The Featheralist: Volume 02, Issue 02

The Literary Magazine of Del Norte High School 16601 Nighthawk Lane, San Diego, CA 92127

April 2020 Volume 02, Issue 02

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The Featheralist

FOREWORD

For us graduating seniors, this issue will be our last. As such, we cannot help but become a little reflective. What began as five friends in a Panera Bread booth struggling to connect to the WiFi three years ago has today evolved into a student-run coalition of more than one hundred artists, writers, graphic designers, and outside contributors.

To be honest, we’ve had many doubts about The Featheralist. We’re an entirely student-run and student-marketed publication. But are “student-run” and “student-marketed” simply euphemisms for falling short of the level of an adult-run publication? If we can only afford to print so many copies, are we really making an impact on campus?

But over the years, we’ve come to understand that our decentralized and student-run structure aren’t marks of mediocrity, but rather indicators of opportunity. By existing as a flexible, student-led club, we’re able to provide opportunities for as many aspiring writers, artists, and graphic designers as possible on campus — each bringing diversity in their unique perspectives and expressive styles. Our diversity is what propels us above mediocrity.

Over the years, we’ve come to realize that our limited print circulation does not mean that we are limited in our impact. We thought about charging membership dues to fund printing, but that just didn’t mesh with our vision of providing opportunities for everyone. To this day, The Featheralist proudly runs 100% off of local community support and student prize money donations from stipends and competitions. We’re confident that as we continue to grow in size and continue to produce incredible, poignant work, we’ll receive more and more support from the community. Our online circulation has already garnered thousands upon thousands of views from readers all across the country. We will only continue to grow.

This past year has been eventful, to say the least. The last few months’ developments have necessitated many changes for us all, but we appreciate the continued support and understanding of our contributors and readers through this historic time.

To Mr. Swanson and Dr. Hall, Mr. Schultz and Mr. Mizel, and all the other unnamed teachers who supported us and believed in us: thank you.

To the next generation of passionate writers, artists, and graphic designers, we are sure that you will take The Featheralist to much higher heights. Keep on writing, keep on creating, and keep on designing!

To our readers, we thank you for your tremendous support over the years. We hope you will enjoy the unconventional and thought-provoking pieces that we have assembled together in Volume 02, Issue 02.

With much gratitude and hope, Skyler Wu, Ayesha Aslam-Mir, Ellie Feng, Phoenix Dimagiba, Nora Mousa, Andrew Wang, Ken Zhou, and Julia Du

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Amorphous

by Ellen Xu, ‘23

“Glass” by Cynthia Li, ‘21 Digital

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13

An open letter to the mantis shrimp

Reflection

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“Colors of the Fair” by Amanda DeLessio, ‘20 Photography

“Forward” by Angela Baek, ‘20 Watercolor

by Kane Xu, ‘21

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Curiosity

I Am Not a Statistic

“Eye” by Gianna Palanca, ‘22 Pencil/Graphite

“Homework” by Colin Szeto, ‘21 Acrylic

by Natasha Kapoor, ‘23

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by Bella Chong, ‘22

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belle âme

Thank You, Kobe

“Blooming Aura” by Anna Feng, ‘23 Watercolor

“Kobe” by Allen Chen, ‘21 Digital

by Anna Feng, ‘23

by Russell Kang, ‘22

Creative Prose

Expository

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i, wonder

Troubling Times

“Nature Scene” by Angelyn Huang, ‘22 Oil

“Cemetery Congestion” by Allen Chen, ‘21 Digital

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by Daisy Ye, ‘20

by Kayley Tung, ‘21

High School, The Game

Living in a Dream

“Um Yang” by Colin Szeto, ‘21 Digital

“Life Remains” by Julia Wang, ‘22 Oil

by Andrew Wang, ‘20

by Cynthia Wang, ‘21

“Thicker than Water” by Cynthia Wang, ‘21 Digital

Asian American

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A Childless Utopia

by Nora Mousa, ‘20

California Dreams

by Shriya Sankaran, ‘23

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by Kevin Wang, ‘21

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

Poetry

An Analysis of Action

by Aidan Rosen, ‘22

“The Watcher” and “Die by the Sword”

by Cynthia Wang, ‘21 | Digital

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The Futurist’s War

by Phoenix Dimagiba, ‘20

“The Creation” by Andrew Zhang, ‘21 Digital

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The Talk on Campus

by Daniel Dolan, ‘23

“A Civilized Discussion” by Mabel Szeto, ‘21 Digital

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We Will Always Wander

by Nicole Pi, ‘23

“The Traveler” by Krishna Rajpara, ‘20 Acrylic

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Contributors, Colophon, and Editor’s Note

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Words of Encouragement 03

poetry | The Featheralist

Written by Ellen Xu, ‘23 Designed by Priya Tantod, ‘23

“Glass is amorphous.”

“What?”

“Glass. It’s non-crystalline. Non-structured. Non-solid and non-liquid. It doesn’t belong in any one category. It gives itself its own definition.”

“Maybe that’s why glass shatters easily.”

“Everything breaks at some point; some just take longer than others.

At least it was beautiful while it lasted.”

Glass had always held a special meaning to you All kinds of glass Blown glass, clear glass, smoked glass, broken glass Wherever you went The disorderly array of glass charms on your backpack Tinkled like wind chimes with each step You didn’t seem to be afraid that they might someday break But you didn’t like mirrors Unlike the others, you didn’t care about your own reflection Didn’t like being defined Didn’t like seeing how you appeared on the outside Because it wasn’t really you Glass appears to be solid But it’s deceptive In reality, it is unbound Free-flowing Neither solid nor liquid But something else entirely When your charms finally broke Thrown to the ground amidst the face of jeering and laughter You didn’t say a word Just picked up the broken pieces and carried them away It didn’t seem to bother you As much as they would’ve liked it to The glass was the same Broken as it was whole Glass can take on many forms Just as you could embody so many ideals all at once A figure of glass who could not be broken easily An insurgent who did not obey the words carved in stone A human being, once ordinary, who gave herself her own definition and transcended the unwritten boundaries You were not perfect You were not invincible Yet you were amorphous in a world of pure solid and liquid

Glass Cynthia Li, ‘21 Digital

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April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

CALIFORNIA DREAMS

Written by Shriya Sankaran, ‘23 | Designed by Mabel Szeto, ‘21

i stare at the ceiling. the ceiling stares back, unwavering. the fan clanks and whirrs in the background, begging to be included in our silent conversation. the palm trees whisper in the rush of dry santa ana winds fragments of their conversation floating out through their feathery fronds, and in through the mosquito netting of my open windows. the polyester beneath my cheek is hot, itchy. my blanket is discarded, a heap of fabric abandoned on the floor. i flip over my pillow, i flip over my self.

Colors of the Fair Amanda DeLessio, ‘20 Photography

the air is still and heavy with dreams, but none of them belong to me. even the stars lay dormant beneath their blankets of smog and street lights. the jacarandas titter at my sleepless state from behind bowing branches of blossoms. and so, i relinquish wishes of sleep, watching. what comes out of hiding, once the sun has fled? the wind whispers of cooler days, the grass longs for rain long gone, the birds yearn for green. and me? i dream of dreams.

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poetry | The Featheralist

CURIOSITY Written by Natasha Kapoor, ‘23 | Designed by Meena Annamalai, ‘23

A child, With wide eyes, a depth, So far below What you could imagine.

Dark yet bright.

Palms small and soft That can fit the entire world Inside of them.

A mother, Letting go of their small hand, Allowing them to trek The road of adventure, Hoping they will understand.

The first day of preschool, A tingle through the spine, Like a strike of lightning.

Eyes brightening, And suddenly striking.

The child, Sitting in a classroom full of strangers, Learns their ABCs and 1-2-3s.

Those letters flow into words, Numbers into equations.

A sudden urge to keep going, Even when fought back.

Wanting to listen, But also wanting to act.

This is what we call: “Curiosity” A fire that continues to burn Throughout childhood.

We act as if nothing is happening.

We act as if our curiosity is gone.

We act as if that itself isn’t saddening.

However, we learn to Treat it as a monstrosity Because we are told It shouldn’t be used to Question authority.

We are told to sit down, And forget what we have found.

Because for some reason, This is the price of living.

Maddening.

Our hearts tell us to Rummage through more paper, But we are told instead to Let our fascination taper.

But a heart is just as fragile as paper.

Paper that is easily crumpled.

No matter how much we try, The creases of conformity Cannot be smoothed out.

To suppress our wants and cares, In order to avoid society’s glares.

But it shouldn’t be the price Of living, Of existing, Of being.

When trying to rise up, We get pushed down and around.

No matter what we do, We can’t force it back.

Trying to not lose our lust for life, Feels impossible.

We are told that there are Only certain ways to think.

But in reality, There are so many different paths, That spin up, down, and around, Diverging individually Like roots underground.

We should never Have to apologize, For our curious touch.

And for the things That we wonder about, All so much.

But we only see the strong trunk, And all those branches and leaves.

We wonder how we can bloom, But without branching our roots Into the unknown, Without nourishing The curiosity underneath, We can’t.

While there is beauty on the top, The roots explore below For the next drop of water.

To nurture, To grow, To discover.

We must reach further down Than ever before, In order for the branches To break through the limits of the sky.

Eye Gianna Palanca, ‘22 Pencil/Graphite

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Let us reach back to our inner child, And again find our curiosity.

Our truth.

