STAHS Imprint Magazine - TIME

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me IN THIS IS SUE TRIAL . ERROR . REPE AT SOUND FA MILIAR? BRIDGING THE GAP

S T ALBANS HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIR L S SI X TH FOR M

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inside team

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Editor-in-Chief Natasha Fox Deputy Editors Erin Hugo Niamh Yam

From the Editor Natasha Fox

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Chief Copy Editor Mia Raja

Where Did the Time Go? Erin Hugo

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Copy Editors Katrina Man Emma Wiggetts

Trial. Error. Repeat. Emma Wiggetts

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Breaking Stereotypes Niamh Yam

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Time’s Mind Games Josie Sherman

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Chief Designer Nicole Weisfeld Designers Josie Sherman Elizabeth Soshina Lena Yiacoumi Marketing Director Zara Yunis Marketing Aimée Larder Olivia Smith Phoebe Worsley Writers Natasha Fox Erin Hugo Aimée Larder Katrina Man Mia Raja Josie Sherman Olivia Smith Emma Wiggetts Maya Wolsey Phoebe Worsley Niamh Yam Zara Yunis

Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees Phoebe Worsley

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Sound Familiar? Aimée Larder

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Let’s Take a Step Back

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Bridging the Gap Maya Wolsey

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Time to Slow Down Mia Raja

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Literature & Living Forever Natasha Fox

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Making Memories Zara Yunis

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The Immorality of Immortality Katrina Man

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Is It Too Late? Olivia Smith

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...from the editor When we first conceived the theme for this year’s issue last September, we were not prepared for the unprecedented times ahead. In light of the coronavirus crisis, it seems that the presence of time has never been more prominent.

We may feel that we have too much time, that it is easy to lose track of time and that we have become victims of our own ‘time’ - the world we live in.

Yet time is not just a measurement against our existence, nor is it our ‘worst enemy’; it is also an opportunity. Time can be a measurement of change, development and progress, in ourselves and in the world around us. As a reflection of the changing times, this year we have decided to release a digital copy of the magazine, in addition to the usual printed version. In this issue, each writer has approached the concept of time from a different perspective, exploring how we might learn from time, spend and save it. ‘Time is money’ rings true. You will see time through the lenses of technology, history, psychology and literature amongst others, proving that it really is a passage through which all forms of life travel.

As well as our personal responses, this issue explores how STAHS has developed through time - an evolution that we have all played a part in. As you read the magazine, you will follow the timeline of the school, from its opening in 1889 to present day. In ‘Let’s Take A Step Back’, we are fortunate to have contributions from a range of STAHS alumnae, who span the course of nearly 60 years, which will hopefully allow you to ‘time travel’ and see how much the school has changed or stayed the same.

For on the flip side of change and innovation, there is continuity, and it is comforting to know that some things never change.

TO ABSOLUTELY MAKE USE OF A CLICHÉ – PLEASE SIT BACK, TAKE YOUR TIME AND ENJOY THIS YEAR’S IMPRINT. NATASHA FOX, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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TORSTEN DETTLAFF @PEXELS

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WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

WHERE DID THE TIME GO? ERIN HUGO

TODAY, I COME TO YOU, READER, WITH AN OPINION THAT HAS FRANKLY GOT ME INTO ALL SORTS OF ARGUMENTS: I BELIEVE THAT THE WATCH IS BECOMING IRRELEVANT.

STAHS TIMELINE

1889

Of course, when I say this, I do not mean the very means of time itself. I reference the wristwatch and how I think it is going to be left in the wake of the inevitable progression of technology. I ask you: why would we want to choose a simple wristwatch over a groundbreaking new piece of technology like the Fitbit or the Apple Watch? Isn’t it time we let the watch become obsolete, like the penny-farthing for the bicycle or the rotary telephone for the mobile phone?

LET’S TAKE THIS BACK IN TIME FOR A MOMENT. The first modern mechanical clock was invented in 1510 with the use of a quartz stone that created a pulse exactly one second long. Soon after, the invention of wristwatches within the Tudor age triggered a huge growth in popularity, from use within the navy to symbols of wealth and power. By World War I, they were a vital piece of tech for every soldier to stay punctual and organise attacks.

Everybody owned a watch. Not only were they practical, but they were also stylish and a sign of wealth.

Families passed down watches over generations as heirlooms of great value and a way to tie themselves to their heritage and family tree.

STAHS is opened, based at the city’s old dispensary, on the corner of Holywell Hill and Albert Street.

