Issue 7, 2017

Deconditioning the myths of hypnotherapy

BY CHLOE LAI AND DIVYA NELAKONDA

C

ommonly seen in movies as a magical process, hypnosis is popularly portrayed by a man slowly swinging a pocket watch in front of his patient’s eyes in order to lull them into a mesmerized state of obedience. While parts of the re-enactment are loosely based on scienti�ic facts, hypnotherapy is, in actuality, useful for medicinal practices to slow brain waves to achieve heightened focus and concentration. This procedure has been found by many doctors to provide signi�icant mental and physical health bene�its, especially when performed on patients with disorders, in need of surgery, or even in a therapy session.

Hypnotherapy was recognized as a valid medical practice since 1958 in America. Several medical professionals, including dentists, anesthesiologists and psychologists are trained in the basic components of hypnotherapy.

The level of success of hypnosis depends on how willing the individual is to act upon suggestion.

Its aim is to relax the mind and increase concentration levels by limiting white noise in the background. The practitioner then poses suggestions that gently guide one’s behavior to release negative feelings. This power of suggestion in a highly responsive state has helped many patients quit unhealthy habits such as smoking or dangerous dieting.

“I feel like hypnosis is almost like tricking your mind into believing an alternative reality where your world is calmer so what you want to �ix can be your main focus,” said freshman Erin Gao. “It would be just like when you’re concentrating on one thing, be-

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY—EPIC

cause you’re giving undivided attention, other factors like your crazy schedule or commitments are on the side for now.”

In this other, calmer state of mind, an individual’s perspective will likely change to become more positive; this is an ideal mindset with the belief system one may wish to achieve.

“Hypnotherapy can reach into the subconscious mind more deeply. Getting deep into a person’s inner space and having them hear positive words in regard to changes they want to make with themselves is a profound way to make changes,” said hypnotherapist June Steiner. “Hypnosis can help change thoughts, change belief systems, change behaviors [and’ change the outcome of one’s actions. There’s very little that hypnosis can’t help with. It can help with healing and the nature of the human

body.”

A typical session of hypnosis begins with the practitioner asking the patient to close his or her eyes and visualize a relaxing scene, hence putting the mind at ease and slowing down brain waves-all while the patient is in a conscious state. In a state of tranquility it will be easier for the patient to concentrate.

If one has the motivation and desire to change behaviors based on the procedure before a hypnotherapy session, he or she will be more vulnerable to hypnosis and be more agreeable.

“Oftentimes, when I’m angry or I have a lot going on, it’s hard to to be open to ideas. But when I’m just sitting in my room and I’m feeling positive that day, I’m pretty open to change,” said sophomore Sonali Mbouombouo.

Once concentration is reached, the

New ASB changes made for the upcoming year

BY SRINIDHI SESHADRI

A

SB will implement several changes for the 2017 to 2018 school year, including introducing a new ASB adviser, instituting a new commission replacing the Athletics and Clubs commissions and altering the structure of the class of�icer teams.

The current ASB advisor is Andrea Badger, who also teaches Accounting and Principles of Business. Her role as adviser will be taken over by Jason Lee, a current science teacher. Lee is the current class adviser for the Class of 2017 and has experience engaging with student leaders.

“I am here to support the ASB of�icers and commissioners; they are running the show,” said Lee. “I feel like my job will be to provide the team input from observations or feedback and properly following student government protocols.”

ASB will also replace the Clubs and Athletics commissions with a new Community Link commission.

“Clubs will still be there as a part of community link next year, but just in a different way,” said sophomore Pranav Saravanan, a Clubs commissioner. “For example, we’ll still be able to hold events like club food day or club info day but it’ll just be more community based events.”

ASB of�icers have found that these two commissions only target very speci�ic groups of people, and the variety of events that can be hosted by these commissions is very narrow. Other commissions are able to branch out and host different events, yet Athletics and Clubs are unable to.

“We felt that establishing community link would allow the commissioners in that position to pursue these kind of clubs and athletics events,” said junior Lillian Chen, ASB president-elect. “They can serve the school in that way but also be able to expand their horizons by doing other sorts of events as well.”

ASB will also change how class of�ice will be structured. Currently, both the class of 2019 and 2020 have only one vice president,

while the class of 2018 has two and the class of 2017 has three. For the following year, freshman, sophomore and junior classes will have two vice-presidents, thus expanding the size of future class of�ice by one for the freshman and sophomore classes.

Additionally, unlike previous years, one out of �ive class of�icers will be from Hyde Middle School instead of Miller Middle School due to an increase of students from Hyde.

The ratio of class of�icers from each school is approximately the same as the number of students from that school that will be attending Lynbrook in an effort to ensure fairness and equal representation of students.

“For freshmen, being their �irst year it would de�initely help to split the work between �ive people and it would also help increase general unity for the freshmen class,” said Chen.

Overall, the changes made to ASB will hopefully foster more creativity, improve representation around campus and better streamline administrative practices.

process of induction–the step before actual hypnosis–will ensue.

Induction is the stage in which the patient enters a state of relaxation, able to receive instructions from the practitioner.

The method of induction is based on the preference of the client. The �irst form of induction includes the use of authority, where the practitioner gives instructions in declarative sentences. Another form is guided visualization, in which the practitioner uses vocal descriptions of images to ease the patient into hypnosis. The practitioner may use auditory induction, such as quiet music or repetition of words and sounds. With better knowledge of the patient, the practitioner can then use emotional cues or probes to induce the patient into hypnosis. The �inal common method of induction is the use of analogies, metaphors and associative statements. These methods of induction allow the patient to narrow their attention and block out sensory impressions.

The client will then enter three stages of hypnosis. The �irst state is hypnoidal, which is the lightest stage of hypnosis. It is characterized by �luttering eye movements.

The next state of hypnosis is the cataleptic stage. It is somewhat deeper, contextualized by eye movements from side-to-side. The �inal stage of hypnosis is somnambulistic, the deepest state. This state is characterized by the patient’s eyes rolling backwards. The hypnoidal and cataleptic states are amnesic in nature, where the patient can experience subconscious suggestions, but not remember them later. The somnambulistic state allows the patient to enter see HYPNOSIS page 11

CONBODY// pg. 14

Lynbrook finishes strong at national

BY CATHERINE HUANG

O

n April 6 and 7, Lynbrook’s three Japan Bowl teams competed at the National Japan Bowl in Washington D.C, where Levels II, III and IV placed third, �irst and sixth respectively out of more than 200 competitors across the nation. One team of three students competed at each level; these teams were selected through a test moderated by Lynbrook Japan Bowl advisers Jeremy Kitchen and Sensei Kumi Kobayashi. Freshmen Sunhoo Ahn, Lauren Okamoto and Han Lin competed in Level II, sophomore Ashley Gong and juniors Kevin Liu and Sophia Yuan competed in Level III and juniors Alie Wu and Amber Lee competed in Level IV. Teammate Claire Chou was unable to make the �light to Washington D.C. The National Japan Bowl was �irst created by the Japan-America Society of Washington D.C. in 1992 with the intent of encouraging students to delve deeper into the Japanese language and culture. Student competitors compete in groups of three under one of the three categories, Level II, III and IV, based on the length of their Japanese studies. In the competition, teams are asked a series of questions in the Open Round about Japanese culture, society, daily customs, history, geography, current events and the language itself.

The Open Round is then followed by a Conversation Round, where teams are assessed based on their ability to communicate effectively with a native Japanese speaker. Based on these results, the top three teams from each level compete in a �inal round held in front of a live audience.

In order to prepare for the competition, teams formed study groups and held practice rounds using questions compiled by Kitchen and Kobayashi. Teams met individually and together and drafted study guides and study questions from online sources and experiences from the higher level teams.

“Since my team and I were from the lower level, we were able to ask questions to people from the higher level, because they’ve already competed in our level before,” said freshman Sunhoo Ahn. “Next year I’d compete in Level 3, and there will be another Level 2 team. One of my bigger goals would be to help the Level 2 team by sharing my personal experiences at the competition with them, so they could be more successful.”

Those with experience also assisted �irst time competitors by sharing their competition experiences and potential questions for the lower levels.

“Next year I will not be able to participate in Japan Bowl because I already competed in Level IV,” said junior Alie Wu. “But I am still planning to help Japan Bowl competitors by answering their questions, giving them test questions, and

speaking to them in Japanese to help them practice for the Conversation Round.”

Even with weekly practices, the team was still surprised by the results of the competition.

“I was really shocked, because we weren’t sure if we would even make the Championship Round,” said sophomore Ashley Gong. “When they called us for placing �irst, our whole team started screaming. On stage during the Championship Round, it was extremely nerve-wracking, especially because we had to answer using a buzzer.”

Aside from the competition, Japan-American Society also hosted a variety of special activities and guests for the event.

Japan Bowl participants attended the Sakura Matsuri cultural festival hosted by Japan-American Society the day after the competition, and a friendly competition between Japan Bowl advisers, which Kitchen participated in, was also held to celebrate the 25th anniversary of National Japan Bowl.

The team also had the opportunity to explore Washington D.C. and visit various tourist destinations.

“The most exciting experience was going to Washington D.C. for the �irst time and visiting places like the White House and Lincoln Memorial with the team,” said Ahn. “Not only do you learn more Japanese at Japan Bowl, you also learn to work as a team and learn to bond with one another.”

ALL PHOTOS USED WITH PERMISSION OF AMBER LEE

GROUP PICTURE| All Japan Bowl competitors pose in front of the competition venue in Washington, D.C.

COMPETITION TIME| From left to right: Junior Sophia Yuan, sophomore Ashley Gong and junior Kevin Liu compete.

AWARDS| From left to right: Kobiyashi Sensei, freshmen Sunhoo Ahn, Lauren Okamoto and Han Lin, and Kitchen Sensei hold their awards.

Proposed changes to sexual education cause dissent

BY PATRICIA WEI

Letter from the Editors Dear readers, We hope you enjoyed a relaxing spring break and are ready to �inish the school year strong!

Check out the news section for stories about Lynbrook students who competed in the National Japan Bowl (pg. 2), as well a recap of Lynbrook’s �irst ever Spring Formal (pg. 3).

Be sure to read opinionated stories on Congress’ vote to repeal Internet privacy regulations (pg. 4), the inaccurate representations of schools in the new California school ranking system (pg. 5)and the controversy about the Oxford comma (pg.

