The West Wind

THE

WEST WIND

THE NEWS MAGAZINE OF

WEST BRUNSWICK HIGH SCHOOL

SENIORS SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVE OF SCHOOL CLOSURES.

8- 9

550 WHITEVILLE RD • WBHSWESTWIND.NET • VOLUME 41 • ISSUE 3

Photo by Lonna Ward. Lonna’s pet bunny, Yoda, finding some shade on a sunny spring day.

All editorials, opinions, cartoons, and the like remain the opinions of the writer. Content is determined by an editorial board of student editors and staff. The West Wind is an NCSMA Publication. THE WEST WIND IS A PUBLIC FORUM FOR STUDENT EXPRESSION. The purpose of The West Wind is to convey school, community, and world news to the population of West Brunswick High School. The West Wind is the official student newspaper of West Brunswick High School and is published each year by the newspaper journalism class. The West Wind is Printed by JS Printing Co. of Birmingham, Alabama.

Staff Writers

Co-Editor in Chief

Kayla Ward

Event Coverage Coordinator

Social Media Manager

Jay Fletcher

Katelyn Lewis

Co-Editor in Chief

Jesse Bellamy

2

Advertising Manager

Online/Art Director

Teagan Coley

Erika Jimenez

Contact Us: westwind315@gmail.com Anna Saunders, Adviser See if you can find the hidden Trojan

Randall Warren Brady Whitesides Noah Pigott Ashlyn Nunn John DeStefano Marc Wuchter Mason Benoy Mackenzie Quaintance Cecelia Vergara

A Brunswick County

Water Crisis

N

ot just the worst in the state, but worst in the nation. On January 22nd, the Environmental Working Group released a report saying Brunswick County, NC has the highest concentration of PFAs, also known as “forever chemicals,” contaminating water supplies. The report led to many residents rushing out for bottled water, filtering pitchers, or enquiring about under-the-sink filtering units to ensure their drinking water was as safe as they had once thought. Perhaps most frightening is how little is actually known about these compounds in terms of their longterm health implications when ingested.

In an FAQ on Brunswick County’s website, public utilities shared that PFAS, PFOAS, and GEN-X “are used in non-sticking coatings for cookware, breathable water repellent clothing for outdoor, military, medical and clean room activities.

In addition to cookware and clothing, fluoropolymers are used to make things lighter, like laptop computers, cellphones, media players and home theaters,” and are likely tied to discharges upstream in the Cape Fear River. The county also reassured residents that they “will notify customers and

residents immediately should any of its test samples exceed the health advisory level,” but they did not give a definitive “yes” or “no” to the question of whether the water was safe to drink or use.

In a WHQR interview with David Andrews, a senior scientist with the Environmental Working Group, Andrews said, “PFAS contamination is nearly impossible to escape or avoid in drinking water. And yet some places have much higher levels than others. And those are places that need urgent action to either provide an alternative source of drinking water or different filtration systems.”

County officials have responded by speeding up plans for a reverse osmosis facility that was already in the works due to the 2017 study showing Gen-X in the Cape Fear River; however, the reverse osmosis treatment center is not expected to be complete until somewhere between 2021 and 2023. Reverse osmosis is perhaps the most promising method for removing the contaminants.

Not only has the county responded by continuing plans for the RO facility, but they have also taken to the courts to advocate for citizens’ right to clean drinking water.

According to BrunswickCountyNC.gov, “Brunswick County filed suit against Chemours and DuPont to protect Brunswick County Utilities customers and their long-term water needs. The lawsuit is looking at the interests of Brunswick County’s customers in the long run and protecting customers against new and emerging chemical compounds.”

Brunswick County Schools is currently looking into options such as leasing reverse osmosis stations to place in schools until the county facility is complete, providing clean drinking water to their students and staff.

The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic has overshadowed this local health and safety concern, but it has not removed the worry from citizens’ minds.

“It definitely changes how we live our day-to-day life,” said English teacher Crystal Karwacki. “We have to buy loads of bottled water to use in addition to all of the groceries. We also buy gallon jugs of water to use for cooking, coffee, and sweet tea. It adds one more element of concern--one more thing to stock up on when you’re trying to minimize trips to the grocery.”

