R&B, Hillsborough High School, February 2016

fig. 1 pen

fig. 2 lunch tray

fig. 3 ear buds

blueprint february 2016

fig.5 combination lock

fig.4 thumbdrive

Campus

06 How to be a buddy 07 Break the code 08 Don’t cry for me, Argentina

Play

Arts

10 Knock ‘em dead-lift 11 On the right track 12 Cosplaying around 12 Break it down with Bollywood 13 Balling Baptiste 13 Signing day stars 14 Rocking the boat 16 On the Brink of greatness 18 Maria Cisneros: beyond borders 19 The collector’s guide 20 Central Ave. fashion 20 Snappy fashion 21 Winter skincare

Letter FRoM the EditorS

Cam

04

Relationships

22 Trusting in big brother 24 Adopting an identity 26 Can’t fit into a bubble 28 How to break up 29 Break ups by the numbers 30 Far in distance but not in heart

You

32 Adultology 34 How to be successful in busiNess 35 Sain show his Bucs spirit 36 Trip-ping 37 “it seemed like the only choice” 38 Stress, debunked 39 Physical health, Advice from a pro

13

You

28

rs

how to: read [r&b]’s blueprint 1

2

grab the page

1

3

turn it

INFOGRAPHIC BY JOHN VELIZ

4

look down

read

5

enjoy

2

play

Campus

06

10

12 relationsHips

arts

14

16

35

37

you

24

Letter from [r&b] the editors editors-in-chief Dana Dinh Kathy Xie design editor John Veliz page editors Annie Aguiar Sarvika Bommakanti Bianca Cegatte Madison Forbis Jorge Garcia Alyssa Ierna Matt Lutton Denzel Pierre Monisha Pillai Amber Shemesh Shelby Shoup Atiya Simmons Tegan Smith Theontae Walton contributors Katie Delk Daniel Garrison Jeremy Leong Julissa Machado Alex Morrison Shreya Patel Laurie Rodriguez Vishwa Shah Yesha Shukla Adviser Joe Humphrey, MJE [r&b] a supplement of Red & Black Hillsborough High School 5000 N. Central Avenue Tampa, Florida 33603 hhstoday.com

4 | welcome

Readers, We’ve all had moments when we’ve wished someone or something would tell us how to solve our problems. As teens trying to forge our way through high school with the optimal combination of grades and social life, all with the impending stress of the future weighing us down, a set of step-bystep directions seems like a panacea.

In these moments, though, we could probably benefit from some reflection. We can step back and realize that having instruction manuals for how to live would take the enjoyment out of a lot of things. Because, let’s face it. We’re millennials. We’re high school students. We have no idea what we’re doing. And frankly, that’s OK. Sometimes we have to stop worrying and remember where we began and why we do the things we love.

The construction of Hillsborough High School was made of bricks, mortar, slate tiles (and some chlorine for the “swimming pool on the fourth floor”). But before that, it started with a blueprint outlining the measurements between posts and the allocation of resources, laying a foundation to build upon.

But how can we create a blueprint for a student body?

Truthfully, that’s hard to say. To the outsider, Hillsborough is the oldest school in Tampa, the “Harvard on a Hill.” However, upon stepping into the building, one would find much more than those accolades. One would find bustling hallways filled with diversity, students filled with character. And each one of these students has a blueprint, a motivation to thrive and be great.

If you asked us to “blueprint” the staff of Red & Black, we’d tell you it’s made up of grilled cheese deadlines, politically incorrect

jokes and biting sarcasm. Beyond that, we’re a family of 26 students united by a love of storytelling.

In this magazine, you will find aspects that course through the lives of Hillsborough’s students. These range from hobbies to relationships (both with others and with ourselves). You will find stories about a self-proclaimed nerd who has never met his girlfriend of two years face-to-face, a 5-foot-4-inch athlete who can lift more than double his weight, a girl who is not related to her family by blood or lineage but feels at home nonetheless.

Additionally, the dividers commencing each section feature do-it-yourself projects corresponding to the section’s subject.

They’re friendly reminders that while instructions for life may not be practical or even possible, small undertakings can still bring happiness. We hope you enjoy them and learn something new.

After all, that’s the goal of this magazine.

We hope you take a look at its pages and learn something new about a peer, yourself or the circumstances around you. We hope it leaves you with a better sense of the true “blueprint” of the Big Red. Happy reading.

Dana Dinh & Kathy Xie

s d t t a e t

g . r l m

. d f e e

e

DIY weekly planner Sometimes you forget things and a planner doesn’t help because you forget to check that, too. This weekly goal sheet can remind you when you forget.

Supplies: Sticky notes, blank piece of paper, marker and/or pencil Instructions: 1. Draw a rectangle made of dashes at the top of the page 2. Below the rectangle, create the necessary amount of boxes (4 minimum) 3. (Optional) Decorate 4. Hang in a place where you can see it every day 5. Weekly replace sticky notes according to your agenda

campus

e f

How to be a buddy

BY SHREYA PATEL If you ask junior Cameron Fishback about her youngest brother, she’ll most likely tell you about Paul Sylvestre. Sylvestre, however, is not technically related to her, although he’s sure to claim otherwise while in her company.

Five years ago, the Fishback family met Sylvestre, an outgoing 7 year old with Down’s Syndrome. “From the first day,” Fishback said, “we loved him and loved being around him.” They created “Fishback Fun Fridays,” a time designated for spending time together, but now he just comes over whenever he misses his second family.

“He’s stubborn, and so am I, and we often disagree about bed times and other trivial things, but somehow I always end up slipping him an extra cookie when his mom isn’t looking,” Fishback said. “This kid is my whole world.”

Fishback said that knowing Sylvestre before she joined Best Buddies allowed her to realise that a lot of kids didn’t have opportunities like he did. She saw that although Sylvestre had never had any trouble making friends, many students with disabilities struggled to meet new people; and she wanted to join the cause.

She joined Best Buddies at the beginning of freshman year, but she wasn’t going to stop there. “I didn’t simply want to be part of the club, I wanted to change the way things were at our school.” Since then, the Best Buddies team has worked towards increasing respect and reducing bullying in the school, and achieved integrated lunches for IB and ASD (autism spectrum disorder) Unit students so that they can get the chance to socialise with friends outside of the classroom.

This year, Fishback is the club president, and she and her Buddy, junior Neyanna

Nunez, have become close friends. “[Neyanna] had some issues with students who were being disrespectful, but we were able to step in and solve the problem. Most importantly, [she] feels a lot more comfortable and confident this school year.”

The pair has been to the movies and the mall. They’ve even been to Tallahassee together to speak to Florida legislators about what Best Buddies means to them, in hopes of acquiring a grant from the Florida Department of Education.

Fishback also participates in Buddy Baseball, which is a non-competitive Best Buddies baseball team for kids with special needs. During games, each baseball player is paired with a “buddy” who helps them play.

“One of my favourite memories with my first buddy, Aidan, was celebrating both of our birthdays together after a game and me surprising him with a super-

Cameron Fishback and Paul Sylvestre(Pictures 1 and 3); Fishback and her current Best Buddies match, Neyanna Nunez (Pictures 2 and 5); Fishback and her first buddy, Aidan (Picture 4 and top)| Photos courtesy of Fishback 6 | campus

o e -

d s , e

y t l s

h g a -

Break the code hero toy,” said Fishback. “Really, just seeing his face light up was one of the best parts of the whole season.”

Whether it’s birthday celebrations, or dance parties at shortstop, Fishback can always be found having just as much fun as the kids — or more.

“We all joke that I would run around the bases backwards if it weren’t for my buddy to guide me,” she said.

Getting to know the buddies is the most impactful part of the experience for Fishback. “These students are capable of so much and they’re all inspirations,” she says.“They’ve helped me learn that you can do anything you set your mind to. It’s really amazing to see all of their accomplishments.”

Whether you’re a buddy or not, her advice is to just be kind every day; you may be making a bigger difference than you think.

“I can’t even imagine your whole life being surrounded by people who assume you’ll never be independent and able to provide for yourself; it’s life changing for both the peer buddies and buddies to have such a positive environment.”

BY ALEX MORRISON When thinking of a coding group, a specific image may come to mind. A room filled with the clattering of keyboards and the occasional argument over a stubborn string of code. This is exactly the environment that one enters when visiting a typical meeting at the Computer Technology Club.

Simply called CTC among its members, the small group is preparing for a big shift. Since its founding two years ago, the group has largely relied on a few key members to stay competitive in competitions.

Senior Sameer Puri is one of these key members and serves as the president of the club. He said the CTC has improved over last year. “I felt like the way we were doing it was like a classroom,” Puri said, “Even though they’re at different paces they can still interact with each other.” He supports the method they are using now, a one-on-one teaching style based in the website Codecademy.

Although the coding members are always aiming for success in competitions, this is not the group’s primary goal. Its main focus, according to Puri, is to teach the basics. “The reason is that, learning Java, or any other programming language for that mat-

ter gives you a new perspective on problem solving,” Puri said.

Senior Devin Jester, a CTC member, agrees the group’s main focus should be teaching Javascript because it helps “to prepare for programming competitions.”

But, he also said that in order to truly be ready to compete, members may have to put in effort outside of club meetings as well.

“Most of the time,” he said, “it actually involves members of the club actually going and studying it at home.”

Additionally, many members are bringing their newfound coding skills to the Robotics club, where Java has recently become allowed in competitions, creating increased cooperation between the two technology groups.

Jester insists that there is still work to be done to bring the members closer beyond just going to competitions. “The computer aspects of it tend to bring it away from like a teamwork type of aspect,” he said. The focus on individual coding seems to be halting camaraderie among the club’s members.

For now, the members are continuing to focus on training in Java individually as they prepare for a competition at the University of Florida. campus | 7

Don’t cry for me, Argentina Junior Karen Gonzalez-Videla faced several difficulties, such as a language barrier, after her move from Argentina

BY JORGE GARCIA “Why?” She asked. “Why aren’t we going back to get our stuff ?” Those were the first words that came out her mouth.

Frustrated and confused, she had to accept the fact that she would never see Argentina again.

Karen Gonzalez-Videla was only 11 when she left her home in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her family decided to take a vacation to Florida, and originally they were only supposed to stay for two weeks.

However, Gonzalez’s parents fell in love with Florida and her month long vacation turned into a permanent residence.

Gonzalez was initially angry that she was leaving Argentina. She missed her cousins, uncles and grandparents and how they would gather together for dinner. Every holiday they’d prepare delicious food like tender meat and sweet pastries. She loved the time she was able to spend with them and being so close to her family.

Building a new connection

Now that she and her family moved to the United States, Gonzalez would be separated from the rest of her family. She had never been without them and knew she would miss all of the time she was once able to spend with them.

