Issue 2

WINNING THE BATTLE, LOSING THE WAR

BY MEERA KRISHNAMOORTHY & PRACHI LAUD

The ramifications of the federal government shutdown have spread beyond Capitol Hill and into the lives of all Americans.

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t 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30, members of the federal government were engaged in frantic bill revision to meet a deadline they had been avoiding for months: the Oct. 1 federal budget creation deadline. As a result of missing the deadline, the U.S. government declared an official state of shutdown for the first time in 17 years, halting nearly all non-essential governmentrun operations and services. On Oct. 17, after over two weeks of continued negotiation, President Obama signed a bipartisan measure to end the 16-day shutdown, reopening the government until Jan. 15, 2014.

Assessing the Damage Despite the short duration of the shutdown, it had widespread effects not only nationally, but also locally, impacting the Lynbrook community.

“There’s a domino effect,” said History teacher Jeffrey Bale. “If one program isn’t able to do its job, you’re will see the ramifications on others.”

Many members of the Lynbrook community were impacted by the halting of government programs. Junior Shivani Kavuluru encountered problems when she applied for a Social Security number this month but was denied on the grounds of the shutdown.

“The passport office guys said that their hands were tied,” said Kavuluru.

Had the shutdown occurred for a longer period, people in Kavuluru’s situation would have been barred from holding employment as well as receiving other benefits that Social Security holders are entitled to.

Assistant Principal Kathleen Sullivan’s brother, Kevin Sullivan, was furloughed, or temporarily laid off. Kevin worked as a Wild Life Biologist and as a State Director for the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture for Md., Del. and Washington, D.C. “Due to the shutdown he was out of work for 16 days. His wife is a stay-at-home mom with my two young nieces so Kevin’s income is all they have,” said Sullivan.

Several other government programs closed down during the shutdown as well, and 800,000 government officials employed by those programs were placed in the same position as Kevin Sullivan. Had the shutdown lasted for a longer period, these people and their families would have suffered financially.

Lynbrook Gets Hit confidence dropped over the political uncerLynbrook itself, however, was not directly tainty. Such economic setbacks inhibit the impacted by the temporary cessation of gov- country’s recovery from recession and exacernment operations because its dependence erbate current economic problems. on the local and federal government is lim“During any economic uncertainty, people ited. Only 2.6 percent of the FUHSD’s funds is look to retain the basics,” said Dwyer. “People provided by the federal government, and 1.8 will not want to make additional expendipercent of FUHSD funding comes from the tures because they are more concerned with state government. FUHSD’s independence the security of their basic needs. Our founfrom both the federal and state governments dations, like the PTSA, Lynbrook Excellence, is greater than that of most other public etcetera may be impacted with fewer donaschools in California because of the district’s tions to support them, which would affect distinct funding formula. our ability to run those programs.” “[FUHSD schools] are funded by a type Should such drops in morale and ecoof funding program called ‘basic aid,’ which means that we receive our funding from property taxes,” said Principal John Dwyer. “It’s a finite amount, so we get a lump sum for our school district regardless of how many kids we have.”

US PATENT AND TRADE OFFICE: Several other schools, however, are funded by on forced to process fewer claims, slowing an “Average Daily Attendown patent approval process dance” (ADA) basis. These schools receive the majority of their funding from SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION: the government depending could not give out give out loans to on the number of students within the school. business “Schools funded based on ADA are far more subject to the ebbs and flows SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISof the local state governION: ment, ” said Dwyer. “This is some companies unable to hold public because funding for those schools could be subject to offerings—could have kept Twitter from change from one year to the going public next.”

AFFECTED AGENCIES

The Economy Takes a Loss Lynbrook’s finances will likely still be impacted fol-

CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL: was unable to conduct routine meat inspections and illness tracking

lowing the shutdown. According to Standard and Poor’s, an American financial services company, the American economy suffered approximately a $24 billion loss during the shutdown and consumer

KATHY JANG—EPIC

nomic health continue, it may create future financial problems for Lynbrook.

“The issue is if [the government shutdown] is a symptom of a bigger economic problem in the country, and probably therefore the global economy goes into a recession and depression. Then, property values, which is what Lynbrook’s funding depends on, may fluctuate,” said Dwyer.

The Long Term Damage Uncertainty remains about the government’s reliability. The recently-passed legislation only accounts for funding until Jan.

The Affordable Health Care Act is an unconstitutional program that should be defunded: the Individual Mandate in the

The Affordable Health Care Act is beneficial and should be implemented: it provides

Affordable Care Act makes health insurance a federal requirement, which is overstepping the power of the federal government. Obamacare is an unnecessary drain on the federal budget.

universal healthcare, affordable rates and extended coverage to people with preexisting conditions, all of which haven’t been achieved before

The debt ceiling must not be raised: at $17 trillion, our growing

debt is one of our biggest problems. Instead of putting it off, we should take action and increase cuts on federal spending so we don’t have to raise our borrowing limit.

The debt ceiling must be raised: the amount of money being

pumped into the economy, so funding for government programs will not be cut. By increasing the borrowing limit, we can avoid defaulting on our debt and worsening our economy.

Taxes should be increased for the rich:

we would gain billions of dollars in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), reducing the national deficit considerably. We also wouldn’t need to cut down as much on federal program spending.

15, 2014, at which point a long-term funding measure will have to be passed. Experts are considering the possibility that another shutdown will occur after this legislation expires.

“The economy takes a hit because you have employees on the federal payroll that are not paid, and as a result they’re not spending and they freeze up the flow,” said Bale. The public will also be impacted by stock market fluctuation.

“Right now you’re seeing confidence drop and as a result stocks are being influenced in the U.S. market, and that hurts people’s portfolios,” said Bale.

Losing Credibility Had the White House’s capability to spend money been further restricted, the U.S. would have been forced to default on-or, fail to pay--the national debt by the Oct. 17 deadline. It would have left a permanent blot on the nation’s credit rating and standing in the global economical and political scene.

With the Oct. 17 deal, the nation’s borrowing limit has been extended until Feb. 7, 2014 and default has been averted; however, the Fitch credit rating agency warned that it was

reviewing U.S. credit rating regardless. The short-term resolution leaves global concern over what will be done about the issue of the national debt after the Feb. 7 deadline.

The potential downgrading of credibility has already negatively impacted the reputations of companies in the Bay Area among foreign countries. The devaluation of U.S. companies bodes ill for parents’ job stability. “[The shutdown has already been] eroding our nation’s credibility throughout global, political and economic institutions,” said Congressman Mike Honda. “The San Jose Mercury News has reported that tech companies have lost significant value because of the political uncertainty right now.”

The Politics of the Shutdown The cause of this shutdown was a political deadlock between the Republicans in the House and the Democrats in the Senate.

Taxes should not be increased for the rich: high income

taxpayers are involved in many financial government interests, such as government bonds, so we cannot tax them too much. Besides, taxes from those with high incomes already contribute around 15 percent of federal incomes.

“It’s an ideological divide: you’re having the two parties square off, and it’s gotten to the point where they were playing the relatively high risk game of chicken,” said Bale.

This deadlock centered around the right wing Republicans’ attack on funding for the Democrat supported Affordable Care Act --also known as “Obamacare”-- and disagreement over the debt ceiling. The conflict extended beyond these disputes to overall political influence in Congress.

“Generally in midterm elections after a president is elected, [the President’s] party loses seats [in Congress],” said Bale. “Democrats think that by holding out and not compromising here, that they’ll actually be able to soften the blow of that.”

The Democrats’ “calculated gamble” worked in their favor; the new spending plan will continue government funding for The Affordable Health Care Act, increase the nation’s borrowing limit, and make few concessions to Republicans.

A Bleak Future It is uncertain how profound the effects of the shutdown will be in the future, but it is unequivocal that this government failure will change America on local, national and international levels.

BY ASHWIN RAVI

ASB and AMP team up to provide music for the Homecoming Dance: what it means for future dances.

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he loss of funds following the Welcome Back Bash put the ASB Social Committee in a difficult position regarding the preparation of the school’s next big social, the Homecoming Dance, for which a major expense is the music.

Hiring a professional DJ drains substantial funds from ASB Social’s already depleted budget. This year the situation was ultimately resolved when ASB Social called upon the Aspiring Musicians and Producers Club (AMP) to DJ at the cost of $300, around $200 less than the fee for a professional DJ’s services for the same event.

Now, AMP provides a new option for

music services.

ASB Technician and AMP Vice President senior Eshaan Gandhi played a significant role in connecting the two organizations. Having been made aware of ASB’s financial situation and problems with the previous DJ, he suggested that ASB consider enlisting AMP’s services.

The ASB Social Commissioners however, were slightly hesitant when the idea was initially proposed.

“They did not have anything to compare our DJing to because we had never previously DJed at a school dance,” Gandhi explained.

Eventually, the social committee felt more comfortable making the decision because of AMP’s willingness to negotiate.

“They thought that a lower price would help them feel better about letting us DJ, and so we pitched them a lower price and they took the chance and accepted.” said Gandhi.

ASB Social chose Gandhi because of his experience and skill as a DJ. Gandhi first started learning to DJ about one year ago. “When AMP received a 500 dollar grant, we purchased the most cost effective equipment which would let our members explore different interests,” he said. “No one seemed interested in the pair of turnta-

bles we had bought, so I kept them with me and spent my free time learning.”

Gandhi’s open approach to his work is part of his job.

“As a DJ, I go with the flow of the music and what people seem to respond to without choosing/creating playlists, because it takes the fun and excitement out of the hobby,” he said.

ASB Social’s faith in Gandhi’s work paid off.

“Eshaan and AMP went about their job really well.

They came to set up at 12 p.m. and were largely prepared and had everything under control, which really impressed us,” said ASB Social Commissioner Sarah Kim. If their preparation was impressive, then their performance was riveting. While on the dance floor, Kim was able to get a feel for atmosphere inside the gym.

“Although ASB has yet to receive any formal comments through email, Facebook, or a survey we plan on conducting, I got a really positive vibe from the crowd and heard many students shouting ‘Go Eshaan! He knows my jam!’’ she said.

Despite its success, the DJing for the Homecoming Dance was not perfect. Gandhi shared the complaints he received. “Some of the underclassmen for example, freshmen mostly, requested that due to the dance being semi-formal, they would have preferred if there had been a few slow songs so that they would have had ‘more couple-y things to do.’”

Overall, however, AMP certainly appears to be an option for future Lynbrook socials.

JOEY LI—EPIC

Furthermore, by simultaneously utilizing and promoting the school’s own organizations, ASB’s decision is also beneficial to the school itself.

Sophomore Gabriel Chang had a similar complaint. “I felt that the music was mixed very well but there were too many songs of an electronic genre,” he said. Overall however, AMP certainly appears to be an option for future Lynbrook socials. Furthermore, by simultaneously utilizing and promoting the school’s own organizations, ASB’s decision is also beneficial to the school itself.

