Ed. 96 - Senior

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Published monthly, The Talon strives to be an innovative student magazine that is entertaining, intellectually provocative, and visually engaging. We are conscious of the responsibility of writing and publishing, and we seek to create a dynamic magazine that is worthy of its readers. We show respect for our readers by exposing them to a variety of perspectives.

Ultimately, The Talon seeks to bring Graded to the world and the world to Graded.

The Talon wants to hear from you! We encourage submissions and ideas for articles and themes from all members of the Graded community. We publish in English, Portuguese, French, and Spanish. We reserve the right to edit submissions for length and clarity. The opinions expressed in the articles are those of the writers and not necessarily of The Talon. For this reason, we do not accept anonymous submissions. Send submissions, ideas, and themes to talon@graded.br.

TALON STAFF 2012-2013

About the Cover

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Julia Wu & Kyle Bissell LAYOUT EDITOR: Nicole Vladimirschi COLUMNISTS: Ines Gil, Lucas Zuccolo, Kat Aliano, Luiza Gundim, Giovanna Regis, Fernão Mesquita

For this cover I used all 92 headshots of the class of 2013 to create a sort of chaotic, but interesting, visual effect. On the back I used the picture of the seniors throwing their caps up in the air. I chose this picture because it was one of the moments in which I realized how close we were to graduation, and it is one of the moments I am going to miss from my senior year.

This cover is especially important to me since it is the last one I have the opportunity of working on, and it is my farewell to Graded in a way. Thank you for the wonderful times!

— Dani Reis

NEWS: Andrea Ferreira (Editor), Annie Groth (Assistant Editor), Daniel Almeida FEATURES: Adam Fertig (Editor), Mariana Lepecki (Assistant Editor), Julia Abreu, Clara Bezerra, Rê Sayão ENTERTAINMENT: Yasmin Della Nina (Editor), Kevin Shimba Bengsston (Assistant Editor), Mendel Schwarz, Felipe

Congratulations!

After reading through many more impressive applications than there are spots on the Talon, Mr. Berg and Ms. Pfeiffer have selected the following students for the 2013-2014 magazine staff:

Marques, Larissa Chern SPORTS: Kevin Wolfson (Editor), Rafa Rocha (Assistant Editor) BLOGGERS: Paty Kim, Mariana Bender, Victor Lee PHOTOGRAPHER: Karen Kandelman ▪ ▪ ▪ TEACHER ADVISORS: Josh Berg & Mary Pfeiffer PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE CONSULTANT: Maggie Moraes ▪ ▪ ▪ E-mail: talon@graded.br

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Adam Hunt & Mariana Lepecki LAYOUT: Nicole Vladimirschi (Editor), Fernanda Fiszner COLUMNISTS: Daniel Almeida, Fernão Mesquita, Julia Abreu, Lucas Zuccolo, Luiza Gundim, Mendel Schwarz NEWS: Andrea Ferreira (E), Annie Groth (AE), Paula Schulman, Faria Nasruddin, Pedro Werebe FEATURES: Clara Bezerra (E), Pooja Singhi (AE), Karen Kandelman, Ariel Goldszmidt, Sylvia Yang ENTERTAINMENT: Kevin Bengtsson (E), Felipe Marquez (AE), Bella Shim, MC Otani, Michael Borger BLOGGERS: Paty Kim, Carol von Mutius, Catu Berretta COVER ARTIST: Alejandro Torres PHOTOGRAPHER: Rafaela Goldlust

A green magazine, five years and counting! Since August 2007, The Talon has been printed on recycled paper.

editors-in-chiefs

Your Inner Tiger Keep him close at hand Kyle Bissell

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his being my last piece as editor-in-chief, I feel required to write something that is both retrospective and introspective. This is not hard at all—it’s been a year for such reflections. Endings have always been something that bothered me intensely whether they be happy or sad. I am rarely able to bring myself to watch those last minutes of the last episode of Friends or read the epilogue in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It has been a very long time since I last looked at that final frame of Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin tells us what we’ve already known all along from reading this enchanting comic—“It’s a magical world”—and then slides off with Hobbes on his iconic toboggan.

They’re going exploring.

One has to wonder what happens to Hobbes when Calvin grows up.

For t hose who have not yet been introduced to Calvin’s world, Calvin and Hobbes is a comic strip that ran from 1985-1995. Every day, readers would join Calvin and his stuffed tiger, Hobbes (who comes to life through Calvin’s eyes) on their many memorable adventures. As with most comic strips, time does not really pass and so we never see Calvin get significantly older. The last time we see him, in 1995, he’s still six-years-old. If we were to think of this in real time, Calvin would now be 24-years-old.

What place does Hobbes have in the adult world?

We would assume that by now Calvin will have gotten his act together and is probably fresh out of college. If he were to carry a stuffed tiger around to all of his lectures, there would obviously be great cause for concern for his psychological wellbeing. We have to hope that Hobbes has not been snuffed out of existence—that he’s still somewhere in Calvin’s mind.

Need I explain that, at least for this article’s purposes, Hobbes represents our inner child at its purest? The prospect of college next year is incredibly exciting but there will be a great hole left in me by the permanent departure from Graded.

Having studied here since the 3rd grade, I have always had the

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benefit of nourishing my nostalgia every once in a while, walking down to the playgrounds, marveling at how I could touch the monkey bars just by extending my arm upwards. I could always look at the sand field and reminisce about those days when I would round up a group of friends and run away from one particular child, thoroughly ignoring the nagging understanding that it was bullying until the same happened to me, and I would be brought to tears by the injustice of the universe. I will not have this sentimental luxury up north. Looking back on these years, it’s disturbing how my visits to the lower school diminished significantly.

In my hurry to grow up, I stuck to the snack bar, the playground far in the back of my mind.

What was always so remarkable to me about Calvin was how he always questioned what he did not agree with or what did not make sense. His many escapades at school are both unforgettable churchm.ag and thought-provoking.

In my favorite one, Calvin asks his teacher whether he is “adequately preparing [him] for the 21st century,” an question many of us can relate to. I worry that as we delve more and more into the adult world, we will lose our ability to question our surroundings. I imagine myself in a cubicle, constantly forcing down those churning questions regarding my purpose in life, why I must adhere to the rules, whether 24-year-old Calvin has been tamed and chained as I have. Obviously I am painting a very cynical picture of adulthood, but the worry is still prominent in my thoughts.

When I’m stressing out over my midterms or, more likely, avoiding the inevitable recognition that I have to get to work, I’m going to pick up one of my many Calvin and Hobbes collections. The last frame serves not as much as a goodbye but more as an affirmation that Calvin and Hobbes will remain immortal, exactly the way we remember them. I will do my best to nourish my inner child. That is the biggest challenge I will face.

editors-in-chief

Elder Here, Infant There What I learned, beyond Newton, Leibniz and Shakespeare Julia Wu

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ast time I saw my grandmother in China, I had yet to apply to college. When she told me that I should visit my great grandmother before going to school in the U.S., I complied, with the feeling that when that time arrived, my life would have blossomed into a new phase. It hasn’t been long since the thought of college was still somewhat remote; since life at Graded seemed like a steady route that I did not have to consider leaving. But today, my classmates and I face the reality of a path after applying to college, taking the IB exams we spent two years preparing for, and graduating.

As I walk out of Graded with a diploma and take baby steps into adulthood, I look back to find some important discoveries I made throughout my high school career. They are not necessarily things I regret doing or wish I had done, but notions I’ve conceived after a chain of successes and failures as a teenager. Not only will I develop on them in the road ahead, I also hope that by sharing them, my younger colleagues can benefit from what I have learned. Before moving on, please keep in mind that you might not agree with everything I say, and I do not intend to teach you how to succeed.

Here it goes: Take action. This phrase has multiple connotations, but the “action” I am referring to means doing things when you deem necessary. Basically, if you feel like something needs to be done, don’t loiter or leave it to the last minute. Occasionally, I foolishly tricked myself into believing that taking action wasn’t worth it, just to avoid the extra work. For example, if something about that long-term project bothers you, then confront it, even if it will cost you time—change it while you still can.

Trust your own abilities. For me, high school was an opportunity to cultivate and believe in myself. The process of becoming independent involves plenty of decision-making and acumen. When multiple adults or friends give you different opinions on your college essay or where you should go for college, will you be able to benefit from their input and still know what is best for you? I know I had some trouble trusting myself when it came to big decisions.

Set goals. Long- and short-term goals provided me with a sense of pursuit and fulfillment. I didn’t always have goals, because it isn’t easy (and sometimes, comfortable) to have an idea of what you want to accomplish with an experience or over a period of time.

Control the competition. Don’t get me wrong—we do

not have the duty to prevent competition from taking place.

However, it is within our capacity to tame the frustrations that come along with competition. Graded’s culture and my own background encouraged me to be very competitive, and I confess that this way of life can get out of control. I came to realize, after being overly competitive, that ultimately I am the one who ends up overwhelmed. It is up to us to extract the meaning behind competition, and understand whether we want to strive to be better than everybody else or simply who we were yesterday.

Persevere. One of my grandfather’s pieces of wisdom is to stay optimistic when bombarded with difficulties. This, along with my erratic academic life, has suggested that I should keep working hard no matter what. Do you work hard only because of an expected grade, or are there greater and more dependable reasons? Gradually, I came to realize that not all of my hard work paid off in obvious ways. When this first dawned on me, I beat myself up, and actually wasted a lot of time in the punishment. But I was happy to notice that when I stopped doing this, it wasn’t because I stopped caring about school in general, but because I condenaststore.com knew that, regardless of the results, my effort was worthwhile. Boy, do you get tired sometimes! I too struggle to come to terms with the fact that life isn’t always fair.

Embrace discomfort. Without a doubt, Graded offered me plenty of opportunities to do what I would normally find uncomfortable or strange, and grow from doing so. Not only does leaving your comfort behind—and sometimes even becoming vulnerable—introduce you to things you didn’t know about yourself, it also grants you new perspectives.

Most importantly, leave your own footprints. I have been tempted to simulate the path of an idol or the upperclassman I admired. I even found myself checking if the steps I took were aligned with that of someone else’s. It took me a while to realize the authenticity of my own self; and how everybody is so different that trying to be exactly like someone else can really be a catastrophic waste of time.

To wrap it up, recognize the value of reflection. It is much easier to let events and experiences pass by without stopping to scrutinize their impact on us. Reflection has allowed me to cultivate self-knowledge, and as with this culminating article, add more significance to what I have discovered and hope to do.

the talon • 3

editors-in-chief

Recently @ Graded BnW’s last delivery of fresh news Julia Wu & Kyle Bissell

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elebration of the World: The event that the PTA spent all year preparing for finally took place on the last Saturday of April. Graded’s gyms were graced with decorated booths that provided food and entertainment from the countries represented in our community. Students and their families also enjoyed performances, music and parades from exotic cultures all afternoon. The raffles contributed more excitement to the afternoon with baskets compiled by lower school classes, including prizes such as iPads, autographed items, and candy.

Preparation for IB exams: The IB examination season has begun, at the height of the senioritis pandemic. In the upcoming weeks, seniors will wrap up the IB experience with Paper 1’s, 2’s and 3’s on BrSS, Physics, Economics, Math, Biology, and languages. Behold, seniors, your last challenge before the finish line! Freedom, whether you like it or not, is just around the corner.

Big 4: Once again, our varsity athletes represented us very well, with the girls’ softball and volleyball teams coming in first place! It’s always amazing to see how passionately our classmates cheer on their teams. What a great way to send off the seniors.

Career Day/Brazilian College Fair: Graded welcomed Brazilian professionals from fields such as business, psychology, game design, architecture, and international relations. Students had

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an opportunity to interact with outstanding professionals and later attend a Brazilian college fair that featured well-known institutions such as USP and FAAP. One Last Conference: An end-of-year celebration that united the MUN and HACIA teams was put together by freshmen, sophomores and juniors in late April. The two committees debated the fate of North and South Korea as well as the isovereignty of the Falkland Islands.

For the first time in Graded’s history, the two rival debate teams came together in a collaborative manner.

Senior Spirit Week: To celebrate our last full week of school before we trudge into IB exam hell, the seniors had their own spirit week.

It was incredible to see how many seniors participated, and with such enthusiasm! We saw superheroes, hippies and even flapper dresses. It was definitely great way to cap off a great year.

Committing to colleges: We all know that the application process is tough. No one told us that actually choosing the college that you will enroll in is just as hard, if not harder.

Posting college acceptances on Facebook was great, but adding a university to your timeline is nerve-wracking because it’s “Facebook official.” Juniors, keep that in mind when you send out 15 applications next year.

Carol Schivartche

editors-in-chief

A Farewell to Senior Talonistas Pfeifferberg at the dinner table Ms. Pfeiffer and Mr. Berg

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Berg: She only has one name as far as I know. She’s like “Pelé.”

Pfeiffer: Oh, yeah. Where should we start?

Berg: Moving on. What can we say about Larissa?

Berg: I don’t know. I talked to Kevin today . . . let’s start with him.

Pfeiffer: She was usually the very first person to submit her articles.

Pfeiffer: What could we say about Kevin?

Berg: So reliable. And Kat, and Gi?

Berg: Well, he has a big head.

Pfeiiffer: They were usually . . . not the very first to submit their articles.

erg: So, it’ll be time to write about the seniors soon for the next edition.

Pfeiffer: You mean, he thinks a lot of himself?

Pfeiffer: Cool.

Berg: No, I mean literally. The dude’s got a monster squash.

Berg: They’re tall, though.

Pfeiffer: Is that relevant in some way?

Pfeiffer: Good thing he’s good looking.

You wouldn’t want to be ugly and have a big head.

Berg: How would I know? I’m not tall.

Pfeiffer: Me neither. But I’m tall compared to Yas.

Berg: True, true.

Pfeiffer: He was a big help when he came in on final edit day that Sunday.

Berg: Yeah, super competent. Plus he contributed the switchyour-section idea, and got the Facebook page off the ground.

Pfeiffer: Good. We’ve got him covered then. Who’s next?

Yas Della Nina Berg: Yas writes

up a storm. She’s probably won more “best article” awards than any other staff member.

Pfeiffer: I think she might be taller than Julia.

Berg: Ines?

Berg: Hmm. If the theory is that short people try harder, Julia would certainly confirm it.

Pfeiffer: Ines doesn’t have a big head.

Pfeiffer: She’s a dynamo.

Berg: True. And it’s hard to tease her.

Berg: She’s Mighty Mouse.

Pfeiffer: Why do you think so?

Pfeiffer: She’s also more mature than you are.

Berg: She’s too nice. What are you going to say, “Ines is so nice she makes me mad?”

Berg: True. But Kyle and I are on the same level.

Pfeiffer: Well, here’s something characteristic of Ines: she liked writing about the senior experience.

Berg: A mature 18. Good character, even-tempered, kind-hearted.

Berg: She’s . . . a senior citizen?

Pfeiffer: And handsome.

Pfeiffer: Hmm. Not bad. Let’s go with that for now.

Berg: But not such a big head.

Berg: Victor? Bender?

Pfeiffer: Does that make him more or less handsome than Kevin, then?

Pfeiffer: Wow. Talonline really took off this year. So many cool initiatives, and good follow-through on the part of the bloggers.

Pfeiffer: Yes, but Kyle’s 18.

Berg: Hmm—That sounds like a question for Philosophy class.

Speaking of which, I have to go grade some papers.

Berg: Yeah—short films, TalonToons, challenges, a lot more Graded-centric. Victor really has a nice eye for design, too.

Pfeiffer: Me too.

Pfeiffer: What’s Bender’s first name again?

Pfeiffer: Good thing our seniors are so lovable.

Berg: I think we’ve got this.

the talon • 5

point of view

NY Noire Another night in the Big Apple Lucas Zuccolo

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t’s a chilly night, even for New York. Autumn is only beginning, yet the trees already grow bare and the frost has become a regular companion in Gotham, as residents run to and fro minding their own business. Me, I was never one for the big city life. A good case, my pipe, and my trusty Colt were all the company I needed. Not that I was one to turn down some... company, of course. A gentleman like myself must always be warm and inviting.

I make a mental note to stop by Barry’s once I finish up here. The concrete wall I’m leaning against is as filthy as the street. Even in the nicer neighborhoods, NYC isn’t a place you can expect to visit without getting dusty and grimy. Granted, there was a possibility my trench coat would get dirtier before the day was over, but Barry was my sort of guy. His laundramat was well-known in my kind of business for being great with any stains, and he only ever asked when he needed to know what product to use on it.

I feel a buzz in my back pocket. Three buzzes—three o’clock. I casually turn my gaze right, up 42nd. At least I think this is 42nd. These Yankees think themselves so clever with their numbered streets, but I just can’t be bothered to care.

I realign my fedora and sweep the street from one end to the other. No sign of him yet, should be turning the corner soon... voilà. Right on time.

He’s headed straight in my direction, so I look back down at my newspaper, keeping track out of the corner of my eyes. He passes me without incident, not a second glance. I mentally count to twelve, and then head off after him.

I’m not sure whether to curse or give thanks—this is one of those busy days on the streets. The traffic is so jammed that I’m faster on foot than the cars, but the sidewalk is also choked. Means he’ll never suspect me, but the rude bumping and shoving is really getting on my nerves. If I didn’t have a job to do, I’d have probably picked a fight by now.

He weaves in and out of the crowd with relative ease.

I’ve got to remember he’s got the home field advantage.

Nevertheless, I manage to keep him in my sights, and after a half dozen blocks he ducks into a coffee shop, just like I knew he would. Same place, same time, every day. Mind-numbingly boring, if you ask me. Then again, so was he.

The door jingles as I come in. Most of the tables are occupied: couples snuggling against the cold, friends unwinding after a long day, women spreading the latest gossip to their friends. It’s quite warm inside, but I refuse to take off my coat.

Last time I did, I didn’t have time to grab it before leaving.

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Such a shame… It was a good coat, too. Had it for three years.

I find a seat in the corner, back to the wall, clear line of sight to the door. I order a hot chocolate to remain inconspicuous. I hate coffee, and I don’t do water.

He’s sitting at the counter, staring sullenly out the window as he sips what I assume is a mocha. Hard to believe someone wants him dead, he’s not worth the effort. But Ethan’s intel was always solid; known the kid since forever, haven’t seen him mess up once. Pretty chill guy, too.

I’d gotten a look at the layout before heading out, but I double checked. Two glass walls facing the street, the other two look like drywall. Not particularly bullet-proof, but probably not where they would come from. The only door on that side leads to a storeroom or kitchen of some sort, and there’s employees shuffling in and out every minute. Marksmen are out of the question. The surrounding buildings would provide a good vantage point, no doubt, but it’s too crowded for that.

He might be a lying, scheming, worthless, spineless coward, but he’s not worth visiting collateral. Bad for business. That leaves just the front door. Which means something covert. But he isn’t expecting me to be shadowing the loser at the counter.

Element of surprise is mine for once.

Speaking of the devil, there he is, just outside. He doesn’t bother looking through the glass, cocky as ever. Going to be a real pleasure knocking him off his high horse. He walks in nonchalantly, I can feel the tension boiling up inside me. I wait until he’s facing the other way and get up... ...Knocking into the waitress passing by.

She drops the tray she was holding. The sole cup on it spills its contents through the air and across the linoleum floor, and the platter makes a point of creating a resounding clang as it hits my table. Everyone turns to look, and he instantly catches my eye, recognition flaring across his expression. As the man at the next table starts to berate me for being so careless, he makes a bolt for the door. I’m right behind him, but he’s closer, and many folks are already crowding around.

By the time I barge through them and out onto the street, he’s gone. Blended into the crowd. I scan either street, but I know it’s no use. If there’s one thing that he’s good at, it’s making himself scarce.

I pace back and forth, fuming. Might be months before I get another opportunity like this. Not to mention the lengthy flight, the days of preparation, and, and...

Oh, come on. My coat’s going to smell of latte for days.

point of view

Senior Stress No More!

Let’s rediscover the things we love and widen our horizons Kat Aliano

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o, this is it. The class of 2013 is officially at the brink of graduation, 100% infected by senioritis, with thoughts of the future, nostalgia and reckless freedom permeating into our brains (I know more than a few people who have Icona Pop’s “I Love It” on repeat). It’s been a pretty turbulent ride; all of us packed in together trying to avoid the obstacles and piles of stress surrounding us. But for the most part, I think we’re going to make it out all in one piece. A couple of issues ago I wrote about the importance of being present, of not letting moments slip by to just chase after the future, and I think it applies now more than ever.

For months in the first semester of senior year all we could think about was the future and what was waiting for us, who would accept us, where would we go and so on. Only until a few weeks ago, those same worries were running through our heads again with college results finally arriving. I feel like it’s been so hard to really stop and smell the roses (no doubt provided by the wonderful GEE) and enjoy the now.

Also, as a senior, I feel like I’ve been surrounded by a lot of high school students who seem perplexed by the phenomena of senior year and our particular kind of stress, so if you’ll allow me this slight tangent, I’d like to paint a picture for you all.

There comes a point in the first semester of your senior year when you feel like your brain is going to short circuit and spontaneously combust from all the information you’re trying to process. Not only are all of your IB courses practically demanding your first born, but also college applications are no longer just a looming threat. In fact, they’re actually right there in front of you, the blinking cursor in your Common App page staring at you as you try to come up with reasons you deserve to be at your dream school. The thing about this time is that stuff you used to do to relax or even things you did for your own enjoyment fall to the side to accommodate and make room for all of the work in your life. I felt like a zombie during this period, going from class to class and using all my passion and interest to feed the never-ending “to do list” in my head.

But dear juniors, sophomores and freshman, I’m making it sound like senior year is just an amalgamation of all of these horrible truths and stress, but trust me, it’s not all bad.

This period truthfully only lasts about a few weeks in October.

Once that’s over, and you get college applications out of the way, I highly recommend some much needed fun to get you through the small bouts of stress—go to Lollapalooza and be a hipster for a day, go out with your friends, make mistakes (that will retrospectively be hilarious), and enjoy your senior year.

Right after that period of insane stress was hard for me. I was accepted into college, and I didn’t really know what to do with that information. I’d been locked away in this little mental cube of work, work, work that by the time I no longer had to push myself to the edge of my sanity, I was kind of lost. It’s as if in the span of a month I forgot what I loved and was Ms. Gunn consumed by a general feeling of blandness. And that’s when senioritis kicked in.

