Volume 65, Issue 7
March 2018
Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA
THEAPACHE
TheWorldIsOurCampus
Letter from the Editors: We hope that the eventful month of March has been an insightful experience for you. Regardless of college acceptances or rejections, W’s or L’s, treat yourself this coming spring break. You deserve it! Amber, Kaitlyn, and Julia
the Arcadia invitational
ARCADIA INVITATIONAL THROUGH THE YEARS What started as a small meet in 1968 rocketed into an annual event on a national scale. Track and field athletes from all over the country showcase their passion. By JUSTIN CUN AND NATHAN GUO Staff Writers
When legendary AHS coaches Doug Smith and Bob Jackson first came up with the idea of the Arcadia Invitational in 1968, they envisioned a small, local meet for high schools and track clubs in the area. There was no indication that, within the next 50 years, the Arcadia Invitational would evolve into the most-attended high school track meet in the U.S., resulting in 25 national high school records and 152 U.S. Olympians. With over 4,000 athletes competing
Photo courtesy of PASADENANOW.COM
NEWS pg. 3 Pasadena Crisis: Significant budget cuts could lead to the closure of five schools in the district.
from hundreds of high schools and a handful of foreign countries, the meet is regarded as one of the most competitive track meets in the nation. Top runners, hurdlers, pole vaulters, jumpers, throwers, and sprinters gather once a year in Arcadia’s Dick Salter Stadium to prove themselves in front of close to 10,000 spectators. Qualifying for the Arcadia Invitational is no easy task. Because the meet draws in only the best of the best in high school track and field, most of the competitors are seniors and juniors, experienced athletes who have trained for years
OPINION pg. 4 Fitting these genes: Could cultural perception change with just a simple DNA test? “It was as if, within the span of a couple of hours, everything had changed. We weren’t just an ordinary Chinese family. No, we were much more. We were... different kinds of Asian (and a miniscule amount of European, whatever that’s worth)!”
to climb to the top of the high school rankings. Junior Anthony Carranza, a wellknown sprinter on our Boys Varsity Track and Field team, has qualified to represent AHS for the 400m dash. What is even more impressive, however, is that this will be Anthony’s second year competing at the meet. “Each year that I have competed at the Invite, I’ve become more driven to improve on my sprints and place higher than before. Over the course of this year, I was able to modify my technique and find great improvements, so I’m really excited to see where I’ll place this year,” said Anthony.
Senior Stephanie Yen, better known as Chip Yen, is embarking on a journey quite different than any other Arcadia athlete participating in the Arcadia Invitational. A notable long jumper and triple jumper, Chip is heading out of her comfort zone in favor of the heptathlon, a seven-stage multi-event consisting of the 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m dash, long jump, javelin throw, and 800m dash. As an athlete who loves to push her limits, Chip stated, “I had to have a lot of weekend practices and I needed to learn some new events, and nothing is perfect, but I think I’m ready.” Along with the competing athletes, opening on day one, there will be a Nike pop-up shop full of exclusive Arcadia Invitational gear and memorabilia, including shirts, windbreakers, and racing batons. There will also be opportunities to take pictures with U.S. Olympians as well as notable high school participants of the meet. The meet is a two-day affair. The first day, exclusively held at night, comprises of only relay races and 3200m runs. The second day lasts the entire day and almost entirely consists of solo races. This year’s Arcadia Invitational will be held on Friday, Apr. 6 and Saturday, Apr. 7. Tickets on Friday will be $5 for children and $10 for everyone else. Tickets on Saturday will be $20 for adults, $15 for students with ID, and $5 for children. A two-day pass will also be available for purchase for $25. Tickets can be purchased online or on the day of the meet, provided they do not run out. jcun@apachepowwow.net nguo@apachepowwow.net Photos courtesy of ARCADIAINVITATIONAL.ORG Graphic by KAITLYN LIAO
Also in this issue:
Photo courtesy of YELP.COM
CALENDAR pg. 21 Spilling the Tea: Located right next to AHS, Sharetea provides a convenient hangout spot for boba-loving students.
