The Woodstock School
Tiger Fall 2016
Dress Code or Penal Code?
Students share thoughts on the different interpretations of what’s appropriate By Taarini Gupta “What you wear to school should be appropriate. Look neat and clean. This is a school, not your house.” How many times have students heard this? The Woodstock student handbook states: “Graphics and/or wording on clothing must not be offensive to any person and must demonstrate sensitivity and respect for the community at large, both on and off the school property. Girls in particular should be cautious about the amount of bare skin they show. Dying of hair in any unnatural colour is not permitted. Ear and nose piercings are acceptable. Tattoos cannot be visible. Bed attire is not permitted outside the dorm level, neither are flip flops.” The Woodstock community has a lot to say about the dress code, especially the girls. Aware of the conservative surroundings, they were asked whether there should be a dress code in school, to which most of them agreed. The consensus is that there should a boundary between wanting to wear something and whether it’s appropriate or not. Some mentioned Indian culture and how it should be respected, but Vanalika Nagarwalla, Grade 12, said, “It shouldn’t be completely about the culture, you should be able to define yourself as well.” Isabella Shaw, Grade 12, said, “When really conservative cultures look at Western cultures they’re like ‘what is this?’ Since we are the younger generation we understand, but we also have to be sensitive towards the previous generations.” Interviewees were told how the girls aren’t allowed to leave dorms to go to the dining hall in pyjamas, to which Nagarwalla said, “What?! I wear pajamas to my dining table so I guess the girls at the dorm level should be able to as well.” When asked what they thought about girls getting sent back to dorms from the dining hall, or half way up to school, a lot of people complained or thought that the dress code is unequal for both genders. Nagarwalla said, “The guys are allowed to wear sweatpants, but I got dress coded for
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Graffiti in a girls bathroom reveals a common complaint about the dress code. (Photo by Nandini Aggarwal)
wearing sweatpants!” Even Shaw said, “I don’t think the dress code is gender equal, like in the past I almost got dress coded but my shorts were relatively long so I asked them why and they were just like girls can’t wear shorts and I was like ‘whaaaa?!’” Students were asked why they thought the dress code is stricter for girls than boys, to which Kiara Kanwar, Grade 11, said, “Girls have different bodies than boys and the boys are not stared at or objectified in society.” Deasyl Dorji, Grade 12, said, “Guys don’t get abused?” Liah Bergerson, Grade 10, said she believes that there is policy inconsistency in, “I
wore this dress once and I wasn’t let out of the dorms, but this other girl wearing a super short dress, with a deep plunging neckline got away with it completely. I think it basically points at girls with bigger thighs, bigger hips, or bigger stomachs, and I don’t think it’s fair that the dress code is affecting different people. I don’t think its okay for them to instill this idea of just because you’re wearing this the boys won’t be able to study. Go back to dorms and get dressed and come back up and get a tardy, whatever, we don’t care just change your clothes and I don’t think that’s okay. We’re made to feel cheap.” Do boys ever get ‘dress cod-
ed’? Yes, they do. Tom Berger, Grade 11, got dress coded once because he was wearing a formal shirt without wearing anything underneath (let’s just say the shirt was transparent and some things cannot be unseen). Sebastian Scott, an exchange student from Australia, was dress coded because his shorts were too short. Boys had lots of opinions on the dress code as well. “There should be a dress code, but it shouldn’t be so strict. Like I’ve never gotten dress-coded before, but I know about the four-fingers rule, or is it five fingers?” said Jaeyoun Kim, Grade 11. Vashisht Agrawal, Grade
12, said, “I don’t think the dress code is equal for both genders because guys can wear sleeveless [shirts] to school, but girls can’t and this may have to do something with the society. I mean you can’t really say if it’s equal or not because it’s just got to do with the society. The most I’ve gotten is that we can’t wear slippers to school.” When asked about the implementation, some said that every teacher and dorm parent interprets the dress code differently, which is why the girls are sometimes allowed to go to school in whatever they’re wearing but they end up getting dress coded in school. This creates a lot of confusion. How do the teachers feel about the dress code? Ajay Mark, the Head of Student Life, said, “Definitely gender wise guys get away with lots of things whereas girls don’t and the main thing is educating guys about wearing caps to school. Culturally, schools [in the U.S.] may allow that but in an Indian school, have you ever seen anyone wear caps? This school is in India and so culturally it’s not acceptable, especially in front of a lady or a lady teacher, because it’s disrespectful. If a boy comes to school with scruffy hair, hasn’t had a shower and is wearing dirty clothes and doesn’t even comb his hair, it is considered inappropriate. I tell people ‘Did you just wake up and run to school?’”
