January 2023

THE

PSYCHOLOGY OF VALENTINES DAY

TALIBAN BANS EDUCATION FOR WOMEN

IS SOCIAL MEDIA CAUSING A LACK OF DISTINCT PERSONALITIES AMONGST TEENS?

SINGLE ON VALENTINE'S DAY? MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL

SAHITHI LINGAMPALLI founder art co-director

KAVYA GURUNATH vice executive science co-director

TARUNI MANAM vice executive lifestyle co-director

ASHMITA ANNAMALAI vice executive opinion co-director

HARINI AKURATHI layout co-director

UDAY LINGAMPALLI editing co-director

GEETHIKAA TARRA arts & media co-director

MIA GRACE politics & world events codirector

HELEN BIAN layout co-director

EVELYN CHEN art co-director

RACHEL ADAM politics & world events codirector

THEJO TATTALA tech & design co-director

AATHMIKA RADHACHANDRAN public relations co-director

JUEE DESHMUKH tech & design co-director

MAGGIE KWEE public relations co-director

WRITERS:

Rachel Adam

Isabel White

Harshvir Chahal

Kavya Gurunath

Juee Deshmukh

Maggie Kwee

Taruni Manam

Brooke Huppert

Kashika Misra

Akshaya Vimalraj

ARTISTS:

Cal Shin-Koh

MEET THE STAFF

EDITORS:

Rachel Adam

Uday Lingampalli

Kavya Gurunath

Aniha Vasnad

Isabel White

Taruni Manam

Shukhashini Sivakumar

LAYOUT DESIGNERS:

Helen Bian

Sahithi Lingampalli

Harini Akurathi

CONTENTS

Single on Valentines Day? Might be Beneficial

Why New Year's Resolutions Don't Stick & What to do Instead

Chocolate Lava Cakes with Raspberry Sauce

OPINION

Is social media causing a lack of distinct personalities amongst teens? Should school holidays account for more religions/cultures?

TTALIBAN ALIBAN BBANS ANS

EEDUCATION DUCATION FOR WOMEN FOR WOMEN

POLI POLI

IITICS TICS

GEORGE GEORGE SANTOS' SANTOS' WEB OF WEB OF LIES LIES

TALIBAN BANS EDUCATION FO TALIBAN BANS EDUCATION FO

Well before the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, girls’ access to education was limited due to governmental/religious opposition. However, reforms began in 1919, when King Amanullah took power after Afghanistan claimed its independence from the British. Despite facing criticism from the “country’s conservative cultural and religious authorities,” he expanded secular education, emphasizing the accessibility of education for women (PBS, 2006). For much of the mid-20th century, women’s enrollment in universities swelled - in the 1970s, over 60% of the 10,000 students enrolled in Kabul University were female. Unfortunately, during the Taliban’s rule of the country from 19962001, most girls were not allowed to

attend school (only 3% received a primary education). But, later on, during the United States’ rule of Afghanistan, over one million women were enrolled in universities, and primary education programs placing an emphasis on educating young girls expanded to rural areas.

Since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, girls have been banned from middle school and high school, parks, gyms, and most jobs (Associated Press, 2022). Nida Mohammad Nadim, the minister of higher education, issued a ban on women in universities, affecting professors and approximately 90,000 students (Hughes, 2023). Nadim justified the ban, asserting that “it was necessary to prevent the mixing of genders in universities;” “female education is…against Islamic and Afghan values;” and women had failed to “observe a dress code” in the classroom (Associated Press, 2022). He promised women could return to universities when these issues were fixed, and made similar statements after banning girls from high schools in August 2021. On December 21, Taliban security forces traveled to universities and learning centers in Kabul to enforce the ban. Waheed Hamini, an Englishlanguage teacher, had a harrowing experience with these security forces -

they forcefully e shouting at fem home.” Some s ultimately left (Hadid, 2022). O another private northeast of Kab student, said tha classmates and longer had the rig

The consequenc extensive and f everything from infrastructure. Ac Bank, not educati $15-$30 trillion productivity and women earn half women, are mor domestic abuse issues, and are le children to scho community and society. Educate positive influenc them, acting as others to fini Wurranga Arif, a student, express needs civil engin infrastructure” lik roads, which are

WRITTENBY:RACHELADAM

EDITEDBY:UDAYLINGAMPALLI LAYOUTBY:HARINIAKURATHI OR WOMEN OR WOMEN

entered his classroom, male students to “go students argued, but in tears, heartbroken On December 22, at e education center bul, Zuhal, a 15-year old at the Taliban beat her told them they “no ght to study.”

es of this ban will be far-reaching, affecting m earnings to local ccording to the World ing girls costs countries n in lost lifetime earnings. Uneducated f as much as educated re likely to experience e and psychological ess likely to send their ool, participate in their be active members of ed women can be a ce on the girls around mentors, and inspiring ish their education. an ex-civil engineering sed that “Afghanistan neers like her to build ke buildings, dams, and in horrible condition.