The West Wind Staff

In This Issue Feature 4-5, 9

Student Life 6-7, 12-13, 14-15

NEWS 8 9-10

Editorial 10-11, 16, 18-19

FacingAdv

Feature

Senior Morgan Barbee discusses her journ

C

ancer is always a sensitive topic because many people know or have parents, siblings, friends, or even co-workers who experience the unforgiving disease that is cancer. For senior, Morgan Barbee, cancer became an important part of her teenage life.

On August 7th, 2017, Barbee was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer, which is when a mass forms at the base of a person’s throat. Barbee was only a sophomore in high school when she was diagnosed. Now a senior, Barbee is cancer-free and sharing her story in hopes to inspire and encourage her classmates.

Thyroid cancer is caused by a couple of reasons, being exposed to high levels of radiation, specific genes, or certain hereditary syndromes.

“My parents learned from one of their friends that it was probably hereditary, so they went and got me and my sister

4

checked out,” said Barbee.

“It caused me to grow up way Sitting in the stands looking quicker than I was expecting over the Trojan softball field, to,” said Barbee. “It’s made me Barbee began to get emotional figure out what real life is and as she talked about how her just made me realize that I’m diagnosis impacted her mother. not the only person dealing “I know it hurt my mom,” said with something at the time and Barbee. “There was this mothat I can do anything I put my ment when we had just found mind to” out, and we were Dealing with cancer walking out of not only caused her the doctor’s office “Find something that to mature quicker, makes you happy but it also affected and it was just me and my mom and keeps you going her everyday rouand she just tine as well. every day.

Just have a hugged me and “I have to take purpose.” started crying.” medicine every day, Barbee had lots and if I don’t take of motivation Morgan Barbee it I feel really bad, during this time and then I could from her family, friends, faith eventually start shaking and and the sport she loves the going numb,” said Barbee. most, softball.

Barbee’s cancer has also “I just kept my faith in the changed how people treat and Lord the whole time,” said view her.

Barbee.

“People kinda started feeling However, battling something sorry for me,” said Barbee. “And as strong as cancer can change I was like, I don’t want anybody everything about being a norto feel sorry for me, so I tried to mal teenager. hide it from people for a long

versity

ney of battling thyroid cancer. time.”

Part of Barbee’s experience with Thyroid cancer was influenced by her family, friends, and doctors who have made everything a little bit easier.

With the experience that the doctors had and the reassuring words they spoke, Barbee felt a little more at ease going into her procedure.

“My doctors were great,” said Barbee. “They told me that they’ve done it a million times, that it was just an ordinary situation, so it made me feel better about it.”

Being a teenager in high school has its own struggles, so to have a life-changing disease be added to the mix can test anyone’s strength. Barbee continues to tell and share her story and spread awareness of thyroid cancer and its effects.

Barbee is planning on attending Brunswick Community College in the fall after graduating and will continue her softball career with the BCC Dolphins.

“Even though you have a really bad bump in the road, it doesn’t matter if it’s family or you physically, just find something that makes you happy and keeps you going every day. Just have a purpose,” says Barbee.

Social Media Manager Katelyn Lewis

Student Life

How To

Lik Here are some tips to make you become a thrift s I Online and Art Director Erika Jimenez

f you’re looking to update your wardrobe with unique and high-quality clothing pieces without spendi best friend. There are countless name brands and cool styles to choose from with a price that is just rig with thrifting is not knowing where to start, but not to worry. With these simple tips, you’ll be looking you’re looking to update your wardrobe with unique and high-quality clothing pieces without spending a f friend. There are countless name brands and cool styles to choose from with a price that is just right. One ing is not knowing where to start, but not to worry. With these simple tips, you’ll be looking like the coole

Set Goals:

Be aware of where you shop:

Look Through EVERYTHING:

Going into a thrift store with no set plan can be intimidating. There are so many styles to choose from that it can be overwhelming. Before you start shopping, take some time to find inspiration and to set goals. Keep an open mind for those goals, this is the place to experiment. Pinterest is a great place to find clothing inspiration, and you can make boards for the kind of vibe you’re going for.