With the abrupt move, Gonzalez did 8 | campus

not have time to learn English and neither did her parents. She had no understanding of the language, but would have to learn in order to attend school.

Once Gonzalez enrolled in school, she was placed in an ESOL class. There she was able to meet and interact with other students who were in similar situations.

These students from different cultures and nationalities all had one thing in common; they all struggled with speaking the language.

“It gave me a chance to relate to other people like me. It also gave me a strong basis of English,” Gonzalez said.

Breaking the barrier

In school, Gonzalez had to get used to doing twice as much work as she was used to. She had to begin the process by translating all of her homework and projects.

Once it was translated, she could complete whatever assignment she was given.

It was very time consuming because she had to complete an entire process that a person who understood the language would be able to bypass.

“I was frustrated and nervous at first, but after a year I kind of just got it,” Gonzalez said.

Despite the language barrier, Gonzalez was able to earn straight As. “I was never discouraged because I didn’t understand English,” she said. “In fact it motivated me to do better in school and pushed me to learn English.”

Whether it be a teacher or a student, Gonzalez always looked for a way to speak English and immerse herself in the language. So, she took advantage of every op-

portunity she was presented with.

Another method that helped Gonzalez learn English besides social interaction was reading. She began getting her hands on anything written in English she could find, reading books like Harry Potter and the Count of Monte Cristo.

The books opened her eyes to a different side of the English language, where her imagination could flourish. Not only was she learning English, but she was beginning to enjoy part of the new culture she was introduced to.

Reading provided her with a creative outlet and a way to learn.

Music was a useful tool in learning English as well. Gonzalez would listen to different artists singing in English and began to develop favorite singers like Michael Jackson.

She remembers hearing him sing and felt instantly attracted to his voice, even though she didn’t understand what he was saying. Jackson’s song “Remember the Time” is one of her favorite tracks to listen to.

To improve her comprehension she looked up what the lyrics meant and started her love of American music.

Now that Gonzalez has been more exposed to the United States and has learned English, she loves it. Even though she misses her home in Argentina she does not want to move back and would rather stay in the United States.

Gonzalez also aspires to learn more languages like Russian. She enjoys immersing herself into different cultures and speaking the language will help her learn more about the different customs and traditions.

a

s

r s

e

Fruity Fruit-Fruit

BY ATIYA SIMMONS Sports drinks are a necessity if you are an athlete or even a spectator attending a sporting event. Homemade sports drinks are a great alternative to the overpriced beverages you can purchase from the concession stand and are extremely easy to make. Simply put all ingredients in a blender, mix and enjoy!

DIY Gatorade Ingredients: • 3 cups of water • 1 cup of orange juice • ½ cup of lemon juice • 3 tbsp honey • ½ tsp salt

-

n

e

e -

d e t

g

e .

play

l

Knock ‘em dead-lift

BY SHELBY SHOUP You might have seen him, darting through the hallway. It’s possible you saw him earlier today, walking briskly after second period, his brow glistening with sweat.

Then again, it’s entirely possible that you didn’t see him; if you’re tall, he can be easy to miss.

Standing a proud 5-foot-4 and weighing 118 pounds, Ian Veliz is suspiciously small. However, when he’s surrounded by weights, it’s easy to forget his size. Upon approaching the barbell, he’ll strap on his weight belt and loom over what looks like an impossibly heavy weight. He’ll bend over to tightly grasp the bar, and suddenly, his entire body will seem to change.

As he lifts his body, face contorted in pain, the hidden muscles strain under his skin. The masquerade is over – his true strength is revealed. But this strength didn’t come easily.

Routine

Every day after school, where he takes two weight-lifting electives, Veliz lounges around until his brother-in-law, Juan Carlos Perez, visits the house. Together, they walk to the backyard, where an array of machinery is protected under the cover of an old tarp. Then, another workout starts.

Although dedicated, Veliz could still be considered a novice; he found his start about a year ago. “My brother-in-law ran a gym, and then a lot of the equipment from that gym when they shut down was brought over here last year,” Veliz said.

“I was messing around with the weights, and then about three months ago, he

Ian Veliz snaps into lock-out with a 290 pound weight at Thunderbay Throwdown. | Photo by John Veliz 10 | play

made me start power-lifting. It wasn’t really by choice.”

Veliz quickly discovered that he was naturally, even absurdly strong for his size. Between sessions, he and Perez researched power-lifting world records. The record for Veliz’s weight class was 320 pounds, and his deadlift was 315 pounds.

Training

Naturally, he and Perez got down to business. He prepared to compete in the American Powerlifting Association’s Thunderbay Throwdown, a competition hosted at the Blessed Iron Barbell center in Largo.

Veliz’s schedule includes benching and squatting twice a week, and dead-lifting once a week. He bulked up on protein, happily devouring meat but crinkling his nose at unappetizing protein shakes. And what’s the key to his supposedly healthy diet?

Skittles.

“I drink a lot of soda ... I eat a lot of Skittles. Half of my daily meals [are] Skittles, Coke and Pepsi,” Veliz joked, teasing his apparently contradictory food choice. “I don’t care about my diet, really. I just want to find a way to not gain weight.”

Competition

By Jan. 30, Veliz only had three months of training under his belt. When he walked into the center, his distress was reaffirmed by his competitors. “Everyone [was] a lot bigger than me,” he said.

“Like, a lot bigger.”

After competing in the bench-pressing event,

he prepared to dead-lift. He stretched his muscles, and coated his hands in chalk to maximize his grip. Sporting a tight weight belt and even tighter Adidas spandex, Veliz stepped up to the barbell. With the weights on each end, it weighed 290 pounds. He wiggled his feet into the carpet, planting himself for opportune balance. He stooped over, curling his hands around the metal bar. He paused a few extra times before lifting his body with a slow lurch. He snapped momentarily into lock-out.

With a single lift, he broke two state records. And he wasn’t done yet.

World record

He had two more chances to break the world record. For the second attempt, he upped the weight to 325 pounds. This time, he scrunched his face in pain, biting his lip as he struggled to lift the bar. The bar bounced on his wobbling thighs, then he dropped it, unable to complete the rep.

Still, his third opportunity loomed before him.

He faced the 325 pounds placed before him. He balanced himself and leaned down. He lifted. He lifted. He lifted.

And he fell.

“I knew I could get it —I already lifted it once – but the first attempt at the record tired me out ... I was holding it for a while before I almost passed out,” Veliz paused, and then corrected himself. “Well, I did pass out.”

Despite his inability to break the world record, he drove home with two state records under his belt; one in raw lift and one in unlimited gear lift.

But Veliz isn’t giving up any time soon. He has competitions to win, weight-classes to achieve, and plenty of barbells to dead-lift.

“For someone to get the level of breaking a world record, they could [take] five, 10, 15 years. For me to only be training for two and a half months? That’s almost unheard of.”

a

e

k , s

e n

-

-

d

BY MADISON FORBIS

shot put

-

There’s running. There’s jumping. On a particularly exciting day, there’s throwing. This is what track and field seems like from the stands. But behind every throw and every soaring jump, months of training and precise technique are at play.

discus

t h 0

On the right track

d

,

,

long jump

,

1

2

1

1

4

3

2

2

1. Chloe Jones, 12, crouches into a ball to get maximum spring 2. She brings her left foot up and behind her, keeping the shot on her neck 3. Jones hops backwards on one foot, twisting her body as she goes 4. She plants both feet, and pushes as her torso keeps swinging

3

3

4

4

1. Serena Jonas, 10, bends her knees and splays her fingers over the discus 2. She extends her dominant arm to gain momentum 3. She steps her left foot back, then swings her weight in a circle 4. She brings her right arm back across her body and sends the discus off

1. Marvin Speights, 11, pushes off with his stronger foot 2. Speights counts his footsteps as he approaches the line 3. Speights leaps, like he’s “reaching for the backboard of a hoop” 4.He plants both feet in the sand, so he won’t fall backward

play | 11

Cosplaying around 1.

2.

4.

3.

5.

6.

7.

Cosplay is “the practice of dressing up as a character from a movie, book or video game,” and junior Sami Majchrzak is a veteran. Here are some basic steps to help you cosplay: 1. Gather your materials: brown eyeshadow shades, foundation, a gluestick, an eyebrow pencil, a wigcap, a wig and (optional) a binder.

2. Put your wigcap on, and if you’re cosplaying as a male, place a binder under your shirt.

3. Put foundation on your face. Make sure you apply it on your lips too.

4. Conceal your eyebrows by applying glue on them. The more, the better.

5. Use an eyebrow pencil to retrace eyebrows over your natural, glued-

down ones.

6. Using brown eyeshadow shades, contour your face and neck. Focus on the darkest points of the character’s face, and if you’re cosplaying a male, use the shadows to create the illusion of an Adam’s apple.

7. Put your wig and costume on.

BY YESHA SHUKLA Junior and member of the Bollywood Dance Club, Shani Abraham demonstrates typical Bollywood dance moves:

slide to the left; your left hand should be on your hip.

4. With your left hand on your hip and your and your right

hand out, shake your hip two times.

5. Put your legs together; use your right hand, and lift it to your face two times with your left hand underneath.

6. Use both hands, and lift them up.

Spread your fingers, and make them look like half flowers. Then, bring them down.

7. Repeat step six.

Break it down with Bollywood

1. Put your right hand up and your left hand down.

Keep your right knee bent.

2. Switch your hands, and put your left hand up, right hand down.

3. Put your right hand out, and 12 | play

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

—AMBER SHEMESH

6.

H

Balling Baptiste Trinity Baptiste overcomes obstacles to sign basketball scholarship

BY MATT LUTTON “It’s been my dream to sign at Hillsborough High School on national signing day.”

After four years of grueling effort, senior Trinity Baptiste did just that, signing her letter of intent to play basketball on scholarship at Sam Houston State University as hundreds of friends, classmates and family members looked on.

What they didn’t see was the struggle to get to that point. The journey to secure her scholarship was long and difficult.

When Baptiste was a freshman, she watched senior football players like Nigel Harris and Jeremiah Green sign on national signing day to play Division I football. That inspired her to work harder to achieve her dream. Not long after that, she began receiving recruitment letters from schools like LSU. “I thought if I dedicated myself to basketball and school, and always try my best, that I could get something good out of it,” Baptiste said.

Baptiste stresses the importance of staying hopeful, even when it’s difficult. After her junior season, Baptiste suffered a torn ACL that kept her out for her entire senior season. This obviously led to some trouble with her scholarship offers. “The hardest part was being optimistic through when I dealt with injuries,” Baptiste said. “I got through [my injuries] by staying persistent and having faith that God will give me the strength to conquer any challenge.”

Baptiste also emphasizes enjoying the moment. Baptiste says she’ll never forget when the Terriers won the 2014-15 district championship. After the final buzzer sounded, the then-head coach Babita Artabasy danced at midcourt, fulfilling an earlier promise she had made to the team and making every player, coach and fan smile.

