The Triangle, Issue 3, Vol. 102

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Columbus North High School • 1400 25th Street, Columbus, IN, 47201 • Volume 102 Issue 3• Nov. 22, 2022

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EXECUTIVEBOARD Ananya Adur Kaitlyn Ayers Abinaya Ganesan Ananya Ramanujapuram Addy Rogers INDEPTHEDITOR Abinaya Ganesan COPYEDITOR Alexandra Osburn SECTIONEDITORS Natalie Brown Paula Ramos Perez INDEPTHTEAM Alexandra Osburn Ajay Singireddy Jasmine Yang PHOTOEDITORS Novah Ulm Grace Wheatley ARTDIRECTOR Carson Embree STAFF Aidan Brown Jocelyn Aguilar Irvin Castaneda Ivy Davidson Ram Gowda Abigail Grider Aleigha Hill Abigail Lovins Izabelle Munn Meghana Penmathsa Alice Pisoni Benjamin Psota Sylva Sasse Abigail Smith Deshna Venkatachalam Lydia Weed Zoe Wheeler

ADVISERS Roth Lovins Rachel McCarver

Editorial Policy The Triangle is the designated forum for student expression at Columbus North High School. The student staff chooses all content.

Signed columns published in The Triangle express the writer’s personal opinion and not the views of The Triangle, student body, BCSC, administration, board of trustees or faculty of Columbus North.

The Triangle practices ethical journalism by providing balanced and fair coverage as determined by community standards. The Triangle strives to achieve 100 percent accuracy by checking sources, spelling, and quotes and attaining multiple sources.

The Triangle encourages letters to the editor, but reserves the right to reject them for reasons including but not limited to lack of space, multiple letters of the same topic and personal attacks contained in the letter. The Triangle will not edit for content, but reserves the right to edit for grammar and length. Letters should be submitted to room 1507 or sent via e-mail to administrator@cnhsmedia.com. All Letters much be signed by all persons involved in writing the letter, which the staff will check for validation. A letter sent via e-mail must be validated with a signature from the writer before The Triangle will publish it. If responding to a publication, letters must be turned in within one week of that publication’s distribution.

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NEWS WOMEN IN S.T.E.M

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SPACE COLONY

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Women discuss their role in S.T.E.M and the push to further the involvement of females in this industry Students and teachers reflect on NASA advancements

THE JOURNEY TO STATE

After months of practice, The Sound and Spirit of Columbus performed at BOA Grand Nationals

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K-POP CRAZE

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WINTER BLUES

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Students discuss ways to combat feelings of sadness in the colder months

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MIDNIGHTS MAYHEM WITH IZZY

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IS NEFLIX DYING?

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Taylor Swift’s tenth album has finally hit the market Recent news adds up to Netflix dying out…but is it really?

BREAK THE STIGMA. PERIOD

Senior Aislinn Tian creates change to combat stigmas around menstrual cycles

A HOLIDAYS HEAD START

Is it too early to start getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas?

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STUDENT LIFE K-pop Club: why is K-pop so influential?

OPINION

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SPORTS

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XC SEMI-STATE

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STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

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SPLASHING INTO THE SEASON

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Students discuss what the new facility will bring to their sport and the community

The impact that girl’s Wrestling has had on athletes and students

Swimmers share their thoughts about the upcoming swim season

INDEPTH

ONLINE PREVIEW

MOMENT OF IMPACT Students and staff share how life experiences have shaped who they are today

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WOMEN IN S.T.E.M

by Deshna Venkatachalam design by Sylvia Sasse

Women discuss their roles in S.T.E.M. work fields and the push for female involvement in these industries

photo by Jocelyn Aguilar

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irls in fifth and sixth from local elementary schools swarmed the cafeteria on Oct. 21 to learn about science, technology, engineering and math through the form of fun activities created by women in S.T.E.M classes. Junior Evie Hipwood explains her first experience with Girl-Up. “I did Girl-Up when I was in sixth grade. I vividly remember

having such a fun time,” Hipwood said.

Hipwood volunteered to help out with the engineering activity and is a part of the C4 engineering class. Out of the many students that take part in this pathway, Hipwood is one of only four girls in her class.

“I think I get overlooked quite a lot. It’s obvious that some people don’t think I’m capable of some things,” Hipwood said. “They would

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rather do it and have me watch or have me do all the work and take credit for it.”

Hipwood explains that although gender inequality in the classroom is present, she does not find herself worried about it because of her teachers.

“A lot of the teachers are really supportive, so even [if] the classmates aren’t necessarily nice… that kind of balances it out,” Hipwood said.

Jessica Davis, Project Lead The Way Engineering and Automation teacher, explains that she herself has faced gender inequality head-on in her past student teaching years.

“Some of the male students did not feel I was qualified to teach them,” Davis said. “It made me feel empowered. It made me feel like I knew what I was doing so I could step in and prove to them that I belong.”

While Davis currently does not have issues in the teaching profession, friends of hers that work in the engineering field have experienced sexism. She recounts the story of one such friend.

