December 2018

December 2018

Read a short story about the giving of Christmas joy | page 2

Learn about debate and why you should join it | page 6

Some tips and tricks on how to stay fit during the snowy months | page 10

December 2018

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR The snow has been on the ground for awhile and North Dakotans are already tired of the snow. Before you start day dreaming of spring, the Messenger would like to remind its readers of all the good things in a winter season.

Here at Messenger, we love to see the groups of people huddled around our paper, the proud smile when a student reads an article about themselves, and the slight laughs as students make fun of our bad attempts at jokes. Our mission at the Messenger is to produce a quality newspaper that provides insight into SMCHS by featuring our own students and their accomplishments and goals. So grab a cup of hot chocolate and a copy of the Messenger and flip through its pages.

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Kathryn Goettle Editor-in-Chief

OUR MISSION The St. Mary’s Messenger is dedicated to creating a quality source of news for the St. Mary’s Central High School community. The Messenger strives to foster a sense of family through publications centered around the student body with a focus on the fundamental values of creativity and integrity.

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WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER JOINING DEBATE Two students talk about why you should be in debate

OUR EDITORS KATHRYN GOETTLE Editor-in-Chief

JULIA JARAMILLO Layout Editor

GRACE VOLK Feature Editor

MEGHA BHARADWAJ Opinion Editor

ANNA BRAUN Entertainment Editor

ALLISON BRAUN Opinion Editor

HANNAH GARDNER Entertainment Editor

KENDALL TIBOR Religion Editor

ALYSSA RUD Photography

ANDERSON HAGEROTT Sports Editor

5 DECORATING TIPS FOR A GOOD CHRIS CRINGLE Need some tips for decorating? Read about some tips and tricks to get in the holiday spirit!

HOW TO STAY IN SHAPE IN WINTER With the snow and cold settling in, staying active can be a challenge during this time of the year

ON THE COVER The cast of this year’s fall play, Little Women, directed by Miss Annie Balster. It was put on at the University of Mary from November 29th to December 1st.

CONTACT US OUR WRITERS Ryan Brown Darian Coghlan Rachel Rusch

Allyson Treiber Sydnie Welch Maria Fleck

Jeffery Salvadel John Goettle

Website: https://smmessenger.wixsite.com/2018-19 Email: smmessenger@locstudents.org Facebook: SM Messenger Instagram: SMMessenger Twitter: @SM_Messenger

FEATURE The Joy We Give A short story | Grace Volk

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r. Martin pushed his walker all the way from the cafeteria to his room. The halls were crowded with residents’ families who came to visit them during the Holiday. A fellow resident named Eve, who wanted him to meet her children, stopped him in the hallway. Mr. Martin had already met her children three times prior that day, but was too courteous to say anything. Eve suffered from dementia. Still as he was trying to escape to his room, carolers were blocking a passageway he needed to get through. Yet still, his walker got stuck on some streamers in the hallway before his room. He was out of breath by the time he opened the door to his living space.

A couple more times up and down this place and I won’t have any hair left, he thought.

Of course, the only hair he had left was a few grey ones on the crown of his head. Although, he was not necessarily in bad shape for a man in his nineties. His heart was in good condition and his mind was healthy. The only thing he needed was a walker to get from place to place. But Mr. Martin was a resilient resident. He refused assistance whenever he could. The staff called him “Stubborn Steve,” Steven being his first name He sat down in his rocking chair that creaked every time he leaned back. He looked at the calendar. It was Christmas Eve, one night away from his least favorite holiday. He had not always disliked Christmas. It was his favorite holiday to spend with the kids and Susan. But when Susan passed away two years prior on December the twentieth, so close to Christmas, it was hard for him to find joy in the season again. To make matters worse, his kids had stopped visiting after her death. So alone and cold Mr. Martin sat in front of the window, looking at the falling snow, to the building across the street.

Alone in the dark a light flickered on and off in a single window. Intrigued, Mr. Martin struggled to reach the tassels on his lamp and pulled them twice, on and off. The light in the window copied him. He frowned. He flicked the light on and off three times, then four. The light copied him. He chuckled, getting the slightest joy out of the interaction.