The location of where you go thrifting is a really overlooked aspect of thrift shopping. Local shops always have a more unique selection than places like Goodwill and Savers, and they are less expensive. Local shops I recommend are the Hope Chest in Holden Beach and the GCF in Calabash.

If you’re looking for basics or something specific, go to consignment stores like Plato’s Closet and The Fairy Circle (which is a personal favorite).

Hidden gems are hidden for a reason. Pick through each and every rack. Scan the men’s, women’s and children’s sections.

Some of the best things are in places you’d least expect so find them!! This is one of the hardest parts about thrifting but it’s well worth it.

6

ke A Pro shopping expert.

ing a fortune, thrift shopping is your ght. One of the biggest problems g like the coolest kid on the block. If fortune, thrift shopping is your best of the biggest problems with thriftest kid on the block.

Have Fun: Sometimes, even after looking through every nook and cranny, you still might not find something you like and that’s okay.

Even some of the best thrifters have dry days and that’s what makes thrifting fun. You never know what you’re going to find until you try!

News

COVID-1

What Does Online Learnin A glance into what online learning consists of for the students o

W

ith schools shut down, students can’t physically walk into classrooms, but they can digitally join them as counties shift to online learning. In order to do online learning equitably, all students must have access to devices and the internet. West Brunswick offers every student in need of a Chromebook a device for 60 days and connects them with companies like ATMC that are offering free WiFi to students during this unprecedented time.

“West did provide me with a Chromebook and wifi,” said sophomore Chloey Boothe. “Which keeps me caught up with my school work and not falling behind.”

Most teachers are communicating in a variety of ways, using Zoom, Google Meet, emails, or discussion threads to check in with their students and keep learning going.

These forms of communication give students a way to talk to teachers face-to-face and ask questions about assignments that are more

8

confusing to do online rather than at school. For online learning to work for all students, they must recognize its importance going forward not only because of the next class in the sequence, but also in staying immersed in an academic setting.

“I have both positive and negative thoughts for online learning,” said sophomore Jade Harbin. “I like being able to stay home and being able to do work when I want to, but I personally don’t like online learning because I feel it’s harder to understand, and I’m a person who has to learn by talking to someone, not by learning it on my own.”

As online learning is a relatively new thing for both teachers and students at West Brunswick, teachers and staff are finding new ways every day to help transition to this learning style and help students at home who are struggling. Most teachers are using Google Classroom with students and are giving notes on how and where to turn

assignments in, but the workload when transitioning online isn’t always what it would be in a classroom setting.

“I feel like the online work is harder than being in a classroom,” said senior Trey Bell. “I think that since I don’t have a teacher to explain and answer my questions face to face, that it takes away from me fully understanding the material.”

Teachers can be helpful when it comes to what they are supposed to teach, but many teachers weren’t trained to teach online. Even great teachers lack expertise in creating online lessons of similar caliber to their in-person lessons. Many teachers cite their biggest struggle during this transition is getting students engaged in online work when the students may view it as optional. For many teachers at West, fewer than half of their students are regularly engaging in assignments.

“I feel like the teachers are doing a decent job transitioning to online teaching,” said junior Ethan Hewett. “But I don’t think they know how to teach online as well as they do in the classroom because they’re not making the assignments the same, so it’s harder.

West Brunswick was shut down on Monday, March 16th, 2020 for all students and was supposed to reopen on Monday, March 30th. However, Governor Cooper

19

Feature

A SENIOR PERSPECTIVE

Seniors reveal their thoughts and emotions regarding changes due to the stay-at-home order.

ng Entail?

T of West Brunswick. and other state officials met and decided to follow suit with other states, moving learning online for the remainder of the school year to continue social distancing. According to announcements from Superintendent Jerry Oates, seniors in good standing with the correct number of credits are considered graduates, leaving some seniors with work still to do and students in grades 9-11 waiting for the next announcement.

