Com(m)unicate - Vol VI Issue II

My Nocturnal Ghost Hunt on Campus June Lee The Psychology of Fear Paulina Ruiz Uber Things: The Strangest Uber Experiences Laura Alvarez and Isabela Puyana Media/Entertainment Reviews: If you liked Stranger Things Maria Triana and Veronica Aya

CNG

By Juanita Cure -- 12th Grade

Volume VI, Issue II Stranger Things

Volume VI, Issue II Com(m)unĂ­cate is a bilingual publication dedicated to sharing student voice and writing of Colegio Nueva Granada.

Editors Adelaida Lopez Sergio Lozano Layout and Design Editor Stella Hur Natalia Acero Design Team and Artists Juanita Cure Maria Luz Perez Stella Hur Natalia Acero Special Thanks to Ms. Kaun Mr. Tangen Dr. Carriazo Mr. Guzman Julio Mr. Burgos Publications Department

Copy Editor Michelle Akerman Writers June Lee Paulina Ruiz Laura Alvarez Isabela Puyana Olivia Galvis Ana Natiello Isabella Tejeda Natalia Ruiz Maria Triana Veronica Aya Natalia Medina Ju Young Shim Maria Gonzalez Sofia Zarate Alejandro Toro Printed by Cima Impresores E.U. May 2017

Table of Contents Editors’ Notes > > > > > > 1 My Nocturnal Ghost Hunt on Campus by June Lee > > > > > >

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The Psychology of Fear by Paulina Ruiz > > > > > >

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Uber Things: The Strangest Uber Experiences by Laura Alvarez and Isabela Puyana > > > > > > >

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Experiencing Peru in Legends by Olivia Galvis, Ana Natiello, and Isabella Tejeda > > > > > >

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Why Stranger Things is a Must-Watch by Natalia Ruiz > > > > > >

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Media/Entertainment Reviews: If you liked Stranger Things by Maria Triana and Veronica Aya > > > > > > > 13 Ms. Becca’s Energy Sticks Natalia Medina > > > > > >

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Beyond Rapair: What Zombies Tell Us About Today’s World by Ju Young Shim > > > > > >

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What Makes High School An Unforgettable Experience by Maria Gonzalez and Sofia Zarate

> > > > > > > 21 Pure Craziness by Alejandro Toro

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Editor’s Note From Stranger Things to Black Mirror to The O.A., unexpected, futuristic, or supernatural versions of our society have been gaining popularity on the media. Despite the unrealistic character of these depictions, they are ultimately all inspired in the world we live in. And why not? It seems like with every passing day, the chance of things previously deemed as strange to happen is more likely than ever. It is not necessary to watch these shows to encounter the “stranger things” in our lives.

As such, this issue was inspired by the many oddities that occur in our students’ lives.

The articles include reviews about books, films, and television series for those who enjoy these oddities, as well as pieces on the “stranger things” that happen to high schoolers, something that will be fun to read as the year comes to an end and one more senior class graduates. If you’ve ever heard ghost stories here at CNG and are curious to find out what a night at school is like, are familiar with the strange phenomenon that UBER rides have become, or just want to read an uncanny version of student life here on campus, this is your issue. And so, as you ponder over this amusingly strange student written compilation, take the time to ask yourself, what are the “stranger things” in my life?

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My Nocturnal Ghost Hunt on Campus June Lee

Upon my arrival to school at night, there was a Middle School Valentine’s Day party taking place; the lights and the music captured my attention. However, I just kept going all the way to the top hill of the school, to the high school zone. I headed to the gym and got a blue, rectangular matrix and placed it at the center of the gym; with my two blue sitting cushion, my bed was ready. Time to hunt some ghosts!

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My route went through the high school soccer field. The whistling of the birds, the whispering of the leaves, and the breeze going through my hair brought relaxation to my body; indeed, it was a serene, peaceful, tranquil night. Nonetheless, as I advanced my exploration, fear took over and I began to feel frightened.

When I reached the parking lot gate, I saw a guard and asked him, “Where can I find ghosts?”. He glanced at me with a curious look and replied, “I don’t know. Maybe you can find them in the theater or at the back of the cafeteria.”

I worked my way to the remoted backyard of the school, near the art classroom where there are cutted trees. The atmosphere was really gloomy; it felt like something might pop out from the woods. However, the traffic noise from the Circunvalar alleviated the hair-raising ambience helping me feel a bit relieved. From there, I headed straight up to the artroom; the sculptures and paintings displayed some fearsome silhouettes. I wanted to explore inside the classroom, but the locked doors prevented me from that.

