The Churchill Observer - Senior Section 2014

John Dorian Emily Birnbaum Editor-in-Chief

Marshall Eriksen Jamie Lescht Online Editor-in-Chief

Topanga Lawrence Julia Reagan Arts Editor

Jessica Day Jane Zankman Chief Production Manager

Robin Scherbatsky Elizabeth Campbell Editor-in-Chief

Penny Jordan Maser Features Editor

Daniel Desario Greer Smith Opinions Editor

Liz Lemon Dana Harris Online Features Editor

Buffy Summers Catherine Goohs Online Arts Editor

Haley Dunphy

Brittany Goodman News Editor

Troy Barnes Ben Fox Sports Editor

Lily Aldrin Aileen Choi Online Observations Editor

Christopher Turk Guransh Singh Online Opinions Editor

Carrie Bradshaw Caitlin Doherty Circulation Manager

Jenna Hamilton Natalie Cortez Public Relations

Claire Dunphy Kelly Knarr Awesome Advisor

Lil’ Sebastian Ilana Berger Online News Editor

Maddie Fitzpatrick Fanny Chen Staff Writer

Michelle Tanner Erica Spaeth Photography Editor

Rachel Green Skylar Whitman Staff Writer

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Meet the Cast

The Churchill Observer Senior Section Thursday, May 22, 2014

Robin looks for a little more rebellion in life

By Robin Scherbatsky Danny raced for pink slips. The Breakfast Club ditched detention.

And the CHS 2014 seniors? We took AP exams.

While we may not be characters in a movie, we should still be entitled to that sort of reckless fun that is a crucial part of the teenage experience. Yet we’ve been denied this opportunity all of our lives. We are expected to continue marching along like college-bound robots without the hope of a release.

From parents breeding us as living trophies to their achievement, oppressive administration forcing Zero Tolerance policies, an ever-increasingly cutthroat college application process and incriminating camera phones and social media, teens just aren’t free. We live in a society where even the most innocent of hijinks is met with the harshest of consequences.

Skip school for a few days: loss of credit. Yet when that policy was not instituted, during our freshman year, CHS did not see a massive decrease in grades or graduation rates. On average the students still performed just as well while having more fun along the way.

Underage drinking: in-school punishment. While not exactly the most respectable of pastimes, it is viewed now by adults as the absolute plague, with suspensions, police involvement and maybe even expulsions being the norm. Isn’t that a bit much for the school? I accept that society will never see the error of their ways and lower the

Forty years from now, I’m not going to be reminiscing about this one time in math class. I’ll be telling the

drinking age back to 18 (because if a man can be drafted he should be allowed to drink a beer), but I’m still holding out for the school to stop getting so involved with outside cases. I’m waiting for our society to stop calling the police every time teens gather at someone’s house.

And please, please, please stop making me sit through entirely pointless assemblies about all the reasons you think I would drink, despite the fact you’ve never talked to me a day in my life.

In fact, all this expectation and

pressure to be good makes me want to act out more (I know, super unique teen rebellion).

I’m tired of always being expected to do the responsible thing. I’ve worked so hard during high school, and while I’m proud of all I’ve managed to accomplish, my biggest regret (maybe other than taking AP Economics) is that I didn’t do more reckless things.

wrong way.

But if I’ve learned one thing throughout my time at high school, it’s that hate is the ugliest emotion a human being can feel. When you hate everybody and everything, the entire world is one big trigger. How is it possible to ever find safety and comfort in a world where there’s so much to judge and pick apart and dissect?

It’s not easy to see at first, but every person around you is valuable in some way. There is something to love, adore and cherish in each and every peer. You c a n

write off entire human beings by just assigning them to labels like “asshole” and “idiot.” The girl who pops her gum in math class may be sweet, once she puts the gum in the back of her mouth and responds happily when you start up a conversation with her. The boy who sits in the front of the class is smart and bright and proud, and there is something really incredible about the fact that he’s not afraid of his own intelligence.

H e earned t h e right t o

story of the crazy antics I took part in— and I’m not alone.

I’m also not alone in feeling frustration at adults who act as if they never were teens themselves. Every generation complains that adults don’t understand them, but every generation continues to not change. It’s time for society to just all around relax and appreciate the fun in life a little more.

I’m not proposing that we just give up all the rules and launch ourselves into a total chaos, but I am proposing that we stop taking everything so seriously.

Yes, college is important, but it shouldn’t define our lives. If students want to skip school but can keep their grades up, let them. If they want to take a break from the stress while taking a drink with their friends and they remain in their own home, don’t call the police on them.

High school is a time when teens are learning about themselves and enjoying life before being thrust into the real world. Society may encourage us to succeed, but they need to stop crushing our spirits with unrealistic expectations.

It’s time to rebel.

J.D. encourages students to love instead of hate

By John Dorian

“The next suitable person you’re in light conversation with, you stop suddenly in the middle of the conversation and look at the person closely and say, ‘What’s wrong?’ You say it in a concerned way. He’ll say, ‘What do you mean?’ You say, ‘Something’s wrong.

I can tell. What is it?’ And he’ll look stunned and say, ‘How did you know?’

He doesn’t realize something’s always wrong, with everybody. Often more than one thing. He doesn’t know everybody’s always going around all the time with something wrong and believing they’re exerting great willpower and control to keep other people, for whom they think nothing’s ever wrong, from seeing it.” – David Foster Wallace Hatred and apathy are easier emotions to feel than love. I think that’s a consensus we can all safely come to.

How easy is it to just hate people?

To really, really despise the people you’re surrounded by? It’s so easy to blame them for everything they do that gets under your skin. I know it because I’ve been there. You hate the girl next to you in math class because she chews her gum so loudly; you hate the boy who sits in the front of the class and shows off his superior knowledge every chance he gets; you hate the girl who’s always talking smack with her friends in the hallway—really loudly. It is so possible to just hate everyone and everything. You can hate them because they do not abide by the same moral standards as you do, or you can hate them because you feel that the questions they’re asking are obvious, or you can hate them simply because they have a voice that pushes your buttons the

answer those questions. He worked hard to know so much, and who are we to take that happiness away from him by putting it down with words like “annoying”? The girl smack-talking her friends could easily be you. Nobody can pretend like they have never talked badly about someone in their lives.

Judging those around you can become exhausting and hazardous. It’s important to step back and ask the question: Who am I to judge? Why do I get to decide so-and-so is stupid, while so-and-so is worthy?

There is strength in humility.

There’s strength in allowing yourself to love what can appear to be unlovable at first. After all, like Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother once said, “Love is the best thing we do.”

We are so lucky to be alive. We are so lucky to be conscious beings. We have so much to share with each other.

Everybody around you has a whole universe inside of his or her mind. If you just open your heart up a little bit and probe around in their little world, you will always find something valuable. You’ll always find something you can take away.

