Mainstream - December 2022 - Full Issue PDF

MainstreaM

Paint Branch High School

14121 Old Columbia Pike

Burtonsville, Maryland 20866

Seniors Celebrate

From Senior Unity Day to finishing College Applications to Starting and Finishing Final Seasons, the Class of 2023 is Ready .

Letter From Le LetetttterFrom

the Editors the d dititors

Takeoff Killed in Houston

Migos Member Tragically Shot at Private Even t

Senior Cedric Pierre-Louis presents information during Computer Science Education Week.

photos by: M. Tomas

The Washington Post

The New York Times

Democrat Wes Moore will governor. (photo from: wesmoore.com)

Private Jets are Being Criticized

Photo by: Yaroslav Muzychenko on Unsplash

Picture this, it’s around 10 pm and that essay is due in two hours. You lock eyes with your monitor, crack your knuckles, and slam yourself onto that chair. With what seems like more than

across the keyboard and…it becomes a late assignment. But why? You had the perfect setup for a productive homework session; and yet it was all for naught.

Well, there was one critical error you made that doomed you to failure: your choice of music. The choice to play your favorite your essay in on time and losing points because it was late. But why? Why would something as simple as music choice make a

Does music make you more productive? An article written by Dean Burnett from The Guardian says that the way that the brain works is that there are two attention systems: a conscious system that really lets us focus on a task and an unconscious system that draws our attention toward the little distractions around us. The sound of a fan blowing in your room or the vibration of your unconscious attention system. These systems work in tandem, and the unconscious system often causes us to lose focus while working.

To combat this loss of focus, people turn to music or turn on any form of listenable entertainment because they think it will help them block out all of the other distractions and replace them with one. In theory, this should cause your attention system to not be interrupted by any outside distractions and allow you to

But in reality, that’s not the case. When you turn on that show

or play your favorite music, you either pay less attention or no attention to your work because your brain would rather listen to your favorite song or the sports game in the background than focus on writing an essay

So, is that it? Music is simply bad for productivity, and people must work in silence and just accept it. Well, this is not necessarily true. In fact, an article by Zaria Gorvett from the BBC states that

around the idea that listening to a piece created by a genius should make you a genius. It seems far-fetched, but studies show that when looking at the brain of a person while listening to a piece by waves, waves in the brain that help with processing information

I was curious if this was true, so I decided to try it out for myself. I tried using classical music for over a week while doing

At times it seemed as though I was more concentrated, but when I switched to my typical music (R&B, bedroom pop, hip-hop) I felt the same.

science doesn’t matter if it doesn’t work for you. It’s all about keeping it honest with yourself. Personally, I like turning on music when doing repetitive work, and complete silence when

But the next time you work, ask yourself whether you really need music in the background or if it’s better to listen to the sound of silence.

“Indie & Kpop music. I like to listen to Indie if I want a more relaxing enviroment, and Kpop to get me more alert & active.”

Isatu Jalloh, 12th

“Piano instrumentals , because when I listen to lyrics it gets too distracting.”

Andy Tran, 11th

“Nothing, because extra noise is distracting for me when I want to do work.”

Zayra Muñoz, 12th

Should You Become a Content Creator?

Imagine you’re in your time your teacher asks you, in your class say they want to be a lawyer or a doctor or an astronaut. But for you, it may be a content creator.

The concept of being a content creator on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram is becoming more enticing to Generation Z and Generation Alpha. According to a study

writer Jessica Taylor, for kids 8-12 years old, the top career choice for them in the

That’s higher than a teacher, musician, or astronaut. But that was in 2019, and in the three years that have passed,

the landscape for social media has changed drastically with the rise of TikTok and shortform video as a whole. In 2020, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, introduced Reels, and YouTube

to the TikTok. But still, after seventeen years of online video

remains: Is becoming a content creator a viable career choice?