So, there I was, sinking deeper into senioritis and not knowing what to do with myself when I realized how liberated I really was. The time right after you get accepted to college is a moment of celebration and freedom. You know where you’re going to be for the next four years and with that stability you can finally enjoy all the stuff you let go of to ensure your future. Think about it: we literally have nearly three months of no school, all of that dearly missed free time spreading before us, full of opportunities. A land without deadlines. I think now is the time to rediscover our passions, to spend our lengthy break before college exploring the things we loved, venturing out and trying new interests or doing something we’ve always wanted to do. By the time college starts, we’re going to have to be making choices all over again but even then we’ll have space for exploring what we want to do with our lives. So, I say that we should just do what we’ve always wanted to try and continue doing the things we love. Crossing things off our bucket list if you will, one crazy idea at a time.

the talon • 7

point of view

Battling Senioritis Wait, nah, too much work Ines Gil

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s I sit here, I am overwhelmed with things I should be getting done and all that will come in the next weeks regarding IB exams. Let me rephrase that: I should be overwhelmed. Actually, I’m pretty “chill” as some people would say. Yes, I might have an essay tomorrow in English I should probably study for, along with loads of math homework. But here I am, not stressed, eating a snack, contemplating what I should write next.

I got home today at 3:30 p.m. I haven’t come home this early since last semester, when I didn’t have daily practice and community service meetings after school. And of course with all these essays and projects looming over my head, what did I end up doing?

Spending my whole afternoon watching reruns of “How I Met Your Mother” and enjoying “She’s the Man” for about the fiftieth time. And to what can I attribute this wonderful and relaxing afternoon? Yes, stronger than ever, senioritis hits again.

What makes second semester seniors simply not show up to school? Maybe it’s how we are all pretty much deciding our futures. Maybe it’s now that we see all that we have ahead of us, we want to enjoy our time here as much as possible, just not at school. Whatever it is, it’s hitting us… hard.

Most Graded students are either being affected by senioritis right now, or are eventually going to have it. I actually got my first sense of senioritis in the second semester of junior year; already then I started thinking, “Hey, I’m almost a senior, time for a little fun!” And since then it has slowly escalated. In a week, once I start my IB exams, the disease will temporarily be forgotten, but right now I’m showing all the major signs.

The main symptom of senioritis is the simple, yet scary, “I don’t care.” Recently I’ve been having that reaction to too many things. I get a homework assignment? “Meh, I don’t care.

I’ll do it later.” You can then find me 5 minutes before class rushing to get it done. Test on Friday? “Yeah, I’ll start studying on Thursday. It’s all good.” I just don’t stress over work as much as I normally do. In this way, I am a much more relaxed

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person than ever before.

Some of these symptoms I shared with my classmates.

For example, there have been several instances in which we all get to a test, open the first page, and find the whole class looking up at each other thinking, “I have never seen this before.” How do we deal with that? By laughing and thinking about how ridiculous the test is and how much we didn’t study.

And don’t even get me started on our agendas. I’m not alone when I say that I not only have graduation day circled, drawn on, highlighted, etc., but also the last day of class, post-prom, award ceremony, senior breakfast, and others.

Sunday is no longer the day to do homework, but the day to recover from a weekend of no sleep and being with friends, and most importantly the day to start planning what to do next weekend. I am coming to the point where it gets to Sunday night and forbes.com already I am missing the weekend.

Yeah, you could say I have senioritis.

Although I may be writing about all these clear symptoms, I have yet to mention what I’m doing to prevent them, because to be honest, I’m doing nothing. I’m even too lazy to fight it. To me it’s even an accomplishment to come to school everyday and get through the day without skipping or leaving early. I am now used to the senior hallway being empty by 3:15 p.m. and seeing seniors rush to classes as they arrive on campus at 8:09 a.m. The only cure I can imagine right now is the shock of starting my IB exams and most importantly, actual graduation. Then I’ll be thrust into the life of a freshman at college, where senioritis simply isn’t an option.

So here I sit, 10 p.m. and only having written a Talon article, fully conscious of my psychological illness. I have accepted that there is no way to fight it. I actually have to thank senioritis for some things though, from causing everyone to be more easygoing and less competitive, to helping the seniors bond over their common battle. It’s been a long haul, but whatever. It’s all good.

point of view

Bursting the Bubble The disadvantages of a Graded education Fernão Mesquita

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very child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” —Pablo Picasso

I’m a Graded lifer. I’ve been here since I was two, and I plan on graduating from this fantastic school. I’m thankful for everything Graded offers. But there are particular aspects about Graded’s philosophy that, quite frankly, bug me.

For one, along with many other IB schools, Graded conditions its students to be a specific kind of adult, praising those who neatly fit into its principles and undervaluing those who stray away from this standard.

Let’s take a look at Graded’s new mission statement that’s displayed in every classroom on campus: “Graded is an American school that serves an international community of learners by inspiring individual excellence in a collaborative setting, fostering intercultural competence, and empowering students to become engaged, ethical citizens in a dynamic world.” There’s an emphasis on achieving “individual excellence,” reflected in most areas of student life. We’re constantly trying to “achieve excellence” in this school, but what is really meant by “excellence?”

The IB diploma program tries to answer this question with its “IB Learner Profile.” IB learners strive to be “inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, openminded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective.” A lot of stuff to accomplish, right?

Many Graded students seem to want to excel in every one of those characteristics in every one of their subject areas.

But to a majority, the definition of “excellence” is very different. It has nothing to do with “learning,” “open-mindedness,” or even with being “principled.” In trying to achieve all those aims, many end up attaining none.

To most of my peers, excellence means getting into the best university possible, be it in the U.S. or in any other country and earning boatloads of money through a fairly secure career.

If it’s an Ivy League school, then you’ve achieved it for sure.

You’re set for life. But is getting into an Ivy League school, or any other school for that matter, the definition of excellence? Is that why you are attending Graded and taking the IB Diploma?

The answer to this question lies in the implicit messages that Graded and Graded parents instill in the students’ minds beginning in Elementary School. The idea that getting accepted into a great college is the only way to be successful in life infiltrates students’ psyches from a very young age. And what’s the easiest, safest way to get there?

Academic success. Which leads me to another problem with Graded’s education. It’s strongly oriented towards the idea

that, to achieve greatness, one must first achieve academic success. To get into that Ivy League college, you need to have a 4.8 GPA or above. Both parents and the school stress the importance of having an ultra-high grade point average, as if your worth as a student could be measured entirely by a number.

It completely disregards the stress you may be feeling, your personal problems, or even some skills you have that can’t be measured by a figure, like social intelligence. Learning ends up being more of a competition to get the highest score than an endeavor to acquire knowledge. I’m not saying that’s the case in the entire school, but the majority of the student body, at least in my grade, functions this way (or simply stops caring about grades, which is a problem for another article).

This constant struggle to manage a demanding schedule while striving to be the best you can possibly be—according to a very specific mold— leaves little room for other things that, one might argue, are more important than grades or even college.

For one, Graded limits you to its surroundings. Since enrolling in this school, I’ve been hearing about the infamous “Graded bubble” without really knowing what it meant. Now I do. It means studying in a school enclosed by huge walls for eight hours every day (usually more if you take activities after school or need to work on a project or meet a teacher or take a test or, you know where I’m going). You get no time for anything else. That piano class you took during Middle School?

Gone. That family dinner? That movie night with friends on a Sunday? Forget about it. I have homework to do.

You don’t have time to do anything. This takes away your freedom to be creative. It confines you to a kind of life where there is no room to be creative. And that’s incredibly detrimental to an education. Creativity can’t be conditioned.

It’s something that everyone has, that comes naturally, and sometimes doesn’t even come. You can’t put a schedule to it.

You can’t put a profile on it.

As I’ve said before, I love this school. The positives outweigh the negatives, or else I would not be able to be writing this criticism.

Take notice of the things I have said in this article. Try to see if anything matches what you’ve been living, because sometimes I suspect that this is just as much the students’ fault as it is the system’s. Go explore your city on a Wednesday afternoon. Replace your English annotation with a good, pleasurable read for a change (just once!). Burst that bubble.

Or, as Ms. Hunt would say, “just chill the heck out!”

Sources: “The Disadvantages of an Elite Education,” by William Deresiewicz, “Schools Kill Creativity,” TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson

the talon • 9

point of view

College Apps 101 Some models for juniors about to enter the process Giovanna Regis

Y

es, applying to college is incredibly taxing, and you will come out of it a bigger person even if it makes you a little insane. I’ve heard it all in the college talks: the great examples and the scary ones. I know how hard it can get. But I wish I could have listened to at least one of the clichés, because ultimately, this was one of the most unpredictable processes I’ve witnessed. There isn’t a formula. We can do and think this or that, but admissions officers majored in surprise. Although I am still tongue-tied, I would like to believe that it’s about being truthful to who we are more than it is about luck. Still, there’s a lot of luck involved. And in the interest of showing the process, here are three of my answers to Tufts, Barnard and Williams supplements. Good luck, juniors!

Pick one woman in history or fiction to converse with for an hour and explain your choice. What would you talk about?

In Greek mythology, Cassandra is the most beautiful daughter of Hecuba and Priam, queen and king of Troy, who was given the gift of prophecy. Cassandra had been ambitious in her endeavors with Apollo, but also naïve in her genius. To be able to fill the gaps of mythology with her uncertain, yet fascinating story would be delightful. She represents to me the visceral feelings in us we usually discard, the courage to pursue what we want even if it is risky, the consequences we have to face for actions we take. Her people thought she was insane even when she accurately predicted the coming war. The frustration she went through because of her curse is shared by many, including myself. It would be interesting to learn how she dealt with it, find comfort with her understanding, and if I’m immune to the curse, hear her prophecies. Cassandra was a woman of unprecedented strength, intelligence, and ultimate care. To be able to talk to her would be a thought-provoking and enlightening honor.

Describe the environment in which you were raised— your family, home, neighborhood, or community—and how it influenced the person you are today.

Being raised by two doctors, in a community with long workdays and emergency calls, inside a city of 11 million people, I’ve learned to be flexible. I’ve learned to wait with nurses for surgeries to be over, help organize the office on a busy day, reschedule plans because of emergency procedures, be patient when trying to call my parents, and help people when they have a fever or a scratch. I’ve learned to think ahead for both my brother and me, and seek help when there is nothing

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else I can do. I’ve learned strength from my Ob/Gyn mother and sensibility from my anesthesiologist father. I’ve learned determination from both of them. I’ve learned to live step by step, at school in English and at home in Portuguese. I’ve learned that love and care can usually overpower undesired odds, be them a tumor or dinner tardies. I’ve learned that there are always more babies to be born and taken care of, no matter how many are dying. I’ve learned that you can’t be too careful, whether care is a tight hug or distance for a while.

I’ve learned that the big picture can help solve one specific puzzle, be it on a human body or the entire world. I’ve learned to make the best of what is given to us, be it only a few tools, or parents with a bittersweet profession.

Imagine looking through a window at any environment that is particularly significant to you. Reflect on the scene, paying close attention to the relation between what you are seeing and why it is meaningful to you.

I’m looking out at the city of São Paulo. The seventeenth floor, where I used to live, has the view to the south of the city.

It’s 11:59 pm of New Year’s Eve and my family, all dressed in white, is already standing up on chairs, with grapes in their hands, looking out at the city with me. I can see families in other apartments doing the same; dressed in white, grapes and champagne in hand, standing on top of chairs, waiting for the fireworks. In one night we are all brasileiros, period. We all share the same traditions, listen to the same songs and chant the same New Year jingle, no matter what happened in the last 364 days. I see people partying on the street, and I see some of my neighbors downstairs, holding fireworks of their own.

It all feels like one big family is spread across the country: through the TV we see the crowds of white and glitter in Rio, Salvador, Recife and Florianópolis. It’s a calm moment, full of joy and hope, before the splendor of lightning in the sky bursts out of every visible part of the window. Soon, I’m hugging my brother, my mom and my dad, while every part of the city is illuminated with color. For the first 15 minutes of the year we sit in wonder of the night sky, reminiscing of the past years at the beach, in Canada, in Orlando, in my grandparents’ house.

Every year is the same. Wear white, eat three grapes and watch fireworks nonstop next to my porto seguro, no matter where I am. As the brightness dims I realize why every year it’s the same frenzy: You don’t change a good thing—every new page starts with optimism.

ponto de vista

Max e os Felinos e “Life of Pi”: plágio?

Há uma linha tênue entre inspiração e imitação Luiza Gundim

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ão sei se é uma realidade do século XXI ou uma mera ilusão, mas, ao menos no âmbito pessoal, está cada vez mais difícil achar inspiração para escrever. Embora esteja quase impossível achar inspiração no mundo ao meu redor, reconheço que há uma grande diferença entre inspiração e simplesmente copiar o trabalho de outra pessoa, ou seja, cometer plágio.

Inspiração é algo difícil de descrever. Para mim, é uma sensação de satisfação plena, quando a ideia é tão boa que as palavras simplesmente fluem da mente, alcançam a mão e chegam ao papel. Depois que o trabalho está feito, há um sentimento de realização e orgulho, diferentemente daquilo que sinto quando escrevo um texto medíocre, sem criatividade. Inspiração pode ser causada pelas coisas mais simples, também. Ao ouvir uma música pela primeira vez ou ouvir uma história inusitada, por exemplo. Às vezes, algo corriqueiro simplesmente gera aquela fagulha que desperta a vontade de escrever. Isso é inspiração. Uma ideia leva a outra e tudo é, indiscutivelmente, de sua autoria. Imitação, ou seja, plágio, é copiar a ideia original, ainda que modificando alguns detalhes para que as semelhanças fiquem mais escondidas.

Enquanto o resto do mundo se preocupa com a ameaça norte-coreana aos Estados Unidos ou com a sexualidade de Daniella Mercury, eis o que acontece no mundo literário: Yann Matel, autor de As Aventuras de Pi (Life of Pi para os leigos) é acusado de plagiar Max e os felinos, obra do escritor gaúcho Moacyr Scliar.

Enquanto alguns dizem “plágio”, outros usam o termo “inspiração”. Matel admitiu ter tomado Max e os felinos como base, porém alega que nem chegou a ler a obra completa. O escritor canadense declara ter tomado conhecimento da obra de Scliar por meio de uma crítica desfavorável ao livro no jornal americano The New York Times, que – cabe ressaltar aqui – nunca foi escrita. Scliar, falecido em 2011, negou a fraude pelo fato de não ter havido uma “cópia efetiva” de seu texto.

Enquanto sua obra constitui uma metáfora política sobre a ditadura militar brasileira, a obra de Matel é uma novela existencial com tons místicos.

No entanto, não são poucas as semelhanças entre as duas obras. Em Max e os felinos, um rapaz alemão acaba sozinho num bote, acompanhado de um jaguar, logo após um naufrágio.

Em As Aventuras de Pi, um rapaz indiano acaba sozinho num bote, com um tigre, após um naufrágio. Coincidência? Acaso?

Acho que não.

Matel chegou a declarar que “quis aproveitar uma boa

ideia, estragada por um mau escritor brasileiro”. Porém, não importa se o autor é brasileiro, alemão ou japonês; quando uma situação tão desconfortável quanto essa acontece, o culpado deve ser punido. Chega de definir um escritor ou qualquer outro profissional respeitável pela sua nacionalidade. A literatura brasileira não é pior do que as outras e os autores brasileiros não são menos dignos ou merecedores que os estrangeiros. Um escritor, do chamado “Primeiro Mundo”, copiando um autor brasileiro? Sim, meu caro Scliar, e isso mostra que sua ideia não era somente boa, era genial! E o senhor merecia o Booker Prize mais do que Yann Matel, já que sua ideia era legítima e não “inspirada” pela de outra pessoa.

A diferença entre os dois escritores? Vejamos. Moacyr Scliar inspirou-se e produziu Max e os felinos. Yann Matel plagiou o trabalho de Scliar, o que o levou a escrever As aventuras de Pi, ganhar o renomado Booker Prize, e ver sua obra traduzida para diversos idiomas e adaptada para o cinema numa megaprodução. Vivemos numa sociedade que aprecia a cultura, mas não pune os que cometem crimes contra o patrimônio intelectual de outros. Matel não merece o sucesso e reconhecimento que recebeu por sua obra. É claro que o caso de Scliar e Matel não é o único que trata da pequena diferença entre plágio e inspiração. Há muitos casos de teses de mestrado e doutorado de universidades ilustres que foram plagiadas de outros trabalhos acadêmicos.

A diferença é que, no meio acadêmico, infratores foram devidamente punidos, o que claramente não aconteceu com Matel.

Da próxima vez que for entregar um trabalho escolar e resolver pegar emprestada uma ideia, não se esqueça de citar devidamente a obra alheia e, é claro, trabalhar bastante para desenvolver as suas próprias ideias, pois, como já diz o famoso ditado, “sucesso é composto de 10% de inspiração e 90% de transpiração.”

Fonte: folha.uol.com.br

the talon • 11

ponto de vista

Bromélia e beija-flor

Sobre matemática, poesia, arte e beleza

Fernão Mesquita

N

unca fui um aficionado por matemática. Não tenho problemas com a disciplina por assim dizer, mas também nunca fui apaixonado pelos mistérios e padrões que esta revela sobre o meio natural. E, no entanto, foi exatamente nisso que tive que pensar por boa parte desse primeiro bimestre nas aulas de ToK. Como encontrar a subjetividade em uma matéria tão objetiva.

Quando minha professora de teoria do conhecimento me pediu para fazer um trabalho relacionando matemática e beleza, imediatamente parei para pensar: “afinal de contas, onde é que eu vou encontrar beleza em números e equações?” A resposta só não vinha. Para mim, eram mundos completamente distantes. Duas realidades que não se trombavam.

Para obtermos inspiração e, ao mesmo tempo, entendermos um pouco mais sobre como a matemática pode, sim, ser bem subjetiva, fomos expostos a vários exemplos onde a matemática e a beleza se vinculavam. Observamos a árdua batalha do teórico matemático Andrew Wiles ao tentar provar um teorema histórico. Vimos também a comovente história do professor Joffrey e seu aluno, que escapavam dos problemas da vida cotidiana por meio de questões de cálculo e que, no fim das contas, acabaram mais do que acadêmicos. Ambas me comoveram. Não imaginara o quão importante o estudo da matemática poderia ser para tantas pessoas. A eterna busca por uma resposta correta simplesmente pelo contentamento ao atingi-la, a matemática—causa de tantos de meus problemas— servia para muitos como válvula de escape, como um prazeroso desafio a ser cumprido com esmero.

Mesmo assim, associar a matemática à beleza ainda era algo intangível para mim e, principalmente, transmitir essa beleza por meio da álgebra ou trigonometria ainda era um enorme desafio. Foi aí que surgiu a ideia de juntar a matemática com alguma outra forma de arte para demonstrar essa beleza de maneira mais acessível àqueles que, como eu, não conseguiam expressar beleza por meio da matemática pura.

Me enveredei pela poesia muito mais por minha própria paixão pelo gênero do que por qualquer relação que encontrei com a temida disciplina. Surpreendentemente, encontrei vários exemplos de como vários elementos matemáticos estão presentes em diversos estilos poéticos que lemos desde que nascemos. Como inspiração, assisti vídeos sobre a matemática e a simetria envolvidas em poemas de métrica e rima, principalmente sonetos Shakespearianos e clássicos. E decidi, pela primeira vez na vida, me aventurar pela complexa selva que é formular um soneto clássico, daqueles que Camões escrevia.

Para traçar um paralelo entre as disciplinas que havia decidido explorar, resolvi colocar elementos românticos e escapistas no soneto (assim como na história do professor e do aluno), que

12 • the talon

descrevia a beleza do mundo natural em termos simétricos e simbióticos, de uma maneira elegante, assim como vários matemáticos descreviam suas equações nos vídeos que havíamos assistido em aula. Depois de horas contando sílabas poéticas nos dedos, o resultado foi o seguinte: ao contemplar-te formoso jardim dos verdes anos que em ti vivi, da isolação serena que senti, alcancei a calma almejada enfim. é tudo perfeição e harmonia. o singelo roçar do beija-flor nas bromélias alinhadas, com amor. eterna simbiose e simetria. cinza some e o vermelho consome dois amantes unidos em fervor coito ingênuo, a beleza em epítome. instante de plenitude e amor e que no mesmo breve instante some. fim do amor de bromélia e beija-flor. mas talvez não seja melhor deixar a paz desse refúgio e assim quem sabe um dia polinizar outros jardins – mais cinzas até – menos pacíficos, menos simétricos com infinitos tons de vermelho. É importante notar, no entanto, que dois tipos de beleza estão expostas nesse soneto que só deixa de ser clássico pela última estrofe. Até a penúltima estrofe, “é tudo perfeição e harmonia”, no sentido de que o poema funciona exatamente como um soneto de Camões, com métrica e rima completamente simétricos, descrevendo com fervor a beleza do mundo natural. É o típico escapismo romântico encontrado na relação do homem como meio natural idealizado. Ali, a presença da matemática é fortíssima: cada verso é decassilábico, com cada sílaba poética calculada e com rimas em ABBA e EFE devidamente inseridas. Completamente simétrico.

Mas meu lado “humano”, digamos assim, não resistiu.

No final, para dar um gostinho diferente a meu poema, quebro a métrica e rima, ao mesmo tempo alterando o sentido final do poema. Ali, mostro o tipo de beleza envolvida em quebrar a simetria. A última estrofe está escrita em verso livre, sem qualquer forma, mas continua, eu diria, tão bela quanto as outras. Esta é a beleza de outras formas artísticas. Daquelas que quebram paradigmas. Daqueles beija-flores que decidem polinizar outros jardins, com infinitos tons de vermelho.

news

Breaking Tradition

Four students journey to stop segregation Andrea Ferreira

T

he month of May is an exciting time for high school seniors.

As their time at high school comes to a close, many events await them before graduation. One of the most notable is prom. In the United States prom, is often one of the biggest events of a student’s high school experience. Although prom may not be taken that seriously in other places, it does provide students with an opportunity to enjoy one of their last nights, surrounded by all of the friends that that they have spent the last four years with, in formal attire.

But what if all of your friends couldn’t be there? This is the dilemma facing the students of Wilcox County High School in Rochelle, Georgia, as they have held segregated proms (one for white students and one for black students) since 1978. In the 1970s, after laws ordered the desegregating of schools, Wilcox County School stopped sponsoring the traditional bash (or any dance for that matter) so the burden of these events fell entirely onto the parents of attending students. For this reason, these segregated proms have been able to slide through the cracks of American legislation for years. The dances are private events organized and funded outside of the school, so there is nothing the school or the law can do. In the same way the law cannot force children to invite all of the students of their class to their personal birthday parties, the law has no jurisdiction over these private events, no matter how frustrating this is for students.