“I think motivation for many students is unfortunately tied to grades rather than actually learning,” said English and Journalism teacher Mrs. Saunders. “I can only hope that the relationships we’ve built with students help motivate them to stay engaged in their classes. I definitely miss the in-person experience!”

This ever-changing situation has many questioning what school will look like going forward from this historic event. Questions of reteaching, retention, or revising the calendar have many people stressed and feeling powerless. Others feel this situation has given them a new sense of appreciation for learning, teachers, and the social experiences traditional schooling offers.

Staff Writer Mackenzie Quaintance

Social Media Manager Katelyn Lewis

he seniors of 2020 have been on the minds of many, and tributes to them have been all over social media. In the midst of this attention, elevating the seniors’ own voices and their feelings seems more important now than ever before. Sporting events and prom are cancelled. Questions of what graduation will look like echo everywhere.

On April 24th, North Carolina’s Governor Roy Cooper announced that schools would be extending their building closures through the end of the year. Seniors took to social media to express their sadness with statements like “bye bye senior year” or “RIP senior season.”

While some seniors are mad and angry with the cancellations, other seniors are deeply saddened by the situation.

“I know it had to be done,” said Morgan Strahley. “But being a senior, it hurts to know we’ve worked so hard for 13 years to finally say we’ve made it, and it might be taken away from us over a virus.”

In such uncertain times, some are trying not to focus on the losses,but instead choosing to be grateful for the time spent together before closures, reflecting on their successes and turning their eyes toward future goals.

“My advice to other seniors is to embrace the fact that we were such a unique class and to appreciate everything we had already got to experience,” said senior Brady Whitesides.

On April 29th, BCS announced high school graduation plans are in the works, and West’s will be on May 27th. The ceremony will be unlike any before it, but students will walk across the stage and be allowed two guests each. Enforcing state social distancing requirements is on the minds of school planners as they work to make the ceremony special for each graduate.

Following the BCS announcement on Facebook, mixed opinions filled the comment section. Some parents and students expressed frustration at the announcement, feeling the decision was rushed. Others expressed gratitude for the opportunity to have a ceremony at all, noting the ways the senior class is being celebrated and spotlighted in unprecedented ways.

The Class of 2020 is anxiously awaiting more details about graduation and other senior experiences. Many are trying to maintain perspective during this global crisis.

“Don’t go crazy getting caught up in what may get cancelled or changed because it’ll all get worked out,” said senior Anna Fields. “Just have a good time with what you can with what’s all going on in the world right now.”

News

Medicine Of Sorts The West Wind Staff

How humor is helping during this time of crisis

H

umor has always been touted as a medicine of sorts. In times of fear or tragedy, comic relief is abundant to break the tension, to bring a sense of ease to those scary feelings humans experience. Comedy can also make someone who is feeling alone less isolated by highlighting common experiences and recognizing that sense of togetherness.

This world-wide pandemic has brought with it an onslaught of memes and TikToks. Some people believe these distractions are in poor taste, but others have been revelling in the relief that laughter can bring.

“I for sure think that the sense of humor brings relief from the unfortunate situation, but I also think that the humor is a result of people who are unaware of the seriousness of the virus,” said senior Rylee Cooper. “We have never experienced something like this in our lives, and it’s almost like we react with humor because it can make this seem not so scary.”

Some believe the use of humor is reflective of society today, social media culture, and younger generations being somewhat irreverent

in serious situations.

“My personal opinion is that the memes were funny even before anything happened, just because of how today’s society takes everything as a joke,” said senior Ella King. “And then after it became real, the memes became more relatable and even funnier just because today’s generation takes everything as a joke. I think the memes are funny, but I can also see how some people would be offended due to it being such a serious topic.”

The class of 2020 has been denied many rites of passage that seniors have come to expect. When the time of social distancing has passed, they will be able to experience these traditions, but until then, they have ongoing jokes, like “Class of 2020 is going to graduate on Zoom,” to keep them laughing in a time when laughter seems less common.

