Volume LIX, No. 6

5 CENTERSPREAD

OPINION

PHIN CAFE REVIEW

COMMODIFICATION WOMEN IN OF FEMININITY STEM

THE VOL. 59, NO. 6

12 GRAPHICS

10-11 A&E

20

GUIDE TO RECORD STORES

SMOKE SIGNAL MISSION SAN JOSE HIGH SCHOOL 41717 PALM AVENUE, FREMONT, CA 94539

February 23, 2024

On January 17, the FUSD Board of Education approved the Hindi 1 Pilot World Language course. The program will be added to John M. Horner Middle School and Irvington High School as an elective in the 2024-25 school year. The Smoke Signal interviewed students, parents, and administration from MSJ, Irvington, and Horner to gain insight on the pilot program’s impact on the student body and world language courses in general.

“I think [the Hindi course] helps for our Indian American kids [who] now have a chance to learn about the culture. They feel more a part of the school, and they feel connected. ... I can sometimes

By Padma Balaji, Angelina Chen, see how the culture at home and life at school is so different, and Anandita Devata & Michael Qu FUSD’s current foreign language program consists of this will bridge that gap a little bit more.” — Irvington High School Spanish, French, Chinese, and American Sign Language elecParent Rakhi Israni Staff Writers tive classes. Some schools also offer immersion programs that develop students’ bilingual skills through core courses taught in South Asian students don’t have much representation in foreign Mandarin or Spanish. Additionally, FUSD students have the option of taking classes language, and just by having Hindi at schools will make it a lot outside of school for languages such as Chinese, Hindi, Telugu, and Arabic. Western better.” — Irvington High School Student Annika Verma, 9 Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)-accredited organizations are officially approved by the district and UC system, providing the same language credits as a world language elective would.

The credits students earn from foreign language courses fulfill course requirements in the California Education Code, which mandates that students must take at least one year of either visual or performing arts, career technical education, or foreign language to receive a diploma. Colleges may also have their own unique prerequisites as well. For instance, UC schools require at least two years of college-preparatory coursework in a foreign language, though three are recommended by the California Department of Education.

Hindi PILot world language Course

Background

About the Program

Other WOrld Language Courses

At the Dec. 13, 2023 Board Meeting, district staff were instructed to develop a Hindi elective pilot program at both Horner and Irvington after strong interest from the FUSD community, the majority of whom were Indian American students and parents from Irvington or Horner. About a month later, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services Leticia Salinas presented the Hindi 1 Pilot World Language course to the FUSD Board of Education, and the Board voted 4-1 to pass the measure. The program is set to start at Horner and Irvington during the 2024-25 school year and may expand to Hindi 2 and 3 in the following years if there are enough students interested in taking the class. According to Educational Institution Madhu Bhasha Kendra Hindi (MBK Hindi) Director of Language Programs Madhu Aggarwal, the Hindi pilot is also accredited by the UC A-G course requirements, so Irvington students who take the course can use it towards their college language and high school graduation requirements.

The course is currently limited to Irvington and Horner, allowing teachers to focus on building a program that is viable long-term and can be expanded to the rest of the district in the future. However, launching four sections of the course across the two schools is expected to cost approximately $40,000 for textbooks and staff and more as the program developes. “This is not just about supporting the addition of one standalone class. This is a program that requires multiple years of investment,” Jones said in an East Bay Echo article.

As the first step of the implementation of the program, FUSD staff plan to work with each school to garner student interest and recruit teachers based on the hiring hierarchy. Outlining the order of hiring priority, this hierarchy places teachers with full credentials at the top, followed by interns, preliminary interns, and finally those with emergency permits or waivers. By completing exams and coursework to demonstrate subject competency, prospective teachers can earn the newly added World Languages (Hindi) Credential to teach the pilot program. In the case of a shortage or absence of fully credentialed teachers, the hiring process will follow the hierarchy in finding teachers to fill the role.

If the Hindi 1 Pilot Program is established as an official course, Hindi pilot teachers will need to consult with the Curriculum Council, an advisory committee addressing decisions that impact school curriculum, and submit the course to the Director of Secondary Education, who will review its budget allocation and ability to fulfill graduation and college requirements.

Then, the course will be brought to the Board of Education, and if approved, incorporated into the Course Catalog.

While Hindi is not currently available in schools, FUSD students have the option to take the class for world language credit through outside organizations. MBK Hindi, which is based in the Bay Area, offers four levels of WASC-accredited Hindi classes.

Students meet for three hours twice a week outside of school hours to study not only the fundamentals of Hindi such as reading, writing, and speaking, but also historically significant events and traditions in Indian culture, mirroring most high school foreign language courses. Other WASC-accredited foreign language schools like SiliconAndhra Manabadi and International Tamil Academy offer similarly rigorous classes in languages like Telugu and Tamil.

One of the major differences between foreign language courses in and outside of school is the amount of time students must dedicate to them. Since external classes tend to meet for less time and over fewer days each week, students may have less frequent interactions with the teachers. As a result, classes tend to be more intense and faster-paced in order to cover the entire curriculum. This often results in an extra workload and requires more of a time commitment than foreign language classes within schools.

Homework for these outside courses can range from a couple of hours to more than 10 each week, which can impact students’ time for classes they take in school as well.

Past Hindi World Language At-

Although the pilot program was recently approved, the push for Hindi as a school course has been happening decades prior. Aggarwal has been trying to bring Hindi to schools since 2000. “I always thought, why shouldn’t Hindi be part of language in schools? I started reaching out to the district office. I’ve met with every single Superintendent of Secondary Education, but they’ve always come up with some obstacles,” Aggarwal said. Over the years, she worked to combat obstacles, such as the lack of credentialed teachers, by collaborating with California State University, East Bay to offer a Hindi teacher credential program.

There have also been numerous attempts from parents and students to add Hindi programs in school curricula in other parts of the country. In 2020, families in the Palo Alto Unified School District pushed to include Hindi as a foreign language course, but the district rejected their proposition. Later in 2023, the Indian American Impact and the Asia Society wrote to President Joe Biden requesting the formation of a Hindi language fund, which would introduce Hindi as foreign language course to more than 1,000 schools across the US, but they never received a response.

The pilot program received overwhelmingly positive feedback, especially from Fremont’s Indian American community. According to Irvington Parent Rakhi Israni, one of the main advocates for adding Hindi in FUSD schools, “It is a wonderful honor to be the first public school district more than 600 students and parents expressed interest in a survey sent out in October, after the program idea was in the US to offer Hindi as a high school language. [Alfirst proposed. Widespread support from FUSD families helped shorten the process of approving the pilot program to though] I embrace having Hindi as a language in our disjust a few months, as opposed to the years typically needed to approve such programs. “I think there was a sense of trict, there needs to be proper planning and adherence to surprise that such a huge percentage of [FUSD’s] population is Indian American and we’ve never considered [Hindi in procedures, as well as consideration for our current teachers. schools],” Israni said. … I am deeply disappointed at the School Board’s arbitrary Board of Education President Yajing Zhang, Vice President Larry Sweeney, and Members Vivek Prasad and Sharon Coco also decision last month to adopt a Hindi pilot program. This was showed strong support for the proposal. With Indian Americans making up 65% of the population at both Irvington and Horner hastily done and adding a new course requires planning and according to NDTV, the program’s implementation promises profound impacts. “I look at the demand, and I look at the value curriculum. None of the FUSD World Language Department that this Hindi offering will produce for the community … for me, it’s a no-brainer,” Prasad said in an American Bazaar article. chairs were aware of this and it was only proposed at the DeMany Indian American students and parents have expressed excitement for the changes the Hindi 1 Pilot Program will bring. cember FUSD Board Meeting and then voted on at the JanFor many Chinese American students with ancestral backgrounds in Mandarin, Mandarin courses offer a chance for them to uary 17 meeting. Furthermore, Board policies for proposing connect with their culture and to learn a heritage language. The addition of Hindi to school curricula would have similar effects, new courses, including deadlines and consulting with teachfostering a welcoming environment for the Indian American community within FUSD schools. “I think it would overall be a posers and school site [Instructional Leadership Team], itive change because for a lot of people Hindi would be more useful than Spanish or French in the short term, given the large were missed or ignored.” — MSJ World Language community of Hindi-speaking people,” MSJ Sophomore Rohin Vig said.

Department Chair Jill Evans Despite support from board members and FUSD families, the Hindi pilot program has also faced some pushback because of the discrepancies of foreign language options between schools. “When we make decisions that create disparities, like one of our high schools being able to offer five language programs while others only offer two, and some three, that absolutely is an equity issue,” Jones said in an East Bay Echo article.

Support & Opposition

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ONLINE

THIS MONTH

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MADAME WEB MOVIE REVIEW

HOMSJ VALENTINE’S DAY

Released on February 14, Madame Web, the latest addition to Sony’s Spider-Man universe, introduces the audience to Cassandra Webb, a paramedic who develops psychic abilities.

Read the Smoke Signal’s review online.

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, the Smoke Signal interviewed some of MSJ’s favorite couples, getting the inside scoop from students to staff. To read more, view our annual HOMSJ on Instagram.

FOR MORE COVERAGE, VISIT www.THESMOKESIGNAL.ORG

2 News

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NEWS in

BRIEF Compiled by Howard Lu, Catherine Qin & Alice Zhao Staff Writers

LOCAL Anda Chu / Bay Area News Group The complaint accused Tesla of violating California laws governing the management of electric vehicle hazardous waste.

Tesla agrees to pay $1.5M for dumping hazardous waste in 25 CA counties On February 2, Tesla Inc. reached a settlement in a civil environmental prosecution involving district attorneys from 25 counties all across California. A San Joaquin County judge ordered Tesla to pay $1.5 million as part of the settlement in regards to allegations that the company illegally disposed of hazardous waste at service centers, energy facilities, and its Fremont factory.

Throughout, Tesla Inc. cooperated with investigators and will pay $1.3 million in civil penalties and $200,000 for investigation costs as part of the settlement.

National Mandi Wright / Detroit Free Press Pool via AP Jurors found that Jennifer was responsible for Ethan’s actions by failing to intervene before it was too late.

Verdict in Jennifer Crumbley’s case sets precedent across America On February 6, a panel of 12 jurors in Michigan found 45-year-old Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of Ethan Crumbley, who had opened fire in Oxford High School, guilty of involuntary manslaughter. The prosecution argued that Jennifer was aware of her son’s deteriorating mental state during the months leading up to the shooting and bought him a gun mere days before the shooting, failing to store it properly. The guilty verdict meant that jurors found the shooting entirely avoidable.

This sets an unforeseen precedent in holding the parents of school shooters accountable in their childrens’ actions, which may be seen again next month, when Ethan’s father, James Crumbley, is set to go on trial for involuntary manslaughter.

INTERNATIONAL Marco Di Marco / AP The eruption left thousands without access to hot water.

Volcanic eruption triggers State of Emergency in Iceland Iceland officially declared a State of Emergency on February 8 after volcanic eruptions damaged important hot water pipes. In particular, a volcanic eruption from Sundhnúkur in the Reykjanes Peninsula rift zone led to thousands of people without hot water. Iceland’s Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management is struggling to find ways to guarantee the hot water supply to more than 20,000 people affected by the eruption. The eruption has led to Blue Lagoon, a popular tourist site to close due to lava flowing in the area, although overall volcanic activity is decreasing.

The Smoke Signal

MSJ Universal Performers refines theater skills at Lenaea High School Theatre Festival The club impressed audience members with their rendition of The Fourth Wall.

By Shuhan Jin & Stella Wang Staff Writers From February 2-4, MSJ Universal Performers attended the 2024 Lenaea High School Theatre Festival, an annual threeday event held at the Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College. From one-act plays to musical theater solos to coaching on vocal technique and direction, the festival hosted over 2,000 students and 70 schools to perform theatrical pieces, receive feedback from professionals, and attend workshops on different theater topics. With the help of biweekly rehearsals and outstanding teamwork, the club did not disappoint, ultimately winning eight total awards.

Inspired by the Lenaia Festivals of Ancient Greece, drama competitions held during Annual Athenian festivals, the Lenaea High School Theatre Festival first began in 1956.

Since then, the event expanded with additional categories and performance critiques.

The event now incorporates several different aspects of theater, including performance pieces such as one-act plays and monologues, as well as lab-style workshops such as directing, acting and vocal technique, choreography, musical theater, and more. “There are a lot of fantastic moments,” Lenaea High School Theatre Festival Vice President and Theatre Department Chair at Folsom Lake College Ian Wallace said, “I always like the opening ceremonies of the festival, because all the students are super, super excited, and the energy level is incredible.”

While each performance put on by MSJ Universal Performers is loved by all performers and audience members, putting on

a play comes with its own set of challenges.