Governments in the Middle East have spoken out against the ban. Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, in a joint statement with the Yemeni foreign minister, stated that the ban was “neither Islamic nor humane,” and that “Islam…encourages education and science.” Qatari officials condemned the ban, and Saudi foreign ministers were astonished, urging the Taliban to “change course.” The leaders of the G7 (consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union) warned that the ban “may amount to a crime against humanity” and urged the Taliban to revoke it. The U.N. called it “another appalling and cruel blow to the rights of Afghan women and girls.” Afghan citizens also bravely protested against the ban, despite the dangers. On December 22, 24 women marched in the streets of Kabul, chanting, “All or none. Don’t be afraid. We are together.” Protestors were beaten and whipped by the Taliban, and some were even arrested. Male university students and professors also walked out of final exams during the week in solidarity. Professor Ismail Mashal tore up his university degrees on live television, saying that he didn’t need them anymore because Afghanistan was “no

place for an education,” and if his sister and mother couldn’t study, he didn’t accept “this education” (Banjo, 2023). Over 100 women marched to the Herat provincial governor’s house, chanting “education is our right,” when the Taliban beat them and used a water cannon to disperse the protest. Terrifying videos have also circulated online, depicting the Taliban chasing women protestors down the streets and shooting them.

George Santos was only elected into office l the splash in the political sphere as a chronic

According to himself and his team at GeorgeForNY.com, George Anthony

Devolder Santos is a son of immigrants, born and raised in New York. He is a member of the Republican Party, and was elected a member of the House of Representatives for New York’s 3rd District in November of 2022. Santos’ website tagline reads: “We have to stop the Socialist agenda from destroying Long Island & our country,” and he states he is attempting to work against the “Radical Left” in order to fight inflation and the “crime rampant in the streets.” He also notes that he is the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress an accomplishment that will pave the way for many looking to pursue a career in politics.

However, even these basic facts are beginning to be disputed, as Santos himself has been forced to own up to several of the dozens of lies he is currently being accused of telling.

For one, Santos lied about his education and career, both of which he later publicly admitted to. He has stated in the past that he went to both

by isabel white

Baruch College and New York University, although neither institution could confirm this, and claimed to have worked for both Citigroup and Goldman Sachs neither company found record of this, either. “I own up to that,” he said in a press interview, when asked about such falsities on his resume. “We do stupid things in life” (NBC NY).

Additionally, he has contradicted

himself many times on his Jewish heritage (or lack thereof). In the past, Santos has claimed his parents escaped antisemitic laws in Europe during the second World War and eventually emigrated to Brazil. However, genealogical records report that his grandparents were both originally born in Brazil (Forward). In 2020, Santos stated in an interview with Newsday that he grew up Catholic, but then contradicted that

layout by sahithi lingampalli

statement in when he desc observant Jew blur the pict December of t to the New Y claimed to be because I lear had a Jewish b ‘Jew-ish’” (Forw

Other fabrica

Mikayla Whitmore, The New

November of last year, ribed himself as a “nonw.” Santos continued to ure of his heritage in the same year by saying York Times that “I never e Jewish. I am Catholic rned my maternal family background. I said I was ward). ions against Santos’

w York Times

santos'

LIES

name include prosecutors examining his campaign’s finances spurred by accusations of fraud, a false real estate portfolio and claims of ownership of numerous rental properties (he retracted this statement later), and Brazil reopening a several year old fraud case against him while Santos harshly denies any criminal activity (NBC NY).

Santos’ future is becoming more and more uncertain as politicians and voters alike call on him to leave his position in the House. The leader of the Nassau County Republican Party has called on Santos to resign because of the amount of lies he has told, and they were followed by House members Anthony D’Esposito, Nick LaLota, Nick Lingworthy, Brandon Williams (all from New York), and Nancy Mace (South Carolina).

Santos, however, is adamant in his refusal to resign. He told Steven Bannon during an interview on “Steve Bannon’s War Room” that he would remain in Congress “until those same 142,000 people [that voted for him] tell me they don't want me” (NBC).

No matter if George Santos remains in Congress or finally bends to the pressure of public will, one thing is for certain: it is easier now more than ever to uncover the truth about people in the public eye, and this will not be the last instance of the downfall of a politician due to their revealed falsities.

OF

edited by rachel adam & uday lingampalli

ast November, and he has already made quite c liar—both on his resume and in the press.

2022 in Science the psychology of valentines day

scientist spotlight marie curie the science of juice cleanses

psychology the

At the start of every year, markets are flooded with pink and red, and you hear more and more talk about the upcoming celebration on February 14th. Valentine’s Day, a mainly western occasion. It is the time of the year when couples celebrate their relationships and those who are single, more often than not, treat themselves to heartshaped boxes of chocolates and despair.

The legend of St. Valentine has cloudy origins. In one recognized story, marriage was outlawed for young men by Emperor Claudius II, noticing that single men were better soldiers than those with families. St. Valentine ignored the decree and was later executed for continuing to officiate marriages for young pairings. In other legends, Valentine aided Christians imprisoned in Rome, while in another, he was jailed, writing to his jailor’s daughter (and his lover), signing “From your Valentine” before his death, which likely occurred around AD 270.

