The Natick Nest

← Back to Sections

Opinion

Wondering what the teens of today are thinking about? Check out our Opinion section, composed of informative articles about everything from politics to pastries, to find out.

Opinion

What does an American Pope mean for the U.S.?

On Thursday, May 8, the Vatican appointed Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a 69-year-old Chicago native, as Pope . . .

| By Max Cogliano, Editor-In-Chief

Opinion

Is BookTok Influencing What We Read?

What defines the popularity of a book? Certainly, one of the biggest criteria is how many people are talking about it . . .

| By Saumya Ahuja, Media & Communications Manager

Opinion

Is The Rock Ruining The WWE?

The World Wrestling Entertainment company or rather known as WWE is most famous for . . .

| By Charlie Couture

Opinion

A German Goodbye: Rating German Pastries

When I first joined The Natick Nest at the beginning of my Junior year, I wrote my first ever article about rating Italian pastries. For my final Nest article, I’m writing about another family heritage. The recipes passed down from my grandmother, from her mother-in-law, from her mother-in-law . . .

May 2025 | By Marina Eigenmann, Head of Graphic Design & Illustration

Opinion

Cycles of Political Polarization and Anti-Intellectualism

In 1985, Tom Petty released the song “Southern Accents.” Although it may be less remembered compared to his library of hits, it carries a predictive quality and meaning that has only . . .

March 2025 | By Max Cogliano

Opinion

Lit Romances: The Greatest Love Stories

In honor of the upcoming Valentine's Day, despite writing this in January, I figured I’d highlight—and rate—a few of my favorite romances in literature—tragic and not-so-tragic, and especially the ones that are certainly questionable. A lot of these can be found with movie versions, even if . . .

February 2025 | By Marina Eigenmann, Head of Graphic Design & Illustration

Opinion

My Favorite Reads of 2024

As of December 2024, I have read 30 books this year. As a recap and wrap up of the reading year, I would like to share my top reads from this year. I explored new genres, like classics and young adult fantasy, eventually becoming two of my three favorite genres. These books consumed . . .

December 2024 | By Katie Rish

Opinion

Sick? Time To Mask Up

I’m sick of getting sick. At Natick High School, hardly a day goes by that I don’t hear sniffles, coughs, or declarations of sickness from my peers. I’ve heard it said that schools are germ factories, and I couldn’t agree more—students are in close quarters all the time, have less . . .

November 2024 | By Lili Temper, Media & Communications Manager

Opinion

Ranking Every Summer Reading From Freshman to Senior Year

This year, summer reading was replaced by enrichment activities for the coming year, much to the glee of most of my classmates (minus AP Lang, Lit, and the AP languages, which ask you to . . .

October 2024 | By Marina Eigenmann, Head of Graphic Design & Illustration

Opinion

The Republican Primary for (Vice) President

The Republican Presidential Primary seemed over before it began, and now that it has begun, still seems over. Donald Trump is the only major candidate left in the race. With Trump cruising to renomination, the next biggest question is that of his running mate. His former vice president . . .

April 2024 | By Nathan Moldover, Editor-In-Chief

Opinion

The SAT is officially going digital. What does this mean for us?

On December 2, 2023, the world of standardized testing lost its oldest member. After 97 years, the paper SAT is officially no more, replaced with the new, shiny digital version. And on March 9 . . .

April 2024 | Hannah Mevorach, Business Manager, and Bela Kumar

Opinion

Lunch Blocks, Ranked

Natick High School typically follows a four period schedule, with the first block being at 8:15 and the final block ending at 2:17. Each block is 80 minutes, and five minutes of passing time are provided between each period. First period is characterized by sleepiness, grumbling . . .

April 2024 | Bela Kumar

Opinion

Admiration or Infatuation? The Queer Undertones of The Great Gatsby

While Jay Gatsby is considered to be the protagonist, The Great Gatsby is narrated by Nick Carraway, a young man from the Midwest who moves to New York City. Generationally . . .

March 2024 | By Bela Kumar

Opinion

Italian Pastries

I’ve been eating and making Italian pastries for years now—part of my ongoing wish to connect more with my family lineage. The recipes I use are often family ones, but some are taken from online or print cookbooks. There are some I love more than others, so here is a ranking of . . .

November 2023 | By Marina Eigenmann

Opinion

Natick Needs a More Inclusive History Education

Throughout my years in the Natick Public Schools, I have learned about the American Revolution in at least four separate history classes. Granted, the American Revolution was incredibly influential on our nation. However, in how many history classes did I learn about slavery? Two . . .

June 2023 | By Ella Stern, Editor-In-Chief

Opinion

Ranking Natick's Varsity Uniforms

Every athlete knows that the only thing more important than winning is knowing how to look good while doing it. Every sport at Natick High School has their own uniform and accessories, some better looking than others. This article will examine the uniforms of every varsity sports team . . .

March 2023 | By Anthony Bilis-Gruson, Assistant Head of Graphic Design & Illustration

Opinion

“You Like That? But it’s ‘Just for Kids’!”

