December 2019 Issue

Desert Illustrated December 2019 Edition

WHAT 2019 TAUGHT ME VS. WHAT I'LL LEARN IN 2020

A reflection on everything we've learned in 2019 and how we hope to grow in the new decade.

BABY IT'S CALLED A CLASSIC

A new look into whether or not this holiday favorite is even appropriate.

HOW CHRISTMAS USED TO BE

Explore how Christmas celebrations change as you grow up.

Table of Contents 3-4: Baby It's Called a Classic 5-6: How Christmas Used to be 7-8: Christmas Expectation vs Reality 9-10: It's Beginning to no Longer Feel Like Christmas 11: How to buy a Gift 12: Trends That are no Longer Our Friends 13-14: Alexa Play "This Will Be Our Year" 15-16: Transitioning Into the New 17: New Year, New Resolution 18-19: Honey It's in the Past

BABY IT'S CALLED A CLASSIC

By Arianna Leuer Photograph Credits Anthony Camerano https://www.tpr.org/post/baby-its-cold-outside-seen-sexist-frozen-outradio-stations

Throughout the years, when the Christmas season approaches, a dispute about the song “Baby It’s Cold Outside” tends to follow. Some say the song is one of its time, but others argue that it is politically immoral. Stating it is predatory towards women. This has caused some radio stations to go as far as banning the song. Artists, John Legend and Kelly Clarkson have even sang a revised version to focus more on ensuring that the female gives consent and isn’t being forced to do anything unwillingly.

“Baby It’s Cold Outside” is a classic, written in 1944 by american songwriter, Frank Loesser. You just can’t mess with the flow of a classic. The song has been playing since the 1940s. People have been singing the song for years, whether you were driving around looking at Christmas lights, strolling through the grocery store in preparation for the big Christmas dinner, or even watching the movie “Elf” on Christmas Eve. Seeing how they are played on repeat every holiday season, the classics have their way of permanently implanting themselves in NOMADIC | 24 people’s brains.

There’s no way a couple of song writers now can just change it for good.

Our society has definitely advanced in many aspects compared to the 1940s. Roles of women have evolved. More people have become feminists, some people in this generation have grown more sensitive, and the quality or taste in music has changed.

Everyone has a different perspective on things, but just because some people don’t agree with one concept doesn’t mean it needs to be changed all around.

One particular line in the song that people get the wrong idea from is when it says “Say what’s in this drink?.” Previously, some people have thought this to be a way for him to take advantage of her, but what some may not know is date rape drugs like Rohypnol weren’t developed until the 1950s. So to suggest that he slipped something in her drink is more than likely an incorrect approach to the situation.

I’m sure many people at one point or another have heard or used the phrase “what’s in this drink” as a joke, meaning it’s got you feeling kind of frivolous as in it went straight to your head. I’m also quite positive that more times than none we use this in a jokingly manner and don’t literally question if there is a date rape drug in the drink. Sure now a days it’s more apt to happen, but back then it was simply just an antic. They were having a good time.

Besides the song was written for Loesser and his wife to duet at their housewarming party as the guests prepared to leave. It was not meant to be perceived as a sexist, boundary-crossing discussion between two people, but a farewell to guests from the Loesser’s.

The revised lyrics in replacement of this line include, “If I have one more drink? (It’s your body and your choice).” These lyrics are modernized not to offend anyone and to clear up the unsettled dispute if she’s being pressured into staying. This serves as a good solution for those who were uncomfortable with listening to the original version. Now radios have a reworked version to play on the station for all to happily hear.

Of course, I recommend the original song for your Christmas playlist, but for those who want something more modernized, the revised version will probably suit you best.

Tis the season to cozy up inside and sing with your baby because it’s just too cold to be outside.

It’s that time of year — where the tree goes up, the joyful Christmas tunes hit the radio, and the smell of chocolate chip cookies fill the house. Christmas is one of the holidays that people most look forward to, especially the little kids. I mean, why not? The thought of getting new toys is exciting. Although the little ones may be happy, I can’t help but think of the transition of celebrating Christmas as a kid

How Christmas Used U s e d To Be

going onto celebrating Christmas as a teenager.

