Embedded Files
Social Media and the Glorification of Fighting in School - Ava Portnoy
Social Media and the Glorification of Fighting in School - Ava Portnoy
Anyone involved in local school systems can see that the crisis of social media and fighting simultaneously has only risen over the past years. According to CBS News, the growth and production of different platforms only add fuel to the fire. Dr. Justin Baeder of the Principle Center states "I think when it comes to fights in particular, social media creates an incentive for young people to engage in fights, to organize fights, to film fights because there will be attention,"
According to CNN Regional, in states like Georgia, fighting has increased by 200% in their school systems. With the ever-escalating rise of social media, access to cameras, and the constant circulation of opinions that is the internet, there is no stopping this persistent growth.
When there is a fight at a school the most common thing you will see happen is a mob of students promptly grab their phones and start filming. Then those students will post those videos on social media platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and Twitter and the cycle of glorification continues to be normalized in school systems all across the country.
An article from The Lambert Post states “Social media plays a significant role in encouraging the violent behavior in question, as its diffusive nature compels students to engage in certain acts to avoid being perceived as cowardly or ‘weak.” Assistant Principal at North Andover High School Mrs. Allynn Grantham believes the same. She says the driving force is the craving for attention, validation, and most of all, entertainment. Grantham compares it to the beloved WWE or boxing matches seen on TV. “There is a reason they sell out wherever they go,” she says
But she also doesn’t believe that the prominent school fighting and spread of it online is solely due to social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter. Grantham blames video games like Halo, Mortal Kombat, and Call of Duty as well as the platform Discord, because you can easily communicate with others without even seeing their face. Teens growing up in a time where they have the ability to do this “desensitizes and dehumanizes aggression,” states Grantham.
When asked what age fighting starts in schools, some students say ages 11-13. NAHS 9th grade student Elizabeth James said, “I think that social media in some ways is good but it gives people reasons to be angry because it helps showcase ideas that are against each other, and with that comes fighting.” The grade when she remembers first seeing fights shared on social media was 7th because people feel adjusted to the new school and mostly everyone has social media in some form.
But how can this be solved? Multiple students agreed that the best route of attack would be a seminar. “It would need to reach parents within the home,” James said. “I think the kids who are most vulnerable to getting into arguments, specifically physical ones, are the types of people who don't get those lectures at home, and if they do it’s after the fact.” She states, “I do think there are some kids who could benefit from having a speaker come in, because whether they take the speaker's advice or not it shows that their community values safety, and there will be consequences if they are the ones making it unsafe.” Freshman Emma O’Connell agreed and explained how she thought there should be an experienced speaker who can relate to students, similar to seminars in the past.
If others do not find the seminars effective for everyone, should an alternative route be taken? Are the kids recording and circulating the videos online just as guilty as the ones in the actual fight? Mrs. Grantham thinks so. “Promoting violence and creating more are just as culpable,” she states. She also claims that the administrative system is working as a whole to find a better solution to this.
One that she prefers would be an in-school restriction program. Grantham does not believe in suspending students and thinks that it is only a break to reset rather than a punishment. And though it is pricey, the option of an alternative learning environment and online courses would be effective. Assistant Principal Grantham has administered online courses for infractions like cyberbullying. These only take up to an hour but for more major violations it could take up to a month.
The root of brawling for the sole purpose of entertainment goes back to 1350 BCE when combat sport was invented in ancient Egypt. We see this pattern constantly maintain itself through history and into the modern ages, from past gladiators to current students. This makes nearly all believe that there is no solution to conflict’s tenacious grip on society. But, if the circulators who film and post these alterations can be dismantled, maybe the adoration for fighting will be dismantled as well until it diminishes completely.
Potential TikTok Ban - Mariah Eskel
On April 24, 2024, President Biden signed legislation that could lead to a nationwide ban of the social media app TikTok. Although many are not happy with the potential ban, does the government have a good reason to force TikTok to be sold or banned? Well, let’s look into this.
According to TikTok USDS, TikTok is owned by a company called ByteDance, which was founded by Chinese entrepreneurs. As Backlinko reports, TikTok has over 1 billion active users per month, and the app has been downloaded more than 4.1 billion times. According to Sprout Social, the U.S. has a larger number of users than any other country.
U.S. lawmakers and many others are concerned about national security risks since TikTok may be connected to the Chinese government. Additionally, there are real fears over TikTok’s algorithm. As Bob Hoose of Plugged In reports, a study from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) found that TikTok’s algorithm can present negative content to children within minutes.
As Britannica ProCon.org contends, “TikTok is rife with dangerous misinformation that the government can and should rightly ban. A ‘tough on China’ approach is needed to safeguard the United States and its citizens.”
Although the government seems to have a valid concern, opposition exists. According to Britannica ProCon.org, some people believe that “TikTok is no more a threat than American-owned social media sites that collect and sell user data.” Others worry that “[s]ingling out China and TikTok for recriminations is xenophobic and rank political theater.” As NPR writes, some legal experts believe a “ban of TikTok without specific evidence violates the First Amendment.”