Every day, I think it’s important that we at least try to quiet the voices in our heads that push us towards negativity and anger. Most of the people around you are doing their very best. It is worth it to give everybody a break.

I think that life can get pretty lonely. What do we have if we don’t keep each other close?

“The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day.” – David Foster Wallace

The Churchill Observer Senior Section Thursday, May 22, 2014

Meet the Cast

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Sing like Jess, do not Pick your friends wisely, let failure define you or you might regret it

By Jessica Day Failure. The dreaded word that we dare not utter in the hallowed halls of CHS. We are students of excellence not only in academics, but also in life.

We are groomed to believe that failure is never the option, and it almost seems true with parents sending irate emails to teachers explaining that their child deserves the A or students crying for the bump. We get what we want here in little old Potomac.

The real problem is that not doing well has a stigma, and this perpetuates our belief that we deserve success. In all honesty no one ever deserves anything; we have to earn every little thing we get in life.

I’m not saying that we all didn’t earn everything. A lot of you did work hard to get into the schools you want, but even still the idea of failure is pretty alien to most of us. As we walk across that stage and receive our diplomas, we are entering real life where it is not like the movies where only good things happen—bad things happen too.

You will experience failure big or small; whether it’s a test or a final grade, taking your driving test, getting into your dream school, a bid for a sorority or fraternity, or just trying to make friends. This is the first time in our lives where our support system is not already built in.

We can call mommy and daddy, but eventually we have to learn to take the bad and ugly and work from it. Being able to overcome

By Haley Dunphy

true obstacles like rejection will only build your character.

If you cannot deal with failure, you will have a harder time recognizing success. When something great comes along you will let it slip by, and you will continue to do so until you come to terms with your failure.

There is no formula for dealing with failure and disappointment, but we all must learn how to cope.

But there is still time, time to learn how you can individually grow from failure. In order to accomplish this here are some tips: 1. Do not fight it, embrace it. You are not the only one to have experienced this, so do not be afraid to talk to a close friend about it.

2. Let that 50 percent or rejection letter sit for a while and give yourself time to think.

3. Do not blame others.

Sometimes other people have a role, but do not give the power of your success to them.

4. Come up with your own ritual to deal with faliure. Go rock climbing, eat cookies or walk your dog. You need this time for you.

5. Try to think of a way to prevent it from happening again, but understand that there is no foolproof method to end failure.

It is a fact of life that you will fail, so why not make it into something positive instead of trying to skate around it or pretending it never happened.

You are all bright, intelligent and wonderful people who I know will grow to be even more remarkable in the next four years, so please screw up once in a while because it’s okay, and you’ll be better for it.

As school is coming to an end I look around at all the unique faces in my graduating class and start to wonder about one thing: why was it ever necessary to be part of an “exclusive” clique?

The cattiness of these subdivisions within our grade is laughable. What gives certain individuals within our grade the ability to include or exclude people based on how their burrito was rolled at Cal-Tor that day? It makes no sense. These are the type of people who lack the ability to acquire new friends through trust. Trust is the belief that someone is reliable, good, honest and effective. I know this definition is tough for some of you to understand, but I suggest adding it to your limited repertoire of words other than OMG, LOL, and KK. News Flash: These so called “leaders” do not like you for who you are but instead for what you bring to the table (aesthetics, money and popularity). Sounds like a great friend to have….not.

Friendship is an important quality that cannot be faked. Mind blowing right? I guarantee that over 70 percent of you at some point in your high school career have been stabbed in the back; I know I have, from what at the time seemed like your best friend.

From experience, knowing whom you can trust is hard, especially in this school where priorities are out of whack. Individuals within these mean girl-esque cliques would rather screw their best friend over just to be a follower than a true leader and respect others.

Shout out to all the cliques: Get the pole out of your butt and face reality.

The so-called friends you surround

yourself with are not true friends.

You treat each other like objects just to boost your trade value within the almighty Churchill stock market. Real friends do not: 1. Talk about you behind your back.

2. Lie to you.

3. Give you an ultimatum If you have found yourself in any of these situations, I would seriously reevaluate whom you consider a friend.

Chances are the people you currently hang out with do not like you for you.

For the last month of school be the person that speaks his or her own mind instead of following others. Welcome individuals into your group instead of passing them by because they are not cool enough. They may surprise you. Make a change and surround yourself with truthful, welcoming, confident, and bold people instead of the narrow minded.

Independent thinkers are the ones who will go far in life.

You will long to be associated with these individuals five years from now at our high school reunion. The tables will be turned, and you will find yourself single with seven cats because you never discovered the true meaning of friendship. While you sit on your couch munching on a stale Twinkie, you will wish that you found who you truly were in high school instead of relying on others to define who you thought you wanted to be.

So seniors before you graduate I dare you to look around and find a new friend or reach out to an individual you have lost in the past. There is still a chance that he/she might welcome you in once again.

Disclaimer: I know most of you won’t take this advice seriously because you are oblivious to the context above.

Well too bad for you, betch; get over yourself.

turn someone’s day around—and who knows—you could make a great friend!

In all honesty, though, I must admit I have not always gone by this philosophy; I’m a girl—sass is in my DNA. As for the keeping of old friends, I learned that the transition from middle to high school is like throwing pasta at the ceiling and seeing which noodles stick. I still have a few of the same friends from my past life, but by my senior year I am happy to say that I finally found my place and where I fit best. #2 “Make more of an effort to hang out with the family.”

Family has always been very important to me, and I’m pretty sure my family feels the same—even though I have already been told that from August 19 on I will be seen as a visitor in my house (thanks, Bro).

If you have any desire to be a college prospect, chances are you will only be at your house between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., participating solely in the acts of eating, sleeping and doing homework, so finding time to chill with the fam is somewhat difficult. Although everyone has different schedules, I’m very glad that I have been able to spend so much time with my family over these past four years.

My family has been a fantastic support system, great escape, as well as a sometimes necessary reality check

throughout my high school experience.

Not only do I respect them as my parents, grandparents and sibling, but I respect them as people, and that admiration has only grown as I have aged. #3-7 Boys, Boys, etc.

What do you expect? I made this when I was 14, and I have to say 14-yearold me would be astounded—very happy. Shout out to Drew Legum. #8 “Go to California. Just kidding.

Nepal? OK, California.”

My best camp friend Haley has moved from place to place her whole life: Switzerland, Thailand, Nepal, Italy and beyond. She had a life of adventure, and I had a life of Potomac. She told me stories about throwing Oreos off of Mount Everest, and I told her about my social studies test.

“So when are we going to Nepal (Italy, Switzerland, …)?” My parents heard this question at least twice a week since age 8. I am sorry to say that I have yet to travel to any of these incredible destinations, but of course there is still time.

I did, however, get to spend the summer going into both my junior and senior year in Los Angeles. My summers were life changing. I did a program at the UCLA, and was able to experience an independent lifestyle for the first time, and it will remain one of my happiest memories of all time.

#9 “Get good grades—no C’s.”

