We’ve all had that assignment: “Write a fictional short story about…” It might have come from your English teacher, your creative writing class, or even history class. Whether you groaned with disappointment or grinned with bliss, one thing is clear—short fiction is a staple in the academic world, and knowing how to write it well can boost both your confidence and your grade.

As someone heading into college to study creative writing, I’ve had my fair share of story assignments. Over time, I’ve picked up a few simple techniques that can make your short stories stronger, tighter, and a whole lot more enjoyable to write and read. Here are my top tips for writing short fiction that stands out.

Tip One: Plot BEFORE Characters.

Unless your assignment comes with pre-made characters, always develop your plot first. While it might feel natural to start with a cool protagonist or quirky sidekick, it’s easier to introduce and develop your characters when they are molded to serve the story—not the other way around.

Think of it this way: if you create characters first, you might get attached to them and struggle to make them fit into a plot that works. But if you start with a concept or structure, your characters can grow organically within the world you've built.

Personally, I often start with a quote, a theme, or a plot outline that excites me. One of my favorite short stories was inspired by a single line: “Mama always told me not to play with my food…” That little idea sparked an entire horror-comedy piece built around an unexpected twist. You can read that short story here if you like; it’s my favorite piece I ever “finished”.. You can read that short story here if you like; it’s my favorite piece I ever “finished”.

Tip Two: Plan out the plot.

You don’t need a detailed blueprint, but knowing the shape of your story will make the writing process smoother. Even just a simple beginning–middle–end structure can work wonders. In fact, some of my strongest stories came from planning the ending first and working backward to make everything lead naturally to that conclusion.

Try breaking down your story into pages or sections. Here's a quick example:

• Page 1: Library opening scene and brief exposition

• Page 2: Main character meets their love interest

• Page 3: Rising tension or conflict

• Page 4: Climax or turning point

• Page 5: Resolution or emotional punch

You don’t have to follow it rigidly, but it helps to have a map before you start the journey.

Tip Three: Set a daily word count goal.

This tip applies more to longer short stories or when working on a collection, but it’s still useful. Setting a manageable daily word count—say, 500 to 1,000 words—can keep you on track without burning you out.

Even if you only write a little each day, that consistency builds momentum. You might find that once you get started, you often exceed your goal—and that’s great! The key is starting. Don’t worry if what you write isn’t perfect. First drafts are meant to be messy.

FInal Thoughts

Writing short fiction doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a clear idea, some light planning, and a little self-discipline, you can write something memorable—maybe even something you’ll look back on with pride years later.

I’ve grown so much as a writer. If you’re reading this, I hope you know that your voice matters and your stories deserve to be told. Whether you’re writing about dragons, diner waitresses, or dystopias, just start writing. One page at a time.

Good luck—and happy storytelling.

Citation for Image

“Mightier Images – Browse 156 Stock Photos, Vectors, and Video.” 

Adobe Stock, https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=mightier. Accessed 12 May 2025.

In any city,, there are numerous food spots that go unnoticed that shouldn’t. These types of places are scattered all around the city, either on some random street in the middle of nowhere or hiding in the hotspots around town, and we’ve made it our goal to search out and report back with the spots that deserve recognition: testing the taste, aesthetic/comfort, price, service, and location. Use these suggestions as a guide to find your new favorite food spot in Louisville.

Burger Girl Diner

• 3334 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206

• 💲💲

First on the list is a place that is a handy and convenient spot open 24/7. This diner serves burgers, sandwiches, breakfast, along with a variety of sides and munchies with personal favorites being the cinnamon roll, the Kickin’ Chicken Sandwich, and Philly Cheesesteak Hoagie. The food itself is delicious. Everything is seasoned well including the fries; the burgers and sandwiches are juicy and the milkshakes are perfectly balanced between milky and creamy🍦. This diner is comfy with warming colors in the place and having exceptional service. The waiters and waitresses are all nice and helpful, swiftly taking your orders. The prices of the burgers and sandwiches with added fries and unlimited drink refills add up to around $12-$13 making it a delicious meal for a decent price. Its location is a decent “off the trail” place on Frankfort Ave, that gets a nice amount of people to where they are busy but not busy.