As you can tell, there are many different points of view concerning the potential TikTok ban. Do you think the TikTok concerns are valid?
Does Your Class Not Allow Cell Phones For Any Reason? If So, You’re Not Alone. - Shane Atwood
Does Your Class Not Allow Cell Phones For Any Reason? If So, You’re Not Alone. - Shane Atwood
Plenty of North Andover High School teachers are now banning cell phones permanently in their classrooms, much to the dismay of their bored and uninterested students. Originally, most classes did allow cell phones to be out and about, but like most things, after a while of being really loose, they start to tighten back up again, and so, restrictions and outright bans are now being enacted. Though every teacher who does this may have a different reason, common ones include being ignored while giving out instructions, students using them for cheating during tests, and a lack of progress on individual student projects. Some even have designated pockets for phones in their room, even those not adamantly against phones. But how did specific teachers become so against phones?
To figure this out, we must look at what teachers themselves have to say on the issue. North Andover High Spanish teacher Meredith Fisco has a very heated relationship with cell phones, and has banned them in her class. She says that phones are a distraction from learning, and that students are on their phones all day, which is not healthy, and that if they’re on their phones, they can’t listen to her. She speaks a lot of Spanish in class, so not being able to listen will pose a huge detriment to learning. And finally, she says it’s disrespectful to be on your phone while someone else, not just her, but other students, are talking. In foreign language classes, it’s vital to be alert and paying attention, since there are a lot of unfamiliar words being thrown around.
It’s not just Mrs Fisco considering banning phones; it could be the entire state. The Massachusetts Board of Education is considering a statewide ban of phones in classes, and plenty of schools already either severely limit phone usage in class, or outright ban them.
Tessa Scrimgeour, a Milford High School student, has this to say on the issue: "Teachers that enforce it more regularly - if they see a phone on a desk, you're sent down to the office - I've actually had really good experiences in those classes, and I've made closer connections. My time is better spent in those classes. And that's a hard perspective for me to have because I want to be on my phone sometimes." It shows that even the phone addicted students themselves may want some change from this cycle. It just goes to show that even the most exciting things of all time can become stale if you have access to them too much.
Maybe it is time to put that thing away. Maybe there comes a time when boring old schoolwork starts to become more exciting and fulfilling than looking around online all day.
NAHS Fall Movie Review/Guide - Emma O’Connell
When you go to pick a movie, how do you decide which one you're going to see? Do you watch trailers? Read reviews? Here is an easy movie guide for fall movies, full of reviews written by your classmates here at North Andover High School to help you decide which movie to go see next.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Release date: Friday, October 20th 2023
This movie is a thriller-like movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. NAHS freshman Ava Portnoy said though it was a long trailer, it generally seemed very interesting. She rated it a 8/10.
“It seems like a very inclusive movie and would be entertaining to watch for our age range if you like thrillers,” said Portnoy.
This movie is rated R so most freshmen and some sophomores wouldn't be let into the movie theater alone, but she would rent the movie and watch it at home. Critics say this movie is predicted to score 7th on the October movie charts, but Portnoy thinks it will score first.
Pet Semetary
Release date: Friday, October 6th 2023
This film is in the genre of horror, which freshmen Carly both McEwing and Riley Davis enjoy. If you don't like horror, they would not recommend this movie to you.
“I enjoy horror movies and I've watched other Stephen King movies that I enjoyed, so I think I’d enjoy this one as well,” said Davis.
Even though they both like a good fright, it did seem pretty scary overall. Both Davis and McEwing rated it a solid 8/10.
“It was scary and it made me feel scared,” says McEwing.
They would go see this movie in the future due to its good acting. Critics say this movie will be scoring 3rd on the chart. Davis agrees with that based on its relevance to Stephen King.
Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour
Release date: Friday, October 13th 2023
This film is a recap of Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour, which is great for people to see whether or not they went to her show live. Freshman Ava Denton is planning on going to see this movie and rates it a 10/10.
“It looks interesting and entertaining,” she said.
Denton thinks it scored the highest on the charts based on Swift’s wild popularity. This movie has made millions of dollars, broke many records, and is currently first on the movie charts.
We hope this movie guide helps anyone who is figuring out what movie to see next. If you end up going to see any movies listed above, fill out this form and leave your review!
How to Write Superheroes: Invincible - Sean Luedtke
Invincible is an Amazon Prime exclusive show that was released March 21, 2021. A Season 2 has officially been announced and is set to release in late 2023. To celebrate the announcement, I have decided to go back and look at what made Invincible so great.
Invincible follows our main character Mark Grayson, voiced by the highly talented Steven Yuen, most known for his role as Glenn in The Walking Dead. In the world of Invincible, superheroes and supervillains are a commonality, and the best heroes are known as the Guardians of the Globe. Giving obvious nods to the famous Justice League, the Guardians have some seemingly familiar heroes, but the most notable is the hero they call Omni-man.
