Yet again, a major disturbance occurred within politics when the president of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, declared martial law in the country---for the first time in thirty years. This was met with intense and overwhelming opposition from both lawmakers and citizens alike, with mass protests breaking out in response. Currently, President Yoon has been impeached and is awaiting his second trial after not attending the first. 

A translation of the martial law declaration reads like so: 

In order to protect liberal democracy from the threat of overthrowing the regime of the Republic of Korea by anti-state forces active within the Republic of Korea and to protect the safety of the people, the following is hereby declared throughout the Republic of Korea as of 23:00 on December 3, 2024:

1. All political activities, including the activities of the National Assembly, local councils, and political parties, political associations, rallies and demonstrations, are prohibited.

2. All acts that deny or attempt to overthrow the liberal democratic system are prohibited, and fake news, public opinion manipulation, and false propaganda are prohibited.

3. All media and publications are subject to the control of the Martial Law Command.

4. Strikes, work stoppages and rallies that incite social chaos are prohibited.

5. All medical personnel, including trainee doctors, who are on strike or have left the medical field must return to their jobs within 48 hours and work faithfully. Those who violate will be punished in accordance with the Martial Law.

6. Innocent ordinary citizens, excluding anti-state forces and other subversive forces, will be subject to measures to minimize inconvenience in their daily lives.

Violators of the above proclamation may be arrested, detained, and searched without a warrant in accordance with Article 9 of the Martial Law Act of the Republic of Korea (Special Measures Authority of the Martial Law Commander), and will be punished in accordance with Article 14 of the Martial Law Act (Penalties).

Martial Law Commander, Army General Park An-su, Tuesday, December 3, 2024. (Reuters, 2024) 

In summary, rights to assembly, protest, and criticism of the government were to be suppressed for national security interests. This was to be enforced by the military. Obviously, martial law was to be used during wartime when the cooperation of the entire country was deemed necessary. The last time it was used was in 1979, after Major General Chun Doo-hwan seized power through a coup. In fact, many have called this a “self coup”. 

But what really was the cause for such a drastic measure? The answer is complicated and multifaceted. However, it essentially boils down to President Yoon’s massive unpopularity both within the National Assembly and with the public, and how he had effectively lost control over the government. Yoon himself stated that he was declaring martial law due to allegedly “anti-state” activities and accused the Democratic Party (a dominant, oppositional party in the National Assembly) of colluding with North Korea. It is worth noting that tensions between the two countries had been rising ever since unification was declared “impossible” by Kim Jong Un in 2023. The problem with this explanation is that even if relations with North Korea were worsening, there was little to no movement from the other country to justify martial law. A more likely reason for this sudden grab for power was the fact that legislation was controlled by the party opposed to President Yoon, and so he would not be able to get many of his policies passed. 

Perhaps in theory a self-coup might have been successful if the military had cooperated with Yoon---but with the memory of the last time martial law was declared, they were reluctant to suppress what can arguably be considered a violation of rights. The main aim that Yoon was gunning for was to strip power from the National Assembly, and likely to control the media that was criticizing him for a recent scandal involving him and his wife. This evidently backfired spectacularly. The decree was overturned a mere six hours after it was issued, despite President Yoon making efforts to blockade Parliament to prevent anyone from entering and voting him down. All major parties opposed him, and went through great lengths to overturn it as soon as possible (one can refer to the TikTok-viral video of assembly member Lee Jae-myung jumping a fence to enter the National Assembly and vote in opposition to President Yoon). Currently, the now-impeached Yoon Suk Yeol is under investigation for inciting insurrection. 

What does this mean for our global political climate in the future? And what can this imply about politics in the United States? At the time of writing this, we approach future president Donald Trump’s inauguration, where one of his leading points to his campaign was the promise of using executive orders to enact mass deportations of immigrants. It seems that with a Republican majority in the House of Representatives as well as a conservative Supreme Court, opposition will not be as strong as in South Korea. There are many other orders that he plans to issue, and one can’t help but draw a similar parallel to the chaos that has just happened. Coupled with the impending ban on Tiktok, this reach for executive power and initiative of what is arguably media censorship, marks the beginning of what is looking to become a very strange time for this country.

