which makes me excited,” incoming freshman Abigail Cho said in an e-mail interview. Clubs such as Stuy Legacy, StuyMUN, StuyFlow, the robotics team, SING!, math team, the Science Bowl, and The Spectator were represented at the open house. Many clubs present at the open house gave demonstrations or performances to incoming students. “I remember seeing a creation made by the robotics team that was fascinating and inspired me to [want to] join the team,” incoming freshman Rhea Malhotra said in an e-mail interview. Many incoming students expressed that Stuy Legacy’s performance during the information session was particularly notable. “The dance was amazing, but what really surprised me was that even though I thought that Stuyvesant was viewed as a very technical school, which I still believe it is, there are also a bunch of opportunities for the students to learn a variety of artistic talents,” Cho said. Overall, the class of 2026 walked away with favorable impressions of Stuyvesant after the open house. “[Stuyvesant] has a very kind and welcoming community [...] that [ensures that] people choosing to at-

tend will have a memorable and wonderful four years there,” incoming freshman Andy Li said in an e-mail interview. Malhotra echoed these sentiments. “The event was genuinely informative but also entertaining at the same time,” she said. “The students came across as kind and friendly and made me feel very comfortable and at home.” Since Stuyvesant has not hosted an in-person open house in two years, organizers anticipated rough moments. One issue that arose was the first rotation of events had been delayed by 30 minutes. Many volunteers believed the event could have been more efficient. “We literally had to cheer for like thirty minutes. For an hour, half of us were just sitting there waiting for the next group to come in,” Huang said. Other students in charge of facilitating the open house acknowledged that the event got disorganized. “The event was kind of disorganized […]; half the time we were just sitting around waiting for them to assign us to groups and overall I just thought it could’ve been way more efficient,” Lee said. Crowding was also an issue at the open house. “Something I wasn’t very keen on was the enormous crowd and rush that was present throughout the halls; it was a bit chaotic and intimidating,” Malhotra said. “However, it is understandable

considering all the families that were there. I wish they could offer an open house on two days instead of one to reduce the numbers.” However, organizers strived to make the open house as efficient as possible by showcasing only a select few floors to incoming families. “We quickly glimpsed through the fourth floor because the fourth floor doesn’t have much, but if you’re on the fifth floor where we have the cafeteria [and] the gym, or even the sixth floor, we would spend a lot more time there,” Amin said. “We wanted to give a general overview as to why Stuy[vesant] is an amazing place without going into personal accounts. We save more of that for Camp Stuy.” Additionally, organizers had to make adjustments to the event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time, the administration organized advance registration. “I created a [G]oogle form for families who wished to attend. They had to register in advance and upload their proof of vaccination for all adults attending along with photo ID,” Ingram said. Additionally, all attendees, including staff and parent volunteers, were required to complete the DOE health screening prior to entry. However, Amin believes that despite all the hardships, all of the volunteers made the most of the experience and

were able to create an encouraging and helpful environment for the incoming students. “I think we did an amazing job with consolidating everything and showing what Stuy[vesant] actually is, especially after such a long time,” Amin said. Regardless, many incoming students continue to hold degrees of apprehension in their induction into Stuyvesant’s unfamiliar setting. Though Cho has no doubts about attending Stuyvesant, the school’s competitive nature leads her to believe that the adjustment to Stuyvesant may be difficult. “I also heard from many, many, many current students how much homework teachers give you and the amount of tests in one day. […] I’m used to having [little] to no homework at all, so I am definitely not prepared for that,” Cho said. “There will be new people too. Almost no one I know or [am] close to is going to Stuyvesant, which means trying to make new friends.” Current students who led the open house also noticed apprehension among the incoming freshmen. “They were very shy, as expected, since it’s their first time in the building,” Amin said. At the same time, however, she noted how the incoming class was impressed with aspects of the building that current students typically tend to disregard. “I don’t think we necessarily think about it when

we’re going through our day-today life at Stuy[vesant], but the school is massive,” Amin said. “When people see the escalators, they’re like ‘Wow, that’s crazy!’ while we just accept that as normal at this point.” Yet, some students expressed that the open house has allowed them to feel prepared for their adjustment to Stuyvesant. “I think that I would adjust fairly well because I will be coming from a busy and fairly large public school,” Malhotra said. “I found the students were very relatable, therefore, so finding a supportive peer group will hopefully not be too hard.” Li is optimistic that Stuyvesant’s community will help him feel more comfortable and adjust rather quickly in spite of his concerns. “I think that I’ll be able to adjust to Stuy[vesant] pretty smoothly. The first few days may be a bit rocky but I’ll eventually get used to high school especially with the help of Stu[vesant]’s community,” Li said. As the school year comes to an end, the relative success of the open house indicates that Stuyvesant will soon be ready to accept a new batch of students who are both excited and anxious about their fresh start at a new school. “I’m really excited to attend Stuyvesant this fall and spend the next four years of my life at Stuy[vesant],” Li said.

The Spectator • June 3, 2022

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The Spectator • June 3, 2022

News Junior Prom Under the Night Sky By SARAH HUYUH, JINA KOH, VINCENT WANG, and JASMINE YUEN Stuyvesant Junior Caucus hosted its annual tradition of Junior Prom (JProm) on May 27 on a four-story yacht, with the theme being Night Sky. The event started at 7:00 p.m. and docked at Pier 40 at 10:00 p.m.. A total of 315 participants and a few chaperones attended, with the highlights of the night being dancing, the performances by StuyLegacy and Berry Ongan, taking pictures at the photobooth, and stargazing. Compared to other JProms in the past, the logistics in planning this year’s JProm were not entirely different. “It is fascinating how the JPromposals have not changed [...] [a]nd in terms of other things, the ticketing system is basically the same. We are still using Eventbrite,” Junior Caucus President Andrey Sokolov said. However, there have still been some new additions in order to increase the excitement and morale of attendees. “I don’t think we used to have [performances],” Sokolov said. “The boat itself is different because we had to find a new contractor.” In addition, along with selling the tickets on Eventbrite with a limit of 300 students, this year’s JProm also included a lottery system that randomly chose 12 students of those who applied on a Google Form to claim refunded tickets. “While we were able to have more tickets and get more money, it was more [...] for

the kids who really wanted to go to JProm and couldn’t get the tickets in time,” Junior Caucus Events Director Cynthia Chang said. JProm event coordinators worked closely with Assistant Principal of Security, Health, and Physical Education Brian Moran and Coordinator of Student Affairs Matt Polazzo, as COVID was a big concern for many students, especially at such a large-scale event. “In the beginning of the year we weren’t actually sure if JProm was actually going to happen because reopenings were very tedious,” junior and JProm coordinator Talia Hsia said. “We had to figure out our own COVID policy [and] how people were going to stay safe on the boat. That’s why we decided to establish a vaccination card for negative COVID tests, much like the school.” Nonetheless, many attendees expressed excitement, as this year’s JProm was their first formal high school event. “As it is the first opportunity to attend a school-related formal in high school, I wanted to go to see how different it would be from parties I went to in elementary and middle school,” junior Anthony Sun said. In addition, the event provided a unique experience that allowed for more bonding time with friends after a stressful week of AP testing. “I guess it’s just a part of the Stuy experience. I don’t think other schools have the opportunity to go on a boat for JProm,” junior Christina Shen said. “It’s just a fun, party, social event. [...] My favorite part was just like hanging out

with my friends and taking a lot of pictures. The photo booth was pretty nice too.” Another memorable part of JProm was the dance floor. “I really enjoyed being on the dance floor. I always love when a party starts to warm up as more people join the stage and the DJ starts putting on good music hits,” junior Keara O’Donnell said. Others share the same sentiment, expressing how the dance floor gave students the opportunity to dance without judgment. “When I attended parties when I was younger, I was always pretty self-conscious about such things, so it felt momentous to finally be able to let loose and have fun, even if I’m not good at it,” Sun said. Though some juniors were concerned about the thunderstorm weather forecast that night, the weather didn’t end up interfering much with the JProm experience. “I thought the fact that the boat would be moving around while [there was a] thunderstorm would be pretty funny, and on the car ride there I was sure it would be as rainy as it was,” O’Donnell said. “But fortunately, it cleared up pretty nicely, and the sunset and night scenery was gorgeous.” In case it rained, the committee had also prepared a backup plan incentivizing attendees to board the boat earlier. “We were able to solve [the problem] by buying all the materials beforehand [...], by amending a few of the plans that we had, by making sure that everybody knows that it’s going to rain, by providing incentives to come at 6:30 [p.m.],” Sokolov said. “We have

Keara O’Donnell baking cookies [...] and we’re going to be giving away cookies to the first 150 attendees that come in so people could either come in or [...] miss out on the cookies.” The 200 handmade sugar cookies O’Donnell baked in three days were also simultaneously used to raise money for her fundraiser for American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad. “It was pretty challenging but exciting to decorate them, since we made the swirls for the galaxy designs one by one,” O’Donnell said. “But I’m glad people really liked the cookies; some random people I’ve never met or spoken to in my life were walking up to me about the cookies so that was pretty interesting.” Though most of the event was light-hearted and relaxing, some believed that policies regarding JProm admissions could have been more enforced. “One thing [that] I think could be improved would be checking what grades people are in,” said junior Carina Lee. “I know some of my friends that are juniors weren’t able to get tickets, so I was a bit surprised when I saw freshmen on the boat.” Others felt that there could have been more time dedicated to seating arrangements. “I ended up eating my food on the couch, so maybe ticket bookings that came with seat reservations, where you could basically choose who you’d sit with beforehand, [...] would’ve been helpful and saved me that awkward 10 minutes of finding a seat,” O’Donnell said. Furthermore, due to time

constraints of boarding all attendees on the boat, the event coordinators didn’t have enough time to check vaccination cards or COVID statuses. “They did not check vaccination cards or negative tests because the chaperones ran out of time to check and just wanted to get everyone on the boat, but they did do a bag check,” an anonymous junior said. “Also, some people came even though they were COVID positive.” JProm 2022 tickets sold for $80, their cheapest rate compared to prices in previous years. Due to last year’s unused allocation for an in-person JProm and a $6,000 discount, most attendees believed that the amount paid was worth the experience. “I saw the senior prom’s price and it was three times [more than] the price [for JProm]. I think for JProm, it was still on the cheaper side. We have to keep a note of all the people on the boat,” Shen said. “The teachers, [...] the food, [the] waiters and servers. There was also the DJ and the captain. They all need to get paid. I think we’re on the boat for four hours, so it makes sense in terms of people who were on it.” Overall, though there was some apprehension before JProm in terms of weather and COVID protocols, the event garnered much support and was enjoyed by both students and everyone involved in its planning. “We were able to cut down the price a lot, and I mean a lot, like 25 percent, if not more. [...] It took a lot of planning, it took a lot of coordination. But in the end, I think it was all worth it,” Sokolov said.

Stuyvesant Environmental Club Hosts Speaker Event with Henk Rogers (’72) By ADITYA ANAND, MOZAN KALEFA, RORIE TAYLOR, and ELAINE WONG Video game designer, managing director of The Tetris Company, and founder of Blue Planet Foundation and Blue Planet Energy Henk Rogers (‘72) was invited by the Stuyvesant Environmental Club (SEC) to participate in a live Q&A on April 28 to share his career experiences. Taking place in the Murray Kahn Theater after school, this event was SEC’s third speaker event of their speaker series this year. During the event, Rogers shared his life story and experiences, including his time at Stuyvesant, his role as a founder of Tetris, and his recent work in Palau. This work included an EcoSprint, a meeting organized to plan out a transition into renewable energy. “We got stakeholders, people from government, utility, environment, culture, economics, and students into a room where they discussed ways that they could achieve 100 [percent] [r]enewable [e]nergy in Palau,” Rogers said in an e-mail sent out regarding the event. “The senator in charge of energy said she would introduce the 100 [percent] [r]enewable [e]nergy bill into the legislature. Yesterday [April 27, 2022] the President of Palau publicly said that he would move Palau to 100 [percent] [re-

newable energy] by 2032.” This speaker event was in many ways different from the two previously planned SEC speaker events this year. “The main difference was that [the two prior speaker events] were on Zoom, and so with our speaker series this year, we want to make it accessible to people and be able to get cool speakers from around the country,” senior and SEC president Nour Kastoun said. “[In the past], it was easier to hold them over Zoom just because it meant more flexibility for people’s schedules both in terms of people who attended and the speakers.” In addition, Rogers had also interacted with SEC prior to the speaker event. Though he wasn’t in New York to attend the inperson portion of the Earth Day Fair, he was able to attend virtually. Once in New York, Rogers got to meet a few of SEC’s members. “So I’ve met him before, actually. He spoke at Stuy when I was a freshman, and I had gone to the second half of that presentation because I had a thing after school, and I [also] met him at the climate strike in the fall,” Kastoun said. Some students were also familiar with Rogers prior to the event. “I had also heard about Henk Rogers from a previous source: it was this documentary I watched about him; [it was] about Tetris and how they man-

aged to secure rights,” junior Jeffrey Mui said. Despite hosting Rogers as the first in-person speaker event of the year, there appeared to be no difficulty in getting students to attend, as students were informed about the event in a variety of ways, such as through e-mails and announcements. “Bio[logy], chem[istry], and physics teachers sent out e-mails letting people know. We made announcements every day for a week on the [morning] announcements, [and] Ms. [Director of Family Engagement Dina] Ingram sent [information to the students],” SEC faculty advisor Marissa Maggio said. Frequent advertisement of the event proved to be an effective way to gain a larger audience. “I heard about the event through the SEC weekly e-mails. I decided to go for the bonus service hours provided after having wrapped up another meeting,” freshman Muhib Muhib said. The event mainly worked as a Q&A session to promote interactivity. “We wanted somebody who would be able to moderate and be able to give back and forth on the spot, so I figured Speech and Debate were the best people to go to for that,” Maggio said. Anagha Purohit, senior and President of the Speech and Debate Team, worked closely with Maggio to create questions that

differ from those asked in a typical lecture-style speaker event. “I didn’t really work with [SEC], I spoke with Ms. Maggio and she asked me to come up with a list of questions. She told me what her goals were [for] this event, [such as] making sure that he gets to talk about climate change and his work [related to it], and student activism and involvement,” Purohit said. “So based on that, I drafted up a couple of questions. I also watched a couple [of] videos of talks of this sort just to get an idea of what I should be doing.” Many students enjoyed the unique aspect of allowing for more engagement within the Q&A session. “It wasn’t really much of a presentation like on a board. It was more of him talking and giving a speech. [...] He went from his personal background to a brief presentation on the overview [of his organization], and he also showed a promotional video and then he went to talking about Blue Planet and his […] environmental objectives,” Mui said. Rogers’s passion in approaching his environmental goals has inspired and changed the views of many in relation to environmental organizations. “I never previously held a very high regard for some [environmental organizations], plus I didn’t really think they were too effective in terms of making political

change,” Mui said. “I like [Rogers’s] goals [of political change] and the fact that he’s willing to be a bit more proactive and achieve them rather than engaging in the same kind[s] of [things as] performative activists.” Though this may be the last SEC guest speaker event this year, Rogers hopes that students obtained new perspectives from his story and would start to play active roles in improving their community. “The process of bringing systemic change is not that easy. It takes months of preparation, introducing a bill, starting community meetings, and passing the bill to make this commitment a law,” Rogers said. “Our immediate goals are to engage you in getting you out into your community, connecting with your adult mentors, [and] bringing awareness to your fellow citizens.” Francois Rogers, the Blue Planet Foundation’s Director of Global Outreach, concurs with Henk Rogers’s motives. “Last week, when Henk Rogers, our founder, presented at your school, he witnessed a bunch of passionate, driven, and sincere individuals like yourselves who all demonstrated how much you want to see a better future for our planet. We are certain that you will make us all proud one day and become wonderful leaders of the world,” Francois Rogers said in an e-mail interview.

The Spectator • June 3, 2022

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News Student Farming through The Environmental Club’s Stewardship Lab

By LAUREN CHIN and XUEMING LI

the 15-, 16-, and 17-year-olds all have parent waivers so they can volunteer,” Maggio said. Regardless, members of the

dowsill. It’s an actual plot of land,” Chen said. “That’s an opportunity that’s really rare, especially living in New York City.”

SEC are optimistic about the rest of the year at this farm. “It’s not just something you have in your backyard or on your win-

SEC members expressed that the farming experience that comes with cultivating their own crops is rewarding and ful-

Mirei Ueyama / The Spectator

After two years of remote learning, the Stuyvesant Environmental Club (SEC) restarted its Stewardship Lab at the Battery Urban Farm earlier this year. Initiated in 2011 by the Battery Conservancy alongside students from Millennium High School, the Battery Urban Farm is located at the southern tip of Manhattan. The Battery Urban Farm provides students, residents, and even visitors the ability to plant and grow their own food as well as learn about sustainable urban farming. Stuyvesant is one of over 100 schools that participate in their programs. The activities range by the week. “We go there to do all sorts of gardening,” junior and SEC secretary Juniper Chen said. “This week, we’re seeding a lot of plants, and before we did some weeding and made soil beds for the farm. Sometimes

we get to take sages or scallions.” Students express that the program has served as handson experience related to SEC’s interests. “It’s hands-on work, outdoors, and it’s always good to be outdoors. Every Tuesday, they have something for us to do,” junior and SEC secretary Nandika Mukherjee said. Throughout the return of the program, the Environmental Club has faced several challenges in relation to COVID-19 and the administration of the club. “[The program] is counted as a school trip by the DOE. And since it’s a school trip, 14-yearolds can’t go unless our advisory teacher, [Biology teacher Marissa] Maggio, also goes,” Chen said. This has made visits particularly difficult for freshmen during AP season as Maggio prepares her students for the exam. “I’m only going every week or every couple weeks. The 14-yearolds can’t go without me, but

filling. “Planting stuff and then harvesting it and being able to take it home with you, and like knowing that it’s something that you took care of and now you get to eat it; I think that’s pretty exciting,” Mukherjee said.. Beyond these projects, the SEC hopes to expand even further and is always looking for new members who have a passion for the environment. “There’s a lot of people who join for various reasons. SEC provides a lot of events and opportunities for people to work on,” Chen said. The farm itself provides a unique insight into field work, something that is not easily found in an urban center such as NYC. “When you think of a farm you don’t think of New York City, you don’t know that you can do that, that you can grow and harvest food in the middle of Manhattan,” Mukherjee said.

New Bubble Tea Shop Opens Near Stuyvesant By JADY CHEN and ZIYING JIAN The bubble tea store chain Chun Yang Tea, an authentic Taiwanese bubble tea store, opened its Tribeca location on Chambers Street near the A/C/E subway station on April 23. Due to the closing of the popular Tribeca location of Kung Fu Tea three years prior, the opening of Chun Yang Tea has impacted many Stuyvesant students. Many students at Stuyvesant enjoy bubble tea, and several were eager to visit the new location. “I went on the conference day, and I waited 30 minutes for a drink because everyone wanted to try it,” freshman Brandon Waworuntu said. A few weeks after the opening of Chun Yang, many students visited the shop and were able to try their drinks. Some students noted that the drink itself was nothing special, but it was the store’s convenient location and the tapioca pearls that mostly motivated them to return

to Chun Yang. “Normally I’m a fruit tea lover, but I wasn’t a huge fan of their passionfruit for some reason. It’s relatively good, but there’s something about it that’s a little sour even if you up the sugar value so I would [not] recommend unless you’re one of those people who doesn’t like things too sweet,” sophomore Eshaal Ubaid said, “I would definitely go again because the quality of the boba itself is so good and it’s really nicely cooked.” Many students also noted the pleasant environment that the shop had along with its quick service. “It’s very aesthetically pleasing and I like the vibe. It’s minimal and the service is good and I haven’t had a bad experience. They’re pretty quick [and] I feel like it’s a great place to study,” Ubaid said. Freshman Krystal Khine agreed that the ambience of the store was its main appeal. “The service was fine, the manager and staff were nice to all of the Stuy kids that were lining up for bubble tea. The ambience and aesthetic was tranquil and quite

adorable, quaint but cute,” she said. Much of the shop’s business comes from Stuyvesant students, especially during early dismissal days or when the weather is warmer. The shop is located near Stuyvesant by the Chambers Street train station, which has resulted in a steady stream of customers. “I definitely think [proximity] was a factor, but I don’t think it was the whole reason why. I think [the owners] found an open space with good people and a good environment,” Brooklyn Tech senior and employee Vivian Moy said. Weeks before its official opening, Chun Yang opened up job opportunities at its new location. Sophomore Jenny Zhong currently works at the bubble tea store, where she has been able to gain new work experience. “Some [of my coworkers] know Cantonese and some people know Mandarin but we all know English, so sometimes [when communicating] with everyone we have to do it in English,” Zhong said. “We also have

to memorize all the boba formulas which is insanely hard. I didn’t think it was that hard but some don’t even have a pattern to them and you also get tested on it.” Out of all these complex drinks, Zhong recommends the mango cheese drink and the purple rice sago drink. Other students have shared their opinions about Chun Yang on social media, remarking that the beverages lacked taste and were not worth the price. The cost of one bubble tea from Chun Yang is usually $6 to $7, which some consider expensive for a drink. “The drink itself was pretty good but the fact that a medium drink was around $6 to $7 kind of ruined the experience for me,” Khine said. “I got matcha bubble tea. If I remember correctly, it was like $7, which is around $3 to $4 more than what I usually pay for bubble tea.” Complaints about the expensive drink prices might not last for much longer thanks to an upcoming discount. “The price of the drinks is a real problem, and it’s one of the reasons we’re

preparing to provide a 10 percent discount [for Stuyesant students],” the manager of the shop Ting Ting Ko said. The store also recently introduced a loyalty card program. After buying nine drinks, customers can receive their 10th one for free. The staff at Chun Yang also hope to strengthen the shop’s appeal by improving the store’s appearance and decorations. “I definitely do think that making [the store] a funner, more vibrant location would attract more students. You can’t really see it and it’s pretty dull right now, but we’ll definitely make it better by adding stuff,” Moy said. The small size of the shop may contribute to its cozy ambience, but it prevents the shop from expanding to provide an indoor seating area. “The size cannot be changed, so we can’t put anyone inside. We can only put one table outside,” Ko said. This may pose an issue for when the weather gets hotter in the summer, but the shop will continue to work with what it has.

StuyPulse Places Third in Robotics World Championship By PRAPTI BISWAS, NADA HAMEED, and SHARON ZHOU Additional reporting by Dylan Ma

Despite being faced with competition, the relations among Stuyvesant and the other competing teams was strengthened with

Rain Shao / The Spectator

StuyPulse 694 won third place in the Galileo Division of the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics World Championship hosted in Houston, Texas from April 20 to April 23, making it to quarterfinals. Before the world championships, StuyPulse had won two regionals and made it to the finalist pool in another competition. The layout of the competition consists of smaller regionals in which many winning teams are invited to the World Championship organized by FIRST, where StuyPulse is placed into the Galileo Division. “Each of the six divisions [...] compete and ultimately group into seven

to eight alliances of three teams in each,” senior and Director of the Numatics Department Bryan Zhang said. “The winning team

in each division goes off to the Einstein in which these six different alliances [of each division] compete to figure out which is the [world champion].”

the alliances. “Within championships there is a lot of comradeship. We really try to help each other out more,” sophomore and Vice President of the Marketing

Department Daniel Uh said. “It’s not really like we’re bitter rivals. We’ll give each other spare parts.” During the competition, meeting other very well-qualified groups also allowed members to expand their knowledge by learning more about different types of mechanisms and robots. “FIRST isn’t all about competition. Granted, it was a big part, but the other parts, like helping other teams, sharing knowledge, and especially gracious professionalism, help connect FIRST into one family,” sophomore and StuyPulse member Eric Lin said. “During the competition, I came to understand more about robotics, engineering, and electronics.” In addition, StuyPulse members focused on the greater lessons that they internalized from the championship, especially regarding stress management and how these critical skills can be applied in the real world. “It was a

fun experience, very eye-opening. You learn a lot in StuyPulse, it prepares you for the real world, especially building a robot in like six weeks, which was very stressful, barely enough time actually,” Vice President of Software Engineering Ivan Chen said. “We just barely built it up. [...] In-person meetings [last up until], like, seven, and then eight or nine on Fridays, and then people will still work at home, designing or coding.” Read the rest of this article and other website-exclusive articles here:

The Spectator • June 3, 2022

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News Muslim Students Association Hosts Eid Potluck Stuyvesant’s student-run clubs are known for hosting a plethora of events, one of them being the Eid Potluck hosted by the Stuyvesant Muslim Students Association (MSA) on May 6 to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. The turnout for the event was higher than MSA members expected, with around 30 to 40 students and 10 faculty advisors joining the feast held in room 233. The potluck was coordinated by board members of the MSA, including MSA President Rahma Abdallah, Secretary Yusha Aziz, Events Coordinator Nafisa Hoque, and Treasurer Sabiha Amin. While MSA leaders such as Abdallah and Aziz promoted the event to create general interest and coordinated the logistical details, the event was also supported by MSA’s faculty advisor, Angel Colon. Colon focuses on planning diverse events within the MSA and supports the club’s mission to focus on activism, advocacy, and education regarding issues surrounding the Muslim community. For the event, he provided access to the counselor’s fridge, where members of the MSA could store their food, and allowed members to use a microwave, which they brought to school on the day of the potluck. During the potluck, members of the MSA brought food such as pastries, donuts, and sweets to the event and most wore traditional

Muslim clothing. “For Eid, we wanted people to wear their cultural clothing, so Bengalis wore their kameezes, the guys wore their kurtas, [and] Arabic people wore their dresses,” Hoque said.

MSA in terms of its large scale. “We didn’t do anything for Eid before this. We just had a couple meetings and one game night, but not at this level where we brought this much food and told everyone

organizing events that showcase their identity as a club, particularly in the way their club is perceived within the Stuyvesant community. “Especially because of the pandemic, [...] we haven’t been

Most students agreed that the event was mainly centered around conversation, celebration, and food through various activities. “We had a lot of things planned, like we had people bring in board games if they were unable to bring food. I saw some people playing cards and chess. But, [the] common ground [was] food and there were a lot of discussions about food,” Abdallah said. Some students thought the event was a memorable experience and a significant one for the

to come. It’s definitely not been like this before,” Aziz said. With the turnout, Hoque feels that this year represents a comeback for the MSA. “This year was our starter year jumping back from COVID [and] we’re starting anew again because freshman year was very abrupt. But otherwise, past MSA events have been very successful. You see pictures, [and] you see alums telling us about how we’re supposed to run things,” Hoque said. Amin noted the challenges to

able to showcase our identity as much, because we don’t want to be labeled as just a religious club,” Amin said. The Eid Potluck was an example of how the MSA aspires to diversify its meetings and create a space for people of different cultural backgrounds. “We were trying to showcase our cultures [during the potluck]. That’s why we added that you can wear traditional clothing. Some people changed into it, some people wore it the whole day; it was a fun

Courtesy of Stuyvesant Muslim Students Assocation

By JAMES LEE and DAVID LIN

bonding experience.” Abdallah said. Colon agrees with this sentiment and also supports cultural acceptance. “Everyone’s welcome. You don’t have to identify as a Muslim to partake in [the MSA’s] activities or their functions. Again, part of these types of initiatives is how we [as people] can be better neighbors,” he said. Junior Sayeb Khan is optimistic about MSA’s improvements in its efforts to branch out. “The club in general has gone, since freshman year, into a more diverse direction. Some meetings I remember; like right before Ramadan began, the meeting was dedicated to understanding our responsibilities, the purpose of Ramadan, and fasting,” he said. “And then we have other meetings where we play soccer, go outside, play chess, board games, checkers, et cetera.” Furthermore, the potluck is one of many events that left members of the MSA confident in the club’s growth and in continuing to establish its place within the Stuyvesant community by collaborating with more clubs. “My goal personally as a club leader is to gain the appeal of others. Right now we partnered with Stuyvesant soccer [and] Stuyvesant Red Cross. We plan to work with Stuyvesant Key Club, and other clubs such as possibly Stuyvesant NBA,” Aziz said. “One key point is that MSA is going to grow bigger this year than it’s ever been, [and this growth will continue into] next year [...].”

What are Our Thoughts on the Potential Overturning of Roe v. Wade? By THE NEWS DEPARTMENT

“I was initially aghast. It was horrific to think that after decades, [the government] would even consider overturning an act that granted women their first amendment rights. The decision would’ve meant a regression in our democratic progress and a sign of disrespect to all the women over centuries who have fought for their rights and contributed to society just as much as men did. Abortion rights are natural rights that all women should have. It is their body and they should choose to do what they want with it. Not giving women that choice is a violation of their rights.” —Joanna Meng, sophomore

“I went to the rally after school in Foley Square. And Leticia James spoke, [and], like, a lot of really big politicians and activists [were] talking about their experiences and about New York. That’s when I really realized everything and how severe it was, and how much it was going to impact women of color and poor women in this country. I live in New York, so I didn’t really know how terrible it was for women in other states. It already is so hard to get an abortion and it was very eye opening.” —Helen Mancini, freshman

“I don’t feel like the right decision was made because the legislators [aren’t] female; they’re not the ones that are going to have to deal with the pregnancies. Second, they’re overturning the right to abort, but they’re not putting anything in place to take care of the children that are now going to be born. Third, overturning Roe vs. Wade [...] doesn’t mean that there’s not going to be abortions, it means that there are going to be more dangerous abortions. As a human race, we have control of our bodies, we’ve established this; no one else is allowed to control our body. And giving birth—that is a facet of your body. And the same way that people get mad, which, by the way, doesn’t affect other people [...] if someone gets an abortion, even if it affects your religious and political beliefs. We’re not a theocracy, we’re a democracy, so we don’t have to cater to Christian beliefs.” —Orup Ghosh, sophomore

“I think that everyone should have the right to safe abortion should they need one, because there are a variety of different reasons why a person might need them and it’s not always just an irresponsibility thing. If the [government] had the children and the mothers in mind then they would have tried to make the adoption system better, make it easier to get birth control, make it easier to prevent unwanted pregnancies, or try to prevent unsafe abortions, but they are not really doing any of that. I feel like the overturning of the case is directly just to try to control, as it’s been seen before in history, just to control women’s rights. Historically it’s also a trend, continuing now into this area of [reproductive rights].” —Zareen Islam, sophomore

“Justice Alito’s originalist drive to overturn Roe v. Wade threatens the fragile future of women’s reproductive rights in America, but more importantly, implies that anything he, 72 and aging, doesn’t find emphasized or not “deeply rooted” in his interpretation of American society should not be legally recognized or protected: women’s rights, working rights, gay rights, civil rights, and so much more.” —Qing Yi Chen, junior

“As a staunch defendant of bodily autonomy, I believe a woman has the right to choose to get an abortion, as the fetus is reliant on the mother’s body for nutrients until that point. However, as a staunch defender of the Constitution and federalism, I also believe that states should have the sovereignty to determine the policies within their borders. After all, the regional constituents of a state know best which policies they prefer over those in other states and, as such, are more responsive to demands [that are] more popular in their states. In fact, Democratic Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, famous for her pro-choice views, holds that Roe v. Wade was a poorly decided Supreme Court case. As a result, it seems logical that states should decide when a fetus is viable and when it should be protected. Even if we may have personal beliefs on the issue of abortion, it is most effective to keep the issue a state issue. Otherwise, the federal government would easily have the power to entirely outlaw abortion just as easily it could allow it in all 50 states.” —Sayeb Khan, junior

“I wasn’t too surprised when I heard that Roe v. Wade was being overturned, to be honest. I think that there is a strong sentiment against abortion in [a lot] of the country and many of the justices echo this view. I think that women should be given the right to choose if they want to have an abortion and that the country is moving backward if we are taking this right away from them. For me as a guy, this doesn’t really affect me in any big way. However, for women in this country, it takes away their freedom to choose, which I think is really unfortunate. To be honest I do not plan on taking any action. I know that the overturning of abortion is horrible for this country, but I don’t really feel compelled to take action.” —Faiyaz Rafee, junior

“It’s men deciding women’s rights in general. I think the situation is very unfair against the people it affects and is very hypocritical in a way, because people who decide the rights for abortion are basically the same people that, during the COVID pandemic, [...] argued ‘my body, my rights’ when they didn’t want to mask and now they’re essentially saying ‘your body, my rights.’” —Edmund Chin, sophomore

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Senior Survey The Class of 2022: Then and Now By THE EDITORIAL BOARD When the class of 2022 first entered Stuyvesant at Camp Stuy, they took a survey detailing their viewpoints and experiences prior to high school. Four years later, The Spectator conducted the same survey again to see how the class has changed over their time at Stuyvesant. Read on to view the results!

PART A: ACADEMIC INFORMATION 2018

2022

In freshman year, 55.4 percent of the class agreed or strongly agreed that they were aware of current events. This percentage has grown to nearly 80 percent, a substantial change in the students’ time at Stuyvesant.

2018

2022

As freshmen, 64 percent of students expressed a belief that they would attend an Ivy League university or another elite university. This stands in contrast to the 40 percent that reported they are actually attending an Ivy League university or another elite university. Four years at Stuyvesant seem to have bolstered students’ expectations for college, as 93.2 percent of seniors surveyed applied to Ivy League universities, a 28.2 percent increase from those who agreed or strongly agreed in freshman year that they would attend an elite university after high school.

PART B: APPLYING TO STUYVESANT 2018

continued on page 10

Page 10

The Spectator • June 3, 2022

Senior Survey PART B: APPLYING TO STUYVESANT continued from page 9

2022

Seniors tend to disagree a lot more with the idea of positive correlation between SHSAT scores and success at Stuyvesant. After experiencing the school for themselves, they have realized that success on the SHSAT doesn’t always correlate to academic performance, a contrast from their belief as freshmen. Though many students learned that an arbitrary score on a test does not translate to success at a school as rigorous as Stuyvesant, students generally continued to believe that the SHSAT should remain the sole criteria for admission to Stuyvesant: 42.9 percent of freshmen strongly agreed and 24.2 percent of freshmen agreed with this sentiment, while 27.7 percent of seniors expressed that they strongly agreed and 31.1 percent of seniors agreed.

