Spirit Week Assembly
Spirit Week 2022 started with a blast. On Monday, we saw everyone’s visible regret of going to class with pajama day. Tuesday, we had meme day and the Spirit Week Assembly. We saw how deep the love for everyone’s halls are with the troubles of Jeopardy. It had some sense of surrealness with the arguing about jeopardy questions accompanied by Dr. Frye’s blue curtain. Overall ending with Curie winning the Jeopardy competition. On Thursday we saw a clear generation gap between the interpretation of Adam Sandler’s day, where most of the students just wore baggy clothes and most teachers dressed up as different Adam Sandler type characters from his films. On Friday we saw everyone decked out in their hall shirts, and then goofy Olympics started, eventually resulting in Einstein winning Goofy Olympics.
-Mekhi Stennis, ASMS junior
Pi Store Satire
As I walk into Bedsole, I always walk past where you used to live. Your sign was taken down and I miss your discounted goodies. When I am hungry now, I must trek to the vending machines. The lack of someone posting “Pi Store is OPEN!!!” Every 9PM from Monday – Thursday just makes me wonder about the past. Pi Store remains in the heart of us all. A figment of our youth, like Toys R Us.
-Mekhi Stennis, ASMS junior
Family Day
As spirit week came to a close, ASMS welcomed the families of the students to meet the instructors of ASMS. In the same rotation that students go through daily. Following that there was a Boys vs. Girl volleyball watched by the parents. The game was very close with the sets being 1-1. In the third set the girls team dominated resulting in a win of 25-17. Resulting in the win of ASMS’s volleyball team.
-Mekhi Stennis, ASMS junior
Beyoncé Renaissance Album Review
Bold, fierce, and unique- at least that’s how Beyoncé wants you to feel when listening to her new album RENAISSANCE. 6 years after Lemonade. Beyoncé comes back punching with her new poppy house music seventh studio album. RENAISSANCE shows Beyoncé in a new light while still preserving those amazing vocals we have come to know from Beyoncé. Her seventh student album sounds like an anthem for liberation, release, self-assuredness, and unfiltered confidence. RENAISSANCE embodies the playful and energetic feeling of getting off work paid and ready for the weekend. From the house music of the Mississippi river with a sample of New Orleans’ Bounce Artist Big Freedia’s “Explode” in her chart topping single “Break My Soul” to the Afro-tech of Grace Jones and Tems in “MOVE” and the funky roller-skating disco feeling of “CUFF IT” Beyoncé shows us an elegantly composed variety of sounds that pulls you in. If you have a spare hour and two minutes, I suggest giving RENAISSANCE by Beyoncé a listen. It is a great revolutionary album.
-Mekhi Stennis, ASMS junior
Taylor Swift Midnight Album Reveal
Taylor Swift announced her first brand new album in 2 years at the 2022 MTV VMAs, shocking many fans. During Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for winning the MTV award for video of the year for her short film, all too well, she announced she was releasing a brand-new album October 21st. However, she waited until midnight to reveal the album's name, midnight, on her social media. Taylor Swift has been known to hide “Easter eggs” (hidden messages or secrets). In her acceptance speech she said, “I’ll tell you more at midnight.” Dropping the name of the Album without us even knowing. The new album also has 13 songs. Not only is her birthday December 13th but she’s also stated that 13 is her lucky number, multiple times. “Midnight,” her new album has 13 songs written about 13 sleepless nights. Taylor also announced her album at the same place where Kanye West infamously took the mic from her during her acceptance speech, 13 years ago. Her album release will also be on Kim Kardashians 42nd birthday, Kanye West’s ex-wife. In her acceptance speech/album announcement she also wore a similar dress to the one she wore when Kanye took the microphone from her.
-Anonymous
Fairies
Fairies are creatures that have influenced most of our childhoods in some way. They’re in movies and books as cute little creatures full of giggles and non-harmful pranks, as creatures who give children a gift for their teeth, and in some works that even revert back to fairies being creatures to fear. We hear stories about them constantly as we grow up, the ideal mythical creatures that children fall in love with so easily in their glamor and movie magic, though fairies used to be creatures to truly fear.