Bunz Burgers: Louisville’s Unsung Grease-Stained Glory

• 712 Brent St, Louisville, KY 40204

• Costs: 💲

Bunz Burgers. We love Bunz, and we also like burgers. Bunz Burgers has a glorious menu. The burger? A sensual, napkin-soaking slab of beef smashed flat with violent precision, its edges crisp and curling like burnt love letters.This is not a place for light appetites, it’s for people who crave mouth-coating umami and shameless drips of melted cheese down their wrists and lips. The smash burger comes scorched to hell, cheese melting like candle wax in a haunted chapel. The bun? Puffy, shiny, and vaguely fleshy—like the skin of a freshly birthed bread creature. You bite in. It moans.

Go. Sit. Eat. Stain your shirt. And remember what food tastes like when it’s not trying to behave.

Rooftop Grill

• 414 W OAK ST, LOUISVILLE KY

• 💲

Rooftop Grill is one of the best food spots I've encountered. The cashier is quick and concise. There's no wasted movement nor wasted food. Everything is used and if you are expecting great food, this is the place to go since they have the staples of Jamaican  oxtail and curry goat to fried fish and stews. Everything is delicious and greatly priced compared to the amount of food you are given. They even have a five dollar meal deal consisting of a fried chicken thigh and leg along with two sides and a piece of cornbread. The inside is what you expect from an authentic Jamaican shop with the flag and many other items that relate to its country. Because of the silence and speed of the place it seems intimidating at first but the longer you are there the better you understand the dynamics of you, the food, the cashier, and the cook. Its location is in Old Louisville surrounded by other one of a kind restaurants but this one will capture your eye first. 

La Bodeguita de Mima

• 725 E Market St, Louisville, KY 40202

• 💲💲💲

In the heart of Louisville’s NuLu neighborhood lies one of the city’s most immersive and underrated dining experiences: La Bodeguita de Mima. While many locals know NuLu for its modern restaurants and trendy bars, this Cuban gem brings something altogether different: history, culture, and flavor all wrapped into a single vibrant setting. La Bodeguita de Mima is designed to feel like 1950s Havana, complete with lush tropical plants, vintage furniture, and warm lighting.

The menu showcases the heart of Cuban cuisine, offering dishes that are deeply comforting and full of flavor. Appetizers like Papas Rellenas (crispy potato balls filled with seasoned beef) and Ceviche de Camarón give a taste of the island’s bright, savory flavors. Entrées like Lechón Asado (slow-roasted pork with mojo), Ropa Vieja (shredded beef in tomato sauce), and Churrasco steak served with chimichurri make up the bulk of the menu and they’re consistently satisfying.

While prices are slightly above average for the city, they’re worth it given the quality and care behind each dish. Most appetizers run between $12 and $19, while entrées range from $22 to $30. Desserts like Tres Leches Cake and Habano de Chocolate are around $12 to $15. On average, expect to spend $45–60 per person for a full meal without drinks.

The real draw here, beyond the food, is the atmosphere. Whether you’re seated inside among vintage photos and chandeliers or outside on the lush patio known as “Mima’s Garden,” you’re surrounded by stories. The restaurant is named after the owner’s grandmother, Mima, whose portrait hangs proudly on the wall. Her spirit is everywhere from the recipes on the plate to the hospitality in the air.

Frank’s Meat and Produce

• 3342 Preston Hwy, Louisville, KY 40213.

• 💲

Want a taste of Frank’s Meat and Produce, just head to 3342 Preston Hwy, Louisville, KY 40213. This is a beloved local establishment known for its fresh meats, deli sandwiches, and homemade sides.

Most sandwiches fall in the $4 to $6 range. Think of thick-cut turkey, salty country ham, or even liver cheese if you’re feeling brave. Add a scoop of macaroni salad or cucumber slaw (just $3-ish a pound) and you’ve got a meal that’s not only comforting but ridiculously affordable.

Ollie’s Trolley

• 978 S 3rd St, Louisville, KY 40203

• 💲

Ollie’s Trolly is a great indie place to grab burgers and especially fries. Its locality makes it a good choice for people who want to eat right after school ends. What sets Ollie’s apart is the signature spice blend, a bold, slightly smoky mix of seasonings that coats their hand-cut fries and adds a unique kick to every bite of their burgers. Despite the small size of the operation, the quality is consistently high. Prices are refreshingly low, around $5 to $8 for a burger and fries combo which makes it an easy go-to for lunch or a quick bite after exploring downtown. There’s no indoor seating, so this is more of a grab-and-go kind of place, but that’s part of its charm. 