Comparison: Dress codes at other schools in India American Embassy School, Delhi * Images, text, or advertising on clothing is expected to be free from profanity, free from offensive messages, and free from any reference to substances not allowed on campus. * Shirts may be sleeveless but no spaghetti straps or tank tops. * Tops must cover cleavage, midriff, and torso. * Shorts must fully cover and extend well beyond the buttocks. * Skirts must be at least at mid-thigh length front and back. * Undergarments are not to be revealed. Bra straps, underwear, and boxer shorts are considered underwear. * Shoes or sandals must be worn. Source: AES Student Handbook American School of Bombay * Neat dress: Nice shirts, collared polo style or button up shirts are preferable * Shoulders and backs must be covered * Sleeveless shirts are acceptable, but should cover the shoulders to the end of the shoulder joint * Shirt and pants must have constant overlap with normal posture and movement; midriffs should not be visible
* If a student is wearing a jacket or sweat top over a shirt or blouse that does not meet dress code, it must remain zipped or buttoned up * Boxers or other underclothes should not be visible * Skirts should be no shorter than mid-thigh length * Shorts or combination skirt/shorts should be mid-thigh length or longer * Sandals or shoes are acceptable * Clothing promoting ideas which are inappropriate in the school setting should not be worn Source: ASB Student Handbook Wynberg-Allen School, Mussoorie Boys : Dark grey trousers with maximum 18 “ width at the bottom. White long sleeved shirts, dark green blazer with the school crest, dark green pullover, School tie, grey socks, black shoes with laces. Girls: Dark grey skirt/trousers/tunic, white long-sleeved blouse, dark green blazer with the school crest, dark green pullover, school tie, grey socks, black shoes. Source: Wynberg Allen website
News
Dorm parent couples create new dynamic By Chahat Kaur
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Do Olympics shatter or strengthen relationships and dreams? By Ishaan Pilant and Shanti Mathias Once every four years, we are reminded that our best will never be good enough. That no matter how much money you spend, you’re not a good host; no matter if you run your absolute fastest, you could have run faster; that you can push the limits of human accomplishment and still be found wanting. The Olympics is the biggest competition in the world. For two weeks every four years we see athletes competing to find out who is superior. This dominates the news, be it TV, social media, or newspapers (funnily enough, the Paralympics never get quite the same amount of attention). This ignites a broad stream of controversy: the old drugs issue, sexist comments, political rivalry—anyone who even vaguely followed the antics of this year’s Olympics can surely think of multiple examples of each of these things. So we’re forced to ask: do the Olympic Games have any value? Competition drives human-
ity in myriad ways. We want to look better than her, or get a better grade than him, or go to a better college than our parents. The Olympics is ostensibly a competition; it’s about winning, about standing there, holding a medal, and knowing that you’re the best at whatever sport it is. It’s about making the most money in sponsorship deals, reaching the end before everyone else, and achieving celebrity status. The belief that elite sports is focused on competition is what drives states to sponsor doping or individuals to make horrible comments about each other. But the Olympics is more than competition, for all that. It’s about celebrating what people can achieve together: goodness, togetherness. It’s very easy to think of the things that are wrong with the Olympics; we’ve listed just a few above. The value of it, though? That’s much harder to quantify. Because emotions ultimately can’t be measured, and emotions are the driving force of the Olympics. We hear the dramatic incredible stories, like those of all members
of the Refugee Olympic team, and feel incredibly proud that the human race can forget the wars and strife that divide us. We see Fabian Hambuchen embracing the other medalists from high bar, see his absolute enthusiasm and joy, and we hope that everyone not standing on the podium shares that feeling. After the mens’ 100m butterfly, when Joseph Schooling managed to emerge victorious against the legendary Michael Phelps, his childhood hero, and win Singapore’s first ever gold medal, we think it is safe to say that the entire world stood in awe. For the span of two weeks, billions of people come together to witness the amazing achievements of humanities strongest, fastest, and most flexible. Competition between countries is just a small part of the whole that are the Olympic Games. The Olympics tell us the stories of human achievement. Sure, those stories might be a bit biased; but they are nonetheless a celebration of humans in all their physical capacities, from all parts of the world, and that has to have value.