This frustration has led four female students to look for a change, as they hope to hold Wilcox County’s first integrated prom in May. The students who are the forerunners in turning this idea into a reality—Stephanie Sinnot, Mareshia Rucker, Quanesha Wallace, and Keela Bloodworth—say they have done everything together since childhood and are basically sisters, cannot imagine not being able to go to prom together. One of the friends, Wallace, took part in Wilcox County’s first integrated homecoming court last fall, and despite being voted the homecoming queen by classmates, was not allowed to attend the other homecoming party, which is part of why she has advocated for change. Wallace told local reporter Tom George that “hearing from other students that [she couldn’t go] saddened [her] heart a little.”

Thus the quest for an integrated prom began. Their integrated prom will be open to any of the high school’s 400 students, and they have sold 50 tickets already and counting.

They have gained the support of the school system, which has subsequently requested that all activities involving the school

be open to all students, though at least for now Wilcox will be having three proms (the integrated one and the two segregated ones). The school has been exploring the possibility of holding the 2014 prom, but cannot fund the dance this year. To cover the costs for the “Masquerade in Paris”-themed bash, the girls have been hard at work selling chicken dinners and starting a Facebook page, which has received worldwide support. The burst of news covering the issue has served to raise more money as well.

Unfortunately for the girls, not everyone in their small community has been so supportive. To advertise the selling of the tickets, they taped posters all over school, but fellow classmates have been ripping them down. Contrary to what outsiders to the Wilcox community may think, the issue with an integrated prom is less about any racial conflict, and more about the issue of breaking tradition. A response that Wallace frequently gets from the skeptics is that “[prom] is a traditional thing, something [they] need to stick with.” Most of the residents in grew up in the community so they—parents and students—have only ever experienced segregated proms.

To appease these people, the girls have come up with a new idea: to create new traditions. Their new proposal for prom includes some ideas they hope will catch on as tradition for the upcoming years. Instead of just having the traditional vote for prom king and queen, which they say will still happen, guests will also have the option of voting cutest couple, best smile, and best dressed (male and female, respectively), amongst a number of other superlatives. They will honor a deceased classmate. They will also start a unity toast, where attendees will join together and toast to the year and each other.

No matter the turn out for the event—if four classmates or four hundred go—the girls (and others who have joined the committee) have already taken giant steps in paving the way for equality in Wilcox. The friends have already decided to aid the following classes in this cause by leaving behind any profits they raise from the dance for tradition they hope will continue, and they have raised awareness of an inequality issue that many others did not know existed.

Sources: usatoday.com, cnn.com, dailymail.co.uk

the talon • 13

news

A Tourist in Rio de Janeiro, 2014 How prepared is the city of Rio for the World Cup?

Annie Groth

W

ith the 2014 Soccer World Cup fast approaching, the city of Rio de Janeiro is struggling to conclude the final preparations needed for a successful event. Seemingly poor infrastructure, waves of violent crimes, and corrupt politicians all make the list of troubles Rio has been trying to deal with so far. With just over a year left until tourists all over the world come ready to see the marvelous city, how prepared is Rio for the tourists?

One of the main concerns Brazil has always had with all its cities, not just Rio, is lack of adequate infrastructure. One of the first concerns raised was whether airports will be ready to recieve an estimated half a million tourists. The airport of Galeão, in Rio, already has the capacity for 17.4 million passengers annually, but the government wants to expand that number to 44 million by 2014. Together with Infraero (Brazilian Company of Airport Infrastructure), the government wants to invest not only in capacity but also in quality of its facilities.

Two new, modernized terminals are expected to be in full use

by September of 2013, which will alleviate Rio’s concern about tourists.

Another aspect to consider is whether the city itself is able to host millions of tourists at once. According to research done by Embratur (Brazilian Company of Tourism) comparing Rio, other Brazilian cities, and ones from around the world, Rio is the third most expensive city when it comes to lodging. This means it is cheaper to stay a couple of nights in Paris or London than in Rio. The expectation is that prices will rise 18% because of the Cup. Comparatively, other host cities’ lodging will rise much more, with an adjusted value of 79% higher in Brasilia and 61% in Belo Horizonte. The reason Rio’s prices will not rise more is precisely because they are already high President Dilma Roussef has by launched a project which hopes to create 109 new hotel installations, though these will be constructed to help take in the large number of tourists but not to reduce the prices of accommodations.

After arriving in Rio and finding a place to stay, tourists will then have to worry about safety in the city. Surrounded by favelas, Rio can be an extremely dangerous city because of the violence that stems from the traffic of illegal drugs in these areas. News of one American tourist who was kidnapped and raped and another one who was robbed in the back of a minivan in March serve as a couple of striking examples. However, according to Exame magazine, assumptions that Rio is one the top ten most violent cities in Brazil are false. The magazine also

14 • the talon

states that for every homicide in Rio (the state) that receives national news coverage, only one in every ten homicides in another state (that is not Rio or São Paulo) receives coverage as well. This means that if two people die in Rio and 20 die in another state, national media will cover that two people died in each state, which makes Rio appear more crime-ridden. In addition, there has been better specialized training of the police in the city. On April 7, police and firemen simulated a terrorist attack in Rio’s metro station. During the training exercise there was a practice negotiation with kidnappers, caring for wounded hostages, and even a simulated attack using chemical weapons. Regarding crime, Rio is definitely making advances in preparation for the Cup. Finally, though more of a concern for Brazilians and not tourists, many raise the question of “where is the money for the World Cup really going?” Brazil has a long history when it comes to corrupt politicians, as was highlighted in the case in the famous Mensalão scandal, in which 25 of 37 accused politicians were convicted of laundering public money. In regards to the World Cup, Brazil’s former sports minister Orlando Silva and five other top cabinet members resigned in October of 2011 following allegations that they had embezzled money from public funds. That same year, Ricardo Teixeira, chairman of the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) and 2014 World Cup organizing committee resigned. His official reason for stepping down was health related;nevertheless, Teixeira’s name is not one associated with clean politics. In 2001, he was accused of 13 crimes ranging from money laundering to tax evasion by the Brazilian Congress. Of course, all these people raise a concern as to whether or not corruption will keep Brazil from hosting a better World Cup. Though Rio has many problems to face before the World Cup, it is in no doubt the city is working towards solutions.

Better airport facilities are being made, new lodging options are under construction, police are receiving more training, and corrupt politicians have been stepping down to help make Rio a better city. Details, right?

Sources: cnn.com, g1.globo.com, veja.abril.com.br, brasil.gov.br, oglobo.globo.com, exame.abril.com.br

news

Tantrums, Miscalculation and War Why Kim’s actions won’t likely lead to war Daniel Almeida

R

emember that weird little kid in kindergarten who sat in the corner and always seemed to be doing something shady without actually bothering anyone else? Everyone knew he was up to something, but as long as he kept to himself, no one paid attention. However, the moment that little kid started acting up with others, then it was time for time out.

Lately the world’s nightmare scenario seems to revolve around the possibility of war breaking out on the Korean peninsula. This is not a surprise; with recent reports of escalating tensions that—seemingly at any moment—might lead to war, the public should be concerned. The Republic of Korea lies at the heart of the world’s third largest zone of economic activity and the possibility of war would result in the tragic loss of human life. Add in the potential involvement of nuclear arms and the recent escalations of the North Korean regime become quite scary.

However, experts seem to believe that the probability of a second Korean War occurring is minimal. Even amidst North Korea’s escalating rhetoric—including long-range rocket launch tests, an underground nuclear bomb test in February, repeated threats of launching pre-emptive nuclear strikes, and most recently the nullification of the 1950-53 Armistice that effectively ended the Korean War—the possibility of War remains minimal.

Now, the angry rhetoric of North Korea’s young, hotheaded, leader, Kim Jong Un has set a new bar for seemingly uncalculated belligerence. However, most tend to forget that for all of Kim’s inexperience, he is aided and advised by a council of experienced generals, advisors and analysts. This council would prefer to avoid war with South Korea and the United States.

The North, to an extent, acknowledges the power of the combined forces of the United States and South Korea, as well as the destruction that would take place should war break out. North Korea’s dictatorship may be many things, but it is not suicidal. For what it is worth, the Kim family has been able to preserve its regime for over 60 years, despite the impoverished state, which seems to point to a certain measure of calculation and resilience on their part.

Thus, let us assume that Pyongyang sees U.S. involvement in the defense of South Korea as an obstacle to war. This means that the only way that North Korea is able to appear strong for their citizens is through carrying out calculated provocations. North Korea’s rationale is that if it can ratchet up high tensions and then simply back off a little, then it can

persuade rivals to return to peace talks and concessionary aid, as seen in the past. It’s against North Korea’s best interest to start a war with its southern neighbor, and the country’s preferred plan of action simply benefits the Kim regime.

What would happen, however, if there were a miscalculation on Kim’s part about how far he could go? It is possible that the DPRK might push the South Koreans or the United States too far, and the tit-for-tat response that characterized all past miscalculations could follow suit.

Kim Jong Un, fearing that inaction on his part would be mistaken for weakness, would escalate in turn, sparking a cycle of escalating moves that could turn into a war that neither side expected. The risk of this eventuality is higher given Kim’s recent rhetoric that seeks to mask the true weakness of this nation in comparison to its southern rival. The North Korean regime seems bound to uphold its pride amid the recent US-ROK military exercise, which could lead to an incident that would put pressure on both sides to retaliate.

Granted, war would mean complete destruction for North Korea, which understands that its chances of defeating the combined forces of the US and ROK are minimal, but, as the proverb goes, “a man who has lost everything is capable of anything.” While Seoul could possibly face nuclear or chemical weapons attacks, Washington stands to face a destabilized major ally and increased tensions with North Korea’s neighbor and “big-brother” China.

Thus, it is no surprise that the all three nations prefer the deterrence of war over a high-risk, high-casualty, and destabilizing conflict. Therefore, recent reports by Washington that downplay the seriousness of any North Korean action fall in line with the usual vision on peace in the Korean peninsula.

The importance of finding a balance between demonstrating resolution to the South Korean citizens while restraining a belligerent DPRK is as significant as ever.

Odds are there will not be conflict in the next couple of weeks. Washington, Seoul and Pyongyang all understand the risks of war and are all experienced at playing this game. For all of Kim Jong Un’s tantrums, he will continue to be that shady kid in kindergarten, ultimately held back from acting up by the stern gaze of his more experienced playmates.

Sources: cnn.com, bbc.co.uk

the talon • 15

features

And Another Thing: Old People Does wisdom come with age?

Adam Hunt Fertig

O

lder people are wiser. That’s just the way it goes, and it makes so much sense that it’s hard to imagine anything different. The idea’s definitely been around for a while, since multiple passages of the Bible remind us that we must listen to the advice from older generations. Nowadays, children are told to respect their elders. Even several offices are limited to the older and more experienced: the average age of a US senator is 61, and 65 for a pope. Again, this seems only logical. People who have been around for longer have seen more of the world, are more experienced, and have gained more wisdom. But there are other perspectives on this that suggest otherwise, and particularly in contemporary terms it’s worth questioning how wise our seniors are.

The more common view of wise old men is one supported by history. Even before the Bible, the Mesopotamians believed in the mythical sage Adapa, known for his wisdom. This idea was built on in ancient Greece, where the Odyssey includes an elderly character named Mentor who helps Odysseus. In Rome, the term senex was used to describe wise elders, a term later adopted by Jung when talking about psychology. Through the Middle Ages, wizards were always old and wise. The list goes on and on, spanning both time and space (think bearded kung fu master). Stereotypically, archetypally and historically, the elderly have occupied a revered place in society.

As Plato says in Symposium, sages possess wisdom, and therefore no longer need to seek it. That’s why he says that both gods and sages do not practice philosophy, because they already are wise. He claims that the other group of people that do not practice philosophy are the senseless, because they think they are wise. This second idea brings me to the other view of the elderly: as idiotic and overconfident.

While harsh, this view has been presented in many works of literature. The most well-known example may be Polonius from Hamlet. Although he’s the king’s advisor and believes himself to be an intellectual, he’s depicted as a longwinded old fool, easily outsmarted by Hamlet. Speaking verbosely and redundantly, he’s an almost comically pathetic part of the play. This type of character comes up so often that he has a name in ancient Greek theater and commedia dell’arte: senex iratus. He’s like the senex, except he’s not actually wise, just boastful. A senex iratus is wealthy and in good social standing, but greedy and foolish. Mr. Burns from The Simpsons, for instance, is a modern example—frail, stingy and unwise. The word “senile,” in fact, comes from the same root as senex, with this meaning in mind.

This negative perception of the elderly is a more

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recent notion, though, and it’s particularly prevalent in modern society. Yes, there are social positions that are traditionally occupied by older people. According to Newsmax, senators are actually getting older on average. But the elderly used to be the main decision-makers in a community, while now they’re often just sent off to retirement homes. The same usurpation of the old is happening in the economic world.

Seniority in companies used to be hugely important, but at modern startups with looser hierarchies, experience in the field means less and less. We owe that to how fast jobs and the way we do them is changing. Companies have to adapt faster in the digital age, and senior citizens are being rendered obsolete.

Sure, it makes sense that this loss of respect for older people is happening. Who needs to actually live life experiences when you can Google them in a fraction of the time? That doesn’t make it any less sad, though. The problems with this so-called generation gap are the subject of much debate. Just look at some of the films and books made about old people unsatisfied with their place in society. Robot and Frank, Stand Up Guys, Gran Torino, Ran, King Lear, Red, The Bucket List... there’s no shortage of stories of the elderly adapting to the place society has left for them. Back in 1926, the poet William Butler Yeats bemoaned this shift in his poem “Sailing to Byzantium.” “That is no country for old men,” he begins. He narrates how he leaves that country where he is not wanted and sails to Byzantium, where he meets with its sages. Sixty years old when he wrote this, Yeats wanted to return to the mindset of the Greeks or the Romans.

Setting aside the implications of it, though, the question still remains: does wisdom come with age? Logic would suggest that the longer you’re around, the more you know. But it’s not enough to know a lot. When it comes to having relevant, concise, helpful ideas in a rapidly changing world, I’m not so sure. Polonius has an arsenal of maxims that aren’t all that helpful. Then again, many of the proverbs and life lessons I learned from my grandparents are still rules that I abide by. I guess it really comes down to potential. The senior citizens of today saw the Cuban missile crisis, the Korean War, perhaps even World War II. It’s up to them, though, to channel those experiences into wisdom we youngsters can benefit from.

Sources: poets.org, collinsdictionary.com, britannica. com, libberate.com, terrapsych.com, biblegateway.com, poetryintranslation.com, etymonline.com, newsmax.com, investopedia.com, imdb.com

features

Science Has It...

To sleep or not to sleep?

Mariana Lepecki

T

o sleep or not to sleep? That is the question Graded high school students have been grappling with for years. With the never-ending workloads coupled with a wide range of activities, it’s amazing that any Graded student actually has any time for sleep. But that’s the thing—most of us don’t. Whether we are staying up late trying to finish homework assignments and projects, or attempting to study for upcoming tests, most of us are hardly resting for enough hours per day. Seniors, with their college applications to complete, GPAs to maintain and IB exams to study for, are definitely not. But are these sleepless nights really worth it?

The Sleep Stages Before diving into the effects of sleep deprivation, we must understand the multiple stages of sleep. While we rest, our brains undergo multiple natural cycles of activity that can be divided into two states: rapid eye movement sleep (REM) and non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM). Typically, an average human begins his sleep cycle with a period of NREM consisting of 4 stages that last from 5 to 15 minutes. In Stage 1, our brain activity decreases as we transition from wakefulness to sleep.

During this time, we can be awakened quite easily; however, if we do wake up, we may not feel as if we had slept at all. As time goes by, we transition into Stage 2. Though it is still considered a period of “light sleep,” in Stage 2 our body prepares to enter deep sleep, decreasing our heart rates and body temperature. Stages 3 and 4 represent the deep sleep stages and are usually referred to as slow-wave or delta sleep. Unlike Stage 1, we cannot be awakened as easily during this period, for this is the time when our bodies repair and regenerate tissue, build bones and muscle and strengthen their immune system.

After we undergo Stage 4 sleep, we move into REM sleep. This phase usually occurs 90 minutes after we have fallen asleep. Like NREM, its first stage is 10-15 minutes long.

However, the following stages are much longer, with the last one lasting up to one hour. Moreover, as can be observed with polysomnograms (sleep sensors), our brainwave patterns become much more active during this time, having a similar pattern as when we are awake. This in turn increases our heart and respiration rates, causing our eyes to look rapidly in different directions. Furthermore, due to the increase in

brain activity, this is time when we dream most intensely.

Interestingly enough, though, while our brains are heavily engaged in activity the rest of our body becomes “paralyzed” due to muscular immobility, which is why doctors sometimes call REM sleep “paradoxical.” Once the brain concludes the period of REM sleep, it transitions back to NREM sleep, meaning that the entire sleep cycle is repeated once more.

Sleep Deprivation Though lack of sleep may be common at Graded, we should do our best to avoid it, for it can have serious health consequences such as depression, decreased immune response, fatigue and increased pain. It can also hinder our ability to learn and remember new material. Studies conducted by the University of Harvard have shown that REM sleep plays a vital role in the acquisition of declarative memory, the knowledge of fact-based information (such as the capital of a country). In one study, students observed the sleep patterns of individuals participating in intensive language courses and found that most spent more time in REM sleep.

Researchers also found that REM sleep Kevin Bengtsson helps with our procedural memory (our ability to remember how to do something like solving a math problem). Yet other studies have shown that sleep deprivation decreases our ability to retain new information, since it can diminish our attention span as well as prevent our overworked neurons from properly coordinating information.

Therefore, if we only sleep for a only a handful of hours per day, we may not be providing our bodies with enough time to properly conclude even one cycle of REM sleep, meaning that our ability to remember and apply the knowledge that we learned on previous days can decrease.

In conclusion, though it may seem like an impossible task given the hectic schedule of the average Graded student, we must strive to reserve at least 7 hours of our night to sleep.

Of course there are days where our work loads are bigger, but overall, frequent sleep cycles of 6 or less hours can greatly impact our ability to learn, process and use information. So the next you are cramming for a test, just remember that a good night’s sleep is just as important as studying.

Sources: healthysleep.med.harvard.edu, webmd.com

the talon • 17

features

Should I Stay or Should I Go? The implications of indecision Julia Abreu

A

s junior year disappears in front of me, so does any certainty of whether I will go to college in the United States or Brazil. It’s strange because I thought that as I approached senior year my mind would be set, but it seems as if the more I search, the less I formulate a clear goal for my next four years outside of Graded. Part of that confusion is because all I seem to hear from family members, or friends’ parents, or even people I barely know is the same question: So, where do you want to study and what? I understand that they’re just curious, but it drives me insane. Trying to make such an important decision is not at all simple, and as I consider my options, all I know for sure is that I want to be content with the college I choose to attend.

Initially I wondered if I would ever wish to study abroad if I continued to live in Brazil. Then, when I moved to Florida, I wondered if I would ever go back to Brazil for college. However, I came back to Brazil sooner than I thought I would, and now, studying in an international school, I’ve become utterly confused. The Class of 2014 is a large group of students, and many of them are Brazilian, so some of my friends will stay in Brazil for college. When I first came to Graded I thought I had decided on going back to the US for college, but the more I think about it, the more I think I’d like to stay. After all, my family resides here, and it would be a bit scary to live so far from home, without homemade food or a parental shoulder to cry on. Then there are the grandparents, whom I consider an important part of my life. I know they won’t be around for much longer, and being far away would prevent me from visiting them for an evening snack, or simply talking face to face with them. Brazil is my home country and my safe haven—but would I be taking advantage of all my opportunities, or simply be postponing my independence? I find it ironic that people around me have always considered me to be sure of my decisions, because this process of thinking about college would suggest the complete opposite.

Halfway through last semester I told my parents I

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was thinking of just staying here in Brazil, thinking that there would be no big commotion over the matter. They were a bit incredulous, and something they told me was “We did not enroll you at Graded for you to choose to stay in Brazil. That’s a bit unreasonable given all that you’ve chosen to do at this school, including the full IB.” They have a point, because, let’s face it, Graded is not by any means a cheap school, and all that I have stressed over here would just be washed down the drain, because no other factors besides academics are considered

by Brazilian colleges . Then I thought it would just be better to go to the United States for college. The issue now, though, is narrowing down my options and finding the best schools for me, because I am not even sure what I’d like to major in.

At first, I thought that the only good schools were those with prestigious names, such as Harvard, Stanford, and Yale. As I looked more into other options, I found amazing schools that fit my profile that aren’t as renowned, but equally impressive. I now have found many great quickmeme.com options, with differentiated course studies and study— abroad programs, which are my top priorities for college.

Looking back at why this process is so difficult I realized that I was stuck in the realm of those famous schools and was forgetting to look into other options for myself. Although I am closer to making more focused decisions as to the colleges I wish to apply to, there are still many aspects I have yet to consider before the start of senior year. I enrolled in a college prep course at Tufts over holiday, and I am hoping to get more insight on the schools that would fit me best. In the end, my biggest goal is to live up to my potential and take risks, because that will make me not only more fulfilled in life, but happier with my future. After all, we should be forced to do things they are not comfortable with, but we should carefully consider all our options before jumping to conclusions and making hasty decisions.

features

Senior Blunders Do mistakes made in high school mold political careers?

Clara Bezerra

D

o experiences in senior year mold a politician? Although it is true that events that occur at different periods of time shape and change someone’s personality, is it possible to establish connections between what presidential candidates were doing in a specific year of their lives and the choices they made during their campaigns? The answer is rather subjective, but, if the actions of Governor Romney and President Obama in their respective senior years are compared to the beliefs they advocated during their political careers, incongruities can be seen.

During the 2012 presidential campaign, Republican candidate Mitt Romney was forced to justify mistakes he made in his senior year that could potentially threaten his support. In May 2012, five of Romney’s classmates recalled incidents in which he acted as a bully, one of which included harassing a young boy presumed to be gay. Matthew Friedemann, Phillip Maxwell, Thomas Buford, David Seed, and an anonymous witness to the event were all interviewed independently about incident, and gave similar accounts of what had happened. John Lauber was a victim of bullying in the all-boys Cranbrook School, and in 1965, Romney, who was a senior, forcibly cut off Lauber’s long, blonde, hair, believing Lauber’s appearance was “wrong.”

Romney and his friends barged into the room Lauber was in, pinned him to the ground, and, with a pair of scissors, chopped off his hair. Maxwell said Romney’s actions were “vicious,” and Buford that they were “a senseless, stupid, idiotic thing to do.”

