Volume 16, Issue 5 by Tiger Topics: Fishers Tiger Times

TIGER TIMES

Fishers High School Volume XVI, Issue V February 2022 www.fisherstigertimes.com

Table of Contents 05 06 08 10

Features Library Resources State Bills H140 and H1134 COVID Updates Childhood Interests

12 14 15 16 18

Arts & Culture Stan Culture E-dating Movie Musicals 20th Century Fashion Asian Food

20 21 22 23

Sports Offseason Training Diving Rec Basketball Swimming

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Opinion Education Policy and Teachers AAVE Apathy and Empathy Class Ranks Individualism Mobile Gaming Decline Editorial

On the cover: While following trends simply for the sake of appearing “cool” can lead to a loss of personality, it should not stop you from doing what you enjoy. Graphic by Lily Thomas.

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Online

Check out fisherstigertimes.com for our latest stories!

Swim team celebrates senior night with victory by Arts & Culture Editor Emma Tomlinson

Check us out on social media!

@fhstigertimes

February 2022

Tiger Times Staff Editorial Board

Nate Albin Editor-in-Chief

Andrew Haughey Online Editor

Lily Thomas Features Editor

Emma Tomlinson Arts & Culture Editor

Fletcher Haltom Malak Samara Opinion/Copy Editor Social Media Director

Nicholas Rasmusson Sports Editor

Kristen Rummel Design Editor

Reporters

Emilia Citoler

Madelyn Lerew

Avery Roe

Staff Profile

Emerson Elledge

Laura Masoni

Ben Rosen

Ben Grantonic

Abby Miller

Ava Hunt

Katrell Readus

Sydney Territo

Kindell Readus

Veda Thangudu

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CELEBRATE

AGAIN

‘22 YEARBOOK This year, every moment together is worth celebrating and the Fishers <SCHOOL HighNAME> School yearbook captures them all. Don’t miss out - reserve your copy today!

WAYS TO ORDER:

ONLINE

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jostens.com/2022yearbook

CALL 1.877.767.5217 8AM - 5PM CST MONDAY-FRIDAY

OTHER HELPFUL INFO: Field>sold out! Contact yearbook Books are currently $65 and<Editable are almost

adviser Jordan MacMillan (jmacmillan@hse.k12.in.us) with questions.

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More than just books Library offers multiple resources for students Veda Thangudu

thangved000@hsestudents.org

rom a 3D printer to a podcasting room, the library offers resources beyond just books. Most of these resources are available at the media center and are open during school hours. “We have lots of resources in the library,” library manager, Shelly Anaba said. “We have books for pleasure reading and research.” There are some bigger resources available here apart from physical books. Anaba believes that these kinds of resources make our library unique. “We have a lot of e-books that we can access because the state of Indiana has paid for it,” Anaba said. “Like Inspire, it is a very useful resource that a lot of students don't know about. There are some classes that come down and Mrs. Isom will teach a little course on how to use digital resources.” There is also Destiny search, where students can find scholarly articles regarding diverse topics. There is a sound recording room where students can make podcasts, 3D printers and a green screen room. “Those are ones that we don't

Features

let you go in if you don’t know what you are doing,” Anaba said. “We need to know that you know how to use the equipment.” There is a poster printer that can print enlarged pictures and is mostly used by the speech and debate team. One of the most used resources from the media center is chargers. The chargers for school Mac books are always checked out, according to Anaba. “We have chargers for your phone, your Mac, Lenovo, ASUS, everything,” Anaba said. “The big one is obviously the school Mac charger, and we only have two for the whole school. Most days, I have a waiting list that I don’t get all the way through.” Librarian Renee Isom can take segments of classes and teach students how to use the resources available. Social studies and English teacher Chris Edwards’ class usually goes to the media center for a part of class. “The library staff is very friendly, and mostly it is just fun to take students down there,” Dr. Edwards said. “I try to get my elective classes down there once a week because it is a nice change of environment. She [Isom] works with me frequently to see

what resources she can develop for my classes.” Dr. Edwards’ class then reflects on what they thought about the visits to the media center. “In anonymous surveys, my English students often say that the training they received from Mrs. Isom was the most valuable part of the class, and I agree,” Dr. Edwards said. “The books and other reading materials that she orders for students are incredibly valuable for student learning.” Senior Manvitha Veeramreddy said she had a hard time finding research books on audiology in the library. She used Destiny to find e-book versions of what she was searching for. According to Anaba, students should reach out when they need help. “If you’re struggling with your research, the best thing to do is to ask your teacher or Mrs. Isom,” Anaba said. “She is a great asset at that. We can help you figure out how to utilize whatever database you need to and how to really refine your search. We’re going to do anything in our power to help you. Be proactive, come and ask for help.”

Podcast equipment available in the library, including 4 microphones and a Mac for editing. Students can access it with permission from the librarians. Photo by Veda Thangudu.

Resources in brief: - Books - E-books - Chargers - Online search databases - Office 365 tutorials - Podcast equipment - Green-screen room - 3D printers - Poster printers

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Education in legislation Indiana General Assembly propose new curriculum bills

he Indiana General Assembly has started the 2022 session with several bills related to education. Some of the bills, like Senate Bill 167, have gained nationwide attention, and a few teachers have spoken out against it. Although Senate Bill 167 is no longer moving forward, House Bills 1040 and 1134, which could affect what teachers can teach in the classroom, are still in consideration. “I definitely think that more of my classmates should be aware [of HB 1040 and 1134], seeing as we would be the ones most directly affected,” senior Abbie Kilgore said. “It would be very

To see House Bills 1040 and 1134 in depth, scan the QR Code to go to the Indiana General Assembly website. The front cover of Indiana House Bill 1040. The bill has not been passed in the house as of Feb. 7. Photo courtesy of Indiana General Assembly.

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Abby Miller

milleabi002@hsestudents.org

powerful if we could all come together and say that we hope that our representatives would vote no.” If passed, House Bill 1134 would allow parents to opt their children out of “certain educational activities and curricular materials,” so parents would have more control over what their children can learn in the classroom. “I think this bill is definitely harmful because history shows that there are a lot of sensitive topics that we have to learn so we don’t repeat them,” Kilgore said. “If these bills are passed, you can’t learn those things, and teachers can actually get penalized for teaching the way they are teaching.” If some parents do choose to opt their children out of certain educational activities, House Bill 1134 provides that those students should “receive instruction during the time period during which the student has opted out.” However, according to sophomore Hannah Brown, this could affect other students. “I feel like it will just disrupt the classroom as a whole if certain students are leaving during certain lessons and going and having their own lesson,”

Brown said. “It might make projects harder and tests harder in general.” Although the bills seek to increase parent involvement in schools, Brown believes it could be dysfunctional. “As I think parents should be involved in what students are learning, at the same time, you can’t pick apart anything and everything that a teacher is saying,” Brown said. “There’s always going to be something that some person doesn’t like, and with that, there’s always going to be different students learning different things.” House Bill 1040 would also require teachers to post all learning materials for the following school year by June 30, 2022. According to Brown, whose mom is a teacher, this requirement could be difficult to meet. “Teachers already work really hard to just have the lessons the day before, so it would be almost impossible,” Brown said. “I think there would be lots of teachers, even more so [than now], quitting.” In addition to the portions of the house bills that pertain to classroom instruction, there are also parts that pertain to COVID-19 protocols in schools. For example, in House Bill 1040, parents would be given the option to opt their children out of face mask requirements. “There are parents who think that they know what’s best for their kid, and in reality they don’t,” junior Naomi Rugh said. “Parents put their kids, or other kids, in danger because they think they know what’s right.” House Bill 1040 also states that schools “may not require” students to quarantine

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against COVID-19, if they are asymptomatic. For Kilgore, who has immunocompromised family members, this directly affects her. “I know that I do as much as I can with masking and stuff like that, but if an asymptomatic person is still sitting at your lunch table, and your masks are off and you’re eating, it can still be detrimental to certain families,” Kilgore said. “I would really hope that they [Indiana lawmakers] would rethink that specific part of the bill.” Indiana House Bill 1040 was referred to the committee on education on Jan. 4, and so far, no other action has taken place. As for Indiana House Bill 1134, it was passed in the house on Jan. 26, and on Feb. 1, it was referred to the committee on Education and Career development in the Indiana senate.