The new dorm parent system was introduced at the start of this academic year. Previously, Rachna Peters was the Head of Girls Dorms and Andrew Das was the Head of the Boys Dorms. There was a primary dorm parent for each grade and floaters, or dorm parents not assigned to a grade, for each dorm. The system has changed so that a couple (one male and one female) of dorm parents are the primary caretakers for each dorm; for example, Monish and Amrita John for Alter Ridge. According to Ronita Daniel, Dorm Parent at Alter Ridge, “This system has been implemented for the good of the students, so that it feels more like a home.” Jeffrey Doerfler, Dean of Student Life, said that the change in the dorm parent system has been implemented after doing a lot of research about student life in other boarding schools around the world. He said that having a couple as the primary head of each dorm “is considered to be best solution,” because it gives better attention to the needs of the students. He added that this system has been successful in the UK, and therefore the school is expecting a positive trend in dorm perception. Surbhi Singhi and Raghavee Neupane, Grade 12, believe that “having a male dorm parent, Mr. John, around in the dorm gives a sense of security to the girls.” Similarly, for the boys who have a female dorm parent, Rachna Peters acts like a mother to boys in Hostel. Some girls at Alter Ridge (who wished to remain unnamed) said, “We don’t appreciate the change that has been made because it gives us sense of formality in dorm, because the presence of a male dorm parent makes us uncomfort-
able.” They felt like it changed their behavior in dorms. Unlike some of the girls at Alter Ridge, Tanmaye Gupta, Grade 12, and Andrew Nord, Grade 11, said that they feel very comfortable having the Peters in dorms because it’s like being at home. Nidhi Mani, dorm parent at Alter Ridge, said that this change has encouraged more
Dorms and Dehradun at night. (Photo CC by Andrew Plonka)
students to interact with dorm parents and she feels that this is improving the communication between the dorm parents and the students. The school has observed that there are lot of new changes which are being introduced and therefore it will take some time for the students and the staff members both to adjust to them.
HMUN provokes thought in challenging environment By Emma Karas and Pavani Ganju
During the pleasant month of August, seven highly energetic and dedicated Woodstock students went to the city of Hyderabad, to participate in the Harvard MUN Conference. Each delegate represented the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos in various committees. Although the students described the conference
as a challenge, it was also, “a very good platform to learn new things” said Tsephell. With 1,300 participants in total, the conference had a fast-paced and intense atmosphere. “My experience was an eyeopener for me. It taught me that Harvard MUN was not as far out of reach I thought it was,” said Tanushree. The conference comprised of multiple committee sessions, each lasting around two and a half hours, that spanned over the course of four days. Between
these, the delegates had a busy schedule of breaks, dinners and workshops. They worked with delegations from Turkey, Korea, Nepal, the United States, and of course, other cities in India. “They spoke with the same kind of dedication” said Tsephell (grade 11). Overall, the high-pressure atmosphere pushed everyone to do their best, and all of the committees were able to pass a resolution.
