High Tide: April 5, 2024

2 news

Redondo implements new hall pass policy for safety reasons, despite students' concerns

6 features

Students in Mr. Soohoo's business class start Circle Media, a PR company to help small businesses

10 opinion

PRO / CON: Should TikTok be banned?

BUILDIN

Students reflect on how their lives are impacted by family dynamics and parents' values, while teenage experiences are shaped by adolescent nostalgia

PHOTO BY MIA CIELAK

2

Hall pass headaches

To the consernation of students, Redondo implements new hall pass policy to streamline enforcement

by Kayli Mai

When smaller plastic bathroom passes got replaced with larger colorful ones, the new policy spurred mixed reactions. Introduced in mid-March, the policy intended to increase campus safety.

According to Assistant Principal Jeffrey Rosadini, this new rule serves a “dual purpose,” focusing on improving student achievement by limiting the time students spend outside of their class and campus safety by making it easy to spot students and guide them to where they’re supposed to be.

“We’ve always [been] focused on what's best for student achievement. Students walking around, hanging out, going to the vending machines and just being all around campus, [are things] we didn’t think were the best for student achievement. This wasn't meant to be punitive. This was definitely meant to be a way to increase and help student engagement by being in class more,” Rosadini said. “The overarching thing is [that] we want our students to be successful academically.”

Rosadini clarified how the new passes are meant specifically for restrooms, while ordinary hall passes will continue to be written by teachers. Michael McIntyre, part of Redondo Union’s 14-person campus safety assistance team, highlights a positive and beneficial side to the new bathroom passes.

“I think it's a great tool to have for [iden-

tifying where students are coming from] and for recognizing the area that they should be located in through [color coordinated] zones,” McIntyre said. "Overall, what we really want to do is to keep a balance between the time spent going to the bathroom and going back to class sooner."

Although the new bathroom passes were meant to improve academic focus, some students have expressed grievances with the new policy’s implementation. Sophomore Carter Bennett was ushered to the office after using the restroom without a pass, saying it caused him to miss more than 30 minutes of class, leaving him with an impression that the rule “takes more than it gives.”

“When I need to use the bathroom, other people [often] take way longer than the 10 minutes they’re supposed to, so I end up focusing on needing to [use the restroom] over the class I'm in,” Bennett said. “Lines end up forming, and when there’s only one hall pass, I have to wait over an hour to use the restroom, which is painful. That’s not helpful for me since I’m [at school] to learn.”

Recognizing these concerns, Rosadini acknowledges that the system comes with pros and cons.

“From our point of view as an administrator, I've seen less kids wandering around, which means more kids in class and I think that's been a positive. There have been some kids that have complained that there's been too long [a line] and [how] you have to wait until [others] come back and stuff like that,” Rosadini said. “Is it perfect? No. But like I said, I think we've seen a positive trend.”

Alternatively, freshman Riley Montoya voices concerns over how the rule might limit access to essential products.

“My Spanish class’s pass is to the 800s [bathroom], but sometimes when I go, they don't have toilet paper, pads or tampons stocked. What if, especially for girls, they need those [products], so they need to sneak over to the main hall bathroom? I really don’t want to get in trouble and be escorted to the office because it would take up so much time and become a whole ordeal,” Montoya said.

The new rule raises concerns among students about hygiene, such as for senior Seb Gallardo who finds the new passes “disgusting.”

“Heavier and bigger hall passes means the restroom passes are even more unsani-

tary since I always see other kids dropping them in random puddles in the bathrooms. Sometimes, I’ll grab a hall pass and they’re soaked. In what? I have no clue. I also don’t know how [often] the passes get cleaned, and it all just grosses me out,” Gallardo said.

In response, Rosadini proposes that concerns about hygiene are developing and can be addressed with potential implementation changes.

“I've never seen hygiene being that big of an issue with [previous passes], but as we are rolling this out, we are looking for things. So if [cleaning is] something that we will need to do, I'm looking forward to having that discussion and seeing how we can improve that,” Rosadini said.

Gallardo also mentions how often kids in their classes will use the hall passes to wander around the school if they need a break, considering such behavior “inconsiderate.” Similarly, Montoya relates to the “inconvenience of new hall passes," while admitting that no matter what rules change, the idea of timed bathroom breaks and hall passes “will never be perfect.”

“There's no good solution to students going to the restroom to skip class. Kids are just going to do whatever they want,” Montoya said.

Although the new rule has led to some disagreement among the student body, Rosadini emphasizes a need to balance personal needs and academic focus and how the system is in its early stages.

“I would not label this an overriding success right now,” Rosadini said. “We've seen some improvement, and we always want to make things better. So are we looking to tweak it, or are we looking to see if there are more [possible choices] other than just a bathroom pass? We're always looking for ways to improve the pass system.”

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Students in the Red Zone may use the restrooms in the 800s building. Students in the Blue Zone may use the restrooms in the Main Hall. Students in the Pink Zone may use the restrooms in the Science Building. Students in the Yellow Zone may use either the restrooms in the music room, auditorium or science buildings. Students in the Orange Zone may use the restrooms in the Small Gym.

A student heads to the Main Hall Bathroom carrying the newly introduced blue bathroom pass. PHOTO BY SASCHA PURDUE

Hall passes from the red, blue and pink zone.

PHOTO BY MIA CIELAK

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

The Wellness Center hosts OCD workshop with speaker Avery Garret to spread awareness and coping strategies by

Safi Hamilton-Torres

Raising awareness and attempting to reduce the stigma surrounding OCD, OCD expert Avery Garret hosted a workshop in The Wellness Center. During the event on March 28, Garrett and students discussed how the media portrays OCD and how it impacts people’s daily lives. Garrett explained the various types of OCD, their effects and how to cope with them.

According to Garrett, he wants to educate others about OCD to help people struggling with it, as he discovered he had it himself while medically undiagnosed. His goal in hosting this workshop is to make people feel more “confident” and “trust themselves more” when facing OCD symptoms. Garrett does this by creating an “inclusive” and “open-minded” environment where people can be “vulnerable” and exchange their personal experiences.

To start off his workshop, Garrett introduced the main symptoms of OCD.

“People with OCD have something called obsessional doubt, this unquenchable doubt. They kind of lose touch with reality a little bit, or they lose touch with what's going on in the here and now. This is called obsessional doubt, and it’s the way we dissociate into these stories about ourselves and get caught up within stories that are completely neurological and are made up, [...] but people with OCD confuse them with reality,” Garrett said.

Garrett went in depth about how the media portrays OCD and the effect of this portrayal on people. He also revealed the reality of this condition hidden behind social media platforms.

“Often, people with OCD, whether per-

fectionism is their theme or not, have a lot of [trouble with] perfectionism, and so school assignments can take forever to get through if they’re just rereading and rewriting and obsessing about every little detail. People feel kind of disconnected from school and disconnected from their community and have a hard time tuning in,” Garrett said.

Garrett shared ways to cope with OCD during school, such as when it “comes out of the blue” during class.

“Even being present and focusing on your surroundings such as bringing a mint with you, popping it in your mouth and focusing on the taste, or bringing essential oils in your backpack and just smelling them in between classes can help. There are many little things that people can do to get themselves out of their heads to feel a little more grounded,” Garrett said.

Garrett explained how OCD can affect a person by making them “doubt” themselves or “overthink” many situations.

According to Garrett, “The number one reason why people are afraid to get help is that they're very worried that they are a bad person because their OCD says they are. They're very afraid that if they come to get treatment, they're going to find out that everything their OCD said is true. You’d be surprised that OCD latches on to the things that are most opposite to our values and tries to convince us that we're so opposite to who we are. It's a really exciting process to sort of get to know yourself again and to realize that you're not the thing that your OCD says you are. You are not defined by your OCD,” Garrett said.

An anonymous student “Jo” attended

the OCD Workshop and shared their experience of having OCD and how it impacts their daily life.

“I wanted to attend this workshop since I have moderate-severe OCD, and I wanted to learn more about it. I learned about so many different types of OCD that even I didn't know about. I also learned that when I get this uncomfortable feeling when I don't do [a] compulsion, this is adrenaline. I’ve always thought it was panic or a fight or flight response,” Jo said.

During the workshop, Jo recalls learning more about one of their most common habits of OCD when Garrett explained the most common habits and what they meant.

“There were two different types of OCD I had originally, one of them where I had to follow a bunch of patterns, and if I didn't follow them in that specific order, I would think something bad would happen. The other one was the obsessive cleaning where I thought everyone around me carried germs that could be spread to me, so I would constantly wash my hands and stay away from people,” Jo said.

Jo attempts to cope with their OCD when it “interrupts” their life whether it's during school or when they are trying to study and relax.

“When I feel like I'm getting worked up over my OCD, I put on my headphones and try to stay present when listening to my music. I also journal my OCD habits, writing log entries about my patterns of OCD and how they work. It helps me relieve and manage stress,” Jo said.

Freshman Kaylee Castaneda had a “mind-opening experience” after attending this workshop. She wanted to educate

AROUND REDONDO

Students share how they connect with their "inner child"

"I collect hot wheels because it's always been something I've loved to do since I was a child. I just want to keep them in my life

forever because they bring the sort of happiness found in my childhood."

Braden Abel, 11

“When I was younger I would go to the park to have fun, spend time with friends and de-stress. Whenever I go now, I can relive those emotions through sensory memories.”

Ro Bernburg, 11

“My

sister, my dad and I like to play on a Minecraft server because it always brings back the nice memories of creativity before the current sense of responsibility and before all the teachers assigned way too much homework.”

Boden Allen, 12

It's a really exciting process to sort of get to know yourself again and to realize that you're not the thing that your OCD says you are. You are not defined by your OCD.

AVERY GARRET OCD EXPERT “

herself on OCD and its common misconceptions.

“I learned about how certain people have different types of OCD. When I first went in there, I only thought the type of OCD was being super clean or being scared of germs and trying to organize some things, but there are a lot of different types of OCD that I had no idea about,” Castaneda said.

Castaneda shared her takeaways from the workshop, claiming it gave her a “new outlook ” and “perspective” on OCD.

“I've learned to just be more empathetic towards people who have OCD, such as a few of my friends. I’ve always been curious about OCD and wanted to learn more about how I can be more supportive of people with this condition. I want to be more understanding, so I can be there for them if they need to be reassured,” Castaneda said.

Brooke Hoyem, 12 by

“I babysit a lot of kids and I feel like that helps me connect with my inner child as I'm playing old games and doing activties that I used to do. I also watch a lot of shows [with the kids] that I used to watch when I was young. ”

Stavyah Naveen

features 4 LOOKING THROUGH A

L L E E N N S S

Nicholas Collins brings his photography skills to ASB and Theatre

by Kate Brucia

Whether it be a football game, at theater rehearsal or at the beach with friends, sophomore Nicholas Collins is rarely seen without a camera in hand.

“I brought my camera everywhere I went. In freshman year, I would always go to the beach with my friends, which gave me the opportunity to bring my camera and post pictures on Instagram,” Collins said. “The football games were when I re-

watched a lot of things on social media, too, like photography influencers and YouTube videos.”

All of this helped him this spring, when Collins was chosen for the position of Marketing and Historian Assistant in the RUHS Theater Department. He was responsible for capturing photos and videos of "Beauty and the Beast," the spring musical. Working with junior Tiffany Meyer, the Marketing Director, Collins photographed and filmed various social media posts, rehearsal vlogs and the trailer to promote the

“Going into the job, I expected to take more photos than I did to film [videos], but I got to really appreciate filming for the trailer,” Collins said. “I had the opportunity to be with the actors and get really interesting angles. The whole point of the trailer was that we wanted to make it feel like a movie and not a theater production. [The show] was a really immersive experience anyway, so we wanted to make it feel like it was a movie trailer.”