FEATURES pg. 6-7 LA Spring Break: With a multitude of events and hot spots in Los Angeles, spring break doesn’t have to be boring. PERFORMING ARTS pg. 14-15 Oh Lord(e): New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde performed in Los Angeles on her Melodrama Tour. ACADEMICS pg. 16-17 AP Comp Sci Wiz: Senior Ryan Leung earned a perfect score on the 2017 AP Computer Science Exam.
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theapachepowwow.net By MICHELLE LEE Staff Writer
On the first day of school, wide-eyed freshmen trooped through the school gates with fantasies of high school life still intact. As the school year draws to an end, reality has finally kicked in, and high school life may not have been what they expected. Some had their hopeful fantasies shattered, and others were pleasantly surprised by calm waters and smooth sailing. “Going into freshman year, I thought that I could handle it because freshman year was the easiest year,” said freshman Charisse Liu. After hearing the horror stories of upperclassmen, freshman year seemed like a piece of cake. It turns out that “freshman year was a rude awakening, and I realized that the transition from middle school to high school was pretty difficult,” she said. With the increased workload along with the added pressures of extracurriculars and activities that were not present in middle school, freshman year was quite a struggle and definitely not the easy year that Charisse expected. “Luckily, I survived and as I’m nearing the end of freshman year; I think I’ve finally gotten used to high school.” On the other hand, others thought that freshman year would be a nightmare, only to be confronted with a relatively enjoyable year.
Freshman Sofia Mediana was, like many other freshmen, daunted by the prospect of starting high school. But it turns out that her expectations did not exactly match up with reality. “I thought I would be swamped with homework and projects, but in reality, I can finish it all during class,” said Sofia. While for some the increase in workload might have been a cause of stress, what really challenged Sofia was the different social environment. Coming from a small middle school to a school of almost 4,000 strong was a big step. “I thought I would meet a lot of new people and friends, but the only new friends I made were from volleyball or the group projects I had,” she said. Although Sofia did not meet her expectation when it came to making new friends, freshman year provided a nice transition into high school, and she hopes for smooth sailing through the rest of her high school career as well. Freshman year has been a rollercoaster of new experiences, and for some, it was bumpy and long, while for others it was far too short. Whether freshman year was a struggle or a success, it is now time to move toward the future for a successful journey through the years to come. mlee@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FONTSPACE. COM and 123RF.COM
By CHRISTY QIU Staff Writer
Late-night studying, coffee and boba runs, safety and security, new friendships and maybe even first love— high schoolers have experienced it all. Our adolescent years are spent under the smooth veil of high school, and in less than a month, this veil will be lifted for a quarter of AHS’ students. As seniors end their high school years, they enter a new chapter in their lives. For most, college is that next chapter. Senior Avleen Walia will be pursuing her childhood dream of becoming a psychologist at the University of California San Diego. She has a clear vision for her future, in which she hopes to acquire a “PhD in clinical psychology and go into therapy and counseling for adolescents.” Likewise, senior Caidyn Thompson is excited to pursue her studies at Louisiana State University. Though she’ll be majoring in political science, she is unsure about her future career. She jokes that if she were to pursue law, she would work as a defense attorney, then as a government corresponder, and finally as the President of the U.S. Meanwhile, senior Martin Lu will be figuring out his path at Washington University in St. Louis. In fact, Martin jokingly, yet honestly, stated that he is “so lost in the woods and can’t find a path” and as for his major, “one day, it could be Russian Literature, and the next day, it could be chemistry.” Similarly, senior Emily Lu will use college as a time to “figure out her future.” An incoming freshman at Scripps College, Emily plans to have a S.T.E.M. major. In a S.T.E.M.-focused community, a handful of AHS students stand out as they pursue their artistic passions. Senior Sunny Wu, recipient of Best in Show at AHS’ 1st Annual Art Exhibition, will be attending the School of Visual Arts in New York City, majoring in illustration and then hopefully leading a career in illustration for children’s books and magazines. Likewise, senior Nicholas Jimenez, president of AHS’ Theater Department, will continue his involvement in theater as he double majors in theater arts and psychology at Azusa Pacific University. When asked about what she’d miss most after leaving AHS, Avleen immediately responded, “Absolutely nothing! Hate everything about it!” She then genuinely answered that she would “miss knowing the safety” of high school— the safety in which “even if you make mistakes, you still have the chance of the whole future to fix them”. The people whom you share an experience with can make the most mun-