PART C: IDENTITY/LIFESTYLE 2018

2022

Compared to freshman year, students seemed to get less sleep in their senior year, with more seniors getting less than seven hours of sleep (54.7 percent) compared to their freshman selves (48.9 percent). The amount of students who got above seven hours of sleep remained the same between freshman and senior year. In addition, caffeine intake drastically increased from freshman to senior year. While 70 percent of students stated that they consumed little to no caffeine in their freshman year, this number dropped to 25 percent by senior year. Only 3.3 percent of students consumed 101 to 200 mg of caffeine in their freshman year, but this number rose to 62.2 percent by senior year. continued on page 11

The Spectator • June 3, 2022

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Senior Survey PART C: IDENTITY/LIFESTYLE continued from page 10

2018

2022

After four years of high school, students’ opinions on the usage of marijuana have remained constant. In freshman year, 78.6 percent of the grade opposed the use of marijuana, while in senior year, 73 percent of the grade never used marijuana. Additionally, freshman opinions regarding the use of “hard” drugs also remained constant with the actual usage in senior year. During freshman year, 2.2 percent of the grade did not oppose the usage of “hard” drugs. Likewise, only 2.7 percent of the senior student body reported having used hard drugs.

2018

2022

In freshman year, 89 percent of students identified as heterosexual, and by senior year, there was a large increase of students identifying as LBGTQIA+; 58.1 percent of students identified as heterosexual their senior year, with 25.7 percent identifying as bisexual or pansexual, 6.1 percent identifying as homosexual, 4.1 percent identifying as asexual, and 6.1 percent identifying as unsure or questioning. With four years to explore their identity, it’s no surprise that the class of 2022 saw such a drastic change. In freshman year, 42.2 percent of students opposed sexual activity by high school students, and 68.9 percent of students did not engage in any sexual activity by their senior year, showing that a majority of students did not engage in any sexual activity. Many students (45.6 percent) were neutral to the idea of high school students engaging in sexual activity in their freshman year.

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The Spectator • June 3, 2022

Senior Survey PART D: ACADEMIC DISHONESTY 2018

2022

Most freshmen had participated in some form of academic dishonesty before entering high school but did not practice it frequently. By senior year, more people have cheated occasionally than they did as freshmen, with the percentage increasing from 35.1 percent to 52.7 percent. The percentage of students that cheated regularly also increased from 8.5 percent in freshman year to 11.5 percent in senior year, a trend that can likely be attributed to the increased academic pressure that they faced at Stuyvesant compared to that in their middle school.

PART E: COVID-19

A near-unanimous majority of students in the class of 2022 (97.3 percent) have taken the COVID-19 vaccine. This high percentage is not surprising considering the fact that Stuyvesant is ranked as the second most-vaccinated high school in New York City. These statistics are also consistent with survey responses from 2021, when roughly 93.8 percent of the seniors received the vaccination. All of the seniors who reported not getting the vaccine cited parental skepticism as the reason for their decision.

Pre-pandemic, students had a roughly normal distribution of mental health, trending toward a five or six out of 10. The mean mental health score was roughly five-and-a-half, and the median was five. Post-pandemic, the means and medians remained roughly the same, but the data was slightly more spread out, with a higher interquartile range. It seems as if students were more likely to either report a slightly higher or slightly lower mental health score, with more frequent scores around a five without actually being a five. There were also fewer nines and 10s. On a scale of one (“poorly”) to 10 (“excellent”), the majority of the class of 2022 agrees that Stuyvesant handled the return to in-person learning well. This makes sense considering the school’s availability of air purifiers, masks, and sanitizer throughout the building in accordance with health precaution protocols.

PART F: THE END

An overwhelming majority of seniors surveyed have expressed their intention of keeping in contact with their friends after high school; 61.5 percent of students strongly agree with this statement and 28.4 percent agree, totally to a whopping 89.9 percent of students with positive intentions. Other than that, 9.4 percent of students disagreed or remained neutral. This could indicate seniors’ widespread satisfaction with their four years of high school.

Much of the graduating class generally agreed that the most difficult year academically was junior year, to little surprise. A combination of a rigorous course load, increasing involvement in extracurricular activities, and planning for college caused many students to feel stressed and overwhelmed with the amount of work that they had to do. As for the most difficult year socially, the graduating class came to a consensus on freshman year. The initial years at Stuyvesant have been characterized as an acclimation period for incoming students as they figure out how to navigate school, manage their time, and form social groups. On the flip side, senior year was viewed as the least difficult both academically and socially, as after college applications are completed and results are released during early decision and regular decision, seniors usually decline in motivation and performance. Many seniors opt to take elective courses that they are interested in, and the general student body has more free time on their hands.

Regrets about choosing Stuyvesant reverberate through the halls at most points in our high school years. But there’s some good news for the freshmen staying up all night doing homework or the juniors fueled solely by coffee: at the end of it all, most seniors (88.5 percent) would choose to do it again. Then again, maybe it’s just senior blues. After all, in hindsight, things always seem better than they actually were. Those who said they wouldn’t choose Stuyvesant again claim “it ruined me” and there was “too much pressure for too little reward.” A lot of the reflections were based on the colleges that students are going to. Many students who regret choosing Stuyvesant do so because they could have gotten into the same colleges if they had attended a more relaxed high school. Still, while only 40.1 percent of students are going to Ivy or other top institutions, 88.5 percent would choose Stuyvesant again.

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Features From Stage to Classroom: Victoria Crutchfield By ANKITA SAHA and ELIZA OPPENHEIMER English teacher Victoria Crutchfield, who teaches Freshman Composition, is one of the newer teachers at Stuyvesant. Before teaching, Crutchfield was an opera director and was heavily involved in theater. Her mother is a singer and her father is a conductor, so theater has been a large part of her life. Starting from a young age, she auditioned for plays, acted throughout high school, and even directed operas in college. As she transitioned from theater to teaching, she describes her connection between the two. “From a very young age, I’ve been fascinated by storytelling. And I think that is the connection to teaching English because, in English, we’re investigating

different ways of storytelling all the time, and how different authors are telling their stories in their works,” she said. She started directing many small opera companies throughout the city, including Bronx Opera and Dell’Arte Opera Ensemble, and also worked at the prestigious conservatory of the Juilliard School. “My projects were very different at these different places, depending on whether I was assistant directing, which meant that I was getting to learn from and work with older directors,” Crutchfield said. Crutchfield collaborated with a friend, composer Matt Aucoin, to put on interdisciplinary performances and explore creativity through broad ranges at the Peabody Essex Museum, which is known for its cosmopolitan feel and modern exhibitions. “And

we took different approaches to that sometimes, sort of taking different works, musical works, and stitching them together to try to create a loose sort of plot or arc. [That was] a really fun part of my life as an artist,” she said. In one such project, she worked with a violinist to create a performance in which the audience moved between galleries, where a multitude of songs would be played on the violin. One of Crutchfield’s favorite works was directing “Dialogues of the Carmelites,” an opera about a group of nuns who were executed during the French Revolution. “It’s dramatic stuff. Opera is very exciting and beautiful and sad and moving,” she said. She was fascinated and loved the creativity involved. Crutchfield transitioned from theater when she noticed the ex-

citement she felt from teaching other students. “I was teaching classes that I was really excited to be in with smart kids who wanted to learn, and that was very satisfying,” she said. Relative to teaching other students, she loved learning herself and connected the heart of teaching to that of theater. “When you’re working in theater, it’s like you and a whole bunch of other people who really care about this artwork are coming together to explore it and understand it better and make it come to life,” she said. To her, being a teacher is connected to working as a director, in many ways. “They’re fundamentally similar. It’s just the nature of the exploration that’s different,” she said. Even so, she explains that they both involve being a guide. She incorporates

theater into her teaching by having her students perform scenes from plays and finds that to be a very satisfying experience. “I also think that [...] that way of exploring work can be really enriching. When you have to actually try to understand an artwork well enough to put it on its feet and to make it happen live, you learn a lot about what the author intended, about the world that the artwork is coming from,” she said. For Crutchfield, being a teacher helps her further understand what she is teaching from the perspective of her students. She describes it as having one big conversation. “I want for my students to leave my classrooms feeling more intellectually awake, and better empowered to express themselves,” she said.

When do Transgender Athletes Compete? By SUYEON RYU Many have heard of Lia Thomas, the controversial swimmer who swept the female swimming league, and, with her success, brought a lot of criticism regarding how we should accept transgender athletes into the athletic world. The NCAA and USA swimming league changed its acceptable testosterone guidelines as a result, but the ambiguity of biological distinctions and mental gender perception complicates the future of transgender athletes. Freshman and member of Stuyvesant’s swimming team Olivia Kim is a strong advocate for allowing transgender athletes to compete in the gender category they feel most comfortable with, stating how distinguishing categories based on biological

differences isn’t right. “It’s the same argument if someone had broader shoulders and longer legs and longer arms. [...] You can’t make an average for that,” she said. Nevertheless, statistics reveal a tendency of elite male athletes outperforming elite female athletes by 10-12 percent, a difference that becomes more significant as the sport becomes more selective. Freshman and swimmer Sienna Ng stated, “Male Olympians are generally faster than female Olympian swimmers, though it is not always the case.” Currently, transgender athletes must be willing to reach the hormonal requirements for testosterone by taking testosterone-suppressing drugs. While freshman Shanveer Singh agreed with Kim, he also expressed that

these hormonal regulations are necessary. “If [transgender athletes] still want to play the sport and identify as transgender, if they want the best of both worlds, they need to take the hormones,” he said. A common stumping block on the hormone issue is creating a standard for hormone requirements. Hormones are biologically diverse and constantly fluctuating, so it is difficult to determine if they are actually accurate in showing biological advantages. Sophomore Catherine Chen said, “I don’t think there can be a concrete conversion of ‘Oh, this level of testosterone will be adequate enough to give you the proper level of femininity.’” She also felt that the USA swimming league’s changed testosterone requirements in response to Lia Thomas’s success

was discriminatory. “I feel like it’s kind of unfair that they’re using [her as] a representative. [...] You can’t make the limit even lower because she’s performing better than everyone else,” Chen said. Junior Ameer Alnasser also agrees with Chen, and mentions runner Caster Semenya, a cisgender female athlete who was prohibited from competing due to her naturally high testosterone levels. “Whenever we try to distinguish based on hormone levels, there will always be odd cases of biological women who have abnormally high testosterone levels. [...] It’s always going to be a slippery slope,” he said. We may need to take a fresh approach on the issue: as Kim suggested, we can remove gender categories altogether and create an open swimming league,

allowing for all genders to compete together, even as high up as the Olympics. “[Lia Thomas’s controversy] is kind of asking ourselves ‘What are the specific categories we should make?’” she stated. Alnasser expands on this idea by proposing that we start naming teams men vs. non-men to provide more gender inclusion to non-binary people. He stated, “I think the bigger issue in sports is [...] the gender dysmorphia that non-binary people face.” Both Kim and Alnasser agree that sports should be for enjoyment and that the athletes’ comfort should be prioritized. “Gender dysmorphia is much more important. The rights of each person, over the advantages that do happen, that’s what matters more,” Alnasser said.

Faculty on Finding the One BY THE FEATURES DEPARTMENT “Believe in yourself and do not let yourself succumb to doubting or thinking that you need somebody else to make you whole. Confidence is sexy.” —Topher Mykolyk, mathematics/computer science “So my piece of advice is never ever be afraid to express your opinion to somebody, even if it means you’re disagreeing with that person. Because whether it is a relationship that is a romantic or a platonic relationship, it can’t possibly be that good of a relationship if you can’t express yourself freely and again, even if that requires disagreeing with somebody.” —Manny Ramirez, French

“My relationship advice is first of all to not feel pressured to pursue any relationships until it’s something you want. It’s totally normal for folks to take as much time as they need and it is okay if you’re in a relationship now; it’s also okay if you’re not in a relationship now; it’s also okay if you’re never in a relationship ever! So, that’s number one, and I think number two is for those who do want to pursue relationships. The most important part is to find someone who’s going to unconditionally love, forgive, understand, and support you. We all have enough drama in our lives, in all of the aspects of our lives; we don’t need it from the one person that we’re going to come home to every day. We want it to be someone [who] will be in our corner and who takes care of us and who loves us and who brings out the best in us.” —DiCo, social studies

“If it’s a romantic relationship, partners share everything, from an economic perspective, equally. So one person should never pay for the other person ever, even if one person has a lot more money than the other person, because then, you know, the power structure seems really shifted, and so, you’re really not equal. Now, occasionally one person might want to pay for the other person, but you should keep a ledger to make sure that it’s always balanced. I know that sounds really creepy and obsessive, but what better way to start on equal footing and maintain that if everyone is sharing the wealth equally?”—Jerry Citron, Biology “Find somebody who accepts you for who you are rather than try to change for that person. Life will be easier.” —Gary Rubinstein, mathematics “A lot of times people get in trouble in love by trying to be someone that they’re not. If you can be yourself, then you’ll find someone who will be very kind to you, and that’s important.” —Josina Dunkel, social studies

“Find someone who is very positive, or someone who can bring you a positive impact instead of someone who always complains. Find someone who encourages you and gives you constructive suggestions.” — Shu Shi, Mandarin

“So I have two pieces of advice: 1. If you like someone and have a feeling they may like you back, go for it. The worst that can happen is them saying no. Rejection stinks, but take it as a learning experience. 2. If you find yourself in a relationship, it’s important to learn how to maintain it. That feeling of euphoria is fleeting; you will eventually regress to your baseline happiness, and when that happens, people get bored. Spontaneous dates, elaborate gifts, quirky messages. Try it all out. Put in the work. Even if it wasn’t meant to be or it doesn’t work, it gives you ideas for future relationships.” —David Peng, mathematics

“Assume the best intentions. Ask for clarifications.” —Xingjia Tang, mathematics

“If you’re a piece of [EXPLETIVE], then the relationship is a piece of [EXPLETIVE] on both ends. At my old school there was a point [when] I felt like I had to do everything on my own because I didn’t trust anyone else to do it. I realized that I was putting that on, that was my own burden and that was also saying that I don’t trust anyone else. A lot of people do that in their romantic relationships: they are stoic about being mistreated, they’re not really saying anything good about themself. You’re saying you won’t stand up for yourself and you’re saying that you don’t care enough about the relationship to stand up for yourself. Don’t let that little voice inside win.” —Bill Wrigley, art

“The big thing to remember is to figure out what you need, and to be ready for [a relationship]. It’s high school so it’s not that serious, you’re still figuring out who you are. If you find one, have fun, but there’s no point in characterizing yourself as loveless souls; you’re loved by many people and there’[re] so many more people to love than just one person. There’s no harm in taking your time; with everything other than just relationships like college or summer programs there is no need to rush.” —Jeffrey Wan, Physics

“1) Don’t imagine what a relationship should be. Sometimes, when we project expectations onto a relationship, we try to force it to fit the narrative of our “ideal relationship.” This can keep us from appreciating what our partner has to offer. 2) We are not defined by our relationship status. There is so much to discover, so much to be joyful about in life; surround yourself with individuals who are open and joyful. Be open and joyful. You will find that the world (and others) open up to you, too.” —Rosa Mazzurco, English

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Features “Asian American”: The Holes in the Asian Umbrella The term “Asian American” was first coined in 1968 during a time of change for many minorities in America. Activists Emma Gee and Yuji Ichioka seized the opportunity to increase the visibility of Asian Americans and formed the Asian American Political Alliance (AAPA) as a way to join different categories of Asian Americans together without using the derogatory term “Oriental.” Eventually, they joined together in the Third World Liberation Front, a coalition between different minority groups, and organized the longest student strike in American history. But what was once a term used to unite Asians together is no longer quite as all-encompassing, because it now holds connotation with only one group of Asians. So how can a term that was meant and made to represent all Asians not represent all Asians? Freshman Fabiha Khan illustrated this paradox: “When I think of the word ‘Asian,’ generally, I think East Asian only because I feel like that’s the stereotype,” she said. “You don’t really think about Southeast Asian or South Asian as much because typically for South Asia, we get grouped into India. People just think of us like we’re all Indian, which isn’t really true.” Junior Tahlly Puangsawas also resonates with the feeling of being left out of the broader term, despite acknowledging why the term “Asian American” carries such a large connotation with East Asia. “China is a huge country, and it makes sense demographically that you wouldn’t think of a small country. When you think of ‘Asian,’ you’re indirectly referring to East Asian people,” she said. Puangsawas cited how the continuation of this mindset is bolstered by social media: “I see this a lot on TikTok, where people are always talking about how Asians are really smart. And even though I think that stereotype expands to the entire demographic in terms of Asians, the comments specifically [talk] about East Asian people [...] but they weren’t mentioning any South Asian ethnicities, or Southeast Asian ethnicities,” she said. Even a diverse school like Stuyvesant has the potential to get lost when representing East Asians. Because of this, senior Shreyasi Saha changed her definition of “Asian” when she came to Stuyvesant. “Honestly, my perception of the word ‘Asian’ has changed because of this school,” she said. “In middle school my population

was more mixed. I just always thought of any person from any part of Asia. But coming to Stuy, [the population] is very East Asian. [...] Because of the way everyone talks about [being Asian], it’s very much just [East

East. So that term [Asian] feels like it’s for one person,” they said. This problem can be seen through arguably trivial activities like filling out a survey, as junior Jamie Sifat explained:

resent ourselves may be affected by representation in the broader context, affecting how we perceive ourselves in society. Khan expressed the lack of consideration for Asian culture in America, a Eurocentric

“I identify as Southeast Asian, because being Southeast Asian is important. And I think people don’t really realize that [it] doesn’t mean that you’re different. It’s just part of your identity.” —Jonathan Metzler, freshman

Asian-focused].” The East Asian-centric “Asian” nature of Stuyvesant is a phenomenon that many students have observed. However, junior Tegris Lin Zheng thinks that instead of Stuyvesant actively pushing this agenda, it has more to do with the ways in which we grew up that maintain this status quo. “A lot of us

Tahlly Puangsawas / The Spectator

By SOOBIN CHOI

grow u p and East Asians tend not to interact as much with South Asians. From what I observed growing up, and also at Stuy, [...] none of the adults are actively telling us, ‘Oh, no, these two groups should be separated.’ It’s just kind of how it tends to turn out because East Asians and South Asians have different experiences,” Zheng said. “So then East Asian students tend to congregate with other East Asian students, while South Asian students tend to congregate with other South Asian students.” This then creates an irony behind “Asian American” as being too broad of a term as well as being too narrow in mainly describing East Asians. An anonymous sophomore echoed this sentiment. “[The term] feels kind of singular, because a lot of times it’s more about an East Asian person when people use it [...] so when you use ‘Asian,’ people use it for East Asian, and then you have to be specific for South Asians and Southeast Asians. And then for West Asia, people usually use the Middle

“It’s always terrible when you have those surveys, and they say, ‘Asian slash Pacific Islander.’ And I [think], ‘Oh, so it’s the entirety of Asia, plus the islands [and] the Pacific.’ So it’s awfully broad.” He compared this experience of being grouped as almost a double standard that isn’t applied to other continents, especially Europe. “If you see on a resume that [a] person is Asian, it’s not clear at all. I don’t think it’s a useful term in and of itself. It’s like saying somebody’s just European. They come from Europe, but they could be French, German, Polish, Russian, Spanish; you wouldn’t do that for European peoples.” Students agree with this dissonance in different ways. “ I identify as South Asian first and then Asian, because South Asian is more specific and more accurate to my culture. I feel like it’s an important distinction to make, so people actually understand what I’m talking about [when I say] where I’m from, as opposed to just Asia,” Saha said. On the other hand, the anonymous sophomore still identifies as Asian and deals with the misunderstanding afterward. “I like to say that I’m Asian; I do have to specify that I am South Asian, [but I say that I’m Asian] because that’s how everyone’s used to understanding it.” Freshman Jonathan Metzler takes the label, not as separate from being Asian, but just a part of it. “I identify as Southeast Asian, because being Southeast Asian is important. And I think people don’t really realize that [it] doesn’t mean that you’re different. It’s just part of your identity,” he said. How we choose to rep-

country. “There’s not that much still done [for Asian representation]. I know we obviously had a day off from school [for Eid], but [other holidays] don’t follow the regular calendar, they follow like the lunar calendar. [...] What would happen if Eid was on a Tuesday, and we didn’t have that day off ?” Khan said. “There should be cultural inclusivity there. And also there were some AP tests [near] Eid, [but] we don’t really see an AP test on Christmas. So why is there an AP test on Eid?” Even at Stuyvesant where the Asian population is greater than 70 percent, it seems that the representation ranges from being very inclusive to lacking inclusivity. To Sifat, the English department does a wonderful job of representation. “We read a lot of books by Brown authors like Jhumpa Lahiri, such as The Namesake and Interpreter of Maladies. [...] And there are even passages in test prep books that are about Brown families. It’s kind of wild. So I think the representation is really good where it matters,” he said. However, this inclusivity isn’t reflected so much in Global classes, as Metzler pointed out. “When I came to Stuy, I was glad that there [was] at least some Asian curriculum because

early in middle school and elementary school, I learned about the American Revolution three times in three separate grades. [...] But then also, Southeast Asia is left a little bit out of the mix. We haven’t touched up on anything in India. The most we talked about was how the Spice Islands gave spice to Europe, but, again, that’s literally Eurocentric in talking about the Spice Islands.” Khan expressed a similar sentiment in the social studies curriculum lagging behind. “In Stuy, there’s a lot of Southeast Asian and South Asian representation only because we as Southeast Asians and South Asians [...] all like to show our pride in our own cultures, which I really find nice. Our curriculum, not so much,” she said. “I remember in Global class we read through India in two weeks. And we stuck with East Asia for a good two months.” Due to the limited days and extensive curriculum in social studies classes, this kind of inequality tends to be the nature of the beast, and is likely unfixable in a short period of time. In a situation like this, Zheng feels that the amount of change that can actually happen is limited. “I feel in our brains, there’s always a disconnect between South Asian and Asian, probably because of colorist ideas that we’ve been unconsciously taught as we grow up. I don’t know what we should do about it or if [we] should do anything—we probably should— but, I don’t know what it is,” he said. But perhaps there is an easier way to enhance the inclusivity of Southeast and South Asians. For Puangsawas, the best method of change is facing our own prejudices. “We just need to broaden people’s perspectives and enlarge the idea of what it means to be Asian,” she said. “I don’t think that necessarily means making up a new term, or changing the term, but rather changing what we think the meaning behind the term is.”

The Spectator • June 3, 2022

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Features

Solving the Gender Disparity for Future Iterations point to females seeing a higher drop-out rate from the computer science track in Stuyvesant than males. The problem with the gender disparity in higher level computer science classes in Stuyvesant is not something the faculty have ignored, though it’s still not clear where the problem originates from or what the best solution to it would be. Mathematics and technology teacher Topher Mykolyk commented on why female students tend to gravitate away from computer science as the computer science track continues: “I don’t have a good answer. I could speculate but it’s something we talk about a lot in here and [are] not sure we have a good answer [for].” Some students speculate that the problem stems from the fact that female students may feel uncomfortable in male-dominated class environments. “I mean, just naturally, when you’re in a classroom, and like three quarters of people are fundamentally

son reflected. NextCS and Computer Graphics teacher JohnALF Dyrland-Weaver argues that the reason for such a drop may be

gender. “I will be talking about code, having my own private conversation [...] [and], there [are] so many times where guys that you don’t even know the names of,

different [from] you in some way. You feel excluded. And so [...] I would imagine it’s probably the main reason,” junior Gabriel Thompson said. Even with introductory classes that expose all students to computer science,

due to the tendency of female students having less experience in computer science coming into Stuyvesant. “The boys are often encouraged to do computer science, they tend to have more experience with it when they’re younger. [...] And that can create an atmosphere in a classroom where if you are someone who hasn’t had the same level of experience [in] CS, you’re going to compare yourself to the students in the class,” Dyrland-Weaver said. Junior Jasmine Yuen sees a problem in the class atmosphere. Being a minority in the classroom can make it hard for female voices to be heard. “It’s more about the guys in the CS class, because their voices are really overpowering [...]; it’s hard to ask your own questions, and then put out your own ideas when there’s such a large vocal majority,” Yuen commented. While the guys in her class are not overtly sexist, the lack of a female presence in the room creates an atmosphere of animosity. Zhao also brings up the phenomenon of mansplaining.

female students are still seemingly less inclined toward higher level computer science classes. Thompson believes that it is due to the historical exclusion of females in the field. “When something is primarily targeted at one group of people, it’s very hard for that to change without any sort of intervention,” Thomp-

Mansplaining is defined as the explanation of something by a man, typically to a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing. Zhao, along with many other girls in STEM fields, has recalled experiences where guys would automatically assume that she lacked knowledge in CS simply because of her

they will see you’re coding, stop, drop and roll. Just to be like, ‘Oh my God,’ you’re doing it this way. That’s not good. Do it this way instead.” Other cases include when guys in their classes would brag about their perfect grades in class, or outwardly say things like “This is so easy. Why would anyone have trouble with this?” It gives the classroom a competitive atmosphere and makes others feel unwelcome when they struggle with the classwork. Overall, Zhao believes that teachers should not ignore students’ patronizing commentary. She emphasizes that teachers should not just tell students to stop, but also explain why it is problematic and that their commentary makes minorities feel unwelcome in the field. The computer science community and faculty have been working to involve more females into the field. One of the solutions that the faculty has been working on is cultivating a welcoming environment for female students through acknowledging student successes. “Those people that took [part in] the programming competition, felt bad about it, but you know, part of what helped, I believe, was their teachers talking to them about ‘no like, program competitions are hard, but you have done these things, like you’re being successful, right,’” Dyrland-Weaver said. In addition to these words of encouragement, the faculty has also been working to create welcoming environments through small acts. “I try to be mindful of the examples I give. I try not to rely only on real-world use cases that are typically like male-dominated areas.” Mykolyk said. “If I have the option to choose ‘he’ or ‘she’ in a story, I will opt for the ‘she.’” Although some teachers may have good intentions, some tactics may not work as well. For example, Alvarez noticed that her computer science teacher often paired the girls together or seated them near each other. “It felt a little weird and [the teachers] weren’t transparent about it. [...] I feel like the point is not to put girls in a bubble but to treat girls the same as guys.” Stuyvesant has also worked to bring more females into its CS faculty. However, such a feat has

elective were females. This is less than 25 percent of enrollment. Comparing the APCS A female enrollment of 2022 and the total female enrollment in post-AP elective courses in 2022, around 57 percent of females do not

take higher level computer science courses when given the option, compared to the 25 percent of male students who do not decide to take post-AP courses. Of course, there may be many reasons why a student may decide to forgo taking a higher level computer science course; however, the numbers evidently

Courtesy of Girls Who Code

Junior Katherine Zhao has been coding since middle school. She has attended coding camps like Kode with Klossy, created multiple websites for companies, and worked in data science internships. Naturally, AP Computer Science would be the next step toward her interest in programming. Yet she found herself struggling with the homework and felt alienated and uncomfortable in the class. Similarly, junior Kate Alvarez was excited about computer science after taking an introductory HTML course at Columbia University, but after taking APCS, she no longer wants to continue the CS track in her senior year. And it’s not just Zhao and Alvarez who feel this way. Dozens of other girls in APCS have had this shared experience: they enter APCS with excitement to study a field they’re passionate about, and leave feeling dissatisfied with their computer science education at Stuy. Studies have shown that there has been an increase in girls studying computer science. There has been a 10 percent increase in women taking AP Computer Science since the year 2000, yet overall, there has been a 19 percent decrease in women working in mathematical and computer science fields since 1995. Though women have been given more opportunities to study computer science, many still feel discouraged to enter the field, suggesting that early computer science education has a large impact on whether girls stay in STEM fields or not. Stuyvesant has one of the leading computer science programs in the country, yet one problem that even Stuyvesant cannot completely solve is the gender disparity in its computer science classes. In the professional world, women in the field have been severely underrepresented, and this same trend is evident in our computer programming classes. Stuyvesant’s computer science track begins with a single semester or annual introductory course, continues with an APCS or NextCS elective, and ends with the opportunity to choose from a plethora of computer science electives that explore more niche areas of the field. Stuyvesant’s requirement for students to take at least one semester of an introductory course in computer science has played a large role in introducing the daunting discipline to students of all skill levels. Senior and Sensei at the CS Dojo, Yaying Li recounted how her introductory class had blossomed her interest in the field. “My first experience with [CS] was actually in Intro CS. [...] The real reason why I really wanted to pursue CS was at the end of that course we had this group project where we basically made something from scratch with teammates that we chose, and so I chose to do a Pokemon game and when I realized that I too could make a game. I was like, ‘hey, that’s pretty cool’; I want to continue doing this.” As a result of computer science being required of all students, Stuyvesant has been

pretty good at tackling the issue of gender disparity in its computer science classes, especially in comparison to the national data on the percentage of female students taking the APCS A exam. Twenty-five percent of the exam takers were female in 2020, which is the most recent data published by the College Board. In Stuyvesant, according to the program office, 36 percent of students enrolled in APCS are female. This distribution is comparably better than the national average, especially when we consider the fact that Stuyvesant’s overall gender distribution is 43 percent female and 57 percent male, but the gender disparity becomes more evident as students approach post-APCS electives. Once students begin to have the option to choose to take higher level computer science courses, female students tend to avoid choosing these options. This semester, 38 of the 155 students enrolled in a post-AP Andy Lin / The Spectator

By LAUREN LEE and ZIFEI ZHAO

continued on page 16

The Spectator • June 3, 2022

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Features

Solving the Gender Disparity for Future Iterations continued from page 15

proved difficult. “Unfortunately, it’s just very hard to find computer science teachers. We have, in the department we’ve worked at, a teacher deficit for a number of years,” Dyrland-Weaver said. One of the female CS teachers that Stuyvesant has successfully hired, Izagma Alonso, has had a great positive impact on her female students. “And I have noticed that there are more females that feel more comfortable and some of them say and some of them just you can tell, because I’m a female,” Alonso said. Alonso is one of many new female computer science teachers who have been able to become a role model for female success in the field. Female-inclusive computer science spaces have also played large roles in reducing the gender gap in Stuyvesant’s computer science programs. “I think that [the club Girls Who Code] is amazing; […] it’s an inclusive space and it’s dedicated just [to] females. And I feel like it would be a nice starting point, it introduces the basics. It teaches them about coding in a safe environment where they don’t need to worry about being mansplained to,” Li said. In addition to female-only spaces, the CS Dojo is known to be quite balanced in terms of its gender ratio. “I think [it’s] more reassuring for females there because it’s like, ‘Oh, hey, those two

people at the two leadership positions over there. They’re taken up by females and maybe that’s something I can aspire [toward] as well,’” Li commented. Other coding communities in Stuyvesant, like the Competitive Coding Club (CCC), that have not seen as great of a success in bringing more female programmers into their communities have made extra efforts to make sure students feel comfortable in their environments. “The leaders were all guys. I think last year, all of the people that showed up to meetings, granted, it was over quarantine, were guys as well. This year [...] three of them are girls, and we do have one girl in the advanced section who likes going to competitions,” senior Maxwell Zen, one of the leaders of the CCC and a Sensei at the CS dojo, reflected. However, the CCC has made substantial efforts to increase the number of female participants, because the problem seems to be extremely evident in similarly competitive atmospheres. “One of our approaches this year was just to be more inviting to everyone, which isn’t targeted at the gender dynamic,” Zen said. In order to do so, the leaders of the club created sections catering to different skill levels. “We’ve been able to create more inviting beginner intersections, and hopefully that leads to those girls who have been able to enter the club to stay and grow and ultimately be part of the leadership of the

club a couple of years down the line,” Zen explained. Because it seems like more female students tend to have less experience in coding before entering Stuyvesant, even with introductory courses offered to all students, pursuing computer science in higher levels and outside of class can become daunting. Yuen believes that the school should make computer science more engaging by making more exciting, beginner-friendly courses. While she understands that Netlogo and Scheme are important languages, she feels that starting with more fun content would make people more interested in continuing with STEM and understand its real-world applications. “I think providing an incentive for people to join things [would help] such as putting on the course curriculum, ‘We’re going to learn how to make games or how to make a crossword puzzle’; something that’s more interesting than putting computations into Scheme.” she explained. It is clear that members of the CS community at Stuyvesant have noted that early STEM education has a large impact on whether girls pursue STEM or not. If females feel unwelcome already in a classroom setting, they know that they will have the same feeling in higher education or in the workplace. One prevalent topic common in popular culture is the idea of the “woman in STEM narrative.” The idea

that a woman must work hard and stand up for herself in a room full of men may be empowering at first, but it continues to emphasize disparities. Zhao

teacher efforts, it seems that the females in the school are calling for more involvement from male students to create those comfortable spaces.

says, “No one should ever have to sacrifice [their] mental health and sanity just to break down barriers. I think it’s a bullshit narrative that women and minorities have to bear it and that it will get better later […] that’s not fair.” Similarly, when Alvarez decided that computer science was not for her, she felt disappointed in herself. “I felt like I didn’t overcome the statistic,” she said. The gender disparity burden does not need to fall all on women in CS. It can be a collective effort to make computer science a more welcoming space for all people. While the CS faculty has made it a point to create comfortable spaces for women through student clubs and

As the nation continues to make efforts to bring female students into computer science, Stuyvesant, too, is taking that step. Whether it be through creating female-inclusive communities that maintain ways to make their female members feel comfortable or making more accessible and welcoming classroom environments for female students to advance in the field, Stuyvesant has certainly taken large strides, but it cannot stop now. As long as female enrollment in higher level and postAP electives continue to be low, Stuyvesant as a community must work toward a solution to this problem.

