Volume 112, Issue 6

The Spectator The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper

Volume 112 No. 6

November 22, 2021 PHOTO

Happy, Free, Confused, and Lonely with “Red (Taylor’s Version)”

Autumn is in the Air

This year saw a whopping 14 Freshman Caucus tickets throw their hat into the election ring, a number that nearly approaches last year’s 16. The Spectator has chosen to endorse three of the prospective tickets.

Read page 5 for more Andy Xian & Fin Ying

Alifa Azad / The Spectator

Sasha Socolow / The Spectator

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD

StuyPulse Team 694 won the Mustang Robot Rodeo competition at Clifton High School, Clifton, NJ.

The Boys Badminton Team won 4-1 against Bronx Science in the Public Schools Athletic League finals.

Music teacher Harold Stephan hosted a Songwriters Hall of Fame Master Session at Stuyvesant with Grammy-nominated Tommy “TBHits” Brown.

station. “I like that it’s more secluded than the printing station so it’s easier to get work done, and I also like that there are seats so you can sit down,” senior Ellen Pehlivanian said.

While the Tech Room was only recently transformed into a new workspace, some students have suggested additional supplies to further improve the room.

“Office supplies, say for example

Madeline Goodwin & Ayla Irshad

a stapler [...] would be a great addition [and] different office stationery. For example, pens,” Lee said.

Pehlivanian added, “I wish we could add maybe some outlets so people could charge their phone or their laptop while they are doing their work.”

The administration hopes that the change will be a helpful addition to both students and staff and that all students will feel welcome

to use it. “In the past, some students [did not use the room and] either didn’t know that [the room] was kind of [for] the Student Union or were maybe a little intimidated because upperclassmen tend to hang out in there,” Moran said. “There was an opportunity to give both students and staff more space. I think that that space could be utilized for students, and I hope it is.”

Robotics Team Places First at NYC RoboRama

By JINA KOH and ZIYING JIAN At one of their first competitions in the pre-robotics season, Stuyvesant’s FIRST Robotics Challenge (FRC) team, StuyPulse 694, placed first at the NYC RoboRama event held at Francis Lewis High School on October 30. The team won 11 out of 12 matches, losing one match after their robot flipped over.

StuyPulse 694 is made up of three different departments: engineering, which works with the mechanics of the robot hands-on; software engineering, which writes the code of the robot; and marketing, which promotes the team and raises funds.

The objective of the competition was for each team to earn the greatest number of points, either by scoring balls or power cells in the team’s goal. Though StuyPulse 694 felt stressed before the competition, they were confident in succeeding.

“There’s always pressure to do well

in any competition, especially since this is [...] the second competition [we’ve] had in the past two years,” junior and Director of Media Max

we only had one over the summer, which we relatively did well in. We came into this thinking we should be performing well because in com-

Zeng said. “[During] the pandemic, there were no competitions, and

parison to the other teams, our robot was quite better.”

Most notably, during one of the matches, StuyPulse’s robot flipped over after it was accelerated too quickly by the driver. “ I accelerated the robot too quickly and hit a bar with my wheel, causing the robot to flip. Because we were the main scorer on our team, this lost us the match,” senior and President of Software Engineering Samuel Belliveau said.

This incident could have been caused by the imbalance in the design of the robot. “The center of mass of the robot is kind of off or not where it should be because of our battery placement and other things. Because there are bumps in the field, there is a possibility of tilting when you’re driving really fast,” Zeng said. “Especially with the schedule we had that day, we had no way of fixing the robot. Most repairs were very last minute, and we were praying that it worked.”

While the team was thrown off,

Courtesy of The Robotics Team

English teacher Julie Sheinman took her Acting class to see a performance of “Wicked” on Broadway.

opened, a few students have already stopped by the Tech Room to take advantage of its resources.

“I like that the [Tech Room] has a computer and a printer we can use aside from the printing station,” junior Lianne Ohayon said. “It’s a good place to come and finish up any work you have during your frees.”

Given its location, many prefer the workspace to the printing

Ethan Sie & Khush Wadhwa

continued on page 2

Francesca Nemati / The Spectator

print station. “With the content in there, [the room] is really focused toward just working on assignments or printing something out,” junior and SU Vice President Ryan Lee said. “It’s a nice room where students are able to do a bunch of different work.”

The administration created this space to address crowding near the print station on the second floor and as an additional

see pages 16-17

Sophia Mueller / The Spectator

Around the school building, Stuyvesant offers many student workspaces such as the library.

Recently, the administration turned the former Big Sib Office in the Student Union (SU) room into a Tech Room, serving as a new workspace with technology for students to use.

The Tech Room contains a desk spanning the length of the room with four computers and a

student workspace. “I don’t think there’s any official purpose, but there was definitely a need, based on the number of students using the print station, and backups in lines of kids trying to print things in the morning, so it’s to help ease that,” Assistant Principal of Health, Security, and Physical Education Brian Moran said. “It’s an extra space for students to get work done considering the library is at capacity just about every period.”

Though it has only recently

Spend an afternoon with The Spectator’s Photo Department, who took a trek to discover the hidden beauty of an autumn day in lower Manhattan.

FRESHMAN CAUCUS ENDORSEMENTS 2021

New Tech Room Open to Students

By JARED MOSER and MOMOCA MAIRAJ

stuyspec.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Nine years after its original release, fans still hold Taylor Swift’s fourth studio album, “Red,” in high esteem. Re-recorded in stunning quality, and featuring never-before-heard tracks, a great album just got even better. see page 19

NEWSBEAT

“The Pulse of the Student Body”

The Spectator • November 22, 2021

Page 2

News Robotics Team Places First at NYC RoboRama continued from page 1

many acknowledged these technical incidents as commonplace, especially at a robotics competition. “Something will probably always go wrong in the competition. There’s no way nothing breaks, so you just have to deal with it,” Zeng said.

However, the competition itself was delayed by an hour and a half due to poor scheduling and management by FIRST, the program that organizes robotics competitions, and last minute changes. “We went into this expecting three schools on each team. But we went into this with the rule that there would only be teams of two. Once we got there, they changed the schedule to teams of three because they realized it wasn’t going to work out. But with teams of three, the schedule was really tight, and we had a lot of back-

to-back games,” Zeng said.

Furthermore, COVID-19 restrictions limited the size of the team and the number of people that were allowed to attend. “We usually have 50 plus students attend a competition. This limitation definitely puts a strain on our team and puts us in the unfortunate situation of telling some students that they cannot attend a competition, despite them having the necessary knowhow and desire to contribute,” faculty advisor Joseph Blay said.

Though the match was an offseason event, the experience served as preparation for future competitions, particularly in transitioning back to in-person robotics. “It sets the tone for the season on what level we expect to compete at, and it is an opportunity for newer members to pick up critical skills,” Blay said. “Veteran members of the team

don’t have the skills they would normally have picked up by now, and we don’t have the routines established that we normally do.”

The team also enjoyed how the in-person event allowed for more interaction with other teams. “Getting to talk to other teams was a lot of fun, it was really an event that brought a lot of people together,” Belliveau said.

Overall, the team members are satisfied with the results and excited to continue attending matches and improving their skills by the start of the build season in January. “Everyone has been working extremely hard to pick up these skills quickly, and I am confident that by the time build season rolls around in January we will be in as good of shape, if not better than ever before,” Blay said.

Taking a Look at Stuyvesant’s Budget

By PULINDU WEERASEKARA and NADA HAMEED As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stuyvesant’s annual budget has been reinforced with additional funding from the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE). A portion of the budget is dedicated to ensuring the safety of students and staff in the building, all the more necessary with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), or the COVID-19 Stimulus Package, was passed in March 2021 as a response to the financial consequences of the pandemic. The NYCDOE thus increased funding for public schools, supporting Stuyvesant’s budget further. “The NYCDOE received

funding support via the American our budget [director] from the Rescue Plan Act of 2021 borough office who proto help schools meet a vides operational supwide range of needs port and guidance for arising from the how we can allocate coronavirus panour funding,” Yu demic, including said. “We work activities and with the [Student i n t e r ve n t i o n s Leadership Team] that respond to to make sure the students’ acabudget is aligned demic, social, and with the [Compreemotional needs hensive Education and address the disPlan].” proportionate impact Aside from NYCof COVID-19 on unDOE funding, StuyvesIvy Jiang / The Spectator derrepresented student ant’s Parents Assosubgroups,’” Principal Seung Yu ciation (PA) provides additional said in an e-mail interview. support for Stuyvesant financially.

The decisions regarding the “As the PA develops its own budincreased budget are a collabora- get, we consult with Principal Yu tive effort between Yu and vari- and others so that we can underous constituents. “We work with stand the school’s priorities, and

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and NASA

WORLDBEAT President Joe Biden signed a trillion-dollar bipartisan infrastructure bill, which would increase investments in rebuilding America’s roads, rails, pipes, power lines, and more.

Pfizer created a novel antiviral pill used to treat adults and children diagnosed with COVID-19 who are 12 years or older.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that fully vaccinated people will be able to gather in Times Square for New Year’s Eve. Nine people died at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas due to a crowd stampede.

President Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping pledged at a virtual summit to improve cooperation efforts. determine to what extent the PA is able to support those priorities,” PA First Vice President Laura Parkin said in an e-mail interview.

The PA provides for a wide array of things not included in the DOE funding allocation. “[The raised] money gets spent on school activities, academics, and equipment that the school can’t afford based on its budget, or is outside what the NYCDOE would pay for,” Parkin said. “For example, the PA provides funds to PSAL, the Robotics team, and Speech and Debate. The PA also funds college prep and internships support and pays for language labs, robotics equipment, art supplies, and books by new and diverse authors that aren’t available on the DOE site.

Last year, we funded new violins.”

Stuyvesant’s Alumni Associa-

tion, an organization of past graduates of Stuyvesant, who work to improve the school and help current students, provides financial assistance to Stuyvesant as well. Their money comes from various donations as well as from the members of the association. Stuyvesant has to accommodate the COVID-19 pandemic in its budget, as extra safety measures must be taken.

This necessary funding is provided by the DOE and goes to ensure the safety of all students and staff.

Overall, the PA is happy to support the school. “The PA is absolutely delighted to partner with the school to help them provide the richest possible experience for Stuy students, and we can only do this because of the generosity, in both time and money, of Stuy families,” Parkin said.

How Stuyvesant Regulates COVID-19 Cases

By JADY CHEN and MAGGIE SANSONE

entire school community to inform the staff and students and families that there was such a case in the community. Identified close contacts receive additional e-mails on next steps.

There are multiple variations of letters depending on the situation and the recipient’s proximity to

and all close contacts have been quarantined,’” Ingram said.

The protocol for a positive COVID-19 case is standard regardless of whether an individual tested positive while in the Stuyvesant building or elsewhere. At Stuyvesant and other public schools, 10 percent of unvaccinated students

ation Room,” Director of Family Engagement Dina Ingram said.

The Stuyvesant administration disseminates information about positive cases and close contacts within a school through e-mail.

The first notification is sent to the

the positive case. “There is a letter for if a student tested positive, then every class that the student’s in, the members of the class, the parents and guardians of the students in the class, would all get letters that state to them, ‘There’s been a case

who have parental consent are randomly selected each week to be tested for COVID-19. Students can submit proof of vaccination at the DOE COVID-19 Vaccination Portal, which the DOE uses to select individuals for random testing. Par-

Thomas Yoo / The Spectator

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Stuyvesant has continued to navigate the process of handling and isolating COVID-19 exposure to keep the school community as safe as possible. Currently, Stuyvesant has reported eight positive cases of COVID-19: five were students while three were staff members.

Stuyvesant’s administration announces positive cases to the school community after receiving the official notification from the New York City Department of Education (DOE) Situation Room, the COVID-19 response agency responsible for confirming COVID-19 cases and tracing close contacts. According to DOE protocol, the school calls the Situation Room when a student or a staff member personally tells the administration they have tested positive.

Close contacts are also notified. The DOE considers anyone within three feet of an individual with COVID-19 unmasked for longer than 10 minutes, regardless of their vaccination status, a close contact. The process of confirming a COVID-19 case and identifying all close contacts can take up to several hours for the Situation Room to communicate, meaning that an official notification from the school may come much later than an individual’s announcement that they tested positive.

The school is not allowed to otherwise alert the community

of COVID-19 exposure until the DOE confirms the information.

“Some people may believe, ‘I know somebody has COVID-19 and nobody told me.’ That’s actually not happening. We are waiting for the official notification and that involves a positive test by a doctor and official letters from the SItu-

ents and guardians may also use the portal to indicate consent for their child to be tested at school. Currently, over 95 percent of Stuyvesant students and 100 percent of staff at Stuyvesant have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

The administration is working on conveying information to the community with more efficiency and coherency due to confusion surrounding when it is necessary for students to quarantine. “We’ve changed the way that we communicate. We [...] cut and paste the letter in the e-mail [and add an introduction with clarification] to preface that this is just a notification that your student was in the same classroom you are not a close contact, so we are trying to make things extremely explicit and clear for everyone,” Ingram said.

After an individual is confirmed to have been tested positive for COVID-19, they will speak to Assistant Principal of Security, Health, and Physical Education Brian Moran about their classes and possible close contacts. This information is then forwarded to the Situation Room, which will trace the potential network of close contacts.

Individuals who tested positive and unvaccinated close contacts will self-isolate at home for at least 10 days. Quarantined teachers administer asynchronous instruction so that their students can still complete assignments. Fully vaccinated continued on page 4

The Spectator • November 22, 2021

Page 3

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The Spectator • November 22, 2021

Page 4

News How Stuyvesant Regulates COVID-19 Cases continued from page 2

students identified as close contacts do not have to quarantine as long as they remain symptom-free.

Examples of common COVID-19 symptoms include fever and chills, cough, shortness of breath, and loss of smell or taste. Close contacts who are fully vaccinated and choose to not quarantine are still encouraged to take a COVID-19 test after their exposure.

Students who test positive are entitled to continue their schoolwork, which requires organization between the administration and teachers to provide both asynchronous and synchronous instruction.

“Once I notify all of those people whether they are close contacts or not, classmates or teachers, [Assistant Principal, Teacher Support & Development and Data Systems Lead and biology teacher Marianne] Prabhu gets a list of the teachers who teach the student that actually has COVID-19,” Ingram said. “She contacts them [...] to

follow up and provide continued instruction for the length of their quarantine.”

Students and staff who tested positive are allowed to return to inperson school after they have not had a fever for 24 hours, when CO-

school.

Due to the lengthy process of confirming an individual’s COVID-19 positive status, close contacts are often notified several hours after a case is confirmed, though a few students have re-

notified [about being a close contact] by my parents,” senior Ethan Andrews said. Andrews, a fully vaccinated close contact, stayed home for a day to monitor any possible COVID-19 symptoms and returned to school the following day.

“We have very few cases and very few close contacts, even. People are being very careful.” —Dina Ingram, Director of Family Engagement

VID-19 symptoms have improved, and after submitting a negative COVID-19 test. Close contacts who receive a negative COVID-19 test after quarantining can return to

ported not receiving the e-mail directly in their inboxes. “There was an e-mail being sent directly to my parents, [but] there was nothing sent directly to my e-mail, so I was

Andrews expressed that the school’s system of handling COVID-19 cases could be more efficient if students were directly told of their condition instead of com-

municating primarily through their parents and guardians. “We’re high school students. We’re the ones who need to know directly if we’ve been in close contact so that we can quarantine,” Andrews said.

To avoid additional COVID-19 cases within Stuyvesant, Moran stressed the importance of following health and safety protocols, such as wearing a mask. “One of the reasons that consistently wearing your mask is important is because close contacts are determined at three-plus feet and masks on. Wearing your mask at all times reduces the chance of a person becoming considered a close contact,” he said.

Though Stuyvesant’s population is made up of 3,557 students, teachers, and staff members, health guidelines and new policies have yielded a low number of COVID-19 cases. “We have very few cases and very few close contacts, even. People are being very careful,” Ingram said. “I’d love for people to feel confident that things are running smoothly.”

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Page 5

Endorsements: Freshman Caucus ANDY XIAN AND FIN YING Placing an emphasis on communicating with and listening to the freshman class, the Xian-Ying ticket is impressively professional and thoroughly organized.

The duo has narrowed their sights on feasible and effective plans, such as organizing school events with cultural clubs, and implementing measures like placing dividers at tables to make students feel safer eating in the cafeteria. Their lengthy platform covers matters such as sports teams, homework policies, and student re-entry from lunch outside. Though ambitious, the pair presents confidence that should serve to assure voters of their com-

CAMPAIGN: The Xian-Ying duo is driven and prepared, with a good sense of their proposed policies.

PLATFORM: Xian and Ying present a thorough and extensively outlined professional platform. The pair has clearly put extensive consideration into how they plan on approaching their key issues. have planned a number of initiatives to maintain transparency, including frequent e-mail updates, surveys, and forums.

Both Xian and Ying have significant time in student petence and reachable aims. plays a mature understanding leadership, with Xian having While the duo’s platform of the limits of Freshman previously spent four years is by no means groundbreak- Caucus presidents. The two in student government, ining, their expansive list of have made an effort to reach cluding as president in eighth ideas accurately reflects the out to their fellow students grade, and Ying holding a desires of their year and dis- leading up to the election and number of positions in the

Red Cross, Asian Coalition, and middle school yearbook committee. Having known each other since sixth grade, the pair exhibits strong chemistry. With a wealth of experience and broad but realistic policies, Xian and Ying are a strong and, above all, dependable team for Freshman Caucus. Thus, The Spectator endorses this ticket.

MADELINE GOODWIN AND AYLA IRSHAD Both Goodwin and Irshad have participated in student government since middle school, and their passion drives their campaign.

A central aspect of their platform is open communication with the student body.

They plan on hosting weekly live-streamed cabinet meetings on Zoom to encourage transparency on their projects. To gain student feedback, they hope to open a Google Form for students to voice suggestions. To increase accessibility for freshmen, Goodwin and Irshad want to formalize a database for all of the class-specific group chats.

A major goal of the ticket is hosting social events for the freshman class, such as virtual study groups or monthly

CAMPAIGN: Despite having only met in freshman year, Goodwin and Irshad have grown close, and their strengths complement each other well. Their strong work dynamic points to a likely organized and efficient administration.

PLATFORM: The ticket’s platform is well-thought-out and focuses on establishing realistic and impactful goals to connect and unify the freshman body. They also plan to work closely with the administration to improve existing policies and plan out social events throughout the year.

movie nights to encourage bonding. One unique event is a book swap, where students will be matched with each other based on interests and favorite genres to share and trade their favorite books every few months in the cafete-

ria.

While every Freshman Caucus has attempted to tackle the homework policy, the duo hopes to address the concern by sending out an anonymous form for students to note the amount of time

they are spending on assignments and reporting results to the administration to amplify student voices. They also plan to hold a school-wide no homework day once a semester to provide students with a day of stress relief and an opportunity to catch up on work.

Overall, the Goodwin-

Irshad ticket aims to bring the student body together after a disconnected virtual year while addressing mental health concerns. Their professionalism and experience set them apart from other tickets. The Spectator endorses this ticket.

ETHAN SIE AND KHUSH WADHWA CAMPAIGN: Sie and Wadhwa’s lively spirit is a rarity that only further showcases the reason for their well-oiled organization and the way they build their ideas off of each other. Through social media engagement, whether it be with their Facebook page or with a live Q&A session on their Instagram account, their intentions and passionate drive are abundantly clear.

PLATFORM: Recognizing the importance of communication, Sie and Wadhwa are running on a platform that aims to strengthen student engagement while simultaneously introducing novel but feasible policies.

Having met in middle school, both Sie and Wadhwa have gained notable leadership positions inside and outside of their school community. Khush serves as a member of the Executive Council for the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS), and Ethan serves as a chairman. The two have experience working with each other, as they launched an education initiative called Tutor Incorporated for the NJHS during the pandemic.

Perhaps due to their previ-

ous leadership experience as a duo or their involvement in student government during the pandemic, the Sie-Wadhwa ticket’s primary focus is on generating new avenues of efficient communication, creating school spirit opportunities, and maintaining wellbeing for the freshman class.

To address violations of the 30-minute homework policy, Sie and Wadhwa propose an infractions website, an accessible resource that accumulates the number of student

complaints for the Freshman Caucus to review. Their steps of implementation are specific and clear (Sie and Wadhwa propose assigning a subcommittee that contacts a teacher anonymously if a certain threshold of the class complains).

To address freshmen concerns about the prospect of having nobody to commute

home with after school, Sie and Wadhwa propose Commute Companions, through which participants would fill out a Google Form and be sorted into group chats of students with similar commutes home. With sample questions on their platform, the policy is feasible since it is not dependent on large numbers of participants but on a

preference basis only. Other practical policies, though less innovative, include hand sanitation stations and freshmen school spirit events such as a trivia bowl.

Though some of Sie and Wadhwa’s ambitious policies, such as their school exit policy or push for virtual notetaking, fall short on feasibility, the ticket is not too idealistic.

These policies indicate their priority in addressing the concerns and issues of the freshman class, which limits feasibility to an extent. However, they balance each other out in those aspects, with Sie and Khush demonstrating practicality and idealism, respectively. Their flexibility in adapting and propounding new solutions, as well as their platform as a whole, is what ultimately qualifies them for The Spectator’s endorsement.

To read all Freshman Caucus ticket reviews, visit: https://stuyspec.com/news/campaign-coverage/freshman-caucus-endorsements-2021

Page 6

The Spectator • November 22, 2021

Features Mayoral Election: Students Elect to Comment

By CHLOE BOCCARA and NICOLE ITKIN Mostly underage and unable to vote, Stuyvesant students stood by and watched the 2021 election unfold.

What happened in New York? The usual blue wave. Surprising to nobody, Democrat Eric Adams won the race, beating red-beret clad Curtis Sliwa by a hefty margin.

Stuyvesant students (except for a few seniors) may not be able to vote yet, but they often have strong opinions from the dugout on what goes on on the field.

Few were surprised by the results.

“Honestly, the more important election happened over the summer when the Democratic party determined its running candidate

Voices

By SABRINA CHEN I remember it was the perfect weather to go with a notso-perfect start to my day. Blue skies and the warm sun paired nicely with my two-hour lateness to the second day of Camp Stuy (somehow my friend and I had accidentally gone to Brooklyn instead of Manhattan). It was this fateful day when I met the first Sabrina Chen at Rockefeller Park. She was spirited and loud, in a good way. My memory gets foggy at the specifics but I know we reveled in the fact that we had the same name. I imagine it went down like this: “What’s your name?”

“Oh, I’m Sabrina. What’s yours?”

“What, I’m also Sabrina!”

“Wait, what’s your last name?”

“Chen.”

“Oh, my god. Me too.”

“No way.”

“No, I’m serious.”

We played badminton together, solidifying what would become a friendship greater than either of us knew at the time.

who pretty much knew he had a monopoly over the system,” freshman Khush Wadhwa said.

Many students, including junior Ameer Alnasser, had a range of opinions on which candidate should have won. “Eric Adams winning was obviously the most ideal result out of the general election. However, he is definitely not representative of the NYC population. It’s a slap in the face to the progressive movement [...]

Garcia and Wiley were significantly more in tune with the voting block,” he said.

Other students upheld more conservative convictions. “I am excited by the red wave that swept the nation, and I hope it continues on,” an anonymous junior commented. “I think that people are waking up to the ter-

rible policies that have been enacted by this administration that are leading to grave economic problems, such as supply chain issues, extremely high inflation, and a huge worker shortage.”

Alnasser acknowledged and agreed with some of the ideas spread by other candidates. “I found myself agreeing with some of Curtis Silwa’s campaign ads because they pushed the message that Eric Adams is not representative of the NYC population, including talking about the fact he doesn’t really live in NYC, has 20 parking violations, and is in the pocket of corporate lobbyists, even though I think Curtis himself is unhinged,” he said.

Meanwhile, the anonymous student took the belief a step further: “[My parents] voted for

Curtis Silwa, who is a candidate I also supported. My friends and extended family also supported Curtis Silwa.”