"As I think parents should be involved in what students are learning, at the same time, you can't pick apart anything and everything that a teacher is saying," Brown said.

2 1. The front cover of Indiana House Bill 1134. The bill is currently waiting to be passed in the Senate. Photo courtesy of Indiana General Assembly. 2. The Indiana state flag. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

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Changing regulations New COVID-19 guidelines impact students, staff

s of Feb. 7, at least 654 high school students have tested positive for COVID-19 since returning from winter break, according to HSE Schools COVID Tracker. The Indiana COVID-19 Dashboard reported that 74% of COVID-19 cases have been caused by the new Omicron variant. In the weeks following winter break, Biology teacher Tyler Mills noticed a significant amount of absences. “It creates difficulties for

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thomalil000@hsestudents.org

Madelyn Lerew

lerewmad000@hsestudents.org

teachers for planning for group projects, labs and simply ensuring that each student is staying up to date with the content presented in the classroom,” Mills said. HSE schools, following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, have reduced quarantine time from 10 days to five days, allowing students to return if they present no symptoms. Sophomore Luke Delong, who was quarantined in early January, believed there were some issues with the shortened quarantine. “I was not ready to come back after five days, so I would say it depends case to case, but personally, I needed more time to recover,” Delong said Prior to

Graphic by Lily Thomas.

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Lily Thomas

Zoom, sick days often did not involve doing work. Now, students who are quarantined join their classes in real-time while on Zoom. Though Delong wished he had more time to recover, he said that being on Zoom was helpful because he was not behind on his school work. Some articles, such as one from the Wall Street Journal, question if the availability to work from home will alter sick days altogether, but Mills thinks that will not be the case. “I do not see Zoom being offered as a long-term option,” Mills said. “Educators and parents value the in-person instruction of students, and anything that may take away from the effectiveness of that instruction will probably not be continued when/if COVID absences are far less prevalent.” While some believe that a five-day quarantine is not enough, others believe that there are benefits to a shortened quarantine. For example, nurse Erin Becker has noticed positive impacts of the five-day quarantine such as students coming back sooner and missing less school. “I think the shortened quarantine is a positive for kids that test positive for COVID because they can return back to school when they’re feeling better,” Becker said. “Omicron has seemed to have milder symptoms, so keeping them home for

10 days was excessive.” Becker reported a jump in cases initially but has since seen a slight decline in cases. She hopes that

February 2022

this decline continues and believes the guidelines will help. Other school guidelines include unvaccinated students in close contact following the quarantine guidelines. Additionally, if a student is not able to properly wear their mask in their five days postreturn, they must quarantine for 10 days, as opposed to just five days. With quarantined students attending classes virtually, there are unique problems that have presented themselves for both students and staff. For example, Mills has found this leads to issues when running his class. “Having students on Zoom creates more moving pieces in the classroom,” Mills said. “A

teacher’s attention is now split in multiple directions, and it is more difficult to meet the needs of all students, whether in-class or on Zoom.” This affects students and how involved they feel with the classroom. Delong had problems integrating himself into the classroom environment. “Only one of my teachers reached out to me, and I essentially just watched her lecture, which was fine, it worked,” Delong said. “But no, I definitely did not [feel integrated].” Students also miss out on extracurriculars when they are in quarantine. This can affect crucial practices, rehearsals and competitions.

For Delong, that meant missing his first mock trial competition, which upset him. In order to stay healthy, Becker recommends frequent hand washing and staying home when you feel sick. She is also optimistic that the school will be able to remain open. “Our administration has done a good job,” Becker said. “We have a very well-oiled machine for close contact and for quarantining. The teachers are also doing a good job of helping with student quarantines and keeping everyone caught up. So I think we’ll have no problem staying in-person, and as the cases drop, it should just get easier and easier.”

CDC Guidelines Vaccinated: Close Contact

Unvaccinated: Close Contact

- Mask wearing for 10 days

- Quarantine for five days

- Test on day five if possible

- Mask wearing for five days - Test on day five if possible

Vaccinated: Positive Test

Unvaccinated: Positive Test

- Isolate for five days

- After five days with no symptoms end isolation with mask wearing for five days

Information from the CDC. Graphic made by Madelyn Lerew.

Cloth masks help trap respiratory droplets that are expelled when someone sneezes, talks or coughs and also provides a barrier from external droplets. Cloth masks are the least effective as they filter out large particles only.

A surgical mask helps protect the wearer from being in contact with sprays and droplets. This mask filters out large particles when a wearer inhales. These are less protective than KN95 as they are more loose-fitting.

KN95 masks are a type of respirator that offer more protection than a surgical mask because it filters out large and small particles. They are similar to N95 masks, which are mainly reserved for health care providers. Information from Mayo Clinic.

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Building blocks to the future Childhood impressionability causes interests to impact them Malak Samara

samarmal000@hsestudents.org

hildren find happiness in their favorite shows, toys and activities and because of their susceptibility, their personality starts to form around those interests. This eventually leads to their dreams and future being influenced by the environment they built for themselves. “I think [interests] are essential to form an identity to experience the world,” psychology teacher Kristin Marr said. Finding and exploring interests as a child can affect people as they continue to grow. Sometimes, the hobbies a person has from childhood can stick with them for the rest of their life. “I like reading; I definitely think if I didn’t do as much of it as I did when I was younger, then I wouldn’t like [reading] as much as I do now,” junior Kayla King said. A person’s childhood and environment is important to their future because it introduces the development of their habits and mindset, according to Marr. “It is so essential that kids have the opportunity to have down, unstructured play time,” Marr said. “They’re learning interaction, they’re learning rules, they’re learning conflict management. So many things play as essential to kids.” Furthermore, interests as a child can help a person’s social skills. Finding a common interest among peers allows for the formation of friendships and comfortability around others. “Interests help you down the line in life and find friends to be

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there with you,” freshman Isaac Arango said. “I would say that interests have really helped me find friends that I cherish, as well as my life plans, which helped me find a lot more joy in the world.” According to Psychology Today, a person’s interests as a child can affect their career choices. What people found interesting growing up may influence them to go into a future that includes the same skills or attributes. “There are so many students who planned careers around their obsessions,” Marr said. “I have students who have been interested in something like SimCity and have become urban planners in the future. I think [interests] absolutely influenced our careers, our paths, where we spend our time; all of those things are affected.” Not only do interests and hobbies as a child help develop important skills, but so do the people they look up to. This can include television stars, book characters or even professional athletes. “Exploring roles from a book or mimicking other people is a huge part of forming their identity,” Marr said. “Maybe if that imaginary character gets a second chance, they’ll believe in second chances for themselves.” Due to how easily children are influenced, there are problems that arise regarding censorship. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the interests children take in and the

people they look up to should be closely monitored. This is to prevent bad habits from being developed at a young age. “I know ‘Jessie,’ the Disney show, was getting a lot of hate because all the children on the show were kind of bratty,” King said. “I was even told as a kid that I couldn’t watch [Jessie] and I couldn’t watch SpongeBob because it was really annoying because I think whenever you’re a kid you’re very impressionable.” While looking up to certain people or interests can be dangerous for a child’s development, Marr says this can be used as an opportunity to teach kids at a young age that people have flaws. This leads to the acceptance of imperfection. “I think that [children] need to be ready to find fault,” Marr said. “I think that the hardest part about childhood is realizing that people are imperfect. I think we have to remember everybody’s human. Everybody makes mistakes.” Head to Health, a digital mental health resource, says that childhood interests can lead to strong mental health and wellbeing. Since children’s’ interests are a creative outlet for their emotions, it develops stress management skills. “I feel like interests really help you figure out ways to cope with anything going on in your life,” King said. “I think interests are really good for people to have because they can be an escape and like something people really enjoy to go and do.”

