COVID-19, US News

The Legacy of COVID-19

Claire D., journalist

The COVID-19 pandemic has dragged on for nearly a year now, and as we quickly approach the mid-March marker, the world seems to be holding its breath, waiting to see when life can return to the normal we once knew. Unfortunately, with the U.S. reaching over 500,000 lives lost to COVID-19, we will have to find a new normal to abide by, one with smiles missing from our dinner tables. Herd immunity through vaccination is an ongoing, long process, from actually creating the vaccine to then transporting it, and to then getting it into people’s arms, and is not expected to be achieved until the fall of this year. As a nation, it is time to recognize that coronavirus will not simply go away as we had once hoped but will remain part of this world even after the majority of the U.S. has been vaccinated. 

Continue reading “The Legacy of COVID-19” →
Science, Space

The Discovery of Gleis 486b and Why It Matters In The Search For Life, Habitability, and Understanding In Space

Valene M., journalist

Last week on March 4th, astronomers at the CARMENES consortium announced the discovery of the exoplanet Gleis 486b, a rocky and sweltering super-Earth. It closely orbits the red dwarf star Gleis 486 at 24 light-years from Earth, making it relatively close in the grand scheme of space. Although it is 30% larger than Earth and boasts about 2.8 times more mass, it is assumed to be relatively similar to familiar rocky planets like Earth and Venus in its makeup. It is even believed to have a metallic core. In fact, with a projected surface temperature of 430 degrees Celsius, Gleis 486b bears a notable resemblance to the searing Venus, albeit with a thin and insubstantial atmosphere. 

Continue reading “The Discovery of Gleis 486b and Why It Matters In The Search For Life, Habitability, and Understanding In Space” →
Health, Miscellaneous

How Friendships Have Changed During the Pandemic

Paige P., journalist

It has become clear by now that many aspects of life have changed pre-pandemic to the present. With lockdowns, social restrictions, and the rush of everyday life, many people have found it more challenging to maintain or make new friendships in the traditional sense. Now that much more socializing is done through the internet, many people realize differences in opinions, often political, amongst their friends, colleagues, and family. This has made people really think about the people in their lives they want to spend time and energy on. Throughout the pandemic, there has been plenty of time for self-reflection and contemplation on the people you choose to surround yourself with- do they build you up or tear you down? How do they make you feel about yourself? The answer to these questions should point you in the direction of your true friends.

Continue reading “How Friendships Have Changed During the Pandemic” →
Arts, Entertainment, Reviews

Netflix’s “Moxie” Gives Young Women a Sense of Empowerment

Paige P., journalist

On March 3, Netflix started off Women’s History Month with a bang! Moxie, Amy Poehler’s female empowerment themed movie was released. In the setting of a typical American high school, the main character, Vivian (Hadley Robinson) begins to notice and pay closer attention to the issues of sexism that occur on a daily basis all around her. Inspired by her mom’s and passion for feminism and observing the new girl in school, Lucy (Alycia Pascual-Peña) standing up for herself, Vivian distributes copies of an anonymous pamphlet entitled “Moxie.” The pamphlet calls out unacceptable behaviors and actions towards young women in her school in an attempt to make female voices heard and it received a lot of traction. As a result, a group of students also called Moxie forms to protest injustices in their school, big and small, and work to empower not only each other, but everyone in their school (especially young women) who feel as though they are not being heard.

Continue reading “Netflix’s “Moxie” Gives Young Women a Sense of Empowerment” →
Miscellaneous, Opinion

Multitudes of Identity

Maya T., journalist

Why can’t people respect that identity is not black and white? Self-identification correlates with how we feel connections with certain groups, communities, and individuals who share the same experiences. However, we still are unique individuals whose identities and commonalities change over time. So why are people so quickly rejected by communities when they may not fit the profile perfectly, and why do people try to force others to identify with something they do not? Why do bisexuals have to be “gay enough” or “straight enough” when they’re really not either? Why is the African American with white parents considered not black or white enough for either racial setting? Why is society so defined by its divisions?

Continue reading “Multitudes of Identity” →
Europe, Global News, Miscellaneous

A Ceremonial Chariot Has Been Discovered Near Pompeii

Nyma E., Global News Co-Editor

Italian archeologists have unveiled a ceremonial chariot near the Roman city of Pompeii. Other chariots, used for travel and work, have been discovered in the area, but this is the first chariot of this kind that has been uncovered near Pompeii, leading to the excitement of archeologists worldwide. 

Continue reading “A Ceremonial Chariot Has Been Discovered Near Pompeii” →
Health, Miscellaneous, Science

The Toddlers & Tablets Epidemic

Giuliana C., US News Department Co-Editor

Gen Alpha. The first generation to be born into a completely digitized world in which they are handed an iPad immediately after they emerge from the womb. They bring the devices to the grocery store, restaurants, and even the dinner table, glued to the screen and unable to look away as if the thousands of pixels set them into a deep hypnotic state. But this excess time spent attached to a screen comes with a price and even some side effects we aren’t fully aware of yet.

Continue reading “The Toddlers & Tablets Epidemic” →
COVID-19, US News

A Murky Future: COVID-19’s Effects on College Admissions and Post-Secondary Plans

Nastia G., Arts Department Co-Editor

As college decision season rolls around, the full effects of the coronavirus on the college admissions process are becoming brazenly clear. Along with claiming the lives of over 500,000 U.S. residents alone, COVID-19 also affects the futures of over 20 million teenagers (ages 15-19) across the country. Graduation and what used to be prom season is just around the corner, and many communities are acknowledging the unfortunate cancellations of these in-person high school events with sympathy. Some schools are even working on creative ways to allow these cherished teenage milestones to persist even under stringent safety protocols. There is no doubt about it- high school juniors and seniors are not having the high school experience they waited for, and it is unfair. But the sad truth is that not even a magical prom or in-person graduation ceremony will amend the anger and disappointment high schoolers nationwide feel. The real brunt of coronavirus on teenagers is not that it forces high school experiences to look different but that it seriously impacts life beyond graduation and makes the future even murkier.

Continue reading “A Murky Future: COVID-19’s Effects on College Admissions and Post-Secondary Plans” →
Miscellaneous, School

Personal Finance Should Be Required

Emma D., Arts Department Co-Editor

Word Cloud by www.epictop10.com

Taking my high school’s Personal Finance course last semester was one of the best decisions I ever made. Although I was apprehensive about approaching a subject I knew little about at first, I now find myself having acquired a high level of financial literacy. I know how to create a budget, open a bank account, calculate interest, read a stock table and much more. These are skills that will serve me throughout my entire life, especially as I head off to college later this year. 

Continue reading “Personal Finance Should Be Required” →