April 30th Issue

Volume 61 Issue 8 || May 2021 ||

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www.millsthunderbolt.com

Mills High Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year Honorees Jordan Hasty Staff Writer

T

he Mid-Peninsula Boys and Girls Club is a non-profit youth development organization dedicated to inspire and enable young people all across the peninsula to achieve their full potential as caring, responsible, and productive citizens. Since 1955, the organization has served youth ranging from 5 to 19 years old.

Within the time that the club has been active and opened its doors to the community, it has successfully aided various youth achieve both their personal and educational goals whilst curating a positive, inspiring environment. As of today, the Mid-Peninsula Boys and

participants for their extensive hard work, involvement, and conscious investment to make the Club and Millbrae community a better place.

Through their extensive commitment, the young citizens are able to help shape brighter futures for them and their families. In light of celebrating the members of the Boys and Girls Club, participants from Mills High School were honored in the 2021 Youth of the Year Event for their willing efforts.

A respective congratulation is in order for the Mills High School students: Jack Xie, Taylor Le, and Mayel Duenas for being recognized as Mid Peninsula Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year participants.

Each member is celebrated for giving back to the Club and community while simultaneously excelling in

Xie is known for being the club’s go-to teen member for any and all athletic activities. In high school, Xie has been balancing both his school work and sports. He runs track and field, while also attending tutoring sessions during the weekends. Xie also developed an interest in photography and digital media.

He participated in an Asian American History Photovoice summer program through the Office of Contact Administration in San Francisco (OCA-SF) Chapter, taking a deeper look into Asian-American representation and advocacy in the United States. “Staying true to my roots and recognizing the severely flawed policies that affect the Asian-American community is fundamental and encourages me to promote and further build a fair, equitable

Mid- Peninsula Boys & Girls Club

PARTICIPANTS: Mills students Jack Xie, Taylor Le, and Mayel Duenas send compete for the MDPG Youth of the Year Award.

Girls Club serves over 2,000 youth across 5 clubhouses with 12 unique programs in 8 different school districts. On January 6, 2014, the Club expanded its outreach and opened a site on the Taylor Middle School campus here in Millbrae. Amidst the Club’s endeavors, the Youth of the Year Event was born. The purpose of the Youth of the Year celebration is to honor and celebrate the young participants for their extensive hard

their personal, academic, and professional endeavors. The first honorary member, Jack Xie, is an 11th grader at Mills High School and longtime member of the MPBGC, spanning over 6 years. For his nomination process, Xie provided a speech about why teen mental health is important. He has also helped the Club’s staff throughout the school year and over the summer as a Leader in Training (LIT). Additionally,

COMPETITION: The MPBG hosts a yearly contest for

Features

Learn how the Mills theatre team put together and performed The Addams Family virtually (pg. 5)

Mid-Peninsula Boys &Girls Club

students who have excelled in helping their community.

Center Spread 10 Things I’ve Learned in High School

The Addams Family

atmosphere for us all in any way that I can” Xie accentuated. Ultimately, this led him to take a videography class to explore his creative interests in this field, and how they can carry out a change. Xie continues his community service at the Club as a 2020 Census Ambassador. He trained with the MPBGC during the summer of 2019 to reach numerous communities for the 2020 Census. After graduating, Xie hopes to pursue a

A look back by a senior on all the life lessons learned from the past four years of highschool (pg. 6-7)

degree in clinical psychology.

Taylor Le, also in the 11th grade here at Mills, has been an active member of the Club for over six years. In terms of her nomination process, Le recited the song “I Have Almost Everything I Need” by Georgia Stitt. Le is an active member of Torch Club, and has continuously supported the club in the kitchen for their cooking program as well as at the Front Desk. The Torch Club is a chartered, small-group leadership and service club, serving as a powerful vehicle that helps Club staff meet the special character development needs of younger adolescents at a critical stage in their life. The MPBGC is confident in their reliance on Le to look after the younger members with her problem-solving mindset. “Helping others and seeing lending a helping hand, big or small, is the greatest reward” Le mentioned as she explained the enrichment of assisting community members in need. Throughout high school, Le came back every year to support the Torch Club for their Annual Haunted Cabin Fundraiser at the Millbrae Community Youth Center Clubhouse. Le is a natural performer, acting in school plays, such as the recent Addams Family Musical and participating in performance programs outside of school. She enjoys singing and acting and plans to pursue a career in the performing arts following high school.

The final member, Mayel Duenas, has been a member of the Club for four years. Since day one, Duenas took on a leadership role at the Club. Duenas provided tours to new members and is an active participant in all of the Torch Club Community Service projects. Duenas cares deeply about the community and has a passion to give back. During the holiday season, she donates warm clothing such as socks and scarfs, and often volunteers at animal shelters across the peninsula. Duenas is an emerging leader and her energy creates a welcoming environment at the Club. She serves as a big helper

DONATIONS:

The

MPBG

Opinions

Sports

College Admissions in Their Current State

Trading Cards

Harmful Social Media Terminology

Allure to Cycling

Review of COVID-19’s affect on college admissions for seniors (pg.8)

Review of how seemingly harmless phrases are actually toxic (pg. 8)

offers

helper at the Club and offers a space for other people to participate and engage in Club programs. Over the years, MPBGC has helped her grow and identify right from wrong. She plans to study criminology/psychology or pursue a career in business.

Through studying criminology and psychology, Duenas wants to better understand what causes people to behave the way they do when they harm others. Duenas partakes in the hobby of making her own jewelry in her free time, through which she is exploring the possibility of becoming a Latinx entrepreneur.

Culminating a sense of belonging as well as a community that unquestionably cares for one another is vital. The Mid-Peninsula Boys and Girls Club honors this intention, making it evident in their various nurturing investments to the community. If you are interested in volunteering for the MPBGC, please note that the volunteer program is currently on hold due to COVID-19, but the Club welcomes all skilled and committed volunteers, and offers an individual volunteer form for when they reopen. In case you would like to offer a kind donation to the Club, you can donate any desired amount, anonymously or specified here. Your donation to the Mid-Peninsula Boys & Girls Club will ensure kids and families can continue accessing food, everyday necessities, with mentors who can help them overcome today’s obstacles. For more information, please contact Erika Dugay at erikad@ midpenbgc.org. Alternatively, there are numerous other ways to contribute to the community. Simple acts such as helping your neighbors, donating old or unworn clothing/ canned goods, practicing saying “thank you” more, supporting local businesses, and more can help increase the well-being of the area we live in. Small acts have the ability to make large impacts. Together, we can continue to create a safe and warm environment where every individual can feel comfortable in.

multiple

ways

to

Mid-Peninsula Boys & Girls Club

donate

to

them.

Entertainment

Explanation of the rising popularity of trading cards, whether it be sports or Pokemon (pg. 12)

A dive into cycling, especially SoulCycle, as its recognition skyrocketed during the pandemic (pg. 12)

The Thunderbolt Recommendations Our favorites from the entertainment industry

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News

The Thunderbolt

Senior Grad Activities AP Testing Updates Justin Condevillamar News Editor

Mills High School Publication

400 Murchison Dr. Millbrae, CA 4030 editors@millsthunderbolt.org www.millsthunderbolt.org

ne of the most hallowed traditions at Mills High School is the progression of the various events related to student graduation. Parents, teachers, staff, and especially students place special value on graduation as it symbolizes the transition between childhood and adulthood.

Unfortunately due to the onset of the pandemic, many of the graduation festivities for the Class of 2020 had to be limited, changed, or removed.

This year, the Class of 2021 faced the loss of many major events such as prom and the senior trip like last year’s class, leaving many seniors desiring more with the events that

and loved by their Mills community.”

She also advises seniors that “Ms. Schlax primarily sends out emails, so seniors should definitely pay attention to their emails and make sure that they are reading them.” Seniors are also able to pick up a graduation lawn sign with their names, by filling out a form and scheduling a pickup.