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

Blooming Aura Anna Feng, ‘22 Watercolor

BELLE ÂME Written by Anna Feng, ‘23 | Designed by Angela Baek, ‘20

a flowering note written between the lines one hopes for a forte, some uphill crescendo

clutching onto meters and dancing clefs chasing a new sheet to flip a page

a scathing eye escapes from crackling lips that tug gently at the corners to flip a page

before she reaches repeat once more she erases the sun and contrives a new song with no measures to cage her

she was everything but nothing at all a worthless beautiful soul as common as a silver dollar written between concrete crevices

she strikes a fortissimo and watches ivories climb she makes cliffs and mountains which are made to fall

an aries of course blamed for her sensitivity tiny glass shards escaping patient pulsing planets

conceived by fire destroyed by a spark if she is only a flower where there's smoke there is fire

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I, WONDER

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creative prose | The Featheralist

I know it’s impossible for emotions to fade from the human race — entirely, anyway. Because that's not possible? Some emotions may be limited, worn out, but never gone.

An emotion myself, it’s one of the few things I know for certain. (I also know I overthink and am illogical at times … so here we are, contemplating human nature.)

I guess I'm just a tad — well, dare I say it? — worried. I know the emotion I embody runs deep to humanity, and my bonds with other deeply human traits — shock, love, curiosity, intellect, fear — are not ones easily broken.

You most easily identify me when I am at my purest and most unassuming: in the spark in a child’s eye as he learns that bees are superheroes, or a blooming musician’s smile as she plays her first sonata.

You may smile as you realize that I work tirelessly, hand-in-hand with Hope and Love, to guide anyone who’s decided to leave negativity in addiction or alcoholism behind to rediscover our lovely world.

But your attention rarely snaps to us when kindred Sublimity and I strike deep into those who realize how truly small they are.

And each of them are right, I know. They thank technology, human ingenuity finally working in their interest.

But I don’t believe that they know — I thank technology, too. Well, sometimes. And other times I take it back immediately afterward. Technology’s effects on humanity are incredibly diverse, painstakingly intricate, and often so, so, ironic.

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

Written by Daisy Ye, ‘20 | Designed by Julia Du, ‘20

Take Technology and Greed. They're paired well, and their goals often align in, um, destroying our world — you know, for a profit of course. But technology and the human need for beauty capture the best of nature’s moments, sparking simple joy in those who could never see the real thing.

The Internet and Pride complement each other, and it’s become all-too-easy to tear others down for showing any vulnerability or innocence. But the internet and Curiosity can join together into an equally formidable force, reaching more people than ever before with the joys of learning.

And Fear’s taken a liking to the idealized stable jobs in the computer science industry, conveniently also smothering countless other fledgling dreams. But it’s also bits of inspiration and encouragement that are spread through technology, and hopes are praised and fanned to life faster than ever.

You call me Wonder.

I won’t lie — these past years haven’t been easy for me. But it's pretty much never been. Less so in And despite who I am and what I can do, I find it older civilizations, when a starry sky summoned harder to keep shifting with your culture. I am not more wide eyes than logic and equations, but they, quite what I used to be. I've adapted, is all. I’m not too, had times of gluttony and war and famine. And fading — I can’t be. But three things are undeniable: these days … It’s been different, more trying.

Others question how such a minor emotion as I, My connection with Sublimity as a reaction to one who balks in the face of common poverty, nature’s jewels pulses uneasily — because with the epidemics, and war, one who suffers right with the hint of a golden profit, our world’s needs come ever human race, is still alive and relevant. later. People themselves first, of course; it only makes sense, Greed had told me in a charming lilt.

They forget: I am Wonder.

My alliance with Innocence, even Naïveté, stirs half-heartedly — because with social media, a new, perfect mask is ever easier to assume. And why wouldn’t people take advantage of that? Pride had asked me haughtily.

My relation with the arts dim, more a flickering orange glow than burning fire — because of pressure and cultural emphasis, promising hearts shy away from the negative stigma of unsuccess in the arts. And that — that makes sense, you see — it’s so unstable, and just think of what others would think, would say about you, Fear had chittered to me.

Nature Scene Angelyn Huang, ‘22 Oil

And I can thrive when things are bleak and grey.

Like people, it is often because of the dark I shine the brightest.

And you? You are my greatest ally (always have been). I ask you, as my existence is challenged by the negativity in your society and ever-busier world — take a moment to breathe. Because you are alive.

Let my friends — glittering Curiosity, untamed Hope, pure Love — also find a place in your life.

I will always be right here, entwined in your consciousness, gently tugging you to see the bright, the gleaming, the wonderful. But I need your help.

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creative prose | The Featheralist

HIGH SCHOOL, THE GAME Written by Andrew Wang, ‘20 | Designed by Colin Szeto, ‘21

Um Yang Colin Szeto, ‘21 Digital

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As the college application season draws to a close, I’ve transitioned from thinking about how to make myself look like a real person in my supplemental essays to thinking more about the college application process, and it has helped me reflect on who I am.

Many of the people close to me know that I play a lot of video games. It’s something that I touched on a few times in my college essays, because frankly, I wouldn’t be the same person without them. I love video games for their colorful visuals, tear-jerking stories, pleasantly “retro” 8 and 16-bit sounds, and most of all, their communities.

But this article isn’t about the digital games I’ve played, nor is it about my opinions on them.

Instead, this article is about the role-playing game we all play. It’s my opinion about the game we all call life (no, not the board game).

Playstyle In most games, there’s almost never only one way to play them.

Some people are naturally competitive. They don’t just want to beat the game; they want to beat it their own way. There are two main categories of these top players.

Some people want to beat a game fast. These “speedrunners,” as they are called in the video game community, are few and far between in the game that is life. Whether they are the young CEO of the latest Silicon Valley startup or a violin prodigy who tours worldwide, the defining features of these speedrunners are that they are incredibly talented and are almost always pillars of the communities they represent.

Some people want to beat a game completely. These “completionists” will go to great lengths to complete any and every challenge a game has to offer. At our school, there are many of these people who try to take as many AP classes as possible, join a plethora of extracurriculars, and assume more leadership positions than you can count with your fingers.

Regardless of whether a top player is a speedrunner or a completionist, they seem to accomplish goal after goal seemingly effortlessly, idolized by their fans. And therein lies the problem.

Contrary to what that last line may suggest, I don’t hate speedrunners or completionists. I admire the popularity they bring to their community and the skills they possess. What I dislike is the unhealthy fixation a community can develop on them.

One of the people I respect most at my school is in every way the definition of the “ideal speedrunner.” They’re incredibly intelligent and talented at what they do. They have a charisma that could make P. T. Barnum jealous. And most of all, they work so hard at everything that nobody else can catch up.

Naturally, some people will make this person as their goal, the person they want to surpass. They strap in their schedule of a dozen AP classes, a few dozen more extracurriculars, and prepare to launch their dreams into orbit. Everything goes fine, until passing B’s crack the windshield, the sleep gauge runs out, and the whole apparatus erupts into a depressed explosion.

I’ve seen it happen to others, and I know a bit of how it feels because that person was almost me.

There are two things that people often overlook when seeing or hearing about top players. The first is that they are NOT inexperienced and have built strong foundations in the game they play. The person I described a few paragraphs ago has impeccable work habits and drive, but more importantly, they knew how to maneuver Del Norte’s competitive academic environment while also calculating the risks of their decisions. The second is that top players are far above what is considered “normal” and are supremely dedicated to the game they play. This “speedrunner” had dreams of innovating in science and creating policy that would change the future, and would stop at nothing to make their dreams come true, sacrificing sleep and to some degree, relationships, in the process. If you want to be the best, you might have to make the same sacrifices, or even more severe ones.

I recognize that the proportion of people who choose to play a game very competitively is usually

“I’ve been thinking more about the college application process and how it forced me to reflect on who I am.”

very small. But in an academic environment like Del Norte’s, there’s a higher-than-normal amount of talented students who set their sights on the top.

And that’s OK. As long as they recognize that they might not achieve their goals as fast as others or ever reach the top, they’ll be set for success.

In fact, most people who play video games would fall under this “casual” group. “Casual” is thrown around online as a derogatory term that belittles players who don’t want to become part of the “hardcore” playerbase, but “casual” was never meant to have such a negative meaning. Nobody is going to fault you for not being several standard deviations above the mean. Accepting that you might not be the best but still striving for your own goals is what matters.

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

Introduction

After all, playing a game doesn’t have to be about defeating others; in the end, it’s about having fun and improving yourself each time. If you have the courage to try and play the game of life conventionally — or even unconventionally — there’s no guarantee that you’ll be the best, but what is guaranteed is the fact that you are one of few people who took on the challenge. If you persevere and reach the top ten, or even the top ten thousand, at least remember to stop and give yourself a pat on the back.

You deserve it.

Finding Your Role This section of the article is dedicated to the new players, the eager freshmen, the sophomores falling asleep while writing APEC notes, and everyone in between.

In many role-playing games, characters are divided into series of classes and subclasses. For a real life example, the scientist class has many subclasses, some of which include biology, chemistry, and physics. Some subclasses even have subclasses of their own! Part of the fun of life comes from the diversity in classes a player can choose from. After all, it wouldn’t be fun if everybody played the exact same way.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that Del Norte seems to have an abundance of players in the STEM roles.

Particularly, many people tend to pick the doctor or computer scientist classes.

The doctor class is nothing new, and it’s been around since almost the beginning of the game.

Many people claim to be drawn to it for the opportunity to assist other players and develop their biology skills. In contrast, the computer science class is very new, introduced just a few updates ago. Video games and society’s growing dependence on computers and the apps they provide seem to have catalyzed a large increase in interest for computer science, and companies like Google and Microsoft have become some of the most powerful player guilds in the world.

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creative prose | The Featheralist

“There’s often no one ‘right way’ to play a game.”

Privately, however, some people have shared with me that their parents forced them to choose these classes or that they dislike the STEM classes as a whole, but the potential salaries are too alluring to give up. This disheartens me, not because I feel that these motivations are misguided, but because I feel like these people have the potential to be so much more than prisoners to a playstyle that is uninteresting to them.

