The Northmen’s
LOG Oak Park High School Kansas City, MO Vol. 54, Issue 4 May 2019
STUDENTS LEARN SKILLS • PUTTING SAFETY FIRST • JUST PICK ONE •
Letter from the Editor
spring than all of these things is HELLO, Oak Park! This issue the fact that after it comes summarks our last for the school year, mer. Eventually, allergies give way and with it comes all the best to flowers, taxes are replaced with parts of spring - the weather has changed, the birds are chirping, the profits, and all those rainstorms fade to sunshine. flowers are blooming. Yet spring In the depths of lightning, brings sadness too - our allerwith thunder roaring all gies return, you file taxes, around you, it can and the seniors have to be hard to rememleave. ber that you need Speaking of those April showwhich, since this is ers to bring May my last letter to you flowers. as your Northmen’s As we wrap Log editor-in-chief, up the school I thought I’d make year and seniors a point about spring say goodbye, it’s that I’ve learned over important to rethe course of this ismember that we’re sue and the last four Editor-in-Chief Mina Buchgetting summer in years. holz gets drenched. (photo credit just about a month. When spring Mackenzie Powell) Don’t give up hope. comes, it’s easy to Don’t let yourself complain and see everything wrong get drenched. And for the last time, with it. Taxes, tornadoes, allergies, have a great day, Oak Park. and goodbyes dampen our spirits. More than anything, we find ourEditor-in-Chief selves stuck in the rain. Mina Buchholz But much more important about
Staff
Mina Buchholz, Editor-In-Chief Kayelyn Logan, Photo & Opinion Editor Jessica Begley, Sports Editor Mackenzie Powell, People/Recreation Editor Caitlin Anderson, Staffer Leah Beatty, Staffer Emily Byrum, Staffer Lindsey Dunaway, Staffer Gisselle Ferman, Staffer Faith Guinnip, Staffer Ivonee Morales-Mejia, Staffer Christina Geabhart, Adviser
Publication information “The Northmen’s Log” will publish four times during the school year. “Log” staff strongly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. Freedom of expression and press are fundamental values in a democratic society. Therefore, “Log” encourages readers to participate in the discussion by submitting Letters to the Editor in Room E134 or by email to christina.geabhart@nkcschools.org. Letters cannot exceed 350 words and must be signed. “Log” will not run letters that are libelous, obscene, or that may cause a verifiable disruption to the education process at Oak Park. Advertisers may contact the adviser at christina.geabhart@nkcschools.org for more information. Subscriptions are available at $20 for a mailed copy, $10 for an emailed PDF version, and $25 for both. Opinions expressed in “Log” do not reflect student, staff, or district endorsements of that opinion, product or service. “Log” is a member of MIPA, NSPA, and Quill and Scroll. “Log” is affiliated with JEA, MJEA, and JEMKC.
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Table of Contents News - 4
Floods hit the Northland: Though flooding on the Missouri River may have died down, people are still being affected by its waters. Say goodbye to ‘physics first’: Starting in the 2019-2020 school year, freshmen at Oak Park will take biology instead of physics A school without spirit: Many STUCO-sponsored events were delayed or underplanned this school year. Why?
Recreation - 7 Giving you the scoop: The Log reviews the local Hispanic-style ice cream shop, Fruitopia
Opinion - 8 Putting safety first: Unvaccinated and vaccinated students mingle every day at school. Should unvaccinated students be allowed to attend?