Trinity Baptiste signs her letter of intent for Sam Houston State University on National Signing Day in the auditorium. |Photo by Daniel Hamilton

“It felt like all our work had paid off,” Baptiste said. Winning the championship was a collective dream. Earning a basketball scholarship at a Division I university was a personal one.

She’ll never forget the bliss she felt when she received her first scholarship offer. “That moment felt like everything to me because I worked so hard and finally someone saw something in me.”

Planning for the future

BY DANIEL HAMILTON Two football players and a baseball player also signed National Letters of Intent to continue their playing careers in college.

Rodnie Bernard

A four-year member of the varsity baseball team, Bernard played as a shortstop and a pitcher. He has a four-year batting average of .305 with 43 runs batted in and an earned run average of 3.09 in nine appearances. Bernard signed with

the Florida Institute of Technology, a Division II school.

Mike Hampton

A two-year member of the football team, Hampton played as a cornerback and From left, Rodnie Bernard, Mike Hampton and Nolan Johnson wide receiver. On his time on signing to their selected schools.| Photo by Daniel Hamilton the team, he had 10 interceptions. While playing offense, vision I school.

In his two years, he racked up he generated 705 receiving 55 tackles — 32 of them solo yards, for an average of 17.2 Nolan Johnson tackles. He averaged 4.6 tackyards per catch, and also had A two-year member of the les a game, with 10 QB hurries. five touchdowns. He signed varsity football team, Johnson He signed to attend the New to play for the University of played as a defensive end op- Mexico Military Institute, a juSouth Florida, an NCAA Di- posite of junior Zach Carter. nior college. play | 13

Rocking the boat

Junior Allison Snow arranges pictures of the rowing team from when she still competed. Snow quit crew after three years due to hip dysplasia. | Photo by Annie Aguiar

BY ANNIE AGUIAR

Allison Snow

She misses being out on the water.

She rowed for two years before finding out she had to stop.

What was originally thought to be a hip flexor injury was actually hip dysplasia, a congenital disorder.

Due to the injury, she returned to the sport her junior year as a coxswain — the one person in a boat yelling instead of rowing.

“I miss being able to row,” she said. “I can’t describe the feeling.”

Months later, team captain Allison Snow quit the sport altogether.

Snow joined the team in her freshman year after attending a rowing summer camp months before starting high school.

She rowed for the next few years, finally quitting halfway through her junior year.

“Crew is really hard; there’s a lot of time commitment and the workouts are really tough,” Snow said. “If you’re not in 14 | play

love with the sport and you don’t enjoy it, you usually end up quitting.”

Injuries, family, academic concerns, these reasons and more compel student rowers to quit the sport.

“People have their own reasons for why they’re quitting and we understand that,” assistant coach Alex Thome said.

“Personal issues, grades. It’s all understandable.”

Instead of rowing, for which she nationally qualified in her sophomore year, Snow’s injury forced her to cox.

“I sat there and I yelled at novices. The water gets in your face a lot — it’s wet and cold and not good,” she said. “Coxing is really boring, and it’s a lot of time commitment for crew, so I decided to quit so I’d have more time to do homework.”

Like other former rowers, Snow found herself with a lot of free time; Hillsborough’s rowing club practices at least three hours a day, five days a week.

Snow uses her new free time to focus on school and coach her sister’s softball team.

Simi Himatsingani

Former team member Simi Himatsingani rowed for three years before stopping in the middle of her senior year to attend SAT tutoring and focus on her IB exams instead. “It was just too difficult to manage crew and SAT,” she said. She wanted more time to spend with friends and school.

Another aspect of Himatsingani’s decision was timing; she wouldn’t have been able to attend the national competition due to a scheduling conflict with her IB exams. “My mom said ‘if you want to quit, quit,’” Himatsingani said.

At first, Himatsingani was “kind of sad” that she had to quit crew, which she calls her favorite sport. “I was kind of like the emotional ex-girlfriend — ‘Oh no, I don’t want to leave you, but I have to,’” she said. “I miss being with my friends and working out. I miss being on a boat and being on the water.”

Himatsingani credits people quitting crew to the large amount of commitment the sport requires. “When I was more into crew, it took so much

of my time. I was tired all the time, I got injured. It takes a toll on your body,” she said. “If you can’t handle that on top of schoolwork, it’s okay if it’s not for you. If you can’t do it, you can’t do it.”

Today, there’s only one fouryear rower on the team; senior Andy Whitaker said he’s seen maybe two or three male rowers quit, but has “lost count” of the amount of female rowers that quit. “It gets tiring after a while,” he said. “It’s not as enjoyable.”

Near the trophy cases in Hillsborough’s main hallway, a large display courtesy of Hillsborough’s rowing team decorates the wall; two red and black oars are mounted alongside pictures of the team rowing and posing with medals post-races.

Even though Himatsingani quit the team, she still takes pride in the display. “When I first started here, [the team] didn’t have any recognition from the school,” she said. “I feel like it’s more of a good memory rather than a bad taste in my mouth.”

Photo by Atiya Simmons

DIY tie-dye shoes Those old white shoes you haven’t worn since middle school? Let’s tie dye them!

Tips: • Switch up the colors a bit.

When dying, the colors will touch and blend.

• Put tape on soles of the shoes to prevent dye from getting Instructions: on them.

1. Place the nozzle of the bottle on top of the part of the shoe you want to dye.

2. Squeeze lightly. (Don’t worry if the dye rolls off; it’s okay to rub it in with your finger.)

3. After dying, wrap the shoes tightly in Saran Wrap. (Plastic bags will do too.)

4. Let them sit for 6 to 8 hours.

5. Wash and air dry.

arts

Supplies: • A tie dye kit • Gloves • Old white shoes

On the Brink of greatness

High school comedy group On the Brink shares its take on ‘funny’

BY MONISHA PILLAI AND SHELBY SHOUP 11:11 am: Cade McCurdy’s one wish was to have more room on the bed.

He huddled under the Florida Gators blanket, the end of a spoon train including Alec Tyler and Anthony Suarez. Above them, a Confederate flag hung on an otherwise bare wall.

The cramped bedroom hosted seven members of the comedy group On The Brink. From a desk chair in the corner, Carly Rodriguez observed the cuddling boys. In the corner of the room, Will Petro and Clay Callison quietly snickered. Jeena Patel sat on the floor, flipping through a script.

Minutes later, Jeff Friedman barreled into the room and flew through the air, sticking an ungraceful landing on the bed.

They burst into laughter as Friedman slyly addressed Tyler: “Is that your phone, or are you just happy to see me?”

Yesha Shukla arrived soon and McCurdy congratulated her for arriving before the final two OTB members, despite her warning that she would be late.

“Everyone take a red pen and slash Rico and Frankie from the cast,” McCurdy announced, grinning. “I’ll be black for the rest of the show.”

‘You put Clay before me!?’

They migrated into Tyler’s loft. Congregating around a coffee table, the group filled up chairs, sofas and floor spaces. They whipped out highlighters; Tyler pegged one at Friedman and it hit him in the tooth, eliciting a strangled yelp. Once Rico Rodriguez and Francesca Althaus entered the room toting Starbucks cups, the cast could start assigning roles.

Upon reviewing the cast list, Althaus pretended to raise an objection: “I have a problem with the cast list. I don’t think Alec deserves to be on the list.”

Tyler shot back, “The cast list is just a list of the people I would have sex with in descending order.” Althaus’ jaw dropped.

“You put Clay before me!?”

16 | arts

Acting out and acting off

A scene straight from a preschool classroom: two boys in a heated argument about to whom the prized possession belongs. Instead of a toy, however, they argued over a particularly desirable role.

Rico Rodriguez’s excited cry pierced the air: “ACT OFF!” He’s always been one to advocate for acting, “putting the right emphasis on the right word at the right time, or the right sound and the right word,” he said. “Even if your role is to just scream, [it’s about] how well you scream, or how funny you can make the scream.”

McCurdy swiveled in his chair, facing the rest of the cast. In a voice reminiscent of a 1940’s radio newscaster, he recited the lines.

His opponent, Tyler, repeated the lines in his characteristic deadpan while standing on the coffee table. He was the clear victor, grabbing a marker and highlighting his role in the cast-book with pride.

Such is the routine when two members both want the same role. It’s more common for some than others – it certainly was not the only “act-off ” of the day between Tyler and McCurdy. When two cast members want the same role, they have to out-act each other. The member who wins the most laughs from the cast typically earns the part.

It’s not always this intense. Usually, members can evaluate their comedic strengths and choose which role is best for them. Sometimes, no one will volunteer to play a character and the role is delegated by someone else.

Everyone flipped to a new skit. “Who wants to slap Anthony in the face?” Althaus laughed. “Because that’s basically what this skit is about.”

The cast exchanged glances, with no volunteer. Suddenly, McCurdy piped up, “I think Jeena wants it. Jeena wants it the most even though she won’t say it.”

Democratic comedy

Tyler often takes control of the room.

As the only cast member of three years, he

was appointed as the official OTB leader by his predecessor, Samantha Votzke. In the past years, he’s seen the group’s evolution, from members to methods.

“I’d like to think it’s funnier,” he said.

“There’s a lot of shock value skits, that goes for an ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe they did that [response]!’ It works in current events that people will understand, like ISIS and presidential debates.”

Due to the more democratic structure, the comedy styles better reflect the group as a whole.

“It’s kind of all over the place,” Tyler said. “It’ll keep the audience guessing.”

The writing process

In OTB’s defense, it’s not easy to write a high-quality script, especially when everyone has a different writing process. Some find inspiration in everyday things, while others adapt jokes from online content – although if someone is caught stealing a joke from Twitter, they will be subject to group humiliation.

Carly Rodriguez, who attends Chamberlain and is the only non-HHS student in the cast, prides herself in her witty humor, which sharply contrasts with the general vulgarity of the cast. According to Rodriguez, when writing a skit based on everyday events, “you can expand on whatever you thought was funny and add whatever aspects would make it more funny.”

OTB members are expected to each write a minimum of one skit each week.

The scripts are then shared with the group, who have the power to veto or approve them.

When Carly Rodriguez sits down to meet her weekly quota, she reflects on the weird people she’s encountered and the situations she has observed. “There’s some crazy stuff out there and I’m sure everyone sees it,” she said.

Group dynamic

The OTB group dynamic is more complex than it may seem. Some members are closer friends than others, and conflicts have erupted throughout OTB’s history.

TOP: OTB cast members claim roles while reviewing approved skits. BOTTOM LEFT: Standing on a coffee table, senior Alec Tyler tries out for a particular role in the script. Tyler won the in an “act-off” against fellow cast member Cade McCurdy.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Lying under a Florida Gators blanket, Tyler, McCurdy and junior Anthony Suarez cuddle.

