Issue 7, 2026

Students discuss their struggles with the changing societal expectations, beauty standards and hierarchical positions associated with aging

The age of

AGING

PHOTO BY ROBERT PACKARD

high tide

March 26, 2026

Vol. CVI Edition 7

Redondo Union High School

Redondo Beach, CA

3 news

The theatre department's final show of the year "Something Rotten" portrays a comedic quest to create the first musical

13 entertainment

BTS' comeback album is a sore disappointment and fails to live up to expectations, lacking cohesion and strong vocals

www.ruhsmedia.com

news 2

R U ready for RUTV?

RUTV submitted a segment and won another "Outstanding Achievement" award

by Carly Jacecko

The bright lights of the Redondo Union Television program (RUTV) are shining differently lately. After weeks of late-night editing and hard work behind the cameras, the RUTV crew’s dedication was solidified in the form of a silver medal, awarded to them by the Student Television Network (STN). RUTV has won multiple awards since they started submitting their episodes and podcasts to competitions at STN, but they won this particular award for “outstanding achievement in weekly pre-recorded broadcasting.”

Senior Gavin Hasson, RUTV’s current executive editor, loves all things film, editing and broadcasting, which makes it a “perfect” class for him. Hasson was already a member of RUTV when they began submitting projects for awards through STN. Since starting, RUTV has won 12 awards from STN since they started submitting their projects for awards last year. Because RUTV knew in advance what broadcast they were submitting for this award, they spent an extra week than normal to plan, film, edit, clean up and perfect the entry.

cast running successfully, including Mr. Sheehey’s support and the leadership of RUTV’s executive producer, senior Olive Rowe.

Unlike Hasson, Rowe joined RUTV her freshman year. Now that she is in one of two leadership positions for RUTV, Rowe

as smoothly as possible,” Rowe said. “I’ve learned so much when it comes to taking the lead of something, and in this case, working with underclassmen because it’s their first time in the class. I want to be able to teach people and help them learn to find a fun and creative side of themselves.”

“I’m really proud of everyone, and in the three years that I have been in RUTV, it’s been an amazing experience, especially this year, which has been unbelievable. I’ve had such a great time as executive editor, and I can’t wait to see what everyone does and all the awards they win in the coming years,” Hasson said.

Many aspects of RUTV keep the broad-

has learned how to lean into a managerial role and help her peers more than she had the ability to before.

“Before I became executive producer, I was (RUTV’s) show director. It helped prepare me to take on my current role where I plan how each broadcast and week goes. I also help everyone so that the process goes

RUTV expects its crew to work closely together each week in order to release each broadcast on time. Although the collaboration felt obligatory at first, according to Rowe, RUTV members have become so close to each other that working together feels less like a responsibility and more like a privilege. Winning awards, such as the award for “outstanding achievement in pre-recorded broadcasting,” brought the team even closer, and Rowe hopes to “keep building RUTV.” She also plans on studying film in college, taking the knowledge and skills she’s collected from RUTV into her future.

“A lot of people don’t realize that it’s not just the broadcast that we send out every week. We also do film competitions and a lot of other stuff besides just the broadcast. We film current and local events, and we make commercials. People [from RUTV] are able to express themselves a lot more and do things that the school doesn’t get to see,” Rowe said. “If anyone is interested in filmmaking as well as broadcasting, it’s a great class that has a lot to offer.”

Dance guard moved up a division and brought home an eighth place award at their first competition

by Francesca Masoni

Competing at a large-scale competition for the first time is tough, but even tougher when competing in a division up. Redondo Union's dance guard team recently competed in their first-ever World Guard Internationals (WGI) competition, in which they placed eighth in Scholastic A, round three, with a score of 71.830.

WGI competitions are scored on a scale of 1-100 and the teams are judged based on general effect, equipment, movement and design analysis. In the dance guard’s past division, the team usually scored 6070 points, but in their new division, their scores range from 70-85 points. Considering the division change, Redondo Union believes they fought hard, although freshman Audrey Batt hoped for higher scores.

“I feel like I did pretty good on the performance, and I think a lot of my fellow teammates feel the same way. We definitely thought we were gonna get higher scores, but there were a lot of other good teams. So we got what we expected, but were definitely hoping for something higher,” Batt said.

To prepare for the competition, the dance guard kept up their regular routine to ensure that their performance would be immaculate at the competition. One of the team's captains, senior Jackson Lee, believes rigorous practices benefitted the team.

“You practice how you perform. That's what we believe, and every run-through we do of the show we try to do our best individually and as a team. We're always trying to perform as much as we can to clean up as much as we can in order to perform just as

we practice,” Lee said.

For this team, competition doesn’t just start when they step on stage. In addition to their usual practice, dance guard also puts in hours of time on competition days to ensure that everything goes well during their performance.

“During a [competition] we have an hour or two to practice the show before loading everything up. That includes the floor, which is a big tarp for visual effects, props and other equipment such as our flags, rifles and sabers, and then we take about another hour to get ready, and then we finally go to the come side,” Lee said.

Before competitions, Lee says that many members of the team are nervous to go on stage. Some, like Lee, have been performing for many years, so he doesn't suffer from stage fright like some others do. Batt has not been in the program for as long as Lee but plans to continue with the dance guard team after this year. Even though she isn’t as experienced as some other members, she is still able to stay dialed in with the help of her teammates.

“I'm a mix of both. I have

a nervous side, and then I have a ready to perform side. But once I see all my other teammates, I feel more secure, so I’m not as nervous when we're actually going on,” Batt said.

With the amount of practice and stress that the dance guard members endured the week leading up to the competition, they must have physical as well as mental endurance. Dance guard requires tough individuals, and the teams resilience makes Lee and the coaches proud.

“The whole week [leading up to the competition] is not just a physical game, but a mental game,” Lee said. “I’m impressed by a lot of the team members because a lot of them are freshmen. The fact that they are able to do so much in such a short amount of time is really amazing to me.”

high tide staff

editors-in-chief

Daniella Gross

Claudia Turner

Ava Anzivino

Priya Ramcharan

digital director

Valentina Masoni

news editors

Leyla Evenson

Carly Jacecko

features editors

Aashka Bhuptani

Sanaya Bhatt

opinion editors

Payton Rothluebbers

Jayla Dorbor

entertainment editors

Fi Borgese

Emery Min

sports editors

Sophie Rebbeck

Sam Schwartz

writing & copy editors

Emery Min

Deeksha Prasad

Samantha Kim

online editors

Hayden McMahon

Isabella Nguyen

Kayli Mai

Kate Lanzdorf

Allison Sutton

Francisco Villegas

Marlena Lipan

Kate Brucia

Kaitlyn Chang

adviser

Kerri Eastham

staff writers

Violette Alshin

Declan Williams

Coco Yamane

Willamena Hod-

son

Amelie Kircher

Ryan Chamides

Martina Parra-

Malandrino

Mahro Siddiqi

Reya Conte

Landen Gould

Madelyn Bain

Brooklyn Hesse

Katelyn Min

Adelyne Cai

Stella Sato

Gala DeSanto

photographers

Robert Packard

Grace Tayag

Kevin Phung

Finn Williams

Amanda Harrison

Lorelai Land

Ignacio Perez

Oliver Cody

Rowyn Salazar

Andrew Diette

Sophie Farias

Mishka Shibata

Connor Brodeur

Issey Kubota

Kacie Brincat

Ayla Rodgers

Safi Hamilton-Torres

Haruto Kuroda

Eliza Prangell

Julia Bradin

Baran Taghvaei

Francesca Masoni

Sophia Riddle

Martina Parra-Malandrino

Sayat Brook

illustrators

Claudia Turner

1. Sophomore Ryan O'Sullivan (top left), junior Aidan Westerland (top middle), and seniors

Hasson (top right), Kate-

2. Dance guard at their first World Guard Internationals competition PHOTO COURTESY OF KATELYN MIN

All the world's a stage

The theatre department put on the musical "Something Rotten!"

by Oliver Cody

In 2015, when “Something Rotten!” hit Broadway, it became an incredible success. It was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, winning one, and has been performed hundreds of times since. Now, the production has made its way to Redondo, as this year’s third and final show.

“Something Rotten!” is the story of Renaissance brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom, and their quest to write and produce the world’s first musical, to achieve fame and escape a difficult life. The plot centers around the brothers’ conflict with each other over creative differences, as Nigel is an avid fan of the works of William Shakespeare and attempts to imitate his style, while Nick adamantly despises him and is jealous of his popularity.

One hundred eighteen students were part of the cast, crew or pit orchestra of the production, including junior Kai Batovsky, who portrays the character Snug, a member of the Bottom brothers’ acting troupe, as well as portraying other miscellaneous characters throughout the show.

“[When] I saw ["Something Rotten!"], I fell in love,” Batovsky said. “I was so glad to be able to put on this production and be a part of it because it’s such a goofy, funny, and yet heartfelt story with beautiful characters and amazing numbers.”

Batovsky, who has participated in nine Redondo productions and 12 overall musicals, needed to endure a two-week audition process to be chosen for their role, which included singing auditions, dancing auditions, and even tap routines, essential for the tap-dancing throughout the show.

“[We were given] a song from the show, about a one-minute cut of it, [and we would sing] in front of a panel,” Batovsky said. “[Then] we had a tap callback where you’d learn a tap routine and then you’d perform it.”

Unlike Batovsky, freshman Lily Rivera worked backstage in the costumes crew, helping actors with the outfits they wear while in-character. Rivera has previously worked on several

quality of Redondo’s shows far surpasses her past experience with musical theater.

“I’ve been to eight schools in the past,

to see that all this hard work has come to a result that brings people joy.”

school productions, including the year’s second large-scale show “The Women of Lockerbie,” and claims that the production

but none of the theater departments have come at all close to the scale, talent and hard work put into these productions,” Rivera said. “It’s absolutely incredible.”

The process of producing the show, according to Rivera, was not entirely smooth. To finish their work on the production, the costumes crew had to overcome a variety of hurdles, but Rivera says that these setbacks helped create the most memorable parts of her time in the crew.

