12.18.19

the

Arrow 100 Lakeview Canyon Rd. Westlake Village, CA 91362 Volume XLIII | Issue 3 | December 18, 2019

PAGES 8‑9

2020 election update

Star Wars tribute

WHS collegiate athletes

Page 3

Page 10

Page 14

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EDITORIAL

Arrow staff editors-in-chief prarthana kaygee & avery pak

managing editor & featured columnist angel lee

web masters-in-chief songhee lee & faith yellin

news section editor

Lockdown drills require more student cooperation

owen kobett & allan tieu

Picture this: It’s a regular school day at WHS. You’re sitting in class, learning about Shakespeare or evolution, when all of a sudden, Mr. Branham comes on the loudspeaker and announces that we are in a lockdown state. Panicked, everyone tries to figure out what to do, how to act and how to feel due to a lack of knowledge on lockdown procedures.

WHS had a lockdown drill in during second period on Dec. 11. As part of the drill, students and teachers are supposed to replicate the safety procedures performed when an emergency lockdown actually happens. While the element of surprise was definitely there because nobody knew what time on Wednesday the drill would strike, it did not truly mimic a realistic lockdown situation. A majority of classrooms just pushed back the Lock Blok to lock the door, then continued on with the day’s lesson or addressed it only to a minimal extent.

Lockdown drills are performed for the students and staff to practice reacting properly to a real emergency. When one is taking place, teachers should scan hallways for students, lock the doors, close the blinds, turn off the lights and silence all cell phones so no light can be seen. We get it: lockdown drills are essentially a break from the lesson where you just get to chill and chat with your friends, but that really isn’t the point.

Although lockdown drills are frankly pretend with no real danger or threats, they should still be taken seriously to replicate an actual lockdown.

According to The Washington Post, there were about 6,200 school lockdowns in 2018, and over four million children had to take part in them. On a typical school day in the 2017–2018 school year, at least 16 campuses locked down, with nine related to gun violence or the threat of it.

With this alarming amount of real lockdowns, it only seems beneficial to actually practice and take lockdown drills seriously in the case of a real emergency. The procedure in a lockdown is one of the most important factors in saving lives.

According to npr.org, if lights go out and doors are locked, the perpetrator will have fewer opportunities to kill students before police arrive. Therefore, lockdowns are actually effective and can potentially spare the loss of a life.

“I think what people have to remember is that whenever you’re talking about safety and you’re specifically talking about lockdown, it’s not a black and a white thing,” said Principal Jason Branham. “Every situation is going to be different. There [are] all these different what if ’s, so I think the biggest thing to remember is that ... your safety is number one.”

With the unending possibilities for a lockdown, an active shooter is the first that comes to mind. After the Parkland shooting, people started to recognize mass shootings as a long– term issue, not just a one–time tragedy. Mass shootings became more prominent in the news, evoking more reactions from America that ultimately sparked a controversy over gun control.

kyra berg & lindsey romano

feature editors aly brook, tommy kackert, angela ling & soumya monga

arts & entertainment section editor abigail thompson

opinion section editor sophie robson

opinion editors sophia haines & margaret teegarden

sports section editor bob xia

graphics editor lauren pak

photo editor jeff mendoza

business manager amber parrish

adviser karie lynch The Arrow is written, designed and run by the students of the Advanced Journalism and Journalism 1CP classes at Westlake High School. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, Westlake High School administration, faculty or student body. We welcome feedback. Letters must be signed by the writer.

15 1 2

by prarthana kaygee, angel lee & avery pak the editor team

feature section editors

agree:

Oftentimes, students do not take lockdown drills as seriously as disagree: expected. Though there is no actual danger or threat, it is necessary that everyone considers the “casual” drill to be much more serious, abstain: as lives can be put in jeopardy at anytime, anywhere.

quinn moss

news editors

STAFF POLL

www.westlakearrow.net westlakearrow@gmail.com @westlakearrow 100 N. Lakeview Canyon Road Westlake Village, CA 91362 (805) 497-6711 ext. 4225 Cover photos courtesy of public domain Cover design by Avery Pak

“Lockdowns ... have become a hallmark of American education and a byproduct of this country’s inability to curb its gun violence epidemic,” according to The Washington Post.

As a sad reality of the world we live in, there have been 45 school shootings as of Nov. 19 — 46 weeks into 2019, according to CNN. In broader terms, there has been almost one school shooting every week of this year.

Being in a community that is familiar with mass shootings, extreme measures should be taken to prevent future shootings.

The Borderline shooting shook our community and made everyone realize that Thousand Oaks is not a safe bubble as it had been thought of previously, emphasizing how a shooting can happen anytime, anywhere. With a tragedy so close to home, lockdown drills are simply an act of protection and training in case tragedy strikes again.

“We have tried to be very, very sensitive,” said Branham. “When you have a lockdown drill, it elicits emotions from some kids in completely different ways, whether the Borderline tragedy from a year ago or the Saugus shooting this year. It’s going to impact everybody differently, so we try to be careful.”

Though gun violence is one of the leading reasons for school lockdowns and ultimately grave danger, lockdowns can happen due to many other circumstances. Some of these situations include natural disasters such as earthquakes and fires, or criminals on the loose in our area.

“There was a high speed pursuit on the 101 [last year], and if they … exited at Westlake Blvd., we would have locked down the school just in case they came in our direction,” said Branham. “I think that’s why practicing the lockdown is really, really important, not only for (unfortunately) the situations we automatically think about, but all those other ones that we sometimes don’t think about.”

Some may argue that teachers don’t take the lockdown drills seriously, therefore making it impossible for students to perform the proper safety procedures. Although we agreed with this at first, we realized that every teacher handles the lockdown drill differently and carries its seriousness to his or her own extent. As confirmed by Branham, the PowerPoint about lockdown procedures is sent out to all teachers, but it is their choice to go over it or disregard it and continue with the day’s notes.

“I really trust the teacher because in the event that we are going to have a lockdown — a real lockdown — they’re going to be the ones in charge of those classes and of those students.” said Branham.

Regardless of the teacher’s decision on whether to take a lockdown drill seriously or not, it is still our job as students to know what to do in the case of a real lockdown. As the broadest expectations, we should be as quiet as possible, preferably be in a classroom and ultimately treat the drill as if it weren’t fake.

How seriously we take lockdown drills is, unfortunately, something that our lives could depend on some day. So, we urge you to act smartly during the next lockdown drill and pay attention to instructions because the world we live in today is scary and violent — danger is everywhere.

3

NEWS

2020 election update is to energize voters and encourage them to go to the polls, which they believe a further–left nominee will be more capable of doing.

“I think that [Sanders] definitely appeals to a large group of young voters who are very upset with the way that our country has been run for a long time,” said Sukham Sidhu ‘20. “He also seems like the most honest candidate because he’s been advocating for the same things his whole life.”

In contrast, others worry that if the party skews too far left, they will lose support in battleground states.

They fear that even if desirable, more liberal policies such as the abolition of private insurance and higher taxes on the wealthy will push more moderate voters away from the Democratic party.

Buttigieg has seen a sharp increase in popularity after polling first in the Iowa caucus.

“Pragmatically, I think he has the best chance of beating Donald Trump if he were to become the Democratic frontrunner,” said Stephen Saw ‘20.

Many who argue that a centrist is more likely to win the general election in November support Biden, citing his decades of experience in politics and his well–established reputation.

by quinn moss news section editor The 2020 presidential election is officially less than a year away, and many changes have already occurred within both the Democratic and Republican fields.

There are 17 Democratic candidates and four Republican candidates remaining in the race.

Top–polling Democrats include Former Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders (D–VT), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D– MA) and Pete Buttigieg, mayor of Southbend, IN. The three Republicans challenging incumbent Donald Trump are businessman Roque de la Fuente, Former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld and Former House Representative Joe Walsh.

The Democrats have particularly struggled to decide whether they want to select a more progressive nominee, like Sanders or Warren, or a centrist candidate, such as Biden or Buttigieg.

Those who argue in favor of progressive candidates theorize that the key to winning the presidency in 2020

“I really support [Warren’s] beliefs and I think we deserve a woman president at this point in time, but I came to realize that she was too liberal,” said Madelyn Lynch ‘23. “I personally believe that Joe Biden would be the best candidate that we have, mainly because he is close enough to being a Republican, although he considers himself a Democrat.”

Several Democratic candidates, including Representative Eric Swalwell (D–CA), Senator Kamala Harris (D–CA) and former Representative Beto O’Rourke (D– TX), have dropped out of the race due to a lack of momentum in their campaigns. Others, like spiritual leader Marianne Williamson, Senator Michael Bennet (D–CO) and former Representative John Delaney (D–MD), who are polling at less than 2% nationally, did not meet the Democratic National Committee’s qualifications for the most recent debate on Nov. 20, but are still running.

Furthermore, the Democratic field has continued to grow, with former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick joining the race Nov. 19.

“I’m not running to be president

of the Democrats,” said Patrick at a campaign event. “I am running to be president of the United States. There’s a difference.”

On the other side of the political aisle, the Republican National Committee has not yet announced any plans to hold a primary election, signaling the party’s enduring support of President Trump despite the ongoing impeachment inquiry in the House of Representatives.

“What’s happening in the House is basically un–American,” said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R–SC).

Eleven percent of Republicans, however, do not support Trump’s 2020 campaign, according to a poll of likely voters published by pollster YouGov on Nov. 27.

“I’m usually more Republican, but I would say not [as much] right now because of who’s in office,” said Alexa Warren ‘20.

Immigration, healthcare, abortion and beating President Trump in November have emerged as the most prominent issues for the Democrats in this election cycle.

Ultimately, the candidates’ stances on these issues will determine whether they earn their party’s nomination.

In brief Finals Semester one finals will take place on Jan. 14, 15 and 16.

There will be no school on Fri., Jan. 17. The finals bell schedule is as follows: Tues., Jan. 14: Periods 1, 2, 7 7:25 a.m.–2:17 p.m.

Wed., Jan. 15: Periods 3, 5 8:22 a.m.–12:20 p.m.

Thurs., Jan. 16: Periods 4, 6 8:22 a.m.–12:38 p.m.

Dance Winter Showcase The WHS dance team has its annual winter showcase on Dec. 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. Presale tickets for $5 will be sold until Dec. 17. Tickets will also be sold at the door for $10.

The team will dance to traditional holiday classics and will feature student– choreographed performances.

In addition, the WHS dance team is collecting canned goods for donation. Each donor will receive one raffle ticket for each canned good that is donated.

Compiled by Faith Yellin

Timeline of allegedly impeachable offense

The House Judiciary Committee approved two articles of impeachment against President Trump on Dec. 13. It can be easy to lose track of all the moving parts of what the Democrats consider an “impeachable offense” by President Trump, so below is a timeline of the events leading up to President Trump’s infamous phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Democrats allege that he abused his powers as president during this call in order to damage the prospects of rival 2020 Presidential Candidate Joe Biden.

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Donald Trump becomes the 45th President of the United States.

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6

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Soviet associates of the president’s lawyer criticize U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.

Trump suggests she be fired.

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8

Trump J officials tell Zelensky’s staff that Zelensky must announce an investigation into the Bidens in order to obtain a White House visit.

5 y2 ul

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Volodymyr Zelensky is elected president of Ukraine.

r Ap

Sources: washingtonpost.com & justsecurity.org

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D Joe Biden joins world leaders in condemning Shokin and presents an ultimatum to Ukraine to fire Shokin or lose loan guarantees.

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g. 5 Au

Ukrainian Prosecutor General Vitaly Yarema launches an investigation into the owner of Burisma Holdings on corruption 2 charges.

