High Tide: November 21, 2024

PHOTO OF BED AND OCEAN VIA FREEPIK PHOTO OF PERSON SWIMMING BY MATTHEW VITT

t a o fl a g n i y a t s Students often neglect maintaining proper nutrition and adequate sleep when balancing academic, athletic and personal commitments

features 6 Freshman Rose Callewaert's dedication to golf carries her through to CIF

opinion 11 The TikTok tradwife trend is not necessarily anti-feminist, which some might assume upon first glance

entertainment 13 "Outer Banks" has exhausted its storyline and is nearing its end www.ruhsmedia.com

@ruhshightide

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November 21, 2024 Vol. CV Edition 3 Redondo Union High School Redondo Beach, CA

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high tide

Fashionably late Homecoming interferes with cultural celebrations

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by Fi Borgese ith the late scheduling of the annual homecoming dance this year, some had to choose between attending the Wizard of Oz themed dance and celebrating Día de los Muertos.

Selecting a date with no cultural or religious conflicts proves a challenge.

Senior Hayden Martínez attended the dance on the same day as her ethnic celebration, Día de los Muertos. She feels that the scheduling of the dance left her conflicted.

“I feel like it's such a widely celebrated holiday, especially in America, so putting something like [the dance] that you don't really want to miss [on the same day as Día de los Muertos] is kind of wild,” Martínez said. “I was really disappointed that I couldn't be there to celebrate because I am the only 2. one in my family who takes the initiative to celebrate it.

When I got home from homecoming, none of the candles were lit, nothing was put out. Nothing was really done. I was really disappointed that I couldn't be there to do it.”

Martínez had theater rehearsal from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., then attended the dance at 7:00 p.m. Although she feels unhappy about her inability to celebrate on that day, she explains she doesn’t regret going to the dance because she was still able to celebrate Día de los Muertos.

“I did [celebrate] all the other days since the 27th leading up to that. I will have more years to celebrate it, and I'm only going to have four homecomings in my life,”

Martínez said. “I feel like I made the right choice, even though I felt guilty.”

Junior Sofia Hernandez, similar to Martínez, also celebrates Día de los Muertos and felt torn deciding between attending the dance and celebrating an important cultural holiday.

“If I had told my family that I wasn't going [to celebrate] and instead going to homecoming, I think they would be very disappointed in me,” Hernandez said. “A lot of people take Día de los Muertos to heart. If you don't go, you're dishonoring their memory.”

Rather t h a n being

at the dance, Hernandez spent her time at home preparing for and celebrating the holiday.

“Día de Los Muertos is a very big, important tradition in my family and I know I couldn't miss it because I have to help prepare for it, and then I have to prepare food.

So I knew I just wouldn't go [to homecoming].” Hernandez said.

Despite her initial sadness, Hernandez revealed she didn’t regret not attending homecoming. She stayed home to honor her loved ones.

“We remember a lot of my past cousins, but I really remember my abuelo,” Hernandez said. “He passed away four years ago.

He raised me when I was younger when my parents weren't around. So each year I make ofrendas [altars for the deceased] for him and celebrate his memory.”

Practicing this meaningful tradition to keep her grandfather's spirit alive, Hernandez feels other students at RUHS similarly have experienced loss and can take part in Día de los Muertos festivities.

“A lot of people think that other cultures can't celebrate Día de Los Muertos, which I think is a lie,” Hernandez said.

“Everybody has lost somebody in their lives, and everybody has the right to remember them, whether or not it's celebrating Día de los Muertos or not.”

Two chosen students participate in Student Site Council

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by Carly Jacecko ith the start of the new school year and the addition of new students, an old yet coveted opportunity is once again offered to the Sea Hawks. The Student Site Council opened two spots for students amongst all grade levels. 19 students ran, and freshman Hailey Elias and senior Enzo Lim were elected. They will be attending three meetings this school year to bring student opinion to the attention of staff, teachers and even our principal, Mr. Marvin Brown.

In the Student Site Council, Elizas and Lim can speak with staff about issues they, as representatives of the student body, feel need to be implemented into our school. Lim feels that a lot of changes can be made around the school, mostly involving student well-being and mental health.

“There’s a lot of student wellness issues we can improve with the school, like checking in with the students more often and also things with timing of schedules to make students less stressed,” Lim said.

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Elias is also involved with student welfare, and she would like to see existing programs be further developed, so students can get the most out of the time they spend in their chosen activities, programs and clubs.

“We can expand on existing programs

and see what the students need, what their interests are and the demand for it. I want to have more open opportunities for students to follow their passions and be able to go on that extra level by having the support in the programs to be stronger,” Elias said.

Elias is also thinking about school funding and using the school’s money and donations in efficient and effective ways. The School Plan for Student Achievement is one of the main focuses of the council this year, which involves student opinion and needs with schoolwide spending.

“We’re going to review the School Plan for Student Achievement, and then it’s based on what we want to use our fundings for. A student representative will come out and have a vote on what we think is useful, so it's more of a student standpoint,” Elias said.

There are many topics to cov-

er in the council meetings and since there are only three meetings a year, time is precious, according to Elias. However, Elias doesn’t feel pressured. She feels that with adults present, the meetings will be more productive, and there will be enough meetings this school year to make the council productive, yet time-permitting. She has a lot on her plate; clubs, social activities, schoolwork, and having a limited number of meetings per year makes Student Site Council manageable with her schedule.

“Overall, it’s not really necessary to have that many meetings. Since we have adults involved, we’ll be able to accomplish things faster and the meetings are going to be beneficial to discuss different topics and hear everyone's input. But if we want to work on something more specifically, we can dive deeper and spend outside time working on it,” Elias said.

There are many aspects to the Student Site Council, and one that stood out to Lim is being able to work alongside staff and Principal Brown at the meetings. Elias and Lim will be able to collaborate with him to bring student issues to his attention.

“What catches my interest is being able to talk with the superintendent and Principal Brown, and seeing how they speak. I want to learn how they use their words to get points across and I also want to see how the school runs things,” Lim said. “I just want to understand how the school works and also add my own thing to it."

1. Yellow brick road.

PHOTO VIA CLEANPNG 2. Students have fun during homecoming.

PHOTO BY ROBERT PACKARD 3. Freshman Hailey Elias.

PHOTO BY CARLY JACECKO

staff editors-in-chief Scarlett Mische Marley Van Pelt Stavyah Naveen Cristina Couch digital director Ethan Chi news editors Leyla Evenson Payton Rothluebbers features editors Daniella Gross Ava Anzivino opinion editors Claudia Turner Priya Ramcharan entertainment editors Isabella Kohler Meara Fay sports editors Celeste Ernau-Vargas Jayla Dorbor writing & copy editors Kat Otey Deeksha Prasad Delilah Aguilar online editors Lauren Choy Rena Felde Valentina Masoni Deeksha Prasad Amina Raïss Sam Schwartz Marlena Lipan Kate Brucia Katarina Sapina Aaliyah Roberson advisor Kerri Eastham staff writers Sanaya Bhatt Aashka Bhuptani Fi Borgese Blaze Braff Ziva Chabot Kaitlyn Chang Evie Comeaux Bella Engleman Ellie Gasparovic Safi Hamilton-Torres Stella Harper Carly Jacecko Kate Lanzdorf Allison Lee Kayli Mai Hayden McMahon Emery Min Isabella Nguyen Ashley Peterson Melissa Pilato Sophie Rebbeck Khloee Tange Francisco Villegas Matthew Vitt Samantha Kim photographers Mia Cielak Lorelai Land Haylee Lawrence Kathan Mallya Talia Pattishall Evan Teal

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high tide nov. 21, 2024

Lots of laughs

ComedySportz hosted their Thanksgiving themed match

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by Ellie Gasparovic s sports seasons come to a close, it’s just getting started for members of the ComedySportz program. On Nov. 8, the program held its first event of the school year. ComedySportz events are improv-based shows that incorporate the audience to make an engaging experience. In these events, actors must think on their feet to quickly come up with comedic ways to react to prompts, which are often chosen by the audience.

This most recent match was a homevs-home game where teams were defined as red and blue. While Team Red took the lead by intermission, Team Blue ended up winning in the end by a small margin. One of Blue team’s members, sophomore Ella Klug, spoke triumphantly while describing the outcome of the match. She briefly described the game Town Hall, where actors must hide in the audience and “popup” out of the crowd to argue a topic while playing their chosen role.

“It’s really fun to make and act out different characters,” Klug said. “Everything you see is made up right on the spot, so you can say whatever comes to mind."

Klug is a board member of the program, contributing to planning dates and

“themes,” posting match dates on social media and practicing prompts.

“There’s a lot that goes into planning an event. When do we want the match to be?

Who are we gonna play? Are we going to play ourselves? Do we want to do a fundraiser?” Klug said.

She explains that while it takes time on the part of the board and other members, she loves the energy of the group and has formed close bonds with its members.

“ComedySportz is open to everyone.

You walk in, and you're already one of us.

It’s a really deep sense of friendship and family,” Klug said.

Many of these friendships have been formed through team-building events she plans for the group. With a sport as collaborative as ComedySportz, these events help to maintain a friendly environment for everyone involved, Klug explained.

“In past years, we’ve done a lot of potlucks and scavenger hunts, and this year we’re planning on doing a Mission Impossible themed scavenger hunt. Since a lot of people have gotten to know each other, it’s a great way to bond and make memories with one another,” Klug said.

One person who attended these bonding

events was Cassidy Elliston, a freshman who’s new to the program but has been aspiring to join since sixth grade.

“It was one of the big appeals of starting this school for me. I’ve always thought that it was very interesting and funny, and I find joy in making people laugh and making people smile,” Elliston said.

She enjoyed many of the games played at the event, including Radio, Slide-Show, and Dr. KnowIt-All, one of her favorites.

“All the players have to pretend to have the same brain as the others, so they create a sentence, each saying one word at a time.

Sometimes it makes sense and sometimes it doesn’t, but that’s the fun part.”

Elliston acknowledged several of the board members and their commitment to the program, and commented on the liveliness of the group as a whole and their passion for their performance. Both Klug and Elliston emphasized how welcoming and friendly the program is to new members and urged students to step out of their comfort zones and try it out.

“I love the ComedySportz community.

They take pride in what they do; they’re not just doing it to do it, they’re doing it because they love it,” Elliston said. “Anyone who is willing to put themselves out there, be funny and be laughed at should definitely consider auditioning next year for ComedySportz.”

Klug echoes Elliston’s sentiments and also mentions that though it may seem daunting, there are many experienced members ready to lead the way.

“A lot of people have told me they’re

afraid of joining ComedySportz because they’re not good at acting or thinking on their feet—don’t worry about that because that’s what we’re here to teach you,” Klug said.

Klug also added that skills learned in improv-based activities like ComedySportz can help with class discussions or assignments where you’re stuck in the spotlight.

“If you’ve ever had to present in French or Spanish class, or anything where you had to debate like an AP class, improv can be a really important skill to have.”

Many ComedySportz students express how much they enjoyed the event and their excitement for what’s to come. Elliston described her feelings towards the program.

“It truly is an amazing program,” Elliston said. “I’ve only been in it for a month and a half ,and I have already met so many people I have created close bonds with. I think everyone should come to a ComedySportz match.”

1. Left to right: senior Elli Baluyut, junior Elizabeth Sluk, senior Kiera Miller 2. Left to right: junior Kevin Leedy, junior Jessica Bell, senior Zara Schwar, sophomore Kai Botovsky PHOTO COURTESY OF COMEDYSPORTZ

Around Redondo

Sudents discuss the effect of sleep on their lives

by Bella Engleman

“I’d say that on average for weekdays, I get around six hours [of sleep], and on weekends, I get around twelve hours. For school, I have to wake up for zero period, and I feel much more tired because of it. On weekends, I feel fine—it’s my way of catching up.”

-Ian McClain, 9

“I get six hours of sleep because I’m up really late doing homework for all of my classes, and I have to get up early to go to school everyday. It makes me have a lot less energy throughout the day, and maybe not the happiest person I would be if I got a full 12 hours.”

-Emma Dzindzio, 10

“During the weekdays, I get six to seven hours of sleep per night because I’m pretty busy during the week with homework and other activities I have. During the weekend, I try to sleep more, usually 9 or sometimes even 12 hours because it gets me in a better mood and gives me more energy to have fun during the day. If I get six or around there, I do feel more tired, and it’s hard to be excited or happy when things happen.

On the weekends I notice I’m in a much better mood.”

“I’d say about seven and a half. I mean, I’m pretty sure teens who are still developing are supposed to get around eight hours, so not that bad. Without sleep I’m so much less motivated to come to school. And I, overall, have a less bad time in school when I get more sleep.”

-Marissa Mayeda, 12

-Giulio Buttari, 11 PHOTOS BY EVAN TEAL

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features

Powerful POINTILISM

Freshman Violet Loubert dedicates herself to an artform called pointilism

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by Aashka Bhuptani t first glance, each individual dot may just be a dot, but by looking at it from a new perspective, the dots align to form this breathtaking image, revealing the elaborate shape of an octopus. Freshman Violet Loubert, who was awarded “Most Imaginative” at her local art studio, believes that creativity is important to many artists, including herself. Every week, Loubert dedicates time at the studio, working on her projects. Most recently, Loubert completed a piece with an octopus using a method known as pointillism. This technique uses small, distinct dots to make patterns that eventually form an image.