I’m a firm believer in the idea that games should be played for enjoyment, and that philosophy extends to the game of life as well. That doesn’t mean that life is always fun *cough* homework *cough*, because even in video games, there are parts where you repeat the same boring task over and over.

Unfortunately, the developers for the game of life forgot to include a progression bar or timer that shows how much time you have left. So just in case your session comes to an unexpected close, make sure you take the time to explore as much as you can before you’ve invested too many points into one skill tree.

I’m not saying that there should be a mass exodus from STEM to the humanities and arts, but I think that people should at least give them some consideration. There’s plenty of fun and benefits to be experienced in journalism, history, and art, despite what people may say about subpar salaries or how liberal arts degrees aren’t as “useful” as those in STEM. I realize that throughout this article, it may sound like I’m preaching from a high pedestal, but I genuinely say this as someone who wishes I ventured a little farther outside of the typical path of a hopeful STEM major. Some of the most important knowledge I’ve gained — how to write a proper argument, the Supreme Court’s evolution over the years, and how to appreciate classical music — has all come from taking classes in the humanities and arts, and I’ve become a better

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person as a result. This doesn’t even include the new friends I met, as well as the fun I had.

willing to accept change, or even create some yourself.

Furthermore, regarding “usefulness,” the humanities and arts serve a role in our society that is equally important as STEM. If you have a diverse set of skills that spans both STEM and the humanities, that makes you an even more valuable party member than someone who only focuses on, say, engineering or research. And taking a step back from the video game theme that I’ve been pushing so hard throughout this article, humanities and arts degrees do have a lot of flexibility and interdisciplinary paths that can lead you to success. As I said earlier, there’s often no one “right way” to play a game, and that certainly holds true here as well.

Once again, there is no one “right way” to play the game. The “metagame,” or the style of gameplay accepted by the community to be the “best” (subjectively) is merely a point of reference that you can accept or reject. Just because a playstyle falls into the meta doesn’t mean that it will be the best for you, even though it might be the best for others.

Even if the thought of writing literary criticism makes you physically cringe, the world outside of STEM is definitely worth considering. It may be unfamiliar and uncomfortable, but the experience you get out of doing so is irreplaceable. And if you find that you don’t enjoy it, you still have hundreds of other pathways to explore. The only limit is your willingness to venture off the beaten path and do a little bit of sidequesting.

Final Thoughts For many people at Del Norte, the end goal is getting into a college that all your family and friends have heard of, but unfortunately, getting into college is far from beating the final boss.

In fact, it’s probably just a mini-boss in the game’s progression, where victory or defeat will not determine the fate of the world.

When you have a little bit of free time, take a moment to think about your future. Whether or not an Ivy League college sends you a party invite come trimester three of your senior year, you still have much of your life ahead of you. Start thinking about how you will design your character, which skills to level, and which class specializations to pick. And if you can’t make all of those decisions at once, that’s OK. Life is a game that constantly updates, and that means that what holds true now may not hold true tomorrow. Be dynamic and be

And lastly, I want to say thank you to all the people who read my article to the very end. I may not be the most well-spoken player (I blame my lack of investment in the English skill tree), and I’m definitely not the best player. I’ve had my fair share of missteps, and most of the thoughts I’ve put into this article come from the areas I’ve made mistakes in. I hope that the next generation of players finds success in whatever they do and takes Del Norte’s playerbase to new heights.

Game on.

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

You might not know this, but humans are well aware that you have four times more color receptors than we do. That realization caused us some heartache, as we have a tendency to pine for what’s missing. I’m certain, though, that we have something great going for us — that each human life is distinctly colorful already.

My life is colored by the bold greens of laughter so extensive my stomach starts to hurt, the faded greys of rainy days tinged with inexplicable melancholy, the warm ambers of my mom's loving embrace, the deep purples of a sinking feeling from letting down a treasured friend, the delicate lavenders of introspection on the nature of love, the intense reds of injustices before me, the soft golds of a new understanding in literature class, the rosey pinks of a day spent baking eclairs with my brother, the muted blues of a goodbye said too soon, the brilliant yellows of exhilaration on a rollercoaster’s drop, the pale silvers of a thoughtful question, to the harsh cobalts of losing my beloved cat. I have no doubt that the world looks great through your eyes, but no assortment of rods and cones could color my life so profoundly as these, the markers of my own humanity.

Sincerely, Nora

Written by Nora Mousa, ‘20 Designed by Esther Jin, ‘21 Artwork generously provided by Del Norte Alumni

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reflection | The Featheralist

ASIAN AMERIC Written by Kane Xu, ‘21 | Designed by Sophia Du, ‘20

The soccer stadium roared with the cheers of a thousand elated fans. It was the Women's 1999 World Cup final match between the U.S. and China, and after 90 minutes of scoreless gameplay, it was finally down to penalty kicks to decide the world champion. Down 2–3, it was China’s turn to shoot.

It was her turn. She picked up the ball calmly and began her long trek towards the penalty spot.

Anxious murmurs arose from the sidelines when everyone saw that her left knee was wrapped heavily with white bandages from the wear and tear of past injuries. Yet amidst the heat and pressure, she limped her way towards the goal with her head held high and the ball pressed firmly against her chest. She placed the ball down, took four steps backward, two steps to the left, and paused. The crowd turned silent. She brushed her hair back with confidence, ran towards the ball, and struck it into the back of the net. Swish.

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A Boy with Polar Opposite Identities As an avid fan of Chinese soccer, my father would show me videos of past Chinese soccer games. The one that stuck out to me the most was the 1999 Women’s World Cup final. It struck every note: the intensity, the anticipation, and the glory. As a young child, I dreamed of stepping onto the same World Cup final soccer pitch in a thundering stadium filled with electrified fans. I would bring a soccer ball to the park and go through the same motions that I memorized by heart from the video.

Place the ball down. Four steps backward. Two steps to the left. Pause. Strike. Then, Swish. I was happy not because I scored, but because I recreated the same intensity, anticipation, and glory that I dreamed of experiencing one day.

This dream, however, was not readily accepted by people in my life, especially my family. Growing up in an Asian household, I was expected to follow the Asian mold — a math genius who plays the piano and violin and is training to become either a doctor or a lawyer. I participated in all of these activities and fulfilled those expectations, playing in the local youth symphony, competing in math competitions, and winning trophies at piano competitions. But when I didn't get first chair violin in my youth orchestra, didn’t get an A on a math test, or didn’t win a trophy at a piano competition, my parents would always resort to the same conclusion: It's because you play too much soccer. When I told my Asian grandparents that I wanted to become a famous professional soccer player, they sat me down and gently responded, “I’m sorry but ... you need to understand your roots. You’re Asian. You were not born to play soccer.”

I had soccer tryouts immediately the next day. As we started playing, I was pushed to the ground by a white boy. As I fell towards the ground, I could hear him mutter, “Freaking Asian. This is not your sport … go do math problems.” His voice became inaudible as he ran off, but those words echoed in my head, sending a rush of shame and embarrassment through my body. As I scrambled to get up, I rubbed my angled eyes and gazed at my yellow skin. They differed from the pale skin and large eyes of every other “American” player. His words had only confirmed that the world would forever see me as just another Asian. Perhaps he was right: someone who looked like me could never make it in the soccer world.

I felt neither Asian nor American. I didn’t feel Asian because I played too much soccer. I didn’t feel American either since my yellow skin and squinty eyes meant that I should be doing math problems instead of playing soccer. In truth, I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere. I was split into two seemingly polar opposite identities that I believed could not coexist.

“Be Yourself!”

I was playing soccer at the park one day when I saw an Asian woman coaching a soccer clinic for a group of Asian kids. As I curiously walked closer to spectate what they were doing, she caught me watching.

CAN In middle school, I joined Science Olympiad, not because my parents forced me to, but because I was willing to explore new interests. It was the first day of class and as I walked in, I noticed that everyone around me was Asian. I walked to the corner of the room and sat down across from a table occupied by students wearing jackets that had the bold words “Science Olympiad” printed on them. As the teacher was talking, I noticed one kid pointing at the soccer jersey and shorts that I was wearing. I could hear him whisper, “Oh he’s ‘whitewashed’ (a term used to denote someone who abandons his native culture to assimilate into western culture).

All he does is play soccer every day. He can’t be that smart.” These words sent waves of anger through my head. But perhaps they were right.

Perhaps I really was “whitewashed” by soccer.

Perhaps Science Olympiad was not for me because I was not “Asian enough.”

“Hi, I’m Coach O. I see you are wearing soccer cleats. Come play with us!” She spoke with a heavy Chinese accent, but it was just enough for me to understand her.

Coach O was full of energy. She jumped into the soccer session with us, running and kicking the ball around while shouting words of encouragement. Her intricate skills on the ball indicated years of playing experience. I was amazed at how much joy she brought to the game as she never ceased to stop smiling. As the session came to a close, she glanced at the red Chinese National Team jersey that I was wearing. “So do you want to play in the World Cup one day?” she asked. Just as I was about to say yes, I heard the words of the white boy and my grandparents resonate through my ears once again. “Sure ... but I’m Asian,” I responded. She grinned, “Don’t let the fact that you’re Asian stop you from achieving your dreams. Be yourself! When I was small, no one would imagine a young Chinese girl to one day play in the World Cup.” She placed her hand on my shoulder, “But against all odds, I later had the opportunity to represent China in the 1999 World Cup finals.” She then detailed the events of the final penalty shootout against the U.S.A. as I stood in awe with my mouth agape. Coach O was the player who limped her way to the penalty spot. She was the one who scored despite having a white bandage wrapped around her left knee. Most importantly, she represented someone who paved her own path instead of conforming to the Asian societal mold of math, piano, and violin.