May/June 2018
dane moments the most memorable. Emily stated that what she would miss most from high school would be the people. She enjoys the common ground that AHS students share— growing up in Arcadia, having the same teachers and understanding the rigor of AHS’ academics. For Caidyn, she will miss the people the most since she won’t have as many opportunities to see them. Martin, who is also leaving California, exclaimed that he “feels so lucky” to have known so many inspirational and talented people at AHS, and it will be “so hard to say goodbye.” For many students, certain classes and organizations have made their high school experience. Taking French classes since freshman year, Martin has developed an unbreakable bond with his classmates. The times he spent “laughing, suffering, and screaming together” with them will stay near and dear to his heart even when he leaves AHS. For Emily, “karaoking” in the Vons parking lot with her Constitution Team unit at 9:00 p.m. is one of her favorite high school memories. Making the moment even more memorable, a lady parked her car next to theirs and thought they were doing drugs. For Nicholas, theater has shaped his entire high school experience, and he “will definitely miss getting to perform on stage next to [his] best friends”. Some of us have grown up together since elementary school. Others have met recently, yet have created lasting bonds. Either way, we are now going our separate ways. High school is becoming a fleeting moment— a memory of the past. Despite the times we suffered in AP Biology or the all-nighters we pulled for AP English summer an annotation, high school has been an experience like no other. No matter how hard it was for us to get out of bed to go to school, there will be a day when we come to miss the structured time that we had to spend with friends, the comfort of having everything planned for us, and silliness that was okay to have because we were still “children”. Adolescence is a time of growth and discovering our identity; there is no doubt that AHS has impacted us an the journey. Wherever the future takes us, AHS will always remain a place of great importance— a second home. Congratulations on the conclusion of your high school years, Class of 2018! cqiu@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of PIXABAY.COM, VIDOBLOCKS.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM
May/June 2018
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studentlife.powwow@gmail.com
By CRYSTAL CHIN Staff Writer
Graduation is in a month, and college is just around the corner for seniors. As seniors move onto the next step into their lives, they might need some help in knowing the basics. This article will share some basic necessities that every senior needs to make their college experience a little more comfortable. If you’re a senior or a soon-to-be senior, hopefully you’ll have a great time in the next Basic Cleaning Supplies Obviously, toothbrushes, toothpastes, soap, shampoo & conditioner, lotions, etc. are absolutely necessary! Take some flip flops/bathroom sandals to walk from the dorms to the bathrooms and back with you. Use a shower caddy (shower basket) to carry all of your soaps and shampoos to the bathroom easily. Dorm Supplies to Live More Comfortably Some colleges don’t provide every dorm with microwaves and mini fridges, so bringing one with you to col-
lege will be beneficial whenever you and your roommate are too lazy to get food, you guys can just heat some up! Some colleges also might not have air conditioning or heaters so bringing in a fan that can cool down the room during the summer or a small heater to warm up the room during the winter will definitely be useful. Food Bring lots of water! Using a reusable water bottle such as a Hydro Flask will guarantee a convenient water supply for wherever you are on campus. Water can be bought on campus and there are water fountains around, but it is way more convenient to bring gallons of water to keep inside the dorm to have easier access to water. Snacks! Bring tons of snacks because you
will get hungry when you’re cramming late at night for your classes. Don’t faint and bring tons of snacks to keep yourself awake and to give yourself sustenance! Keep a pair of slippers (a different one from your bathroom slippers) to walk around the dorm in because the floors could be dirty! Comforters for your dorm beds are essential but bed rest pillows would definitely come in handy for the dorm. In case you want to watch movies or study on your dorm bed, you can prop up a bed rest pillow to sit up straight and lay on comfortably! If you have pictures or decorations you want to decorate your dorm room with,
command strips are a necessity. Command strips can be used to hold up a corkboard that you can display cute polaroid pictures onto. Command strips can also hold up hooks to hang up anything you want like a mirror. Transportation Around Campus All college campuses are gigantic and would take forever to travel around from class to class. Bring a bike, scooter, skateboard, etc. to get around faster so you won’t be late or miss any classes! If you’re a senior or a soon-to-be senior, hopefully these tips will help you plan the next step in your life and ease some of that college stress! cchin@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of DAFONT.COM and VECTEEZY.COM
