December 2022 Issue

Admission Scandals

FOCUS

The Roar

NATIONWIDE REFEREE SHORTAGE

New California law mandates seniors to fill out financial aid

By Rhea Gosain

For many students, earning a degree after high school is dependent upon college tuition, and despite financial aid applications, such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the California Dream Act that have been helping students afford college, the increasing college tuition is still hindering many students’ education.

In order to help get more students into college, Assembly Bill 469 is a new law that requires all California seniors to apply for the FAFSA, the CADA or opt out of them.

Prior to the bill, many individuals had not been notified of the financial aid opportunities.

Vice Principal Tony Lam shared statistics explaining that in past years, around 50% of SCHS seniors applied for financial aid. Along with Lam, counselor Katy Weeks explained their goal is to improve those numbers.

“We’re going to work hard to try to get 100% (of seniors to apply). That’s our goal,” Weeks said.

Lam finds that due to the low number of students applying for financial aid, there is often

money remaining that should have instead been distributed to students.

“In some cases people who think that they don’t qualify, may qualify for some of that money,” Lam said.

Lam explained how counselors and the College and Career Center are currently encouraging students to apply for financial aid by adding students who complete either the FAFSA or CADA into a raffle to win free tickets to the school’s Winter Ball and Prom, among other prizes.

“That’s our push, and hopefully, students will do their (part) and submit the application and become eligible for a free Winter Ball ticket,” Lam said.

Senior Avaneesh Aruva finds that the newly-mandated application process holds guaranteed financial benefits for students who are eligible.

“Making it required forces everyone to at least take a shot and give people who thought they weren’t going to get any money at all, some money,” Aruva said.

By James Kepner

Due to COVID-19, a shortage of referees has become a challenge for high schools across the nation. At SCHS, JV and varsity teams alike have experienced the effects of this shortage through schedule changes.

During last year’s season, the baseball team experienced multiple occurrences where there were an insufficient number of umpires. According to varsity baseball head coach Pedro Martinez, the varsity team does not have issues with fielding umpires due to their league, but the JV team has faced problems.

“We have to play the game anyway, so when there’s one umpire, the game does go on,” Martinez said.

Martinez mentioned he under-

Reality TV Shows A&E SCUundergraduatestudentscollaboratewiththeSCHS AVIDprogramtomentorstudentsthroughtutoringservices.

stands the difficulty that comes with umpiring and therefore tries to limit his frustration.

“I try to not get too overly dramatic over a call that might have not gone our way because I’d like to put myself in their shoes, and it’s difficult to make that play,” Martinez said.

According to athletic director DeeDee Kiyota, there are two to three organizations who supply SCUSD with referees. She explained the majority of the referees are working two jobs, meaning the organizations are always looking for young people to hire.

“They’re looking for people who love the sport, who finished high school but aren’t moving on as an athlete in college,” Kiyota said.

Santa Clara University supports AVID students

students to make connections with other students who are older than them and can help with various questions, outside of the classroom as well.

“We now are introducing our high school students to college students who they can form a mentorship sort of bond with,” Shah said. “A lot of the relationships continue between these SCU students and the SCHS students because the students realize, ‘Hey, maybe I can email you, and you can even help me after you’re done with your community service hours.’”

By Nishita Viswajith

SCHS recently implemented a new program in collaboration with Santa Clara University undergraduates, providing tutoring support for students in the AVID program.

For the past ten years, SCHS’s AVID program has been united with SCU students in collaboration with student support on campus, with some SCU students chosen to come to SCHS and assist classes during first period every Thursday morning. Although the program has been

going on for a while, this year, the program has become more prominent and frequent.

According to AVID teacher Risha Shah, the tutoring planning process included the teachers sending out a tutorial request form to SCHS students beforehand, allowing the teachers to determine which students need tutoring during that tutorial session. Teachers then place the students who need help on the same subject in groups of five and pair them with an SCU tutor.

The tutoring program allows

To give back to the community and fulfill their credits this semester, SCU students come to SCHS to help out.

“Their (SCU students’) classes encourage them to give back to the community, and their form of community service is to volunteer first-generation or underserved students coming from low socioeconomic backgrounds or disadvantaged backgrounds,” Shah said.

Many sports teams, like SCHS’s JV boys basketball, face issues from the ongoing refereeshortageasseeninagameagainstBranhamHighSchoolonNov.22,2022.

Santa

Clara High

‘We have to play the game anyway:’ Referee shortage impacts SCHS

student athletes

Comfortability surrounding COVID-19 rises for many students

with being in crowded environments and wearing his mask less often.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, I wore a mask a lot. Anytime I was outside of my house, I would have one on,” Webb said. “Then it gradually shifted, I let it off in some more private and enclosed spaces. I don’t really wear a mask anymore.”

Many, like junior Kabir Sahni, believe one factor in more relaxed guidelines and public attitudes is the rise in COVID-19 inoculations.

“I was uncomfortable in crowds because the media was making COVID seem like a big deal, which it really was because a lot of people were getting sick and the number of deaths was starting (to increase),” Sahni said. “But as the vaccines were developed by the pharmaceutical companies, the numbers started becoming more calm.”

Webb said. “I realized that after the first couple of weeks, more and more people got vaccinations, but people were still getting COVID at high rates.”

With the steady decrease in risks perceived by the public, SCUSD restrictions have eased. Kabir explained how the shift in school restrictions has affected him and other students.

“(At the) beginning, everything was shut down, which was good because the virus was pretty dangerous since we didn’t have any protective measures,” Kabir said. “Now, restrictions have relaxed a lot. I think that’s good because people have a choice of what they want to do, whether they want to wear a mask or not.”

Webb. “Now it seems less likely. We are almost three years from the start of the pandemic, and it’s still there.”

Regardless of a lingering fear of COVID-19 amongst the student body, many are now comfortable with attending activities, such as football games and dances. Kabir shared his experience attending the football games.

“I went to the football games that we had about a month ago,” Sahni said. “I felt comfortable because I took protective measures like washing my hands, doing everything I did when COVID started, but I didn’t wear a mask because I just wanted to take that risk and have fun.”

By Nicholas Iriberri

Attendance at school events has grown recently due to the decrease in COVID-19-related conflicts. This

THE ROAR 2022-2023

editors-in-chief Amelia Howell Khadeejah Khan campus | KennedyRose Stiver sports | James Kepner focus | Soojin Spencer opinion | Elias Panou a&e | Rebecca LaBarge spotlight | Khadeejah Khan visuals | Amelia Tai online | Mylinh Duong

staff writers

Andrew Littlefield • Joshua Cedro Nathaniel Hekster Nishi Vijayvargiya

Theodore Nguyen • Aminah Hedges Catalina Lopez

Aisha Shafik •Nicholas Iriberri

Sonia Mankame • Jaclyn Duran Clemente Beltran-Castro Jazzy Ramirez • Ellen Vu

Taejun Spencer • Aaryan Dubale Amanda Troll

Rhea Gosain • Nishita Viswajith Asia Celestine

advisor Bob Ansaldo

Mission Statement

The Roar works to inform students, showcase their accomplishments, and explore issues relevant to them as individuals and as a generation. We value journalistic ethics and professional behavior toward both our sources and our readers. We will investigate and inform students about happenings on- and offcampus, and provide information comprehensively. As a studentrun newspaper, The Roar strives to establish itself as a reliable news source for Santa Clara High School.

Letters and Opinion columns submitted to The Roar must be signed, although names can be withheld. Submissions should be limited to 200 words and may be edited for content, libel, or grammar. Opinion submissions can be emailed to Mr. Ansaldo at ransaldo@scusd.net or submitted to the form on our website: scroar.net.

DISCLAIMER

The opinions on pages 8 and 9 reflect the views of the individual writer, not those of Santa Clara High School.

The Roar Newspaper Santa Clara High School 3000 Benton St. Santa Clara, CA 95051 (408) 423-2720

has slowly changed many students’ perspectives on COVID-19 being an endemic instead of a pandemic.

Sophomore Daniel Webb has slowly become more comfortable

Collaboration

Continued from page 1

Shah aims for tutorial in her AVID classroom to be a place where SCU students can guide SCHS students to collaborate within their groups and successfully gain an understanding in the subject they need help in.

“We want to encourage them (SCU students) to get our students to think critically, to think outside the box on how to solve the problems that they’re having in their classes, to use the resources that their teachers are providing,” Shah said. “Their goal is to actually get the students to help each other versus them giving the answer to the students.”

Junior Donovan Sanchez enjoys the program and believes it benefits his comprehension for various assignments.

“Even if I don’t get the direct answer to my question, I get a better understanding of the topic,” Sanchez said.

For SCU senior Rohan Krishna,

“I’m able to revisit topics that I forgot from high school, or some that I looked past in high school,”

-

Although many students have become more comfortable with the new vaccines, other students did not notice a drastic improvement.

“At the beginning, I thought the vaccinations would be the end-all, and that there would be no more COVID,”

love mentoring people, so it’s an opportunity to use that skill to help students.”

SCU Senior Ryuya Sekito also believes that this mentorship program is beneficial and helps everyone who is involved.

“Even for high school, students don’t talk to upperclassmen, or even college students that often, so I feel like it’s a good opportunity to ask them questions, especially because they’ve been in your footsteps,” Sekito said.

“Even for high school, students don’t talk to upperclassmen, or even college students that often, so I feel like it’s a good opportunity to ask them questions, especially because they’ve been in your footsteps,”

- Ryuya Sekito, SCU senior

Despite the fear and stigma surrounding COVID-19 diminishing, concern of the virus still exists for many students.