I explored the first major place that would likely have some ghosts: the theater. The first impression of the empty theater was just dark. I couldn’t see anything; it was like standing inside of a whale’s belly; there was no single light which made it impossible to observe some kind of movement whatsoever. When I took a picture with my cellphone, the true fear appeared. Whereas with my naked eyes, it was impossible to see anything, the photo with the flashlight displayed every part of the theater very clearly. This difference made me to get some goose bumps. I thought that in the dark there were some kind of ghosts, but whenever I took photos with flashlight, they just hid themselves.

After visiting the unlit theater, I headed my way to the cafeteria. During my walk, I could hear the the gurgling sound of the water or the crying of the birds more vividly. When I arrived at the cafeteria, the red light gave an impression of hell; the place seemed to be full of diabolical spirits. I advanced to the rear of the cafeteria.

Actually, it was my first time going there. There was a long, narrow passage. By and by, I could hear some screaming, some kind of sound produced by a human-being, which made me stop for a while to concentrate on the sound for a second. I reached the end of the passage, and found a room, lights on, which I guess it was the kitchen or a room where the cookers can rest. I opened the door and said “Hola, nadie?” but there was no response. Had I just heard those screams?

After exploring the passage, I headed to the N building, the math department building. The building was bright but the classrooms were dark. Along the staircase, there was a speaker that made a crackling sound which I thought was kind of a signal or a message from a ghost. I headed my way to the hallway in high school which was also brightly lit. I wanted to turn off the light so it would be more exciting and worth exploring, but I couldn’t find the switch. I went into the bathroom and in there, I switched the light off; the bathroom turned to a dark cave; nothing was observable. I took a picture, but as usual, nothing appeared. So far, no ghosts.

I returned to the gymnasium, where my bed was and tried to get some sleep. It would be a long, cold night.

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The Psychology of Fear Paulina Ruiz Fear has been part of our lives forever. The textbook definition of fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. However, it varies depending on the person. Take for example someone who is afraid of physical contact.

To the vast majority of members of society, that wouldn’t classify in any of the three categories previously mentioned. As redundant as it may sound, people fear fear itself. It is an emotion that makes us feel uncomfortable and insecure, an emotion that makes even the strongest of us vulnerable. People are so afraid of it because it controls our weak spot; it puts us at its mercy. Although everyone has had a personal experience with fear at some point in their lives, few understand the psychological aspect behind it and what one may find at the roots of this emotion.

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According to psychologist Lisa Fritscher, there are two stages that occur in the human body regarding fear: biochemical and emotional. At one point or another, we have each been introduced to the idea of fight or flight, and that is basically what the biochemical response is all about. Take for example when a person starts sweating, their heart starts racing, and their adrenaline levels become sky high. This is the automatic response our body has, and the reason we, as the human species, have been alive for so long. The second stage is then the emotional reaction. As opposed to the biochemical reaction, this one is much more personal. It all depends on the person, a great example being those who are adrenaline junkies, and who go searching for fear because they enjoy their biochemical reaction. Although both of these stages are bound to happen, if there is

consistent exposure to fear, the response decreases. This is known as acclimation, and is commonly used to treat phobias.

Taking into account the negative feeling one gets when facing fear, one then poses the question as to why some people go looking for it. The pursuit of fear is simple enough. When our body prepares itself to face a fear, it may feel good. Sociologist Dr. Margee Kerr says, “our arousal system is activated and triggers a cascade of ‘feel good’ neurotransmitters and hormones like endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline that influence our brains and our bodies.”

Not only is there the immediate response, but also the after effect of fear.

Once the fear had been addressed, our body floods with a sense of relief, which frankly, feels amazing. It is both of these feelings that people look for when they watch for example a horror movie, or a series such as The Walking Dead. Experiencing fear can even go as far as making us feel more confident.

“Psychologically when we make it through a safe yet scary activity, it results in feelings of confidence, competence, accomplishment, and success—it’s a real self-esteem boost,” writes Dr. Kerr. When considering the lack of high self esteem in millennials, it is logical for horror entertainment to be so popular.