“It always pulls together in the end just from constant run-throughs and actually being on a stage acting out everything. Before that though, it was a lot of struggle of people not attending rehearsals and trying to live up to last year,” MSJ Universal Performers Member Senior Lucy Yao said. In 2023, the members blew expectations away with their original one-act musical A Minor Inconvenience, winning Gold in the One-Act Plays - Production category and a total of 9 awards across the other categories. Fortunately, the team managed to pull through the nerves of meeting high expectations with the help of MSJ Universal Performers President Senior Isabelle Fu, who used Google Classroom to organize progress checks, and Mr. Kottenbach, who booked the C120 room for club rehearsals and critiqued the members’ performances. Despite MSJ’s lack of funding for the arts, the club worked through challenges and succeeded. “The festival helped us … prove to others that we can do amazing things without a theater program at school,” Fu said.

“The festival helped us … prove to others that we can do amazing things without a theater program at school.”

the club was determined to ace it like they had the previous year, but with a twist. The club performed a one-act play titled The Fourth Wall

by Rebekah M. Ball, a comedy that breaks its namesake as it tells the story of a failed murder mystery through inventive characters. The plot is charming and inventive, and from costuming to acting, the cast leveraged their full creative power to bring the play’s unique vision to life.

“My favorite memory from the experience was making Real Death’s [one of the characters in the play] costume by taking a seam ripper and slashing a cape,” Fu said. This impromptu ingenuity encompassed their performance, and the actors displayed this skill as they immersed themselves in their ad-libbing characters.

MSJ Universal Performers attended several workshops led by theatre professionals.

Regardless of what the club hoped to win

-MSJ Universal Performers President in the festival, members gained valuable knowlSenior Isabelle Fu

The festival itself featured a schedule packed with activities and shows. MSJ Universal Performers took part in almost all the available programs, from ones that focused on onstage performances to ones that focused on backstage production. The one-act performance was the center of the event, and

edge that they can use to improve their theater skills. “The biggest takeaway I had from this event is to compete for yourself, not for the judges. Of course, it is nice to get a good score and a bunch of prizes, but at the end of the day, you’re there to learn and gain experience, not for a number on the rubric,” Fu said. ▪ PHOTOS COURTESY MSJ UNIVERSAL PERFORMERS

Welcoming Ramadan Fair brings community together around humanitarian Palestinian cause The fair featured performances, vendors, and panels, with 30% of proceeds donated to support humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

By Ivy Lu & Arushi Singh Staff Writers On February 3 from 12 p.m. - 8 p.m., The Modern Cultural Market, an organization that focuses on supporting women and women-owned businesses, held the Welcoming Ramadan Fair at the Yaseen Burlingame Center. Attendees enjoyed dance performances, panel discussions, a modest fashion show, and vendors in a festive celebration of rich Ramadan culture.

The Welcoming Ramadan Fair not only celebrated Ramadan, which is a sacred month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community for Muslims, but also showcased many small businesses. This year, 30% of the proceeds from ticket sales are also being donated to the nonprofit organization Islamic Relief USA to aid humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

The organization focuses on fundraising and advocacy, and frequently partners with other aid agencies to bring food, aid, winter assistance, and health care to support communities around the globe. “Despite the name Islamic Relief, [the organization] actually serves all genders, all races, all backgrounds.

But now more than ever, there’s a lot of effort and focus on Gaza,” Islamic Relief USA Representative Chafik Ziadeh said.

corrections for the JAN. 18, 2024 issue News Pg. 1: Ben Backes and James Cowan are misquoted.

A&E Pg. 15: G. Craig Jackson Theatre should be spelled as such.

Graphics Pg. 19: Alameda County Fairgrounds hosted the 10th Annual NorCal Reptile Expo.

Friday, February 23, 2024

A Dabke performer swings the Palestinian flag.

The fair was held at the Yaseen Burlingame Center. “[The foundation] is a community organization, very inclusive of everybody, … where you can find out about Islam [or] fast with us when we have Ramadan,” Yaseen Foundation Volunteer Samin Shaikh said.

The center’s large indoor space was open, but the vendors and stage were located on the blacktop around the building. Large rows of canopies protected the vendors and shoppers from the weather, allowing attendees to browse through booths selling handicrafts, paintings, skincare products, clothing, and traditional Palestinian cuisine like za’atar and cheese knafeh. Good Rain Publishing sold diverse English and Arabic children’s books such as P is for Palestine: A Palestine Alphabet Book. “I love books, and when I had kids, I thought I have to make more books, especially ones about Palestine since there aren’t that many,” Good Rain Publishing Co-Founder and Executive Director Tala El-fahmawi said.

Around 4 p.m., the Palestinian Dabke performance began. While the Dabke is a folk dance traditionally seen at joyous occasions like weddings, the Dabke at the fair embraced the aspects of resilience and courage, reflecting the fair’s humanitarian efforts in Palestine. As the music swelled from the speakers, four men in traditional black and white headscarves took to the stage. They jauntily danced in a line as the crowd clapped along to the energetic folk music. The Dabke performance also featured drum beating and sword dancing, and at the end, performers unfurled a Palestinian flag and let it sway among the audience members who had joined the dancers at the front of the stage. Given the tragic situation in Gaza, the performance and the Palestinian flag evoked tearful responses from the

audience and dancers alike.

Shortly after the performances ended, Life Coach Sara Kenana began her talk on Islam, internal growth, and Gaza. Just as she finished around 5 p.m., the skies darkened and the rain intensified, and event organizers rushed to start the Palestinian Modest Fashion Show. 13 beautifully dressed women and children in ornate dresses with stunning colors and patterns lined up on the small stage, dancing to background music and occasionally striking a pose to showcase their intricate outfits. Unfortunately, the fashion show ended early due to the downpour.

As attendees sought shelter, vendors started packing up their booths.

El-fahmawi poses with a Good Rain Publishing novel.

Despite the unanticipated weather, Event Organizer Ines Achour Abou Jabal said that the Welcoming Ramadan Fair was an even bigger success than a similar one she helped organize last year. Vendors from across America and visitors from across the Bay Area appreciated the tight-knit community, cultural festivities, and philanthropist aspect of the fair. “[Fairs] used to not happen so often. This is my second time coming to an expo like this, so I think it’s really great that I can see all the Palestinian Americans and also just the community in general support Palestine,” Attendee Sonia Taha said. ▪ PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS IVY LU & ARUSHI SINGH

Friday, February 23, 2024

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Opinion 3

Breaking free from the consumerist mold: redefining femininity beyond material goods

By Abha Kulkarni, Trisha Parikh, Catherine Qin & Lucy Yao Staff Writers

What does it mean to be an “it girl”?

That’s the question everyone’s been asking on

social media lately, and the answer: capitalism. With women trampling over each other at Target for a chance at attaining the limited edition Stanley x Starbucks cup and 10 yearolds clamoring at Sephora to get their hands on the Drunk Elephant's D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops, femininity has become more about keeping up with the latest trends of each month’s newest “it” product.

Especially with social media, the algorithm only continues to favor and perpetuate this consumeristic commodification of femininity by forcing women to define themselves in the consumption of goods to gain traction, rather than building personalities; this further enforces the misguided idea stemming at least a century that femininity is something that can be bought and sold. Besides excluding people who can’t afford these products, this excessive consumerism also promotes unsustainable lifestyles and the unhealthy expectations social media already exacerbates.

The term “commodity feminism” was developed in a 1991 essay, Critical Studies in Mass Communication by Robert Goldman, Deborah Heath, and Sharon L. Smith. Following the emergence of consumer culture in the early 1900s, the essay notes that corporations have been using femininity to sell products by appealing to feminist ideals. In turn, they drive the idea that their goods empower and add to the definition of being a woman.

For example, dating back to the early 1900s, when women played key roles in households, most mass advertisements targeted women with household products, emphasizing the newfound convenience of cleaning, cooking, or other household chores. These directly targeted ads implied that women were only

meant to be housewives and it’s only with these products that women will achieve the ideal image of a perfect housewife. Especially now with the faster-paced trends of social media, the image of the ideal woman shifts more frequently, so the culture of advertising consumption aggressively pushes younger women to accept the norm that buying products is considered part of womanhood.

Consequently, many women are susceptible to excessively purchasing the newest and “trendiest” products to keep up with popular culture. This constant feedback loop has replaced the true values of femininity by diluting it with shallow, self-perpetuating beliefs of empowerment based on purchased goods.

A major part of the issue is that women buy new products thinking that it’s only the trending item that’s making them feminine by current standards.

Some advertisements even directly use celebrity endorsements such as Sydney Sweeney in the latest Laneige campaigns to promote the products and perpetuate the idea that if these influential women are all using these products, so should you. However, with the standards constantly changing, these goods only make money off of forced self-expression, which is harmful because women are losing their positive perceptions of their identities. Women are forced to express themselves with the most fashionable items, such as the current rise of Stanley cups, only profiting these corporations.

In addition to forcing self-expression, defining women by the products they buy emphasizes harmful class divisions. Wealthier women can maintain their sanctity as “true women,” but poorer groups who can’t afford luxury products such as $32 Brandy Melville skirts, feel like they aren’t part of the trend and can’t express themselves. When consuming the right products is essential for social acceptance and inclu-

sion, those who can no longer keep up with the mass spending will suffer. In fact, a study from Psychology & Marketing about the commodification of self-esteem and its effects on teens shows that the “consequences of failing to ‘keep up’ with consumption trends … [includes] social exclusion, negative peer evaluation, and reduced self-esteem.”

Additionally, the fast-paced nature of these fads results in large and dangerous amounts of waste. Since it’s near-impossible to consistently buy quality products at full price, many customers opt for cheaper alternatives: according to a survey by Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Voices in the recent years following the pandemic, 38% of small businesses have seen customers hesitant to buy from them due to their high prices. Instead, these customers have turned to giant, typically unethical corporations for cheaper daily goods. While it is true that trends are known to recycle in fashion, such as the recent rise of early 2000s low-waisted jeans, trends coming back into fashion are uncertain and these clothes are often so low-quality and cheap, it’s only adding to the current 18.6 million tons of yearly clothing waste as cited by pebble magazine.

Ultimately, all these products go to waste once the trend has passed, with the newer “trendier” items replacing them. Supporting these products may also further promote unsafe practices such as the unsafe labor conditions in SHEIN factories investigated by WIRED, stating how these quick-fashion companies “are doing little, if anything, to adopt better practices.”

Reminding women of the truths of femininity, such as dismantling traditional gender stereotypes and challenging societal norms and expectations associated with femininity, ultimately promotes healthier lifestyles that detach capitalistic spending from self-worth.

The expression of femininity that women have fought for and continue to fight for is

Dartmouth reinstates the SAT

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GRAPHICS BY OPINION EDITOR ANNIE XU

“I feel that standardized test are a great way to measure a student’s aptitude as even though test scores may favor certain groups, it ensures that colleges are aware of a student’s academic potential when considering applications ... Using standardized tests in the application process is vital towards a college’s understanding of the capability of a student.”

“I feel that Dartmouth College should not reinstate a standardized testing requirement +(&, ... One test does not properly .( reflect a student's capability and achievement as grades and courses do. Many students pay a lot of money for test prep that boosts their score giving them an advantage over the students whose parents may not be willing to put out that much money for a 1500+ or a 34+. So no, I wouldn't say standardized tests are a good indicator of an applicant.”

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“I fully support the Dartmouth decision and hope to see other colleges reimplement SAT and ACT test requirements. In my opinion, standardized tests are a very good measure of academic aptitude; they are the great equalizer. Curricula and grading policies vary wildly between schools and districts, and even between teachers of the school, and GPA fails to take this into account.

8#&#9,#&same $ ( However, all students take the same exams, so ) !7# doing well on those exams is a good indicator of academic success, and they should absolutely be taken into account on college admissions decisions. Racial and wealth disparities in outcomes are a symptom of a larger problem that pervades every aspect of college admissions, education, and society at large. Simply removing one aspect of admissions due to racial and wealth disparities does nothing more than accentuate those same disparities in other aspects of admissions.”

This freedom should not be lost sight of due to trends supporting buyable goods with a slightly “cooler” design or more efficient usage. While being supportive of a girl’s right to express herself however she desires is a step in the right direction, women should have the confidence to be comfortable with whatever they have. Beyond buyable goods, students should join activities that help them express themselves without needing trending products. Whether it be dance, art, sports, or academics, clubs such as MSJ Phoenix Art & Literary Magazine or MSJ COR Dance Club are all avenues students can pursue to express themselves. Additionally, to help other students and women recognize the dangers of these unsustainable, profit-making endeavors, students can join MSJ DECA, MSJ BAStA, MSJ Exit Zine, the school’s feminist magazine, or even other nonprofits outside of MSJ such as What We All Deserve, a youthled organization cofounded by Class of 2023 Alumna Esther Lau that has fought to expand women’s economic access to menstrual products.

