The Picador
Two Key Questions
BY: MR. MCVEIGH
Fall is an amazing time at Holderness It’s probably my favorite weather of the year, and this year, it’s been particularly spectacular Take a minute to soak in the foliage and scenery all around us
There’s a reason why so many visitors come here from around the world this time of year But fall brings some challenges, too The adrenaline and energy of the start of the school year fade a bit as we get into our routines
Schoolwork gets more challenging, with less review and more new material
Our first set of grades approach College looms for seniors We get busy and into patterns, and when people are busy, their brains can get very self-focused One of the simplest ways of breaking up routines and ruts is to be curious and ask questions There are two questions that define Holderness The first is “How can I help?” I hear it all the time around here: From students who want to clean up after a Heads House to how I see our senior leaders jumping into action to help our new students The second question
is, “Will you join us?” The act of explicitly inviting someone is so powerful Sometimes, we don’t invite people because we ’ re worried they don’t have time or they’ve declined in the past Power past this and continue to extend the invitation Just remember, inviting someone has value even if they say no Send the message that the person matters and just keep inviting Who knows maybe today you’ll get a yes! Let’s keep it at the front of our minds as we walk the paths on campus or the hallways of our school:
TOP FIVES
BY: GRADY TAYLOR, WILL WHEELOCK, & ZACH WEBB
Fordo Sayings: Bald eagle! Ninkumpoop Honeybunny Primadonna Hankey-Pankey
Assembly Announcements:
House’s OB countdown
Fordo organizing graduation
Ms Pfenninger Nano-sabbath (please bring back)
Louise’s Weekend Activities
Ms Devine choosing play names
Worst Wrap Day Order Ingredients
Banana Peppers
Tuna Mustard
Carrots Olives
Every person you see could be going through something Say hello, smile, and be friendly
Be the first to speak If you see someone doing something alone, ask if you can help It’s harder to be the first to speak, but it's so worth it It matters
As we move through the fall, help each other to be intentional about fighting those routines Keep asking “How can I help?” and “Will you join us?” You’ll be amazed at the impact you can have on our campus and on each other!
PHOTO BY GREG KWASNIAK
The Rise of Snack Bar
BY: JADE WIGGINS
Think about it: you are studying for a huge test, sitting in Davis during study hall, and slowly losing the energy to finish studying As you start to give up, you get the email to pre-order Snack Bar, and suddenly your night has changed Instead of burning out, you can grab a quick snack, play some ping pong, and laugh with your friends before finishing studying for the night This is usually a description of your average Holderness student’s night As I was unsure of the origin of the Snack Bar, I turned to Ms Mulcahy, who is in charge of the service opportunities at the school When meeting with Ms Mulcahy, we discussed the beginning of the Snack Bar, the bumps in the road, and how it began: the lack
of social time between study hall and check-in Ms Mulcahy was inspired by her old school, where service students ran a concession stand that raised money for servicerelated causes Shortly after joining the Holderness community, she brought her past experience to life and created the Snack Bar at Holderness Snack Bar is one of many ways Holderness brings students together; it is a great opportunity to catch up with friends after a long day and unwind before check-in This year there were several changes to the original Snack Bar, and it has flourished so far When Ms Mulcahy first created it, the program was limited to a few days a week, open only to seniors, and managed by staff
It was often a struggle to find enough workers Snack Bar was presented as an opportunity for students to complete service hours, though many seniors had already completed their hours by then, hence the struggle to find students who would work the job Thanks to the diligent efforts of the Service Council this past year, Snack Bar is now open four to five nights a week, welcomes all grades to participate, and impacts the school positively in many ways It has raised money for the Bridge House and funded both the Sarah Duval Hockey Game each February and the Donut Snack Bar that supported the Relay for Life In past years Snack Bar was used to fund the elementary school in Franklin with snow gear and Christmas presents,
though the income was insufficient for its growing needs This was the birth of Dorm Dash Food was delivered to dorms, so instead of going to Snack Bar, Snack Bar was brought to you Although the concept was great, there was a flaw in the system In-person Snack Bar helps bring the campus together, and Dorm Dash was not allowing that So, this year ' s Snack Bar was granted to all grades and open most nights of the week It enhances the community's importance to our school and is loved by the students As students, we are lucky to have a Snack Bar and are grateful for all the work the Service Council has done to revive it Hope to see you all there tonight!