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Student Events
Hindi Week highlights India’s language By Priyansha Agarwal Hindi Week at Woodstock is celebrated each year, reminding community members of the importance of the Hindi language, which is used throughout India. The head of the language department, Amrita John, has been planning Hindi Week for the past few years. John said, “The celebration of Hindi Week was always here, it was just that we wanted to give it more recognition since it’s just one day where we can showcase what we are doing as a part of the Hindi language department at Woodstock.” The language department grabbed the opportunity to make the celebration more prominent. “Hindi itself has spread in many ways within Woodstock in the past few years,” John said, “as initially, we have a very big advantage of being located in India where this language is spoken very widely and at the same time, over the past years there has been tremendous development where from it just being a subject in
(Image: CC by Aditya Dipanker)
the classroom has grown to being able to take students out into the society and help them understand how language can be used in the bazaar as well.” The Hindi Week celebrations are eagerly awaited each year. John and Luca Connor, Grade 11, were very excited for the movie Sultan, which was shown at the end of the week. A teaser of the movie
was shown in assembly presented by the Hindi level 1 students. Swapnil Jhajharia, Grade 9, was excited for the highlight of the year: an Inter-school Hindi Debate in which three other schools participated. It was held on Sept. 14. Four Advanced Hindi Students represented Woodstock, which came second after Wynberg
Allen. Shubham Tibrewala and Diya Singh, Grade 10, were anticipating the food which was served during the week. But on the other hand Jack Castine-Price, Grade 10 exchange student, didn’t have a single idea about what Hindi week was! It is not as easy to learn Hindi as it sounds. Kyumin
Kyung, Grade 9, said, “I really wanted to learn Hindi because I am in India.” Luca Connor, Grade 11, said, “It is important as India is a country which has most of its population speaking Hindi and you should at least know the basics.” Diya Singh and Shubham Tibrewala, Grade 10, said that since they have learned Hindi last year and it has helped them in conversing within India. They said that they are proud of being a part of Woodstock and having such diversity and variety in languages. Castine-Price said, “I feel that since I have no idea about Hindi, it is fairly challenging to understand and that if you have to study or live in India, you should know the basics.” He has learned phrases and some words from his friends and says that now it is quite simple as he has people around him who are fluent in Hindi and can help him. “I’m fascinated by how people here can change from Hindi to English and back again in the same sentence,” he said, “which seems pretty cool.”
Independence Day showcases Woodstock’s diversity
By Nandini Agarwal and Tanya Sandhu
On August 15, two countries gained independence: Korea and India. Woodstock celebrates both nation’s Independence Day with a formal flag raising ceremony. Many people wear either their traditional clothes or Indian outfits. Most traditional outfits have their own history and meaning attached to them, and different members of the Woodstock community were happy to share about the history behind their clothes. “You know when we talk about ancient India, most of the things were made out of the khadi material, and most of the clothes were kurta pajama, it is the most basic and most formal outfit that Indians would wear. We wear these outfits to show a kind of patriotic feeling of wearing our national dress” said Tarun
Photo by Pavani Ganju
Seth, Math Teacher, who wore a traditional Indian outfit on the day of Independence. To people around the world, Independence Day isn’t just about the clothes, or what the meaning behind their clothes is. What matters more is the significance because it is about
The Tiger Team Editor in Chief: Shanti Mathias Co-Editor: Ishaan Pilant Layout Editor: Tanya Sandhu Advisor: Andrew Plonka Reporters Nandini Agarwal Taarini Gupta
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how their Independence Day is celebrated and how the people of the country remember their day of freedom. Lalchhanhimi Bungsut, grade 11, said, “ I wore a traditional Mizo dress because I wanted to represent my culture since there are not many
Emma Karas Pavani Ganju Priyansha Agarwal Chahat Kaur Riya Kohli Kahini Dhoat Tanya Sandhu Anvi Lohia
Mizos here so it would be kind of cool to show the diversity around the country. “It shows how I am confident and proud about who I am and where I am from. Also what I wore is a heightened version of the cultural outfit that is formal and many times the women are seen wearing the outfit in the markets.” When asked about the Independence Day event and whether she would like to participate in any, she said “I would like to, however not alone” and later added that “it was a fun event since I had not attended an Indian Independence Day ceremony in over 6 years” Often, people are expected to wear their national outfits for the event; however there is diversity seen throughout the ceremony. The different outfits and cultures make people feel invested in the beauty and meaning behind them.