SOURCES: 

https://news.kbs.co.kr/news/pc/view/view.do?ncd=8122479

https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-martial-law-north-korea-emergency-b310df4fece42c27051f58b8951f346f

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/full-text-south-koreas-martial-law-decree-2024-12-03/

https://www.npr.org/2025/01/06/g-s1-41149/south-korea-us-democracy-lessons

https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/01/09/HOJLU4URX5FFLOHOW7OB566R6U/

https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20241226/5369680/1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Yoon_Suk_Yeol

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/12/yoon-suk-yeol-to-miss-start-of-south-korea-impeachment-trial-on-safety-grounds

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_South_Korean_martial_law_crisis

The winter break is commonly spent reflecting on the past and gushing about the future as the New Year creeps closer. Kids and adults alike share cheers at midnight and dream of their future with resolutions to kickstart it. However, research shows 23% of people quit their New Year’s Resolutions by the end of the first week, and 43% quit by the end of January. Many reflect deeply and create an ideal future in their minds that they will have in a year, but often the fuel for these ambitions fizzles out quicker than you could say “Happy New Year!” Only 9% of Americans that make resolutions end up completing them. This phenomena goes to show the stagnation of everyday people, even when they truly want improvement in their lives. This article will dive into this issue to find why it happens and what society needs to do in order to achieve these resolutions.  

Serious resolutions are goals before they are traditions. The secret weapon to achieving even the loftiest goals is called the flow state. Flow is a state of concentration and engagement. Often praised in science, it filters out irrelevant thoughts and distractions to prioritize the task at hand. Introduced first in the 70s, flow immerses people into their goals until there is little stopping them. People experiencing flow often lose track of time and lose themselves in their task. As people become more engaged in their task, work becomes less of a chore and more of a pleasure. Flow is related to dopamine levels for this reason. The state of flow is the method in which people can achieve their dreams most efficiently. 

However, speculative neuroscience connects the flow state to a system called the Locus Coeruleus Norepinephrine System (shortened to LC-NE system). This system is potentially responsible for flow, and, by extension, whether people achieve or fail to achieve their goals. The Locus Coeruleus (a part of the brain) is responsible for motivation, attention, responding to stimuli, and analyzing tasks at hand. Norepinephrine is adrenaline (more closely related to blood pressure than epinephrine), responsible for “fight-or-flight.” Norepinephrine as a neurotransmitter delivers messages from the brain to blood cells; it stimulates attention when released as a hormone and is related to dopamine. Norepinephrine is used in emergency situations to energize the heart and keep blood pumping, but it can also occur naturally in the body. 

The Locus Coeruleus releases norepinephrine to regulate attention, specifically whether someone is engaged or disengaged in a task. Using stimuli, it weighs the rewards and the cost (effort) that come with a task. If there are more rewards, the brain will favor task-relevant information while suppressing what is irrelevant, allowing the mind to focus. This is called engagement. Likewise, if the cost of effort outweighs the rewards, distractions will prevent focus (this state is called disengagement). When costs are higher than rewards (meaning too much effort is required for the reward to be worth it), the brain will search for another task that can harbor more rewards (called exploration). High levels of norepinephrine result in exploration (stress and distraction). Someone working on a difficult task would give up and explore alternatives or keep pushing until they hit roadblocks or failure causes self-doubt (where this person will return to exploration and self-awareness). Low levels of norepinephrine result in disengagement (fatigue, lack of attention or motivation) when the task is too easy and takes little effort. Hence, considering both the difficulty level and rewards of goals is essential. While this connection between the flow state and the LC-NE system is not heavily studied and tested, the similarities are undeniable. 

Knowing the science behind goals and why success and failure occur is critical to understanding how to set an achievable goal. Connecting the LC-NE system to goal setting makes it seem like a Goldilocks situation. If Goldilocks chooses a chair too big for her, it will not be comfortable or ideal. She will want to find a new chair (exploration). The same goes for those seeking to set goals. Find a task where the journey is rewarding and manageable. If the task is too hard and takes more effort than it is worth, it will overwhelm and discourage Goldilocks from the task. If the task is too easy, it will be boring. Something less challenging would feel meaningless. Picking a task somewhere in the middle that reaps about as much reward as it costs effort will set Goldilocks up for success. 