6).

Flip to the features section to read articles about the cast of the upcoming �ilm series, “Synesthesia” (pg. 7), and a review of the Net�lix original series, “Thirteen Reasons Why” (pg. 8).

In the in-depth section, read about how beauty affects a person in the workplace (pg. 10), an analysis of the origins of human ethics and morality (pg. 11)and the bene�its and downsides of genetically modi�ied organisms (pg. 12).

Keep up with Lynbrook athletics in the sports section with a feature of a competitive rower (pg. 13), and a re�lection on the Conbody Challenge (pg. 14).

This issue spans a multitude of interests, so you are sure to �ind something you like, whether it be student features or stories on different aspects of our school.

Happy reading, Jessica Luo and Shreyas Iyer

A

t a Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) board meeting on March 28, the CUSD Board voted on the adoption of a new sexual education health curriculum, Health Connected: Teen Talk Middle School.

With a tie of 2-2, the curriculum was not passed.

The creation of a new sexual education curriculum is a response to Assembly Bill 239, also known as the California Healthy Youth Act (CHYA). This bill was signed by governor Jerry Brown in Jan. 2016 and ensures that schools must cover sexual harassment, sexual assault, adolescent relationship abuse, intimate partner violence and sex traf�icking in their human growth and development (HG&D) curriculums. The CHYA also prevents schools from teaching only abstinence-based sex education. Previously, schools have only been required to cover HIV prevention.

“Numerous studies show that young people who have received comprehensive sex education start sexually intimate relationship later than those who haven’t received sex ed, or than those who have received ‘abstinence-only’ programs,” said Heidi Winig, director of Bay Area Communities for Health Education. “And when they do start having sex, they are more likely to use contraception and protection. Many studies also show increased knowledge and skills about how to talk to their parents about sexuality and relationships.”

Since the current CUSD curriculum does not comply with the standards of Assembly Bill 239, the HG&D Task Force, consisting of parents, teachers, administrators, nurses, a student, the CUSD Instructional Coach and the CUSD Chief of Family Engagement, was created in the spring of 2016 to develop a new curriculum for seventh grade sex education. Interested parents

were open to join in June 2016.

This task force advised the CUSD board to implement Health Connected: Teen Talk Middle School.

“Our goal was to be in compliance with the California law and �ind the best way we thought the content could be delivered,” said Taruna Khanna, a parent on the HG&D Task Force. “We looked at a variety of curriculum and chose Health Connected because it is project-based and allows students to express themselves and have conversations about so-

ciety and humanity.”

Health Connected uses methods such as role playing, workshops and discussions to make sexual education engaging for students.

“Our curricula is purposefully adaptable so teachers can tailor instruction to best meet the unique needs of our state’s diverse communities, students, and classrooms while meeting the requirements of CHYA,” said Jennifer Rogers, communications manager and health educator at Health Connected. “Our experience has taught us that not one district, classroom, or student is the same.”

At the board meeting on March 28, parents voiced concerns about the curriculum, its selection process and their level of involvement. Some were concerned that the procedure of adopting a new sexual education curriculum was not transparent enough for parents uninvolved in the Task Force.

“Parents welcome law-compliant, age appropriate, culturally sensitive sex education,” said Sue Tan*, a Miller parent. “Comprehensive sex education protects every child in our community from sexually transmitted disease. However, CUSD did a poor job in engaging parents, which is upsetting.”

Some parents, however, found some of the content in Health Connected’s curriculum inappropriate. A petition was created and included an excerpt from the curriculum’s appendix in which kids were asked to brainstorm different ways of having sex.

“Students should not be brainstorming how to have sex,” said a Shalini Kaushik, a Miller parent. “They should be brainstorming ideas, ways to improve the world and the community. Sex is such a natural thing that they will eventually come to know about.”

Because the Health Connected: Teen Talk Middle School curriculum was not passed, students in CUSD will not be learning sexual education this year.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY DIVYA NELAKONDA

News in Brief

Fashion Show The annual Indesign Fashion Show will be on May 19 at 7 p.m. in the quad. Be sure to buy your tickets for $7 in the quad the week before and come out to watch Indesign show off their hard work!

Valkyries Spring Show The Valkyries are having their annual spring show on May 20 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the gym. Tickets are $7 and will be sold starting two weeks before the show, so come out to watch the Valks shine in their last show of the year!

UNDER THE LIGHTS| Students talk, eat and hang out during the dance.

dress code would be easier to follow, and that it would appeal to more students. “[The Great Gatsby theme] is very extravagant, and I feel like that’s something that hasn’t really been brought to Lynbrook,” said Jain.

ASB Social chose to host Spring Formal in the Cove rather than the gym in hopes that the smaller space would create a more intimate atmosphere. As the Cove has never been used to host a dance before, it was an attempt to try something new. The different layout of the Cove allowed for unique decorations such as clear drapes and lights to be hung.

The dance featured hors d’oeuvres, a photo booth and music by DJ Jefty, the same DJ as 2018’s junior prom. With feedback from the attendees, ASB Social hopes to improve upon its dances for the future.

Whether Spring Formal, speci�ically, will happen again is up to next year’s Social Commission, since the goal is to tailor to the students’ interest.

LIFE OF THE PARTY| Students have fun forming a wild congo line around the Cove.

SADHANA SARMA—EPIC

By Mehek Kapur

O

n April 22, Lynbrook hosted its �irst ever Spring Formal, a Great Gatsby-themed night full of ambient lighting and well-dressed students. In an effort to combat the low turnout at last year’s spring event, Spring Fling, ASB Social put increased effort toward promoting this event.

ASB members visited classrooms in cocktail attire and handed out invitations to all Lynbrook students.

The decision to host a formal dance was fueled by a desire to improve attendance from Spring Fling last year, as well as to ful�ill the wishes of the students.

“Through a student input campaign, a lot of people either wanted a Sadies or a Winter Formal to be brought back, so we decided we could sort of combine the two, and create a Spring Formal, which is similar to what the students wanted, but also different in its own way,” said sophomore Diya Jain, a Social Commissioner.

For the past two years, Winter Formal has been cancelled due to a decline in attendance in recent years. In the past the Sadie Hawkins dance, where girls traditionally ask boys, was also cancelled due to low attendance but was proposed many times as a replacement for Winter Formal as well. Due to issues with gender roles as well as wanting to be modern, however, Social decided not to hold a Sadies dance. “[ASB Social] felt that we lived in a very progressive community, and Sadies is an old tradition so we decided not to bring it back as well as including opinions from the student input campaign,” said Jain.

Lynbrook students showed an increase in interest about bringing back Winter Formal, leading the ASB Social commissioners to come up with Spring Formal. Once the decision to host the event was made, ASB Social had to decide on several aspects of the event, from location to theme.

A Great Gatsby dance was chosen over a masquerade dance with the belief that the

SADHANA SARMA—EPIC

FUHSD Art Show Come see a wide range of art made by FUHSD students during the FUHSD Art Show from April 10 to May 12 at the FUHSD district of�ice!

BY SADHANA SARMA

SADHANA SARMA—EPIC

Pops Concert Watch Lynbrook’s choir, band and orchestra during their annual Pops Concert! The show will on Wednesday, May 17 and Thursday, May 19 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the auditorium. Tickets are $5, so don’t miss out on the last music concert of the year!

ASB holds first Spring Formal dance

PHOTO BOOTH| Sophomores Iman Haq, Ananya Manjunath and Anika Murthy pose for a photo.

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Congress authorizes violations of privacy Internet service providers allowed to sell customer internet data without permission

BY MICHELLE LUM

W

ith more than 286 million Americans connected to the Internet today, it is a daunting thought that data from their online activity can be collected by Internet service providers (ISPs), such as Comcast and AT&T, and shared without permission. In March, however, Congress voted to repeal yet-to-beimplemented watershed regulations that would require ISPs to receive customers’ permission before using or selling their data, taking a step back for Internet privacy protections.

On March 23, the Senate voted 5048 in favor of Senate Joint Resolution 34 to overturn the aforementioned Internet privacy regulations passed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in October 2016, during the last few days of the Obama administration. Following the Senate vote, the House of Representatives voted 215-205 to pass the resolution on March 28, and it was signed into law by President Trump on April 3.

Since ISPs no longer have to obtain customer permission before selling their data, including but not limited to web browsing history, location history and app usage from the amount of activity that customers conduct online, many believe that

this resolution marks a regression for the privacy rights of Americans.

“It was wrong for them to overturn [the privacy regulations] because people need privacy. If [ISPs] sell our information without us knowing, that is a violation of our rights,” said sophomore Sannie Chiu. “There are things that people need to keep to themselves. Everyone puts out everything online.”

The landmark regulations overturned by this repeal would have additionally provided Internet users with much stronger privacy protections and safeguards against hackers and thieves.

“If we get down to the main part of the issue, it is just that corporations should not have the right to play with personal lives. There is a point where it gets out of hand,” said junior Sultaan Ahmad. “They have overstepped many principles of basic

humanity by doing this. I would say that, unequivocally, corporations should not have the right to access our personal information. There is just no reason for that in the �irst place.”

The argument of those in favor of the repeal has been that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should regulate privacy, not the FCC. Additionally, prominent �igures supporting the repeal, such as FCC chairman Ajit Pai, have said that the previously passed FCC regulations for ISPs would be unfair because FTC regulations for providers like Google and Facebook, which provide services over the Internet, would not have been as strict as the regulations for ISPs. This argument, however, is �lawed since edge provider users can easily switch to other services if they do not approve of a certain service’s privacy pol-

icy, but customers usually do not have much choice in ISPs, due to limited selection in most areas. It is also important to note that unlike ISPs, which can see almost all customer activity on the Internet, edge providers cannot see all the websites that users visit, only what users do on their particular platforms.

Under the Congressional Review Act, which states that new legislation cannot be passed if it is the same as legislation that has been overturned in the past, the repeal of the privacy protections also means that the FCC will not be able to pass similar regulations in the future. This leaves many worried about the future in online privacy. “[The repeal] is a step backward.

Any hope of a future with Internet privacy might be gone,” said freshman Joyce Tung. “[ISPs] are supposed to serve their customers, not other companies, so if they are selling their data without permission, they are just betraying their customers.”