• Link to where students can schedule appointments for pickups: https:// mills high.youc a nbook.me / • Link to lawn sign pick up: https://docs.google.com/ forms /d/e /1FA IpQ LSc W EsoILSJHqSLVsORYoIPIi5wYdXj2LfMmlzgftc0-zaSg1g/ viewform?usp=sf_link Senior Honor Events: As a part of Mills tradition, a series of pre-graduation senior events will

FLYERS:

seniors

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Editors-in-Chief Karine Chan ‘21 Anjuli Niyogi’21 Leanna Yu ‘21

Faculty Adviser Kelly Hensley

News Editor

Justin Condevillamar ‘21

Features Editor

Angela Dimaano ‘21

Center Spread Editor Bianca Reyes ‘21

Opinions Editor

Madison Wong ‘21

Sports Editor

Misael Gomez ‘21

Entertainment Editor Leanna Yu ‘21

Staff Writers

Melissa Capto ‘24 Katelyn Chang ‘23 Joshua Choe ‘24 Jordan Hasty ‘21 Magdalene Ko ‘23 Katelyn Lam ‘23 Rita Li ‘22 Nagham Masarweh ‘24 Flora Oliva ‘21 Maxwell Zaninovich ‘24

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Digital

bulletins

ensure

remain, mainly graduation. The student leadership class, the Associate Student Body (ASB) council, Mills Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), and the Mills administration are all working together to organize a series of graduation events that simultaneously follow the ever-changing social distancing protocols and satisfies the needs and desires of the senior class. According to Lindsey Schlax, “We have kept student safety at the core of every decision we have made about events for seniors.”

Listed below is a summary of the current plans of the graduation events: Materials Pick Up: Due to social distancing rules, materials related to graduation have to be distributed in a different manner. Similar to how the school has handled course material distribution, students are required to sign up for a specific time and date to pick up certain items and gifts related to graduation. Seniors were able to collect the first of a series of SWAG bags provided from leadership, which are bundles consisting of small senior gifts, such as candy, and other materials such as clothing. The next SWAG bags are going to be provided by the Mills PTO on the week of May 3rd and the week of May 24th. The Mills administration also plans to organize a pick up for official graduation regalia such as caps and gowns around May 4th and 5th. According to leadership teacher Alexandria Dove, “Our goal is to make sure that students, especially seniors, have all the materials needed to successfully complete the school year, and also know that they are cared about

know

about

Mills High School

grad

night.

be held to honor the accomplishments of the student body over the last four years. Although the events had to be modified to accommodate local rules, the essence and specialty of the events are still held.

Senior Athlete Night: According to Lindsey Schlax, “Senior Athlete night will be May 10. Families can sign up for time slots during the day to decorate the field fences, and from 4:30-6:30, teams will be assigned time slots to come to the field with their families and be recognized. They’ll get a token of recognition and a gift from the athletic boosters as well, along with a photo on the bee Viking logo on the field.”

Senior Awards Night: According to Lindsey Schlax, “Senior awards night will be a virtual webinar on May 20. Students will be recognized for achievement in athletics, arts, academics, and more, including scholarship awards.”

Note that much of the planning for this event is yet to be completed and more information will come out so regularly check your emails.

Graduation Day Events: Last year, the Class of 2020 had a drive-by graduation, where seniors were able to drive up to pick up their diplomas and celebrate from a distance in the student parking lot. Luckily, due to improving public health conditions, the Mills community was able to organize a series of socially distanced, in-person graduation events to reunite the Class of 2021 for one last time.

Graduation Brunch: Graduation day will open on May 28th with a Senior Picnic at Mills’ Center

Nagham Masarweh Staff Writer

A

s we know, high school is full of big events that affect your academic future. GPA, SATs, AP exams and more are all things high schoolers worry about. In these upcoming months, May through June, Juniors and Seniors will take their tests. This year, these exams are both digital and at home. If needed, there is more information in an article on Mills Thunderbolt by staff writer Rita who talked about schedules and upcoming exams, linked at the end of this article.

There will be new requirements for AP testing this year as we are now in a pandemic. Technical requirements will be 1. Making sure to test all devices and ensuring students are set up for the exam. Windows and Mac Computers can be either personal or school managed and as for Chromebooks, only school-managed computers will be used. Students can’t use a personal Chromebook. 2.There is definitely no sharing of computers with other students. 3. Students have to review operating systems and specifications for each type of computer. 4. They must meet hardware requirements to take the exam, such as screen dimensions. The screen must be 10 inches or larger and the minimum screen resolution is 1024 x 768. External keyboards and mice are allowed. It is recommended for both peripherals to be wired and be in good shape. Bluetooth mice and keyboards are allowed but both should be fully charged to last the duration of the exam. Not only must they be fully charged to last through the full-length exams but also able to be plugged in during the exam if needed.

The AP test will be formatted differently for each different subject. Leanna Yu (12), who took the AP Environmental Science and Statistics exam last year, explained the format for both exams were all written responses. The exam had several questions, with sub-questions to each main question. Last year, the AP Statistics exam had only 2 questions, but

MERCH:

5 to 6 lettered sub-questions, making a total of 11 free response problems.

Senior, Angela Dimaano, took the AP U.S. History exam and the AP Language and Composition exam. Both tests were formatted in a one-question essay. Madison Wong (12) took the AP Language and Composition and AP Statistics exams, explaining how the AP Lang test was one rhetorical analysis essay rather than the usual multiple-choice question and three essays. Although having different formats and time limits, all exams were open note.

Students reflected on their experiences taking the first digital AP test last year, and shared the effect going online and at-home had on them.

Wong (12) explained the advantages and disadvantages of taking the AP tests at home saying that “an advantage last year was being able to type my essay rather than having to write it all out, since I am faster at typing than I am at writing. Another advantage was having the test be shorter.

Normally, the tests are about three hours I think, but all AP tests last year were about an hour, maybe less.” A common advantage for all students was that the tests were open note, something AP Statistics students benefited the most from. Wong continued, “A disadvantage was having to do it at home. My parents were both homes, so I closed my room door and played music to drown out any background noise. I also didn’t have a desk at home at the time because I usually finished most of my homework at school, so I had to take both of my tests with my computer on my bed and me sitting right in front of my bed.” Yu (12) added, “I feel like the online test content and environment worked in my favor because I was able to use my notes, which isn’t normally allowed. Also, they gave an additional 5 minutes to upload your work and it was very stressful to upload on time.” Despite the changes, the College Board adjusted the exams to be fair for all students, including only testing on curriculum taught prior to March 2020 and reducing the amount of questions/time for technological disadvantages.

Mills High School

All Seniors get commemorative clothes with unique designs.

Court. Brunch will be provided to all seniors and seniors will be free to roam the center court area. Students are encouraged to bring memorabilia from all 4 years to share. Photo stations will be set up around campus and on-camera appreciations, memories, and celebrations will be included in a graduation live stream available on MCTV and the Mills website. Yearbook signings, poster signings, and mortar board decorations will all occur during brunch.

Plenty of games and decorations will be set up around Center Court also.

Graduation: Graduation this year will occur on May 28th at 1:00 PM at the Mills High School football field. Seniors will line-up at Center Court at 12:30 and Guests will begin seating at 12:00 at the stadium field and visitor bleachers.

Admission and seating is limited to ticket holders only as per county ordinance (exceptions made for

family siblings who can’t be at home). Students will be seated at a safe distance from each other and will be able to bring two guests with them.

(Anybody who isn’t able to go will be able to watch the graduation live stream.) Guests will be screened before the event and no cheering, yelling, or noise makers will be allowed.

Seniors who sent in a speech admission will be able to speak live during graduation or have their speech video played. Seniors will also have ample photo opportunities with special Class of 2021 backdrops and plenty of presents will be provided. Diplomas will be handed out at Center Court at 2:30 and one last photo opportunity will be available for families. Please note that much of this information is tentative and will likely change as graduation comes closer, so regularly check your emails for updates.

VIEW FULL ARTICLE ON MILLSTHUNDERBOLT.ORG

News

The Thunderbolt

3

Coverage from PTO Meeting on Wednesday, April 21st Anjuli Niyogi Editor-In-Chief

O

n Wednesday, April 21, the Mills Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) held a Q&A with an MHS Alumni Student Panel to answer your questions regarding school reopening, graduation, and more.

The MHS Student Alumni panel included MHS graduates from the classes of 2017, 2018, and 2019.

The following alumni were present: Zane Girouard (c/o 2017), Joseph Bonavia (c/o 2018), Tiana Monge (c/o 2018), Rhys Girouard (c/o 2019), and Celeste Henry (c/o 2019).

Before the Q&A began, PTO president Karen Bettucchi gave several updates about the remaining months of school. The PTO will be distributing special ribbon leis to all seniors in the class of 2021 this year which will be picked up at the same time as cap and gown distribution.

Funds like the Mills Annual Fund and Rapid Relief Fund are still in the

process of collecting and distributing donations (the former having raised $67,000 so far). The Millbrae Lions Club is also hosting an online silent auction and will be having a live auction this month, with its proceeds going towards Millbrae youth and Mills students included.