“A lot of people are still afraid of it. As at the beginning of the pandemic, we thought we would be able to get rid of it completely,” said

Webb, like many others, has become more comfortable with the risks associated with not taking as many precautions.

“I feel safe in crowded events and places,” Webb said. “I’m not really worried about the spread of COVID anymore. This year, I really stopped (wearing a mask) because I realized that a lot less people have gotten it this year, and it seems to be declining.”

Rohan Krishna, SCU senior

coming to SCHS once or twice a week gives him the chance to help others and refresh his memory on concepts he learned in high school.

“I’m able to revisit topics that I forgot from high school, or some that I looked past in high school,” Krishna said. “Also, I

A majority of the senior students in the program have also been supported with information about college applications from the SCU students’ assistance. AVID teacher Talia Orsetti-Ng believes her AVID students appreciate the connection between them and their SCU mentors.

“I feel like the students enjoy having someone closer to their age and someone who’s actually in college now who has more current information about what college is like giving them advice,” Orsetti-Ng said. “Having accessibility to that kind of knowledge is really helpful.”

Bruins discuss their preferences between

digital and handwritten notes

As there are varying methods of note-taking, many view the split between taking notes on paper or digitally as the trending debate in the classroom. Many Bruins hold a variety of opinions on the most beneficial and efficient way to take notes.

In social studies, teacher Pilar Svendsen’s classes, taking notes on lectures is optional. After allowing her students to choose whether to take notes traditionally or digitally and posting her lecture notes before class, Svendsen soon noticed the drawback of the freedom.

“Because they can type their notes, some students tend to use it as a distraction,” Svendsen said. “Because I posted notes, some students choose not to take notes at all, and they just choose to not pay attention, then they get distracted with other types of technology.”

Junior Nabiha Jawad takes both digital and handwritten notes, depending on the class.

“If I’m sitting through a lecture and the teacher is presenting slides, I’ll most likely take handwritten notes,” Jawad said. “I’m taking AP Physics, and she assigns a lot of notes as homework, so she’ll tell us to read some chapters in the textbook and take notes. Then, I’ll do iPad notes because those take a little longer than handwritten notes.”

During a lecture, Jawad’s strategy consists of copying the slides and jotting down extra notes. While taking notes from a textbook, Jawad enjoys taking digital notes because it allows her to follow the format of the textbook and has environmental benefits.

“It’s a lot better for saving paper, and I don’t have to organize it all in my binder,” Jawad said.

Despite the benefits, Jawad noticed disadvantages to her digital tools.

“An Apple pencil is nice and feels like a real pencil, but it’s so much heavier. I can’t write as fast during a lecture,” Jawad said.

Junior Tomie Ishimatsu explained that she retains information and content better when she handwrites her notes in comparison to typing them or taking them digitally, which she feels often makes the material easier to forget.

“I person ally like hand written notes a lot better be cause when you it, sometimes you’re not really getting as much information,” Ishimatsu said.

Similar to Svendson, social studies teacher Emily Haven allows her Civics students to take notes however they wish, but students in her AP Psychology course are only allowed to use handwritten notes from the textbook during quizzes. Digital notes are permitted during lectures.

“Hand-writing requires more effort and processing, but you don’t have the organizational control or flexibility that you do with digital note-taking,” Haven said.

Haven understands that many students prefer numerous notetaking techniques and allows either method for different portions of the class due to the differing benefit of both preferences.

“There is no silver bullet for note-taking,” Haven said. “It’s been a combination of trial and error, talking to students and teachers and research. It changes a little from year-to-year as a result of all of those.”

On campus, note-taking is essential for numerous classes. Many students prefer certain methods of notes over others as they are personalized to the student and their learning styles. According to Svendsen, in order to strive in and outside of the classroom setting, students and teachers must understand the benefits of both note-taking styles and encourage all techniques.

“We need to continue to build a culture where taking notes is effective,” Svendsen said. “We need to be making sure that our students know how to take effective notes so that they can be successful in the classroom.”

By Jazzy Ramirez

Amelia Howell/Roar Staff

Senior Kyla Tadina added that for some, the FAFSA is the deciding factor in their postsecondary education. Tadina shared a story about a relative who got accepted into a four-year college but was unable to attend due to high ex -

penses.

“I was like, ‘Why didn’t you apply for the FAFSA?’ and she was like, ‘‘Cause I didn’t know about it,’” Tadina said. “It’s definitely a good opportunity, especially for those who don’t want to

make such a big financial commitment.”

Despite the overlapping time frames of the FAFSA application and college application deadlines, many students agree that FAFSA is much less of a

toll. Senior Sebastian McMahon found that the FAFSA was much easier than filling out another college-related application called the CSS Profile.

“In comparison, the CSS Profile took three times as long as the FAFSA, mostly because the website was slow and crashes every ten minutes, making me have to restart multiple times,” McMahon said. “The FAFSA website was fast and reliable.”

Similar to McMahon, many seniors have found their financial aid applications to be significantly more convenient than their college applications.

“With the FAFSA, it’s just a bunch of filling in your information and submitting it. There’s no writing supplemental,” Tadina said.

Many students and faculty members believe Assembly Bill 469 is a step in the right direction to providing all students the possibility of higher education regardless of their family’s income.

“I think it’s a really good opportunity to set yourself up for the future,” Tadina said.

Students reflect on their experiences in customer service

itive than negative.

“You definitely see how rude people can be, but you’re also able to have positive experiences,” Flores said. “I would say there’s a lot of people who come in and genuinely care. Being able to form connections, especially with our regular customers, and seeing them makes me feel a little joy.”

Flores reflected on a negative experience she had encountered in regards to her store policy.

model,” Flores said. “It stands for care for the customer, acknowledge the customer, reduce wait times and elevate the experience.”

For Yob, Chipotle reminds workers to take care of the customers’ needs and teaches them ways to interact with people.

Advice Column: freshmen asked, seniors answered

By Mylinh Duong

For many high school students, getting a part-time job can be a rite of passage. Through working jobs, young individuals can learn to adapt to new environments focused on customer service and elevating experiences. SCHS students discuss their experiences working in customer service.

In the past, junior Bradley Yob has worked at Great America and Togo’s, and currently is employed at Chipotle. Yob reflected on a positive encounter with a customer during his shift.

“One customer specifically, on a day I was feeling really good, I made their bowl perfectly, and they had left and came back later to compliment me on my customer service,” Yob said. “He ended up giving me a $5 tip. They complimented me for always smiling and working on their order quickly.”

Through working multiple

Courtesy of Samantha Flores

jobs, Yob has grown to become more empathetic of other customer service workers.

“It (having a customer service job) did change the way I interacted with other workers,” Yob said. “Before working, I didn’t care about them as much. But after working from a customer service standpoint and from what I’ve noticed, I’ve become a lot nicer and more respectful.”

Similar to Yob, sophomore Mia Rahbar applies her work experience at Chick-Fil-A to treat workers at other fast food places better.

“I realized how mean customers can be to workers,” Rahbar said. “I try to reflect on what I learned from working in customer service when I buy something from other restaurants and places.”

Senior Samantha Flores works at a boba shop called Teaspoon.

Flores finds her experience in customer service to be more pos-

“A person came in for our drinks that are milk based, but we can’t make them without ice,” Flores said. “The customer got really angry, threw a whole fit over it and made a huge deal. He ended up going on Yelp and made a bad review, so corporate had to contact him and he got banned from our store.”

Similar to Flores, Rahbar witnessed a customer throw food and yell at her coworker while working outside in the drive thru.

“I heard it through the headset, and it was a few feet away from me where the arguing and situation was happening,’’ Rahbar said. “It made me feel scared for the rest of the time I would be working there. It was just knowing that something could happen even if it wasn’t my fault, similar to the incident.”

In order to teach workers methods of problem solving, Flores’s management reminds her of an acronym to use to secure customer connection.

“At Teaspoon, we have an acronym called CARE, which we have to work by. It’s based around a customer service

“I think Chipotle does a great job at placing an emphasis on customer service,” Yob said. “We’re trained to always put the customer first, and we have certain phrases to use to say to customers.”

From working in customer service, Yob has developed his social skills through regular conversation with customers.

“Something I was able to learn is how to talk to people,” Yob said. “It’s easier for me now, and before getting these jobs, I was more shy. I’m able to open up more.”

For Rahbar, her experience taught her to work with a diverse group of people.

“I learned to go out of my comfort zone since I’m not really a social person,” Rahbar said. “I learned to work with different types of people, like motivated people and people who don’t really take the job seriously.”

Despite challenges from difficult customers, Flores reminds herself and other workers entering customer service jobs of their persistence and value.

“Know your own worth. A lot of people are going to be really rude and think less of you,” Flores said. “We’re just teenagers and we’re trying to find our way in the world, so hold your head up high.”

By Amanda Troll

Should I take AP classes?

A typical in-person third period for the Yearbook elective consists of travYearbook advisor Hannah Blue said that since students could not go out and take pictures, most of the pictures are sent in from interview sources as courtesy photos.

“Yes!! AP classes are a great way to challenge yourself academically and prepare yourself for college. The classes provide you with a more rigorous course load, but you receive more advanced resources and the opportunity to delve deeper into various concepts. AP courses are also a way to boost your GPA and to demonstrate your interests to colleges.”

“Most of the images that are in this year’s book were sent in from community members, which was great, but it also means we have less control on the quality and sizing of images,” Blue said. “This was especially true for club photos. We usually have a really great process for taking them, but this year we relied on Zoom and Google Meet screenshots, which were not as consistent as taking real-life photos.”

