By Ellery Wilbur - Writer - November 22nd 2025

What does 6-7 actually mean?

Whether it's an inside joke, circulating meme, or just two basic numbers, nobody has a definition for what this slang term is. It is brain rot. By definition brain rot is one's mental deterioration due to social media. People across the globe scroll endlessly on their phones falling into a pit of short videos that expose them to simple, but illogical ideas. But has anyone actually done anything to prevent teens from rotting their growing brains? Podcasts, articles, and psychologists discuss wellness and psychological wellbeing and emphasize the need to ban phones for teens and promote the negative impact on the new anxious generation. Sadly, nothing changes.  Society recognizes the need for change, yet nobody has a solution to this lasting issue. A study conducted in May of 2025 by Tori DeAngelis who is a part of the American Psychological Association shows that “the average time a teen spends on social media is 4.8 hours each day. ” This is one fifth of each day spent scrolling, damaging your brain. We must lessen the impact of brain rot caused by social media. 

Although social media can connect people it will also control your attention and leave you feeling like you wasted your time. We know that there is a problem but change isn't anywhere near. Taking a stand to change the way that teens approach social media should be a priority. While people talk about it all the time there isn't a clear fix. First, people need to understand the real damage that constant scrolling causes. “Popcorn Brain,” a term used by Dana Nobel, describes jumping from task to task with a short attention span just like popcorn kernels due to the lack of concentration that social media is engraving on our futures. Not only do teens find themselves struggling to read a full book, but they are unable to watch an entire movie without starting a new task. Social media is quite literally controlling our everyday actions and ability to focus.

Why use social media at all then? Social media does play a role in exploring new ideas within our society. For teens, connecting with others through different social groups and taking in insightful information allows for personal growth and feeling of belonging. The Office of the Surgeon General says that social media “provides a space for information to be received along with personal expression.” Although social media does provide some purposes, that isn't the main point of social media. The temptation which draws many innocent teens into social media is actually harmful in the end. 

How is change really going to be made? Through laws and regulations or scientific studies? No with YOU. Change within others lives begins with bold actions. Start setting habits, creating screen time limits, or turning your notifications off. Do something to change to not get stuck in social media's nasty loop. YOU have the power to change your future and stop furthering brain rot.

Work Cited

DeAngelis, Tori. “Teens Are Spending Nearly 5 Hours Daily on Social Media. Here Are the Mental Health Outcomes.” American Psychological Association, 1 Apr. 2024, www.apa.org/monitor/2024/04/teen-social-use-mental-health.

Nobel Dana. “5 Things to Know about “Popcorn Brain” - Mayo Clinic Press.” Mayo Clinic Press, 12 Sept. 2024, mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/5-things-to-know-about-popcorn-brain/.

Office of the Surgeon General. “Social Media Has Both Positive and Negative 

Impacts on Children and Adolescents.” Www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, US Department of Health and Human Services, 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK594763/.

By Joann Kariapuram - Writer - November 22nd, 2025

        “As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain,” said the family of Harper Moyski, a child murdered at the Annunciation Catholic school shooting. On August 27, 2025 during a morning mass at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Robin Westman opened fire through the stained glass window of the church. Two children were brutally killed and others were left injured (Bateman). With this being one of many tragedies, students across America walk into classrooms with fear that they too could one day become the next headline. Gun violence has become a national crisis, and it’s necessary for our government to take action to protect students through stronger gun laws.

          The increase in gun violence is a broader issue. According to Renuka Rayasam, a senior correspondent for KFF Health News, “Every year tens of thousands of Americans—one every few minutes—are killed by gun violence on the scale of a public health epidemic.” People are suffering the consequences of this crisis at an exponential rate. This reveals how the increase in firearm misuse exposes a nation failing to keep its people safe. 

          Schools have been a major target of gun violence. The Everytown Research & Policy, a research based nonprofit states “In 2025 there were at least 141 incidents of gunfire on school grounds, resulting in 44 deaths and 129 injuries nationally.” Behind every statistic like this, are students like us sitting in classrooms hoping to build their futures, not knowing that a single gunshot can take it all away. As students we shouldn’t have to wonder if today’s drill could be real. While the government continues to debate, students' lives are being lost.

