Issue 4, 2016

FUHSD Board passes enrollment plan

SHIVA VEMIREDDY - EPIC

BY URMILA VENKAT On Jan. 12, the FUHSD Board of Trustees unanimously passed a proposal to allow 8th grade students attending Miller Middle School but not living in the Lynbrook residence area the choice to attend Lynbrook for their four years of high school. This offer will extend to the siblings of the Miller students and are effective only for the 2016-17 school year. A newly created district-wide citizen’s advisory committee will study enrollment throughout the district and report on its �indings for the board to make a decision to implement for the 2017-18 school year. The passed proposal also included a provision that promised to maintain Lynbrook’s current programs.

Lynbrook’s population is currently at 1767, according to projections done by Enrollment Projection Consultants, Lynbrook’s enrollment numbers will continue to decrease, with the enrollment projections for next year dropping to

1702 students. The decreasing enrollment numbers will affect which classes and how many sections of each class are offered in the coming years, though other factors such as graduation requirements, teacher availability, infrastructure limitations and student requests are also considered. Shrinking enrollment numbers could cause reduced class offerings, staff cuts and the possible elimination of programs such as world language, �ine arts and AP classes.

To prevent this, the board held a meeting on Jan. 9 to discuss Lynbrook’s enrollment issue and to solicit public input on the matter. The FUHSD staff created a presentation covering the issue of declining enrollment and reviewed several tentative solutions. These options were to create an area of choice mear John Mise Park, open enrollment throughout FUHSD and, while not part of the FUHSD staff recommendation, a possible boundary change.

The second portion of the meeting was for public input, and several staff, students and community members voiced

SHIVA VEMIREDDY - EPIC

MEDIA COVERAGE|The controversy of the decision attracted the attention of the press, with TV channels present at the meeting.

SHIVA VEMIREDDY - EPIC

PROTESTS| Young boy holds sign to show support for open enrollment as a solution to the problem of declining enrollment.

their opinions on the issue and what needed to be done.

“I think the meeting was a fair effort to give multiple people with multiple views a forum to express concerns with all the options,” said School Financial Technician Judy Boehm.

“The vast majority of people understand the need for more students, that that’s the big thrust; how it is accomplished seems to be the major disagreement.”

Current students at Lynbrook also took their turn at the podium to express how the �ine arts and language programs had an impact on them.

“There’s a lot of wealth in the languages and electives that Lynbrook offers, and these classes have offered balance,” said senior Samvardhini Sridharan. “If these electives were to get cut, or if there were fewer classes and they were harder to get into, other students wouldn’t get to have the same experiences I did.” see ENROLLMENT page 2

INDEPTH//

The effects of house price fluctuations

BY WILLIAM GUO AND JESSICA LUO

T

he Silicon Valley has proven to be one of the most prosperous places in America, and the growing stream of new companies, workers and wealth makes it a real estate hotspot.

During the last decade, demand for housing in California increased steadily, while construction rates remained constant. With the lack of new houses and the burgeoning �low of buyers, house rates steadily climbed, culminating in what is now the peak of Silicon Valley’s housing market. According to Zillow, the average house price in Cupertino has risen from $1.05 million to nearly $1.9 million in the past �ive years.

For the less wealthy, the impact of high

prices has been devastating. An increasing number of families are leaning toward moving to areas where the cost of living is much lower than that of the Silicon Valley.

“My family has decided to move to Texas because what we have to pay [here] is insane,” said sophomore Asad Memon. “However, if you look elsewhere, if we put money into housing over there, you can get houses twice the size of the ones here for less than what we pay here.”

The vacant spaces caused by this emigration are �illed by wealthier people who can afford to buy property at a higher price, which in turn causes the average cost of housing to surge upward.

The term for this process is gentri�ication, and it has affected several other major

SHIVA VEMIREDDY - EPIC

STUDENT SPEECH| Sophomore Sultan Ahmad speaks at the board meeting about his experiences in the drama department.

cities in California, including San Francisco and Los Angeles. Especially in the Bay Area, where more residents hold high-paying jobs, house prices are severely affected by the area’s wealth.

“When somebody who earns a lot of money is looking at a house, they have the extra money to get what they want,” said real estate agent Stuart Campbell, who is based in the Bay Area. “They’re willing to pay a little bit more, to the detriment of ‘regular’ people that just have ‘regular’ jobs.”

Given that the $90,000 median household income in the Silicon Valley is 40 percent higher than that of the U.S., the elevated cost of living in the area is no surprise. see HOUSE PRICES page 12

BASKETBALL// pg. 13

SHIVA VEMIREDDY - EPIC

2016 Intel Science Talent Search semifinalists

BY AURELIA YANG

O

n Jan. 9 2016, Ajinkya Nene and Durga Ganesh were among 300 seniors worldwide that were pronounced semi�inalists in the Intel Science Talent Search 2016 (STS). Recognized as one of the nation’s most prestigious research competitions, STS is highly competitive and encourages high school seniors to present original research to nationally recognized scientists.

Ajinkya Nene: Senior Ajinkya Nene, who is passionate about computer science, entered the competition as a means of pursuing his interests in the �ield. His project, which centers on simulating dark matter halo, a hypothetical

component of a galaxy that extends beyond the visible galaxy, focuses on creating usable data to allow scientists to compare simulations to real life observations. His experiments have led him to conclude that extra light in the infrared phenomena, a theory regarding the use of infrared light, comes from fainter, more distant galaxies.

With the help of the Science Internship Program at the University of Santa Cruz and California, Nene was given the opportunity to work with mentors and professionals in the �ield to develop and execute his project.

“It was fun hanging out with other students and watching my code come to life,” said Nene. “It generated many interesting results that allowed me to grow.”

Though his project was successful, Nene was quite skeptical as to how his results would turn out in the beginning.

“When I �irst began, I wasn’t sure how far I would be able to take my project, since I was relatively new to the sciences,” said Nene. “As the process moved on, I gradually became more con�ident. After completing the project, I was pretty happy with the results and I de�initely learned a lot from my work.”

Nene has advice for aspiring competitors.

“A lot of the time, your work still gets recognized even if you don’t win, so I would advise the aspiring competitors to really stick with a project that they are very passionate about and put in all their effort to carry the project through the end.”

Durga Ganesh: As a student who has been passionate about scienti�ic research since her freshman year, senior Durga Ganesh was motivated to enter Intel STS out of her love for research and her desire to pursue scienti�ic study as a career in the future.

Her project idea, which investigates a biomarker, an indicator of a speci�ic disease, for aggressive prostate cancer, was largely inspired by her mentor and his laboratory’s �indings on the topic. The objective of her project was essentially to �ind out whether the biomarker, known as NUSAP1, was merely an indicator or if it held the capability to actually cause aggressive prostate cancer.

After completing her research, Ganesh concluded that NUSAP1 overexpression does in fact promote prostate cancer and hopes to use her �indings to discover a way of curing aggressive prostate cancer in the future.

Despite her success in the competition, Ganesh also experienced a few obstacles along the way.

“One of the biggest things about science research is that failure is inevitable,” said Ganesh. “During the project, I found out that my results weren’t working the way they were supposed to for one of my assays, despite all the effort I had put into it over the summer.”

However, Ganesh did not let such a setback to stop her from achieving her position as a semi�inalist. The competition has not only allowed Ganesh to advance

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY—EPIC SHIVA VEMIREDDY--EPIC

GRAPHIC BY THE NEWS SECTION

continued from ENROLLMENT page 1

Letter from the Editors Dear readers, Welcome back from the break. We hope that you enjoyed your time off.

Included in this issue are articles on our school’s Intel Science fair semi�inalists (pg. 2), as well as stories featuring student entrepreneurs (pg. 6), alumni athletes (pg. 14) and U.S. Army marching band bass drummer (pg. 3).

Be sure to read all about Lynbrook’s �inal decision regarding the school’s enrollment issue (pg. 1). Also, don’t forget to check out a story about forced romance in action movies (pg. 4).

Our features columnist offers her view on New Year’s resolutions (pg. 7), while another staffer shares her experiences hopping on bandwagons (pg. 14).

Read in-depth stories about modern advances in virtual reality (pg. 11) and how caffeine �inds its way into your every day life (pg. 10).

Flip to the sports section where you’ll �ind out what happened to Tyler HunterWasher (pg. 13) and get the latest updates on Powderpuff (pg. 15).

This issue caters to a variety of tastes.

From hot button school issues to light hearted features, there is something in this issue for everyone.

Stay warm, Kristen Wong and Stephanie Lu

Many parents in the Lynbrook community formed a group to protest the possibility of a boundary change or area of choice. The group created petitions, handed out �lyers, placed lawn signs and attended board meetings. Several of these parents spoke during the public input portion of the meeting at Lynbrook to advocate their cause. According to presentations by community speakers at the board meeting, their reasoning for opposing a boundary change and area of choice was that the area of choice would lead to an in�lexible boundary change and that the decision was being made too hastily. The parent group supported open enrollment for its �lexibility, the fact that it has been used before, and for the opportunities it creates for students from all of FUHSD to attend Lynbrook.

“I think the district shouldn’t be making hasty decisions and needs a long term structural approach as the population of the Bay Area and California increases, driven by jobs,” said Lynbrook parent Vatsan Kasturi.

“The school district should tackle this problem differently, instead of changing the de�inition of boundary and moving the goalpost.”

At the regularly scheduled board meeting on Jan. 12, the board allowed more opportunities for public input before making a decision. After listening to community input, the Board of Trustees unanimously agreed that it would be best to wait a year in order to better communicate with all parties involved and gain as much information as possible before coming to a �inal decision.

“This has been a very challenging situation, because the Board and staff all want to do what’s right for all students in our district while insuring that Lynbrook is not shortchanged by having fewer students,” said superintendent Polly Bove. “At the same time, we recognize the importance of keeping our community from being divided.”

Depending on how many outgoing Miller students decide to attend Lynbrook, the decision could add up to possibly 55 students to Lynbrook’s incoming freshman class. The

her scienti�ic research skills, but has also helped her grow and learn as an individual.

“I’m super fortunate and grateful for everything I have, because I think that there are so many amazing projects out there, and it’s really a great privilege to have made it this far,” said Ganesh. “I want to thank my teachers and mentors, as well as everyone who supported and helped me with my project..”

Albeit having made it this far in the competition, the two seniors’ paths to success de�initely have not been easy ones. Through exploring their passion for the sciences, both Ganesh and Nene have inevitably gained vast knowledge from the process and will continue to pursue their interests in the �ield in the future.

board is also looking at keeping English Language Development (ELD) 1 students at Lynbrook instead of transferring them to Cupertino, and encouraging Lynbrook employees to enroll their children at Lynbrook. Under normal circumstances, having lesser students would also result in Lynbrook receiving less money for their staff and programs, but the district has agreed to spend the money to maintain current staff and programs at Lynbrook for the upcoming year. Still, because all the new students brought to Lynbrook by the proposal will all be incoming freshmen, there may not be enough students in higher grades to justify separate higher level classes. This

“THIS HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING SITUATION, BECAUSE THE BOARD AND STAFF ALL WANT TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR ALL STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT.“ // POLLY BOVE SUPERINTENDENT may lead to combining higher level classes, such as combining French 3 and 4, but only if numbers drop that low. The bene�it of this situation is that since there may be fewer students for the same number of teachers, class sizes may be smaller.