Back hundreds and hundreds of years ago in the empires that would soon be called ancient, fairies were creatures that were truly feared. Through modernization, we have seen different versions of them in our beloved childhoods as they are now commonly shown as pure beings of nature itself. Fairies took on a transformation much like mermaids did, more commonly known back then as sirens. Both mythical creatures caused doom for humans, though they have transformed over the years.There have been different types of fairies throughout time to the point where even in our beloved Pixie Hollow we are introduced to the types of fairies created in modern times. Even Headless Horseman was a demonic fairy, though most fairies were known to be demonic in their early creation. Perhaps one of the most popular stories that involve fairies and their mischief is Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a play that influenced the minds of older generations in their adulthood with the famous Puck.
Fairies are seen throughout all of our lives in works such as Peter Pan, Cinderella, and so many more. The question many find themselves facing once they reach the realization that fairies were not always such great creatures is “What happened?”.
Fairies, like everything else in the world, are changed by the influence of different cultures, conquests, and religious affiliations. While fairies were still seen as scary when the land of now Ireland was pagan, fairies became associated with demons once the Roman Empire conquered the land and brought Christianity along with it. It is instances like this throughout life that have influenced different versions of this mythical creature and many more.
Regardless of how they are seen in terms of history, they are pretty fantastic characters that appear throughout our lives. Whether they are evil or not, these creatures brought magic to our childhoods in a way that would be incomplete without them today.
"A Brief History of Fairies." 5 Minute History, fiveminutehistory.com/the-history-of-fairies/. Accessed 15 Mar. 2022.
- Becca McAuliffe, ASMS Senior
Tangled Is Better Than Frozen
Satire
Ah, yes. The dreaded debate: Tangled is better than Frozen. Two movies that came out when our current seniors had not even reached the fifth grade. Childhood is a magical time where we, as humans, still had hope for non-existent things like Santa and the future, and where we, as children, watched Disney movies to pass the long hours. Tangled and Frozen were instant hits with catchy tunes and wicked backstories, and of course, new princesses. The only issue with this was that once Frozen came out, everyone completely forgot about Tangled, especially when Frozen 2 was in the works. Of course, when this was brought up to the creators of Tangled, they themselves had limited comments on the matter, simply stating that since Rapunzel’s hair was “cut off”, the story was cut off, too. How despicable. Because of this, it is my duty as a most passionate editor to explain why Tangled is indeed better than Frozen.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love Frozen. A great movie in a great Disney era where adjectives seemed to be a good fit for movie titles. But in all honesty, I would much rather be tangled than frozen. I mean, if you're frozen, then you’re dead. But if you’re tangled? All you need are some scissors and you’re the bee’s knees. It is because of this that I articulately state that even with the comparison of titles, Tangled has the better adjective.
Number two: the horses in Tangled have a much better personality than in Frozen. Maximus literally can do everything but speak English while Anna’s unnamed horse throws her in icy water in the middle of a tundra and runs back to the enemy. Now, even though this is true, I will say it is safe to have some hope. I mean, if it takes the creators of Cinderella three movies to give the prince a personality, I’m sure if there is a third Frozen installment, a personality is indeed possible.
Now perhaps the most important part of this entire argument – Pascal is a better sidekick than any other creature in Frozen. He’s classy, sassy, and the color of grassy. This sneaky little chameleon is the Little Debbi to Rapunzel’s full-size Deborah, a classic pair that is simply unbeatable.
I don’t mean to bore you, your honors, but facts are facts, and in this case, my opinion is a fact. Tangled is and always will be better than Frozen. To the next era, my friends, in the new age of adjectives and better personalities for horses.
- Becca McAuliffe, ASMS Senior
A Message On Hope
Hope is a way for people to maintain a shred of positivity in the midst of one’s war with doubt. Nearly everyone has felt hope for something in their lives, and almost all have come to a point where they simply gave up on it. Though universally seen as a loss of something fundamental, giving up hope can often be a healthy and refreshing experience. It allows one to take a more active role in their life, pursue more fulfilling paths, and stay open-minded to irregularity. To this end, refusing to give up hope can sometimes be harmful to change, and maintaining it can sometimes hurt oneself or others.