Navya Sethi Syeda Kabir (Alina) Noel Archer Photographers Emma Karas Pavani Ganju Layout Nandini Agarwal
“ I was wearing a sari which is a traditional Indian outfit. I liked the Korean dance. I find it very beautiful and it’s also a very good representation of the culture in a dance. I would not participate in because I do not have any relation with the independence of Korea or India. I would like to see similar events because every year it’s always new, even the music and dance it’s all like you’re experiencing it for the first time” said Cassidy Percevecz, grade 10. The variety of outfits and experiences create memories in people that are held onto forever, just from getting to know what the meaning behind the skirt for the Mizos is or the story behind the kurta pajamas. From the Indian Independence Day ceremony, the Woodstock staff and students learn from each other regarding their culture and society.
Opinion
Students give new grading policy an F
By Chahat Kaur
Editor’s note: As this issue went to print, it was announced that the grading policy would rever to last years. There has been controversy, there have been protests, over a seeming inconsequential issue: Woodstock’s new grading scale. Jonathan Seefeldt, Upper Years Coordinator, said that the new grading scale, introduced this trimester, had been changed to ensure global acceptance of the Woodstock grading scale. Renee Bowling, Head of College Counselling, said that even though Woodstock students dislike the new grading scale now, it will help them during their college years. The students will get a sense of the intensity of the college courses. Bowling explained that universities will be aware
This meme would have earned an A+ last year. (Meme by Noel Archer)
of the grading system change when reviewing applications. Bowling also said, “Swati Shrestha,l College Counsellor and I will be sending out a letter to the universities informing them about a change in the grading scale in 2016, so that the final grades for the seniors don’t reflect a sudden decrease, if any.” The senior grade has de-
cided to protest against the new grading scale and hence have planned on addressing a proposal to change in the new grading scale. Some of the solutions that have been popular amongst the students have been that the GPA should be out of four and the tests should be curved like they are for the AP. The grading scale should
have been communicated with more efficiency to the teachers in order to reduce the struggles for both the teachers and the students. Some students believe that this grading scale might be beneficial in the long run but it is bringing great loss to the senior grade because they have university applications to worry about. Urja Ummat and Raghavee Neupane, Grade 12 said, “The implementation of the new grading scale policy should not be done instantly because we have the least amount of time to adapt to it.” Alli Roshni, Grade 11, said, “Students are working as hard as they possibly can and some teachers should be the ones who give easy assignments so that we can get good grades as we used to.” Ellen Pereira, Grade 12, disagreed and said that she has been in twelve different
schools around the world and has observed the same grading scale but she said that it was easier to keep up with the system because the amount of work given was far less than in Woodstock. Seefeldt added that solutions have been taken into consideration but the great problem for students and staff alike has been adjusting to the new grading scale. He said, “The school will notice until the end of the first trimester in order to check whether there are any negative consequences in terms of counting the grades in order to proceed with implementing any solutions, if necessary.” Seefeldt also said that perhaps the grading scale should have been communicated with more efficiency to the teachers in order to reduce the struggles for both the teachers and the students.
