Issue 7, 2016 by the Epic

The truth about the lies we tell

A look at the psychology behind the untruths of everyday life BY ESHANI MEHTA AND ALEXANDER XU

round 60 percent of people cannot go 10 minutes without saying an average of 2.92 inaccurate lies, according to a study published in the Journal of Basic and Applied Psychology. Whether it’s a minor untruth or a complex fabrication that impacts many people, lying has become an important facet of our day-to-day lives. Children are taught from a very young age that honesty is the best policy. At school, students are expected to maintain certain standards, one of which is being truthful. But over the course of a lifetime, many have discovered the various bene�its of lying, which include being able to bail people out of awkward situations, spare the feelings of others, strengthen alliances, enhance social standing and avoid trouble. Additionally, lying may also boost an individual’s self-esteem. “Lying has a perceived value to some people even though we know that largely, it’s something that the other person doesn’t appreciate and isn’t going to be pleased if they discovered that you lied,” said school psychologist Brittany Stevens. “It’s risk-taking behavior, and you gamble that the chances of you being discovered are lower than the perceived payoff of doing the behavior.” “People lie to protect their pride in a way,” said sophomore Anney Tuo. “If you lie, you cover up your �laws or something you want to hide from people so it makes you appear less �lawed.” Lies have almost become a necessity in the daily lives of many. People often lie to make themselves seem more socially adequate. “We do that as humans in our interactions with other people as trying to gauge what is going to be the most prosocial response,” said Stevens. “I think sometimes we lie socially because of social graces, because we don’t want to dump out our bad feelings on to somebody who we perceive as not ready to hear the honest answer.” Additionally, lying varies between different groups of people. The research of Robert Feldman, a psychologist from the University of Massachusetts, shows that men lie no more than women, but they tend to lie to make themselves look better, while women are more likely to lie to make the other person feel better. People also tend to lie more to certain �igures. According to the book “The Day America Told The Truth,” 86 percent of people lie regularly to their parents. This is followed by 75 percent of people lying to friends and 73 percent of people lying to siblings. People also lie more in general to their coworkers and acquaintances than to strangers, according to a different study published in the Journal of Consumer Research. This is because telling the see LIES page 11

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY - EPIC

SPORTS//

Off the field: The struggle of trophy child athletes BY RAKSHA NARASIMHAN AND SOPHIA LING

ost student athletes do not step on the �ield thinking about how their sport will become something they have to play, breathe and live by for the remainder of their childhood. But when they receive persistent pressure from parents to succeed athletically, their lives go from being a normal, education-oriented childhood to attending camps, impressing college coaches, staying in shape and constantly striving to be the best at their sport. Student athletes who excel in their sport often feel like they need to concentrate all of their efforts toward improving. This drive can take an enormous toll on their social lives, consuming them and not allowing them to spend time on other hobbies or friends.

Familial relationships can take major hits due to these time constraints and cause con�lict between parents and children. “I would practice softball with my dad everyday after school. I never had time to go out with my friends or go to dances, and sleepovers were a rare occasion,” said student Kanae Sumida, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy and safety at home. “I would tell him I would want to quit, but he would put me down until I took back what I said. He was more verbal, but there are times where he got so frustrated that he’d throw the ball at me when I wasn’t looking, or pitch the ball directly at me when I wasn’t hitting well enough.” Although this pressure is often very effective at pushing athletes to improve, that success comes at a cost.

“In an effort to help their child succeed in big ways, the pressures of sport stardom can turn a parent into an irrational, striving, ego-driven guardian-business manager for their child,” said Bill Cole, a sports psychologist and founder of the International Mental Game Coaching Association. “As a child star makes milestones, records, history and receives public notice, there is great pressure [for them] to continue their successful ways.” Often, parents see children as an extension of themselves--they attempt to live out the lost dreams of their youth through their kids. Being successful in sports often entails a successful future through developing talent, getting scouted into teams and earning scholarships.

see TROPHY KIDS page 14

FASHION CHALLENGE //pg. 7

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY - EPIC

Dolcissima choir soars to new heights BY SAMHITA HONNAVALLI

he �irst all-state California Music Education Association (CMEA) festival took place on April 1 at California State University (CSU), Los Angeles. Lynbrook’s Dolcissima choir performed at the festival and received a Unanimous Superior rating, the highest possible award at the CMEA festival. The event was hosted by CSU Fullerton’s School of Music and was attended by renowned judges, along with the president and president elect of the CMEA. Schools had to be invited to audition in order to participate in the festival. To audition, Lynbrook had to have already won a Unanimous Superior rating at their local CMEA festival the previous year, which they had. To win a Unanimous Superior, all three judges have to give the choir a superior rating, which is the second highest possible rating. Additionally, Crystal Isola, Lynbrook choir teacher, had to send audition tapes of the Dolcissima girls’ singing, one from the previous year and one from the current year. Of all the middle and high schools in California, only nine choirs were selected to perform in the all state festival, one of which was Lynbrook. “It was a real honor to be part of the �irst all state CMEA festival,” said Isola. “I didn’t know how big of a deal it was until I reached there.” In addition to Isola and the 21 Dolcissima girls, professional pianist and Lynbrook senior Tiffany Chen accompanied the choir to the festival. Some of the Dolcissima girls played percussion instruments for one of the songs. “I actually never played percussion be-

fore, but I had a music background so it was The judges, Dr. Charlene Archibeque, Dr. Wila great [experience] and it was really fun to liam Hatcher and Dr. Christopher Peterson, are renowned choral educators and adjudiplay,” said junior Katherine Li. cators in California who They �lew to Los Angeles praised the Dolcissima on the day of the event and girls for their perforwere given around 10 to 15 “I DIDN’T KNOW HOW BIG mance. minutes to warm up their OF A DEAL [THE CMEA “All three judges voices and place their inFESTIVAL] WAS UNTIL I agreed that our tone struments. GOT THERE.” quality was really beauti“The hall sounded amazful and the pronunciation ing,” said senior Angela Hu. “It just sounded way better CRYSTAL ISOLA and the pieces were also than any hall we have ever CHOIR TEACHER great,” said Hu. “They added that our interprebeen to.” tation was perfect.” All nine choirs then sat in The songs sung were the auditorium and listed to performances from each respective school. a variety of gloomy, classical and cheer-

USED WITH PERMISSION OF PROIMAGE STUDIOS

Citizens Advisory Committee aims to restore unity BY HARSH JAIN AND ANYA POPLAVSKA

Letter from the Editors Dear readers, Technically we still have another issue to go, but this is our last issue as editorsin-chief. It’s a bittersweet feeling, to come three years and end our tenure as editorsin-chief today (since we’re writing this on the last day of production, as usual). We’ve gone from being overlooked newbies, to overworked section/photo editors, to editors-in-chief and realizing that the top is, in fact, a lonely place to be. But through it all, the Epic has been our home, and we’re glad you’ve been part of it. Anyway, that’s enough cheesiness from us! Time to start plugging our stories: Flip to our features section for short reviews of cult classics (pg. 9). Salty seniors should read our story on the UCs’ �laws (pg. 4), and everybody should read our staffers’ rage-�illed re�lections on playing sports (pg. 13). Thanks again, Kristen Wong and Stephanie Lu

ful songs: She Weeps Over Rahoon, Cantate Domino, I Carry Your Heart with Me and Moon Goddess. “The planning and practicing was really hard with intonation and expression especially, as the songs were pretty hard,” said Li. “We had trouble deciding between a few songs, but we ended up going with the ones we felt were best suited for us and the ones we were most interested in.” Lynbrook’s Dolcissima choir was honored with a redwood plaque for getting Unanimous Superior. The Lynbrook choir came back to San Jose with the fruits of their labor. “We practically made history, because we won Unanimous Superior in the �irst-ever all-state CMEA festival,” said Isola.

he FUHSD has decided to create a Citizens Advisory Committee, in which a select group of members from across the district will take part in meetings to discuss decisions for enrollment tactics during the 2016-17 school year. This committee was formed due to previous con�licts regarding enrollment issues, and many community members and teachers will be considered and included in this committee. The committee will be working toward increasing enrollment, and discussing the best possible options to do so. “I look forward to seeing a lot of applications, and I’m anticipating a large number of applications because of the heightened interest,” said Mihn Le, the facilitator of the committee. Le is the president of the Wilfred Jarvis Institute, a training and consulting organization in Cupertino, and has served on the boards of Bay Area companies and nonpro�it organizations. To meet this goal, the committee plans to discuss known information, such as enrollment capacity, classes and boundary differences. The committee will also be discussing

different possible solutions, such as open enrollment, area of choice and program enrollment. “The district leadership is hopeful that this group can work together to examine the

process by Le himself, in which those applying submit an application to the district of�ice. He will be looking for commitment, leadership ability and the capability to compromise with fellow committee members, among other things. The applicants will be chosen to represent a diverse and balanced representation across the district--there will be more committee members from the Lynbrook area compared to other areas, since those living in this area will be affected the most. “I’m really glad that the board has decided that this issue needs a lot more research, and the fact that they halted and slowed down the process was a thoughtful move,” said senior Raaghav Minocha. The committee’s �irst meeting will take place on May 25th, and all chosen members’ names will be posted on the FUHSD website. With the formation of the new Citizen’s Advisory Committee, the hopes are that there will be a better connection between the school, the GRAPHIC BY NEWS SECTION students, and the community. In the past there has been a very apparent enrollment needs and issues in the district disconnect between the administration and and offer their �indings to the school board the community, as seen during decision makto help inform their decision,” said Principal ing of the boundary change. The Committee Maria Jackson. Applicants will be chosen in a �ive step will hopefully resolve many of the problems that have appeared in the previous years.

News in Brief

New campaigning strategies make ripples BY CLAIRE CHIANG AND ESHANI MEHTA

Senior Prom Hey seniors, prepare to have a fun night with your friends on the Hornblower Cruise at 5:30pm on Saturday, May 14th. Swimming CCS Championship Lynbrook’s swimmers are going to represent Lynbrook at CCS on May 14th. Come out to support our Lynbrook athletes as they compete with the top swimmers of the district. Thespians Improv Night Come out to the Thespian’s Improv night to see drama students do some improvised acting. on Monday, March 16th at 7:00pm at studio 74. Pops Concert The band is playing music for its annual Pops Concert. Come out to the pops concert and hear your classmates play some groooovy music at 7:30pm in the auditorium on Monday, May 18th and Tuesday, May 19th.

he campaigns for 2016-2017 ASB and class of�ice positions featured an in�lux of co-campaigns: a tactic where two or more candidates campaign together and vouch for the other’s skill and dedication. Junior Nick Lui and sophomore Sally Kim co-campaigned for the IDC Representative position while freshmen Ben Shapiro, Rohan Goel, Adam Katz and Alicia Wu executed a quad campaign for each of their positions. At Lynbrook, candidates rely on support from their friends and classmates to advertise and publicize their campaigns. Before they can start campaigning, however, there are certain rules and guidelines that they must recognize and adhere to. Candidates are only allowed three size speci�ic posters and ten �liers, are not allowed to pass out anything and cannot have anyone else carry around a poster for them. There are no restrictions placed on online campaigning, and although co-campaigning has never happened before, the administration decided to allow students to do so this year. “I believe this was the �irst year that kids actively co-campaigned and since we did not anticipate any kind of issues, we felt like if that was what the kids wanted to do we would allow it,” said interim Vice Principal

Farewell Rally Show your school spirit and come out to the gym for the last rally of this year on Friday, May 20th. This will also be a rally schedule day.