About the allegations, Romney came out with the statement: “They talk about the fact that I played a lot of pranks in high school. And they describe some that you just say to yourself, back in high school I just did some dumb things, and if anybody was hurt by that or offended by it, obviously I apologize.”

Andrea Saul, his campaign spokeswoman, who stated that “the stories of fifty years ago seem exaggerated and off base and Governor Romney has no memory of participating in these incidents,” enforced the idea that his previous actions were irrelevant and invalid in determining his current character.

Similarly, Obama’s actions in high school haunted him during the presidential campaign, since they gave his opponents the opportunity to attack his character and to worsen the

populace’s view on his ability to lead. In his yearbook, Obama thanked his drug dealer Ray and the “Choom Gang”—a group he and his friends formed to smoke marijuana—“for all the good times.” In his book Barack Obama: The Story, biographer David Maraniss reveals that President Obama was responsible for starting new smoking techniques shaped around the idea that, as a school friend told the author, “wasting good bud smoke was not tolerated.” However, although the group’s dealer was murdered, Marniss adds; “most members of the Choom Gang were decent students and athletes who went on to successful and productive lawyers, writers and businessmen.” Instead of denying all claims, Obama was open about his marijuana use in the autobiography he published in 1995, and when a reporter brought up Bill Clinton’s comment that he had tried the drug in college but “didn’t inhale,” Obama responded; “that was the point, wasn’t it?” Ever since he assumed the Presidency, he has not supported the use of medicinal marijuana and imposed consequences on the use of the freepublic.com drug, proving that the lifestyle he chose to follow in his teenage years and the beliefs he chose to hold do not entirely define and mold his actions as an adult, much less as president.

What determines whether or not someone is elected president is not one mistake. At the end, although Romney’s bullying incident is deplorable, he didn’t lose the presidential election because of his background, but because his campaign staff made a series of strategic mistakes. Also, the majority of Americans believed that Obama—despite his actions in his senior year—was a more suitable candidate for president.

Holding choices made in one specific year of someone’s life against them, independent of whether or not he or she is running for president, may not be an effective way of analyzing character flaws. Someone’s personality is shaped by a variety of choices and experiences. Of course, this does not mean we should simply ignore the decisions made in senior year, because, if careless and immoral, they do join other mistakes and form personality issues. And it is not one misstep that determines who we are; it is what we choose to do to fix that misstep that defines our character.

Sources: nytimes.com; pbs.org; dailymail.co.uk; washingtonpost.com; boston.com

the talon • 19

features

Wise Words of Advice Seniors know best...

Renata Sayão

I

t’s a widely held belief that elders are wise and experienced in the “game of life.” Since they have been around for longer, it makes sense that advice from a senior is valuable because they’ve probably already been through the problems younger folks have to face. So, I asked some senior citizens for one piece of advice to our generation. Here are the best three: Don’t forget how to write, especially in cursive.

“I understand that times are changing, but woah! My grandchildren are learning how to type at the age of three!

They go on that ‘Typeracer’ what’s his face, and get a 105-word-perminute score! It’s so much quicker and easier than having to write out every word by hand, without having hand cramps or getting calluses on your fingers. Yet at the same time, you’re missing out. You cannot type out everything you want to write, and sometimes a pen and paper is just more useful and practical. Plus you can doodle in class if you’re bored and bring out your artistic side! I just think there’s a more human side to hand-generated written work than computer-generated work. And if you want to get romantic, a handwritten love letter is so much more thoughtful than a machine-made mono-font text, Facebook inbox or e-mail. And you have to know how to sign your name without using a fancy font and a keyboard. It’s a must for everyone.”

Strive to find a balance for your life.

“Too much food makes you feel bloated. Too little food makes you feel hungry. Too much studying means you’re overdoing it and you’re bound to be really exhausted, but too little will not benefit you either. Life is about balance; it’s about finding the right amount of sleep, the perfect intake of food, the ideal amount of time on Facebook and homework, the amount of respect you’re willing to pay to other beliefs, but not too much that you forget what yours is. Nothing in excess is good. It means you’re overdoing something or ignoring something else, or that you’re not doing something you should.

I understand that you’re ‘forced’ to do all your homework, and you feel like you don’t have time for other things, but then again, how important is that one assignment? Let one

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assignment be handed in late and accept that you exchanged it for a good time doing something else. That’s the way I see it, at least.”

Carpe Diem!

“It’s cheesy, I know. But it’s the best thing I can think of off the top of my head. So many times in my life I’ve been worried: about vestibulares, about getting a job, about getting a promotion that I never really enjoyed. What I’ve noticed over the past few years is an increasingly fast-paced society that spends too much time in the future, in 2020, 2030, 2050…

Just recently it dawned on me that when you get that wake-up call that your life is really short, you start to make each day count. That’s why I like telling people to enjoy each day, because I could be the wake-up call to someone else. You can start to cross things off your bucket list already. All these songs on the radio: Ke$ha, sketchingbrad.com One Direction, The Wanted, and I don’t know what the other bands are (they sound all too similar) talk about enjoying life. Look back on your weekend on Monday and smile; give yourself reasons to smile. I think with age comes knowledge and wisdom, but more than that, age comes with a clearer image of what you want out of life. I think that’s it.”

I believe that these three pieces of advice could really be taken to heart. These people have developed their philosophies on life over a long period of time, and they’ve seen enough that their philosophy probably holds true. To all the seniors at Graded blasting off into the corners of the world, take this advice from those who’ve been where you are now.

Times have changed but the general problems that we face through our lives are the same, and probably have the same solutions. So don’t forget to practice your cursive writing, seek balance, and seize the day.

features

Hello from France Things I’ve learned in my first year of college Isabella Bender Zevallos

B

eing away from Graded for almost a year now has taught me to rethink a few things in my life, and led me to some unexpected life lessons. Thus, I’ve taken the liberty of compiling my own list of things that I have learned this past year.

You’ve all heard the spiel about “being yourself,” so this is a bit more unofficial — just a few tips for life after high school.

Dieting is harder than you might’ve imagined.

I have found that being on a sports team can be an interesting deal: my soccer team meets less regularly than it did at Graded, and these less intense practices, together with French baguettes and the not-so-healthy typical college student meals, mean that I seem to have changed the numbers on the scale a bit. Don’t worry, it hasn’t yet turned into a life-threatening situation; if you push me down the stairs, I won’t end up rolling down them or anything. But yes, starting to eat healthier requires a level of self-control that I was unprepared for. No thanks, Freshman Fifteen!

Take it easy, and let things go.

I won’t elaborate too much on this because The Talon is a PG-13 magazine, but I must say, beware… “adult” beverages. Don’t go beyond your limit. Blacking out, or similar outcomes, is not a pleasant experience.Trying to find out what happened while you were unaware might lead to either embarrassment when you find out all the stupid things you did. Or, worse, others might invent stories to see if you’ll believe it. Either way, stick to the little that you remember.

You have to go through some “rites of passage.”

Sometimes rites of passage can be great (Sweet 16, graduation, and so forth) but college seems to be full of different, notso-appealing rites of passage. A college student is only really considered a proper college student after an all-nighter, ruined clothing from laundry, eating too much pasta in a given week, skipping a lecture, or letting a party get a bit out of hand. No matter how hard you try to avoid experiences like these, they’ll probably happen to you. That’s okay, though, because that’s the only way you’ll learn. Also, other people will probably make the same mistakes as you, so don’t sweat it, and don’t judge.

People will most likely perceive you in a different way than before.

At Graded you might have been known for, say, your extraordinary writing skills, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into what your fellow college students will know you for. I, for one, am not known for my bizarre Halloween costumes or school

Guest Contributor

projects as I once was, but for other traits that were more obscure in high school, like my passion for the acoustic guitar.

While hardly anyone at Graded knew I played the guitar, at college I have friends coming to my room just to have a nice guitar and singing session. Go figure…

Travelling is great… but watch out for the budget.

Travelling can be an amazing experience, especially if you get to travel with friends. The bonding between travelers will bring you closer together and give you stories to look back on. Be careful, though, to not blow all your money on those nights out and expensive dinners. It gets a little awkward when you have to search your bags for enough coins to take a bus back home.

Getting pickpocketed is a real deal.

Beware of pickpockets. I’d never worried about this, but after hearing the stories about stolen items on the Paris subways, and almost having my bag stolen, I learned to be careful with my belongings.

Be ready for some cultural shocks.

Whether you’re going back to your home country for college or not, you are bound to feel a cultural shock. As a complete foreigner, I was lost. How do I greet people? How late do I show up to events? When are meals served here? Even if you’re heading back to your own country, you’ve probably adopted a little “Brazilianness” and not realized it yet, so it might take a few weeks to readapt. Don’t worry, though: you’ll get better at it, and hopefully bring some of your own culture with you too.

Always be optimistic.

Sometimes you will miss your family, your friends, and your old life. Sometimes, a friend is going through a tough time and it’s making you rethink your own choices. Don’t let that unhappiness control you — be strong, happy, and thankful.

This list, though, can’t fully prepare you for your own college experience. A year from now you might agree with these lessons or have no idea what I’m talking about. College could turn out to be the most fulfilling or most challenging time of your life. In the end, you’ll have to see for yourself.

Isabella Bender Zevallos is an alum from the class of 2012 and a former Talon staff member. She now lives in France and attends L’Institut d’Études Politiques (SciencesPo). She lives with a stuffed teddy bear, four musical instruments and a kitchen sink that has more piled-up dishes than one would care for.

the talon • 21

features

The Power of TED

What effect can an 18-minute video have?

Pooja Singhi

Guest Contributor

E

ighteen minutes. Four minutes shorter than an episode of that spread ideas more effectively than other mediums? In How I Met Your Mother, three minutes longer than the first terms of content, there isn’t much of a difference. As we know, break of the school day, seven minutes shorter than the essay books, movies and magazines can change lives, spreading similar messages as those delivered at these annual international section of the SAT. What can one person do in 18 minutes?

If you have succumbed to the latest internet phenom- conferences. However, the reason that TED proves the perfect enon, you can agree with my answer to that question: A lot. medium for an idea revolution is its accessibility, both in terms Since 1984, TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) has of convenience and ease of comprehension.

In today’s busy culture, most people simply do not brought together thousands of people in various fields to speak at international conferences. Since its start, several spin-offs have time to read Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love or watch of the original West Coast TED conference have formed includ- Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. The insatiable curiosity of ing TED Active, TED Global, TED India, TED Women, and TED humanity still exists but, in order to keep up with BlackBerries Prize. Every single conference shares a common goal: Ideas and high-speed transportation, the dissemination of information Worth Spreading. However, the power of TED is what happens needs to reflect this pace. TED fulfills this requirement. TED talks stream directly from the Inapproximately two hours afterternet and, whether being viewed wards when the recorded talk is on a computer, tablet, or mobile uploaded online. With over 1,400 device, an 18-minute lecture on talks and 1 billion views, TED has life can easily fit into a train ride redefined the dissemination of or coffee break. information.

I do not doubt that theoAs many Graded students retical physicists understand the know, TED talks are frequently socialrhythms.files.wordpress.com elegance of the string theory or used in the classroom as a way to offer a new perspective on a traditional IB topic. Al Gore that history professors comprehend the intricacies of ancient challenged our assumptions about CO2 production in Biology; Greek gender roles. However, TED talks impressively allow Al Seckel fooled our brains with optical illusions in Theory of anyone of any expertise to understand a diverse range of ideas Knowledge; and Chimamanda Adichie confronted our limited in our developing world. The deep-sea diver can understand cultural awareness in Literature. I believe that one problem the statistical analysis of international economics, while the with education is its monotony. With a defined curriculum and a foreign correspondent can understand the science behind love. cramped period of time, it’s easy to be consumed in scribbling This seemingly impossible phenomenon relies on the most pivnotes during lectures or rushing through yet another test. TED otal aspect of TED talks: they are engaging. As described by talks give students a break from this routine, during which we Virginia Heffernan in the NY Times article “Confessions of a TED understand the relevance of ourclasses and become passionate Addict,” each TED talk “starts with a bang and keeps banging till it explodes in fireworks. How can I shut it off?” With each about the topics being covered.

However, I don’t think I fully appreciated the power speaker’s passion and the use dynamic but simple visual aids, of TED until I began to watch the talks on my own, merely for TED talks grab viewers and don’t let go until the eruption of pleasure. From all the talks I have heard, there are two things applause and a gradual fade to white.

During the best TED talks, you don’t just wipe away the speakers have in common: they speak about what they know, and they speak about what they love. It’s quite impres- tears or laugh so hard your stomach hurts. The best TED talks sive, but I wonder how throughouly one can convey what is are the ones that make you change some aspect of your own known and loved in that span of time. The speakers have only life, the ones that call you to action in just 18 minutes and 18 minutes to tell the world about what they have often been embrace these “ideas worth spreading.” working on for decades, 18 minutes to essentially convey their Source: nytimes.com purpose in life. And those 18 minutes had better be good.

But, a key question is this: What is it about TED talks

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features

An Appreciation Three seniors who had an influence

Michael Borger

Guest Contributor

O

n the first day of high school, I walked down the hallways, thinking that I knew everything, that I had nothing to learn from others. I was completely off; I knew absolutely nothing, especially compared to what I’ve learned over the course of this year. I’ve learned a lot from my teachers, of course, but what I’ve learned in terms of content of character, in terms of what it truly means to be a good person, I owe to the seniors.

They’ve inspired me more than I thought was possible. There are select seniors that I think have displayed characteristics , characteristics that I aspire to have when I’m older.

Empathy, for instance. When I was on the plane to Recife for a Knowledge Bowl tournament, I sat next to the captain of the team, Mari Bender. I was a bit intimidated, since I was surrounded by four kids who were on average three years older than I was. However, when the plane took off, Mari immediately began talking to me, which made me feel not just like a part of the team, but like a friend. During the flight, we spoke about numerous topics and played a trivia game on the mini-television screen in front of Mari’s seat (of course we had to play the game because we were the Knowledge Bowl team). Later on, throughout the tournament, Mari always made me feel included, even though I was the freshman, the newbie, the baby that was trying to grow up too fast. We ended up winning that tournament, and I will always remember the moment when we realized we had won, the moment where I turned to her and said all melodramatically, “Mari, we just won the tournament.” Yes, I actually said that, just pointing out the obvious. I mean, we can’t all be articulate when we’re in shock, but that wasn’t the part that stood out to me. The part that stood out was her smile, a smile that showed she was proud of me, that she understood and appreciated how hard I had worked.

In March, I was at the HACIA Democracy conference in

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and I have to say it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. During the conference, I cried and smiled, relaxed and stressed, and felt other contradictory feelings. However, the conference never got boring, not only because there were jacuzzis in the rooms, but because of Deyra Cabellero, a girl I met and became siblings with on the trip. She always made me laugh, helped me look at the positive side of the things, and when my committee was difficult, went with me to get virgin piña coladas. Then, when we were coming back from HACIA, I sat next to her on the plane, and I have to say I’ve never laughed so much as I did then.

There’s one quote that always makes me laugh whenever I think of it: “I’m so pretty. How am I still single?” As you can probably tell, she is quite the modest person, but one of her most prominent characteristics, at least in my mind, is that she is funny.

Lastly, I wanted to emphasize individuality. I’ve always that the tal-on-line.blogspot.com.br seniors aren’t a class that conforms. There’s one person I feel takes that beyond what words can really describe: Julia Wu. Ever since I met her, she’s always stood out to me. I don’t know if it’s because she’s such a hard-worker or because she’s so intelligent, but there’s something that just makes her stand out of a crowd. In my first article for The Talon, I actually said something along the line of, “there’s this one senior I’ve always looked at and thought was perfect in every way possible.” I have no idea if anyone picked that up, but it was about Julia, how I honestly cannot find anything wrong with her, since she’s just an incredible person, and never tries to be someone she’s not.

Many seniors embody these qualities of empathy, humor and individuality. I honestly believe that each will go on to do incredible things. I hope that when I’m senior I might bear a resemblance, even if it’s just a tiny bit, to the members of the Class of 2013.

the talon • 23

features

Crossword Puzzle Honoring celebrity deaths of 2013 Features Team

ACROSS

DOWN

4. Richard Griffiths portrayed the cruel Uncle Vernon in this series. (2 words) 6. Jane was the wife of Jim ______, creator of the Muppets.

7. Andre Cassagnes invented this drawing toy. (3 words) 8. This man led Cuba for 14 years.

9. Storm Thorgerson was a designer who made several album covers for this English rock band. (2 words) 10. Patty was the last surviving sister of this harmonizing family.

11. Pat Summerall was a famed commentator of this American sport.

13. Pauline Philips wrote this popular advice column under a pseudonym. (2 words) 14. Allan Arbus played Major Sidney Freedman on this TV series set during the Korean War. 15. This famous film critic passed away after a long fight with cancer.

1. Chinua Achebe was a Nigerian author known best for this novel. (3 words)

24 • the talon

2. Clive Burr was the drummer for this heavy metal band. (2 words) 3. Frank Bank played the lovable “Lumpy” on the sitcom Leave it to _______.

5. Paul Tanner was the last surviving member of this man’s band from the '40s.

12. This woman redefined British politics with her uncompromising attitude.

college essays

College Essays A selection from our seniors

Á

lvaro Rossi

as within my capacity to prevail over social exclusion, a third language, and whatever else could be thrown my way. I knew

The ocean’s salty mist hit my face just how I like it

at that time of day. The calls of foot-volleyball players on

that I needed to wrestle with conflicting ideas and reconcile them in my own head.

Copacabana beach rang out to me and I pedaled faster to get

Looking back, I realize how this choice was the first

from school to soccer practice. Training ended early because

real test of my resilience. I learned that different, yet valid

my dad had something important to tell me. I heard the samba

ideologies can coexist only because I chose not to shrink under

getting louder as I approached the fields, the neighborhood

the pressures of a worthwhile experience. This resilience later

bars were opening as the sun set. I didn’t know this was going

allowed me to transition to Sao Paulo wholeheartedly, win

to be one of my last days in Rio.

varsity soccer matches in the last minutes, and bounce back

Snow made the narrow streets of Madrid unnavigable

to excel in mathematics. Adversity reveals character. I learned

by bike so I ducked into subway tunnels to get to practice. The

that I am not afraid to pedal uphill, from beach promenades

sounds of traffic were drowned out underground and exchanged

to snowy streets, to whatever else awaits me.

for the buzz of the trains. Strangers recoiled into their books as I took my seat, thinking about the sudden changes in my life over the past few weeks. Madrid was presenting plenty of challenges for a nine year-old from Brazil.

I thought my transition was going to be easy; after all, the language wasn’t that different and I was moving between

C

arol Schivartche The first few days were abysmal; arguably, the worst

two Augustinian education programs. My parents had placed

ever. I was lonely, withdrawn and knew no one. Certainly, this

their children in one of the city’s most rigorous public schools,

would be the longest month of my life. Thankfully, I couldn’t

unaware that its ideology was more conservative than what

have been more mistaken.

we were used to. While in Brazil I was taught natural selection

My journey started way back at JFK, on June 28, 2011.

and classes were led by discussions; in Spain, Darwin’s theory

As I checked in my luggage on a flight straight from New York

of evolution came from divine revelation and questions were

to Tel Aviv, I scanned the room and found a sea of unfamiliar

frowned upon.

faces surrounding me. Despite the fact that we appeared to be

The school’s orthodox nature had put me in the midst

a pack, all wearing the same teal t-shirt, it seemed like I was

of a conflict of beliefs I was not yet ready to deal with. Silence

the only one that stood out. I believed I was the only terrified

was praised over participation and order was considered more

soul. I was about to embark on a voyage that I wasn’t willing

valuable than creativity. Coming into this community, I was

to undertake. My parents had decided it would be a good op-

not only faced with the challenge of learning a new language

portunity for me to learn about myself. Nonetheless, despite

and fighting social discrimination, but also with a paradigm

the fact that it could possibly be a life-changing experience, I

shift in terms of what was expected of me.

was not looking forward to it at all.

In light of these cultural and educational barriers,

My experience in Gadna, the Israeli youth corps, turned

my parents offered me the opportunity to go back to Rio,

that all around. Living an army lifestyle for five days altered my

to the famous sidewalks and vibrant sunsets, to live with my

mindset completely. I accomplished things that I never dreamt

grandparents. Although intrigued by the possibility, I decided

myself capable of doing. Not only were there no showers, but

against it. Going back to my hometown meant running away

I also shared a one-person tent with two other girls, wore the

from a challenge; I valued this unique opportunity and saw it

same, hot, sticky uniform every day, ate basic provisions while

the talon • 25

college essays sitting on the ground, ran interminably in 100-degree weather,

The log cabin we stayed in belonged to Daniel’s

shot a machine gun and woke up before dawn to crawl up a

grandfather. Daniel had been my best friend since I moved to

thorn-filled mountain. For five intense days, I simulated the

Venezuela in fourth grade. Living in seven different countries

life of an Israeli soldier.

had taught me the power of true friendships and how it’s

That month was the best one of my life. Not only did I

sometimes strenuous and sometimes effortless to find them.

meet amazing people that I have kept in touch with and hosted

Maine shaped who I am now; it opened my mind and taught

in my house in Brazil, but I also had incredible experiences and

me things I would have never even thought of in a city of 19

daily adventures. Sleeping under the stars in the desert, rappel-

million people.

ling down a cliff, exploring Jerusalem’s old city, volunteering

Our days would end with a late-night card game and

at elderly homes, walking along the top of the Western Wall

stargazing from the dock. In Maine 19 million people became

—those thirty days could not have been more meaningful.

19 billion stars, and I saw a sky that still lies unpolluted by

Every day I wished time could stop so that that mo-

society’s smog. Daniel’s dad Eduardo and his friend Thomas are

ment would never end, and that I would never have to come

two of the smartest people I’ve ever met. I’ve always admired

back to reality. That month in Israel was paradisiacal. Unfor-

them, their witty comments and their amusing anecdotes at the

tunately, nothing lasts forever, and on the plane ride back to

dinner table. Their banter was significant, reminding me that, as

Brazil, on July 29, I realized that I had made a monumental

Philip Davis remarks in Descartes’ Dream, “a deep conversation

discovery.

with a new or old friend [is] beyond mathematics… numbers

That July in Israel was the time in my life in which

are only the shadow, that life is the reality.”