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Ukraine ends all investigations into Burisma Holdings, where Hunter Biden continued to serve on the board.

5 ly 2 Ju Trump asks Zelensky to investigate the Bidens and a cybersecurity firm accused of interfering in the 2016 presidential 2 election.

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Victor Shokin is removed from his position as Ukraine’s prosecutor general.

ril 21 Ap

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Jan.

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Hunter Biden, the son of former Vice President Joe Biden begins working for Ukrainian oil and gas company 2 Burisma.

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0 Victor Shokin replaces Yarema as Ukranian prosecutor general and is criticized for failing to battle corruption.

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19 GRAPHIC BY QUINN MOSS

4

NEWS

Just Mercy considered for CVUSD adoption

by soumya monga feature editor

board of education meetings.

“It is a joint effort between WHS and NPHS English teachers,” said Novak. “I read the book to be able to answer questions when I brought [it forward] at the Secondary Curriculum Advisory Committee and at the board meetings.”

Novak enjoyed reading the novel, considering it a “page–turner” that could have significant benefits to WHS students and others who may read it as part of their curriculum.

“This book is perfect for ninth grade as a contemporary pairing with Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird because it’s set in Alabama and has so many parallels for students to identify and discuss,” said Novak.

In addition to providing connections with other books in the current curriculum, Just Mercy depicts cultural differences in modern times and addresses the notion of acceptance within society.

“While there may be some difficult stories and details of injustice and racism, ultimately the story is one of hope,” said Magnante in her rationale for Just Mercy. “The adaptation for young adults does not shy away from sensitive topics but does handle them in a developmentally appropriate way.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF PUBLIC DOMAIN

On Dec. 17, Conejo Valley Unified School District Board of Education voted on the adoption of the memoir Just Mercy

by Bryan Stevenson into the CVUSD ninth grade curriculum.

CVUSD held two preview nights before the vote, with the first on Nov. 21 and the second on Dec. 12, allowing community members the opportunity to preview and discuss the book. Two informational meetings prior to the vote were also held on Nov. 19 and on Dec. 3.

After the recommendation from the English Articulation Committee, the first informational meeting was a presentation of the novel by the Secondary Curriculum Advisory Council. The SCAC is part of the new Core Literature Selection Process. Just Mercy and Forget Me Not, other books being considered for implementation at the seventh grade level, are the second set of books to be approved using this process.

Lora Novak, 10CP and 12AP English teacher and English Department Chair, was involved in rewriting the adoption process after the 2018 board of eduction election.

The previous process consisted of a parent committee that was never formed, so a new process was drawn up to aid in the core literature selection process.

“I appreciate the collaboration between English teachers and the district administrators,” said Novak. “The district decided to amend the policy to make it better for students and teachers.”

At the first stage of this new process, English and Language Arts department chairs and other administrators from CVUSD schools present a book that goes to the SCAC after a vote.

“Other members of the articulation group may agree to read the book for review

and discussion at the following articulation meeting,” according to the CVUSD website.

“If other members have read the proposed book, the articulation committee votes to move the proposal to Secondary Curriculum Advisory Council.”

Should SCAC agree with ELA and EAC, it recommends the book to the board before their information m e e t i n g s .

Parents and other community members have one month to check out the book from the CVUSD district office and school sites and read it if they choose to.

They may also voice their opinions and concerns during this time period at the preview nights or other informational meetings.

Lastly, if the book is approved after the Board of Education vote, it becomes an approved re commend at ion on the district’s core literature list.

Novak played a key role in the approval of Just Mercy. She worked with Newbury Park High School English Department Chair Jill Magnante to recommend the book for adoption. Magnante wrote the rationale for an adaptation version of the novel, and Novak presented the book to the SCAC and at the

Just Mercy follows the author, Bryan Stevenson, in his 21st–century memoir as a young African American lawyer committed to fighting injustice and inequality as he defends the poor and wrongfully condemned.

“The case [of wrongfully convicted Walter McMillian] drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination and legal brinkmanship — and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever,” according to Goodreads.

Kari Ballard, English 9 Honors and 11CP teacher, was also part of the efforts to support the book in the approval process. As a freshman English teacher, Ballard believes that this novel is absolutely beneficial to the freshman curriculum.

“Non–fiction examples can bring fiction to life for many readers, and because this novel pairs so nicely and even draws an allusion to the ninth grade book To Kill a Mockingbird, I feel students will have a deeper understanding and appreciation for what Harper Lee tries to convey with her novel,” said Ballard.

Ballard also believes that this novel is notable in its theme and overall message.

Ballard enjoys the portrayal of the social issues presented in the book as well.

“The novel is captivating and offers a realistic portrayal of the injustices that are present in our current judicial system,” said Ballard.

To Kill A Mockingbird helps raise awareness about the injustices experienced by African Americans in the United States. Just Mercy can increase awareness of these injustices in a modern setting through the perspective of someone who is seeking to fix a broken justice system.

“It is a goal of our district to introduce more multicultural literature to better represent our student population,” said Novak. “It’s extremely important for minority students to see themselves in a positive ethnic role model.”

Results of the Dec. 17 vote will be made available to the public on Dec. 18.

Human Rights Month: local and national spotlight PHOTOS COURTESY OF PUBLIC DOMAIN

WHS Amnesty International club

Hong Kong solidarity in United States

“Remain in Mexico” opposition

Students at WHS are raising awareness of human rights violations through a new club called Amnesty International.

“Amnesty International [is affiliated] with the organization [of the same name] which is a global organization that campaigns for human rights across the globe,” said President Emma Fong ‘22. “They have student chapters where we can also partake in activities that can help us campaign and advocate for human rights.”

Fong and other members of the club are honoring National Human Rights month, recognized each December, with a letter– writing campaign.

“Amnesty has this global campaign called Write for Rights where [members] take 10 legal cases of people whose human rights have been violated and then write letters to global leaders and local politicians trying to get their cases appealed or draw attention to those cases,” said Fong.

Amnesty International is one of many ways students can advocate for human rights.

“Advocacy takes form in lots of different ways,” said Fong.

“You could go to rallies, use your social media platform to speak out, write letters to local politicians, hold campaigns or go to press conferences and public forums.”

Many citizens of Hong Kong are protesting against their current government, demanding that officials infuse more democratic practices. Police officers are firing back with rubber bullets and tear gas, restricting protestors’ ability to speak freely despite an overwhelming majority of protestors being nonviolent.

The Hong Kong government decided to temporarily remove the extradition bill that initially sparked the protests, but citizens have continued to take to the streets.

“China has viewed the protests as a challenge to its fervent nationalism, while democracy supporters worldwide have cheered what they see as a poke in the eye of the autocratic Chinese government,” according to The New York Times.

A new U.S. bill, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, was passed by the Senate, the House of Representatives and President Trump in late November. It seeks to aid protesters in Hong Kong by holding police officers responsible for their actions.

According to Bloomberg, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said, “The Congress is sending an unmistakable message to the world that the United States stands in solidarity with freedom–loving people of Hong Kong and that we fully support their fight for freedom.”

President Donald Trump created the Migrant Protection Protocols Policy, otherwise known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy on Jan. 25, 2019, which forces immigrants back to Mexico while the government processes their status to enter the United States.

“Nearly 60,000 people have been sent back to Mexico to wait for distant court hearings under the forced return to Mexico (‘MPP’) program, where they face targeted violence, kidnappings, extortion and homelessness,” according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Immigrants claiming asylum do not want to go back to their previous homes due to life–threatening violence and gang involvement. Conditions on the border threaten their lives as well.

According to Slate, Michelle Bachelet, United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that children in migrant camps lack “access to adequate health care or food” and face “poor sanitation conditions.”

People on the border are starving and homeless. They have few resources and lack medical care, but would rather endure these conditions than return to their native countries where violence awaits.

“Remain in Mexico policy must not be expanded,” said the Latin America Working Group. “It must be terminated.”

Compiled by Aly Brook & Faith Yellin

5

FEATURE

mazon’s takeover by amber parrish business manager The billion dollar company Amazon has dominated online retail sales for the past several years, making it a recent threat to many economists as well as other competing companies.

“Banking company Morgan Stanley issued its tenth annual list of secular growth stocks ... which is the firm’s list of the top 35 companies that it expects will grow strongly well into the future,” according to CNBC.com.

Amazon made an appearance on this list, showing its anticipated success.

Despite its enormous growth and success, Amazon, owned by Jeff Bezos, does not quite qualify as a monopoly.

“Amazon falls short of meeting the U.S. Department of Justice’s monopoly threshold, defined as a market share of greater than 50%,” according to CBInsight.com.

Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods caused U.S. lawmakers to rethink some laws regarding monopoly–related topics. Congress is considering passing new laws and setting stricter monopoly thresholds with regulations.

“Amazon holds a domination over the United States book market, as well as the market for some types

World’s largest companies dominate

Global 500 is a list made by Fortune of the top 500 companies based on revenue. Amazon, at number 13, is compared below with companies from the top 11.

GRAPHIC BY LINDSEY ROMANO

Source: fortune.com

of toys and electronics,” according to Barry Lynn, director of the Open Markets Institute. “A lot of publishers and authors are terrified of speaking out about Amazon’s domination or monopoly.”

By next year, Amazon is said to have around 4% of all of the retail sales in the United States, and 1% of the $25 billion in the global market.

In 2017 alone, Amazon increased U.S. online retail sales by 44% and total retail sales went up 4%, according to One Click Retail.

“Amazon doesn’t just dominate the online market; it controls access to it,” according to Virdict.com.

The company’s widespread domination has not only caught the eye of other business competitors,

but governmental officials too. For instance, Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, has been attacking Amazon’s dominance on the Internet as part of her 2020 presidential campaign.

Warren wants the company to be dismantled in fear that it may become a monopoly that will greatly affect and control the United States

and the world economy.

Think Tank and other research institutes like the Roosevelt Institute and Open Markets Institute have argued that the Federal Trade Commission, along with the Justice Department, should prevent more mergers and acquisitions of companies like Amazon to promote a fair and openly competitive marketplace.

They could potentially break apart companies who seem to be on track to control the online marketplace.

Although Amazon’s domination overpowers most other competitors, Amazon also works with and supports third party companies.

58% of Amazon’s gross merchandise from third–party sellers in 2018 is predicted to grow to 65% at the end of 2019.

Amazon has aggressively expanded its business to target sectors including finance, health and fashion.

In 2018, Amazon’s North America revenue jumped 46% to $30.7 billion, according to cnbc. com. Amazon is only planning on growing and expanding their billion dollar empire to new extremes.

Amazon’s current net worth is around $114 billion, and the company continues to take over the online market, attracting consumers and product sellers with its convenience and growing prevalence.

Ethnic Food Eateries

#1

SOOM SOOM FRESH MEDITERRANEAN

#2

NAMASTE SPICELAND

Soom Soom Fresh Mediterranean is located in the Promenade in Westlake Village and is known for its fresh, authentic Mediterranean cuisine.

With an array of fresh vegetables, rices, sauces and more, customers can choose a vegetable or meat entree and their choice of a plate, pita or wrap.

Each plate comes with a side of rice or couscous, four vegetables (including cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots) and a pita. Some of the most popular dishes are the chicken or beef shawarma plate and the falafel pita.

Most customers top off the dishes with tahini (a classic Mediterranean sauce made from sesame) which comes in house or spicy flavors. Soom Soom also offers a variety of hummus and sides a la carte.

Considering the large portions, the price of around $10–13 for a meal is worth it.

Namaste Spiceland is an Indian grocery market located in Thousand Oaks. The market carries tons of spices, snacks and produce that are typically associated with Indian cuisine.

