To the nihilist there is no why,  just nothing. No answer, no meaning, no beginning, and no end. Life is just there. You are born and then you die, that's all. Nihilists do not believe in anything at all. There is no good, or evil, there is just nothing. To the nihilist the world exists and humans created morality. We are born and die with no meaning. To make meaning for yourself is an act of rebellion. 

To enjoy life with a nihilistic view is very difficult, but not impossible. You can find happiness in nihilism in a few different ways. Reacting to your emotions and processing them can be extremely beneficial. Knowing how your own mind works and understanding your emotions can bring security and peace within yourself. Reframing nihilistic principals can lead to a new way of life, one filled with joy and fulfillment. To be a happy nihilist is to find joy in the meaninglessness of life. If you believe that life is meaningless, that means everything is meaningless. This includes negative factors such as stress, fear, and anxiety. When you start to view nihilism in a different light you find freedom. “Focusing on the scale of your own life, and how insignificant it is, also allows you to ask: OK, if I don’t matter, and neither do the issues that take up so much of my time, how does the world show itself differently? If I’m no longer the center of my own universe, what takes that space? You might start wondering what you want to last after you’ve gone, and what needs to be protected and treasured.” - Psyche How to be a Happy Nihilist. Nihilism can be comforting when you look at it from a different perspective. Knowing that nothing matters can bring relief into your life.

The insignificance of life itself brings about peace. You can find what you want to live for in the comfort of vast nothingness. Once you accept the cold, hollow embrace of reality, you learn how to live alongside it. I asked a few students the question, “Do you find comfort in the absurdity of life, and if not what do you live for?” Hubbard High School sophomore Ashlyn Martin replied, “I live to leave my mark, to be remembered.” While I personally do not find this statement relatable, I understand the thinking behind it. Many students I proposed this question to found it to be wrong. To them, nihilism is always bad, which isn’t the case. Many people are not very educated on the topic and the definition of nihilism has been skewed. Once I elaborated on how misinterpreted nihilism is, many people changed their perspective on it. 

Nihilism is not inherently a good philosophy to have, but if you skew its principles of meaninglessness, freedom and purpose can be found.. You can learn to process your emotions and navigate your own mind. You can create something out of the belief in nothing . 

At Hubbard High School alone, students have access to various services to support their goals. Whether it's exploring career pathways, understanding job requirements, applying to colleges or trade schools, or qualifying for scholarships or financial aid, the guidance department at Hubbard is the place to go. There, students can find answers to all of these questions, with counselors Mrs. Gasser and Ms. Marshall ready to guide them through each step. “They’ve done a great job of listening to my thoughts and giving constructive feedback as I navigate my future plans. They also always find answers to my questions, even if they don’t know right away,” says Ayah Mufleh, a Hubbard High School senior. Communicating with advisors or counselors may be the single most valuable tip when looking to further one’s education.

Another key piece of advice for current seniors is to organize a plan. By starting the application process as early as possible, staying consistent, remaining attentive, and keeping a counselor informed of ongoing efforts, the whole process can go much more smoothly. Preparing for the future also involves putting in effort now, rather than later. Schools seek candidates with drive and determination, so it’s up to the student to demonstrate these qualities to achieve their goals. Currently, the best approach is to perform to the best of one’s ability in challenging classes—those that will reflect well on a college application. Participation in extracurricular activities also plays a significant role in demonstrating effort. Emma Harley, a Hubbard High School senior, shared how extracurricular activities impacted her college application experience: “As someone who puts a lot of time into studies, I find there’s not much else I can do academically for my application. My extracurricular involvement is what I hope will set me apart from other applicants.”

The main takeaway is that the application process depends on how students present themselves—their strengths, achievements, goals, involvement, and values. However, they’re never alone on this journey. At Hubbard, there is always someone available to provide assistance throughout this stressful, exciting, and celebratory time.