Serving as this world's super-man, Omni-man is also a loving husband and the father to our main character, Mark. He is also voiced by the amazing JK Simmons, Most known for J.Jonah Jamason in the original Spider-Man trilogy, he gives an absolutely spectacular voice performance in this show.
In the first episode, we follow Mark as he finally has gotten his hereditary powers from his father after 17 years of waiting. What follows is a wholesome, witty and fun time of seeing a new hero that we have never seen before learn how to become a superhero. There are ups and downs, like learning how to fly and getting his official superhero suit (which is an incredible design), and it all just feels so refreshing, after hearing about and trying to follow an insane timeline of a decade worth of movies. At least, it was all fun, until the end of the first episode, when Omni-man does something no one expected.
After the end of the first episode, Invincible exploded in popularity. No one had ever seen anything like that before. It made the superhero series unique and made it stand out from its billion dollar Cinematic Universe competitors. Throughout the rest of the series, whenever Omni-man is on screen, the viewer is on the edge of their seat, in fear of what he might do next, wondering what his true intentions are.
As that happens, we still follow Mark, figuring out how to be a superhero, him and the world still oblivious to what horrors his father has done. We see Mark meet new superhero friends, we see him join a team, we get to see him grow in a realistic way that we have never seen before in a superhero series. We see him struggle again and again and barely scrape by throughout almost the entire series. That’s why when he does prevail over an enemy, it feels more satisfying because we’ve seen how much he has been fighting and training to be as good as his dad. The show is really good at showing the reality of being a superhero. When Mark starts out, and he tries to save people and stop the bad guys, he messes up, and people die. And it doesn’t just happen once, he witnesses horror and gore at a horrifyingly fast rate, but he has to push through, and keep fighting, even when he is covered head to toe in blood that isn’t his.
Mark struggles a lot throughout the show. But I believe it’s all leading up to something. Specifically, I think it’s leading up to him becoming what his superhero name implies, becoming Invincible. He is told multiple times throughout the show that his name is a bit to optimistic for a newbie, and he is proven right, as he is seriously injured multiple times, but I think it will all lead up to him growing into and earning the title of Invincible.
Finally, the final episode of the season, episode 8, is an absolute masterpiece. The emotions are high, the tensions are higher, we fear for Mark, we find out Omni-man's horrifying truths, and it all comes to a head in the finale. So please, go check out Invincible. If you want a refreshing take on superheroes, you'll most definitely find it there.
The Philosophy of Blue Lock: Ego - Sean Luedtke
Blue Lock is a manga that was serialized in August 2018, but has blown up in popularity recently because of its anime adaptation being released in late 2022 and because of its absolute destruction of classic sports manga and anime themes.
Many sports manga/anime like Haikyu, Slam Dunk, and Ao Ashi, all promote similar themes of finding yourself, friendship, teamwork, and having fun in the sport that they focus on. Blue Lock isn't like that. Blue Lock is about making the Japan National soccer team win a world cup through focusing on the evolution of a new, world class striker, or a designated goal scorer.
When people think of the word "ego," they usually think of someone who is full of themselves, narcissistic, and over confident. Ego can lead to and be a culmination of these things, but by definition, ego is "a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance." Ego is about knowing your self worth and standing up for it. Ego is about being confident in yourself and in your abilities.
According to the head coach and leader of the Blue Lock program, Jinpachi Ego, the only way to become the world's best striker is to become the world's best egoist. He doesn't want someone who thinks about what's best for the team, or someone who'll pass a ball in a moment of intensity, he wants someone who will take the shot, no matter how insane it may seem, he wants someone who revels in the feeling of scoring their own goal. He wants an unbridled egoist. There are three different characters in Blue Lock, with three different types of ego demonstrated.
Barou Shouei is the first absolute powerhouse that the main character, Isagi, is put up against. Barou is a very, very egotistical person, for a fairly good reason. His physique and soccer technique are nothing to downplay, but he only ever cares about his own goals, he refers to himself as The King, and everyone else are his subjects. This is fine at first, when the rest of his team is weaker than him, they have no problem passing to him, letting him carry them to victory. This type of play style led him to score 10 goals in total in the first phase of Blue Lock. But when they were transferred over to the second phase, that's when things started to change for Barou. He was forced to make a 3 man team with our main character, Isagi, and Isagi's friend, Nagi. Both players having very impressive feats and skills, the two of them make a plan to try and adapt to Barou's selfish playstyle. But even then, Barou drags them down, as his selfishness leads him to keeping the ball for too long, and that leads to him getting the ball stolen from him on multiple occasions by their highly skilled opponents. Seeing this, Nagi and Isagi both decide to ignore Barou completely, not passing to him or acknowledging him on the field in the slightest. Through being ignored and forgotten about, Barou is led to make a decision, does he let his selfishness drag him down, maybe leading him to become forgotten? Or does he adapt? Will he change his style to rise up, and become king once more? He chooses the latter. He decides that if his teammates want to steal the spotlight from him, he will steal right back. This leads to him developing a playstyle of hunting his strongest teammate, and stealing the ball from them and scoring his own goal when the time is right, reclaiming the throne of king. However insane and idiotic it sounds, it works, and has worked multiple times, as he becomes an anomaly that neither his opponents or his teammates can prepare for or predict.