“I barely convinced [my parents] to vote in the summer party primaries and they didn’t really have strong takes besides the fact that they wanted DeBlasio out.

Anyone else would suffice. My mom, a teacher at Bayside High where Adams graduated, was thrilled to give her students the opportunity to hear him speak at the school,” Wadhwa said.

Alnasser’s parents also did not vote in the regular election, but he noted that they did watch the debates and had an understanding of the candidates. “It’s just that Adams was the clear-cut winner,” he said.

Looking towards the future,

the anonymous student added, “While I am definitely excited to see the shift towards the right with regard to elections, I think that Conservatives need to really reach liberal voters and remind them of the economic problems that the Democratic Party is bringing to this country. Attacking the left doesn’t bring them to table and the best way is to explain to them why free-market economic policies produce the best outcome over time.” “[We need to] vote as much as possible,” Wadhwa concluded.

“If you have opinions, you need to vote, or else you just might as well not have opinions. We cannot suppress ourselves of a power we fought so [hard] for.”

Call Out My Name (And Then Specify Further) I met the second Sabrina Chen in freshman year Mandarin. She had a sweet demeanor and we immediately hit it off, despite both of us being introverts. When our teacher took attendance, she saw our names and asked when our birthdays were so she could differentiate us. Turns out, we were both born in October but I was older by a couple of days. We became dà (older) Sabrina and xiao (younger) Sabrina. By the end of class, we were still reeling from the shock of our sameness.

Then, as if the universe (and program office) were really trying to play matchmaker, all three of us were put in the same Global History class. For our final project, which involved the creation of a cultural dish, we teamed up together, even going to Sabrina (you won’t know which one)’s house to make dorayaki—a Japanese dessert.

And in the process of making dorayaki, Sabrina (you also won’t know which) accidentally burned my arm with a hot pan.

These are the fond memories I cherish with the Sabri-

nas. If we didn’t have the same names, I don’t think we would have become friends. We’re all so different. We probably wouldn’t have even talked to each other. Another Sabrina Chen agreed with this assertion: “I feel like we wouldn’t have

experience, and it’s something unique to us.”

But besides our friendship, our identical names present another advantage: anonymity.

Unless you know me personally, you won’t be able to tell which Sabrina is actually writing this.

Coco Fang / The Spectator

been friends if it weren’t for our names because all of us have different interests.” Our names, just two words, gave us a common thread—something that we could laugh about, tell others, relish their awe, and appreciate. As the third Sabrina Chen put it, “It’s something we all

I can hide behind the other Sabrinas, and they behind me, for better or for worse.

What if a teacher gives me a Sabrina’s grade and it’s worse than my own grade? Or what if it were better? In fact, this has happened in the past, and we’ve had to ask the teacher to fix the

mistake. If we were all in the same class (which has happened before), would teachers remember us three better just because of the sheer quantity and coincidence of us? What if someone says something about a Sabrina and they think it’s about me? What if college admission officers question our applications? What if they compare us?

Identity confusion has generated some concerns but in reality, hasn’t proved to be anything more than just an occasional inconvenience. At the end of the day, a name is just a name, and being temporarily confused for another Sabrina has only made for fun stories to tell.

There’s something so heartwarming about being connected to two other people by nothing more than a simple string of letters. For the duration of senior year, I have seen the Sabrinas nearly every day because we all share the same lunch period.

Each day is a reminder of how we all met. While we found humor in our identical names, we also found something even more important: friendship.

The Reality of Club Trips

By EUGENE YOO After over two months of in-person school, most clubs seem to be operating at a level approaching usual, gathering in person and participating in traditional club activities. Yet there are still certain aspects of club life that haven’t been fully reintegrated into the post-pandemic era, and chief among those are trips to tournaments and conferences.

Stuyvesant Speech and Debate has had many of its major trips canceled or moved online, including its annual Yale conference. There are simply too many concerns surrounding debating with others in close proximity and providing equal opportunities to schools with different policies and economic means.

“People will travel from a bunch of different locations across the country and then we’re all in indoor spaces together––the combination of those two doesn’t make it very COVID friendly,” senior and Speech and Debate Co-President Anagha Purohit said. “Also there’s the issue of equity. Different schools probably have different policies and restrictions.” Although Speech and Debate is looking forward to an in-person tournament next

month, it is still unclear whether Stuyvesant students will be able to attend.

Club members enjoy going to in-person tournaments because of the connections they make.

“Traveling to [tournaments] is a really great bonding experience both within the Stuyvesant team and with other people on the circuit nationally,” Purohit said.

“You get to meet so many people and make new friends and memories.” Without these trips, many members are missing out on these important bonding opportunities. Junior and public forum delegate Jason Xia discussed some of the consequences of attending virtual conferences.

“A lot of the allure of debate is prepping with your teammates in a hotel room,” he said. “Debate loses a lot of that charm over Zoom. It feels less satisfying in victory or defeat when you are competing through a screen.”

Similarly, Stuyvesant Chess is grappling with organizing its annual trip to the National K-12 Grade Championships in Florida. This year, DOE protocol prevents the team from traveling together, so many chess players are deciding to go independently.

When considering transportation, airplane, food, and hotel expenses, this total often exceeds

$500, an amount that many can’t afford.

Even Stuyvesant’s Model United Nations (MUN), a club that has already hosted its own in-person conference, has had to face the impacts of not being able to go on trips together. One of the most popular conferences MUN regularly attends is the Brown University Simulation of the United Nations (BUSUN), a three-day overnight trip to Providence, Rhode Island. “It’s my favorite conference, especially since it’s our first [school-trip] of the year,” senior and SecretaryGeneral of MUN Ian Graham Martinez said, reminiscing about past attendance at the conference in person. “Providence is a beautiful city, and having the chance to explore it with friends and, for new delegates, it’s one of their first chances to try ‘real’ Model UN.” “Real” Model UN consists of meeting new people outside of Stuyvesant MUN conferences and enjoying the energy within an in-person deliberation. “I think that ‘real’ MUN is composed of not only the amazing conferences but also the environment,” junior and Model UN DirectorGeneral Ethan Wong said. “No matter what, I won’t forget how much I’ve learned from going to

in-person conferences like the one at Johns Hopkins. On top of that, I’ve honestly met some of my best friends at MUN that I wouldn’t trade for anybody.”

However, because BUSUN is being held virtually this year and has an expensive conference fee, the club has decided not to attend. In addition, there are very few MUN conferences at the beginning of the year. “Without BUSUN, the first conference we attend is SciMUNC, hosted by Bronx Science in December, several months after recruitments, which would leave our novices without a clear understanding of what a MUN conference is like,” Graham-Martinez said.

Virtual MUN has not had the same results as its in-person counterpart. “Last year, every conference was held virtually, and retention definitely suffered.

Sitting in front of a computer for eight hours on a Saturday, no matter how interesting the topic you’re debating, is not an enticing opportunity,” GrahamMartinez said.

This is not to say that some clubs haven’t been able to successfully adapt to a remote setting. The Speech and Debate team have readjusted to the schedule of upcoming tournaments, and are optimistic about

the next year. “There’s a little bit more hope for the second semester: no national tournaments, but hopefully we’ll be able to compete in person at local tournaments like states and maybe a few more,” Purohit said.

Stuyvesant Chess has been largely successful at having many of its members attend the latest in-person tournament and is looking forward to the second semester as well. “We look forward to Spring High School Nationals to [travel as] a group together,” senior and co-captain of the Stuyvesant Chess Club Alison Chan said. Model UN has also been doing its best to get inperson conferences up and running. “We gave delegates a taste of in-person conferences at a small event that we hosted [recently] at miniMUNC, where we hosted a socially distanced local conference for novices,” Wong noted.

There is no simple answer to the question about when clubs will be running at full steam once again. They have tried their best to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, and have found considerable success; however, these clubs will continue to struggle to attend in-person trips as long as the pandemic continues.

The Spectator • November 22, 2021

Page 7

Features Leaving Behind a Legacy

By ELIZA OPPENHEIMER There are many dynamics present in the Stuyvseant community: mentorship, friendship, romance, and rivalry, to name a few. However, some students have an extra layer of connection to Stuyvesant: a familial one.

Family relationships often influence a prospective student’s decision to go to Stuyvesant.

Freshman Alexandra Ruinsky has two cousins and a step brother who have already graduated from Stuyvesant, but also a twin who is currently attending Stuyvesant.

These familial relations have added pressure for Ruinsky to thrive in the same way her relatives have.

“It made me more willing to get in and made me fight harder to get in because one of my cousins always joked that I wouldn’t get in, and he already got in,” Ruinsky said.

In an e-mail interview, freshman Eva Lam agreed: “I have always ‘followed [my brother’s] footsteps’––we both were in the gifted class in the same elemen-

tary and middle school, and had the same teachers––it was sort of an instinct to immediately pick the high school he also went to.”

However, for others, having family at Stuyvesant wasn’t a significant factor in their choice of high school. “It didn’t greatly affect my decision to go, because [my brother] didn’t exactly say the best things about Stuy, but I went anyway,” sophomore Noah Rahn (whose brother, Leo Rahn, is a current senior) said.

For sophomore Caroline Stansberry, who has two older siblings at Stuyvesant (one current senior and one graduate), the shared experiences only strengthened their familial bonds. “We have significantly more to talk about going to the same school, and we can relate to each other a lot more, since we have to endure the same homework loads, annoying teachers, and unique experiences,” Stansberry said. “It has definitely brought us closer, since school is the majority of our lives from September to June, and we have that part of us in common.”

Older siblings at Stuyvesant,

like junior Zoe Buff, are reminded by their siblings of their early years. “It’s déjà vu for me because I remember exactly when I was first coming into Stuy, and we have a lot of the same courses. So we can talk about that a lot, and it lets me reflect on my previous high school experience and how I handle my current high school experience,” she said.

Younger siblings use the experiences of their older siblings to guide (if not warn) them on how to handle the Stuyvesant journey.

“Having an older sibling formerly attend Stuy has been a huge help for me, not just academically but health-wise too—I can learn from my brother how to manage my time well and such,” Lam said.

Since legacies are already familiar with Stuyvesant, they’re often given a leg up on their peers in the first few months of school.

“I was able to hit the ground running a little more than other people in my grade,” senior Elizabeth Stansberry said. “I had [already] watched [my older brother] Timothy go through the processes of struggling with homework and

procrastination.”

Although having a familial connection to Stuyvesant impacts many Stuyvesant legacies’ experience within the school, for some it’s turned out to be a minor contribution. “It hasn’t really impacted my school life. The one time was during homecoming when my dad went with some of his friends to watch the game, while I was [there] with my friends,” sophomore Emma Kwan, the daughter of a Stuyvesant alum, said. The experience her father had at Stuyvesant differed greatly from hers due to attending Stuyvesant in different eras of the school’s history.

Not only do legacies often have more emotional support, but they also have more guidance on which clubs and activities they wish to pursue. “[My brother and I] did have quite a few activities that do overlap. I’d say the biggest one would probably be theater. Alexander was in STC, and I most certainly also did STC. I’ve done cast, tech, stage, and now technical coordinator.

I was able to go along that jour-

ney with him in a sense,” senior Katherine Lake, the younger sister of a Stuyvesant graduate, said.

“He kind of helped me pick and choose and tell me what to look for.”

While many people have benefited from having a familial connection, Stuyvesant’s notoriously competitive environment can also lend a negative aspect to this experience.“There’s a lot of comparison, and that was something that was present in really any interaction I had with any teachers, any friends, [and] any shared teachers or friends [...] Who does what, who does it better, and that was very harmful, and that left a kind of legacy that I didn’t like,” Lake said. “We’re independent people, so it’s hard sometimes to deal with that.”

At Stuyvesant, a little family can go a long way. “It just helped build a bond between us.

Fun things like teachers knowing who you are because they had your brother [have] made going to Stuy more special and more of a family thing,” Elizabeth Stansberry concluded.

The Senior (?) Bar

By SOOBIN CHOI

a boundary being crossed, then to senior Sarah Cheyney, the situation of seniors’ (lack of) status is far more dire. “They’re less scared of us,” she lamented. “It’s almost nostalgic for me. When I was a freshman, I was terrified of the seniors. It’s kind of like the circle of life. You get to that position, and you look back at the freshmen that are afraid of you. It’s very strange to me that they’re not like that.”

Senior Vicky Lin also shared similar experiences during her younger years at Stuyvesant.

“When I was a freshman, I was quite scared to even approach the senior areas, and I often considered it as a way of respecting my upperclassmen. After all, it is their last year of high school, and at the time, I thought that it’ll eventually

niors, it creates a totally different ambiance when they first come in. The precedent is different,” Cheyney articulated.

Remnants of quarantine have not only been left on underclassmen but also on seniors over the true nature of their seniority.

Could this be leading seniors to be undermined by lower grades?

To teachers like Grossman, the status of seniors is exceptionally clear. “The seniors this year are true seniors,” he said with assurance. But this sentiment is not mirrored in the eyes of the seniors themselves—or younger grades.

“I don’t feel like a real senior,” Yoo said, describing the strange time-compression of the quarantine. “A lot of the time I just feel like a junior, specifically because the pandemic made my years at Stuy pretty much one year shorter.”

Lin echoed Yoo’s sentiment almost exactly. “I don’t really feel like a senior this year since we left Stuyvesant halfway as sophomores, it’s hard to grasp the fact that we are the highest grade at Stuyvesant now.” However for Lin, to assume there’s a correlation between not feeling like a senior, and how hard learning during quarantine was, is wrong. “The circumstances that we faced during COVID were unique and challenging in its own right, and to discredit our hard work and efforts during remote learning would be unreasonable,” she said.

Students of other grades are of diverging opinions. Seniors?

Ha! Mere pansies! Not having been at Stuyvesant for a year and a half, they have not experienced Stuyvesant’s full rigor. “They got sophomore year easier, right?”

Huang said. “I mean, it was remote.”

Khan, too, believes the seniors aren’t really ‘true seniors’ because they weren’t physically in the school, but still thinks their age merits respect nonetheless.

Justine Kang / The Spectator

Beware, O Underclassmen, of the titan—The Senior Bar in all its three-capital-letter glory, looming over the second floor.

The fierce eyes of a thousand ravenous seniors stare as anyone passes by, like lions hunting for their prey—at least that is how the legend is supposed to go.

The senior bar and atrium, once exclusive to the seniors, have gone through a complete upheaval. The senior bar, far from solely featuring the eponymous seniors, now is home to such specimens as… sophomores... and juniors… and— brace yourself—freshmen. While once graced exclusively with chic seniority, the senior bar and atrium are now rowdy with juveniles.

What could account for this? The after-effects of the pandemic, most likely. Have the high school hierarchies and hazings been forgotten? Swept away on the pandemic breeze? Have seniors really lost their social standing? Has this problem just been blown out of proportion? Or is this just the result of some deeper underlying tension––some subversion of the social order?

One freshman, Fabiha Khan, recounted a fateful interaction between the freshmen and the seniors at the senior bar: “My friends actually sat on the senior bar [...] I was filling out my Boograms and they were sitting there and I said, ‘You know what guys, I’m gonna go outside,’ and then I overheard some seniors talking to them. [They asked them], ‘Are you guys seniors?’ and my friends said no, and they said, ‘Oh, I didn’t know freshmen would be that brave to sit on the senior bar.’” She proceeded to recount her feelings regarding her friends sitting at the bar. “I feel embarrassed for my friends because it’s the senior bar. You shouldn’t be really sitting on it,” she said.

Seniors feel even more passionately about the ancient territorial right. To senior Thomas Yoo, the name “senior bar” still carries meaning and should be respected. “It’s unacceptable.

Absolutely unacceptable. I don’t believe that freshmen should be allowed on the senior bar, mainly because it’s called a ‘senior bar’ for a reason. The freshmen have

other places to go. They have the library. They have wherever freshmen go––they can do that,” he said.

However, not every senior feels passionately about staking a claim to the land. “I don’t really care that much,” one anonymous senior said. “And I don’t think most of the other seniors really care at all.” Nevertheless, the senior makes clear that non-senior guests of the space must respect the area. “The other grades should be allowed to come here but only if: one, they don’t disrupt the seniors, and two, they’re held to the same standards as us, so, they have to clean up after themselves. And during school hours, I don’t feel like that’s the best place for them to hang out at.

They have their own places like the half floor,” the anonymous senior said.

Assistant Principal of the English department Eric Grossman feels wrong about having areas of the school designated for only certain groups of people. “Exclusivity is rarely a good thing. There were incidents in past years where an underclassman who attempted to sit at the bar was called out by seniors and that feels inappropriate and unkind. Nobody has any claim on any place in this building, teachers included,” he said.

He still acknowledges the reason why the areas exist in the first place though: “Students tend to gravitate toward certain areas based on lockers and a million other factors. If there’s a spot that’s traditionally been where more seniors are, okay.”

Sophomore Ivy Huang isn’t fundamentally against other grades being at the senior bar but does feel some apprehension about the mixing of the grades.

“I mean, it is the senior bar. If you want to hang out there, sure, but it’s just awkward,” she said.

But if awkwardness, at its core, comes from the feeling of

be our turn to be able to sit in those areas, so it won’t hurt to wait,” she wrote in an e-mail interview.

Junior Huzaina Farooq described these shared senior experiences (including the bar) as essential to being an upperclassman, and all the more important this year after COVID-19. “[The seniors] are going to graduate soon, let them have this experience. We’ve already lost a lot of our high school experience to COVID, let them have something to feel normal again,” she said.

This brazen lack of fear and understanding in freshmen probably stems from the year in quarantine. “[With freshmen] coming in just not having had any Stuy experience for the first two grades, not having seen the senior bar being dominated by se-

“They haven’t been in school since their sophomore year. So they haven’t really gone up to senior status, [and] they still haven’t been in the school long enough to be a true senior, but they’re still seniors. So they know what power they have in the school and the school hierarchy,” Khan said.

With the seniors not only undermined in their status but also, almost, pitied by lower grades it may be leading to greater discontent beyond chance encounters.“I know a lot of seniors are resentful,” Cheyney warned. “I was just talking to a friend about how she hates that there are freshmen sitting on top of the senior bar.

And I think that the underclassmen may be ignorant to the attitudes that upperclassmen have.”

Farooq feels like this ignorance is leading younger grades to follow suit. “We gave respect [to the seniors] when we came.

It should just carry on for other grades too. I don’t want freshmen next year to not respect areas or boundaries, because the sophomores are leading by example because the freshmen don’t care [now] either,” she said.

Luckily the merciful nature of seniors seems to remain a constant. Cheyney herself would not safeguard the area with a spear and ax but still has inward frustrations. “I would never shout at a freshman or be angry at them, but I don’t think that it’s appropriate that a time-held tradition is being disrespected like this,” she said.

With regards to why the freshmen are at the senior bar, Yoo expressed understanding of their situation. “I do understand they’re clueless––they have no idea what they’re doing. They want to look for a place where a lot of people are around, and they’re just coming here,” he said.

Is it then an impossible task to balance lax attitudes with growing animosity and a long-held tradition of ruling through undesirably, fear? To Lin, the remedy is to hold authority through mutual respect. “If seniors can also treat their underclassmen with respect, they will receive that same respect back,” she said. “Maybe they’ll even respect the senioronly senior bar.”

Page 8

The Spectator • November 22, 2021

Editorials Thank You, and You, and You! Happy Thanksgiving, Stuyvesant! In honor of the festivities, here are a few things that The Spectator’s Editorial Board is thankful for:

The Spectator The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper

“The Pulse of the Student Body”

Going-in-for-a-handshake-but-ending-up-with-something-close-to-a-fist-bump in the hallway.

Classes shaped like U’s with back rows for engaging discussions! And sleeping.

Sleeping (when and where we get it).

The bathrooms––specifically those on the eighth floor and above.

Motivational graffiti in the bathrooms (“I believe in you!” is just what the bladder needs to hear!).

Vending machines that actually have food in them.

The thrill of realizing that the low-fat variations of our favorite vending machine treats are the same as the originals, in essence.

Food, coffee, and halal carts that did NOT adjust for inflation.

The individuals across the building who miraculously keep the guitars in something resembling the correct tune.

Energetic dancers in the hallways after school, skilled in all forms of gyration.

Teachers who go on passionate tangential rants during class.

Teachers who play music at the start of class.

Teachers who try to learn their students’ names.

Teachers.

The librarians and the library they so dutifully take care of.

The 30-minute homework policy (in theory).

The new print station in the Student Union room.

A view of the Hudson and Pier 40’s cryptic gratitude.

Free lockers!

Subway buddies.

Walking buddies.

N E W S

C H I E F

E D I TO R S

F E AT U R E S

E D I TO R S

P H O TO G R A P H Y E D I TO R S

Alexander Lopez** Francesca Nemati Sasha Socolow Zifei Zhao** A RT

E D I TO R S

L AYO U T

C O P Y

B U S I N E S S

People who don’t stare at you when you take off your mask to drink water.

And kind people of all ages.

M A NA G E R S

Jared Moser Tina Nguyen

&

E N T E RTA I N M E N T E D I TO R S

Suah Chung Kenisha Mahajan Gavin McGinley Dexter Wells E D I TO R S

W E B

E D I TO R S

David Chen Alyssa Choi Samantha Hua** Theodore Yochum** FA C U LT Y

A DV I S E R

Kerry Garfinkel

Logan Ruzzier Kelly Yip*

Hugs in the hallway.

E D I TO R S

Nora Miller Tashfia Noor Shreyasi Saha Ruiwen Tang Raymond Yang

E D I TO R S

A RT S

E D I TO R S

Ezra Lee Amy Lin Susie McKnight

Maya Nelson Anisha Singhal** Aaron Visser* Gerard Lin Sathirtha Mondal** Sonya Sasson

D I R E C TO R S

Afra Mahmud Adrianna Peng Sophie Poget Vivian Teo**

Angela Cai Christina Pan Clara Shapiro* O P I N I O N S

E D I TO R S

Krish Gupta Shafiul Haque** Sam Levine Matt Melucci

Isabella Jia** Jenny Liu* Momoca Mairaj Janna Wang**

H U M O R

Talking buddies.

I N

Morris Raskin* Karen Zhang*

S C I E N C E

The custodial staff, who works hard to keep the building clean.

Adrianna Peng / The Spectator

E D I TO R S

S P O RT S

* Managing Board ** Editors-in-Training

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

We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity and length. © 2018 The Spectator All rights reserved by the creators.

Letter to the Editor

In response to “Ditch the APs” by Kerry Garfinkel, published in Volume 112, Issue 3.

By JONATHAN SCHNEIDERMAN Jonathan Schneiderman (’21) is a first-year student at Harvard College and a Spectator Opinions Editor Emeritus.

Kerry Garfinkel is right, and it’s good someone—especially someone who is a teacher—is saying it on The Spectator’s platform.

As Garfinkel says, A.P. tests in the humanities do not measure real aptitude. On this point I will add only two corollaries: one, A.P. tests do not measure mathematical aptitude either. Calculus classes at Stuyvesant prioritize learning how to use and apply theorems over proving their content and over understanding proofs generally. I am currently taking a college linear algebra class, and when differential equations came up recently, I had completely forgotten how they worked. Why? Because I never really understood them.

I never really understood what a differential was in the first place.

I knew that I didn’t understand it at the time. But my teacher wasn’t able to go into the matter in great depth; we had to pass a test. And, to my teacher’s credit, I suspect I would have gotten a five on that test had I taken it. I don’t hold any of this against her; I hold it against a system that subordinates understanding—the real heart of math—to application. It is the capacity for the latter, not the former, that the A.P. Calculus exams, wholly free of proof-based and

definitional questions, measure.

Two, A.P. classes qua A.P. classes are not preparing you for college. Both of my A.P. history courses, United States History with Robert Sandler and European History with David Hanna, certainly put me in an excellent place for the wonderful history seminar I am currently taking— but no more so than the nonA.P. class on global history that I took in freshman year with Josina Dunkel. (As an aside, the decision to get rid of that class was perhaps the worst administrative decision of my time at Stuyvesant, and any effort to ditch A.P. courses for advanced topics courses should begin with reversing it.