The “romanticization of romance” with this holiday is a double-edged sword; the capitalist motivations of Valentine’s Day have increasingly replaced the motivation behind celebrating the day. The weeks leading up to Valentine's Day see a rise in gendered, heteronormative marketing,

placing a monetary value on love and partnerships. Even if one buys their significant other a costly gift, they can still feel intrinsically inadequate, or be told so by their partner, becoming fuel for conflict in relationships. It simply pushes expectations that have needless impacts on finances while corporate greed thrives on today’s consumerist society. There also seems to be a difference between men and women in heterosexual relationships (as these relationships are the ideal most often portrayed) in terms of the types of expectations occurring.

Men are often portrayed as the “gift giver”, which creates harmful expectations surrounding the amount of money they spend as a result of this holiday. According to Dr. Jennifer Ho, the senior clinical manager at Executive Mental Health, this has been clinically shown to exacerbate mental health issues like anxiety and depression (Wright, 2022). Women, on the other hand, are traditionally portrayed as the gift receiver. These enhanced expectations as a result of media and advertisements can rise to levels no real person could ever dream of living up to, thus sparking feelings of resentment or insecurity towards one’s relationship.

Additionally, the rhetoric surrounding relationships can lead many to believe

that they need to be in a relationship in order to be happy. This can aggravate already present mental health conditions and lower self-esteem. In fact, a study in January of 2020 found that 43% of single people found Valentine’s Day to be the holiday associated with the most pressure, and that same percentage reported feeling increased pressure to forge a romantic relationship (Fish, 2020) .

Despite the negative perceptions of Valentine’s Day, one of the strongest emotions vital to societal survival, love, has its reasons to be celebrated due to various neurobiological benefits. Through encouraging social bonds, love encourages support, reproduction, and cooperation, leading to increased survival. It proves to be a protective factor against not only socioemotional life stressors but also physical ones. Research from the past few years suggests love can protect against viral infections and the likelihood of tumor growth in animal studies. Though love is far more than a simple cocktail of brain-chemicals, feelings of affection and attraction instigate a biological response, a conception to be further studied in empirical research.

One of the most vital ways to protect your relationship this upcoming

Valentine’s Day is to focus on emotional connection and responsiveness. Sue Johnson, a clinical psychologist, stresses the importance of staying on the “same page” as your partner by verbally expressing your needs (Treleaven, 2018). This advice is highly applicable to Valentine’s Day, especially in a culture that pushes a narrative of simply reading your partner’s mind in order to infer the gift or the date they desire. As many in the past and present have exclaimed: communication is key!

The ideal Valentine’s Day looks different for every individual and every couple, as each person is unique with their own needs and wants. Taking care of and expressing love for yourself and the people you love can be a year-long affair, and it is possible (and even healthier) to foster emotional intimacy and connection long after February the 14th has passed.

by isabel white & harshvir chahal edited by kavya gurunath & aniha vasnad

layout by sahithi lingampalli

VAlentine's of day

2022 was a weird year. The pandemic wasn’t exactly over, but we slowly started adjusting to our regular lives. We went back to movie theaters, schools, offices, and amusement parks. Masks started to come off, and you could see people’s faces again. 2022 was a time of change, but also innovation, which definitely permeated its way into science. We created, discovered, and innovated. We broke down barriers and reached new frontiers.

REACHED

On January 24, 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) reached L2, its permanent home in the vast expanse of space. L2 is a lagrange point where the Sun and Earth’s gravity cancel each other. JWST is meant to expand our understanding of space by taking pictures and sending them back to us, much like its predecessor Hubble does. A few months later in July, NASA released the first images from JWST, which portrayed our universe in stunning photographs. They were clearer and more vivid than Hubble’s, and were able to capture more detail. JWST’s ability to see beyond space dust and gas using infrared increases our knowledge about space everytime a new batch of photos are released. They also just look really cool!

2022

The Human Genome Project was completed in 2003. It aimed to sequence the entire human genome, however, due to the technology used, only about 92% of it was sequenced. While this was a big advancement in our knowledge of the human genome, scientists knew that there could still be much to uncover in the remaining 8%. Over the last few years, new technologies, such as the PacBio HiFi DNA sequencing method and Oxford Nanopore DNA sequencing method, allow for the sequence of much more of the genome at a time. In April of 2022, they managed to sequence the remaining 8% of the genome, which finally sequenced all 100% of the human genome. About 200 million letters of genetic code were added to the 2003 sequence (First Complete Sequence of a Human Genome, 2022). Our new knowledge of the full human genome advances medicine and pushes the envelope for further discoveries.

SCIENCE IN

BY KAVYA GURUNATH EDITED BY ISABEL WHITE LAYOUT BY HELEN BIAN

CHANGED

We changed the course of an asteroid on September 26th. NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test was successful and redirected the asteroid Dimorphos. Dimorphos orbits around its parent asteroid, Didymos. After purposefully crashing into it, the length of Dimorphos’s orbit was shortened by 32 minutes (Strickland, 2022). This was the first time that humans have intentionally altered the motion of an object out in space. If Earth was in Dimorphos’s trajectory, it is large enough to cause us harm, which is why NASA chose it as a test subject. While Dimorphos didn’t wouldn’t have harmed us, NASA’s success proves that we can defend ourselves from an asteroid or other threats out in space should we need to.