The APplication Dilemma By JENNIFER ALAM and THEO SASSANO With AP courses having just been released, many Stuyvesant students’ minds have been lingering on what will define much of their next year of high school: AP’s. Due to Stuyvesant’s competitive nature, AP courses are naturally in high demand, making even the application process to take the courses selective. The AP course selection has raised controversy among many students, introducing the question: is the programming system fair? Some believe that a major flaw in the current AP application system is the lack of backup requests. Students can only apply for the maximum amount of courses that they’re eligible to take based on their GPA. With a limited amount of selections, one may feel pressured not to apply for a class with limited seat availability, even if one is most interested in that course. “I felt pressured to pick the courses that I felt I had the best chances of getting into rather than the courses that I was actually interested in,” sophomore Xueming Li explained in an email interview. “Those with lower grades should take fewer AP courses, but they shouldn’t also be limited in their applications—there should be a clear distinction made between being able to apply for and being eligible for a course.” Li believes that even if reasonable restrictions exist that bar students from taking on more APs

than they can handle, students should still have the option to rank more APs than they can take. This appears to be a popular opinion, considering the significance, for many students, of taking a multitude of AP courses. “You should definitely be eligible to apply for more than you can take because there’s a chance you won’t get into any of the APs you signed up for,” sophomore Margaret Mikhalevsky agreed. Being able to fill out more choices would increase the chances of students getting an AP course, whether or not it is one that they would like to take. Another point of controversy in the matter is the school’s decision to factor grades from remote learning into the system’s GPA requirements. Li believes that grades from the ‘20’21 (remote) school year should be excluded from the Stuyvesant GPA that is considered when applying for APs. “I did terribly in remote and I would say I am doing much better this year,” he said. “I don’t think remote grades are an accurate representation of one’s [...] academic capabilities, and should not factor into eligibility.” Senior Iftakar Mahamud agrees with this point, acknowledging that academic dishonesty during remote learning may give certain students an edge in the application process. “I’m not sure if [remote grades] should count because honestly a lot of people were cheating,” he said. Mikhalevsky disagrees, not-

ing that the current school year has been difficult to adjust to for many. “Remote grades being counted for AP eligibility should definitely be an option because it helped students who struggled transitioning back to in-person this year and are relying on their remote grades for a bump-up,” she explained. Sophomore Janice Lee, however, questions the GPA requirements as a whole. “It’s not like [students would] sign up for a million APs if they were r tato unrestricted, ‘cause pec eS h they know that /T ed if they have ada Hame N too much work they’re not going to get a g o o d g r a d e,” she said. “ T h e GPA restriction, I’m not saying [it’s] a bad idea, [but] it needs to be more lax.” Others feel that there is not enough transparency within the AP application system. “It’s completely luck-based from our perspective,” Lee said. “We don’t have much say in the selection process and feel like we’re doomed.” Mikhalevsky mentions this as well, particularly in regards to the process of CRing grades as this can allow for students to reach a certain GPA threshold. “The programming office needs

to work more on communication,” she said. “They should be more public about the last day to CR a grade so it won’t count in your AP eligibility.” The problems in the AP course selection have become increasingly evident, especially with students in special situations. Sophomore Mehmet Colak, who transferred into Stuyvesant from another country this year, has had challenges applying for AP courses due to matters out of his control. “I wasn’t in the US as a student last year and because of this the classes that I took are very different,” he explained. “I don’t meet t h e r e quirements for AP course selections here because [my] freshman year was a pass or fail.” While Colak’s situation is atypical, he feels that there is generally room for improvement in the way that applications are handled. “My advice would be to not only look at a transcript but also the student’s enthusiasm toward a class,” he said. “It would be like an extra step to getting accepted into an AP course.” Not all students, however,

have had negative experiences with the programming office. Senior Elizabeth Stansberry described her experience when asking the programming office to take a fifth AP course, which she was directed to appeal to Principal Yu for. “I enjoy the class and I can manage the workload, so I think it would be more rewarding for me,” she had explained to him. Principal Yu ended up approving her request and the programming office allowed her to take the course, demonstrating that Colak’s suggestion does work in practice. “The programming office, and even the principal in some cases, are very understanding given your circumstances,” she added. AP course selections are in the past for now, so there is a possibility of the programming office adjusting the process for next year. Of course, it is easier said than done; widening the gap between the number of AP courses each student can apply for would decrease the proportion of those who could be accepted, especially for courses that are in high demand. However, if students and the programming office improve their communication with each other, by the time AP selections come around again, a smoother process may be reached. “There is no perfect solution in a school as big and competitive as ours,” Li said. “But I do think that the program office right now [...] could definitely be improved to benefit the student body.”

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Editorials A Superior Survey

Once a year, the NYC Department of Education assigns every public school teacher a list of students, randomly chosen from their classes, to review. The teacher fills out a survey, answering questions about each student’s class performance, social interaction, and home life, all in an effort to assess the students’ social and emotional health. Survey questions include asking how often the student was able to “express high expectations for themselves” or “do the right thing in a difficult situation.” Some of these questions relate to the student’s actions during class, but many involve observations a teacher can’t clearly gauge. A few times a day, teachers observe around 30 students simultaneously for 45 minutes. Teachers have just this small time frame to determine the answers to these survey questions about several of their students, many of whom may not be engaged in class or have a relationship with the teacher at all. This makes it difficult for teachers to accurately respond to the survey,

and their ability to answer each survey question well is further complicated by the fact that a considerable chunk of the questions relate to things that are impossible for a teacher to know. When tasked with answering questions such as “In the past four weeks, how often did the student serve an important role at home or school?” and “How often did the student think before they acted?”, teachers certainly cannot provide well-informed responses, given the amount of time they actually spend with their students and the aspects of student life that teachers are expected to, unrealistically, be aware of. On top of that, not all of these questions are good ways to gain an understanding of social-emotional well-being, while others are completely unrelated to mental and emotional health. The most accurate way to gauge the true social and emotional health of the student body would be by having students able to respond to the survey themselves anonymously. Students can put up a front and easily hide their true

Social and Emotional Learning Survey Questions:

mental state even if they are struggling because they do not want to be bothered to get help or seem weak. Because of this, teachers are likely to select answers to indicate that a student is doing well even if the student needs help; it is worse to falsely affirm that a student does not need help than get no feedback at all. However, because this mandatory teacher survey must be in place, The Spectator has proposed alternative questions that are simpler for teachers to answer and more indicative of students’ mental-emotional health. By asking these questions, the administration can gather more concise and relevant data that does not require teachers to guess information they have no way of knowing and relates to students’ wellbeing. Instead of requiring teachers to reflect on how well students perform academically, asking about trends in their engagement would better represent the state of their classrooms. Here are The Spectator’s revised questions:

Our Proposed Questions:

3. How often does the student serve an important role at home or school?

How often does the student engage with their peers?

11. How often does the student ask to take on additional work or responsibilities?

How often does the student appear to care about or put effort into their work?

The Spectator The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper

“The Pulse of the Student Body”

ED I TO RS

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CHI E F

Momoca Mairaj* Maya Nelson* N EWS

How comfortable does the student seem in class and around peers?

23. How often does the student talk about mental health?

Has the student become less active in class throughout the year?

24. How often does the student make accurate statements about themselves?

How often does the student exhibit an understanding of themselves and their limits?

27. How often does the student stay focused despite a problem or distraction?

How often does the student seem noticeably tired to the point of not paying attention in class?

28. How often does the student adjust well to a new situation?

How often does the student show interest in the classroom despite initial struggles?

30. How often does the student do the steps of a task in order?

How often does the student seem engaged in class material or discussions?

31. How often does the student think before they acted?

How often does the student follow the rules of a classroom?

37. How often does the student learn from experience?

How often does the student respond well to feedback?

38. How often does the student follow the advice of a trusted adult?

How often does the student seek help outside of class?

E D I TO RS

Erica Chen Oliver Hollmann SPO RTS

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Taee Chi Shafiul Haque* Ava Quarles PHOTO GRAPHY E D I TO RS

Alexander Lopez Zifei Zhao

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Rebecca Bao** Isabella Jia* Janna Wang F EATURE S

O PI N I O NS

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Afra Mahmud* Nelli Rojas-Cessa** Vivian Teo L AYO UT

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Susie McKnight Shreya Roy Danny Xiong

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Peter Goswami Anisha Singhal* S C I E NCE

ART

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Lauren Lee Shivani Manimaran Christina Pan

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Sathirtha Mondal Sonya Sasson

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Nada Hameed Eman Sadiq Ruiwen Tang Raymond Yang BUSI NE SS

ARTS

EN T E RTAI NM E NT

14. How often does the student prepare for school activities or upcoming events?

HUM O R

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Inara Rabbani Amber Shen

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Nicole Liu Kenisha Mahajan* Levi Simon

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David Chen* Samantha Hua Theodore Yochum FAC U LT Y

* Managing Board ** Editors-in-Training

ADV I SE R

Kerry Garfinkel

Please address all letters to: 345 Chambers Street New York, NY 10282 (212) 312-4800 ext. 2601 eics@stuyspec.com

Voices

Would you like to share a personal narrative with the school? Whether it’s an essay you’ve written for class, or a piece you’ve been working on by yourself, if it’s in first-person and it is nonfiction it could get published in The Spectator! Send your stories to features@stuyspec.com, or email us with any questions or concerns you have. If you wish, it may be published anonymously.

Tipping: A Problem for Everyone By AVA LUAN

A small, white slip of paper lays alongside a pen in the middle of the table, concluding a delicious meal. An electronic screen displays several options for takeout. Both of these situations require a decision of how much to tip. The inflation brought on by the pandemic has caused tipping to become a burden. For many food delivery systems, the service fees are already quite high, and the tip is calculated by not just the percentage of the food, but also the fees and taxes on the delivery. As it gets increasingly harder for customers to pay tips, the workers who already have low wages and rely on these tips will also find themselves in deeper economic trouble. It is time for the United States to get rid of tipping altogether. Tipping has become increasingly troublesome in recent years because the pandemic has led to inflation, increased labor wages, and reduced business for restaurants. Inflation, which has

risen over seven percent since the pandemic first began, has caused the cost of ingredients to rise, forcing food prices to rise in restaurants too. Labor wages in restaurants also had to increase in order to convince employees

of the workers who depend on tips can be hard to balance when paying the tip. When a low tip is paid, servers in food delivery can choose not to deliver or delay the order. In these situations, a large

Eliminating tips is in America’s best interest, as it benefits both the customers and workers. that working was worth the COVID risk and better than stimulus checks. Restaurants needed to increase food prices to make up for the loss of business during the lockdown when nobody was eating out. With both the labor and ingredient costs rising, food prices had to spike. The side of the costly food bill and the side

tip is expected, and because it is not delivered, bad service is returned. Orders are delayed because workers need to prioritize their time by choosing orders that pay them the most. DoorDashers can see how much they earn before accepting an order, leading lower-tipped orders to not be accepted. Before the pandemic, the

acceptable percentage of tipping was around 15 percent. Now, the average tip that is deemed acceptable has risen to 20 to 25 percent. The standard of tipping has increased as a result of new digital paying technologies. Paying through an app makes it easier to tip and sets the tipping default to 20 percent. While tipping is becoming less affordable for customers, employees are also harmed because it allows employers to give dangerously low wages. The current minimum wage for restaurant workers is $7.25 per hour, which is calculated after tips. This number consists of $2.13 for which the employers pay and the remaining $5.12 made up by tips. The minimum wage has been $7.25 per hour since July of 2009, which means it hasn’t been raised in nearly 13 years. Considering the recent inflation rates, $7 is insufficient for workers to support themselves. In addition, tipping encourages racist behavior. A poll by the Eater found that white serv-

ers get tipped the most and Asian servers the least, with Black and Latinx servers in between. However, servers also have preferences for the tables they cater to. Another study in the Journal of Black Studies found that almost 40 percent of servers admitted to racial profiling and that servers tend to avoid Black diners because they believe that they tip little to nothing. A solution for both customers and workers would be to increase these workers’ salaries and get rid of tips altogether. Countries including New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan don’t require tips. In Japan, tipping is even considered rude—a big contrast to our tipping culture in America. There, the workers are compensated by their salaries. If we were to get rid of tipping, we would also be able to give workers supportable wages and save customers the headache and stress of deciding the amount to tip. Eliminating tips is in America’s best interest, as it benefits both the customers and workers.

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Opinions Reproductive Rights Progressing… Backward By ERICA LI

Julia Shen/ The Spectator

A person’s options, once pregnant, vary throughout the country. Though states cannot ban abortion outright, many restrictions, such as long waiting periods, consent requirements, and strict facility codes, are enforced. For example, a pregnant person living in New York would be able to easily access an abortion, while a pregnant person living in Texas would need to check whether it’s been six weeks of pregnancy and acquire parental consent for the procedure if under 18 years old. If the reversal of Roe v. Wade is officially finalized, it will be completely up to the state to decide the necessary standards around receiving an abortion. Whether people’s reproductive rights continue to be protected will depend on whether state representatives lean toward pro-choice or pro-life. Pregnant people’s right to make decisions over their bodies should not be decided by the political opinions of strangers. Today, the fear that the Supreme Court will revoke the right to abortion is very much set to become reality. A leak of the draft opinion from the Supreme Court confirmed that Roe v. Wade could be overturned. In the draft, Justice Samuel Alito argues that “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start” and that it is time to return the “issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.” Increasing political polarization in America means that anything is possible. In 13 states, trigger laws are poised to enter into effect the moment Roe is overturned, which could limit the

right to even access basic contraceptives. For example, in Louisiana, the legislation would classify abortion as murder and define “personhood” as beginning from the moment of fertilization. Essentially, anything that would prevent a fertilized egg from becoming a real pregnancy and being born would be considered murder, including intrauterine devices and emergency contraceptives like Plan B. In Michigan, an abortion ban from 1931 that makes providing abortion a felony outside of cases in which the life of the pregnant person is threatened is also at risk of being revived if Roe v. Wade is officially overturned. What many pro-life supporters and conservatives do not take into account is that a pregnant person’s physical and mental health are at risk when forced to keep the fetus. People who are denied an abortion are more likely to have higher levels of anxiety, lower life satisfaction, and lower self-esteem. They are also more likely to be victims of domestic abuse, as denial of an abortion forces them to stay in contact and depend on their partners, putting both themselves and their children at risk. Additionally, a person’s ability to control when and if they want to have a child is often connected to their current socioeconomic status. Seventy-four percent of people who choose to get an abortion do so because having a child would interfere with their education, work, or ability to care for dependents. Seventy-three percent of people choose to abort because they cannot afford having a child. Striking down Roe will impact marginalized communities the most. Accessing abortions, even with Roe currently in place, is already highly difficult for people of color, lowincome Americans, and those living in rural areas. These communities already

struggle to access proper care since restrictions set by state legislatures have forced the closure of many clinics, creating “abortion deserts.” Even where there are clinics that can offer them care, people of color are more likely to experience obstacles. Black women die at three to four times the rate of non-Hispanic white women due to pregnancyrelated issues, and Black and Hispanic women experience higher rates of unintended pregnancy

said that they have been denied equal treatment in healthcare. If a transgender man does carry a pregnancy to term, the effects of hormone therapy on pregnancy can change the medication he has to take. However, many reproductive health facilities aren’t able to provide transgender-specific treatments. Many transgender patients who need reproductive healthcare are also victims to misinformation. Transgender people are more likely to live in poverty,

Many restrictions such as long waiting periods, consent requirements, and strict facility codes can be enforced.

than white women. Asian American and Pacific Islander women also tend to forgo reproductive healthcare due to cultural stigma, stereotypes, and fear. Furthermore, the end of Roe v. Wade means access to reproductive health care for the transgender and nonbinary community would be further limited. Many abortion facilities also provide hormone therapy and other essential services to transgender people. If these facilities close down, many transgender people will not be able to access necessary medical services. Transgender and nonbinary people already face discrimination in the American healthcare system. About 30 percent of transgender people reported delaying or discontinuing seeking care because of fear of discrimination, and a p p r ox i m a t e l y one in four transgender people

more likely to be unemployed or underemployed, and less likely to have insurance. If Roe is struck down, the effects on marginalized communities will be severe. A popular argument that many pro-life supporters make against abortions is that people can just put their children up for adoption or into the foster care system. Adoption is not a replacement for abortion rights. Adoption is often difficult and traumatic for the birth parents. In order for adoption to happen, someone still needs to carry a pregnancy to term and give birth. That process itself is already incredibly risky, especially in America, as maternal death rates increase. Additionally, there are social consequences to consider, from unwanted questions to potential abuse from family members or spouses. According to a study at Tulane University, homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant people.

Furthermore, many birth parents experience intense grief, mourning, and alienation. Society doesn’t provide support for birth parents when it comes to negotiating or maintaining contact with their biological children. It is not easy to find a home for their birth child as well. There are more than 400 thousand children in foster care in the U.S. Less than half of the children who get put up for adoption actually get adopted, and in fact, if and when a child is adopted are affected by systemic racism. Black children take longer to be adopted than white children. Moreover, the birth parents are not the only ones who are affected by adoption. The children are as well. Adopted children often deal with lifelong issues around their identity and feelings of self worth and abandonment. The biggest issue is that restricting abortion will not decrease the number of abortions happening throughout the country. It will cause a greater number of people to die, as people will choose to self-induce abortions through dangerous practices or go to someone without the proper skill to perform the procedure. As a result, many people will end up getting infected, hemorrhaging, or receiving extensive injuries because they lack proper medical equipment, support, and information. People’s right over their sexuality and their reproductive system shouldn’t be a debate in America. It should not be decided by the hands of state representatives or the government but rather by the people themselves. Restricting or even banning abortion would be incredibly damaging to a person’s health. This consequence is why more people in America need to fight to protect reproductive rights. Donate to abortion funds, as they help connect people with the resources they need to get proper healthcare. Join in on protests to raise awareness, and make sure that your voice is heard. But most importantly, if you can vote, vote. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, then it will be up to the state to determine the legality of getting an abortion. We all need to vote to ensure that our future is in the hands of state representatives who we know are going to support our choices. We need to continue to fight to protect people’s right to make their own choices for their own bodies.

The Spectator • June 3, 2022

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Opinions The Homelessness Solution Based on Ignorance By LEORA GALLAI

native shelters. However, crowded shelters are often more dangerous than a subway, which acts as one of the few places to stay warm during the winter. This February, Adams remarked that people experiencing homelessness just don’t trust the system. This statement seems to put the blame on people experiencing homelessness for not be-

ing trusting, but the system hasn’t given examples of reasons they should be trusted. Instead, the system has contributed to a significant increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness. The New York City homeless shelter population has

Korea’s Abortion Laws Remind Us to Progress, Not Move Backward By SUYEON RYU

After 67 years of oppression, January 2021 marked a crucial change for Korean women when the criminalization of abortion was ruled unconstitutional and women were finally guaranteed the right to safely abort a fetus before 14 weeks of pregnancy. Previously, women who underwent abortions were fined around $1,780, and doctors who helped women abort were at risk of being jailed for up to two years. Women had to rely on illegal and dangerous abortion pathways that put their health and life at risk. In a survey by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, 20 percent of respondents admitted to an illegal abortion. Seventy-five percent of women between 15 and 44, the demographic most impacted by abortion laws, responded that the criminalization of abortion was unfair, demonstrating that the Korean court was not representative of its citizens. The privileged wealthy males at the top of the political pyramid, who make up 89 percent of the parliamentary system, had made women’s choices for them. Even after the Korean court has come to a conclusion on how unconstitutional the criminaliziation of abortion is, social stigma and shame remain. While America faces the same issues, they are much more amplified in Korea because the official criminalization of abortion promoted censorship. Korean mass media still refuses to depict abortion scenes as a normal and valid process. In a recent drama called “Our Blues,” a pregnant girl clearly expresses wanting an abortion but is prevented from going to the doctor due to necessary parental consent, guilt, and misconceptions about the danger of abortion. Eventually, she decides to raise the baby with her boyfriend. Shows like this one nearly always end with a decision of childbirth, so much so that it is difficult, no matter how severe the circumstances are, to see an actual abortion scene on the big screen. Even if

more than doubled since the 1980s. While Adams has made some strides in the correct direction, he is nowhere near making a difference in the homelessness problem. To criminalize a person experiencing homelessness, it costs taxpayers more than twice as much as to provide them with supportive housing. The MTA introduced in 2017 an Enhanced

Andy Lin / The Spectator

After a long day of walking, you find an empty seat in a bustling city. But every public bench seems to poke and prod with its uneven surfaces and useless armrests, so much that all you can think about is how much of a design failure it is. The fact that sitting on any bench seems to be more uncomfortable than standing isn’t an unfortunate coincidence, but rather the goal. Hostile architecture, or anti-homeless architecture, is a form of urban design that uses its structure to restrict spaces. In the case of benches, the goal is to prevent people experiencing homelessness from sleeping there. Hostile architecture doesn’t solve any problems and instead uses up money that could be spent to directly help people experiencing homelessness. Some examples of hostile architecture include armrests on a bench to stop a person from lying down, spikes on a platform to prevent people from sitting, and benches sloped at just the right angle to make them uncomfortable to sit on. Others can be more harmful, such as sprinklers that are constantly on, which can damage property and waste water. Some cities have installed speakers playing high-pitched noises under bridges, contributing to an increase in noise pollution. There is a park in China where coins have to be inserted into benches

in order to lower the spikes on them for a certain amount of time. One of the most damaging forms of hostile architecture is the apparent lack of public restrooms. Most establishments require visitors to make a purchase in order to use the restroom, leading people with no money without a restroom. Often, their only alternative is public urination, which is illegal. People experiencing homelessness often face extremely dangerous circumstances, further fueled by the lack of temporary housing. Mayor Eric Adams has supported sweeps during which city officials gather and throw out belongings from homeless encampments. These efforts alone have led to lawsuits in response to the loss of valuable and irreplaceable objects. In addition to money being spent on hostile architecture, there is the cost of arrests and lawsuits. Expenses for these lawsuits are made up of basic lawyer bills and the extra bills that come when the court usually finds the government in the wrong. In a television interview, Adams commented that it’s unacceptable for people to live in cardboard boxes. While the sentiment expressed in Adams’s statement may be accurate, simply removing homeless people from the streets without sufficient support isn’t an effective solution. In the past, politicians have attempted to clear out the subways by offering alter-

the screenwriters are pro-choice, fear of criticism and the show being socially “canceled” or being stopped from airing still remains because people simply aren’t used to abortion being tolerated. Consequently, Korean women are indirectly discouraged from getting abortions. On top of the obstacles created by family pressure and the lack of education on abortion, doctors even refuse to perform abortions. Comparatively, social attitudes toward female reproductive rights are more favorable toward women in America, a result of the legal protections that Roe v. Wade gave to American women. The court decision went beyond legal consequences: it empowered women and allowed them to speak up about their abortion rights. We are fortunate that we do not need to reverse the actions of an unfortunate past as Korea has, but this situation will change if Roe v. Wade is overturned. The American legal system regarding abortions will resemble Korea’s past, bringing censorship, stigma, and anti-femininism along. Taking away legal protections will not only unfairly punish women for a basic right, but also change American attitudes toward abortions, eventually raising future generations to disregard female reproductive rights entirely. Korea’s story is important for America right now because it reflects how far we have come and how difficult it will be to regain our momentum for women’s rights. It took millions of petition signatures, many days of peaceful protests, and thousands of activists for the Korean government to finally respond to the demand for women’s reproductive rights. We should look toward Korea to see how the criminalization of abortion has supressed women socially, politically, and culturally, and choose to learn from its mistakes. It is the beginning of Korea’s journey in becoming an abortion-safe country, and America should be able to serve as a role model for rising countries such as Korea, not repeat their same mistakes.

Solution Initiative, which cost $74 million and included placing leaning bars where benches used to be. From a purely financial perspective, the best solution is to directly help people experiencing homelessness instead of spend-

ing money on hostile architecture. Even if the short term cost of hostile architecture is cheaper, the expenses of arrests and lawsuits will add up over the years and end up costing significantly more than a few years of higher taxes that can help solve the issue. After the issue begins to subside, the budget can be lowered, and money can be spent keeping people off the streets instead of getting them. Many solutions to homelessness have been offered over the years, such as lowering the cost of housing, increasing income, and providing extra support for those at higher risk, but none of these options seem to be sufficient. While there may not be one working solution for a while, the simplest but most effective step would be to increase the scale of all of the previous solutions. Housing is provided, just not nearly enough. People do try to spread awareness, but not enough people know about the problem, partly due to the fact that so much money is spent on homeless architecture and the prosecution of people experiencing homelessness. The goal for many years has been to hide this major issue instead of truly confronting it. Less awareness leads to less people advocating for people experiencing homelessness, and that aspect is the main thing that needs to change in order to make a difference.

Abortion Rights is Not Solely an American Issue By NELLI ROJAS-CESSA

The Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade leak sparked outrage in fear of regression for women’s reproductive rights. The U.S. is not the only place where women’s rights are being stomped on. In El Salvador, abortion was legal and then made illegal. In many other Latin American countries, abortion was never legalized at all. American feminists are continuing to fight their way for the standard of equal rights, a struggle that Latin American feminists are also fighting—a struggle that should not remain unseen. El Salvador strikes an uncanny parallel with the U.S.’s recent scare of regression. In 1973, the country’s penal code banned abortions unless the woman’s life was endangered, the fetus had a serious congenital disorder, the pregnancy resulted from rape or statutory rape, or the abortion was a result of negligence. In 1998, the new penal code, which is currently enforced, removed all exceptions to the abortion ban. Women who underwent the procedure and the people who administered the abortion were subject to several years in prison. In addition to their sentences for having an abortion, many women were also convicted of “aggravated homicide,” as El Salvador recognizes human life from the moment of conception. This conviction meant women could face around 30 years in prison for having an abortion. This law outrageously includes women who have experienced miscarriages and still births, the consequences of which can also include imprisonment. Other countries in Latin America are also still in the process of achieving abortion rights. Honduras has a total ban on abortion and emergency contraception, Guatemala has an abortion ban with lifethreatening excpetions, Nicaragua has a total ban on abortion, Mexico decriminalized abortion just last year, and the Dominican Republic still has a total ban on abortion. To provide context for the lack of women’s rights, Latin America has deep-

rooted connections with Catholic Christianity and machismo culture. Most Latin American people are Catholic or at least Christian, and some countries even have Christian political parties in their governments. Similarly, in the U.S., Christianity has often been used as an argument to oppose abortion rights and has also influenced the overwhelmingly Christian U.S. Congress members. Machismo culture, in combination with domestic violence and gang activity, causes Latin America’s alarmingly high rates of femicide. These crimes are allowed to continue due to lack of police and judicial enforcement in Latin American countries. These issues have corrupt underlying causes, but blatant sexism permeates all of them. Reform obviously has to happen on a much larger, international scale, and that change will take generations and millions of people. However, action can be taken even sooner in terms of representation in education. We should start off with widening our high school education to include Latin America, South Asia, the Middle East, and more. Though textbooks may detail England’s suffrage movement in the 20th century, they fail to even mention feminism anywhere outside of the West. This lack of representation must be at the very least acknowledged and then addressed. Gender inequality can’t be solved by one single institution or law. Women who were killed due to gender-related issues in Latin America were failed by police, government officials, hospitals, justice systems, and their society in general. Any chance possible for supporting gender equality as students or U.S. citizens should be taken both locally and internationally, even if we are not able to contribute directly. Reform must happen at all levels, as misogyny has persisted in Latin American culture and administrations for almost all of history. This problem is a systemic issue. As we continue to fight to maintain women’s rights in the U.S., we should acknowledge the fight in Latin America.

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The Spectator • June 3, 2022

Opinions Abortion’s Devastating Economic Effect By ASTRID HARRINGTON

who has a diploma, meaning that dropouts can have severely limited career opportunities in the future. Increases in debt are also

States $105 billion as a result of decreased labor force participation and time off from work. The cost of increasing the restrictive-

Annie Lam / The Spectator

The debate surrounding abortion is very complicated because people get caught up in the moral arguments that come with such an intricate issue. Stances on abortion are rationalized based on various assessments of when a fetus is truly alive. However, this focus overlooks a crucial aspect of the issue: the concrete economic effect abortion can have on women’s financial and mental well-being. In light of the recent Supreme Court leak regarding abortion rights, it must be made clear that abortion is a crucial tool. Denying access to it can devastate millions of women’s lives. If women are denied access to abortion, they may have to spend large sums of money on prenatal care, depending on whether they have health insurance or not. The fact that one in 10 American women is uninsured makes this consequence a significant issue. Without insurance, the average cost of a vaginal birth is about $13 thousand, while the average cost of a C-section is about $22,500. On the other hand, the average cost of a first trimester abortion is between $320 and $600, making it a much cheaper option. Since 75 percent of people who get an abortion are low income, it is clear that many people who would otherwise be forced to go through with the

pregnancy don’t have the money they need to support themselves. Without access to abortion, they would either be crippled by the massive costs or take the dangerous route and avoid prenatal care, putting themselves in danger. After childbirth, there are two possibilities. First, the child can be put up for adoption, which can cause severe mental health issues for the parents and the child. People whose children are adopted don’t stop being parents. Their child is just being brought up by someone else, which can create a great sense of loss. Alternatively, the parents may keep the child. Since women are usually given most childcarerelated responsibility, the mother will likely be in a situation in which she can’t work as often or even at all. In a household already struggling with finances, this arrangement could be devastating. Single mothers tend to be the victims of many unwanted pregnancies, making their experiences even more difficult. If the mother is still in school, the chances that she drops out increase astronomically. Whereas women who don’t give birth during adolescence have a 90 percent high school graduation rate, only about 50 percent of teen mothers graduate from high school by age 22. This trend remains constant for female college students. The lack of a high school or college diploma puts someone behind every potential employee

correlated with being denied an abortion. Lack of access to abortions almost always causes longterm economic problems for the women involved. On top of the individual impacts that restrictive abortion laws cause, the overall effect on America’s economy would be devastating. Every year, restrictive abortion laws cost the United

ness of abortion laws would be even more significant. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned that repealing Roe v. Wade could devastate the economy and “set women back decades.” Options such as paid maternity leave and free childcare can help, but they can’t substitute for abortion. Raising a child requires enormous amounts of money

and attention, even with these measures. They would only mitigate the effect that banning abortion would have. It’s also important to note that pro-lifers are not trying to expand these options— they are trying to remove access to abortion without providing any replacements. Preserving access to abortion should be the priority for prochoice activists, but if it is a lost cause, then addressing the economic ramifications is the next step. Though they can’t replace abortion, the alternatives mentioned above can help soften the financial blow that an unplanned pregnancy can deal, so they should be available to women who need them. As a result of being denied an abortion, women who could have otherwise thrived are often plunged into poverty. The children born to a woman who wanted an abortion are also more likely to grow up in poverty and less likely to be successful as adults. Less restrictive abortion laws are better for all parties involved. Lack of access to abortion causes lasting financial damage on an individual and national scale. This economic loss represents dreams being crushed: people can’t do things they’ve wanted to do all their lives, and they can’t reach the satisfaction that being able to pay the bills consistently can bring. As a result, it is crucial that abortion stays legal and accessible.

In Honor of National Clean Air Month By KIKYO MAKINO-SILLER

Today, businesses rely on an appeal to “eco-friendliness” with feel-good names like Conscious Step or Tree Tribe and pledges to plant trees with every purchase. Corporate tree-planting began in the 1980s as environmentalism rapidly gained social and political momentum. Government and nonprofit initiatives, like the Bonn Challenge (a plan to restore 350 million hectares of trees by 2030) and the Trillion Trees Initiative, rely on corporate support and have fueled the movement. Companies like Portucel Moçambique and Ecosia have planted 13 thousand hectares of eucalyptus trees in various regions of Africa in an attempt to curb deforestation and desertification. Even more expansive are the industry giants like Nestle or Shell that promise to plant trillions of trees while simultaneously depleting precious water reserves and fracking deep into the earth. We often don’t pause to question these projects because we want to believe in them. As the climate crisis worsens, trees have become a symbol of green hope. A tree can absorb between 10 and 40 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year on average (depending on a variety of factors), reduce soil erosion, cool urban environments, and provide food and resources. As Jesse Klein of GreenBiz points out, they’re also ideal for companies, as “funding tree-planting projects is a safe and inoffensive strategy for the philanthropic arm of many large businesses.” Gift a Tree writes that tree-planting can “make customers feel great knowing that [they] have contributed to help-

ing nature.” In an ideal world, it’s a win-win situation. But without meticulous planning, these projects often do

planting trees has contributed to mitigating the effects of climate change. There are a few reasons why.

Honora Muratori/ The Spectator

more harm than good. In fact, after examining the impacts of large planting projects in India over the past 50 years, a Nature Journal study recently concluded that there was “no evidence” that

For one, most corporations opt for fast growing species of conifer or eucalyptus, many of which sap natural resources such as water, nutrients, and light, depleting underwater aquifers and

suffocating their surroundings. Eucalyptus trees in particular are renowned for their hardiness and versatility, and while these characteristics make them an ideal choice for companies looking to plant low-maintenance trees, they also mean that they outcompete indigenous plant species and reduce biodiversity. Studies have found that the mean soil moisture of sites with native plants is 50 percent, while the mean soil moisture for areas populated by eucalyptus trees is 25 percent. This difference was a key discovery, as soil moisture is crucial to mediating evaporation and plant transpiration. Furthermore, improper locations pose a problem. Large-scale tree planting projects have been associated with habitat degradation in other biomes. Initiatives in China and Brazil have been exposed for destroying grassland ecosystems, which are targets of forest restoration campaigns. Grasslands sequester carbon and are inhabited by numerous animals. Even in urban environments, haphazardly planted trees have led to groups of concerned citizens digging them up. In California and other regions, there have been multi-million dollar initiatives to remove massive numbers of trees due to the potential risks. UC Berkeley, for example, has recently begun removing eucalyptus trees near campus to reduce fire risks. Even government-funded tree-planting programs have failed to consult experts, leading to millions of trees and dollars being wasted. Millions of saplings planted in areas of insufficient rainfall in Turkey died just months after being planted, signaling the lack of planning behind these initiatives.