Congress and President Trump have erred in their decision to overturn ISP regulations that would have preserved fundamental rights of American citizens. Their actions set back the privacy of Internet users, and establish an uncertain future in online privacy in a time when states are scrambling to propose and pass legislation to counter the rollback of what would have been critical Internet privacy protections.

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY AND MICHYLA LIN—EPIC

JOCY HE//IN MY OPINION

Pepsi’s commercial sugar coats reality

W

hile scrolling through my Instagram feed one day, I came across a Pepsi commercial and noticed the comments section was full of criticism. Naturally, I watched the video, which features pop culture icon Kendall Jenner in the middle of a photoshoot while a protest takes place.

She joins after an Asian cellist invites her in, while ripping off her blonde wig and grabbing a can of Pepsi. As Jenner approaches the police of�icer in the front of the protest, a Muslim photographer shoots pictures of her as she “ends” a protest with a Pepsi.

I agree with the public’s angry reaction that Pepsi appropriated the video to sell its drink and ignored the struggles of the protesters. Instead of revealing the brutality of a protest, the ad shows smiling marchers, completely dismissing the legitimacy of real issues and protests in the world. It also shows racial stereotypes, with African American hip hop dancers and an Asian male cellist.

While the cause of the protest isn’t clear in the video, people believe Jenner’s move is an attempt to reference the famous image of the Baton Rouge protest that shows Ieshia Evans peacefully protesting the shooting of Alton Sterling, an African American man shot by the police in 2016. The Jenner image also re�lects the one of the �lower child in the March of the Pentagon, where a girl is

shown giving a �lower to the police to protest against the Vietnam War. The difference between these heroic pictures and Jenner’s is that the issue that the protesters are �ighting for in the Pepsi advertisement isn’t even mentioned. In contrast to the Pepsi ad, which shows simple signs stating “love” and “join the conversation”, the other movements express a much more serious topic in our society that shouldn’t be trivialized in a commercial. The previous movements and �igures have suffered severe consequences for their displays of resistance, but Pepsi trivialized such actions by using them in an advertisement.

The commercial also shows several people of color being stereotyped in obvious ways. While it was an attempt to include diversity, it was a poorly planned out effort considering that Pepsi used the cliché stereotypes of each race. The ad shows an Asian man randomly playing the cello and black males dancing during the protest; instead, they should’ve been more racially sensitive

and shown different races protesting for a more signi�icant purpose. The irrelevant actions of the Asian man and the dancers also doesn’t correlate with the protesting; Pepsi is just trying to include as many different ethnic groups as possible in order for the advertisement to look “diverse”. This all adds on to Jenner’s harmful white savior image and the importance of her aid to the colored protesters. The white savior image reinforces the white superiority that Jenner seems to hold in the video and can in�luence the thoughts of young children of color when they see the commercial on television. Pepsi shouldn’t try to include ethnic groups to look “diverse” nor stereotype them in any way.

Pepsi’s decision to release this ad is insensitive toward real protestors and cultural minorities as it shows the irrational image of a white supermodel dissolving a protest with a can of soda. Protesters in movements have sacri�iced their lives to �ight for their beliefs but somehow, years of protesting are able to be �ixed in the minute-long advertisement.

California School Dashboard rankings are misleading

BY MEERA BALAJI

C

alifornia has recently changed its school ranking system by moving away from the traditional API (Academic Performance Index) score to an assessment of various components within a school. While the former system determined a school’s ranking based solely on test results, the newly implemented Dashboard system looks at different factors within a school and prioritizes growth over performance.

While this change seems to be a modern approach to holistically evaluating a school,but despite its initial appeal, this change creates new problems when it comes to accurately assessing a school’s rating, as it relies on subjective criteria rather than generalized statistics.

“The new system seeks to provide a more a holistic understanding of our school. It provides information that involves more than test scores,” said principal Maria Jackson, explaining the decision to move away from using the API score to determine a school’s rank.

The API score lacks the comprehensive approach that the Dashboard system utilizes, but it provides an empirical and fairly clear analysis of the academic performance of the student population.

The Dashboard Rankings have led parents and teachers alike to misunderstand the new criteria. Schools receive color-coded ratings for the quality of each factor they assess.

The factors judged are the �luctuation in suspension rate, graduation rate, increases in �luency for students in the English Language Development department, indications of the preparedness of graduating seniors for postsecondary education and CAASPP results.

This new high prioritization of growth misinforms the public about a school’s actual performance.

Brooklyn Avenue Elementa-

ry in Los Angeles currently has the highest ranking of blue in math, only because its score has risen by 16 points, despite the fact that over half of Brooklyn Avenue’s students failed to meet statewide requirements in math. On the other hand, over 90 percent of students in West Hillsborough Hills Elementary in San Mateo County scored above pro�icient in math, but the school was given the second highest ranking, because there was a slight decline from 94.8 to 91.7 points.

Sophomore Annie Pan believes that the newer system puts Lynbrook at a disadvantage.

“Lynbrook always performs well ANNIE PAN on standardized testSOPHOMORE ing, but the score can �luctuate b y a couple points.

It’s not fair that a school who has lower scores than Lynbrook could be ranked higher just because

“IT’S A LOT HARDER TO COMPARE SCHOOLS THIS WAY, AND WHILE THE API SCORE SYSTEM WASN’T PERFECT, IT MADE MORE SENSE.”

their score went up a few points.” said Pan. One component of a ranking is “school climate”, an evaluation of school safety and connectedness. A school’s climate will be judged by a survey given every other year that is solely based off the perception of students. It will administered rather sporadically, only to 1 of the 4 grades every two years.

Junior Nikhil Vytla believes that this heavily increased importance on inherently vacillating evidence is misleading to schools whose students do not perform well on standardized testing.

“I prefer the API score because it portrays a more realistic approach to California’s current level of educational performance.” said Vytla. “It is important to recognize growth, but painting a rosy picture of school statuses doesn’t help nearly as much as confronting the reality of the situation.”

There is obviously more to a school’s credentials apart from the scores of its students, but a more objective approach should be taken to create a comprehensive ranking system. The transition to this new system only produces imprecise information that cannot accurately assess the quality of the education.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY OPINION SECTION

AURELIA YANG//IN MY OPINION

Don’t judge students who take initiative

W

henever students create new clubs or organizations outside of school, brief backlash usually ensues, with judgements of “she’s such a tryhard” or “he’s only doing that to get into a good college” uttered among peers.

When I �irst heard these comments said about some of my peers who took the initiative to establish their own organizations, I was surprised by the great number of negative responses directed toward them.

I had always perceived these students to be individuals of strong leadership quality and ambition, not students who were “doing it just for colleges,” which is apparently the general perception of these hardworking individuals in the Bay Area.

There may be instances where individuals establish clubs or organizations for the purpose of looking better in front of their peers or impressing colleges, but people shouldn’t use these few cases to make a false generalization. There’s usually more to a student’s intention to start a club than what others make it to be, whether it be their own interests or by a genuine will to impart good within the community.

My original motive behind starting up a non-pro�it, The Buddy Organization, to serve special needs kids was not college or reputation-driven—I was inspired by my brother and his autism spectrum disorder, and I wanted to help out the special needs community. I had been actively working with and teaching special needs kids for six years, and started up the organization to further my service endeavors. The organization provides these children with a high school mentor who works with them one on one consistently to help them improve their everyday social and communication skills. I recruited some of my friends who had experience working with special needs kids to help out and expansion the organization from there.

Every Friday, my team board and I would have weekly meetings at my house to review and plan for future growth. Our team started out with �ive original workers, and that amount soon tripled within a few months. The number of families that the organization worked with also grew dramatically, allowing us to reach a wider scope of families with special needs kids.

I was elated—after months of hard work and late night meetings, our efforts had paid off.

I remember talking to one of my friends about plans for the organization a few months ago, and the �irst thing he asked me was if I was starting it up “because it looks good on college apps,” which both shocked and hurt me. It felt like he was undermining the months of planning and preparation I had done with my team, the many years I had spent helping and mentoring kids with special needs, and my general passion to serve the special needs community. It was because he didn’t know the full story that he automatically placed me into this category of “college-pleasers” who have a negative connotation attached to their actions.

I know many other students who start up organizations with good intentions as well, which is why it’s unfortunate when people generalize students who found their own clubs or organizations to doing so solely for reputation or college competitivity bene�its. Although such instances may exist, these generalizations undermine the efforts of individuals who have genuine intentions and play a large role in evoking negative judgement from peers.

Lawsuit confirms need for consensus on Oxford comma

BY NOELA BAE

I

n a recent Maine court case ruling, the lack of an Oxford — or serial — comma in Maine’s overtime laws cost Oakhurst Dairy, a Maine-based dairy company, $10 million. The Oxford comma is an optional comma that is used before an “and” or “or” when listing out three or more items. Yet because this single incident instigated an entire court case and cost a company exorbitant amounts, the use of an Oxford comma should no longer be optional and should be written into Strunk and White, the American English writing style guide, in order to preclude the prospect of future confusion.

Oakhurst Dairy’s milk truck drivers observed the want of the Oxford comma in Maine’s overtime laws, which explicitly state that overtime pay does not apply to the following: The canning, processing, preserving, freezing, drying, marketing, storing, packing for shipment or distribution of: (1) Agricultural produce; (2) Meat and �ish products; and (3) Perishable foods.

Because of the lack of an Oxford comma between the words “shipment” and “or,” it is unclear as to whether the law is trying to exempt overtime pay for the distribution of the three categories that follow, or for the packing for the shipping or distribution of them. Had there been a comma after “shipment,” it would have been evident that the law exempted the overtime pay for the distribution of the three categories.

“The way this law is worded, and the comma placements are a little misleading. One can interpret differently, thinking that this law intends to exempt speci�ically packing for the shipping. If the Oxford comma was added right after the word shipment, this law would have made complete sense to everybody,” said sophomore Meghna Kaligotla.

Believing that they performed certain items on this overtime law, Oakhurst’s milk truck drivers �iled a lawsuit against the company about being eligible for overtime pay, and the U.S. Appeals Court sided with them.

The Court claimed that the absence of an Oxford comma does indeed render the overtime pay exemptions ambiguous and further maintained that in an ambiguous situation, labor laws are structured to bene�it employees. In this case, Oakhurst Dairy would have to

pay its milk truck drivers $10 million.

