Granger high school
Tri-Color Times An open forum for student opinion and expression
TRICOLORTIMES.COM
DECEMBER 2017 LX-IV
Lancers find many ways to celebrate Christmas By Natalie Aiono CHRISTMAS is coming up fast. There are many ways people celebrate the holiday. Some people gather with family, others with friends, a lot with both. With all the diversity at Granger High School, there are many ways Lancers get down for this festive holiday. All around, there is no right way to celebrate. Christmas is a time to spread love and holiday cheer. Shayna Toomer (12) has lots of fun with his family during this holiday. “My family and I wake up and open presents. After that, we go to our grandpa’s house and eat homemade vegan chili. It’s a tradition. We do it every year. We love hanging out with our grandpa, we only get to see him once
a year,” she said. Toomer enjoys quality family time. Christmas traditions are a very common thing. Luis Acosta (12) gets in the holiday mood with traditional family foods. “Every Christmas, we make tamales and pozole. We also decorate with a Christmas tree, lights, and stuff in the front yard. My favorite Christmas memory would be when I got an Xbox 360 back in 2007,” he said. He loves Christmas very much and can’t wait for it to come. The snowy holiday can be enjoyed with a variety of people, not just family. Jessica Gonzalez (12) celebrates with neighbors as well as family. “My family gets together with our neighbors and their family, and we do a gift
exchange. After that, we have a Christmas party. My favorite present I’ve gotten was a big makeup box from my neighbors. I love Christmas,” Gonzalez said. Some people get outdoors. Daniel Wood (11) likes to celebrate with friends in the snow. “In the morning, I open presents with my family and we drink hot chocolate. After that, my friends and I go sledding and have snowball fights. It gets really intense but it’s a lot of fun. Then we go to Ihop to eat. My favorite part is the snowball fights. I love to hit my friends in the face with giant snowballs,” Wood said. This Lancer really knows how to celebrate Christmas. Cooking is a very common thing to do on Christmas. Luis
Gonzalez (9) loves to cook on Christmas. “I wake up really early with my mom and we start cooking. We make a crab salad, and honey ham. My favorite dish we make is probably the tater tot casserole. When we’re done cooking, we wake up the family to open presents and eat,” he said. He is very excited to celebrate this year. Christmas is a wonderful holiday that brings families together. Everybody gathers around to open gifts and spend time together. It is a very beautiful holiday and should be celebrated in stride. Make sure to take time out of the day to enjoy the snow. Spread holiday cheer and maybe do something nice on this joyful day.
Luis Acosta celebrates Christmas with food and decorations and gifts, and he’s spreading holiday cheer in a peppermint-stripe sweater..
Lancers’ Christmas movie picks mirror national media faves By Michael Gil Ceballos CHRISTMAS season has arrived, and a lot of Lancers are excited. Many Lancers have movies that they watch with their families every Christmas, as it is a tradition for them. Lancers love a wide variety of seasonal films. “My favorite Christmas movie is Disney Princess: A Christmas of Enchantment (2005). It has become a tradition for me and my family to watch it every year,” Ada Montejo (10) said. “It might be a movie for small children, but I still love it a lot, and I will probably watch it as a grown up. The movie has an awesome moral that I love,” Montejo said. “All of Disney’s most beloved princesses join together for one unforgettable enchanted evening,” as stated on the rot-
tentomatoes.com website. It has an average audience score of 68 percent from the popular Rotten Tomatoes movie review website. Christmas is all about family and friends coming together to celebrate. A good way of doing this is to watch a Christmas classic. The website suburbiaunwrapped.com lists Home Alone (1990) and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1967) as two of the most popular family Christmas movies. Home Alone is a popular movie with Lancers, too. “My favorite Christmas movie is Home Alone, I love how funny it is, every time I watch it with my family, we cannot stop laughing,” Perla Gaona (10) said. Home Alone has an average audience score of 79 percent, while How the Grinch Stole
Christmas has an audience score of 88 percent, both from the rottentomatoes.com website. These two movies have both kept their fame through the years and could both be considered as classics. Most people would agree that what makes Home Alone popular is that it’s familyfriendly and the movie offers a healthy form of comedy. Some of Home Alone’s critic reviews say very good things. “[A] surprisingly charming film,” as stated by Caryn James on the nytimes.com website. “Its endearing story and a charming performance by Culkin make Home Alone a standout among the usual holiday movie fare,” as stated by Marjorie Kase on the commonsensemedia.org website said.
Another popular Christmas movie is The Nightmare Before Christmas. The Nightmare Before Christmas is about Jack Skellington, Halloween’s adored pumpkin king who is bored of the same routine that his city has every year. Skellington decides to change it up a bit, and he decides to bring Halloween and Christmas together. This movie received an average audience score of 91 percent from the rottentomatoes.com website. Some people prefer to watch movies during the Christmas season while others might prefer to watch TV shows that offer special Christmas episodes. Either way, what matters most is that both forms of entertainment bring families and friends together during the Christmas season.
Field Trips at GHS By Gabriela Thompson FIELD trips are common at Granger High School. Every week there’s at least one class or club planning on visiting a certain place. One of those cool field trips that was planned by biology’s Mr. Lewis to Tracy Aviary located in downtown in Liberty Park. “Tracy Aviary inspires curiosity and caring for birds and nature through education and conservation,” as stated on the tracyaviary. org website. This field trip certainly helped students connect some of their inclass learning to the real world. The aviary offers tours for specific age groups and all-ages groups. One of the all-ages ones is the Sense-ational Stream Exploration. Participants learn to use their senses as they study Utah’s streams, rivers, the aviary’s stream ecosystem, and how they affect wildlife. Another is Conservation, where guests learn about the many species of endangered birds and one-of-a-kind conservation stories. “The purpose was to introduce our students to the many opportunities in our community to see and experience wildlife,” Mr. Lewis said. As a wildlife biology teacher, Mr. Lewis teaches his students about biodiversity and how putting many different species in a self-sustaining environment. Students begin the process of understanding that each species has its role in maintaining balance in an ecosystem. Tracy Aviary is the first of four opportunities for students to experience the natural world in the past or present. The biology department next plans to take students to Thanksgiving Point Dinosaur Museum, Living Planet Aquarium, and a Utah National Park. Each of these trips is taken in one of the four quarters throughout the school year. “The students today may have to describe what it was like to see some of these creatures in real life to their own children, for it may be one of the species that could vanish,” he said. Mr. Lewis encourages students to enjoy these hands-on and real-world experiences. In having these hands-on experiences, Granger Lancers are able to understand their biology classes better while spending time with their friends. Ask the biology teachers when the next fascinating field trips are being held.