But this is a subject for another time.) And given how good the work Messrs. Hanna and Sandler did with an A.P. test looming over them was—how much better their work could have been without that gespenst haunting them!

To the extent that what is done in preparation for an A.P. test is valuable, they would continue doing those things; to the extent that it is not, they could ditch them.

So much for A.P. tests vis-àvis pedagogy. As Garfinkel discusses, A.P. tests also create an A.P. culture. What concerns me about this is not only the needless fear and numbness it breeds but also the way it stultifies learning.

Within the culture of A.P. tests, the creation of one’s course load becomes a Pokémonian effort to catch ’em all, to rack up appearances of “A.P.” on one’s transcript, rather than a joyful search

for intellectual fulfillment. What a vicious deadening of the human spirit we behold in this world where maintaining one’s simple devotion to learning for interest requires grit. One is tempted to weep, but one has taken too many A.P. tests to remember how.

It should be said by any advocate of ditching A.P. tests that Stuyvesant has a peculiar advantage in this arena: its reputation precedes it. People—a phrase which here means “college admissions officers”—know that Stuyvesant is rigorous. If Stuyvesant says it is ditching A.P. tests not to escape rigor but to seek it out, it will not be speaking without credibility, and colleges will not react with incredulity. That great elder sibling of the gespenst of A.P. culture, college admissions, should be no cause for trepidation in members of the Stuyvesant community contemplating the prospect of abandoning A.P.’s.

Finally, I wish to point out a benefit that A.P. tests have that I have not seen discussed: they allow students for whom paying for college is a significant challenge to earn credits at many institutions nearly gratis, thus saving large sums of money. This is a compelling reason to keep A.P. tests in place; possibly it is so compelling that they should remain in place. I do not know. If the reader is puzzled by my decision to undermine myself at the close of my letter, I can say only that ambiguity is a vital gift and that real life is not an A.P. thesis essay.

Voices Would you like to share a personal narrative with the school? Whether it’s an essay you’ve written for a class or a piece you’ve been working on by yourself, if it is non-fiction and in first-person, it could get published in The Spectator!

Send your stories to features@ stuyspec.com, or e-mail us with any questions or concerns. If you wish, it may be published anonymously.

The Spectator • November 22, 2021

Page 9

Opinions Going Berko

By ELICIA CHAU

words would slip through, but nonetheless, my vocal box was a filter; through it, I carefully sifted away my Oceanian past.

From my efforts, I picked up the subtle ways that America distinguishes its accent, enough so that I wouldn’t be questioned anymore. The success was bittersweet, laced with both guilt and pride.

It’s because of my own learned speech that I felt particularly empathetic when I spoke with many of my friends’ parents in grade school and junior high. Most of them were immigrants, and their accents were tinged with their own histories. They spoke in ways that were easily distinguishable from the parents who had grown up in New York. I figured that if I,

It’s always a surprise to people that I lived in Australia, much less for as long as I did. When I reveal my residency in Sydney, it’s followed by an instantaneous question of why I don’t speak with a significant accent.

It’s an understandable curiosity, but I often don’t know how to respond. It’s difficult to explain that I’d purposely abandoned it without sounding as if I am embarrassed of having lived there. It sounds as if I intentionally disconnected myself from my history, and I’m left to feel as if I’ve lost a massive part of my identity by trying to blend in.

There’s inherent loneliness that spawns from the disconnect. It’s why I look back on my learned tendency to speak

Rachel Chuong / The Spectator

I learned English surrounded by the mint green walls of my aunt’s living room in Sydney, with a view of Coogee Beach out the bay windows and the television playing Channel 9. I relished the vine-covered entrance and mellowness of my Oceanian family’s home, and there was something to be adored about the easygoing nature of the city. As a young child, I spent much of my time in Australia sitting on the wraparound veranda with my cousin, babbling in our different languages until one of us understood the other’s word or phrase. I picked up the beginnings of English from him, who was a year younger than me and only fluent in Strine (the roughest form of Australian English) and watched it grow in the mindless conversations two toddlers could exchange.

Next to the palm trees that grew proudly by the main entrance, I learned to ask for Fritz and sauce sangas for lunch and to wear sunnies when going to the beach in the arvo. Words like that were natural—I never dropped the lingo even after I inevitably returned to boarding school in Taiwan; the slang was embedded in my sense of language like the sprinkles on my evening fairy bread.

I didn’t lose the lovely, lazy speech of Straya even after I moved to the United States several years later and quietly joined a school of native New Yorkers in a neighborhood of Long Island English speakers. There was a time when my tongue didn’t roll in the way American English required. While Australian speakers tend to slur words together, the other children in this new town spoke with perfect annunciation. I struggled with pronouncing the hard O at the end of words and using D’s instead of T’s. My friends poked fun at my odd pronunciations, and for many years, my teachers critiqued my innate habit to end each sentence with a questionary upturn as unnecessary and disjointing. As my cousin may have put it, it truly made me “berko,” or angry.

I found it increasingly difficult to adapt to the annoyingly pretentious way of American speaking, in which elisions and Strayan drawl were forbidden.

The smallest things about my accent that I had never taken into account before became magnified. Picking apart the /a:/ (open back unrounded vowel) I tended to use rather than the American /æ/ (nearopen front unrounded vowel) was insanity. Even if I did hear the contrast in our tones, I could hardly understand why pronouncing “graph,” “castle,” and “grasp” differently constituted the mockery it received.

If the jokes and comments were lighthearted, they were numerous, and I eventually

grew so tired of them that I confessed to my Aussie cousin that I desired more than anything to adapt to the form of English everyone else seemed to have. I found myself striving to erase any remnants of Strine from my tone—abandoning my roots in an attempt to speak “normally.”

It took years to lose my accent enough to blend in and even longer to pick up enough slang to trade Aussie colloquialism in favor of American lingo. In this new neighborhood, quaint and conservative, words like “cunt” were slurs; they had strange connotations that starkly contrasted their casual and almost endearing usage in Australia. I’d been taken to the office of the headmistress af-

I found myself striving to erase any remnants of Strine from my tone—abandoning my roots in an attempt to speak “normally.”

ter affectionately referring to a friend as such—the embarrassment of having to apologize to the girl sticks through even years later. The language I grew up with was coarse at best by the standards of my town, and even words that weren’t dubbed vulgarities were out of place. In the states, asking for lollies, for instance, would get you pointed to only one specific form of candy rather than the entire sweets aisle. The fact that the two variants are both considered English does not change the inevitable choppiness of transitioning between them. In spelling and phonology, Strine and American English wildly differ. It’s difficult to balance the two. At best, they exist as two separate tongues; at worst, they merge into a confusing mess of the English language.

I observed how my friends spoke and how American celebrities presented themselves and devoured States’ media hungrily. I avoided as much Strayan vernacular as possible, training my voice to sound like any typical New Yorker. With time, my mind began to separate the two dialects completely: a native language and my second one. Inevitably, some

someone who technically spoke English as both a first language and a second one, could be teased, then they had to have faced similar treatment.

For those who have accents, the mockery is routine.

It’s perpetually tied to your identity and, unlike surfacelevel attempts to blend in, easily betrays you and reveals your foreignness. Interestingly, the children who made fun of my accent frequently had parents who spoke with their own, and I found myself wondering how they could justify their treatment of alienage when they were linked to it themselves.

I figured their parents had deemed their accents as embarrassments and consequently refused to acknowledge them.

But an accent is a cultural tie, a connection to a piece of one’s personhood. I did not realize that when growing up, but I wonder if I still would have tried so desperately to erase my accent if I did. Nowadays, I speak in a way that sounds nearly natural to New Yorkers, pronouncing the hard R’s after isolated vowels and carefully adhering to the strict General American accent rules. But somehow, I feel less complete.

with an entirely American tone with some regret: my maternal family, who mostly still live in Oceania, speak Strine with pure confidence. My cousin still lives in the green house on the edge of Sydney, and each time I call him, I feel guilty—that in some way, I am turning my back on my home. I’m not ashamed of my family nor of the time I spent there, but my conscious decision to abandon the most prominent evidence of my years with them makes it seem as though I am.

I still actively try to avoid slipping into Strine. I’d be lying if I said it was easy to not slip into it from time to time. It requires focus to not accidentally blend the two accents. I shy away from words like “aluminum” and “oregano” because they easily fail my hard-earned New York voice, and I tend to avoid words that can cause my mind to subconsciously slip into Strine-like “mate” and “strewth.” But doing so sends pangs of fear that I’m betraying my history through my larynx and into my vocal cords, and I quiet myself, preferring to not speak at all if I have to explain why I avoid Australian English so much.

Still, I justify my new vernacular to myself with circumstance: had I moved into a more open-minded area, I wouldn’t have felt the need to unlearn my accent as much as I did. My neighborhood had a tendency to reject the alien, a hereditary habit. I see that in immigrants like my parents and my friends’ parents; they’ve become embarrassed about their accents just as I’d become embarrassed of mine and found comfort in remaining silent instead. The desire to fit in had taken precedence over the preservation of my roots at the time. Though I do miss the jargon I abandoned, it truly has been much easier to claim myself a New Yorker—to call it home—when I speak in a way that adheres to the same standard as everyone else.

My younger sister, however, was born and raised in the States—she’s a real New Yorker. Truth be told, she’s not that much younger than me, but she’s never stepped foot in Australia before; her comprehension of Oceania lives in the stories of the city I tell her.

When we were kids, she often marveled over my accent, fascinated with how words curled at the end of my tongue and how my vowels softened and twisted. She was the only one who really protested when I began to speak with a more American accent, and now, years later, she still favors when I mumble in Strine over any form of perfected speech. She, like some of my newer friends, appreciates my foreignness as if it gives her a glimpse into how large the world could be, even if that big world exists only in my occasional slips in speech.

It’s easier to grow past my former embarrassment when someone like her, who embodies the ideal New Yorker I’d wanted to be, sees my accent so fondly. When I was younger, she had been silenced by both my doubt and the constant mockery, and I regret that I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I’d started to appreciate her affection toward the parts of my language that I hated.

Strine is truly worn so deeply into my sense of language that even at my very best, it peeks through. I disliked that trait, that my accent was so intrinsic that I couldn’t escape it, for the longest time. Yet my Strayan voice is part of my history; if I were to completely erase it, I expect I’d be more lost in my sense of identity than ever. If I had been purely American like my sister, I wonder if I would have desired to have an accent—to have a unique story to tell—and in that sense, the idea of being entirely New Yorker or entirely Australian seems unfulfilling.

“Going berko” is much more interesting than just “going mad,” and I am not obliged to only speak one form of the English language. So quietly, largely, wholly, I picture myself speaking both so naturally it feels like breathing. If not now, then in the future, there is a version of me who wears her Strine proudly, like a dress the same color as the mint green walls I grew up and fell asleep surrounded by. She speaks without being conscious of her tone, she uses slang without care, and regardless of where she is, that version of me has found home.

Page 10

The Spectator • November 22, 2021

Opinions The Cycle of Violence

By PETER GOSWAMI As I observed Durga Puja this October, I learned that in the midst of attacks against Hindus in Bangladesh, a family friend was killed. Multiple attacks against Hindus in Bangladesh took place during Durga Puja, one of the most important religious festivals for Bengali Hindus. The violence was met with retaliation by Hindu fundamentalist groups, who scapegoated and attacked Muslims in the Indian state of Tripura.

There has been little Western media coverage on this issue despite the attacks reflecting a trend of violence between Hindus and Muslims that has risen since the Partition of India in 1947. During the partition period, over 15 million people were relocated, between one to two million died due to ensuing violence, and approximately 75 thousand women were raped.

Today, attacks against the Hindu minority in Pakistan and Bangladesh are common, and violence against Muslims in India has increased under the Modi government, which has propagated Hindu nationalism.

As a Hindu whose parents are

from Bangladesh, I fear for my family in Bangladesh and question how a religion that values peace and love can be used to promote violence and hatred.

The violence during Durga Puja began on October 13 following the circulation of a viral social media post that depicted the Quran being placed at the feet of a Hindu idol in a temple in Cumilla, a city in Bangladesh.

Muslim fundamentalists involved with radical groups, like Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, and the conservative political party Jamaat-e-Islami saw this occurrence as a desecration of the Quran and used it as an excuse for violence against

The growth of Hindu nationalism in Modi’s India has led to more sectarian feelings between Muslim and Hindu communities which are propagated by right-wing Hindu organizations connected to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Rallies organized by the right-wing organization Vishwa Hindu Parishad in response to the incidents in Bangladesh led to violence that began on October 21 and lasted throughout the week, forcing many Muslims to flee. At least 16 mosques were vandalized, and witnesses reported seeing about 3,000 people carrying iron rods, sticks, swords, and cans of kerosene and preparing

Bangladesh government has made 583 arrests related to the attacks so far, there are doubts as to whether the government will be successful in holding the attackers accountable. The ruling Awami League Party prides itself on secularism but has often appeased the interests of radical Islamic groups in Bangladesh and failed to prosecute those who ignite attacks against religious minorities. On the other hand, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said nothing about the attacks against Muslims in Tripura. Police in Tripura denied that the riots took place and prevented those whose homes

As a Hindu whose parents are from Bangladesh, I fear for my family in Bangladesh and question how a religion that values peace and love can be used to promote violence and hatred.

Hindus in Cumilla and other areas of Bangladesh. Throughout the country, several Hindus were killed, at least 17 temples were vandalized or destroyed, and the homes of many Hindus were raided. Though Hindus were blamed for the dishonor to the Quran, CCTV footage revealed that Ikbal Hossain, a 35-year-old Muslim, had placed the Quran at the feet of the idol in an attempt to incite the resulting outcry and violence.

The attacks are not uncommon in Bangladesh; there have been 3,679 reported attacks on Hindus since 2013.

India has done little to reduce Hindu-Muslim tensions.

to attack the homes and businesses of Muslim residents of Tripura.

The radical groups that work against Hindus in Bangladesh fail to understand how their actions influence violence against Muslims in India. Radical groups that work against Muslims in India have a similar gap in understanding as to how their actions fuel violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.

Government actions often fuel these radical groups, allowing violence to continue on both sides. While Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has pledged to “hunt down” the attackers and the

and businesses were targeted from filing cases against the fundamentalist groups. While the two governments handled the situations very differently, both need to do more to protect religious minorities in their nations.

I sympathize with the Hindus in Bangladesh and fear for my family members. My parents moved to the United States to escape living in fear of persecution. When talking to my family in Bangladesh, I see how many of their fears have shifted to indifference; they’ve started to see the attacks against Hindus as commonplace, as something that is bound to happen

and surge as Hindus celebrate Durga Puja. Learning that a family friend was killed in the attacks in Bangladesh made the news on the violence in Bangladesh feel closer to home and the possibility that the violence may impact my family feel much more likely and much more real.

At the same time, I felt guilty as Hindus in India weaponized their beliefs to attack Muslims. I saw how easy it was for people to scapegoat and justify their violence toward innocent people as retaliation for an attack by others in a different country. I felt frustrated at the lack of Western media coverage on these incidents.

This lack of attention demonstrates that, as a global community, we’ve failed to live up to our responsibility to protect the rights of religious minorities. International governments need to create pressure on the governments of Bangladesh and India to hold attackers accountable for their actions and to prevent sectarianism, fundamentalism, hatred, and violence from growing.

With increased media coverage and awareness of the violence between Hindus and Muslims in Bangladesh and India, we can expect more people around the world to speak out against the issue. With international attention, we can pressure the Bangladeshi and Indian governments to fulfill their duty to protect religious minorities, ultimately allowing Hindus and Muslims in Bangladesh and India to live peacefully without fear of being persecuted for their beliefs and identities.

Appreciation or Appropriation?

Nada Hameed / The Spectator

By ISABEL CHING The Friday after Diwali, I found myself in a friend’s bedroom surrounded by kneehigh piles of traditional Bengali and Pakistani clothing. We were heading to a Diwali party, my first experience with the Festival of Lights. My friends had offered to share their traditional clothing with me, and we were finally dressing up.

After an hour of trying on dozens of colorful pieces, we found our outfits; I settled on a maroon salwar kameez, a bright red bindi, and my trademark purple Converse. I was ready for, in my friend’s words, my very first Hindu “cultural immersion session.” I was excited. I wanted to learn about the holiday, talk to the people who celebrated it, and finally try gulab jamun.

During the car ride over to the party, my excitement dissipated into apprehension. Was it wrong for me to wear the salwar kameez? Was I appropriating Indian culture? My friends reassured me that of course I wasn’t appropriating—I was appreciating the culture they had exposed me to. But what was the difference, and how would I know?

The answer to these questions lies in intent, specifically a person’s purpose or objective when engaging with different cultures. According to Grant Loveless at Austin Community College, appreciation is attempting to understand and

learn about another culture to broaden one’s perspective and connect with others. Appropriation, on the other hand, is cherry-picking a particular characteristic of a culture and using it for personal gain or interests. Wearing the salwar kameez as a fashion statement or attending the party for social media “clout” would be appropriation; learning about a different culture and immersing myself in its traditions was not.

Yet, intent is tricky. There is a thin line between appropriation and appreciation— the two constantly overlap and remain intertwined despite our best efforts to label them.

How do we wrestle with the idea that most of society is built upon “borrowing” from other cultures? How do we make our intentions clear to those around us?

Attending the Diwali party answered these questions for me. As I listened to Bollywood music and watched the candle lighting, I began to understand how our perceptions of appropriation can sometimes be misleading. We can never truly discern someone’s intent, regardless of what they may say or how they may act. Instead, each of us must hold ourselves accountable to our own intentions in order to build an accepting society.

There are a few ways to address and stop cultural appropriation. The first is to acknowledge and respect the

origins of ideas, objects, and histories, remembering that the key to sharing cultures is mutual understanding. Appreciation means expanding our own perspectives by experiencing those of others—not using them for our own benefit. In a similar vein, it is important to remember that cultures are continuously evolving. No culture remains stagnant; fluidity allows for progression and modernization. This dynamic nature creates diversity—the ability to change increases exposure to new people who can appreciate different cultures. In a different time, someone like me never would have attended a Diwali party, and yet there I was. It’s crucial to listen to others, respect diverse viewpoints, and evaluate context when toeing the line between appropriation and appreciation.

My experience at the Diwali party left me with two lessons. The first is the importance of recognizing and distinguishing appropriation from appreciation. To build a society founded on mutual respect and understanding, we need to think about the impact of our words, actions, and choices. The second is to remember that a multicultural world allows us to expand our perspectives. Appreciating different cultures opens us up to a life rich with diversity, discussion, and connection.

The Spectator • November 22, 2021

Page 11

Opinions A Snap Analysis of Election Day 202

By JACOB STEINBERG

elections results occurred in Buffalo. In the Democratic primary, socialist India Walton stunned the political world when she defeated moderate incumbent Byron Brown.

However, in the general election, Brown trounced Walton in a write-in election, more or less correcting what would have been a political aberration in a major city. Adams’s and Brown’s wins further reflect the political unwillingness to go all the way to an extreme. Despite a strong progressive push in New York City and a socialist win in Buffalo, moderate Democrats won out. While leftists like Walton are clearly gaining momentum, even more progressive areas are holding ground.

The gubernatorial elections showcase the undecidedness of the American public. Virginia has an unusual electoral situation as a governor cannot serve consecutive terms, causing erratic results in elections throughout recent history; the winning party of the presidential election lost the Virginia gubernatorial race in 10 of the last 11 electoral cycles. Regardless, the seat was considered safely blue this year as Joe Biden won the state by 10 percent in 2020.

Thus, it was a large win for Republicans when Glenn Youngkin defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe, who was seeking to regain his seat after taking a mandatory term off. Capitalizing off of fears of critical race theory and parents wanting to control their children’s education, Youngkin defeated McAuliffe by two percent. Even more, Republicans excelled in seats they were not even expected to be competitive in. Given that this election was argued to be a forecast of the 2022 midterms

Ismath_Maksura / The Spectator

Election Day has come and gone, and every major race has been called. Though it’s far too early to make any calls on the long-term implications of these elections, we can make some quick judgments. It can be hard to determine much from the election in the first year of a presidency since it is generally the least-followed election process, with midterm elections still far on the horizon and the presidential cycle having not quite started. As such, voter participation takes a hit. In New York City alone, only 1.1 million of the city’s 5.6 million registered voters cast their ballots, a trend that followed throughout the country. Despite the poor turnout, there were several relevant elections and measures on voters’ ballots this November 2.

The results were generally moderate, showcasing the public’s unwillingness to go extreme in current politics.

One aspect that draws voters to the polls during this part of the electoral cycle is the possibility for long-term change via ballot measures. These proposals, which amount to policy ratified by the people, can end up

having large-scale effects. This year, Tucson passed an initiative to incrementally raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour, and Detroit decriminalized psilocybin mushrooms. Issues of race and policing also hit the ballot: Austin rejected growing its police force, Detroit formed a reparations committee, Cleveland created a police-regulating Community Police Commission, and Minneapolis rejected replacing its police with a Department of Public Safety that would have a major focus on mental health. While voters generally passed more liberal legislation, it seems that they shied away from fully extreme policy changes. While the failure to abolish the Minneapolis Police Department isn’t surprising, the passing of progressive policing policies is. After the murder of George Floyd, policing has been one of the most talked-about topics on the agenda. To see such progressive policies passing is encouraging as there has been little political action following Floyd’s murder.

Typical elections demonstrated the avoidance of more progressive politics as well.

This year, several mayoral and gubernatorial positions were up for grabs, such as New York’s mayoral spot. In a wide, competitive Democratic field filled with candidates across the leftleaning spectrum, one of the more moderate candidates, former Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, won. Adams relied on the traditionally conservative talking point of law and order to capitalize on voters’ fears of a rising crime rate, dominating Republican Curtis Sliwa in the election. Another case of these centrist mayoral

and 2024 presidential election, the result certainly spells out potential political success in Republicans’ futures.

On the other hand, New Jersey’s gubernatorial race forecasted potential political success for Democrats. Incumbent Democrat Phil Murphy defeated Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli by 3.2 percent. While that margin was closer than expected, the result was still a change of pace for Democrats.

Indeed, the party had not had New Jersey governors win a second term since 1977. Bucking a similar trend to the one in Virginia, Murphy became the first candidate to win after the party won the presidency since 1985. Though it is no major electoral coup, Murphy’s win signifies a change in the status

quo and the potential for the 2022 midterm elections to not be a trouncing. While individually looking at the gubernatorial elections may show a political tilt, their composite view demonstrates an American public without a strong bias.

The results of the 2021 elections indicate that America’s political climate is in the stout center. Gubernatorial elections signified both Democratic and Republican advancements, though cities’ tendencies to avoid straying too far to the left—both in mayoral races and ballot measures—further cement the electoral trend: an increasingly polarized political climate. As a result, the 2022 and 2024 elections are hard to forecast—the American electorate can’t seem to make up its mind.

Not Another Cancel Culture Article

By AARON VISSER In spite of our best efforts, social media is a purposeless place. Sure, it’s reliable for a smile and an exhale, an “awww so cute!”, or even a “that’s crazy,” but for all the time spent in this virtual space, little remains after the phone is put away. It’s inextricable from our lives yet so disconnected from the real world. Some aren’t content with that trait and want to use it as a tool to make the world a better place. Repost to save a dolphin. Swipe up to plant a tree. Tap here to learn about climate change.

In the progressive spaces I occupy, one of the most prioritized problems is bigotry. Unlike climate change or affordable healthcare, it doesn’t have a simple policy plan. People want to help out; they want to be activists in the fight for civil rights or against anti-Asian and anti-Semitic hate. While posting about a racist incident

might feel similar to spreading awareness about deforestation, the impact can be quite different. The tree post won’t ruin the livelihood of an innocent lumberjack. Social media disinformation combined with callout campaigns, however, ruins the lives of the innocent.