“She was told that she was coming off as assertive,” Davis said. “Had a man stepped up, the employees would have seen it as taking charge and would have listened to him.”

According to the US Census, 27% of women make up the S.T.E.M industry, while the other 73% are men. Davis believes that advocating with the result of more women in S.T.E.M is important.

“The world has changed in my eight years of teaching, but I still only tend to have about 30% female population in the classroom,” Davis said. “I think that women have ideas and can prove to everyone that they can actually do it.”

Q& A

WITH CUMMINS PRESIDENT AND CEO, JENNIFER RUMSEY

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SPACE COLONY

Three students reflect on the future of space and our place in the universe

by Natalie Brown design by Ram Gowda information about the world we live in,” Yerragudi said. “As they’ve grown, they have furthered our ability to venture safely through space, and that has progressed our knowledge in the field.”

Senior Dark Johnson shares with Yerragudi this passion for space and is pursuing that interest in Earth and Space Science class.

“I like space because it’s unintuitive.

You wouldn’t think, just standing on it, that the Earth is moving. Just looking up at the stars, you wouldn’t think that the closest one is 40 trillion kilometers away—or that Proxima Centauri isn’t even one of the ones you can see without a telescope,” Johnson said. “It took ages and a lot of cumulative time watching the celestial bodies to figure this out. I like astronomy because we’re not only taught how things work on a massive scale, but also how we know.”

Austine Weber is another Earth and Space Science student, and she’s passionate about reaching the limits of knowledge. To her, space exploration is a valuable source of information.

“I think one of the most important things space exploration-wise is discovering what specific things planets are made of and how it differs compared to the Earth. That could tell if a planet could hold life,” Weber said. “It’s important to keep taking pictures. Even [if] all the things we could see could be dead, it tells the history of the whole universe. I think it’s good to have a basic knowledge of space because it helps you understand the bigger picture of things and broadens your perspective.”

The first image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. According to NASA, the telescope images are the highest-resolution images of the infrared universe ever captured. (NASA via Getty Images/TNS)

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olumns of light and color captured by the James Webb Telescope caught the eyes of earthlings around the world this past month. Dubbed the “Pillars of Creation,” the nebula was first photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope twenty-seven years ago. But recent advances in infrared technology have allowed scientists to see past the gas and dust to reveal a far more intricate image. And it’s just one of many recent advancements that NASA has made.

Junior Preetham Yerragudi has always admired space exploration and the future of NASA. “The entire topic of space is something I’m fascinated with. It’s the next frontier, and there’s so much to explore and discover,” Yerragudi said. “We know a fraction of what the universe holds, and every step we take towards unraveling it reveals something amazing.”

The value of these advancements is something that some may debate, but to Yerragudi, their necessity remains obvious.

“I think [the recent NASA projects] are totally worth it. The James Webb Telescope is giving us some extremely valuable information that will continue for years,” Yerragudi said. “As for Artemis, I think it’s the step to the future.

It’s the basis for a future moon colony and the beginning of our colonization of outer space.”

The organization has been a critical source of hope and inspiration for those who wonder what lies beyond, and Yerragudi is no exception.

“NASA has made it their mission to explore this unknown and gather more

James Webb telescope, which orbits the sun one million miles from Earth, has costed over $10 million

Artemis program launched in Nov. 16 2022

BANDSSEASONENDSAT LUCASOILSTADIUM

After months of competition and practice, The Sound and Spirit of Columbus achieved their goal of reaching State Finals

by Izzy Munn design by Abby Smith

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there, for me, was worth it. It gave me a chance to perform one last time with the people I love, doing what I love.

Especially in a huge place like Lucas Oil that I will never forget.”

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“This year was our second year of the combined marching bands of East and North,” Yepuri said. “All of us believed that this year’s show was better than the previous year. We hope that next year will be an even better year and will continue to strive for excellence and perfection in our band!”

While the band provides the music during the competition, the Columbus Color Guard provides the entertainment.

Whether it be with colorful flags, bright makeup or rifles, the color guard team puts in just as much effort as the rest.

Senior Sam Dearing is one of the experienced color guard members and also competed at Bands Of America on the tenth.

“The journey to Lucas Oil was a hard one,” Dearing said.

“I think the band and guard are the best we’ve been in years, and I think we’ve worked the hardest this year than we have in a while.”

This season will be Dearing’s last, as she will be graduating this May. She has been taking in her last year as a part of the Color Guard one step at a time, and it is now unfortunately reaching an end.

“My favorite part of band this year was getting to live out the Senior Experience,” Dearing said.

“Even though we didn’t make it on, the experience of just being

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n Thursday, Nov. 10, The Sound and Spirit of Columbus competed in Bands Of America at Lucas Oil Stadium. Following their performance at semi-state, the band has been practicing nonstop to ensure they put their best foot forward at the next competition.

Junior Kingen Burbrink is a saxophone player and took part in Thursday’s contest.

“The bus ride [to Lucas Oil] was so fun, and you could feel the anticipation we all had,” Burbrink said. “We goof off a whole lot.”

Although it can be stressful to perform in such a big arena, it is an experience like no other.

