First Day Issue 2018-2019

Construction continues into new school year.

Palo Alto Unified School District Henry M. Gunn High School 780 Arastradero Rd Palo Alto, CA 94306

Recap of summer captures important events.

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Henry M. Gunn High School

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Monday, August 13, 2018 Volume 56, Special Edition

780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306

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en e Ch n i r at he

District welcomes new superintendent Don Austin Elisa Moraes-Liu Sports Editor

At the end of the last school year, Dr. Don Austin was appointed by the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) School Board to assume the role of the superintendent. Austin has a long history in school administration, previously having served as superintendent of Palos Verdes Unified School District in Southern California.

Prior to that, Austin was assistant superintendent of Huntington Beach Union High School District.

While superintendent, Austin hopes to bridge the gap between the students and the administrators at PAUSD. “Sometimes adults solve the wrong problems because they don’t stop to ask questions to the people most affected,” Austin said. “I would like to build upon is working on soliciting answers from students.” Austin also emphasizes the need to work towards regaining trust of students with the administration. “If students are reluctant to report issues because they think it won’t be handled properly, that must be solved right now,” Austin said. “It’s been pretty well documented that there have been mistakes [of handling reported issues] and I don’t want anyone else to go through that.”

Austin views student wellbeing as a priority for the district, and believes trust is essential to achieve that. “A big part of student wellness is creating a trust,” Austin said. “When something goes bad and is reported, it will be acted upon immediately and appropriately. The health

and safety of the student should be top priority, and everything else should become secondary.”

Additionally, Austin emphasizes that collaboration is essential to ensure student wellbeing. “It is something everybody should play a role in,” Austin said. “[There have been meetings about] putting structures in place with safety nets so things like student wellness and health and safety don’t rest with one person or two people, but we create a system that’s built on having interests student safety and well being.”

Austin’s goals for district collaboration aren’t only limited to just student wellness; he hopes to see increased communication between PAUSD officials on all levels. Austin hopes that the district works and functions as a “super team” in order to improve communication between PAUSD schools. “‘Super team’ means school principals work as a team to make each other better,” Austin said. “It would mean the teachers and principals at Gunn would have a vested interest in Paly too. You don’t have to wait for a problem to arise for people to communicate with each other and share successes.”

According to Austin, this communication between schools is essential to share the best practices, as well as to promote the wellbeing of the district. “If we identify best practices in a school, it’s my job to make sure they are shared with everyone,” Austin said. “There are no secrets of success in our schools.”

Superintendent—p.2

Photo courtesy of Don Austin

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THEORACLE 780 Arastradero Rd. Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 354-8238 www.gunnoracle.com

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Caroline Ro Managing Editors Megan Li Kristen Yee News Sohini Ashoke Ryan Li Tejpal Virdi Forum Jennifer Gao Liza Kolbasov Joshua Yang Features Julia Cheunkarndee Joy Huang Grace Tramack Centerfold Yael Livneh Chelsie Park Sports Eric Epstein Bridgette Gong Elisa Moraes-Liu Lifestyle Laurel Comiter Noa Rapoport Katie Zhang Online Stephanie Jackson Andrew Zhao Changing the Narrative Jamisen Ma Grace Williams Photo Editor Sofia Sierra-Garcia Graphics Editor Mina Kim

News Don Austin recounts career path, shares impressions Superintendent

As superintendent, however, Austin points out his job is to his first administrative job as period of growth. “I was young,” play a behind the scenes role in the functions of the district. Austin said. “I was reluctant to ask for help, and I ran into walls “If I do my job to the best of my I could have avoided but overtime ability, I should be almost invisthat shifted.” Now, Austin’s process ible,” said Austin “I’m here to add of administration is shaped and he “I’m here to add value and clear the path value and clear the path for really values collaboration when making for really smart people to do really smart smart people to do really smart decisions. work. I want to be competent so I don’t work. I want to be competent After his stint as principal of La create distractions for amazing teachers, so I don’t create distractions for Sierra High School, Austin started and support staff and brilliant kids.” amazing teachers, and support a job as principal of Laguna Beach staff and brilliant kids.”