I was truest to myself. There, I explored my surroundings,

Our conversations about astronomy and friendships

friendships, and opportunities, but most importantly, myself.

pushed me towards trying to grasp a deepened understanding

Because of that experience, I am now confident when faced

of things. They taught me the power of persistence. During

with an obstacle such as running to the last second during a

the day, the previous night’s conversations came to light; my

strenuous soccer game, dodging preventable misperceptions

persistence was put to test. I reminisce about the first time

and misunderstandings, or acing a physics test. I now know

I caught a keeper salmon after fly-fishing for four hours and

that, as hard as things may get, I will be able to push through

the first time I waterskied (on the 19th attempt), that feeling

and persevere, regardless of the challenges I will face during

of satisfaction I felt after being patient and persistent at

college and the years to come.

something that pays off.

It seemed like every second spent in Maine was valuable. I learned to open my mind to the knowledge the world

E

holds. Even though Einstein said that “anyone can do anything

duardo Ramos

but no one can do everything,” I follow a different mindset in which I try to do as much of everything as I can, always in pursuit

The cold window touching my nose marked our arrival,

of my passions. Knowledge that can be transmitted through

the moment I waited for each year. For the past five summers

words is limited, but it is experiences like the ones I lived in

the little town of Rangeley, Maine had been my home. I found

Maine that provide me with the mental adeptness necessary to

myself wiping the foggy window. Inside the car, I noticed that

be successful. Maine is my idiosyncratic experience; it is where

everyone was doing the same; squinting their eyes as if it would

I became persistent, and it is where I learned that some things

give them the night vision necessary to spot the moose. My time

go far beyond intelligence.

there taught me it is safe to experiment with the unknown; I explored a lifestyle that deviated from mine in São Paulo.

When I was in Maine, I was free of expectations—I was myself.

Maine has become my favorite place in the world, and the time I spent there the most influential of my life.

26 • the talon

college essays

I

nes Gil

surprise, and wonder. I thrive in this silence.

Silence is my constant. I have formed a theory about

I believe and value my silence as a mysterious and

this silence, and it has become the way I deal with the problems

prosperous freedom. It connects what makes me who I am. And

and expectations I come across in my life. I truly believe not

what I want is for people to see this silence as me.

only in silence, but also the value of my own silence.

My silence is mine because my thoughts and nature have been greatly influenced by my personal and ever-changing environment. These past years have brought me through culture shocks and the experiences of a teenager finding her place.

I still don’t know what I’m doing or where I’m headed, all I know is that I am going.

J

ose Alberto Suarez If you ask me, meeting new people is always the

same. It all comes down to one question: “‘Pollo’ as in Spanish

Silence has connected my path, making up the lines

for ‘Chicken’?” I might as well say it all comes down to two

stretching through different continents, languages and groups

questions, since people also ask if “Pollo” is my name, or my

and classes of people. I was born in Argentina, then lived in

nickname. Every time I meet someone I consider whether to

the suburbs of Indianapolis for 10 years, and now am currently

introduce myself with my proper name or as “Pollo.” It seems

living in Brazil. I’ve experienced the silence of misunderstand-

rather obvious that I should be Jose Suarez; it sounds more

ings, the silence of embarrassment, the silence of hesitation

serious and mature for a good first-impression. However, I

following the dreaded question, “Where are you from?” and

hesitate every single time. How I can ask strangers to call

the silence of feeling alone. I’ve experienced the proud silence

me Jose when I am “Pollo” on my jersey and on conference

of my family watching our soccer team singing Argentina’s

name-tags? When I am “Pollo” even within my school’s

anthem, the emotional silence of seeing Brazil receiving the

student database? When I am “Pollo” more than anything else

torch for the next Olympics, and the silence of acceptance

amongst family, friends and teachers?

when the waiter doesn’t mention my accent when ordering.

The first time people hear my nickname, they are

But silence is also about listening. And I have learned

intrigued by it because all they can picture in their minds is a

that life is loud. I have come to listen and make moments of

skinny-legged, puffy chicken—a peculiar first-impression. After

these sounds, starting in the dirt streets of Buenos Aires, then

that image fades away, however, people see how the different

to the suburbs of Indianapolis listening to nature, the cheer-

connotations “Pollo” carries contrast my actual character.

ing during football games, and children playing safely on the

“Pollo” was shaped by my courage and perseverance to

streets. Then the city São Paulo took me to a whole other

confront challenges rather than by fear of trying, and notably,

world of sounds, from cars honking, to construction sites, and

by my willingness and firmness to be original and stand up for

to sounds of the homeless on the streets.

who I am.

Silence is a great mystery, no matter what I theorize.

More than just the name everyone uses around me,

It’s a map with no boundaries, every day being drawn upon,

“Pollo” is an emblem, a distinctive, texture-embossed stamp

while being untraceable. It is full of possibility, yet unknown. Si-

that embodies crucial aspects of my character: my strong

lence has many risks, and it’s up to me to embrace them. Start-

family ties, my passion for sports, my pride in Mexico.

ing in sixth grade I would have notebooks full of my sketches

“Pollo” is an indication of my harmonious relationship

of floor plans and house designs. I kept my inner architect to

with my brother and an embodiment of my everlasting passion

myself, until one day in eighth grade during dinner when I was

for soccer. Both in elementary school back in Monterrey and

asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I revealed all

in middle school in São Paulo, I played soccer alongside my

those sketches to the awe of my parents. My sketches became

brother and represented Brillamont’s Beavers and Graded’s

part of my silence, and I embraced and presented that silence

Eagles. It is through the art of the beautiful game, the game

as myself. My silence is when I am at my best, most confident,

in which my brother encouraged me to run every inch of the

and most honest. It’s a part of me waiting to be revealed, to

field – “¡Vamos ‘Pollo’, con garra!” [“Come on, ‘Pollo,’ with

the talon • 27

college essays drive!”] – that my nickname gained life and became part of

welcomed foreign buyers in English. Firmly entrenched as a

who I am. In these parallel stories, “Pollo” was molded out

Brazilian, I also became friends with the company’s salespeople

of a thousand drills and a thousand laps around the field, a

from around the country. I never let go of my mother tongue,

thousand scraped knees and a thousand bruises on my thighs,

and clutched the Asian giant’s hand in a different manner

and out of a thousand minutes of playing with my brother.

when I started going there “for business.” I discovered I had a

“Pollo” is a nickname that grew out of brotherhood and

powerful tool to crush a boundary that hindered global trade—I

passion.

could communicate.

Moreover, as a Spanish word, this nickname carries in

My parents divorced about two years ago, before my

itself the spirit and essence of Latin America, allowing me to

first journey to China as an intern. My mother, a shrewd busi-

express my admiration for Mexican vigor. My nickname further

nesswoman, offered me the opportunity to fly to China alone

helped me understand that entwining different cultures is

to meet with her employees there, and then visit factories

not about conceding one’s identity, but rather about finding a

in Guangzhou to place orders. Armed with my own deck of

balance between new customs and habits, and one’s true self.

business cards (of which I am inordinately proud), my TI-84,

Instead of translating “Pollo” to English or Portuguese, I

a Chinese version of Accounting for Dummies, and a folder of

explained to people from every corner of the world the

factory data, payment terms, and personal notes, I was also

cultural significance underlying my nickname.

charged with checking and amending contracts with supplier

“Pollo” packs together culture, history, and passion.

“Pollo” packs together my identity today and tomorrow.

factories, and translating for the Brazilian staff. As the middleman between the Brazilian buyers and Chinese manufacturers, I was honored and motivated to facilitate mutual understanding.

That was when I appreciated language as a means of my own

J

ulia Wu With one BRIC country on either side of my heart, I

cross-cultural learning, and its importance to global business as a catalyst to nurturing cooperation and ethical trade.

am a product of globalization—born in Rio de Janeiro to two

China and Brazil stand in the spotlight of the interna-

young, financially fragile Chinese merchants. My parents never

tional economy but are often obstructed by language barriers

completed college, and came to Brazil in search of opportunity.

that breed misinterpretation and failed business transactions.

Ever since I was three months old, I moved back and forth

My young experience of living and trading between these na-

between China and Brazil, my grandparents in China helping

tions revealed the power of language to extinguish cultural

to raise me when my parents were focused solely on forging

obstacles and build bridges of comprehension and respect

a living in their adopted country. I learned to speak and write

among nationalities. It marked the inception of my venture to

in Mandarin before settling down in Brazil at age eight, when

fathom a tangled globe.

my parents became financially stable in the business they had started. They sent me to an American school, a startling and of a language barrier and unbeknownst to me, a glimpse of what

M

I would later identify as an “issue” in the realm of international

bones, but it was just an ordinary day. Everyone was laughing.

business.

Everyone was babbling about random stuff. No one really cared

peculiar community. There I stumbled upon my first experience

ie Mizutani It was a cold day, so cold that the wind penetrated my

Being a child did not keep me from perceiving the

about the reason Yuji Higo didn’t come to school that day. But

struggles of my parents, a pair of underdogs who fought tire-

that day, Yuji erased himself from the world. The winter of

lessly for a niche in a burgeoning market. Imperceptibly, the

2010—all I remember is how the chilly but serene world turned

business wove itself into my everyday awareness, and at the

into a frigid and despairing world. Each step I took, the earth

end of ninth grade I began officially shadowing my parents at

cracked. I started to see things that I never saw before, as if I

work during vacations. In my last couple of years in high school,

was finally in focus; the leaves falling to the ground, a paper

I spoke regularly at conventions, participated in exhibits and

blown by the wind, water dripping from a leaf.

28 • the talon

college essays More than a year has passed, but I still carry Yuji with me. I carry his smiles. I carry his yawns. I carry his sister who

characters’ masks, but a crew stays backstage, like ninjas in the dark—all in the hopes of creating an illusion of a world.

didn’t cry at the funeral. There isn’t a day that I haven’t thought

This subtle magic can only be created by an ensemble

about Yuji. He wasn’t my boyfriend or someone special. We

that works well together. I am the “link”—as stage manager

weren’t even close. But still, when I look at the sky, and see

I make sure the lights, sound, props, costumes and sets fit

the clouds flicker away, I always think about him. I just feel like

together harmoniously, as light technician I connect the

Yuji is somewhere around there, rubbing his eyes, saying that

audience’s emotions to the stage. The actors can focus their

he’s too lazy to go to school, and sometimes gazing blankly at

energy on their characters knowing the backstage workers will

somewhere we never knew.

run everything smoothly as planned; but if something goes

In English class, we read The Things They Carried by

wrong, we improvise and make it work. Although a director

Tim O’ Brien. In the last chapter, “The Lives Of The Dead,” one

prepares the actors, once the show starts it is up to me to

dead character says that “Once you’re alive, you can’t ever

make sure no one panics behind the scenes when inevitable

be dead.” That instant, I felt all my memories of Yuji starting

mistakes happen. If the sound effect of a shotgun goes off at

to form a big picture, as if they were each a piece of a jigsaw

the wrong time, we cannot yell out “sorry”; all we can do is

puzzle, and covering up my heart. Yes, we are immortal. Since

hope the actors stay in character and calmly get the next cue

we are in the memories of others, once we’re brought to life,

right. If someone forgets a prop, we recover by finding a way

we can’t ever be dead. No, Yuji isn’t dead. He is alive.

to get it on stage. Theater is live, and as the saying goes, the

I believe that every one of us has a magic power to

show must go on!

bring back the dead, and when I die, I can live on forever in

Now is the scene I’ve been anticipating, the main

someone’s world. Yuji is smiling at me as I’m writing this. All

character’s suicide. I focus the attention on her metaphorical

others—my great grandfather, my mother’s first love, that man

death by letting only the blue light remain as she dances across

that used to live across the street—they’re all brought back to

the stage. Like holding an eraser, I darken the background

life right now. Once we’re alive, we can’t ever be dead. We will

around her further and further, syncing to the mournful rhythm

be carried by someone else.

of the music. The audience is entranced, focused only on the girl

I carry the love for food that is given by my mother, who

folding in on herself. As the light fades to black, I am no longer

is a nutritionist. I carry my father’s serene smiles. I carry the

a person working the lights but a solemn mood the crowd has

cries and hugs that my friends gave me when I moved to Brazil.

connected to. Once the audience leaves the theater, they may

I carry the shock I felt when working on a community service

still remember the drowning feeling our art fabricated with the

project in Malaysia and a girl threw a knife at me.

shade of sapphire blue. I will remember the awe of creation

I will carry all of my life into college, where I will meet thousands of new people, whose experience, joy or burdens

and the bonds developed between cast and crew through that process.

will differ from mine. Classmates, professors, the cook in the

The magic is balance—the actors feed off the

cafeteria. I will carry everything about them; I will carry their

audience’s energy, and we make sure it flows in the right places.

past, present and future.

I wave back at our actors during bows when they raise a hand of acknowledgement to my anonymous booth, proud as I look

A

down one last time at the stage. There’s nothing like a job well ngelique Ribeiras

done—no one else can acknowledge it but myself.

Under cover of dark in the theater’s balcony, overlooking

I am surprised when the director calls me down from

the crowd as I survey the stage, I realize quietly that the

my perch to join in the spotlight. By the side of our ensemble,

audience has no idea of the work behind all of our magic. All

I amend that last thought as I hear the crowd’s applause: But

they see is where I point the spotlight, not the anticipation of

feeling appreciated certainly never hurts.

my next cue, not even (if well done) the subtle improvisation of an actor’s line if a prop is missing. Artists appear as their

the talon • 29

features

What are your Future Plans?

We asked, and here were some answers Compiled by Talon Staff Na Yeon Kim: I will be going to George Washington University to study international business. I’m sure I’ll have an amazing time in D.C.

able to maximize the productivity of my farm. I am kidding.

I'm taking a gap year and I have no idea what to do next. After that I plan on going to an art school to study graphic design.

Angelique Ribieras: I’m so excited about going to Vassar College (and it's just two hours away from NYC)! Thank you to my family and all the people at Graded for helping me find the courage I need to try new things these next four years and find out what my passion is.

Victor Lee: Next year, while double majoring in Film Studies and Environmental Engineering at UBC, I will ski and snowboard in my free time, take some fencing classes, and hike in the Canadian mountains every morning. Then, after 5 years, I would love to go to Asia and spend a year meditating in a Buddhist temple.

Mari Bender: Next school year I’ll be moving to the U.S to study international economics at GW's Elliott School of International Affairs. I am really excited to move to D.C and experience those #onlyatGW moments that the capital has to offer. Raise High!

Larissa Chern: I will take a gap semester in which I'll work on issues of world hunger. After this, I will attend Pepperdine University in the sunny Malibu hills as a Public Relations major and a Social Work minor.

Tess Kuester: Next year I will be attending Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service in Washington D.C., where I will gain my freshmen fifteen from Georgetown Cupcakes and attempt to explain to people how I could have lived in Brazil without being Brazilian.

John Kim: I will be attending USC and after that it's highly probable that I will attend law school. Then work as an international corporate lawyer, buy a house in London to watch all the Arsenal games and watch my team win the Champions League finals.

Julia Wu: In college, I hope to finally be able to bring two of my passions together—Business and International Relations. As a side dish, I will also study something exciting that I might have never thought about, such as philosophy, latin, biology, or computer science. I also want to start working while in college, and at some point I will have to uphold the promise my mother coerced me to make as a child, which is to help her expand her business.

Dani Reis: After leaving Graded, I plan on following my parents› path and becoming a farmer; right after I graduate I plan on studying Engenharia Agrônoma in UFMS, and hopefully I will be

30 • the talon

Isa Franco: I will be attending Northeastern this fall and am planning on pursuing a major in marketing with a minor in communications. I am excited to study in Boston but I intend to take full advantage of the co-op and study-abroad opportunities, finishing with my fifth year in New York.

Ines Gil: In the fall I will be in sunny L.A. to study at the School of Architecture at USC. I feel like it's a risk that I'm excited to take, and I can't wait to be surrounded by people with the same passions as me. I'm also planning on studying abroad at least one semester in either Italy or Germany, and hopefully getting an internship here at home or Argentina. But for now, Cali weather and football games here I come!

Carol Schivartche: In September I'll be going to Northwestern University in Chicago. I couldn't be happier, since it was my Early Decision choice! I'll attend the School of Communications and pursue a Communication Studies major, Film and Media Studies minor and complete a Creative Writing for Television certificate.

Kevin Wolfson: I'm headed to sunny Claremont McKenna College in California next fall. I'm hoping double major in International Relations and PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics). I hope that by the time I graduate I'll also have earned a minor in surfing!

Kristi Erickson: My plans for next year include the beginning of my study toward a pharmacy degree. I'll be taking prepharmacy courses at a community college in Michigan and then transferring to a four-year college to become "Dr. Kristi." I’ll also be getting my driver’s license after accidentally sending my permit through the wash years ago!

features

In 20 Years

Out tongue-in-cheek predictions for this year’s seniors Talon Senior Staff Ale Dias: As you travel the globe, you hear people sing epic stories about this legend of the world of film. He came up with an equation to find the best angles when shooting a film, which led him to win four Academy Awards for Best Cinematography.

Now, following his pyromaniac passion, Ale conducts crazy experiments in his private laboratory in his basement, while philosophizing about his existence in the world.

Alessandro Mondelli: During his gap year, Alessandro decided to travel around the world with Dani Reis. During one of his meditation sessions in India, he found a sudden urge of inspiration and began composing. Along with Juri, he became known as the Best Violinist of the 21st Century and was invited to play in the most prestigious concert houses; instead he decided to abandon the life of fame to travel to poor communities around the globe, teaching music and meditation to children in need. Álvaro Rossi: Thriving at law school, Álvaro decided to leave his degree “for later.” He started a law firm with people he convinced to drop out with him, and managed the institution that eventually became the real-life model for the TV show “Suits.” As one of New York’s most respected attorneys, Álvaro is frequently interviewed by the media. Yet, he never misses an opportunity to crack random and witty jokes while trying (miserably) to flash a normal smile at the camera. Recently, he spent a fraction of his income to purchase the Fluminense team, and had an 8-hour game session of FIFA with his favorite player, Fred.

Alyssa Ferreira: Last seen on a fifth honeymoon with her husband, an Arab prince, Ally still refuses to leave Abu Dhabi, and with good reason. Her wedding gifts included a room filled with gold and two young Arab stallions, one black and one white, so that she and her husband could ride off into the sunset on romantic strolls around the desert. It is literally a dream come true, completed by the arrival of two beautiful sons, Ali and Ahmed. With the support of her husband, Ally now plans on becoming an equestrienne, which has always been her ultimate desire.

André Mendes: After graduating from University of Miami in which he performed extremely well in the basketball team.

Later Andre decided that he’d try to become the next Michael Jordan, and instead of playing basketball, he decided to try out for a major league baseball team. Unfortunately, he was extremely good at baseball, just like he was at basketball. A national vote was conducted to see if the public wanted Andre

to keep playing baseball or try to play in the NBA. It was a tie, and Andre decided he’d just do both. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, he plays for the Miami Heat. The other days of the week he plays for the Miami Marlins. And yes, his favorite place in the world is still Villa Mix. André Tucunduva: Graduating from Northeastern with honors, Tuc enjoyed his time abroad during college so much that his calling in life was to be a world explorer. Travelling throughout the world, exploring new places, ideas, and cultures got him his own travel show on Discovery Channel, which is titled “One Man, One Mission: Tuc’s Journey to Prove that There is no Team Better than Corinthians in the World,” while also travelling affordably. The show is a Hollywood success, and his trademark beard makes him a success with the ladies.

Andrea Wunderlich: Leaving Bowdoin with a group of adventurers, Andrea traveled the world for a year after college. She documented the trip on film, but the editing is still in progress. Sticking to her German roots and her passion for writing (especially poems; one of the most famous ones being “Ode to a Mosquito” which she wrote while at Graded), Dea started working as a well-known book editor in her mountain cabin in Switzerland. After living off the land for a while she decided to reconnect with herself and go to the Himalayas once again in search of her teenage spirit. There, she unexpectedly met with Victor Lee, her should-have-been boyfriend, fulfilling her purpose of reconnection. They kept traveling around, adding to her documentary which is now under the care of Oscar-winner Victor in their thriving home in Iceland.

Angelique Ribeiras: Graduating from Vassar and moving to New York, Angelique is now a successful stage manager for Broadway plays and a celebrated YA fiction writer. Recently, she adapted her newest book into a play, stage managed the show, and directed it. The show turned out to be one of the biggest hits in the industry’s history, leading to Angelique winning Tony Awards for Directing, Writing and Best Play.

Anna Souza: Remaining in Brazil and becoming a master at food engineering, Anna is now president of Kopenhagen. Well known for having a heart just as sweet as the goodies she produces, she is famous for distributing chocolate to the homeless every Friday, a task she insists in completing herself. A great listener to this day, Anna’s house is always filled with friends and family, who love telling her their stories. Her greatest vice?

Reading celebrity gossip. The collection of magazines in her

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features personal library now borders on 2000 editions.

Beatriz Rosa: After majoring in psychology, Bia moved to California and opened a small and successful clinic. She now is happily married to her long-term boyfriend Henrique and lives in a beautiful beach house with her children and puppies. On the weekends the Rosa family can be seen taking road trips around the coast or having fun at Disneyland.

Bia Carvalho: As we expected, Bia skipped college and threw herself into the music business. Luckily for her, the music business caught her with open arms. Soon after her first single “Who Needs School,” singer songwriter Usher noticed her talent and saw her promise. “I believe she can be the next Justin Bieber!” How right he was! Around the world “Bialievers,” still pack stadiums to hear the icon sing.

Brenda Osta: After graduating from Berklee and moving to L.A, Brenda was caught in one of Ellen DeGeneres’ hidden camera pranks. Her sense of humor instantly impressed Ellen and led the comedian to invite her to perform on her show, so Brenda had her big break in music. With the release and success of her second album, Brenda got to meet and tour with her idol, Alexz Johnson. Once the tour was up, Brenda decided to dedicate her life to musical therapy and now lives in Boston with her husband Darcy and their daughter Luna. Her music will be featured in the newest Disney musical.

Bruna Isabelle Toledo: Bruna really partied hard for her first years after high school. After the fifth year of her Eurotrip, she started to notice that the partying just wasn’t fun anymore.

One night, while she pondered her life choices and flipped through the channels, she suddenly had the urge to stop at the Christian Channel. Here she found what she was missing in her life: God. Bruna went on to become the first female Pope and is currently having a film made about her, with Willow Smith portraying her.

Bruna Santos: Singing next to Beyoncé and Mariah Carey was her dream for 20 years. Not anymore. Now, Beyoncé and Mariah Carey dream to sing next to Bruna Santos, as her new hit has been number 1 in Billboard’s The Hot 100 music chart for 16 weeks straight. Following her passion for country music, she comes back to her homeland and makes Brazil proud of música Sertanejo. Now, Bruninha can be found shopping and partying in Beverly Hills after successfully opening a music studio in São Paulo.