“I do believe that some of the memes are funny about school closures,” said senior Zion Smith. “My favorite memes are the ones about missing school because it shows how we took school for granted and we were so ready to be done,

but now we would do anything to be back in school.”

While the tragedies that grace our news headlines are no laughing matter, the abundance of references to quarantine, online schooling, and Carole Baskin make it easier for people to cope with our bleak situation. Keep the comedy lysol-clean and in good taste, staying reverent of those who are working hard or suffering during this pandemic. Americans may have been asked to wear masks in public, but there’s no need to mask our need to experience happiness and comic relief in dark times.

“In such a serious time like now, we really have to make time for laughter because laughter will always be the best medicine,” said Smith.

Meme provided by Isaiah Yuricek Creator Unknown

Sm king Age

Raised

Understanding why the raise in legal smoking age will affect teens and what to expect

W

hen you turn 18 a lot of new things start opening up to you.

You’re allowed to enlist in the military, get a tattoo, register to vote and so on. However, one opportunity is being pushed a bit further back: the purchase of tobacco.

Friday, December 27th President Donald Trump signed a $1.4 trillion sending package that would change the federal legal smoking age to 21. This will be going into effect in the summer of 2020 though the FDA says it could be sooner.

“I think it is unfair people 18 year olds can sign up and die for their country and pay taxes and get a tattoo but can’t buy any type of tobacco,” said Genevieve Spencer According to the CDC, nearly 4,000 people die each year due to tobacco-related causes. This number isn’t only due to lung cancer but also to the different effects of smoking like heart disease and 13 other types of cancer.

A person whose parent smokes is most likely going to end up smoking, according to the CDC. But now we have electronic cigarettes, vapes like Juul, Altos, and Njoys which we don’t know the definite effects yet.

“You can definitely see some changes in the kids who do vape or smoke by mood swings and then having to go to the bathroom all the time throughout the class,” said freshman teacher, Mrs. Johnson.

Some people are saying that the age raise of tobacco and pods are unfair and unnecessary and even useless. Some people say it is helpful and clever. “ Um, I think it is helpful because it gives the 13 and 14 year olds more time to think about if the want to do it or not,” said Deputy Jordan.

Some teenagers don’t realize the risk they’re taking, there are 13 different types of cancer that you can get from using one of the pods and a cigarette, even one of these pods are equivalent to one whole pack of cigarettes. Nowadays these pods can also be laced and or have some type of drug in them.

Also, some kids might get pods from friends and they might be mixed with something that no one is expecting.

“About one to two times daily, it’s not a good thing because people are putting different things like fentanyl just a little sniff of that can kill you and I know kids

nowadays think it’s cool and all” said Deputy Jordan.

They plan to raise the age until future generations either take longer to start smoking, which gives them more time to think about buying nicotine. Or just to turn them off from the idea of taking up smoking in general.

However, taking out nicotine products isn’t as simple as some might think.

“Not at all because honestly they will do anything sneaky to get it and be like I will pay you this amount of money if you can get it for me, so it is just going to hurt more than good in my opinion,” said Deputy Jordan Because of the natural rebellious nature of teenagers where we almost always do what we’re told not to. This is why raising the age for tobacco almost seems futile in the attempts to stop teens from smoking since either way they’re gonna try and get their hands on it. However; as purposeless as it may seem right now, it’s a step in the right direction by raising the age and stopping younger customers from getting addicted sooner.

Staff Writer Ashlyn Nunn

Editorial

Editor in Chief Jesse Bellamy

Y

ou sit down after a long day of school with your favorite drink and snack in hand. You turn on your TV and begin binging your favorite show or movie series. More than likely, you’re watching something on Netflix and rightfully so.

Since the release of Disney+ on November 12, 2019, the question has been raised, “is Netflix still king of the streaming world,” and the answer is without a doubt, yes.

Netflix’s basic package costs $8.99, and its standard package

V

Different services battle to decide

costs $12.99 compared to Disney+’s $6.99. While Netflix is more expensive, according to Tomsguide.com, it offers over 5,000 more titles to watch than Disney+, so you’re getting a lot more content for only two dollars more a month.