Features - 10
Students learn skills: Oak Park students gain opportunities through our Industrial Tech departments Just pick one: Seniors headed to college must choose where they are going before the May 1 commitment date
Sports - 14 Setting up the future: Oak Park had an official boys’ volleyball team for the first time this year How did snow days affect winter sports?: After 11 snow days, spring sports were forced to delay their seasons, affecting them negatively
Back Cover Personal Column: Photo Editor Kayelyn Logan admits to her caffeine addiction
On the Cover Safety first: Photo illustration of a
vaccine being drawn into a syringe. See pages 8 & 9 for more. (photo credit Caitlin Anderson)
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News // Logan
Say Goodbye to Physics First by staffer Ivonee Mejia
For the past 13 years, the North Kansas City School District emphasized a ‘physics first’ program, a program that introduced physics to the district’s freshmen instead of biology, unlike other school districts that emphasize biology for freshman year. “I am one of the few and few remaining guys that gave up three summers to go down to the University of Missouri and learn physics in order to teach physics effectively for this program,” said science teacher Chris Goll. Now, the curriculum will be flipped to where freshman takes biology first instead of physics. Students will still have to take
physics at some point, but it won’t be freshman year any more. “What I thought was so hard about physics was memorizing the equations,” said freshman Kylie Michael. “It’s too much and the math involved in physics, I don’t think the math that they teach in physics is something that we have been taught in our normal math classes.” According to the Merriam-Webster dictionaryphysics is “a science that deals with matter and energy and their interactions,” whereas biology is “a branch of knowledge that deals with living organisms and vital processes.” “I feel like you should be able to choose whether you want to do it or not, I feel like the freshmen next
“In general, it can be hard to understand and since it is a lot of equations, most freshmen that are just starting algebra, physics equations can be easy to mess up,” said freshman Kallista Ashton.`
Biology teacher Kim Bennett’s classroom includes microscopes students use to view specimens during classes and labs. (Photo credit staffer Faith Guinnip)
year are lucky that they don’t have to take it next year,” said freshman Ava Haskins. The ‘physics first’ program was put to place in order to encourage more students early on to pursue jobs requiring science and math since there is a high demand for that kind of work in today’s society. “In general, it can be hard to understand and since it is a lot of equations, most freshmen that are just starting algebra, physics equations can be easy to mess up,” said freshman Kallista Ashton. Although it’s been a program that has taken effect for a long time, students said they wouldn’t be sad to see it go. “I’ll miss teaching freshman physics, being able to run experiments and back them up with mathematics in order to understand how physical processes work. Hopefully kids get that as they go up and down the hall during their four years of high school and know that they’ll get that now in a quality way,” Goll said.
Flooding
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hits the Northland
by Sports Editor Jessica Begley
Flooding along the Missouri River has devastated the Midwest since March of this year. The floods have damaged the agriculture business, homes, and even a bridge in Minnesota. The exact cause of these floods cannot be pinpointed, it’s a combination of several factors. “Additional spring rain and melting snow will prolong and expand flooding, especially in the central and southern U.S.,” The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published, “As this excess water flows downstream through the river basins, the flood threat will become worse and geographically more widespread.” As the flooding spread, it has come closer to Oak Park, reaching St. Joseph, Mo. The Missouri River crested at 32.11 feet, on March 22, which is just above the old record of 32.07, from 1993. Although the flooding has not reached Kansas CIty, it can still
indirectly affect students. Kansas City water department website reported the water failed to meet “enhanced treatment technique standards.” This puts the people with weak immune systems at risk. With flooding also causing severe damage to the agriculture business, students can also expect to see an increase on prices of products such as meat, corn, and even bread. The Missouri Department of Transportation made many closures on I-29. Atchison and Holt counties also have many closures with severe damage to roadways and bridges. Due to this damage, I-29 will not fully re-open until summer. Gov. Mike Parson declared a state of emergency on March 21, after four people had to be rescued from their homes, and three more from a boat. “The rising floodwaters are affecting more Missouri communities and farms, closing more roads and threatening levees, water
treatment plants and other critical infrastructure,” Parson said in a statement. By declaring a state of emergency, state agencies can work directly with local authority to help respond to the flooding. So far, only northwest Missouri has been affected by this extreme weather. However, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a Spring Flood Outlook that’s effective until May, and Kansas City is categorized at minor flooding risk. Minor flooding is not life-threatening but can produce some public safety threats by damaging roads. Although Kansas City is in a lowrisk area, the best line of defense is to be prepared and follow the weather. Flood watches and warnings can be accessed at http:// water.weather.gov. Light pole surrounded by water at English Landing Park located in Parkville, Mo. (Photo Credit staffer Emily Byrum)
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News // Begley
Bringing back the spirit Five Student Council members pose for a picture at the Missouri state conference. Students traded ideas with others across the state (photo courtesy of Bently Taulbert)