Submitted by Erin Mizota

According to Yearbook editor-inchief, senior Jennifer Liu, the class had to increase the text on a page and decrease the amount of photos since photo coverage was a challenge.

If you could give your freshman self one piece of advice for the next years of high school, what would it be?

“Nevertheless, I think we did rather well with that,” Liu said. “We appreciate every student who has sent in photos for our yearbook staff to use, and the yearbook couldn’t be the same without this help.”

“Be open to getting involved, trying new things and meeting new people! You’re only in high school for the next four years of your life. Make the most out of it.”

Submitted by Heidi Hu

What is an easy way to stay on track and not procrastinate on assignments?

“Stay organized, set gradual goals and use something to keep track of your assignments (agenda (or a) to-do list. I personally use Google Calendar to block my time). Treat yourself after you get assignments done to stay motivated.”

Submitted by Heidi Hu

What’s the fastest way to complete your service hours ?

“Google local non-profits and see if they are doing anything. Talk with people about it, and someone may know someone who knows someone who could get you those hours. Help the community and get those papers signed.”

Submitted by Liam Brennan

Should I be stressed about picking a career? How do I figure out what I want to do with my life before picking colleges?

“Most people, by senior year, are not set in stone about what career they want to pursue. Exploring subjects you are interested in learning about can help you pick a major in college, but just because you majored in something in college doesn’t mean you’re stuck with one job or one field for the rest of your life.”

Submitted by Heidi Hu

SeniorSamanthaFlorescelebratesherconnectionswithcustomers.

Rhea Gosain/Roar Staff

WhilefillingouttheDREAMACTandFAFSAform,somestudentsencountereddifficulties.

‘I don’t know what’s taking so long’

All-gender locker rooms experience delays in SCUSD schools

By Khadeejah Khan

In efforts to create inclusive spaces on campus for all students, middle and high schools across SCUSD are beginning to construct all-gender locker rooms.

At SCHS, students who need all-gender locker rooms are currently using the team rooms. To make these all-embracing spaces more accessible, a portable next to the training room will be renovated to be used as an all-gender locker room.

According to Vice Principal of Activities Sharon Freeman, SCHS’s locker room was initially planned to be completed in Oct. 2022, but the locker room is still not available due to delays.

“Timeline-wise, it was supposed to be done by October, but it was delayed,” Freeman said. “Now, it just needs to get done.”

Physical education teacher and department chair Julie Kawamoto hopes to see the locker room in place as soon as possible. While the team rooms are being used right now, there are sometimes delays in the time they take to open, inconveniencing students.

“If our current area is not open, these individuals have to walk through a locker room in order to get a key to open it,”’ Kawamoto said. “We always sincerely apologize, but they should not have to walk through in order to get a key. I know it (the all-gender locker room) is all something that is in progress, but it is super irritating.”

Kawamoto expressed disappointment towards the delay in construction of the locker rooms.

“I really feel sad for these individuals. They just want a

place to feel okay and safe and comfortable,” Kawamoto said.

“Right now, we are providing something, but it is just not good enough.”

A lack of space contributes to the delay, which many schools have, yet Kawamoto believes they must prioritize creating safe spaces.

“A lot of schools don’t have

else,” Freeman said. “This will open up horizons for students that don’t feel as comfortable advocating for themselves but still need that safe space.”

Freshman Mariah Vasconcellos agrees. Vasconcellos used to be involved with Cabrillo Middle School’s Gay-Straight Alliance in middle school and helped their club in its efforts to advo -

nalized yet.

DeWeese appreciates the district’s overall efforts toward creating inclusive spaces at SCUSD schools.

“On a broader scale, the district is working towards more inclusive language in their policies and getting feedback from all parties: teachers, students, parents and admin,” DeWeese said. “I feel like the district is really listening to the people who are attending the sessions.”

With these efforts, DeWeese hopes to see more training for staff as well as a more inclusive curriculum to foster safe environments in the classroom.

Winter Sports

Upcoming dates

Girls Soccer

12/17 @ Santa Clara

Varsity 11:00 am

12/22 @ Santa Clara Varsity 7:00 pm

12/27 @ Branham Varsity 6:15

1/6 @ Los Altos Varsity 3:30 pm

1/11 @ Santa Clara Varsity 7:00 pm

Boys Soccer

12/19 @ Santa Clara Varsity 7:00 pm

Certain sports like volleyball do not have an issue fielding umpires for games but struggle to have a sufficient amount during tournaments.

Sophomore Dania Gizaw, who is a player on varsity, mentioned that her coach helps protect their players from the strain of not having referees.

“It’s more of an issue for the coaches than it is for the players because they worry about it,” Gizaw said. “I don’t think they put that stress on players.”

Martinez accepts that many of the umpires are retiring, but he often discourages his players from becoming umpires due to the banter from spectators.

“They’re (the umpires) just

space, which is really unfortunate because you have to provide a space,” Kawamoto said. “I don’t know what’s taking so long. I really don’t.”

As this is a district initiative, middle schools are also receiving all-gender locker rooms. Freeman appreciates these efforts and believes they create a sense of safety for students, something that is not yet in place.

“For students that advocate for themselves and have always been advocating for themselves, they have always been able to use the team room, or something

getting too old and they’re retirement age now. There’s not enough young officials, umpires and referees getting into the field because of unruly parents and sometimes coaches too,” Martinez said. “That takes away the fun from the volunteer that is usually with the umpire.”

According to Kiyota, the district is unable to pay the referees a sufficient amount due to their restricted budget. She also mentioned that disrespect toward referees also plays a factor in the shortage.

“There’s certain teams, coaches and players that aren’t very respectful,” Kiyota said. “Maybe we can do some training on that if it’s all about respect.”

Although Martinez does not encounter too many conflicts involving SCHS parents and players, he mentioned that he does have players who express

cate for allgender spaces. They are excited for the new locker rooms to be available to all students this school year.

“All-gender bathrooms and locker rooms are really going to help with kids’ self-esteem and their safety on campus,” Vasconcellos said.

Cabrillo is one of the middle schools in the SCUSD implementing all-gender locker rooms. According to Cabrillo art teacher and GSA club advisor Sara DeWeese, the school has allocated space for the locker room, yet the timeline is not fi -

their opinions on calls made.

“We have players now and then who are very sionate about a call that might never have gone their way, and they let it express them selves,” said Martinez.

Martinez added that the atmo sphere behind the backstop can become toxic, leading to some parents having to move away from the situation.

“They actually don’t watch the game behind, or what stands are on our baseball field. They actually watch behind the fence here to get away from all that hoopla

“Additional training for staff around the LGBTQIA+ would be good to help us understand the issues our students are navigating and how best to help support them. I believe most teachers are supportive, but we can always learn more to be better at supporting all our students,” DeWeese said. “I know that it is slow moving, but as we choose new textbooks, we should be making sure they also show inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community.”

Vasconcellos is appreciative of the district’s current efforts and hopes the district can also promote diverse history curriculum in order to allow for more representation.

“Ignorant and hateful mindsets start at a young age because of a lack of education,” Vasconcellos said. “I want middle schools and younger people to realize that even if they are different from other people, that doesn’t mean they should feel bad about themselves.”

– and less noise – just to watch their kid play,” Martinez said.

Throughout his coaching career, Martinez has emphasized the importance of establishing relationships with the umpires to minimize banter.

“That’s what I try to do as a coach,” Martinez said. “I build connections with them, so I don’t feel hostile and have more of a friendly conversation when I disagree with a call. It helps my situation out with them being here on our campus.”

12/21 @ Yerba Buena Varsity 7:00 pm

12/30 @ Wilcox Varsity 7:00 pm

1/6 @ Santa Clara Varsity 7:00 pm

1/11 @ Gunn Varsity 3:30 pm

Girls Basketball

12/20 @ Andrew Hill Varsity 6:30 pm

12/23 @ Santa Clara Varsity 1:30 pm

12/28 @ Newark Memorial High School Varsity Tournament

12/29 @ Newark Memorial High School Varsity Tournament

12/30 @ Newark Memorial High School Varsity Tournament

1/3 @ Santa Clara Varsity 7:00 pm

1/5 @ Fremont Varsity 7:00 pm

1/10 @ Santa Clara Varsity 7:00 pm

Boys Basketball

12/20 @ Gunn High School Varsity 7:00 pm

12/31 @ Milpitas High School Varsity 1:30 pm

1/3 @ Carlmont High School Varsity 4:30

1/4 @ Santa Clara Varsity 7:00 pm

1/6 @ Fremont High School Varsity 7:00 pm

1/11 @ Wilcox High School Varsity 7:00 pm

Schedule is according to santaclara.schoolloop.com

Rebecca LaBarge/Roar Staff

‘It’s going to be one of the biggest clubs on campus’

After being established this year, the Baller’s Club has seen rapid growth

but basketball in general,” Van Dyck said. “I wanted to offer the opportunity for kids to participate in an intramural program, or just have a place to hang out and talk about everything basketball. Hopefully, that translates into more kids in the stands.”

Van Dyck explained the idea arose in April of 2022 from the large group of students who spend lunch in his classroom and are always discussing basketball.

It made me really excited to see many JV and varsity players come together as one,” Musleh said. “We raised a good amount of money from there.”

Van Dyck shares a sense of pride toward what the club has achieved since being chartered and appreciates the consistently large turnout at meetings.

prizes, such as basketballs, merchandise, movie tickets and more.

By Amelia Howell

The newly-established Ballers Club strives to bring more energy and support to SCHS’s basketball program and provide a community for those passionate about the sport. Through an array of recent events, the club looks forward to incentivizing more attendance at upcoming basketball games and furthering the sport’s culture on campus.