In the past, many were led to believe that fear was a form of cowardice; that if one was just brave enough, then there shouldn’t be any fear. However, this could not be more wrong. Fear is the quintessential human emotion, it is part of our nature. Without fear, our ancestors would probably be dead and you would not be here reading this article.

Fear triggers a response in our bodies that changes from person to person. It is a response that some people absolutely hate but one that some go looking for. There is no use in attempting to escape it, to find a way around it, it is unavoidable. Deal with it.

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Uber Things: The Strangest Uber Experiences Laura Alvarez and Isabela Puyana

For this issue of Com(m)unicate, we decided to talk about strange experiences members of our community have had with Uber. This popular taxi service has become part of our day-to-day lives and we thought this would be an interesting topic to discuss, since most of us have used or know about the service. Some of us have had excellent experiences with this service, while others have had terrible ones. However, some of us have experienced strange moments in Uber. Here are some of the stories of people in our community. Some of the students have decided to stay anonymous for this article.

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Com(m)unicate: What is the strangest thing that has happened to you using Uber?

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Kazim Rizvi, 12th grade: One day I ordered an Uber and the driver started talking to me about politics. It wasn’t about American politics or even Colombian politics, it was Pakistani politics! We started having a really in-depth conversation, as if he were from Pakistan (my home country). It was incredibly strange. To add to that, the driver was from Medellin and only spoke Spanish, which was tricky for me since I am still learning how to speak this language.

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Student 1 (female), 12th grader: Well the strangest thing that has happened to me is one day my older cousin and I were in an Uber really late at night, leaving a family reunion, and my older cousin was a little tipsy. The Uber driver saw a police officer in front of us and was afraid she would get in trouble, so she basically kicked us out of the car, telling us she would pick us up again after she passed the police officer. My cousin and I waited for a really long time but the woman never appeared again.

She even charged me a really expensive fee for the drive! Besides that, nothing too bad or strange has happened to me in Uber.

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Student 2 (female) , 12th grader: Last month, I called an Uber and the driver really loved to talk. He started telling me that he loved when it rained in Bogota, and that he loved the traffic you find here. At the beginning I thought that he was a really nice person and that he was very genuine, but then he started saying some weird things, and he just started giving me some weird vibes. He proceeded by telling me that the rain has negative ions, and that is the reason as to why I was very tired that day. He also told me that they help to relieve stress, as well as sometimes cure depression.

The ride lasted for around 20 minutes due to the traffic, so I got to know him as a person and as a professional man. Basically he works at a pad company, and I discovered that pads have negative ions, which is why he knew a lot.

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Com(m)unicate: What is the strangest thing that has happened to you using Uber?

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Student 3 (female), 12th grader: One time, I was using Uber X and the driver started talking to me by saying: “Miss, I’m sorry to say this but you smell really nice.” I was really creeped out by that comment. Then the driver continued this conversation with flirtatious comments, asking me if I had a boyfriend and things like that. I was counting down the minutes so I could get out of the car and leave that really disturbing situation. When he was about to drop me off, he said he wished he was a few years younger and that I was a few years older so he could maybe have an opportunity to be with me. I was really freaked out, I couldn’t get out of that car fast enough.

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Student 4 (male), 10th grader: Strangest? Well, one time the Uber driver started asking me really personal questions like, where I’m from, what school I attended, how much the school costed, how much my dad earned and things of that sort. It was really strange. Besides that, nothing weird has happened.

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Student 5 (female), 12th grader: Once I was using Uber-X and I was heading out to pierce one of my ears. I was with a friend and she wouldn’t stop talking to me about it. The driver heard the whole conversation and told us that we shouldn’t do it because we would be messing with our natural beauty. Then he kept talking to us and telling us how he felt about today’s society. We asked him to tell us what has been his craziest Uber story. He had to think it thoroughly because he has had a lot of weird stories. One of the stories he told us was that he once had a couple in the Uber and they were having a huge fight in the middle of the car ride.

The boy was the one who had ordered the Uber so he decided to kick his girlfriend out of the car. The driver stopped and told him that he shouldn’t have done that, and that was when the teenage boy got really mad and almost punched him.

Experiencing Peru in Legends Olivia Galvis, Ana Natiello, and Isabella Tejeda Pictures: Olivia Galvis

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Although we had only arrived a few hours before, we were already on a mission to discover Cusco and its rich history. The three of us joined a larger group with Santiago Arroyo, a CNG teacher, and a guide from Peru’s finest, the “Raices” group. Our guide was called Yamil and he showed us and explained the amazing history behind the various places we travelled to in Peru. Most of the legends we learned about were mainly in Cusco, the Incas’ most important city at the time and what became an administrative, religious and military center.