Well the unthinkable happened. I made it all the way to my senior year.

Nothing lower than a B. That is until senior year. Wait, what’s that? The earth is still rotating?

It happens. In 10 years I’ll have a great laugh. #10 “Complete at least three fourths of this list and make a new list for college.”

After taking these brief pages to look back over these last brief four years, I’m delighted to announce that I guess I survived high school. I’m leaving CHS a happy girl, and for some reason I feel like that is not very common.

I am completely satisfied with my CHS experience. Yes, it was rocky at first, but isn’t everything great difficult at first?

As for my new list, it will probably be very similar to this one. Let’s be honest: high school never ends.

Penny reflects on goals set before high school

By Penny Though daunting for most, I spent the days leading up to the start of my CHS experience channeling my inner boredom, unreasonable optimism and my overly romanticized expectations of what high school is supposed to be. To this day I am embarrassed to reveal that during this span of time I compiled a list of all the things I hoped to get out of my high school experience, but evidently not embarrassed enough to keep this list to myself, so I might as well share said list with my fellow Bulldogs for evaluation. #1 “Make new friends and keep the old.”

On August 30, 2010 at 6:39 a.m. my mom passed down an inspiring piece of wisdom: “Play nice with the other kids at school.” Now I realize that most parents feel it is necessary to convey this message a couple years prior to the first day of high school, but at the mature age of 14 I feel I can truly appreciate the meaning of the statement.

CHS is a huge school inhabited by thousands of people with varying opinions and personalities, so chances are everyone is not going to be BFFs. One thing I got out of my four years here is that everyone should make an attempt to be pleasant with one another. Even something as small as a genuine compliment can completely

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Meet the Cast

The Churchill Observer Senior Section Thursday, May 22, 2014

High school really is like a box of chocolates

By Topanga Lawrence

High school is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.

As I reflect on the past four years of my life at CHS, I realize that my high school experience is actually quite similar to my favorite comfort food: chocolate. With this in mind, I would like to present you with the “flavors” of my journey and hopefully give you some tips along the way.

Mint Chocolate As I prepared to enter my freshman year during the fall of 2010, I had a fresh perspective and was looking forward to being in a new environment with different people. Just like the feeling after you bite into a piece of mint chocolate, I was ready to wipe the slate clean and fill it with great experiences and memories. This refreshed way of thinking is, in my opinion, essential to any incoming student.

High school is the perfect time to

start fresh and become the person you want to be. Do not be afraid to try something that you never have before.

It’s absolutely invigorating to discover that you are truly passionate about something.

Personally, I discovered Journalism during my freshman year, and it has been one of the best parts of my high school experience.

Caramel Chocolate I truly believe that high school is all about the relationships you create.

Often it can seem like a harsh and difficult place, but if you dig a little deeper and form connections with people, you will get to the gooey “caramel” center and have a much more fulfilling experience. Having a group of supportive and loving friends is crucial for getting through stressful times and celebrating the good ones. Your friends will shape the person you become throughout high

school, so choose wisely.

Also, do not underestimate the power of forming good relationships with your teachers and other staff members. I have always found that you are more likely to succeed in a class if your teacher understands you as a person and sees that you have put in the effort to form a connection.

Chocolate with Nuts With AP classes, SAT and ACT exams, extracurricular activities, college preparation and more, high school can feel quite “nuts.” Whenever you feel overwhelmed and out of control, it is so important to remember that you are not alone.

Just knowing that everyone else is dealing with the same problems can be very comforting.

It is also crucial that you find a way to release your tension and calm down in times of severe stress. Try

exercising away your anxiety or taking a night to chill out with some movies and friends. My personal favorite technique is taking a short nap (about 30 minutes is the most effective—thank you AP Psych) so that I can wake up clear and refreshed.

Bittersweet Chocolate It is so surreal that I am here, preparing to graduate in just a few short weeks and take my next step as I enter the world of college (Emory University, Class of 2018!). I am extremely proud of all that I have accomplished at CHS and am leaving having had a very positive experience. It is so bittersweet to be leaving this place I have called home for the past four years.

Although I am going to miss my friends and family, I will look back on the memories I have made with so much joy and look forward to forming new memories in the next four years.

High school is like a box of chocolates, and sometimes the best part is not knowing what you’re gonna get.

I had finished she told me something I’d never forget.

“If Churchill gets to be too hard, and you aren’t enjoying yourself, you always can go back to private school,” she said.

“Just try and make the most of it while you’re there.”

The knowledge that CHS was not a permanent choice, and that I had the power to choose what my future held, was enough to momentarily ease my fears and finally get me to sleep. Now, four years later, I can say that I made the most of my time here and never regretted a moment of it. Looking back on my time as a Bulldog, there is no doubt in my mind that CHS was not only the right choice for high school, but also the greatest choice I ever made.

While I have had many more late nights since that first one four years ago, none of them have been spent regretting the choice I made. My greatest memories and experiences of the past four years, from the San Francisco Journalism trip to the Philly Cheesesteak Challenge, have all had something to do with my choice to be a Bulldog. Whether it was the friends that made the journey so

special, the teachers that taught me the lessons I needed to know, or the simple act of providing me the opportunity to do something great, CHS has had an impact on my life in countless ways.

As the end of my senior year approaches, I once again am facing the same fears that I did four short years ago.

I worry that it will be difficult to leave the friends I’ve made behind and that new ones will be hard to come by. I worry that the college workload will be too much and that I will be unable to handle the stress. I am worried that I’ll now be a single face amongst 14,000 instead of 2,000 and will be unable to stand out from the crowd or show my individuality.

Though the fears of 2014 are just as significant as those of 2010, these new concerns do not give me sleepless nights or constant doubt. Because of my experiences at CHS, I have discovered that no matter how much time I spend worrying, the end result will always be better than I imagined. Though I never went to Cabin John or Hoover MS, I quickly was able to make an amazing group of friends that have made high school an amazing adventure. Though

the stress of AP and SAT testing often pushed me to my limits, I came out of it a student confident in his work ethic and his ability to learn. Though it took me a few years to truly find my place at CHS, I know that through the throwing team and the Churchill Observer I will leave this place satisfied I have left my mark, no matter how small.

CHS is what you make it. For all the gripes about our lack of school spirit or our over-competitiveness or even our occasional lapses in academic integrity, it cannot be denied that we go to one of the greatest high schools in the country, no matter what a n y rankings might try to prove otherwise.

My time as a Bulldog made me into who I am today, and for that I am forever grateful. I can only look forward to the choices that life has in store for me next.

Troy thanks CHS for the memorable experiences

By Troy Barnes

In the summer of 2010, the night before I was to begin my first day of high school at CHS, I woke my mom up at around midnight. For the past three hours I had laid awake in bed, mind in overdrive, going over every possible thing that could go wrong with the year ahead.