Mills administration also provided several updates regarding school reopening and changes to COVID-19 protocols. As of April 26th, student cohorts A & B will be combined due to the low numbers of students on campus during a regular school block day; this will allow all students who opted in for a hybrid model to come on to campus four days a week now, instead of the previous two days a week. Wednesdays will still be distance learning for all teachers and students. On April 27th, the SAT was administered to juniors and all other students stayed at home for virtual asynchronous classes. Indoor competitions have also begun for basketball, volleyball, and wrestling, with two spectators from a team member’s household being allowed at a game.

Millbrae Lions Club

FUNDRAISERS: Lions Club reveals auctions for local education programs.

The Adams Family musical was also highlighted by Principal Duszynski during this time. Four live performances were offered to Mills students and community members on the weekend of April 23-25.

After announcements had been made by Bettucchi and Principal Duszynski, the Q&A portion of the meeting commenced. Alumni provided advice for making the most of students’ time at Mills, spoke on how Mills prepared them for their future college and career endeavors, and gave tips for staying motivated and getting involved in school during these isolating times.

The alumni were first asked by Bettucchi how the pandemic had affected them and their school. The majority of the alumni had similar responses to this question, stating their college’s transition to online learning in March of 2020. All of them had virtual classes for their fall 2020 semester. Joseph Bonavia, a Mills alumnus from the class of 2018 and current Massachusetts of Technology student, spoke about his college’s protocols for in-person learning. He clarified that seniors were allowed on campus for the fall semester of this school year and that freshmen, sophomores, and juniors were for their spring semester. He expressed the benefits of in-person labs in college as well as the importance of establishing a strong pod of friends to study with and stay motivated.

Alumni were then asked about suggestions for students struggling to do well academically and how students can get motivated about learning. Meeting participants expressed the difficulty in answering this question with a straightforward, clear answer. Still, Skyline Student and Mills alumni from the class of 2019, Celeste Henry spoke to the importance of peer-to-peer connections in providing an outlet for keeping motivation levels high. She noted how “peer-to-peer interactions are what are missed” with distance learning and that something as small as time in “breakout rooms to connect with others gives students a push academically”. Bonavia reiterated Henry’s point; “students are good at motivating each other.”

Alumni were then asked to describe how Mills had both socially and academically prepared them for their college and university years.

Tiana Monge, a Mills alumnus from the class of 2018 and a current music student at San Francisco State University, provided some background to her social experiences at Mills. She described herself as more introverted and reliant on her close group of friends, but was grateful for those “assigned groups [where we] learned how to communicate

Anjuli Niyogi, The Thunderbolt

PTO: The Mills PTO meets to discuss how COVID affects students.

effectively [...] especially if a grade was involved”. Mills alumni and sons of Mills teacher Denise Dreyer, Rhys and Zane Girouard conveyed how Mills can only prepare you so much for the social experiences of college life. Zane Girouard voiced that “you learn how to talk to people you don’t know if you’re in activities or sports,” but as far as friendships go, most people have already known each other for many years and there’s no need to go out of your way to establish many new relationships. Rhys Girouard emphasized that it’s “hard to prepare for [the] social challenges of college” and advised students to participate in those “things you go to at Mills where you meet other people” like sports games and other afterschool activities.

Speaking to their academic preparedness for university, most of the alumni panel articulated the benefits of Mills’ English classes.

AP Language and Composition, which is taken in Junior year, and freshman year English 1 provided them with a lot of critical reading and writing skills. Bonavia asserted how these classes helped learn the process of “building arguments and laying out the structure of papers,” something that’s been “helpful for writing things, even for non-humanities classes.” Zane Girouard also touched on the skills from these classes being “something I continue to use and have continued to use throughout the last four years” of his time at the University of California, San Diego.

Rhys Girouard additionally spoke about the strong foundation a lot of his Mills STEM and math classes, in particular, provided him for his more advanced college courses as a materials science major at the University of California, Berkeley.

Zane Girouard then communicated the general skill that was particularly important in developing strong foundations for college courses: “[learn] how to figure out the prob-

lem, not the exact steps you take for that specific problem”.

Henry concluded this question’s discussion by speaking to an often overlooked point about reaching out for help. She touched on how Mills “prepared [her] to communicate with professors,” and gave her the tools she needed to develop positive student-teacher relationships.

Bettucchi proceeded with another question; “What specific supports did you rely on to help you succeed at Mills?” The alumni mentioned how their close group of friends were always strong support systems during their high school years, but they also relied on teachers, parents, and administration. Several of the alumni also mentioned how beneficial the Mills counseling staff can be for students struggling with their mental health and how important it is to learn in high school that it’s okay to ask for help.

One of the last questions of the meeting was posed about what the alumni had learned from the extracurriculars and sports they participated in during their years at Mills.

A few of them spoke about the leadership and motivational skills you learn during high school extracurriculars. “Communication and interacting with people was a big part of skills I learned and having to step up when people didn’t feel like it,” Henry mentioned. Rhys Girouard, a previous member of the Mills water polo team and boy scout, noted the teamwork skills he developed from these activities; “[I learned] how to work with someone else [and also] not trying to do everything” but stepping back and letting other people contribute as well.

Smaller breakout rooms of people were then made for students, alumni, teachers, and parents to ask any more questions that had not already been posed.

For more information about the PTO and future meetings, email president@millshspto.org.

Meet Your 2021-2022 Thunderbolt Editors In this April Issue, the new editor team designed their sections, taking over the role of The Thunderbolt management team. Congratulations to all the new editors!

Katelyn Chang ‘23 Editor-in-Chief

Nagham Masarweh ‘24 Center Spread Editor

Katelyn Lam ‘23 Features Editor Magdalene Ko ‘23 News Editor

Joshua Choe ‘24 Opinions Editor

Max Zaninovich ‘24 Sports Editor

Features

4

Vikings Angela Dimaano features editor

S

tarting on April 15th, 2021, all California residents aged 16 and older became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Around 25% of California’s population is fully vaccinated (Google News Statistics) and that statistic is only expected to rise with the recent eligibility broadening. As vaccines have been rolling out for a couple weeks now, Mills students that were eligible under previous phases are able to share their experiences with the before, during, and after processes of receiving the vaccine.

Much like the general population, Mills students had to create appointments whether through state distribution sites or pharmaceutical locations such as Walgreens. The process of creating an appointment can be done online through websites such as myturn.ca.gov or calling a designated phone number generally found on distribution site websites.

After filling out all of the necessary forms then the shot could be administered. There are currently three major vaccines that the public can receive: Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson. The exception to these three is Johnson and Johnson, whose administration has been put

Share on hold, at the time of writing, due to blood clotting in some recipients.

At the moment, Pfizer is the only vaccination that is cleared to be administered to those under 18,

Their

The Thunderbolt

Vaccine

receive the vaccine. Students that were interviewed cited a variety of clearances for receiving the vaccine, with the most prevalent reason being in food services, followed by ed-

Experiences

able to get their vaccines now too, so many have already gotten or are going to get their first dose soon. After receiving the first dose, students reported a variety of responses to the

Angela Dimaano, The Thunderbolt

VACCINE-CARD: Blank COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card, a filled one opening up many new doors including travel.

logically making up the majority of vaccination types among Mills Students. As stated prior, before April 15th, the public needed a valid reason as to why they were cleared to

ucation services. For the most part, students began receiving their first dose throughout March, followed by a second dose sometime in April.

Students sixteen and older are now

vaccine. Wesley Tam (12) reported soreness in his arm, while Max Kerns (11) felt soreness along with a headache. However, lucky students such as Benedict Abadilla (12)

had no mild or severe side effects.

The second dose is infamous for its milder to more severe side effects such as flu-like symptoms (cough, chills, runny nose). Victoria Lin (11) stated that she had a mild headache with back pains, while Garvin Ye (12) felt feverish the night/day after receiving the second dosage.

Vaccine aftercare plays a crucial part in mitigating various side effects from receiving the shot. Henry Garrett (11) recommends, “staying hydrated before and after [the shot]”and cited Gatorade as a good source for maintaining that hydration. Sophia Baltasar (12) emphasized the importance of “moving around your arm by either exercising or some other activity that gets your arm moving like cleaning your room!” The CDC’s official guidance on vaccines after care includes drinking plenty of fluids, wearing loose fitting clothing (to not constrain your arm), applying a cool compress/washcloth to the shot area, and most importantly, moving your arm around.

