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How AASU is celebrating BHM Unsung Heroes of Black History - 8/9 Chelsie Kryst’s legacy - 10
Two things might come to your mind when you hear the month February: Valentine’s Day and Black History Month. In 1926, the shortest month of the year was chosen by Carter G Woodson to not only celebrate Black excellence and progress, but also to acknowledge 400 years of oppression. This annual celebration was to raise awareness to the upcoming yet deep rooted history of African Americans and learn about their effects in schools. However, the depressing truth is that most schools won’t even acknowledge this month as anything other than Valentine’s Day on the 14th, and some history teachers certainly won’t interrupt their strict lesson plans to discuss topics that occurred “too long ago.” Isn’t that the point of history, though? With a state legislator in Texas banning a list of 850 books because students may feel “discomfort, guilt, anguish or any other form of psychological distress” and Florida also banning a list of 16 books for “obscene materials” (as if they’ve never walked around in a public high school to hear the obscene things being said there), I am recommending you five books you should read by Black authors this month for Black History Month. Concrete Rose by the New York Times bestselling author, Angie Thomas, is a prequel to her debut novel The Hate U Give which sold 182,981 print copies. Thomas grips us through her storytelling in this coming-of-age story about 17-year-old Maverick, who we knew as Starr’s father in The Hate U Give, learning what it truly means to become a man when he becomes a father as a teenager. I remember the whirlwind of emotions I felt reading this book. Trust me, you want it in your hands. (January 12, 2021).
Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle is a YA romance, pitched as Hitch meets The Sun Is Also A Star. It tells the love story of Prince Jones, a teenage boy who has his own radio segment, of course called “Love Radio,” meeting Dani Ford who isn’t looking for love, but the connection between her and Prince could set off fireworks. Can you guess where it goes? Don’t just guess. Read the book! (May 31, 2022).
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Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge paints the story of grace, elegance, and struggle in the search for freedom. In Reconstruction-era Brooklyn, Libertie Sampson, the daughter of a Black female physician, is urged by her mother to become a doctor, but Libertie would rather pursue music. So, when a suitor from Haiti proposes to Libertie promising true equality on the island, she accepts, only to discover that she is far from living the life of freedom she craves. I have yet to read this book myself, but we can read it together! (March 30, 2021).
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris tells the story of two young Black women, Nella and Hazel, meeting against the starkly white backdrop of the New York City book publishing industry. While working together at Wagner Books, they’ve only just started swapping natural hair-care tips when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to office darling, and leaves Nella in the dust. Just the name of this book had me rolling Pick up some of these books any time out of the 365 days of the year, not just this month! Photo by Mahawa Bangoura ‘23/Canva.com
with excitement. It sings Black History Month. Or maybe that’s just me, but this book is definitely on my to-be-read list. (June 1, 2021).
Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray brings to life the lack of Magic in the broken city of Lkossa, especially for girls like sixteenyear-old Koffi. Indentured to the notorious Night Zoo, she cares for its fearsome and magical creatures to pay off her family’s debts and secure their eventual freedom. Koffi and Ekon enter the magical Greater Jungle in pursuit of a murderous creature called the Shetani. Pushed and marketed by publishers, I couldn’t blink without seeing this book splattered everywhere and rightfully so. Ms. Gray takes us to another world — a world of Black people and I believe that should be celebrated (September 8, 2021). The list of books here are just recommendations from me. There are so many other Black writers out there, spilling with ideas to not only express the effects of Black trauma, but also embolden Black love, Black joy, and Black excellence. Don’t just do it for this month. Pick up some of these books any time out of the 365 days of the year and don’t let old white men silence the importance of BIPOC history, especially when they’re being told as stories.