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Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 4
December 2017, page 2 | Student News
Driving without a license is risky
because he didn’t pass his driver Some students are so enthusiBy Aimal Esa DRIVING without a license is a education class at Granger High. astic about starting to drive that Driver education has a policy they just can’t wait for their libig deal and is punishable by state law. If drivers have never applied that after five absences, students cense. Although it is dangerous, for a license or their license has fail the class. Being 10 minutes lots of them have a passion for expired, they can be subject to late more than five times will also their cars. “I got my car as soon fines of up to $750. It will also go make them fail. “I couldn’t get to as I turned 16, and couldn’t wait on their record as a Class C mis- school on time since I couldn’t to get it on the road,” Jonathan drive… I just said screw it, and Hernandez (12) said. demeanor. There is a big car enthusiast It’s even worse for minors, started driving without one, since which is mainly what Granger I already had a car,” Cendejas population here at Granger, and some of them risk their car getconsists of. If a minor is caught said. Mr. Beck feels very strongly ting impounded just to get to drive driving without a license, their license application can be withheld on this issue and sees it as much their car to school. “My car is the until they are 21 years old. They as a safety issue as it is a moral only thing I spend my money on, could have the car they’re driving issue. “If a student without a li- so it’d be a waste to just have it cense hits another student, every- sit there,” Nick Phetphadoung impounded. Luckily, the officers at school one will be upset with the school, (12) said. “I’m a big car enthusiast and don’t enforce this law too heavily. asking why the kid is driving “We usually just tell them not to without a license,” Mr. Beck said. have been driving since I was There are many students that 15,” David Nguyen (12) said. do it again and have the parents Driving without a license is come pick up the car,” Officer just can’t wait to get their license, Christensen said. Although if stu- but don’t believe it’s worth it to never justified, even if the perdents without licenses get pulled drive without one. “I’ve been son knows all the rules and reover for any reason on the streets, waiting years to drive, and was sponsibilities behind it. One little the consequences are much worse stoked enough to get my permit. mistake on the streets could cost I didn’t wanna get caught without a life, so students need to follow than a call home. “I have to have a way of trans- [a license] and have to wait until the law and make sure they know portation to work and school,” I’m 21,” Fahim Sediqi (11) said. what they’re doing. Oscar Cendejas (12) said. Many students at Granger drive without licenses but believe they have good reasoning for it. Lots of students’ parents don’t have time to bring their kids to school. Although there are other ways to get to school or work, driving is seen as the easiest and fastest way. Cendejas used to drive without a David Nguyen drives responsibly, and he keeps his driver license in his pocket. license to school
Penny Wars helps families in need By Yesenia Leon EVERY year Granger High hosts a school-wide fundraiser for parents who struggle to provide holiday gifts for their loved ones. The fundraiser is called Penny Wars. Penny Wars is a fun and charitable way for Lancers to raise money for those in need. It starts by teachers bringing a jar to set on their desk so students can put their donations in. There’s a twist, though- teachers are competing to see who ends up getting the most pennies. The more pennies they have in their jar, the more points they get. Any silver coins or dollar bills become negative points. The point system in Penny Wars is quite simple. A $5.00 bill would be negative 500 points, a $1.00 bill would be negative 100 points, a quarter would be negative 25 points, a dime would be negative 10 points and a nickel would be negative 5 points. At the end of the competition, the teacher who gets the least amount of points receives a pie to the face by the teacher who had the most points. “It’s always fun to see teachers getting pied in the face, especially when it’s a teacher you’re not a big fan of, but in a good way. I don’t have problems with any teachers,” Maria Calderon (12) said. Many students look forward to Penny Wars, as it’s an enjoyable and thoughtful way to donate to the families who are in need. “I like to participate because Christmas is the season of giving and I never do much with my change anyways, so all the change I do have, I just donate,” Teresa Cuara (12) said. Some teachers get very com-
petitive and highly encourage their students to donate and participate in the fundraiser. “I always enjoy playing Penny Wars at Granger High School. I beg and plead for all my students to participate as it provides for someone else’s Christmas,” Mr. Okeson said. Last holiday season, Granger High students alone raised over $3,000 for those in need. Everyone is hoping to surpass that amount this year. If every student donates just one dollar, Granger will definitely surpass that goal by a couple hundred dollars. Curious students should attend the holiday assembly on December 15 to see how much money Lancers raised during Penny Wars. Many other schools also participate in Penny Wars for many different types of occasions. Penny Wars could be hosted by almost anyone with a large enough group. It is an easy and fun way to get some donations going. Granger High does more than just Penny Wars for donations, they also accept food and clothing during the school year to help those in need. Students here at Granger know the struggles that many of their fellow classmates go through. They always have open hearts when it comes to helping others. “It’s always nice seeing students every year being willing to donate and help out their fellow classmates. It feels nice knowing that we have a school full of thoughtful people,” Dr. Dunn said. Lancers are all thoughtful, empowered, and connected at all times and this is one of the times where it matters most.
Many new drivers at Granger face their first winter on icy roads By Kaylynn Gonzalez WITH WINTER in full swing, new dangers present themselves to drivers at Granger High School. Snowy and icy roads pose hazardous driving conditions to those Lancers who have to drive to and from school or work. Winter driving can be very scary. Especially to those who will be driving for their first winter, or who are new to driving. Luckily, there are some things students can do to decrease the
risk of accidents in the snow. A good way to reduce the risks of driving on winter roads is to drive less. “If you don’t have to go, stay home. If you have to go leave sooner. Wherever you’re gonna go, leave sooner. You’ll have more time to get there,” Mr. Parker, Granger’s retired driver education teacher, said. Unfortunately, just staying home is not an option for those who have to drive to and from school or work. Students face
the winter roads every day just to get to school. “It takes me fifteen minutes on the freeway to get to school and to get to work,” Cuba Paal (11) said. “I’m scared to drive the freeway in the winter every morning,” she said. Aside from some students being nervous about having to drive on snowy streets, many students are inexperienced when it comes to winter driving; even worse, some students are unsure of what to do if they encounter a problem.
“I’ve been driving for eight months, and I honestly don’t know what to do if I fishtail,” Paal said. “I do know to always break earlier so you don’t slide into someone.” A common mistake students make when driving in the winter is they drive the same way as when it is dry outside. “Double your following distance behind the next car in front. You can slide into people when you least expect it. Doubling your follow-
Darrian Bennett intends to keep all four wheels on the road during tricky driving conditions this winter.
ing distance gives you more time to slow down and stop if you need to, and it gives the people behind you more time to stop as well,” Mr. Parker, said. Despite the tips students learn in driver education, some students are dreading driving on winter roads. “I’m nervous, mostly about slipping and sliding. I’m going to be extra careful, drive slower, and only go out when I need to. It’s still scary though, because maybe you’re being really careful but other drivers aren’t. But I think after this winter I’ll be more prepared for next winter,” Rubi Avila (10) said. While some Lancers may be new to driving in the snow, other students have more experience with winter driving. “I’ve been driving since March of 2016. Driving in the winter doesn’t bother me, I’m pretty confident I can handle it. I actually had an experience where I almost spun out in the snow, but I was able to keep control, so I know I can handle it,” Darrian Bennett (12) said. All in all, winter driving is a part of life that almost all Lancers will eventually have to face. Luckily, by being smart and driving safely, students can lower the risk of an accident as much as possible. Regardless of the weather conditions, always remember to drive smart and be safe.