by staffer Lindsey Dunaway During this school year, Student Council ran into problems involving timing and other issues. Nine snow days made planning a challenge and certain events such as the blacklight dance, Mr. and Ms. OP, and the Ms. and Mr. OP walkout assembly had to be cancelled or rescheduled. “Not only did [snow days] make planning difficult, but with the black light dance, it actually was because of a snow cancellation on the day the backlight dance. So the black light dance kind of domino effected into all of our other events,” StuCo sponsor Bryan Edinger said. When the date of events changed, the challenge became getting people to still attend. “Changing dates is always difficult for everyone because people mark their calendars early. So moving a date is negative in the ways that not as many people can go, or it can conflict with people who work,” StuCo president Kari Westburg said. With many events being pushed back, committees had to overcome keeping the student body informed and excited. “Sometimes it’s a little discouraging
because you think that people are going to forget about it over time,” former StuCo vice president senior Bailey Brewer said. Having extra time to plan events also had its benefits. “When certain things get moved, it’s definitely a positive because we get to see maybe some things that we missed before. And then with the extra time we have were able to improve on those things,” Westburg said. Toward the end of the year, StuCo members said they found it significantly harder to plan events and fundraisers. “Let’s be honest, students are tapped out,” Edinger said. “Sometimes organizations don’t need money, they need help.” Next year, StuCo plans to meet every other Friday to give the students who are in Early College Academy a chance to go to the meetings. The newly elected officers spoke of increased communications during their campaigns, including suggesting they might use lunchroom table tents, social media and other media formats to inform the student body. StuCo may change some of the events it offers to the student body to better fit the what students are
interested in. “If it’s not working, what [would we] be okay with getting rid of?” Edinger said. “Traditions are good, but sometimes evolution is better.”
“If it’s not working, what [would we] be okay with getting rid of? Traditions are good, but sometimes evolution is better,”
-StuCo sponsor Brian Edinger said.
Recreation // Begley
Giving you the by staffer Ivonee Mejia
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SCOOP
Nestled between Buy the Pound and Family Dollar on Independence Boulevard in Kansas City, there’s a new ‘paletería’ called Fruitopia. Paleterías are Spanish ice cream shops. Here you can get not only Mexican ice cream as the name suggests, but you can get a number of Hispanic delicacies made in front of you such as dori-elotes, basically chips of your choosing - like Cheetos, Doritos, etc. They add ‘elote’ or corn, sour cream or mayonnaise, hot sauce or jalapeños, and nacho cheese as well as a number of other Mexican delicacies. Bright green and orange décor invited me into the bustling environment as modern, popular Latin music from artists like Maluma, J. Balvin, and CNCO played in the background. There is a line of people looking through the multiple flavors of ice cream - flavors you cannot get at a normal ice cream shop like avocado and corn. I ordered a limonada special, the special was an ice cream made typically with lime-flavored ice cream with mango ice cream as well. The treat itself had chopped-up mango fruit, chamoy, tajin - a seasoning powder made with chile peppers, salt, and dehydrated lime juice with a paleta de chamoy, a stick with candy wrapped around it. The treat itself was well worth it. I am a person who cannot bring myself to like overly sweet flavors like chocolate, vanilla, etc. The lime ice cream gave it a savory and sour taste whereas the mango ice cream clashed well by adding more of a sweet flavor which balanced it out. However, I wouldn’t recommend the ice cream to people with sensitive stomachs since it is really acidic - they have the mangonada which is the same concept, but with mango ice cream which adds more of a sweet flavor. While the place itself is not exactly cheap, the limonada ice cream I ordered cost $7 by itself. It is a breath of fresh air since you cannot easily get actual Mexican food in the Gladstone area of Kansas City. In the past, if we wanted Mexican ice cream, we would have to travel over to Kansas City, Kansas, to get it. Although this place is a relatively new business, I would recommend it to whoever is simply wanting to try out Mexican delicacies.
Log’s View
Putting Safety First Vaccines shouldn’t be left up to parents to decide
Most children today have vaccines that either schools require or doctors recommend. However, there are a select few who have none. The Log staff believes vaccines should be mandatory and regulated by the government. Unlike not going to the dentist, vaccines don’t only affect just one person’s health. With vaccines, the health of a community is at stake. Kids must have certain vaccines before they enroll to protect the other children. This is what medical scientists call “herd immunity.” Herd immunity works well when
the majority of the population gets treated for an illness. People suffering from diseases like cancer and AIDS count on herd immunity to stay alive. People who have AIDS and cancer can’t get vaccinated because they have a weakened immune system due to all the prescription drugs they have to take. They rely on herd immunity to provide them with the antibodies herd immunity provides them with. In 1998, “The Lancet” published a paper by physician Andrew Wakefield and other authors claiming a link existed between the mercury in the vaccine for mea-
sles, mumps, and rubella and autism. It was later removed from the paper after finding Wakefield lied about his data. This false information led to the anti-vaxx movement sweeping the nation today. Most parents would do anything to keep their child safe. Vaccinating a child leaves that child safer. After a child is born, they have antibodies from their mother’s breast milk that make them immune to certain diseases. Vaccines fill in the gaps. Vaccines introduce a weaker strain of the illness into the bloodstream. Their immune system then recognizes the disease, so it’s easier for them to fight it off.