The second form of egoism is one that is more sympathetic. The character of Bachira Meguru is one many people are instantly drawn to. He's the wild child of Blue Lock. He has an outgoing and bubbly personality, and an absolute love for the joy playing soccer brings.
Bachira is widely regarded as the best dribbler in the Blue Lock program, this is a fair statement to make as he easily breaks through defensive lines time and time again, but it also leads to him passing to his teammates, mainly our main character, Isagi. But passing the ball isn't what Blue Lock is about, it's about scoring goals. Though they do become a dynamic duo, during one of the most heated and intense games of the early stages of Blue Lock, Bachira realizes that he has been needing someone to play soccer with. He relies on someone to bounce off of, to have fun with, someone to match his pace. But when Blue Lock is a place all about individualism, about creating your own pace, in this game, no one is focusing on him. He is being drowned out by Isagi's obsession to beat his rival. This leads to Bachira fearing being left alone again, as he had a lonely childhood before meeting Isagi. So he decides, for the sake of himself and his future, that he will not rely on anyone else. He could create his own fun, his own rhythm to follow. Through this split-second awakening, he develops a dribbling style that allows him to find his own way to the goal, without the need of anyone else.
The last form of egoism is one that is both sympathetic and self-destructive: Yukimiya Kenyu, another character people are instantly drawn to. He is a very good looking individual and also one of the best players in the original roster of Blue Lock, being number 5 out of the original 300 players who registered for the program.At first, , he seems like a soft spoken, nice guy who also just happens to be really good at soccer. But as the story continues, more of his personality is revealed.
Yukimiya Kenyu was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease called optic neuropathy. This disease can lead to blindness if he continually stresses his eyes, and in a game like soccer, where he must be conscious of a lot of things on the field at the same time, it's not looking good for him. That is why after a game where Isagi assists with a pass in a winning goal, Yukimiya is disappointed in him. Yukimiya says that Blue Lock is a place to become the best striker in the world, and passing the ball won't get him anywhere. He says Isagi is wasting his opportunity. Nothing else comes of the argument, although a hint of animosity has been seeded between Isagi and Yukimiya. But in the next game, Yukimiya can't take it anymore. He has been trying his best to make an impression, to at least be considered as one of the top strikers, but he keeps getting overshadowed, outclassed by Isagi on his hunt to overcome a new rival. Through this desperation, Yukimiya makes a brash decision, he steals the ball for himself, and makes a solo bullrush towards the goal. Not in the calculated way Barou does it, and he doesn't have the rhythmic dribbling Bachira has, he just has his own style of dribbling that allows him to flow through tight spaces, and desperation to be the best. But his overestimation of his own abilities costs him, as his shot is blocked, and the ball is stolen by the other team at a critical moment, putting his own team in jeopardy.
These three different styles of ego show how varied ego can be and how critical it is to keep your ego in check, but also show it off to the whole world whenever you can, especially in Blue Lock. This is what Jinpachi Ego means when he said he wants a new egoist to lead Japan to victory.
America’s Debate on Recreational Marijuana - Mariah Eskel
America’s Debate on Recreational Marijuana - Mariah Eskel
The argument over federally legalizing marijuana, otherwise known as cannabis, is prevalent in today's society. As the National Institute of Health reports, many oppose legalizing cannabis due to fears that it may cause addiction and withdrawal syndrome. It may also affect your respiratory system, mental health, and intelligence. As the Marijuana Policy Project indicates, many support legalizing cannabis because it may be used as a medication and may be safer than alcohol, tobacco, and some medications. Some proponents also would like to legalize it because tax money may be collected from lawful sales.
Clearly, making cannabis illegal or legal federally can have many problems but also many benefits. What do you think? Do you think cannabis will eventually be legalized federally?
It is important to consider the possible risks of marijuana use. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that “frequent use of marijuana can cause disorientation, unpleasant thoughts, anxiety, paranoia, depression, and even suicide.” Furthermore, another disadvantage is that people may become addicted to other substances like alcohol after taking cannabis. After people take cannabis a few times, they will not get the same high so they may go to another substance to get that high, for example, alcohol.
Also, making it legal may cause more significant societal costs. According to ProCon.org, “Marijuana use harms more than just the person using the drug. Societal costs of marijuana use include paying for increased emergency room visits, medical care, and addiction treatment for the uninsured; more victims of drugged driving accidents; and workplace accidents.” Additionally there are even more health problems surrounding the use of marijuana. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), “Marijuana impairs the ability to judge time, distance, and speed; it slows reaction time and reduces ability to track moving objects. In many studies of drug-related motor vehicle fatalities, marijuana is the most common drug detected except for alcohol.”
