Story by Brian Kim, Dalia Sandberg & Evan Williams
Cover by Jennifer Lin & Emily Yen
Hunt enters race for Senate seat
Second-term U.S. Rep and SJS alum runs against Cornyn, Paxton
Aweek into the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history, U.S. Representative Wesley Hunt (TX-38) officially announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, joining a Republican primary field that includes four-term incumbent John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
“The government might have shut down, but my life didn’t,” Hunt said in a recent phone interview with The Review.
First elected in 2002, Cornyn, 73, is the establishment candidate, yet he has been criticized by fellow Republicans for his lack of support for Donald Trump and the MAGA movement despite his campaign emphasis on his ties to the president.
District. In Congress, Hunt currently serves on the Small Business, Natural Resources, and House Judiciary Committees.
When asked what Houstonians need the most, he answered, “Energy.”
“Texas is the energy capital. Houston is an energy city. My district has energy in its corridor,” Hunt said. “That’s why we need an energy senator for the country.”
We may disagree politically, but my heart is in the right place to serve this country.
WESLEY HUNT
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE (TX-38)
Paxton, 62, who has been the state’s chief law enforcement officer since 2015, initially provided voters with a slightly fresher face, yet his career has been marked by controversy. In 2023, he was impeached on bribery charges. In July, his wife Angela, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, filed for divorce “on biblical grounds.”
At 44 years old, Hunt is an even younger alternative and increases the odds of a runoff election if no candidate receives over 50% of the primary vote. Whoever wins the Republican nomination will likely be the frontrunner in the general election on March 3.
“Serving in Congress has given me the taste of the D.C. life, the process, and how it gets done,” said Hunt, who is currently serving his second term as a U.S. representative.
A lifelong Houstonian and St. John’s graduate, Hunt (‘00) was raised in a military family of five. His older sister, D’Hania Hunt, is the director of community engagement at St. John’s, and his younger brother Wrendon (‘01) is a local business leader.
Wesley Hunt graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and later served in the Army as a helicopter pilot. Following his discharge in 2012, he earned a master’s degree in both public administration and industrial and labor relations from Cornell University.
Hunt turned to politics in 2020 when he ran against fellow St. John’s alum Lizzie Fletcher (‘93) for Texas’s 7th congressional district, which Fletcher won. After the Texas Legislature redrew the congressional districts, Hunt ran again, defeating Duncan Klussmann to represent the
Hunt’s district represents much of west Houston, including River Oaks, Tomball and Cypress. He also represents the city’s Energy Corridor in the Memorial area. Hunt hopes to implement a plan to make energy cheap, affordable and accessible for Houstonians on a larger scale.
“Being born and raised in Houston, energy has always been a huge part of my life. I have always known it was the most important thing to the district, and it coincides that this is the most important thing to Texas,” Hunt said.
Hunt also makes a conscious effort to serve as a role model for the younger generation.
Junior Grace Pan, copresident of the St. John’s Political Education Club, said she is motivated by Hunt’s journey from St. John’s student to political office.
“It gives me hope that I can do the same one day,” she said.
need somebody that, for at least the next two or three terms, can carry on the ‘America First’ banner. And I’m the only one that’s the right age to do it.”
Sophomore SPEC representative Aris Hanna said the desire for younger politicians continues to grow in today’s congressional landscape. A key part of Hunt’s appeal is his age, since he is a generation younger than the average senator, who is 64 years old. Hunt wants to see that average come down.
Hanna says fostering engagement with younger people is imperative to voter turnout. According to Your Voice Matters, a nonpartisan initiative to increase youth voter registration, just 24.6% of 1824 year olds in Texas voted in the 2022 midterm election.
When more people care, more people will involve themselves in their community, Hanna said.
“I would want a political candidate who grew up with the challenges of our current generation such as the rise of technology, AI or the pandemic,” Hanna said. “More and more politicians are getting older and out of touch, so Hunt is a better fit to see to the needs of the American people.”
Hunt asks voters to look beyond politics.
More and more politicians are getting older and out of touch, so Hunt is a better fit to see the needs of the American people.
Between flights to and from D.C., he tries to stay connected with Houston and the St. John’s community as much as possible, returning home to spend time with his children and attend events like the Kinkaid Game on Nov. 1.
ARIS HANNA SPEC REPRESENTATIVE
Pan emphasized the importance of staying informed about politics on both the state and federal level.
“We typically always focus on the big elections like the presidential race, but Hunt’s candidacy has made me realize the state and local elections are just as important,” Armaan, who asked to remain anonymous, said. “These are all people who will have a direct impact on our lives, so we should do our job to learn about them and their policies.”
As a father of three, including one Lower School student, Hunt, a self-described energetic family man, contrasts the image of his significantly older opponents.
In a recent interview with Texas Monthly, Hunt said, “When John Cornyn first entered public service in 1985, I was four years old. I think we
“I see him in the [SJS] weight room all the time. I see him on TV and online, and it’s very cool,” senior Pierce Downey said. “Just seeing a guy like that who’s going to such high-profile places in your community definitely gives you a little bit more perspective.”
Although Hunt entered the race late, he has already climbed to second, according to a Stratus Intelligence poll conducted on Nov. 21-22. Paxton leads with 36 percent, followed by Hunt at 26 and Cornyn at 25, with 14 percent undecided.
“I want people to know that I love this country, and I care deeply,” Hunt said. “I have risked my life for this country, and people need to understand that we may disagree politically, but my heart is in the right place to serve this country.”
38th
JOINING THE HUNT Hunt (’00) is a fixture at SJS events, including the 2025 Kinkaid Game.
Story by Harry Alig & Aien Du
Photo by Nathalie McDaniel
Latest generative AI model sparks conversation, raises safety concerns
Story by Angel Huang & Sophia Kim
Design by Ella Hughes
Cooper Polyansky, a self-proclaimed introvert, has never done anything outrageous. So, when his friends saw a video of the sophomore on all fours barking like a dog, they knew it could not really be him.
Polyansky’s friend, sophomore Alex Choo, sent it to their friend group after generating the video using Sora 2, OpenAI’s new flagship audio and video generation model.
“I honestly didn’t really care, but what can I expect?” Polyansky said. “Something stupid was going to be made.”
According to OpenAI, Sora 2 “excels at realistic, cinematic and anime styles.” Choo said he has been impressed by Sora 2’s high-quality videos, which are often indistinguishable from videos featuring real subjects.
But the ability to quickly make funny videos comes at a price. Sora 2 requires first-time users to obtain an invitation code and then purchase a subscription to either ChatGPT Plus ($20 per month) or ChatGPT Pro ($200 per month). Once a user gains access to Sora 2, they are allotted six non-renewable invite codes for others.
Generating a video only takes about five minutes, and once completed, the videos can be posted publicly or saved and shared in private group chats.
Choo obtained his invite code from Review staff writer Kavan Pandya. In their shared Sora 2 group chat, the friends bonded over AI-generated videos in which they made each other levitate into the ceiling or shoot lightning from their eyes.
Some users have criticized Sora 2 for its cameo feature. To make a cameo, users scan their face and record their voice. After that, users can create videos of any scenario — provided that it does not violate OpenAI’s content restrictions, which include sexual and violent content, hateful content or the promotion of drugs and alcohol. Even with these guardrails, some YouTube channels are profiting considerably from videos that depict scenes of abuse, dangerous situations or hypersexualized cartoons, according to Wired magazine.
being, he uses public cameos in his videos, especially those from celebrities like Shaquille O’Neal and Jake Paul.
Ali said YouTube channels based entirely on AI-generated videos rack up millions of subscribers, yet he is frustrated that content creators who put in real work may not receive similar recognition. YouTube’s community guidelines require channels to disclose their use of AI. YouTube guarantees that they will “continue to evolve and iterate” their AI regulations to “balance the tremendous benefits this technology offers with the continued safety of our community.”
People have to be careful about who they let use their face and their personality. Just make sure you keep your identity to yourself.
ALEX CHOO SORA 2 SUBSCRIBER
Junior Grace Pan, co-president of SPEC, said Sora 2-generated reels on Instagram portray political figures in outlandish ways. She says Sora 2 undermines the seriousness and the significance of politics. In October, President Trump even shared an AI-generated video in which he flies a fighter jet (while wearing a crown) and unleashes a deluge of poop on No Kings protestors.
“It’s getting a laugh out of it, but it’s not really addressing the issues,” Pan said. “It can also obviously spread misinformation really fast.”
The unserious nature of Sora 2 videos introduces some of Gen Z to politics, Pan said.
cause I really do think that the negatives outweigh any of the positives,” Davis said.
Davis grew up when AOL Instant Messenger was the hottest technology. Back then, his parents were scared that he might be talking to strangers, yet those concerns are “minuscule” compared to the problems Sora 2 can create.
“I have a lot of empathy for this generation of teenagers because they’ve been confronted with more advancement faster than any generation before them,” he said. “And they’re in a stage of development where it’s natural to be curious, it’s natural to be impulsive, and it’s natural to try things out.”
If students find themselves part of the evergrowing Sora 2 community, Davis said he advises setting clear boundaries for how they want their images to be portrayed. He recommends working out responses for situations when a student doesn’t feel comfortable sharing their cameo.
“It can be hard sometimes to set boundaries with friends,” Davis said. “At the same time, a lot of people might find more understanding from their peers than they’re expecting.”