During dress rehearsal, Collins had two days to capture all the footage for the trailer. To get unique and up-close angles, he was on stage with the actors while they performed. This presented its own set of challenges as he had to be careful on stage.

“When [Meyer] told me what I needed to do, I was scared of getting in the way of the actors and just being on stage in general. It was a hard idea for me to grasp, but I definitely wanted the trailer to come out well, and I wanted to make Tiffany proud,” Collins said. “I was really nervous at first, especially during the opening number. It was hard for me

because I basically had to memorize the choreography and where people were.”

Collins was dedicated to getting the job done, filming the entirety of the show, which was around two and half hours both days.

“He goes above and beyond, no matter what. [...] He didn't take one single break,” Meyer said. “You [could see] how strongly he feels about his job, and I knew that he loved what he was doing. It's hard to find people who don't get tired of it easily, because it's such a hard job. There was a lot of pressure on him to be able to get all that content in the time that I needed. He stayed consistent throughout the whole thing, so I knew I could rely on him.”

After they wrapped up filming and editing, the trailer was shown to students during RUTV and helped influence many to come see the show.

“[I feel] really proud. In general, sophomore year was really hard for me, but being a part of "Beauty and the Beast" was honestly the pride of my sophomore year. It gave me a lot of joy knowing that people got to see my work, and that it was called some of the best work that has been done for this type of job,” Collins said.

In addition to the trailer, Collins helped Meyer come up with a three-week plan for content, which Collins photographed and filmed for.

“He did really well on interpreting my direction, which is what I would say he's done differently than my previous marketing assistants,” Meyer said. “He knows how to work a camera, and he knows what the audience wants to see. It was really easy to tell him my vision, and he understood it very clearly. He could basically portray exactly what I was thinking directly onto the videos, which I was really grateful for.”

According to Meyer, she believes these traits will help Collins in his near future-

when he plans to apply for Marketing Director. They will likely also come into play in his future career, as he hopes to go to school for fashion editorial photography. Collins sees photography as more than just a hobby, but a crucial part of his life, believing in the importance of preserving moments.

“The goal is to capture memories,” Collins said. “Having memories is amazing, but if you see photos or videos, it can remind you of those memories years and years past. We're going to have these photos to look back on.”

Senior Bella Sardana uses her theater experience to enhance her performance in the upcoming Renaissance Pleasure Faire

by Simra Zargar

Transported to an Elizabethan-era themed world intended to recreate a 16th-century aura, senior Bella Sardana has taken annual trips to the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Irwindale since she was 12 years old. This year, the faire will be taking place on Saturdays and Sundays from April 6th to May 19th, and instead of being a visitor, Bella Sardana will actively be part of the cast, who revive the Renaissance era through performances and immersive experiences.

“I really like acting, portraying new characters and the whole aspect of just being immersed in the Elizabethan world sounds really fun. They have a role where you're not allowed to use your phone, because that will be starkly inaccurate. But it’s a really nice way to connect with people,” Bella said.

With a passion for acting, Bella recently joined the entertainment team with the Renaissance Faire team, taking on the role of playing a bone monger, or a person that sold bones during the 16th century. As an actress for the faire, Bella used a D&D alignment chart, which she describes as a template that helps determine how a character interacts with the world. Using this template, she creates a backstory about her character to act out. Her job is to convey the backstory, improvise and interact with on-goers to bring elements of the Renaissance era back to life in an engaging way. Although she is nervous to perform in front of an unfamiliar audience, Bella is excited to challenge while connecting with visitors to learn how to navigate and adapt to new

“

“I love telling stories and making people feel entertained. I don't remember when I first saw my first Broadway performance, but I remember I cried because of how much it meant to me. I would just love to kind of have an impact on people in that way.”

BELLA SARDANA SENIOR

environments.

“Acting at the faire will really help me be on my own because for the past four years of high school I've been [acting] with the same group of people that I've gotten really comfortable with,” Bella said. “Being with and acting in front of these new people I've never seen before is more of a challenge to get accustomed to.”

In addition to the stress that comes with balancing schoolwork, attending mandatory classes to learn about the Elizabethan era, rehearsals every week and memorizing lines, Bella was also in charge of preparing and sewing her own costume from scratch. Although purchasing materials such as fabrics were expensive, she says this novel experience will be “fun” and supplements her

theater background for resumes. According to Bella, being a part of ComedySportz and the RUHS Theatre Department has been an integral part of her journey and has allowed her to pursue her love for acting and improvisation. Bella derives new skills and knowledge through learning from others while finding joy in acting with her friends.

“I get really inspired by other people and that inspiration pushes me to emulate what I've seen other people do to learn anything new that I possibly can and apply it where I can,” Bella said. “Making friends has helped me adjust to new settings as well. Everyone's so understanding and welcoming, and we're all there to have a good time and make each other laugh.”

According to her mother, Meagan Sardana, watching her daughter work “so hard” attending performance practices while becoming a young actress makes her proud.

“I am so proud of her achievements in acting. I really see her love for acting on her face when she's on the stage. She's totally committed and whatever emotions she's feeling, I see it, especially the look of joy

in her face,” Meagan said.

In contrast, Bella was initially opposed to the idea of participating in theater as she was a “shy kid” growing up and in middle school.

“I was kind of forced into it, because all my friends were doing it. And my FOMO [fear of missing out] was bigger than my fear of performing,” Bella said. “But as time went on, it evolved into something that I'm passionate about and [something] I really have fun doing.”

In the future, Bella dreams of acting in commercials, television, film, and even Broadway. She’s thrilled to pursue acting at New York University and aspires to be a part of theater company Starkid and film company Masterpiece Theater. She also would be “honored” to perform a Shakespeare play at the Globe Theatre in England.

“I love telling stories and making people feel entertained,” Bella said. “I don't remember when I first saw my first Broadway performance, but I remember I cried because of how much it meant to me. I would just love to kind of have an impact on people in that way.”

1. Last football game of the 2023 season

2. Gaston and the Silly Girls in Act 1 of "Beauty and the Beast"

3. Film photo of Winter Formal ALL PHOTOS BY NICHOLAS COLLINS

1. Bella Sardana sewing her costume for the Renaissance Pleasure Faire PHOTO BY MIA CIELAK

Collins focusing on his next shot PHOTO BY MIA CIELAK

RAMADAN

MUBARAK

by Mia Nishimura

Ramadan is the Islamic holy month where Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Before sunrise, a feast called Suhoor is eaten and the fasting is broken after sunset with a meal called Iftar. For many who celebrate Ramadan, the month serves as an opportunity to discover direction in life.

During Ramadan, many participants feel closer to their religion, community

“Having this time to reflect is really beneficial. It acts as a reminder of who and what I am in a place where it’s difficult for that aspect of me to thrive.

YARA El-HASAN JUNIOR

very different from Christianity or other religions. In predominantly Muslim countries, religion is the backbone of society, so it’s easy to go about your day being Muslim because everyone else is, whereas here, it can be easy to forget and neglect some of the ideals,” El-Hasan said. “Having this time to reflect is really beneficial. It acts as a reminder of who and what I am in a place where it’s difficult for that aspect of me to thrive.”

Households have varying traditions for Eid, the day after Ramadan. The Ozkan family doesn’t attend festivals, according to junior Kerem Ozkan, Selim’s older brother, who “usually spend time eating and hanging out with family at the beach or zoo.”

During the month itself, breaking the fast can be unique to the family's culture.

“We have a lot of Palestinian influence within our dishes. We make grape leaves, which is a dish that is popular in a lot of countries but the way my family prepares it is unique to Palestine,” El-Hasan said. “But sometimes I’ll just have something like Chipotle.”

Beyond food, Muslims strengthen their connect to family and the

RUHS students reflect on how they celebrate Ramadan and the challenges that come with it

“In sophomore year in PE, I couldn’t run because I couldn’t drink water when I’m fasting and it would be dangerous especially during the miles. During PE, I would usually tell my PE teacher that I’m fasting and she would allow me to walk around the track. They were understanding about my religion,” Ghazal said.

In contrast, some students don't want to ask for any accomadations.

“The whole point of Ramadan is to abstain from eating and drinking, purification and not giving into desires. I think that includes you having to go about your normal without food or water,” El-Hasan said. “From an academic standpoint, when you’re learning, especially in my AP

“

conceptions.

“My friends who don’t celebrate Ramadan are always surprised even though I tell them this every single year. It’s kind of annoying, but I understand because most people don’t know about Ramadan and they’re just curious,” Selim said. “Mosting Ramadan, and even if they do, they think

“

Not eating makes me feel more grateful for all that I have.

It’s good to have someone who knows what you’re going through and it connects us. It makes you feel closer to other people who celebrate Ramadan, even strangers.

KEREM OZKAN JUNIOR

classes, it is noticeably harder to follow along with the lesson when I’m fasting but

we only fast for one day or that we can still drink water even though we can't.”

Oftentimes, Ramadan is associated with a rise in Islamophobia, and while administration has taken extra steps by sending an informational flyer to teachers, insensitivity is present in the student body. According to El-Hasan, since childhood she has been faced with insensitive jokes about her culture. She feels the jokes have been “normalized” and stem from a misunderstanding of the religion and its values.

“There’s really no direct way to make things like this go away whether it’s racism, Islamophobia or xenophobia. The only thing that can stop it is just empathy, kindness and morals," El-Hasan said. “Reading and educating yourself about it can lead to feeling empathetic and understanding, but you have to be open to connecting and recognizing these dif - ferent groups of people.”

“It is humbling putting yourself in that position and living the life of people who don’t have food or water, because for me, I’m able to get food and water anytime I want. That’s a privilege I don’t recognize until I’m fasting for Ramadan,” Ghazal said.

In addition to Ghazal, freshman Selim Ozkan takes time during Ramadan to reflect on his relationship with his religion and the world around him.

“It helps me connect with God, cleanses my soul and body, and it makes me [feel like] a new person. Not eating makes me feel more grateful for all that I have,” Selim said.

Junior Yara El-Hasan enjoys celebrating the holiday and she feels a closer to her religion and culture, despite a disconnect from the greater school community.

“Being Arab in a predominantly white area and living in a beach town with a warm climate, it’s hard to feel Muslim because a lot of ideals of Islam don’t line up with the way of society here in Redondo Beach. It’s

SELIM OZKAN FRESHMAN

em said. “I connect with oth er people during Ramadan because we have something in common, like, ‘Oh how are you doing today?’ or ‘Is your stomach hurting?’ It’s good to have someone who knows what you’re going through and it connects us. It makes you feel closer to other people who celebrate Ramadan, even strangers.”

Fasting can cause blood sugar levels to drop, fatigue and difficulty in physical exertion, so asking for accommodations from teachers and coaches is com mon during Ramadan.

Laterns

PHOTO BY MIA CIELAK

Meat, rice and vegetable dish called Maqluba PHOTO COURTESY RANYA GHAZAL

Fattoush salad - lettuce, tomato, cucumbers and herbs - and cheese sambousek- fried pastries, PHOTO COURTESY RANYA GHAZAL

Hooking the

LOOP

Sophomore Syeda Ahmed crochets clothing and accessories for her small business

by Malena Lipan

After almost seven hours of crocheting, another Spider-Man beanie is finished and ready to be given to its commissioner. Sophomore Syeda Ahmed began her crochet business last year over the summer and has since had several monthly orders, earning her a steady income. Recently, she sold her homemade goods at the Sea Hawk Market.

“Since I started I have been pretty busy. I was especially busy with the marketplace because I had to make a lot of stuff on demand,” Ahmed said.

