VOL . 2, NO. 3
NOVEMBER 18, 2022
THE YELLOW PAGES BASIS Independent Fremont Journalism Club
SPOOKY SCARY ...DINOSAURS? By Heeya Das
a many students the opportunity to win prizes. Though valuable rewards were at stake, it was clear that many participated for the sheer enjoyment of showing off their costumes. Students customized their walks to fit their personas as they strolled
Halloween has passed by once more, this time
down the red carpet with their friends. Ms. Apra,
with students sporting a brand-new variety of
Mr. Betcher, and Ms. Davis sat at the end of the walk
costumes — everything from fairies to cows! By
with whiteboards to judge students’ walks in their
dawning their elaborate outfits, BASIS students
respective categories: Best Costume, Most Cre-
demonstrated their incredible sense of creativity
ative, Most Fun, and Most Scary. Loud music was
and ability to think outside the box. However, the
played for students to strut to as our MCs, Alicia
highlight of the day was undoubtedly the school
Peng (11th) and Isha Singh (11th), enthusiastically
Halloween carnival. The schoolyard was peppered
introduced each contestant. Students cheered for
with numerous booths, providing a selection of
their friends thunderously, showing their support
refreshments, including candy and hot chocolate,
and festive spirit. Some honorable mentions for
fortune-telling sessions, and a wide variety of
the costume contest include our group of inflat-
challenges such as the donut-string challenge, ob-
able dinosaurs, the lovely quartet of fairies, and
stacle course, pumpkin-bowling, and more!
the group of boys from the animated series De-
The main event of the carnival was the school-
mon Slayer. The BIFU Halloween celebration was
wide costume contest. With four separate catego-
so much fun, and we hope the Student Panel will
ries and three winners in each, the contest gave
bring it back next year!
HUMANS OF BASIS: CONNECTION TO HAPPINESS
By Shirley F. , Kevin W. , and Alan X.
BIFU DIWALI CELEBRATION
By Alicia Peng and Anjali Prabhu
lunch tables. Indian snacks were catered, including samosas (a fried and savory triangular pastry) and gulab jamun (fried dessert balls dipped in sugar syrup). After eating, students had the opportunity to partake in a variety of fun activities
On October 21, BASIS Independent Fremont
to celebrate cultural traditions, including rangoli
Upper School held its annual Diwali celebration
and diya-crafting stations and bingo games set up
event. Associated with the gods of wisdom and
by the parents. There was also a temporary tattoo
prosperity, Diwali is a holiday to commemorate
(mehndi) station that showcased both stylized and
the triumph of good over evil and knowledge over
traditional designs.
ignorance. While it is a Hindu festival, it is also
While other activities were fun and engaging,
celebrated by people of many faiths and has be-
the Bollywood flash mob ultimately became the
come a symbol of community and harmony.
highlight of the event. Parents assembled on the
Parent volunteers began planning the decora-
field and led the students and staff in dance to
tions, dance, activities, and fundraising for the Di-
some of Bollywood’s most popular songs, includ-
wali celebration a month in advance — attending
ing Kala Chasma from the movie Baar Baar Dekho,
weekly Zoom meetings, coordinating volunteers,
Lungi Dance from Chennai Express, and Kamariya
and encouraging students and teachers of all back-
from Mitron. Not only was the flash mob an exhila-
grounds to dress in traditional Indian clothing and
rating experience, it also reflected the moderniza-
celebrate Diwali together as a community.
tion and evolution of this traditional festival.
Parents began work early in the morning to deco-
The Diwali event served as a wonderful opportu-
rate the campus as many students and staff arrived
nity to celebrate the rich heritage of BASIS Inde-
wearing traditional Indian attire. Flower garlands
pendent Fremont’s school community. The happi-
hung from the patio, and a photo booth with a diya
ness and enthusiasm that filled the school that day
backdrop stood on the field. Umbrellas embedded
was indicative of the Diwali spirit in the air — a
with traditional Indian designs and colors adorned
celebration of the love and light we share with the
the school, while lotus centerpieces decked the
people closest to us.
Mr. Hanlon glides through the hallways, laptop and book in hand, striding gracefully but intently. If you pass him, he may give you a slight nod or a brief wave of the hand. These calm and methodical movements follow him into his classroom, where his poised composure delicately guides the class through the nuances of complex topics. Many may be astounded when informed that Mr. Hanlon is a professional actor, as actors are often associated with being flamboyant and over-expressive. This stereotype is far from accurate — “a lot of the great actors that I know from drama school [. . .], who I was friends with, are more like me,” describes Mr. Hanlon. “You wouldn’t know them as actors.” It’s hard to overstate the significance of acting in his life, with his greatest theatrical accomplishment being a lead role in a comedic play called “The 39 Steps” at Off Square Theater. Acting encompassesa vast spectrum of roles — from dramatic acting that requires the actor to be on the same emotional wavelength as the audience, to comedic acting where one distances their emotions. Mr. Hanlon’s specialty lies in dramatic acting — “ [comedic acting] was a huge learning curve for me,” he reminisces. When he performs, there is a certain resonance with the audience, a connection to something greater. “They are focused on you, and you are sending out something to them. There’s this amazing connection that happens,” he explains. “It’s exhilarating. It’s what makes acting so magical.” This magic manifests itself in other unexpected places. During his high school years, Russia was opening up to the west — something entirely unprecedented. “There was something about the Soviet Union and how different it was from America that made me curious about it,” reminisces Mr. Hanlon. His curiosity led him to start learning Russian in his first year of college, and by his third year, he was proficient. “Russian became my emotional language,” he says. “When I’m in really intense experiences [. . .] I start processing in Russian.” This emotional connection initiated a new pursuit: Russian play translations, which synthesized two of his “emotionally wedded” avocations — the Russian language and theater. These translations differ greatly from homework in typical language classes — here, every nuance of every word had to be carefully considered. “I don’t know if you realize how much creativity is involved in creating a play translation,” he remarks. “I [have to] consider the weight of every word.” Translating requires such attention to detail that he runs out of creativity after a few hours. His translations originated as a labor of love, but upon reaching the top of the field, he started receiving commissions for his work. “Theater companies and playwrights now come to me and say, ‘Will you translate this play?’ ” laughs Mr. Hanlon. “I say, do you have the money for me to translate this play?” His dedication to examining literature extends beyond play translation. Literary works, too, require thorough examination to uncover the author’s hidden messages. “So when I read, I annotate very heavily, allowing me to find subtle patterns [. . .] and make connections. I feel like great works offer these little motifs that add to their significance,” he explains. In Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky, a book he’s meticulously pored over, his careful annotations led him to an unprecedented theory. “I believe that there is a character who is the same person as another character in disguise, but this is never said. It’s a big clue to his vision.” He describes this