          The National Museum Australia, a government backed institution, explained after one mass shooting in 1996 where 35 people were killed in Port Arthur the Australian government quickly took action. They passed the National Firearms Agreement, banning certain guns and creating national rules for licensing, registration, and safe storage. Initially, these reforms faced backlash, however they ultimately proved successful in reducing gun violence. 

          While Australia acted quickly to protect its citizens, American students are still forced to live with a constant fear of gun violence in their own classrooms. Unlike Australia, America has faced an increase in school shootings, yet the government continues to remain divided. While Australian students attend school without fear because of their government’s proper response, American students continue to live with anxiety. 

          Critics of stronger gun laws argue that the second amendment protects an individual's right to own and carry firearms, viewing any restriction as a violation of freedom. Although the second amendment guarantees citizens the right to own a gun, it doesn't mean there should be no limits for guns, especially when it interferes with public safety. We may disagree on solutions, but we can all agree no student, parent, or teacher should fear the place meant to shape futures. It’s time for our leaders to protect our classrooms. 

Works Cited

Bateman, Tom. "Minneapolis School Attacker 'Obsessed with Idea of Killing Children', Officials Say." BBC, 28 Aug. 2025, www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g0lyny7ydo. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.

"Gunfire on School Grounds in the United States." Everytown Research Policy, 2025, everytownresearch.org/maps/gunfire-on-school-grounds/. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.

"Port Arthur Massacre." National Museum Australia, 4 Oct. 2024, www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/port-arthur-massacre. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.

Rayasam, Renuka. "Guns, Race and Profit: The Pain of America's Other 

Epidemic." ProQuest, Louisiana Illuminator, 20 Aug. 2025, www.proquest.com/docview/3241283742?accountid=45111&parentSessionId=pWZxPttcJl5VQnakXMGTZylTz5IaXHLNGEGiJ%2FlT6Gc%3D&sourcetype=Blogs,%20Podcasts,%20&%20Websites. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.

By Grace Schierenbeck - Writer - November 22nd, 2025

What better represents your education level; your performance throughout all of high school, or your score on one standardized test? In many cases the standardized test outweighs all the hard work you have put into your years in school. However, is this a fair measurement of what you have learned? There are so many outside factors that play into your performance, and combined with the stress around standardized testing, scores may significantly decrease in how accurate of a representation. Students stay up all night studying for tests that determine their college acceptance, which in the end alters their performance. There is this unnecessary stigma around these tests that leads teens to do the most, affecting their health and performance. While some colleges have already established test-optional policies, it is important that it becomes the norm for most.

As a junior in high school, I already feel stressed out and behind regarding the  ACT and SAT. I have never performed well on standardized tests, and knowing that this next test could alter my future, it’s a little nerve wracking. Standardized tests used to be a measurement of how well our teachers have done with teaching us certain skills, but now they are predictors of our future. 

Test-Optional Policies are so important to keep. Many students who don’t perform well on tests have gone on to get into great colleges due to the implication of this policy. Currently, many colleges are changing their restrictions on test scores, some are going back to test-required, and some are making use of test-optional policies. According to College Board, which has been a trusted website for AP students since the 1950s; “close to 50% of applications include test scores” , and although this is a change, it does not erase the amount of stress and anxiety that comes up around test time. Completely erasing these emotions is extremely unrealistic, but schools should do their best to recognize the pressure and not feed into it.

       Although many people are in favor of this test-optional policy, a large population may argue otherwise. Many believe that by having these standardized tests we are able to see the averages for countries, and notice the changes. Yes, that may be true, but if that is the main reason for the tests, should there be such a huge weight of stress put on students? Some stress can be self-provoked, however these important standardized tests receive so much of the spotlight in all areas, which stresses out students even more.

       Although there will always be flaws in how test scores are weighted, there should continue to be a push towards larger amounts of Test-Optional policies. It is very important that students don’t have to shy away from college applications due to a number. Test scores should never have to define someone's education, or , more importantly, who they are.

Works Cited

“What Is Test Optional?” BigFuture,

bigfuture.collegeboard.org/plan-for-college/apply-to-college/what-is-test-optional. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025. 

Daniel Han, Tae C. The Student Life: Claremont Colleges News - Automattic

Inc.: OPINION: Test Scores don’t Define Us: Why Test-Optional must Stay. Newstex, Singer Island, 2025. ProQuest, https://content.elibrarymn.org/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fblogs-podcasts-websites%2Fstudent-life-claremont-colleges-news-automattic%2Fdocview%2F3172034990%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D45111.