Last week, social media brought to my attention a New York substitute teacher who supposedly yelled antiAsian comments to her majority Asian-American student class. However, the case was much more complicated than the post made it seem.

The 70-year-old substitute teacher claimed that coronavirus originated in a lab and criticized China’s government.

School officials overheard students talking about the comments during lunch, quickly suspended the substitute, and condemned “hateful and disturbing behavior,” sending in a guidance counselor to help the students process their trauma.

However, the only real impact was the removal of a low-paid city employee. This substitute teacher lost her livelihood, a profession that pays a meager $39 thousand per year on average, and her dignity; she will always be “the sub who did that racist thing,” all because she said that the coronavirus came from a lab, a view shared by former CDC director Robert Redfield and which a recent U.S. intelligence report found “plausible,” and that China, a

one-party oligarchy that lacks due process and free speech and is committing genocide, doesn’t “have freedom.” Perhaps these comments were inappropriate for fifth graders and certainly phrased in an odd way, but they clearly weren’t on the level described by “hateful and disturbing.” Social media takes what should be a dispute between a substitute and her school and turns it into a show trial.

Last year in Massachusetts, another teacher became the target of online attacks due to

about a truck driver accused of making a white power signal or a Muslim caterer whose teenage daughter made antiSemitic Tweets. These stories are likely to go underreported because the situations are often ambiguous and victims want to keep a low profile.

The term “cancel culture,” which brings to mind celebrities like DaBaby or J. K. Rowling, conceals two separate phenomena. To cancel people who have lived privately their entire lives doesn’t hurt some abstract public image or re-

The term “cancel culture,” which brings to mind celebrities like DaBaby or J. K. Rowling, conceals two separate phenomena. posting Facebook comments allegedly against the Black Lives Matter movement. The school fired the teacher, despite the clear sarcastic nature of the comments and her previous actions of online antiracism.

The Massachusetts Department of Education ordered her reinstated last month, with back pay given and her name cleared, officially, that is. In most parts of the Internet, the teacher can never go back.

These stories are common; every week, there’s a new case

cord sales, but instead harms their livelihood and family.

However, many don’t see a distinction. To them, all forms of calling out bigotry are speaking truth to power, no matter the individual or evidence. They think they’re punching up, no matter how underpaid or badly protected the individual.

Each case is tragic in itself, but the real impact is much more widespread. Cancelation functions as public execution: a punishment to the victim and a warning to the audience

of the consequence for breaking social law. Each one tells us, “Look out because no one is safe.” Not you, dear reader, who might make an inappropriate joke or have some social media post dug up, not your family members, who can all become infamous at a moment’s notice, not even me, who could be attacked for writing this very article, is safe. Individually, each is quite unlikely, but together, these incidents create a panopticon of paranoia, a system of enforced speech operated by no one that keeps people quiet and compliant.

Many will argue that online cancelation is a necessary way of holding people accountable for their behavior. However, the mechanism that makes cancel culture effective is what makes it redundant. Cancel culture, even with the existence of social media, would not have worked in the 1970s because back then, the charge of racism was something to be waved away. Now, so many innocent people are defenestrated due to supposed bigotry.

We should punish bad behavior through normal channels without using social media, which reduces nuanced stories into caricatures and turns those caricatures into outright lies. So the next time you’re on Instagram, go save those trees.

Fight climate change and police violence. Just don’t shame substitute teacher

Page 12

The Spectator • November 22, 2021

Opinions Not Just a Credit Requirement

By AMANDA CISSE

in early elementary school also builds up a passion for the language and its culture over time.

New York City has a huge population of immigrants, and building up language skills early

verse easily in second languages, sometimes in a matter of months. Becoming conversational at an early age provides students with the confidence to keep going, while beginning at a later age can leave students doubting if they will ever be able to achieve fluency.

Introducing a new language

promotes syncretism and inclusion. While standardizing the teaching of a second language in NYC elementary schools is a long way off, we can still learn to value language learning at Stuyvesant by incorporating new learning methods into the classroom.

At Stuyvesant, language

Christina Jiang / The Spectator

Most Stuyvesant students taking Spanish have probably said something along the lines of “I’ve taken Spanish since seventh grade, and I don’t understand anything.” Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the United States, yet rarely will you hear students discussing their passion for Spanish culture as they hurriedly rush through their third worksheet on the difference between “ser” and “estar.” As a country and as students, it is time for us to take language learning more seriously.

Students need to steer away from thinking of language classes as credit requirements. The first step in doing so is starting language education in schools as early as possible. In France, students are taught English from elementary school, which means that most French people are bilingual by adulthood. This early language education is also the case in Malta, Norway, Austria, Romania, and many other countries, where 100 percent of their primary and secondary school students study a foreign language. This compulsory schooling helps countries improve general education while also supporting tourism. Individuals benefit in a similar way, as big companies often look to hire polyglots because doing so supports their influence in foreign nations.

When language learning in

schools starts early, students can build a foundation in the language that makes it easier to keep learning. Research from Stanford University shows that young children learn to con-

teachers instruct students 40 minutes a day for five days a week, with vocabulary and grammar worksheets for homework. A myriad of language cultural opportunities are also offered already, such as the Japandamonium event for Japanese classes and the new Spanish Films elective. Stuyvesant has passionate language teachers who ultimately want their students to reach a high level in the language they are teaching.

However, most students don’t have this goal for themselves.

As students prioritize which classes to focus on, chances are slim that their French class will rise above their AP Chemistry class. The majority of students spend less time on the language itself, focusing on studying for the next quiz instead, only to forget everything over the summer.

To work on changing this mindset, both students and Stuyvesant’s language department can take action. Firstly, the language department should start off the year by spending a class or two on the ways that a student can self-study a language. Teachers can recommend television shows, singers, YouTubers, books, and movies that students can use to practice language immersion. On occasion, assigning reading for homework or taking notes on a television show can replace worksheets to give students a better understanding of how the language plays out in real

life.

Teachers can also share applications to study abroad programs, such as the Council on International Educational Exchange, or full scholarship programs like the National Security Language Initiative for Youth, providing students with summer opportunities and the chance to learn about culture.

Departments could even set up pen pal events, offer extra credit for keeping a journal in your target language, or share apps and platforms that connect learners with native speakers for real-life conversational practice. While a few teachers already use Boomalang, this platform, along with apps like HelloTalk and Tandem, should become more widely used across the department. These are additions to the fundamentals of language learning like grammar, memorization, and pronunciation that could help students start thinking about language learning more seriously. Teachers can further incentivize through graded assignments, projects, and extra credit.

With these changes, students will build foundations to continue learning after high school and stop writing off languages as credit requirements.

Maybe the next time students study for a Spanish test, they will look forward not only to getting a good grade but also to using what they’ve learned to engage with Spanish culture and achieve fluency.

What’s Wrong With Pink?

By ERICA LI

these products, leading people to associate them with a certain gender.

In addition, many of the items that the pink tax affects are necessity products purchased frequently, such as shampoo, body wash, and razors. These costs add up over time and become even more complicated due to the gender pay gap. The increased prices hit women and girls from lower income families harder and disproportionately affect women of color. A non-Hispanic white woman makes on average 79 cents for every dollar a nonHispanic white man makes, while a Black woman makes 62 cents, and a Hispanic woman

Buying a pink helmet for a child might cost up to 13 percent more compared to buying a blue helmet. In a study by Boomerang Commerce on 50 popular kids’ products at different online retailers, pink items, compared to other colors, were two to 15 percent more expensive.

Similar to the pink tax is the tampon tax. It is also not a real tax but a nickname for a valueadded tax charged on menstrual products because they are classified as non-essential items. It places an extra burden on people who menstruate, as a woman typically pays between $100 to $225 in taxes on tampons over her lifetime.

difference between the two besides the color, but the female version costs $1.08 while the male version costs $0.75. The pink tax doesn’t just revolve around color, either. The simple act of labeling a product as feminine or masculine adds a certain type of imagery to

makes 54 cents. Years of earning less have put women of color specifically at a disadvantage when paying for necessities, so the pink tax costing up to $2,135 a year drastically affects their lives.

The pink tax even affects children as young as infants.

For lower-income women, necessary menstrual products like tampons and pads become unaffordable, causing many to resort to using unsafe materials instead of purchasing pads. For example, women in many developing parts of the world, like sub-Saharan Africa,

Eleanor Chin / The Spectator

In the United States, where the average woman earns 82.3 cents for every dollar a man makes, it is despairing that women pay more than men for certain goods like clothes and hygiene and health products.

This phenomenon is called gender-based pricing, nicknamed the “pink” tax. The pink tax is not actually a tax; it is the upcharge on items that are traditionally intended for women rather than men, despite the only distinction between the two products being cosmetic.

The pink tax is not a new concept; women have been charged a higher price since the sales tax system was created between the 1930s and 1960s. Decades ago, gender roles heavily enforced the idea of the singleincome family, with the men working and the women staying at home, causing the sales tax system creators to focus their taxes on products that were not as commonly bought. The concept of a single-income family also meant that all expenses were borne by a household and not a single person. However, as women began to make advances in the workforce and bear the cost individually, the sales tax system did not and

still has not changed to reflect the times.

For example, a consumer reports study in 2010 found that women paid as much as 50 percent more than men did for similar products. A woman pays the average price of $8.39 for shampoo/conditioner, while a man pays $5.68 for the same product in a different scent or color. “Masculine” products that are commonly in black or navy packaging are often cheaper than “feminine” products in pink or purple packaging. For example, the cheap single-bladed razors found on sale in most drug stores have two versions: a blue “men’s” version and a pink “women’s” version. There is no

are prone to using paper, old clothes, leaves, cotton, or wool pieces to manage their cycles.

Many argue that there are justified reasons for why the pink tax still exists. For one, tariffs—taxes imposed by the federal government on products imported into the US—on women’s clothing are supposedly higher than men’s clothing. Another claim is that the product design for women is often more complex and thus costs more, causing companies to increase the prices. Women’s clothes also tend to be more labor and time intensive. For example, dry cleaners who can use pressing machines traditionally built for men’s shirts are forced to hand press women’s shirts, as they are often smaller and tapered in a way not typically suited for these machines. Additionally, retailers see women as their biggest market target, which means that companies are willing to spend more money advertising specifically to women than to men. However, the color pink or the design of the product does not hinder the manufacturing process, nor does it cause any more difficulty than a different color, like blue.

There is no reason why an average woman needs to pay an extra $2,135 each year to receive the same product quality as men, even if in a different color or design. This gender pricing gap needs to be eradicated. We can help by supporting companies that take a stand against the pink tax with gender-neutral pricing and buying more gender-neutral items when shopping. We can also talk to state representatives to make it clear that the enhanced prices caused by the pink tax are no longer acceptable.

The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Page 13

Science War: An Unexpected Front Field of Science

By SUBAAH SYED War is a gory ordeal, and many soldiers escape it with permanent wounds and scars. It takes strength to endure the traumas of war and we recognize the courage of soldiers by observing Veterans Day each year. Nevertheless, with the messy aspect of war also comes the necessity for urgent medical care for soldiers.

Medical attention for injured soldiers on the battlefield is a practice as old as war itself and is an important part of military organization. For instance, centuries ago, the Roman military pioneered frontline treatment, where soldiers were treated in reserved areas that were kept hygienic to minimize the spread of disease. However, the term “military medicine” is the product of the advancements of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The early battles of the Civil War called for the formation of a more organized medical facility and more efficient evacuation and hospital transportation methods. It also encouraged a compilation of medical information, including medical military ailments, like different wartime injuries and infections.

Establishing medical knowledge promoted the significance of scientific research, which has extended its impact to the general population as well. It created new roles and opportunities in medicine, opening positions for nurses, clinical physicians, and more. In fact, World War I saw a huge increase in the number of nurses working in field hospitals near the front line. With many men off to war, many women took over, driving ambulances

and taking care of wounded patients both at the battlefield and back home.

Due to the new environments that soldiers are exposed to, the risks of new diseases and infections are always a concern.

As a result, the military found it imperative to set up innovative laboratories in military hospitals to track these risks, and it was in these laboratories that many breakthroughs occurred.

One instance of this is military research on typhoid, a bacterial infection caused by contaminated water and food. Sir Almroth Wright, a British immunologist, researched typhoid in the former Army Medicine Medical School in England, where he successfully developed a typhoid vaccine and tested it on soldiers from the Colonial Indian army.

Advancements in our knowledge of diseases due to military medicine have also been seen through yellow fever research. Major Walter Reed, a U.S. Army physician, led members of the US Army Yellow Fever Commission in Cuba in 1900 to conduct studies of yellow fever because of an increase in cases during the Spanish-American War. There, they found that yellow fever was transmitted by mosquito bites.

An individual could come into contact with a person infected with yellow fever and even the blankets they slept in, but they wouldn’t be infected. Yellow fever could only be transmit-

ted if an infected mosquito bit them. This major discovery saved countless lives and paved the way for yellow fever treatment. The military also helped mass-produce significant medical treatments, such as penicillin, making them more available to the public. Especially during wartime, intensive public health campaigns were launched, such as the promotion of typhoid vaccination.

Along with studying infections and diseases, the military also played a defining role in developing technology for medical treatment. As war weapons become more deadly and injuries become more serious, technology has become essential in

maintains its significance in the military, and the field has become more revolutionary than ever with state-of-the-art technology. In fact, the US Department of Veterans Affairs, a key player in funding prosthetics research, promotes multiple projects including examining the use of electrodes to send signals to motorized prosthetic limbs, a major leap in amputation therapy. Scientists use neuroscience and improved robotic and prosthetic interfaces to understand our sensations of pressure and touch and implement them into r o b o t i c arms.

In regards to detecting infectious diseases in the military, another project covered by the Army Medical Research Command is precise and rapid disease diagnosis, which focuses on boosting testing availability for infectious tackdiseases and has garTina Siu/ The Spectator ling these nered more attention issues. In World War I, due to COVID-19. The the introduction of toxic Military Health System has takgases as military weapons disfig- en many steps to make testing ured many soldiers’ faces. Maxil- more convenient by setting up lofacial surgery, a type of plastic pop-up testing sites and worksurgery on the face, was devel- ing to make the vaccine rollout oped as a response to facial in- more efficient. The system uses juries. Specialists reconstructed telemedicine, also known as virsoldiers’ faces and attempted to tual health, to provide compliant rebuild the jaws and teeth using technology to continue medical materials such as metal. procedures and checkups even Soldiers’ severe wounds and throughout quarantine. In lab amputations due to battle inju- work, the military has initiated ries have led to major progress clinical trials to test the efficacy in developing prosthetics. To- of antibodies to prevent COday, army medical research still VID-19, and military hospitals

SCIENCEBEAT The James Webb Space Telescope is launching into orbit next month, with a 6.5-meter mirror that enables it to see into infrared wavelengths and researchers to study the weather on exoplanets.

Scientists have created an individualized exosuit that allows its wearer to expend less energy while moving by measuring the muscle dynamics of its wearer and using the exosuit to proportionally bolster targeted muscles.

Davemaoite, a mineral previously theorized to form deep in the Earth’s mantle and capable of scavenging radioactive isotopes responsible for the heating of the mantle, has been discovered conclusively in an unearthed diamond. have developed more efficient and inexpensive ventilators.

Though war is commonly associated with bloodshed, science and medicine play a pivotal role in soldiers’ lives both on the battlefield and back home. The research and technology carried out by the military have been influential not just for the army but for the general population as well. Along with serving as a source of patriotism for the people, the military can be credited for many of the innovative technologies and research shaping the future of medicine.

Is Blockchain Gaming the Future?

By ALEX CHO Due to the extreme success of Bitcoin, blockchain, once only for a niche crowd, has reached the ears of more people than ever. Though popularized as a secure method for making transactions, blockchain technology has gone well beyond this initial purpose to become the future of entertainment. A form of gaming accelerating in popularity called non-fungible token (NFT) gaming uses blockchain by creating entities that are unique from each other and establishes a market for users to buy, sell, and interact with them.

How does it work? Consider CryptoKitties, one of the first well-known NFT games. You start off by purchasing a virtual cat guaranteed to be unique and indestructible because it’s in the blockchain—a virtual ledger whose consistency is guaranteed by a network of computers.

Therefore, your digital cats are non-copyable and owned by you without the need for a middleman like a bank or company. If

you have two different cats, you can breed them to get an offspring that shares some of their parents’ attributes and some that are unique to themselves. Similar to Pokémon cards, the appeal of CryptoKitties is in their rarity and collectibility. Since there is only one of each cat, more appealing cats go for higher prices.

Though this may sound niche, some CryptoKitties have sold for over $100,000.

A more recent example of NFT games is ZED RUN, a virtual horse racing game that recently received a large amount of investment from the famous Venture Capital (VC) firm Andreessen Horowitz. It has a similar premise though the incentive to buy and sell isn’t entirely cosmetic—each horse has its own statistics, and horse races are hosted with prize pools. If you manage to breed a horse with incredible stats, they sell for more on the market, allowing you to profit from breeding and the buyer to do the same from future races.

Zed Run, though flush with Andreessen Horowitz VC cash, is

a fairly static site, with little more to do than scroll through a list of horses, buy them on the marketplace, and breed them with other horses. However, the competitiveness of the game increases its appeal; the same drive that encourages people to play League of Legends to rank up or pick a fantasy baseball team can be applied to stockpiling horses with better winning records than their friends. Finally, there is an addictive element of financial capitalism. Zed Run steeds are traded on NFT exchange sites like OpenSea, and similar to Robinhood or Coinbase, you can browse around to find out trading stats like floor price, volume traded, and price fluctuations over time.

Many of the current young tech-savvy generations seem to be taking NFT gaming the way earlier cohorts took to Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat. Digital collectibles have had a rocky history, but with blockchain, the technology seems to have caught up to the concept; virtual animals are now networked together, racking up stats, and have the po-

tential to make you rich one day.

What does this future hold?

There are already some potential uses for NFTs, especially in the realm of game cosmetics. So many games nowadays require players to open loot crates to unlock cosmetics, often disappointing them with “common” items that they’ve received dozens of times already. Only once every couple of weeks does something remotely interesting drop. Even then, that one skin gets boring after some time. NFTs, however, would allow each and every cosmetic to become unique, so that regardless, you are guaranteed to receive something different.

Another application for NFTs is for Massively Multiplayer Online RPG (MMORPG) games. Many MMORPG games start you off with a specific class that has an optimal way to level up quickly; many newcomers are forced to watch YouTube guides on how to do so and spend hours repeating the same task as everybody else. It can lose its charm quickly and force many MMORPG players to drop off,

leaving only the hardcore players who are willing to invest a lot of time into the game. However, what if each character generated were to have a unique trait that separated it from others? What if its character stats differed so that there was no defined meta and the player could explore the best way to play the game for themselves? NFTs could play a major part in MMORPGs, and while they may not be for everyone, the uniqueness they add could greatly increase the approachability for casual players.

These are just a few applications. The possibilities are limitless. Many times, the lack of content becomes an issue for games designed to be played for hours on end, but NFT gaming may help resolve this issue. The future of NFT gaming seems to be an exciting one where it may soon assert itself as a core part of major games. Bitcoins may have been the blockchain craze, but it may only be a matter of time it plays a larger part in the gaming industry.

Your Nervous System May Have Evolved from Sponges

By ANDY CHEN Sponges are rudimentary creatures that lack basic structures present in many other aquatic creatures such as lungs, gills, nerve cells, and muscles.

Like the ones you wash dishes with, these aquatic animals absorb and release enormous

amounts of water every day, gathering nutrients rather than soap. The mechanism through which sponges do so is not as simple as it sounds, and the sponge’s mastery of this mechanism without a brain shows that they are far from being basic organisms.

A recent study explains that

sponges have a sophisticated cell communication system that assists them in absorbing food and defending against bacterial infections. The interactions between the cells resemble how nerve cells and the brain coordinate, hinting at a connection between a sponge’s system and real nervous systems present in higher-order

animals, where communications between neurons occur through the transmission of chemical and electrical signals across junctions called synapses. Previous experiments have determined that sponges contain specific genes that code for synapse-supporting proteins.

Figuring out how sponges

use these genes and which cells express them are by no means easy, especially considering the sponge’s odd structure. The insides of a sponge consist of many linked channels and digescontinued on page 14

The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Page 14

Science Your Nervous System May Have Evolved from Sponges continued from page 13

tive chambers, which contain a variety of specialized cells. The unique body plan in sponges is incomparable with other animals, allowing for their extraordinary ability to filter water.

To understand these processes, Detlev Arendt, an evolutionary biologist at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), and his team employed single-cell sequencing on several cells from Spongilla lacustris, a freshwater sponge. The team discovered 18 distinct types of cells in sponges, including some that resembled certain cells found in humans and animals. One type called secretory neuroid cells aids sponges in expanding and contracting, similar to muscle cells

in animals. A few other cell types that contained active synaptic genes were scattered around the sponges’ digestive chambers.

Specifically, one cell type has active genes that code for synapses that fire signals. The digestive cells next to those express active genes for receiving fired signals. This suggests that some type of cellular communication is responsible for regulating the sponges’ filter feeding. Moreover, the presence of a sender and receiver cell for signals is a hallmark of the nervous system.

Hence, this study hints that the first type of nervous system in animals evolved to monitor feeding.

To confirm the relationship between the two cells, Arendt and his colleagues used X-ray imaging and electron microsco-

py, a process that transmits electrons to amplify an image of a specimen to generate a 3D view of the digestive chambers. They determined that the neuroid cells form arms that come into contact with choanocytes, cells with cilia, or hair-like extensions, that handle water movement and nutrient intake in the sponge. Based on the closeness and connection between the digestive cells and the neuroid cells, the team believes that chemical signals are sent to choanocytes, which may regulate the foreign particles and water that flow into the sponge.

If sponges do coordinate their cells similar to the way neurons communicate, it may change the perception that sponges lack neuron-like behaviors. In fact, the relationship between the two cell types may represent an

evolutionary precursor of the current nervous system, which used electrical signaling passed through small spaces of synapses rather than chemical messengers.

Other scientists argue that there is little evidence that the same synapses that allow neurons to communicate at rapid speeds are found in sponges that contain neuroid cells. Linda Holland, an evolutionary biologist at the University of California, San Diego, believes that it is unlikely that the nervous system evolved from the sponges’ cellular communication system. Previous theories propose that the nervous system may have developed from an earlier time and perhaps evolved many times already. But none of these claims have been proven, leaving the discussion open.

While the research regarding sponges and their relationship to true nervous systems have been preliminary, the identification of essential cell types will be invaluable to future research in the origins of the nervous system. The discoveries of neuroid cells in the digestive chambers have already become part of the argument that neurons originate from digestive cells. Additionally, the methods of research and findings of this study could be a platform for further inquiries about the relatedness between humans and sponges. Though there have been contrasting views on the implications of this study, the sponge seems to play a role in the evolution of the nervous system one way or another.

The Trouble with Turkeys Many families enjoy having turkey as the centerpiece of their Thanksgiving meal. In fact, the National Turkey Federation estimates that Americans consume about 45 million turkeys each year on Thanksgiving alone. This practice has become such a tradition that few people question where their turkey comes from.

However, the reality of how wild birds become neatly wrapped packages of meat in supermarkets is much less benign than what most people might imagine.

In the early 1900s, all commercial turkey breeds reproduced naturally, lived 3-7 years long, and grew at a natural rate.

By the 1930s, turkeys were selectively bred to be bigger and have a larger breast size, creating the Broad Breasted Bronze breed.

While larger, the Broad Breasted Bronze still had unattractive dark plumage, which prompted the breeding of Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys with less visible pinfeathers in the 1950s. This round of selective breeding produced the Broad Breasted White, the breed most commonly sold in supermarkets today. While its size and feather color make it possible for Broad Breasted White turkeys to be sold for as little as 99 cents per pound, this cheap price comes at the expense

of the turkeys’ health and ultimately our own.