“It may seem like using or not using a comma is a very minor issue, but as you can tell from this case, it does matter,” said freshman Nisha Fernandes.

It may be argued that the Oxford comma was omitted in Maine’s overtime law because the state guidelines instruct drafters to eschew the commas. Yet, an Oxford comma is, in fact, used later on in the statement between the words “products” and “and” in clause (2), thus contradicting this argument.

Aside from utilizing them in legal statutes, Oxford commas should be used in general to clarify long lists of items instead of detracting them. For example, the following senNAOMI ROLLINS tence: “I would like to thank ENGLISH TEACHER my parents, Hanna and Sharon” confuses the readers as to whether “Hanna and Sharon” are the parents or whether the “parents, Hanna, and Sharon” are all separate beings. Moreover, Oxford commas force readers to pause and help eliminate the sense of overwhelmedness or breathlessness. Because of such instances, the Oxford comma should therefore be utilized as a means of eliminating this sense of breathlessness.

“I personally like to use the Oxford comma because it helps you separate different lists or ideas,” said literature teacher Naomi Rollins. “By leaving off that last comma before the “and” [in a list of items] makes the sentence feel incomplete. ” Opponents of the Oxford comma, however, contend that the comma itself is pretentious and does not ease clarity. Yet both of these arguments can easily be countered: those who believe that the Oxford comma is excessive do not understand that haughtiness does not stem from the punctuation, but rather from the tone or manner the author writes in.

Those who believe that the comma does not ease clarity are not playing around with the syntax or wording of the sentence enough. For instance, the following sentence: “I met my dad, Chris and Mary” can easily be rearranged using t he oxford comma to “I met Chris, Mary, and my dad.”

Instead of having to cope with the vagaries of judgment calls, it should merely be agreed upon nationally that the Oxford comma be employed all the time. After all, if it means saving $10 million, then taking an additional second to draw or type in a curved line will be long worth it.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY JESSICA LI

“I PERSONALLY LIKE TO USE THE OXFORD COMMA BECAUSE IT HELPS YOU SEPARATE DIFFERENT LISTS OR IDEAS.”

Adviser approval needed to improve safety of Spoons tradition

A

mid the chaos of Spoons, concerns about the game’s safety and recent student injuries have brought the game under intense scrutiny. To ensure that the game can be played for years to come while keeping it safe, class advisors should be more closely involved in making Spoons safe by having moderators check in with them frequently about how the game is being run and by representing the administration when approving or rejecting certain ideas.

Spoons is one of the most anticipated aspects of senior year and a highly valued Lynbrook tradition.

“I think [Spoons] is one of the most important things as a senior,” said senior Amber Masse, this year’s Spoons winner. “Everyone looks forward to it, and de�initely for me I was never really into spirit until I started Spoons, and the event solidi�ied Lynbrook as my home. It meant the world to me that all of us could come together. I think that it’s probably one of the most valuable experiences of high school, and I will never forget the moments.”

Concerns regarding the safety of Spoons, especially during immunities and �inal challenges, are understandable; however, imposing too many regulations is not the best solution as it compromises the game itself and makes it signi�icantly less entertain-

Staff Editorial The Voice of the Epic ing for students.

One way to achieve a balance between safety and entertainment is to get all plans for future immunities and challenges approved by class advisers. It is also more feasible for of�icers to get approval from class advisers, as they are more easily accessible to students than many administrators. Enforcing this will ensure that administration has a say in all Spoons-related events.

“I think [getting class adviser approval] is very doable, and it’s okay to get immunities checked with our class advisers before we do them, because ideally you want to have pretty much the entire Spoons script written out before the game starts,” said junior Stephanie Li, current 2018 class treasurer and vice president-elect.

Another possible way to reduce the number of injuries caused by Spoons is to eliminate the physical aspect of the �inal challenges. Events that could lead to shoving, pushing or other dangerous actions would be modi�ied or removed altogether.

“Most of this year’s injuries during Spoons came from the challenges that we did toward the end, where �inalists had to do physical challenges to get a special spoon,” said senior class president and Spoons moderator David

Lee. “I think three or four injuries were because of that, so you could scrap that to be safer next year.”

It is important to recognize that part of the responsibility falls to the players of Spoons. To help keep the game safe and to support the efforts of class advisers, the class itself should also adhere more closely to the current restrictions of Spoons.

“The moderators, advisers and administrators can and have put safety measures in place, but it is up to the participants to follow through,” said Jason Lee, class adviser of 2017.

In considering the safety of Spoons, one must also take into account that there are other events on campus that might result in similarly dangerous situations to those of Spoons. Student-run sports events, two of which include Spikefest and March Madness, place students in potentially dangerous situations. yet these events generally proceed on the principle that students are trusted to be careful enough not to get hurt.

“I understand that the goal is to protect our students, but injuries happen,” said David. “It’s like a sport.

Do we [impose regulations on] sports because people get injured during sports?”

Improving administrative decisionmaking in the Spoons creation process will best ensure that seniors will still have fun while remaining safe.

*the Epic staff voted 28-0 in favor of this stance.

CATHERINE HUANG--EPIC

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY JUSTINE CHEN

A

n upcoming web-series ‘Synesthesia” is created and directed by senior Mayer Adelberg and will premier on May 6. “Synesthesia” delves into the life of teenagers in the Bay Area and their interest in the arts; inspired by one of Adelberg’s passions of integrating the arts into the dominating science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum of the Bay Area, this show is a witty, realistic depiction of what challenges a teenager pursuing art in the Bay Area would face. More than that, “Synesthesia” is a story about the �luctuation of experiences in a teenager’s life.

Adelberg came up with the idea for this web-series in Aug. 2016, mainly inspired by the song “Synesthesia” by Andrew McMahon.

“I was so motivated by the lyrics and song in general that it got me interested in writing the script for the series,” said Adelberg.

“I wanted to incorporate the idea of the song, but I also wanted to incorporate ideas that I’ve been wanting to write about for a long time, about high school artists, and a show on high school in general.”

Adelberg began writing a script and pitched the idea to one of his friends from the �ilm department at De Anza College, which he attended for one year as a participant of the Middle College program. The series revolves around a high school artist, Zeke Grif�iths, and his experiences and struggles to create the best senior prom the

school has ever seen, after being spitefully chosen as the head of the senior prom committee by his arch-nemesis, Rick Nespo, who also happens to be the senior class president.

After Adelberg decided to turn his idea into a full-scale production, he invited other Lynbrook students to help him with his project.

Junior Diana Magnusson was approached

by Adelberg in Sept. 2016 for help and criticism on the pilot episode. They stayed in contact through the drafting and brainstorming process, and when the project �inally became a reality, she was brought on as a casting director and eve n t u a l ly became second Assistant Director as well as a writer.

As production continued Magnusson began to add more responsibilities. Magnusson enjoyed her experience working on the project and is hopeful that students will love it.

“It’s great to work with wonderful group of people to try to make this web series the

very best it can be and who are extremely passionate about the work that they do,” said Magnusson.

Senior Natalie Fine, who joined in January, is another integral part of the production as the Script Supervisor. Being part of the show’s production has been impactful.

“Since I joined the team, I’ve started to perceive �ilm differently,” said Fine. “My favorite [part] has probably been getting to learn about what goes into making �ilms or TV shows. I just think about the work for making the shot and feel extremely proud of the work that we have produced. ” O t h e r students involved in the project include senior Reece Breuckman, who plays the role of Kiersten Sullivan in the show; senior Thibaut Gontier, the �irst Assistant Director and Production Supervisor; sophomore Adam Katz, who plays the part of Jason Lewis; senior Joshua

Soong, the Unit Publicist; sophomore Patricia Wei, the Key Production Assistant; senior Advaith Narayan and sophomore Greg Gontier, who serve as Production Assistants; junior Nicolas Rios, the �irst Assistant Camera; and senior Alyssa Echanove, the makeup artist.

Throughout the process of creating “Synesthesia,” Adelberg faced many struggles and challenges, from �inancing issues to roadblocks in creativity. In January, Adelberg created a Kickstarter campaign in hopes of funding the project, and was able to garner around $5500.

“In the beginning there were times when we had trouble carving out the script we envisioned,” said Adelberg. “Later on we had some challenges with �inances, but luckily with generous sponsors we were able to get past that.”

The pilot episode is set to release on Saturday, May 6, and there will also be a premiere of the series in San Francisco on May 5. The �irst season will include seven total episodes, with one episode released every subsequent Friday night on the series’ website (synesthesiaseries.com), Youtube, Vimeo and IMDB. The series has been rated TV-14 for strong language, sexual situations, teen drinking and drug use. “Synesthesia” takes a look into the typical challenges facing high schoolers in today’s day and age, and Adelberg and the rest of the production crew hope that those who watch the series will be able to relate and sympathize with the characters, while enjoying the plot of the series.

and more humid, allergies start to roll in.

One way to prevent this from happening is to stay cool. When indoors, turn on the air conditioning to the low 60s. This �ilters out the mold and pollen in the air, leaving the surroundings clean. Humidity also plays a large role in causing allergies because dust mites and pollen cling onto humid air to live.

Try to keep the air around you dry and clean by using a humidi�ier, which helps to reduce the amount of dust, mold and odor in the air. Make sure to clean the humidi�ier regularly to ensure that the dust as well as the pollen does not accumulate.

3. Night Showers Taking showers in the morning has its bene�its, but during allergy season, it only encourages pollen to cling onto your freshly washed hair and body. Instead, take showers at night to wash off all the pollen and dust that has been settling in your hair throughout the day, which will help signi�icantly reduce allergy symptoms. Night showers also allow for a good night’s sleep without worrying about transferring pollen and dust onto your pillows and sheets. A hot shower can also help clear out the sinuses.

but also helps during allergy season.

Spicy foods are natural decongestants and are a great way to unclog your sinuses. They help release histamine, the chemical that causes sneezing and stuf�iness in the nose. Do keep in mind, however, that spicy foods are not for everyone.

GRPAHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ESHANI MEHTA

BY HARSH JAIN

How to win the battle against allergies

BY KELSEY LU

L

onger days, warmer weather and blooming �lowers are some of the telltale signs of spring; to some, however, spring is the season of allergies.