HOWEVER, IS THE WATCH REALLY JUST AS RELEVANT TODAY? Firstly, we have a lot of other ways to tell the time. The invention of the first mobile phone with a clock installed, the IBM Simon, was introduced in 1993, which means that simply checking your phone for the time has been a viable option for over 25 years.

And it’s not only handheld phones.

The chances are pretty high that there is a clock near you somewhere, right now. Even a microwave or oven these days can tell you the time. Now, I am not suggesting that you walk around with a microwave instead, but there are certainly alternatives. And, of course, this is not even to mention the newest technological developments instead of wearing a watch.

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The Apple Watch, which debuted in late 2014, was one of the first prominent pieces of wearable technology.

It boasted all of the features of a mobile phone and a wristwatch, including the ability to tell the time, message, make phone calls, link to other Apple devices and even count your steps. Many people grew to wonder: why would I wear a watch if I could have this?

Certainly, it was more useful and productive, and the price also attracted consumers. Its launch price was $349, which, in comparison to the average price of a Swiss watch that year at $803, was also definitely a factor in its initial appeal. Smartwatches marked a new era in the watch industry that was most likely one of the biggest causes of the decline of the traditional wristwatch.

I know lots of people who would immediately say no. For many, the watch holds a certain possessive significance to them, as a phone might. It becomes part of them. It becomes a routine to take it off every night before bed and put it on in the morning, and it feels strange to not have it around their wrist. For many men, who still don’t feel comfortable embracing more stereotypically feminine jewellery such as rings, bracelets and necklaces, the watch is their own jewellery and their way to express themselves.

Certainly, it is also most likely a symbol of wealth for people, as a watch such as a Rolex can have a value of tens of thousands of pounds. Perhaps to own a watch feels like a statement, both as an expression of one’s self in a more conservative and less traditionally feminine manner, but also of wealth and status. For them, the watch is more than just some cogs and screws: it is precious.

As more and more wearable technology was introduced, more and more people reached for a watch that could ‘do it all’ over a comparatively simple analogue watch. In 2015, there were 96.7 million wearable technology sales worldwide, while sales for 2020 are expected to be closer to 600.6 million, showing just how much sales have skyrocketed over the last 5 years. Furthermore, with such a range of wearable technology now on the market, there really is something for everyone. From a health-conscious Fitbit that calculates steps and heartbeat with a corresponding stopwatch and timer, to watches that can even measure blood pressure for more medically inclined consumers, the wristwatch is becoming lost in the growing enormity and popularity of technology.

MISTER @PEXELS

tch that I g either not found a wa Sadly, I can’t relate. Havin hout losing wit for longer than a week like, or not owning one watch as a h wit ess e level of closen it, I’ve never felt the sam l much fee I y wh is this s . Perhap I’m sure many experience But perhaps . ind beh tch wa the ve lea more ready than most to I am willing to leave. tch wa the y onl not is it

1889

1889

THEREFORE, I ASK, IS IT TIME TO LEAVE THE TRADITIONAL WATCH BEHIND AS WE MOVE ON IN OUR TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT? When the school first opens, there are only 15 pupils.

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I believe that technology is a powerful, driving force that we could not stop even if we tried. Our curiosity has grown: walls have been broken and ideas have been made in the millions. This isn’t something we have to view in fear, but rather something that we should embrace. There are new solutions to nearly every inconvenience we can think of, new equipment to help us every day and get us everywhere, and this is without even mentioning the growing ability that we, as humans, have with the assistance of technology. However, if we cling to items from the past, we are inevitably going to slow our progress down. My view is that if you want to move forward, you need to be willing to leave things behind. Much like how we embrace each new update or announcement for our mobile’s new and ever more imaginative features, we should embrace the direction in which watches are heading. Sure, you may leave an old watch behind, but what amazing technology are you going to be able to get instead?

Of course, it takes time for people to adapt to something new, but as the saying goes, you have to step outside of your comfort zone for the magic to happen. Who knows how magical watches could be in 20 years’ time? Are you going to find out and experience the new innovations of what technology will have to offer or are you going to stick to the old-fashioned watch?

I KNOW WHERE I WILL BE.

I ONLY HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE WITH ME. The first school sports are hockey and tennis.

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TRIAL . ERROR . REPE AT.

TRIAL. ERROR. R E P E AT.

Do we learn from the past?

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EMMA WIGGETTS

Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.

