ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Seniors, this one’s for you. Your last days of high school are coming to an end and summer is nearing. You know what that means… sleep in everyday, hang out with friends, and don’t worry about college until a week before it starts. Just kidding, that is a horrible idea. Of course you can still do all of the fun stuff associated with summer, but throughout your last months as a “kid” you need to be preparing for your next step in life, college.

There are actions that need to be taken and essentials that need to be purchased whether you are staying home for college or dorming.

First of all, you need to get organized. I recommend doing this in June so you don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the summer. This should include cleaning your entire room, even your closet. Get rid of items that you don’t need or never use and organize the rest. Everything should have a purposeful spot, and if it doesn’t, you most likely don’t need that item. Perhaps you can buy bins to store your belongings in. Personally, I have four bins in the top of my closet which each keep different groups of items organized (I even have a junk bin of possessions I can’t quite part with!)

When it’s time to pack for college, it will go much quicker if your room is already clean and organized. It wouldn’t be good if you tried doing this the day before you leave or, even worse, not doing it at all. Your room will be spotless, waiting for you to come visit it on breaks.

If you are living at home for your college years, having a neat and clean living space will take much stress off of you. You will know where everything is and have a spot to do your work. Speaking of which, a desk is an essential item that you need to buy if you don’t already have one in your home. Having a designated study area will allow you to keep all of your office supplies, books, computer, etc. in one place for easy access.

That brings me to another point-- a computer. Although you could go to a library or computer lab to use the computers, it will be much more convenient to have one of your own (especially if you are doing college remotely). If you can afford it and don’t already have one, you should buy some type of electronic for your schooling.

Another option in case a laptop is not your vibe is to buy an iPad. The 8th generation iPads are affordable (in comparison to other Apple products) and will allow you to take notes easily. You can even buy an Apple pencil to use as a stylus and a keyboard that will attach right to the iPad. This combination of electronics costs roughly $600, but there are discounts available for students. It could be even less expensive if you get a cheaper version of the pencil and keyboard. Whether you choose to use an iPad or laptop, definitely try to pick what option you will choose early in the summer (June) so you can save up money if need be and make sure you have it before college starts.

P.s. don’t forget to register for classes as soon as registration opens! Find out when this is for your college and talk to your counselor to pick classes before all the ones you want fill up. Once you pick classes, find out what you need for each one and purchase your textbooks. If you start this early in the summer you can research different affordable options instead of going to your college’s expensive bookstore at the last minute.

One of the most important parts of this summer is contacting your roommate (if you’re dorming). Most colleges will release what building you will be in and who your roommate will be sometime in July. It is important to talk to your roommate to figure out who is bringing what; you don’t want to end up with two mini fridges. It will also be helpful to get to know each other before you have to live together.

You should also gather the necessary items for your college dorm throughout the summer. Think decorations, storage, etc. Don’t wait until right before you leave for college to purchase the necessities; it will be stressful for you, your parents, and your roommate. I have started planning what to bring on a shared note between my roommate and I in the notes app on my phone. This allows us both to type on it and add everything we are bringing into different sections. Here are some suggestions of items you should consider bringing. Before you go out and buy everything you think you need, check to see what your college gives out to students first.

General

• Bed set (sheets, comforter, pillows and pillow cases)

School supplies

• Notebooks

• Binders

• Pens/pencils

• Desk organizer

• Backpack

• Laptop/iPad

Decorations

• Fairy lights

• LED lights

• Vines

• Mirror

• Throw blankets and pillows

• Pictures/paintings

• Plants

• Rug

• Lamp

• Curtains

• Printed photos

• Posters

Hygiene

• Body wash

• Shampoo/conditioner

• Toothbrush/toothpaste

• Loofah

• Deodorant

• Hand soap

• Face wash

• Perfume (one or two)

• Feminine products

• Lotion

• Razor and shaving cream

Hair

• Hairbrush

• Straightener

• Curler

• Heat protectant

• Dry shampoo

• Hair ties/headbands

Beauty

• Makeup (don’t bring it all, you most likely won’t even have the time or energy to do your makeup)

• Contacts, case, solution

Kitchen

• Dishes

• Silverware

• Cleaning supplies (dish soap, sponges, etc)

• Brita water pitcher/filter

• Food

Clothes (think about what you will actually need and don’t bring too many!)