By ASHLEY LEE Staff Writer
On June 6, at 12:29 p.m., all books will be put down and away as students crash into their first minutes of summer. In less than one month, students will be out for their long awaited two-month break. After a stressful year of assignments, projects, and tests, summer brings forth relaxing thoughts. For many, it is a time to rest and wind down after a busy school year; for others, summer means traveling overseas and visiting new destinations. Some also choose to participate in enrichment programs or volunteer projects, which may not otherwise be done during the school year. Whether or not you have anything planned this summer, there is plenty for you to enjoy while making the most out of your time! The arrival of summer means a break from using the brain — no more cramming, memorizing, or really, thinking. However, summer can be a time to reflect on the past year. Take some time out of your two-month-long break to think back on your accomplishments during the year or life lessons you’ve learned. Set some goals for the next year and challenge yourself to take on new responsibilities. If you’re afraid of not reaching your goals, try setting more realistic ones; taking baby steps is key. Pick up a new hobby. Our school lives are a busy time, and we might not always have the time to do what we enjoy or want to do. You can take this time to discover a new activity to get yourself busy with, or even pick up an old hobby that you haven’t put much time into the past year. Take online or local classes if you want to learn a specific skill. Most importantly, keep your creative juices going over the summer so that you’ll be fresh for the start of school in August. With a myriad of new movies out coming summer 2018, there is definitely a movie for you to enjoy. Plan a movie hangout at the theaters, or have a movie marathon at home. Many cities, including our own city of Arcadia, will be hosting summer movies at the park, where you can watch a movie on the big screen while snacking over your own picnic! Explore and visit new places. Los Angeles is one of the most popular cities in the world, boasting an endless list of attractions for tourists and its residents to enjoy. Visit the local museums, varying from art to science, or history to culture. Take a trip to the beach and enjoy the waves during the hot summer! Summer is quickly arriving, and it’s time to enjoy and make the most out of it! Keep yourself busy while also making sure to relax, because August will be here before you know it! alee@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of DAFONT.COM, VECTEEZY.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM
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GOOD LUCK
theapachepowwow.net
March 2018
By CONNER HUA Staff Writer
His hands trembled as he typed in the username and password for the college’s portal. Never had I seen such focus present in his eyes as they rapidly scanned the screen for words. The computer’s glare reflected on his face as his facial muscles relaxed. The fire in his eyes died immediately as the air surrounding us began thickening. Suddenly, it was molasses and the few people with us could sense it. His face showed no emotion, a blank state. His eyes darted across the corners of the screen. They begged for understanding, closure, and explanation, yet his mouth remained silent. It was at this moment the few around him realized that it had not happened. As he closed the laptop screen with a solemn click, we knew that he had been rejected from the college. Why do we center our lives around acceptance? Why do we spend the majority of our waking moments at high school pushing, just for the momentary relief that comes with a college acceptance? How has the construct of acceptance and rejection begun playing such a tremendous role in our society today? Firstly, conformity plays a tremendous role in our perpetual fight for acceptance. Although a majority of us would be quick to deny it, every single one of us conforms in one way or another. Our society’s underlying message to conform to standards leads us to subconsciously attempt to continually seek acceptance. In fact, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a psychological theory, proposed that we crave social belonging before we can achieve self-esteem. This social belonging, this feeling of acceptance, can stem from many places. Whether it be a notification that your crush has liked your post, a compliment received from a stranger, or simply walking into a crowded room and being able to find that one friend you will cling onto for the remainder of the event, our desire for acceptance, and joy that stems from it, is hard-wired into our systems. Now, acceptance, however, has been evolutionarily bred into our human race since the beginning of time. As social creatures, to be accepted during primal times, meant survival. Acceptance into a group meant the safety and comfort of others, companionship, and possible mates. Acceptance during those times was the difference between life and death. Thus, stemmed our tendency to conform. In modern society, acceptance is still sought by many. Now, obviously acceptance will never be a bad thing. Everyone wants to be accepted. However, revolving your life around acceptance is toxic and ultimately harmful to your lifestyle—acceptance and rejection come in pairs.