According to club advisor Brian Van Dyck, the Ballers

Club was chartered at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. The club was started not only to support the basketball program but also to give students who do not play basketball yet are still passionate about the sport a place to bond with other community members who share a love for basketball.

“The Ballers Club is specifically to bring student attention and student engagement around not just the basketball sports team and basketball program

“I have 40 to 50 kids in here every day at lunch. They’re fun, they’re happy, they’re inclusive of everybody, and they all have one thing in common: they like basketball. It came through years and years of my classroom being a lunchtime basketball hub. Even kids that weren’t on the basketball team are in here, constantly talking about basketball,” Van Dyck said. “So, I said, ‘What if we just had a club that supported the teams – boys and girls – and just promoted the program?’ And here we are.”

Ballers Club president junior Noor Musleh’s proudest achievement since starting the club is how quickly they hosted their first fundraiser in collaboration with Wicked Chicken, where 10% of purchased meals was donated to the club if they mentioned the Ballers Club while ordering.

“I’m really proud of raising money from Wicked Chicken.

“We have already had seven meetings that have been wildly attended by 20 or more participants at all of our meetings. We’ve got a very active board,” Van Dyck said.

Beyond the club’s Wicked Chicken fundraiser, the Ballers Club also hosted a booth at the Homecoming float night in October that sold hot chocolate and snacks, and they recently established a store through BSN Sports, where Ballers Club members can purchase merchandise and gear.

“We had a really great Homecoming float night and had a really successful fundraiser to get our name out there,” Van Dyck said. “We already have logoed merchandise in the form of stickers, we have pencils and we have small logoed sponge NERF balls coming, so that once league starts, we’ll have halftime events.”

Musleh noted that the club is planning additional fundraisers for the future and interactive games that will be hosted before basketball games and during halftime to engage the crowd and give them a chance to win

“We should be looking forward to more fundraisers for sure. We should be looking forward to fun games during halftime. We would like to give out basketballs and shirts,” Musleh said. “If you make a free throw, you get a prize.”

According to Van Dyck, free throw competitions will not be the only activity that the crowd can participate in.

“We’ve purchased a very high-quality small basketball hoop that will actually be mounted on a backpack that can be raised and lowered, and we will be throwing sponge balls out into the audience. They’ll try to make shots both before the game and during halftime,” Van Dyck said.

To Musleh, the passion and enthusiasm within the Ballers Club will keep the spirit surrounding basketball alive in years to come, and the Ballers Club will continue to be an active club on campus.

“Everybody in the club is so passionate about basketball, that they’re spreading the word so much that the Ballers Club is finally getting recognized,” Musleh said. “Definitely in the future, it’s going to be one of the biggest clubs on campus, I have a lot of faith in that.”

A girls flag football team may be implemented to accommodate for Title IX

By Andrew Littlefield

If approved in February, girls flag football could be added to the roster of sports available at Santa Clara High School.

Originally proposed by the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section, flag football is in the final stage of the new sport approval process. If the final vote in February passes, girls flag football will become a recognized sport in California.

Central Coast Section Commissioner David Grissom has been contributing to the approval process for a while and has been recruiting athletes to participate while doing so.

“We’re always looking for new athletes,” Grissom said.

While there are more female-exclusive than maleexclusive sports offered at SCHS, there is still a disparity in the number of female to male athletes, according to SCHS Principal Gregory Shelby. The addition of girls flag football would act as a counterpart to the predominantly male football team, where a lot

of the imbalance comes from.

“High schools around the area have a higher number of male athletes than female athletes, and this would help address that,” Shelby said.

If added, flag football would become the ninth female-exclusive sport offered at Santa Clara.

Even if flag football becomes recognized as a sport in California, it may take a while for the Silicon Valley Athletic League and SCHS to establish teams.

Grissom used beach volleyball as an example, a sport that has not been implemented at SCHS but has been sanctioned by the state.

“Not every school has a beach volleyball team,” Gris -

som said. “Some leagues might take longer to adopt it than others.”

While the proposal categorized flag football as a fall sport, different leagues may have flag football in other seasons.

“Girls water polo is a fall sport here, while Southern California has it as a winter sport,” Grissom said.

Shelby is intrigued by the prospect of different seasons and would rather girls flag football occur in the spring for the sake of scheduling conflicts with other sports.

“From our perspective, we’d actually prefer it becom -

ing a spring sport,” Shelby said. “We don’t want it to compete for space and time with field hockey.”

Different seasons for the same sport can bring up an array of difficulties since State Championships can only happen during one season.

If a team does not participate in that season, they are not eligible to play.

“It does make State Championships difficult,” Grissom said.

“You eventually could become a state champion if you rise high enough,” Shelby said. “For that to happen, you have to be in the same season.”

Even if the California vote

passes, it could still take some time for SCHS to get its own flag football team.

“We would have to analyze whether we could field the team,” Shelby said. “We must make sure that we have the facilities to manage it.”

Typically when SCHS adds a sport, the team joins an existing league. However, flag football could be different.

“We might be one of the founding members of a brand new league,” Shelby said.

Starting with a clean slate can offer schools out-of-thegate success that might not be possible if the league was established prior to the team’s debut.

While a team is not definite, Shelby is excited about a potential flag football team.

“Anything we can do to bring out more athletes, particularly athletes that are not currently in a sport, is a wonderful thing,” Shelby said. “If this is the sport that will draw more athletes or more folks into athletics, it’s definitely worth it.”

BrianVanDycklookstobuildaninclusivebasketballenvironment.

Nishita Viswajith/Roar Staff

The Road to Higher Education

nesses nationwide, with higher education institutions using the practice to review college applications.

SCHS College and Career Resource Technician Anthony Butler believes the practice is beneficial towards racial equality.

“It (affirmative action) gives the admissions a chance to look beyond just one particular income bracket, which they feel is going to be the best population for their school, because of how much they make,” Butler said. “Some of those kids may not even be the best fit for the school.”

Despite the many legal challenges against it, some feel affirmative action has contributed to a racially equitable environment. Senior Bell Muthukumaran believes that the concept has helped underprivileged students obtain a higher education.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to help underprivileged students get an equal education because some of them might be from underprivileged backgrounds,” Muthukumaran said. “It’s not fair if they don’t get access to the same amount of education just because they don’t have the same amount of money.”

letting someone in because they’re this race or because they’re that race… Affirmative action, I believe, was said to help the process of admissions, not to take over and be the new standard.”

With the Supreme Court inching toward a decision with SFFA v. Harvard, the future of many incoming college applicants may be at stake. The Black Lives Matter movement in recent years has made a strong push for more equitable spaces, and affirmative action is seen as a byproduct of racial equity. Some believe that affirmative action gives students opportunities they might not have had before.

ASL teacher Talia Orsetti-Ng sees the removal of the practice as detrimental to minorities.

On Oct. 31, 2022, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments for a case that will determine the future of college applications. Consisting of two lawsuits, the Students for Free Admissions (SFFA) v. Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College, and SFFA v. University of North Carolina, the case challenges the concept of affirmative action. SFFA argued that UNC’s use of affirmative action violates the Fourteenth Amendment and that Harvard’s use of af-

By Theodore Nguyen firmative action is against Title IV of the Civil Rights Act. If the court abolishes the practice, universities would not consider applicants’ races, which could be detrimental to minorities.

Affirmative action was first introduced in the 1960s, with John F. Kennedy’s Executive Order 10925 being the first to coin the term. It was designed to combat racial discrimination within government employment. With the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the practice expanded to busi-

One central belief among challengers is that the practice itself is unconstitutional.

Grutter v. Bollinger, in particular, was a landmark Supreme Court case that sought to determine whether the Michigan Law School’s use of racial preferences for minorities was against the Fourteenth Amendment. The court ruled that race could be considered so long as other factors are evaluated on an individual basis. Butler agrees with SFFA’s reasoning for the lawsuit.

“As long as race is not considered as the sole point,” Butler said. “They’re not just

“I think if it was entirely removed, that could be very dangerous because we might start receding back into old ways,” Orsetti-Ng said. “ People would not have any parameters about being biased, right? So they could easily go back to being biased. I think that the country is in a very injured place right now in terms of racial struggles, and I think that just removing the parameters altogether can cause a lot of disruption.”

Inevitably, the decision is up to the Supreme Court in SFFA v. Harvard. As the case progresses, many wonder about the potential ramifications against minorities and underprivileged communities.

“If affirmative action did get abolished, you’d also have to make sure that those communities get the resources that they need, so they can also succeed,” senior Aliya Kabir said.

Bribery, corruption and schemes have tarnished the credibility of college

By Sonia Mankame

As students grow older, many are faced with the prospect of attending college, and it often serves as motivation to perform well in their academics and extracurriculars. Students join clubs and sports and take higher level classes all with the hope of attending their dream college. However, due to incidents like the 2019 College Admission Scandals, some students are discouraged in their work, believing that they can not compete with those wealthier than them.

In 2019, the FBI discovered that multiple parents had bribed top colleges like Stanford, Yale, Northwestern and Georgetown into accepting their children. According to the United States Department of Justice, the guilty parties were sentenced anywhere from a few months to two years in prison. Former Stanford sailing coach, John Vandemoer, was found guilty of accepting $610,000 in bribes and the resulting punishment was one day in jail with a $10,000 fine, according to the Insider.

Junior Daniel Martínez, believes wealthier students have always had the advantage in terms of education.

“(Wealthier) parents have lots of knowledge on what to do to get their kids into college,” Martínez said. “They can put them with tutors and sign them up for any extracurriculars, which can help (them) get into a better college.”

Senior Sierra Yang is inclined to agree that people in higher social classes are privileged in terms of the college admission process.