December 2017, page 3 | Opinion
Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 4
Shoe brand tags should be a new trend
Look here for fun winter activities Opinion by Gwenda Loloma WINTER is right around the corner and there are a ton of fun things to enjoy this season. From roasting s’mores outside, to ice skating with family and friends, to baking Christmas cookies or even putting on a nice Christmas movie to watch, the winter season is filled with possibilities. As this cold season approaches us, I feel that more people tend to stay indoors for the majority of the time because they think there is nothing to do outside in the cold weather. As for those who are more of an outdoor person, there are a lot of things available to do this season. These winter outdoor activities include snowshoeing, snowboarding, skiing, ice fishing, and much more. I found a shocking discovery on the snowskool.com website that snowboarding is harder to learn but easy to master, whereas skiing is easier to learn but harder to master. I personally prefer ice skating out of all outdoor activities
because it is a lot of fun, and it is easy to learn how to maneuver. Although the thought of getting bumps and bruises when falling can be devastating, it’s still something you might want to try out. I read that ice skating can benefit you by providing good exercises for your leg muscles and relieves stress on the smskatingrink.com website. This is great because you’re having fun and toning your body at the same time. For those who prefer staying indoors to gather around their fireplace, perhaps indoor activities fit your idea of fun. These could include playing family board games, watching Christmas movies, or even baking Christmas savories. I know for sure the majority of teenagers in our modern day society will most likely be indoors for the winter playing video games, enjoying a movie on Netflix, or just scanning through their social media getting the latest update on their newsfeed. I like to do things differently to
see how my days could be worse or better than the days I choose to do things normally. An example of this would be this winter. I could try skiing for the first time and see if I like it or not, unlike last winter when I did nothing but watch movies and stay indoors. I think it’s obvious that most of us reading this right now are more the indoor type of people, like I mean who would want to risk getting out of their cozy home to go outside in the cold, right? Well, most of the time we often get lazy or too cold to even consider going outside, but come on—we all need to have a little fun every now and then, especially with the snow only being available for a short amount of time. From my personal experience I think it benefits you a lot when you take different things into consideration so that you can see things from a different perspective. So if you’re not sure what you might want to do for fun in the winter consider trying out new things.
Christmas is being celebrated way too early Opinion by Eric A. Antonio THE HOLIDAY season has begun, and it is time to listen to the same songs for about two months straight. How exciting. Many people travel across the country to spend time with family. Being the best time of the year, it requires music to trigger excitement all over. That being said, those songs can get old in about a week. About half of the people you ask about the right time to start playing Christmas music say it is too early to play Christmas music before Thanksgiving. They say there is a time to play that music, and that time should be after Thanksgiving. The other half disagrees and believes Christmas music has no boundaries on the calendar. I beg to differ on this one—there is a time to play that music, and it is definitely not before Thanksgiving. According to Channel 9 News, some people are ready to listen to Christmas music the day right after Halloween. That is way too early due to the fact that Thanksgiving hasn’t even happened yet. This music
is played on the radio, at grocery stores, and anywhere outside of home. Coming from someone who loves the holidays, it gets very old in just a couple of days. From a casual survey I took at Granger High, 3 out of 5 students asked said they would prefer Christmas music after Thanksgiving. The same students were asked about Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. Again, those same 3 out of the 5 stated that it was too early if it was done before Thanksgiving. I agree—we should not skip other holidays and be patient for Christmas to come. There is an argument that it should be done during the first snowfall. This cannot be a common thing for the fact that two years ago, it didn’t snow until January which was obviously too late. Setting up decorations too early can also be a drag, because your electricity bill rises during December due to the light decorations. I get that it makes everything feel warm and cozy, but I don’t think it’s a valid excuse. It will still be early in November
and when not even Thanksgiving has passed. It is like The Nightmare Before Christmas: mixing fall vibes with winter just brings an uncomfortable feeling- they just don’t go well together. Movies are also a nuisance because they are specifically centered and hooked on the topic of Christmas. For example, A Christmas Carol is focused on having Christmas spirit during the holidays. I cannot see anyone watching that movie during any other month that is not December. I personally think everything about Christmas should really start after Thanksgiving, I am not being a Grinch, but I am being logical. In the end, it is whatever floats your boat. Just know it is bad timing with the calendar. Christmas is great, but it should stay on Christmas—not Halloween or Thanksgiving. We shouldn’t skip certain holidays for another. A plus is that you also save on electricity bills, enjoy your personal music a bit longer, and watch any other movie that does not include snow or Christmas.
Opinion by Jeramiah Snow THERE are many fashion trends that circle Granger High School. Most are less fashion trends, and more fashion “dont’s.” One trend I like is jean cuffing. Jean cuffing can add personality or a sense of character to an outfit depending on how you do it. One trend I don’t like is the way students here at Granger High tie their shoes. I lace all of my shoes loose and have the laces over the loops. I also leave the aglets out. Although these are all great fashion trends, the one I want to talk about is shoe tags. Shoe tags can provide an accent or act like another accessory. They vary in colors, sizes, and overall design. For example, Vans have the Vans tag that says ‘Off The Wall’, and it provides contrast to your shoes and outfit. I personally have the OG skate lows in the red colorway and a second pair in the black colorway. The tag is red, so this is a heavy contrast against the black canvas of the shoe. The Vans tag gives me the option to wear black shirts, hoodies, hats, or other accessories with red accents. The red shoe is the same color as the tag so there isn’t much of a contrast, but the tag still provides another accessory to the entire outfit. I believe the tag gives the shoe a “brand new” look, as if the shoe had been worn straight out of the store. Jordan shoes introduce a whole different world when it comes to tags. In comparison to Vans, Jordan tags are usually a
hard plastic, while Vans tags are thin cardboard. Although the Jordan tag is more durable, I don’t think it provides as much of a fashion positive as the Vans tag does. In my opinion, the most iconic Jordan tag is on the Air Jordan Retro 4. It is square with a translucent lining and an orange square inside the lining. Its main design is the translucent, “Jumpman” in the center of the square. The “Jumpman” is Jordan in the motion of dunking a basketball, it is found on every pair of Jordans ever made. There are other Jordans that have tags, and some are different in size, shape, color, and material. The Air Jordan Retro 3 has the same tag as the Air Jordan Retro 4, and the Air Jordan 1 has a tag similar in material to the Vans tag. I think the tag on Jordans provide a certainty of authenticity. It can also compliment many outfits. The Jordan shoe tag is removable and can be placed in any spot on the shoe you want to be, although it is usually placed on the top eyelet on the outside of the left shoe. I wear retail tags on almost all of my shoes. There are many kids here at Granger High School that haven’t seen anything like that. I think it’s because it’s a sense of style from my home town, New York. New York has been known to set many fashion trends and influence a large amount of America with it. This goes to show that your fashion or style is a product of your environment.