FUSED

Nuclear fusion is what powers stars. It is a way to generate energy. Two light atoms are forced together which releases lots of energy. It produces more energy and less radiation compared to its counterpart, nuclear fission, which splits atoms. Nuclear fission is what is done in nuclear power plants now and can be very dangerous. Nuclear fusion could be a future renewable, green energy source. In December, the US Department of Energy managed to get out more energy from the reaction than the energy that was put in to force the atoms together for the first time. This is a big step toward the development of nuclear fusion as a potential new power source for us.

2022 was a year of scientific accomplishment and we can’t wait to keep you updated on scientific breakthroughs during 2023! Happy New Year!

Fit, toned bodies, and images of healthy eating flood social media pages. Users buy into the false image created as they see an influencer promoting healthy eating and fitness brands. Among the fitness crazes are juice cleanses. A juice cleanse is a type of diet consisting only of juices made of vegetables and fruits, but are they really effective?

Diet pills, detox herbs, juice detoxes, detox teas, and such products all generally have the same thing in common: advertising. “Diet”; “quickly”; “lose weight”; “organic”; “toxins”; “cleanse”; “free”; “sale”. When the goal is weight loss, what type of progress is most attractive to the population: slow and steady, or quick and fast? The use of buzzwords in cleansing products marketing has been the top contributor to belief in the pseudoscience behind it.

On top of the use of buzzwords, dietcleansing businesses often take advantage of the public’s misinformed conceptions of health and weight loss. While weight loss is a relatively simple process to take on, many prefer to look towards solutions that seem easier or quicker. This leads to crash dieting and

the sake of one’s deteriorating (or perceived deterioration of) health, or for the sake of issues in body image, the advertising behind juice cleanses primarily targets those who are desperate for solutions.

Juice cleanses can help remove toxins from the body” and “aid weight loss”. People who are medically overweight, or who have digestive issues, could benefit from them. An “increase in fluid consumption can help kidney function,” and nutritional compounds in fruits and vegetables can “help in the removal of non-organic waste products” in the body (Nall 2022). The positive effects of a juice cleanse, however, do not come from the product itself, but rather the byproducts.

Humans are biologically wired to have built-in detox systems. The skin, liver, kidneys, and digestive tracts expel unwanted substances from the body through sweating, breathing, or digestion. Unless there is serious concern regarding the functioning of

The words “toxins” are buzzwords hemselves; they do not exist in a way hat could be targeted through juice leanses. One would be unable to point ut where these toxins are located, how hey bypassed the body’s natural iltration system, why they didn’t cause armful symptoms that could be detected by medical experts, or even what these toxins are exactly.

What juice cleanses do, in reality, is put one on a liquid diet. Because these diets are low in caloric content, they may cause temporary weight loss, nsustainable and harmful to the body n the long run. People on juice cleanses xperience dehydration, weakness, eadaches, weakened immune esponse, malnourishment, decreased brain functioning, kidney damage, and more. The increased presence of xalates in juices may lead to oxalate ephropathy, and kidney failure in rare ases

immune response, malnourishment, decreased brain functioning, kidney damage, and more. The increased presence of oxalates in juices may lead to oxalate nephropathy, and kidney failure in rare cases.

W ity, is put one on a liquid diet. Because these diets are low in caloric content, they may cause temporary weight loss, n

Approaching marketing and health fads with a critical lens is a significant skill to acquire in the 21st century. In an era of harmful marketing, influencer endorsements, and the rapid spread of misinformation, doing your own research and avoiding confirmation bias is the most important to regulate one’s physical and mental well-being. Instead of going on crash diets, a balanced lifestyle including regular, low-intensity exercise combined with a balanced diet will bring sustainable, long-term results to improve health. Diet culture will generally remain deceitful; in order to accept that the human body is finetuned for survival begins with accepting that “detoxes appeal to our natural desire for a fresh, clean start, and the desire to ‘undo’ perceived transgressions,” as quoted by Rachael H tl di titi d t iti

Such is the way Marie Curie originally Marie Sklodowska lived out her life as both a brilliant physicist and trailblazer for women in STEM fields.

Sc IEN Ti FIC DISC O VERI Es

E Ar LY Li FE

Born November 7, 1867, in Warsaw (present-day Poland), Curie showed great promise in her studies even in secondary school. However, although she was one of the top students, she was not permitted to attend the University of Warsaw on account of her gender. Instead, she enrolled in secret “underground” classes until she and her sister had raised enough money for her to make her way to the Sorbonne in Paris in 1891. There, she would earn a masters degree in physics in 1893, and another degree in math the next year.

Curie met her husband, Pierre Curie, at the Sorbonne, and they would go on to make several notable discoveries together (although it is important to note she did much important work without anybody else’s support).