“If you are wealthy, obviously, you go to wealthier schools and get access to a (bet-

ter) education so you are going to get higher grades, whereas someone who comes from a low-income family might go to a (worse) school and not do as well.” Yang said.

Freshman Annika Agarwal believes the college admissions system is structured in a way that prioritizes privileged people over others.

“People are buying their way in, and it does not give a chance for other people to help

themselves,” Agarwal said. “The ones who start out low cannot even improve because the people who are already at the top stay there.”

Freshman Mikaela Casius agrees with Agarwal as she believes the corruption of the college admissions system benefits certain social groups.

“I feel like if you are white, you probably have a higher chance (of attending a good college) because you are white, and

a white person is mostly privileged compared to someone who is of color,” Casius said.

In contrast, freshman Andi Porter, believes that one’s academic success is still a leading factor in college admissions. She believes that money may be important, but it is not a determining factor.

“In my opinion, I do not think it is all about wealth,” Porter said. “I think a lot of it is about what you know and what you can achieve. That really gets you someplace. But yeah, when you are good in your academics, you are bound to get scholarships.”

Some students, like Agarwal, believe there is no solution for the problem of bribery in the school system.

“I guess it really depends on the person who is interviewing or selecting. Not everyone is like that (corrupt). Some people have different views,” Agarwal said. “I do not think there really is a way to get them (colleges) to stop accepting bribes.”

Others, like Casius, choose to remain positive and wait for government intervention. They hope to see more laws that will help prevent prejudice from entering a college’s admission process.

“I understand why they are accepting people who are privileged and have money because they need the money,” Casius said. “So, I feel like (higher) taxes should be given to schools and all that because taxes should be able to bring in the money they need.”

The racial wealth gap has worsened over

past 30 years as a result of sluggish income growth and an immobile social ladder

By Soojin Spencer

In light of college admissions season, paying for college has become a highly-pertinent issue, especially for those affected by the wealth gap. The wealth gap is described as the income disparity between ethnicities, and while higher education is perceived as a solution to these disparities, many believe the American social ladder has proven to be fairly immobile.

Junior Javeria Ahmed believes that career-defining opportunities are found in the networking systems of postsecondary education campuses, and that those who are legacy admits have easier access to valuable connections.

“Only a certain group of people are going to these private institutions,” Ahmed said. “The people who are going to community colleges or state colleges aren’t able to get that opportunity simply because they’re from a lower-income status.”

Receiving a college degree has a direct correlation to higher pay. Higher education, however, has not aided the wealth gap in a tremendous manner. In fact, the Wall Street Journal reported over the past 30 years, slow income growth and a stagnant economy have caused Black college graduates to lose ground.

Despite college degrees resulting in higher pay, those who have to pay

off student debt face setbacks, and the wealth gap has worsened instead of improving. This disproportionately affects marginalized groups who still face poor financial circumstances in comparison to their non-marginalized counterparts, even with obtaining a college degree. With comparatively lower costs, community colleges have paved paths for many. However, wealthier private

institutions have more access to resources and funds to offer financial aid. According to the Washington Post, these same private institutions have a pattern of immoderately admitting white students. Black students will often attend less selective universities and turn to for-profit universities, which typically do not offer any financial aid.

While a college degree is inherently

beneficial, freshman Nabayet Gebrehiwet believes that financing for college can create a vicious cycle of debt.

“It is a cycle. It is paying your loans and then getting out of college,” Gebrehiwet said. “And even if you have a good job, you have these horrible loans to pay back. And it’s hard. It obviously takes a toll on people and their opportunities.”

For people of color, attending college and receiving a well-paying job may not even be enough to repay incurred debts, reported the Washington Post. In fact, African Americans are far more likely to send money to their parents, whereas white graduates are more likely to be sent money from their parents.

In this day and age, higher education has become an issue of debt incurrence, which has worsened the wealth gap.

“You cannot really get out of it because you are never given the opportunity to get out of it,” Gebrehiwet said.

“So to close the wealth gap, I think we would need to have more resources in areas where there are disparities.”

While disparities exist, senior Habibah Eldakrouri is optimistic that the historical lack of educational opportunities for Black people is being rectified.

“African Americans have to work a lot harder to achieve what most average (civilians) already have,” Eldakrouri said. “Black people are held to a higher standard in education… but it’s getting better.”

By Jaclyn Duran

As a student fills out their college application with countless clubs, sports and extracurriculars, they wonder whether or not they have enjoyed the extracurriculars they have participated in. Many high school students believe it is necessary to take rigorous classes and participate in numerous extracurriculars to be accepted into college. Some students attempt to meet these standards and in turn, overload themselves.

SCHS senior Rida Faraz believes colleges often stress students to take part in time consuming extracurriculars they may not be passionate about.

“With college applications being so competitive, that puts a lot of pressure on students to just do everything and have all of these extracurriculars under their plate,” Faraz said. “I think even for me

sometimes I can feel that pressure.”

Faraz is aware that a full schedule may attract colleges, but she believes it is essential for students to know how much they do at once and when it is time for them to take a step back before adding another event to their calendar.

“The main thing is you have to know your capacity,” Faraz said. “Like how much you’re actually able to do, and if you feel that you’re overworking yourself, then I think honestly you should take a step back and reconsider what’s healthy for you.”

Sophomore Ren Brown observed that many students feel overwhelmed with extra clubs, especially those they only use for college applications.

“A lot of people that alway complain about the clubs they are in because they’re always like, ‘This club is so hard, but it looks so good on my college application,’” Brown said.

Vice Principal of Activities, Sharon

Freeman, believes that joining activities for one’s enjoyment should be the biggest motive, not solely college applications.

“I think that as long as you are doing these extracurriculars because they are important to you, that’s where the genuine connection is made,” Freeman said.

As Brown is the president of the LGBTQ+ club, she acknowledged that even with the pressure of colleges, participation in clubs is usually based on what it means personally to the students.

“Most of them (motives for joining a club) are personal reasons. Like the LGBTQ+ club, I noticed that there wasn’t a club and I am part of the community, so I wanted to help,” Brown said.

Faraz noticed that community is also a common motivator when students choose extracurriculars. Sports and clubs both provide an avenue for

students to connect with their peers. Additionally, sharing a common interest or projects allows students to be more involved in the school.

“Part of it was just like I see that everyone around me is being a part of all of these different things” Faraz said. “So I thought for myself I wanted to start getting involved in the activities that we have around our school.”

Freeman believes that with the amount of club and sport choices at SCHS, finding one that fits students is often not a challenge.

“There are so many clubs that everyone on campus should be able to find a group that they can connect with,” Freeman said.

For some SCHS students, extracurriculars are used to allure colleges and for others, they are an outlet for genuine interest.

“I think it is split between people and what they want for their future,”Brown said.

For fun or for show? Some students prioritize appearing well-rounded on college applications over genuine engagement with their interests

With the possibility of affirmative action’s abolition, students and staff reevaluate the pivotal role it has played in the college admissions process

the

Scandalsanddishonestyinhighereducationhasstigmatizedtheadmissionsprocess.

Amelia Howell/Roar Staff

Soojin Spencer/Roar Staff

Soojin Spencer/Roar Staff

Amelia Howell/Roar Staff

TheSupremeCourtmayoverturnrace-basedcollegeadmissions,leaving manystudentswonderingwhatthefutureofcollegeadmissionswilllooklike.

OPINION

The nuances of representation

The entertainment industry only includes LGBTQ representation when it serves them, viewing queer people as just another group to profit from. Corporate greed leads to bland representation that only showcases certain people deemed palatable for mainstream viewers in an effort to not alienate straight audiences while the industry remains toxic to LGBTQ people.

GLAAD’s 2021 to 2022 “Where We Are on TV Report,” states that 11.9% of primetime recurring characters are LGBTQ, which is an increase from previous years. However, only 2% of the LGBTQ characters are disabled, significantly below the estimated 32.5% of LGBTQ ing with HIV.

At the same time, the entertainment industry remains discriminatory. 53% of LGBTQ respondents to a poll by the UCLA School of Law felt that LGBT people were discriminated against by directors and producers in hiring. LGBTQ actors often report being pressured to stay in the closet to preserve their careers. Although entertainment now includes more and more LGBTQ people, it is hostile to those it profits off. Corporations’ desire to use representation as a means to profit from LGBTQ people does nothing to make the entertainment industry more accepting and creates stale and flat representation.

Recent efforts to include representation have largely been put into the movies to gain publicity. Disney is especially guilty of this, claiming to have numer -

By Aminah Hedges, Nathaniel Hekster and Aisha Shafik

ous first gay characters in recent years. These efforts include a lesbian couple quickly on screen in “Finding Dory” and an “exclusively gay moment” involving Lefou in the remake of “Beauty and the Beast.” All of these have been advertised before the film’s release, drumming up publicity. In actuality, they are all largely quick moments that can be edited out for release in different countries and will not overly offend homophobic audiences, preserving profits.

Movies and TV shows that do focus on LGBTQ stories are often narrowly focused on white, middle-class LGBTQ people. Media like the film “Love, Simon” create one image of LG -

episodes of a show minimizes the loss of revenue feared by executives. When and how LGBTQ characters are included is governed by profits.

The unwillingness to fully commit to representation is contrasted with modern works published outside of large media corporations. Contomerapy podcasts and self-published novels are able to portray large and varied casts of LGBTQ characters, showcasing a broad range of experiences. This dichotomy between representation in large corporations and smaller endeavors reveals just how much of an effect the media industry’s attitudes have on representation.

Some of the most notable

and monotonous representation while harming the people within the entertainment industry they seek to represent.