While there are disadvantages to legalizing recreational marijuana, there may be some benefits. According to a source from Yale University, legalizing cannabis may benefit a person’s mental and physical well-being. It may act as a treatment for an illness and lead to overall better health. Additionally, legalizing cannabis may help the environment. When people grow cannabis illegally, some use practices damaging to the environment such as clearing forests to make space for cannabis or using chemical pesticides. If cannabis were made legal, many would grow cannabis using organic farming methods or using renewable energy to power an inside facility.
Another pro to making cannabis legal may be a decrease in the number of marijuana-related arrests and court cases. According to a different source from Yale University, “Legalization would free up law enforcement resources to focus on more serious crimes and simultaneously reduce the number of people incarcerated for non-violent drug offenses. This could help to reduce the overall prison population and save taxpayers money.”
Also, if cannabis is legalized, it may impact the economy. This is one of the most important benefits of legalizing it. In places where cannabis is illegal, it is sold on a black market which can’t accumulate tax money. If it were legal, the government could collect tax money from sales, which would create notable tax revenue and new economic opportunities. A source from Yale University also discloses that “In states that have legalized cannabis, tax revenue from cannabis sales has been in the millions of dollars, with California registering a whopping $1.2 billion in cannabis tax revenue in 2021. This impressive income can be used to reduce budget deficits, fund various public services such as education and healthcare, and create new opportunities for investment in projects that revitalize the economy.”
Legalizing marijuana is an important topic for many American citizens. There are many sides to this argument. A lot has come to be known concerning possible benefits and risks. People have developed their positions as their knowledge has increased. Others still maintain their original concerns. Are there any points that you can add to discussing this subject responsibly?
Our Evolving Planet - Mariah Eskel
You have likely heard of climate change. It is a worldwide phenomenon destroying our planet while killing the diversity of our species, and melting the polar ice caps in the Arctic, which is leading to rising sea levels. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the rapid increase in temperatures and number of bad storms we have had over the last decade has caused the Earth’s temperature to increase 1.27 degrees Celsius. Something you may not know because it is less commonly discussed is that global warming can actually have an opposite effect on the Earth (i.e., actually making the Earth colder and bringing extreme frigid weather events like blizzards). In fact, a movie called The Day After Tomorrow captures this very situation.
Additionally, another huge complication with climate change is lack of incentives due to high costs. Mass. companies have the opportunity to put wind farms on their property and get a tax break. Still, most companies avoid this measure because wind farms are costly. According to Today’s Homeowner, the average size of a wind farm costs anywhere from $2 million to $4 million.
Sofia Floeresquero, a current student at Central Catholic High School, and I have proposed a new law to Mass. Senator Bruce Tarr. We would like legislation enacted that provides a 10-20% tax break for any company that puts any source of renewable energy on its property.
This article will present the situations global warming has put us in, future risks, and our proposed law as a possible solution to help prevent climate change.
In recent years, our country has experienced more frequent natural disasters, including, wildfires, extreme rainfall, droughts, stronger winds, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Of note, the 2023 summer was the warmest summer on record since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Climatic Data Center and the UK Meteorological Office’s Hadley Centre started recording in 1880. According to the Royal Society, unprecedented high temperatures have caused glaciers to melt and sea levels to rise six inches since 1901.
Sadly, the main contributor to global warming is human activity. The fact that human activity caused global warming used to be a theory but now is a proven fact due to greenhouse gas emissions that humans burn. Greenhouse gases trap the sun’s high temperature and warmth in the atmosphere of the Earth, which warms our planet. Additionally, NASA reports that “Carbon dioxide from human activities is increasing about 250 times faster than it did from natural sources after the last Ice Age.” Another complication from human activity is the amount of acid in the ocean. NASA indicates the amount of acid in the ocean has increased by 30% since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.
Last year, my friend Sofia and I did considerable research on reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the air. We came up with proposed legislation, a 10-20% tax break on any company that puts any source of renewable energy on its property. We have presented our project, sent emails, and met with public officials. Senator Tarr and his legal team are currently considering our proposal. I look forward to their response and plan to write a follow-up piece on future developments.
I believe global warming is a huge problem in the U.S. and across the world and important measures need to be taken to stop this critical issue. What are your thoughts on global warming? As I continue my learning, I invite others to give their viewpoints and indicate how they are expanding their knowledge on this topic.
Handling Fear - Mariah Eskel
Have you ever been scared of something or scared to do something? I’m sure I’m not the only one. It may be as simple as taking your math test or more complex like planning for your future. For example, the upperclassmen may be scared of their future with the next steps after high school. Fear is very common and it is something we all feel at some point in our lives.
The problem with fear is, you have to find a way to cope with it. Handling fear is no easy task. A reason why it may be hard is because your future is unknown and you don’t know if a decision is going to affect your life negatively, positively, and, in some situations, maybe not at all. But, if no one felt fear, society simply wouldn’t be society anymore. You may wonder, “Why am I so scared to do this? What causes fear? What are the fundamentals of psychology?” This article will explore these questions.