process as non-cerebral. “It surprises people that it matters so much to me and that my heart is so in it,” he says. Students often remark on the intensity he brings to his classes. “Mr. Hanlon will consistently have the most comprehensive interpretations of the literature we read,” describes Anjali, a student in Mr. Hanlon’s AP English Language class. “I can tell he wants us to engage because he is passionate about the piece itself.” Innate curiosities drove Mr. Hanlon to undertake a multitude of majors and degrees. “I realized that there were so many questions I had about the meaning of life, and how humans find meaning in the world… there was so much more I wanted to study.” After graduating from Swarthmore College with a double major in Political Science and Russian, he realized his questions remained largely unanswered. “I was still trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life… nothing really panned out.” In an attempt to satisfy his curiosities, he pursued a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, which gave him the freedom to pose his own questions, take courses that helped to answer those questions, and write a thesis consolidating all that he learned. Things started to pan out — his Master of Arts condensed his future into 3 possible paths: professional actor, social worker, or college professor. In interviewing professionals in those fields, he discovered none of these paths quite aligned with his aspirations. Instead, he chose to teach high school — a combination of all his potential careers. A local high school offered Mr. Hanlon an apprenticeship, which inspired him to pursue a path in education. “I got the same sort of high that I get when I perform well on stage,” he says when recalling the first class he taught. “I got to help those students get where they need to be.” Just like literature, teaching is a craft that can never be perfected. After every lecture, he reflects on what he can do better — “there’s a ton to learn,” he states. Online school posed a significant challenge, as the multitude of new technologies presented a steep learning curve. “There was so much to learn, and I failed at it so many times,” he recalls. “Accepting failure after teaching for almost 25 years was hard, but I learned a lot and became one of the most adept at using those technologies.” Teaching is just one of the areas Mr. Hanlon channels his energy into, with another being building a sustainable future. One of his must-read books — The Battle for Human Nature by Barry Schwartz — helped him realize the possibilities in life. For him, two issues are the most significant: global deforestation and wealth inequality. He regularly donates to Right Sharing of World Resources, an organization that provides microgrants to small women’s collectives in developing regions (resulting in the creation of local businesses and societal projects). This initiative redistributes wealth and “gives power to local people to decide on things that are needed specifically in their environment,” he explains, giving them a stake in their future. “I believe in the power of radical hope. Hope has deep roots in getting us to a livable future.”
2 TURMOIL IN BRITAIN
By Ryan L . , Krish M. , and Ariana Y.
NOVEMBER 18, 2022 majority of British citizens. Let’s dive deeper into the problems regarding her and her 6-week tenure. Truss was undoubtedly a highly disliked PM. After
Recently, Britain and its economy have suffered
Boris Johnson resigned, Truss was supposed to be a
in the hands of a few previous Prime Ministers. After
sign of changing times. The main problem Truss had
the resignation of Boris Johnson, the former Prime
to address was the economic state of the country
Minister of Britain from 2019-2022, and the contro-
because Britain, along with the world, was plung-
versial departure of Liz Truss from the Ministry, the
ing into a recession, highlighted by terribly high
country has been on course for complete disarray.
inflation rates. However, her tenure was defined by
The nation must carefully consider their actions in
her economic deals, and not in a good way. Truss’
order to restore control over its economy and re-
signature economic plans immediately worsened
claim its former status. In order to prevent history
things for the country; her proposals for tax cuts,
from repeating itself, Britain must make sure that
borrowing, and noninterference sank the value of
Rishi Sunak, the new Prime Minister of Britain, will
the British pound. She was forced to repeal all of her
implement both constructive and practical policies.
laws, including reversing all tax reductions. She had
PROBLEMS AT PRIME MINISTER
created absolute chaos amidst this financial strug-
The Prime Minister (or PM) is the most senior and
gle, and was compelled to resign from the position. But why did this issue even arise? Why has there
influential official in the British government. This
been such controversy regarding the recent Brit-
position has been the root cause of the confusion
ish Prime Ministers? Well, some have blamed the
and turmoil surrounding Britain recently. Prior to
unique way the country elects its new Prime Min-
September 6, 2022, Boris Johnson had served as the
isters upon the resignation of the previous one.
Prime Minister of Britain for three years. He was of-
The typical format for election of Prime Ministers
ten scrutinized for his work and was a controversial
is a general election after a prime minister’s cus-
Prime Minister due to various well-known scandals.
tomary 5-year tenure, there is a general election.
Examples include “Partygate” during COVID, where
. However, since Johnson resigned before his term
he attended unmasked gatherings in violation of his
ended, the new Prime Minister was elected based on
own strict lockdown orders, and several sexual ha-
the winner of the majority party, instead of being
rassment allegations. These scandals, along with his
elected by a general election. Liz Truss also resigned
bizarre behavior in the office, inevitably led to his
before her term ended, leaving the position to Su-
resignation. For example, his distinctive opinion on
nak who was also elected through the same system.
Brexit sparked much controversy about him. Brexit,
WHAT’S NEXT?
the increasingly unpopular British withdrawal from the European Union in 2020, was a hotly debated topic at the time and a sign of Johnson’s overall controversiality. Therefore, as these concerns piled up, many felt his resignation from the position was necessary. His resignation only marked the beginning of
After this carousel of Prime Ministers, many, especially British citizens, are left wondering how the country will regain internal poise and stability. The main element that Britain must account for is Rishi Sunak’s decision-making. With regards to the economic and political situation in Britain, Sunak is in a difficult position and must make
Britain’s problems. When Liz Truss assumed the
the right choices to reverse the failed fiscal plans
office of Prime Minister, many thought it would
enacted by Liz Truss. Sunak also has to deal with
be the beginning of a new, rejuvenated era for the
a rebellious Scotland, threatening to secede after
British government. However, she quickly became
Truss’s tenure, and the royal family’s conflicted
infamous. Her hand was forced into resignation
feelings following the loss of Queen Elizabeth II.
after a record-low of only six weeks in office. This
Globally, the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war
shocking event was the opposite of the British gov-
and global economic inflation are also present.
ernment’s goals and sent the country further into
Factor in the economic repercussions of Brexit
its downward spiral.