Including diversity into media is important, especially since the voices of minorities are not captured accurately in today’s media landscape. Throughout films, there has been an uprising in having more representation in racial backgrounds. This, however, can sometimes leave holes, leading to misconceptions of certain groups of people and reinforcement of stereotypes.

With the intention of adding more representation, whitepredominant media can deviate from having a correct and accurate representation, especially

troversies surrounding what the show was trying to implement and in one of the songs in the film, the lyrics portrayed racist implications towards African Americans. The graphics showed faceless people of color working and doing labor while the song was playing in the background. The film failed to properly represent Black folk, exemplifying long-standing racist attitudes in Hollywood. The misrepresentation created a running dialogue of Black people as cartoons at the hands of white folk.

In “Princess and the Frog’’ the main protagonist is a Black waitress who is mostly shown in the film trapped in a frog’s body, dehumanizing the character. According to The Week, some suggested aspects of the film dehumanized black folk. Additionally, the film was written by predominantly white people, failing to capture the true lives and voices of Black Americans. The movie provides diversity by adding other characters with different backgrounds. However, their dehumanizing portrayal defeats the purpose.

The value of the voices of differing ethnicities, cultures and races is being cheapened by the stale and corporate portrayals in modern media. A new generation of enlightened writers and producers have proved the value of cultural richness.

Donald Glover’s TV show, “Atlanta,” accurately captures the lives of poorer Black folk in America.

by those around them. This nar rative is incongruent with the lived experience of many queer teens. While coming out is a real concern for many, it is not the start and end of queer people’s lived experience. The emphasis on coming-out narratives ignores the experiences of many LGBTQ people in favor of the same bland narrative audiences have come to expect.

Efforts to include more varied representation are often stifled by those in power. Both Korra and Asami in “Avatar Legend of Korra” and Bubblegum and Marceline in “Adventure Time” were confirmed to be dating in the final episodes of their shows. The shows’ creators have spoken about having to fight for representation to be included, with the relationships only being confirmed in the final episodes acting as a compromise. Confirming representation in the final

es because they were published through independent publishers and LGBTQ-specific papers. Works from the twentieth century like “Dy*es to Watch Out For” by Allison Bechdel and “Stone Butch Blues” by Leslie Feinburg showcase a diversity of representation rarely seen in mainstream media. Both works are currently available to the public for free via the internet, positioning them as the antithesis of corporate greed. Own Voices works published outside of large corporations provide current generations with a connection to queer elders and history, something that is missing in mainstream media.

When representation is removed from corporations’ primary desires to make money and placed in the hands of those who it represents, it is able to become more varied and accurate. Corporate greed leads to flat, dull

representation can be altered be cause of the individuals creating their roles.

If the roles created for people of color are from perspectives of primarily white or other individuals, POC perspectives are often not captured correctly. In the media, it can be obvious to recognize if certain groups are not represented by their own people and are usually written by another. Statista found that 67.7% of all film writers are white. With the recent efforts to diversify Hollywood’s cast, the predominantly white production crews may not be able to fully and accurately capture the lives of cast lists of Black, Hispanic, Asian and others.

According to the Washington Post, a prime example of writers creating stereotypes is in the original film of “Dumbo.” There have been scenes throughout the movie where there were con -

Eddie Huang’s “Fresh off the Boat,” reflects the struggles of an Asian family of immigrants.

Nirav Bhakta’s movie “Thank You, Come Again,” is an amazing portrayal of Gujarati Americans. Of course, older generations have provided clear and effective portrayals as well.

Michael Cacoyannis’s 1964 film “Zorba the Greek” captured the essence of Greek and Turkish culture perfectly in a time when these immigrants in America faced discrimination.

What all of the aforementioned movies have in common is the diversity of their cast, writers and directors. The key to advancing Hollywood’s inclusivity and colorfulness is to have writers tell the stories of their own peoples and cultures. An entire peoples’ story cannot be captured at the hands of a stranger.

Masculinity in the workplace overshadows women

By KennedyRose Stiver

In a professional environment full of men and women, men often dominate the conversations in an office. While raising one’s hand to join a conversation or present a project, some may envision the voice behind these actions as more professional with a masculine voice and behavioral traits. Due to preconceived notions for either tone of voice or behavior, those with more masculine characteristics in areas of authority hold an advantage, permitting most individuals to assume there is lack of dominance in female positions. With all forms of professional communication, people should not assume only masculine traits define professionalism but should instead accept those of any gender.

As many individuals often collaborate in places requiring constant communication, positions in power are often dominated by certain gendered behavior traits. Active work environments with a hierarchical ladder often lean toward traditional masculine voices and behavior. These senses are

OP-ED

influenced throughout work environments that involve communication, such as offices and classrooms.

As many bosses are predominantly male, their attitudes and mannerisms will often exacerbate the gap for women in the workplace, leaving very little room for corporate advancement. Professor Jessica Preece at Brigham Young University reported that women in male-

dominated study groups are more likely to be seen as less authoritative as they speak less due to interruption and are forced to silently listen.

Various traits, such as highpitched voices compared to lowpitch voices, often differ in a dominating and non-dominating manner. As people whose voices fail to command the attention of a room are put at a disadvantage, which disproportionately affects

women, historically. Communication in this instance enables both a biological and a historical bias that preferences men in positions of power. Prioritizing tone of voice will drastically affect one’s ability to understand information from varying sources. This forces the negative habit of only comprehending information from a male trait rather than listening to one of a woman’s.

The tendency to rely on voice and tone coincidentally promotes the harmful depiction that traits of motherhood are compulsory for a woman in authority positions. Men often taunt the idea of a woman’s voice being too high in a manner that is unprofessional because of its nurturing connotation. This illustration of motherhood forces women to be constrained to motherly traits being solely responsible for nurture.

In place of critical feedback, female mannerisms are expected to provide reassurement. Rather than discouraging any form of negative indication, input from women in power should be re -

spected, regardless of their chosen form of leadership. Dismissing self-confidence for signs of aggression in a place of work encourages an imbalance of power.

There is a vast and deep societal discrimination against women, relating back to how women are still not in charge of their own futures. Societal trends, vices and shifts in behavior are historically biased against women. In this case, workplace environments are pushing women toward motherhood and childrearing. In a time where women supposedly have the right to determine their futures, this behavior is unacceptable.

There should not be a disproportion of representation in places of communication and collaboration. Communication must be an approachable resource for every individual, despite gendered characteristics playing into the preference for male authority. People should examine their own biases by recognizing the detrimental effects of gender stereotypes and form their opinions on others based on merit not bias.

Affirmative action prioritizes diversity and inclusivity on college campuses

As the Supreme Court of the United States’s conservative majority considers abolishing affirmative action in 2022, students are at risk of being confined to an undiverse and a non-inclusive environment. Affirmative action is a set of policies that aims to increase the opportunities provided to underrepresented members of society. Race-conscious postsecondary admissions has helped transform campus diversity for many colleges, yet overturning the process will eliminate a strong practice that ties communities together.

Prioritizing diversity is vital for college campuses. According to the Pew Research Center, as of

2022, nine states have banned affirmative action, with other states reversing or failing to pass the measures, Texas in 2003 and Colorado in 2008, respectively. Many schools outline in their mission statements a commitment to diversity, but with many states steadily advancing toward eliminating raceconscious admissions, student development is at risk.

Affirmative action is necessary to build character and skills for students. Students can meaningfully contribute to their college communities and prepare for a multiracial democracy. Inclusion enables diversity to thrive, and consistent contributions and a wide range

of perspectives from students can emphasize inclusivity. A diverse campus encourages critical thinking and effective communication with people from different backgrounds, helping to strengthen bonds and understanding.

Overturning affirmative action will cause setbacks for the college system. In 1996, Proposition 209 was passed by California voters, stating public schools and universities could not use race as a factor in admissions. Following this, the University of California campuses saw significant decreases in admission by race and ethnicity. The University of California, Los Angeles reported a 50% drop in Afri-

can-American and Latino students.

The UC system has long struggled with restrategizing and redesigning new approaches to ensuring student diversity and educational equality. Ending affirmative action requires extensive efforts in valuable time and resources to implement race-neutral alternatives. A colorblind framework to consider applicants does not guarantee racial diversity, and can discourage students of color from submitting an application.

In order for minority groups to perform well in higher education, expanding opportunities and services can help break barriers obstructing academic success. The

National Bureau of Economic Research reported that 43% of white students admitted at Harvard University were recruited athletes, legacy students, children of faculty and staff or on the dean’s interest list. Preferential treatment into prestigious institutions can harm groups on the bases of wealth, race and access.

For numerous minority groups and low-income families, access to resources could be unavailable or troublesome compared to affluent families. To secure a level playing field for underrepresented groups, implementing outreach programs, financial aid and scholarships can help students succeed.

Feeling tired of social media? Go outside, take a deep breath and touch grass

By Taejun Spencer

Social media, while marketed as a platform to share about oneself and have a quick laugh, has created a negative impact on people’s attention spans. Many Americans who consistently use social media have become victims of sensory overload, leaving them wanting more than traditional media offers. Unfortunately, the grim reality of shorter attention spans is unclear to many people.

In recent years, videos have become shorter. Vine, for example, presented a platform with videos that were as short as six seconds long. Instagram’s new Reels feature and TikTok’s general platform offer users with short clips. As videos have gotten shorter and shorter, the dopamine kick from entertainment has become scarcer

and scarcer. Thus, social media has ruined the attention spans of numerous young folk.