“Although this is good news for the school because we’re getting kids and maintaining programs, it’s just a temporary solution,” said Principal John Dwyer. “I look forward to hearing about the work of the citizens advisory committee, which will provide input to a long-term sustainable solution to maintain enrollment at about 1,800 students.”

Understandably, students from the John Mise Park area may be unduly impacted by rumors stating that they would not be wel-

come at Lynbrook. In an effort to reach out to all the families from Cupertino High School, including the families from the John Mise Park community, Bove and several Board of Trustees members will attend a PTSA meeting at Cupertino High School on January 26 to discuss the situation with families from the John Mise Park community and throughout the Cupertino High School attendance area.

“We want them to hear directly from us about how much the Board values and supports them,” said Bove.

John Mise Park area resident Janet Shaw, the parent of an eighth grader at Christa McAuliffe School, attended an earlier meeting at Lynbrook and noticed high tensions.

“People were passionate about how they felt--many families had made extreme efforts to get here, as they had either rented or purchased in the exact block they wanted, and when they made that decision, they had already selected the school for their child,” said Shaw. “I think they need to have people come by choice, because there’s great reasons to go to Lynbrook and if it matches what you’re looking for, why not be allowed to go? And if it doesn’t match, please don’t force [someone] to change [their] neighborhood school.”

In addition, the citizen’s advisory committee, which will be tasked with collecting information on enrollment and creating a report on the �indings, has yet to be formed.

The details of committee members and �irst meeting dates have also yet to be decided.

“Our goal is to help members of the Citizen’s Advisory Committee better understand staf�ing, enrollment numbers, and funding formulas, and we trust that this will help them better understand some of the complexities that a school district must consider when making enrollment decisions” said Bove. “It will be bene�icial for FUHSD to have committee members come with a fresh perspective and collaborative approach to take a new look at this vital matter.”

Additional reporting: Nanda Pandian, Kristen Wong, Anya Poplavska, Alex Xu, Sana Sharfuddin

News in Brief

Nan Nan marches in U.S. Army band

BY CATHERINE HUANG

Blue Pearl The 12th annual Blue Pearl dance, hosted by LIMB, will be held on Saturday, Jan. 30 in the gym from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Come swing dance the night away with food and live music. Tickets are only $15 for singles and $25 for couples.

Be sure to be there! All pro�its will go to LIMB. FBLA Distinguished Speaker Event Dan Gordon of Gordon Biersch Brewery will be the speaker of the �inal event of FBLA’s speaker series. Come hear him on Monday, February 1 at 6pm in the auditorium. Admission is free!

H&R Budget Challenge Congratulations to senior Shawn Silverman for doing well in the H&R Budget Challenge! Silverman placed 15th in the country, earning a $20,000 scholarship.

President’s Week Break Enjoy the one week break from February 15 to February 19 in honor of President’s Day!

Silicon Valley Reads 2016 Come meet Emmi Itaranta, author of Memory of Water, during lunch on Friday, February 26th in the library study room.

RSVP for the VIP visit on the Lynbrook Library Homepage.

by Eshani Mehta

O

n July 13, 2015, senior Nan Nan Liu was of�icially selected to be one of the 125 members of the 2016 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band (USAAAMB) to perform at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl’s (AAB), America’s premier football game for the nation’s best high school fo o t ball and marching band p l aye r s .

The AAB took place in San Antonio, Texas on Jan. 9.

“The experience was completely unique in that it was a whole marching season compacted into 5 days,” said Liu. “Everyone in the band is so talented and passionate, and when we all came together it was just crazy what we were able to accomplish in just a few short days.”

But to her bandmates and instructor, her acceptance hardly came as a surprise.

“Nan Nan has a natural talent, and her dedication and determination is inspiring. I always see her practicing at lunch,

too,” said sophomore and fellow percussionist Emily Gu. As the �irst USAAAMB participant from the FUHSD in many years, Liu was surprised to �ind out she would be playing with the USAAAMB in the AAB. “When I found out that I got in, it was pretty exciting, but at the same time it was also a little scary because I would be playing with very experienced players in front of many people,” said Liu. During the week of Jan. 4, Liu and the other 124 participants spent a total of 20 hours of rehearsal time to put the halftime show for the All-American Bowl together. Liu credits the positive experience to the amicable work environment and common interests and goals between her and her peers.

“The instructors were so professional and having passionate alumni come back to mentor us really brings a new perspective to marching.” says Liu, “It was an honor to wear the United States Army’s colors and perform for our soldiers.”

The �irst time Liu played the bass drum was during her freshman year.

Despite only having played it for three years, the passion and love she feels for her instrument has only grown over the years, as has her work ethic.

“Bass drum is my favorite because it’s often underrated as an instrument,” said Liu. “There’s always something challenging to work on and it feels good to �inally get that down.”

USED WITH PERMISSION OF YONG T. THE (BEAR)

Transport surcharges soar Uber high Why Uber is justified in having fluctuating rates and higher surcharge prices

BY SAMHITA HONNAVALLI

E

veryone wanted to end 2015 on a good note, yet for some it was quite the opposite. On New Year’s Eve, Uber had to face the fury of numerous indignant customers regarding the unpredictable and expensive surcharge. Many of the complaints were from crowded cities such as New York and Miami, where fees amounted to 9.9 times the baseline rate. These critics are forgetting that Uber is a growing, private business established for the purpose of providing a service and generating pro�it--not a method of transportation established by the government for the public good. As a result, customers should not condemn Uber’s surcharge policy because for the company to continue providing the service and to grow, they need pro�its.

For those who are unfamiliar with the company, Uber is a transportation service company which allows consumers to submit a ride request via their smartphones to available, hired drivers in the area.

These drivers then use their own cars and bring the customer to the requested location. Due to a limited number of drivers, Uber charges a varying amount of money called a surcharge, paid in addition to the baseline rate.

“It makes sense that there was a surcharge on New Year’s Eve, because of the high demand and a low supply of drivers,” said Don Lin, an Uber driver and parent of a Lynbrook student.

In 2014, due to com-

plaints regarding the in�lated surcharge, Uber responded that “fares have increased to encourage more drivers to come online and pick up passengers in the area.”

Uber drivers keep most of the money they earn, with only a small commission of about 25 percent going to the company. Therefore, despite the public consensus, the surcharge is a necessary form of motivation, serving as a compensation for employees. Thus the surcharge is an integral cog within the overarching Uber business model, rather than merely a way to amass more pro�its for the company.

Putting the surcharge in another perspective, the small commission paid to Uber is minimal in comparison to the amount that Uber drivers earn for their time and effort.

If people are willing to donate money to nonpro�it organizations, they should keep in mind that most of the money from the surcharge goes to the drivers, helping individuals and families who may be struggling to get by.

“Many times Uber drivers live on a minimum wage, if not no salary, and Uber is really a huge part of their earnings,” said Vidya Palepu, a Lynbrook alumnus who used Uber on New Year’s Eve. “For that reason, I think the large surcharge is justi�ied, especially on holidays like New Year’s Eve.” It is further inaccurate to claim that Uber deliberately blindsided its customers on New Year’s Eve in hopes of gaining pro�its.

Prior to the holidays, Uber posted a warning on its website that there would be a likely increase in its surcharge, even providing customers information such as the optimal times to

travel to avoid surcharges, and instructions on how to use the fare-quotes option in the Uber app.

In addition to providing suf�icient noti�ication of impending surcharge rates , Uber’s app always asks the customer to approve the surcharge rate prior to con�irming the order.

This way, Uber assures that the customers will be able to calculate the approximate quantity that they will be charged for the end of the ride. As a result, by accepting the charge at the time of the request, customers can no longer hold Uber responsible for a misconception on their own behalf.

While Uber’s surcharge has been known to increase at remarkable speeds, these rates are justi�ied due to the rise in demand and lack of supply of Uber drivers on any given day. Since Uber drivers have an option of working on a particular day, it is reasonable that a majority of the drivers would prefer to take the day off and spend holidays with friends or family. The increased risk of accidents on New Year’s Eve due to drunk drivers may also contribute to the limited supply, as many Uber drivers may not feel comfortable driving that night. The in�lated surcharge is unavoidable when so few drivers are available during times of high demand like New Year’s Eve. “On normal days, the surcharge makes sense as compensation for drivers at odd or busy times,” said senior Shailja Somani. “It is �ine as the total is still cheaper than a taxi.”

Owing to the copious objections that Uber received regarding its surcharges, the company recently lowered its surcharge rates for its customers, demonstrating further consideration and empathy toward its users.

Ultimately customers do well to remember that while Uber’s speci�ic services may help the public in regards to transportation, it is still a pro�it-dependent company. As most companies depend on pro�its to develop and expand, Uber relies on its surcharges to keep it running and growing.

Considering that Uber is still the largest growing corporation in the U.S., they need to do what is necessary, even if that means raising the surcharges. It is not right for Uber to be penalized for the customer’s lack of preparation, nor is it the company’s fault for following the concept of supply and demand to grow their business.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA LING | INFOGRAPHIC BY KATHLEEN CUI AND SOPHIA LING

JJ IGNATESCU//IN MY OPINION

Looking past the drugs and alcohol

I

f I told you that I smoke weed and drink alcohol during most of my weekends, what would you do? A) Slowly back away; B) Not say much on the spot, but be internally disgusted; C) Say “okay, that’s cool,” and simply not care; D) Ask me what it’s like and be impressed; or E) Say “Really? Let’s chill this weekend!”

I’ve never been one to advocate for the

use of substances, and if someone had asked me this question at the beginning of the year, I would have probably picked option B. I consider myself a pretty open-minded individual who recognizes the importance of tolerance, but using substances to replace one’s true thoughts and feelings was one of the few things I couldn’t help but hate. This stance most likely stems from my background full of people who have taught me the destructive power of taking a sip or making your worries disappear with a puff of smoke.

As a result, some of my biggest endeavors in life actually revolve around trying to help (or technically change) alcoholics or drug addicts in my life. Yet after the hundredth failed attempt, I gave up on the idea, but then again, there’s always a new lesson waiting just around the corner.

It all started when my best friend dragged me to my �irst real R-rated party. I walked in, armed with low expectations from bad teenage movies and the curious feeling of being in a crowd where no one knows you. My

friend joined some cool college guys playing a beer game in the garage, while the rest of the strangers watched, �lirted, smoked out of various contraptions I have yet to learn the name of and overall seemed to be having a good time.

Throughout the night, people offered me a glass of this and a glass of that, and I was surprised to learn that no one cared if I declined the offer. Maybe it was just luck that I was never pressured to take anything, but in truth, I was wrong to assume that it would happen in this type of crowd. I spent the �irst few hours judging every person who stumbled down the stairs, slurred their words or threw up in the bathroom; it quickly became hard to ignore the voice in my head protesting against the pathetic scene unraveling before my eyes.

And then, the clock struck midnight.

Together, we raced up to the balcony and soaked in our private view of the whole city, along with a perfect view of the �ireworks that ended 2015 with a bang.

After the show, I expected everyone to go home or sleep; instead, we stayed up to discuss everything from our favorite music to the meaning of life. We shared, ranted and analyzed until the sun came up to join us on the balcony. Maybe it was the morning light or some romantic notion of the sublime, but I had never felt so strangely warm or close to my newfound friends as I did then, shivering in the silence, staring at the sunrise.

That was when I realized that, regardless of my previous misconceptions, I was still surrounded by real people who deserved my respect despite their decisions. I will never understand why their idea of having a good time is so different from mine, but that’s when I �inally concluded that regardless of whether or not I approved, each person had the right to do what they want. It didn’t matter whether the boy over there mumbled his love for vodka or that the girl next to me smelled like weed; all I could see were humans who, like me, were seeking some form of acceptance.