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“It is so have th essential tha have d e opportunit t kids play timown, unstruc y to learnin e. They’re tured they’re g interaction, learnin e Hom they’re l e M a earningg rules, e k m i a anage eir T imed ment. S conflict at th y of Wik t h d i n e o many g s s play rform o courte e a p t s o e t kids,” M s Pho ction arr saidsential Dire 2013. e n O in . cert con ons. m Com

Club Penguin is a popular computer game. Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Graphic by M alak Samara.

toys with variety of a h it w d ission of ye amaha pla hoto used with perm S l la a T n .P Freshma was a kid when he m o m is h aha. Talal Sem

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ow. known fairy sh Winx is a well ia of Wikimed Photo courtesy Commons.

Popular trends from our generation Tiger Times

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1. Fanart of artist Conan Gray. Photo used with permission of arttdump on Instagram. 2. Pencil drawing of artist Zayn Malik, previously a part of band One Direction. Photo used with permission of ha_arts on Instagram.

Swallowed by stan culture Students turn to Twitter for commuity @ Sydney Territo terrisyd000@hsestudents.org @ Kindell Readus readukin000@hsestudents.org

ollowing or being a fan of a popular, current celebrity is a good way to find interests, bond with others and find role models. However there comes a point where it can become “obsessive.” This obsessive behavior can be as extreme as the recent uptick in fan stalking incidents in the various K-Pop fandoms, something so prominent it warranted its own name “saesaeng” (pronounced ‘sah-sang’). This is where the differentiating factor between being a fan versus being a “stan” comes into play. Stanning a celebrity can lead to unrealistic expectations of oneself and a false understanding of the relationship they have with the celebrity. “In cases where admiration becomes an obsession, researchers have detected higher levels of depression, anxiety, and negative self-esteem,” said psychology teacher Matthew Follman. “Trying to adhere to unrealistic expectations can be detrimental to mental as well as physical health. Personality development is fluid, so it is important to be grounded in realism to be able to adapt to new environments and situations.” The term “stan” comes from the 2000s hit song by the same name written by Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem. The song details the story of an obsessed fan and how not being recognized by his idol sent him on a downward spiral, ultimately ending in his death. Though this title is laced with obsession, emotional connection and tragedy, it was and still is embraced by Mathers’ fans. However, the term caught on and began being used in reference to all intense fans of any artist or subject. Now, it describes anyone with a desire to support the artist by sending encouraging messages and developing a deep understanding of an artist or figure they look to for comfort. Stanning can be a slippery slope for some. For sophomore Lily Sharp, stanning turned into something that occupied her life for over a year. She followed Harry Styles in 2020, and while she could appreciate the artist and his music, the culture surrounding him was consuming. “That was all I would talk about. I would be on Twitter for like, six hours a day,” Sharp said. “My parents had time restrictions because I was just talking to people overseas and in Britain about Harry Styles’ blood type or something.” Sharp says that her feelings of animosity towards stan culture had nothing to do with the artists she followed, but merely the other fans she met and the forum in which they interacted: “stan Twitter.” Stan Twitter is a subset of Twitter dedicated to fans and the groups they find themselves attached to. The

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toxicity that some experience as a part of internet culture has turned some fans, such as Sharp, away from their favorite celebrities and sites like Twitter. “They are sending death threats over the smallest things,” Sharp said. “I don’t want to be told to kill myself because I like his green shirt, or a blue shirt or something. It was crazy.” While some people on stan Twitter can be harsh, others have found solace in it. Sophomore Emma Bean became interested in Harry Styles over quarantine, and it led her to become a stan of One Direction and its various members. “Stanning gives me something to rely on, weirdly enough,” Bean said. “It gives me something to look forward to.” When starting out on stan Twitter, Bean said that it can be very abstract and hard to get used to, as there are many inside jokes held by members of each fandom and separate stan community. She has found a sense of friendship and camaraderie from connecting with the stan community through jokes, which allowed her to meet many new people. “There is definitely a community [among stans],” Bean said. “I have this person I chat with online, and it’s super nice because it brings people together.”

Digital fanart of famous Kpop artists Kim Taehyung (pictured left) and J-Hope from BTS (pictured right). Photo used with permission of whimsymoonpaints on Instagram. Although these inside jokes can unite stans, those same jokes that are understood within the community can lead to confusion from anyone not well-versed in them, leaving those not a part of the group perplexed and left to assume the worst. “The whole fangirl thing – which is just misogyny really– with fangirls being crazy and possessive…,” Bean said. “It’s not crazy and not weird, because men will fanboy over sports and it’s totally fine.’’ These communities can do more than just connect people with a similar interest. For example, every year leading up to singer songwriter Harry Styles’s birthday, fans work to raise money for various charities in his honor. One such charity is run by HL Daily, a prominent and well followed figure on stan Twitter, who worked on a fundraiser stating that, “Harry’s birthday is coming up soon. We’ve teamed up with Peace Over Violence to raise money for survivors of domestic Violence.” Through this fundraiser they have raised nearly ten thousand dollars in the singer’s honor, showing the sense of community and compassion stanning can bring. For students who chose to be active in “stan” culture, Follman recommended that compassion and a sense of individuality should be kept in mind. “So, take a humanistic psychological approach [a movement supporting the belief that individuals are unique and should be treated as such] and do not look for others to fill voids in your own life,” Follman said. “Continue to figure out who you are and what you want to be. Hopefully you will find happiness and fulfillment in your own journey.”

Arts & Culture

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Dating gone digital The internet, COVID-19 have changed the nature of love Benjamin Grantonic

hirty five percent of teenagers have some type of romantic experience, according to Pew Research. Those numbers rise to 44% among teenagers 15-17, though as the situation of the world changes, the way teenagers date and have these romantic experiences changes along with it. With the advent of the internet and the COVID-19 pandemic, the nature of dating for teens has changed. To this effect, 8% of teens met a romantic partner online though many still meet in traditional ways. “We actually met on a cruise at the end of 2019 and became really good friends,” senior Emily Comstock said. “He lives in California, which is really far, so we didn’t initially start dating right away because of the distance, but in the end we decided it was worth it.” In a study from 2015, before the pandemic and the

44% of teenagers 15-17 have romantic experience Infographic by Benjamin Grantonic. Information from Pew Research Center.

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8% of teenagers met a romantic partner online

grantben000@hsestudents.org

shift towards more digital communication due to it, 92% of teens used text messages to some degree to communicate with their partners, 70% used social media and 55% used video chats. The growth of the use of these communication mediums has only furthered since then. “During the pandemic it felt like a really long time that we couldn’t see each other for like two or three months because my family is kinda high risk and we didn’t want to risk anything,” junior Hope Kellermeier said. “We used FaceTime and texted a lot, though that was still really hard because everyone was in my house and everyone was in his house, it was very cramped and we couldn’t go on a date like we used to.” Even as the pandemic winds down, the prevalence of video calls and other virtual dates remain. According to Tinder, 40% of Generation Z users will

92% of teenagers use text messages and 70% use social media to communicate with their partner

continue their use of video calls for dates even after businesses have begun to reopen and physical dates could resume. “(The pandemic) made it more special when we got to see each other and go on a date,” Kellermeier said. “It was challenging, but we had been dating for 2 years before that so it wasn’t extremely challenging.” Though online dating comes with a unique set of problems, 46% of adults think dating online is dangerous and 60% of women 18-34 who responded to the poll said people they met online kept trying to contact them even after they said they were not interested. Though for some, it works out. “We both have busy schedules, but we carve out time for each other,” Comstock said. “We Facetime or call everyday. Long distance definitely has its challenges, but it makes the time you spend with that person more special.”