Constant sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny nose often start to become a daily occurrence during this time of the year. Allergies can be annoying, but there are many ways to combat them.

1. Wear sunglasses Simply putting on a pair of sunglasses can help prevent pollen and dust from entering your eyes by decreasing the amount of air circulating over them; the more coverage you have around your eyes, the better. Ultraviolet ray protected sunglasses offer even more protection from common symptoms such as a runny nose, rashes and itchy eyes.

2. Stay Cool As the weather starts getting hotter

4. Eat Spicy Food Eating a bowl of spicy kimchi fried rice not only sounds delicious

5. Raw Honey Drinking raw honey, which contains bee pollen, is known to help attack allergy symptoms. Though it may seem foolish to consume bee pollen, which may very well be the cause of your constant sneezing, it will help you boost your immune system and become less-sensitive to pollen. Those with severe pollen allergies, however, should eat honey as it can cause anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction.

Allergy season may be tough, but that doesn’t mean that you should shut yourself up in your room. There are ways to be outside and enjoy spring without having to worry too much about your allergies.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY KELSEY LU

Seike nomination Andrew Seike: All-Star Teacher

BY CHELSEA LI

BY CHELSEA LI

Superstitions

A

pparently in India, or the part where my parents were from, it was considered weird to write with your left hand. Being left-handed at birth, I asked my mother why I had to write--or at my age, scribble--with my right hand. Her terse response: “I don’t like writing with my left hand.” From then on, I was forced to do all my various scribblings with my right hand.

At one point in my life, I was ambidextrous, meaning I could write or draw well with either hand. I was the coolest kid in my preschool because of my skills, but my mother disapproved. Even though I could write with my right hand, she wanted me to stop using my left hand altogether. Over time, my left hand just became another part of my body and not a special tool that distinguished me from the rest of my preschool class.

Now, as another ordinary right-handed individual, I have noticed some of my parents’ other superstitions and I have to say, they make no sense at all. I think most of these traditions or beliefs come from some random, obscure Hindu myths and legends.

My parents claim that they would make more sense if I actually read about them, so I tried and they still don’t make any sense.

For example, one night, an elephant-headed Hindu god was riding on his small rat friend while eating a plate of Indian sweets.

Unfortunately, the rat tripped and the plate of sweets spilled on the ground. The god then heard giggling which turned out to be the moon laughing at him, so he broke off one of his tusks and threw it at the moon.

So that’s why I’m not supposed to look at the full moon on certain nights. And apparently, if I do look at the moon on those nights, I will get blamed for something I didn’t do. If that superstition is actually true, I must have been looking at every full moon out there.

Also, if anyone ever sees me with long �ingernails, please don’t judge me, I am just trying not to annoy the goddess of fortune.

Even cutting one’s �ingernails comes with its own set of restrictions. I am prohibited from cutting my nails while it is dark outside or if it’s Friday or Sunday. And when I can cut them, I either have to throw them out of the house or �lush them down the toilet. If I break any of these rules I am apparently subject to misfortune.

If that sounds silly, there are some things that don’t even have a valid explanation behind them, so keep reading my friend. According to my mother, if you get too many compliments you can start feeling tired, so she has to remove something called my jishti (I have no idea how to spell it). First of all I don’t know what this even means, but it’s as if someone in India came up with the removal process as an April Fools’ Day joke.

Alright, if you want to learn how to remove your jishti today, I will send you the instructions for a small fee of $19.99! But wait there’s more…just kidding, I’ll just tell you.

First, pour some milk into someone else’s right hand and tell them to make a �ist. Now all you have to do is stand there while the person with the milk in their right hand follows these next steps: start with your hand in front of their face, then move it down to their feet. Repeat this step twice, go to the backside of the person and do it three more times, come back to the front of the person, spit on your �ist, then throw the milk over the person’s head. Congrats! You are now jishti free!

Goodbye jishti, Shivateja Vemireddy

E

nglish teacher Andrew Seike �inishes reading a few paragraphs from the book his class is studying. He then poses a question, and after a few moments, hands shoot up around the room. Throughout the year, he also provides insight into his life through his many stories, making his class interesting and fun. It is no surprise that he is widely praised by both students and staff; however, this year, his talents have been recognized beyond Lynbrook.

Each year, television station Comcast SportsNet (CSN), along with Provident Credit Union, recognizes outstanding middle and high school teachers in Northern and Central California through the All-Star Teacher Award. Students had the opportunity up until Feb. 1 to describe their favorite teachers through an online or paper form. This year, Seike was nominated for the award and selected as one of �ive �inalists.

Junior Raksha Narasimhan, who is currently one of Seike’s AP Language and Composition (APLAC) students, nominated Seike through the online form. One of the biggest reasons Narasimhan nominated Seike was because of his unique personality.

“He has a really great sense of humor and makes us feel like everything we do helps our skill set,” said Narasimhan.

“He genuinely cares about every single student, and not just their grades.”

Seike’s teaching style is yet another reason his class is a favorite among students. Both his freshman Literature/ Writing and junior APLAC classes are discussion driven, and he incorporates lessons about life along with the material the students are studying.

“He uses his personal experiences to relate to students and to the topics he’s teaching,” said freshman Aneesha Nema, who has Seike for freshman literature. “He connects with the students instead of just teaching the material.”

Aside from his engaging lessons, Seike’s humble and down-to-earth personality is also an admirable trait.

“He always puts us �irst,” said junior Jessica Peng, who currently takes

APLAC. “If any students have personal problems, he always talks to us.”

Seike credits his popularity at Lynbrook to his background and teachers he has had in the past. He is extremely passionate about teaching and enjoys forging relationships with students.

“I teach from the heart,” said Seike. “I know that there’s a job to do, but at the same time I like to lace [lessons] with humor and keep it as real as possible.”

On March 22, CSN visited Seike’s fourth period APLAC class to �ilm footage for a promotional video that would be posted on their website. The crew also interviewed Seike, as well as students and teachers that day.

Voting for the All-Star Teacher Award began on April 10 and will continue through June 1. Videos containing information about each �inalist have been posted on CSN’s website.

The winner will be recognized at a Giants game and will receive $20,000 for his or her school.

Although he has been named as one of �ive �inalists out of numerous teachers in the area, Seike remains humble and continues to inspire students and teachers alike each day.

“He’s a very bright man, yet he’s the least arrogant person I’ve ever met,” said English teacher Robert Richmond.

“I’m very proud to be a teacher because Mr. Seike is a teacher. I think that he’s an inspiration, even to someone like me who has more experience and is older.

I think there are many of us who can learn from him.”

Aside from teaching English literature, Seike is also the adviser and instructor for Lynbrook’s Aikido Club.

Whether he is in or outside the classroom, Seike believes teaching is a rewarding experience because of his students and the connections he makes. “[One of the greatest things about teaching is] seeing that ‘aha’ moment in a student’s eyes when I show them something great about literature and they understand it,” said Seike. “To connect with students, to make a difference, to show that I can always be there for them, makes me happy.”

ART ILLUSTRATION BY MICHYLA LIN

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY—EPIC

Press play on Netflix’s new show

BY MEHEK KAPUR

F

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY—EPIC

irst kisses. Hopeless crushes. Revenge. Suicide. The new Net�lix original series, “Thirteen Reasons Why,” is based on a novel of the same title by bestselling author Jay Asher.

Packed with drama, plot twists and realism, “Thirteen Reasons Why” tells a heartbreaking and daring story that is a work of visual genius, although it strays slightly from the more innocent novel.

The plot follows Clay Jensen, an average teenage boy, who receives a set of 13 tapes from his crush, Hannah Baker, who recently committed suicide. He learns that she sent the set of tapes to 13 different people around school; each tape details reasons as to how these 13 people contributed to her suicide. Clay begins to listen to the tapes, afraid of what his own tape might say, and discovers secrets about his classmates and Hannah—sides of them he never knew.

Despite using an old-school medium such as cassette tapes to tell Hannah’s story, the show takes a look into modern day themes and uncovers how small incidents of bullying and supposedly harmless pranks and jokes can spiral out

of control.

Actress Katherine Langford plays the role of Hannah wonderfully and creates a relatable character as Hannah is led into her downward spiral through the �lashing perspectives of the tapes and Clay’s memories.

The show moves a little slowly, with episodes running an hour long and each centering around only a single reason, making the “mystery” within the show less compelling because the viewer knows how the plot will end from the beginning.

There are a few plot holes such as Clay’s decision to not listen to all the tapes at the same time, a decision made by every listener except him; despite its �laws, though, “Thirteen Reasons Why” is a compelling series worth watching.

The show is great for anyone looking for a heartfelt, emotional drama, but something to be cautious about is that it does also cover some mature and sensitive topics such as sexual assault, violence and suicide. Overall, however, Net�lix did a wonderful job converting this book into a show that delivers a powerful message.

Unboxing monthly subscription boxes

BY CLAIRE CHIANG Graze: $12/box Graze delivers healthy snack packs to your front door as often as you’d like, whether it be every week or just once in awhile. In my eight snack variety box, I received the Lemon Drizzle Flapjack, Raspberry and Coconut Muf�in, Spicy Sriracha Crunch, Creamy Ranch Kern Pops, Thai Sweet Chili Dippers, Strawberries and Cream Protein Granola Topper, Eleanor’s Apple Crumble and Baobab Raspberry Coconut Clusters with Apple and Pumpkins Seeds. All of Graze’s snacks contain fewer calories than other snacks, and also have high �iber, protein and fruit. The snacks are also the perfect size to grab-and-go for Glossybox: $21/month Glossybox exclusively sells subscription boxes with several full size and sample size beauty products. The April box I received had two Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip liquid lipsticks in Airplane Mode and Thursday, Vince Camuto perfume in Ciao, Doucce Maxlash Volumizer Mascara, Vasanti Cosmetics Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator, Beauty shampoo and conditioner and Beekind body gel and body lotion.

I was most excited about the two Colourpop lippies as I already have a few from the collection. This box is equally balanced with makeup and skincare products. I would highly recommend this box for those that want to try out subscription boxes but are scared of receiving unsuitable products.

a snack at school, or random attacks of hunger. For those who aren’t sure if Graze is for them, the company offers a free four-snack variety sampler box for new customers.