“Just for kids” is a phrase that everyone has heard at some point or another. It’s often used to dismiss the quality of a piece of content that’s considered “immature” or “inferior” just because it can be watched by people of all ages. Personally, I’m reminded of this phenomenon every . . .

January 2023 | By Olivier Therien

Opinion

The Worst Streets To Drive On In Natick, Ranked

I have vivid memories of waiting eight minutes at a traffic light in an attempt to turn left from Route 9 East. While the road itself is fine, the turn onto the road puts me in a bad mood, making the rest of the drive unpleasant. This infamous turn is frustrating enough for Oak Street to be on the list . . .

November 2022 | By Jia Kumar

Opinion

The Only Class To Look Forward To

High school can be a real social roller coaster sometimes. With friendships constantly being tested and friend groups being formed every day, it can be difficult not to conform to societal norms. This is especially true for people who don’t know any of the other students, just like me when I . . .

October 2022 | By Olivier Therien

Opinion

As The Guardian puts it, white woman tears are a specific “tactic many white women employ to muster sympathy and avoid accountability, by turning the tables and accusing their accuser” which oftentimes is a woman of color. My first encounter with white woman tears was when . . .

October 2022 | By Diya Sebastian, Business Manager

Opinion

Ranking the Bathrooms at NHS

I have ranked the bathrooms at NHS based upon a variety of factors including cleanliness, length of lines, and much more. Disclaimer: These are only my opinions. I also do not have the perspective to judge the men’s and gender-neutral bathrooms. However, there are more . . .

June 2022 | By Jia Kumar

Opinion

The Americanization of Different Cultures

From the birth of the country to the protests of today, Americans seem obsessed with proving that they are “the best.” They make the best music, they have the best sports, they have the most money, etc. But how much of that is true? The best music? That’s more of a subjective term . . .

June 2022 | By Olivier Therien

Opinion

The Hidden Villain: Antisemitic Tropes in Pop Culture

About a month ago, antisemitic graffiti was discovered in one of the Natick High School bathrooms. Although we’d always known that antisemitism was alive and well, lurking in . . .

April 2022 | By Ella Stern, Editor-In-Chief, and Leo Margil

Opinion

To Mask or Not To Mask?

For nearly two years, COVID-19 has taken center stage in our lives. Masking has become a huge part of our daily routine, but now, things may change. On February 28, the Massachusetts mask mandate was lifted for schools. Natick has delayed this decision and will vote in the next few . . .

March 2022 | By Bela Kumar and Jia Kumar

Opinion

America vs. France: a Cultural Comparison

During February vacation, I traveled to Paris, France to visit my dad and grandparents, who live in the city. I had not been to Paris since before Covid, almost three years ago, so both the city and I had changed a lot since the last time I had made the journey across the Atlantic. I love going . . .

March 2022 | By Anthony Bilis-Gruson

Opinion

Don't Ask Me Why I Use A Cane: Disability Rights

Hi! My name is Leo Margil, I’m a sophomore at NHS, I use he/him pronouns, and my favorite element is neodymium because it’s super magnetic. You might have seen me around the school. I mean, I’m not that recognizable—I’m a short blonde white kid. You probably look over me . . .

January 2022 | By Leo Margil

Opinion

Turn the Water Fountains Back On! (Please)

Recently, fires have plagued Natick High School. Perhaps some water would help extinguish the flames. We all know that arsonists have given administrators more ways to police our lives. Fine. I don’t care. But I need to drink. That was a poor choice of words. Specifically, I need to drink . . .

January 2022 | By Emerson Davis

Opinion

2022, Twee, and the Ever-Shortening Trend Cycle

With the new year upon us, I see many people using the birth of 2022 as a period of transition. Whether it be in their style, their taste, their friendships, their decisions, it doesn’t matter. New year, new me! Right? Well, in the new year, one thing has already risen above all other nominal . . .

January 2022 | By Connor Federico-Grome

Opinion

We Need More Gender-Neutral Bathrooms At NHS.

When I was a seventh grader at Kennedy Middle School, there was a mysterious door in one of the science hallways. I never knew where it went. Nobody did. That changed when one day, a new sign was stamped on the door that read “gender neutral bathroom.” This was a big deal for . . .

December 2021 | By Connor Federico-Grome

Opinion

Animal Circus Ban

Imagine you’re seven years old and at a fair. After going through tents with baked goods and carnival games, you enter one with a small animal circus. You see pigs racing and an elephant giving rides. You’re mesmerized by the adorable animals and want to join the circus more than . . .

December 2021 | By Julie Evers

Opinion

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream!

Ice cream is one of the world’s most beloved foods; you will struggle to find someone who dislikes ice cream, and if you do, they are probably weird. However, not all ice cream is served the same way and there are many different takes on how to make this frozen snack delicious. After much . . .

December 2021 | By Anthony Bilis-Gruson

Opinion

Pizza in Natick, Ranked

It has to be said that if you are ever craving a pizza, Natick is not the worst place to be. For a town of its size, Natick is home to a diverse range of pizza places, some good, some bad. Today I will rank what I see as the 10 main pizza locations in the wonderful town of Natick . . .

October 2021 | By Anthony Bilis-Gruson

Report abuse