Caio Mello: While in college, Caio decided on a whim to get a job at the school library for some extra money. It was there that people quickly discovered that he was in fact a human library, able to name 100+ authors and all of their works. After graduation, Caio gained global fame for his status as “The Human Library,” going on a game show and winning 3 million dollars, enough to quit his babysitting gig with Dani Reis’s kids

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and support his writer life. He lives in New York working as a freelance journalist for Vice whenever he feels up to it and is currently writing his second book.

Camille Quintino: Graduating with a degree in journalism, Camille became an editor for Vogue magazine. Her pieces reflect her exquisite sense of fashion as well as her quirky and dorky sense of humor. She travels for vacation every month, and has recently started a blog relating fashion to her travel destinations. While on a trip to the Middle East, a Saudi prince fell in love with her and gave Vogue exclusive rights to access the fashion industries of his nation. Camille has two adopted kids from Somalia, and entertains herself by teaching ridiculous dance moves to her children.

Carolina Daffara: Winning an award for Best Actress in an Oscar-winning motion picture, Carol is now in New York, filming a romantic comedy in which she co-stars with Logan Lerman.

When asked if he was jealous of Logan, her 6’3” husband said, “He’s only 5’7”. I’ve got nothing to worry about.” Carol has also confirmed that she will, indeed, be a part of the upcoming film adaptation of the novel Oliver Jules, written by her best friend Yasmin Della Nina. She and Yasmin take their private jets to Brazil at least once a month, where they go to the beach and discuss new ideas for books while making fun of each other’s heights.

Carol Lee: After waking up in Bangkok in 2025, Carol inspired the latest episode of The Hangover, which depicted her unparalleled partying adventures. She is also the CEO of a partying agency that plans parties for people, offering services ranging from beer-pong judges to insurance for physical injuries.

She was recently spotted in the Caribbean with her fiancé, a hilarious, goofy and gorgeous man who enjoys carrying her on piggy-back.

Carol Schivartche: After meeting the love of her life on her second day at university, Carol became known in the next years for her color-coded note-taking and collection of colorful Crocs. She now lives in the suburbs of Ohio having become the ultimate soccer mom to her three ginger children; one of them being the third generation to attend Northwestern. She became a successful TV sitcom producer of one of the most famous shows among teens called Celebrities take Ohio which explores what happens when celebrities are put into suburban and rural environments, with this show she got to fulfill her dream of meeting Justin Bieber. She recently started working part-time as a major leader of the Belieber headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.

Cathy Cho: Graduating top of her class at Parsons, Cathy became famous after Anna Wintour fainted from the sheer beauty of Cathy’s designs at one of her runway shows, quickly gaining the status of most featured designer in Vogue’s history and going on to style fashion icons from Kate Middleton

features to Jennifer Lawrence. As of 2025, Cathy became the youngest judge in Project Runway history, instantly becoming best friends with Tim Gunn. She currently lives in New York City with her 8 Oscars for costume design and has a lifetime free pass to the Despicable Me ride at Universal Studios.

Charles Oh: One day after graduation, Charles flew to South

Korea to continue his studies. He then decided after his successful career as a computer shiner, he had bigger ambitions.

With his underground community of Oh’s Cult, he traveled to North Korea to liberate them from the dictatorship. He developed a formula that cured Parkinson’s and eventually he became the first president of North Korea and opened the country bringing international acclaim and peace.

Dani Lutfalla: An adventurous traveler, Dani was last spotted enjoying gelato in Italy. Although she did, initially, partner with Anna Souza at Kopenhagen (she was in charge of the creation of the Kopenhagen cupcakes), she decided the job was a form of prison to her ever dreamy mind. So she sold her cupcake idea, using the money to do as she pleased. In between her many trips around the world, Dani sometimes paints, and one of her creations was considered to be one of the more influential art pieces of the twenty-first century. Sources say Dani is also engaged to a man she met in Australia, who accompanies her in her comings and goings.

Dani Reis: One day during her gap year in Tokyo, Dani Reis had a dream about responsibility after being infected by the discipline and work ethic in Asia. Soon after that dream, she received multiple phone calls from her Graded acquaintances that needed her talent for huge design projects for businesses all over the world. In a few months, Dani became the world’s most requested graphic designer (partly due to the fact that she is only awake half of the time). She holds the notable position as Minister of Propaganda in Julia Wu’s dictatorship, and obtains most of her inspiration from the vast fields and cattle ranches in Mato Grosso.

Daniel Sanchez: While living in Florida, Danny noticed that Miamians wore the same pair of shoes that he did. Bothered with this uniformity, he spent several days designing a unique pair of shoes (because at night he is busy clubbing with celebrities and his lifelong idol, Arnold Schwarzenegger). One night, clubbing, Tiësto fell in love with his shoes and offered US$10,000 for them. Convinced that he could design a few more, Danny opened his own shoe store. Bored with owning a shoe store, he gave the business to Rod, who modeled on the side for the store, and Danny decided to open up a workout gym dedicated for serious body builders. By the age of 40, Danny created a shoe store and gym, gaining international notoriety as an advocator for an aesthetic life. He remained with his high-school sweet heart, and wrote a memoir, “Shoes, Gym, and Love.” Unfortunately, the book was dismissed by critics for the overuse of the words “pro” and “jig.”

Daniel Zemel: After getting his videogame-design degree, Zemel decided to move to Montreal and create the new Assassin’s Creed X at Ubisoft. He earned a ridiculous amount of money and moved to Tokyo, where he works at Sony developing the new PlayStation. In Japan, Zemel married a hot Asian woman and with her, he opened one of the most successful nightclubs in Asia and a modeling agency. Currently, Zemel lives in a luxurious penthouse in Japan and trains his son to be a samurai.

Danya Ejaz: While in college, Danya signed a million-dollar contract with L’Oreal after being recruited to become their official hair model. Given her ambition to be on the cover of Forbes, Danya only worked as a part-time model so that she could focus on college. After graduating from the American University of Paris with a degree in Business, she became the manager of a network of luxury boutiques in France. She still hosts house parties for Graded alumni, and snorts when laughing too much.

Deyra Caballero: Successfully charming all hearts and emanating the true music of Panama with her curls, dancing and Latina smile, Deyra went on to George Washington, and established herself as a proud Panamanian diplomat. Traveling around the world with her as-charming-and-Latino husband she became the world’s most successful country representative, key in keeping world peace, consequently elevating Panama to a permanent member of the UN; their seat in the assembly currently reads “Deyralicious.”

Diego Ramos: Diego’s dorm became the “place to be” on Friday and Saturday nights. With money he raised from his parties he bought out his whole building at Northeastern and made it the center of the partying scene in Boston for all college kids.

Getting bored with the nightlife of Boston, Diego then travelled around the world from Ibiza to Punta del Este, and ended up where his Latino roots could truly thrive: Miami. From there he began his party-planning business and quickly became a millionaire, to the surprise of his brother Edu, and married Isa. Elena Jaramillo: After spreading the Skittles nails trend at her college, Elena finally decided to change her name officially to Skittles. She then proceeded to hike around the world for a year, taking nothing but a small bag and her ukulele. While in Asia, she met with her co-leader, Ale Dias, who was filming his latest movie. Together, they decided to start a business, and so the famous Zen Skittles was created. The Zen Skittles is a new kind of Skittles that, when eaten, has the ability to relax you and therefore facilitates meditation.

Eliana Keinan: Eliana was the most popular woman in her mechanical engineering class in college, and was thanked by her male colleagues for being a striking reminder of what women looked like. After graduating and leaving her male underclassmen suffering with depression, Eliana bought a pet giraffe and

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features took it with her on her many trips to exotic sites around the world. When she realized that her collection of photographs occupied her entire house, she turned the property into an exhibition for a horde of admiring family members and friends.

During her free time, Eliana helps Tess Kuester in her endeavor to distribute patriotic cupcakes by baking cookies with a distinctive red, white, and blue design.

singing along while operating on her patients. When not saving lives, Gi can be seen travelling the world with her college sweetheart and husband Jonathan, recently taking a trip to track down the lonely whale (the two instantly bonded after meeting). She now lives in New York where she is Chief Surgeon at Columbia Presbyterian, and HBO just announced a mini-series to be released based on her life.

Edu Ramos: Dropping out of college during his first semester to pursue a get-rich-quick scheme that his buddy Daniel had proposed to him, Edu quickly realized that he was so broke that he owned nothing except the pair of old shoes on his feet. After going to Maine and reflecting on what his life had become, Edu decided this was not the way he wanted his life to turn out. He used all of his prior golf knowledge and participated in several tournaments throughout America. He won all of them, and since then Edu “Moodies” Ramos has been golfing his way to the top.

One curious thing about Moodies’ game: he believed the shoes he was wearing during his first victory were the cause of his winning streak, so he still uses them today, years after his first professional victory.

Giulia Song: Giu is now living in sunny L.A. with daily shopping trips and her three teacup Yorkshire Terriers always at her side. Along with her most famous perfume named “Cccccrazy Korean” becoming a hit world-wide, she made her fortune with her inventions of new Instagram effects and iPhone accessories, and now is at 4 billion Instagram followers. She frequently appears in the tabloids and was recently pictured at Starbucks with Dave Franco.

Gaby de La Cruz: After losing her title of Bio Queen to John Darwin Kim, Gaby has decided to follow the music career in a duo with Elena. Her free-love/hippie spirit is a perfect match to the chilling sound of the ukulele. In an attempt to rebel against waking up early in the morning, Gaby opens a new school that allows students to study from 12:00 p.m. onwards. Today, Gaby can be found in a private island near Isla Margarita, where she is working on a formula to catch rainbows and make the world a more peaceful place.

Gabi Novoa: Ever since she graduated from the University of Minnesota, Gaby has worked as a DNA specialist at a biology lab in Minneapolis. She now lives with her husband, her triplets and four French bulldogs (Joey, Jo, Joe and Jojo) in a typical American house in the suburbs. Every summer Gaby travels back to Brazil to coordinate the summer camp she always participated in as a child, Acampamento Pé de Vento.

Guiga Von Gabriel: After four long years of studying architecture at Northeastern University, Guiga moved to the wonderful city of Paris to seek architectural inspiration and to pursue her masters at Sorbonne. Impressed with her architectural skills, the prince of Sweden asked her to design his newest mansion, and during the creative process, they both fell in love. The Swedish royal family quickly approved of the match because they believed that Gabrielle Von Gabriel sounded like a name that was good enough for royalty. After the marriage, the young couple moved back to Brazil, where the new mansion was built.

Hayley Davies: After moving back to Australia for college and majoring in history, Hayley decided to join the education system. She quickly revolutionized the teaching system in Australia by inspiring her students with her fun and active classes in which students were constantly rewarded with chocolate and fun dances. She can be found in her farm where she lives with her husband, Harry Styles, and her 101 llamas, or in Boston visiting her inseparable best friend, Brenda Osta.

Gianpy Hickey: While in college, Gianpy accidentally solved a problem that a teacher had left on the board outside his classroom. It turned out that the problem was not homework but an equation considered as challenging as Fermat’s Last Theorem.

His teachers urged him to use his brilliance for bettering the world. He ended up transferring to Stanford where he later became a tenured professor at the age of 28. He has since solved global warming through his environmental-engineering skills.

Hen Carneiro: After only a few weeks of attending the New School in New York, the president of the university realized that Henrique was such a musical genius that the school decided to change its name to “The New School to Praise Henrique Carneiro.” Success came very fast for the young musician, who did wonders with his trumpet in underground jazz clubs throughout New York. Revolutionizing the music world, Henrique won several Emmys and several other prestigious awards. Yet if you ask him, the accomplishment he is most proud of is when he played at the Super Bowl, in which his favorite team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, emerged victorious.

Gi Regis: Gi gained the nickname “Cassandra” in her intern year of medical school due to her ability to diagnose her patients so quickly and accurately that even her residents didn’t believe her. After winning a Nobel Prize in Medicine for curing lung cancer, she is now the most sought after cardio-thoracic surgeon in the world, known for playing Brazilian music and

Henrique Kim: Although Kim enjoyed life at Boston College, he was too lazy to carry on with his studies, so he dropped out in his second year. His decision soon caught the eye of Apple, who, following the “Steve Jobs Ideology,” hired Kim immediately, making him the company’s CEO. When he’s not playing “Stop,” Kim is always innovating in his job, finding the easiest way to

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features do things and creating new products that help those who, like him, suffer of the sloth syndrome. His success is such he was even invited to be interviewed by Oprah. He almost attended the show. When asked why he didn’t go, he laughed, saying, “Ah... não véi...”

Hyun Ho Lee: During his free time in college, Lee entertained himself by programming videogames, which is why he graduated with millions of dollars in his savings account. He decided to spend part of his earnings on a trip around the world with Mie Mizutani, and used the rest of the money to start a “smart” Korean food restaurant with cutting edge technology including robot chefs and a mind-reading computer system that tracks the eating desires of the customers. The restaurant’s main shareholders include John Kim and Kyeong Ho Park.

Hyun Ho Lee: During his free time at Berkeley, Lee entertained himself by programming videogames, which is why he graduated with millions of dollars in his savings account. He decided to spend part of his earnings on a trip around the world with Mie Mizutani, and used the rest of the money to start a “smart” Korean food restaurant with cutting edge technology including robot chefs and a mind-reading computer system that tracks the eating desires of the costumers. The restaurant’s main shareholders include John Kim and Kyeong Ho Park.

Ines Gil: Gil never left the Cali life. Right after graduating with honors from USC, celebrities swooped in to try and hire the most promising architectural prodigy on the West Coast. Interestingly, she decided to stay after the Californian Revolution where the state of California seceded itself from the rest of America.

Needing a new capital, the RC (Republic of California) government asked that she build a city like Oscar Niemeyer had for Brazil, but this time in the middle of the desert. The RC may have miscalculated its spending (it is currently in great debt and suffering terrible inflation) but Gil made big bucks, and now enjoys being the most sought-after architect in the world.

Isa Franco: Her love of tanning and neon allowed her to fit easily into the streets of Miami, and she is living her dream working as the head of marketing at 284 and DJing some gigs in her spare time. Although having spent some time apart, she and Diego Ramos eventually reunited in Miami and got married. Everyone knows them as the “Fritos,” as she now accompanies Diego to all the major parties in Miami and travels all around the world.

Isa Siciliano: Sorry Canadians, but Isa did not remain in your country after she completed her studies in UBC. She returned to Rio to start her career as a sailor, and will soon be traveling around the world on her boat. A Buddhist vegetarian and permanently tan, Isa spends most of her time at the beach, and is most definitely still a child at heart. She also became famous both in Vancouver and in Rio for her astounding collection of Converse All-stars and Vans sneakers, which have already been exhibited in fashion events around the world.

Jackie Gomes: After graduating from Graded, a determinant Jackie spent the following six months studying hard and taking her “cursinho” seriously in order to fulfill her ambition of studying at USP. All of the stress and dedication was worth it when Jackie not only found out that she passed the vestibular for relações públicas, but also placed as one of the top 10 students.

While she was a student at USP, she received many internship opportunities, and as soon as she graduated she had already secured a spot as president of public relations at Rede Globo.

Today, she continues to hold her prestigious position due to not only her incredible competence at work, but also the immense success of the brigadeiros she brings to the office.

Jannick Kuiper: “Magic Jannick” is now known as the biggest brand of all of Europe. Today the company not only sells dolls, books shows, and participates in world tours but boasts the leading choreographers in the world. Jannick started off his business right at the beginning of college and was able to gain groupies by graduation. He now lives in Holland and can be found at his usual hang-out bar when he is not traveling the world for interviews and important events.

Ja Yoon Lee: Although one of the quieter components of our senior class, Ja Yoon Lee did great things at Georgia Tech. Her counselor at the university wanted to challenge her and so she was put on the cheerleading squad. Soon after, Ja Yoon found her niche and became the head cheerleader, eventually inspiring her basketball boys to make it to the Final Four! She is now a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.

John Kim: Even after all these years, most of the time John still has no idea what he’s doing. Living on an island off the coast of California, he enjoys a happy life alongside his dog, D’know, who follows him everywhere he goes. Despite his love for Cali, he intends on spending a few months in South Korea, where he plans on opening another base for his foundation, “Don’t worry, be happy,” which helps people who suffer from stress. He hopes the good vibes will spread to North Korea, where the spirit of the foundation is still much needed.

Jorge Kalil: Jorge attended college for a couple of semesters, but soon realized that it wasn’t for him. He picked up his guitar and walked out of Boston, not really caring where he was going or how he was going to get there. After a weird few months of lone travelling and guitar strumming, Jorge ended up on a remote beach, somewhere in Central America. He once told us that his daily schedule is “surf, eat, surf, play some music, sleep.” We don’t really know where Jorge is exactly, but some say he won’t come back to civilization for a while...

Julia Wu: Ju Wu dropped out of Harvard graduate school in order to create her own successful business. After getting bored with how quickly she managed to develop the business and open branches around the world, Ju dedicated her life to studying

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features military tactics and mastering the art of the coup d’état.

Comrade Wu finally took over the UN as secretary general and managed to bring peace to the galaxy. Once again bored with how quickly she managed to fix the plethora of world problems that have perplexed humankind for centuries, Ju retired at the age of 27 and moved to Rio where she finally married Álvaro Rossi. It is rumored that at the wedding day Dani Reis could be seen walking around Rio with a poster written “Wussi 4life” and proud tears in her eyes.

Juliett Marrufo: After getting her Culinary Arts degree, Juliett appeared on the TV show Top Chef. After much dispute, Juliett was not the winner of the program, but she used that momentum to open her five-star restaurant in Manhattan. Critics from all over the world came to a consensus: her green star-shaped cookies are the softest, sweetest, and most delicious in the universe. Juliett then gave the restaurant to her husband and opened a bake shop. With hundreds of international orders every day, Juliett adds her special ingredients to every cookie made: care and love. With a history of tremendous success, Juliett is writing a book on her culinary secrets, while teaching underprivileged kids the art of cooking.

Juri Takeda: After living 15 years in New York, Juri became the maestro of a very talented group of musicians. She has scored several films and won three Academy Awards for Best Original Score. One day she was asked to score a short film for Gerard, a handsome British filmmaker. Instantly, love happened. With her private jet plane, Juri and Gerard moved to a recently-acquired mansion in the north of England where she is currently composing the most beautiful concerto the world has ever heard.

Kaiki Suzuki: Kaiki’s skills in physics and his undeniable charm led him to become one of the richest men in the world, a master of engineering, and a beloved role model. Despite his astronomical riches, he still takes time to teach engineering at a university in Shanghai, and was voted nicest faculty member” by his students. He also teaches origami to kids ages 5-10, and practices yoga every afternoon whilst drinking tea. When he heard of Mie’s teddy bear success and how happy they made people feel, he decided to invest in the industry as well, which helped the business’s great boom in 2023.

Kat Aliano: Prior to her recent endeavors in neuroscience, Katherine became an admissions officer in order to perpetuate the beloved Barnard spirit, a campaign manager for the Democratic Party responsible for electing three consecutive presidents, and a screenplay writer for not only Oscar-winning movies (which she loved attending the first time with Catherine Cho, famous and talented costume designer) but also the movie finale to Glee. Remaining in New York City, Kat decided to expand her education even further and proceeded to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. Her Nobel Prize in Medicine now stands next to her Nobel Peace Prize, for her outstanding leadership

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of the successful equality movement, and her “#1 Mom” mug from her son, Brad Junior.

Kevin Wolfson: After his first year at Claremont McKenna, Kevin discovered Jewish gospel music. He was already becoming a very prominent DJ on Soundcloud but his mixing of the two distinct genres was what put him over the top. His album, “Moses, Drop the Bass” went quadruple platinum and he became an icon in the Jewish community and later used his music to end Israeli-Palestinian tensions.

Kristina Renee Erickson: The most mysterious member of the senior class of 2013, Kristi is now living in Michigan. Although she was initially interested in pharmacy, her heart told her to enter the world of the arts. She spent a few years working in New York, where she designed the props and sets of several Broadway shows, and would sometimes act as well. It was on one of her visits to Michigan to see her family that she met the love of her life. She then decided to take a break from the New York rush, moving to Michigan to start a family. With three kids now, she intends to become a theater teacher at University of Michigan.

Kyeong Ho Park: Kyeong’s unique style continues breaking hearts now that he’s back in Dubai, enjoying the city’s night life and classy restaurants. His years at UBC (although mostly spent partying with John) proved to have been useful (that’s an understatement) for he is currently the main global representative of several Arab princes and politicians, making unimaginable amounts of money and attending the most glamorous events of the Arab world. He also designed and launched a new brand of clothing in Korea called “#CoolerThanYou,” which is a great success. He recently broke the world record for high jump, and can be found in the 2025 Guinness Book.

Kyle Bissell: Kyle’s love for magazines led him to become the editor of MAD Magazine right after college. His humor introduced millions of new readers to the magazine, and Kyle ended up as the lead writer for the South Park and Family Guy. Still not knowing when to make certain jokes and when to stay quiet, Kyle enjoys the receptive atmosphere of the TV shows, where anybody can make any comment at all and it can be considered funny.

Larissa Chern: Shortly after graduating from college, Larissa decided that her passion for women’s rights needed to be fueled even further. Therefore, alongside members of the Speak Up group, she marched to Washington and protested so much that new laws that affected women in the workforce were instituted. She was so good at what she did that she even forced a new law that required all parks in the US to have at least one statue of a unicorn, in the animal’s honor. She quickly moved back to Brazil when she found out that a new pastel shop was opening near her mother’s house, and she now lives there with

features her beautiful Jewish/Asian kids and a loving husband.

Leca Steinbruch: Leca’s art galleries in São Paulo are world famous. Her professors at Parsons had begged her to stay in NYC but she refused—her children needed to study at Graded.

Critics are fascinated by how Leca was able to move the center of the art world to Brazil.

Leena Herr: With the success of “Cupcake Mondays” at Graded, Leena decided to turn her idea into a business. After moving to the US, with the help of investors, “Cupcake Mondays” has become an international cupcake company that provides cupcakes to stressed workers every Monday all over the world.

The idea became such a hit and reduced stress and violence so much, that Leena was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her endeavors with cupcakes. She lives comfortably in Michigan with her husband and two kids, working on her art and designing logos for her company.

