Issue 50 by The High

Editor in Chief Johanna Ohlsson Graphic Editor Christine Geiger Editors Aidan Kirby, Jocelyn Kwan, Meghana Mortier, Edward Fraser

March 20, 2015 Issue 50

Southwards and Upwards Chloe Rodriguez has seen things you wouldn’t believe.

ver the course of the school year, the campus has undergone numerous changes. We’ve gained a new library, playground, cafeteria, and witnessed the complete renovation of the old library. As you are reading this, the school is currently working on the original main entrance and the ever mysterious building across the street. The school expansion is something everyone is looking forward to seeing next year, and this year, the science labs in the new building will finally be open for student use. At the beginning of the school year, the foundations of the new building across the street were still hidden by tarp. However, a glance past the parking lot now shows that the expansion looks nearly finished. Being lucky enough to be one of those to

venture into building for the first peek, I will try to relay what I saw in written language as well as I possibly can. As you enter the building, the first thing that catches your eye is definitely the spiralling staircase right in front of you. Even if it’s just a staircase, it still, without a doubt, looks pretty cool. In its current state, the ground floor is still mostly unpainted and devoid of any furniture. Large windows along one wall provide lots of natural light, and a small space to the right of the entrance is apparently a prospective cafe area. On the left of the doorway is a hallway that leads to the new technology and design labs, which are free of any computers and the large machines that we have here (for now). Going up the staircase to the first floor lead our little tour group to the science labs. The freshly painted hallway contained the 6 new labs, already contain-

ing counters and sinks, ready for use after Easter break. Along the hallway were large white shelve like structures, and it took us some time to realize that these giant shelves were in fact lockers. The new lockers are huge. Forget worrying about whether you can squeeze all your books and bags in. You could probably store all all of your stuff and will easily still have enough to comfortably crouch inside. In fact, pretty much everything in the new building seemed bigger compared to how it appears on the outside. In fact, you could even say that it’s bigger on the inside (Anyone get the reference?). Moving on to the next floor, we passed by the new maths rooms and visited one of the new recording studios that everyone’s excited about. Sadly, we weren’t able to take any pictures of the studios due to the fact that the walls were filled with posters of half naked women (compliments of the construction guys).

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IT Works! Shivani Patel and Meghana Mortier are online.

DI. The word we all hear and suddenly the room is filled with sighs of irritation and defeat. It is the frustration of every diploma student and it quickly became the number one excuse for not doing homework. Well, it is the time that you have all been waiting for. Finally being free from the grips of the harrowing VDI. With the deceivingly disappointing name of ‘the non-VDI system’, the new provision is actually quite an upgrade. Although the VDI is still an option, it is no longer a must. There are new miniapplications that provide a way of accessing the most commonly used Microsoft programmes - programmes such as Word, Excel, and Publisher - while also allowing you to use the more specialised applications by Adobe. They open up on your personal desktop and can be used like any regular application you own. The mini-applications are there for people like Mac-users, who don’t normally have the microsoft applications. So the non-VDI system allows you access to applications without having to

boot up the entire VDI. Is that it? This rhetorical questions implies that there is more, and there is! As mentioned before, the VDI is no longer a must, meaning that you can stop using the VDI altogether. How so, you may ask. Wifi connected to your personal computer. At long last we have been freed from the long waits required by the VDI, freed from the lagging and the error messages that force you to disconnect. Suddenly a whole new world awaits where web pages load instantly. Not only that, but because the new provision allows complete abandoning of the VDI, you can print directly from your computer to the school printers and USBs can, once more, be used. Now don’t get too excited. The nonVDI system still comes with its own set of flaws. While printing has become a whole lot easier at school, at home it is a different story for everyone. If your document is on the VDI, you still have to go through the hassle of emailing it to yourself, which poses a problem for the Adobe applications. Of course you can always use Dropbox or any other cloud storage service as a slightly faster alternative to emailing. Unfortunately, there is also a slight problem with this because if you have Dropbox installed on your computer, the wifi doesn’t con-

nect to it - you can only access dropbox through your browser. Another major blip with the system is the copying and pasting. It is impossible to copy and paste between documents in different mini-applications, making the mini-applications a little pointless when having to copy a graph from an Excel to a Word document. Another problem is not being able to access the public drive so teachers have a harder time sharing content with their students (although it is likely that a mini-application will be made for the P: drive as one has already been made for the H: drive). Oh, and of course, you won’t be able to use the malfunctioning of the VDI as an excuse for not doing your homework anymore. Okay, so the system has some flaws. But it gives us all exactly what we asked for: the removal of dependence on the VDI. Since becoming a guinea pig for the new provision, I occasionally find myself getting frustrated while waiting for my VDI to load, and suddenly I will have an epiphany, break into smile, quit the still-loading VDI, open my own browser from my own dock... and am instantly able to access whatever I want. Trust us, you’ll love it.

Trash Talk Emily Rennie will not put up with your mess.

t’s become a common enough occurrence for people to get fed up with, but on Wednesday morning the IB students were quite literally ‘shown the door’ because of bad behaviour in the lounge. We were no longer able to enter the lounge, and the key was taunting us with its close proximity, yet not close enough for us (in other words, stored inside Mrs Secker’s office). Why had this happened? Why were we being forced to our homerooms? What could we have done wrong? The short response: the lounge had been left a mess. Now, this might not be overly surprising to hear. After all, the lounge is infamous for its array of flea-bitten sofas which result in clouds of dust if you sit down on them too hard. No one is exactly sure how long these sofas have

been there, but we can roughly estimate that they date back to the Victorian era given that it is impossible to sit down on one which does not have the stuffing ripped out of it. To make matters worse, the ‘Piggy’ toy which has been around for as long as I can remember (admittedly I only arrived here at the start of Year 12) has mysteriously vanished. The last time I saw it, its ears had been ripped off and it was covered in dust. I can only assume Piggy is in a better place now. However, if you combine hazardous sofas with leftover food and wrappers strewn around, the result is to be locked out completely of the lounge, as it is our responsibility entirely to keep it clean. I understand this and agree with it, but I know for a fact that this collective punishment resulted in a great deal of disgruntled people. Claims of “I never eat in there” or “it was all the Year 12s’ mess” continued for most of the morn-

ing, until a group of people kindly volunteered to clean up the lounge during recess. I’d like to say I was one of them, but I never eat in there and it was all the Year 12s’ mess. So to save everyone the trouble, I’ve managed to come to some simple suggestions for how to prevent something like this from happening again: 1) Put your wrappers in the bin. There are three bins in the lounge. It’s not that difficult. 2) If you bring a tray up, put it back in the canteen. 3) Don’t leave everything in the sink and expect someone else to clean it up for you, because I certainly won’t. 4) CLEAN. OUT. THE FRIDGE. 5) Maybe you could consider not eating the lounge and instead in the canteen…Just an idea. Now please, just put your rubbish in the bin. Please.