Opinion // Logan
Vaccinating kids also keep eradicated diseases extinct. As of late, more reports of measles have shocked America. Since the development of the vaccine, a child suffering from measles has been almost unheard of. According to the CDC, Center for Disease Control, this is the biggest measles outbreak since 1989. The wave of anti-vaxxers has made the threat of another outbreak ever-present. Forcing vaccines upon children makes parents question if they have free will. Vaccines are only regulated by the FDA meaning it’s not mandated by the government. Forceful vaccination would take
away constitutional rights of refusal of medical treatment. Anti-vaxxers use the basis of their culture, religion, or ethics to defend their rights against forced vaccination. Despite exercising free will, not vaccinating puts the other population at risk. Parents look at the health of one versus the health of many. Anti-vaxxers question the safety of these vaccines making them take a more natural route. Mercury, aluminum and formaldehyde are all in vaccines and are all toxic in high dosages. However, the amount of these chemicals in vaccines is negligible. Making
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vaccines mandatory can help further science to reduce the amount of metal in the vaccine. Allowing more vaccines to happen can help highlight the risk factors so scientists can improve vaccines. The Log stands behind exercising free will, but not when there is a chance of it harming others. Mandatory vaccines keep not only one child safe, but also the entire community.
Photo illustration of water being pushed through a needle. (Photo credit staffer Caitlin Anderson.)
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Feature // Logan
Students Learn Skills Woods students work on end of the year projects, furniture
Sophomore Coleton Tunstill likes to work his hands and wood, so he chose woodworking. “[My favorite project is] the coffee table because it has a lot of steps into going into it. There was a lot more thought,” said Tunstill. (photo credit Kayelyn Logan) Sophomore Christoff Garrett-Simmons took engineering classes for the past two years. “It would help with my career that I’m trying to do in robotics,” said Garrett-Simmons. (photo credit Kayelyn Logan) Junior Mason Early and woods teacher Michael Chrane work on building a table together. “I was always really interested in woodworking and my grandpa did a lot,” said Early. “I’m currently making a coffee table.” (photo credit Kayelyn Logan)
Feature// Logan
Sophomore Kamron Shahbazi chose to build a table because it looks fun and easy. “You build legs and things and then you make a table,” said Shahbazi. (photo credit Kayelyn Logan) Junior Jackson Bibler plans on going into a career into mechanical engineering. “I like it because you can actually learn some real life hand on skills that I think are important for everybody to learn,” said Bibler. (photo credit Kayelyn Logan)
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Feature // Dunaway
The 22 AVID students celebrated for their accomplishments onThursday, April 18. “It has [taught] me how to prepare for college but also how to succeed in my current classes,” said senior Tiana Smith (courtesy of Amanda Edinger)
Just pick one
Seniors make a college decision by staffer Ivonee Mejia
May 1 is National Decision Day when all college-bound seniors throughout the nation officially choose the college of their choice. According to Oak Park High School administration, 50% of the seniors go on to college. “I had a lot of people telling me like, ‘just do what you really want to do, don’t just do what your dad told you to do or what you think you’re supposed to do,’ because you’re the one who has to do it, not them,” said senior Abby Oyesam, who wants to major in illustration or graphic design. Cost is a huge factor in what students looked at when they choose for a college, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, provides some financial
help to the students. “Cost, and how far away [Kansas City Art Institute is] was a big factor, I was accepted into the Art Institute in Chicago, but I couldn’t go because their tuition was too high and they weren’t giving me a high enough scholarship,” Oyesam said “The FAFSA didn’t get me that much money to go to Chicago, but I got more to stay in Missouri.” For students who want to play sports for universities and earn a sports scholarship, there is competition to appeal to colleges. “The hardest thing as a student-athlete is to really get noticed, there’s a lot of different student-athletes playing the same sport as you, so just making yourself stand out and giving the coach a reason to want you,” said
senior Ahmad Louis. Louis wants to major in engineering and decided to play for Washburn University’s basketball team for college. Deciding what you want to major in is one of the biggest decisions a student can make - students are encouraged to look into what major they’ll want to pursue starting freshman year of high school. “For a while, I knew that I probably wanted to major in some kind of science, I did switch around my ideas like being a pathologist or being a chemist,” said senior Tiana Smith, wanting to major in clinical laboratory science. “Since I’m doing A+, so it would be best to use that it’s the greatest ability.” To prepare for their future, students have taken advantage of the