Vaccine appointments are constantly filling up as they are released so make sure to try your hand at scheduling an appointment. Calling and checking websites throughout the day can allow you to find new vaccine appointments that may have opened up. Now that a wider range of the population is eligible to receive

Modem: The First Online Health Company For Asian Americans Leanna Yu Editor-In-Chief

F

ounded in 2021, Modem is the first ever wellness digital media company designed for Asian Americans. Modem’s mission is to “strengthen, empower, and heal the Asian American community” as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. In addition to delivering wellness and lifestyle newsletters, they also provide pro-bono digital marketing services and free monthly drop-in wellness coaching to Asian Americans.

The first service that Modem offers is digital content focused on normalizing Asian American mental health and wellness, which consists of digital media content and a weekly newsletter. Currently, over 14 newsletters sharing cultural narratives and conversations on holistic health have been published on their website (modem.substack.com).

Aiming to keep their weekly newsletters an easy read, they include short features on various Asian-led organizations, community members, and leaders. Previous features on Gen-Z and millennial changemakers include: Dear Asian Youth,

basement27, and Red Envelope Stories. Modem’s digital content was created as an outlet to produce content curated to the Asian American experience due to the lack of representation of Asian American voices in mainstream media. Modem’s content is written by and for Asian Americans, providing their perspectives and experiences on topics such as mental health practices, intergenerational dynamics, and navigating identity to newsletter subscribers.

The second service offered by Modem is Modem Health, a monthly telehealth program that offers free services in mental health, professional development, nutrition, and sexual health. This program is currently being piloted and undergoing finalization, but will be fully available to the public in two months. Modem is tackling the accessibility barrier to mental health treatment many Asian Americans face, as the underrepresentation of Asian Americans in mental health professions makes it difficult for Asian Americans to speak with nonAsian mental health providers due to the lack of cultural common ground.

Modem Health’s goal is to facilitate a program that gives Asian Americans free access to consult with a

network of holistic wellness providers of similar cultural backgrounds, paving the way for a more innovative healthcare delivery model.

Founder and Executive Director of Modem, Tiffany Yu, is a current senior at UC Berkeley and Mills High School alumni (2017) studying her Bachelor of Arts in Data Science and Public Health. In addition to creating the first comprehensive holistic wellness telehealth company for Asian Americans with a 30+ person team, Tiffany is nationally recognized as a Forbes Under 30 Scholar, advisor for the United Nations, and attaining a Master of Science in Clinical Informatics Management from Stanford University this year.

While reflecting on her established projects at Modem, Tiffany shared, “Every initiative that I’ve launched at Modem was shaped largely by my own experiences growing up Asian in America, so every detail of this company was created with intention… Whether it be media, healthcare, or policy, Modem is tackling it all. I feel inspired by the work my team and I have put in, and it gives me hope that our work, as well as the incredible work that organizers, activists, and advocates are doing for all underrepresented communities across our nation, will help rip out the deeply ingrained roots of racism in our society in order to build a safer, healthier, and more inclusive world.

We’re witnessing a turning point in history, and this is just the beginning.

“This might be our past and our present, but this doesn’t have to be our future.”

At the age of 21, Tiffany is a social entrepreneur, cultural commentator, and seasoned leader. Using her entrepreneurial expertise and company knowledge, Tiffany discloses advice for young innovators: “For all of you aspiring entrepreneurs at my alma mater, here are my words of advice. First, do your research.

You don’t have to be an expert in your field, but you do need to have a thorough understanding of the problem you are trying to solve and the needs of the demographic you plan to serve. Be familiar with the com-

PORTRAIT:

Founder

And

Executive

petitive landscape and what specifically your product can do to disrupt the field. Second, partner with smart and reliable people to build your business. Contrary to the popular American imagination, no one can do it alone. Find people who share your vision and can help you build and expand your product. Third, trust yourself. As a founder, you’ll be thrown into situations that school won’t prepare you for, so you’ll have to learn how to trust your instincts, lean on your intuition, and have confidence! Finally, never forget what motivated you to start your project or business. Founder burnout is a real phenomenon, and starting a company takes time and resources.

You may also face rejection from others about your idea. It’s a long road ahead, so always remember why you started in the first place.”

The Modem Team is currently in the process of forming an advocacy branch at Modem dedicated towards writing and advocating for policies that push for a more comprehensive legal definition of a hate crime and more measures in place to

Director

Of

Leanna Yu, The Thunderbolt

Modem

Tiffany

Yu.

improve the safety of Asian Americans in public spaces. Sparked by the Stop Asian Hate social movement, Modem is working on formal bill writing and advocacy training as well as contacting state and federal legislators in this new advocacy initiative. As the first comprehensive holistic wellness telepath company for Asian Americans, Modem is breaking the mold for Asian American health services and multimedia representation in the nation.

“This might be our past and our present, but this doesn’t have to be our future.”

Features

The Thunderbolt

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Student Action Against AAPI Hate Katelyn Chang Staff Writer

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Musical:

Musical:

Wednesday

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Addams

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Magdalene Ko, The Thunderbolt

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he recent surge of Anti Asian American hate crimes and sentiments has become a topic that has hit close to home for both the Mills and Millbrae communities. In a community with a large proportion of Asian Americans, the feeling of wanting to take action against these atrocities remains ever the more present.

Because without positive societal

Asian hate is to support or join an organization dedicated to stopping Asian hate. This can begin with supporting Asian owned businesses or fundraisers. Fundraising site ‘Go Fund Me’ has a page dedicated to Asian organizations to donate to. These include families of those affected by Anti-Asian hate crimes and advocacy groups. Another form of action to take is to support youth oriented non profit advocacy groups such as @dearasianyouth and @ the next generasian on Instagram.

Magdalene Ko, The Thunderbolt

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Katelyn Chang, The Thunderbolt

GRAPHIC: Protesters holding signs witht the popular hashtag #Stopasianhate

Magdalene Ko, The Thunderbolt

Musical:

Adams

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Magdalene Ko, The Thunderbolt

MUSICAL: Morticia Addams and Gomez Addams singing and dancing.

The Addams Family Musical Magdalene Ko Staff Writer

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long upheld tradition of Mills is the production of a musical every spring. This year, the theatre team undertook the task of playing The Addams Family, a story about family and friendship. With school online, the theatre team had to be extra creative to produce an enticing show.

Auditions, rehearsals, and the actual performance had to be moved to Zoom. Auditions were similar to regular auditions, where candidates sang and danced for Mr. Huddleson and Mr. Gregoric. Despite moving online, rehearsals still adhered to a rigid schedule to ensure everything flowed smoothly. Gianluca Bettucchi (9) stated rehearsals were “usually something like Monday: Mr. Gregoric singing rehearsals (or pit rehearsals if you are in pit) Tuesday: dance rehearsals, Wednesday: also Gregoric, and Thursday dance again.” Friday was normally their break day. To record all the songs, the musical team used Soundtrap.

As Benedict Abadilla (12) explained, “we made soundtracks for the musical through the app called Soundtrap and we each recorded our separate parts on there. Then when we are going to perform we are going to reuse those tracks.” Although the cast originally wanted to act live, they were forced to produce a pre recorded performance, with only some parts featuring live singing.

Sountrap enabled all singers to send in their own parts, with Mr. Gregoric giving feedback afterward. These new accommodations taught the cast plenty of new skills, including recording and editing. They also all learned new dances with Zoe Swenson-Grahm, the choreographer, and allowed the funky Addams side of themselves to shine through. The Addams Family vibe is something everyone tried to convey through the screen. Since the Addams Family is a family of wackiness, everyone had the chance to really experiment and get into their characters.

According to Meghan Kelly (12), using Soundtrap came with some benefits: during regular live performances the cast were often “just slightly too out-of-breath to do the ensemble numbers justice!”

Another pro of using Soundtrap was that it allowed each singer to focus on their own vocal part and had unlimited redos. However, Bettucchi revealed using Soundtrap “was a very tedious process because [they] couldn’t just get the feedback immediately.” During in-person rehearsals, Mr. Gregoric would simply listen and make any needed adjustments immediately.

The entire process would be much quicker compared to the online version. Using Soundtrap forced everyone to wait until all the vocals could be put together, with more wait time for Mr. Gregoric to review it before the team could fix any problems. This was something that

change, these social issues, including racism will never be solved.

This is where student and individual action comes into play. Because of the fact that we are so affected by AAPI Hate today, students and youth can act as changemakers to spread awareness and create positive impacts that will prevent the blatant attacks harming many marginalized groups, including Asians.

But the fundamental question that arises from this desire to take action, is both “How?” and “What can I do?”. These are questions that this article will tackle on what exactly students can do to participate in the #StopAAPIHate movement.