“I always think ahead of where I am in the moment,” Burbrink said. “It is marvelous performing in Lucas Oil, but there is a lot of pressure to not make any mistakes” Sophomore Lakshmi Vardhan Yepuri participated in the Bands of America competition as well.

“There is pressure to be the best of the best,” Yepuri said. “Class A Marching Band in Indiana is very hard and difficult to compete in. It is considered one of the best leagues in the nation, and we are part of it. To show that we deserve to be in this class, we have to perform to our highest standards and potential.”

Competing together with East’s band has proven successful, and the future is looking bright for the Sound and Spirit of Columbus.

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THEMETAVERSEISBEGINNING WITHMETA 'SNEWVRHEADSET

The Metaverse is rapidly expanding, leaving people wondering -- how did we get here?

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eniors Cole Ehara and Alaina Scholl have closely observed the rise of the Metaverse. Could virtual reality worlds be the future? According to Meta. com, “The Metaverse is the next evolution in social connection and the successor to the mobile internet.” With the release of the new Quest Pro VR headset, Ehara explains more about what this means for the Metaverse.

“The Metaverse is a virtual world developed by Facebook’s parent company, Meta, and I think [it] could be two things: either a long-winded manipulatable market like Bitcoin, or the future of entertainment,” Ehara said.

Meta has invested billions of dollars into the VR world, but not everyone has embraced this new technology.

Senior Alaina Scholl, who grew up with technology, has some fear about the new Metaverse.

“We are the first ever generation to have full technology. The amount of technology we have is nice, but having it and knowing

by Ivy Davidson design by Abinaya Ganesan

how to not abuse it is the scary thing,” Scholl said.

With the Metaverse’s advanced technology, Scholl has doubts about technology and how humans have been conditioned to it.

“I know technology is supposed to enable communication, but it really just doesn’t. It just makes people more reliant on it,” Scholl said.

The Metaverse is Zuckerberg’s entry into products. This is unlike Facebook, where users are the product.

“The Metaverse is the bridge to virtual worlds, which have existed for a while in video games or VR, but the Metaverse will push it into the commonplace,” Ehara said.

There is not enough data to tell if Zuckerburg’s Metaverse is succeeding or failing, yet. But students have some predictions.

“I feel like you have to have everyone in the Metaverse to be successful. I hope the idea of everyone living out a virtual life is not successful,” Scholl said. “While I could see some people being into that, I don’t think it’s something that everyone

would want to do.”

Although the Metaverse could succeed, the specific skills and parts needed makes things less accessible to the general public.

“You have to know how to use the application, and you have to have a specific headset for it,” Scholl said.

Even if the Metaverse doesn’t change technology like Mark Zuckerberg wants, it could be a stepping stone to other innovations .

“The world runs on technology, from trade to government. Every instant communication allows for complex and large organized systems to function,” Ehara said. “I think the Metaverse will succeed at what it’s meant to do because it’s backed by Meta. However, that isn’t synonymous with its longevity.”

For more information about the Metaverse check out meta.com.

HISTORY OF VIRTUAL REALITY 1973

1995

Nintendo launched the Virtual Boy console

2007 2022 The Oculus Quest 2 is photo illustration by Meghana Penmathsa

unveiled by Facebook

First virtual world, Maze World is created

1980

StereoGraphics created stereo vision glasses

Google introduced 3D Street View

2014 Facebook bought the Oculus VR company

source: virtualspeech.com

K-POPCRAZE

K-pop taken the world by storm, including the K-pop in public dance club

by Ivy Davidson design by Aidan Brown

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ast month, the hit song “Butter” by K-pop group BTS reached one billion streams on Spotify, reflecting an explosion of interest in the genre. According to radio network Westwood One, members of Gen Z are about twice as likely to listen to K-pop as older age groups, and a new club, the K-pop-in-public Dance Team, reflects this trend, meeting every Friday after school in club sponsor Grace McDougall’s room until 6 p.m. One of the club’s members, sophomore Marcella Brunner, weighs in on the genre’s growing popularity.

“I don’t really know why it blew up so much all of the sudden, but I’m glad it did,” Brunner said. “The K-pop-in-public dance team is a group that’s for anyone interested in two things: K-pop and dancing.”

K-pop, or Korean popular music, is not just music, “but also dancing, fashion and videography. Some [K-pop bands] do dance covers, recreate outfits and art,” senior Ashley Galicia said.

K-pop appeals to some students because of the feeling it gives them.

“K-pop makes me feel happy and

K-POP FOLLOWERS

energetic, and it influences me to try out new things or try different fashion styles,” Galicia said.

Other students like the visual aspect of K-pop more than the feeling it gives them.

“I really enjoy the techy instrumentals and perfected dances. Everything about it is just so satisfying and pleasing to the eye,” Brunner said.

For Brunner, K-pop represents becoming one’s own person and finding a community that they can relate to.

“When I found K-pop, I simultaneously found my individuality as a person,” Brunner said. “The songs and the idols really showed me that these talented and successful people go through the same mental and self-confidence struggles that I do.”

Not only do students resonate with the music itself, but also the supporting fanbase that K-pop has.