Sources:

Tips for Preparing Your College Application

15 Tips for Applying to College

Applying to College | HESC (image source) 

In recent years, concerns over the dam’s safety have intensified, prompting discussions about its future. Local officials, residents, and environmental experts are at the center of this debate. Officials are tasked with making difficult decisions that weigh the costs and potential risks of rebuilding or dismantling the structure. Nearby residents worry about how either choice could affect property values and their quality of life, while environmental experts have conducted studies on the dam’s ecological impact to guide the community’s next steps.

Supporters of rebuilding the dam see it as a way to preserve a piece of Hubbard's history. “I used to go there all the time as a kid and fish with my grandparents… it would be a shame if it all got destroyed,” said Dylan Tice, a Hubbard High School student. On the other hand, some residents question the importance of preserving the dam. “I have never heard of Coalburg Lake, so I don’t see the big deal with destroying it. It would cost too much to fix anyway,” remarked Aliyah Elliott, another student at Hubbard High School.

Rebuilding the Coalburg Lake Dam could maintain a historic landmark, but it would also require significant financial investment, likely funded by local taxpayers. With arguments on both sides, the decision demands careful consideration of all factors, from historical value and community sentiment to financial costs and safety concerns.

As the community awaits a decision, the question remains: should Hubbard rebuild or remove the Coalburg Lake Dam? What would you decide?

Sources: 

Residents Push Petition

Advice for Career Choice

“Finding a fulfilling career that aligns with your values and goals can impact both personal satisfaction and professional success,” advises Indeed.com. A key skill for avoiding extra pressure is learning to filter out the noise. Social media, newsletters, TV ads, and even friends can add to the pressure of choosing a career path. “All of my friends are choosing similar jobs for the future; the pressure used to really bother me, but I’ve been learning to recognize that I can make my own choice,” says Hubbard Senior Alyssa Gregory.

To feel confident in your career path and avoid indecisiveness, it’s essential to understand that your path can be different from others’. There is no single path everyone must follow, and what fits well for others may not align with what’s best for you.

brat Summer 

By Ace Johnson, Sophomore Staff Writer

On June 7th, 2024, Charli XCX (Charlotte Emma Atchinson) released her sixth studio album, brat, and thus began the trend “Brat Summer.” Brat Summer could be defined as being bold, and doing what you want to do unapologetically. Charli urges people to be themselves and have a good time doing it, “Brat summer is definitely more than meets the eye,” said freshman Catie Lissimore. The trend may seem complicated with all the bright flashing colors, bold green emblem, and the brat title may seem like a negative, but this is all why the trend was so popular. Charli brought a new meaning to the word brat. Being a brat is being confident, strong, and individual.

Charli had released 5 other albums before this, and was not at all new to the industry. She is most well-known for her club classics  released in the early 2010s. Some examples would be, “I Love It,” a song she wrote and performed with Icona Pop, “Boom Clap,” a song that she wrote for the movie The Fault in Our Stars, and “Boys,” a song that had a few trends of its own tied to it. However, to fully understand Brat Summer, you have to understand the impetus behind the trend, and why this album in particular was so influential.

The release of brat had a lot of pressure and excitement surrounding the release. The album was announced on February 28th, immediately followed by the release of the album's lead single, “Von Dutch”. This song was the first indication of how huge brat would truly be. In an article written by Grace Koennecke for ACRN media (Ohio University's radio and media group) she shared her thoughts on the new song, “The queen of hyperpop finally returned with her long-anticipated single, 'Von dutch'...On this track, the singer returns back to her club-anthem roots, with many strong influences from previous songs like 'I Love It' and 'Speed Drive.'” It was simple, the song was good. 

This was in turn followed by the album's full release in June, and an immediate wave of neon green hit the world, “Well I didn’t really know of her before like I heard her music but I didn’t know it was her if that makes sense but the release of brat really made her known to me, and she is in fact one of my top 3 on Spotify,” said sophomore Madelyn Fox. Everyone was riding the waves of the brat trends, and there was a lot. There was a dance made for the 11th track on the album, Apple, that is now being done by Charli on tour. There was even a collaboration with a popular Roblox fashion game, Dress To Impress. The album was hugely successful, and then followed by remixes. First, it was a remix of her song Girl, so confusing featuring Lorde, an artist that Charli had previously had a rocky relationship with. However, when they decided to work it out on the remix, it was huge for the internet. Then, a remix of the song Guess featuring Billie Eilish. And now, an entire new album of remixes. All of these things were how the term Brat Summer came to be. 

