May 2013 - The Churchill Observer Senior Section

SENIOR SLEUTHS

The Churchill Observer Senior Section

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Sterling Archer Spenser Easterbrook Editor-in-Chief

Nancy Drew Dana Youngentob News Editor

Olivia Benson Stacey Stein Editor-in-Chief

Daphne Brett Sachs Chief Production Manager

Annie Walker Lara Fu News Editor Kim Possible Zoe Forster Sports Editor Juni Cortez Nicole Malament Observations Editor

Ron Stoppable Joe Nolan Opinions Editor

Steve McGarrett Matt Raab Sports Editor Carmen Cortez Emilie Plesset Online EIC

Charlie’s Angels Julia Greenzaid Online Breaking News

Velma Lauren Price Online Arts Editor Foxy Cleopatra Manisha Singh Online News Editor

James Bond Ben Schick Online Sports Editor

Veronica Mars Tiffany Tran-Kiem Staff Writer

Miss Scarlet Emma Crutchfield Production Editor

Inspector Gadget Sonia Shekar Staff Writer

Krieger Tyler Mead Online Features Editor

Rufus Ariana Etessami Staff Writer Jacques Clouseau Josh Denicoff Production Editor

Adrian Monk Jared Saltzberg Staff Writer

Jack Bauer Angad Kanwal Production Editor

Sherlock Holmes Jessica Lee Staff Writer

Scooby-Doo Natasha Palance Staff Writer

Harriet the Spy Kara Phillips Staff Writer

Numbah 3 Julia Gray Staff Writer

M Kelly Knarr Adviser

#02

EVIDENCE Thursday, May 23, 2013

E V ID E N C E

The Churchill Observer Senior Section

CHS: stop complaining Daphne dishes advice

By Olivia Benson

If there’s one thing CHS students have in common, it’s that we all love to complain. Whether it’s that annoying teacher who assigned an essay due the next day, or the stupid new testing policy that makes all of your science and Spanish tests on the same day, most are quick to point out the flaws of CHS. I have done my share of complaining too. But looking back, there is really no reason why there is so much discontent at our school. We all know we go to an incredible school— we are ranked first in Maryland for a reason— but at times it seems like people just go looking for reasons to complain.

Take the recent Wellness Weekend. The administration gave us a w e e k e n d where teachers w e r e n ’ t allowed to give homework!

What could possibly be bad about this? Still, students chose to find reasons to complain.

“Why wasn’t it the weekend of Prom?” many students griped. First of all, seniors have a senior exam on Monday that can’t be changed. Besides that, Prom is only for seniors. The administration tried to do something nice for us, but no, people had to look for the negatives in that.

Another complaint that we all love to make is about the new testing policy.

While I am not a fan of it, at least it

was an attempt to try to help us. Many students also like to forget that it was students who pushed for this policy. In other words, we asked for something, we were given it, then we all freaked out.

We also all hate those teachers who won’t round up that 89.4 percent at the end of the quarter. As annoying as it may be, if you are one-tenth of a point away from an A, that means you earned a B. Yes, I was very frustrated when I got an 89.3 percent in math. But still, Montgomery County has chosen 89.5 percent as the cutoff point, and so that is what must stand.

By far, the most common complaint at CHS is the lack of school spirit.

Ironically, most of the time this comes from people who wouldn’t dare step foot into the football stadium on a Friday night or be willing to take a 15-minute drive out to Rockville for a hockey game.

If you think that CHS has bad spirit, there is a simple solution—put on your CHS apparel and just go to an event.

We have plenty, whether it be a play, a game or an SGA-sponsored event.

I realize that it is a lot easier as a senior looking back to say stop complaining, but CHS has so much going for it. We are lucky to go to a school with other students who are motivated and to be taught by so many great teachers.

Is it cliché to look back on my high school experience and say appreciate what you have? Absolutely. But the reason that so many people say this is because once you’re almost done, it’s easy to see how much you got out of the past four years.

By Daphne

As most seniors look back on their high school experience and create a bucket list of all the things they wish they could have done, I look back on my two-anda-half years at Churchill and count five things you SHOULDN’T do as a high school senior. The following is a condensed version of my very own anti-bucket list: 1. Don’t wait until senior year to take health. I know the counselors constantly remind us all to take health by sophomore year, but having transferred from Whitman to Churchill my sophomore year, I decided it would be easier to just wait until my second semester senior year to take health. Big mistake.

Being one of the only seniors in health is not only awkward, but somewhat frustrating as all the sophomores squeal at the pregnancy video and giggle every time the teacher says the word sex.

2. Don’t forget to take your lunch pass with you… always. After making it back to school just in time for the start of sixth period, nothing is more frustrating than waiting to have to write your name for the security guards since you forgot to bring a little pink piece of paper with you.

My advice, keep it somewhere in your backpack or wallet so you’ll never accidentally leave at home.

3. Don’t be afraid to dress up for school every once and a while.

It took me a good two years before I gathered up enough courage to wear a skirt to school. Although constantly worrying if your backpack is pulling it up is somewhat annoying, the satisfaction of looking nice is worth it. I know it’s not the Churchill custom to wear nicer clothes to school, but every once and a while it’s nice to trade in yoga pants and Uggs for a dress and sandals.

4. Don’t miss Mr. Szafran’s classes. I learned this one the hard way. After missing my fair share of AP Stat classes, I continued to be the butt of Mr. Szafran’s jokes for the rest of the year. Trust me, 45 minutes of math class is really not as bad as he’ll make you feel for missing it. Even if you’re sick or bleeding, make sure to be in his class.

5. Don’t apply to colleges you wouldn’t actually want to go to. I know this one sounds obvious, but once you actually start applying to schools, you might have the urge to send in an application because it’s short, free or easy. At the end of the day, you want your final decision to be an easy one, and if you have too many acceptances on your plate, it could be a lot more difficult. Try and narrow down the schools to ones you can really see yourself at, so in the end you have no bad choices. Plus, it saves you more money than you realize when applications can cost up to $70.

So before you start writing down your senior bucket lists, don’t forget to avoid these few things to ensure a more enjoyable and less annoying senior year.

ten to as a last-second assurance of my masculinity while I prepared myself for what I was confident would be the most effeminate thing I had done in recent memory.

I walked into the class after being laughed at by the janitor for my appearance.

Surprisingly, the janitor was the only pers o n

are they getting at this place?

I walked into a dark, hot basement that was the yoga studio. A twenty-something hippie looking guy probably named Thad signed me in, and I proceeded to stuff my shoes into a cubby that was too small to fit them.

It begins.

The class began with some stretches that were very similar to those all CHS men experience before gym ball, only with more music. The music, by the way, shifted back and forth between that which would play in transitional scenes of The Lion King and during the inevitable break-up montages of all romantic comedies.

The actual exercising was surprisingly difficult.

While it definitely wasn’t as hard as girls warn it will be, it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. To add insult to injury, my instructor frequently asked us to “straighten our spines.” Hmph. (Have you looked up what scoliosis is yet?)

Damn. Yoga pants feel good.

I, to my surprise, was not the only guy in my class. There was

a—clearly struggling—man in the back of my class trying to impress the woman he came with.

Next to me was a chubby, balding man with glasses who was probably the most into the session out of everyone in the room. Despite it being a “beginners’ class,” I found myself cheating off of him frequently to find out what each position meant. The instructor found it necessary to give every position a Sanskrit name.

The class began to slow down, we all said our “Namastes” and called it a night. The two highschool-aged girls there shared their last confused glances with me, and I headed out. I have to admit it, I felt really good, really relaxed, after it was over. Despite their intial confusion with my appearance, the Potomac moms and I now have full understanding of one another. We are one.

I listened to John Mayer with pride on the way home. I decided, when I grow up, I want to be the stereotypical Potomac mom. Yoga was great.

That’s just about it, but of course I’m going to squeeze in some life advice too. My three rules to live by: body paint makes everything better; there’s always money in the banana stand, and never underestimate the power of kind words.

Goodbye Churchill, I really am going to miss you.

Archer wants you to read this article, or else

By Archer

I’m a pretty sentimental guy when I have to be—but this is no time for feelings. I’d like my last words for the Churchill Observer to be hard-hitting, relevant and painfully accurate. We live in an affluent area, and there’s nothing more Potomac than Potomac yoga moms.

I sought to explore this phenomenon. You’re welcome.

Before I begin, let me attempt to provide some explanation of why I’m doing this. I’ve got back issues, something called scoliosis—look it up—so my mom has always halfjokingly suggested I do yoga. This dream became a reality when I realized I needed something to write about for my senior section. So here it goes. Enjoy.