Curie’s first main goal was to find the presence of radioactivity, (recently discovered by scientist Henri Becquerel in uranium) and eventually found it in thorium. After marrying her husband Pierre, the two eventually discovered the elements of polonium and radium. They also distinguished the differences between alpha, beta, and gamma radiation.

Curie also coined the term radioactivity, and discovered that uranium rays remained constant regardless of the form of uranium. She concluded that the rays came from uranium’s structure itself, rather than any external form change, thus creating the field of atomic physics.

When the First World War began in 1914, Curie devoted her scientific research to assisting her country. She created portable x-rays, and spurred the wide usage of x-rays we see to this day.

CURIE

WRITTEN BY ISABEL WHITE

EDITED

BY KAVYA GURUNATH UDAY LINGAMPALLI

LAYOUT BY HELEN BIAN

Ac COM P LIS H MEN Ts

Curie and her husband (along with Becquerel) were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903. She was the first woman to receive this award.

Later, she received a second Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911 for her work in the discovery of polonium and isolation of pure radium. This made her the first person (regardless of gender) to receive two Nobel Prizes.

LA Te R LI Fe + DE At H

Pierre Curie passed away after accidentally stepping in front of a horsedrawn wagon in Paris. After this, Marie Curie was appointed to his position as a science professor at the Sorbonne. She was the first woman to hold this position.

Finally, Curie died of aplastic anemia on July 4, 1934, in Passy, France at the age of 66. It is theorized that this was due to excess exposure to radioactivity, as she was known to carry around tubes of radium in her lab coat. Her ashes were enshrined in the Panthéon in Paris along with her husband’s, making her the first woman to receive this honor.

One of Curie’s daughters, Irene, would follow in her footsteps and win the Nobel Prize in 1935 with her husband, because of their work dedicated to synthesizing radioactive elements.

Marie Curie is remembered today as not only the first woman to receive several notable accolades in science, but as a brilliant physicist that made strides in the fields of atomic physics and medicine that continue to shape our world to this day. “A scientist in his laboratory is not a mere technician,” she said. “He is also a child confronting natural phenomena that impress him as though they were fairy tales.”

LIFES LIFES single on valentine's day? might be beneficial!

STYLE STYLE

why new year ' s resolutions don't stick & what to do instead chocolate lava cakes with raspberry sauce

SINGLE ON VAL SINGLE ON VALE

With the world of romance vastly unknown, Valentine’s Day comes as a shining ember of a day dedicated to the concept of love. From awkward situation-ships to individuals empowered by their status as single, the holiday may seem discouraging or an unwanted reminder. However, celebrating Valentine’s Day as an individual not in a dedicated relationship with anyone offers opportunities for people to grow within themselves.

Rather than celebrating with significant others, individuals can take the day as a reminder to practice selflove, and develop their own relationship with their sense of individuality. February 14th can be a wonderful chance for one to work on themselves and do things that fulfill and satisfy themselves.

WRITTEN BY EDITED BY

MAGGIE KWEE

ISABEL WHITE, TARUNI MANAM, SHUKHASHINI SIVAKUMAR

ART BY CAL SHIN-KOH LAYOUT BY HELEN BIAN

EN EN

If you’re single this upcoming Valentine’s Day, there’s no need to worry. Whether it’s trying out something new, or working on hobbies that make you happy, V-day is a great time to catch up on what you enjoy. You could try a new recipe, and not be burdened to split any of the food with anyone else. Alternatively, you could make or buy a present for yourself, and enjoy the gift that would have otherwise been spent on someone else. To boost your confidence, you could even have a photoshoot, and feel good about yourself. All of these options are ways that you yourself can spend the holiday, and take a step back to appreciate yourself, which is just as valid and supported as spending it with someone else.

While self-love is important to developing self-identity, platonic relationships with others can also hold lots of love and be just as meaningful. Instead of showing your love to a significant other this year, take that affection and catch up with someone that you may have gotten lost touch with, like an old friend or a family member. In another scenario, you could also invite some friends over, to spend the day celebrating your friendship!

g y g opportunity for you to spread love. No matter what your love language is, there’s always a way to make the world a better place. Whether it’s giving an extra tip and smile to your local coffee barista or writing letters to people who matter in your life, any extra love and positivity to spread on the holiday could improve both another’s mood, and your own!

So, no matter your relationship status on Valentine’s Day, remember to take it easy, and not be confined to the tense energy. Remember that you don’t need a significant other to be happy, and you can fulfill yourself.

New Year's resolutions are fuel for motivation that will only last a few weeks. If you’re fortunate, maybe even a month. However, resolutions don’t account for the chaos of daily life. Soon, they’ll merely be words on paper. Instead of making New Year's resolutions, practice mindfulness, and begin monitoring if you want to see real progress.