PHOTO BY MAX PARO
Apple’s Rise, My Reflection
BY: MAX MARCUS
BUSINESS COLUMN 1
I was born in 2007, the same year the first iPhone was unveiled Our parents often lecture us about their childhood's absence of smartphones It's surreal for us to imagine life without these omnipresent devices Yet, during my recent Outback adventure, I experienced exactly that, no screens, no notifications, for 12 whole days It offered me ample time to ponder various aspects of life, including Apple's profound impact on my generation
Over the years, I've tried investing, particularly in Apple shares Reflecting on where Apple stood when I was born is fascinating In 2007, a single share of Apple cost just $3 88 Today, that same share is valued at $172 To put it in perspective, if you had invested $100 in Apple back then, it would have amounted to over $4400 today My parents instilled in me the importance of setting money aside and investing wisely Warren Buffet, arguably one of the greatest investors
of all time, embodies this philosophy In 2016, he purchased $36 billion worth of Apple stock, which has since soared to $167 billion Each year, Wall Street eagerly awaits Buffet's folksy annual shareholder letter, packed with insights and wisdom In my next upcoming column for the school newspaper, I'll dive into some of the teachings from Buffet's letters I believe there are valuable lessons we can learn from his approach and apply in our own lives So, stay tuned for more!
What is ClearSpace?
Our most recent speaker at Holderness School was Dino Ambrosi, a wellness advocate and the creator of ‘Project Reboot’ Project Reboot is an initiative aimed at helping students manage their technology usage while fostering healthy habits The startup originally began at UC Berkeley as a class on how to have a balanced relationship with technology, but it grew into a nationwide movement Ambrosi gave a strong emphasis on how social media has become a quick response to stress and anxiety, and a primary way to reduce that is through apps such as ClearSpace ClearSpace is an app used to help reduce screen time and be more mindful of how to use technology productively
BY: ORLA SHILLINGFORD
The app uses breathing exercises and motivational messages as a pause before opening apps to remind yourself that it's most likely unnecessary and part of a harmful habit you ’ ve subconsciously built Users can set certain time limits for apps to help balance digital habits This app was invented by Royce Branning and inspired by author and speaker, James Clear Clear is most famously known for his bestseller, “Atomic Habits”, which covers the science behind building habits and how small changes lead to massive personal growth He emphasizes the importance of making incremental changes to achieve long-term goals, and these values are reflected within the app ClearSpace
Branning applied Clear’s ideas on building healthy habits and breaking unproductive ones to develop an app that supports his process ClearSpace is a major tool more people should be taking advantage of Teenagers in America spend an average of 7 hours and 22 minutes a day in front of a screen The app ClearSpace has significantly reduced the user ’ s screen time by an average of 40 to 50% More than 70% of Holderness students have downloaded Clear Space and reported reducing their screen time usage by 20 to 60 minutes on average Students at Holderness mostly use this app to limit their time on unnecessary apps such as TikTok and Instagram
The Moral Quarrel
BY: TANNER SNYDER
Discipline – the word every teenager dreads It looms like the shadow of an elementary school teacher sending you to time out, the drag of picking up your scattered clothes, or, most commonly, getting out of bed when it is the least of desires We ALL struggle with it Even the most disciplined humans have the opportunity to improve what they are best at The real challenge is striking the right balance If you spend every second of your day planned out, when will you find the time to enjoy the most valuable resource – life?