Fashion Show Come out to the quad on Friday, May 20th at 7:00pm to attend the fashion show where your fellow students will be showing off the different clothes they have designed this year.

Valkyries Spring Show Be sure to watch the talented Lynbrook valkyries as they perform on Saturday, May 21st in the Gym from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. by William Guo

GRAPHIC DESIGN BY NEWS SECTION

of Activities and Athletics Malissa Goldstein. Co-campaigns elicited a variety of reactions from students. Some saw the tactic as more of a popularity issue, and others felt like they had to vote for both or all candidates even if they only liked one or a couple of the candidates involved. “I did a quad-campaign, for one day, basically. Even though we worked really hard to repair the pro�ile pictures and the posters, the main issue that we encountered was that people didn’t want to vote for the entire group,” said Ben Shapiro, current and upcoming 2019 class president. “I thought we were a pretty likeable bunch, but I guess people didn’t agree, so after that Monday we had a meeting and decided to focus on our individual campaigns, and hope for the best.” Additionally, online campaigning is an integral part of the recent ASB elections since many candidates use social media to actively share their plans and visions for the future. “One thing I noticed was the trend where a couple years ago, people would only put up like a facebook event and posters, but recently more people have started putting up websites and google docs of what they actually want to do, and they’re trying to share their vision and plan,” said current ASB treasurer and upcoming ASB president William Shan. Shan knew that not everyone had ac-

cess to Facebook or used it often, so he and his friends created an online platform to ensure that everyone could have access to candidate’s campaigns. Because there are no restrictions on online campaigning, it was possible to create the said website, lhscampaign.cf, which includes platforms for each candidate as well as a forum for students to ask candidates questions. “My friends and I built the website lhscampaign.cf, because Facebook was not always a level platform for candidates to spread their word and thoughts,” said Shan. These more �lexible rules come with many bene�its, such as a broader reach to the voting constituency, but unfortunately, they also result in more stress for the students. “Inherently, you’re going to get a lot of stress in high energy activities like this. People who run deeply care about the things they’re running for,” said Shan. “It’s become a part of their identity, and if you lose part of the identity, or if you’re at a possibility of losing that part of the identity, you would get worried and stressed.” Stemming from the pressures of ASB elections, the Lynbrook campaign process was a culmination of efforts on each candidate’s part through both on-campus and online advertising to help the student body decide which candidates were most quali�ied.

Out-of-state students gain unfair advantage with UCs

BY AURELIA YANG

n Apr. 13, senior Amulya Raju was heading back home after work when she checked her phone to �ind the letter she had been anticipating all month--an email marking the end of a gruelling four-year journey, and the beginning of another. “Congratulations!” it read. “We are delighted to offer you admission to the University of California, Los Angeles.” Although Raju’s acceptance marked a signi�icant lifetime achievement, for many other seniors within the state, perfect AP test scores and numerous summer internships were not enough to gain them admission into the Universities of California (UCs) they had set their hopes on. This year the University of California states admitted thousands of students from states other than California who had lower grades and test scores than state residents, revealed by the California State auditor’s recently released report. The report justly criticizes university practices, stating that the practices work largely in favor of nonresidents who pay about three times the basic tuition of in-

SHIVA VEMIREDDY//IN MY OPINION

Just saying no to arranged marriage

hen you look past graduation, college, another graduation, a career, what do you see? Do you see yourself at a high-paying job, or at your wedding with someone you’ve created countless memories with? If you can’t relate to what I just said, join the party. My future holds only

state students: $38,108 and $13,400, respectively. The 116-page audit notes that in the last three years, nearly 16,000 admitted nonresident undergraduates--about 20 percent of those admitted--had lower grade-point averages and scores than those of the average California admit. “I �ind that every year students tend to say, ‘the UCs were tough this year,” said Barbara Takahashi, Lynbrook’s College and Career counselor. “I think that is because results are often unpredictable. [But] when I look at admission statistics for Lynbrook students in the last four years, I do see acceptance declines at some of them, such as Berkeley, UCLA, and Davis.” California’s Master Plan for Higher Education, a system for postsecondary education which de�ines admission policies for the UCs, used to ask that the UCs only admit nonresidents who are at least as quali�ied as the “upper half [in terms of quali�ications for admission] of residents who are eligible for admission.” But in 2011, the system unreasonably changed their policies to require that nonresidents only need to “compare favorably” to residents, allowing the UCs to ad-

mit nonresidents with lower grades and test scores than residents. California’s government negotiated with the UCs in 2014 to suspend tuition and increase the residential enrollment, made so the government would increase UC system funding if it increased residential admission. Unfortunately, the increase in residential admission has still been accompanied with a proportional increase in non-residential admission, meaning nonresidents are still taking up slots and funding at UCs. Although nonresident tuition can support the system �inancially, the UCs should reform their admissions policies by not denying quali�ied resident students to make more income, and by not placing residents and nonresidents on an uneven playing �ield. “As public institutions of California, the UC’s should be dedicated to educating their Californian residents,” said Raju. “Based on my personal experience, having lived in both the U.S. and India, I see friends from India who’ve been accepted as international students to the UCs with lower test scores and

one of those things, and it’s not the wedding. Imagine this: you’ve just graduated from college and have found a job that you like, and your parents call you over for a casual mid-morning chapathi feast. You go over to their house, sit down at the dinner table and meet the woman who you are marrying in a month. The process probably won’t go exactly like that, but it’s a general version of an arranged marriage--and it’ll probably be me in a couple of years. Ages ago, back when merging families could be used as a political or economic tool to make peace or become wealthier, arranged marriage were a practical move. A farmer with ten cows could marry his child off to the child of another farmer with ten cows, and end up with a bigger farm of twenty cows. There was economic value back then, but what’s the practicality now? For many, the point of an arranged marriage is to become wealthier by marrying up, but in the modern society it is possible for anyone to become successful without relying on marriage. So

when my parents tell me how they want me to marry someone they personally choose, it confuses me because I’m sure I can become a self-sustaining adult capable of deciding who I want to spend the rest of my life with. After analyzing my parents’ complex psychology, I came to the conclusion that they want to choose my wife in order to feel like they still have control over me, even when I’m a �inancially independent adult. Any other reason they could have come up with would be highly illogical, as we don’t own any cows and do not intend to in the future. If they only wanted what was best for me, they would let me choose the person I have to spend the rest of my life with. What’s even more confusing is how my parents �ind the singular plot of all Indian movies appealing, but still remain stubborn about my having an arranged marriage. They love the storylines of a guy meeting a girl and falling in love, with the girl reciprocating his feelings. And then her wealthy, gang leader father disapproves, so the couple runs away

less extracurricular involvement than my peers at Lynbrook, and that makes me question the true value of the UC system.” Yet just a few years prior, many high schoolers preparing for the college-application marathon viewed the UC’s to almost be schools of “assurance.” “My sister came to Lynbrook as part of the class of 2013,” said senior Alvin Fan. “It’s amazing to see that in just 3 years, so much has changed in the college admissions process. Back then, UC Berkeley was considered almost a ‘safety school’ for a top tier student, and now, fast-forward three years, UC Berkeley is a reach for anybody. It’s a whole lot more competitive -- it’s just become so dif�icult.” As the state’s prestigious public university system drops admission rates of homegrown students to an unprecedented low, many are beginning to questioning the system’s moral integrity -- perhaps the system truly does value money over education.

ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA LING | GRAPHIC BY RAKSHA NARASIMHAN

and the father sends his goons after them until, in one �inal stand, the guy �ights through the goons and impresses the father, who �inally approves of their relationship. Every aspect of this generic storyline opposes the intents of arranged marriages, yet somehow my parents still �lock to theaters to adore the plots of these movies. It seems as if the suppressed desires of my parents to have a non-arranged marriage draw them to these movies’ plots, and the only reason they force their children to have arranged marriages is to make them feel the anger they felt when they were forced to have their own ones. Although I express my disapproval of arranged marriages, I don’t explain the bene�its. One being, I would have to do no work at all. I could have my parents go online to the Indian equivalent of eHarmony and “swipe right” on whoever they think will be a good match and set the date of the wedding. However, I want to choose who I spend my life with, so I will continue to oppose my parents’ organizing an arranged marriage.