“I really liked the way it was detailed, there were so many parts of the octopus that I could

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draw and stipple. The octopus stood out to me because it was unique. Instead of something basic like a cat or a dog, I chose the octopus because it was different,” Loubert

To some people, this piece might be a regular octopus, but to Loubert it was so much more. It was months of effort, and although there were times where she wanted to give up, the familiar feeling of accomplishment when she finally finished was worth it.

“I try to stay persistent, because a lot of times, art can be difficult and challenging.

There’s ups and downs of trying to get all the proportions right, and for pointillism, I’m doing 1000 dots at a time.

But in the end, it’s such a reward because you get to see the masterpiece you created,” Loubert said.

Loubert believes that pointillism is a type of art style that requires a lot of dedication. It’s a style that she only started a few months ago 2 while experimenting with new forms of art and she admits that she is still getting used to this technique and the rigor it takes.

“Pointillism requires a lot of patience.

There’s so many dots and at times I need to take several breaks and just draw something else, because it gets to a point where I can’t move my wrist,” Loubert said.

Pointillism is something very special to Loubert, and she has a strong belief that

everyone has their own style that they can find. Loubert finds art a way to demonstrate her true feelings, and one of her favorite things about being an artist is being able to convey whatever emotions she has through her art.

“Everyone has their own art style, and everybody’s art can be unique to them. Everybody has their own way of drawing stuff and that’s what makes art so unique,” Loubert said. “I love drawing because when I’m anxious or stressed out, I use art to get everything I’m feeling onto paper.”

While Loubert expresses herself through pointillism on a canvas , she has also taken part in art onstage, joining the RUHS theatere department since drama has been a huge part of her life since she first started when she was seven. She was recently in the “Matilda: The Musical” production, and Loubert reveals how much she loved being a part of such an amazing show.

“I really love theatere, and it’s something that’s really close to me. I feel like pointillism ties into theater so much, because they’re both types of art. I’ve done art for a really long time and it’s very important to me because it’s a way to express myself,” Loubert said.

Loubert has been committed to her art since middle school: from theatere to spending every Friday night at Alyce’s Art Studio. Freshman Coco Yamane, another artist at the studio who works with Loubert, describes her art as soothing.

“When I look at her art, I feel almost calm and at ease. It gives me a really stable feeling, like I’m in the right place,” Yamane said.

Yamane has been a part of Alyce’s Art Studio since 2017, when she was only seven years old. She appreciates Loubert’s friendship in and out of the studio, illustrating Loubert as an amazing friend and an incredibly talented individual.

“I’ve known Violet since seventh grade, and we’ve been pretty good friends. We hang out during lunch and snack together.

I see her a lot at art class and the different art events at Alyce's.”

Loubert’s art teacher, Mr. [first name] Matthew, finds that the most impressive thing about Loubert is her work ethic and her ability to be creative and make bold decisions in her art. He teaches all types of art styles, and finds that everyone has their own ways to implement their imagination in their art. Loubert worked on the octopus piece independently and finished it within a few months, but before that, she completed a few other artworks that really demonstrated her ability as an artist.

“Her schedule changed, she took the artwork home, then months later she brought it back and it was finished. It's just very impressive, the amount of teacher instruction on my part was pretty minimal,” Matthew said. “Her foundational skills are strong, and she has enough self discipline to be able to finish her art without any external factors.”

Loubert has always had a deep connection with art even before she started pointillism at Alyce’s Art Studio, and she continues to experiment with different styles to find which one is right for her.

“I love doing art, it’s a really big hobby for me. I like how art is so creative, and there’s so many things you can do,” Loubert said. “You don’t have a limit to the things you can do, because art is incredibly imaginative. It depends on your imagination.”

1. An up close look at Loubert's octopus piece.

2. Loubert poses with her octopus piece at an art gallery.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VIOLET LOUBERT 3. Good mid-air during a backflip.

4. Good launches himself off the ground for a backflip.

PHOTOS BY TALIA PATTISHALL

Senior Clark Good overcomes injury and becomes a parkour instructor

by Stella Harper

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s seen doing backflips for dollar bills around campus, senior Clark Good is passionate about parkour and spends hours every week training.

Good was first introduced to parkour when he was seven and has continued to expand his skills as he teaches parkour to children.

“It’s fun seeing the kids when they start off and are in level one. Then a month or two months later they go to level two, and then start to practice with some of the higher level kids,” Good said.

When Good was young he went to a few summer camps and learned the basics of parkour. After going to these camps, it inspired him to join a parkour gym and carry our parkour on his own time.

However, a couple of years later when Covid-19 surfaced, the gym that he went to closed, along with a gym called Tempest, which was also known for its parkour.

“I joined the competition team, right after Covid. I wanted to find some place to do parkour,” Good said.

Good’s journey joining parkour was not a typical one and involved a lot of luck.

“I went [to the Galleria Parkour Center] with all my friends, and I was messing around doing tricks and everything, when one of the coaches there told me that I was really good and should

join their competition. So I went that same day, and I didn’t even have to try out,” Good said.

Following his first competition, Good has gone on to win second and third place medals for competitions. He has participated in a regional competition called the West Coast Parkour Championship including the entire West Coast; California, Oregon and Washington. In addition, Good took part in the East Coast Parkour Championship and reached the qualifiers, earning a wristband with his podium finish as a momento to his high placement.

“It was the first freestyle [compe3 tition] that I qualified for in the 13 to 17 age division.” Good said.

Being in qualifiers meant a lot to Good. To this day, he carries the memento around in his phone case, reminding him of his accomplishments.

“I’ve had this [wristband] for two years,” Good said.

Nonetheless his parkour skills were not made without some trial and error. While Good was at Venice Beach with one of his coaches, they decided to do a duo line, where you both do the same trick simultaneously while being filmed.

“I was trying to jump over [a railing] onto some grass, but I was [also] going to do a front handspring over it, so you put your hands on the thing, and your whole body flips over. But instead of landing on

my feet, I landed [too far forward] and fell on my shoulder, tearing my AC ligament,” Good said.

After the injury, instead of finishing the parkour season, which is during the summer, he had to sit out the last

“

He’s a really good teacher because most kids of that age are visual learners, so he can demonstrate very well and keep them on task.

LUCA RICHARDSON SENIOR

month. However, he didn’t end up missing much except for one competition. However, he didn’t let this obstacle stop him from doing Parkour.

“It was an opportunity to train on my left side, so I got more efficient,” Good said.

Despite that injury and other minor ones, Good has gotten some of his friends, such as senior Luca Richardson, into Parkour.

“Since I’ve met Clark, I’ve been doing Parkour-related stuff. I remember freshman year, he’d make me record videos of him jumping off of his roof and doing flips,” Richardson said.

From that day on, not only did they become best friends, but they also 4 turned out to be colleagues too.

Richarson also got a job working at the Galleria Parkour Centre. The few times Richardson taught alongside Good, he noticed how patient and kind he was.

“He’s very personable, especially with kids. I think he’s probably better with kids than he is with [adults]. But he’s a really good teacher because most kids of that age are visual learners, so he can demonstrate very well and keep them on task,” Richardson said.

When Good teaches his students now, he makes sure they are enjoying their time while also teaching them skills that will help them if they ever decide to take up parkour full time like he has. Ever since learning parkour for the first time his journey with parkour has come full circle.

“I remember learning the [butterfly] kick from vault PK back when I was doing summer camps there when I was eightyears-old," Good said. "So it’s always been special to me.”

features 5

high tide nov. 21, 2024

Lifeguarding Legend

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by Maria Gaggiano

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ooking out into the ocean, a blend of sea and sky, warm rays hitting his back, junior Mateo Figueroa spent his summer days as a cadet helping younger junior lifeguards complete their training. Chosen over more than 60 candidates, Figueroa was nominated for and won Junior Lifeguard of the Year for LA County and California. Currently, he is being nominated for a similar award at the national level, as a Junior Lifeguard for the United States. Figueroa is mindful of the importance of being recognized in achieving such awards.

“At a time where life opportunities can be very competitive, it’s a way to distin-

Junior Mateo Figueroa is named 2024 Junior Lifeguard of the Year guish myself. There’s only one Junior Lifeguard of California this year, and it’s me.

On top of that, it sets me up on a career path where if this is something I want to pursue in the future, it can open doors for me,” Figueroa said.

Starting his journey as a Junior Lifeguard at nine years old, Mateo Figueroa explains that he joined Junior Lifeguarding because of his love for helping the community, working in group environments, and of course, the beach. After eight years in the program, Figueroa has developed many abilities that can serve him in the future and on a day to day basis.

“There’s practical things like being

punctual and showing up on time, taking care of everything that needs to get done.

But I’ve also taken in communication skills with public speaking, I’ve learned how to become committed to what I want to do in the future,” Figueroa said.

For Mateo Figueroa, being a Junior Lifeguard was never a chore he felt obligated to complete. According to his mom, Diana Figueroa, the beginning of his Junior Lifeguard journey as a choice he made entirely on his own.

“He really made the choice himself, we told him it was available and then he decided that he wanted to get in shape and strengthen his swimming. He made the cut

and he loved it, he’s done it every year that he’s been able to. You can tell it’s a passion, not just something he’s doing for any other reason,” Diana Figueroa said.

Having been witness to her son’s progression as a Junior Lifeguard, Diana Figueroa sees him as not just a great candidate, but a deserving recipient to these awards after watching him put so much effort and devotion for lifeguarding.

"When you truly enjoy something the way Mateo has loved lifeguarding, it becomes easier to put in more work, and I’ve seen him genuinely work really hard,” Diana Figueroa said.

Diana Figueroa says that lifeguarding could potentially be a future career for him.

“If he uses these awards and recognitions to the best of his ability, it could help him get really far. I know it’s what he wants to do as a summer job, but I always think you should do something you love and he seems to really love it. I see it as something he might choose to do past just a summer job and maybe as his occupation,” Diana Figueroa said.

The awards are based on the core principles of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, these include integrity, teamwork, courage, care, commitment and community. Figueroa advises others who aspire to win the award in the next years to focus on serving the community before anything else and taking the training seriously so that one is able to execute the athletic standards necessary.

“I find it really important to be a good listener, maybe the most important thing.

Listen to instructions and what people tell you, learn how to respectfully communicate with others," Figueroa said. "At the end of the day, it’s all about working with other people in order to do your duty to help the community be its best.”

1. Figueroa takes the stage to receive his Junior Lifeguard of the Year certificate.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MATEO FIGUEROA 2. Ms. Ursani is attentive to her student's math inquiries.

PHOTO BY AVA ANZIVINO

RUHS alumni Simrun Ursani returns to campus as a first year math teacher

by Kaitlyn Chang

S

imrun Ursani now walks the same campus she remembers from when she was a student. But, now as she observes the school around her, it is through the angle of a teacher. Ursani graduated from Redondo in 2016, and returned this year as a math teacher for Geometry and Algebra 2.

“It’s really exciting,” Ursani said. “It's a very unique feeling to be back at the school.

But I do really love it, and it’s been really fun working with students.”

In school, Ursani loved science and math, with her favorite class being chemistry. Ursani expresses her love for her current job teaching Geometry and Algebra 2, but the subjects she loved in high school gave her aspirations for a different profession than teaching.

“I do love to teach here because that’s why I accepted the position. But I wasn’t sure I was going to land here [...]

I didn’t initially want to go into teaching. I went towards the medical field, and then I taught in college and that’s kind of what changed my mind about teaching,” Ursani said.

In college, Ursani was a TA (teacher’s assistant) and would help students with anatomy and physiology. Ursani describes assisting students, leading to their “light-bulb moment,” which was special not only for students, but for her as well.

“The thing that changed my mind is that I loved being in the classroom,” Ursani said. “I felt like I was doing something to help people un-

derstand and get their degrees and help them understand the material better. It gave them a sense of confidence that they could do it on their own.”

Ursani is passionate about math because of the way it gets her mind thinking, and she is hoping her passion will spread to her students and inspire them as well.

“It’s not necessarily their perspective that I want to change. I want them to be able to find some joy in the problem solving that goes with it because I think a lot of people in general see a problem or that problem solving in math, and you see a complex problem and they don’t want to attempt it,” Ursani said. “I want to give them the confidence to at least try to attempt it.”

Back at Redondo, Ursani gets to see many familiar things like the campus and people. In particular, she got the opportunity to reconnect with her former English teacher, 10th grade English teacher and Journalism Advisor, Kerri Eastham.

“I still use Facebook, and it’s perfect because [...] I got to keep in touch with her over the years. I really enjoy seeing what my students do after they leave the classroom. All of my students. It’s fun to see where they landed,” Eastham said. “And then I knew she [Ursani] was going to interview here.

She let me

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know the interview was coming up, so I was able to encourage her before that.”

She didn’t know what to expect, but Ursani was very interested in applying for the school. With her already having been here at Redondo Union, it made her feel more at home and gave her a little more comfort.

“I was definitely like the new kid on the block kind of thing. But it was also really nice because I knew where everything was, so I didn’t feel as lost,” Ursani said. “I think it’s really cool to teach in the same neighborhood and community that you grew up in, so you give back to your community that way. I love the campus, and I love all the staff. Everyone’s been really welcoming.”

When thinking about classrooms where she once went to for classes like Journalism and ASB, vivid memories come back to her from those classes and the people that surrounded her.

“It felt like a family which was really cool, and I hope it still feels that way for students. But those were two families and two places that I could go at any point during the day, whether it was before school or snack or lunch after school,” Ursani said.