I began my preparation as any mom would: planning and deciding on an outfit that would make all the other betches jealous of my sweet bod. Yes, I wore my sister’s yoga pants, and yes, I did wear a headband. And of course I took a pink yoga mat that was too short for my body. The pictures I took before I left would destroy whatever semblance of coolness I like to think I have. What I’m trying to say is, I looked ridiculous.

My ride to the class was just long enough for one listen through of Dragonforce’s “Through the Fire and Flames,” which I chose to lis-

during the entire experience who expressed disbelief at my getup. I’m really hoping that everyone there was just trying not to make me feel bad, otherwise, what kind of people

EVIDENCE Thursday, May 23, 2013

E V ID E N C E

The Churchill Observer Senior Section

#03

Everything works out in Juni Cortez dishes out the end for Nancy Drew unusual advice to peers

By Nancy Drew

As my senior year, and time as an MCPS student, comes to a close, and I sit down to write my final article for the Observer, I know that there are a million pieces of advice I could give the underclassmen. However, no one wants to read a cheesy goodbye article that could have been written by any graduate.

Because of that, I will keep this short and give out just one piece of advice: everything works out in the end.

Remember that time in middle school when you got called down to the principal’s office during gym class? What about that time when you were freaking out about standardized testing and the pressures of junior year?

Well you may not have experienced those situations, but I certainly did. Yes, the trip down to the principal’s office was out of character and resulted in me embarrassingly crying like a baby in front of all of my friends, but as it turns out, everything worked out in the end, and now the story is a source of laughter during “Remember when?” conversations with my friends. And now I get to watch my sister suffer through the very same middle school gym class with the same teacher (sorry, Jaclyn).

Then, of course, there is junior year.

The constant nagging from your parents, teachers and friends—all of who want the best for you—but don’t know when to stop.

“What schools are on your list?” “Don’t you think you should look at the Ivies?”

“Practice your SAT!” “Oh, you applied to “School x? That place is for those who didn’t try in high school.”

Well guess what naggers? I’m going to the school that I know is right for me, regardless of what everyone else thinks, because, to be honest, I will probably only talk to a handful of you after graduation.

Then comes the finale: senior year. No, mine hasn’t been covered with rose petals and daisies like some of you might expect. Early on, I went through a rough patch and had to deal with someone making a decision of questionable judgment that affected me significantly.

However, I learned that there is no right way to do the wrong thing. Through it all, I grew as a person and realized that should I ever be in the same position, I would not make the same mistake. Looking back now on the rough times, I realize that everything has worked itself out and I am able to finish my senior year strong.

So, as author Tracy McMillan once said, “Everything works out in the end. If it hasn’t worked out yet, then it’s not the end.”

By Juni Cortez

In my four years at CHS, I have learned many lessons, most of which have nothing to do with school. Here’s a list of tips that I’ve compiled over the years to help you in an awkward situation, get out of class, make projects easier and bother annoying people.

1. Tripping on the staircase I honestly cannot count the number of times that I have tripped in front an entire hallway filled with people. I’m talking falling down the staircase in front of half the school. If, in the unfortunate case that you do fall in front of the hallway crowd, simply brush it off and laugh. It is way less awkward if you can laugh at yourself instead of cowering as I did after my first couple of falls.

2. Start writing your own notes ASAP Seriously, I cannot stress this enough.

When you’re a senior and desperate to leave school early, which will happen at least every Friday, you will probably have to turn in your own note. If your note looks suspicious in any way, Mrs. Feldman will compare it to previous notes that you have turned in. Lucky for me, I’ve been writing my own notes since the sixth grade. The sooner you start, the more often you can leave without your mom being called.

3. Make friends with the librarians Everyone jokes about how catching a break in the library is like attempting Mission Impossible. Yes, the librarians are extremely strict and maybe a bit crazy, but I have cracked the code: don’t put up a fight and be super polite. Eventually, they will start to recognize you and be way more lenient. Then, when you need help, they’ll happily do your entire bibliography for you.

4. Agree with the “Humble Braggers” You deal with these people on a daily basis. These are the people who try to come off as modest and sympathetic, but they’re really just dying for you to know their latest achievements. To really annoy them, just agree with them.

5. Reuse paper While I appreciate the gesture, teachers print way too many notes for us. More than half of the papers that I receive are unnecessary. In fact, the only teacher who hands out a sensible amount of paper is Mr. Kraus. To counteract some of the environmental stress that we create, I’ve taken the liberty of solely printing on the backs of used paper. The rough draft of this article was printed on last month’s math quiz, and all my English essays are printed on ACT practice tests. It’s one little thing that we can do.

I have had a great four years at CHS, and I wouldn’t change them for the world. So just remember, laugh at the little things, befriend librarians, get out of class early, and ignore the obnoxious ones. You may as well save a tree while you’re at it.

I applied to six schools, evenly distributed among safeties, targets, and reaches. I expected to get into at least half o f my schools, but b y the end of March that expectation was crushed: I was accepted to my safety school, waitlisted at my target, and rejected everywhere else. Unlike most seniors, I didn’t get to make my own decision about my future; my decision had been made for me.

After receiving rejection letter after rejection letter, I was completely miserable and embarrassed.

H o w could I commit to my safety school, the one school I insisted for the past four years I would never attend, and the one school that everyone and their mother seem to attend?

(One of my friends even said I was “such a cliché” when I shared where I would be spending my next four years.)

Of course it stung at first, but I realized I couldn’t mope about it. I am going to college next year, and, as my junior friends optimistically assured me, I was going to have the

time of my life. It just took a little longer for me to see it for myself.

2. It’s not what you have, but what you make of it.

Hunter jumper riding is an elitist sport, and riders all know it. If a rider has a perfect horse who does everything without being asked, chances are that pair will do very well at horse shows. For those of us who don’t have money trees in our backyards, this puts us at a disadvantage. But that’s not to say that you can’t win without a “push-button” perfect horse: for those equestrians out there, 15-year old Victoria Colvin is one of the most successful hunter jumper riders in the national spotlight, but her horses are famously difficult rides.

The same can be said for college. Though the University of Maryland was far from the medium-sized, idyllic liberal arts college I had always envisioned myself attending, I ultimately realized that I had taken Maryland for granted. I was so hung up on all my rejections that I didn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I have amazing opportunities waiting for me at Maryland: a spot in the honors college and a great four-year research program, as well as a full scholarship (I’m planning on using this to guilt my dad as often as possible). It may seem like I’m bragging (which I might be, just a little bit), but doesn’t everyone? Isn’t that the point of College Shirt Day and that epic moment when you finally add your college to your Facebook information? The point is, you’re going to get a good education at whatever school you attend, even if

it isn’t your first choice, your second choice, or it’s your last choice. You just need to find the opportunities.

3. A good support team is essential.

Horseback riding is both an individual and a team sport, depending on whether you count the horse as a team member (most riders do). But every rider also has the support of his or her other team members: trainers and fellow riders who cheer him or her on from the sidelines every step of the way.

At school, some of my most important team members have been teachers who have helped me and supported me throughout my high school years. I’ve really appreciated all of the teachers I’ve had over my last four years, and I’d especially like to thank Mrs. Goodwin for being such an intellectual inspiration, Ms. Lee for being such an expert on the Chinese language, Mr. Brown for being one of the most entertaining, quirkiest teachers I’ve had in a while and last but not least, Mrs. Knarr for being the best teacher and journalism adviser I could ever ask for (thank you for taking the risk of bringing 10 teenagers to San Francisco!).

I entered Churchill as a short freshman who couldn’t see anything in the hallways swarming with tall upperclassmen, and I’m exiting Churchill as a short senior who still can’t see anything in the hallways. I may not have grown a lot physically, but these past four years at Churchill and Corgi Glen Farm have taught me a lot.

If wisdom was reflected in height, I’d like to think I’d be around 6 feet, but, sadly, it doesn’t work that way.

Annie finds parallels in school and horseback riding

By Annie Walker

Horseback riding has been a significant part of my life for almost six years now. I’ve gotten very familiar with a wheelbarrow and shovel; I’m practically a pro at stuffing my hair into a hairnet and then into a helmet, and I’ve greeted the ground with my face many times (not of my own accord). My trainer likes to teach us “life lessons” when we’re at the barn, and while my fellow riders and I constantly gripe about these lessons, I’ve come to the realization that a lot of riding advice translates to school as well.

1. Get back in the saddle, and look up.

There’s a Mexican proverb that goes: “No es suficiente para un hombre saber montar, él debe saber cómo caer.” Most riders are very familiar with some variation of this saying, because it’s an important aspect of riding: when you fall, you need to figure out what went wrong and what you can do to fix it. You also need to be able to brush things off. I’ve had the good fortune to have only fallen off once at an actual horse show, but getting dumped in front of many onlookers is humiliating nonetheless. It was hard getting back on and reentering the show ring, but it’s an essential part of riding and an essential part of life to get over things and move on.