Romance is not a required genre

L

ove is in the air--or rather, on the big screen.

In recent years, romance, whether presented in subtle hints or explicit scenes, continues to �ind its way into the plots of modern movies.

While it is true that on-screen relationships may add another point of interest, romantic subplots should be carefully thought out and incorporated only when necessary. Otherwise, these romantic tangents distract from the main plot, especially when they appear in a completely unrelated genre.

When romance is overused--as it often is--viewers generally become disappointed when yet another irrelevant couple emerges. Romance is often brought into movies to attract a larger audience; but more often than not, doing so diminishes the central story of the �ilm.

“I feel like to do a romantic subplot correctly, it cannot become the main focus of the movie.” said sophomore Bala Pichumani.

“It just makes it cheesy and takes away from the plot, which I really look forward to.”

For example, in the suspenseful action movie Spectre, James Bond struggles to destroy a criminal organization, traveling to different countries and narrowly escaping from numerous enemies. However, by the end of the movie, the viewer’s attention is largely directed toward Bond’s relationship with fellow protagonist Dr. Madeleine Swann. Rather than focusing on Bond’s successful mission, the movie ends on the unrelated note of his romantic relationship with Swann, robbing loyal James Bond fans of the action-packed, dramatic �inale they had eagerly expected.

“I didn’t mind the fact that [Bond] had a romantic interest in the girl. But normally [for] James Bond movies, the focus

always stays on action.” said Pichumani. “In Spectre, the end becomes all about his new relationship with the girl. The fact that the �ilming put more focus [on] the relationship rather than Bond himself took away from what would’ve been a great plot.”

For viewers devoted to the heart pounding, dynamic plots of movies such as Spectre, watching the plot end at Bond’s relationship with Swann renders the movie an anticlimactic disappointment.

“One big movie that had an extremely unnecessary romantic subplot was Avengers: Age of Ultron,” said freshman Adam Katz.

“An action movie shouldn’t have a romantic subplot that completely takes over.”

Avengers: Age of Ultron provides another example of romance derailing a movie’s central story. The main story is arguably the Avengers’ quest to defeat Ultron, setting the stage for an actionpacked �ilm. But along the way, Black Widow and The Hulk establish a romance with no preprovided for Black BALA PICHUMANI text Widow’s initial interSOPHOMORE est. In the end, their relationship never comes to fruition, and the audience is left questioning why a relationship was hinted at in the �irst place. In this way, romance not only fails to add any essential information, but also distracts viewers from the action that is intended to be the main objective of the movie.

In addition to taking away from the purpose of the movie, on-screen relationships instill unrealistic romantic expectations in the viewers. Characters of opposite genders often fall in love despite having worked together for an objectively short period of time, which rarely happens off the big screen. One example is The 5th Wave, a recently released science �iction �ilm, in which the protagonist inspires a young man to believe in love the

“[PUTTING] MORE FOCUS ON THE RELATIONSHIP RATHER THAN [THE CHARACTER] HIMSELF [TAKES AWAY] FROM WHAT WOULD’VE BEEN A GREAT PLOT.”

MICHYLA LIN//IN MY OPINION

Increase Twitter’s character limit

W

moment he meets her, thereby establishing an unrealistic romance within an extremely short time frame. Although the two conducted little thoughtprovoking and meaningful conversation, they were able to become involved in intimate contact a short time later.

In these movies, characters seem to almost hastily fall for each other, implying that romance is easy to �ind and develop in real life as well. These movies almost downgrade the value of relationships built over time, leading viewers to believe that they can �ind love just as easily.

By contrast, in reality, relationships take abundant time and effort to develop--unlike those formed in the hastily formed romantic subplots now dominating movies. Filmmakers should focus on creating relationships that viewers can genuinely relate to, rather than indoctrinating the belief that a relationship between two people can shift from partners to lovers in an unfeasibly short period of time or even implying that this is the norm.

Romance has the potential to add to the plot, but when used in every movie, it becomes a source of annoyance for those who paid to enjoy the movie’s main plot--not kissing couples on the screen.

INFOGRAPHIC BY SOPHIA LING | RAKSHA NARASIMHAN - EPIC

BY CHELSEA LI

hile scrolling on my phone after having exhausted my Facebook and Instagram feed, it dawned on me that I had one more social media platform I hadn’t checked in months: Twitter. After browsing around, I was shocked to see some of the renovations made to the previously nondescript site.

One discovery was the existence of a DM (direct messaging) function, which had recently been updated to allow 10,000 characters compared to the original 140-character limit. This adjustment marked the beginning of a series of changes made in hopes of rendering the site more user friendly, potentially expanding Twitter’s user base. The update brings the DM character count closer to Facebook’s 20,000-character limit, with rumors that Twitter may also increase the tweet limit to 10,000 characters, to answer requests users have been making for years.

After hearing this exciting news, it shocked me to discover that there were people who opposed the change, arguing that the new limit would clog their feed and make Twitter lose the one thing that made it stand out. But while this change does make Twitter’s format more similar to Facebook’s, augmenting the old limit nonetheless makes it much easier to express thoughts in a more comprehensive manner, an option users previously didn’t have.

Back when I �irst used the site, about three years ago, I remember the frustration of having to use abbreviations in order to stay below the limit. I could never say anything beyond a shallow, 20-word caption like “cool” or “gr8,” sounding like the stereotypical teenager whenever I tweeted something. I distinctly remember trying to draft a single tweet about attending the opening game at Levi’s stadium. After struggling for about 20 minutes, I �inally gave up and resorted to Facebook.

It was concerning that I had to switch to another social media platform to post anything more substantial than a brief update on the weather. But on Facebook, I had the option of writing a three-paragraph restaurant review, equipped with a location and price-range in case my friends wanted to check it out. Changing the character limit on tweets eliminates the inconvenience of having to continuously edit and redraft a single post. People will no longer have to piece together coherent thoughts through a series of consecutive tweets, making it easier to communicate their opinions and ideas to one another.

In addition to making tweets more comprehensive for users, the new limit would make the site more appealing for users by allowing for a larger array of content. Social media platforms directly correlate with the kind of people who use the sites. Twitter’s current shortcut format lends itself to a constant noti�ication pattern, where users can check in on how their friends or favorite stars are feeling in the moment. Though you could technically do the same thing on Facebook, Facebook is primarily used to check in on news or larger life events. Twitter’s new limit allows for a healthy mix of both small moments and large milestones, appleaing to both kinds of people.

By making reforms that many have requested over the past couple of years, Twitter also increases its user appeal. Twitter users can feel free to speak their mind without having to cut their thoughts off, or spam a full thought over three or four consecutive tweets.

Misinterpretation of policy causes conflict with parents

I

n light of the recent controversy surrounding Lynbrook High School’s 20162017 enrollment plan, the FUHSD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to give 8th grade students in Miller Middle School’s Chinese Language Immersion Program (CLIP) and their siblings the choice to attend Lynbrook regardless of their resident school. This decision was likely in�luenced by the number of community members who adamantly opposed the boundary change; however, this temporary solution can only increase Lynbrook’s enrollment by a maximum of 55 students, 17 students shy of normal enrollment numbers for the coming 2016-2017 school year.

When the board opened the discussion to parents on Oct. 30 by sending out mailers and updating the website, many were angered by the fact that they had not been noti�ied earlier.

Leading up to the decision on Jan. 19, there were �ive meetings that parents and community members had the opportunity to attend and share ideas.

Several people, however,

Staff Editorial The Voice of the Epic

us a small postcard . . . and I realized they’re having a meeting, and three days later they’re going to make a decision [about enrollment plans],” said parent Ray Tan, whose daughter is currently three years old.

“Three days to make such an important decision? I felt insulted and shocked. It’s not a way to really care about community input.”

Many of the community’s concerns revolved around their opinion that the board was already leaning toward the Area of Choice option as the best possible way to resolve the decreasing enrollment. Although the board had multiple speakers present to the community about why the Area of Choice would be the most logical, the community persisted in arguing that the board was disregarding the option of open enrollment.

“Open enrollment makes sense to me,” said Tan. “If we have positions open in Lynbrook, we give the opportunity to all the students in the community, rather than just bene�iting a small group of people.”

However, while these concerns may have been valid, the parents’ reaction was to treat board members, teachers and students disrespectfully during the open meetings. At the Jan. 9 meeting in the Lynbrook auditorium, angry parents verbally attacked those who disagreed with their opinions, weakening their own position and aggravating an already �ierce dispute.

When Lynbrook literature teacher Robert Richmond received an important phone call regarding a family emergency, he missed his opportunity to speak. He later returned, apologizing and respectfully requesting for the board to allow him to speak.

His request caused an unjusti�ied uproar in the audience, as parents and community members began to yell disrespectful words.

“I don’t think that parents meant to offend any of the teachers and I know many of them respect us,” said Richmond. “However, I wonder if the people in the crowd knew how disrespectful they were being to us.”

Rather than respecting meeting rules, numerous parents and community members refused to abide by the established standards, with some refusing to hand back the

“gettin’ nasty for someone else.”

The content of these songs tamper with the values of teenagers. The more people that hear songs promoting sex and degrading women’s bodies, the more normal it becomes to talk and act in the same manner.

“Music connects deeply with adolescents and in�luences identity development,” said Dr. Brian Primack, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “Perhaps more than any other entertainment medium.”

A study conducted by Brigham Young University found that because of these lyrics, young boys are more likely to develop the idea that they have the freedom to be sexually aggressive to young women and treat them as objects. Exposure to profanity leads to similar thinking and increases the likelihood of using profanity in conversations, according to Pediatrics, journal of American Academy Pediatrics.

“When songs use profane lyrics and objectify women, they’re popularizing an oppressive culture that has lost its sense of modesty regarding the language used and conversations had in public,” said junior Dana Morgan. “Nowadays, it has become more dif�icult to avoid these songs.”

Even the mainstream music industry re-

wards artists who promote demeaning values through music. For example, the Grammy’s should not be awarding the singers who promote domineering and insulting behavior regarding women. The Weeknd’s album features him singing, “I only f*** you when it’s half past �ive, the only time I’d ever call you mine,” lyrics that diminish and objectify women. Even with these lyrics, The Weeknd received seven nominations from The Grammy’s and a total of 72 nominations throughout his career.

Given how widespread these songs have become, the repeated sexual degradation of women in music may cause young women to accept the idea that they have to provide sexual pleasure for others, according to Brigham Young University’s study. The constant objecti�ication of women has no place in entertainment, especially when the effects are so detrimental to young women.

Songwriters and reputed artists who write and sing demeaning lyrics need to become cognizant of the fact that they are raising the next generation of adults. These artists have some of the strongest and loudest platforms in the world. They should be using is to make a positive in�luence through their songs, instead of to constant objectify women and promote profane language.

were unaware of the earlier meetings, leading to the unfounded assumption that the board had disregarded their opinion.

“I got involved with this issue when I attended the �irst meeting in November and another in December, and I learned how inconsistent the lack of communication and transparency from the district is,” said Lynbrook parent Sandra Sotoudeh. “It made me suspicious that there [was] something else going on.”

One of the community’s main concerns revolved around the board’s decision to announce the enrollment plan three days after the January meeting, a timespan that some community members perceived to be too hasty. To the community, the board’s consideration for their opinions occurred too late into the enrollment discussion. “[The district] mailed

microphone after their three minutes were up or even booing other speakers.