Brat summer is being able to put the past in the past, being more confident and doing things outside of your comfort zone. Brat summer still has rippling effects, while Charli has begun touring with the album and takes her victory lap around the world. Through all the garish green, blurry Arial font, and loud energetic sounds, there is a truly inspiring message.

Starbucks vs. Dunkin: The Student Debate
By Bella Linert, Sophomore Staff Writer

For many students at Hubbard High School, the day doesn’t truly begin until they’ve made a pit stop at Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks. From coffee to breakfast, a quick treat before class can boost your mood—and curb your hunger. But which of these popular spots do students really prefer, and why?

Price

“Starbucks is more expensive, but I don’t care. I always tip, too,” says Ralph Lucarelli. It’s no secret that Starbucks can be pricey. Many parents even point it out when they see a Starbucks bag in the car or a cup in hand. On average, a Starbucks drink costs about 30 to 40 cents more than one from Dunkin’. Yet, as it turns out, most students don’t mind. “I probably pay about 60 dollars a month at Starbs,” admits Ace Johnston, “and I’m ashamed, but I won’t stop.”

Coffee

When it comes to coffee, many students favor Starbucks. “Starbucks just tastes better overall. From personal experience, when I get a hot coffee from Starbs, it’s hot, and when I get one from Dunkin, it’s not,” says Jeralynn Rudiak. This opinion isn’t unique—reports on coffee competitors, like lincolnlionsroar.com, note that Starbucks coffee is generally more consistent in quality and has a stronger flavor, while Dunkin’ can vary.

Donuts

Dunkin’ is known for its donuts, and while opinions vary, they remain a big draw. “I really only like the pink strawberry donut; all the others taste like throw-up, and they’re so dry,” says Steven Badurik. Unlike Dunkin’, Starbucks doesn’t offer donuts at any of its locations, so it loses this round. Dunkin’ does have a wide range to choose from, including popular varieties like chocolate, glazed, frosted with sprinkles, blueberry, jelly-filled, and Boston creme, along with seasonal flavors throughout the year.

Food

What about other food and snacks? Dunkin’ offers a variety of breakfast sandwiches, bagels, bacon, and hash browns, while Starbucks has a smaller selection, limited to wraps and sandwiches exclusive to its brand. “I’d say Dunkin’ food is better because there’s more variety, like hash browns,” says Kamryn Johnson. While both places serve high-calorie options, Starbucks tends to offer food with a bit more protein.

After talking to students and exploring their views, it seems Starbucks holds the top spot at Hubbard High. From coffee and drinks to food and flavor, Starbucks appears to be the winner. Which do you prefer?

Making History

By Taylor Datillo, Senior Staff Writer

“The influence of a good teacher can never be erased.”- Unknown

 Mr. Perline will be completing his 30th and final year as an educator at Hubbard High School. It all started with his decision to become a teacher due to the interactions he had with his own teachers during his time in school, they appeared to be content, and they sincerely enjoyed their jobs. Along with the inspiration from his teachers, Mr. Perline always had an interest in history and storytelling, it was something that came naturally to him. 

He feels that the best part of being a teacher is working with people, interacting with students, and relating history from the past to the present. However, with the enjoyment of his work, there are downsides, one being acronyms. Mr. Perline has to learn new acronyms each year, a true displeasure in the world of teaching. Throughout his time as a teacher he has taught hundreds of students, but Mr. Perline states that one thing students have taught him is, “To treat each other with kindness and to be aware we don't always know what is going on behind the scenes.” 

