2021-2022 Issue 3 by The Lancer

the

LANCER

Volume LVI, Issue 3 » December 15, 2021 » Thousand Oaks High School » 2323 N. Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 » www.tohsthelancer.org » thelancer.tohs@gmail.com » Circulation 1,900

TO GIFT OR NOT TO GIFT The Lancer discusses whether it is better to give or receive gifts during the holiday season. pg. 2

DANCIN’ AND PRANCIN’

MULTIVERSAL THEORIES

THE “REAL” TRUTH?

The Lancer provides a look into the recent TO Dance Department Winter Concert. pg. 4

With the upcoming Spider-Man movie on its way, the internet has been theorizing.

The Lancer gains an inside perspective on TO student’s opinions on conspiracies.

pg. 10

pg. 12-13 PHOTO » FINLEY SWANSON» THE LANCER

NEWS

Hits and Misses

STAFF EDITORIAL

The Greatest Gift of All

What’s Up and Down with The Lancer Hit: As usual, the upperclassmen are not a fan of the freshman. At this weeks rally, the freshman’s cheer was followed by a well deserved “boo” from the entire school.

Miss: The only good dressup day was canceled due to Assistant Principal Modolo, but Westlake and Newbury are able to bring “anything but a backpack” this week.

Hit: For the past 20 years, Mrs. Smith has celebrated the week before winter break wearing Christmas themed pajamas, she is ready for the cold, be ready for her fire fits this week.

GRAPHIC » KENDALL FLEMING » THE LANCER

Are giving gifts better than getting them? EDITORIAL BOARD

14 10

yes no

While getting a gift is unarguably fun, giving gifts provide an additional beneﬁt. When giving someone a gift one gets an opportunity to put thought behind buying a gift the recipient will truly love. Additionally, once they receive the gift they should have a look of appreciation on their face, and showing whoever gave them the gift that they did their best to make their holiday season special. Therefore giving a gift is much more rewarding than getting one. According to research from Harvard Business School and the University of British Columbia on both individuals who gave and received money, those who gave money appeared to be happier. The feeling that giving brings is unparalleled to the happiness one gets from getting material items. Even though getting a new phone, socks or pair of shoes is great, giving a gift provides a deeper and much longer-lasting feeling of joy. “When you give someone a gift, it makes you feel generous, it makes you feel in control, it’s good for your self-esteem and it’s good for the relationship, because you come to know the person even better,” said Dr. Ellen J. Langer, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, in an interview with NPR. Seeing someone who received a gift, appreciate it, is a huge boost for one’s self esteem and overall mood. It will make you happy and feel like you did something good for the recipient. Whether buying a gift for a close friend, partner, family member, etc., it provides a way to improve that relationship. Giving gifts are a great way to show you care about someone and even if it is not exactly what

they wanted, they usually will still appreciate the thought behind it no matter what. We all enjoy receiving gifts because it makes us feel special, so being able to give someone else that feeling is an even bigger reward than simply receiving a gift. Giving allows an additional opportunity to make close friends and family smile and show how much they are appreciated. This idea does not just go for giving gifts to friends and family, it can also apply to giving to complete strangers or those less fortunate. The holiday season is the perfect time to help brighten the lives of others in the community. Buying a gift for charity or buying the meal of the person behind you in the drive-thru also brings the same rewarding feeling as giving a gift to someone you know does. It is a great way to spread joy to other people who are in need of cheering up, especially around the holidays. If someone is going through a diﬃcult time in their life, giving them a gift could be just the thing they need to make them feel better. Crazy amounts of money do not need to be spent in order for a gift to be amazing. Sometimes the best and most special gifts are the ones that are homemade or cost very little money. Even though most people will agree that getting gifts is an incredible experience, giving makes both the recipient and the person who gave them the gift happy. Giving someone a gift is the perfect method to brighten up the holiday season of both strangers and close friends and family.

THE LANCER STAFF 2021-2022 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kendall Flemming NEWS Madeline Convy Nathan Yang Ella Wauchope OPINION Jake Crandall Griffin Lester Momo Sonada

ENTERTAINMENT Boden Adema Riley Keeler Finley Swanson IN-FOCUS Miles Cleary Nazo Niazi Molly Norton Abigail Tripp-Bullough

FEATURES Brooklyn Bonilla Karla Garcia Sara Guy Bella Moreno SPORTS Becca Glaubke Chase Patterson Hayden Mckinney WEBSITE EDITORS Dylan Cockerill

BUSINESS MANAGERS Remington Beaudoin Grace Williams PHOTOGRAPHER Dylan Cockerill ADVISER Tasha Beaudoin

Miss: Olivia Rodrigo’s concert tickets sold out in less than a day, and now they are reselling for over $2000. It’s brutal out here.

Hit: The Lions won their first game in 360 days, either the curse of JuJu Smith-Schuster ruined the Steelers, or Chase Claypool’s diva moments.

Miss: The juniors’ poster wall was ripped down by seniors before anyone could take a picture in front of it.

Hit: When thinking of holiday spirit, we think of cold weather. The forecast is saying goodbye to 85, and hello to 60 for the rest of the year.

The Lancer is the official school publication of Thousand Oaks High School, created and produced by students in Advanced Journalism. This publication as well as additional stories can be found online at tohsthelancer. org. The Lancer reserves the right to refuse advertising deemed inappropriate for high school publication. Guest editorials and “Letters to the Editor” are welcome, but must be signed and are subject to editing for length, libel, obscenity and grammar. They can be sent to thelancer.tohs@gmail.com. The Lancer is a member of the Journalism Education Association (JEA), National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) and NSPA All-American Hall of Fame.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: www.tohsthelancer.org

OFF-CAMPUS PASS

For every 12cm of snow there is 1cm of water Winter increases your appetite The largest snowflake on record measured 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick Dry snow is for skiing

The word winter comes from the Germanic wintar which means ‘wet’ or ‘water’ People born during winter months are less irritable

Snowflakes form wet snow

The last day of winter will be March 20, 2021 The largest snowball fight ever, involved 7,681 people The winter of 1963 was the coldest ever recorded since 1740