“What really surprised me was how parents yelled and didn’t follow the rules when it came to not clapping,” said physics teacher David Taylor. “I was shocked at how they yelled at Robert Richmond, who is a pillar of this school. To see him get treated like that was awful.”

When the Jan. 9 meeting was adjourned, several students who had spoken on the stage were confronted by parents for voicing their opinions. After senior Amulya Raju spoke in support of the Area of Choice option, a parent verbally assaulted her and other student speakers.

“I was thoroughly disappointed in the way our ‘role models’ carried themselves,” said Raju. “Irrespective how ‘right’ one DAVID TAYLOR of thinks they are, that PHYSICS TEACHER gives no human being the right to insult someone else.”

Throughout the decision-making process, the Lynbrook and John Mise community were greatly affected, and both communities are focusing on healing relationships among teachers, parents, students and other community members.

“During the meeting on Jan. 12, [board member] Nancy Newton’s words were ‘heal the community,’” said FUHSD Superintendent Polly Bove. “The idea here is to bring a reasonable solution to the problem, so we need a chance to step back and take a breath in order to heal.”

This process requires both sides to make a conscious effort in being considerate of each other’s concerns. Checking the FUHSD website more frequently and ensuring that the website is updated as quickly as possible could help prevent further misunderstandings; respecting meeting rules, such as time limits and other protocol, allow community members to present themselves in a mature and professional manner, while creating a more respectful and open environment.

“Democracy requires active and continual participation,” said Bove. “If you only get involved when it looks like we’re doing something wrong, it can look like we’re not being transparent. There has to be a mutual agreement.”

“I WAS SHOCKED AT HOW THEY YELLED AT ROBERT RICHMOND, WHO IS A PILLAR OF THIS SCHOOL. TO SEE HIM GET TREATED LIKE THAT WAS AWFUL.”

Stop rewarding artists that objectify women

BY RENUKA BELWALKAR

W

hen the 2016 Grammy nominees were announced in mid-January, it was disappointing to see artists of sexual songs were nominated, such as Nicki Minaj, The Weeknd and Drake. In a world where sex sells and women are constantly commercially objecti�ied, artists exacerbate the issue by promoting demeaning values in their music.

92 percent of the top 100 songs on Billboard, according to a study conducted by professor Dawn Hobbs, are also about sex, women’s bodies or both: 2015’s top 100 songs include “679” by Fetty Wap, “The Hills” by The Weeknd and “Hotline Bling” by Drake. Despite the freedom to unrestricted expression, it is imperative that songwriters take responsibility and realize the negative impact their shallow songs are creating on young men and women.

Drake’s song “Hotline Bling” has been on the Billboard charts for 24 weeks as of Jan. 20. The lyrics depict a clingy, dependent woman who used to constantly “call [him] on [his] cell phone, when [she needed his] love.” Now that she “has a reputation” and Drake “feels left out,” he wants her back. He criticizes her con�idence, scolding the girl for

Making jewelry for a worthy cause

BY ESHANI MEHTA AND RAKSHA NARASIMHAN

PaM’s Jewelry PaM’s Jewelry, founded by Lee during the summer of 2015, sells a wide range of jewelry, including necklaces, earrings and rings.

“I thought that creating the business would be a great opportunity for self-growth,” said Lee. “Also, I’m probably going to major in business in college. I thought that starting PaM’s Jewelry would be a really fun way to gain experience while also donating to a good cause.”

Prior to starting up the company, Lee had been donating to Orphan’s Promise, a non-pro�it organization that aids poverty-stricken children.

The organization joins with the Christian Broadcasting Network and local churches to reach its goal of aiding orphans in need and providing them with homes. Orphan’s Promise works to provide underprivileged children with schooling, food and health care. It aids by performing tasks such as supplying an orphanage with bedding and constructing homes.

“Through my donations, I

chokers, bracelets and anklets while Lee’s business, “PaM’s Jewelry”, focuses on timeless pieces that can be coordinated with almost any out�it. Both businesses strive to produce top quality jewelry at affordable prices while also donating to worthy causes.

could see how I was helping a child,” said Lee. “That really allowed me to connect with the organization because I was aware of how they were using my donations to help others.”

However, Lee wanted to �ind a way to donate more to the charity. By creating a business, she would have a way to contribute more money and make a more signi�icant impact on Orphan’s Promise.

In the process of starting her business, Lee faced a few minor setThe Basic Duo backs. One involved overshipment Mital decided to sell chokers after of a certain item and is still being noticing the choker trend at a Stanford compensated for. Nonetheless, these summer program, where she got the inobstacles have helped her business spiration to start a nonpro�it. Eventually, run more smoothly. she started her nonpro�it along with her “It’s all been a big learning experi- friend Katie Zervas, who lives in Chicago. ence,” said Lee. “Not just in terms of “We saw a lot of people who started responsibility, but even life lessons nonpro�its and we realized that we that will help me out in the far future.” could make an impact on other people’s Lee’s friends have been especially lives as well, so we decided to start our helpful in helping spread the word own nonpro�it,” said Mital. “We laid about PaM’s Jewelry over social me- out all of the steps it would take and dia, especially over Facebook. A few then applied with the state of Califorare even more involved with the businia to be a state recognized nonpro�it.” ness, such as senior Evan Li. He takes The Basic Duo donates all of their pictures of all of PaM’s Jewelry’s prodpro�its to four prominent charitable ucts for the website, and assists in its organizations: Stand Up for Kids, promotion. He also helps Lee with the GreenPeace, Girls Inc. and Africa Eduwebsite’s overall design. cational Trust.

“I feel that [PaM’s Jewelry] creates Mital and Zervas make every choker new experiences for both Pauline themselves at their respective homes and I and that it may spark oppor- and then ship them to the buyers, who tunities for Orphans Promise too,” are predominantly Chicago and Bay Area said Li. “I had a lot of fun helping her residents. While both help out with [with her company].” making the chokers, they often split In the future, Lee hopes that she tasks dealing with different aspects of will be able to give back to the comthe business. munity and continue to help Orphan’s “It’s kind of like we’re both ownPromise with PaM’s Jewelry. ing a part of the business. She’s in charge of the products and I do the website design,” said Mital. “We just —EPIC AURELIA YANG—EPIC

AURELIA YANG—EPIC

A

multitude of people shop online and plenty of people donate to charities, but junior Riya Mital and senior Pauline Lee took their love for shopping and helping

others one step further by each creating their own nonpro�it jewelry businesses. Though each company sells different types of jewelry, both donate one hundred percent of their pro�its to a variety of charities.

Mital’s company, “The Basic Duo”, sells a variety of simple

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY

act as if we both own the business separately, and are merely sharing the same products and the same website for our businesses.”

The Basic Duo has over 1000 followers on Instagram, and over 100 likes on Facebook. Mital and Zervas advertise by sending chokers to promoters who post pictures of themselves wearing their products. As a result of advertising and marketing, the company has seen a vast increase in sales.

Many of The Basic Duo’s customers are drawn to the beauty of the products and the charitable ideals the business stands for.

“I think that half the people buy the chokers for the design and the other half of the people buy it for the cause,” said Mital. “Our most popular product is de�initely the ‘Chasing the Moon’ choker in both the velvet and cord style.”

There are others who are interested in not only buying products, but also working for the company.

The Basic Duo’s sales are increasing and in order to expand their business, Mital and Zervas recently sent out a form for people interested in either modeling or marketing.

“Working for them is really fun and enjoyable,” said sophomore Floria Yi, who models for The Basic Duo. “You get to meet new people and get close to them. Besides the fact that I think their products look really cool, I really like that they’re a nonpro�it organization and that they donate to really good charities.”

The Basic Duo plans to expand their business to other states so that they can reach more people and give support to the charities.

The Revenant: taking a fearful walk on the wild side

BY HEDY ZHOU

O

n Dec. 25, The Revenant made its debut in theaters. The movie follows the story of fur trapper Hugh Glass, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, on a trek through the Montana and South Dakota wilderness.

Determined to bring revenge upon his fellow fur trapper for abandoning him after a bear attack and later killing his son, Glass embarks on a treacherous journey of valor and persistence to avenge his son’s death as well as for his own personal satisfaction.

Based off a true story, The Revenant is not far from the original. Though the original story contains no mention of a son, the movie effectively uses Glass’s son’s murder as a motive for revenge. After killing Glass’s son, Glass’s former con�idant John Fitzgerald, played by Tom Hardy, abandons Glass to head back to camp, along with fellow fur trapper Jim Bridger, who is played by Will Poulter. Betrayed and emotionally distressed over the loss of his son, Glass sets out on a dangerous journey to exact his revenge on Fitzgerald.

As the protagonist, DiCaprio brought both life and death to his character Glass throughout the movie. The physical pain Glass felt in the original story from the earlier bear attack was brilliantly portrayed by DiCaprio. His struggle to speak or even walk upright added greatly to

the effect of the challenges Glass faced. Although the Native American who appeared later in his journey was not a part of the original story, it was moving to see two characters so different make such a touching connection. Like most movies that portray a struggling traveler, the Native American is portrayed as the Good Samaritan who helps the traveler along.

But in this case the character was more than just a cliche.

Watching them catch snow�lakes on their tongues and seeing the Native American heal Glass’s wounds are just a few examples that nurtured a genuine sense of hopefulness in the otherwise dark �ilm.

The Revenant’s cinematography followed Glass’s rough journey with great sensitivity. For example, the camera stayed low when Glass was near the ground, and panned swiftly as Glass slid into the river to hide from the Native Americans or woke up with arrows being shot at him. The Revenant’s precise and captivating �ilming captured what it felt like to be in Glass’s situation through its camera angles and movement.

It augmented the intensity of Glass’ hardships, drawing in the audience in its action-packed scenes.

Although extraordinary on many levels, the �ilm fell short on one particular area: character development. DiCaprio does the character justice, but throughout the whole movie, the audience only connects with Glass at a basic level, which takes a lot away from the character’s physical and mental development. Considering Glass’s injuries, his speech impedi-

ment makes sense, but the isolation and minimal dialogue used prevents the audience from connecting with the character at a personal level. And at times when Glass does speak, the audience gets only a small glimpses of the character’s ideas and thoughts.

The Revenant is de�initely not for the faint of heart. This movie shows every bit of brutality that is experienced by the protagonist and has no mercy to the haunting truth of the many injustices demonstrated.

For any fearless moviegoer, The Revenant is a �ilm that cannot be passed up.

ART ILLUSTRATION BY HEDY ZHOU

Convenient meals on wheels T

BY CATHERINE HUANG

ALL PHOTOS BY CATHERINE HUANG

New year, lazier me

W

hen a new year comes, it’s a universal tradition for people start fresh and come up with goals they want to accomplish before the year ends.

Many choose to go to the gym, socialize more, plan activities for the upcoming year, and in general resolve to become a more responsible and connected individual. I am not one of these people.

But this year feels different. I’m entering 2016 with a completely different mindset.

I also got braces, which is de�initely one of the biggest changes to ever happen to me in my short, teenage life. I even took the time to make a few of my own new year’s resolutions during a short burst of motivation. Here’s how I’ve been doing (or I guess, haven’t been doing) lately.