High School. According to Austin, —Superintendent Don Austin Austin has a long history in the school shared various similariworking in education, and it has ties to Gunn and Paly, describing always been of high interest to him. them both as “high achieving, en“I grew up across the street from my high school,” Austin said. gaged communities, [with] a similar student population.”

“I looked up to coaches and teachers, and I knew from a really Those similarities sparked Austin's interest in PAUSD. “I was early age I wanted to be a teacher. They were the people I re- always looking for schools like Laguna Beach and there weren’t spected the most.” His dream of becoming a teacher came true many,” Austin said. “Gunn and Paly both have some similariin 1994, when he began teaching at Sunnymead Middle School ties and I’ve always thought this would be a place that I would in Moreno have a high interest in.

Valley, CaliAustin was eager to jump at the chance to work for fornia. HowPAUSD when the position of superintendent opened in “It just made sense. In the back of my mind ever, Austin 2017. “I was recruited to apply for the position,” Austin d id n’t stop said. “It just made sense. In the back of my mind I always I always had a thought that I might end up at just teachhad a thought that I might end up here.” Austin was offihere.”

—Superintendent Don Austin i n g . W h i le cially hired as superintendent on May 22 when his contract work i ng at was approved by the school board.

Sunny mead Middle School, Austin built the school’s first athletic program from the ground up. “They had no program at all,” Austin said. “There was no budget, so for a year I sold day-old donuts out of my classroom during lunch and financed uniforms for boys and girls teams.”

The administrators of Sunnymead saw potential in Austin, and encouraged him to take classes to become an assistant principal. “I was a high school activities director first,” Austin said. “People saw leadership potential and they invested in me, I try to do the same for people now.” Austin took the advice of the administrators, and in 1998, he enrolled in Azusa Pacific University's Doctorate of Educational Leadership program.

In 2001, after having finished his Doctorate in Education, Check out our new app! Search 'The Gunn Oracle Austin got an early opportunity to serve as principal of La App' on the iOS App Store and download it for free.

Sierra High School in Riverside, California. Austin reflects on

2018-2019 Bell Schedule

Staff Business/Circulation Ryan Manesh Assistant Business/Circulation Peter Oh Copy Editors Collin Jaeger Nikki Suzani Oracle/SEC Liaison Bridgette Gong Oracle/TBN Liaison Quinn Arbolante Graphics Artists Nicole Lee Grace Liu Jocelyn Wang Photographers Melissa Ding Sophia Lu Reporters Calvin Cai Diya Thukral Madison Nguyen Tech Editors Natalie McCurdy Devon Lee Adviser Kristy Blackburn

Courtesy of Gunn website

3 Construction continues into new school year Monday, August 13, 2018

Spangenberg Theatre, music and choir rooms should be available for use mid-semester

Photos courtesy of Ron Smith and Todd Summers.

Le f t a n d c e n te r: An inside lo ok into the construc tion pro gress made over the summer. Right: T he inside of Spangenb erg T heatre during construc tion.

Jennifer Gao

Forum Editor Following progress made in the 2017-2018 school year, construction is on schedule to conclude in January of 2019.

Currently, the Spangenberg Theatre and old Student Activities Center (SAC) building are under renovation.

The remodeling of Spangenberg Theatre will consist of an expanded lobby, improved accessibility, updated fire alarms and new heating, ventilation, air conditioning and sprinklers.

Two instrumental and choral music classrooms, as well as music offices and instrument storage rooms will also be added to the Spangenburg building.

A two-story central building is currently being built in place of the old SAC, complete with new bathrooms, media arts classrooms, student activities classrooms, two social studies classrooms and a college career and wellness center. An expanded quad will be in in place between the two-story building and the existing quad.