“I believe in you, you can make it. You have a lot of potential,” she said while my brain was still trying to figure out what was going on. She, a World Cup finalist, believed in me. From that day on, I would often practice with Coach O. She provided a safe haven for me to truly express myself as a soccer player, somewhere I could finally feel like myself.

I am an Asian American I arrived home late in the afternoon after a high school soccer match. The last few rays of the evening sun retreated under the window ledges when the news reached our house.

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

Forward Angela Baek, ‘20 Watercolor

Coach O is no longer with us anymore. She was lost to cancer.

I froze. No, no, no. Not her. Needless to say, I was devastated. The news was a carefully calibrated blow to my stomach. I had lost the only person who supported and believed in my dreams. Yet to me, Coach O did not lose her battle to cancer. She was someone who chose her own path by defying a cultural mold, someone who strived to spread her lifelong passion to the next generation, and most importantly, someone who died doing what she loved. Just hours before she passed away, she lay smiling on the hospital bed wearing the Chinese National Team jersey.

Since then, I have made it my mission to carry on her battle and apply what she taught me to my own life — to pave my own path and pursue the things that I love doing with all my heart. My entire life I listened to what other people wanted me to do, but Coach O taught me that I could choose my own path. I am currently a proud member of both my school’s soccer team and Science Olympiad team.

Sure, I’m Asian. Sure, I may not be the fastest or strongest athlete. Sure, I may not even play soccer professionally in the future. But that doesn’t mean soccer can’t be my lifelong passion. Sure, I can’t live without a ball at my feet, but that doesn’t make me too “whitewashed” to compete on the Science Olympiad team.

The most important lesson that Coach O taught me was this: Only through pursuing one’s dream regardless of societal and cultural pressures can one establish his or her true identity. My identity no longer wrestled between the “Asian” and “American” checkboxes. I may not be fully Asian, nor fully American. But I can now say with unwavering confidence, that I am somewhere in between ... I am Asian American.

Two years later, our team was tied after overtime in a state championship game, and it was my turn to take the penalty. I grabbed the ball and walked towards the goal with my head held high and the ball pressed firmly against my chest. I placed the ball down. Four steps backward. Two steps to the left. As I paused to prepare for the strike, I saw Coach O’s wide smile watching over me. I heard her Chinese accent ring through the air, cheering me on. I closed my eyes, then struck the ball into the back of the net. Swish.

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reflection | The Featheralist

I AM NOT A STATISTIC A self-reflection on mental health

Written by Bella Chong, ‘22 | Designed by Colin Szeto, ‘21

Homework Colin Szeto, ‘21 Acrylic

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These thoughts grew into my dream of becoming a psychiatrist, to study someone's behavior and cognitive thinking and tell them what was wrong. I believed that this way I could help myself while also helping other people. Actually, let me rephrase that: I could help other people and simultaneously diagnose myself with some mental illness. Then, I would finally be satisfied with knowing that something was wrong with me.

Despite treating it with much bluntness thus far, I know that mental health is a sensitive topic for some people. But it is necessary. In some ways, looking at my mental health from a clinical standpoint has finally pushed me to really look at myself.

The only problem was that I let this self-analysis go too far.

Not only did I view myself as more of a lab specimen than a person, I also defined myself by the state of my mental health. Literally. I wanted to start a “happiness campaign”, I discovered my birthday was during Mental Health Awareness Week (I really thought it was meant to be at that point), and I constantly overanalyzed my every move.

It wasn't healthy. Not in the slightest. Instead of trying to figure out how to help myself, I was trying to figure out everything that could possibly be wrong with me. I let my mental health define me in the worst way. One day it was ADD, another was depression, the next was anxiety.

Until it all … stopped. During sophomore year, my mental health plummeted down my list of priorities and I no longer extensively researched psychology in my free time. My free time was scarce, anyway. As I gradually lost interest in trying to “help” myself, I realized that the more I ignored my mental health, the worse it became.

Despite this realization, I continued to push it back and deal with the consequences.

Deeper into my sophomore year, I experienced phases of burnout and anxiety more frequently than before. It wasn't until I finally opened up to my mother a couple months ago that I had a sudden epiphany: Was I pushing my mental health out of the spotlight because I didn't want to be that kid? — the kid who used mental health as an excuse to gain other people's sympathy or pity or attention?

No. No, it couldn't be … could it? I wasn't worried about that before, so why would that be the case now?

But here it was again — defining all of my problems with mental health. If I dove too deep, my world was mental health. If I pulled myself out of it, my world was still mental health.

So how did I fix this, you ask? How did I fix this endless loop?

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

I have made many mistakes in my lifetime (note that said lifetime has only been 15 years and four months long), one of the biggest being shoving my mental health down my list of priorities when it should have always been higher than AP classes. When I finally called my mental health to attention, it was primarily to analyze myself in the coldest, most clinical way possible. Why was I always indecisive? Do I have bipolar depression?

Should I get a therapist?

Well, for starters, I needed to understand that I couldn't run away from myself. Of all people, I chose to avoid the one person who was always there for me no matter what — me.

I would also like to mention that between the two extremities of thinking, there had been an interwar period where I wrote in a journal and opened up to my mom more often than I ever had before. I was subconsciously trying to keep myself sane, and in turn, it was probably the best my mental health had been in years.

Naturally, that is the situation I strive for now.

What I have been trying to say in 700 words (and counting) is that self-care shouldn't just be face masks and bubble baths. Take care of your mental and emotional health, too; it is just as, if not even more, important.

The very first step is awareness.

I didn't want to end up as another tally mark, another statistic. If I let that happen, I would have to find some way to fix it. “Fixing it” involved talking to people, possibly friends and family, about my problems. I didn't want to be labeled as a problem child.

“It wasn't healthy.

Not in the slightest.

Instead of trying to figure out how to help myself, I was trying to figure out everything that could possibly be wrong with me.”

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reflection | The Featheralist

Kobe Allen Chen, ‘21 Digital

THANK YOU,

KOBE Written by Russell Kang, ‘22 | Designed by Julia Du, ‘20

Growing up, I could never really consider myself a big basketball fan. I watched NBA games occasionally, and I knew the names of the superstars, but that was pretty much it. My family was more into baseball, and only occasionally did we ever watch basketball together. The only times I had ever received exposure to the sport were in the mornings before elementary school, when I used to watch SportsCenter’s highlight reels while munching on my cereal, taking in all of the crazy dunks and incredible fadeaway three-pointers.

Yet, when I was scrolling through Instagram just a few weeks ago and heard about the passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant, I was aghast. Thoughts flooded my mind like a burst dam; I didn’t know what to think. And unfortunately, with the prevalence of fake news, my subconscious was forced to keep a sliver of hope, lingering in the back of my mind, as I prayed that the Instagram story I just viewed was fake.

But as I sat there on my friend’s couch, staring

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lifelessly at my phone screen, I began to wonder why the news affected me so deeply. I’ve had idols pass away before. Why did this news hit me a little differently? I reminded myself that I had never been a big Kobe fan, let alone Lakers fan, but the distress just wouldn’t wear off. Why was I feeling this invasive anguish within my heart?

After I got over the initial shock, I began to briefly reflect, and as I continue to mourn the loss of a sports legend today, I realize that society lost so much more than a basketball player. Allow me to explain.

Apart from his God-given talent and incredible physical attributes, Kobe possessed several other characteristics that set him apart from competitors within the NBA. More than anything, his phenomenal work ethic allowed him to improve and progress exponentially faster than his opponents. In high school, he would force his teammates to stay in the gym hours after practice, playing them one-on-one up to a hundred points.

In his professional career, he would use halftimes to watch film and review his mistakes, while the rest of his teammates casually relaxed in the locker room. And on one occasion, when he fractured his right hand, he didn’t take the day off like most people would. Instead, he shot with only his left hand, for hours on end, as if it were a normal-length practice. The common theme in all of these scenes that Kobe so clearly reflected in both his mindset and actions: grind, work, and practice until you can’t anymore. And in doing so, set a standard for success that everyone can see.

Even after a tremendous NBA career, he went so far to create his own film, titled “Dear Basketball”, giving back to the sport that he had loved with so much passion and the game that had given him so much joy in return. The love that he had for basketball was something the ordinary human could only dream of. His dedication served as a beacon of hope, a pillar of heart-wrenching motivation. That powerful dedication inspired people to go out and find something that they truly

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

loved, something that they would willingly pursue to the best of their ability.

Yet, even with Kobe’s jam-packed lifestyle, he still made time for the people and goals that were important to him. A family man at heart, he still made time for his wife and kids, understanding that basketball wasn’t the only thing that mattered in life. He still made time for the young fans, who repped Kobe jerseys in the front rows of the Staples Center Arena. He still gave back to the community in more ways than society can acknowledge, when he could have just skipped out on all of these things and lived a luxurious, stress-free life, all on his own. He woke up everyday with a nagging goal in mind: something much bigger than basketball, something that only few can fully comprehend.

This goal took the form of a burning desire to not only continue building upon his status as a tremendous basketball player, but to also develop himself as the perfect competitor, and as a result, his characteristics provided a model that the youth admired, known as the “Mamba Mentality”.

Perseverance, passion, purpose: three words that perfectly described Kobe’s lifestyle. Three words that caused millions of fans to idolize his internal fire on the court, and his demeanor off the court.

Three words that led him to become a world figure.

With all these attributes under his name, Bryant became a complete man: a universal person.

Someone who resembled near perfection in every aspect of life. Someone who was near the top of every list for favorite athletes, as well as role models. And by being this type of man, he instilled a value within all of society in one way or another.

He gave the youth hope. He was a model for adults.

Sometimes, I used to just think to myself, Dang, I wish I could be that guy, while watching Kobe play; I know that millions have had this same feeling.