The building across the street Steven Martin stared at was an orphanage, and flickering the lamp on and off was a curious little girl the age of eight.

The girl sighed in delight and wondered who was in that window one story down and across the alleyway. She too did not enjoy the Christmas season. Adoptions soared during this time of the year, and every Christmas many of her friends and playmates were adopted, but she was not. It seemed to her that she would never get adopted, and Christmas was a reminder of this. With every year that passed, her hope of getting a family decreased.

“Susan, stop playing with the light,” one of her three roommates said.

The room where the light had been was now dark and no one was stirring. She turned off her lamp once and for all, snuggled into her blankets, and fell asleep.

Later the next day as Susan was waking up, snowflakes so big one could see their unique and intricate patterns, fell gently upon the ground. Her roommates were downstairs opening presents they had gotten for one another, leaving little Susan all alone. She looked over at the window where the light had flickered the night before. She remembered an older girl telling her the building was a care home for the elderly. When Susan asked what elderly meant the girl verified, “old people.” Then Susan understood.

“So they don’t know who their parents are either? Is that where people who don’t get adopted go?”

“No, no.” Said the girl, “They just need help doing the things they aren’t able to do anymore.”

Susan thought back to that conversation. Maybe the person in the window doesn’t have any visitors either, she thought. I’ll go over and say hi. I’ll bring hot chocolate.

She put on her purple oversized coat with a broken zipper and yellow mittens. All she needed to do was take two cups of hot chocolate the overseer Ms. Minna made every year and sneak out 2

the back door.

She tiptoed down the stairs and around the living room where the girls and the overseers were residing to the kitchen where sugar cookies shaped like reindeer and homemade hot chocolate were laid out. She reached over the tall table and took two cups of steaming hot chocolate, nearly spilling the second cup.

Susan snuck out the back kitchen door. She took a right, which led her to the alleyway. She looked at the window where the light had been Christmas Eve night. The window frame was green, all the other windows were painted grey.

She took a left at the sidewalk and headed up the stairs of the building. When she got inside, nurses were walking around and the lobby was busy with visitors. Susan stopped to admire the Christmas decorations hung up on the walls and dangling from the ceiling. Her eyes turned to the nativity scene on the table located in the center of the room. She admired its beauty, how happy the family looked. She looked up again with her big green eyes at the chaotic place. It was clear she would have to find the room on her own.

She remembered where the room was located in correlation from where she saw it in the alleyway. She started down a long, less crowded hallway. There was an elevator at the end and she took it until it reached the third floor. She got out and started up and down the hall, looking at all the rooms that were across from where she lived. Susan stopped at room 343. The door was open, and she saw an old man sitting behind a window, a green-framed

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window. She knew she was in the right place. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

He snapped his head around to the door. Small Susan was standing in the doorway with her long black, curly hair and oversized coat.

“Hello, I think you might know me… I can’t explain it, but it felt right to come and visit you.” She flashed a smile and her cheeks became red. She was so nervous she forgot to introduce herself, but Mr. Martin thought she was adorable rather than peculiar. Susan walked over to him and handed him the hot chocolate.

“Now what’s this? Hot cocoa I see. Hmm.” He said frowning. He took a sip, “It’s a little cold,” he glanced at the little girl and her frightened face softened his heart. He chuckled, “That’s perfectly all right, but why don’t you tell me your name and why you are walking around all alone, without your parents.”

“My name’s Susan.”

“What a delightful name! That was my wife’s name you know.”

It was the first time he had heard and used the name without feeling sadness or regret.

“And I live right over there,” she said and crawled onto his lap and pointed at her window.

His blue eyes widened and a grin stretched across his wrinkly face.

“The one with the light? Are you the one who played with me yesterday with the light?”

She giggled.

“Well, it is nice to meet you little lady,” and he extended his hand to hers. “Does anyone know you’re here? Will they be looking for you?”

“Well…no, but they won’t notice I’m gone. Oh please, please, please don’t make me go back. Let me stay. Please, please, pleasssseee−” “All right, all right. Just for a little while. But you must go back soon.” He did not want the little girl to leave either.

Susan jumped off his lap and pointed to a picture hanging from the wall, “Is this your wife?”