By Amelia Tranter - Writer - November 22nd, 2025

The end of the quarter is often a hectic time for Eastview students; on top of their extracurricular and personal obligations, students are left scrambling to prepare for “finals week”, a period of heavy testing across subjects. Whether that means staying up all night, chugging energy drinks, or simply giving up and scrolling on tiktok, it seems like there are no easy options for students amidst this testing wave. 

The issue extends far beyond Eastview, however. Nationwide, the average number of tests per school has increased by 217% since 2010 (“Education at a Glance 2025”). The result of this national testing craze has been a plethora of research showing that a high volume of tests do not benefit students. They do not lead to more classroom engagement, and they do not better prepare students for the future. In fact, tests have done the exact opposite of what they were intended to. A study published in the National Library of Medicine found that over‑testing “has the potential to lead to decreases in student achievement”, and even reported a “correlation between test numbers and mental health problems in adolescents such as anxiety and depression.”

Now, does this mean that schools should immediately drop all testing?

  Of course not, but there are steps that schools could take to curb this issue. For starters, the U.S. can adopt the educational methods of countries with the happiest and most academically successful populations. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development reported that Scandinavian countries such as Finland “place little emphasis on individual testing or measurement-driven accountability…Though scores are outstanding, they have no regular national tests.” Instead of sitting for an exam, Finnish high school students conclude the school year by pairing up with a younger peer to pursue a project of their choosing; students may decide to create a flower pot that monitors soil health, or draft a treaty for the Finnish parliament, or even design a line of eco-friendly clothing. If American schools replaced even just a few tests with such projects, students would see dramatic benefits. Schools also need to avoid cramming multiple tests into one week. Teachers should collaborate closely to ensure that students have adequate time to prepare for each assessment. 

 It’s time we started seeing students as more than just data points; moving away from our toxic culture of testing will support the health of our students while bolstering academic performance. We can foster an environment where the end of the quarter doesn't mean pulling all-nighters and abusing energy drinks, but rather, engaging in projects that promote true passion and learning.

Works Cited

The effect of study preparation on test anxiety and performance: a quasi-experimental study, 21 May 2025, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6524999/. Accessed 3 November 2025.

“Education at a Glance 2025.” OECD, 9 September 2025, 

https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/education-at-a-glance-2025_1c0d9c79-en.html. Accessed 3 November 2025.

by Krish Muppuru - Writer - November 22, 2025

In our schools today, grades are prioritized much more than growth. For a lot of us at Eastview, learning isn’t about curiosity anymore, it’s just to get a passing grade. That’s why Eastview should implement portfolio based assessments to account for all students’ learning capabilities and prevent letter grades from stressing out students and undermining creativity. The problem isn’t that students don’t care enough to learn, but more that the school system makes it hard to desire the education aspect of school rather than the benefits of a high, passing grade. 

        Modern education seems like a system built for efficiency rather than one for rewarding hard workers. Our schools measure intelligence by test scores and GPAs, rather than pushing students to use real critical thinking. We’re expected to cram for tests, forget the material within days, and repeat the cycle each week. Portfolio based assessments evaluate a student’s progress over time with a collection of their work throughout the year, which would be much more effective to help students use creativity rather than conform with the assignment’s requirements.

        According to the American Psychological Association, nearly 45% of high school students say they feel stressed most or all of the time over schoolwork. That’s not a sign of motivation, it’s a warning light for our mental health and success. Many of us stay up long past midnight finishing assignments that teach us less about the world and more about how to survive burnout. 

        My argument isn’t that grades or structure are useless. Accountability is important, and grades can motivate students and help teachers track progress. But letter grades becoming the only language of achievement causes them to become a stress factor which is less motivating and more harmful.

        Our schools should focus more on growth rather than following standards. Instead of punishing mistakes, what if they encouraged risks? Lots of universities experiment with portfolio-based assessments to encourage creativity and improvisation which reduces pressure on the students. Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education uses PBA in several programs to evaluate growth over time. This allows students to practice creativity and compile their research and projects to reflect their grade rather than cramming for tests and struggling to manage time. Eastview could incorporate things like PBA, reflection-based grading, or flexible deadlines because it would prioritize mastery and understanding over memorization.