One compelling method of continuing to advocate against was harder to overcome but at the end of the day it comes along with the challenges of moving online.

Soundtrap wasn’t the only new method that received mixed feelings. For Kelly, “Dancing with limited space over Zoom was at times frustrating but mostly a great way to unwind, and getting to be closer to the “audience” makes it really fun to play with facial expressions.” However, acting alone in a room makes it harder to stay connected and focused on the scenes. The barrier of having a screen between each other posed an extra challenge because of the lack of interaction. Absence of muscle memory posed another challenge, since all behind the scenes actions were tech-related. Madison Schoening (11), who plays Morticia Addams, thought the “musical was a challenge but [loved] to take it head on.” She felt that it was hard to “get all the tech together” and has “taken over [her] whole living room practically with green screens and cameras and microphones.” Abadilla was originally unsure of how the production would turn out, but eventually discovered that participating in the entire process was really fun.

He states that “ Mr. Huddleson and his team are doing a very great job making sure that the musical is being run as smoothly as possible.”

Despite having to learn a completely new way of performing, the practice and time put in was well worth it.

These groups consistently post resources and information around AAPI Hate which can be used to educate. By liking or reposting, you continue to encourage and participate in spreading awareness to why stopping Asian hate is so important.

And this leads us to the fact that as members of Generation Z, social media also plays a role in social justice as an effective advocacy tool.

Something that anyone with a platform (no matter how small or large) can do to contribute, is sharing relevant information and resources.

These include sharing the numbers to Hotlines and websites such as the Asian Languages Crisis Line, or the Asian, Pacific Islander, and South Asian American (APISAA) TheraEach performer hopes the audience can understand the lessons of family and growth and can get a good laugh watching. Even through the screen they hope that they can feel the hard work they put into the preformance. Kelly explained that “the Addams Family Musical is fundamentally a tribute to love in all its forms.” She wants the audience to embrace the darkness and love from the musical, learning and growing.

Members of the Addams Family are quirky and unusual, but she believes everyone can identify with one. Similar to Kelly, Schoening also anticipates viewers will enjoy “the message of family and togetherness and being who you are and loving yourself and all your weird quirks.” The musical might be funny and entertaining, but she hopes the true message of family and accepting yourself will be delivered. When asked, Abadilla said he wishes the viewers can really enjoy the performance.

He hopes everyone can “laugh and cry and just enjoy the show.” Although this performance is online Bettucchi commented optimistically that the audience will “feel that this performance was just as good as an in person performance.” Even though it will be different than normal, it will be a new experience for everyone, actors and viewers alike. The biggest hope from all is that the audience can simply enjoy the performance and learn about

pist Directory, or links to additional resources by using tools such as carrd.co to attach onto your social media profile’s bio. Another more commonly seen method of social media advocacy is reposting posts that report on current social issues.

This includes sharing stories and news on AAPI hate and racism to inform your followers on the blatant normalcy of it, because the more people are aware of a problem, the more people take action.

On an individual level, calling out anti-Asian rhetoric online or in person can also bring beneficial progress. Educating others should be prioritized as well as amplifying Asian voices. Ensuring that their voices are heard and not suppressed, fosters an environment where those who are most affected can highlight the actual changes that they feel should be made. Because in times of hate, sympathy and empathy are necessary in order to understand what affected groups, including the AAPI community, are currently enduring as well as what actions must be taken. And in Millbrae, a city with a high concentration of Asian Americans, coming together as a community uplifts each other. Joining and participating in local Anti-Asian hate rallies, such as those recently organized in San Mateo and Millbrae, draws more attention to an ever-important problem and continues to catch others attention, which in turn spreads more awareness.

What’s important to remember at the end of the day is that every person has the power to enact positive change. Even doing something as small as reposting something onto your Instagram story makes a difference by continuing to inform and educate others. The main goal of all social justice activists should be to uplift marginalized communities and peoples, which means lending your voice, personal power, and platform to those who require it. It is necessary to combine our efforts as youth to make our demands against racism heard. Because individually, small actions lead to progress, and together, progress creates change.

loving themselves and each other.

The actual performance was a cohesive, intricate performance.

It was a story of two completely opposite families who come to understand the meaning of love, portrayed beautifully with Zoom backgrounds and diverse costumes. The cast didn’t let distance stop them as they passed objects from screen to screen and danced together. Every bit of intricate choreography was planned out, allowing the actors to take up every bit of their screen.

All technological feats pulled off by the cast would have everyone in awe as characters appeared on and off the screen. Each character ensured the audience could understand their every feeling as they kept their faces constantly expressive.

Conversations in the musical were enhanced with dramatic sentences filled with feeling. Vivid hand motions vital to conveying emotion were included, so the audience wouldn’t be bored from static poses.

Although the show was a bit laggy, it was wonderfully put together.

When the words ‘socially distant musical’ are first heard, anyone would have doubts about the result.

However, after watching, the end result exceeded expectations. The dedication and hard work put in by the cast and crew all paid off in the two hour program. Considering everything was done distantly, everyone involved in the program

center sp

10 things I’ve learn

By: Karine Chan, Editor-in-Chief

from a m

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Be selective with your company. Not everyone deserves to know you, not well at least. It is alright to be friendly with everyone, but know your boundaries. You can’t trust every person you come in contact with. People can be kind, but sometimes deceit and phoniness rears its ugly head.

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Don’t let your happiness be determined by other people. Be self reliant and find peace in the fact that whatever happens, you will be alright. Become a source of comfort to yourself. It is always nice to have people you can trust and rely on, but sadly, that is not always how it plays out. Get comfortable being among your own company and start to appreciate yourself more (you’re amazing).

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Make yourself involved and seek out opportunities for yourself. High school has the potential to arise many opportunities for you to figure out your interests. Don’t let those opportunities slip away from you.

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there by joining clubs and engaging in activities in and out of school. You’re in the “prime of your life” as every cliché highschool story loves to say, and I hate to agree. This is your chance to explore different fields without the risk. Find what makes you happy now, your future self will be thankful.

Bloom

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Make your mental health a priority. Life, let alone school, is crazy stressful. There is no shame in taking mental health breaks to gather yourself. You aren’t crazy for your feelings and emotions. High school is an emotional rollercoaster that feels like it may never end or you’ll fall off at any second. Remember that there are always people you can talk to, stretching from admin

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If it won’t matter in five years, don’t stress it. You are going to come across so many obstacles, there’s no point in letting them have a long term effect on you. I like to go by the rule of fives: if it won’t matter in five years, take five minutes to be upset, then move on. The world is not going to stop to let you sulk, the sooner you realize that the better off you’ll be. Instead of noticing all the small things going wrong, fo-

The theme of this months center spread is bloom. Not only is blooming associated with nature and plants, but it can also be used to describe humans evolving, both mentally and physically. Through blooming, we can discover more about ourselves and the world around us.

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Find a balance between social and school life. School isn’t everything, but social standing is not either. It is important to find a balance that works well for you. If you know you have a big test the next day, do yourself a favor and stay home and study. But on the flip side, if you feel good in your classes and know you’re on top of it, there’s absolutely no harm in going out and

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Don’t fall into the trap of comparing. This goes for everything. Body image. Grades. Social life and status. Everything. Comparing is a slippery slope that can wreck your mental state so incredibly fast.You are perfectly you, there’s no debating that.

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Grades don’t define your intelligence.

I’d like to really nail this one in. As a notstraight-a student, I always felt inferior to my fellow classmates. It took some time, and while it is still an ongoing process, I am coming to learn that a silly letter means nothing.

Just because I got a “bad” grade on a test does not mean I am stupid. Stop letting a letter grade define you.And don’t get me wrong, there will probably be a lot of people in your life going against this statement, but know

Charisma will take you far. Life isn’t about the textbook and surface level ngs. Having people skills will ultimateget you much farther than knowing calus. Knowing how to read and interact h people is a talent that deserves more cognition from time to time. Impresns matter, and people will remember en you make good, as well as bad, ones.

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Be kind to everyone, including yourself. It’s hard, it really is. You may feel inferior at certain times if life isn’t going according to plan, but remember at the end of the day, you deserve to be kind to yourself. And everyone you come across deserves kindness. You never know what someone is going through behind closed doors. Showing just a drop of kindness could make all the difference.

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Opinions

The Thunderbolt

College Admissions in Their Current State Madison Wong Opinions Editor

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peaking from personal experience, I think it’s safe to say that being a senior sucks right now. We may never see some of the people we grew up with ever again, graduation might be online, and the best semester of high school is spent at home in front of a computer for hours a day.