Aside from the market, Namaste serves fresh, hot Indian food. Amongst their dishes, there is quite a selection of vegetarian and vegan items, including samosas and paneer for a cheap price. A small container of basmati rice and curry costs about $3. Other dishes include lunch and dinner specials or combo plates, which average about $8. The patio is filled with tables and couches that are all colorful and heavily patterned to complement Indian culture.

The staff is friendly and welcoming to their customers as they give food recommendations and make conversation with complete strangers.

As a cultural staple in Thousand Oaks, Namaste Spiceland is a place for people to gain insight on Indian food products and explore a bit of Indian culture.

PICTURED: Chicken shawarma plate with pita, hummus, vegetables and rice

PICTURED: Paneer curry with basmati rice

#3

ELOONG DUMPLINGS

Chinese restaurant eLoong Dumplings is located in Westlake Village that serves traditional dishes.

As hinted by the name, the dumplings, whether they be wontons, soup dumplings or buns, are eLoong’s best–selling items. Their pork soup dumplings (xiao long bao) are most anticipated and ordered by customers.

Besides dumplings, eLoong serves many other popular dishes like sautéed vegetables, soups, fried noodles, pan–fried rice cakes and fried rice. They also carry fresh milk tea with boba, which is difficult to find in a small city like Westlake Village.

The restaurant is decorated with dainty circular lights, wooden tables and plants, giving it an aesthetic aura. Although eLoong Dumplings is often packed, service is still good.

With low prices for quality food, eLoong Dumplings is the perfect place to have a quick, tasty meal that comes straight from the heart of China.

PICTURED: Xiao long bao dumplings

Compiled by Angel Lee & Avery Pak

6

FEATURE

Kira Ziff explores her entrepreneurial side

like a cow. We looked at each other and it instantly became the name.”

Not only does Ziff receive advice from her mom, but she also receives uplifting advice from some of her closest friends.

“I tell her to keep going with [her passion] and strive to do great,” said Gemma Kimble ‘20. “And if something doesn’t work out, get up, try something new and keep going until you succeed.”

For some, senior year can be a year filled with non–stop studying and college apps as students are still hesitant as to what career paths they will pursue; however, because of Ziff ’s organized preliminary plan for her fashion based future, she decided to take a more laid back route — getting out of school at 12 p.m.

— leaving her a considerable amount of time to perfect Bleu Cow. But more than just creating a clothing line, Ziff ’s entire senior year experience has helped her grow as a person and realize her passion. “[Senior year] has been a lot different than I always imagined,” said Ziff. “For me, it’s a lot more based on creating myself and learning more about who I am over anything.”

Ultimately, Ziff has big plans for the future of Bleu Cow and even hopes this could lead to a possible career path.

“My future plans for the company are just to continue getting the name out there and slowly [start] building it into its own original [one] of [a] kind look and design,” said Ziff. “I’m going to be doing unique looks such as flames, lightning and stars. For now, it’s just a hobby, but I have always been interested in fashion and it would be awesome to have it become a more full–time thing.”

probably some rules,” said Garlock. “They don’t want you breaking bones, [so they] restrict dangerous activities I guess, but for me right now, [there are no restrictions].”

Garlock hopes to stay in California and continue her modeling career, even in college.

“What I really want to do in life ... is travel and [modeling is] a really good way to do that,” said Garlock. “I meet new people [and] it’s really fun to model for brands that I actually wear. As far as college, I have my heart set on staying in L.A., so [I want to attend] USC, UCLA or UCSB and work in L.A. while I’m still in college.

Once I’m out of college, [I’ll] just focus on modeling mostly.”

It certainly helped that Presley had experience prior to signing with IMG Models, but there are no specific requirements or guidelines to becoming a model. In fact, many people who sign to IMG Models have no experience with modeling.

“There are definitely people who start modeling at [age] 15, 16 or 17,” said Garlock. “[Modeling is] definitely more comfortable for me because I’ve already been through shoots and on sets, so I already know the process, but [it] might be hard for someone who is just getting into it.”

She has worked with many different brands including Little Tikes,

Nordstrom, Gap, Neiman Marcus, Jill Stuart and O’Neill.

“As I got older, I did Tillys and at the time I was wearing their clothes, so it was really fun,” said Garlock. “I got to go to cool places like Huntington Beach and Venice and … I got to do stuff that I usually do like skating … and paddle boarding. All of them so far have been super cool locations. They’ve had great people and other kids there that I [became] friends with and am still friends with today.”

Modeling as a high school student calls for time management and discipline. Garlock has learned to balance modeling and school work, even though both activities are time consuming and stressful.

“Whenever I have a free period or free time after school, I get [my work] done,” said Garlock. “If I have to do work during a shoot, I will.”

Although being a model seems ideal, Garlock has encountered several obstacles, including bullying.

These obstacles have taught Garlock how to adapt and be confident in her own identity.

“I may be stereotyped ... [but] I have come to love myself, so no amount of bullying could ever take me down,” said Garlock. “Beauty mostly comes from within. That’s what’s most important with modeling is being yourself and being kind.”

LI NG

graphics editor High school is a time when students are beginning to find their paths and passions to become successful in the real world. Whether this be arduously focusing on schoolwork to be accepted into the most elite colleges or pursuing artistic desires through fashion and music, students have found ways to fulfill their dreams.

For Kira Ziff ‘20, this involves creating her own clothing lines — Bleu Cow, a collection of sweatpants, hoodies, bucket hats and phone cases and Deuxamants, a hoodie line created by her and her boyfriend Kolin Jones.

Ziff began her fashion line Deuxamants with a basic black hoodie collection that dropped in May of 2019. “[Deuxamants] means ‘two lovers’ in French,” said Ziff. “We both are very into fashion and [Kolin] was starting a bunch of different businesses at the time, so we decided to make one together.

We outsourced from China to get our hoodies ... so that we could create a profit and make more hoodies.”

Despite their first collection of 50 hoodies selling out within only a month and a half, Ziff and Jones eventually realized that they had different views and goals regarding their business, leading Ziff to her solo creation

of Bleu Cow. Although the hype from Deuxamants may have died down, Ziff and Jones continue to keep a relationship going, and Ziff has learned a lot from the overall experience, ultimately giving her more knowledge and insight for Bleu Cow. “[Deuxamants] was a really fun project to do together at the time, [and] it taught me a lot about creating my own company, making an online store, how to attract an audience and how to find a target audience that would purchase items,” said Ziff.

Although many have dreams that they wish to accomplish, the long process of getting there can be a deterrence. However, Ziff considers this journey an enjoyment through which she is able to uniquely express herself. “[Bleu Cow started because] I’ve always been into fashion [as] my mom was always doing fun projects while I was growing L GE AN up, and it sparked my creative, Y B PHOTO entrepreneurial side,” said Ziff. “I’ve always loved thrift shopping, up–cycling and painting. I always want to find things and make them one of a kind.”

Ziff also got inspiration from her mom when deciding on the name of this fashion line. “[I named it] Bleu Cow because the first pair of sweatpants I dyed were blue and came out in a weird print,” said Ziff. “All excited, I showed my mom and she told me they looked A

by lauren pak

Presley Garlock models for IMG by prarthana kaygee & angel lee co–editor–in–chief & managing editor

Compiled by Songhee Lee & Faith Yellin

Presley Garlock ‘20 signed with IMG Models Worldwide in the middle of January 2019.

Garlock began modeling at the age of three for Ford Models.

“When I was really little, my mom’s best friend had a friend who worked with Ford Models,” said Garlock. “[She] would post pictures of me because we’d hang out all the time. Her friend [said], ‘You should get her into modeling! I can make an appointment,’ so that’s just how it all started.”

When she left Ford Models to move on to women’s modeling, she applied for IMG Models.

“For IMG [Models], … you submit pictures and also a video of you walking towards the camera and back again,” said Garlock. “There [are] things that go with it like your height, your hair color [and] eye color.”

After she submitted the application, she met with the president of development, who asked her a few personal questions about herself and her interests.

IMG Models has offices in Los Angeles, London, Milan, New York, Paris and Sydney.

Garlock had to be approved by all the offices before she could sign with the modeling agency.

In many modeling companies, agents will try to implement discipline through rules in their models’ lives.

“For more professional people, there [are]

PHOTO COURTESY OF PRESLEY GARLOCK

7

FEATURE

How to survive finals week It’s almost finals week. Aren’t you excited? Every year, many students are filled with the dread associated with final exams. One method to combat this stress is to make an organized schedule leading up to finals week. The Arrow has compiled a list of suggestions to help you survive finals — you’re welcome! by kyra berg & sophie robson feature & opinion section editors

Step 1: Eat healthy

Many students eat unhealthy foods in preparation for finals due to the lack of time available to make a well–rounded meal. However, this is actually counterproductive to studying because it’s a quick fix for a bigger problem.

“Junk food may give you instant energy, but it will damage your concentration and memory,” according to Speedy Prep, an online test prep class. “Eating healthy food will increase your concentration and retention. Fruits and vegetables are best. Keep breads (whole wheat!) and meat (organic!) in moderation.”

Some students overindulge in sweets because it gives them immediate energy, though it often results in a sugar crash. This describes a sudden loss of energy after consuming an abundance of sugary foods.

“Examples of foods that contain simple sugars include fruit juice, milk, desserts and candy,” according to Stanford Health Care.

“Avoid a sugar crash by making sure to eat foods containing fat, fiber and protein.”

Step 2: Exercise

Exercise may help students de–stress before finals. Due to the stress–relieving aspects and the benefits of exercise on the brain, students studying for upcoming exams should consider exercising for at least 30 minutes a day.

“Exercise reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol,” according to Harvard Medical School. “It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators.”

Moreover, exercising has been proven to boost memory and learning capabilities. In the

weeks leading up to finals, improving memory as a student is vital.

“In a study done at the University of British Columbia, researchers found that regular aerobic exercise, the kind that gets your heart and your sweat glands pumping, appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning,” according to Harvard Medical School.

Step 3: Take study breaks

However obvious it may seem, study breaks are one of the most practical ways to learn and remember course content. Additionally, many psychological studies have proven the importance of taking short breaks while studying so students’ brains do not tire out and forget testing information.

“Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign studied four groups of people,” according to business magazine Inc. “Each of the groups worked on a brain–intensive task for 50 minutes. The group that took more breaks had the highest mental stamina at the end of the 50 minutes.”

Many researchers have created suggestions of what students should do during their study breaks, with some recommending a healthy snack and exercise.

“Deliberately turning off your concentration is very relaxing,” according to Inc. “Besides, as your subconscious mind keeps working on the task, you may actually find out that you accidentally solved the problem you were working on.”

Step 4: Sleep

Many studies on sleep have discovered a correlation between increased sleep and increased memory retention. This is good news for those who enjoy taking naps, as research has proven them to be beneficial for learning.

“Scientists think that while we sleep, memories and skills are shifted to more efficient and permanent brain regions, making for higher proficiency the next day,”

Fast Facts

64% of

students worry that their exam stress is negatively affecting their grades and academic performance.

30%

More than of students said that finals were the biggest source of their stress.

49%

of students are stressed on a daily basis because of school.

65% of students surveyed

experience worrying levels of exam related stress.

Sources: abc.net, mentalhelp.net, universe.byu.edu, usnews.com & theatlantic.com

according to the National Sleep Foundation.

“In fact, sleeping shortly after learning new information has been shown to help retention. Some research indicates that when people learn before going to sleep (or even before taking a nap), they remember the information better in the long term.”

Moreover, while students sleep, their minds relay the information that they learned that day and help the brain make deeper connections with the material.

“Getting a good night’s sleep will help considerably with retaining information in class, understanding that information and learning new information,” according to the Learning Scientists Organization. “In other words, you are much more likely to do well on any kind of test if you get a good night’s sleep every night (not just the night before the exam).”