I am someone who benefits from structure Being back at home for the first weeks at the beginning of summer break was one of my most frustrating experiences For many reasons, it was different from previous years I was lost in what seemed like an endless freedom In the past, I always packed my schedule with summer camps and fun outings For the first time in my life, I had a summer loosely packed with a camp here and there I spent the first several days running, lifting, and playing guitar Normally I fit those activities into a school day The time spent between those activities was wasted Chores, YouTube plus the constant rearranging of my room felt like an infinite loop I was left unsatisfied at the end of the day so I knew I had to make a change After discussing this lack of fulfillment with my Dad, he offered me an on-and-off job working for his company I would clean, sweep, and do what was needed to further the construction of several houses and apartment buildings I started the following Monday
Lost
BY: LEON HUANG
Drops are still coming down from the broken ceiling after that heavy rain last night
In the middle of the room, an old man sitting on his antique, wooden rocking chair is rocking to-and-fro
He’s watching that last ray of sunlight flashing through the window “Beautiful sunset, isn’t it?” he says to the old photograph on the shelf beside him
Mountain Day
Mountain Day – an opportunity for all Holderness students to get away from school and appreciate nature and its possibilities Activities varied from peaking Mount Washington at 6,288 feet, rock climbing at Crawford Notch, and even kayaking along a river Students enjoyed beautiful views and had a chance to meet new peers in workshops and activities I hiked up Mt Jefferson, which has an elevation of 5,700 ft
BY: KYLIE KELLY
Jefferson is ranked as the third highest of the presidential range and New Hampshire 4,000 footers, which allowed me to check off yet another of the 48 4,000 footers on my list It was a moderately challenging hike with the next step above your head at times The weather was beautiful the whole way up, although the top was a bit breezy; to be expected! We were able to see the peak of Mt Washington from what seemed
to be a very close distance, tempting us to reach that peak
On our descent, we enjoyed a well-deserved lunch a little ways down from the peak and then headed back We attempted to take a shortcut on the way down to avoid all the steep downhill, however, on our traverse across the rocks we ended up adding even more mileage! Overall, it was a long, but very venturous day
A day in the mountains was a great way to start the week!
What’s Next?
BY: ORLA SHILLINGFORD
Over 57% of all Americans admit they have an addiction to their phone Doctors have studied this nationwide issue for years and have come up with ways to combat this addiction An article released on the ClearSpeace Blog provides 5 simple techniques to reduce screen time and unproductive screen usage Here is a simple summary of what ClearSpace’s blog has to say on building healthy technology habits: Reduce screen time first thing in the morning. 89% of Americans check their phone within 10 minutes of waking up, showing our reliance on our phones Neuroscientist Dr Andrew Huberman has proven that starting your day with mindless scrolling has immediately stunted your day from having a clear, productive mindset
Reduce screen time late at night. Mindlessly scrolling on your phone late at night has the same effect as first thing in the morning What the article refers to as “Doomscrolling” before bed can affect sleep and relaxation levels Exposure to light from 11 pm - 4 am triggers a brain circuit that can heighten anxiety and stress which then decreases dopamine levels To break this detrimental habit that can lead to unhappiness and depression, find alternative activities to help you fall asleep like reading a book pr regular, scheduled phone breaks. A phone detox is especially helpful if you struggle with social media addiction Whether that's a few days, a week, a month, or six, any amount of growth is productive TO BE CONTINUED
The three weeks I spent working for my Dad were some of the most fulfilling days of the year My shift was seven a m to three p m I ran before, followed by the gym, ran errands, and came home right on time for dinner, ending the night off with an hour-long session of guitar It was hard physical work, and I often came home still covered in paint or dust It gave me a sense of purpose, but most importantly it strengthened my discipline I chose to go to work every day, and my Dad made that clear I realized quickly there was no reason for me to stay home
Waking up early every morning was the toughest decision of my day, but it set an undeniable standard for what I could achieve when I was disciplined Most importantly, my off time became significantly more rewarding I found a sense of self-satisfaction when I finally sat down to relax
During the school year, most Holderness students have little off time Saturday classes and games give for little weekend leniency, and Sundays are half filled with the worry of Monday homework Spending the majority of the year learning to thrive in the school environment, you adapt and learn to maximize what time you do have, so when summer break hits it feels like you were dropped out of a speeding car I was not alone in this struggle After sharing summer plans with several seniors, I realized that many of us shared mutual frustration over incomplete summer plans As I apply to colleges I look forward with anticipation and curiosity, excited to take on the hours of unstructured time with the knowledge I learned first-hand this past summer For some, a structureless summer may be a great opportunity For others similar to myself, scheduling one larger commitment a day makes all the difference From that point, it makes it easier to add on certain errands, chores, or moments of enjoyment that help you fulfill yourself
Faith
BY: LEON HUANG
I’ve seen the faint glow of burning incense
Smoke gradually permeated the tranquil temple room accompanied by a combination of spice and resin Kneeling on the ground, I raised my head up and slammed it down three times–kowtowing to the great golden statue of Buddha
Young monks frolicked in the backyard, watching two senior apprentices ring the grand bronze temple bell, the sound of which, loud yet clear, resonated before it reached my ears, and a sense of something unspeakable arose
I’ve heard the chime ring in the chapel
Fingers tightly squeezed together, eyes closed, head down
Four hundred people, all different but intertwined by books written thousands of years ago, listened to the reverend preach the words of entanglement Soft sunlight filtered through the stained glass window, spilling the colors all over the old wooden floor, adding vivid streaks to the solemn room
Behind this palace, I was sometimes lost in a labyrinth of faith, where I struck invisible walls of infidelity, hindering escape, nurturing the unbeliever’s guilt
The reality might be lost like a pebble in the civilized river, not something I could tell apart; Just like how I could never tell if the Buddha was golden or gilded; and did the pureness of the monks spring from an unadulterated heart or the seclusion of the misanthrope?