1. Build healthy habits.

Notice my wording here: I’m talking about building healthy habits, not maintaining them. This is because I never really had any to begin with. The fact that I’m still relatively �it weirds even me out to an extent, and I’m beginning to worry about the future when my apparent lightning-fast metabolism slows down and I have to face the consequences. So far I have yet to actually go out for a run or anything crazy like that, but I have been eating pretty well. With both my teeth and throat sore I haven’t touched a bag of chips or cup of boba (okay, I’ve had one) in weeks. Who knew that getting braces, as well as being constantly sick could do wonders for your diet?

2. Find love.

HA HA HAHAHA. HA HAHA HA.

3. Spend more time with friends.

I am the absolute worst when it comes to hanging out. I constantly end up blowing people off because of last-minute commitments, I can’t plan to save my own life, and I never have my own ride. This year I’ve actually been pretty good at spending the �ive minutes it takes to coordinate a time and place to go out. Now all I have to do is wait for the “TFTI”s to roll in from all the poor souls spending Saturday afternoons alone like I once did.

4. Actually keep a journal.

I love journaling. Because I’m incredibly obsessed with myself, I would really want nothing more than to be able to �ind one of my old journals 20 years down the road and laugh as a reminiscence about how much I freaked out about boys and grades (although at the moment, it’s not funny at all). Hopefully neither of those topics will be causing me any anxiety then. I’ve been trying to write at least a few words down every night just so I can remember what I did that day. Unfortunately the sheer lethargy I experience at the end of the day results in the weirdest, most indecipherable scribbles I have ever seen.

Starting good habits is easy. Keeping them, on the other hand, requires perseverance, determination, and drive - all traits I don’t have. No amount of effort can compare to the guilty satisfaction of taking a nap amidst rapidly approaching deadlines or letting the �irst layer of clothes settle on an unvacuumed �loor. The pride of knowing that I kept these habits up for at least a couple of months (or weeks) is ful�illing enough for me. And who knows? Maybe a year from now a super hot, accomplished, and stable me will be looking back at this moment that started it all.

Wish me luck!

Sophia “nihilism is the new black” Ling (Boba count: 53/50)

MUNCHERY

I

n addition to its recent hype and successful launch, Munchery is also the most user friendly delivery service.

Since Munchery delivers all day, you can order breakfast, lunch or dinner anytime online before 2 p.m on the day of delivery.

Munchery also offers a variety of options for convenience; customers may choose main dishes, sides, desserts and drinks, as well as kids’ meals. Customers can also order from the menu up to a week in advance, making it easy to plan ahead. The only negative aspect of Munchery is that the meals are not ready to eat when they arrive. Most meals offered by Munchery require reheating or further preparation.

After browsing through Munchery’s stunning web interface, I decided to order the “Not Your Mama’s Taco Salad.” To my disappointment, the excessively advertised food that arrived at my doorstep looked quite different from the vibrant pictures on the website, and wasn’t as appetizing as the food from other delivery services.

Nevertheless, Munchery delivers your food chilled, so you can be assured that your meal is fresh. The $10.95 meal and the $2.95 delivery fee totaled $13.90.

hough Luke’s Local mainly delivers groceries and fresh produce to homes, the service also offers meals, salads, and wraps for evening delivery. Out of the three delivery services I tried, Luke’s Local had the most impressive meal presentation and delivery process. The two meals that I ended up ordering, the Veggie Chef’s Meal with risotto, sunchokes, and mushrooms, and the Veggie Super Burrito Boxed Lunch, were both neatly packaged and delivered in an insulated container. Even though I was a bit irritated by the extremely long two hour delivery window, the meal was satisfying and more enjoyable than the the meals I ordered from the other two delivery services. What Luke’s Local lacked in ef�iciency, they de�initely made up for in their food quality and good customer service. Combined, the two meals I ordered and the delivery fee totaled to $24.47, with the burrito boxed lunch costing $10.49, the veggie meal $9.99, and the delivery fee $3.99. I would, however, criticize Luke’s Local for its strict delivery requirements: an order has to add up to at least $20 in order for it to be delivered. Even with this guideline, Luke’s Local continues to be a popular option for households to get their groceries and meals with little to no hassle.

Price: $9.99 to $10.49 Delivery Fee: $3.99

LUKE’S LOCAL

Price: $10.95 Delivery Fee: $2.95

FARM HILL

K

nown for its wide variety of healthy options, Farm Hill delivers fresh salads and soups for lunch to households all around the Bay Area. Although Farm Hill has limited menu choices—most of the salads are just slight variations of each other, and they only offer a small selection of snacks and drinks—all of the choices seem well proportioned and nutritional. As a person who normally isn’t a huge health nut, I was surprisingly excited about ordering from Farm Hill. I decided on the “Paleo Classic,”a dish of lemon-herb chicken served with kale salad, roasted carrots, shredded zucchini, Kabocha squash and sweet potatoes. After a relatively low delivery fee of $1.99 was added to my order, the meal amounted to $11.98. I was very satis�ied with the delivery aspect because they offered three 30 minute delivery windows I could choose from. I could pick up my lunch after 5th period on Thursday and go straight to my other appointments without waiting and guessing when my food would come. A downside to ordering from Farm Hill is that the company only delivers during lunchtime, which is disappointing because their soups and salads can’t be ordered anytime else. Nonetheless, Farm Hill offers vegan, Paleo and other selections for customers with special dietary restrictions.

Price: $9.99 Delivery Fee: $1.99

How to be smart and save for the future of money and want to continue spending, you need to start setting money aside, so why not he holiday season has been over for start now? Here are a couple ideas to help a couple of weeks. So if you bought you cut back on the dollars you do spend or one, two or 10 gifts for yourself, save to splurge later. it’s time to put away the wallet and think 1. Spend less when eating out Sometimes you want to eat with friends, about what you’ve done. While it was nice to splurge on yourself or family and or you’re just too lazy to prepare a meal. But friends over the break, keep in mind that a restaurant meal can easily cost more than as a high school student, you probably $10, so if you worry about lunch money as aren’t getting any richer. And even if you much as you do about buying 99-cent apps do have a job, your minimum wage work on your phone, you’ll be cutting back in no isn’t netting enough money to cover your time. An alternative is to simply eat out less, expenditures. If you’re starting to run out or take less cash with you to pay for meals.

This will help you control what you buy, since once it’s gone, you’ll only have your friends’ money to spend.

And hopefullt you’ve got enough pride to know not to do that, right?

2. Cut back on shopping Whether you’re into seasonal attire or snazzy accessories, shopping trips and brand-name clothing usually ART ILLUSTRATION BY HEDY ZHOU aren’t worth the exBY ALEXANDER XU

T

orbitant amount you pay. If you really want to buy something, step back and wait �irst.

Just wait. That great jacket you want is inevitably going to go on sale, and when you do just scoop it up like the opportunist you are. And if you have a spare moment, take a moment to search for the clothes and accessories you no longer wear and sell those dust collectors on Facebook.

3. Put away money The best way to spend less money is to keep it further away from yourself, and what better way to do that then securely locking your funds away? Sure, putting money in a piggy bank seems childish, but actual banks are basically just giant electronic piggy banks that also reward interest at the cost of some setup. And remember: out of sight, out of mind. Just try not to swipe your debit card too often.

4. Get into stocks If you’re worried about in�lation, or think the pennies from the bank aren’t enough?

Stocks are a riskier way to store money and require much more patience than simply cutting back on spending, but the potential returns are extremely rewarding. Trading isn’t for the faint of heart, and you should be prepared to deal with losses, but with a bit of research and practice in stock market simulators, you’ll be able to gain enough con�idence to invest real money and let compound interest do the rest.

How much of a narcissist are you?

BY KATHLEEN CUI

D

elving right into the new year, one might question the amount of selfintrospection found within these new year resolutions, which largely consist of “I

want to become better at…” or “I strive to be...” or “I wish I were....” But how deep does this self-re�lection go? Is it possible that, underneath these idealized dreams and aspirations, lies a hint of greek legend Narcissus in you? Take this quiz and �ind out if you exhibit

the recognized traits of narcissism, generally characterized by Psychology Today as “arrogant behavior, a lack of empathy for other people, and a need for admiration.”

Choose either “a” or “b,” according to which option correlates to your personality

most accurately. *disclaimer: questions are not a substitute for clinical diagnosis, but rather based on widely recognized traits of narcissism, as provided by recognized sources such as Psychology Today and Time Magazine.*

Results:

If you answered more A’s, you might just be doing a little too much �lattering self-introspection. You tend to enjoy admiration, and exhibit more jealousy than most others do. You’re con�ident, but may be considered arrogant by some. If you answered more B’s, you’re below average on the narcissism spectrum, and do not express the numerous traits associated with narcissism. Your peers �ind you to be humble and down-to-earth, willing to share the spotlight with those around you.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CLAIRE CHIANG

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY MICHYLA LIN

VIRTUAL REALITY GETS REAL

Investigating developments in interactive technology

BY MICHYLA LIN AND CHELSEA LI

I

magine awakening to �ind a completely different world as you stand in the comfort of your living room. Take a few steps forward to explore more of the moving landscape and interact with the people within it. This is virtual reality.

In the race to develop innovative technology, more technology companies are turning to virtual reality (VR) for groundbreaking inventions and daily applications.

VR provides an interactive three-dimensional environment, and the possibility of digital immersion opens up a whole multitude of innovative uses for the seemingly real user experiences.

Virtual reality ostensibly gathered its earliest support from the gaming industry. Developers have been searching for ways to make games more immersive for the last two decades, with the �irst main creation being Nintendo’s Virtual Boy, which was released in Japan in 1995.

The Virtual Boy was marketed as the �irst portable console to display three-dimensional graphics; however, many gamers, including biology teacher Isaac Pallone, were not impressed with the Virtual Boy’s supposedly amazing graphics.

“Essentially it was a pair of goggles on a tripod, and you have a controller. It was not the immersive VR technology that TV led me to expect,” said Pallone. “I remember [playing] a spaceship game. It was only 2 colors; black which was part of the background, and red lines [which made up a majority of the graphics].”

In an attempt to stay ahead in the VR race, Nintendo actually released the console before it was �inished, which resulted in the two-toned graphics and limited gameplay.

Its underdeveloped design resulted in the Virtual Boy being the second lowest selling console that the company had ever released. Despite Nintendo’s devastating failure, other tech companies continued their own development of VR technology.

Over a decade later, in 2012, Oculus VR became the leading developer in the virtual reality race. Its key invention, the Oculus, is a complex device which allows its users to view a variety of realistic landscapes, as well as watch fulllength movies and play video games from a completely new perspective.

The �irst prototype of the Oculus was a bulky box-like contraption, with cables and wires taped to the device. Despite its unwieldy appearance, the prototype’s graphics and design were a vast improvement from those of the Virtual Boy’s. With the Oculus’ VR technology, users can see games from a literal �irst-person perspective. “[I] used [the Oculus] playing Minecraft,” said sophomore Davin Tjong, “I think it’s much more immersive because instead of having to just move your mouse to tilt the camera, you actually have to move your head.”

The success of the Oculus caught the attention of larger businesses’ interest. In 2014, Facebook bought Oculus VR for $2 billion and has since continued the development of the Oculus Rift.

The newest version of the Oculus Rift is due for release on March 28, although pre orders began on Jan. 6, for the price of $599.

“We’re going to help Oculus build their product and develop partnerships to support more games,” Facebook CEOMark Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post. “Virtual reality was once the dream of science �iction. And long term, I believe virtual reality has the potential to change the way we

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXANDER XU AND CATHERINE HUANG

live, work, and communicate in many ways.”