Luca De Beni: Realizing that he had the potential to be the next Evel Knievel, Luca used his aeronautics degree from Embry Riddle to accomplish the most incredible stunts with an airplane ever seen. His crazy stunts, like dancing “Contra La Pared” on the airplane’s wing midflight, brought him worldwide recognition and fame. This, however, wasn’t his greatest feat. Luca actually played a whole DJ set while flying an airplane over Rome, carrying speakers on the aircraft loud enough that the whole city could hear his Dirty Dutch music. That was awesome.

Luiza Quintella: After graduating in marketing and publicity at ESPM, Luiza decided to fulfill her lifelong dream of being a famous marketing expert while also participating in the hippest raves. She became the publicist for the best DJs, including Tiesto and Avicii, and ended up gaining free VIP entrances to the top clubs around the world. While in Ibiza, she unexpectedly fell in love and gave up the life of partying to live with her husband in the romantic city of Paris instead.

Marco Chung: After arriving at Oberlin College, Marco decided to triple major in neuroscience, economics and psychology.

It is through these three majors that he discovered what the brain looks like when someone reaches the Tao state, and became famous for writing a book on the science of Tao. Never in one place for too long, these days Marco travels the world sharing Brazilian music and enjoying the pieces of his favorite musicians. He finally settled down in Korea and wows every Korean in sight with his vast knowledge of their culture. He is currently writing his third book about his travels and reaching a new Tao: the Maco.

Mari Bender: Remaining in London after completing her studies at Oxford, Mari’s life as a diplomat is just as she had envisioned.

Currently fighting for the rights of women in her worldwide organization, “A Voice for the Voiceless,” she was also voted sec-

retary general of the United Nations, where she advocates for world peace. Being married for two years now to a gorgeous British red-head, she is thrilled to announce that she awaits her first child, a girl. As soon as the baby arrives, she plans on taking a short break from her political life, which will give her an opportunity to take on baking, a hobby she has always enjoyed.

Maria Diaz: Whilst living in Germany Maria heavily influenced the fashion world, starting both the colorful hippie pants and red lipstick fads. After graduating, Maria moved back to Madrid where she could start her own orphanage named “Smiles for All.” She is now the leader of this organization that has orphanages all around the world. She won “Humanitarian of the World” three years in a row. It is said that she still receives calls from her high school and college friends asking for boy advice. She takes annual trips to Brazil with her husband Alex where she is most likely to be found in Juquehy sipping caipirinhas on the beach.

Mari De La Maza: Shortly after finishing college Mari moved to Miami and married a man everyone calls “Papi.” Meanwhile, the word “chongalicious” was added to the dictionary and it will almost always have a picture of Mari attached to it. She can be regularly found driving around Miami with the windows down blasting Isa’s newest remixes and is known for her “allfamily clubbing nights,” where her mother and nine children always come along. She is a stay-at-home mom, but teaches “How to Dougie” lessons a couple of times a week at the local dance studio.

Mari Pontes: Upon graduating from NYU, Mari got married to her college sweetheart—a caring, handsome man with traditional European features. Together, they purchased a penthouse in the Upper East Side and invited their extended families to occupy the large crib. During her spare time as a marketing consultant for New York’s biggest brands, Mari teaches teenage girls around the world about the importance of understanding global issues.

Matheus Santos: Although Math fell in love with a Canadian in Vancouver, he decided to come back to his home country. In São Paulo, he became one of the most successful business owners and devoted all his fortune to the soccer club Corinthians. Although the team can now buy professional players, Corinthians is still unable to defeat São Paulo. After three years working on Rua Augusta, Matheus gathered enough money to buy the club, fire the corrupt administration, and lead the team out of Série C. He also bought a Doritos factory, so he can have his favorite snack whenever he wants.

Mauro Silva: Having transferred after a year and then graduated from Stanford, Mauro has just bought his fifth Lamborghini for his new house in Barcelona with a custom-made beach. Mauro is now retired from his job as a successful lawyer and spends his days chilling on the yacht with his wife and kids. One day,

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features Mauro realized that his real vocation was to be a soccer player.

Trained privately by Cristiano Ronaldo, he never shows up to Real Madrid’s practices, but he is by far the best player in the world. Recently, he was given a net worth €593.67 of million, gaining the title of the most expensive soccer player in the world.

Mie Mizutani: After choosing to go to college in California due to the renowned warmness of Californians, Mie was disappointed with how cold and divided people actually were. Inspired to make a change, Mie dropped out of college and created her own line of teddy bears that have the ability to hug. Her business quickly took off and soon the Miesans became internationally famous due to their warm and fuzzy hugs. Rumors say that Mie herself trains each plush animal to hug “the Mie way.”

Nat Shores: After getting a taste of the free life after her gap year, Natty left the city life and her electronic music behind and fled to the beaches of the Dominican Republic with nothing but a huge box of chocolate Tortuguitas. Her whereabouts are now unknown, but she was thought to be last seen two years ago in Thailand walking around in white All-Stars and with dreads in her hair.

Na Yeon Kim: When she finally began dating Kyeong, they became the most famous couple in Korea. Na Yeon is busy broadcasting the disadvantages of traditional Korean parenting on TV, and traditional Asian parents about the essence and necessity of teen partying. She also won the copyright to the title “Na Yeon Cat” after getting sued by the creators of Nyan Cat and winning the case.

Nick Magalhães: Despite never showing his soccer skills during his lunch soccer games, classmates later found out that he had been holding back on his game—significantly. He was picked up quickly by Barcelona where he dominated the competition for a couple of years before deciding that his true homeland was Brazil and that he would stay there. Other star players soon followed him, believing that there was no true competition if they could not beat Magalhães. The Brazilian league is now the world’s most important and prestigious because of this man.

Paloma Fischer: Paloma never left her Eurotrip. During her visit to Tomorrowland, she fell in love with a man who turned out to be the Prince of Wales, and heir to the throne. She has amassed over 20 million Instagram followers over the years because of her many pictures of her glamorous life.

Patrick Dias: Patrick left his shyness behind in college and decided to become a full-fledged womanizer. On his left bicep, he tattooed Barney Stinson and on his right bicep, Charlie Harper. With the two wingmen always at his side, he has had it pretty easy with the ladies. It appears that all those women are actually supporting him.

38 • the talon

Pedro Bitar: After four years of intense skiing at Middlebury, Pedro surprised the world when he went to the Olympics and won two gold medals for Brazil. After becoming bald by 25, his nickname became “The Flying Potato” and he is now known as the only Brazilian winter athlete. He is also known as one of the most stubborn film critics in the United States and now holds the record for longest argument held over the Internet, being 9,342 comments long. Having retired from sports he is now creating a hair growth formula which he hopes will change the future.

Peter Greenwald: Known for his work in his one-man band, Peter Greenwald is the only man in the world who can play 19 instruments at the same time. During college, Peter figured out a way to wear all of his instruments and play them together.

Nowadays he produces the most beautiful music ever, playing shows throughout the world almost 24/7. His greatest work was his collaboration with Henrique Carneiro, in which both of them played their best improvised music and sold over six million records.

Philip Gentil: One night, Philip was at a bar hanging out with his friends. Unfortunately, his friends picked a fight with the wrong guys and he had to step in. It was dark so all he could see were three tall guys. His friends were able to take down two of them but they could not best the third. The third man came lunging at Philip but the young fighter calmly deflected his blows, easily getting him into a chokehold and having him tap out. The police were first on the scene. One could imagine the surprise when they shined a light on the action and saw young Gentil with Anderson Silva in a chokehold. Philip is now the defending UFC champion.

Pollo Suarez: Barely graduating from college, Pollo couldn’t find a job or get into graduate school for a really long time. It seems as if during his college years he did nothing but slack off and party, and thus, he graduated from university with a fairly rudimentary level of knowledge. He decided to return to Mexico and do some part time tutoring, in order to pay for the parties he attended in Mexico. Soon, Pollo was the most sought-after tutor in Mexico, tutoring students in all subjects—even the ones he didn’t know anything about, such as Latin—and became a very wealthy man. Pollo is currently thinking about starting his own university, where slacking off and partying will be part of the curriculum requirements for graduation.

Rigel Cruz: In Boston, Rigel continued to call attention due to his luscious hair. After months of pretending to be a hipster and wearing discrete beanies, Rigel finally embraced his fate. He eventually became an agent for his hair, Godofredo, who has acted in Oscar-winning motion pictures such as Hairography and Godofredo: the Story of a Legend.

features Roberta Resende: After recovering from a deep depression after the disappearance of Natty, Robby immersed herself in the world of dog breeding, where she became world famous for her quality pugs. With that money she bought a miojo factory so that she could have miojo anytime, anywhere. Becoming an expert in miojo she created a new recipe making it 500 times more delicious. She co-owns the company with her husband and currently resides in Minas Gerais.

Tess Kuester: During her time at Georgetown, Tess mastered the skills of international diplomacy and became an expert on nuclear physics. By discussing nuclear weaponry with the leader of North Korea while revealing her assertiveness along with her signature duck face, Tess was able to contain the most pressing nuclear threat of all time. During her free time, she bakes star-spangled, red, white and blue cupcakes for underprivileged children around the world.

Rod Uhart: Rod surprised his friends by deciding to shed the glamorous clothing and leave the “Miami boy” life for the Peace Corp. He was sent to Indonesia where he worked with the tribesmen, teaching them how to read and write. When his time was up, Rod decided to stay, saying that “these are my people, I am one with this earth.” Danny, who later visited him, believes that the tribesmen actually consider Rod their deity.

Till Constantin: Playing next to the greatest DJs in the world, DJ Luca De Beni and Special K, Tico went crazy during a show.

Thinking he was more “frito” than Steve Aoki, the public went crazy as well and he became the new sensation in house music.

As time passed, Till got bored of the DJing life and isolated himself in a log cabin in the Appalachian Mountains. These days, Till devotes his time to a self-help book about finding inner peace and being reborn in 30 days.

Sanjeev Chandra: Sanjeev, or Dr. Chandra, as he is known nowadays, is the most successful gynecologist in Brazil. After dropping out of Santa Casa because it was too easy for him, he opened his own office in Miami. After two years he fell in love with a Spanish filmmaker who introduces to him the art of the moving image. Dr. Chandra, now just Deep, works at the South Park Studios next to Trey Parker and Matt Stone. He is globally recognized and is trying to create his own TV comedy show.

Saurabh George: You can see Saurabh every Monday through Friday at 10 on CBS. Once David Letterman decided it was finally time to retire, Saurabh, who had already done various HBO comedy specials was the natural choice. He has currently won four Emmys, two Tonys, and, of course the Oscar for best actor in his self-directed flick, The Life of Saurabh. He is currently rumored to be dating Emma Watson; an interesting choice after leaving his previous partner Kate Upton.

Shelly Dorf: While attending FAAP, Shelly and a few friends opened an animation studio here in São Paulo in order to encourage this art in Brazil. Her studio became famous worldwide due to her amazingly cute and thoughtful creations. John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Pixar, invited her to work with him. However, her passion for her country did not allow her to leave. Since Shelly is not into big mansions and a “dondoca” lifestyle, she donates a large portion of her money to charity manages to live an ordinary, and yet extraordinary life. In the meantime, NYU still can’t believe that they did not accept such a talented young lady.

Ste Valente: Ste can be found nowadays living and shopping in Paris, traveling back and forth in her party jet plane (coveted for having the hippest yet most luxurious raves, filled with artists). Nominated for over 10 Oscars, Stephanie joined the Academy in LA and also perfected tanning techniques (especially how to maintain a tan) and has started the worldly Sunny Side Up movement for healthy and beautiful caramel skin.

Valentin Camillon: After graduating from college, where he avidly practiced swimming in his free time, Val moved next to his greatest inspiration, Michael Phelps. Surprisingly, Phelps was amazed with his new neighbor’s swimming skills and told Valentin that he would be his new swimming guru. With Phelps’ help, Val quickly became the world’s best swimmer, winning multiple Olympic medals. After retiring, he became a TV announcer for swimming competitions, and is now famous for his catchphrase “embarrasinggg,” which he uses every time a swimmer makes a mistake.

Victor Lee: After directing various record box-office films Victor reconnected with Dea after coincidentally joining the same hike up the Himalayas. He had been living in New York City and missed the UBC, nature-connected years and followed an impulse, as always. They bonded over their long-lost superlative and with her help Victor had inspiration to win his first Oscar. They traveled around the world together and adopted a baby tiger before settling down in Victor’s perfect, ecological, intellectual home in Iceland.

Yas Della Nina: After completing graduate school top of her class at Brown University, Yasmin went on to become a successful writer and spends most of her time on the beach surfing to get inspiration for her best-selling novels. Her first novel Oliver Jules is set to become a new film starring her best friend and Oscar winner, Carol Daffara, as well as Emma Watson. She was last seen having dinner and flirting with her rumored boyfriend Logan Lerman while visiting Carol on the set of her newest movie in New York.

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entertainment

Ermergerd!

What being less than a month away from a graduation does to a senior Yasmin Della Nina

I

have come to the conclusion that being close to graduation has made me an entirely new person. Not in a very good way.

At least not in a way that is healthy for my poor nerves.

Bipolarity It has come to my attention that I have been dangerously bipolar lately. At one moment, I hate everyone and everything that exists in the universe. I want to destroy all that surrounds me. I want to quit. Give up. Curl up into a ball and cry. Scream into a pillow. Punch a wall. Smack someone in the face with a chair. These waves of rage are usually accompanied by a sudden urge to graduate from Graded already, get out of this place that I’ve been going to every single day for the past fourteen years. I mean, come on! I’ve had enough! I can’t stand writing essays, memorizing equations, trying to understand Physics and annotating books anymore! But then, there are the days when I don’t want to graduate at all, days when I realize I actually kind of love Graded, definitely love my friends, love my classes, and actually don’t mind all the work I have to do (okay, no, the work sucks), which makes me all weird and bittersweet inside because I realize I’m going to miss it all so much (ew, emotions). Then there are the days I panic, and my mind overflows with thoughts like: “WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE, WHO AM I, WHAT DO I LIKE, WHAT IS ‘ME’, WHAT IS AN IDENTITY, WHO DO I WANT TO BE, WHERE DO I GO, HOW DO I WALK, I CAN’T BREATHE, AH.” Ergo, there is quite a hectic rollercoaster living inside of me. At least I have the most epic excuse ever that will make people understand: “I’M A SENIOR, I DO WHAT I WANT. LET ME BE.” Change in Musical Taste Looking through the “most heard” songs on my i-Pod, I realized that I’ve been musically soothing myself for this huge step of my life that will be leaving school and pivoting into the world, a little seed amongst so many trees (that is a terrible metaphor, but I’m senior, so just pretend it’s good). I am listening to songs such as “Ours,” by The Bravery, which talks about the last chances we get to hold on to special moments, or “Drive

40 • the talon

Darling,” by Boy (my favorite part is when the vocalist says “… and the rearview is a good picture of what we leave behind; drive darling, drive darling, drive darling, drive daaarling”).

How about “When You Were Young,” by The Killers? I don’t even have to explain that one. There’s also “Details in the Fabric,”

by Jason Mraz, that starts with him singing, “Calm down, deep breaths, and get yourself dressed instead of running around….”

I’m going to be singing it to myself as I walk down the aisle on May 25 when I see EVERYONE staring at me. Deep breaths it is! But the song I’ve been most listening to by far is “Great Escape,” by Boys Like Girls. It makes me feel really good about myself and helps me forget about all my worries for a second, especially when the vocalist sings, “All of the wasted time, the hours that we left behind, the answers that we’ll never find, they don’t mean a thing tonight!”

Change in Diet The final change in my ways can be seen in my diet. This change worries me. I’ve been eating like a maniac lately. Apart from my rare moments of sleep, I’m ALWAYS hungry. One of theasburycollegian.com my friends even calls me “come-dorme” now. Leena Herr complicated my situation even further with her lovely “cupcake Mondays” (don’t stop though, Leena, I love them). If at least I were eating a lot of healthy stuff, but NO! I’m eating the worst kind of crappy food. Sometimes I eat things I don’t even like, just because. It’s absurd, and it needs to stop. I just don’t know how it’ll stop. If it only stops on May 25th, then I’m in trouble!

As can be seen from my new and very bad habits, it is safe to say I am quite stressed out about being so close to graduation. And excited. And dying inside every minute of every day. I know for a fact that there are many other seniors who feel this same way. But you know what, Class of 2013? We’re in this together, and no matter how many people fall on the way up the stage, cry their hearts out, or come out ugly in the pictures, it’ll be one of the coolest moments of our lives, so let’s make the best of it!

entertainment

Timelessness in Entertainment Ash Ketchum is still 10 years old, folks

Kevin Bengtsson

B

ack in 1983, our now beloved Mario was to appear in his first proper game following the success of Donkey Kong, in which his sole task was to save Princess Peach from the hands of the monstrous ape that kidnapped her. In Mario Bros, Mario and Luigi are Italian-American plumbers fighting monsters—which include turtles, crabs and flies—in the sewers of New York.

Sporting a hefty moustache and displaying much vigor and vitality, Mario appears to be in his early to mid-thirties. Skip ahead thirty years and here we are in 2013, where Mario should be nearing middle age, struggling to make it through the pipes of Mushroom Kingdom, looking forward to retirement from his “plumbing” duties after three decades of defeating Goombas and Koopa Troopas, humiliating Bowser and saving Princess Peach. However, instead of sitting in his rocking chair, twirling his bushy grey moustache and counting how much he has received from his pension, Mario is still out there fighting evil turtles like there’s no tomorrow. That’s because there is no tomorrow in the Mushroom Kingdom. In fact, so many of our favorite characters exist in a world where time doesn’t exist.

Take The Simpsons for example. In Matt Groening’s fantasyland of Springfield, nobody seems to age: Homer’s skin has not started to wrinkle, Maggie is still a baby, and Mr. Burns has not died. Oddly enough, 24 seasons after the show’s debut in 1989, Lisa is still a second grader, and Bart is still struggling to pass the fourth grade. Although it is a bit more understandable that a dimwit like Bart (an anagram of “brat”) could not pass the fourth grade after 24 years, it seems strange for a brilliant mind such as Lisa’s to be stuck in the second grade for so long.

A similar oddity occurs in South Park, in which Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny are introduced as third graders, and third graders they remain. That is until the anomaly that is the episode “Fourth Grade” in which they leave Mr. Garrison’s third-grade class and move up to the fourth grade to a new teacher whose inappropriate name cannot be written in this article. This suggests that time in the fictitious Colorado works in an arbitrary manner, inexistant unless the writers of the show want it to.

The Japanese manga and anime Naruto is notable for having an arbitrary sense of time as well. Naruto Uzumaki, the main protagonist, is said to be around twelve years old and for five seasons, totaling 220 episodes, that is how old he is.

However, when the sequel to the original TV show came along, Naruto Shippuden, three years are said to have passed, and we are introduced to an older, but still immature, Naruto.

What about Pokémon? Remember the pilot episode in which, having turned ten years old, Ash Ketchum is qualified to become a Pokémon Trainer and excitedly goes to visit Professor Oak to receive his first Pokémon? Well, he hasn’t aged fifteen years after the fact. He’s still a naïve young boy, wandering around different regions to become the best Pokémon trainer around. The most peculiar thing, though, is to realize that time must have passed for Ash to have become ten years old in the first episode. It was not until we began to be shown the events in Ash’s life that time ceased to exist.

Now, what if our treasured characters did in fact have to face the pains of aging and time? Things would look very different. Maggie Simpson would be an adult by now, no longer quickmeme.com speaking in tongues, and both Bart and Lisa would be in their thirties and would perhaps be starting to have families of their own. Mr. Burns, born in 1881, would most likely be hearing his swan song from his coffin as his classmates from the Yale Class of 1914 looked down in dismay. The city of South Park would probably have been torn asunder by the four rascals now over twenty years old and, as a 24-year-old man, Ash would still be trying to catch the endless amount of Pokémon in the world, that is, if he hasn’t given up yet.

Unlike them, we mere mortals do have to suffer the consequences of living in a world where time is a reality and timelessness exists only in our television screens. We will all eventually become seniors and then...die. That’s a depressing thought, for sure, but wouldn’t it be even worse never to change? I would hate being a highschooler taking the IB forever, and I’m sure you would too.

Source: wikipedia.org

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entertainment

Curiosidades absurdas Ou tudo o que você sempre quis saber sobre o nada Larissa Chern

C

om o fim da difícil temporada de “college acceptances e rejections” e o mês de março passando rapidamente, meu nível de ansiedade estava lá em cima, e eu quase nem cabia em mim mesma. Então, procurando me distrair, comecei a fazer pesquisas na internet por pura curiosidade, e não com propósitos acadêmicos, como costumo fazer. Baixei aplicativos curiosos no celular, li revistas, livros, sites, enfim... E acabei me deparando com várias informações engraçadas, interessantes, absurdas e até mesmo inacreditáveis sobre os mais diversos assuntos. Para ajudar vocês a se distraírem, mesmo que só por uns minutos, nesse estressante fim de semestre, compilei aqui os melhores frutos da minha pesquisa. Divirtam-se!

t

Pensar em outra língua faz com que você tome decisões racionais.

t

O café faz com que as pessoas vejam o lado bom da vida.

t

A lepra é a doença mais antiga presente no mundo.

t

Em 18 de fevereiro de 1979, nevou no Deserto do Saara.

t

Aplicar botox nas axilas impede a produção de suor.

t

As cores amarelo e vermelho induzem a fome.

t

Tossir reduz a dor de tomar vacina.

t

Dormir virado para o lado esquerdo alivia a azia.

t

Esfregar um gelo em sua mão alivia a dor de dente.

t

O rapper Snoop Dogg tem um QI de 147. Ou seja, 2 pontos acima do de Napoleão e 10 acima do de Bill Clinton.

t

Em York, na Inglaterra, é legal matar escoceses no último domingo de cada mês.

t

Não é o cloro da piscina que faz os olhos ficarem vermelhos, e sim a combinação de urina com o cloro.

t

Pipoca pode ser tão saudável quanto frutas e vegetais.

t

O inglês Dan Holmes está à procura de um padre que aceite oficializar seu casamento com um Playstation 2.

t

Choques elétricos no cérebro melhoram a performance acadêmica.

t

Há a possibilidade de que os dinossauros tenham sido extintos devido à sua própria flatulência.

t

O pintor Pablo Picasso foi um dos suspeitos de ter roubado o quadro da Mona Lisa em 1911.

t

Na tentativa de melhorar a higiene pessoal, o tzar Pedro III instituiu um imposto sobre barbas no século XVIII.

t

Homens dedicam mais tempo a filhos parecidos com eles.

t

t

A empresa americana Celestis Incorporated envia as cinzas de pessoas para a órbita lunar.