Most students spend an average of hours studying per week.

17

GRAPHIC BY KYRA BERG & SOPHIE ROBSON

Step 5: Don’t overstress!

After finals are over, move on. While many students do stress out about exam grades, this is not productive or reasonable because they have done as well as they could with the given material.

“Resist the urge to obsess over your notes when the test is over,” according to Scholastic.

“While it’s definitely okay to check your answers, try not to relive the test in your mind. That might just add unnecessary stress to waiting for the results.”

After exam week, students should reward themselves for their hard work. As results oftentimes don’t reflect the amount of effort students put into studying for exams, it is important to understand that they did the best that they could. Celebrate by going out and doing something fun with friends.

“Be sure to acknowledge that you did it, it’s over,” according to Scholastic. “And now you have the freedom to concentrate on other things.”

Holiday traditions become generic by lindsey romano feature section editor It is the middle of the holiday season, meaning a time will have to be scheduled to pick up the Christmas tree, plans will be made for a big, family holiday dinner, the Menorah cannot be forgotten and ingredients must be bought for grandma’s famous holiday cookies.

With the holiday season comes many classic holiday traditions, often passed down through generations. However, recent studies call into question if these are traditions out of enjoyment or are they done because they are tradition.

“Results revealed that 52% of Americans work to replicate holidays from their childhood, as they continue to celebrate the majority of traditions they had while growing up,” according to Fox News.

Because the traditions have been passed through generations, studies have shown that many people are becoming tired of them.

Amy Hosseinpour ‘22 agrees that certain traditions have become too generic, noting Halloween because it’s just for “kids to get candy.” As a family tradition of her own, Hosseinpour spends her New Year in Hawaii every year and isn’t alone in that desire to travel.

“According to a survey of 2,000 Americans, 21% say their celebrations at home are a disappointment, causing them to consider traveling for the holidays instead,” according to The New York Post.

Despite how methodical they become, survey respondents can’t bring themselves to break tradition.

“Seventy–two percent of respondents have a traditional way in which they spend the

holidays, and 63% of those would feel guilty breaking their traditions,” according to The New York Post.

The feeling of doubt over traditions is beaten by “feeling excited for the holiday season” or “nostalgic” connections, making the traditions necessary to keep the spirit alive.

Additionally, people hold these traditions for the benefit of their families. As people grow up, they want to create the same magical holiday experience for their children as they had growing up.

“Traditions create positive memories for children,” according to Childhelp. “Children crave the warmth and promise that comes with traditions.They anchor family members to each other and provide a sense of belonging.”

Additionally, studies have found traditions to be a vital part of one’s childhood.

“Psychologist Marshall Duke found that children who have intimate knowledge of their family’s history are typically more well–adjusted and confident than children who don’t,” according to Childhelp. “They have higher levels of self– esteem, fewer behavioral problems and better family functioning.”

Even if that tradition seems like a bore this year, studies on the importance they hold within a family is overwhelming motivation to keep them going.

“Holiday traditions are an important part to building a strong bond between family and our community,” according to Psych Central. “They give us a sense of belonging and a way to express what is important to us. They connect us to our history and help us celebrate generations of family.”

DRAWINGS BY LINDSEY ROMANO

8

CEN

The 2010s was a time of exciting new trends, questionable social advancing technology. There are definitely not enough words or recap that capture the essence of 2010–2019, whether they be the in world of by avery pak & prarthana kaygee co–editors-in-chief In 2011, an earthquake of magnitude 9.0 struck the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan’s main island, and initiated a tsunami affecting primarily the Tohoku region in northeastern Honshu. Approximately 18,500 people were confirmed dead or missing, with thousands injured. The tsunami caused nuclear accidents at several power plants.

The Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting occurred on Dec. 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty–eight children and adults were killed and two were injured

by Adam Lanza, who killed his mother earlier in the day and eventually took his own life. The shooting is known as one of the deadliest school shootings in American history, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

During the annual Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013, a terrorist attack took place near the finish line. The bombing killed three and injured over 260 people, and the suspects were identified as two brothers who did not have a strong link to a larger terrorist group but had obtained their plan through an online newsletter published by al–Qaeda.

The oldest of us were in fifth grade when we thought (or laughed while others thought) the world was going to end. The doomsday rumor sparked because of an ancient Mayan calendar that ended on Dec. 21, 2012. Like many other false predictions of the end of the world, this one was just a hoax.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was co–founded in 1999, but this decade definitely saw Coachella grow as a hotspot where celebrities, teenagers and adults could enjoy exciting live performances, fill their social media feeds with aesthetic photos and go all out in Coachella outfits and accessories.

Many remember being chased or feared being chased, by clowns on Halloween. In August of 2016, clown sightings began, not just in the United States but around the globe.

Oftentimes the clowns would not inflict any harm onto people other than laughable scares, but other times the clowns would try to attack or steal from anyone they encountered.

This decade has taken music to greater dimensions. Billie Eilish took the Internet by storm with her first album Don’t Smile at Me (2017). Fans appreciated her original style, and they desperately waited for Eilish’s new album When We Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? which was released in 2019.

Khalid became instantly famous with his single “Location.” He played the Twilight on the Pier concert series at the Santa Monica Pier in 2016 and began to collaborate with other artists including Logic, Shawn Mendes and Halsey.

A few other popular songs in this decade include, “Like a G6” by Far East Movement (2010), “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO, “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (2012), “Royals”

by Lorde (2013), “Bang Bang” by Nicki Minaj (2014), “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd (2015), “Mask Off ” by Future (2016), “Feel It Still” by Portugal the Man (2017), “This is America” by Childish Gambino, also known as actor Donald Glover (2018), and “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X (2019).

Quite a few artists have pushed musicial limits by merging genres. For instance, Taylor Swift abandoned her country roots in her album Red which was released in 2012, and has since ventured into the world of pop. Dan and Shay have become quite popular with non–country fans as well with their song “Speechless” and now “10,000 Hours.”

A few alternative rock bands made a name for themselves like Arctic Monkeys with their album AM and The Neighborhood with their single “Sweater Weather.”

This decade has definitely brought some new talent into the rap industry including Cardi B, Post Malone and really anyone with a name beginning in “Lil.” Tyler the Creator founded the Camp Flog Gnaw carnival/music festival in 2012, but did not really attract an audience until 2017 when he released his album Flower Boy. Travis Scott also became tremendously popular after he released his album Astroworld in 2018. Kendrick Lamar received a lot of praise for his album DAMN. in 2017. He also produced the music for Black Panther in 2018. A few other influential albums from this decade include Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Twenty One Pilots’ Blurryface, Tame Impala’s Currents, Chance the Rapper’s Acid Rap, Frank Ocean’s Blonde, Beyoncé’s Lemonade, Ed Sheeran’s Divide, Ariana Grande’s Sweetener and Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour.

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The first Diary of a Wimpy Kid book was 2007; however, it received much more wide–sprea after 2010 when the the first movie was release children transitioned to more mature books like the and The Hunger Games series. The final book of the series was released in 2010, with the first movie relea year; however, the ratings were not very high.

The Hunger Games was adapted into a movie according to Bustle, “The Hunger Games franchise w of the best book–to–movie adaptations.” It also brou attention to Jennifer Lawrence, giving her opportunitie in future movies like Silver Linings Playbook and Amer Suzanne Collins will be releasing a new fourth book as Hunger Games series in 2020. Similar to The Hunger G Divergent series by Veronica Roth, which also attracted m and had three movies made for it.

In between these series, romantic fiction books like in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska by John Green were winning the hearts of many teens.

Popular non–fiction such as Cheryl Strayed’s Wild: Fro Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, published in 2012, Malala Y I Am Malala, published in 2013, and Byan Stevenson’s Just Story of Justice and Redemption, published in 2014, have n recommended in many schools.

This decade has also brought about some seque have disappointed many readers with examples like the exhilaration in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, publis 2016, and the depiction of a bigoted Atticus Finch in Harper L Set a Watchman, also published in 2016.

9

NTER

l media challenges, unforgettable tragedies, iconic shows and rapidly ps sufficient to describe this decade, but we put together a few snippets f entertainment or news.

s decade brought some very unexpected Internet trends. Some of the most popular have come from this decade including “salt bae,” “Harambe” and Drake’s song e Bling” (as well as many others that are difficult to describe without a picture). ere have even been some famous phrases such as “cash me outside,” from Danielle a teenage girl who was featured on Dr. Phil, “that’s what she said” from the nown TV show The Office, “damn Daniel,” which came from a teenage boy who ed short videos of his friend’s outfits everyday and “and I oop,” that came from ube video from Jasmine Masters. Danielle Bregoli better known as Bhad Bhabie her catchphrase into a song that amassed 85 million views on YouTube. She is gned with Atlantic Records and has collaborated with rap artists such as Kodak and Lil Yachty.

The Office, which brought us the famous phrase “that’s what she said,” began in 2005; however, it concluded its ninth season in 2013. It is now the number how on Netflix, but it is leaving the streaming service in 2021. “And I oop” ociated with “vsco girls,” which is explained in The Arrow’s September 2019 (so go read it!). The phrase “damn Daniel” became popular on Vine, an app sed in 2013, which allowed users to post six–second videos. The app was shut n in 2016 because it was unable to keep up with its mainstream competitors Dubsmash, Musical.ly and now Tik Tok. These apps have also spread some e strangest dance moves like the “dougie,” “Gangnam Style,” “Harlem shake,” ip,” “flossing” and the “woah.”

There have been some controversial videos on YouTube, encouraging nagers and young adults to try challenges that could harm them like the namon challenge, Kylie Jenner lip challenge and eating Tide pods. The uTube community has also formed opposing views on the idea of “cancel ture,” after an online conflict between James Charles and Tati Westbrook. few other questionable Internet trends are the “Most Liked Egg,” a picture an egg that was made famous on Instagram after it had more likes than a cture of Kylie Jenner and her daughter, Stormi, “What Does the Fox Say,” song released by two Norewegian artists and “gold dress vs. blue dress,” a cture of a dress that could be seen as either of the two colors depending n the viewer’s perspective.

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This decade was full of memorable television shows and cinema. At the beginning of the decade, iconic childhood shows such as iCarly and The Suite Life on Deck ended, but many new ones aired, keeping the Disney channel era going for a couple more years. Good Luck Charlie, Jessie, Austin and Ally and Liv and Maddie lasted several years and were some of the final shows we watched on Disney channel.

Other TV shows like Game of Thrones, which aired on HBO from 2011– 2019, grew extremely popular, with many fans watching episodes regularly and memes being made about the show. Neftlix also released many originals, such as Stranger Things in 2016, Orange is the New Black in 2013 and Fuller House in 2016. Most of us have probably heard of or watched Riverdale, a teen drama based on the Archie comics that aired in 2017. The show has helped new stars like Lili Reinhart, Madelaine Petsch, KJ Apa and Camila Mendes rise to fame, as well as bring back familiar faces like Cole Sprouse and Molly Ringwald to the public eye.

In the world of film, the 2010s definitely had its fair share of revolutionary and enjoyed movies. To close the 8–film Harry Potter series based on the novels by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released in 2010, bringing in approximately 1.34 billion dollars, making it the 12th highest–grossing film of all time. Other popular hit movies were Black Panther in 2018, La La Land in 2016, Moana in 2016 and Crazy Rich Asians in 2018.

The 2010s also gave rise to many Disney live–action remakes, including Lion King and Aladdin in 2019, Beauty and the Beast in 2017 and Cinderella in 2015. More live action films like Mulan and The Little Mermaid are to come.