“Yes, that’s my Susan.”

“And these are your kids?”

“Yes.” “Where are they today?”

“They don’t come around very often anymore, not since Susan passed…”

“My family doesn’t come to see me either.”

“Is that so.”

“Yeah,” Susan looked down at the floor.

“I have something I’d like to show you. Come over here.”

They walked to the side of the room where a table stood. Beads were spread out across the top of the desk, a tall lamp was placed beside it, and a pair of spectacles lay to the left.

“I used to be a jeweler back in my day. I still put things together from time to time, and I have something I would like to give you.”

He took out a key from his pocket and opened the drawer underneath the desk. Susan could not believe what she was seeing.

Organized inside were jewels of all kinds: diamonds, rubies, pearls, and more.

He pulled out a silver chained necklace with a locket shaped like a heart attached to it.

“Merry Christmas, my dear.”

She gave him a big hug, “Thank you so much Sir.” “But don’t forget the greatest gift of all, the gift you gave me today. That gift is love. Don’t ever stop loving, Susie.”

That gift is love. Don’t ever stop loving, Susie.”

She nodded. It was time for her to go. With a promise she would return soon, (this time with permission) she gave him another hug and went out the door.

The love that Mr. Martin had been shown that day opened his heart to loving others. He realized he could not control reality, but the one thing he could control was his attitude. Instead of growing bitter, he decided to become better. He called each one of his children, asked how they were doing and forgave them. He felt at peace.

Later that night he looked out the window before going to bed. The lamp in Susan’s window blinked twice. He could see her silhouette waving in the shadows.

“Goodnight, Susan.” he said, and pulled the tassels of his lamp twice.

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OPINION Why I think Santa is Real It’s pretty convincing | John Goettle

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veryone knows about the big guy in the red suit… Santa. But how many people still believe in him? Only little kids, right?

But maybe they know something we don’t.

Maybe...Santa is real? I know it seems a little wacky, but just hear me out.

I think when kids start going to school, they are brainwashed into thinking Santa isn’t real. Some kids might still believe in him for a year or two, but eventually everyone believes that Santa is fake.

However, if we look at the facts a little closer, we can see that in fact Santa is real.

The first reason I believe Santa exists is because the earth is polar. The only explanation why true north and magnetic north are different is because Santa’s workshop is located at magnetic north.

All the electricity being used has a very strong magnetic pull which results in the compass

“Maybe...Santa is real?”

pointing in that direction which we know as north.

Another thing to consider is that every year there are presents under your tree from Santa.

How do they get there? The only explanation is that Santa breaks into your house and puts them there.

Now your parents may have told you that they put the presents under the tree. But that is because Santa hypnotizes them to think that they put the presents under the tree. Now why would Santa hypnotize people? Wouldn’t he want the attention attached to bringing joy to kids all around the world? Santa does his work in secret because he doesn’t want the attention, and he knows that as people start looking for him, it’ll be harder for him to do his job.

As Christmas approaches, remember that Santa is real and doing his hardest to spread joy during the Christmas season. Ho Ho Ho and Have a Merry Christmas.

Ugly Christmas Sweaters Are they really THAT ugly? | Sydnie Welch

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h, ugly Christmas sweater. Usually your grandmother would give you these sweaters to wear exclusively for Christmas. They probably weren’t seen as very “trendy.” They probably had a big snowman on it, or Santa’s face. Or if it was really “fancy” and “high-tech;” there would be a Christmas tree that lights up if you push a button! You probably hated the gift, but would wear the sweater anyway to make your relative happy. The ugly Christmas sweaters would be the one in stores, just sitting there, with no one wanting to buy one. They would be considered “thrift store material.” Nowadays, the loathing toward Christmas sweaters has reversed, and these sweaters that were considered “ugly” are now trendy, though they are still classified as an “ugly sweater.” People would wear them at Christmas parties to get into the spirit of the holiday. I have worn an ugly Christmas sweater at school as I’m sure you have as well. I believe these sweaters are wonderful, but the one thing I don’t understand is, why are we embracing something seen as ugly and turning it into something fun and festive? Well, maybe we just wanted to give those lonely, ugly Christmas sweaters some love, since they were loathed for a long time. So as the holidays approach, we all should wear an ugly sweater to get into the holiday spirit. Make sure to always be appreciative of what you have and don’t forget to embrace the ugliness of the so-called ugly Christmas sweater.