(Photos by Monisha Pillai)

This year, a former member quit because he found some jokes offensive, allowing the vacant spot now occupied by Petro.

Tyler, McCurdy, and Rico Rodriguez often dominate the conversation, generously offering opinions and hurling joking insults at one another.

These three powerful presences fill the room, leaving other members like Shukla to scroll through her phone or Patel to flip through a Steven King novel.

Although it may seem like they are overpowering the others, many members feel like they’ve found their niche. This year, there is an equal number of male and female roles in the show.

While the quieter members may not contribute to the conversation with the same force as others, their value to the cast is indisputable, evidenced by their offhand comments and unique skits.

An epic problem

No matter how many hours the team pores over writing sketches and honing acting skills, their efforts will be in vain if they do not find a venue.

Historically, OTB has hosted their annual performance at Epic Problem, formerly dubbed Transitions Gallery. According to Tyler, Epic Problem was leased from the skate park it bordered.

Since the owner sold the lease, OTB

has not been able to contact him in order to book the venue.

“If all else fails, we will be at the Rialto Theatre,” Tyler said. He paused to reconsider. “Maybe [we can get] something at USF through Anthony’s brother.”

OTB is many things. It’s an independent non-profit organization. It’s a reflection of pop culture. It’s a group of 10 teenagers cracking sex joke after sex joke.

It’s comedy, and it’s no easy task.

“Everyone has a different sense of humor,” Patel said. “I think being funny is being clever, and witty, and sarcastic.”

arts | 17

Maria Cisneros:

beyond borders

Singer Maria Cisneros describes her experiences as a musician both in the United States and in Ecuador

BY ALEX MORRISON Music can take us to many places. For some, rhythms can create a calm place among daily stress. For others, music is a social experience, leading many to join crowds of fans at concerts across the country.

For senior Maria Cisneros, creating music led her to multiple venues in the country, and even beyond our borders.

This is no recent endeavor for Cisneros, who has been singing since she was three. “My dad was a singer,” Cisneros said. “He would sing to me so I started singing.” It stuck with her ever since.

Now Maria gets paid to perform in venues across Tampa, including her personal favorite: the Straz Center down-

town. “I love performing there,” she said.

“It’s such a good crowd.”

The places she has performed aren’t limited to the Tampa Bay area. In fact, Cisneros and her band played gigs in Ecuador. “I had a band over there, we did performances and we moved around.”

The group, named Desire, was made up of her friends from Franz Schubert, the school she attended at the time. One of the performances won them a first place spot in a battle of the bands competition. When asked about her time in Ecuador, she said, “I loved it. I fell in love with it.”

Most musicians have their favorite tunes to perform, and Cisneros is no

Left: Cisneros performs in Ecuador with her band, Desire.

Right: Cisneros sings with a guitarist.

18 | arts

different. Her top songs include “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele and “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston.

Not all her performances have been for the public eye, though. Breaking from the typical cover-artist motif, Cisneros writes some of her own music, and she said, “I write a lot. I have like 20 songs that I probably won’t show anybody because I’m too shy.”

To emphasize this stance that these songs are just for her, the majority of these recordings are unnamed.

This shyness has not stifled her excitement for striving to find a career in the music business. Facing the challenge ahead optimistically, she believes that “if the doors open, the doors open.”

The collector’s guide Everyone needs a hobby and with yearly conventions and specialty stores, it’s never been a better time to be a collector. Collections, ranging from the minimal to the extreme, are everywhere, and Hillsborough is no different. These four collectors explained how they started collecting, described future plans for their collections and gave advice on how to build them.

Duncan Mugford, 10 Item: comic books (The Hulk)

Q: What made you want to collect them and how did you start?

A: “Well I go to a Comic-Con with my sisters every year and they have really cheap comics there. His were the best. I guess the character was just appealing to me.”

Sameer Puri, 12 Item: fountain pens

Q:What’s the next thing you’d like to add?

A: “There’s this brand called Jinhao. They make really nice pens for a low price, which is always important to us.”

Q: How do you add to your collection?

A: “There’s not really any specifics to what we pick. We usually try knockoffs, order one, and test it.”

Kat Bowers, 10 Item: magnets

Q: What made you want to collect it and how did you get started?

A: “I would always go to different places and see the cute little magnets they would sell. I think they’re adorable!”

Q: What’s the next thing you’d like to add?

A: “I’m going on the Euro trip junior year, so I’d like to add one for every city we go to.”

Jonathan Strickland, 10

Item: J.R.R Tolkien novels Q: How long have you been collecting them?

A: “I’ve been reading the books since elementary, but I didn’t start collecting the nicer editions until two years ago.”

Q: How do you add to your collection?

A: “It [usually] has to be ordered online; much of it is in limited print.”

COMPILED BY MICHAEL STROBL arts | 19

Central Ave.

fashion

A look at some fashion straight from the ‘streets’ of HHS Neslie-Ann Cruz,11

[My style] is comfortable for school but like when I go out and stuff it’s more like Kim Kardashian.

[When I go shopping], I don’t care about what place as long as I see it’s cute and I like it. I spend more money on clothes than food, honestly. Just pick something that’s cute but also that you can see yourself wearing a whole day and not complain about it. Don’t wear some short shorts if it’s like 40 degrees outside.

Nikki Oneil, 12

[My style is] very relaxed, very indie, comfortable but cute. I used to get a lot of [my clothes] from thrift stores but now I just go to Urban. With style and school, mainly [I try] to be comfortable but it’s not really about impressing other people; it’s more about impressing yourself. As long as you feel good, the way you act is going to be good. I try to dress nicely sometimes, but most of the time I’m just comfortable. You can feel like ten times better when your makeup is all done.

Hectavius Rosario, 9

It depends on the weather, because [when] it’s really cold I try to get something that like covers my ankles. My joggers, as you see, feel like pajama pants, it’s always something bright. Skinny jeans and Vans has always been my style, and like a big shirt or a sweater.

I like Forever 21 and H&M, those are my main stores that I get my jeans and my shirts from.

Snappy fashion

20 | arts

Social media forms the fashion sense of anyone online.

Trends can change across the world in a matter of days. Snapchat allows anyone to keep up with the latest trends by following rappers like Future or celebrities like the Kardashians. Users are able to view the day to day changes in popular culture. People on Snapchat can “discover” what is going on all over the world

through Refinery 29, Cosmopolitan and the live stories, as well as utilize the makeup tips and fashion ideas provided. The upcoming New York Fashion Week is an example of how Snapchat’s live feature keeps updated tabs on today’s fashion.

The feature brings NYFW into the palm of a hand anywhere, functioning as a livestream, but with a more personal interview of the models and artists.

Recently, Refinery 29’s content was all about eyeliner. One story consisted of suggestions from a Korean makeup artist. This influx of ideas from around

the world brings a pool of non-American brands and styles that otherwise would not make it into mainstream media.

-KATIE DELK

While winter may bring better Starbucks drinks and superior fashion, it can be a real skin hazard. Due to the reduced moisture in the air, cold weather can cause chapped lips and flaky skin. Instead of settling for discomfort during these months, take steps to actively combat parched skin.

1. Switch to a cream cleanser, like Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser. Cleansers like this dissolve the buildup of oil and makeup that accumulate on the face during the day, leaving the surface of skin clean.

2. Use oil (argan, coconut) or a thicker lotion to moisturize skin after washing it. Cleansing your face can strip it of natural oils, and it is important to replenish skin to restore this balance.

3. Hydrate! Drinking water will prevent skin from flaking, as well as provide your body with a slew of other benefits.

4. Invest in a humidifier. Placing a humidifier in your bedroom will create moisture in the air, which keeps skin supple.

relationships

Winter skincare

Photo by Atiya Simmons

DIY Jar of love

Whether it is a long-distance relationship or something sweet for a friend, homemade gifts are always nice to show appreciation.

Supplies: • Construction paper • A glass or plastic jar • A pen • Happy memories/Nice things to say • Scissors

Instructions: 1. Use your construction paper to make 3 different shapes, each with a different meaning.

2. Write out your memories on your pieces of construction paper.

3. Fill your jar with these pieces of paper and decorate the outside of your jar.

4. Tape a piece of paper to the outside explaining what this jar is for and why you decide to give this person your jar.

5. State that this person is only to open one a day.

Left: Malvika and Rahul continue to contact each other, despite the fact he now lives in Michigan. Top Right: Brothers Nathan and Aaron play together, placing bunny ears behind each other’s heads. Bottom Right: Malvika sees Rahul as a person who has shaped her into who she is today. | Photos courtesy of Bapna and Bonnano

Trusting in big brother

By Denzel Pierre It’s been two years since her brother went off to college, and senior Malvika Bapna still calls him when she’s feeling down. “He immediately makes me feel better,” Bapna said.

Rahul Bapna graduated in 2014 from Carrollwood Day School and is now a sophomore at the University of Michigan, the cochair of the Asian Business Club and part of an award-winning collegiate dance team.

Although Rahul’s private school didn’t mimic the academic intensity of the IB program, Bapna said she was influenced by her brother’s interest in extra-curriculars, as evident in her role as president of the Indian Student Association, member of Mu Alpha Theta and part of student council.

Rahul also provides help in subjects that Malvika has difficulties with. “He is usually the first person I go to when I have a question on chemistry or math because he did very well in those subjects in high school,” Malvika said.

Malvika says that his success has “definitely pushed [her] to excel both academically and through extracurriculars like he did; he has been one of [my] biggest role models and I think that has shaped me into the person I am today.”

Senior Aaron Bonnano also keeps in contact with his brother Nathan, a 2014 Hillsborough graduate and a sophomore at the Florida Institute of Technology. “It was kind of a mutual thing.

We both kind of wanted to stay in touch,” Aaron said.

Nathan graduated from the IB program at Hillsborough, played baseball, and was a section leader in the band while still 22 | relationships

managing to attain a high GPA. “He’s funny, he’s a really smart kid, he’s bright,” Aaron said. “He doesn’t take the easy way out of anything.”

“Had my brother not done IB at Hillsborough I wouldn’t even have considered doing it,” Aaron said. To him, having a brother who has already completed the program “feels good because [he] can always ask him for help related things knowing that he has gone through it all already.”

“he has been one of [my] biggest role models and I think that has shaped me into the person I am today.”

Aaron plays for Hillsborough’s baseball team and says that Nathan is his reason for competing in high school; “we had both played baseball all our lives but having him play on the high school team with me definitely helped me decide to stick with baseball,” Aaron said.

Aaron doesn’t intend to go to the same college as Nathan, says that his brother influenced his path. Alternatively, Malvika says there’s a “high chance” of her going to the University of Michigan with her brother.

“We’re closer now than we were when he was in high school,” she said.