And as I continue to write this reflection, I feel as if something is missing. I feel as if a fire from within me has been whittled down to a small flame, through the passing of #24. The world lost more than a basketball player. We lost more than an

All-Star. We lost more than a name to shout when shooting a piece of paper in the recycling bin. We lost an inspiration. We lost a role model. We lost a source of internal fire.

During the livestream of his memorial on February 24, I nearly teared up after watching his close friends and family speak about his impact on their lives. His sense of morality, as well as his passion for life, for the game, for his family, and for all he stood for was so clear and so moving.

I’m so grateful to have lived in an era with Kobe Bryant, even if it was only for a portion of his career. By witnessing his greatness, I, along with many others, have developed the goal of one day being like him. Not just in terms of success, but in terms of legacy and impact. Not only in wealth, but in joy and happiness. Not only in fame, but in purpose and philosophy. And for this, I say: Thank you, Kobe. Rest easy.

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expository | The Featheralist

TROUBLING TIMES

prevented many families from bidding farewell to their loved ones — some in their final moments, others already laid to rest. People could no longer mourn these losses as funeral congregations had allowed. “‘I think it’s worse than a war,’ said Marta Testa. ‘Dad is waiting to be buried. And we are here waiting to tell him goodbye.’”¹ The deceased remain uncelebrated: their souls, stories, and experiences become lost among the many in isolation.

Written by Kayley Tung, ‘21 | Designed by Angela Baek, ‘20

Every departed soul deserves a dignified farewell.

Yet, in places like New York, the death rate is so high that morgues, funeral homes, and cemeteries struggle to accommodate the numbers of corpses.

Crematoriums run on fumes, mass graves are dug, and in a few cases, bodies are transported out-of-state or left to pile up in the backs of trucks.

Resources, energy, and time are wearing thin, but we must adapt and innovate for the lost souls who leave without an honorable goodbye.

These are troubling times. But even in the midst of this pandemic, we can still aspire for a better future. These days, people are uniting despite being physically isolated and supporting one another, from donating supplies to hospitals in need to making face masks for neighbors. Further hope can be found in sights of a healthier Earth.

Seismic activity, carbon emissions, and atmospheric pollution levels have dropped while animals are gradually returning to their natural habitats. From the aftermath of this devastation can come growth and rebirth; humanity has demonstrated the power of solidarity and support amidst a global crisis. With the slow recovery of the environment, we can protect the natural world from further damages. We must keep in mind the hint of a brighter, cleaner future.

Cemetery Congestion Allen Chen, ‘21 Digital These are troubling times. Caught in the tumult of COVID-19, the world is in disarray, struggling to find order in its current situation.

In these troubling times, the majority of national governments have enacted mitigation measures, including quarantine. Some people protest lockdowns because they feel that these measures are a violation of their constitutional freedoms, while others protest because they believe that the economic consequences of a lockdown are worse than the pandemic itself. Recently in Michigan, armed protesters stormed the capital, demanding

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the removal of stay-at-home orders. However, outbursts of anger pose no solution to the actual problem. We find many in this time consumed with frustration, and others lacking empathy for the grievously suffering.

In these troubling times, death hangs heavily over our heads. COVID-19 has caused over 397,000 deaths thus far. In early March, Italy, one of the hardest-hit countries, restricted traveling from home beside absolute necessities. Thus, all non-essential facilities were shut down, including funeral services. The rigid lockdown regulations

The glimpse of a greener Earth we saw during this pandemic should not simply be a glimpse, but a goal. Indeed, many experts emphasize the direct chain of causation between global warming and the proliferation of wild-borne diseases. Subsequently, if we continue proceeding with suffocatingly high levels of carbon emissions, we will accelerate the rate of deforestation and destruction of wildlife habitats. As wildlife makes its way into human environments, increased interaction between humans and wildlife could lead to an increased spillover of animal diseases (such as coronavirus) into the human population. But we have the power of our solidarity, our hope, and our recovering environment to bring a better fate. To honor those who perished from COVID-19, we must prevent their tragedies from ever occurring again and construct a brighter future for their loved ones.

What we are learning right now gives us a chance to rectify our past. We have a chance to rebuild stronger and better than ever before.

1 Pitrelli, Stefano, and Chico Harlan. “In an Italian City, Obituaries Fill the Newspaper, but Survivors Mourn Alone.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 16 Mar. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/corona virus-obituaries-bergamo-italy/2020/03/16/6c342f02-66c7-11ea-b199-3a97 99c54512_story.html.

Julia Wang, ‘22 Oil

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

LIVING IN A DREAM

Life Remains

Written by Kevin Wang, ‘21 | Designed by Sophia Du, ‘20

We all have dreams that make no sense. When we’re asleep, we rest our minds, letting go of all logic, morality, and basic common sense. In our dreams, we make irrational, ridiculous decisions in make-believe worlds and imaginary universes. The entire time, we never seem to realize that our dreams aren’t real. No matter how comical or unrealistic, nightmares leave us anxiously drenched in sweat and fantasies get us genuinely excited and riled up. Everything seems to make perfect sense when we’re sound asleep, until we wake up, reflect, and realize how silly the dream actually was.

Humankind is constantly living in a dream.

Humans are always strolling around, under the smug impression that we are doing the right things for the right reasons. But, every couple hundred years or so, we wake up and realize that we could not be further from the truth. Humans have a strong pack mentality — we just like to believe what everyone else believes. It’s not cliché. It's reality. Despite our emphasis on individuality, humans have and almost always will align their values and beliefs with those of the majority, no matter how misguided the majority may be. As a result, it’s incredibly easy for an entire society to get roped into the same lapses in judgment, believing that wrong is right or evil is good.

Take the history of science as an example. In ancient Greece, nature and scientific phenomenons were generally attributed to their gods and goddesses: rain fell, lightning struck, and the sun rose as a result of divine intervention. Today, the same ancient Greek religion that an entire civilization worshipped is referred to as

“mythology” and the subject of fictional children’s books. Fast-forward a few centuries and we arrive just before the Scientific Revolution, where the idea that the Earth could revolve around the sun was madness, and promoting such an atrocious concept was a punishable offence. Today, what former scientists would stake their lives on — the sun revolving around the Earth — is nothing more than a ridiculous and outdated conspiracy theory.

In the 20th century, eugenics — the pseudoscience of selectively breeding humans in order to yield more desirable traits — was a growing “science” and was almost universally accepted in the academic community. Today, we recognize eugenics as not only unethical, but an inaccurate and unscientific application of natural selection.

With countless other examples, it is clear that no matter where in time we look, the scope of human knowledge and understanding will always fall short of reality. However, if you were to tell an ancient Greek that Poseidon isn’t real or suggest to a 16th century astronomer that the Earth revolves around the Sun, they would complacently shrug you off as nothing more than a madman. They were simply living in a dream, with no idea how wrong they actually were.

Just like the rest of history, it is inevitable that we are currently very wrong about something. Things that we believe today — what seems like irrefutable common sense — could be completely incorrect.

Most people recognize this to a certain degree, but fail to realize the extent to which this is true. Sure, we may be wrong about cholesterol — maybe it’s not as bad as we think. But what if we are wrong about the structure of an atom or the function of the human brain? What if we completely missed

the mark with our capitalist economics or our understanding of climate change? After all, the human species has been wrong about much greater things.

Of course, humans aren’t always wrong, and the aforementioned examples focus on the failures of human judgment while ignoring the many successes. Our past mistakes do not constitute sufficient reason to disregard the value of scientific proof and the merits of the scientific method, nor are they valid evidence for any far-fetched conspiracy theories. Ideas are popular for a reason, and if your beliefs don’t align with the rest of the 7.5 billion humans on Earth, chances are you should reconsider them. The point is that we shouldn’t take everything people tell us to be true and we shouldn’t be stuck in the mindset that we can’t be proven wrong. We are not exempt from the historically proven tendency for all of human society to tether its fundamental values and beliefs to embarrassing lapses in logic and judgment, and it would be naive to think otherwise.

It’s not about being different — eventually being “different” becomes the norm. It’s about pondering and questioning mainstream beliefs and values, not because your favorite politician or your mother told you to do so, but because we have an obligation to at least attempt to avoid the trap of assuming we are right. As logical and virtuous beings, we must seek to understand the origins and rationales behind our thoughts. We are living in a dream, and in the moment we may think that everything we believe makes perfect sense. We may never escape the false reality of our dream, but we should at least recognize that we’re in one.

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expository | The Featheralist

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

“These were the years when they felt they had all the time and freedom in the world to do whatever they wanted.

And these were the years when my Written by Cynthia Wang, ‘21 | Designed by Esther Jin, ‘21 When I was in elementary school, I would often ask my parents, “What was your happiest moment?” Every time, my parents would respond, “Of course it was when we had you and your sister.”

At the time, I was satisfied with this answer. But as I grew older, I began to notice a recurring cycle in my family. My mother, overwhelmed by the demands of her life, would become furious over seemingly small things like my room being untidy.

In turn, she would thrust her boiling anger at my father, and a fight would soon erupt within the family. Now, when I ask them the same question, they finally reveal the truth. The happiest era of their lives was when they were still in China as carefree twenty-year-olds, right after they got married and started working. These were the years when they felt they had all the time and freedom in the world to do whatever they wanted. And these were the years when my parents did not have children.

To some, the idea of caring for and nurturing a baby may be a life goal. However, having children does not always act as an addition to one’s happiness; rather, it could act as a replacement for the relationship that was previously established between you and your spouse. And this new relationship is oftentimes not as fulfilling because the love is not distributed evenly.