“There are a lot of things that go wrong very often, and when we finally find a solution that works, [we see] people come back and say, ‘that was great’,” Rivera said. “It makes me so happy

After ten weeks of production time, the show finally had its opening night on Friday, March 20, with additional showings on March 21, 22, 27 and 28. Batovsky enjoys the experience of performing with friends, especially the onstage interactions "Something Rotten" creates between them and their fellow actors.

“We have this portion where we [play] the Renaissance writers of the time period. In it, we’re just talking smack back and forth, and it’s really funny,” Batovsky said. “It creates this atmosphere that all the Renaissance writers hate one another. We’re all such close friends, but it makes for really fun onstage chemistry.”

Rivera feels that being a part of such a “big thing” is an amazing opportunity and hopes the audience enjoys the show as much as she does.

“It’s really wonderful to know that I am in this show because it is such a celebration of creativity and the arts,” Rivera said. “It’s really great to be in the theater department as well and share this joy with others.”

Around Redondo

Students discuss their role models and what they've taught them

by Sophie Farias

“My mom taught me how to live life to the fullest and to not miss out on opportunities. She also taught me that just because you're struggling doesn't mean you're failing in life and to not miss [out] on opportunities that might be important to succeed. Her telling me stories of how she grew up inspired me to follow those footsteps, but in my own different ways.”

-Lulu Frissora,

freshman

“My

have influenced me to work hard and to do everything in my best.”

“My relationship with my parents is really good. They provide a great support system and have taught me a lot about respect and just being a good person to other people. And I think those values come from my grandparents too. They've taught me a lot about hard work and [how] you have to work for what you want. I think I've carried those values with me now, especially with school, like studying hard to get good grades and setting myself up for success in the future.”

-Ava Gomez, senior

From left to right: PHOTO 1 BY ROBERT PACKARD, PHOTOS 2-3 BY LORELAI LAND, AND PHOTO 4 BY JADE MICHAEL

“My mom helps me with my basketball journey, and she's inspired me to help her out when she is struggling.”

-Braelynne Louis, freshman

wrestling coach and my football coach. I built good relationships with them because they've been through the thick and thin and I talk to them all the time. They

-Santi De La Torre, junior

PHOTOS BY TONY GUTIERREZ

features 4 Signed by Shania Phillip

Shania Phillip utilizes social media to promote her new banner business for which she sells customized banners for parties and events

by Kaitlyn Min

Strokes of pastel pink, pale yellow and sky blue glide across the paper in smooth, precise lines, as sophomore Shania Phillip creates her next custom banner. Phillip works on one of several orders she’s received throughout the month for her new custom banner making business. Phillip started her business this year, hoping to put her creativity and artistic ability to use.

“I took calligraphy classes over Zoom during COVID, and that's when I started loving it. I moved on to banners from there,” Phillip said. “I started doing banners for homecoming, and my friend's birthdays, and it inspired me to start doing them for more people.”

In sixth grade, Phillip founded and was president of a calligraphy club, which only deepened her love for the art and inspired her to start her business. Phillip manages orders through Instagram and TiktTok under her account @signedbyshania, where she also posts the process of making banners. One of her close friends, sophomore Paige Russel, has known Phillip since third grade and fully supports her decision to start a business.

“[Shania’s] very artistic. She loves to paint and draw. Ever since I've known her she's always been the one I’d go to if I needed help drawing something. I thought it was really cool that she's able to make a business out of something she enjoyed doing. It’s really creative that she's putting herself out there and getting to enjoy it at the same

time,” Russell said.

Russell was excited for Phillip when she first mentioned wanting to turn her hobby into a business. Phillip was unsure about the decision at first and pitched it to her family, who were incredibly supportive.

“[My family] is always encouraging me to do more with my business and pursue my talent,” Phillip said.

With this, Phillip gained the confidence to start her business and turn her passion into something more. To get her business off the ground, Phillip posted videos of herself painting the banners and got help from her friends to spread the word.

“My favorite part about making ban-

ners is the process of painting them and getting to do calligraphy. I love seeing people's reactions when they get their banner for an event, and making them smile,” Phillip said.

Russell herself received one of the first banners Phillip made, for homecoming this year. She was amazed by the final result and recently ordered another, for her sixteenth birthday.

“I sent her some inspiration photos with what I wanted and she executed it perfectly. She dropped off my house and I was so grateful that she did it for me. It was very kind of her to do and the banner looked so good,” Russell said.

Phillip plans for her business to be a fun high school experience and a way for her to expand her hobby. Through it she has im-

proved her creativity and she gets to spend more time doing what she loves. Russell believes that it has made her appreciate her art skills more, as well as teaching her other valuable communiative skills

“I've learned how to communicate with people, and how to understand what they want, and how I can take their requests and turn that into an actual banner that they will like,” Phillip said.

These skills have helped Phillip ensure her customers are satisfied. She checks every detail with her customers before starting to paint so she can provide them with their dream banner.

“[Shania] is always looking to make her customers happy. She’ll make a rough draft and ask if [the customer] wants to make any changes. She will do whatever it takes to make sure that they get exactly what they want, that the colors are perfect,” Russell said.

Because of how time-consuming this process is, Phillip sometimes finds herself overwhelmed and struggling to balance her business with school and sports. Despite this, Phillip remains confident in her choice to start her business and is glad that she took the leap of faith.

“My advice is to just start [your own business] and don't worry about what anybody thinks of you,” Phillip said. “There's always gonna be a lot of people that support you, and that matters way more than anybody that could ever hate you. So just start it and don't think twice.”

Mia Masse's experience in drawing and participation in art classes since a young age allows her to sell detailed works of dogs

by Stella Sato

Art has surrounded freshman Mia Masse ever since she was small. When she was too young to stay home alone, Masse would go with her mom to her art studio. As Masse got older, she realized her passion for art could be made into a business. This realization encour-

and that was something that she wasn't watching me doing because that wasn't something that I was teaching people to do,” said Theresa Masse. “So it's not like she was hearing me give instructions. That was just something that she explored on her own. And it was amazing to watch her.”

After spending her early childhood wishing for a dog, Masse’s wish came true, inspiring her to focus more on dogs while

“I really loved dogs when I was younger,” said Masse. “I had some of my mom or my stepmom's friends ask me if I could

After she drew the dogs for her parents' friends, she received an offer to be paid for her work. This made Masse realise that this was the kind of activity she wanted to do: she sketched and was paid for it. Masse’s parents supported her throughout her journey, constantly encouraging her to do better than she was.

“My parents introduced me to different types of art and different mediums,” said Masse. “Instead of just using a regular pencil for school, they would get me drawing pencils and charcoal pencils.” Masse would mainly sell her art to people in her middle

circle, including friends, friends' parents and parents’ friends. But she would also sell her drawings during Makers Fairs at Adams Middle School. Her works cost about twenty dollars each, and after selling over a hundred of her drawings, she has accumulated hun dreds of dollars over the last three years, and Masse donates a portion to the Carson Animal Shelter.

“I wanted to res cue a dog, but I didn't get to, because during COVID since all the dogs were taken from the shelters. I decided that a different way I could help the shelter was if I gave them money,” Masse said.

Theresa Masse owns an art studio called Paint ‘N Pour, and she would takeMasse there after school when she was too young to stay at home by herself. Masse would paint in the kids section of the studio, allowing her to practice her art skills daily.

“Once in a while, she would actually join the classes to an extent,” Theresa Masse said. “I'd make her sit in the back of the class so that the adults couldn't see her as they were painting.”

Masse's business made its official debut at her first Makers Fair at Adams Middle School, and Theresa Masse was there for

the fair and was impressed by how well Masse's work sold.

“It was nonstop. Just sell, sell, sell. Her table was like going, going, going, And I was so happy for her. She had a huge list of all these custom orders that she was taking orders on, and I remember thinking, ‘Oh, my God. This is insane. She's going to sell a handful, and she's making over $100.’”

FASTING & FITNESS

Fasting while participating in Ramadan has a unique effect on athletes

by Sam Schwartz

Ramadan, an Islamic holiday in which particpants fast (food and water) from dawn until sunset, provides Muslims a chance to reflect on their self-discipline, gratitude, patience, and endurance, and high school athletes competing during Ramadan benefit from this experience.

While senior Humza Khan does not participate in sports anymore, he has competed in sports such as boxing, beach volleyball, lacrosse and baseball throughout his time fasting in the past.

“Ramadan is not about starving yourself. It's just about self-control and being able to control your hunger because that's

the number one thing that drives everything you do,” Khan said.

Not being sufficiently energized has both mental and physical downsides; however, senior tennis player Emaad Moghal believes that it does not have to be an excuse, but rather a reason to play harder.

“You have to get past that mental barrier and realize that it's not an actual disadvantage, but it’s a mental advantage for me, to have this ability that I'm playing well dehydrated, I'm playing without food and yet I'm still competing and winning my matches. So I think it motivates me to play better,” Moghal said.

The feeling of dehydration and hunger is inevitable, but with good preparation, people participating in Ramadan can give themselves more strength throughout the day. To do this you must be smart with your intake in the morning, or the meal called Suhoor.

“[It’s smart] if you eat smart and drink smart, with electrolytes and chia seeds. As an athlete, it's very important to figure out

how many macros you need and how you hydrate because you don't want to just overeat or overdrink because you’ll end up using the restroom, getting rid of all that for the rest of the day,” Khan said.

Humans are adaptive and resilient, and according to Khan, if someone is practicing their faith, Ramadan is not as difficult as it may seem to those not experiencing it.

“I think it proves to myself that I don't need to be heavily energized. It's just a different feeling knowing that you're practicing your faith and also succeeding in your sport,” Khan said. “Last year, boxing was very hard because it's a ton of cardio. You're getting beaten down for minutes on end, and you're going that way over and over again. It's inspiring to yourself that you're able to push yourself through these limits of not being able to drink water between the rounds.”

Over time, Muslims participating in Ramadan build consistency with their strategies and mental cues to get them through each day of fasting. For Khan, knowing he’s done it before gives him the confidence to get through.

“I think starting is one of the hardest [challenges]. I've always boxed, but as a sophomore, I [played] baseball and beach volleyball, a lot of intertwining sports. And then last year, I woke up for zero period, meaning I had long days. So I think knowing that you can do it again [is important],” Khan said.

Some things that come with competing for a sports team are the connections that athletes create with their coaches and teammates. They get so close that they will do anything to help one another. Through strong connections, they can assist each other when at their lowest.

