BATTLE BETWEEN THE COOKIES Our staff taste tests Girl Scout cookies and compares

PAGE 8 3 FEATURE 3 ARROW 3 MARCH 20, 2020

Getting a lyft to school

Staff, students take advantage of Uber and Lyft services to commute

In an effort to not have to take the bus home after school, students have become creative in their alternatives for a ride home. Recently, one of the popular ways for a quick solution for this problem, is taking an Uber or Lyft ride home. This is becoming increasingly more common among youth in high schools, and in general. Uber and Lyft are companies that offer driving services, to those who may want a ride.

To request an Uber, it is quite simple, you just have to download the Uber app, enter your desired destination address in the where to box. After these few simple steps, just click an available vehicle in your city, and click request. Although, one of the most vital requirements to try and get an Uber has a severe roadblock for local high-schoolers. That the age limit is 18.

“I believe 18 is a sufficient age for Uber,” officer Jim Malczewski said. “They are legally adults now, so there would be no reason to change it now.”

Because of the fact that a lot of high-schoolers aren’t of age, it’s hard for them to order Ubers. Although with the app, and modern technology, it has now become all that much easier to. Because now parents can also log into the app, if they cannot come to pick up their child. Since the parents are over 18, they can now bypass the age wall for their children, and order an Uber for their children.

“I personally am not comfortable with my kids, in third and fifth grade in Uber’s alone,” teacher Jeff LaPratt said. “In regards to older students, I believe they should institute the buddy system instead of going alone.”

Although, due to certain circumstances, there always aren’t always a parent available to pick their children up, due to personal circumstances, working late, or whatever. In these circumstances, options to get the student home become much more limited, and ideas have to become more creative. In these times, Uber or Lyft may be the last source that the school

ANTHONY BARNEY

EDITOR

can come up with to get the student home safely. Although, this is again very circumstantial. Where the students getting this ride home are on the older spectrum of students, more 17- 18 years old, and are not only old enough, but more mature enough to handle the ride home.

“The kids we’ve helped are at least 17 or 18 years old,” principal Tom Lietz said. “This is as a last alternative. Only when they are the appropriate age will we most likely go through with it.”

Along with the travels of Uber and Lyft, comes the long awaited, price tag associated with this. Generally, per mile, the average starting price is around $2 for Uber. As for Lyft, it comes close to a price of $1.50 per mile, with a $0.90 initial fee.

“I think it’s a good price, senior Sophia Cortez said. “It’s really affordable considering I only have only one family car. So with the affordable prices, it is a nice alternative instead of having to get another car for the family to use.”

With all these factors into consideration, another problem arises, the fear factor. Although Uber and Lyft are reliable sources for their customers, there are always some lingering fears of drivers. Although some may be skeptical, Uber and Lyft conducts annual background checks of their employees to ensure that they are safe for customers. At the same time making sure their services are adequate for their customers, so customers are comfortable.

“I think that it depends what driver you have,” junior Jenna Clark said. “If you feel safe I would go through with it, but I would like to know a little more information about my driver before I get a ride from them.”

In recent times, due to the COVID-19, the chief executor of Uber recently released a statement that sales plunged between 60-70%. Although, when there is a loss, there is also a win. As the use of Uber eats dramatically increased in these past few weeks, according to the New York Times, as they saw a 27% increase in sales.

Girl Scout cookies put to the test

NUR AWKAL EDITOR

When put to the test, can people really tell the difference between the original Girl Scout cookies and their Walmart brand counterparts? The Arrow crew put that question to the test. Tagalongs, Trefoils, Samoas, Do-Si-Dos, and Thin Mints got to be part of the taste test. Almost every flavor had a Walmart version of the cookie.

The journalism and newspaper crew members that participated in the taste test all had to close their eyes. The name brand cookie was given in their left hand and the off-brand cookie from Walmart in their right. At a count of three everyone tried the cookie that was in their right hand first. Many had a hard time deciding what the difference was between both brands of the Samoa cookies.

Every cookie is uniquely different and that is what everyone loves about them. Thin Mints have a crumbly texture and are minty covered in chocolate. Samoas are round with a cookie cracker, topped with crispy coconut, caramel, and chocolate. Trefoils are a sugar cookie with a little less flavor then the rest of the cookies. Do-si-dos are two saltier cookies with peanut butter in the middle. Last, but not least, there are the Tagalongs which have a thin cookie, peanut butter on top, and are covered in chocolate. The off-brand cookies looked a little different then the Girl Scout cookies. The only exact replicas the crew had was the Thin Mints and Samoas. The rest did not have exact replicas in the cookie section at Walmart. They are very differently priced, but the money for Girl Scout cookies is to fund their program. Everyone had to close there eyes for the taste test, because some of the cookies had a very similar taste, but have very different looks. Many enjoyed the on brand cookies over the Walmart cookies.

“I thought the one in my left hand was the Girl Scout cookie,” senior Dominic Lount said. “The one in my right hand was thinner then a regular thin mint cookie.”

The Samoas were very hard to differentiate for everyone, hence they looked and tasted the exact same. The whole group came to that census.

The Tagalongs did not have a competitor, but many did enjoy them.

The Do-Si-Dos looked a lot different then the ones bought from Walmart. For this one we made everyone close their eyes, with different cookies placed into each hand for the test. These were a very close call on flavor, and no one knew which one was which. Among the group, this cookie was not as well-known as the other cookies.

Trefoils were everyone’s least favorite and these also had no competition. Everyone said it was very bland and boring compared to the other cookies

The consensus for everyone was in favor of the Girl Scout cookies. Everyone said that the cracker in the Girl Scout cookies was a lot better then the Walmart version. The Walmart version had less freshness, and less flavor.

The most favored cookie among the group were the Somoas. The mixture of the cracker, caramel, coconut, and chocolate drizzle on top was a winner for the whole group. Thin mints were also a very close draw to the winner.

36% Thin Mints

7% Tagalongs

“I like Thin Mints,” senior Abby Jenkins said. “I prefer them cold.”

57% Samoas

ARROW STAFF POLL

“I don’t like Tagalongs,” senior Anthony Barney said. “I don’t like peanut butter.”