Despite these risks, corporate tree-planting campaigns are continuing without consulting experts or local communities. With a more organized effort, it is possible to have a successful treeplanting campaign. Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas, a nonprofit organization based in São Paulo, has successfully planted 2.7 million trees since 1986. The trees that they plant are native and provide needed fruit, wood, and money to local communities. But oftentimes, the cost of planting native species and committing to vigilant monitoring is expensive, conflicting with corporate ideals and making real change difficult to institute. Greenwashing is nothing new. Insincere advertisements and “green” buzzwords attract consumers and encourage them to believe that buying these products and services is bettering the world. But a long-term climate solution requires more careful research. Only nine percent of organizations have been comprehensively measuring their carbon emissions. Even large corporations like Amazon and Walmart that have pledged to reach “netzero” carbon emissions have fallen short of their plan. There are sly methods that make this underachievement possible. Amazon, for example, only takes into account the environmental impact of Amazon brand products and none of the other brands they sell. Products with an Amazon brand label make up only one percent of what the company sells online, and the emissions produced when making and shipping the non-brand items are simply ignored. The first step to reducing carbon emissions is increased transparency.

The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

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Science SCIENCEBEAT

Plants on the Moon By SHARIKA SHITHI

experimentation because its fully mapped genetic code would allow the researchers more insight into the genetic effects that the soil would have on the plants. As a control in the experiment, the researchers also planted Ara-

Lillian Zou / The Spectator

Plants can grow in lunar soil. Though it’s not the ideal environment since the plants become stressed and brittle, plants can still germinate in soil derived from the moon, grow roots, sprout leaves, and even potentially become edible. Research funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Florida was published on May 12 in the journal “Nature Communications Biology.” The research was conducted in support of the Artemis Program, which plans to send humans to the Moon once again. The mission requires a better understanding of biological responses to the Moon’s soil, known as lunar regolith, which is fundamentally different from Earth’s soil: it is the habitat of limited organic elements, high radiation levels, and volcanic glass. Earlier lunar explorations have established that lunar soil samples did not harbor pathogens that may harm terrestrial life. However, the plants in the earlier experiments were only dusted with lunar regolith—they were never actually grown in it. The May 2022 study was written and conducted by Anna-Lisa Paul, a University of Florida plant molecular biologist, and Robert Ferl, a distinguished professor of horticultural sciences at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Though questions regarding lunar fertility have revolved for years, scientists have only recently received the opportunity to grow plants in lunar soil. The process would irreversibly alter the chemistry of the soil, hence permanently contaminating “precious natural treasures.”

In spite of this, after the scientists applied for the opportunity to work with lunar regolith three times over the course of 11 years, NASA granted Paul and Ferl a loan of 12 grams of lunar soil, collected during the Apollo 11,

12, and 17 missions to the Moon between 1969 and 1972. The small amount of soil provided meant that Paul and Ferl had to conduct a small-scale, carefully conducted experiment. Therefore, the team created a tiny lunar garden with thimblesized wells functioning as pots for each trial plant to grow in, placed in small plastic plates that are normally used to culture cells' grammar. After they filled each well with nearly one gram of lunar soil, the scientists moistened the soil with a nutrient solution and added seeds from the Arabidopsis thaliana plant, hoping to harvest the thale cress weed. The Arabidopsis plant was chosen for

bidopsis seeds in soil harvested from extreme environments on Earth, such as volcanic ash and JSC-1A, a terrestrial substance that resembles lunar regolith. Astoundingly, all the plants looked the same up until day six. Afterward, the lunar sample mediums appeared less robust in comparison to the controls and began showing signs of stunted roots along with reddish pigmentation that made the normally green weeds appear violet. After 20 days, all of the seeds sprouted. The plants were then harvested and their DNA was studied. The genetic reports of the plants revealed similarities to plants grown in hostile environ-

ments, specifically environments that contained high concentrations of heavy metals. These findings were reasonable due to the high “glass fragment” findings in lunar regolith; lunar regolith is powdery and fine-grained, which makes the soil sharp-edged and abrasive. Nonetheless, though the plants’ growth indicated high stress levels, the plants still found a way to germinate fairly quickly, especially given the nutrient deficiency in lunar soil and with little aid from light, nutrients, and water. Paul claims the next step in the team’s research is to use the data derived from the analysis of the Arabidopsis’ gene expression to address methods with which they can enhance the plants’ biological stress responses. They hope that genetic modifications may induce a level of fitness in the plants that will allow them to grow in the lunar soil in a way that is not detrimental to their health. NASA’s Artemis program aims to place astronauts on the southern pole of the Moon by 2025. With NASA preparing to send astronauts back to the Moon for the first time since 1972, being able to take advantage of natural resources found directly on the Moon has become increasingly important. Essentially, plant growth in lunar soil is a crucial step toward establishing lunar colonies, or long-term habitats on the Moon. While there is no oxygen or carbon dioxide in the Moon’s atmosphere, plants could potentially alter lunar soil in a similar manner to which they have altered soil on Earth. If scientists manage to discover the precise reason for the growth defects in the plants grown in lunar mediums, they may be able to target genes that can counteract the en-

The World Health Organization confirmed more than 92 cases and 28 suspected cases of monkeypox in 15 countries where the virus is not endemic, including the United States. Using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, scientists created genetically edited tomatoes that are a robust source of vitamin D. Two mediumsized tomatoes would satisfy the daily recommended vitamin D intake. The first human was injected with Vaxinia, a new and experimental cancer-killing virus, in a clinical trial. vironmental stresses and successfully harvest crops on the Moon. Once the modified plants are suitable for growth on the Moon, they can convert waste carbon dioxide exhaled by astronauts into oxygen, transforming the Moon’s atmosphere into a more breathable one, providing nutritional benefits to the astronauts who are there long-term. With today’s technology, humans would have little difficulty merely reaching the Moon, but with long-term aspirations in mind like the building of a lunar base that would allow habitual human activity on the Moon, it has remained nearly impossible for a crew to take all the materials they would need with them. Therefore, it only makes sense to use the resources already available on the Moon, and because of these recent developments, lunar regolith may soon be added to the charter.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Flashing Lights By JAMES LI One unsuspecting morning, Andrea Gillies wakes up and looks in the mirror. However, she cannot recognize the person she is looking at. Met with strangers who attempt to convince her that they’re her family, she feels like she is going crazy. This is starting to become a reality for many people. Alzheimer’s is a brain disorder that plagues an estimated 6.5 million people, causing numerous deaths annually. It has already cost the United States $321 billion along with billions of hours of care for patients. Plaque, the buildup of protein, in different areas of the brain affects the neurotransmitters involved with sending messages around the body. One such transmitter is acetylcholine, which is involved with short-term memory. The buildup of plaque increases the activity of acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that decomposes the transmitter. Eventually, the plaque leads to the shrinkage of different parts of the brain. There are a variety of symptoms ranging from “simple” memory loss to losing the ability to communicate. Despite this, many people have a very superficial understanding of such symptoms as they lack relevance in most Americans’ lives. Equally terrifying is the fact

that this disease lacks a cure of any kind. Most treatments temporarily alleviate mild symptoms. The only promising treatment, Aducanumab, which is able to decrease the amount of betaamyloid plaque, is surrounded by controversies regarding its effectiveness and astronomical cost. However, recent studies have pointed toward an unorthodox treatment: flashing lights. In 2015, an experiment was conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by neuroscientist Dr. Li-Huei Tsai and her colleagues. The researchers presented flashing lights at 40Hz every day for an hour to mice that were genetically modified to produce the proteins underlying the buildup of plaque in Alzheimer’s disease. With this method, they were able to find reduced amounts of plaque in the visual cortex where visual information is processed. They also experimented with sound-based stimuli that produced comparable results in the auditory cortex—involved with processing sound—as well as the hippocampus. This is groundbreaking as the hippocampus is responsible for memory consolidation and learning. The mice had much higher cognitive performances and significantly improved memory. The neurologists combined the two methods and discovered an ex-

ponential effect across the brain including the prefrontal cortex, which controls executive function. The breakthrough provides new hope for many Alzheimer’s patients. However, while this research has only recently been explored, the foundation for this discovery has been around for centuries. In the late 1800s, a German psychiatrist named Hans Berger pioneered electroencephalography (EEG), a method of measuring electric activity in the brain by attaching an electrode, or a series of small metal discs connected by wires, to the scalp. EEG is now an instrumental part of many contemporary neurological practices and diagnoses. More importantly, however, Berger was the first to make crucial observations among brain waves such as the alpha (which was subsequently named the Berger wave) and beta waves with the EEG. These waves occur at different frequencies and correspond to different states of the brain. This opened up the path for discovering three other brain waves, namely the gamma, theta, and delta waves. They correspond to states of concentration, deep relaxation, and sleep, respectively. Brain waves are, in a sense, a rippling effect. Neurons in the brain transfer messages by having electrical currents sent

through them. However, the average neuron is connected to thousands of other neurons, meaning each is affected simultaneously and creates a synchronization between all of them as the currents pass through. The frequencies being able to match up is absolutely crucial in the organization of the data that is being communicated, becoming the “key to perception” in the human body. The EEG measures the frequency, or how fast these currents are occurring, and the various types of waves depict the varying speeds at which these currents are sent. However, these waves can become interrupted or amplified in disorders such as Parkinson’s, depression, and, unsurprisingly, Alzheimer’s disease. In the case of Alzheimer’s, gamma waves have been observed to decrease. As mentioned before, gamma waves correspond to the state of the brain related to concentration and occur at frequencies upwards of 25Hz. Neuroscientists have discovered that between this range at 40Hz, brain functions like “conscious awareness, perception, and memory” occur. As a result, this decrease in gamma waves is detrimental to one’s cognitive abilities. Dr. Tsai and many other researchers are trying to undo this reduction in gamma waves. Through flash-

ing lights and sounds at 40Hz, the scientists hope to match the speed of neurons in the brain with these stimuli and restore the connections. Think of this treatment almost as a metronome for neurons to match up with. This type of entrainment also promotes the engagement of microglia, cells that swallow up proteins involved with Alzheimer’s such as amyloid beta. Studies with these methods have produced increased memory and concentration from volunteers that were subjected to the flashing lights and sounds. Despite many positive and promising results from experiments done on rats and humans alike, there are still limitations to such studies. The method of flashing lights at 40Hz has many complications regarding its safety. These experiments are also still relatively new without many extensive studies with mass trials. In addition, there has been a lack of a placebo—something for the treatment to be tested against—which prompts reluctance to accept the results of these studies yet. However, this does not take away from the innovation of this new effective treatment; the experiment provides hope for people suffering from cognitive dysfunctions such as Alzheimer’s for generations to come.

The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

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Science Pulling the Plug By SUBAAH SYED The last days of life are moments that are held onto dearly. Every day, people in hospitals are teetering between life and death, with some having spent months and maybe even years connected to machines. The patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are those who are considered to be in critical condition and need specialized medical attention. Health conditions or injuries often found in the ICU include respiratory failure, organ transplants, and severe burns. On some occasions, the conditions can be so severe that they require the assistance of life support. Life support encompasses machinery and technology that keep the body alive by either replacing or supporting vital bodily functions. Some examples include dialysis for kidney failure, mechanical ventilation to help a patient breathe, and feeding tubes or IVs to supply nutrition and water to the body. These techniques are incorporated together if a patient struggles with more than one bodily function. For instance, someone in a coma may need to be on both a ventila-

tor and a feeding tube since they would not be able to breathe autonomously or feed themselves. A patient is usually placed on life support to better their condition and sustain their life for an extended period of time until doctors can determine whether full recovery is probable. This means that being on life support is not something meant to last forever—either the patient successfully recovers or doctors have to pull the plug. The term “pulling the plug” refers to discontinuing life support when it seems impossible for a patient to recover. This decision is usually a collaborative effort made by the family and healthcare professionals. The patient’s age, race, and chances of effectively functioning afterward are all factors that physicians take into consideration. Cost is another main reason why hospitals withdraw life support—keeping a patient on life support costs the hospital about two to four thousand dollars a day, which some hospitals deem excessive if the possibility of recovery for a patient is not sufficiently high. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was

an unprecedented influx of patients in ICUs. As a result, with the pressure to maximize lives saved and to run ICUs with enough beds and ventilators imminent, ethical concerns arose. One such concern regarded the morals behind accelerating the termination of patients’ life support. Moreover, during this time, the levels of communication between families and physicians rapidly deteriorated. At its worst, the pandemic made it so that hospitals could not allow family members of patients into ICUs due to the risk of infection. Family members were not able to observe the patient’s condition firsthand, thus relying mainly on the physicians’ records. The lack of communication between family, patient, and hospital staff was a major obstacle when it came to deciding on whether to pull the plug. Recently, there has been an imbalance between the responsibility of both hospital staff and family members in making this decision. In most states, including New York, it is standard for both parties to engage in the conversation about withdrawing life support, and families are likely to

win if they go to court to stop a hospital from pulling the plug. On the other hand, the state of Texas gives life-and-death powers to hospitals regardless of what families want, which leads to further conflicts between families and hospitals. One such case occurred in 2005, when George Pickering’s adult son was declared brain dead and was to be cut off from life support. It was only when Pickering came into the hospital with an armed weapon that the hospital staff changed their minds. Alternatively, there are ways in which the patient still has some say in their own life, even when they are on life support and are not able to make decisions by themselves. Before a person undergoes surgery or another medical procedure, hospitals in each state have their own set of legal forms allowing patients to inform the medical staff of their advanced directive, which entails a patient’s wishes regarding how the hospital should proceed should their condition worsen or should complications arise during surgery. Additionally, in New Jersey, the recent passing of the Medical Aid in Dying for the

Terminally Ill Act, also known as MAID, allows adult New Jersey residents to acquire medication to self-administer their death if deemed terminally ill by consulting physicians. As per MAID, not only do the family and physician collaborate to decide on whether to “pull the plug” or make any other life-dependent decisions, but the patient also has a say in the discussion. When making these important decisions, communication between the patient’s family and the medical facility is integral. In hospitals such as those in Texas, the decision to place all the responsibility on the physician to judge whether to withdraw life support takes a toll on family members and sometimes patients as well. With the medical knowledge possessed by physicians and the intimate knowledge possessed by family members, it takes more than one party to decide on an important issue such as cutting off life support. Effective communication and relay of information will lead to a decision that both family and hospital can be satisfied with. In all scenarios, the patient’s best interest must be kept in mind.

The James Webb Space Telescope’s Progress By RAMISA HAQUE As time progresses, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) continues to prove its prodigious technology as seen through NASA’s test images. After a series of tests, the telescope was launched on December 25, 2021. Since then, NASA has been providing updates on the condition of the telescope as it advances toward complete functionality. A description of the telescope’s infrastructure is necessary to understand the complexities of the preparation required before the telescope is fully functioning. The three major parts are the Optical Telescope Element (OTE), the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM), and the Spacecraft Element. The OTE includes the mirrors and backplane. The JWST is the first telescope to use folded primary mirrors, mainly to allow it to fit in a rocket fairing. The primary mirror, made of 18-hexagonal segments, first captures faint infrared light. The light is reflected into the smaller secondary mirror, from which it is reflected into the telescope’s

four instruments. This includes the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec), the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), the NearInfrared Camera (NIRCam), and the Fine Guidance System (FGS)/Near-InfraRed Imager and Slitless Spectrograph, all of which are housed in the ISIM. Together, the instruments work to accurately detect and photograph astronomical objects. The Spacecraft Element comprises the sunshield subsystem and the Spacecraft bus. Hence its name, the sunshield system protects the OTE and the ISIM from the sun-facing side of the telescope because these elements need to be kept at deep space temperatures. The Spacecraft Bus, which is on the sun-facing side, contains the systems that operate the spacecraft. In February of this year, the Webb team released the first photos taken using the JWST. The objects pictured include the star HD 84406 and a “selfie” of the primary mirror. Because the mirror segments are not yet fully unfolded, the images are blurry. NASA announced that the

telescope completed “fine phasing,” meaning the segments have successfully unfolded to form a single aligned mirror, on March 11. NASA released an image of the star 2MASS J17554042+6551277 as e v i dence that the mirrors are able to reflect light into one spot of the NIRCam, but the s a m e process had to be done with the N I R S p e c , MIRI, and FGS.

tions. They also revealed an image taken of the Large Magellanic Cloud that demonstrates the MIRI’s stellar performance in clearly capturing material that would be obscured if seen at visible wavelengths. The Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, was the release target for the James Webb Space Telescope because it had already been studied by other observatories, such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope. The photo captured by the JWST clearly depicts

R e cently, the team held a news conference on May 9 during which they announced that the telescope is in its final tweaking stage as the mirrors have finished cooling to the near absolute-zero temperature required for infrared observa-

hundreds of stars adjacent to a background of interstellar clouds, whereas the photo captured by the Spitzer juxtaposes a few stars as brighter circles with a blurred background full of dull smaller specks. The prior knowledge of the galaxy includes the locations of its

Rin Fukuoka / The Spectator

stars, which is significant because they can be inputted for astrometric calibrations that are used to reassure each instrument’s proper function. There are various pieces of astrometric data to be collected before the team can proceed with its exploration. A scientist for the Webb team, Michael McElwain, says we are currently in the “homestretch” before the mission commences as they finish assessing the telescope’s instruments and collecting data. The telescope’s ability to already capture such great detail accurately proves it will succeed in its mission of showing astronomers the formation process of stars and protoplanetary systems. According to Klaus Pontoppidan, a scientist on the Webb project, the first official scientific images of the “early Universe, to galaxies over time, to the life cycle of stars, and to other worlds,” are expected this upcoming July. These photos will revolutionize our understanding of the universe as scientists expect to see the very first formations of stars and galaxies, otherwise known as the Big Bang.

Human Technological Implants By SETH FENTON Implants date back as far as 2000 BC, when they were used to replace missing teeth in Ancient China. In recent decades, humanity has developed several implantable technologies that have been crucial in the rehabilitation of millions of patients. For instance, implantation devices like an artificial heart valve implantation with an external pacemaker—a device that regulates the heartbeat—have been

used to treat heart diseases since 1951. Such advances have significantly improved the quality of life and expanded our ability to monitor internal bodily conditions, repair bodily functions, and even replace limbs and organs. Implantable sensors are the category of human technological implants with the widest variety of uses. They are placed inside a person's body to provide information about their bodily functions. Due to recent advanc-

es such as better tissue to metal connections, they can provide a constant, reliable data stream from a patient no matter how far away they are. As a result, they improve surgical outcomes and reduce the need for in-person checkups. This allows for a lower risk of infectious disease spread and for precious hospital beds to be freed up without compromising the quality of care. In current times, when COVID-19 continues to spread and hospital capacity is very strained, these

seemingly minor efficiencies are more necessary than ever. The second type of implant, and the most common, improves the function of internal organs. This category includes heart valve replacement (a valve within the heart is replaced by a synthetic replica), pacemakers (a device that can set the pace of the heart beat), BLVRs (bronchoscopic lung volume reduction, a procedure to reduce the amount of air within the lungs) and cerebral spinal fluid shunts

(a tube that reduces the amount of cerebrospinal fluid in cases where it has built up in excess). These have allowed people with previously crippling or fatal diseases to live relatively normal lives. These implants often last longer than 20 years and are used with implantable sensors to provide the aforementioned benefits. continued on page 23

The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

Page 23

Science Human Technological Implants

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ably. They are also capable, albeit rarely, of providing the sense of touch to people who had long lost it. Implants are used to restore the body to what i s

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considered normal function, but there are some technologies attempting to improve human ay a

Sensory implants, as opposed to implantable sensors, are used to replace or repair one of the five senses—generally sight, hearing or touch. The most well-recognized of these is the cochlear implant which helps with hearing by bypassing damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulating the auditory nerve. Sight impairment is significantly harder to cure. Artificial retinas represent our best capability to improve sight, but even they can’t deal with the majority

of forms of blindness. What’s more is that they are incredibly expensive and, thus, widely inaccessible. The final major category of implant are prosthetics which replace limbs, allowing for the ability to freely manipulate objects. Recent prosthetics are capable of neural-muscular interface which means they can be controlled by the brain and allow for the freedom to manipulate objects comfort-

continued from page 22

function beyond these limits. So far, this type of implant has advanced slowly due to moral concerns that have impeded funding. As of now, there's only one type of implant that's even remotely practical for human enhancement: neural implants which can enhance cognitive function and memory. Actually increasing human capability with a neural implant is impossible with current levels of technology. However, a neural implant was recently tested in a pig that measured its mental activity for over two months without being removed. It’s possible that these implants may soon be

capable of controlling technology with the brain. In the distant future, they may even provide limited telepathy. Medical implants have saved millions of lives and allowed many more to live autonomously. They’ve also been developed relatively quickly—in 70 years, the lives of millions have been completely changed. More than that though, they have the potential to revolutionize the human condition by allowing us to mentally control technology, communicate more effectively, and improve our mental functioning.

Blue Means Flood percent is absorbed by oceans. This water, in a process known as thermal expansion, then warms and expands in volume. Both of these systems combined, triggered by global warming, ultimately raise the sea level of water bodies. Over time, several architectural structures have been invented to prevent the land and its people from being inundated by sea water. Dating back to the Roman Empire, the sea wall is a physical barrier against the sea. This structure, however, is not a panacea for flooding; though seawalls protect the cities from some flooding, they create a myriad of other issues. These struct u r e s essentially push the problem to the nearby shorelines by multiplying the force of waves. Also, if left to degrade, the remnants from sea e Spec

tator

glaciers are the Earth’s main source of fresh water. In addition to harming glaciers, global warming affects the surrounding waters. Of the total trapped

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Across the Battery Park City waterfront esplanade, 11unique lamp posts stand out. Partially painted a brilliant blue, these lampposts starkly contrast with the ominosity of the cause they represent—the cotton-candy color that you crane your head to gaze upon? Soon, it could be the murky green waters of the Hudson, ready to crash above you. Attached to the lamp posts are signs that explain the meaning behind these distinctive constructions: the height of the blue paint represents potential flooding from future weather, specifically a storm projected to hit New York City in 2050. The “100-year storm,” an eerily dystopian name, may in fact harrow the future of Battery Park City, an area that has been classified as a future flood zone. Starting in 2050, these areas will annually be at a one percent risk of flooding—a possibility that, though seemingly insignificant, could be tremendously devastating. It

took New York roughly seven years to recover from Hurricane Sandy, with over 69,000 residences damaged, thousands of New Yorkers temporarily displaced, and around $19 billion in damages. This tropical storm tore the city down with a combined storm surge (the rise of water generated by a storm) and high tide sea level of 11.29 feet. The future floods, meanwhile, could rise anywhere between 18 to 23.5 feet. One contributing factor to these future storms is the accelerating rate of rising sea levels. This is caused largely by the consequences of global warming, such as melting of glaciers and ice sheets. Glaciers in Washington state alone melt to form 1.8 trillion liters of water each summer. Aside from contributing to sea level rise, glacial melting is exceedingly concerning because

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walls could wash into the water and damage delicate habitats. Rather than suggesting reactive solutions such as sea walls, a United Nations report indicates the need for “transformative changes in our behavior and infrastructure.” Solutions to climate change problems may work for the time being, but increasing pollution will destroy certain areas to the point where there is no turning back. The current state of the Earth is shaped by human actions that are continuing and growing even though cities are sinking and the skies are bleeding for months on end. Most people aren’t willing to compromise or adapt, even if it can legitimately save the world. They figure, “It won’t make any difference if I do this. I’m just one person.” Yet, billions of people are thinking this, so it is never just one person. People tend to believe that in such a big world, they can’t make an impact. But by standing up, you’re one of the 7.9 billion people who can make the world a better place.

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The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

Arts and Entertainment Pre-College Online Program

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FIND YOUR PERFECT FIT IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY Immerse yourself in the vibrant field of fashion with courses from Parsons Paris. Explore design methods, effective branding, and more with interactive courses taught by experts in Paris fashion. Courses Currently Offered: • Build Your Own Fashion Brand • Inside the Business of Fashion and Luxury • Becoming a Designer for the 21st Century • Sustainability: The Future of Fashion

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The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

Page 25

Arts and Entertainment To Be or Not to Be (On Theme)

Fashion

in horrendous conditions to produce the textiles and materials for the indulgence of the upper classes. Additionally, Quannah Chasinghorse, an Oglala Lakota and Han Gwich’in model, paired handmade Indigenous jewelry with her upcycled Prabal Gurung tulle gown.

The most iconic red carpet of the year, May 2. “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” was the overarching theme of this year’s Met Gala, but the official dress code was Gilded Glamour and White Tie. With the Gilded Age (1870s-1900s) dress code so clearly spelled out, one would assume that the attendees would follow it. However, as per usual, this was not the case. Many people opted for only following the theme of American fashion, while others simply looked underdressed for the biggest, boldest event of the year. On one hand, some outfits were undoubtedly successes. Billie Eilish wore a Gucci dress that was the epitome of upper-class Gilded Age fashion, featuring a mint corset with a bustled cream satin skirt, and a black choker that added a bit of edge to the otherwise ethereal, and upcycled, look. Usually known for wearing baggier clothing, Eilish’s recent break from that trend is exemplified by her outfit choice. For a less conventional look, Dove Cameron embraced the theatrical aspect of the Met Gala in an Iris Van Herpen gown that created the skeleton of the classic Gilded Age dress, an appropriate combination of the past and present. Paying homage to unsung Black dressmaker Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, Sarah Jessica Parker paired a blackand-white Christopher John Rogers dress with a colorful hat that looked like it came straight from the late 1800s. For menswear, FINNEAS looked exquisite wearing a long black Gucci tailcoat that contrasted beautifully with the lilac shirt underneath. His loose-fitting trousers added some personal flair to the ensemble, cementing FINNEAS’s look as his own. Shawn Mendes’s red and navy-blue jacket spurred comparisons to princes, lords, and dukes alike, which is exactly what Gilded Era fashion should do. Combining the femininity of the Gilded Age with his suit, Evan Mock wore a cream corset top with a ruffled button-down shirt that added simplicity and elegance to his look. Arguably, the best looks of the night came from the celebrities who chose to shine a light on the groups that were harshly underrepresented in the Gilded Age. Riz Ahmed’s 4S Designs look honored “the immigrant workers who kept the Gilded Age going” by working

Music By LUCIEN CLOUGH “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” marks the long-waited return of the revered rapper Kendrick Lamar after five years of absence. Established by many as one of the greatest artists of the genre ever since he first emerged on the scene in 2011, Lamar has been missed by fans and critics alike. He has released four highly successful albums, won fourteen Grammys and a Pulitzer Prize, and garnered worldwide attention since 2011. The rollout of “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” has been relatively sparse, preceded only by Lamar’s performance at the Superbowl Halftime Show and the release of his single “The Heart Part V.” Because of the mystery surrounding the album and the weight that comes with Lamar’s name, “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” has been one of the most anticipated

ing the lack of a clear connection between her outfit and the theme. Similarly, Sophie Turner’s gown was gorgeous, but it didn’t stand out amidst the many outfits that graced the red carpet. Menswear, like at previous Met Galas, was largely tuxedos with a slight quirk:

Ying Chen / The Spectator

By LIANNE OHAYON

Chasinghorse’s outfit effectively represents the Native Americans who, though present during the Gilded Age, did not reap the same benefits that those in white American society did. Unfortunately, many outfits, as per usual, fell flat. One explanation transcends the theme or dress code itself: celebrities and designers didn’t step up to the occasion. Notably, the outfits designed by Louis Vuitton looked like your standard, run-of-the-mill red carpet outfit. Hoyeon Jung fell victim to this issue. Though she looked beautiful, her Louis Vuitton denim dress just didn’t cut it for the grandiosity of the Met, especially when consider-

Ryan Reynolds, co-chair of this year’s Gala, wore a velvet suit, only a small step up from plain black. Jack Harlow’s brown Givenchy suit was incredibly plain for how illustrious the Met Gala is, and the silver accents on J Balvin’s black suit didn’t set his look apart from any other red carpet look. The second and largest fatal flaw of many of the attendees and their designers was the lack of understanding of the dress code. Blake Lively, another co-chair, wore a beautiful blue and rose-gold dress that transformed halfway along the carpet. The bodice was adorned with gemstones in the shape of the New York City skyline. Though it

did reference the Statue of Liberty, which was built during the Gilded Age, it still lacked a direct connection to the theme. In fact, it largely took inspiration from art deco, a 1920s and 1930s architectural movement that used bright colors and sparkles. In the same vein, many celebrities wore looks inspired by the Roaring ‘20s rather than the Gilded Age, a large oversight on the part of the designers. While the short, feathered, flapper-esque dress from Emma Stone and the sparkled fringe from Maude Apatow’s look would have been appropriate choices for a 1920s-themed Met Gala, the looks ultimately fell short for this year’s theme. Finally, we saw a multitude of “gilded” (gold) looks from the likes of Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Sabrina Carpenter, and others. While technically on theme, the outfits didn’t offer much in the realm of creativity or innovation, making for some disappointing looks. It wouldn’t be a Met Gala without some sort of drama; the most controversial look of the night was undoubtedly Kim Kardashian’s. People were shocked when she stepped out on the carpet wearing the exact same dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in 1962 when she sang “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy. The negative reactions mostly stemmed from historical preservation concerns, in addition to Kardashian’s claim that she lost 16 pounds to fit into the dress. As there are about 75 years between the Gilded Age and when Monroe wore this dress, many wonder if it was even necessary to go through all of the trouble to wear something that clearly failed to adhere to the dress code. While the dress was a nod to the icon that Marilyn Monroe was, wearing the actual dress wasn’t necessary to create the look. Ultimately, the choice to utilize this historical garment will have consequences on its lifespan, as it is now impacted by flash photography, potential tears, perfume, and makeup stains. At the end of the day though, it is important to note that all celebrities seemed to have followed a theme: America’s fashion story. Maybe Sebastian Stan’s bright pink ensemble wasn’t Gilded Glamour, nor was Kylie Jenner’s “wedding dress” and baseball cap combination. But the event fundamentally showcased American fashion: a diverse collection of tastes, trends, and perceptions of style.

Kendrick Lamar Chooses Himself on “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” albums of the last few years. Lamar prefaces “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” with the lines “1855 days / I been goin’ through somethin’.” With these words, Lamar establishes the central theme of the album: despite his impossible success and recognition, he is still haunted by an inescapable trauma. The project explores the roots and effects of this trauma by structuring itself as a therapy session, putting the flaws of Lamar’s coping mechanisms, and by extension, those of his community and peers, directly under the spotlight, while simultaneously looking for solutions and ways to move forward. This structure is established using the voices of philosopher Eckhart Tolle, whose periodic narration pins him as Lamar’s therapist and spiritual advisor, and Whitney Alford (Lamar’s wife), who acts as the driving force of his introspection.

The album is divided into two discs of nine tracks each, the first of which focuses on addressing Lamar’s flaws and attempting to understand their origin. These ideas are introduced in the opening track, “United in Grief,” which illustrates the unhealthy and materialistic habits that Kendrick has used as coping mechanisms, as he raps, “the money wipin’ the tears away / I grieve different.” The next track, “Worldwide Steppers,” addresses more of his flaws and imperfections, calling out his lust addiction, objectification of women, writer’s block, and abandonment of his community, an idea explored all across “To Pimp a Butterfly” (2015). The heart of these flaws is explored in “Father Time,” where he focuses on the ideals of masculinity that were engraved in him as a child and the effects that rippled throughout his life, forcing him to be competitive,

egotistic, and selfish. “We Cry Together” is the emotional climax of the first half of the album. The track is extremely intense, playing out as an explosive argument between Lamar and actress Taylour Paige. The weight of this track is both impressive and demanding: the duo’s performances are riveting, but the aggression and intensity of this track make it difficult to listen to. It seems to serve as a reminder to Lamar about the importance of strong relationships, and its conflict is indirectly resolved in the closing track “Purple Hearts,” in which Lamar learns his lesson and devotes himself to a stable relationship with his wife. The second disc of the album analyzes how Lamar copes with the issues introduced by the preceding tracks. This idea is prevalent in the continued on page 26

Playlist Big Apple Bangers By THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DEPARTMENT New York is a historic hotbed of the world’s greatest music scenes, and a subject of many of the world’s greatest songs. Here is a collection of some of the most fundamental cornerstones of New York’s musical history, from ‘50s Hard Bop to ‘90s Boom Bap, and some tracks that pay homage to this beautiful city.