“Last year, during lacrosse, I had to break my fast midgame. And a lot of times my coach would put me off, blend me in for a little bit. My friends would have snacks for me and they’d bring me water. They’d sub me out for a couple minutes, and I’d get back in.” Khan said.

The inability to eat or drink can be an unexpected assistance during sports, as it can get one more tapped into the mental side of things, rather than chugging some water or worrying about their energy.

“I think it affects my focus because a lot of the time I'm in the middle of a match, and then we have a break [for] drinking water, and eating a snack. So, in that way, it puts me at a disadvantage because they're rehydrating and everything,” Moghal said.

”[But] it also puts me at an advantage because I can go talk to my team about strategy, and I can decompress the past two games. I think that can make me more mentally ready because tennis is a really big mental game.”

Ramadan is a way to clear people's minds and develop empathy for oth ers. Redondo atheletes see the light within it and embrace the prac tice.

“I think a lot of it taught me the importance of cleansing yourself every now and then. Whether it's through intermittent fasting, wheth er it's through stopping to lis ten to a certain type of music. The importance of cleans ing yourself is very neces sary to keep your soul and mental life in check because without a break in your nor mal life, you're going through a cycle, and I think Ramadan helps in breaking that cycle,” Moghal said. “It makes you more aware of de vices around you, your general habits, how you can improve yourself. and how you move on af terwards. If you can keep those, that is how you develop.”

1. Moghal with his teammates

2. Moghal getting ready to return the ball in a match

PHOTOS BY KYLE SANCHEZ

features 6 ON THE BEAT

JJ Brunet is a self-taught music producer and has collaborated with professional artists

by Safi Hamilton-Torres

Self-taught music producer freshman JJ Brunet has spent the last three years navigating the technical demands of FL Studio, a music production software platform, while balancing his role as a student-athlete. Brunet has simultaneously built a catalog that has landed him over a dozen professional placements, ten of which are collaborations with professional artists. By blending technical talent with a consistent networking strategy, Brunet has turned a childhood interest in sound into a developing career that bridges the gap between the studio and the professional music industry.

For many aspiring producers, the learning curve of mastering music software is music,” Brunet said.

As his skills developed, his focus shifted from simply learning the interface of producing music to finding his own creative voice.

“At some point, when you get better, it is almost just like clicking buttons. But you have to have that mindset of, ‘How can I make this different from others? How to make it more unique?’” Brunet said.

Jackie Brunet, JJ Brunet’s mother, attributes his progress to a consistent level of focus and admires his willingness to take risks. She notes that his approach to music mirrors his approach to other personal interests.

primary driver of his growth.

“Whatever he's into at the moment, he's very passionate about it. I knew back thing, he learns all about it. He puts himself out there and sticks his neck out. When he wants something, he doesn't let anything get in his way to achieve it,” Jackie Brunet

Jackie Brunet points to his ability to view failure as a necessary part of the creative cess as

Crossword No.2: Time's up

by Declan Williams

“What I'm most proud of is his confidence. He doesn’t let mistakes get in the way of his passion for music. He is comfortable with the process of trial and error. If he’s not happy with the result, he’ll switch up his tactic and improve,” Jackie Brunet said.

Ben Galati, also a producer, suggests that Brunet’s transition from a bedroom producer to someone with multiple placements is largely due to his networking habits.

“JJ avoids the ‘copy and paste' approach of his competitors. Instead, he connects to other producers on a deeper level with artists. He constantly networks and consistently promotes his music,” Galati said.

plines, he keeps his long-term professional plans flexible as he continues to explore his potential.

Balancing the demands of his freshman year with the intensity of football training and a growing music career, Brunet manages a schedule that leaves him with downtime. While he remains focused on the momentum he has built across these disci-

“I don’t know where I want to be in five years — maybe I’ll be touring with some artists or playing college football somewhere,” Brunet said. “I just like to keep things busy.”

Classification

Bulldozes

Indian prince

Neighbor, as land

Lion's pride?

Trident-shaped Greek letter

Revolver?

Charged particles

Settle securely

Photoreceptors

Home of billions

Sitar music

Eyes 61. "If all ____ fails"

Rosh Hashanah horns

Cupid, to the Greeks

Witherspoon of "Legally Blonde"

Physiques, for short

More frosty

"Star Trek" genre

Popular Japanese brew

Luggage attachment

Proverb

Street between Agate and Beryl

Ark builder

Haggard

Blunder

Fool

Caped crusader

Truth

Morphine, e.g.

Babe in the woods

Remote control center button

Competent 49. Blue, or green?

Guitar music visualization

Perched on

PHOTO BY ROBERT PACKARD

Brunet on FL Studio COURTESY OF BRUNET

RUNNING OUT

Physical aging's correlation with maturity has encouraged younger generations of students to join cosmetic and beauty "standards"

by Violette Alshin

that no other living thing on Earth does is an abundant awareness of our appearance at all times. We have mirrors, phones, Instagram, Tiktok and Snapchat. We are always aware of our appearance because it plays such an active role in our daily lives. Digital presence leaves archives of our past selves and other people’s best selves. Done up, youthful, glowing pic tures, that might not always reflect our cur rent state. Physical aging and changes take a large mental toll on everyone, but espe cially on teens. It's important to be aware of how our changing appearances affect us, both physically and mentally.

Junior Veda Celestial is familiar with the stresses of physical aging through commentary from family members and society as a whole.

“I think it's sad to compare the way someone ages like ‘aging like fine wine’ or ‘aging like milk.’ It's basically saying, ‘Oh, they look bad now that they’re older,’ versus ‘They still look good even if they did age.’ I think it can really affect someone since aging isn’t something people can con trol. Everyone does it. Comparing people like that and using phrases like that is real ly sad,” said Celestial.

people have cautioned as being “appear ance competitive.” In recent times the plat forms have shifted towards a marketing space for “how to get the perfect face/skin/ body.” This can end with people comparing the “imperfect” to the goal, and only mak ing themselves feel worse.

I’ve always tried to take really good care of my skin. My mom is always worried about me getting wrinkles, so she's always like, ‘Oh you have to wear sunscreen.’ She's always gone out of her way to go buy those pricey products for us and all the SPF50 sunscreen that we wear everyday,” said Celestial.

looks

feels fulfilling for

“My skincare rou- tine is pretty short, but I guess pretty unique because I inject myself daily with a shot of GHKCU, which is a collagen copper peptide supplement that helps your skin and your hair, and then I just wash my face. I think it's pretty unique to what other people are doing with just ordinary topical products,” said De La Torre.

Peptides and injections have been

These injections are not as fast acting as accutane but have much less side effects and are not a foreign substance to the body, but an increase in existing hormones.

“I think people need to protect themselves from aging naturally as well as with cosmetic and medical help. I know a bunch of people are blessed, they go outside with just a little bit of sunscreen and they're cool, but with a lot of people skincare and aging is such a hormonal thing. When you get acne and it's really bad, it's going to affect your future. If you just leave it there will always be scarring, and you're gonna be picking at your skin. I think people should definitely act on skincare now,” said

The speed that trends and society is changing at makes it seem as if everything comes down to what people do right now, even if right now they are still kids.

“Now especially as a teenage girl it's hard not to be super worried about your appearance and your body, especially your skin, with all the changes of puberty,” said

The growth of the skincare community on social media as of 2025 has caused a spike in skin insecurities and following anxieties according to Psychology Today.

“I think that social media has a big impact on mental wellness over my physical appearance. Scrolling and seeing all these girls with perfect clear skin and no signs of aging and thinking to myself, “Why doesn’t my skin look like that?” especially with my eczema. You're constantly comparing yourself to other people, and it can definitely affect mental health,” said Celestial.

Many people consider social media a catalyst for insecurities, specifically for skincare and body image. Marriage and family therapist Rachael Msennis blames filters and airbrushing for the impossible standards social media has set that people feel the compulsive need to compare themselves to.

“Comparing yourself on social media is honestly a waste of time, not that I'm above it. I think we’re all affected by it and the amount of money people spend the older they get on beautifying themselves. A good challenge for people is to stay off of social media for a week or two and see if it makes them more comfortable with themselves. It's a good way to see how much you're affected,” said Msennis.

Over her 16 years as a therapist to teens and adults alike, Msennis has found that anxiety surrounding physical aging is not exclusive to teens.

“Weight is one of the insecurities that spans across all age groups, especially for women. When people start crossing 40 they start putting themselves down more for just naturally aging,” said Msennis.

This societal pressure for women to look youthful forever is implied in almost every form of media; to look as perfect as they can in their skin, features and body, but it does not only affect women. This increased presence of skincare social media has made many feel like they are falling behind in their physical appearance.

“For my sisters and my mom, they're all super into health and beauty so for them it's more cosmetic,” said De La Torre. “Nobody wants acne. Taking care of it at a younger age is important to make sure that when you're older it's not affecting how you feel about yourself or how you

"What scares most about up?"

"I think the biggest growing up is the making your own decisions, sarily have someone becomes a little more er chance of making someone

"What experiences helped you

"Working through team issues, and then even in classes sometimes develop a mature mindset. I've terms with losing and accepting be the most skilled in the room. show me I'm better at some things, others, and that’s okay."

PALOMA DAWSON SOPHOMORE

"Do you and your ever

disagree

reasonable expectation maturity

"Even though I have is nice, I still feel to say ‘Hey, I'm heading ask for permission. ly need to know time I leave, because trustworthy."

scares you about growing up?"

biggest thing that scares me about responsibility that comes with decisions, since you don't necessomeone to guide you at every turn. It more scary, since you have a greatmaking that wrong choice without someone there to stop you."

GAVIN HASSAN SENIOR

specific experiences have you mature?"

issues, with my sport sometimes helped me I've had to come to accepting that I might not room. Team activities things, and worse at okay."

your parents disagree on what a expectation of maturity is? "

have a lot of freedom, which as a senior, I should be able heading out,’ and not have to permission. I think they don't realwhere, why, and how every because I've proven that I’m trustworthy."

of TIME

present yourself.”

The fear of aging visibly has been passed from generation to generation, especially through women. The view that a person’s skin in their youth is the catalyst for what people look like for the rest of their life has poised a fear of change in appearances that has perpetuated people's desire for perfection.