The first day we met Yamil and the other guides, we asked them to narrate the scariest and most haunting stories Peru and the Incas had to offer. They were excited to share with us these stories, since they made up part of their culture and part of their childhood, but they told us that these stories were going to be narrated during the nights we camped in Lares and Patacancha, the beginning and end of our twenty-two kilometer hike. We then became exhilarated to hear these stories and before we knew it, the first night in Lares had arrived and it was time. Yamil warned us about the scariness of the legends and told us that he would start off from least to most scary to leave us with a frightening feeling right before going to sleep in a tent, next to a gushing loud river, surrounded by humongous and mysterious mountains.

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One of the first popular legends (which is not exactly paranormal) is about a couple, Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, who both emerged from the waters of the Titicaca to find the city of Cusco and teach people how to cultivate the land. The city was then divided into an upper area, Hanan, and a lower area, Hurin.

It’s also said the outline of the first city is in the shape of a puma. Many of the streets had these stone walls, where we weren’t allowed to lean on or touch, but these stones were shaped to take form of a puma, snake or condor. These intricate designs were hard to actually notice. It wasn’t until they traced the animals on the stone that the snake’s tail or the puma’s head became visible. Yamil explained the legend about what each of these animals represented: the condor represented the heavens, the puma represented the living, and the snake represented the underworld. This is considered the Incan Trinity as these symbols are seen across the whole city, in the walls, in the shops, and even on the ground.

The second story was the legend of the ancient culture of the Andes and its city.

We were told about “The Uma”. “The Uma” is a mythical woman with long hair who is related to the witches of the Andes; Uma is a quechua word which means head, but in the legend it refers to flying head. The Uma is said to be a young woman who can be visited only on certain days, not on Tuesdays or Thursdays. On

certain nights, the Uma’s head separates from her body and travels to the countryside in her search for new victims. It is said she prefers younger men to prey on. If you are a victim of the Uma’s head, you will die and if you kill the Uma, you will be lost with no direction. The way to escape these witches is by running through a forest with trees and long branches so the Uma’s hair gets caught in it and she won’t be able to capture you.

The last myth was the story about the legendary Yacumama: a horned, snake-like monster who is rumoured to be 160 feet long.

The Yacumama is part of multiple indigenous groups’ mythology, primarily tribes hailing from the Western Amazon in the lowlands of Peru. Before entering unfamiliar bodies of water, indigenous tribes would blow a horn to warn the gigantic reptile of human presence, and probably to avoid being attacked as well.

Yamil and his fellow companions finished telling us these stories and told us it was time for bed. All of us went back to our tents. The boys’ tents were on the left side of the river and closer to the campsite. The girls’ tents were on the other side of the river, so we had to cross the river through a fragile and small bridge. As we were heading back to the tents to go to bed, we thought we heard puma growls. We decided to ignore the sounds since the noise could have been caused by the strong and rapid river

hitting against the rocks. We also knew that our minds were being affected because of the scary stories. We went into the tent and saw moving shadows through the fabric; shadows of those three magical Inca figures: the puma, the condor, and the snake. We knew our minds were playing games with us; those shadows made us even more scared but we decided to try to fall asleep, since we had to wake up at four in the morning the next day for the twenty-two kilometer Lares trek.

It was 2:30 in the morning. For some reason the three of us had woken up. We still had an hour and a half to rest but we couldn’t fall back asleep. We still had the Uma myth as well as the Yucamama in our minds. We decided to get out of the tent and go to the bathroom, which was located at the other side of the river. As we opened up the tent, our minds expected to see dark creatures or at least snakes creeping around our tent but there was nothing. What hit us was how beautiful the mountains looked, how somehow peaceful the river sounded, and the serenity that being in the mountains gave us. This was where we realized that every time the Incas trekked through this same trail, they could have been hypnotized by the beauty and mystery of the mountains. We realized the importance of the mountains for the Incas and what greater value they had.