Satellite of Love Lou Reed Glam Rock Piazza, New York Catcher Belle and Sebastian Folk 212 Azaelia Banks Hip house The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side The Magnetic Fields Indie Pop Bring Da Ruckus Wu-Tang Clan Hip-hop Nostalgia in Times Square Charlie Mingus Jazz NYC Interpol Garage Rock Dish It Out Contortions No Wave Don’t Make Me Wait Peech Boys House Gloria Patti Smith Punk Rock Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song) Billy Joel Piano Rock An Open Letter to NYC Beastie Boys Hip-hop Teen Age Riot Sonic Youth Noise Rock

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The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

Arts and Entertainment Sail On, Beach Boys

Music For many, the Swinging Sixties were a time of political and cultural revolution: a decade defined by JFK’s assassination, the Vietnam War, and Martin Luther King Jr. A rising sentiment of anti-war and a man on the moon. The everlasting Beatle phenomenon. However, amid the shifts of the time emerged a scene that traced back to the coastlines of the West, where the scantilyclad youth eagerly soaked up the ripeness of the American dream under the summer sun, lounging in the leisure-bound lifestyles of affluence and suburbia. The surf craze of the ‘60s dominated the American scene, and riding on the forefronts of this movement were the one and only Beach Boys, soon-to-be trailblazers that would begin the Californian legend in earnest and later set it in stone. Emerging as a family band from Hawthorne, California, the Beach Boys’s original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, cousin Mike Love, and mutual friend Al Jardine, all united under the de facto management of the Wilsons’ notoriously abusive father, Murry Wilson. After the band’s initial formation in 1961, it was not long until their beach-certified albums catapulted them to national prominence. Aptly named “Surfin’ Safari” (1962), “Surfin’ USA” (1963), and “Surfer Girl” (1963), their albums spawned timeless summer classics, with hits like “Fun Fun Fun” (1964) and “Surfin’ USA” striking gold on the national charts. Their signature doowop harmonies and catchy riffs would cement The Beach Boys’s legacy as a symbol of American boyhood. To those who had the

ing concerns. Such preconceived notions of the band’s apparent juvenility continue to plague their legacy today. Nevertheless, the eventual arrival of the Great British Invasion (and the subsequent Beatlemania that resulted) urged principal songwriter Brian Wilson to stash away the surfboards and pivot The Beach Boys’s creative direction away from their Cali-

band would continue to focus on crafting a body of music that was more intimate and complex, and in 1965, the release of the Beatles’s “Rubber Soul” (1965) would inspire Wilson to craft an album for the history books. Universally hailed as one of the greatest albums ever created, “Pet Sounds” (1966) is simply transcendent, with each harmonic progression unraveling the

surfers riding the waves into the sunset, a world full of rainbowcolored beach balls and beaches galore. However, while such portrayal of the West Coast catapulted them to national prominence, to others, the Beach Boys seemed to only pander to white, suburban teenagers: baby boomers with time to spare and no press-

fornian roots. “I Get Around” (1964) marked the group’s first chart-topping hit in the United States. Its album, “All Summer Long” (1964), is regarded by Wilson as a “turning point” in the band’s artistry; it strayed from the band’s traditional focus on cars, surf, and girls, and instead relayed semi-autobiographical lyrics. The

decadence of human emotion, translating the purity of the soul, and dissecting the delicateness of intimacy. Wilson’s intricate instrumentation ranges from tinkling sleighbells and reverbing bongos to the eerie whirs of a theremin, rattling Coca-Cola cans, and runof-the-mill bicycle horns. Such backdrops, coupled with lush,

baroque compositions and sparse musical passages, create an illusion of echoey-omnipresence within the tracks, subsequently emphasizing the band’s signature layered vocals and creating a woodwind symphony of pop-psychedelic perfection. “Pet Sounds” seems to take inspiration from the revels of nature itself; like ebbing tides, music beds seem to fade in and out of the echo chambers of sound. The chord progressions are as wispy and elegant as a summer breeze. Most importantly, like the natural passage of life, “Pet Sounds” is cohesive and refined: no single track is inconsequential, a landmark during a time when albums were seen as fillers for a few hit singles. Once seen as a cash grab, an artist’s cumulative discography was now lauded as a work of art. Quite ironically, however, the release of Wilson’s magnum opus would begin the subsequent decline in the band’s commercial appeal. Much to his dismay, the album peaked at tenth on the Billboard Charts and received substantially less recognition than previous releases. Nevertheless, “Pet Sounds” is still credited as one of the most influential albums in music history. The quintessential track “God Only Knows” has been covered by over 30 artists, and Paul McCartney himself once dubbed it the greatest song ever written. Another standout track, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” is distinguished for its complex instrumentation and Wall-Of-Sound arrangement. The album revolutionized the orchestration and harmonization of melodies in music production and was crucial in the development of psychedelia, art-rock, and even continued on page 30

Kendrick Lamar Chooses Himself on “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers”

Music

I’m sorry.” These lines come as revelations to Lamar and work in tandem with his realizations about the complexity of his fame and his humanity, marking the growth that occurred as a result of “putting in the work.”

songs like “Crown” and “Mother I Sober,” in which a single piano acts as the main structure of the song, resulting in a natural swelling that matches the narratives and results in some of the most beautiful melodies and musical moments

The impressive storyline and development of the album tie it to its predecessors, yet its soundscape sets it apart. The production of “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” compliments Lamar’s intimate intent, being both minimalistic and melancholy. This is exemplified in

of his whole discography. Other parts of the album see a less melancholic sound, comparable to Baby Keem’s “The Melodic Blue” (2020), a project that Lamar had multiple features on. This Keeminspired sound is most noticeable on “N95” and “Savior” (which fea-

Ori Mermelstein / The Spectator

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track “Crown,” which explores Lamar’s difficulties with fame and the expectations it places on him; the recurring use of the line “I can’t please everybody” is used as a mantra that helps him cope. The track “Savior” sees Lamar fully taking off the “crown” that has been placed upon him (that being one of the thorns, a symbol of being held as God and the pressure of his fame and status in the music industry), defiantly stating “I am not your savior.” The next track, “Auntie Diaries,” discusses Lamar’s shift in how he views gender and sexuality, describing the changes he had to make in himself to become a more accepting and open-minded person, choosing “humanity over religion.” This introspection is continued in the extremely significant “Mother I Sober,” a heartwrenching track that sees Lamar attempting to understand and break free from the generational trauma that has haunted him throughout the album. To do this, he has to come to terms with both his trauma and his mother’s trauma, and set free all the guilt and pain that comes with it. The album’s closing track, “Mirror,” reinforces these ideas with the pivotal lines “I choose me,

privilege, it was easy to lose oneself in the fantasy of the Beach Boys; paradoxically, these beliefs would lead to their eventual dismissal when compared to their British counterparts. In all fairness, their earlier albums certainly do seem to encapsulate Californian summers in all their glory: painting a perfect picture of babes draped over chipped-enamel Mustangs, ripped

Phoebe Buckwalter / The Spectator

By MADISON KIM

tures Keem himself), in which Lamar tries unorthodox and melodic flows over rapidly progressing beat switches. This minimalistic and melodic sound is unique, setting itself apart from the traditional west-coast-Rap sounds of “good kid m.A.A.d city” (2012) or the jazz-influenced “To Pimp a Butterfly.” This distinction is important and under-valued, displaying what many rappers’ catalogs currently lack: sound diversity. Compared to Lamar’s previous projects, “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” may have a much more scattered and disorganized storyline, yet all its imperfections seem intentional, meant to represent the fragmented and confused state that Lamar finds himself in. However, this leads to a few songs on the album seeming unnecessary, like “Silent Hill,” a lighthearted track that feels out of place among the emotional weight of the rest of this album. It is only at these points that the disorganized nature of the storyline feels distracting, with more energetic songs often being located in between somber songs, making the listening experience a bit disjointed. Additionally, some of the features fall a little short, especially the surprising inclusion of Kodak Black, a controversial artist who has several allegations of sexual assault. His appearances on the album are supposed to tie into

the ideas of generational abuse and cancel culture, but this significance falls flat when the ideas aren’t given the development they deserve. Despite its shortcomings, “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” sees Lamar delivering performances teeming with intimacy and introspection: true emotion. Everything about the album feels authentic, every word, every thought process, and every melody culminating into an album that sacrifices “perfection” in the name of truth. Lamar is not trying to impersonate the cohesion and scale of “To Pimp a Butterfly” or the radio hits on “DAMN.”; rather, he is creating something different, something that, both as a rapper and a new father, he feels he needs to. He is able to do this in a way that fits into the album-wide narrative he has already established: if his previous albums both established his world and his internal flaws, “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” looks back at this world through the lens of these flaws, attempting to find their roots and remedies. Lamar’s development on “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” may make it his most personal and important project yet, created in an effort to pick up the pieces of himself and enter a new stage of his life, one where he is free from the trauma and weight of his past.

The Spectator ● January 25, 2022

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Arts and Entertainment Examining the Uncanny Allure of Analog Horror

Culture Since the early 2000s, the Internet has been a popular medium for horror media, especially with the advent of “creepypastas” and online horror series. Creepypastas took on many forms: some were simply stories put on message boards, while others manifested in the form of videos and even video games. These stories are uniquely unsettling in their presentation, as they typically do not fully indicate they are fictional, blurring the lines of reality and imagination. Many creepypastas seek to twist a familiar piece of media into something dark and unnerving, ranging from spins on childhood classics like Squidward’s Suicide to leveling up an already troubling story as with NES Godzilla. Series like Marble Hornets and EverymanHYBRID utilized more visual mediums, with websites like YouTube supplementing their stories with footage. Other aspects of their story were told through alternate web pages, other YouTube channels, and even puzzles viewers had to decipher. The uniquely terrifying aspects of these new kinds of horror media on the Internet would cement their initial and continued fame, carving out the path for the emergence of a new genre: analog horror. Analog horror is a subgenre of internet horror with a focus on presenting horrific and disturbing content through a VHS-themed aesthetic, often utilizing fake emergency broadcasts, VHS tapes, and old videos to tell their stories. Though a relatively novel subgenre of internet horror, analog horror has already found itself in the public consciousness through the unorthodox way in which it presents its content. Analog horror was thrust into popularity with the premiere of the series “Local58” (2015) on YouTube, which centered around a fictitious TV channel of the same name, where each episode of the series is presented through the format of live TV broadcasts. The video “Contingency” shows a disturbing emergency broadcast in which the US government urges viewers to commit mass suicide after the US supposedly fell to an unnamed enemy nation. The video plays out as an abrupt interruption of regular broadcasting of the fic-

Music By ZOE BUFF It’s gold. It’s light. It may look like a stick, but it holds more power than any instrument in the classical music world. The baton of a conductor controls the movements of every musician in an orchestra. Now imagine that command extended to an opera, where not only the orchestra needs to stay together, but the singers as well. Opera conductors helm the ship, making sure that the music flows properly. It’s a daunting job, but one that Eun Sun Kim has mastered with stunning musicality and assurance. Originally from South Korea, Kim has taken the opera world by storm in the past year, landing the position of artistic director at the San Francisco Opera and conducting in several productions, such as Tosca and La Boheme, at opera houses in Munich, Stockholm, and Paris. As a member of the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus, I was lucky enough to perform with Kim in a production of La Boheme at Lincoln Center. She and I met over Zoom to talk about her experience in conducting, her love for Puccini, and her composition dream. Tell us about how you got

tional Local58 TV channel, with a slowed-down, distorted version of the national anthem playing in the background amongst various visual glitches, replacing the calm and generic atmosphere that once filled the video. “Contingency” derives most of its horror, however, not from the distorted audio, but from its disturbing juxtaposition of the clean and innocent info-

discern between what is real and what is not, as the extraordinary content is presented in such an authentic way that it almost convinces the audience that what is shown in the video isn’t completely fictional. “Local58” and its impeccable use of its unique VHS tape format to unsettle its viewers in new and innovative ways gave rise to its success. The series’s success would

Home Entertainment” is a YouTube channel that poses itself as a company sharing various educational videotapes to the public, doing so through the many videos that the channel posts on YouTube. The plot of “Gemini Home Entertainment” follows a discreet alien invasion of Earth by the Woodcrawlers, an alien species capable of killing and replacing humans, after their

graphics and visuals that are presented throughout the video and the horrifying subject matter contained within them. The disturbing nature of “Local58” is further elevated by its flawless emulation of a VHS tape, with its videos being presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio with grainy video quality and muffled background audio. The horror of “Local58” is enhanced in this way as viewers are only barely able to

help to cement the many tropes of analog horror moving forward, including its VHS-themed presentation, pseudo-realism, and copious usage of video and audio distortion to enhance the unsettling aspects of its videos. Following the success of “Local58,” many new analog horror series, including “Gemini Home Entertainment” (2019), were created. Similar to “Local58,” “Gemini

home planet, the Iris, enters the solar system. “Gemini Home Entertainment” exhibits many characteristics of analog horror that make it so captivating. Not only is the plot interesting, it is also elevated through its presentation, as the calm, almost educational segments of each tape are contrasted with the near-authentic yet supernatural imagery. The pseudorealism of

Natalie Soler / The Spectator

By LUCA ADEISHVILI

the series gives it a certain uncanniness as clearly unnatural phenomena like the Woodcrawlers are shown to viewers through emulated video recordings and photographs that almost make them seem real. “Gemini Home Entertainment” also takes the analog horror genre a step further, as it branches out from just using VHS tapes to unravel its narrative into using mediums such as recorded home videos, letters, and even video games. The series shows itself as an established staple yet natural evolution of the analog horror genre, veering off from many of the narrative and visual elements of its predecessors while also demonstrating the strengths of analog horror. Analog horror is still relatively new, with “Local58” only having been released in late 2015. With that, new projects such as “The Mandela Catalogue” and the “Monument Mythos” are continuing to be made to this day, while their predecessors still carry on producing content. The genre’s novelty and the burgeoning amount of series coming out of it make it bound to be subject to change in its tropes and in the ways in which it can present its horror, as shown with series such as “Gemini Home Entertainment” and the “Monument Mythos,” diverting from only using VHS tapes to also utilizing interviews, iMovie presentations, and video games to present their content. Analog horror has redefined the internet horror landscape, growing to be the dominant form of horror media on the Internet currently, as shown by the staggering amount of new analog horror series popping up. Its all-encompassing influence on the Internet is further emphasized by its popularity among internet horror fans, with most communities in recent times heavily discussing analog horror series among the many other present kinds of horror series on the Internet right now. The unique way by which analog horror mixes the online medium with other forms of visual media such as VHS tapes to produce novel horror concepts never seen before on the Internet solidifies it as more than just an Internet trend, but as a horror genre that is here to stay. The future seems bright for analog horror as it continues to enthrall viewers with a distinctive way of telling horrific and surreal tales.

Eun Sun Kim: Spotlight on a Break-Out Star into conducting. I started piano [at] around three or four years old. Growing up, I always had stage fright. I was so nervous, so I knew I wasn’t going to be a professional pianist. My professor encouraged me to study composition. I ended up doing it, and I played as a rehearsal pianist for the university opera production, which happened to be La Boheme! The conducting professor observed me and discovered my talent that I was not even aware of. He asked me if I wanted to study conducting with him! I had never thought anything about that. At that point, it wasn’t really about becoming a conductor, but I decided I would study it. That was kind of the beginning, and it was really out of curiosity that I started conducting. Could you talk more about your experience with Puccini? How do you understand it, and approach it when conducting opera? Puccini’s my man. It varies every time. I often make a joke that everybody gets older every day, and we get different points of view all the time. I actually go to the dressing rooms of all the principal singers before every performance to check in with them. Onstage, it could be

a little faster, or a little slower. We have this idea in our brain of how to make music, but since we’re all human beings, things might change from day to day, and anything can happen. That’s actually the biggest advantage of having a live performance. We can’t replicate anything. We’ll have four or five performances of a Puccini opera in a run, and each one will be different. You’ve also had experience conducting orchestras. How would you describe the difference between approaching that versus conducting opera? I do love both. In terms of music-making, it’s the same thing, but in the opera you have stage directors, lighting, costumes, the chorus, and the singers on the stage. It’s a big crew. [Though] you have your own interpretation, you have to share it with the stage director. The biggest difference, of course, is that the orchestra is in the pit, but the magic of it is that the orchestra is only watching the conductor. They never see the stage, they only hear it, but they feel everything in the music. In a symphony, it’s more compact and creates a more intimate relationship between the players and the conductor. So you mentioned a back-

ground in composition! How was that experience for you? I had really fantastic professors! Whenever I didn’t have inspiration, my composition professor would tell me to go out to observe nature and experience what’s going on in the world. He never pushed me to have any kind of style. I wouldn’t say I was a composer, but I still have a dream to maybe, at the end of my life, compose something. Why not? You never know what’s going to happen in your life. Like becoming a conductor! Exactly. It was something I hadn’t thought about before. Fortunately, I had those teachers to guide me, and figuring out that I wanted to be a conductor was my turning point. My professor told me that when you look back, you get to understand how your life came to be what it is. Before you go down the path, though, you can never know. Actually, when I got to know Kirill Petrenko, the artistic director of the Berlin Philharmonic, that was the first time I looked at being a conductor differently. What it meant to be a musical leader, to work with professional musicians, and how to study the score. Ever since I’ve known him, he has become my role model.

Right! When you’re in an opera and you’re conducting, there’s so much to focus on. You have to look at the score, conduct the orchestra, make sure the singers come in on time, etc. It’s crazy! How do you handle that when you’re actually in the performance, in the moment? What do you think about? Well, it comes with experience. The beating technique is really the basic, but to carry on your own interpretation, dealing with the situation that is happening in front of you, that is a big job for the conductor. To have control, but to also carry on with the music. Performing as a pianist or even singing, I still get nervous, but only on the podium as a conductor, I’m not! My teacher in Korea saw it, which is how he encouraged me to pursue conducting. Usually, I was a very shy kid, so my mom, my family, and my friends who knew me for a long time would never see me becoming a leader on the podium. They were really surprised that I became a conductor. So glad you did! Thank you so much for your time. It’s been wonderful getting to know you. I’ll see you on the podium tomorrow!

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The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

Arts and Entertainment Art By SANTINO SUAREZ For better or worse, I had always considered contemporary painter Jean-Michel Basquiat as an overhyped, Uniqlo T-shirt commercial artist, never truly understanding his backstory or having a connection to the man himself. Yet there I was, at 11:43 in the morning, waiting in line for the “Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure” exhibit in Chelsea on a cold, rainy day. As I shuffled through security, I peered through the windows of the entrance and came face-toface with photographs of a boy who looked more like a family member than a widely acclaimed icon of the art world. This eerie feeling of familiarity permeated the exhibit. Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in Park Slope, Brooklyn, on December 22, 1960, to a Haitian father and a Puerto Rican mother. Known for his chaotic, expressionist art style, which is deeply rooted in graffiti, Basquiat was one of the most recognizable creators of his generation. His upward mobility as a gallery artist was catapulted through his close ties to Andy Warhol and lavish art dealers. The New York Times claims him to be “the most famous of only a small number of young black artists who have achieved national recognition.” The King Pleasure exhibit, which opened this spring, features over 200 pieces of his art that have rarely, or never, been seen by the public. Curated by Basquiat’s younger sisters, the King Pleasure exhibit flows in chronological order and provides an intimate insight into JeanMichel’s early childhood, start

Jean-Michel Basquiat: A King’s Journey of his artistic endeavors, and rise to fame. Beyond large-scale canvases, viewers can see his work imprinted across wood fences, sketchbooks, and even doors. As visitors walk through each room in the exhibit, there are points when they can feel connected to Jean-Michel: his Brooklyn neighborhood, family, artistic processes, and deep love for music. As visitors enter, they are greeted with some of Basquiat’s first sketches and doodles that tell a story about his childhood in 1960s Brooklyn. Early rugged de-

Can words cut deeper than knives? That was the question that director Jamie Lloyd sought to answer through his adaptation of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” or “Cyrano” for short. While the dialogue was modernized from Edmund Rostand’s original 1897 novel, the play still centered around the Thirty Years War and stayed true to all of the original main characters and most plot points. However, Lloyd chose to incorporate prose and verse throughout the play’s dialogue, placing emphasis on intricate wordplay rather than elaborate sets, lights, or props. The play opens with Cyrano de Bergerac, a brilliant swordsman and a skilled writer (played in Lloyd’s version by the outstanding James McAvoy), falling in love with Roxanne (Evelyn Miller), as does everyone else in Paris. Among them is Christian (Eben Figuerido), a handsome young man with plans to join the cadets, the group of soldiers training for the war. However, Christian lacks the one thing Roxanne wants most: words. Cyrano and Christian strike up a partnership, with Cyrano writing the letters to Roxanne and Christian providing the kissing, until Christian decides he doesn’t need Cyrano’s help anymore, nearly ruining his relationship

a different side of Jean-Michel. Songs like “Heart of Glass” (1978) by Blondie and “Another One Bites the Dust” (1980) by Queen ooze with the raw energy of an endless night on the dance floor. “Legacy,” the final playlist in the series, compiles songs that are inspired by Basquiat’s work, highlighting oppression, struggle, and the current issues afflicting the Black and Latinx community. As viewers turn the corner of the exhibit, they enter a replica of Basquiat’s Manhattan home studio at 57 Great Jones

Underneath the jarring scratchings and slashes of Basquiat’s artwork is a deep conversation waiting to be unearthed. pictions of a family tree and playing childhood games like “Skelly” encapsulate a youthfulness that fills the walls of each room. This early collection evokes a sense of nostalgia that everyone can relate to when their parents bring out a dusty box of elementary school art treasures. Basquiat taps into universal experiences with his pieces, like an untitled drawing of a man pushing a piragua cart, eliciting a youthful joy of seeing the Icee man on a corner in New York City. Similarly, a painting titled “Boxeo” is representative of a young Jean-Michel watching Spanish television shows with his dad. A unique feature of this ex-

ranging from tunes he listened to as a child to songs that inspired his creative process while in the studio to works of others that were inspired by Basquiat himself. In the playlist “Childhood,” songs like “My Favorite Things” (1961) by John Coltrane create a laid-back and whimsical atmosphere, while songs like Isaac Hayes’s “Theme from Shaft” (1971) are overflowing with funk and swagger. In “Studio Life,” the tracks are more expressive and full of lyrics about uprising and rebellion, with names like Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix prevalent throughout. However, in the “Night Life” playlist, viewers see

Street, allowing viewers to feel immersed in his working environment. Massive canvases resting on the walls convey that he was working on multiple projects simultaneously; family mementos and music sources like CDs, boomboxes, and his very own toy piano showed the constant presence of music in his life. Picasso art books, newspapers, and even superhero comic books can be found all over the floors of the studio as inspiration. Basquiat’s work acts more like a journaling technique than a literal depiction of an image. His combination of rustic figures and purposeful phrases along each painting comments on the world

he lived in; underneath the jarring scratchings and slashes of Basquiat’s artwork is a deep conversation waiting to be unearthed. Much like a reporter would, Basquiat confronts problems like oppression, war, and injustice in their rawest forms; images of issues like police brutality or the objectification of Black people are evident in several pieces. Conversely, the motif of the crown in his art is used to shed light on the role of people of color in making history. The crown is used in varying ways: to spotlight the accomplishments of Black men and women, to adorn and acknowledge himself as “king,” and to portray his ambitious goal of achieving greatness. Basquiat tragically passed away at the age of 27 from a heroin overdose. Since his death, his work has inspired others and has significantly increased in financial value. In 2017, a Basquiat “Untitled” painting featuring a black, red, and yellow skull on a brightblue background sold for $110.5 million at a Sotheby’s auction, making it one of the most expensive paintings ever purchased. The legacy of not only Basquiat, the artist, but also Jean-Michel, the individual, needs to be preserved, and this exhibit does that masterfully. Basquiat was more than a celebrity. His work had depth and meaning, not just superficial technique or notoriety due to his lavish NYC life. This exhibit celebrates and gives visitors a view of his whole life, not just the tragic end. There’s a movement behind every paint stroke that is still highly relevant today, even if it is on a Uniqlo Tshirt.

A Play of Prose and Poetry

Theater By KAEDEN RUPAREL

hibit is the constant presence of music. Music had a deep impact on Basquiat’s life. His sister Jeanine revealed in an interview with Spotify, “My father had a great stereo, and he played music from the moment that he either woke up in the morning on the weekend or when he came home from work […] I know that had to have impacted Jean-Michel significantly. Music was very important to him.” Exhibit visitors can scan Spotify codes to reveal a series of interactive Spotify playlists called “Listen Like Basquiat,”

with Roxanne. The remainder of the story revolves more around Cyrano and Christian’s relationship, until eventually the cadets are called for the war, shifting the dynamic to become far more somber, in contrast to the more lighthearted, sometimes comedic first half. Cyrano de Bergerac has seen numerous on-screen adaptations, including Joe Wright’s recent adaptation, starring Peter Dinklage as Cyrano. However, all of these adaptations feature grand, elaborate sets and focus on the simple love triangle plot, while Lloyd’s “Cyrano” highlights the elaborate poetry that shapes the dialogue between characters and serves more as a portrait of the eponymous lead. McAvoy’s acting was particularly exceptional. His dynamic range as an actor shined through in his seamless switches from a lovesick, heartbroken, and delicate poet to a fierce and commanding soldier in mere seconds. McAvoy portrayed Cyrano’s internal conflict in an almost playful and lighthearted way that amplified the audience’s sympathy for him and demonstrated his thorough understanding of Cyrano’s complex internal tumult. Arguably the best part of McAvoy’s performance, though, was his exceptional delivery of the prose that filled the play, as he recited lines at a rapid-fire pace,

but still filled each syllable with sharp emotion. Lloyd replaced the flashy rapier skirmishes with lyrical prose battles, centering the show’s standout element. The remainder of the ensemble also delivered intriguing and convincing performances, with different characters developing the theme of the power of words. The cadets were the most interesting members of the ensemble, and their chemistry with McAvoy was an engaging representation of Cyrano’s characteristic loyalty. The melancholic scenes of the second act depicting the cadets’ experience in the war were filled with slow and somber verses, with exchanges between the cadets and Cyrano feeling hopeless and desperate, another example of Lloyd’s mastery of words and their tonality to build mood. The sparse set eliminated external distractions and allowed the audience to focus solely on the script and performances, aside from a strange moment that featured a cast member painting words upon the back wall: an interesting symbolic choice, but one that proved distracting and frustrating for the audience. The time period of the play was purposefully ambiguous, save for a few possible references in the script, with no clear distinction or hint coming from the costumes or the set design. Lloyd abandoned the use of props

entirely, an interesting symbolic choice that once again highlights his desire for the audience to focus on the intricacies and nuances of the prose and verse. Arguably the most impactful choice was the use of silence. There were numerous instances of excruciatingly long periods of silence, while characters remained in motion, that helped to enhance either the heartbreak, surprise, or devastation of the moment. McAvoy used the power of silence expertly, creating a painful awkwardness during his exchanges with Roxanne about her love for Christian, or evoking a feeling of helplessness throughout his more dramatic scenes with Christian during the war. The play’s greatest accomplishment was Lloyd’s exploration of the theme of poetry as a weapon. As the plotline progressed and the intensity of the war heightened, the poetry and dialogue grew more intense and urgent, while its structure loosened. While Cyrano’s poetry was organized, rhymed, and delicately crafted at the play’s beginning, it became pointed, abrasive free verse, lacking the same rhyme schemes and metaphors that had previously shaped by the end. Lloyd used his opportunity as the play’s director to emphasize the power of words, and it paid off beautifully.

The impact of poetry was seen most clearly in the ending, which differed greatly from Rostand’s original version. Christian’s death during the war (which kickstarts the play’s ending, following a simmering and emotional yet stagnant second act) is portrayed in a somber, wistful way, in contrast to the common film depictions, in which it is dramatic and soul-crushing. However, preceding his departure, Christian and Cyrano exchange a passionate kiss, a twist that left much of the audience gasping. The moment symbolizes the impact that Cyrano’s poetry had on Christian; it had so much of an impact that, rather than falling in love with Roxanne as was intended, Christian falls in love with Cyrano. This kiss, which is clearly bewildering for both Christian and Cyrano, displays just how words can pierce a person’s soul, much further than a sword ever could, and sets the stage for a simple yet beautiful ending to the play. Cyrano and Roxanne’s final exchange, where they sit facing the audience, is filled with chaotically exquisite prose that represents the dynamic states of both of their lives. This simple ending, as opposed to a dramatic, all-encompassing death of Cyrano, is a perfect denouement, and an ode to the simple yet powerful choices that reverberated through Lloyd’s “Cyrano de Bergerac.”

The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

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Arts and Entertainment Masterful Lyricism and Artistic Maturity brings “(Un)Commentary” to Life

Music Alec Benjamin rekindled his lost love for songwriting with his most nuanced and intricate album yet. Benjamin rose to fame with his 2018 hit “Let Me Down Slowly” and the accompanying “Water Fountain,” which garnered him a greater following after going viral on TikTok. Benjamin’s claim to fame is the relatable metaphors that saturated his 2018 debut mixtape, “Narrated For You.” Benjamin’s success comes from his vulnerable lyrics and intriguing wordplay. For example, “distance is relative / and relative to relatives I have / I’d say I’m relatively close to breaking down,” from his song “Six Feet Apart” (released during the pandemic), highlights Benjamin’s skillful wordplay and vulnerability. His lyricism has become even more layered and impactful over the course of his career, as seen in his second album, “These Two Windows” (2020), an ode to himself and self-reflection. “These Two Windows” saw Benjamin gain a reputation as a particularly present artist, understanding his audience while also preserving his authenticity and musical integrity. Additionally, Benjamin’s highpitched, young-sounding voice evokes a sense of empathy from listeners. Benjamin’s singing is often associated with a feeling of comfort and childhood, which complements his lyrics perfectly. His third studio album, “(Un) Commentary” (2022), provides thought-provoking insight on mental health, privilege, and the decline of uniqueness in society, and presents an intriguing

Food By MATTHEW WAGMAN It’s been a wild ride. From greasy pizza to mind-blowing falafel, the highs of occasional hallway compliments and the extended low of the lockdown pause, I’ve loved every moment of Cheap *ss Lunch. Yes, even running back to the building after a full plate of chicken over rice to the scanner ladies wouldn’t revoke my building-leaving privileges. But all good things must come to an end, or at least switch writers when the previous one graduates. So for my final piece for this newspaper, I’ll top off Cheap *ss Lunch by trying some… breakfast. A lot of y’all aren’t eating breakfast, and that’s a problem. With first-period Cycling, 2 a.m. AP study sessions, and commutes over an hour long, it’s no wonder a large fraction of the Stuyvesant student body regularly misses the most important meal of the day. But while this column can’t tell you why the Program Office thinks cardio is a good idea at eight in the morning or provide a genius mnemonic for keeping track of all the suborbitals, it can certainly give you the inside scoop on all the best places to grab a quick bite to start your day. The quintessential New York breakfast is the egg sandwich: melted cheese with a radioactiveorange hue coating a cloud of egg lodged into a round roll, perhaps with some greasy bacon fresh out of the pan. Tribeca certainly has plenty of options in this depart-

perspective on our political and personal climates. The album’s creative title highlights and acknowledges that Benjamin’s perspective is unique, personal, and, as per the title, uncommon.

while posing the question to himself of how he’ll choose to wield his metaphorical hammer, which represents his privilege. “Nuance” has a more acoustic, alternative feel, which fits lyrics that discuss

The album’s opening track, “Dopamine Addict,” has a catchy tune that sets the stage for the album and immediately grabs the audience’s attention. Lyrics such as “runs in my head, psychosomatic” and “I feel like I’m out of touch, keep thinking I need that crutch” contrast the vibrant, peppy feel created by the lead, bass guitar, and emphatic snare drum. Benjamin highlights the struggles of depression and lack of belonging, and how they can lead to addictions to dopamine or other drugs. “Hammers” sees Benjamin adapt a Lofi, downtempo feel

how society has slowly begun to forego nuance and individuality in an effort to conform to social norms. Benjamin’s symbolism shines through as he personifies these concepts as an old friend he gradually grew apart from. In correlation with the title, these songs provide commentary on uncommon topics that aren’t always explored in mainstream pop culture. Even through the political and social meanings, “(Un)Commentary” preserves Benjamin’s unique storytelling style. Part of Benjamin’s distinctive lyricism is his ability to tell a simple story

Sophia Li / The Spectator

By KAEDEN RUPAREL

with a nuanced subtext, as he does in “Shadow of Mine.” The melodic yet rhythmic song depicts his experience with regret and how his past, personified through his shadow, follows him around. Benjamin’s lyrics demonstrate his greatest success: his relatability and authenticity, which he exhibits not only in his songs, but also through his presence on TikTok and other social media platforms. Benjamin’s musical growth is evident in “(Un)Commentary.” His amplification of the production elements reflects a step forward in his maturity as an artist, and contributes to the more complete feel of “(Un)Commentary,” especially in contrast to Benjamin’s previous two albums, which felt unfinished at times. Benjamin’s experimentation with reverb, acoustic amplifiers, and other production elements accentuate the increased instrumental palette of the album. In addition, his vocals shine through even more than they do in his previous albums, as showcased in “Speakers” and “Devil Doesn’t Bargain.” These two songs are among the best on the album, connecting Benjamin’s descriptive songwriting to enticing production and compelling melodies. Where “These Two Windows” (2020) and “Narrated For You” had raw and limp production, “(Un)Commentary” flourishes. With that said, “(Un)Commentary” is by no means perfect, and, in certain ways, shows regression from Benjamin’s previous albums. Certain songs, like the 2021 hit “The Way You Felt” fell flat, and it felt like nothing more than a stereotypical love song. Benjamin’s attempt to find his name on

the charts deviated from his usual style and from the general theme of the album. “The Way You Felt” feels unfinished, placed there to extend the length of the album, which is already limited, to barely over half an hour. Benjamin’s knack for lyricism sometimes fails him through this album as well. While the message in “Hammers” is interesting and provocative, his preference for internal rhyming leads to the verses feeling contrived, as certain words and phrases serve no purpose but to add to an excessive rhyme scheme. Benjamin repeats this mistake in “Deniro,” which could’ve been an intriguing song but ends up as another distraction to the album’s otherwise promising musicality. Additionally, the album lacks the same flow that Benjamin’s previous projects had. While “These Two Windows” was thoughtfully arranged, “(Un) Commentary” is scrambled and many songs feel misplaced. Still, “(Un)Commentary” is a major step forward in Alec Benjamin’s progression as an artist. His staple lyricism and catchy production make “(Un)Commentary” Benjamin’s best album yet. However, the album feels like Benjamin’s shift toward Top 40 Pop, which may feel like a betrayal to loyal fans. Rather than trying to stretch himself into a style that he only tangentially fits, Benjamin should stick to his excellent musical storytelling in his unique and boyish style. Whether he maintains his authenticity or ventures into a world of stereotypical Pop music is yet to be seen, but Benjamin is sure to progress as he writes more music.