“My mom really implemented the thought that I should be kind of worried about aging. When I think about aging, I worry about getting wrinkles, and I think about how it’s harder for me to take care of my skin as I get older. When I was younger my skin was different, easier,” said Celestial.

school, I had really good skin and didn’t really think about it. It's kind of sad seeing all these kids being so focused on their appearances and ten step skincare routines that don’t make them look any different,” said Celestial. “They just do it because it's what they see older kids do. I think it's really about how they want people to see them as more mature, but it's too early. For younger girls especially looking older is seen as cool, until it isn’t”.

INFORMATION FROM PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Social media has sped up maturation for young chil-

BENNY SPANGLER SENIOR

Society has made it so that many women are often caught between wanting to seem mature and be taken seriously and wanting to appear young with youthful features to appeal to the ever evolving societal standards.

“Its hard to admit, but I do put a lot of my self-worth on my appearance. I live with my mom and four sisters, so they’re all into looking as beautiful as possible, and they are, they’re beautiful. My mom is 52, and people always say, ‘You look so young’, so I think I've always seen beauty as value,” said De La Torre. “As a guy, I don’t put on makeup or anything but there's such a benefit to appearing attractive. I think skincare especially affects it. Attractiveness is one thing and hygiene is another. Skincare falls between and the more hygienic you look the more

trustworthiness and reliability, according to the London School of Economics and Political Science. This idea is completely unfounded and is very harmful to many people subconsciously, pushing them further into the rabbit hole of obsessing over appearances.

“A majority of people who are involved less in other parts of life, besides just beautifying and taking care of themselves in that way, are way more dependent on how they look,” said Msennis. “People who are partaking more in life, building teem, experiencchallenges and overcoming them or even just creating friendships—looks don’t become the only thing they have.”

Food fads

Debloating is a new health fad that centers removing water from the face, which can be good for individuals if executed healthily

by Declan Williams

Debloating can be a great way to start caring about your health and body and not just a silly fad. Debloating is the latest iteration of a long line of “looksmaxxing” trends. The main idea is that most people are bloated, especially in their facial area, and they can fix it. Like the many trends before it, debloating is a method used by people to enhance their physical appearance. This trend stems from “redpill” and “looksmaxx” communities, spaces where (mostly) men strive to be as attractive as possible, using various methods, despite health risks. However, debloating in particular is different; it is backed by science, fairly easy to accomplish, not harmful if done right and actually has various health benefits. So, despite its associations with unsavory communities, debloating is a great way to feel better and to put more thought into what you eat and drink–as long as you do it right. Ever since the 90s and earlier, debloating has been a come-and-go fad. Things such as juice cleanses and detoxes pushed the same idea: you can be slim- mer if you just eat and drink the right things. In the early 2000s, this man- ifested as celebrity detox diets, which claimed things along the lines of "you could lose all of your stubborn belly fat if you drank sparkling water with lemon juice." Then, with the onset of Instagram and social media, wellness supplements exploded onto the scene with products such as Teatox

and Fittea, which also claimed to help you slim down. Finally, when TikTok became a huge success, ideas such as lymphatic drainage, which popularized tools like gua shas and jade rollers, became the new adaptation of the trend. In all of its iterations, debloating has been the same idea repackaged, but in its newest form, there is more science behind it. Of course, all of these trends target people’s insecurities in a predatory way, and your body does not define you. Once you start thinking that you need to debloat to “save yourself” or to “ascend,” you’re no longer just debloating, and now you’re having unhealthy thoughts and opinions about your body

and face.

The cur rent man ifestation of this trend is the de bloat trend on TikTok. With out a doubt, it’s the most scien tificall backed health-related trend thus far, and it has reached a whole new audience. Where for- merly women were the target au- dience for these trends, now it has reached young men and teens devoted to the “looksmaxxing” movement. Thousands of cre- ators are preaching various methods to millions of people— some real and legit, many not. It is also, in my opinion, the “best” version of this trend. It’s backed by science, it’s transparent about its goals and methodology, and it’s safe.

Personally, I’m glad that more people are becoming mindful of

their consumption of food and drink, and that they’re doing it in a safe and controlled way. Your electrolyte balance is something that a lot of people don’t think about, and it’s an easy way to improve your athletic performance, as the minerals in your body greatly affect how you perform.

But how scientific is it, really? The main idea of debloating is about the potassium/ sodium balance in your body. Generally speaking, more potassium means less water being held in your face, and more sodium means more water being held in your face. However, bloating can also be caused by other things such as allergies, sleep length and quality and alchohol and processed food consumption; These are seperate issues that are housed under the same system, but can't be remedied solely from correcting your electrolyte balance.

If everyone were on the same page about this, then there would be no real problem. However, lots of people are spreading misinformation about this subject. People are pushing false information and narratives about debloating. There are plenty of people who are using this craze to sell low-quality “fixes” that promise a slimmer face immediately, and in doing so, are preying on insecurities for personal gain. There are also plenty of people who are pushing facts for the wrong reasons. This is the dark side of this trend. Once people fall prey to the idea that the water content in their face and their overall looks define them, it goes downhill from there. I think this is where the trend loses its credibility, as well.

though trying to lessen facial bloating may be for vain reasons, and less water in your face will not directly make you any healthier, the steps you take to debloat will help you in other ways.

According to Heart.org, reduced sodium intake reduces blood pressure. Also, drinking water helps with digestion, headaches, muscle cramps and overall mood, according to Mayo Clinic.

The bottom line is this: debloating is a real and studied phenomenon that can reduce the puffiness in your face. However, it will not magically make you skinnier, nor will it transform your body in a significant way. And al-

Diet Fads Timeline

Debloating is a gateway to caring more about what you put into your body, and its overall health. Although some people may take it too far, attempting to debloat by decreasing salt to a redcommended level is step one towards a health- ier life. Focusing on your fluid and electrolyte intake will keep you in the right state of mind to be a more mindful and health-minded individual. Tak ing care of your body may seem unimportant now, but the habits that you es- tablish when you are young stay with you for the rest of your life. Because of this, I would personally recommend everyone try to be as responsible with their bodies as possible, so that they can live a long and healthy life, and have the correct habits and routines in place for later in life.

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5. Coconut water and banana, two foods commonly associated with debloating.

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editorial: social safety net

or some kids, growing up can happen too soon, or not at all. Stunted growth often occurs in students who are struggling with poverty, work to support their family early on, take care of their siblings, or live in foster care. For these kids, maturity can come with the price of their childhood, and this process is largely shaped by socioeconomics.

Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health indicates that children experiencing hardships — such as economic necessity or family stressors — are significantly more likely to feel "relatively older" and self-identify as adults in their late teens compared to peers. Additionally, children who take on adult roles, such as caregiving or financial provider (parentification), often experience "developmental stalling" in adulthood. Research indicates that while these individuals may develop high empathy and practical competence, they also face higher risk of anxiety, depression and emotional dysregulation. Children who experience high stress, such as those growing up in challenging

By:

High Tide Staff

home environments, can develop strong interpersonal skills; however, chronic stress at a young age can also inhibit brain development. In fact, by age three, 80% of a child's brain is already developed. Environmental stressors during these critical periods, such as inadequate emotional support or trauma, can cause "deterioration in growth and development" that impacts long-term potential.

A study by the Harvard Gazette found that growing up in poverty actually hurts children’s brain development. This is attributed to many factors, some of which are a lack of access to a healthy diet, the stress of an unstable home, and higher rates of violent crime or pollution.

“Higher levels of anxiety and depression are well-established among kids growing up in families with lower income,” said Harvard psychology professor Katie A. McLaughlin. “Over the past decade or so, we’ve learned there are also well-replicated differences in brain development as a function of a family’s socioeconomic status.”

However, social safety nets such as Med-

icaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can help mitigate the effects of poverty on the brain by offering nutritional and mental health aid to children in need. Unfortunately, recent 2025-2026 federal and state actions are implementing significant cuts and tighter eligibility requirements for U.S. social safety net programs. Major cuts include over a billion from SNAP, hundreds of billions from Medicaid, reduced permanent housing funds, and tighter work requirements, potentially impacting millions of beneficiaries, low-income households, and putting children in poverty at further risk for mental and physical health issues. Redondo students and faculty should support these social safety nets, as they protect children's lives, and they result in healthier families, which in turn places less strain on these programs and the tax payers. If these social services are slashed, children will be more likely to slip through the cracks of poverty, according to the California Community Foundation.

Another group that's vulnerable to the mental and physical effects of “stunted growth” are foster care children, or a minor who has been placed in state custody and lives with a state-licensed caregiver, relative, or in a group facility because their home environment is unsafe due to abuse, neglect, or parental incapacity (Annie E. Casey Foundation). There are now 11,745 young people aged 20 and younger in Los Angeles County custody. These children are largely neglected by Americans, voters or not. The foster care system is deeply broken, and it rarely supports these children, often deserting kids in unsafe homes and without the care they need, staffed by overworked social workers. Even as Redondo students, it is important that we don’t let these children fall through the cracks and that we invest in the social services that prevent families from being broken apart and offer the safety net for if they do. Many children don’t have the luxury of growth — and it’s their community's obligation to help.

1. William Banting's "Letter on Corpulence," the first diet focused book.

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Apple cider vinegar representing a famous diet.

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Voice Column:

Living in America as my ancestral land is at war

by Ayla Rodgers

Being in Iran in 2016 as an 8-year-old came with hardships. Not because the air outside was filled with smoke from nearby military sites being destroyed, as it is today, nor was it because I was scared to walk outside in fear of being killed, as many in Iran currently are. Instead, my hardships came because it was summer, the air excruciatingly hot, and I was scared to be inside, testing my ability to speak Farsi and hoping I could communicate with my great-grandmother without my mother translating every word.

Despite the heat and the hard, yet worth-it attempts at communicating with everyone who didn’t know English, Iran was beautiful. I often rewind every moment in my mind: meeting relatives, every dinner we shared with the indescribable food and the walks through the nearby park right by my great-grandparents house in Tehran.

As headlines went up of the military strikes on Iran by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28, those moments locked into my memory felt more important. Understanding the geopolitical meaning of those missile strikes is one thing. Understanding what it feels like to be surrounded by the places and speak with the people being affected by them is something entirely different.