Tri-Color Times Staff Editor in Chief Skye Rouse
Photo+Online Editor ‘Ailee Rigby
News Editor Gabriela Thompson Opinion Editor Taea Edwards Social Media Editor Calissa Loomis Junior Editor Alexus Gillette
Copy+Lifestyle Editor Madison McCurdy Sports Editor Bryon Brinley Photographer Kaylynn Gonzalez Scorekeeper Stephanie Gutierrez
Reporters Molirae Afemata Natalie Aiono Sanah Alkaswan Eric A. Antonio Kalesita Apele Karina Baez Edward Carrasco Allen Carrillo Aimal Esa Fine Finau Emily Francis Lorena Garcia Michael Gil Ceballos
Reporters Bryndi Harper Braxton Henrie Nathan Hernandez Yecenia Leon-Melendez Gwen Loloma Nyibol Makol Jonathan Manriquez Ester Manriquez Marcia Tiffany Nguy Ariana Rojas Mireya Ruiz Andrew Tippetts Hannah Wall
The Tri-Color Times serves as a student forum for student opinion and student expression. The views expressed herein reflect neither the opinions of Adviser John Carlisle and Granger High School, nor those of Granite School District. The Tri-Color Times invites and publishes letters to its editorial board; all letters will be edited for taste, length, and liability.
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Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 4
December 2017, page 4 | Student Life
Traditions make Christmas sparkle By Karina Baez FUN HOLIDAY events are in full swing for the winter season. There are plenty of events going on for students who would like to get into the Christmas spirit. There are activities to do with the family and friends such as the Festival of the Trees, Zoo Lights at the Hogle Zoo, Christmas at the Grand America Hotel, and many more. During this time of year is the perfect time to be cheery and merry, and it would be a good idea to add these events to family holiday traditions if they are not there already. Other people are just accustomed to what they always do. Although there are plenty of options to choose from, many sticks to their family traditions. Traditions include, but are not limited to, spending the night over at grandma’s house, eating dinner, and opening presents. It is possible to enjoy the season if appropriate activities are chosen for each age group. “When my sister was younger we went and took pictures with Santa,” Alex Price (12) said. Now that everyone is older, Price’s family no longer participates in holiday events. They, like many, prefer to be with family on Christmas. Though these holiday events are for the whole family, some people think that they are focused more towards children. Childcentered activities include eating breakfast or taking a picture with Santa. These are just some of the things that are available to do on the days counting down to Christmas.
On some occasions, people used to do holiday activities but grew too old for them. “It’s a good time to go and hang out,” Price said. Celebrating the days ‘til Christmas can spice up the month with fun and exciting Christmas activities. One can go out to hear a symphony, Christmas caroling, see how others cultures celebrate the month, go out to eat at a festival- the list goes on. For others, the endless list makes things too complicated. “Celebrating with their family makes things simple,” Machael Magallanes (10) said. His Christmas day consists of breakfast pancakes at home with his family, then opening presents on Christmas morning. This may be seen as simple, but for others celebrating together may not be so simple. Some families members happen to be out of town and cannot
join them on these events. Special days such as Christmas or Christmas Eve are the only times they can come together to meet and eat. “We have a get-together,” Isiah Martinez (9) said. Martinez likes that he knows them well and he also likes the environment. “They’re good people to be around,” Martinez said. It’s very common for some to not go to these fun holiday events because of issues such as age, time, or it is just too extra. There are some other creative ways to celebrate the holidays. “We drive through the neighborhood to see lights,” Teri Stagg from the career center said. She also celebrates Christmas at church and on Christmas day with her family. Adding a little something different or out of the ordinary could be a fun way to get ready for this upcoming holiday.
Alex Price contemplates what he will be doing on Christmas.
Sadies Winter Slumberland By Fineone Finau SADIES at Granger High School is girl’s choice, it is a golden winter theme, and it is on December 9 at Granger High. Not everyone enjoys school dances, or even goes to a school dance. One of the main reasons is because of the music choice, students complain about the music all the time. Some girls do ask a “date”, most just go with a group of friends. “We do have a singles list, meaning whoever doesn’t have a date or doesn’t know who to ask can go and check the list to see if they want to ask whoever is on there. Just as a friendly way,” Kevin Tann (10), SBO sophomore vice president, said. “This is my second time going to a school dance. I’ve never asked before, I was always the one being asked,” Nikkia Seiuli (9) said. Coming out and having fun at a school dance is all that matters to the Granger staff who are “babysitting” and the SBOs who have organized this outing. Most importantly Granger wants all Lancers to have fun. Going as a group of friends isn’t as bad, as long as students have fun with a group of Lancers, is really all that matters. “I have never been to Sadies before and I hope I get asked this year,” Tai Ah-ching (9) said. Feeling bad shouldn’t be something to feel if you’ve never been asked as a ‘date’ to Sadies. Most Lancers have been to Sadies for two years now and enjoy the time being there. “Sadies
isn’t bad. Just vibe with everyone, smile even if it’s a fake one, and do your own thing with whoever you decided to go with,” Otenisia Matelau (11) said. There are also Lancers who have been to Sadies once and enjoyed it. “The decorations were OK. The music wasn’t that good, but I enjoyed being with friends, even though it wasn’t much time,” Katelyn Brown (11) said. “If I were to ask someone to Sadies, I would go all out because I’m just extra. Just not this year, I don’t know for sure yet if I am going or not,” Pelini Hafoka (10) said. Asking a ‘date’ makes everything more fun. Although it is a lot of money getting things prepared. Dances aren’t for everyone, and there’s lots of other fun activities to plan with friends on a weekend. “School dances just aren’t my thing, but if I were to choose a school dance, it would definitely be Sadies. Just because I love winter dances and the decorations,” Destiny Taesha (10) said. Sadies is the most suggested dance to go to. Most students only go if there is food or if other friends go. “Go to Sadies this year. Sophomores are planning it so we hope all Granger Lancers like it as much as we enjoyed planning it,”Tann said. Just going to a school dance for like 30 minutes wouldn’t be so bad. Skipping out on the fun Lancers have at Sadies isn’t something to be missed, even if someone is new to high school dances.