After spending the past eight years in a small, religious, private school of 500 students, I was about to enter a high school where that many kids would be in my grade alone. I was afraid that I would have trouble making friends, and would end up lonely and unhappy. I was worried that I would be unable to handle the stress of public high school, and that the greater workload would quickly overwhelm me. I was anxious that I would lose my individuality and independence now that I was a single face among 2,000. Perhaps most of all, I was terrified that my choice to leave private school would be one that I would always regret.

My mom listened patiently as I explained my fears and worries, and once

Marshall finds comfort in How I Met Your Mother

By Marshall Eriksen

Kids, I’m gonna’ tell you an incredible story – the story of how Ted Mosby, Marshall Eriksen, Lily Aldrin, Robin Scherbatsky and Barney Stinson changed my life. For those of you who are communists and don’t know what I’m talking about, these are the characters and my friends from How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM).

We first met on a rainy summer day while I was still trying to get a handle on the whole Netflix thing. At the time I was like most teenage girls: timid, insecure, and lacking in confidence, but enough on that; you don’t care to know as much as I don’t care to remember.

One thing I do remember was my master plan for high school. In order to be happy I needed to accomplish the following goals: get into the college that was my top choice, play collegiate field

hockey and become Editor-in-Chief of my newspaper. Ted also had a master plan: to live out the rest of his days hopelessly in love with his one true soul mate.

Spoiler alert: none of these things came true, but more on that later.

So after watching the first season I came to know the characters pretty well, and found common ground with each of them. I’m a dreamer like Ted, schemer like Barney, stubborn like Lily, and loyal like Marshall. As for Robin, well, when we first met, it was like meeting Future Jamie.

Robin wanted to travel and see the world; she wasn’t interested in settling down. She’s not good at dealing with her emotions and was terrified of any sort of intimacy, all things I understand.

Like me, Robin had a plan and could not accept failure.

Robin was my doppelganger.

Of course it’s nice to personally relate to someone, but that’s not why HIMYM is so special. It’s not the humor or the wit (though it certainly helped). One could say that it was the mystery of the mother’s identity that carried viewers along, but this person would be absolutely, unquestionably and inherently wrong.

So why was this sitcom so special? In order for you to understand why, I need

to reveal the results of my master plan.

I did not become Editor-in-Chief of my high school newspaper. I was rejected from my “dream school.” I am not playing field hockey in college.

But give me a second to explain why this was so painful for me.

My entire high school career I was trying to prove to myself that I was worth something. That I was someone special, that I would do great things in this world.

Why did I think this? I’m not really sure. I guess I was like Ted, constantly searching for something, asking the universe for a sign to tell me that I would be ok. That I would be happy.

Which brings me back to four years ago where I identified with the people who seemed happy. They were the Editors-in-Chief, the people going to their dream school and the athletes.

As for Ted, he almost completed his master plan when he met his soul mate: the beautiful, wonderful Tracy McConnell, but she died suddenly, taking away her and Ted’s forever.

Those were the three biggest failures of my high school career, and the worst moment in Ted’s life, but here’s the funny thing: he and I have finally moved on, and personally I’ve never felt better.

HIMYM taught me to never be

ashamed of failure and to never dwell on defeat. All people are flawed, and life never goes as planned, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still find happiness or love. Sometimes all you have to do is get up and find a new dream.

I’m not going to lie to you and say that it was easy to move on with my life because it wasn’t, but I am going to tell you that I’m a better person for it. I now wear my failures proudly on my sleeve because what do I have to be ashamed about?

I guess I wasn’t meant to be Editorin-Chief. Maybe I would have been miserable at another college. Perhaps I’m not athlete material. I can’t be everything in this world, but I know one day I’ll be something. Who cares if I don’t know what that is; the only thing that matters is that it will be me.

Ted, Robin, Marshall, Lily, Barney, thank you for sharing your failures with me, for showing me that it’s ok to be imperfect and for teaching me that the best moments in life come unexpectedly.

I know one day my time will come.

“Here’s the secret kids. None of us can vow to be perfect. In the end all we can do is promise to love each other with everything we’ve got. Because love’s the best thing we do.”

The Churchill Observer Senior Section Thursday, May 22, 2014

Meet the Cast

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Make this big school feel small Liz advises

By Liz Lemon

We graduated elementary school understanding the difference between glue and marshmallow fluff and an awareness that there are exponentially more authority figures in our lives than just our parents.

Middle school was one long phase of awkwardness beginning with social interactions and ending with puberty. High school was the period of finding one’s self, learning how to accept and at times tolerate others while simultaneously dealing with self-conscious thoughts about Homecoming dance moves.

When you look back and evaluate your high school experience, does complete disorder and confusion come to mind? Of course it does.

Coincidentally, this is the Google definition of chaos.

How do you survive the chaos and even thrive at an environment like CHS? Developing friendships within the very large student body was my saving grace. In simpler terms, I made a big school small.

My groups were most definitely

made up of various types of people.

It ranged from varsity softball and tennis to B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, the Observer, my predominant friend group, and even little study buddies within each of my classes.

These people made me laugh and cry, listened to my kvetching, shared their joys and relationship troubles and were my vital support system.

On a daily basis, we faced academic pressure from teachers, Potomac parents and ourselves. We learned to adapt to the array of personalities exhibited both by teachers and students.

At

the same time, we had the daunting task of discovering who we are.

Honestly, I think it takes a lifetime to discover who you truly you are and what you are made of. But high school has certainly created that foundation.

I have learned that I am a procrastinator at the most inconvenient times, I get lightheaded and nauseous while dissecting a cat, and I do well academically and athletically under pressure.

Coming into CHS, I was unsure of who I was or what I would become. As I leave these grounds, I am still not entirely sure if I still will be close with the friends I have now or if my goal of being a physical therapist will be achieved. But what I do know is that whatever stage of life I encounter, I will find my niche within a community and hopefully flourish just like I have here.

Daniel spreads gospel: ‘Until you can’t, you can’

By Daniel Desario To me, celebrities are not such a big deal. Sure, it is mildly amusing to gossip about their lives and pretend to care about them, but at the end of the day, no matter how pretty or talented or shocking, none of them are me. So, how great could they be?

My own greatness and destiny for fame and fortune prevent me from being star struck. In my incredibly glamorous life, whenever I have been faced with an Anne Hathaway, Chris Rock, or a Lionel Richie, to name a few, (These are all totally legit name drops by the way—I am a high roller) I have been between moderately amused to flatly unimpressed.

I would like to see Anne Hathaway accomplish eating Chipotle six times in one week like I have. Please, she could not, and is therefore unimpressive.

There is only one celebrity

encounter that really means anything to me, and what an encounter it was. It was life changing. If you are familiar with the Buddhist concept of reaching Nirvana, it sent me so deep into Nirvana, I smell like teen spirit.

It was the meeting of Morgan Freeman, aka God.* There is something about having the man who narrates everything that is anything say, “Nice to meet you, Greer” that just puts life in perspective, especially when you were not supposed to meet him in the first place.