Birchbox: $10/month Birchbox is a website that sells several beauty products and offers a personalized gift box �illed with bestsellers as well as a

Ipsy: $10/month Ipsy, founded by Youtube beauty blogger Michelle Phan, is one of the most popular

subscription box that includes sample sizes of some of its products. The March box included seven samples: Davines OI shampoo and conditioner, Davines OI All in One Milk, Tocca Emelia perfume, Eva NYC Mane Magic 10-in-1 primer, Coastal Scents Revealed Smoky eye shadow palette and Real Chemistry 3-minute peel. The All in One Milk, essentially a hair serum, was my favorite product because of its ability to give my usually dry hair a smooth and luscious texture. At $10 a month, this box is de�initely worth it because of the high quality and variety of the products; however, I ended up canceling my subscription because I was looking for more makeup products than just those for hair and skin care. beauty and makeup subscriptions used by teenagers and adults alike. Monthly subscriptions at only $10 include several sample size products of various drugstore and high-end brands. Inside a cute pink leather pouch with a ticket design came �ive samples for the April package. I received PS Cosmeceutical Infused Nail Lacquer in a nude-white color, Theorie Marula Oil transforming hair serum, Elizabeth Mott Show Me Your Glow shimmer shadow and highlighter, OFRA Rendezvous Blush and Ciaté Bamboo Bronzer in Palm Island. My favorite product was the Ciaté Bamboo Bronzer, as it worked perfectly on my skin tone and was fairly pigmented.

Ipsy’s $10 a month price tag is de�initely a must-have for people who want to try out different products, and each month’s unique makeup bag is a nice bonus!

ALL PHOTOS BY MICHYLA LIN

The perceptions of beauty at work

How beauty bias often affects decisions in the workplace

BY MICHYLA LIN AND PATRICIA WEI

T

he phrase “beauty is power” proves to be true in work settings; when it comes to �inding a job or getting paid, an employee’s physical appearance can play a larger than expected role. The halo effect, or beauty bias, is the psychological and biological phenomenon in which humans are naturally attracted to things that are beautiful.

Scienti�ically speaking, these “beautiful things” stem from features of potential mates, which give them higher chances of survival. In a work setting, this translates to an employer’s search for individuals who they believe will aid their company to achieve success. As a result, physical appearance can play a large role in one’s job prospects and income in interviews.

Beauty bias describes the idea that physically attractive individuals are rewarded both socially and biologically.

This phenomenon is based on the psychological association of beauty with a positive mindset. For example, the simple mention of the word “ice cream” may trigger positive emotions as our bodies automatically associate it with memories of warm summer days at the amusement park with friends or family.

A person’s physical features can a;so have a similar effect, as our minds are trained from a young age to associate beauty with good personality traits. Oftentimes, society and the media in�luence what people perceive as beautiful.

When meeting someone new, one’s perception of a person can be skewed purely by appearance as the brain is forced to make inferences to supplement u n -

effect of cartoons and other media directed known information.

“First impressions don’t go away,” said at young children, which often depict hebusiness teacher Leslie Robledo. “If you pres- roic characters with similar traits: big eyes, heart-shaped faces and �it bodies. In combient yourself well, you can go a long way.”

If the person is dressed in a suit, one may nation, these traits ingrain the association of assume that the person is serious in nature. such physical traits with positive personality The brand of the suit may be an indication of characteristics and a good work ethic, which can be re�lected in a work setting. the person’s income or social class.

In different cultures, beauty and attrac“Making inferences based on a person’s looks is interrelated with many -isms in soci- tiveness can hold varying degrees of imety,” said Christopher Lee, a former recruiter portance when applying for a job. In Silicon Valley, where the culture is very laid back, for tech companies in the Bay Area.

Catherine Hamkin, Senior Research Fel- employees are not expected to dress formally every day when they low at The Center for come to work.

Policy Studies in London, In many Asian counsuggests that attractive workers are likely “MAKING INFERENCES BASED tries, it is a requirement to earn more than other ON A PERSON’S LOOKS IS OF- to attach photos to one’s INTERRELATED WITH resume if they wish to coworkers. A 2010 News- TEN week study showed that MANY -ISMS WE HAVE IN SOCI- apply for a work at cer64 percent of managers ETY, SUCH AS RACISM, SEXISM tain companies. This is a result of the high beauty agree that beauty plays a AND CLASSISM.” standards in many Asian factor when hiring.

Beauty can affect CHRISTOPHER LEE countries and the assowomen both positively FORMER RECRUITER ciation of beauty with success. Because of this and negatively, as it can emphasis on beauty in give women a higher chance at obtaining jobs, but can sometimes Korean culture, plastic surgery is a common graduation present for college graduates in make them perceived as less serious.

“I have seen women hired for their beauty, Korea who are looking for jobs.

“There’s a huge belief in Korea that you speci�ically in secretary positions,” said Lee. “A lot of times, companies want a ‘beautiful’ have to look pretty to get hired. It’s very common for Korean people to use Photoshop on secretary to show off as an asset.”

On the other hand, women who are per- their images to make them look better,” said ceived as “gorgeous” can be less likely to Lee. “I think when it comes to hiring decibe considered for top executive positions, sions, beauty plays a more important role because their beauty can also make them in Korea as a result of the practice of putting appear to be less intelligent. This is due to pictures on the resume. Even if recruiters do societal stereotypes caused by portrayal of not want to factor into their decision, it’s going to still unconsciously bias them.” “pretty” people as simple minded.

Although beauty plays a role, characBeauty also plays a role in how much male employees earn. According to Newsweek, at- ter and talent gnerally overpower a person’s looks. Greek philosopher tractive men earn 5 percent more than less Socrates, French philosattractive men. Economist Daniel Hamermesh said that an attractive male will on average make $250,000 more than less attractive males.

While women who are considered beautiful are perceived as dimwitted, often times the opposite is true for men. This is an

opher Jean-Paul Sartre and English writer George Eliot were known to be unattractive, yet successful contributors to society.

Abraham Lincoln, who was known to be unattractive once joked, “If I had another face, do you think I’d wear this one?”

In most cases, beauty is factored in only after a candidate is deemed quali�ied for a job. When managers rank the factors of an applicant’s pro�ile, beauty places third, after experience and con�idence.

“I think what’s most important is that you’re comfortable in your own skin,” sophomore Leslie Pu said. “You should be comfortable with how you look and with yourself as a person. I think that shows con�idence and I think con�idence is really the most important thing.”

Companies have noticed that beauty often skews perceptions of their employees and many companies are looking for ways to alleviate unintentional beauty bias in the hiring process. For example, some companies have been conducting more interviews on the phone so that the emphasis is on a candidate’s skills instead of a candidate’s looks. Companies have also been eliminating names from resumes when distributing them to recruiters, so recruiters can focus on a candidate’s skills, quali�ications and experience, and not allow possible bias of a candidate’s race or gender to affect a decision.

“Ultimately, a candidate’s skills are the most important,” said Lee. “No matter how good a candidate looks, if he cannot do the job well, we can’t hire him.”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY INDEPTH SECTION

Studying the impact of engineered foods The pros and cons of using genetically modified organisms

BY NOELA BAE AND HSIN YEN HUANG

B

efore placing food into shopping carts, consumers often check the ingredient lists to see if products contain genetically modi�ied organisms (GMOs), plants or animals whose genetic makeup has been modi�ied to produce more desirable traits. After scanning the lists, they make the �inal verdict on their purchase depending on their af�inity for or aversion to GMOs. GMOs are often considered to increase nutritional value, help plants and animals become more tolerant of certain environments and reduce the number of resources needed to grow crops; they are also, however, known to lower resistance to antibiotics, increase food allergies and cause the migration of genes across species.

Genetic modi�ication in crops dates back to ten thousand years ago, when crop domestication was made possible through selective breeding. Yet it was not until the 1990s that GMOs were introduced into the marketplace.

GMOs have developed continually ever since, one reason being that they are environmentally friendly, thereby elevating the ef�iciency of crop growth. Such bene�its allow farmers to grow food on less land and help them conserve natural resources. Another reason for their continued development is that genetically modi�ied crops have been said to yield a higher nutritional value. For example, golden rice, a staple food in many Asian cultures, is being researched

to combat vitamin A de�iciency in developing Asian countries. Modi�ied genes have been claimed to strengthen their resistance to disease and their health.

“GMOs are seen considerably more in packaged and processed foods. The theory behind it is that we’re making these crops more resistant to disease, bacteria and things that could impact the harvesting and processing of ingredients,” said culinary teacher Megan Miller. “If scientists and farmers are able to make something less susceptible to disease, they’re going to end up with a higher yield, hardier product and more money.”

Despite these advantages, GMOs can potentially have many unfavorable side effects as well. Gene transfer, the process in which genetically modi�ied foods migrate to the human body or speci�ically to the gastrointestinal tract, is a con-

cern, as the transferred genetic material may adversely affect one’s health. A transfer of an antibiotic-resistant gene to a human, for instance, would be detrimental, as it reduces the ef�icacy of antibiotics used to counter disease. An additional downside to GMOs is that genetically modi�ied crops are often sprayed with potent pesticides and herbicides. These chemicals then contaminate the environment by various means, whether it be traveling by air or �inding their way into fresh water sources. Furthermore, proteins known to cause allergic reactions in humans may be present in GMOs, creating the possibility for a proliferation in food allergies.

Although studies such as one conducted by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine indicate that GMOs have no additional impact on human health when compared to conventional foods, consumers are still wary of genetically modi�ied products. Consumers argue that current studies have no way of determining the effect of GMOs in the

long run. Additionally, scientists warn of superpests and superweeds, organisms that have evolved to resist commonly used pesticides and herbicides, developing as a result of GMO usage. This can result in a threat to the environment that cannot be controlled or eliminated.

“Although research may show that GMOs have no negative effects on humans, this does not change my views that GMOs are uncertain in the realm of safety,” said junior Yulee Jang. “This is because while researching, the researchers have only looked for very speci�ic defects, all in a relatively short time span. More research and time is needed to cement the claims.

Also, in other animals very similar to humans, GMOs have led to health defects, so I am not sure that GMOs have absolutely no negative effects on humans.”