Because of the large chest width of modern supermarket varieties, these turkeys are unable to naturally mate and can only reproduce through artificial insemination. They also grow to unnaturally large sizes, weighing twice as much as the commercial turkeys of the 1960s. Broad Breasted turkeys also grow at a faster rate than is meant for their short life spans. They are slaughtered at just half a year old, while commercial turkeys in the early 1900s lived up to five to seven years, and wild turkeys live up to 12 years.

The differences produced by selective breeding are so significant that modern commercial turkey breeds with the same traits as those they had in the early 1900s are now considered to be exclusive heritage breeds. Though also domesticated, heritage turkeys are much more similar to wild turkeys than Broad Breasted turkeys are. However, heritage turkeys are much more expensive and, thus, comprise only a small minority of turkeys consumed at Thanksgiving tables.

Modern supermarket breeds don’t just lack this heritage status, though. They have lost their ability to fly and, even worse, have skeletons that cannot support their unnaturally heavy weight.

This leads to skeletal deformities and joint pain, particularly in the legs. Standing becomes painful, and turkeys often struggle to walk. The chronic pain they suffer limits their mobility, and regardless of what external conditions these turkeys are raised in, the consequences of their selec-

are administered to livestock, and turkeys are fed antibiotics the most extensively compared to other livestock in the U.S. In cramped and unsanitary facilities like industrialized turkey farms, disease can easily spread, especially when Broad Breasted turkeys are genetically similar due

tive breeding alone are agonizing.

While selective breeding accounts for many of the transformations turkeys have undergone, antibiotics play a major role too.

Eighty percent of antibiotics

to having been selectively bred to have common traits beneficial for profit. A single strain of disease could wipe out numerous turkeys, and, as a result, turkeys are fed antibiotics to prevent dis-

Chloe Huang/ The Spectator

By OLIVIA ZHENG

ease. Antibiotics are also used as growth promoters, as they speed up the growth of the turkeys.

However, this heavy use of antibiotics allows bacteria that live in turkeys to develop resistance against these antibiotics. This can produce superbugs—bacteria resistant to most antibiotics—that can pass onto humans.

Every year, 35,000 Americans die of antibiotic-resistant infections; the misuse of antibiotics being so prevalent in industrialized animal agriculture—turkey farming in particular—will only worsen this problem.

Taste and tradition are poor justifications for inflicting suffering on turkeys and are certainly not reasons to ignore a brewing public health epidemic. Those of us who can avoid buying supermarket varieties should, and opting for meatless turkey substitutes is often far more affordable than purchasing a heritage turkey.

There’s a growing selection of plant-based turkey roasts, which use ingredients like vital wheat gluten to replicate the texture of turkey meat. As culinary technology becomes more advanced, better turkey substitutes will hopefully decrease the demand for Broad Breasted turkeys and make factory farming turkey obsolete, improving the welfare of turkeys and helping mitigate antibiotic resistance.

Bugs for Food?

In the Western world, most are grossed out by the idea of eating bugs. Yet, all around the world, especially in parts of Africa and East Asia, eating bugs is customary. Thailand is famous for its food carts that serve deepfried bug snacks. Fried cockroaches and chocolate-covered worms are popular in Australia.

In fact, it seems that only parts of Europe and the United States are behind on the popularity of entomophagy, the practice of eating bugs. Part of the reason that many Americans and Europeans are disgusted by the thought of eating bugs may be that shortly after becoming agrarian, Western societies began viewing bugs as an enemy that destroyed crops rather than as a food source. Despite this distaste, eating bugs has several benefits.

Bugs are loaded with protein, healthy fats, fiber, and important minerals. For instance, a cooked

grasshopper is 60 percent protein and only six percent fat, whereas a hamburger is 18 percent protein

fats, such as heavily buttered baked goods and fatty meat. The same vitamins and minerals found in

Jasmine Wang/ The Spectator

By ARYANA SINGH

and 18 percent fat. Additionally, the fatty acids found in bugs are unsaturated and thus healthier than foods containing saturated

fish and meat can also be found in certain bugs like mealworms. Another bug, the butterfly, is highly sought after in Africa by pregnant

women and children as an iron supplement. Even ants are packed with nutrition: 100 grams of red ant contain around 48 grams of calcium and 14 grams of protein.

Bugs can also be obtained more efficiently than typical livestock. Harvesting bugs requires fewer resources, as bugs do not need as much land as animals like cows and sheep do. Additionally, bugs require less food while outputting the same amount of food to consumers. Some species are even resistant to droughts. Most importantly, bugs are a reliable source of food due to their high reproduction rate and population numbers. They are also dependable to those who cannot afford groceries or live in underdeveloped areas where food is difficult to come by.

Entomophagy is also beneficial to society and the overall wellbeing of our planet. Eating bugs can help control their high population numbers without using insecticides that contain harmful chemicals. By naturally

reducing the bug population, the fruits and vegetables we buy at the grocery store would be less likely to be covered in these hazardous products. Moreover, opening up bug farms and plantations would generate new jobs, thus creating a new and profitable market for insect farming.

Around two billion people regularly eat a wide variety of bugs, cooked and raw, so why don’t we?

There are more than 1,900 edible insect species loaded with protein and other essential nutrients. Beetles, butterflies, ants, crickets, and even wasps are all edible. People worldwide eat bugs for nutrition, reliability, sustainability, and tradition. Even the ancient Romans and Greeks considered bugs, particularly beetle larvae, to be a delicacy that only aristocrats were able to eat. Entomophagy is nothing new, nor does it belong in the past.

Who knows, grilled cockroach may become your favorite snack.

All it takes is one taste!

The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Page 15

Science The Tragic Misadventure: Death in Space In science fiction movies, there tends to be a recurring climax scene where a character gets thrown into the cold vacuum of space, never to be seen again. While such extreme situations are uncommon in real life, the phenomenon of an astronaut “dying in space” is not unheard of during intergalactic expeditions.

Since humans first stepped into the field of space exploration more than six decades ago, we have lost a total of 18 people in space missions, 14 of whom were NASA astronauts.

Though this number may appear to be relatively low considering the 550 people who have ventured into space, more will likely become subject to space flight deaths as exploration projects become more advanced in the upcoming decades. Many launchings of a space mission with a human crew will inevitably encounter unexpected errors—often negligible, but sometimes devastating with no turning back—that may result in detrimental consequences and misadventure.

A spacewalk, or activity completed by an astronaut outside a spacecraft, is perhaps one of the coolest and most popular scenes in movies, appearing in everyone’s adventurous childhood dreams. As astronauts wander in our vast universe, however, they are exposed to many dangers. Tiny meteorites, for example, can slice through and puncture a hole in their protective suits, which serve to create a pressurized and oxygenated environment while shielding them from ultraviolet radiation and extreme temperatures in the external space surroundings. In less than 10 seconds, a process called ebullism takes place as all

the fluids inside their bodies, including water and blood, vaporize. The dissolved nitrogen then near their skins begins to form bubbles, reaching nearly twice the size of a balloon as a result of the extreme reduction in the surrounding pressure.

Despite the unavailability of oxygen in space, the astronauts’ circulatory systems continue to deliver oxygen-deprived blood to different parts of the body.

However, after 15 seconds, they lose complete consciousness as their brains shift to a “shutdown mode” to conserve energy. Within 30 seconds, their internal organs, particularly the lungs, stop functioning and their entire bodies become paralyzed, and within a few minutes, they die from suffocation There is a common misconception that dead human bodies in space decompose the same way as those on Earth. Decomposition on Earth begins several minutes after death through autolysis, or self-digestion, where hydrolytic enzymes from the lysosome begin to break down all the cellular components as the plasma membrane gets breached. Damaged blood cells then spill out of broken vessels, settling the blood in capillaries and small veins while discoloring the skin.

In space, however, several scenarios can take place after the death of an astronaut. In the first, death and decomposition occur on a corpse without a protective spacesuit. In such instances, the body would freeze rapidly, halting any biological processes. This frozen corpse would then drift into the vast expanse of the cosmos for thousands, and sometimes even millions of years, before encountering another object or force that would act on it. If the frozen corpse was near a celestial body, such as a

nearby star or black hole, unfiltered space radiation, which is comprised of extremely highenergy subatomic particles of

taken over by anaerobic processes such as fermentation. As of now, there is no confirmed settlement plan or official pol-

Cadence Li/ The Spectator

By DONGNI (HELLEN) LUO

mostly protons and atomic nuclei with electromagnetic emissions, would rip through the body like a firestorm and eventually cause mummification.

Things play out quite differently if the dead body is in a spacesuit. Because the suit contains all the exhaled air from the astronaut with the presence of sufficient heat, the decomposition process would actually be similar to that on Earth, though the bacteria would only carry out the process for as long as the oxygen lasts. Beyond this point, decomposition would be

icy for dealing with corpses in space, as NASA’s solutions to unexpected solutions are often discussed in real-time between the Flight Operations Directorate, Human Health and Performance Directorate, NASA leadership, as well as their International Partners.

Let’s consider an astronaut dying inside the spacecraft. In this case, the simple solution may be to dump the corpse out of the vehicle and let it sail through the cosmos freely.

However, an agreement called the “space debris mitigation

guidelines” signed by the United Nations has banned these sets of “littering” actions as the corpses can potentially collide with another spacecraft and turn into a flight hazard or land on an alien planet. In an attempt to tackle this long-speculated problem, there have been new proposals that discuss some of the more probable solutions for handling corpses in space. The green burial company Promessa, for example, collaborated with NASA and came up with the GoreTex bag, or a “Body Back,” in which the human corpse, dressed in NASA’s indoor spacesuit, is placed inside an airtight sleeping bag and then exposed to the freezing temperatures of outer space for an hour until it becomes brittle. A robotic arm, known as a “robonaut” then vibrates the cloth coffin intensely for 15 minutes as water slowly evaporates from the remains through a vent in the bag. The shattered frozen corpse then turns into about 50 pounds of human body dust that could then be stored outside the spacecraft until re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, where the remains are returned to the deceased’s family.

Such tragic phenomena of space flight fatalities can be prevented from occurring in prospective missions through the reinforcement and improvement of precautionary measures and research taken before the launching of every space flight. With the expansion of space exploration comes the increased potential for misadventure. Hence, it is crucial to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of nature and ourselves through such strange yet relevant aspects of space travel before technological innovations edge us even closer to a life outside of the atmosphere.

A Graveyard Forest

By MAHIR HOSSAIN Many are reluctant to think about death, an admittedly uncomfortable subject. The usual traditions after death include funeral services and burials, though some cultures practice cremation. Recently, green burials have arisen as an eco-friendly alternative to such practices.

They center around breaking down a body in a simplistic but sustainable way, avoiding the usage of chemicals. This concept entails placing the body in an “organic burial pod” made of biodegradable plastic that can decompose the body or ashes into a tree. In contrast, burying a person in a casket traps them in a steel case that harms the soil, leaching heavy metals over a period of time.

The transfer from human to tree begins with the individual choosing a type of seed to plant. Afterward, the seed is planted above the burial pod and then stored underground.

As the tree grows, the plastic deteriorates, causing the body’s nutrients to leak out and support the plant’s growth from

a young sapling until maturity.

Our bodies contain multiple nutrients that plants need to grow, including nitrates—which help with protein development— and phosphates—which help with photosynthesis and energy production.

The idea of green burial pods was first developed by Italian designers Raoul Bretzel and Anna Citelli in 2003, who both sought organic burial practices as an alternative to caskets and cremation. Caskets made out of metal, which make up the majority of cemeteries, are composed of carbon steel—an alloy of regular steel that possesses, as the name suggests, a higher carbon content than regular steel as well as higher concentrations of manganese.

Steel already has high resistance to wear and tear, but with the hexagonal compact structure of metals such as manganese, as well as circular carbon rings, the decomposition of carbon steel can take anywhere from 50 to 500 years. Even if these metals were to decompose, it would intoxicate the soil with heavy metals, damaging plant

root systems and slowing rates breathing problems and asthma of photosynthesis, which stunts in elderly people as well, posgrowth. ing a threat to human health.

Cremation has the same Furthermore, this causes more problem. Though the crema- stress on plants, leading them tion process is far more envi- to thicken their leaves and overronmentally friendly, as it does whelm the nutrient distribution. not produce as many heavy Yet many states are strugmetals with the exception of gling to transition from caskets mercury, it releases an to burial grounds due to outdatextremel y ed laws in current cemeteries. toxic For one thing, cemetery chemical: land relies on land acquifor maldesition, which needs hyde, which funding. Green is used for burial movep r eser va ments are tion of the struggling dead. to acquire When land, as formcasket aldehyde burials and creKaitlyn Ho/ The Spectator undergoes a commation are much bustion reaction or is exposed more prevalent and therefore to oxygen in a burning furnace, receive the majority of fundthe reaction produces water and ing. Cemeteries also require carbon dioxide as well as a tiny road paving and fencing, which bit of gaseous formaldehyde. are both degraded practices Not only is carbon dioxide that green burial cemeteries the main contributor to glob- wish to avoid. However, legal warming, but contact with islation is slowly catching up, formaldehyde gas can also lead receiving support in Congress, to severe burns of the eyes and which aids to focus the spotskin. Formaldehyde can cause light on human composting.

Green burials also provide an economic benefit due to the dramatic “discount” that green burial has in comparison to traditional burials. Green burials can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 dollars, which is considerably less than funeral costs, which can cost up to $10,000.

If the bill gains a majority of the popular vote, it indicates that there is an agreement that human remains can be used for the purpose of “soil accelerators.” That is, being buried to improve the quality of soil and even one’s wallet.

A few years from now, a tree will be more than just a tree.

That tree will be the remnants of a person, watching over lands of environmentalist prosperity. As the economic and environmental benefits of green burials are recognized, the practice will continue to expand, replacing the detriments of a traditional burial with a tree. Soon, death may no longer be such a morbid topic after all. Instead, we will live on and thrive as a new form of life, becoming one with our planet.

Francesca Nemati / The Spectator

Dorin Flocos / The Spectator

Sasha Socolow / The Spectator

Alicia Yu / The Spectator

Ibtida Khurshed / The Spectator

Francesca Nemati / The Spectator

Jingwei Liu / The Spectator

Page 16 The Spectator • November 22, 2021

Photo Essay Autumn is in the Air

By THE PHOTO DEPARTMENT

Alifa Azad / The Spectator

Lily Serry / The Spectator

Bernadette Baroi / The Spectator

Ellen Wright / The Spectator

Sophia Mueller / The Spectator

Hepzibah Srithas / The Spectator

Julia Lee / The Spectator

Honora Muratori / The Spectator

The Spectator • November 22, 2021 Page 17

Photo Essay

Autumn is in the Air

By THE PHOTO DEPARTMENT

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The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Arts and Entertainment Literature Memorabilia of the English Curriculum

By ADELE BOIS, ZOE BUFF, LEVI SIMON, AND ZIFEI ZHAO In a digitized world filled with endless stimuli flying left and right, we rarely find the time to sit down and read a book.

That is, unless the benevolent Stuyvesant English department assigns us a text. While many canonized books might skirt our idea of a “pleasure read,” our mandatory readings have still been profoundly impactful both inside and outside the classroom.

“Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger (Freshman Year) J.D. Salinger’s classic novel “Catcher in the Rye” (1951) is a striking portrait of Holden Caulfield, a privileged teen with a bitter, disaffected worldview.

He struggles to connect with others, using his sardonic apathy as a defense mechanism for his immaturity. While Holden’s role as a “misunderstood teen” has been replicated to banality, there is an exceptional accuracy to Salinger’s portrayal of teenage emotions. Holden’s flippant disregard feels genuine and defensive at just the right moments; his youthful wanderlust creeps back into the margins of his psyche just enough for the reader to feel its presence, but not so much that it loses its subtlety; his geysers of anger are undercut with a sense of sympathetic desperation and loneliness, giving him depth beyond being characterized as a “grumpy misanthropic schmuck.”

Salinger’s expert balance of character traits makes it clear that Holden is not an inspira-

Literature

By ALEXANDER HINCHLIFFE If you’ve ever gone to a bookstore, you’ve seen them: portraits of cats staring into your soul with the titles, vague strings of buzzwords, plastered on in glossy foil and scenic foliage. They fill the shelves of your local library’s young adult section and make their way into every book fair, wedged between “Goosebumps” novels and the 2009 Guinness Book of World Records.

The smash hit fantasy series “Warriors” (more commonly known as “Warrior Cats”) is an enigma in the world of young adult books. While the popularity of series like “Harry Potter” or “The Maze Runner” can be attributed to a relatable cast of characters and exciting action, “Warriors” blew up for seemingly no reason. So how did this early 2000s series become the 70-book juggernaut it is today?

The saga began in 2003 when executives at HarperCollins Publishers asked writer Victoria Holmes to pen a fantasy book about feral cats, a concept that she was indifferent to. Consequently, the first “Warrior Cats” book, “Into the Wild,” was released under the pseudonym Erin Hunter.

However, Holmes wrote more than she had anticipated. Working with other HarperCollins

tional figure, but readers come away from “Catcher in the Rye” feeling like there is a piece of him in them. In the two years since meeting Holden Caulfield, I’ve grown and changed while keeping his plights in mind. Am I really dispassionate and callous, or am I simply projecting my insecurities? Do others “not understand me,” or am I being deliberately obtuse to feel intellectually superior? Am I making a poignant critique of a social institution, or am I having a temper tantrum? All of these questions have shaped the way I’ve matured from my freshman self by allowing me to maintain my critical eye and skeptical attitude, but at the same time, shave away the insufferable byproducts that cohabit them.

“The Joy Luck Club” (1989)

by Amy Tan (Freshman Year) Tan’s novel opens with four Chinese immigrant mothers meeting for their regularly scheduled game of mah-jong, as per the Joy Luck tradition.

Through a series of 16 short stories that span decades, the novel centers around four mother-daughter relationships, revealing parallels between families and generations. Just as the scope of the word “Joy Luck” cannot be completely captured in English, the book is only a fragment of the female ChineseAmerican experience. Through vivid memories set from China to San Francisco, traditional legends, and recurring motifs, the reader starts to understand the universal bond that ties the mother-daughter pairs together. As the older generation faces and resolves deep-rooted

trauma, the Joy Luck daughters gradually find value in their heritage, leading to both inner conflicts with their identities as well as the eventual synonymity with their backgrounds. “The Joy Luck Club” was an impactful and memorable read because the idea of trans-generational tradition and pride is an idea that many Stuyvesant students, regardless of background, can relate to.

“Atonement” by Ian McEwan (Sophomore Year) Set in 20th century England, “Atonement” (2001) by Ian McEwan explores the consequences of a fateful lie intertwined with a story of love and war. 13-year-old Briony Tallis and her misconceptions of the adult world ultimately jeopardize her older sister Cecilia’s relationship with childhood sweetheart, Robbie, for which she spends the latter portion of the story trying to atone. Told from three points of view, the novel dives into the paradox of fiction, challenging the reader to reconsider each character’s account, with a shocking twist at the end to put the entire story into perspective.

McEwan’s sweeping imagery, poetic phrases, and lively characters add texture to a carefully mapped plot design that gives the reader a magical experience inside a world that blurs time.

The book does more than investigate the burden of Briony’s guilt and the danger of misinterpretation. It is a psychological analysis of humanity hidden in flowery language and a panorama questioning the significance of reality. One of McEwan’s most celebrated works and a

staple of 21st century literature, “Atonement” successfully combines all of the intoxicating elements of a page-turning story with philosophical insights and majestic prose.

“Siddhartha” by Hermann Hesse, Sophomore Year Originally written in German, Hemann Hesse’s “Siddhartha” (1922) follows the eponymous Siddhartha’s journey to enlightenment. The book describes the titular character’s discovery of life, friendship, love, work, and fatherhood. Hesse’s tone is slow and methodical, highlighting Siddartha’s childlike wonder and curiosity, but also emphasizing the inevitable unhappiness caused by material desires.

The novel surprises its readers with the extent of Siddhartha’s worldly knowledge, which is far beyond his years. Rather than listen to the famous Buddha’s lectures on finding Nirvana, Siddhartha leaves his friends and familiarity to travel and experience life himself. Knowledge cannot be learned entirely from a classroom, but instead must be sought through real-life experiences. However, Nirvana, or true inner-peace, cannot be found through a one-size-fitsall process. In a highly competitive and fast-paced environment like Stuyvesant, Hesse’s themes ring true. Stuyvesant prioritizes academic excellence as well as finding your one true passion in time for college. Though the truth remains that we won’t be able to find Nirvana by our 18th birthday, at least we can experience our youthful teenage years to the fullest.

Where Did the Warrior Cats Go? writers Kate Cary and Cherith Baldry, she began publishing “Warriors” books every three months to surprising success—soon, the writing team grew to six people as the series expanded to spin-offs such as “Survivors” (Warrior Dogs), “Seekers” (Warrior Bears), and “Bravelands” (Warrior Elephants and Lions), with accompanying graphic novels for each series. As of 2021, the “Warr i o r ” t e a m has collectively penned 2 4 8 books.

But despite being massproduced and oversaturated with marketable offshoots, “Warriors” remains fresh and genuinely entertaining, with an active fanbase. Between all the geeky political terminology of the cat clans and vast world-building, there’s something special about “Warriors” that somehow resonates with a generation of Tumblr kids and cat lovers.

Like many young adult book series, “Warriors” found its success in creating a world that readers could insert themselves into. Many aspects of its lore, like the concrete naming system, assorted factions, and various archetypes, were made expressly to let the fanbase create its own characters

YA (young adult) series that aim to be more self-contained in world and plot, “Warriors” knows its audience and prioritizes their desires for the series. The website even features pieces from fan artists and promotes creators in the community.

Fanfiction writers and animators are c o n stantly creating alternative universes (or AUs) for the saga (often with their own cat personas), and communia n d ties on Faces t o r i e s. book, Reddit, In oth4chan, and er words, YouTube have Jul the series ia Shen/ T produced endhe S pec was made to be less amounts of tato r stanned. content inspired From all the collectible by the series. While these field guides and world-building communities have since been kits to the official “Warriors” labeled as trivial 2010s obseswebsite, (which has personal- sions, they have remained acity tests and games based on tive as more volumes have specific characters) it’s not been released—with the most hard to imagine a HarperCol- recent addition being “Light in lins board meeting, with execu- the Mist” in early November tives searching for new ways 2021. Manufactured or not, the to milk the franchise. It’s clear “Warriors” series is a fantastic that “Warriors” is very manu- saga with a thriving community factured—unlike other beloved and no end in sight.

Playlist Playlist in Verse

By THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DEPARTMENT A Day in a Week in a Year, / a zombie girl becomes a friend. / Because the Night / is an Angel of Mercy. / I’ve learned that La femme ressort is less than / Cosmic Love, but more than Flag Days. / Vincent, Champagne Problems, Good days, / the Things Behind the Sun / That remind me that Happiness / is a butterfly. As if a Break in Action / Is a midtown Apartment, / as if we are all Paper Hearts.

zombie girl Adrianne Lenker Indie A Day in a Week in a Year Billy Woods Abstract Hip-Hop Angel of Mercy David Kauffman Country Happiness is a butterfly Lana Del Rey Alternative / Indie Ben’s My Friend Sun Kil Moon Alternative / Indie Champagne Problems Taylor Swift Pop Things Behind the Sun Nick Drake Folk Break in the Action CZARFACE & MF DOOM Hip-hop Apartment Young the Giant Indie Rock Because the Night Patti Smith Rock Good Days SZA R&B Paper Hearts Tori Kelly Pop Flag Day The Housemartins Alternative Rock Vincent Don McLean Folk Rock La femme ressort La Femme Alternative Cosmic Love Florence and the Machine Alternative / Indie

The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Page 19

Arts and Entertainment Happy, Free, Confused, and Lonely with “Red (Taylor’s Version)”

Music

Music

By JULIE GRANDCHAMP-DESRAUX Since the slew of COVID-related cancellations last year, music festivals and concerts have been front and center on the minds of those anxious to see their favorite artists live. After being postponed for more than a year, Rolling Loud finally announced its dates in late October, sending thousands of New Yorkers into a frenzy to buy tickets to one of the country’s most revered music festivals. Impulsively, my friend and I scored tickets two weeks in advance. Since I’d only ever attended concerts, I didn’t know what to expect from a festival this large, but I was excited to see some of my favorite artists nonetheless.

