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What does Thanksgiving mean to you? Is Thanksgiving an excuse to eat too much? Or is it a holiday to truly give thanks to the ones you love? I asked various people from our school that question specifically. The overall answer I was given was that Thanksgiving is a day to spend with family or friends that you care about deeply. And that doesn’t just have to be around the dinner table. Mrs. Vogel said that she goes to the Lions game with her family every year for Thanksgiving. And, it is also common for people to volunteer or do service work for the holiday.

Another question I asked people was how they would give thanks to the people they cared for. There wasn’t a common ground that everyone agreed upon. Some people felt that thanks should be sent to a person's face. Others suggested that writing a letter would be the best way to give thanks. Then, there was also the idea that thanks should not just be given one day a year, but throughout. And giving thanks is so important because it is telling or showing the people around you that you are thankful for what they do.

 I think the meaning behind Thanksgiving has drifted. Thanksgiving isn’t just what you eat or what you do, but more of who you spend it with. And, whether you thank those people directly or indirectly, it’s important to give thanks. And not just one day a year. Every day, you should try to thank someone for the things they do for you. Whether that is in the service work you do or directly explaining why you are thankful for them. Thanksgiving isn’t just what you eat or what you do, but more of how you embrace the day by being thankful.

So, in conclusion, Thanksgiving means something different to everyone, and whether you spend it with family, friends, volunteering, or by yourself, Thanksgiving is a day to be thankful for all that you have and all you will complete. 

With Groundhog Day just passing, it’s important to not only know what the holiday really is, but also the history behind it. 

Groundhog Day is usually a holiday that is overlooked by the general public. Many may know the story that goes along with this holiday though. The story goes that every February 2nd, the groundhog will emerge from hibernation and if it sees its shadow, he will return to hibernation. Meaning that there will be 6 more weeks of winter, yet, if the groundhog doesn’t see its shadow, Spring is coming early. But, where does this story really come from? And, how accurate is the groundhog really? 

February 2nd is the day that the groundhog will allegedly predict the weather. This holiday is mainly celebrated in parts of Canada and the United States. The first Groundhog Day was celebrated on February 2nd of 1887 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Groundhog Day originated from the Christian Holiday of Candlemas. Candlemas consisted of a clergy blessing and lighting candles. And, those candles would represent how much of winter was left. 

But, the first person to create Groundhog Day was Clymer H. Freas. He was an editor at the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper. Freas claimed to have created the idea of Groundhog Day from the traditions in Punxsutawney around both hunting and barbecuing groundhogs. 

Now, how accurate is the groundhog? Well, the groundhog has only been correct above 30% of the times through the last ten years. And, this year, the groundhog didn’t see its shadow. So, even as the groundhog isn’t always correct, the holiday is a fun way to welcome the change of season and celebrate a long tradition. 

When we think of Valentine’s Day, we think of pink hearts, chocolates, love, and a diaper-wearing, arrow-holding baby. But, who is Cupid and where did he come from?

Cupid is the mythological, ancient Roman god of love, affection, and desire. Yet, what most don’t know is that Cupid’s real name was Eros. And, Cupid, or Eros's, job, as many may know, was that he could make people fall in love with each other by shooting a golden arrow at them. Adding on, Cupid is allegedly the son of the goddess of Venus, or the goddess of love named Aphrodite, and the god of Mars, the god of war. 

And, there is also the story of Psyche, another ancient goddess, that isn’t as commonly recognized by most people. The story goes that Aphrodite was very jealous of the beauty of another goddess, Psyche. So, Aphrodite told Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with a very unworthy and attractive man, yet this backfired because Cupid ended up falling in love with Psyche herself.

Also, Cupid is commonly viewed as a baby, but why is that? Well, Cupid is a baby because it shows the amount of love two people have for each other.

In conclusion, even as Valentine's Day is a generally overlooked holiday, the symbols that go along with it have very interesting history.  

A water boil advisory was posted on Sunday, March 17th. Thousands of water customers were affected by this. The water advisory was caused by a main pipe that broke, and the customers who were affected were east of US-131 and north of Hall Street.  These customers were told not to use their tap water for making ice, drinking water, cooking, and cleaning unless they boiled their water. Flushing the toilet and showering was not a problem and this advisory was only for Grand Rapids water users. Our school was not affected by this because we are in Plainfield Township, northwest of 131 and south of Hall St. These customers were given the clear the morning of March 21st.

Here in Michigan, there are many things you can do for fun in the spring; like sit around and watch TV, or you could go outside and explore the fresh renewed world. Here are some places to start.

You could ride a bike, there are many trails you could take to have a fun scenic ride. You could also hunt for morel mushrooms, which only come around for a little bit of time in the spring, and they're super tasty too. Flower festivals are also in season where you can showcase beautiful flowers among 2.6 million blooming cherry blossom trees. Golfing is a fun sport and the perfect time for it is spring when it's not too hot but not too cold either.

There’s also Isle Royale National Park that you can hike around when it is the perfect weather. In this perfect weather, you should consider taking a trip to Mackinac Island’s own grand hotel before it gets too busy. Going fishing and boating in the spring is perfect for fun in Michigan during spring. And, during the spring is the prime time to be looking for Petoskey stones because of all the melting ice. As well, you can head on to Meijer Gardens and listen to live musical performances that are happening soon.

There are so many things that you could do to truly enjoy the spring in nature and these are just ideas, so go out and find your own by enjoying the many options of spring!