Southwards and Upwards continued from cover... We crossed to the other side of the building to take a look at the new visual arts, drama, and music classrooms. The new arts classroom are extremely spacious, much like every other room in the building. Ms Hannell’s future art room is pretty impressive in, particular, boasting several windows on the ceiling for more light and a particularly breathtaking vista of the highway. Heading down to lowest floor, our group was already excited to see the new auditorium. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing construction we could not enter the auditorium and could only catch a few glimpses through the doorway. While looking at the future auditorium, it was kind hard to picture the dark, cavernous space with a stage and seats, but we were still excited to see it nonetheless. Overall, the visit has made me pretty excited to see the finished prod-

uct of months of construction this August. However, there is still one thing I’m slightly dubious about: the fact that the building is on the other side of the street. It’s not that I’m lazy or anything, I really don’t mind the distance, it’s just that I sort of expected getting some kind of covering so that we don’t get drenched with rain water when walking to art class. The distance is still kind of a pain. Forgot your your calculator for Math class? Too bad. Your teacher

probably wouldn’t let you walk across the entire campus to go retrieve it. I’ve been thinking of alternate ways of getting to the new building that the school should definitely invest in. Perhaps the shortest helicopter ride in the world? Jetpacks? A slack line? Ms Cheetham, hear me out: ziplines. Whatever the outcome, I hope you’re all ready to get used to the idea of walking (or hopefully ziplining) across the street for classes next school year.

Still Some Snow Ainsley Trahan has a spring in her ski boots.

espite the rising temperatures, longer days and my resulting increased anxiety levels, ski season is far from over. Whilst it remains impossible to deny the rapidly approaching spring season, it is also impossible to deny the activity that accompanies it: spring skiing. For all of you who have packed away your skis for the season (shame on you), it’s time to pull them back out. There are many things to love about spring skiing, and certain ways to approach this extended winter in order to maximize gratification. Tip One: Get an early start. Being the first one up the chairlift has multiple benefits including time on the mountain without ski school groups, treacherous tourists, or the dreaded ‘lift-line cutters.’ However, the biggest benefit of this early start is the snow quality. Getting out early, before the slopes have had extended exposure to the sun guarantees good conditions. Freshly bashed slopes and powder patches quickly deteriorate into a soupy slush over the course of the day, and the only way to squeeze in some solid turns and speed is to venture out the minute

the lifts open. Tip Two: Stay out as long as possible. It’s true; the snow condition will worsen noticeably over the course of the day. However, not only does this allow for greater variety and sense of adventure, but also, it leads other skiers to go home early… a guaranteed absence of crowds. It’s also very much worth taking advantage of the combination of sun, warm temperatures and decent snow—a combination that is particularly welcoming to those who usually find themselves attempting to justify reasons for hot chocolate breaks. If you take the last lift up to the highest station on the mountain, you should find yourself in a position to still be skiing down long after the lifts have closed. Tip Three: Avoid wearing too many layers. After 30 minutes of skiing, you’ll find yourself peeling off sweatshirts at every restaurant you come across. This appears relatively harmless until you come to the end of the day and you’re forced to reach into the depths of your memory to recall where exactly all of these layers are. Tip Four: Be sure to check the weather forecast often. In the spring, weather can change in an instant, and it’s important to be sure that you know when

that rare powder day is coming. Tip Five: A single layer of sunscreen is not enough to prevent the famous ‘goggle tan.’ In fact, no matter how strong the SPF or how many times you reapply, the probability of this mark showing itself remains high. You will most probably find yourself being labeled as a raccoon or panda. Tip Six: Take advantage of the few people on the slopes and use this time to test new things. Try out new jumps, slopes, tricks, skis, but most importantly, restaurants. The few people on the slopes generally means that there will be few people in the restaurants… everybody loves a good restaurant without a long line. Some of my personal favorites that are definitely worth a try are the nachos from Cookie Café (bottom of the ‘Stade’ in Villars), the Gypsie Burger from Isenau, the chicken nuggets from the self-service restaurant in Gryon and the Panini from Chez Jimmy in Villars (accompanied by some reggae music). Yes, perhaps that is an embarrassingly long list… With these tips in mind, you’re guaranteed to make the most of the spring season—looking at the flowers really isn’t what it’s all about. Happy skiing to all of you!

Getting Higher Wouter Van Ingen believes he can fly

inally, after two years of construction, the new school is rising from the once muddy plains. With the addition of a new cafeteria, an atrium and dozens of new classrooms encompassed within two brand new buildings, saying the that the recent construction is awe-inspiring would be considered an understatement. What better way to showcase our new assets than being able to have a bird’s eye view of our new campus and provide it with the credit that it deserves? This would be possible if ISL decided to invest in a drone, or what is more commonly known as a remotely piloted aircraft. A drone would enrich ISL in many different aspects, which would extend beyond the awesome showcase of the new ISL buildings in promotional videos. Firstly, the drone can be used to film ISL’s various sports teams and provide

an invaluable filmed birds eye view on the match. Not only does this improve the level of professionalism of the available sports equipment, but also, the footage can be used as a feedback tool on which the sports team can reflect upon and improve their next performance in competition. For example, for the ski team, the drone can show the distance between the pole and racer from an aerial point of view. Therefore, the racer will get hands on visual feedback about how he or she can get closer to the pole and make their race path sleeker and faster. Furthermore, a film drone would improve the ISL technology arsenal. If flown above the goal, the drone could provide goal line technology footage which would immediately stream to the controller and make it accessible for the referee when faced with a difficult decision. Furthermore, a drone would improve the reporting quality of the various ISL News Teams. Wolfie News, a filmed ISL news channel, could use the drone to capture aerial footage on sports, musical and cultural events. The

drone could be used to film the Spring fair, Barbecue under the Stars and Wacky week from a view unprecedented which can then be used in the News Videos. It would make the overall ISL News community obtain a new level of reporting professionalism. Lastly, a drone can be used to record invaluable school memories. The drone could be brought along on school trips to showcase the various adrenaline pumping activities the ISL students have to undertake. These activities can range from filming rock climbing to kayaking. This can then be combined into a fun video which can then be shown to the parents, friends and the ISL community. For these reasons, ISL should invest into an aerial drone. Its abilities will range from filming the school to improving our very own sports teams and their performance. ISL is changing and there is no better way to document this metamorphosis than from the sky. A drone will open new opportunities and share with the world the atmosphere of the vibrant and energetic ISL community.