Under the Instagram account @o_ oofyy, Ahmed has grown her customer base and expanded what first began as a hobby. She found a love of crocheting in fifth grade when an older woman, who babysat her, was the first to teach her.

“I used to not have many hobbies and now [my babysitter] has made me feel very comfortable in myself. She has made me more well-rounded. It has made me busier as well, because otherwise in my free time, I was just sitting around doing nothing,” Ahmed said.

Along with giving her something to do, having a business has provided more structure into Ahmed’s life, and taught her a multitude of lessons.

“I’ve definitely learned time management because crochet takes a lot of time. I have to also manage my schoolwork, so I have more time to crochet,” Ahmed said.

Ahmed plans to pursue a medical career in the future and hopes that the skills she is currently learning from owning a business will translate into that.

“I’ve learned how to interact with people better because it’s kind of like a customer

service job. I have learned to create connections with other people,” Ahmed said.

While expanding her business management skills, crocheting has also expanded her social circle. Em Tran, a close friend of Ahmed, met her in freshman Biol ogy.

“I saw her crochet ing in class, and since I had re cently picked it up, I thought that maybe I could make a crochet buddy. I ended up asking her ‘What are you making?’ and then she told me. In the next class, she brought me a little stuffed animal that she made for me. I was like, ‘We need to be friends now,’” Tran said.

Sophomore Charlene Elam, another friend of Ahmed, helps create advertise

ments for the Instagram page.

“I got to know how capable she is in terms of creativity. I truly feel like she has a lot of potential, and we’ve gotten closer because I’ve talked to her more often about

[Crocheting] is peaceful, and it creates a space for me where I can focus on having fun and enjoying what I’m doing. When I’m crocheting no one really disturbs me, so I’m just

heavy workload, she finds the positive.

“[Crocheting] is peaceful, and it creates a space for me where I can just focus on having fun and enjoying what I’m doing. When I’m crocheting no one really disturbs me, so I’m just alone in my own mind,” Ahmed said.

Since Ahmed began crocheting, she has focused on self-improvement.

“Before I learned to crochet, I was getting stuck in a lot of drama. I didn’t really have anything to focus on besides my peers, but now that I have crochet, I can just focus on myself,” Ahmed said.

While learning to crochet may seem like one small thing, it has made a substantial impact on Ahmed’s life. Beginning her crochet business is an exciting new enterprise, full of unique experiences along the way. She recently made her first out-of-Redondo order and plans to continue expanding, especially considering that her business is

“Crocheting makes me happier because I have something to do that's productive and fun,” Ahmed said, “Now I have something that I truly enjoy doing that benefits me and other people who want to buy what I make.”

Students in Mr. Soohoo's business class start Circle Media, a PR company to help small businesses

Their business proposal was good, even good enough to get an A. But for junior Sloane Graham, just getting an excellent grade wasn't enough; she and her team of three other like-minded girls wanted to win. Hence, from paper to profit, Circle Media started operating as a real-life media management company.

"Mr. Soohoo [Introduction to Business and Personal Finance teacher], has a competition near the end of each year, where table groups create business proposals and present them to the class," Graham said. "To stand out from the rest of our competitors, we decided to go through with our plan to prove that it was actually doable."

Circle Media targets small businesses and companies with older management, who might not be as familiar with how to utilize social media as a promotion tactic. The company, made up of Graham, sophomores Maya Cozza and Scotti Weems and junior Lily Forbes, is built off the finance skills taught in Intro to Business, as well as the “innate social media knowledge” that comes with being GenZ.

diately got to work renovating their Instagram, visiting the cafe 1-2 times a week to

“Our social media skills are one of the main reasons why we even got this project off the ground,” Cozza said. “To a lot of older people, even people [our parents] age, apps like Instagram and TikTok are seen as something alien and hard to figure out. But because we grew up with them and are on them all the time, it’s second nature.”

Circle Media’s first client, Wildflower Cafe, was brought on after Graham noticed their “enthusiasm” for the project when they reached out. The cafe had very little social media presence, and the team imme-

take photos of the food being served and plan what type of content would gain the most engagement. In just four days, Circle Media brought the cafe from 0 to 68 Instagram followers.

“We haven’t made a profit yet because we’re so new and want to build up our company before setting a price,” Cozza said. “Once we get bigger and more [reputable], we'll start making people pay the actual prices we have laid out in our business model.”

In terms of upcoming plans, the team’s

by Claudia Turner

20-page business plan lays out profit expectations and expansion plans for years into the future, and Graham already has Circle Media’s second client lined up to start posting soon. But as of right now, the team is focused on winning SooHoo’s class competition, which will allow them to participate in this year’s Invention Convention and present their offer to a team of professionals.

“I definitely want to continue the business, even after we finish the class,” Graham said. “We have plans to start making

photos and free apps [like CapCut] work just fine.”

Each member of the team is well-versed in social media and has made posts on the Wildflower Cafe account, but they also all have individual roles in the company. Graham is the CEO, Cozza is the CFO, Weems is the CTO, and Forbes is the COO. Besides her duties as head of the company, Graham also designed Circle Media’s logo and branding, which were made with the company’s mission statement in mind.

a profit soon and potentially hiring more employees. In terms of the content itself, we're talking about investing in professional cameras, but currently, I think iPhone

“The circle in Circle Media is based on the fact that our services encapsulate all types of media platforms. We offer plans for YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, etc, and can adjust to our client's needs,” Graham said. “We are all-encompassing, and can really do any type of promotion businesses are looking for.”

The team met each other during class, with the girls knowing “very little” about each other prior to becoming a table group. Though they had “some small arguments” according to Cozza, the business came together fairly smoothly—in part due to the fact that Circle Media required no monetary investments on the girls' part.

“We learned that you don’t need things like fancy equipment or investors to get your business off the ground,” Cozza said. “Being young and in school, it’s okay if the company doesn’t end up working in a year. We have a safety net to fail, and can always try again with a new idea. Just come up with a plan and go for it, and you’re guaranteed to catch someone’s eye.”

1. Ahmed working on crocheting a hat PHOTO BY DANIELLA GROSS

2. Ahmed's ladybud hat PHOTO COURTESY OF SYEDA AHMED

All INKED up

Lily Kaluger free-hands body art on herself and others with a paint pen

by Lauren Choy

Unlike most who draw on a traditional blank piece of paper, the skin of others’ arms or legs is sophomore Lily Kaluger’s creative canvas. She uses paint pens to give tempo rary tattoos to friends and on herself because she prefers low-stakes art, in contrast with her time-consuming AP art re quirements.

“I do [draw outside of AP Art] but it's usually casual doodles on schoolwork or tattoos because those are quick and easy and there's no pressure to have them be good,” Kaluger said. “Low-effort art or something you don't spend so many hours on but still get a good end result is the kind of art that I like be cause I'm not the type to spend 20 hours on a single piece. I just draw it and get it over with. I’m attracted to those types of art.”

Starting out with her softball team, Kaluger’s teammates all ask her for fake tat toos, and her art now acts as a bonding ac tivity for her and her teammates.

While she creates art on people’s arms and legs, Kaluger also began working on digital art after being gifted an iPad during quarantine. Other people’s affirmation of her work is what ini tially attracted Kaluger to do art, which later evolved into a personal interest.

“I definitely started from the compliments and the validation. And then it turned from other people's validation into self-validation. So whenever I sent art to my friend group, no matter how bad it was, people would be like 'That's so good.’ But when I actually started improving, I would look at the art pieces and be proud of myself instead of other people being proud for me,” Kaluger said.

“I do remember seeing her just starting out with drawing and now seeing how much better she's gotten. Every time she does a tattoo on someone or on herself, it's better than the last and they are always beauti ful, and they amaze me,” Dimi trova said. “I watched her transition into doing

same art prompt throughout the whole year has negatively affected her creativity.

“It’s challenging because I don't do well with deadlines at all, but the work does get turned in and, we actually just finished preparing for the AP exam,” Kaluger said. “The dead lines and the fact that you have to stick with one prompt for an en tire year crushes some creativity, but my art teacher is really good with making sure we all stay motivat ed and [gives us enough] reasonable time.”

start really improv ing, and she spent a lot of time on it. She started drawing characters instead of animals, and it just got better and better. All her drawings of people were at first disproportionate, and then they started getting more detailed.”

Because of the neg ative in fluence that deadlines and school put on her art hobby, Kaluger hopes to eventually become a tattoo artist and own her own tattoo shop one day.

“I don't think I'll ever go to college for art because school kind of crushes all the creativity. I think if I could do it on the side as well as a low-paying job, that would be ideal,” Kaluger said. “I only really got the idea of being a tattoo artist last year because once people started seeing the tattoos I was giving people, they realized it wasn't just little tiny doodles. So many people were planting the [thought] inside my head that it grew as an idea.”

Even though she wants to further her art passion in the future with a tattoo artist career, Kaluger doesn’t have a strong emotional connection to the art she creates, but rather as a hobby she is passionate about.

“Art is not very emotional for me because I don't really do personal pieces. But I think art has really helped me to develop something that I'm good at,” Kaluger

One source of support Kaluger has received is from her long-time friend, sophomore Monique Dimitrova. The two met back in the third grade and Kaluger calls Dimitrova her “third arm” because they “know each other in and out.” Having been her friend since the beginning of her art journey, Dimitrova has seen her gradual

Originally, her art was heavily inspired by the animated television shows she watched but has branched out from that anime art style since then. But, she still takes inspiration from her current obsessions of games or shows through her fan art.

However, Kaluger is currently taking AP Studio Art as a sophomore and finds that the presence of time constraints and the need to stay within the

1. Sophomore Everyn Grigg [left] and Lily Kaluger [right] model tatoos drawn by Kaluger

PHOTO BY MIA CIELAK

2 & 5. Kaluger draws a floral pattern with her Posca pen on sophomore Monique Dimitrova PHOTO BY MIA CIELAK

3 Digital drawing of a tatoo design by Kaluger PHOTO ILLUSTRATED BY LILY KALUGER

4. Ornate Pattern and bug drawings by Kaluger on Grigg and Kaluger's leg PHOTO BY MIA CIELAK

A

SECOND

LOOK

Teenage experiences combine and conflict with the inner child

by Deeksha Prasad and Cristina Couch

Adolescence embodies the transition from childhood to becoming an adult. However, the essence of childhood lingers with each step towards the future. This development is viewed with differing levels of appreciation based on an individual’s childhood experience.

For junior Kathryn (Katy) Salazar, her childhood fostered playful environments that encouraged creativity and minimal responsibility.

“My sister and I are really close. So when I think of joy, I think of playtime with her [as kids]. We would come up with the weirdest, most crazy imagination games.

things that I find comfortable, especially because there’s so much craziness and uncertainty in life right now. Having those happy memories that I know happened is almost like a form of stability,” Salazar said.