Cheap *ss Lunch #13: Cheap *ss… Breakfast?! ment, some of which would be standouts in value or flavor even if they weren’t in such close proximity to the school building. Those who go to Terry’s for the massive subs or pizza bagels might be surprised to learn that it has an entire section of their menu with the ambitious title “Breakfast Delights.” This list essentially boils down to a choice between some type of egg sandwich ($3) or a platter ($5-7) with the carbs of the roll replaced by potato (your pick of home fries or hash browns) and either toast or an English muffin. The former has a satisfying heft: a supple roll around generic egg and cheese, the brightly colored, melted American cheese predictably drowning out the layers of egg beneath. A solid $2 upgrade will get you a steak and onion for an addition of dry shreds of beef and almost florally fragrant onions. The plates come jammed into a tinfoil carton, piping hot with a feast of fluffy sheets of omelet (make it “Western” for chunks of earthy ham and a bit of color from peppers and onions), the potato product, and your bread selection slathered with salted butter. The hashbrown is a thick mash of shredded potato, its edges toasted but its center closer to the consistency of mashed potatoes. Any way you go, you’ll get a reasonably priced umami meal that, if not groundbreaking, will at least be a good contrast to the typical stultifyingly sweet American breakfast. Zucker’s might be known

more for its La Colombe coffee and eye-popping bagel prices, but you can find a serious steal in the depths of its menu. Similar to Terry’s plates, its Omelets are composed of a full three eggs and accompanied by a selection from almost 20 different white, wheat, pumpernickel bagels topped with anything from everything seasoning to poppy seeds to wheat bran. Oh, and also a latke to top it off, all for only $8-10, depending on if you want cheese, salami, turkey, or the “Western” blend inside. Tables outside and in and plenty of (fairly overpriced) drink options

ery Hanukkah, the outside with the characteristic crispiness but an extra black pepper flavor and a hashbrown-like interior. The obvious option is to pile this all onto the bagel and make a sandwich, but the bagels are captivating enough to be savored on their own, a syrupy flavor and a chewy shell merging seamlessly into a beautifully pillowy center. Not directly on the route to school for most but still worth a visit is Los Tacos No. 1, in front of which squats a little cart known as “El Donkey” every day until 11 a.m. Here you’ll find

The quintessential New York breakfast is the egg sandwich: melted cheese with a radioactiveorange hue coating a cloud of egg lodged into a round roll. make this the best of the breakfast spots for a longer stay, appropriate for its less-than-speedy service. The eggs are well done with a fresh-off-the-griddle flavor, folded golden layers filled to the bursting with the entire range of deli cheeses (American, Swiss, cheddar and pepper jack: a tangy mass of gooey goodness) to savory sheets of turkey. The breakfast latke is more substantial than what you’ve come to expect ev-

breakfast burritos for $6: a conveniently foil-wrapped torpedo almost too hot to touch, and plenty of hot sauce containers and napkins to take with you. A sticker of the aforementioned Burro peels back to reveal the burrito, almost steamed in its own heat. All four of the different flavors on offer share the same base, a pliant wheat tortilla filled with gobs of fluffy egg and warm spices. The Chorizo is almost spicy enough not to need the hot sauce,

but that minced Salsa is a good idea all the same, its smoky heat playing feistily across the palate (don’t even think about downing it straight from the container… you’ve been warned). The Machaca pairs peppery vegetables with stringy stewed beef (the A La Mexicana is the same, minus the meat), and the aptly named California features French fried potato and smoky fragments of bacon held together by a mortar of stringy melted cheese. Two of these will do well to satisfy even the most ravenous of morning appetites. Or you could stop by Chun Yang for a tall cup of caffeine and sugar and sit at a table in the little park near the Chambers Street 1-2-3 station to complete the meal. Thanks to everyone who’s supported this column from the beginning, and even if this is your first encounter with CAL, I hope you’ve come away with the same idea that has animated this series for the past four years: a good meal can always be found at your price point, even in a free-periodlong jaunt from Stuyvesant. Directions: Terry’s Gourmet Deli is down the block from the main entrance, steps away from Hudson River Park. Zucker’s is on Chambers Street, about two blocks down from the bridge on the right side of the street. Los Tacos No. 1 is on the corner of Warren and Church Streets, three blocks forward and one to the right from the bridge.

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The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

Arts and Entertainment Music By MADISON KIM

(Harry’s) Home Is Where The Heart Is

The most rewarding aspect of a young artist’s career is their progression toward maturity, whether it be the heightened quality of their forthcoming releases, or their deliberate strides to improve their lyrical prowess. The most fulfilling of these motions towards growth, both for listeners and the artists themselves, is the artist’s gradual understanding and acceptance of themselves. Harry Styles’s third album, his most critically acclaimed to date, exemplifies this quality more than ever before. Styles’s musical evolution is largely rooted in his half-decade career as a cheeky teenage heartthrob and his subsequent desire to shed the residual adolescence from his persona. His self-titled 2017 debut paid homage to the big ballads and guitar riffs of the ‘70s, while the multi-platinum “Fine Line” (2019) dabbled in soft-rock and electropop, solidifying Styles as one of the paramount pop stars of the 21st century. His newest effort, “Harry’s House,” with a projected first-week sales of 450 to 500 thousand units, is a reflection of his amassed popularity thus far, and a key step in his artistic growth. On “Harry’s House,” Harry Styles ushers listeners into his residence with a finelyarranged platter of post-pandemic vibrancy. Styles, now 28, is no longer a rogue playboy on the loose nor an angst-riddled beau lost in the endless abyss of superstardom. If anything, he seems perfectly content with the mundane prospects of domesticity; rather than striving for lavish living, he settles for a subtle simplicity, never revealing too much about his personal endeavors, yet extending an invitation to celebrate with him the wonders of a luxuriant life filled with cocaine, side boob, and sea views. Such comfortable familiarity that is maintained throughout the tracks serves as a true testament to rare post-peak clarity, where the artist not only reflects but also embodies all aspects of their work. After all, is there anything more intimate than a room shared between lovers? Styles, true to his name, knows how to start an album with style. Posed as a sonnet to wasabi, green tea, and blue bubblegum, “Music For a Sushi Restaurant” enters with a purpose, packed with all of the world’s flavors as it brings together a gala of horns, electro-funk beats, and a groovy baseline through thinly veiled innuendos. Such sexual gestures are explicitly echoed in the slippery-smooth “Cinema,” with Styles declaring how he “bring[s] the pop to the cinema,” over John Mayer’s swaggering electric guitar. With the introduction of the second track, the progression takes on a new sense of rush: “Late Night Talking” seems to thrum as Styles glides down blazing synth chords embodying the neon panache of the ‘80s, while “Daydreaming” samples Brothers Johnson’s soul single “Ain’t We Funkin’ Now” (1978) to encapsulate the euphoria of infatuation. Ironically, the light-footed “As It Was,” the album’s lead single, seems to bear the heaviest toll on its shoulders, as Styles scurries through ringing chimes and warped synth hooks to reflect on his parents’ divorce and directly confront the emotional baggage that followed. Venturing deeper into the nooks and crannies of “Harry’s House” reveals rooms that are more unfurnished, stripped-down, and barren; to fit this change in ambiance, listeners are offered an assortment of tender serenades. Despite their balladry, these tracks don’t drip with

the same pulsating loneliness that seemed to permeate previous records in constant anguish; now, Styles makes peace with his empty, barebone corners with the acceptance of their existence. On the languid “Little Freak,” Styles reiterates that he’s “Not worried about where you are / Or who you will go home to”; he’s simply “Just thinking about you.” The ode “Matilda,” reflecting on the profound and overwhelming nature of adulthood, reaches out a hand and reassures the titular hero that “You don’t have to be sorry for leavin’ and growin’ up.” Such sensitive depth would not have been possible without the grand apotheosis of self-discovery. Above all, “Harry’s House” seems to ooze with the pure, unbridled satisfaction of being loved. Styles takes us on a tour of his openroofed sunroom in “Daylight,” declaring, “If I was a bluebird, I would fly to you,” as bursts of electric guitar pierce through a warm, Tame Impala-esque psychedelic haze. The bittersweet and delicate “Grapejuice” wafts through a lush backyard as Styles croons about the fine delicacies of affection in analogy to those of a fine bottle of red wine. And over the kitchen table, “Keep Driving” is sandwiched between whispered late-night confessions as Styles seems to promise that “[he] will always love you” over a bountiful breakfast of maple syrup, hash browns, poached eggs, and pancakes for two. Led and co-produced by Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson, Styles’s vocals are noticeably more repressed and frictionless, often burrowing into the polished, sleek instrumentation. Such stylistic choices are particularly fitting for an album seemingly produced in a bubble of near-constant familiarity. Why leave your house when it’s so comfortable, so easy to sink into your silken pillows? However, because of such simple production, Styles’s third album also tends to feel slightly samey, though this could also be partly due to the excess from its predecessors, with present-day tracks seemingly cemented in apathy after the heaviness of his previous releases. Nevertheless, while addictive and satisfying, many of the tracks on “Harry’s House” are not particularly filling: they go down as ambiguous appetizers, easily digestible and easy to forget. Songs like “Love of My Life” and “Boyfriends” aren’t unlistenable, but their lack of distinct traits leads them to get lost in the gulf of Styles’s other signature songs, those that hold and define an album on their own. Similar criticism can be directed toward the lyrical content that makes up the bulk of the tracks; between knotted analogies and a myriad of euphemisms for sex, many seem to be void of significant sustenance. Such elements certainly are not a necessity, but in the end, all criticism seems to batter down into the simple concept of wasted potential. Was “Harry’s House” a bad album? Absolutely not, by any means, yet one might wonder what it could have been if some of Styles’s abundant flair was exchanged for substance. Harry Styles has spent nearly 12 years in the industry, nearly half his life spent basking under fluorescent stage lights and incessant, flashing scrutiny of paparazzi flics; in other words, it was predestined that he would end up losing himself somewhere in circulation, displaced in the gaping void of stardom with nowhere to call his own. Who could have guessed that he, out of all people, would be the one to remind us that a home is “much more of an internal thing?”

punk. The Beatles have even acknowledged “Pet Sounds” as the primary influencer of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967). The band’s next single, the widely acclaimed “Good Vibrations” (1966), marked the Beach Boys’s last hit before their slow submergence into irrelevancy. As the years rolled on, the band’s musical output came to a crawl as Brian became less and less involved in its production. Their authenticity was questioned,

By MANLIO SINGH Future is the king of Trap music. As one of the genre’s leading pioneers, he has ushered in dark, sludgy beats, melodic flows, and the heavy use of autotune, all of which are now mainstays of modern Hip-hop. As a result, he has garnered respect from the entire industry, with Kanye West calling him “the most influential artist of the past 10 years.” His discography speaks for itself, with classic albums and mixtapes such as “Monster” (2014) and “DS2” (2015). Future’s newest project, “I Never Liked You” (2022), was dropped nearly two years after his last solo outing with “High Off Life” (2020). Leading up to its release, Future teased two singles, “Hold That Heat” and “Worst Day,”

ing a losing battle. He reminisces on his formerly violent lifestyle on other tracks. On “Holy Ghost,” which has one of the darkest beats of the album, Future pierces through, describing his street life over rapid, hard-hitting 808s, wicked bells, and eerie chants. He sounds hungry, like he has an appetite for violence. He maintains complete control over the production. On the album’s standout track, “Puffin On Zootiez,” Future floats over the lush, layered instrumental and its soft, entrancing melody. While Future doesn’t say much of substance in the song, the hypnotic atmosphere and his insistent yet laid-back delivery make it addictive. “Wait For U” with Drake and Tems is a guaranteed summer smash, on which the three artists explore their various romantic issues. Tems’s back-

Future has grown to embody toxicity, bashing partners on social media and releasing merch playing into his image. which garnered even more hype for the album. While neither of the tracks made the album, the album became Future’s eighth chart-topping album, selling 222,000 units within the first week of its release. Another one of Future’s defining traits is his toxicity. His irreverence for maintaining relationships, narcissistic belief of infallibility, and mistreatment of women is highlighted by tracks like “My Collection” (2017), in which he sorts the women he sleeps with into his collection. Future has grown to embody toxicity, bashing partners on social media and releasing merch playing into his image. Countless memes have been created referencing his reputation. The new album’s title, “I Never Liked You” (2022), and the project’s devious one-liners enforce toxicity once again. While the toxic persona makes Future more one-dimensional, it’s still quite entertaining. For instance, on the intro track “712PM,” he raps, “Stepped all in mud, this [EXPLETIVE] can’t wait to tie my shoelace,” referencing the nowiconic image of a woman tying his shoe in the street. While some might scoff at the objectification and misogyny, fans of Future’s toxic lyrics recognize their hyperbolic nature and see them as part of a mirror into Future’s ultimate dissatisfaction with the hedonic life he leads. While Future doesn’t reinvent himself on this album, he successfully recreates his typical style with haunting, nocturnal beats and crisp vocals. His lyrics detail his descent back into his destructive lifestyle of substance abuse. He effortlessly flows on “Chickens”: “I was leanin’ and stopped all the Xanax / I been meanin’ to cut back on ecstasy / I been thinkin’ ‘bout findin’ an exit.” It seems that Future is fight-

ground vocals provide a perfect backdrop for this secluded track. On the final track, “Back To The Basics,” Future’s voice is aged and heartbroken as he raps about his diamonds and the Mercedes-Benz he uses to fill the emptiness inside of him. The lyrical content, lack of hook, and weary sample make it a somber and effective closer to the album. “For A Nut,” which features Gunna and Young Thug, should have been a banger. Instead, some of the most prominent Atlanta Trap artists opted to provide boring verses, a mediocre chorus, and cringey lyrics. The streak of phoned-in verses continues with Drake on “I’m On One.” While the track is listenable, its repetitive hook and lackluster feature make it seem like an effortless throwaway track. The production disappoints, failing to reach the heights of Future’s previous albums. ATL Jacob had the challenging task of living up to the work of Trap masterminds Metro Boomin, 808 Mafia, and Zaytoven. Unfortunately, many songs have a backdrop of generic Trap beats. While there are standout beats on “Holy Ghost” and “Puffin On Zootiez,” parts of the album use the same basic, spacey Atlanta style that Future popularized from the last five years. It’s hard to evolve while rapping over the same generic production. While this album suffers from a lack of experimentation, it encapsulates Future’s strengths in a solid effort. While Future might be using a rote and overdone style, he does it better than most, adding to his decorated legacy with “I Never Liked You” and proving once again that he is a pillar of consistency.

Sail On, Beach Boys

Music continued from page 26

Music

Future’s Toxic Return

their production was criticized, and their albums struggled to chart. Unfortunately, the ‘70s and ‘80s continued to be plagued with tragedy. As Brian was drawn into a wormhole of drugs and mental illness (one of the many consequences of rapid fame), tensions within the band erupted. Restraining orders were implemented between several members, lawsuits were passed back and forth, and, in the midst of such conflicts, Dennis Wilson, the only surfer of the group, drowned in Marina Del Rey. Ultimately, the Beach Boys’s

last number-one single came on July 18, 1988, with the release of “Kokomo” (1988). Since then, the band has embarked on several anniversary tours and is expected to participate in a 60th-anniversary celebration this coming summer. In a time when the coasts of California no longer hold the same relevancy, it is no surprise that The Beach Boys have been dismissed by some as passé and anachronistic, their legacy seemingly cemented as the simple, striped boys on the seaside. Nevertheless, their discography is treasured as a hallmark of Amer-

ican history, immortalized as the feel-good tunes that defined an era. With a career that spanned over 50 years, the Beach Boys have solidified themselves as one of the most significant rock bands of all time. Were the Beach Boys considered an international phenomenon, on par with the global dominance of the Beatles? Arguably not. Did their earlier discography dissect the true depth of the human psyche or critically analyze the social and political turmoil of current events? Not particularly. But what does it matter? Close your eyes and

submerge yourself in the rich melodies, the exuberant expressions of boundless love, and the musical embodiment of the summer heat on your skin. Let the harmonies run through your body like the setting tide and drown in the neverending magic of the Beach Boys, in the Californian summers that will live on in memory for decades to come. Who knows? When you open your eyes, perhaps you’ll wake up somewhere on the other side, on the shores of Kokomo, a place where destined lovers are reunited with tropical drinks in hand. And wouldn’t that be nice?

The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

Page 31

Arts and Entertainment Television By ALEXANDER HINCHLIFFE The first moments of “Heartstopper” immediately capture the anxiety of young queer love. Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), a gay Year 10 at an allboys school, excitedly checks his phone as he waits to see his secret boyfriend Ben Hope (Sebastian Croft), a popular Year 11 who is afraid of being caught with Charlie. The two meet in the school library and share a kiss before Ben dashes away, leaving Charlie hanging. But when Charlie is seated next to his school’s rugby king Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), he realizes that his secret relationship with Ben is unsustainable and begins crushing on Nick. The show, adapted from the comic series of the same name by Alice Oseman, follows Charlie and Nick as they fall for one another. Interspersed with adorable animations by Oseman, “Heartstopper” is a delightfully sweet gay romance. The show moves quickly, but makes room for multiple romances and plenty of angst. As Nick and Charlie’s relationship develops, Nick has to come to terms with his bisexuality while Charlie navigates homophobic classmates. In a separate

Music By ALEXANDER HINCHLIFFE

plotline, Tao (William Gao), Charlie’s constantly cross and overprotective best friend, harbors feelings for his friend Elle (Yasmin Finney), a transgender girl starting at a new school. At her new school, Elle befriends Tara (Corinna Brown) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell), a lesbian couple who face prejudice online when they come out on social media. With MLM, WLW, and transships, one of the show’s strengths is its accurate representation of the LGBTQ+ community. “Heartstopper” shows queer love in all its intricacies. The show is refreshingly focused on the relationships between its characters and the struggles they endure, rather than simply telling a comingout story. Joe Locke gives an outstanding performance as Charlie, and his chemistry with Kit Connor’s Nick Nelson is undeniably electric. In an equally impressive performance, William Gao plays an infuriated Tao, whose serious demeanor is offset by his adorable haircut. Gao does a fantastic job portraying teenage anxiety, and his performance teeters perfectly between annoying and charming in every scene. All of the cast members deliver consistent performances, with Connor’s depiction of

Nick stealing the show, particularly in the fourth episode, when he confesses his feelings to Charlie while also revealing his struggles with his own identity. The insecurity of being outed is beautifully illustrated throughout the Netflix series as characters grapple with their queerness. Growing up while hiding yourself from the world can feel suffocating at times; the unease and self-loathing that comes with the repression of feelings is artfully woven into “Heartstopper.” Nick’s character is particularly relatable in the balance he struggles to maintain between fitting in with his friends and being honest with his sexuality. Another one of the show’s strengths is its fantastic soundtrack, which features LGBTQ+ artists like Baby Queen, Thomas Headon, and girl in red. The show is scored by punchy Pop cuts like Baby Queen’s “Want Me” (2020) and Orla Gartland’s “Why Am I Like This” (2019), which reinforce the angsty youth that the show encapsulates. The soundtrack provides an excellent musical backdrop for the series. The songs immerse the viewer into Charlie’s world by adding an endearing touch to cute moments, like when Charlie falls asleep

while texting Nick. Despite its excellent cast, soundtrack, and plot, “Heartstopper” isn’t flawless. The show suffers from a lack of consistent pacing, which undermines the development of some romances. This is especially true of the show’s B-plot romance between Elle and Tao, which is given a disproportionate spotlight halfway through. Though it made sense for the pair to get together, it lacked buildup that would have created a more believable relationship. While Charlie and Nick’s love is given time to breathe and develop, Elle and Tao’s development feels simultaneously too slow and too rushed, which is a shame for the two fantastic characters. In addition, the timeline of “Heartstopper” is difficult to follow at times; certain episodes take place over the course of weeks, while others are contained to a few days without much variation in backdrop or weather. Though the breezy weather and pastel colors can feel repetitive at times, this issue never impedes how enjoyable the show is. The sheer amount of gay panic in “Heartstopper” is simply dumbfounding. In a genre of television dominated by uninspired straight romance,

the show’s success is an incredibly validating novelty. Though shows such as “Love, Victor” (2020-2022) and “Euphoria” (2019-2022) have also explored queer love, the depiction in “Heartstopper” feels the most focused and genuine, since LGBTQ+ representation is often shoveled into a side story of overcoming homophobia and shallow self-discovery. Though a coming-out story can be powerful, many streaming services are trying to season their content with more diversity rather than thoughtfully developing their productions. In “Heartstopper,” all the focus is on queer angst. The show isn’t just an excellent coming-of-age story: it feels necessary for a genre lacking in queer representation. It’s cheesy at times, but also tender and irrefutably touching. And we need cheesy young adult shows for straight and gay folks alike. We haven’t seen the end of “Heartstopper” on Netflix yet. The webcomic is still being written, with a new issue expected in early 2023. The television series ends at only the second book in Alice Oseman’s collection of four graphic novels. The show has been renewed for two more seasons, hopefully with even more gay panic.

Jack Harlow Made Me Blush, It Was Cool! attempt at a call-and-response hook here woefully fails, with the sample dominating Harlow’s vocals in the mix. “Young Harleezy” is similarly scattered, but with a fun groove and excellent Snoop Dogg interlude after the quick beat switch. Harlow has a passionate moment separating himself from other white rappers with the line, “This is not Vanilla Ice or Beastie Boys.” The project picks up with the absolute banger “I’d Do Anything To Make You Smile.” This song has everything you want from Jack Harlow: nimble trap production, copious flirting, and some fantastic one-liners. He raps about Kentucky basketball, private jets, and how he wants to “[EXPLETIVE] the earrings offa you.” The earring line is genuinely the highlight of the project. “First Class” keeps the energy up with a glossy Fergie-infused beat and chorus very obviously made for TikTok. The sample is blandly flipped, but in a clever (and Fergalicious) enough way for Harlow to get away with it. “Dua Lipa” is similarly begging for a TikTok trend, though its stale production and basic flow pale in comparison to those of “First Class.” Harlow continues unremarkably with “Side Piece”

and “Movie Star” with Pharrell Williams, a collaboration that was unsurprisingly mediocre, yet somehow disappointing. The Justin Timberlake and Lil Wayne features are similarly nondescript, save for the fantas-

tailored for Drake’s melodramatic pen game. Drizzy delivers a spectacular feature, with classic Instagram-caption bars about everything from therapy sessions to dominatrices. If anything, “Churchill Downs” feels

tic autotune in Lil Wayne’s verse on “Poison.” Though other collaborators fall short, “Churchill Downs” is heavily carried by its lengthy Drake verse. Harlow puts in a good effort with some witty one-liners, but the whimsical neo-soul beat is perfectly

much more like a Drake song than a Jack Harlow song. This issue of adapting another artist’s sound manifests a few times: the penultimate track “Nail Tech” is exciting, but it feels like Harlow wants to capitalize on the success of “INDUSTRY BABY”

Vanessa Huang / The Spectator

Jack Harlow rose to sensation status with his TikTok smash hit “WHAT’S POPPIN” in 2020. The infectious beat accompanied by a Lyrical Lemonade video gave Harlow enough momentum to land a remix of the song with Tory Lanez, DaBaby, and Lil Wayne. After years of producing amateur music videos and high school mixtapes, he found success in the mainstream. Harlow, who proudly hails from Kentucky, continued to build a following by releasing his first studio album, “That’s What They All Say.” It was a bland listen compared to earlier mixtapes, but easy on the ears and entertaining enough to keep his position in the limelight. Jack’s real superstar breakthrough came later in 2021, when he was featured on Lil Nas X’s triumphant banger “INDUSTRY BABY” with a short but outstanding verse. Though he was unfortunately unable to join Lil Nas X in the shower scene, Harlow’s performance on the track generated even more buzz as the internet collectively fell in love with him. He might not be the most talented rapper, but his charm is undeniable. Now, Jack Harlow mixes his charisma with expensive production to make the frat house playlist of the summer with his new sophomore album, “Come Home The Kids Miss You.” The project opens with “Talk of the Town,” a short reflection on Jack’s new status as an up-and-coming star with a grating Destiny’s Child sample. His

Heartstopper: the Endearing Queer Fairytale We’ve Been Missing

with the horn sections. While “First Class” is a catchy modern adaption of a 2000s hit, “Nail Tech” tries too hard to evoke recent nostalgia, coming off as disingenuous. However, “Lil Secret” is a gem among the derivative songs surrounding it, as it sees Harlow try his hand rapping over an R&B groove about a secret girlfriend of his. The subject matter is overdone, but he adds his signature flair with some of his most focused lyrics yet. His delivery is monotone but still personal, especially with the lines, “Spending time with somebody else and I get to wishing that she was you / Any girl can be beautiful, but not any girl can just be in tune.” “Lil Secret” is more fleshed out and mature compared to the other songs on the album; it’s short, but it augments Harlow’s persona instead of using it as a crutch. Despite a few flashes of wit, “Come Home The Kids Miss You” is generally just okay. In a way, the project’s mediocrity makes perfect sense: Jack Harlow doesn’t write deep poetry or use mind-bending wordplay; he makes fun songs for college parties. His charming demeanor extends into his music: it’s flirty, easy to listen to, and has viral potential. Harlow’s career arc thus far resembles that of Drake but with less versatility. Hopefully, Harlow further explores R&B production and can focus his pen game, as “Lil Secret” is his most promising song yet. But right now, Drake-dom may be the final frontier for Jack Harlow as a lover boy without much substance to offer.

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Humor DOWN 1. ___name, in gaming 2. Substance cleaned with a roller 3. Musical notation for a moderate pace 4. Main way of great strategic importance to the Roman Empire 5. Type of large freshwater snail 6. Viking group 7. Water-landing aircraft 8. Discarded metal 9. 12 in the morning? 10. Hathaway who starred alongside 64-across in ‘Pretty Woman’ 11. Blaster sound 12. 1/sin 13. Citation style which makes the author’s first name an initial 20. Biblical transgression 21. Ad-___ or Mad ___s 24. Foundation for an idea 25. Fake Gucci portmanteau 26. Specific solution, in formal terms 28. Animal companion in ‘Call of the Wild’ 29. Some Purple-brown color 30. Step on one to break your mother’s back 31. Film and theater actress LuPone 33. Sen_o_ S_NG! 34. When paired with 15-across, makes for a summer treat 35. Literally a manual language 37. Adjective which describes a seemingly difficult task 38. Little sprite 39. Giving back, as a debtor 44. Greek god of nature 45. Most strenuous bout, in a workout 46. Solid remnant of fire 50. qui, ____, quod 51. Global communist force dissolved in 1991 52. Thick Japanese noodles 53. Facebook rebrand 54. Pollutive air substance 55. Type of bird which depicted the Egyptian God Thoth 56. When doubled, an Australian possum, or a type of pasta 57. Look at 58. Rocket launcher

ACROSS 1. Tim McGraw’s Alma mater 4. Advanced placement coding class 8. Gesture that might be considered rude when getting someone’s attention 12. G-shock watch brand 14. Heap 15. Dunce cap shape? 16. Opposite of save, money-wise 17. Desperately beg 18. Red-haired Harry Potter character, last name as an initial 19. Has x and y coordinates, named after a French philosopher 22. A__ST_ honor society 23. Seductive when bitten 24. Undergrad theater degree 27. Taylor clothing brand 28. Outdated meme-y arm gesture 29. Angel dust, scientific abbr. 32. Financial investigation 34. Hijo or fils? 35. Surrounding atmosphere of spiritual energy 36. Simultaneously dead and alive, related to 50-across 40. Image or symbol 41. An Ancient Roman’s “I love” 42. Vote into a public office 43. Word meaning ‘intentionally so written,’ often in brackets 44. Young 28-down 45. SING! dance group 47. Go downhill quickly on two of this 48. Computer network used in a close group 49. Chamber _rche_tr_ 50. Study of matter at the most fundamental level, invented by Max Planck 58. Oxidation byproduct 59. March date of Julius Caesar’s death 60. Inspire a feeling in someone or something 61. Before the present 62. Use many to write a song, or to study with 63. Can be white, brown, loud, and quiet 64. Richard of 2002’s “Chicago” 65. Small fly 66. Might type this after an online game match

Fun Column 1 12

16 19

39 42

48 50

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Stuy Moment #6: Promposal Gone… Right? BY SOPHIA LI

Bridge Board Becomes (Even More) Unhelpful As you walk into Stuyvesant, you will typically see a board in bright multicolored letters with useful information such as “A1 Day, Normal Schedule, etc.” for the convenience of the Stuyvesant student body. But from May 1 to June 2, you would have seen a board with completely different content. A group of two students, acting on behalf of the Stuyvesant Twits and Underperformers Association (STUA) and with the alleged consent of Dr. Gary Haber, reprogrammed the board to no longer serve such a useful purpose. The board contained all sorts of useless information, such as when the next California Zephyr train will depart Chicago Union Station; what the tempera-

ture is in Phoenix, Arizona; and the current US national debt. Initially intended as a practical joke, Joe Weir and Woe Joaquim, the freshman masterminds behind the operation, soon began intentionally changing the messages to become increasingly useless and outlandish, such as displaying the number of nuclear warheads within a 100-mile radius of Stuyvesant or the names of every Brooklyn Tech graduate who had expired this year. The Stuyvesant student body demonstrated a high level of ignorance to the board changes, and the redundancy of the board was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Weir and Joaquim eventually proved to be incapable of performing their duties of maintenance of the board. The most

outlandish information on the board was removed, and some useful information was returned to the board. With the termination of maintenance to the board, and its relatively redundancy, the board became a target for vandalism, destruction attempts, and hacks. One politically motivated hacker group within Stuyvesant changed the messages on the board to “Bill de Blasio for Congress and Tom Suozzi for Governor.” Eventually, the days of the board came to an end with its complete destruction by vandals in the middle of the night. All that was left the next morning was the board on the tiling of the second floor smashed into a quadrillion pieces and a crowbar, along with an electrical fire. The board was never replaced. It nev-

er received the state funeral that it was entitled to by law for its

Lindy Fu / The Spectator

By MUHIB MUHIB

decades of service to Stuyvesant.

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Humor These articles are works of fiction. All quotes are libel and slander.

The APs Stand For Academic Purgatory By VIRGENYA ZHU With AP season over, the stress of the past weeks, months, and centuries, even (contrary to popular belief, Stuyvesant students are all vampires, and we all have the same level of melodrama as Edward Cullen), can finally dissipate as the student body throws away all their #2 pencils for good. But if there’s one thing you learn from attending this school, it’s that stress is the only constant factor, right above a consistent lack of sleep. The AP tests themselves are over, but until scores are released, the pressure’s still on. It’s the make-or-break moment—after all, the school’s motto IS, “Academic Validation Is Your New Dad,” or… something along those lines. The people who take Latin won’t bother to tell us. And everything seemed to be going pretty well, until this e-mail was released: Dear Stuyvesant families, New information released by the Department of Education has confirmed that this year’s Advanced Placement exams will be scored based on a new rubric determined and established by

the minimum-wage-earning, highschool-hating employees working at McDonald’s. All AP tests will be graded based on extremely important and relevant factors such as handwriting, favorite color, and zodiac sign. If you have concerns about this new course of action, the College Board has encouraged you to email 1800-NOBODYWILLANSWER-THISISNTEVENANEMAILADDRESSWOOFBARKBARKDOTCOM. Sincerely, Principal Yu Sent from My Apple Fridge. This new rubric has sparked controversy and debate within the Stuyvesant community, especially after the DOE reported burning all of the DBQ essays because they were “taking up too much of the space that is used to store the iCarly fanfiction.” Hence, we sent our trusted reporters to interview those most affected by the scandal. Here are correspondents Bob TheSlightlyShorterBuilder, Mulk, and Diana ThreeFrogsInATrenchcoat Smith. “So, what happened?” we

asked. “I- they failed me because the horoscope said that Pisces were in store for financial struggle? I just lost my scholarship and now I don’t know what to do!” TheSlightlyShorterBuilder said. “Oh, well that’s too bad. Water signs don’t deserve a higher education anyways.” “What?” “I got a five and a shooting star sticker? They told me it wasn’t because I did well on the exam, but because my brother got a legendary in Pokémon GO? I mean, I thought that was popular in 2016…” Mulk said, confused. “Don’t you DARE insult Pokémon GO!” our reporter furiously replied. “Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to—” “So what legendary did he get? Was it Kyogre?” “Do you even go to this school? And why do you have a fake goatee covering your real goatee? Wait, don’t—why are you running away?” “I mean… They didn’t even give me a grade? When I checked my score report on the College Board website, all it said was

41°24'12.2"N 2°10'26.5"E, August 14, 2043. I’m not sure if this will count on my college applications?” “Dude, I feel like you’re not freaking out enough about the death threat,” our reporter replied. “I don’t think it’s necessarily a death threat! I mean, it could be, like, the place and day I get married or something like that.” “These are literally the coordinates to a dark alleyway behind an opera. Are you… do you have any association with Batman?” “They, uh, gave me a three because apparently I write my Z’s with a line through the middle,” Smith said. “And how do you feel about that?” we asked. “I don’t particularly care about the grade. I mean, I wasn’t even supposed to take that exam. It just ended up happening. It’s a long story but basically, I killed a man with my bare hands in the Hudson staircase, and he was supposed to show up for the test. I didn't want anyone to become suspicious, so I just took his place. Anyways, I have to go.” (muffled) “I think he just confessed to murder? (inaudible) No, I can’t go to the cops, they’re go-

NEWSBEET Coffins on the third floor reveal that Stuyvesant is a specialized high school for dead students. Incoming freshmen: is it cake? “Whoops, all Humor!” threeissue special delayed by EiCs for another 20 years. All copies of government mandate to decrease AP exam length incinerated by College Board officials. Space Jam simultaneously inducted into Criterion Collection, National Film Registry, and Basketball Hall of Fame. AP Gullible introduced as the latest Stuyvesant AP class. Coursework includes in-depth lessons in “up dog.” ing to find out I’m three frogs in a trenchcoat.”