WINTER “LET US LOVE WINTER, FOR IT IS THE SPRING OF GENIOUS.” -Pietro Aretino, 16th Century Italian Author Snowflakes are snow crystals grown from a nucleus Earth is closest to the sun in the winter During the summer it may snow on Mars Some flowers still bloom in the winter

Shovel racing started in New Mexico in the 1970s Some insects survive the winter by producing their own version of “antifreeze” The southern states of the USA stay more warm then the north does

Freshly fallen snow affects sound waves

In Finland, you can stay in glass igloos during winter to watch the Northern Lights The first Winter Olympics were held in the French Alps in

The average snowflake falls a little over 4.8

1924

per hour

kilometers

Winter starts December

21, 2021

Snow can be yellow, orange, green, and purple

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/seasons/winter/winter-facts https://www.teachersoncall.ca/site/toronto-tutoring-blog/2020/11/23/10-winter-science-facts https://www.bbcearth.com/news/17-surprising-facts-about-snow https://bestlifeonline.com/winter-facts/

PHOTO » EBERHARD GROSSASTEIGER » UNSPLASH

NEWS

DANCE THROUGH THE SEASONS

MADELINE CONVY

News Editor

On Dec. 2-4, the Thousand Oaks High School Dance Department held their annual winter concert, with the theme of “Dancing Through The Year”. There were five performances in total, including the school show that took place during each class period on Dec. 3. After months of preparation for their shining-spotlight moment, dancers ranging from beginners to advanced saw their effort pay off this past weekend. “It was nice to be practicing for something like this because the last time was when I was a freshman,” Training for Team, or TFT, member senior Bailey Rogers said. “I was nervous and really excited to be on stage again.” The dances went in accordance with the seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, with dances for specific months, holidays and events such as “Prom” and “Anti-Bullying Month”. “[A dance] that I felt was inspiring was our cyberbullying one,” advanced dance class member Emma McDonald said. “My classmate Kalyssia choreographed it, and it sent a really good message while

LEAP OF FAITH—(Left) Mario Cano spins Mariah Marlow, to “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran, representing prom season. PHOTO » MADELINE CONVY » THE LANCER

still being a meaningful dance.” While the performance numbers were brand new to the audience, the dance department had been preparing for the entirety of the semester. “We learned these dances in the summer and we performed some of them at the football games,” Varsity Dance Team member junior Kealani Kirby said. “We reworked them to perform on the stage with costumes and the theme of the show.” The Varsity Dance Team performed a total of 10 dances, beginning with “New Year’s Day” and ending with “Merry Christmas!”. The team not only performed a large share of the songs, but led transitions between dances and guided the Redwood Dance Team during their ﬁrst time performing alongside high schoolers. “Our dance team got Redwood Dance Team buddies so we got to be with them throughout the concert,” Kirby said. “Having [them] perform this year was very exciting and lots of fun.” The TOHS Dance Department holds two concerts a year, allowing students, families and staﬀ to return in the spring for another round of shows.

PERFORMANCE PLAYLIST

On Dec. 2-4, the Thousand Oaks High School Dance Department held their annual Winter Dance Concert with the theme of “Dancing Through The Year”. Each dance showcased unique events that occur throughout the seasons.

1. “New Year’s Day” 2. “Winter Ice” 3. “Marti Gras” 4. “Valentine’s Day” 5. “President’s Weekend” 6. “March Madness” 7. “St. Patrick’s Day” 8. “Here Comes the Sun” 9. “Tax Season” 10. “April Showers” 11. “Easter” 12. “National Space Day” 13. “Prom” 14. “Cinco de Mayo”

SOLO SPOTLIGHT SPOTLIGHT—Julianna James performs a solo tap dance to “Dueling Violins” by Ronan Hardiman.

15. “Sort Of” 16. “May Flowers” 17. “Fleet Week 18. “June Gloom” 19. “Graduation” 20. “4th of July” 21. “Summer Road Trip” 22. “Summer Vacation: In New York City” 23. “Back to School” 24. “National Dance Day” 25. “National Robot Day” 26. “First Day of

27. “Autumn Leaves” 28. “Skeletons” 29. “Anti-Bullying Month” 30. “Trick of Treating” 31. “Dia de los Muertos” 32. “Daylight Savings” 33. “Black Friday Shopping” 34. “Exile” 35. “First Snowfall” 36. “Thanksgiving” 37. “Happy Holidays!”

VAKENTINE’S TRIO—(Left) Kealani Kirby, (Middle) Finley Quintard and (Right) Elsie Maravilla perform a Valentine’s dance to “Peer Pressure” by James Bay.

38. “Me

NEWS

CAPELESS HEROES Without a need for glory Project Concern strives to better the community. Through donations and fund-raisers Project Concern makes a difference. Project Concern is an international non-profit humanitarian organization and students at Thousand Oaks High School contribute by hosting food drives. less fortunate have a more joyful holiday season. The last drive that Project concern hosts occurs Project Concern International is a non-profit right before prom. Here, club members hold a prom organization which is based in San Diego, California and fundraiser to help give students who cannot afford that aims at driving innovation in order to enhance appropriate clothing to wear at the dance or to afford health, end hunger, and to make a meaningful change a ticket into the dance. As such, those who come from in peoples’ lives. Project Concern at Thousand Oaks lower income families can attend this major high High School is led by Mrs. Moore and they strive to school event because it disappears from their grasp. work together so that people in need can be taken care Project Concern is carried forwards by the efforts of within the community. Through food drives and and ambitions of each of its members. Sophomore donations, Project Concern gives opportunities to those Sophia Vicente says that “it feels good knowing that who normally cannot afford potentially costly events you’re doing something that helps people since there such as a Thanksgiving dinner or clothing for prom. is a lot of damage done to society.” Sophia also likes Project Concern’s activities are divided into four helping out in the community. major donation drives. The first Club President Austin Ferretiz says that drive takes place at the beginning of “tallying up all of the supplies that have the school year where paper, pens, “I feel as if not hav- been collected for donation and sending pencils, and other school materials them off to families that need them” is are collected by 2nd-period classes at ing enough members his favorite part about Project Concern. Thousand Oaks High School so that is the biggest struggle Austin also notes how “the overall basis of students who cannot afford school giving back to the community and for those as people want their that need it is a nice feeling.” Yet even supplies would be able to have sufficient materials for the school year. if Project Concern is able to accomplish own personal time.” The second drive takes place supporting the community, it is not without —Sophomore Sophia Vicente struggle. According to Austin, “Project during Thanksgiving where Project Concern teams up with the PTSA StuConcern really depends on the student dent Group. Through class collection, base participating” since it is difficult to non-perishable foods and personal procure the amount of supplies necessary hygiene items are gathered so that families in need can to adequately donate to the community without the have a Thanksgiving dinner without having to worry help of many. about not being able to afford it. In the future, Austin explains that he hopes to During the holiday season, Project Concern en“promote Project Concern and to have student courages the community to “adopt” a family in need engagement higher than ever” in order to help give for the holiday season. Families in need fill out wish back to the community more efficiently since the club lists for themselves and their family which include suffers from low member count. Project Concern is necessary items as well as a few more “fun” items. also collaborating with Adelante Comunidad Conejo Then, Project Concern members shop for the items on and ASB in order to make this holiday season merrier the wish-list and deliver them to the families so those for those in need.