Here are some extra tips: 

New Year’s Resolutions are often thought of as more of a festive tradition than a serious goal. That is the first failure. Resolutions made to hold a tradition will not hold meaning in daily life. People need a call to action before they act. If New Year’s Resolutions are to be achieved, they must first be taken seriously. 

Next, practicing goal setting and premeditating actions can also help fulfill a New Year’s Resolution. Like the saying “fail to plan, plan to fail,” having foresight on possible obstacles can make achieving goals easier. Often, people become hopeless, lazy, or overwhelmed in pursuit of their goal. Knowing that these feelings will occur and preparing for them can prevent any discouraging roadblocks from ruining strides. Find ways to remain optimistic and avoid obstacles. 

When setting a goal, people often dream big. This can definitely become overwhelming. In reaction to this, create bite-sized goals. Bite-sized goals are manageable and drive the mind to act day to day instead of worrying about the big goal that often takes months of effort. An example of a bite-sized goal is this: get an A on the next essay. The overarching goal is to get a higher grade in English class. 

The last tip is to stay accountable. Consistency is key to accomplishing even the most difficult goals. This could mean simply pushing oneself or joining a group of like-minded people with a similar goal or just having a friend in charge of motivation. 

New Year’s Resolutions are traditions and conversation starters, but they are so frequently left at just that. The resolutions that see the light of day and affect people’s daily lives are premeditated ones. By setting a goal wisely and ensuring it is not too overwhelming or too easy, any goal can become a worthwhile journey. While others relish in the optimism of the New Year, some act on it to make it last. Do not take the New Year’s ability to spark ideas and reflection in the hearts of the world for granted.

Over the past 5 years, the trend of overconsuming anything and everything has become extremely normalized by the general public. Trends and aesthetics are major contributors, but how do these things become issues, and what effects do they have?

The phrase “run don’t walk” is one that almost anyone online has heard many times before. It is an extremely common way to make over-consumption seem normal. Influencers get their name for a reason, their job is to influence people to buy from the brands that sponsor them. According to Forbes, 74% of consumers have bought a product because an influencer recommended it. Most of what influencers recommend is not necessary, it might follow the newest trends or make your life a little easier, but the cost outweighs the benefits.

The romanticization of aesthetics and which one you are leads to overconsumption. People are complex, and are not supposed to fit into one aesthetic. As we go through life changing and learning more about ourselves, the aesthetic that we see ourselves as changes too. The constant changing of clothing and decoration is unsustainable and will have terrible consequences for our planet. The items going to landfills and production of newer trendier items causes a vicious cycle, and the best way to stop it is realizing that nobody needs an aesthetic.

Since 2019, people have been obsessed with reusable water bottles. It all started with the Hydro Flask that became so popular because of its association with the “VSCO Girl” aesthetic, which like most trends, did not last long. Eventually the hype died down and a new water bottle emerged as the one that you had to have. The most notable water bottle trend is easily the Stanley cup. These water bottles are expensive, ranging from $35 to $60, and don’t last very long. People on the internet complain that after a few months, the cover to their cup started to get moldy, forcing them to throw it out. This trend cycle is unsustainable for the environment and completely disregards the actual purpose of a reusable water bottle, as something you only need one of.

Fast fashion brands like Shein rising in popularity causes a detrimental effect on the environment. These brands have trendy and cheap products that ship quickly, making them appeal to many people, but the items are low quality and these brands have a very high carbon footprint. Since they are so low quality, they will wear down quickly and consumers will buy another, causing a cycle of overconsumption. Carbon footprint threatens to heat the planet to inhabitable levels if we continue to consume the way we currently do. According to the company’s sustainability report, the company emitted 16.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2023. This is more than what four coal power plants emit in a year. 

If overconsumption continues as it is, the effects on the planet will be detrimental. It is important that we remind ourselves that many of our resources are non-renewable and may be permanently lost, causing extremely negative effects to our environment.