“ONE TIME I TOLD THIS GIRL THAT I WAS CUBAN, AND THEN SHE CAME UP TO ME AND SAID ‘OH, SO YOU’RE MEXICAN?’” —MARIAH FARROW, 10

“SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL CALL ME A CHINK AND STUFF, OR THEY’LL EXPECT ME TO BE OUTRAGEOUSLY SMART BECAUSE I’M ASIAN.’” —JULIANNA ALTHAUS, 10

“THIS ONE KID JUST ASSUMED I JUST SPOKE SPANISH. THEY ASSUMED I SPOKE SPANISH AND NO ENGLISH.” —JAMIE RODRIGUEZ, 10

Stop the stereotypes eDitORiaL A Spanish-speaking boy who “must be Mexican,” two Asian girls — one Chinese, one Vietnamese — who “look like sisters” and a Haitian boy who “doesn’t act black.” They hear these comments every day, but that doesn’t make it less infuriating. These assumptions are called “microaggressions” but their consequences should not be minimized.

The term “microaggression,” coined by psychiatrist Chester M. Pierce, refers to an unintentionally prejudiced comment or action. They occur because we have stereotypes of which we are not consciously aware.

Often, those who frequently experience microaggressions choose not to correct their peers because “they didn’t mean it that way” or “they don’t know better.”

But there is no excuse for cultural ignorance.

We live in 21st century America, where citizens originate from all six habitable continents and social media spreads messages about racism and social justice and understanding. The fact that we let outdated stereotypes dominate our perceptions is simply disappointing.

Failing to correct microaggressions has major personal consequence and sets us on a path of ignorance and prejudice.

And that can have devastating consequences on individuals.

Research by psychology professor Claude Steele has shown that African-Americans and woman perform worse on academic tests when reminded

of stereotypes about their race or gender beforehand. This was particularly noticeable when African-American participants’ scores on an intelligence test plunged after being reminded of their “inferior intelligence.”

We, as humans, tend to internalize others’ opinions of ourselves, and the result is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The result is the black girl who thinks she’ll never succeed, the Asian boy who thinks he has to achieve perfection in every subject. The result is people who beat themselves up every day because of other people’s expectations, whether they fit them or not.

Steele called this problem the “stereotype threat.”

Don’t spread the ignorance by accepting it. Ignoring microaggressions to avoid conflict only causes more problems.

The only true solution for microaggression is promoting a culturally aware society. While modern teenagers are learning math and science, they should also be learning about cultures and experiences other than their own.

But that’s not always practical. We can’t force others to learn about our culture, but that doesn’t mean we can’t correct them when they are being wrong and offensive. There’s a difference between “calling someone out” and politely defending yourself.

As a society, we need to push past the stereotypes that drive this inadvertent racism. We are all different, but that’s not a bad thing.

Cultural education is something we can start right here at Hillsborough, where students’ roots can be traced across the globe. turn the page to read some of their stories. relationships | 23

by Bianca Cegatte Her long, black hair hits right below her hip, accentuating her golden brown skin. Dark eyes peer through almond-shaped lids and sparkle when she laughs. She’s too short to reach the top shelf, but stern enough that she won’t be overlooked.

Although she doesn’t look like it, junior Rachel Nieland says she’s a “basic white chick.”

Nieland was born in Kunming, China, in the Yunnan Province. But, shortly after she was born, Nieland was introduced to her home on the other side of the world – Chicago.

“I was adopted and I was brought here at 9 months old,” she

“I think, in terms of self-identification, it isn’t so much who you were but who you are.” said. “I remember when I was young I would get a lot of comments. Other kids my age, in my class, would say, ‘You can’t be their daughter; you don’t look like them.’ Things like that because they didn’t understand adoption.”

Since then, Nieland’s family has moved to Florida, where she spends her days rowing crew and her nights listening to Panic!

At the Disco. Her first and only language is English and her love for Starbucks is as great as the next girl. She’s Chinese, but that doesn’t make her any less American than her parents.

Adopted children may struggle more intensely with their identity than other adolescents, wondering how they fit in with their family, their peers and the rest of the world, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Some kids undergo a cultural identity crisis. Some grow out of it and others try and find a balance between their biological and adopted identity. Nieland never did; she simply always knew.

“I am a Chinese-born female [who] is greatly influenced by white culture and barely influenced by my own biological culture,” she said. “I’m pretty happy with it. I think it’s pretty solid.”

Not about appearance

Growing up, the issue Nieland faced was less of whether she

24 | relationships

accepted looking different and more about whether society did.

Nieland spent much of her childhood bombarded with questions and comments, contrasting her appearance to her parents.

“When I was little, I used to not want to go out with my parents because I didn’t want others knowing that I was different,” she said. “It wasn’t necessarily the fact that I cared that I was adopted or that they knew I was adopted, it was just having to explain everything over and over and over again.”

Nieland doesn’t look like her parents, but she doesn’t look like her sister, either. She describes also-adopted Abigail as a “stereotypical Han Chinese” with a “flatter face,” pale skin and really dark hair and eyes.

Despite their physical differences and lack of hereditary connection, the two hold the same relationship as any other pair of siblings.

“I feel like I relate to her the same way as two sisters normally relate to each other,” Nieland said. “The only difference is we’re not biologically connected.”

To some, Nieland may seem to have adopted a culture. She has spent her entire life on American soil, raised by American parents and taught by the American educational system. According to Nieland, her view on life has been shaped by the culture in which she grew up instead of the one in which she was born.

“There’s nothing major in myself that I associate with being Chinese other than my DNA,” she said. “In terms of culture, I would identify with being white.”

Far away family

But she doesn’t disregard her biology completely, despite it seeming like such a miniscule part of her. Nieland’s “Chinese Sisters,” the group of girls who were adopted from her orphanage at the same time, help her keep in touch with her Chinese roots and accept her differences.

Their relationship, similar to that of cousins, are long-distance yet long-lasting. “They’re scattered over everywhere,” Nieland said. “I have some that live in Virginia, some that live in Illinois. I think someone lives in Colorado. They’re just kind of everywhere.”

Nieland’s mother plans varying reunions with the other girls and always makes sure to stop to visit if they’re nearby.

Most recently, Nieland spent time with Julia, one of her “Chinese Sisters,” at the Museum of Science and Industry. She was Nieland’s crib-mate and the two relate because of their common origin.

“Having a connection — even if it’s just a minor connection — with other people that go through the same things can help in the long run,” Nieland said.

Aside from her sisters, Nieland keeps her Chinese roots through small celebrations, such as Chinese New Year, occasional Chinese dinners and the adoption days of she and her sister.

The little commemorations remind her of her biological roots and help her keep in touch with her identity.

Nieland once took a Chinese class, but she quickly discovered it wasn’t for her.

“I know that some other families get into it,” she said, “Have their kids take lessons in Chinese, things like that. I think, in terms of self-identification, it isn’t so much who you were but who you are.”

“You can’t deny one part of yourself and accept another part.”

Nieland has embraced both her American culture and Chinese biology in order to create her own unique cultural identity. “I know I am [Chinese],” Nieland said, “It’s just, culturally, I’m not.

But … there’s a physical aspect of me that is.”

“You can’t deny one part of yourself,” she said, “and accept another part.”

Top: Junior Rachel Nieland and nine girls adopted from her orphanage are gathered together at their first reunion.

Nieland refers to these girls as her “Chinese Sisters.”

Middle: Neiland’s father teaches her how to swim.

Bottom: On Christmas, Nieland and her adoptive sister Abigail pose in front of the tree. | Photos courtesy of Nieland

relationships | 25

Can’t fit in a bubble

by ViSHWa SHaH You walk into a dentist’s office, and the receptionist hands you some basic paperwork to fill out. Name, date of birth, address, gender ... and then you come across race/ethnicity.

For most people, this is another mundane question, answered with yet another check. Some people, however, are faced with a dilemma.

The options are too vague.

The form only allows one choice.

The wording leaves a lot of room for confusion.

Senior Amber Pirson has black ( Jamaican and American), white, Chinese, Cherokee Indian, Italian and Portuguese ancestry.

“I prefer to bubble in all of them, ’cause I’ve gotten to know all the cultures that make up my identity,” Pirson said. “If I have to only choose one, I usually choose African-American because my family associates more with people of African descent, whether that’s people from the Caribbean, Africa, or America.”

This is not just the story of multiracial people, but also of those who identify with multiple cultures — who may genetically be one but culturally another. This is the story of people who are Hispanic, but not Latino, and who are Caucasian, but not West European.

On almost every form, there is a yes or no question: are you Hispanic/Latino? This groups together the two, which are different. Brazilians, for example, are Latino, but not Hispanic. Similarly, Spaniards are Hispanic, but not Latino.

For junior Abdi Gorshi, the problem is made easier. He was born in Yemen, but his parents are Ethiopian.

“I usually put what my parents are, African,” Gorshi said. “It doesn’t really matter for me because where I was born at there was

not really that much importance of where you’re from. There was importance of religion.”

While Gorshi did not have much of a dilemma, he said other Yemenis generally choose “other.” He doesn’t know of anyone who would choose “Caucasian.”

Fortunately, these issues have been brought up by major players in American society. Since 2000, the U.S. Census has allowed multiple selections for race/ethnicity. There are many forms that offer space for explanation or detailed choices: Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Pakistani, Vietnamese, etc. instead of just “Asian/Pacific Islander.”

Still, there remain forms where the options are simply Black or White, sometimes black, white or Asian. Many forms that only allow the recipient to choose one race.

By limiting the option, the form limits the identity.

What’s the difference between Spanish, Hispanic and Latino?

“Spanish” refers to anything originating from the country of Spain, such as its language. “Hispanic” encompasses anything descending from people that speak Spanish.

“Latino” on the other hand refers to someone or something from Latin America, which commonly encapsulates former colonies of Spain or Portugal.

One important thing to remember is that over 50 percent of Hispanics and Latinos prefer to identify themselves with their family’s country of origin.

—JOHn VeLiZ

Dissolving differences

Though miles may separate people and waters may isolate countries, there are commonalities that unite —MOniSHa PiLLai those with similar experiences. One such experience is immigration.

“I have many friends that are cuban. I have a friend who came here the about the same time I came here and now we are really good friends because we came here and learned english together.”

—YAN QUI LI, 12, CHINA

26 | relationships

“It has broadened my perspective ...

I’ve seen a lot of people make fun of older people who come to this country because — even if they’ve been here for a long time — they always have accents. It really bothers me because I’ve seen my mom go through it and my dad.”

— DACHELLE SANCHEZ, 11, CUBA

“I guess being different, because like everybody here is mostly from america and because I’m from china I’m very different and I can speak a completely different language.”

— RONGHUI OU, 10, CHINA

how to:

Ending a relationship in high school can range from the casual to the catastrophic as teenagers try to figure out not just the type of person that they are, but the type of people that they like as well.