“I love all of the support and fan-made events, things that K-pop fans bring to the table that no other fanbase really does in America,” Brunner said. “It is easy to feel bonded with people across the world just because you like the same music as them.”

AS OF PRESS TIME, THESE WERE THE TOP 6 K-POP INSTAGRAMS BASED ON FOLLOWERS

Senior and K-pop club member Ashley Galicia listens to K-pop in the resource center.

photo by Novah Ulm

1.BTS -68.9million 2.BLACKPINK -50.7million 3.TWICE -26.9million 4.STRAYKIDS -23.million 5.ITZY -18.million 6.NCT -14.8million source: circlechart.kr

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BREAK THE STIGMA. PERIOD. Senior Aislinn Tian creates change in stigmas around menstrual cycles

by Paula Ramos design by Sylvia Sasse

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omen know the feeling well: panic and anxiety set in as they realize they’re on their period—with no pads or tampons within reach.

‘Who can I ask? I hope I don’t have stains.’ Despite having to talk about “that time of the month” in hushed tones, senior Aislinn Tian works to break the stigma around menstruation with her senior project.

“My goal is to educate the people in Columbus about period poverty and how it affects women in the United States and collect period products to put containers in the school bathrooms so that [people] can have free access to those

products,” Tian said.

Tian is taking inspiration from an Ohio high school that had a similar initiative.

“I thought [what they did] was a really great idea,” Tian said.

“I started to do more research into period poverty and I kind of wanted to put a positive spin on it and figure out how I could do the same thing for Columbus.”

Taking place in the winter, Tian’s project will be located here in the bathrooms.

“There’s going to be containers in the individual bathrooms.

Those will be on shower caddies that are full of [period] products,” Tian said. “I also plan to make more individualized care packages for people that might need them more continuously and need a more anonymous way,” According to Reuters, almost two-thirds of women with a low income were not able to afford menstrual products in the last year. Tian hopes to reach out to women and menstruators in the community who may need help accessing period products.

“I think if you were to ask someone, ‘What [would it] be

like if toilet paper [cost] a lot of money?’ They would be like, ‘That’s crazy! Why would I wanna pay that much?’ But this is something that women have to go through every month, and it really just takes a monetary toll on a lot of people,” Tian said.

Thus far, Tian’s project has received extensive attention from the community, with 182 followers on Instagram as well as more than $500 raised in funds.

“I didn’t expect there to be so much support for the project, and it’s been really encouraging,”

photos by Meghana Penmathsa

Care packages that will be placed in bathrooms around the school are designed to support 1-2 days worth of a period

WINTER BLUES Students on the effects that winter causes them to feel

by Lydia Weed design by Carson Embree

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s you get out of your car in the dark morning, you are greeted with the chill of December. You walk into school for what feels like the millionth time. Every day feels the same.

The middle of the school year has you in a slump.

According to Mental Health America, about 5 percent of the U.S. population experiences seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in a given year. There are several factors that cause this winter depression, but it is mostly due to the reduced level of sunlight in fall and winter. This disrupts one’s serotonin levels, as well as the “internal clock,” which is associated with SAD symptoms. Not all students are directly affected by seasonal affective disorder, but increased feelings of tiredness and gloom are common for students during this time.

Junior Neftali Juarez-Lopez think self-care is one of the most important ways to help lessen these feelings. She talks about the self-care activities she does specifically in the winter.

“I practice self care by playing video games, painting and I am also trying to get

photo by Jocelyn Aguilar back into reading,” Juarez-Lopez said.

The middle of the school year also takes a toll on students’ mental health.

It is common to feel overwhelmed in the middle of the year, due to midterms, exams, and business from the holidays.

Senior Matina Maharjan explains how school makes her feel during these times.

“School makes me feel generally pretty unexcited, but when I’m with my friends, I have a lot of fun and am really happy,” Maharjan said.

Academic burnout, as described by University of the People, is feeling overwhelmed and anxious as a negative reaction to prolonged study. Senior Caleb McGehey describes what being burnt out in the winter feels like.

“To me, [burnou] means putting too much energy into something and losing motivation to continue participating in said activity,” McGehey said.

The dark and short days can still be filled with lively activities. McGehey still enjoys winter, because he gets to play hockey. “[My favorite season is] winter. There’s no insects, no sweating heat and I can play my favorite sport without issue.”

S.A.D SOLUTIONS HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO COMBAT SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

Light Therapy - When indoors, use a special bright light to resemble sunlight Go Outdoors - Getting more sunlight helps reduce symptoms of SAD Vitamin D - Eat foods containing substantial amounts of Vitamin D or try a supplement containing the vitamin Limit Screen Time - Spend more time doing things that are not online

Try new activities to prevent burnout

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CONSERVING TOGETHER CHECKLIST How the Conservation Club is preserving native plants, gardens and pollinators in our community

Reserve a spot in the courtyard for native plants.

by Ben Psota design by Abby Smith

Help preserve native plants in our community.

the garden from bare bones, with only a few plants, to a beautiful space that students can visit and enjoy.”