Lastly, in honor of its sequel that was released in November 2019, Frozen was an iconic Disney hit for young children, teenagers and adults alike, with memorable songs like “Let It Go” and “For the First Time in Forever.” Frozen II was released in Nov. 2019, with popular songs “Into the Unknown” and “Lost in the Woods.”

Most of us stopped playing with toys in this decade, but it’s likely you will remember these toys, crafts and accessories.

In 2012, Wildflower Cases was created by Michelle Carlson and her two daughters Sydney and Devon. Since then, Wildflower Cases is one of the fastest growing millennial phone case brands, mainly among girls and social media influencers. The patterns are bold, quirky and colorful, and many designs come from collaborations with celebrities. At the same time, the cases are durable and protective, so they are definitely worth the cost of around $35.

For many, the word “slime” brings back memories of glue– covered hands and colorful beads people put in slime to make it “crunchy.” Slime–making became a trend in the middle of the decade, mainly because it was colorful, fun to play with, and fairly easy to make with water, laundry detergent (or borax, for more advanced slimers), glue, coloring and accessories such as beads, glitter or floam.

Fidget spinners were created in 1993; however, most of us did not hear about them until 2017. They were intended to help relieve nervousness, anxiety or physiological stress, particularly for people with ADHD or autism. Nonetheless, many students enjoyed these toys, which were released in a plethora of colors and patterns.

Rainbow loom, a plastic tool used to create bracelets, rings, charms and other accessories from colorful rubber and plastic bands, was invented in 2010. Most of the rainbow loomers found instructions through YouTube or instruction books, which contain numerous different patterns and styles, similar to knitting or sewing techniques.

Compiled by Aly Brook, Soumya Monga & Quinn Moss

10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Star Wars: A New Hope releases The Empire Strikes Back releases

May the force be with you commentary by jeff mendoza

photo editor Return of the Jedi releases

The Phantom Menace releases

Attack of the Clones releases

Revenge of the Sith releases

The Force Awakens releases

The Last Jedi releases

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away … One of the most famous cinematic lines in history kicks off the start of perhaps the most captivating movie series ever created: Star Wars.

Since its inception in the 1970s, Star Wars thrived for its thrilling battle scenes, unmistakable sound track and beloved characters. For a cinematic universe that has been stunning audiences for generations, Star Wars will take another dance in theatres with its ninth and final movie: The Rise of Skywalker.

However, while you ponder whether or not a Storm trooper will ever hit a target or whether BB–8 or R2–D2 is a better droid, there must be proper appreciation for how the franchise got to where it is today.

First thing first, Father Time has yet to stain the glory of this franchise, which has the directors and composer and conductor John Williams to thank for that. Opting for a classically composed soundtrack rather than the electrical and synth–based music that characterized other films of the seventies and early 80s backed the engaging plot with timeless music.

Think of Anakin Skywalker and Obi– Wan–Kenobi flying through the mess of battle, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader battling on the Death Star or the blare of trumpets that hallmarks the start of each cinematic journey.

All of these and any point of climax throughout the series is built off of the foundation of John Williams’ masterful composition.

But now that the dues have been paid to the unsung heroes of this franchise, the focus shifts to what truly brought movie lovers back

A. Sith Empire

A. The Force

B. Rebel Alliance

B. Army

C. Smuggler

C. Wits

D. First Order

D. Fear

E. Jedi Order

A. Order

B. Knowledge

E. Lightsaber

A. Death Star

B. Speeder Bike

A.Emperor B. Finn C. Chewbacca D. Captain E. Obi-Wan Phasma Palpatine Kenobi

A. Righteous

B. Kind

C. Fortune

D. Power

C. Millenium D. Imperial Falcon Shuttles

C. Brave

D. Angry

E. Peace

E. X-Wing

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galaxy and even though he has gone through as much danger as anyone else, he does not receive one and instead stands idly by ready to take the crew to their next adventure.

But Star Wars would not be what it is if not for the Jedi. As the saying goes, a hero is only as great as the greatest villain. While Darth Maul is a fearsome warrior and Kylo Ren has been a temperamental foil to Rey, no one takes the cake like Darth Vader.

There is a reason why “I am your father” is ranked as one of Hollywood’s most memorable lines, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Vader, or rather Anakin Skywalker, is such a great villain because as viewers look back they see the full transformation of an innocent young boy into the most powerful villain in the galaxy.

Watching the extremely kind and powerful youngling who helps Padme and Qui–Gon grow to a budding romantic and Jedi fall to the dark side is truly heartbreaking.

Now comes the hard part. With so many fantastic examples of Jedi: who to choose? Is it Rey, the heroine possibly destined to restore balance to the force? Is it Yoda, the wisest and most tested Jedi ever? No, it is without a doubt the man who started everything, the one who defeats Vader, the man, the myth, the legend: Luke Skywalker.

From his humble beginnings, no hero goes through the mud as much as this man. He watches his Uncle and Aunt Lars, the people who raised him, be killed by the Empire. He finds out the man he is destined to kill is actually his father. He trains countless Jedi only to see them all slain by his nephew. Finally, he takes on the entire First Order in order to help save the last of the Resistance. From top to bottom, he is by far the most important character in the Star Wars franchise.

Now, as we await the final release from a series that has given its fan base so much, sit back, relax and may the force be with you.

Count how many of each letter you answered and write them in the boxes below.

The character you are most like is revealed with the highest total.

Rogue One releases Solo releases

to theatres over and over again: the characters.

Each individual character of this franchise fulfills the goal of any movie, the ability for the audience to relate, admire and cherish. Because there are so many characters that have filled the screens since the original Star Wars movie debuted in 1977, we will look at the standouts through the years.

Starting off, there are the droids. Beginning with the original trilogy, viewers can’t help but be brought back to the introduction of R2–D2 and C–3PO. Without these droids, it's hard to say the galaxy would have ended up as it did.

Whether its C–3PO helping Luke and company escape the Death Star or R2–D2 repairing the Millennium Falcon’s hyper drive, these two droids have been the single constant through the ever expanding storyline.

There are, however, two droids from the newer films that have snuck into the hearts of fans everywhere: BB–8 and L3–37. BB–8 is the epitome of the droid sidekick. He wins over audiences with his aggressively cute physiology and makes sure that the map to Luke Skywalker falls safely into Resistance hands. On the other end of the spectrum is L3–37. She is not only a snarky comedic presence, but the help she provides to Lando Calrissian and Han Solo throughout Solo: A Star Wars Story is integral.

Next is the Wookie. It is hard to imagine Han Solo without Chewbacca. Chewie, the large and lovable co–pilot serves a role unlike any other. With his crossbow in hand and grizzly growls, Chewbacca is the unofficial dad of the Star Wars gang whether he is taking Rey to Jedi practice with Luke, safeguarding Yoda as Order 66 is killing off Jedi left and right, tending to Luke’s wounds or helping pilot the Millennium Falcon. Chewie is there while Luke and company receive medals for defending the

GRAPHIC BY ALY BROOK

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

11

The one where we say goodbye

Netflix has officially announced that the beloved television show Friends will be leaving in Jan. 2020, just after having celebrated its 25th anniversary in September. The sitcom will be transferring to The Warner Brothers’ new streaming service, HBO Max, as the public prepares to say goodbye. by abigail thompson a&e section editor Friends — the TV show that lasted for 10 years, 10 seasons, 236 episodes, 85 hours, 5,100 minutes and 306,000 seconds — has been taking the world by storm since it first aired in September of 1994.

The show has easily won the title of one of the most popular TV shows of all time.

Friends was nominated for 221 awards over the course of the time it aired, and won 72 of those nominations, including Emmy, People’s Choice and Golden Globe Awards.

According to adweek.com, Friends has been streamed 32,604,690 times on Netflix since it first made its appearance in 2015. Despite the show’s overwhelming success, it will be removed from Netflix on Jan. 1, 2020.

So to all of you coffee–addicted, shopping–obsessed, dinosaur–loving Friends fans, brace yourselves, because this is “The One Where We Say Goodbye.”

Friends will be transferring from Netflix to The Warner Brothers’ new streaming service, HBO Max. Netflix originally paid 30 million dollars to stream Friends on their program and an additional 100 million to keep the show in 2019. However, despite its attempts to cling on to this beloved show, Friends will soon be joining Pretty

always there for you... ...when you need a laugh

...when you need to cry

...when you need to unwind

“The One Where No One’s Ready”: Season 3, Episode 2

“The One With Barry And Mindy’s Wedding”: Season 2, Episode 24

“The One Where Monica Gets A Roommate”: Season 1, Episode 1

“The One With All The Resolutions”: Season 5, Episode 11

“The One Where Ross and Rachel Take A Break”: Season 3, Episode 15

“The One With The Blackout”: Season 1, Episode 7

“The One With The Cop”: Season 5, Episode 16

“The One With The Proposal”: Season 6, Two Part Finale

“The One With The Holiday Armadillo”: Season 7, Episode 10

“The One With Unagi”: Season 6, Episode 17

“The Last One”: Season 10, Two Part Finale

“The One With Ross’s Tan”: Season 10, Episode 3 GRAPHIC BY ABIGAIL THOMPSON

Little Liars, The Fresh Prince of Bel– Air and more next month on HBO Max. Friends originally aired on NBC on Thursday nights. This means that viewers had to wait one week for each new episode. However, the public’s dedication to the show for all 10 years that it aired proves just how impactful it was on viewers.

According to artifice.com, “Friends not only helped to revive the sitcom genre, it raised the bar.”

The show, centering around six New Yorkers in their 20s who transition to their 30s, find themselves through the help of their best friends. The show is both relateable and admirable to

the public. It empowers the idea of a platonic friendship shared between individuals and appeals to audiences through its sentimental and comedic structure.

“I started meeting all of these people who expressed to me how much the show meant to them — how it lifted their spirits during a bad breakup or got them through an illness,” said Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel Green, in an interview with People Magazine. “I was just so incredibly moved by that.”

Especially after the tragic events of 9/11, Friends served as an escape from the often frightening events on the news and brought a little bit of joy

to viewers with its light humor and attractive sentimentality.

“This is a show we can all kind of watch in our heads without thinking about [what happened on 9/11],” said Kelsey Miller, the author of the book I’ll Be There For You written about the TV show, in an interview with Good Morning America. “But there really is a lot we can learn from it and it also stands as this huge historical marker from that era.”

Friends also included an episode that featured an LGBTQ+ wedding which, although was very orthodox as the two women were not allowed to kiss, served as a large step forward in

the recognition and portrayal of queer relationships in TV. Furthermore, Friends has changed the actors’ lives as well.

“Friends, when it came my way, was my fourth TV series and the other three had failed. I had exactly $11 in my pocket the day I was hired,” said Matt Le Blanc, who plays the loveable Joey Tribbiani on the show, according to independent.co.usa.

Before landing the role of Rachel, Aniston was told that she wasn’t getting jobs because she was “too heavy,” according to People Magazine. She was later named “The World’s Most Beautiful Woman” in 2016.

According to People Magazine, she now defines beauty as “Inner confidence.

Peace.

Kindness.

Honesty. A life well–lived. Taking on challenges and not feeling shame for things that haven’t gone the way you felt they should have.

And not feeling like a failure or allowing people to critique your life and make you feel like you’ve failed at something.”

Both the storyline and the actors of Friends have served as rolemodels to the public for 25 years, having just celebrated their anniversary in September.

Friends continues to inspire its fans, who in return have kept it alive for many years after its finale.

Because of this, the show really does live up to the line in its theme song: “I’ll be there for you, ‘cause you’re there for me too.”

Disney Plus evokes childhood nostalgia

commentary by lindsey romano

feature section editor Recall all those happy feelings you felt as you watched your favorite princess find her prince charming, the relief as beloved characters found their happy ending and the suspense over battles against outrageous villains.