Sit Up Chetan Khanna takes a stand

f you’ve been at ISL for more than a few months, you’re bound to have at least thought of the seating arrangements in classrooms here, if not to have talked to someone yet. At ISL, there is a vast array of seating arrangements – all with their pros and cons. Most of us try and sit with our friends – or, if not, at the back, so that the teachers pick on us less. One of the most used arrangements is the standard grid arrangement, where no desks are attached to each other. While it’s simple and practical, it’s boring and hardly elegant. From our viewpoint, things are even worse: often you can’t talk to all your friends – unless, of course, you only have one. If you’ve got an odd number of friends, often you may end up sitting without a friend while all your friends socialize. That’s not a problem with island-style classrooms. Island-style classrooms have two sepa-

rate desks joined together. This creates a bigger single desk where two students sit on each side. It’s probably better for most of us, simply because we’re more likely to be able to sit with our friends. Even if you end up not sitting with your friends, the chances of knowing someone well on a table with more people are higher. I’d even probably go as far as to say it’s one of the more interesting and creative seating arrangements. For some teachers, though, it’s probably too random – and that’s where the Ugrid style arrangement comes in. The U-grid style arrangement is really a mix of a more creative and a more simple arrangement. There is one column of desks on each side of the classroom, and the space in the middle is open, surround by a U of desks. The main benefit here is the large amount of free space in the classroom to do activities. However, it’s got the same problem as the standard grid arrangement. You can’t talk to all your friends, and you may very well end up sitting alone or without a friend. That way, you’ll have no one to talk to.

These problems can be solved to an extent, by moving the desks on the outside to an ‘island’ in the inside of the ‘U’ part – the same arrangement as Ms. Korol’s classroom. The ‘island’ of three desks in the middle allows for some friends to sit there, albeit sacrificing the benefit of increased attention. This problem also exists in the small classrooms, which have two rows of desks, joined together. It’s probably pretty much the only convenient seating plan possible in those classrooms, but that doesn’t mean that it does not have problems. To start off, it’s quite boring, and if you’ve got quite a few friends, it can be difficult to talk to all of them. It’s also a problem if you come into class a bit late and all your friends are sitting in a row and blocked in by other people, you’re without your friends. Personally, out of all the seating arrangements at school, I tend to like the island-style classrooms the best, because they allow you to sit with your friends, talk as a group and they’re, well, more creative compared to most other arrangements.

Library Rules Adela Sahraoui reads between the lines.

he rather quaint, traditional image of a library in the past was that of a peaceful, quiet area for reading and studying. Talking might be tolerated as long as voice levels were kept low. If noise levels ever rose beyond that of a whisper, then “Silence!” would be enforced by a rather fearsome female librarian wearing spectacles and a frown upon her face. With this image in mind, shouldn’t our ISL library be the ideal place for IB students to retreat to during free periods, safe in the knowledge that they can work on assignments protected from all outside distractions? Wrong! During free period in the library, there have been numerous occasions where it has been hard to focus due to loud conversations filling the whole room. And that’s just the teachers! Pretty ironic since students can be quickly “shushed” when they speak, yet on the other hand, our seniors can converse about their holidays for lengthy periods of time, and have loud chats at the front desk or on the phone and

somehow that appears to be the norm. I guess the rule of being silent in the library applies to students only. How has this situation come about? Over time, The ISL library has lost its identity. Now, anything that can be squeezed into the library space goes there. Adding IT, however temporary that was, turned the library into a busy place where the library desk was also the help desk resulting in a higher flow of traffic and a louder volume of noise. Recently, classes have been taking place there too, adding to the distraction and difficulty for students to study in a calm, quiet environment. Even the ECC children regularly pass through on their way to the primary school library, adding to the commotion. Since activities which take place in the library are so diverse, why not organize singing and dancing lessons there too? Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all negative. The library is an attractive, modern and spacious place with nice views over the courtyard and plenty of natural light coming in. Its main drawback is that it is too open and multi-functional. Another cause for complaint is the not quite finished architecture of the library. In High School, we need our computers charged enough to survive the day, so

why do they only have charging plugs under certain tables. When those “special tables” are already taken and in use, we have to look for other study areas, such as an empty classroom back in Secondary, which somewhat defeats the object of having a library. The whole logistics of getting to the new library (the old one was so much closer), walking down two flights of stairs, carrying heavy bags and a laptop, is also a drag, particularly when charging plugs are limited and you have to return to Secondary in search of spare rooms and sockets. Even if you strike lucky and find a charging plug, you might discover that you’ve left important books upstairs in your locker, and - oh the horror! - need to make the journey BACK into Secondary to fetch them and bring them back down. You leave the library and your friends, jolly and energetic, but return dazed and shaking from the long, exhausting walk. It’s not exactly the most productive use of our precious studying time. Progress is meant to be good for us, so they say, but some things should never change like good, old-fashioned libraries where “silence” is the order of the day.

Gender Bender Ruby Griffiths is going to dress for success.

reviously, in The High, the ISL dress code was heavily reliant on Abercrombie, Ralph Lauren, and the infamous Ugg boot. The sad truth of this realisation is not merely a discussion regarding clothes preferences, but also the unacceptance of expression. I realise this is a sweeping generalisation since there are many who wear clothes without referring to the Super-Dry catalogue for support. However, the school does seem to demand a certain preppy-casual attire to ‘fit in’, which unfortunately deters some from reaching outside the norm of Abercrombie jumpers and Hollister jeans –perhaps because they offer a safe, over-priced variety of clothes that seem exclusive in their branding and limited available sizes. Nevertheless, I interviewed Meghana

Mortier about how she chooses to portray herself within our small community. “I’m just anti-dresses and anti-skirts”, apparently no political statement is being made, and Meghana’s clothes are for comfort and function. Nevertheless, her experiences within the school and with those associated with ISL, has varied in levels of normalcy. What is apparent is the confusion between gender, sexuality and how we represent both of those simultaneously and separately. Essentially, in terms of clothes, we choose what we feel empowered in, clothes that affect what we are saying to our peers. She finds it funny when little kids walk by and whisper, “is that a boy or a girl?” However, despite their age and lack of tact, the undertone within the school and amongst older students persists. Each school, for Meghana, brings another who confuses her for a boy –for having short hair and wear-

ing baggy jumpers. What seems the most surprising misconception amongst people at ISL is the fact that short hair automatically equates to lesbianism. Our clothes, sadly, confine us to the single-facetted label invented to simplify and compartmentalise one another. A wake up call is necessary, particularly among ISL students, who live the exclusive school life of private education, and pride themselves on their societal development, yet still classify Meghana as ‘a boy’, without understanding the subconscious statement that her clothes portray. Through nuances of colour and shape, we physically represent ourselves through the medium of garments, which we need to understand and accept. She chooses her clothes to be “comfy” – not just in terms of design and fabric, but as a way to make a statement that she is comfortable with herself.