Reading can transport you to far away lands, or teleport you back to a time you weren’t around for. Most students loved reading in their elementary school years, but as they got older the spark dwindled. Why did reading get so unpopular? Why do some children latch onto reading while others struggle? 

As a kid, reading was fun. Picture books and short chapter books fill elementary school bookshelves, such as Junie B. Jones., the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and Mo Willems’ books. Reading is usually popular among the youth. It’s fun to be submerged into a world of new discoveries, lands, and ideas, but as the years go on the dynamic of reading changes. Books get more complex, and they become an essential part of English class curriculum. It can be a chore having to read long chapters at night for homework, especially if there are other extracurriculars going on. What once started off as a fun activity to do for freetime in early school years became an important task necessary in order to pass a class.

Some high schoolers do love to read, though. One freshman said she loves “learning and finding out new things in detail.” With so many different kinds of book genres and millions of pages to read, there is something for everyone.  Many people read, but not everyone would admit it. Hateful stereotypes like being called a “nerd” or being called boring due to reading may make some teenagers wary of admitting their hobby. The number of high schoolers who say they like reading is less than the number who actually like to read because of fear they will be judged.

Another reason is how many people can actually read. While you may look around and see well educated people, the NAEP report card says that in 2022 the percentage of eighth graders who went to public school in the United States of America was 29%. That means less than half of America’s eighth graders can read at a proficient level. Proficient in reading, per the NAEP, means the student can “use context explicitly and implicitly across the entire text to determine the meaning of words and nonliteral phrases,” “identify one or both sides of an argument,” and “make connections between text features and graphics to explain how they support the primary text,” among many other skills. Why is a basic skill being stripped away from youth? There are many factors. 

While most students learn how to read when they are in elementary school, the amount of students who don’t know how to read may be surprisingly high. Where someone is born and raised can certainly impact the type of education they get. According to The Nation’s Report Card published in 2022, in Massachusetts, a highly educated state, the percentage of students in eighth grade who could read at the NAEP proficiency level was 40%. Massachusetts puts a large majority of their budget into public schools. 16 billion dollars is gifted through federal, state, and local contributions, via the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Massachusetts is the number one state for education for a reason. The commonwealth’s government puts in a ton of work to make the schools great, which is part of the reason why the NAEP proficiency level is relatively high. Meanwhile, down south in West Virginia, the NAEP proficiency level for eighth graders was 22% in 2022. The state focuses more on agriculture and the workforce instead of public education, placing 48th out of the 50 states in the K-12 education system ranking. Students from Massachusetts have a better chance of being proficient in reading and writing than students in West Virginia because they have better resources. 

When asked why she did not read, a high schooler said she “didn’t have the attention span” to do it. She is not the only one. The Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) reports that 20% of students in the United States have learning and/or attention issues. Dyslexia, Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are just a few of the many learning disorders that can affect reading. 

Dyslexia is a learning disability that is characterized by affecting the way you see words. Via Mayo Clinic, symptoms include reading below the expected level for age, difficulty seeing similarities and differences in letters and words, and avoiding activities that include reading. It may be hard to read for children with dyslexia because they cannot see the way words are supposed to look. An example is reading the word “left” as “felt”. It could also be hard to read out loud because letters seem to morph together. 

CAPD is also a learning condition. Children with CAPD may have a hard time learning to read because it can be hard to process the sounds of languages. Like dyslexia, similar letters such as “T” and “D” may sound the same, which makes it hard to understand and read out loud.

Reading is not just about reading a letter on a piece of paper, it also takes auditory input. That is something children with CAPD usually struggle with. Via Child Mind Institute, CAPD may be hard to diagnose because it is like other learning and attention disorders. It can be hard to get the help a student needs if they are not diagnosed with what is causing the issue.

ADHD is also a chronic condition that can make reading difficult. Students with ADHD may not be able to focus on reading or be able to stay interested in the book. The CDC says that ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children. 

There are ways for young students to get the help they need to be able to read, but there are not always the right resources. Some children may be too scared to admit their struggles, or it may not be detected early on. There are also issues with teachers who are supposed to be helpful, because sometimes they do not do their job correctly. 