March 2018
centerspread.powwow@gmail.com
SENIORS!
Rejection. Rejection is a bitter pill to swallow. Being shot down by your crush, being ostracized from a group of people you wanted to befriend, or being rejected from one of your dream colleges. Rejection is something everyone struggles with. However, rejection isn’t everything we build it up to be. While in the moment, being rejected from something you wished desperately to be accepted into seems like the end of the world. Realize that in the grand scheme of things, a momentary falter won’t forever ruin your life. Rejection is an opportunity to bounce back. As the saying goes, “Everything happens for a reason.” Instead of being hung up over a minor rejection, recognize this situation as an opportunity to either improve or seek new opportunities. If being rejected from whatever it was, was a grave mistake and loss of talent on their part, recognize your self-worth! They were probably never worth your time and effort anyway. Take the time to recognize areas to improve. Maybe the rejection served as a reminder to never let yourself settle and to consistently push yourself. College acceptance/rejection season has come upon us. As colleges have begun sending out their acceptances and rejections to overly joyous and saddened teenagers simultaneously, remember that acceptance and rejection don’t dictate your life. It may not be college; it may just be a minor thing in life. Realize that acceptance and rejection are never an opportunity to beat yourself up and allow yourself to lose drive and motivation. After all, acceptance is sometimes great; however, sometimes the lack of acceptance and rejection, leads you to bigger and better opportunities you could’ve never even expected. To be rejected, does not mean that you aren’t accepted. chua@theapachepowwow.net Graphic by ANDREA LIU
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CALENDAR
theapachepowwow.net
March 2018
By RACHEL LEE Staff Writer
This year on Thanksgiving (Nov. 21), Walt Disney Animation Studios will release the longawaited sequel to Wreck-It Ralph, Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2. Classified as a 3D computer-animated fantasy comedy film, this movie is expected to “break the internet” due to the high anticipation and success its previous movie garnered back in 2012. Grossing over $471.2 million worldwide, Wreck-It Ralph effectively set the precedent for winning Pixar films such as Big Hero 6, Zootopia, and Frozen. Wreck-It Ralph 2 is directed by Rich Moore and Phil Johnston and features John C. Reily as Ralph, Sarah Silverman as Vanellope von Schweetz, and voice actors Mandy Moore, Auli’i Cravalho, Kristen Bell, and Idina Menzel to name a few! Wreck-It Ralph tells the story of an arcade game villain, Ralph from “Fix-it Felix
Jr.”, who desires to represent something more than solely the “bad guy”. Following his dreams of becoming a hero, he rebels against his game, placing the entire video game and its characters at peril, and meeting Vanellope from “Sugar Rush” along the way! Through trials and tribulations, the duo becomes inseparable and ultimately work together as a team to resolve and banish the evil. Following six years after its first movie, WreckIt Ralph 2 explores Ralph and Vanellope’s adventure of the never-before-seen world of the Internet. Mr. Litwak, the owner of the arcade that Ralph and
By CYNTHIA LIN