On top of all of that, we still had to apply to colleges and anxiously wait for our decision letters. Of course, the college application and admissions processes have also changed drastically from that of previous years. Students couldn’t continue many of the extracurriculars they did before the pandemic and almost all of the college tours were virtual.

While this allowed for students to tour schools without having to travel to the campus, it was hard to get a sense of what the environment was actually like through pictures shown on someone’s shared Zoom screen.

Statistically, getting into college was harder this year than it was in past years due to the increased number of applications colleges received. The University of California (UC) schools had a 16% increase in applications system wide, and Harvard’s number of applications increased by 42% from their previous years. Why the sudden increase? Almost 1,000 schools, including many top schools and all Ivy Leagues, went test optional/didn’t accept standardized testing this year. This means that they either made standardized tests optional or didn’t take them into consideration at all, when they are usually required and are a large part of a student’s application.

More often than not, if a student scores “low” on a standardized test, they don’t apply to top schools because they don’t think they have a chance of being accepted. However,

Ivy League Adminssions Offices, Business Insiders

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS: Extend bar graph of applied vs. accepted in admissions to a range of colleges and universities.

with standardized testing being optional this year, students think that they have a higher chance and apply to schools that they would not have applied to if standardized testing were required. Also, many people in the class of 2020 decided to take a gap year so they would not have to pay tuition to do school online, increasing this year’s application pool.

All that being said, the number of people colleges accept likely hasn’t changed - just because more people are applying doesn’t mean that colleges will have an increased number of seats available. This means that this year’s acceptance rates were lower and the application process was much more competitive.

Did the pandemic help applicants in any way? Anjuli Niyogi (12) and Nicholas Shek (12) both agreed that the pandemic gave them

more time to work on their applications, and Shek added that having our second semester of junior year be credit/no credit made his grades appear better. There is no doubt, however, that the pandemic also added lots of uncertainty and stress when it came to the application process. Niyogi stated that there were many changes at once, with colleges going back and forth with being test optional and simply not knowing what to expect. Chloe Xu (12) also mentioned that she spent a lot of time and money on SAT prep, so she was disappointed and felt that all of her hard work was for nothing when the UC schools announced that they would not consider standardized testing scores.

While I agree that the pandemic was not ideal, I don’t think I would have been accepted into

my top school, New York University (NYU), if the pandemic hadn’t occurred. For a while, I was able to maintain a relatively high GPA. During the second semester of my junior year, however, my grades started slipping and my GPA was the lowest it has ever been. But the district decided to change grades in that semester to credit/no credit, saving me from having to submit grades I weren’t proud of. Although I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go to SAT prep classes, my SAT score was nowhere near NYU’s average score. If I had to submit my SAT score, I can almost guarantee you that I would not have been accepted to NYU. The pandemic also gave me a lot of time to focus on things I wanted to do, but never had the time to do so. If someone asked me in February 2020 what I want-

ed to be when I grew up, I probably would have said an orthodontist. But things have changed and I will be a business major in the fall.

In March of last year, I decided to start a business. It was something I always wanted to do, but never had the time to do so. It ended up being one of my biggest passions and I decided to major in business instead of biochemistry, my original plan. As it turns out, I really don’t like biology or chemistry, so I would have ended up in a major I wasn’t interested in at all. I also wrote my CommonApp essay on my business, and I think NYU liked that I took initiative in something I was interested in, especially since it was my major. So, if it weren’t for the pandemic, I would likely be a biochemistry major with a low SAT score and GPA, not going to NYU. To the class of 2021: this year, especially with college admissions, was rough. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “You just talked about how the pandemic helped you get into your top school - what do you know about college admissions being hard this year?” And although I cannot exactly know what you’re going through, I sympathize with you. But just because you didn’t go to the college you expected to go to doesn’t mean that your dreams won’t come true. There are many amazing people who don’t go to the top schools, and a lot of them end up in the same jobs with the same paychecks as someone else who went to an Ivy League. You will be okay.

Trust me when I say that wherever you go, you will do great things.

Harmful Social Media Terminologies & Their Effects Raquel Catpo Staff Writer

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rimarily created and popularized

on the app TikTok, terms like “pick me,” “super straight,” and “simp” are now widely known and used throughout social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. To most people, social media terminologies like these are seen as powerless, trivial phrases. In reality, some social media terms can be damaging to others because they encourage negative behaviors and ideas.

The term “pick me” has taken over Tiktok, with 1.8 billion views under the hashtag “pickme” and 278 million views under the hashtag “pickmegirl.” According to Urban Dictionary, “A pick me is a woman that is willing to do anything for male approval. She will embarrass or throw other women under the bus to achieve this goal.” This terminology was originally used to describe women with internalized misogyny, but over time, “pick me” has been frequently used as an excuse to degrade girls and women. One example of this is @daryanwillyardt’s TikTok video, in which Daryan repeatedly lip syncs “pick me” when referring to girl cheerleaders. Other examples where this term is used

are if a girl doesn’t wear make-up, wears “too” much make-up, wears leggings, has a softer voice, or has a certain clothing style. In summary, the term “pick me” is toxic because it is many times used to shame girls and women for having different interests or personalities.

The next social media terminology, “super straight,” was just recently created in February by TikToker Kyleroyce on the social media platform, TikTok. As of April 15, the phrase “super straight”, including all videos, hashtags, and accounts under it, have been removed and banned from TikTok for its “association with hateful behavior.” As stated by Urban Dictionary, the definition of “super straight” is, “a straight person who only dates people that were born with the opposite gender.” In other words, someone who claims to be “super straight” would not date a transgender person. Some argue that the term “super straight” is a new sexuality, but I’ll explain why it’s actually just transphobia. If a man is interested in a woman but upon finding out she is a transgender woman, loses interest, it is strictly because she is transgender. There is nothing wrong with having preferences, but excluding a whole group of people solely because they are transgender as well as making an invalid sexuality is transphobic. Furthermore, the terminology “super straight” claims to be MORE straight, implying that

transgender women and men are not “real” women and men.

The term “simp,” created in 2019, has also begun trending throughout social media apps. On TikTok, there are 7.6 billion views under the hashtag “simp.” Urban Dictionary states a “simp” is, “someone who does way too much for a person they like.” However, the overuse of this word has altered its meaning. For the most part, the word “simp” is now used to describe a boy or man who does something nice for a girl or shows affection towards a girl. Men are called “simps” for showing any kind of respect towards a woman. Some examples are if a man texts a girl first, opens the door for a girl, talks highly of a girl, or is “softer” around a girl. This is problematic because even though it’s usually meant as a joke, it shames men for being respectful and polite towards women. Moreover, it pushes the belief that if a man values a woman or is polite towards a woman, he is weak, or not a “real” man.

At first glance, these few social media terminologies seem innocent and light-hearted but in truth, these toxic phrases can impact and discriminate against whole communities, like transgender people or women. The use of these words, even as jokes, reinforces unjust ideologies and assumptions. Using appropriate terms rather than harmful ones, is the more thoughtful choice.

Raquel Catpo The Thunderbolt

TIK-TOK-TERMS: Harmful terminologies run rampant everywhere on social media

Opinions

The Thunderbolt

Was “Cancelling” Lil Nas X Right?

A Reflection of Online School Joshua Choe Staff Writer

L

ife has pretty much always been centered around physically being around other people; it’s how it’s meant to be. School with classmates, work with your coworkers, going about daily business in-person are a few activities among many that require you to be with other people in real life. Now, back in February of 2020, everyone’s lives took a hard turn for the worse. COVID was the prominent root of nearly everything in society coming to a near complete halt for a few weeks, including work, businesses, and education. After that short period of lulling blankness from the very world itself, we all found everything having moved online. Adjusting to school in this new setting would be a whole new experience for educators and students alike.

The first few months of quarantine were the best I’ve had during the duration of COVID itself. There was barely any workload at all and everyday was just an easy vacation with no worries. Of course, I didn’t have any idea of how tiring this would be yet. Summer passed by and it was still a bliss. We would go biking every weekend in groups as large as 10 people and go far places to eat food and walk around new places. I would also have friends to text and call with anytime I felt like it, especially with a really, really close friend. On days we didn’t go out, we’d get on calls and watch movies late into the night, play games, and just talk. I would stay out until midnight with my dog listening to music.