However, identity building is most directly associated with adolescence. As brain chemistry adjusts during the transition from child to teenager, the limbic system, or part of the brain associated with emotion, becomes more powerful than the prefrontal cortex, or executive decision-making system, according to Howard. Additionally, Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center, notes how this cognitive development results in brain neurons growing rapidly and connecting in distinctive ways. The change faced by these neurons is often derived from experiences, contributing to

“Children are concrete thinkers. The brain development of a teenager moves [people] from concrete thinking, where it's like, ‘This is a block. I'm gonna move this block,’ to complex thinking. When you begin thinking abstract[ly], you begin to be able to reason what [could] happen, and you can imagine scenarios that haven't hap-

According to Howard, the nature of adolescent thought can compromise childlike opti-

“Because your thinking has changed, you can anticipate the consequences. You've had a lot of experiences that weren't so comfortable. The teenage mindset is less willing because of an understandable apprehension of a negative outcome,” How-

Linked with a stronger desire to create an identity for oneself, adolescents increasingly stray from

“As a teenager, you want to be closer to maturity and adulthood. You see other adults around you and [think], ‘I want to be like that.’ When you're 14, you can't wait to be 16,” Howard said. “You look back on your younger self, the one who used to play with Barbies or dinosaurs, and you think [they are] farther away from where you'd like to be. It’s icky because it's too

When more responsibilities than traditionally expected are pushed onto a young child, they lose their chance to indulge in childlike experiences, according to anonymous sophomore Daisy. “[Kids] need space to grow. A lot of households can be very limited on how much emotion you can express. When you’re a kid, you don’t know what’s going on; you want to express everything

PHOTO BY MARLEY VAN PELT

ASECOND

LOOK

and anything. When you limit a kid's ability to learn to be a person and shut them down every time they make a mistake, they’re not going to be comfortable making those mistakes,” Daisy said.

According to a study by Researchgate, a networking site for scientists and researchers, expressive suppression in childhood contributes greatly to the development of behavioral issues that inhibit growth in the future. However, clinging to the pleasures of childhood and lacking the maturity meant to develop during adolescence are two different circumstances entirely.

Maintaining your inner child is a task that requires a considerable amount of continuous effort, but is necessary to appreciate past memories, according to English teacher Sergio Quintero-Sanchez, who teaches sophomores in his English 10 Honors and CP classes, and seniors in RULA.

“This aspect of the inner child is a [different] way of saying the things you love to do that bring you happiness. Because the world forces us to grow up so quickly, we start to lose our connection to the things we love; the only time we could think about being happy and doing what we love to do is when we were kids,” Quintero-Sanchez said. “We create this [idea] that we have to go back to being children, but it’s [more so] that we have to leave our priorities behind sometimes and take a pause to do the things that bring us happiness.”

Although some teenagers view their childhood self as a different persona from their current self, their inner child is present within who they are now, according to Howard. The inner child encompasses all the experiences that someone had in their childhood.

“You look back on your younger self, the one who used to play with Barbies or dinosaurs, and you think [they are] farther away from where you'd like to be. It’s icky because it's too immature.”

CINNAMON HOWARD MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST

“Parts of [my childhood self] are an extension of myself. The craziness and excitement about literally nothing and the joy I can get from the weirdest and smallest things stayed,” Salazar said. “I don’t want to lose [my childishness]. As you get older, you’re going to be exposed to more responsibilities and more sides of the world that aren’t so great. That [exposure], I had no control over. But holding onto the joys in life, and the little things that made little Katy, little Katy, is something I can control.”

Connecting with your inner child can be as simple as enjoying the same media you did when you were younger. According to Healthline, being in touch with your childhood joys is an effective way of dealing with existing mental challenges.

“I de-stress by rewatching the Harry Potter series over and over again. That's a childhood love of mine, and it's healing my inner child. It brings me comfort and I can always come back to it,” Quintero-Sanchez said.

Time taken for oneself greatly aids in this process. To step away from the stresses of everyday life is to give yourself the space to calm down, relax and focus on yourself.

“I reflect, think about myself, and do the things I enjoy,” junior Ethan Tiffany said. “Right now, I really like cars and shoes. So I’ll build my sneaker collection, make a part of my room where I can show off all my favorite ones. Or I’ll research how to build engines and whatnot. When I see a cool car driving by, I’ll take a picture.”

Healing can’t be exclusively accomplished by being in touch with childhood interests. In a paper by Californian psychotherapist John Firman, he says that to mend the relationship with your inner child, you have to overcome the fears accumulated by past experiences. Hence, a level of mental fortitude and reflection is necessary.

“[Healing] is a slow process of trial and error. You have to learn how to be okay with yourself as a person. You need to be okay with making mistakes,” Daisy said. “You have to first acknowledge that you’re not [perfect]. You have to acknowledge that you may not feel okay with expressing emotion, and then you have to take tiny little steps. I got into a really bad habit of isolating myself. So, over the years, I’ve been slowly making sure I’m getting closer with people and trying to maintain my relationships, instead of just ghosting. You have to take it slow and be very personal with yourself, and recognize that these things take time [to heal].”

Maturity is a subjective issue, but disregarding your inner child completely can decrease that quality, according to Quintero-Sanchez.

“[My sophomore students] have this insistent need to always be working towards their futures, when they're not living in the present. They are existing in this fictitious world of their futures that causes them to [adopt more responsibilities] and stop themselves from enjoying their youth,” Quintero-Sanchez said. “A lot of people say that mature people care for their futures. But mature people also care about their present. They care about their mental health and

well-being. [My sophomores] try to act more mature than they really are— they don’t allow themselves to feel their own emotions, to understand themselves as people, and to rest.”

For teenagers, it’s much easier to think about the future, but this doesn’t mean that the things that brought them happiness as a child should be ruled out.

“When I was a kid, I wanted to be the best I could possibly be. As I’ve grown up, I realized that it’s not that easy, nor is it realistic. But I don’t like the feeling of giving up on those dreams,” Tiffany said.

While childhood days root themselves deeper in students’ past as their futures loom, there remains the consensus that childhood was a defining time in their lives— but not a time that prohibits growth as a person.

GRAPHIC VIA Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University

“I think you can absolutely [fully heal the inner child]. Obviously, you’re still going to think about [your struggles] occasionally, but it’s like grieving from a death,” Daisy said. “You think about the death a lot, and at first, it hurts a lot. As you grow, your grief is still there, but you grow as a person and have other experiences, and it ends up not hurting as much anymore. It’s always gonna be a part of you. But there’s a certain point where you’ll be okay with the fact that you didn’t have [the perfect] experience as a child, because that makes you who you are now.”

a concentric ring that promotes an inclusive and all-ecompassing perspective on self-hood through multiple ages (Figure 2).

Psychotherapist John Firman addresses the pervasive mental health notion that infancy and childhood are "far away" from adulthood (Figure 1). He proposes an alternate mindset, in which "outgrowing" doesn't necessarily mean "losing" the child or adolescent within oneself, sketching

VIA John Firman.

Figure 2. ILLUSTRATION VIA John Firman.

Figure 3: In the proliferation and pruning process, simpler neural connections form first, followed by more complex circuits. The timing is genetic, but early experiences determine whether the circuits are strong or weak. Source: C.A. Nelson (2000).

opinion 10

by Kat Otey

Politicians took TikTok to court due to privacy concerns

Having seen, against my will, some of the worst that TikTok has to offer, sometimes I do wonder if my life would be better if it was gone. But my need to stop doom scrolling and go outside is more of a personal goal—one that I’ll address myself, not one deserving of significant national importance. Thanks, but no thanks, U.S. Congress.

Yes, TikTok is designed to be addictive. But so is most social media. Wisconsin Representative Mike Gallagher went as far as to call it “digital fentanyl” (Business Insider). Instagram, Twitter and even the Gen X of social media, Facebook, are designed to get as many users to spend as much time on them as possible—because that’s how the companies make money.

if not more so, perpetuated by other platforms or sources. “Doom scrolling” existed before TikTok, and it will still exist even if the ban is passed. Getting rid of one platform will only increase use of others. When India passed a similar ban on TikTok in 2020, the use of Instagram and Youtube, especially for their own short form content, subsequently rose. People don’t instantly “move on,” they just move elsewhere. And there is no guarantee that “elsewhere” will be better, or safer.

ESo maybe it’s not an addiction problem. If it was, the law would be after all social media for its addictive qualities. And if we’re talking about addiction now, hopefully we would be solving the drug addiction problem in America first. If TikTok is so terrible because it's a “digital fentanyl,” hot take, but maybe we should focus our efforts on solving the non-digital fentanyl crisis before we even have this conversation. Maybe we solve quite a few of the objectively larger problems we have in America—the mental health crisis, frequent mass shootings, rising homelessness rates, just to name a few.

Bar its addictive nature, many Americans oppose TikTok because the Singapore-based app is owned by Chinese company ByteDance. There are concerns that Americans’ personal information is at risk, because ByteDance could potentially sell it to or be working with the Chinese government. Does that sound legitimately frightening? Yes. Is it a legitimate threat? No.

There is no concrete evidence of TikTok working with the Chinese government in the past, although there is evidence that they have increased their security multiple times in response to these concerns. In fact, The Washington Post reported that TikTok collects less information about you than both Google and Facebook (but we aren’t trying to ban either of those).

Maybe it helps that unlike TikTok, Google is based right here out of California—which raises concerns of its own.

This is not even to mention the over 7 million small businesses (according to an Oxford economics report statement by the company) that use TikTok for promotion to bring in customers and link to their shops. Although that exact number does come from the company, it is backed up by a report by Oxford Economics. It can’t be disputed that TikTok has become an invaluable platform for small businesses and content creators who may partially depend on it as a source of income.

None of this is to say that I think TikTok is a perfect app or even a good thing for society as a whole, but we absolutely need to take a step back and focus on the bigger issues here in America.

At the end of the day,

SHOULD

very single action on TikTok is monitored, and all of that data is instantly mined. TikTok’s privacy policy even says the company collects your email address, phone number, age, search and browsing history and information on the photos and videos you upload. However, this lack of data protection isn’t anything new. Practically all of Silicon Valley is guilty of this. So, why is the House of Representatives singling out TikTok with a potential ban? Just imagine all of that information I laid out, and now put it in the hands of the Communist Party of China…exactly. TikTok isn’t a Chinese company; however, it is owned by one called ByteDance which in the Communist republic, is easily manipulated to be a political weapon. ByteDance is legally compelled to have an in-house Communist Party committee composed of party members. ByteDance also had to allow the Chinese government to take a “golden share” in one of its subsidiaries, which provides a way for the Chinese government to be directly involved in the content they provide to the public and the day-today operations of the

by Priya Ramcharan

NO YES

Tik -

TikTok TikTok TikTok

BE

BANNED?

tiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktik- toktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktik- toktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktiktoktik

In fact, New York Congress Representative Jamaal Bowman called the efforts to ban TikTok “xenophobic” and the beginnings of “another Red Scare.” Rightly so, he pointed out Facebook's role in Russian disinformation during the 2016 presidential election and Twitter’s role in inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection which could potentially place both apps on the chopping block right there with TikTok—if they weren’t owned by US billionaires. Who would totally "never" do anything wrong or sinister ever.

This is a trend with the criticisms of TikTok: most of the problems that banning the app would supposedly address are equally,

Tok likely won’t be outright banned.

The bill will either fail to pass on free speech grounds or ByteDance will accept US demands to buy shares of TikTok so that the app is US-controlled and monitored when downloaded on US data. Personally, I don’t think that’s any better. But that’s more of a me and my inherent distrust of the US government and their treatment of “free speech” of their citizens’ than a concern for the average TikTok user. But what will happen, and is already happening, will be the use of the transaction as a symbolic victory—a “Look! We did something for you! Reelect us!” rather than a real attempt at the many more pressing issues that face our current daily lives.

So maybe TikTok isn’t the only misinformation spreader out there.

business. Sounds fishy. The government has also been granted a "superuser" credential on TikTok that was allegedly used to spy on Hong Kong protesters, as well as American journalists, though the company denies it. Scared yet? In 2018, China amended its National Intelligence Law to assert that ByteDance is legally bound to help with gathering intelligence. There is also a cybersecurity law that gives China the power to address risks and threats “arising both within and outside the PRC’s (People's Republic of China) territory.” In my opinion, TikTok has become Chinese spyware and is being disseminated across the world, which means an adversary government has an enormous amount of data on American citizens, as well as control of the content that American citizens consume - all while we enter a presidential election. This is a recipe for disaster. Severe regulation on TikTok is needed, but considering the app isn’t subject to American legal practices, the app needs to be banned.