Brownies “The Shed” Grille and Bar

• 237 Whittington Pkwy, Louisville, KY 40222

• 💲💲

This place is out of the way for people who are living away from the St Matthews area. It is a great place to eat if you are looking for a spot that stays open late and the food quality and flavor is fantastic. There are no bad meals, everything is cooked well;  the price ranges around 14 dollars for a full meal with a side and drink. Brownies is a very inconspicuous spot being an outlier in a food lot just past St Matthews in Hurstbourne. It has an atmosphere you expect of a sports bar but it is surprisingly quiet compared to other restaurants like this one. The place is clean and the waiters and waitresses are kind and give a comfortable feel to the place

With the 2024-2025 school year coming to an end, that means there are millions of high school seniors who will be having their last few days of school left before walking across the stage and closing this chapter of their life. 12 years of anything is a long time in life, but for a high school senior, 12 years is what  shaped us to become who we are today. From the early years of learning the basics of education in elementary, to being afraid of the scary world that could be in front of you as you go into middle school, just to see how it really wasn’t as bad as you thought and you truly start to believe it won’t be all bad. And then finally, making it to high school, where you feel you have all the time in the world to find out your after school plans and do everything you want, and then in the blink of an eye, it’s creeping up on you that you have nothing more than a couple days before you are tossed into the real world with nothing but your loved ones and those same 12 years that made and prepared you for this moment. It’s crazy to think back on when you are reaching the finish line, but it’s something everyone will have to do one day, and that day is steadily approaching for me and my 2025 class.  

Now something that not every senior can say is that they are a Brown school senior, which is a unique case and experience in its own right. Where most traditional high schools had over a thousand students throughout the grades, Brown only had around seven hundred students throughout a K-12 school. You can see where the difference and uniqueness comes in. Being seniors at another school could mean you rarely have seen a very good portion of other students around your school or even your own graduating class. At Brown, there’s so much space for such a small amount of people in comparison to other schools that you almost feel a certain type of community with your grade, no matter how different some people might be from each other. Over my seven years of being at the school, I have seen people come and go each year, but I can confidently say that the people who've been here through everything and are graduating with me are great people, and I am glad to be sharing the graduation stage with them in the upcoming weeks. 

With all of that being said, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t give the people who might read this and are graduating a couple of do’s and don'ts when it comes to preparing yourself for that last few days of high school. Below is a small list of things that I can think of personally that helped me through everything and I hope it helps you as well:

1. Do- Make as many memories as you can while also not forgetting there’s always more to life and your story is still being written 

2. Don’t- When deciding your plan for after high school, don’t allow others to dictate how you will be going forward in life. Nobody can make your life for you because it’s yours

3. Do- Balance your social and academic life

4. Don’t- Get caught up in unnecessary drama

5. Do- Prioritize yourself first when it comes to making choices for your academics and other activities

6. Don’t- Think you know everything there is to know. Keep an open mind because you never know what’s truly for you

7. Do- Go to as many class activities as you can handle

8. Don’t- PROCRASTINATE

9. Do- Be free minded and don’t let things drag you down as you approach the end of high school

10.  Don’t- Forget to live in the moment

I say all of this to say that I am truly humbled and grateful for everything that I have been through and experienced in my life as a student, most importantly as a student at the Brown school for the past seven years. I thank every single person who has directly or indirectly impacted my life one way or another because they have shaped me into the KJ you see today. I hope I have positively impacted as many people as I could, and I again thank everyone who has helped and supported me. 

Section 1: Beginnings

On a normal day in 2003, there is a new comic in your local comic shop, called The Walking Dead. You skip past it. Little did you know, this comic would begin one of the biggest media franchises ever. The Walking Dead  is a series following Rick Grimes and his Survival in a new world infested with Zombies. The Comics are by 

Robert Kirkman (Creator of Invincible), Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The Comics would later be adapted into a TV Show, starring Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes. The first episode aired on October 31st, 2010, to an Audience of 5.35 Million people, making it AMC’s biggest series debut ever back then. The first season averaged 5.24 million viewers for the first season.