My mother, an Iranian immigrant who moved to the U.S. as an 11-year-old, had to grow up during the Iran–Iraq War. As a child, I repeatedly asked her what it was like biking home from school and rushing into the basement as bombs dropped in the distance. Her wartime stories fascinated me, and as a child who never once had to come faceto-face with real war, her stories made me understand the privilege I had growing up.

In September of 2022, a wave of young university students protesting for human rights began in the wake of a woman named Mahsa Amini being brutally killed by Iran’s morality police over allegedly not wearing her hijab to the officer’s liking, according to PBS. Protests erupted not only in Iran, but in other areas such as here in Los Angeles.

As unrest overflowed this past year due to high rates of inflation and poverty, thousands of Iranians stormed the streets starting Dec. 28 in protest, calling for a regime change, according to Amnesty International. In my household, my family watched multiple videos spread across platforms, such as Instagram, with thousands of Iranians in the streets demanding change and trying to overthrow the regime. But with internet-access being stopped just a short time after the protests began, communication with Iran went nearly silent.

A massacre of thousands of Iranian citizens protesting in the streets then began. Medical officials in Iran and opposition groups, like Iran National, citing leaked documents, estimate that over 30,000 people were killed.

I was horrified not only by the occurrence of the killings, but the silence that surrounded it. No one I knew, who wasn’t Persian themselves, knew about it. I felt hopeless even after letting those who didn’t know about it understand what was happening because what truly could they do. Twice, I went to protests urging for the freedom of Iran, but I didn’t understand what could be done. The only option to Iranian-Americans who wanted a better life for their loved ones back home or the chance for them to go back, was intervention by another country.

On Feb. 28, that is when many Iranian-Americans like myself felt true hope for once. My hope was immediately followed by a sense of fear though as I wondered what our administration's true intentions were. Western intervention in the Middle East has rarely ended in stable democracy. But was it okay to allow deep oppression of Iranians who were fighting for change and had no other option but to look to other countries for help?

I cannot say for certain whether this will end well or if I even believe it will end. I don’t think it’s wrong for me to feel hope the situation will improve. Every Iranian-American wants the same freedoms we have here in America to be given to those in Iran, who are entitled to basic human rights just as much as we are.

While I understand everyone is entitled to their own opinions surrounding American intervention, I still believe in the importance of human rights. Iran may feel like a distant conflict, something only discussed when tax dollars are involved. Although for Iranian-Americans like myself, it is deeply personal.

It is where our families live, where long-lasting memories were made and where millions of ordinary people simply want the same freedoms many of us take for granted. Despite having an American last name from my father, lighter skin than my mother and little physical resemblance to what many imagine an Iranian to look like, I still care deeply about what will happen there. Ultimately, the real question is not just what governments will do next, but whether anyone will remember the people who are living through it.

Pantry problems

Almond moms impact children's eating habits and body image more than acknowledged

by Hayden McMahon

“Make sure you do your 20 sit ups tonight so you don’t feel sluggish tomorrow, sweetie.” “You’re not hungry, you’re just bored.” If you are used to hearing these comments and reminders at home, you may have what is known as an almond mom. An almond mom is a term for mothers who obsess about their weight and body image and often participate in restrictive diets and eating habits, modeling a certain body image for their children. The phrase stems from Yolanda Hadid, mother of supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid, telling her daughter to chew on some almonds slowly if she was feeling weak from lack of food. They are known to be very restrictive about “processed foods” for their households, which establishes a lot of guilt around eating certain foods for their children. While it has become much more common to call out this behavior from parents in the last few years, this obsession with staying lean and this attitude towards food is more toxic and destructive than most realize.

The fact is, many of these mothers were raised in very similar environments to one another, being taught very blatantly from a young age to be fatphobic and follow the life styles of supermodels in the 80s and 90s. Most of us are aware now that this upbringing has been the root of many cases of eating dis orders and body dysmorphia, and that following Kate Moss’s diet was not the best idea in retrospect; but unfortunately, as time has passed, trends have only repeated themselves in disguise. Things like pilates, gym culture, eating only high-protein foods and waist training are normalized under the justification that they are healthy ways to stay in shape, but they still have the same message: be ing skinny is the goal. The point is that they all have the same impact on people, and these women raised in the 80s and 90s are able to model this behavior for their kids while sounding politically correct this time around. Thank goodness we’ve solved that problem, am I right?

Almond moms’ modeling of restrictive diet ing and experimentation with strategies such as intermittent fasting and caloric deficits are still just as harmful for children to be raised on as looking up supermodels is. These almond moms that have spent their whole lives work ing towards a lower number on the scale are unintentionally ruining their children’s lives by wanting them to do the same. According to Eating Disorder Hope, a program dedicat ed to spreading research-based facts about eating disorders, “[m]others’ dieting behav iors may influence their daughters’ relation ship with food, whether intentionally or not.”

With that said, I am aware that no one can be the perfect role model, and it is extremely difficult to recover from anything in the vicinity of an eating disorder. I simply believe that breaking this generational cycle of irreparable psychological harm should be much higher on society’s to do list. Almond moms are just as much victims as they are perpetrators, but the only way to stop this disease of body hatred and obsession with fitness at the expense of enjoyment is to stop it at its source, by going to therapy and putting in effort to undo what society has engraved in so many women’s brains. That way, we can have fewer young girls rolling their eyes at the pack of unsalted almonds that was packed in their lunch, waiting to trade it for some Pringles or Oreos at recess.

Girls with almond moms are three times more likely to worry about their bodies

This includes regularly dieting or limiting food intake, fixating over nutritional information, binging on snacks, or other types of unhelpful be haviors.” With the evidence that things like eating disorders and body dysmorphia can be passed down behaviorally, there are really no excuses for not being more careful about projecting these things. Any adults who plan on bringing life to this world have to be more responsible for sorting out issues with their body image –potentially via therapy – before raising children.

A lot of issues also stem from seemingly very minor comments or actions. Things like “I can’t have that junk food in the house at all or I’ll just gobble it down,” or mak ing it a habit of only eating carbs if they are about to work out, while appearing insignificant to some, are extreme ly harmful behaviors to raise children with. Both of these habits automatically drill into a child’s head that certain foods are evil, developing a forbidden fruit sort of dynamic that creates both desire and guilt around food, which can be detrimental to the mind of someone so young. It is a parent’s job to foster a good relationship with food for their kids, and labeling certain foods as junk or only for once-a-year special occasions does exactly the opposite. A kid being exposed to candy and chips during their childhood is absolutely inevitable, but if said kid has never been allowed these things before, they are going to go insane at the sight and taste of them. A future parent who struggles with their own body image to the point of being triggered by some foods should really, and I mean really, sort out their own relationship with food before having kids.

letters to the editor

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entertainment 12 til death do us part

"The

Bride" is a standout film due to quality acting and visuals

by Andrew Diette

Ican only define “The Bride!” as the most polarizing movie released this year.

This film has critics and viewers ludicrously divided, and for good reason. It is conceptually unusual, and pulls from a multitude of different inspirations, overarching themes and genres to make it what it is: a pieced-together frankenstein’s monster of a film. “The Bride!” reimagines the 1935 “Bride of Frankenstein” film, taking inspiration from the original “Frankenstein” novel, “Bonnie and Clyde,” and more. Typically, the commercially successful films that open to overwhelmingly positive reviews are what make the public more inclined to go and watch them. However, the public’s nebulous conclusion on whether or not “The Bride!” is actual-

ly worth watching is what intrigued me enough to venture to the movie theater and sit through the 2-hour picture.

The movie was released on March 6th, written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, an acclaimed actress and director. It stars Oscar winning actors Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale.

It opens by introducing Mary Shelley, the acclaimed writer of the original "Frankenstein” novel, as a ghost following her death. We are then introduced to the main setting of 1930s Chicago, as Ida, a sex worker, is possessed by Mary Shelley before she falls down a flight of stairs to her death. Frankenstein’s creature is then introduced, searching for mad scientist Dr. Euphronius, who’s able to “reinvigorate” a woman from the dead to be his companion. They dig up Ida’s body, and she is successfully resurrected — except she’s lost her memory and is now marked with the movie’s icon: a black ink stain beside her lips. After she’s nearly attacked on a night out, “Frank” defends Ida by killing two men. They’re caught on camera and make the headlines characterized as savage killers. What ensues after this point in the narrative is a Bonnie and Clyde style-dynamic, as the two run off, watching movies, making scenes and running wild with two detectives following closely behind.

"Mr.

This film is successful in several components such as incredible performance. Jessie Buckley is, to no one’s surprise, the standout performer in this film as she essentially plays two different characters and nails each one. She uses different dialects, mannerisms, and speech to differentiate between the Bride and Mary Shelley

when she takes control of her body. When her character is reinvigorated, she makes it abundantly clear this is an entirely new character by becoming loud and chaotic and blunt. Her execution of the character’s complexity is a massive part of what makes this movie stand out and convey a powerful feminist message. Christian Bale does very well in his role, as well, portraying Frankenstein as the stereotypical monster we know him as, with articulate speech and a strong desire for connection.

The production design and visuals were another major strength of “The Bride!” This movie is visually interesting to look at and the 1930s city culture of the film is exemplified very clearly by the architecture and news headlines the audience is shown as the story progresses. The costume and makeup design of this movie is both distinctive and referential, cleverly pulling from the style of the famous 1930s Frankenstein designs. An entire dance number, set to “Puttin on the Ritz” is another unlikely highlight of the film's visual aspects, and references the 1974 horror/comedy film “Young Frankenstein,” which I thought was a fun inclusion to the film.

There are two problems I had with this movie that I believe contributed to its somewhat garbled plot and the difficulty to fully comprehend it. The first was the inclusion of Mary Shelley as a ghost, puppeting the bride as the movie progressed and appearing in her dreams. I think making the audience aware of who Mary Shelley is was important, but she’s not a character IN Frankenstein. How Mary Shelley is able to possess a woman is given zero explanation and it's tiresome to watch her appear on the screen again and again. Gyllenhaal depicts Shelley as being overly maniacal or crazy, repeating and rhyming her words. It’s an interesting portrayal of the author, but it doesn’t tonally match the rest of the characters in this movie and feels out of place when she takes control of the bride.