“Based on the atmosphere at the dance, we pleased most people who attended, and ASB are content with how the whole event came to pass,” said Gandhi. “As for the future, most of the complaints can be dealt with without much trouble. I hope AMP becomes a regular option for Lynbrook Socials.”

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he new fall production, Do Not Go Gentle, hosted by Studio 74, will open on Nov 1. It is a two-year old play written by Suzan L. Zeder, based on Dylan Thomas’ poem of the same name.

The play revolves around a recently deceased 84-year old, Lillian, who remains unseen while she watches over her family, who have moved into their newlyinherited home. Inside, they discover a diverse collection of artwork created by Lillian and realize what they have missed out on during the last few years of her life.

“The climax peaks at the end of the second act, when a new character appears and changes the course of the story,” said actor sophomore Kyle Sung.

Suspense develops and augments in response to the many unanswered questions Lillian leaves. Characters explore the power of the written word, art and family until a greater meaning dawns upon them.

“The moral of the play is family,” said Assistant Stage Manager junior Rebecca Wendler. “You don’t really realize what you have until it’s gone.”

While inspecting Lillian’s belongings to better understand her life, the characters’ individual side plots unfold, with Lillian appearing to play out flashbacks with her heirs.

“We get to see a lot of relationships between the characters that you can relate to,” said actress junior Shreya Perepa. “For instance, there are many problems that previously arose in the past within the family. Some created good memories, and some were sad. But all are looked at again and slowly resolved as Lillian’s story develops.”

Moreover, spectators are expected to use their imagination in order to piece together the hidden meanings of the performance. To provide a better chance of doing so, the set is intentionally minimalistic, limited to only a few chairs, two tables, a paint-splattered backdrop and drapes. With only a few props, lighting becomes vital to setting the scene.

“The lighting is incredible,” said Assistant Director senior Kelly Masterson. “It’s done professionally and to portray the paintings, we have beautiful splashes of light where the colors are disrupted.”

Instead of traditional lights, a gobo is used

in order to signal flashbacks during the production. A gobo is a metal template with patterned holes, which is then placed in front of a light source to project designs into space.

“We have multiple flashbacks throughout the play,” said actress senior Barbara Jackson.

“It’s conceptual because what we can see, not everyone else can, too. You have to use your imagination, since it’s very abstract. Basically, the lighting separates what’s happening in a scene now and in the past.”

Another unique aspect of the show is cross cutting, acts where two scenes happen at once, creating the impression of parallel action. The cast also breaks of the fourth wall, the imaginary barrier that separates those on stage from the audience in theatrical productions. Therefore, the performers will openly acknowledge and talk to the spectators.

One of the challenges that the cast has had to face is the portrayal of the deceased character, Lillian, played by sophomore Lauren Platzker, which greatly impacts the cast.

Lilian is meant to evoke emotions one would experience with the loss of a loved one.

“Out of all of the factors that I have to

LOOKING AT THE ABSTRACT|From left to right: Freshman Kyle Sung, senior Barbara Jackson, senior Kyle Sung and freshman Claire Dunn

DO NOT GO

GENTLE

work with, characterization is the hardest part, since I have to put myself in the shoes of that dead family member,” said Platzker.

Unlike Oliver! last year, Do Not Go Gentle does not place a large emphasis on background music or grand dance numbers for transitioning. Instead, the actors in the drama production will concentrate on being as empathetic with their portrayals as possible.

Belied by the amount of dedication put into the production, Do Not Go Gentle was not actually the first pick for the fall play. One of the reasons behind the abandonment of the previously picked play, Almost Maine, was the lack of boys auditioning, a vital part of the production. The complexity of the acting necessary and the large scale of the show also prevented it from produced this Fall.

“Almost Maine will be done as an honors drama production in February,” said Masterson. “Everyone will be acting except for two people and everything is really student run.”

For some fall entertainment, tickets for Do Not Go Gentle will be sold starting Oct. 28 for $10 with ASB and $12 without, and it will run until Nov. 9.

BY JJ IGNATESCU

Art, family and the written word unravel in Studio 74’s newest production

JOEY LI—EPIC

Angela Kong awarded Siemens Semifinalist

KASTURI PANTVAIDYA—EPIC

BY JAMES WILHELMI

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n Oct. 18, senior Angela Kong was named as a semifinalist in the 2013 Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology.

The Siemens Competition is held annually through a collaboration between the Siemens Foundation and College Board. Open to all high school students, its website states that the competition “…gives students an opportunity to achieve national recognition for science research projects.”

Kong’s research focused on the methods stem cells use to regenerate. She came up with the idea while talking to her project mentor Doctor Shang Cai, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Stanford University School of Medicine who studied a gene called BCL11B in stem cells.

“Dr. Cai’s data proved that the tran-

scription factor BCL11B regulates stem cell self-regulation in the mammary system,” said Kong. “I wanted to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms by which it did that, since understanding stem cell biology will help us develop new approaches to various cancers.”

To find out how BCL11B inhibits stem cell reproduction, Kong conducted a series of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. PCR experiments replicate a particular segment of DNA, creating a large amount of the product that a sequence codes for. The larger quantity is easier to analyze, revealing the use of the selected DNA portion. Kong’s tests showed that BCL11B reacted more vigorously as the amount of p21 increased.

Kong evaluated this finding by performing experiments on mice with and without BC11B. Her results affirmed that the presence of p21 was

necessary for BCL11B to halt stem cell generation.

Kong began her project in June, frequenting the lab during the summer. She also went three times per week from 2 to 6 p.m. once the school year began. Kong completed her project report in early September, meeting the Siemens entry deadline of Sept. 30.

Kong credited Cai with helping her get the project started and continuing to support her throughout the process.

“He encouraged me to read the scientific literature in the field, and he was always there to answer my questions,” said Kong. “I never would have been able to complete my research project without his guidance.”

Kong also cited Science teacher Amanda Alonzo as being instrumental to her success.

“Ms. Alonzo was the person who got me started in science research,” said Kong. “She’s always been supportive and inspirational.”

Kong is one of just 344 semifinalists nationwide named by the Siemens Competition.

The 100 finalists will compete at regional events next month for a chance to reach nationals, but this juncture marks the end of the road for semifinalists.

Although the list of semifinalists was released on Oct. 18, Kong was not immediately aware that she had been recognized.

“I was surprised. I checked my e-mail and saw a ‘Congratulations!’ message from Ms. Alonzo,” said Kong. “I was like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe this is happening to me.”

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he blame game played between Democrats and Republicans over a multitude of political issues has been a staple of the American political system ever since the framing of the Constitution. They strive to work toward bipartisan goals, but their conflicting ideologies make dissent inevitable. This back-and-forth volley of accusations between Democrats and Republicans over the blame for government impasses has impeded the ability of high school students to form authentic opinions on political issues. With students caught in the crossfire of the blame game, and excluded from the political realm, the History Department must take the initiative to provide students with objective information on important political issues in a manner that encourages students to come to their own conclusions.

Because politics impact society on a day to day basis from economic issues, like the debt ceiling, to social issues such as health care reform, understanding the nature of American politics is critical

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for high school students. By being politically aware, students will be able to make crucial economic, social and political decisions for not only themselves but also for those around them in the future.

“Being politically aware prevents students from being brainwashed by popular opinion,” said junior Conover Wang. “Political awareness allows students to evaluate issues from two or more sides and allows them to remain objective. Most important of all, it allows students to be better citizens.”

The objectivity of information with which to make these decisions is stifled as media outlets tend to sensationalize their political information to increase revenue by appealing to a target audience. This leaves students in the crosshairs of political bias as there remain few credible sources of objective information.

“News is an industry. And news has to sell.

And so a lot of times the way that it’s sold will be by utilizing the politicians’ very ‘me versus the world’ type of language,” History teacher Jeffrey Bale said. “The way that the media is going to spin it is the most sensational way they can.”

This tendency gives politicians and the media a blank check to put out information that is clearly one-sided.

For example, take the recent government shutdown.

Fox News, notorious for its conservative views, interviewed GOP representatives to shed negative light on the Democrats and blame their inability to negotiate over the Affordable Healthcare Act for the shutdown. Similarly, MSNBC, known for its liberal bias, repeatedly brought on House and Senate Democrats to condemn the actions of the GOP over the shutdown. This one-sided reporting is detrimental as it encourages the development of unsubstantiated political views.

“If we want a country that can be as good as it can be, we need informed citizens,” said Bale. “We can’t just have people info-snacking and claiming that we’re an informed populace.”

All this political bias functions as an impediment for students attempting to become politically aware.

“I’ve tried to educate myself about the current state of politics, but if I go to Fox News I hear Obama slandering and if I go to CNN I hear how the Republicans are all idiots,” said junior Rahul Iyer. “The is no real way to learn the truth about politics. The media only reports the negatives.”

As there is a dearth of objective political information, it is only appropriate that the History Department at Lynbrook take the initiative to provide students with objective information on both sides of major political issues. In fact, Section 11.11 of the California State Standards for 11th grade social studies requires that “Students analyze the major social problems and domestic policy issues in contemporary American society.” Though the standards apply to 11th grade classes, political connections to modern society should become a norm for all grade levels.

While shifting from the current in-class topic to discuss a recent development in the news may seem unconventional, it reinforces the importance of politics and provides students with the environment necessary to encourage the development of political opinions.

The comprehensive curriculum, however, makes it challenging for teachers to digress from teaching the facts and instead dedicate a substantial amount of class time to a cent political issue not found in the textbooks.

“We are beholden to the curriculum of a parcular class. And there are content standards for hat we teach in the classroom,” said History Deartment Chair Mike Williams. “And so the chalnging task is that it’s hard enough to teach that urriculum in a way that is meaningful.”

In order to cover the entire curriculum and nd information on political issues, teachers hould teach in a manner that ties in relevant olitical issues, recent or not, to the current topic eing taught in class.

“The more a teacher can make some sort of eaningful or even quick association to the modrn day, the more relevant the history becomes,” aid Williams.

This style of teaching is already present in ertain history classes on campus. For example, Kimmie Marks’ U.S. History class, students are sked with analyzing the relationship between deral system in 1790s and the SB 1070 illegal mmigration law implemented in Arizona in 2010.

A potential lesson plan would provide objecve information with a lecture on the issue that ould present the cold, hard facts and would covr key viewpoints from on both sides of the issue. ollowing the lecture would be a Structured Acaemic Controversy (SAC) during which students

analyze primary source documents on a political issue and present the issue from multiple perspectives to their classmates.

Instead of pitting students against each other in debates and forcing them to view issues in a particular light, an SAC would ensure that both sides of the issue are presented in an equal and objective manner.

“With a debate, you’re actually going in with a personal agenda and so you’re thinking toward those documents and history is already skewed. It’s already biased,” said Marks.

In order for students to round out their opinions, teachers should encourage skepticism by leading class-wide discussions about the pros and cons of both sides of an issue. A healthy level of skepticism will help students filter out sensational details propagated by the media, understand the ideology behind certain arguments and poke holes in their own opinions.

“Views not challenged are views not held,” said Bale. “If you only have one opinion and you never allow yourself to challenge your own opinions, then what is the validity of your opinion?”

