The Leaflet 08.24.15 | Vol. 2 Issue 1
ADVICE
FROM THE EXPERTS
EXPERT ISSUE Each school year hundreds of new, fresh faces enter SHS and begin a four-year journey that sets the tone for the rest of his or her life. High school is a time of learning both inside the classrooms and as person. Our goal is not to sound melodramatic or nagging to the incoming and returning students of the building; however, we truly believe that the advice that flows
through the following issue is extraordinarily invaluable. Since our days as freshmen in 2012, we have gained more knowledge about classes, people, and life than we could have presumed. For the incoming freshmen, we welcome you. To the returning sophomores and juniors, we greet you with a welcome back. And to the seniors, we urge you to look past the limits and thrive as the leaders of this school.
staff members
Jordan Baker Jenna Bao Natalie Brinkman Caroline Bruns Emily Chien Adhiti Chundur Taylor Close William Coleman Amy Deng Meghan DiGiovanna
Jake Englander Sydney Evans Max Fritzhand Rujula Kapoor Emilie King Brooke Landrum Claire Lefton Harsimran Makkad Hannah May Zachary Milliken
Leaflet Editors-in-Chief Zoe and Orion Schlosser Executive Editor in Chief Caroline Gao Executive Managing Editor Anna Zhou Print Co-Editors Brooke Landrum, Elizabeth Rickert, Elijah Zawatsky Web Co-Editors-in-Chief Caroline Bruns, Harsimran Makkad
Joshua Patterson Benjamin Ruskin Madeline Schramm Lauren Shassere Max Torem Kamaria Walton David Wertheim Elijah Zawatsky Nathan Zhang
Associate Editors Jenna Bao, Lauren Kurtzer Managing Editor Sydney Evans Business Manager David Wertheim Social Media Director Ben Ruskin Broadcast Editor-in-Chief Sarah Horne
Orion and Zoe schlosser
This issue p2: Advice from the experts p3: To the underclassmen p6: quotes from seniors p8: Quotes from seniors cont. p10: Things to remember p12: WAYS TO STAY ORGANIZED p14: SCHOOL SPIRIT QUIZ p16: TEACHER ADVICE TO EVERYONE The Leaflet, the official web newsmagazine of Sycamore High School, serves as an educational tool in the training of student journalists. We provide information and editorial leadership concerning school, national and world issues. We also provide a public forum for the exchange of ideas and viewpoints and give coverage to newsworthy events directly related to our diverse school population. These viewpoints are purely from the staff of The Leaflet, and not the administration.
Sycamore High School 7400 Cornell Road Cincinnati, OH 45242
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things
to keep in m
stretch your brain Don’t sweat grades
Understand that school is much more than something you have to attend and show up to. You are given the chance to expand your mind and learn things that will benefit you throughout your lifetime. Take challenging classes...but not too challenging. You do not want to overwhelm yourself. Take any opportunity you can to learn more and fill your brain with knowledge.
release your stress It is inevitable that you will feel stressed at some point during high school. But it is so important that you don’t become consumed with the stress you feel, because in the end this stress will paralyze you and keep you from getting things done. Find ways to deal with your stress, whether it is exercising, singing, listening to music, or dancing for five minutes when you get too overwhelmed. Once you allow yourself to calm down, attack whatever you need to get done with confidence and the realization that everything has an end, so there is no point in stressing about something that you can overcome. 2
That is not to say that you should not worry about them at all! Grades are important when it comes to your GPA and college, but your grades should not hover over your shoulder during your high school years. You will get a B here and there and that is okay. B’s make you a stronger person and they help you realize that nobody is perfect. All you can do personally is try your best and you should be proud of whatever results from that.
DO GOOD THINGS Volunteer because you have a desire to give back, not because it is required and will look good on college applications. Do good things daily to make yourself feel good. Helping someone goes a long way and, being a teenager, you may forget sometimes that everything is not about you and that things could always be worse. With that perspective, it makes it easier to get through your own problems and also have a surge of energy dedicated to wanting to do good things.
mind during high school Popularity is not real Do not focus too much on “popularity.� We have all seen those movies that categorize high school students into the different cliques. Be your own person and do not let other people tell you who you should be and how you should act. You have the right to do and be whatever you want and that is what is truly important. Get to know new people, make friends, and really find an interest in the people around you, not to become popular, but to experience and get to know them.