The festival was arranged with three stages: Deleon, Audiomack, and Punx. Each stage had a unique lineup of artists across the three days, some well-known and others just making their debut.

On the festival’s first day, October 28, I decided to go early to secure spots for the performance of the artist who convinced me to buy the tickets in the first place: Rico Nasty. With a unique blend of punk and hip-hop and infectious energy, her performance was nothing short of amazing, inciting pits in the crowd while fans screamed the lyrics to “IPHONE,” “OHFR,” and “Tia Tamera.” By the time she walked off the stage, it was already 6:10 p.m., meaning bigger artists were starting to perform at the Deleon stage.

Jack Harlow was the next artist

simply would not do for Taylor, who decided to go through the tedious process of re-recording: first with “Fearless (Taylor’s Ver-

an angst-filled, twisting narrative.

Taylor’s initial choice to rerecord her music is a decision that speaks to a larger issue in the music industry: most artists don’t own their own work. Taylor herself doesn’t own any of her own work prior to 2019’s “Lover.” Her previous record label, Big Machine Records, had control of her music, and it has yet to be returned to her. This

sion)” (2021) and now with “Red (Taylor’s Version).” The parenthetical nature of every track title is repetitive, but it’s symbolic of her ownership of her work.

The release of “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” was the ultimate slap in the face to Big Machine. A fan favorite of this elongated version of the song was the line, “[EXPLETIVE] the patriarchy.” As a country singer,

this line would have been cause for excommunication. The line is gratifying to many fans who now know the truth behind the politically stifling music industry.

Now, Swift is able to own her songs and record them how they were meant to be heard.

In addition to the longer version of the song, fans also got an “All Too Well Short Film,” starring Sadie Sink as “her” and Dylan O’Brien as “him.” Sink and O’Brien portray the rosecolored exhilaration of a manipulative relationship: the first fight, the culminating breakup, and finally, the raw emotions that remain. The film ends with Swift appearing as an older version of Sink’s character, now a published author for her novel “All Too Well.” As Swift’s listeners, we are the women in the audience of her book reading, who empathize with Swift’s retelling of her life’s story.

Though it makes sense for the re-recorded tracks to sound more or less melodically similar, choice songs on “Red (TV)” are noticeably different. “Girl at Home”’ sounds more like it belongs in Taylor’s 2014 effort “1989,” with its dance-pop beat packed with swamped-out synthesizers. In the famed “All Too Well,” the acoustics have mellowed, the twangy guitars less pitchy.

Fans do have a point, though, when they comment on the lack of “scream-singing” on the new tracks. Something about hearing the scratchiness and desperation

in a song that’s meant to be perfectly recorded for the radio is cathartic and strangely satisfying.

Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that Taylor now doesn’t feel the same angst or desperation that her 21-year-old self did. Nonetheless, tracks like “22” and “We Are Never Getting Back Together” are iconic and nostalgic. After many years, she doesn’t feel the same sharp pain, instead viewing the song as a part of her relationship with her fans.

No iteration of “Red” would be complete without its collaborations. Singers like Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody (“The Last Time”) and Ed Sheeran (“Everything Has Changed”) are old favorites (though Ed also appears on “Run,” one of the vault tracks). Among the vault tracks, fans were also introduced to new vocalists like Phoebe Bridgers and Chris Stapleton.

There’s something to be said about the emotional maturity across the album. When Swift first recorded “Red”, she was singing about the moments as they were happening; with nine years’ worth of distance, her voice differs not necessarily in quality or sound, but in intention. She’s not a teenager screaming at the sky in rage anymore.

She’s reflecting. She’s nostalgic.

We are too. As we ourselves move closer to “22” and begin to understand her lyrics on a more personal level, the feeling is bittersweet. We finally understand what “Red” really means.

Rolling Loud: A Recap of NYC’s Biggest Music Festival we saw, singing hits like “WHAT’S POPPIN” and “Rendezvous.” The first half of Harlow’s set faced a drowsy audience, but that changed when rapper Lil Nas X surprised the crowd, showing up for a rendition of the duo’s hit song “Industry Baby.” After Harlow’s set ended, Lil Uzi Vert took the stage, running through hits like “Do What I Want,” “Money Longer,” and “XO Tour Llif3.” Besides his music, Uzi’s amazing stage presence and technical theatrics made him one of the best performers at the festival, energizing and controlling the crowd in ways no other artist had done that night.

At the end of the night, people flocked to the Deleon stage to see 50 Cent close. While he reminded the crowd of some classics like “P.I.M.P” and “In Da Club,” what truly shocked fans were the surprise guests: A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, A$AP Rocky, and DaBaby.

The crowd reached its peak during Rocky’s “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2,” with mosh pits opening up left and right. Following DaBaby’s performance, 50 Cent’s return to the stage provided an exciting conclusion to Thursday night.

Friday’s biggest attractions were undoubtedly Trippie Redd, Playboi Carti, and J. Cole. Unfortunately, as the night went on, the crowd got progressively more violent. This especially took shape during Lil Yachty’s performance, when his calls for moshing and a barricade-less pit led to several injuries. After escaping the suffocating crowd, my friend and I took a breath while we waited for

City Girls. The duo was fun and lighthearted, providing a breath of fresh air compared to the heaviness of the previous performances.

Immediately afterward though, the festival was divided between the Audiomack stage, where Carti and Trippie Redd would perform,

singing new fan favorites like “a m a r i” alongside time-tested classics like “Power Trip.” “No Role Modelz” was the highlight of his set and could be heard all the way over at Carti’s show. However, when Playboi Carti stepped on stage, the ground quite literally

and the Deleon stage, where J. Cole would provide the closing act.

Staying for the former, I watched Trippie Redd’s performance give the crowd a wild burst of energy as he sang songs like “Dark Knight Dummo” and “Miss the Rage.”

Over at Deleon, J. Cole began his performance and had fans

began to shake. No performance thus far had elicited so much energy and passion from the crowd as the music combined with heavy rain sent fans into a rage, screaming like never before.

Finally, on Saturday, many decided to arrive early to get spots to what seemed to be the only ap-

Sophia Li/ The Spectator

It feels like a perfect night to dress up like hipsters, make fun of our exes, and listen to “Red (Taylor’s Version).” That’s right; after months of buzz from diehard Swifties and casual listeners alike, Taylor Swift’s rerecording of her fourth studio album, “Red (Taylor’s Version),” has arrived. It’s a lyrical and sonical expression of the color “red”: the angry hue of heartbreak and the burning tint of love. As Swift put it: “Red is the theme of the moment.”

Swift originally wrote these songs in 2012 in the aftermath of a shattering romance. In doing so, she illustrates the jumble of emotions someone in their early 20s feels. As she writes in “22”, “we’re happy, free, confused and lonely at the same time.” The album pushed the boundaries of Swift’s then-current genre and defined her transition period from country darling to pop star.

“Red (Taylor’s Version)” doesn’t only include a rerecording of the album’s 16 original tracks, but an additional nine previously unreleased songs “From the Vault.” The song Swift—and most fans—were most excited for was Swift’s rumored “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version) (10 Minute Version).”

Swift had to shorten this 10 minute ballad about her fragmented romance with Jake Gyllenhaal for the original album cut, look-

ing to promote “All Too Well” to the radio. However, on the 2021 iteration of “Red,” she lets “All Too Well” play out in its entirety:

Iris Lin/ The Spectator

By IVY HALPERN, ELEANOR LEUNG, and JENNY LIU

pealing performance of the night: Travis Scott. While the Deleon stage was almost empty when I got there, with each ensuing artist, hundreds of people abandoned the other stages in hopes of catching Scott’s performance. Though I enjoyed the preceding act, Roddy Ricch, who performed hits like “The Box” and “Lemonade,” alongside other tracks, the hourlong wait for Travis combined with the near suffocating crowd made the experience more unpleasant than fun.

Known for violent, chaotic concerts, Scott evoked so much rage from the crowd that the moshing that resulted from “Escape Plan” and “90210” led to intervention by security, who pulled people out from the pits and into safety. This pattern of violent behavior at Scott’s shows was seen again just days later on a much greater scale when ten people tragically died at Astroworld Festival in Houston.

Scott closed out the three-day festival with “SICKO MODE” and “Goosebumps,” sending fans into their final rager of the night as fireworks and flames shot up from the stage.

As one of the first large festivals to take place since COVID, Rolling Loud definitely reminded everyone of what they’d been missing out on since the shutdown. The festival provided the perfect place for a cathartic release for hundreds of kids who left with phones filled with memories that will be held onto until next year’s concert.

Page 20

The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Arts and Entertainment The Lasting Legacy of ABBA

Music Few artists manage to survive the test of time in the ever-changing music industry.

With the common practice of payola, the fluctuating tastes of the general public, and the constant pressure on artists to outdo their latest release, most ambitious musicians eventually find themselves dropping off the charts like flies, forgotten and lost in the boundless musical abyss. It has almost become a given for artists to lack longevity; even the most popular often find themselves losing relevance after their prime, leaving no lasting impact on their respective genres, let alone on the world’s cultural scene.

The same cannot be said for a certain group of middleaged Swedes clad in sequinstudded pants and folk platform shoes. ABBA, formed in 1972 by Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and their respective wives Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, had their big break to superstardom in 1974 with “Waterloo,” a record that won them The Eurovision Song Contest and topped multiple charts throughout Europe. In the following year, their 1975 album, “ABBA,” spawned the major hit “Mamma Mia.” This song would later become the centerpiece and name of the hugely successful musical in 1999.

By 1976, with their fourth album “Arrival” (1976) that produced the legendary single “Dancing Queen,” ABBA proved themselves to be one of the most prominent groups in the world. However, all good things must come to an end, and in 1979, Ulvaeus and Fältskog unexpectedly announced their divorce. Two years later, Lyngstad and Andersson separated as well, and after their 1981 release “The Visitors,” they decided to take a break. Despite this, their presence remained in the music scene, which was further amplified with the release of “ABBA Gold,” (1992), a compilation that repackaged their

Music

By KAEDEN RUPAREL Ed Sheeran is writing an equation for his life.

With the release of his latest album, “=,” Sheeran now has four albums named after mathematical operators: “+” (2011), “x” (2013), “÷” (2017), and now “=.” Sheeran has dubbed “=” his “coming of age” album and his proudest work yet. For many, Sheeran’s analysis matches up with their opinion of the album. But for others, it was overwhelmingly underwhelming, especially considering Sheeran’s track record to date.

Sheeran has been a major player in the music industry for quite some time: his first album, “+,” kicked off the slew

greatest hits.

After 40 years, ABBA have returned with their newest album “Voyage,” staying true to their roots by proving themselves to be “absolutely trend-blind.” Their lyrics reflect themes of parenthood, reminiscing old memories, lifelong friends, and regrets of the past. From beginning to end, ABBA’s familiar nostalgic landscape washes over the listener but with a blanket of maturity in the place of the expressive sentimentality of youth that characterized their earlier music—akin to a warm hug

tides of the industry once again? While their songs are not traditionally considered mainstream in recent years, everyone and their mother seems to know a handful of them. In this sense, ABBA is a notable anomaly: while waning in relevance in recent years, they never completely disappear from the limelight––not constantly creating cascading ripples in the scene but rather remaining an unchanging, reliable boulder of evocative disco-pop in the middle of the sea. “Voyage” is a testament to their resistance to being forgotten with the al-

cally culturally homogenous and exceedingly catchy. Taking direct influence from traditional Swedish folk music and European schlager, their sound is completely void of influences from genres like hip-hop, reggaeton, R&B, and soul—giving it a unique, northern-European flair that stylistically sets their discography apart from those of their contemporaries.

Ulvaeus and Andersson’s attempts to maximize the symphonic and choral elements of their recordings results in a meticulously harmonic production with each layer of sound

bum smashing records in several countries across the globe and bringing them back into the forefront despite their decades-long hiatus. ABBA has managed to survive countless eras of cassette tapes, CDs, and streaming services, and they don’t seem to be sinking anytime soon.

While trends in the music industry are continuously shifting, ABBA have stayed true to their commitment to the dance-pop mania of the ‘70s and ‘80s, and it’s this aspect of their catalog that unites several generations of people around the world. In stark contrast to those of other pop musicians, ABBA’s music is unapologeti-

adding new textures to their vivid soundscapes. Brilliantly juxtaposed, ABBA’s expressive melodies, when stripped bare of the flamboyant piano, heavy drum mixing, and ambient synths, manage to permeate a bittersweet, immediate intimacy deep in your gut: a feat that speaks volumes about their mastery in their craft.

But perhaps the most impressive aspect of their music is their mastery of the earworm—their music is easy to digest, their lyrics are tender, and one can’t help finding themself humming along after just a few listens. ABBA, the true predecessor of Phil Spector, has managed to unlock

Reya Miller / The Spectator

By MADISON KIM

from your favorite grandparent. While their familiar, bittersweet undertones are still present throughout the tracks, they seem much more profound and heartfelt, reflecting their growth and wisdom at this later point in life. Like true artists on a canvas, ABBA mixes their signature symphonic crescendos, layers of beautiful vocals, and jovial countermelodies into an aged blend of wistful optimism for the future. For many, “Voyage” marks a definitive closing chapter for the band––a final goodbye to their fans.

So all things considered, how exactly has ABBA managed to top the tumultuous

the potential of his eargasmic Wall of Sound. Their addicting sound is truly one-of-a-kind and, considering all of its aspects, it is difficult for other acts to emulate.

ABBA’s revolutionary impact on the world is undeniable with aspects of their music being found in every crevice of culture today. Their signature sound has served as a blueprint for several prominent producers in the pop scene including figures like Max Martin, a Swedish producer for leading pop artists today (such as Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, and more). Martin was inspired by ABBA’s orchestral elements and has stated how he “ripped off ” their discography to write the “perfect pop song.” Tribute bands, such as Abbaesque, A-Teens, Björn Again, and Gabba have dedicated their efforts to spreading ABBA’s legacy worldwide.

Their discography has also spawned several tribute albums, ranging from Cher’s “Dancing Queen” (2018) and the London Symphony’s Orchestra’s “ABBA Played by the London Symphony Orchestra” (1991). Perhaps the most notable piece of media they’ve inspired is the “Mamma Mia!” musical (1999), later adapted into a 2008 film and a 2018 sequel starring icons like Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried.

When the modern world around us seems to be moving so fast, sometimes we need a reminder that we can pause, dance, jive, and have the time of our lives. To this day, ABBA’s music remains a breath of fresh air, a refreshing infusion of the nostalgic sound that keeps us grounded when nothing else does. In essence, their discography is molded around the spirit of jovial escapism and personifies true, undiluted sentimentality. Though their recent release may signal a true end for their musical pursuits, their legacy and discography will continue to enthrall generations for years to come.

Authentically Ed, and How “=” Was Not. of math-themed album titles.

Since then, Sheeran has won two Grammy Awards for Song of the Year in “Shape of You” and “Thinking Out Loud,” and one Grammy for Best Pop Album (“÷”).

For the past 10 years, however, Sheeran has made a name for himself not just through his accolades or mathematical titles, but rather his ability to use his voice and guitar to connect with audiences. Sheeran stands out in the industry because of the way his lyrics resonate with listeners and artists alike, proven in his being named the UK’s “artist of the decade.”

In December 2019, Sheeran announced he was taking some time off in anticipation

of the birth of his child, Lyra Sheeran. So the sudden release of the singles “Bad Habits” and “Visiting Hours” just over a year and a half later (shorter than Sheeran’s previous hiatus in 2015), followed by the announcement of his new album, came as a surprise for diehard fans and casual listeners alike.

When “Visiting Hours” was released, detailing Sheeran’s relationship with the late Michael Gudinski, Sheeran explained that the album would be about “love, loss, new life, grief, and everything in between.” “Visiting Hours” provided an early continued on page 26

The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Page 21

Arts and Entertainment Teachers’ Jams

Music

By THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DEPARTMENT “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” by Billy Joel “My favorite is probably Movin’ Out by Billy Joel because it was #1 when I was about nine years old, and nine was a very impressionable age. It was really big, and I’ve loved Billy Joel since. I tried seeing him in concert recently, but it was sold out.” —Gary Rubenstein, math teacher

“On Green Dolphin Street” by Miles Davis “It’s sophisticated without being complicated.”—David Hanna, history teacher “Waterloo Sunset” by The Kinks “It is the most wistful song ever recorded.” — Eric Grossman, English teacher

“Pictures of You” by The Cure “I grew up listening to The Smiths and The Cure and Depeche Mode, so it’s that nostalgia of the new wave-y, goth stuff of the ‘80s.” —Kim Manning, English teacher

Music continued from page 20

glimpse into the side of the album that was reminiscent of Sheeran’s gentle yet powerful music style, while indicating that the album would feature songs about his daughter, particularly his love and admiration for her.

Each of the album’s best songs showcase a particular aspect of Sheeran’s life and his music. “Sandman” displays Sheeran’s authenticity, the trait that has made him so popular and his music so appealing.

The song juxtaposes gentle yet emotional vocals with lullabylike, instrumental melodies and evokes a sense of serenity

“Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi “It’s difficult to choose one, but I appreciate the upbeat sound that Bon Jovi creates with this song.” —Vincent Miller, physical education teacher

“Shine a Light” by Spiritualized “It has this powerful, ethereal feeling to it. And it’s got a killer saxophone solo.” —Eric Ferencz, English teacher

“Since I’ve Been Loving You” by Led Zeppelin “I just love Robert Plant’s vocals and singing, and the bluesy guitar [...] I remember first getting into it in college.” —Robert Sandler, history teacher

“All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles “I like it because it is about love.” —Dr. Eugene Majewski, physics teacher

Authentically Ed, and How “=” Was Not. in listeners. “Leave Your Life,” an amalgamation of pop and R&B, explores Sheeran’s relationship with his daughter, Lyra, in a more upbeat, yet still authentic light. “Collide,” one of the album’s best songs, features a more robust production than others, but is no less a display of Sheeran’s talents.

Sheeran’s vocals thrive paired alongside an lively, dance-pop rhythm with energetic music, intertwining his two muses together, conveying his admiration for both his wife and his child.

These songs all feature a raw authenticity, exactly what Sheeran is known for. They are all relatively untouched and not overproduced, in contrast to the less appealing songs on

the album, which tend to feature more production and less focus on Sheeran’s acoustic stylings.

The album’s hit songs were very clearly pushed by Sheeran’s label, carefully composed to climb the charts. Since its release in June 2021, the lead single “Bad Habits” has garnered over 650 million streams on Spotify alone. However, the song, along with fellow early release “Shivers,” is not at all within Sheeran’s area of expertise. Both songs are very clearly overproduced, with unnecessarily digitized instruments.

“Bad Habits,” a synth-driven dance song, is a clear departure from Sheeran’s usual acoustic, stripped-down style, and the lyrics feel much less impactful

and personal than what Ed is capable of. “2step” and “Stop The Rain,” both more stereotypical pop songs than Sheeran’s usual releases, share this surface level lyricism and overproduction. “Overpass Graffiti” also feels overproduced, and might’ve been much more resonating and Sheeran-esque as a gentler, acoustic tune rather than the dance-pop tune it was. Many of these songs feel unfinished, as though Sheeran was uncomfortable with how they sounded, and yet they were tossed onto the album as nothing more than tracklist filler.

On “=,” a choice few songs highlighted Sheeran’s uniqueness, both as a person and as an artist, with Sheeran’s raw voice,

beautiful instrumentation, and limited production, alongside authentic lyrics. Others, meanwhile, felt disorganized, unfinished, and overproduced, with Sheeran reaching outside of the genre he has mastered over the last ten years, without much success. Most of the individual songs were good enough, but they didn’t feel authentically Ed. They certainly didn’t feel as though they could combine to make a powerful album, especially not one named after the most important part of Sheeran’s musical equation.

Sheeran’s talent is clearly still there, but the album is, as a whole, underwhelming.

The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Page 22

Humor The e art c e are or

She

By CAROLINE PICKERING The year is 2069. Society has caved in on itself, leaving the world as a scarred wasteland of war, plague, and carnage. (Please dear God, will someone watch that new “Carnage” movie with me? I want to see Sir Edward Thomas Hardy and his stupid alien boyfriend be unhinged for two hours). After years of climate disasters, a plague that claimed the lives of over 25 percent of the population, and a long, bloody civil war, nothing remains but a husk of the society from The Before Times. All there is left to do is to scavenge the rotting carcasses of suburbia in hopes that you and your small band of survivors will live to see another day.

Another summer has come and gone, and you couldn’t be happier. Now that the scorching heat has faded, a nice breeze flows through the air as the tem-

o

a

perature starts to drop, until it finally reaches a freezing temperature of 75 degrees in the winter.

You bask in the chilliness, grateful for the cold evening. You can finally stop wearing your hazmat suit and just wear your regular gas mask as you look for something to eat. What a joy!

As you and your squad prowl through the streets, you notice a new scent in the air above the ever present stench of oil and ash. It's sharp, but fresh and pleasant. An older member of your group says it's the smell of pine needles. You wonder where it could be coming from; you’re miles away from any kind of plant life.

The sun begins to set, and as you enter your home base, you notice the facade of the building has been spray-painted red and green. Suspicious. You tell your squad to look alive, and you breathe a sigh of relief when you realize the inside is unharmed.

It was probably some weird art

a

By ALEXANDER CHU and ESHAAL UBAID

To preface, cooking is something that I’d love to know how to do. I’m not sure how well I can live an adult life while eating nothing but expired Yoplait and dinosaur chicken nuggets.

At some point, I predict I’ll get so fed up with my lack of culinary skills that I’ll materialize the superhuman ability to manifest a perfectly cooked seafood platter out of thin air. But actually cooking? That’s true sorcery. The prospect of being self-sufficient is so appealing to me, but I can’t

freak; they get bolder during the cold months.

Long into the night, you’re standing on the roof with a few of your comrades, keeping watch. A frosty breeze dances across your cheeks, too cold to be just the weather. It's like something is… defrosting. Your whole body stiffens. You were so caught up in your own ignorance that you missed all the signs. The pine needles, the holiday colors; oh, how callous you had been! What day is it? You turn to your comrade in arms and ask frantically.

They answer, “October 31.

How come, boss?”

Your eyes widen. Dear God. You order everyone to prepare their battle stations––to be ready for a fight to the death. The sun set hours ago; it's almost time.

You glance at your watch. It’s 11:55 p.m. Only five more minutes. You sit among your squad, waiting for the first crack, waiting for her to break free. An elderly

the atbo so clean as to prance around in an apron all the time? And why now?

“It was traumatizing to my little Timmy,” said one anonymous

The desire to become a cat is quite understandable. Lazy, fierce, and violent upon human contact––it’s a Gen Z teenager’s dream. What baffles us is… why a maid? Why must any cat remain

parent the morning after Halloween. “He was so mesmerized by the confidence radiating off these individuals that he couldn’t study calculus! He got an 88 on his test!

I can’t have him getting into Yale

cook in the same way chorus kids can’t speak a sentence with-

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wanderer runs into the street still clothed in traditional fall attire, shouting “We don’t have to do this! We can stop her if we all band together! I remember The Before Times! It doesn’t have to be this way!” Before he can finish, he is shot with a piercing arrow. You take a deep breath in your gas mask. The scent of Christmas cheer is unmistakable now.

It’s 11:59 p.m. You hear the loud cracking of ice coming from the core of the Earth itself. You shut your eyes, a single tear rolling down your cheek as you accept your fate, which you should have done long ago.

Glockenspiels ring. Cymbals crash. The bells chime as that timeless, ever cheerful soprano begins to belt, and you know as that familiar song shakes your organs against your ribcage.

“I don’t want a lot for Christmas…”

Mariah has returned.

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er

Art crew paints the backdrop for STC’s “Something Rotten” upside-down.