One hundred fifty million Americans are on TikTok, and 43% report getting their news from the app. But all users are susceptible to the Orwel-

lian tactics being used by the Chinese government. The fears that disinformation can be pushed by the app to try and create confusion and widen political divides is very real and quite possible. For-you-pages can be easily manipulated to distract voters or sway them to certain candidates, or voters can simply be surveilled and assessed for China’s records. This has been attempted before by the consultant company Cambridge Analytica in 2016, which was accused of manipulating democracy by selling data and targeting political ads to radicalize users for profit. There was even an FBI investigation into Russian robots on Twitter and Facebook attempting to polarize U.S. voters. China could also, in theory, have the ability to cover up presidential scandals or censor information from getting to the public. Say the president is funding a war in another country by pushing drugs into low income communities (sound familiar?). If it is advantageous for China, they could censor information regarding the issue, and the public would never know. The ban is a legal and viable way to ensure national security. However, with the removal of TikTok from American society comes some big changes. Seven million small businesses use the platform, and some even derive their sole source of income from it. No doubt the TikTok community will be angered. On top of that, TikTok served to be healthy competition for the dominant companies Meta and ‘X’, which stimulated the market. Without TikTok, Meta could rise as a social media monopoly, which might also increase the data security risks because the company will have more power over legislation (a sort of techno-industrial complex, if I had to coin the term). The U.S. government should still be tough on China, but not while risking the American economy. They can do this without a ban but instead force TikTok to sell itself to an American company. Instead of being owned by ByteDance, which is subject to the laws of the Chinese Communist Party, perhaps a domestic company can buy TikTok and subject it to American legislation. I know the TikTok ban scared a lot of people, for fear their fit-check videos might be outlawed, but I’d urge people to think carefully about the effects of the app on our lives and our country. Even if it isn’t banned, for the sake of data security, general health, and mental autonomy, just deleting the app is a good personal choice. Or at least set some time limits.

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Romanticized Rudeness

by Kate Jacoby

Overuse of the "bad boy" persona and tropes such as "enemies-to-lovers" in media normalizes unhealthy relationships and toxic behavior

Why is it that the main female lead in the dramas always chooses the guy with a malnourished-chihuahua-of-a personality over the guy who actually has something to offer?

Some might call it “second lead” syndrome, but I call it total nonsense. Although the “rude boy” persona may be mysterious and eye-catching–when paired with some hopefully successful character development–it is ultimately too glamorized in the media. For our society’s younger generation of hopeful lovers, it’s a bad example to look at relationship-wise; too many people can be persuaded by these toxic examples and end up with a flop.

I had to give up watching romance dramas such as "A Love so Beautiful," "Good Morning Call" and "Nevertheless" because of the sheer level of toxicity I witnessed. Although these are all Asian dramas, there are examples of the cruel male character stereotype in almost any form of media, like American book-to-movie shows, such as "My Life With the Walter Boys" and "The Summer I Turned Pretty." Let me supply you with a common theme amongst the plots: cruel male lead with unad dressed trauma hates everyone but falls for female lead, who manag es to perfectly execute the “ob noxiously naive” character. A whole lot of filler-episodes later, the female lead plays with the kind-hearted sec ond lead’s feelings and then runs toward the cruel male lead that will eventually be a future divorcée.

These shows display a ter rible example of what romance

should be to society. A cold look should not equate to love even if the rude person in question actually does care. Usually, true love involves open communication and respect for one another. In romance dramas, such as the ones I previously listed, the relationship that the plot depends on tends to be unhealthy. Even if both characters grow and benefit from their relationship, their foundation of love is built upon misunderstandings and hostility. Not a good mix.

Every one of the sour-faced know-it-alls in these shows has a reason for their concerning behavior: their “tragic and heartbreaking” backstory. The rude boy has anxiety attacks because of his parents dying in a car crash. He believes it’s all his fault. If only it wasn’t his birthday, and he hadn’t called his parents and rushed them to come

could name several romance dramas with this same backstory. Not only is it repetitive, but it’s just trying to give excuses for the character’s rash behavior so they can remain a love interest that is fawned over by the “tsundere” fanatics. Though the harsh, brooding stereotype mainly applies to males in romance dramas, bad behavior applies to both genders, like the main female lead in "Hometown Cha Cha Cha" or "My Demon" (spoiler alert: the lead’s parents died in a car crash on her birthday). I was amused that there were finally opinionated female leads rather than female leads who acted as if they never learned the alphabet song in kindergarten, but a stuck-up lead versus an airhead lead was not exactly what I had in mind.

stereotypes? Perhaps these dramas exist to defend the rude boys, displaying that they have past trauma and therefore should be automatically forgiven. But, in real life, there is certainly no excuse when it comes to treating someone like they’re the water that comes out of the mustard first.

Nevertheless, there are a few seemingly cold male leads that I have grown fond of. Take Kang Tae-moo from one of my favorite dramas, "Business Proposal." Yes, the man went insane over his job, but I appreciate a hard worker once in a while. As the drama progressed, Tae-moo dropped his strict, suave attitude and gelled hair for a fluffy attitude–metaphorically and literally. At times, he was cocky, though that was only to mask the self-loathing he possessed, because of- you guessed it- a certain car accident with his parents on his birthday, and he was reserved because of his dedication to his work. Overall, by the end of the drama, he embodied the perfect partner for Ha-ri, and I was very happy for them.

Even though Ha-ri and Tae-moo’s story ended well, there is no promise that every cold person out there will drop the act. So if you end up getting treated like you’re a burden by some self-obsessed know-it-all, my advice is that you run. These people are terrible for you, and no, your life is not a drama. If it is, hopefully you’ll avoid anyone who hates their birthday because of a traumatic life-altering experience.

ILLUSTRATION BY Kat Otey

editorial: the pass issue

by High Tide Editorial Board

We can’t wreak havoc if we can’t leave the room. Right?

After two occasions of a firearm presence on campus in December, administration’s new long-term safety protocols include individualized hall passes for classrooms, color-zoned bathrooms and campus supervisors. Though these changes are made to prioritize students’ well-being, their wider implications go too far in regulating where students can be, when and on whose terms.

Students are no longer allowed to work outside in groups or leave the room during a brain break (unless en route to the restroom). Even in a program like journalism, where our productivity depends on our ability to access sources around campus, we aren’t supposed to use makeshift passes.

In a generation increasingly concerned with our mental health, staying indoors raises concerns of increased physical and psychological stress. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that teenagers spend up to 9 hours in front of screens. On a campus with smart boards and district-issued laptops, technology isn’t just unavoidable—it’s inevitable.

Two-hour block periods only compound eye fatigue and risk lack of focus. A 2018 study by Caoimhe Twohig-Bennett and Andy Jones found that increased exposure to greenspace—trees, grass and fresh air—decreases blood pressure, heart rate and risk of asthma). We should be able to go outdoors, even if only for five minutes.

Administration's new policy also enforces restrictions for the entire student body based on the actions of a few. Despite their intended purpose, the fluorescent paddle-lanyard combination is used by students as both a hall pass and a bathroom pass. This poses two concerns: that of the “wanderer” and that of the teacher. Though there are fewer students out of class at any given time, those prone to wandering continue to forgo class. Since multiple students can no longer visit the bathroom during a designated class break, they go one at a time and miss instruction, forcing the teacher to catch them up during passing period.

Then there’s the menstruation question. If students are menstruating but their zone-approved bathroom is out of pads, tampons or even toilet paper, campus-zoning limits their access to facilities that do not meet their needs.

If they need emergency access to the restroom and the pass is in use, they’re forced to sit in silence until their classmate returns.

So what is there to do? The school could invest in a two-pass system, which places more trust into students and less animosity towards administration. They could replenish teachers’ paper passes more frequently to account for student needs. On a base level, ensuring menstrual and restroom necessities are available in ample quantities mitigates the need to travel outside of zones of clearance. Perhaps most importantly, administration could trust us enough to let us just beyond the classroom door to work or socialize during a brief break. We’re young adults; most of us are ready and willing to act like it.

We understand that these new safety measures are well-intentioned, and we don’t expect any system on a campus of thousands of students to be designed or executed perfectly. As campus settles into new regulations, we only hope to open a dialogue that helps each member of our community balance well-being, safety and trust.

Can I have the pass when you get back?

entertainment

Not u-done with udon

Marugame's udon selection is both plentiful and delicious

by Summer Puterbaugh

I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve never had udon before—like, ever. As a certified picky eater, I’ll give myself a pat on the back for being brave enough to explore a mildly seasoned food found outside the pasta/bread/chicken nugget range. This likely explained the slightly abnormal excitement I felt at the prospect of going to a non-staple restaurant where pasta wasn’t a promise on the menu. Nevertheless, my expectations were pleasantly exceeded at Marugame, a new handmade udon restaurant in Torrance.

Let me start by confessing that I’m terribly impatient. I’m the type of person you see anxiously glancing at each passing waiter, praying desperately that whatever dish they carry out next is mine. So naturally, the understandably long line at Marugame was initially daunting to me. However, their quick assembly line-style service resulted in my food being prepared in just under five minutes. Unlike most restaurant assembly lines, each item was made fresh, which was made apparent in the quality of the food. Not only could you view the final product of your dish, but the making of it

as well. The employees were clearly trained well, as their patient, friendly demeanor eroded the stress of ordering on the spot. This was a life-saver as someone who's usually a stuttering, blushing mess when faced with any kind of ordering. While the restaurant was fairly crowded, it wasn’t overwhelming by any means, and had an “organized chaos” feel to it. Even though I was sitting just a few feet away from people, I was transported into a comatose state of pure satiating bliss that made the experience feel entirely private.

Confession #2: I have a never-ending appetite. I’m the kind of girl who's prone to late-night snacks, post-dessert desserts, and “second dinners,” and I’ll still be creeping downstairs for a jar of peanut butter after eating a five-course meal. I’ve found the most filling aspect of food isn’t the amount of protein or nutrients in it, but the warmth of it. I was reminded of this fact as I devoured the beef udon and chicken rice curry bowl; both of which filled me with the pleasant heat of comfortable fullness. They offered ten different types of udon bowls, as well as three rice bowls,

giving their menu diver sity without a paralyz ing overload of choices. The chicken curry was well-seasoned, but not overwhelmingly so. The curry had a sort of salty sweetness that act ed as the most fabulous complement to the crispy, breaded chicken atop the rice. I (un)ashamedly broke my vege tarianism to indulge in this parade of flavor and textures that exploded in my mouth. The udon soup was of a forceful umami flavor that transcends the confines of “flavorful I felt like I was eating a bed of mystically sweet mushrooms. While I was initially sharing this dish, I soon claimed it for my enjoyment alone. The noodles were beautifully thick and chewy as opposed to rubbery and tasted just as nourishing. Alongside the udon and curry rice, I ordered breaded sweet potatoes and a potato croquette. The breaded sweetness of the croquette left a warm, buttery aftertaste lingering on my tongue that can only be de-

scribed as otherworldly. The udon acted as a perfect dip for the sweet potato, entrancing me with the combined tang of the vegetable and saltiness of the soup. Alongside the meal, I ordered Marugame’s iced matcha, which was, in scholastic terms, to die for. It had an extremely deep, bright, and earthy taste that made it difficult to put down. Previous to this, the only matcha I consumed was in a latte form. While I expected my stubborn sweet tooth to favor the milky alternative, the rich taste of Marugame’s matcha undoubtedly won me over. The cozy energetic atmosphere combined with the unforgettable food makes this place a new staple in my book.