NATHAN YANG

News Writer

PHOTO » FLICKR » WITH PERMISSION

GRAPHIC » PROJECT CONCERN » WITH PERMISSION

AROUND THE GLOBE—(Top) Food Donation. (Bottom) Locations Project Concerns operates in.

GRAPHIC » PROJECT CONCERN » WITH PERMISSION

OPINION

... That’s Debatable Should students be consuming caffeine on daily basis?

YES

With caffeinated drinks like Starbucks and soft drinks being popular among high school students, do the side effects outway the benefits?

Caffeine is benficial to high school students GRIFFIN LESTER

High school students should not be consuming caffeine

Opinion Editor

Caffeine is not a negative chemical or resource to use in your day because it does not have any substantial negative effects on your body. It is actually a very commonly used stimulant for students who don’t have time to finish work during the day because they have sports and other activities. Coffee can be used to help the student stay awake to finish work. Caffeine should not be seen in a negative way, as it helps so many people each day and it is extremely quick to buy while also being a tasty drink that many students enjoy each day in school. It is an extremely useful tool many use to help them wake up so they can start socializing earlier and get ready for school earlier in the morning. Coffee is such a great tool to get work done that people sometimes forget that too much coffee a day is bad for you, however, I don’t see why we can’t just control how much we drink instead of not drinking coffee all together. I see coffee as a quick drink students can have in school when they can’t focus on class and the work they’re supposed to do. Coffee is also a very healthy drink, as it has been proven to boost longevity in the day and also helps make your skin healthy and lowers risk of severe conditions like type 2 diabetes. You don’t have to just have boring coffee though you can use flavors to help make your coffee taste better like vanilla or chocolate creamer. But if you just want to buy a new flavor of coffee instead of making it, StarBucks has a lot of different and unique flavors of coffee to choose from. And caffeine can be used in every healthy diet so it won’t make you gain weight and is extremely healthy for you. Some people seem to think that caffeine can make you lose sleep, but as long as you try not to drink more than four cups of coffee per day, which is a whoping 400ml a day, it is still a healthy option and will not inhibit you from being able to get the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night. Coffee can also help your mental health, like helping you from feeling depressed. Now we know that coffee is a healthy drink that can be used by teenagers throughout the day to help them finish work earlier and socialize easier.

NO JAKE CRANDALL

Caffeine is consumed by 90% of adults

87% of high school students get less than the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep

Coffee is the most consumed non water beverage in the U.S

73% of students consume caffeine each day

More then half of adults intake above 300 milliters a day

Healthy ammount of caffeine intake is 400 milliters

Each cup of coffee contains 95 milliters of caffeine

SOURCE » www.cdc.gov GRAPHICS » KENDALL FLEMING » THE LANCER

When you are sleep deprived, you are as impaired as driving with a blood alcohol content of .08%

Opinion Editor

Coffee, a drink that is now synonymous with an average American breakfast. Everyone drinks it, almost quite literally with it being estimated to be consumed by an average of 85% of adults, with approximately 300 milliliters also being consumed a day according to the government website Pubmed. For those under 18, chances are high you still consume caffeine on a regular basis whether it be Starbucks or even a Monster Energy Drink. Something that as a student, you most definitely should not be doing. Classified officially as a drug according to the site BetterHealth, caffeine carries the same negative effects as any other addictive substance. Some of the most notable side effects occur at above 400 milliliters of consumption, only 100 milliliters greater than the average for an adult. What are these afflictions; well, they consist of things such as severe insomnia, anxiousness, jitters, headaches, dysphoria and feelings of sadness, accelerated heart rates, upset stomach, and the list goes on. These are bad on their own, but when you spend 8 hours a day in an academic setting, it will start to be even more noticeable. Students’ work ethics will start to take a toll from the mental and physical drain of having the multitude of possible symptoms. But what if you have already started consuming on a habitual basis? Well, the Natural Institute on Drug Abuse has put out research stating what could be expected of any drug. While repeated intake of caffeinated products may not cause the scientific term of addiction, it can cause the body to become reliant to it. This can lead to symptoms of withdrawal such as headaches when attempting to get off the heavy dose products. Even worse, these cravings can occur much faster when commonly intaked by those whose brains have not fully finished developing, aka, teenagers. Naturally teens gravitate towards the drink for their own reasons, but other safer alternatives can be used to alleviate what caffeine attempts to solve. Things such as stress management and getting into a good sleep schedule can be just as rewarding if not more as caffeine. Society has normalized caffeine to keep us functioning, but it doesn’t have to be this way. It is best for us students’ academic interest to stay away from caffeinated products.