Another downside to choosing Disney+ over Netflix is that Disney+ has no rated R movies or shows. Meaning everything you watch on Disney+ is in “fairytale land,” and you can expect the same general feel from all the shows and movies. While Dis-

ney+ has great franchises like Marvel and Star Wars, it lacks variety and original content.

Netflix has everything you could possibly want to watch, from rated R horror films to family comedies and everything in between while also constantly giving its subscribers original content, such as Stranger Things, Thirteen Reasons Why, or You. Disney +, on the other hand, only has a handful of original series out right now that most people could binge-watch entirely within a week.

I’m not saying Disney + is a bad streaming platform, but when it comes down to it, it’s clear to see that Netflix at this point in time is leaps and bounds ahead of its competition.

Streaming Services Standard Cost’s Monthly cost: Netflix: $12.99 Disney+: $6.99 Hulu: $5.99

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Apple TV: $4.99

Amazon Prime: $8.99

VS

e who will win the streaming wars.

W

hen you think of an entertainment brand, there is only one name that comes to mind, and that name is Disney. When Walt Disney Studios launched the streaming service on November 12th, 2019, Disney+ became a fierce competitor in the streaming wars.

Based on Digital Trends, Disney+ had over 28.6 million subscribers as of February 3rd.

Disney+ was actually the most “commonly searched term” on Google in 2019.

Disney+ is only $6.99 a month, making it much cheaper than its competitor, Netflix. Disney+ also offers bundles with ESPN and Hulu, making it more appealing.

Think of the biggest cinematic franchises, did “Star Wars,” “Marvel,” or maybe “Pirates of the Caribbean” come to mind.

Well, Disney+ contains all three.

Avatar was one of the most successful movies of all time, and guess what streaming service contains that movie? I’ll give you a hint; it’s not Netflix. Netflix has received a lot of backlash due to their decisions on various shows canceling. “Friends’’, a fan

favorite, was just recently taken off of the streaming service.

“Anne with an E” and “Santa Clarita Diet” were just a couple of the numerous canceled shows.

“Anne with an E” was canceled recently, and fans are not happy with the decision. There is an online petition that is trying to get the Netflix TV series renewed for another season.

The “Anne with an E” hashtag fans created has also brought in awareness of many. Ryan Reynolds tweeted, “You guys might

Editor in Chief Kayla Ward want to renew Anne with an E. Unless ‘final season’ is just a fun way of saying ‘halfway point.’”

Netflix will also begin to lose a lot of shows due to the creation of new streaming services. Overall, you can live without Netflix because the shows you may like now could be gone anytime now.

The question you may need to ask yourself is whether you will continue to pay $12.99 a month for the Netflix original shows and movies.

Student Life

UP

How to

Your Binge-Wa

Learn from these tips on pro binge wat

O

ut of school and stuck at home means that w our hands. You can fight the pull of streamin some point, you will get sucked in to a multiple-h of Marvel’s Runaways or Veronica Mars. Here’s ho

• Pick a day with cold or rainy weather • Raid your pantry for the best snacks (We recommend anything with cheese, ranch, • Find the best viewing spot in your home (We recommend the couch, so others get suck with you) • Hide the remote in case anyone asks you to be • Gather pillows and a blanket • Wherever you are viewing, make sure you can • Choose your binge show carefully--have a bac feet • Commit to the task at hand • This could mean hours, days, perhaps all the w • med • gram • mus learn They • stare

12

Game

atching

The West Wind Staff

how to become a tcher.

CAR LINA BLUEWATER

CONSTRUCTION

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n prop your feet up ckup in mind in case you get cold

way until May 15th if you’re lucky Connect with others via social dia to share your viewing experience Live Tweet, fill up your Instam stories, etc.

If you’ve chosen a show with sic or dancing, consider pausing to n these and record for your fans. y will DEFINITELY appreciate this.

When the show ends, plan to e into the abyss, consider actually

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WWW.CAROLINABLUEWATERCONSTRUCTION.COM

Lights Out

Editorial

Teens state their opinions regarding a set curfew.