Adrianne Lenker's new album "Bright Future" is a sentimentally stripped-down folk masterpiece by

Meara Fay

Beginning with a 40-second long soft piano introduction, with background noises adding a sense of rawness and familiarity, you can hear Adrianne Lenker walk away from the mic as she sings. The Indianapolis-born alternative musician released her fifth solo album, “Bright Future,” on March 22. Lenker attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she met Buck Meek; the two went on to form the acclaimed indie folk band Big Thief in 2015, in which Lenker is the primary vocalist and principal songwriter. In 2022, the group released their album, “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You,” which originally housed many of “Bright Future’s” tracks as demos.

“Bright Future'' is Lenker’s most experimental piece yet. The album features a heavy folk sound, influenced by one of Lenker’s favorite artists and muses, John Prine. It was recorded and cut “straight to tape,” alongside a small group of friends in a woodsy New England home. The forest-y influence can be heard throughout the record and the tracks made me feel like a garden fairy hopping around in a magical forest. Mat Davidson, who sings under the stage name Twain, sings alongside Lenker on most of the album. The album opens with the lyrics, “Do you remember running, the purity of the air and braiding willow branches into a crown, that love is all I want.” Instantly, in “Real House,” you can hear the emotion in Lenker’s voice, ampli-

fied by the intentional lack of instrumentals, instead replaced with just a few piano chords. Lenker, who is admittedly new to piano, embraces this musical discovery by taking the lead in playing the instrument. Lenker’s choice to open with “Real House,” a “part two” to Big Thief’s song, “Mythological Beauty,” provides listeners with a brutally honest look into the mindset of Lenker at the time of writing, struggling with her relationship with her mother. Despite Lenker’s turbulent past—constantly uprooting her life to move and spending a brief time in a religious cult—the track oozes a sense of nostalgia, telling raw stories from her adolescence and setting the scene for the rest of the album. In the song, Lenker recounts when her mother accompanied her in the hospital after she nearly died at 14. Speaking to her mother, Lenker admits, “Now 31 and I don’t feel strong, your love is all I want.”

The second track, “Sadness As A Gift,” begins with Lenker counting off the beat, followed by a beautiful, bright instrumental in which Lenker’s newfound folk emphasis is immediately apparent. The mix of acoustic guitar, violin, bass, and piano is the song’s highlight and makes me feel like I’m in a field of tall grass and dandelions. The lyrics were written while Lenker was suffering a heartbreak, and I admire how she channeled her despair from the breakup into something more meaningful. It is as if in “Real House,” Lenker is allowing herself to feel the sadness as displayed through the sad, bare instrumentals, and she then transitions that feeling into love and joy in “Sadness As A Gift.” Big Thief most recently went viral on TikTok for their

song “Vampire Empire,” in which Lenker angrily describes an intoxicating relationship full of mixed emotions. After its demo gained popularity online, the band released a studio version of the song in Sept. 2023. In Lenker’s solo album version, she makes sure to include a personal spin on the song different from the influence of her band, including all of her originally written lyrics. Her solo recording of the song is much more raw than the studio version, featuring random instrumentals and noises that remind me of alternative music icon Daniel Johnston. Lenker's vocals are less tamed, with more vibrato and tastefully lower sound quality alongside raw folk harmonies. The track houses some of the album’s most significant lyrics, such as “I wanted to be your woman and I wanted to be your man, I wanted to be the one that you could understand,” and “You turn me inside out and then you want the outside in, you spin me all around and then you ask me not to spin.” The song deal with gender fluidity; Lenker expresses that she loves her partner so much that she would fill any role for them, disregarding stereotypes for the sake of connection. And despite her eagerness to fulfill this need, Lenker finds it impossible to please her lover. Lenker’s deeply honest portrayal of limerence and the struggles of being in an unhealthy relationship resonates with many fans, making it a cult classic since its Big Thief release, but especially now on “Bright Future.”

odd sound and lyric combinations are poetic. In Jan. 2024, Lenker taught an intimate songwriting workshop course over Zoom, in which she told members that “Evol” was her proudest song off the album and the track she was most excited for fans and prospective songwriters to hear. Lenker is the god of stringing seemingly random words together and turning them into something beautiful, and “Evol” only further proved it. Despite its slightly off putting nature, I greatly appreciate the song’s artistry and agree with Lenker that it is a standout of the album.

“Love spells ‘evol,’ backwards, people. Words back, words backwards are lethal.” Beginning with a sad, slightly uncomfortable piano intro, “Evol” is the most complex song on the album. As the lyrics first hit, the song (and its title) present as confusing and strange. However, after reading them online, it’s easy to see that Lenker’s

Ending the record on a painstakingly sad note, “Ruined” ruined me. It’s a ballad so heartbreaking that, after listening, you feel like you just got hit by a pile of bricks. Lenker solos the piano as her main background instrumental, allowing her voice to take center stage. In the first lyrics, Lenker sings, “Until I’m brave enough to call you, I just fall through every time. I wish I’d waved when I saw you, I just watched you passing by.” Through this confession, she admits her regrets about the handling of her recent breakup, conveying that she still wants a connection but is unsure how to achieve it. As she sings, her voice echoes over itself, as if she’s actively fading away from the hurt. In an expression of her undying love for this person, Lenker repeats the same phrase, singing “Can't get enough of you / You come around, I'm ruined,” acknowledging that her desires are bad for her, yet willingly continuing to damage herself by loving this person. The track perfectly connects the beginning of the album to the end, with both songs featuring slow, melancholic instrumentals with powerful lyrics.

“Bright Future” serves as a powerful cumulation of Lenker’s life experiences and songwriting expertise, allowing her to create her most experimental yet well-rounded album yet.

Udon and chicken curry rice PHOTOS BY SUMMER PUTERBAGUH

Adrianne Lenker for "Bright Future" PHOTO VIA 4AD

Adrianne Lenker for "Bright Future" PHOTO VIA 4AD

Chillingly Good

by Scarlett Mische

"Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" revives the charm of the "Ghostbusters" franchise, while also being a funny and unique film in its own right.

Two years ago, I wrote a review of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” which began with “‘if there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who ya gonna call?’ I’m not really sure who I’d call anymore.” After watching “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” I redact all prior statements, except that the mini stay-puft marshmallow men (the original’s main villain) are adorable.

While the feeling of nostalgia was maintained in the newest addition to this sequel series, it isn’t as overbearing as it was in the first sequel. In “Frozen Empire,” a new, and in my opinion the best, villain/ ghost is introduced to the series. This primary antagonist (if you don’t count the annoying mayor of New York) is an ancient god from a time before written language, which has been trapped and guarded for centuries. In a twist of fate, the orb trapping this creature ends up in the hands of the “Ghostbusters” crew, both old—such as Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson)—and new: Phoebe Spengler (Mckenna Grace), Trevor Spengler (Finn Wolfhard), Lucky (Celeste O’Connor), and the other cast members from “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.” In typical “Ghostbusters” fashion, the movie is centered around a series of small ghost fights, with a larger one at the end. However, this

movie differs from those which came before it by actually developing its characters. Specifically, I saw Phoebe Spengler in a new light. Unlike in the previous movie, which made Phoebe out to be a bit of a know-it-all, this new movie gave her more of a character. Rather than simply being the “smart one,” she began to stand out as an individual. She built a more personal relationship with a ghost named Melody

was devastated when at the end of the movie (spoilers) Lind’s character “became one with the fabric of the universe,” thus ending any potential advancement of Melody and Phoebe’s relationship.

On a more positive note, the new character played by Kumail Ali Nanjiani, Nadeem Razmaadi, was a perfect addition to the film. Nadeem was comical, and had many enjoyable moments with the rest of

me ten times more compelled to watch the movie.

(Emily Alyn Lind), and this gives Phoebe the chance to feel understood. Unlike her family, Melody did not push her away, and rather than feeling unimportant, she found a sense of purpose in building this relationship.

In that same vein, the chemistry between Grace and Lind was one of the highlights. It was the core of the movie, and it ended up being one of the driving forces of the plot. Without their relationship, I’m not entirely sure how much I would have liked this movie and Phoebe definitely would not have become one of my favorite characters. So, naturally, I, like many others online,

the cast. My personal favorite line of his was after the rest of the cast discovered that his grandmother had a secret room made entirely of brass and filled with ancient artifacts, including, but not limited to: weapons, chains, and armor. His response to their reaction was: “Please stop making sex jokes about my recently deceased grandma.”

Another character introduced which hugely affected my enjoyment of the movie was the main antagonist, Garraka. Unlike previous “Ghostbusters” villains, Garraka had an insanely interesting background, and the introduction of his character made

My other favorite quality was the way in which a sense of nostalgia was perfectly threaded into the plot. Unlike the last movie, where the attempt to be like the original was overwhelming, this new addition didn’t overdo it. The ending scene, which consisted of the “Ghostbusters” theme, brought in some tasteful nostalgia at the perfect moment. Although the overall plot of the movie was thriving, there were some pacing issues throughout. While, yes, it is typical of “Ghostbusters” to have quick transitions and shifts, the ending scene felt too rushed, even for them. The final fight didn’t feel challenging enough, especially given the powers displayed by Garraka earlier in the movie. On top of that, (spoilers) the characters seemingly ignored the fact that by the end of the movie, every ghost ever captured had been released back out to the earth. However, I’m assuming that this will be addressed in the next movie, which I’m looking forward to seeing.

As a whole, I would give this movie a 10/10. Other than pacing, the only downside is that the library ghost from the first movie returned. So, other than some inconsistencies and childhood traumas, I would recommend this movie to anyone, whether they have watched the original “Ghostbusters” or not.

Shōgun has a confusing start, but ends strong with its nuanced exploration of first contact between cultures and Japanese history by

Scarlett Kindt

Political conflicts, love interests and cinematically captivating battle scenes perfectly combine together to create FX’s new show Shōgun, directed by Jerry London.

The adaptation of James Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name is set amid the emerging Civil War in 1600 Feudal Japan. The series opens with an English Sailor–John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis)–who is a pilot of the seas and a Protestant. Black thorne and his crew are sailing around the Japanese Islands, despite not believing this new land exists, as there have only been rumors of this foreign land with no En glishmen setting foot in it. They arrive to these islands as prisoners and during a pe riod of conflict among the Japanese people, as their supreme ruler has recently died, leaving a young heir to assume his place. Five warriors combine to create a council of regents; however, their clashing politics threatens an oncoming war. Lord Torana ga (Hiroyuki Sanada) is the point of view through which the audience initially views these conflicts. He sees the benefits in Blackthorne's arrival due to their common enemy of the Portuguese and Spanish, and he eventually makes him an ally.

Sitting down to watch the episodes, I felt confused after the pilot with the point of view jumping around from Blackthorne to Lord Taranada to an assortment of other characters. Multiple plot lines were hap pening simultaneously and it was difficult at first to keep track of. I believe that is what the director intended, however, as it allows the audience to feel just as con fused as Blackthorne does upon his im prisonment. I was not too discouraged by the convoluted plot and characters as I be lieved it would soon become clearer with the next episode. When watching the sec ond episode, confusion persisted as well as a feeling of boredom; however, towards the end, the plot became better fleshed out and

more interesting. This is when Blackthorne starts to become an ally and reveals to Lord Toranaga a messily drawn map of the world they believed to have known during

went on.