Through text and over the phone, high schoolers end and begin relationships constantly. [r&b] wanted to answer the question: how does Hillsborough dump someone?

The answers, according to survey with 200+ participants, vary from over Facebook to leaving the country.

Turn the page to find your blueprint to break-ups.| BY ANNIE AGUIAR

relationships | 27

His name began with a J. Or, at least, she thinks it did.

It’s been years since she broke up with him, and junior Magdalie Mexile doesn’t remember much about the boy she dumped by leaving Haiti and not returning his calls for a year.

But she does remember his nickname: Love.

“He liked me for like five years,” she said. “I don’t remember his name, but when he started liking me we started calling him Love.”

The summer that Mexile was 12 and staying at her grandmother’s in SaintMarc, Haiti, Love asked her out. He was 13, around her height, and Mexile didn’t like him at all. She said yes anyway.

“The day he asked me out, it was way in the morning, so we spent the day hanging out. We went to the pool and I was walking around asking other girls if they liked him,” Mexile said. “[I told them] ‘maybe you should ask him out, maybe he’ll leave me alone!’”

The next day, Mexile left Haiti.

While not everyone can leave the country in lieu of break up, Hillsborough students get the job done in other ways according to a [r&b] survey with 200+ participants. The questions ranged from how respondents have broken up with people or been broken up with to how they felt after ending a relationship.

One story submitted anonymously talks about a social media breakup: “someone I’d been with for several months

changed their status on Facebook to ‘in a relationship’ with another person without ever telling me they wanted to break up,” the story read. “It also happened to be on the day of my Grandmother’s funeral. Not a fun time.”

According to a Pew Research Center survey from 2015, these kinds of social media break ups are viewed by teens as objectionable, ranked on average as 2.7/10 on a scale of social acceptability.

WHILE NOT EVERYONE CAN LEAVE THE COUNTRY IN LIEU OF BREAKING UP, HILLSBOROUGH STUDENTS GET THE JOB DONE IN OTHER WAYS. While the most common way of breaking up was in person, the next two –­­ over the phone and through text – were close in frequency while being different in acceptability, with respondents ranking texts 3.4/10 and phone calls 5.4/10.

Our own survey found a seven percent difference in the frequency of texting and phone call breakups, with texting at 25 percent and phone calls at 17. The most frequent way of ending a relationship, in person, came in at 45 percent.

Even though the ways to do it have expanded, school psychologist Evelyn Hernandez says that breakups haven’t changed all that much.

BREAK UP BY EMOJI? maybe.

wanna see a magic trick?

POOF youre single (:

28 | relationships

“I’m not so very sure there’s a huge difference that I’ve seen between break ups with [modern teenagers] and back in the day,” Hernandez said. “I think how it affects teens can be so subjective depending on the person, the relationship, how long people have been together. Teens in general are going through an amazing developmental spurt, particularly at this age in high school, and so what that means is that breakups can range from being a relief to feeling like the end of the world and everything in between.”

Hernandez says that teens who take breakups especially hard should talk to someone like a professional or an adult.

(For more on maintaining mental health, go to pages 37 to 39).

The last question on [r&b]’s survey was simply “are high school relationships worth it?” Of the 202 that responded, a 52 percent said yes while 48 percent said no.

No matter how many breakups teens undergo, if they were dumped over the phone or through Twitter, if it’s been a week since then or a year, teens hold onto hope.

“We’re young and trying to experience new things in life and find something more than just what we’re used to,” Mexile said. “If you’re lucky [high school relationships might last] but I guess people don’t get that it’s okay if they end and you can just treasure the good times, use it as experience, and move on with your life.”

Now that everyone alive has a smart phone, breaking up through text is a viable option. Here are some stories submitted through [r&b]’s survey.

I broke up with him over a text on Christmas after a fight earlier and ended it with ‘I hope you have a merry Christmas’.

She texted me and told me to "get help" because my depression was too much for her. Cold.

o

r

break ups by the numbers [r&b] surveyed 202 Hillsborough students about their relationships and break ups. From those who start a new relationship every week to those who had yet to be in one, here are their responses.

Are high school relationships worth it?

73% 27% YES NO

have you ever broken up with someone?

52%

57% 43% YES NO

of respondents said that high school relationships were worth it, while

48%

has someone ever broken up with you?

said that they werent.

only

38%

of respondents said that their relaionships usually end nicely.

FEB 2016

1 in 4

respondents said they would break up with someone on valentine’s day

how do you break up with someone/how has someone broke up with you?

56%

45%

said that their longest relationship lasted over 6 months, while

in person

11%

said that their longest relationship lasted under one month.

17%

We need to talk...

hey...

25%

through text

17%

said that they wait a week before starting a new relationship.

over the phone

5%

are you usually still friends with your exes?

Through social media

4%

Through a friend

53% nope.

47% yes!

other

4%

scale of 1 to 10, how do you feel when you end a relationship?

1 awful

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 great!

INFOGRAPHICS BY ANNIE AGUIAR relationships | 29

Far in distance, but not in heart

BY DANA DINH The rapid tap-tap-tap causes a few nearby students to turn and look. Some glare, others snicker. Most of the class is looking at him, even the teacher, when someone suddenly blurts, “Miguel, are you texting your girlfriend again?” He scrambles to hide his incriminating cell phone, but it’s too late. His classmates are already roaring with laughter.

Senior Miguel Fernandez is not too different from any other 18-year old boy.

He spends more time on video games than homework, wears jeans almost every day and spends two hours Monday through Saturday with his team (his sport of choice is tennis).

Moreover, he’s like any other teenage boy with a girlfriend. He thinks of her often, talks to her daily and texts her at inappropriate times. But many of his peers doubt his relationship is real. After all, his girlfriend is four years older, lives in California and they met on fanfiction.net.

Fernandez met his girlfriend, Alyssa Vega, the summer before his freshman year when he joined a science fiction and fantasy role playing forum on Fan Fiction.

They both remember the exact date: July 23, 2012.

Fernandez and Vega exchanged phone numbers soon after that initial correspondence and began communicating regularly. They weren’t “instantly attracted to each other,” but they quickly developed a “supportive friendship.”

After a year of nightly phone calls and advice-giving, it was jealousy that finally made Fernandez admit his feelings for Vega.

“There was this fellow who lived near her. He was making advances on her and ... he irritated me beyond irritation I had ever known before,” Fernandez said. “We started talking about it, and I explained to her how I felt.”

He “officially asked her out” on Christmas Eve two years Miguel Fernandez smiles at a message from his girlfriend, Alyssa Vega. | Photo by Dana DInh 30 | relationships

ago, but jealousy was the last of their problems. Fernandez was 15, and Vega was 19.

Facing judgement

“When I first met Alyssa, my mother despised her for reasons beyond my comprehension. She hated her,” Fernandez said. “I could never explain to my mom how I really felt about her.”

“I was very concerned about it because he was very young, and she was out of high school,” his mother, Andrea Fernandez, said. “Those are two very different times in your life, and he didn’t see it.”

According to Vega, Fernandez’s mother reached out to her twice: a few weeks after Fernandez and Vega began dating and a few months later. Vega assured her that she only wanted to be supportive towards Fernandez but decided to “back off ” to prevent conflict.

Refusing to let their relationship go anywhere but forward, Fernandez “latch[ed] on like a leech” and tried to make his mother understand.

“I doubt myself, so when an influential person like my mother doubts [my relationship], it hurts because I devote so much to this relationship,” Fernandez said. “It hurts because I know [my parents] want what’s best for me, but this is what’s best for me.”

Fernandez and Vega had exchanged quite a few letters, which Fernandez asked his mother to read. In doing so, Fernandez’s mother saw that there were many “positive aspects to their relationship.”

She also admitted that she was also afraid that Fernandez

would “isolate himself from his parents” if they forbade his relationship with Vega.

Outside of his family, Fernandez constantly hears comments about his relationship from friends and peers, some teasing, others malicious, but he doesn’t let them bother him.

“It’s all good fun. I’ve come to terms with the fact that it’s a really unusual relationship,” Fernandez said. “If I got upset every time somebody made fun of me, I’d be upset a lot.”

Vega’s friends often tease her about her relationship as well. She agrees that the best way to handle teasing is to shrug it off, but remarked that Fernandez talks about wanting to prove that their relationship is real. She attributed this to his “competitive streak.”

“I’ve never had that feeling of needing to prove to someone that my relationship is real, but I hear Miguel talking about it all the time,” Vega said. “I’ve met so many people that can’t fathom having a relationship that is long distance. You just get used to it; you ignore it.”

Too far away

The largest obstacle in Fernandez and Vega’s relationship is neither Fernandez’s parents nor their peers. It’s the long distance, itself.

“If we fight, it’s really hard to make up.

You can always hit decline if you get angry,” Fernandez said. “The problem with a long distance relationship is that there are a lot of ways to opt out. It’s very easy to screw up.”

They’ve had a few fights over the years, most of which Fernandez attributes to being frustrated about how little time they have to spend with each other because of school work and Vega’s job at the hospital, but they make up after taking time to “cool off.”

Fernandez “would not recommend” a long distance to any of his friends because it requires so much “patience” and “devotion.”

“It’s not just something that you jump into willy nilly and jump back out of willy nilly,” Fernandez said. “You have to be patient and understanding at all times. If what you feel towards this person isn’t genuine, there’s no point because it’s not going to last.”

Fernandez and Vega talk via cell phone or Skype at least once a day and exchange “at least a couple hundred” text messages per day.

Sometimes, he has to stay up a few hours later because of the three-hour time difference.

The difficulty of communicating with each other actual makes their relationship stronger, according to Vega.

“Even Skyping is a luxury for us, and that makes us more appreciative,” Vega said. “It’s funny. Some of my friends see their significant other every day, but their relationship lasts three weeks. Ours has lasted for years.”

How to: improve yourself

BY JORGE GARCIA

People are constantly looking for ways to improve themselves, but often don’t know how. Here are some tips that could be helpful in taking that first step towards self-improvement.

1

Work out your brain

2

Get creative

3

Reflect

The brain functions like a muscle in the body. Just like any other muscle, it needs to be exercised.

The more you work out your brain, the better it can perform its job. To stimulate your brain, try some challenging puzzles, solve some riddles or try some word games. Your brain will thank you later.

Worth the effort

When we were children, our imaginations soared. As we get older, the creativity in us seems to be gone. Instead of admiring others’ works of art, go out and make your own. Go ahead and sketch a doodle, take a few photos or write some poetry.

Give it a chance and see what happens.

Once in a while, take some time out of your day and just think. Evaluate your life and what you need to improve on to be a better person.

you

Regardless of the limited amount of time they have together each day, Fernandez and Vega both said they love each other and agree that the extra effort is worth it.