The aforementioned lesson plan is ideal in that it not only provides objective in-

formation, but also encourages students to challenge different viewpoints.

The History Department, however, can only light the fire. It is equally important for students to expand their horizons and take the necessary steps to educate themselves on public policy.

One of the best ways for students to gain information on political issues is through unbiased online sources like Khan Academy.

Khan Academy offers video lessons on relevant political issues in its American Civics section which provide solely the facts and key talking points from both sides. Moreover, new videos are added as political issues arise and remain there for years so students can access them whenever they want. In a world dominated by biased media outlets, objective political information is anything but easy to come by. With sensationalized reporting of politics unlikely to decrease in prevalence, students’ political opinions will likely be far from authentic, political awareness will be rendered obsolete and societal change will hit a standstill. To ensure the continuity of informed political thought, the History Department must take the initiative to provide students with unbiased information in an unbiased environment.

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ccording to psychology professor Wendy Grolnick, humans are highinvestment parents; from a child’s birth, the goal of parenting is always the same: to ensure its success. For many Lynbrook parents, success translates to financial prosperity, made possible by a strong technical education. It is reasonable for Lynbrook parents to desire that their children seek academic excellence in pursuit of financial success, but this path to success is not always the best route for students.

The extent to which emphasis is placed on formal education and competition is

detrimental to overall personal development. The goals of parenting should not merely revolve around preparing students academically for material success, but encompass students’ overall growth in preparation for their futures; however, these efforts can only come to fruition if students reciprocate them, and make a diligent attempt to become independent thinkers.

Parents: As parents of a generation entering an increasingly competitive world, Lynbrook parents have an equal if not greater share in student anxiety about future success.

“Those parents have not seen enough of the Western world and the opportunities

that it has to offer beyond academic abilities and academic success,” said the father of a Lynbrook junior. “If that limits them to thinking that academic success is the ultimate contribution of a parent to their child, then they’re going to feel if academic success is not there they’ve failed as a parent.”

Consequently, parents develop insecurities about their guidance capabilities.

“A lot of parents keep wondering whether they are leading their kids in the right direction, so they look at other parents and watch them to see if they are on the right track,” said Sangeeta Laud, mother of junior Prachi Laud. “Each one of us looks at the other to see, ‘Oh, are they raising their kids the same way I am? Am I doing

something wrong?’” Such insecurities only serves to strengthen the erroneous belief that education is the answer to guaranteed success. This generates a fanaticism surrounding academic preparation, particularly for college admissions purposes.

Today, the value of undergraduate degrees is steadily declining; as a Wall Street Journal article stated this spring, “choosing any college, at any cost for a credential may no longer be worth it.” As undergraduate employment rates plummet, parents must focus on equipping their children with the life skills that will help them succeed in today’s working world, which requires characteristics such as self-confidence, speaking ability and interviewing skills, not merely academic backgrounds.

While many Lynbrook students do not have problems in academics, few can advance in their chosen professions because they lack the necessary skills to pursue ambition and rise on the corporate ladder.

“We are constantly struggling for academic excellence, but we forget that it can only take you 50 percent of the way. But when you go out into the real world and start working there are all these other skills which are soft skills which play a more important role in your career success than academics--how you communicate with people, your understanding, your tolerance, how diplomatic you are,” said Laud.

Furthermore, these are factors necessary for students to overcome what is known as the “bamboo ceiling,” a set of social and cultural obstacles that impede Asian Americans’ career progress.

According to Jane Hyun, author of the book Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling, Asian Americans seldom advance to leadership positions in the workplace because they do not speak up for themselves and lack the dominant personalities required to rise in their careers. This is a result of the cultural dependence with which Asians are raised-a dependancy on parents that results in an incapability to strike out on their own.

“In spite of having so many qualifications, I had a tough time when I entered the workplace, because there are these other things imbibed in [Asians] which prevent us from speaking openly, and its mistaken for weakness,” said Laud.

In order to endow their children with the the skills necessary to be successful in their careers, it is essential for parents to place greater emphasis on these life lessons. If children are allowed to develop into independent, self-sufficient individuals, they will be more capable of navigating

themselves in the competitive world.

Students: On the other side of the bridge, students have a different perspective: many believe that their parents are severe about academics because they want to compete with other parents.

Junior Divyya Munshi can relate. “My parents tend to compare me to other students for their own competition. While driving home from a party, my parents went on and on about how another girl scored a 2400 on her SATs and had an A in APUSH and while yelling at me to try harder to be like them.”

This idea of being used in parental competition has negative psychological effects on students.

“Being compared is always awful especially when it’s by your parents. It feels like they think another child is better than you, and it feels like they want you to be the best at everything, so naturally you can never satisfy them,” said Munshi.

“It definitely makes the child feel worse if they’re not the ‘perfect child,’” said junior Anaya Rai. Comparison especially damages students’ self-confidence.

“It makes our self-confidence go down because we’re not proud of the work we do,” said sophomore Akansha Mukherjee.

“To say negative things about your own child; that hurts. Do they not believe in us?”

While it is necessary for parents to change their approach to motivating their children, it is also necessary for students to meet parents halfway, and appreciate the insecurities and concern that motivate them to put pressure on their children.

To ensure that they are independent and self-sufficient in the future, students should strive to be intrinsically motivated, and less dependent on their parents for motivation. This is the approach preferred by many Lynbrook students, including junior Anjali Pemmaraju. “[My parents] let me do it by myself--it might have made me more self-motivated,” said Pemmaraju. “I’m not getting good grades for them, I’m doing it for myself and that feels better than if I feel like I have to please my parents.”

“It’s more motivating because you want to do something for yourself and humans are just mostly self-centered,” said Rai. While it is the responsibility of parents to prepare their children for the future by placing more value on soft skills, children must also reciprocate the effort and endeavor to be independent as they take their first steps into the adult world.

GOING AGAINST THE I

ndividualism is a decidedly American value. In the Lynbrook student’s case, perhaps it is too highly valued when it comes to academics. Excessive individualism can have negative long term consequences; it should be complemented with an emphasis on collectivism—a focus on group achievement. Such a balance should be made apparent in high school as it carries singular importance in the professional world.

In Lynbrook, an excess of competition contributes to a surfeit of individualist tendencies. Individualism is accepted in this community because it promotes individual success and personal gain. In the professional world, however, individualism needs to be complemented with collectivism in order to make effective progress.

So-called individualist entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg could only have achieved such great success with the help of core teams and the implementation of a collectivist mentality.

In a school setting, individualism manifests itself in both academic and social forms. In academics, individualism is characterized by an underuse of outside help and a desire to keep information and ideas to oneself.

“I’ve had a few students say that they’re afraid that if they share information with

ART ILLUSTRATION BY OPINION SECTION

other students, that that student will then do better,” said Guidance Counselor Malissa Goldstein. “When it comes to college admissions, we know that there is a lot of pressure, and I think it’s just a fear that someone else will do better or understand more based on the information that the student provides.”

That same competition is the main reason for the high level of individualism at Lynbrook. In a scenario where students compete against one another for grades, recognition and prestige, individualism develops naturally. However, excessive individualism can become progressively detrimental to students attempting to maintain a well-rounded personality and multifaceted character.

A desire to elevate oneself above others can adversely affect goals that need to be accomplished through collectivist means.

Though individualism seems acceptable in high school, its problems present themselves more prominently when extrapolated to a student’s future.

A recent study by technology research group Forrester Consulting revealed that 40 percent of U.S. companies today operate with some form of a team, a number projected to increase to 56 percent in the next few years. Teamwork is becoming more important as a way to solve problems; in-

C

dividualism, unfortunately, promotes the opposite mindset, one of personal accomplishment as opposed to group success.

In addition, a study published in the journal Science revealed that the collective intelligence of a group is greater than that of the individual, offering further support to the collaborative mindset.

“A lot of employers…say they’re looking for the kinds of people that work well with others and are team players, and it’s a huge factor in hiring in a lot of different industries,” said School Psychologist Brittany Stevens. “Being the individualist who really thinks alone, works alone, produces alone, may have a more narrow window of appeal [to potential employers] than being someone who is more of a group person.”

Businesses must understand the shifting needs of the real world in order to instill a cooperative mindset amongst employees and thus capitalize on financial gain.

In the Industrial Age, individualists such

CURRENT

BY PRASANN RANADE

(CONSEQUENCES OF BEING AN INDIVIDUALIST) as Rockefeller and Carnegie were admired for their rise to riches through individual effort, an attitude that has stayed constant for individualists since then. In the Informational Age, however, collectivism and group effort is quite often necessary for business success.

For example, entrepreneurs, people idolized as being true individualists, need a core group of people to reach the end goal.

Even though the single individualist may have thought of the idea and get the credit, entrepreneurs still require a collectivist mindset to achieve success.

“Mark Zuckerberg couldn’t have done it by himself,” said junior Ruchi Pandya.

“He needed a CFO, CTO, marketing officer, to make the Facebook machine run effectively. Without the strong team to support

him, Facebook would not have achieved the scale or success that it has achieved.”

Even Steve Jobs, the epitome of American “rugged individualism,” realized that without his core team, he would never have been able to reach success with Apple.

“It’s that through the team, through that group of incredibly talented people bumping up against each other… and working together they polish each other and they polish the ideas, and what comes out are these beautiful stones,” said Jobs in “The Lost Interview.”

Similarly, students need to mesh individualism with collectivism in order to reach true success. Teachers already strive to achieve this combination through methods such as including lab groups, study guides and group projects. At the same

time, students need to pay greater attention to the need for collectivism.

While competition does promote individualism, it also promotes collaboration. The benefits of combining the two approaches will be visible not just during high school but also throughout adulthood.

Individualism and individual effort cannot stand alone. It needs the help of collectivism and group effort to prosper. In Lynbrook, individualism may be accepted because of competition; however, in the professional world, individualism must be complemented with collectivism in order to reach success.

“You want to stand out as someone who has something to share with the group but that has to be within a dynamic of interconnectedness,” said Stevens.

ART ILLUSTRATION BY AUDREY ZHANG

E

very Friday during third period we say the Pledge of Allegiance, and every Friday I’ve noticed myself getting a bit peeved by the way people act when we’re saying it. When you say the Pledge, you’re supposed to stand up, say the words, and at the very least be respectful. But no. What I’ve noticed is that many people don’t stand, rush through the pledge like it’s some sort of speed-talking competition, gossip with their friends, or my personal favorite, Snapchat, when we’re supposed to be honoring our country.

There’s no respect.

The Pledge is a manifestation of great American ideals, and not respecting it represents the disrespect of the things that many students

take for granted about our country.

At Lynbrook, I’ve noticed a general feeling when talking about America, there’s an Us and there’s a Them. Most students don’t include themselves when talking about Americans and are quick to make judgements and encourage stereotypes. I hear things like, “Americans are so stupid” or fat, or uneducated.