OPINION

VACATION BLUES Many families plan to travel this holiday season. What can we expect from travelling in a pandemic? MOMO SONODA

tion spoiler for many travellers. The long Transportation Security Administration (TSA) lines are arguably the worst part of travelling, but buckle up, because this year, wait times are even worse. The number of travellers is returning to pre-pandemic levels, but the number of TSA agents is not. On November 28, roughly 2.5 million people were screened at TSA security checkpoints and in the 10 days leading up to that day, travel volume was 20.9 million people. That’s 89% of pre-pandemic levels. For TSA agents, it is a different story. 40% of TSA agents are unvaccinated, which means a mess for the agency. A mandate by the Biden Administration requiring TSA workers to be fully vaccinated meant that the agency would have to shrink their already short-staffed workforce even further. Though the TSA itself claims that the mandate won’t affect their ability to work during the busy holiday season, United States Representative Carlos Giménez thinks otherwise. Encouraging a contingency plan for fear of the TSA’s inability to handle airport secu-

Staff Writer

With students going back to school and employees going back to work, normal life is on the horizon for Americans all over the country and holiday travel is no exception. In a survey of 6,512 Americans, Deloitte, an audit and tax consulting advisory firm, found that 4 in 10 respondents plan to travel for the holidays. For a chaotic 2021, visiting family or touring the world is a seemingly perfect end to the year—a final farewell to the pandemic. However, despite the mirage of a pre-coronavirus-like holiday, travellers may encounter pandemic exclusive vacation spoiling obstacles like rising prices, longer airport lines and perhaps even the beast itself: COVID-19. Americans are desperate to travel this year, but they are in for a rough surprise. A Sense360 survey found that only 15% of travellers cited high prices as their reason for holding off on holiday travelling. However, with a surge in demand for travelling essentials, prices have gone up astronomically. Travellers will

no longer be seeing the steep discounts that airlines and travel agencies offered last year. According to a study by Hopper, a travel app that makes personalised travel recommendations, prices for domestic flights are up 55%, and international flights are up 30% from 2020. Circumventing these prices will be close to impossible. Rental car prices were also affected by the sudden surge in travellers. Car shortages are causing high rates, long pick up lines, and general uncertainties. Though the demand for rentals has decreased since earlier this year, prices are still up 78%. With driving, comes fuel. Gas prices in California are averaging $4.71 per gallon and colder-than-average winter temperatures have increased popular vacation destination Europe’s gas prices to 93 euros per megawatt-hour from 65 euros a month ago. The travel app TripIt found that many of its users who had to change or cancel travel plans due to the delta surge lost a significant amount of money, with some losing as much as $5000. With the new omicron variant emerging, travellers should be prepared to dig deep into their pockets because travel will be dangerously expensive this year. But, with most of the 4 in 10 Americans who will travel this holiday season making over $100,000, rising prices may not be the vaca-

rity this year, Giménez stated: “The administration’s mandate that all federal employees be fully vaccinated from COVID-19 by [November 22]... could contribute to a lack of staffing at airports.” Longer lines aren’t the only cause of concern though. Larger airport turnout is raising alarms for health experts all over the world. Identified first in South Africa, a new variant of the coronavirus, omicron, has been classified as a highly transmissible virus of concern. While President Joe Biden has encouraged vaccinations and booster shots to curb the fifth wave of COVID-19 and omicron, this new variant has 50 mutations; more mutations than any other variant of the virus. The virus is still undergoing research and scientists are unsure if vaccines will be enough to protect against it. And omicron is spreading quickly: it has already been identified in travellers to Hong Kong, Germany, Israel, Canada, Australia, and Italy. Travel restrictions are being made globally and trips are being cancelled. Omicron is showing the world that the battle with the pandemic is far from over; holiday travelling is looking rough this year. And if you haven’t already, perhaps you should consider getting vaccinated as recommended by the CDC.

BOARDING PASS

VOC

Virus of Concern

mutations

Appears to be more transmissable than previous variants. Transmissability Less severe than previous variants. Severity

VARIANT

OMICRON

states have detected omicron.

NOVEMBER 24, 2021

12/1 first case detected in the United States.

905

point plunge for Dow Jones.

Variant name Date reported to WHO from South Africa to

20 different countries

69+

countries banned travel from Africa.

TRAVEL TIPS 1

Be flexible with your plans.

Keeping the pandemic’s effects at bay during travel is going to be difficult. Keeping your plans flexible and subject to change will help deal with the changes that the virus may bring to your travel plans.

Upgrade your mask.

While cloth masks and standard medical masks protect against the virus, experts say that an upgrade to an N95 or a KN95 mask will greatly boost your protection. If you don’t want to purchase a new mask, layering a surgical mask and a cloth mask will also do the trick.

Book flights using points.

Use your hard-earned points and miles to book your flight. If plans change, you will be able to refund your purchase more easily than you could with a flight you booked through cash.

Cover your nose.

This seemingly obvious COVID-19 protection tip is one of the hardest ones to follow. If you’re leaving your nose bare because you feel like you can’t breathe with a mask on, reconsider if you’re ready to take a vacation.

Avoid hot spots.

Go somewhere new this holiday season. Try a place lesser known to avoid the traveling crowds.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Holiday Harmonies

Turn up the volume because The Lancer looks at the history of our favorite holiday songs to get into the celebration spirit. RILEY KEELER

All I Want for Christmas Is You “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey, one of the most well known Christmas songs written with its peak of almost 9 million streams on Dec. 12 2017. The album “Merry Christmas’’ that “All I Want for Christmas Is You” appears in, is inspired by Phil Spector who made a popular Christmas album “A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector.”

Staff Writer

Jingle Bell Rock “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms is an upbeat song about Christmas. This song came out Nov. 28, 1957, and as of January 3rd, 2020, the song has peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot100, it’s highest peak to date.

Last Christmas

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

“Last Christmas” by Wham!, a popular 1980s hit, is not about Christmas, as much as it’s about George Michael’s failed relationship. The song was written when Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael visited their childhood home, where they would spend time recording as kids, which was George’s inspiration. That’s when George started playing the melody of “ Last Christmas “ for Andrew, and they came up with lyrics as he played it.

“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” by Frank Loesser wrote this song to make it a duet for him and his wife to sing at their housewarming party. The song was recorded in 1948 for the musical “Neptune’s Daughter”.The internet has debated if this is even a Christmas song at all, considering that the lyrics have nothing to do with the holidays.