55% of teenagers use video chats to talk with their partner

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Setting the stage Popular musicals adapted for the big screen in 2021 Emerson Elledge

s long as films have been made, movie musicals have been made, too, although theater fans have had mixed reactions. “The Sound of Music” and “Fiddler on the Roof,” among others, were hit musicals that were adapted for cinema many years ago. Diehard musical fans and casual moviegoers alike were able to experience more movie musical magic than ever before in 2021. “West Side Story,” “Dear Evan Hansen” and “In the Heights” are among some of the widely popular Broadway musicals that were adapted for the big screen last year. “There are mixed opinions about West Side Story, but I loved how Steven Spielberg shot it like it was an old sixties movie musical,” junior Tara Pyle said. “There was lighting on their faces like it was the old sixties movie sets. It was really cool.” Some of the sacrifices that creators make when adapting a musical for the screen have made them unpopular with fans. For example, in “Dear Evan Hansen (2021),” the song “Good for You” was cut, causing controversy among fans of the play because of the importance the song had to the plot. In an interview with parade.com, producer Marc Platt explained the cuts. “There are certain songs on stage called ‘presentational songs,’ where the character is not singing to anyone in particular, is turning to the audience and singing…” Platt said. “It would have felt too stage-bound and otherworldly.” However, not all is lost when adapting a musical for the screen. There are added elements that can make a show more visually

Arts & Culture

elledeme000@hsestudents.org dynamic, such as the addition of CGI and other film effects, as well as being more widely available to the public. “I think one of the main issues with things like Broadway plays is that there is no way for it to make it accessible or less expensive for those in the community that want to go see these shows,” junior Aiyanna Allen said. “[Movies] are obviously more accessible for people than the stage.” Accessibility is a major factor that inspires directors to adapt stage musicals for the screen, even if theater is not their forte. According to broadway. org, tickets for stage musicals tend to range $20-175 a seat, not considering the travel and lodging that may be needed in order to watch. However, the movie adaptation of “Mamma Mia” grossed $611 million at the box office, according to IMDB, whereas the stage musical has a worldwide revenue of four billion dollars. “[Directors] have to be careful to try and find that line that allows people who have not seen it to really enjoy it,” senior Nathaniel Lewis said. “But people who have seen it also get the same feeling that they got from watching it on the stage. So there is a thin line that they have to try and balance and some movies can do it.” According to playbill.com, “13,” “Cyrano” and “Matilda” are the only movie musicals set to be released in 2022. However, countless musicals like “Wicked” and “Be More Chill”, along with many others, are still in the phases of pre-production, which just gives audiences something more to look forward to.

2 1. The 2021 poster for “In the Heights,” a musical by Lin Manuel Miranda. 2. The poster for “West Side Story,” a remake of the popular, older film. Posters courtesy of Creative Commons. Graphics by Emerson Elledge.

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Making a comeback Old-school trends circulating among current generation

1. Senior Grace Harley wearing a leather jacket and platforms. 2. Harley wears a 60s mod dress and leather boots. Photo used with permission of Grace Harley. 3. Senior Tahaa Munir wears a bandana and baggy jeans. Photo used with permission of Tahaa Munir. Graphics made by Ava Hunt.

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ust like many old movies, books and music resurfacing into 21stcentury pop culture, style trends from the 60s, 70s, and 80s are also making a comeback. The current generation continually draws inspiration from previous decades and incorporates it into their aesthetic. Due to the increase of access to magazines and film from older time periods, people can use that media more frequently to shape their current styles. Vintage trends are encouraging the youth to dig items out of their parents’ closets or buy items from a thrift store. 60s, 70s and 80s pop culture icons are emerging as modern-day influencers, providing people with outfit and hair inspiration. “My Pinterest always recommends 70s and 80s throwback photos on my feed,” senior Grace Harley says. “Because of that, I became familiar with Farrah Fawcett. She inspired me to get curtain bangs.” Curtain bangs are just one example of the many former hairstyles that are making a comeback. Their name stems from the curtain-like frame that they provide a persons’ face and eyes. Curtain bangs resurged in popularity, partially because the hairstyle is less committing than regular bangs. “Everyone and their grandma are getting curtain bangs,” Harley said. “I thought that they were so fun to style and gave off such a carefree look. I think that they elevated my outfits, as well.” Perms and Mullets are two other old-time hairstyles that are associated with a carefree

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Ava Hunt appearance and are becoming trendy again. Both hairstyles were extremely common for people of all ages in the 80s. For senior Tahaa Munir, his inspiration for growing a mullet stemmed from quarantine boredom. “I was just growing out my hair and then the idea to grow a mullet just came to fruition from there,” Munir said. “I was going for the dirty, messy mullet look, like the George Clooney type of look, not like the slick Larry Bird type of mullet.” Alongside actor George 1 Clooney, Munir looks to style inspiration from Lou Reed, an American musician and singer. Not only did Reed receive spotlight from his rock music, but he also received traction from his fashion sense. Reed was notorious for wearing tight t-shirts, leather jackets and big aviators, which happen to also be trendy in today’s attire. “I just love how Lou Reed did his thing,” Munir said. “He transformed the rock star style into a sleeker, more elegant style. A leather jacket is no longer associated with being a

huntava000@hsestudents.org rock fan, thanks to Lou Reed.” Another trendy article of clothing that has taken people by storm is baggy jeans, otherwise known as mom jeans. Mom jeans were first introduced in the 60s as straightlegged jeans. The 70s revamped the jean into a high waisted jean with a flared bottom. The 90s television show, “Friends,” helped normalized looser fitting denim and established the style as unisex. Now, mom jeans are sold at most clothing stores and are worn by a lot of today’s influencers. For freshman Reagan Cochran, baggy jeans are a staple in her collection. “My favorite old trend has to be the baggy jeans & jacket trend with a black tank top underneath,” Cochran said. “The style is super comfortable, yet still makes you look put together.” A prominent item to pair with mom jeans are platform shoes. Skyhigh heeled platform shoes were the biggest shoe of the disco-loving 70s, due to the attention-grabbing presence of them entering the dance floor. The 21st century version of the platform trend is more subdued, more commonly taking the form of loafers or tennis shoes. “A trend that I greatly participate in is platform shoes,” Harley said. “[The Trend] is an illusion that makes your legs look thinner and elongated. I think platform shoes are the trend that is making the biggest comeback.” Although trends go out of style, there is a high probability that they will resurface. According to the DSN English report on fashion trends, trends repeat every 20-30 years because of “designers taking inspiration from styles their parents wore.” The current generation can expect that trends they wished would stay in the past will probably be revived.

February 2022

Arts & Culture

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Page 17

Asian cuisine connects Food serves as gateway to cultural understanding, appreciation Emma Tomlinson

sian food is widely regarded as the fastest growing cuisine in the United States, with sales soaring over 135% in the past decade. Andrew Coe, author of the cookbook “Chop Suey: A Cultural History of Chinese Food in the United States,” attributes this surge in popularity to increased globalization. This globalization has brought popular, Americanized fast food chains such as BIBIBOP Asian Grill and Panda Express to Fishers. However, students seem to find family-owned local businesses more enjoyable when it comes to grabbing a bite to eat. Senior Joshua Villasol says that many of the Asian restaurants that he has been to in the area have high-quality food. “Some of my favorite local restaurants would have to be Hiro Hibachi and Sushi Express and Kotoyama Ramen,” Villasol said. “They have really good

1. Senior Meghan Chen places a dumpling on the tray while graduate Makenna Territo watches. 2. Dumplings sit lined up on a tray. Photos courtesy of Josh Villasol.