And sighs of “Oh, ‘murica” as if the country is that younger sibling who’s always getting into trouble. It’s rare that people associate themselves as Americans, which I don’t understand. In a community as diverse as this, you’d think that it’d be easier to see that there isn’t one clear-cut definition of an American. We’re all pretty different, which is why the generalizations bug me. Not to mention that this country is providing you with

jobs, Social Security, an education, the awesomeness of your first amendment rights, and a pretty great standard of living. Yet you’re so quick to cast it aside and make jokes at its expense. Why is it okay to take the things that America is offering you and then not even deign to respect it by saying the Pledge?

Instead of being grateful for the opportunities given to you by this country, it’s the butt of your jokes.

There’s such a disconnect between living in America and being an American. I think if you’re living here, working here, going to school here, or growing up here, you’re an American. Part of being in this country is respecting its traditions. From the Pledge, to barbecue and fireworks on the Fourth of July, to acting like Superbowl Sunday is a national holiday, you’ve gotta show some admiration for American traditions. If you don’t believe in the Pledge or have a problem with saying it, I’m not going

to force you to say it. But at least stand up and be quiet while other students are paying their respects. I don’t agree with every word that’s in the Pledge, but I think that the time we’re given to say it is a good time to think about the important things in life we don’t give much thought.

Think about the soldiers in the past who fought for the freedoms that we have and the people who are currently risking their lives to keep us safe. Or think of how nice your neighbors are, or how hard your teachers work. Try this out if you don’t want to say the Pledge. It’s a good time to remind yourself to be grateful for the things that we take for granted on a daily basis.

Every country has its downfalls, and I’m not saying that America is perfect. But no matter where you live, you should show respect to that country.

So please, say the dang pledge. Or at least be quiet so I can say it in peace.

BY KATHY JANG & SANA SHARFUDDIN

For some, denim is more than just a preference. It’s a lifestyle.

KASTURI PANTVAIDYA -- EPIC

J

eans have been a quintessential part of American style ever since Levi Strauss wove his first pair for the California gold miners. Given their increased popularity, brands have now resorted to mass-production methods to keep up with consumer demand and lower prices.

In recent years, however, a subculture has emerged focused on the resurgence of small denim mills producing denim the traditional way: in small batches. From Okayama, Japan to Greensborough, North Carolina, these locations produce textiles on old shuttle looms rather than mass-produce projectile loom denims.

Two terms reign as kings in the denim world: raw and selvedge. Though often used together, they actually describe different characteristics: raw means the denim is unwashed, preserving the original state of dye, while selvedge refers to the unique weaving process of the denim on shuttle looms that results in a fabric with a self-contained edge (hence the name, See image labeled “selfcontained edge”). The general construction process of these jeans results in a stronger, more durable product than is typically available on the market.

“A major appeal for selvedge denim is that it is much more durable than regular massproduced denim because it creates a tighter seam between the separate parts of the denim. It is also much more resistant to tearing,” said sophomore Dara Jovkar.

One of the most desirable aspects of raw denim, on the other hand, is the fades that continuous wear can produce (See image labeled “pocketfades”). The raw quality of denim allows for wear from daily use to fade the dye out of the individual denim yarns. It is the fade that denim fans covet and aspire toward, many of whom work painstakingly to achieve the desired results.

“I wear my jeans to school and at home, and at times I wear them while sleeping. Recently, I’ve been working on a phone fade, in which I put my phone in my pocket to get fades that are a little unique rather than the usual stacks and honeycomb patterns that show up around the ankles and knees,” said Jovkar. “I wanted to get a wallet fade, but it got quite uncomfortable.”

The discomfort that Jovkar described is a result of the strong and durable quality of the fabric. Raw weaves are thicker, so it takes longer for the fabric to conform to the wearer’s body. To put into perspective, your aver-

age pair of Levi’s jeans is typically around 12 oz. On the other side of the spectrum, the heftiest of heavyweight denim released thus far is Naked & Famous Denim’s 32 oz. jeans, a pair so sturdy it can stand up on its own and requires power tools to produce. Wearers of this limited-edition 32 oz. jeans claimed that they caused some minor bruising.

The process of fading, however, does not stop at just wearing the jeans for long periods of time. Many denim enthusiasts postpone the first wash of their jeans to attain higher-contrast fades, preventing denim color loss and thus progressively less fading.

“Usually, if you are trying to get fades, you wear your jeans continuously for at least six months without a wash. If you do wash them, the nice contrast of the jeans tends to disappear,” said Jovkar.

Junior Anand Chukka has been wearing his Naked & Famous jeans for four months and counting. Some may cringe to read this, but during that time he has not washed his jeans even once, a unique custom denim aficionados live by.

“If you tell people that you don’t wash your jeans for more than six months, of course they’ll think it’s nasty,” said Chukka.

“I have to admit that smell is a problem, but I usually counter that issue using Febreze.

Other denim heads put their jeans in the freezer. You simply fold the jeans up and put them in a Ziploc. This process kills some bacteria while getting rid of some of the smell.”

Another option is to soak the jeans in water, a mild alternative to machine-washing that minimizes bleeding of the denim’s original dye. To the especially prudent, turning the jeans inside out can minimize bleed even further.

Factors such as the way you sit, or the objects you put in your jeans all contribute to transforming a pair of jeans into a unique relic that reflects the owner’s personality and behavior. This distinctiveness of raw selvedge, the potential to produce a truly customized piece of clothing, is another factor that appeals to denim heads.

“I think the fact that you can make your own personalized denim is really cool. There is no other pair of jeans in the world like your own. I think the uniqueness of denim really stands out to me,” said Jovkar.

Chukka describes how fading of the dye personalizes a jean to its wearer, creating a sense of pride and ownership in a unique piece.

“Fades tell someone’s story for as long as they’re wearing the jeans,” said Chukka. “Do they bike? Do they do a lot of manual labor?

Do they sit around a lot? They’ll all turn out differently.”

It’s made of high quality fabric and a unique piece of clothing. Of course, there’s also a drawback: high-quality denim is expensive. Much of the economic motivation behind the market for raw selvedge denim, involving numerous hand-crafted and timeconsuming techniques, drives a price bracket that ranges from $60 for lightweight entrylevel selvedge from large designers like Gap to more than $400 for a limited-run heavyweight denim from Momotaro or Imperial.

To denim heads, however, their purchases are long-term investments.

“Considering selvedge jeans are something that I’ll wear daily for years, it’s a worthy investment to me. Even though it may be pricier than regular denim, a product that one could wear everyday for years seems worth it!” said junior Eric Wong.

A hobby, an investment, a personality trait--to fans, denim is more than just another fabric.

Chukka said, “Being a denim head can lead to new friendships and connections. You can easily make friends by having the common interest of denim or by discussing topics such as the culture to the brands. It’s almost like a conversation starter. For me, denim reflects lifestyle.”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY FEATURES SECTION

KASTURI PANTVAIDYA --EPIC

BY KASTURI PANTVAIDYA

Peet’s Coffee and Tea (12148 Saratoga Sunnyvale Rd, Saratoga, CA 95070) After being the judge of my own productivity at various coffee shops, this title definitely goes to Peet’s. With plenty of seating, a clean interior and a relaxed environment, Peet’s proved to be my go-to place to get things done. The space and lighting, cavernous and dim, created a cozy atmosphere, which made me feel like I was at home while I was doing my work. The light, classical music that they played also kept me on track. I found the outdoor seating to be a plus as well. Nestled in a shady area of a quiet complex, it was perfect for those like me who like to work outside, but don’t want to burn in the sun. Overall, the calm and homey vibe I felt at Peet’s was ideal for my productivity, making it the best coffee shop to work at, hands down.

KASTURI PANTVAIDYA--EPIC

Philz Coffee (20686 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, CA 95014) Even though my trip to Philz resulted in me waiting in a long line and dealing with unfriendly baristas, the coffee that I ordered there put the shop in my good books. I had gone there with the intention of trying their famous Mint Mojito iced coffee, but I remembered my dislike for mint and decided against it. After asking the barista to educate me on their coffees, I ordered the Mocha Tesora.

The cold, creamy treat beat any Starbucks, Peet’s or Bitter+Sweet coffee I had tasted. What I found different about Philz was that the person taking your order doesn’t simply write it and then hand it to the barista to make it. Instead, you communicate directly with the barista who makes your coffee; this way, your order isn’t lost in translation. The result? A coffee just the way you like it.

Bitter+Sweet (20560 Town Center Ln, Cupertino, CA 95014) While looking through Bitter+Sweet’s menu on my way out, I decided that I would make plans to come back to try out some of the things I saw. The exotic ice cream flavors that they offered particularly caught my attention: Vietnamese Coffee, Tahitian Vanilla and “Secret Breakfast” being some of their many choices. For lunch, they offer a selection of savory pies as well as many different panini sandwiches. The PF&J panini, a sandwich of salty prosciutto balanced with a sweet fig jam, sounded especially good. They also sell a wide variety of fresh pastries, ranging from delicious croissants to warm brioche. With their meticulously brewed drinks and exquisite pastries and meals, the title of “most enticing menu” definitely goes to Bitter+Sweet.

JOEY LI -- EPIC

JOEY LI--EPIC

KASTURI PANTVAIDYA--EPIC

Chromatic Coffee (5237 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95051) After being recomended to this place countless times, I decided to see what it had to offer. Upon entering, this joint brought one word to my mind: hipster. The crowd consisted of college students and middle-aged adults. Men and women, many of whom were dressed vintage, were typing away at their MacBooks. The eccentric art on the wall was quite bohemian, with messages such as “Hell is other people” and paintings of “illegal aliens.” The shop also had a corner with toys for kids, which added to its unique personality. All in all, Chromatic gave off its own “hipster” vibe, which is something I cannot say for the other reviewed coffeeshops.

~26~

FIRST SCENE G

oing in to see the new Romeo and Juliet film, I had some high expectations. I’d seen the trailer maybe ten times (don’t judge me) and I’d hyped it up a lot in my head. Romeo and Juliet is one of my favorite books and I was excited to see how it would be adapted into a film this time. I’m happy to report back that the film did not disappoint.

Unlike the wannabe-hip 1996 Baz Luhrmann (starring Leonardo DiCaprio) version that featured gunfights and way too many Hawaiian shirts for its own good, the 2013 film, directed by Carlo Carlei with a screenplay by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, managed to stay true to the original play by William Shakespeare. The 2013 version was more comparable to the original 1968 Franco Zeffirelli version that also featured young actors, as well as costumes and settings that were representative of the time period where the story takes place.

Much of the movie was actually filmed in Verona, as well as Rome and Mantua, which makes the setting authentic and beautiful. Before watching the movie, the closest I’d gotten to Verona was the Pepperidge Farm cookies, but the film brings Italy to the audience, displaying the beautiful architecture, gardens and art.

The casting choices for this movie were very smart.

Ed Westwick played a dark and moody Tybalt and did a good job commanding a scene. He played his character true to how Shakespeare depicted him in the play, and his screen presence was always matched with ominous music and impending danger.