Arguably, the most shocking event of the 20th century was the Holocaust, the ruthless genocide in which six million Jews were systematically murdered. People were, and still are, horrified, not just at the pure evil of Hitler and the Nazis, but also at the lack of resistance to this mass

murder of innocent people. I think that it would be highly unlikely for anything on the same scale to occur again in the Western world, however, there are examples of it happening in the 21st century in other areas. The Rohingya people, a Muslim minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, have been denied citizenship by the Myanmar government, despite having lived there for generations. Over the past few years, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people have been forced into neighbouring Bangladesh and the UN has labelled it an ‘ethnic cleansing’ campaign. Amnesty International has said that Myanmar security forces have carried out a ‘targeted campaign of widespread and systematic murder, rape and burning’. What is even more

1900

This was said by George Santayana, a philosopher in the early 20th century.

It carries the message that if humans don’t learn from history, the mistakes of the past will inevitably be repeated.

However, does the human race actually follow this philosophy? Or is it more correct that we, as humans, like to think that we are learning from history while we continue into the future in ignorance of previous errors?

shocking is how little media attention this has received and how little governments have done to put an end to it. We cannot say that we have properly learnt from our past when we aren’t actively stopping ethnic cleansing.

Uniform is first introduced.

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PIXABAY @PEXELS

A LACK OF LEARNING FROM THE PAST IS NOT ONLY EVIDENT IN MORE RECENT HISTORY, BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT TIME.

Another period that we now look back on with disgust is the time of colonialism and slavery; vulnerable people were taken advantage of and put to work in awful conditions. Yet the same description could apply to the impoverished slaves of capitalism, working in sweatshops in poorer parts of the world. Evidently, Western countries have not learnt their lesson about abusing their wealth and power.

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After World War I, people could never have believed there could be another war in just over 20 years due to the sheer level of destruction, but it did happen.

After World War II, people didn’t want a third world war, however the USA and the Soviet Union spent over 40 years teetering on the precipice of nuclear war.

A lack of learning from the past is not only evident in more recent history, but also throughout time. When Ethelred II ruled Anglo-Saxon Britain, the Danish Vikings kept invading and Ethelred kept raising a ‘Danegeld’ tax in order to pay off the Vikings and make them stop invading Britain.

Ethelred kept paying the Vikings more and more, yet his efforts were in vain as they continued to invade. He obviously failed to learn from his past errors. Furthermore, in medieval times, Europeans used Christianity as an excuse to kill many innocent people in the Crusades. Now in modern times, ISIS is using Islam as an excuse for the murder of innocent people.

Looking at history proves to us that, although we have made many mistakes, we continue to not learn from them. As Abraham Lincoln once said: ‘Human nature will not change’.

Throughout time, even though we wish it didn’t, human nature remains more or less the same: the same desire for power, the same capability for evil and the same disregard for human life.

The school moves to its current site on Townsend Avenue, housing both Junior and Senior students.

Ultimately, I think that there are two questions that all of this boils down to … Should humans learn from the mistakes of the past to benefit them in the present and in the future? Absolutely. But do we as humans learn from the past errors of mankind?

NO, WE DO NOT.

1911

A further example of persecution of ethnic minorities is the concentration camps in Xinjiang, China, which the world hardly knows about. Uighurs and other Muslim minorities have been sent to these camps against their will and without trials. In March 2019, the governor of Xinjiang dismissed the camps as ‘boarding schools’, but this is false. It’s not yet a genocide, but it could easily lead to one if the world chooses to turn a blind eye. Both of these examples show something rather ironic; by trying to not repeat the past and avoid a third world war, we are repeating the past by ignoring the oppression of ethnic minorities in countries around the world.

Netball is introduced as a school sport.

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BRE AKING STEREOT YPES

NOT EVERYONE WAS AS LUCKY AS US. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WOMEN COULDN’T BE MORE THAN A MOTHER AND WOULDN’T HAVE EVEN DREAMT OF ANYTHING MORE BECAUSE THAT WAS JUST THE NORM.

BREAKING

stereotypes NIAMH YAM

We should be so proud of how far we have come because that in itself is an achievement, but female aspiration is a long journey and it hasn’t been completed yet.

There is no doubt that the women of today’s world have been empowered by moral feminist ideas; we are constantly told that there is no limit to what we, as females, are capable of achieving in the future.

The campaign for gender balance in all workforce areas is still a new idea in the UK and employers can’t change the numbers overnight, but not everyone can change their passion overnight either. This is a period of transition and there should be no expectation of anyone to conform to the newest social campaign interest.

We feel inspired when we see a female chemical engineer graduate or even a male English literature graduate because they are defying the existing stereotypes.

YET, WHY IS IT STILL THAT WOMEN COMPRISE ONLY 22% OF THE STEM WORKFORCE?