Choo has yet to encounter any questionable content while on campus because “no one’s found a way to bypass the content restrictions, so there’s really no harm,” Choo said. “It’s been really fun.” Sora 2 has implemented some precautions to differentiate its AI-generated videos from the real thing, including small, moving watermarks. Even with some protections in place, Choo cautions potential users.
“People have to be careful about who they let use their face and their personality,” Choo said. “Just make sure you keep your identity to yourself.”
Eighth grader Azam Ali started using Sora 2 in mid-October after his neighbor sent him an invite code. Of the 33 videos Ali has made, his favorite depicts two YouTubers, Carterpcs and Nathan Espinoza, fighting over which phones are better: Apple or Samsung.
Ali’s parents prohibited him from making his own cameo due to safety concerns, so for the time
“Gen Z is less likely to go ‘Look at this policy,’ versus ‘Oh, did you see that edit or that AI video?” Pan said.
While she recognizes the downside of Sora 2 on politics, Pan said she remains neutral on the future of Sora 2.
“AI will be used more seriously, although I don’t know what that serious way will look like,” Pan said.
US counselors Jake Davis and Claire Wisdom are concerned that Sora 2’s minimal safety regulations will increase the risk of harmful videos, to the point where Davis said he wouldn’t recommend it.
The counselors have spoken with students about cyberbullying during office visits. While they acknowledge that Sora 2 can be exciting, they worry that the app will exacerbate the challenges that teenagers face with social media.
“It sounds like such an older person thing to say, but I recommend that teens don’t use this app be-
How much does it cost? ChatGPT Plus: $20/month ChatGPT Pro: $200/month
How do I make a cameo?
1. Scan your face while displaying various expressions 2. Record your voice 3. Insert a prompt 4. Share with (or prank) friends
SORA-ING 2 NEW HEIGHTS When used properly, AI videos generate bonding opportunities and humor.
Screenshots generated by Kavan Pandya
Short-lived food trends consume social media
As junior Grace Pan entered BonBon, a New York-based shop that sells Swedish candy, she instantly recognized the sweets. Like millions of others, she had already seen them everywhere online.
Across social media, influencers have learned to use sound, color and camera angles to attract viewers. Every crunch and drizzle is exaggerated to entice audiences. These tactics seem to work, though not for long — the product becomes immensely popular but suddenly disappears when something more appealing surfaces.
Swedish candy is no different. Popular creators post “haul videos” of the candies. Pan likes the balanced flavors and the chewy, airy composition of Swedish candy, noting they often contain a less artificial taste than American sweets. She says that Swedish candy recently lost its “exoticness.”
“Swedish candy is dying out mainly because now the company is expanding through the US,” Pan said. “It’s also going to be cheaper, so more people won’t get it. Then, more people are going to forget about it.”
Pan attributes the decline of her favorite sweets to people’s exhaustion with seeing the same product over and over again online.
“At a certain point, people just get sick of it,” she said. “The food becomes a victim of overconsumption.”
While Swedish candy was losing its popularity, another treat captured the spotlight: Dubai chocolate. The milk chocolate is stuffed with pistachio cream and crunchy layers of kataifi — a shredded filo dough.
The Dubai chocolate bar was created in 2021 by Fix Dessert Chocolatier in the United Arab Emirates. When breaking apart the bright green pistachio-stuffed layers, people are not just reacting to taste but rather a symbol of the luxury
and wealth that Dubai portrays. The chocolate is tied to the global image of Dubai: shiny, luxurious and impressive, justifying the price. This summer, some 6 oz. Dubai bars cost as much as $100.
Over the past year, sales of pistachio-filled chocolates increased 12-fold, according to research firm NielsenIQ. The hype for the bar also created a global pistachio shortage. Prices rose by 35% per pound, according to Iranian pistachio producer Keinia.
At a certain point, people just get sick of it. The food becomes a victim of overconsumption.
GRACE PAN
SWEDISH CANDY CONNOISSEUR
Sophomore Chase Campbell says these trends thrive when influencers capitalize on them.
“Dubai chocolate has a sense of elegance to it,” Campbell said. “Anything associated with Dubai reminds viewers of wealthy people, and people instantly want to be like them.”
Campbell says some of these products, such as MrBeast Burger and PRIME, do not live up to expectations, with the exception of the Dubai chocolate bar, which he enjoyed. He says these
trends often follow a cycle.
“Once content creators go and get all the views and all the money they need, they quit making related videos. And suddenly, nobody cares about the food anymore.”
The frequent change in trends also affects the ecosystem. Businesses often increase their supply when these foods are in high demand. When one food stops attracting customers, the surplus ends up in landfills.
At Winfield’s Chocolate Bar, which began carrying its own Dubai-inspired treat, president Molly Voorhees says social media transformed small business marketing.
“Our lead chocolatier, Dora, created a Dubai chocolate-flavored, Labubu-shaped candy,” Voorhees said. “They’re flying off the shelves.”
Voorhees says online trends are not only about following popular items but also thinking of innovative ways to adapt.
“A product tends to die out pretty quick if it’s not interesting,” Voorhees said. “That’s why we try to make our products fresh from scratch and be creative with it.”
In January, Winfield’s Chocolate Bar will collaborate with Assistant Dean of Students Lori Fryman’s Jan Plan “Confections on Claremont,” allowing students to visit the factory and learn how to make these treats. Students will also become versed in the basics of business and how real world trends can shape the industry.
Story by Mikail Khan & Kavan Pandya
Photo by Emily Xie
When
gambling, the odds may never be in your favor
Story by Hudson Brock & Ethan Ou
During an Upper School assembly, gambling addiction expert Arty Smith projected a virtual roulette wheel and asked students to make a prediction: red, black or green.
As the ball spun and dropped into a black pocket, the crowd roared regardless of whether they won or lost their bets. This, Smith said, demonstrated the susceptibility of the teenage brain to gambling.
Smith gave both a school-wide and athletespecific presentation on Nov. 10. He recounted how his great-granduncle George E. Smith (better known as Pittsburgh Phil) was considered one of the greatest horse-race gamblers of all time, earning over $3 million in the late 1800s (roughly $100 million today). In his will, he had one stipulation: none of his heirs could gamble.
That didn’t stop one of his nephews, Jimmy McGill, who struggled with a gambling addiction and ultimately lost his entire inheritance.
In his presentation, Smith emphasized that even if one uses statistical analysis to place bets, they are unlikely to profit. While anything can happen with gambling in the short run, in the long run, every gambler ends up a loser.
“I don’t care if you’re Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or someone who studies the game relentlessly — you will be no better at picking over/unders than you are at picking heads or tails,” Smith said.
Smith says high schoolers are the target demographic for sports gambling advertisements because the prefrontal cortex in their brain has not fully developed, making addiction more likely.
Saul Malek ( 16) began gambling in Upper School and developed an addiction in college.
Malek found a way to avoid the laws against sports wagering and underage gambling in Texas by placing bets with a local bookie or relatives and family friends. Malek escalated his betting schemes from playing fantasy baseball or placing
friendly $10 bets with classmates to working with a local bookie. By the time he got to Trinity University in San Antonio, Malek was already searching for more fast-paced profits.
“I felt like a big shot,” Malek said. “I felt like I was successful. I liked the idea of making all this money with no real effort.”
After a losing a series of bets, Malek found himself $20,000 in debt.
“I would get in high amounts of debt with people and then just not pay them, block their number, and find another bookie,” Malek said.
I felt like I was successful. I liked the idea of making all this money with no real effort.
SAUL
MALEK CLASS OF 2016
Malek’s gambling impulses led to an inability to focus on the here and now. At family dinners, he would sneak off to the bathroom to place bets on his phone. It got so bad that Malek’s girlfriend broke up with him and his parents stopped trusting him. After hitting rock bottom, he has faced a difficult road to recovery.
According to Birches Health, 60 to 80 percent of high school students gambled at least once in 2023. Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have exploited young users by running advertisements promoting gambling and boosting
influencers who claim to have won huge bets.
“These crazy parlay tickets being advertised are seriously fake,” Malek said. “They’re like, ‘This guy won $200,000’ when he only bet 50 cents.”
Students commonly gamble by playing poker, betting on prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket or betting the money lines on sites like FanDuel, which advertise high-risk, high-reward parlays, a combination of betting opportunities appealing to the quest for a big payoff.
A college football parlay netted Alfred, a St. John’s student who requested anonymity, $390. From there, he was hooked.
“I do it for the love of the game,” said Alfred, who places his bets through a bookie.
Other students like Bruce, not his real name, consider gambling a bonding activity.
“It’s social entertainment, and it’s fun to get hype with your boys,” Bruce said. “It’s not fun to do it by yourself.”
Bruce and three of his friends make memories by occasionally hitting big wins and playing with money they are willing to lose. Rather than risking their money to win big, their group views gambling as entertainment. Bruce also says that their core value of betting as a group acts as a powerful guardrail from betting to win money and potentially becoming addicted.
Malek urges students to learn from his mistakes, and he encourages others to find purpose and success in their own way.
“We should not focus on instant gratification or any sort of materialism.”
‘Healthy’ soda alternatives raise concerns
Over the last five months, sophomore Jaya Sheth has consumed over 100 cans of prebiotic sodas. Almost daily, she brings her favorite drink — Poppi — to class. Poppi, Olipop, Bloom, Wildwonder and Culture Pop are all “healthy” soda brands that have recently popularized, with Olipop and Poppi as the leading brands. While an Olipop includes more prebiotics, a can of Poppi has apple cider vinegar, which the company claims helps with blood sugar control and weight loss. Both sodas, however, contain prebiotic and dietary fibers — nutrients for digestive bacteria — to advertise as
In 2024, Poppi faced a $8.9 million class action lawsuit alleging false advertisement for their products as “gut-healthy” with no scientific proof, raising suspicion over the validity of what makes these sodas
Though these sodas tend to base their claims on prebiotics
and gut health, they also promote having fewer calories and less sugar. A 12 oz. can of regular Coca-Cola contains 140-155 calories while prebiotic sodas range from 25-50 calories. They also contain up to five grams of sugar, compared to 35-45 grams in an average soda.