Dehradun and dorms in the morning. (Photo CC by Andrew Plonka)
By Anvi Lohia Woodstock plays host to many people from different walks of life, and some of them are very opinionated about Woodstock, especially those with decades-long ties with the school. Mr. Agarwal, manager of Ram Chander, has been working with Woodstock for several decades now, and over the years, he built an opinion about it. He thinks that Woodstock students are among the most polite and generous children that he has ever met. This comes as a surprise, because students always have to be reminded to be more polite and welcoming towards visitors,
Woodstock from the outside Visitors and locals alike find much to like
and, their efforts have clearly paid off. Several students joined Woodstock this year from other Indian schools, and they experienced a bit of a culture shock. A student who prefers to remain anonymous said, “I was in an Indian boarding school before coming here, and it is very different from all the other Indian schools that I had been to.” She added, “People here seem very intimidating, but they are actually some of the nicest people I have ever
known.” Despite Woodstocks’ culture, it’s good to know that people feel welcomed. A lot of schools also visit Woodstock for MUN and Win Mumby. They also have lots of opinions about Woodstock. A Doon School student, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, “Woodstock has an amazing basketball team, and have a lot of sportsmanship, they are also great to talk to as well.” He added, “They are one of the strongest com-
petitors at Win Mumby.” Mrunal, from Welham Girls’ School, said, “I don’t know many people from Woodstock, but the ones that I do know seem very nice and friendly, I would definitely like to get to know more of them.” This proves that Woodstock’s efforts in making the community more diverse have not been in vain. An Indian college representative who visited Woodstock for the college fair also said that she thought that
Woodstock is one of the most culturally diverse schools she has visited in India. She said that a community such as this would be a great addition to the university she represents. Her statement proved that Woodstock’s efforts to diversify the community have been worthwhile. When talking to a student, outsiders have lots of positive things to say about the school. Hopefully this means that students are becoming responsible and aware of the world around them. However, they may have just given a positive response because a Woodstocker was asking them.
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Student Life
Blocked websites: Safeguarding our searches? By Alina Kabir and Noel Archer You’re on your laptop, browsing the internet, when something terrible pops up: that dreaded bright red circle crossed by an ‘x’, and the message ‘Web Page Blocked!’. What gives? The Fortinet firewall arrived with the start of this academic year. When it was first implemented, it replaced the previous firewall, Cyberoam, which had “a lot of issues,” according to Jonathan Seefeldt, Upper Years Coordinator. The firewall is supposed to be here to protect students. In a boarding environment, the school needs to play a “role of parental oversight,” Seefeldt said. This is the rationale for the restrictions. But then why are websites like Sparknotes, Amnesty In-
ternational, and Save Tibet all blocked? Well, to put it simply, Fortinet is not perfect. The school uses “a generic package,” Seefeldt said, and that often causes some websites to be wrongfully blocked. Shailender Bhandari, Head
ally blocks sites that use a lot of bandwidth; unfortunately, since Woodstock is situated relatively high up, with only three functioning ISPs (Internet Service Providers), such blocking is essential. As for websites such as Sparknotes and GradeSaver, Mer-
sence and the literary beauty of the piece is lost.” According to Dyson, comprehension is presented in these websites, while books do not actually have only one simple way to be interpreted. With these sites blocked, she hopes to encourage more students to read and
of ICT, provided some insight on this matter. He said that the school simply sends requests for blocking sites — such as social networks —and it is Fortinet that decides what falls under that category from its own database and website analysis background. Besides that, the school intention-
edith Dyson, English teacher, said she had requested to have those particular websites banned. She said that students had begun to “rely on these resources too much, instead of actually reading.” She has strong feelings about the use of these websites: ”through these summaries, the true es-
find meaning between each of the author’s words. Both Bhandari and Seefeldt have invited students to report any websites which they feel are unjustly blocked to be reevaluated. Despite this, many students prefer to get around the firewall in their own ways. Two
students who were interviewed said that they easily did so by using 3G or cellular data. One student who does so regularly even went so far as to say, “It’s useless.” Technical problems like these are why the firewall works “in theory” but “not in practice,” said Seefeldt. Bhandari a d d e d , “Well, if you are presented with a lock for which you do not have a key, then you could pick it in many different ways. 3G is just one of the many unethical ways to do so.” If it’s any consolation though, staff are held to much of the same standards as students, so next time your attempts to post on Facebook are thwarted by Fortinet, just remember that the teachers have it the same way!