Section 2: The Peak

The Walking Dead peaked from S4E8 titled “Too Far Gone” to S6E16 titled Last Day on Earth. The highest viewed episode was S5E1 titled No Sanctuary, with 17.29 million live viewers.  This was one of the most watched shows at the time, along with shows like NCIS, Grey’s Anatomy, and The Big Bang Theory.

Section 3: Season 7

Season 7 Episode 1 is considered the turning point of The Walking Dead. In this episode, one of the most popular characters, Glenn, is brutally killed by Negan, a sad and horrible death for such a good character. Along with this death, as the season went on, the writing of the show started declining rapidly. Episode Quality went down, and characters seemed more fake than previously shown. After the first episode, many people stopped watching. Despite the lack of audience enthusiasm, Negan is still considered one of the best villains in television ever.

Section 4: The Downfall

By season 8, the decline of the show was obvious. Viewer count was declining, and the show had clearly fallen from its grace it had just a few years ago. The writing was still terrible, and it just felt like the show was falling apart at the seams. Season 9 began with a timeskip of a year and a half. In S9E5, Rick is heavily injured and taken, and LEAVES the show! Despite the loss of the main protagonist, the episode is still considered very good. And in episode 6, there is a 6 Year timeskip.  Season 9 and 10 are considered “Okay”. Season 10 does have one of the Highest Rated episodes ever, titled “Here’s Negan”.

Section 5: Conclusion

On November 20th, 2022, The Walking Dead  finally concluded on Season 11, on Episode 177, Titled “Rest In Peace”, with 3.1 Million live viewers. While the show is still considered one of the greatest of all time, it is sad to see how in the final seasons, the amazing series they had crafted didn’t measure up to the writing and character development of the earlier seasons. 

It feels that ever since the COVID-19 Pandemic hit, teenagers in particular have lost much of their sense of creativity and risk-taking. People all over social media talk about online marketing like dropshipping, selling online courses, or survey methodology, but what happened to teenagers going outside and selling their products, creating new ways to make money? What happened when teenagers used to go outside and sell their work? These hobbies and activities are taking away teenagers' creativity skills and opportunities. Teenagers have forgotten that we have the opportunity to go outside and make money in millions of other ways that aren’t so ordinary. These losses of creativity don’t just impact the ways that we teenagers can make money, but even at school, we are affected. At school, teenagers have started finding group projects and art-related activities boring, due to them losing creativity skills and the passion to do stuff that isn’t just copying and pasting. Throughout this piece, I will go into explaining what can destroy a teenager's creativity skills and ways that they can express themselves. Another topic I will include is how these losses of creativity can affect a teenager's school life, social life (outside of school), and personality, and how Covid 19 has added to this issue. Lastly, I will include ways that teenagers can gain their creativity and personality again.

When the Covid 19 pandemic hit in early January 2020, it caused all of us (teenagers) to go into quarantine.We were trapped in our homes with nothing but our technology and phones. We stayed in quarantine for about 1 ½  years, after that, we had the option to go to school for 2-3 days a week instead of engaging in the Google Meets Classes. We were  essentially homeschooled, having to complete most of the work with no teacher aid or anyone around us.  Quarantine played a role in destroying our passion for school, it made us prone to not wanting to socialize or do anything else but rot on our phones. After COVID was more controlled, people even still wore masks as a way of keeping themselves from not only disease but also bullying. Teenagers all around the U.S. were bullied due to their insecurities. According to The New York Times, “Whether it’s virus worries, social pressure, shyness or acne, some kids are reluctant to ditch the mask.” This bullying and normalized disrespect from students is what fills up teenagers' hatred buckets. One mean person creates another. Teenagers building up this hatred draws them away from their education; they/we seem to forget what their/our purpose is in school and why they/we are there.

These losses of creativity, expression, and physical community majorly affected  teenagers' school life. These losses of creativity caused by Covid 19, caused hatred and bullying and made teenagers not pay attention in school. It caused them to think about stuff other than school, things that they can't control themselves. Parents see their kids filled with stress and sadness, all scared “that their child is falling behind or failing in one or more subjects in school” (Teen Falling Behind in School). Teenagers are falling behind in school because their creativity is falling behind too. Teenagers have lost their interest in their school friends, starting to crave drama and dumping their filled bucket of emotions on their friends. 