Because of the short amount of time the club has been active, sophomore member Sara Hobbeheydar believes that student support is highly needed for this club to continue to meet its goals.

“We currently have quite a small number of students active in the club, so a major way to help support would be to join the club itself,” Hobbeheydar said.

Even if students don’t have the time to join or participate in the club, Treadway still believes there are other ways they can help.

“They can just spend time out in the garden and educate themselves on the importance of these organic, native spaces.” Treadway said. “When students become familiar with what we do, they are more inclined to create gardens of their own, as well as to appreciate and protect the vital flora and fauna that makes Indiana such a great place.”

Help make space for native pollinators who are being forces out of their habitats.

Preserve native pollinators in our community

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nvasive species and their impact on native plants has caused concern for quite some time, but a group of students has been taking action against this issue. Conservation club member senior Rachel Treadway believes this new club is taking a large step in the right direction.

“The Conservation Club is dedicated to preserving native gardens in our community. We work to make spaces for the native pollinators that are slowly being forced out,” Treadway said. “Here at North, our main objective is to maintain our organic, native garden in the courtyard.”

Although the club has been active for a fairly short time, the progress they have made has been quite noticeable so far.

“As a club, we have already seen an increase in native pollinators species in our garden. There has been an increase in bees, wasps, butterflies, moths and dozens of other important species in the few short months that we have been working,” Treadway said. “We have also taken

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by Alex Osburn and Jasmine Yang design by Alex Osburn and Ajay Singireddy photos by Novah Ulm and Grace Wheatley

Students and staff share how life experiences have shaped who they are today

hat begins with one opportunity, observation or remark can develop into an experience that changes a person’s life trajectory when in the moment it might not seem significant. These lifechanging events can have an impact on a person long after they actually occur, even if the person doesn’t realize it at

the time. Reflecting on major moments and the resulting transformations allows one to identify the pivotal growth and life lessons gained. It can jump-start self-reflection to lead to realizations about becoming an improved version of yourself. Students and staff here have lived through these moments, and four have shared such an event that affected their perspective.

Spending a summer in Mexico, being diagnosed with Alopecia, being separated from a friend and discovering life passions are all life-changing events that both students and staff here have experienced. Looking back on major moments in one’s life allows them to go through self-reflection on how they have changed and been able to grow as a result of these events.

“It doesn’t matter as long as you’re happy.”

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COMING BACK STRONG

ast December, junior Evy Cooper found a bald spot on her scalp while doing her hair. After three months of waiting for an appointment, she was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss. Initially, Cooper did not think much of it, but learned how to stay optimistic during difficult times.

“At first it didn’t bother me that much because I didn’t think that it was going to affect me as much as it did,” Cooper said.“My mom actually told me when I was younger I had something similar to it, but it happened for a month and all of [my hair] grew back. I didn’t realize it then, my mom did, but it was probably towards I think April of this year, I finally realized that I might actually lose the majority of my hair. And that’s when I

finally realized I had to put myself in a mindset of, ‘It’ll be okay, I’m healthy, that’s what matters.’”

After having this realization, Cooper started to make some adjustments to her day-to-day life to accommodate for her hair loss.

“For a while I would wear a hat to school because I didn’t really want all of the attention of people wondering why I didn’t have much hair on my head,” Cooper said. “And then I think [in] May, a couple weeks before school ended, I finally got to a point where I didn’t have much hair left and I just wanted a clean slate, so I shaved the rest of it off. I think [this] was a good point for me, a turning point, that I was okay and I didn’t need to wear the hat anymore because I felt more confident in myself. I think the journey was really just needing to realize sometimes a clean slate is better than sticking with the old slate.”

Along this journey to a new mindset,

Cooper also found solidarity with her father, who shaved his own head to show support for his daughter.

“My dad, he actually decided he was going to shave his head as long as I don’t have much hair on my head, which is really nice and he did it without even asking me about it,” Cooper said. “He was like ‘I’m just gonna do it’ because he knew I was going to say ‘do whatever you want, I don’t care,’ but he did it anyway and it was really nice of him.”

One of the biggest challenges Cooper initially faced was the potential of unwanted attention due to her Alopecia.

However, as she overcame this obstacle, she learned that she can find her own happiness, regardless of other people’s thoughts.

“So many people worry about other people’s opinions of them, including myself, I worry about other people’s opinions, and you don’t need to worry about their opinions,” Cooper said. “It doesn’t matter as long as you’re happy.”

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“Don’t be afraid to get out and get yourself around somewhere new.”

ASUMMER AWAY

R

ather than working a summer job, hanging out with friends or spending time with family, Spanish teacher Rebecca Burbink spent the summer before her senior year on a language immersion trip to Mexico.

“The goal was that I would really become good at Spanish and speak only Spanish,” Burbrink said. “It was challenging because I had taken Spanish at school but then had to sign a waiver thing that I would only speak Spanish that whole summer. I just remember arriving in Mexico, getting picked up by the lady who was going to be my mom and [I was just like a] deer in a headlight. I was trying to speak to her and she was speaking back so fast.”