in 2020, along with the severed connections with
The new and current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak,
the EU, and Sunak has a tall task to conquer. The
has not evaded scrutiny either. His Indian heritage
quick actions taken to address these issues will
— a minority ethnicity in Britain — is said to be his
ultimately determine the long-term state of Brit-
defining characteristic; he is the first Asian Prime
ain. If Rishi Sunak can hold onto his position for
Minister in the country’s history. Interesting com-
a longer term, it is more likely that he will be able
parisons have also been made regarding the British
to effectively work on tackling these problems. If
rule of India around 100 years ago, and how, per
Britain is able to handle these issues, it can focus
NDTV, “History comes full circle in Britain.” Many
on rebuilding its economy, and regain its position
have doubted the current PM because of his ethnici-
as a global superpower. Every political leader
ty as well as the general agitation over the position.
has their own set of difficulties to overcome, and
As Smita Bhat said in a voting poll on The Guardian,
Sunak is clearly no exception. However, impactful
“Rishi Sunak was the best of a bad bunch,” reflect-
leaders are defined by how they deal with these
ing the opinions of many British citizens about the
problems, along with their tenacity and creativity
political figure.
in problem-solving. Sunak will need decisive-
LIZ TRUSS’ DECLINE: THE ORIGIN OF THE PROBLEM As mentioned above, criticism has been leveled at
ness and perseverance in order to guide Britain from its current position to one of success and dominance. Following these tragic and unfortunate occurrences, Britain will need to make wise
every Prime Minister, including Boris Johnson, Liz
decisions as to its next steps, and take appropriate
Truss, and Rishi Sunak for various reasons. Liz Truss
steps to protect its future from both internal and
especially was noted as the main problem by the
external hardships.
THE RISE OF BEREAL
By Katherine H. , Aarna K . , & Joleen P.
amassing influence.” However, this app did not become viral overnight. Originally released in 2020, the app gained some
Take off the filters. Share how you look in the
popularity in April 2022 after a paid ambassador
moment. Be in the moment and most importantly,
program began on college campuses. As one user
Be Real. BeReal’s message is the key to its success as
said, “I heard about BeReal through TikTok ads.”
it eliminates many extra elements associated with
Another long-time user of BeReal comments, “Be-
the most popular social media apps. When we go on
RETROSPECTIVE: LOMA PRIETA 1989 By Sachit Parekh
The Magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989 was one of the worst natural disasters to ever hit the state of California, affecting millions of people living in the Bay and the surrounding areas. Thousands were injured, and 63 people lost their lives. Monetary losses totaled over 12 billion 2021 USD. Some of our own BIFU staff experienced the earthquake, and I interviewed Ms. Davis, Ms. Julie, Mr. Ong, and Mr. Shane about their experiences. October 17, 1989, at 17:04 PST. The moment the earthquake hit. Mr. Ong was standing in front of a large pot of oil in his Stanford dorm room when suddenly, the ground beneath him started to shake violently. Relatively new to California and the nature of earthquakes here, he didn’t know what to do, until his roommate told him to get under a table. Things fell off shelves, landing inches away from him. At the same time, less than thirty miles away, Mr. Shane was traveling in a car with his friend on a residential street in eastern San Jose. When the earthquake first hit, he thought it was his friend goofing around with the steering wheel. He looked up from his book to see his friend firmly holding the steering wheel. It then dawned on him that it was in fact an earthquake. He and his friend decided it would be best to stay in the car and buckle their seat belts. They noticed the ground moving in waves—as if the houses were moving inwards and not side-to-side. “I think this is the Big One,” he thought. Though the quake was relatively short, to all of them, it seemed much longer. “I don’t remember [how long it lasted], but it felt like an eternity,” Ms. Davis recalled. Since there were no cell phones at the time of the earthquake, phone landlines were immediately flooded with everyone trying to call their loved ones and relatives. Because her parents were on the evening commute, Ms. Davis tried to call her friend. Mr. Shane was unable to contact his grandfather in Morgan Hill, where the damage was a bit worse. His outof-state brother was able to reach him, but he was unable to answer the phone. Meanwhile, Ms. Julie was desperately trying to pacify the children at the Marin County daycare she worked at while trying to contact their parents. Mr. Ong witnessed some of the earthquake’s worst damage in his area, with numerous Stanford campus buildings suffering various degrees of damage. Even electricity and water were gone for a few days. For example, the old chemistry building was severely damaged and had to be replaced. Chimneys fell off many buildings, and fallen objects scattered the floors of rooms. Television was still available, so many immediately tuned in to see the local news coverage. Footage of the collapsed Cypress Street viaduct and the damaged Bay Bridge displayed the extent of the damage. “It was sobering,” said Ms. Julie. “[The footage I saw on television] really showed how catastrophic an earthquake can be.” It was also widely known that the third game of the 1989 Giants vs. A’s World Series was also going on at the time of the quake, and some scenes from Candlestick Park were also broadcasted. Mr. Shane described it as “chaotic,” and indeed it was.
DRUG-LACED CANDY
By Kaitlyn L . , Amber W. , & Sarah W.
THE NEXT BIG ONE The 1989 earthquake showed us how a major earthquake here in the Bay can cause severe damage, and why we must be prepared for the next one. Just a few weeks ago, on October 25th, 2022, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake rocked the Bay Area. Some of the staff and student body at BIFU felt it (including me!). Concerns about “The Big One”—a major earthquake that is forecast to hit this region within the next few decades along the Hayward Fault—began to surface. It is estimated that there is a 3 in 4 chance of a major earthquake (greater than M6.8) in the Bay Area in the next thirty years, and the Hayward Fault is the major fault line which scientists are worrying about the most. The fault runs right through the East Bay, from Milpitas in the south to a few miles north of Richmond in the north. Imagine a major earthquake occurred today along the Hayward Fault. Would you and your family be prepared? I asked the interviewees about their emergency plans for a future quake and if they had any advice to give. “Always have a pair of shoes nearby,” says Ms. Julie. Having a pair of shoes nearby helps enables you to quickly leave the house if you can and protects your feet from fallen debris. “It may seem small, but it’s actually a big deal.” She also advises to keep a “Go Kit”, which includes items like important documents, canned food, water, etc. The other interviewees said that they don’t have any exact plans in the event of an earthquake. “I really should put some together,” said Ms. Davis. However, they did have some advice to give. “Always trust your instinct,” says Mr. Shane. “Be as prepared as possible.” Also, a helpful app worth mentioning is the Shake Alert system, which offers crucial time to take action before an earthquake hits. iPhone users have to download the MyShake or QuakeAlertUSA app on the App Store, while Android users have it installed on their phones. Download one of the apps anyway to stay safe, though. For now, though, we can be thankful that another day has passed without a life-changing earthquake. However, we must also remember to keep the possibility of an earthquake in mind and to make the appropriate preparations. And lastly, if and when there’s an earthquake, always remember to DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON. ed fear among the ones already piling up. These occurrences suggested isolated cases of contaminated candy rather than a repeated cycle. Nevertheless,
As Halloween came around the corner, a loom-
despite the isolation of each incidence, the media
ing fear plagued parents’ minds: drugs, including
dramatized the possible risks, ultimately affecting
Fentanyl and THC, often referred to as medical
parents’ perceptions of such risks.
cannabis, being laced in door-to-door candy hauls.