The second issue I had with this movie was its blatant desire to be weird and subversive. The sporadic, punk aesthetic is comparable to something like “Cruella” or even a “Joker” film — and you can notice this because of the copious amount

of times Buckley screams throughout the movie. It's supposedly intended to be powerful but it doesn’t quite reach the audience in that way. This film also seemed to treat cursing in the 1930s as a sign of rebellion, and yet, it feels ridiculously forced. While this is technically historically accurate, this film has been advertised as a modern take on Bride of Frankenstein, and therefore shouldn’t make me feel like I’m supposed to gasp every time I hear profanity. It also gets more obvious every single time you hear the f-bomb. The glaringly obvious effort to make this film punk-rock and edgy feels cliche, all of which makes it much harder to take the pertinent themes at the center of the story seriously.

In spite of that, this movie was still enjoyable and engaging. It was chaotic and rather disjointed at times — often getting lost in its own themes and showcasing them in a way that was either unnecessary or over-the-top. Many critics described this movie as “ambitious” and trying to achieve too many things at once, but trying to address several ideas in a complex way doesn’t automatically make this movie bad in the way many tried to characterize it to be. Even though I wasn't initially sure how to feel walking out of the movie theater, I know that this movie isn’t vapid, and not all movies need to be conventional or perfectly structured to be well-done and meaningful. One of the most pertinent themes in this film was consent, and by being brought back from the dead, Ida learns to speak up for herself and say no, doing so with the recurring phrase “I would prefer not to.” This was one of my favorite quotes from the film, and the way this film used the concept of the bride of Frankenstein to show how people can be “reborn” and rediscover themselves is what made it memorable. This movie strikes you with important messages about self-discovery, reinvigoration and companionship, making “The Bride!” both a valuable and entertaining watch. You'll just have to see it for yourself to know if you’ll really enjoy what it’s offering to the audience.

Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore" is a simple, light, entertaining read

by Deeksha Prasad

The other day, I walked by Dave’s Olde Book Shop in North Redondo on my way home. I used to love the store in middle school; with floor to ceiling shelves packed with books and light streaming through the storefront windows, it had always felt magical. I stole a peek inside; only to see the whole store emptied out, and a sign on the door that read: permanently closed.

It was saddening to see, but it also helped me appreciate my current read, “Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore.”

We’ve lost the magic of independent bookstores to Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I won’t pretend to not be a victim to that epidemic as well; the majority of my book purchases are from none other than the Barnes & Noble in Del Amo mall, which I’m sure many of you are familiar with.

“Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore” is a mix of that small bookstore magic, secret societies, complex code breaking and modern tech. The story follows Clay Jennon, an unemployed “tech bro” who works the night shift at the titular bookstore. Over the course of his shifts he encounters a few odd customers, who repeatedly come in without buying anything— instead, they “check out” obscure volumes from the back of the store. The whole system is part of some long term arrangement with Mr. Penumbra, and Clay is determined to uncover the secrets that lie within the store. Together

with his group of friends, he launches his investigation, and his journey to uncover the true purpose of the shop leads into a series fantastical events, involving complex code breaking and international secret societies.

What I liked the most about this book was the mix of ancient mystery with extremely modern, tech-savvy characters. The contrast added to the enjoyable aspect of the novel— though, there was a lot that detracted from it.

I don’t doubt that the book was intended for an adult market, seeing as all the characters are adults, and yet, keeping that in mind, the writing felt very juvenile. Not to be confused with bad; it was appropriate for a YA audience and extremely direct, but not what I would expect based on the predicted demographic it was meant to hit.

The characters also felt very flat and each seemed to serve one clear purpose. For example, some of Clay’s friends: Neel is a millionaire who can pay for everything the group needs. Kat works at Google and can access any resources necessary for them to complete their task. It was too perfect of a setup for the characters to have depth that would make them interesting. The whole book lacked tension; it was annoyingly clear that any obstacles they encountered were going to be easily overcome. The tropes of the characters and the style of the writing all worked together to convince me

that perhaps, this might’ve been better as a movie. Not all stories are meant to be in the form of a book.

But mediocre doesn’t necessarily mean unenjoyable. While from a critical standpoint, I take a lot of issues with this book, from a lens of enjoyment, I loved it. It was a quick, fun read, that overall drew some laughs and kept me engaged the whole time (which is more than I can say about a lot of other books with similar qualities). The integration of tech into their ancient mystery was, as mentioned earlier, easily the best part of the book. The concept that they could just Google their way through their task was incredibly amusing, and felt realistic to our reality today. The novel did a great job of showing how both the old and the new have a place in our world, and how important their coexistence is.

If you’re into tech and appreciate the occasional sprinkle of fantasy and whimsy, this is a novel for you. If you’re looking for a Sunday morning read that you don’t need to think too hard about but can still enjoy, this is a novel for you. If you really like Google (because believe me, they talk about Google a LOT), then this is a novel for you. Though not a timeless or particularly excellent piece, “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore” is

a fun read that speaks to our generation’s ability to work with the contemporary tools around us to solve any problem we face.

Hardly worth the wait

BTS' comeback album "ARIRANG" is a sore disappointment and fails to live up to expectations, lacking cohesion and strong vocal performances

by Payton Rothluebbers

Apparently, going to the military not only makes you buff, but it also revokes your ability to sing and produce. It’s a side effect nobody really discussed prior to the release of renowned K-pop group BTS’ new, long-awaited studio album “ARIRANG”: their first comeback as a group in four years, due to mandatory military service hiatus.

This album was maybe one of the most historically awaited in the K-pop industry, with BTS heavily influencing the genre and making a name for themselves globally since their earlier days. Even your dad probably knows who BTS is. People practically sold their souls for BTS tickets at the news of them returning to the stage all together, even before the release of “ARIRANG.” In addition to their pre-established fame as a group, the hiatus gave individual members the op -

portunity to create their own identities as solo artists. Their solo albums were received pretty well by fans, yet the commentary circulating social media platforms surrounding this specific album took a turn for the worse. What on Earth happened to “ARIRANG”?

As somebody who has been a K-pop fan for seven years, and who has seen many groups fall apart by the hands of the industry, it has never been more evident to me than it is with the current state of BTS that the members are just done. This year marks their 13th since their debut, and it’s clear they simply don’t want to be in a group anymore. I swear that somewhere in the background of a track, I can hear them adlibbing “our company is milking our fame!” and “please let me retire!” They sound bored. I don’t know why Ursula took their beautiful singing voices, but somebody needs to catch her. Quickly.

The tracks were incredibly

wrong. But “ARIRANG” was such a sorry excuse for rap that it pains me to even call it that. They lack rhythm and passion. Their lyrics are meaningless. Jung Kook, can you explain what the lyrics “watch this beat goin’ hooligan” and “drop it lower than chopped and screwed” mean? Probably not, because they can’t even say the lyrics with their full chests— they mumbled their way through these lackluster tracks.

I couldn’t even focus on the lazy rapping for too long because I was instead left cringing at inappropriately used AAVE (African American Vernacular English) and the inclusion of odd blaccents that stray from the members’ real voices. It felt like they weren’t trying to be BTS, they were just trying to steal from and exploit fragments of Black music and culture because they were too lazy to be creative, as seen in “FYA” with the lyric “we on and on” and the constant “aye” after every line, as well as them saying they’re going to “pull up at your block.”

Unfortunately, this is nothing new for the K-pop industry, but it was the worst case of exploitation that I’ve seen in a while. It was especially disappointing coming from this album, too; fans were waiting for their beloved BTS back, but what did

This album is so inauthentic and random, especially coming from BTS, that if I weren’t reviewing it, I honestly would’ve turned it off after the first song. In fact, I wanted to turn it off exactly 17 times. There are 14 tracks. Yikes. With “Swim,” they make an attempt at reeling fans back in and evoking their old sound that is so beloved in tracks like “Dimple” and “Mikrokosmos,” generally favorited by their fandom. While “Swim” isn’t a bad song at all — in fact, it was one of the only enjoyable songs in “ARIRANG” — it was still uninspired and lazy. “Swim” only stood out by comparison because they had RM fake laughing like an irritating clown in the back of “Hooligan,” the track “No. 29” wasn’t even an original song, but simply a recording of the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok ringing, and the members sound like they were turned into flies with the horrible voice effects in “Into the Sun.”

I would love to discuss the concept, but there isn’t one. I honestly don’t know what their aim was with this album, which I’ve never had to say about BTS before. Instrumentals were boring, lyrics were heartless, vocals were non-existent.

“ARIRANG” had me feeling like I could debut untrained and get super rich and

Harry Styles' latest studio album suffers from poor promotion but is well-executed and reveals a new side of the artist

by Willamena Hodson

“ Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.” is a surreal listening experience. It’s 42 minutes of reflection and regret hidden behind experimental, upbeat pop, and in my opinion, peak latenight-drive music. When Harry Styles last dropped an album—“Harry’s House” in 2022—it debuted in the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, staying there for two weeks, and remained a mainstay in pop culture for even longer. Singles like “As it Was,” and “Late Night Talking,” were inescapable, with the former topping the charts for fifteen weeks straight. The two would greet you anytime you dared to turn on FM radio, and for me, they never got old. His newest release, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.” debuted on March 6th, after its lead single, “Aperture,” was released at the end of January. Unfortunately for Styles, the success and overall hype around the album was lacking, with “Aperture” remaining at the top for only two weeks before a steep drop off to 29th. This fall-off, was however, not a shortcoming on behalf of the music, but the promotion. The album itself is thoughtful and well-executed, blending themes of existentialism, nostalgia, and the ability to find romance in everything with synth and popdance music. Tracks like “Aperture,” and

“Carla’s Song” reveal to us Styles’ reflective outlook on his past and current relationships. “Aperture” cleverly uses the extended metaphor of its namesake to contrast the space he feels is left unoccupied in his life, and the freedom and “light” this space allows into it. Meanwhile, “Carla’s Song” details the experience of growing up with someone and watching them grow into themselves, knowing who they have been and who they are today, inside and out. The lyrics make several allusions to inside jokes, demonstrating an intimate relationship between Styles and the subject, and creating a degree of separation with listeners on the outside, which further stresses the theme of familiarity between lovers. Both of the tracks also blend dreamy vocals, synth, and electrical-pop to create a distinctively spacey, ambient sound, reminiscent of Ariana Grande’s “We Can’t be Friends” and Lorde’s “Supercut.” However, the tracks are brought back down to Earth through Styles’ honest writing. “Paint by Numbers,” in particular, reveals to us a side of Styles he has not discussed publicly in the past. The lyrics, “It’s a lifetime of learning to paint by numbers / and watching the colors run,” especially stick out, as they promise his listeners and reassure himself that he doesn’t have everything figured out yet,

career began as a teenager. He acknowledges in this song how his early rise to fame has resulted in him now not being able to break out of the mold of what his career should be, saying, “Holding the weight / of the American children / whose hearts you break.”