Somewhere along the way of growing up, the feeling of Christmas changes. It may not be as exciting as before or maybe it’s even more exciting because you think of doing something that you couldn’t have done before. The way you celebrated Christmas as a kid totally differs from the way that you are spending it as a teenager. The things you

wanted back then are not the same as what you want now.

Being a little kid during the holidays was just so exciting. The thought of leaving cookies out for Santa to eat when he dropped off gifts was thrilling, that perhaps the

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younger version of you would have little sneak peeks late at night to see if he appeared. As a kid,

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waking up and seeing the gifts underneath the Christmas tree gave a rush of joy and brought a smile upon the face of your younger self.

Now, I’m not saying it doesn’t give teenagers joy or happiness to see the gifts under the tree because it could, and probably still does. But as a kid who’s so young and innocent, you don’t know the truth about Santa, which meant that the amount of joy and happiness was way more intense than it is as a teenager.

I can’t not mention the whole ordeal with letters and wish lists to Santa. Little children, perhaps the younger version of yourself, wrote a little something to tell Santa about what it was that you wanted and why you deserved it.

Something along the lines of, “Dear Santa, I was good this year so for Christmas I want that barbie doll that I saw,” and then the letter would end with a big heart next to your

When you were a little kid, what was the most favorite or memorable gift you received?

name. Now that you’re all grown up, I don’t think that you, as a teen, are writing letters to the great old St. Nick.

Let’s not forget about the intense worry that children would feel when it came down to being on either the naughty or nice list. In my experience, I remember trying so hard to be a good kid and listen to my parents because no one wants to hear those horrific words uttered by their family. “You were being bad and not listening to me, Santa is not giving you anything because of that.”

“When I was little, I got a scooter as a gift and it was the

Teenagers don’t necessarily care about being on the nice or

best thing I had ever gotten.”

naughty list, because regardless, they’re getting a gift from their parents. Think about what a teenager would want, and then compare it to what a four year old would want. That is one of the huge changes that we have to go through with celebrating Christmas as we get older. A little boy could ask for a Nerf gun, whereas a teenager is going to ask for that new phone or airpods. The way you celebrate Christmas ultimately changes because let’s be honest, nothing stays the same forever. Sometimes when you look back at it, you start to realize that it is dispiriting.

Nonetheless, the changes of celebrating such a huge holiday is so interesting because it is one way of the way life evolves as the years go by.

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DECEMBER 2019 | VOLUME 3

Expectations vs Reality: Christmas Edition

The Surprise of the Unexpected

By Julian Romo Christmas is a holiday dedicated to spending time with your loved ones, eating lots of food and, of course, presents. Taking those highly anticipated steps down your staircase on Christmas morning, thinking about all the sweet presents your parents might have gotten you is exhilarating.

When I was 12 years old I had one of my most memorable Christmases yet. The night before I had been so anxious to open my presents, I stayed up until one in the morning thinking about it.

After, I had fallen asleep and dreamed about this one gift that I asked my parents for many months in advance. I woke up early jumped out of bed and ran straight to my parents. I woke them up as fast as possible and we skipped breakfast because I was so ecstatic to open gifts. It was a grey and white 4th generation Apple iPad. I remember how excited I was when I first saw that white packaging, I didn’t want to continue opening gifts because I thought didn't needed anything else. It might not seem like something too crazy, but for a 12-year-old in 2015, there is no better gift.

After I calmed down and finished opening the rest of my gifts, my family and I went out to breakfast. Of course, I brought my iPad with me, and we went to Dennys. I had a huge breakfast because I was so hungry from the crazy morning I had. The rest of the day I download a ton of apps and games and went to my aunts house for a big family dinner.

This gift made that Christmas one I will never forget because at the time an iPad wasn’t really affordable for my parents. Them going out of their way, willing to spend that much money just so I could have a good Christmas is what really made this one so special. I took that iPad just about everywhere I went, and I had to share it with my brothers. However, we made it work.