Since there are no reliable methods for verifying
Each year, parents and kids alike are warned about
the origins of candy, nervous parents become extra
the possibility of drugs being marketed to children,
cautious during the consumption of sweet treats and
this time in the form of colorful tablets (or rainbow
create procedures of their own, like going through
Real is my LIFE, I post on it everyday and I want
fentanyl), allegedly intended to entice children into
their children’s candy baskets.
social media apps, filters are almost always included
to know what people do in their life.” This user also
taking the drug.
with the camera feature. BeReal, on the other hand,
commented on the sudden popularity of BeReal,
compels users to take photos without the use of filters to encourage authenticity and display their real selves.
However, these actions lead to the question: is
The paranoia first started on September 29, 1982,
there really a possibility of my candy being poi-
stating, “I see a lot more people on my feed now.”
when Mary Kellerman woke up with a fever and a
soned? The answer is probably not. So far, very few
As for our own experiences, BeReal has definitely
runny nose. Just as she took some Tylenol to ease her
recorded cases of tampered Halloween candy have
played a role in our lives as BASIS students. From
sickness, she collapsed in the bathroom. Rushed to
been recorded. Although we often hear stories, ac-
Along with its unique message, there is a mot-
taking our own BeReals to reacting to our friends’
the hospital by her anxious parents, she was found
tual cases of candy tampering are rare. The unexcit-
ley of specialities in BeReal. Users are able to take
BeReals to being in our friends’ BeReals, the app has
dead due to sudden, unknown circumstances, at the
ing reality is that no one wants to drug children with
pictures from both cameras, allowing the post to
slowly become integrated into our daily lives. Be-
young age of twelve. But soon, investigations re-
expensive candy drugs that they could sell to others
show both a selfie and an actual picture. Each time
Real is effective not only in attracting new users like
vealed that a chain of mysterious fatalities in the
for profit. Handing out free and lethal doses of these
a user wants to take a BeReal, a timer starts count-
us, but also in portraying each and everyone of us in
Chicago Area, similar to Mary’s, were linked to the
drugs to young, unsuspecting children results in a
ing down from two minutes, pressuring users to be
a fresh and realistic way.
tampering of Tylenol bottles with cyanide. The “Ty-
little gain for the perpetrators.
spontaneous and quick. Additionally posting your
lenol Murders” rocked the nation and stoked public
BeReal is a requirement to view your friends’ Be-
fear of drugged products.
Trick-or-treaters have been plagued by the widespread conspiracy theory that candy is contaminat-
Reals, which encourages users to do so in order to
Unfortunately, the murders conspired right before
ed and will forever more. Intrigued by the seemingly
“catch up with what their friends are doing.” Unlike
Halloween, sparking fear about drug tampering for
widespread effects of drug lacing, we decided to test
other social media platforms like Instagram and
years to come.
this theory out for scientific purposes. Knocking on
Tiktok, BeReal only allows one post and one dele-
The first reported case of drug lacing in Hallow-
the door of our neighbors’ houses, we procured a
tion per day. BeReal began gaining traction around
een candy involved William Shyne, a local dentist.
large assortment of candy. The malicious old woman
the beginning of 2022, and as of right now, its pop-
Along with lollipops, over 400 laxative pills were
giving out candy to the children roaming around in
ularity is still growing. “BeReal is,” the company
found in children’s trick-or-treat baskets. This case
their costumes handed us Butterfingers, KitKats, and
states, “a candid and fun place for people to share
prolonged decades of delusions on top of previously
Sour Patch. We examined the candy for drugs after
their lives with friends. We want to make people feel
held fears. Over the years, more cases were reported.
bringing it back to our lab. The results showed no ev-
good about themselves and their lives. We want an
Two children separately found razor blades located
idence of tampering. The candy was not laced with
alternative to addictive social networks fueling so-
inside their chocolate bars. Although no significant
fentanyl.
cial comparison and portraying life with the goal of
injuries were reported, razor blades became an add-
Or was it?
3
VOL . 2, NO. 3
RAMBUNCTIOUS REVIEWS
KAFKAESQUE: THE TRIAL (1925)
solutely real. This is the nature of the Kafkaesque. From beginning to end, The Trial inspires an unsettling feeling in readers - a sense that something is not quite right. We get the feeling that something
By Alan Xiao
sinister is at work behind the scenes.
NEVER HAVE I EVER: SEASON 3 By Amber Wong
What kind of man has illicit sensual relations
That “something” turns out to be the Court. In
Never have I ever watched a show that perfectly
with his neighbor, his lawyer’s nurse, and a random
The Trial, the Court is almost a supernatural force,
defines and incorporates all the best things about
washerwoman that he met on a Sunday morning?
impenetrable and unyielding to the logic of the
romantic comedies. Introducing itself as a tradi-
Certainly not a guilty one. So claims Joseph K, who
individual. It is something that ordinary humans
tional romantic comedy, the show Never Have I
one morning wakes up under arrest. What’s odd
have no control over, a towering hierarchy that
Ever by Mindy Khaling peels back its layers to re-
about this situation is that no one knows, not even
looms over its victims ominously, watching their
veal a heart-wrenching anatomy of grief and self
K. himself, what he is under arrest for, and when he
every move and planning their demise behind
love.
questions the Inspector about the absurdity of his
closed curtains. The irrationality of the Court is re-
The show starts with the introduction of the main
situation, the Inspector’s uninformative responses
flected in the irrationality of the characters, such
character Devi Vishwakumar, an explosively vi-
only serve to further aggravate him.
as the priest, who at first shows sympathy for K’s
brant teenage girl navigating through highschool,
K is the main character of the 1925 novel The
situation and tells him a parable that is meant to
college preparation, maintaining her friendships
Trial by Franz Kafka. As evidenced by the title, the
explain his predicament but in reality only confus-
and love life, and her gradual acceptance of the
novel depicts a trial, specifically the trial of Jo-
es him, and Leni the nurse, who has an inexplicable
death of her father. Season Three begins with the
seph K. for an unnamed crime, the nature of which
attraction to “accused men” and seduces K the first
extension of these plotlines, but even better. Devi
remains completely obscure and vague through-
chance she gets. Throughout the story, it seems
embarks on her first relationship with the most
out the novel. From the start of the story with K’s
that K is the only sane person, the only person who
popular guy in school, Devi’s mother, Nalini, be-
unjustified arrest to his execution at the end, The
truly realizes the insanity of the Court and the ab-
gins to expand her social circle, and her friends are
Trial seems to be a stark depiction of the helpless-
surdity of his trial.