The need for action tends to be dismissed by hope, which alone does not bring change. The passive nature of hope often leaves much to be desired as far as progress goes as it is, in itself, not action. Though hope strengthens the overall confidence to carry through with action, the most hope can do is encourage it. Relying on hope alone to solve problems will not carry forth a solution if action itself is not possible. Furthermore, hope can be dismissive of responsibility for change, providing the belief that it can make change on its own. Though some things eventually work themselves out in the end, most of them require at least some initiative. Holding the belief that hope will eventually bring change will only leave one waiting for as long as they stay hopeful. Understanding that hope is not everything and that it can be harmful to initiative is key to ensuring that it does not eventually harm one’s ability to make change.
Additionally, maintaining hope in something when it is no longer in one’s best interest to do so can be costly and even render one hopeless in the future. When a pursuit does not bear fruit, continuing to hope that it will could waste time or resources. Though people are taught to never give up on their dreams, some things simply aren’t attainable, and continuing to strive for them can make other goals or even daily life harder. Instead, understanding that limits exist and healthily choosing to pursue something else can promote far more room for advancement, which even offers the option of coming back to whatever it is later. Alternatively, continuing beyond the healthy limits of pursuing something in the name of hope can distort positive perceptions of the future if it never works out. Though everyone handles grief differently, coming to terms with the reality of failure can be difficult after getting one’s hopes up. Addressing the idea that not everything will work out can avoid the negativity of believing that there is no point in hoping for anything in the future. Realizing that refusing to give up hope can have consequences such as draining oneself or losing the willingness to hope altogether is necessary to avoid hurting oneself.
Finally, rejecting the idea of giving up hope can leave one close-minded to new ideas and possibilities, which can be detrimental to one’s relationship with others. Refusing to believe that things will not turn out any differently than hoped can leave friends and family feeling alienated. Though it is generally polite to embrace different beliefs, expecting others to do so without receiving the same treatment can put a damper on relationships. Suspending hope for brief moments at the least can allow one to see others’ viewpoints and learn to respect their interpretations of a situation. Choosing to stay hopeful and willingly refusing to see things for the way they are causes relationships to sour. Though everyone has ideas they will always hold onto, the stagnation of refusing to change one’s way of looking at things can leave others feeling as if they will never change. Such relationships, just like pursuits, can be draining and will likely cause discord. Avoiding the costly effects stubborn hope can have such as alienation and abandonment is essential to avoid hurting others.
In the end, though maintaining hope usually has positive ramifications, so too can it have negative ones. Treating hope as more valuable than it is devalues action and the need to ensure progress. Refusing to give up hope on something unsuccessful will neglect the idea that it will not change and can leave one doubting the ability for change in the future. Remaining overly hopeful leaves one unexposed to differing viewpoints and could make relationships unbearable. Living life in moderation is key, and as with all things, sometimes there is such a thing as too much hope.
-D.J., ASMS Junior
Cats Are Where It's At
Perhaps it has become more of a recent movement that has led to a large mass of the current population to explain how they hate cats, though perhaps it has been there all along. Regardless of how long this “trend” has been around, most of us throughout our lifetimes will hear people explain why they do not like cats. Most often, the conversation begins with the argument that cats are mean, soulless creatures, with the argument normally ending with the statement that this non-cat-person is actually just allergic to cats so they cannot really be around them for that reason and that reason alone, not because cats are evil.
Regardless of this, it is safe to say that cats are amazing little companions to have in life because cats are where it’s at. Cats are typically low maintenance animals who clean themselves and are self-sufficient. They’re much easier to potty train and are warriors when it comes to household pests. They are typically introverted, though that really all depends on that cat’s personality, and are better alone for longer amounts of time while their humans they have adopted are at work. At the end of the day, coming home to a fuzzy friend is simply an ideal way of life for several people.