Femininity isn’t a trend — being a woman in itself is a feminine trait, and trends such as the “coquette” trend or the Stanley Cups fad represent a constantly changing label tied to consumerism and how a woman chooses to express herself. Each person is unique, and there is a difference between following a trendy look versus buying trendy, capitalist products. ▪

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Reminding women of the truths of femininity, such as dismantling traditional gender stereotypes and challenging societal norms and expectations associated with femininity, ultimately promotes healthier lifestyles that detach capitalistic spending from self-worth.

/

"On February 5, Dartmouth College announced that it would reinstate a standardized testing requirement for undergraduate applicants of the Class of 2029 and onwards. Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock reasoned that the results of these tests determined student aptitude for higher education better than other measures such as GPA, class rank, and extracurriculars. The school was one of many that stopped requiring scores during the coronavirus pandemic, when testing facilities were widely unavailable. Many institutions committed to long-term test-free admissions, as according to research, standardized tests disadvantage less wealthy students, and disproportionately favor Asian Americans and white students. However, while Beilock acknowledged that the SAT and ACT “reflect inequality in society and in educational systems,” the university said that it would increase financial aid to address these wealth discrepancies. How do you feel about Dartmouth College’s decision? Do you believe that standardized tests, in general, are a good measure of academic aptitude, or do you think they favor certain groups at the expense of others? Do you feel that test-free or test-optional policies are sufficient to foster an inclusive school environment while maintaining educational rigor?"

the right to wear what you feel comfortable in and pursue interests without fear of judgment or harassment.

“I don't agree with Darmouth's decision because reinstating standardized testing disproportionately affects low income students and people of color. Standardized tests 2 are not a good measure of academic aptitude 2 ! ) because they don't accurately measure &= learning because people can just learn to memorize how to do the types of problems to achieve a high score. Especially for a college as rigorous as Dartmouth, you can't do well in school if you memorize everything. Even if you give underserved students financial aid if they are accepted, they still need aid in order to take these tests, whether it's paying for the fees or transportation to the test centers ... Standardized testing favors those who have the resources to take prep classes, can afford the test fees, and have transportation to testing centers.”

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS NAVYA CHITLUR, SARAH HU, KEERTI KOYA & ALICE ZHAO

4 Opinion

The Smoke Signal Friday, February 23, 2024

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THE SMOKE SIGNAL Mission San Jose High School Est. 1964 Vol. 59, No. 6 | February 23, 2024 www.thesmokesignal.org 41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539 510-657-3600, ext. 37088 MISSION STATEMENT The Smoke Signal ’s mission is to represent the voices of the MSJ community and serve the public by providing accurate, meaningful, and engaging information presented through print and digital mediums.

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AnnikA's Angle

Annie's Anecdotes

Patience is a virtue

Change stems from the little things

By Annika Singh Opinion Editor

By Annie Xu Opinion Editor

I’ve always considered myself an impatient person. I hate waiting, I tend to rush into things, and I watch every single TikTok video at 2x speed. But, a few days ago, while watching a movie with my mom, she casually asked me, “What’s the most important skill you’ve learned throughout high school?” Bundled up in a blanket and half asleep, I stared at her with an empty look.

However, I soon realized that my answer was easy: ironically, the most important trait I’ve developed over the last four years has been patience.

Each course I’ve taken and extracurricular I’ve participated in has helped me become more comfortable with the idea of trusting that everything will work out as it should. We often disregard the value of being patient individuals — with artificial intelligence, numerous messaging apps, and social media, we receive answers about our questions almost instantly. But there’s a certain charm about waiting and trusting — it gives us the opportunity to strengthen our relationships and achieve our goals.

Personally, I’ve found that patience has helped me accept that some things may not meet my expectations, whether they’re related to events or people. I’ve realized that patience isn’t individual, nor is it transactional. When we practice patience, we can’t expect something in return, because that goes against the value’s focus on improving our

relationships with others. Instead of focusing on someone’s flaws, practice kindness and encourage others to do the same — after all, flexibility and patience go hand in hand.

The most beneficial part of practicing patience for me, however, has been developing the perseverance to overcome obstacles. My patience is typically tested when I’m waiting for a decision or trying to teach choreography for an airband.

But, I’ve recently discovered that over time, I’ve built a more positive mindset toward things that previously frustrated me. For example, college decisions were daunting at first — I’d stalk Reddit and Instagram multiple times a day, noting down release times in my calendar.

Now, Reddit is no longer on my phone, and I’ve embraced the mantra, “I’ll end up where I’m meant to be.” A part of me is still nervous, but I’m now focusing my energy on forming new connections and making memories before I leave for college.

And of course, through practicing patience, I’ve become a stronger leader. One who ensures that others have a space to learn and grow, share their ideas, and gain confidence.

I’m still a little impatient (it’s a work in progress..), but now, as I sit in uncertainty, unsure of where I’ll be and what I’ll be doing in just six months, I’m thankful for the experiences that have taught me the value of trusting the process. ▪

I used to struggle a lot with food.

I’d count my blueberries, force myself to chew each bite of food for at least 30 seconds, and inaccurately log daily calories. I went long periods slowly shrinking my portions, realize it was unsustainable, and then I’d try to completely stop caring about what I ate. (This led to too many consecutive days of eating Lucky Charms for breakfast.) With the amount of times I relapsed into cycles of extreme eating, I used to think I’d never be able to go on a normal dinner date, or look at a lunch spread without becoming overwhelmed with anxiety. But one day, without even thinking, when I was filling my plate at a buffet, I found myself seeking out salad, but also dessert. I probably sound laughably similar to a little kid learning the concept of self-control, but what shocked me in the moment was how I had barely noticed how my mindset surrounding food had changed so much without my knowledge.

I used to think of change in drastic terms. I’d imagine myself three years down the line, anew, laughing at my current problems. A lot of times, I’d try to jumpstart lifestyle and mindset changes, falling down rabbit holes of morning green tea and reorganized priority lists.

Inevitably, I’d re-emerge back where I started, with nothing to show for my efforts except frustration. This doesn’t come as a surprise — according to a study conducted by University of Surrey researcher Benjamin Gardner, most actions take approximately 66 days to become habits if practiced regularly. It’s unrealistic to think that a brief fad diet or using a differently formatted notebook can break

down years of reinforced mindsets and behaviors in a matter of days or weeks.

Most of my concrete lifestyle and mindset changes crept up on me. I never made a singular concentrated effort to rework aspects of my routine — feeling like I was able to eat when I was hungry and stop when I was full came slowly. Being able to take small mistakes in stride rather than beating myself up over them for hours took years. Rather, it was the small split-second decisions in the middle of my day that I barely noticed that added up to my concrete sense of progress.

Whether it was deliberately accepting snacks from friends when they offered, or taking note of my errors in homework as opportunities to refine my weaknesses instead of as evidence of my failure to retain information, change came in the small commitments that I could maintain.

At the same time, most of this progression isn’t linear. On some mornings, I don’t feel like I can be happy with myself if I eat breakfast. Inconsequential mistakes sometimes keep me up for hours, as I try to convince myself that those errors don’t always signify grave problems with my personality. Even so, I can’t understate how staying committed to the small choices for self-improvement will eventually add up, even if it doesn’t always feel comfortable in the moment.

I don’t think I’ll ever wake up feeling magically improved from the person I was before I went to bed. I am, however, happy with the progress I’ve made over the last few years. So, if you’re looking to alter aspects of your own life, start with the easy decisions. Sometimes, change is easier than you think. ▪

The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board

The issues of microaggressive language Conversational norms rapidly evolve with time. Over the past few months, many people have incorporated more harmful terms into their daily language. Widespread mention of racially derogatory and ableist terms are now relatively common parts of students’ vocabulary. Students have recently reported witnessing or experiencing discomfort due to these normalized microaggressions.

To prevent this problem from spreading further, we must take initiative to avoid and speak out against microaggressive language and recognize its socially destructive nature.

Microaggression, a term coined by Harvard University Professor Chester Pierce, was first used to describe inadvertent and unconscious racism towards Black people. For example, questioning one’s cultural name and describing it as “exotic” perpetuates prejudice against certain cultures.

This extends beyond racial biases — microaggressions can target any aspects of a person’s identity such as gender orientation and potential disabilities. Students often disregard the meaning and history behind these prejudices, reinforcing the false perception that the consequences of employing microaggressive language are trivial. However, these phrases fuel widespread ignorance and slander towards other minority groups that microaggressive terms target.

Believing exclusionary insults to be harmless jokes is a dangerous misconception, considering the effects microaggressions can have on others. According to a study conducted

by Marquette University Psychology Professor Lucas Torres, over time, African American graduate and doctoral students experienced psychological impacts, such as depressive episodes, as a result of microaggressions. Over time, this went on to harm their grades within their university programs. Although students might use harmful terms without hostile intent, their actions can go on to be incredibly damaging to others. Since many of these insults are subtle in nature, they create a sense of anxiety and fear for people these actions target. According to Healthline Media, an American health information provider, “the uncertainty around not knowing when or where the next [microaggressive provocation] can happen” gradually takes a toll on the well-being of all individuals within a community.

Within increasing modern progression towards inclusivity and diversity spreading among newer generations, the recent use of verbal slurs and insults only counteracts the exponential progress made in the past decades. Although microaggression has historically alleviated significantly since segregational periods, online job search and career development site

Zippia states that 68% of American adults still consider microaggression as a serious workplace issue. Considering that a 2017 study conducted by St. Olaf College observed that 60% of surveyed students similarly experienced microaggression within a classroom setting, exclusionary language habits are not disappearing anytime soon.

When derogatory terms become normalized by online trends and in everyday speech, it is up to us to draw the line when jokes turn malicious. A simple word may seem inconsequential and minor, yet it can deeply affect others’ mental health. Students should communicate with people of marginalized communities to understand the impact that microaggressions have on their lives, and learn the proper and respectful terminology to describe these groups. They can also seek out clubs such as Writer’s Block or Exit Zine to understand the impact and meaning that their words can have.

Additionally, for those who witness others engaging in harmful behaviors, it’s our duty to speak out against it.

We each have a moral responsibility to take action against bias, and work for a more inclusive world. ▪

By Hannah Bi & Stella Wang Staff Writers

STAFF WRITER HANNAH BI

STAFF WRITER STELLA WANG

Friday, February 23, 2024

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Opinion 5

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By Padma Balaji, Tushara Devapatla, Priyanka Shah & Ethan Yan Staff Writers

“There’s no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter,” President Barack Obama said. Despite the repetition of this phrase in civic education environments nationwide, Generation Z, the future of democracy, have concerningly low voter turnout rates. With 50% of teens believing the world will be worse off in their future compared to today, as per a Common Sense Media study conducted on January 29, it’s clear that youth are deeply pessimistic about the world. This pessimism can be tied to a deep dissatisfaction and feelings of hopelessness regarding politics, leading youth to stray from participating in democracy, and can be largely attributed to the inherent weaknesses within overarching educational systems that don’t adequately prepare youth for the real world. In order to prepare students and encourage political participation, schools must provide concrete resources to increase student activism and nurture a more inclusive political environment.

Youth voter turnout is monumental in shaping elections. Much of the result of the 2020 election is attributed to young voters, who voted significantly more than usual. About 50% of people ages 1829 voted in the election, in comparison to the 28% turnout in 2018, with 61% of them voting for Biden.

However, a study done by the Institue of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School in December 2023 says that younger voters may be less likely to be involved in the oncoming 2024 election based on preliminary surveys due to distrust in political action toward critical issues such as gun violence and climate change. This marks a dangerous trend for American politics, decreasing youth participation, which has the potential to jeopardize the future of democracy.

Research has shown that young voters tend to participate in the political process far less than older generations because younger voters don’t have as much faith in the political system. The Hill reports 52% of the younger voters having “no or little trust in government institutions.” Many youth see the political system as ineffective or broken, losing trust in its ability to address important issues. This distrust often leads youth to opt out of voting as they believe the political system is too faulty to bring change and thus that voting is not worthwhile. A survey by the opinion analysis site FiveThirtyEight found that among workers that missed at least one national election, 26% said that they decided not to vote because they believed that nothing would change nationally as a result of the election. Young people already face various barriers to voting; finding a polling site, educating oneself on the candidates and elections, and registering to vote can already be daunting when doing it for the first time. However, the idea that voting and politics is ineffective only exacerbate these barriers, often mean-

ing young people stray away from voting altogether.

Much of political disillusionment can also be tied to lack of representation in politics for the younger generation. “I think the old age of leaders sends a strong signal that formal politics is something for older people, which feeds into cycles of apathy,” University of Gothenburg Professor Aksel Sundström said. As politicians tend to be more than 20 years older than the average American and predominately white and male, this often alienates those outside these groups, creating the impression that politics is not for them.

According to a survey from The New York Times, white males aged 13-17 were more likely than any other group to believe the government represented them, to want to run for office, and to see their identity represented in politics. The gap in political interest and participation across age, race, and gender can create a discrepancy in who feels represented in politics. As female or POC youth are less likely to run for office than their white male counterparts, their interests are less likely to be represented in politics, furthering a gap in which they do not feel represented in or by their political leaders, ultimately leading to low voter turnout.