My parents definitely accomplished their goal that year because I will never forget about the effort they made to make me happy.

You Can't Always Get What You Want

By Kyle Muna Christmas is about a bunch of things revolving around family. Gifts are very abundant, but most importantly family gatherings, seeing old and new faces, and the pure excitement of seeing the mystery of what’s in the box. While all Christmas’ should be about quality family time and meaningful memories, there is always one year that had to be the worst and for one to be the best one.

This instance being of the worst ones, the Christmas of 2016. I was in eighth grade and had only finished the football season. With my strong love for the sport of football, I was looking to get my hands on gear that would help improve my skill set and safety. I received a football as well as a backplate that was undersized and deemed unusable for the following seasons. Realizing that the gear I received would do me no good it broke my heart. While I still had more gifts I didn’t have the same appreciation for clothing as I do now. With gifts like socks and shirts, they dampened my mood of the holiday. I view events like my birthday as well as Christmas very highly, and having a bad birthday that year and then a terrible Christmas my overall mood was very low.

I was expecting to receive some new technology, as my siblings, each had their iPads I was expecting one myself. I was also looking forward to new video games coming out and getting a ps4 which I got the next year. Technology in this day and age is taking over the youth, I’ve seen kids go from being dragged inside the house to being dragged outside of it. There was a fear of missing out or even being left out.

Most of the clothes I received were off-brand clothing and fashion was as big as it is for me, now back then. I was sort of a hypebeast at the time and was really into brands like Supreme and Bape. Overall, that Christmas I was just very disappointed in the gifts I got as well as the little effort that seemed to be put into choosing my gifts.

Going forward, however, I aim to be more grateful for all the gifts I receive as adults especially parents work so hard to give children the world and everything they want. The struggle they go through to provide for us is more than enough than any gift can give.

"It's beginning to no longer feel like Christmas."

The Loss of Christmas Innocence

BY LEILANI BERNARDO

As kids, we would anticipate for December to arrive in order to get into the Christmas spirit.

The amount of excitement that was contained within us felt like there was magic in the air. Old Christmas traditions - like writing a wishlist or letter to Santa - have faded out over time. This leads us to lose our innocence and to come to terms with reality.

Whether it was going to visit Santa or waking up to the pile of presents under the tree, we could never get enough of Christmas as kids. Now, it seems like the older we get the more the “magic” for us has changed. As teenagers, we tend to ask for more and appreciate things differently. The presents we once waited all year for are now not as big of a deal, and it’s the little things that make us want to smile. Maybe it’s the special family traditions that make us smile or nostalgia from past Christmas memories that brings back good feelings.

The holiday spirit is what everyone looks forward to this time of year. With endless cups of hot chocolate and candy canes, it’s pretty hard to not be in the Christmas spirit. As we get older, the Christmas storytelling begins to disappear...By no longer keeping the tradition of storytelling, we stray away from our childhood innocence. To have a flashback from the past, the adrenaline and hopes of leaving cookies out for Santa is what ruled our mind. Now, we see that as a total waste of food and time.

If you really think about the holiday itself, it's a bit of hassle. It’s a marketing holiday. For example, why do the stores happen to put up their Christmas stuff right after Halloween? All of a sudden it was a holiday shift. Businesses are aware of how gullible consumers are to holiday decorations, etc. When seeing all the Christmas and holiday items laid out across the store, it's

tempting to not buy something. It's typical to get a build your own gingerbread house kit, but it becomes overly excessive when buying an immense of Christmas decor when there's a chance your house is filled with them. It's tempting to not want get a new ornament set, it's like as if they get prettier every year! Yet, it's hard to remember to buy what you need instead of want.

Despite the ideal Christmas magic no longer being in the air, as we grow up we begin to appreciate our gifts from who they're actually from and the means of the holiday itself. Of course, everyone's own little Christmas magic still exists. It shows when you're excited for the holiday itself. It's only the belief of the inevitable Santa who won't cross your mind once again.