to get a glimpse of their seemingly perfect life. As they gain followers, marketers gain interest and have begun to use these Instagram famous people to become living advertisements and sponsors. According to Buzzfeed’s website, these “brands have found a new method of direct yet subtle marketing to young, impressionable consumers” through these social media influencers, and they get a good sum of money as well. As reported, these “sponsored posts have made maintaining an Instagram feed a very lucrative job, with some high-profile influencers being paid in the range of $150,000 per post.” Even if they do not have a million followers on the social media app, these micro-influencers can also rack up some money as well. From Forbes’
Staff Writer
There are many Instagram social media influencers. Most of them get sponsors and advertise for products on a decorated Instagram feed. Their seemingly perfect; flawless lifestyle leaves the public in awe. However, how much does it cost to be big on Instagram exactly? The rapidly growing amount of these social media influencers have probably shown up in your feed. You’ll see them posing with designer handbags against a background of white sand beaches, their hair perfectly curled, their skin sunkissed and glowing. And don’t forget tons of shots of them drinking beautifully decorated lattes! It’s no wonder people follow them
Vanellope reside in, connects a wi-fi router to the arcade games, fundamentally altering the lives of the video game characters as they know it. The purpose of the dynamic duo’s exploration of the World Wide Web is especially treacherous, as the fate of Vanellope’s game, Sugar Rush, depends on a replacement part that was lost in the perilous Web. Along the way, Ralph and Vanellope encounter entirely new worlds and characters, such as the trendy algorithm Yesss and C-3PO, R2-D2, and Yoda from Star Wars. The Disney princess lineup will also make an appearance, includ-
ing Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida, Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Anna, Queen Elsa, and Moana, all voiced by their original voice actresses. Iron Man and Gamora from Marvel Comics are also set to have a cameo as well. Director Rich Moore had previously announced his big plans for Wreck-It Ralph back in 2012, stating that a sequel was inevitable since Disney has “barely scratched the surface of the video game world [they had] envisioned.” Coming to theaters in 2D, 3D, and IMAX, Wreck-It Ralph 2 is definitely a movie that you will not want to miss!
website, “An Instagram user with 100,000 followers can command $5,000 for a post made in partnership with a company or brand”. However, being a social media influencer on Instagram isn’t all sunshine and rainbows either. According to influencer Mary Gui, a 28-year-old fashion blogger with 50,000 followers, it takes almost two hours to edit one photo to post. It also takes her another hour to write the blog post. Gui states that she looks through anywhere from 300 to 400 photos taken for one outfit and edits them using her computer and then her phone to add filters and more. According to her, she did not make much money at all in the beginning. In fact, she states that she “was using $2,000–$3,000 of [her] savings per month, and was only making $50 to $100
per post.” Furthermore, she believes that this influential job doesn’t cover her living expenses or bills either. However, she believes that times have gotten much better as the amount of money she charges per post increases with each follower she gains. Yet Gui states that “it’s hard because it’s not consistent. One month you get a couple of high-paying brand collaborations, and the next month, none. And you might not receive the payment until 30 days later.” From the accounts of a real-life “Insta-famous” fashion blogger, we can see that although it seems to be a good job, there are struggles as well.