Students are stepping out and running the halls like a runway By Tiffany Nguy WINTER is just around the corner and so are theses fashion trends. Lancers are bringing out their Granger gear, especially the hoodies. As many students walk down the halls of Granger High School many students will be wearing sweaters and long pants, anything just to stay warm. Around school, lancers are usually wearing sweaters and any pair of pants that are long enough to keep them warm at school. Many students don’t really like to dress up for school like others “It’s just school so I’d rather not dress flashy,” Rigoberto Contreras (9) said. Other students like to dress up for school either wearing the most exotic clothing item that lancers would ever see or outfits that are pleasing to the eye and what students would expect to see online. Clothes that students wear around campus to look somewhat stylish can be wearing all kinds of jackets and hoodies for example, bomber jackets and parkas. Wearing one of those options with a pair of black pants and with a neutral colored shirt will make any student look put together. Cardigans can be another alternative to make any outfit fashionable. Most males don’t wear cardigans, so this can be an option for any female. An example outfit is wearing a white or black blouse underneath the cardigan and jeans that are
distressed at the knee. With parkas they usually come in dark colors, putting an outfit with a dark colored parka is easy because it’ll match with anything students wear. Styling a parka with a knitted sweater or a long sleeve shirt and light or dark jeans is a simple outfit but it’s trendy and a warm outfit for winter. Many lancers have been layering their clothes, meaning they would either wear a hoodie and a jacket over the hoodie or even wearing a longer t-shirt under the sweater with slacks or jeans. It’s a very fitting look and can even look professional if styled right. Most lancers wear accessories much like a necklace or earrings since it’s getting a little colder here in Utah the list grows a bit more with accessories like beanies, fuzzy socks, scarfs and mittens. A popular outfit students usually wear are hoodies and whatever kind of pants baggy or tailored. There are some students that like to look different. “Everyone looks the same because they shop at the same places as everyone else, that’s why I go to thrift shops, to be myself and make up my own outfits,” Rachel Villapando (10) said. Rachel is one of the many students that want to be different from others, she’d wear skirts and leg warmers this winter. No one would really expect
anyone to wear a skirt when it’s snowing and when it’s below 60 degrees. Everyone tries to be unique in their own way and most people get inspiration from family and especially the media. Now people are paying more attention to the different kinds of brands they’re wearing “Brands are the culture to this generation and to the people that are interested with fashion like me,” Eli Flores (9) said. Around Granger many lancers are wearing a diverse selection of brands like North Face, Champion, Timberlands, Vans, Adidas and Jordans which are mainly worn throughout the school. Some students are more likely to tone it down with the brands during winter because of the weather and just throw on anything that will prevent them from getting a cold. “Clothes are just clothes, something to keep me warm this winter is all right for me,” Kassandra Cuevas (9) said. Many other students don’t really care about what kind of name they have on their clothes. Usually if it feels comfortable and fits well with their outfit they’d wear it no matter the case. Students here at Granger shouldn’t feel pressured to wear certain brands or different outfits they should wear as long as lancers are staying warm and are comfortable then they’ll get through this winter with no problem.
December 2017, page 5 | Student Life
Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 4
Mexico lures Lancers away from Utah for weeks during winter break By Ariana Rojas DECEMBER is the month where lots of Hispanic Lancers travel to Mexico. Lancers mostly travel during the winter. “Winter is my favorite season. It means that December is here, and I finally get to go to Mexico,” Andrew Orozco (11) said. A lot of students wait until it’s winter break so they can get out of state and travel. Winter is the most common season where Lancers travel, since they don’t really have to worry about missing school, since the students get a long break. “I usually stay in Mexico for three weeks, but if it wasn’t for school, then I would love to stay longer,” he said. Lots of families like to travel a lot and would like to travel more. “In Mexico, December is when there are tons of parties and when they like to celebrate family traditions,” he said. Many people party a lot because it’s not like here in the United States where students can just lay down on sofas with their phones. Families reunite once every year which is depressing when
your family has to leave. One of Mexico’s favorite things they celebrate is on December 12 which is when La Rosa De Guadalupe is born, since it’s really important to them. Being close or with family is a great way to bond with each other. “The weather over there is way better than here in Utah,” Orozco said. Michoacan, Mexico is a very common place where students at Granger High School travel. “I usually go to Michoacan because that’s where my family is from,” Alex Zavala (10) said. Usually students like to go during that time since Mexico is much warmer than here in Utah during winter. “I enjoy riding horses in Mexico because of all the free land that there is for me to ride anywhere I want,” Orozco said. Here in Utah there are a few places where anyone can ride horses, since there’s a lot of buildings and houses it’s more difficult to ride a horse around. There is a popular zoo in Michoacan that is called Mundo Granjero where there’s more types of animals that we don’t see here.
Mexico is a country where there is more freedom, kids get to make their own choices there. There really aren’t many strict rules, it’s more of a consequence from the parent. “It has way more freedom,” Orozco said. Students should be really cautious about their surroundings while walking down the streets. One way to travel there is by
car and the most common way is by plane. Getting there by car takes way longer than a plane does. Many students get bored while being in the plane, so some activities they do are doing homework, listening to music, or reading a book. “I do my homework in the plane so I won’t get behind,” he said. “I usually take the plane be-
cause it’s faster, but I have to make two stops,” he said. Once the plane has landed students, might get hungry, so they choose their favorite dish in multiple restaurants. A traditional food in Michoacan are enchiladas filled with potatoes and carrots, and served with chicken or cheese,” my favorite dish to eat is enchiladas” Orozco said.
The lure of a warm vacation in Mexico draws Lancers away from Granger High for weeks.
Lancers walk in a winter wonderland By Calissa Loomis DECEMBER is the month of joy and celebration. The holiday season is considered to be the most magical time of the year. Students of Granger spend their time sipping hot cocoa, playing in the snow, or visiting the Temple Square Christmas Lights, the brightest and most remarkable phenomenon that happens in downtown Salt Lake City. They light up this year starting November 24, 2017 through January 2, 2018. Students of Granger find the Temple Square lights to be a “lit” place to bring big groups or dates and take photos. They are even a popular date idea amongst many students who have never been able to experience the event. It really is a romantic venue, after all. “When I go to Temple Lights, I usually go with my family. My favorite part about going is the feeling in the air. It gives you that Christmas time feel, especially with the smell of pine in the air and seeing the temple with the
glow of the lights. Just being able to be free, let loose, and take a walk in the area for a while is a pretty great feeling. It really relaxes you and relieves a lot of stress,” Morgan Varney (12) said. “I have never been to the Temple Square lights, but I would like to go. I feel like it would be a pretty romantic date. I would eat food, go ice skating, take a walk around the temple, and take a ton of pictures of the scenery and of my date. I think it would be a pretty enjoyable experience for me and my girl,” Anthoney Griffith (12) said. Griffith hopes to be able to visit the lights at least once this year, along with the Tree of Life in Draper. “I know many people who have seen the lights or have gone on dates there, but I’ve never been able to go. I have heard that it’s a really cool place to go when you’re in the mood for a fancy date or just want to get out and do something. I want to be able to
go this year with my girlfriend. I would probably just walk around, eat food, drink hot chocolate, listen to music, and just enjoy life with my favorite person,” Nick Olbrys (10) said. Along with the lights, there are plenty of other activities to enjoy during this time. A variety of local groups perform free concerts and performances daily. One group is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which attracts visitors from all over the world with their famous Christmas Concert. Students also enjoy fancy holiday dining at The Roof, with amazing views of the bright Christmas lights from above. A trip to this romantic restaurant, or even to The Garden Restaurant, makes a visit to the famous lights an even greater, tastier experience. Winter is the perfect time of year to cuddle up next to a fireplace with a blanket and a book, but visiting Temple Square during December really puts students in the jolly Christmas mood.