The new Oculus Rift comes equipped to better create an atmosphere that is convincing and real to the user. In order to better translate actions in-game, a set-up motion sensor uses a ‘constellation’ positional tracking system to follow the user’s movements. A palm-sized remote controls basic commands, and Oculus has also developed new palm-sized Oculus Touch controllers to add additional controls.

Though VR devices have taken gaming to a more immersive level, this direct interaction can result in some negative health effects for the user. Google employee, Guy White*, provides some insight on some of the disadvantages of virtual reality.

“VR brings us to a 3-dimensional, computer generated environment, so we can interact and explore with people in a variety of ways,” said White. “ [But] living too much in virtual reality can be unhealthy, and lead to social isolation.”

Sophomore Shadaj Laddad shares some other drawbacks he experienced while using a Google Cardboard headset, Google’s debut VR device. “[Virtual reality] can open up a lot of ways for people to connect with each other because then you can talk to someone somewhere else in the world and see all around them.” said Laddad. “As of now, [however,] it’s not designed for long term usage, because you can get motion sickness and dizzy.”

Unlike other devices, Cardboard is a simple contraption that is easy enough for everyday people to assemble at a much more affordable price. The Cardboard invention only requires speci�ic apps that can be downloaded to the user’s mobile device. By sliding a phone into the device and holding it up to his or her eyes, the user can take virtual vacations or play games.

“There are [many] different apps you can use with [the Google Cardboard] so it makes you feel like you’re on a different planet,” said Laddad. “ You can see things in 3D and when you look around you there’s something everywhere.”

With these new devices users can directly interact with an environment that is miles away from home or may not even exist, and the usefulness of this aspect expands far beyond just gaming.

VR has been used in the military for training, allowing soldiers to experience a battle�ield simulation without the actual danger, and in other industries such as sports, engineering, and fashion. In the media, movies such as The Matrix and shows such as Sword Art Online (SAO) exemplify the power and potential of virtual reality.

Once perfected, VR technology may be applied to more practical applications, such as in the medical �ield. VR may even eventually perform functions previously unimagined, such as eliminate loss of autonomy for terminal patients.

“As you have people focusing and pushing innovation, that means it can always bene�it somewhere else,” Pallone said. “There’s a lot of money in entertainment, and if that means it can drum up cash for some other innovation, then that’s great. I say continue on, let it �izzle out, and then we can gain something from it that we can use somewhere else.”

With virtual technology continually advancing, the world can expect to see dreams become a reality in the near future. *name changed due to company policy

CHARGING UP ON CAFFEINE Exploring the health effects of caffeine over time

BY HEDY ZHOU AND RENUKA BELWALKAR

H

abitually, students at Lynbrook High School grab a coffee or pearl milk tea at any of the 50 plus drink shops in Cupertino for a boost of energy--before, after or even during school hours. Many students as well as teachers need to constantly consume a dose of caffeine in order to get through their busy, hectic day. Caffeine plays a crucial role in their lives whether it is staying awake at night to complete work, drinking for pleasure or energizing themselves for a sports competition. Although there are bene�its to consuming caffeine at low doses, consumption of caffeine can be especially detrimental to health for those who drink it regularly out of dependency.

Caffeine is a compound mostly found in certain types of leaves and fruits that are usually processed into tea, coffee, cocoa, and other energy drinks. The �irst use and discovery of the substance originated from China’s tea leaves and Mexico’s cocoa beans - both cultures created the �irst energy drinks using these caffeine-rich plants.

Today, there are many other ways to consume caffeine whether it is pills, energy drinks, and even certain types of foods. According to a research conducted by the Federal Drug Administration. about 80 percent of people in the U.S. digest some form of caffeine daily.

History teacher Steven Roy enjoys drinking different kinds of coffee and usually consumes a cup every school day, Monday through Friday.

“Without it, I’m just not functioning at a 100 percent,” said Roy. “I won’t get headaches but I can be a bit irritable and for me it will be a bad day.”

As stated by the Caffeine Informer, for most healthy adults 300mg-400mg of caffeine is a safe limit before negative effects begin to take place. For teenagers, 100mg of caffeine is more than enough, especially because of their developing brain and delicate response to caffeine.

“Agitation, anxiety and impaired sleep are some of the major effects and poor sleep affects concentration and emotional stability,” said doctor Denise Babin. “One of the most common problems I see in teenagers in my practice is inadequate sleep.”

Nonetheless, students are very likely to drink over that 100mg recommended limit with just one 16 oz drink. Some of the popular caffeinated drinks include pearl milk tea (16 oz) which includes about 130mg of caffeine, Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spice Latte (16 oz) which has about 175mg of caffeine, and brewed coffee (16 oz) which has

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY NANDA PANDIAN

roughly 330mg of caffeine.

Along with the regular assortment of teas and coffees, energy drinks have also been popular among the student community.

Since 2008, caffeinated energy drinks such as Rockstar and RedBull have shown 60 percent growth in the marketplace. Recently, consumption and purchase of energy drinks have become more common in minors than ever before, according to a recent report written by staff of Senator Edward J. Markey, Senator Richard J. Durbin and Senator Richard Blumenthal. “[Drinking Red Bull] makes me feel good and I drink it all the time,” said junior Ankith Iyengar. “It gives me a lot of energy and it helps me focus.”

Though caffeinated drinks may appeal to students for their perceived mental bene�its, these bene�its are only short-lived. Common long-term effects caused by excessive caffeine intake comprise of nausea, headaches, and restlessness.

While caffeine drinks may temporarily feel like a thirst-quencher, in reality it triggers the body to become dehydrated.

It leaves more acid in the stomach, which can lead to ulcers. Although not permanent, these effects still cause students to have a hard time concentrating.

“Sometimes if I drink too much [caffeine] then I can feel a little jittery and have the need to move around a lot”, said junior Danlin Lillemark.

Caffeine does not only cause temporary side effects; when consumed in large amounts, caffeine can also cause unhealthy dependence and lead to even more serious health problems. Senior Brian Chen prefers to stay away from caffeinated drinks and has not consumed any for a couple years.

“I’m not drinking it because I don’t want to develop a dependency on it like a lot of people and I know it’s not a good use of my time or money to go buy sodas or coffee,” said Chen. “Both are kind of linked together.”

Although there are these negative effects due to consumption of caffeine, there are also health bene�its to consuming caffeine at low, controlled doses.

It can reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s disease--which destroys memory and mental functions--by up to 70 percent, and dementia for people in their 70’s and above, as stated in a 2009 study by University of Florida. In a joint research study by the National Cancer Institute and American Association of Retired Persons, for people ages 50 to 71 coffee may help reduce risks of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Still, despite the apparent health bene�its, repeated consumption of caffeine over time can develop the extreme need to have caffeine on a daily basis.

In extreme cases of caffeine overdose, there have been about 13 deaths due to overdose on 5 - Hour Energy drink, according to Food Drug Administration.

While taking an energy drink before a sports game or enjoying a cup of coffee before pulling an all-nighter may have brief advantages, there are a plethora of healthrelated issues that concern caffeine consumption. From increasing anxiety issues to developing bad habits, caffeine is a strong stimulant that can affect all ages.

PHOTO BY SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY

STEPHANIE LU//IN MY OPINION

My Blood Type is Caffeine Negative

I

love coffee, but coffee doesn’t love me.

Let’s put it this way: I drink coffee maybe once a month. Say I haven’t had any caffeine for the last month or two, and then I go over to Caffe Adria and get a small Americano (for all you non-coffee drinkers out there, an Americano is one espresso shot plus hot water). I’ll be �ine, right? No way I’ll have any problems with withdrawal.

The coffee disagrees.

Next day rolls around, my head feels terrible. And if I’d been having two cups of coffee every day for a week, I get that. You get what you pay for, yeah? Except that’s not even what happens! I literally drink one 12 oz. Americano--which, by the way, has less caffeine than the same amount of brewed coffee--and my head feels like Athena’s going to pop out any minute. It’s like all I did was high �ive a girl and then suddenly her boyfriend is 100 percent after my butt. Not a cool feeling.

I’m �ine if I end up drinking coffee the next day, but I need to keep drinking coffee if I don’t want to go through withdrawal. What kind of cattle excrement is that? A Ponzi scheme? Does that count as a Ponzi scheme??

Maybe the saddest thing is that I don’t even drink coffee for the caffeine. Caffeine treats me like an ancient battery: either nothing happens, or my head ends up fried. Occasionally I can get to a better middle ground where the caffeine actually does what it’s supposed to do, but that’s so rare I wouldn’t drink coffee just on that off chance. Nope: the only reason I drink coffee (despite its terrible side effects and tentative Ponzi scheme status) is because I honestly love the taste.

I’m not just talking milked-down lattes, either. I love the real thing: the rich smell, the bitterness, even the slightly sour snappiness you get sometimes. It’s not my favorite drink in the world, but it’s a darn close second.

Which of course means you’re now asking, Well, Stephanie, what’s your favorite drink in the word?? My answer: tea. I will forever, and always, be a slut for tea.

Because as much as I may adore �luffy milkshakes, and savor the weird sourness of sparkling water, and devote half a column to my Jekyll/Hyde relationship with coffee, it’s tea that breaks my heart, that feels like home.

You starting to see a pattern here?

Personally, I think I should blame my mom. I used to be protected by my wimpy Americanized tongue that burned every time I drank anything hot until I was nine, but then my mom forced my sister and me to drink tea at Chinese restaurants by refusing to get us water. My dad would be like, Can they drink that? And my mom just ignored him. (Chinese moms! You gotta love them!)

Thanks to my mom I now have a tongue of steel, and unfortunately it with comes a predilection for hot, unsweetened drinks.

Thankfully, tea is usually okay. I mostly drink super Asian stuff, like green or chrysanthemum tea. But if I decide to go full-out English and drink a cup of PG Tips black tea two mornings in a row after a month of negligible caffeine intake? Let’s just say I’ll have an unpleasant visitor on the third day.

In all seriousness though, I’m a little glad I have such a bad reaction to caffeine. It means I probably won’t try to use it habitually enough to get addicted or experience any side effects worse than a caffeine headache.

And as annoying as it is to get headaches after drinking literally one cup of coffee or two cups of black tea, I guess it’s not that bad.

I just really wish it wasn’t so much like a Ponzi scheme.

As other industries are gradually replaced by booming tech companies, the number of residents able to afford a house in the area falls. And, because the supply is extremely limited, the majority of houses inevitably end up going to high-income, educated workers, who drive up the median housing price.

“There haven’t been very many homes that are for sale, so that is what has been driving up the prices,” said Lynbrook alumna Kristine Dudley. “And it also seems like people here have the money needed to afford [these higher prices].”

Apple’s new headquarters, projected to be �inished by 2017, has opened up more positions, and as a result housing prices in the area have increased greatly. The demand for Cupertino housing has always been high, and the new Apple campus only adds to that demand.

Because tech companies are also constantly expanding and looking for new employees. wealthy prospective employees are constantly moving into the area, and the high demand and low supply of houses naturally drive up real estate value.

“It follows the law of supply and demand,” said Bay Area realtor Christine Ko. “If everyone is paid ‘x’ amount in salary, the cost of living will match what Bay Area people are able to afford.”

Several families with children cite the area’s schools as another reason for buying houses. With middle schools and high schools consistently listed in the top 20 public high schools in California, parents are drawn to the Bay Area regardless of the skyrocketing prices.