That being said, I felt there were moments where the album leaned too heavily on the music, rather than well-developed lyrics, especially for someone well-established as a singer-songwriter like Harry Styles. The appeal of “Ready Set Go,” in particular, was lost on me, with the repetition of the title making up a majority of the song. Had I been interested in that listening experience, I would have turned on a Dr. Seuss audiobook rather than a Harry Styles album.

However, at the end of the day, I think it was the album roll-out that led to its lack of success in comparison to his previous releases. The album was initially teased via billboards in several major cities display-

put into its promotion. There was no short form content produced by Styles’ team, and only a few interviews and public appearances occurred, both of which tend to be the main forms of content for younger demographics. Overall, it felt like a striking reminder that Harry Styles is a millennial, struggling to connect with an increasingly Gen Z audience.

Despite my bitter feelings about the rollout, I think the album deserves more flowers than it’s receiving. It was honest, bittersweet, nostalgic, and something that I could easily listen to in my car. Whether it’s a ballad or “disco,” Harry Styles finds a way to pull his audience in almost hypnotically through the production and vocals of each song.

Pursuit of perfection

Boys lacrosse wins a back and forth battle against Newport Harbor, maintaining their undefeated record

by Francisco Villegas

Seven seconds left on the clock and a one-point lead with the ball in the other team's hands coming out of a timeout. Boys lacrosse edged out Newport Harbor’s Sailors in a nail-biter 10-9 win, raising their undefeated record to 4-0.

Despite the clutch-time finish, the Sea Hawks held a strong 4-0 lead over the Sailors through the first quarter. The team’s energy coming out of warm-ups and excitement to face a highly ranked opponent like Newport Harbor showed through their movement offensively. Defensively, the Sea Hawks held strong through an end-of-quarter possession for the Sailors, keeping them scoreless with help from senior goalie Lucas Alvear.

“Their guys have a lot of confidence; they seemed very optimistic on the defensive end during their talk. Even being down 4-0, they thought they still had us and that kind of carried them,” Alvear said. “In the second quarter, we let off the gas on the faceoffs; ground balls weren't as good. The big thing for us for defense has been communication. When they were coming down on the fast break early on, we weren't communicating. Our first guy wasn't sliding to get the guy with the ball, and we weren't doing our nor-

mal rotation. In the second quarter, that all really lacked. We got too comfortable and a little too confident, and they made us pay.”

The lapse in focus for the boys in the second quarter made it a tight game again, as the Sailors responded to Redondo’s 4-0 run with a 6 to nothing run of their own. Senior Dylan Scanlan attributes the run to consistent faceoff wins for the Sailors that left the defense out there for an extended period of time, letting them get tired. Redondo finally got back in the scoring column after getting possession back, where they quickly scored to bring the Sailor’s lead back down going into halftime.

“Later in the game, we picked up the [offense], settled down, and we gave our defense time to rest, which allowed them to lock in and reset themselves,” Scanlan said. “[New port Harbor was] definitely still [confident] when they were down since one of the guys told me that they were a second half team, but we also definitely kept ourselves high [energy] as well. They definitely got a little demoralized later in the game when we started pulling ahead, [but] it got down to the wire, and they were back.”

As the clock ticked down in the fourth, Re dondo still trailed 7-8. With 10:48 left to play, junior Au gust Haynes scored a game-ty ing goal. Minutes later, Alvear got the clutch defensive stop at the net, and the Sea Hawks turned that into transition points to finally get their lead back, which they hadn't held since late in the second quarter. As the game came to a close, the Sea Hawks held a 10-8 lead before the Sailors scored on an inbound pass. The Sailors called

timeout with seven seconds left.

“[During the timeout] we were talking about maybe switching to a zone, but we were confident in our man defense even though they knew we were going to come out in man,” Alvear said. “We were confident in our personnel and matchups, so we just played great physical defense. It's easy when you know you have [seven] seconds to give it your all, but still, it was a big stop. Super exciting and a great way to end a really good team win.”

The Sea Hawks held strong and forced a missed shot to win in the clutch. Looking forward, the team's outlook is much improved com- pared to last season. This strong start for the team can be attributed in this year's roster freshman contriblarge cast of experiseniors.

“Personally, [I think] it's really just about winning. Historically, our team has never won the Bay League. That's something we keep talking about; we want to make history in that way. We also haven't been to the playoffs in a long time, and this year we think we have the right group of guys here to do it,” Alvear said. “Last year was our head coach's first year with us, and we were feeling things out. This year feels like our year, where our roster is the strongest and ready to make some noise.”

Softball's late game heroics aren't enough to beat Banning, losing 3-4

by Kaitlyn Chang

Coming off a shutout against Hamilton High School, softball hoped to add another win to their record against the Banning Pilots. Although the Sea Hawks fought until the end of the game, they came up short, three runs to four.

With the Pilots having a 6-6 record at the time, similar to the Sea Hawks’ 7-5 record, our girls were prepared for a tough game.

“We already knew [ahead of time] that this team was going to be really like us in terms of their record,” senior infielder Kend ra Mura said. “So we just talked before [about] how we need to hit. That's the main focus because this season we haven't been hitting our best.”

In the first inning, the Sea Hawks start ed off with a couple of errors, including some miscommunication between the infield and the outfield on a pop fly. Although the girls got their first out off a sacrifice bunt, this play moved a Pilot to second base. After an other error up the middle of the infield, runners moved to first and third base. Then, a passed ball put Banning on the board, and with Redondo unable to get on base, the score was 0-1.

“We need to communicate more on the field when people are trying to get the balls [because] two people can't go [for the ball at] the same time,” freshman pitcher Danica Buchanan said. “[So in practice] we work

on a lot of balls in the middle to see who's talking.”

After a clean second inning and top of the third, the Sea Hawks managed to score. With a walk, a runner was put on first base. Then, junior Julia Tsao laid down a bunt to put runners on first and second, opening up the opportunity for Mura to get a runner home on her single up the middle, tying the game at one.

“I knew that I was going to be starting in the lineup, so I [knew I] needed to start getting hits because once someone gets a hit, then the rest of the lineup gets hits,” Mura said. “That's my job [being] lead off, so I was mainly focused on getting good contact.”

In the fourth inning, Banning got a single down the third base line right away. The next batter gets hit by a pitch, then puts base runners on first and second. However, their consistency at the plate continued, and another single down the third base line led to another run being scored. In the same inning, Banning managed to get the bases loaded and scored on a play at the plate.

The Sea Hawks now trailed 1-3 going into the fifth inning.

“I’ve noticed that once we get the first out when the leadoff goes up, that's when we have our one, two, three innings,” Mura said. “But once the girl gets on off of a little dinker, that's when we kind of start falling apart.”

Despite the tough inning, the girls came together to finish strong in an attempt to come back. Between innings, the Sea Hawks talked to one another to drive their energy.

“We were just thinking, ‘Come back harder.’ You can't keep thinking about the past, [and] you can't dwell on what happened,” Buchanan said. “[When I’m pitching], it just makes me feel like [my teammates are] there to back me up no matter what happens, and that they always have my back.”

With this mindset, the girls held Banning to no runs in the top of the fifth inning. When the Sea Hawks came up to bat, Tsao came up with a single through the left side of the infield, and Mura followed with a hard hit to the third baseman, successfully getting on base after an overthrow in an attempt to get an out at second base. Off this play, Tsao got to third base and her teammate, junior Abby Borge, singled to get Tsao home, closing the gap to one run.

“I think we did well coming back from errors. Some girls make an error and sulk. But definitely the girls that made errors [on our team], they came back and made some really good plays,” Mura said.

The Pilots in the sixth managed to score another run off of defensive errors, making the score 2-4. The Sea Hawks stopped Banning from scoring again in the seventh inning, giving Redondo one more chance to score. With two outs, Tsao got a ground rule double, and Mura came to the plate and doubled again for another run. However, the Sea Hawks couldn’t come out with the win, the final score 3-4. Despite the loss, Mura believes her team is one with potential, and that their performance later in the game displays their capability.

“Last year, we started off [games] strong. But this year, it takes us a little bit more time to get going, so I think we need to have our discipline in the beginning, especially warming up, so that we do get pumped up earlier in the game,” Mura said. “We just need to have something on fire [and] we need to be lit up, but we're all capable.”

1. Junior August Haynes looks downfield.

2. Freshman Barron Howe runs around, looking for a shot. PHOTOS BY IAN GUERRERO ESTRADA

3. Freshman Kimy Otsuka throws on the run. PHOTO BY AMANDA HARRISON

Duel for the win

Sophomore Arya Panchal sabre fences at the national level

by Adelyn Cai

Standing at the line, sophomore Arya Panchal waits for the referee’s signal. “En garde” "Prêt?" "Allez!" In a flash, both fencers rush forward, sabre held ahead as the bout starts. Panchal has competed in many events as a competitive fencer, some of the most notable including the Junior Olympics and the South Bay Fencing Pre-National Open, where she won her first gold. However, she wasn’t always a sabreur.

“I had done dance for nine years, and I started fencing because I wanted something new. I feel like I'm a competitive person, so I wanted something I could actually compete in. And when I was doing dance, I didn't compete. So I decided to take on something new,” Panchal said.

In competitive fencing, there are three different types of fencing styles, each categorized by their weapons: foil, épée, and sabre. Incidentally, each type of fencing has different levels of intensity and speeds. When she first started fencing in seventh grade, Panchal originally chose sabre as her weapon on a whim, but quickly found a passion for its fast paced and aggressive athletic style.