Let me paint a picture. I’m at a rehearsal for the Kennedy Center Honors. My dad is calling me over to come out to the car, my brothers have long ago left, and the Secret Service is everywhere preparing for the real event to start and making sure nobody slays President Obama.

It is a circus, and there is nothing I want to do more than high tail it out of there.

But as I head to the door, the will of God (Freeman?) pulls my head to the side and I notice a looming figure in a Fedora and trench coat through an “Authorized Personal Only” door. Well, I knew that my destiny was calling me, and so I ignored my dad’s call, that sign, and the several men in suits and sunglasses.

I just bee lined it for that heavenly Fedora.

I marched right up to him, patiently waited for him to finish his conversation w i t h Robert De Niro and then said, “I don’t normally do this, but Mr. Freeman, my name is Greer S m i t h ,

and I really appreciate your work.”

I stuck out my hand for the hand shake and that is the exact moment where he transferred some of his ever-powerful, all-knowing energy into me.

I tell this story not to brag.

When you are as enlightened as I, there is really no joy brought by boasting of accomplishments to the unenlightened. I tell this story to convey the idea: until you can’t, you can.

I could have looked through that same door and said, “Wow, there stands the man, the myth, the legend, a mere 30-50 feet away, but it is against the rules for me to go in there. I am supposed to be meeting my dad and maybe the Secret Service will block me.” But no, I just went for what I wanted, and in the end, nothing stopped me.

Too many times, people stop themselves from doing things because of the potential that someone else might stop them. People do not ask questions because of the fear of hearing no, or maybe no answer.

People do not live because of what, the fear of living?

I am not saying I did not learn this lesson until that moment. I am a firm believer in doing what I really want until someone physically stops me. I snuck into a circus once just because there was no “Do not enter” sign on this one tent flap (then immediately snuck out due to a fear of clowns). I have met new people, acquired free things, and had new experiences because I am never afraid to go until I am really stopped.

Meeting Morgan Freeman was just the icing on the cake, the moment where I was able to smile and say, “This is the way to live,” and now I can only hope to share this idea with others. To leave it to the generations behind me. Never be afraid to go somewhere or say something if you really believe it is right and it is what you really want.

It is really great what the world gives when you are not afraid to take. *Morgan Freeman played God in a movie. Of course he’s not an actual deity… of course.

The Churchill Observer Senior Section Thursday, May 22, 2014

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Universit

uned...

The Churchill Observer Senior Section Thursday, May 22, 2014

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Katie

Zhao

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University of Michigan

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Ohio Wesleyan University

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Towson University

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University of Virginia

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meet the cast

The Churchill Observer Senior Section Thursday, May 22, 2014

Turk reminisces about the importance of his turban

By Christopher Turk I am the boy of a hundred turba ns. If you strolled into my room, you would see them everywhere—stuffed into my drawers and piled up to my closet ceiling, tumbling from my nightstand and lining every shelf. I have them in colors from hot pink to shimmering sea blue, sunlight yellow to scream ing green. Because I match my turba ns to my clothes, they are my statement to the world now-a reflection of both my viva cious personality and my deepseated beliefs.

I didn’t used to be proud of the colored cloth that sweeps around my head.When I was five, 9/11 happened, so I grew up with kids trying to rip my patka off my head and taunts of “Osama” and “towel-head.”

When Bin Laden was killed, my classmates would say inane things such as, “Oh! Your leader died.” I didn’t understand why I was even wearing this article that made me different from everyone else. All I wanted to be was a normal kid.

I am a Sikh, which means I come from a long line of warriors who were boiled alive for what they believed. Five hundred years ago, my ancestors fought

Muslim rulers for religious freedom, caste eradication, female infanticide, and the cessation of widow burning. This is why I wear my turban today—because it stands for all the things I am proud of being—a warrior for others, a fighter for peace.

But in sixth grade, I didn’t yet know this. While my peers were getting their Justin Bieber flows, I was stuck with my turban. Because my father is a prominent Sikh religious leader (he met with Bush two weeks after 9/11), tossing my turban was never really an option.

The summer before 9th grade, I reached the age where young boys usually decide to have their dastar bandi ceremony, where a boy chooses to allow his older relatives to jostle over who gets to tie his pagh, the adult turban that symbolizes his decision to assume manhood, over his patka, the turban of his youth.

I attend Sikh camp every summer, so the summer before ninth grade, I knew it was time to decide. On a lark, I borrowed my friend’s pagh and attempted to tie it. This was the first time I had ever tied a pagh by my self, and I was surprised by how striking it looked. Two months later, I had my dastar bandi, and to my delight, the Washington Post wrote a feature article

about it.

From the moment I tied my first pagh, I have found it impossible to picture myself without a turban. I am no longer the same timid child who was taunted after 9/11, for I have chosen to embrace the fact that I am forever conspicuous.

I’ve even won a turban competition! While my Sikh peers around the D.C. area chose black and white, I strutted out in my neon green pagh and won first place. As a camp counselor, when one boy admired my turban style, I dashed to my suitcase, picked out a turquoise turban, and tied it on his head.

On his face, I saw his expression change to the same one I wore that day in camp so many years before.

I’m standing before the mirror now, getting ready for school. My friend Andy has requested that I wear a lavender pagh today, and so I am matching it with a black and purple shirt. I have become known for my spirited matching turban style, so much so that when on Wacky Day I purposely mismatched, everyone noticed.

While my peers may wear whatever fad zooms by, I will always be wearing my eclectic turban collection. Instead of wearing my heart on my sleeve, I wear it on my turban.

Lily reminds students Lil Sebastian encourages to seek out true friends peers to forget their anxieties

By Lily Aldrin Here’s a little hint: if you’re not easily talking about whatever you want or acting however you want with your friends, you don’t belong with them. Although it took me two-and-a-half years and a sticky situation to realize it, I’m glad I did in the end.

You don’t have to be fake— real friends will come to you no matter what. It sounds cheesy, but I realized who my real friends were during my sophomore year after an incident occurred. They still have my back until this day. Without these friends, I probably would not have enjoyed CHS as much, and I wouldn’t have any memories to take with me to college.

Looking back, so much of what I complained about didn’t even matter.

We complain about the amount of homework we get every night (when it’s really because we procrastinate), evil teachers (it’s really because we procrastinate) and, of course, how fake Potomac is (we’re honestly better off than millions of others). In the end, what really matters is the quality

of your relationships and who you want to keep in touch with after you graduate. The people you want to keep in touch with should be your true friends, not someone you take shopping because you don’t have anyone else to take. If you’re procrastinating with them at 4 a.m., they’re the ones.

Though I’ve heard of others who went through similar situations as I did, we all got past it and lived a memorable high school life. The four years in high school are essential in shaping who you are and preparing you for the next stage in life.