While all of this is indeed true, it does need to be said that being a non-cat-person does not necessarily mean that one is a dog person, and vice versa. While this is the case for some people, both dogs and cats are amazing pets to have. Sometimes, one is better for a person depending on their life, such as if one is allergic to one or the other.
If one thing can be said, it is that sometimes cats do take more time to warm up to humans depending on the personality of the cat, though this does not make them any less loving creatures. Once a cat has chosen its human, it will be a loyal companion throughout life. Sometimes it just takes a while longer for them to warm up to humans since they can be more selective creatures. Earning a cat’s trust and love can be a tedious task, though in the end, it is all worth it.
-Becca McAuliffe, ASMS Senior
MLK Day of Service Cleanup
We’ve all been to Walmart, more specifically, we’ve all been to that one Walmart that ASMS runs take us to; the one right next to the busiest road I’ve seen in Mobile. I’m not a local, and the only places I’ve been to in Mobile is downtown and the strip of Government that has all the fast food, so that might be the reason. Last weekend, I went to that same Walmart, not just to pick up some frozen meals for the days I sleep through caf meals, but to pick up the tons and tons of trash that piles up in the ditch right behind the building.
Bright and early, 9 AM, on a Saturday morning, me and a couple of other members of the Greenpeace club joined the Mobile Bay keeper in their MLK Day of Service cleanups. One of the 9 cleanup locations - small plot of land behind Walmart - that most people might not think too deeply of when dropping a can or two of a messed-up soda can, is actually home to a small stream that leads right into the Mobile Bay, making it an extremely dangerous area for an accumulation of plastics and other non-degradable materials.
We found loads of unopened soda bottles that couldn’t be recycled, tires, candy wrappers, cardboard, clothes, towels, shoes, glass bottles, shoes, and many more that I cannot recall right now. In essence, that small plot of land was loaded with things that shouldn’t have been there. Although, we and the other volunteers worked in the rain to clean-up as much as we can, we still weren’t able to reach the depths of the ditch.
It was a disheartening image to see so much trash – it’s something that could be easily missed if you were driving by it, but almost like a mountain when you’re standing in front of it. But it was kind of beautiful seeing a group of humans who just met holding trash bags out for each other, working to make our Walmart, our city, and our Bay just a little cleaner.
-Sanju Mupparaju, ASMS Senior
Advice From Your Queen of Halloween
It is a known fact, in my opinion, that Halloween is the best holiday, in the best month, in the best time of the year. While it is true that our stress levels are extremely high due to approaching exams, Halloween has always been the light at the end of the tunnel for our end-of-term break. It is no secret that I, the Queen of Halloween, absolutely love this holiday (especially because of Tim Burton), and as a result of this, I come to give you suggestions, and even some advice, for no cost what-so-ever. More specifically, the top four claymation Halloween movies to watch in the spooky month of October, and even some months thereafter if you’re a true Halloweenie.
In fourth place, we have the one, the only Frankenweenie. Now, this instant Tim Burton classic has been a story in the making of this genius’ mind for decades and is one of my top suggestions to watch, even if it is in the middle of summer or Christmas break (it’s honestly that good!). This movie is even in black-and-white to add to the spook factor, and though it may be spooky, it has one of the most heartwarming stories between a boy and a dog to even make a zombie's heart beat for just a moment more.
In the running for number three, we have Paranorman. Paranorman has more dark humor than Frankenweenie, appealing to older and younger groups alike. From the creators of Coraline, Paranorman follows the adventures of a young boy who has the gift of necromancy, putting the fate of his town on his shoulders as a curse awakens the spirit of a vengeful witch and those who convicted her. Genius, absolutely genius.
Second is the best, how could we have a spooky-movie list without Coraline? Yes, Coraline is not explicitly a Halloween movie, but it is terrifying nonetheless. I mean, let's be honest: this movie gave us all nightmares as kindergarteners, but hey! A great movie based on a stellar book, 10/10 amazing story.
In first place, we have the one, the only, The Nightmare Before Christmas. This is perhaps one of the most famous, if not the most famous, Halloween movie ever. It is considered Tim Burton’s best claymation film, a household favorite based on his beloved poem.