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Why Stranger Things is a Must-Watch Natalia Ruiz I am pretty sure every single one of you reading this has at least heard of the show Stranger Things. It was all the hype a few months ago when the first season was released on Netflix, as one of their original shows. Many of us jumped on the trend train when convinced by a friend that it was the most amazing show ever. Watching the trailer for it, you’ve probably asked yourself, “what even is this?” Having watched all seasons of Gossip Girl, Suits, White Collar, and even Vampire Diaries, I thought it was way out of my element, but if you’re adventurous like me, you decided to give it a shot anyways and check out what’s so special about it.

Obviously I don’t want to be giving any spoilers, but there really is no simple way to describe what the show is about.

It is based on a surrealistic science fiction, but not in the way you probably think. It focuses on four boys, I’d say around twelve years old, who play cards and fictional games many boys that age are obsessed with. When one of them goes missing, they are all on the search to find him, when a lost and confused girl joins them as well. She isn’t a normal kid either. She’s been kept to experiment on her mind for her whole life, and this is where we see it isn’t only about supernatural dimensions and monsters, but they manage to include secret government organizations, which we don’t know

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for sure about, but can’t help but wonder if they exist in our real world. The plot then develops into the journey of the youngboys to recover their friend along with their new friend, Eleven, hiding from the adults while more mysterious things happen in their town.

What makes this show so great for everyone isn’t the plot - considering that you probably read that and fell asleep, but the fact that there is something for every age in the show. Kids will probably enjoy it for the adventure, something they would die to do at that age, the teens will love the strangeness of it all, how all of these things can be happening which seem so ridiculous but keep you wanting to know more, and the adults will love the whole way the adults react to all the mystical things and will want to know more about the government intervention. I even have to say that all the actors were very well chosen for the roles, and each one of them is so different there’s not one you don’t like or don’t pay much attention to. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, I’d say give it a try. Don’t just watch the trailer but stick to at least the first three episodes and I promise you’ll find something you enjoy. It’ll be so different than what you’re used to, and when you’re hooked and have finished the whole first season in three days and are ready for the next one, you’ll thank me for it. Trust me.

Media/ Entertainment Reviews:

If you liked Stranger Things Maria Triana and Veronica Aya

Similar Films:

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Haven’t had enough of supernatural beings? E.T. is the story of an alien who seeks the help of a troubled, young boy in order to get home. What is it with young boys helping different beings? If you miss Mike and his friends, then this is your film.

Lilo and Stitch (2002) “Aloha means family and family doesn’t get left behind.” Doesn’t this remind you of Will and his friends helping Eleven. Never give up on those you love no matter where they come from and what past is chasing them.

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Similar Reads: It by Stephen King This novel about a group of kids that investigate a menacing force that is haunting their home town will overwhelm you. If you liked Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Eleven’s adventure in search of their lost friend (Will), you will also enjoy reading this astonishing King novel.

Firestarter by Stephen King Remember how Eleven’s powers appear? Firestarter follows a similar theme of scientific experimentation. Thus, if you are missing Eleven’s superpowers, you will likely enjoy reading about a girl will similar powers that must escape containment along with her father and avoid being recaptured.

Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon If you enjoyed the mystery of the demogorgon scaring the residents of a small town in Indiana, you should read this dark and stormy journey of confrontation. A boy who can see evil and a father that comes face-to-face with death. This story will certainly give you the chills.

The Boys of Summer by Richard Cox Todd Willis, a boy who can feel that his town is now different, and a group of boys become involved in a mystery trying to discover the darkness that is engulfing their small town. Do they remind you of someone? Read The Boys of Summer and discover their findings.

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Similar Series:

The X-Files (1993) Seems like supernatural creatures are starting to like it here on Earth. Follow two FBI agents: Mulder and Scully as they confront these creatures. Just like in Stranger Things, the constant debate of whether it’s real or not is always present. What is it that they will find?

Blindspot (2015) Seems like people are getting a hang for disappearing and appearing with clues. Just like Will, Jane Doe is found, with little recollection of what happened and huge clues to solving their mysteries. Don’t miss out on this thriller.

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Ms. Becca’s

Energy Sticks Natalia Medina

Do you believe that there is more in our world than we can actually see? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to communicate with a deceased loved one?

We have all asked ourselves at least one of these two questions. Some people believe in ghosts, spirits, angels, or even energies that are there with us on Earth. However, there hasn’t been a way to actually prove it.

Ms. Becca Lapiana, the AP Psychology and Government teacher, has found a way to ‘communicate’ with whatever is beyond our senses. She has two ‘L’ shaped copper sticks called energy sticks which are said to move when the presence of high levels of energy are sensed. The way to manage these sticks is simple. The person has to hold the bottom handle of each stick in the air. If the upper handles start to rotate, this means that there is energy in the person holding them.