No likes for Instagram’s new feed order BY CHELSEA LI

hen you’re bored and have absolutely nothing to do, chances are you open up your Instagram account and scroll aimlessly, refreshing the page, hoping that someone has posted something new in the last couple minutes. Up until now, Instagram has always arranged users’ feed in reverse chronological order, with pictures that have been posted most recently appearing at the top. However, they have decided to swap this style for a personalized algorithm-based feed, or a design in which posts appear based on popularity and relevance to the user. But this decision is �lawed. Instagram is currently the only platform that arranges posts in this way, and updating will cause them to lose the one feature that makes them unique, and cause users to miss even more posts. On March 15, Instagram announced that they would be changing their users’ feeds sometime in the next couple months. After this update, instead of viewing photos in the order that they are posted, from newest to oldest, users will be presented with the pictures they supposedly “want” to see �irst. Instagram is planning to base the order of users’ feeds on both relevance and popularity. On most social media platforms, refreshing generally brings posts the user has not seen before to the top of a feed to like, share, and/or comment. Facebook and Twitter have already formatted their feeds so that users view posts based mainly on their previous preferences and popularity, and Instagram is soon to follow in their footsteps. On Facebook, a status update that a celebrity has posted an hour ago could show up at the top of someone’s feed, instead of a picture their friend posted just a few minutes ago. While this format allows users to view posts they supposedly want to see most, it can also cause them to miss posts from the accounts they follow that may not be as popular, which is clearly a disadvantage. There have been many accounts urging their followers to turn on noti�ica-

tions, so that they are able to maintain their usual amount of likes and comments. “When it was announced, everyone panicked and was like ‘turn on post noti�ications, or you’ll never see me again’,” sophomore Leia Chao said. “I think people were generally unhappy about it.” Up until now, Instagram was the only widely-used social media platform with chronological feeds. Facebook removed their time-based order in 2009, and Twitter did the same this February. Both Facebook and Twitter faced similar controversy when their new algorithm took over, with many users insisting that their feeds be kept in original format. “On average, people miss about 70 percent of the posts in their Instagram feed,” Instagram’s CEO and co-founder Kevin Systrom wrote in a post on Instagram’s blog. “What this is about is making sure that the 30 percent you see is the best 30 percent possible.” But if a user is following another account, this would, by default, mean that the user �inds that account’s posts relevant. The assumption that users prefer to see some posts over others is false, as they can simply unfollow an account if they do not wish to see their posts. Thus, it is unnecessary for Instagram to even consider the problem of extraneous pictures.

posts a chance to be seen.” By simply arranging posts in reverse chronological order, Instagram allows every user an equal chance for their followers to view their pictures, regardless of how many followers they have. With the update, many accounts believe that their posts will be lost down followers’ feeds. Recently, there have been many popular accounts urging their followers to turn on noti�ications, so that they can maintain their usual amount of likes and comments. One way users have thought of to solve this problem is urging followto turn on LEIA CHAO ers post noti�icaSOPHOMORE tions. “ S o m e people who did it just wanted their followers to turn on noti�ications so that they make sure people are always checking up on them,” senior Linda Yao said. “[However,] not a lot of people would actually turn it on in the �irst place unless they really like them.” Additionally, turning on noti�ications would only cause users annoyance when their phone screens light up again and again. Either way, the update causes inconvenience. “I think it was better before; it’s more simple and easy to follow,” sophomore Charita Mangina said. “I could check my friends’ posts more easily, but since it’s based on popularity, I’d have to turn on noti�ications that just bombard your home screen with a bunch of messages.” It may be months before this new update is effective, as Instagram has not speci�ied a date. By converting to an algorithm-based personalized feed like other platforms, Instagram will lose the one feature that makes them unique. This change will only cause users to miss as many posts as they usually do, and they may even miss more pictures from closer friends who are not as popular as other accounts on Instagram. Instead of basing their algorithm on relevance and popularity, Instagram should keep their current feed formula.

“IF YOU FOLLOW SOMEONE THEN YOU’RE OBVIOUSLY INTERESTED IN THEIR CONTENT. THE OLD SYSTEM WAS WAY MORE FAIR BECAUSE IT GAVE EVERYONE’S POSTS A CHANCE TO BE SEEN.”

“If you follow someone then you’re obviously interested in their content,” Chao said. “The old s y s t e m … wa s way more fair because it gave everyone’s

PHOTO BY SHIVA VEMIREDDY

RENUKA BELWALKAR//IN MY OPINION

Why I genuinely like Hillary Clinton

remember 2008: I was eight years old and sitting on my couch, watching Hillary Clinton lose her �irst presidential election race. It didn’t matter much to me at that time. I thought she was just another one of those people who make news and then eventually fade away. I thought I’d never see her campaigning again or on my TV screen. But I was wrong. Watching her �ight for her presidency again, I can comprehend the immensely impressive personality she has: she is braver, smarter and more ambitious than I ever thought. I am awestruck by her courage toward the citizens of the U.S.--being the only woman on the campaign trail, a wife and a grandmother, she has tolerated the blunt “Crooked Hillary” nickname from Trump and numerous other insults in front of millions of people. But the reason why I admire her intelligence is that she concerns herself with Trump’s insults toward the larger groups of women, Muslims and immigrants by asserting how he “is undermining the values that we stand for in New York and across America, and he’s hurting us around the world.” Not only is she brave enough to publicly confront Trump by denouncing his discriminatory actions, but she also stands up for other people before standing up for herself. But even worse of a situation to deal with is when the media goes after her husband’s sex life; that’s purposeful humiliation, and it is a huge burden to have your personal life come in the way of your professional life. But Clinton carries this with grace. She knows her boundaries and keeps her private life to herself, explaining only what is needed to be explained such as how she felt and why she decided to stay with her husband. When he cheated on her, she had the right to leave him. When she wasn’t voted for president in 2008, she had the right to never come and �ight again. But she never left. If you look at the bigger picture, Clinton is just a woman �ighting for what she wants with undeniable perseverance in almost everything she does. Aside from graduating from Yale, she is also the �irst First Lady to ever be elected as a U.S. Senator. She even won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word back in 1997. Before catapulting her political career, she was named as one of America’s top 100 lawyers by the National Law Journal. All of her achievements could be considered achievements of a lifetime. People say it’s the tough times that truly show your character, but through Clinton, I can see it’s also the successful times that truly show your character. That’s not to say she doesn’t have �laws-in interviews, she doesn’t look completely at ease--or even to an extent, scared. She doesn’t pull off jokes perfectly while on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, and seems more comfortable in professionalism than informality. But rather than noting these as drawbacks, I �ind it more impressive that she confronts these adversities by still showing up, still making speeches in front of thousands, still persevering because she knows that’s what it takes to be president. Clinton would do anything she believes, even if she were the only one in gender, opinion or style. Eight years after her defeat, only a person with an incredible amount of passion can return to the public stage stronger than before. She does what she wants because it is true to who she is, not true to what others think of her.

Abolishing the unfair advantage in ASB elections

he dominant focus of this year’s ASB and class of�icer elections was not a speci�ic policy proposal or a candidate who captured students’ votes. Instead, it was the implementation of multi-campaigning, a political tactic in which two or more candidates work together during election season by campaigning for and promoting each other. Lynbrook’s of�icial guidelines for ASB and class of�icer elections currently do not state whether multi-campaigns are permissible; as a result, candidates can multi-campaign without of�icial consequence. In the wake of recent ASB elections, however, it has become apparent that multi-campaigning, successful or otherwise, can take away the democratic aspects of the voting process: cocampaigners often manipulate voting pools to receive votes they didn’t earn and exacerbate the already popularitycentric voting process. This year, the use of multi-campaigns spurred backlash from voters and candidates alike for unfairly disrupting the system. “It’s an exclusionary idea to be able to preselect the team,” said junior Kyle Chang. “If you’re elected, you’re basically choosing your cabinet even though you don’t have the capability or the power to do so. You’re saying that you don’t want to work with anyone other than these people. In my mind, it’s a bit elitist and unnecessary.” In order to respond to the detriments surrounding multi-campaigns, ASB should convene a meeting of ASB of�icers, candidates and voters to discuss the allowance of multi- campaigning, thereby respecting the wishes of both voters and candidates to ensure a better campaign season.

“I think it’s great to get more opinions, concerns, voices from our student body so I’m open to that [plan],” said Interim Vice Principal Malissa Goldstein. “I think our initial plan was to meet again with the newly elected ASB cabinet and Mrs Badger and talk about what they’ve heard because they have a pretty good pulse on the campus.” This year, junior Nicholas Lui and sophomore Sally Kim ran a successful co-campaign for IDC representative. “I thought that it would be interesting to team up with somebody to promote diversity in the IDC team because I know that Lynbrook is a very diverse place,” said Kim regarding her decision to co-campaign. “After knowing Nick for awhile I realized that we are very different people and we represent different parts of Lynbrook, which would be bene�icial in helping us try to help the student body and represent them well at IDC meetings.” Lui saw the campaign as a challenge he was prepared to face. “I thought that working with [Kim] for next year was not as much about campaigning with each other as it was about how the dynamics would be next year,” said Lui. “I thought it would be interesting to work with somebody who is so different from me.” Kim and Lui used a myriad of resources, from photo campaigns to Facebook

events, to effectively promote their to students and win the election. Current freshman vice president Rohan Goel also campaigned this year in a multi-campaign, running with fellow freshmen Ben Shapiro, Adam Katz, and Alicia Wu. Shapiro was the only one of the group to win his election. “We tried a quad campaign and realized that it wasn’t going to work out because it was hard to endorse each other and be supportive of our own campaigns at the same time,” said Goel. “I realized that it was better to build off your own personal campaign rather than relying on others. Campaigning by myself allowed me to better express myself to the student body.” With multi-campaigning, sheer popularity, rather than policy details, can become the driving force behind the elections. By combining the voting blocks of each candidate, multi-campaigners get potentially twice the votes due to the combined force of their popularity, and not because of their proposed plans. The issue of popularity already clouds of�icer campaigns, and permitting unregulated multi-campaigns only worsens the issue. “[Co-campaigning] gives a disadvantage to other campaigners, especially those who may not be as popular or seen as most quali�ied,” said sophomore Jessica Peng. “It’s not

Staff Editorial

The Voice of the Epic

“IT’S AN EXCLUSIONARY IDEA TO BE ABLE TO PRESELECT THE TEAM. IT’S A BIT ELITIST AND UNNECESSARY.”

KYLE CHANG JUNIOR

fair to other campaigners who may be just as quali�ied, but do not have that extra support. To voters, if they see one [candidate in a dual campaign] as really quali�ied and they see that two candidates are working together, they might vote for the other candidate even though they might not be as quali�ied.” Furthermore, multi-campaigns can manipulate the voter pool by forcing voters to identify one candidate’s personality and intentions with those of their partner candidates, creating a scenario in which one candidate receives votes solely due to their alignment with the other candidate. Those running multi-campaigns can receive unwarranted votes by association, allowing unquali�ied candidates to win of�icer elections. And from the candidates’ viewpoints, awkwardness may arise if only one candidate from a multi-campaign is elected; this scenario may greatly harm the productivity of groups such as ASB and class of�icers, which places much emphasis on teamwork. “Let’s say that Person A and Person B are co-campaigning, and there’s a Person C outside the co-campaign,” said Lee. “Person A and Person C win. What is Person C going to think about Person A? They’re going to think, ‘Hey, Person A wanted Person B on this team, and not me.” Lee does note, though, that cocampaigns may have their positives, and may strengthen an of�icer team if implemented. “If these two people are [co-campaigning] to win a campaign and have never worked together in the past, [a co-campaign would be] stupid,” said Lee. “It’s not a co-campaign for the

INFOGRAPHIC BY ANYA POPLAVSKA

We do not actually live under a democratic system BY URMILA VENKAT

merica: The greatest democracy in the world. Except technically, the U.S. is not a democracy. It is a republic, which means that the people vote on leaders who make policy decisions for the nation. Most citizens do not directly participate in government, especially in the election process: a mere 36.4 percent of eligible voters voted in the midterm elections in 2014, the lowest it has been since 1942. Low voter participation in elections is not the only problem that plagues American democracy; much of the problem lies within the democracy itself. Although Americans do not directly elect their president--the electoral college of each state votes in a way they believe is congruous with the views of their constituents--they do directly vote for a nominee from each political party. Even in the process of electing a nominee for presidential candidacy, there are many instances where public input is either diminished or cut out entirely. The undemocratic aspects of the American election process, especially during one of the most polarizing election cycles in recent history, only serve to create

an ineffective system that suppresses individuals in a time when their voice is needed the most. The system of voting itself has many regulations that rule out a large portion of the populace from expressing their opinion on a candidate through a vote. Many voters are u n a b l e to vote in closed primaries, elections in which only registered members of the party can vote, as opposed to open primaries, in which anyone can vote. A Gallup poll conducted in January 2015 found that 43 percent of registered voters are independents, but in closed primaries, unregistered or independent voters cannot have a say in who should be the nominee, effectively cutting out a large portion of the population.

