Lifestyle
December 13, 2019
The Knightly News - Page 8
Seniors Reach the Big 1-8 Seniors reflect on the milestone of turning 18 years old Kathryn Hood
Visual Editor Class of 2021
Photo: Zoie Freier
To most young people, the age of 18 years is an idea that has loomed large as the most anticipated or most dreaded age to turn. But that’s no surprise – turning 18 comes with a slew of added legal abilities such as being able to vote, serve on a jury, marry, enter into contracts, buy and sell property, control your own medical treatment and being able to move out – which could be good or bad depending on who you are. However, is 18 really all it’s cracked up to be? Most seniors seemed to have the same response: No. “I think I looked at 16 as, like, the big thing. I never really thought about 18,” said Claire Wierman. “I thought I would feel older, I would feel like an adult, but I really don’t.” Other seniors shared this sentiment.“Eighteen is like, ‘Oh you can vote, you’re an adult.’ It seems like a big milestone but it’s really not,” said Zoie Freier. Even though turning 18 may be a letdown, the ability to vote is a big deal to many. Senior Molly Buffenbarger took AP Comparative Politics this year in order to learn more about the world before she voted. “Being able to vote is not only a responsibility to ourselves
Senior Zoie Freier as a baby is a reminder of just how far these 18year-olds have come. but also to our generation,” said Wierman. “I think our generation is very different than those who are voting currently and I think that we have the power to change it, even though that sounds cheesy.” Some seniors, including Paul Louis Biondi, have already voted. “We voted at 7:30 on a Sunday morning. It was completely normal, there was nothing out of the ordinary, and it was fun getting the little sticker afterward,” he said. “You’re just like, ‘hey, I participated in an election.’” Little things, like scheduling one’s own appointments at the doctor, and having to take
your ID out at the airport were signs to these seniors that they were getting older. The freedom, especially the legal freedom that comes with being 18, is a much bigger deal. “I told my Mom I wanted to get a tattoo over the summer because I was 18 and then she told me to ‘make sure your dad’s OK with it but I guess I can’t stop you,’” said Buffenbarger. However, not all of these freedoms were positive. Biondi was put in a unique situation with his dual citizenship in France and the United States. “I still have to register for the draft,” he said. “If I don’t register within a month of my birth-
day, I can get fined and tried for treason or something. Because of my dual citizenship, if one country goes to war against the other, either country could call me treasonous and I could go to jail.” Many seniors weren’t sure if they felt any older, but one thing was for certain: they felt more prepared for the future. “I’m definitely prepared educationally, but as for real life experiences, I definitely gained a lot more of that this year,” said Wierman. “From being more aware of what’s going on in the world to getting groceries and picking up stuff for dinner, I feel like I’m becoming more of an adult.” Freier shared somewhat different feelings. “I feel like I’m prepared for college but not for life experiences... there’s no way I’m prepared to do taxes,” she said. “The college process also has made me prepared to figure out what I want for life.” To most, 18 hasn’t been the biggest moment of their lives. Instead of staying in the past, seniors choose to look towards the future with optimism, with the age of 18 only another stepping stone towards their goals. As Biondi put it, “The implications of what it means to be 18 is what’s most exciting. You probably have made it through the hardest part of high school and soon you’ll be going to college, where you can do what you love.”
Popeyes: The Best Fast-Food Sandwich Zachary Howard Sports Editor Class of 2020
(L-R) Juniors Caroline McCullough and Madison Martin enjoy the Popeyes chicken sandwich, a melting pot of flavor, that is popular with countless Pace students. the sandwich that grew during its absence. On the release day, I took a trip up to my local Popeyes. The drivethru line was wrapped twice around the sizable parking lot, even spilling over onto Roswell Rd. and creating a huge traffic hazard. Aiming to outsmart this line by parking across the street and sneaking into the store, I hoped for a shorter line inside. However, it was to no avail. After waiting for half an hour, and not getting remotely close to ordering, I gave up, with plans to return the next day. That Monday, Nov. 4, the lines had tapered off considerably, and I was able to walk into the store, wait about 20 minutes in line and another 10 after
placing my order to receive the sandwich. At long last, I finally obtained the legendary sandwich. At $3.90 per sandwich, it is a relatively cheap option, but still almost a dollar more expensive than its counterpart, the Chick-fil-A sandwich. What it lacks in price point, however, it makes up for in taste. The first bite is a mouthwatering combination of quality fried chicken, a great brioche bun, and a mayonnaise and Popeyes sauce. All of the flavors blend together beautifully to create a unique taste. Originally, I had concerns that the chicken would be undercooked. These concerns turned into fears upon seeing multiple Instagram posts of pink or even
Photo: Mary Childs Hall
On Aug. 12, 2019, the world (or at least the parts with a Popeyes) was introduced to the Popeyes chicken sandwich. However, few people noticed this new menu item. It was not until weeks later, when the Popeyes’ Twitter account attacked Chickfil-A, starting the now famous chicken sandwich war, that hype for the Popeyes sandwich began to grow at an alarming rate. Drive-thru lines wrapping twice around the parking lot, hour-long waits inside the restaurant, exhausted workers, and stores running out of sandwiches by 11 a.m. were all byproducts of this extreme competition. However, disaster struck when Popeyes, unable to meet the unexpected increase in demand, ran out of the sandwich. Many felt robbed of the sandwich, never having had the chance to indulge in it. But fear not: on Sunday, Nov. 2, Popeyes, confident they could meet demand, reintroduced the sandwich, putting it back into the hands of eager customers. Upon reintroduction, the same lines of hungry people were seen, with many even longer due to the hype around
red chicken in these sandwiches. However, I was delighted to find that mine was cooked perfectly – juicy and showing no signs of being raw. As I continued to eat the sandwich, it continued to impress. The pickles were a great addition, really rounding out the overall taste. In my opinion, when presented with an option to choose the Popeyes sandwich or any other fast food sandwich, I would choose Popeyes 10 times out of 10. It is a one of a kind taste, worthy of long lines, high demand, and even full fledged fights. However, I would advise that you wait until the lines die down before going to grab your own slice of heaven.
A Look Back at the Decade Aman Hashim
Co-Editor in Chief Class of 2020
2010
- Apple releases the first iPad. - Instagram is founded.
2011
- Prince William marries Catherine Middleton, sparking royal wedding fever. - Harry Potter movies come to an end. - Osama bin Laden is killed.
2012
- “Gangnam Style” becomes the most watched video ever. - Barack Obama is reelected.
2013
- “The Harlem Shake” goes viral. - Kids around the world learn “Pitch Perfect’s” “Cup Song.” - #BlackLivesMatter movement begins.
2014
- Malaysia Airlines passenger jet disappears. - ALS Ice Bucket Challenge takes off.
2015
- Black/blue or gold/white dress divided the world. - Apple releases raciallydiverse emojis. - Same-sex marriage is legalized in all 50 states.
2016
- Harambe touches the hearts of many. - “Pokemon Go” goes viral. - Video app Vine shuts down. - Donald Trump is elected President.
2017
- Fidget spinners are a fad. - Once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse is visible throughout the mainland U.S. - #MeToo movement takes off.
2018
- Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle. - Yanny vs Laurel confuses many.
2019
- Washington Nationals win their first ever World Series. - “Game of Thrones” airs its final season. - “Avengers: Endgame” becomes the highest grossing movie of all time.