The college admissions process is brutal; there’s no arguing against it. Many students are lucky enough to be accepted to their top school and be done with it, but just as many students aren’t as lucky. However, I can assure the underclassmen that everything really does work out in the end, and I have a personal story to back up that claim.

EVIDENCE E C N E ID V E , May 23, 2013 ay sd ur Th #04

The Churchill Observer Senior Section

Stoppable finds pride in ditching the system

By Ron Stoppable

High school? I have no regrets. I just wish I did everything differently.

High school is supposedly the four years of our lives where we “find ourselves” and become an “individual” and make our own “decisions” and flower “intellectually,” but my years at CHS have debunked the lie that our parents and teachers want us to believe—that I am me.

What’s alarming is that I am not me, and considering the conformity orgy that is CHS, you are probably not you.

If I could sit down with and compare 8th grader Ron Stoppable to 12th grader Ron Stoppable, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell the two apart.

But if I could compare who I am now to who I was four years ago, I would come to the realization that my years at CHS were not those of self-discovery and finding unity with my ka, but of melting into the system. I would find that I had in fact become more like CHS than myself, that I had sacrificed much of my identity to comfortably exist here.

Admittedly, I am exaggerating the situation for dramatic effect, imagining a problem where there is none for

the sole purpose of pretending that I conquered some obstacle of mythic proportions to impress teachers and quell grandparents’ worries that I learned nothing in high school (love ya gma!). However, there is a grain of truth in this beach of wisdom I now impart on you.

And that is exactly what it’s a l l

about: finding that grain of truth among the innumerable grains of sand (that’s why seniors go to beach week after graduation, for truth).

Such were my thoughts when I was waiting in line for my senior football picture to be taken. As each of my friends took his turn smiling in front of the camera in the thick August heat,

I realized that I was a grain of sand in a beach of sand; I realized that I was a follower, a conformist, and that I would smile just as they had when it came to be my turn.

Shedding my former skin, I cracked a wry little smirk as the photographer pulled the trigger, and thus inaugurated my departure from the crowd.

From then on I desperately sought ways to prove to myself that I wasn’t a cog in the machine and that I was an individual—a principled individual. I refused to take my senior portrait, still proudly awaiting a gray square in the yearbook where my head should be. Remember that “Anti-Bullying Pledge” we were all forced to sign at the beginning of the school year? Didn’t sign it. Never will. I was the embodiment of Lonely Island’s “Threw it on the Ground” clip, and it felt so good.

Things got trippy when I began to use the whiteboards in my English class to advocate for the reestablishment of serfdom and to rant about the bourgeoisie’s enslavement of the working class. I capped the year off by skydiving and informing the College and Career Center that I would be attending South

Potomac Penitentiary next year.

After all this resistance and raging against the machine, after all of my efforts to be different, I have found that I am completely right. The system is worth abandoning, and you would all be wise to abandon it earlier than I did. For such a tolerant and accepting community as CHS, we are stiflingly homogenous.

New students too quickly fall in line with the order, and what is meant to be an institution that encourages thoughtprovoking questions reasserts itself year after year as a breeding ground for cultural taboos that instills in students knee-jerk reflexes to words like “socialism,” “Montgomery College” and “traditional marriage.”

In the summing words of Andy Samberg, “The moral of this story is… you can’t trust the system, man!” The only chance you have at arriving at that grain of truth is by rejecting that which your friends believe and by employing your intellect to explore new ideas. Delve into those history books. Open a brothel. Refuse to cheat. Run barefoot. Pray to God. Be a communist. Do whatever it takes to be absolutely sure that you are you and not a reflection of the society in which you have been raised. Do whatever is necessary to find that grain of truth amid the beaches of sand that stretch endlessly around the world.

everyone will be happier.

4. Aloha Friday Aloha Friday is so much more than the mainland’s casual Fridays.

It is a true expression of the joy of the conclusion of another week, the culmination of five days of hard work and effort. Classic Hawaiian Aloha Shirts boldly show off the spirit of the wearer, plastered with everything from palm trees to World War II-era planes.

But regardless of their prints, Potomac would be a better place if every Friday all its residents wore Aloha wear. It would change everything.

(Shout out to Mr. Achille, an avid and dedicated Aloha Friday participant. So much respect.)

3. Don’t Have a Winter This is another tough one. But I know i t ’ s possible. Hawaii did it, so why can’t we? Before you come at me with some kind of meteorological APES gibberish, back off and seriously consider whether or not it’s worth it. I’m trying to make a point here, and your endless College Board prescribed logic isn’t helping. It’s exactly the kind of thing that’s stopping us from getting rid of winter. But it looks like we’re on the

right track anyways, what with the past two winter’s we’ve had. Global warming? Probably. The power of positive thinking? Oh yeah.

2. Relax Yea, it’s a little cliché.

When I first stepped off the plane I didn’t really believe there would be that much difference in my daily l i f e in Hawaii compared to my daily life on the mainland.

And in many respects I was right. There’s school and the suburbs and weekend sports and everything you’d expect. But it’s really not hard to notice the differences between Hawaii and the mainland.

Just go for a drive.

Everyone’s in a little less of a hurry in Hawaii. Merging is a little bit easier. Try waiting at a green light.

It’ll take a few seconds longer before you get a honk. While these

situations obviously won’t hold universally true, there is a clear difference between driving on O’ahu and driving in DC—even though traffic rankings consistently have the monstrous Honolulu freeway system ranked above or just behind the Beltway. Hawaii is statistically one of the happiest states, so something must be working for them.

1. Eat SPAM I don’t know what percentage of people around here consume the marvel of modern engineering that is SPAM on a regular basis, but I’m guessing it’s low—like in the basement, dress-code adherence level low. It’s time to change that. You may not realize it, but you are are missing out on one of the most versatile and fascinating foods in the supermarket, an icon of American cuisine. Pan-fry it up and scramble it in eggs. Slice it up and mix it with rice. Eat it straight out of the can! I can guarantee that after trying it, you will have a reaction. You might like it. Hawaii has a love affair with SPAM, ever since it was shipped there in massive numbers during World War II as a part of soldier and civilian rationings. Every McDonalds in the state serves the meat, at least for breakfast. (It stands for SPiced HAm, although Some Parts Are Meat and Specially Prepared Assorted Meats are probably accurate.)

CHS should follow Hawaii’s lead, McGarrett says

By Steve McGarrett

Potomac is a great place. Right outside of DC, plenty of stuff to do, a great time. But as a newcomer from the outside, I’ve noticed that in many respects this place could use some help. It needs some flare and excitement, something to lift it up and out of the day-to-day cycle.

And as a former resident of Hawaii and a couple other places, I have a couple ideas on how to fix Potomac.

I will now present the “Top 5 Things People in Hawaii Do That People in Potomac Should Do” Power Rankings, sponsored by our friends at Dole Pineapple.

5. Go to the Beach After School The joke’s on you because it would be incredibly inconvenient to try to go to the beach after school.

This is more of a rub-it-in-your-face suggestion than anything else. By the time you (the CHS student) got to the beach, it would be dark and cold and you’d have to go back home so you could get back to school on time the next day. But in Hawaii they can go to the beach after school. It’s fun and relaxing and makes everyone feel better about their lives. There’s sand and surfboards and sun, and it’s only a 20-minute bus ride from good ol’ Mililani High School. So work on that, CHS. If you can make it happen

Kim Possible gets through embarrassing moments

By Kim Possible

As my high school career comes to a close, I would like to reflect on the most embarrassing story of all time.

I know you’re probably thinking it can’t be that bad, but I’m debating whether I should even tell this story as I continue to write this paragraph.

Every year during soccer season, each player must pass the

“ManU” fitness test. For those of you unaware of what this is, you basically have to sprint the entire length of the football field repeatedly until you think you’re going to die.

The team lines up on the line and we start to run. The first 10 sprints aren’t that

bad. And I’m thinking, I can totally finish this.

After about 15 sprints I lose all feelings in my legs, but I didn’t really think much of it.

The only thing going through my mind is that I have to finish this fitness drill.

Then I feel it. I literally wet my pants. Yes people, this really did happen.

I managed to get through the end of the drill and changed into a pair of shorts, provided for me by one of my teammates.

Yes, the fitness drill was

possibly one of the hardest things I ever had to do, but in the end I finished it. And who cares if I wet my pants in the process?

I used to sweat the small stuff, but now I don’t care anymore.