The gorgeous Douglas Booth played Romeo, and let me just say that even if the film had been bad, I would’ve considered it a good use of my time to watch him on the big screen for a couple of hours. He’s totally swoon-worthy, ladies, trust me. His good looks just added to his spot-on portrayal of Romeo, and I think he’s made the best Romeo yet, better than Leonard

Whiting (1968) and Leonardo Dicaprio (1996).

Hailee Steinfeld played a lovely Juliet that reminded me a lot of Olivia Hussey’s (1968) performance. She’s only 17 years old, so she definitely looked the part of young Juliet, and although she occasionally rushedthrough her lines, she did a convincing job portraying her young and desperately in love character.

The casting choice that I surprisingly enjoyed the most was Paul Giamatti ,who generally has more comedic roles (he was Marty Wolf--the guy who got dyed blue-- in Big Fat Liar), as Friar Laurence. When I first saw him all I could think was “what the heck is this guy doing here? Shouldn’t he be off stealing a script from Frankie Muniz and his non-psychotic partner-in-crime Amanda Bynes?” But as the movie went on, he actually made quite the impression on me and ended up playing the Friar very well.

One aspect I wasn’t too fond of was how the acting seemed to get a bit over-dramatic at times, but I suppose there are some pretty dramatic things that happen in the play so it makes sense. Because the film was so closely matched to the play, events were also very predictable, but the story is so classic that it would be next-to-impossible to make it unpredictable, so I can’t complain. I actually prefer that they stuck closely to the play since I don’t believe one should mess too much with perfection.

Overall, I’d recommend it to Shakespeare fans. If you liked the book or the original 1968 film, you’ll like this one too. If you’re into beautiful Italian scenery, I’d recommend it for sure. If you weren’t a fan of the book, then you’ll probably want to pass on this; it’ll just remind you of how stupid it is to be so hastily in love as a teenager and how nonsensical family feuds can be. As for me, I’m perfectly content to go ahead and get on the next flight to Verona so I can experience first-hand the awesomeness that is Romeo and Juliet.

~27~

Who gave you a license?

T

he horrid traffic scene that takes place nearly every day between 7:15 and 7:35 in the morning makes me laugh when I recall how naive I used to be, since I always thought of it as any ordinary traffic jam. I’ve had too many close encounters with other cars that, if not for keen awareness and a bit of luck on my part, would have turned into accidents (and subsequently, a monster jump in insurance rates).

So, what is the cause for such horrendous traffic every morning?

The first answer that comes to mind are tendencies drivers have. There must be a special place in hell for people who do not signal when they turn or at least change lanes. It absolutely drives (ha) me nuts whenever someone whimsically decides they want to turn when I’m already behind them. It pains me to think about what goes (or doesn’t go) through some-

one’s head when they decide to pull a clown act like that. It’s things like this that make me wonder how some people even passed their license tests in the first place.

Moreover, parents often decide to stop in the middle of the road to let their kids get out.

I get that it’s convenient to just drop them off there, but for crying out loud, at least pull over to the side of the street instead of holding up the whole line of cars waiting behind you. And given how long some of these kids take to get out of their cars sometimes, I could probably recite Hamlet’s entire “to be or not to be” soliloquy in the meantime.

So as parents kiss their sweet children goodbye in the middle of the damn road, I’m sitting there pulling my hair out and contemplating the meaning of life—fine, that may be slightly exaggerated. But my point here is that this is not only a great annoyance, but also a problem that needs to stop simply to preserve

the safety of drivers and pedestrians alike.

And don’t even get me started on the people who think it’s acceptable to park on the curb right at the entrance to the parking lot.

One morning, there was a car obstructing the cross walk. I couldn’t help but wonder if common sense is in fact common among people these days, as such a boneheaded act was giving drivers fits and holding up traffic.

It’s quite bewildering, really, to divulge into what the person who parked their whale-sized car there was thinking. Perhaps something along the lines of “Hmm I wonder where I should park this large car of mine. Oh how about right here, where it’ll irritate the most people?!” Okay, maybe I’m being somewhat unrealistic, but honestly there’s no way you can absolve someone of doing something as idiotic as that.

Anyways, sorry if I offended any of you with my somewhat harsh words—just kidding, fix your driving or get off the road.

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ADDICTED

The craving for more: students reveal their dangerous obsessions with common hobbies

BY KRISTEN WONG

W

hen people think of addictions, “smoking,” “drugs” and “alcohol” are usually the first words that come to mind. Nonetheless, there is another level of addiction that exists in modern-day society. These addictions are not found at the bottom of a beer bottle or in the residue of an ash tray; rather, they can be found in the heart of everyday life. Unlike tobacco and marijuana, whose recreational usage dates back to ancient times, playing video games and reading manga are comparatively recent forms of entertainment. Consequently, it is not often recognized that these hobbies can develop into harmful addictions and be dangerous to a student’s life.

“It’s new to people, the idea that things like video games can really be an addiction and it needs to treated as seriously,” said School Psychologist Brittany Stevens.

Part of the reason these smaller scale addictions are not perceived as negative influences is because they do not have the medical terminology to reinforce their credibility.

“Being addicted to technology or video games or food doesn’t actually exist in the psychiatric verbiage - it’s not there as an official diagnostic label,” Stevens said. “I think it

doesn’t have the same belief system around it and therefore a lack of support.”

Addiction tends to start with a particular liking toward an item.

“When I was younger, I subscribed to Shounen Jump, a manga anthology magazine,” senior Angela Yung said. “For the most part, I enjoy reading the unique plots in manga and learning about Japanese culture.”

After this initial phase, the addiction process follows a feedback loop system.

Yung, now addicted to manga, said, “When I’m immersed in [it] I don’t need to think about my problems or worries, so I’m really relaxed and calm.”

Repeating a rewarding action, in this case reading manga, acts as a stress reducer and causes the brain to release positive neurotransmitters.

As a result, the body develops an unconscious expectation that the hobby will produce more positivity and thus associates it with an addictive feeling of happiness.

“An addiction actually changes your neurochemistry to the point where your brain begins to crave whatever the behavior you’re addicted to,” said Stevens. “It interferes with all your typical functioning that you had before becoming addicted.”

From another perspective, addiction can also restrict a person’s ability to think clearly and focus on other daily tasks.

“The problem is I would much rather listen to K-Pop music than study,” said sophomore Diya Kalaimani, who is addicted to Korean pop music. “K-Pop infiltrates my thoughts every waking moment of the day.”

Since the effects of addiction vary from person to person, there is no black and white definition of what constitutes addictive behavior. Thus, there is often a fine line between a person’s passion and an addiction.

“It’s not as simple as ‘you had to be doing this for six months’ or ‘you had to have at least two people confront you about it,’” Stevens said. “It’s more like you feel so strongly about something that it becomes the driving force of your life.”

In this way, many students are so absorbed in their addictions that their priorities fall out of place, jeopardizing their grades.

“Soccer is my life,” said sophomore Rohit Dhamankar. “However, it distracts me from my studies.”

Similarly, individual hobbies can be just as harmful, if not more so.

Yung said manga “makes me happy, but it also makes me procrastinate a lot,’ adding that on average “I spend at least two to three hours reading it each day.”

Two to three hours may only account for working on a history project or finishing a math assignment, but in the big scheme of things, addictions have the potential to result in a plethora of consequences.

“It causes disruptive sleep, disruptive academic performance, disruptive family relationships--it ends up damaging lots of aspects of people’s lives,” said Stevens. “It’s just so damaging because the more addicted someone is, the less functional they are.”

An addiction can even take over a student’s life, reaching the point where a student is mentally incapable of living without it. Ultimately, students lose control of their willpower and are held up only by the puppet

attention by then, I typically drop it,“ Yung said. “However, art is quite important. If the proportions are too off or it looks too sloppy, I stop reading.”

Despite Yung’s selectivity in her addiction, she admits she could possibly become what the Japanese classify as an otaku, a person with a serious obsession most commonly to manga or anime. The word “otaku” translates to “home”, implying that it causes a change in mentality for many people.

“I get the impression that otakus isolate themselves from society,” said Yung, “and I can certainly fit the definition.”

Other addictions, such as those to online gaming, are also extremely seclusive. As a result, students can lose touch with themselves and the outside world.

“You get to meet a lot of people that you play against online, but then you don’t truly know them in person,” said freshman Johnny Kim*, who used to be addicted to online games. “It sort of isolates you and it doesn’t give you the same relationship you get from hanging out with your real friends.”

strings of their addiction.

Kalaimani said, “When you’re up 1 a.m. in the morning scrolling on your iPod, it’s not just something you do for fun - it’s something you can’t stop doing.”

Then, the most deadly phase of the addiction takes place. As the student builds resistance to feel-good neurotransmitters, “pretty soon he’s doing that addictive thing just to maintain his basic mood,” said School Therapist Dawn Bridges.

Some people play any video game or listen to any type of music to satisfy their addiction, but others value quality over quantity.

“I am usually willing to read the first three chapters [of a manga], but if it can’t grasp my

Although a substantial source of entertainment, both online and video gaming addictions are in reality detrimental to a student’s pursuit of a unique identity.

“People often create personas for themselves through their addiction that don’t truly show who they are,” Bridges said. “They can hide behind that and it ultimately harms them in terms of real social interaction.”

The matter is not so much about a loss of social skills as it is about a healthy lifestyle.

“People have addictions to the point where they drop out of college or lose their job--it’s scary that these addictions are real and they do happen,” said Stevens.

An addiction, depending on the severity of

general, one key aspect of overcoming addiction is self-control.

“The more control you have over an addiction, the easier it is to stop,” Kim said. “For me, restricting my computer usage and setting specific deadlines were really good ways that helped.”

Recovery from am addiction is a gradual process that will get better over time and, depending on the person, can be eradicated.

“I started to play less online games after middle school,” said Kim. “School work started to overflow, so I had the option to quit [my addiction] or get bad grades. It was hard, but I quit.”

The very first step to ending all kinds of addiction, however, is acceptance.

Stevens said, “Regardless of what you’re addicted to, no treatment will ever be able to work unless you actually admit that a) you have a problem, and b) you need help.” *name has been changed

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the case, can last anywhere from a couple months to an entire lifetime. Once “fixed,” the sobriety can still be unstable and the compulsion of the addiction can be turned on once a student returns to his or her habits.

“In most cases, addiction is a disease you’ll always have,” Stevens said. “You’ll always have to watch your intake of whatever you’re addicted to because for many, one turn back is just going to bring them back down. People can become sober, but you have to accept that your brain has changed and it can never go back to the way it was before.”

The type of treatment for an addiction depends on what the person is addicted to. More lifethreatening addictions, such as those to food and gaming, often require recovery through intense rehab programs. On the other hand, milder, less dangerous addictions such as those to music and comic books can be treated with a trip to the therapist. In

CANCER SURVIVOR

BY SABRINA JEN & SHOUVIK MANI

JOEY LI—EPIC

KEVIN CHEN

Senior Kevin Chen has lost track of the last two years. As he looks back on the time he spent in and out of the hospital, he recalls only bits and pieces of his memories. He tries to connect the dots, but struggles; the dates, months and years have all become a blur to him now. The sunlight hits his face, illuminating his gaunt features, as Chen begins to tell his story.