After 30 years of dedication, he is excited about his retirement, he feels that it'll bring on a new period in his life. He plans to keep busy by continuing his other job and starting his own business. Lastly, when asked what advice Mr. Perline had for future teachers, he stated, “Get to know your students, get to know your content, and make it relevant to things going on today.” Hubbard High School will not be the same without his unique teaching style and his manner of informing students on topics, not simply to pass a test but to use in the real world. Mr. Perlines's former student, Rital Abdallah states, “Mr. Perlines's class allowed me to see how history directly connects to current events and helped me think more critically about the world.”

Gypsy Rose, the Menendez Brothers, and Other Costumes This Halloween Season

By Taila Odem, Senior Staff Writer

I’m scrolling through TikTok. I see Gypsy Rose Blanchard dancing with Carrie Bradshaw, A fembot and A magic 8 ball curling their hair together in a get ready with me, and Mario and Luji in matching Amazon corsets doing a fit check in a college dorm, I can only think one thing, Halloweekend is officially here. 

History of controversial halloween costumes 

Drunk Priests, Hot Nuns, Cowboys and Indians—oh my! Controversial Halloween costumes have always been somewhat of a staple in American culture. Over the years however, especially post-late 2010’s we saw a major shift in what is and isn’t considered “acceptable” i.e “my culture is not your costume.” However, when the pendulum swings too far in one direction, eventually, it’ll come back around in the other, and now, it seems the “woke era” is taking a slow and steady decline.

Where are we now? 

With the rise in relevancy of the internet and how increasingly easy it has become to be seen and perceived by thousands of people at the drop of a hat, brings with it a surge of people eager to have different and unique costumes, but for that same reason, it’s becoming even harder. So, why risk losing your job over a poorly painted black face Michael Jordan costume that your dad probably wore to his frat Halloween party in the 90’s, when you can don a pink ballcap and a princess dress and roll up to the party as Gypsy Rose Blanchard! If you’re a guy, all of your buddies are already suited up as Avengers or wrapping themselves in caution tape, why not really stand out to the girls by showing up as their latest Man Crush Monday, 90’s heartthrob and convicted parent murderer, Lyle Menendez! 

When is it too far 

Now obviously, we aren’t completely removed from the decorum we established all those years ago at least, not yet. As of now, there still is a line it’s just, perhaps, a lot blurrier now. After some extensive research I've come to somewhat of a conclusion as to where that line is. A Gypsy Rose costume seems to be fine because in the end Gypsy, essentially, won. She’s out of prison, she’s happily married with a baby on the way and she’s starring in her own hit reality TV show where she gets to tell her own story. A jab at Gypsy would no longer be considered “punching down.” Sure she was physically and mentally abused by her mentally ill mother for more than half of her life, and spent most of the other half imprisoned for facilitating her murder but, ultimately, she won. The line is a bit fainter when it comes to the Menendez Brothers. Recently they’ve gotten something of a raw deal with the new Netflix series that’s just come out about them that could aptly be described as a hit piece. The series has its own share of controversy around it with its creator saying, in regards to its inaccuracies, “The Menendez brothers should be sending me flowers. They haven’t had so much attention in 30 years–.” I could write an entire separate article about the ethics of the show itself and the massive wave of fan girls and TikTok edits spurred but the simple truth is this, girls find them attractive. That changes things because now, we have the camp of girls who want to separate the show from the real life tragedy and see nothing wrong with a buttoned up and bloodied costume fashioned after Nicholas Chavez's, Lyle. We also have the camp of girls who ride hard for the real brothers and are in agreement that a costume fashioned after a childhood sexual abuse victim is disgusting, and the brothers deserve justice and freedom from their cruel and unusual imprisonment, obviously, their attractiveness is a nonfactor, and you’d be disgusting for even mentioning it!

Final thoughts 

So, here’s the conclusion I’ve come to: A controversial halloween costume could be a real swing and a miss, and if you’re thinking of heading out to a costume party dressed as one of America’s Favorite victims or perpetrators, a good method for judging its appropriateness. It is one that comedians use when assessing their dark comedy. Would the costume be “punching up” or “punching down.” A punch down would be taking a jab at someone who can no longer defend themselves, a victim who has no ability to speak to whether a costume is okay or not. Whilst a punch up would be at a person who triumphed over their adversity and oftentime is better off for it. 