“D

umb.” “Necessary.” “I have things to do.”

“All my other friends have higher curfews.” “I don’t think I should have one.” “I don’t have one.” “Nothing good has ever happened after 10:30.”

When asking a group of teenagers about curfews, expect a range of responses and a few annoyed sighs.

Curfews are put in place for a variety of reasons: safety, punishment or to stay on a nightly schedule.

Parents like to set curfews for their kids to maintain respect for their authority while teaching them responsibility and punctuality.

“Anything later than 10

16

pm probably isn’t good for me,” said sophomore AJ Vereen. “I think I am trustworthy enough and don’t do enough bad things to need a tracker.”

Setting a teen curfew comes with a variety of different views. Some views include whether or not the curfew is dangerous, safe, or logical. Curfews are very common among teenagers, but they may also have unintentional dangers.

“When you have a curfew if you’re rushing home to get to that curfew, that’s what causes accidents,” said sophomore Emma Nance.

“Accidents happen when you’re rushing.”

The most popular curfew times seem to be between

9 p.m. and 12 a.m. Studies show that states that have curfews have lower crime rates among teens.

Another study shows that most of the drunk driving accidents are more likely to occur in the later hours of the night, so it keeps teens off the roads with those drivers.

When teens start going out with their friends, usually curfews on the weekends are set around 11 pm.

As the teen gets older and shows responsibility and good judgment, the curfew will be adjusted.

“My curfew is out of both, punishment and safety,” said sophomore Jade HarStaff Writer Mackenzie Quaintance

Student Life

The Culture of

Staff Writer Cecelia Vergara

W

ith the widespread closures and stay-athome orders, many are turning to TikTok to both consume and create, trying to keep themselves entertained and connected in this unprecedented time. Ranking as the most downloaded app for the

first quarter of 2020, more than half of its users are 34 years old and younger. Even West’s P.E. Department has gotten in on the fun, using the most popular new form of social media since Snapchat to motivate students to stay active.

The app has brought users together through laughter,

Popular Tik-Tokers At West 18 14

Numbers gathered as of 4/22/2020

dance, and shared experiences. It has created a new form of “celebrity,” steering the direction of pop culture by popularizing individuals, starting trends, and challenging users to create and engage.

“I spend a lot of time on there, watching TikToks most of the time, and then I make them sometimes,” said junior Daylah Therrien. “I don’t like calling myself ‘TikTok famous’ because I mean 200k (followers) is a lot, but if you compare it to how many people there are on TikTok, it’s really not that much.”

On popular apps, such as Instagram and Twitter, it is hard to “go viral” unless you have a rather large following in the first place. However, for Tiktok, someone could have fewer than ten

Daylah Therrien: 215.1k followers 3.8M Likes @daylaht

followers and acquire over 50,000 views by making it on the popular “For You” page. “For You” is the specific feed that the user-driven TikTok algorithm targets to each individual viewer, making the page different for each person.

“It fluctuates, but I probably spend about three hours a day on TikTok,” said senior Brooke Kesky. “I think the structure of the app is what makes it so addicting.

It’s easy to keep scrolling and see new videos before you realize how much time has passed.”

Students aren’t just casually using the app; many are spending more time on TikTok than any other app. The hours many users spend scrolling prompted TikTok to develop “stop scrolling” videos that appear after

a period of engagement, encouraging users to put their phones down and do something else in an effort to curb smartphone addiction. The implementation of this feature is unique for a social media app that benefits from increased usage, sending a message that TikTok cares for its users’ well-being and is willing to combat addiction.

While it has become the butt of many jokes, Tiktok has found its way into the hearts and home screens of many.

“At first, I honestly didn’t like it,” said senior Alex Adcock. “I thought it was really weird and cringy, and then I downloaded it and started watching it, and now I make TikToks like every day.”

Kendra Erwin: Brayden Parrish: 30.4k followers 14.5k followers 776.1k Likes 86.4k Likes @kennygotplenty27

@mr_parrish

Luis Lujano: 5245 followers 139.8k Likes @luislujanoo

NAUTICAL GIFTS OF