For the Culture: a Spotlight on AASU
By MADISON JOLLEY ‘23 News Editor
BLACK HISTORY MONTH! The one month of the year that recognizes the rich history and culture of African Americans from the past and the future. This month, The Voyager is recognizing the work and leadership of the African American Student Union of Eastern Regional High School (ASSU)! I was able to meet with the club co-leaders, sophomores Mirabella Gibson and Lanca Amankwaah to talk about the club’s purpose, upcoming activities, and more. Both Gibson and Amankwaah said they wanted to be co-leaders to help spread awareness and make a difference in our school’s community. “The main purpose of AASU is to unite as one because there’s not that much representation in school. It is a club that gets together to do activities that relate to our culture,” Gibson said. “We want to spread education about not only African American culture, but also African culture. Naturally, for the past couple of weeks, the club has created amazing events to highlight BHM, from debates, to meetings with Black creators who are breaking barriers and making headway in their respective industries. The first event that took place was a debate on February 8th. During the debate, participants talked about various topics such as “Do you think it is a big deal for people to touch your hair?”, “Should teachers skip the N-word when reading a book aloud?”, “Should Black Lives Matter fight for all lives?”, and so many more. Both Gibson and Amankwaah said that the debate was successful, as many came to take part in the conversation so that their voices could be heard. The second event on February 22nd was a conversation with Chef Eric Adjepong, who is an acclaimed chef and the host of “Alex vs. America” on the Food Network. During this conversation, Adejepong talked about how he loved to share his African culture in his food, and discussed the various barriers he has had to face in the food industry. The final event for BHM was a screening of the critically-acclaimed movie The Hate U Give in the Learning Center on February 24th. Gibson hopes that more students participate in future activities, “I want more freshmen and seniors to come out and just join the fun!” Make sure to spread the word about the amazing things AASU is doing not only during this month, but for the whole school year!
The impact of early African American journalism is still present today
By CASSIDY GOLIN ‘24 Features Editor
On March 16, 1827, free-born African Americans John Russwurm and Samuel Cornish founded Freedom’s Journal, the first Black-owned-and-operated newspaper in the United States. Established in a newly-freed New York state, the paper acted as a guide to over 300,000 newly-released African Americans. The paper boldly countered the opinions of many mainstream whiteowned newspapers who openly supported slavery and racial discrimination. It shared editorials on the Black experience regarding discrimination, slavery, and overall racial injustice faced by African Americans. With a $3 per year subscription, Freedom’s Journal spoke out against lynching and advocated for African American political rights. Russwurm and Cornish hoped to encourage intellectual development among African Americans, raise awareness, and strengthen ties amongst the African American people. The U.S had established anti-literacy laws that forbade enslaved people from learning to read and write due to fear of inspired revolt. “Once you learn to read you will be forever free,” said Black activist, author, and public speaker Fredrick Douglass. Though born into slavery, Douglass taught himself to read and write while teaching other enslaved individuals literacy using the Bible. After escaping slavery in 1838, Douglass went on to open his own newspaper, The North Star in 1847. It accomplished similar goals to Freedom’s Journal, and had a significant impact on the movement. Becoming one of the most influential antislavery publications of the pre-civil war era, The North Star bacme a crucial tool in the abolitionist movement.
Russwurm “After the Civil War, there was an and Cornish enormous burst of hoped to encourage energy, a desire to communicate, a deintellectual sire to connect, with Black people estabdevelopment among lishing newspapers African Americans, in any town, even tiny ones. It was raise awareness, their first opportuniand strengthen ties ty to use the written word without fear of between Black reprisal,” said journalist, educator, and communities. author Phyl Garland. The printed word could be used as means of political protest while unifying a community. African-American journalist Vernon Jared said, “We didn’t exist in the other papers...We were never born, we didn’t get married, we didn’t die, we didn’t fight in any wars, and we never participated in anything scientific. We were truly invisible unless we committed a crime.” Today, there are over 200 Black-owned newspapers across the U.S, specifically in the NNPA (National Negro Publishers Association). The significance of the Black press has never been forgotten, and should never be forgotten. As Samuel Cornish once said, “Blacks should speak to themselves and for themselves. No other can speak for us.”
In February of 1940, Hattie McDaniel became
the fi rst African American to win an Oscar. She won the prestigious award for her tear-jerking performance as Mammy in “Gone With the Wind.” Since segregation laws were still evident during the 12th Academy Awards,
McDaniel’s director fi ercely petitioned for her wellearned presence at the ceremony. The owner of the Ambassador Hotel, a whites-only residence where the ceremony was held, reluctantly granted McDaniel permission to attend, but still prohibited her from sitting at the same table with her costars.
Marsha P. John-
son set precedents for self-identifi ed individuals and drag queens nationwide. In her early career, Johnson performed under the name “BLACK Marsha.” However, upon being constantly questioned about her gender and sexuality, she changed her name to “Marsha
‘Pay It No Mind’ Johnson”, as that was her witty response to curious audience members or fans. Johnson quickly became a prominent fi xture in the LGBTQ community as a creative drag queen and beloved gay rights activist.