While there are disorders regarding fear, there are also just general feelings of fear. There are many types of fear, though, like a worrying type of fear, surprise fear, happiness, etc. The science behind fear is a biochemical response by our bodies, which then causes an emotional type feeling. According to Northwestern Medicine, “[a]s soon as you recognize fear, your amygdala (small organ in the middle of your brain) goes to work. It alerts your nervous system, which sets your body’s fear response into motion. Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are released. Your blood pressure and heart rate increase.”
If you would like to get over a fear that you have, Maggie Wooll from “Better Up” recommends taking deep breaths, confronting your fear, and thinking positive thoughts that may come out of it.
If you are really interested in the study of human behavior and fear, did you know fear is actually a form of psychology? It is one of the biggest emotions that people study in psychology. According to Verywell Mind, some common symptoms are chest pain, abrupt heart rate, nausea, and sweating. Verywell Mind additionally reports that you may experience fear because you are afraid to do something, say, going on a rollercoaster or it could be a more intricate problem like worrying about your future, imagining events, or worrying about the undetermined.
Although fear is generally seen as an inferior feeling, sometimes it’s to fit your next chapter in life. After all, if no one felt fear, humanity's population would decrease rapidly. Fear may make us worry, or make us angry, sad, and surprised, but, without fear, there is no risk in life which can make life very boring. If you are ever scared to do something, think about Zig Ziglar’s philosophy with “ F-E-A-R has two meanings : Forget everything and run or face everything and rise. The choice is yours.”
The above article discusses several types of fear but not destructive fear.
If you or someone you know is struggling with a dangerous fear, please seek support. Please be aware of local counseling resources.
Green Is the New Black - Gabriela Locke
Green Is the New Black - Gabriela Locke
In the NAHS cafeteria, there are trash bins for wrappers, recycling bins for bottles and milk cartons, and big green compost bins for food scraps. Everyday at lunch, students volunteer to help organize the waste from our school lunches. The volunteers use gloves to sort the trash into the correct receptacles.
This is true passion for a healthy environment at NAHS, and more attention should be given to this important work.
To start, what is composting? According to Cornell Waste Management Institute, “composting is a natural process to turn organic material into a soil amendment and is possible in almost every setting…Organic materials comprise over 60% of the waste stream and include leaf and yard trimmings, manure, uneaten and spoiled food.” Composting can reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills that are burned causing air pollution. The reuse of food scraps to make soil is better for the environment instead of smoky air.
Schools are a huge source of waste. In school, trash bags are filled with students' lunches. According to EarthShare, “more than 18,000 pounds of waste is produced by the average-sized elementary school in one year. The World Wildlife Fund estimates food waste alone in U.S. schools to reach 530,000 tons annually." To decrease this amount of waste. Composting to make soil is the way to go. Seemingly little actions like recycling a milk carton can add up to improve our world and the environment.
It is essential for us to know the importance of composting so that we can take care of our world. The environment and nature we live in is precious and it is up to us to keep it thriving.
Ms. Bowler Recommends!
Ms. Bowler Recommends!
Family of Liars by E. Lockhart
Content Warnings: sexual abuse, family trauma, mental health, addiction, death & blood
GENRE: Mystery
⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you liked We Were Liars, this should definitely be next on your list. Family of Liars is a prequel to the highly-loved & critically-acclaimed young adult mystery. When we see the Sinclairs this time around, it’s the summer of 1987. Cadence & her cousins don’t exist; instead, we see their parents, Carrie, Penny & Bess, who are spending their time on their compound with their cousin Yardley & her friends.
The Sinclairs are grieving the loss of their fourth daughter, Rosemary, who drowned the summer prior. But in true Sinclair fashion, they aren’t straightforward with their grief. Instead, they push it down, almost seemingly trying to erase the painful memory of their beloved Rosemary. Carrie, the eldest Sinclair daughter, tries to do what she can to support her sisters & parents, often pushing aside her own mental health & physical wellbeing to do so. For those of us who may be an eldest daughter, like myself, Carrie is incredibly relatable in this way.
As the summer gets going, Yardley & her boyfriend are off in their own love bubble, & Carrie starts getting closer & closer to the handsome, free-spirited Pfeff, who seems to whisk her off her feet. But as their relationship becomes more serious, Carrie starts seeing Pfeff in a different light.
Filled with the things that made We Were Liars so lovable, Family of Liars is an insight to how the Sinclairs are there for one another, in their own, somewhat nontraditional, way.
I liked this because of the relatability of Carrie, to a degree, & the writing Lockhart puts into her writing. She has a unique way of adding poems & short stories into the longer novel. Carrie often tells fairy tales to help cope with what’s going on in her life, & it makes her issues more accessible for the reader. There were times I thought I knew what was going to happen, but then it went in a different direction. Though it definitely is similar to its predecessor, it brings its own mysterious plot to the forefront & leaves readers guessing.
What Needs to be Done to Solve the Cafeteria Problem at North Andover High School? -
What Needs to be Done to Solve the Cafeteria Problem at North Andover High School? -
T. Farrell
T. Farrell
The lunch lines in the cafeteria at North Andover High School have been surging in length. Students are experiencing challenges with long waits in lines as it is a struggle to get their food, leading to stress and anxiety within them.