        Some students feel like the current system pushes them to work harder and teach responsibility, but there’s a difference between challenge and pressure. Many students have difficulties learning specific material or focusing, which can make them seem like a bad student on paper, when really they could be extremely intelligent, but bad at taking tests or struggling with learning in a conventional classroom environment.

         We need a school culture that values curiosity, not conformity. To prepare us for the real world, education should reflect the real world’s requirements that can benefit people, such as creativity, problem solving, and communication. Our schools will keep producing stressed students instead of motivated thinkers if we keep prioritizing grades over growth. Implementing portfolio based assessments into Eastview would help account for everyone’s learning capabilities in the way that we need.

Sources

“Stress in America 2022 Concerned for the Future, Beset by Inflation.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2022/concerned-future-inflation. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025. 

“What Is Performance-Based Assessment?”, edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/events/materials/2011-06-linked-learning-performance-based-assessment.pdf. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025. 

By Emma Stok - Writer - November 22, 2023

Many people have grown up watching animated Disney movies, but recently the live-action adaptations of these films have been beginning to become more popular. Despite this recent focus, the original films will always be better because they are what made Disney famous from the start. Movies like Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and so many more were a huge part of my early childhood, and over time I have grown a huge attachment to these films. I remember watching these all with my family, enough that I knew—or at least thought I knew—every word to every song that played. I would also constantly dress up like my favorite princesses by wearing bright and sparkly dresses with little plastic heels. These memories can never be replaced by any new version of a story. 

          Although there are a large number of Disney movie adaptations made over the years, the majority of them will never live up to the animated originals. Many aspects of animated movies simply cannot be recreated with the same effect in real life. The 2019 version of “The Lion King” uses incredibly realistic CGI to illustrate Simba and the other animals, but it has been criticized for having a lack of emotion because real animals cannot express emotions like the loveable animated characters can. This is also seen in the 2023 “The Little Mermaid”, with less exciting but realistic ocean scenes and creatures, which darkens the overall mood of the story. Entertainment critic Kelly Lawler explains the impact that “Every change −to aesthetics, to story, to soundtracks, to length −that is required to make these films ‘live action’ chips away at the magic of the originals”. These adjustments do not make the movie better or even compare to the original, despite the goals of more drastic changes in stories. 

          Several adaptations completely change the story or leave out important aspects of the original. If a movie was loved enough to make a remake, then there is no reason to fix something that already works. Some upsetting examples of this are the absence of Mushu the dragon in “Mulan” from 2020, or the addition of a completely new character in the 2019 “Aladdin”, a handmaid named Dalia. These changes may not seem important, but they have a significant impact on the story and overall message of the movie. Live-action films can only be as captivating as the actors, settings, and editing make it, but the visuals are never able to fully meet the expectations of the audience. The true excitement of animation for all ages is that there is no limit to creativity. 

          However, not everyone has the same memories and nostalgia associated with Disney. Younger generations today have more exposure to all sorts of entertainment with plenty of options to choose from, and many adults may have seen more Disney films with their kids than when they were kids themselves. Some people would argue that live-action adaptations are more modern and realistic than the originals, but that does not prove them to be any better. No matter the abundance of newer adaptations, the magic of Disney will always be remembered through the stories that made Disney famous in the first place.

By Norah Brusco - Editor - November 13th, 2023

Which is better? Ostriches or chickens? 

Recently, the left-leaning media has been filled with chicken littles who scream  “the sky is falling, the sky is falling” about climate change. Everyday, headlines blare The Purge-esque sirens about our climate: forests are burning, algae blooms are poisoning the ocean, and earthquakes are shattering the foundations of the strongest buildings. Articles with these headlines go even more in-depth using terrifying language. One Californian photographer described forests as where “tangles of bony branches obscure the ground…An aura of doom hangs over the green conifers that remain.” This deathly description creates despair in the reader. 

While it’s important to sound the alarm about the environment, fear mongering goes too far. Fear mongering evokes a feeling of fright and resignation for the state of the planet, creating an aura of pessimism that makes it hard to care. We cycle through normal days and give up on creating change. We hug our parents, take a history test, and gossip at lunch. We try not to think about the climate because it is frightening. But there isn’t anything we could do. It’s just unfortunate. There isn’t a solution. This type of reporting adequately captures the situation at hand, but it reduces people’s willingness to make change.