It’s easier knowing what will happen next week, rather than 8 months later. With New Year's resolutions, who knows if you’ll have time to go to the gym as you planned to now? Creating monthly, or even weekly goals builds small changes in your lifestyle that will stick significantly longer. For instance, set a monthly goal to read 2 self-help

books. Set a weekly goal of going to the gym 3 times. Goals with a smaller time frame are more specific. The more specific a goal is, the more ‘doable’ it becomes. A resolution of ‘going to the gym’ is vague, and is much less easy to follow. If you continue small monthly goals for the rest of the months, you will have accomplished 12 smaller goals for the year. The goals might not be small; they might have implored new, healthy habits that benefit your life.

an exam image in gym in the pr activities journalin Practicin have a focus o you acc resolutio

Mea effective account paper a read thr Divide t number a readin days w Trackers maintain method most feasible.

A quick Google search shows that mindfulness is “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment…” (Google).

Mindfulness helps center the focus on what needs to be done NOW. Take the resolution of ‘going to the gym more’ as

Thisyearwillbe youryear… exceptyou’ve saidthatforthe past5years.

WhileNewYear's resolutionsdon’t knowdailylife, mindfulness does.

mple. The resolution sets off an n the mind of you going to the the future. That’s not being in esent moment. Mindfulness s, like meditating and ng, help to ground your mind. ng a small activity every day can big impact. You’ll be able to n the tasks at hand, enabling complish much more than on would.

suring, or tracking, habits is e way to hold your able. Best of all, you just n nd a pencil. Say you strive ee self-help books in a mo the reading up into a cer of pages per day. If you set g tracker, you can check off hen you completed read s help measure consistency n motivation. With some sor to measure progress, even unreachable goals beco .

Using the three methods described, you can start doing, instead of thinking. New Year's resolutions don’t stick because they can be vague, don’t focus on the present moment, and don't hold you accountable. You can have goals for the new year, but you can also have goals any time of the year. With mindfulness to help reach small goals

Th sm their mini lava cake.

To make the lava cake:

Unsalted butter (1 cup)

Semi-sweet chocolate (4 oz/ 28 g)

Salt (⅛ teaspoon)

Eggs (2)

Egg yolks (2)

Sugar (1 cup)

All-purpose flour (⅔ cup)

Whipped cream (to taste)

Optional:

Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)

Instant coffee powder (1 teaspoon)

To make the raspberry sauce:

Fresh raspberries (1 cup)

Sugar (¼ cup)

Water (¼ cup)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit or 218 degrees Celsius.

Grease the ramekins with butter or spray your choice of cooking spray.

Combine the ½ cup butter and 4 oz of semi-sweet chocolate.

Microwave this mixture for 30 seconds at a time until the mixture is completely melted.

Whisk in a pinch of salt and the optional teaspoon of vanilla extract or instant coffee powder.

Whisk in 2 eggs and the 2 egg yolks slowly.

Whisk in 1 cup of sugar and ⅔ cup of flour.

Divide the batter evenly amongst 3-5 ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.

You can eat the cake directly from the ramekin or flip the ramekin onto a serving plate. Blend 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1 cup raspberries. Add 2-3 additional tablespoons of water to blend the mixture smoothly. Strain the sauce through a sieve to have a completely smooth sauce.

Bake the lava cakes for 10-12 minutes. At this point, the cakes should be cooked but jiggly in the centers.

Raspberry Sauce: Once the lava cake is served, drizzle the raspberry sauce on top of the cake, add whipped cream, and garnish with some extra fresh raspberries. If the lava cake is served on a serving plate, drizzle the raspberry sauce around the cake, and add powdered sugar on top of the cake along with a dollop of

FROM: THE AFFAIR

THIS ISSUE's OPINION TOPICS ARE:

IS SOCIAL MEDIA CAUSING A LACK OF DISTINCT

PERSONALITIES AMONGST TEENS?

FROM: THE AFFAIR

should school holidays account for more religions/cultures?

FROM: THE AFFAIR [ DESIGN BY HELEN BIAN]

FROM: BROOKE HUPPERT [EDITS BY SHUKHASHINI SIVAKUMAR, ANIHA VASNAD]

No, I don’t think that social media contributes to a lack of distinct personalities. Although it is true that social media is a window into a person's personality, in my opinion, it isn't causing a distinct lack of personalities. What people enjoy, their hobbies aren't their traits. But what people enjoy has always been influenced by others. In the 70's, many young people enjoyed the music of the band Carpenters, that doesn't mean that these people were all the same or without a distinct personality. If anything, it shows how people have always bonded over shared interests. The same is true today, enjoying Olivia Rodrigo's music isn't an indicator of how basic a person is, it's simply something that a large group of people enjoy, in part because social media helps expose people to things.

is social media causing a lack of distinct personalities amongst teens?

What social media does is cause trend cycles (lululemon define jackets, dark academia, stanley cups) to speed up. The 2000's were characterized by low rise jeans and overalls. The trends of the year 2020 alone are easily recognizable, bright oversaturated colors and chunky rings. The trends a person participates in are often seen as a reflection of one's personality, but they aren’t. What you wear isn’t who you are, your personality is a makeup of all your traits - your compassion, your empathy, your humor. Enjoying a certain style, for example, liking streetwear doesn't mean you're rebellious or a rule follower.Conflating the best parts of yourself with what aesthetic you favor is dangerously materialistic. Social media makes this confusion even more prevalent because we often judge an entire person based on their appearance, and especially given how quickly fashion trends change, this leads to a false impression of a person who's “just like everyone else”. Social media has changed so many aspects of our lives, but to equate a person's creativity and kindness to what we see on their feed just isn't accurate.

by Kavya Gurunath

Holiday breaks tend to align around Christian holidays, such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. While this made sense back when students were predominantly Christian, it is essential now that we change our holidays to include various cultures and religions as the student population has become more diverse.