Eastham knows Ursani well, especially with their growing relationship through the years. Having knowledge of her former student, Eastham expresses her eagerness to Ursani joining the Sea Hawk staff this year.

“I’m so proud of her, and it’s not difficult at all to see her as a teacher. She was always nurturing and conscientious and smart, so I think all of those characteristics are going to make her a really fantastic teacher,” Eastham said. “I think she could have gone and done a lot of other things, and I think education is lucky that she picked teaching.”

Ursani continues building her relationship at RUHS with Eastham, her now colleague at work. In her first year as a teacher for Redondo, she particularly works on building her bond with her new students as well.

“I think that will always be my

favorite part about teaching, just being able to get to know all the students,” Ursani said. “I don’t see all of their personalities, but if I get to know them on a more personal level or know a little bit more on what they like to do outside of math class, it's really cool to see when and where they shine outside of school as well.”

Ursani has a definite appreciation for the Redondo community and staff on campus. But, the influence of her own teachers is what she traces back to when looking at what shaped her approach to education and teaching her students.

“My favorite part about my teachers in school was those relationships that I could build and seeing that they truly cared was probably the biggest thing. When I noticed that a teacher really cared about what I did in class or about me as a person, [that] was the subject I really wanted to try in and do well in,” Ursani said. “I know that their feedback in whatever they do impacts me, and for them to show that they care, or to show that caring nature really helps students [...] and that’s what I want to bring to my students too.”

Eastham is described as Ursani’s “mentor,” and Ursani describes how she not only got guidance as a student from Eastham, but also now as she goes through teaching.

As Ursani guides her students through the 2024 school year, she is hopeful they will leave her classroom with these tokens of advice, and apply these things to themselves.

“One thing is, I have it [on a poster] in my room, it says be nice to people. I think that’s probably the most generic statement ever, but it has the most impact. The other thing that I want them [her students] to take away is that they can do things that they don’t think they can,” Ursani said.

“Math is one of those subjects that students aren’t always super confident in, and so working with students in that way, and proving to them they can do it and that I believe in them is something that I want them to take away, as well.”

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Rose at a varsity competition. 1 &3. PHOTOS BY MIA CIELAK 2. PHOTO BY TALIA PATTISHALL

by Sophie Rebbeck

Golf ball and golf flag in title IMAGES VIA FREEPIK

Freshman Rose Callewaert's dedication to golf carries her through to CIF

S

tepping up to the tee, freshman Rose Callewaert takes a deep breath and lines up her shot. The air is silent around her as she draws back her club and swings with a well-practiced motion. The ball soars through the air, landing perfectly on target—something that has become all too familiar for the varsity golfer, who received the prestigious Ocean League Player of the Year award.

“I’ve been putting in a lot of hard work outside of school [towards golf], so this is something I do all the time,” Callewaert said. “So this is just a nice outcome of what I’ve been working on.”

1 Having only started playing golf just over three years ago, Callewaert has already made a name for herself in the high school golf world, claiming multiple championship successes within and beyond the school arena. Two of her most recent accomplishments include winning the Ocean League Player of the Year and moving her team into the first rounds of the CIF playoffs.

“I started playing golf during COVID because of my mom. She learned to play when she came out 2 to California with me as a baby. So when quarantine started, it was the only thing I could really do. I don’t really remember thinking that much of it.” Callewaert said.

Callewaert’s coach, Gregory Erskine, has been confident in her from the start, trusting her potential to perform well in all competitions. He remains optimistic about her focus and calm demeanor, feeling it makes her a powerful competitor under

pressure, especially moving forward in CIF competition.

“I wasn’t surprised at all when I found out she won the award [Ocean League Player of the Year]. I was 100 percent certain in her ability to win it, and I’m sure she is go-

plined approach includes fueling her body correctly, practicing regularly and prioritizing rest, especially before a competition.

“You have to get a lot of sleep. I struggled with that in my last game, which wasn’t the best decision,” Callewaert said. “And stay-

3 ing to do well in CIF,” Erskine said. “Rose is one of the most focused and level-headed people I’ve ever met, especially on the field.

She never gets too high or low. If something bad happens, she doesn’t let it bother her.

If something good happens, she accepts it and continues playing.”

Callewaert credits her steady mindset to her preparation and routine. Her disci-

ing mentally prepared is important too, like reminding yourself that bad shots can happen and you just have to move on when they do.”

Callewaert and the girls' varsity golf team played well in their first round of CIF, with Callewaert placing high in the rankings - an impressive third. Coach Erskine is happy about her outstanding performance

and ready for the girls to face tougher competition moving forward.

“The next round of CIF that we play will be a lot more competitive than round one,” Erskine said. “I’m not sure how Rose will do, given the high stakes, because with golf if you have a slightly off day, it can mean the end. But anything can happen, and I know that Rose is talented enough to place very high in the next few rounds.”

Currently, Erskine is focused on keeping Callewaert motivated on the long path to success.

“Rose and I have a sort of bet, where if she places high in a game I have to buy her Starbucks. If she places in this next tournament I’ll buy her a venti chai iced latte with no ice. It’s another way to keep her wanting to win and enjoy playing and competing,” Erskine said. “Especially since I see her winning some sort of trophy at the state level in a few years. She’ll be up there with the top girls in the state in no time. She’s going to be really good.”

Callewaert is determined to excel at the CIF competition, with aspirations of advancing to the state level. Her ambitions also extend well beyond high school. Though a freshman, she dreams of playing in college and is already eyeing top universities that she hopes will be able to carry her all the way to the professional level.

“I want to play in college and professionally. It’s definitely a long-term goal of mine. I’m looking into schools like Princeton and Stanford, but anything’s possible right now,” Callewaert said. “Right now I’m focused on CIF, but I’m really excited for the future.”

Tyler Wen hopes to bridge generations with his Senior Resident Support Club

by Emery Min

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hortly before the end of his summer, junior Tyler Wen received a piece of devastating news—his grandfather had a stroke. What followed was a painful process amplified by the barriers between them. Yet it was that experience that pushed him to create the Senior Resident Support Club in an effort to help foster inter-generational connections.

“I was super worried about [my grandfather], and [the stroke] made me realize that I don’t spend enough time with my grandparents, mainly because they live too far away or because of the language barrier [as their native language is Mandarin], so I want to be more active in their lives,” Wen said. “It’s a bit too late for me to do so for my own grandparents, but it’s not too late for me to go help other peoples’ grandparents or help other elderly in our community.”

Although his grandfather’s stroke played a large part in motivating Wen to make the club, he’s always appreciated the efforts his grandparents put into building his family and the sacrifices they’ve made. Wen’s grandparents immigrated from Taiwan when his dad was 15, hoping to give their son more opportunities and a better life in the United States, which is the reason why Wen is where he is now.

“They had to quit their jobs as bank consultants to become convenience store workers, just so they could make a living to support my parents,” Wen said. “So the sacrifices they’ve made and the work that they’ve put into my family, I would like to return that back, even though I can’t right now to my own grandparents. I’d like to give

it back to the elderly in my community to make a difference.”

Wen is the president and founder for the Senior Resident Support Club, where he leads event planning and works with the club board to manage logistics so that members can easily access volunteering opportunities. However, the process isn’t always as smooth as he often makes it look.

“Initially, I had a lot of issues contacting senior centers. A lot of senior centers either don’t have a phone number, or their voicemail has not been checked since 2014.

I’m still struggling with that right now, but I’ve had contact with one senior center in particular,” Wen said.

Fellow junior Megan Kim, the club’s vice president, also has an interest in helping seniors and contributes using her own unique skill set. She takes on most of the creative work, helping to

1

balance the workload that Wen faces. Kim shared that joining the club and helping to run it is a way for her to connect with the seniors in her community and gain useful perspective.

“I joined the club not only to support the president, but I also wanted to make an impact on the community and help more people. I didn’t really grow up with any [grandparent figures] so I want to try to see if there’s anything I can learn from them, like life experience, what they’ve been through, what they know,” Kim said.

So far, the club members have made greeting letters to introduce themselves to the seniors and plan to hold events at the senior center in the future. Wen emphasized his desire to build personal connections between members and seniors, establishing that the club isn’t just a way to rack up volunteer hours, but for those genuinely interested and invested in helping the elderly.

“I wanted it to be more personalized, with everyone known within our club, so we’re not [seen as] random helpers that decided to come for the volunteer hours,” Wen said. “We plan on taking trips as a club to these community centers and setting up individual hours for people to come in their free time to help volunteer.”

Kim expressed a similar sentiment on the importance of bonding and real relationships. She hopes the club will have a positive impact and that the volunteering will benefit both members and seniors.

“We’ll be volunteering and showing [the seniors] that there are people out here that still care for them. As for our members, I hope that they’ll be able to build

connections and learn things as well,” Kim said.

Kim also admires all the work Wen has put into his cause and the driving forces behind his actions, helping those in his community and extending the opportunity to those who may feel similarly.

“I think [Wen] has a great character. He has good morals, and he’s helping out these seniors, and he realizes that he can spend more time with people who are wiser and have more knowledge than us,” Kim said.

In the future, Wen hopes to broaden his influence and carry on the Senior Resident Support Club even after he graduates, transforming it into a long term project. By reaching more centers and interested students, Wen aims to be able to create a lasting impact—both aiding seniors and fostering empathy in the younger generations for years to come.

“Eventually, I would like to bring this with me to college, so I could have [access to] more people and more resources.

I could expand this club’s influence, help more people, help more families and just promote the idea that time [we spend with the elderly] is really limited,” Wen said.

“It’s really important to help out in every way we can, because they’re not always going to be here, and their stories will be lost if we don’t cherish them.”

For now, Wen is content with the things he’s accomplished and excited for future action. Wen, Kim and the rest of the club plan to continue their work and contribute to their community. It’s their way of paying tribute to those who came before them.

“It’s a lot of work, obviously, but when it’s successful, and everything gets going, it feels really rewarding,” Wen said. “And I’m glad that we’re actually able to make a difference in so many people’s lives. It’s kind of stressful, but I’m glad I’m doing this.”

Tyler Wen and Megan Huynh writing personalized letters for a senior home PHOTO BY DANIELLA GROSS

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Tackling the finish line

Takasue completes the Sacramento Ironman Triathlon

by Melissa Pilato

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nding up in the ER, let alone experiencing a condition fatal to some, wasn't AP Literature and Ethnic Studies teacher Kitaro Takesue’s ideal ending to completing a triathlon.

After racing the 140.6 mile Sacramento Ironman Triathlon, as a result of exercising for 11 hours and 25 minutes straight, Takesue developed a minor case of rhabdomyolysis: a condition where muscle tissue breaks down and enters the bloodstream, resulting in blood entering the kidneys and, in some cases, causing fatal damage, according to Cleveland Clinic.

“If there's too much [blood] there's a possibility of kidney failure. My CK [creatine kinase, an enzyme released in the blood in response to muscle damage] level wasn't that bad. It was on the lower end, at 5,000. It was still bad though, and the ER doctor was like, ‘That’s not good.’ To hear that from a doctor is concerning,” Takesue said. “Going to the ER 2. definitely took away from my satisfaction of running this. I still have to go to a cardiologist to double check that everything is okay.”

As an athlete, especially after facing this condition, Takesue strives to be open about all the dark sides to racing—not just the picture-perfect ones.

“That's what I told everybody because I didn't want to be like the social media highlights: These are all great things. I earned a medal and got to be on TV. I was like, ‘No, actually, I had to go to the ER, and we were all very worried. I

thought, 'Am I gonna die like this?’” Takesue said.

Growing up, Takesue never felt that he had the physique to be an athlete. When he discovered endurance sports during college, he realized he was just as athletically gifted as the basketball and football jocks that had always inspired him. For Takesue, racing in the Ironman Triathlon was less about the distance itself, and more about proving to himself that he could do it. Preparing for the triathlon ultimately required a lot of intensive training in the months prior, as well as resting the week of the race, so as to not overexert his muscles.

“I've been wanting to do this for 20 years,” Takesue said.

“I started dedicating myself to it pretty seriously a couple years ago. So I started off with distance racing, just to see what it was like. One thing led to another, and five or six races later, here I am.”

Recently turning 40-years-old, training for months for the Ironman and racing puts strain on Takesue’s physical health. Despite this, Takesue plans to enter many more races in the future.

“Leading up to this, I think my biggest training sessions were in the summertime,” Takesue said. “On weekends, I would do a six hour bike ride and then run an hour, or swim for an hour and a half in the morning and then run in the afternoon. So it's weeks and weeks of that.”

Takesue’s biggest concern on race day

was getting enough nutrients in with his meal plan, and more importantly, using the bathroom that morning–-a common struggle amongst runners.

Although he started the triathlon around 6:40 a.m., he was up far earlier than that getting in the food and energy his body needed, which is the “fourth discipline in triathlon.”

“You wake up super early and start consuming caffeine and things like that to get the body working on your support system.

[Each portion of the triathlon] has got a lot of gear, and you’ve got to set up all the bags and things for meals. You have to figure out what your plan is in advance, which can be stressful,” Takesue said.

Upon beginning the race, Takesue enjoyed the swimming portion the most since he is most confident in his swimming skills, finishing the 2.4 mile course in a little over 50 minutes.