Is Speech Really Free? Jennifer Fernandez-Owsianka will speak her mind

hould I hold back? Should I remain silent as a ghost in the corner of the room? We now live in a society and age where our freedom of expression is recognized and defended. Even as a girl and a ‘child,’ I have been given the right to say what I want. But can I really? Recent events have uncovered a threat and a question mark on our freedom of expression. While it is theoretically protected as part of our human rights, this freedom is being breached and restricted every single day. When the Charlie Hebdo shooting occurred, I thought about how this freedom of expression should perhaps be restricted because there is a risk of hurting, insulting, or offending people, yet some believe that this isn’t important. Charlie Hebdo is a comic that makes fun of religion, politics, and individuals. This comic believes in the freedom of expression and has a desire to shake society’s walls and

boundaries in order to allow change to enter. Is that so wrong? There is no evil or hate intended, yet it has terribly offended certain groups of people and has shown the extent of our freedom of expression is limited, even in a democracy, even here in Europe. When most people think about the freedom of expression under threat, they think about dictatorships, places such as China or North Korea, wars and protests. But what about us? The people who live in luxury really, who don’t need to go out and protest in the streets and don’t live in the constant worry of being imprisoned, for a simple element made of consonants and vowels. We also suffer from restrictions to what we can say. The scale differs but this restriction imposed by society, yet invisible to the eye, is present everywhere. The other day I was on the public bus, there was a man sitting close to the bus driver’s seat and he was talking on the phone. This man was swearing and, even though, he didn’t disturb the passengers the bus driver told him that if wanted to talk like that he should go and sit at the back of the bus. The man

told the bus driver: “Last time I checked, I lived in a free country in which I could speak how I liked. I am Charlie Hebdo – are you not?” This incident in the bus started to make me think about this restriction on our freedom of expression and how it is present in all of our lives, in everyday circumstances. I get frustrated when I can’t say what I want. My parents prevent me from giving my opinion because my opinion is deemed less worthy; less important after all I am still a child – aren’t I? I get frustrated when I can’t go talk to a teacher about something because she/he will get angry or impatient or simply won’t understand. I get frustrated when I can’t speak my mind because I will appear ridiculous or I will be made fun of. My freedom of expression is even limited in this very newspaper – I can’t say everything because I risk offending people. This makes me uncomfortable and why should feel so? Because after all I have the right to say what I want, yet I can’t. The big point of debate is to what extent can we possess this right? Should it be limited?

Time Out Zsofi Igo is not a morning person.

n Thursdays, if I had taken standard Economics, I could come to school at 13:35. But no, because you are not allowed to come late to school if you have a study (free) period in the morning. I honestly think this should change. Firstly, the free periods are there for you to do your work. So if you don’t have any, or can fit it in somewhere else, why must we suffer the annoying sound of our alarm bell anywhere before 7am, or 8, or 9, depending on how many frees you have in the morning. Imagine a world, where once a week you could wake up to the sweet birdsong at 9am. That means if you go to bed at 11 you still get 10 whole hours of sleep! I bet IB students would appreciate that. And teachers as well because there would be less yawning and “Wait, sorry can you repeat

the question?” So being able to come to school later would be beneficial to all members of society. Even parents, because if you’re a kid that still needs mommy’s help in the morning, you may not realize but parents are like owls, they secretly stay up to get adult-y stuff done, but you still make them wake up at the crack of dawn. Imagine how tired they must feel. I think that if you have a study period in the morning, it should be your choice to come to school or not. Nobody is stopping you from waking up at 7am to do your homework, or even 5am if you feel like it. But there is a difference between working at home and working at school. Many people just cannot focus at school because they just have too many distractions, or just too many friends to talk to… It would a be better use of our time to stay at home in those first vital hours if needed and get that essay finished, or practice that

IOP one more time. I don’t see the difference it makes for the school if you don’t bless them with your presence in the morning. While I may understand that this rule exists to create “equality” between students, who may not have these awesome study periods in the morning, but equality is not necessarily justice, as it was pointed out to me during a speech about Feminism. Maybe the people have those free periods in the morning because they have to stay for extended day AS WELL AS have class during lunch because one of their classes “couldn’t fit into the timetable”. Isn’t it only fair, that they should be able to start school later, since they finish school later than others? Surely? Please join this protest.

Number 5 will Blow your Mind Aidan Kirby brings twenty facts, some of which may be true.

. Due to the success of the 1-to1 scheme at ISL, there are now plans to start a 2-to-1 scheme, with each student bringing two laptops to lessons. 2. ISL was originally meant to be a law firm and was an acronym for ‘Individually selected Lawyers’…but it was discovered that there were more children than lawyers in Lausanne. So it became a school. 3. Mr. Hunter is not the only teacher with a musical background: Miss. Carey was once a lead singer for the postpunk band ‘Stomach Ulcer’. 4. The bees used to produce ISL honey are all German nationals, brought here on temporary work permits; it is well known globally that German worker bees are far more productive and efficient than Swiss-French bees. 5. The primary teacher Mr. Hamilton once ate seventeen chickens in a single day. 6. Before offering the position to Mr. Foley, Mr. Nieuwhuis was asked to become the school’s new principal…but, sadly, he declined. 7. Mr. Friend’s real surname is Mr. Defoe. 8. Mrs. Secker is the actress Helen Mirren’s younger sister. 9. Mr. Ribas is actually close to 6 feet tall, but his laid-back, Spanish posture

makes him appear shorter. Also, he is often standing much further away from you than you think. 10. Mr. Ivett is actually a fully qualified, native-American, Vet. 11. Originally the ISL Learner Profile only contained nine of the current qualities – ‘balanced’ was added in 2004, in order to decrease the number of students falling over while playing at recess. 12. Mr. Fazan does not actually speak fluent French – he has simply learnt to recite a script of French words in his lessons. He has no idea what most of the words mean. 13. When the new morning and afternoon drop-off procedures were introduced at ISL, it was initially believed that Ms. Cheetham would be responsible for guiding the traffic in and out of the school grounds. However, it was later realised that the word ‘Director’ has multiple meanings. 14. The first drama production ever performed at the current ISL building - the Arthur Miller play A View from the Bridge – was nearly cancelled as the auditorium was not yet completed. However, the show went ahead, with the entire audience watching the performance…from the bridge. 15. Mr. Kirby is expecting his first child after the Summer break. When asked if he was hoping for a boy or a girl, he replied: “Yes” 16. Mr. Alexander’s parents couldn’t

decide whether to call him Oliver or Alexander for a first name – so they ditched his previous surname (Humpledink), and gave him both. 17. If you took all of the toilet roll that has been used by ISL students over the years, you would have enough paper to absorb the entire contents of Lake Leman. You would also have a lot of wet toilet roll. 18. Due to a low orange harvest, in 2013 many of the Terres Des Hommes ‘oranges’ sold were actually lemons painted orange. Many members of the public - who only discovered this once home - were said to be bitterly disappointed. 19. A group of nostalgic ISL graduates made a rather odd request in 2012. Deciding that they missed their time at ISL immensely, and aware that the most effective and evocative sense is that of smell, they asked if the student lounge ‘fragrance’ could be bottled and shipped to their universities. The Swiss Department for Health and Hygiene deemed such a concentration ‘unsafe’ and added that it ‘very possibly represented a major health hazard’ to handling staff. 20. It has been agreed unanimously that the new building, which was previously due to be partially open after the Spring break, is far too nice for use by students. It will now be entirely aesthetic in nature and a permanent ban will remain in place for all students.