These moments trigger the nostalgia of watching Disney movies all day long as a child, and now, every single one of these classic films is available on Disney Plus. It’s the ultimate streaming service for adults and children alike, whether it be for nostalgic purposes or experiencing the magic of Disney for the first time.

The streaming service is a game changer for watching TV as it includes some of the most popular Disney movies and shows available

all the time for only one low price a month.

Disney Plus launched on Nov. 12, 2019 and gives viewers access to any Disney, Pixar, Disney Channel, Marvel, Star Wars or National Geographic movie and show.

The service can be purchased for the price of $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. This compares to Netflix’s $9 per month, Hulu’s $6 per month and Amazon Prime’s $9 per month. Disney Plus is one of the cheapest streaming services available, and the only one to beat it is Hulu. Hulu, although cheaper, requires viewers to watch random ads throughout a show, prohibiting the full enjoyment of the show. Disney Plus sports a low price with no inconvenience to watching enjoyment.

Additionally, the service is even more accessible to those with Verizon unlimited data plan. If you currently have or are switching to an unlimited data plan, Verizon rewards you with Disney Plus available free for a year.

With everything produced by Disney in one place, these movies and TV shows are now more accessible because they don’t have to be individually rented or bought. This works especially well for movie series such as Star Wars, Avengers or other movies and TV shows that require watching multiple movies or episodes in a row to finish the story line.

Additionally, Disney Plus is available as an app, website and a smart TV streaming service, so there are numerous options for ways to watch. With this and the option to download every show, Disney Plus is perfect for long road trips over winter break.

Even if you consider yourself a Disney fanatic who has seen every movie and show many times over, there is still a reason to buy this streaming service.

With the launch of the service came the launch of new movies and shows. The more popular of these

releases include High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Lady and the Tramp and The Mandalorian. Over 25 episodes and 10 movies are expected to be added over the next year, and they will only be available on Disney Plus.

The service also features all of the movies from the Disney Vault, which is a strategy of Disney in which, according to Slate.com, they “[rotate] titles in and out of availability in order to build up demand.” Essentially, certain Disney movies have been put through periods where they are unavailable for purchase in order to gain more interest in them when they are put back on sale. Pinocchio, Snow White and The Lion King are just a few movies under this category. There will be no more worrying about when or if any Disney Vault movie is available as they can now be found permanently on Disney Plus.

The home page of Disney Plus categorizes these Disney Vault movies,

originals and many other movies in separated categories such as “Originals,” “Out of the Vault,” “Inspired by True Stories,” “Disney Channel Favorites” and many more. This feature contributes to the convenience of the service.

Another user–friendly feature is the inclusion of a watchlist and separate profiles. Accounts can be easily shared between friends or family through separate profiles that can be customized with names and Disney icons. Additionally, once these profiles are created, each user can add any show to a watchlist. This is convenient for allowing users to easily find their favorite shows and keep track of shows they might want to watch in the future.

As the end of the decade approaches, the service comes at a perfect time to relive the most popular shows of the past decade.

With over 500 movies and 7,500 TV episodes, Disney Plus is the perfect resource to binge for hours, close out the decade and relax this holiday season.

12

OPINION

World protests are important to democracy by owen kobett & allan tieu news editors Around the world, protests have broken out against authoritarian governments in order to protect basic human rights. However, many people may argue that these protests are ineffective in changing a corrupt government because of the violence that comes with protests in third world countries.

Although there are many arguments against the viability of protests to effectively establish a new government, they help demonstrate the ideals of the people who are otherwise suppressed. Protests are a last resort in situations where tyrannical governments have denied basic rights to their citizens. These protesters often have no other means to appeal to their government.

Protests spread awareness of a widespread social, political or economic problem, allowing people to make their voices heard and actively push the government for change. In a tyrannical regime, awareness of issues is usually restricted.

Protests are breaking out in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Chile, Lebanon and more. These nations are experiencing civil unrest as a result of discriminatory economic policies and severe laws that remove certain basic human rights.

Hong Kong’s Extradition Bill allows the Chinese government to detain anyone who has committed a “punishable offense” and send them to China for trial. Due to the One Country, Two Systems agreement in 1997, Hong Kong should enjoy a level of democracy and independence that mainland China does not.

According to NBC, “Millions initially took to the streets over the summer to protest a controversial extradition bill — since shelved — which became a lightning rod for concerns of Beijing’s creeping influence over the former British colony, returned to Chinese rule in 1997.”

However, this agreement is threatened by an encroaching Chinese dictatorship, and there is speculation that it will use extradition

CHANG

AC T !

NOW

E!

Chile Low–income residents of Santiago are preventing the passing of a Santiago metro fare, protesting against an increased cost of living and inequality.

Protests worldwide Protests are currently raging around the world, shaping the lives of millions.

Hong Kong

Lebanon

Protests have raged since Fri., March 15 against an extradItion bill that would force Hong Kong political prisoners to be relocated to China.

After an economic collapse, the protests in Lebanon seek to replace the ineffectual post civil war government with a new technocratic one.

Sources: aljazeera.com, bbc.com, scmp.com & theguardian.com

to China as punishment for anything it views as dangerous to the regime.

These protests have made headlines around the world, spreading the news of horrendous laws and allowing people outside of Hong Kong to fight for the Anti–Extradition Bill Movement.

In Indonesia, the passage of a law that impedes the Corruption Eradication Commission, a government agency created to fight corruption, has sparked violent protests against what is widely seen as a corrupt parliament and police force. With tyranny just a step away, the Corruption Eradication Commission is critical to maintaining stability.

“People are trying to protect their civil liberties and individual liberties,” said Djayadi Hanan, a political science lecturer at Paramadina University in Jakarta, in an interview with BBC. The protests in this scenario are the only thing saving the democratic voice of the people in a country on the brink of dictatorship.

In its 70 years of existence, Indonesia has mainly been a democracy in name only. In years of brutal dictatorships, its people staved off their suffering with demonstrations in the streets

Indonesia

Due to the supression of the Corruption Eradication Commission in Indonesia, violent riots ensued.

GRAPHIC BY OWEN KOBETT, LAUREN PAK & ALLAN TIEU

such as those that were successful in ending the 21–year reign of Suharto in 1998.

The Santiago Metro fare rose in Chile and has pushed a large and poor urban population to the edge of poverty. The Santiago Metro is vital transportation for the lower class who contribute greatly to the unstable Chilean economy.

The protesters here seek the right of transportation to and from their work. Without the sudden demonstrations, these already marginalized groups in society would not be able to better their situation.

Chile has been riddled with protests since the late 1990s, following the collapse of the Marxist government led by Augusto Pinochet, former president of Chile. These protests prove to be effective time and time again since Chile moved from dictatorship to democracy.

In Chile’s current predicament, the government’s continuing struggles with corruption and the people’s desperation have come to a head. To put an end to the crisis, the Chilean government will have to concede to lower the bus fare.

According to CNBC, “The Chilean government announced plans on [Dec. 2] to roll out a $5.5 billion economic recovery plan and issue more debt in foreign currencies after rioting and protests triggered the worst monthly contraction in a decade.”

In Lebanon, the ruling class is seen as inept and ill–equipped to deal with a growing economic crisis. According to Aljazeera, a Qatari television news channel located in the Middle East, these protesters seek to replace the sectarian and backwards government with a technocratic government, where elected officials appoint experts and professionals to administer the function and legislation of the government.

Lebanese officials have been pushed by the protesters to come up with a solution for this economic problem or face replacement.

In post civil war years, Lebanon’s very stability has depended on these protests.

Following Syrian intervention in the country in 2005, protesters took to the streets to uphold the sovereignty of the country. The Syrians were forced to retreat in what was known as the Cedar Revolution.

Some may argue that these protests spark violence in already divided nations. Many people are injured or die in these acts of dissent for a cause where change is not guaranteed.

They claim that protests are an ineffective way to cause reform, leaving the violence as an unnecessary side effect.

However, protests are one of the best ways to spread awareness of an issue to the world. Today, protests around the world are making headlines, rounding up people in other nations to send their support to the countries in revolt. These protests are effective in putting pressure on a nation in crisis to create change.

Overall, protests are a valuable way to go against totalitarian government policies and economic distress. They spread awareness of large problems and force these governments to take action upon specific issues to resolve various crises.

Veganism’s consequences on environment by angela ling feature editor Recently, veganism, a diet that avoids meat and all other animal products, has gained immense popularity. Due to the environmental benefits of veganism, many people have been eliminating these traditional food staples from their diets.

Though veganism benefits the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, there are some negative effects of the vegan lifestyle that should be taken into consideration, such as the transport of vegan foods, waste of resources and soil health.

The fruits and vegetables eaten in a plant–based diet are usually imported to the United States from other countries, which can be very taxing on the environment. For example, people buy pomegranates and mangoes from India, lentils from Canada and beans and mangoes from Brazil.

Packaging food like lettuce and bananas uses a large amount of plastic, and the trucks that transport them spew out greenhouse gases and require a lot of gas, according to eices.columbia.edu.

In addition, a vegan diet has a lower carrying capacity than other diets. According to pbs.org, this is because of different types of cropland.

Grazing land is primarily used to feed livestock such as cows. Perennial cropland grows crops that have year–long lifespans and are mainly used to grow food for animals. Lastly, cultivated croplands grow vegetables, fruits and nuts.

Ve g a n i s m doesn’t use much grazing or perennial cropland because it avoids animal products.

In a study by Elementa, researchers found that from a land–use perspective, 735 million people would be fed if the United States produced food that aligned with a vegan diet. On the other hand, a vegetarian diet that incorporates dairy was found to have the capacity to feed 807 million people.

According to pbs.org, “incorporating about 20 to 40% meat in your diet is actually better for the long–term course of humanity than being completely meat–free.”

However, veganism has many benefits as well. Cattle and other animals have a large carbon footprint, so avoiding meat and other animal products is an easy way to help the environment since the amount of greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere is cut down.

Nevertheless, growing the plants eaten in vegan meals still abuses the soil and land because ploughing and intense farming loses a lot of topsoil, according to theguardian.com. This poses a problem, as fertile soil is lost and the resulting sedimentation clogs waterways.

Grazing animals in small numbers can help remedy damaged land. Their excrement, urine and grazing (without overgrazing) all positively affect the health of the soil and speed up the recovery process.

In addition, soil is over–enriched from all the fertilizer being used. Too much fertilizer puts too many nutrients into the soil, slowing

down growth and even killing crops. Also, pesticides used with many crops have harmful effects on the ecosystem. Not only are pesticides detrimental to human health, but they also pollute the air and surrounding bodies of water, killing aquatic organisms.

There are also other ways to help the earth besides implementing different diets: simply by being aware of environmental impacts is beneficial as well because awareness can eventually lead to change.

In the end, vegan, omnivorous and vegetarian diets all have their pros and cons, and combining multiple diets could result in a better outcome than committing fully to one. For example, rather than avoiding all animal products, designating certain days to not eat meat or avoiding most meat but eating dairy products are techniques that can benefit the environment in the long run.

It’s important to be aware of our impact on the environment so that we can preserve the earth for future generations.

DRAWINGS BY LAUREN PAK

13

OPINION

Opposing Opinions

AGAINST

by margaret teegarden opinion editor Despite the good intentions of Instagram, the potential update of hiding likes for its users will not have the effect it hopes to achieve.

The idea has been in testing since May 2019, with likes first disappearing in Canada and then spreading to other countries. In November of 2019, select users in the United States began seeing their likes disappear as well.