Throughout the summer, the Studio Theatre (Little Theatre) and entirety of the work on site have been completed. The expansion of fencing, pouring of concrete, drop-off areas and the paving on the side of the buildings will be especially noticeable when students return, according to construction project program director Tom Hodges.

Construction for Spangenberg Theatre would have originally finished in August of 2018, but due to complications with the relocation of water, sewage and gas lines, its schedule was delayed

last summer. The overall project has remained on track to finish probably be rebuilding and reorganizing the locker rooms and in January. “This campus is 70 years old, so you run into a lot of making gender-neutral facilities,” Hodges said. things that aren’t necessarily on plans,” Hodges said. “That section For most students, the most bothersome outcome of got delayed, which is why we’re not finishing until September.” construction usually stem from loud noise levels or fencing.

During the summer, the construction site was expanded due Sophomore Andrew Chang believes that while construction is to the new improvements in the central building and Spangenberg important to improve the school, the noise can be a nuisance.

Theatre. However, when students return, fencing will be set up “In general, the construction does not bother me that much, similarly to how it was arranged at the end of the last academic but school without noises will be much more refreshing and year. vibrant,” Chang said.

The ongoing renovations are part of a bigger picture Students can expect a significant decrease in noise due to at Gunn to refurbish the construction work mostly being and revamp buildings internal. “Most of the work we’re over the next decade, doing now is [finishing] work which according to Hodges. is mostly interior, so things like “Most of the work we’re doing now is [finishing] work which There are currently three painting instead of the noisy and is mostly interior, so things like painting instead of the noisy projects on the list for the disruptive work that happened last and disruptive work that happened last year.” contract, including the the year,” Hodges said. renovation of Spangenberg Hodges views this project as a — construction program director Tom Hodges Theatre, Little Theatre stepping stone to a more cohesive and the central building. campus. “Visually when you see Following the completion the pictures, it’s really going to of this 10-year program, transform the campus when people another construction project will follow if a school improvement start using that new entry into the campus, and it’s going to bond measure is passed during the November election. This will transform how people move around the campus and use different likely consist of a new art/media arts building to replace building spaces,” Hodges said. “The thing about Gunn to me [is] it always M, and the renovation of Bow Gym and the administrative/ has these little separate courtyards and spaces, and I think in the student services building. “We redid the gym in this bond, but we master plan and projects we’ve looked at, we’ve always tried to didn’t touch the locker room and team room areas, so we would make it more of a cohesive campus.”

Tips to navigate construction Bring earbuds. I can’t overemphasize this one enough. Construction can be super loud, and when it’s 8:15 a.m. and you’re so bleary-eyed you don’t even know where you a re, you definitely do not want to spring awake to the sound of a loud motor destroying (or building) a theater. Have headphones in, play some calm, relaxing music and wake up the right way.

Graphics by Mina Kim

Don’t walkthrough the middle hallway alongside the L buildings if you can avoid it (especially if you’re going from the A-G buildings to the village). With the site blocking off the path in the middle of campus and creating basically two ways you get across the school, you’ll have to deal with 1,000 other kids shoving you trying to get to their own classes on time. If possible, just walk through the sidewalk of the parking lot. Or go around.

Think about your classes in relation to construction, and use that giant marker to avoid exploring half the school to find your class. Construction on campus is focused in one main area, and it is so loud and huge that you should be able to find it at any point in time. When at your classes, look up.

What part of construction are you in front of? Think of construction as a lighthouse and use its location to guide you to where you need to go.

Be careful about where your friend group gathers. There is so little space to walk in the few hallways we have left, and you don’t want to be the group that holds up the area and forces others to either push by you or find another path around. If the hallway is crowded, just move and meet up on the grass, for example, but don’t be the people others have to wait behind.