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Why You Should Consider Joining Debate A look at how debate works and why you should join it | Megha Bharadwaj & Solveigh Barney

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here are a lot of different extracurricular activities you can join at our school. But most people don’t really know much about our co-op activities like debate. Debate is one of the best co-ops you can join because you gain skills that are useful no matter what you do in life and you get to meet a lot of people from different schools. BHS, CHS, LHS, and SMCHS all co-op together, and every weekend, starting from November, we have debate tournaments all over the state, and sometimes out of state too! Most of our trips are actually overnight trips, which helps us to get to know everyone really well. There are two types of debate: Public Forum and Lincoln-Douglas. In Public Forum, you and your partner get to debate on certain issues affecting the world. For example, last year, we discussed college athletics and Catalonian independence from Spain. If you really enjoy logic and morality working side by side, you’d probably enjoy the Lincoln-Douglas debate. The best part of debate has to be our coach, Jake Thomas. Jake is super chill, always ready to help you as long as you are willing to put in the effort, and is basically a genius at debate. Debate is one of the most important and useful extracurriculars to join, and it’s a great overall experience. If you are interested in joining, please talk to either one of us to find out more.

Students Megha Bharadwaj, Solveigh Barney, and Brandon Prichard at the first debate tournament of the year. Brandon placed first, while Megha and Solveigh placed second in PF II Picture provided by Megha Bhardwaj

Picture by Alyssa Rud

Student Polls | Julia Jaramillo

Favorite Christmas activity?

When do you buy your Christmas gifts?

A special family tradition

Week of Christmas

Eating a Christmas meal Giving/receiving gifts Setting up decorations

A couple months in advance

365 days before

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ENTERTAINMENT Movie Review: Venom

| JD Churchill, Matt Scott, & Gabe Anderson

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enom was amazing. Honestly, it really was. Look, I know that my other review can practically be classified as a satire of reviews rather than an actual review, but this time around, I cast all comedic undertones aside, because Venom actually surprised me. I’m not even kidding when I say that Venom was one of the best cinematic experiences I’ve had all year. Now, objectively, Venom is hot symbiotic garbage. It fails on nearly every level that one could use to measure its quality. I mean, it was supposed to be scary, and if it wasn’t, then it was at least marketed that way, which would mean it’s marketing is also misleading. The plot sucks: It’s boring, it’s generic, it’s been done a thousand times and not once has it been entertaining enough to carry a movie. It’s centered around one of the most uninteresting cliche’s to ever rear its ugly head. It’s your typical “save the world” plot that couldn’t even be spiced up by the fact that it was accomplished by an antihero. This boring plot is only compounded by the even more insurmountably boring villain. You’ve heard the line before: “It’s the next stage in human evolution!” which could only be spoken by the evil scientist who will sacrifice anything for results and whose a mbition eventually leads him to take drastic action that puts the whole world at risk, oh no. I could not care about a single character in this movie besides Eddie Brock. I did NOT care

about the girlfriend in the slightest, with her unconvincing performance and lackluster lines. Likewise can be said for all other characters. They tried to make Eddie Brock a host of a news show, but Tom Hardy did not seem to have enough charisma for that to be convincing in the slightest.

So, the movie’s bad, right? Well, given the information above it would be logical that one would conclude yes; yet, for the majority of Venom’s runtime, I found myself enjoying it, in fact I really enjoyed it. I dare say I found it delightful and refreshing. In a market that is already over saturated with superhero movie after superhero movie, this movie is almost exactly what I needed to change the pace and boost my confidence in the future of this genre. Venom is a good movie, but not for the reasons one may traditionally associate with quality.

Venom is a must watch! It is unintentionally one of the funniest movies of 2018. I give it 10 sentient symbiotes out of 10.