These reportedly healthy sodas fall under the recommended daily intake from The American Heart Association, a guideline that advises men to consume less than 37 grams of sugar and women to consume less than 25 grams per day.
Upper School Director of Clinical Services Colleen Kimball concedes that even sodas without a lot of sugar could still have hidden negatives.
“It’s most beneficial to stay away from anything that is synthetic, and a lot of those sugars are not natural,” Kimball said. “There are no major health benefits to drinking healthy sodas, only less risk of health problems in the future.”
Yet Kimball says that drinking sodas is not always bad. “Having a soda once in a while is not horrible. It’s just about making sure that ninetenths of your choices are healthy,” she said.
While the disputed health benefits of the sodas may cause some to turn away, their aesthetic packaging is appealing. Sheth picked up her first
Olipop at Target solely for this reason.
“There are so many brands that produce drinks like this, but it’s the way that they’ve marketed it that sets them up for success,” Sheth said.
Sophomore Cypress Yost does not buy in.
“There are healthy aspects,” Yost, a die-hard Dr Pepper fan, said. “But I don’t think the marketed benefits outweigh drinking regular soda.”
Yost says that the sweeteners found in “health-beneficial” sodas often taste artificial.
She also notes that these allegedly healthy sodas are not worth the price. A dozen 12 oz. bottles of Coca-Cola cost $7.88 while 12 Olipops cost $35. In 2024, annual sales of Olipop surpassed $400 million, doubling their profit from the prior year.
Kimball does not encourage individuals to drink traditional or any of these supposedly healthy sodas. She recommends that individuals consider alternatives like sparkling water brands or beverages with less than five grams of real sugar.
Although Kimball remarks that so-called healthy sodas are still not the best choice, she continues to consider this new generation of beverages as a small, beneficial step for soda lovers.
“The soda world’s evolving towards better health.”
Story by Juliet Dow & Ailey Takashima
Photo illustration by Emily Yen
Illustration by Emily Yen
School launches compost initiative
Story by Bella Dodig & Payton Tu
Broken couches, bags of old dinner scraps and rotten eggs — this was the landfill right next to Angela Jackson’s home, which she described during an interview with Houston Landing. Jackson isn’t the only Houstonian who contends with the city’s growing waste problem: landfills are disproportionately impacting minority neighborhoods. According to the City of Houston, by 2040, the annual waste production will increase to 5.4 million tons.
When US Service Learning Coordinator Claire Nuchtern read the article, she started brainstorming ways the School could reduce its waste production.
“I’m always trying to think of ways that our school can be more sustainable,” Nuchtern said. “We have ECOS for recycling, but I know a lot of other schools compost, so I asked, ‘Why don’t we?’”
Last spring, Nuchtern reached out to the ECOS board and recruited for the Compost Committee, a student-led initiative dedicated to reducing food waste. The committee meets every Monday at lunch to discuss possible solutions. Meetings are organized by the ECOS student board, led by presidents Abi Balachandran, Adaline Thompson and John Eikenburg.
“We try to find a bit of overlap, and we’re hoping to merge ECOS and the Compost Committee,” Balachandran said. “But what we also noticed is that the Compost Committee actually draws in new people that don’t necessarily attend ECOS.”
The servery staff has composted over 48 tons of food in partnership with Moonshot, a local company dedicated to converting food waste into fertilizer. The new committee aims to extend the current program to include postconsumer composting by collecting meals students do not finish.
Nuchtern says a major roadblock to implementing a post-consumer program is finding students to handle the logistics, including putting out bins and moving compost to trash pickup areas.
“It’s hard to keep it sustainable — our students are extremely busy, especially around lunchtime,” Nuchtern said.
To ensure an effective rollout on Jan. 23, the committee plans to introduce the postconsumer initiative on Fridays, then gradually expand to other days of the week. At lunch, members of the committee will facilitate composting in Flores Hall, Mav Cafe and the Plaza with four decorated bins, demonstrating how to separate leftovers without incidental contamination, like accidentally dropping a fork into the compost receptacle. ECOS will bring the bins to larger containers for Moonshot to pick up.
“A lot of Compost Committee members are excited to help, but it’s also hard to find that time during lunch because our lunches are so short,” Thompson said. “The timing and the people we’re going to have might be slightly difficult to figure out.”
Nuchtern and Balachandran say the committee allows for collaboration between students and faculty.
“It’s one of the most gender-even splits of any community service activity that I’ve overseen,” Nuchtern said. “It’s nice to see teachers working alongside students — not in a hierarchical way, but just as members of the committee.”
The Compost Committee is optimistic about the future of waste management on campus.
“Climate change often feels overwhelming, and I think we all have an innately bad feeling when we waste food,” Nuchtern said. “Composting is a really easy way we can do something about climate change — not sending food to a landfill where it’s going to break down into methane, but creating soil that is better for the environment and agriculture.”
Community enacts efforts to reduce microplastics
Last summer, after Maddie Cozart’s father read an article describing the dangers of microplastics, he threw away every plastic utensil, cup and dish in their house.
Today, any time the junior and her family buy groceries, they try to opt for non-plastic options.
What began as a family’s effort to live more sustainably correlates with a rising concern among scientists, who caution against consuming microplastics – particles smaller than five millimeters in diameter. Primary microplastics are intentionally manufactured, such as microbeads found in cosmetics and pellets found in arts and crafts. Meanwhile, secondary microplastics result from larger plastic items breaking down through physical, chemical and biological processes.
”Director of Clinical Services Colleen Kimball is more concerned about the effects of secondary microplastics. After learning about the vast quantity of microplastics found in dryer sheets, she stopped using them entirely. She also avoids cosmetic products that may contain microplastics.
“People put glitter on their skin and in their hair to get glammed up to go to festivals and concerts, using microplastics on their body without realizing it,” Reppart said.
Once glitter washes off, the drainage system directs the microplastics to the Buffalo Bayou connecting to Galveston and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. Then, marine animals are susceptible to ingesting particles that can cause intestinal blockages and starvation.
When humans consume fish and other marine animals, microplastics can accumulate in their gastrointestinal tracts, causing blockages and ulcers by entering the bloodstream and gathering in the liver, kidneys and lungs.
Reppart says many fishermen avoid regions susceptible to microplastic contamination.
“If there are fewer organisms to fish, then that changes the supply. If the demand doesn’t change, then food will get more expensive,” Reppart said.
The number of kids that I see who utilize one-time-use items, whether it’s a water bottle or plate, instead of reusable items is, honestly, very surprising to me.
EMILY REPPART
MARINE SCIENCE TEACHER
When math teacher Alice Fogler attended a college reunion with several friends, who are currently medical professionals, they mentioned the dangers of microplastics. Since then, Fogler has maintained a cautious attitude when using plastic in the kitchen and refrains from heating up food in to-go containers.
“It’s practically poison,” Fogler said. Most concerning to students are the microplastics in plastic water bottles. During the manufacturing process, disposable water bottles degrade over time, infusing the water with plastic. Even the friction of twisting the bottle cap sheds particles.
Sophomore Toby Yip performed an experiment in his Biology I class, testing the effect of microplastics on the ecosystem. Yip added varying glitter concentrations into water tanks with brine shrimp. The results indicated that glitter consistently killed the shrimp.
Marine Science teacher Emily Reppart says the prevalence of primary microplastics is frequently overlooked. While most people know glitter is found in arts and crafts, there is also an abundance in cosmetic products.
The nationwide reaction to microplastics has ranged from ignorance or apathy to making wholesale lifestyle changes. To combat dangerous plastic contamination, ECOS has established the Compost Committee and created a garden with native wildflowers. The Compost Committee is designed to rescue plant and animal waste by sustainably disposing food at the school, while the garden is intended to reduce air pollutants.
Science teacher Carter Spires notes that more research should be done to confirm the danger of microplastics, but people should still remain alert.
“Their ubiquity in biological systems including, and especially, in our own bodies is something that we should be concerned about,” Spires said. “But we have no idea what impacts they actually have on our systems.”
Reppart notes that students often opt to use microplastics in their daily lives due to a lack of initiative.
“St. John’s is a very educated community,” Reppart said. “Yet the number of kids that I see who utilize one-time-use items, whether it’s a water bottle or plate, instead of reusable items is, honestly, very surprising to me.”
To see an expanded version of this article, go to the Review Online: www.sjsreview.com
MACRO
TAKEOVER
From food to fashion, microplastics are everywhere.
Story by Eshna Das, Henry Kramer & Akshay Pandya
Photo by Emily Xie
BREAKOUTS BREAKING DOWN
After months of breakouts, Kacy could not stop thinking about how her face looked. She was so desperate to clear her skin that she refused to stop taking her daily acne medication, even though it caused her period to last for two straight months.
Kacy, not her real name, is one of 80% of adolescents who are affected by acne and one of 15% who suffer from severe acne. In a 2025 clinical study of adolescents and young adults with acne, half reported anxiety and low self-esteem.
Kacy began breaking out in middle school, and her acne eventually became cystic. After she spent long days playing outdoor sports, her acne would darken, leaving painful scars.