“It’s the very fact that you’re not able to vote on Republican and Democratic closed primaries if you’re registered as an independent that doesn’t make sense,” said senior Brandon Strong. “[Being an independent] means you have values that can land on either side, or neither.” In the recent Citizens United decision, the Supreme Court ruled that companies would be allowed to make unlimited donations to candidates’ campaign funds. The opportunity for unlimited campaign contributions effectively gives more power to those with more money, disenfranchising the majority of people who do not. “When large corporations give contributions to candidates, those candidates owe the corporation; the corporations are rewarded with policy that bene�its

them if the candidate is elected,” said senior Lily Chen. “Unfortunately, what corporations want often goes against what American citizens want.” The Democratic party, despite the name, has its own unique form of suppressing democracy within its election process. Superdelegates, de�ined as powerful players such as party leaders and legislators within the party, make up 33 percent of the delegates needed to win the election and remain technically unclaimed throughout the election cycle. A superdelegate’s ability to vote for a candidate regardless of public opinion unfairly removes agency from the people in choosing a nominee, and only serves to tilt the election in favor of the candidate with establishment or party support. The main issue with each of these undemocratic aspects of the U.S. elections is that they remove the one element from American democracy that makes it democratic: the voice of the people. In order to run an election that holds true to American ideals, primaries and caucuses should be open to all eligible voters, and nobody should hold disproportionate power in the election process.

I let another person pick my outfit for three days... Out�it descriptions (from left to right): Day 1: Shreyas: Blue dress shirt from Banana Republic, tan chinos from Levi’s, shoes from Sperry’s Claire: Navy dress from H&M, beige cardigan from Tilly’s, shoes from Converse

Day 2: Shreyas: Grey jacket from American Rag, white graphic tee from Adidas, board shorts from DC, shoes from Vans Claire: Plaid shirt from Hollister, black crop from H&M, denim shorts from Hollister, shoes from Sperry’s

SHREYAS IYER & CLAIRE CHIANG Shreyas: Don’t let these pictures fool you; that beautiful smile you see me donning is 100 percent fake. I vaguely remember signing on thinking that there was no way Claire could possibly �ind clothing so horrid, so disgusting, so un-Shreyas-like as the sets of clothes she chose for me. Well, I was wrong. As a guy who takes great pleasure in criticizing the myriad of clothing choices my “fashionista” friends make, Claire’s fashion choices -- from a blue button-up shirt with tan chinos and Sperry’s on day one to Adidas soccer pants, bright red Nike shoes and a pocket square shirt on day three -- reminded me of these same tasteless fools I make fun off who run around campus in their red velvet cake sweaters, ‘ipster shirts, and Adidas rip-off pants (the ones with TWO stripes). I also don’t think I’d ever received more compliments for my fashion choices in my life either, but that’s beside the point. I can honestly say that this challenge was basically pointless. Time to go back to my enticing combination of navy blue jacket, light blue shirt, cerulean blue pants, and baby-blue shoes. Thank God this challenge came right in time for spring cleaning - I’m de�initely throwing half of the crap I wore in a bon�ire by the end of this weekend.

Claire: Going into this challenge and knowing the fashion choices that Shreyas tends to make for himself, I had my doubts. Very high doubts. I feared that I would end up looking like a blue blob everyday and the �irst day only slightly alleviated my fears. Shreyas chose a navy blue dress along with a beige cardigan and white Converse: an out�it with potential. The next two days were de�initely more comfortable, as I was dressed in clothes I would choose for myself on a normal school day. I looked so normal to the extent that Shreyas told me to just choose my own out�it for the last day, but he, quite sassily, still pulled through in the end. It took a lot of effort for me to force Shreyas to unzip his jackets and not consistently complain about the bitter wind and cold, but it paid off since his new sense of fashion de�initely showed off a new Shreyas. You’d be surprised at all the nice, untouched clothing hidden in Shreyas’ closet. Although I personally did not get to experience a new, horrid style, I can say that having my daily out�it chosen well beforehand saved me a great deal of time each night, doing wonders for my sleep.

Out�it descriptions (from left to right):

Day 3: Shreyas: Blue jacket from Adidas, grey shirt from CSG, soccer pants from Adidas, shoes from Nike Claire: Grey jacket from H&M, blue shirt from Hollister, blue jeans from Hollister, shoes from Vans

Alex: Despite my initial reservations about being selected (read: forced) to do this challenge, I’ll admit it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I’ve learned so many useless… interesting things about fashion during these three days, like wrinkling dress shirts to turn them into jackets and that women’s clothes’ buttons go on the left side of the shirt (thanks for your “brother’s” shirt, Michyla). Not all the clothes I wore will be added to Shreyas’ roaring bon�ire of clothes, as they were “reasonable” compared to what I planned on wearing for the next few months (especially the khakis, which cost over $60), but rest assured I will be fueling the �ire. I’ll use this experience as my �irst steps into men’s fashion, but the rest will come “with all deliberate speed” (which, for those of you who haven’t taken APUSH, this means never). This challenge also required me to look at women’s fashion so that I wouldn’t embarrass myself when I chose something for Michyla. Sure, I may have failed in one or two (or all) aspects, but I like to think of it as a bonus to her struggle to put me in something that actually worked. I’m just happy Claire can’t force me to pose in awkward positions anymore, and that I got to display my incredible collection of shoes.

Michyla: I am so relieved that this challenge is over, mostly because I struggled to make a decent out�it with Alex’s extremely limited closet. My advice for all the guys out there is to own at at least one thing with a pattern on it. I was really hoping that Alex’s usual sweats style would be re�lected in the out�its he chose for me so I could come to school in my pajamas. Instead, on the �irst day, I spent the whole day wrestling with a skirt in the wind, trying to avoid a Marilyn Monroe moment. The only upside to the experience was the full leg workout I got from squatting every time I needed to tie my shoe. Funnily enough, despite my opposition to the sheer top that somehow managed to keep me freezing while wearing a leather jacket, I received a lot of compliments from my dentist and other dentists in the of�ice. Something that really surprised me was that Alex owns only one pair of jeans that he had only worn once, which I made him wear even though they were apparently “too tight.” Nevertheless, Alex got his revenge on me by sticking me in the faux pas pairing of denim on denim, making me appreciate his love for sweatpants a little bit more.

Day 1: Alex: Shirt from Stafford, t-shirt from Sonoma, jeans from Arizona Jeans, shoes from Adidas Michyla: Denim jacket from Target, skirt from H&M, v-neck from Forever 21, Converse

Day 2: Alex: Denim shirt from American Rag, khakis from Izod, shoes from Adidas Michyla: Jacket from Chor, top from Charlotte Russe, jeans from American Eagle, shoes from Laura Scott Day 3: Alex: Sweater from Bass, jeans from Arizona Jeans, shoes from Adidas Michyla: Denim jacket from Arizona, shirt from Decree, shorts from Old Navy, tights from CVS, knee high socks from Daiso, shoes from Laura Scott

ALL PHOTOS BY SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY AND WILLIAM GUO

ALEXANDER XU & MICHYLA LIN

Spoons: the senior game of fear and betrayal BY SANA SHARFUDDIN & NANDA PANDIAN

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY—EPIC

wo hundred and sixty-six players. Two goals: to kill and survive. On Feb. 9, the students of the Class of 2016 nervously walked onto Lynbrook’s campus clutching white plastic spoons in their hands. Throughout the day, eyes wandered suspiciously as players walked by each other. Targets were conveyed from friend to friend, and devious plans were developed on how to kill. This was a game like no other: Spoons. Seniors Ethan Chee, Kenny Yuan and Raghaav Minocha--known as the Goderators--began planning the game in January. Prior to the game’s beginning, the Goderators spent their time planning out each immunity, as well as the number of deaths they wanted per week. Each email they sent out to players was written before the game started. “Planning events before the game actually started allowed us to have some peace of mind while the game was progressing,” said Chee. “It also allowed us to easily replace previous ideas when new ones that popped into our heads.” However, unlike previous years, the Goderators decided to use social media to share each day’s kill stories, making the game more interactive. The website (lynbrook2016.co.nf/spoons) proved entertaining for students who wanted to keep up with the game as they read daily posts about how students killed their targets. “The website became really popular with underclassmen,” said sophomore Hiral Kotecha. “I read the Daily Cannon posts because it was interesting to read about how much fun the seniors were having with this. The immunities really amused me.” While the Goderators were busy posting daily stories on their website or �iguring out disputes, players schemed against each other in order to kill their targets. Detailed plans were formed with groups of people, including underclassmen. “In my group of friends, we switched the names of the targets in order to trick people to think that we weren’t targeting the person we were meant to target,” said senior Emily Zhong. “It even got to the point that I staged a fake photo shoot.” To many of the players, however, the game created paranoia as they struggled to kill other players and keep themselves alive. “The game had a psychological effect on me, as I felt really anxious all the time,” said senior Urbi Saha. “It was the thought of not knowing who can kill you that really scared me. It was also challenging because you don’t know who can turn against you. Because of this, I never trusted anyone throughout the game.” What stressed players out the most was the Hunger Gamesesque �inale that the Goderators created. Like the food and supplies placed in the Hunger Games’ Cornucopia, fourteen silver spoons were placed in the Quad on April 1, and players were forced to battle each other for silver spoons in order to stay alive. The challenge scared remaining players and led them into hiding, while others had their silver spoons taken away from them throughout the day. “The silver spoon challenge made me feel very paranoid. I planned out how to retrieve the spoon in advance, and left class