“As you will come to realize, there is only so much space that you can renovate and open up for housing, but a lot more people who want to be here compared to that,” said

Lynbrook alumnus Brian Stuckey. “The thing is that there are a lot of companies around here, and the schools here are good. It’s the perfect combination.”

According to a study conducted by Red�in, an online real estate brokerage, families were willing to sacri�ice the relative comfort of a larger home in exchange for an area with prestigious schools. While homes in two different school districts could be nearly identical, the house located in the higher-ranked or more prestigious school district could be worth drastically more.

The primarily immigrant population of the Bay Area also plays a role in valuing the importance of education over cheaper housing. When house-hunting, many �irst or second generation immigrant families search for target schools, then �ind housing around the school.

Therefore, several families are drawn to this particular area, many of which who are willing to pay large amounts of money in order to send their children to schools in the FUHSD. “I went to Lawson for middle school, and I used to live in the Cupertino area, but I moved here, so that I could come [to Lynbrook],” said junior Biswadeep Chatterjee. Chatterjee’s parents wanted to live in a house and still be able to send their kids to good schools. “I was living in an apartment in Cupertino previously… and [my parents] settled on our current house now, because they thought it would be best that my sister and I went to Lynbrook and Miller,” said Chatterjee. “They de�initely prioritized education, which is why they decided to move to where we are now.”

Trends show, however, that this growth is not projected to last much longer. Economists liken this rapid increase to a bubble-like model, where eventually the prices must level off or drop. As the factors that induce brokers begin to wane off--such as a gradual decrease in the number of available jobs or an increase in interest rate--the rate of increase in

Median Cupertino Housing Prices, 2006-2016

housing prices will inevitably slow down.

“If you look historically and go back to the end of World War II, real estate follows a seven year cycle of boom and bust,” said Campbell. “2009 was the rock bottom of the market, and we have been going steadily up since that time, so if the seven year trend holds true, we might see a small correction in the market.”

Additionally, because of the recent price spike, homeowners are bound to look into selling their houses for a pro�it, increasing the supply of the housing market for future. In fact, 2016 is expected to showcase more houses on the market than ever before seen in the past few decades, but their prices are still unpredictable.

As housing prices continue to grow, notable differences are appearing across the Silicon Valley. Long-time residents are driven out and gradually replaced by younger, wealthier owners. For better or for worse, the growth in real estate has impacted current and future citizens.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXANDER XU

continued from HOUSE PRICES page 1

Pinning down a CCS crown Years after a critical injury junior Tyler Hunter-Washer returns to the mat to challenge for a CCS title

BY SAMHITA HONNAVALLI

W

hen junior Tyler Hunter-Washer went to wrestling practice during his freshman year, little did he know he would soon lose all of his CCS aspirations and season hopes in one ordinary match. Hunter-Washer was practicing with a fellow wrestler when his shoulder was caught and he tore most of the ligaments in his right arm - a season-ending injury. But Hunter Washer was determined to face the adversity and start wrestling again the following summer.

“I wanted to go back early and wrestle, but I knew that if I did, I would only do more harm to myself,” said Hunter-Washer. “It was really hard on me because I really wanted to go to CCS freshman year.”

After rehabilitation and extra training, Tyler returned his sophomore year, eager to wrestle for the Lynbrook wrestling team in hopes of reaching and achieving honors at CCS. Like the year before, he had to forfeit the match due to another injury: his retina had been displaced during one of his matches at CCS when his opponent’s elbow hit his eye.

Luckily, since it was the end of the season, Hunter-Washer did not have to end his sophomore season early and returned to wrestling in good shape. Two years after his ligament injury, Hunter-Washer feels con�ident to pick up from where he left off.

“It feels good to be back,” said HunterWasher. “It feels good to have the grind of wrestling back and to enjoy the suffering that it gives you.”

Hunter-Washer started wrestling in sixth grade and since seventh grade has dedicated his time to wrestling all year around. At the beginning of his wrestling career, he met his coach, Braumon Creighton, with whom he trained outside of Lynbrook. With Creighton, he attended multiple tournaments such as the Cadet and Junior National Championships in North Dakota in the summer of 2014 - the summer immediately following his ligament injury.

“Getting into the nationals was one of the best [moments of my wrestling career],” said Hunter-Washer. “I remember feeling refreshed and felt a strong surge of motivation.

I tried not to think about [the injury].”

The competition was harder than what he was usually used to, and he won one of the three matches.

In the summers of 2012 to 2014, HunterWasher also attended the Junior Olympic summer camp, joining athletes from across the country to compete and train.

“The camp really opened my eyes to a whole new level,” said Hunter-Washer. “I was paired up with the number one guy and I thought that I was doing pretty well. Then all of a sudden he becomes a blur and... he’s behind my back and pins me down. After that

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY—EPIC

I knew that this was a level that I had never seen before.”

As for his current form on the Lynbrook wrestling team, Hunter-Washer hopes to reach CCS and continue working toward his goals - used to getting third and �ifth places at tournaments, he wants to aim higher.

“I’m starting off a little rusty into the season, but by CCS I believe I will place in the top three” said Hunter-Washer.

With his season-ending injury still fresh in his mind, it was ultimately his determination that allowed him to continue to achieve success. Lynbrook wrestling coach, Alan Vinciguerra, testi�ies to Hunter-Washer’s mental strength.

“Tyler’s self discipline is helping achieve great things,” said Vinciguerra. “With that sort of commitment, the growth from last year to this year has been huge.”

Hunter-Washer has also garnered much respect from his peers, who admire him for his commitment and love for the sport.

“He’s the best wrestler in the team, given that he works hard and has been wrestling for a long time,” said fellow wrestler, sophomore Lucas Hong.

In the future, Hunter-Washer plans to �inish college and pursue a career as a wrestling coach. For the time being, he is concentrating on technique at school and strength conditioning at home and training to become a better, stronger wrestler.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY HARSH JAIN

Boys basketball hopes to rebound from tough start conditioning on the track and sessions in the weight rooms to build players’ stamina, speed and strength. Beyond the physialfway through its league season, the varsity boys’ cal improvements, this training seemed to positively impact basketball team is trying to bounce back from a rough the dynamic of the team.

“We have become more vocal and worked on defensive stretch of league matches. With a 7-4 in preseason and intensity in order to bene�it our team core,” said a 0-5 in league so far, the players Liang. are training hard to win the rest of “When you watch a game, you see a guy down their league games.

In games, the team showed “WE HAVE REALLY FOCUSED there taking a shot,” said Kitchen. “But we as a team promise in its technical skills and A LOT ON WHAT OUR TEAM know that that guy gets an open shot because sometactical understanding, but ulDYNAMIC IS AND WHAT IT one else set up a screen or somebody made a play so it could happen. What we are doing is so we can timately it fell short due to lateMEANS TO PLAY AS A TEAM that recognize who is doing the work.” game mismanagement.

AND WORK AS A TEAM DAY As the team continues practice running plays “We tend to choke during our IN AND DAY OUT.” and building defense, Kitchen hopes to win more games,” said junior Jon Liang. “We games in the coming weeks. struggle with closing our games “We just need to get our league win and then but always come close to winning.”

JEREMY KITCHEN The team is determined to COACH things are going to move in the right direction, said Kitchen. “I am con�ident that we are going to get change its ways for its upcoming our wins starting to go and �inish the second part of games as well as continue to bond league strong and then go to the playoffs.” and become closer as a team. ComKitchen’s training regimens and an overall shift in the pared to last year, many players believe this year’s team unity team’s mentality have given the players a sense of optimism has already dramatically improved.

“Last year a lot of our leaders were arguing with each other as they rebound from their unfavorable start.

“If we pick ourselves up and �igure what’s going on, I feel about who got the shots,” said senior Ajit Vijayakumar. “But this year, I think our team chemistry is a lot better and we like we have a really great shot at winning some of our league games and even some CCS ones,” said sophomore Andrew share the ball around much better.”

From a tactical sense, the coach, Jeremy Kitchen, has fo- Chang.

The team’s next game will be against Homestead on Jan. cused on certain areas of improvement for the players such as their defense. Kitchen changed his training by including more 29, in the Homestead gym at 7:45 p.m.

BY SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY

H

POUNDING THE ROCK// Ballhandler Josh Belong takes on a defender during practice.

Lynbrook athletes: where are they now?

O

ver the years, Lynbrook athletes have aspired to compete at the highest levels and achieve excellence.

Their successes have spanned multiple decades, from Olympian Chris Cavanaugh’s school-record swimming feats

in the 1980’s to the girl’s varsity basketball team’s march to a CCS title in 2014. These athletes left behind a legacy that Lynbrook athletes still uphold and continue to build on.

The Epic has scouting reports on the collegiate athletic careers of ex-LHS athletes, including former CCS basketball champion Sara Dyslin, all-league players including soccer

Sara Dyslin, who graduated in the class of 2014, plays basketball and volleyball for Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas.

At Lynbrook, she played as center for the girls’ basketball team’s dominant CCS run which culminated in a CCS title in 2014. Her personal awards include winning the El Camino Division League MVP. Hendrix’s girls’ basketball team made it to this year’s NCAA division three semi�inals. “[Hendrix] is among the elite eight of the NCAA’s which is really awesome, and it’s a big thing for our school, or for any school,” said Dyslin. “This is the �irst time in our school history, so it’s really exciting.”

The semi�inal game came after a season-long run in which Dyslin played an integral role in the team. She attributes her personal collegiate success to a few things she learned during her high school career, ranging from how she manages time to how she plays basketball.

“Lynbrook has really helped me prepare for college athletics by teaching me how to balance school and sports and take care of all my school stuff when we travel almost every

Taking a seat on the bandwagon

T

he 2015 NBA �inals began right about when the 2014-2015 school year ended, leaving me with nothing to do.

If this had been any other year, save the one year where I watched the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers with much enthusiasm, I would not have even bothered to ask which teams were playing in the �inals. But with our very own Golden State Warriors playing in the 2015 �inals and all the hype surround-

ing it, I had no choice but to be interested.

That is not to say that I don’t enjoy watching basketball, it’s just that the only team I will ever energetically watch and keep up with is the Warriors. There’s a reason why I only know the names of �ive players on the team, have no idea what kind of history the Warriors have had, barely remember the name of their head coach, and love Steph Curry. It’s because I’m a bandwagoner, and a proud one at that.

With every new trend comes a new crowd of fans and supporters, and the last year’s NBA champions were no exception. Before the �inals, I had heard very little of the Warriors and didn’t care much for the team until a friend of mine told me that they were playing in the �inals. That caught my attention since I had never heard of them, and I immediately started watching every �inals game.

Not only did I watch the games fervently, I also posted my journey into the Warrior fandom all over social media (namely Snapchat).

This produced many responses of “OMG Claire watches basketball??” and led to people talking to me about the games and such.

In these discussions, however, I couldn’t provide much more than what the score of last

star Andrew Bae and collegiate cross-country and track runner Luca Signore.

From playing for collegiate athletic programs to appearing in the Olympics, these LHS athletes continue to shine in their respective sports. Lynbrook is proud to recognize all of its athletes, no matter what sport or at what level.

“The college level games are de�initely a lot more intense, but I was able to keep up with everything,”said Bae. “The biggest difference was in the physicality and aggressiveness of the players, but the pace of the game was relatively the same.”

Bae’s performance garnered numerous accolades during his time on the team. Bae made the varsity squad as a freshman and by the end of his high school career he had won offensive MVP as well as �irst team all league in his junior and senior seasons. During his junior year, however, Bae broke his collarbone and underwent an extensive recovery process.