“I would wake up and look in the mirror every day, but I didn’t feel ugly,” Kacy said. “It felt like my acne was covering who I was. It made me feel like I wasn’t me.”
When Kacy was in eighth grade, her mother brought her to a dermatologist, who prescribed a new oral medication that immediately cleared up her skin. Yet her newfound confidence came at the cost of a predictable menstrual cycle.
“I was willing to make that sacrifice,” Kacy said. “As a society, we’re okay with destroying our bodies just for our looks, and that’s really dangerous.”
Media and pop culture only exacerbated Kacy’s insecurities. In recent years, beauty trends like Korean “glass skin” have gone viral, celebrating glowing, blemish-free skin. When Kacy, a fashion lover, watched runway shows, she found herself focusing less on the clothes and designs and more on the flawless complexion of the models. The computer-enhanced skin of her favorite TV and movie characters left her feeling even more inadequate.
Two years later, a dermatologist prescribed her Tretinoin, a topical acne cream more concentrated than anything available over the counter. When that did not work, she signed up for a clinical trial by the skincare company Drunk Elephant. Even with the new products, her acne did not clear up.
At the start of her junior year, Trefz’s dermatologist recommended Accutane, considered the most effective acne drug.
After six years of creams, lotions and cleansers, her acne nearly cleared up in just a few months.
“It was my miracle drug,” Trefz said.
But Trefz had trouble convincing her parents to let her take Accutane.
ons to topical creams, alternative treatments are often more easily accessible but less effective.
Pimple patches — small hydrocolloid bandages designed to absorb pus and help an area heal — have become especially popular. Starface World, the largest pimple patch company, says it has sold over a billion individual patches since 2019.
“They’re useful because not only do they cover the area up so people won’t see it, they stop you from irritating or messing with the pimple by picking at it,” Trefz said.
[The patch] destigmatizes the pimple because you’re not trying to hide it — you’re actually bringing attention to it.
MATTIE TREFZ
The drug primarily works by reducing the oil production of skin glands, a leading cause of acne. As such, it has the highest rate of long-term acne remission. But “miracle drugs” come with risks: joint pain, dry skin and occasionally mental conditions like psychosis, depression and suicidal thoughts.
Todd, not his real name, went on Accutane as a freshman. He found that the drug affected his performance in track and field. The lessened oil production that was reducing his acne was also increasing the friction in his joints, making his body feel like a “rusty old machine.”
Todd has no regrets about Accutane. His acne made him feel “dirty,” and he worried others would perceive him as unhygienic. Having an unblemished face quickly boosted his self-esteem.
It felt like my acne was covering who I was. It made me feel like I wasn’t me.
Though she understood that the actors were in the makeup chair for hours before shooting the scene, she could not help but notice how “their skin was perfect, their bodies were perfect, everything was perfect.”
Kacy did not realize that her struggles were normal until she opened up to peers about her treatment. She was surprised to learn that others were taking the same medication, too.
“If I had known that all these other people didn’t naturally have this clear, perfect skin, then I don’t think I would’ve felt as bad as I did.”
When senior Mattie Trefz began breaking out in sixth grade, she turned to social media. Following the advice of skincare influencer Hyram Yarbro, she started a 10-step daily routine consisting of two cleansers, hyaluronic acid, expensive moisturizers, skin masks, harsh exfoliants and chemical peels twice a week. None of it worked.
According to dermatologist Sindy Pang, a St. John’s parent, Accutane is popular among teenagers for how easy it is to take and its consistent results. In 25 years, she has never seen Accutane not work effectively on a patient.
Pang says many parents perceive the drug as much more dangerous than it is. She claims it is hard to pinpoint Accutane as the cause of depression in the face of several other factors, including social issues and drug use.
But dermatologists still take precautions. Accutane is generally only prescribed to teenagers who have tried other medications unsuccesfully. Even then, doctors screen patients with a history of mental issues or antidepressant use, and they prohibit patients on the drug from using antibiotics, drinking alcohol and performing other high-risk activities.
For those hesitant to start Accutane, there are several less drastic options. From oral medicati-
More than a health product, these patches have become a popular accessory and even a fashion statement for many teens. Instead of blending in with the skin like more traditional patches, Starface’s bright Hydro-Stars add a pop of color.
“It destigmatizes the pimple because you’re not trying to hide it — you’re actually bringing attention to it, which is mentally helpful,” Trefz said.
While acne peaks from ages 14 to 17 in girls, the range is 16 to 19 in boys because they reach puberty later. Senior Aaron Wu had clear skin in middle school, but high school brought its share of skin struggles.
“I think acne can definitely lower self-esteem because it’s a visible thing about you,” Wu said. “When you’re talking to someone, sometimes it feels like that’s all people can see.”
Acne in boys tends to be more severe because higher testosterone levels drive more oil production.
“I’ve learned to persevere and realize that people don’t care as much as you think,” Wu said. “I’ve learned to not let it take away any other aspects of my identity.”
For both genders, clearer skin is synonymous with increased confidence and self-esteem. Pang has witnessed this transformation firsthand.
“We’ll have patients come in with acne that is really flaring up. Then after a few weeks or months, they’re doing so much better, they’re smiling, they’re able to go out and wear that nice dress or bathing suit,” Pang said. “It’s a world of difference.”
While Kacy admits that her journey to clear skin significantly increased her confidence, she points out that skin does not define who you are.
“Part of me getting all the skin creams and medication is telling myself that I can control my appearance, that I can make myself prettier. But really, you can’t control if you’re going to have a pimple this day or that day,” Kacy said. “Having acne doesn’t make you a worse human or say anything about who you are as a person.”
Story by Yutia Li & Asher Gurr
Illustration by Jennifer Lin
Confused and isolated, young men are struggling now more than ever. It’s time for us to...
Stop ignoring the ‘Boy Problem’
Story by Brian Kim, Dalia Sandberg & Evan Williams Design by Ella Hughes & Jennifer Lin
When he was four, Ken cried about losing a card game. His father’s immediate response:
“You’re a man. Men don’t cry.”
This mentality stuck with him. In ninth grade, when Ken, not his real name, failed multiple tests in a row, he refused to express his anger and insecurity. Later in high school, he discovered alcohol provided an escape.
“After that, I would always give in to that feeling whenever things got hard,” Ken said. Eventually, he learned to resist the temptation. For millions of American men, however, the cycle continues.
This “boy problem” has become an increasingly prevalent aspect of modern society. Today, men are twice as likely as women to report excessive alcohol use and three times as likely to die due to drinking. The vast majority of those arrested are male, especially in cases of burglary and violent crimes like murder and aggravated assault. Eighty percent of those who die by suicide are male.
In 1970, 57% of men received bachelor’s degrees. Today, that number is 42%.
Meanwhile, female undergraduate students receive almost 60% of all degrees, according to the Education Data Initiative. In high schools nationally, boys perform worse in school, making up two-thirds of the bottom 10% but only one-third of the top 10% in GPA.
This trend stems most notably from the stigma around men’s mental health. Societal expectations of masculinity discourage men from expressing their emotions, leading to unhealthy mindsets and behaviors.
When Jake Davis stepped up to home plate for the first time at age nine, the very first pitch hit him right in the nose. As he fell to the ground in tears, his dad ran over to him and said, “Shake it off, and run to first base.”
“I know that he loves me very much, but I was also being given the message that crying and being sad wasn’t okay.” Now an Upper School counselor, Davis recognizes that his father was raised in a culture that expected boys to be “mentally tough.”
It’s a story Ken knows all too well.
“My father always taught me that men only cry about two things: one is actual pain, and the other is something damn important enough, like the loss of a close friend,” Ken said.
In a 2024 AP Statistics project, seniors Elizabeth Patton and Morgan Raizner asked St. John’s upperclassmen boys whether a movie ever made them cry. When asked in person, only a quarter of respondents said yes, but when answering anonymously
online, that number rose significantly to 55%.
Junior Samuel Caruso, a responder chair for Students Against Stigma, points out that the expectation for men to conceal their emotions is exacerbated by the nature of most male friendships.
“In simple terms, girls discuss and boys distract,” Davis said. “Neither of those is a bad thing — discussing is a way of processing that helps calm our nervous system, while distracting by doing something to find joy helps us get through difficult moments.”
The tendency for men to distract from their emotions explains why only 7.2% of men seek therapy compared to 11.7% of women, according to a CDC survey. Licensed counselor Thomson Ivins, who spoke to St. John’s seniors in October about mental health and drug use, says men either do not want to admit they need help or “learn to deal with it.”
Ivins says men overgeneralize their worries, attributing their problems to stress because it’s an “easy umbrella term” that often masks an inner “anxiety, lack of selfconfidence, loneliness or not feeling like enough.”
Upperclassmen boys are more than twice as likely to admit to crying during a movie if asked anonymously rather than in person.
Because of their tendency to overgeneralize, many boys struggle with learning how to handle their feelings and instead lash out.
“When I was younger, if I was sad, it would come out as angry. If I was stressed, I was angry,” senior Coltan Blossom said.
Technology is another cause of the recent increase in social isolation among boys. Since 2012, the year when Facebook acquired Instagram and more than half the world’s population had cellphone access, in-person socialization has dropped significantly while depression and loneliness have increased sharply.
The global pandemic only worsened this loneliness epidemic. Today, one in four U.S. men ages 15-35 report feeling alone — more than any other group. This age demographic also represents a majority of social media users.