Accept failure Failure and rejection build you up as a person and make you strong. Failing and making mistakes is what teaches you in life. Learn from the mistakes you make and do things right the next time. Being rejected only makes you a more confident person. You might get rejected by a college you want to go to or by a business you want to work for, but this does not reflect on you as a person. Things happen, rejection happens, and it only makes you stronger.
Ask for help Do not be afraid to ask teachers, administrators, and other students for advice or help. By asking questions, not only do you gain clarity but you also gain the confidence to talk openly about what is on your mind. Along the way, you may also develop strong relationships with other people and teachers, and that is super important in high school.
HAVE FUN
You only experience high school once. Take advantage of every event you can in order to maximize the amount of fun you can have. Go to football games, homecoming, prom, small school events, EVERYTHING. It is not lame to support your school. Cheer loudly at pep rallies, dress up for spirit day, take advantage of your ability to show pride in your school. You have a life ahead of you after high school, so do not fixate on the negative parts of your high school experience. Learn to balance work and free time so that you can have a good time while being a good student. 3
Ways to stay
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Obtain and use a planner This will be your organization backbone. A planner is useful for writing down daily homework assignments, future deadlines, social activities, and basically whatever might be going on in your life. You will regret not having a planner when you miss a homework assignment that you can not make up!
Have a place to put all of your papers Do not be that person who has to shuffle through a stack of bent and crumpled up papers from your backpack. If you keep track of the papers you get them from each class, your life will be much more simple and you can easily find papers that your teacher might ask you to pull out. For example, getting a folder or binder for each class is a great way to maximize your organization.
Get your locker and backpack in good shape You may be one of those kids who opens their locker on the first day of school and then does not touch it until the last day of your senior year. However, these lockers are underestimated gifts, because they allow you to store all of your folders, textbooks, and extra items in them with easy access. If your locker is organized, you can simply move books and assignments from your locker to your backpack. Come up with a convenient locker break schedule in between your classes and you will be set.
organized
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Establish a study area at home Believe it or not, you will have homework all throughout high school, whether you are a freshman or a senior. Find a place at home that you can easily go to with your assignments. Make sure that it is a quiet, isolated place that allows you to focus and finish work with accuracy.
Develop good habits Establish a routine from the beginning and don’t break it. This will help you get into a habit of doing your homework and turning it in on time, and it will help you stay away from procrastinating. Look at your planner constantly so you know what is due at all times. Be on time to class so that your teacher knows you care. Also don’t fall asleep in class even if you only slept 3 or 4 hours the night before. 5
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ADVICE
FROM THE EXPERTS
TO THE underclassmen, FROM THE
seniors.
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“You won’t be this ugly and awkward forever. It gets better.” - Mary Aulicino
“Stay focused and stay involved. Use your first year of high school to explore different extracurriculars and continue with the ones you’re really passionate about and enjoy. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help, that’s how you’ll learn!” -Serena Kaul
“If there’s one thing you shouldn’t be, it’s worried about it.” -Tommy Barnhorst 11
“Be your own person. People are going to judge you no matter what you do, that’s just how high school is. So you might as well make decisions based on what you want to do.” -Grace Louis
“Classes are only as hard as you make them. Play a sport, do something with art.” -Animesh Babat
“Do what you need to do so you can do what you want to do. Try new things, take big risks, and be your own biggest fan: if you believe you can do it, you will.” -Astrid Cabello 12
“Don’t stress out too much over things. It always ends up okay in the end.” -Raquel Levitt
“Join the juggling club! it’s a great way to get involved.” -Max Poff
“Enjoy your time at the high school because they really are the best years and they go by quickly.” -Melissa Goodman 13
“Follow Mr. Mader on twitter.” -Eva Thorn
“Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there or be embarrassed, it will make for a much more enjoyable high school experience.” -Paul Stucker
“Do as many things as you can. Make sure you try hard freshman year, because you don’t want to have to make that up!” -Evie Goodyear 14
“Play a sport and make new friends. Playing a sport is a great way to meet new people and do what you love.” -Justin Backus
“Sophomores, yes you’re one year older but it is unneccessary to ask if you were that annoying when you were a freshman, because you still are. Also, don’t whip, don’t nae nae, and don’t post a glo up picture after one year.” -Maya Outlaw