fraught with new potential relationships.
ness of individuals under totalitarian government,
The events of the story, too, have a bizarre qual-
Most importantly, this season focuses on Devi’s
as K is thrown into the Court system and given the
ity. When K takes a tour of the Court’s offices, he
development as a character. While she still strug-
impossible task of proving his innocence without
gets lost almost immediately, sending him into
gles in an internal battle, Devi realizes that her
even knowing what he’s being accused of. To make
a state of confusion, even though he has barely
self-worth isn’t dependent on her relationships
matters worse, the Court system in The Trial is re-
walked “halfway down the lobby.” K’s disorien-
with others. This change in principles is empha-
vealed to be a relentless death machine, designed
tation in the Court offices is symbolic of the dis-
sized after she comes to terms with herself and
to entrap and consume individuals like K. At cer-
orienting complexity of the Court system - the
matures after moving on from her relationship, a
tain points in the story, K believes himself to be
Kafkaesque-ness of it all. The top of the Court hi-
stark contrast between the Devi in earlier seasons
making decent progress on his case, but upon clos-
erarchy is hidden behind layers upon layers upon
who insisted that her value as a person was con-
er inspection realizes that his struggles are mean-
layers of meaningless and redundant bureaucracy,
tingent upon her romantic relationships. Devi ad-
ingless; for instance, at K’s first hearing, he makes
far beyond the reach of K. The Court is a system so
dresses her insecurities and resolves conflicts with
a convincing speech that seemingly wins over the
vast and complex that it has lost all semblance of
level-headed negotiation rather than short-tem-
audience at the Court, but soon realizes that the
logic, existing not to serve justice through logical
pered confrontation, taking direct action without
“audience” was simply a group of corrupt Court
examination but to crush and consume individuals
self-destructive behavior. Moreover, the audience
officials pretending to show support for him for
in order to keep itself alive. In the end, K’s strug-
sees Devi heal from and let go of her grief while
entertainment. Throughout his case, K continues
gles against such a system are futile and absurd.
still honoring the legacy of her father. It’s a beau-
to make endless appeals for his innocence, even en-
Having passed away in 1924, Kafka never lived
tiful and thorough character transition that allows
listing the help of a lawyer to aid him in his case,
to see the horrors of mid-20th century Europe. He
the comedic quips to join hand in hand with mel-
but he soon realizes that his appeals have no effect
never could’ve possibly imagined the insanity of
low characterization.
on the outcome of his case. As a result, K begins to
the Nazi concentration camps, the rise of totali-
This leads me to confess the unthinkable. The
lose hope in his case, and his worst fears are soon
tarianism in Soviet Russia, and the horrors of Jap-
relationships and personal development for the
confirmed — Titorelli, a Court painter, tells him
anese internment camps in America. But somehow,
that the Court never acquits those that it accuses of
he describes them perfectly in The Trial - absurd,
being guilty. His continuous struggles against the
nightmarish, Kafkaesque systems designed simply
impenetrable Court all start with a surge of hope
to stomp out the lives of individuals underfoot with
but lead him back to square one, and the more he
no regard to logic or sense of any kind. Even today,
struggles, the more K uncovers about the true na-
a century later, our world is just as Kafkaesque as
ture of the Court — it is a system that is absolutely
the world of The Trial. Like K, we are plagued daily
TIKTOK’S INFLUENCE ON MUSIC
absurd and immune to logic, leading to dead ends
by the senselessness, cruelty, and absurdity of our
each time K tries to escape it. The story ends with
prison and justice system, of big government, and
two executioners taking K to an abandoned quarry
of capitalism.These unseen forces dictate our lives,
and ending his life.
leaving each of us helpless and confused. Take a
The Trial is bizarre, irrational, and surreal. It is disorienting and nightmarishly uncanny, but ab-
SWIFT’S MIDNIGHTS: NOT MID AT ALL
By Ada C. , Olivia M. , and Alicia P. On October 20 9:00 PST, Taylor Alison Swift released her 10th studio album: Midnights. Swift dropped the bomb during her “Video of the Year” award acceptance speech, shocking the audience and the world with her announcement. The album, which is described as “a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams,” tells the story of 13 restless nights. Swift has spent 16 years and 9 albums struggling with the same ideas that drove the album: the ups and downs of romance, the rise and fall and rise again of Swift’s career, the binary of the good and bad girl, and her struggles in the public eye. Midnights cleanly showcases her versatility by displaying all of her past styles, from teenage dream Fearless to dark Reputation, evoking nostalgia with a new sense of maturity in loyal listeners. In anticipation of the release of Midnights, Swift released a series of short videos on Tiktok where she announced each track on the album through a vintage bingo machine. On October 21 at 12:00 AM PST, Taylor Swift dropped the 3am version of her album, which included 7 additional songs. In the week following her release of Midnights, Swift became the first artist to ever occupy all ten slots on the Billboard charts. She also smashed records for the most streamed album in a day. Here is a review of our favorite Midnights songs:
MAROON
9
10
Olivia: The second track on the album, Maroon, bears a striking resemblance to “Red,” Taylor Swift’s third studio album. Seemingly a rewrite of a rewrite, it shows a changed side of Taylor; whereas she formerly thought love was “burning red”, she now believes it’s “so scarlet, it’s maroon.” Once again, she correlates the idea of love with a color, forming the vivid image of a vaguely intense love story in our minds. The
look around – see if you notice the Kafkaesque in your own life. relationship detailed in the song disintegrates as a downbeat rumbling and quiet drumming plays in the background. By the end of the song, Taylor’s voice softens, blending into the reverberating background bass synth. .