“This is the stuff that people write love poems about,” Fernandez said. “I feel sad when she’s sad. When she’s happy, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

When asked to explain why she loves Fernandez, Vega answered, “He’s sweet, sensitive.

He’s a really good listener. He’s goofy and nerdy — and my type is nerdy. He’s my knight in shining tin foil.”

After three years of nothing but digital communication, Fernandez and Vega may finally get to meet face-to-face as Vega plans to attend Fernandez’s senior prom.

“If my unending smile has given away anything, I’m really happy about this,” Fernandez said to Vega. “I have this life, and I have you.

It’s like a Venn diagram and the circles are intersecting now.”

ADULTOLOGY

As teens become ... not-teens, they find themselves faced with basic problems- what is credit?

What do I buy at the grocery store? How do I become an adult? [r&b] has got you covered.

essential groceries

diet

When you reach a certain age, you have to stop ingesting only Cheetos and Pop-Tarts and move to a healthier diet.

Here’s some essential groceries and recipies as you try to transition from candy corn to kale.

Staples: Bread Eggs Cheese Oil Rice Butter Potatoes

Condiments: Mayo Ketchup Peanut Butter Seasoning: Pepper Salt Garlic Powder

(One large) Omelette

Ingredients: 2 eggs, milk, water, salt, black pepper, butter, cheese Total cook time: 20 minutes

1. Put two eggs, salt and pepper, two tablespoons of water and two tablespoons of milk into a bowl.

2. Whisk until the contents of the bowl

Baked Ziti

Ingredients: penne pasta, 1 pound of ground beef, 2 jars of spaghetti sauce, 1.5 cups of sour cream, 6 ounces of mozzarella cheese, 6 ounces of sliced provolone cheese, one chopped onion, two tablespoons of oil, butter Total cook time: 1 hour

1. Fill a pot with water ¾ of the way.

Snacks: Nuts Granola Bars Chips/Pretzels Drinks: Water Tea Milk

are smooth.

3. Place skillet on stove on medium heat.

4. Once the skillet is heated, spread butter on it (if the butter is sizzling, you’re ready for the next step).

5. Pour egg mixture into the skillet, and tilt the skillet so that the eggs coat the bottom.

6. Optional: sprinkle chopped vegetables/meat/ cheese onto your omelette.

7. Reduce the heat and put a lid on the

skillet.

8. Remove the lid after 3-4 minutes.

9. If the edges of the omelette are cooked, move on to step 10. If not, put the lid back on for a few more minutes.

10. Once the edges are cooked, gently fold the omelette in half and take it off of the stove.

11. Wait for it to cool, and serve.

Bring it to a boil and add the uncookedpasta.

2. Stir every once in a while until cooked.

3. In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of oil. Put onions and beef in the oil and cook until brown.

4. Add spaghetti sauce to the beef and onions. Simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9x13 baking dish.

6. Layer the ziti in this order: half of the ziti, provolone cheese, remaining ziti and top with mozzarella cheese.

7. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheeses have melted.

Rice (without a rice cooker) Ingredients: Rice, water, salt Total cook time: 25 minutes

1. Measure out the amount of rice you will use (ex: 1 cup).

2. Measure out 2.5 times the amount of water (ex: to cook one cup of rice you need 2.5 cups of 32 | you

If you don’t know what’s in season, these fruits and veggies pack a punch all year round: Apples Bananas Grapes Kale Spinach

If all else fails: Scramble your eggs and call it a morning.

water).

3. Put the water in a pot over the stove and bring it to a boil.

Put in a pinch of salt before the water boils.

4. Once the water is boiling, put the rice into the pot.

5. Cook for 20 minutes until the rice is fluffy, stirring often to ensure that the water does not

boil over.

6. Drain water through a colander.

If all else fails: Use a BoilIn-Bag rice and call it a night.

? .

money + business

Managing money is an important part of being an adult, and making that money is even more important. Here’s your guide to money and business.

building credit

When entering adulthood, one thing that will haunt you is the constant mentioning of “credit.” Credit is simply your reputation as a borrower, it just tells others how responsible you are with paying back loans, paying bills, how well you handle credit cards, etc.

You need credit to do things like: get an apartment, get a car, get decent interest rates on loans, and even get a job.

What a lot of young people soon figure out is, no credit=bad credit and will soon be at a loss for how to build that good reputation that will translate as a good

credit score.

The easiest and surest way to build credit is to get a credit card. When applying for a credit card with no credit, you'll usually get a credit card with a low credit limit. A common mistake that people make when getting a credit card is using it for big purchases then just paying the minimum payments every month — don't be one of these people. In some cases this can hurt your credit, but most of the time this will keep your credit score stagnant, which if you have none to

savings

letter format Student’s Name Street Address City, State Zip Code

50/30/20 rule how you should spend your monthly income

flexible spending (groceries, gas, etc)

new message

Recipient’s Full Name Street Address City, State, Zip Code

flxed income (rent, utilities, phone bill, etc.)

Source: LearnVest (Investment company)

x

writing business emails

Business emails are more concise and formal than typical forms of communication. They show that you are mature and can communicate effectively and professionally.

To create one, simply complete the following steps: 1. Start off with a greeting, followed by a comma.

Example: “Dear Mrs. Doe,” or “To whom it may concern,” 2. Begin the content of your email with a pleasantry. Don’t let it sound too cheesy, or you will not present yourself as authentic. Example: “I appreciate your feedback on my essay” or “I enjoyed your presentation today.”

3. State the reason for your email, followed by a request. Example: “I need you to fax me a copy of the report,” or “I would like for you to write me

send

begin with won't be much help. Instead, using your card for small purchases every month, like gas, then paying it off in full at the end of the month, is what will keep your credit score on an upward path.

a letter of recommendation.”

4. Conclude with a closing statement. Thank them for their consideration of your email. Example: “I look forward to your response” or “I appreciate the assistance” 5. Last but not least, include your signature, followed by contact information. Example: “Thank you, John (813) 123-4567”

Remember, business emails should be around five sentences. Using fewer may sound informal, and using more can be too wordy. Don’t forget to proofread your email before you send it!

—YESHA SHUKLA AND JULISSA MACHADO you | 33

How to be successful in business

BY SARVIKA BOMMAKANTI An “I do” gave Maggie Sharmah the inspiration to become an entrepreneur.

In the fall of her freshman year, Sharmah had her first experience planning an event: her sister’s wedding.

Although she felt like her heart was going to pop out of her chest, the event was flawless.

Stemming from a family of entrepreneurs and persuaded by her success planning her sister’s wedding, Sharmah had a vision to combine her family’s business ventures into one: event planning.

“The purpose [of the business] is to help people plan their events so that they don’t have to worry about it and they can just enjoy the day.” said Sharmah.

The first steps

Like any other successful business, Sharmah’s first ob1: Maggie Sharmah poses for a portrait 2: A pair of wedding heels adorned with the words “I do” is featured at one of Sharmah’s planned events.

3: A baby shower cake designed

by Sharmah is displayed.

4: A cake iced by Sharmah will be presented at an event 5: Sharmah’s setup is displayed at a baby shower. | Photos courtesy of Sharmah 34 | you

stacle was to come up with a memorable and meaningful name. Her original business partner and her decided on Amitié events.

“We wanted it to seem like if it was a friend helping out a friend doing an event because it’s more personal. So [it] means friendship in French.”

However, recently her sister partnered with Sharmah and the name was changed to For Good Time Sake.

Establishing a business

Sharmah then faced the task of legally establishing her business.

“Well first, I knew that I wasn’t going to be borrowing any money from a bank, so I didn’t need to make an elaborate financial plan, but I did have some sort of of plan, you know, to execute everything throughout the year, so I had to figure out what legal stuff I needed in order to register,”

3

said Sharmah. “Then I figured out that I needed to buy a fictitious name, and I kinda just made a website and used word of mouth as my marketing strategy.”

All about networking

Sharmah credits her success in business to two factors: networking and being young. As a young entrepreneur, she was able to impress the caterers and photographers she contacted.

“It’s all about networking and finding vendors, and at first, they all thought that I was in college. When they realized that I was in high school, they were super impressed, and one of my photographers she exclusively uses me because she’s so impressed about it,” said Sharmah.

Competition

Although Sharmah has been successful with her business venture, she acknowledges

the difficulty of competition, especially in event planning.

“There’s a lot in Tampa. There’s Tampa events and they kind of like rule the place right now and there’s a lot of catering businesses that offer you all in one packages like the event factory is all in one so it’s kind of hard for them to want to utilize an event planner and have different vendors.” Along with competition, cost is also a significant factor is maintaining her business.

“Maintaining your website there’s a monthly fee that adds up [and] if you do any sort of extra advertising that adds up.”

Sharmah said.

However, Sharmah enjoys the overall aspect of event planning.

“It’s fun, it’s basically like setting up a big party so who doesn’t love that?”

1

2

4

5

2

5

Matthew Sain demonstrates his dedication towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by sporting a hat shaped like the Buccaneers ship. A Buccanners shower curtain, slippers, and loofah are among the many items in Sain’s collection. | Photos courtesy of Theontae Walton

Sain shows his Bucs spirit

BY THEONTAE WALTON For most sports fans, body painting and attending the games is enough dedication.

Not for the Sain family. “My dad is obsessed with them,” Sain said.

Sain’s father took him to his first professional game in 2008, when he was 8 years old, “it was really fun, I believe we scored three touchdowns that day. We beat the Miami Dolphins 17-6.”

“From then on I became a pretty big fan of the team, like my dad,” he continues, “My dad just started buying anything and everything Bucs.”

In the Sain household, the bathroom is completely covered in Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ merchandise, from top to bottom, shower curtain to the sink, any and everything is Buccaneer themed. Matthew says his father plans to buy more bathroom accessories before the upcoming season .

For Sain’s 9th birthday, his father gave him a Tampa Bay Buccaneers bed set,

complete with a Buccaneers bed sheet, blanket and two pillowcases, one being a complimentary Mickey Mouse in a Bucs uniform. He still uses these sheets today.

“It’s a very elaborate and great execution of what he is most interested in,” said Sain’s friend sophomore Edgardo Valentine, “It doesn’t creep me out, believe me I’ve seen worse,” During one of his many visits to the Raymond James Stadium, Sain’s father purchased a giant realistic foam finger, along with a little elf to come along with it, which sits in its’ place next to a Tampa Bay Bucs garden gnome under their living room television.

Since his first game in 2008, Sain has been to about twenty football games, but even for the games he can’t make, he’ll watch Sunday football with his father and two older brothers on television.

Although the Bucs have had a few rough seasons, winning a game causes a

celebration in the Sain household.

“It feels amazing when we win a game as the entire stadium cheers nonstop. I love the way the crowd gets hype after we win a game, it’s probably the best feeling in the world,” Sain said.