The Eye: Season Finale The Eye sheds a tear.

spy with my little eye... THE END. Yes, I can finally see it, the light at the end of the seemingly endless tunnel otherwise known as the IB diploma programme. Even better, I only have 35 days (including a two-week holiday!) of compulsory school days. Although this makes part of me jump for joy, it´s actually pretty darn scary to be honest. After graduation in May, I´ll be doing something a whole lot different to what I´m doing now. Who knows, maybe I´ll be working in a Kibbutz, travelling the world or studying to become a Doctor. I don´t know what the future holds for

me, but one thing’s for sure- I won’t be in school anymore. My days as an ISL student are (finally) over. I cry a little on the inside when I imagine that I won’t be sitting in the auditorium listening to Mr Ivett´s inspirational “beginning of year speech”. Who will inspire me when Mr Ivett and Mr Foley are no longer a part of my world? Who is going to pester me about my messy locker? Who will fill my evenings with homework and may days with endless tests? There are many things I definitely will not miss about ISL: the many many hours of homework, the teachers´ desire to always give tests and assign-

ments but never mark them on time, the annoying snotty middle schoolers and constant talk about the Code of Conduct, Learner Profile and general morals and multiculturalism (or lack thereof). Despite the many things that I certainly will not miss about ISL, there are a few things that I will miss. Most importantly, I will miss writing this column. I will miss conveying my occasionally controversial opinions under the safety of my pseudonym. Thank you to everyone who has read and/or appreciated this column and good luck to whoever will fill this space in the newspaper in the generations to come. I spy with my little eye… GOOD BYE.

The End of an Era Rafael Ribas turns another page.

Tradition (noun): At the International School of Lausanne, anything that happens at least twice in consecutive years.

very year, as the current editors of The High ride into the sunset or rather, trudge the uphill path towards Petit Mont - it is traditional to write a few words and celebrate their time at the helm. I have written an article like this for the last seven years, and believe me, it does not get any easier. It is hard because it is not formulaic. Every student that collaborates in our newspaper is unique, and every team of editors brings their own personal way of fulfilling our mission - to talk about what matters to the students. A large number of Year 13s have contributed to make The High what it is today; some of them for a long period of time, and some in the last couple of years only. Allow me to single out the two people that have been essential in the recent life of our paper. Christine Geiger’s first appearance on the pages of The High was as the subject of a news story, telling of her unfortunate fall during a Christmas performance. She joined our team 2012, and started collaborating with the layout of our pages. I don’t know at which point I realised that she had completely taken over our design process - she was certainly our graphic editor long before she appeared with that title on the masthead. (Her alternative job description, Obsessive Compulsive Designer, is only used in internal communications) Christine’s eye for detail and meticulousness are unbelievable… and rather annoying, if you happen to be on the receiving end of her scorn when you submit a page that is below her high standards. She has led a complete makeover of our visual appearance, and just as quietly as she conquered our layout, she also streamlined our entire production process - her colour-coded spreadsheet is the keystone of our newspaper organisation. And, as an unexpected late development, she has recently bloomed as an imaginative, unique writer, providing outrageously original insights into the life of a Diploma student in her monthly pieces.

But, if you will indulge a Spanish literary reference, Christine has always been Sancho Panza to our very own Swedish Don Quixote. Johanna Ohlsson has led the newsroom for over a year now, stepping in when Lily (our previous editor) suffered a long-term sports injury. Many teachers who have only met Johanna in the context of their lessons would struggle to reconcile the quiet, under-the-radar student they teach with the outspoken (and loudspoken) force of nature that runs the meetings on Thursday afternoon. Johanna is, first of all, one of the most reliable and talented writers ever to have graced our pages. Once she got over her early infatuation with Justin Bieber, she produced high quality pieces that covered a wide range of topics. She has been our most consistent music correspondent (the door to the music room is literally covered with her articles), and has also branched out to write recipes, show reviews, and controversial opinion pieces that generally take no prisoners. I have reason to believe, however, that Johanna’s favourite task is to create our monthly wordsearch. As an editor in chief, Johanna expects the same level of excellence that she

produces in her writing. She does not suffer fools gladly, and makes her disappointment very clear when someone does not meet a deadline. However, few people are as capable as she is of identifying the potential in a writer, and suggesting topics for them to expand the quality of their writing. She is acutely aware of our responsibility towards the school community, and she makes sure that we do not write controversy for its own sake, but to foster the debate among students and staff. I always feel a bit cheated when, after these many years working with a group of individuals, and at the point when they are at the peak of their creative potential, I have to say goodbye to them and start the process again. The copies of past issues that bulge up the binders on my shelf are a memory of times past, and in a sort of reverse-DorianGray situation, remain timeless as we grow older. And so it is that, yet again, we must change our cover page, and remove the names of the people who have carried the flame for the last year. Christine, Johanna, and everyone else who has been part of our team: these 800 words are not enough to do justice to all that you have contributed to The High; and yet they boil down to six simple words: thank you, and all the best.

End of the Line Christine Geiger has checked this article to the millimeter.

he adventure that was my experience with The High began in year 10, and I’m glad I made it up until here. 3 years, around 20 issues and (classified) number of pizzas later we’ve arrived at 50. What a milestone to end on. A brief history: I remember my first print night, and it was terrifying. Amidst year 13s, I was one of the odd year 10s lingering around. Unsure of what to do, I fled human interaction and made straight for one of the Macs. And so my story as layout-er begins. Back in the day, we still used Publisher, and I am eternally grateful to Mr Ribas for moving us to InDesign. Yet, back in the Publisher days, I was already doing layouts from my first print night. As time passed, though, I actually started writing things. I took on the role of the music page, after Amanda, and I still remember my first article about some indie band no one knew. That was my role for a few is-

sues: layout and music. The time came for The High to change its looks, and I partook in this. My first redesign ran for a few issues, and was then adjusted to fit our new logo. But let me tell you about the fonts. The current look of The High is in a stunning Rockwell and Futura combination, and if anyone has a problem with that, they can come talk to me. From my time at The High, I remember Lily being locked out of school while getting pizza. I remember watching Uruguay vs England during one of our print nights. I remember filling an entire column of our Christmas special with decorative guirlandes because a writer didn’t write enough to fill a page. I remember misplacing a couple of pages, never to be found again. I remember jingle bells (or a version of that song, which filled the Newspaper room during festive times). I remember being nicknamed Obsessive Compulsive Designer. As I move on now with IB exams and such, I leave with Issue 50 as my last Issue. That’s a lie. We have at least one more special edition planned for the

upcoming Wacky Week election. Yet the time has come to pass down the scepter that is my highlighter to whomever wants to do The High’s layout. I wish you all the best. Be kind to Mr Ribas. Keep everything aligned. Don’t forget the drop caps. Obey the spreadsheet. Love the spreadsheet. Care for the spreadsheet. And be aware that I will come and hunt you down if the body text has serifs. As soon as UCAS lets me reply to university offers, I might even be doing this in the real world. As long as Graphic Design can support to feed me. But who knows, and when people ask me where I see myself in 5 year’s time, I tell them I don’t have 2020 vision. To be honest, I don’t really know what my life holds after The High, nor what life hold for The High once I’m out of here. Mr Ribas, I’m sorry for the pain I have caused you, I’m sorry for being a control freak (but the pages aren’t) and I’m sorry for being a slow writer. But I’m not sorry for my puns and I’m not sorry for my layouting.