Scan this code for The Lancer’s holiday playlist!

Santa Tell Me “Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande though it has Christmas related lyrics it’s not all about Christmas, but more about how she is let down by Santa. Ariana Grande is let down by Santa a lot, and he doesn’t always pull through when she needs him.

Sleigh Ride “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson, was written during a heatwave in July of 1946. “Sleigh Ride” does not have any references to Christmas but the seasonal imagery has associated it with the holidays. This was the most-played holiday song on American Radio from 2009-2012. GRAPHICS » KENDALL FLEMING » THE LANCER

ENTERTAINMENT

Friendly Neighborhood Cinema The final movie of the Spider-Man: Homecoming trilogy is set to be released Dec. 17. FINLEY SWANSON

Are you excited for “Spider-Man: No Way Home”?

86% Yes

14% No

Trailer views in first day

230 million

Entertainment Editor

To fans’ excitement, the sequel to “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017) and “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019), “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, will soon be released. Following the end of “Far From Home”, where villain Mysterio revealed Peter Parker’s identity as Spider-Man to the world, the hero seeks fellow Avenger Dr. Strange to restore his secret with magic. However, through some magical mistake, they break open the multiverse where supervillains from other realities- or, pre-Avengers Spider-Man films- escape ready for a fight. Tom Holland, who has played Spider-Man since 2016, has said the film will be dark, sad, and “really affecting” compared to the previous two, more light hearted films. Longer than its predecessor, the film has a run time of 150 minutes or two hours and thirty minutes, including credits, and it’s hype seemingly exceeds the previous Spider-Man films as well. 86% of students said they were excited for the film. The trailer had over 355 million global views in the first day of it’s release, surpassing the 289 million record of “Avengers: Endgame” for that time frame. The response was also double that to the previous film’s trailer, and is believed to have also shattered a global viewership record. It generated the largest 24-hour social media conversation volume of all-time with 4.5M mentions. While the response was overwhelmingly positive, some commentators such as Jason Robbins, pop culture writer for The Collider, have a different opinion. He is concerned that the high expectations will not be met, concerned by the final trailer seemingly not meeting them. “It’s a little disappointing... Robbins said, “No further insight into the multiverse; just straight-up villains from other Spider-Man incarnation movies that we expected to see. Which is fine. If the movie lives up to the multiverse expectations that it’s been teasing for the past year.”

Recently, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has explored the idea of the multiverse: endless possible realities. This was most recently explored in their series “What if…?” where each episode explored different realities. The multiverse is also not new for Spider-Man, with hit film “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse” from 2018. One prominent theory among fans is that previous Spider-Man actors Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield will return to their roles as the hero. The villains, Doc Ock, Sandman, Electro and The Green Goblin are the same as they fought in their own films. One clip from the trailer appears to show an invisible force punching one villain known as the Lizard. “Who is punching the Lizard?” dozens of YouTube videos read. The clip rapidly spread in Marvel circles where people theorized Garfield or Maguire had been cut from the trailer. The Lizard, flying through the air, is seemingly “punched by air” (as some video titles read). While it admittedly looks strange, fans also point out that whoever or whatever caused the impact could have been a different spoiler or cut for aesthetic reasons. There has also been speculation that Garfield and Maguire’s soundtracks can be heard in the leaked NWH Soundtrack 19 - “Unite”, further supporting their return. However, Holland as well as Garfield and Maguire have all firmly denied the claim. “Listen, I’m not in the film. I love Spider-Man, I always have, I was so happy to have played the part. I’m so excited to see what they do with the third one,” Garfield said. “No Way Home” will be part of phase four of the MCU alongside “WandaVision”, “Loki”, “Black Widow”, and other media. This phase follows the Infinity Saga, from the first “Iron Man” to “Avengers: Endgame”. “Avengers: Endgame” was widely praised by fans as well as being the highest-grossing film of all time and the highest opening weekend gross, so this phase has big shoes to fill. The upcoming film has large expectations, but only time will tell how it measures.

289 million 355.5 million GRAPHICS » FINLEY SWANSON » THE LANCER GRAPHICS » MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT INSTAGRAM

ENTERTAINMENT

Writes of Passage We had Thousand Oaks High School Students take our survey and give required reading books a rating out of three stars. BODEN ADE-

Staff Writer

Of Mice and Men “Of Mice And Men” is a realistic ﬁction book by John Steinbeck published in 1937. The book is set in California during the great depression and follows the duo, Lennie and George. Read in the ninth grade , the novel has six chapters and 107 pages. “One of the worst things about this book,” freshman Andrew Coleman said “is that our teacher had us annotate all of the pages.”

9th

COVER » COVICI FRIEDE

The Great Gatsby “The Great Gatsby” is a realistic ﬁction tragedy novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is set in Long Island in 1925. The Great Gatsby is read in 11th grade. The novel is 152 pages long and has nine chapters where it explores the interaction between the narrator Nick Carraway and the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby. Nick is a Yale University Graduate from the Midwest and moves to New York to pursue a career in money bonds. In the novel Jay Gatsby pursues the young wealthy woman Daisy Buchanan while Nick follows throughout. “I really enjoyed the Great Gatsby because of the dynamics and lifestyle of the 1920s,” says twelfth grader Marina McDermot. COVER » CHARLES SCHNiDER AND SONS

Hamlet “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare or “The Tragedy of Hamlet’’ is a tragedy play published in 1603 and is read in 12th grade. The play is set in Denmark and depicts Prince Hamlet and his conﬂict with his Uncle Claudius over the throne of Denmark. In the beginning of the play Hamlet sees the ghost of his father, the deceased king of Denmark that tells him to kill his uncle to avenge him. “Hamlet” is 29,551 words, 5 chapters and sub-chapters and 4,042 lines of dialogue. “Mr. McGinnis lectures on Hamlet have motivated me to read much more Shakespeare outside of high school and really formed my perspective on his works as a whole” says alumni Kathyrn Koehler.