Check your classes (and wa lkways) out before school starts. Find out what classes you have each day from your schedule, and plan the routes you’ll take to go from each one. You won’t get lost because you’ll already know where you’re trying to go, and you won’t be late because you’ll have found the best possible route to make it to where you need to be. Know your schedule well, and it’ll save you a lot of time.

—Compiled by Nikki Suzani

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Campu

Exploring Gunn: Six spots

us

Map

Monday, August 13, 2018

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s to check out on campus 1. Wellness Center

The Wellness Center is a newer part of the Gunn campus, which works with the mission of coordinating and expanding physical and mental health support services for students. This is a small haven for students who are stressed, or just need a moment to slow down. The Wellness Center provides tea and snacks, and also a variety of activities such as reading and art therapy.

2. Library

Although the library functions well for any bibliophiles, it also has many other aspects that students can take advantage of; the main area has a wealth of tables for those who want a place to get work done, but students can also rent out a private room for a more quiet environment. In addition, the recording studio can be booked and utilised by anyone who needs to polish up any audio projects. The library’s air conditioning also provides a cool escape from the summer heat.

3. Acorn Lounge

The Acorn Lounge is nestled right beside the library, and is an outdoor area complete with benches, decorative art and a pagoda, all set under the shade of towering trees. This is a great place for students looking for somewhere more quiet and secluded, or to escape to if they need a breather after studying for too long in the library. Some events are held in the Acorn Lounge, such as the award ceremony for students recognized by the math department.

4. Student Activities Office (SAO)

The Student Activities Office (SAO) is the place to go for anything students may need to purchase, such as dance tickets or apparel. Long lines that spill out of the cozy room are not an uncommon sight when events are around the corner, so any students looking to buy tickets should plan ahead.

5. Academic Center (AC)

The Academic Center (AC) is a hub for all academic resources. Student tutors, computers, printers and textbooks are all available here, and it’s a great place to work during prep periods, lunches and before and after school. The Testing Research Center (TRC), for making up missed tests or retakes, and the library are also right next door.

6. Bat Cave

As the regular quads aren’t available during construction, the Bat Cave has become a more popular alternative lunch spot. The Bat Cave’s cover and tables make it a great place to eat or hang out with friends, especially when it’s windy or raining. It’s also right in between one building housing the Wellness Center, Adolescent Counseling Services, Brunch Line and Lunch Line, and another with the Main Office, Copy Center, Nurse, Counselors, Attendance Office and Registrar.

Graphics by Nicole Lee

—Compiled by Megan Li, Caroline Ro and Kristen Yee

6 In Case You Missed It: Summer stories First Day of School Issue

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Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade Fashion designer Kate Spade was found dead of an apparent suicide in her apartment on June 5. Three days later, Anthony Bourdain, host of the television series “Parts Unknown,” died by suicide. Spade was 55 and Bourdain was 61.

C Cave rescue 12 boys, aged 11 to 16, and their soccer coach were stranded in the Tham Luang caves in Thailand when flood water cut off their path back to the surface on June 23. Following a rescue mission comprised of divers and other rescue experts from five different countries, all thirteen individuals were transported out of the caves by July 10.

A former Thai navy SEAL, Samarn Poonan, died during the rescue operations.

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NorCal wildfires For the second year in a row, raging Northern California fires have displaced thousands of families, destroyed homes and taken lives. The largest two fires each spanned well over 175,000 acres of land.

Photos courtesy of Flickr, Diane Greene Lent, Wikimedia Commons, FEMA

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Staffer

Summer break preserves sanity Ryan Li

ICE protests Following the announcement of President Trump’s zerotolerance immigration policy, the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency began raiding workplaces and arresting suspected illegal immigrants more proactively than ever. ICE’s role in detaining adults illegally crossing the southern border has led to the separation of families, often with young children.

These actions have led to a public outcry to “Abolish ICE,” with protests happening nationally throughout the summer.