Over and Out Johanna Ohlsson says the last word.

n October 7th, 2011 my name appeared in print for the first time. I was in year 10 and a wrote an article entitled “A Perfect 10”, reporting on our September field trip to Les Sciernes, in issue 25 of The High. I was dragged into my first newspaper meeting by Erin Gunduz, who convinced me to join, since it would “look great” on her college applications. I was young and naïve when I first joined newspaper, and things have changed a lot since then. I came into newspaper wanting to write about Justin Bieber (which I did, in issue 26) and now I end my career in journalism as editor-in-chief. Over the course of my years as a member of The High team I have written a variety of articles, ranging from reviewing 2012’s Eurovision Song Contest and sharing

my favourite recipe (Swedish chocolate balls) to interviewing Mr Ivett. In addition to writing, I have had other roles in the newspaper over the past few years, including editor, deputy editor-in-chief and being the person in charge of making word searches (or at least using a wordsearch generator to make word searches in shapes including clovers and trains). My time as part of the newspaper has undoubtedly been one of the most memorable parts of my time in high school. When I first joined the newspaper I was absolutely terrified by the big scary editors at the front of the classroom writing lines and lines of stuff on the board. A few years after my newspaper debut, I have become one of those “big scary editors”- but no one finds me scary and in fact, no one even reads what I write on the board. 25 issues after my newspaper debutit’s time for me to retire and leave my

“job” to someone younger. Although I don’t really like ending articles with thank yous, this one inevitably needs a few. Thank you Christine- although you’ve deleted my masterpieces a few times and you’re annoyingly picky about the layout I couldn’t ask for anyone better to share Thursday afternoons / evenings with. And thank you Mr Ribas for putting up with us and coming up with funny headlines. Good luck future editors- you’re gonna need it. Peace out. xoxo

The Ball in our Court Claire McDaniel was co-editor in chief, 2009-10

t has been years since I stood, with my amazing co-editor Eri Ichijo, in the front of a classroom in ISL and put together the nascent editions of The High. We, and our amazingly supportive mentor Mr. Ribas, poured our hearts into the fledgling paper. Writing vast tracts of text and laying out page after page, with each edition we grew as teammates and as journalists. There’s a magic that imbues journalism. It’s in the maelstrom of organized chaos that is a newspaper room. It’s in the camaraderie forged by a late-night deadline. It’s in the racing pulse you feel the first time you see your name in print. And it is intoxicating. I was well and truly under journalism’s spell by the time I graduated from ISL. Wanting to continue an experience I loved, I went on to work for and edit my university’s student paper. I had a grand time, and settled into writ-

ing opinions articles, crafting a soapbox from above-the-fold column inches. I was recently looking back over some emails I received in response to my columns—generally more supportive than vitriolic, except for that one time I wrote about vaccines—and I realized that I had learned with every step I took. My writing is more engaging, my argumentation has streamlined, and I no longer read over my articles and think “Oh, that could be so much better.” I won’t fool you, those steps were hard to take. Even the most well meaning criticism can be difficult to hear, and even harder to put into practice. A short blurb in an ISL staff memo from 2009 said of The High that “putting the ball in their court will inevitably be a learning process.” This was true then, and remains true to this day. Journalism is a learning process, and that is a good thing. An article sent back by an editor covered in red scribbles can sting the pride. But without criticism, you will never improve. Without making

mistakes, you will never learn. Without leaping forward, you will never excel. I am not going into journalism as a profession. There’s a white coat with my name on it currently draped over the back of my chair, and I took the Hippocratic oath just a few short months ago. I’m actually writing this on a short break from clinic, the rumblings of a hospital the soundtrack to my musings. Medicine is my passion. Journalism helped get me here. You see, it really doesn’t matter whether or not you intend to go into journalism. I can guarantee you that the experience alone will be a boon to whatever you dedicate yourself. The skills you hone, the passion for truth, the sheer cathartic joy of writing, these will be a part of your life for years to come. From the boardroom to the classroom, what you learn from The High will help you thrive. Happy 50th, The High, here’s to 50 more!

Death By Deadline Lizzie Ride was editor-in-chief, 2012-13

hree years writing for The High taught me a lot. Here are some of the important life lessons being a part of the newspaper can teach you:

Persuasion/Bribery:

As editor-in-chief of The High, I mastered (or attempted to master) the art of persuasion and bribery. Organising a team of twenty-something high school students when you’re also a student is not an easy task. There is a point when angry emails and threats of not publishing articles stops being effective; this is where the bribery comes in. Pizza is the editor’s best friend. This is one of

my posts on The High’s facebook page: “if anyone wants to stay tomorrow night and help with printing, we could seriously use the help. Last time we didn’t finish until 11, and the more people we have, the faster the job will get done. Oh, and there’s pizza.” This method of bribery didn’t work on everyone, but TJ would do pretty much anything for a slice of pizza and a lift home.

Surviving without sleep:

This is a crucial lesson that will help you at university, even better if you can learn it before. When I was editor-inchief, our print night record was midnight. Add to this the ride home, last minute homework and an alarm set for 6am… not easy (but so worth it). By the

end of my two years as editor I had this down-pat. If you can survive the IB and print nights, uni will be a breeze.

Deadlines:

My time in newspaper taught me that deadlines are worth sticking to – by doing this you can reduce a lot of mistakes, stress and the chances of seeing an angry Mr Ribas (a very, very rare occurrence). Writers (and editors) at The High are not known for submitting their articles on time. To be honest, I was probably the worst offender (sorry Mr Ribas). It’s 8pm on printing night and I’m still writing this for the 50th edition, and at the same time I’m writing a 3000 word essay that’s due tomorrow… maybe I’ll never learn.