Shayla (R) has a great sense of style and she loves interesting stores.
Fun activities during break By Ester Manriquez Marcia NOW THAT the winter season is coming up, the students love to do activities outside of school. From going to the lights downtown to visiting new Christmas sites. Many students love going out with friends and family, even though it does get a little chilly outside. Many Lancers like going out with their family to go Christmas and winter shopping. “I like going shopping at Fashion Place Mall during Christmas because that mall has many different and more stores than any other malls,” Shayla Nguyen (10) said. Generally students shop for new winter clothes with their friends and family. Thus, the mall is a very common place to attend to. Activities that are at the mall include taking their younger family members to go visit Santa and take a picture with him. There are many other activities to do during winter than just shopping. Most people don’t like leaving their house because it gets too cold outside. Plenty of lancers like to go skiing, ice skating and sledding. “I like going sledding because it’s so much fun with family and I also like the snow a lot,” Abrielle Valdez (10) said. Students who don’t have access to any transportation can easily go outside and build a snowball, or even have a snowball fight. Or can easily can stay inside and watch their favorite show or movie and get comfortable with their preferred snacks, beverages, and their blankets. The most affordable and easi-
est activity for the students is to go sledding. It’s very affordable and anyone can go to any public park or any location that has big hills. Although, it still gets very bone-chilling outside, numerous amounts of the students do try and wear warm clothes to not get cold as fast as normally. “I start sledding for about thirty minutes before I am soaking wet from the snow,” Trinitee Padilla (11) said. But, they still get really wet and cold. And, no matter what , Lancers love to still go out and have fun with the cold weather Utah has. During this cold winter, students love to spend their time at the Lights downtown in Salt Lake City. The Lights are a way that Salt Lake decorates their property at least for a whole month. With both friends and family , Lancers end up going to the downtown site at least once in their life. “I think it was worth going , because the lights are really beautiful and they also have little plays going on to watch,” Fabiola Rodriguez (10) said. Another place that students can go and have fun at, is the Tree of Life in Draper, Utah. While Lancers visit these amazingly beautiful sites , they tend to take lots of pictures. The reason for this, is that it makes it more fun and memorable for them. “One day we can look back on them and see how much fun we all had,” Rodriguez said. And even with the chilly winter coming up, Lancers still have many adventures and memories to be made with their loved ones.
Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 4
December 2017, page 6 | Sports
Wendy Meza is training to become a professional MMA fighter By Edward Carrasco TRAINING to become an MMA fighter is no easy task. Many believe that it’s just a sport, but for Wendy Meza (11), it’s more than that. When she is in the octagon, there’s more behind it than many people think. Not only do athletes feel the adrenaline rush all over their body, but also excitement due to doing something many enjoy. Wendy’s interest in MMA came with help from her family members. Her dream of becoming an MMA fighter truly began when she was at Scheels, the sporting goods store. “I started paying attention to the fighter’s moves, techniques, tendencies, combos, counters combos, and also their footwork,” Meza said. It is a really common way to learn: from the professionals. “The way they fought in order to defend themselves. Then I started to realize it was really interesting. When I realized I wanted to do this for a living was when I was at Scheels. They had a section of MMA. I started punching the bag, that’s when I realized I truly wanted to do this for a living,” Meza said. The fact that Meza is dreaming big is truly astonishing. Meza is constantly reminding herself that she can do anything that she puts her mind to. “She is sarcastic, funny, keeps
people happy, interested in what other people like to do, likes to keep conversations going, loves her UFC,” Jose Zuniga (11) said. Dominick Cruz has been one of the biggest inspirations to Meza and many other young MMA fighters. Cruz is the twotime UFC bantamweight champion, in addition to being the final holder of bantamweight world extreme cage fighting. “He is my greatest inspiration because he shows you can continue something and keep pushing towards success,” Meza said. Following athletes who have overcome adversity is a great way to push one’s self, it shows that anybody is able to reach success despite the difficulties. Playing sports is really beneficial. They can help students keep active and become physically and mentally tougher. They can also receive athletic scholarships and many other different benefits. One way MMA training is helping Meza is by taking her mind off problems in her daily life and helping her focus on what she needs to do. “The feeling it gives me, the state of mind it puts me in, when I enter the octagon, it makes me forget my problems and why I was mad. It just feels right,” Meza said. Many MMA fighters have a favorite move they like to use to put the opponent down and finish
them off. As for Meza, she has many different moves that she’d like to perfect as she continues her training. “My favorite signature move is the guillotine, rear naked choke, and also the question mark kick.
I mostly like combos more than single strikes,” she said. “She’s really outgoing, really energetic, she’s honest,” Pamela Bernal (11) said. Playing sports is never easy— it’s all about putting effort into
what you’re doing while having a positive mentality. This goes to show that students can achieve the dreams they have by putting in the work and effort. That is one thing that Meza doesn’t have a hard time doing.
Wendy awaits the moment for her moment to shine in the octagon ring.
ACL tear barely sets back multi-sport Paulina Novoa By Bryon Brinley IT IS COMMON to hear about a professional athlete’s road to recovery after an injury, but there seems to be less coverage of high school athletes overcoming this obstacle. Granger High School has seen many promising players taken down because of injury, but for Paulina Novoa (12), there was a different story in mind; and it is one of recovery and hope. “When I tore my ACL, I remember thinking it was over for me in soccer because I had a bright future and college soccer was a real possibility, but after the injury it seemed less realistic,” Novoa said. Novoa’s road to recovery was met with surgery and various physical therapy sessions, making it a long time until she could get back into playing a sport. That big step into playing sports again began with Novoa joining the Granger girls tennis team.
“Tennis was that first sport I played coming back. It helped me gain some confidence back for sure. The thing that really restored my confidence was being able to run again,” Novoa said. Unlike many injured high school athletes, Novoa did not let her injury impact her school grades and success. As soon as she could get back to school, she used her crutches to trek from class to class. This did not go unnoticed by her teachers, who were impressed by her determination to keep on pushing. “She did not let her injury slow her down academically, and she gave it her all. I am impressed by how she handled this injury for the long run. To me, she is a role model because she just does all those little things that show how prepared she is. Apart from academics, she is a very open person when you have the chance to sit down and talk to her,” Ms.