10
By Heeya Das
secondary characters were half-baked and underdeveloped at best. It’s an obvious trade-off as the show completely immersed itself in Devi’s storyline, but nonetheless, it was still disappointing. While Devi’s best friends, Fabiola Torrez and Eleanor Wong were given thought-out personalities that lightened the show, their attention to their plotlines this season was simply not the same. Fabiola’s breakup with her girlfriend over the past two seasons, Eve, felt choppy and abrupt, and her budding relationships left no time for audiences to feel invested. The same went for Eleanor’s plotlines, her relationship with a character that she had never interacted with until the end of last season was artificial and illogical. A key issue with many of the plotlines in Season Three is that audiences had no build-up to be invested in relationships presented this season. However, the highs and lows of Never Have I Ever leaves a show that engrosses the audience with colorful characters and nuanced plots. Season Three concludes with a memorable end as Devi embarks on her last year of highschool and her adolescent world expands towards the future.
joke and similar songs were laughed upon. The truth is, original and popular songs on TikTok have no real algorithm or special factor that gets them to popularity. It isn’t that they are all in English — Love Nwantiti, one of Africa’s most popular songs —was also prevalent on people’s for-you
As a recent college dropout with little expecta-
pages. Interestingly, the age of the song is also not
tion for a successful career, Lil Nas X was living in
relevant. Just last year December, TikTok witnessed
his sister’s garage when he composed the catchy
the rise of the song Snowman by Sia (2017) as peo-
lyrics to his hit song “Old Town Road”, surrounding
ple attempted to sing the chorus in one breath.
the idea that his “life is a movie” and that “can’t no-
Even Celine Dion’s songs from decades ago reached
body tell [him] nothing.” After purchasing a beat
popularity with dramatic renditions of the Titanic
for $ 30 from a Soundcloud producer who sold his
scene. Despite being researched by numerous spe-
tracks at the nearby record store, Lil Nas X creat-
cialists in the field, the songs have nothing in com-
ed the 1:53-minute hit song that eventually became
mon except for the fact that the general public loves
the first single to reach platinum fifteen different
them, which raises the question of what the user’s
times. How did he do it?
relationship with the music truly is.
As a nineteen-year-old in America, his first in-
TikTok videos aren’t simply dancing videos (al-
stinct after creating the song was to upload it onto
though that category holds a large majority of the
Soundcloud and share it on all forms of social me-
content on the app). A specific trend manipulates
dia. Several well-known platforms quickly noticed
the lyrics of songs to create “fill in the blank sen-
the brief music snippet and swiftly created their
tences,” where users can put their own creative
own media interpretation of the song, blowing it
input. Users use lyrics and music to express their
up. An “Old Town Road” trend, consisting of people
thoughts and emotions on the platform. Creators
changing into cowboy/girl attire at the beat drop,
also utilize music as a backing track of visual media.
soon became a hit on TikTok. From there, Lil Nas X
One currently popular trend is a woman singing
had nowhere to go but up. Lil Nas X won numerous
out “How can I explain myself?” This soundtrack,
awards for the song, the most prominent of which
paired with a visual stimulus of an awkward or un-
MIDNIGHT RAIN 10 10 Ada: Out of the entire album, this song is the only one
was a Grammy for Best Music Video in 2020. With-
explainable situation, has been an effective recipe
out his clever usage of social media, or more specif-
for a hit video. With this TikTok trend, the song it-
ically Tiktok, we would’ve never been able to hear
self has become extremely popular and made it into
that has a direct connection to the album’s title , and it doesn’t disappoint. The warping yet pretty sound effects give the song a unique touch. At the same time, the lyrics paint a vivid image of the life that Taylor chose to lead, in contrast with the life that the referenced lover in the song wanted her to lead. This song is catchy and offers a fascinating look at some of the sacrifices that Taylor Swift had to make in order to earn her fame.
this catchy country rap song that got stuck in all of
the playlists of people around the world. Through
our heads. “Old Town Road” is just one example of
this process of creating small trends with songs, any
how Tiktok has promoted music that may not have
audio can become the newest hit. However, with
been so successful otherwise. Through a variety of
larger artists recognizing this trend, there has been
TikTok challenges, small artists from all around the
a rise in the “Made For TikTok” songs, which are
world are given the opportunity to promote their
clearly created to promote just one or two lines on
music in numerous ways and achieve their big hits,
Tiktok. The trends from such songs usually do not
just like Lil Nas X.
reach maximum potential and often dilute the qual-
ANTI-HERO
10
Alicia: The title track of the album, Anti-Hero, delves deeply into Swift’s experiences in the music industry. Along with the song, she made a gorgeous music video that vividly delineated her struggles within the industry. She talked about her insecurities with her status in the music industry and problems with her body image. In Swift’s 2019 documentary, Ms. Americana, she opened up about her experiences with eating disorders, alluding to the “anti-hero” perception of herself.
DEAR READER
9
10
Ada: This is such a pretty song, with such a pretty meaning. Taylor offers guidance to the listener or reader on how to accomplish their goals. For example, she tells the reader to be open to change and to value privacy. However, Taylor Swift implies at the end of the song that although she “shine[s] so bright”, the reader should “find another guiding light” — meaning that the advice she gives throughout the song should be taken with a grain of salt, even though she appears successful on the outside. This message, along with the creative way that Taylor has chosen to present it, makes it one of the best songs in the album.
One would expect the music that gets popular
ity of the videos.
on Tiktok to be a very narrow category of simi-
A small yet important part of this process is the
lar-sounding songs. This idea seemed to hold true
fact that all accounts get exposure, allowing for
when a series of songs that were parodies of lul-
more comprehensive interactions with music. The
labies dominated the space — the most popular
users of the app have cultivated a relationship with
song being “ABCDEFU” by Gayle. As a voracious
music that goes further than passively listening
break-up song, for a brief moment, everyone’s for-
to songs in the background. Instead, they interact
you page was filled with clips of different people
with the lyrics, using TikTok trends for creative
screaming out the lyrics with their own tweaks to fit
expression, enhancing their understanding of the
the breakup they were going through. Many songs
piece. For a majority of teenagers and young adults
of the lullaby theme followed, narrowing the previ-
in today’s society, this link has allowed music to de-
ously diverse music display. With everyone coming
velop and become a significant aspect of their ev-
to the same conclusion, the song quickly became a
eryday life.
4 IT JUST DOESN’T SIT RIGHT WITH ME By Sheil Mody and Vincent Yang
STOOLS FOR FOOLS
If you’ve ever set foot in a classroom at BASIS
Independent Fremont Upper, you’ve probably seen an Artcobell™ Cantilever Chair. If you’re a student, you probably sit in around eight of these chairs every day and know how they feel. However, the stools in Room 115 (the art room) are exclusive to that particular class. Why would BASIS make a decision like this? The answer is simple: in almost every way, the normal Cantilever Chair is preferable to the art room stools. For instance, the Cantilever Chair is far more comfortable than the art room stools. “[Artcobell™] Chairs give you a backrest, whereas stools allow you to fall back,” one peer shared with us in response to the chair vs. stool argument (Diva Shah 9th). With the chairs aiding back support, students can concentrate on lectures and take notes rather than worrying about that dull ache in their back. Along with comfort, the Artcobell™ chairs’ backrest structures help protect your posture and spinal cord from long-term harm. While using the stools, students are slouched and hunched over their desks while trying to learn. One could argue in favor of the stool by saying that the stool is much more portable than the Artcobell™ Cantilever Chair. However, students shouldn’t have to move their chairs or stools around. The purpose of seating is to remain still — only group work would justify movement; even then, students could simply use a different chair rather than dragging their
NOVEMBER 18, 2022 seat across the room. Along with the two drawbacks, many students express their concerns regarding the unsafety of the art stools, which would prevent them from focusing in class: Olivia Ma (10th) voices, “They suck because I almost fell off one of the stools once.”