However, over time we have stopped talking about women graduating from their ‘traditional fields’, such as social sciences and creative arts, and men graduating from fields like engineering and construction because we have tried so hard to elevate those who have a passion for their respective ‘unconventional fields’.

While it is important that we continue to aim for gender balance in every field, it is equally important that we celebrate women and men going into any field they are passionate about, be that nursing or engineering – no matter the gender.

Yet one of the biggest changes over time has been in female aspiration. We have to celebrate women defying stereotypes but there is also much to praise about women having the liberty to follow their passion.

This is ultimately what we have been working towards all these years.

At the Prize Giving in December, diplomas are awarded in cookery, laundry, hygiene, housewifery and dressmaking.

1914

Now look at us: from universal suffrage to a female prime minister, and women in science to inspiring authors. We almost have it all. But only almost…

1912

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Lacrosse is introduced as a school sport.

Take the Brontë sisters, for example; they wrote in a time when they had to use pseudonyms in order for their literature to be taken seriously in a field completely dominated by males.

However, now we treasure Jane Eyre, Agnes Grey and Wuthering Heights, and they are largely responsible for the fact that many of the best novels published today are written by women.

JEN THEODORE @UNSPLASH

Legislation has been passed allowing women to thrive in all workforce areas. Going into less traditional areas is often strongly encouraged but this doesn’t decrease the value of women going into female-dominated fields like nursing and teaching. Both Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor, and Charlotte Brontë, one of the most powerful female writers in history, are equally celebrated and remain significant figures in the progress of female ambition and achievement, despite their different professions.

Choose it because it is your true aspiration and you are passionate about it.

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COTTONBRO @PEXELS

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Therefore, when you come to choose the direction of your future, don’t choose it because of the statistics. Choose it because it is your true aspiration and you are passionate about it. That is what all of these women did.

Within every person there is a true passion for something and whether you know your ambition from a young age or later in life, it is something to be proud of. We are so fortunate to live in a country in which we are able to pursue our true passions without being held back or repressed. It’s our duty to make our own history and go down the road that we truly aspire towards.

Whatever our aspiration in life, no matter how traditional or modern it is, we are all part of this journey through time in which women will continue to inspire each other. Let’s be proud of our past, recognise how much we have done for our gender and seize every opportunity that women of the past worked so tirelessly to achieve for us today.

Shortly after the declaration of WWI, the school premises are requisitioned for billeting the First London Irish Regiment.

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The journey has not yet come to an end but we are filled with optimism knowing that the next generation will have us as their inspiration in the continuing progression of female ambition.

Lessons continue with pupils split between the Hertfordshire Museum and the Headmistress’ house until September 1915.

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TIME’S MIND GA MES

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TIME’ S MIND GAMES Lessons continue with pupils split between the Hertfordshire Museum and the Headmistress’ house until September 1915.

Our Perception of Time

JOSIE SHERMAN

OUR MINDS ALLOW US TO TIME TRAVEL. WE DRAW UPON PAST MEMORIES AND EXPERIENCES IN ORDER TO ENHANCE OUR PRESENT AND FUTURE ACTIONS AND OPINIONS. HOWEVER, HOW EASILY WE CAN TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH DETERMINES OUR WELLBEING AND SUCCESS RATES.

This theory depicts how everyone has a time perspective, which accounts for each and every decision a person makes.

The time perspective theory has been divided into five main subtypes.

Therefore, Philip Zimbardo, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, introduced the theory of time perspective.

3. PRESENT-HEDONISTIC

What are these categories and what do they convey?

1. PAST-NEGATIVE 2. PAST-POSITIVE 4. PRESENT-FATALISTIC

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DJIM LOIC @PEXELS

5. FUTURE-FOCUSED

Senior girls contribute to the war effort by growing medicinal herbs and helping with the harvest during the summer holiday. Alumnae also play their part, with Sylvia and Gwendoline Glossop receiving the Royal Red Cross.

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AUDREY GRUSHNIKOV @UNSPLASH

If you are a ‘past-negative’ person, you are prone to focus on damaging personal experiences that still haunt you, and struggle to change your perception of your lifestyle.

You are a glass-half-empty kind of person; you are one of the pessimists of the world, despite perhaps considering yourself a realist.

If you are ‘past-positive’, you are often nostalgic and keep close relationships with those important to you. However, you may abide by the ‘better safe than sorry’ ideology a little too often, which can prevent you from reaching your full potential, so go on – take a risk!