It all started with a visit to the pediatrician in Chen’s sophomore year. He had noticed a lump on the left side of his neck and wanted to get it checked. Initially, he thought it was just an allergic reaction. The doctor warned, however, that it could be lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, and suggested he get a more accurate check up at a hospital with better equipment.

“When the doctors first told me, I was like ‘No, it can’t be,’” Chen said. “But most of the time I just didn’t think about it since the lump didn’t impede any activities.”

Because there were only a few weeks left in the school year, Chen’s parents decided to wait until summer began to confirm the diagnosis at a hospital.

Forced to face the truth It took a trip halfway around the world to get a more accurate diagnosis. During his summer vacation in Taiwan, Chen visited two doctors to get evaluated.

After having a biopsy on his neck, he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a type of cancer that develops in the white blood cells, which are central to the immune system. The cancer spreads through the body to other organs such as the liver, spleen, or in Chen’s case, the lymph nodes in the neck. It has a 40 percent survival rate.

“I was really shocked. I was scared. After the news, we went to eat lunch and I just broke down crying. I didn’t want to talk to anyone and just wanted to be by myself,” Chen said. “I didn’t want to be admitted, but of course I had to.”

After that, he immediately entered the hospital. What should have been a quick check-up during a family vacation unexpectedly turned into six months of hospital treatment.

The initial treatments included four to six rounds of chemotherapy administered about at monthlong intervals.

“I just felt really sick all the time,” he said. “It was like constant nausea. [When other people tried to talk to me] I might be too tired and I might just ignore them. I didn’t want to talk to anybody sometimes.”

Chen’s younger sister, junior Emily Chen, explained that it was difficult adjusting to the environment of the hospital in Taiwan.

“The hospital walls were really white and scary looking,” Emily Chen said. “Overall, it kind of resembled a scene where horror movies took place.”

Additionally, Chen was forced to deal with the language barrier as well as unfamiliar culture in Taiwan.

“I got really lonely because I had no friends in there,” he said. “In a few months I wanted to go home.”

Thankfully, he did not have to go through these months alone. His family stayed in Taiwan with him.

“I wouldn’t know what to do if my family wasn’t there. My mom stayed with me the whole time,” said Chen.

Although it was difficult for Chen’s mother, C.J. Wang, to accept her son’s condition, she stayed strong and optimistic for him.

“I didn’t think about how the situation was unfair, I didn’t think about what life would be like if this never happened,” said Wang. “Instead, I tried to face it as a challenge in our lives that we just had to overcome with the most positive attitude at that given moment.”

Emily Chen also tried to bring positivity into her brother’s hospital life.

“In Taiwan, he was surrounded by all these adults: my parents, my grandparents, the nurses, so he didn’t really have anyone to have a normal conversation with,” she said. “I would try to joke around with him to get him to talk about everyday things that had nothing to do with cancer.”

For Emily Chen, having the chance to spend quality time with her brother was a very special opportunity.

“Before Kevin got cancer, we were the kind of siblings who always fought and argued about things,” she said. “But after, I learned not to take him for granted and we both got more considerate of each other.”

Eventually, Chen’s cancer entered a stage of remission, which is characterized by a de-

JOEY LI­­­—EPIC

crease in the signs and symptoms of the sickness. It was incomplete, however, since there was five percent of the cancer cells left in his body. But since the treatments in Taiwan were over, Chen was able to come home.

Coming Home By the beginning of 2012, Chen was back in the U.S. His weak immune system, however, prevented him from returning to school.

He was put on close watch with frequent checkups at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital (LPCH) in Stanford University. He also faced several food restrictions: no raw vegetables, meat and thin-skinned fruits. Even

after following these precautions, his cancer relapsed in May 2012.

This time, instead of receiving more rounds of chemotherapy, Chen was told that in order to avoid serious problems, he would also need to go through several rounds of radiation as well as a bone marrow transplant.

His doctors wanted him to be living within 20 minutes of the hospital for the first few months post-transplant in case of an emergency. Because of this, Chen lived at the Ronald McDonald House in Palo Alto, Calif. for the next 100 days.

“The rooms at Stanford were really colorful and felt more like home compared to the ones in Taiwan,” said Emily Chen. “l could tell that Kevin was

happier there.”

The attitude of the doctors in the U.S. also allowed Chen to learn new things while he was there. Wang appreciated that the doctors would personally explain every procedure with great detail to Chen, respecting and listening to all of his opinions.

“Doctors and nurses at LPCH treat children and their opinions with great respect,” said Wang. “Once, when Kevin had a biopsy in his leg and had to have his stitches removed, Kevin asked his doctor if he could do it himself, since he was curious.” She described how the doctor, without hesitating, sat down next to Chen and began explaining to him what all the tools were for and how to perform the procedure and very patiently watched Kevin take out his stitches.

Since the treatments during his relapse were much more critical than those done before, Chen faced many dangerous risks, including the possibility of death. His appetite was poor throughout his treatments, and he would often not eat for weeks, resulting in the usage of intravenous therapy, which is when nutrients are infused directly into the veins of a patient.

“At the worst time, he weighed only about 108 pounds, about 25 pounds less than he was before the treatments began,” said Wang.

“Honestly, I’m really amazed at how Kevin has gotten through these tough times. His attitude and strength was at all times even stronger than that of an adult.”

Following this 100-day period, the checkups and medication slowly tapered off. Soon, Chen would be able to enjoy the little things in his life again.

Transition into a new class In the spring of 2013, which was supposed to be Chen’s second semester of senior year, he often visited his friends at Lynbrook. As graduation approached, he would sometimes think about where he would be if he had not gotten cancer.

“I wish that I could have graduated with 2013 because you know, I’ve been with them for forever,” he said. “I went to their graduation, it was actually really sad.”

But Chen focuses on the good memories.

“I was both happy for my classmates and sad for myself. But I’m excited about graduation this year,” he said.

While most students in the Class of 2014 did not know Chen’s story, some of his teachers immediately recognized an old face back on campus. One of them was social studies and business teacher Ryan Shull, who had Chen as a student for World History as a sophomore and has him for Virtual Enterprise as a senior.

“Believe it or not, but I actually noticed his absence in his junior year. While I would see students from prior years walking around, I didn’t see Kevin. For a while, he was just gone. And then he showed up in my class senior year,” said Shull.

Shull learned about Chen’s condition only after reading his resume for a project in Virtual Enterprise class. He describes Chen as confident, poised and extremely kind. “I’ve never heard Kevin whining about anything, ever. He has a positive attitude,” he said.

“Knowing about what he has been going through for a couple of years, it’s very touching. He is facing pretty significant adversity and hasn’t given up.”

In addition to academics, Chen made a return to the track, although not as an athlete.

He served as what track and field head coach Ray Wright calls a “student assistant coach.”

He is also Wright’s teacher’s assistant for his P.E. Weight Training class.

“I think it was great [to have Kevin back.].

Prior to that, we had seen him on occasions and he didn’t look healthy. He didn’t look strong enough to come around everyday since he had a lot of treatment going on,” Wright said. But once he was feeling much healthier last year, he asked if he could come around and help us and I said, ‘Sure.’”

Although Wang has not met Wright personally, she wants to thank him for all the support and motivation he gave Chen when he returned to the track team.

According to Central Coast Section (CCS) bylaws, students are not allowed to play more than eight semesters of a sport unless they face a significant hardship. Since Chen is technically in his fifth year of high school, he

KASTURI PANTVAIDYA—EPIC

is filing a waiver with the CCS office so that he can do an extra year of track and field. The application process is ongoing.

“I want to go back to the team,” said Chen.

“It would be a shame if I didn’t do track in my last year.”

Wright has noticed significant changes in Chen over the past two years. “From the outside, he is still shy and quiet and just like he was as a freshman,” he said. “But he’s obviously grown up. He has just turned 18 years old. Going through what he has gone through, I’m sure he gained a lot of maturity.”

Chen is back in the classroom and hopes to return to the track. He made his greatest comeback, however, on a Homecoming stage.

Returning to the stage “Kevin was huge for 2013 both as a dancer and in general,” said alumnus Daniel Sun, who was Vice President of the class of 2013 as well as the co-choreographer of the boys’ dance in Homecoming skits. “As a dancer, he was one of our top guys who was always in all the pieces. Spirit-wise, Kevin was always there for everyone.”

Chen always had a significant impact on the class of 2013’s Homecomings, which led to many difficulties following his diagnosis.

The boys’ dance, which according to Sun was like a “brotherhood,” was especially impacted

by Chen’s absence.

“Boys’ dance was something that we always thought about and got excited about and it was hard to picture going through it without him,” said Sun. Although Chen was no longer in school for his junior year, he continued contributing to his class.

“Even when he was in Taiwan, he mixed our boys’ dance song and I remember we video chatted him the night before so he could check out our run-throughs,” said Sun. “It was definitely special having his presence because it didn’t feel right without him there.”

Although he was unable to participate in its Homecoming, the class of 2013 did not fail to acknowledge Chen’s importance.

“The class as a whole knew how much he wanted to be out there with us and they knew how much he had contributed in the past,” said Sun. Because of this, the class decided to dedicate their junior skit to Chen. “[The dedication] really gave our skit that extra layer of meaning and it was definitely something in the back of our minds when we went out and performed,” said Sun. When Chen returned to school this year, he faced the decision of whether or not to help out with 2014’s Homecoming. He eventually chose to play a part in it.

After being approached about being in the dance, he chose to participate.

“I thought since I’m already part of 2014, then why not?” he said. Initially, Chen felt awkward being back at school and in homecoming with a different class.

“It’s like going to a new school, except you are going to the same school,” Chen said.

Slowly, he began to acclimate himself as he rehearsed along with his new classmates. He found a way to fit in by becoming one of the main dancers in the skit. At the end of homecoming week, Chen could not have been more proud of 2014.

“Despite my slight impartial feelings toward the class at the time, I know that we

killed it out there and that we looked good,” said Chen. “I couldn’t have asked for a better senior Homecoming.”

The experience was also his first time dancing in front of an audience since he was diagnosed with cancer.

“I missed dancing when I couldn’t. A lot,” he said. “But when I was dancing in the skit this time, it kind of felt like I never stopped.”

Sun saw how special Chen’s performance was this year.

“I know that I speak for every single member of 2013, boys’ dance especially, when I say that I was so proud when I saw the video of 2014’s performance and seeing Kevin dance again,” said Sun. “Seeing him back on that Homecoming stage was really a touching moment for me because he above anyone else deserved that moment.”

“The Little Things” What did he miss the most during his fight with cancer? Chen’s immediate answer was clear: school. During his time in the hospital, Chen took the courses for his junior year credits online and in the classes offered by the hospital. But they weren’t the same as physically being in school.

Before being diagnosed with cancer, “It’s not like I didn’t enjoy school, but a lot of times I would not want to go to school and just stay home all day like a typical teenager would want,” he said. “But now the process of coming to school and hanging out with friends­... that’s something that I really appreciate.”