CHAIRS IMPAIR In a popularity contest, regular chairs would undoubtedly triumph over a backless art room stool. According to our inquiries of the student body, the majority of BASIS students prefer the Artcobell™ Cantilever Chair over the irksome stools in the art room. After all, the normal chairs are infinitely more comfortable. However, the art room stools do in fact provide several advantages over the Artcobell™ Cantilever Chair. Have you ever found yourself slouching while sitting on an Artcobell™ Cantilever Chair? If you have, I’m sure you wish you had better posture. While the art room stools may cause some initial discomfort, they also promote a more healthy posture. Stools accomplish this by encouraging active sitting, which refers to the active engagement of certain muscles while using single-seat furniture. By choosing to ensconce on a stool rather than a chair, this can be achieved without the support of a backrest, which will help fix one’s posture in the long term. A person who has become too acclimated to using chairs with backrests will become dependent on them and find it difficult to adjust to life without them. Therefore, the art room stools encourage independence and self-control, while the normal chair feeds into the desire to be sedentary. Stools’ superiority over chairs is further demonstrated by their smaller size, reduced space requirements, and increased maneuverability. Additionally, they allow more freedom of movement in comparison to the chair. The average time it takes to sit down on and stand up from a stool is lower compared to the time it takes to execute the same actions on a chair due to its structure, and it is easier to turn around
“Sorry, the ice cream machine is broken.” The dreaded sentence heard in McDonald’s Drive-Thru’s all across the world has become a meme, but seriously: why is it always broken? How come only McDonald’s ice cream machines have this issue? And is the problem really that severe, or is it just an exaggeration? To start off, the problem is absolutely real. Approximately 12% of McDonald’s ice cream machines are broken at any moment in time, according to the website mcbroken.com. For a machine that has been around for decades, that failure rate is abysmal. Before 2021, the popular theory was that McDonald’s ice cream machines had a long cleaning cycle. They weren’t actually broken but employees just said it was because it was simpler. But after Johnny Harris’s 2021 deep dive into the rumors surrounding the constantly broken ice cream machines, we now have a new perspective on the issue. In his video, Harris visited other fast food outlets and found that all of their ice cream machines were rarely or never broken. So what exactly causes McDonald’s ice cream machines to constantly malfunction? It turns out that McDonald’s corporate has a deal with Taylor, a business partner going back decades. Taylor is a company that produces ice cream machines for numerous fast food chains. However, it has an exclusive agreement with McDonald’s. Every McDonald’s franchise is required to use one specific Taylor ice cream machine designed for the restaurant. To keep the ice cream safe, the machine is required to run a heat cycle every day. This process is typically done early in the morning while the store is closed. Later, when the store opens its doors, an employee checks the machine. They either see that the heat cycle was successful, or that the heat cycle failed, with some cryptic error code that doesn’t provide any relevant information. In this case, the employee just runs the heat cycle again, with no clue as to what happened. Most of the time, the heat cycle will just fail again, since no one knows what went wrong. At this point, they have no choice. “Just call the guy,” the manager says. In the 101-page Taylor ice cream machine manual for owners, there are plenty of error codes. But all of them lead to one place: “Call a service technician.” Taylor ice cream machines are only approved to be fixed by certified Taylor technicians. The cost
Imagine that you’re enjoying a mouthwatering Caesar salad with ranch dressing. POOF! Your body starts to feel strange all of a sudden, so you dash to the bathroom mirror. You look at your body in astonishment, realizing that you’ve turned into a plant-human hybrid. You are what you eat, as they all say. This metamorphosis would give humans an intriguing skill: photosynthesis. What would this mean for humans, and the rest of the planet? Humans would immediately perceive a major change in their appearance, behavior, and basic
use the sun as our energy source, we would no lon-
functioning. First, we should analyze photosynthe-
ger require food as a source of energy. This would
sis itself. In plant cells, a green dye called chloro-
render our entire digestive system useless. Through
phyll helps plants convert water, light, and carbon
evolution, the human digestive system would gradu-
dioxide into energy (glucose) and oxygen as a by-
ally disappear, and other organs would take its place.
product. The addition of chloroplasts in the hu-
Humans might also develop plant-like organs such
man cell would make people turn green. Because
as leaves. That would be cool.
humans would require sunlight to produce our own
In relation to the rest of life on Earth, human dom-
energy, they would also need to stand in the sun for
inance over both nature and the rest of the animal
extended periods of time. We would also be able to
kingdom would increase. This dominance would lead
use our current respiratory systems to take in oxy-
to the further imbalance of nature, which might lead
gen, convert it to carbon dioxide, use that carbon
to more catastrophic effects for the animal popula-
dioxide to produce energy through photosynthesis,
tion. It is quite mind-blowing to think that humans
and then release the oxygen back into the environ-
could strengthen their control over nature and all
ment. Essentially, humans would be able to contin-
wildlife if we gained a simple organelle. Overall,
uously generate energy without depleting the glob-
the coexistence of humans and plants would enable
al oxygen levels. This means that humans would be
humans to have self-sustaining energy and to assert
eco-friendly! Simply by breathing, we would be able
dominance over the entire animal kingdom. You
to undo several environmental problems (e.g. the ac-
should probably eat more vegetables if you want to
cumulation of greenhouse gasses) that humans have
gain great powers, as it seems that you are what you
caused. Furthermore, because we would be able to
eat.
ADVICE COLUMN
continue to hold your past actions against you. But at the end of the day, those experiences shaped you
By Ryan L . , Alicia P. , Alan X.
features are especially useful when a student is at-
I really like someone, and they like me back, but I
member that people change. If you persist and show
tempting to converse with peers in the vicinity. In
don’t know what to do next. We talk to each other a
everyone your growth, they will replace their old
the words of a fellow school-goer, James Gu (10th),
fair amount, but I’m not really sure what the next
conceptions with the new version of yourself.