Hot Cocoa to Soothe Your Soul A wonderful and fantastic hot chocolate recipe | Kendall Tibor

It’s a typical winter day in North Dakota. The sun is shining, the ground is covered with the perfect amount of snow, and a huge winter blizzard is on the horizon. You’ve got to be ready for that cold weather. So you pull out your fuzzy blanket that has just the right amount of wear and tear, turn on the ol’ Netfilx, and a curl up on a nice couch. But wait, you’re missing something. Something to bring that instantaneous warmth and wonderful feeling… Ah yes, the hot chocolate! You go to your cupboard and reach for the hot chocolate powder, feeling a little let down by the lameness of it.

If this is relatable to you, you’re in luck! I’m about to reveal to you the greatest hot chocolate recipe known to man. Here’s what you need:

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of whipping cream 1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk 6 cups of milk 1 teaspoon of vanilla 2 cups of milk chocolate chocolate chips

What to do with this wonderful array of ingredients:

Stir the whipping cream, milk, vanilla, and chocolate chips together in a crock pot. Cover the pot, and cook on low for 2 hours with the occasional stir. When the mixture is hot and the chips are melted, get out your favorite mug and enjoy!

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5 Decorating Tips for a Good Chris Cringle Some helpful tricks to get into the holiday spirit | Anna Braun

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ecorating for Christmas, oh how fun that sounds, can be a tiresome task when you think of it. You have a to put the tree in the right spot, put on ornaments and lights, and set up anything Christmas in your house. It can be stressful. So here are some tips that you can use to make your Christmas better than the last!

Tip 1 Use what you have in

your house already. I know it is fun going out and buying new things to decorate your house with, but that just adds more decisions for you to make.

Because you cant put up every single decoration you have.

Otherwise, it will look like Christmas threw up in your house.

Tip 2 Don’t use too

much glitter. I know everyone wants to sparkle, but sometimes it is overkill.

Don’t make your life harder by using glitter that will get everywhere and stick to anything. It will make clean up so much worse.

Tip 4 Make your own stuff. I

know it is fun to get all that door-buster Christmas deal junk, but that can be expensive. Try to look up some ideas on things you can make for the holidays. It will be cheaper and you will feel proud that you put your own spin on your holiday décor.

Tip 3 Don’t hang your

stockings too close to the fireplace. I know it is something you all probably know, but we just don’t want to burn your house down right before Christmas. Make sure they are far enough away so that it wont burn and it wont melt your candy.

Tip 5 Reuse what you

already own. Take that broken Santa and glue it back together. Maybe give him a scarf. It doesn’t matter. You can practically take anything your own and repurpose it so it can bring you joy for years to come.

Here are your five decorating tips for Christmas! I hope these can help take the stress out of decorating your house for Christmas.

RELIGION Christmas and Hanukkah Similar, but different | Ryan Brown

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any people think of Christmas and Hanukkah as the same holiday but with different religions. This is just not true.

There are many differences in how the religions celebrate, and why they celebrate. The differences make the holidays unique and fascinating. The similarities also make the holidays very interesting. Christmas and Hanukkah show how closely related the two religions are. They also show how closely-knit Catholics and Jewish peoples pasts are.

The very different aspects of Christmas and Hanukkah make a lot of comparisons between the holidays. Christmas is a Catholic and Christian holiday while Hanukkah is a primarily Jewish holiday. Christmas is mostly in Europe and the Americas and Hanukkah is spread out little by little around Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. Christmas lasts one day, and Hanukkah lasts eight. Christmas is on December 25 each year.

This Hanukkah is on the 2nd to 10th of December while next year is on 22nd to 30th of December. Christmas is on the same day every year and Hanukkah depends on the year cycle. People celebrate with presents and attending mass on Christmas and people light candles and give out presents on each of the nights

of Hanukkah. Christmas originates from Christ’s birth, while Hanukkah originate from the Maccabees (Jewish rebels in Judea) defeating and driving Antiochus IV (Greek king of the Seleucid Empire) from their temple. These are some of many differences that make the holidays unique.

Similarities show how close the religions of Catholics and Jews are. They both fall in December. The holidays are good for the economy because many gifts are purchased. The holidays both have lights in them. Gifts are given out to people. Finally, these holidays both have charity and family based in them. The similarities are just few to how much these two holidays share.