While having fun with your friends, don’t forget to be involved. Honestly, it feels good to have several tassels at graduation, and you don’t want to be that kid who barely graduates with the minimum required SSL hours. If you stay involved inside and outside of school, you’ll have a great resume and easy essay ideas for college applications.

Although my mom forced me to go out and find activities, I’m really happy that she did.

In the end, your high school career sums up from your decisions.

Don’t be afraid to be yourself, and you’ll definitely find your niche.

By Lil Sebastian I read a few days ago on Tumblr that you should never trust anyone who says they enjoyed high school.

Grinning at the computer screen, I fantasized about how I was going to use this line to open my senior section article so everyone would like me and think I’m funny and cool.

I am just now beginning to realize how i d i o t i c I sound, and how horribly unoriginal the quote actually is.

But I guess it’s too late to change it now.

I guess high school is kind of the same way.

You try to convince yourself that you’re clever and special by proving it to other people, most of whom you dislike.

When that backfires, you try to start over so you can prove to the very same people that you’re “independent” and “you don’t care about high school because caring about high school is mainstream, and you’re more mature than everyone else anyway.”

That may work out for a little while, but then you find yourself struggling to keep up your apathetic persona.

Suddenly, you feel a little sad when everyone but you is getting

asked to homecoming and prom.

You may even find it harder and harder to suppress the urge to punch your peers in the throat when they compare standardized test scores or colleges or basically anytime they speak. This emotional blockage is what drives people to p u b l i s h stupid things they read on Tumblr.

Caring too much about not caring about high school is a vicious cycle—a machine—and it’s fueled by this desire we have to prove ourselves to others. The scary thing is that sometimes, we don’t even give ourselves permission to feel or act a certain way unless somebody else validates it. I propose that this is the primary reason no one really enjoys high school—because the experience isn’t even ours.

Attention all CHS students: you are human. Your feelings are your feelings, weather you can justify them or not. It’s exhausting to spend four years planning your every move, your every text, around how you want others to perceive you.

So if no one else does, this is me giving you permission: please, please, please, do whatever you want, feel however you want, and never apologize for it.

The Churchill Observer Senior Section Thursday, May 22, 2014

Meet the cast

9

Jenna knows that now is the time to be Awkward.

By Jenna Hamilton Let’s be honest. At CHS, for the unlucky few, it is an ongoing battle trying to recreate the normalness we see around us in the hallways and classrooms. As one of the least “smooth” people you will ever sit next to in class, I feel that I can vouch for my fellow awkward, quirky peers at CHS when I say the harder we fight our awkwardness and quirkiness, the more it rears its beastly head toward us.

Now unless you personally have suffered through being socially misunderstood, you will never understand how draining it can be.

However, we need to realize that although it might be fun to socially flourish in high school, there are benefits to being a little different.

Plus J.Crew, Uggs and perfectly straight hair gets boring sometimes. Am

I right?

Underclassmen, I hope you take my advice and decide from now on to embrace your awkwardness and quirkiness. It will probably be the best decision you will ever make in your CHS life (after deciding on what to wear to Prom, of course). If you are still not fully sold on committing to such an idea here are some reasons why you should:

1. There are no rules you have to follow. If you decide to conform to the norms of CHS, you will probably end up following some pretty strict rules. Say goodbye to opting to watch Netflix instead of going to a party or wearing a cat sweater with a beret to school.

2. Look back to your childhood.

Back in elementary school, you p r o b a b l y embraced y o u r quirky a w k w a r d attributes witho u t fear of rejection. Your offbeat curiosity

as a kid most likely spurred your passions of today. If you continued to embrace this at CHS, think of all the possible talents you could discover. Maybe you will find out that performing arts is your thing or maybe that student government is.

3. Simply put, why spend six hours of your day in a place where 90 percent of the people think you are reserved and quiet when you are actually hilarious, opinionated and charming. Be who you are.

4. Once you truly start being yourself, think of all the new people you will attract who get you. You will never really know who will like the person you hid all four years. Let us not forget the fact that quirky awkward people like quirky awkward people, too.

So yes, I admit it would be fabulous if we were “socially gifted,” good enough to win the senior superlative of “best personality.” But you don’t need to succumb to society’s wants or standards. Instead you should give yourself a big hug. Since you are awkward you will probably hold on longer than you should, along with giving yourself some strange back rubs, but remember, this is just hugging. You have the rest of your life to truly be weird.

Follow Buffy’s advice, contribute your own verse

By Buffy Summers

A cloudy sky hangs low above the open water. It’s hard to make out at first, but looking closer, several wind propellers become visible.

This is how the Apple advertisement for the new iPad Air begins. The video, which ran earlier this year, flows like inspirational liquid, as striking images of contrasting settings and clips of people from all walks of life commencing in their own chosen passions are set before the viewer.

Intertwined with these clips are the soft sound of violins and a voiceover from Robin Williams’ character in The Dead Poets Society as he explains to his high school class the significance of poetry. He proceeds to quote Walt Whitman’s poem “Oh Me! Oh Life!”

“Of the questions of these recurring, of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities filled with the foolish, what good amid these, oh me, oh life?

Answer: that you are here, that life exists and identity. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.”

“That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.” I know that in this final article I should be divulging my vast assortment of high school survival tips, or maybe explaining why I thought high school was great, or why it wasn’t. But what I’d like to do instead is explore the concept the Apple commercial so brilliantly brought to life.

In it, hockey players swivel their sticks, Japanese men sing karaoke, mountaineers touch the sky, and an array of people find inspiration in the world around them.

Here at CHS, we are a diverse body. Yes, we may be fairly homogenous at first glance: we all live in the Potomac bubble, we wear similar clothes, take certain AP classes because our friends say to, and refresh the MCPS website religiously to check for snow days at 4 in the morning. We are super stressed about school and tests and auditions and big games and everything and anything at any given moment. But we are extremely distinct from one another too.

When I made the switch from a small D.C. charter school to CHS, I noticed that many of the students seemed to already have found their passions. I knew that there were certain activities I liked, I was decent at certain sports, but there was no one certain “path” I seemed to be destined for.

Now I realize that it never was about taking one decided route, because finding what you’re interested in is only part of what’s important.

The other piece is found in experiencing the variety of choices we have had at our fingertips.

I believe it is important to question what verse we as individuals might write for ourselves. What will you do that will make you you? The

truth is this life, these brief four years in high school and beyond, are ours and ours alone, and you can’t let other people pick what is best for you. It’s easy to follow the status quo, but in doing so, you lose what makes you awesome.

Take weird classes you find interesting, and get to know all kinds of different people. Make mistakes and get over them, because the only person who may even remember your verse is you, so you better like it.

It sounds clichéd, but each of us is the chosen one for something. The great thing is that we have some power in deciding what that is and how we will handle it. Turns out I was chosen to slay some vampires every now and again, which was a blast, but I feel that there is something more I’m meant to do; I just haven’t quite found it yet, and that’s okay.