Transitioning from summer to the first few months of high school was a breeze. Every teacher was super lenient and I felt happy with the minimal work and the fact that I didn’t have to be in a classroom around other people. My work ethic from middle school had carried on and that meant all my work was finished quickly and efficiently. I never had any problems with procrastination and work loads, although adjusting to working online was a bit of a challenge at first. Of course that would change over the next few months of highschool, from December onwards. Reports of depression, stress, and being worn out among students began around this time.

But for now, I was comfortable and these few months were something I’d even go as far as to call the best months of my life Around January of this year, to March, work increased, teachers became more strict and I was settling into a normal school routine again. I found that my work ethic was declining however, as well as admittedly my span of attention to my Zoom classes. Homework was pushed to days before due dates and I lost sleep by trying to get the assignments in on time. My friends seemed to lose interest in hanging out on the weekends and though we continued biking, less people went.

Friends that I used to text a ton, I fell out with. I didn’t take my dog out as much as usual and I came back home early. The effects from the reports of stress and hardship were starting to affect me. I started noticing that the days were blurring together.

The last few months however, are something I definitely can call a struggle; I found that I couldn’t keep that up, however. I was finally feeling what almost every other student in the nation was and some are still feeling under quarantine. My assignments were pushed to the literal hours and even minutes before they were due and I found myself watching YouTube or being on my

phone during class. Everyday was a headache and I was losing sleep so I was constantly tired and this meant a loss of attention and energy to do work. Biking has pretty much come to a stop and there doesn’t seem to be any plans to resume this activity for a long while either. I pretty much only have one friend that I text and even though that friend was the closest I’ve ever had, we fell out to the point that we constantly argued and had fights. I find myself constantly wishing for life to be like it was last year. On top of everything, I also started stressing over my future and how it’ll go, whether it’s school, a job, my social life, and generally everything. The only way I’ve been coping was by playing games with friends on call. I feel as if I haven’t retained much knowledge from school this year either. I can’t wait until summer and I truly, truly wish that it will be like last summer, where I can say that I didn’t have a worry in the world.

Reflecting over my past few months, I definitely changed. From the usually energetic person I was, I find that I barely have the energy or willpower to go on walks with my dog or even do things as simple as get on a call with my friends. I find that I stress over work and whatever responsibilities I have such as chores at home. Maybe this is a natural phase of growing up and maturing as a teenager, however I don’t feel that is the truth. I see teenagers across the nation experiencing pretty much all the things I’ve gone over. But as far as I can see, we will definitely pull through, by reflecting over our own experiences which are most likely similar to the ones that I experienced, I wholly believe that we will all come out on top.

Max Zaninovich Staff Writer

L

il Nas X, who first became popular during 2019 for his song Old Town Road, has been “cancelled” by many people on the right for his controversial music video on his new single “Montero.” In the video, it shows him going to hell and giving the devil a lapdance. He also added to that by customizing Nike shoes to look like Satan, and allegedly there was a single drop of human blood in the sole.

The song, “Montero,” and its music video are shining a light on Lil Nas X and the fact that he is gay.

The video is a symbolization of him being cast to hell with the devil, and him embracing it. Rather than him trying to sequester and deny his homosexuality, he fully embraces it, which, as a result, forces him down to hell where he engages in a satanic lapdance with the devil before killing him. His ‘Satan Shoes’, which are custom Nike Air Max sneakers also caused large controversy, as they supposedly have a drop of human blood in the sole.

Many people on the right including South Dakota Governor, Kristi Noem, were quick to display their dissatisfaction with the video and the shoe. Noem wrote on twitter, “Our kids are being told that this kind of product is, not only okay, it’s ‘exclusive.’ But do you know what’s more exclusive? Their God-given eternal soul. We are in a fight for the soul of our nation. We need to fight hard. And we need to fight smart. We have to win.” Pretty dramatic words for a pair of shoes, and a guy dressed

in a devil costume. Conservative influencer, Kaitlin Bennettt, who first gained fame by bringing an AR-10 assault rifle to her college graduation also exhibited her dismay on Twitter stating, “It is weeks like this when I am thankful to be blocked

by Lil Nas X.” Lil Nas X responded to that by tweeting, “I still see your tweets Sh***y Pants,” referring to when Kaitlin Bennett pooped her pants at a frat party in college. Kaitlin Bennett then noticed that she was losing the Twitter exchange between the two and played her last card in the deck, the racism card. Bennett tweeted, “Do you still see your dad?” To which Lil Nas X brutally responded, “Yep, and I might f***

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yours.”

And while it was fun to see Lil Nas X clash with conservative politicians and influencers alike, all good things must come to an end, when “Montero” was temporarily taken down on all streaming services across the world. And while nobody knows exactly why the song was unavailable, many are assuming it has something to do with the shoes and video.

Obviously Lil Nas X doesn’t deserve to have his song taken down and this action is just using this to exhibit their homophobia and disapproval of self expression. We hope X’s rather explicit music video will be better appreciated.

Lil Nas X, Monterro

GROUP-DANCING: Lil Nas X “twerking” on “Satan” in his music video, Monterro.

Joshua Choe The Thunderbolt

FRESHMAN YEAR: Online school was a whole new frontier of learning for everyone, both education and reflections of oneself.

Entertainment

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Mask of Shadows: Linsey Miller

Mask of Shadows: Linsey Miller “Anxious People is about a failed bank robbery that turns an apartment viewing into a hostage situation and the subsequent investigation into it. The victims are argumentative and difficult, the bank robber is distraught and the realtor is incompetent. But when a gunshot goes off and the police find an apartment covered in blood, things get serious.”

“Sallot Leon is a thief, and wants nothing more than to escape life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class. When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand—the Queen’s personal assassins, named after the rings she wears—Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge.”

Katelyn L. recommends Young Adult fantasy novel, “Mask of Shadows”, written by Linsey Miller. This story details the life of a gender-fluid thief and their journey infiltrating a court. Katelyn explains that she recommends this book because of the way it takes an overused concept and makes it both exciting to read and explorer along with the characters.

Anjuli recommends humorous fiction novel, “Anxious People”, by Fredrik Backman which brings both dark comedy as well as lightheartedness. Anjuli loves this book because of the way it found a way to unite so many different types of people that felt superficially disconnected, but impaced each other’s lives for the better and in the most unusual of circumstances.

Magdalene Recommends:

Books

Katelyn L. Recommends:

Little Women: Louisa May Alcott “Loosely based on the lives of the author and her three sisters, Little Women details the stories of the March sisters. Here are talented tomboy and author-to-be Jo, tragically frail Beth, beautiful Meg, and romantic, spoiled Amy, united in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War.”

Movies & TV

As an avid reader, Magdalene recommends highly regarded Classic, ‘Little Women”, written by Louisa May Alcott.

She states that she loves it because it isn’t too emotional, but still manages to talk about life in a sweet way. Recently also given a film adaption, this novel is a heartwarming and beautiful read for those across many age groups.

Madison Recommends: Bridgerton: Netflix “Bridgerton follows Daphne Bridgerton, the eldest daughter of the powerful Bridgerton family as she makes her debut onto Regency London’s competitive marriage market. Hoping to follow in her parents’ footsteps and find a match sparked by true love, Daphne’s prospects initially seem to be unrivaled.”

Madison recommends 2020’s historical romance show, ‘Bridgerton’. Based on Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton book series and found on Netflix, she loves this show specifically because of the romance between main characters Daphne and Simon, as well as the ending. With more seasons to come in the future, this series is wholesome and binge worthy for many audiences.

Leanna Recommends: Shadow and Bone: Netflix “Ravka, a fantasy kingdom based on the Tsarist Russian Empire, is set in a war-torn world plagued by the Shadow Fold, permanent darkness separating East from West Ravka which is inhabited by carnivorous winged creatures known as Volcra. Dark forces conspire against orphan mapmaker Alina Starkov when she unleashes an extraordinary power that could change the fate of her war-torn world.”

Leanna recommends newly released ‘Shadow and Bone’and loves how this fascinating world draws you in with magic, mischief, and darkness. The plot is fast-paced and leaves you wanting more! Even the very first episode had her so emotional, she may have shed a tear in the first hour of watching. She hopes that everyone loves it as much as she does!

Karine Recommends: New Girl: Netflix, Hulu “After a bad break-up, Jess, an offbeat young woman, moves into an apartment loft with three single men. ... Jess, a bubbly, off-beat teacher, who is known to burst into song, catches her boyfriend with another woman. Newly homeless, she moves into a loft with three single guys she’s never met before.”

Karine both loves and recommends ‘New Girl’ because it holds the perfect mix of humor and heartfelt scenes. Cuerrntly on her 5th rewatch, she loves the relationships between all the characters as the writers and actors have done a phenomenal job at creating very real and personable relationships between everyone. Overall, a top notch show!