Next are the ‘present-hedonistic’ people of society. If you fall into this category, you are dominated by living in the moment and strive to feel that adrenaline rush. You enjoy doing what makes you happy at your current time in life. Yet, if you immerse yourself too fully in this perspective, your future self may struggle as a result of a lack of work towards potential goals you wish to achieve.

Perhaps you’re ‘present-fatalistic’.

If so, you are controlled by the overwhelming idea that outside forces control and predetermine everything within your life. You may often feel imprisoned and may feel powerless about the future.

You believe in fate rather than free will.

Finally, there are those who are ‘future-focused’.

Highly ambitious, driven and focused: if you belong to this category, you are one of the go-getters of the world. However, your dedication to and investment in your future self may result in your present self making the wrong choices, affecting those around you and potentially damaging your upcoming goals.

d e e r at in a t g u n n i o y om ivinome ve t d y l m ri ha b he st l t ine t nd ee al a o f en t dr h. a us r

Therefore, I consider it to be crucial that we start to take a greater consciousness of how we spend our time. Time is something that we need to stop taking for granted and wasting. We need to realise how the perception of this fundamental structure in our lives determines our thoughts, behaviour and the choices we make. We need to be more aware of how we think about time so that we can reach our full potential as individuals, societies and nations.

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continued...

The school ‘adopts’ two ‘friendless’ prisoners, Privates Ransom and Papworth of the Suffolk Regiment, who are captive in Germany. The school sends them regular parcels, which include mittens, soap and dominoes.

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TIME’S MIND GA MES

TIME FAMINE TIME PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN OUR LIVES. WE SAVE, SPEND, WASTE AND CRAVE TIME. TIME HAS A VICIOUS HABIT OF BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM US INADVERTENTLY, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BREAK. In a recent UK-wide survey, 74% of adults opened up about feeling overwhelmed by stress to the point of feeling unable to cope at least once a year.

Another survey, conducted by Healthspan, revealed that one in four members of the British public claim to have ‘no time to relax’. These statistics prove how little control people have over such a staple asset in their lives and how time management is a skill our nation is yet to master.

With Generation Z being a generation engrossed in electronics, these statistics make sense. Our obsession with technology has partly backfired; we now feel that we have even less time, a side effect that no one had envisaged when initially creating these gadgets.

Undoubtedly, technology has many advantages and we wouldn’t be able to function half as well without it, but it does have its downfalls. Spending so much time on our smartphones and other devices prevents us from having actual downtime and being able to take a break from our chaotic lives. On average, people squander about 1/3 of all free time in front of their TV screens and spend considerably less on activities that they themselves consider to be more beneficial and pleasurable, such as socialising and exercise.

So how can we combat this?

It circles back to the idea of time perspective. Take an extra minute of your valuable time to step back and take a look at yourself. Make sure you are delegating your time wisely and effectively whilst prioritising properly and obtaining the correct mindset to work most successfully.

1921

PEDRO DA SILVA @UNSPLASH

We are largely a society of maximisers, working hard 24/7 and always looking for that extra hour of the day to fit in another task, but we consequently run the risk of quality slipping due to overburdening our workload. We may feel that we have achieved more, but only at the cost of feeling more stressed, more strained and less satisfied.

The house system is introduced, with each house taking its name from a figure associated with St Albans.

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The Thief of Time BUT WHAT IS A GOOD USE OF TIME? HOW CAN TIME BE MANAGED SO THAT IT CONTRIBUTES TO WELLBEING? HOW CAN WE REGAIN A FEELING OF CONTROL OVER OUR TIME AND BALANCE IT CORRECTLY? I’m almost certain that anyone who picks up this magazine has experienced procrastination. No matter how well-organised and diligent you are, the chances are that you have caught yourself wasting time on a school night, online shopping or watching Netflix, instead of doing the maths homework that’s due the next day. You find yourself with a ‘present-hedonistic’ perspective rather than a ‘future-focused’ one. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not telling you to never binge-watch your favourite TV series or treat yourself to a new dress for that party coming up; I’m just simply stating that the concept of procrastination can hinder your potential and your mindset. In 1978, only 5% of the population admitted to being chronic procrastinators compared to roughly 26% of the population today. One in five people procrastinate so much that it will jeopardise important aspects of their life such as jobs, relationships and even their health. Yet perhaps we can lower this statistic more easily than you may think. Perhaps you can be proactive by making that tiny click to close your web browser, or by merely moving your phone away while you work, or even just by scheduling breaks and actually sticking to them… All of these seemingly small changes could actually benefit your future self considerably.