In a time where climate change endangers the security of food supply, resorting to GMOs may be advantageous, as they are able to make the food system more resilient and ef�icient. Yet it is also important to consider the downsides of GMOs, for they may present signi�icant allergy risks, decrease the ef�icacy of antibiotics and result in unfavorable gene transfers.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY MICHELLE LUM AND MICHYLA LIN

HYPNOSIS| Changing thoughts through therapy continued from HYPNOSIS page 1

hypnosis that is deep enough to undergo surgery without the need for anesthesia. Different indications of the hypnotic state include stillness, tearing of the eyes, slumping and rapid eye movements.

The session typically ends with a posthypnotic suggestion, where the practitioner verbally expresses their desired outcome for the procedure. The suggestion is repeated each session to achieve the desired outcome, and will affect the patient when they return to their normal life afterward. The patient then undergoes termination, a gradual return to consciousness. The methods that can be used to awaken a patient include counting backwards completed by an authoritative “wake up,” or the client may simply open their eyes and readjust to reality.

A common misconception about the hypnotic process is that the patient is brainwashed into performing tasks unknowingly. Only when brain waves slow down will the mind become more open to suggestion, as information processed by the brain will pass the barriers of its logical left side into

the creative right side. Studies have shown that more imagi- more effective for them in just a few sessions while it may native people slip into hypnosis quicker because they do not take longer for logical people who use the left sides of their �ight against the suggestions of the practitioner like logical brain on a normal basis. The left side of the brain is responsible for one’s more intellectual thoughts people usually do; they are more inclined and reasoning, but because the right side is to do what the practitioner wants, which more willing to accept possibilities that lie may sometimes look like they are being brainwashed. They still have complete “MANY BELIEVE THAT THE outside the realm of reason and one’s comcontrol, but in the heightened state of con- PERSON BEING HYPNOTIZED fort zone, suggestions that are prompted by practitioner are likely to be positively centration, their wills tend to be slightly WILL NOT HAVE CONTROL the received by the individual. more pliant and easily in�luenced.

Hypnotherapy holds many bene�its for “Many believe that the person being OVER THEIR BODY. THIS IS both patients with a speci�ic problem and hypnotized will not have control over NOT TRUE.” people who simply wish to garner the gentheir body,” said Steiner. “This is not true.

JUNE STEINER eral advantages of hypnotherapy. Those If your character or belief system as a huHYPNOTHERAPIST who choose to practice it effectively should man being believes in not doing any harm schedule regular appointments and have a or doing anything bad that someone may willingness to hear different perspectives. suggest you do, then you won’t take on a Not only can hypnosis physically heal the body, but it can also suggestion you don’t agree with.”

While more imaginative and creative people who primar- encourages higher concentration and a freer mindset that ily function through the right side of their brain may be more can help one let go of unwanted habits in addition to everyopen to suggestion, this only means hypnosis may prove day stress.

Origins and effects of diverse moral codes

BY JOCY HE AND JESSICA LI

ences whether they have an existentialist or nihilistic perspective,” said Philosophy Club t any given moment, someone may be president and senior Harrison Wang. cheating on a test and feeling guilt for Many prominent philosophers, however, their actions. At the same time, a sol- argue that despite some opposing views on dier may be suffering from the psychologi- morality, a universal ethical law exists that cal repercussions of committing atrocious most rational people generally recognize acts of violence. Then and follow. This reasonthere are those who are ing was �irst formulated hailed as heroes for their

by German philosopher bravery and courage in “FOR PEOPLE FROM DIFFER- Immanuel Kant, who standing up for what they ENT CULTURES, THEIR CUL- theorized that a person’s believe is right. Such in- TURE USUALLY INFLUENCES actions are considered stances demonstrate the relative to this WHETHER THEY HAVE AN “ethical” dual sides of morality. universal law. Kant also The origin of morality EXISTENTIALIST OR NIHIL- argued that it is an indidates back to Sigmund ISTIC PERSPECTIVE.” vidual’s duty to do what Freud’s theory of psyche, HARRISON WANG is good and “right” under which separates the three SENIOR the moral law. Under any regions of mindscape: given circumstances, dothe id, ego, and superego. ing something against The id is a primitive and instinctive part of this law should be labelled as “immoral” and the psyche that affects a person’s pleasure therefore “wrong.” system; the ego is a decision-making comKant’s claims go against what English ponent that is weaker than and guides the philosopher John Stuart Mill presented as id. Lastly, the superego is composed of one’s utilitarianism, which states that a certain conscience and moral compass that controls action or behavior is deemed ethical or unand keeps the id in balance. ethical based on the good or bad results that These three regions of one’s mind and it produces. Therefore, acts that bene�it and subconscious can subsequently be shaped provide happiness to the greatest number of by a myriad of in�luences in one’s life. They people should always be obeyed. can range from differences in beliefs across “I think that the difference between [Kant religions and cultures to varying life experi- and Mill’s philosophies] is mainly based off ences, from one’s upbringing to adult life. As the intent foresight distinction, which is baa result, one’s personal moral code gradually sically if our actions matter based on the evolves into a subjective point of view, and consequences or on the intent of the acmoral standards can vary within cultures tion,” said Wang. “For example, if I cared and small communities. for my uncle, but I gave him a poison “[Morality] is subjective and based off of medicine jar or something, then would your own experiences, so for people from that be something that is good or bad different cultures, their culture usually in�lu- based off of my intent of wanting to care

A

for him, or would it be bad because I accidentally poisoned him with the medicine, even though I actually cared for him?”

However, such ethics are very ambiguous and often left up to judgment, causing many debates over ethics where people hold different subjective values. Psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg supported this idea when he formed his theory of moral development, which splits into three levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional morality. Depending on one’s stage of life and mental development, an individual can have varying views and reasoning on whether or not an action is justi�ied.

“In a situation where you perceive your life is at risk I believe a person can stray from their moral compass,” said World and European Literature teacher Kristy Harlin. “Also, when a person is in a situation where they are removed from the law and order of a civilized society for a prolonged period of time, like in Lord of the Flies, a person might be driven more by reactionary human instinct than moral and ethical constructs.”

A now infamous study conducted in the 1960s by Yale professor Stanley Milg r a m

placed participants in an authority position as a “teacher” in charge of a “learner” who was, in reality, one of the experimenters. The “teachers” were then instructed by a higher authority to shock their “learners” every time they incorrectly answered a question, increasing the voltage with each incorrect answer. From this study, Milgram found that 65 percent of participants would continue shocking the “learners” until a fatal voltage.

These experiments prove that particular pressures of a certain environment may render individuals to be more prone to violating their moral compasses. Even ordinary, rational people are susceptible to committing unethical actions when put under tough and troublesome circumstances.

Although moral compasses may be forgotten under some circumstances, one’s moral code is an in�luential factor in one’s lifestyle. Whether it be from the guilt and regret of a heinous offense to the questioning of one’s principles, morality will wwhave a lasting effect on one’s thoughts and behavior.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY MICHYLA LIN

Charles Buell steers toward success

BY JUSTINE CHEN

from 3:45 to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays and from 8:30-11:30 a.m. on Saturdays. The team trainings are either edged in the stern of the boat, sophomore Charles in the training room or on the water. In addition to rowing Buell faces the bow in which his teammates, ready on the water, the team works with rowing machines, and the to take his instructions, sit. After he calls out a rowers also lift weights, run and improve their core strength. change in stroke pace, the rowers listen and respond quickly Most workouts are geared toward maintaining or building in order to stay in sync and move forward ef�iciently. Looking muscle, and typically last 30 minutes to an hour. out toward the water and back at the rowWhile there is no de�initive race scheders, Buell searches for the shortest possible ule or time, Buell’s team competes at least route to the �inish line. once or twice a month. The races vary in As a coxswain, or steersman of the boat, “WHEN I FIRST STARTED distance and time, although they usually COXSWAINING, I WAS REBuell trains with the Los Gatos Rowing participate in the 5000 meter event. The Club’s (LGRC) men’s varsity team on the Los ALLY SHY. I’VE DEFINITELY Los Gatos Reservoir is mainly straight; the Gatos Reservoir, also known as the LexingBECOME MORE VOCAL AND most dif�icult part of Buell’s job is to use ton Reservoir. The team is coached by Coturns to the team’s advantage in order to NOT AFRAID TO CALL OUT lin Heneghan and Dustin Kraus, two highly pass others. Buell coxs in two boat types, INSTRUCTIONS.” experienced members of LGRC’s coaching the eight and the four, also known as the staff. Although Buell had previously rowed CHARLES BUELL quad. In the eight boat, eight rowers row for two years on the novice team, he began SOPHOMORE with one oar, and in the quad, four rowers competitively coxswaining a year ago after row with two oars. being told he was too lightweight.

Transitioning from a rower to a cox“At �irst I was frustrated,” said Buell, “but swain in addition to being a new member I’ve found that I now prefer coxswaining much more than of the varsity team, Buell initially struggled with his new rerowing.” sponsibility and position. He was forced to quickly learn the As someone with a slight build, Buell was a perfect �it for ropes of coxswaining and transition into a second coach and the role and began training immediately. Coxswains, who are captain of the team. responsible for steering the boat, coordinate the power and “When I �irst started coxswaining, I was really shy and it rhythm of rowers by calling out a variety of commands. Just was dif�icult for me to talk to anyone, especially because alas important as the rowers’ strength, a coxswain’s leadership most all the rowers towered over me,” said Buell. “I’ve de�iand race strategy can often be the difference between a boat’s nitely become more vocal and not afraid to call out instrucwin or loss. tions.”

“People rarely acknowledge coxswains, they’re always foAlthough he is unsure as to where coxswaining will take cused on the rowers,” said Kraus. “but they’re crucial to the him the future, Buell has gained a newfound con�idence that team’s success.” he will carry for the rest of his life. Regardless of whether he During training, Buell conducts drills and gives techni- plans to continue coxswaining in college, Buell will continue cal feedback to the rowers. The men’s varsity team practices to head out to the water every day and foster his passion.

W

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY SRINIDHI SESHADRI AND JOCY HE

MICHYLA LIN – EPIC

PHOTO COURTESY OF COLIN HENEGHAN

MICHELLE LUM//IN MY EXPERIENCE

An outdoor adventure

T

he wind whistled around me as I sat with my legs crossed on the granite rock. I fell speechless at the sight in front of me and settled to just simply watch the sun’s gradual ascent over the peak of the mountain. It was the most breathtaking sunrise I had ever seen.