Although it is true that social media can be a source of self–esteem issues and jealousy, likes are not the core issue. Likes are simply a number, and although some users may base part of their self–worth on the likes they or others receive, many more substantial factors will still exist.

Take comments, for example. Likes, which can only state whether or not someone double– tapped the screen, will never hold the value that just a single comment can give.

Users can like a post while they aimlessly scroll through their feed, not even taking a second glance to find out what the post actually was about, who it was from or what the caption was.

However, a comment takes more than just

Should Instagram hide users’ likes?

While some say the potential update will have a positive effect on users’ mental health, others argue that it will have a minimal effect on the users.

a single second to write and post, and therefore holds more meaning. Comments will most often be directed towards the account who posted the picture, usually expressing thoughts about the user or the post.

There is no dislike button; the only thing one can gain from likes is the knowledge that some people took a second out of their day to double tap their screen. Even if someone didn’t like the post they saw, there is no way to show this, unless the person were to comment, letting the user know through words.

Instagram has taken a step towards removing comments by allowing users to remove or disable comments on their posts if desired, but it is not forced. This should be the same with likes.

Allowing the choice to keep showing one’s likes to the public or making it an option instead of a definite feature will not only help the self– esteem issue that is trying to be combated, but it will also help those whose jobs are dependent on their online presence.

For influencers and online companies, a huge aspect of their job is their online profile.

Likes help them gain sponsors and funding, so losing likes would only negatively affect them and their ability to make a living.

According to a study by HypeAuditor,

a site that analyzes Instagram and YouTube, “influencers across tiers of follower counts almost unanimously saw their like counts fall in countries where the hidden like count test was active. Likes fell 3% to 15% in all the countries for influencers with 5,000 to 20,000 followers.”

This would not only devalue one’s self–worth even more if they saw their posts lacking the normal amount of likes, but it would also mean that these influencers are losing potential sponsorships due to the loss of attention on their posts.

Removing likes is a good first step into helping the self–esteem issues that users may have, but in the long run, it will not reach the goal that it hopes to achieve. Comments will still exist, leaving plenty of chances for users to express negative opinions that may still hurt the person posting the content, and with the loss of likes and potential sponsorships, influencers and online companies may move to a different social media platform, negatively affecting Instagram itself.

So, instead of completely removing likes, Instagram should let users choose to hide their likes to the public. This will not only help those that face self–esteem issues about the amount of likes, but it will also keep the like count for online companies up, thus solving both problems at once.

S

INE

Our society is addicted to numbers. As strange as the concept sounds, the amount of evidence supporting it is immense. The world is currently undergoing a global pandemic, and although it is no virus, its effect is just as widespread.

There are several factors to blame for this, but a major catalyst for this data–driven world is the social media platform Instagram.

Although many people simply write off Instagram as a harmless social media app, it truly has an immense impact on a person’s life, both mentally and socially.

Originally intended as an app that connects society, Instagram has been transformed into a competition between users ruled by numbers and algorithms. Some users still share their authentic lives while others play a game; they do whatever possible to increase the numbers, such as followers and like counts, glued to their accounts.

Followers and likes play an important role in the foundation of Instagram. They feed into the app’s oppressive algorithm, affect job opportunities and damage many users’ self–esteem. They attempt to quantify something that is truly immeasurable: a person’s importance.

Angel’s angle

HA

by tommy kackert feature editor

Other influencers profess that likes are the currency of the platform, comparing their removal to a global economic collapse. Unlike a fiscal catastrophe, though, this removal will not have any detrimental effects.

While some influencers may find more trouble being noticed by brands, the overall consequences of this change would be extremely minimal and far too insignificant to justify completely avoiding the decision.

Additionally, this quantity removal applies only to likes, meaning that one’s follower count would still be completely visible to the rest of the platform. Therefore, although companies may not have the ability to identify a post’s popularity, they would still be able to determine a user’s popularity in some form.

By shifting the focus from likes to followers, Instagram would create an overall fairer game for both the influencers and brands while emphasizing the importance of people over posts.

Truthfully, Instagram is not real life and likes are not money. They cannot buy food, shelter or any other basic human necessities. They are just heart–shaped buttons that disappear off your screen every time you exit the app.

Ultimately, while users think that they control likes on the platform, likes are actually controlling us, transforming us into versions of ourselves we are reluctant to be.

If we only care about receiving applause from other people, our world will become much more superficial as time goes by.

IA

FOR

However, the worst component of this unfair quantification is that Instagram neatly packages every single follower, like and comment count for public viewing. Unlike real life, everyone on Instagram can effortlessly see somebody’s level of popularity.

While having a visible number does help preserve transparency, it unnecessarily shifts people’s objectives on Instagram. Many users now prioritize positive statistics over their enjoyment of the app.

Instagram should not be a popularity contest, a tool for measuring success or above all, a place to desperately gather numbers. It should simply be a place to share content and creativity with followers.

By removing likes, users would be able to focus on the content people post, which is what truly matters. After all, there is very little enjoyment when living in a superficial world of numbers and algorithms, the processes that determine a post’s circulation throughout the app.

Currently, many are arguing strongly against this major change for the app.

According to Business Insider, certain influencers claim the change is similar to receiving “no audience applause at the end of a performance.”

While this stance does have some validity, it also sets a disturbing precedent that people only post for social approval, thereby defeating the initial purpose of Instagram, which is to connect with the rest of the world.

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Living licenseless by angel lee featured columnist I do not have my driver’s license.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Why on earth does this girl not have her license? She’s clearly of the age and would be so much cooler if she could drive. It’s pretty lame to still be dropped off at school and hangouts as a senior.

As a 17–year–old girl, I most definitely should have my license if I want to be a normal teenager. Unfortunately, I procrastinated on driver’s ed and did not realize the immense amount of regret that I would feel for doing so.

To this day, I do not understand why I did not get my act together to obtain my license when I was 16.

It seems ideal to get a license by senior year so that you can spend your afternoons driving down to the beach or walking down the streets of Downtown L.A. Although this was such a dream of mine, I could never find the motivation or the right time to start driver’s ed, get my permit, wait six months and get my license.

There were definitely clear signs in my sophomore and junior year telling me to start the process, but I just ignored them because I felt like they were too personally attacking. I vividly remember being in a group chat where everyone harassed me for not being able to drive and feeling so attacked that I couldn’t take it as the universe’s signal to get my license.

I guess my feelings were too hurt to woman up and take the permit test.

Now, as I write this column on a fine Thursday afternoon with nothing else to do, I realize how joyous and convenient my life would be with a license and a car. Oh, the places I could go! I dreamt of cruising down the 101 South with my “solo drive” playlist (yes, I made a playlist for driving even though I can’t drive) to arrive at Bon Bon Tea House in Winnetka. It must be nice to have the freedom to go anywhere your heart desires.

But, I do see the bright side to being licenseless. For one, I save a ton of money by not driving to Uba Tuba or Starbucks after school each day for lunch. I know that if I had my license, I would not be able to control myself, and therefore, my wallet would be empty. Being licenseless has made it impossible for me to fall into temptation, but has also made my life full of misery and regret.

I do, however, have my permit. The most painful thing right now is waiting for the six months to pass so I can take my behind–the– wheel test. I literally sit on the couch in my living room tearing up while I think about all the fun things I could do if I could drive.

To all my fellow licenseless teenagers, don’t be like me. Go get your driver’s license if you can — it will spare you days of endless regret and sadness.

14

SPORTS

Division I athletes at WHS

WHS held its signing day on Nov. 19 for students committed to play collegiate sports. There were 12 Division I athletes committed to play for various schools across the country. They represented many different sports, including the first field hockey commit at WHS. Ashton Alonge Cameron Baklenko Sophia Druian Sabine Hommes Katie Fleck Kailee Follette Cal Poly SLO

Pepperdine University

CSUN

UCSD

UC Berkeley

Elon Univerity

Soccer

Beach Volleyball

Soccer

Volleyball

Lacrosse

Field Hockey

Q: What is your favorite memory of soccer?

A: “Everytime I won a really important game. It’s fun to celebrate with your team.”

Q: What is your favorite memory of beach volleyball?

A: “My favorite memory was winning gold, when I was 12, in a national championship.”

Q: Why did you choose to pursue soccer in college?

A: “My mom played in college, and it was a sport that we were raised to play.”

Q: Why did you choose to pursue volleyball in college?

A: “I love being part of a team and playing volleyball makes me happier then anything else.”

Q: Who inspires you?

A: “My parents because they are so hard–working and always want me to do my best.”

Q: If you didn’t play this sport, what would you have played?

A: “Track.”

Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

A: “Go and play lots of tournaments, reach out to coaches early and play a lot.”

Q: If you didn’t play this sport, what would you have played?

A: “Volleyball.”

Q: Who inspires you?

A: “My mom and dad are my biggest inspirations. They have stuck by me through everything, and they are the strongest two people I know.”

Q: What is your favorite memory of lacrosse?

A: We were predicted to lose against [St. Margaret’s] ... the number one team in SoCal, but we ended up beating them by 7.”

Casey Kleinman

Cato Kleinman

Rebecca Schultz

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University

Yale

Q: Who inspires you?

A: “My brother Jimmy, hands down. He has narcolepsy and cataplexy, but the way he carries himself ... is what motivates me.”

Q: What is your favorite memory of field hockey?

A: “Every Tuesday, I have practice with my field hockey friends who all go to different schools, so we just get to play and talk.”

Sydney Sharts

Shelby Tilton

Calista Wright

University of Oklahoma

USC

Pepperdine University

Baseball

Baseball

Track & Field/XC

Soccer

Lacrosse

Q: What is your favorite memory of baseball?

A: “My favorite memory was [when] I was playing Little League All–Stars; we won the state championships for Thousand Oaks Little League.”

Q: Why did you choose to pursue baseball in college?

A: “I decided to pursue baseball in college because my dream is to [be] a professional baseball player.”

Q: Why did you choose to pursue running in college?

A: “It’s a really large part of who I am, and it helps make all other parts of my life better ..., so it was a no–brainer for me to continue.”

Q: Why did you choose to pursue soccer in college?

A: “I played multiple sports growing up, but soccer always stuck, and my mom played collegiate soccer and my sister.”

Q: Why did you choose to pursue lacrosse in college?

A: “I decided to pursue it in college to take it to the next level and meet some friends for life.”

Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

A: “Stay really dedicated and committed to it ... It will [be] worth it in the end.”

Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

A: “[My advice] would be to never stop working and always put in effort.”

Q: Who inspires you?

A: “My greatest inspiration is hall–of–famer Ted Williams. He played with passion.”

Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

A: “Work harder than everyone ... and use failure as a guide to success.”

Q: Who inspires you?

A: “My teammates in general.

I aspire to be as strong and as tough as them.”

Beach Volleyball Q: Why did you choose to pursue volleyball in college?

A: “I have always loved playing it, and I wanted it to be my career since my mom was also a professional beach player and I wanted to follow in her footsteps.”

Q: If you didn’t play this sport, what would you have played?

A: “Tennis.”

Compiled by Prarthana Kaygee

Dance team welcomes new coach by sophia haines opinion editor On Oct. 11, the coaches of the WHS dance team took leave for personal reasons. In the absence of a coach, the WHS dance team captains Ella Hosseinpour ‘20, Rilee Roberts ‘20, Addison Barton ‘21 and Paris Chang ‘21 stepped up to lead the team.

“The captains … had to take on the responsibility of what the coaches would be doing,” said Hosseinpour.

“Not so much on the paperwork side, but more of what we do in practice … we’d lead practices, send reminders and texts on what we’re gonna wear [and] the scheduling.”

Despite the stress of students taking on the role of coaches, the

team came together and made the best of a difficult situation.