rlee@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of AMAZON.COM and WRECK-ITRALPHFANONWIKI.COM
clin@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of WIKIMEDIACOMMONS.COM
CALENDAR
calendareditor.powwow@gmail.com
March 2018
By CRYSTAL CHIN
REVIEW
By CAITLIN WANG
Staff Writer
There’s officially a new hangout place in town! ShareTea is a boba shop that has just opened another location about a block away from AHS. Here’s my take on the much-hyped boba shop. Vividly, I remember walking into the crowded shop and being greeted by a few friendly voices. I immediately felt more welcomed. That day, they were having their pre-opening promotion where all drinks were free, but tips were allowed. I browsed through the menu and didn’t see the drink I was looking for: peach green tea. So, I opted for the regular milk tea with boba and a passion fruit green tea. I was disappointed that they didn’t have a few popular flavors, but I figured the drinks I ordered would still be delicious. Expecting to wait for 30 minutes at least, I ended up getting my drinks within 15 minutes. I was surprised, considering the number of people crowded in the shop. I was also surprised because many of my friends from school had complained about how long they had to wait for their drinks, ranging from an hour and 25 minutes to more. Overall, my drink was everything I expected it to be, and I had high expectations. The classic milk tea wasn’t watery like some I’ve tasted in the past. The boba in both the drinks I ordered was very chewy, but not too hard. Overall, the boba wasn’t as good as Tpumps, another popular boba shop, but not far behind. Also, the passion fruit green tea was a lot better than the milk tea. The aftertaste was like the classic sweet green tea which I really loved. Even after the promotion ended, I went back to ShareTea. I couldn’t resist. Besides, it was so close to practically everywhere I went on the weekdays. This time around, I decided to try the Strawberry Black tea with boba. Originally, I wanted to get something Passion Fruit related, but it turns out, they ran out of the syrup for the flavor. Although I was a bit disappointed, I couldn’t blame them because of the number of customers they had over the past week. My friends from school also said they run out of boba when they get extra busy. But, it was fine because the drink was still delicious, but a little too sweet. I was still glad I tried a new flavor, though. Share Tea has become one of my favorite boba spots in Arcadia. I can see it becoming a new hangout spot for high school students. The few times I’ve gone, I’ve always seen many familiar faces which is quite reassuring. With everything about the place being considered, so far, I’m giving it a four out of five stars.
cwang@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of EXPLODINGBELLY.COM and 1001FONT.COM
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Staff Writer
On Mar. 20, the world celebrated the International Day of Happiness. This day reinforces the importance of being happy and spreading happiness through one’s surroundings. The International Day of Happiness website shares many projects that people from all over the globe have participated in annually during the occasion. In 2013, people recognized those who made their communities happier places. The year after, people displayed pictures of themselves being genuinely happy. Then in 2015, everyone focused on their personal relationships. Thanks to these projects, the world is slowly becoming a happier place. The website also has a tab to advocate 10 different essentials to become a happier person. With the acronym G.R.E.A.T.D.R.E.A.M, the International Day of Happiness website promotes giving, relating, exercising, awareness, trying out, direction, resilience, emotions, acceptance, and meaning. G - Giving: Something as small as giving advice and reaching out to others can make a person feel much happier. R - Relating: Much like the G in “GREAT DREAM”, relating by connecting with the people in one’s surroundings can make one feel happier knowing that he/she belongs in a comforting environment. E - Exercising: Just getting out for an hour a day can make one feel lighter and joyful as one carries on with their day. A - Awareness: Paying attention to not just one’s self but to the world, nature, and people around them, can make someone feel more in touch with everything around them. T - Trying out: Beginning something new and possibly enjoying it can lead to overwhelming happiness as one finds a new hobby or activity that one likes to do. D - Direction: Setting goals to look forward to and to work hard for causes anyone to become more determined and excited to see through to their goals. R - Resilience: Life can get people down, but knowing how to bounce back and seize the day can cause more satisfaction and happiness knowing that they can stand independently. E - Emotions: Maintaining positive emotions throughout the day can lead to a happier life A - Acceptance: Not everything goes the way one wants it to go, but accepting what comes one’s way can lead to higher levels of understanding and bliss. M - Meaning: By taking part of something huge such as donating or volunteering, people can feel more fulfilled with their lives and become more content. By making the effort to achieve most, if not all, of these keys to happiness, one can achieve satisfaction easier in life, the main purpose behind March 20. In essence, celebrating International Day of Happiness can bring meaning into everyone’s lives by reinforcing positive messages and advice resulting in happier people.
cchin@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of CLIPARTLIBRARY.COM and 1001FONTS.COM