There is more to high school than worrying about what people think of you.

And realistically, I doubt you can run ManU’s.

EVIDENCE Thursday, May 23, 2013

E V ID E N C E

The Churchill Observer Senior Section

#05

Carmen looks back on the good times and the bad

By Carmen Cortez

The first day of freshman year I walked through the doors of the Bulldog Lobby shy, four feet 10-anda-half inches tall and extremely sheltered. Four years later, I leave CHS a full inch-and-a-half taller (kinda) and just a tad bit wiser. Despite the height issue, high school, has been an overall growing experience with memories of both victories and defeats.

Classes are obviously a vital part of high school and at CHS we are constantly being pushed to take the hardest ones. Sophomore year the words “Nowhere near 50 percent” made an appearance on the top of one of my Honors Algebra 2 quizzes.

Oopsie. Since math has always been my black cloud, the next year I put a bigger focus on challenging myself in subjects I actually enjoyed.

With this in mind, I dropped Honors

math and eventually had the honor of Mr. Szafran telling me I was one of his best Pre-Calc students and had a natural flare for math. Never in my entire existence have I received a compliment to this caliber on my math skills. It’s pretty much the highlight of my entire math career. I tried to keep this in mind this year as I struggled through AP Stat, only to drop it second semester (sorry Mr. Szafran, it’s me, not you).

Discover what you enjoy and challenge yourself in classes that you like. For those that you hate, think strongly before you attempt to challenge yourself further than you can actually handle. School is way less painful this way.

For all of our academic pride, MCPS

is extremely bogged down with red tape which can seem both annoying and intimidating. At the end of first semester this year I discovered there had been an SSL mix-up, and I would not receive 40 hours I had earned making meals for those who were unable to buy or make their own food (of course, I had no paperwork issues when getting hours for painting the faces of Potomac children at a carnival). Despite initially being turned down when trying to fix the issue, I continued to argue my cause until it was finally resolved in my favor.

The CHS staff works really hard, but everyone is human and stuff happens. However, just because you

are the student does not mean you are at fault. It is empowering to stand up for yourself and make things happen.

School is going to suck at times no matter what. Spending my 15th birthday trying to write an English essay until 2 in the morning and still getting a low B on it was not my best moment. Also, losing an A in Spanish because I did not wear an apron in my cooking video wasn’t that great either.

However, for everything that blows about high school, CHS has provided me with an abundance of knowledge and experiences. The social studies department sparked the history nerd in me (not to toot my own horn, but I can name all the British monarchs since William the Conqueror), and the J has inspired me to pursue a communications career.

High school is only four years, and despite both the good and the bad, just enjoy it and try to learn something.

been trying to understand: mindfulness.

According to A Perspective on Science Psychological study, mindfulness is the nonjudgmental awareness of experiences in the present moment.

The benefits of mindfulness, or living in the present, are vast.

Being engaged in the present not only ensures that you get the most out of your four years, it also…

1.

Lowers stress. Research published in the journal Health Psychology shows that it is linked with decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

2.

C a n i m prove grades.

Researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara found that college students trained in mindfulness experienced improvements in their working memory.

3.

Comes in handy during cold season. Researchers from University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Health found that people who engage in mindfulness e x - perience a shorter duration and severity of cold symptoms.

4. Helps you sleep better. A University of Utah study found that higher mindfulness was associated with lower brain activation at bedtime, which improves sleep quality.

So next time you find yourself stressing at lunch about the test you have eighth period, take a deep breath, and focus on the conversation you are having with your friends. Because, before you know it, high school will end and you won’t even have an eighth period to stress over.

By Doctor Krieger

Every first day of the semester has been the same for me. I take my seat, listen to attendence and wait for the inevitable: “I know that last name.” So is the life of being a youngest child.

I am the youngest of three brothers; one is three years older than me, and the other is six years ahead of me.

Having two older brothers can be good and awful at the same time.

On the one hand, I get (constant) unsolicited brotherly advice.

On the other, everyone who knew my brothers knows me as my brother’s brother.

I was lucky enough to go into CHS already knowing a few helpful things: which teachers were great, and which classes were too annoying to take.

And, of course that Churchill administration will ultimately sweep any serious problem under the rug and hope it never resurfaces again. It was tips like these that really helped me survive Churchill.

There is a bit of a grey area about the reputation amongst teachers. It was great when there were teachers I really liked who already liked my brothers.

However, it also meant that teacher had a standard set by my brothers. Both of my siblings were very high performing students, and there was some pressure to live up to the family GPA. I wasn’t a bad student (until this semester,) but I simply didn’t do as well as my brothers did. It’s not something that keeps me up at night, but it’s a comparison I can’t

help but make.

Even this year, I had a teacher tell me right before I had to write an in-class essay how quickly my brother once wrote one and how perfect it was without him even trying. The teacher was kind enough to then add: “Don’t worry, I don’t compare my students to their siblings.”

There were several teachers I absolutely had to avoid because they hated my brothers. There were also a few people who disliked my brother and made it very clear to me that they did.

One student actually asked me if I was related to my brother and responded, “Oh my god, I hated him! But I bet you’re not as bad.”

Having older brothers also means never feeling old. All year I have heard my fellow classmates talk about how old we’re getting because we will be leaving for college soon. Yet I still feel young compared to my brothers. We can’t even legally drink; we’re still children.

But there is that magical word— “College.” College for me means a new start, one that I’ve never had before.

Unlike four years ago, I won’t have the safety net of my big brother being there when I start a new chapter in my life.

No professor will recognize my name and get nostalgic about my brother’s uncanny ability to sleep through a class and still know the course material. I will be stepping out of the sibling shadow cast over me for the first time in my life, and I couldn’t be more excited.

extroverts. However, it can be equally as enjoyable for introverts if they learn to cope with the pressures others put on them, and the ones they put on themselves.

As Monk would say, being introverted is a gift… and a curse. On one hand, introverts are naturally pensive and compassionate. On the other, they are notoriously passive and unsociable. It is important for introverts to break out of their shells in certain ways, without compromising the qualities that make them unique.

This holds true for all high school students; only by getting out of your comfort zone can you foster personal growth. Even if you aren’t a sports fan, go stand in the student section for a CHS-

Wootton basketball game. Even if you excel at school, take a senior skip day to get some R&R and hang out with friends. Maybe even mix it up and stop wearing the same sweatshirt to school every day— because you will be accused of not washing it, even if you do.

For introverts, the trick is to temper this willingness to diversify and explore with maintenance of your own distinct identity.

When I received the assignment to write this final article for the newspaper, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t make it about dispensing advice. The senior girls’

whistle-blowing tradition was banned my sophomore year, and I didn’t intend to revive it by being another whistle screeching in your head. The best laid plans…

As you read through the Senior Section, don’t allow all of our whistles to fall on deaf ears. The “wisdom” of parents, teachers and college admissions officers is often a dime a dozen; while these people have your best interests at heart, they have not shared your experiences and may harbor expectations that make it difficult to speak with them candidly.

The insights of peers, however, can be invaluable. This paper is authored by students who have spent four years in your shoes and have each gleaned something different from their time at CHS. Having worked with them for the past two years, I can honestly tell you: there is no better group of kids you could learn from.

Alex Munday finds Doctor Krieger examines mindfulness is best policy benefit of older brothers

By Alex Munday

Some say the secret to getting through high school is becoming buddies with your teachers. Others say it is avoiding procrastination. However, after four valuable years, I have uncovered the secret to high school: learning how to live in the present.

Living in the present means pretending your life is an Instagram lens. No, I don’t mean you should imagine your life filtered in sepia. What I mean is you should take mental pictures and focus your attention on small details of your high school life because before you know it, all you will have is memories.

I promise you, stressing about all the homework you have to plow through tonight is causing you to miss out. Before you let your thoughts and feelings trap you inside your head, focus your attention outward.

Look around your math class.

Whom are you sitting next t o ?

What does being in that class at that exact moment feel like? What impact does the teacher have on you? Instead of counting the ceiling tiles and daydreaming about your weekend plans, take a look around and absorb everything.

A few weeks ago, in AP Literature class, I came across a powerful sentence in the book we were reading at the time, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The sentence read, “It was one of the best days of my life. A day during which I lived my life and didn’t think about my life at all.”

This sentence confirmed a concept I had

Monk encourages introverts to break out of shell

By Adrian Monk

I don’t remember my first day of high school particularly well, but the one thing I do think back to is the first time I laid eyes on the senior girls. As they strode through the first floor hallways, they elicited awestruck gazes from underclassmen passersby. Unfortunately, they did not earn our attention because of their poise or good looks, but rather because of their frenzied whistle-blowing.