Although the initial language barrier was challenging, Burbrink improved her Spanish over the course of the trip and was able to enjoy both independence and the local culture during the program.

“It really gave me a chance to gain some independence,” Burbrink said. “I had to get myself around town on a bus and my Spanish improved a lot. That’s kind of why I wanted to become a Spanish teacher. I love the culture, love the language and getting to travel, stuff like that. So it was crazy, but it was fun.”

One specific aspect of Mexican culture that Burbrink appreciated on her trip was the sense of community between families. “[I was grateful for] understanding the culture of the family I

stayed with,” Burbrink said. “They were very supportive and they would visit each other’s houses often and on the weekends they would hang out together. That’s one of the neat things about Mexican culture, just close family ties and stuff like that.”

Beyond learning more about Mexican culture, Burbrink also learned the importance of considering different perspectives when meeting new people.

“Don’t be afraid to get out and get yourself around somewhere new,” Burbrink said. “Just be comfortable with who you are because as you’re meeting new people just try to get to know them and just be comfortable with who you are and understand the differences.”

TOGETHER BUTAPART

“The moments that happen right now are going to be the ones that we remember for the rest of our lives.”

LESSONTO REMEMBER

“Think of other people as individuals, not just as people you interact with.”

F

or a freshman entering high school, it is often overwhelming to take in the new class schedule, environment and freedom all at once. Freshman Marilu Benavente has had to experience this change without one of her closest friends by her side.

“I think one of the biggest [impactful events] was that my friend is going to a boarding school this year, and it was one of the friends that was like a sister to [me],” Benavente said. “And so having to go here without her after being with her for many years is kind of hard.”

While this friendship had a shaky beginning, the two friends learned to overcome their differences once they spent more time together and gave each other a chance.

“Our parents are friends

A

s high school comes to an end, seniors find themselves struggling to decide what to pursue in their future. When English teacher Robert Hadley was a senior, however, he had the opportunity to step into the role of a teacher.

“For my senior year of high school they offered a program called Cadet Teaching, where basically they would send you over either to an elementary school or middle school, and you got the chance to actually teach in a classroom,” Hadley said.

This opportunity allowed Hadley to experiment and find his own style of teaching.

He incorporated his own teaching ideas with styles of previous teachers in order to improve upon how he was taught.

“When I was growing up,

and we used to have parties and get-togethers and we were both invited to them, but we both hated each other," Benavente said.

"So that’s how it all started off, because we were both friends with someone, and we didn’t want to share because we were little kids, so we were being selfish.

We hated each other for the longest time until we finally went to school together, and that’s when we started being friends for real.”

After five years, this bond grew strong enough to overcome the distance that separates the two today. Although their conversations are infrequent, Benavente and her friend still take every opportunity to talk to one another.

“It’s been hard saying bye because she’ll come to visit and I’ll be like ‘hey,’ and

when I was in school, they only ever talked about college as your post-high-school option,” Hadley said. “It was basically college and the military were the only two options that were discussed.

And even though I’m sure that I made the right choice for me by going to college, I do wonder if I have any friends that didn’t.”

Another habit that Hadley encourages in his classroom environment through his teaching style is transparency and awareness of mental health.

“The other thing is talking more about my own mental health struggles,” Hadley said.

“I’m very open with the fact that I have anxiety. I don’t find that to be embarrassing in any way, shape or form.

Things could have been a little better if I had a teacher

she’ll be like ‘hey,’ but then she has to go two days later,” Benavente said. “And they have a strict phone policy so it’s hard communicating over text and calls and stuff like that, and our schedules just don’t line up.”

Her friends’ relocation to boarding school has also taught Benavente to value and live fully in every moment.

“We spend a lot of time on our phone and we spend a lot of time ‘connected’, and when we’re ‘connected’ we don’t always pay attention to each other, or I find myself on my phone instead of talking to my friends,” Benavente said. “It’s just important that we’re present now because the moments that happen right now are going to be the ones that we remember for the rest of our lives.”

who talked about this openly where I’m like ‘Hey, that sounds like my experience.’”

Hadley explains how he has learned the importance of considering these complex aspects of others when meeting new people.

“For someone today I would just say to try to be more open-minded to think of other people complexly,” Hadley said. “Think of other people as individuals, not just as the people you interact with.”

17

THE SMALL THINGS IN LIFE Aside from the big moments that stand out, the Triangle staff discusses the daily decisions that are vital for leading a fulfilling life

W

e tend to talk a lot about those big lifedefining moments. For high school students, these include getting a driver’s license, going to Prom and graduating. Then there’s getting married, choosing a career and having kids. When we reflect on our lives, moments like these are what stand out.

It’s easy to get caught up in these pivotal events in life, even to the point where we use them to measure our success.

We shouldn’t discount the importance of these key moments, but we also shouldn’t lose sight of the everyday decisions and events that lead up to them.

Rather than focusing on the lessons learned from one big flash- in-the-pan moment, it may be helpful to look at the continuous thread of lessons we learn each day and that build up gradually over time. The insights below came not from big, dazzling moments; rather, they

were learned over a series of everyday events. In the long run, we’re shaped more by these daily lessons than by the few headline events in life.