Robert Smalls success-
fully led “The Planter” to freedom piloting a crew of slaves and picked up others along a treacherous course laid with Confederate defense postions. Through his teenage years he was a well experienced sailor and lived as a mulatto slave for the beginning portion of his life. Then, after skillfully navigating the ship through one of the most tense and risky passages during the Civil War, he purchased his freedom and served as a fi rstgeneration black politician. He ran for Congressman and served fi ve nonconsecutive terms in South Carolina to expand freedom in policy.
HISTORY
Amanda Gorman is one of the modern world’s brightest poets. She uses her poetry to advocate for current political, issues. Prior to graduating from Harvard, she was the
the National Youth Poet
has performed her poems names such as Hilary Clin-
Recently, she performed a
Captains before the 2021
“The Hill We Climb” at Presiceremony. As an infl uential run for president when she
HISTORY
is one of the modern world’s brightest poets. She uses her poetry to social, and environmental with a degree in sociology
fi rst person to be named
Laureate in 2017. Gorman for numerous household ton and Lin-Manuel Miranda. reading of Chorus of the superbowl and a reading of dent Biden’s inauguration role model, she intends to comes of age in 2036.
bett is at the forefront of effective vaccination against
COVID-19, working at the National Institutes of Health.
She is the lead scientist
on the Moderna vaccine
team. As a renowned immunologist, her work has been completely essential in the creation and design of one of the FDA approved COVID-19 vaccines. Her impact on vaccinations, particularly but not exclusively to COVID-19, is immeasurable. She has received many different awards for her work, only further proving her amazing infl uence on virology and health sciences.
Wangari Maathi was a
former member of the parliament of Kenya. Maathai was a devoted social, political, and environmental activist, as she was known for her persistent support of democracy, human rights, and environmental conservation. In earning her doctorate in 1971 at the University of Nairobi, Maathai became the fi rst woman in East and Central
Africa to earn a doctorate degree. Later in her life, in 2004, Maathai received a Nobel Peace Prize, among many other notable awards, while working with the Green Belt Movement, making her the fi rst black woman recipient.
Out of only two African Americans in the league in 1920, Fritz Pollard carried his
team, the Akron Pros, to win the championship that same year. Becoming co-coach for the
Akron Pros, this was only the start of his successful football career. He was the league’s top running back, and his skill ultimately earned him a spot in the
Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Pollard went on to coach four other NFL teams and even created his own all black team, the Chicago Black Hawks, in which he served as quarterback for. Pollard broke bundles of boundaries in a white dominated football association, and even then, he was one of the best at what he did.
Despite the efforts of the studentled gun control movement, ignited by the 2018 tragedy in Parkland, Florida, the 20212022 school year is on track to be the most violent in recent years. The spike in school shootings is disappointing for many Parkland survivors. They hoped their tragedy would be the last. Parkland holds the record as the deadliest high school shooting in the U.S., killing 17 people and injuring 17 more. Publicized all over the world, the national conversation on the gun debate had been renewed once again, just like after Sandy Hook and Columbine — other monstrosities. School shootings have become a political hot potato. Parkland survivor Sari Kaufman said, “There’s been lots of progress made across the country and across party lines, no doubt — but at the same time, there are far too many politicians who instead of prioritizing our safety, choose politics over our lives.” Children from Democratic families and Republican families all face the same threat. To this day, this school year has been the highest number shot in that five-month period since the nonprofit gun control advocacy group Everytown began tracking gunfire incidents nearly a decade ago in 2013. There have been 136 instances of gun violence on school grounds reported in the first half of this school year — a figure nearly four times the previous average for that period. So, after all this political strife, media outrage, and broken hearts has anything really changed? Just over two months ago, another gunman stormed an American high school, killing four students and injuring seven at Oxford High School in Michigan — making it the nation’s deadliest school shooting since Parkland in 2018. Once again, the shooting sparked another wave of outrage from student advocates, who called on lawmakers to do more to prevent school shootings. This is old news, but after Parkland, many thought this time would be different. A month later, an estimated 1.2 million to 2 million people joined the March for Our Lives demonstration where celebrities, activists, and civilians protested against gun violence, calling for stricter gun laws. The movement gained traction. But the momentum came and went. For starters: what went wrong? The FBIs failure to investigate a January 2018 tip before the Parkland massacre was one of numerous warning signs that authorities failed to pursue. On at least three other occasions, including multiple calls to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, authorities were told that Cruz was a potential school shooter. Reread that one more time. Those lapses continued