While the left wing media is playing the part of Chicken Little, their right-wing contemporaries act as the opposite-ostriches. The right wing media bury their heads in the sand around the climate crisis by dangling other topics in front of their readers. A recent NPR study found that 74% of Republicans were willing to sacrifice the climate if it meant economic prosperity. Maureen Dowd, a columnist at the New York Times, writes that “republicans have been weaponizing fear, trying to scare us about gays and transgender rights and ambitious women and people with darker skin.” By pushing an agenda of hatred and eternal economic growth, they are able to distract from the climate crisis. Right wing presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy recently declared that “climate change is a hoax” on the presidential stage. The right-wing media is an expert at being the ostrich and denying the problem.

So, what should our media look like, ostriches or chicken littles? Well, neither. Some might argue that the chicken littles raise awareness and the ostriches speak on important topics. Despite this, it’s imperative that the media take a middle course when describing the environment. By doing this, people are well informed but not scared out of their wits. This is best seen through my sister, Maureen, a chemistry student at NYU. Maureen is well versed in the apocalyptic state of the world. Yet, she is a leader in Sprout Up, a national organization that seeks to educate elementary school kids about the environment. I was shocked at the individual initiative she took to better our climate. She was able to navigate the chicken littles and the ostriches of the world and make change.

Thus, reporters are responsible for finding a happy medium. Until that happens (which given the state of reporting, it could be a while), we must be responsible consumers. Don't let fear mongering nor denial stop you from bettering our climate. Pay attention. Make change.

By Max Huberty - Editor - November 15, 2023

In our collective pursuit of perfection, the decision to inflate our grades and scores seems easy. A Business Insider report by Chris Weller revealed that from 1998 to 2016, the percentage of A-average students in high school jumped from 38.9% to 47%. Meanwhile, Weller’s report also showed that the average SAT score during this same period actually fell from 1026 to 1002. While not entirely destructive, America’s grade inflation hurts all high school students, especially low-income students, by unequally removing the value and learning behind everyone’s grades. 

The incessant awarding of participation trophies in kid athletics has made trophies – well-earned or not – much less meaningful. Just like trophies, an A means less when every other student in your school has that same A on their transcript. More than for just As, students’ transcripts suffer worse under grade inflation by making other grades more of a sticking point. In order to return value to As and improve the views of the rest of letters, grade inflation needs to be remedied. 

The loss of grades’ value are especially harmful when considering that the impact is distributed unequally. In the Titanic, lifeboats kept the first-class passengers afloat while leaving third-class passengers, like Jack, to sink. Grade inflation acts as an educational lifeboat that only benefits those who can pay for it. Catherine Gerwitz, a senior contributing editor for Education Week, divulged that the average GPA for students at private independent schools jumped 8% from 1998 to 2016. During this same time frame, average GPA for urban public school students went up only 0.6%. This discrepancy in rising GPAs convolutes the college admission processes as admission officers try to account for grade inflation with class rank, but still often prefer those with high GPAs and class rank over those with lower GPAs and comparable class rank. 

No matter what type of student you are, grade inflation reduces the quality of your education. Painting over cracks in a wall fails to address the structural issues in a house – grade inflation works the same way. Giving artificially higher grades while never fixing underlying issues in students’ understanding of topics leaves gaps in our educations. Grade inflation moves the focus away from what is important; the grades we get will eventually not matter, but the actual skills we learned can have lasting impacts on our lives. 

Even knowing the problems of grade inflation, I can still understand the appeal. When I think about all of my tests that are coming up, I find it hard not to advocate for grade inflation. During the last week of quarter four, I would have told you without hesitation that Mr. Meyer and Mr. Haugh and Mrs. Durocher should all give me easy As in Chemistry and Math and English. Overall though, the difficulty of these classes is what motivated me to gain a deeper understanding of content matter and actually earn my grades.  

By Maggie Xu - Writer - November 15, 2023

People frequently associate “the future” with “growing up.” And it’s cute when a child openly declares that they wish to become a mad scientist who cooks up disaster in an underground lair, but as adolescence nears to an end, high-schoolers begin to wonder what they really should do. Jobs like engineer, accountant, doctor, lawyer, and computer programmer are regarded as the most obvious smart choices because they promise financial security; for many high-schoolers, the only motive is to get rich. Here is where I urge others to reevaluate. How much do you actually care about the job you’re planning to pursue? Is it worth the years you’ll spend in graduate school slowly losing your will to live? Trust me, I understand the pressure to do well for yourself, however, your passion matters—your stupid childhood dream matters. 