Without a community to ground them,
many young men seek connection online via the “manosphere” and discover influencers that crudely promote misogyny, racism and homophobia. Male influencers such as Andrew Tate, Adin Ross and Sneako, many of whom originally gained fame in traditionally male fields such as sports and gaming, have become more political and now contribute to the mass indoctrination of young men.
In 2023, almost a third of young American men considered Andrew Tate a role model, according to market research company Savanta. Tate, a kickboxer-turned-influencer, currently awaits trial for multiple criminal charges, including sexual assault and human trafficking.
“We can start getting connected to some really radical voices,” Davis said, cautioning that such influences could lead to toxic behaviors.
HIS-STORY
In a recent in-depth opinion in the New York Times, Robert Putnam and Richard Reeves trace the roots of the “boy problem” back to the Industrial Revolution. Before urbanization, many young boys grew up working on farms, often surrounded by older brothers, fathers and uncles. Industrialization transformed people’s occupations, placing fathers in factories and separating young men from their male role models. Some banded together in street gangs as a new form of community, causing society to take action.
Fearing that the lack of framework (and farmwork) was yielding a generation of weak, misguided men, British Lieutenant General Robert Baden-Powell created the Boy Scouts Association in 1908, Putnam and Reeves wrote. Two years later, the movement spread to the United States. Designed to bring boys together under the guidance of male mentors, Scouts promotes arts and crafts, outdoor survival skills, and activities such as hiking and swimming.
Senior Colin Callahan, who participated in Scouts for six years, credits the program with teaching him useful life skills while creating a bonding space.
“It takes a lot of responsibility, which, if you’re not mature, is something that you will struggle with at the beginning,” Callahan said. “Scouts has led us to be better men.”
Scouting today pales in comparison to what it was just 50 years ago, dropping from four million participants in 1972 to roughly one million today. Hampered by a lack of troop leaders, the growing digitization of
youth activities and the fallout from a $2.5 billion settlement involving thousands of sexual abuse claims, Scouting has lost much of its influence. In 2015, Boy Scouts of America rebranded to Scouts BSA and opened its membership to girls, a change the organization made with the intention of removing gender barriers and promoting greater inclusivity, according to CEO Roger Krone. Yet many national leaders and former Scouts were unhappy that the organization no longer exclusively for boys.
“We have lost a dedicated space focused boys’ development during a time when men torship and structure are already declining,” Callahan said. Today, roughly 20% of Scouts identify as female.
Other guiding organizations like the YMCA have deviated from their founding missions. These “third spaces” once served as communities beyond home, school or work. Even without an obligation to be there, boys showed up at places like the Y and developed bonds based on social connections.
But that is no longer the case. Modern men find themselves lacking third spaces that provide connection, frequently leaving them isolated and lacking guidance.
“When we lose these spaces, the natural impact is a lack of connection and role models, even though these are key to our survival,” Davis said.
BOYS WILL BE BOYS
As students at St. John’s, we may immune to national trends, but are no different. On average, boys are outperformed by girls academically. Over the past two years, only one-third of the cum laude honor society inductees were male, consistent with national trends. In terms of mental development, girls get head start. According to a study by Newcas tle University, the brains of teen girls begin reorganizing connections earlier than those of males, allowing them to mature sooner. their late teens and early 20s, boys catch but their grades may not.
Beyond academics, boys are underrepre sented in club leadership. Over the past two years, of the roughly 200 co-ed affinity group
these effects in his extracurriculars. As an editor-in-chief of the Quadrangle, president
Problem’
$2.5
“In order to get a leadership position, you have to be mature, motivated and heavily involved in an activity,” Kalapatapu said. “But that’s hard for guys because they don’t want to be labeled as too aggressive.”
Kalapatapu sees this trend as cyclical: because these club spaces are heavily female, some boys find it “weird” or “less popular” to pursue leadership positions. “I don’t know how that started,” he said, “but it just keeps on continuing and getting worse.”
Kalapatapu says it is easier for boys that go against the grain to rise up the ranks. “My voice becomes an important one. It’s a different perspective that maybe isn’t present all the time,” he said.
One of the most reliable safe spaces for boys is sports, with its mix of camaraderie, physical activity, discipline and healthy competition. The number of boys in high school sports reached a record high last school year — 4.7 million athletes nationwide.
NOT-SO-QUICK FIXES
When junior Elias Zhang walked into Houston Boychoir eight years ago, he expected to sing. Instead, he spent his time learning how to tie a tie, greet adults, maintain good posture and practice proper meal etiquette.
Carole Nelson followed this strategy for 30 years as the artistic director of the Houston Boychoir. “The small things really help establish a sense of self,” she said. Nelson says schools were not designed for young boys, especially those in kindergarten through third grade. Educators mostly teach verbally and require students to sit still for extended periods of time, a teaching style that is less suitable for boys who tend to be more active and less verbal compared to girls at that age. These tendencies result in boys getting into more trouble and having more difficulties at school.
Behavioral issues may be amplified by the shortage of male teachers, who often model proper social conduct.
Of the Upper School faculty who teach at least one class, only one-third are male, yet nationally, men make up 40% of public high school teachers.
“Studies show when girls are in certain academic classes with boys, they tend to be more demure and not necessarily want to appear too smart,” Nelson said. “This becomes a problem for boys over the years with all of the emphasis that’s been placed on raising our young women up. Boys have often been left behind.”
Nelson suggests that a solution lies in separate gender education, particularly for students in elementary and middle school. Having a safe space where boys can thrive together without the influence of the opposite gender may help them mature.
Daniel Makulski, a senior at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, an all-boys school, attended the co-ed Annunciation Orthodox School in middle school.
“Going from co-ed to all-boys is probably better for boys’ mental health,” Makulski said. “A lot less drama takes place. It’s easier to focus.”
According to Richard Reeves, who founded the American Institute for Boys and Men in 2023, the solution is to encourage people to pursue higher education. A recent survey shows that only 36% of people say college is worth the cost. Encouraging young men to enroll in college would get them out of the house and provide a career path.
Reeves also says that America should reinvest in vocational training programs. These programs, like repairing cars and working with electrical systems, allow young men to learn marketable skills that would create financial stability.
Military service can provide young men with a structured environment that instills discipline and accountability while bolstering mental well-being.
Experts also recommend alternative forms of service. Best-selling author Scott Galloway suggests the U.S. offer civilian service, ranging from working at a dog shelter to a senior center.
Ultimately, Davis says that the first step to solving the problem is to raise awareness and take it seriously.
Advice to my younger self
“Don’t be afraid to show emotion. Value your relationships and the importance of vulnerability and connection with others.”
- Samuel Caruso, junior “Practice getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. Find [someone] that you feel connected to and practice vulnerability. See how that goes and how that feels.”
“You’re always going to have someone to talk to, even if you feel like you can’t talk. Feel your emotions, and don’t always turn them into anger.”
- Coltan Blossom, senior
Whether it’s anger or sadness, be comfortable with expressing your emotions. That’s a good first step to really seeing how you’re doing, what’s bothering you, what’s making you happy.”
- Colin Callahan, senior
- Jake Davis, US counselor “Just check in with somebody, ask how they’re doing and then shut up. [Give them] space and silence and stay with them. It’s just checking in.”
- Thomson Ivins, counselor
“It needs to start with our older generation. We need to model vulnerability ourselves. We don’t have to stop paying attention to girls’ mental health to give attention to boys,” Davis said. “It’s not a zero-sum game.”
“When you’re in any sort of position of power, it’s very important that you wield it with dignity and purpose and use it in such a way that is for the benefit of all. “
- Nathan Kim, Head Prefect
Houston through the looking glass
When travelers arrive at the international terminal of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, they are greeted by a 660-foot art installation featuring 32 translucent panels. Each piece depicts a unique Houston-inspired Pantone color swatch, ranging from Vietnamese Coffee Brown to Queen B Gold.
Installed in August, “H-Tones” is the latest creation from James Glassman (’88), an architect, graphic artist and author of two books.
“Hopefully, people who have been on a long flight laugh — even if they don’t get all of them — and see it as a way to say that we are a very colorful, fun and playful city,” Glassman said.
Glassman originally created “H-Tones” as online content for Houstorian, his historic preservation organization. Houstorian tells the city’s story through digital art, maps and merchandise depicting iconic landmarks.
Glassman came up with the idea for Houstorian after witnessing residents protesting the potential demolition of the River Oaks Theater in 2006. He decided to help fellow Houstonians to show “energy, excitement and love for Houston landmarks” before the wrecking ball claimed another monument.
In 2019, Glassman published the Houstorian calendar, commemorating each day with an event from Houston’s history, including the Texas Revolution and the moon landing.
“It’s such a fun project because it’s a combination of imagery and words,” Glassman said. “I’m so lucky to have found a way to share it with other people who enjoy it, too.”
Every day, Glassman posts a new event from Houston history on the organization’s Instagram account, which currently has over 23,000 followers and almost 3,000 posts. He also shares quotes from Houston-based historical figures, uploads prints of local landmarks and reposts other preservation efforts.
“When I started, there really wasn’t much social media out there, and then it kind of exploded,” Glassman said. “I got on Twitter and thought, ‘This is how I can grow this group.’ I thought the best way to do that would be consistent posts.”
Glassman describes his process of looking for unique and humorous Houston history as “thrifting.”
“You just have to keep looking, and you’ll find something eventually,” Glassman said. “Fortunately, I’ve been doing it long enough that I’ve got a full portfolio.”
was introduced to the intersection of art and historic preservation by former St. John’s art teacher Ginny Roeder. As a senior, Glassman designed the cover for the 1987 and 1988 issues of the Imagination literary magazine. He was also an editor-in-chief of the yearbook.