First, consider how much time parents invest to take care of their children. There are twenty-four hours in a day. How many hours do your parents

Thicker than Water Cynthia Wang, ‘21 Digital

spend working for the money to support you? How many hours do your parents spend driving you, whether it be to and from school or to and from your extracurriculars? Now how much time do you think your parents have to spend with each other or just to even catch their breath? Because most parents struggle to fit their own needs within the tiny gaps in their schedules, parents generally have very limited time to sit down with each other and discuss any marital issues that may come up. The presence of children in the house furthermore acts as a barrier from privacy. My parents feel the need to censor much of their conversations because there are many things they cannot discuss with me or my sister around. As a result of having children, my parents experienced a severe decline in effective communication and straightforwardness, as do many parents.

Second, when married couples have children, it often leads to one parent becoming the “worker” while the other becomes the “homemaker,” resulting in undesired tension and resentment. In couples with one man and one woman, these roles often fall along the lines of gender stereotypes.

Many women must leave the workforce in order to shoulder the burdensome tasks of looking after and feeding their children, cooking for many mouths, washing more dishes and clothes, and cleaning after their children. One mother mentioned that she regretted having children because she “found the world of work much more gratifying than the twenty years she spent as a housewife and mother”¹. Men, on the other hand, become the family’s sole breadwinners, a responsibility that also causes immense stress. Because of this separation, more arguments could easily arise.

Parents tend to have a much more difficult time empathizing with each other since both of them are unaware of the hardships their spouse has to deal with on a daily basis.

parents did not have children.”

In 2009, researchers from the Texas A&M University and the University of Denver studied the relationships of 218 couples within their first eight years of marriage. The participants were asked to self-report and rank factors like marital satisfaction, relationship confidence and dedication, and conflict management on a scale from 1 to 7, at the beginning of their marriage and then eight years later. Additionally, the researchers rated the negative interactions and conflict management of each couple based on videos they observed. Overall, the researchers found that all 218 couples experienced a decline in their relationship over time. However, the marital satisfaction of those who became parents decreased drastically while childless couples only experienced a gradual decline². These results suggest a strong correlation between the couples having children and the decline in marital satisfaction, which implies that children may serve as a significant deterrent on the happiness of their parents. Although correlation does not always mean causation, it is more likely that children create unhappiness in their family rather than couples foreseeing marital decline choose to have children in hopes to make their lives better.

Our perceptions of adult life and marriage are highly influenced by our childhood observations.

At school, we always see families rather than married couples without children. Thus, especially during our malleable teenage years where we first begin to seriously plan out our futures, it is important that we recognize that we have the choice of having or not having children and that the more popular option can have grave consequences.

1 Streep, Peg. “6 Terrible Reasons for Anyone to Have A Child.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 1 Dec. 2015, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/tech-support/201512/6-terrible-reas ons-anyone-have-child.

2 Doss, Brian D, et al. “The Effect of the Transition to Parenthood on Relationship Quality: an 8-Year Prospective Study.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2702669/.

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expository | The Featheralist

AN ANALYSIS OF ACTION Written by Aidan Rosen, ‘22 | Designed by Julia Du,‘20 The Watcher Cynthia Wang, ‘21 Digital

“Oh, nice choreography, babe; You haven’t lost a step. Well then, let’s dance.”

— Scaramouche the Merciless Samurai Jack Season 5, Episode 1 Action has entertained humanity for centuries.

The Roman Colosseum was a pool of striking steel and sand two thousand years ago, where crowds revelled in life-on-the-line brawls. Two thousand years later, karate will debut in the Summer Olympics. Once again, people will revel in watching skilled strikes and blows. These past and present martial matches are both awesome because the showdowns are exciting and seeing a victor is satisfying. Other forms of entertainment — particularly animation — mimic such great action by using choreography. In order to produce spectacular action, choreography must establish excitement and satisfaction by being organic, and can magnify both qualities by exercising story structure or harmonizing with music.

First, choreography must be organic to have the excitement and satisfaction of entertaining action.

The word “organic” describes derivation from living things. So organic choreography is exciting and satisfying because it has the unique diversity and natural flow of living movements. This quality appears in Aang and Azula’s duel in the episode “The Drill” from Avatar: The Last Airbender. When a boulder falls above Aang, he stops it just before it hits him, then launches it toward Azula. The boulder accelerates while falling, slows down sharply when Aang prepares to launch it, and then accelerates once again. The exponentially fluctuating speed of the boulder appears realistic, and so has a natural dynamic. This dynamic is excitingly tense because we see a heavy boulder threateningly speed towards Aang. It is then satisfying to see Aang use his amazing power to slow down and redirect such a massive object. The natural choreography produced satisfying and exciting action, and therefore quality action.

There’s another part where Azula flips in the air to dodge a boulder, somersaults in midair, then kicks out to release a huge fire blast. The transition from a dodge to a midair somersault was really creative and one-of-a-kind. The somersault itself accelerates exponentially while fire gathers around Azula. This is exciting because we know Azula is preparing something big and burning, and because we see this cool new move. When Azula finally does kick, she fires an enormous blast. This is satisfying because, after all this buildup, the audience witnesses a fittingly climactic spectacle.

Just by beginning with the creative somersault, the choreography set the action up to be satisfying and exciting. This proves that unique and therefore organic choreography produces good action. In conclusion, organic choreography produces impressive action because its unique or natural movements inspire satisfaction and excitement in the audience.

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April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

Die by the Sword Cynthia Wang, ‘21 Digital

Action can be more exciting by modeling choreography with story structure. A similar pattern appears with Madara Uchiha's emergence in episode 322 of Naruto Shippuden. His battle with an entire army begins atop a pillar, with his arms crossed, looking down menacingly. This introduces him as a threat, literally and figuratively above them all, and establishes exposition. This creates excitement over the new daunting figure for the protagonists to face. Then, a wave of sand rises to strike Madara, and forces him onto the battlefield. This is the inciting incident, since the battle, the action, the story can now begin. This allows excitement and action to grow because now the action is progressing.

Madara begins to run into the battle, causing action and excitement to rise while he beats through the army. More importantly, each duel’s story structure within the battle makes the action more exciting. One such duel begins where a soldier throws a knife with a bomb attached at Madara.

The situation establishes and the exposition is exciting because Madara seems too busy beating people down to notice this new threat. So he catches it in a totally cool way, marking the inciting incident since the action shifts to Madara and the knife. This is exciting because the sudden transition shows how cool, calm, and powerful Madara is to catch the knife in midair. Madara then detaches the bomb, attaches it to another soldier, and throws the knife back. This is rising action because the action accelerates and intensifies. This intensification impresses the audience and puts them on the edge of their seat. The climax occurs

when the knife strikes the original sender and Madara kicks away the other soldier. This is climactic since it is the high point of excitement seeing Madara finally take down two soldiers with one knife caught. Madara immediately jumps away, action falls, and the bomb explodes. This is the resolution because we see the bomb’s impact, Madara left, and the duel finished. The resolution is satisfying because we learn how dangerous the bomb was, which highlights how remarkably Madara handled it, and we see him jump away in a “cool guys don’t look at explosions” fashion. All loose ends tie up. Remember this is only one duel in the entire battle. Novels use story structure to shape their whole tale but also to sustain a reader’s investment chapter by chapter. There are structures within the whole.

Similarly, choreographed action becomes more eye-catching by adopting story structure for a scenario and each moment within it. This makes action more exciting, and therefore better.

Background music makes action satisfying by matching the choreography. In episode “XCII” of Samurai Jack, Jack battles Scaramouche, who plays a magic flute to use telekinesis. After Jack smashes a golem's head, Scaramouche plays a dramatic, retorting riff to rebuild his golem. In this shot, Scaramouches music perfectly aligns with the duel’s rhythm as Scaramouche immediately goes to rebuild his golem. This creates satisfying action because the instant transition between physical smashing and a sonic counter-attack is snappy, smooth, and unique. For the rest of the fight Jack

uses martial arts and Scaramouche uses his magic flute. These contrasting styles, physical and mystical, solid and sonic, mingle, like instruments in counterpoint, to make this fight one-of-a-kind and appealing to the eyes and ears. The action is then satisfying because these unique qualities scratch any itch for harmonious, exciting, and new takes on choreographing action. Harmonious music makes action satisfying and not stale, so adding it to organic choreography augments the already-high quality action.

Dances are another beautiful form of entertainment. Stage dances follow complex choreography and a synchronized rhythm to evoke sentiments the dancers may not actually have.

Cinematic action is similar. It shows off powerful fighters, usually with music, but they’re really just actors. There are also dances done purely in the moment, for fun or love or celebration. Dancers hardly choreograph these, but instead express real, raw emotions through their spontaneity. That new Olympic entry, karate, is similar with action done in the moment. Competitors train extensively but rely on determination, skill, and quick-thinking in the ring. While dance feigns or expresses genuine feelings, choreographed action can only imitate the raw, intense atmosphere of a real martial art with real stakes and real action. However, by employing organic choreography and going further with story structure or music, action within cinema and entertainment can approach the same substantial awe of an Olympic art.

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expository | The Featheralist

THE FUTURIST’S WAR Written by Phoenix Dimagiba, ‘20 Designed by Esther Jin, ‘21

The story of humanity is that of nigh-endless conflict. From the strife of Mesopotamia to the conquest of Ancient Rome, from the Three Kingdoms to the Sengoku Jidai, from the Thirty Years’ War to World War II, and even the recent assassination of Qasem Soleimani, such conflict is always physical in nature. Technology evolved along those lines: from rock, to blade, to gun, to atomic bomb. However, this is soon to change. No longer will a country’s military strength be determined by its aircraft carrier count or stealth bomber technology. Countries and their armed forces will have to adapt to a new venue of combat (and no, I’m not talking about the Space Force). I’m of the opinion that in the coming years, conventional physical warfare will take a backseat to cyberwarfare.