Yes. Yes.

even skip them. While religious duties are excused absences, it is still hard to catch up on work or have to make up tests and quizzes because of missing a school day. If holidays last 2-3 days, catching up is even more difficult.

This is why we need a greater variety of holidays. Major holidays that the student body celebrates deserve to be days off, such as Diwali, Eid, or Chinese New Year. Everyone deserves to celebrate their holidays comfortably.

As an Indian going to an American public high school, I have often felt disappointed when I don’t have days off for major holidays I celebrate, such as Diwali. We have had to squeeze our celebrations into a couple of hours in the evenings after school, postpone them to another day, or sometimes

by Akshaya Vimalraj

Should school holidays account for more religions/cultures?

This frequently occurring question is asked by many students as well as parents. When America first started as a country the Christian religion was deeply engraved in the society due to its past relations and traditions brought from Great Britain. Due to this reason America largely operated on the religious belief of Christianity and celebrated the traditions and holidays that came with it. Some of these holidays are Christmas (an annual festival commemorating the birth of Christ) and Thanksgiving (the commemoration of the colonial Pilgrims' harvest meal that they shared with Wampanoag Indians). But now, as modern America becomes larger, the American population becomes more diverse. Many students come from different backgrounds and cultures and so it should be essential for schools to be more accepting and account for more religions and cultures when planning school holidays. By doing so it would help students of different backgrounds feel more appreciated and included within the school community.

Should school holidays account for more religions/ cultures?

Edited by Taruni Manam & Shukhashini Sivakumar

Layout by Sahithi Lingampalli

REFERENCES

REFERENCES FOR WORLD POLITICS

Taliban bans education for women

Associated Press. (2022, December 22). Taliban's higher education minister defends ban on women from universities. PBS. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/talibans-highereducation-minister-defends-ban-on-women-from-universities

Banjo, F (2023, January 6) These Reactions to the Taliban's Ban on Women & Girls' Education Show Why We Must All Speak Up Global Citizen Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://www globalcitizen org/en/content/afghanistan-taliban-ban-women-girls-education/ Hadid, D (2022, December 21) Taliban begins to enforce education ban, leaving Afghan women with tears and anger. NPR. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/12/21/1144703393/taliban-begins-to-enforce-educationban-leaving-afghan-women-with-tears-and-ange

Hughes, S. (2023, January 6). The costs of banning women from education in Afghanistan are felt everywhere. Marketplace.org. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://www.marketplace.org/2023/01/06/the-costs-of-banning-women-from-education-in-afghanistanare-felt-everywhere/

PBS. (2006, August 1). Women in Afghanistan ~ Education | Wide Angle. PBS. Retrieved January 16, 2023, from https://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/uncategorized/women-in-afghanistan-education/2200/

The World Bank. (2018, July 11). Not Educating Girls Costs Countries Trillions of Dollars, Says New World Bank Report. World Bank. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/pressrelease/2018/07/11/not-educating-girls-costs-countries-trillions-of-dollars-says-new-world-bank-report

George santos' web of lies

About George Santos. George Santos for Congress. (2022). Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://georgeforny.com/about/

Berkowitz, B. (2023, January 12). List of George Santos Lies: All the mistruths the congressman is accused of telling NBC New York Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://www nbcnewyork com/news/politics/listof-george-santos-lies-all-the-mistruths-the-congressman-is-accused-of-telling/4043980/

Harpaz, B (2023, January 4) Every 'jew-ish' thing George Santos has said and done (that we know about)

The Forward Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://forward com/news/530308/george-santos-jewishheritage-holocaust-survivor-long-island-politician-lied-falsehoods/

NBC New York Staff, T. A. P. (2022, December 27). Ny rep.-elect George Santos admits lies, says, 'we do stupid things in life'. NBC New York. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/long-island-congressman-elect-george-santos-admits-lyingabout-career-college/4015715/

REFERENCES FOR SCIENCE

the psychology of valentine's day

5 Ways That Theories of Psychology Explain Love. (2022, April 21). Verywell Mind.

https://www.verywellmind.com/theories-of-love-2795341

Fish, P. O. (2020, January 29). Study: Singles Are Over The Pressure Of Valentine’s Day, Say It Should Be #Canceled. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/study-singles-are-over-the-pressure-ofvalentines-day-say-it-should-be-canceled-300994953.html

History.com Editors. (2022, October 4). History of Valentine’s Day. HISTORY.

https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2

HowAboutWe. (2013, November 1). 8 Ways Science Can Improve Your Relationship. Glamour.