Sometimes when I reflect on my four years at CHS, I find my entire experience was embodied by that first day—a cacophony of different pressures, opinions and expectations, all thrown at me at once.

However, self-pity and sentimentality aside, there were parts of high school that I genuinely enjoyed.

High school is a rewarding time for

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EVIDENCE Thursday, May 23, 2013 8 #0

E V ID E N C E

The Churchill Observer Senior Section

Foxy Cleopatra suggests According to Bauer, enjoying the journey 2013 seniors a weak class

By Foxy Cleopatra Every year the Observer’s seniors are privileged a section in the last newspaper of the year to write about their experiences at CHS. I’m not going to complain about the cliques of high school or share a funny story about my crazy yoga experience (Spenser). In fact, I’m not going to talk about myself at all. My chapter is over. This is all about you and some things you should remember for your next few years as a Bulldog.

N u m b e r One: Get uncomfortable.

What I mean is, steer clear from your comfort zone. Try different things and be openminded. You don’t eat the same meal three times a day, so don’t restrain yourself to only one activity all four years; it’s boring.

Create variety even if you may not like it at first. At school, you are confined to making friends based off similar age and location.

That’s pretty restrictive already, so why not branch out and meet people who can introduce you to new things?

Number Two: Treat everything as a game.

If you think of your classes as mere games that you need to win, you won’t get demoralized. It might even make learning a little more fun. Juniors, this

goes for college too. I’m telling you this right now, and pay close attention, you are going to get into college. It’s a matter of whether you want the journey to be exciting or not. Worrying about other people isn’t going to get you where you want. Applying to college is the first reality check every one of you is going to get. All you can do is play the game with confidence.

Number Three: Don’t have goals.

Yes, you did not just misread that. Sure you can aim to finish first in your next competition or score an 800 on the SAT reading portion, but stop constraining yourself to long-term dreams. You’re 15 or 16 years old, and you’re trying to decide where you want to be in 20 years? So now what?

You work back from those goals and figure out what you need to do to get there?

Try the other direction. Work up from the accomplishments you make now rather than committing to one you might make in the future.

Number Four: Enjoy it.

Your experiences in high school only come once. As much as you “hate high school” and “can’t wait to get out of here,” CHS is your home and you’re going to miss it. Accept the fact that things are going to change. In fact, I can guarantee that you are not going to leave CHS the same person you were freshman year. You have an awesome journey ahead of you; take advantage of it!

By Jack Bauer

In addition, the lyrics, “Some days, they taste like lemonade/ some days can feel like razerblades” ring true; not all of senior year is fun and games. Before you can kick back and relax, you still have to stress over tests, projects, and college apps.

3.

November: “Sail” – AWOLNATION November 1, the dreaded day of college application deadlines. After this day, the senioritis starts to kick in. You’ll notice your classmates getting lazier, sleepier, and eventually, you won’t see some of them in class at all. “Blame it on my ADD,” as AWOLNATION puts it, seems to become a catch phrase.

4. December: “Just Keep Breathing” – We the Kings There’s nothing better than the smell of gingerbread and snow. This was also the month of Blast, where I was in charge of costumes for the last year. Blast has always been bittersweet, but the senior speeches where everyone says goodbye and wishes each other luck seems more awkward in the middle of the year. It at least marked the middle of my senior year coming to a close. That is why I chose “Just Keep Breathing” for this month’s song; half of my year was done, and I had half to go, and the best way to get through midterms and second semester was, in fact, to just relax and remind myself to keep breathing.

5. January: “The Test” – The

Academy Is… Looking back at January, all that I can seem to remember are exams. It marked the beginning of the inevitable: we had become second semester seniors. This TAI song is more relevant in title than content, but it’s a good song nonetheless.

6. February: “Ready To Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)” – Panic! At the Disco Probably one of the least eventful months of my senior year. It’s just close enough to first semester that seniors haven’t started to completely slack off, and far enough away from graduation that it still seems like there is no end in sight. Just about every senior is “ready to go” at this point.

7. March: “Marchin On” – OneRepublic March was the month of what could be the last Mr. Churchill.

For the second year, I got to work backstage for the show, which is arguably more fun than watching it. Besides that, March was home to spring break. Not only just a pun on the name of the month, “Marchin On” also describes what the Class of 2013 did to get through the third quarter.

8. April: “Young Volcanoes” – Fall Out Boy April started out with the winterspring pep rally that never was, though it didn’t seem to dampen the spirits of

One of the biggest things a rising senior has to look forward to in his last year of high school is becoming closer with his classmates and making friends that last a lifetime. While senior year is supposed to be about doing things together as one class with the little time that’s left, the Class of 2013 failed to live up to this expectation.

Whether it is school spirit, showing support at athletic or schoolrelated events or simply just hanging out together as a class, this year has been weaker than those in years past. A senior class is supposed to become a family, and that has not happened this year. Compiled is a list of grievances and disappointments I have with our 2013 senior class: 1. Where is the support at athletic events?

Churchill football season is one of the most important and entertaining times for any senior, and yet it seemed to be weak this year.

Aside from a couple of important games (Wootton and homecoming), the fan support and intensity just seemed to be lacking. Gone were the loud screams and insulting jeers that made the Class of 2012 famous. Sporting events are the chance to show support for our school, yet we have failed to lead the underclassmen as model fans this year.

2. School spirit is simply non-existent.

Yes, there was a spirit week this year, but people simply didn’t participate. It’s never a good thing when the freshmen are more involved in school-related activities than the seniors who have been here for four years. Freshmen and sophomores should not be winning penny wars, should not be dressed wackier on wacky day and should not

be a bigger part of the school than the seniors, and that has been the case this year. School pride and support should be led by the senior class, and this year’s grade has failed to lead the younger crowd in becoming involved with and taking pride in our school.

3. People don’t interact with one another.

Being a senior, especially during second semester, is about breaking social boundaries and becoming a tightknit family with everyone in the class. While there has definitely been an intermingling of social groups and easier interaction among most seniors, it’s still far less mixed than it should be. There shouldn’t be a divide among people based solely on what social group they are a part of or who they are and who their friends are.

4 .

Seriously, where is the real senior prank?

Participating in a senior prank before you graduate is a tradition that has been around for years. A prank should be crazy. Not 20 kids showing up an hour late to school or 30 kids lounging around a small grill in the parking lot. A real prank should have the whole grade, hundreds of kids doing something crazy to leave their mark on the school before they step out of the doors forever. Where is that crazy prank? Simply non-existent.

This year’s 2013 graduating class is great in many ways, and I am extremely proud to be leaving the school a part of it, but it has been a let down. The senior tailgates, the breakfast and the banquet have been integral in bringing us all closer together before the end, but they are simply not enough. There should have been more involvement, intimacy and spirit earlier in the year to make us truly feel like a 2013 family.

Velma provides the perfect senior year playlist

By Velma

As senior year comes to a close, it is tradition for senior writers to look back on their time not just as part of the J, but also as Churchill students. Throughout my three years on the newspaper, I found my niche in the Arts section, writing about music.

I figured there was no better way to sum up my time at CHS than to write a review of my senior year, matching up songs to each month. Each of the following songs not only have something in common with part of my senior year, but also happen to be some of my favorite songs.

1. August/ September: “The Calendar” – Panic! At the Disco The start of senior year. As this year’s juniors will find out in just a few months, there is nothing better than walking into the school knowing that it will be your last first day. As “The Calendar” says, “Put another X on the calendar, summer’s on its deathbed.” September of senior year is also one of the most stressful months; it’s prime time to be working on college applications. It’s way too early to develop senioritis, and honestly the first few months of senior year feel no different than every month of junior year.

2. October: “Some Days” – The Maine Arguably my favorite month. Not only was I born in October, but my first college application was due this month. There is nothing more relieving than turning in the application to your top choice school.

seniors. The Senior Breakfast was this month, which kicked off the senior trifecta: Breakfast, Banquet and Prom.

Breakfast was frankly underwhelming; I remember hearing so many stories as an underclassman of food fights and getting to skip class for a delicious meal. You won’t hear me complaining about free donuts, but a lot of seniors had the general feeling of “This is it?” Banquet was a much better experience. “Young Volcanoes” is an upbeat summer anthem, which also happened to be released on the new Fall Out Boy album this month.

Just the tune of it reminds me of summer.