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Tiger Times

ramen, and it’s representational of a part of Japanese culture because ramen and these types of noodles are a common dish.” Villasol says that Hiro Hibachi and Sushi is one of his favorite places to go for sushi, which is a food growing in popularity in the United States. Although sushi is widely recognized as a Japanese food, the dish’s roots can be traced back to a Chinese dish called narezushi that consisted of fermented rice and salted fish. Today, sushi has become popular in America due to several factors, including, but not limited to, its takeaway convenience, variety of options, unique flavors, diversity from traditionally Western food and numerous health benefits, according to the Michelin Guide. “There’s something about raw fish that I find really delicious,” Villasol said. “I don’t know what it is, but all of the soy sauce, spices and sauces that go into Asian food are just so good.” According to Villasol, some people may be weirded out by the idea of eating raw fish. He says that it is important to try and set aside any preconceived notions or expectations whenever

tomliemm000@hsestudents.org

it comes to trying new foods. Asian Culture Club sponsor and Spanish teacher Brooke Chan says that she is willing to try pretty much anything whenever it comes to new foods. “When my husband’s sister got married, she had a ceremony in Hong Kong, and so we went to this restaurant and all of the dishes were made out of snake, and I tried everything,” Chan said. “Obviously I didn’t love every dish that I tried but there were some really yummy and unique dishes.” Chan finds food to be a way for her family to connect with their culture. Her husband is from Hong Kong, so Chan cooks authentic Chinese dishes at home for her children whenever possible in order to help them feel connected to their family. “My kiddos and husband love when I make char siu,” Chan said. “Even my in-laws have asked me for the recipe.” As a language teacher, Chan knows that when people immigrate into a new country, language is often the first thing that they lose while assimilating. However, food remains with people through several generations, and families will often pass down recipes and signature dishes. “Even though my kids don’t speak Chinese, though I wish they would, the food that is a part of their heritage still is a part of their lives,” Chan said. Chan maintains that this remains true throughout different cultures. She has Latino friends whose families have been here for several generations, and although they have lost their Spanish language, it is the

“When I make char siu, I just buy a huge chunk of pork at the store and I marinate it for a couple of days,” Chan said. “I can freeze it for leftovers later, too.”

A tray of roasted char siu sits on the counter after being pulled out of the oven. Photo courtesy of Brooke Chan.

Char siu is a type of Cantonese roast meat and is also referred to as Chinese barbecue pork. February 2022

From Chan’s Kitchen

2 food that travels through the generations and connects them to their culture. “I often cook with my dad at home,” Villasol said. “He’s Spanish, so we make a lot of traditional Spanish dishes, and it definitely helps me feel connected to my culture and family.” Food also plays a role in many people’s social lives, whether it is reconnecting with one’s own culture or introducing oneself to a new one. “Pre-COVID, one of my friends used to host a dumpling party where everyone would essentially make their own dumplings and then we would cook all of them,” Villasol said. “Some of them turned out terrible, some of them turned out great, but it was actually kind of fun and it introduced me to a lot of new Asian cuisine.” Junior Anh Nguyen enjoys cooking with her friends on weekends. Nguyen is Vietnamese so she often cooks Vietnamese food, as well as Korean food. “Some of our favorite dishes that we’ve made would be pho noodles, crab rangoons and dim

Arts & Culture

sum,” Nguyen said. An alternative to cooking traditional dishes at home would be going out to eat at the many Asian restaurants in the Indianapolis area, but Chan says that it can sometimes be hard to find good, authentic places to eat. She recommends traveling over to the west side of Indianapolis. “I think that they’re really trying to build it up as an international zone where there’s lots of different restaurants of different ethnicities, but I know that they have some really good Asian restaurants over there,” Chan said. As with other cultural cuisines, Asian food has experienced Americanization through the creation of fast food chains such as Panda Express, Pei Wei and P.F. Chang’s. “I think P.F. Chang’s has done a pretty good job with having somewhat few authentic foods even though it’s a chain,” Nguyen said. Family-owned

1. A bolo bao, or pineapple bun, is a sweet bun that is popular in Hong Kong. 2. Chinese hot dog buns are a popular treat at Chinese bakeries and consist of a hot dog wrapped in sweet milk bread. 3. A coconut cream bun is filled with sweet whipped cream and topped with coconut flakes. 4. Daan Tat is a Hong Kong-style egg tart with a sweet egg custard filling and encased in a crisp puff pastry. Photos courtesy of Brooke Chan.

restaurants, also known as “mom and pop shops”, account for nearly 90% of restaurants, according to Reuters. Nguyen enjoys local restaurants such as Wild Ginger, Sushi House and Kizuki Ramen. “Food is really important to me and my family because I guess it represents who we are,” Nguyen said. “It is important to not just the family but also friends because we are able to connect and relate to one another.”

A bowl of grilled chicken ramen contains ramen staples such as egg, bamboo shoots, green onion and pickled cabbage. Photo by Emma Tomlinson.

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Page 19

Balling with a rival Recreational basketball league brings students from FHS, HSE together

Juniors Matthew Kordesh and Reese Knoderer and senior Nathan Simkins look to the bench to receive coaching. Photo by Nicholas Rasmusson.

hrough the storied rivalry between FHS and HSE, the two are brought together through the game of basketball. The Fishers-HSE recreational basketball league consists of 51 teams categorized by grade level with teams having the option to play in either a competitive or recreational league. The Fishers-HSE recreational basketball league gives students the opportunity to play basketball through the school without the stress of tryouts. Priced at $95 per entrant, each player is guaranteed to play eight games against competition throughout the league. According to junior Nina Grymonprez, the recreational aspect of the league allows the experience to be more enjoyable and stress free and allows people to make new friends outside of school.

Ben Rosen

rosenben000@hsestudents.org

“I get to play basketball with no pressure of winning or losing,” Grymonprez said. “It makes it more fun.” Senior Brady Miller added that, while the two schools may have a rivalry, it does not carry over to the league. “It’s fun,” Miller said. “There is not really any beef or anything between us, we’re just kids trying to have fun playing basketball.” While it is a recreational league, the competitive aspect is still very prevalent. Miller believes that it can still get as competitive as a normal school sport. “It is one of the most competitive things that you can play, and it’s not an actual school sport,” Miller said. “It gets really competitive, and it’s tough to play in.” Freshman Easton Cummings agrees with Miller that the games can become very

competitive at times. “It’s very competitive because all of us either know each other or don’t, so it’s kind of interesting because there is a lot more competitiveness,” Cummings said. While Cummings understands that competitiveness is prevalent throughout the league, he does not lose sight of why he joined the league. Cummings emphasizes that the league is based around having fun. “It gets pretty heated, you could say. A little trash talk, but obviously nothing physical,” Cummings said. “You know it’s all for fun anyway, and I think that is what everybody is here for.” In addition to the regular season, the league has a playoff system. Starting on March 6, the top teams from the league will compete in a seeded playoff format to crown a champion for each league.

Graphic by Ben Rosen.

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Tiger Times

February 2022

Swimmers dive into the pool, indicating the start of the race during a meet on Jan. 21. Photo by Emma Tomlinson.