“Miniature doesn’t mean inferior,” especially in the
step is. Please help me :)
context of chairs. Due to the reasons outlined above,
Alan: You two should decide if you are comfortable
How do I confront a friend that’s been really rude
dating and if that is something you want to do. If
lately?
not, you can still be happy with being their friend
Ryan: Communication is really important, and be-
and sharing memories with them. There is no cor-
ing able to confront your friend is vital to a healthy,
rect next step; it is up to whatever you two decide
lasting friendship. Since they are your friend, make
is best and what you are comfortable with. If you do
sure to give them the benefit of the doubt. They may
decide that you want a relationship, it’s best to take
be going through something that you don’t know
things slow and not to rush. Make sure you commu-
about. There are a lot of ways to tell your friend
nicate and you’re both on the same page, remember
based on how you think they will react: you can
to take things one day at a time, and most of all,
say it playfully and see if they pick up the hint, you
have fun and don’t stress over it! You got this!
can express your discontent each time they treat
engaging learning environment.
By Ryan Li
By Ryan Liu
and move one’s legs on a stool than on a chair. These
stools are more suitable than chairs for a serious and
I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM MCDONALD’S HAS NO ICE CREAM
WHAT IF... HUMANS COULD PHOTOSYNTHESIZE
of these technicians is an outrageous 100+ dollars for half an hour. According to a yearly report for Taylor’s financials, the service portion of their business brings in 25% of Taylor’s total revenue. Here lies the problem: Taylor makes large amounts of money off their ice cream machines breaking all the time. In an open market, firms are constantly incentivized by competition to improve their product. If a firm’s product breaks down all the time, it will be driven out of the market. However, in the Taylor-McDonald’s agreement, the opposite is true: Taylor is incentivized to make its product worse for more service money. In fact, numerous Taylor software updates for their ice cream machines have made machine condition worse, as the only change was the addition of unintelligible error codes.. One service technician made a video talking about this issue, and his video was soon taken down. Only service technicians who work on the product understand how it actually works, thus they are the only ones who can call Taylor out for the bad machines. However, they can be easily silenced by their employer. In this way, Taylor has avoided media coverage of their corrupt practices for a long time. Recently, a major breakthrough has occurred in this sticky situation: Kytch. Kytch had a solution to the cryptic error codes on the McDonald’s ice cream machines, in the form of an attachment that could plug into the machine. Every time the heat cycle failed, the attachment would send a report about why the cycle failed, how to fix it, and how to prevent it from happening again. It was a smash hit, and hundreds of devices were quickly sold. During a conference for McDonald’s franchise owners, the head of the organization of franchise owners openly endorsed the product, explaining that it was really helpful. Soon after this event, McDonald’s corporate sent an email to all of its franchise owners, claiming that Kytch was dangerous and demanding franchise owners either halt use of the product, or have their franchise contracts voided. The truth is clearer than ever: McDonalds and Taylor have a corrupt relationship and will not stop at anything to keep their joint control over the ice cream machine business. This dishonesty hurts the franchise owners, and more importantly, the customers. In March 2022, Kytch filed a 900 million dollar lawsuit against McDonald’s, claiming that McDonald’s lied about their product to keep its joint monopoly over ice cream machines with Taylor. Even after McDonald’s tried to throw out the lawsuit, a judge allowed it to continue. The case has not reached a verdict, but it could be a huge potential hit to the monopoly that Taylor and McDonalds have held for a long time.
into the person you are today, and you need to re-
you badly, or you can pull them aside and have a All my friends are in relationships and I’m not in
serious conversation. Make sure to stay calm while
one. I feel left out constantly and don’t know what
talking through it, because being angry doesn’t
to do. Should I tell them how I feel and potentially
help resolve the situation and only makes it worse.
ruin their relationships or stay silent and drown in
Friends sometimes don’t realize what they are do-
my own misery?
ing is wrong, and letting them know will not only
Alan: You should definitely communicate to your
make them a better person but also strengthen your
friends that you want to feel more included or if
relationship.
you’re uncomfortable with the situation. Don’t worry, it is break up season and it’s just the start
What time should I sleep?
of the year; things will change, and you can still
Ryan: Sleep is very important for proper function
be happy with your friends! Relationships are just
during the day. Getting sufficient sleep allows you
more advanced friendships and all our friends have
to work more efficiently and perform your best on
other friends. It doesn’t take away from the time we
tests and quizzes. Some people may think that stay-
get with them; and if it does, you should commu-
ing up very late to do work allows them to get more
nicate with your friends that you feel left out and
done, but this causes you to feel more sleepy the
ignored. Communication is key. And a relationship
next day. You will perform worse on tests and quiz-
isn’t that cool or special, it’s just a more committed
zes and do your assignments slower. Thus, any time
friendship, the same way people have best friends
saved will be negated. After a certain threshold, ex-
and commit to them — best friends are often more
tra sleep will not boost productivity. Most people
committed than those in relationships.
probably operate at the same productivity whether they get 10 hours of sleep or 7 hours of sleep. Most
11th graders, how do we succeed in APUSH/Gov?
sources would recommend 7-10 hours for teens, but
Alicia: Like any other AP Course, you need to prac-
it is important to find how much sleep you individ-
tice and practice. Dr. Winslow usually finishes
ually require.
teaching the bulk of the material before March, and
STAFF:
that’s when you must start doing practice tests and reviewing material! Carey Lamanna and Heimler’s History have amazing review videos that go over everything you need for the AP. And at the end of the day, everything is just a matter of confidence and manifestation. Visualize yourself doing well on the exam, practice, and naturally, you will do well! Good luck friends! How do you stop letting people get to you when they tell you you can’t do certain things based on patterns from your past? Alicia: The past makes up the present, and when the present becomes the past, you enter the present’s future. That didn’t make much sense, but I emphasize with you. It’s so difficult to erase the past version of yourself from the minds of your peers, teachers, and parents. It can be very frustrating when you’re trying to change and become better while others
Editors-in-Chief: Christopher Chen, Julee Jiang and Olivia Ma Staff Writers: Aarna Kamath, Ada Costiniano, Alan Xiao, Alicia Peng, Amanda Wu, Amber Wong , Anjali Prabhu, Ariana Yi, Esha Bansiya, Heeya Das, Jay Thanki, Joleen Pan, Kaitlyn Liu, Katherine He, Kevin Weng, Krish Mangrolia, Oriana Deng, Ryan Li, Ryan Liu, Sachit Parekh, Sarah Wu, Sheil Mody, Shirley Fan, Thanisha Thambidurai, Vera Lin, Vincent Yang Graphic Designers: Christopher Chen, Ada Costiniano Thanks for reading! Again, if you have any comments, questions, or notice any mistakes in our newspaper, please contact bifyellowpages@gmail.com! Vol. 2 No. 2 Corrections: Pg. 1 Desensitization “killed” => “shot”; Pg. 2 Lower School Carnival “2021” => “2022”; Pg. 4 F1 Racing - delete first line of second column