Middle school renaming With the start of the 2018-2019 school year, the renaming of Terman Middle School and Jordan Middle School to Fletcher Middle School and Greene Middle School, respectively, will officially be implemented. The decision was made by the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education on May 17, 2017 because of David Starr Jordan and Lewis Terman’s involvement in the eugenics movement.

Boba Guys/ Shake Shack Boba Guys, which claims the mission of breaking cultural barriers, will be opening in Town & Country Village.

Shake Shack, well-known for their burgers and milkshakes, will be opening its first Bay Area location in Stanford Shopping Mall.

For many people, this past summer vacation wasn’t a vacation at all. Though school theoretically let out for two months, the grind never stops in May and starts back up in August like it’s supposed to. Gunn students have done everything from running summer camps to winning prestigious competitions to travelling the world building schoolhouses for blind orphans. Am I one of these students? No. Do I feel guilty for not being one of these students? Not really.

I spent my break the way I have always spent my break for the past 10 years; doing absolutely nothing productive. Like a bear hibernating from the cold to survive the winter, a student must hibernate from work in the summer if he or she wants to survive the next school year.

But apparently, no one seems to agree with me.

All summer my parents tried to guilt trip me into applying for internships, previewing next year’s classes and working on my long overdue Eagle Scout project. “Have you studied for the SAT?” v “Why didn’t you get accepted into (insert elitist college summer program)?” were sprinkled into every conversation I had with them. If that wasn’t enough, every one of my friends had their entire vacations planned out with Living Skills classes, volunteer service time and sports conditioning, mysteriously forgetting to set aside time for all the hang-out plans we talked about all school year.

My pa rents’ nagg ing a nd my f riends’ unavailability eventually pushed me to the breaking point. So naturally one day in late June, I decided to run away from home. No one was in the house, so a few minutes, a Clipper Card and a neglected phone call later I was on the Northbound Caltrain to my own unplanned solo mini-vacation to San Francisco. I don’t remember where I went. I don’t even know if I got off the train at the right station. But I do remember trying to decide between going to the Federal Reserve, taking a ferry across the bay to Alameda and waltzing into a bakery to ask for gluten free avocado toast.

I also remember feeling an otherworldly detachment from reality I had never felt before.

I was 50 miles away from home with zero supervision. I could have walked in any direction and that direction was the right way to go because no one was there to tell me otherwise. This feeling was what I wanted my summer to be.

I still can’t imagine how working adults keep themselves mentally intact without a mandatory two months off to enjoy themselves the way students on summer vacation do. For the 12 years we are in school, we kids have this amazing chunk of time where we get to pull the covers over our heads at 10 a.m every day and say, “Go away, Mom, I’m trying to sleep.”

Yet every year, Mom nags a little harder. Every year we wake up a little earlier, letting another person stick another thing onto our agendas.

“This activity won’t stress me out,” we say. “This internship looks great on my college apps.” Every summer, we chip away at our free time and with it, our sanity.

I would love to travel to Uganda to run a hospital or go to a university to help Professor Nobel-Prize-Harvard-Degree Ph.D. cure cancer, but I think my sanity matters more.

—Li, a junior, is a News Editor.

First Day of School Issue

Monday, August 13, 2018

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Students share advice for incoming classes FROSH Joshua Yang

I knew when I signed up to write this article that it would be perhaps one of the first moments of an entire class’s high school experience. To that end, I’m not going to waste your time with tidbits of advice like “manage your time,” “join interesting clubs,” “never procrastinate” or “make new friends.” You know that. Your parents, older friends, siblings and even middle school teachers have been telling that to you since you first understood the concept of high school.

Instead, what does it mean to be a freshman at Gunn?

Ryan Li Knowing that your behavioral habits probably won’t change because of something you read in the seventh page of the school newspaper, I’ll stay away from advice easy to digest but hard to abide by.

By now you already know how to navigate the labyrinth that is high school, but you still only have around a year of experience under your belt. It’s the perfect time to delve deeper into your own interests. Join or start a club, take some time to volunteer, or start doing the extracurricular that one friend of yours is nagging you about.