Not everyone has energy so they don’t work on all of the people who try them. If the sticks begin to rotate, the person may now begin to ask them yes-or-no questions. First, the person has to ask the sticks what position is a yes and which one is a no in order to identify the answer to their questions. Once they have shown the holder of the sticks, it is up to them to ask. Every question will be answered through a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

For some people, this is a spiritual encounter and for others, it is one of the mysteries of science.

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Ms. Becca believes that there are certain energies that are left “hanging” on Earth after a person passes away. She has been trying to identify a spirit for a long time, even though it says that it comes from her father’s bloodline.

“Every time I use these sticks, they tell me that the ‘spirit’ is a male from my father’s bloodline, from the Greek side, from the 1600s. I still haven’t managed to identify who it is even though I have asked it if it was named some of the most likely names I could think of and so far the answer has been ‘no’”.

What shocks students the most is when Ms. Becca asks the sticks to give her a hug and they immediately move towards her and form an embracing position. This can’t be a coincidence, can it?

Obviously, every person who has tried these sticks has a different reasoning as to why the sticks move and answer questions.

Some people say that it is because their hand was shaky or because the stick was slightly tilted while others have a more mystical opinion. What is moving those sticks? No one will ever know.

Beyond Repair: What Zombies

Tell Us About Today’s World Ju Young Shim

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The main feature of horror films is the various types of monsters that intrigue and scare the audience. The truly horrible monsters are like a puddle of dripping blood or a rusty knife; they bring a chill to the spine with their very existence, a goosebump on the arm with every noise. Why do these horrifying creatures give us a visceral reaction with just the sight of them?

The answer lies within our psychology.

Fictional monsters abuse human psychology by recreating the internal fears that humans have. By reminding the audience of their long kept terror, films essentially force the audience to react. This is the driving point of these films, as the monster is a physical implementation of an anticipated danger.

Therefore each type of monster has a main human fear that they represent; ghosts represent fear of the supernatural, werewolves represent fear of the duality

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of humans, vampires represent fear of the secret evils of others, enemy monsters represent fear of those who are different.

Therefore, it is not a surprise that many monsters were created in fearful times, and for many, change is frightening.

Eighteenth to nineteenth century London was a busy, polluted city due to the Age of Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution overtaking society, where urbanization and industrialism was at its peak; it was quickly changing from a quiet city to a crowded factory with issues in health, poverty, and water quality. This harsh new world caused the Romantic era, as many writers sought sanctuary from the ill world in revived medievalism and appeal to emotion.

Romanticism was partially made in fear that this changing world would do more harm to humanity than good. Many horror fictions were born because of this fear of change. Let me give some examples.

Frankenstein, published in 1818, England, is a renowned novel about an enraged monster who despised his creator for being horrified at his disgusting appearance, consequently becoming a serial killer due to this rage. Contrary to popular film adaptations, Frankenstein is the scientist in the novel and the monster is called “the monster�. Anyhow, Frankenstein creates the monster via the use of electricity, and this is a figurative representation of Luigi Galvani and his research of bioelectromagnetics in the late 18th century, when Galvani discovered that a dead frog leg twitches when electrified. Frankenstein reflects the fear of scientific improvement by pointing out the disaster that could occur if we challenge the realm of nature. The monster’s humongous undead body and blind rage towards Frankenstein represent uncontrollable scientific disaster.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, published in 1886 England, is also a classic novel about the peculiar relationship between Dr. Jekyll and evil Mr. Hyde. Initially, Dr. Jekyll creates and uses a serum to become Mr. Hyde, who was the way he would relieve his stress and not confine to the law, but later Mr. Hyde becomes uncontrollable by Dr. Jekyll, who relies on the serum to remain conscious. This novel was released at an era where the fundamentals of chemistry were being developed; the periodic table was first constructed in 1869 and the electron was discovered in 1897.

Jekyll & Hyde reflects the fear of scientific improvement but also that of the duality - and unexpected evils - of human beings. Mr. Hyde represents the yet untapped evil side that every person has. As frightening as change can be, Jekyll & Hyde acknowledges that there is something more frightening than change: humans.

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Thus, every monster has an explanation to its creation. However, during this analysis, one creature stumped me: the zombie. Zombies are unlike other monsters.