Supporting success Swimmers draw low crowds despite continued triumphs Editorial Board

chool sports are a major aspect of high school students’ lives: FHS is no different. Crowds will pack into Reynolds Tiger Stadium on Friday nights to watch the football team square off against their opponent. However, two of FHS’ most successful athletic programs tend to be overlooked. The boys and girls swim teams have seen incredible success throughout the past few seasons. Despite this, they are extremely underappreciated. Swimming is the only sport at the school in which both teams have finished as state runnersup in the same season, which was accomplished during the 2020-21 season. Additionally, both teams have enjoyed impressive records this season, with the boys team being 9-1 and the girls team being 10-0. Both teams also reside within the top 3 of the Indiana High School Swimming Coaches Association’s (IHSSCA) polls. That alone makes them the topranked sports tandem at FHS. Not only do the teams boast outstanding resumes, they also have some of the topperforming athletes in their respective classes. Both teams have multiple athletes who are going to swim at the collegiate level, including multiple

Sports

Division 1 recruits. Senior Kyle Ponsler, one of the top swimmers on the team and in the country, is a North Carolina State University commit and an Olympic trial participant. Another example is junior JoJo Ramey, who is a key component to the girls team and finished seventh overall in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic trials. Beyond these outstanding achievers, though, both teams boast a host of talented swimmers who are poised to succeed both athletically and academically at the next level. At the beginning of their seasons, the boys basketball and the boys swimming performed at a similar success rate, with the basketball team starting out with an 9-1 record through 10 games as well. In spite of the similar standings, boys basketball often had larger crowds watching their success in comparison to the swim team. The team every year faces one opponent that holds them from winning the state championship: Carmel. Their dominance is known nationwide; they are on the greatest run any program has had. The girls team has 35 straight state titles and the boys team has won seven in a row. The FHS program is in this shadow and is the unlucky team

that is great at the same time as this juggernaut. Just because they have not won a state title yet does not mean what they are doing is not impressive. While this underappreciation of the sport and its teams is a problem at FHS, it is an issue that spans further than our school’s walls. In fact, it affects high schools nationwide. In a study conducted by Next College Student Athlete (NCSA), neither boys nor girls swimming rank within the top five most popular sports by participation. Furthermore, in a study conducted by SportsAvis, swimming is not ranked inside of the top 10 of the most popular sports by viewership. As a student body, we need to appreciate swimmers more. While it might not be the most popular sport to be in, nor the most viewed, it is currently one of the most successful teams at this school, and should be treated as such as should all accomplished teams. It may not be the most popular sport to attend at the moment, but we have the ability to change this as members of the student body. Supporting our swimmers is simple, especially after they have enjoyed such great success over the past few years, and it would benefit both the teams and the students for us to show our support.

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Teachers deserve better

Recent Indiana legislation exhausts already undervalued occupation Laura Masoni

masonlau000@hsestudents.org

During an Indiana State Teachers Association press conference at the Indiana Statehouse on Jan. 19, the ISTA lined up many speakers to speak out against HB 1134. Photo courtesy of Nikki DeMentri.

A For more information on HB 1134, see pages 6 and 7.

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Tiger Times

s I scrolled through Twitter during the night SB 167 was canceled, I couldn’t help but notice the comment section. It was not at all what I expected to find under articles detailing our legislators’ sudden profession of a lack of judgment. Dishearteningly, though, I can’t say that I was surprised. Tweet after tweet was full of teachers detailing their frustration. Not only were they frustrated that such a bill would be proposed, but as teachers, they were insulted. “Beyond the language of the bill, it is clear that no support will be coming,” fourth-grade teacher Philip Danoski wrote on Twitter. Although SB 167 was canceled, its copycat, HB 1134, still survives. These bills put an unnecessary burden on an already stressed-out profession. In a survey conducted by RAND and funded by the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers, it was found that

over 3 in 4 teachers reported job-related stress. This number is over 35% higher than other working adults, who reported at 40%. HB 1134 in its current state would not provide any ease or relief to teachers. The language of the bill outlines that teachers would be required under state law to post all lesson plans for the public to view. This provision means that anyone, no matter if they are associated with a school district or not, can legally access the files and plans that you present in your class. On top of this, parents also have the right to opt their child out of lessons, and the teacher would need to provide an alternative assignment. HB 1134 requires, “the school corporation or qualified school to add functionality that allows parents of students in the school corporation to opt in to or opt-out of certain educational activities and curricular materials under certain conditions.”

To bring this into focus, parents in Hamilton Southeastern Schools already have access to their child’s lessons. For example, a parent can log on to their child’s Canvas account at any time. If they log on and see something that they are concerned with, they can bring that up to the teacher directly. It is a function that has already been implemented in our school system. So, this added function is one that is not functional or of any benefit to either party. One of my grievest concerns regarding our legislator’s effect on educators in this state is the lasting impression they will leave on some of the most talented working professionals we have. A poll by PDK International found that 90% of educators are satisfied with their jobs. However, it also found that 36% of U.S. teachers thought that society values the teaching profession. Teachers do what they do because they love it. They are not in it for the money, they are in it because they value education and the impact that it has on students. Their impact matters. Educators are human. They are people just as much as students, parents and administrators. They deserve the support, respect and appreciation that they distribute on a daily basis. The legislative trend to box them in is a direct attack, not only on the educators individually but also on the education system as a whole.

February 2022

Lovin’ a language Misuse of language affects community Katrell Readus

readukat000@hsestudents.org

he use of Black inventions and cultural traditions by non-Black people has become something that is normalized and heavily accepted by the media today. However, this often leads to the perpetuation of stereotypes, turning culture into a commodity and using historical traditions as a trend. Despite this, the originating group continues to experience discrimination for engaging in their culture and traditions. To this, language is no exception. Within any culture, language is the basis for communicating ideas and plays a role in formulating a person’s sense of community and belonging. Yet, in pop culture, African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is often used by non-Black people for profit. In addition, AAVE is often used out of context in an attempt to be relevant, gain notoriety, attain acceptance or “relate” to Black people in social, academic and professional settings. AAVE is the dialect formerly known academically as Vernacular Black English and socially as Ebonics. While some features of AAVE are unique, this structure also shares many commonalities with other languages, including a number of standard and nonstandard English varieties spoken in the U.S. and the Caribbean. The stigmatization of AAVE can be traced to the issue of racism in the United States. It is often said that when people have a prejudice against a language system, it stems from unfamiliarity and lack of understanding. However, what they really have is a prejudice against people who are speaking it. This way of speech is looked down upon when used by the community it was created for, but celebrated when used by those in the white community. This social distinction wrongfully contributes to the perception of low intelligence or academic prowess in the

Opinion

Black community as a whole and its members who chose to use the language of their culture. The community has made strides to change the way it is viewed, but finding validation in the eyes of a society where their language, creations and contributions are always seen as subpar is a task that has continued to prove difficult. Despite the disrespect it is often met with, the grammar of AAVE is not “incorrect” or

Graphic by Katrell Readus “improper” at all; It simply has grammatical rules that differ from standardized English. This includes the use of double negatives found commonly in major languages like Spanish and French, as well as the habitual be. This particular rule places the word “be” as one that signifies a habit; the action it is referring to is done continuously by the sentence’s subject. AAVE is systematically rooted in history and provides an important identity marker and expressive resource for its Black users. However, the use of the vernacular outside of the community it was created by and for, is less stigmatized and even seen as “on-trend” and “cool.” This can be seen in modern-day and oldschool music as well as recent internet and social jargon. Similar to other things invented and/or popularized by the Black community, such as hairstyles, certain fashion looks and music, this vernacular continues to be considered

disreputable until it is used by white celebrities, influencers or other notable figures. This has become a notion for pondering in recent years, especially after the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement as well as other movements and organizations fighting for better treatment of Black people. The vibrancy and authenticity of Black culture attracts people to it, but the problem lies in appropriation. Those who appropriate, dilute or completely alter the very qualities they claim to identify with or love, thus breaking the significance that Black cultural traditions hold. Non-Black people engaging in our culture often base their “understanding” of what they think Black culture is off of uninformed stereotypes typically portrayed by film and media industries. Examples of these stereotypes are unstable homes, poor manners, drug dependence and not being well-off financially. While many Black Americans are affected by these in a variety of ways, these things by no means depict the community as a whole. Those who believe these stereotypes associate these qualities, now established as essential to be edgy and cool, with Black cultural staples including long acrylic nails, bamboo earrings, oversized clothing, large or statement jewelry pieces and many other things popularized by Black culture. Using what the media now calls a “blaccent,” also known as a tone and language (AAVE) that is subconsciously or consciously connected with blackness, is another racially insensitive practice being used in an attempt to try on the attractive parts of blackness for attention and fame. The fact is, privileged people are reaching to be the embodiment of what they think Black culture is any time they are in search of a new edgy look or personality. Language is fluid, so there is not always an issue with white people using words popularized by Black culture that are now a part of accepted lexicon. However. know that the popularization of Black slang does not translate to the safety, acceptance and celebration of Black people.