That was the picture-perfect ending to my backpacking trip in Yosemite National Park last summer. For those of you who know me as someone who has still never gone camping before, you’d be very sur-

prised to hear that I voluntarily go backpacking, which takes much more effort than camping. Yet, in the middle of an uncommonly hot July, I found myself in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite, with a 35-pound backpack on my shoulders, ready to begin a nine-day exploration of the High Sierras.

I had never done anything like backpacking before, so I had no idea what to expect.

It’s safe to say that I was more than a little apprehensive about the trip before setting out, from no showering for nine days to carrying everything I needed on my back for �ive to seven miles a day.

Then, as the trip actually began, I found myself becoming more and more immersed into backpacking and Yosemite itself. In just those nine days, I hiked to the summits of two mountains, camped by several lakes and rivers and even witnessed a Chinese rocket re-enter Earth’s atmosphere. I fell in love with the clear water of the Yosemite rivers, the elusive tadpoles of the High Sierra lakes and the ubiquitous purple lupin �lowers of the Tuolumne Meadows landscape.

In Yosemite, I was so disconnected from

LEFT: Buell gives commands to his teammates to help them stay in sync during a race.

ABOVE: Buell settles into the stern and prepares to steer the boat as the rowers undock.

the outside world that I was able to just live in the moment and take life second by second. Leaving all my constant worries behind, I enjoyed the simplicity of the daily routine of waking up early in the mornings, packing, hiking a few miles during the day, spending afternoons wading in a lake or a river and then settling down under the stars for the night. I felt myself gaining a greater appreciation for nature and the small things in life, which had gone unnoticed before the trip because of my fast-paced life back home.

Somehow, backpacking grounded me.

In nine days, I had experienced many �irsts: getting sunburnt for the �irst time, sitting around my �irst camp�ire and seeing my �irst shooting star. I had learned what it meant to be persistent by pushing myself to my limits to continue to hike even when I had reached the point where I was so tired that I could not even put on my backpack after a break. I had hiked through the pain from the blisters on my feet and the scrape that left behind a scar that still remains on my left knee. I had gained more con�idence in myself, in my ability to be independent and in my strength

to do something as physically and mentally straining as backpacking. I returned from Yosemite ten shades darker and ten times more aware of myself and the world around me.

After the trip, I easily fell back into my usual routine at home, of panicking over chemistry tests and essays, burying myself in neverending lists of to-dos and worrying about my next steps.

Through this all, though, I haven’t forgotten about my time backpacking. Whenever I have too much on my hands, I remind myself to stop for a while and think back to it. The persistence it ingrained inside of me has carried me through more chemistry tests than I can count and far more essays than I ever thought I would write in one year. It’s my hope that what I learned in Yosemite will never leave me, and that one day, I might return for another extraordinary backpacking experience.

They say that everyone has a special place, a place that makes them smile in times of sadness and laugh when the going gets tough. For me, that place is Yosemite, and it was backpacking that brought me there.

Epic staffers tackle a convict’s workout program

C

onbody, a high intensity workout program designed to be equipmentfree, was created by ex-convict, Coss Marte, who was sentenced to seven years in prison at the age of 19 for run-

Nanda Pandian I love to work out, but the conbody prisoner workout did not sound very exciting because what would a prisoner be able to do when they are put into an empty cell? However, since I am a health freak, I took on the challenge to see what it really was, and honestly, I’m really happy I did it. I found the workouts quite unique because Coss Marte took the most basic exercises and made them into a “stressfully twisted” routine. I wasn’t all that sore since the program wasn’t terribly strenuous. Since I exercise almost every day, the conbody workout was not as bad, and I enjoyed doing all the workouts, especially the criss-cross jumping jacks. It was really surprising to see how there are lots of workouts that you can simply do at home, even if they only last for 10 minutes. I would be down to do it again because not only was it hardcore but it was really enjoyable. The videos themselves were really motivating to follow because Marte just kept going and never seemed to be tired. I would recommend this workout to those who make an excuse to not work out because they do not have access to a gym -- really, give it a try.

William Guo The most experience I’ve had with working out was with my weight-training class last year. We used different machines and equipment in that class, so seeing entire workout routines that didn’t require anything else besides yourself and enough space was convenient. I’ve been thinking about going to the gym for a while, and this challenge was a nice in-between. Time is a factor, and not having to drive anywhere is a bonus. I found that the workouts weren’t too strenuous, but that might be because I went at a relatively slow pace. However, that didn’t

ALL PHOTOS BY SADHANA SARMA – EPIC

ning a multimillion drug business. While serving his time, Marte developed exercises that could be done in his nine by six feet prison cell. Within six months, he had lost 70 pounds. After helping other inmates gain motivation through his exercises, he decided

stop me from being sore. Through the exercises, I’ve found out just how weak my core is, and coming out of my room hunched over after working out was always awkward to explain to my parents. I had the pleasure of experiencing tennis with sore legs too. The workouts were easy to learn and Coss Marte was a good motivator. His instructions were clear, but after getting into the groove you tune him out. Overall, the Conbody Challenge was pretty fun, however, I still prefer having weights and other equipment. While I might not use it as a workout regime on its own, the Conbody workouts are good for a quick one when you don’t want to go to the gym.

to set up Conbody in New York after he was released. Today, Conbody workouts are often led by ex-convicts, and has helped many lead healthier lives, physically and mentally. As Marte’s workouts gained popularity, he expanded to posting videos online for people to follow along as well. While popular online

workouts such as Blogilates are geared more towards women, Conbody is designed for both genders. with minimal space and no equipment, starting with an introductory program. Epic staff members decided to try out his Intro to Prison Style workout program for five days.

Eric Wu I don’t regularly workout, or engage in physical activities… at all. That being said, the ConBody challenge caught my attention after reading about its origins; an ex-convict who invented a workout routine perfect for his 9x6 cell. I’ve dabbled in the health benefits of working out before, but have always come to the conclusion that the gym is too far away.

However, this workout could be completed at my convenience in a reasonable amount of time, so I had no excuse not try it. I’m not going to lie -- I laid on my bed for a good ten minutes after the first routine completely out of breath. The last time I performed a task more strenuous than opening a bag of chips

was during sophomore P.E. The morning after the first day, my calves and upper body ached as I trudged through my classes, regretting all the decisions I had made. However, as the week wore on, I noticed changes in how my body was reacting: I was able to cool down faster than before and no longer felt nausea, and the aching muscles eventually faded away.

The workout has been a real challenge for me, but if I keep it up maybe I could start developing some real muscles. One of the biggest benefits I enjoyed was the flexibility of being able to do the workout wherever, whenever I wanted. Now, the real question is whether six-pack abs are worth more than six packs of Doritos.

Chloe Lai Besides swimming and water polo, I usually try to clock a couple miles on the weekends, but although running is fun, it also takes so long. First you grab your Lulus, brush your hair into a pony, then actually do the run that can range from twenty minutes to an hour--depending on how many times you stop for Chipotle. So definitely, the most appealing part of this program was its convenience, as it required practically no equipment or preparation. I don’t think I’ve ever been so at peace doing Supermans and planks in pajamas and a barely functioning bun.

As I followed along, I thought to myself, “There are only about 50-100 reps per exercise and Marte is giving me a water break too! Man, I wish I got water breaks during practice…” However, I woke up the next day feeling the most severely sore I’ve ever been and realizing I had a meet as well. Gradually, though, my muscles got used to the workouts. If I had continued with the program, I think it would have been beneficial as light dryland training in addition to daily practice.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE SPORTS SECTION

IDC connects students across FUHSD schools

T

he annual Interdistrict Council (IDC) Exchange is an opportunity for students within the Fremont Union High School district to take a glimpse into the student life at another school.

The goal of an exchange is to showcase the host

school’s culture and organizations, as well as to serve as a platform for meeting new people.

Lynbrook students previously shadowed at different school earlier in the year. Lynbrook’s own exchange was on Friday, April 21. Lynbrook hosted over 40 students from Cupertino, Monta Vista, Homestead and Fremont. Each of the 40 shadows was paired up with

a Lynbrook host, who was either assigned based on requests or by random selection.

Shadows were able to go to all of their host’s classes as well as experience all the school’s activities throughout the day. The day was full, including the last rally of the year and International Day at lunch.

Left: The morning of the exchange, hosts and shadows met in the cafeteria to learn guidelines for the day from the IDC representatives, as well as to meet each other and put on face paint.

A breakfast of donuts was provided. Pictured are freshman Rosea Grenier and her shadow, Nicholas Bao as they meet up at the morning meeting.

Left: Senior Jennifer Xu and her shadow, Jennifer Liao chat at the instructional meeting before school starts.

What are you most excited for today?

Selena Jeong, Sophomore: Spending time with them (IDC kids), having fun and introducing them to new people.

Sunny Park, MVHS: I’m excited to see how her (Selena’s) classes are.

How was your experience?

Selena: It was super fun, and it was good to have her meet my friends.

Sunny: It was very different from Monta Vista, and it was cool to take new classes I’ve never taken before.

What are you most excited for today?

Brendan Lin, CHS: I’m excited to see the lunch time activity, because at Cupertino we’ve never had a culture type of activity.

Raj Mehta, Junior: I want to give him the opportunity to learn more about our school and the amazing rally’s we put on.

SADHANA SARMA—EPIC

BY MICHYLA LIN

How was your experience?

Brendan: I liked the rally because there was a lot of things I didn’t see Tino do before. And it was fun going around with Raj and checking out his classes.

Raj: Today was really fun, because I learned a lot about the differences between our school lives.

Right: Senior Ethan Chuang gets paint put on his face by his shadow, Karina Wang to show class spirit for the rally. Paint was provided by the exchange’s organizers.

Right: Junior Eric MacPherson runs around the gym in attmepts to win during one of the rally games against freshman Luka Mandic and Homestead exchange student, Yannik Omictin. Omictin acted as an honorary Lynbrook sophomore and won the challenge for the sophomore class.

Left: Junior Chloe Lai embraces her IDC exchange partner, Alys Chang from Fremont High in greeting. Students with friends in other schools often arrange to host eaach other.

SADHANA SARMA—EPIC