• Comfortable clothes (sweatpants, shorts, sweatshirts)

• One “fancy” outfit (dress shirt/pants/shoes or a dress and heels/flats)

• A couple of business casual outfits for interviews/presentations

• Casual, everyday clothes (jeans, etc)

• Exercise clothes

• One pair of sneakers

• One pair of crocs/sandals/quick slip on shoes

• One pair of snow boots (depending on where your college is located)

• Shower shoes (consider using crocs)

• Socks, like a bunch

Random but necessary

• Earbuds/headphones

• Chargers (the longer the better)

• Umbrella

• Vacuum

• Broom

• Mop

• Garbage can

• Clothes hangers

• Laundry basket

• Laundry soap

• Storage bins

• Lint roller

• Fan

• Extension cords/power strips (if your college allows it)

Extras (not absolutely necessary)

• Mini fridge

• Mattress pad (those college beds aren’t too comfortable)

• Ear plugs

• Eye mask

• Shoe rack

• Hanging door organizer

• Whiteboard/markers

Story by: Alyssa Turner

College is right around the corner, but don't rush to it yet. You should enjoy your last summer before adulthood. There are multiple activities you can do to make the best of the summer.

Many of us already have jobs lined up for summer, but if you don't one you could apply. Earning money will also help you with your college expenses, like books, tuition, rent, food, and more. Look for jobs you feel comfortable doing. Reach out to restaurants and other local businesses and tell them that you are looking for work, or scourge. There are multiple ways to get a hold of people to work for them. You could ask your guidance counselors for help searching for a job that's right for you. Or, you could get summer jobs like mowing or raking leaves around your neighborhood. It's common courtesy to notify the other companies once you’ve been hired somewhere. Although a job will take time from your summer, you will be able to have spending money to enjoy over the summer.

Graduation parties are the last time you will be able to see your whole class together. These parties are to celebrate the end of high school and the beginning of our young adult lives so it's important to celebrate it. For your own graduation party, you could have some activities like Kan-Jam, corn hole, spike ball, and volleyball. To learn how to plan the ultimate party, read “Throwing the Ultimate Summer Party” in Arts & Entertainment.

If you're invited to your friend's graduation party you could bring a dish to pass, like smoked ribs, baked potatoes, boiled corn on the cob, coleslaw, or a simple fruit salad. If you’re invited to a graduation party the best gift to give a teen is money to pay for future expenses. But, if you want to make your gift special you could purchase or make a special photo of them when they were kids, or you could bring a gift that could be used during the party.

You can plan out a vacation with your friends where you get prepared to have a week, or even just a weekend, where you drive around the country or state to explore. You could take a road trip to the Grand Canyon or 4 corners. You could go up to Yellowstone National Park, or go rock climbing. You could rent a jeep and go through mountains on backroads. You could go swim in the Hot Springs in Colorado. You can go explore the desert terrain in Nevada, and swing by Las Vegas and zip line through the Strip. You will need to make sure you have enough money and time in order to spend a week traveling around the country. It would be important to bring money for places to stay, food and water if you're spending more than a weekend exploring. If you stay nearby you could go swimming, biking, explore back roads and have parties. This is the last summer with friends and before your schedule gets super busy, so enjoy it!!

Story by: Alex Castle

Summer is finally here and restrictions are becoming more laid back as more people are becoming vaccinated. It might be weird at first since we have been in this pandemic for awhile, however I know y’all are excited. There are some safety precautions to keep in mind as Covid is still hanging around. Here I will rank fun activities to do over the summer based on how much safety is required for each. Please keep in mind that we have not reached herd immunity yet, so keep safe.

Low:

• Hanging out with friends at your house. If both of you have all your shots and are done with the two week period, you can hang out without masks at your own houses. However, if one person does not have their shots, then masks are recommended.

• Amusement park. Six Flags Darien Lake and Seabreeze are both open and nearby, but you need to get tickets and reservations in advance. If you are fully vaccinated you do not need to wear a mask at either of these places. Keep in mind that there will be a lot of people there and people can lie about getting vaccinated because they don’t need to show a card, so make sure you social distance!

• Camping. If you are going to a public camping ground, make sure to stay safe and bring a mask. If you’re camping on your own property or a friend’s and everyone is fully vaccinated, you have to worry a little less about Covid and can just enjoy yourself.