So how do we (teenagers) build up our creativity again and start expressing ourselves more- beyond text acronyms (lol, idk, and ttyl, wyd, hru, ts, pmo, icl, ). We need opportunities to express ourselves. Teenagers have many opportunities out there that can allow them to grow and express themselves. Some of them are “art, music, fashion, writing, dance, even the way someone decorates their bedroom” (James Stanfield). I stay in my room a lot;  teenagers transforming their room into a place that calms them down allows them to really express themselves and create a homebase sanctuary. Another way that we teenagers can express our emotions and passions is by talking to our friends. There are ways to speak your feelings and emotions with people outside of acronyms and texting. Hanging out with your friends, being on a video call with them, or just doing things that can make teenagers feel good. Those positive thoughts and emotions also come with a rise in dopamine which is a type of hormone that can allow you to have more energy to do other things. Overall, the importance of teenagers expressing their true selves and finding their comfort spot is something all teenagers experience.

Works Cited

“Opinion | Parents Don’t Understand How Far Behind Their Kids Are in School.” The 

New York Times, 11 May 2023. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/05/11/opinion/pandemic-learning-losses-steep-but-not-permanent.html.

Sign up to Our Online Forum | Family Lives. 

https://www.familylives.org.uk/how-we-can-help/forum-community. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

“Teen Falling Behind in School.” Focus on the Family, 

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/family-qa/teen-falling-behind-in-school/. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

Rebekah. ‘What Are the Best Self Expression Activities for Teens?’ Stanfield, 18 Nov. 

2024, https://stanfield.com/self-expression-activities-for-teens/.

Open Petfinder any day of the week, and you’ll see a sad sight. Pitbulls flooding the site. Their sad smushed faces and large statures filling local shelters, not only taking up space for other animals who need shelter, but sometimes spending up to three years in shelters wasting away unadopted. Not to mention the ones that end up in kill shelters, but that’s a topic for another day. The most likely reason for this overpopulation of pitbulls in shelters is because of the rumors and stories of the breed being dangerous or aggressive.

The most common argument against pitbulls is that they’re dangerous and aggressive, there are many cases of improperly trained pitbulls attacking specifically younger children and smaller dogs. However, any dog breed can be dangerous or aggressive, it only depends on how they are trained (or not trained). According to the American Kennel Club, dachshunds were the 6th most popular breed in 2023; however, according to a study from the University of Pennsylvania, dachshunds were the number one most aggressive breed. The study found that “one in five dachshunds have bitten or tried to bite strangers, and a similar number have attacked other dogs; one in 12 have snapped at their owners.” Pitbulls, on the other hand, weren’t even in the top five. They scored average to below average in aggression levels in the study.

It saddens many Pitbull owners to see that their favorite breed is so neglected in the modern adoption world. Luckily, Pitbulls, more specifically Pitbull memes, seem to be very popular on the internet. Memes such as the fat puppy with green screen fire over it, the alien dog, and “waiter waiter, more ___ please!” are all images and videos of Pitbulls. Hopefully, the popularity of these memes could create a height in popularity of Pitbulls.

Pitbulls don’t have a specific breed, but are usually a mix of staffordshire terrier and other bulldog adjacent breeds. When looking at the same 2023 list from the American Kennel Club, staffordshire terriers were at 72, buried by breeds some people haven’t even heard of, such as the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. 

According to Mekeilah Law, "There's about 20% of Americans, believe it or not, who've believed that the country would be somewhat better off if a substantial portion of their fellow citizens on the opposing side just died." Many Americans share this sentiment throughout the country. From the allegations of election fraud to raids on the capital, the United States is in a spell of severe polarization dividing the country. Many people have genuine fears about a civil war and some worry for the results that may come from the Presidential Election. But is the division as cut and dry as many feel? Alton Russell, a white, 85-year-old toilet paper salesman  and Wane Hailes, a Black, 68-year-old newspaper owner both from Columbus, GA were interviewed. The two men are both from North Carolina and both coming from southern town jobs but are both on the opposing sides of the political spectrum. But during the interview, they found they had similarities. They liked the same jokes, shared some opinions on policy, and truly became friends. What's the likelihood these two would have been friends if they had just seen one another cast opposing votes in November? The two men walked away recognizing the human in each other despite any differences they have. “There ain’t nothing wrong with Alton,” Mr. Hailes added. “How can you be mad at somebody who sells toilet paper?” 