For Chen, the fact that he is able to come

to school every day where he has deadlines to push him, teachers to motivate him and friends to keep him company, is a blessing.

“Honestly, I still feel the same as everybody else. I hate doing college apps, I hate doing homework, but the thing is, you start to realize that... you just gotta do what you gotta do.”

Throughout his struggle, Chen found the strength to fight his cancer by placing hope in what lies ahead.

“I just did what I had to do, and I just looked ahead to a future that may or may not exist,” Chen said.

“I’m glad that I can actually be doing college apps because I can actually go to college. I actually have a future in front of me.”

Reflection Even before he was diagnosed with cancer, Chen had a budding interest in music.

“When I was younger, I experimented with mixing and making little things,” he said.

“But I never really got to expand and explore that interest until after I got cancer, since I had more time on my hands.”

During the six-month period in Taiwan, Chen was able to focus on music and ended up creating approximately 20 songs over the course of his treatments.

Making music served as catharsis, helping Chen through emotional ruts.

“Music production helped me because it took my mind off of the current situation,” said Chen. “In a way, it also took me into another world of my own.”

Supported by his parents, who bought him a keyboard to make music

KASTURI PANTVAIDYA—EPIC

before he moved into the hospital in Taiwan, Chen has begun thinking about going into music production for college.

“I also want to consider physical therapy,” he said. “My physical therapist and doctor helped me out a lot, so I want to help other people too and return the favor.”

Inspired by those who helped him, Chen has begun looking into colleges offering both music production and physical therapy majors, such as the University of Washington.

Chen’s condition has also brought his family closer together: his relationships with those around him have not been impacted in a negative way.

“His relationship with Emily has not changed at all, but I think that it is a good thing,” said Wang. “Because of Kevin’s illness, a lot of things have changed.

Emily’s relationship with Kevin, which has stayed the same, provides a sense of stability.”

“Sometimes I would just wish that it never happened,” he said. But thinking about his experience with cancer from a different perspective, Chen also explained how he has grown throughout the curing of his disease.

“You know how we as kids take life for granted? I learned how we can’t take life for granted because it’s not for granted. You can die at any time,” he said. “So you need to learn how to appreciate things: the little things in life, the big things in life, just anything.”

Wang also cautions others about how important it is to cherish life when it is going well, as circumstances can change suddenly.

“Even though we all know that cancer is pretty common nowadays, you don’t really understand how much impact it has on someone’s life until it is impacting yours,” she said. “When it is happening elsewhere, it is like stories being repeated over and over again. Only till the moment it happens to you, do you realize that it is not stories anymore.

It is reality. It is life.”

On a humid June afternoon in 2011, Kevin Chen received news that changed his life. He found himself at the starting point, having to piece together a new reality. Connecting the dots was difficult for him; there were many times when he thought he had solved the puzzle, only to have the solution slip away.

Yet through a positive mindset and the support of those around him, Chen survived his illness. He sits in the soft autumn light, smiling. Kevin Chen has connected the dots.

Exploring how meaning is lost through text

BY AMANDA CHANG & CHRISTINA LIU

T

hink about the last time you chatted with someone online. You probably used smiley faces and “LOL”s in the chat box to replace a grin or a chuckle in conversation; instead of expressing feeling, you conveyed it.

This seemingly insignificant habit, however, has deeper implications. An increasing reliance on social networking as opposed to face to face communication has created a conflict between the spoken word and the typed one. Consequently, communcation through text, messages or Facebook posts can change the connotations of messages and cause them to be received in different ways than they were meant to be.

“I think that the major advantage of personal communication, even if it’s just verbal, is the brain’s higher ability to process nuance in the conversation,” said School Psychologist Brittany Stevens. “With text, you can’t predict how your recipient will process your language because they’ll put in their own intonation or volume level. There’s a huge benefit to being able to read multiple cues and let your brain do some sorting before interpreting the message.”

Without these cues, text can be interpreted in different ways, and as a direct result, there is disagreement between readers about the true meaning of posts.

Sophomore Danyel Samuelsen, an active user of Facebook and Twitter, described times when she witnessed people misinterpreting posts online.

“On Twitter, I follow a few celebrities online, and I realized that fans have a tendency to interpret celebrities’ posts about their

lives in different ways, and these different interpretations can sometimes cause disagreements,” said Samuelsen.

With voice, the inflections and tones make the meanings of messages clear, but with text, people can interpret the meanings of posts the way they want to.

“On Twitter, there is a One Direction fandom that has two different ships, and fans from the different sides will sometimes argue with each other,” said Samuelsen. “Sometimes they’ll misinterpret completely neutral posts and get mad even if the other people’s posts dont have anything to do with the ships or the band in general. And then fights start for stupid reasons.”

Using text with social media can cause rifts in not only Internet relationships, but also personal relationships.

“My friend and I had a misunderstanding when I tried to talk to him, and he told me that he ‘didn’t want to deal with this right now,’” said sophomore Sherrie Guan. “It caused me to rethink our relationship and changed the way I thought about him. I realized it was much easier to unintentionally ignore someone online than in person because online, people can forget that they might be hurting someone.”

If Guan had talked to her friend in person, what they had been saying to each other may have been clearer. Since Guan’s conversation with her friend was through text messaging, however, she read his reply in a harsher tone than it was meant, which created a one-sided rift in their friendship.

In addition to causing misinterpretations, online conversations can become confusing

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTINA LIU & JEFFREY YANG

since multiple people can make posts or comments at the same time. On the other hand, it is almost universally understood that when talking in person, one person begins speaking only after the other is finished. When communicating online, people do not need to think about delay and instead often talk over each other. This overlapping of communication is difficult to keep up with.

Another negative aspect of text is that it allows people to easily imitate others, and through this, start arguments. A few years ago, junior Amelia Johnson* suffered from this type of treatment.

“Back in middle school, there was a group of people who didn’t really like me,“ said Johnson. “At that time, a website called Formspring was really popular, and some people would go on Formspring and pretend to be me and say mean things to other people. ” Those who pretended to be Johnson copied the way she typed, so the people who received the messages thought that she was the one sending them.

Johnson was confronted at school, and students argued and fought with her even though she was not the one who sent them the rude questions. This situation was only a possibility due to online communication because while everyone has a distinct voice, the only thing distinguishing a speaker’s words from someone else’s is his or her name. It is therefore entirely possible for people to easily imitate others online.

Various companies have made apps to remedy this problem. Shane Wey and Jason Lew, who are Homestead High School alumni, created a social networking app called Melt that allows users to make audio posts.

“Voice is just a very real connection,” said Wey. “With pictures and text, you’ll edit statuses and blog posts until they’re completely perfect, and you’ll put different filters on pictures to make them look surreal and beautiful. But with voice, you capture these awkward pauses and fumbles, which are more human, and these imperfections create a stronger connection.”

Lynbrook alumnus Patrick Fang recently

started using Melt as a voice diary to keep track of his daily activities and share stories with his friends.

“Through Melt, you can’t misinterpret a message because there is a certain amount of love and passion in each message. Reading a text isn’t enough because it is mostly devoid of emotion and you can’t really tell what someone is truly feeling,“ said Fang.

“With Melt, I like how I’m able to experience the enthusiasm or disappointment that other people are experiencing.”

Melt, as well as voice in general, allows people to express more emotion because the

tones of voice can convey feelings more effectively than italicized or bolded text.

“People try to use emoticons to express their emotions while they’re typing,” said Stevens, who believes that the importance of emotion in conversation is demonstrated by people’s reliance on emoticons while communicating online. “I think that just shows how much we depend on facial cues and intonation to understand speech.”

Besides Melt, there are many other voice and video apps like Path, Soundcloud, and Keek, which also help with more effective communication.

Keek is an app that experiments with video sharing, and users can create short videos up to 36 seconds long. Keek is often

used for communication between celebrities and their fans, and it does not have the issues of miscommunication that Twitter and other social networking sites sometimes have.

“I watch Keeks of one of my favorite bands, 5 Seconds of Summer,” said freshman Dana Morgan, who is an active user of Keek. “There’s really no miscommunication because the band members make the Keeks themselves, and they record what they actually say and do.”

With the increase in prevalence of online communication comes a concern about interactions, or lack thereof, that lead to social loneliness and isolation because text is so lacking in emotion.

“I do worry that because of online communication, people aren’t practicing social skills in real situations,” said Stevens. “When people have real life conversations, they have to know how to read others for their qualitative signs like their mood or energy level. So there is some valid concern about people falling out of practice with having real time communication and interpreting feedback from the other person.”

After Guan’s online disagreement with her friend, she realized that voice was the better way of communication.

“We tried resolving the argument over chat, but it didn’t work so well,” said Guan.

“So then we talked to each other in person, which was a lot better, and that helped things go back to normal.”

Guan’s situation is a prime example of the benefits of voice and its sincerity. Although it is inevitable that people will continue to use text to communicate with others, maintaining a reasonable balance between text and voice communication will allow people to have more genuine relationships and less misinterpretations.

“It’s better if people can maintain a balance between text and voice,” said Stevens.

“It’s not a problem if people use text or ecommunication only as a supplement to the real world of relationships.” *name has been changed

BUMP

SET

SPIKEFEST

BY PRASANN RANADE

KASTURI PANDVAIDYA-EPIC

S

enior Aaron Huang jumps to spike the ball as Athletic Director Jeremy Kitchen tries futilely to block the smash. The ball speeds toward the ground as History teacher Ryan Shull dives to keep it in play. Assistant Principal Eric Wong sets and Kitchen tips it over to continue the rally. Sophomore Esther Ho, of Team 3, bumps the ball and sophomore Grace Lam sets it, getting it into prime position for Huang to deliver a kill, a volleyball spike attack that earns Team 3 the point necessary to win the game.

This was not just any volleyball game. The game between Team 3 and the teachers’ team marks the conclusion of the weeklong Spikefest volleyball tournament, which took place from Oct. 21 to Oct. 25. One of the two major sports tournaments at Lynbrook, the other

being March Madness, Spikefest not only acts as an avenue for healthy, school-wide competition but also shifts school attention to the game of volleyball.

Sixteen teams of four to five people each competed in a single-round bracket tournament in the gym. The rounds ended on Friday with the winning student team, Team 3, playing the teachers’ team. Students from all grades participated, with the only stipulation being that all teams be co-ed.

At the same time, having a tournament open to everyone creates problems with fairness. Girls and boys volleyball use different net heights; additionally, teams formed of varsity volleyball players could easily dominate over teams made of just volleyball enthusiasts. To correct the problems, Spikefest, from its beginning, had rules regulating a standard net height and allowing only two varsity volleyball players per team, one boy and one girl.

“For guys, it’s played on a girls net, so it’s an equal playing field for everyone, so it’s good for everyone to get involved,” said JV volleyball player junior Ali Khan.

“It’s a good opportunity if you don’t play volleyball outside of school.”