High:

• Traveling to a different state. Most states require tests if you are unvaccinated and most also recommend self quarantining for 7 to 20 days. Many states do not require tests or self quarantine if you are vaccinated. My advice is to check the protocols of the state you plan on traveling to.

• Traveling to a different country. This is not recommended as some other countries have variants of Covid-19 that the vaccine might not be able to protect against. Note that while restrictions in America are becoming more laid back, other countries have different situations. If you plan on traveling to another country, do your research and follow the CDC guidelines. Most countries are not open yet but some are.

Story by: Mia Dixon

Are you tired of the summer heat? Are you annoyed at the sun beating down on you? Is your mouth as dry as a desert? Well I have a fix for you: three cold, COLD drinks to fight against that summer heat!

Frosty orange cream (serves 2 to 3)

Ingredients: 12 ounces low fat milk-chilled, ¼ cup of frozen orange juice concentrate, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 3 cups of ice cubes

Directions: Pour the milk into a bender and add the orange juice concentrate, vanilla and sugar. Then, blend it for a few seconds. Add the ice cubes and blend until it's frosty and smooth. Pour into glasses and serve right away.

Sweet strawberry smoothie (serves 2 to 3)

Ingredients: ½ cup half and half cream, ½ cup whole milk, 1 cup ripe sweet strawberries stemmed and washed, ½ cup low-fat vanilla flavored yogurt, 2 cups ice cubes.

Directions: Pour the cream and milk into the bender and add the strawberries, yogurt and ice cubes. Bend until the mixture is very smooth and no fruit pieces remain. Pour into glasses and serve right away.

Duo dark chocolate frappe (serves 4)

Ingredients: ½ cup dark chocolate fudge sauce, ½ cup chocolate milk, 1 cup ice cubes, 3 cups premium fudge ice cream.

Directions: Prepare 4 tall glasses by pouring the fudge sauce in ribbons down the sides of each glass. Set aside. Pour the milk into the pitch and add the ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Add the fudge ice cream and blend again. Use a spatula to clean the sides of the bender, if needed, and blend again until smooth. Pour the frappe into each prepared glass and serve at once.

Story by: Grant Watson

Graduation is approaching, and you’ll probably be attending some banger parties this summer. There are many factors that distinguish a mundane gathering from a true summer party; date and time, location, food and drinks, activities, invitations, and decorations. Each and every one of them has to be meticulously planned, and I am here to help you.

DATE AND TIME

The date determines who will be able to make it and how much time you will have for planning. You need to set the date early in order to give people time to work your party into their calendar. As for the time of day, most people start their parties in the afternoon and end in the evening or at night. This range of time usually works best because it allows people to swing by the party after work while still leaving daylight for outdoor activities. This timeframe also encompasses dinner, so if you are planning on serving food, it should work well for you, though some parties purposefully miss a major meal to avoid serving food and save them some cash.

LOCATION

The setting is one of THE biggest make-or-breaks of any party. The location determines the activities, what kind of food will be available, and also how many people you can invite. There are advantages and disadvantages to every location. Some decide to host their parties at their house since there are no regulations. Be sure to consider the space you have, as you'll need room for tables, seating, and serving food. Having your party outdoors usually means more space and less clean up, if you have the yard space for it. Lack of space is why many opt to host their parties at a venue. You can make reservations to host a party in a space such as a park, restaurant, arcade, skating rink, bowling alley, etc. Though some options are expensive, having your party at a different location saves you the cleanup and planning of many activities, decorations, food and beverages. But, if you want a true summer party, having a barbecue at your house or a park is the best option for flexibility.

FOOD AND DRINKS

Based on the plans above and your budget, it’s time to plan the good stuff. Starting with snacks, many common choices are chips, dip, fruit, candy, crackers and cheese. Go for all of it! Party-goers love a grab and go treat while chatting with others and moving around through the festivities. Fruit salad is a great choice to help those feel healthy to balance out the greasiness of an entree. Speaking of entrees, let's talk about that. If you are hosting your party outdoors, it is almost essential to do a cookout. Nothing screams summer party like some burgers, hot dogs, and chicken drumsticks. At our end of summer gatherings, we bring out the smoker to get high quality flavors in ribs and steaks. If you are having a party indoors or don’t feel like cooking, pizza is a common choice that can feed many. Lastly, you need to have a form of dessert. You could stay with the basic sheet cake and ice cream, or you can mix it up. Grab an assortment of flavors of pies, or even cookie ice cream sandwiches to beat the heat.