early that day,” said senior Katya Trushchankova. “Once I was in possession of the spoon I ran for it, and even had a nice lead. I was pretty shocked when I was tagged by another player because I knew I could have totally gotten away from dying if I had just ran the other way.” After many failed attempts at killing other players, numerous disputes, and the Goderators’ cruel jokes, 263 players were dead, leaving just three seniors to battle each other for the grand prize and eternal glory. Seniors Dara Jovkar, Mukund Hari, and Rohit Dhamankar entered the �inale not knowing the ridiculous, impossible challenge they were to face. The �inale consisted of an obstacle course in which the �inalists were to race through dif�icult challenges and ultimately �ind the golden spoon: the key to winning the game. “When it came time to spin around with the bat, I became very dizzy, so I kept falling,” said Jovkar. “I think what was most nerve wracking was that whether you’re �irst to �inish most of the obstacle course or not, it wouldn’t matter because the player that gets that golden spoon in one of the balloons gets the prize.” After completing the obstacle course and being the one to �ind the glori�ied Golden Spoon, Hari was championed as this year’s Spoon winner. His possession of the prize and glory was quite shocking to many people, since he had not put a lot of effort into the game. Yet Hari was set on winning since the beginning. “Wanting to see my name on that plaque was all I wanted,” said Hari. “I had no idea how to kill my target, so I sat back and played defensive. I started getting lucky with my kills later in the game.” After escaping death many times, he took the prize and glory, feeling proud of his ability to survive through the months of challenging tasks that all the Spoons players were forced to face. “Adrenaline was rushing throughout my body every second of the �inale. When I won, I was honestly in disbelief that I came this far without doing anything,” said Hari. “Most of my Spoons career had been me relaxing and watching other people die. I never expected myself to make it to the �inale, or even win, for that matter.” The game left players bitter at what the Goderators put them through, as friendships were destroyed and allies were created. Underclassmen were greatly involved in scheming various kills, and many enjoyed simply reading about the day’s savage acts online. To some, the Goderators were cruel, but to many their methods made the game memorable and entertaining. “The Goderators might have taken it too far sometimes, but overall they did a good job organizing the game and keeping it fun,” said Jovkar. “I will always remember Spoons as an emotional rollercoaster when I look back at it in the future.” Each senior class will have a different spoons story to tell. To future Spoons players, the champion of Spoons 2016 advises students to relax rather than stress out every day. “Just stack a bunch of spoons in your car or backpack. Trust no one except your closest friends. Camp out as much as you can during the immunities,” said Hari. “And do some off-season training for sprints. It’ll come in handy during the days you don’t want to do the immunity.”

How to ensure quality sleep when stressed out

e’ve all tried different methods to get better sleep, from avoiding caffeine to simply making our rooms a dark and quiet place. But sometimes, these methods just are not effective enough. No matter how much we try toWith testing season fast approaching, students need to ensure that they get better sleep. Following these easy tips and making sure to consitently live by certain rules will allow you to optimize your sleeping habits and feel energized the next day.

1. Have a healthy diet. Maximizing the quality of your sleep starts with your diet. Avoiding certain foods with high toxins, such as oysters and alcohol, will help your body focus on sleeping instead of overworking the liver. Fatty foods can also stimulate your digestive system to produce more acid, which in turn may cause heartburn and interrupt sleep. Foods that are good for sleep: cherries (melatonin helps control natural internal clock), cereal (complex carbs), bananas (natural muscle-relaxants magnesium, and potassium also has carbs to make you sleepy), sweet potatoes (sleep-promoting complex carbohydrates, they also contain that muscle-relaxant potassium). Foods to avoid before sleep: burgers (fatty food), and alcohol (which metabolizes quickly and may cause you to wake up more during the night).

2. Create a sleep friendly environment. How bright our environment is also directly relates to how well you can sleep. Our bodies are internally wired to awaken in a bright environment, and using an electronic device before going to bed is no exception. If you �ind yourself not being able to sleep at night, it might be because you were just looking at your bright screen on your phone. Allowing your body and mind to adjust to day and night will help you fall asleep when you want to. Turning off any bright electronics one hour before sleeping will give your body the indication that it is time to sleep.

3. Track your sleep. Sleep Cycle App: In order to give yourself the most effective sleep, you must understand your own sleep cycle. Everyone has a different sleep cycle that ranges from deep sleep to shallow sleep. Waking up from shallow sleep is far easier than waking up while in deep sleep, and because we are in deep sleep most of the time, we usually �ind it hard to get up in the morning. By tracking your sleep patterns with an app, you can see when you go from deep sleep back to shallow sleep throughout the night. By being aware of these times, you can set an alarm to a time when you are most likely in shallow sleep, even if it may be a couple hours before you would normally wake up. It may seem counterproductive, but awakening during shallow sleep allows you to feel well rested, and can also create more time for you to study.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY AURELIA YANG

BY HEDY ZHOU

A review of music streaming apps BY CATHERINE HUANG

Spotify has become one of the most popular music streaming services, and rightfully so. Its ability for users to share their playlists and music with friends and family really sets it apart from the other apps. Furthermore, Spotify gives users access to an enormous number of pre-made playlists, while giving the option to make their own, too. Its library of more than 30 million songs ensures that users can listen to a variety of songs from different genres and artists. But if you are not mentally prepared to listen to the same advertisements every half an hour, this app might not be for you. The mobile app only permits users to shuf�le between playlists, unless you decide to pay $9.99 a month for the premium version, which features no ads, unlimited skips and allows the user to listen of�line and play any track.

Less than a year ago, Apple released their own music streaming app-- Apple Music. With an Apple Music subscription, users will have access to the entire iTunes library, as well as Beats 1, a worldwide live broadcast from DJs based in Los Angeles, New York and London that also features pop culture news and interviews with artists. In addition to Beats 1, Apple Music subscribers also have access to curated playlists and suggestions by professionals instead of inaccurate algorithms designed by other music streaming apps. Even with its innovative features, Apple Music still has a shortcomings--the interface is cluttered and unorganized, which can be confusing to new users. Nevertheless, Apple Music is a good option for music listeners who already have a library from iTunes, as it allows users to combine their music with the rest of the iTunes library.

If you want to pursue your dreams of becoming a vocalist, or favor music from smaller producers or artists, then Soundcloud is the perfect app for you. As an artist, you may upload tracks of your own, and follow others with similar music tastes. Like other social media platforms, Soundcloud is designed to allow users to share music with others and post about their new favorite tunes. Music available on Soundcloud is not only limited to tracks created by undiscovered artists--the latest singles from Beyonce or Drake are also uploaded in an even more ef�icient manner than Spotify. Multi-platinum artists as well as aspiring artists alike have a chance to record music through Soundcloud, making the app a unique music streaming option that allows users to listen to anyone they are inclined to listen to.

With Jay Z’s app Tidal being a relatively new music streaming app, the application has many new features not found in predecessors. In addition to having ready access to the newest releases right away, Tidal users may also browse music videos, many of which are behind-the-scenes videos that cannot be found elsewhere. Tidal also has an extremely high streaming rate of 1411 kilobits of data per second, which ensures excellent sound quality for its users. But because there is no free version available, users must pay a premium price of $19.99 per month to access these exclusive features. In addition, because Tidal is a recently launched application, you may encounter a few technical dif�iculties downloading albums that you probably won’t encounter elsewhere.

Delving into the world of cult classics BY STEPHANIE LU

cult classic is technically any movie with an enduringly loyal fan base, but the de�inition leaves a lot of room for doubt. Some movies, like Rocky Horror Picture Show, are pretty much uncontested cult classics. But could the Star Wars �ilms, with their highly devoted nerd fans, also be considered a cult classic? Or are mainstream movies too popular for cult status?

The Princess Bride The Princess Bride’s title suggests cheese, which isn’t a misleading impression. But it’s the funny trope subversion that gave it fame, and which makes it a �ilm any genre savvy viewer would enjoy. Robin Wright plays Princess Buttercup, a classic damsel-in-distress who doesn’t do much other than screw up. But the Man in Black (Cary Elwes) is hot enough and capable enough her incompetence is somewhat excusable, so don’t worry about her. The thing about The Princess Bride is, you gotta remember it was made in the 80s. So excuse the cheesy p r o p s , terrible sound effects and red paint b a d ly dis-

ART ILLUSTRATION BY HEDY ZHOU

guised as fake blood. Yes, at one point, a giant rat does comes out, and it’s obviously some poor guy in a rat suit. But the awful production works �ine with the absurd humor; if you’re gonna spend �ive minutes talking about how a guy is only “mostly dead,” you may as well use a maraca for your sound effects. Corniness aside, the characters’ considerable backstories are well condensed. Unfortunately, �ight scenes are the only time exposition is ever given, so if you miss what they say--and considering the accents/80s sound production, it’s likely you will--you’re left with a pretty �lat story. Donnie Darko Like The Princess Bride, Donnie Darko is one of those rare movies that can effectively subvert cliche. The characters are archetypal--troubled teenagers, unconventional teachers, a mysterious old lady--but their actors and Richard Kelly’s directing add enough nuance to prop them up. Jake Gyllenhaal convincingly plays Donnie Darko as a teenage boy who can be both c r a z y and also scared as hell. To its c re d it, the movie r e fuses to fall back on a crappy family to explain Donnie’s frazzled madness, and originality is refereshing.

Kelly’s choice of setting is similarly unconventional. Donnie Darko takes place in a typical white suburb, one that doesn’t even contain Stepford Smilers or hidden intrigue. And yet, the juxtaposition of such a genuinely serene setting with the movie’s disturbing events works well. Donnie Darko has the kind of plot that requires serious sleuthing to fully comprehend. Thankfully, the �ilm’s many fans have assembled nice websites SOLELY DEDICATED to deconstructing the movie (but don’t look anything up before you watch it!!) The Big Lebowski This has to be the weirdest movie I’ve seen. The Big Lebowski is ostensibly a shaggy dog story about a dude (or rather, THE Dude) whose rug gets peed on because he’s mistaken for someone else and wants a new rug and gets in trouble for trying to get his new rug. But man, this movie was so weird. Like: rising action? Climax? Resolution?? None of those things exist in The Big Lebowski, except as sexual euphemisms. In a movie that goes from a guy named Jesus bowling to the Spanish version of “Hotel California” to scattering ashes from a plastic Folger’s coffee tin, the only constants are the characters. They’re the Dude, a chronically laidback stoner whose (slightly pathetic) lifestyle has apparently inspired real-life viewers to emulation. You’ve got his trigger-happy ‘Nam veteran friend, ; porno director loan sharks; and Germans. Freaking Germans, man. Cutting off people’s toes and everything. Regardless of what I say about The Big Lebowski, the Library of Congress has apparently deemed it to be of “cultural, historical, or aesthetic signi�icance.” So...I guess it’s worth a watch, if only to see all the aesthetically and culturally signi�icant dick jokes you can make out of bowling pins and balls.