The perks of being a content creator are the reasons that one would consider this career choice. One perk is that if you get big enough on YouTube, you can get paid through AdSense. YouTube will pay 55% of the ad revenue from views on YouTube (45% for Shorts)

If you’re on TikTok or Reels, expect to get paid less, since

they have creator funds instead of ad revenue. Another perk are the networking opportunities. If you become popular, you can collaborate with your favorite creators on your a dedicated convention for online video, where if you’re on the Creator Track, you have more networking opportunities. Another one is that you have a can make a video whenever you want. Lastly, you can become your own boss at a young age through content creation

Of course, with the perks come the challenges and this a content-creator. One is that you have to post consistently to satisfy your viewers, which means that if you go on a long

break, the viewers won’t show up, and you’ll get left in the dust. Another one is that you must handle criticism well, since you’ll be getting haters, and haters are going to dislike and comment

Should you still become a content creator? It depends. If you’re dedicated and focused on YouTube or TikTok, and you know the cost to run an account, and if you’re doing it for fun, then yes, you should do it. On the other hand, if you want the fame and money that comes with it, and just that, then no. YouTube and TikTok are some of the most 21st century, and it’s changing the lives of people who live and breathe with them.

Growing up With Social Media is Not so Great

Do you watch YouTube while doing homework? Do you check Instagram or TikTok constantly? Do you stare at your phone while you walk down the hall, the street, or in your

Z.

Social media is everywhere today, and Gen Z teens have grown up with it. The internet is part of Gen Z’s daily

report from Pew Research Center, over 95% of teens ages 15 to 17 in America own a smartphone while 91% of teens ages 12 to 14 own one. Additionally, over 97% teens in the U.S. use the internet daily

While none of these numbers probably surprise you, understanding that this growing accessibility to and use of cell phones have also made apps like TikTok and Instagram skyrocket in users. And their impact over the last decade has been major. Your cousin, mom, grandpa, and even your best friend’s little sibling, all most likely have a TikTok or at least an Instagram account. Again, Pew reports that the apps most used by teens are TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and most

After All

importantly, YouTube. In fact, 95% of teens in America use YouTube, making it the most popular app among teenagers.

that isn’t necessarily the case in teens’ eyes, as 55% of teenagers think their screen time is just about right. Of course, teens are not blind to the fact that they may use their phone too much as 33% of teens think they use their phone too much.

Cell phones have many positives to them. They can help you connect with friends and can even help you meet new ones. There are thousands of communities online for thousands of hobbies; so if you have an unusual or rare hobby, there is an online community for it. From gaming to gardening to beetle

95% of teens in America use YouTube, making it the most popular app among teenagers.”

The Stress of College Applications

Picture this: it’s one o’clock in the morning and you’re s cratching your head and asking yourself “Who am I?” “What do I wanna be when I get older?” “Oh my gosh, how am I g onna get this done?”

This experience is one a majority of high-schoolers are g oing to have and one that most of this year’s seniors have already had as they navigate the college application process.

C ollege applications are known to be a stressful process that t akes time, and a lot of patience. They are also a process that c auses you to think about some of the most influential and i mportant parts of your life

Seniors who have been through this so far this year express feeling overwhelmed and stressed by the college application process. One senior, Ruth, said of the whole process, “It was s tressful; it was overwhelming.” As for how they felt afte r t he application process was finally done, they stated that they “ f e lt r e li eved bu t f e lt o l d an d alm os t c ri ed. ”

This kind of response wasn’t coming from only this exhausted senior as others had the same experience with the process

One senior, Sophia, found her college essay to be timec onsuming and tiring, and found the process to be “overall s tressful but [an] impactful experience.” She adds, “Afte r t he applications, it felt refreshing and like a weight had been l ifted off my chest.”

“ It was kinda terrible and I put off schoolwork.,”said another senior, Madeline. “The closer the deadline got, the m ore stressful it was because teachers kept adding work and t he counselors weren’t able to help,” she added. As the due date was early, it caused a lot of her school work to pile up because she put all her time into the college applications.

Emmanuel, another senior, said that his application experience was, “very stressful; the more schools you apply t o, the more work it’ll be. I applied to about six so it wasn’t t hat hard ; I wish I had started earlier.”