Entertaiment

The Thunderbolt

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Albums and Songs Max Recommends: good kid, M.A.A.D city: Kendrick Lamar Max recommends his favorite rapper, Kendrick Lamar’s 2nd studio album, ‘good kid, M.A.A.D city’ released in 2012. He loves that the blend of storytelling lrics and flow fuse perfectly together and synthesize the perfect trap album.

His favorite song also happens to be track number 10, “Sing about Me, I’m Dying of Thirst”

Raquel Recommends:

Bianca Recommends:

Recess: Melanie Martinez

Kiss Me More: Doja Cat ft. SZA

Raquel recommends Melanie Martinez’s 2019 hit, “Recess”. Apart of her album “K-12”, she loves both the song and album because of the way Martinez’s songs focus on more serious topics which makes the songwriting, themes, melodiesm, and flow even more impressive.

Bianca recommends recently released collaboration between artists Doja Cat and SZA, titled “Kiss Me More”. Already on the Billboard top charts and receiving praise, she loves this song as it’s a perfect feel-good and upbeat song that’s really fitting for the springtime!

Podcasts The Thunderbolt Recommends: Thunderbolt Records: The Thunderbolt Not unsurprisingly, the Thunderbolt staff recommends, “Thunderbolt Records”. This podcast, which can be found on Spotify features the staff’s perspective on everything you need to know from book recommendations to what’s going on in the Mills community. Their most recent episode released covered this year’s seniors’ reflections on their past 4 years.

With many more installments to come, follow along and keep up to listen to more exciting editions!

Katelyn C. Recommends: The Journal.: Wall Street Journal Katelyn C. recommends the Wall Street Journal’s daily podcast, “The Journal”. This daily podcast highlights the world and nation’s biggest issues, both domestic and international, from a business perspective. Katelyn loves listening to this in the morning or whenever she has free time to be honest, in order to educate herself in a way that doesn’t take up too much time, as well as be able to see things from a different perspective. Uploaded everyday, this podcast hosted by journalists Kate Linebaugh and Ryan Knutson, can be picked up for listening by a general audience and provides a worthwhile learning experience.

Justin Recommends: The Pat McAfee Show: Pat McAfee/Barstool Sports For sports fans, Justin recommends The Pat McAfee Show, a podcast run by former NFL kicker Pat McAfee with Barstool Sports. The show primarily discusses topics relating to the NFL and football, but also occasionally cover other sports news and general trends. This show provides a level of authenticity and enjoyment that many shows that in other sports media often do not have. Already a popularr podcast among sports fandoms, it provides quality analysis and amusement for listeners. If you enjoy listening to sports media and seeing fun and entertaining personalities, then the Pat McAfee Show is just right for you.

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The Thunderbolt Sports NCAA Controversy: Preferential Gender Treatment Rita Li Staff Writer

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he National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that runs college sports. Recently there was a fiasco at the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament that represented widespread gender inequality for all sports and revived the gender disparity debate.

Coaches, players, and staff workers have revealed the stark contrast between men and women tournament experiences by uploading footage on social media. A viral TikTok video posted by Oregon star, Sedona Prince, comparing a fully supplied men’s weight room and an inadequate single weight rack in a mostly empty room enraged the public.

In response to the outcry, the NCAA helped improve the women’s weight room

overnight and promised to do better. However, the new weight room has still not met the same standards as the men’s weight room.

The upgraded weight room

felt betrayed as the NCAA seemed so promising in bringing opportunities for female players. In the 1990s, Critchley never felt that she was treated differ-

college basketball tournament inequality, the NCAA reviewed that men receive superior marketing and more expensive, higher quality COVID-19 testing.

Alan Bishop, ABC News

NCAA: The men’s weight area and equipment during the Indiana NCAA Division 1 Tournament.

is shown in this video, depicting that it is still not perfectly supplied yet.

Jen Critchley(45), a former basketball player from Colgate University,

ently from her male counterparts, as she, along with her teammates, found success to become teachers, doctors, and executives.

To find the root of the

Currently, in 2021, the logo for the men’s tournament reads “Indianapolis Final Four 2021” while the women’s logo reads “2021 Women’s Final Four San

SoulCycle’s Newfound Popularity Jordan Hasty Staff Writer

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ith the pandemic still raging and gyms shut down, cycling has become a popular means of exercise as well as a reason to go outside. With more roads being opened to bikes, the possibilities are growing.

Now that everyone’s stuck at home, getting up and out of the house is important, and being able to bike with a goal in mind also encourages people to get out more, getting you somewhere while still being active.

Cycling can be both an individual and communal activity, seeing as it’s a great way to spend time with friends or family w h i l e still being a b l e to safely social distance.

From riding around the neighborhood to going on a trip across the country, the possibilities are endless. Cycling hasn’t just become popular recently though, throughout the past decades it has been brought into the spotlight on multiple occasions as a great way to improve strength, balance, and coordina-

tion. It also plays into the eco-friendly aspect of life many people are trying to achieve. With many forms of cycling including road cycling and SoulCycle, it has opened up to everyone.

Road cycling is the most popular type of cycling out there, with nothing but endurance and stamina as the limit.

There’s more freedom than simply getting in your car and driving somewhere, it sets a personal challenge for yourself and there’s no set

Annie Yan, The Yale Herald

way to do it. It can be as quick and easy and getting your bike and hitting the road. Road cycling doesn’t require a membership and each time you can push yourself to go further, faster, and getting to the goal and making it to your destination is a feeling of accomplishment you can’t get from riding a stationary bike at the gym or in your basement. It’s a great way to explore places you

might never have bothered to go to before or were too far out of the way. Now that many people are working and doing school from home the roads are as empty as they’re ever going to get and it’s the perfect opportunity to get started.

As long as all the guidelines and rules are followed and you know your way back home, nothing much is stopping you. Road cycling isn’t for everyone though, but it isn’t the only type of cycling out there.

SoulCycle has grown exponentially since it was founded in New York, New York in 2006

by Elizabeth Cutler, Julie Rice, and Ruth Zukerman.

As of March 2020 they now have 99 locations in the U.S, Canada, and United Kingdom. SoulCycle is different from regular cycling which would be riding a bike and has become increasingly popular over the years since its conception.

It includes a stationary bike which isn’t anything new, but their twist on it is what makes it so popular.

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Antonio.” The different written styles of the men versus women logos consist of specifically pointing out the gender in the women’s logo while remaining gender-neutral for the men’s despite being part of the same tournament.

The NCAA’s budget for the men’s tournament is usually over double the budget of the women’s tournament. Furthermore, while men win payouts for tournament victories, women get none. The reason that the NCAA rarely focuses on women is that they deem men’s basketball and football much more profitable.

The struggle for NCAA gender equality, both on and off the court, continues to this day. To combat these inequalities we need the NCAA to be more diverse instead of relying on funding a few sectors to make profits.

Article Continued on millsthunderbolt.com

g n i d a r T ds of s e t r ar s i o R Sp C Misael Gomez Sports Editor

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he gradual rise of trading cards has been unprecedented, to say the least, however, resellers all around the world are more than happy about this. With basketball cards and pokemon cards becoming more popular, opening packs of cards has been the main event on Twitch and other platforms. the person opening them hoping to strike gold on a Charizard or LeBron James. This article will explore the main aspects of trading cards, as well as how some cards range in price, and how pack openings work.

The first, and most popular area of trading cards is Sports cards. First created in the 1890s, the PANINI sports card brand popularized making trading cards out of professional athletes such as Wilt Chamberlain, Maradona, and Berry Bonds. Although PANINI’s marketing was aimed towards kids, today adults have found that cards from their childhood have high resale value. Like all these things go, there is now a sports trading card market

where people could grade their cards, (send their card to an inspector to verify its authenticity) and sell them too for absurdly high prices to collectors. Some of the most popular player cards include Rookie Michael Jordan (1986), Rookie Derek Jeeter (1993), and Rookie Mike Trout (2011). All prices for these cards will be discussed a little later, however, this could be often referred to as the most expensive hobby one could have.

Pokemon cards are a slightly different ball game than sports cards, though. While sports cards are valued for their rarity, pokemon cards are valued for how good the card is.

Since pokemon is more of a game, the better the card, the higher the rarity and price. Although you could find rare cards in pokemon packs, the easiest way of finding a Charizard is by paying up a couple of thousand dollars. Some of the most sought-after pokemon cards are the pokemon illustrator card.

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