Tips for hot weather

amous rapper and singer-songwriter Nelly once said, “It’s getting hot in here (so hot), so take off all your clothes.” Although indecent exposure is still a federally punishable crime, there is no denying that we are well on our way towards another scorching California summer. With the temperatures �luctuating from shivering in the morning to sweltering in the afternoon, we can all be sure to expect consistently rising temperatures in the next few months. As most of us can’t enjoy the privilege of air conditioning at home due to the strict saving habits of our parents, I have come up with a few tips anyone can put to use to avoid the hot weather. 1. Eat hot foods so you feel colder outside. Sure, it’s hot outside. But how do you know it’s hot? And what is it inside of you that determines whether things are hot or cold? An 80-degree day is relatively nice Tshirt weather for us Californians, but it’s pretty much purgatory for anyone who’s grown up anywhere far north. It’s all about your own sense of perspective and perception. Thus the only reasonable use for this observation is to hack your body into thinking it’s not actually hot outside. So stuff yourself with some boiling soup of �laming hot Cheetos, and suddenly the searing temperatures outside don’t seem so bad compared to the agony you’re feeling within yourself.

2. Cry. When the going gets tough, sometimes you just need to resort to man’s most primitive instinct: crying about it. Just cry as much as you want, as much as you can. As long as you stay hydrated, there’s nothing a good cry can’t �ix. Worst comes to worst, tears can even come in handy as a satisfying, sustainable refreshment. 3. Order your PMT with ice. Usually I would discourage this kind of practice since everyone knows adding ice is just a sure�ire way to ruin your drink. It takes up a whole bunch of unnecessary space in your cup, wasting both your money and the quality of the boba. However some sacri�ices need to be made for the greater good. Play around with the ice-to-drink ratio, and let your cashier know exactly what percentage you want. Around 50% is usually safe, however never go for anything above 80% unless you want to end up with a diluted, sad mess. 4. Deny global warming. The politicians might be onto something here. Laugh all you want, but it’s been proven time and time again that the best way to solve a problem is to ignore it completely until it hopefully goes away. So it’s only sensible to just pretend that our Earth’s conditions and ozone layer aren’t slowly wasting away. Blame it on our ancestors. Blame it on China sneakily trying to discourage industry in the United States. Or just go all out and blame it on the aliens/lizard people obviously trying to slowly cook humanity into some devilish crock-pot full of doom and destruction. These beliefs might not help your bio grade, but they’ll sure keep you from soaking in sweat! Although these tips might not save you from an embarrassing tanline, they’ll be sure to keep you free from melting the next time the weather broadcast reports a week of high 90s. Toodle-loo, ice cube! Sophia “hot as a tater tot” Ling

G N I D GRA Y L T N s E e i g R e t a r E t s D I F F rs’ innovative grading e h c a e t g n i r Explo

tion Categoriza g began ap Alternative ester Leun L er ts h in ac o p te g y n tr zi tegori AP Chemis A LUO ethod of ca typiAND JESSIC ternative m al IN ol loop are o an JA h g H sc in S n R ly o p es ,” t, if BY HA ad sh gr “homework ecause begin to this year. B ch as “test,” oom norms su sr ly to e, al as n p o cl er ty ti n al y si n b ge an ere ized s traditio inning to tr cally organ , students w ded to imers are beg ” and so on ds. Armed n ee o n h io et at ey p m more teach th ci g ti ic p eci�ic to t all “par al teachin o n sp n o h ti ic at n w divides h th ve w n n g o to unco e, Leun no revelati nsure as su u ry is tu is n u th n ce ti e en lv are co o reso rn-of-th prove on. T with the tu , instructors pic. , so the effece same way th ce system by to n g an content area ar h in le en ad le gr to e s d th peop o n down by h et . ke sts’ ts m ro te b en t e ew d n n u ar ce r st er f es fo ng ‘30 p “My grad ei joyment o se en ally looking f d o t n d an ce re y ea it ‘20 per nt us, inst ductiv om diffe ts will] see n my syllab o tiveness, pro e methods can range fr en d tu ta ’ ‘20 [s ra ’ st iz u u nt q grading odynamics, These uniq or ‘30 perce cent therm alternative e er to are ar p s 0 ts es re ‘2 h in u ,’ o ac ct p es stru and bas y of appro ility’ and s b et id lu ri ac classroom so va a d , k an nd that’s rium kinds. Lynbroo cent equilib bjects of all id Leung. “A er sa su p gems, and at d t,” n n an s te n m the co so they ca classroo allocated to in effect in Schoolloop n to o n e o ti se ] ca allo ents d the point what [stud ssroom eir grade an P Calculus la A th ic.” C p d e d ti e to an p a ly p is d al li ys F nderstan the actu u t Math Anal h to , o ig d ing down m ag ce s u ey d re ar hod of b ak Four ye was intro ow well th et h m er n ew em n ai ra e m K to th er to Sarah ng an assess In addition oom. In ord AB teacher implementi sr an as ed ed cl d eg w n b o u ed ll o p so p fo ng al com a �lip , she grades, Leu concept of s formation Each unit is e intra-clas classroom. Frazita and iv e given to as n es ed ar ia h s as iv co b V ze ta iz er u en h q m tain ; ac ts f te o en B d A m assess alculus at the en y a cycle of st is given ell. b fellow AP C te w d a u as an g, st m : g in o n in o ke and lear classr nds li ss student ent underst what it sou �lipped her t upon stud roblems se p assroom is ec the unit is n �l cl r o re te ed rk af to p o s it ip w k n �l A - the u few wee ome and h a an at n to n ve o le ed previgi ss b in is le la ta a ther test er is avai dents re o h u st an ac dents learn l te el o e T w . th w ts en e ho s, where ggling stud r to evaluat during clas id d help stru er up- ove an em formation. s n ra in o K t ti different,” sa e, gh es u m u ously ta swer q arn at ho is de�initely it le ts k em to en in st d ts u th sy st g en “I d stu student. his gradin d requires y “T tr an is e encourage n li em ay n b h o C w s pro the lectures i, an AP , because it , then assign Neilay Shah loads video stress a bit day. g r homework erial be ce in fo u at w d m o re em ll e th fo th ed ly helps sson the has help to watch al le re d eo d ts vi vi a en e ch at segm d to th usually is w he grades in lems relate g may do at home sier.” B student. A ea s d lu o o cu rrent testin st al C er “All I have to , an AP ect of recu iod und Su sp er mined an p ro in er s p Y et as e r d cl th io n e Though have bee during th s eo,” said jun e ct n o fe er d h ef is ac e o psych logist ting, th e work k the te seem daun s. Cognitive “Most of th you can as lt se of su au re ec ve b ti l pfu test results ts.” ce posi which is hel mpared the other studen e to produ uco h th st I it II n d w o an er rk s o ig ed d w ct o r n condu ry L. Roed ew meth vi ee en b re H questions o as al n h ic ta p th ch sear e Spar used ty d found at Extensive re oom; at th udents who s exams an sr st u as o u cl a, s. n ls ti u ed n T p co a �lip took igher result ology in dents who bene�its of ts had far h and Techn t d en n d cs se u ce ti ea st er f au cr p o n in o p ou Aer this le 12.8 the latter gr College of . ever, is that a remarkab ss ed w o re id as h st w ec e, t d e d s en si er d n am th ce progr tly to stu The dow n o ea Oklahoma, gr te s s s ra d ie ie g it d n ad n u ing ortu the st the passi ultiple opp ount of test majority of increase in do have m e-level am sroom. The ts eg sessment, ll as en as cl co d it u r d n st n ei u u th Though to �lip lved aro e second n vo th re ve in , ri ember er es -d ev ad ss re w r gr ho ew and m nger or le to raise thei conducted, uously revi n s with you ell on ti se n w t. as co re en cl o st st u In also m nits to sc n inconsi ey u ee s th programs. b u e o r vi av fo h l re s p el from rks w e result formation sroom] wo students, th asble and in ing the clas si p n p o li s. [� sp ’re not just k re am in e ex “I th these is that they udents ar at st asit th e e d d ’r th in n e ey �i eh h er o b h w Leung. “T er. “But I d “The idea id sa em an AP class ,” ra it K ’s id th ntent, at e it.” , and that deos,” sa the same co watch the vi the most hat sroom is sessed once in le d gg ar ru rw st that tain that in n afte clas forced to re sessed agai the students the �lipped e ’r y to ts ll ey u e en d th ef d si p s u o n st ay h w ith so ew Another do way in som hands-on, w information revisit the res are less k questions u r o as ct ” n le to g. io e s in at th d as cl stan form that next better under t grading or teaching the video. ait until the ey’ll have a n e watching th having to w il re h fe w if ey d th en at is ch all strive have ar how mu evident th ge is u It nbrook and ga Ly to that might at er d w d o ar h ye h vironlo w ’s p o it , n g a growin en ely ods are em ts] don’t k h er “As a teacher en et d st u m fo st r e o ts h ress wid tuden feel like [t g both use er reduce st Kraemer. “S know, and I er and Leun im- to eith ther,” said s em ei n me: to o ra sa w ti K o e es n u k gh th q u e o ent. Th can’t ask goals ar m much they r ey ei le th p th at , eo th p es le e fact rategi can ask possib . different st don’t like th al lecture, I fectively as , ic ef it p as ts ty n a ge g ar e n n le uri ts eryo help studen mediately. D ake sure ev blem and m ro p a POPLAVSKA y .” tr to R XU & ANYA the video in at BY ALEXANDE N th IO o AT d TR ’t US GRAPHIC ILL but I can