Feature // Dunaway programs offered by the schools to them as college students to pursue important careers like education. “I’m going to Maple Woods Community College then to Northwest Missouri State University for the ‘Grow Your Own’ program.” said senior Hayley Parton, who wants to major in elementary education. The Grow Your Own program is a program offered by the North Kansas City School District. NKCSD teamed up with Northwest Missouri State University to create a program that would create future teachers from the Northland and provide the students with a job within the school district. College is a milestone for students, especially those who look forward to living independently. Many students often find themselves to be overwhelmed by the change
in responsibility and find themselves to be unprepared. “Time management is huge. Most of my friends who struggled or failed were because they were bad at managing and prioritizing their time. Setting a to-do list is important,” OPHS math teacher and University of Missouri graduate with a bachelor’s of science in secondary education and mathematics, Kristin Haberberger said. According to an article in Washington Post, seniors start getting realistic about their choice of college and most seniors choose a college close to home. According the Washington Post’s study, it found that 34% of freshmen wanted to go to the in-state college, that number rose to almost a 47% as they became seniors. “I chose Mizzou [the University of Missouri] because I was only two hours from home, and I had some family going as well,” Haberberger said. “It was far enough and big enough for me to go to college and have the whole experience, but close enough to home that I could be there whenever I needed to.” Whatever seniors decide to do after they throw their caps in the air the day of graduation - they’ll be in charge of their own fate. “I’m very nervous, I don’t want to fail, I think that if I just stay focused then I should be fine,” Oyesam said.
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“I’m very nervous, I don’t want to fail, I think that if I just stay focused then I should be fine,”
-senior Abby Oyesam
On Thursday, 114 seniors celebrated their completion of the AVID program. 100% have been accepted into a two-or four-year school to continue their education. (courtesy of Amanda Edinger)
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Sports // Begley
At the beginning of a match on Wednesday, April 10, senior Mick Poppe cheered with the team to get hyped up. “I chose to join because I wanted to try something new,” said Poppe. “I didn’t necessarily have a favorite sport [to play], I just want to play with all the boys.” (photo credit Photo Editor Kayelyn Logan)
Setting up for the future Boys volleyball team makes its debut
Sophomore Samuel Salgado watches his teammate senior Ethan Lawinksy getting ready to hit the ball on Wednesday, April 10. (photo credit Photo Editor Kayelyn Logan)
Sports // Begley by Photo Editor Kayelyn Logan You’re standing on the bleachers. Fans are screaming, coaches are yelling. Sneakers squeak against the gym floor and you hear skin against a newly waxed gym floor. Players call “mine” across both courts like the seagulls from “Finding Nemo.” The boys in blue weave across the gym, switching positions, spiking and setting the ball, aching to win a point. Your throat is becoming raw from cheering. It’s finally here, what everyone has been waiting on. On Thursday, March 28, boys volleyball had its first game against the rest of the district teams, hosted in the main gym. Coached by Candace McCall, the team has five seniors, eight juniors, three sophomores and one freshman. “I thought it’d be a lot of fun,” said senior Cole Hon. “A couple of my buddies are doing it. So I decided to join with them.” Hon wanted to end his senior year playing a sport he found new and exciting. Several players have never played and don’t know much about the actual sport. “I knew nothing but to get the ball over the net,” said senior Noah
Pinkerton. “Practices are lot of fundamentals and scrimmaging to hone our skills as an individual and as a team.” The boys volleyball team is the first team in its sport in school history. The players first came in knowing almost nothing, but they have improved immensely throughout the season using their passion and getting comfortable with plays. “They’ve improved a ton. I mean, just with the two practices a week. Their ball control has improved a lot,” said McCall. “Their level of comfort on the court [has increased] because some of them had zero playing experience.” Boys volleyball hopes to become a MSHSAA-sponsored event, and hopes next year more students will play. MSHSAA, Missouri High School State Activities Association, requires at least 50 schools in the state participate for two consecutive years to be considered a interscholastic program and be allowed to attend MSHSAA championships. The Kansas City High School Boys Volleyball League includes 16 other schools in the metro area. Heart of America Volleyball hosts the program providing insurance, officials,
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scheduling and background checks for adults who are involved with the teams participating. “I would say one of the biggest struggles is since it’s not a MSHSAA sport, it’s been more like a fun team. So the commitment level [and] culture is different because we only practice twice a week,” said McCall. “Boys miss practice because it’s not official. I’ve had like, four quit since the beginning so that commitment level just hasn’t been the same as it is for MSHSAA sport.” Senior Ethan Lawinsky said he believes boys volleyball will pave a new path for Northmen sports. “We are martyrs. [We] didn’t have the best season, but we did blaze a trail for future Northmen to make Northmen Volleyball the most feared team north of the river,” said Lawinksy.