So why is political polarization so exaggerated, and why do we as people feel the need to dehumanize and not recognize the value of those who are fellow citizens just as we are?

The political division and polarization between American political parties are a result of misconceptions about the opposing party, tribalism, and internet bubbles, causing serious political violence in our country; we must help decrease the tribalism between parties to help establish respect and true partnership in our country.  

The Rise of Miscommunication and Misconceptions

Within our society we often believe all parties disagree and take opposite sides on all or most major issues. While many issues are disagreed upon by both parties, there is often significant overlap even in such things as gun control.  “Democrats as well as four in ten Republicans support banning high-capacity ammunition magazines and creating a federal database to track gun sales; nearly as many Republicans support banning assault-style weapons. But only 18 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaners feel gun violence is a major problem (versus 73 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaners). So despite the significant policy overlap, only one side is motivated to put the issue on the agenda”(Kleinfield). The main benefit and appeal for both parties to attempt to take opposing sides is to bring more people to either side of their party by claiming the other is radical and incredibly different from their own as they attempt to dehumanize the other, when in reality, each party agrees on the issue of gun violence at the very least partially. Ultimately, this division helps each side grow.  And as the parties focus on differences and polarization,  hatred festers under the surface, which can cause political violence like January 6th- a sad day for all which even cost lives for those who rioted. Attempting to make the opposing party appear radically different from their own is referred to as tribalism used to divide and split people into groups. 

The Tribalistic Mentality

Tribalism is a social phenomenon in which people believe that anyone who has differing views and opinions from those within their social group are not human. The rise of this mindset is incredibly dangerous for the United States population as increased division and polarization increases hostility like the previously mentioned January 6th. “Some scholars claim that Americans are so polarized they are on the brink of civil war” (Kleinfeld). When people begin to dehumanize people it becomes easier to enact violence on others because you think they are less than you.  “In the wake of the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump, expert and public attention has turned to the issue of political violence in the United States. With rising political violence, the threat of aggression between people increases and we run the threat of lost lives over imagined disputes and forced divides. Parties use tribalism and exploit it in their campaigns to bring more people to each side and get more campaign money from their boosters. But the main factor contributing to tribalism is the spread of information between each other and not with those outside of their inner circles, also known as internet bubbles.

Inner Circles or Internet Bubbles

Internet bubbles are an incredibly toxic thing for the internet. People who scroll on the internet like Facebook or Tiktok which are designed to recommend everyone with content can trap people in an online bubble of opinion. These bubbles can cause people to never branch out and experience the opinions and lived experiences of others; these bubbles can result in people never having their views challenged. 

Many people also never even express their thoughts in online space, they just read others’ comments. “If such a small number of people are making discourse so toxic, why are the rest of us letting it happen? One reason may be futility. For many, fights without hope of resolution hold no appeal. Another reason is the spiral of silence, political scientist Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann’s term for what happens when we avoid expressing views for fear of public response” (Davidson). 

Expressing our views and challenging the opinions of others helps close the gap of polarization and unite people around similar views. 

Are We Really That Different?

Some Americans disagree and believe blindly that all people in the 2 parties are truly as different as political candidates choose to portray them. “American politicians are highly ideologically polarized. In other words, they believe in and vote for different sets of policies, with little overlap. This trend has grown in a steady, unpunctuated manner for decades”(Kleinfield). 

While both parties don't agree on every single political issue, there is typically some overlap in how both parties or people who support each party want to fix and aid the economy or even how they handle gun violence. While some Democrats want to ban guns they don't want to ban every gun, usually just high profile guns, and some Democrats don't support gun control whatsoever. So in reality, while both parties like to make people believe the world will end if the other party won, both don't do much the other party wouldn't. So while we are trained to believe in the differences by both parties, they don't in reality exist to the extent they would have us believe.

What This All Means

Our society is one of people who are led to not appreciate all those around them based on perceived political differences used by politicians to divide and allow for a greater amount of votes while contributing to a rise of internet bubbles, miscommunication between people, and overall tribalism. 

However, this division can be broken down. 

While many may feel this is the most polarized the country has ever been, our society is a river of constant change always twisting and turning and changing with our times. The United States once fought a war with itself over actual polarization around the rights of African Americans.  