“The water was really clear,” Takesue said. “I loved it. It was very beautiful. I was just enjoying being in the river, swimming under bridges and watching the sunrise. It was a lot of fun. I've been working on my stroke, too, so I got to show that off.”

In contrast, Takesue had the most trouble during the biking portion as a result of intense headwinds. He completed the 112 mile bike ride in the early afternoon in six hours and 19 minutes.

“I'm a pretty talented swimmer, but I'm unfortunately a below average biker. So, I just spent six hours with old ladies passing me, which was a little sad but also funny,” Takesue said.

While he normally obsesses over his times, Takesue chose to keep his watch off until he started running and, instead, decided to “go off pure vibes.” During challenging moments, this pushed him to con-

1.

tinue moving forward, along with thoughts of all the work he had put in to come this far in his career.

“I [was] kind of struggling the whole time. I thought about how much I put into getting there, whether that was breaking my collarbone in a race last year, or how my whole family was there waiting for me.

I knew that I could do it for myself,” Takesue said.

Takesue went on to complete the 26.2 mile marathon in four hours, beating his goal of finishing in 12 hours. Having completed this milestone, in spite of facing a life-threatening injury, Takesue continues to view racing as a great opportunity to bring people from different places, cultures and backgrounds together.

“There's people who are on the bus to talk to on the way, even freshmen in college. I had a great conversation with this college student on the way there. It's really cool that people from all sorts of countries and backgrounds come to these events,” Takesue said. “There's a lot of people who said that was their first race and I thought, ‘You're crazy for that.’”

As Takesue’s athletic career continues to broaden, he feels that there’s no time but the present to continue training and meeting new people.

“Now there’s just this kind of compulsion to keep going,” Takesue said. “I think racing is very exhilarating. I could do it all day long, every day, 12 hours a day.”

Santino Giovanneti pursues his love for cooking through his work at Primo Italia

by Rowan DeVore

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edicating his time to helping his parents with their family-owned restaurant, a place he's been surrounded by his entire life, sophomore Santino Giovannetti began working at Primo Italia in March 2024. Through constant exposure to the business, his interest in the restaurant industry grew. Helping cook after football practice, Giovannetti's days have become busy as he works with different people and gains experience that will help him in the future.

Giovannetti’s love for the restaurant industry started at a young age, being practically raised in his father's business, and wanting to join since he was little. He would watch his older brother help out their parents and embrace the work culture. However, once Giovannetti reached the legal age to be able to cook in a restaurant, he immediately joined the business, his first task being to cook pizza for those dining.

“I have an older brother, we're five and a half years apart, he went to Redondo, and he started working freshman year as well.

He was an expo, which is taking the food out. I was too young to work, I just remember the stages that he went through, and the plan was always for me to work there.

But when I was ten or eleven I started to cook more, like I always loved barbecuing.

My dad and my mom were like, ‘Oh, you should learn how to make pizzas.’ And that was something I was really interested in that I would love to either do for a living or get really good at,” Santino Giovannetti said.

The love Giovannetti has for the restaurant business is a result of being surrounded by a family and a community that connected through their love of cooking. This exposure to new people made him learn more about collaborating in the restaurant

environment. Learning how to collaborate with others in the kitchen, Giovannetti alludes to his future in the restaurant business. The whole staff has built a connection through small acts which allow them to work with ease in a busy environment.

Getting to work with people from diverse backgrounds, Giovannetti admires the staff's hard-working qualities.

“Our whole kitchen staff is from a small town in Mexico. Most of them don't fully speak English, so I've learned a lot of Spanish.

There's a lot of communication we have to know. So anytime you go behind someone, you say, entras, because you don't want to mess anything up. It's an interesting experience, because I'm learning so much from them, but they're also learning a lot from me,” Santino Giovannetti said.

Reflecting on the unique dynamics within their kitchen, Santino Giovannetti highlights the cultural exchange that takes place every day. With a staff from a small town in Mexico, he has not only picked up a lot of Spanish but has also adapted to the customs of kitchen communication to ensure smooth operations. This daily collaboration allows a mutual exchange of skills and stories, helping both sides.

“Our chef Santi, we've talked so much about his backstory and how he came to be a chef. It's really cool to see the different backgrounds that they've come from and also how appreciative they are that they're able to work every day, and that's what I've realized. The work ethic from our whole staff at Primo is unbelievable, and that's what I've admired and tried to learn from

them,” Santino Giovannetti said.

His father, Lou Giovannetti, reflects on how amazing his workers are and how far the business has come, by working hard to make this dream a reality. Thinking about his favorite moment from his restaurant so far, Lou Giovannetti reflects on how Primo

3.

Italia helped people in need during COVID. “During COVID, you know, it was hard for everybody, and now that COVID is over, I'm very proud of community and the neighborhood that we've built because a lot of people, we helped a lot of people during COVID by feeding them, hospitals, police forces, different places, and when we reopened. It was pretty amazing. How many people came back and said, Thank you.

Now we just have a great, thriving, wonderful business,” Lou Giovannetti said.

Seeing how far he has come from his days on Broadway, Giovannetti expresses how grateful he was to have great opportunities that allowed him to pursue his true passion. By exhibiting an enjoyable atmosphere, he speaks on his restaurant's culture and encourages people to go to Primo Italia for a good time because of its Italian cuisine and the environment.

“I used to be a Broadway actor and singer, and I always worked in restaurants when I was not doing what I wanted to do.

So when I moved out here from New York City, I had an opportunity, because I always invested in restaurants, and I found a spot and opened a restaurant,” Lou Giovannetti said.

Reflecting on his journey, Lou Giovannetti spoke about how his passion for performing arts and his experience in the restaurant industry intersected in an unexpected way. When he moved away from New York City, he saw an opportunity to channel his love for hospitality and culinary arts into a new venture. By combining his interest for entertaining with his dedication to quality dining, he created Primo Italia.

“It is an Italian restaurant with what we call heritage-based Italian cuisine, all the best ingredients, the best sustainable fishes and meats and pastas and flowers,” Lou Giovannetti said. “We bake our own bread.

We do everything ourselves. We have a full bar, and we have a lot of fun. We have music, my friends come and sing and play the piano and have a good time.”

1. Takesue speeds toward the finish line by bike.

2. Takesue crosses the finish line by foot.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KITARO TAKESUE 3. Giovanneti practices his passion for cooking.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SANTINO GIOVANNETI

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Although the development of heathy sleep schedules is important, it is often overshadowed in favor of academics

by Kat Otey

“

[Sleep is] like a family member, like a sibling that I don't like. I need them, but I don't necessarily need them all the time,” senior Diana Won said about her relationship with sleep. Although the way students view sleep varies, they tend to follow a common theme: high school students sleep less than and with less regularity than they should.

Teenagers need between seven and 10 hours or sleep consistently to maintain their health, according to the National Sleep Foundation. But according to another study by the Child Mind Institute (Teenagers and Sleep Deprivation, 2023), over a third are getting only five to six hours–and some get even less than that.

“Some of it is over-scheduling and pressure towards making a future—going to college, all the extracurriculars required to have a competitive edge, especially the closer you are to applying for college applications,” therapist and sleep hygienist Michelle Post said. “So there's the performance issues, and then there's the fear of missing out. If I'm going to have a social life and chat with my friends or hang out with my romantic partner, or go out and socialize and party, then I've got to fit that in somewhere, and usually it comes at the price of sleep deprivation. And some of that can be really good. There’s a lot of positive effects of physical touch and affection—a lot of other positive brain chemistries. But if you're sleep deprived too much because you're just staying up all night to take advantage of these scenarios, then you’re working against those positive chemicals.”

Students themselves give similar reasons regarding their dysregulated sleep schedules. Senior Sydney Palmer explains that what teachers may consider to be reasonable amounts of homework take her into late hours of the night to complete when combined with her responsibilities at home.

“I don't have a rather large household, but it is on the larger side—two younger sisters, mom and dad. Because of where I am in my family as the eldest sister, I'm expected to help my sisters with their homework and with making them dinner before I can really start to focus on myself,” Palmer said. “And because of that, homework is pushed off until bedtime, basically. And then I'm working late into the night and go-

ing to bed at 1:00 or 2:00 a.m.. So when I get home [from school the next day], I'm so tired I immediately pass out because the night before that, I didn't get much sleep.

It's a self-perpetuating cycle.”

Spending a period of time after school just decompressing from the day is an essential part of junior Percy McGuinn’s schedule, too. Even if she doesn’t actually sleep, she spends about a half an hour laying in bed before starting her homework.

McGuinn, however, has built a more regular sleep schedule for herself after seeing procrastination drop her grades in previous years.

“I try to be asleep by 10:00 p.m., or at least getting ready by 10. If I'm not done with my homework and it's 10:00 p.m., I just prioritize my mental health,” McGuinn said. “I can wake up a little bit earlier and do the last bits of it or I can do it during SSH. I'd rather prioritize getting enough sleep and being able to focus during school than finishing my five pages of homework.”

Getting enough (seven to 10) hours of sleep is not only protective to good mental health, but also to good physical health.

During sleep, the brain is “consolidating and organizing memories from the day, repairing and detoxifying itself, and regulating individual emotions,” according to the Child Mind Institute. As a result, symptoms of sleep deprivation include lessened ability to memorize things, slower reaction times, less creativity, increased error in tasks, increased moodiness and stress, weakened immunity and weight gain or fluctuation.

“While we sleep, we produce melatonin, which repairs the small tears in our body that we make just from walking around. So just walking from your bed to the bathroom tears muscles. Then melatonin and these other neuro chemicals that are produced only while we sleep do all the repair work.

Because teenagers’ bodies are still forming and changing, their brains are still forming and changing,” Post said. “As a teenager in high school, your brain cells are still forming. And the main time that you grow and shape and develop is during sleep, because it's where your body can focus.”

Despite extensive research proving these negative impacts, many teens still don’t consider sleep as important to their day to day life. Won notes that she would

Teenagers need between seven and 10 hours or sleep consistently to maintain their health.

INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL SLEEP FOUNDATION

Burnin candle at b rather stay up late doing homework—and doesn’t necessarily view it as a bad thing.

She has a regular sleep schedule, but still consistently gets less sleep than technically recommended—usually sleeping between 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m.

“People always say that if I sleep, I get more productive, and I get smarter when I sleep. I don't necessarily always agree with that. I just don't get stuff done,” Won said.

“I feel like I operate without extra hours of sleep. I feel like it's not productive if I just go to sleep instead of doing the homework.

I just feel like a better person when I do [the homework], too.”

Palmer, by contrast, explains that although academically sacrificing sleep for school “has been working overall,” the lack of sleep she gets can make her feel “separated” from her friends.

“I'm constantly more mellow, not up to having fun or going out with my friends,” Palmer said. “And I feel kind of separated from them because I'm constantly tired. I can't do things that other kids with normal sleep schedules would do.”

Because individual students’ brains and bodies function in unique ways, certain sleep levels that may work for one may not work for another. As a whole, teenagers can also function more easily on fewer hours of sleep than adults because of their youth, Post notes, and still “bounce back.” How-

ever, once an individual makes the choice to pull an all-nighter or stay up late working on a project, there is no “making up” for the lost sleep.

“It's a 24 hour period. It’s not like you can deprive yourself for two days and then sleep for two days and you're all good, you're still going to have negative effects,” Post said. “It’s a 24 hour period. You can deprive yourself of sleep and take a nap, and that will help, but you have a set amount of energy and time, and it's on a 24 hour ticker.”

In order to avoid doing her homework late at night, McGuinn tries to set herself reasonable expectations, find strategies of avoiding procrastination that work for her, and work in environments she knows she’ll be most productive in—such as the library, instead of at home, where she has no desk and instead usually works on her bed. She also tries to avoid the negative attitudes that she finds her peers sometimes gravitate towards.

“A lot of the time my friends will be like, ‘oh, I only slept three hours. I was doing so much homework.’ and I try to keep that away from me. When my friends are in the group chat saying a lot of negative stuff about their work, it puts me in a bad mood,” McGuinn said. “So I try to just silence the group chat and ignore it. I'm just focusing on my work because it can be very

Over a third of teenagers are getting only five to six hours–and some get even less than that.

INFORMATION FROM THE CHILD MIND INSTITUTE

During sleep, the brain is “consolidating and organizing memories from the day, repairing and detoxifying itself, and regulating individual emotions,” INFORMATION FROM THE CHILD MIND INSTITUTE

Students enrolled in two or more AP/college classes received 1 hour less and 30 minutes less among 10th and 11th graders, respectively.

INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE

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ng the both ends interesting. What we're learning a lot of the time, it's just tedious. That's why people don't enjoy it, but the work is fine. I think it's really the procrastination that gets to most people.”

Palmer, who tends to be on the other end of the ‘I only slept blank number of hours’ text, says that for her, it’s not so much about negativity or relatability than it is providing “context” for why she may act “sluggish” or be in a “bad mood.” She knows that the amount of sleep she gets isn’t always healthy, and can affect her and the way she acts and feels, but even that knowledge doesn’t always help her to sleep more—and she’s not the only one, either.

“I do find that because there are so many people on campus that do have a really bad sleep schedule, it also prevents me from becoming better,” Palmer said. I understand that people like me are doing this, so it should be fine. I’ll be on an AP Statistics doc really late when I am trying to finish a project and I'll see that there are like 10 other students on that document working just like me. It’s sort of a comfort to see that. Like, although this is bad, and none of us should be doing it like this, it's nice to see that there are other people I can relate to and talk to.”