No matter what point you are at in high school, just completing your freshman year, or getting ready to wrap it up as a senior, your path ahead looks something like that first scene in the advertisement.

There will be some smooth sailing and some waves that’ll rock your boat. The key in getting to shore is letting those experiences empower you (like how the wind gives energy to those propellers) and seeing the beauty in the big picture of it all. You get to lead the way.

What will your verse be?

10

meet the cast

The Churchill Observer Senior Section Thursday, May 22, 2014

Carrie reflects on having her sibling teach at CHS

By Carrie Bradshaw It’s the beginning of the school year, and my friend Michelle runs up to me gushing, “Caitlin, there’s this gorgeous new teacher you would love!” Oblivious, I respond enthusiastically, asking about his age, hair color, and teaching subject.

Just then he turns the corner, and Michelle screeches: “There he is!” I had momentarily forgotten that my brother was CHS’ newest addition to the social studies department.

This all dates back to the summer of 2012, when while at the beach relaxing and recovering from my jaw surgery, I get an email from my brother: “Hey Chuck!

What do you think about me teaching at Churchill this year?” This email is strange for a variety of reasons— one is that my brother has called me Chuck since birth because he thinks I bear an uncanny resemblance to Charles Barkley (Have you ever seen Charles Barkley? If not, look him up and gaze at our similar physical characteristics).

Another strange factor of this email is the fact that Kevin is currently working

in Spain, not due back in the U.S. until the following May, and school is starting in a week.

It turns out that Kevin had a skype interview with Dr. Benz in a Starbucks in Spain. When she asked him the last book he read he answered honestly: 50 Shades of Grey, because it was the only English book he had access to.

According to Kevin, instead of being put off, as most high school principals would be, Benz, in her cool manner, was charmed and gave him the job.

I was both excited and annoyed at Kevin’s job offer—on one hand, I looked forward to going to the same school with one of my siblings for the first time. On the other hand, I enjoyed not

having a teacher I was related to work at my school (my mother is a special e d u c a t i o n teacher at Hoover).

Last year, when he lived at home, we would fight often in the m o r n i n g , w h e t h e r it was me running late if he was driving or over who gets the last apple for lunch.

The irony behind this arrangement is that, because of our sevenyear age difference, we didn’t fight too much as c h i l d r e n , and now that we are both older and together again, we fight more than ever. We are also closer,

bonding over our Uncle Leo’s crazy antics and discussing our love for the car he passed down to me (a beautiful ’95 Mercury Tracer with assorted bumps and bruises that I have since heavily decorated with bumper stickers).

Or telling each other funny stories like the one student who emailed him on a Wednesday night to turn in a project late and proceeded to ask Kevin if he was “slaying some strange.” Or the boy who won the stock game in his Personal Finance class by buying an exuberant amount of Trojans stock.

I know what you’re thinking—this girl must want to get as far away from her family as possible! And while I did go through a three-month phase last year where I was deeply convinced that I was going to the University of Sydney, I will actually be residing in College Park next year majoring in elementary or special education (yes, I want to be a teacher too).

A few years back my dad actually taught at UMD— fingers crossed he doesn’t decide to go back!

Michelle thinks Potomac parents need to back off

By Michelle Tanner

High school is a learning process. Teens make mistakes and learn from them, preparing them to be smarter when they go to college. However, as most parents are very careful about monitoring their child’s whereabouts and activities, teenagers in general tend to have limited independence and live largely sheltered lives.

This lack of independence, combined with a helicopterstyle of parenting, can lead kids to act out when finally set free to be on their own. Given a good amount of independence in high school, a teenager, while still carefully supervised, can acquire important decisionmaking skills and a sense of confidence which might help them avoid pitfalls of early adulthood.

Learning these skills early on could save them from many errors that haunt college freshman, such as public drunkenness or a lack of a work ethic.

That is why I am forever grateful to my parents for allowing me the high school experience I had: one that allowed me to create and hone a stronger sense of self, where I was exposed to controlled bursts of independence that allowed me to start to think through how I will eventually handle college life.

My parents created an environment where I was allowed to have a voice in many important decisions about my life and future. Unlike many teenagers who are told what to do and not given the freedom to express their own opinions, my thoughts and feelings

were not just sought out but respected by my parents when it came t o a variety of important decisions, ranging from completing Hebrew School to what afterschool activities I participated in. When I decided I preferred dance to basketball, a spor t my dad had invested a lot of time coaching me in, he endorsed m y choice to pick dance i n lieu of p l a y i n g hoops.

My parents supported my choice of friends, many of whom lived in different counties or were far drives and of different backgrounds or demographics from the kids in our neighborhood. They encouraged me to pick friends based on their character, not based on their appearance.

My parents encouraged me to think about who and why I was friends with someone, and opened my eyes to diversity and the importance of having relationships with people from all walks of life— not just with people who looked like me.

They have always trusted me and helped me figure out who I really am and where I hope to head as a young adult versus

forcing their views of who I should be or grow up to be. Though my dad is a lawyer and my stepmom is a businesswoman, they have worked hard to expose me to professio ns outside of their own, and encouraged my interest in forensics and criminal justice.

They arranged for me to meet and visit w i t h

professionals in my field of interest a nd to learn about career paths vastly different from th eir own.

My stepmom has also helped me develop a good sense of self. She found and arranged my summer trip two years ago to Tortola in the British Virgin Island for a community service program.

While there, I performed over 100 hours of community service and lived in a room with nine other girls, with only one shower and two bathrooms for all of us to use.

This experience

opened my eyes to the fact that most of the world is not as fortunate as I have been. It made me think through how I spend my time, money, and use natural resources like water.

The following summer she sent me to study at Oxford University in England for a month. I had to navigate flying internationally by myself, get to the group headed down to Oxford once in London on my own, and get up on time every day without parental prodding or them providing breakfast to make it to class. This exposed me to both a taste of real college life and once again provided me with an eyeopening glimpse at the rest of the world and other cultures.

My stepmom also arranged for me to spend two weeks each summer on college campuses in the United States—one stint at the University of Maryland and one at the University of California, Berkeley. I lived in the dorms, went to classes and was responsible for myself within the confines of a structured program, which further helped me create a framework to make decisions about how to lead my life once I go to college.

My parents have exposed me to a lot of the world outside of my home environment, which most teens my age do not get to experience. This has allowed me to establish some independence and have a good sense of self, as well as develop street smarts and common sense. With these skills as well as the sense that I am loved and supported for who I am, not who someone wants me to be, I am ready to go to college and start my adult life with confidence.

The Churchill Observer Senior Section Thursday, May 22, 2014

Meet the Cast

11

Rachel says ignore the haters, do what you love

By Rachel Green People say high school is when you start figuring out who you are—your identity. You are told to join clubs, make new friends, try new trends and more, but you’re also supposed to “be yourself.” It’s exhausting trying to make the most of your time, but at the end of the day, the most important part of it all is happiness and following your dreams.