Baleias podem ingerir até meio milhão de calorias em um único gole.

t

Beber chá verde reduz o risco de cáries.

t

A cada centavo que aumenta o preço da gasolina nos Estados Unidos, o custo operacional dos correios aumenta em 8 milhões de dólares.

t

O salto alto foi originalmente feito para homens.

t

Os bebês conseguem engolir e respirar ao mesmo tempo.

t

Os cangurus não conseguem andar para trás.

t

Os biscoitos da sorte foram inventados durante a guerra entre a China e a Mongólia. Os soldados recebiam biscoitos que continham mensagens secretas. Essa estratégia deu a vitória à China.

t

Irmãos mais velhos são mais inteligentes.

t

Pessoas antissociais têm uma expectativa de vida parecida à de quem fuma 15 cigarros por dia.

t

Fumantes têm filhos mais agressivos.

t

Ao eliminar uma azeitona de cada salada servida na primeira classe, a American Airlines economizou 40 mil dólares.

t

Levaria 12 dias para uma pessoa contar até um milhão, em voz alta, sem parar.

t

A internet do Brasil é mais lenta que a da Etiópia e é a mais cara do mundo.

t

Apenas 2% da população mundial é ruiva.

t

Noites mal-dormidas fazem com que o cérebro encolha.

t

Segundas-feiras são tão deprimentes que, em média, as pessoas não sorriem antes das 11:16 da manhã.

t

Dormir com a TV ligada aumenta as chances de depressão.

t

Pessoas que não bebem vivem menos do que as que bebem moderadamente.

t

Os pelos dos ursos polares são, na verdade, transparentes.

Fontes: NewsReview.com; Mail Online; Folha de São Paulo; Examiner.com; The Telegraph; Gizmodo; NBC News; Brasil Escola; Daily; Terra; ONU

42 • the talon

entertainment

“Devirginizing” a Metalhead My very first techno concert at Lollapalooza Mendel Schwarz

I

remember everything about my first time. The cloudy weather, the heat from thousands of bodies clustered together, the sweet smell of freshly mixed horse dung and mud… Surprisingly, the odor brought back good memories as it reminded me of the rock concerts I’ve been to. Yes, the aphrodisiac aroma of unwashed hair is very similar to the fragrance of dung.

I love concerts. I’ve been to Madonna, Seu Jorge, Violator, Slayer, and Metallica, just to name a few. But, before Lollapalooza, I’d never set foot at anything that resembled a techno gig.

I woke up Friday and went through my morning routine. After I got dressed—I wasn’t wearing black!—I had lunch and went directly to Jockey Club because I thought the early shows could be interesting. I got there in time for Of Monsters and Men. I stood in the middle of the crowd, a mild rain pouring on my head, when I heard a distant sound that resembled a Dubstep bass drop.

Instantly, like a zombie, I moved in its direction. I battled my way past a couple of beer-bellies, hippies and other hard-to-define human beings until I reached the Perry stage. That’s where people were getting dirty. Oh, and I mean it literally. The enormous mosh pit, which to my astonishment was as hardcore as the ones you would find during a metal concert, took up an enormous portion of the dance floor. People were jumping on top of each other, others were dancing, and some were even attempting crowd surfs.

The covered floor—a failed attempt to minimize the odor from the horse dung and keep people from plunging their feet in it—rattled with excitement and tiles started to pop out. Feed Me was playing, but no one really seemed to care. People were there for the energy, for the “vibe.” The music was rather secondary, although he performed an extraordinary set, which justified the praise he received recently.

The experience of being at concert in which there wasn’t just a group of men with long hair, dressed completely in black shouting at me started out very well. Feed Me left the stage after a stupendous performance, setting my hopes high for the following acts. Porter Robinson, a young, seemingly unknown DJ, went next. He started performing at the exact time scheduled: around 10 minutes after the preceeding act.

He started with some heavy grooves, bass turned down low and

although I believe his whole set was mixed beforehand, the show was exceptional. It was probably the best act that day. The crowd mirrored what Robinson did on stage. He wouldn’t stop jumping during the whole performance, energizing the fans. He guaranteed that everyone had a good time, including himself.

After one hour and a half of a diverse set, we took a break in anticipation for one of the most awaited concerts that day and later, the most contested of all. Most people who bought tickets for Friday wanted to see Deadmau5. Everywhere I looked, I identified his fans. After all, it wasn’t all that hard since everyone of them wore the same black shirts with his iconic mouse helmet stamped on their chest. Many even produced their own Deadmau5 costume and wore it during the concert.

And suddenly, at around 8 p.m., a mouse-like figure rose to the top of a humongous, pointy, metallic structure. He opened his set with his characteristic, continuous heavy grooves that really resemble lounge music. I knew that those musikbeats.com expecting his show to be similar to Steve Aoki’s, who would play the final concert for Saturday, would be extremely disappointed.

They are completely different. Other than Deadmau5’s technological costumes and flamboyant stage, he is far from being a showman. He is too immersed in mixing his set in real time, which differentiates him from other DJs. Sure, his music isn’t as thrilling as many have imagined but one has to step away from that and pay attention to the many nuances in every song in order to fully enjoy his music. Deadmau5 was not invited to next year’s Ultra Music Festival in Miami because the public in general didn’t approve of him. I believe that he isn’t a festival musician, but a good musician nonetheless.

Finally, Friday ended with Knife Party. This was the show I had waited for the most. I love those guys. But the thing about festivals is that by the time the last concert begins your energy is absolutely gone. Knife Party had an incredible set, like the others, but I was utterly tired. Still, I found enough force to enter many of the craziest mosh pits I have ever been in. Dubstep really brings that out in people. The duo did an incredible job—though the second member of the group was literally hidden for most of the concert—and I left Lollapalooza satisfied. My first time at a techno concert was incredible, and I am hoping to do it again sometime soon.

the talon • 43

entertainment

More Marvel Musings from Marques Art, assemble! (Warning: assembly still contains spoilers) Felipe Marques

M

y career at the Talon has finally come full circle. In the Nerd edition, I talked about The Avengers, and made a few theories on what would happen in the movie. Needless to say, I got everything wrong. It has been about a year since, and Marvel has presented concept art, test footage and screenshots for their next few movies and, after spending a considerable amount of time geeking out about them, I have decided to talk about the Avengers again. What can I say, old habits die hard.

1. The Winter Soldier The first batch of concept art was from the upcoming Captain America movie, Captain America: Winter Soldier, and it focused mostly on the Winter Soldier. For those who don’t know, the Winter Soldier is actually James “Bucky” Barnes, Cap’s sidekick and best friend, portrayed by Sebastian Stan in The First Avenger, who, surviving a missile explosion by the skin of his teeth, is revived

by Soviet Super Scientists (try saying THAT five times fast). He is mind-wiped, given a robot arm, and is provided with the power of super-assassination skills.

The concept illustrations show the ensuing battle between Cap and Bucky, the most notable of which depicts the Winter Soldier punching Cap’s shield. Winter Soldier is completely different from the comics; this version wears ski goggles, has his mouth covered and wears something akin to a green longcoat, unlike the domino masks and red-white-and blue suits of the original. Marvel also released two stills of a computer-animated Cap awkwardly jumping from a plane as well as concept art of the movie version of the Falcon. Does anyone even remember the Falcon? He’s a superhero that can talk to birds and, with the help of his winged armor, fly. He’s an integral part of the Captain America canon and, quite frankly, looks pretty awesome in the two stills he’s in 2. Thunder in Darkness The second batch included stills and illustrations of Thor’s sequel movie, Thor: The Dark World in which Christopher Eccleston plays he villain. Yes, the Christopher Eccleston.

The Ninth Doctor—I mean, Eccleston—will be playing Malekith the Accursed, a secondary villain of the Thunder Gods. In the stills, his armor looks like an odd mix between King Arthur and a Stormtrooper, with the same going for his army of Dark Elves.

Nevertheless, Eccleston bears a strong resemblance to the ice-

44 • the talon

powered foe, so all we need now is proof of his acting. Apart from Malekith, there are screens of Thor and Lady Sif fighting legions of Dark Elves, two sketches of the beautiful scenery and the oddest screenshot of the pack: Thor in New York. I know I got all my theories wrong last time around but now I’ll make some more: either this movie shows how Thor got to Earth/ Midgard in the first place, being that he was stuck in Asgard by the end of Thor, or it follows his return to Earth for some sort of mission. Another screenshot shows Thor surrounded by armored and cloaked characters and standing next to him is none other than Natalie Portman—Jane Foster from the first movie. Will this be Jane’s foray into the Nine Realms, or is this a look-alike character? Only time will tell…

3. Stars in the Stars I’m sure every Marvel fan was waiting anxiously for the third pack. This one’s all about Guardians of the Galaxy, which is… well, it’s hard to explain. Guardians is about a ragtag quintet that, through coincidence and circumstance, all team marvel.com up to fight evil in space! As of now, it’s confirmed that Chris Pratt is Star-Lord, the leader of the team and Dave Bautista is Drax the Destroyer, resident tough guy. Other members are also depicted: Gamorra, the action girl, Groot, a Tree-person, and Rocket Raccoon.

There are only three more pieces of art: the team in a hive of scum and villainy and two shots of beautiful spaceships. Not much can be said about the movie other than that, but that apparently The Controller will be the main villain. As Joss Whedon once said: “[director James Gunn] loves the raccoon.

Needs the raccoon...”

4. Ant-Man. (Ant-Man?!)

You heard me: Ant-Man. I’m pretty sure I made fun of him sometime during my run in the Talon, and may lightning strike me before I miss another opportunity to do it again and again.

This is a serious movie about Ant-Man. For what it’s worth, though, I’m actually impressed: Marvel “slipped” some test footage of Ant-Man beating up SHIELD agents while shrunk and dodging bullets, Matrix-style. He does all of this while wearing a suit that looks more like a steampunk robot than the actual Ant-Man. Again, only time will tell if Edgar Wright’s interpretation of the Shrinking Superhero will garner more “wows” than laughs.

entertainment

Opposite Dreams or “Two Takes on Melancholia” Alessandro Mondelli

D

ream #1 In a cave. They insist you must go down the passage, the only possibility of somewhere else in this cave of dark phosphorescent granite walls that close in on you, and as they do you discern more and more the grotesque pictures drawn in chalk on their jagged surface; naked out-of-proportion women, rotting mammoth carcasses and willowing wildflowers. They persist. There is no one fitter for the task, they say. So you acquiesce and stride through. The passageway is quite short and leads into a massive structure carved in blue cobblestone, a sort of amphitheater. See the strange pillars and domes jut in and out, no straight edges, and then past them an immense obscurity of unfathomable, agoraphobic depth.

You look upon the darkness and feel tempted to forever be swallowed by it, forever be lost amongst it. First in panic and pitch-black unknowingness, then in wistful resignation. You recall the ocean floor and imagine yourself descending down upon the water until there is only accumulated sea debris below to deaden your fall. There you passively lay in complete desolation, except for the jelly-like protuberances you now and then feel skimming your skin, belonging to the ugly creatures that will surely feast upon your flesh and sinews some moments from now. Even then, the proposition has its certain appeal. A primal self-destruct mechanism, you suppose. A telepathic screech shoves you out of your reverie. You proceed to its origin, an enormous plastic cylindrical enclosure, and feel compelled to hug the creatures being harvested inside, past the opaque plastic, past the oxygenated formaldehyde. Past their skin and bones. They rest in fetal position, searching for a comfort and coziness that is not there. It is hard to decide whether the screech was a cry for help or a despairing lament.

You only hope the umbilical chords protruding from their heads and slowly wrapping around their throats will not asphyxiate them. Maybe it is their will? You do not know. The only thing you are sure of at this point is the sordidness of that screech.

You damn that primitive sense of empathy that overtakes you.

You are their desperation.

Guest Contributor

Sueño #2 Fue una tarde entretenida llena de actividades y diversión. Los gritos jubilosos de hace algunos momentos parecían resonar por entre mi cráneo, me llamaban al pasado, esos gritos que bajaban y subían con el relieve de las colinas del campo, y con nosotros, y que de alguna manera me sonaban algo burlones y evasivos, ahora que lo pienso. Las vibraciones que provocaban a veces me causaban un dolor de cabeza, o me mareaban, pero un mareo ciertamente deseable.

Nosotros tres nos habíamos separado por unos instantes, tal vez para ir al baño o para comprar agua. Eso no es importante. Lo que es importante es que después yo lo sorprendí a Vicente mientras él se escondía detrás de algunas cajas de cartón, un cartón que lo veías y que sabías que olía a nuevo, a celulosa que aún no se ha podrido. Él se escondía para después darnos un susto, de acuerdo con el humor de ese entonces. Ella me sorprendió mientras yo lo sorprendía. Pero su modo de caminar y su cara habían adquirido una solemnidad spiritrealmtruths.com que nada más la puedo comparar con esa que se aprecia en el rostro de los más altos ángeles de algunas pinturas renacentistas, en sus carnosos cachetes tiesos. Una solemnidad inocente, una solemnidad que enamora. Y de ese modo Gaby comenzó a hablar: - Mi padre se me ha aparecido al lado del extinguidor.

Y me decía que me tengo que casar. Sí, papá, por supuesto, yo le decía, como para ver si me lo sacaba de encima. Y entonces él me decía que lo tenía que ir a acompañar al cielo, que estaba solo allá. Yo le respondí que sí y me encogí de hombros.

Decía estas palabras casi susurrándolas, de una forma lenta y silenciosa e infinitamente melancólica, y lo decía casi con indiferencia, como si eso fuera de lo más normal. En retrospectiva, pudo ser más bien lo opuesto que le causase esa inmovilidad de sus facciones, tan gélidos sus gestos.

Yo entonces sabía que sí estaba enamorado. Pero sobre todo algo en mí sabía que yo ni cerca estaría de casarme con ella.

Y entonces decidimos regresar. Manejando de vuelta, el cielo parecía un durazno rozagante.

the talon • 45

entertainment

O essencial da vida Um poema

P

enso que meu coração é essencialmente guiado por meus sentimentos.

Ele bate, como à flor da pele. Repetidamente. Incessantemente.

Creio que ele quer fugir, pois está sendo sufocado por tantas emoções.

Minhas emoções se misturam, se perdem.

Se enrolam, e nem sequer elas mesmas sabem o que são.

Então como eu hei de saber? Não saberei.

Mas continuarei no meu dia a dia vivendo com cada uma dessas pequeninas nuvens em minha vida. Às vezes se aglomeram. Tudo fica embaçado, difícil de enxergar um palmo sequer. Às vezes, incham, e ficam repletas de um líquido salgado, morno, caloroso e gostoso.

Mas, de vez em quando, desaparecem. Somem. Não sei para onde vão.

Porém, se eu procurar com atenção, ainda encontrarei um rastro voando pela imensidade do céu.

Não sei como começar, e muito menos como terminar.

O que ficou para trás, quero resgatar.

O que se encontra na minha frente, tenho vontade de descobrir.

Por que cometo o mesmo erro inúmeras vezes?

Não falo o que minha caixinha saltitante diz?

Não faço o que quero?

Isa Siciliano

Guest Contributor Porque sou guiada pelo presente, pelo agora, por você, por mim, pelos meus desejos e vontades.

Viajo nos meus pensamentos, crio um faz-de-conta e vou ao delírio.

Tento resgatar o passado e levar para o futuro.

Porém sei que isso não depende de mim, mas sim de você, de todos.

Vou. Ao. Delírio.

Sonho. Imagino. Lembro. Relembro.

Desejo. Desejo você. Ele. Nós. Vós. Eu. Tu. Todos.

Agora. Nesse exato instante.

Desejo que você se lembre.

Desejo que você retorne.

Desejo seus beijos, abraços, carinho, Alegria, companheirismo, afeto.

Pois na solidão nem os mais solitários vivem serenos.

Quero o azul. Quero o branco. Quero você.

Quero o agora, o presente. Viver na mais pura adrenalina.

O sangue correndo em minhas veias, o anseio de te encontrar.

De fazer acontecer.

Irei levando como sempre levei, Com meu delírio me acompanhando e sua presença me guiando.

A Message to the Seniors from the rest of the Talon Staff

Felipe Marques

46 • the talon

entertainment

A Few More Watts than Zero Epiphanies on a hospital bed Caio Mello

O

ne of the major tasks of the human being is to understand what it is to be human. I suppose the reason why we’re so scared of death is because we’ll never find the answer. But, against my expectation, the first thought that came to my head when I was swerving off the road was: maybe death will tell me what all this is. And as I fell off the cliff and the car smashed through the trees, I felt that death might just be life, redux.

When I opened my eyes, it wasn’t like the movies. My eyes weren’t blurry. Instead, I just felt heavy, with slight pressure and warmth on my right arm. The car metal was nearly melting into my skin. I wanted to scream but I felt like I had no mouth.

I was able to drag myself out of the car. And in an instant every color around me began saturating. A deep grey culminating in a consuming black. I couldn’t remember my own name.

Strangely enough, I awoke a second time. Everything was both as faint and saturated as before. It took me about five minutes of nauseated squinting to realize I was in a hospital bed. The room was pale white and felt like heaven, and with the drugs I was on, it might’ve well been. When I saw a few figures walk in exalted, I asked jokingly, “Are you angels?” As one of them got closer, I realized it was my mother. She looked at me with twinkling eyes. “I sure hope not.”

The gathering with my family was relaxing, somewhat beautiful. We hadn’t had such a fantastic conversation in months. Hell, years. Blood and ecstasy. When they left, I began to doze.

But before I could, another pair walked in the room.

It was my brother and his young son. I always loved the presence of my nephew—he would ask questions like “What is the sky?” with genuine philosophical intrigue. He had a book in his hand. When he saw me he scurried over to the side of the bed, planted the book in his armpit, and hopped on next to me.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah. A little, I’ll be better.”

My brother walked over to the other side of the bed and patted my shoulder. “Hey kiddo, how about you show your uncle what we got him?” His son’s eyes lit up. “Oh yeah! Here!”

He handed me the book. It was the Philip K. Dick reader. “Well! How did you know about this?”

“You like it, the science fiction stuff. And look at you—

Guest Contributor

you’re hooked up to all this stuff. Like an android!”

“Like an android, like a Philip K. Dick story. It’s funny, I never felt so trapped.”

My brother was looking at his son, making sure he wouldn’t accidently fall on me, or touch any of the equipment.

“Hey, how did this happen in the first place?” my nephew asked.

“Son,” my brother said sighing, “you don’t need to know that. That’s an invasive question.”

I winked at my brother. “No, don’t worry, I’ll tell you.

So, you know those mountains at the edge of town?” My nephew nodded, and I continued. “Well, I had to go up there earlier today to meet the lion who lives up there.”

“A mountain lion?”

“Not a mountain lion; the mountain lion. But this isn’t your ordinary lion; he lives there alone.

Without any other lions or animals.

Sometimes he doesn’t even know that he’s a lion, because, in his solitude, cultofmac.com he became wise and all-knowing. He understands things that you and your dad don’t.”

“Like what?”

“Like anything! Any question you may have. He’ll probably have an answer.”

“Oh. You needed him to answer a question for you?”

“Yeah, that’s right! Early this morning, I needed him to help me clear up some confusion. With my family, amongst other things.”

“Your family? Like me?”

“Yes, like you, and like your cousins at home.”

“Then what?”

“Then, I began going up the mountain, walking all the way up, just to see the wise lion. I didn’t know if he was going to be able to meet me, but I was willing to take the chance.

I walked up the road for about thirty minutes, until I saw two headlights coming my way. The man in the car looked angry.

He honked profusely and then everything went black.”

“Good thing the lion helped you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well you’re here, okay, with us.”

“You know, you never cease to impress me, kid. The lion needs more people like you.”

He smiled.

the talon • 47

sports

The Injury Risks Athlete Face Commodity and compassion in sports Rafa Rocha

I

t was prime time on TV, and I was casually watching a March Madness game between Duke and Louisville. As a spectator, I was focused on the game and the outcome of it. Nothing really mattered to me except for knowing how the game would end, who would move on to the Final Four, who would be the highest scorer, who would come through in the clutch and things of the like. And right in the middle of the game when things started to intensify, bam! Kevin Ware, the 20-year-old guard from Louisville, went down after an extremely awkward landing, where he twisted and injured his leg and knee areas. The injury was described as a “compound fracture,” since his bone was exposed. I don’t really need to go into too many details, as the video with his injury has already received millions of hits on YouTube and you’ve probably already watched it. If you haven’t and you’re already disgusted from reading this, I’d probably suggest you not do so. Otherwise, the problem is yours if you get traumatized and start having nightmares from it. You have been warned.

It’s easy to take for granted that athletes are actual people on the floor, human beings like you and me. People who, despite being extremely well conditioned and prepared to play their sport, are made of bones that can break, pop, and fracture. People who know in the back of their minds that at every sudden movement they make, there is a chance they may be sidelined for days, weeks, or even months. You see, most people tend to focus solely on the game and its developments when watching sports, with injuries asa sort of “break” from the game when you feel sorry for the guy who goes down. My point is not that we should suddenly limit sports and physical activity because of the risks involved. There are risks in everything we do or say, and that certainly doesn’t only apply to the realm of sports. However, whenever you see a player

48 • the talon

go down as unfortunately as Louisville’s Kevin Ware did in that game against Duke, you really start reflecting about the risks that these players run every game. What it does, for at least a little while, is divert the attention from the game and shift it to the people who are on the court at that moment.

Emphasis on people.

Injuries, particularly serious ones, are powerful in the sense that they can make us forget about rivalries and the scoreboard temporarily. They bring out a humane aspect to the multi-billion dollar industries where athletes are objectified, where they are traded, sold, and paid as though they are simple commodities. In fact, there are few realms of society where workers are as objectified as in sports, even if these athletes can earn millions of dollars a year. Everything has a price tag, from sodahead.com a termination fine for Neymar, to the marketing value of Peyton Manning, to the trade value of Kobe Bryant. Statistics measuring the productivity of these athletes are abundant, and everything has a number placed on it. When a player has a serious injury though, these numbers are replaced by feelings of compassion and sorrow. The injury also serves as a break the typically frustrated sports fan who is never satisfied with his team’s production. For a moment, that fan says “Poor him,” and puts that little frown on his face is. “Why am I watching this spectacle of pain?” you might ask yourself. I still haven’t come up with a good answer to that question. But even if you watch sports, keep in the back of your mind that these players are not made of steel, and the laws of physics applies to them too. That still doesn’t take away from how impressive their abilities are. In fact, it only makes me appreciate more what these athletes do day in and day out.