10th

1984 “1984” by George Orwell is a dystopian realistic ﬁction novel written in 1949 but the novel is set in 1984. “1984” is typically read in 10th grade. It’s 328 pages long and has twenty three chapters. The novel explores the main character Winston Smith in a dystopian version of London where an authoritarian political party called “The Party” controls nearly all aspects of civilian life while he looks to rebel against the party. The Party limits individuality through the Thought police and by using newspeak, a collection of words to promote The Party’s doctrines. COVER » SECKER AND WARBURG

The Catcher in the Rye

11th

“The Catcher in the Rye” is a realistic fiction coming of age novel by J.D Salinger that was published in 1951. It is typically read in 11th grade classes. “The Catcher in the Rye’’ follows the main character, Holden Caulfield, in many different locations in 1950s America. The Catcher in the Rye has 277 pages and 26 chapters. COVER » LITTLE BROWN

12th

COVER » SIMON AND SCHUSTERS

GRAPHICS » KENDALL FLEMING » THE LANCER

IN-FOCUS

Just a theory? With access to social media and other online sources, conspiracy theories have become more obtainable to students. The Lancer talks with students to gain and inside perspective. We interviewed four students, Freshman Cheyenne White, Sophomore Genevieve Monast, Junior Ian Dimaggio, and Senior Kendall Huggins to gain a better perspective on TOHS students and conspiracy theories. The Lancer: “Do you recall learning about any conspiracies in school?” White: “I’ve never heard any conspiracies in school.” Monast: “I don’t think so. I mean, maybe it’s been brought up a couple of times, but I don’t think anyone has gone super in-depth.” Dimaggio: “No, I don’t. No. Maybe like a teacher will mention it once or twice… but not that I can remember.” Huggins: “I do.”

GRAPHIC»NAZO NIAZI » THE LANCER

ABIGAIL TRIPP-BULLOUGH MILES CLEARY NAZO NIAZI MOLLY NORTON

Staff Writer Infocus Editor

When we think of conspiracy theories we may think of the Illuminati, birds being controlled by the government or other less serious theories. Other people when they hear the word “conspiracy theory” may think of theories that relate to tragic times in society such as 9/11 being an inside job, vaccines having microchips and many others. Even if one claims to be free from dealing with these conspiracies, they are much more accessible to students now more than ever with the creation of several social media apps. While our Instagram and Tik Tok feeds are curated to supposedly fit our interests, an outlandish post or video may make its way into our content consumption. Especially on apps like Tik Tok, where long and nuanced videos are objectively impossible to create, theories can easily be spread throughout a population in a matter of seconds- literally. There are various websites that are available to help fact check information if it may seem unreliable or possibly a conspiracy. These sites include FactCheck. org, TruthorFiction.com and Snopes. On top of using fact-checking websites, a lack of knowledge may also influence one’s ability to point out a conspiracy theory (harmful or not). This is evident within Holocaust deniers, who are clearly misinformed about the events of the Holocaust and the impact the genocide had on the entire world. When The Lancer asked Thousand Oaks High School student’s to define a conspiracy in their own words some of the responses included “cool theories about life”, “some alternate belief that has not been collectively accepted by society as the real truth”, and “ an unproven explanation for strange unsolved occurrences”. While these are all around the idea of conspiracies, the actual definition of a conspiracy is “a theory that explains an event or set of circumstances as the result

of a secret plot by usually powerful conspirators,” according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Why do they happen? Conspiracy theories are often caused by people who are desperate for attention. They often makeup conspiracies to feel unique and accepted by the people around them. These people are higher in powerlessness, social isolation, and anomia. Conspiracy theories give a sense of meaning, security, and control over an unpredictable and dangerous world. These conspiracies spread fast and are easy to believe. At least half of the United States population believes in at least one type of conspiracy theory. The audience of conspiracy theories is very similar to the conspiracy theorists. They as well are thirsty for attention and uniqueness. The internet has amplified the abilities of these like-minded people to come together and share and expand on their conspiracy theories. It is a way for people like this to come together and form a group that makes them feel included in society. What draws people in? People are often drawn to the unknown. Things that are shrouded in mystery that not everyone knows the full story to, often makes others want to dig deeper to find out the truth. But most of the time people create conspiracy theories in those kinds of situations. Which in some cases drag people astray from the truth. “We want to believe the obvious isn’t the whole story,” Thousand Oaks High School teacher Craig Rond said. We often think there is more than meets the eyes. We jump to conclusions and makeup stories when the whole situation could be right in front of us. So, being drawn to theories and gossip is almost inevitable, even way back in ancient times humans were always curious in nature. Trying to explain certain situations with stories and why things became the way they are, were theories and stories created to explain the unknown. It’s built into us to find explanations as to why

The Lancer: “Have you heard any conspiracy theories from an outside source?” White: “I’ve heard, like, conspiracy theories about like aliens from outside of school. I’ve read like articles about stuff like that.” Monast: “A lot of YouTube videos…mainly just on YouTube, watching videos about them. I would think like Shane Dawson would be one. Oh, trust me, I’ve seen probably every single one of those.” Dimaggio: “Tons. Mostly Buzzfeed unsolved talking about conspiracy theories with certain murders, like the murder or supposedly murder of Princess Diana.” Huggins: “Mostly just TV like finding Bigfoot stuff like that.” The Lancer: What is your overall opinion on conspiracy theories? White: “I think conspiracy theories can get a little bit out of hand. But I think most of them are just harmless, and they’re just people voicing their own opinions.” Monast: “I think they can be good, but they can also be harmful because if they are, like really like extravagant and, totally just false it could be negative to some people, especially those who are inside of the conspiracy.” Dimaggio: “I think conspiracy theories can be really fun and interesting to learn about, but they can also be a way for people to deny events that happened or to try and shift blame to another group of people.” Huggins: “I don’t usually believe in them, but I do think that they are interesting.”

something has happened and others to believe it, but to a certain degree. Everyone has their own theory to every situation just depending on how believable they think it is, but that doesn’t change the fact that conspiracy theories and coming up with explanations for the unknown is wired into us. We are human. It’s a very adaptive mechanism to want to know the world around you and to not be left in the dark. Where did these begin? A lot of the most well known conspiracies have been made surrounding some of the most influential organizations in today’s society. The governments of the world and the remaining monarchies are some examples. These theories have a long history behind them and a long road ahead. Some share harmless theories that are used to explain the seemingly unexplainable. However, others can end up being dangerous to those involved. Opinion and fact can often come into conflict, so the results of one conspiracy can influence many more in the future.