The hot hit lunch foods are pizza, salad, and burrito bowl. While the pizza line moves pretty quickly, the burrito bowl line takes forever. Throughout the wait in both of these lines, you have to brutally watch people cut and skip ahead in line with their friends. Freshman student Nolan Nassar at North Andover High School says, “While I am waiting in line for my food, I feel as if I am missing out on some valuable time that I could be socializing with my friends and eating my lunch." This creates a lot of anxiety for the students, leading us to the next problem.
Waiting in a long line with stress and anxiety is not a fun way to spend your lunch. For most people lunch is the most social part of the day where you get to have fun with your friends. When you are waiting in line, some often stress about where and who they are going to sit with. Some people worry that there will not be enough room at a table or enough chairs around to sit with their friends. Furthermore, the lunch period is short so after waiting in lines and finding a table, there is little time to eat. Nassar said, “From personal experience I have noticed myself and others have been rushed to eat their food during lunch time. I think that adding an extra ten minutes to the lunch block would benefit the students who feel rushed to eat. The only down side to this would be an extra ten minutes lost in academic classes."
In conclusion, the solution to all of these problems needs to include honesty and patience from kids, a longer lunch period, and more seating around the cafeteria. Another solution could include allowing seniors with senior privileges to leave lunch and eat elsewhere clearing up some space in the lunch room. Seniors could go to the main street and eat at places like Pizza Factory or McDonalds or even go home for lunch if they live close by. When the weather gets colder, outdoor seating will become off limits pushing everyone to find a table in the cafeteria.
Long Lunch Lines at NAHS Leave Little Time For Students -
Long Lunch Lines at NAHS Leave Little Time For Students -
M. DiNapoli
M. DiNapoli
The North Andover High School has a variety of lunch options available to students, but these options are difficult to access in a timely manner. Long lunch lines fill the school cafeteria, and leave students with little time to eat and socialize once they finally receive their food. Students feel anxious and stressed about these long lunch lines, as they have to push through hoards of people and stand for long periods of time.
Some possibilities as to why these lunch lines may be so long is due to the large number of students at NAHS, the option of free lunch, and the inactive ordering ahead feature.
A reason as to why these lunch lines take a very long time is due to the vast amount of students at NAHS. With only three lunches each day, hundreds of students are all in the cafeteria at the same time. Student at NAHS, Anulekha Sahu expressed her feelings about the long lunch lines.
“The lunch lines do cause me stress and anxiety because if I know I will be buying lunch I rush down the stairs, so I can get to the line quickly. I have to push through people to get to the front of the line and to the cafeteria,” she said.
I decided to time myself getting lunch for three days in a row and see how much time I wasted in line. Each day, I went to the salad line and got the same order. On day 1, I waited for 8 minutes and 43 seconds, on day 2, I waited for 7 minutes and 28 seconds, and lastly on day 3, I waited for 7 minutes and 9 seconds. Although this may not seem like a significant amount of time, for students who only have 25 minutes to eat lunch and socialize with their friends, each minute is very valuable.
Sahu also feels like she doesn’t have enough time to eat at lunch.
“I feel like I wait in line for like twenty minutes, and then I have to rush and eat all of my food in five minutes,” Sahu said.
Another possibility as to why these lunch lines may be so long is due to the fact that lunches are free. At NAHS, they have been able to provide students with free lunches for three years due to the Universal Free School Meals in Massachusetts, which has also been extended for the 2022-2023 school year. Student at NAHS, Kayla DiNapoli thinks the free lunches may be a reason for these long lunch lines.
“I think the lunch lines will hopefully become more manageable once lunches are no longer free,” she said. “Although the free lunches have been great, they are definitely contributing to the problem, as everyone takes it as an opportunity to grab a lunch.”
In addition to these free lunches during Covid times, NAHS also decided to add an ordering ahead feature to help reduce contact between students. Although this feature originally had a different purpose, students can also use it to help tackle the long lunch line issues. The feature allows students to place an order for their food in the morning and pick it up in a specific area during lunch. Sahu used this feature back in her sophomore year during Covid.
“[The feature] was very convenient, I could just pick up my lunch and go home,” she said.
Although this was a very useful feature, the school decided not to offer it to high school and middle school students this school year.
In addition to the school not allowing students to access this option this year, not many people know about the feature. DiNapoli was asked about this feature and she said that she had never heard of it before, but she would be interested in using it in the future, if it was brought back. The school needs to promote this option better, as it could be a very useful tool to help reduce a lot of students' anxiety and stress during lunchtime. If more students are using the feature, then there will also be less students in the lunch lines. Sahu suggested that the school create posters advertising the feature or even send out a school-wide email to parents and students alerting them of this potential option.