The gap in political interest and participation across age, race, and gender can create a discrepancy in who feels represented in politics.

The youth’s apathy with the political system doesn’t mean that they do not care about the future — rather, many are strongly passionate about many issues including climate change and gun control. However, this passion does not regularly translate into political participation. Instead, young people often opt for alternative forms of activism, such as posting on social media, signing petitions, and spreading awareness online, instead of more impactful actions such as casting a ballot. According to the Pew Research Center, 46% of social media users reported engaging in forms of activism online. This distrust in the political process is often what leads young people to prefer online forms of advocacy, where they can take matters into their own hands rather than relying on a system they view as unable to work for their cause.

As a result, they partake in activism that has less of an impact on leadership in society, allowing less representative candidates and policies to take control.

In addition to dissatisfaction with the political process, low youth voter turnout is largely fueled by inadequacies in civic education, contributing to feelings among students that their votes are meaningless.

According to a poll conducted by Gallup, an analytics and advisory company, less than a quarter of high

school students believed their education was adequately preparing them for the future, citing a lack of hands-on or practical learning that prepared them for their careers. The lack of practical education extends to preparing students for their political future as well. Even in classes meant to introduce students to the government and civics, students do not receive many opportunities to see how politics and participating in it works in the real world. A Yale University study found that when students were provided with real-life voting demonstration and provided with the opportunity to cast a practice ballot, youth turnout increased 5.7 percentage points. By emphasizing practical education and providing resources that guide students through the complex process of voting for the first time, schools can better prepare students to participate in politics. In the long term, civic education can be reimagined to emphasize the idea that voting and participating politically is normal and effective, motivating students to become politically active from a young age. “If schools enable students to raise ethical, social, civic and political issues in the classroom, allow them to discuss controversial topics, encourage them to express their own opinions… students will tend to acquire higher levels of political interest, trust and knowledge, which in turn will boost the likelihood of them voting in the future,” UN Chronicle Writer Martyn Barrett said.

In order to bridge the gap in youth voter turnout and become more involved in politics, MSJ students can join organizations such as MSJ BAStA and GENup to understand the importance of advocating and involving themselves in local issues. Taking courses such as Women’s Studies or Ethnic Studies on campus that teach students about the struggles of marginalized communities can provide them with different perspectives as well as facilitate nuanced conversations about politics in education. Taking part in such discussions can help supplement social media activism and news, which can easily fall prone to echo chambers and polarization. Additionally, although it can be easy to stereotype politicians as old and detached from reality, there are many politicians with diverse identities that represent youth, both in identity and in ideology. Finding, following, and supporting youth leadership can bolster political confidence, giving students the hope that these younger candidates will be able to address the issues that primarily affect them. Ultimately, the most impactful way to increase youth interest in politics is to engage with it; understanding it, discussing it, participating in it, and encouraging others to do the same can help build a future in which everyone is a participant of democracy. ▪

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Friday, February 23, 2024

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In a world filled with sickly sweet anticipation for February 14, one seemingly forgotten Valentine’s gram embarks on a heartfelt journey of self-discovery and transformation. From its humble beginnings on a convenience store shelf, this gram navigates the perils of insecurity, societal norms, and unexpected romance.

blown identity crisis, but fear not, I know exactly what to do. It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and I too, have a dream — to self-actualize, score a glow-up (for the lady grams, of course), and fulfill my civic duty as a Valentine’s gram.

With a mere month left until my momentous day, it’s time to get down to business.

My first stop: the gym. We’re talking legs, back, biceps, triceps — every nook and cranny of my nonliving body that you can imagine. But before the sweat starts dripping, it’s all about mewing and looksmaxxing. The evolution of this Butterfinger is officially underway.

Dec. 26, 2023 2 p.m.

Feb. 13, 2024 7 p.m.

Dear Diary: Valentine s Gram

By Tanvi Deshmukh Staff Writer

Ugh, seriously? It’s only been one day since that pretentious holiday with the insufferable carolers and their off-key renditions of overplayed tunes passed. I was just starting to enjoy my winter break, but lo and behold, here I am — relegated to a convenience store shelf. The audacity! But wait, what’s this next to me? A glaringly bright yellow wrapper — an assault on my vision, emitting a pungent peanut stench.

It couldn’t be … a Butterfinger! Why are there so many around me? What is this supposed to mean? Am I a Butterfinger?

Can someone please respond to my SOS?

J. 15, 2024 8 a.m.

So here’s the deal: I’m a Butterfinger, and I’m currently grappling with a full-

After finishing my workout, I’m feeling like a champ and doing my special Fortnite victory dance. But reality hits and I’m actually really sore, so it seems like I won’t be getting gains anytime soon. Now, where did all my Butterfinger baddies disappear to? I scan the shelf, but find myself alone and abandoned.

A heavy weight settles upon my chest, and my heart sinks. All of a sudden, my solitude is shattered when I see a sweaty teenager charging through the Valentine’s Day aisle. Enter Joe, accompanied by his friend Marla, who eyes the ice cream longingly. Joe bolts toward me, and I try to back away from this smelly troll, but alas, I’m paralyzed. He hits me with a nasty face, mutter-

ing, “Is this the only one left? It’ll have to do.”

Well, guess what Joe — I didn’t sign up for this either. He drags me to the checkout and I’m forced to endure his incessant yapping all the way home. They really don’t tell you about the struggles of being a Butterfinger.

Feb. 13, 2024 11 p.m.

With an hour left until the national day dedicated to me, I’ve decided to be mature about my newfound companion. So far, I’ve learned that he harbors a peculiar obsession with ice cream and talks to Marla way too much. Nevertheless, being the bigger (man) candy here, I’ve crafted a lovely poetic masterpiece for Joe to capture the affection of any girl. Don’t worry Joe, looks aren’t everything! It goes: “In love’s embrace, where hearts entwine, Our journey, cheesy, like sweet red wine.

On this Valentine’s, you’re forever mine.”

Who wouldn’t fall head over heels with my rizz? Yet, Joe nears me with a sharp black pen, casually erasing the blood, sweat, and tears invested in my magnum opus, simply to replace my poem with a nonchalant “you’re cute lol.” Seriously, what is wrong with this generation?

Feb. 14, 2024 8 a.m.

Ah, the most important day of the year is finally upon us: Valentine’s Day! I’d say I’m looking extra majestic today, even embracing the ugliness of my Butterfinger getup with an extra flair. Rise and shine, Joe! It’s time for us to embark on a mission to shoot, capture, and score a lucky lady’s heart. With a swoop and a zip, Joe tosses me into his backpack, and I’m nestled snugly between what appears to be his AP

Feature 7

Computer Science coursework. Now that explains Joe’s putrid stench.

Feb. 14, 2024 3:30 p.m.

It’s been an entire school day stuck in Joe’s backpack — seriously, am I the forgotten treasure of the century? RIIING. The last bell sounds, and I resign myself to the fact that my Valentine’s destiny is an illusion. I haven’t seen a single soul; not one of Joe’s nonexistent friends, teachers, or even the lunch ladies.

Z O O O P. Oh my, the backpack finally opens. Joe’s hands reach in, and I, blushing with flattery, wave while I make my grand entrance.

As I rise up, there’s a girl ahead, making my mouth fall open during this major wig-snatch moment. Give me a second, you are not ready for this.

Feb. 14, 2024 3:31 p.m.

Joe begins speaking: “Marla, since our first memory, I’ve loved you. Even when we were eating ice cream as children in the park, and you had those weird Butterfingers as toppings, I thought you were beautiful.

I want to ask: Can I be your boyfriend?”

I begin crying, tears of happiness and also absolute embarrassment for this boy. It’s always the teenagers who try to make a Wattpad besties-to-lovers arc happen. Joe and Marla definitely won’t work out, but maybe the real Valentine’s day was the friends we made along the way. So, we did it Joe, we did it!

GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITOR CALLIE YUAN

Student Spotlight: Devang Raina Behind the Lens

By Lucy Yao & Alice Zhao Staff Writers

Junior Devang Raina’s photography career began with two clicks — the first was the click of his camera, and the second was the click that created his Instagram account, @flics_bydevy. What began as an account to document the Varsity Boys Soccer game against Newark Memorial High School in 2023 has now expanded into an account culminating in a total of more than 20,000 views. Now, Raina is part of Costanoan Yearbook and takes photos for many school sports games, hoping to continue expanding his passion for photography beyond Fremont.

Raina’s interest in photography started in his sophomore year when he was heavily inspired by Class of 2023 Alumni Jayden Gravett and Ciara Lu, who were taking Digital Photography 1 alongside him. Since Raina started, both photographers have guided him through his photography journey, whether through teaching him how to adjust the settings on his camera or encouraging him to share his work.

Raina started taking photos of his friends at their sports games on his dad’s camera, a Sony Alpha 6400 with a Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-6.3 lens, last year for fun, and with more exposure, he began taking photography more seriously and eventually created photography-focused social media accounts on TikTok and Instagram. “Once I started to learn more about photography, and my picture[s] started to get a little better … I [started] thinking that I could start publicizing my images [on Instagram] just to show everybody [that I was a photographer],” Raina said.

“Once I started to learn more about photography, and my picture[s] started to get a little better … I [started] thinking that I could start publicizing my images [on Instagram] just to show everybody [that I was a photographer].”

always stuck to his origin: sports photography. As a soccer player himself, Raina is often just as invested in the incredible gameplay as he is photographing it all.

However, he also noted that photographing games and parties had significant differences. “[Sweet sixteens are] more human oriented, and there’s separate equipment, different flashes, [and] different settings.

[Sports photography is more focused on] action shots,” Raina said. Capturing sports games provided Raina with more opportunities to gain exposure in high-action photography, even allowing him to attend some major sporting events such as an NCS basketball championship game.

Many of MSJ’s underclassmen have followed in Raina’s footsteps, hoping to get insight on the best equipment or growing their own pages. Although Raina can give

— JUNIOR DEVANG RAINA

Raina’s greatest struggle has been bringing more attention to his photography page.

Once he realized that this could be a viable source of income, Raina began contacting more people, hoping to expand his outreach around the community to bring more attention and following to his page.

His main profit came from photographing his classmates’ sweet sixteen birthday parties. However, in the past year, these opportunities began to decline, and professional opportunities have become few and far between.

This hasn’t deterred him from photographing regularly though, as Raina has

his experience with the Sony Alpha 6400 and Sony FE Telephoto Zoom 70-200mm f/2.8 lens he uses, or his tips to editing on Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom, the best advice he has for new photographers would be to actually understand how their camera works. “Learn the settings first, don’t just start shooting on auto ... [because] the moment you learn how to control your settings, your photos will just [immediately improve],” Raina said.

Through his journey, not only have Raina’s photography skills improved, but so has his self-confidence in his craft. “I just kind of realized … the more I do it, the more pictures I take, the better I get [so] it seems more realistic that I’ll [continue photography] in [the] future,” Raina said.

“I learned that photography makes a lot of people happy. People love seeing photos of themselves. And that also makes me happy because I’m able to share these pictures [and] moments [I’ve] captured.”

— JUNIOR DEVANG RAINA

Moving forward, Raina plans to continue photography as a passion. For example, after graduating, he would like to photograph his college’s sports teams. No matter where he goes though, Raina knows that the experience alone is valuable enough. “I learned that photography makes a lot of people happy. People love seeing photos of themselves. And that also makes me happy because I’m able to share these pictures [and] moments [I’ve] captured,” Raina said. ▪ Photo taken and edited by Raina at a basketball game.

PHOTOS COURTESY DEVANG RAINA. GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITORS ANUSHKA VASUDEV & CALLIE YUAN

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Feature 9

DieHard TryHards:

Mardi Gras Masks

By Rajorshi Chatterjee, Michael Qu, Priyanka Shah & Arushi Singh Staff Writers Mardi Gras, the climactic day of the Carnival festival celebrated in New Orleans annually since 1699, will take to the streets again this February, bringing festivity, parade floats, and most notably, the iconic masks. In this edition of DieHard TryHards, four Smokies will attempt to outdo one another to create the Mardi Gra(nde)s(t) mask.

Arushi

priyanka

michael

rajorshi

This challenge is right up my alley, even though I’ve never celebrated Mardi Gras before. I’m picturing the biggest, most colorful mask, with all the sparkles I can possibly find. My winning vision includes the traditional gold, purple, and green colorway but also additional glitter, feathers, jewels, bells, and my secret weapon: lights. Now, to pluck the peacock feathers out of my thirdgrade Halloween costume, win this thing, and then celebrate Fat Tuesday the right way.

Having visited New Orleans just a month ago, the familiarity of vibrant masks decorated with an assortment of feathers and jewels sits fresh in my mind. There is nothing better than taking inspiration straight from the source, and that will be my ticket to victory. I plan to design my mask with unique patterns, striking jewels, and plenty of feathers, resulting in a harmonious blend.