IN-FOCUS

Disclaimer: The Lancer Newspaper and those authoring this spread are not to be associated with the belief or disbelief in these conspiracies. This is purely to provide information on popular conspiracies throughout history. Salem Witch Trials are

The a series of investigations and prosecutions that cause the conviction of 19 victims hanged and many more imprisoned. This arises from the widespread conspiracy of witches and young girls and women engaging in activities with the “devil and his book”.

Salem Witch Trials (1692-1693)

Track The Timeline Holocaust/ Shoah

One of the main conspiracy theories that was made about JFK was that he got assassinated by the CIA. Conspiracy theorists say that President JFK was assassinated either out of anger over the bay of pigs or at the behest of Vice President Lyndon Johnson.

JFK assassination (1963)

“Faked” moon landing (1969)

There are a few conspiracies surrounding this tragic event, such as it being caused by the September 11, 2001 US “deep state” government and crisis actors while others believe the buildings fell due to uncontrollable fires.

Vaccines 2020Photo/ Info Sources:

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ moon-landing-conspiracy-theories-explained-861205/ https://www.verywellmind.com/why-do-we-believe-conspiracy-theories-5181316 https://www.britannica.com/event/Salem-witch-trials https://www.britannica.com/event/Holocaust https://picryl.com/media/old-witch-house-salem-mass-cor-essex-and-north-sts-built-1631ca2d03 https://localhost:6543/block_screen.html?id=d40c4fbd-42b8-4e2e-a1ba-9fdb83db21e0 https://localhost:6543/block_screen.html?id=a28fca89-478f-44da-934f-a13d68a2f7fa https://localhost:6543/block_screen.html?id=4ff3c416-52c0-4c3d-ba34-6b6dca9f1a59 https://localhost:6543/block_screen.html?id=23aeacbc-c45f-4f4d-a077-09878dbdf966 https://localhost:6543/block_screen.html?id=a6cbf5b9-0adc-4c04-88da-b67d5abb62e6 l https://www.apa.org/research/action/speaking-of-psychology/conspiracy-theories https://stacker.com/stories/2501/major-conspiracy-theories-last-century-and-stories-behind-them https://www.britannica.com/event/assassination-of-John-F-Kennedy/Conspiracy-theories https://www.businessinsider.com/psychologist-explains-why-people-believe-conspiracy-theories-during-uncertain-times-2020-4

After Germany was in financial ruin after its loss World War 1, top German military leader, Erich Ludendorff spread the conspiracy that Jewish people were one of the groups responsible for the country’s defeat and impoverished state. This “Elders of Zion” conspiracy has been embedded throughout society and many conspiracies today can be traced back to antisemitism.

There have been many theories on whether the moon landing is a fake. One of the first few was a man name William Kaysing. He was a former technical writer, for a brief time working with a company who made rockets. After the first 1969 launched, William claimed it was a hoax and that the US didn’t have the advanced technology, even went as far as to write a book named “We Never Went to the Moon: America’s Thirty Billion Dollar Swindle” where it explains how the government faked the moon landing.

The recent COVID-19 Pandemic has caused speculations as to whether the vaccines for the virus Ware safe or not. Many believe the vaccines contain microchips for government tracking or are simply unsafe due to being created too soon.

FEATURES

Lunch Line Madness

Lunch is now free and the race for food is here. The cafeteria provides a full course meal everyday and the line is filled. Students go through these lines every single day at school. But is the cafeteria food worth this wait? BROOKELYN BONILLA

Q: Why do you think the lines are so long? A: I think there’s just a lot of kids who want free lunch and a lot of kids can’t even get their off campus passes you know. -Junior Estefany Martinez

Q: Do people ever cut you in the lunch line? A: They do, all the time actually, usually multiple people a day. -Junior Adam Weinstein

Q:How long does it usually take you to get your food? A: I get there three minutes after the bell and there is already such a big line, I wait like 15 minutes. - Junior Max Teplinsky

Features Writer

Q: What food is worth the wait? A: Definitely the burgers. They actually taste like they are from a restaurant, it just tastes really good, and I don’t mind the line if I can get that burger. - Freshmen Ray Acosta

Q:How many people cut in front of you this week typically? A:I would say about ten to twenty kids just in a week. - Junior Freddy Ibarra.

Q: If the line is so long, why do you get the school lunch? A: The lunch is free so I would rather get it here, then spend money. -Junior Ivana Vargas

PHOTO » BROOKELYN BONILLA » THE LANCER

FEATURES

Permanent Ink The art of getting a tattoo is limited to 16-year-olds with permission and or 18 year olds. Thousand Oaks students are taking advantage. Students make marks of permanent ink to seal specific meanings that hold their own individuality. This ink truly brings its own meanings and importances. SARA GUY

Features Writer

The art of the tattoo has been around for centuries in many diﬀerent forms and in a variety places. The long history of tattoos is accompanied by a large stereotype that clouds the idea of them with negativity and disapproval. In spite of these judgments, tattoos are still seen everywhere, even our own school. Students often see their 18th birthday as an opportunity for adulthood and independence. This new chapter in their lives also gives them a chance to express themselves through methods that are restricted to independent adults. Getting a tattoo is one of the many small methods people use for self expression and receiving the ability to make this permanent decision plays a part in students’ dreams and desires. Tattoos can be viewed as a personalized version of art. People can get tattoos just to support the idea that these marks are pure art work. “I got my tattoos because I liked how [we are] able to have art on [our bodies] and [that we can] get something that is meaningful to [us],” Senior Jackie Orozco said. For her, her tattoo is an eternal reminder of love and freedom through her own speciﬁc art. Tattoos can also represent even deeper ideas. People see the value in the idea of getting a tattoo that represents something as heartfelt as family. “[The] tattoo on my wrist is the most special to me because it’s for my mom,” Senior Sarah Rush said. The process to get a tattoo includes a needle, which scares some people out of taking the opportunity to have a tattoo. People wonder all the time how much it hurts, if it hurts afterward, and if there is pain afterward how long does that agony last. “[It] just felt like a prick into your skin and there was no pain after [just] redness ,” Junior Justin Vondenstemmen said. Those who have experienced this process are either left with slight irritation or no pain. A new way of self expression was opened up with this body art. “It’s a really interesting thing having tattoos because it’s like displaying our own personal stories,” Rush said. Now these students make plans to continue with their new found form of expression. This art includes emotion, appreciation, remembrance and above all style as well. Getting a tattoo is a decision that will stand the test of time no matter what it means or what reason they hold. Some people come into a tattoo place thinking about childhood memories, ideas of love, or an important life lesson they want to remember forever.