Many with shorter attention spans are starting to contract various problems. Healthline reported a few of these problems are laziness, poor communication skills, health neglect and an inability to complete daily tasks. These issues frequently lead to a lower quality of living and a higher possibility of being fired from a job.

There are simple ways to solve these issues. The main solution would simply be to limit social media usage and other dopaminefeeding activities. By limiting the use of social media, it is possible to improve one’s attention span. Although it sounds quite easy to do, there are several problems with this.

Many people are hard addicts

and are unable to distance themselves from social media. For these people to start, it is best not to completely remove social media from their lives but slowly decrease the amount of time they spend on it. MedicalNewsToday suggests that using social media for a maximum of 20 minutes a day is a good place to start for those wanting a break from it.

The best way is to replace the time that is spent on social media with other activities, such as sports, hanging out with friends, taking up a part time job and general exercise. As more of these responsibilities and activities pile on, one should notice a drastic decrease in the amount of time they spend on social media as they simply do not have the time to be on it.

Sometimes, the key to a better life really is just touching grass.

Beingaddictedtoyourphoneisanunforgivingandpainfulvice.

Womenareovershadowedandforgottenwhenintheworkplace.

Amelia Tai/Roar Staff

How criminal is true crime?

By Ellen Vu

A student opens their laptop to watch “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.” As true crime documentaries fill up their recently watched, they start to question whether watching these gruesome stories for entertainment is as harmless as they first believed.

True crime has c aptivated the world, gaining many fans with different interests in the genre. The SCHS community discussed what it is about true crime that captured their attention and whether the genre as a whole is morally correct.

Freshman Paige Souza explained that she got hooked on true crime due to her curiosity surrounding serial killers. She is especially interested in the motives that drive people to commit serious crimes.

“The things that they do are so disgusting and inhumane that it’s interesting,” Souza said. “That sounds so bad, but it’s fascinating to me. Why would you do that to someone?”

Souza believes that multiple social media users romanticize crime cases rather than spreading awareness about the victims. She pointed out that heavy production surrounding real and tragic events can negatively affect families mourning a tragic loss.

“Sometimes they (television companies) give every detail, and it’s like, just let them (the families) rest. They’ve already had to go through enough,”

Souza said. “Just let them be.”

Others, like librarian Seana Shelby, have different perspectives on how much true crime media should reveal about a victims’ case.

“Sometimes there are people like me who have anxiety, and somehow seeing what the possibilities are kind of like knowing that that’s something that could

with their visuals,” Shelby said. “For example, if they are discussing a woman who has been raped or killed, they often use a graphic of a woman partially clothed in a dehumanizing position.”

Shelby also noticed that, recently, true crime as a genre has given less attention to the killers

the criminal or how the victim suffered and more on other aspects of true crime. Senio r Joshua Christopher Kalaveras is one of those who has more interest in the crime scene and law process.

“It’s more of a stick out to gain and do problem solving, learning new skills based off of wherever it’s coming from,” Kalaveras said.

Kalaveras explained that consent is necessary for films to respect the victims. He believes that producers who do not gain the families’ permission to make media about victims’ perpetrators are not only morally wrong but also deserve legal consequences.

“They didn’t consent to it, which can also lead to a lawsuit because there are consequences without consent,” Kalaveras said.

Panou’s Paper Panel

By Elias Panou

I grew up in Tony Blair’s Britain. Staunchly Labour, a bit mousy and friendly looking, Prime Minister Blair represented the shift from a United Kingdom indebted to the Cold War into a truly modern one. As I have come to realize, I know very little of what that old country was like.

happen makes you feel more prepared,” Shelby said.

Having watched a variety of true crime media, Shelby noticed some documentaries have more sensitivity toward certain victims compared to others. She explained how fe male victims are commonly disrespected through photographs.

“Some documentaries or d ocu series are disrespectful to victims and sensationalized crime

of the crime and more toward other aspects of the case.

“I think it did feel like the killers themselves were more kind of the superstars of the story,” Shelby said. “Now it feels like there’s more of a focus on the psychology of the person of what the crime is rather than just kind of a squ atter fest like an ‘80s kind of horror film.”

S ome viewers focus less on

True crime continues to be a sensitive topic for some viewers and a number of people argue about the ethics of it. Many at SCHS believe that, when portrayed respectfully, true crime is an interesting genre whether it be to study the psychology, the nature of the crime or another reason.

“I feel like it depends how it’s portrayed because if it’s being portrayed really glamorized, then it’s obviously not good because why are you glamorizing a serial killer, but also it’s a good way to spread awareness. It makes people realize things.” Souza said.

Students explore glow up culture

By Rebecca LaBarge

A teenager opens TikTok. They scroll through the abundance of videos before landing on a post that catches their attention. A video shows two pictures of a person, one of them, a younger version of themselves, the other, a “glowed up” version that became conventionally attractive.

A trend sweeping social media sites, glow ups show people completely transforming their appearance, with a goal to become more attractive. Many teenagers subjected to this viral trend

“I feel like the whole concept of a glow up is that people just stereotype it as all of these undesirable features. But then you glow up and maybe you had acne or maybe you can have what people thought of as a good style or something like that.”

- Semra Hidic , junior

feel the pressure to glow up, including those at SCHS.

Junior Semra Hidic pointed out

that glow ups are built on the foundation of stereotypes. She believes that glow-up culture leads people to reject features that are not con-

selves. In this case, she believes that glow ups are positive and can promote better mental health.

“I think usually it (glowing up) physical features, like-

Lai agrees that glow ups are not a realistic expectation for everyone. She pointed out that they are often expensive and that spending large amounts of money on beauty products or procedures is not a viable option for most.

“Going back to glow up videos, a lot of them show like, ‘Getting this for $150’ or ‘Getting my hair done. Buying a new wardrobe,’ and for a lot of people, that is not sustainable and not really possible,” Lai said.

In the Cold War, the world hit Britain hard. It was a behemoth of Western culture. Musicians such as the Beatles topped the charts. British designers championed futuristic stylings that aimed to capture Britain’s space-frontier ambitions. The entire country transformed itself with new technologies, new fashions and what we now know as “retro” stylings.

While the British peoples were living so vibrantly, the government was up to something far more sinister. In other words, my life was shaped by men whose names I will never know. In the legacy of these men, Ian Fleming created a literary empire.

In 1957, Fleming released a classic of British culture: “From Russia, With Love.” My interest does not lie in the significance of this book’s plot or themes. It lies instead in the character of James Bond, international spy and man of the world.

In this particular book, Bond must survive an assassination attempt from a Russian femme fatale. That’s it. There is nothing special about the plot, nor is there anything that sticks out about the story. It is Bond’s presence, however, that is so fascinating.

James Bond is an icon of toxic masculinity. Bond became iconic by the masterful acting of legendary actors such as Sean Connery and Roger Moore. It was something so revolutionary back then. Men were not supposed to be donned from topto-bottom in sex appeal and swagger. Yet, these new standards for masculinity spread like wildfire.

whole concept of a glow up is that people just stereotype it as all of these undesirable features,” Hidic said. “But then you glow up and maybe you had acne or maybe you can have what people thought of as a good style, or something like that.”

Sophomore Malia Lai noted that glow ups should not have to be limited to physical parts of one’s appearance. She pointed out that people can also mentally and emotionally glow up and seek to improve them-

yourself. But also the emotional aspect of it, like if you have not very healthy thinking patterns, then change those and do what is best for yourself,” Lai said.

Senior Leopoldo De Jesus Hernandez Gonzalez believes the way glow ups are depicted online are unrealistic and can lead to insecurities.

“I feel they are a negative thing because it holds everyone to glow up and to these unrealistic expectations that are not real,” Gonzalez said.

While glow ups can sometimes lead people to feel more confident about themselves, many SCHS students believe they promote unrealistic expectations and can increase insecurities.

“It can make you feel better about yourself, but I think when you look at the root of it, the way it’s done is like, ‘Oh these features are not good, or these qualities are not good and these are,’ I feel it is a bit problematic,” Hidic said. “It’s already so infiltrated into society that some people do feel better because they feel like they have had their glow up, but it’s just unrealistic.”

Like many others, I have put Bond’s behavior under intense scrutiny for its glorification of toxic masculinity. He casually and regularly objectifies women. He kills others and laughs it off with gin in his hands. He’s deadly and armed to the teeth with fancy gadgets.

Bond is likely an extension of Fleming himself who saw himself as some precarious ladys’ man and wanted to portray himself as such.

Despite the many things wrong with this book, Fleming did a great job writing a thriller. The intrigue of espionage is exciting, events spark interest, and make the book an easy read.

So, for a read that will have you questioning its oddities and chauvinistic motif, yet captivate you and hold you tightly, you might want to check out Ian Fleming this winter.

Amelia Howell/ Roar Staff

Somestudentsbelievethattruecrimecandisrespectvictims.

Amelia

Trashy or tasteful? The debate on reality TV

By Amanda Troll

Many think of reality TV as trashy. As it has been around for years, there are an abundance of reality TV shows, such as “Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” “Love is Blind” and “90-Day Fiance.” Despite many people’s belief that reality TV is unrealistic and unintelligent, it is still heavily followed.

Sophomore Ruben Gonzalez likes to watch reality TV shows, including “La Casa De Los Famosos.” He enjoys watching the shows because they do not feel as

“I think it does have some sort of enrichment in behavioral issues because a lot of the time, the behavior that some of the actors have on the reality TV show is called out. I think we can learn enough about that and know, ‘Oh, maybe I shouldn’t act like that.’”

- Ruben Gonzalez, sophomore

scripted or acted-out as other television genres.

“It feels more in-the-moment

than watching movies and shows that already have a set story,” Gonzalez said. “A lot of these reality TV shows, for me, more unpredictable things happen, it’s really fun to watch that.”