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Page 25

A lack of love

Apathy, empathy have varying impacts over time

Em·pa·thy -

the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

Ap·a·thy -

a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.

2 1. The heart in the head represents emotional understading. Photo from WikiCommons. 2. The empty head represents lack of emtional understanding. Photo from WikiCommons.

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cience may have found a cure for most evils, but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all - the apathy of human beings,” Helen Keller said. By Forbes. Societal apathy is the lack of concern and emotional connection to people and happenings; to live amongst people’s suffrage and ignore their issues because they are believed to be unchangeable or unworthy of their time or energy. A good example of this is homelessness within communities. Much of the public will ignore homeless people as they beg for money or help. The people within the community could develop apathy towards the homeless population, even when they are no different from you and I. As a result, an emotional barrier is formed between the two groups, creating ignorance for the people suffering. According to Hugo Slim, Head of Policy and Humanitarian Diplomacy at the University of Oxford, humanity is human behavior that causes humans to care for other humans because of a universally held understanding that life is better than death, and that to live well means being treated humanely in relationships of mutual respect. When one has a lack of respect for others, what stops them from doing wrong? There is no reasoning behind right from wrong. Phrases like “I don’t care” and “It is not important” often go overlooked and labeled as rebellious, but should that type of negligence spark greater concern? Apathetic behavioral characteristics such as this have been linked to neuropsychiatric

Tiger Times

Kristen Rummel

rummekri000@hsestudents.org

disorders, complex conditions with poorly defined neurobiological bases, such as clinical depression, dementia and schizophrenia. On the other side is empathy; empathy plays a critical interpersonal and societal role, enabling sharing of experiences, needs, and desires between individuals and providing an emotional bridge that promotes social behavior. Philosophist Martin Buber added to the concept of empathy by describing the empathic relationship as “I and Thou” as opposed to the dehumanized relationships as “I and It.” This highlights the importance of others and viewing them as equals instead of less than oneself. The Red Cross, a worldwide nonprofit institution, uses this ideology as its mission statement and motivator by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. “To prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found (and) to protect life and health and ensure respect for the human being.” From the American Red Cross. About 25% of Americans volunteer their time which accumulates about $193 billion in volunteer service according to a study by Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2016. This tremendous donation of time has helped foundations feed the hungry, house the homeless and save the suffering, all without anything in return. This empathy is what gives people and their families opportunities to continue living from the graces of others. The

more that society can put there selfish tendencies behind them, the more the others will have the opportunities to succeed and thrive together. How much are you willing to sacrifice for the sake of others’. Some people are more inclined to helping others, but this can come as a detriment to those helping. It is possible to become apathetic towards something because of exhaustion. Misplaced empathy can lead someone to become depressed or left feeling hopeless. This typically happens when someone goes from experiencing cognitive empathy to emotional empathy. Cognitive empathy is when a person can imagine what someone might be feeling. Emotional empathy is when a person allows themselves to feel what another person is feeling. This is referred to as hyper empathy. It is important to remember there is no perfect balance between empathy and apathy. Everyone is going to have a different balance depending on their personality, emotion and relation with each person. Often emotional responses like empathy and apathy will stem from childhood experiences and examples, even if it is unintentional. Next time, if you meet someone who seems more apathetic or empathetic than the average, remember that they might not know why or they may not know how to seek proper help. It is hard to control emotions, good or bad, so keeping track and attentive to your own will allow you to identify inconsistencies and abnormal behavior in yourself and others.

February 2022

I got the second one wrong

Do you know your class rank?

What’s your SAT score?

I think I failed that...

Did you go test-optional? Did you get an A on that test??

Who’s going to be valedictorian????

Lost in the numbers Current class rank system encourages competition Emilia Citoler

citolemi000@hsestudents.org

he first time I saw my class rank, I was quite proud of the number. I immediately went to share with my peers, and while I may have not admitted it to myself then, I wanted to know if I ranked higher than them. During my counselor meeting for matters concerning my senior year, I was again met with my class rank. Rather than feeling proud, seeing myself reduced to a number felt extremely dehumanizing. Class rank is determined by cumulative grade-point average (GPA), which is either weighted or unweighted, depending on the school. Weighted GPAs take in account the rigor of the course, meaning that advanced placement (AP) or dualenrollment (ACP) courses are graded on a scale of 5.0 instead of 4.0. Unweighted GPAs place all courses on the same 4.0 scale. At its core class rank is simply a list of numbers that each correspond with a student. However, in practice, class rank has an undeniable sentiment of competition that does more harm than good. Left to their own devices, students will inevitably compare scores on

Opinion

a certain test or assignment, but class rank offers a way to holistically and definitively compare yourself against other students. Recently, I was introduced to a college networking app named “Zeemee.” This app allows one to join group chats with other students that have either applied or have been accepted to a certain university. Within 10 minutes of joining a chat for a somewhat competitive school, students began to compare their GPAs, class rank as well as SAT scores. Rather than discussing hobbies or future plans, it was clear that my peers were much more interested in seeing how they ranked against complete strangers. This attitude is not at the fault of each individual, rather a consequence of years of an academic culture that focuses on scores and grades and ranks. The over-importance of class rank, explained by a professor of educational psychology at the University of Kentucky, does nothing to aid in the motivation for academic achievement. On a broad scale, class rank not only offers an overly competitive

My GPA is higher than yours .... This class is going to drop my GPA :( Do you think there

environment but is also will be a curve??? detrimental to a students’ sense of self-worth as well as their confidence. Maybe, that test was In a perfect world, the pretty hard education system would prepare young adults for the next step Graphic by Emilia Citoler. in their development. However, rather than skills like reading comprehension and critical thinking being the focus, many classrooms have seen the shift to students simply memorizing material, in order to get the desired grade. Students would rather get on “A” on the test than actually comprehend and retain the material. Many schools have taken steps to eliminate the obsession over class rank; at Fishers, class rank is no longer published but can be viewed upon request. As a senior, I am well acquainted with the competitive atmosphere of Fishers high school and am no stranger to being fixated on grades. With so many students with high GPAs, it’s easy to lose yourself in the numbers. I’ve learned that while grades are important, you are way more than just a number on a list and should let your grades define your self-worth.

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Individualism restricts media Recent trend of uniqueness has consequences for arts

n a world that has become so closely connected, it is often a relatively simple task to find a group of people who share common interests. Generally, this has resulted in a heightened sense of camaraderie - if one is able to find a like-minded group to discuss their interests with, it is generally viewed as beneficial. For some, though, an overemphasis on individualism presents a perpetual barrier to this enjoyment. Roughly defined as the tendency to prioritize the individual and their actions, individualism in this instance is inherently focused on a desire for uniqueness. As per a Johns Hopkins University report on the topic, modern philosophy, political thought and economic theory “all point toward and revolve around the individual.” In this way, it can be understood why individualism has become so rampant within American society; virtually every aspect of the culture points towards the prioritization of self rather than the group. However, this heightened emphasis on individualism presents numerous issues, as many consumers of media have become too focused on simply being different. Specifically within the context of media, individualism has become increasingly prominent