In the end, reading in American high school students is not only due to societal pressures, but because some do not have the resources they need. There are learning conditions and other things that make reading harder for some than others, and not everyone gets the same chance to read.

It’s no surprise that Americans love food. Much of American culture revolves around food from holidays like Halloween to Thanksgiving. Americans can’t help but consume all the delicious food we have to offer. It’s no secret that sugar is bad for you, but are there worse things hiding in our pantries? Between Carcinogens (cancer causers) and products that cause organ-system toxicity, the average American home is filled with dangerous products. Almost everyone knows the common food dye, Red 40. Red 40 is in foods from Twizzlers™ to even some canned fruits. Most people are aware that the dye can be harmful, however few are aware of the specific dangers of this ingredient. When a study was done on mice, they found that Red 40 “may accelerate the appearance of immune-system tumors.” It was also recommended that it not be added to food unless proof that it was safe. Red 40 has been linked to ADHD symptoms. The shelves are filled with misleading labels and ingredients. Foods that contain carcinogens and some other harmful products are banned in most other countries. Now that you know the harmful effects of these products, it makes you wonder why they aren’t banned in the United States. 

The first item I tried is the snowman cake pop. For the presentation, I gave the cake pop a 10/10, I thought it was so cute and was a perfect design for the holiday season. For the taste, I also gave the cake pop a 10/10. Although it tasted very similar to the original birthday cake pop, I still thought it was amazing and it was definitely a great addition to the holiday menu! Overall the snowman cake pop was delicious and got 20/20 points from me! 

The next item I tried was a hot chocolate, but we decided to add a twist by adding gingerbread cold foam. In my opinion Starbucks’ hot chocolate is not as good as other coffee shops’ hot chocolate, I think it lacks chocolateness and sweetness. The gingerbread cold foam added a nice flavor to the hot chocolate, but I think it made the hot chocolate taste more spicy and less sweet. For the presentation, I would give the hot chocolate a 7/10. I loved the new holiday cups, but there was just nothing special about it. For taste I would give the drink a 5/10; it was good enough to finish but I definitely would not get it again. Overall, this drink gets a total 12/20 points. 

The last item I tried was the Cran-Merry Orange Lemonade refresher. This drink definitely had an interesting flavor. When I first tried it, I thought it was good, but it had a strange aftertaste. I thought it was a little spicier than the normal refreshers (the strawberry acai and the dragon fruit), but it definitely was not horrible. For the presentation, I would give this drink an 8/10. I thought it was very cute, especially in the holiday cups, and it definitely looked appetizing based on its presentation. For the taste, I would give it a 6/10, because even though it was good, it had a bad aftertaste. With an overall score of 14/20, I would definitely not get this drink again, but it was worth getting to try it! 

I tried the classic Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte. The presentation was quite adorable and I loved the red and green sprinkles on top, receiving a 8/10 on appearance. The taste, however, I rate a 4/10. It was almost bland and just tasted like a regular coffee. Overall, I believe the appearance was deceiving-- luring me in with its festive looks. Overall, it received just 12/20 points . 

The next item I tried was a Peppermint Hot Chocolate. In contrast to Liz’s opinion, I think that Starbucks’ hot chocolates are the best. To my taste, it seemed to have more of a dark chocolate flavor, which I am a huge fan of. It was the best hot chocolate I’ve had in a while! For the presentation, I would give the hot chocolate a 8/10, because of the festive cup it is served in. For the taste I rate it a 10/10! Overall, this drink racks up a total of 18/20 points. 

The most adorable item that I tried was the Penguin Cookie. Its earmuffs gave it a special touch, receiving a 10/10 on presentation from me. This was a buttery shortbread cookie with vanilla icing on top. It was definitely a decent cookie, but after all, it is hard to make a cookie taste bad. To me, it was nothing beyond a basic sugar cookie, so I awarded it a 7/10 for taste. Overall, I would much prefer a homemade Christmas cookie fresh from the oven, but this would certainly satisfy a craving for something sweet. This cookie received a total of 17/20 points.