A s for how they felt after their college applications were finished, the general feeling could be summed up by Sophia’s r eply: “oh my gosh it felt so nice; now all I have to focus on is sc h oo l wo rk ”

One reason why this year might have felt more rushed fo r s eniors is because this year’s deadline was moved to Novembe r first - a full two weeks earlier than last year’s deadline. This

earlier deadline brought some strong advice from seniors such as Abel, who says that applicants should “start a little earlier, l ike September” and adds, “Start earlier and pace yourself; don’t procrastinate.”

A ll these seniors had pretty much the same plan and they all learned that putting your application work off too long just c a uses m o r e s tr ess. Thi s ma de th e m all r e aliz e that it i s be tt er t o try and start on your application work as soon as you know what colleges you want to apply to.

One group that can offer some strong advice for seniors i s teachers. Not only have they gone through this process t hemselves, but they also work with students each year as t hey navigate this process. One of these people is PB science t eacher Mr. Zaleski who says that “it’s better to start writing t he college essays for your colleges at the beginning of you r fir s t se m es t e r. ”

A nother couple of areas that Mr. Zaleski wants all students at PB to know about the college application process relate t o completing the application and finding your way in high s chool itself. He advises students to “do what you like to do. Do something that is special and important to you. Schools l ike to see that you care about something and that you did s omething with it.”

Mr. Zaleski notes that students’ college applications should be made up of things that make them stand out and things they want to pursue as they get older. He also advises PB students n ot to just randomly plan activities to write in their college essays.

Mr. Zaleski ends with the thought that students should c onsider: “What’s important to you? What have you taken o n as a very significant role? And how have you made a d iff e r e n ce? ”

Though some seniors are still working to submit applications by the final January deadline for regular admission, those s eniors who are done can now focus on their school work, g etting to graduation, and wait to hear from the schools they applied to. For all the juniors, sophomores, and freshmen, this year’s seniors want them to know that they should not let the s tress of college applications consume them. One thing they c an do though is to begin thinking and asking themselves: “ What do I want to be when I’m older?” From there , the last bit of advice is to simply do the things that make you, you

Winter Athletes Talk About Their Expectations for This Season

Norris Serfour-Arhin Basketball

My expectations for this season are...

Be a good asset to my team.

My personal goals for this season are...

Play to my best ability at all times, score, and be a real teammate.

What should Panther fans expect from you and your team?

Expect the unexpected. It’s a new season, new team with new players. Who knows, we could be a championship team.

Chaya Blount Basketball

My expectations for this season are...

Show up, work hard, and put up good competition.

My personal goals for this season are...

Build strong bonds with my teammates, get in touch with colleges, and play my best.

What should Panther fans expect from you and your team?

Hard work throughout, teamwork and commitment. The whole nine yards.

Khalil Suma Indoor Track

My expectations for this season are...

Live up to the PB Track/Field legacy and win.

My personal goals for this season are...

Be faster, shorten my time, and exercise my leadership skills.

What should Panther fans expect from you and your team?

When you show up, expect us to win!

Sumer Elsalawi Cheerleading

My expectations for this season are...

To have fun! I am looking forward to cheering basketball

My personal goals for this season are...

Learn more cheers, make friends, and enjoy the experience.

What should Panther fans expect from you and your team?

The fans should expect us to be excited, cheerful, and engaging with the crowd.

Interviews and photos by: Jordane Branch

What

Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia

What are looking forward to this school year? Making the last of my high school memories

What are you going to miss about PB? The amazing teachers.

Any goals or big plans for next year? Expand my horizons in art, travel and start thinking big.

“Most black kids are recognized as nothing but a statistic; I don’t want to be a statistic. I want to make my family proud.”

- Junior, Sanaiya E.

Kyei-Asare Kyei-A y

What and where is your school of choice?

FIT “Fashion Institute of Technology” in New York City.

What are looking forward to this school year? Making memories.

What are you going to miss about PB? I’m going to miss the support I received from my teachers and friends.

Any goals or big plans for next year? To be on the top

and where is your school of choice?

Naomi

Who or what inspires you to be involved at PB?

Page Content by: Jordane Branch

Jordane JordaneBrancBranch h

“The sports, educators, programs and clubs.” - Senior, Raheem U.

“Football and friends.”

- Sophmore, Noah C