Although I’m not a crafty person, my authenticity will a l l o w me to Gras-iously take first place.

I’ve always loved Mardi Gras for the vibrance and aesthetic of the holiday’s masks, so designing one myself will be an exciting challenge. Drawing inspiration from some of my favorite masked characters — Joker from Persona 5 and Tuxedo Man from Sailor Moon — I’m aiming for a bold, yet refined look to my creation.

With an arsenal of art supplies at my disposal, I’m confident I’ll whip up a Mardi Gras mask–terpiece that’ll leave my competition in awe.

Going into this, I am actually feeling pretty nervous. The last time I made a Mardi Gras mask was in my seventh grade French class using a paper plate with two fading markers (maybe smudged blue and red don’t go that well together). However, this time I will not settle for mediocrity.

No, I will make this mask the boldest and most ostentatious headwear to ever grace the celebration of Mardi Gras, complete with feathers and (obviously) sparkles. It may be called Fat Tuesday, but the sweetest dish of all will be my victory.

My fabulous asymmetric mask screams Mardi Gras, a n d despite the rookie mistake of announcing my vision to the competition, I crushed my very first DieHard TryHards. I will admit to trying embarrassingly hard (glitter was not my friend), but let’s face it, the resulting bedazzled beauty has clearly outdone the competition. So point me in the direction of New Orleans, if not Rio de Janeiro, and call me the craftiest Queen of Carnival!

2nd

If you think about it, placing in the top three is no easy feat, with stiff competition and countless hours of hard work behind every contender. And no, I’m definitely not rationalizing to mask my pain. Despite finishing third, I am very satisfied with my end result, knowing I gave it my all and didn’t even superglue my fingers together.

Having obtained a new wellspring of artistic knowledge and quite the spiffy mask, I will conquer the next DieHard TryHards for sure!

…

Or not.

Maybe I should have tested the self-proclaimed glitter mist bottle on another piece of fabric before emptying it on my innocent mask — it didn’t deserve to look like a piece of moldy cheese afterwards. Honestly, I simply did not have the time or resources to bring my full vision of the Mardi Gras spectacle to life — but I’m okay with that.

The outcome may have been disappointing, but I won’t deny that I had an absolute blast making this.

1st

Although I did not come first place, I’m not mad about second. This means that all the beads, glue, glitter, and feathers that adorned my bedsheets (Yes, I made it on my bed. Yes, this was the worst decision ever.) while I made my mask were not for nothing.

However, Arushi’s addition of lights is ingenious, and I definitely plan to include that in my next attempt at mask-making. I now feel like a Mardi Gras professional and cannot wait to actually attend the festival in person — wearing my mask, of course!

3rd

4th

PHOTOS BY FEATURE EDITOR CALLIE YUAN, COURTESY RAJORSHI CHATTERJEE, MICHAEL QU, PRIYANKA SHAH & ARUSHI SINGH. GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITOR CALLIE YUAN

10 Centerspread

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Full interviews online at:

“Definitely pursue [STEM] with your whole heart. Find friends who are interested, build a community who’s interested, and reach out to people who inspire you. Explore a lot of opportunities, whether that’s internships, or fellowships, or shadowing, and especially in school, experiment a lot, find the things that really bring you joy and then go after it fully. No one’s path looks the same. So if there’s certain things that really light you up in STEM, definitely, go deep and see whether or not that’s something that you like, and you can carve your own path from there.” — MSJ Class of 2015 Alumna Dominique Huang

Sally Ride

“I think the main challenge I faced as a woman in STEM is the lack of self-confidence. In a group where I’m one of the few women, I oftentimes find myself hesitant to express my thoughts or uncomfortable voicing any disagreements. I have also received some comments from peers that may not have been ill-intentioned but were really backhanded compliments related to being a woman in CS. There are a lot of unconscious biases that women have to face in STEM-related fields, not only in the classroom but also later on in the workplace.” — MSJ Class of 2022 “I grew up in the Bay Alumna Lindsey Wen Area, so I think I’ve just been surrounded by STEM, specifically technology, my entire life. That exposure early on introduced me to the early concepts of technology and what it’s like working in the industry. That exposure, along with my interest in problem solving, “I don’t want gender sparked my interest in computer science. to be an issue when it From there, I had a lot of opportunities and comes to pursuing something experiences growing up that introduced you’re interested in. I think the me and further led me into the STEM best way to overcome that is field.” — MSJ Class of 2021 through … equal representation in all Alumna Divya Machineni fields, in order to finally stop having

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MSJ Girls Who Code (GWC) is a branch of the international nonprofit organization GWC, dedicated to inspiring girls to be strong and skilled in the STEM industry, especially in programming. MSJ GWC has hosted workshops on topics such as opportunities in technology, cybersecurity, and steganography, as well as guest speaker events. The officers recently provided instruction in Python, HTML, and AI, with members now applying these acquired skills to an ongoing AI project. “From teaching members programming to collaborating on projects, we aim to continue and better the coding minds of our members,” MSJ GWC Treasurer Junior Agrima Jain said.

Katherine Johnson was a mathematician best known for her critical contributions to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the Space Race and later missions to the moon. In 1952, Johnson was hired by the all-Black West Area Computers section at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Langley Research Center as a “computer,” where she manually performed calculations to send astronauts into space. Her calculations led to the success of the 1961 Mercury-Redstone 3 mission and the 1962 Mercury-Atlas 6 mission, sending both the first American into space and the first American into orbit around Earth, respectively.

Later, Johnson joined the Space Mechanics Division, where she calculated the trajectory for the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon. In 2015, Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in recognition of her pioneering work at NASA and contributions to mathematics.

Key figures

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Centerspread 11

Chien-Shiung Wu Born in Liuhe, China, Chien-Shiung Wu graduated with a degree in physics from Nanjing University in Nanjing, China. After immigrating to the US in 1936, Wu briefly taught physics at Smith College and Princeton University and became the first woman hired at Princeton’s Physics Department. In 1944, Wu was invited to work on the Manhattan Project. During this time, she worked at the Substitute Alloy Materials Lab at Columbia University, developing a process to separate uranium metal into U-235 and U-238 isotopes by gaseous diffusion. Her research improved Geiger counter radiation detection and scientists’ ability to enrich large amounts of uranium, aiding in the creation of the atomic bomb. After garnering the Comstock Prize in Physics in 1964, Wu was elected as the first female president of the American Physical Society in 1975 and received the Wolf Prize in Physics in 1978. Today, Wu is considered the “First Lady of Physics” because of her significant contributions to the field.

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British-American physician Elizabeth Blackwell is the first woman to graduate from a medical school and earn a medical degree, at Geneva Medical College in the US.

Marie Curie Born Maria Skłodowska on November 7, 1867, in Warsaw, Poland, Marie Curie was the youngest of five children. In 1898, Curie and her husband Pierre Curie proved the existence of a new element they called polonium and discovered another element, radium. In 1903, the Curies shared the Nobel Prize with Henri Becquerel in Physics for the discovery of radioactivity, making Curie the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. In 1911, Curie went on to win another Nobel Prize in Chemistry for isolating pure radium, becoming the only woman to win two Nobel Peace Prizes in two different sciences.

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French pilot Raymonde de Laroche becomes the first woman to earn a pilot license, receiving the 36th Aviators Certificate from the Aéro-Club de France.

Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Franklin graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1941 and joined the Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics at King’s College London in 1951 as a research fellow. There, she applied X-ray diffraction methods to the study of DNA, taking the famous Photograph 51, a clear X-ray diffraction image of DNA, after 62 hours of X-ray exposure in a custom machine. After the disclosure of Photograph 51 without her permission, American biologist James Watson and English physicist Francis Crick changed the course of DNA history by suggesting that the structure of DNA is a double-helix polymer. In addition to her work on DNA, Franklin also contributed to the study of viruses by being the first to discover RNA within the tobacco mosaic virus — the first virus structure to be discovered — helping lay the foundation for the field of structural virology.

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SWENext

MSJ Clubs Girls Who Code

Friday, February 23, 2024

Katherine Johnson

From a young age, with encouragement from her parents, Sally Ride fostered a deep interest in science. She went on to receive four degrees at Stanford University, including a doctorate in physics in 1978. In 1983, Ride boarded the ill-fated Challenger and became both the first American woman and the youngest American assigned to a shuttle mission. To pursue her long-time passion for motivating girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM, Ride founded her own company, Sally Ride Science, in 2001.

President Barack Obama posthumously awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in 2013.

a conversation about gender in a specific field.” — AP Chemistry and Living Earth Teacher Oana Seremeta

O I

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MSJ SWENext is a branch of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), an international non-profit educational and service organization founded in 1950. The club is dedicated to advocating for the importance of women in the field of engineering and encouraging young women to pursue an engineering education. “We [also] work on developing skills such as leadership and self-confidence so that they can succeed in [their] careers,” MSJ SWENext President Junior Megan Nguyen said. MSJ SWENext hosts meetings to educate members on topics ranging from engineering careers to artificial intelligence’s impact on engineering. In the fall of 2022, the club collaborated with universities like UC Berkeley and Yale University to host online panels with university students majoring in engineering. While the club primarily advocates for girls to join engineering, all genders are welcome to join. “We hope that MSJ SWENext exposes the next generation to different coding languages besides the mainstream languages such as Java and Python, and in this way, be inspired to dig deeper,” Nguyen said.

WiSTEM

MSJ Women in STEM (WiSTEM) is a chapter of the WiSTEM international non-profit organization, created to support, empower, and inspire high school girls to pursue careers in STEM, a field where women were historically undervalued and underrepresented. MSJ WiSTEM typically hosts educational meetings on topics such as creating resumes and cover letters. This year, the club’s officers introduced their Envision Research Program, in which members collaborate to review literature on a STEM topic and write a scientific paper to publish. “[MSJ] WiSTEM’s main mission is to make STEM accessible to women by providing opportunities that allow them to get more involved. We hope to encourage girls to work in STEM and inspire them to make their own contributions,” MSJ WiSTEM Publicity Coordinator Junior Anvi Madhavan said.

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Women in STEM

By Hannah Bi, Tanvi Deshmukh, Naisha Koppurapu, Keerti Koya & Catherine Qin

February 11 marked the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day dedicated to promoting full and equal access to participation in STEM careers for women around the world. To acknowledge this annual observance recognizing the critical role of women and girls in these fields, the Smoke Signal compiled significant achievements of women in STEM and MSJ clubs focusing on immersing girls in STEM fields.

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American medical scientist Florence Rena Sabin is the first woman to be elected to membership in the National Academy of Sciences. She remains the only woman for 20 years after her acceptance to the academy.

Valentina Tereshkova, a Soviet cosmonaut, becomes the first woman to fly in space during her solo mission aboard the Vostok 6.

Terershkova remains the youngest woman in space until Anastatia Mayers in 2023 and still is the only woman to fly solo into space.

Chinese malariologist and chemist Tu Youyou presents her findings at the National Project 523 after discovering artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin, substances effective for treating malaria, after a malaria outbreak in Northern Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

Biochemist and researcher Katalin Karikó’s investigations on mRNA nucleotides with Drew Weissman lead to the breakthrough in developing COVID-19 vaccines, with their final clinical trial resulting in 90% effectiveness.

PHOTOS COURTESY ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM, NASA/DONALDSON COLLECTION, VIA GETTY IMAGES, AP PHOTO/NASA, BETTMANN ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES, VITTORIO LUZZATI. GRAPHICS BY CENTERSPREAD EDITORS CHLOE GAO & ASHLEY PANG

12 Arts & Entertainment

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Friday, February 23, 2024

nothing matcha to see here

Known for their fusion menu of traditional Vietnamese flavors with a modern twist, Phin Cafe opened its new location at 34460 Fremont Blvd. Suite D on Nov. 27, 2023. The restaurant offers a wide variety of food and drink selections, ranging from warm coffees and sandwiches to fruit teas and fresh smoothies. The cafe is named after the traditional Vietnamese phin method of coffee brewing, a method where roasted dark robusta coffee beans are mixed with sweetened condensed milk and strained through a phin filter, as featured in their logo. The fusion menu offers unique menu items like matcha lemonade and durian coffee, introducing a special twist to everlasting favorites. Despite the pleasing ambience and quick service, the taste and pricing of Phin Cafe’s menu are a let down and make it little more than an Instagrammable location.

Upon entering the cafe, customers are greeted with a classic coffee shop aesthetic, with minimalistic decor and lighting. Simple details such as pothos vines draping the walls and hanging lighting above tables add to its comforting environment. The cafe’s calm and cozy ambience offers an ideal location to study or meet with friends. However, the small space unfortunately limits the seating options, and the best choice is often to purchase drinks to go. Customers purchase drinks and snacks at the front register, which offers an up close view of the drink crafting process. Cashiers are also

By Hannah Bi and Anandita Devata Staff Writers incredibly patient, even offering their own suggestions to help customers choose from the exquisite, and often overwhelming, menu.