I trust you to do good things with this most confidential information from your beloved Queen of Halloween. Until next time, stay spooky.
-Becca McAuliffe, ASMS Senior
HAY DAY HAY DAY HAY DAY
Hayday is a premier mobile game that has recently been making a comeback on the Alabama School of Math and Science campus. Everyone you walk around, I assure you that you will hear someone asking for corn, nails, bacon, or both! You might hear someone complain about their silo being full, or the 14,000 coin boat dock that feels impossible to save up for. But fear not, the increased playing of Hayday does not indicate that students are wasting their time – in fact, it indicates that we are developing our “best and brightest of Alabama” brains to unlock intellectual capabilities the world has never seen before.
Although the game starts out simple, as more and more machines and animals are bought, students must learn how to periodically check the progress of their machines, check their orders, check exactly how much crop their using in each machine, and check what is missing for their own farm. It forces you to quickly switch between tasks and maintain a steady flow of crops to products to shipment. On top of all of this that they must take care of, students must learn to evaluate the price of their work – as there are countless townspeople coming to the farm to scam them out of their corn or apples or other products made through and hours of work.
Furthermore, because of the countless upgrades and purchases available on the game, students first must learn how to control their spending, and save up for the most profitable purchases. Hay day forces students to develop their decision-making skills - something that will come in handy when seniors will have to choose which college offers they would like to take.
Because of this, we believe that this new interest in Hayday on campus is beneficial for the student body, the developing of our young adolescent brains, and should be encouraged by the school administration. We call on approving Hay Day as a study hours certified activity, and call on establishing a Hay Day lab where people can learn techniques and skills to improve their farms from other students.
- Sanju Mupparaju, ASMS Senior
Highlight: On-Campus Research
On campus right now, people have started to begin their research projects. One specific project being performed by Venus Radoslovich and Emma McSpadden is exploring Sapphic Language and symbols in the poems of Emily Dickinson, Pat Parker, and Hilda Doolittle. Venus wanted to do a research project and when they looked at the given options, she realized that although she was interested in some of them, she was not super passionate about any of them. They were already very interested in the poems of Sappho, but had never done actual research on it, so she contacted Dr. Jones and Emma and they started their project. Emma was also very passionate about Sapphic symbols in poems, and they both love humanities more than STEM projects, so it was the perfect topic for them.
You may be wondering what Sapphic symbols are; they are symbols in poems that are queer-coded. In the 19th century, being in the LGBTQ+ community was very taboo, and writers or poets would use pictures or words to convey their queer feelings. Some of Emma and Venus’ favorite symbols include the violet symbol which was used by poets to spot each other in each other's writing. Some of these poems have apparent symbols that are more straightforward and easier to decode, but some are harder to analyze. The term ‘sapphic symbols’ comes from the famous poet Sappho. Sappho was from the Greek island of Lesbos, hence the root of the word lesbian.
Doing a research project takes all year, it has many deadlines, and it is a lot of extra work and stress. So, when Emma and Venus were doing their project, they wanted something they would feel connected to. Feeling passionate about their project makes the process worth their effort. Being queer and reading Sappho felt like they were connecting with her. These trailblazers in poetry paved the way for future generations. Without poets like Sappho, and the others that followed her, such as Emily Dickinson, Pat Parker, and Hilda Doolittle, people today would not feel as free to write in literature about being themselves.
- Abby Knight, ASMS sophomore
Day In The Life of SGA Vice President, Chinonye Alilonu
To maintain journalistic integrity and ensure transparency between the student government and student body, I chose to provide this completely unedited version of the conversation between me and the student government vice president, Chinonye Alilonu.
Me: How was your day?
Chinonye: It was alright. I was stressed earlier in the day but I feel better now.
Me: What did you eat?
Chinonye: For which meal?
Me: All of them.
Chinonye: For breakfast, I had a muffin. For lunch, what was for lunch today? I forgot. And then for dinner, I had a meatball sub and some spaghetti.
Me: Ok, cool. Did anything big happen today?