Whether it’s watching a television show together, or attending little girls’ beauty pageants, families have that one thing that each of them can bond over. This Tampa based football team brings this family closer together.

What truly makes the Sains the ultimate fan is how long he has stood by the Bucs through their many mishaps throughout the years, “It really sucks when we lose a game because the other teams’ fans attempt to make fun of us,” he continued. “They recently fired head coach (Lovie) Smith because they’ve lost so many games. I feel that the Bucs will find a better coach that’ll coach us to the Super Bowl!” you | 35

rip-ping

BY AMBER SHEMESH My earliest memories are from foreign countries. I sometimes recall faint images from unrecognizable places – they could’ve been from Chile, they could’ve been from Egypt. I’m not sure.

I started traveling when I was a few months shy of a year old.

Since then, I’ve been to 39 countries (not including stopovers).

The numerous amount of plane rides and jetlag have taught me several lessons:

1. Wanderlust is real

I sound pretentious, but I only use the term “wanderlust” because its definition, “a strong desire to travel,” is the closest that I can come to describing how I feel about traveling. I don’t think there is a proper word to describe the unquenchable desire one gains from stepping out of his/her comfort zone and traveling somewhere new. Rather than avoid them, embrace the things that make you uncomfortable.

2. Stay open minded

Completely immerse yourself in the country of your travel choice’s culture. Don’t be afraid to speak the language, try new foods or do things that scare you. Several years ago, my family and I were in Nicaragua. We spent one of our days there hiking an active volcano. When we reached the peak, my family and I put on suits, strapped on goggles and took out our “surfboards.” We were going volcano surfing.

I was so excited, but once I looked down from the top of the volcano, I was struck by a wave of terror. I was convinced I would die (which has happened to someone on that volcano). Luckily, my family and I had a guide with us, and he helped calm me down. Anyways, my point is that I ended up surfing down the volcano. Sure, I didn’t do it alone — I shared a board with the guide, but I still conquered this fear that I conjured. I reached the bottom of the volcano in one piece, and I gained a thrilling, memorable experience.

3. Traveling is emotionally draining

When you’re in another country, it feels like you’re in this abstract, imaginary world because it’s so dissimilar to your home life, which is contradictory to the other feeling you get. You get a tangible feeling of being in a country that you’ve probably spent most of your life only looking at from a map or globe. In Mongolia, I continuously had moments of amazement that reminded me where in the world I was. I was in a country where, several years prior, I had barely even known existed. As I (quite literally) slept under the stars in the middle of vast plains, I was awestruck and dumbfounded at my previous self. How could I ever have overlooked such an alluring country?

36 | you

NEW ZEALAND MAR. 2007

AU

CKLAND

4. Realize how rewarding spontaneity can be

Embrace the unknown. Even if you do have a schedule that maps out your daily trip plan, derail from it, and accept the slower pace of life that travel offers.

5. Understand the importance of news literacy.

There are countries outside of the U.S. that we rarely learn about. Do you know Myanmar’s current political situation? Neither did I.

6. Language is equally essential as it is non-essential (a smile really is a universal way of communicating).

Language offers people a way of communicating that can extend further than a simple “hello” or “goodbye;” however, don’t underestimate the power of body language.

About four years ago, I spent my summer abroad in Costa Rica. I spent one of my weeks staying with a local host family and two fellow-American roommates. I had studied Spanish in school for two years, but ironically, I barely spoke or understood any Spanish.

Unsurprisingly, most of the conversations between my family and I consisted of numerous si’s and no’s, yet between my pitiful attempts at Spanish and my “family’s” lack of English, we were able to laugh at our inability to speak to one another, and we managed to find other ways to communicate.

We quickly learned that language isn’t the only usable resource when trying to connect with people.

Acceptance is.

Once you learn to accept people, you become more open-minded and understanding which allow bonds to develop.

That’s the core idea that travel expands on.

[r&b] feature: mental health

It seemed like the only choice ... It wasn’t.

ANONYMOUS I didn’t realize something was wrong until it was 2 a.m. and I had a stomach full of pills. I had felt sad for a while but didn’t know the thoughts racing through my head were not common and not a joke. I’ve never been one to take my feelings seriously.

After returning from a party that weekend, I was home, numb and empty-feeling.

I didn’t care if I lived or died. I just couldn’t take my AP exam the upcoming Friday.

I was not smart enough, I was not good enough, I would never be enough.

It seemed like the only choice.

After downing maybe 25-30 pills (I didn’t count), I sat there, alone. I felt hollow.

A rogue thought crossed my mind.

It’s been 30 minutes. I should probably go tell someone.

As I walked towards my mom’s bedroom, I just hoped she wouldn’t cry.

“Mom, I took all my pills.”

She groggily started from her sleep.

“OK, we’ll get you some more in the morning.”

“No, I mean I took them all right now.”

The ambulance and fire truck lit up my secluded neighborhood. As I was put into a stretcher, the drugs had already taken over.

My pupils were shot and my head was lolling to the side.

I have never seen my mom so terrified.

I was put into lockdown and sent to a psychiatric facility (they didn’t let me call it the loony bin). My pants couldn’t have strings, zippers, or buttons, and I couldn’t have floss. I was detained for 72 hours.

It was my roommate’s third time there.

She had giant scars down her arms and legs, but she was so happy. We had an hour of free time every day and a girl drew women with the broken crayons they gave us. A boy whose name I’ve forgotten played the piano and sung. His voice was beautiful.

I miss the people, I miss the structure; you didn’t have responsibilities there.

These amazing, talented people were all put here, why couldn’t they get help? Why couldn’t I get help? Why did my family have to pay an enormous fee for a lockup that wasn’t optional?

I shouldn’t have to go through this alone, to reach the bottom in the order to start the trek to the top. School should not be so stressful that saying “I want to kill myself ” is regarded as normal.

Even in the mental facility, I asked to bring in my textbook to study.

“EVEN IN THE MENTAL FACILITY, I ASKED TO BRING IN MY TEXTBOOK TO STUDY.” Mental health is more important than any test, exam or assignment. In the U.S. alone, there are 117 suicides per day. In Florida, someone dies by suicide every three hours.

This is not acceptable. Something needs to be done.

As for me, it’s been nearly eight months to the day.

I passed my exam.

If you or someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide, help is available. School psychologist Dr. Evelyn Hernandez is in Room 113Q. The U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-TALK (8255).

PHOTO BY KATHY XIE you | 37

Stress, debunked Research finds that stress, when viewed with the correct perspective, can be beneficial for mental health

BY DANIEL HAMILTON Your palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. There may or may not be vomit on your sweater already and it could be your mom’s spaghetti. Eminem’s arguably most recognized lyrics describe a very common situation for students: stress and anxiety.

These signs of stress overwhelm some students and have varied effects on not only mentality and outward appearance, but also on one’s cardiovascular system.

Junior Victoria Ellwood, like other high school students, has changed aspects of her life because of stress. According to Ellwood, stress poses a detriment to mental health.

“I think stress is bad for your health,” Ellwood said. “I had to drop band freshman year so I could focus on swimming and school.”

However, health psychologists are now saying that stress is a good thing. In fact, psychologist Kelly McGonigal states that simply believing stress is bad for you can kill you prematurely. Over an eight-year study conducted by the University of Wisconsin, researchers estimate that 182,000 people died from the belief that stress is bad for you.

“That is over 20,000 deaths per year,” McGonigal said in a June 2013 TEDTalk. “That

would make believing stress is bad for you the 15th largest cause of death in the United States last year, killing more people than skin cancer, HIV and homicide.”

According to McGonigal, the solution to this problem is simple: view stress as a positive outcome in a tense situation. Stress can be seen as a sign that one’s body is being helpful, making preparations for a new challenge.

In a study conducted by Harvard University, participants viewing stress as a positive reaction experienced a rise in heart rate but had little constriction in blood vessels. This cardiovascular reaction is similar to that of happiness and bravery.

“Over a lifetime of stressful experiences, this one biological change could be the difference between a stress-induced heart attack at age 50 and living well into your 90s,” McGonigal said.

Despite these scientific development, some students are still skeptical. Sophomore Una Gumm states stress will always been a detrimental force in her life.

“It can make you lose focus on the things that really matter,” she said.

“I THINK STRESS IS GOOD FOR ME BECAUSE WHEN I’M STRESSED OUT ABOUT SOMETHING, I TEND TO FOCUS ON IT MORE.” -KAITLYN MONTERROSO, 10

“WHENEVER YOU’RE STRESSED, YOU’RE NOT REALLY FOCUSED AND YOU FEEL SOMEONE IS HOLDING YOU DOWN. SCHOOL, HOMEWORK AND TESTS ARE MY SOURCES OF STRESS.” -JALEN JOHNSON, 10 COMPILED BY YESHA SHUKLA 38 | you

BY THE NUMBE MENTAL HEALT

[r&b] surveyed 170 students a health and attitudes toward m “Is there a problem with how society views mental illness?”

N

Not (11.

Yes (82.7%) 1 of 5 students say they’ve had depression 1 of 6 say they’ve experienced anxiety

High school 29.2% (workload, social life, etc) severely threatens my mental health.

Strongly Agree

23.8%

23.

Phy sica l he alth adv : ice from a pr Over the last o year, senior Rishi

UMBERS: EALTH

students about mental toward mental illness INFOGRAPHICS

BY VISHWA SHAH

m

3.8%

Parikh has lost 40 pounds by adopting a healthier lifestyle

Q A

What motivated you to become more active?

I started volunteering at the YMCA and every day, I saw people young and old being active. It made me question my lifestyle and how healthy I was actually being.

No (5.4%)

Q A

Not Sure (11.9%)

What transformation did you see yourself undergo?

How? “Society’s views prevent many from seeking help.”

“Mental illnesses are viewed as weaknesses.

In reality, they are as uncontrollable as cancer or other physical illnesses. They should not be looked down upon.”

“Not enough people have a good understanding of mental illnesses.”

-Anonymous student responses

I started working out and eating much better. I actually started doing better in school because I was able to gain skills such as time management, discipline, commitment and hard work.

Q A

What did you do to stay on track?

The process was difficult at first because it wasn’t a routine at that point; it was something I had to push myself to do. But, months later, I was able to make it part of my routine and remind myself of what I want to accomplish, which was to be a healthier person.

Q

What advice would you give others who want to live a healthier lifestyle?

23.8%

A

16.1% 7.1% Strongly Disagree

Everybody has to start somewhere.

As soon as you start, you’re on a better path that doesn’t end because you can always get better. I still have a lot of work to do, but it’s worth the time and the effort.

Above: Parikh does his daily workout, consisting mostly of weight training, at the YouFit gym.| Photos by Vishwa Shah

INTERVIEW BY KATHY XIE you | 39

fig. 6.1 clock face

fig. 7 clock tower

fig. 6.2 clock mechanism