They’re back and hungrier than ever. Have you said your solemn prayer?

Actor Jake Gyllenhall enters witness protection after “Red (Taylor’s Version)” release.

McRib from McDonald’s is only okay.

Monster spotted in the Hudson River revealed to be a freshman that fell in.

Gravity no longer exists; frowns everywhere turned upside down.

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instead of Harvard!”

“I thought Brooklyn Tech was weird for students licking the floor,” chimed another parent, “but I’m even more confused by these maids... Should have sent both kids there...”

We (dis)respectfully disagree.

Catboy maids are elegant, powerful representations of unity, intelligence, and 10-for-$5 cat ears from Target’s seasonal Halloween section. Yet, this does not explain why many students were head over tails for this particular combination of ideas. Many may attribute it to the rise of anime, the hard work and dedication of cat ladies, and everything in between.

This notion does have some merit. Just look into anyone’s search history. It is there that they hide all of their passions and interests because God forbid society allows us to believe that we can remotely differentiate by a boring pre-established sense of normAhem. As the best duo of researchers at The Stuyvesant Spectator, we were the only ones mentally sound enough to investigate this phenomenon, and to see why the Invasion of Catboy Maids really happened. Our search led us to a real life catperson in the wild!

“Nya!” said the student, before running off to their next period class on all fours, plastic cat ears and tail glistening in the

distance. We considered that a decline to comment.

We also managed to get a hold of an avid catboy maid enthusiast (self proclaimed expert). “Okay so listen. I’m just a weeb and I will own that. It doesn’t matter that it’s $200 and that I need to explain it to my parents. Just please don’t tell my mom I already used her credit card for Genshin Impact Characters,” he said.

Our next interviewee was cut off by a fellow student slapping her mouth shut. How odd.

In fact, we heard multiple references to this exclusive catty club throughout the search. A whisper here, a decline to comment there, a demo-nya-ic chant somewhere in between… So naturally, we ignored it. Not because we’re lacking the journalistic urge, but because we live in fear of what lies beyond the search.

Our conclusion? To be quite honest, judging people based on their choice in clothing is a waste of time. Go do something with your day. See the sun. Reflect.

Have an existential crisis. Leave the catboy maids alone, even if the threat of the demo-nya-ic cult looms closer with every investigation we do. Thus far we have gained friendship and fond memories with the catboy maids and hope that you will as well. See you at our next investigation.

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boy, did they not live up to my low expectations. Don’t believe

eral years ago: “You’re not gonna believe

I’m not sure how well I can live an adult life while eating nothing but expired Yoplait and dinosaur chicken nuggets. out ending in a vibrato.

Over the past few years of my life, I’ve tried my hand at simple cooking tasks, but boy oh

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NEWSBEET

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set rituals or center. Everyone is simply united by their iconic attire, unrivaled confidence, and plastic cat ears.

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By KRISTA PROTEASA

ote are be a

Aryana Singh / The Spectator

Ah yes, Halloween 2021. We witnessed it all––Vine references, Tampax, Genshin fanatics, and nerds (who were so committed to the act that they said they actually weren’t wearing a costume at all!). Most notably, we’ve noticed an uptick of fabled catboy maids.

You heard that right. These dropdead-stylish outfits came into fashion for the spooky season.

The trendy costume dates back to the Ye Olde Age of the 2000s.

As a matter of fact, there are accounts of catboy maids in yearbooks dating back to 1937, if you squint. Principals even. (Coughs, Mr. Yu, this is your sign to invest in cat ears).

Our experts here at The Spectator are paw-sitive that this is no cat-incidence.

The most recent group of maids, which has been informally deemed the Demo-nya-ic Maid Cult, has been instilling both awe and fear in the hearts of Stuyvesant students. When one enters the room, full attention and respect is given. They are celebrities, with nothing short of paparazzi and a devoted fanbase. Every day the group grows, and it’s one step away from gaining national news coverage. As far as we know, this cult is unusual, in that it has no

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me? Here’s what the dishes I’ve cooked in the past have to say about me.

From the toast I made sev-

this, but she burnt herself worse than she burnt me. This would’ve been funny if I were joking, but while I lay steaming out of the

toaster, Krista was shaking her hand, like she thought it would scorch off her arm. Needless to say, that didn’t happen, but nevertheless, I wasn’t even a hint of a different shade, while Krista was every shade of red at once, just wincing uncontrollably. It was at that moment she learned how to use tongs. That’s a lie. She tried to take it out of the toaster with a vacuum. I don’t know where she comes up with this stuff, but it certainly doesn’t evoke Guy Ficontinued on page 24

The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Page 23

Humor ter ate T me

By KYLE HON CHAN There are many different realities in the multiverse, and each one has movies like ours. Intergalactic movie reviewer and journalist for The SpecTater from Universe #KHC46a John Bryans has visited over 400 realities to watch alternate-timeline movies. Here are his most recent reviews.

“Time to Die” (2021): 0.07/5 stars It's been nearly seven years since the last James Band movie, and the renowned spy is back.

Band is faced with an extra layer of challenges, figuratively and literally. With the COVID-18 pandemic going on, mask mandates are tight. Masked for the duration of the movie, Daniel Craig, who plays the lead role, said, “It was the safest set you’ve ever seen—masks and social distancing on and off the screen.” However, microphone quality and visual aesthetics took a big hit. Masks were printed to look like the actors’ faces, but they were printed in 360p, and the mouths were just an idle smile, even while actors were talking. Microphones were also placed inside masks, so all you can hear are gasps and pants during fight sequences.

During the film, Band is faced with an unoriginal challenge: a new crime syndicate named M.A.F.I.A.

is killing people. Per usual, he infiltrates the group and falls in love with someone who is obviously the spy (to no surprise, he doesn’t realize until the very end). Overall, this new movie simply lacks quality. It really is “Time to Die” for the Band franchise.

“Dune” (2021): 1.69/5 stars Starring Timothy Chalamet and Zendeya, Denis Villeneuve’s

“Dune” has finally hit theaters, and… it’s absolute trash. Fittingly, this story plays out a sprawling desert, if you can even call it a story. It’s just two grownup children playing with sand. That's it. That's the whole plotline of “Dune.”

It’s still better than James Band, though.

Cuffing season. Seasonal depression. Deep, teenage, hormone-fueled pining. Whatever psychologists and high schoolers with too much time and lotion call it, the results are clear. As we approach the colder months, the number of people whining and keening for a premarital hand to hold in these desolate times has dramatically increased across the

audiences wanting more.

to little avail. This resulted in an anti-climactic final battle, in which the animals were wiped out in a single snap. Directors attempted to spread out the fight with the remaining Avengers, but it was clear that they were outclassed on the battlefield. While audiences were promised a masterpiece that was at least on par with other movies, “Endgame” was disappointing and third-rate. Still better than Band though.

arve o ve er game” (2019): 0.08/5 stars Even though it’s one of the biggest box offices of all time for all realities, “Endgame” in #KHC46a flopped like a pancake.

Featuring time-tested characters, like Steel Man, Doctor Normal, Sergeant America: the Spring Soldier, White Widow, EagleEye, and

bee, and Wii Fit-Trainer, the trio looks for and fight the final boss, Sherlock Holmes. He’s turned to a life of crime and spends his time robbing banks instead of solving spine-tingling mysteries. The three heroes use their signature moves to defeat the sleuther. Many are calling this the “Avengers” of the Nintendon’t universe, and it leaves

otte

the Black House Cat, one would expect a brilliant amalgamation of the breathtaking movies Marvellous has put out.

However, the on-screen chemistry for all of the characters just didn’t work. Pitted against the intergalactic Titan, Thanus, the Avengers were tasked with training animals to fight on their side

to stage fright, or a paralyzing fear of further disappointing their parents.

However, these issues did not stop a spectacular show. The production was host to many great

to their fearless belting. An odder role of theirs, however, was Nostradamus, whose old man status was perhaps miscast with the youngest face in the whole show.

There was also Nigel Bottom,

known for their incredible volume.

Be this as it may, many are divas, not team players. The ensemble’s low volume might have been due

performances, including that of Berry “Berrilicious” “Care Berr” “Berrapist” Ongan, whose flamboyant minstrel costume fit well

played by Samuel Espinal Jr, whose role as a shy, non-confrontational writer was somewhat undermined by his tall and imposing stature.

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nation. Of course, Stuyvesant High School is no exception to these sinful activities; in fact, it could be considered a breeding ground for such unholy desires.

Local advisory warns students of all grades to stay away from areas of homoerotic energy and sensual new hotspots of borderline criminal activity in the halls of the school. Such examples include but are not limited to: the senior atrium, the back of the robotics hallway, and

e

“Jungle Land Trek” (2021): 420/5 stars Dwayne “The Stone” Johnson’s latest movie has finally hit theatres. Forming surprisingly good chemistry with Emily Sharp, the movie was a hit. The Stone displayed his acting prowess once again, waging war against the bland screenwriting with a heaping helping of eyebrow raises.

Looking for some ancient treasure or something, The Stone “beastmodes” his way through enemy tanks, harsh jungle conditions, and a certain German dictator. He really brings out the buffness required to play the character, as well as the wits and smarts he has to double-cross his once assumed allies. Although the writing was bad at best, The Stone is such a wonderful actor that he saves the film in style. Did I mention his muscles and bright white teeth?

t

from the show’s ensemble, (a group completely devoid of males, for some reason) who were on the quiet side for a good amount of the play. This presents a strange paradox, as theater kids are indeed

St

By JASMINE WANG

“Super Smash Bros Ultimate” (2018): 5.01/5 stars “Super Smash Bros Ultimate” is the hottest new movie of the decade, and for good reason. Beloved characters from all Nintendon’t games fight against each other in a masterfully animated masterpiece. All 89 playable characters share the limelight in this teenage thriller/coming-of-age movie.

Focusing primarily on Wario, Kir-

Jingwei Liu / The Spectator

STC’s latest production, “Something Rotten!” premiered on the evening of October 29.

It follows the journey of Nick and Nigel Bottom, aspiring playwrights in the English Renaissance. They face antagonists such as Shakespeare, a puritan priest, and copyright issues. The critics are already raving about it! Just ask Judith Grayble, grandmother of ‘Peasant #2’: “Oh, it was wonderful! All the singing and dancing, just great,” she said. High praise from a woman whose Facebook friend tally exceeds 200.

Despite the warm reception, there were a few hindrances to the musical’s running. The technical aspects of the production were marred in part thanks to the somewhat frequent malfunction of the actors’ microphones, which sporadically cut in and out. Many chalk this up to a simple connection error, but the cast members are certain that this was an act of sabotage, perhaps as a punishment for being part of SING! 2021.

However, when the actors went to confront the Lights & Sound crew, they found two ferrets in the control booth of the theater. Perhaps there never was a Lights & Sound crew, a quandary whose truth is shrouded in mystery.

Another audio issue came

ov e ev e

That's it. That's the whole plot line of “Dune.” Still better than James Band though.

Someth

By OLIVER HOLLMANN

e

Absolutely brilliant casting if I do say so myself.

Oliver Hollmann’s electric performance as William Shakespeare was an absolute highlight of the evening. His stage presence was absolutely god-like, really carrying the rest of the show on his shoulders akin to the might of Atlas. He’s certainly one destined for stardom. (I would like to note that I, the author of this article, may or may not share an extremely close relationship with Oliver Hollmann, but that in no way creates a conflict of interest regarding the show.)

STC’s production also made an impact outside of Stuyvesant. A surprise to many, “Something Rotten!” picked up significant Tony buzz, a rush that was unfortunately quelled by a distinct clause in the Tony Award guidebook. Turns out that the conditions participating students were put in during the production of the show fall under a clause that includes “child labor” as a stipulation for immediate disqualification. Personally, I don’t see the problem. I mean, the cast didn’t have to go overtime for a whole three days! In theater, that’s a luxury. The show’s faculty advisor, Ms. Maggio, has since been incarcerated for her supervision of this perceived crime and will be attending a court hearing this coming Saturday.

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the wings of the theater (sources remain deeply traumatized).

Though merely rumors and gossip at the time, mentions of a 2006 cuddle puddle have worked their way into popular media, briefly enjoying the spotlight before joining the likes of the SCP Foundation.

Researchers had kept this issue on the backburner as the more pressing issue of students’ missing gym uniforms took precedence, but letting this is-

sue fester has caused it to reach new bases, literally and metaphysically. Recent developments have revealed strange theoretical masses developing around these hot-and-heavy hotspots of semiplatonic action, with hands being held, heads resting on shoulders, and legs intertwining with a delicate touch of the knee.

These theoretical masses, dubbed “Cuddle Puddles” by The New Yorker in 2006, have been hypothesized to be black

holes in the making, with local freshmen in the area disappearing mysteriously, never to resurface. Rumors attribute this to a pileup of human bodies compressing into a star-like phenomenon of sweat, exhaustion, and more than one of Mr. Kim’s ties, until eventually collapsing under its own hormones. continued on page 24

The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Page 24

Humor St continued from page 23

Although originally attributed to the New Republic of Thespians (courtesy of Oliver

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Hollmann, Shakespeare himself) and their wily ways, new insight reveals that the source of these disappearances is the sheer unrestrainable desires built up from years of lockdown and the stress

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eri in any sense.”

From the hot dogs I barely cooked a couple years ago: “Oh, Krista’s cooking? Dear golly, please don’t let her near any pots. You know how the directions say boil for five minutes?

She’s taken two years of chemistry at this point––this is absurd.

By OLIVER HOLLMANN This past week, a local news station from Manhole, Alabama, reported that a turkey had mysteriously disappeared from a nearby farm. Fieldhand Jim Manimann asserted that the bird had “fled in the night,” mere hours before the annual turkey slaughter would commence in time for Thanksgiving the following week. When he was asked about the turkey’s characteristics, Manimann replied, “Oh, there’s a dark cloud about that one. He’s got his own… aura of gloom and despair. None of the other animals would go near him.

Does that make sense? Yeah?

We were going to kill that turkey early for our own sanity but it’s like he knew what we were planning. I’m getting chills just thinking about it. We gotta find

of being within a thousand feet of Dean Brian Moran at any given moment.

Areas of interest are currently being fenced off and studied, but no immediate solution is in

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How could she put a vague meatlike substance in a pot of what was effectively lukewarm water for five minutes and call that cooked? This is just plain dangerous. It’s a miracle her mom asked her how long she had cooked it, preventing her from eating the death blob. Her mom then finished boiling us alive…

That was painful to witness. I’m sorry––no further comments.”

T r e

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From the eggs I butchered a couple months ago: “I promise everything I’m about to tell you is completely 100 percent factual. She cracked three of us into a bowl. Fair so far. She does some preliminary whisking with her trusty fork.

Fair, again. Feeling like a culinary master, she adds way too much milk for dramatic effect, along with some cottage cheese. Lord

frightened man remarked, “He tore through the streets, doing karate on everyone that came close. Like, good karate. Black belt moves.”

Police were alerted as the feathered escapee proceeded to make his way into a nearby of-

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knows why she added the cottage cheese––she doesn’t even like cottage cheese. Anyway, she transferred this mystifying concoction into a microwave-safe glass tupperware. Do you know why it was important that the glassware was microwave-safe?

Because she MICROWAVED IT! She microwaved her scrambled eggs! And to make matters worse, she lost track of how long

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fice building after his momentary rampage. To the disbelief of the police vehicles in pursuit, he gathered a number of hostages on the building’s roof. As a crowd began to gather beneath the building, jeers and shouts were made at the creature–

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ing these chilling times, look for a hand to hold and not a limp pile of bodies to step over on your way to class. Stay safe, stay warm, and remember: no premarital unmasking in the hallways.

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him before he commits arson or something.”

Manimann’s descriptions were met nearly ten hours after the escape, when reports of a “rampaging gobbler” across central Georgia spread to the authorities. Of the turkey, one

sight. However, it is rumored that those who approach these suspicious mounds of activity are drawn in by this rare source of heat in these dark times. So, the administration suggests that dur-

t ar e

culprit turned its head in a series of motions that could only be interpreted as “Revenge.”

An improvised ransom was quickly paid to the turkey, with nuts and grass being hurled up to the roof of the building. The bird, with what witnesses de-

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–“Bad turkey!” or “How did he tie those people to a drainage pipe?” and “Where’s turkey John McLane when you need him?”

When a police negotiator asked through her microphone, “Why are you doing this? What reason could you possibly have?” the

she microwaved them for and took them out after two minutes because they looked congealed enough! I’m sorry for yelling at you. You didn’t deserve this.

Needless to say the next day proved problematic in terms of manners pertaining to her poor, poor digestive tract. It’s better now, but oh jeez, was that one helluva ride. Never allowing that to happen again.”

scribed as an “approving gobble” lept forth from the structure and miraculously caught the northern wind, graciously gliding through the air away from the gathering crowd below, landing a few blocks away to the confusion of various pedestrians.

According to local farmers, the turkey went on to drive across nearby farmland, freeing his beaked brethren as he went.

The escapade has been aptly dubbed by social media as “Les Mis, but turkeys.” Once he freed all of the poultry he could, the bird regressed in a plumed procession into a nearby forest, and has not been sighted by the authorities since.

Ultimately, this series of unfortunate incidents has been cited by US News as the “second most ineffective campaign against a bird since Australia’s Emu War of 1932.” We can only guess what this avian creature will attempt next, for no one could know what bitter machinations lay brewing in that devious fowl’s pea-sized brain. May God have mercy on our souls.

o m Teacher Baby Photo

apt o

o te t

Sabrina Chen / The Spectator

Answer: David Hanna

Hint: This teacher was recently featured in a documentary

“All my projects and finals sneaking up on me.” @ellakrechmer

The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Page 25

Sports Soccer

Records, Miracles, and Redemption: Previewing the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs

By KRISH GUPTA Major League Soccer (MLS) is often overlooked as one of the world’s biggest professional soccer leagues. In recent years, however, MLS has been steadily improving in quality and viewership, as seen in the 2021 regular season. ABC and ESPN saw viewership increases of 39 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

In a league where parity rules, the playoff picture shifted dramatically from last season. The reigning MLS Cup Champions, Columbus Crew SC, failed to finish in the top seven in the East and will miss out on the playoffs. Meanwhile, the New England Revolution had the best MLS regular season ever, racking up 73 points en route to their Supporters’ Shield victory.

This MLS Cup playoff season is primed to be a memorable one. Upset potential, Cinderella runs, and a first-time champion are all possible. Here is who we think will go far:

Courtesy of Krish Gupta

Eastern Conference Champion: New York City FC With just over a month left in the regular season, New York City FC was in eighth place, out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They had endured an embarrassing streak of losses and draws that began with a loss to their rivals, the New York Red Bulls. Prior to the streak,

NYCFC was as high as third for much of the season but had to fight for a spot to compete for MLS Cup. They rose to the occasion.

En route to clinching the fourth seed, NYCFC looked like MLS Cup contenders, thrashing D.C. United 6-0, drawing the Philadelphia Union with 10 men after Gedion Zelalem picked up a red card early in the game, and setting records along the way.

Taty Castellanos scooped up the 2021 MLS Golden Boot after finishing the season with 19 goals, tied with Ola Kamara for the league lead. The Argentinian beat out Kamara by virtue of the assists tiebreaker, a testament to his playmaking ability.

NYCFC faces Atlanta United FC in the first round, with the winners going against a historically good New England Revolution squad. In two meetings this year, NYCFC has gotten the better of Atlanta, with a win early in the season and a tie at Mercedes-Benz last month that kickstarted their comeback campaign. Though NYCFC may have the higher seed, City and United both finished with 51 points on the season, with City earning home field advantage only by virtue of the goal difference tiebreaker. Home field advantage is not something to be understated since NYCFC plays at Yankee Stadium, a baseball stadium with an abnormally

small soccer field. NYCFC has lost just seven games in club history at home. If the game was in Atlanta, where United has a huge advantage of its own, the storyline might be different. Expect NYCFC to advance.

The Revolution set a league record for points in the season with 73, but don’t let their record fool you. The Revs have won almost all of their games by tight margins of one or two goals. Out of their five losses in the 34-game season, one was to NYCFC. It is NYCFC, not New England, that is the hottest team in the East right now, so an upset wouldn’t be surprising. The Revs are coming off a humbling Decision Day loss to lowly Inter Miami and could continue the trend of the Supporters’ Shield winner falling short in the playoffs. Once the Boys in Blue advance to the Eastern Conference finals, they could face Nashville SC, which tied an MLS record by losing just four games all season. However, NYCFC is more experienced, which may be the deciding factor that helps lead NYCFC to their first MLS Cup appearance ever.

Western Conference Champions: Seattle Sounders FC In the Western Conference, the Seattle Sounders have been perennial contenders for a while now. The Sounders hold the second seed in their conference

behind the resurgent Colorado Rapids but also hold the edge in playoff experience, with the likes of Jordan Morris, Nicolás Lodeiro, and Raúl Ruidíaz leading the line.

Challenging the Sounders on their path to the MLS Cup first will be the seventh-seeded Real Salt Lake (RSL). RSL snuck into the playoffs with the last seed in the West courtesy of some Decision Day madness. However, the Sounders should be able to easily dispatch a team that has lost as many games as it has won this season.

Awaiting Seattle in the second round will either be thirdseeded Sporting Kansas City (SKC) or sixth-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps. Either way, the Sounders should hold the edge given their firepower and regular season meeting results, with SKC and the Whitecaps both losing in their recent matchups with Seattle.

Once the Sounders advance, they will face their biggest hurdle to the Cup: the Rapids. Few expected the Rapids to finish at the top of the Western Conference at the outset of the season, but they surprised the league. Colorado may have finished the season with one more point than Seattle, but in their meetings this year, Seattle has gotten the better of the Rapids. In October, Seattle humbled Colorado with a 3-0 win.

The Sounders aren’t in great form, with their last win coming way back at the beginning of October. However, experience pays in MLS, and Seattle has it in spades. The Sounders know how to get the job done in the playoffs, appearing in four of the last five MLS Cups. They may not hold the top seed, but the Sounders are still the team to beat in the West and in the league as a whole.

MLS Cup Final: Sounders over NYCFC If the Sounders and NYCFC do indeed meet in the final, the game will be played in Seattle due to seeding. For much of the season and for its time in MLS, NYCFC has ridden the wave of home field advantage but performed significantly worse away from home.

Seattle has several potent attacking threats at its disposal as compared to just one star up top for NYCFC in Castellanos. Especially with question marks at right back without Anton Tinnerholm, it’s hard to imagine NYCFC being able to handle the Seattle attack. This final matchup has the potential to be high-scoring. In the team’s most recent meetings, NYCFC took a 3-0 win and Seattle had a 3-1 win.

Prediction: Seattle 4, New York City 2

Page 26

The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Sports Athlete of the Issue

Off the Deep End with the Girls Swim Captains

By AIDAN LOOK

convince myself that I genuinely enjoy the pain of swim practice.

Also, during the off-season, I go to club practices so that I can keep competing even though our school team isn’t.

A: Continuously dedicating myself to our grueling practices as well as feeling an obligation to do the best I can for the sake of the team. I personally did a lot of long-distance practices which involved swimming thousands of yards and learning to keep my pace.

Alina Dufenyuk Grade: 12 Height: 5’4’’ Eye color: Brown Hair color: Blonde Birthday: 5/28/2004

1. How long have you been on the Stuyvesant swimming team?

E: Since freshman year.

A: Four years, since freshman year.

2. What strokes do you specialize in? What techniques are involved?

E: I swim mostly butterfly and freestyle. They are both the strokes that involve the least amount of actual technique.

You kind of just pull and hope for the best.

A: I swim mostly freestyle–– specifically the 500 Free. The techniques involve moving my arms through the water and keeping the same pace.

3. What inspired you to join the swimming team? What motivated you to continue to lead this team?

E: I was inspired to join the

Francesca Nemati/ The Spectator

Eliza Knapp Grade: 12 Height: 5’4’’ Eye color: Brown Hair color: Brown Birthday: 5/14/2004

swim team because I liked swimming and my friend from my swim team outside of school loved it and said it was the best part of high school. Throughout Stuy, I have had so much fun cheering on teammates and racing not just for myself, but for the team. I was motivated to continue to lead the team because I wanted to continue to create the same atmosphere that the seniors created for me and my teammates each year.