“I’ve always been really interested in expressing myself in a visual way, whether it’s graphics or photography — anything that I can make or show,” Glassman said.
way some people might enjoy doing crossword puzzles or going for a run — it was something that was part of how I expressed myself.”
As the founder of Houstorian, Glassman uses his interest in art to foster community. He describes his renowned Astrodome print, which can be found branded on t-shirts, flags and 40-inch aluminum prints, as a “secret handshake.”
“If you’re in another city and see somebody with it, you’re going to run up to them and say, ‘Are you from Houston?’ I like to do that with some of my designs,” Glassman said.
I’ve always been really interested in expressing myself in a visual way, whether it’s graphics or photography — anything that I can make or show.
JAMES GLASSMAN CLASS OF 1988 ”
Anne Leader (’88), a friend and visiting fellow at the University of Virginia, remembers Glassman as “lighthearted, curious and fiercely loyal to our hometown Houston.”
At Kenyon College in Ohio, Glassman majored in history yet always kept a studio art class on his schedule. After graduating, he became an architectural project manager, incorporating his interest in visual arts into his work.
“It was never that I wanted to be a visual artist. That’s not really how I looked at it,” Glassman said. “It was just something that I did, like the
In curating his artwork, Glassman is cognizant of the diverse Houston experience.
“I come from a very specific little bubble, and I try to be as inclusive as possible,” Glassman said.
“The idea is to allow people to share their own family histories with everybody else.”
Glassman plans to continue inspiring connection and conversation among Houstonians.
“There are communal things that all of us Houstonians love — maybe it’s the Vietnamese soup, maybe it’s the Astros. It’s part of the spirit of this place,” Glassman said. “Collective acknowledgement that there are, in fact, some
Glassman
HOUSTON, WE HAVE AN ARTIST
James Glassman’s iconic rendering of Sam Houston wearing shades was displayed on the side of Main Street Market in 2018.
Photos and art courtesy of James Glassman
Story by Bella Dodig & Riya Nimmagadda Design by Emily Yen
James Glassman (‘88) keeps local history alive through Houstorian
One-stop shop raises spirit
From school supplies to sweatshirts, there is
always more at the Spirit Store
Story by Sophia Kim & Ved Kulkarni
Carter Lawrence does not consider himself a shopaholic, but the number of purchases he has made at the Spirit Store tells a different tale.
Over the past 12 years, the senior has bought 20 sets of athletic uniforms (he frequently forgot them in middle school), four hoodies and approximately 350 ping pong balls, which Lawrence estimates cost over $700.
“My mom was pretty mad,” he said.
The Spirit Store offers hundreds of items, from hoodies and t-shirts to mechanical pencils and safety goggles, every day from 8 to 4. When Susan Medellin began working at St. John’s in 2006, the Bookstore — as it was known then — operated out of a windowless corner in the basement of Winston Hall, the building that used to house the cafeteria and Senior Country. It was open on some days for just an hour and offered only five outerwear options.
The Bookstore was rebranded as the Spirit Store in 2015 after it moved to its current location in Flores Hall. As the Director of Purchasing, Medellin began stocking new and diversified merchandise, including pajama pants, school-branded tumblers and red-and-black hair ties.
David Price, who came on board in 2015 as Spirit Store associate, says his favorite part of working there is interacting with customers.
“Most people are very friendly,” he said. “Some can be distracted or brusque while shopping; however, we welcome everyone.”
While Medellin and Price do not design the items in the store themselves, they manage interactions with vendors by selecting products, determining where to position St. John’s logos and placing orders. Other than filling product-specific requests, Medellin orders school supplies, like dry erase markers for teachers, and purchases furniture for all parts of the School. The two also sell
books at school-wide events such as author visits.
For sophomore Mason Knupp, the primary benefit of the Spirit Store is its convenience, especially when he is running late to class.
“Instead of going to a store in a car or ordering something online, you can walk for only one minute, get to the Spirit Store and get anything you need,” Knupp said. “If they just had pencils, sharpeners and shirts, then I probably wouldn’t go. But they have journals, notebooks, pens, erasers, scissors and calculators.”
Customer demand often plays a role in determining which items available at the store. Members of SAC have advocated for sweatpants to be in stock. Other in-demand items include frisbees, hackeysacks and footballs.
For Medellin, the Spirit Store’s significance extends beyond material goods.
“Every purchase made here is a simple, fun way to show your love and spirit for our school.”
New IT head brings innovation, experience
Story by Judah Sanchez & Nico Valderrábano
Every day, Carl Norris comes to campus ready for a new challenge. While he jokingly refers to his daily schedule as chaos, he notes that there is a method to the madness.
On Mondays, Norris receives dozens of support tickets from teachers who faced tech problems over the weekend. Overseeing vast amounts of online infrastructure, including database access, Wi-Fi networks and cybersecurity for end-points, the newest Director of Technology streamlines every aspect of the school’s network.
Technology Support Coordinator John Esparza related Norris’s arrival to a coaching change.
“He has our backs,” Esparza said. “He’s able to shine a new light on technology, adding procedures for the entire team.”
Norris was born in New Orleans before moving to Houston. In sixth grade, he participated in the school science fair and learned how to code on early Commodore computers.
“I dabbled in all sorts of technologies before it was cool,” Norris said. “I was selling computers when I was 14 or 15 years old, and I could outperform most other sales reps because I was selling Commodore 64s.”
While studying Computer Information Systems in college, Norris worked as a contract consultor before becoming a member of the School’s tech team. In 1996, he even helped create the first school website.
Norris then worked on technological developments at a Houston-based architecture firm that built schools in Cypress ISD.
Three years later, and after a brief stint at a tech
startup called ClearWorks, he caught the attention of Cisco Systems and began to work for them as a system engineer in the Cable Service Provider department. This work helped introduce cable internet modems to large groups like hospitals and hotels.
“In a way, I helped bring cable internet to Houston,” Norris said.
If it has bits and bytes, I’m dealing with it. I cover everything that is needed for the internet connectivity, the laptop connectivity and the online infrastructure of the campus.
CARL NORRIS DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY
After finishing his career at Cisco, he shifted to video streaming technologies, working on projects like the first HBO Max on-demand app.
Even though technology continues to advance, vintage tech fascinates Norris. In a callback to his early days of working with computers, he is currently on a list to purchase a Golden Commodore 64, a modern re-make of the classic machine that ignited his passion for tech. Norris is also a fan of the Raspberry Pi, a small but versatile computer board popular among tech hobbyists.
But today, the attention of the tech department goes into AI’s role in education.
“Our goal is to find the safest AI for not only us
but for the students,” Esparza said.
Over his 35-year career, Norris travelled across North America working in tech fields beyond cable or service providers. Today, he has come full circle, focusing on the network of data that stretches from the Upper School to Caven Field.
“If it has bits and bytes, I’m dealing with it. I cover everything that is needed for the internet connectivity, the laptop connectivity and the online infrastructure of the campus,” Norris said.
When computer technology was emerging, the school had desktop computers located in classrooms around the school. Over the decades, the expectation has shifted with the School requiring students to bring their own computer to school.
This “Bring Your Own Device” policy made things harder for the technology department.
“When I arrived here, we just had a few dozen computers all kept in small computer labs. Now, we have to manage thousands of devices,” he said.
For a person who spends most of his job indoors, Norris likes to spend his free time outside.
“I would go anywhere in the mountains, anywhere where there’s altitude, no humidity and a lot cooler weather.”
He’s also a self-proclaimed whiskey aficionado, even having worked at the first legal distillery in Houston, Yellow Rose Distilling.
“I love the history of the alcohol trade and how it connects American history,” Norris said.
Esparza is excited about the future of the department with Norris at its helm.
“I’m very optimistic for the new technologies that are emerging, and where the new head of the team is taking us.”
THE PRICE IS RIGHT Spirit Store associate David Price prioritizes customer service.
Photo by Georgia Pulliam
Net gains: Volleyball seals the deal
Caroline Basu bounced the ball four times as she prepared to serve with an SPC title on the line. After four hardfought sets, the Mavs were one point from their first SPC championship since 2018.
When the senior’s serve split two Episcopal defenders, her teammates rushed the court.
“I was in shock,” said Basu, who turned 18 that day. “I don’t even remember serving the ball or the fact that it was the last point.”
After losing to Hockaday in the SPC championship game last year, the Mavs (5–1 in SPC) entered this year’s tournament with high hopes. But the real preparation began early in the season, when the team, coached by Shelbi Irvin, played tough public schools.
“Coach Shelbi works really hard to match us up,” co-captain Bailey Johnson said. “I was impressed by our ability to stand tall.”
For Johnson, the team dynamic was a key element of their success.
“It’s so much fun to play something you love with the people you love,” Johnson said. “We are each other’s biggest hype men, and that momentum that you get from everyone being involved is irreplaceable.”
BOYS XC LAPS THE FIELD
Going into the SPC meet, the boys cross-country team were the clear favorites — and they delivered by placing all five of their fastest runners in the Top 12 of the 4A division.
“I already knew we would have a good shot of winning SPC,” co-captain Andrew Wasserman said. “We have the talent, depth and camaraderie necessary for the perfect team.”
Wasserman finished third, followed by Asher
Gurr (4th), co-captains Henry Caputo and Horatio Wilcox (7th and 9th) and Nicholas Laskaris (11th). Runners in the Top 10 earned All-SPC Honors.