Chinonye: Define big. Like how big is big.
Me: Big is whatever you want it to mean.
Chinonye: I had a meeting with my SGA Advisor about VP (vice president stuff) and that was kinda stressful. Well, only one thing was. I have a lot to do to prepare for my last first AC meeting tomorrow at 6 PM in Mr. Commander’s room. WOOOHHHHHH. AC is the best committee on the entire ASMS SGA so that’s super cool and whoever reading this article should definitely run for SGA next year. Oh, and its senior night tonight so that’s exciting, especially cause I have food priority.
Me: I also have food priority.
Chinonye: Wow.
Me: Go through your day chronologically.
Chinonye: Woke up, went to class until the end of the day, I had a meeting during seventh with Mrs. McMaken, my SGA advisor, like I said before. And then, I took a nap after school, woke up, laid in bed for a while, went to dinner, and then I went to a Key Club meeting. And then, I went to chem lab because I was bullied into it.
Me: Did you have nap dreams today?
Chinonye: No.
Me: Ummm, what’s your definition of bullying?
Chinonye: When people coerce me into doing things that I don’t originally plan on doing.
Me: Ok, interesting, umm, how long has it been since you have done your laundry?
Chinonye: I did some yesterday, wait, yea I did.
Me: There was some hesitation there.
Chinonye: Cause I forgot.
Me: Ok, thank you for meeting with me VP (Vice President) Chinonye Alilonu.
Chinonye: You’re so welcome.
- Sanju Mupparaju, ASMS Senior
A Q&A With Joseph Sherrod, Incoming Sophomore
When I was an incoming student at ASMS, I had the time of my life. I loved pretty much everything about the school and I honestly wouldn’t change anything. Since coming in though, I have been wondering whether the current incomings are having as much fun as I did, so I set out on a mission to find out. There was only one issue with this, though: I needed somebody to talk to. I thought about this for a while, but I then realized: my next door neighbor and wearer of the infamous rubber duck necklace is the perfect choice. I talked to him about the idea and he was okay with it, so I performed the interview and here are the results.
Q: Joe, you are notorious on campus for wearing a necklace of rubber ducks, is there any symbolism behind these ducks?
A: No, I just like them.
Q: Where did you acquire these ducks?
A: That's a pretty good question, and the answer is I don't know, I think I got some on art walk or something, but I’m not sure.
Q: How would you rate your year on a 1-10 scale?
A: A solid like 6, I have room for improvement, but it’s been pretty chill.
Q: What has been your favorite part of the school year?
A: I love the people on my hall, and the people at ASMS, they are pretty chill and pretty open minded, just good overall.
Q: Are you involved with any clubs on campus?
A: Band and choir, I’m thinking of joining comfort club and anime club.
Q: What’s your favorite anime?
A: Mob psycho 100, I really like the art style and characters and stuff.
Q: Who is your favorite teacher so far?
A: Dr. Rambo, she’s great at explaining stuff and is laid back with grading, which I appreciate. Fun class and very straight forward.
Q: So, you are involved with musical clubs on campus, do you have a favorite genre of music?
A: Future bass, I think it’s really good.
Q: Do you have a favorite musical artist?
Yeah, FKJ, he does not make music of my favorite genre, but I like it a lot.
Q: What’s something that you think people should know about you?
A: I play the drums.
Q: Favorite subject?
A: Kinda depends on the teacher, but in general, probably biology or chemistry.
- Ozzie Torres, ASMS Senior
The Experience of Being an Incoming Junior
Being an incoming junior at ASMS can be very difficult and confusing. You are new to the school and adjusting to the classes, but the other people in those classes are already used to the curriculum. It is commonly known that junior year can be one of the hardest years of high school. ASMS is even more challenging than a regular school, so this can make it even more difficult. This leads to most incoming juniors going to a greater number of study labs, needing more tutoring, and not having as much free time because of the amount they study. Incoming juniors are more likely to have to learn time management faster than sophomores, because they are expected to be on the same academic level as the returning juniors.