“Looking back, I would never be able to go back and choose something else. I really love sabre fencing because it's so much faster and intense, and I feel like I wouldn't be able to switch now,” Panchal said

While the fast pacing and aggressive athletic style drew her to sabre, Panchal has found even more respect for the mental effort that fencing requires.

“My favorite part [about fencing] is that it requires me to think a lot. It's a very mental sport. It's a lot of strategy and I like that it's all individual, so I can reflect upon

my own actions. It's helped me in other aspects, especially my academics, and it's helped me grow as a person,” Panchal said

This strategic planning plays a central role in the mental weight Panchal experiences during her bouts.

ing. She also describes Panchal’s athletic style as technical and aggressive during her bouts.

“You have to think about what your opponent is doing, how to beat them. And I think [Panchal] definitely has that strength. She's physically strong too, and she's fast

“You don't ever get on the line until you know what you're gonna do. You have to know your plan A, plan B, plan C, and you should follow through,” Panchal said.

Freshman Marine Schott has attended the South Bay Fencing Academy along with Panchal, and explains the fast-paced and adaptive mindset that is necessary in fenc-

on the strip, which is also important for fencing,” Schott said

The strip, or piste, is the 14-meter playing area in fencing, where bouts take place. When she is off the strip, Panchal utilizes the time she has after her bouts to reflect on her performance and remind herself that podium finishes are not the highlight representation of her athletic ability.

“I feel like my favorite memory is never a win. It's always when I try my hardest. Last weekend when I got enough points to qualify for summer nationals, I didn't even know at the time until I looked back afterwards. And I feel like my favorite part was that I tried so hard during the competition, even though I lost,” Panchal said.

Unfortunately, last fencing season Panchal struggled with a hamstring injury, which caused pain every time she stepped. During that period of time, she recalls the displeasure at not being able to fence.

“It was really hard for me to see everyone I know improving and growing. I went in sometimes to practice, but I wasn't really able to do much because every single time I took a step it hurt. But I would see all my friends; they were medaling, they were on top of podiums, and it just made me feel like, ‘Wow, I don't know if I can take this as far as I want to take it,’” Panchal said.

Nevertheless, when her body healed, Panchal realized that she could not let that past injury affect her current abilities, and she could only move forward with determination, rather than compare herself to before. Panchal wishes to continue the sport in the future, due to its benefits on her mental, physical and educational health.

“I really want to take [fencing] to college because it's just something I truly love. I [also] want to grow as a person, and overall, I have noticed it helps my academics,” Panchal said. “I've learned a lot of skills like juggling things and studying on planes and being around the country all the time has helped me grow, and I hope that I'll be able to continue.”

Track and Field participate in the highly competitive Nike Track Festival

by Sophie Rebbeck

Under foggy skies and a crowd of elite competition, track and field athletes stepped onto the track to give it their all in the Redondo Nike Track Festival. The meet, put on by the Redondo Track and Field program, is one of the most competitive track meets in California, home to multiple state and school records, and for many athletes, is their chance to run their best early in the season.

“It’s like being at a tournament,” sophomore Kenzie Kish said. “You’re there all day and there’s so many people, and it just feels bigger than a normal meet. I love that.”

As a sprinter, Kish ran many races over the course of the meet, including the 100 meter dash. Competing at the varsity lev-

el gave Kish a higher level of preparation, something that helped her in all her races.

“I wasn’t sure what was going to happen [in the 100] because last year at Nike I ran my worst 100 ever, but this year I ran a sec ond faster, and that was great,” Kish said. “The 100 is more difficult than other races because if you mess up on your start you mess up on almost the whole race, but [for me] the race went really well.”

Kish also ran in team races such as the 4x100 meter relay and the 800 meter sprint medley relay. For her, the sprint medley relay was the most challenging, due to the team’s lack of practice before the race.

“The sprint medley is frustrating only in the fact that you can’t practice hand offs before it. So the first leg to second leg handoffs are more uncoordinated,” Kish said. “But as long as you can get it in the person’s hands again it doesn’t really mat ter, since the third leg gives time to catch up. [The race] was a little more tiring for us because it was at the end of the day and we were racing on heavy legs.”

While athletes like Kish focused on the short sprint races, many others set their sights on longer distance races. Sophomore Christina Brown ran both the 4x800 meter relay and the 1600 meter race. Her main focus going into the meet was to execute the race to the best of her ability.

“[In the mile] I wanted to place, get a medal, and race strategically,” Brown said. “I didn’t get a PR (personal record), but I pushed myself and had a strong finish, which I’m really proud of.”

Even without getting her personal best, Brown was still able to find positives in her performance, including her ability to stay composed and finish well after a difficult start, as well as approaching the race with a better mindset than previous meets.

“I was happy I persevered through the last part of the race and actually enjoyed

Knowing what I can do now helps me going into future races. It shows me I can run faster and adjust my strategy to get there. Even if a race doesn't go exactly how I want, I can take what I learned and use it to continue racing my best.

CHRISTINA BROWN SOPHOMORE

mances behind her, Brown has shifted her outlook to the rest of the season.

Panchal lunges toward opponent in a quick attack to start the bout. PHOTO VIA SOCAL DIVISION OF USA FENCING

1. Senior Miles Billiris gets ready for the start of his race. PHOTO BY IGNACIO PEREZ

2. Senior Ian Son pushes out of the blocks.

PHOTO BY IGNACIO PEREZ

SENIORITY RULES

High schoolers find themselves in a gray area between youth and adulthood, resulting in different perceptions of their maturity.

Teenagers are often in an awkward spot between being adults and children; they are more developed, both physically and mentally, than their younger counterparts, yet they are often not treated with the same respect as young adults. As children age, they gain and learn from new experiences, and their brains grow and develop, all of which contribute to their maturity. Specifically, the prefrontal cortex, which controls planning, decision making, and risk assessment, continues to mature during the teen years and until the mid-20’s, according to the National Health Institute. With this, maturity can come more respect from elders, both in family life and in school.

For example, senior Lena Garabedian felt that she had grown in her ability to interact with others since her freshman year. This emotional maturity has not only helped her in her relationships with her peers, but also with her teachers.

“When I was younger, in the beginning of high school, I was more shy, and I wasn’t able to have as deep conversations with people in my classes and teachers in general,” Garabedian said, “As I get older the conversations [with teachers] seem to be more formal. They would ask me more questions about my life, but freshman year if I ever talked to a teacher it would be more about the class or homework. As I get old er the conversations that I had with teachers were more like talking to a friend.”

Junior Jacob Garcia has ex perienced a similar leniency from teachers as he's pro gressed through high school. He mostly attributed this change in attitude to the perceived maturity that comes with older stu dents.

“I do feel the dif ference between freshman year and now. The teachers give you more lenien cy and they’re less

by Jayla Dorbor

strict about certain things. Before it was ‘You should go do this right now.' Now it’s more like, ‘Do it when you can,’” Garcia said. “I think because we’re getting older, teachers think we should already know how to act in society, not act immaturely like underclassmen.”

As well as teachers, some underclassmen also notice the maturity difference between themselves and the upperclassmen. For example, as a freshman, Garabedian viewed the seniors as being significantly older and wiser than freshmen.

“The seniors I saw when I was younger seemed very mature and old, but as a senior now I think I still seem pretty young. I don’t think I’m as mature as I thought they were when I was young,” Garabedian said. “Maybe it was just because they were older, but their presence and the way they interacted with people just seemed so mature and in my head it seemed like they knew everything. You could just tell they were seniors by how they carried themselves.”

According to the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent, “our maturing brains and changing hormones increase our attention to social status and make positive attention feel more rewarding.” This means that when teens experience more respect

The

from teachers or other elders in their lives, it creates a healthy environment for social and emotional development. However, younger kids are not always treated with the same respect because they are perceived as less mature.

“I think how you’re raised also has a big part in your maturity, but sometimes elders think that they’re always right and don’t consider your feelings.” Garcia said, “My grandma has the mentality that since she’s older she’s already right and all I could do was listen to what she wanted me to do. We didn’t always agree on things and I didn’t have a great connection with her, but instead of hearing me out she would just say ‘Well, I’m right.’”

Many children experience a lack of respect and understanding from their elders in their family, which is often detrimental to their self-esteem. Garabedian has noticed a similar dismissal of younger children’s feelings in her family.

“Younger kids in my family are seen as less mature so if they say something the adults don’t take it as seriously as if I or my sister spoke about something. We’re all treated basically the same but the younger people in general we assume are a little more funny or not as serious when we’re talking together” Garabedian said.

Although

younger children are often dismissed for simply being younger, maturity does play a part in how teenagers are treated by their peers. According to Garcia, those who don’t have the same social awareness and maturity as their peers are difficult to stay friends with.

“My interactions with my peers have been mostly the same, except some people have matured and some people haven’t. The people who are less mature are more self-centered. They’re not really picturing how they’re affecting others with their actions, so they often believe they're always right and people are going to be nice to them no matter what they do.” Garcia said.

While maturity does often come with age because of the experiences and interactions that children gain as they get older, how they are treated by authority figures plays a large part in how they mature. It is important to find a balance between being strict and having respect and a sense of understanding for teenagers.

Vision Phase

12th grade students prepare for adulthood and typically display greater maturity through higher impulse control and readiness for more academic and social responsibility.

The Refinement Phase

This phase is marked by high awareness of grades, responsibility and future planning. Juniors develop advanced critical thinking and emotional regulation skills.

“Teachers should stay kind of strict on freshmen and underclassmen because they’re still developing their frontal lobe. They need to see where the boundaries are,” Garcia said, “We [as upperclassmen] already see where the boundaries are and now if we cross it we’ll get in trouble, but [underclassmen] don’t know that as much yet,” Garcia said. “I think people that are older are definitely wiser because they’ve already experienced what we’re experiencing. I believe that they’re right in many ways, they can help us and kind of guide us, but that doesn't mean they’re always right and their experience is always the same as ours. They’re just the guidance to get us

The Growth Phase

Sophomores' focus typically turns to academic success and discovering personal identity. They begin thinking abstractly and expressing emotions with more clarity.

The Transitional Phase

Freshmen are adjusting to a new academic and social environment. They may experience moodiness and impulsivity, often perceived as immaturity.