“The recovery process was really slow and I was really out of shape afterward,” said Bae. “It really sucked because at the time I was trying to get into college soccer at the time.”

Bae’s future plans include continuing his soccer career and possibly pursuing it as side job.

“I’ll de�initely continue to play until I physically can’t or if other priorities take over such as work, or other matters. I enjoy teaching kids too, so I might consider that too.”

“The coach back then was Hank Lawson,” said Signore.

“His message was how he wanted to make people love running, to make lifelong runners, to make people who enjoy being out there, and to run, not just compete. I took that to heart even though I enjoyed competing. The important thing to me is getting out there and having fun.”

Last year, Signore worked as a history student teacher at Lynbrook and is currently a teacher at Menlo Atherton Middle School in Palo Alto. He attributes much of his teaching style to his athletic mindset.

“What’s helped the most is looking at teaching kind of like coaching,” said Signore. “It’s not necessarily athletic coaching, but you are still trying to get the most from a student, as you would an athlete. Approaching it that way has helped me, because you look at students differently, and try to work with them using different strategies.”

USED WITH PERMISSION OF LUCA SIGNORE

Luca Signore graduated in the class of 2010 and performed on the track and cross country teams before attending college at Santa Clara University (SCU), where he continued to play both sports. Signore was captain on both teams during his high school career, and became captain of the cross country team in UCSC as well.

Signore’s running career started with humble beginnings and some initial doubts.

“I ran at Miller, and I started with the Turkey Trot,” said Signore. “I thought that I was decently fast, but never that good, but I ended up getting third, so I decided to run track that year, and I had a really good track season.”

After his early success in middle school, Signore joined track and cross country in high school, but he credits most of the lessons he learned from his experiences and the coaching on the cross country team.

USED WITH PERMISSION OF ANDREW BAE

Andrew Bae, who plays soccer at UC Riverside, graduated Lynbrook in 2014. He played as the captain of the boys’ soccer team for both his junior and senior years; at Riverside he plays for UC Riverside FC, the college club soccer team.

“I started out �irst in AYSO and went into middle school soccer,” said Bae. “Eventually my friend made a club soccer team, and I joined that. I stayed there for a while, but around eighth grade I decided to move to a higher team.”

Bae elaborates on the skills he has gained from his leadership experiences at Lynbrook playing as an attacking mid�ielder, captain, and the core of the team.

“I gained a lot of con�idence because of my high school experience,” said Bae. “I was appointed captain for both my junior and senior years--the leadership experience taught me to be more mature, and in that aspect, more prepared for college.”

The level of play in collegiate soccer was much higher, but Bae was still able to stay in the game.

USED WITH PERMISSION OF SARA DYSLIN

BY WILLIAM GUO

weekend and have 6-10 hour bus rides between schools,” said Dyslin. “It really is extremely helpful to know that I can stay on top of my school work, and it’s something that some of my teammates can really struggle with.”

With a higher level of competition and intensity, collegiate basketball has helped Dyslin understand the game better as well as improve her tactical sense.

“We learned how to play a much smarter game because you have to �ind new ways that will work against opponents that defend well and have scouted you enough to know [your tendencies],” said Dyslin.

Even though Hendrix College is located halfway across the country, Dyslin still enjoys attending LHS games and tries to keep tabs on the team.

“My mom still goes to the games occasionally and will tell me about it and I still have friends on both teams now that I sometimes get updates from,” said Dyslin. “I practiced with the basketball team a few times this summer but again being farther away makes it hard even though Lynbrook athletics always has my support.”

night’s game was. I didn’t know much about stats for the season, stats for each game, stats for each player. But in all honesty, it didn’t really matter. I wholeheartedly supported the Warriors during the NBA Finals, and to this day, still watch their games whenever the stress of junior year allows me to.

Bandwagoning is not only a trend but also a necessity. When anything starts becoming popular, it relies on people and social media to spread the word. Whether it be a sports team, a meme, or an organization, things become popular through acquiring more and more supporters and fans. It’s sort of like dominoes, where one piece knocks down the next and the next. My friend introduced me, I introduced my family, and so on.

Bandwagoning is important in this aspect because the increase in popularity will allow individual players as well as the entire team to be more well known and gain prominence.

Popularity allows players and teams to score advertising contracts and sponsors and will also increase jersey and ticket sales.

Whether you want to admit it or not, the Warriors de�initely gained quite a few fans because of all the bandwagoning that happened during the �inals. It would also be silly

to think that no one would bandwagon the Bay Area’s championship team. Of course, there are many fans who have long since supported the Warriors through all their ups and downs, from when the Warriors were known as a lower level team to when they became NBA champions. These fans may only care about how the team does, but a couple hundred more fans and their support never hurt anyone.

All the hype that led me to become a bandwagoner has now led me to become a genuine fan who cares more about the team rather than someone who only knows about the NBA �inals and wants to join the hype.

Instead of being just a bandwagoner, I now know the names of most players, the team and player stats, and try my best to keep up and watch all their regular season games. I might have joined as a bandwagoner, becoming a fan of the Warriors right when the team reached its peak. Just because I didn’t know all their stats and facts, hadn’t memorized every player’s number and name and don’t have a favorite member didn’t make me less of a fan than any other fan that does do those things. I may be a bandwagoner, but at the end of the day I am a genuine fan.

Behind the scenes of powderpuff preparations

BY CATHERINE HUANG

F

rom Feb. 1 to Feb. 5, ASB Athletics will host one of Lynbrook’s most highly anticipated annual school events: powderpuff. Though powderpuff typically begins around spring break, the girls’ football tournament was moved because of con�licts with other club events.

The event consists of a series of �lag football games played between teams of girls of all grades, culminating in a showdown among four male cheerleading teams, each representing their respective classes. Yet for all the skill, the work that occurs behind the scenes is often overlooked.

Aside from players on the powderpuff football team, most classes have one class representative who oversees powderpuff preparations along with several individuals who specialize in choreography and football training.

“I make sure players comes to practice and coaches get what they need,” said junior powderpuff head Nick Lui. “If they need footballs, I get them footballs. And I write emails.

Lots of emails.”

Preparations for powderpuff normally starts one or two months before game time, as class of�icers meet up to discuss important aspects

of the event. About a month later, training and teaching choreography begins. The dancers attend multiple practices during which they learn and rehearse their moves.

“I have to deal with 20-30 guys who are energetic and enthusiastic,” said senior Kenny Yuan, head senior dance choreographer. “Getting them to come to practices and getting them to respond, that’s a big challenge.”

For their last year of homecoming, the seniors are working hard to make their �inal performance one worth remembering. The freshmen, on the other hand, are new to the football tournament tradition and are looking to get more involved in school events.

“I’ve always liked football and thought that participating in powderpuff would also be a lot of fun,” said freshman wide receiver Kavitha Thirumaran. “When I found out about this event, I knew that it would be a cool experience.”

But regardless of class or experience, each team has been practicing for many weeks in hopes of winning the tournament, bonding together as a team, and achieving class honor.

“Powderpuff is different from a lot of the spirit events we do as a class,” said sophomore Kimia Ghasemian, an offensive lineman. “It’s no homecoming, but it de�initely bring our

class closer together. Starting a new semester, it’s great to have an event to re-establish our class pride.”

Coaches from each class are equally determined to teach their players not only football techniques and tactics, but a fuller understanding of the game that will boost their winning chances.

“In addition to learning plays and football skills, we try to focus on teaching the girls to work together as a team,” said sophomore powderpuff coach Garrett Riley. “We are also giving the girls more control over play calling and how practice is run.

Football is a sport I have a passion for, and giving people my knowledge in football is a great feeling.”

ASB athletics also plays a large role in powderpuff by working with class powderpuff leaders to promote the event and manage t-shirt sales. Moreover, to make powderpuff more rewarding and enjoyable for everyone, ASB is considering adding a consolation game between the third and fourth place classes.

“Last year people from my class were upset because they only got to play one game,” said sophomore Juney Lee, who runs ASB Athletics along with freshman Riti Mital. “We want to really make it [more equal] so that more people are happier.”

Despite the amount of time and effort powderpuff requires, powderpuff coordinators and participants alike �ind the experience rewarding.

For players, it is an opportunity to unwind and take a break from the rigor of academics.

“Powderpuff is a good way to relieve stress because we all get really hyped for the both the game and the guys cheerleading,” said Thirumaran. “It give us something else to look forward to.”

For male participants in particular, powderpuff is an opportunity to increase self-con�idence by performing bold and sometimes �lamboyant dances.

“Getting the opportunity to stand up in front of the school and embarrass ourselves, to have the con�idence to embarrass yourself, is something that this has taught me,” said Minocha.

Powderpuff is a way for students to connect and interact with their class, working together to produce something unforgettable.

“Powderpuff is de�initely a different feel than what most of us are used to—yet that’s what makes it so special as well,” says Ghasemian.

“It’s awesome to bond with people doing the same thing while showcasing your class spirit!”

SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY—EPIC

Hangout without takeout

BY SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY

I

t is a Friday night, you and your friends are sitting in your respective houses doing who knows what, and you’re all bored out of your minds. If you’re looking for some fantastic food and a great time, consider some of the best food and hangout spots in the area. Clockwise from top left: Pieology: The premise of this fairly new restaurant, located near Vallco Mall, involves designing your own pizza from the sauce down to the last topping. If even the apetizing food doesn’t make you want to go, the restaraunt’s got great industrial aesthetic appeal.

MOD Pizza: Although MOD and Pieology have similar premises, both restaurants provide an entirely unique experience. You and your friends can stick personalized stickers onto MOD’s designated sticker wall to immortalize the time you were there, and if it happens to be you or your buddy’s birthday, they might even give the birthday kid a free milkshake.

Snocrave: This restaurant is known for its delicious shaved ice and a modern take on the classic Chinese hotpot. Each diner gets their own personal hotpot (note: its a hotpot, not a hotbox. The box is not the main point). While you are seated there, you can play games at your table like Jenga, or watch a movie on the TV screens by the tables. If you’re not into hotpots or cold desserts, however, Snocrave also offers a good variety of premium teas rarely found elsewhere.

Yiassoo: Don’t be fooled by the appearance of this small Greek restaurant. What it lacks in size, it makes up for it in the quality of their food. Yiassoo has a large assortment of Mediterranean food, from falafel sandwiches to “Greek French Fries,” which are basically classic French Fries with cheese, cilantro, and a bunch of other stuff.

Rio Adobe: This restaruant probably has some of the best, authentic Mexican food in the area. It’s been around for an extremely long time, and with its variety of delicious food that’s no surprise. Every aspect of this store resmbles Mexico, from the food to the decor. Rio Adobe serves up the true taste of Mexico, even down to Coca Cola made with real sugar. And as weird as it might be, going to Rio Adobe requires some Spanish to get around. Here are a few words to help you get started: “postres” means dessert, “enchiladas” are basically casseroles, and if someone yells “Callate!”, which no one out of the excellent workers will, you should probably be quiet.

85°C Bakery: Located right next to Snocrave, when you �irst enter you can either go to their large assortment of baked goods or order something from the register. You can hand pick as many of any of the freshly made breads and “postres” and pile them up on a tray and get them packaged to eat over the next two weeks.

Or, if you are feeling a little more hungry than usual, you can go up to the register and order some of their delicious cakes. Also, if you are on that pearl milk tea hype, 85°C Bakery can provide. This restaurant is fully prepared to satisfy any of your hunger needs.