A: I wanted to join the swim team to further pursue my interest in the sport and to be involved in a high school team. As soon as I saw how inviting and genuinely interesting the team was during my freshman year, I knew I had to join. Over the years I grew a love for the team and it became my safe space, so wanting a leadership position in it just made sense.

4. From your years on the swimming team, do you have

a most memorable moment/ experience?

E: My most memorable moment was last Friday when some of the girls came over to make a poster for our coach to put up at the final meet this weekend. We spent way too much time finding and cutting out funny pictures of him and decorating them with butterflies, princesses, and sparkles.

A: Some of the most memorable moments I can remember are winning against Brooklyn Tech my sophomore year because we were considered underdogs the entire season and crushed them in the finals, as well as making A Champs posters for both my team members and Coach Zhu last Friday.

5. What is your strategy for constantly improving yourself (specific routines, drills, etc.)?

E: My strategy for constantly improving myself is to try to

6. What’s one of the biggest obstacles you’ve faced while on the swim team?

E: One of the biggest obstacles I’ve faced is trying to balance my outside-of-school swim team, where I need to be present at practices multiple times a week, while also coming every day after school to Stuy practices.

Also, the seasons are different so when we taper at school practices, we are not doing the same at club team practices which means that after the school season I have to work really hard to get back into shape.

A: Having a torn meniscus and choosing to swim through it to give our team a better chance at getting to playoffs. Additionally, learning to balance the Stuy workload with daily classes was also a challenge but it taught me how to manage my time and prioritize work above all else.

7. How do you think the Stuyvesant swimming team

has changed you as a swimmer/person?

E: It has made me understand how much more fun swimming for high school is because it’s not about the times, it’s about racing the people next to you in the moment. I feel like I swim my best races during high school swimming when I just want to beat the person next to me and am not just racing against my own personal best.

A: It gave me perspective on what it means to be part of the team. I learned how to bond with my teammates and make lasting relationships that went beyond our season. Also, I learned the importance of having a good work, practice, and social life balance. The team has definitely made me a better person in terms of both my academics and physical abilities and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Funniest Member: E: Alina A: Carla Drink of Choice: E: Spicy Water A: Peach Margarita and pool water Favorite food: E: Tacos A: Pierogi Favorite Class: E: Geometry A: AP Environmental Science Favorite movie/TV show: E: “The Devil Wears Prada” A: “Good Will Hunting” and “Naruto Shippuden” Hobbies besides sports?

E: Playing piano A: Watching anime and art

UFC

A Night of Champions continued from page 28

Rose Namajunas vs. Weili Zhang The co-main event of the night saw strawweight champion Rose Namajunas defend her belt against challenger Weili Zhang in a highly contested five-round bout. The fight was a rematch following the pair’s first title fight earlier this year in April, where the American scored a vicious first-round knockout just 78 seconds into the match.

The second fight, however, was a much closer contest than its predecessor, with Namajunas slightly edging Zhang for the victory via a split decision.

Zhang started the action in the first round of the fight, landing a few intermittent leg kicks as the two fighters cautiously circled around the octagon.

Namajunas had her moment with a quick punching combination on Zhang, but the challenger was able to secure a takedown and score a few ground and pound strikes of her own. The round ended with the two fighters returning to their feet and exchanging blows. This calculated action continued into the second round, with both fighters waiting patiently for the perfect opportunity to land a shot.

It was Zhang who found an opening first, landing a powerful counter right hand that staggered Namajunas. The defending champion stumbled and was

brought to the mat by the challenger, but was able to work her way back up and end the round on top. The third round started out slow but quickly built up pace when Zhang landed a hard left hook and took down Namajunas, securing a full mount position and hitting her opponent with heavy elbow strikes. In the fourth round, Namajunas, likely sensing that she was down on the judges’ cards, came out with more urgency, quickly finding her mark with her punches and keeping the pressure high.

Heading into the final round, the momentum shifted in favor of Namajunas, who secured a takedown in the center of the cage early. She landed ground and pound strikes while maintaining her top position for the remainder of the round.

At the end of the final round, two out of the three judges scored the fight 48-47 and 49-46 in favor of Namajunas, giving her the split decision victory. With this successful defense of her strawweight title, Namajunas now looks to face former champ Carla Esparaza in yet another rematch from their first bout in 2014. Zhang, on the other hand, has now lost twice in a row for the first time in her career, and it will be interesting to see how this loss will affect her in her upcoming bouts.

Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington In the welterweight division of Mixed Martial Arts, two fight-

ers, Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, are a step above the others. Usman suffered a defeat in his second professional fight, and instead of letting an early loss ruin his career, the “Nige-

land a punch that broke Covington’s jaw. In devastating fashion, Usman defeated Covington to become the undisputed champion.

At UFC 268, Usman and

Many fans expected UFC 268 to be one of the best sporting events of the year, and it certainly delivered.

rian Nightmare” trained relentlessly and went on an 18-fight win streak to become the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Since Usman’s first loss, Colby “Chaos” Covington was the only fighter who presented a challenge. Covington had a similar rise to stardom, rebounding off an early loss to become one of the most skilled fighters in the world. On their way up, it seemed inevitable that the two welterweights would have a showdown, and their first encounter was an instant classic.

Usman went in as the Champion whilst Covington held the interim title. Their first fight was feral, even heading into the fifth round, but Usman was able to

Covington had their highly anticipated rematch. The fight started off with pure domination from the Nigerian Nightmare. In fact, in the second round, Usman knocked down Covington twice within the span of a few seconds. Things were looking rough for Covington, who was already deemed to be the underdog heading into the fight. As he headed back to his corner, he looked close to being finished. However, Covington refused to go down without a fight and came back toe to toe with Usman for the remainder of the brawl, winning a few rounds in the process. The fight went to the scorecards, and Usman was handed the victory due

to his early dominance. Covington and Usman exchanged a few words at the end of the fight.

Notorious for his trash-talking and belligerent personality, Covington was rather humble after his defeat, giving credit to his opponent.

The fight brought about an end to an epic rivalry between two of the most skilled fighters in the world. Though Covington lost, he was adamant that the fans haven’t seen the best of him. Since he is a relatively light welterweight, it is plausible for him to go down a division in order for him to challenge for the lightweight belt. Meanwhile, Usman has even more ambitious plans. After his fight ended, he was hinting at a possible boxing match against Mexican Canelo Alvarez. Even if this matchup fails to materialize, Usman can continue to fight in the UFC to secure his status as one of the all-time greats next to the likes of Jon Jones, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and George SaintPierre.

UFC 268 delivered to the fullest extent, providing its viewers with exciting, fast-paced action. Though all the fights were highly contested, the winners Gaethje, Usman, and Namajunas were able to rise to the occasion and defeat their opponents.

Gaethje, though not yet a UFC champion, will likely receive a title shot in his upcoming bout.

Needless to say, the night was a win for all combat sports fans.

The Spectator ● November 22, 2021

Page 27

Sports Sports Editorial

By JOHAN WIELAARD Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez recently became the undisputed super middleweight champion of the world—a feat that he is the first to accomplish. In a fight that took place on November 6 in Las Vegas, Canelo dominated from start to finish, knocking out Caleb Plant in the 11th round. Canelo improved to a 571-2 boxing record, one that rivals even that of the legendary Floyd Mayweather (50-0-0).

Interestingly, Canelo and Mayweather have fought before, in a bout back in 2013. Though Canelo lost by a majority decision, many, including Canelo himself, felt that Mayweather took advantage of a young Canelo. When asked what he thought about both of them fighting in their prime, Canelo said, “I am a more mature fighter. It would be a totally different fight. I have more experience. I learned a lot.” Unfortunately, that assertion is almost all up to speculation. Mayweather is far from his prime right now and seems to be fighting purely for money.

King Canelo; What’s Next?

Alternatively, an interesting fight would be Kamaru Usman vs. Canelo. Usman fought the same night as Canelo at UFC 268 in an epic rematch against Colby Covington. Their first fight ended in a knockout for Usman, breaking Covington’s jaw. The second resulted in a unanimous decision victory for Usman. “I am, the pound for pound, best in the world right now,” Us-

pound.

However, a fight between Usman and Canelo would have many parallels to Conor McGregor and Mayweather’s bout in 2017. The hype for that fight was incredible. McGregor’s showmanship and Mayweather’s boxing prowess came together to produce one of the highest selling pay-per-view fights of all time. In terms of the fight

against Canelo would be similar.

The two would likely face off in a boxing match, as opposed to MMA. The question of contract issues also comes into play. The UFC has all of its fighters under contract, meaning they have to duke out all the fights remaining in their contract before they can fight elsewhere. In an interview after Usman’s most recent fight, UFC president Dana White said,

If Usman can absorb elbows and knees and not get knocked out, how will Canelo phase him with just fists?

Canelo’s head movement and dodging are the best in the world––how will Usman even touch his opponent? man confidently asserted following the second fight. Curiously, Canelo and Usman are the same weight. Canelo would likely assert that he is the best in the world right now, pound for

itself, it was business as usual for Mayweather. McGregor was never truly able to trouble him and was eventually TKO’d in the 10th round. Unfortunately for Usman, I think his fate in a fight

“[Usman] don’t want to fight Canelo. Come on man, let’s stop this talk.”

It is no secret that McGregor’s career has been in decline since fighting Mayweather

and returning to the UFC. He’s already faced two crushing defeats to Dustin Poirier this year and a humiliating submission defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018. White likely doesn’t want his top fighter and top selling point in Usman to follow the same route. Fans of combat sports across the globe want to see this fight, and it is frustrating that White is able to hold his fighters hostage.

Canelo vs. Usman would be a massive fight, undoubtedly rivaling numbers of McGregor vs.

Mayweather. Though I have full confidence in Canelo to secure the win, anything can happen, and Usman is one of the toughest pure fighters in the world. If Usman can absorb elbows and knees and not get knocked out, how will Canelo phase him with just fists? Canelo’s head movement and dodging are the best in the world––how will Usman even touch his opponent? Events like these, with so many unknowns, capture the audience’s interest.

One thing is for sure though. If this event happens, both fighters will see a huge payday.

Baseball

The Atlanta Braves Persevere in a Decisive World Series Win

By MAYA BROSNICK

the Braves in 2007 and has been with the team since his call-up to the majors in September 2010.

title since 1995. Freeman was drafted out of high school by

He will go into free agency this offseason, and if this was truly

Vivian Teo / The Spectator

There were two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Atlanta Braves were up seven runs to none. Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley was on first, and Braves first baseman Yuli Gurriel was at the plate. Closer Will Smith started the at-bat with a fastball painted on the outside corner for strike one, then followed it up with another fastball, fouled back for strike two. By that point, the crowd was on its feet and screaming for what proved to be Smith’s final pitch of the game: a 94 mph fastball that bounced to shortstop Dansby Swanson.

Swanson fielded it cleanly and threw the ball to first baseman Freddie Freeman for the final out of the game, marking the end of the 2021 Major League Baseball season. Freeman threw both hands in the air before running into a pile of his screaming teammates, all jumping in the middle of the infield.

Freeman making the final out was perhaps the most fitting way for the Braves to win their first

his final game with the Braves, then it ended on an incredible note.

“I’m still numb,” Freeman said in a postgame interview.

“I’m just kind of trying to tell you guys things of how I feel because I don’t really feel anything yet. It’s going to hit hard soon.

I don’t know when. Maybe it’s when we get to see everybody in Atlanta.”

After becoming the starting first baseman in 2011, Freeman never looked back. He went on to finish second to his teammate Craig Kimbrel in Rookie of the Year voting with some impressive stats to back it up. Freeman’s stat line has only improved, now boasting many accomplishments, including five All-Star game appearances, three Silver Slugger awards, a Gold Glove, and, most impressively, the 2020 NL MVP award.

Even with a power player like Freeman on their side, the Braves’ victory was anything but guaranteed. Prior to this

season, the Braves had made 16 consecutive postseason appearances without a victory, the longest streak in baseball history.

Of those appearances, all but two spawned from a win in the NL East, something the team was barely in sight of until August. The Braves were plagued by injuries all the way up to star pitcher Charlie Morton’s broken leg in the third inning of Game One. Morton embodied the spirit of the Braves in that game just as much as Freeman did before him. After taking a 102 mph comebacker off of his leg, Morton retired the next three batters, continuing to pitch until his leg literally gave out from under him.

In the end, it was each player’s refusal to give up that pushed the team to victory.

“We hit every pothole, every bump you could possibly hit this year, and somehow the car still made it onto the other side,” Freeman said. “It’s just an incredible group.”

Sports Editorial

By PHILLIP PHAN Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was driving with a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit on the night of November 2. He sped at 156 mph in his black Corvette, ultimately slamming into the rear of another car. The car he struck caught fire, burning and killing a 23-year-old woman, Tina Tintor, and her dog, Maxi, inside the vehicle. Ruggs’s girlfriend, who was in the Corvette with him in the crash, dragged Ruggs out of the car. He has been in a neck brace and wheelchair since.

Prosecutors charged Ruggs with two counts of driving under the influence causing death and two counts of reckless driving, and

Henry Ruggs’s Fatal Car Crash

he is now looking at 15 to 50 years in prison. The Raiders have also released him as a player, and he has lost his once bright future in the NFL. Tintor has been described as a gentle soul and a shoulder to lean on by friends and family. She was an immigrant from Serbia and hoped to go into the computer programming field.

Her family is devastated and decided not to comment on the trial at court. “She was supposed to wake up at 7:00 a.m. to run errands, but she never got home with her dog,” a friend stated.

Ruggs grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, and it was evident to everyone around him that he was going to be a phenomenal athlete. He excelled in basketball

early on and even had Division I basketball offers. He also set state records in track and field, but his true love was football.

Ruggs played on the varsity football team when he was a freshman, and his blazing speed made him a threat whenever he touched the ball at Robert E. Lee High School.

For college, Ruggs committed to the University of Alabama. As a freshman, Ruggs caught 12 catches for 229 yards and six touchdowns. Every catch he made turned into a big play.

The next year, Ruggs improved his numbers to 46 catches for 741 yards and 11 touchdowns.

He went on to be the first receiver taken off the board in the 2018 draft because of his blazing

speed.

However, a tragedy traumatized Ruggs for the rest of his career. His best friend, Rod Scott, was killed in a car accident. Ruggs wore number three to honor him and celebrated in his honor each time he scored.

Ruggs showed off his speed at the combine, running a 4.27 second 40-yard dash. He started off slowly with the Raiders in his first two years, but this year, his true potential shone through in his play. Seven games into the season, Ruggs already had 24 catches for 469 yards. His NFL career was beginning to blossom when tragedy struck. All his hard work and talent will go to waste, and his potential will likely never be realized. Many of his team-

mates and coaches, including Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, have stood with Ruggs and spoken about his character, but he still made a fatal mistake, killing an innocent woman.

The NFL provides free car services for players to get around, and calling an Uber hardly would have caused Ruggs financial strife. Ruggs’s mistake is a reminder to the rest of the league of the dangers of driving under the influence. At the end of the day, no money can replace the life lost in this tragedy. The NFL should make an example of Ruggs to prevent similar future tragedies. The Tintor family deserves to see Ruggs behind bars and punished for years to come.

Page 28

he pectator

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THE SPECTATOR SPORTS Varsity Swimming

By LEAH D’SILVA The Penguins, Stuyvesant’s girls’ swimming and diving team, have officially ended a successful season, having won every regular season meet and advancing to the league finals. While they did not win the final meet of the season, the Penguins still rank as second best in the city and are fired up to take back the title next year.

The Penguins were the defending champions prior to the new season, having secured the title of Best in the City for the last four consecutive years and securing several before that.

Needless to say, the team wanted to maintain their winning streak.

However, the year began with some uncertainty for this nearly-undefeated team. Senior and co-captain Alina Dufenyuk explained, “The returning girls had a bleak outlook on how the season would go since we did not have many standout swimmers try out.”

After the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were very few upperclassmen left on

The Penguins’ Season In Review

the team, with only four seniors on the 35 member roster this year: swimmers Dufenyuk, Eliza Knapp, and Isabelle Yaremenko, and diver Agatha Nyarko. Dufenyuk herself could not even race in several of the later meets of the season, due to a knee injury

Despite these initial concerns, the girls pulled off an impressive undefeated regular season, with significant time drops for each teammate. In order to get their team to this point, the whole team had to consistently practice and stay motivated. “Along with

made standout impressions, including co-captain Knapp, who broke the one-minute mark for the 100-yard butterfly, cruising in at 59.73 seconds and grabbing the state cut at one of their home meets. Similarly, junior Lindsey Wong swam an impres-

“We did a lot of team bonding and got to know each other really well. Every day everyone came to practice ready to swim their best and the sheer volume of cheering was insane for the super close races.” —Eliza Knapp, senior and co-captain of the Penguins that kept her out of the pool.

The captains were nervous not only because of the lack of experience the swimmers had since two grades had never swum at the high school level before but also because of a coaching change, with the loss of longtime Coach Silvana Choy in favor of Coach Alan Zhu from Millennium High School.

support from each other and incredible coaching from Coach Zhu, we went through many grueling practices and made sure the team took each meet as seriously as possible, even if our opponent was noticeably slower than us, and when you go into a race with that kind of mentality you’re bound to win,” Dufenyuk explained. Several swimmers

sive 26.76-second 50-yard freestyle, senior Yarmenko snagged a 1:03.20 100-yard backstroke, and sophomore Lisia Edwards swam a 1:02.39 100-yard butterfly. Nyarko placed top two in every diving event at the meets this season, earning the Penguins valuable points.

While the team had strong on-paper accomplishments af-

ter a nearly perfect record over the course of the season, there was also a strong support system for these swimmers throughout.

“We did a lot of team bonding and got to know each other really well. Every day everyone came to practice ready to swim their best and the sheer volume of cheering was insane for the super close races,” Knapp said.

The captains reported that this year’s swim experience was the most enjoyable and fulfilling in their four years on the team.

As for the playoffs, the Penguins went against the toughest opponents in the league, such as the John Jay Jaguars, Cardozo’s Lady Judges, and Bronx Science’s Wolverines, defeating one after another. After managing to advance all the way to the finals versus the Brooklyn Tech Engineers, the Penguins were defeated 41-60, leaving Tech as the City Champions. While the girls fell short of gold this year, Dufenyuk still considers the season to be an absolute success.

“Winning isn’t always the marker for success, longevity and dedication are far more important in creating a dynasty,” she said.

UFC

A Night of Champions

By NAKIB ABEDIN and TAEE CHI In the same venue where George Saint-Pierre defeated Michael Bisping to become a two-division champion, where Andy Ruiz Jr. pulled off a dramatic upset by knocking out Anthony Joshua, and where Joe Frazier and Muhammed Ali had the fight of the century, Kamaru Usman took on Colby Covington to headline UFC 268.

The event was stacked from top to bottom, including both

seasoned veterans and hungry newcomers. Many fans expected UFC 268 to be one of the best sporting events of the year, and it certainly delivered.

Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler The main card started with a bang, with two of the top lightweights going head to head. Justin Gaethje (fittingly nicknamed “The Highlight Reel” for his entertaining fight style) took on Michael Chandler (occasionally referred to as “Iron Mike” for

his resilience). Both of these fighters came agonizingly close to winning the title, with Gaethje losing to the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Chandler losing to the reigning champion Charles Oliveira. The stakes were high, with both men fighting for another chance to compete for the title.

As soon as the referee started the timer, Chandler began chasing down Gaethje, putting on immense pressure. In the middle of the first round, he landed a few vicious combina-

tions on Gaethje, causing the latter to wobble in the middle of the cage. Many fans thought the fight would be over, but Gaethje displayed his incredible resilience and refused to go down.

By the second round, Gaethje had recovered from the damage he took at the beginning of the bout. Meanwhile, Chandler, who had exerted an enormous amount of energy early on, started to show signs of early fatigue. Gaethje won the round, displaying his amazing fighting skills in the process. By the third

round, however, both fighters showed signs of exhaustion.

Nonetheless, they fought until the end like true warriors. Gaethje eventually won the fight via a unanimous decision. The brawl truly felt like watching two gladiators fight to the death.

“Are you not entertained?”

Chandler asked the press after the bout ended.

continued on page 26

Sports Editorial

Free Agent Madness

By EFE KILIC With Week Nine behind us, NFL fans have conquered the halfway point of the newly extended 18-week NFL season.

Yet, the free agent market continues to keep fans on the edges of their seats. Typically, blockbuster signings don’t occur in the middle of the season, but this season is proving itself to be an outlier.

The major signings began with the Los Angeles Rams’ move to acquire Super Bowl 50 MVP and future Hall of Famer Von Miller. In exchange for only a 2022 second and third-round draft pick, the Denver Broncos gave up their franchise sack leader and 2012 Rookie of the Year. The Rams, already a defensive powerhouse with the likes of Jalen Ramsey and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald, are rising as a nightmare to offenses across the league. This new pass-rush duo in between Donald and Miller sets the Rams as NFC favorites, throwing them into the emerging Super Bowl Championship

conversation, a prospect they have been chasing since their Super Bowl LIII loss to the New England Patriots. It seems that the Rams are planning to give it their all for the 2022 ring. They currently stand at four total draft picks in the upcoming 2022 draft and won’t have another first-round pick until 2024, as they traded two first-rounders and their own 2016 first overall pick, Jared Goff, to the Detroit Lions for superstar quarterback Mathew Stafford. On top of this, the Rams have now signed former Cleveland Browns receiver Odell Beckam Jr. (OBJ).

OBJ was the 12th overall pick of the 2014 NFL draft as a receiver out of Louisiana State University. He quickly emerged as a star, winning offensive Rookie of the Year in 2015. In 2014, he became a household name after a viral one-handed catch against the Dallas Cowboys. Since getting traded to the Browns in 2019, OBJ has not been nearly as productive, especially since tearing his ACL in the 2020 season. Aside from reports of being a locker room poison,

he has stirred conflict with many teammates including Browns’ quarterback Baker Mayfield. The tensions escalated when OBJ’s father posted an eleven-minute video on Instagram of Mayfield completely missing an open OBJ on multiple occasions. The Browns promptly chose to cut OBJ, a mutual parting of ways.

As soon as he was off waiver wires, the Rams made an aggressive push for OBJ, to which he folded. Now, with OBJ in tow, the Rams have another star receiver to accompany breakout wideout Cooper Kupp, who is on pace to break both the singleseason touchdown and receiving yardage record.

Most recently, nine-year exPanthers quarterback Cam Newton signed with the Carolina Panthers yet again. The Panthers with a 4-5 record had abruptly lost quarterback Sam Darnold to injury, potentially for the season.

What better replacement than Newton, who had been cut in the 2020 season due to injury and change in Panthers staff. Lacking a strong quarterback deep into the season, for the Panthers,

Supercam’s reentry was a heartwarming sight for all NFL fans.

Following his Super Bowl loss to the Peyton Manning-led Broncos after a 15-1 season in which he was awarded 2015 League MVP, Newton and the Panthers had been on a consistent decline with Newton battling injuries.

Newton’s return may turn the tide for the Panthers this season

after Darnold’s injury.

The second half of the NFL season is shaping up to be very promising. With such major transactions taking place left and right, the following weeks will be crucial for the postseason.

Which teams will come out on top, and which trades will fail to actualize their potential?

SPORTSBEAT The Golden State Warriors have jumped out to an NBA-best 12-2 start on the back of Stephen Curry, who is an early frontrunner for MVP. Quarterback Cam Newton returned to the Carolina Panthers, the team which he led to a Super Bowl a few years ago, and scored two touchdowns in his debut.

The Detroit Lions ended their losing streak in a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Detroit is the last team seeking their first win this season.

Bryce Harper took home his second NL MVP award this week, and two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani earned the hardware in the AL.