“I’m of the opinion that in the coming years, conventional physical warfare will take a backseat to cyberwarfare.”

Cybersecurity’s pretty much what it sounds like: the practice of protecting networks, devices, and data from those who shouldn’t have access.

Though simple in principle, it’s a complicated and necessary part of everything around us. The world (at least as we know it) is run by and on the internet. The integrity of the information passed through the internet must be maintained; failure to keep this process working results in anything from a minor inconvenience to loss of life. To that end, the field of cybersecurity/infosec (information security) is fast-growing. Every organization needs

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cybersecurity: banks, corporations, hospitals, schools, and everything in between. Nations and their militaries are no different.

Historically, warfare has been a somewhat simple practice. A war between two separate entities has generally meant that opposing forces would meet each other directly and physically. Modern warfare often circumvents this direct contact. For example, guided missiles don’t require soldiers to fight head-to-head; instead, a damaging projectile can be launched from miles away before reaching its final

target. However, this technology doesn’t mitigate the need for human operators. Countries still employ flesh-and-blood soldiers who carry out their missions in domestic and foreign locations around the globe.

Cyberwarfare can potentially render these conventions irrelevant. By taking advantage of the modern world’s reliance on technology, cyberwarfare can inflict widespread damage without the use of direct physical force. There are several ways of doing this. One that easily comes to

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

The Creation Andrew Zhang, ‘21 Digital

infrastructure disabling would have a similar effect, so countries aren’t likely to escalate that far knowing that many innocent people would die, and such action would only encourage further retribution. My fear is that something drastic may have to happen before this is ingrained in the world’s minds. Mutual assured destruction was easy to imagine; though nuclear weaponry advanced during the war, the entire world witnessed the effect of atomic bombs when the United States used them on Japan. This knowledge undoubtedly contributed to subsequent unwillingness to use nuclear weapons again. Such an example doesn’t exist in the case of cyberwarfare, however. Stuxnet was very powerful, but cyberweaponry hasn’t yet caused loss of life that would permanently establish its destructive potential.

“By taking advantage of the modern world’s reliance on technology, cyberwarfare can inflict widespread damage without the use of direct physical force.”

mind is targeting infrastructure. Billions of people around the world rely on necessities, such as water and electricity, to survive. If an entity is capable of taking down these grids for extended periods of time, they can cripple a country by causing widespread death and chaos. Alarmingly, there has already been an instance of this. The computer worm Stuxnet, thought to be a cyberweapon developed by Israel and the United States, successfully targeted and damaged uranium enrichment equipment in 2010. In 2016, Russia carried out a less direct route: a disinformation

campaign. A lack of faith in government and/or the electoral process creates vulnerability and can easily open a country up to an assault on a different front.

These threats don’t mean that the public should panic. I believe that the Cold War concept of mutual assured destruction has taken a modern form. The United States and the Soviet Union were both capable of using their nuclear weapons to obliterate each other, but neither did, as they knew the ramifications would be immeasurable. Massive

Another difficulty in limiting destructive cyberwarfare is international communication. The Geneva Conventions and other international treaties establish a universal definition of humanitarian treatment during war. However, no such documentation exists for cyberwarfare since it is a very recent concept. Each individual country might define “a cyberattack” as something different since there are very few, if any, points of reference.

Should one country consider another country’s action a declaration of war, cyber or otherwise, this misunderstanding might again lead to destructive escalation. There must be a digital Geneva Convention to clearly establish international rules in cyberspace. Failure to create a well-understood standard can and will cause irreversible global political problems.

Modernity affords humanity many luxuries; it’s nice to be able to do things like shop online, play games, or learn a new career from people miles away. But we cannot afford to be carefree. The future of warfare and our world depends on our ability to adapt to the internet’s potential threats and challenges. It’s my hope that humanity is resilient enough to explore this frontier and continue innovation while keeping its ruinous capabilities in mind.

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expository | The Featheralist

THE TALK ON CAMPUS:

THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING INFORMED Written by Daniel Dolan, ‘23 | Designed by Mabel Szeto, ‘21

A Civilized Discussion Mabel Szeto, ‘21 Digital

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The Talk on Campus

Today, we live in an increasingly politicized landscape. You can’t turn on the news without hearing a government figure’s latest move, and right now in the heat of campaign season, you’ve likely seen dozens of ads imploring you to vote for certain candidates. Of course, many of those reading this article cannot vote; the minimum age is 18. Despite this, it is still important to be informed on the issues that will impact you.

Already, there are many students at Del Norte who have been staying informed. A few have gone above and beyond, creating creative spaces where people can share their ideas and participate in American political discussions. There are two great clubs already on campus: the Young Democrats of America, headed by club president Michelle Mueller, and the Young Americans for Freedom, headed by club president Marco Villanueva. Both of these clubs provide a valuable experience to American voters, and we here at The Featheralist have received a brief description of each club from their respective presidents.

Firstly, many advertisements today rely on uninformed voters, manipulating discourse in order for a certain candidate to slip through the cracks. There are ads that speak through rose-tinted lenses, embellishing the accomplishments of one candidate and minimizing those of another to their greatest flaws. When the majority of what we see in the political landscape is politicians attacking each other, it provides a disillusioned view of American politics and causes many to not vote. Low voter turnout leads more and more to only the most extreme and energetic voters of various bases deciding who will be elected to our nation’s highest offices.

In order to avoid this disillusioned view and participate in American democracy, it is vital that we stay informed, doing our own research instead of listening to talking heads on TV telling us what to believe or who to vote for. Staying informed is a great asset to students, helping them gain valuable information in order to influence their own views.

“Young Democrats is an association of students interested in learning more about the liberal ideology while still maintaining respect to those of varying views and opinions. We hold discussions about current events, Democratic candidates, and also engage in local political affairs such as rallies, canvasses, and community events. President, Michelle Mueller, founded Young Democrats alongside friends and co-Vice Presidents, Isabel Fridel and Bella Genovese, after noticing a Conservative Student Association on campus with no voice for the other side to be heard as well. At our meetings, we have presentations on recent events and hold conversations to share our opinions and different viewpoints on the issue and then engage in a related activity. At our last meeting, we held a simulation of a caucus for the Democratic party in celebration of the Iowa Caucus held on February 3rd. As a club, we intend to educate our members and also allow them to know that they can make a difference with their vote, and more importantly, their voice. With Young Democrats, we have been in contact with Elizabeth Warren’s Campaign Outreach Representative and have been able to set up canvassing opportunities in local communities. Last trimester, we had the pleasure to be in contact with Warren’s local Outreach Representative, Jenna Allard, who presented at one of our meetings to speak on behalf of not only Warren’s policy goals but also our civic responsibility as young adults.

Recently, 92127 Democrats have also been in contact with us to attend their own meetings in the community and join their own discussions to help our voices be heard. Although Young Democrats is a political club, everyone is welcome to attend our meetings and join.

Young Democrats consists of over 35 members and is held every other Tuesday at lunch in Mr. Swanson’s room, L116.”

- President of Young Democrats of America, Michelle Mueller “The Young Americans for Freedom is a student organization focused on giving a loud and clear voice to conservative students on campus. We welcome all students with different viewpoints, and we understand that even though people have different opinions, it’s important to make sure that everyone has a loudspeaker to convey

their opinion and their standpoint. Especially in the state of California, where Democrats hold a supermajority in the State Legislature and almost everywhere else, conservatives cannot become dominated and shouted over by a majority. Unfortunately, that has happened in California and several other states of the Union.

Democrats continuously rage over everything conservatives do and believe in; we as a country cannot allow any party or ideology, whether conservative, liberal, socialist, or communist to completely control the government without a minority voice. That is what we’re here for. We might be inflammatory, we might get our posters vandalized and taken down, we might be yelled at or berated for not conforming, but we stand as a beacon to all conservatives on campus and across PUSD that we have a voice.

We have a loudspeaker. We communicate that we won’t stand for assaults on free speech, on infringements of everyday American rights, or even for not being considered or heard. This country is deeply divided, and the only way to fix that is to make people feel that they are represented, that their opinion is being heard, considered, and respected, and to ensure communication on both sides so everyone can make sure that this country is going in the right direction, not the one only one group or party wants to lead us in. Regardless of our viewpoints, we should stand together as one nation, and in the end, that’s what this group is about. Empty promises mean nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. With representation comes being noticed, with being noticed comes dialogue, and with dialogue comes action. And always remember, when action happens, results happen, and that’s what matters.”

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

Why Stay Informed?

- President of Young Americans for Freedom, Marco Villanueva

The Final Case Staying informed is one of the greatest things you can do to improve yourself. By staying informed, you learn more about your values and improve your beliefs by backing them up with facts. It’s ultimately your choice on whether to be politically informed or not, but there are already so many ways to stay involved at Del Norte. You can clubs like the YAF or the YDA, or you can simply observe from afar and make your own informed opinions.

Overall, whichever way you decide to participate is your choice alone. You can even choose not to participate in democracy and refuse to use your rights; however, this choice may end up being harmful to the very system that gives you a voice.

However you decide to do it, staying informed on political issues not only helps you become more intelligent but also influences your behavior.

Making your own opinions instead of using those that you consume through the media around you is a great gift that can ultimately make you a better person. And I hope that all of the readers of The Featheralist choose to stay more informed, through whatever means they choose.

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expository | The Featheralist

The Traveler Krishna Rajpara, ‘20 Acrylic

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Written by Nicole Pi, ‘23 | Designed by Sophia Du, ‘20

Where do we belong, and where are we going?

We all descended from migrants. We did not evolve in America, where I am now, writing these words.