“Pay attention to your GPA from day one so you don’t end up like me!” -Jason Beaudry 15
“Don’t miss sophomore debates! Also if you have Mrs. Vilardo tell her I say hi.” -Dani Abramovitz
“Get involved with all you can do but don’t get overwhelmed. Remember to have fun and make the most of your high school experience!” -Lydia Deppert
“Students who try to stand in the front of the student section at sporting events are highly respected. -Maggie Skwara 16
“Make sure to get involved and be active whether it’s in sports or clubs. Also remember to be yourself.” -Joey Mattis
“Make the most of these years... don’t get consumed by the workload and doing activities just to impress people. This high school has so many opportunities, immerse yourself in the fun groups and find community. But don’t spread yourself thin. My main advice...love people really well. Mic drop.” -Ally Marth
“The next four years can really have an effect on the rest of your life. “ -Cameron Foy 17
Don’t take school work way too seriously, because one of the best parts of high school is the times you have with friends.” -Michael Heyn
“I think the most important thing to remember is to really enjoy yourself. Time goes by way quicker than you’d think so make the most of your surroundings and people around you. You’ll have a lot more fun that way.” -Cassidy Harris
“Go to all school events because they’re hype.” -Woody Truncellito
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“Branch out. Make new friends and try new things. You’ll find out things about yourself you never knew. -Hannah Moskowitz
“High school is just four years. You can either make the best out of those four years or throw them away. It’s important to decide how you want to spend those years before you do anything you’ll regret.“ -Wessel Bleesing
“Watch out for high school boys. Don’t fall for their games. -Gabby Kaiser 19
Adv to the s 20
vice seniors 21
Spend your last year with people you really care about. Be friends with people because you genuinely like them , not because they seem popular or have a lot to offer. Fun, caring, trustworthy people are the people you want to be around. Don’t surround yourself with people who gravitate toward unnecessary drama or who create trouble.
Don’t feel pressure to know what you want to be when you grow up You have your whole life to discover what it is that you love doing or what you are passionate about. Having to make lifelong decisions when you are 17 or 18 years old is a lot of pressure, so do not let that drag you down or keep you from enjoying life as it is in the present. It is important to be mindful of your future, but do not let it overwhelm you.
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The best college in america does nOt exist
seniors
Find your people
One thing to keep in mind about college is that there is a college out there for everyone. The perfect college for you might not be the perfect college for someone else and that is okay. Go to that art school, because it might be perfect for you. Go to that law school, because it might be perfect for you! Do not let others influence the greatness of different colleges and universities.
do what you love, even if you do nOt get a grade for it
The day you give up on something you love because you think it will better your chances at succeeding or making money is the day you have forgotten how to live. Find something that you are passionate about and let it take you to great places. Let your passions set you apart from others and create interest. Doing what you love will make you happy, not success or money.
2016
Create your own definition of success
Whatever it is you decide to do in life, always do it with energy and determination. A successful person is someone who does something with passion and excitement. If you go into anything you do with the mindset that you will succeed, you will be successful. Always try hard, and do the best you can. It is more rewarding doing something when you have put all you hae got into it.
Not everything will go according to plan It is great to have a plan, but do not worry about planning every little detail of your life. Life changes and can easily change your plans. Sometimes things do not work out and you will be disappointed. Learn to go with how things play out and do not stress too much over change.
Take a deep breath Step back and relax. Forget all that you have going on in your life for just a little and breathe. A lot of students, especially seniors as they go through the college process, forget to simply breathe. Understand that no matter how hard a situation is, life goes on. The situations you are faced with do not define you as a person, but how you react to them might.
Focus on learning, not just memorizing
do nOt forget about the people who got you to where you are now
Many students think they learn simply by memorizing what it is that they need to know. But when the time comes to recall the information you thought you had learned, it’s gone. Knowledge is priceless and you will benefit in the long run if you learn the things you are being taught now than simply memorizing something that you will easily forget after a test or quiz.
Do not lose sight of your parents or whoever might have raised you. They helped guide and support you, which ultimately got you to be where you are today. It might seem exciting and relieving to think about finally moving out and being on your own, but once you are gone there might be moments where you wish that you would have appreciated your parents a little more. 23
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