Words of advice for those struggling to fit in By Navya Sethi
What does it mean to be part of high school, and do you ever feel judged? Each person responds to these questions differently, and their answers are strange, transforming, and inspiring. Veer Arya, Grade 9, said, “As a freshman in high school, I find it going pretty well so far. It’s a little challenging, but it’s also fun to interact with new people and get to know them better.” Everybody can feel judged in some way or the other; it could be on the basis of appearance, accent or clothing style. There’s no way to stop people. Reflecting on her senior and freshman year, Angel Yoanna, Grade 12, said, “High school has been full of learning for me. It has been full of experiences, both good and bad. There are times when I struggle with my relationships with my friends and family but good communication helps. I was both nervous and excited about it freshman year and it has been great though there have been my fair share of ups and downs in life. It has been a pleasant experience.” Clearly, high school means a wide variety of experience, as these two students understand.
There are opportunities to pursue dreams and interests, experience amazing enrichment activities, make long-lasting friendships and have a memorable time. Steve Luukkonen, head of Physical Education, shared his thoughts on the experience of high school. He said, “High school was full of ups and downs! Compared to others I had a relative easy time, being in different groups of friends from sports, band, choir, and student council. I stayed away from drama of all sorts, so I was rarely ever sucked into typical high school drama!” When asked about what advice he would give to students having a hard time, he said, “It gets better! It really does! Peer pressure, doing the ‘popular thing’ or whatever your friends do is tough to go against. Those that stick to their morals and beliefs, no matter what, will be stronger than ever once leaving high school. Those that can rise up against all that negativity, can fight against the pressure, will have such a successful future. Why? Because you will have the strength to be your own individual, not pressured by society or influenced by external trends.”
“It gets better! It really does!”
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This year the money collected from Goalathon sponsors is going to help fund the week-long training on dairy farming practices appropriate specifically for farmers in the Thatyur area. This training is happening over Activity Week and some members of DOST will escort the farmers to the National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal, settle them in nd gain an understanding of the contents of the training. (Source: UY website)
Goal-A-Thon nurtures greatness By Riya Kholi Goal-A-Thon is an exhilarating time of year when everyone gets to cheer for their friends. It’s an annual charity event when people from Woodstock make different teams among themselves and play soccer against each other. It is organised by STUCO and it takes place fall. This year, YOLO and We Just Got Messi won the boys and girls tournaments, respectively. The winning teams were delighted with their victories. YOLO had been a team since 2013, when all of them were in grade 8. Zaine Krishnataye, Grade
12, said it felt great after finally becoming the winning team after five years. They had some ups and downs, but that’s what made them united and inspired them to play as a team, not as individuals. “I think we all have different strengths, so there is not one single person who is the best. That’s why we won it [the tournament], because we are a team that trusts each other to do what we’re best at,” said Bobby Sharma, Grade 12. The team had diverse skills: some excelled at defending, some at keeping, some at scoring and others at supporting, all of which led to their victory. In this case, the years
of passion, commitment and hard work finally paid off. We Just Got Messi won the girls tournament. Jiwon Jeon and Tara Puri, the youngest players on the team, gained a lot of confidence and are willing to make We Just Got Messi proud for all the years they are at the school. The team felt great after winning. Tej Dhungana got the trophy for scoring the most number of goals. He said, “I’m glad to get this award, but as a team, we could have done better.” Most people interviewed thoroughly enjoyed Goal-AThon and are eagerly looking forward for the next one.
People & Places
He Said, She Said
By Tanya Sandhu and Kahini Dhoat
Swati Shrestha, college counselor What is the date of the day you met? December 1, 2006
Dylan Bach, learning assistance: (answered her questions)
What were you wearing on the day you met? I had a red velvet coat on, and probably jeans. What are your pet peeves? Oh God, so many things annoy me. What can I pick? I don’t know. It’s hard to pick and it’s something I actually have to think about. So I’m going to pick a random one which is probably people who are really slow in airport security lines. If there was a fire, and you had to take an object closest to your heart, what would it be? Probably my photo albums, I like to print out photos and actually have them in scrapbooks, so probably that.