Early inter-house competitions are in sport and singing. There is even Inter-house Gardening.

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1921

So the next time that you catch yourself with the wrong time perspective, have the discipline and awareness within yourself to notice this and fix it. If we all do this, perhaps we will finally be able to gain control of time and use it to better ourselves as people.

The first school orchestra is formed.

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MICHELLE HENDERSON @UNSPLASH

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Money Doesn’t Grow On Trees

The ‘pound sterling’ is the oldest state-issued money still used today. Since 775AD, the pound’s value and physical form have changed alongside British history.

For example, after World War II, the Bank of England changed the composition of the pound from sterling silver to cupronickel. It is no surprise that the pound is universally respected, seeing as it has endured eight economic crises and two economically straining world wars. However, behind all the history, any form of money essentially has to fulfil a simple function.

Money is not intrinsically valuable, unless it is made of expensive raw materials, but instead holds value because people universally accept that it is valuable.

Therefore, anything can be used as money so long as it fulfils the necessary criteria of money. Take, for example, the Yap Islands who use the famous ‘yap stones’ as their currency.

JONAS LEUPE @UNSPLASH

‘THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE ASKING FOR BECAUSE MONEY DOESN’T GROW ON TREES,’ KRIS JENNER SAID TO KENDALL JENNER. ‘YES IT DOES. IT’S PAPER,’ KENDALL REPLIED BEFORE WALKING OFF.

The first two pupils from STAHS obtain degrees from the University of Oxford.

MONEY DOESN’ T GROW ON TREES

This viral clip from Keeping Up with the Kardashians was posted in 2013, and the witty comeback amused viewers everywhere. However, after rewatching the clip in 2020, it shocked me to realise how much money has changed in recent years, starting with the fact that British banknotes are now made from polymer. In addition, the total value of cash payments made annually continues to plummet, making cash payments the third most popular method of payment in the UK today. Even STAHS has recently become a ‘cashless’ school.

PHOEBE WORSLEY

1923

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XELS OD @PE A ZELWO SUZY H

In today’s society, entire companies operate solely online. Companies such as Amazon and Pretty Little Thing are huge companies despite having no physical stores for consumers. The increasing popularity of online stores is mostly due to their convenience: you can buy anything at any time and from any place. However, this change in society’s spending patterns may not be entirely good. The concept of people being able to do everything from the comfort of their own homes has become a reality. But all of this doesn’t come without a cost.

The school playing fields are purchased.

With jobs becoming increasingly digital, structural unemployment for those uncomfortable using technology is rising. Furthermore, while companies such as Amazon increase in revenue each year, local bookstores and individually owned shops are struggling to stay in business. They simply cannot compete with big companies. Closing down local shops can have a big impact on the elderly, as many retired citizens suffer from loneliness. Small interactions can help brighten their day, and removing shops like local newsagents could have devastating effects. Technology may benefit the majority, but it undeniably has a negative impact on the elderly who may struggle with online banking and technology. Studies show that while the use of debit and credit cards is overwhelmingly popular among young adults, the biggest users of cash are people from older generations. Will the gradual replacement of cash leave the elderly behind?

A cashless society is rapidly and inevitably approaching, and it will widely impact all of society.

One day, coins and notes may be a thing of the past, with the iconic pound becoming no more than a historical symbol.

But what will this mean for buskers and beggars if no one carries around loose change?

Will theft rates be reduced if there’s no tangible money to steal?

Will this be the end of break-ins and money heists?

Perhaps the next generation of thieves will be sitting behind computer screens, scamming and hacking people in order to steal.

1930s

A cashless society is rapidly and inevitably approaching 1927

However, as society has advanced, so has money.

With credit cards weighing around the same as a pound coin, it is no surprise that they have become an increasingly popular choice. Not only is money impractical, but it is shockingly unhygienic. Just think of the countless exchanges that a single pound coin undergoes in its lifetime! Since Britain’s first online banking service opened in 1997, we have seen finance as we know it undergo drastic technological changes. Transactions can now be made between countries in seconds. But it doesn’t stop there. New innovations such as contactless payment, which was introduced in 2007, have increased the efficiency of payments even further.

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The school uniform moves towards the clothes that we recognise today: a greyish-blue skirt and blue and white striped blouse.

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SOUND FA MILIAR?

AIMÉE LARDER

Sound Familiar?