until the day he opened fire. Officials have said a person close to Cruz called the FBI’s tip line to warn the agency of concerns about Cruz’s “gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting.” The FBI, however, failed to pass the tip along to its local field office, officials have acknowledged. Usually the problem comes from the fact that the most likely to spot dangerous warning signs often feel loyalty to that attacker and ignore the glaring signs; however, this person, seemingly close to Cruz, tried to speak up and yet there was nothing done about it. Days after the attack, the FBI acknowledged it did not follow its own rules for investigating Cruz’s tips. With all of these previews of coming destruction, why wasn’t any action taken? Could Cruz have been helped? Law enforcement tells us: “If you see something, say something.” With Cruz, there was plenty to see and also plenty to say, so what can be done to change this oversight? The problem with this shooting, as well as all the others, was the refusal to act. But an issue with this is the failure to pass on information. How are people supposed to act if they’re not getting all of the information? There are avenues to open: working with families or schools to address the underlying causes of depression or mental instability; recommending in-patient or outpatient care with a mental health clinic; or going to a judge to restrict the person’s access to firearms, including ones already in the subject’s possession. However, all this ‘information sharing’ takes communication between different fronts. We need law enforcement, mental health and social services to work together with localities to organize themselves, educate the public, and put together the capacity to do ‘behavioral risk assessments.’
The death count will The Parkland shooting, despite the headrise as we continue lines and the impassioned speeches, has to “lock down,” “lock not led to significant change. What does it take to make people take the action young out,” “shelter in place,” kids and parents are begging for? We’ve and offer “thoughts gone past the point talking about helping. The death count will rise as we continue and prayers.” to “lock down,” “lock out,” “shelter in place,” and offer “thoughts and prayers.” We’ll sit on our couches, repost on social media, and then go back to our honeycombed lives. What has to happen to affect change? Does anyone know? Why does this happen in The United States? All we can do right now is look to our own communities to protect ourselves. There isn’t that much more hope I could give you.
Gun regulation reforms are in a stalemate, as the fight for them brews on.
Emma Gonzalez (Parkland Survivor) supplied by Flickr
Fame’s effect on women tragically shown in death of Cheslie Kryst
By JENNA PRESTON ‘22 Associate Editor-in-Chief
Depression and anxiety affect everyone, including the most attractive women on the planet. It makes no difference if you are attractive, wealthy, famous, or have made several flashy television appearances. Cheslie Kryst, a 30-year-old beauty queen and Emmy winner, committed suicide on January 30th. From the outside, she seemed to possess all of the qualities of an ideal woman, and her future was promising. However, her captivating smile hid plenty of her struggles with depression. In her private life, away from the media, she battled a high-functioning depression that she hid from her friends and family. This exemplifies that no matter how much fame and success you obtain, or how beautiful you are inside and out, you can still face the internal struggles of depression disregarding who you are, what you look like, or all the amazing things you do in life. She was a brilliant woman that offered far more than beauty. She studied hard to obtain a law degree before competing in competitive pageants, so she could share her wisdom with others. Cheslie remarked on a momentous year in which Black women won all five major beauty pageants. It demonstrated that Black women could win instead of coming in second or third, as in past years. She wore her crown over her natural curls when she accepted it, hoping to inspire other women to feel comfortable in their own skin by letting their hair present naturally. She fought against generations of women who felt compelled to straighten their hair in order to feel attractive or conform to society’s beauty standards. She supported all Black women, the #MeToo movement, battled for unfairly convicted people, and helped women find affordable workwear on her blog. She was a wonderful person who genuinely enjoyed helping people. The terrible reality of today’s social media is that it only welcomes influencers who are always upbeat and happy. Young women are frequently portrayed as hypersexualized, physically, and psychologically flawless people on social media. This isn’t even close to being human. In the shallow world of social media, it’s difficult to be yourself or vulnerable. Comments are frequently turned off to escape the hatred of commenters when posts aren’t what they want, when your comments or likes start to decrease it begins to invalidate your worth, and it just tears down self-esteem entirely. The sense of rejection you get from social media is the worst aspect of it all, and it can really damage your mental health. Many people in the entertainment or social media industry struggle to balance their mental health with their careers. It’s always competitive, highly toxic, and the longer you stay in that atmosphere, the worse it gets for your mental health. It is just too easy to equate your own selfworth with the approval of others, to believe that you’re not good enough until others