Led by head coach Richie Mercado (’79), the Mavs won their third title in the past 10 years.
FIELD HOCKEY COMES UP SHORT IN QUEST FOR FOUR-PEAT
Field hockey lost to Kinkaid in the finals (3-1) after winning the past three SPC championships.
“Even though we didn’t get the title this year, I know it will serve as fuel for the juniors and underclassmen,” co-captain Gracey Crawford said. “It’ll only give them more grit and determination.”
Earlier in the season, the team traveled to Chicago to compete against other top schools at the Max Field Hockey Tournament.
“It was a challenge to play more competitive games in the tournament, but we won all three games, which is something we have not done before,” Crawford said.
Crawford is optimistic that the Mavs will make it back to the finals: “I have no doubt that they will come back and take back the title next year.”
SYNNOTT WINS AGAIN, GIRLS XC TAKES SECOND
Sophomore Taylor Synnott defended her title as the fastest runner in SPC with a time of 18:33.80, a full 24 seconds faster than her time last year and 37 seconds better than the second-place runner this year.
Synnott’s finish, along with Kiki Boukas (13th), co-captain Mimi Villa (15th), Sophia Fu (16th) and Evie Laskaris (18th), put the Mavs in second place overall.
Led by coach Haley Barrett, the team consistently did well in meets and even won the annual Maverick Ramble.
“We have some amazing underclassmen who will definitely carry the team towards an SPC win,” co-captain Kori Hagins said. “More than that, I hope they can fall in love with running.”
Story by Nicholas Laskaris
Photo by Nathalie McDaniel
Against the current: Collins rows to victory
Story by Harrison Hadnott & Yutia Li
Illustration by Noelle DiNardo
Senior Porter Collins was just 200 meters into a world championship race when warning sirens began to sound. Seconds later, thunder boomed overhead, and spectators were instructed to evacuate the sidelines.
Yet Collins rowed on.
Facing 20-mile crosswinds and waves crashing over his hull, he emerged victorious minutes later with his friends from the U.S. National Team at the finish line cheering him on.
“It was insane to think I even rowed through that, let alone won,” Collins said. “You always have to be prepared and persevere through the worst possible conditions. That’s what I love about rowing.”
As the son of Porter Collins Sr., who represented the U.S. in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics and won three rowing world championships, Collins was exposed to rowing at an early age. Yet he was not always drawn to the sport, preferring basketball and lacrosse as a kid. Only when he and his family moved from New York in 2020 did he begin to explore the possibility of following in his father’s footsteps — even though Houston’s rowing presence is much smaller than that of the Northeast.
It's such an honor to look down and see your red, white and blue blades with every stroke. It's this sort of pride you can't really explain.
PORTER COLLINS
After the only rowing club in Houston denied Collins admission in his freshman year because he was too young, his father brought him to the lake at their family ranch, the Ranch Esperanza, to train. He was eventually let into the club, but Collins later named his boat the Esperanza to commemorate where his journey started.
At the end of his sophomore year, Collins placed third in the singles event in the U.S. Rowing National Championships Under-17 division. Only then did he begin to view rowing as a potential pathway to college instead of just a hobby.
“I never really knew how far I would take it,” Collins said. “I was still rowing all that time, but living in Houston, you never really know how good you are in comparison to everyone else.”
In August, Collins competed in the World Rowing Championships in Lithuania as a member of the U.S. Under-19 National Rowing Team. He recalls how before the event, his coach Eric Gehrke gave a pep talk, reminding everyone that “representing your country at a world stage in athletics is the second most honorable thing you can do for your country besides serving in the military.”
Collins held onto that belief the entire race. While his oars are painted solid blue when representing his club, Collins uses oars painted in the colors of the American flag when representing the U.S. team.
“It’s such an honor to look down and see your red, white and blue blades with every stroke,” Collins said. “It’s this sort of pride you can't really explain.”
Despite starting competitive rowing later than most of his counterparts, Collins does not regret his decision. He notes the sport’s aerobic intensity can easily lead to burnout.
“It also presents a new challenge,” Collins said. “I know there’s work to be made up, and it serves as a motivational factor for me.”
Unlike most top rowers, Collins is a multi-sport athlete, playing both volleyball and lacrosse at St. John’s. When his other sports are in season, Collins lifts and rows on an ergometer machine in the mornings and attends team practices in the afternoons. On the weekends, he drives to a boathouse in Sugar Land to row on a creek.
“One of the best parts about rowing is that I have my own flexible training schedule, and I can do whatever is best for me,” Collins said.
Collins credits his support system with helping him handle the demands of his packed schedule.
“My sister and dad are doing my workouts with me, and my mom is always cooking breakfast right after my workout,” Collins said. “They've always been super excited about my process.”
Collins has been coached by his father his entire life, citing him as a major source of inspiration and guidance. He notes that rowing has brought them closer together.
“A lot of people say they’d get super frustrated if their dad was always telling them what to do, but I think of it the opposite,” Collins said. “It’s hard not to love someone when they're out there grinding with you all day, every day.”
Collins Sr. shares a similar sentiment, adding that he is proud of his son’s growth.
“It's been a real bonding experience because rowing is something we really share together,” Collins Sr. said. “For the last two-and-a-half years, he hasn't missed a day of working out. It's added a lot of discipline to his life, which has been amazing to see.”
For Collins, mentally locking in before a race is completely different from pregame routines in his other sports, which typically involve loud music and high energy.
“In rowing, all your friends slap you on the shoulder, and I always get a pep talk from my dad,” Collins said. “You’re so excited, and you get out on the water with 30 minutes to your race time. Then, it's this surreal phenomenon where it’s dead silent. It's beautiful, how still it is before a race.”
Collins says the race itself is a “seven-minute sprint” and a “battle of wills.” Once the race begins, he tries to establish an early lead. “If I do, I know I'm tough enough and fast enough that you're not going to beat me in the second half,” Collins said.
On Nov. 15, Collins announced his verbal commitment to Princeton University. Led by 17th year head coach Greg Hughes, Princeton’s first and second varsity boats won all their regular season competitions in 2024, marking one of the best seasons in program history. This sustained success was a deciding factor in his choice.
“I wanted to go into a team where I could make the top boat and also see myself winning a national championship,” Collins said.
It's this surreal phenomenon where it’s dead silent. It's beautiful, how still it is before a race.
PORTER COLLINS
While Collins typically rows in he singles division, most colleges race eight per boat, a format relying more on group synchronization and rhythm rather than individual strength. Collins expects that his volleyball and lacrosse experience will help facilitate this transition.
“Having that sort of team environment, to be able to compete with other people and play in a collective, is probably more helpful than if I specialized,” Collins said.
Before he sets foot on the Princeton campus, Collins has his eyes set on winning the Junior World Championship in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, this summer. A victory in the single would be his “perfect storybook ending.”
His main takeaway from rowing is that hard work matters more than pure talent.
“What I’ve learned from rowing is that if you have something you really want, there's no excuse to not work as hard as you can for it,” Collins said.
“That’s one of the lessons that’s going to carry over later in life.”
OAR YOU READY?
Senior Porter Collins placed third in the nation in the U17 division.
Photo courtesy of Porter Collins
The struggles of growing up as a typo
Opinion by Aien Du
by Emily Yen
Every time I type my name, a red squiggly line appears.
“Did you mean ‘alien’?” it writes back.
Over time, the glaring red squiggle felt like a message sent by society: You’re not recognized. We don’t accept you. You don’t belong. Fix yourself. You ARE the alien.
For those of us with non-American names, this isn’t just about autocorrect. It’s about a lifetime of small erasures. Each mispronunciation, each nickname, each “sorry, I’m just bad with names” (after correcting them for the eighth time) brushes off a piece of who we are.
I started fearing my name on a Wednesday in fourth grade P.E. class.
“Alien Du.”
A deafening silence blanketed the gym as the coach’s voice bounced off the walls.
Blood drained from my face. My body went numb. All I could hear was the hammering echo
of “Alien Du.” I felt the eyeballs staring and heard the stifled laughter as I failed to say “here.”
Her inch-thick glasses were no match for the tightly-packed vowel-filled word. I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t even muster the courage to correct her.
That day, I would go home sobbing to my parents about how much I hated my name and why they should let me legally change it.
Why couldn’t I have one of the names my American Girl Dolls had? Rachel would be perfect. How could they so selfishly name me something so Chinese? Did they really not think about what it would be like for me to grow up in America?
Back then, I didn’t understand that my name wasn’t the problem; it was society’s discomfort with difference.
And while the majority of the encounters were a result of genuine confusion or misunderstanding, the occasional underhanded joke, awkward silence, or misgendering “Alen” made me hate my name entirely.
From then on, I developed strategies to avoid that painfully familiar pause when a teacher’s
Trust your gut. Flip a coin.
Opinion by Nathan Kim
Illustration by Jennifer Lin
Flipping a coin may seem like a nonsensical game of random chance, but it’s become my go-to measure of making the hardest decisions.
I’m well aware that a simple coin flip would be a terrible measure of determining one’s choices, but I’m not proposing you take 50-50 chances whenever you are faced with indecision.
Imagine: You need to decide whether to eat at Dave’s Hot Chicken or Velvet Taco. Two excellent options, but you have to somehow choose. That’s when you search the bottom of your backpack for a coin. The bigger, the better. You find a quarter that’s probably been there for four months. Heads it’s chicken, tails it’s tacos.
You flick it upwards, and while it’s still spinning in the air, you’ve already made your choice.