The Mystery Behind Déjà Vu Déjà Vu Déjà Vu Déjà Vu Déjà Vu Déjà Vu

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE AND HAD AN EERIE FEELING THAT YOU’VE HAD THE EXACT SAME CONVERSATION BEFORE, EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVEN’T? OR WHEN WALKING INTO A NEW PLACE, DOES IT EVER SEEM WEIRDLY FAMILIAR?

Linguistically, ‘déjà vu’ is a French term meaning ‘already seen’, but it also has some variations such as ‘déjà vécu’ meaning already experienced, ‘déjà senti’, already thought and ‘déjà visité’ meaning already visited. Researchers have speculated and argued about the true meaning of déjà vu, but generally it is best labelled as the feeling of experiencing or seeing something before, even when this is impossible.

As time has gone on, déjà vu has been categorised into two generalised types:

«

déjà vu « already seen déjà vécu « already experienced déjà visité « already visited

«

1 Associative déjà vu

«

STAHS alumna Kay Stammers wins the women’s doubles title at Wimbledon twice.

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2 Biological déjà vu

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ANTONIO DILLARD @PEXELS

This feeling has happened to over two-thirds of the world’s population at least once in their lives, and was categorically named ‘déjà vu’ by French scientist Emile Boirac in his 1876 book L’Avenir des Sciences Psychiques. Some find this sentiment strangely comforting, whereas others brush it off and choose to ignore it, putting it down to being sleep-deprived or even a little paranoid. Whilst some can live with this psychological phenomenon, others have a sense of wonder that is too strong to overlook. Even the most logical scientists cannot hide their curiosity about, what still remains, a fascinating mystery.

The observatory opens, bequeathed by William Alfred Parr, a former President of the British Astronomy Society.

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The first type of déjà vu is the most common type and is experienced by the everyday healthy person. However the second type is more specialised to problems in the brain and is believed to occur in a person just before having a seizure. Despite fine-tuning the types of déjà vu, we are still inclined to ask the question: what exactly causes this phenomenon to happen?

The main difficulty with finding the cause of déjà vu is that it is almost impossible to prove. Typically, the ‘déjà vu sensation’ lasts for only 10 to 30 seconds, which is too short a time to do an MRI scan on the brain. As a result of this, there is an abundance of different theories about the true nature of this biological mystery - over 40, in fact. From philosophers to psychologists to paranormal experts, it seems that everyone has given their take on this scientific or even supernatural occurrence.

Is it a matter of time?

It seems that theoretical physicists have taken the concept of déjà vu under their wing, as they relate it to concepts such as quantum mechanics. Quantum physics allows us to call time as we know it into question, and theorise the idea that time does not just flow forward in one direction but instead repeats or even flows in both directions. As humans, it is thought that we usually don’t notice this… until we do.

Supposedly déjà vu represents a brief moment in which the direction of time becomes clear to us. We become aware of the forward and backward flow of time and we realise that we have in fact experienced something in this time and place before. Other theories involve the idea that there are two separate timelines in which we exist and the coincidental synchronisation of these timelines results in an eerie feeling now called déjà vu.

Is it memory?

Other scientists such as neurologists have placed déjà vu firmly in the study of memory. In short, they believe that déjà vu is likely due to a problem of memory caused by misfiring neurons in the brain that link longterm memory with real time experiences. Recently, researchers at St Andrew’s University have studied déjà vu and concluded that it may be the brain’s way of double-checking memories, which they have named ‘conflict resolution’.

Is it superstition?

Some choose to ignore scientific theories and claim that déjà vu is a spiritual and supernatural experience.

Parapsychologists have put their own spin on déjà vu, believing that it serves as a message about our ‘past lives’. What they mean by this is that déjà vu is a paranormal event that recalls past events that your higher self or soul is using to guide you on the right path to success. Some use déjà vu as their own moral compass and even base large and often life-changing decisions on this potentially supernatural event.

Is it just wishful thinking?

Possibly, in a more logical light: is the whole concept of déjà vu just wishful thinking that we can predict the future?

Have we turned a coincidence into a belief of our own ‘superpowers’, such as precognition or even prophecy?

Some think that we are just dressing up an insignificant mistake in our brain, a biological tick that can be ignored without another moment’s thought. However, human nature cannot accept this; we as a species are too curious, too speculative and perhaps too hopeful about our own capabilities.

Is it dangerous?

More recently, studies have created the new term ‘chronic déjà vu’. It is based on the diagnosis of four elderly British citizens who are said to experience déjà vu in a constant state. Some refuse to watch the news for fear that they already know what will be said, while others, more dangerously, reject going to the doctor due to the feeling that they have already been before and so don’t see the point. It is possible that we have been looking at déjà vu through rose-tinted glasses; instead of adding to the vast quantity of theories, should we be more focused on solving the problems caused by déjà vu?