It means to be thrust into a whole new ecosystem; for the first time since elementary school, you share the same campus with people three years older than you are. You’re definitely not at the top anymore, like you were last year, but at the same time, there are many classes you’ll share with other grades. Here, the boundaries between grades blur, and it’s well worth your time to make friends in other grades; they’ll vastly enrichen your experience at school.

The clubs will be larger, better organized and varied.

Homecoming week will be far more jubilant and far less reined in than previous spirit days. Every school day will end at a different time, but you’ll get used to it. At times, it’ll seem like everybody else has everything figured out, but don’t worry; most people are just as clueless as you are.

Being a freshman means exploring this new environment. You haven’t really figured out all the rules yet, but

One thing that surprised me was how quickly things got rolling. No more human bingo, or any cheesy get-toknow-you games. Teachers are less lenient with deadlines and your classes get exponentially harder. One of your friends is doing varsity sports and this other guy or gal has a 5.0 unweighted grade point average and for some reason is breezing through 89102 Advanced Placement classes you didn’t think sophomores were allowed to take.

And soon, all this begins to take your toll on you.

“Why does so-and-so make everything look like a cakewalk?” you begin to ask yourself. “What am I missing?

Am I a bad student? Am I going to drop out of school?”

These thoughts will start swirling around your head and will clog up your brain as you hunch over the chemistry lab that is due the next day. You can’t focus so you get anxious and you get anxious because you can’t focus. This vicious cycle keeps repeating itself, and before you know it, your life is spiralling out of control.

you can—and should—push the envelope a little to test your boundaries. On the last day of school, you’ll look back on today appreciatively, and realize how much you’ve changed and adapted in this whole system.

In fact, on the last day of my freshman year, released from the burden of schoolwork for a few months, I took the opportunity to walk down to a middle school graduation ceremony. I listened to a speech recounting how far the graduating class had matured and grown in middle school. There is no such speech at the end of freshman year, but you’ll understand, in just ten months from now, how much further you’ve come. You’ll get caught up in the Homecoming proceedings. You’ll realize just how much harder the biology tests are, and you’ll learn to prepare for them all the same. My advice? You won’t ever be a high school freshman again, so learn to laugh, celebrate and enjoy every single moment.

—Yang, a sophomore, is a Forum Editor.

SOPHOMORE Calm down. Take a deep breath.

Take your foot off the gas and relax your grip on the steering wheel. Know that the stresses you are going through are just speed bumps and detours on your trip through sophomore year.

School work, grades and extracurriculars are important, but the most important thing is to take care of yourself; your well-being and your own mental health. After all, in 10 years you won’t be flipping through your old yearbook reminiscing fondly about the English assignment you turned in late or the unit test you passed by the skin of your teeth. It’s the experiences you gain, the things you have tried for the first time, and even the dumb antics you pull off with your friends that will define your sophomore year. So sit back, buckle your seatbelt, and enjoy the ride.

—Li, a junior, is a News Editor.

JUNIOR Grace Tramack

Congratulations class of 2020—you made it through your first two years of high school and are finally upperclassmen! You are already halfway there, but with the year you have looming ahead, I’m sure it sure doesn’t feel like it. Everyone says that junior year is the “most stressful” one, especially with having to study for standardized tests and taking on a more rigorous course load. Trust me, though—you will make it out alive, and stronger than ever.

Grace Ding

You’ve made it to the last year of high school. Maybe you’re still trying to convince yourself it’s real, maybe you’re scared by the responsibility of deciding your future. And maybe you just can’t wait to finally get out of Gunn. Regardless, you’re entering a year of challenges and accomplishments, mistakes and celebration and most importantly, self-growth.

You’ve survived junior year, and no matter what you’ve heard, you will also survive first semester of senior year.