As for the cafe’s main attraction — the drinks, especially coffee — the Coconut Coffee lives up to the hype, infusing a perfect balance of fruit flavor with traditional coffee.

Likewise, the Ube Coffee offers a creamy, rich flavor with the addition of the sweet purple yam paste at the bottom of the cup. However, several drinks were high maintenance, such as the Pandan Coffee, a traditional Vietnamese beverage combining grassy notes of pandan leaves with a classic coffee. The teal green cream layered onto the rich iced coffee and topped with an egg yolk cookie creates a stunning aesthetic, but it proved disappointing with the painstaking process of mixing the layers together. Unfortunately, the layers cannot be savored separately, as the denser coffee was much too bitter to be consumed without the almost-too-sweet teal green cream on top, immensely taking away from fully appreciating the drink itself. The cafe also features several flavors of traditional banh mi sandwiches. The sandwich’s bread and vegetable base had a surprising lack of flavor, although the meat filling overcompensates with its tangy sauce.

The cafe’s drinks bring unparalleled delights with their fusion flavors, but their interpretations of traditional flavors sometimes do not match up. The Mangonada with Chamoy, a Mexican sorbet, unexpectedly incorporated a spicy sauce into the smoothie, producing a disagreeable combination. The restaurant’s regular tea-shop drinks like the Rosie Dream fruit tea also fell short of expectations, as an overpowering bitterness from a combination of green tea and rose flavoring spoiled the sim-

ple sweetness of the original lychee rose drink.

However, their Purple Heart milk tea, another ube drink, has a delectable ube flavor, similar to other ube beverages of Vietnamese culture.

At a price range of $6-8 for drinks, the small sizes and air space at the top of each cup disappoint, providing little product for value.

The distinctive flavors play a role in the higher pricing range, but they do not elevate drinks as much as expected.

Overall, Phin Cafe’s fusion menu proves its dedication to increasing cultural awareness of Vietnamese flavors and food. While the careful effort for constructing each drink and its aesthetic is commendable, the quality does not justify its pricing, making the restaurant a mediocre experience at best. ▪ Grade: B-

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS ANANDITA DEVATA & HANNAH BI. GRAPHICS BY A&E EDITOR GOONJA BASU

BABYTRON As the stage lights flickered between red and blue with the tempo of a metronome from the speakers slowly amping up, the crowd settled. However, this quiet was short lasting, as a roar of cheers swept the audience as BabyTron emerged from backstage.

BabyTron’s 2MEGA North America Tour was held in The Regency Ballroom in San Francisco on February 7. The show kicked off with an opening performance from rapper Babyfxce E, who played tracks such as “Kentucky Love” and “Broad Day” to warm up the crowd. Cheering loudly and dancing to the 808-heavy beats of Babyfxce E, the crowd made sure to show their appreciation for the artist.

After an hour-long run performance, Babyfxce E finished off his opening act by asking the audience, “Are y’all ready for BabyTron or what?” Following a booming roar of approval, the recognizable beat of BabyTron’s hit song “Out On Bond” resonated from the crackly speakers. Continuing to kick off the show with mainstream hits such as “Down,

Up!” and “Mr. Hanky,” BabyTron however also spotlighted some of his less popular songs such as “241” and “Yo Momma.” Putting together songs from every era of his time as an artist, BabyTron brought together fans from the entirety of his discography, old and new alike.

With lyrics like “I ain’t banned from D.C., they love me in the DMV” to “Pandemic scamming, now I’m tryna put the team on,” BabyTron’s wordplay has always been characterized by equal parts raunch and taunt with diverse references to pop culture, basketball, and childhood. His relatively relaxed lyricism paired with boisterous beats harkens back to a time of old-school rap and has garnered him a cult following in an increasingly saturated and homogenous genre. The Michigan rapper capitalized on his distinct and fresh style maintaining an overall informal, laidback air throughout his performance.

The best part of the concert did not lie within the performances by Babyfxce E or BabyTron, but rather within the atmosphere

in san francisco

By Vedesh Kodnani & Aaryan Suri News Editor & Sports Editor

created by the audience. Huddling up side by side, forming mosh pits and counting down the beat drops for each song, the bond within the crowd was electric. The audience’s aura did not end here, with fan’s wearing their BabyTron merchandise while chanting the artists name repeatedly in hopes of him starting his set early.

If there was one letdown, it was BabyTron’s lack of stage time despite extensive opening acts. The rapper seemed relatively disinterested in his audience and sped through prerecorded mixtapes and while neglecting to engage with fans apart from the occasional pose. In total,

he performed for less than an hour, leaving many eager for more as they trickled out the main hall. Still, the electrifying but faithful renditions of fan favorites overwhelmingly satisfied audience members who rushed to purchase merchandise and take photos with BabyTron’s eclectic roster of openers.

By the concert’s end, energy was still high in The Regency Ballroom. From vulgar and unapologetic lyricism to upbeat, catchy rhythms, the concert featured everything that fans have come to love about BabyTron. ▪

PHOTOS BY SPORTS EDITOR AARYAN SURI, GRAPHICS BY A&E EDITOR SANAH BHARDWAJ

Friday, February 23, 2024

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Arts & Entertainment 13

C R I T I C S’ C O R N E R

argylle: Fun-filled spy action or captivating drag?

The tiger’s apprentice: too much for too little

By Lucas Zhang Staff Writer

By Daphne Senecal Staff Writer

On February 2, the spy action comedy Argylle hit the big screen in US theaters and caught nationwide attention. After being in the works for more than two years, Argylle takes its viewers into a universe where the events in female novelist Elly Conway’s spy novel series closely mirror those happening in the real world.

The film makes extensive efforts to capture the audience’s attention through well-made, action-packed scenes, but the abrupt changes in pace throughout the movie bring down the viewer’s experience.

The film opens by tracing Argylle (Henry Cavill) in Greece in a riveting chase scene that enticingly captivates the audience’s attention. The focus then shifts to the US, where Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) finishes a live reading of her fourth installment in the Argylle series and starts planning her fifth book. Seamless transitions between Elly’s narration and real-life events from Agent Argylle’s perspective take full advantage of the story being told through a movie rather than through a book and establish a close parallel between the novels and reality. One example of this cinematography is the transition between the text “Hong Kong” on Elly’s computer screen to the city’s skyline, where the real-life Argylle is seen. These filming decisions help immerse the audience in the world of Argylle, where there is seemingly a connection between novels and reality, and nothing is what it seems.

While the exposition may seem too slow-paced for viewers, the bulk of the movie’s action begins as Elly takes a train and begins her adven-

Based on the titular book by Laurence Yep, adventure film The Tiger’s Apprentice is an action-packed animated movie that leaves viewers trying desperately to recall even a single interesting event that occurred in its run time. Released in the US on February 2 by Paramount+, The Tiger’s Apprentice spoon-feeds its audience half baked life lessons as they watch its dull protagonist fulfill his destiny of becoming the next guardian of the ancient phoenix.

The movie is centered around 15-year-old Tom Lee (Brandon Soo Hoo) as he navigates his new life as Hu/Tiger’s (Henry Golding) apprentice after the sudden death of his grandmother, the previous guardian.

Her death marks the return of the evil, power-hungry Loo (Michelle Yeoh) who plans to steal the phoenix in order to destroy humanity. Tom, along with the rest of the Zodiac guardians, must now find a way to protect the phoenix and defeat Loo once and for all.

There is nothing remarkably interesting about Tom in appearance or personality. His character design is plain and forgettable especially once compared to the more detailed looks of the Zodiac guardians. While his character is set up as a bullied protagonist who rises above adversity and is often used to make watchers root for the protagonist, Tom’s generally lackluster reactions to significant changes in his life make it difficult to care about him. Tom hardly reacts at all at the beginning of the film, when his house burns down and his grandmother dies, He does not cry or lash out, simply going along with what Hu wants him to do, moving past these traumatic events unreasonably quickly.

The film introduces several cliché messages throughout the film only to never follow through on any of them.

UNDER THE RADAR

By Alice Zhao Staff Writer Chicago-based musician Jhung Kim, better known by his stage name Jhung, emerged onto the bedroom pop music scene with his 2022 EP Always the End. The calm indie pop tunes, catchy melodies, and hypnotic voice featured in the EP have since garnered him more than 600 thousand listeners on Spotify.

A classically trained oboist and pianist, Kim has been involved with music since he was young. However, as he grew older, he began to lose passion for creating classical music, which inspired him to begin to work on Always the End during quarantine.

Recorded entirely on his phone and mixed without speakers, Always the End was finished during Kim’s last year at The University of Chicago, exploring topics of love, loss, moving on, and loneliness. Inspired by artists such as bLAck pARty and Tyler, The Creator, each track on Kim’s debut EP blends into the next as he sings over a chorus of violins and soft piano acoustics with the occasional laidback drum beat. All of these traits culminated in an unforgettable and instantly popular debut bedroom pop album.

Since the release of Always the End, Kim has played two shows — one of which was where he opened for R&B singer Ravyn Lenae and the other was a self-titled farewell concert, played one month before he graduated with a degree in Law, Letters, and Society & Music. Kim has also stated his interest in releasing music in the future that is “more intentional about his public-facing persona.” ▪

IMDB.COM

ture. The actors incorporate a lot of breathtaking stunts, such as skating on oil as if it were ice and spinning while shooting down a ring of antagonists, to keep the audience thrilled while keeping the experience as realistic as possible. The gun violence commonly used in the jam-packed action scenes involving Elly adds a layer of risk to the scene by constantly putting the protagonists under the threat of death. Through the incredible cast acting, Argylle features some frantic and fun moments that the audience will remember. However, once the audience adapts to the quirks of the movie that make it thrilling to watch, the second half feels like a bore aside from a few standout moments due to less emphasis on plot development and a greater focus on the action within the film.

Although the lines of dialogue spoken by the characters are simple with subtle nuances in tone, they are effective in maintaining the action movie’s pace throughout its runtime. A member of the underground syndicate tells Elly that she will not make it past a confrontation with them in a serious tone. Moments later, Elly affectionately thanks Al-

fie the Cat (Chip) in a highly contrasting tone after the cat saves Elly from being shot down. These subtle differences in the dialogue help the audience establish a connection to the film’s characters through a series of high-quality scenes. While the changes in pace towards the end of the movie fit the plot more closely, the more predictable nature of them makes the movie feel less exciting the longer it goes on.

Overall, Argylle is a fun-filled getaway to the theater that attempts to captivate the viewer throughout its nearly 2.5-hour runtime. However, the film’s use of silly action clips gradually becomes ineffective the more it is used. In the trailer for Argylle, these scenes may come out as a compelling action movie, but scenes similar to those featured in the trailer become a drag to viewers by the end of the 139 minutes that they spend watching it. However, this does not take away from the high quality of the cinematography and acting, and the film still lays the groundwork for a new movie series. ▪ Grade: B+

February 2024 Student Faves MOVIE: Moneyball — Shirin Alapati, 12 TV SHOW: Suits — Nikita Kamath, 12 ALBUM: Operation: Doomsday by MF Doom — Gokul Boreda, 10 BOOK: The Secret History by Donna Tartt — Connie Li, 10 GAME: Madden 24 — Rohan Reddy, 10

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This is especially prevalent in the two most emphasized lessons of the movie: finding oneself and choosing peaceful resolutions over violence.

The first of these ideas is dramatically brought up with what is supposedly a turning point in Tom’s character journey after he tries to hunt down Loo only to never be spoken about during the rest of the run time. The latter is introduced by Tom’s grandmother at the beginning of the film only to be brought back awkwardly at conclusion by Tom repeating her verbatim. In a story that is filled with almost nothing but action-packed violence, the reiteration of this wisdom is left with no place to fit in and results in a disatisfying conclusion to the film’s final battle with Loo. Furthermore, the resolution that results from the repetition of Tom’s newly understood insight is not embodied in how Loo is defeated, leaving movie-goers confused and dissatisfied.

The Tiger’s Apprentice is ultimately 84 minutes of action-packed nothingness, leaving watchers wondering if anything even happened at all.

While its main character may not be unlikeable, he is dull and is quickly overshadowed once the Zodiac guardians are introduced. Though this animation had a mildly interesting concept, it is executed so poorly that it shames the legacy of the original book. ▪ Grade: D-

Zara Larsson’s venus is far from stellar

SPOTIFY

By Keerti Koya Staff Writer Swedish singer and songwriter Zara Larsson released her fourth studio album VENUS on February 9.

The 12-track record is an explorative pop album, dipping into various genres like R&B while reflecting her emotions as she enters a new stage in her life. Despite its ambitious genre exploration and raw portrayal of emotional vulnerability, Larsson fails to bring any sense of uniqueness into each track and develops a messy storyline with no tangible story.