Amongst the monsters that we discussed, zombies are surprisingly similar to human beings. After all, they are animated dead human beings. For this reason, unlike their fellow monster colleagues, zombies are not incredibly strong, agile, nor deceiving. They are not overpowering demons, mastermind criminals, nor secretive spies. In fact, they are often slower, duller, and weaker than humans. So why do these dull, human-like creatures scare us intelligent humans?

The true horror of zombies is when they are in hoards. They swarm in from all directions to eat your flesh, leaving no escape route. Zombies represent the collapse of society and the threat of a mindless crowd. Fear of becoming infected indicates fear of becoming part of that mindless crowd: fear of losing your free will.

Zombies, first being represented in popular culture during the late 20th century, show how much the past generations, including ourselves, value this free will, independence, and individuality.

The recent rise of zombie series and films might be an indicator that we are starting

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to fear the loss of these values.

Perhaps society is collapsing and mindless infected crowds are driving what is still intact.

The nineteenth century gave birth to Romanticism because many writers feared that their changing reality would lead to disaster. As we learned, writers often craft their stories to depict what they worry about in society. When so many directors and writers are describing a zombie apocalypse, the end of built society as we know it, and the struggle to keep communities safe from a mindless zombie hoard, it is hasty to claim that it just happens to be that zombies are the new hot trend. Maybe these fictions are trying to tell us that our society is at danger, that the rationale and individualism we valued so much in the past is being lost.

Look around you right now. The news, your world, your country, your society... yourself. What do you see? Do you see a mindless crowd? Do you see a collapse of established society? Do you see fear, pain, and sorrow? Do you see the apocalypse?

Maybe we are already in it. Maybe mindless crowds are already pushing society in the direction they follow. Maybe you’re one of the few remaining survivors. Maybe you’re not. I just hope that we are yet to be infected beyond repair.

What Makes High School An Unforgettable Experience

Maria Gonzalez and Sofia Zarate

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What Makes High School An Unforgettable Experience 1. Opportunity to work with different people 2. Changing of classes and teachers 3. Meeting new people from different nationalities 4. Joining after school activities 5. Preparing yourself for a near future 6. Seeing your friends everyday 7. Breaks between classes 8. School trips 9. Sharing ideas to make learning environment better 10. Opportunity to join different academic clubs 11. Choosing your electives 12. Having your favorite subject 13. Buying at the kiosko 14. Group Projects 15. Graduation Day 16. Watching movies related to lesson plans 17. Listening to music during lunch time 18. Awards 19. School fundraisers 20. Wearing a senior jacket

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Things To Keep In Mind 1. Enjoy high school while it lasts, you will miss some of it, even if you think these were the worse four years of your life.

2. Eat whatever you want, and stop the diet.

3. Don’t be embarrassed by your parents. At the end, everyone has a pair of these crazy people.

4. You were beautiful before he/she told you.

5. Don’t tell your mom you hate her, you will regret it.

6. Don’t let one mistake define you.

7. It’s only a bad day, not a bad life.

8. Holding back your feelings is never the answer: to say “nothing” to the question “what’s happening?”, will definitely mean that something’s up.

9. Don’t waste any opportunity.

10. The people who seem the most different, might have a lot of things in common with you.

11. Meet up with a college counselor to discuss your college plans.

12. Keep in mind that every class you take is preparation for a career picking.

Top Ten Most Annoying Things About High School 1. For kids in Advanced Placement classes: Preparing for the AP test.

2. For kids not in Advanced Placement classes: hearing the aforementioned kids whine about their AP tests.

3. Gossip.

4. When people ask you for gum, and it is the last one.

5. The “see you next year” jokes, before winter breaks.

6. Second semester senior year like: Second semester senioritis.

7. Coming back to school on Mondays 8. Slow walkers 9. Acne 10. Labels/ Stereotypes 11. Trying to finish up a test and getting out of focus on the last question because there is whispering.

12. Getting called on by a teacher to answer a question you know but then forget the answer you were going to say.

Nine Movies Every High School Senior Should Watch Before Graduation 1. The Breakfast Club 2. Grease 3. Toy Story (to remember your childhood) 4. Clueless 5. She’s All That 6. Dead Poets Society 7. Dazed and Confused 8. Can’t Hardly Wait 9. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

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Pure Craziness Alejandro Toro

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By Juanita Cure -- 12th Grade