Fear is a part of everyone’s life and it affects everyone in different ways.

Learning how to go on with your day without worrying about what others think of you will make life more peaceful. Worrying about how people perceive you is only negatively impacting you in the end. Take risks and step out of your comfort zone and some of the best things will come from it. No one is judging you as much as our heads can lead us to believe at times.

Another realization that happened over time, not with one big moment of truth: don’t overthink things. In high school, it’s so easy to constantly worry about what others think. It’s normal to want approval, but when this impulse grows to an unhealthy extent, there comes a point where one’s life is not lived for themself, but for others. It may sound

harsh, but we overestimate how much others care about us, at least in regards to superficial things like appearance.

Humans are confronted with hundreds of stimuli each second. What does that mean for us? It means that no one probably noticed that embarrassing thing you did or that you wore the same outfit twice in one week. It takes a long time to get comfortable with not overthinking in this manner, but the reward is well worth it.

When asked to recall the things that have had the most impact on our lives, we overlook the growth and wisdom that we gain every day. But by placing all of our attention on the big things, we confine this growth to just a few isolated incidents. By giving the daily things the attention due to them, we can find motivation in each day -- no matter how insignificant or boring it may seem -- to change in a positive way.

A HOLIDAY HEAD START

T

Is it too early to start getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas? here is a big difference between each and every holiday, yet they are so close together that people start to put them all together.

Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve, one after the other. If you really think about it, Halloween and New Year’s are two of the most different holidays. But they are so close together that no one ever thinks about it.

These four holidays for sure have one thing in common: they are beloved by so many. The holidays are a time to spend with family, friends or just people you love. They remind people that there is a reason these people are your loved ones.

The holidays bring family members that you don’t see on a day-to-day basis to

you. You see people you normally don’t get to see.

After talking to two teachers here, they had very different points of view on the holidays. One teacher loves them because they make people happy and they have fun times. Meanwhile, the other teacher was more about the religious part of the holidays. Both teachers had opinions, but in the end they shared the same one I did: they love the holidays. It doesn’t matter if it’s about happiness or what you believe in. There is love in both ways. It’s up to you how you chose to celebrate these amazing days.

by Zoe Wheeler

MIDNIGHTS MAYHEM

After almost two years of waiting, fans of Taylor Swift finally received her brand new album, Midnights

A

s soon as the clock struck midnight on Oct. 21, Taylor Swift fans nationwide opened up their phones to listen to the Grammy award winning singer’s tenth studio album, “Midnights.” With much anticipation and excitement leading up to the release, fans have been waiting two months since the announcement for the record to actually come out.

“Midnights” is the story of Swift’s “sleepless nights,” explaining different experiences she’s had throughout her life.

The track list consists of 13 songs, one of which features Lana Del Ray, as well as seven bonus tracks that were released at 3 a.m. as an additional surprise for fans. That same day at 8 a.m., the music video for the song “Anti-Hero” was released.

The album was different from anything Swift had ever done before, being more experimental than her past records. The mood of the album was similar to her 2017 album, “reputation,” with musical hints of the albums “1989” and “Lover,”

and lyricism like that of “folklore” and “evermore.” Personally, I would even go as far to say that it is one of her best albums to date.

Of the original 13 songs on the record, “Lavender Haze” was my personal favorite. The song has a good, upbeat rhythm with a range of high and low notes. It makes for a perfect first track and perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the album. A close second was “You’re on Your Own Kid.” It provides the quick beat needed for a good pop song, but it also gives the sad lyrics that we know Taylor Swift is exceptional at writing. And after listening to the bonus tracks at 3 a.m., I believe that “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” was the best of those seven.

Its lyrics provide insight to Swift’s relationships at 19 years old, much like the song “Dear John” from her third studio album, “Speak Now.” Overall, despite some flaws in the album, it is certainly worth listening to, whether you’re a Taylor Swift fan or not. If your favorite albums consist of

by Izzy Munn

“reputation” or “1989,” you are probably going to prefer the record more than someone whose favorites are “Speak Now” or “Red.” Despite having flavors of previous albums, “Midnights” gives a different feel than any other piece of work Swift has ever produced before.

IS NETFLIX DYING? Recent news adds up to Netflix dying out…but is it really?

W

ith the announcement of increasing prices beginning in January of 2022, Netflix has lost many subscribers.

The company recently announced a loss of about 1 million subscribers and has fallen into more competitive pressure within the other rising streaming services, such as Disney + and Hulu. Ultimately, it seems as though Netflix could be dying out.

While Netflix’s changes of getting rid of popular content such as Criminal Minds and The Vampire Diaries, or canceling shows such as Julie and The Phantoms, is what caused my slight vendetta against Netflix…I don’t

believe that it is on the road to dying.

Netflix’s revenue still continues to grow even after the loss in subscribers.