Larsson has long been wellknown for her energetic summer songs “Lush Life,” “Ain’t My Fault,” “Ruin My Life” and “Don’t Worry Bout Me” in past works, as well as her smash-hit collab with Clean Bandit, “Symphony.” VENUS is Larsson’s first album released under her newly established label Sommer House, and includes singles “Can’t Tame Her, and “On My Love” with David Guetta, both of which hit #1

on the Mediabase US Dance Radio.

While the album is supposed to be a solid body of work voicing Larsson’s feelings, it falls quite short of serving its purpose.

Reflecting its name VENUS, after the Roman mythological goddess of love and beauty, the album explores the topic of love from far too many perspectives. Unlike the lack of change beat of the album, the underlying meaning behind each song changes drastically. Toward the beginning of the album, in the electro, dance-pop song “On My Love,” Larsson presents a “love letter” to her younger sister Hanna, by speaking for those who would sacrifice everything for a relationship that they value. She evokes nostalgic feelings as she sings “Whether it’s wrong, whether it’s right, I will follow / I’ll pay the price, I’ll sacrifice.” Later on in the album, Larsson sings “And I know that we can’t go back / But we’ll always have the soundtrack” in “Soundtrack,” as she describes the feelings of missing a partner and

reminisces the memories she shared with them by creatively referencing other songs the two enjoyed listening to together. Yet in “Venus,” Larsson feels like her world has turned upside down by the newfound overwhelming fondness she experiences for someone. As the album abruptly transitions from happy states of love to heart-breaking moments and back several times, listeners lose the ability to grab onto any real flow.

In an interview with Billboard, Larsson said that this album is supposed to reflect the fact that she is not confined by the idea of remaining in one genre. Yet besides the two tracks “Soundtrack” and “The Healing,” the remaining ten songs follow the same underlying beat patterns.

For example, Larsson sings “She’ll do what she wants and you can’t hold her down,” in “Can’t Tame Her,” a song about woman empowerment that reasonably befits a strong, radiant beat. Larsson maintains this upbeat atmosphere in “More Than This Was,” as she sings “Could you

stay right by my side / One more time just to try? / What if we coulda been / so much more.” Despite the lyrics describing the feelings that arise when parting from a lover, doubling with Larsson’s soulful, longing voice, the background music remains positive and cheery, creating a stark and misplaced contrast.

With a monotonously elevated sound and unvarying upbeat style throughout the album, each track lacks the individuality that does not allow Larsson to convey the true meaning behind each song.

While VENUS is supposed to serve as a means for Larsson to voice her feelings, it leaves the audience in a confused mess of what they should be feeling. As songs that sound identical blend into each other and the album lacks a connected narrative, VENUS does not live up to its stellar name. ▪ Grade: C+

SMOKIE PLAYLIST: AARON: “oui” by Jeremih | AARYAN: “Always” by Daniel Caesar | ANNIE: “Door” by Mitski | ANNIKA: “Japanese Denim” by Daniel Caesar | Falling in Love February ANUSHKA: “Lover” by Taylor Swift | ASHLEY: “Love wins all” by IU | CALLIE: “From The Start” by Laufey | CHLOE: “Lovesick” by Laufey | ELTON:: “Used to Me” by Luke Chiang | GOONJA: “Sidelines” by Phoebe Bridgers | HANNAH: “fall for me” by WIMY | JULIA: “ONLY” by LeeHi | KARINA: “To the Bone” by Pamungkas | KAYLEE: “Another Day of Sun” by La La Land Cast | JIYUN: “Love Trial” by 40mP | SANAH: “Birds Dont Sing”

by TV Girl | VEDESH: “Baby I’m Yours” by Arctic Monkeys | WAYLON: “Flight’s Booked” by Drake | MRS. COHEN: “Just the Way You Are” by Billy Joel

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Friday, February 23, 2024

Team Spotlight: Tacobots

By Shuhan Jin & Catherine Qin Staff Writers

Team picture of Tacobots after winning a tournament.

The MSJ community is home to many competitive robotics teams, including the highly skilled and successful Tacobots. Officially named Team 11099 under For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), Tacobots was established in 2015 and has been competing in robotics competitions for seven years. The team consists of 11 MSJ students from all grades who come together to compete in designing, building, and programming robots to solve challenges from local to national levels.

Founded in 1989, FIRST operates some of the most prestigious and well-known robotics competitions for students between elementary and high school. Tacobots primarily compete in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC). In FTC, teams of up to 15 students work together and compete to design and program robots to perform certain tasks. The challenges foster teamwork, innovation, a strong understanding of advanced engineering concepts, and problem-solving skills.

Tacobots were first created by Senior Prakrit Ramachandran and his older broth-

er. “My [older] brother and I started [Tacobots because] we both did Lego robotics and wanted to continue robotics in middle and high school,” Team Captain and Hardware Lead Ramachandran said. This year, the members of Tacobots include Seniors Ramachandran, Siddharth Ramnarayanan, Co-Software Lead Akhil Vemuri, Outreach Lead Aum Narkar, Atharv Saxena, Aadi Kaul, Aman Katyal, Shlok Prabhu, Juniors Co-Software Lead Aarav Jagtiani and Jaithra Patel, who attends BASIS Independent Fremont, and Freshman Shaurya Palusa.

“I feel like thanks to robotics I’m more willing to push through … and [become] more resilient and persevering through any challenges that I face.”

— SENIOR AUM NARKAR

Each member has a specific role fit for their unique strengths, such as programming, using Computer Aided Design (CAD) to create the robot, and outreach.

Still, each member is versatile in working on different aspects of the robot but has the chance to learn different skills outside of their specialization. “I feel like thanks to robotics I’m more willing to push through … and [become] more resilient and persevering through any challenges that I face,” Narkar said. The team has group meetings twice a week to set goals for the upcoming week and track their progress, especially before tournaments. Within each specialized sub-

team, members meet on their own time to work on their respective tasks.

Since their rookie year in 2015, Tacobots have won multiple awards at both the Qualifying and Regional levels of FTC. During the 2023 season, they won the Motivate Award, which is awarded to the team that best exemplifies team spirit and the culture of FIRST, and the Inspire Award 2nd Place, which is awarded to teams who best embody the challenge and inspire other teams. In the previous year, Tacobots also advanced to the California-NorCal FTC Regional Championship. Through incredible teamwork skills combined with innovative ways of connecting STEM principles, they received the Connect and Promote Awards.

However, while preparing for tournaments, the team often experiences challenges that they must overcome. “The biggest obstacle was having our parts breaking [at the] last minute because it’s really hard to quickly fix them properly … [We just] have

Tacobots’ robot navigating through this challenge’s obstacles.

to create quick solutions and get over that hump,” Jagtiani said.

“We are hoping to encourage … younger kids in general that we’ve [worked with in the past] to join Tacobots and carry the legacy forward so that hopefully the Tacobots can stay as a team in Fremont … and FTC and FRC [First Robotics Competition] as well.”

— SENIOR AUM NARKAR

As for the future, the team is currently preparing for the NorCal FTC Regional Championship from February 24 to 25.

Their biggest goal for this season is to qualify for the 2024 FIRST Championship. But the seniors on the team share a more personal goal — leaving a lasting legacy. “We are hoping to encourage … younger kids in general that we’ve [worked with in the past] to join Tacobots and carry the legacy forward so that hopefully the Tacobots can stay as a team in Fremont … and FTC and FRC [First Robotics Competition] as well,” Narkar said. ▪

Tacobots testing their robot in their garage during a practice run.

PHOTOS COURTESY AARAV JAGTIANI. GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITORS ANUSHKA VASUDEV & CALLIE YUAN, FIRSTINSPIRES.ORG

Friday, February 23, 2024

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Winter Sports Recap

By Novak Chen, Brittany Lu & Howard Lu Staff Writers

Girls Basketball Girls Basketball finished the season with a record of 4-9 and placed fifth in MVAL. With the departure of several key seniors, the team was committed to picking up where they left off and starting the season strong. “We had five returning varsity players, and the rest were new. In terms of experience, it definitely was a bit hard, just trying to catch everyone up and get them to the varsity level,” Girls Basketball Captain Senior Shivani Kyadhari said. In the beginning of the season, defense was an issue for the team, leading to a couple of losing streaks at the start of the season. However, even with these challenges, the team never lost hope and continued playing hard during practices. “Having a really new team to varsity, we had a lot of players who had struggles early on, but I think we did a good job as the season went on adapting to new plays and we all knew our responsibilities,” Kyadhari said.

Boys Wrestling Boys Wrestling finished the season with a record of 1-5 for dual meets, with three wrestlers qualifying for NCS. Despite facing challenges such as a team composed of mostly new wrestlers in addition to injured experienced wrestlers, Boys Wrestling persevered. “We had people with broken arms in the beginning of the season, and they just couldn’t wrestle or compete,” Boys Wrestling Captain Senior Moustafa Hegab said. From sprints to lugging around heavy medicine balls, their hard work from their rigorous practices paid off when they won their dual meet against Irvington High School.

While they may not have ended the season with their desired win-loss record, their resilience and hard work will continue to pay off in the future. “I think despite having a lot of new people, we had enough veterans to set a kind of bar for what they aspire to be. And that’s going to help guide them in the next few years,” Hegab said.

Sports 15

Boys Basketball

After going 2-12 last season, Boys Basketball geared up for an exciting season with a clear focus on turning their fortunes around. They did just that, finishing the season with an overall record of 5-9 and placing sixth in MVAL. “I think our team did best at improving our offensive end. Last year we had lots of problems making sure we were able to run plays and consistently getting shots down, and this year we definitely have been able to do that a lot better,” Boys Basketball Captain Senior Brandon Bao said. With most of the team experienced in playing varsity basketball together, team chemistry quickly developed on and off the court. Like last year, however, the season still met its fair share of challenges and frustrations, including a four-game losing streak at the end of January.

“I think a lot of it has to do with discipline. When there’s no source of authority for our team, everyone starts to slack off. But once we get that going, I feel like our team is really able to keep the pace up,” Bao said.

Girls Wrestling Girls Wrestling finished off their season with a record of 1-5 for dual meets, with five wrestlers qualifying for NCS. While facing challenges early on, including a lineup of mostly fresh faces and injured returning varsity players, the team showcased their grit and perseverance throughout the season. “Most of our varsity team was knocked out, so we haven’t been able to perform as well as we’d like at dual meets,” Girls Wrestling Captain Senior Svara Deshmukh said. From live wrestling rounds and conditioning at daily practices, their hard work paid off when they fought for their well deserved win in their dual meet against Irvington High School. “The team worked hard. I feel like we had a novice team, so a lot of first-year wrestlers worked really hard to get better in a short amount of time,” Deshmukh said.

Boys Soccer

Girls Soccer Girls Soccer finished this season with an overall record of 2-13-1, placing seventh in MVAL, managing to snatch wins off of Irvington High School and San Lorenzo High School despite fielding a mostly new, inexperienced roster. “All of the freshmen that tried out [had] never played soccer before, so it was hard to train everybody to [play within] the system,” Midfielder Sophomore Diya Garg said. Even though the team started out with no experience playing together, they made significant steps in the right direction towards being a more cohesive squad. “We really worked on communicating on the field because before [everyone got more experienced], we would rarely talk on the pitch, and a lot of it comes from team bonding, but now we communicate a lot better,” Garg said.

Ever since the experienced senior athletes that helped lead Boys Soccer to their incredible 2022 season graduated, the team has been in a developmental and rebuilding phase. While last year was a winless season, Boys Soccer managed to win once this year while finishing 1-15, showing improvements from last season.

One struggle the team had to overcome was how inconsistent the lineup was. “Some games we have a third of the team missing, and other games we have an entire bench of athletes waiting to be subbed in,” Boys Soccer Coach Ian MacKenzie said. “In high school, there are lots of other factors [like] being sick, AP classes, stuff like ‘I’m failing this class, so I gotta pass this test’, and having to manage the Mission lifestyle, and balancing it with being a soccer athlete [is a challenge].” In spite of the tough season that the team experienced, Boys Soccer Co-Captain Senior Advik Viswanath remains optimistic about the team’s future.

“Our team had a lot of new faces this season. Despite us being inexperienced, I think everyone adapted to it pretty quickly. [And] as the season progressed so did our chemistry,” Viswanath said.

PHOTOS COURTESY SVARA DESHMUKH & DEVANG RAINA. GRAPHICS BY SPORTS EDITOR AARON ZHOU

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Spring Sports Preview

By Sarah Hu, Maryam Naseer & Ethan Yan Staff Writers

Boys tennis

Boys golf

With ample momentum after two consecutive NCS wins, Boys Tennis is gearing up for another successful season. Although the team lost several top players from last season, it was able to adapt with pre-season training. “All the captains understand that we have a big role to fill in, and all the players on the team realize they have a bigger role,” Boys Tennis Co-Captain Senior Krish Gupta said. The captains are working to improve the skill level of new recruits as soon as possible, especially their hitting skills, shooting for the team’s goal of winning NCS for the third time in a row and building on the momentum of a semifinalist finish at the CIF regional championships last year. “I think the team is self-motivated to go backto-back-to-back, so they’re already working with themselves to get things going,” Boys Tennis Coach Michael Jan said.