Regardless of how normalized it is for teenagers to deprive themselves of sleep, the dangerous effects this deprivation can have aren’t diminished.

“If you can only do one thing for self care, get seven to nine hours of sleep a day,” Post said. “Skip the nail polish and skip the workout, but make sure you sleep, it’s your number one resetter.

For stress management and good health, it's like the foundation of your house is your sleep. Anything else you're doing, like your nutrition, your exercise, your other types of self care are just working against you if you're sleep deprived.”

A lack of sleep makes student athletes prone to injury and have a longer recovery time

by Sam Schwartz

S

leep often takes a backseat in the busy lives of student-athletes, overshadowed by packed schedules of practices, games and academics. For those balancing the demands of both sports and school, quality rest is a critical tool for performance and focus.

RUHS head Weight Coach Jay Scully has a background as an assistant physical therapist through which he has learned about the importance of sleep.

“If I put it [sleep] on a scale [of importance] from one to 10, it's sometimes difficult to achieve, but I would put it up there at nine and 10. Again, sleep is super critical, and that is supported by a lot of research.

There's a lot of clinical data to show that when you are sleep-deprived the more injury risk you're going to have,” Scully said.

Lack of sleep not only raises the risk of injury but also creates a range of unhealthy physical and mental challenges. According to Children's Hospital Colorado, sleep deprivation can lead to a decreased time to exhaustion by 10 percent which is roughly 37 seconds of total lost reaction time.

Though the study was done on cyclists, sleep deprivation should have an even bigger effect on student athletes.

“There's a reason why sleep deprivation is one of the most common forms of torture around the world. And along with that, Navy SEALs, when [their sergeants] want to harden them up, they keep them up for like a week straight. So I mean, it's really difficult, but if you can learn to operate in that state, you're going to be very hardened and very ‘battle ready.’ But as far as performance and physiological health, I think [sleep professionals] even linked sleep deprivation or poor sleep to cancer, heart disease and many other diseases if it [sleep deprivation] lasts long term, let alone injury or injury risk,” Scully said.

Doctor Connie Oh is involved in the UCLA sport medicine fellowship foundation and works with collegiate level athletes.

“There is an article that I found in the Mayo Clinic, and it focuses on basketball free throws and three pointers, and it’s found that sleep deprived athletes can see a drop of 50 percent in accuracy. So sleep has an effect in terms of athletic performance too,” Oh said.

In his graduation year 1990 and before, Scully met with a soon-to-be trainer on the Denver Broncos staff. With him, Scully found mental and physical aspects to determine an athlete’s well being.

“He [the coach] wanted to assess sleep really scientifically to an athlete’s injury risk. And one of the questions was ‘how much sleep are you getting?’ He kept it really simple with a scale from one to five, one being bad, five being good to rate your quality of sleep. He found that people who consistently rated low on sleep also rated low on mood and high on stress level and soreness, and were people that were more prone to injury,” Scully said.

Junior Robby Zimmerman is a pitcher for the baseball team, and implements sleep more into his schedule when he has an outing.

“I probably sleep about six to seven hours, especially when it's a school night.

I try to get to bed about 11 p.m., but sometimes I'll be on my phone for about an hour when I'm in bed so it turns into 12 a.m.. I like to sleep in as well so I try to maximize the amount of time I can sleep. I really do take a nap before I play so that also contributes to my health and recovery,” Zimmerman said.

Though sleep brings a helping hand in the recovery of all injuries, head trauma, specifically, can heal much quicker from a healthy amount of sleep, according to Oh. “With a concussion, sleep is very important, because it's been shown that regular recovery time for teenagers is about four weeks, and for adults, it's about 10 to 14 days, but with decreased sleep or de-

prived sleep, the days until returning to normal sports can be delayed,” Oh said.

Zimmerman suffered a torn ACL his freshman year playing football, forcing him to sit out his freshman year of baseball.

Even though the road back to recovery is so difficult, according to Zimmerman, he had to “get to work.”

“I would say I rehabbed about every day I was at physical therapy. I was there for about two hours every day when I was there. The days that I wasn't, they would have me do at home exercises. At first it was tougher to do those things because I wasn't as mobile and I was very lazy. I was on medicine, and that was also another reason to keep pushing. Some might think, ‘oh, you're just lazy,’ but when I was on that medicine, it helped me stay attuned to things that are going on in my life that might just seem easy to give up on. So when I would do those exercises, it just made me feel better as a person.” Zimmerman said.

“I had to sleep more because of my limited movement and because I couldn’t do much.”

Now that Zimmerman has overcome his ACL injury, he has developed a routine to help him focus on baseball the best he can.

“Practice-wise, I'll usually have a lift with my personal trainer out of his warehouse, and he pushes me pretty hard. So I'll be pretty sore after that. The next day, I usually have a field practice. That'll be the toughest because I’m the most sore, so I really have to pride myself in stretching,” Zimmerman said. “I'll actually do my homework when I have free time during the school day, which is usually a lot, including my first period, where I am a teacher assistant. So I do have a lot of work to do there.

Because of that I can sometimes get to bed pretty early, and I have a lot of stress free hours after school. So that definitely helps towards my sport and mindset.”

Just as Zimmerman created a schedule that worked for him, Oh emphasizes that students’ time in the night should be directed more towards sleep instead of using it for tasks that can be done in the day.

“Things to avoid are late night activities, like if you're trying to work out, going to the gym right before you go to bed is probably not the best idea because you are going to be very stimulated,” Oh said. “Also eating right before sleeping is also not the best idea for a lot of reasons, not just not being able to sleep, but you can get something called acid reflux, where your stomach is going to it's not going to be comfortable, and your acids go back up, and you're going to feel Heartburn while you're sleeping during the day, too.”

GRAPHIC BY MARLEY VAN PELT VIA PIKTOCHART PHOTOS OF SLEEPING MASK AND CLOCK BY MARLEY VAN PELT

10

opinion

The gir boss dilemma

The label "girlboss" takes away from the objective of feminist ideaology

G

by Claudia Turner

aslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss. By now that phrase is old news, a product of an ironic Tik Tok trend left behind in 2023. But the very fact that the three G's were so popular made it clear that the public clearly knows girlboss-ing is a cringy plastic pink product of the 2010s—or do they? Despite the phrase itself dying, messaging surrounding the Kamala Harris campaign assures me that girlbossing is alive and well, and just as sinister as it was during the era of Hillary and power suits.

But what exactly does being a girlboss mean? For most people, girlboss feminism has one goal and one goal only: to put a woman in a position of power. These women want to be the owners of capital, the leaders and CEO's who have achieved the “American Dream” many men before them have already lived. Sure, being treated well in a lower-tier position is nice, but the boss in girlboss implies that the final goal of the movement is power: a leadership role in the neoliberal system.

This idea of wanting women in positions of power is all well and good, though a bit elementary in feminist analysis. But the real problem lies in logistics, for it's simply impossible for all women to become bigwig leaders. Where does girlboss feminism leave poor women, uneducated women and the women from developing countries?

Just seeing a woman (often upper class, well-educated and white) achieve a position of power is not an inherent achievement for women as a whole; this framework fails to recognize that women can be just as imperialist and oppressive to the other 99 percent of their peers as any man could.

Becoming the “boss” in “girlboss” is not feasible for most. Even if all CEO's were women, that would still leave the majority of women without ownership of capital, and therefore just as powerless as they were before. Becoming successful in the corporate sector takes a lot of higher education, business connections and monetary investments, which a lot of underprivileged women simply don’t have access to both because of systematic misogyny holding them back and the facts of life under capitalism. Girlboss messaging is not helpful for these women because “never giving up” does nothing to aid t h e m materially. Becoming a boss is not a realistic goal if you are occupied trying to feed yourself and your family, rendering the girlboss framework impotent for most.

When discussing this subject, I often point to Hillary Clinton. Not just because she’s a great example of a (failed) neoliberal girlboss, but because of the time she congratulated Georgia Meloni, the Italian

PM, for winning her election, saying, "every time a woman is elected to head of state or government, that is a step forward.”

Meloni’s party, Fratelli d'Italia, has been described by Italian academics as a neofascistic, anti-LGBT, anti-aborition, anti-welfare coalition of the most extreme the Italian right has to offer.

Meloni herself has talked about the "ethnic substitution" of immigrants (a c l e a r referenced t h e

1.

white genocide myth sweeping the European far right), and Poltico has called her party Italy’s most “right-wing government since Mussolini.” How could this be a “win” for women when at best it’s an aesthetic change from typical right wing politics, swapping in a female oppressor who will do just as much damage as her male counter-

parts? And sometimes, a “girlboss” is even more damaging to female liberation than her peers: just look at supreme court justice Amy Coney Barrett and her medieval stances on a abortion. A woman who has said that the right to an abortion is “unnecessary” because adoption exists. This is not going to create systematic change to advance women’s rights.

Now you might ask, “If girlboss feminism clearly isn’t the key to mass liberation of the 99 percent, is there anything else we can do?” To that, I suggest that we need to expand our idea of a “successful” woman beyond someone like Georgia Meloni. Intersectional feminism, trans-inclusive feminism, anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist feminism—these are the tools needed to create true global equality. Economic freedom, the freedom to access basic healthcare and education, food and housing security are all goals feminists should prioritize, because they are things that will help all women in the long run.

Those calling militaries like the US Armed Forces and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) inspirational and progressive for having female officers fail to realize that imperialist forces will always be anti-feminist because they rely on the oppression and conquest of women as a means of maintaining power. Feminism is not just women existing in influential positions, but rather questioning why those positions, which inherently harm women, even exist in the first place. Systematic change is the only way misogyny will end for everyone.

We need to dream bigger than female warlords.

1. IMAGE VIA FREEPIK

Romanticizing life is a flawed escape that lacks realism, despite small benefits

T

by Daneilla Gross

he drudgery of studying, something I wish I wasn’t so familiar with. My personal lack of motivation gets me into all sorts of procrastination. But what gets me in a positive mindset, ready to pretend I am not incapable of solving algebra problems? That’s right, a pumpkin scented candle and a cup of cinnamon vanilla coffee. Call me basic, but it gets the job done.

The idea of romanticizing the little things in life was presented to me in high school as my work load began to pile up, and my stress levels rocketed. I love working hard, especially when it pays off, but when I work at 110 percent without any incentives to continue, it feels like walking five miles in mud. If I’m feeling especially tired, I’ll prepare myself an aesthetically pleasing treat or take a walk to my favorite local cafe. Apart from homework, however, I also catch myself having too high of hopes for things like politics and war, and when things get tense, idealizing a world in which everyone sings “kumbaya” and sets their differences aside. I understand now that there is a fine line to walk between being optimistic and simply unrealistic.

A "Romantic" is a person who tends to have irrational, imaginative, and transcendentalist views or values. Romanticism has been relevant in the context of psychology and ideologies for quite some time. In 2. the early 18th century, Romanticism followed a period of scientific innovation and thought. After science and math changed people's ideas of the world in terms of religious and spiritual belief, there was a longing for that simplicity and comfort to return, and nature became a place of solace and refuge.

This was reflected in various pieces of art or literature, such as Mary Shelly’s "Frankenstein." Threaded throughout the story of Victor Frankenstein, a man tortured by his scientific creation, is this concept of nature grounding his troubled soul as he grasps his destructive actions, abhorred by how innovation has plagued his existence entirely. Though I thought Victor's decisions were reckless, I can stand by his tendency to favor nature. Shelly encapsulated how romanticism can be a temporary, though unreliable not reliant, cure for insanity. Though most literary works featuring romanticism include their idealistic qualities, they also typically end in themes of tragedy or death.

A great portrayal of how not to romanticize is the story of Romeo and Juliet— they took it too far. The drama itself is not a Romantic work, but rather the characters’ actions of romanticizing a forbidden romance to the point of suicide and homicide due to an over-extended idea of love at first sight all felt glorified and ended as a trage-

dy. It's an Elizabethan tragedy taken to the extremes, where characters' values and decisions were so dreamy and driven by this desire that they risked their lives and their families' safety.

The fundamental morality of being a Romantic in cases of misfortune, like Romeo and Juliet, fades as 1. viewing everything positively in becoming blind to reality.

When we apply this to real world discussions, we see that Romanticism should not have a place in certain societal “norms."

Take the idealistic views of mental disabilities on social media, for example. Social media's proliferation has allowed many a platform to educate others on their mental or physical challenges, opening awareness and conversation.

Some influencers portray their illness as glamorous or desirable, victimizing them-

selves and causes them to longer be transparent about their journey. It limits the potential of disability activists who are actually attempting to speak about their challenges on a large platform, as it is hard to sort out the genuine from the fake. A much less harmful example would be perfectly aesthetic "get ready with me" videos, focusing most on materialism instead of quality of life.

All positivity has its limits if you understand human nature to be a double edged sword. But dangers aside, I am truly fascinated by people’s natural tendency to improve situations in their lives by bringing in dreamy or playful aspects to distract from tedious tasks or unpleasant times. It’s like using a pretty band aid that has a nostalgic cartoon character from your childhood— you might have a papercut, but now you’ve got a glorified band aid that makes you smile. Romanticism in itself can be viewed as one large bandage for daily challenges life presents to us. In this way, it should by no means be relied on to ignore problems or avoid bad thoughts.