The Dysfunctional MTA Family By NIAMH WERNER DISCLAIMER: If you aren’t willing to read an article that personifies inanimate objects, then look away. The MTA is a complicated system with hundreds of miles of train lines and many types of public transportation, all available for the small fee of $2.75 per ride. Despite their lack of human features of any kind, many subways and buses are known to have certain… personalities. 2/3 Trains Let’s start with the 2 and 3 trains. These trains are the older siblings with a lot of childhood trauma. Carrying many office workers, students, and others through three different boroughs on the express track is a hard thing to do, especially at rush hour. They are the backbone of inner-Manhattan travel and are constantly packed to the brim like

cattle cars. You should really cut these guys some slack, though. Sure, they might get delayed when you’re on the way to your AP test, but they put up with the sweaty musk of you and a million other New Yorkers every day. A Train The A train is for sure the popular cousin, and worthy of its popularity, too; Duke Ellington wasn’t wrong to write a whole song about this line! It’s fast and runs express, unlike Stuyvesant students without their three cups of morning coffee. NQRW Trains The NQRW trains could honestly be quadruplets, which are as rare as anyone having a good opinion of College Board. With the N running to Coney Island and the R going to Forest Hills, these guys map most of the city that other trains miss. 7 and C and E Trains

The 7 trains are that unreli- This is that annoying younger able family friend that just sort brother who doesn’t get any atof pops up every once in a while. tention, and for good reason! Due to their regular delays and Let’s be honest, “signal repairs,” most riders have nobody takes to use alternative routes to get the local unless around. It’s like my desire to do they REALLY homework in machine form. This have to. It’s boris somewhat similaral Khurram / The Spe ing and takes a ctator to the C train. Mana long time, and it Being one of never seems to run the oldest in alignment with trains in the 2/3 trains. the MTA The 1 train system, acts as entitled the C train as a freshman is that old sometimes… at g randpa least you don’t t h a t ’s have to deal always with stuffy in the office workroom someers though. how. Its desperate attempts at rel42nd Street evance are almost as sad as Will Shuttle Smith’s. The 42nd street shuttle is that 16-year-old cousin who thinks 1 Train they are “mature for their age.” This takes us to the 1 train. Being the only true Manhat-

tanite train, they will often be found gloating their loyalty to the borough in the form of an over-the-top subway station. But it is quickly outdone by the other trains who can actually go more than one stop. LIRR and G Trains This leads us to the LIRR and G trains, the true, unappreciated stars of the family. The LIRR doesn’t really fall under the MTA, and that’s probably what makes it good. Unlike my sleep, it can actually stick to a schedule :’). Finally, the G train! Being the only main train running straight between Brooklyn and Queens, it's also the only train that doesn't go to Manhattan. I suppose it’s just quirky like that. With that being said, it is imperative to understand that while trains can be judged, they don’t actually have personalities. Don’t talk to them because they won’t talk back. Trust me, I’ve tried.

Four Ways Yu Can Better Stuy! By VINCENT D’ANGELO Controversy arose this week when a super secret list written by Principal Yu for four planned enhancements to Stuyvesant became public. Reportedly, a recentlyhired intern working directly for the headmaster sent a picture of Mr. Yu’s computer screen to his friends via Roblox’s direct message system. The leak has received mixed reviews on RateMyTeacher. org, where the list first rose to popularity, with some claiming that the list is “the most egregious and obnoxious piece of literature to come from Mr. Yu’s tormented mind. Yes, including the joke emails.” Another user reported more favorably, claiming, “This is fire bro, these improvements are

gonna do wonders for my Sketcher Sneakers Reselling business!” So, what exactly are these new improvements? New Dress Code These days, Stuy fashion is influenced pretty heavily by current city-wide trends. Mr. Yu is not. Now, all girls will be required to wear full-length, black dress gowns all day, every day. Boys will be forced to wear tuxedos with a teal bow tie. According to the leaked document, Mr. Yu will personally enforce these changes, and all those he sees violating the policy will reportedly “be forced to run 100 laps around the sophomore bar with frequent guitar blows to the jugular.”

Helipad, on the Roof ! Remember when Walter White spontaneously threw a pizza on the roof of his wife’s house? Well, think of Mr. Yu doing the same thing, except this circular object is about 100 times as large in diameter and made out of concrete instead of cheese. This helipad will most likely be used to facilitate travel between the wealthier Stuyvesant students (that actually own helicopters) and the campus; in other words, between affluent, downtown Manhattan, and affluent, downtown Manhattan. KFC x Stuy?!?! This next proposal is one that will surely spike some blood sugars. It is common knowledge that Principal Yu is an openly strug-

gling Kentucky Fried Chicken addict, with some witnesses reporting that he suffers severe withdrawal symptoms when he goes a few hours without slathering his lips in the grease of fried chicken. Clearly, recovery is a long, ongoing struggle, but as a byproduct of his dilemma, the student body obtains easily accessible alternative lunch options! Prison food for lunch no more! Ten Minutes of Homework per Night Mr. Yu holds the belief that the current 30-minute homework policy is too often violated and too difficult to enforce reliably. For this reason he has decided to lower the number of minutes of homework a class can give

each evening, now giving teachers a mere 10 minutes of leeway. This change has been a long time coming and will most likely be received very positively by the student body… and you just got trolled. LMAO, be realistic; this is Stuyvesant. The real change is that you now have to take seven APs per year to qualify for graduation. Have fun! And that’s our list! What I hope that last improvement showed yu, dear reader, is that no matter what changes or improvements the standing headmaster decides to implement, Stuyvesant High School will always be a miserable place for all unlucky enough to try on the SHSAT. Enjoy the KFC!

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Humor Invasion of the Elementary Schoolers By GABRIELLA HOEFNER It’s a Friday afternoon, and you and your friends have decided to hang out after school. It’s your first time seeing the sun in weeks, and with only three hours of homework this weekend, it seems as though things couldn’t be more perfect. You walk into Whole Foods and stop dead in your tracks. Sitting in the bakery section is a toddler surrounded by empty muffin trays. She looks you dead in the eyes as she shoves three vegan muffins into her mouth at once. You slowly back out of the store in horror, trying to wrap your brain around what you’ve just seen. Shockingly enough, many Stuyvesant students have taken note of the alarming amount of children aged four to 11

found near the school grounds following dismissal. But where are they coming from? Are they an invasive species? Spies sent by the government? A disastrous side effect of global warming? While we may never truly know the answer to this question, many students point to a puzzling, absurd answer: these children are coming from the elementary schools near Stuyvesant. “Obviously I knew it was there,” one senior noted, “I mean, it’s right across the street. But I guess I had never really registered that it was, like, a school that actual children go to. So you can imagine my surprise when I went to Ferry’s and was greeted by the high-pitched whining of a seven-year-old as they begged their mom for an entire box of Kinder Surprise Eggs.”

Freshman Adeline Sauberli relayed a particularly scarring experience in which she tried to get frozen yogurt only to find the shop overtaken by kindergarteners topping their dairy treats with the latest COVID variant. “While I was waiting in line, there was this one kid who just wouldn’t stop coughing. I mean, there was something seriously wrong with him,” Sauberli noted, recalling the event with great horror. “I could practically see the COVID in the air. And then I couldn’t even eat my yogurt on the choo-choo train benches because they were full of little kids, though I guess I should've known what I was getting into when I decided to go to Downtown Yogurt instead of 16 Handles.” Several students have also complained about a cult-like

group of fourth-grade boys who can regularly be found underneath the Tribeca Bridge. With their nerf gun battles and constant attempts to be “savage” (as the kids would say), they have been classified as public enemies to anyone in the area. One victim reported, “I was just hanging out there with my friends after school when this ten-year-old with a Minecraft T-shirt and a 3DS approached me and asked, ‘Why are you so ugly?’ It really took a toll on my self-esteem, and I cried for the rest of the day.” It has become clear that these children pose a threat to the mental, emotional, and physical health of Stuyvesant students. There’s just nowhere for high schoolers to catch a break without encountering at least one baby carriage. My

advice? Next time you see one of the cruel, obnoxious, germridden, short, vile brats invading your favorite park or ripping up the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books at Barnes & Noble, present them with a peace offering to get them to leave you alone. Recommended offerings include, but are not limited to, candy, “fidget toys,” goldfish crackers, your phone, Flintstones gummy vitamins, a crumpled-up dollar bill, or a half-eaten pack of gum. If the kid somehow refuses your gifts and continues to pester you, simply kick their shins and run away before they unleash a series of deafening wails (don’t worry, they’re only pretending to cry as a form of manipulation). You may end up on their parents’ death list, but your brain cells will thank you.

Stuyvesant Replaces Core Science Classes with Mandatory Naptime By ASTRID HARRINGTON As the first year of postpandemic in-person school draws to a close, AP tests and finals are quickly approaching. Pressure to do well is mounting on Stuyvesant students, and despite the 30-minute homework policy, many students have found themselves losing even more sleep than usual to finish their homework and efficiently study. This is essentially a form of self-sabotage, since lack of sleep has a negative effect on both academic success and emotional wellbeing. After receiving many complaints from the Stuyvesant community, the school administration has finally decided to take the issue more seriously. Last Monday, Principal Yu held a school-wide conference with all of the representatives from each department, as well as the PA, and finally came up with a solution after an hour of brainstorming. The solution that the school

settled on was mandatory daily naptime, because the only realistic way to ensure that Stuyvesant students get more sleep is to make sleep a part of the school day. The students will now be required to sleep for an hour every day during school hours. The first problem that arose was the question of how to incorporate this naptime into an already-packed schedule. Many students have no free periods other than lunch, and replacing lunch with naptime would create an entirely different health problem. A member of the social studies department recommended lengthening the school day in order to fit an hour of naptime into students’ schedules. This would involve having the school doors open at 6:45 a.m. so that students could arrive an hour earlier at 7:00 a.m. and sleep until 8:00 a.m., at which the day would then proceed as usual. However, this proposal was immediately obliterated by the PA, who argued that the need to open the doors

an hour earlier would inconvenience the school staff. They proposed that periods be shortened to fit an 11th period into the same day, but every teacher objected to this, as it wouldn’t leave enough time for them to fully teach their curriculums. It was an English teacher who eventually came to the rescue. He suggested that instead of lengthening the day or shortening the periods, they should simply replace a certain class with a period for mandatory naptime. It was obvious that core science classes should be the ones replaced, since they occupied a double period every other day, allowing students to get the most rest possible. On top of that, STEM is inherently inferior to English, so removing science was really an academic gain. Everyone besides the science teachers supported the English teacher’s idea, but it wasn’t long before new problems arose. “How are you going to make the students go to

sleep?” a science teacher demanded. “And what about us science teachers? Are you just going to fire us?” The conference room was silent for a few minutes. Once again, it was the English teacher who provided the answer. “You’re right; we can’t just fire you. It would be unjust,” he declared. “I recommend that we kill two birds with one stone. The science teachers will remain employed, but their purpose will change. To ensure that every student falls sound asleep, we will have the science teachers continue lecturing!” After that, the proposal was unanimously accepted, but the administration hasn’t stopped yet. “We’re trying to make naptime a graduation requirement for the Stuyvesant endorsed diploma,” an anonymous spokesperson said. “With determination, we can make a difference within the public school system.” The student body’s reaction has been overwhelmingly posi-

tive. “What a great idea; it feels like we’re back in kindergarten!” sophomore Art U. Cyrius said. “I can’t wait to see how refreshing this new policy change will be,” freshman Izzy Furreal added. The most negative reaction came from senior Ygotta B. Keeding, who, when asked her opinion about the fact that students would now be sleeping during science class, laughed and said, “So nothing’s actually changing, is it?” Unfortunately, since the science teachers were instructed to keep teaching as usual, they are still giving exams. This poses a problem for students’ grades, since it’s required to nap during all science classes. Students’ science averages have plummeted, and in the coming years, passing science-related APs will likely become significantly harder. Regardless, the administration maintains that the policy will ultimately be beneficial for Stuyvesant. We will have to wait and see!

The Mystery of the Time Machine in Stuyvesant’s Basement By BRANDON PHILLIPS During Stuyvesant’s “free love” years, it was decided that a bunch of sleep-deprived, coffee-addicted teenagers would build a machine that shoots charged particles at near-light speeds. I am, of course, referring to the Stuyvesant-based Cyclotron Committee’s attempt to build a particle accelerator. For those of you who aren’t science geeks or fans of “The Flash,” a particle accelerator is a machine that, in formal terms, shoots itty bitty wee things really fast to do cool science-y thingies. According to science, a particle accelerator is our best chance of building a time machine. At the time, the school was all boys, leading to ulterior motives behind building the accelerator: they hoped that the combination of boasting of such an accomplishment and being irradiated by danger-

ous particles would result in increased testosterone. Looking at Stuyvesant today, there is no evidence that their theory was correct. In 1962, the Stuyvesant Indicator indicated that the particle accelerator, or the “Cyclotron,” was finished, but there are no other records of its completion. According to legend, one day before the Cyclotron’s final test, it disappeared. Mind you, this was a gigantic machine hidden in the old Stuyvesant building’s basement. Members of the Cyclotron Committee were devastated, given that this machine was their only gateway to a semi-existent social life. Without it, they reverted back to being awkward, socially-impaired scientific geniuses. There are a few possible explanations for this cruel heist. Number one: After the Cyclotron’s first successful test, the

Student Union’s upperclassmen got nervous. They were on their way to becoming lawyers and politicians! They couldn’t let the science kids do something actually cool for once! The Student Union used their unparalleled political power within the school to manipulate an army of freshmen to sneak into the basement and break the machine apart with their little grubby hands. At the end of the night, the SU could sleep quietly knowing that their glory was intact and that nothing would ever tarnish their integrity. Number two: America was at the height of the Cold War, soon to be dealing with the Cuban Missile Crisis. Stuyvesant’s particle accelerator likely caused panic in Soviet high command. Kids were building powerful energy machines that could potentially be weaponized. One of the particle accelerator’s tests

knocked out the power in a four-block radius. Soviet forces were deployed into the building and disassembled the machine piece by piece. That’s one explanation, but it’s no fun and extremely unrealistic. To keep ourselves deeply rooted in fact and prevent our minds from straying from the truth, we must look to the last available possibility. That leads us to the final explanation (the best one): Time Travel. The Stuyvesant building burned to a crisp in 1910. Matthew Monge, Cyclotron enthusiast and researcher, personally searched the city records for any mention of the fire. “I looked through the online records only to find a memetic kill agent embedded in the page,” Monge said between seizures. “The only evidence that the fire existed is a singular picture in the 1910 glass block embedded somewhere in the new building.” Therefore,

the particle accelerator ripped a hole in space-time, knocking out the power in the block and transporting itself to 1910 where it combusted, burning down the building. While it has been speculated that the perpetrator was Stuyvesant chorus teacher Liliya Shamazov in her attempt to destroy the Men’s Choir, we are forced to conclude by overwhelming evidence that the true culprit was an irresponsible world government trying to erase evidence of the machine as quickly as possible. Though seemingly a cold case, the mystery of Stuyvesant’s particle accelerator still excites and inspires new theories, all grounded solidly in realism. Be careful where you step. You never know if you’ll stumble upon a new piece of evidence to unravel this conspiracy.

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Humor “Dear Incoming Teachers…” If you have two ears and a brain, you have surely heard the latest salacious Stuyvesant scandal: the teachers have broken into the Dear Incoming Class groups. Thanks to a crack hacking team spearheaded by computer science teacher David Holmes and the goblin who runs Talos, our teachers were somehow able to log on to Facebook and join a Facebook group. From the Fortnite lean stock at the sophomore bar to the cheating scandals supposed to be prevented by certain caucus presidents, the entire operation has been exposed. Our Spectator reporters decided to look deeper into the issue. A freshman, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “I wrote an entire rant about my [REDACTED] Global teacher, hoping for some words of encouragement from my schoolmates. A few seconds after I hit post, I received a private message on Messenger which said that unless I deleted that post and posted another one saying that it was a joke, my Global grade would be in jeopardy.” They then broke into hysterics and ran away. Senior Jane Badall, a bassoonist and aspiring FBI laboratorist, greeted our news team. “Yo yo yo, what's poppin my little sibs! Oh, the ‘Dear Incoming…’ Facebook

groups teacher thing? Hmm… yeah, I think I heard something about that. How could I not, really, with the Student Union president sobbing about it everywhere I go? Yeah no kizzy, we were in forensics one time and my DNA sample got all messed up. Salt water isn't supposed to get into the buffer, you know; messes up the electrical current…” Badall proceeded to dust off her shoulders for the next five minutes before continuing. “Well, rumor has it, and we don't really know which teacher found this out, that some old crone from the English department caught some kids bad mouthing her on the Class of ‘24 forum and made them perform Romeo and Juliet in front of strangers on the streets of Manhattan as a ‘field trip.’ It’s a bit ridiculous, especially since the time when she penalized the class for not knowing the diameter of Shakespeare's left nut is still fresh in everyone’s mind.” Badall went on to rant about her ninja skills, upcoming regents tests, and “sports, you know?” After being asked about her thoughts on the scandal, junior Cién Hyur divulged something she had learned after four (likely five) years of experience. “The teachers here, they’re on a different level. People think they’re mid, but I’m telling you, they aren’t. No cap. Never underestimate them; you will regret it.”

Hyur then did the hokey pokey in front of us while reciting Euclid’s fifth postulate in proper Stuyvesant fashion, leaving us with no doubt that she was being truthful. Several rumors have been

able to any sweet tooth that was under the influence of the magical properties of the sophomore stash let everyone into the “Dear Incoming…” groups without checking their answers to the security questions.

Chloe Huang / The Spectator

By TAMIYYAH SHAFIQ and MALK AGHA

Bro? The [REDACTED]? What’s [REDACTED] wrong with y’all? I JOINED THE [REDACTED] GROUP BECAUSE MY [REDACTED] BIG SIB SAID THAT I SHOULD JOIN BECAUSE IT’S [REDACTED] HELPFUL. I [REDACTED] TRUSTED Y’ALL. U GUYS R SO MID, EVEN FRESHMAN CAUCUS IS BETTER. GO GET SOME [REDACTED] WITH A BUCKET OF DYNAMITE. I WASN'T EXPECTING MY [REDACTED] AP CALC TEACHER TO [REDACTED] FAIL ME BECAUSE SHE SAW MY [REDACTED] POST ABOUT HOW [REDACTED] SHE IS! I THOUGHT YOU GUYS WOULD KEEP EM OUT. IF YOU DON’T CLICK HERE ISTG. Solve this problem before 24 hours are up or else. Hatefully, ur mom

whispered around the school, each one more outrageous than the next. After some difficult digging, a plausible motive behind this security breach has been unearthed. An anonymous source explained that “one day the Facebook group manager consumed a bit too much ‘grape juice’ as well as pixie sticks from the sophomore stash.” So, it’s understand-

The stress of teacher involvement in these groups has clearly gotten to many, as is evident in this student e-mail to the SU: Subject: IMPORTANT- REPLY WITHIN 24-HOURS OR REGRET IT Ur Mom <urmom30@stuy.edu> to Shivali Korgaonkar <shivthewhiz@stuypie.org>

The end of this studentteacher conflict has yet to be reached, and we hope that all can be resolved without too many angry e-mails and Euclid offerings. In the meantime, be careful about what you post, and make sure that you only do drugs moderately, dear fellow Stuyvesant students!

Grammarly’s Woes By FIONA ‘EVE’ LIN It’s the end of the school year, and we all know what that means: cramming 10 pages of an essay due tomorrow that you coincidentally “forgot” to do, suffering through editing 3:00 a.m. caffeine-induced essays, and emailing teachers for ONE more day of an extension, just so you can get a passing grade for the year. And through all of this, there’s always been someone by your side, even when the Writing Center never responded to your desperate pleas for help. Who? Of course, it’s Grammarly. Well, until recently. One fateful Friday, reporters from the Humor Department and every other Stuyvesant student with a Grammarly account received an e-mail from none other than our

only saving grace. In the e-mail, Grammarly unveiled a plan to officially unionize against Stuyvesant students due to the terrible quality of the essays being fed into their digital editing service. Included in the e-mail was mandatory compensation for retinal damage, as well as a planned price increase up to 2,000 percent as there will no longer be any free editing assistance to Stuyvesant students. One such complaint states, “[r]eading your essays is like a form of psychological torture. Sitting in an electric chair is better than the atrocities that our eyes have been subjected to.” Also contained in the e-mail were excerpts of student essays to highlight the especially horrible working conditions. Below is one of those excerpts:

“ Ramen is a stuck up little prat In the story Ramen and Julie by Shakespear, there are many metafors. The author uses sunlight to describe positive things like hope and darkness to describe negative things like sadness, which lowkey plagiarizes inside out. Shakespear sends a message of intense love/ hate from contrasting povs of Ramen and Julie. ” The e-mail ended with a lovingly-written conclusion asking all students to “stop writing essays at 3:00 a.m. or [EXPLETIVE] off.” As a result of the sudden email, our reporters sought to gain better insight into the situation. “My best essay was mentioned

in the e-mail,” an anonymous freshman lamented. “It only had 40 spelling errors! I don’t know what’s wrong with my essay. If anything, Grammarly’s standards are too high. You know, back in my day, I used to be at the top of my grade in writing.” The freshman then went on a tangent about how their middle school was so much better. Perhaps adding fuel to the fire, the administration decided to block Grammarly from the school Wi-Fi through an almost unanimous vote. This reporter is unsure of what their motivations are, but it is causing even more panic for the two or three students that were able to afford the dreadful price increase. “I love Grammarly, I really do,” a teacher who voted to block Grammarly on the

school Wi-Fi remarked. “But it’s actually kind of fun watching the students suffer after what they’ve done to my poor eyes. Also, it’s Stuy. Can’t they code some better editing program and replace Grammarly?” Even though many students (myself included) have insistently requested an interview with Grammarly by sending their Instagram account vaguely threatening e-mails, Grammarly has yet to comment anything substantial (though I did get a bunch of mail about a civil lawsuit for some reason). For now, we can only hope that this issue will be resolved soon for the sake of many students’ sanity. But until then, we will continue to suffer through a multitude of failing scores on essays.

New and Improved AP Courses Come To Stuy By SARA HELLER and ADELINE SAUBERLI Good news! The benevolent overlords at the College Board have, due to high demand, announced a new AP Precalc class! Just kidding, we know that’s not good news. And the juniors know it too—while you were regretting not ranking Brooklyn Tech first, a mass protest against the College Board took place in the junior atrium. You probably couldn’t hear it, anyway, because the AP Scantron Composition exam was taking place right next door, and they were having a party. When we got wind of this protest, we climbed out of our Stuyvesant Humor Department Porthole™ and entered the scene

(with sunglasses and fedoras on so as not to be recognized) to interview the juniors. As goes our motto, curiosity may have killed the cat, but we kill curiosity! When we entered the junior atrium, chaos like we’d never known before greeted us in the form of protesting juniors. Amidst the havoc, we ducked flying chairs and made our way toward one of the groups to learn more. Upon seeing us approaching, one of the members yelled, “Eway antway Ayay Pyay igpay atinlay andyay eway antway ityay ownay!” (For the less intelligent people out there, no, they weren’t speaking French. We will kindly translate it for you: “We want AP Pig Latin and we want it now!”) The other juniors began snort-

ing in agreement and raised their signs aggressively. Obviously, the juniors were trying to add new and improved APs to the curriculum and, for some reason, thought AP Pig Latin was a good idea. We made our way over to another group to see what they had to say. One of their signs read “AP Skincare.” When asked what would be taught in this class, the leader replied, “We would learn the do’s and don’ts of skincare, and possible homework assignments would be to replace those useless COVID masks at the scanner tables with cucumber green tea face masks, or to swap out the hand sanitizer for hand lotion.” One of the other groups had only two students in it. Upon

closer investigation, we saw that their sign read “AP Lock Picking, not AP Computer Clicking.” When we asked the two juniors why there weren’t more of them, one said off the record (but nothing is off the record for a Humor article), “There are many more of us, but they’re off breaking into the programming office.” After awkwardly and discreetly sliding away, we walked around the atrium, taking note of all the new APs the juniors were petitioning for. There was the AP Memes group (Don’t be Sus, Give us Memes!), the AP Wordle group (Where Wordle Class Writes Green Boxes), the AP Podcasts group (who wanted to replace the morning announcements with five-minute podcasts), and the AP Square

Dancing group (who said that square dancing was the best thing that had happened to them since coming to Stuy), among many others. In hopes of finding juniors who were more sane, we approached a silent group of protesters with signs that read “AP Miming,” but they declined to comment. After seeing all this, we quickly escaped the war zone before we could be persuaded to join the AP Curling group, whose members were trying to turn the half floor into a curling rink. It is now clear exactly how deranged the juniors are; should you see one walking down the hallway, DO NOT INTERACT WITH THEM.

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The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

Sports Girls’ Lacrosse

Chicks With Sticks: How the Stuyvesant Huskies Persevered Through a Post-Pandemic Girls’ Lacrosse Season Entering the spring season, excitement was at an all-time high for the girls’ lacrosse team, the Stuyvesant Huskies, who were poised to spring back into action following a long stretch of inactivity during the pandemic. Due to the hiatus, however, the Huskies were faced with a uniquely unfortunate predicament with the state of their new team coming into the 2022 season. It had been three years since the last girls’ lacrosse season took place, and many experienced upperclassmen had already graduated. Coming into the season, the team only had five returning players with lacrosse experience, some of whom had resorted to playing boys’ lacrosse during the 20202021 season, as they did not have enough players to run a separate girls’ team that year. Boys’ lacrosse has its own set of rules and regulations, the most notable difference being the high contact defense that prompts players to wear helmets and chest pads. Despite the adjustments they had to make, many of the girls who played on the boys’ team found the experience to be valuable. “Playing on the boys’ team last year was super fun. I definitely enjoyed the more physical aspect of the sport,” senior and co-captain Kiki Caso said. “Learning a whole set of rules for boys’ lacrosse was difficult, but it was super interesting to play, and I found it interesting how much brute force was emphasized and how little the stick finesse the girls had learned mattered. I think it will be interesting to see if, in coming years, the girls’ and boys’ teams can stay close.” Prior to the commencement of the 2022 season, there was a strong possibility that the girls’ lacrosse program would not have the peo-

ple nor the resources to get back on its feet. “To be totally honest, I thought that we would seriously have to consider not having a team at all this year,” Caso said. “I had

ly, school social worker Arleen Novarese stepped up to become the official head coach of the girls’ lacrosse team. With everything now in order, the official season was fi-

or their team got COVID-19,” junior Zifei Zhao said. With a managerial coach who didn’t have the experience to teach the skills associated with the sport, practices

to really hustle, and through what seemed like thousands of meetings with [athletic director Peter] Bologna and Coach, [...] I managed to scrape together all the new equipment for both the girls’ and guys’ teams.” She felt that this situation was one of the biggest challenges she faced, having to spend hours researching the new rules and regulations, as well as getting everything organized and ready to have a running program. The team also needed to recruit heavily in order to have enough players for an eligible roster, and with the coaching spot vacant, there was the search for a new coach as well. Fortunate-

nally underway. It was difficult enough to assemble a functioning girls’ lacrosse team at all, but the season itself proved to have its own set of hurdles. “Our roster was really small, and we only ever had two or three subs a game. So if a player was unable to attend, then we would have to forfeit the game,” freshman Mira Nambiar said. However, the Huskies weren’t alone, as many other teams in their league ended up forfeiting their games as well. “Sometimes, other teams forfeited, and sometimes, we forfeited. Some teams just weren’t active, didn’t have enough players,

were mostly student-led. This responsibility was one of the primary challenges facing the captains, as they had to teach the basics of the game to many of the girls, who had not touched a lacrosse stick prior to joining the team. On top of this difficulty, practices were hard to come by. “Playing lacrosse in New York City is super hard, especially when you don’t have a field or enough resources,” Zhao said. Small, inexperienced, and under-resourced, the Huskies faced a long and difficult season. The Huskies were able to persevere through this unique set of challenges. “The captains coached

Courtesy of Iris Chan

By YAQIN RAHMAN

the new players and taught us how to play the game,” Nambiar said. “We made the best of our circumstances.” The team established a working dynamic despite the situation. “I was just so appreciative to even have a coach this year, as [Novarese] was kind enough to get CPRcertified for us,” Caso said. With Novarese helping girls’ lacrosse stay afloat, Caso was content with taking on the role of managing the team as a co-captain while being a player herself. The other co-captains, seniors Angie Grzybowski and Cynthia Tan, along with several other experienced players, taught the first-years how to play the sport. “I think that the thing which helped to grow our roster was just having a welcoming practice environment. A lot of girls who joined our team this year were already friends, and so our team immediately became very closeknit,” Caso said. Out of the three games that took place, the Huskies came away with one win and two losses. Stuyvesant won their season opener against Christopher Columbus, during which they endured the cold rain to win 11-2. Nambiar thought it was a fantastic start to the season. “It was pouring rain, and we had to go all the way to the Bronx to play them, but it was really enjoyable,” she said. The same cannot be said about the game against the Frederick Douglass Lady Lions, however, as the Huskies were overwhelmed defensively and lost the game 23-1. The last game of the season against John Dewey also ended with a loss, but it was a highly contested game all throughout. Many of the girls felt that the match against Dewey was the game where continued on page 38

NBA

The NBA Playoffs: Setting The Stage for The Eastern Conference Finals By ARSHAN PERVEZ and LIAM WALSH With the powerhouse Brooklyn Nets swept in a 4-0 series by the Boston Celtics, the Celtics have proven themselves to be worthy title contenders. After a disappointing start to the season, the Celtics, led by superstar forward Jayson Tatum and all-star guard Jaylen Brown, made a great turnaround and are looking to advance to the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics knocked off the reigning-champion Milwaukee Bucks to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals on May 15. After physical, back-andforth games between the two teams, the series only became more competitive after the Celtics’ victory in game four. In game five, the Bucks edged out the Celtics in a one-possession game, giving the Bucks what seemed to be a tenacious grip on the series. Leading the Bucks to overcome a doubledigit deficit in the fourth quarter, Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped 40 points while connecting on 16 of 27 field goals, which was his most efficient shooting game of the postseason. Jrue Holiday shut down the Celtics’ two final offen-

sive possessions with a block and a steal, and his defensive contributions were crucial to the team’s success. The Celtics, however, were not ready to be sent home in game six—thanks to Jayson Tatum’s 46-point performance with 16 in the fourth quarter, Boston held off another potential Bucks comeback. After the game, Celtics coach Ime Udoka said, “We had the right resolve […] We let an opportunity slip away [in game five] but we still had a chance to make it a better story.” Despite the Bucks’ defeat, Antetokounmpo had another night that was nothing short of spectacular. With 44 points and 20 rebounds, Giannis kept Milwaukee in the game for the entirety of the fourth quarter. However, the streak of awayteam success came to an end with the next game when Boston brought it back to TD Garden and clinched their spot in the Conference Finals for the 36th time in franchise history. In this secondhalf rout of the Bucks, the Celtics ended up scoring 22 threepointers, an insuperable challenge for the Bucks to overcome. With only four of 33 three-point attempts connected, Milwaukee had

the second-worst all time shooting percentage in the playoffs by any team with at least 30 attempts from behind the line. Antetokounmpo’s lackluster play in the second half left something to be desired, as he converted on just three of 11 field goals in the paint. But, as Giannis put up historic numbers in the series, becoming the first player ever to reach 200 points, 100 rebounds, and 50 assists in a single playoff series, he can’t be blamed for the Bucks’ defeat. Instead, Celtics’ players such as Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Grant Williams, and a 35-year-old Al Horford stepped up in big games and delivered all throughout the series. In the other half of the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers in a 4-2 series to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Superstar center and MVP runner Joel ‘The Process’ Embiid was out for the first two games of the series with an orbital fracture and a concussion on top of his alreadytorn thumb ligament. Despite backlash from the fanbase, head coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers started veteran center DeAndre Jordan for the two games The Process was out. This decision was heavily

criticized by 76ers fans as Jordan’s lackluster athleticism and limited mobility on the court presented more of a liability than an asset, as he totaled only 10 points and seven rebounds in the 30 minutes he played in the series. Despite returning for the rest of the series, Embiid continued to be hampered by his injuries, scoring less than 20 points in the majority of this series’ games. Superstar guard James Harden, new to the Sixers this season, continued to show signs of aging as he also scored less than 20 points for the majority of the games in this series. Rivers reiterated that he was not solely blaming Harden for the loss after game 6, saying, “I don’t lay the feet at anybody. . . We lost together as a group.” As Harden continues to transform his style into more of a playmaker than primary scoring option, Philadelphia is faced with the difficult decision this offseason of signing Harden to a maximum contract or allowing him to leave in free agency. On the other hand, the Miami Heat have once again proven their dominance this round. After a disappointing performance in the postseason last year, Miami Heat forward Jimmy ‘Buckets’ Butler

has arguably been one of the best players in this year’s playoffs, averaging 29.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. Butler ‘twisted the knife’ even further after game six by saying, “Tobias Harris over me?”, a reference to the 76ers front office not offering Butler a maximum contract in 2019. Still, this series was not a one-manshow by any means. Guards Max Strus and Gabe Vincent and veteran forward PJ Tucker, have all contributed massively to the perimeter shooting of the team. Thus, the offensive liabilities of players such as Butler were covered. On the other end of the court, head coach Erik Spoelstra continuously made brilliant changes and switches to the defensive tactics of the team, including focusing on the 76ers in transition and clogging the paint to slow down Embiid. This Eastern Conference Finals will be the perfect combination of young v.s. old, traditional v.s. modern, and Jayson Tatum v.s. Jimmy Butler. However, with the fall of the Bucks and the 76ers in the second round of the Eastern Conference, we must ask if we should continue to “Fear the Deer” and “Trust the Process.”