Gaskins said. Novoa did not let her recovery time go to waste. During her recovery, she worked on the things she is passionate about, such as writing and thrifting. Many people consider Novoa to be very fashionable, including one of her best friends Sarah Lim (12). “She has so much style. She gives off a sort of ‘80s or ‘90s aesthetic with the way she dresses and I like it. It suits her personality because she is a little dorky, but in a loving way,” Lim said. Novoa is not afraid to also indulge into more personal hobbies, such as her writing. Novoa also claims that everything interests her. “I like to write about the good and bad things that have impacted my life. I keep a journal for every day. It all started when I read poetry books from this author named Lang Leav, and also when Ms. Green had me write. I also
like to try new things. I am down to do everything. I am very curious,” Novoa said. Novoa continues to work hard after this injury recovery and
By Madison McCurdy WITH THE basketball season coming up, nobody can contain their excitement for this on-theedge-of-the-seat exciting sport. Granger has recruited some new players in addition to many of Granger’s older teammates returning to the court. Granger High School is more than prepared for this season of boys basketball. “I’ve been playing ball since I was three. I just transferred to Granger this year from Westlake High School. It is definitely a lot different, the conditioning is a lot harder, and it is a new team to me, but I am really excited for this season,” Jarom Unga (11) said.
Region seems to be in every player’s sights. “Region is probably the only thing I am excited for this season…that and playing Hunter,” Jason Murillo (12) said. Last year, Granger did not make it to region, but the players have their hearts set on it. There are always the rival schools and the players are always excited for. “Hunter. Playing Hunter is always a good game, but I’m also excited for Kearns—I just don’t like them,” Anel Alagic (12) said. Playing college ball is something every player dreams of. “If I were to play college, I think I would go to the U for the Pac12,
and it is really competitive, but I think UVU would also be fun,” Daimon Robertson (12) said. College basketball is definitely a lot more competitive and difficult, but if anyone can make it, it is the Granger Lancers. Hunter High School is the big rival. It is the school the Lancers wait all season to play. “I’m excited to play Hunter because of the rivalry, and every year it is really exciting and adrenaline pumping. Also we’re in a new region with new schools,” Brenden Blank (12) said. As for the newest additions to Granger High’s boys basketball team, Lancers are all very excited
to see what the players will bring to the team. “I think they will help out the team immensely, and I am really excited to see how well they will do this season,” Blank said. The Lancers have definitely been conditioning a lot more in comparison to years prior. “There is a lot of conditioning, a lot more running, I think region is something we have our sights on this year,” Alagic said. With most athletic teams, there are usually a few managers. This year, boys basketball has five. “As a previous manager of the team, I think the new players will get along well with the rest of the
shows few signs of letting up. She plans to continue trying ‘everything’ by joining the Granger swim team for the upcoming season.
As the weather changes, so does Paulina’s style.
The boys basketball team prepares to take on a new region team, but overall, it seems like a very strong team this year. I’m excited to see the outcome this season,” Zezhile Hansen (12), a team manager, said. As the team practices together and grows a bond like brothers, Granger Lancers will be cheering them on all the way to region. Be ready to hype up the Lancer basketball team starting November 29 when the boys basketball plays its first game against Cottonwood High School. The following game will be on December 1 against Jordan High School. Make sure to show some spirit and cheer on the Lancer boys basketball players.
December 2017, page 7 | Sports
Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 4
Maleena Vongsaravanh dances for the stars
By Braxton Henrie FOR MALEENA Vongsaravanh (11), her love for dancing started at the age of 12 when she was in sixth grade, she and her friends used to mess around on the field, dancing. During her junior year, she decided to join the drill team because of her passion for dance. “Drill to me is my family, my support, my lifeline and my stress relief,” she said. Her greatest challenge when dancing is to find the right mentality to succeed and help her team be the best. “I live my life by telling myself: ‘Practice like you’ve never won, perform like you’ve never lost,’ ” she said. Vongsaravanh would love to further her career in dancing. “Her ability and flexibility could help her go far in dancing,” Nina Gonzalez (12) said. She is motivated by her team and the feeling of victory when she is dancing and is faced with adversity. She is inspired by fellow teammate Amy Chesnut (12) who pushes her to be the best she can be. “She is a hard worker and tries her best at all times,” Chestnut said. Drill has shown her to never be scared or back down from a challenge because with the right people, anything is possible. “Drill has improved my mental and physical well-being. It has kept me occupied, maybe
sometimes too much,” she said. She has not suffered any injuries while doing drill, but she has been quite sore sometimes. She is good friends with the entire team and, like many athletes, she thinks of them more like family. She has only been in drill for one year and it has already shown her so much, and she plans on doing drill for her senior year. “My mother has taught me that when people hate my qualities, some will find those same qualities the best thing about me,” Vongsaravanh said. She is always trying to do better in her future performances than her past. “I push myself to the best, so that I don’t let my team down,” she said. The song that she enjoys dancing to the most is “Keep Me” by Khalid. She also enjoys watching So You Think You Can Dance. “She is a great teammate and inspires the best in people,” Gonzalez said. “Rachel, our assistant coach, is the person who is the one person who motivates us and wants the best for us,” she said. Vongsaravanh is incredibly excited for her senior year because according to her senior year is the best year in drill. “My go-to dance move is the mill rock, which I do bad on purpose,” Vongsaravanh said. “She is such a fun person to be around and always puts a smile on your face,” Ashley Sotolongo (12) said. Outside of drill, Vongsaravanh
likes to hang out with friends, and she works at Hot Bahn. “I would definitely recommend drill. It is a great way to find a great group of friends who eventually become family. It is
also a great way to relieve stress and keep up with school work,” she said. She’s excited for her next performance where she’ll dance with her team and entertain people doing what she loves.
Maleena gives Granger a big smile as she waits for her next performance.
Artemis Miller loves to swim
By Emily Francis SWIMMING is one of the many sports teams that goes unrecognized here at Granger High School. “I swam a lot when I was little. I stopped for a period of time but once I got into high school, I got back into it,” Artemis Miller (11) said. This is a common story for athletes. They started out as kid and it blossomed from that point on. It’s nice to see Miller get back into something she loves. “Artemis is the reason I did swim again. I thought it looked hard but she told me I could do it,” Richard Dinh (11) said. Artemis is known to be very supportive and she will push people to do their best. Which comes in handy when someone needs a little nudge to keep going. It’s important that a team puts everything in their effort, even if it is just a practice. The swim team wants Lancers to know that they’re committed to their sport and more. “We’re all really hardworking but at the same time really cool,” Miller said. When the swim team goes into practice, it’s normal for them to feel some stress. “When I’m out in the water, I think about music. I create my own song,” she said. Miller has more than one way that she takes all the stress off of her shoulders. “I also imagine competing against myself,” she said. Two is always better than one.