The After Life Brian Click was co-editor in chief, 2010-12

spent last Friday night covered in blood, sweat, pickle juice and mayonnaise wrestling for possession of a 100-year-old concrete owl. Reed College life is about as far away from ISL life as possible. Most days, Le Mont might as well be on a different planet. Yet there are a few times a week when I feel some continuity with my high school days. I’m one of the editors of the Grail, Reed’s fortnightly magazine, and every time we produce a new edition I’m indebted to Mr. Ribas, to my former coeditors Danny and Mariana, and to my experience at The High. My niche, as it turns out, is not straightforward news (we leave that to the Quest, which is the college’s newspaper of record when they’re not publishing weed reviews or vicious arguments about trigger warnings in academia). Instead, I research and write long-form investigative pieces about institutional history – but nevertheless, in doing so, I use exactly the same skills I learned

back in high school. Last week I was writing a history of Beer Nation, the student group that operates the beer gardens set up at big Reed events. I went down to the college archives and spent hours poring over old Quests sorting out the wheat from the chaff, until I thought I had a clear founding narrative for the group. Then I tracked down the founder, a scrappy, fluffybearded freelance engineer named Rob Mack who’d graduated from Reed in 1993. His story – which wound its way through a tapestry of rose-tinted rambling – clashed with the story I’d gotten from the archives. My mission was to decide what was part of the story and what wasn’t, and to turn a bunch of jumbled notes and anecdotes into a clear narrative with an engaging lead. (I like to think I’m good at engaging leads. See above.) While I only really think about my time at The High while I’m working for the Grail, the things I learned are with me every day. Doing journalistic work and editing articles late into the night made me a better writer and a better investigator, both of which are vital in my

life here as a history major. I’ll never know how much The High changed my abilities, but when I think about it I can see its influence in all my work throughout college. Even our proclivity for funny titles and headlines is still with me. My very first Humanities 110 paper at Reed, about the ancient Greek concept of arete or excellence, was entitled “Be Excellent to Each Other,” after Bill and Ted’s motto. My Junior Seminar paper, dealing with the American ideal of wilderness through the lens of the damming of a river, was called “Vitality in the Valley of the Dammed.” That’s exactly the kind of joke we’d pull out of our butts at 10 PM on Thursday. So, The High editors of today and of the future, I salute you – you’re learning more than you think. I’m pretty confident that even if you don’t end up at a weird college where people run around naked and fight over owls and argue about Plato late into the night, you’re going to have a leg up on your peers in some of the most important skills a literate and intelligent young person needs. Be proud.

Illustration by Amanda Click

Faster than Canon Eri Ichijo was co-editor in chief, 2010-11

remember hearing about establishing the ISL newspaper and wanting to be part of it. I mean after all, I needed the CAS hours! The ISL newspaper was the perfect opportunity. There was one slight problem. I could not, and still cannot, write. How was I supposed to be part of a newspaper team if I could not write? To make things worse, I did not hear about the first newspaper meeting where they distributed article assignments. Even if I could not write articles, I thought there must be something that I could do to be part of The High. I decided to drop by the room, where the team was in the middle of finalizing the layout on the day of printing. I entered the room and simply asked, “Is there anything I can do?” After a moment of “is she part of the team?” Mr Ribas gave me a copy of a page that was nearly done, and told me to look for any potential mistakes. I grabbed a pen, and started circling: arrows that were not straight, lines that were longer than they should have been, page numbers that were not aligned. Looking back, I realized that what Mr Ribas wanted me to do was check for typos and grammar errors. But circling layout errors was what got me on The High team. My second year on the team, I became the Editor-in-Chief, alongside Claire. We were the perfect duo! She did all the writing and editing, and I did the layout. Printing days were always chaotic, no matter how much we had prepared beforehand. There were always articles that needed to be edited last minute, articles that did not fit in the page it was

supposed to go into, and computers crashing and forgetting to save files. The afternoon started with many writers and editors in the room, but in the end it was always Mr Ribas, Claire and I standing in front of the printer folding each page of the issue. Eventually, we figured out how to get the printer to staple the pages, but I admit that I liked the competition between the printer and myself - to see if I could fold a page just as fast as it was printing. I was reading through emails from The High days, and most of them were panic emails, either asking for last minute edits or for illustrators to make a quick sketch to fill up blank space. Plenty of those emails were from Mr Ribas, warning us to take it easy and rest. We sure did not listen! One day, Claire was very sick (I think with a fever) but still came to printing. We told her to go home and rest, but she did not. The next month, I had a neck brace after a ski accident, and was nauseous with a huge headache, but I stayed. We did not want to go home on printing day until we had all the copies in our lockers, ready to be distributed the morning after. I remember one person telling Claire and me, “This is just a school newspaper, not the New York Times!” But for us, it was like the New York Times. Sure, I initially joined The High for CAS, but it became something much more than that. I am glad that I was a part of it. I have so many great memories from The High, and I am so happy that generations of ISLers and Mr Ribas have continued to run it. Happy 50th issue, and here’s to many more!

Lessons Learned Lily Johnson was editor in chief, 2013-14. TJ Braunius ate pizza.

aving completed our first semester of higher education. We consider ourselves to be seasoned veterans. As Lily puts it, we now know everything. We remember our high school days fondly, along with the Thursday nights in the tech lab for printing night of The High. Mr Ribas’ unique humour is genuinely something that you will miss once you get to college as there is seriously nobody else like him…love you rafa! Looking back, the long nights working as part of the newspaper staff can be seen as a metaphor for the time you will spend at university. You will stay up late, sometimes productively working and sometimes not. You will just wish you were at your parent’s house in your own bed when you’re sitting in a school building and it is nearing midnight and, of course, you will also have lots of fun.

5 ways The High newspaper meetings are just like college/ uni

1. you order pizza at absurd times of the night. 2. no one really checks if you show up or not, but it really is in your best interest to. 3. if you miss a deadline your parents will not find out, but you will make a lot of people mad. 4. there always ends up being a higher girl to guy ratio. 5. you’re only in a classroom once a week for like two hours (except printing night) Whether you like it or not Mr Ribas, we both miss the (almost) monthly Thursday evening/Friday morning stress.

This Movie Is Not In Colour Alice Jeavons will see you now.

he novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” was bought by more than a hundred million people around the world, whether they thought it was a paint catalogue or not, we’re not too sure. So, to nobody’s surprise, the movie adaption of the novel has been one of the most controversial and anticipated film of the year so far. The story itself, revolves around a 21-yearold college student, Anastasia Steele, who falls in love with Christian Grey, the CEO of Grey Enterprises, whom she shares a very interesting and exploratory sexual relationship. Without the influence of the book trilogy or the synopsis, the film itself is a surprisingly engaged story that touches on themes of sexual naivety, and concepts of consent and power which are increasingly relevant in today’s global media. In one word it was ‘tasteful’ - or as close to tasteful a film can get when it’s plot closely resembles that of a pornographic film. The production itself featured typical characteristics of harsh

light/dark contrasts between scenes and the use of pathetic fallacy. However, what stood out most to me was the casting of (generally) unknown actors, which allowed the content of the film to be focused on by the viewers, even though they didn’t show the best acting ability. But, it is no lie that the technicalities of the film’s production are masked by the hysteria that surrounds this experimental approach to sex. It is simple to assume the dangers of domination/submission relationships in encouraging domestic abuse, nonconsensual sex and overall violence. But I, as a believer of individualism, think that everyone has the right to an opinion and those who enjoy the ‘techniques’ used in the film shouldn’t be ostracised for it. Part of the success of the film has been the audience gaining a new sexual experience, through the eyes of Anastasia Steele, that may, or may not, pique their interest for future escapades. What I’m trying to say is that this matter (more than any other) is decided by personal taste, not by a critic or someone you know who’s seen it, and it is by no means wrong to find pleasure in something a little beyond

the norm. So, if you’re curious, then watch it. Personally, I enjoyed the fairly basic love story with a little added sexual intensity, despite the scenes that made me cringe a little. I wouldn’t encourage you to take your parents along, or even your significant other, but you could go with a few friends and you’ll end up enjoying it because of the sexiness of Christian Grey or because it made you laugh hysterically. Either way, though, you might find yourself actually enjoy it and soon join the thousands eagerly anticipating the next installment.