Little did you know that last year you put cookies and milk for Santa would be the last year.

FIGURING IT OUT With the holidays approaching so fast, now is the best time to start searching

most wonderful time of the year, but they can also be the most stressful. While it may be hard, there are a few “tips and tricks” to get through the holiday

Things they’re interested in

Make a Christmas list

Make a list of all the things that

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is girly or trendy, maybe get her

This is a good way to get you in

some fuzzy socks, fuzzy blankets,

the holiday spirit and can also give

or maybe some candles. On the

you some ideas of what they might

other hand If your boyfriend is

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more of the sports type, then you could get him something from his favorite sports team, like a beanie, hoodie, gloves, etc.

Do It Yourself A homemade gift is one of the most sentimental things you can give to someone. When you’re finished

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especially if you want them to truly enjoy it. The holidays are known as the

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for that perfect gift. Buying a gift can get a little tricky here and there,

DECEMBER 2019 ISSUE

ALEXA PLAY "THIS WILL BE OUR YEAR" BY THE ZOMBIES

Next Year will be my Year...

POLL

WRITTEN BY MCKENNA BISHOP WAS 2019 A GOOD OR Every year when December rolls around and the year sadly comes to an end, people begin to talk about the year and what’s in store. Often, people say that this year was awful and “next year will be their year”, but will it? Was this year really that terrible, or are they hopping on the bandwagon and just saying that because everyone else is? Will

BAD YEAR? 68% - GOOD 32% - BAD

next year really be any better?

2020 is not only going to be the start of a new year, but also the start of a new decade.

This past decade may have been a fever dream for us 2000’s babies. The quick glimpse of Facebook, Angry Birds, and Jersey Shore will now be considered “a decade ago”.

WILL 2020 BE BETTER? 94% - YES 6% - NO

Because of this, people have higher expectations for 2020 than they would if it was just any other year.

“I feel like people have higher expectations for 2020 because it’s going to be a new decade. I think they feel like it’s going to be like a fresh start,” sophomore, Jurnii Banks said.

92% OF THE PEOPLE WHO SAID 2019 WAS BAD SAID THAT 2020 WILL BE BETTER.

It’s easy to conform when the majority of people believe in something. In

Banks has never really agreed with any of these cliche types of sayings because she feels that they are merely false. She believes

psychology, this phenomenon is known as “groupthink”, in which a group of

that just because a new year has started, that does not mean anything will change.

people conform due to the desire for “I’ve never really said [next year will be my

harmony, resulting in an irrational decision nine 99.9% of the time.

However, Banks can be considered that .1%, because thinks that people say next year will be a better year regardless of how their year actually was,

year] that because it’s just a new year and it hasn’t ever really changed anything but the date.”

To Jurnii, saying something isn’t the same as putting in effort to make it happen. Just saying that next year will be better doesn’t make that true. Speak it into existence!

“I think that people will say [next year will be my year] even if they actually

2019 was the year of self growth and discovery for a lot of people. For Jurnii, it was one of the hardest years of her life.

had a good year just because other

People might have high hopes for the next

people are saying it.”

year if the current one involved a lot of hard work.“

Another common thing people do at the end of the year and the start of a new

[This year] I’ve grown a lot as a person and adapted to what life has given me,” Banks said, “I’ve learned that sometimes it is going

one is make resolutions. No surprise though, it’s the same thing every year.

to be hard, but you do get through it. It will get better.”

‘This year I will work out more...’ ‘This year I will eat healthier…’ How is that any different than saying ‘next year will be my year’? Are new year’s resolutions simply just empty promises?

“I think resolutions are different than just saying that the next year is going to be better. I think by making resolutions you’re setting real goals for yourself,” Banks said, “I think [making resolutions] is similar, but it shows actual motivation.”

“[To make your year better] make the most out of what you have and if there is something you want to do, don’t let anyone else stop you from doing it because you’ll most likely regret it in the future,” Banks stated.