The United States manufactured polarization can be fixed through a longer and drawn out process. A couple ideas come to mind such as leaving it to the people to break out of internet bubbles and encourage people to challenge their thoughts with the thoughts of others and interact with those around them that have different beliefs in a reasonable way and not starting a dispute over it. 

We also could look to solve the problem through targeting the source of politics and presidential campaigns by encouraging parties to not be as ideologically opposed and opting to not dehumanize those of the other party to create a sense of fear in people to vote for the other candidate or encouraging a younger demographic to engage in politics more.

In the past 3 terms, the United States has seen its 3 oldest presidents enter office. President Trump who recently won the election is the oldest president in United States history and will be 82 by the end of his term. A lot of older generations have utilized polarization and pushed it as a medium to recruit votes. Encouraging a younger demographic of American citizens to run and compete could help in decreasing political polarization as they use new and different strategies to gain support for their parties, and with the change of mindset and needs for an evolving technological society, meaning overall a younger group set of presidents could help in mitigating the issue and the mindset of the American voters.

Ultimately, we must heal the division at the source, and I challenge any and everyone to truly attempt to break out of their political bubble and take the party symbol off the forehead of your opponents, and recognize them as the people they are.  As a united society, we can be proud of and work together to make a nation together.  There can be light in our darkest hour, if we are brave enough to be that light ourselves and see it in others.

Bibliography

Kleinfeld, Rachel. “Polarization, Democracy, and Political Violence in the United States: What 

the Research Says.” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 5 September 2023, https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2023/09/polarization-democracy-and-political-violence-in-the-united-states-what-the-research-says?lang=en. Accessed 19 September 2024

Plazza, James A. “Drivers of Political Violence in the United States.” Sage Journals, 26 October 

2022, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/07439156221133763. Accessed 24 September 2024.

“Political Polarization in the American Public.” Pew Research Center, 12 June 2014, 

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2014/06/12/political-polarization-in-the-american-public/. Accessed 24 September 2024.

“Political Polarization in the United States.” Facing History, 26 August 2024, 

https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/political-polarization-united-states. Accessed 24 September 2024.

McCoy, Jennifer. “What Happens When Democracies Become Perniciously Polarized? - 

Carnegie 

Endowment for International Peace.” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 18 January 2022, https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2022/01/what-happens-when-democracies-become-perniciously-polarized?lang=en. Accessed 25 September 2024.

New York Times. “A Republican and a Democrat Sit Across From Each Other. There’s No 

Punchline.” New York Times, New York Times, 22 September 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/22/style/storycorps-partisan-divide-election.html. Accessed 25 September 2024.

Law, Makeilah. “New York Times columnist discusses rising political polarization among 

Americans at 

BYU campus forum.” The Daily Universe, Universe BYU, 24th September 2024, https://universe.byu.edu/campus/new-york-times-columnist-discusses-rising-political-polarization-among-americans-at-byu-campus-forum. Accessed 25 September 2024.

Davidson, Simon, and Simon Davidson. “Take back the public square: Why silence won’t slow 

polarization.” The Hill, The Hill, 22 September 2024, https://thehill.com/opinion/4891704-silent-majority-polarization/. Accessed 25 September 2024.

Section 1: What is TF2?

Team Fortress 2, a popular Shooter Team vs Team game from 2007, by the company Valve who is known for making other games such as Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Left 4 Dead, and Portal 1 & 2. In fact, if you own a PC, it is almost impossible for you to NOT use a Valve program, Steam, which is one of the most popular game marketplaces in the world. In TF2, there are quite a few game modes where the two teams, Red and Blu, go against each other in a Team vs Team battle. With there being 9 different classes with all types of possibilities for gameplay, tons of weapons and tons of cosmetics, it is almost impossible to stop having fun. Every round, each team will engage in an objective, and whichever one does the best, or completes their task, or the game objective first, wins.

 Section 2: A Brief History of TF2

Team Fortress 2 began development in 1998 after a company had acquired the rights to a popular Quake mod, called Team Fortress. It was later absorbed by the company valve, in which that Quake mod was adapted in Valves Software. After this, it had a rather chaotic history until 2004, when valve scrapped the realistic idea for a more cartoonish look, and that is when development began for the game we have today. On October 10th, 2007, TF2 would finally open its doors to the public on The Orange Box, a valve game bundle. While back then, Team Fortress 2 was unpolished and not very popular, it still had some decent success for its funny wacky physics and innovative gameplay. On February 24th, 2008, the game would finally receive its first MAJOR update, in which a major repolishing brought us the character designs we know and love today, tons of maps, many different guns, achievements, and so much more. After this, Team Fortress 2 would become the game many of us know and love today. With so many class updates, cosmetics, weapons, maps, and so much more, it would seem like the game was at a high, and it could never lose traction.

