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By ANNA LANGAN ‘22 Staff Reporter

For everyone in the American school system, it can be assured that the word college has simply been associated with the pressure and stress of the future. Since elementary school, the standard for education has always been striving for perfection to get into a good college and ensure yourself a stable future. But, is this really the correct way to place college within a young student’s mind? As a senior, this same association between college, perfection, and fear has been carried with me through all my years of school. The years of fright caused an added pressure and anxiety with everything involving the word college and the whole decision process associated with it. With this comes the difficulty of picking a school. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been told I would know when I found my perfect school—I’d get a gut feeling and just know I magically belong there. However, the pressure of perfection simply makes it more difficult to pick—if college really has to be so perfect, what would happen if you make the wrong decision? If college truly is the pathway to the future and the thing we’ve worked our whole school careers for, then what happens if somebody were to make the wrong decision? Do you ruin your whole life in doing so? Well luckily, this is where my advice comes in. Now, as a senior with no college decision (yet) and no decided major (yet), I am certainly the last person to give advice on this subject. Truly, there is no wrong answer in picking a college. You need to make the best decision for yourself, not follow the advice of people it will not impact. As a senior in high school, the majority of us have never even had the chance to vote yet. How are we supposed to be trusted with making the adult choice for our own future without the ability to have adult privileges like voting, drinking, and going to 18+ festivals and events? Such a wide variety of choices as we head into college can start to feel like a hindrance rather than opportunity. Though the responsibility weighs heavily on our shoulders, large chunks of it can be lifted with the right guidance. There are options—you can always switch your major, which a lot of people do within their college career. Another option is always transferring schools. Realistically, college credits are college credits, and whether you get them from an Ivy League institution or a community college, they are going towards your fuThere’s never been a definitive answer for the path after high school, but this advice from a high school senior could set you off on a potential path to a better future. Photos from Canva

ture in a positive manner either way. By looking at college in a no-pressure, no mistakes environment, the stigma and fear around it is removed, allowing you to make a decision in a less erratic way. And, finally, it is okay to not know. Between COVID and everything else, it is almost impossible to know what you want, and that is perfectly fine. Your opinion is the one that truly matters. NFTs for Dummies: more than just a picture

By TIANA CYRELSON ‘22 Media Editor

For new investors, the stock market can be scary. It can be challenging to know which stocks to invest in, which to drop, and when to do all of it. This intimidation only continues to double as the market grows and expands into cryptocurrency and other e-commerce. Although they have been around since 2014, in the last year, NFTs have jumped into popularity, leaving new investors lost and confused. An NFT, or Non-Fungible Token, is a form of cryptocurrency that can’t be replicated or replaced. Bitcoin, for example, would be fungible, as one could trade one for another without any visible difference. Each NFT, however, is unique, which is why the value is so high. As the tokens have risen in popularity, many are asking the common question, “Can’t I just screenshot it?” While that is a perfectly viable method of obtaining a new wallpaper or profile pic, it holds no value. A screenshot of an NFT is the equivalent of having a photocopy of the Mona Lisa. It is enjoyable, but not valuable, as a screenshot does not mean ownership. So how is it tracked? The answer is in the blockchain, or the digitally distributed, public ledger that exists across the internet. In other words, it is the digital record of the goings-on of the world wide web. In the sale of NFTs, there is a “Collector IP” identified in the blockchain of an NFT. With this model, when purchasing an NFT, not only is the asset itself acquired, but the collector takes ownership of the IP relating to the token. This is essentially a digital receipt of ownership that can not be replicated. There are two factors that cause anything to rise in value. The first: a low price. The second: rarity. Inherently, an NFT falls into the category of the latter. Just as any one-of-a-kind art piece is held in high esteem by collectors, these tokens can not be owned by more than one individual at a time, giving them value. Buying an NFT begins in the digital wallet. In order to purchase the online token, a user must first register themself on OpenSea—the preeminent marketplace. All transactions on this site are done with Ethereum, so a cryptocurrency wallet is necessary to participate. Luckily, a user will never have to worry about losing this wallet. Online sites such as Coinbase Wallet and Metamask work as holding places for cryptocurrency and are heavily secured. Once a user’s wallet is fully stocked, they are ready to set sail on the OpenSea… pun intended. We asked an anonymous Eastern student that has been heavily involved in the digital market since September of this year for advice. He has been working with NFTs since the beginning of the trend and is the owner of a Kaiju King, an NFT with a current floor of 2 Ethereum (about $6,000). When looking for his next drop, he looks at DAOs, Alpha groups, and Twitter. “[They’re] full of experienced people,” he said, “mostly whales with portfolios well over one million.” DAOs, or Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, are small communities of people working together to collect rare NFTs or predict other moves in the market. By taking the time to research within and outside of these communities, a potential buyer is able to evaluate and create forecasts for future NFTs. He recommends evaluating the credibility through research on their history and success rates. All listings can be browsed in the OpenSea marketplace and will either feature a “buy now” or “make offer” icon. For the latter, place an offer, and enter into a bidding war with the others interested in the NFT. In the case of the former, however, simply pay the price, and enjoy the digital victory. Once an individual is an owner of a high-value NFT, they are able to access gated online communities such as the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC). One of the first of its kind, this creative DAO began as an iconoclastic collection of cartoon apes and an online bar where users could write messages on a virtual wall. It has grown exponentially since then, and the latest of their apes was recently sold for just over $2.8 million. NFTs are more than expensive profile pictures. They are a breakthrough form of the art trade, and artists and collectors alike are looking excitedly into the future. With the proper research and preparation, the quick trade of an NFT has the potential to be a lucrative endeavor. Like any high reward investment, however, they come with a high risk. Ultimately, if they are not being collected for art, NFTs only hold value when there is interest.

An NFT, or While a three-second GIF of a Gu-

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Token, is a form of held in high esteem cryptocurrency that now, their value is not tethered to any can’t be replicated or material items, un replaced. Each NFT is like a purse of the unique, which is why the value is so high. same brand. The Eastern investor recommends staying “fairly liquid” for this reason, as he does not know how long this trend will last. In the meantime, however, he encourages participation in this financial fad. Photos from Canva