At the beginning of this year I told myself that I hope this year will be better than the year before. Now that I've made it through this year, I find myself saying the same thing.

I'm not saying 2019 was a bad year necessarily, as a matter of fact this year taught me a lot about myself and about how precious time is. As I grow older with every year that passes by, I find myself wanting to improve and build off of my experiences of the years prior.

This was an overall year of change

Every year that passes we all get older, that's obvious, but I feel that this year in particular I matured more mentally than any other year. I think it mainly has to do with the fact that I was a junior going into my senior year. I had such an overwhelming workload and after getting through it I felt very accomplished. Out of nowhere, my family started treating me like an adult and gave me a bunch responsibilities.All of a sudden, they questioned about where I’ll be attending college and when I’ll be getting a job. I didn’t mind it but it really made the idea that high school was ending really settle in.

Being seen in the new light of adult instead of kid was definitely a big change which made me realize how quickly time is passing me by. It was around that time that I really

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calling my cousin who lives out of state more often, we became very close

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this year.

I genuinely think now that I’m growing up, I’m starting to

focus on the more important things in life and learning how to live

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life to its fullest extent. I realized that life is short and we aren’t promised a tomorrow let alone another year. If I retained anything from this year that I will carry with me is to live in the moment.

WHERE I WANT TO BE IN

2020 2020 Christian Manriquez

My life is a routine; A drab, lifeless cycle of doing the same 3 things every day. I go to school, sleep, and go to work. Never do I have time to have fun. I want to spend more time with friends, and less time dragging my feet from one sad place to another.

I want to go to concerts and yell the lyrics to my favorite songs; I want to drive around late at night with my favorite people, eating terrible junk food and laughing endlessly to the dumb things we say. Sleepovers and late night facetime calls where we’re absolutely delirious from exhaustion has never sounded

New Year's Resolutions: The time of year where

better.

everyone lies to themselves in the name of ‘selfimprovement’; At least, that’s what I thought. That’s why I went into 2019 with no goals, no inspiration, and no hope for improving myself as a person.

Too much of last year was spent trying to become an adult, and I hated it. I would purposefully bite off more than I could chew, purely for the fact that “I need to be

“The new year doesn’t matter,” I would tell

more mature.” I would stay up late finishing

myself, “It’s not like anything is gonna

assignments, putting off things till the last

change, anyways.”

minute because I felt the constant need to be stressed. That needs to change.

I was wrong. My firm belief that I was going to stay the same person that I was last January did nothing to prepare me for the roller coaster that was 2019. I made a lot of friends, I lost a lot of opportunities, and I learned a lot about myself in those 12 months. Now, for once in my life, I'm actually excited to see what 2020 will bring

2020 is the start of not only a new year, but it's a brand new decade. I want to spend this one laughing, traveling, and happy. I want to be more patient, get better grades, and travel the world. Time management is a skill I will master, so then I'll never again have to stay up until 2 in the morning writing my article.

to the table.

For my first ever New Years Resolution, I I was naive to think I didn’t have any

don’t think I did so bad. Sure, they might be

growing to do as a person — so this time

ambitious, but what better way to kick off

around, I’ve made my first ever New Year's

the decade than to go big, right?

Resolutions..

First up on the list: I want to be less boring.

Honey it's in the Past by: Miracle Baker Generation Z, 2020 is coming and are ready to say goodbye to your childhood? We are onto a new decade. This is the time period we all get married, have kids, plan our future, and go into our career journeys. Now, it's time to rewind and recap this decade.

This decade consisted of shows like Hannah Montana, Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Wizards of Waverly Place, and many other shows that made our childhood truly memorable.

“My favorite childhood show was Drake and Josh,” said sophomore Max Goldstein. “My favorite episode was when Drake forgot to put a door on the tree house that they were building and they got stuck inside of it.”

Back in elementary school, the time where we all played with toys, has come to an end. Toys like Furbies, Nerf Guns, Polly Pockets, Hot Wheels, etc. will forever remain in our memories.