American Sniper Paul Baroudi takes a shot at reviewing a film.

lint Eastwood’s 2014 film American Sniper starring Bradley Cooper was one of the most anticipated movies of the year. In the film, the four-time Academy Award nominee, Bradley Cooper, played the part of Chris Kyle, the deadliest sniper of the 21st century and United States history with over 160 confirmed kills out of 255 claimed. Known as the Devil of Ramadi to Al-Qaeda in Iraq, he completed four tours in Iraq as a Navy SEAL before being honourably discharged in 2009. The movie of his story has broken the record for the highest-grossing war movie of all time, beating Saving Private Ryan into second place with 500 million dollars. It has also been nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor and has won the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing. However, is this epic

war film deserving of all these titles that it has earned since its January release? Many people have agreed that the movie was a great and deserving one, but there is a recurring problem with the movie itself. For example, a $180,000 bounty on Chris Kyle’s head was very unlikely. Although he earned the title of the Devil of Ramadi (a city in Iraq) by Iraqi insurgents, there were many bounties on American soldiers during the War in Iraq, and not just Kyle as the movie implies. However, the false information comes from the fact that bounties were only ranged from $20,000-$80,000, nowhere near the $180,000 in the movie itself. However, the biggest lie of American Sniper was the sniper in Iraq that went by the name, Mustafa. Although there was a similarity between him and the real life insurgent sniper, Juba, who claims 37 kills, the story between him and Chris Kyle was completely made up, for the sake of a main plot in the

movie. There was no such sniper named Mustafa, nor was there a final battle in the eye of a sandstorm in Ramadi. There was, however, a deadly sniper, the deadliest of the 21st century who racked up over 160 kills, as part of his duty in Iraq, just like any other Navy SEAL deployed there. As rottentomatoes.com critics put it, “As a war movie, it’s pretty solid. As a character study, it’s virtually generic.” Others had similar views on the story, saying, “Too often in “Sniper,” Eastwood kowtows to our basic need to have clearcut good guys and bad guys. And when Kyle makes the impossible shot, it feels (in the limited context of the film) like we’ve actually won something. We haven’t.” To conclude, American Sniper was a great war movie, but one that was inconsistent with real-life events.

Horoscope Madame D is ready to see her future. Sagittarius

You have every right to be irritated and angry with someone right now but it’s the last couple weeks of school: why not just suck it up now and then ignore them all summer to get rid of them.

Taurus

You know what you need to do, so “just do it” (Nike). Stop wasting time with meaningless procrastination and get down to work. Help yourself out by putting away the phone for a bit, it could do a world of good.

Leo

You need a confidence boost, so let me tell you that you are not as terrible as everyone says you are.

Scorpio

Life is a rollercoaster and you may not be having the time of your life right now, but don’t fear. What goes down must come up, and I see a peak in your future.

Aries

You are easy to provoke, and people use this to their advantage. Chill out because, just like an annoying older brother, if you don’t let it bother you it will eventually go away.

Cancer

You need to calm your unstable emotions and understand that everything happens for a reason. Take a ‘Chill pill’ and stop panicking and annoying all of your friends.

Capricorn

Success is the best revenge; therefore,

right now you are getting no revenge on your enemies. Don’t let them win, you bilious pigeon.

Gemini

I must say, Gemini, your resilience is impressive. It is impossible for people to get rid of you: your friends have told me. Keep it up because they may start to like you!

Pisces

You can’t stand a certain person right now. Kill them with kindness. They won’t see it coming and no one will suspect you.

Aquarius

As someone who has been living under a rock for all of winter, finally it is time to be more social and start to get a social life. Or at least try.

Virgo

Things will be changing soon, so spend some quality time with your parents, friends, and pets. Mostly your pets because we all know you’ll miss them most.

Libra

You have some great ideas that no one listens to. Get one of your more popular friends to present your ideas and they may just be taken in finally.

Fashion Police: Spring Alice Jeavons is in a sunny mood.

e’ve reached that time of year when the mornings are below 5° and the afternoons above 15°, when it’s summer in the sun and winter in the shade and when it is finally enjoyable to be outside in the fresh air. So, it’s time to make the transition from winter coats to thinner jackets and from sweaters to t-shirts.

Jackets

I, for one, have been waiting a long time for the return of my denim jacket to my weekly outfits. But before you break out the vintage denim remem-

ber the one major rule: DO NOT wear denim on denim, especially of different shades. In consideration of that, wear them with black jeans, a dress or a skirt. Then, we have the short period in which the leather jacket is entirely appropriate - not too cold to freeze and not too hot to boil. And, there are the bomber jackets and blazers that will all slowly help to transition into the warmer weather before we’re all in tank tops.

Skirts

Soon enough the era for long pants will be expired and in an attempt not to bake some will reach to the back of the closet for the summer skirts and dresses. Perhaps you could rehash the plaid

skirt trend of past months, remove the thick tights and throw on some sneakers to make it a whole new school-girl look. Otherwise, you could transform one of your winter dresses, without the additions of tights, socks, jackets or boots.

Shirts

Too hot for sweaters, a little too cold for t-shirts, therefore, ’tis the season for blouses. Perhaps it’s a little too formal for some, but completely suited to the changing seasons. Whether it be a simple Oxford button-down, peasant or wrap blouse, they can be versatile for number of occasions and are an easy way to say cool as the climate heats up.

Ode to The High Thank you, John Ivett I am still older than you, my friend, But you are catching up fast. I have all 50 of you, plus the odd special edition, Holding pride of place on my office shelf, Recording the major and minor events in our school’s history, In tight, pithy prose Under a headline flirting with lexical ambiguity and double entendre (My favourite was “Frogs Take the Piste”). I’m honoured to find a copy of you on my computer keyboard, Hot off the printer, when I arrive at school. I love the political articles, The critical articles, Those that push buttons and provoke libel charges, The inane articles, And the incomprehensible ramblings of madmen (Giorgio Degola), The cartoons and quizzes, And the intricate pen and ink illustrations (Chen and Würm), The moany articles, The articles that strut and fret their hour upon the stage and then are heard no more, Even those that are plagiarized, And especially those that are gloriously and unambiguously happy (Ainsley). Keep writing and thinking and pushing the boundaries – All power to the pen! Here’s to the next 50!

The Leavers

Drum Roll, Please... Jocelyn Kwan

Middle Age Crisis Indiana Edwards