Personal Column:
Addicted to caffeine
by Photo Editor Kayelyn Logan
Hi, my name is Kayelyn Logan, and I’m an addict. My addiction is caffeine. As a student who struggles with insomnia and non-healthy sleeping habits, plus being on two journalism staffs, I never seem to have enough energy. More times than I’m able to count, I’ve stayed up past 1 or even 2 in the morning, just not able to fall asleep. I have woken up almost every day wishing and longing to just another five minutes of sleep. I spent the night laying in bed staring up at the ceiling. Assignments, deadlines, mental health, family issues - anything can keep me up. When I was in eighth grade, my doctor had me start taking melatonin, a natural chemical that helps you sleep. But eventually, my body got so used to it that even when I take a high dosage, I’m still unable to sleep. I tried everything. I turned off all my electronics two hours before I slept, I drank sleepy time tea, and so many other techniques. No matter what I tried, I just couldn’t sleep. Finally, I started drinking lots of soda and caffeinated drinks. I started really drinking coffee my junior year. It was easy and convenient because I was in the journalism room all day and we had a coffee pot. I would be drinking about three-quarters of a pot every day by myself. I only started drinking coffee to stay awake. It didn’t always work. I tried to stop drinking caffeine for
a while hoping it would help me sleep but, in the end, I was just always crabby and never got more sleep. So, I went back and started drinking caffeine again. I became a sleep-deprived mess. I would fall asleep at random times, never at night. I would just do what-
Photo Editor Kayelyn Logan. (photo credit Caitlin Anderson)
ever work needed to be done and then attempt to close my eyes, but most of the time I couldn’t sleep when I needed to. Fast forward to now. I still drink way too much caffeine and don’t have fantastic sleeping habits. In fact, I’m writing this while pulling an all-nighter. But I have improved. I’ve made myself work on homework and do things that cause me to be tired. I don’t want to take melatonin anymore because I don’t want to feel like I’m relying on it. It’s definitely not healthy to drink tons of caffeinated drinks throughout the day just to stay awake in
class, and then stay up all night. Unfortunately, that’s just how my junior and senior years have gone. While I do get a few hours of sleep, the recommended amount is eight hours for a student in high school. But when you think about it, I have to be up between 5:30 and 6 in the morning just to get ready. School starts at 7:43 a.m., gets out at 2:40. On average I get home around 3 p.m. I typically do homework until about 6 or 7 at night. If my brothers are over, I usually take an hour break to hang out with them. If I do that, homework doesn’t get done until 8. Now on the nights I have to work, typically it’s around a 5 to 9 shift. That pushes homework down to around 11 p.m. I still have to finish my journalism work, which averages two hours. I don’t have time to sleep, and all that stress adds into me not sleeping. That adds into my stress which feeds back into my insomnia. It’s a vicious cycle. Hi, my name is Kayelyn, and I have an addiction. My addiction is caffeine. As an anxious insomniac teenager struggling to just get through life, I’m sleep deprived. And to make myself feel better, I decide to spread myself too thin, just to have something to do at 2 a.m. Is it healthy? Absolutely not. As much as I try, I believe I will always be tired and always be needing caffeine. I genuinely wish I never started drinking caffeine and relied on it so much to stay awake, and instead learned how to sleep better.