Most returning juniors have already formed their own friend groups. Since they already know each other, it can be awkward to try to make friends with returning juniors. Teachers also have a higher expectation of their classes that contain mostly returnings. If you are in one of these classes, it can be stressful to catch up to the returnings’ level. I talked to incoming junior, Chloi Murphy, about her experience these first few weeks at school. “Most sophomores or juniors that I have talked to have less classes than I have. The juniors took more of their required classes last year, and the sophomores have less classes that are required. The classes offered here are definitely more difficult than those that I took at my previous school.”
Overall, being at a new school is already stressful. Adding harder classes and new social scenes can add to the stress of junior year. So, if you see an incoming junior, make sure that you recognize these things, and maybe give them some words of encouragement. You will probably see them rushing to go study, and if they don’t have homework in their hand, then they are probably procrastinating! In conclusion, think about your incoming year, and make sure you give them some support during this stressful beginning to the year.
- Abby Knight, ASMS Sophomore
A Word From Anonymous
Everyone comes to face rejection at some point in our lives, but how we respond to it makes us who we are. We have the choice to accept or reject what others dislike about us, finding what we like about ourselves in the process. When we are rejected, we form our identity. Concerningly, however, some choose to reject their identity in order to avoid unacceptance. Rejection will always be a part of life, and attempting to cast away the self in order to be loved by everyone degrades and destroys it, leaving nothing but a hollow shell.
If nothing else, perhaps others can learn from my mistake. During middle school, the period of rejection and revolution, my own flaws led me into a spiral of loneliness and self-hate. I tried to do everything in my power to keep my own self-hatred from becoming a hatred of others, and sought out my identity through others’ eyes. I felt that if I became who they were they would love me as they loved themselves. Even still, people came to dislike me for things I couldn’t control or were fundamental about me, so instead, I tried to become who they wanted me to be. My own opinions, preferences, interests, standards, anything about me would be cast away in the name of friendship.
With little to my own personal depth, the most I ever achieved was being liked by some people, but I never shared a connection with a single one. I was trying to get everybody to like me by being everybody. Without an identity of my own, my own malleability became self-hostility; I would cast away any differences I had as long as it made people agree with me. The ironic twist of fate was that by rejecting myself in the pursuit of acceptance, I had come to not accept myself.
As the people around me grew up, finding themselves, going to parties, finding hobbies, getting into franchises, I found myself left in the dust. I would never be able to do any of those things because I was so dependent on people putting on labels for me that I was too afraid and lost to do it myself. People wanted to only be around those who had their own nuances. No interests, no hobbies, no opinions, no direction, I went from everybody to nobody in a seeming instant. Deep down, however, I knew I always was nobody.
Going forward from today, however, I have come to see the beauty of rejection, that we should all embrace what others see as flaws. We can never make people accept us, and we will only destroy ourselves in the process. Don’t just be yourself, don’t just love yourself, stay yourself, no matter who you are, because sometimes you may just lose whoever that is.
-Anonymous
The Queen of Halloween With Another Important Message
As Christmas rapidly approaches, campus is buzzing with the holiday spirit as we prepare for a long and well-deserved break for two weeks in which we will be non-existent to the world. Christmas-themed hall events are in motion, holiday music is everywhere on the radio, and the familiar stress of trying to get work in before the break is most definitely alive. With this, everyone is bright and cheerful with Christmas as their favorite holiday on the approaching horizon, but I am about to make an unpopular opinion. Halloween is better than Christmas. Why, you may ask? Well, I’ve said it once and perhaps a few more times, but Halloween is simply the best holiday, and here are the most important reasons why.
First off, Halloween requires absolutely no gifts and minimal money spent. As a broke high school student, I very much appreciate this aspect of this wondrous holiday as it makes both me and my bank account smile. The money that is spent goes towards candy, and let's be honest here, that candy at the end of the night is perhaps one of the greatest perks of the entire holiday. That and the 50% off candy the day after.