However, the ordering ahead feature doesn’t solve the entire problem. Some options including taco bowls, chicken sandwiches and burgers, and pizza are not offered through the ordering ahead feature. The feature only offers the choice of a pre-made sub, salad, or wrap. Sahu and DiNapoli both offered their own solutions to this problem. Sahu believes the cafeteria should be more self-serve. As high schoolers, she believes students are mature enough to grab their lunches themselves, or at least add their own toppings. DiNapoli thinks that the school should offer more selections at lunch with separate lines, so that students are more dispersed.
NAHS has a way to go with this issue, but they should start by allowing students to utilize the ordering ahead option again. There is hope for change in the future and for students to be able to enjoy a relaxing lunch.
The Stories Abilities Can Tell: Jujutsu Kaisen -By Sean Luedtke
The Stories Abilities Can Tell: Jujutsu Kaisen -By Sean Luedtke
The world, characters and story of Jujutsu Kaisen all contribute to the show’s potential to be one of the best action anime series in recent years. A lot of that potential goes back to the powers. The abilities of the characters are not tied down by any limitations of categories or elements, but rather the character’s strength and strategic prowess. Along with this, there is no limit to how many different abilities there can be; any new character in this world is most likely going to have a new ability that is going to change the perspective of the characters and the story arc.
These abilities are not just used to serve amazing fight scenes; they can tell us about the character themselves. Mahito is a character who has the ability to contort and change the body of anyone he touches. With this ability, he says himself that he is the manifestation of humans' hatred toward each other and how awful humanity can be. He embodies this mindset fully in the famous “Shibuya incident” arc, during which he runs around a subway station with the character Yuji chasing him. During this chase, Mahito just starts contorting and literally popping people like balloons to break the mental fortitude of the character Yuji, because Yuji always wants to save as many people as possible.
Since this is an action anime series, there are a lot of fights. Some people say that Jujutsu Kaisen is carried by its fights and abilities only and has no real character development, but the fights and abilities are the character development. For example, when the character, Megumi, is in a life or death situation, he always thinks to himself, “The only way to win this fight is to sacrifice myself to save everyone.” He has the ability to summon different monsters to his command, but there is one monster he can’t control and it’s the most powerful in his arsenal. His plan would be to summon it and have it take out himself and whoever his opponent is. So, while Megumi is in a particularly difficult fight, and he gets hit particularly hard, he goes into that mindset of sacrificing himself again until he remembers something his teacher told him: “You believe that in the worst case, you can resolve everything at the cost of your life. But at that point, forget about me. You’ll never even measure up to Nanami. Dying to win, and risking death to win… are completely different, Megumi.” With this little change in mindset, Megumi is able to basically just have confidence in the strength of his power and ability, and is able to unlock one of the most powerful abilities any character can have: the Domain Expansion. With this ability he is able to win the fight with a new mindset for future battles.
The abilities can also be a gauge for how the character has developed. The best example of this is Maki Zen’in. She has no “ability” per-say, but in exchange for no ability, she was born with superhuman levels of strength and speed, almost to the degree of the most feared member of the Zen’in clan, Toji Zen’in. He too, was born like Maki, but had unimaginable strength and speed on another level that no one had ever seen. The only reason Maki isn’t like Toji is because her twin sister’s cursed energy is dragging her down (twins are treated like one person in the jujutsu world). But because Toji had absolutely zero cursed energy, he was gifted with the absolute limit of the human body’s physical prowess.
As the story progresses, Maki returns to the Zen’in estate to collect weapons. Instead she finds her sister who is beaten close to death by the Zen’in clan. After defeating her sister’s abuser, they find a safe space to rest, and that’s where Maki’s sister comes up with an idea. Her power is the ability to create anything she wants as long as it’s not too big or complex, so she uses the last of her strength to create a special sword for Maki. As a result, she passes away. As Maki’s sister dies, so does the cursed energy tying her down. With her sister’s death, Maki is now fueled with more hate towards the Zen’in clan and is at the same level of strength as Toji.
Throughout the entire series, there are even more examples of the abilities being used as story and character tools more than just cool add-ons to fights. And the amazing thing is, all of these examples are from relatively early in the story, so just imagine what else the author, Gege Akutami, will be able to come up with next.
(Photo courtesy of: IMDb)
Ms. Harrington Recommends!
Ms. Harrington Recommends!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Brief Synopsis: This retelling of Stephen King’s Carrie is mashed up with inspiration from the true story of a school in Georgia that did not hold its first integrated prom until 2013!
Maddy lives an extremely sheltered life brought up by her single father who wants to live in an idealized 1950s world. Her outdated beliefs and style make her the subject of ruthless bullying and ridicule at her modern high school.
The circumstances that unfold after Maddy’s biggest secret is revealed lead to well-intended but horrendous events that disrupt an entire community.
Many TWs: n-word, abuse, neglect, police violence, and more.
I liked this book because...
Author Tiffany D. Jackson wrote in the novel’s dedication that this was the book she always wanted to read as a young horror fan, and she delivered. The Weight of Blood has dynamic characters with awful foils, surprising twists (even for people who have read or watched Carrie), action, romance, and horrors ranging from societal to the paranormal.
Page updated
Report abuse