I know, I know. It’s really hard to “follow your dreams” and do what you love when people try to tear you down. Although I learned that the hard way, I still came out on top and showed the world that giving up gets you nowhere. After all, if I had stopped making YouTube videos because of the bullying, I probably would not be majoring in film and communications at the University of Tampa next year.

I starting making YouTube videos in seventh grade. Entering high school with only about 300 subscribers, not a lot of editing experience (or talent for that matter) and a hope to keep my videos on the down-low, I was basically asking for trouble…and trouble is exactly what I got.

You probably remember Rebecca Black’s first song titled “Friday,” which went viral in March of my freshman year. When I saw an op-

portunity to make a parody music video of it, I took it, and it changed my life forever. That is not an exaggeration. I was a tiny 15-yearold who had just recently entered a new school and who made a video that got 800,000 views and earned her 3,000 subscribers in just three days. It is definitely not a shock that at least one of those viewers was a student at CHS. Word travels fast in high school.

Freshmen saw it.

Sophomores saw it.

Juniors saw it.

Seniors saw it. Even teachers saw it. My video was playing in computer labs, classrooms and on Promethean boards, and the reaction it got was not about my amateur editing. Everyone was laughing at me. When I say that people were laughing, I am not talking about just behind my back. Students of all ages and teachers who teach all subjects would come up to me in the hall and make jokes out

of the video, which apparently did not come off as a parody as I had intended it to.

After day four, the video was suspended for copyright. Even though it was no longer viewable online, enough people had already seen it. The chatter did not stop. Because of this, for months I stopped making videos.

In May, I decided I wanted to audition to be an anchor for the Daily Dose. When I came in to talk to staff advisor Scott Selman to sign up, a student was sitting with him in his office watching videos online. The student recognized me and mentioned my video to Mr. Selman. After watching the video, Selman told me instead of being an anchor, I should come intern with him to help film and edit school productions. After that, I started making videos again. At this point, what was stopping me?

Three years later, I have over 15,000 subscribers on that original channel and 8,000 subscribers on my new one, which I made this past summer.

A large string of embarrassing events is what helped me figure out my career path. Had I not continued making videos, I probably would not have fallen in love with film; I would not have the internship that I have right now; I would not have friends on every continent; I would not be traveling across the country for events to meet up with friends and viewers, and I would not be majoring in communications at UT. My advice to you is to believe that giving up is never an option. Be proud of what you do. Know that petty high school drama should not influence your choices. Be confident enough to stand up for yourself.

Find people who support you and get rid of the toxic friendships and relationships that bring you down.

Believe that you are good enough.

I can’t tell you that getting through the past few years wasn’t difficult and emotionally and mentally draining, but I can tell you that I got through it. I am a graduating senior in high school and I still make YouTube videos, and for that, I am proud of myself.

The most important thing is to believe in yourself. It sounds cliché, but it’s what got me through some of the most difficult situations I have ever experienced. I have no regrets, and I am excited to see what my future in the film department has in store for me.

Goodbyes are harder than Maddie thought

By Maddie Fitzpatrick I was never good with goodbyes. While others have mastered a nice, charismatic farewell with comforting hugs and tearful waves that disappear slowly as the sun sets, I have always resorted to an awkward, plastered smile, incoherent speech and accidentally waving bye when someone offers me a hug. Oh yeah, and has anyone ever responded “You too!” when you’re leaving someone’s house and the host tells you to have a safe trip? No? Okay, that’s just me.

My point is, it’s going to be hard saying goodbye to CHS, or at least harder than I thought. How do you say goodbye to a place you’ve spent the majority of the last four years of your life? To the friends and classmates you’ve grown up with? To the teachers, faculty, and staff whose behind-the-scenes work makes your success possible?

It’s more than saying good-bye to a bunch of names, that’s for sure.

It’s saying goodbye to the details of being a high school student you didn’t even think you’d miss.

Okay, here goes nothing.

Goodbye, CHS building.

I’ll miss your white cinderblocks, and blue and green lockers.

I’ll miss the colored tiles that I admit I have played “hot lava” with from time to time. I’ll miss your one-and-a-half floor, your two-story weight room and your stairs. I’ll miss the art displays, that bronze bull-

dog, the American flag hanging above the Bulldog lobby, the awards and trophies behind glass cases that speak of earlier stars. I’ll miss the band room and its interesting geometry and felt blue walls, the classroom desks that tip back and forth because a leg end is missing and the classic Promethean boards. I’ll miss the cafeteria I never had lunch in, the school food I never ate and the beautiful picnic tables outside. I’ll miss the plain, round clocks, the monotonous sound of the bell ringing and the smell of pizza after school.

I’ll miss fire drills. I’ll miss your rather plain appearance and the congested morning traffic.

Nothing says good morning like traffic.

Goodbye CHS classmates and friends.

I’ll miss the shared laughs, the quick smiles exchanged in the hallways and the ones totally missed (but that’s okay because they were quick, and I only looked stupid for a minute). I’ll miss saying hi, eating lunch in our locker corner together, poking you guys in the hallway and complaining about how tired we are. I’ll miss talking about random things. I’ll miss playing music with you guys, winning a volleyball game and running around the track day after day.

I’ll miss the nervous glances before a test begins and hearing snippets of your conversations that make absolutely no sense at all as I pass you in the hallway. I’ll miss the first day of school

when I get to see all your faces again, the weird tan lines and everything.

Goodbye CHS teachers, faculty, and staff. You all are unbelievable.

I’ll miss the times you called on me to answer the question and I was completely zoned out. I’ll miss your voices, your classroom routines and those days where everyone seems to be having a hard time focusing. I’ll miss your stories, the classroom discussions and when you talk about your child and I remember that you have this whole other life outside of school that I don’t see often. I’ll miss your purposeful walks throughout the hallway to photocopy some papers for your next class, with your pencil tucked behind your ear and CHS lanyard hanging out of your pocket. I’ll miss seeing your dedication when the school day is long over and you’re still here helping. I’ll miss the way the classrooms look, especially when the school year’s coming to an end and you’ve taken down the colorful posters and motivational quotes and the room feels strangely square and unnaturally white. I’ll miss your friendly smiles and the conversations we had that weren’t so much about academics as they were about life.

Goodbye CHS. You’re wildly talented and full of potential. Don’t ever underestimate your ability to bring beauty, joy and change to our community.

2014 In Review

Nah, or Armed guard O Bae Pep rally? (see O) Cyber “bullying” Q Roar, we don’t D Easter Funday Shots fired Full week? (see N) T Gas pedal (x3) U Hella V Who’s the mother?

I want Wi-Fi X Js on my feet K ill em, ooh You thot L et me take a selfie Z Malaysian Mystery # Perrettforlife ne win

uality Olympics

o you wanna build a snowman?

urn down nderwood for Prez

ery fun MUN

-rated assembly

ero degree firedrill