December 2017, page 8 | Reviews
Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 4
Call of Duty, not a GOTY
Enjoy a good Christmas movie Review by Jonathan Manriquez OVER THE years there have been many Christmas movies that have been made. Some of them go out in theatres and others are TV movies on famous channels. The Christmas movies that I have seen are Polar Express, Elf, Four Christmases, and Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I’ve watched these movies a couple of times because I really enjoy these movies. I had watched these four movies as a kid, and I really enjoyed them all. They all have a plot that I can enjoy when I’m watching the movies. They all have happy beginnings that eventually turn pretty bad during the story. Then the middle of the story they are dealing with the problem in their own way. While going through these rough patches in their lives, they have people they meet that help them rethink about what is right. Although they already know what they want to do. What I like about the movies is that they have comedy. I like to laugh when I watch these
movies. Two of the movies Polar Express and Four Christmases have drama throughout the movie that they have to deal with. Three of the movies are made from children’s reading books. I like watching the movies more than reading the books. I am not much of a reader. Either way, the books still can show you what happens in the storeis, and they touch your emotions and way you feel when you have a good imagination. Another movie is Four Christmases, an original movie directed by Seth Gordon. In all of these movies, the characters have gone through rough things in their pasts—either in their familes or being bullied at a young age. Based on the rough experiences some of the characters in these movies have had, it’s clear that they completely hate Christmas or their families and the others who deal with everyday things that happen. This is what shapes the characters in the story and gives the plot for the movie. This is how you can tell how good a movie is going to be. For example is it going to be funny, dramatic, suspenseful, and etc.
Either way a movie is a movie. People took their time to make these movies into what they are today. I watch these movies anytime I can. I even have them recorded on my Dish when it comes time to watch them. The movies are family-friendly options, so anyone can watch the movie to enjoy. I recommend everybody to watch these movies to have fun and great time with their loved ones. Anybody who doesn’t like watching these movies probably doesn’t like the style of comedy and types of jokes these movies have in them. If you ask me, these are too great to be passed by when choosing movies to watch during the Christmas season. There is also the possibility that some people would pass these movies because they watched them too many times already. Try watching these movies if you have not watched them before. Even though these movies are literally the main ones people watched in the holidays. You probably never watched Christmas movies if you didn’t watch at least these movies.
Review by Allen Carrillo CALL OF Duty WW2 is expected to be the GOTY (Game of The Year) after it is released. I can see why it is expected to be the GOTY because it will be the first time in five years that we will get a “boots on the ground” Call of Duty game. The last “boots on the ground” Call of Duty (or COD) game was Black Ops 2, which was released in November, 2012. Basically it’s been five years since we’ve had a new boots on the ground COD game. Personally, I am looking forward to playing it because they are bringing back some of the gore and violence that we saw back in COD World at War. I believe more people will buy WW2 for that very reason and the sales will be way better than they were for Infinite Warfare. Yes, I do believe that WW2 will be one of the best-selling Call of Duty game in comparison to Black Ops 2. However, I do not believe that it will be the GOTY since it is during WW2 and we already have a really good WW2 based game called Battlefield 1. This game is still selling pretty well with an increase in fans at the same time. Even though Call of Duty WW2 was released on November 3, it seems to be selling really well. When I went to get a copy of the game, I was told that they were sold out and would not have more
copies until two days later. So after that experience, I really do believe it is going to be rated as a best seller this holiday season based on the info I’ve read on other game review sources. I will admit the WW2 is a pretty fun game, but an issue that annoyed me and other gamers was that there was a maintenance update right off the bat. Once you pressed start the update popped up. I was not that surprised that an update occurred right after its release, though, since no one could really estimate how many players would get the game upon release. With the sudden amount of players joining the game right off the bat, Activision had to go in and update their servers in order to satisfy consumers and remove some previously unknown glitches. Even though they fixed some glitches that were found in the beta, there were likely some glitches that were missed, which they believe are so big that they need to be fixed. Sometimes those patches are not really necessary, though, so I feel like the developers just do it for fun. If you want WW2 to be the GOTY, then you better hope that the developers do not change anything useful during their updates and hope that there are not many updates. That is what happened to Advanced Warfare, so it is hoped we do not have a repeat of it.
Take a Coffee Break: many choices, but not enough space Review by Andrew Tippetts SALT LAKE City Coffee Break is a popular place for lots of different people. This coffee shop is located right in the heart of downtown Salt Lake. The options in this place are almost endless—from the number of drinks and snacks they have to the tables to sit at. There are also cards to buy and play with, and there’s a variety of people. There are tables to sit at inside and outside, and a lot of them, too. The selection makes it easy to hang out with friends, study, play cards, or just chill—making this place a good place.
Along with the space and area, the drinks are quite good as well. They have simple coffee such as mochas and lattes, but they have a wide selection of teas as well. When you order many of these teas, you tell the barista what you want them to fill your bag with from jars of bulk tea. My favorite drink at Coffee Break is a hot chai latte. This is a mixture of milk and hot chai tea. It is a subtle drink but the flavor is amazing and it has a very holiday feel in terms of taste and smells. This drink was the first one I tried and I have loved it since. Not all the drinks are to die
for though. One in particular, the chocolate mocha, is said to be one of their most popular drinks. In my opinion, though, it’s not so good. The drink is what you would expect from any mocha: it is supposed to be very coffeebased, but the few times I got it, it was very watered down and had almost no coffee in it at all. The drinks also include lots of different flavorings and syrups, and this adds a whole new variety of ways to spice things up a bit. One of my favorites, as well as my friends’ favorites, is the pumpkin flavor. Add pumpkin to a chai latte and make yourself a
perfect holiday drink that helps you keep with the trends as well. This place is great and I love it, but nothing is perfect and it’s hard to say that it doesn’t have any flaws. This is my first real coffee shop aside from Starbucks or Beans & Brews so I always go there, and I love it. But it feels like it’s missing something. Maybe the amount of people is overwhelming or the noise on the weekends is stressful. Some of these things along with others are very unsettling and sometimes make things hard. People are nice, except when there are too many there. Hanging
out with friends, taking selfies, drinking chai, and playing some cards is fun, but not with a whole bunch of people around you yelling and screaming. During the week, on the other hand, is a golden time to be there. It is not too busy, the vibes are perfect, and I have overall amazing times at Coffee Break. If there is one thing I can say about this place, it’s that I personally love it. This place is perfect for my friends and I to go somewhere to chill or when we have nowhere else to go. The aesthetic is amazing and it is one of my favorite places to go.