ACTIVITIES

Even though it may be fun just to have good company, it is a good idea to keep your crowd entertained with a few activities. The location you chose will influence many of the activities that you are allowed to do or have available for you. If you chose to host your throw-down at an arcade, for example, basically all of the entertainment is covered for you. However, if you are having your party at your house or a park, there is some room for creativity. A water balloon toss or slip n slide is viable on a hot, sunny day. You could bring out classic yard games such as lawn darts and corn hole for some fun on the side, or make your own. There are plenty of ideas online that you could create yourself, such as hula hoop croquet or making pool noodle targets. Check some fun ones out here.

INVITATIONS

Now that you have an idea of what is going on at your party, you need to send out your invitations ASAP. People appreciate a formal invitation, so make sure you make it special. Besides having basic information such as the time, date, and location of your party, include some exciting language about the types of food and activities that you are having. This will also allow people to dress appropriately or bring extra clothes, especially if some of the festivities involve getting wet or dirty. Design is important on an invitation too, so include some pictures or graphics to make it exciting if possible.

DECORATIONS

When it comes to the day of the party, you will need to set everything up. Make sure you think about the layout of tables and chairs so that people can move around easily while not being miles apart. Decorations can be subtle to suggest a theme, or they can be very apparent. That is up to you. Whatever you decide, you need to have a list of the decorations you want and a general idea of where you will put them. Decorate doorways, windows, have some hanging off of trees or tents. Your decorations and hard work you brought to the party will not go unnoticed!

Story by: Brent Porter

Imagine sitting on a boat while watching the sun go down. A breeze blows across the lake to cool you down in the summer heat. There’s a large school of bluegill and pumpkin seeds below you and you get a bite every cast.. The water is crystal clear so you can see the fish take your bait.

There are several types of Panfish that are popular to eat, such as bluegill, yellow perch, and black crappie. They are fun to fish, but can be difficult to catch if they are large ones.

You can catch panfish in many different ways from simply using worms and a bobber to using expensive lures. The best way to catch panfish in general, regardless of their size, is to tie a ¼ oz sinker at the end of your line with a second line about two feet above the main line with a worm on it. This setup is made specifically for fishing from a boat and I wouldn’t recommend using this from shore.

Another great way to catch panfish is to put a rubber spinner tail on a hook with a jig head on it. Putting a small piece of worm on the tip of the hook is optional but does help. This setup is perfect for catching panfish from either a boat or from the bank. Once you get the hang of catching panfish then you can get ready to cook them

Panfish are delicious and can be cooked in many different ways. My favorite is to simply broil them. You can do this by placing olive oil on it followed by whatever seasoning you would like. Place the filets for 15 minutes at 300^oF. Once they are done you can enjoy them.

Story by: Logan Dwyer

Dee Bradley Baker stars as the voices of the elite clone force 99 as they make their way through a changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone Wars. The Bad Batch, a Star Wars series, is directed by Dave Filoni, who has just recently been promoted to the head of Lucasfilm. Filoni was involved in several TV shows associated with the Star Wars franchise, including Star Wars the Clone Wars. When the public found out about how Disney was going to finish the Clone Wars they were happy for the masterpiece to be completed. Having a continuation of the storyline through the Bad Batch made fans ecstatic. With Filoni involved, we know that the series is in good hands and won’t disappoint.

Star Wars is a diverse universe having multiple species and lore. The Bad Batch is seamlessly tied in the Clone Wars era to the Empire era. Fans finally get to see the aftermath of Order 66. The clones we once loved no longer have their individualistic personalities and are being portrayed as mindless soldiers. Filoni has also been continuing the easter eggs and references to the other shows and movies such as Saw Guerra which started the Resistance.

I would give this show a five out of five rating due to its depth and fluidity. It shows the darker, less known information about Star Wars while staying true to the franchise’s lore. It continues to perform and exceed all expectations. Along with this, the show effortlessly references and incorporates important parts of the Star Wars universe, The animators even changed the familiar blue color of the troopers’ blaster fire to red to further show that the clones that we knew and loved and the Republic are gone.

Story by: Andrea McMahon