The original purpose of having Spike-

Voices from the court

fest was to call attention to the girls’ volleyball team, whose season takes place through the week that Spikefest occurs. “[Spikefest] helps to promote our games, because then you see people from our team playing and they’re like ‘Oh, they’re good!’ so then people would come because of that,” said varsity volleyball player junior Jamie Wong.

At the same time, though, Spikefest does more than promote girls’ volleyball. The competition it fosters among volleyball enthusiasts and players alike during the games gives greater recognition to volleyball at Lynbrook; however, Spikefest, put simply, is just another arena for good fun.

“Playing against people from your own school makes the competition exciting, because normally you play with each other, and then during Spikefest you play against each other,” said JV volleyball player junior Numair Baseer. “Mainly it’s just something to do for fun. It’s just fun to compete against your teammates to see who’s the smarter player— who can lead their team to victory.”

In the end it was Team 3 who achieved victory. After four games and scores of bumps, sets, and spikes, they rose to the top, becoming the winners of Spikefest 2013.

Rituals and the placebo effect

BY JEFFREY YANG & YONATAN ZEMLYAK

GRAPHIC BY KELSEY HURWITZ

J

unior Anshul Shah hurries out of the dugout and onto the baseball diamond.

He takes a long breath and jumps twice.

Then, the varsity baseball player walks to the outfield grass, squats down, turns around, and makes his way back onto the dirt. He picks up a handful of dirt and throws it into the air. He has done this without fail at the start of every game for over three years.

“It started out as me trying out some things, and seeing what made me feel better when playing,” Shah recalls. “Eventually, I found what did, and basically stuck with it.

By now, the routine is the same every time, and it can be called a ritual.”

Ranging from the random to the ridiculous, rituals have always been a grounded part of sport culture. Rituals allow athletes a way to gather themselves and feel prepared prior to a game. Famous examples include LeBron James’ infamous chalk toss and Ray Lewis’ squirrel dance. Though popularized by professionals, rituals are also prevalent in Lynbrook athletics.

For varsity singles badminton player junior Alan Wang, the ritual started his freshman year, halfway through the badminton season.

“This might sound weird, but before I play a match, I always have to sleep,” said Wang. “It can be for an hour, or a just a few minutes before my match is called.”

According to Wang, his ritual keeps him focused and alert during the game, particularly in moments of high stress.

“Playing an individual event, it’s easy to get stressed or to lose focus. There isn’t anyone to pull you back into the game, it’s all in your own head. And that’s where my ritual comes in. Being rested seems to put me in a mindset where I can focus,” he said.

Wang, however, concedes that the focus resulting from his ritual is the result of the psychological aspect as its physical aspect.

He said, “I don’t think shutting my eyes for two minutes actually makes me all that more focused, but even if it is psychological, I feel that the ritual actually does help me.”

According to School Psychologist Brittany Stevens, Wang is experiencing a classic case of the placebo effect. She said, “The placebo effect is real. Whether the ritual has a legitimate effect or not doesn’t really matter; if an athlete convinces himself that the correlation exists, it becomes real to him.

In that fashion, if the athlete believes that a certain pre-game routine is beneficial, it may very well become so.”

The beneficial effects of pre-game routines, both physical and psychological, span a multitude of sports, team and solo.

Senior Rebecca Hatton, who plays varsity field hockey, attributes a measure of her athletic success to her pre-game ritual.

“I have stretched in the same pattern before every game for the last two years,” Hatton said. “Aside from obviously helping get me loose, I just don’t feel comfortable if I don’t do it.”

Hatton did not originally consider her routine a ritual; it was initially just a pregame necessity.

“I would just stretch before games, but then a routine popped into my head that would cover all the basic points of stretch-

ing. I started performing that routine every game, and it has become a ritual,” she said.

Although athletes’ rituals come in many different forms and take on unique meanings for each individual, Stevens says that they all stem from the same branch, a phenomenon called behavioral reinforcement.

“Behaviors don’t just exist,” Stevens said. “They develop because they get reinforced, either through positive reinforcement, where you’re rewarded the behavior, or negative reinforcement, where things go wrong when you don’t do it. The outcome and the behavior get linked in the mind, and that’s how the ritual develops.”

Sports create an environment where the outcome is not entirely under the athlete’s control; rituals are simply a way for athletes to compensate. It gives them a sense of absolute influence and control over at least some aspect of the process.

“In many ways, sports rely on not only talent, but also on chance, especially in group sports, where the individual has even less control over the outcome,” Stevens said.

“That’s why rituals are performed; they can feel empowering to the athlete, giving them the sense that they’re doing something, the sense that they’re in control.”

Rituals, however, can become limiting after a certain point. According to Stevens, athletes may start to take their rituals all too seriously and begin to use them as an excuse for poor performance. This pessimistic mindset can develop to the point that athletes convince themselves that the outcome of their performance hinges solely upon the successful performance of the ritual, a concern that can physically manifest itself with unfortunate consequences.

For instance, a basketball player may have a deep-rooted belief that he must leave the bench first when called upon to play. If he and another player are set to check in at the same time, however, and the other player sets foot on the court before he does, his confidence may plummet, and he may enter the game with a negative mindset, believing that he will perform poorly.

Wang has been in a similar situation.

“There was one game where I slept pretty late the night before, and it slipped my mind to get some rest,” Wang said. “I remember when they called my match and I walked on the court, my only thought was that I had forgotten the ritual. I didn’t lose the game, but I wasn’t playing as well as I should have.”

Whether they involve throwing dirt, stretching in a certain order or simply sleeping, rituals bear deep meaning to the athletes who perform them.

JOEY LI—EPIC

SPONSORED Senior Ryan Lin and sophomore Evan Li turned their hobby into a sponsorship deal by becoming Team Riders for Anonymous Longboards

SKATER BOYS| Evan (left) and Ryan (right) respectively show off a nose manual and speed check.

BY SHOUVIK MANI

W

ith just a longboard, a videocamera and the internet, senior Ryan Lin and sophomore Evan Li have transformed a typical teenage hobby into a convergence of business and longboarding. Together, they are two of three sponsored “Team Riders” at Anonymous Longboards, a Colorado-based startup company.

Anonymous offers custommade boards for longboarding enthusiasts. It was founded two years ago with a grant from a

business class at Colorado State University. As Team Riders, Lin and Li take videos of their tricks and maneuvers on Anonymous’ boards and post them onto Youtube. They also promote Anonymous’ products and make sales through social media sites such as Facebook and Reddit.

While Li has been longboarding since he was 8 years old, Lin picked up the activity towards the end of his sophomore year.

Li was initially drawn to longboarding because “Everyone would bike, and I thought longboarding was unique. I wanted to be different.”

For Lin, the initial appeal centered around the feeling he experienced while longboarding for the first time. “The first time I tried it, I literally felt as if I was just floating on air. When I got into tricks, my progress started driving my passion.

Nailing a trick is one of the best feelings you can have,” he said.

According to Lin and Li, most of the longboarders at Lynbrook use their longboards mainly for commuting.

“I generally longboard because its simply fun. Learning new tricks is satisfying because they take so long to learn. Longboards are also nice for transportation because you can just carry it around with you with little to no struggle,” said sophomore Tyler Strong.

One of the reasons Lin and Li sought a sponsorship is because they wanted to develop new skills while promoting longboarding at Lynbrook and in the surrounding community. “We wanted to get sponsored because we thought it would help us progress as riders,” Lin said.

“It would help us develop new abilities and meet new people by promoting a product.”

With this motivation, Li applied for a sponsorship from Anonymous in July 2013 using Lin’s longboarding videos as supplementals. Li found Anonymous while browsing Reddit and decided to approach it for a sponsorship because “it was a small startup company with great ideas and headed in the right direction.”

The duo formed a partnership and were eventually selected as a team over eight other applicants by Dillon Martin, founder of Anonymous Longboards. Lin and Li believe their familiarity with social media and versatility in skills as longboarders got them selected for the sponsorship.

“We applied together to utilize both of our strengths. Evan sent in the application with my

videos. After becoming officially sponsored we discussed benefits, got the boards and started riding,” Lin said.

Martin explained that he selected Lin and Li to be Team Riders because of their unique skills and marketability.

“Evan and Ryan reached out to us and explained why they loved the sport, how a potential sponsorship would impact their lives and what they could do for the company,” Martin said. “Out of a pool of 8 applicants, we chose them for a combination of their riding abilities, ability to create quality videos and their understanding of the business side of things. They were both confident in their ability to give back to the company and showed the determination to make it a reality.”

The sponsorship came with its own set of challenges such as having to communicate with Martin entirely through Facebook since he lives in Colorado.

“At the beginning, I was pretty skeptical about this,” Lin said.

“But after we got to communicate with the manager and learn his intentions, we realized that he is just a normal guy pioneering a longboarding company.”

Lin has kept his perspective on the sponsorship very clear from the beginning. “Dealing with a sponsorship is tricky because you still want to have passion for the sport,” Lin said.

“You should never let just the sponsorship drive your skill development. You should let your passion drive your skill development and have the sponsorship on the side.”

The sponsorship has also given the duo an opportunity to hone tricks they would have never considered in the past. “Since the sponsorship, we have been trying to progress and step up our game as much as possible,” Li said. “We tried many tricks that were scary to do initially, but after a few attempts and manning-up, we

JOEY LI—EPIC

were able to do them.”

Lin’s favorite tricks are the “heelside speedcheck” and the “fakie bigspin.” “The heelside check is a slide in which I reduce speed by whipping the board out with my back foot, sliding perpendicular to the road for a desired time. The fakie bigspin involves a 360-degree board rotation with a 180-degree body rotation in between,” said Lin. With all the video editing, social media promotion and extra practicing involved, the sponsorship represents a significant time commitment. “I longboard pretty much every day after the sun sets for about an hour, just digging into new

tricks. On the weekends, I spend a lot of time editing videos and wake up early on some days to go to the hills and shoot video or take photos,” Lin said.

And all of that hard work has not gone in vain. In fact, Martin feels that Lin and Li’s efforts have significantly helped in establishing Anonymous’ presence in California and online. ”Ryan and Evan have both done an excellent job progressing Anonymous. It is my belief that their achievements are due to their unique ability to work as a team exploiting their individual abilities,” Martin said.

“Together they produced a creative Team Video featuring our

board, the Cloud Atlas. This video increased awareness, promoted board sales and helped us establish a larger presence on YouTube.”

So, what’s in it for them?

Material benefits include a 20 percent discount on boards and gear, free T-shirts and stickers.

Anonymous also has a benefits system in which Lin and Li can get a commission on each longboard sale they make. Their sales are recorded via a code that buyers can enter when purchasing a longboard from the Anonymous website.

But Lin and Li believe that the immaterial benefit of developing new skills is far more

important. In fact, Lin wants to carry over skills such as video editing, social media marketing and professional communication into his future. By promoting Anonymous’ products, he has found a passion for business and marketing.

“With this sponsorship, I have begun considering business more and realized that I actually enjoy it. I enjoy promoting a product and raising awareness,” Lin said. “While I may not be longboarding in the future, I may be doing a similar type of marketing in the corporate world. So, I want to take this sponsorship and build on it as my foundation.”