Fletcher Haltom

haltofle000@hsestudents.org

as of late. Contemporary media itself actively promotes individualism, with a 2013 Social and Behavioral Sciences Journal research paper asserting that the values of individualism “dominate the content of the messages transmitted through mass media.” Furthermore, audience consumption, too, has become an almost competitive experience. Enjoying media has recently been transformed into a mere contest of whose music, movies or art of choice is more distinctive. By only listening to Spotify artists with under 1,000 monthly listeners, exclusively watching 1940s Hungarian silent films and participating in the general gatekeeping of specific art and forms of media, consumers are actively working to the detriment of the media itself - as well as its audience. The very nature of art is to be shared; by fueling already rampant individualism and keeping great art a secret in the interest of being more special than everyone else, consumers are harming not only other consumers but the artists, too. For example, as reported by Spotify, there are about 6.8 million artists with fewer than 1,000 monthly listeners on the platform. In a business that is already so difficult to succeed in, keeping these small artists

down by not sharing their work is sacrificing their success for the mere label of being “indie.” In a similar way, artists, directors and other producers of media have sacrificed quality in pursuit of novelty - many recent films and songs rely on simply being different instead of focusing on the actual caliber of production. The origin of this school of individualistic thought is likely rooted in the idea that only poor quality, commercially-produced work garners popularity and mainstream success - after all, who is the general public to determine the quality of a product? The fatal flaw of this reasoning, though, is that art is oftentimes popular because it is of high quality. A lack of success is not always indicative of a substandard product, but the presence of success is more often than not a sign of legitimate merit. In order to remedy this trend of artistic over-individualism, consumers must refocus their perspectives. Rather than prioritizing their own uniqueness, they should work to support the artists and share the work with as large a community as possible - after all, art is meant to be shared, and it does no good to compete over individuality rather than embrace collaboration.

Graphic by Fletcher Haltom.

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Tiger Times

February 2022

If you read this article, you are legally skilled

Only 0.01% of players can survive mobile gaming’s recent decline in quality! Nate Albin

albinnat000@hsestudents.org

or me, the 2015 edition of “Madden Mobile” served as the game that got me into mobile gaming. My friends and I would discuss strategy, perfect lineups and tell stories of great triumphs and heartbreaking defeats. Each year, as Electronic Arts (EA) released a new edition, the magic of the original slowly slipped away until the point where not even I still played it. The reasons why dedicated players like my friends and I quit playing altogether is emblematic of industry-wide issues that are hurting the quality of mobile games. Before one can discuss the current mobile gaming issues, it is worthwhile to look at their meteoric rise. The beauty of mobile gaming is its appeal to people who would not play video games otherwise. Worldwide, there are 2.2 billion mobile gamers, according to Tech Jury. A staggering 43% of all mobile phone use is spent playing games. This number has been growing consistently for a decade, with a turning point being the 2009 release of Rovio’s “Angry Birds.” Huffington Post found that it had already been downloaded more than a billion times in its first four years. The game’s easyto-play mechanics alongside its novel crossovers with mega brands like Star Wars helped it succeed among non-hardcore gamers. With other early hits like “Temple Run”

Opinion

and “Subway Surfers,” these games were easy to spend endless hours playing. Of course with this popularity came the corporations ready to milk it dry and drain all the money out of the player. Gamemakers have many avenues through which they can monetize a game, but two of the main ways have raised legal questions. First, the ads have been notorious for their outrageous claims about how few players can beat their levels or that the player must download the app to help a character survive. It is nearly impossible to avoid ads that say that the player is “legally skilled” or “the alpha human” if they can pass a level. These ads break up gameplay, can be hard to exit and can crash the game, but they are not as bad as ads that mislead the player. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned multiple ads from the popular mobile game Gardenscapes and Homescapes due to the ads not accurately displaying “core gameplay.” These ads showed puzzles that never appeared ingame. Matthew Bailey, a games analyst, said that companies like Playrix, who made the banned ads, intentionally target certain types of players to mislead. Despite not being the only company to get ads banned, they are the only one punished thus far, although people have spotted the barred ads in use even after the ban.

The main problem within the games are the microtransactions. Microtransactions allow the player to download the game for free, but then charge players for add-ons as the game continues. Madden Mobile is a prime example of this. It is free to play, but it will cost the player if they want the best stars on their team. This model is one that games like Madden have increasingly leaned on. NPR reported that some popular mobile games, such as Krafton’s PlayersUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), allow players to buy cosmetics, but those offer no ingame advantages. Other companies, such as EA, force players to decide between spending money to get better or saving their money while falling behind. Between the constant ads and the pay-to-win model, mobile games have declined over the years in quality. Regardless, they are as popular now than ever, with VentureBeat forecasting that the mobile game industry will generate nearly $100 billion in revenue by 2024.This profit will undoubtedly come at the expense of the player. While actions of the ASA with the federal government looking into the legality of such ads and microtransactions, they have not brought any change. It will become even easier to long for the days when my Kirk Cousins-toMohammmad Sanu touchdowns did not have a price tag on them.

Tiger Times

Page 29 9

Keeping up with the trends

Trouble can come from following all of the latest fads

ince March 2013, the Twitter account @ WhoTrendedIT has been tracking what is “trending” on the social media platform. In that time, the account has sent out more than 127,400 tweets. Ranging from political topics and weather to sporting events and memes, these trends occur at a blistering pace, with around 40 new trends being tweeted out per day. Keeping up with these is nearly impossible. ReThink Media reported that Twitter trends are not determined by a topic gradually becoming more popular, but rather one that sees a rapid spike in mentions. Once it trends, Jungle Marketing found that trends have a “shelf life” of about 11 minutes, with most lasting less than 10. It becomes instantly clear that Twitter trends are mostly just flashes in the pan.

While true of Twitter, it is also reflective of the world at large. It can be hard to simply keep up with everything going on. A trend blowing up on one platform may be non-existent on another. Something that began with a niche group may explode out of nowhere. Maybe you did not check your phone on a certain day, and all of a sudden some new fad is underway. Either you can dedicate all your time to following what is trending or you are bound to miss something. The good news is that missing a specific trend is not the end of the world. Frankly, a person could go through life and not participate in drinking the latest coffee recipe, streaming the hot new show or any number of trends and be perfectly fine. Being hung up in trends can become an exhausting spiral of following what is considered to

be “in.” Earlier in the issue, the idea of individualism was discussed in terms of people going out of their way to be unique and unlike others. While being different just for the sake of being different can be a way to lose some of one’s true personality, following the hottest trends to be trendy is a pitfall on the other end of the spectrum: instead of working hard to always be different, working hard to always fit in. As with many activities, the key is to enjoy what you do. If you enjoy a popular game that everyone plays, play it, even if it goes “out of style.” If you do not enjoy a global pop star like all your friends, no one is forcing you to listen to them over an artist with less than a thousand streams. At the end of the day, what you enjoy only needs to be cool to you.

Graphic by Lily Thomas.

Page 30

Tiger Times

February 2022

Editorial Policy Tiger Topics Tiger Times is the official monthly newsmagazine of Fishers High School. It is distributed free to approximately 3700 students and over 300 student personnel. It is designed, written and edited by students. Opinions expressed in the newsmagazine do not necessarily represent those of the adviser, administration or staff. Letters to the adviser may be submitted to A218, and must contain the writer’s phone number for verification. Letters to the editor will not be published anonymously. If there is any incorrect information, corrections will be made in the next issue. Editorial

Mission Statement As the student-run newsmagazine of FHS, Tiger Times is dedicated to providing the staff, students and community of FHS with a timely, entertaining and factual publication once a month by the means of public forum. In publishing articles that students enjoy reading, we are furthering both the educational experience and the expansion of FHS culture. The staff works to create a sense of unity and awareness and allow the students of FHS to have a better insight to the world around them Tiger Times

Page 31

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Volume 16, Issue 5

Articles inside

Mobile Gaming Decline

Individualism

AAVE

Education Policy and Teachers

Rec Basketball

E-dating

Movie Musicals

Childhood Interests

Stan Culture

State Bills H140 and H1134

Asian Food

Library Resources