As the coin lands in your palm, you stuff it in your pocket — not even looking at the result.
In that split second, your mind raced through all the pros and cons, cutting through the panic until you confronted the truth: You knew what you wanted all along.
A coin flip is the best way to figure out what you actually desire because it’s a vessel for your true beliefs and intuition. The existential dread of making a decision helps you realize that you have a preference or inclination towards one option.
mouth hovered awkwardly as they struggled to make the “A” and “I” fall correctly off their tongue. I became hyper-aware of alphabetical order. In elementary school, I listened for “Dai.” In high school, “Downey.”
I was a human emotion bloodhound.
With every First Day introduction, I scanned faces for hesitation, racing to correct them before they could stumble over my name. I read every furrowed brow, hesitant lip and squinted eyes. By middle school, I hated my name so much that I decided to make it easier for everyone: I changed my pronunciation.
Phonetically, my name is “/i/yeen.” To simplify the pronunciation, which includes 75% vowel sounds, I asked people to call me “/ay/en.”
It was the “Americanized” version to save others from discomfort. Ironically, Aien (艾恩) means “love and appreciation,” the two feelings I lacked entirely for my name.
It took me years to realize that when I let others mispronounce my name — or worse, when I changed it myself — I wasn’t being polite. I was surrendering a part of myself to make others comfortable. Every “it’s fine” or “you can just call me Ann” was an erasure of my own culture, my language and my individuality.
My name isn’t a welcome mat. It’s not meant to be stepped on, smoothed out or shortened for convenience.
I know “Aien” will never be on one of those souvenir keychain racks. Google Docs will always ask “Did you mean ‘alien’?” And Starbucks forever knows me as “Ann.”
To those with non-American names: Don’t bend your name to fit a narrow mold. Don’t accept nicknames that exist only to make others comfortable. Let people struggle as an act of respect and exposure to a culture beyond their own.
And to those hearing an unfamiliar name: Stop taking shortcuts. Don’t rename someone because you haven’t seen it before. Listen carefully. Ask again if you forget. Make the effort, because
This doesn’t mean every choice you make will be perfect or correct, but flipping a coin is not about making the right decision. It’s making a decision in the first place.
Instead of letting anxiety dictate my life, I took measures into my own hands and forced myself to stop thinking and start doing.
The dilemma of possibility isn’t a new concept. “Buridan’s Donkey,” named after 14th century philosopher Jean Buridan, is a morbid tale about a donkey that must choose between hay and wa ter, yet in its indecisiveness, he starves and dies of thirst. The parable is a cautionary tale of the dangers that come from overthinking.
Centuries later, that logic still applies. How much time must we waste deciding on what we know we want deep down? The average per son will spend approximately seven hours per week just contemplating decisions, according to Psychology Today. That’s over 1,200 days spent internally debating possible courses of action. With seemingly endless opportunities, we live in a time where the paradox of choice both paralyzes and complicates our lives.
When deliberation becomes debilitation, it’s time to make a change. This doesn’t mean to live impulsively, but we should all put more trust in ourselves.
So the next time you’re stuck weighing your options: Trust your gut. Flip a coin.
Illustration
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS: LOOK OUT THE WINDOW
THREE VIEWS, ONE MESSAGE
Review editors encourage you to remain empathetic, curious and aware.
Photo by Nathalie McDaniel
Before Ms. Webb asked if we wanted to interview Dr. Ricardo Nuila during the Mav Literary Fest assembly, we were privileged enough not to have given much thought to inequality in the U.S. healthcare system. Yet as we began to read Nuila’s debut book “The People’s Hospital,” we became deeply moved by the pervasive impacts of healthcare disparities in Houston. Had we not read the book, we would not have known the extent to which the problem impacts our community.
After the assembly, we asked Nuila a final question about the most meaningful lesson from his book. His answer: We must join together as a community and advocate to improve the healthcare system.
The leadership of the Review is mostly female, yet we are aware that our male peers face challenges that often go unnoticed. This issue is an effort to understand what it means to be a boy today.
Even though we’re all editors with different perspectives, one thing is certain: Our role in the newspaper is rooted in spreading awareness in an honest, thoughtful way. For us, awareness is bringing issues to the forefront of readers’ minds. It is the first step to creating change.
Awareness is staying in touch with your surroundings. It is about breaking out of the proverbial St. John’s bubble and learning more about your community. An issue that you might not even think about could be the central problem of another person’s life. You might be lucky enough to have glass skin, but some students stare at the mirror and pray for their acne to clear up (see page 7).
Awareness can be passive – even just passing
someone in the hallway with a supportive ribbon is a sign that people have educated themselves. And awareness can be active, like reducing plastic from your household or starting a committee to compost food at school (pg. 6).
Awareness requires introspection and flexibility — trying to understand the “Boy Issue” (pg. 8-9), what drives sports gambling (pg. 5), and what lies we tell ourselves to get through the holidays (pg. 16). Understanding ourselves provides the landscape to understand others.
Whether it’s pink-frosted cookies, blue cotton candy or chocolate chip ice cream, we connect awareness clubs with SAC Snacks to share important messages. We host forums that seek to educate our students respectfully. We even have AI regulations to stay aware of the potential hazards of technology (pg. 3).
As the first semester wraps up, seniors face a bittersweet feeling — our college applications are turned in (well, mostly), so it’s almost time for us to start our next chapter. As we on The Review report on issues central to student life, we will keep our hearts and minds open. We hope you do, too.
See you next year,
FREEDA OZ THE PRESS
Huang, Sophia Kim, Nia Shetty, Wanya Zafar
Business/Production Manager Riya Nimmagadda and Evan Williams
Staff
by Emily Yen
Isabella Adachi, Harry Alig, Hudson Brock, William Burger, James Chang, Noelle DiNardo, Juliet Dow, Rian Du, Viv Fox, Sophia Giron, Asher Gurr, Harrison Hadnott, Melody Han, Maggie Hester, Henry Kramer, Ved Kulkarni, Nicholas Laskaris, Ethan Ou, Akshay Pandya, Kavan Pandya, Judah Sanchez, Ailey Takashima, Payton Tu, Nico Valderrábano, Calla Wight, Preston Wu, Emily Xie, Brayden Zhao
Advisers
David Nathan, Shelley Stein (‘88), Sam Abramson
Mission Statement
The Review strives to report on issues with integrity, recognize the assiduous efforts of all and serve as an engine of discourse within the St. John’s community.
Publication Info
We mail each issue of The Review, free of charge, to every Upper School household, with an additional 1,000 copies distributed on campus to our 711 students and 98 faculty.
Policies
The Review provides a forum for student writing and opinion. The opinions and staff editorials contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Head of School or the Board of Trustees of St. John’s School. Staff editorials represent the opinion of the entire Editorial Board unless otherwise noted. Writers and photographers are credited with a byline. Corrections, when necessary, can be found on the
Eshna Das Lee Monistere
Dalia Sandberg
2
THE POWER RANKING: HOLIDAY LIES
“Thank you, I really wanted socks!”
course I remember you.” 1
“I will stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve.” 3 4 5 11 12 13 14 15
6
At least you’ll have a place to put that lump of coal.
“I’m okay being alone for the holidays.”
The best response when grandma asks, “Did you bring someone special?”
“Wow, I can really use this!”
Caution: Only say if you receive a Best Cousin Ever mug or a Yankee Candle.
“I’m
going to stick to my resolutions.”
We solemnly swear to work out, cut spending and be more mindful. By Jan. 9 (aka Quitter’s Day), almost half of us will have abandoned all hope.
“Of
Every holiday get-together inevitably features distant relatives who once held you as a baby or family friends you’ve legitimately never met.
“Senioritis
won’t affect me.”
College applications are in; grades no longer matter. What could possibly go wrong?
“I love ugly
holiday sweaters.”
Wait, Grandma, don’t cry. I didn’t know you knitted it yourself.
8
“I
have plenty of time to write thank-you notes.”
On February 28: “Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, Thanks for the Star Wars Lego set.”
“Sounds like fun! I’ll let you know later.”
The only thing better than making holiday plans is canceling them.
7 9 10 16 17 18 19 20
“I’m looking forward to the advisory White Elephant.”
Whether you receive a foot-long Tootsie Roll from someone who clearly doesn’t know you, or a live hamster from someone who clearly hates you, there are no winners.
“Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.”
The only thing better than watching the iconic “Gossip Girl” episode, playing football in the backyard and eating too much — is doing nothing.
“This year, I’m going to get exactly what I want.”
No matter how many times you beg, you’re not getting a baby brother (or a pony).
“It’s okay. I don’t mind sitting at the kids’ table.”
Another year shunned into a corner with your cousins screaming “6-7” and making fake (and real) fart noises.
“I’m
going to lock in next semester.”
I will make S.M.A.R.T. goals. I will go to tutorials. I will get eight hours of sleep.
Okay, maybe midnight Paris time.
“I’m going to stick to my gift budget this year.”
Wait, it’s 50% off? It’s like I’m making money by getting two.
“Let’s watch the Macy’s Parade.”
Upon further review, no one is waking up at 7:30 to watch a giant Ronald McDonald balloon and that actor from “Zombies 4” lip-sync “Santa Baby.”
“I’ll get a head start on studying for finals.”
Or I could just scroll and sit on the couch in my heated blanket and fuzzy socks.
“I’m going to catch up on all the possible Oscar nominees.”
Or just binge “Friends” again.
“I’m going to finish all my shopping
early this
year.”
Hey, Alexa: Does Amazon still offer same-day delivery on December 24?