WHAT’S NEXT CONTINUED
Digital Declutter - Georgetown professor and MIT-trained computer scientist Dr Cal Newport wrote the book “Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World ” In his book, he suggests digitally decluttering your life
These methods include taking a 30-day break from optional technology to rediscover the joy and fulfillment of life; after this break he suggests gradually incorporating technology back into your life so that each app serves a valuable purpose Taking a break such as this from social media and other unnecessary apps refocuses your attention and purpose and will then make you more intentional with technology use
“Dumb down” your phone. And finally the last approach of dumb downing your phone ties into the last two of reducing the addiction your phone holds Removing unnecessary apps, disabling notifications, and using grayscale mode can
all reduce the hold your phone has on you By reducing all these distractions you can focus more energy on things that benefit your life such as hobbies, relationships, and education
Songs That Remind Us of Fall
BY: JADE WIGGINS
There She Goes - The La’s Little Lies - Fleetwood Mac
Young Folks - Peter Bjorn and John
Learning to Fly - Tom Petty & Heartbreakers
Harvest Moon - Neil Young
Peach Fuzz - Caamp
Don’t Dream It’s OverCrowded House
Yellow - Coldplay
Jersey Giant - Elle King
Real Love Baby - Father John
Misty
September Grass - James
Taylor
Stormy Weather - Etta James
October Skies - Mumford and Sons
SCAN TO VIEW A PLAYLIST OF THESE SONGS!
Holdy’s Hot Takes
BY: SARAH MCADAM
“Sit Down Is Enjoyable”Anonymous
“Dress Code Isn’t That Bad”
- Charlotte Hoffman
“Weld SoftServe’s Are Overrated”Brook Cippoletti
“Wrap Day Is Better Than Sizzling Salad”
- Lucia
“Pumpkin Chai from Cafe Isn’t That Good”Annabelle Keith
“I
like being put in random groups”
- Ella DA
Study Hall’s Shift: Intervis for Everyone
BY: MIA DUDLEY
There has been a schedule change for study hall this academic year by adding intervis I recently talked to some students to hear more about their opinions on the change When I initially interviewed seniors, they were not fond of the idea because they felt like their privileges were being taken away from them, as all students now have privileges that were traditionally for seniors As the conversations continued, their views slightly changed because they felt
intervis had also adapted itself Students are now using intervis not just to spend time with their significant others, but also to hang out with friends and enjoy themselves before checkin Although they were more understanding about allowing underclassmen to have intervis, they did feel strongly about their views on snack bar Last year snack bar was just for seniors, and it gave them time to bond with the people in their grade which was nice
“Blue Jeans Should Be Allowed”Georgia Stahl
“Red Bull Isn’t Good” - Sarah McAdam
“Pranking has become so rare that when it happens, people are confused? Bring back pranks.”
- Eliza Mellon
“We
need more controversial people.”
- Delaney
“I don’t like hotdogs unless they're like, bright pink.”
-
Ella DA
Now with everyone there, it distracts people from connecting with others in their grade Seniors would like one night a week for the snack bar to be primarily for them so that they are able to talk and bond with people that they may not
have when all the underclassmen are there The overall reviews of the new schedule are positive with a few requests for more senior privilege
PHOTO BY MAX PARO
We hope you enjoyed reading the first issue of The Picador! We are so thankful for everyone who contributed writing, photos, and effort in the creation of The Picador.
A big thank you to Mr. Kwasnik and Max Paro for the amazing images used throughout the issue!
Letusknowifyouhaveanyart orphotographyyouwanttosee featuredinthePicador!
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