9. May: “Paper Chase” – The Academy Is… May is the end of senior year. Though I am beyond excited for college, there is a part of me that will miss CHS. I can do without the awkward memories of freshman year, but it will be hard for me to leave all of the friends I have made here. Visiting and meeting people from other states throughout my high school career has made me realize that CHS, with all of its stereotypes and social stigmas, is really one of a kind. This is not going to turn into some sappy, overdramatization of how much I will miss the school, but it would be wrong for me to say that I won’t ever look back and remember some of the great times I had here. I’ll leave you all with the opening lines to “Paper Chase” because it seems to be a pretty accurate description of how most seniors feel, and that is that “We’ve come so far these years, we’ve survived the ride that turned us inside out.”

EVIDENCE Thursday, May 23, 2013

E V ID E N C E

The Churchill Observer Senior Section

#09

Take the classes you want Veronica Mars gives to take, says Clouseau tips for weekend fun

By Jacques Clouseau I am writing this for all of you kids still in high school. In my high school career, I made the mistake of allowing my friends to convince me to take classes they thought would be “good for me” and that taking a bunch of hard classes is worth it for the grade. I’m here to tell you it isn’t, and don’t let anyone influence your decision making when choosing courses.

Having the ability to take classes that are optional and choosing between so many different class levels makes designing your schedule more difficult.

Regular classes are easy, but don’t look great on transcripts. Honors classes are in the middle; they are more difficult and look somewhat good on transcripts. Finally, AP classes are the most difficult and the best looking on transcripts, but you kill yourself most of the time over them.

I know most students get fed the idea that taking AP classes and doing “ok” in them is the same as taking honors and regular classes and doing great in them. Let’s be real here people; a “B” is not the same as an “A.” Working your butt off and getting a good grade feels great, but working a little bit less hard and get a better grade feels much better and is much less stressful.

Like many other kids in my position, right now I am trying to figure out what I want to do and be in this world we all call home. For a while, I thought I wanted to be a doctor (yes, I know I am talking about not overexerting yourself and this is a bit hypocritical, but that is beside the point),

so I wanted to prepare myself for it by taking some classes. My friend recommended that I take AP Biology. He said, “It would look good for college” and would “help me out.” Huge mistake. Class level is all about the person taking the class and not what the class will give you.

I took a class that required more effort and brainpower than I had to offer. After about two weeks, I freaked out because the amount of work I had was insane, and I didn’t understand anything. That is what happened in my case when I took a class I didn’t “choose.”

To everyone who thinks they need to “keep up with the Joneses” to be on the same level as everyone else in the school, I say you are making a big mistake.

Don’t let your friends or the school convince you to take classes you can’t handle.

The thing I find wrong with asking someone else about what classes to take is they are not you.

People do not know what your interests are, how much time you are willing to put into your work or how smart you are. At CHS we are pushed to take high-level classes, but not everyone functions at the level required to take the classes. The person who knows you the best is you.

If you do decide to take classes that you can’t handle, the only person you are competing with is yourself. Challenging yourself is great, but putting too much on your plate will not end well. Trust me.

Always do the right thing

By Mrs. Scarlet

If I wrote down all of the lessons I have learned from CHS, my list would never end. So instead, I have picked the lesson I think is the most important one: always do the right thing.

No matter how big or small, a good deed will never go unrewarded.

Throughout your high school life, there will be plenty of situations you are in where the majority of people will make the wrong decision based on what others do.

Instead of following the majority, be your own person.

By the end of your senior year you will begin to realize that the time you have left with your classmates is getting shorter every day, and there is no need to create unnecessary drama.

In order to make your senior year the best, you should try to make the best decisions that will benefit you and your peers.

Planning activities where different groups of friends are invited makes events so much more fun because people who do not usually hang out with each other will all be together. This does not mean inviting the entire grade to your house, but inviting your friends who are in a few differ-

ent groups will make an ordinary hangout a lot more interesting.

The end of senior year is mainly focused on activities as a class, which makes it all the more memorable.

You do not want to finish high school with any regrets, so have fun during your second semester especially, but be careful not to do something that you feel guilty about later.

Additionally, you should try and help out your friends as much as you can, since you will not be with them after this year.

You want to stay close to most of your friends after high school, and the best way to do that is to be a true friend to them in every way you can.

Although sometimes you may feel like you do things for others and get nothing in return, sure enough, you will find that good things will happen to you if you choose to do the right thing.

Whether it is your future you are looking out for, or your friends, making a smart decision will always have its rewards.

Do not take any moment for granted in high school.

Although now you may feel like you want to rush through it and be done as fast as you can, cherish every minute, because once it is all over you will wish you could go back.

Finally, make sure you keep a close group of friends who you know will always be there for you, and do not let anyone else have a say in the decisions you make. Four quarters will always be better than 100 pennies.

By Veronica Mars While CHS is all about overachieving academically, weekends are about letting loose and having fun. But, good decision making is an essential part of having an exciting time while being safe.

House parties are the most common place where friends meet up to socialize.

Make sure you have a plan: a designated place to sleep, a ride and a quick escape if a party goes bad.

Things tend to get boring, especially in Potomac, where students have a lot of free time on their hands.

Head down to DC on a weather-permitting day to explore the museums, galleries or even the National Zoo. Going to the C&O canal and hiking on the Billy Goat trail is a perfect way to exercise with your family and friends while enjoying the lovely scenery.

Rave scene concerts and festivals are fun to attend, and they allow you to express yourself by dressing up in colorful and exotic clothing.

Mix it up and go out of the box by exploring the college scene. Visit College Park, especially if you have a good friend who goes to the University of Maryland.

Make sure you have a steady group of friends who love excitement but are also responsible and won’t cause unnecessary drama.

Throughout my high school career I have learned several lessons pertaining to having fun. I hope that these quick insights provide a better understanding of how to be a respectful, fun and responsible teenager. I hope all the underclassman have many memorable experiences just as I did. Remember that it is not where you are, but what you make of it that makes any dull and boring situation a lasting and exhilarating experience. Do not leave high school unnoticed.

These are only a few ways to have a thrilling high school experience. As long as you stick to a few safety guidelines and are quick on your feet in intense situations, you will surely be able to have fun and be an outgoing student, ready for any challenge that comes your way.

Numbah 3 wonders about mall trips of the past

By Numbah 3 Before we developed into full humans who could use the mall for its intended purpose (shopping), it was our escape. It was perfect; we could meet up with boys or talk about private things without supervision. The local mall was a place our parents considered a safe environment, so arranging rides was a cinch.

Back in the day, you wouldn’t be caught DEAD at the mall with four or less people. Everyone went in giant herds made up of different middle schools around the area, if you were cool enough to have “out of school” friends. Oh, and if you were seen at the mall with your mom? Forget ever coming back to school, your reputation had been forever tarnished. If you were actually taking your precious time at the mall to shop, you better have been in either Abercrombie or Hollister.

Which brings up my next point: why does everything in those stores look exactly the same? They had pale blue, pale pink, pale yellow, pale orange, pale green, and SOMETIMES turquoise tees if they were feeling wild.

Seeing these packs of kids circulate the mall now brings up a few questions I wish I had asked myself at that age: 1. What is being accomplished on your fifth non-shopping lap around the mall?

Maybe I understand one or two; check out a few cool stores, eat a little and chat, but we hung out at the mall for HOURS! 2. Why did we find those massage chairs so damn fascinating?

3. Sarku Japan SUCKS. I realize that’s not a question, but we lived off that stuff, and someone needs to let the next generation know.

4. What was up with those photo shoots on the Macs at the Apple store? The color is saturated, whoop de fricken doo.

While this was an amusing time period, I’m glad I’ve grown to appreciate the mall for its primary purpose, and I now furiously roll my eyes upon passing 600 middle schoolers every now and then.

Those of you who know me know I’m a big fan of drawn out analogies, so stick with me here. In middle school we were lost, wandering around the same old mall without a cause, trying to find comfort in large groups of people. The overwhelming Hollister aroma called to us because we knew it was safe, and heck, all the other kids were doing it.

Although we don’t have a definite idea of where we’re going, we now know our surroundings and have a general sense of direction. We can venture off to different malls in the area and find our way to the nearest food court.

We go to the mall with a clear goal in mind, and work toward accomplishing it. Being caught shopping alone isn’t the end of the world, and we can all move on with our lives.

As a senior at Churchill, I’ve realized a few things. One, companions are not accessories. You don’t need millions of them surrounding you in order to find your place. Accomplish your goals, begin with the end in mind and make real companions on the way. Two, independence comes with age. In middle school, we relied on our parents to drive us, but now that most of us have our licenses, we can take it upon ourselves to be self-sufficient. Three, don’t forget the little people! Going to the mall with your mom is a nice thing to do considering she birthed and raised you. Four, that skirt-over-jeans trend never looked good.