SHIVA VEMIREDDY -- EPIC

CAUGHT IN CHILD LABOR

Unraveling the ugly truth behind manufacturing in the fashion industry BY RENUKA BELWALKAR & MICHYLA LIN

dds are that any given student owns at least one item of clothing from H&M, Nike or Forever 21: all popular brands known for their trendy designs and high-pro�ile images. However, many students do not realize that the clothes they wear are made by children of the same age; instead of attending school, these children spend their days shut in factories and sweatshops. These companies, along with numerous others, have been accused of a common production process: child labor. “The price is really cheap for such [clothes with] nice designs,” said junior Nick Lui. “I feel extremely bad. We as a nation have a responsibility to improve the process with which the clothing is made.” Child labor is particularly convenient for the textile industry; children are ideal for the unskilled work and are especially useful for picking cotton, as their smaller �ingers do not damage the crop. Many of these children are forced to work in cotton �ields under threats of violence and punishments if they speak out against abuse. The fashion supply chain’s complexity makes it easy for companies to conceal the use of child labor, but even retail companies themselves are often unable to monitor every stage of production. In a 2015 report by the Baptist World Aid organization, 25 percent of retail companies fully trace their inputs and nine percent trace their cotton. Only 42 percent of apparel companies decide where to manufacture their products based on supplier labor conditions, according to a report by Not For Sale, a nonpro�it that works to protect victims of human traf�icking. A 2006 National Labor Committee report stated that about 200 children, some younger than 11 years old, were working for Walmart, Hanes and J.C. Penney at the Harvest Rich factory in Bangladesh. “I felt truly ashamed for being so ignorant and caught up in the consumer mindset,” said senior Anusha Mannava. “It never occurred to me that the cotton that was used to make my clothes was made by poor children [or that] so many of the clothes in my closet have probably been made by slaves at some point.” Poverty is a large contributor to child labor, especially in impoverished countries such as such as India, Uzbekistan and Bangladesh, where many families are in debt or are unable to support their families. Companies such as Gap Inc. only pay their employees minimum wage, which is not enough to sustain a decent living. Many children involved in the system lack the education to get better jobs, or must work to help their family earn a living wage. Tamil Nadu, India is notorious for their Sumangali Scheme, in which employers continued from LIES page 1

truth to strangers does no lasting damage to a person’s image or reputation, while being honest with a coworker has the potential to threaten one’s public self image. “I think in general people lie out of fear,” said sophomore Aarushi Agrawal. “If it’s telling the truth to society, it’s the fear of being judged, and if it’s telling the truth to parents or teachers they might get in trouble.” There are certain situations where lying is more common. According to a study by Scienti�ic American, 40 percent of people lie on their resumes. Common resume mistruths include embellishing skills or responsibilities, lying about job titles and academic credentials and even claiming to be employed by companies that they’ve never worked for. The study also found that 90 percent of people have lied on their online dating pro�iles, with the most common lies being about

lure young children into taking jobs with promises of good wages. Employers also convince or bribe parents to sell their children into slavery where they will be “safe,” or to pay off debt. More often than not, children end up in the human traf�icking system, where they are sold into sweatshops, factories and/or prostitution. “I feel extremely disturbed by the intensity of the problem,” said junior Ahana Narang. “As a person living on the richer side, I feel that we have the responsibility of helping those in poverty and stuck in child

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY-- EPIC

physical appearance, such as weight, height and age; lying about income is also common. “Lots of people lie about academics, and I’ve tried to distance myself from that,” said Tuo. “But at Lynbrook, you’re either lying about not having a tutor or about an achievement because there is a lot of competition.” Attentive listeners may be able to spot liars by noticing some subtle changes in a person’s behavior. If a person changes their head position quickly, turns away, repeats words, leans backward or stares unblinkingly, they are likely to be lying. Liars may also become defensive, embellish whatever they may be saying, or attempt to change the topic. A study by the University of Toronto found that highly trusting people, classi�ied as such based on a survey taken prior to the experiment, were able to distinguish lying job applicants from truthful ones better than those who were not as trusting of others. Despite the study concluding that more honest

labor, since we have the most resources available to us.” At a time when capitalism dominates economies worldwide, fast fashion, or high fashion designs sold for an affordable price, contributes to the use of child labor by encouraging retailers to �ind cheap ways of quickly manufacturing clothing. But the use of child labor is not enough to deter buyers looking for a good deal. “People need to wear clothes, and they will buy what they feel suits their needs best,” said Lui. “People want the best qual-

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY INDEPTH

people more accurately detect lies, this idea may not necessarily apply to everyone. “I’m generally more trusting, and it’s upsetting when I �ind out someone lied to me,” said sophomore Robert Yang. “I don’t know when others are lying, but I’ve been trying to process everyone’s statements before I take them to be the truth.” When a person lies, they often forget to consider feelings of the person they lied to in the moment because they are more stressed about the actual lie. However, when the truth is uncovered or revealed, the person who was lied to often harbors negative feelings. “[Being lied to is] a feeling of betrayal, but it also depends on the circumstance,” said Tuo. “If it’s a friend lying to you about something, or if it’s someone who’s trying to boast about their achievements and over-exaggerate something, it feels really bad.” Although lying may be an instinctual habit in high-stress situations with several ben-

ity clothing they can get for the lowest price and prefer to look at the end result rather than the means by which it was made.” A study conducted by Stanford University has shown that retailers who begin catering to fast fashion can expect to see an immediate increase of 40 percent in pro�its compared to their previous earnings. As a result, they turn to countries with more relaxed labor laws, such as Bangladesh. This helps to outsource cheaper products, sell for a cheaper price and increase pro�its by as much as 350 percent. Organizations such as the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) have worked to inspire brands to become child labor free by raising awareness among consumers. Changes made by Nike in response to consumer backlash is an example of the power consumers wield over companies. “Once people understand the role they play in the market and the power they have to control these companies, they can boycott and pressurize them into reform,” said Mannava. “This is the most simple action that people can do.” Recently there have been improvements in some clothing factories. Hanesbrands Inc. has partnered with Fair Labor Associations and Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production for over 20 years, and its supplying chains are monitored about two to three times per year. H&M, previously under inspection for child labor, has collaborated with Ethical Trading Initiative in an effort to promote an end to situations such as the Sumangali Scheme. “At H&M, we are dedicated to improving children’s situations in cotton-producing areas and to contributing to a sustainable model of cotton production,” said CEO of H&M, Karl Persson in a Unicef report.” According to the International Labor Organization, the number of child laborers has declined by a third since 2000, from 246 million children to 168 million children, with Asia and the Paci�ic islands continuing to have the largest number of child laborers. And while 171 million children were working in hazardous conditions in 2000, this number has shrunk to 85 million. As Not For Sale found, about 75 percent of companies have now partnered with a third party auditor to monitor at least a portion of their supply chains. “A world without child labor is possible with the right priorities and policies: quality education, opportunities for young people, decent work for parents, a basic social protection �loor for all,” said International Labor Organization Director-General, Juan Somavia. “Driven by conscience, let’s muster the courage and conviction to act in solidarity and ensure every child’s right to his or her childhood. It brings rewards for all.” e�its, being honest can be a positive change. “When people you’re close to know the truth, they can help you in high-stress situations, which can bene�icial,” said Agrawal. Con�iding in someone else will give a second perspective on what someone might be going through or simply give others the chance to understand what someone is experiencing. It may be hard to transition from frequently lying or avoiding the truth to living a life of honesty, but with some conscious effort the shift can be made simpler. “It’s challenging and disruptive to break a habit,” said Stevens. “You have to devote conscious energy to change your behavior, but habits can be changed. In the end, habits of honesty end up feeling like a healthy change.” Lying has almost become an integral part of everyone’s daily lives. Learning about how often it happens, as well as why, can help people recognize others’ lies and be more conscious of their own.

IMPROVING YOUR MEMORY

Simple techniques to retain more information rapidly and accurately BY JJ IGNATESCU & SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY

ith the majority of students having extensive workloads from school and extracurricular activities, increasing ef�iciency and memorization to �inish their work in time is vital. Here are some tips and tricks for increasing the speed and accuracy of your memorization. Chunking When you see a phone number complete with brackets and dashes, you are breaking up, or chunking, the numbers into groups. This technique revolves around procedural and motor learning in the cerebellum, which helps you remember elements on the periodic table or math equations by piecing together small bits of information.

Rote Memorization If you see something over and over again, the cerebellum will make a connection with the object because of all of the repetition. Rote memorization is the basis for memorization. In particular, writing, as opposed to saying, something many times will help you retain important information. Associative Method Recognition memory is a distinct characteristic of the temporal lobe, activated by connecting information you want to learn to your personal life. This associative method of learning allows you to create a mental mind map and memorize new information rapidly. Mnemonics Mnemonics such as jingles, slogans or acronyms make information more entertaining and thus easier to remember. You may have already stored a familiar math mnemonic, SOHCAHTOA, in your frontal lobe, but the technique works for other subjects as well.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CATHERINE HUANG

The acronym “C.R.A.M.” will aid you in retaining these memorization techniques. With these tips, your late night cramming sessions can now be signi�icantly shorter.

Flipping the script: two star athletes switch sports Epic staffers Kristen Wong and Jessica Luo attempt to play each other’s sports BY JESSICA LUO & KRISTEN WONG

y training started with a simple driving exercise: all I had to do was swing and hit the golf ball. After my �irst practice swing without the ball, Jessica kept pointing out little mistakes in my form--my feet were too close together, I wasn’t pivoting correctly, my left index �inger wasn’t in the correct gripping position-and I suddenly felt swamped with all of the tiny details I had to memorize and execute. My severe lack of upper body muscle didn’t help either, and failure after failure, ache after ache, I started getting pissed off. As you can imagine, many of the aforementioned events involved some amount and volume of yelling on my part, eliciting

some nasty looks from other golfers. It should be known that Jessica had zero to negative faith in me before the challenge, so I partially blame her for my gol�ing shortcomings. With that said, the next exercise was chipping. I guess I wasn’t ready for the big boy sand, so I started chipping onto a somewhat sloped surface toward the hole. This was probably the only time in my life I regretted dropping physics honors, since being able to visualize and calculate the slopes and angles and wind resistance would hypothetically improve my game. Last but nowhere near least, I got to putting. Jessica started me off with a simple putting drill: I had to putt three balls from ten feet away into the hole. I missed the hole everytime, and Jessica quickly switched me to a training-wheel style of putting in which two tees were set up to guide my swing toward the hole. Ten minutes, two broken tees, and one vandalized portion of grass later, I was thoroughly exhausted, having stared at the ball and concentrated so hard I felt like I had the Force. At the end of the day, I probably had spent more mental strength on willing a ball to roll into a hole than I had in my entire second semester senior life thus far. Maybe I’ll retry the sport when I’m eighty years old and my joints are wrecked from slide-tackling, but until then, my soccer career awaits.

nearly died; if not by exhaustion, then by sheer embarrassment, or both. Let me just make clear the fact that I was severely handicapped--because I don’t own soccer shoes and Kristen has feet the size of a small shrew, I was forced to borrow her dad’s cleats. And no, a men’s size eight and a woman’s size eight are not the same. She had me begin by dribbling the ball around some cones, which sounds easy enough. I’m proud to say I managed to skillfully maneuver the ball around an average of three of the 10 cones, which, is quite remarkable. Either Kristen got sick of watching me or was undoubtedly impressed by my skill, but she quickly deemed me ready to move on and we started on some soccer turns. It took me awhile to understand the concept (”why would you want to go backward?”) and even when I did, usually I would swing my foot back, look for the ball, and realize I hadn’t actually kicked it at all. After many failed attempts, I soon declared myself a soccer pro and decided I was prepared to take on the challenge of trapping, which basically involves stopping the ball with some part of the body. I quite enjoyed trapping, actually. It was the only time where I could use parts of my body other than my feet. The only downside was that trapping hurt, especially since I don’t think I was using the right parts of my body. Much like Ross from Friends, I yelled