Amidst all of the work that will inevitably pile up, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s most important to you. You will be forced to choose between your thousands of extracurriculars and decide which ones you enjoy the most, but that’s not necessarily a bad choice to make. The process will allow you to find your passions and become more deeply involved in a couple activities rather than loosely involved in a bunch. Despite your seemingly nonexistent social life, being fully committed to one or two extracurriculars can doubly serve as social time, and help you create lasting friendships.

Different students will have different experiences as a junior, so it is crucial to avoid comparing yourself to your classmates this year. When it seems like you’re the only one struggling in a class, remember that it’s likely you’re not alone. This year is a great opportunity to bond with your classmates, so take advantage of it and don’t waste it

College apps can naturally be daunting, it’s a process about yourself and your identity, quirks, desires and interests, so try not to compare yourself to others. It leads to unproductive cycles of self-doubt. I found that college essays became significantly less stressful and frustrating once I took them as an opportunity for self-discovery.

Even more important than not neglecting school for college apps is that you don’t neglect your wellbeing. The pressure is understandable, but the college you get into really doesn’t reflect who you are—so many uncontrollable factors contribute to the process, so just do your best and keep things in perspective. Everything will work out, maybe not the one ideal way you initially pictured, but you can and will be happy because you’re ultimately in charge of your life and emotions, not a college admissions committee.

Now, before you know it, you’ll become a second semester senior (SSS). While you deserve to enjoy the relief

feeling inferior or making yourself appear superior. Participate in class discussions, ask questions on class Facebook pages and create study groups with your friends.

Junior year will feel much easier when you have someone to ride all of the highs and lows with you.

I know this year will seem daunting—trust me, I was terrified—but that’s totally normal. Yes, the 2 a.m. study sessions, days with multiple tests and mental breakdowns will feel awful in the moment, but those aren’t the only times you are going to remember from junior year. In the end, you will be able to look proudly back on the hard work you put into finishing one of the most taxing years of your life.

—Tramack, a senior, is a Features Editor.

SENIOR

from stress over classes, don’t expect all your responsibilities to suddenly disappear. I found that the beauty of SSS wasn’t not caring about school, but more that the lessened burden of grades gave me the freedom to re-prioritize my life. Pursue interests or hobbies you haven’t had time for before, make new friends, and put in the effort to strengthen and appreciate your relationships. Think about what makes you happy, and work towards becoming the person you want to be. While it’s completely okay to indulge in napping or Netflix, you don’t want to feel like you wasted the semester away when it comes time for graduation.

The end of high school can feel like a hectic and confusing time, but life is exciting because it’s full of transitions and change. So enjoy this one with the class of 2019, and celebrate not only the memories you’ve shared at Gunn, but also the adventures you will embark on.

—Ding is a member of the Class of 2018.

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First Day of School Issue

Students share snapshots of summer

Junior Miranda Tao (@mirandatao) cherished time spent with friends.

Junior Jennifer Gao (@jennygaoo) had fun in the sun at Corgi Con Junior Christine Zang (@christinezang) took part in the Foam Glow Run.

Senior Elizabeth Salwitz (@elizabeth.salwitz) participated in the VA Palo Alto’s Simulation Assisted Volunteer Educator (S.A.V.E.) program.

Senior Alex Mei (@alexmeicooking) spent his summer cooking up a storm. His many dishes included this no-bake ice cream cake.

Senior Michelle Fang (@michellelfang) and the girls water polo team went to Orange Country to compete in the California High School State Championship Tournament.

Junior Manya Zhao (@manyazhao) took advantage of Stanford’s campus to stage a photoshoot.

Senior Kristie Huang (@kristiehhh) made new friends at the Yale Young Global Scholars summer program.

Senior Justin Lee (@jus.tin.lee) visited a tea lounge in Tangier, Morocco. Through his travels, Justin discovered how the city is full of culture, from its food to its architecture.

Graphics by Mina Kim, Yael Livneh and Jocelyn Wang