Enticing drama is another reason why many enjoy reality TV, with dramafilled shows such as “Keeping Up With the Kardashi ans.” Others enjoy watching contes tants with overly exciting and drama-filled lives.

Junior Dorian Tay lor enjoys watching shows such as “Sur vivor.” She be people find watching others with interesting lives to be entertaining.

“Some people are bored with their own lives and want to see a look into someone else’s life,” Taylor said. “Maybe that’s why people like to keep up with the Kardashians.”

TheBeauLife author Sheryl Tng in her article “Can’t Seem To Turn Away From Cringe-Worthy Reality

TV Shows? Here’s Why” details why humans are obsessed with reality TV. Despite her hatred of the genre, Tng states, “In our

building relationships between the contestants instead of tearing them apart in dramatic fights. While both are competition shows, many believe they do not focus too heavily on social dynamics or drama. Reality TV characters can show emotions and traits that many consider more human-like and realistic. According to Tng, “Taking an interest in the lives of reality TV personalities and attempting to relate their experiences with our personal preferences makes perfect sense. After all, it’s in our nature to crave a sense of belonging and to forge meaningful connections with those who are similar to us.”

trayed as shallow and vapid, and they don’t have a lot of substance to them,” Hayes said. “The worries they have are first-world problems, and I think that gives people the idea that it’s not really adding any value. There’s not really anything we can learn or want to emulate.”

Unlike Hayes, Gonzalez believes that reality TV can have educational benefits. While watching shows with drama, he watches the problems they go through and what they do to solve them. He believes that viewers can learn lessons from watching others.

“I think it does have some sort of enrichment in behavioral issues because a lot of the time, the behavior that some of the actors have on the reality TV show is called out,” Gonzalez said. “I think we can learn enough about that and know, ‘Oh, maybe I shouldn’t act like that.’”

viewers might find the fact that the regular excitement experienced by on-screen characters to be unreal or far-fetched.”

Some reality shows create genuine connections between participating contestants. Viewers of shows such as “The Amazing Race” and “The Great British Bake Off” often feel they are produced with an emphasis on

English teacher Courtney Hayes expressed a different view on why reality TV has a bad reputation. While she enjoys reality TV shows, she thinks they are mindless and not very educational. She feels the people on reality TV are not always portrayed in the best ways and the shows do not have the same feel as fictional television.

“I think they’re probably por-

Many viewers find reality TV problematic and have strong distaste for the genre. Even so, it weaves its way into the lives of many students, who often cannot help but enjoy it.

“I think it goes back to that there’s something so addictive. I think it’s kind of one of those things that you love to hate,” Hayes said.

Students share their unforgettable concert experiences

lar interests to him.

Like Vader, sophomore Josephine Smith has been to many concerts throughout her life. She has seen live performances of Elton John, Neil Diamond, Grateful Dead, Pitbull and Taylor Swift. Smith loves the environment of the shows.

“I like the ambiance of it all. It’s not like any image,” Smith said. “It’s really nice coming to concerts and just seeing other people really enjoy the music.”

tion with the performer can make attending a concert a special experience. Vader is especially interested in the history of the performer and their journey to success.

“It’s inspiring that they probably started from nothing and then got to perform on a stage in front of thousands of people,” Vader said. “So that’s what I find fascinating about it.”

feel more connected with the artist and have a better time.

“Seeing it in person is completely different because you see how they sing it and how everyone around you reacts to it,” Faheem said.

Being with loved ones at concerts is important to many SCHS students like Smith, who thinks it can create un -

By Catalina Lopez

Sophomore Kai Vader enters the concert, blinding lights, a large stage and a noisy crowd are just some of the things he notices. His excitement of seeing a famous artist perform their songs creates an erupting applause in the arena.

“The experience of being around other people that also

enjoy the same things, you really bond over it,” Vader said. “ Everyone singing along is really cool.”

Vader has seen many concerts throughout his life. He has seen artists such as Cavetown, The B-52’s, Bikini Kill and Katy Perry. Vader enjoys meeting new people at concerts who have simi -

After seeing The Weeknd and BTS, freshman Rimsha Faheem enjoys seeing people have the time of their lives at the performances, especially if it is their first time attending a concert.

“It’s fun to see everyone around you have fun,” Faheem said. “It’s just like a different experience, especially if you haven’t been to one before.”

With the welcoming concert environment, having a connec -

Attending concerts since he was young, Vader has many memories from various shows. He recalled a special experience he had at a Cavetown concert.

“When there were bubbles at the very end, it was so fun,” Vader said. “Also, we were right next to the stage, so we were so close, and everyone was throwing gifts and stuff on stage.”

Faheem believes seeing concerts in person brings the music to life because the audience will

“Seeing it in person is completely different because you see how they sing it and how everyone around you reacts to it,”

- Rimsha Faheem , freshman

forgettable memories, particularly when at a live performance.

“Going with people that you love and people that mean a lot to you is sweet,” Smith said.

Courtesy of Josephine Smith

SomeSCHSstudentsenjoymeetingnewpeopleatconcerts.

Student Study Tactics

By Aaryan Dubale and Nishi Vijayvargiya

With finals just around the corner, some students are deliberating between studying in advance or cramming during finals week, while using a plethora of study tactics to get the best possible grades.

Around a month before finals, junior Natalie Tsung began to feel the intimidation of finals season, and after moving here from Miami, believes that Bay Area academic pressure contributes to the competitiveness during this time. She feels her high expectations are something she puts on herself, however.

“I definitely feel like it’s a lot more competitive here, and that does stress me out more because… I feel like the people here are more competitive so they’re more hesitant to reach out and help,” Tsung said.

Sophomore Varsha Venkateswaran has experienced more helpful and supportive academic environments. She often sends out Quizlet and Google Slides links to her classmates with study guides and an overview of her notes.

“I’m the quizlet master for AP Euro,” Venkateswaran said. “I’m the one who makes the classrooms and gives them to other people, and I make my own study slideshows. I have 30 people on that slideshow every day before tests studying.”

In addition to the study guides she makes to help others, Venkateswaran uses Notion to take her own notes to study for tests and finals.

“Notion is this organization app. You can use it for anything, but I use it for notes because I type my AP Euro notes,” Venkateswaran said.

Tsung also relies on her notes to study for finals. Tsung tends to print out her notes to annotate, and then does a final review the night before the exam to make sure she does not forget anything. Recently, Tsung has decided to branch out and try different techniques.

“My current study method is taking notes and reviewing those notes, but I’m going to try to do more practice problems because it helps me think and recall better than just reading my notes, which

is what I usually do, so I think that would be more helpful for finals,” Tsung said. “I think taking practice tests and exams and doing actual practice problems would be a lot more beneficial than just reviewing notes and passively reading.”

so I feel like I’m spending a lot more time studying and going over material.”

As for her current finals study schedule, Venkateswaran feels that her focus is on retaining as much information as

think sleeping early would help me retain the information better when I’m actually learning it for the first time during lectures,” Tsung said.

Another tactic for studying that many SCHS students use are study groups, which freshman Paul Kim believes are beneficial.

“If we (friends) have the same classes (I will do a group study session), but if we don’t have the same class together, then I will probably go solo,” Kim said.

Venkateswaran, however, believes that study sessions with friends will help overall for finals.

“Group study sessions are kind of small groups. Usually, me and my friend would go to a library that’s near our house and study,” Venkateswaran said. “But sometimes you get distracted a lot, so I also study over FaceTime calls.”

Venkateswaran believes that music is beneficial during her study sessions as it serves as background noise.

“I like not being in a quiet room. I like listening to music. It helps me,” Venkateswaran said.

Venkateswaran has also thought of incorporating different techniques into her study routine for finals.

“I see a lot of people doing Cornell notes, and honestly, I feel like Cornell notes is so stupid, but I think doing the summaries will seem like, ‘Oh, I want to try doing that,’” Venkateswaran said.

In addition to changing techniques for the future, Venkateswaran has evolved her techniques over the years depending on the difficulty of her courses.

“Before, during freshman year, my classes were so easy, so I didn’t really have to study that much,” Venkateswaran said. “But this year, my classes have gotten way harder,

possible instead of prioritizing sleep.

“I feel like I want to try to prioritize sleep, but I usually sleep at 11:30 or 12 because I’m just studying. I get way too paranoid, or like, ‘Oh, I have to go over this, or I need to go over this, or I need to go over that, too,’” Venkateswaran said.

Tsung also often sacrifices sleep to study during the finals season, and she also believes that it can be harmful.

“When I stay up really late, the latest I stay up is around 3:00 a.m. or 3:30a.m., but when I stay up really late sometimes I can’t stay awake during class, and then I’m missing the material, so I definitely

Kim said he listens to music to zone in on exactly what he is working on.

“Music and closing everything that is not relevant to that certain subject, or school, as well as any distractions helps me,” Kim said.

After taking her finals last year and changing her techniques a bit, Venkateswaran advises freshmen taking their first finals to build study habits early in high school.

“I feel like you guys (freshmen) should really start doing study habits now. I know the classes are easy. I know the stuff seems easy, but it’s gonna get harder,” Venkateswaran said. “So I think you (freshmen) should prioritize and study… because it’s going to get harder.”

Tsung agrees that freshmen should take the finals seriously and try to get the best possible GPA. She also feels that using all available assets will set students up for success.

“Reach out to your teachers if you need help because they are there to help you, and you should take advantage of every resource you have to make sure you do well and establish a good foundation for the rest of high school,” Tsung said.

Visuals by Aaryan Dubale/Roar Staff