Christmas and Hanukkah are two very different but similar holidays. These differences challenge a lot of people’s beliefs in the two holidays being the same just with different holidays.

Those differences make the holidays unique and fascinating holidays. The similarities show how related the two religions really are. Christmas is celebrating the birth of a savior and Hanukkah celebrates victory over and the spewing out of the Seleucid Empire from Judean temples.

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Teacher’s Pick: Miss Vetter

An interview with SMCHS’s new Religion Teacher | Allyson Treiber MESSENGER: What’s your favorite kind of cookie MISS VETTER: Chocolate chip M: Where’s the best place to get coffee at?

V: Caribou M: What are the best kinds of chips?

V: Kettle jalapeno

Picture taken by Alyssa Rud

M: What is your biggest kitchen fail?

V: When I was little, I started a napkin on fire with matches at my parent’s house.

M: What’s your signature dance move?

V: The hair whip like Taylor Swift

M: If you could invent a holiday what would it be?

V: I would create a day where you thank your past teachers for all that they taught you. You’d spend the day eating ice cream and fry bread.

M: What would you want an unlimited supply of?

V: Coffee

M: If you had to marry a cartoon character who would it be and who would your maid of honor be?

V: I would marry Tiger from Winnie the Pooh because he would make me laugh! Piglet would have to be my maid of honor.

M: If you could be in any movie, what would you be in?

V: I’d be in the Lion King as a new character because then I could help mentor Simba.

M: If you could invent anything what would it be?

V: A grading machine that could grade anything, even essays.

You just have to enter it in and it’d grade it for you and just give you the score.

M: What’s your favorite prayer?

V: The Memorare

M: How has your faith changed since you became a teacher at St. Mary’s?

V: Being at St. Mary’s has been one of the biggest blessings in my life thus far. I have been desiring and praying about this position for years so to actually be here has been a very joyful and humbling experience. My faith has grown since I started this fall by seeing the St. Mary’s students’ faith. I am blown away by the depth of the students’ faith here and it has inspired me to grow further in my own. It is a blessing I do not deserve but welcome with open arms.”

Saint of the Month: St. John the Evangelist | Jeffery Salvadel

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aint John the Evangelist, also known as John the Apostle, was one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus during his ministry.

His older brother, James, was also an Apostle. Their parents were Zebedee and Salome. Saint John and his brother followed the Baptist while he preached repentance in the Jordan. It was there that he met Jesus. He followed him to Galilee, was present with him at the marriage feast of Cana, and never left him from then on. Other than a few references to him in the New Testament, we have no information about who he was or what he did. Saint John the Evangelist is portrayed in the gospels as being more important than most of the other Apostles. He was always with Jesus during his most important times, including Jesus’ transfiguration and was one of the three Apostles at the Graden of Gethsemane before Jesus was arrested and brought to Pontius Pilate. John was believed to be Jesus’ favorite Apostle, as the phrase, “The disciple

whom Jesus loved” is mentioned multiple times throughout the Gospel of John. It never truly states who this disciple is, but Church Fathers noticed in the late second century that it was never used in the same context as John, and therefore deciding that John the Evangelist was the Apostle that Jesus loved.

Saint John the Evangelist is perhaps most well-known and important for his contributions to the Bible. He is believed to have written five books of the New Testament: The Gospel of John, the three Epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation.

While some scholars and historians dispute that he himself actually wrote some or all of these books, Saint John the Evangelist still had a huge impact on the Church and Christianity as we know it today. His feast day is December 27th and he is the patron saint of authors, love, hope, and loyalty.

Picture from 123rf.com

SPORTS How to Stay in Shape in Winter

Simple tips and tricks for staying in shape during winter | Anderson Hagerott

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taying in shape during the winter months can be a real challenge, especially if you don’t play any winter sports. The weather is cold and it’s always dark and depressing. It’s so hard to get motivated to get up and work out so you might as well just lay on the couch and watch T.V. Then, when summer comes it can be hard to get into shape again. So how can you stay in shape even when the temperatures are oppressively cold?

Here are a few tips and trick on how to stay in shape without breaking the bank.

The first thing you need to do is stay motivated.