The more that streaming services become more popular and the popularity of cable decreases, Netflix’s popularity will increase. While its competitors are also rising, Netflix’s tiers might save them. The new ad-tier might open Netflix to lower income families. This allows them to widen their audience. While this tier is currently out, we won’t see the impact of it until early 2023. As of now, Netflix looks like it’s on the track to continue to outshine their competitors…although I’m still upset about Criminal Minds.

by Deshna Venketachalan

19

POSTSEASONSUCCESS

Boys’ and girls’ cross country met at the LaVerne Gibson course on Oct. 29 to compete at state. The girls’ team placed 2nd and the boys placed 4th. Three members of the team were named All-State award recipients.

2 1 4 1 2

CNXC boys varsity roster in a team huddle before the start of the semistate race The boys cross-country team prepares for the race by doing their final strides

3 3 4

CNXC girls takeoff at the start of the cross-country state meet

5

5 6

6

Keisler crosses the finish line and secures her first place individual title at semi-state Seniors Lily Baker and Julia Keisler hug on the podium after both placed in the top twenty at state Senior Sydney Morlok passes the two mile mark during the state meet race

photos by Sylvia Sasse and Luke Chandler design by Ananya Ramanujapuram

STRENGTH INNUMBERS A

Girls’ wrestling is officially part of Bull Dog athletics

by Ben Psota design by Irvin Castaneda new opportunity for female students has recently been added in athletics with the introduction of girls’ wrestling. This has been a source of pride for sophomore wrestler Daniella McNeill.

“I definitely feel super proud to be on the first official women’s team,” McNeill said.

“I’m also pretty excited to compete with my teammates, and I feel really determined to win and represent North well. It will provide another option for girls who want to participate but may not be drawn to current sports. It will also expand the number of competing athletes at North.”

The creation of a girls’ wrestling team also provides other young women here with another option for extracurricular sports.

Freshman wrestler Chandra Whitehead has a feeling that women’s wrestling is taking a step in the right direction.

“I think since girls’ wrestling has been added as a sport, other girls will be influenced and happy with knowing that there’s more choices to pick if you want to do a sport,” Whitehead said.

Wrestling is a sport that requires a unique skill set from most other sports.

“Being on the team has made me realize that doing wrestling is really something that takes time to learn, and once you get on the mat, you know that you are going to learn

FROMTHEMAT “I think every school should have a girls wrestling team, it’s such a good opportunity for any girl that wants to try something new.” freshman Chandra Whitehead

photo by Meghana Penmathsa Sophomores Daniella McNeill and Mia Hernandez practice wrestling. something new each time,” Whitehead said. “I think every school should have a girl’s wrestling team, it’s such a good opportunity for any girl that wants to try something new.”

Many wrestlers, including junior wrestler Hannah Michel, believe that women’s wrestling will have a positive impact even outside of school.

“I think it will inspire people to push themselves to do stuff that they haven’t been able to in the past,” Michel said.

“I think it will change the way girls, and those not given the same opportunities, think about themselves. Some people put themselves in a box they think they can’t break.”

This creates an opportunity for female students to try another sport.

“I think it’s good for the school. The stigma is almost that girls can’t do stuff like this,” Michel said. “This is an amazing sport and I’m glad we can be a part of it.”

THREE FEMALE WRESTLERS GIVE THEIR TAKE ON BEING ON THE WRESTLING TEAM

“I definitely feel super proud to be on the first official women’s team.” sophomore Daniella McNeil

“Just more opportunity for women. I think it will inspire people to push themselves to do stuff they haven’t been able to do in the past.” junior Hannah Michel

21

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SPLASHINGINTO THESEASON T

by Lydia Weed design by Abbi Lovins photo by Alice Pisoni

Swimmers share their thoughts about the upcoming swim season

he loud splashes echo in the Charles (Chick) Newell Natatorium.

Swimmers dash up and down the lanes.

The swim season is officially taking off.

Sophomore Nicole Brault is ready for her second year on the swim team. Swimming is a year-round activity for her, but the high school season is her favorite.

“I have been preparing for the season by swimming with Donner Swim Club over the summer and leading up to the girls’ season,” Brault said.

“It helps me build up my endurance prior to swim season and continue to work on my stroke technique,” Brault said.

“As a team, we hope to create a positive environment to have fun and work hard during practices to meet our personal goals.” sophomoreNicoleBrault

With this individual sport, the swimmers must have their own goals of competing skillfully and breaking personal records, in addition to scoring well and advancing as a team.

“As a team, we hope to create

a positive environment to have fun and work hard during practices to meet our personal goals,” Brault said.

Boys’ and girls’ coach Mike Cunningham gives his thoughts on how he has been leading the

team prior to the official start of the meets. “[The team has been preparing for the season with] team building activities, mental preparation and both dryland and swimming skill and speed development,” Cunningham said.

Junior Isaac Proffitt already has his sights set on the state championship. “I think our team really wants to send relays to state and have a decent group heading up there,” Proffitt said.

“A sectional win would be nice too, I think we are hoping for that this year. But we’re locked in for state and seeing how far we can make it,” Proffitt said.

Junior Isaac Proffitt practices for his upcoming swim season. They started practicing in November. “I think our team really wants to send relays to state and have a decent group heading up there,” Proffitt said.

23

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