With ambitious goals to continue winning NCS and move onto CIF, the Boys Golf team has a promising season in store. In the past few years, the team has seen great successes due to their well-seasoned players.This year, in addition to performing well, they hope to build a strong foundation for future years.

“I’m just looking for another fifth and sixth player. I have really a top four player team, and we’re looking for two more to complete it,” Boys Golf Coach Terry Dalziel said. In order to create the ideal team they are looking for, the team plans to cater more of the training and practices to the younger players, ensuring that for the next few seasons, the team stays strong. “Before we spent a lot of time with the veterans who had already been playing, this year we will be trying to give more attention to the new players,” Junior Aditya Sujay said.

Baseball

Track & Field

Due to a new surge of talent, this year’s Baseball team will be divided into Junior Varsity and Varsity squads, a decision that aims to provide development opportunities for all players. “I would like to have good camaraderie and build a good team concept.

That’s my goal as a coach,” Baseball Coach Bobby Kanno said. Other notable changes this season include an earlier start to conditioning programs aimed at injury prevention and maximizing player performance. Additionally plans by the coach are underway to facilitate closer collaboration between older and younger players to strengthen team chemistry.With Kanno’s extensive experience in coaching at the Little League, he is excited for both new and returning players alike.

As one of the largest sports teams on campus, Track and Field are gearing up for another exciting season with a key change that grants co-captains full autonomy over their respective event. “We have a lot more organized leadership this year, and I’m looking forward to a much more coordinated and disciplined team,” Captain Senior Phoenix Hin said. By the season’s end the coaches and captains aim for 50 athletes to qualify for the MVAL Finals, hoping to make it to NCS. “I expect [players] to develop discipline and good athletic character traits that will allow them to grow and thrive in the future years,” Track and Field Coach Brian Singleton said.

Softball

This year, Softball hopes to improve its winning record and foster lasting relationships among its players, improving team chemistry compared with last season. “We’re definitely going to be working on team camaraderie... We are making sure that we’re all working well together and having everyone fit into the team is going to be essential with our newer team,” Softball Co-Captain Senior Amanda Deng said. The connections among team members will help the team to develop a stronger team dynamic and perform better against top competitors, such as James Logan High School and Newark Memorial High School. “Overall, the team hitting was better.

And what I hope to accomplish this year is to maintain that growth in hitting and improve the defense,” Softball Coach Joseph Iwamiya said.

Swimming

Despite a smaller team size this year, the athletes are determined to make higher standings in the MVAL rankings. With the addition of new swimmers both experienced and fresh-faced, the team is poised to fill any gaps and strengthen their performance. “A lot of underclassmen are club swimmers, so they will really help with our incoming freshman,” Captain Senior Audrey Lim said. Under the guidance of newly appointed coach Laurence Lee, who previously coached at James Logan High School, the Junior Varsity team has incorporated morning practices, to enhance their skills and camaraderie. With morning and evening practices now in full swing, the swim team is ready to dive into the seasons with determination and unity.

BADMINTON With goals of continuing their 17-year NCS win streak, sending more players to CIF with top 2 finishes, and performing well against their top rival Irvington High School, Badminton hopes to improve team chemistry by hosting more team bonding events and fun drills.

Regarding the departure of many talented seniors, Badminton Captain Senior Savanna Lee said, “It will definitely be an adjustment because we have very close relationships with last year’s seniors. However, I’m very confident that we can form the same type of bond with this year’s team.”

boys volleyball

With the departure of six seniors, Boys Volleyball hopes to learn and reflect from last year to have a successful season. The main focus for the team this year is team chemistry and communication, two integral skills in the sport. “A lot of these players are coming in knowing the game, but playing as an individual versus a team, so I want to see that change,” Boys Volleyball Coach Thien Nguyen said. With the addition of many new players to the team, the drills they practice will focus on improving the skills that will be used in a game-time setting.

GRAPHICS BY SPORTS EDITOR AARYAN SURI & SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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Friday, February 23, 2024

Club Spotlight: Lifting Club

By Jeffrey Li & Trisha Parikh Staff Writers Weightlifting has grown exponentially in popularity thanks to the rise of fitness influencers, along with many people’s desire for self-improvement at the beginning of the year.

However, many MSJ students may not have access to a gym membership and may feel lost at the start of their weightlifting journey. This issue inspired the creation of MSJ Lifting Club, which aims to guide MSJ students new to weightlifting and create a supportive community of weightlifters at MSJ to promote fitness and health overall. The club is led by Presidents Juniors Joshua Liu and Ethan Lau, Vice President Sophomore Pranav Gurram, Secretary Sophomore Landen Chu, Treasurer Sophomore Winston Pan, and Activities Coordinator Sophomore Vihaan Chawla.

The officers all have a background in weightlifting and going to the gym, both as conditioning for other sports and as a hobby. For example, Pan and Chu both condition for volleyball, while Liu goes to the gym regularly. As a result of their weightlifting experience, Lifting Club officers have discovered that weightlifting provides many benefits to MSJ students, especially those constantly stressed by school. Another benefit of lifting that the officers have personally experienced is increased confidence as a result of a better physique. “Lifting at the gym has definitely helped me not only in the physical aspects of life, but also the mental aspects of life, and I want to bring that to non-lifters … this club can be a gateway to a healthier and stronger MSJ,” Liu said.

The club officers plan to develop their club into a relaxed environment welcoming students to come with their friends and pursue their goals for weight-lifting, muscular strength and endurance. As a fairly new club, they current-

ly only use MSJ’s weight room. However, they plan to host events outside of MSJ, including workout sessions at 24 Hour Fitness and other gyms. They also hope to host workshops on a wide variety of topics, such as nutrition and health.

MSJ Lifting Club hosts weekly meetings every Tuesday at lunch in the weight room, which is located near the book room. The club plans on organizing the meetings by different muscle groups, such as the back, chest, and legs.

To participate in the club, a parental consent form, or liability waiver, must be signed and submitted to the officers and advisers, Stephanie Randazzo and Melissa Kaeo. The link to the waiver is located on their social media platforms. With the cooperation and hard work of all those involved, the club officers have high hopes for the future of their club. “What drove me to make this club was the yearning to create an environment where lifters at MSJ can come together and form a lasting community . . .

Students should join this club if they want to get into lifting, or [are] just looking to have a good time during lunch,” Liu said.

Lifting Club members attend their first meeting.

PHOTO BY STAFF WRITERS JEFFREY LI & TRISHA PARIKH

Friday, February 23, 2024

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Photo 19

TURN IT UP AT

Bay Area Record Stores

By Tushara Devapatla, Jeffrey Li & Vidyuth Sridhar Staff Writers

Though the majority of people now opt to listen to music digitally, many still collect and listen to records for pre-digital nostalgia. The Smoke Signal visited some local record stores to explore the world of vinyl record collecting.

Mantiques Located on 131 I St, Needle to The Groove is a brick-and-mortar record store that buys, sells, and trades both new and old records at a variety of price points. A staple of the Niles community for nearly 20 years, Needle to The Groove is popularly frequented by youth and adult fans of rock, pop, hip-hop, funk, and more.

Artists on the store’s shelves include sixties rock band The Doors, San Francisco native Diamond Ortiz, and pop-megastar Taylor Swift. Needle to The Groove also hosts live events, such as a Penny Pitch jam session featuring local DJs like Ras Babo and Max Level. In addition, the store frequently receives and spotlights records from local artists, such as singer-songwriter Ian Santillano. “You would think that with the age of streaming, the physical record industry would be hurt, but it’s not … we [even] have international buyers that come from Japan and Brazil,” Store Owner Daniel Bernal said.

Needle to the Groove

“My dad has a lot of different records from a long time ago, and they are very important to him. His collection is mostly Chinese music and he sometimes plays the records on our record player at home. The audio is definitely very different from digital music in that it’s a lot more rich and Daojing Lin, 10 warm.” -

Located in downtown Hayward at 946 B Street, Ska Dog Records is a vibrant record repository. Though buyers can purchase records across a multitude of genres and time periods — from jazz standards to Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS) — Ska Dog specializes in its robust rock collection. The store displays and offers a variety of subgenres, including alt-rock, shoegaze, and reggae. In addition, Ska Dog hosts a variety of live events, inviting local musicians and groups to play outside its doors. “The store is packed with a lot of my eccentricities, the stuff I like to carry, but it also has the [records] people really want to get — the Deftones, pop music, Radiohead,” Store Owner Chris Hill said.

Located on 37671 Niles Blvd, Mantiques is a Niles antique store that sells a variety of antique records, comics, toys, and many other types of memorabilia. “[We are] a group of sellers … You’ll see records all around the store,” Store Owner John Canepa said. Its cozy atmosphere draws people in, and the immense selection of items keeps customers browsing for hours on end.

With most of its record collection coming from the 60s and 70s, the store houses a large collection of old records from bands such as the Beatles and Fleetwood Mac. The front of the store, which is newly renovated, has an entire section dedicated to records and comics. With its wide selection of music, the store is an accessible and fun place for music-lovers to find their next favorite vinyl.

Ska Dog Records

“I mostly collect records containing music from video games like Undertale. I really like these because they have nice artwork on the disks and serve as good decorations and also because I can support some of my favorite creators by buying them.” - Advai Srinivasan, 11

Half-Price Books Half-Price Books is a chain of bookstores in the US with a Fremont location at 39152 Fremont Hub. Despite primarily selling books, records are also available at this location, along with other physical forms of music such as CDs. The store houses an extensive collection of records, from older 80s music to popular artists today; David Bowie can be found next to Lana Del Rey. Along with vinyls, Half-Price Books also houses a medley of music CDs, from country to pop music. The store has a bustling environment, always filled with customers, and the store’s diverse collection of vinyls ensures any music lover will find something they like.

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS TUSHARA DEVAPATLA & VIDYUTH SRIDHAR. GRAPHICS BY GRAPHICS EDITOR JIYUN GUO

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Friday, February 23, 2024

By Navya Chitlur & Maryam Naseer Staff Writers The 56th California International Antiquarian Book Fair returned to San Francisco from February 9-11, showcasing and selling hundreds of antique books, maps, newspapers, jewelry, games, and more, through rare booksellers. The two-story fair was similar to a museum for historical literature, appealing to attendees interested in the artistry of rare or old books.

At the entrance to the first floor, bustling book lovers admired booths from a plethora of different booksellers, such as James Cummins Bookseller, which sold antiquated books as well as games and other artifacts. Old parlor games, handmade cards, illustrated books, and textbooks lined the shelves, creating an immersive experience of historical everyday life for the visitors. Other booths sold literature and novels, such as first-edition or handwritten copies, or writing or art that was not officially published such as Picasso’s Le Cheval or Charles Dickens’ newspaper stories. Countless books were hand-bound and varied greatly in size — ranging from barely visible to too heavy to carry — and in language, with some in Latin or old German.

As attendees made their way to the second floor, they were greeted with Jonkers Rare Books, a booth with special signed copies of many popular classics such as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The booth also carried beautiful illustrated editions of classic books printed hundreds of years ago, such as Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

“My favorite part of dealing and handling first editions of famous novels is signed letters written by famous authors, books given from one seller to another, they all sort of play a part in it,” Jonkers Rare Books Seller Tom Ayling said.

On the other hand, booths such as Books of Wonder sold relatively newer books, including signed and special edition copies such as Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. A wide range of literary works were priced anywhere from a couple hundred to several hundred thousand, such as the first UK edition of The Great Gatsby, listed at $125,000. Despite the high prices, the book fair welcomed individuals to enjoy the books regardless of their ability to make purchases. “It was a great opportunity to explore first editions and it created a sense of community among book lovers. The vibrant atmosphere and rare book discoveries made it a wonderful experience.” Attendee Aisha Saeed said.

Many booksellers also sold materials related to world history, including maps almost as old as the printing press itself, or signed editions of Einstein’s theories and handwritten notes. To some, being in this profession serves as an opportunity to handle historical pieces on a near-daily basis. “The ability to handle objects that you would normally find in a museum and interact with them day to day … is a real pleasure,” Rare Book Seller Sally Deegan said.

The fair provided a captivating glimpse into the past through a diverse array of rare and historical literature, maps, and more. With the the extensive variety of literary texts and a knowledgeable staff, attendees were guided through this literary treasure trove to rare signed copies and beautifully illustrated editions. Ultimately the fair served to ensure the legacy of historical literature, leaving attendees inspired by the knowledge and beauty of the preserved texts. ▪

PHOTOS BY STAFF WRITERS NAVYA CHITLUR & MARYAM NASEER. GRAPHICS BY GRAPHICS EDITOR HANNAH SHEN