think you are. We think of Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana, and Nina Simone as much more than their undeniable beauty when we think of some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood history. Just like Cheslie, these stars were talented people that had won several awards and accomplished a great deal. While mental health isn’t normally the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about these women, they all had mental health issues throughout their time in the limelight. Actually, many of the inspiring personalities we look up to in the media suffer from mental problems that go unnoticed due to their famous status and success. Women are 40% more likely than males to experience severe depression, and they are subjected to high beauty standards throughout their lives, making it harder for them to acquire self-
Young women are confidence and self-esteem. In their lifefrequently portrayed as hypersexualized, time, one out of every four women will require depression treatment, such as counseling or medication. physically and “Stop being so emotional,” or “you’re psychologically-flawless just being overly sensitive,” are compeople on social media. mon phrases you hear as a woman. When you’re told this displaying any kind of sensitivity as a woman, it’s difficult to be taken seriously. It takes courage to confess your difficulties, and it is not anything to be ashamed of. Thank the strong women in your life for
Mental illness doesn’t have a preference for a face, gender, or a age. Photo by Wikipedia all they’ve done for you, or take the time to care for your own mental health. You never know who might be going through a difficult time in their lives, and your words may be just what they need to feel better. Depression comes in many different colors and shapes, and no matter how flawless someone appears on the surface, they are still human. Cheslie Kryst exemplified love and helped so many people; my prayers and condolences are with her family. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK if you or someone you know needs help (8255). You may also text a crisis counselor by dialing 741741, which will connect you with a counselor.
By ARIANNA MORALES ‘22 and ANDREW SHINKLE ‘22 Co-Editor-in-Chief and Editor-in-Chief
Raise your hand if you think that Eastern has school spirit. Probably not that many of you would. In the first part of the series, evidence showed that school spirit is important to foster passion for learning and establishing one’s identity with a supportive community. However, Eastern has a comparatively low school spirit. Furthermore, it’s not that we don’t have school spirit, but we should have more. As we recover from the pandemic, it’s more important than ever to invest in the mental health of students by ensuring they have a community that supports them. Eastern has the chance to unify clubs, extracurriculars, and their communities, altogether raising school spirit. But will they take it? Spirit Week may have passed, but what of school spirit? It’s clear apathy plagues these halls, but at one time passion blazed through them, believe it or not. Now only embers remain; what happened? It didn’t always used to be like this. Nearly a decade ago, excitement and Eastern intertwined into one week of intense competition between the four graduating classes every October. After a fun-filled week of theme days, it all culminated into one dramatic afternoon. Fri-
day. Field events. Outside. Track events, pie-eating contests, tug of war, potato sack races, obstacle courses — you name it, it was fought for under the glory of the sun. “It was like you were at the Olympics,” history teacher Mr. McAleer said. The school day was even cut short in anticipation and dedication to these events. Each class would gather into one section of the bleachers donning their class Tshirts, creating four distinct Viking clans gathered in the raging seas to fight for victory. It came down to the last event, the 4x100 meter relay on the track. It always riled the roars and cheers even louder in a tense showdown. In 2008, two-time Olympic medalist English Gardner and stand-out 800m runner Kasey Ritz took part in the Spirit Week relay for the juniors; it was truly a crucial event to win. With an environment as exhilarating as this, how did Spirit Week turn into what it is now? It’s actually quite simple. The traditional feud between the senior and freshman class was just too much to handle. In a dramatic upset, the freshman class won Spirit Week nearly a decade ago. Rage. That’s just one word to describe the disrespect that violently flooded the halls. “Tagging,” a normal activity for seniors to show their superiority by “coloring” underclassmen with markers quickly escalated to full-blown paint tubes—but not just on their shirts, now it went everywhere. Bathrooms were defaced, as vibrant colors splattered the school in a display of rebellion, including school buses and the parking lot. Even entire water balloons were filled to the brim with paint, and found Dr. Tull’s jacket an easy target. The chaos and destruction was so devastating that the perpetrators were immediately suspended if caught. Full day, in-school suspensions were put into effect, putting administrative study periods to shame. Peace. But at what cost? The following year, field events disClass of 2010 students participate in the three-legged race. appeared. Only a few years ago did the administration approve the revival of indoor “field” Photo from the 2009 Eastern Yearbook events: barely an echo of the exEastern school pride and enthusiasm has dropped ever since outdoor field events were removed almost a decade ago.