https://www.glamour.com/story/8-ways-science-can-improve-you

Lovering, N (2022, September 20) The Psychology of Love Psych Central

https://psychcentral com/relationships/the-psychology-of-love

Seshadri, K G (2016) The neuroendocrinology of love National Library of Medicine

https://www ncbi nlm nih gov/pmc/articles/PMC4911849/

Treleaven, S (2018, June 26) The Science Behind Happy Relationships Time

https://time.com/5321262/science-behind-happy-healthy-relationships/

Wright, W. (2022, February 9). Valentine’s Day ads can negatively impact mental health, particularly among men. The Drum. https://www.thedrum.com/news/2022/02/09/valentine-s-day-ads-can-negatively-impactmental-health-particularly-among-men

2022 in science

Belan, M. (2023, January 5). Timeline: The Most Important Science Headlines of 2022. Visual Capitalist.

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/science-headlines-of-2022/

First complete sequence of a human genome. (2022, April 26). National Institutes of Health (NIH).

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/first-complete-sequence-human-genome Kluger, J. (2022, January 26). The James Webb Space Telescope Is in Position And Now We Wait. Time.

https://time.com/6142769/james-webb-space-telescope-reaches-l2/

Strickland, A. (2022, October 12). The DART mission successfully changed the motion of an asteroid. CNN.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/11/world/nasa-dart-success-update-scn/index.html

The James Webb Space Telescope vs the Hubble Space Telescope. (n.d.).

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/james-webb-space-telescope-vs-hubble-space-telescope

the science of juice cleanses

Nall, R M (2022, January 27) What are the pros and cons of a juice cleanse?

https://www medicalnewstoday com/articles/323136

Rosenbloom, C (2022, January 11) No, you don’t need a detox juice cleanse Here’s why Washington Post

https://www washingtonpost com/wellness/2022/01/11/are-detox-juice-cleanses-necessary/

Tavernise, S. (2016, April 20). Fancy Juice Doesn’t Cleanse the Body of Toxins. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/21/health/juice-cleanse-toxin-misconception.html

scientist spotlight: marie curie

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2023, January 11). Marie Curie. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved January 14, 2023, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marie-Curie

Inspirational quotes: Marie Curie | Physicist, Chemist & Pioneer in the ... We Are Tech Women. (2022, February 3). Retrieved January 14, 2023, from https://wearetechwomen.com/inspirational-quotes-mariecurie-physicist-chemist-pioneer-in-the-study-of-radiation/

Marie Curie. Biography.com. (2018, February 27). Retrieved January 14, 2023, from https://www.biography.com/scientist/marie-curie

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, February 11). Aplastic anemia. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved January 14, 2023, from https://www mayoclinic org/diseases-conditions/aplasticanemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355015

REFERENCES FOR LIFESTYLE

Single on Valentine's Day? Might be Beneficial

Saad, Syeda & Lopez, Veronica & Kibbe, Kayla. (2022) “The Ultimate Guide to Being Single on Valentine's Day.” Cosmopolitan, https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/a25671896/single-on-valentines-day/.

Chocolate Lava Cakes with Raspberry Sauce

Senyei, K. (2020, February 12). Chocolate Lava Cakes with Raspberry Sauce. Just a Taste. Retrieved January 22, 2023, from https://www.justataste.com/lava-cakes-with-red-raspberry-sauce/

What Causes Acne?

Huizen, J. (2022, June 27). Pimple types: 6 types of acne. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322322

REFERENCES FOR OPINION

Family Genealogy Testing

Wikipedia Contributors. (2022, September 25). Genealogy. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genealogy

23andMe. (2019). DNA Genetic Testing For Health, Ancestry And More - 23andMe. 23andme.com. https://www.23andme.com

Nwafor. (2022, October 29). How Meghan Markle discovered her Nigerian ancestry. Vanguard News. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/how-meghan-markle-discovered-her-nigerian-ancestry/

Delbert, C. (2022, November 4). This New Algorithm Could Turbocharge How We Solve Cold Cases With DNA. Popular Mechanics; Popular Mechanics.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/math/a41488056/algorithm-turbocharges-solving-cold-casesgenetics/

Patrick, L , & Tesia, R (2022, November 3) Adopted woman discovers birth parents shortly before they both pass away WalesOnline https://www walesonline co uk/news/real-life/adopted-woman-discovered-birthfamily-25426440

Dog and Rooster (2022) Find DNA Matches For Free | Analyze Your DNA | GEDmatch GEDmatch

https://www.gedmatch.com/

Molla, R. (2019, December 13). What 23andMe and other genetic testing tools can do with your data. Vox; Vox. https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/12/13/20978024/genetic-testing-dna-consequences-23andmeancestry

23andMe. (2022). How Does 23andMe Work: DNA Test Instructions & Reporting. 23andme.com. https://www.23andme.com/howitworks/#:~:text=Our%20CLIA%2Dcertified%20lab%20extracts,establishe d%20scientific%20and%20medical%20research.

What Causes Acne?

Huizen, J. (2022, June 27). Pimple types: 6 types of acne. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322322