“we [are taking] a BREAK” several times in an attempt to gain some sweet relief from the pain, but to no avail. I was originally going to try scoring goals, but thankfully we had no goalkeeper, so we decided to �inish with some “friendly” one on one, using “all the skills that I learned.” Even though Kristen so kindly handicapped herself by just using one leg, it took me a good 15 minutes to actually get the ball past her, and another 10 minutes to �inally shoot it in the makeshift goal. Frankly, the fact that I even got it in still surprises me. I was hangry and felt the extreme urge to defenestrate all soccer balls (and Kristen) after this challenge. Needless to say, I don’t think I’ll be “dabbling” in any other sports anytime in the near future.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY HARSH JAIN SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY—EPIC

Swimming team makes waves at CCS

BY WILLIAM GUO

ynbrook’s swim team is entered league �inals with a 5-1 record this year, and the swimmers are all currently working on getting to CCS. The team’s progress up until this point, however, has not been without trials. “A lot of the seniors that graduated were really fast and quali�ied for CCS, so we’re missing four swimmers that are a lot better than us, but we have a lot of younger underclassmen...who are making up for that,” said senior Brandon Piercy, captain of the team. This year three sophomore swimmers have made it to CCS, and while this is their �irst time there, they have been making steady progress preparing for it. “Overall this season has been going well for me,” said sophomore Dominic Chua. “I’ve improved by a

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY—EPIC

second on my 100 freestyle since last year and about four the attention of colleges. “I think every year I’ve gotten more serious about seconds on my 100 backstroke.” my performance in the pool,” said Additionally, the team had to overcome junior Bradley Chen. “Freshman coaching changes. New coaches Jessica year swimming to me was for fun, Nicholson and Paige Robinson have joined “WE MAY NOT HAVE AS and now it’s my ticket to college.” current coach Jerome Chung, replacing last MANY STANDOUT SWIMAs a whole, Lynbrook’s swim year’s duo, Patrick Ellington and Carla SutMERS AS OTHER SCHOOLS, team has been making steady progton. Despite this, nine swimmers have alress, and the swimmers continue to ready made it to CCS. BUT WE USE OUR DEPTH train in preparation for the league To prepare for CCS, swimmers are going TO OUR ADVANTAGE.” �inals. to begin tapering, or implementing more JEROME CHUNG “We have a good chance at winintense workouts with longer rest time. COACH ning leagues,” said coach Jerome “The training we do is specialized for Chung. “I think we’re still on track different groups, so for example, if you’re this year. We may not have as many doing freestyle, you have freestyle sprints standout swimmers as other schools, but we use our or freestyle distance,” said sophomore Nathan Lee. Some athletes are also focusing on trying to do well to get depth to our advantage.”

Getting to know Lynbrook’s hockey community Learn about some of Lynbrook’s hardest hitters on the ice rink PHOTO COURTESY OF REECE BREUCKMAN

BY CLAIRE CHIANG

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY HARSH JAIN

Junior Reece Breuckman �irst started skating at the age of �ive. He later played his �irst organized game at the age of seven and has been playing competitive ice hockey since then. He currently playing defense for the San Jose Junior Sharks 18 AA team, which is an in-state travel team. The Junior Sharks are af�iliated with the National Hockey League’s (NHL) San Jose Sharks team and are occasionally allowed to practice at the SAP Center. Like any sport, hockey presents challenges on both the individual and team level. Since it takes a team effort to perform well, it is important that all players work hard together. “Sometimes my teammates don’t live up to the expectations I have for them, or some of them just don’t try hard enough and work as hard as the rest of the team,” said Breuckman. “In those situations, you have to compensate for them and push 120 percent instead of just 100 percent.” But even through all the dif�iculties that are presented in the game, the team has given Breuckman more than just a love for the sport. “Every year the guys on the team become a family, and some of the best memories aren’t made on the ice but off the ice,” said Breuckman. “I know that I have friends for life.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUSTIN DONG

PHOTO COURTESY OF KENNEDY MIEDEMA

Junior Justin Dong skated for the �irst time when he was seven at a birthday party and fell in love with the sport shortly thereafter. He asked his dad to take him skating at the public rink, and later his dad encouraged him to pursue ice hockey as a sport and signed him up for lessons. As a current member of the California Cougars, a local team that plays at Vallco’s skating rink, Dong has enjoyed the last nine years of his life as a competitive hockey player. For Dong, it’s not so much the physical factor that makes hockey stand out as it is the team aspects, �inesse and details of the game. Skills such as skating, stopping, turning, passing and shooting need to be perfected in order to play. “People often only think about the aggression and �ighting and fail to appreciate the skill and hard work it takes to play the game,” said Dong. “Hockey requires perfect execution, intense focus and minimal mistakes because even the smallest mistake can cost your team a game.” The most important aspect of hockey for Dong is the team dynamic. As his coach used to say, “you’re only as strong as your weakest link.” Every single member must be committed and willing to grow as a team after every win and loss. “In a team you don’t play for yourself. You play for everyone else who has committed their time to helping the team improve,” said Dong.

Sophomore Kennedy Miedema grew up with a hockeyplaying father in Minnesota, a state known for its strong ice hockey culture. She began skating at a young age and later started playing hockey at the age of eight, and currently plays center and defense for the San Jose Junior Sharks AA team, an in-state travel team. Miedema credits her father for her love of the sport. “He’s someone who’s been through the same things as me and we can connect through that,” said Miedema. “My dad still plays in the adult league at Sharks Ice, and we’ll go out and practice together when there are public skating times.” Miedema is also a member of the wrestling team. For her, the aggressiveness and physical aspect of the two sports stand out to her. Hockey, however, is still her main sport and passion. “It’s a very physical sport and even though girls aren’t supposed to be physical, they still do and they’re still very aggressive,” said Miedema. Miedema has been able to experience a multitude of memorable experiences with her team. “When our team made it to Nationals and we got third place, it felt really good being able to share that memory with the team,” said Miedema. “Hockey’s so much more than just a sport: it’s a lifestyle.”

TROPHY KIDS| Parental motivation gone wrong continued from TROPHY KIDS page 1 “Parents invest a lot of time and resources on their kids’ sports. Many feel that they only get a good return on this time and resource investment if their kids are successful,” said Art Destin, parent of sophomore and student athlete Andrew Destin. Although their talent may be obvious, self-con�idence can center completely around whether or not they perform well at a game or tournament, which is condensed into statistics on websites such as MaxPreps for college coaches to look at. “I feel less motivated to do well in academics. Because of that, I fall behind [in my classes] easily,” said Sumida. “[Now] I feel more motivated than ever to do well in softball, especially because MaxPreps is viewed by college coaches.” On the other hand, many parents simply want their kids to succeed as much as possible, and encourage increased participation in sports as part of that wish. “I hope that sports improves lifelong skills like sportsmanship, team interaction and how to balance time between academic homework and practice,” said Bill Steinmetz, parent of sophomore and student athlete Amy Steinmetz. “I also hope that the sports activity will provide favorability during the college admissions process. Scholarships are less important.” Parents serve as role models for their children. Pressuring them to succeed athletically sends the message that their young athletes could lose their affection if they do not excel. “I’ve seen [children being forced to play a sport],” said Cole. “I’ve seen families torn apart due to these stresses and out of control parental dreams. Since the child star gets most of the family’s attention, time, �inancial and other resources

and spotlight, siblings can feel left out.” Furthermore, some children are simply unable to live up to the high expectations of their domineering parents: they may lack the passion or physicality needed for the sport. Regardless of how hard young athletes try to succeed, they may just not be suited to a particular sport., but they still may be forced into playing that sport. Their parents may believe that if their children just put in more effort, they will eventually succeed as athletes. “I’m already trying my hardest [when I play volleyball] but if I’m still not good enough [for my parents], it just gets really stressful,” said sophomore and varsity volleyball player Amy Steinmetz. Trying and failing to succeed in a sport that an athlete is forced to play can negatively impact his or her self-esteem by making the child feel incompetent. Athletes feel pressured to perform to live up to the expectations of their parents. This pressure to perform, combined with said failures, may bring with discontentedness. Teenagers who struggle with de�ining their own identity may �ind comfort in �inding a sport they love to help boost their self-esteem. But the pressure to succeed may come along with If kids are not exposed to a supportive environment, however, they often develop an achievement-driven mindset in which selfworth is associated with winning a game or being the best. Priorities become skewed, and success is placed before wellbeing. “The child prodigy embarks on a campaign of hard work and denial of the normal pleasures

and pastimes of childhood,” said Cole. While parental encouragement is key for the success of young athletes, it can often become magni�ied into harmful pressure for children to succeed.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA LING

The calm before the storm BY SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY

race yourselves. Finals and AP tests are coming right around the corner. Never mind, I take that back, AP tests are already here. The time for cramming a year’s worth of material into one night while running on zero hours of sleep and coffee mixed with red bull is back. Now some of you

may be accepting your fates in some classes or checking Rogerhub every day to see how hard you can tank your upcoming �inals and still keep an A. However you are preparing to end the year, I have one word of advice to you all: relax. Although they’re from only a week ago, look at these photos from a distant time when the school was in a state of tranquility to help you relax in the present. The Release Week organized by some

Upper left: Recreate the feeling of having a bunch of furry friends by going to the dog park or Petco. Or you could’ve gone to the �irst day of the Release Week, where generous dog owners were swarmed by a horde of students looking to get their hands on their most likely overwhelemed dogs. Upper right: Relax by getting some exercise. Go to the gym or your local YMCA to recreate the Zumba class held in the Cove on the second day of the Release Week. Students and teachers alike were able to get away from their daily work and dance away their struggles. Left: On the third day of Release Week, giant in�latable bounce houses were set up in the Quad to let students re-experience a time in their stress free childhood, when they bounced alongside or raced against their friends. Right and below: After a good workout, regain all the burnt calories by drowning yourself in delicious frozen treats. Make yourself a cool root beer �loat or eat a nice, refreshing popsicle like the ones served on the third and fourth days of the Release Week. Students formed extensive lines to get a cup of root beer with a scoop of ice cream or choose from an assortment of �lavors of otter pops.

of our own students can give you some helpful tips to teach you some nice relaxation techniques. From dogs to otter pops, six students made it their mission to help their peers �ind peace during times of great stress. A huge shoutout to juniors Andrew Park, Justine Iwata, Trevor Aquno, Eileen Mao and sophomores Jessica Peng and Eugene Yang for organizing this event and making the calm before the storm.