Section 3: The #SaveTF2 Movement

In 2022, many members in the TF2 community would spark a movement called #SaveTF2. The goal of this movement was to get Valve to update their game, and fix the “Bot Crisis”.  The “Bot Crisis” was a period of a few years where it was almost impossible to play on TF2 public servers, because AI Bots would join lobbies and eliminate everyone with aimbot. After a few years, Valve would start updating less and less. As this problem progressed, it eventually seemed like they just didn't care about their game anymore… Unfortunately, throughout the time this campaign lasted, despite Valve saying they would fix the problem, sadly, it never got fixed…

Section 4: The #FixTF2 movement

In 2024, the community of TF2 realized they NEED to save their game. Many players would once again congregate to work on a new movement, #FixTF2, a sequel to the previous campaign. As many players realized this was really their last chance at saving the game, many more people would rally together: more this time than last time. A petition was made by some of the managers of the movement, in which this petition garnered more than 300,000 signatures. After they reached such a high amount of signatures, the managers of the movement would come together to make a book of the names of every single person who signed the petition. They then brought this book to Valve headquarters, in which they would get to meet some of the higher ups, and along with that, Valve graciously took the book, in which it is on display at the headquarters today. After this event, it seemed as if this actually worked! Valve actually fixed the bot crisis, they started updating the game again, and people actually enjoyed it again! Ever since then, TF2 has been prospering like it originally did, which warms my heart to know people can finally enjoy the game again, which so many people have held dearly for almost two decades.

Section 5: How is TF2 doing today?

While Team Fortress 2 is no longer at the same peak it was many years ago, peace was finally restored, and in fact many people started playing the game after they fixed the bot crisis. As of today, Team Fortress 2 gets decent updates and bug fixes every once and awhile, and is doing much better than it was during the bot crisis. Games are playable, the community is active again, and other great things have happened as well.

 Just goes to show you, when you and others who are determined to do something or make a change, you can do it. Never give up.

Section 1: Introduction

Whether you have seen the videos of millions of people gathering to watch Dragon Ball at events, or heard the apparent fact that, “Cartel Activity significantly drops when a new episode of Dragon Ball Super drops.” It is a curious subject of why is Dragon Ball SO popular in Mexico? In this article I will dive into the information and history of this topic, and give you the answers.

Section 2: What is Dragonball? 

Dragon Ball is a popular Anime and Manga icon by Akira Toriyama. The plot centers around Goku, a Saiyan who came to Earth as a baby, and his journey of becoming the strongest along with his friends. 

 Section 3: A Brief History of Dragon Ball going international.

During the 80s and 90s, as Anime and Manga started being known to the West, the companies who licensed these IPs wanted to spread its influence across the globe, Dragonball, being a giant compared to many other animes and mangas, was being broadcasted and sold slowly more and more across the world a decent amount before other titles were. In 1991, the very first episode of Dragon Ball was broadcasted in Mexico, and it was a hit. The first episode of Dragon Ball Z was broadcasted in 1996, and was even more of a hit, due to the well written story and entertaining jokes.

Section 4:  Why is it such a cultural icon?

Upon release, it seemed as if Goku's motivation to keep improving himself and his mindset of being a good person resonated among viewers. Along with the funny jokes and great writing, it was a cultural and childhood icon for many. As generations went on, these fans shared it with their kids, therefore, creating more memories. The story of Dragonball and the show is loved among Mexicans for these reasons, and it's to the point where most Mexicans, if you ask, will at least have heard of it in their lifetime! Goku and Dragon Ball are even celebrated there!, along with restaurants being named after the cast of characters! It is great

Section 5: Final Thoughts.

Whether or not you are a fan of Dragon Ball, you cannot disagree that it has changed lives and created thousands of memories for  people, and it will continue to be loved. I love that it can be so appreciated and life-changing for so many people; it is a special case of where something can be so significant to so many people. It's a wholesome story that connects audiences to an adventure that prioritizes self-growth and resilience!