Photo from the 2009 Eastern Yearbook
citement they used to be. It’s clear there are sizable differences between school spirit before and after the incident. There are a number of factors that could have contributed to such results, like the advancement of technology and social media. However, it’s reasonable to speculate that this incident is one of the primary reasons Eastern’s school spirit appears more apathetic in recent years. Mentioned in the first part of the series, a survey asked students to rate their pride from one to ten (one being absolutely none and ten being comparable to zealous pride), the average score was a five, indicative of the comparatively low school spirit Eastern has. However, the results of the survey may also indirectly reveal the amount of effort Eastern has put in to facilitate a sense of pride within the school. When asked to explain whether they think the majority of Eastern students have pride in our school today, Mrs. McBride said “No. I actually asked some students why this might be and their answer was ‘There is nothing to be proud of.’” While Spirit Week is not wholly to blame, it certainly has influence. The school withdraws from putting the same amount of effort into Spirit Week as before the incident in order to prevent the recurrence of disastrous events. Now,
future graduating classes suffer from the mistakes of their predecessors. Of course, Spirit Week is not the only indicator of school pride, but the amount of effort from administrators and teachers put towards planning and publicizing Spirit Week has fallen dramatically, likewise decreasing the sense of unity within the school. It needs to be restored. For everyone’s sake. However, it will take an effort from everyone to combat natural influences like the size of the school and the departmentalization of teachers, while connecting the Vikings in clubs, sports, and extracurriculars. Mrs. Dibert, teacher of family and consumer science said, “When coming to school, it’s a place to not only learn, but to connect with others, to be a part of something bigger than yourself, to be a part of another family...your ‘school family.’ It’s a time to share your experiences and open yourself up to the ideas of others in your school community so you can maximize your learning experience and time here in a positive way.” What will it take to revive the Eastern Viking? This is what this series is all about. Stay tuned for To Revive Our Viking Part 3: The Factors. How to maintain healthy friendships and relationships
By KAITLIN SWIFT ‘24 Staff Reporter
Ah, February. The month of roses and chocolates, of Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day. This month is all about relationships with others, whether romantic or platonic, and about celebrating your connections with the special people in your life. High school can make it difficult for teens to maintain healthy relationships with their friends, families, and significant others. The workload takes up a lot of teens’ time and energy, and doesn’t leave them with a lot of time to connect with others. With school taking up so much of their time, how can high schoolers keep and build on the valuable connections in their lives? Communication is key in any relationship. Everyone has busy lives and different schedules, but in a good relationship, both parties have to find time to talk to each other. Whether it’s a simple good morning and goodnight message or just a check in when you’re free, a little communication goes a long way. Another important part of relationships is communicating when something is wrong. If you seem clearly upset and don’t talk about what’s going on inside your head, this can cause lots of problems in your relationships. When someone is close enough with you, they can tell when you’re acting differently, and shutting out
Whether it’s a simple loved ones out when feeling upset often good morning and causes them large goodnight message or just amounts of anxiety, a check in when you’re stress, and worry free, a little communication that you never ingoes a long way. tended for them. So, despite how hard it can be, please be sure to talk to your loved ones when you are feeling upset, and open up to them once you are ready. Making plans to hang out in-person can also be an important part of relationships. Talking over text and calling can be good, especially when you cannot see someone due to conflicting schedules or the pandemic. However, when possible, seeing someone in person provides a type of connection that a screen cannot. So, be sure Friendships are important to maintain overall wellbeing and a sense of belonging. Photo by Tiana Cyrelson ‘22
to make plans in person with your loved ones. One of the most important things to remember in any relationship is that both parties need to put in equal effort. If one party makes all of the plans, consistently reaches out, and keeps the relationship intact, then that relationship is not healthy or sustainable. In order to have a healthy relationship, both parties have to strive to put in equal effort. You may not always reach this goal, due to other factors in your life, but consistently putting in effort makes for a much better relationship. These are just a few of the relationship tips I have gotten over the years, from friends and family and from my own experiences. I hope reading this article will help you to enhance your relationships with your family, friends, and loved ones, and will serve as a guide to read if you are ever looking for relationship advice.