To be blunt and rather harsh, Halloween is a day you can take for yourself. This means no family reunions or large gatherings where you have to clean your room and give the guests a tour of the house (which is never actually this clean) for the millionth time and await for their compliments at the end of the evening. This is a full twenty-four hours where you can do the following:
Absolutely
Nothing
By
Yourself
Halloween is also the only holiday that is not centered on the idea of kindness and compassion. Don’t get me wrong – I strongly encourage BOTH of these things, but these two key concepts in every Hallmark Movie played over and over again are tiring. But do you know what isn’t tiring? Murder. Just kidding, just kidding. But in all seriousness, a good horror movie and a bowl of candy are much better than a repeated love story that never ends. It’s also ten times more realistic, just ask an ouija board.
To sum all of this up, my last and final most important reason comes as follows: I think Santa is a stalker. All of the witches and villains of Halloween own up to the fact that they are villains, but Santa? This man is praised for breaking and entering and then reverse robbing a house while grabbing a few cookies before he leaves without even thanking his hosts on the one holiday where it is crucial to thank your hosts. I suppose it would technically be the second holiday, but don’t even get me started on Thanksgiving.
There you have it, folks — Halloween is better than Christmas. Have a wonderful Christmas break and of course, stay spooky.
Terrifyingly,
Your Queen of Halloween
-Becca McAuliffe, ASMS Senior
First Intramural Volleyball Game of the Year
Today was a big day for ASMS sports, as it was the opening day of intramural volleyball, which is the first intramural sport of the year. Today’s game was a matchup between Curie and DaVinci. In last year’s tournament, Curie placed second and DaVinci placed third, but both teams are eyeing for a better placement this year. Curie is by far the more experienced team as they feature experienced volleyball players: Chinonye Alilonu, Sanjana Mupparaju, Jasmine Straub, Grace Jones, Zakary Davis, and Destiny Buchanan, among others. Curie went 2-1 in scrimmages with their one loss coming from the defending champions, Einstein. DaVinci, on the other hand, features many newcomers to the sport, but they have been holding frequent practices and building significant team chemistry. Curie ended up winning in two sets, despite playing without one of their top hitters,Tate Stanley. The first set ended 25-14 and the second ended 25-13. Curie co-captain Chinonye Alilonu was named MVP of the game, as she put together an impressive performance with consistent passes and multiple long serving streaks.
After the match, I headed out to interview a few members of both teams.
First, I asked DaVinci players, Matthew Simpson and Asher McMillan, how they felt about their team’s performance and where they see room for improvement.
“I think we did great, much better than we have in previous games against Curie,” said Asher.
(Curie had defeated DaVinci in back-to-back scrimmages prior to this matchup)
Matthew also spoke and said that “We're not pros, we have no knee pads, (unlike Curie), but we had a lot of good spikes, and we had a lot of good sets. We just gotta practice our serves, but we’re getting better and better each game”
Next, I decided to interview our MVP, Chinonye. I let her know of her title of MVP, to which she replied saying that she is “honored to be selected”. I then asked how confident she feels about the rest of the season, to which she answered, “It’s a little too early to tell, but we just need to keep on winning”.
After this, everyone was wondering about her thoughts on the lingering matchup with Einstein. She replied, saying that she “think(s) we got it against Einstein”.
The last player that I decided to interview was Curie’s own Tate Stanley. I asked him how he feels about his injury keeping him out of Curie’s opening game and he replied that, “It's extremely unfortunate, but hopefully I'll be back in the game soon, especially due to my team's lack of height”. This lack of height was made pretty apparent throughout the game. Typically, Curie’s attack relies on the front row combination of Tate and his close friend, Zakary Davis. However, without the help of Tate in the front row, Zak and the rest of Curie’s squad failed to get any of their usual powerful spikes in. We then asked him how he felt about Zak’s performance. He supported Zak, saying that “He did very well. All of us could use a little practice including him, but he played great, though."
I then asked the volleyball coach and organizer of the event, Coach Jackson, how she felt about the first official day of games. She said that she feels like “It went very well, everyone took themselves seriously and I've seen a lot of improvement from past practices. I then asked if she has any early predictions for who will win, and she said that “every team is getting better every week so it's much too early to tell”.
- ASMS Senior, Ozzie Torres