EVIDENCE Thursday, May 23, 2013 #10

E V ID E N C E

The Churchill Observer Senior Section

Inspector Gadget finds self closer to class in end

By Inspector Gadget

Many people who know I have a twin brother also know that he and I are very close. We are similar in many ways, have mutual friends and will be going voluntarily to the same school together for the next four years.

Although we’ve never hated one another, we’ve certainly not always been this close.

I think our attachment can be understood by looking at the relationship among the senior class. In more ways than one, my brother and I have gone through life together in the same way that our classmates have grown together.

My earliest memories with my brother are of us fighting over toys. We wanted the world and everything in it to ourselves, as does every kid, but were unjustly forced to share it with someone we had only really known for a few short months. We had to eventually figure out a method of sharing, but this came with its fair share of clashes, tantrums and time-outs.

In the same way as my brother

and I, our classmates at CHS had to become accustomed to close encounters with other students. We all began high school as strangers with the majority of the other students and were forced to see each other every day. We found out with whom we got along with after a grueling trial and error with those whom we could not. After a few minor altercations, we, for the most part, developed an acceptance of our situation.

Then began the perpetual competition. One story often told is of the rivalry between my brother and me in preschool. Our assignment was to draw, and we turned it into the fiercest line-drawing competition the school had ever seen. We came home each day and boasted that we had drawn more lines than the other and were therefore superior.

That’s when our parents decided to have us separated into different classes. The competition was still alive and well; we just didn’t talk about it. Our parents were satisfied in believing we had

dropped the rivalry, but we both knew that it would never be over.

The competition we’ve all encountered at CHS, I dare say, is even worse. It’s grown more throughout the years, ballooning during the months of college acceptances so much so that it carried into senior superlatives. Competition is the only natural way to deal with being in the running with your peers, but it is here that I must point out one of the most important things I’ve learned from being a twin: competition can be healthy, and it can even be fun, when you realize it doesn’t at all matter. There are no winners or losers in the grand scheme of things.

Only recently have I realized this. More specifically, it was when both my brother and I got into the same colleges and chose to go the same one. Despite 18 years of competition over toys, attention and linedrawing abilities, we are going to the same place and are happy about it.

A while ago I would have thought we’d have to be crazy to want to spend four more years living in the same city together, but when I was confronted with the choice of being separated, I simply wasn’t ready to leave.

It seems to me, and it is my hope, that those in the senior class have come to share these same sentiments about each other.

Some may claim to despise our class or complain that we could have been better, but it only took one slide show at senior banquet for people to realize how far we’ve come and to say: “I love all of you.”

The senior class has grown together over the years in the same subtle way my brother and I have. Just like that, we’ve gone from strangers to a class full of friends we don’t want to leave.

It just takes the prospect of leaving everyone you’ve met and grown up with to realize how much they truly mean. People are becoming closer with each successive senior event as we near the end of our high school experience. It is a shame that this only happens when we all have to say goodbye.

I ask that the underclassmen take advantage of the time they have left and make their class closer while they still have more years to enjoy it. Recognize now how lucky you are to have such a great class and take all the opportunities you can to make your experience even better and more cohesive.

As a final note to the senior class, it’s been a pleasure sharing these four years with everyone, and I will miss you all. My only wish is that I had more time to get to know each of you a little bit more.

been unforgettable. I promise to audition for the musical ensembles in college, and thanks for letting me write that story about Cole! And I guess I might as well tell you who made that giant card when he was born two years ago…

Dear Mr. Schilling and Ms. John, Thank you for letting Book and me eat lunch in your room almost every single day for the last twoand-a-half years. It’s nice to have a table-like surface to place my complicated lunchboxes.

Above all, though, we loved the opportunity to get to know you both better. Lunchtime just won’t be the same without you. After all, where else will we be able to eat, receive life-changing advice and watch sneak previews of West Wing or plug in Spirited Away at the same time?

Dear Mr. Pulliam, I never thought I would like Psych so much, but it’s ended up being one of my favorite classes in all my 13 years in the public school system. I’ve enjoyed it so much that I’m seriously contemplating majoring in Psychology, even though I was convinced for years that I would end up majoring in English. Thank you for being

one of the best teachers I’ve ever had, and thank you for being a fan of Midnight Writers!

Dear Mr. Forney, Thank you for making history fun and for giving me so many opportunities to play Churchill Squares. Anyway, most of all, thank you for that lesson on capoeira. If it weren’t for those slides in your Brazil PowerPoint, I would never have discovered the amazing martial art that is capoeira. I would also like to thank you for your help in getting me admitted to a certain academic institution in North Carolina.

Dear Mrs. Perrett, I also thank you kindly for writing me a letter of recommendation.

Did you know you’re the only English teacher I’ve ever had for more than one semester? Thank you for always supporting my writing, inside and outside class, and for indulging my Greek mythology obsession. I hope you don’t mind if I continue invading your classroom during the Odyssey unit should my college breaks be fortunately timed.

Dear Sra. Steele, You have been the best sponsor any Churchill club could hope

for. You’ve helped us out with pizza sales.

You’ve made countless trips to the business office so we could more easily handle and transfer our funds for our club transactions.

Without your support, Midnight Writers would not be the same, and I would not be leaving high school with as many cherished, poignant memories. Someday, when I make Midnight Writers a global association/magazine, I’ll make sure to tell everyone it was you who helped us onto the path to world domination.

Dear Mrs. Knarr, Words cannot express how grateful and thrilled I am that you were my Journalism teacher for these last few years. Thank you for encouraging me to explore my writing abilities beyond being a reporter, because otherwise I would never have submitted my writing to those contests, and I would never have realized that people objectively appreciate and like my work.

Most of all, thank you for being one of the most open-minded and understanding teachers in this school. It’s because you treat every student equally and fairly that I was unafraid—excited, actually—to enroll in Journalism again after my year off, and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. And if Maddie ever wants to take up a musical instrument, I know a good clarinet tutor…

student. Here are a few tips on how to manage your walk from class to class: 1. Find the fastest route and stick to it.

The hallways of CHS are nothing short of an intricate labyrinth that can confuse even the greatest minds. There are numerous ways to get from point A to point B in CHS. The trick is finding the easiest and fastest way to make the haul. The kind staff of CHS gives you all of five minutes in between classes to make your trip. If you can find a way to make it to your next class in three minutes, that gives you two whole minutes to do whatever you want.

Two minutes is more than enough time to take a nap, do some last minute homework or snack just enough to hold you over until lunch.

2. Play to your advantages Walking through the halls can be a daunting task in which you will be confronted by different types of hallway roamers. There are the huge people who try to force their way through everyone, the small people who try to squeeze through every crack, and those select few who decide to stand in the hall and block everyone from getting to class. If you are big, just coast through the hallway (respectfully) and command attention as you travel to your destination. If you’re small and nimble, use your superior agility to maneuver around people without bumping into their shoulders or elbows. Find what gets you to your next class the fastest, and exploit it.

3. Don’t always worry about saying hi to your friends.

One of the toughest things to do while walking in the halls is say hi to friends. While it may seem like an important thing to do at the time, acknowledging or dismissing a friend in the hallway is not a big deal. Chances

are they are scrambling to get to their next class just like you are. Also, if you’re truly good friends, the balance of your relationship will not be based on whether you say hi to them once.

If you’re good friends, they’ll forgive you for blowing past them once and you can say hi to each other at lunch.

4. Find little ways to make it a pleasant experience.

So far I’ve told you to ignore your friends, play to your strengths and to get to your next class as fast as you can. My last suggestion is once you’ve gotten the first three steps down, try to make the experience of navigating the halls a little fun. Find little things that make you happy along your trip, like actually looking at the mural down the hall from the library or picking up the latest copy of the Observer on your way to class. It can go a long way.

The hallways can be a scary place.

You never know what will be thrown at you or what twists and turns you may be forced to take. However, if you stick to these rules, the journey to your next class should be a walk in the park.

Sherlock Holmes thanks stand-out teachers

By Sherlock Holmes

As the greatest detective of all time, I monologue about myself often enough in real life: about my abnormally high intelligence, my mesmerizing British accent… Therefore, I shall instead speak about the wonderful educators at this glorious academic institution via letters to certain teachers from whom I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of learning.

Dear Mr. Kim, Thank you for teaching me to interpret literature in completely different ways. I now know the four keywords of analysis are white, death, winter and apple. Also, I thank you kindly for reading my future. Someday, when I am comfortably established in my non-teaching career, with my husband (who is at least four years older than me) and my 2.5 kids (since the adopted one apparently doesn’t count), I will stop by and tell your current students that you really are psychic, and you’re reading their minds. Right. Now. Dear Mr. Sanz, Band—I mean, Wind Symphony—has been a truly amazing part of my life. You’ve been my teacher for four out of the nine years of my musical career, and every day in class has been worth it. Our annual trips have

Bond instructs how to survive hallway walks

By James Bond

You’re sitting in class. Maybe you’re really interested in the subject that the teacher is talking about. Maybe you’re sitting in a class that happens to be the subject that you want to major in once you get to college. Chances are, however, that it isn’t.