What I mean to say is apart from romanticizing little daily tasks, we all still need to educate ourselves about the tragedies of conflict and violence. You simply cannot romanticize violence. But, improving your positivity throughout daily life with a confident outfit when you don’t feel like getting up in the morning is a start to a better mindset, a temporary escape from life's uncertainties.

Romanticize unpleasantries when you get the chance, whether it’s taking more walks at sunset or reading in a pretty place.

Live in the reality you create.

1. IMAGE VIA FREEPIC 2. PHOTO OF DANIELLA GROSS BY EVAN TEAL

opinion 11

high tide nov. 21, 2024

The tradwife life

1.

The TikTok tradwife trend is not necessarily anti-feminist, which some might assume upon first glance

by Payton Rothluebbers

“I

I was going to be a ballerina. I was a good ballerina,” said Hannah Neeleman, otherwise known as Ballerina Farm online, in an interview with The Times. The article paints the scene of a picture-perfect Juilliard student on her way to live the average little girl’s dream, who's life is suddenly corrupted when billionaire nepo-baby Daniel Neeleman scored a seat next to her on a plane and changed her path to one of a traditional love story.

Earning the title of the Mrs. American pageant winner in 2023 just months after giving birth to her seventh child, Neeleman’s relevance skyrocketed after a viral video depicted her husband gifting her an egg apron for her birthday rather than a trip to Greece, despite his ridiculous wealth. Understandably, this post sparked lots of controversy. In contrast to this viral clip, most of the usual content that is posted for her nearly ten million followers on TikTok is tame and sweet, perfectly summarizing the “tradwife aesthetic.” Tradwives, short for traditional wives, describe women who believe in traditional gender roles and marriages. Barefoot, pregnant and so perfect it’s almost scary; these are the traits of a tradwife.

The tradwife takeover has exploded in popularity with the most popular tradwives being Neeleman and Mormon model and influencer, Nara Smith, who is approaching eleven million followers on TikTok. Her content is nothing short of perfect. Every post depicts her in beautiful makeup looks with luxurious outfits making lavish recipes, including homemade chewing gum and her own version of a CapriSun, occasionally featuring her equally perfect husband, Lucky Smith.

The TikTok tradwife lifestyle has its pros and cons; on one hand, it presents an unattainable and unrealistic image of perfect beauty, wealth and motherhood that can leave women, especially new mothers, in a vulnerable and insecure state. In fact,

the intricate curation of tradwife content means that not even Neeleman and Smith have attained the true tradwife lifestyle.

The fact that they are making money off of their content contrasts with “traditional values” and completely blurs the line between a tradwife and some skewed version of one.

problematic opinions that are harmful to women, but Neeleman's content doesn’t spread these pro-life values. This definitely doesn't excuse her ignorance, but in my opinion, her exclusion of these views in her content means that the content itself isn’t overtly harmful. On the other hand, the fact that women have the ability to choose the life that they want to pursue is worth celebrating. After all, feminism is not just about putting women in positions men Feminism, in the first place, that have dom2 is what gave Hannah Nee- inated for years.

It’s leman the opportunity to about givchoose between dancing or ing women a family. How is that some- equality and freedom to thing to be upset about? be themselves.

But most people didn’t see it that way. To be quite frank, people didn’t take to this trending tradwife content kindly. Countless YouTube videos were made picking apart Neeleman and her family. TikTok videos were posted in grievance of what Neeleman’s life could’ve been if she had continued her Julliard path, with commenters stating that S o m e her choice to be a traditional mother over people also pursuing a career in dance has harmed believe that feminism. this conGrieving over a random woman’s life tent may is crazy. Is Neeleman’s husband in the c o m m u - wrong for giving her an egg apron for her nicate the birthday despite his wealth? Yes. Did she outdated deserve that trip to Greece? Yes. However, message Neeleman did not have to marry that man. t h a t She chose the tradwife life. She chose to be women barefoot and pregnant, and she chose to post about it. Feminism, in the first place, is what gave her the opportunity to choose between dancing or a family. How is that should be chained something to be upset about? to the role of a housewife. However, neither People have become so extremely pasNeeleman nor Smith have publicly sup- sionate about the hypothetical negative ported this message. The only anti-fem- effects of tradwife content that they’ve inist view that Neeleman has outwardly overdramatised it. The writer of The Times expressed is her opposition to elective abor- article about Neeleman, Megan Agnew, tion and birth control. Obviously, these are who published the iconic BallerinaFarm

story, paints a picture of the Neeleman family as she observes them. Her writing is just as beautiful as it is dramatized. Agnew recounts how Daniel simply would not leave her and Neeleman alone, writing that there were “so many things I wanted to ask which were inappropriate to ask in front of her husband or young children,” depicting him as overbearing. Agnew also includes some shady remarks, stating that Daniel often "cut Neeleman off", failing to include the context that Agnew was there to write about the whole family, Daniel included.

Yes, it does irk me to give Daniel the benefit of the doubt while being somewhat aware of his personality, but it also irks me that Agnew seemingly wrote that article solely to shock and elicit sympathy in her audience by presenting a curated narrative. Agnew was surely well-aware of the attention that Neeleman was receiving. The audience size as well as the controversy surrounding tradwives gave her the perfect opportunity to take her perspective to the extreme in order to steer watching eyes toward her story.

In relation to the criticism that Neeleman received, the widely spread complaint that Smith’s content is unrealistic is nothing but childish whining. Open Instagram.

Do you post ugly photos of yourself, or do you post ones that represent the best version of yourself? Of course, Smith is going to post perfectly fine-tuned and curated content because that’s her image. She’s not trying to be the next Emma Chamberlain who posts messy and relatable content.

Smith wants you to want to be her. That’s just how she makes money. She isn’t directly harming women because she doesn’t disclose the exaggerated perfection of her videos. She’s not inclined to. If women feel irrationally insecure about themselves after watching Smith’s videos, I suggest they block her and reconsider if the internet is really the healthiest place for them to be.

And despite how you personally feel about Nara Smith and Hannah Neeleman, women who choose to pursue whatever they want are worth celebrating.

1. and 2: covers from the Ladies Home Magazine. PHOTOS VIA WIKICOMMONS

editorial: the sleep sacrifice S

BY THE HIGH TIDE EDITORIAL BOARD

leep deprivation has become an unfortunate badge of honor for students balancing rigorous schedules filled with assignments, sports, jobs and social lives. But the reality is clear: prioritizing academics over sleep as a means to achieve success is a self-defeating cycle.

Assignments that are due late at night often force students to sacrifice valuable rest to meet expectations. Extending deadlines or making them flexible could help students manage their time more effectively. This approach doesn’t mean leniency; it means adapting to the diverse needs of students juggling extracurriculars, part-time jobs and family responsibilities. Our first call to action is for instructors: standardize policies for late work amongst all teachers. This is to prevent disparities, so it isn’t a luck of the draw if one student is given leeway while

another is not, and this allows for all teachers to help foster a culture that values effort over exhaustion.

That being said, implementing these policies would not be without its challenges. While more flexible deadlines may provide much-needed relief for overburdened students, they also open the door for misuse. Some students may take advantage of lenient policies to avoid turning in work on time, potentially undermining the policies’ effectiveness.

This creates a tension: how do schools balance compassion and accountability? The answer lies in communication and trust. Teachers and students must work together to establish clear boundaries that encourage responsibility while still providing the support students need to thrive.

Ultimately, procrastination happens, but knowing when to prioritize mental health over perfection

is crucial. The second message for the students: it’s okay to let one, low stakes assignment go if it means preserving your well-being. Staying up till 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. may allow you to finish your to-do list, but the repercussions outweigh the reward. It takes four days to recover from an hour of lost sleep, according to the Sleep Foundation. Just as you would block out time for studying or sports, scheduling sleep into your daily routine ensures it remains a priority, not an afterthought. Sleep is not a luxury—it’s the foundation of success.

Don’t just live for the weekends. Start living for your long-term well-being. Your grades may be temporary, but your health is forever. Rest now, because success is impossible without it.

entertainment

The sitcom show-off

12

"Fleabag" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," two dark satires, offer an insightful and humorous perspective on life

by Priya Ramcharan he’s rude. Jesus, why should he? Larry’s signature apathy has led him to do some pretty insane things: picking up a hooker to get into the carpool lane, stealing flowers from a grave to give to his wife, and wearing a MAGA hat to clear out a sushi bar.

He even invited a sex offender to Passover. But Larry doesn’t care about being polite, progressive 1 or even decent. While it’s hard to admire his behavior, it begs the question: Could we learn a little something from the worst person in the world? Maybe we should all care about each other a little less.

While watching Curb, I can join David in his cathartic apathy. But one can only enjoy it for a maximum of 45 minutes before you start to feel a bit gross. But for those 45 minutes I, too, don’t care about offending people or making anyone else comfortable. For those 45 minutes, I, too, hate everything equally.

If Larry David is a man so overtaken by apathy he becomes a bad person, Fleabag is a woman so overtaken by love that she becomes a bad person. “Fleabag,” a limited series on Prime, tells the story of a young woman (Phoebe-Waller Bridge, whose character is never named but the creators of the show refer to by the term, “Fleabag”) in England navigating her bad habits, shortcomings, her family, all while she runs a moderate failure of a cafe. It’s a dark satire–Fleabag steeps herself in habitual sex and grief, but she is far from apathetic. This is perfectly encapsulated in a scene: Fleabag is at dinner surrounded

FLEABAG F

eel no pressure to be a good person. You owe the world nothing.

Neglecting other people’s feelings is obviously the wrong way to live, but wouldn’t it be freeing? Working hard is productive, of course—but what if you were already a success and didn’t have to try anymore?

Enter Larry David in HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” a comedy of manners about the mundane chaos of social life. Each episode follows Larry David, played by himself, as the co-creator of “Seinfeld.” Similar to “Seinfeld,” there is no point to “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Each episode's plot and subplot is established in an outline written

by David, such as an awkward confrontation, and the actors largely improvise the dialogue, a technique known as “retroscripting.” The unpredictability makes it a joy to watch.

Larry David has reached the pinnacle of his industry–he’s one of the most successful people in television. David strolls the sidewalks of L.A. with the menace of someone who has absolutely no desire to do anything more than he has already done. He doesn't care if he offends you or if you think

by her family of narcissists, alcoholics and artists, and a particularly eager waiter. She turns to the camera and rolls her eyes, “No one has asked me a question in 45 minutes.” Those 45 minutes almost mirror any 45 minutes of “Curb your Enthusiasm,” and I’m surprised I don't see Larry David try to get the waiter fired. But in the same moment that "Fleabag" tells us no one has spoken to her, the family Priest (Andrew Scott), who is oddly invited, turns and asks her, “So, what do you do?” The table goes silent. The phrase is magnetic. It’s the one person in the room who sees her: not as a disappointing daughter or a burdensome sister, but a person. “I run a cafe,” she responds.

This is where “Fleabag” rises above the confines of “Curb of Enthusiasm.” The relationships she builds throughout the show are what move her out of herself.

She bonds with her sister throughout the series, even being selfless enough to fake a miscarriage for her. "Fleabag" is trapped in a world like Larry David’s, full of nihilism. But, she finds a way out: she chooses to love even harder. "Fleabag" develops a chemistry with The Priest. They form such an intimacy that he begins to notice when she turns to talk to the cam-

era—a stunning stylistic choice. But most importantly, he’s hot. A hot priest? America hasn’t seen that since we mumbled it to ourselves when watching “The Exorcist.”

Though "Fleabag" escapes the pain of the world a lot better, I can’t help but think that only a Larry David kind of confidence would make her think she deserves a love that would defy God Himself. Sure, "Fleabag" has risen above the petty nature of a “bad person,” but only with Larry David’s defiance does she find the key out of those confines, which is her love for The Priest.

It’s as if the two shows 2 are two different religions, juxtaposed, but they depend on each other. How do we deal with a world full of bad people? How do we carry ourselves when we walk down the street?

It takes the strong characters of "Fleabag" and Larry David to truly examine these questions, with humor and a slight hunger for chaos. Because only Larry David’s signature restlessness would make "Fleabag" disturb The Priest’s, and her own life with that kind of romantic desire.

But as The Priest would say, with a glass of scotch, "Here’s ​​ to peace.

And those who get in the way of it."

Curb Your Enthusiasm

1. Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Fleabag. IMAGE VIA PRIME VIDEO. 2. Larry David as Larry David. PHOTO VIA MAX IMDb. 3. The cast of "How I Met Your Mother." PHOTO VIA PRIME VIDEO.

"How I Met Your Mother" is an underrated and over-hated classic sitcom that deserves more love by Deeksha Prasad

I

’d argue it’s a pretty common experience to sit on the couch, watching some sitcom or the other, listening to canned laughter with a straight face and wondering how anyone could possibly find this millennial humor amusing. I’ve certainly felt that way a number of times.

But, when watching “How I Met Your Mother,” I don’t think there was ever a joke I didn’t find funny. The show ran from 2005 to 2014 and follows Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) in the year 2030, telling his kids the long-winded story of the titular event, starting in 2005—the night of his best friends’ engagement.

Throughout the show, Ted recounts his various escapades with his four best friends; Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel), the morally correct soon-to-be lawyer, Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan), Marshall’s fiance, Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris), the playboy who’s always suited up, and Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders), the Canadian “cool girl” that Ted falls hopelessly head over heels for upon meeting.