What is the date of the day you met? December 1, 2006. What was she wearing on the day you met? A blue jacket. What are her pet peeves? When I ask her to clean up. If there was a fire, and she had to take an object closest to her heart, what would it be? Her book, Midnight’s Children. Where does she go when she is mad? Listens to loud music and finds a quiet place.
Where do you go when you are mad? In bed and then I watch T.V.
MYcorner
Still soupy: Tom-yum-koong By Siang Longduriyang Tom-yum-koong is a Thai soup. It has a herby smell and a sour, spicy taste. Koong is the Thai word for shrimp, a main part of this dish. With different ingredients available, a non-Thai person’s cooking may have a different result. Still, tom-yum-koong is known for the spiciness, and the strong smell of the herbs used. This is a recipe for the dish. It’s very simple to follow, and means you can try this dish in the comfort of your own dorm room. Still, if you have the opportunity to visit Thailand, do not forget to eat delicious tom-yum-koong. Ingredients 3 chillies Chopped coriander - to taste 2 tablespoon fish sauce 3 kaffir lime leaves 1 stick lemongrass 1 cup of lime juice Pepper - crushed - to taste 10 mushrooms - washed, cut in half 1 tablespoon chilli paste 10 shrimps 4 cups of water
Photo by Kahini Dhoat
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Method Fill a saucepan half full of water and boil Peel the shrimps and make a paste Cut Lemongrass into pieces, about 5-6 inches long, and put them into the pot and boil for about 5 minutes Add fish sauce, lime juice and crushed pepper Add kaffir lime leaves and mushrooms Remove from heat and add shrimps. Put the soup in a bowl and garnish with coriander. Ready to serve!!
Study tips and tricks By Sapna Tayal There are many little things we can do to make school and dorm life a lot easier. Here are a few! l It is proven that eating chocolate while doing math can actually help improve your math skills. l You can use scholar.google.com to find more relevant information on school work, essays and research. l While studying, take short breaks every 40-50 minutes. This is proven to be the best way to retain information. l Chewing mint gum can help you focus (but not in the classroom!). l Drinking water in the morning can help you wake up and feel fresh. l It’s easier to remember information when you write in blue ink. l Don’t sit or lie on your bed to do your school work or you might feel like sleeping!
Bean there, done that By Kahini Dhoat
Even though it has only been a year since the opening of the Mudcup Cafe in Mussoorie, it has gained a lot of popularity, especially amongst Woodstock staff and students. So, after hearing many interesting stories, I finally decided to go there on a sunny Saturday morning, with some of my friends. As far as the location is concerned, the cafe is not that far from dorms. In fact, it is a good place to go to if one wants to go to the bazaar, but is not willing to walk much. A true believer of this idea, Sooyeon Park, grade 11 said, “The main reason for me to go to Bazaar these days is because of Mudcup. The best part is, you don’t have to walk all the way up.” I was pleased to find the environment inside the cafe calming. Abigail Gokavi, grade 11, said, ”Mudcup provides you a place to think clearly, because of its location.” The cafe has multiple areas for seating,with comfortable chairs, and a selection of board games to choose from, ensuring that customers have a good time.
you can choose a seating area you feel most comfortable with; outside with the gorgeous mountain view, or inside, enjoying a long chat with your buddies. The cafe’s menu was quite limited to sandwiches, pasta, shakes and baked goods. I would prefer if they increased the variety of food they serve. The food they do have though, is fairly good quality food. A few of the shakes that I would recommend are the Oreo Frappe and Caramel Frappuccino, accompanied by their special Key Lime pie, which is worth dying for. The prices are reasonable; the cafe serves their shakes for about Rs 120, a good price compared to other cafes. However, Ms. Linda Seefeldt, high school math teacher, said, “The food items are a bit overpriced.” Lastly, the cafe’s service is really fast, and the people are really friendly. The owner of the cafe is open to ideas and loves to talk to customers. Overall, my experience at Mudcup was true to the good comments I heard about it, thus I would rate the Mudcup Cafe a four out of five.
The Tiger
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