A BUTTERFLY FOR BEAUTY BEAUTY— Jackie Orozco has a butterfly tattoo on her forearm because of their beauty. Jackie also has a heart and a rose.

PHOTO » JACKIE OROZCO » THE LANCER

GOOD VS EVIL— Justin Vondenstemmen has a cross on his finger to symbolize good vs evil. This tattoo also represents religion. Justin also has 888 to represent his lucky number.

PHOTO » JUSTIN VONDENSTEMMEN » THE LANCER

A STAR’S CONNECTION— Sarah Rush has a star tattoo on her wrist to remember memories with her mother. This star tattoo is the tattoo that Sarah and her mother got together.

PHOTO » SARAH RUSH » THE LANCER

FEATURES

Future of Real Estate Seniors Jack Monroe and Adrian Nevolo share their experiences as business partners running a virtual house touring company.

FOUNDER-Senior Adrian

CO-FOUNDER-Senior Jack

Nevolo

Monroe

ISABELLA MORENO

Features Editor

As technology advances, every industry uses new developments to further enhance their business and create more efficient services. The concept of virtual house touring first surfaced in 1994 when Colin Johnson created a virtual museum tour of Dudley Castle in England as if it were 1550, which became the blueprint for all future virtual touring systems. Since then, the idea has expanded rapidly and is used day to day by buyers, sellers, advertisers, and those who simply find it fun. In an industry consisting primarily of people who have graduated college and developed their own brand, it is rare to see young adults have outstanding success in real estate. However, high school seniors Jack Monroe and Adrian Nevolo have not only stepped into real estate, but have tackled it with their own virtual touring company, AJ’s Virtual Tours. “We provide a service for realtors. We go around properties and take pictures with a 360 degree camera and use a software called Matterport that merges every picture together to create a dollhouse visual of the property,” Monroe said. Depending on the size of the property, the process of taking and merging the photos, then downloading them into a link, can take between ten minutes to a couple of hours. The upbringing of their company was not smooth sailing. Just like any small company, especially those developed by students, Monroe and Nevolo overcame many struggles before reaching a point of security and stability.

“The beginning was tough. We bought the wrong camera that didn’t work at all and was $400 down the drain, six months of doing nothing. We had somebody else on the team and all three of us were not working,” Nevolo said. “Eventually we put our heads to it, bought a new camera, $1000 more, and found one client who is now a big investor and a more Click consistent client.” here to see They emphasized the a virtual tour importance of a beautiful of investing in good quality home in Santa gear to receive better results and criticism Clarita from clients. “You have to go big or go home,” Monroe said. “I know it’s tough to throw a lot of capital up front but when you get a bad camera like that, you can’t market it to realtors.” While most people spend about two to three years creating and advertising a small business, AJ’s Virtual Tours began August of 2020 and has proved to be a local success. Most of their projects are done within Ventura County, Orange County, and Los Angeles County. They have also expanded their network through larger companies, like Flipper Inc., another company that Nevolo works with, and a few other construction

companies; but what really insures a company’s popularity, is it’s locations and operations out of state. “Our goal is to be nationwide and to have employees who can do the work for us.We have a nice flexibility between the two of us, but in the future we want employees who can work under us that get a percentage, get their own clients,” Nevolo said. “We want to brockergize the company.” Running a business that requires traveling to different locations and setting up meetings with clients can be inconvenient when only two people are able to take on projects. Increasing the number of employees for AJ’s Virtual Tours will open up new opportunities for more clients, income, and publicity. “The most important thing about real estate is connections,” Nevolo said. “Real estate is my passion and AJ has gotten me into my dream position now which is acquisition and VP of a big company.” Building a company from the it’s foundation as highschoolers is nothing less than amazing, but it truly all begins with an idea, dedication, and creativity. “Be creative, work hard, and prioritize,” Nevolo said. Developing relationships are important to growing a business and Monroe and Nevolo are two great examples of that. They have proved to be a hardworking partnership and their company will do nothing but grow with both of their strengths and goals for AJ’s Virtual Tours.

CADE CUTLER

MADISON GYLSER

FEATURES

What is one thing that never fails to make you laugh hysterically ?

Would you rather starve for a week or instead eat the food you hate the most? I would definitely rather eat the food I hate the most because I can’t go all week without eating, that’s for sure.

EDWIN OLIVO

One thing that never fails to make laugh is farts and I have no shame in my answer.

If you could put a made up word of yours into the English dictionary what would it be. If I could put one word into the English dictionary it would be “lavarge” which means to live large.

EVERY LANCER HAS A STORY Every Lancer Has a Story is a reoccurring feature in the Lancer about students who are selected on campus at different times and places. Each student is asked a different question about their unique life experiences.

One thing that really pushes my buttons is when people purposely flare their nostrils because it reminds me of gorillas and gorillas just irritate me.

BRIANNA HILL

What is one thing that really pushes your buttons?

The weirdest thing I’ve ever thought is where does wind come from, like what makes the wind, honestly it’s just so weird to me.

HAZAEL BERNAL

What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever thought?

Features Writer

DENIS GONCHAROV

KARLA GARCIA

Would you rather have the most beautiful smile in the world but no eyesight or really good smelling fingers but no sense of smell? I would rather have a good smile instead of good smelling fingers cause like who’s going to smell my fingers, I’m not gonna go up to people and be like smell my fingers.