The issue with the show most often taken up by the fans is that the ending is complete and utter garbage. In fact, the final episode of the ninth season—“Last Forever, Part 2”—is the lowest-rated episode on the show according to IMDb, at 5.5 out of 10 stars. And when I first watched the show, I agreed with that take; I felt that the finale ruined so much of what the previous seasons had been building up to.

However, after multiple rewatches, I think that the ending, while rushed, was actually perfect for each character’s personal development.

Ted’s relationship with love is cyclical throughout the show. He’s desperate for

a long-term relationship. He falls in love with Robin. He dates around. He gets into a serious relationship, which proceeds to end. He becomes mildly depressed. He becomes desperate again. He falls in love with Robin again. It never stops, and the show’s ending demonstrates that—I think it’s perfectly within the scope of his character for him to act the way he does in the ending.

Generally, sitcom characters are not meant to be good people. Their flaws are amplified for our entertainment—the characters being selfish is what makes their actions comedic. Take Barney, for example: He tells elaborate lies to hundreds of women in order to sleep with them, is highly sexist and is arguably the most selfish character on the entire show. Still, that’s what makes him funny to the audience. Ted, though it’s less apparent, is almost equally awful due to his persistent hypocrisy, shown through the recounting of his far f r o m small num-

ber of dating escapades.

The characters in this show are the perfect amount of bad. It makes them relatable to a degree that encourages the audience to root for them. Despite Ted’s many, many flaws, you want it to work out for him everytime he falls in love with a new girl.

These characters are not great people, yes, but they’re bad in a way that makes them accessible, which is part of what makes “How I Met Your Mother” such a good watch.

The narrative structure of the show is another aspect that makes it unique and enjoyable—it’s a story inside a story, and the timeline that takes up the majority of screen time is, in fact, a flashback to Ted’s youth. Additionally, within Ted’s stories of his late 20’s and early 30’s, he also goes further back at times into his college days, then speeds forward to when him and his friends are slightly older. The show takes

how i

met your

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mother

many liberties as it plays with time, something that was relatively unseen by other shows in the genre during that era. Since the show relies heavily on jumping from year to year to tell the story, “How I Met Your Mother” was filmed in a silent studio, rather than live. The edited episodes would be shown to a group of viewers prior to release, with their reactions implemented as laugh tracks when the episode aired. Because of that, the laugh tracks in the show aren’t overwhelming or obnoxious, and unlike filmed live sitcoms of the era, the actors aren’t pausing between lines to allow the audience to laugh. In fact, it wasn’t until my second time watching the show that I even became conscious of the laugh track.

The show is iconic in its own right; the stories Ted recounts are almost always guaranteed to be hilarious, and the way the writers play with perspectives and unreliable narration tends to lean even further into the comedy of it all. It’s chock-full of catchphrases and one liners that make it memorable. “The Bro Code” originated from “How I Met Your Mother,” and the writers took liberty in creating various rules around dating, such as the Olive Theory, the Lemon Law, The Mermaid Theory, The Cheerleader Effect, etc.

All of this to say, “How I Met Your Mother” is easily my favorite sitcom of all time. If you haven’t watched it yet, then open Netflix right now. Steal a friend’s login, if you must. If you’ve already seen it, this is your sign to go rewatch it and re-appreciate everything that the show is, from both a critical and enjoyable lens. After all, the show is, without a doubt, legendary.

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high tide nov. 21, 2024

It's time to bring it on home "Outer Banks" has exhausted its storyline and is nearing its end

by Valentina Masoni

I

f you were between the ages of 12 and 20 in quarantine, you probably watched the ultimate summer show "Outer Banks." Set in sunny North Carolina and focusing on four teenagers on the island of Kildare, season one was watched and adored worldwide. Four years later, they’re still churning out seasons. The fourth season was released in two parts, with the first five episodes coming out in October and the tail end of the season coming out Nov. 7.

Despite having no idea what to expect, I enjoyed the first five episodes released on Oct 10. Season one is a nostalgic masterpiece, with an exciting plot and lovable characters whose friendships with one another and summer escapades made teenagers worldwide long for the same vibes. Long-awaited season two didn’t quite measure up, but most people still tuned in due to their love of the original season.

Season three was bad, with the now-six main cast members still running around with their trendy clothes getting dirtier and bloodier, fighting off grown adults similarly hungry for riches (also desperately needing a shower), attempting teenage slang and getting kidnapped.

It felt overly complex. So the fourth season could’ve gone many different ways.

However, Part One started off great, showing the six Pogues, now all coupled off (John B & Sarah, JJ & Kiara, Pope & Cleo), getting their money and fulfilling their dream of opening a surf shop/fishing/convenience store, dubbing it “Poguelandia.” It showcased everybody’s favorite thing about the show, the bond of friendship so close between the characters it becomes family. Although it’s a little forced for all six of the main characters to magically end up with each other, I enjoyed all of the couple dynamics in the first part as well.

Part One ended with a harrowing plot twist regarding the paternity of beloved

main character JJ Maybank (Rudy Pankow), unraveling a major part of his storyline and adding a new layer to his relationship with his abusive father, who up until this fourth season was believed to be his biological dad.

JJ’s dad was revealed to be Chandler Groff, the son-in-law of Wes Genrette, the wealthy man who introduced the Pogues to the treasure-hunting plotline of the season. Wes Genrette was going to pay the now renowned teenagers for their adven-

tures handsomely to recover an amulet that was going to break the curse that was supposedly haunting their family.

Wes ends up dying in Part One, but the Pogues in the first five episodes are already entangled in the search for the amulet and constantly fighting off the treasure-hunting rivals of this season, mercenaries from South Africa also desperate for the amulet.

Episode six immediately takes a sharp turn for the worse, leaving me a little shocked at how quickly the season went careening downhill. The acting feels different, the weird coloring that seems to be a trademark for this show is turning everybody orange and the plot is getting intense.

JJ is reeling from his recent discovery and tells his girlfriend Kiara (who has a monotone and uninterested reaction to news that has flipped JJ’s world on its axis) and then he goes on a weird Joker rampage breaking windows with the police tailing him. Pope, Sarah, Cleo and John B. are all involved in various conflicts with the mercenaries, JJ confronts his birth father and now the gang is after a magical blue crown. Honestly, it was hard to pay attention.

If you haven’t watched the season yet, there’s a MAJOR spoiler coming your way.

Stop reading right now. Ready? The two major occurrences of the season: Sar-

ah’s pregnancy and JJ’s death. Both feel unnecessary and seem like desperate grabs to rack up viewership with these overly dramatic tropes. Neither feel organic nor seem to follow the storyline, with Sarah saying just a few episodes earlier that she wasn’t ready for a family when John B remarked about “the biological clock ticking.” It also came with foreshadowing that was far too obvious, almost comically so. For a show that used to feel decently mature, the writers seem to be regressing to an audience of third-graders.

JJ’s death was heartbreaking for me as a fan, and making him die cheapens his whole character arc and damages the group dynamic beyond repair. People want to see characters that have had troubled lives to get a happy ending, not to be killed off for dramatic effect. There’s speculation that the tension between co-stars Pankow and Madison Bailey, who plays Kiara, caused the showrunners to make this decision in order to allow Pankow to leave the show. I can see this fan theory reflected in the incredibly poor acting on both parts, lacking chemistry and physical touch despite being the most popular couple in the show. In one of their few romantic scenes, you can clearly see Kiara is hugging a stunt double JJ instead of Pankow. The one scene they delivered really well was, in fact, JJ’s death scene, pouring great emotion into what is the pair’s last-ever scene together.

The cloud of "Outer Banks" has a silver lining in the form of Pope (Jonathan Daviss). He’s remained my favorite for four seasons straight, and in this particular season, was one of the few characters who didn’t make me roll my eyes with every cringe-worthy line spoken (cough, cough Kiara). His relationship with Cleo (Carlacia Grant) is adorable, and Pope brings a level-headedness to the group that is desperately needed.

I used to have to limit myself to one episode a day to not devour the entire season too quickly when it came out, and for this fourth season, I had trouble not skipping through entire 10-minute chunks. If that doesn’t tell you that the writers and actors majorly dropped the ball with OBX Season Four, I don’t know what will.

PHOTO VIA IMDb

"Eternal Atake 2" lacks authenticity and fails to bring a fresh take to rap

I

by Jayla Dorbor have never been a big fan of modern rap due to the common, shallow themes of being rich, doing drugs and objectifying women. While I can still appreciate good rap music, the modern form of the genre has shown to be subpar and “Eternal Atake 2” by Lil Uzi Vert is a great representation of that.

Coming off of a high after releasing the album “Pink Tape” with hits like “Just Wanna Rock,” rapper Lil Uzi Vert decided to release a part two to his critically acclaimed album “Eternal Atake” on Nov. 1. While the previous album was a unique album that emo rap fans have never heard before, “Eternal Atake 2” is very basic and brings nothing new or interesting to the

genre.

The album opens up with the song “We Good” where Uzi describes his comeback from “disappearing” after his previous release. Throughout the song he raps, “Taking all these drugs, I got a funny face,” which is just one example of a meaningless bar that essentially is Uzi boasting about his lavish life and is only used to fill space in the song.

Not only are Uzi’s raps bad, but the production on this song is just a repetition of other popular rap songs right now. It’s a basic trap mix with no flair or personality to it, which perfectly matches the lack of authenticity in the lyrics.

On the track “Paars In The Mars” Uzi continues the same shallow 1 lyrics as he sounds like he is high whilst he raps about being high. The chorus consists of him repeatedly rapping about sipping “wock,” which is a code name for a codeine-based cough syrup. Not only is the meaning of the song shallow, but it is not fun to listen to at all. He uses the same tactic he used in his hit song “Just Wanna Rock” where he repeats the same phrase over and over again. It’s as if he thinks releasing as many similar-sounding songs as possible will allow him to go

viral again.

Another boring track is “She Stank,” which furthers Uzi’s objectification of women. He explains how he does not want to be intimate with a girl because “she stank.” How much shallower of a person could he be? He then continues to say, “All my diamonds racist, but my baby, yeah, she dark skin.” Not only does this not make sense, but it reveals how in some modern rap, the artist can say the most vile things, but as long as the song is catchy and fun to listen to, society will turn a blind eye.

The beat for this song was just a mellower version of the first track, and at this point in listening to the album I was falling asleep because it seemed like he was just recycling ideas and trying to make as many songs as he could. There was little to no diversity in the beats and themes of the tracks, and none of the songs stood out to me as something fun to listen to that I would add to my playlist.

There was some hope for the album with the slower songs like “Chill Bae.” Uzi explains his distress because a girl keeps ignoring him, while the lyrics are still shallow there is some valid emotion in the lyrics. The melody in the chorus is a lot more unique than previous songs and the beat is genuinely fun to listen to. However, this track is an exception to the rest of

the album, after this song he goes back to his basic, boring ways.

“Eternal Atake 2” disappointed me as an album. I was looking forward to broadening my music taste and listening to some genuinely good emo rap, but instead, I was met with subpar rapping and boring production that proved to be an inferior representation of the genre. I have not lost complete hope for listening to rap, but I surely would never recommend this album to someone interested in the genre.

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1. PHOTO VIA SPOTIFY 2. PHOTO VIA ROC NATION

14

sports Boys wrestling put up valiant efforts against Downey, ending 49-27

BATTLE ON THE MAT

B

by Katarina Sapina

oys’ varsity wrestling put up a good fight but lost against Downey High School, 49-27. The challenging loss has motivated the boys to work even harder and win the next one.

Freshman Rocky Martinez debuted on the mat, achieving a new personal record of an impressive 10-second pin during his match.

“If [his opponent] were a more experienced guy, it would have gone longer, but I got a 10-second pin, new PR, new personal best record. I just went out there, got him down and pinned, and boom, PR,” Martinez said.

Although he won, junior Christian Walter feels he still could have performed better, which his “inexperienced” opponent prevented him from doing.

“They had an inexperienced guy, and I think I could have done better and showed my skills more if it was an experienced guy.

But, it was alright. Happy to be against someone bad for my family to see,” Walter said.

Walter reflects on his team's performance overall and appreciates the new players who he believes performed well for their first-ever varsity match.

“Most of our guys did good for their first match ever. Cash Vargas got a pin, wrestling up 10 pounds on this experienced wrestler. We had some freshmen come in and fight off their backs, that was really cool to see,” Walter said. “Some of our more experienced varsity guys led up a few points, but we can get better.”

Martinez expresses his disappointment with the final outcome but acknowledges the team's flaws that prevented a win for Redondo, including improvements that can be made for the future.

“It was not as good as I thought it would be. Again, a lot of freshmen came out, and a lot of our guys didn’t even know they were wrestling until today. If we practice more, we’ll have lots of improvement,” Martinez said. “I think we just need to push each other harder. Drill together, work together as a team and improve as a team. You know during practice, just lock in.”

Though they don’t lack in skill, Walter believes the reason for the loss was simply a lack of experience, especially with many new players on the team this season.

“Some of our guys turn in on bottom, and they don’t know what to do, and they just do the wrong stuff. We need to have more experience wrestling, and just in general more experience,” Walter said. “A lot of our players don’t have the experience that they need for this. I mean, they have the heart to wrestle and 1they want to

wrestle, they want to get better, a lot of them just don’t have the practical experience.”

2

1

Early into their season, girls wrestling faced a defeat, finishing the match with a score of 51-30

by Katarina Sapina

I

n their first meet of the season, girls varsity wrestling lost a tough duel against Downey High School, ending with a score of 51-30, but even until the last moments, they didn’t give up.