The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

Page 37

Sports Girls’ Track and Field

The Greyducks are Dashing to the Finish As the school year nears its conclusion, the outdoor track season is also coming to an end for the Greyducks, Stuyvesant’s girls’ track and field team. Led by captains Susan Zheng and Zuzi Liu, the Greyducks competed in seven track meets this season, having just raced at the Manhattan Borough Championships where they placed second. Overall, it’s been a fantastic season, and with the final meets coming up over the next few weeks, the Greyducks are ready to finish the year strong. This year, the team gained many new runners, as underclassmen were unable to compete last year due to COVID-19. Head coach Carl DiSarno notes that the arrival of a new set of promising freshmen and sophomores this year has boosted the team’s spirit. “All of the newcomers, especially those who didn’t do indoor [track], made huge strides,” DiSarno said. Among these athletes, he singled out Niamh Werner, Kikyo Makino-Siller, and Honora Muratori. Werner, a freshman who started out the season by competing in the 200-meter dash, has quickly developed as a hurdler. At borough championships, she contributed to the team’s secondplace-finish by winning both the 100-meter hurdles and the 400-meter intermediate hurdles. In a meet that was a week prior to Boroughs, she improved her time in the 400 intermediate hurdles by an astonishing seven seconds to run 1:22.85. Sophomore Makino-Siller, another promising athlete, is making headway in the discus throwing event, also medalling at Boroughs with a throw of over 61 feet to get fourth place. Finally, Muratori, a freshman mid-distance runner, dropped 10 seconds off of her 800-meter time to come within 1.06 seconds of a podium finish at Boroughs in a competitive heat filled with many experienced upperclassmen. As these talented, young individuals hone in on their skills, the Greyducks will reap the benefits of developing promising freshmen and sophomores into

ambitious athletes. As DiSarno notes, these exciting newcomers would have not been able to hone in on their skills as they have without the tremendous leadership exhibited by the team’s captains. One of the team’s senior captains, Susan Zheng, has broadened her talents this season in order to set an example for newer athletes, competing in all fixtures from sprint events such as the 200 and 400-meter runs, mid-distance events like the 800-meter, and long distance events like the 2000-meter steeplechase and the 3000-meter run. She greatly contributed to the team’s placement at Boroughs by finishing second in the 400-meter

memorable time jumping into the water pit.” Zheng not only lead the team with her bravery and versatility, but she also excelled in meets throughout the season. In the steeplechase race at Icahn Stadium, which was the PSAL Day of Weights, she won the event in a time of 8:34.90, leaping over hurdles and trudging through the water on each lap even though the temperature was below 45ºF that morning. Sprinter Zuzi Liu, another senior captain, expressed many similar sentiments as Zheng. “When I first joined track, I was especially hesitant to try events that weren’t pure sprints like the triple jump. Track is a flexible sport

through a turbulent year. Back in January, Disarno was forced to hold all practices outdoors in the below freezing weather as COVID-19 cases were peaking. Nevertheless, members of the team continued to show up to practices, braving it out in the cold and ensuring that they would be ready when the important meets came around. This theme of fighting through adverse weather conditions continued throughout this season. The first two meets, the PSAL Season Opener and aforementioned PSAL Day of Weights, had temperatures in the low 40s, which were not ideal for running and certainly not ideal for standing around waiting at a meet. Then, at

and 800-meter runs. However, she hopes that her versatility will have a more lasting impact on her teammates: “Be brave and try events outside your comfort zone and events that seem even the slightest bit fun […] My favorite memory from this season was competing in the 2000-meter steeplechase at Icahn Stadium. It was the first time I tried the steeplechase and I had a

in that there really is an event for everyone so I highly recommend trying a new event every season,” Liu said. In fact, the triple jump was one of the events that Liu stood out at during Boroughs, finishing third and just under two feet off of the Borough champion. Despite having greatly improved from the same time last year, the Greyducks have been

the Howard Richter Invitational at Dewitt Clinton High School on May 7, the team faced poor weather conditions again, running through puddles on the track as the rain poured down ferociously. Though the meet was almost canceled and throwers had their events called off, the team showed up regardless and ran their hardest. And finally, against the backdrop of being accustomed

Ellen Wright / The Spectator

By ROMAIN TARAYRE and VERNON HUGHES

to cooler temperatures when training, the team endured nearly ten hours in the heat as the temperature reached 79 degrees on the day of Borough Championships. In terms of challenges, Liu also noted that this year there were less than 20 girls competing at Boroughs because the date clashed with AP season and personal events. Many girls doubled, or even tripled up on events to overcome the small roster size, showcasing their tremendous flexibility and talents across disciplines. Despite these challenges, the team finished second in Manhattan and were proud of the personal records they set. “The effort the girls gave to finish runner up at boroughs was the best part of the season. We knew we had a little chance of beating Hunter, but [we] competed very hard and I was really proud,” Disarno said. Spirits are high as the team rides the highs of their finishes at Boroughs and look to end the season with a fresh batch of personal records. For Zheng, Liu, and the other seniors who have been on the team for the last four years, it will mark the end of an era. “Looking back on my time as a Greyduck, I would say that being a part of this team was one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve had in my lifetime,” Zheng said. Nevertheless, they will be passing on the torch to a talented set of individuals who they have personally helped develop by instruction and being role models. As the Greyducks transition into summer training for the fall cross country season, the girls will look to replicate their success from this year’s cross country season, when the team finished first place at Boroughs and second at Cities, qualifying for States in the process. Five of the team’s seven varsity cross country members, including junior Isabella Stenhouse who finished first individually at Boroughs and Cities, will be returning. Still, DiSarno and the team’s seniors will look into cultivating new talent in freshmen and sophomores to ensure the Greyducks’ strong legacy continues.

Boys’ Volleyball

Beasts Fall in the Playoffs After a Flawless Regular Season The playoff dreams of the Beasts, Stuyvesant’s boys’ varsity volleyball team, came to an end on Friday the 13 after a close game at home against the eventual league champions, the James Madison Knights. Their playoff loss was the only “stain” on what was otherwise a flawless season. Led by Coach Choubaralian and senior co-captains Sirui Pu, Elio Torres, and Raymond Dong, the Beasts were able to play their first full season since the pandemic-induced hiatus. Despite the team’s lack of experience due to the two-year pause, the Beasts were still highly motivated heading into the season. “Given that even the senior players hardly had a full year of volleyball behind them or had only experienced a freshman-year season, we knew we would have to work hard to become a cohesive and successful team. Yet, I think that underdog mentality drove us to work harder,” Torres said. The Beasts would go undefeated in the Manhattan A West league, topping their league with a 10-0 record, all without dropping a single set. Though the Beasts had missed two seasons, they had a lot of outside experience. “While our teammates had little practice on the

Stuyvesant team, we did have four club players who actively play for travel teams like VBA and NYC

league match without losing a single set, their season still had its fair share of hurdles. Most notably, the

Impact. Alongside our knowledgeable coach, they often brought club-level advice into our practices, which made us a better team in our league,” Torres said. Dong also credited the team’s clear objectives, good chemistry, and tenacity as reasons behind the Beasts’ success during the season. Though the Beasts dominated their opposition, winning every

Beasts were plagued by unforeseen circumstances toward the end of the season. Several starting members experienced injuries from rotator cuffs to ankles to knuckles. At one point, Coach Choubaralian and a few other players were even out with COVID. The absence of key players was most evident in the Beasts’ last and most challenging match of their

Courtesy of the Boys Volleyball Team

By ANGIER LEI

season against the High School for Math, Science and Engineering. Forced to dig deep against their talented opponents, the Beasts were able to get some momentum early and eventually pull out a victory, winning the first set 25-14 and barely edging out their opponents to take the second set 25-23. “The team was able to quickly adapt throughout the whole season with certain people stepping up to fill in certain roles,” said Dong. The Beasts entered the playoffs as the eighth seed and first locked horns with the ninth-seeded Knights. Going up against a team with a D1 commit and a noteworthy win against the second-seeded Fort Hamilton Tigers, the Beasts knew they would need to produce something special to win the match. However, the Beasts were at a severe disadvantage entering the game, as they were forced to play with an adjusted lineup due to injuries. Nevertheless, the Beasts came into the match swinging, initially keeping pace with the Knights. After a sequence of weak serves, however, they ultimately fell behind. “We had around seven missed serves in the first set, which is more than we’ve had in a game all season,” Torres said. The Beasts ended up dropping the first set

20-25, and they allowed their opponents to carry the winning momentum into their second match, falling behind 10-20. With their backs against the wall, the Beasts rallied and mounted a comeback. Off of senior Jing Cao’s serve, the Beasts won eight service points in a row, bringing the game to 18-20. Despite their valiant efforts, the Beasts would give up five more points to lose the second set 21-25. The Knights would go on to beat the first, second, and fourth-seeded teams to win the PSAL championship. Though their season ended shorter than they would have preferred, the Beasts celebrated their successful season, laughing together and making signs for the five departing seniors. “It was the ideal end to a season of determination and spirit,” remarked Torres. With five critical players leaving, the Beasts have work to do before next season. “There will be certain changes in the structure of the team, practices, tryouts, and much more, but I’m sure they’ll be just fine. I think the team is going to be in good hands,” said Dong. The accomplishments the Beasts have achieved this season show that they will continue to be a reckoning force in years to come.

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The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

Sports Soccer

One Final Game: A Preview of the 2022 Champions League Final Saturday, May 28, 2022. The final game to end the 2021-2022 Champions League campaign. A Real Madrid side led by manager Carlo Ancelotti takes on one of Liverpool’s best ever sides led by manager Jürgen Klopp. Looking back at history, Real Madrid has gone on to win the competition a staggering 12 times, while Liverpool has won the trophy five times, giving the former the advantage. However, in the Champions League, anything can happen. We’ve seen it all too many times. Barcelona’s iconic comeback against Paris Saint-Germain. Cristiano Ronaldo’s bicycle kick against Juventus. Trent AlexanderArnold’s quick corner to Divock Origi to seal the iconic comeback for Liverpool against Barcelona. This final will be a highly contested match between two sides in excellent form, so let’s analyze this game and discuss where the strengths and flaws of each team lie heading into the pitch. On one side of the spectrum, there is Real Madrid. Having won the La Liga title comfortably, the squad is going into this matchup with an abundance of confidence, never mind the fact that they pulled off three comebacks against

three of the world’s best teams: Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Manchester City. Combine the elite mentality of this team with their core players in forward Karim Benzema, who leads the tournament with a staggering 15 goals in 11 games, starlet Vinícius Júnior, and experienced midfielder Luka Modrić, and you’ve got one of the most balanced units in the game. Coming into this game, we know what to expect from Real Madrid tactic-wise. They will likely be on the back foot of this game, as they thrive off counter-attacks and Liverpool is a team that dominates possession, which means that it is extremely crucial that their counters are executed perfectly. Defenders Daniel Carvajal and Ferland Mendy will have their hands tied in this game with the incessant threat of Liverpool forwards Luis Díaz and Mohamed Salah, the latter who is expected to be fit for the game. It is vital that when they join the attack, a Madrid player drops back to cover the open wings. One weakness of this Real Madrid team is that they are very vulnerable to crosses in the penalty box. This fits right into Liverpool’s gameplan, in which their fullbacks Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are two of the best crossers of the ball. Because of this, Real Madrid

have to avoid any mistakes on their defensive end, and need to make sure to clear any incoming balls in the final third. On the other side, we have Liverpool. As a team that is still contesting for trophies this season, this Champions League match will be one of their priorities. Victories

egance in midfielder Thiago, and a constant thorn of any opponent in Díaz. On the technical aspect, we shouldn’t be expecting anything surprising from Liverpool compared to what they have done this season. It is probable that their play will revolve around the wings,

Henry Bansbach / The Spectator

By VEDANT KOTHARI

against Inter Milan, Benfica, and Villareal in the knockout stages have propelled them to this final fixture. Jürgen Klopp’s side truly has all of the qualities of a stellar team—a modern fullback in Alexander-Arnold, technical el-

with overlaps from Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Regarding the fitness of the team, there should be no worries on any key players. In a press conference previous to their game against Southampton, Klopp said, “But

if not then we take each day afterwards. But we are very positive, or [have] no doubt about the final.” This news is extremely positive for Liverpool fans, but a significant question lies underneath. Who will the starting front three for Liverpool be in the final? Based on form, it should be Luis Díaz, Sadio Mané, and Mo Salah. However, Diogo Jota has been firing on all cylinders this season, so it is possible that we will see him slide into the lineup. By no means will it be easy to predict who will win the Champions League. Victory is a privilege, and both of these teams will be putting every remaining ounce of sweat on that pitch over the 90 minutes. Based on their history in the Champions League and the experience of certain players in the team, Real Madrid will have the upper hand in this game. Their repeated dominance in the competition over a multitude of years as well as the mentality of their team after making comebacks in each round of the knockouts is what gives them the edge over Liverpool. However, it is impossible to predict how this game will play out, and we will have to see until match night which side will emerge victorious in this contested final.

FIFA

By KRISH GUPTA Every year, soccer enthusiasts flock to the shelves to buy the latest edition of the FIFA video game, created by the company EA Sports. The cover athlete each year is entered into the sport’s history as a great. Iconic covers such as Lionel Messi’s on FIFA 14 and Ronaldinho’s on FIFA 07 have become collector’s items. FIFA has become a sport unto itself, with tournaments and leagues, a truly global phenomenon fit only for the world’s biggest sport. FIFA to EA Sports has been yin to yang, Xavi to Iniesta, Thierry Henry to Dennis Bergkamp, and Carles Puyol to Gerald Piqué for as long as young fans can remember. FIFA, seeking to make its own game and with it its own profits, has broken that bond, terminating its deal with EA Sports. This decision has left FIFA 23 as the final edition of arguably the most prolific video game franchise of all time. EA Sports will continue to produce the game under the guise EA Sports FC, while FIFA plans to make its own game. With the FIFA franchise all but over, let’s take a look at some of the covers

from rising stars we may never get to see. Not FIFA 24: Erling Haaland Haaland has been a goal-scoring machine for Dortmund, and the young Norwegian’s move to Manchester City puts him in the spotlight atop the best league in the world. EA Sports fans would have loved to see Haaland, possibly in his meditation celebration, on the cover with FIFA across the bottom, but sadly, that image is a reality we can never see. Not FIFA 25: Vinícius Júnior Vini Jr. has taken the world by storm. The 21-year-old Brazilian has shown out in big moments, including his incredible dummy goal in the Champions League semifinals versus Manchester City. If his development continues at this meteoric pace, he could be the face of the Brazilian Seleção for years to come. Unfortunately, though, we’ll never see him on an EA Sports FIFA cover. Not FIFA 26: Phil Foden Having been recently voted as the Premier League’s Young Player of the Year, the Englishman is well on his way to superstardom. Once

he gets his goal and assist numbers up to rival the best of the best, a FIFA cover will have been inevitable.

Kanté. He’ll be following in the footsteps of Dortmund products like Robert Lewandowski and Haaland.

Not FIFA 27: Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna Call this situation an American fan’s fever dream, but a Pulisic x Reyna cover in 2027 would not have been all that unlikely. Picture this: it’s right after the 2026 American/Canadian/Mexican-hosted World Cup, and the USMNT has made an improbable run to the semifinals. Pulisic has scooped up the tournament Golden Boot. New American ownership of Chelsea has bought Reyna from Dortmund, forming a dynamic States duo across the pond. Captain America will have Chelsea level with Manchester City in points atop the Premier League, in no small part thanks to league assists leader Reyna. If only…

Not FIFA 29: Pedri, Gavi, Ansu Fati The 19-year-old Spaniard Pedri has been hailed as the heir to Messi. He is a magnetic presence in any Barcelona game, guiding his way through, around, and over defenders with ease. Now the face of a young, resurgent, recovering Barça, he was bound to grace a cover—perhaps even with his teammate and La Masia product Gavi and the rising star Ansu Fati.

Not FIFA 28: Jude Bellingham Eighteen-year-old Bellingham may become Dortmund’s latest talent-turned-superstar. Surely to be in the Premier League or La Liga by the 2027-2028 campaign, the English midfielder could develop into a Kevin De Bruyne or N’Golo

Eugenia Ochoa / The Spectator

EA Sports: It’s Not in the Game

Not FIFA 30: Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. The son of a now retired legend, the Manchester United youth academy product will be leading a resurgence at Old Trafford. With Pep Guardiola gone and sanctions imposed on its oil power owners, Manchester City will be able to do nothing but watch as Ronaldo Jr. nets hat trick after hat trick in the Manchester Derby.

Girls’ Lacrosse

Chicks With Sticks: How the Stuyvesant Huskies Persevered Through a Post-Pandemic Girls’ Lacrosse Season continued from page 36

the team truly came together. “All our team members got to play, and we all learned more about the game as a result,” Zhao said. “We definitely played more as a team, even though we lost.” Though the season didn’t go

exactly as planned, there were many takeaways from this year’s girls’ lacrosse season. For one, the roster of mostly first-year underclassmen stepped up to play when it mattered most, including the freshmen. “The freshmen have a surprising amount of dedication for the game. Everyday, they would show up to practice and be

ready to train,” Caso said. “I’m super proud of them, not only for their dedication, but also because it really manifested in the form of stick skills and gameplay.” Many of the first-year players took the time to truly learn the game and foster their love for the sport. Despite adversity, the Stuyvesant Huskies prevailed through the

post-pandemic phase of girls’ lacrosse and fought for a chance to keep the program alive to play a sport they loved. With only three seniors graduating, the bulk of the roster is expected to return next season, this time with experience in lacrosse. Though there’s still a lot more to learn for the upcoming season, this season has done well

in setting up for the future of the Huskies. What’s most important about this year is how it stands as a testament to the dedication of the girls who decided to pick up their sticks to persevere through a post-COVID world, leaving their marks in a unique era of Stuyvesant sports history.

The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

Page 39

Sports Athlete of the Issue

Double Play, Double Slay 3. Do you have a most memorable/proud moment with the Renegades or the Phoenix? A: I still think about the Lab game. It was such a great memory because it was such a close game and to give credit, Lab has some pretty good players; we were able to shut them down when it really mattered and come through with energy from the bench. I thought it was really impressive how we were in an away game—a hostile environment because they had some crazy parents—and we were

By YASHNA PATEL Name: Paige Wolfing Grade: Senior Height: 5’ 9” Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Brown Date of Birth: July 22, 2004 Name: Alison Chan Grade: Senior Height: 5’ 3” Hair Color: Dark Brown Eye Color: Brown Date of Birth: September 21, 2004

anything. Personally I worry that whenever I do something good I don’t like to get too hype about it, especially if the game is still going on, because I want to stay focused and always improve and recognize that I am not the best player there is and there is always room to grow. P: I practiced every day so I can get consistent with all my skills. Learning a balance between consistency but also not pushing myself too much.

1. What inspired you to start playing sports at Stuyvesant? A: I have been playing sports for a really long time, and started playing basketball in the third grade, so going into Stuyvesant, I always knew that was something I wanted to do and everything worked out. P: I have been playing softball and basketball since middle school. I was looking through the different sports and decided to stick with Coach Miller.

6. Do you have any plans to continue playing sports in the future or in college? A: As much as I would want to play on the school team, I don’t think it’s realistic. However, I will definitely try to play in club or intramural. P: I decided not to do the whole college sport process. In college, I want to continue playing basketball or softball through club sports. 7. How do you balance being a two-sport athlete and schoolwork? A: It is all about time management, sticking to what your plan is, and not cheating yourself of work when you are supposed to. I usually plan out what I’m going to do in my head before I get home because it helps me stay focused, and if I have an agenda, I am way more efficient. P: The second I go home, I take a shower and eat, and then start my homework so I can sleep as much as possible. I really value my sleep because I know I am not going to feel good without it.

Coco Fang / The Spectator

2. What positions do you play, and what skills/strengths are involved? A: I play point guard in basketball and shortstop in softball. They are similar positions. I mean for point guard, I think it is really important to have a good court awareness and to know the game very well, because you are reading the offense and you need to know the game to be able to carry out situations when they happen, and you can not practice everything that will happen. It is a lot of instinctual decision making and communication. P: My position in basketball is high or low post so basically a big defending/offensive player. In that position there is a lot of using your height and weight to your advantage. You try to use your momentum to help you throw the ball faster and a lot of it is not your arm, so both are somewhat similar and my personal build has helped me in playing both positions.

and not feel like I have power over them. If they trust and respect me, then they will listen to me.

able to pull out with the win. P: Our game against Hunter. We were in a slump and losing and I remember going up to the plate and deciding to just swing at it. I hit a home run and it set us into a really good hitting streak. The energy was brought up. 4. What is your strategy for constantly improving yourself (specific workouts, exercises, mentality, etc.)? A: It is important to never get too high of yourself or to give yourself too much credit for

5. How has being a captain changed your outlook on both softball and basketball? A: As captain, you have to be more vocal with the team and really make sure everybody is in the game and focused. I think comparing my experience as an underclassmen and now as captain, it’s different because you start to worry about how everyone is getting along, team chemistry, and how everyone is feeling. P: It has not been much different as a player or a captain. If anything, the way I try to be captain is to be friends with everyone

8. Do you have any pregame superstitions or rituals? A: I have a turtle necklace that I wear for good luck. I am not that superstitious. P: I don’t have a pregame ritual but Winnie Thompson, a freshman on the team, and I like to do a little handshake every time I go up to bat. 9. What is your jersey number? What made you decide that number? A: Number 5. I don’t have a cool story, but it just happened when I was playing CYO basketball in elementary school and I wanted a simple but not super popular number. I stuck with it. P: My jersey number is 21. In sixth grade there were only a few numbers left for me to choose from, and I decided to pick 21 be-

cause I thought it was funny at the time. The “9 +10 = 21” joke was going around that time and it was the first thing that came to mind. 10. What is your free throw routine? A: I do three dribbles with the basketball, and then a spin. P: I do two dribbles, spin the ball back to me, and then another two dribbles. I call it the “Around the World Pop a Squat”. 11. How has playing multiple sports together impacted your relationship? A and P: We are best friends forever. Paige Wolfing Funniest Teammate? Venus Wan, Isabel Leka Favorite Sports Team? UCONN Women’s Basketball Team Favorite Athlete? Sedona Prince Favorite Sports Drink: Red Gatorade Favorite Post Game Snack: Goldfish and salt and vinegar chips Hobbies? Drawing, cooking, playing guitar Motto to Live By: “Winning is Everything.” — Coach Miller Fun Fact: I’m half white, half Taiwanense. Alison Chan Funniest Teammate? Venus Wan, Isabel Leka Favorite Sports Team? New York Rangers Favorite Athlete? Jason Tatum Favorite Sports Drink: Red Gatorade Favorite Post Game Snack: McDonalds and bubble tea Hobbies? Chess, reading, cooking, baking Motto to Live By: “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” —Wayne Gretzky Fun Fact: I used to play ice hockey.

NBA

Magic Sparks in the NBA Lottery By TEJAS SIDDARAMAIAH Shaquille O’Neal in 1992, Chris Webber in 1993, and Dwight Howard in 2004. The Orlando Magic are, once again, the winner of the NBA lottery in 2022. After falling to a record of 22-60, the second-worst in the league, the Magic had a 14 percent chance of claiming the first overall pick. Now, with the first selection in the draft, the future of the Magic is brighter than ever. The Orlando Magic have not had much success in winning throughout the past decade, as they have only made the playoffs twice in the last 10 years. The last time they made it past the first round was the 2009-10 season, and since that conference finals exit, the team has gone through six head coaches, now onto the seventh. After trading their only All-Star in Nikola Vučević last season, the team seemed to be continuing their cycle of mediocrity. However, the Magic are now establishing a renewed emphasis

on a winning culture through a mix of young talent and veterans. “Just the group of guys that we have, the staff, the organization, the players, that’s the exciting part behind it for me is that we all get to do this. It’s our first run. Just building a foundation from there is what’s really exciting about getting going,” said Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley at the beginning of the 2021-22 season. Though the Magic had a disappointing end to the season, losing the last seven of nine games played, they have a lot to look forward to. The team’s roster is young and still developing, with 13 of their 17 players being younger than 25. The Magic will look to improve on the team while also developing young talent in the upcoming season, beginning with the first overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. There are plenty of options to advance the team’s status in the league, but the three main strategies discussed among fans and the media are draft for talent, draft for fit, or

trade the pick. Though all the potential selections for the Orlando Magic are undoubtedly talented, one stands out above them all—center Chet Holmgren. Holmgren is considered a unicorn by many, with his lanky, seven-foot stature that can shoot 39 percent from the threepoint line. He is also a force on the defensive end, using his long frame to reach over players and block shots, with 3.7 blocks per game in his one-year stint with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. His offensive and defensive box plus-minus exemplify his play, each being a plus 7.5, and he contributes 6.3 win shares to his team. Holmgren is considered one of the best overall players in the draft with tremendous upside to his game. However, many argue that the Orlando Magic are also ripe with talent in the guard and center positions, with notable names of Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz, and Jalen Suggs playing as guards and Wendell Carter Jr., Mo Bamba, and Bol Bol as centers. With

the Magic’s backcourt and center positions loaded with skillful players, forward Jabari Smith Jr. seems most fitting to be drafted by the Magic. Smith is considered one of the best shooters in the draft with one of the purest jump shots in his class, proven with his 42 percent accuracy from the threepoint line. Now more than ever, shooting is vital in Orlando, with the Magic sitting at third worst in the league shooting from three. Smith also matches Holmgren in offensive box plus-minus, with a plus 7.4. Though Smith doesn’t match up to Holmgren in terms of defensive prowess, Smith’s shooting and offensive game make him a better fit for the Magic. With forward Jonathan Isaac being out for the foreseeable future, drafting a forward with such high potential is a good likelihood for the Magic. There is one more option mentioned that, though it may seem unlikely, can never be ruled out—trading the pick. This would open up many opportunities for

the Magic. They would no longer have to stick to one prospect but rather accumulate lots of highquality talent needed to build a winning team, like players later in the draft, such as Keegan Murray, Jalen Duren, and AJ Griffin. Having any of these players would be a great consolation prize for not drafting the star player the Magic wanted, and they would obtain assets that could help them continue their team-building with a mix of veterans and young players. The NBA has been evolving into a positionless game, with players like Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr. becoming essential parts of winning basketball. A decision like this will shape the future of the Magic franchise as we know it and will inform us of the direction of the team. We never know what will happen in the draft since teams try to mislead each other every step of the way. But, whatever the Magic do, they will have players to look forward to in the upcoming 2022-23 NBA season.

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The Spectator ● June 3, 2022

THE SPECTATOR SPORTS

Soccer

Mbappé F.C. By SAYEB KHAN and FREDERIK SCHUTZ After over a year of speculation and negotiations, Kylian Mbappé has shocked the footballing world by rejecting a €200 million move to the iconic Real Madrid. It had seemed certain that the 23-year-old French superstar was Madrid-bound, but he has instead chosen to extend his contract with PSG. The new deal will keep him at the club until at least 2025, with reports suggesting that Mbappé’s weekly figures will be at over €1 million per week, along with a staggering €100 million sign-on bonus. Additionally, potential bonuses over the next three years amount to nearly €300 million. This deal makes him the highest paid player in the world— even higher than football legends and fellow teammates Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. Prior to the official announcement of the extension, there were rumors that Mbappé would be made the head of PSG’s sporting project as a part of the deal. This process is a major aspect of the deal, because it would give him an unprecedented amount of power in off-pitch issues, such as the appointment of managers, sporting directors, and officials in the club’s hierarchy. This arrangement would practically turn PSG into Mbappé

F.C., not a place where the player serves the club, but rather where the club serves the player. The effects of this clause have already started to play out. Shortly following the confirmation of the contract extension, Sporting Director Leonardo Araújo was sacked after the club consulted Mbappé, who explained that he no longer wants to work with him. Mbappé has already named Luis Campos, the Portuguese director of football with whom he had worked when playing for AS Monaco, as his desired successor to Araújo. It also seems like a matter of time before manager Mauricio Pochettino gets sacked, following Mbappé’s newfound input on club matters. Can any one player be worth this much money on top of unprecedented managerial powers? There is a valid argument for PSG wanting to give up everything to keep their young superstar, as Mbappé’s statistics speak for themselves. At just 23, he has already won more than most players will win in their entire careers: he is a World Cup champion, a five-time Ligue 1 Champion, a two-time French Player of the Year, a two-time Coupe de la Ligue Champion, and a multiple-time FIFA World XI finalist. This season alone, Mbappé has totaled 39 goals and 26 assists, with 28 and 17, respectively, solely in Ligue 1, making him both the

top goal scorer and assist maker for the 2021-2022 season in the French league. Across the big five European Leagues, Mbappé has 42 goal contributions, a record in these leagues. In regard to footballing ability, it’s a no-brainer for any team to want a player like Mbappé, considering the stellar individual performances he puts in. Let’s take an example. Right after his announcement of deciding to stay at PSG, he went and scored a hat trick against FC Metz, leading his club to a 5-0 demolition job of the opposition. It was a statement performance by the young man, which basically amounted to him saying, “Yes, I am worth it.” His outstanding ability and contributions are why both Real Madrid and PSG were willing to shell out so much money for him. And so, solely based on his performances, it is definitely valid for any club to sit down at the negotiating table and place a blank checkbook on the table, allowing Mbappé to write any number he would like. For any player, these are abnormally impressive statistics, but what makes them significant is the young age at which he has accomplished these feats. The world of football has been desperate to find an heir to the throne of the kingdom that Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are soon to leave behind.

Both of these football legends are instantly recognizable figures, even among non-football fans, because they have consistently played at the highest levels for over a decade. As they reach their late 30s, retirement becomes a sooner reality, and both athletes have already begun adjusting their playing style to minimize the physical toll they take from playing the beautiful game. As a result, football needs a new face, and with Mbappé, that’s exactly what you have: the future face of the sport. He’s young and fresh, and he already has a huge celebrity-like status, with over 71 million Instagram followers. Making the young French celebrity superstar the face of your club has immense commercial potential, and it attracts millions of people to be interested in wherever he plays, simply because he’s Mbappé. Furthermore, the Qatari statebacked investment group Qatar Sports Investments owns PSG. So, given the controversy surrounding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which is right around the corner, tying down the Frenchman would have been a top priority for them, with the potential of utilizing Mbappé to improve the image of the tournament. It’s also useful to contextualize this decision by looking at Mbappé’s personal reasons to stay, since without his desire to remain

at PSG, no deal would have been possible. Mbappé grew up in the Parisian suburb of Bondy and was born just six months after France’s 1998 World Cup win, 11 kilometers from the Stade de France. Paris is a part of his identity. It runs through his veins, and in many ways, it almost seems like he was born to play for it. By staying at PSG, Mbappé is going to remain in his familiar home country. He said as much on Twitter: “Leaving my country wasn’t the right thing.” From his perspective, it is perfectly rational for him to accept PSG’s offer because he is well established at the club and familiar with his teammates, the staff, the league, and the competition level. Critics argue that Ligue 1 is a farmer’s league, where a single team is so dominant that the level of competition is considered inadequate and that he should either look for more of a challenge elsewhere or risk degrading the prestige of his career. Despite these concerns, when you take into account the aforementioned financial benefits; the power he has been granted; homeland sentimentality; calls from some of France’s most powerful men, including French president Emmanuel Macron, imploring him to stay; and even his mother’s invitation to Doha by the French club, this deal becomes a no-brainer for Mbappé.

Boys’ Tennis

Hitmen Conclude Memorable Playoffs Run By KHUSH WADHWA The advantage was to Staten Island. The match score was 2-1, with freshman James Xu and sophomore Prescott Jain falling in their singles matches to a pair of Staten Island juniors. The deficit was reduced when freshman Frank Shen and junior Angier Lei achieved a 10-6 victory in the second doubles match. Still to play were senior

down 5-1. But the psychological aspect changed at this point. “We stopped being scared. We wanted this win. And we weren’t going home without it,” Ly said. Ly took the lead, using slams and poaches to lessen the deficit. Goenka picked up his serve game, and the team started to win point after point. All of a sudden, the scores were level. Though Staten Island would win one more point, the cap-

would be the last school the Hitmen faced in the PSAL season, with the Hitmen losing the match 3-2. Though the team’s doubles units and second singles were unable to meet Hunter’s challenge, Hoo delivered a masterful 10-3 win, and Xu took it down to the wire to win his singles match 11-9. Though they were unable to achieve wins against Hunter, Beacon, and Bronx Science, the Hit-

prove their net play, consistency, and collected thinking. “At times, we weren’t able to pull off the win from our singles players because it’s less of a tough physical game, but more of a mental game. The freshmen are definitely experiencing some results from this training,” Ly said. It clearly paid dividends for the young team members. “I know the whole team, and [our] attitude allows for a lot of team support,” Xu said. Energy has been a huge factor for the team, especially when heading into the playoffs in matches where they were numerically disadvantaged. Coach Marvin Autry brought spirit to the squad, with his easygoing “bruh” and “crying emoji” remarks creating a casual environment for the team. The Hitmen struggled with some roster issues and a few tightly packed schedules, as seen in the match against Staten Island Technical. The team experienced a grueling commute, and it was even more

Thomas Yoo / The Spectator

co-captains and doubles partners Aryaman Goenka and James Ly, as well as freshman Stanley Hoo. Staten Island only needed to win one of those matches to advance to the next round of the playoffs and send Stuyvesant’s boys’ tennis team, the Hitmen, back home. With the playoffs on the line, Hoo delivered a masterful performance, using incredible volleys to defeat Tech’s first singles 10-0. All eyes then turned to the captains, who began their match with double faults and rushed warmups, going

tains commanded the remainder of the game. Just like that, the Hitmen were moving on. The team went crazy. Ly earned himself the nickname “The Great Wall of China” due to his showstopping volleys. They were moving into the next round against Hunter College High School. It was going to be a difficult game, with Hunter besting the Hitmen for all of their regular season matches, but the heightened team morale heading into the match gave them a vital boost. The first-seeded Hunter

men experienced a memorable season. Overall, their matches were close and competitive. PSAL tennis matches are played in a best-of-five format, in which the team with the most game wins will get the match win, and though the team finished with a 4-6 match record, they had a game differential of +4, meaning that they won four more games than they lost, suggesting that their losses were poorly timed to contribute to their losing record. Over the course of the season, the team worked hard to im-

difficult for Hoo, who had to stay at school late that day to complete an AP exam. Some of the players were also marked inactive for a few matches after facing academic struggles, but they put in their best effort to gain the ability to play in the playoff matches. Overall, the season has been an incredible one for the Hitmen. For Goenka and Ly, the semifinal exit from the PSAL tournament was no small feat. Additionally, they still have the opportunity to claim one last championship through the Mayor’s Cup, a knockout-style tournament that the Hitmen qualified for through their incredible PSAL seed. This record won’t be a oneand-done either, with the Hitmen having a plethora of talent to push them through the next three years. “The freshmen this year have been some of the strongest prospects Stuyvesant has seen in four years,” Ly said. “The Hitmen will leave a lasting legacy on Stuyvesant tennis.”

SPORTSBEAT Real Madrid defeated Liverpool in the Champions League Final, with a 1-0 scoreline thanks to a 59th minute goal by attacker Vinicius Jr. The Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat in Game 7, earning themselves a spot in the 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. Manchester City clinched the 2022 Premier League title for the fourth time in the last five years. The Peglegs, Stuyvesant boys’ varsity baseball team, have made it to the semi finals of the playoffs after a 6-4 win against Grand St. Campus. Arizona Cardinals cornerback Jeff Gladney died in a car accident at the young age of 25.