It can be hard to stay motivated in the winter. You arrive at school in the dark, you’re stuck inside all day, and when you finally get out, the sun is practically setting; not to mention the cold, how the news is always telling us that we’re on the verge of another snowpocalypses. It’s hard to see the point of exercising. That’s why it’s important to stay motivated. There are several easy ways to exercise indoors, but none of that matters if you’re too lazy to get off the couch and do something. It helps to keep a strict workout schedule and maybe listen to your favorite song or watch T.V. while you exercise.

Going to a gym is probably the best way to stay in shape during the winter. Gym memberships can be expensive, so there are cheaper alternatives. You could take an exercise class, which is typically cheaper than a membership in the short run, or you

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could buy some weights or a pull up bar to use at home. Winter can be a great time to switch up your workout routine and to try something new. You may still be able to run during the winter, just be sure to bundle up.

You can also try winter activities to stay in shape. Try some winter activities like ice skating, skiing, or snowboarding.

There are also several indoor games you can play like racquetball, basketball, or tennis. Even dancing can be a great exercise. These are fun activities that you can do with your friends and family.

If you absolutely don’t want to spend money on exercising there are also several ways you can stay in shape without spending a dime. There are several workout apps you can try that will help you stay in shape without the use of any workout equipment. If that doesn’t appeal to you though there are other ways to stay in shape. Making your own simple workout routine can help you stay in shape. For example, I try to do at least 100 pushups, sit-ups, and pull-ups a day. I can spread this out throughout the day by doing 50 of each in the morning and at night. You can do quick spurts of 20 of each throughout the day. I usually forget and then I have to do all 100 before I go to bed. The most important thing to remember is to just keep moving. Anything you do to workout is better than doing nothing.

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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT An inside look into some of the athletic careers of our seniors.

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TAYLOR GERVING | BASKETBALL

MESSENGER: How long have you been playing basketball?

TAYLOR GERVING: I’ve played basketball since I was like 5 (13 years).

M: What have you learned from basketball?

T: I’ve learned to set goals for myself and do everything to achieve those goals. It teaches me discipline with sports and nonsports related things (school,family,friends,job) M: What’s your favorite basketball memory?

T: I would have to say last year as a junior going to the state tournament. The whole tournament was a highlight for me and being able to share it with my teammates. Specifically from the tournament if I had to choose one moment was in the first round against Grand Forks Red River Hallie Scheweitzer made a game tying 3-pointer to send it into overtime and winning to move into the semifinals.

M: What’s your favorite type of cookie?

T: I love the oatmeal cream cookies from the grocery store

DAIN SARDELLI | HOCKEY

MESSENGER: How long have you been playing hockey?

DAIN SARDELLI: I have been playing hockey for about nine years.

M: What have you learned from hockey?

D: I have learned that hard work and dedication pay off in the long run.

M: What’s your favorite hockey memory?

D: When Joey forgot his jersey and had to wear a Conner McDavid one M: How tall are you?

D: I am 6’5 M: What is your go-to hobby?

D: Lifting or snowboarding.

BEN SCHMIDT | BASKETBALL MESSENGER: How long have you been playing basketball?

BEN SCHMIDT: I’ve been playing basketball since I was three or four. My dad and I would always shoot around at my house.

M: What have you learned from basketball?

B: I’ve learned that to be good at something you have to put in the practice, just like in basketball. It’s all about repetition.

M: What’s your favorite basketball memory?

B: Upsetting Dickinson in WDA my sophomore year. It was my first varsity game that I started and I was pretty nervous, but we played as a team and got the win.

M: If you ordered pizza, what kind would you get and where would you get it from?

B: House pizza, from A and B M: What is your go-to hobby?

B: Basketball or snowboarding

ANDREW NAGEL | BASKETBALL

Senior Spotlight by Kathryn Goettle

MESSENGER: How long have you been playing basketball?

ANDREW NAGEL: For as long as I can remember.

M: What have you learned from basketball?

A: It taught me how to be more disciplined.

M: What’s your favorite basketball memory?

A: Hitting the game winning shot against Century my freshman year.

M: What is your go-to Netflix series?

A: The Office M: What is your go-to hobby?

A: Puzzles.