There are multiple moments where each culture represented is being critical of the other, but it’s weighed more so onto the

Portuguese were active in the Japanese region as portrayed in the book and show. Costume designer Carlos Rosario created about 2,300 costumes for this series and were made to be historically accurate, drawing inspiration from websites, museums, historian consultation and 17th century Japanese paintings. Furthermore, he compares the fictionalized characters to their real life counterparts utilizing clever costuming. These references all helped to make the looks historically accurate, which adds to the series credibility and makes it that much better. Through these costumes and beautiful set design, I felt transported into the world of feudal Japan and its con-

Cinematically, the show was amazing to watch. Wide angle shots of the landscapes and captivating battle scenes that do not leave much to the imagination regarding violence, helped bring the show to life. Close up shots were also used liberally when capturing scenes with Blackthorne and Mariko, which underscored their growing romantic interests. Some scenes and shots appeared more grain-like or blurry, which directs the viewer’s attention to particular details within larger scenes. Overall, the cinematography creates a dreamlike quality which ties in the emotion and intensity of the story, ultimately enhancing the viewWhile Shōgun may not have been my ite series or a series I would originally have picked for myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the episodes that have been released so far. This series captures the culture in Japan and creates a world in which the audience is immersed into. I can’t wait for the last two episodes to come out and would recommend watching this series, especially if you love history and foreign cultures.

The ghostbusting crew investigating artifacts PHOTO VIA COLUMBIA PICTURES

Lord Yoshi Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) PHOTO VIA FX

sports

10-Inning Tussle

Baseball takes a Bay League loss against PV

by Delilah Aguliar

In another Bay League game, the baseball team took their home field against Palos Verdes (PV) for the third time this season after taking a loss to PV two days prior. On March 29 the boys fought hard in a grueling ten-inning game, ultimately falling short as PV came back at the top of the tenth and beat Redondo 7-2.

Top of the first inning, Redondo took the field. Starting the game strong, senior Evan Moyer struck out the first batter with the help of senior catcher Bryan Camou. The second batter hit a ground ball directly to third baseman senior Simon Landry, who effortlessly shot the ball to first baseman senior Kyler Gloth, resulting in the second out of the game. The next player had barely made it to first base when his teammate hit a line drive into deep center field; this allowed PV to score the game's first run, putting PV ahead 1-0.

“[The team] wasn’t happy that they got that lead on us but we knew we needed to fight back. That’s a mentality we’ve formed as a team, when we get punched, we punch back,” Gloth said.

Through the first four and a half innings, Redondo pitched well and played great defensively, keeping the score close at 1-0. They were finally able to break through in the bottom of the fifth getting a run on the board. Two

7-2

players were on base when Gloth hit a pop-up into deep left field, bringing Landry home and tying the game 1-1.

“Contributing to the score and bringing a teammate home was a highlight of the game for me. I was extremely excited to get that ball rolling,” Gloth said.

Shortly after, senior Nate Stiveson hit a double, the ball going directly to a PV third baseman. The hit came to the fielder with so much speed that he missed it, causing the ball to roll into left field while bringing Gloth home, put ting Redondo up 2-1.

“I felt accomplished being there for my team and put ting us on top. [As a team] we try to come out here and give everything we have; that same principle goes for me when I’m on the field,” Gloth said.

PV was in a rush to end Redondo’s lead, and at the start of the sixth inning, they hit a home run, tying the game 2-2.

“There was a runner on first; I blocked the ball and was able to throw him out at second, which got us the sec ond out of the inning and kept us in the game longer. I felt some weight lifted off [the team’s] shoulders. At that point, I thought we had the game,” Camou said.

Redondo switched pitchers from Moyer, who had been on the mound for the entirety of the game, to se nior Maddon McArthur. The bases quickly be came loaded, meaning if McArthur didn’t strike out the next batter, PV would take the lead.

“[Seeing the bases loaded] didn’t feel great, but I trusted my team's defense and stuck to my mechanics, mainly focusing on throwing a strike,” McArthur said.

Two balls, two strikes, bases load ed. Tension was rising on the field when the batter struck out swinging, concluding the top of the sixth inning.

“It felt great pulling through for my team; I was really happy about it. It was a tough game overall, so I tried to focus on the next inning and put it behind me,” McArthur said.

with an additional tenth inning. PV stole home twice, breaking the tie and leading 4-2. While the bases were loadthere was a hit to deep right field; PV brought three more runners home, increasing their lead to 7-2. Redondo put up a fair fight in the bottom of the tenth sadly pull

learn from, I thought we fought very well. losing.”

Boys and girls track held 13 podium finishes against 9 local high schools at the annual Mustang Speed Invitational at Mira Costa High School

by London Carbone

Already off to a strong season, boys and girls track had a weekend full of numerous new personal records being set by students throughout. On Saturday, March 23 at Mira Costa, the track team accomplished 13 podium finishes against 9 other local high schools.

Junior Ashley Lombardo broke her personal record (PR) in her first of four events, the 400 m (meter), plac ing second overall with a time of 1:00.88, beating her old time, 1:02.26.

“I was nervous about my 400 m because I usually run with the fastest heat in varsity, so sometimes it's harder to place. I was really trying to beat my PR from last year. [After the race] when the announcer said my time, I burst into tears of joy, because I was so happy my hard work was finally paying off,” Lombardo said.

Her goal for the season is to bring her 400m PR down to 0:59.00. According to Lombardo, track is all about hard work in and out of practice. She states she likes to split up her workouts to improve both her endurance and fast twitch muscle strength, training long distances a few days a week and shorter distances on others.

“You have to try to stretch a lot, drink plenty of wa ter, make sure you eat healthy, and deal with the coach's workout even if you don’t want to because that moment of hardships will feel so much better once you do well in your race,” Lombardo said.

Warm-ups are important for mental and physical preparation, according to junior Ian Son. These usually consist of dynamic work, attempting to replicate how he would run and focus his thinking during the race.

“The more you can force different good mechanics and habits during your warm-ups, when you actually race, you'll be running that way without thinking about it. That's part of getting better, mastering your warm up and making sure you're doing the best type of technique possible,” Son said.

In Son’s first race, the 100 m, placing first in his heat with a time of 0:11.66. Keeping his focus throughout the

day he broke his PRs in both his second and third event, placing third with a time of 0:23.49 in his 200 m and seventh jumping 19’2’’ in his second time competing in long jump. According to Son, an essential aspect of running and what helped him PR, were his race plans, and being able to adapt them to each race.

“Approaching my race, I got out hard, and knowing the person on my left was fast, I cruised behind him. I remember coming around the curve, approaching the straightaway and thinking back on my training and focusing on my technique,” Son said. “My objective was to then catch the guy, so I relaxed, focused on my strides, and slowly started to catch him. Usually, during my races, I block out the noise, but I remember the announcer continuing to say, ‘The Redondo kid’s about to catch him’. That gave me a lot of adrenaline because it made me realize that I actually was catching him. That's one of the reasons why I was able to PR; having someone to catch gives a whole other level of motivation.”

cord with a time of 0:25.03 in the 200 m and Artin Fazeli, qualifying with a long jump height of 21’7’’.

“A lot of people on our team were especially cheering for our girls four by one because they've been running so well and putting in the work. It was exciting for entire team to see them go out and win by such a major margin. I remember going out and seeing that win, which motivates the whole team. It was a moment to be proud of even though I didn't run the race; seeing Redondo go out there and dominate so well was exciting,” said Son.

I relaxed, focused on my strides, and slowly started to catch him. Usually, during my races, I block out the noise, but I remember the announcer continuing to say, ‘The Redondo kid’s about to catch him’. That gave me a lot of adrenaline because it made me realize that I actually was catching him.

There was also an added pressure of qualifying for Arcadia for many of the runners; one of the biggest meets in the county and athletes need to meet the required times to qualify. Just a few runners that qualified for Arcadia, include Kiele Yokogawa, who broke the Costa Speed record with a time of 0:12.32 in the 100 m, Mia Coleman, who also broke the Costa Speed re-

Lombardo values running because it has pushed her both physically and mentally, while helping her meet and form team bonds with new people that have aided her improvement.

“It gets you in shape, but it also helps you meet new friends and form a team bond that you wouldn't have had before,” Lombardo said. “[In the future] I’m going to do harder workouts to try to stay in shape, and I'm gonna maintain a work-life balance, so I'm not cutting off all my happy moments. And try to have fun with it and do my best not to add too much pressure because usually it limits your performance.”

Through their support and preparation, the team was able to flourish, and look forward to continuing to embrace the enjoyment of meets sin the future.

“Last year, I was so obsessed with my results that it was hard for me to enjoy the whole experience. I want to dedicate more time to enjoying the process and just living through the races,” Son said. “I would tell my team that as important as the times and marks are, I want to remind them at the end of the day to live and enjoy this moment and spend time to appreciate the people that we have on our team. I’d just remind them that we don't have much time left, and I hope that we can spend time living through it and have a good time.”

1. and 2. Miachel Hines goes up to bat. PHOTO BY KAYLA ONGUN

3. Nicholas London pitches. PHOTO BY KAYLA ONGUN

4. Artin Fazeli sprints the 100 meter. PHOTO BY CATHERINE WONG

Girls lacrosse accepts their first Bay League loss against Mira Costa 8-11

by Victor Simoes

Raising their sticks to form tunnels and rolling waves that they run through as each player was called, girls lacrosse opened their game with a spirit-raising cheer during their stick checks. In a tight game with many close calls, Redondo’s hopes for a comeback were dashed by a loss to Mira Costa.

Senior attacker Cailin Havrilchak took the first shot of the game but missed, and the Costa goalie was able to pick up the ball leading to a turnover.

An overthrow sent the ball into Costa’s possession, and Costa took advantage of the sudden tilt to advance towards Redondo and score the first goal of the game.

“Focusing on not letting them score was obviously the big thing. That meant staying in front of them and trying to go for the checks whenever I could,” senior defender Jenna Cozza said.

A missed pass switched the possession to Costa, who quickly moved to make a shot, but was halted by senior goalie Carly Scolaro, who set up Redondo to turn around the play. A shot by junior midfielder Caitlyn Kelly was blocked by Costa’s goalie, but sophomore midfielder Kate Kenney grabbed the ground ball, and with first a fake shot and then a real shot, landed Redondo’s first goal, leaving the game an even 1-1.

“I felt a little nervous at first, but I think we were really riled up. We got a little angry, which sometimes for us doesn't work, but I think we definitely used our passion to help us,” Caitlyn Kelly said.

With Redondo in possession of the ball at Costa’s end, a yellow card against Costa left them down a player, and with the temporary player advantage, Caitlyn Kelly was able to make Redondo’s second score.

“We were slowly adjusting to [Costa’s defense strategy] and seeing it in real time. As much as we practice it, it's definitely different game time. If we just came out a little stronger a little earlier, we probably

would have had that,” Caitlyn Kelly said.

draw at this point, but a quick

pickup by se

nior defender Sidney Cherry turned the dial towards Re dondo. Although she ran out of bounds, the ball was soon back in Redondo’s posses sion, and a lead up by Caitlyn Kelly, senior attacker Kylie Thompson, and Havrilchak handed the ball to Kenney who with rapid right to left to right hand switching made Redondo’s next goal of the game. The half ended with Costa lead ing 6-3.

Knocking Sticks

“We're a big second half team. We always start down and then in the second half we always make our way back up. We just have to keep our heads up. That's the only way we're gonna keep fighting on,” Cozza

Strong defense pushed Costa furaway from scoring, trip turned over the ball to Redondo. Soon, however, Costa earned a free shot, and then an eight meter penalty, scoring again. With one minute left in the quarter, Costa made one last push against Redondo, and despite a valiant defense by Cozza, Costa scored once

to bring the ball all the way up and set up Kenney to score.

“Our defense did great, and they kind of saved the game, and our goalie especially saved the game, shoutout Carly. We'll just be working on our attack, and we'll be winning next time,” Cherry said.