Nor did we evolve in Tokyo, or New York, or London, or Toronto, where, perhaps, you are reading this. And, even if you live in sub-Saharan Africa, motherland to us all, your ancestors have moved, too. They’ve left, transformed, and intermixed before settling to the place you live now. No one is native to the place they call home.

Likewise, no one is native to any present moment in time. We are not native to this moment in time, for this moment is already gone. We are not native to the instant this sentence was written, nor the instant it is read, nor even the instant when it became memory; which, when entered for the first time, was the present, but has also already slipped away into the past. To be human is to migrate through place and time.

Throughout our lives, our migrations through the seconds build into hours, months, and decades. We become refugees from our childhoods, and find shelter in adulthood. We step onto our streets gazing up at the imposing figures of adults; we step out again a little later and attract the stares of others with our youth, and later still with our children, and then once more — no longer of much interest.

We move through time because we are compelled to. We move through the physical world with the delusion that it is of our own volition; but, even then, our movements are compulsions. We move when it is intolerable to stay where we are, when we cannot loiter a moment longer. We move because of stresses and dangers — and to be who we wish to be.

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

WE WILL ALWAYS WANDER

Yet, we are told that such movement is unprecedented, that it represents a crisis, a recession, a disaster. We are told that movement through geographical space can be stopped, when in reality, it can’t. We are told that movement through time can be achieved, that we can return to a better past when our country — our race — was truly great. Yet, we must tolerate a world where privacy, dignity, and equity are all hoaxes. We try to remain static, moored to the land on which our foundations stand, tied down to the better time of our youth, a fanciful time — and staying still remains a fanciful prospect.

We all experience the constant drama from the new and the constant sorrow of the loss of what we’ve left behind. It is a sorrow so universal, so compelling that we seek to deny it, rarely acknowledging it in ourselves, let alone in others.

Instead, we are collectively encouraged to focus only on the new rather than on the loss that is the thread that unites and binds our species.

Instead, we are told that we must accept division.

We must accept the division of humanity into natives and migrants. We must accept a vision of a world with barriers and a picture of surveillance; a world with guards required to enforce those barriers.

Perhaps thinking of humans as divided into natives and migrants is a coping mechanism. If we are all migrants, then possibly there is a kinship between us and the suffering of the old woman who has never lived in another town, between us and the suffering of the middle-aged man who has left his town and will never see it again. If we are all migrants, then we would be obliged to help people in poverty, we would feel obliged to help people who have no choice but to work their way to the top through labor and labor alone. If we were all migrants, we would have the obligation to aid those desperately searching for a better life — a better future.

If we were all migrants, we would have the obligation to aid those desperately searching for a better life and a better future.

Humans are a migratory species. Our ancestors moved circuitously, sometimes in one direction, then another. We too, are moving, and so will our descendants will move too when it is their turn to rule the Earth. They will move as the climate changes, as sea levels rise, as one method of activity dies out and gives way to another. The power of our technology is growing. Likewise, the pace of change is hastening, giving rise to new stresses. Our species will use movement as a response to these stresses, as we are designed to do, as we have always done.

Accepting our reality as a wandering species will not be easy. But once acceptance is achieved, we might experience a greater degree of compassion for ourselves, and as a result, a greater degree of compassion for others. A better world is possible: a better and more inclusive world, better for us and our descendants.

One day we will wander toward the truth of our humanity. We will emerge as a species of wanderers who are comfortable being just that — wanderers.

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The Featheralist

CONTRIBUTORS Staff Contributors Skyler Wu, ‘20 - Co-President Ayesha Aslam-Mir, ‘20 - Co-President Ellie Feng, ‘20 - Vice President Phoenix Dimagiba, ‘20 - Secretary Kane Xu, ‘21 - Treasurer Andrea Baek, ‘22 - Board Editor Nora Mousa, ‘20 - Board Editor Andrew Wang, ‘20 - Board Editor Kevin Wang, ‘21 - Board Editor Ken Zhou, ‘20 - Board Editor Cynthia Wang, ‘21 - Head of Art Julia Du, ‘20 - Co-Head of Graphic Design Esther Jin, ‘21 - Co-Head of Graphic Design

COLOPHON The Featheralist, Volume 02, Issue 02 Del Norte High School’s Literary Magazine 16601 Nighthawk Lane, San Diego, CA 92127 (858) 487-0877 powayusd.com/Schools/HS/DNHS dnhshumanities.wixsite.com/TheFeatheralist dnhshumanities@gmail.com School Population 2365 students 162 full-time staff Font Families League Gothic (titles) Oswald (pull quotes) Libertinus Serif (bylines/body text) Computer Hardware and Software Windows 10 Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Adobe InDesign Paper Stock Cover: 100# Glossy Text Inside: 80# Glossy Text We would like to thank our printing company, Printivity, for their steadfast technical support and consistent high quality.

Price of Magazine We rely 100% on local advertisers and student essay contest award money to print our magazine. We print around 150 copies per issue depending on page count and distribute copies of each publication for free to the Del Norte student body and surrounding community.

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Writers Ellen Xu, ‘23 Aidan Rosen, ‘22 Shriya Sankaran, ‘23 Kayley Tung, ‘21 Natasha Kapoor, ‘23 Bella Chong, ‘22 Daisy Ye, ‘20 Russell Kang, ‘22 Daniel Dolan, ‘23 Anna Feng, ‘23 Nicole Pi, ‘23

Artists Angela Baek, ‘20 Allen Chen, ‘21 Amanda DeLessio, ‘20 Angelyn Huang, ‘22 Cynthia Li, ‘21 Gianna Palanca, ‘22 Krishna Rajpara, ‘20 Colin Szeto, ‘21 Mabel Szeto, ‘21 Julia Wang, ‘22 Andrew Zhang, ‘21

Editorial Policy The Featheralist is produced and managed entirely by members of the synonymous The Featheralist club, a 100% student-run extracurricular club. The Featheralist club members are divided into three departments: Writing, Art, and Graphic Design. Each department is led by a small group of student officers.

Graphic Designers Meena Annamalai, ‘23 Angela Baek, ‘20 Sophia Du, ‘20 Colin Szeto, ‘21 Mabel Szeto ‘21 Priya Tantod, ‘23 Advisors Mr. Tom Swanson Dr. Trent Hall

NOTE Hey Del Norte!

We just wanted to thank you for supporting The Featheralist for our third year now.

The Writing Department collects drafts from both staff and guest writers. Student-led “editing squads” ensure that articles are publication-ready. The Art Department curates artwork of all subjects and styles through methods similar to Writing. Officers screen all writing and art pieces for school appropriateness. Finally, the Graphic Design Department combines verbal and visual content together into print-ready spreads.

This issue is our second of the 2019-20 school year, and given the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the country, it might seem difficult at times to muster a little joy and happiness. We hope that this issue of The Featheralist will give you a little happiness and a little spark as you enjoy the artwork and voices of our Del Norte community during this time of self-quarantine and social distancing. Even in times of danger, our voices and hearts will never be suppressed.

The positions expressed in any of the articles are solely those of the individual writer. They do not represent the viewpoints of The Featheralist, nor those of Del Norte High School or the Poway Unified School District.

As you all are reading this, we are currently working on The Featheralist, Senior Issue, which has been a much-loved, decade-long Del Norte tradition. Given the economic impact of COVID-19, we may not be able to achieve print distribution of the Senior Issue, but we will do everything we can to make sure it is published and mass-distributed online. This is one senior memento that will not be taken away by COVID-19.

Mission Statement The Featheralist as a club exists to foster a collaborative and mutually edifying community of artists, writers, and graphic designers. It empowers students to explore topics spanning the entire spectrum of the humanities—from screenplay to political essay, from poetry to short story. It serves as a megaphone to broadcast students’ unique ideas, experiences, and visions to the entire campus and the larger community.

Scholastic Affiliation We are a proud member publication of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

Cover art “The Journey” by Colin Szeto, ‘21

Once this pandemic is over and life gets back to normal again, we hope to have you onboard in future issues! Please stay safe during this time of national emergency.

Warmly, The Featheralist Staff

April 2020 | Volume 02, Issue 02

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT the past few weeks have been an incredibly confusing time. for us, for our teachers, staff, and faculty. for our service workers working to fight the virus. in just a month’s time, covid-19 has escalated into a pandemic, school has been cancelled for an indefinite amount of time, and every day seems a little bit emptier. especially for our seniors, who are the class probably most affected by this break. with the question of prom, graduation, and the rest of the trimester hanging in the air, everything seems so uncertain. you’ve waited your entire life for these big moments, but in the current situation, we don’t know yet what will happen. may the past three and half years of hard work serve as a reminder that the remainder of the year will be okay. no matter what happens, the experiences you’ve made and the experiences you’ll make will make up for time you’ve lost. to our juniors, who feel uncertain as sats, acts, ap tests, and college apps lie just beyond the horizon. everything will be okay. colleges will be taking things into account accordingly, and yes, things will be different, but everything will turn out to be as it’s meant to. just keep working hard and pushing; your senior year will be a blast and there will be so many more things to look forward to. and to our underclassmen: our freshmen and sophomores. everything might feel normal right now, minus the lack of social interaction. the days feel a little bit emptier, with the lingering feeling that something is due right around the cornerz the past few weeks and the next few months have changed a lot of opportunities, maybe closing some doors but opening others. take it as a time to try something new. learn a new skill, catch up on that tv show or movie you’ve been putting off! and reflect. this time, more than anything, has taught us that we take the little things for granted more often than we realize. hopefully, we can use this time to really reflect on who we are, what we stand for, and what’s to come. we still have two, three more years of high school ahead! in the meantime, make sure you’re social distancing. the faster we can keep social distancing, the faster we can get back to normal. wash your hands and keep things clean! and take a moment to thank those working day and night to get us through the virus. we can get through this together. stay hydrated and stay safe !! love, a fellow high schooler.

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