“I definitely think that it brought the team closer together because we had to go through something that was really difficult as a team,” said Chang.

Brandy Jones is coming in as the new coach with a positive attitude, attempting to build a strong team after a turbulent few weeks.

“My emphasis on teaching/ coaching would be team work,” said Jones. “We are a team and will always work as a team! Also, [my emphasis is on] valuing each student and making sure they know they bring something special to our team and making sure each dancer loves, supports and respects one another.”

Jones has focused on team

bonding. She even plans activities WHS, as she has choreographed for outside of practice to strengthen the WHS choir in the past. team’s connection.

“It’s obviously different because “Team bonding has been a big we have an expectation of what our aspect in our coaches were [like] team right now,” time,” said y emphasis last Hosseinpour. “No said Jones. “Since on one really knows the resignation of the old coaches, teaching/ what it’s like to we have had to a different coaching would be have rebuild.

And [coach], so it’s hard teamwork.” for some people in doing that, we have done a –Brandy Jones because it’s a totally new idea, but it’s movie night and going well.” we have done some exercises in class and more is The team is still getting to know yet to come. I want to build this team Jones and is adjusting to a new practice back up to where they used to be. And environment and coaching style.

“I can’t really say too much I believe we will get there.”

Jones is already familiar with because ... we’ve only had her for [a

“M

short period of time],” said Barton.

As the new coach of the team, Jones is making sure to set expectations of how the team is going to be run and what practices are going to be like now that she is in charge.

“She’s always happy, but she’s also making sure [that] we start off with the new coach well,” said Hosseinpour “[She’s] setting the rules from the beginning. Obviously, everybody is different, but I like both of them — the old coaches and our new one.”

The team is rallying together to support the new coach in the transition period.

“It’s definitely ... difficult because she’s going through everything new,” said Chang. “And we’re teaching her along the way, but it’s fun.”

15

SPORTS

Warriors strive for Olympics Winter

The 2019–2020 U.S. U–16 Men’s National Training Squad selects players for the official USA team based on each player’s performance while participating on this training squad. The players selected are either players outside of these teams, or they are chosen from the Junior and Senior U.S. National Team events. Mehtab Grewal ‘23 and Jasper Pouw ’23 have been selected to be a part of the U–16 division.

Sports Stat Box (as of Dec. 16)

girls

Basketball

Jasper Pouw

Mehtab Grewal

Q: How did you get onto this team?

A: “You would be playing and somebody from the national team or the managers would scout you. Once they find you, they would take you to a talent camp, and if you did well in that, they would select you for the team.”

Q: Which aspect of field hockey do you enjoy the most that inspired you to join the national team?

A: “I like how not a lot of people [play] it because it is a different sport to play. I also enjoy it more than other people would.”

Q: What position do you play on this team?

A: “Sometimes [I play] center mid or I play half–back or I play forward.

Usually, I play center mid.”

Q: What are some goals that you hope to reach through being on this team?

A: “The Olympics are in 2028, and that is what our coaches want us to make it in and try to get in the podium, so I am trying to get onto that team.”

Q: How did you get onto this team?

A: “I flew to Connecticut, and there were three days of tryouts along with some fitness testing [that I went through].”

Q: What position do you play?

A: “I play center striker. [As center striker], I will try to get the ball upfront near the goal and shoot.”

Q: Why did you begin playing field hockey?

A: “Mehtab, my best friend, introduced me to field hockey when I went with him, and I then joined. Before, I was playing soccer.”

Q: Do you look up to any field hockey players? Why? A: “[I look up to] Wyatt Katz ‘22 because he is very dedicated and is a good player. [I also look up to] Tom Bone, who plays for the Belgium national team. He is just an amazing player.”

Compiled by Songhee Lee & Bob Xia

Rise of the champs: Lakers take over by bob xia sports section editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF PUBLIC DOMAIN

The Lakers are looking toward a bright 2019– 2020 NBA season. With their current record of 24–3, their six–year playoff drought is likely to end.

The Laker superstars this year include LeBron James and the towering and versatile Anthony Davis. Both players helped lead the Lakers to a successful opening season, the best since they won the championship in 2010. With the support of Kentavious Caldwell–Pope, JaVale McGee, Alex Caruso, Kyle Kuzma and Danny Green, the Lakers are on their way to a very strong season.

“We’re still learning,” Davis told reporters after a season–opening loss to their rivals, the Clippers. “Like I said, it’s game one of many, so we’ll all look at the film to see where we can better at and then work on it in practice and be ready for the next game.”

Even though the Lakers have missed out in the postseason since 2013, Laker Nation is expecting the superstars, James and Davis, to lead the team to the championship this year.

“Obviously, offensive is going to continue to get better and better on how we can get AD in a proper position for him to be effective [and] how as a team we all can be effective as well,” said James during a post–interview. “There were times where we were great; there were times where we could be a lot better.”

UNSTOPPABLE, UNBEATABLE: Traded from the New Orleans Pelicans after last season, Anthony Davis is looking to win his first title with the Lakers.

The Lakers this year are prospected to make it to the Western Semi–Finals, at least in the playoff rounds, especially ranking number one in the Western Conference.

Because the Lakers have a newly formed team, the team is still trying to figure out each other’s individual roles and team chemistry. At times, the

Lakers perform like a well–synchronized team, as if the players can magically communicate through telepathy. But arbitrarily, the team’s chemistry can also fall into complete chaos.

“I didn’t think we were going to be able to connect this fast just because of the fact that he [LeBron James] had a lot of stuff going on this summer with Space Jam [2], so we didn’t get a lot of time to work out together,” said Davis.

Likewise, James has the same mindset.

In basketball, it is difficult to play like a team without practice. But through each game, the team’s chemistry and the bond between each of these superstars continue to strengthen and reflect in each win they get.

The Lakers struggle to keep a steady pace during their games. At times, the team is completely unstoppable with each player in sync with another, but the team can sporadically drop to having plays where it seems no one knows what is going on.

“I think it’s getting better and better as the days go on, just like with any relationship,” said James. “The relationship on the court [and] the relationship off the floor. The more and more time you spend together, if you guys have the same goals in mind [and] you have the same drive, then it organically happens.”

The Lakers are guaranteed to have an exciting season at the rate they are currently playing. Not only are they looking to return to the postseason, they plan to regain their title as champs.

boys

Basketball

Record: 12W–3L Next game: Dec. 18

vs. Royal Location: Royal High School

girls

U

Soccer

Record: 3W–4L Next game: Dec. 19

vs. Hart Location: WHS

Soccer

boys

SO

Record: 3W–5T–2L Next game: Dec. 18

vs. Salesian Location: Salesian High School

Wrestling

boys

Y SB TO PH O

Record: N/A Next match: Jan. 9

vs. Thousand Oaks Location: WHS

Water polo

girls

M

YA

MO NG A

Record: 8W–5L Next game: Dec. 20

vs. Agoura Location: WHS

Record: 6W–4L Next game: Dec. 18

vs. Marymount Location: WHS

For the latest sports updates, stories and scores, visit the WHS athletics website at westlakeathletics.com.

Compiled by Bob Xia

16

STAFF PICKS

Arrow staff presents holiday favorites EAT 1

n Pak ‘ 2

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROOFTOP CINEMA CLUB

Five07 is a quaint coffee bar and eatery, the perfect place to catch up with friends or peacefully complete homework while listening to your favorite holiday music. This cafe provides a calm and overall relaxing ambiance, with an overpowering smell of delectable holiday drinks. Five07 is a pretty affordable eatery, with prices ranging from three to ten dollars.

Recently, Five07 created its winter menu, offering everything from candy cane to spicy hot chocolate (regular hot chocolate pictured). Both provide a luxurious and creamy consistency with the perfect amount of sweetness; however, if you prefer your drink a little less sweet, you can always request to limit the amount of sugar.

Not to mention the presentation of Five07’s drinks is probably what makes it so popular. The drinks’ delicate and intricate latte art and bright red mugs make Five07 perfect for aesthetic pictures.

Not only does Five07 offer drinks, but also delicious snacks and meals perfect for the holidays, a few of them being lavender honey toast and The Gibran panini. The lavender honey toast has a dainty presence with a light and fluffy spread, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of lavender seeds, creating a mouth–watering aroma. The Gibran panini is a very filling panini with avocado, tomato and various types of cheese, all served in a warm and crispy French bread.

VISIT

PHOTO BY AVERY PAK

La ure

As a holiday season enthusiast, I usually find myself mindlessly watching the “25 Days of Christmas” program on Freeform. Although it’s nice to stay at home and be cozy while watching some wholesome and nostalgic Christmas movies, it’s fun to get out of the house and celebrate the holiday festivities elsewhere. To put these two together, simply attend a holiday An ge l L e e ‘ 20 movie screening at Rooftop Cinema Club in Downtown Los Angeles.

Throughout December, Rooftop Cinema Club is showing many holiday classics to get people in the spirit of the season.

The roof overlooks the busy streets and beaming lights in Downtown L.A., enhancing the urban night–out experience. The club sets up high– quality seating on an extensively decorated roof for the best experience.

Seating includes lounge chairs or loveseats for couples to share a holiday date. Tickets are $17 for general lounge seats and $22 for a loveseat. Endless popcorn can be added to both of these offers for a few more dollars.

WATCH S

op

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R o bs o n

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LISTEN

When it comes to music, the holiday season brings a wide variety of choices that will definitely lift spirits and have people feeling merry and bright. An endless stream of artists release festive albums that celebrate many different holidays and cultures in the wintertime.

In his album Christmas, Michael Bublé covers many traditional holiday songs in unique, new ways. From “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” to “Santa Baby,” Bublé keeps some elements from the original soundtracks while adding some of his own, such as incorporating the harmony vocal trio The Puppini Sisters in a few of his songs.

Another popular festive album is The Best Of Pentatonix Christmas, released this year by none other than the a capella group Pentatonix.

Similar to Bublé, Pentatonix puts its own spin on some classical holiday music including “Carol of the Bells” and “Here Comes Santa Claus.” With the distinctive a capella sound that Pentatonix creates, this album is very dynamic and will get listeners decking the halls, regardless of if they are naughty or nice.

And, of course, this would not be a holiday music recommendation without mentioning Mariah Carey. In honor of the 25th anniversary of her holiday album, Carey released Merry Christmas (Deluxe Anniversary Edition) this year. As well as a lot of her original holiday songs, Carey’s new album includes six live versions, a few remixes and four versions of “All I Want For Christmas is You.” Hopefully these music suggestions will have you feeling the magic of the holiday season; but, if not, here’s a playlist that will definitely have you rockin’ around the Christmas tree!

Let It Snow, directed by Luke Snellin, takes place in the small town of Laurel, Illinois, where eight high school seniors find themselves trapped by a snowstorm during the holidays. They contemplate their futures, meet the unexpected and find love within themselves and each other, all thanks to the snow.

Based on the coming–of–age novel written by John Green, Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson, this Netflix original Aly movie stars Isabella Merced, Shameik Moore, Kiernan Shipka, Brook ‘20 Odeya Rush, Liv Hewson, Mitchell Hope, Jacob Batalon and Joan Cusak.

Each having their own separate adventures as the characters do not come together until the very end of the film.

Let It Snow is a must–see pick this holiday season, tackling situations that WHS students can relate to, regarding life after high school and how students can make the most out of their last year before adulthood.

Being both a drama and comedy, the movie depicts the hardships teenagers experience while growing up while remaining lighthearted and positive.

This is accomplished through moments entailing a festive holiday party, tubing down the slopes, standing up to bullies and visiting the popular breakfast spot, “Waffle Town.” Let It Snow is the perfect movie for a night in with friends, along with some popcorn and a warm cup of hot cocoa!