To be clear, I am not advocating for students to throw away their studies and chase dreams blindly, rather, students shouldn’t feel compelled to narrow down their options to the practical, white-collar professions that they feel no spark towards. However, in the face of the current economy and rising costs of living, our generation has adopted a stubborn mentality that there is nothing of greater value in life than money. On Handshake, a career site for college students, an anonymous class of 2024 industrial engineering major openly admits, “I don’t have a preference on what industry or job title I work for. I just want a high salary and benefits in a job.” It concerns me that a lot of people share the same attitude. Say, your dream is to be a lawyer—go for it! But I’d hope it’s not solely for profit. I hope you are purposeful about your actions and your clients, and that you picked that path because you are at least a little bit interested in dealing with legal matters or in the betterment of our justice system. A satisfying career should not be like a chore done for an allowance. When deciding to pursue a career, passion should be considered on the same level as income. In a Workplace study by Gallup, young millennials and Gen Z have reported lower engagement rates and higher burnout and stress rates. These feelings are prevalent causes of the “job hopping” many young employees experience. We need to understand that in the long-run, a loathsome job can hinder your happiness and your success. 

This summer, my family took a trip down to Chicago and we visited the Shedd Aquarium. We stayed to watch the dolphin show, which was definitely a highlight of our day. The perceptible joy and energy of the dolphin trainers had been enough to convince even my immigrant dad that loving your job is truly important. The amount of money you make is less so. Coming from him, this was very validating to me. I believe that even if your aspirations are wild, the people closest to you will come to support you. Though at times it may seem less beneficial diverging from the safe and conventional route, when your work is fueled by desire, each day is meaningful, and each day is progress. Ultimately, pursuing your passion is well worth the risk; it is infinitely more rewarding spending a lifetime doing something you love than something you don’t.

By Ashton Abram - Editor - November 15, 2023

There's no bigger change in your high school life than when you get your driver's license. Bringing new freedoms and opportunities, it's no surprise that we all race to get them as soon as possible, especially since car ownership is necessary to get just about anywhere in parts of the country like Apple Valley. It's this lack of choice, though, that I think we all ought to have a problem with. As young suburbanites, it's about time we take a long hard look at our relationship with cars to understand the desperate need for a restructuring of our cities and transportation.

The most immediate effects of the number of cars on our roads are the pollutants they emit. Something as simple as noise from vehicles can be a real issue for people in our area. I grew up in a house backed up to Pilot Knob, a fifty mile per hour four lane road. For twelve years of my life, something as simple as keeping a window open at night was a non-option, and I grew up just accepting the constant roar of engines in my backyard. On top of this, the emissions from these vehicles are just plain bad for you. Vehicular exhaust and emissions account for 23% of the carbon emissions in Washington D.C., a number that would be higher in a more spread out city like Apple Valley. Combined with other kicked up particles, this can have serious effects on your breathing and lung health. All of this for vehicles we embrace without questioning.

Even more appalling are the human costs of car-based cities. 7,508 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents in 2022 according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Organization. Since childhood we are taught to look both ways, to be ready to run from the street, to know that it is a child’s responsibility to prevent an accident. Pedestrians obviously have responsibilities, but it’s not normal to feel afraid of the space right in front of your home. It's not normal to accept the fact that thousands will die every year because that's just the way the world is. It's not normal for us to stand idly by while this issue is right in front of us. Why do we let this happen? 

There is no acceptable answer.

When it comes to facing this car crisis, there are no easy solutions. People may say it just takes too much time, effort, and money that meaningful change is unrealistic. But at the end of the day, there is no cost greater than the lives lost by inaction. Journalist Jamelle Bouie explains in the New York Times how in the short term, “effective traffic enforcement” and “automated traffic cameras… have been shown to reduce the number of vehicle crashes and deaths” (Bouie). Changing infrastructure with processes like “road dieting,” where roads are slimmed from four to two lanes with centers for left turns, can also be used to decrease crashes by up to 47% and slow traffic. Increasing funding for sidewalks, bike lanes, and public transportation that can get cars off the road all also have a role to play. It’s about time we understand the America we live in is ours to shape to create a better future.