And chances are that, like most students, you are watching the clock tick down until the bell signaling the end of class finally rings.

Although most of us view the end of each period as one step closer to finally going home, I view the end of class as the beginning of a 5-minute nightmare. Yes, I’m talking about the dreaded walk through the hallways of CHS. Walking from class to class brings up a multitude of challenges for the everyday high school

EVIDENCE Thursday, May 23, 2013

E V ID E N C E

The Churchill Observer Senior Section

#11

Rufus suggests open mind during college process

By Rufus

After months of grueling college applications, it’s weird to think that I will, in fact, be remaining a fixture in the glorious state of Maryland. Not in sunny SoCal, nor among the sophisticated Frenchspeaking Canadians.

Nowhere far, far away; not quite the escape I had imagined for my next four years.

For months, I convinced myself that I would be unhappy if I stayed here and I would only be satisfied with the freedom obtained through separation from family and the place I’ve called home for 18 years.

I guess I’m like any other kid, caught up in dreams of leaving her

old life for an exciting new one, where every night’s a party and every day holds new possibilities and sparkling revelations.

Had I known beforehand that I would end up staying here, I might not have put so much time and effort into the whole process of applying to schools all over the country.

I would have saved money, not to mention closet space, if I hadn’t bought a sweatshirt from every single school that I visited.

I could have enjoyed the first semester of senior year just a little bit

more if I hadn’t sacrificed innumerable lunch periods to endlessly scrutinize my college essays.

Had I known, I wouldn’t have applied to nine other schools that were either too far away, too expensive or would end up rejecting me.

But I couldn’t know. In fact, I had no idea where I would be headed until a mere few days before May 1, the anticipated college decision deadline. I changed my mind every day, each time finding a new reason to go to a certain school.

I even fully committed to one school before finally realizing that going to University of Maryland would be the best choice.

This is not to convince all of you underclassmen, still unplagued by senioritis and the glaring headlights of reality, to prematurely give up on your dreams and aspirations beyond high school. My bittersweet anecdote serves as a lesson to never assume anything about the future.

This process, like other major turning points in your life, includes countless unexpected twists and turns. No matter how much emphasis you put on this, there is really no way of knowing how everything will pan out. The whole process was surprisingly eyeopening (hello, rejection letters!).

So go ahead: apply to way too many schools, and stress over every little trivial detail in your precious college essays, because you’ll be glad you did it. Writing all those essays forced me to realize what I want to do with the next four years of my life and beyond, regardless of where I choose to do it.

Despite the inescapable regret that comes with every big decision, the college application process is something that we all go through together and ultimately grow from. Figuratively, of course. I’m still only four inches tall. Boo-yah, naked mole rat out!

Harriet the Spy finds comfort in self-acceptance

By Harriet The Spy Here we are: the final stretch. I thought that I’d be ecstatic to escape the Potomac bubble, but I have to say I’m not.

Don’t get me wrong, college sounds amazing, but it’s sad to think about the fact that I’m never going to be seeing any of my fellow classmates, in this same setting, ever again.

I came into Churchill not really knowing what to expect; from freshman to junior year, I chose to despise Churchill because it was the place I was forced to go to every day, and I ignored the good features Churchill has.

During my freshman year, I was judgmental, leading me to believe others were too. In order to prevent myself from being

belittled, I chose not to participate in Show Choir or come to terms with my sexuality because I did not want to seem different.

Once I got older, I realized something that would change my life forever: no one cares.

Not trying to sound pessimistic, but everyone is so focused on their own agenda that they don’t have time to judge you.

Moreover, I recognized that I can never be like everyone else. No matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, I could not keep telling myself that I was straight. No one benefitted from it, no one seemed to mind that I am not, and I was only hurting myself by keeping it hidden.

I would not have been able to come to terms with all of this without the help of my family and friends. I love my friends; I’ve become so close with each

of them, and even though I don’t have a lot, I can say that I genuinely care about their well-being.

However, the drama, this year especially, became a daily obstacle that needed to be surpassed.

So much of the year was wasted; while everyone else was having fun, I was constantly trying to find friends to surround myself with who did not make me feel inferior or stressed out.

I have come to grasp though that no one can make you feel anything you do not choose to feel. There is always going to be fighting, and not all your friends are going to like each other, but that is okay.

High school, though academically rigorous, was more of a spiritual journey for me.

I can safely say that I have become more comfortable with who I am as a person,

because I have accepted myself, which has allowed others to accept me too.

To all you soon-tobe seniors: love your friends, and if you have a problem, communicate it with them. Senior year goes by really fast and it would be a shame to waste it by constantly arguing with the people who are supposed to bring you up.

Some last minute advice from Scooby Doo

By Scooby Doo

Senior year is an exciting time for a high school student, but the year can be so packed with activities and responsibilities that it’s difficult to slow down and enjoy yourself while covering all the bases. From having seniority at school to being on the brink of adulthood, time is overbooked with studying, extracurricular activities and decisions about your future. Listed are some must-haves and must-dos in order to get the most out of your final year.

1. Have No Social Reservations: Try hanging out with different people than the same group you’ve been with throughout high school.

CHS can be cliquey, but you don’t have to let the unofficial social rules always dictate to whom you talk.

Branch out one day by talking to someone who’s outside your group.

2. Wear Something Bold Just Because You Love It: Take a cue from Lady Gaga and wear something unique to school—just for the sake of trying something new. Who knows, you might even get some unexpected compliments on it. Take risks, and don’t let others’ opinions or judgments stop you.

3. Say ‘Yes’ To Everything for a Day: Take a note from the legendary Jim Carrey in Yes Man—within reason of course. Answering in the

affirmative to every request and invitation for a day is a great way to broaden horizons. You might even find yourself saying “yes” more often. Move outside your comfort zone from time to time, and take advantage of opportunities that arise.

4. Confess Your Feelings: When it comes to prom, there’s practically no such thing as going overboard. Planning an epic promposal is an obvious must-have. Until you get engaged, it’s your only opportunity to declare your affection for someone in a super-fun, completely overthe-top way. Going on or asking someone out on a formal date is another exciting way to show that special person you care.

5. Explore Your Interests: The inevitable question all seniors hear is, “What are you going to do with the rest of your life?” Students who have taken time to explore their interests

are best equipped to have an appropriate answer. Try new experiences regardless of what friends and family might say. Whether you have a passion for acting, photography, nature, teaching or video games, senior year is a great time to try things that might help decide your future.

6.

Do S p r i n g and Summer Break R i g h t : D o n ’ t just sit around doing homew o r k over spring break, and don’t take on a soul-draining job the second you get your diploma. Instead, make plans to go on a fun vacation with friends.

After everybody moves off to college, it will be difficult to have that kind of time together again. Take a trip with them while you’re still rooted in the same place.

7. Be Spontaneous and Have

Fun: This is a last chance to be a kid and take some risks. Go on a spontaneous road trip or jump in a pool with clothes on. While it is important to be on top of school work and college applications, it’s also important to make your last year exciting and memorable.

8. Spend More Time with Family: As well as spending a lot of time with friends because it’s your last year, time spent with family is also vital. This especially goes out to those who are going out of state or abroad for college.

9. Show Appreciation: For all of those who have helped and cared for you along your high school journey, they deserve a thank you. All of us have at least one teacher, parent, sibling, guidance counselor or even friend who’s had a profound impact on us. Before you graduate, make sure you let that person know how much they have influenced you—they’ll appreciate it.

10. Take Lots of Photos: Everyone has a camera, so why not make good use of it? You will want to look back at this time one day, and it will be nice to have plenty of photos to help you remember.

Be sure to make the most of your last year before college. Create your own senior year bucket list full of things you want to do or accomplish by graduation day. It’s been a great four years; make sure to make the most of it.

Evidence of a Great Year

A B C D E F

ustralian Kiss

ody paint

heating, not on our Lang mid-term

J Namreb vs.

DJ Iceburg mpty Bahamas

ood court brawls

G

oodbye Selman

H I J K L M

omecoming winners (4x) believe that we will win erry, Officer THNXBYE

ineman’s leg

N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

ot tryna go sober range skin tone

aper towels hostage crisis

r. Churchill (See X)

doba Fridays atchet

tate Champs

bt

nchained, Django ine here is Oprah?

-rated (See M)

es boiii

ero absences