Giving credit to her coach and her teammates, senior Samantha Coz believes she won her match not only because of her own skill but because of their encouraging words and advice that she took.

“I think I did pretty good against a program that had a state champion,” Coz said.

“I didn’t panic when she got me in a cradle.

I listened for my coach with my headgear on. I heard the girls and I did what they were all saying and I didn’t give up. Even though I almost got on my back, I kept fighting and pinned her.”

Despite t h e

t e a m ’ s loss, Coz is proud, especially of the new freshman for how well they competed against girls who have been “wrestling a lot longer than they have.”

“I think the girls did really good especially for their first dual after practicing for a month or two. We have a lot of new girls this year who are freshmen, and all of them put their hardest into their match against girls who are seniors and juniors,” Coz said.

“I think they did their best, and they’re just going to get better. We’re all going to get better as a team.”

The positive energy they bring is something Coz admires about her team, always encouraging each other no matter how the match is going or the final outcome.

“The girls cheering for the ones on the mat was really good. The sportsmanship was high and I think we all elevated ourselves,” Coz said.

Senior Sophia Sanchez felt confident going into her match and believes that's the key to performing to her best ability “I knew what I was going for, I had a plan in mind. I just knew I had to commit to everything and understand that the world is not gonna end if I lose. I just had to get out there and be confident,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez knows what prevented the team from winning, and what exactly could

improve, which is why she is hopeful for the rest of t h e season.

“We need to work on our stamina. We get tired way too easily. I think that towards the end of the final period, we get tired and we start to give up,” Sanchez said.

“Everybody was so close, we just needed to push, and get out of our comfort zones.”

Even with a loss, Sanchez stays positive, as this was only their first meet of the season.

"We showed up and did our best. The ef-

fort was all there and we definitely proved ourselves from our progression,” Sanchez said. “I think we have a lot of work to do, but it’s only the beginning."

1. PHOTO BY ROBERT PACKARD. 2.PHOTO BY ROBERT PACKARD.

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Continuing the Legacy

high tide nov. 21, 2024

Finishing off their season, boys cross country won their heat at Mt. Sac

by Celeste Ernau-Vargas

I

n the final stretches of their season, boys’ varsity cross country crossed the finish line hand in hand, winning their heat for Redondo at CIF prelims, located at the Mt. Sac course. The race led the boys’ into their coming meet at CIF finals, which will determine their participation in the state-wide championship.

Freshman Mario Montoya emphasizes the role the race played in their valiant efforts to continue their season strong coming into CIF finals.

“We knew that we just needed to get out there and finish it, making sure we qualified for finals without too many obstructions,” Montoya said.

Senior team captain Alex Barbarie, who led the pack during the race, noted the teams combined strategy to secure their win.

“We worked as a team, especially up the hills, keeping it more controlled on the downhills. We’ve been easing off of mileage for the last two weeks, slowly going into the end of our season, so we’re feeling fresh going into our races,” Barbarie said.

Barbarie also mentioned the team's ability to stay together during runs, giving them an upper hand against other runners.

“It was the first pack run we had done, and if somebody tried to push ahead, we’d stay more relaxed and keep the team together,” Barbarie said.

In connection with their running strategies, Montoya highlighted the importance of mental endurance during the race.

“You’re mainly trying not to give up and find your teammates, it’s easier mentally to run with your friends than with random people you don’t know, it definitely plays a big role in how we run,” Montoya said.

As team captain as well as an upperclassman, Barbarie remarks how every

Cole Leinart, son of a former NFL player, transfers from Mater Dei and joins RUHS's football team as a starting quarterback

by Katarina Sapina

A

“great” feeling is how junior Quarterback and former NFL player Matt Leinart’s son, Cole Leinart, describes playing against Banning High School, his first game after his transfer. He transferred to Redondo this school year, which was his second transfer after he first transferred to Newport Harbor from Mater Dei. At the beginning of his transfer onto a new team, Leinart focused on “learning more about the guys and not football.” He believes forming a bond with his team is crucial to playing well on the team later on.

“You want to become friends with the guys because if you’re not close with your team, then you can’t re-

“

“He’s helped me in every way you could think of, from coaching to just being my dad because he’s been through what I’m going through now.

He’s been the college route. He knows what to do to communicate with coaches. I couldn’t thank him more. He’s been awesome to me.”

COLE LEINART JUNIOR

The group of varsity cross country runnners as they climb Mt. Sac. PHOTO BY MIA CIELAK

runner can help contribute to the overall success of the team.

“If somebody is falling off, you do the best you can to help them. It helps boost morale and makes it easier to run,” Barbarie said.

With a sport that can be interchangeably both an individual and team sport, Montoya speaks towards team chemistry, along with its added benefits to their overall racing experience.

“It might sound a little cheesy, but talking right smack in the middle of a race does help, it takes your mind off of what’s hard. You think about all the hours that you’ve put in with each other and how it can almost be enjoyable when you’re all suffering as one,” Montoya said.

As the team heads into their last race of the season before state, Barbarie states the crucial efforts that will have to be made by the team in order to make it to state.

“We’re going to race all out and more, instead of trying to focus on holding a pack by not pushing too hard. We are going to push each other as hard as possible to ensure the best results,” Barbarie said.

sports 15

ally create a brotherhood,” Leinart said.

“They helped me with the plays, and they helped me with everything joining the family, the brotherhood, so they made it easy on me.”

His new teammates, and the varsity football coach, Keith Ellison, have played a big role in welcoming Leinart to the team as a transfer. “[Coach Keith] is a great coach, and the players around me make me better, and I think that I can build and become a better player being at Redondo,” Leinart said. “All the other coaches help me too. They’ve just been great to me, and I respect that a lot.”

Having a former NFL player and college football player as his dad, his passion for the sport has only grown since he was a child. “[Playing in the NFL] is the

dream. Since I was a little kid I always wanted to play professional sports. When I was growing up it was basketball, now it’s football. So that’s the goal for sure.”

He and his dad's similarities in the early stages of their football careers inspire Leinart to continue working hard to achieve the level of success that his dad did.

“We are actually very similar. He didn’t start playing quarterback until his freshman year of high school, and I’m the same way. And we both started out at Mater Dei,” Leinart said. “He

helps me a lot [with football] so we’re pretty similar in our path through high school.”

Having a dad with professional experience, Leinart believes his dad has helped him get closer to achieving his dreams of one-day playing college football and playing in the NFL. “He’s helped me in every way you could think of, from coaching to just being my dad because he’s been through what I’m going through now. He’s been the college route. He knows what to do to communicate with coaches. I couldn’t thank him more. He’s been awesome to me,” Leinart said.

Leinart’s dad has not only aided his football career by bettering him as a player but also created a passion for the sport within him. Although he loved the sport before he knew the success of his dad’s former career, his dad is the one who initially got him playing football at a young age and led him to where he is in his football career today.

“I think I would still be as passionate

about [football], but obviously he helps, just being in that world and knowing football and knowing what it's about,” Leinart said.

“I think he’s driven me to be a football player, but I also loved football before I even knew he was a big-time football player when I was young.”

After his first game here, Leinart looked forward to continuing the season and seeing how far he and his team will go from here. “[My first game] was great.

We played Banning. It was super fun. First play of the game we ran a trick play, and it was a touchdown to Cadence. Everyone did well on that play, and it was just a great time,” Leinart said. “This year and these next few years, I’m really excited for.

This team is really special, and we have a good bond and I think that we could get a state title this year, so I think that’s the main goal. It’s what I’m looking forward to right now.”

Leinart sports his Redondo Union Jersey PHOTO BY MOE

in-focus 16

high tide nov. 21, 2024

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PILLOW PLATE PHOTO BY SCARLETT MISCHE PILLOW GRAPHIC VIA FREEPIK

Small changes in diet, such as eating regular meals, reducing caffeine and avoiding sugary snacks at night, can significantly improve high schoolers' sleep quality and overall well-being

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by Kate Bruscia

rizzling hot fudge over their post-dinner ice cream, most high-schoolers likely wouldn’t stop to consider the effects it could have on their sleep. Studies show they probably should.

Dietary patterns play a substantial role in sleep quality and quantity, according to Dr. Erica Jansen, nutritional epidemiologist and Assistant Professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Michigan.

One example is nutrition, but the timing of

“unhealthy” foods like processed snacks, simple carbs or added sugars earlier in the day because bodies are better equipped to break down sugars in the morning.

“One of the issues is that if the food that you're relying on is white bread, pasta, or something very sugary that will get metabolized quickly, you might wake up in the night because of hunger. It metabolizes quickly, burns off, and then it's not going to leave you feeling full for the night,” Jansen said.

into energy drinks like Celsius. I feel that a good quantity of my friends have caffeine every single day.”

According to the University of Michigan School of Public Health, caffeine blocks the hormone adenosine, which promotes sleepiness, making it harder to fall asleep if consumed even six hours before going to bed. Robertson sometimes drinks coffee while studying right before bed, but notes the difficulty she has sleeping after.

“It's not great at all because I'm mentally

PHOTO VIA FREEPIK STATISTIC VIA MEDICALNEWSTODAY

meals is also impactful.

Sophomore Jaya Chatterji experiences negative effects due to her irregular sleeping and eating routines. According to Chatterji, she is usually “running late” and unable to eat breakfast or pack a lunch most days, relying on various snacks until dinnertime. “[My sleeping and eating schedule] varies a lot because I just eat when I feel like it and I like to snack. Sometimes I go to bed and realize that I didn't eat enough, so then I'm hungry, and it's hard for me to fall asleep. I want to go get a snack, but it's too late,” Chatterji said. “I definitely could be more mature with my decisions in eating regular meals. On days when I do have a full three meals, I feel well rested.”

Chatterji’s experience aligns with research about chrononutrition: the timing and consistency of meals in relation to sleep & metabolism. According to an article by Sleep Foundation about diet’s effect on sleep, the timing of meals impacts circadian rhythms, which dictate when people want to go to sleep. The article explains that eating within two hours of sleep or having irregular meal times may lead to less restful sleep.

If students maintain a consistent eating schedule, it will help their circadian rhythms and bodies to know what time to fall asleep. Dr. Jansen recommends eating

Not only can eating sugary snacks make it harder to fall asleep and decrease sleep quality, but research suggests a cyclical relationship between diet and sleep. Healthy eating habits lead to better sleep, which promotes a healthy diet. In reverse, an article by Harvard Health Publishing explains that sleep deprivation increases ghrelin, the hormone that increases appetite, and decreases leptin, the hormone that causes a feeling of fullness. Researchers found that poor sleep quality is correlated to greater appetites and poorer diets.

Another factor in many students’ diets that plays a role in their sleep is caffeine consumption. Most students are no strangers to relying on caffeine to make up for their lack of sleep, including senior Morgan Robertson.

“I drink caffeine every day, mostly just to be awake. I've gotten to the point where I can't function without it. I've been having at least one cup of coffee a day for about three years now, but it's usually more like two or three cups a day,” Robertson said. “I would say upperclassmen especially have caffeine every day. A lot of people are more

tired, but my body doesn't want to sleep yet because I just had caffeine. If I only drink caffeine in the mornings, it's a lot easier to fall asleep,” Robertson said.

Despite the well established downsides of caffeine in terms of sleep, Jansen acknowledges its usefulness, especially for high school students.

“My advice comes in terms of just being realistic. We know that a lot, if not all, adolescents are consuming caffeine, either

in the form of soda or coffee drinks. I try to have a balance between recommending total abstinence of caffeine versus just reducing it to as much as you can,” Jansen said.

In an ideal world, students might be able to adhere to perfect diets and get enough sleep that they feel well-rested and don’t need caffeine. However, the reality is that many face hours of extracurriculars and homework, early school start times and have challenges eating regular, balanced meals.

“I feel like a lot of people know that less caffeine or less sugar close to bedtime would probably help their sleep,” Robertson said. “It's not really a matter of knowing, it's more a question of ‘What can you do?’”

So what can high schoolers do to improve sleep, especially if they are unable to go to bed earlier or wake up later? Jansen suggests that small changes to diets can help students wake up feeling more well-rested.

“One thing I recommend is to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into diets.

Fruit has high fiber content and antioxidants. There’s evidence on specific fruits’ effects on sleep, like kiwi fruit, berries like blueberries and strawberries and tart cherry juice,” Jansen said.

Considering that the CDC reported only 7.1 percent of U.S. high schoolers met U.S. Department of Agriculture recommendations for fruit intake in 2017, and only 2.0 percent met vegetable intake recommendations, this is an area of possible improvement for many adolescents. In addition, students can work on sticking to a regular meal schedule, only drinking caffeine in the morning and in limited doses and trying to stay away from processed foods and added sugars as much as possible.

“I think generally, students know that sleep is important, but maybe they don't think about their own sleep much. I think they are very consumed by whatever activities they're involved in at school, their homework, etc.,” Jansen said. “I think if they realized how much better they might feel if they got the appropriate amount of sleep, or even got a little closer to the appropriate amount of sleep, they might really start prioritizing it and trying to make some little tweaks to their schedules to help improve their sleep, or to capitalize on when they actually do have time to sleep and make sure that it's good quality sleep.”

Every 10mg of caffeine a 13-yearold boy consumes cuts his chances of getting 8.5 hours of sleep by 12% PHOTO BY MARLEY VAN PELT STATISTIC VIA VERYWELLHEALTH.COM