Having to ask to stay up another 10 minutes before putting your toys away will be a nostalgic memory.

“My favorite childhood toy was Bratz Dolls,” said freshman Kallista Schaffer. “My favorite Bratz character from the show and the doll itself was Yasmin.”

Fast forward to middle school, we will never forget the trends we were all once obsessed with at some point or another. We went crazy for the weird dance trends that we created like "Harlem Shake" and "The Whip." After learning a particular dance, it be posted on vine or instagram followed by multiple hashtags. Eventually, this is when we dabbled in into the world of the bizarre internet trends.

This decade has brought us many iconic tunes that have lifted us up in our lowest times and set the mood during some of the best moments of our lives. Songs like "Look At Me Now" by Chris Brown and "Work" by Rihanna will always bring those nostalgic head bops far into our adult lives.

“I enjoy Summer Walker's entire album.” said Abigail Williams “The best song on her album in my opinion is 'I'll Kill You'.”

Of course, the brands of clothes we wear has changed over time as we got older. Some of the best clothing brands of the decade were American Eagle, Tommy Hilfiger, Abercrombie and Finch, Wet Seal, and a lot of other brands that helped mold our fashion sense.

“When I was younger I remember always wearing clothes from Justice. All I could remember was that story being overly priced,” expressed junior Emilee Routh.

Throughout this decade we’ve all had our highlights, some of the best times of our lives. Jimmy Halsell said the best year, in his opinion, was 2016.

“2016 was the best because I felt like that year I hung out with all of my friends. We used to swim every day and head to the park and play basketball,” said Halsell, “It was practically the year I was out most during the summer. I always busy or having a great time with my friends.”

Everyone will have their own opinion on what the best year was in this decade and why. It's all based on what adventures they went on during the year and the memories that were made.

“2019 was my favorite year mostly because of the summer. I had the best memories with my friends. Not only that, the trends, music, and shows that happened were legendary," stated Abigail Williams.

New Year, New Resolution

Keeping to date with New Year's Resolutions

By Keira Glass

Before January arrives, our expectations and wishes are on the rise in the hopes of becoming a better version of ourselves. New Year resolutions are made to break a habit

Usually the way of being able to get passed these challenges is to keep in mind of what you're working for.

For Mia Romero, her ultimate resolutions were to get

or accomplish an inner goal. It can range from: quitting

high grades as well, so she can get a car and a tattoo and

smoking, eating less junk food, getting a job or becoming a

join the basketball team.

better student. Although, New Year's resolutions are created, that does not necessarily mean they will be kept but having trust within yourself, progress can be made.

"My last New Year's resolution was to get better grades in school, as well as, go to all of my classes," Desiree Salas

“I’ve been able to keep my grades up the way I want them," Mia said cheerfully. "I’ve been succeeding in my classes just like I planned. If anything, I’m working my very best to keep them up.”

Although, Mia does struggle with keeping up her

said, "since then, my grades have progressed, and I've been

motivation. Just like Desiree, outside factors contribute to

attending my classes for the most part.”

Mia succeeding her goals.

As far as Desiree is concerned, she seems to be

“It's hard to keep up the grades I have," Mia said. "It gets

managing them and staying consistent with her resolutions,

difficult when my teachers have a lack of effort. It then

but that is not the case for everyone. It is not easy to keep

influences me, but nonetheless I always continue to push

up with a personal goal as there are many things that could

myself.”

break it or influence it to go the wrong way.

“Sometimes though, family issues tend to get in the way," Salas said, "I get distracted and influenced too easily.

I then begin desire to be no longer motivated.”

There are a handful of the tedious reasons as to why and where these resolutions could go uncompleted. Negative factors that get in the way do not accommodate to the progression of a resolution.

When these goals are kept in mind, targeted, and completed the final one year feeling of cutting out an old habit or whatever it may be has the best feeling.

Being able to say, “I stopped,” or “I did it,” may not be easy. Yet, to overcome many mental or physical challenges in order to change for the better is worth the wait.