 Monica Lewnesky and Bill Clinton are fine, but a tad overdone. You’re probably more likely to get some slack because of how passé it is rather than for it being inappropriate. Thus, “punching up.” 

However, Jon Benet and Burke Ramsey or Casey and Caylee Anthony would be unacceptable because of the continued pain and injustice associated with these cases. Therefore, “punching down.” 

Hopefully this helped you to gain some insight into the mindset of Americans dressing up this Halloween season. What are some costumes you’re hoping to see this year? 

Just Some Jacktivities – Fishy Business

By Jackson Corbett, Junior Staff Writer

Greetings, fellow Hubbardites. I have returned from the finite hiatus of summer break with heaps of sacred knowledge to spread far and wide. 

During my leave of absence, I attended a little-known place known to the locals as Cedar Point. Funnily enough, I didn’t see any cedar trees present on the grounds. Besides the glaring lack of its namesake, there was something else that just felt absent. However, I just couldn’t put my grubby little finger on it. I spent hours pondering what was missing. All the iconic rides were still present, such as Doorholder, Magnesium Plus, Bronze Retaliation, Medical Malpractice, and Thousand Yard Stare. Top Thrill the Second Part still wasn’t thrilling because it wasn’t open. It couldn’t have been something with the park itself. 

Our place of residence was the humble shack Hotel Breakers. What it was breaking exactly I couldn’t tell you. Being right on the beach I took the time to mosey my way down to America’s Roller Coast. I set out to construct a castle. This castle would of course have a wall. A great huge wall. It would make my kingdom great. And who would be paying for it? Me, of course. I labored away, digging trenches for the mostest moat that’s ever moated. Using the debris gathered from my malicious moat, I constructed the Wall. It towered over the rest of the beach, imposing its domain over the sandy dunes. Of course, a kingdom with just a wall is no kingdom. It’s just a wall, idiot. So, I set out to flesh out my creation. Inside the walls, I kept my keep. It stood at twice the height of the Wall, making even it look pitiful in comparison. I then moved on to the final touches. I intricately scattered little squares, rectangles, and other assortments of shapes I don’t remember learning in geometry class throughout the open field contained within. These represented little houses. No kingdom would be fit without a class structure, so I made sure to create a poor people area closer to the walls and a rich better people section in the center. I also used my little fingy wingys to lightly draw in crop fields. After all, who wants their little schizophrenic people to die of hunger? As a final touch, the Parking Gulls so graciously gifted me their feathers laced with avian influenza. I used these as my kingdom's great banner. My castle was complete. John Castle, the inventor of the castle, and that one move in chess would truly be proud. I stood back and admired my handiwork. 

Beyond my castle, I curiously noticed the big ocean next to it. Wait a minute, that wasn’t an ocean at all! It was a lake. I finally realized what should have been so glaringly obvious. I knew what needed to be done. Lake Erie needed to make it eight, as in the seas. However, how does one go about doing so? The most obvious difference between a lake and an ocean is the lake’s pathetic lack of sharks. “But sharks can’t survive in freshwater, Jack,” said anybody who was wrong. Bull sharks can live in salty water and unbottled water. Think of all the benefits this would bring to the economy. Sharks could bring waves of tourists who just so happen to like ice cream. This would significantly enhance the sale of ice cream sandwiches in the region. In turn, goat farms across the globe would rejoice, since we all know the cream of the crop of ice cream is made using goat milk, perchance? Besides the most obvious benefits, introducing the elusive bull shark to Ocean Erie significantly reduces the local population of conspicuous bird watchers. After all, you can’t watch birds with your little spyglasses if a shark eats your birdwatching boat while you are in it, can you? Having such large animals also has the potential to create more waves since they make big splashes when they swim.

Now that a plan of action has been laid out, you should know exactly what you need to do. Go to your local aquarium and conduct the heist of the decade. Free Willy the Shark into his rightful domain. Do what is right. We are all counting on you.