With 6:37 left on the clock, Costa seemed poised to run out the clock with their 9-6 advantage. Sideline plays by Cozza kept the ball moving, and eventually landed a point, with Cozza scoring and Kenney assisting. With the score 10-8 and barely any time left, the pressure was high on Redondo to score. Havrilchak made a shot, but it bounced off the goalkeeper's helmet. Senior attacker Piper Flaherty made a shot, but it rebounded off the goal post. Caitlyn Kelly made Redondo’s last shot, but it also rebounded and fell into Costa’s possession, putting Redondo on the defensive. A penalty by Redondo granted Costa an eight meter shot, and making it into the goal, ended the game 11-8.

first draw of the third quarter and handed it off to Thompson who got smacked in the head near the net, again earning Costa a yellow card. Thompson and Caitlyn Kelly made some very close shots, and when the ball was almost going out of bounds, Redon do chased the ball, keeping it in Redondo’s possession, allowing senior midfielder Cameron Kelly to score and hinting at a Redondo tide-change

“Hopefully [we can] get the momentum up sooner because I think our energy was low in the beginning, and we started getting momentum late in the game, which is always how it is for us,” Thompson said. Once again, Costa made a goal soon into the start of the fourth quarter. Then, as Costa threatened another goal, a dense

defense blocked the goal and with Redondo catching the chase, Caitlyn Kelly was able

“I always enjoy playing with my teammates. So even though we lost today, it doesn't mean that it was a bad game per se,” Thompson said. “We all put our best effort today. It's not 100% effort in general, it's 100% of what you can give.”

Redondo currently stands 11-2 this season, and 2-1 in the Bay League. With the next game against Costa on April 17, the team still looks forward to a chance for redemption.

“I don't think a loss has ever really brought us down. We always end up bringing it back, even when we're down,” senior defender Siena Chin said. “Even though we've been down by a lot, we always end up coming back. Even if it's a loss, the next game we're gonna get them.”

Boys volleyball fights hard but falls in three sets to rival Mira Costa by

Ethan Chi

While the Sea Hawks fought valiantly on their home court, the nationally ranked Mustangs lived up to their reputation. On March 27, boys volleyball faced off against their rivals Mira Costa, the No. 3 team in the country. After a competitive three sets, Redondo fell 3-0. To most, this may seem like a clear blowout. However, to the experienced viewer, this matchup was a close game separated by only one or two points in each set.

Redondo knew going up against Mustangs would be an uphill battle, but even though Costa was favored to win, the boys never let up according to junior libero Conner Bebe.

cause we wanted to show Costa that we could compete toe to toe with them.”

Going into the first set, Redondo’s outside hitters shined, allowing Redondo to manage a strong offense and maintain a two point lead, 8-6. Costa countered by regaining possession, tying the score later on 15-15. As Costa’s defense got into their rhythm later in the

“

boys tied Costa at 18-18.

“In the first set, we were very disciplined on defense. We had a lot of good digs, and I’m glad that we were able to make smart plays on offense. I think collectively, our team just really worked out there, which I was proud of,” Bebe said. “Going into this game we knew that we wanted to get the ball up as much as possible, and we did that.”

It's a rivalry game, and everyone was just really excited because we wanted to show Costa that we could compete toe to toe with them.

CONNER BEBE JUNIOR

set, spikes from Redondo’s outsides became more frequently blocked, which frustrated offensive players like junior Drew Blair.

“They blocked really well, I felt like we couldn’t do anything when they were blocking at that level of speed and intensity. We could have done a better job of covering, but at the end of the day, they just had a really strong defense,” Blair said.

With the Sea Hawks trailing by one point, Bebe made a tough save at the last minute, keeping Costa from widening the gap. With the aid of Redondo’s outside hitters and a spike to close out the play, the

With the set nearing 25, Redondo turned over possession with only two points to go. With the Mustangs on the offensive, Costa’s outside hitters closed out the first set with a two point win, 25-23.

“Even though we lost the first set, I feel like we really played as a team. We had each other's backs. It does suck though that we came so close to winning the first set and we just came short by just a few points, because I know we were capable of a win,” Blair said.

After breaking for time out, Costa got the jump on the Seahawks in the second set, pushing Redondo to play from behind early on. As the set progressed, Costa kept a comfortable 17-9 lead, until Redondo stole possession thanks to sophomore Carter Mirabal making an excellent dig, and regaining control of the play, putting the Mustangs on the defensive and scoring an influential point.

While in possession, Redondo’s “smart swinging” and consistent blocking helped them narrow the gap to 19-17. However, Redondo just couldn't gain the upper hand, resulting in a 25-19 loss in the second set.

“It was difficult to get ahead, which I think put the team down a little bit, because

they were just shutting us down play after play. It was pretty frustrating, but I feel like we were able to compete with Costa and put up a good fight on offense,” Blair said.

Going into the third set, Redondo obtained an early lead, but Costa didn’t let up, gaining possession and leading 3-1. As the Mustangs started to garner another dangerous lead, junior Bobby Bennett changed the tide with a spike that shut out Costa’s defense. The team clutched the 7-7 tie; however, the fatigued Redondo slipped in the middle of the third, giving way for a substantial Costa lead.

“Our morale was pretty low in the third set, and even though I felt like we were playing smart on offense, for most of the set, we were just trying to push through and preserve to the end,” Blair said.

Ultimately, the Sea Hawks picked up the slack and finished with a six point gap, with a final score of 25-19 in the third set.

“I feel like we did really well with passing and defense. We just have to hit around the blocks and play smart offensively, and then we have it next time,” Bebe said.

While the Sea Hawks may have lost this game, they played Peninsula High School on Friday March 29, and were able to pull out a 3-0 shutout on their home court.

“While it was definitely disappointing to lose, I feel like we put up a competitive fight for Costa and showed that we can play at their level, even though we were the underdogs going into this game,” Bebe said. Anticipating Redondo’s game against Peninsula, Bebe added, “Going into Friday’s game against Penn, we are just going to take this loss as a learning experience and let it fuel us.” 1.

LEAVING THE NEST

Students reflect on how their lives are impacted by their family dynamics and parents’ values by

Marley Van Pelt

Teenagers are self-aware enough to begin examining their upbringing, realizing the initial formative experiences that made them who they are. Four students reflect on lessons from home.

Junior Giya Kiran is the daughter of two immigrant parents who came to America from India in 2003. This life shift for her parents translated to life lessons for Kiran.

“When [my parents] immigrated here, they had to build themselves up from ground zero. One thing that they've taught me to do is not let any opportunities pass me by,” Kiran said. “With big opportunities like [a seat on the Local Control and Accountability Plan committee], I get stressed but I recognized that it was an amazing way to participate in a committee that has an impact on our entire district, so I went for it and got accepted.”

parents is the value of being honest. It is our main rule in our household that we don't lie to each other, and they've raised me to be comfortable around them,” Kiran said.

All of the serious lessons haven’t been without light-hearted dynamics, however.

“My dad has taught me how to find the

me how life has multiple paths that you can go through and it shouldn't be super rigid.”

According to Kisiler, from his friends, he has gained more of a “moral compass,” and from his parents, he’s learned how to be more independent.

“My parents did give me and my siblings a large degree of freedom. We had a lot more choices in our lives than I feel a lot of other people did,” Kisiler said. “That led me to develop more on my own and less to what my parents would have considered the ideal. They always promote us making our own choices.”

For Kisiler, this lesson of independence has “resonated with [him]” and allowed him to see the value in the “inevitable failures and learning along the way.” This same idea is echoed by freshman Audrey McFadden, whose mother is also an immigrant.

“A lesson I learned from my mom, especially since she was an immigrant from China, was to think for yourself and think outside of the box,” McFadden said. “She was able to emigrate out of China instead of staying, and she ended up having a better life.”

Kiran’s confidence to become active in the community stems from home.

“My parents have really taught me the value of family. Family in India is very, very important,” Kiran said. “I'm not fully immersed in our culture, but it’s the little things like celebrating Indian holidays, calling my family or going out and getting some traditional Indian food that remind me [...] how lucky I am that I have that environment.”

Beyond this, Kiran still gains insight

“

I have no reason to lie because they would rather me be honest and have to deal with something rather than me lie about it. Because they've drilled that into my head, I feel I'm a much more honest human

GIYA KIRAN JUNIOR

humor in things. He's taught me how to take a situation and flip it so that I don't feel bad about it,” Kiran said. “My mom has taught me that it's okay for people to leave my life, that it's okay for things to change and I should get used to change.”

One instance that became a defining moment for Kiran occurred in fourth grade when she dealt with friendship troubles.

“I remember very vividly, my mom was angry at me for letting my grades go and I remember I was sitting there and I listened to her talk and I was crying,” Kiran said. “She gave me a hug [and] I remember us sitting on the couch, and she was just holding me. That was the moment I realized I could count on my parents for anything and that they would always be there to comfort me.”

on how to be the best version of herself through the lessons her parents have instilled in her.

“One thing that I've learned from my

tionships with their parents and [also] my relationship with my mom,” Bunnell said. “When I was growing up, I had a bit of jealousy as I would see other people with their dads. [Now], I've gotten past that especially because I am trying to talk with my dad a bit more.”

Bunnell has started connecting to her father through a common ground since her dad is in the military, and she’s in the JROTC program. Even though she has rebuilt her connection with her dad, she attributes the majority of her life lessons to her mother.

“[My mom] is always showing me how to properly talk to people or how to be more confident because she's a very out-there person, and that's where the whole [lesson] of “say yes whenever you can” comes from. That's what's made me more confident in myself,” Bunnell said.

McFadden learned other values from

Along with the values Bunnell has learned from her mother, she also understands “right from wrong” from her two older brothers.

“I learned so much from [my brothers] of what not to be. Growing up, I was a sponge and my brothers are very troubled individuals,” Bunnell said. “I would always see what they were doing wrong and turn that into what to do right in the future for my own life.”

2

Though she has different relationships from her brothers, Bunnell’s relationship with her mother is the same as Kiran’s relationship with her parents as she is “very open” when it comes to sharing with her mom or “asking her for help.” This is what drives Kiran’s belief that “relationships are really important.”

“Every relationship that you have will teach you something inevitably, whether it's good or bad,” Kiran said. “No matter what, you should try to keep those relationships intact, because every relationship has something to [learn from].”

While Kiran is an only child, junior Jordan Kisiler has three younger siblings, which leads him to experience a different family dynamic.

“I enjoy talking to [my siblings] when they're not fighting, and it's hard to talk to them because they're always fighting. I've learned patience from them,” Kisiler said. “Because there's four of us, and it's a logistical nightmare, our schedule looks like the takeoff and landing sheet at LAX, but we do try our hardest to have dinners together.”

Though fighting may be common, Kisiler attests to how the four of them will “band together” for a common cause and notes his parents parenting styles. According to Kisiler, his parents have “provided a lot of opportunities for [him] to grow.”

“[My parents] have been a very positive example,” Kisiler said. “My parents have always emphasized that one moment won't define [me] as a person and taught

her father.

“I learned from my dad to be patient with other people. He lets me talk through everything before he adds input, and he always wants the best out of people,” McFadden said.

“It gives me a very good mix of things where I get the side from my dad that is super considerate, kind and selfless, and from my mom's side where I receive that mindset where you think about what is the best for you.”

Junior Kensington Bunnell learned the same lesson of “thinking for you” from her family. At the age of eight, Bunnell’s parents divorced, shaping her family’s dynamic.

“I'm not really that close with my dad, and so it's changed how I see people's rela-

1. Giya Kiran poses with her family. PHOTO COUR-

TESY OF GIYA KIRAN

2. Young Kensington Bunnell poses with her mother. PHOTO COURTESY OF KENSINGTON

3. The McFadden family on the beach. PHOTO COURTESY OF AUDREY MCFADDEN