Interestingly, déjà vu is a feeling that is more likely to occur in certain people than in others. Whilst about 60% of people have experienced it, déjà vu is more likely to occur in people between the ages of 15 and 25. Most researchers also agree that déjà vu decreases with age. Furthermore, there have been positive correlations between people with higher incomes, those who travel more, those who have been through higher education and those who are more politically liberal with those who experience déjà vu more often. A case study in 2001 found that the combination of two drugs used to treat the flu (amantadine and phenylpropanolamine) also increases the likelihood of déjà vu.

The abundance of theories can seem quite daunting and overwhelming, especially as many are left unproven or with an unstable verification or explanation. Déjà vu is a highly subjective concept and may mean something different to each and every person who experiences it. Perhaps the importance of déjà vu is not finding the ultimate proven theory, but instead questioning our concept of time and space as we know it and revelling in one of biology’s most fascinating mysteries.

WHO KNOWS, MAYBE YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU’VE READ THIS ARTICLE BEFORE…

WW2

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Nearly 20% of students are boarders and pupils can hear the bombing of London from school. Girls are encouraged to help the war effort, through fire-watching and helping at local hospitals.

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LET ’S TAKE A STEP BACK

LET’S TAKE A

STEP BACK

Pamela in 4th Year, 1976

STAHS THROUGH TIME WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE SIX ALUMNAE, WHO TOGETHER SPAN THE COURSE OF ALMOST 60 YEARS, GIVE US A FLAVOUR OF WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE WHEN THEY WERE AT STAHS. AS YOU READ THROUGH THEIR EXPERIENCES, YOU WILL SEE THAT SOME THINGS HAVE CERTAINLY CHANGED; ALTHOUGH WE NO LONGER STUDY DOMESTIC SCIENCE, WE NOW HAVE MANY CLUBS, UNLIKE IN MARIGOLD’S TIME. HOWEVER, MANY THINGS HAVE STAYED THE SAME; A LOT OF US STILL TAKE PART IN THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD LIKE PAMELA AND SING IN GOSPEL CHOIR LIKE ZOE. WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE MEMORIES MADE AT STAHS HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON ALL ALUMNAE, NO MATTER THE DECADE.

Marigold Lynette Cleeve (née Kimsey) Attended STAHS 1948-1961 Which house were you in? Verulam.

What was your favourite subject?

Ancient Greek.

What did the uniform look like?

Blue tweed skirt, blazer, white Viyella blouse, navy jumper, house tie, blue tweed coat and velour hat. Grey shorts and Aertex blouse for gym and sport.

Which extracurricular activities did you take part in?

None. There were no clubs.

What was your favourite nonhouse event?

Taking part in the Pageant every Christmas.

What was your favourite school trip?

Windsor after O levels.

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Lesley with Lacrosse 1st XII, 1982

What is your best memory of STAHS? The day I no longer had to do domestic science when I was 14.

How do you think your time at STAHS has influenced who you are today?

The religious background I was given was invaluable in later years when I became Warden of Canterbury Hall, University of London, and had to deal with two students who unwisely became involved with a religious cult.

Stephen Hawking and his sisters attend the school.

Boys can study at the school until the age of 10.

Pamela’s first day of school, 1969

memories “the you make

there will stay with you for the rest of your life and will help shape your future

“

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Lesley’s Form Play The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 1973

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Pamela Muirheid (née Williamson) Attended STAHS 1969-1978

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Easter Bonnet Parade, 1970

Which house were you in? Paris.

What was your favourite subject?

If I had a favourite, I suppose English with Ms Morrison. She was pretty cool. She took us to see the film Romeo and Juliet at St Albans City Hall with her boyfriend!

Which extracurricular activities did you take part in?

My friend and I took part in the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. We had to do an overnight camping expedition in the relative wild. I remember a very wet and exhausting weekend of hiking, building fires, eating around the campfire and having no showers, just a cold tap! We still had fun!

Which sports did you play? Did you play for any teams?

We played lacrosse and netball in the winter, and rounders, tennis and track and field sports in the summer. I loved rounders.

What was your favourite non-house event?

The School Play. Ms Morrison was great at helping us put on our Shakespearean plays. One year we entered a regional (I think) drama competition with Romeo and Juliet but decided to set it in the 1950s, which was risky according to our teacher.

The judge gave us ‘critical acclaim’ but we did not win the competition! Another year, I played Jessica in The Merchant of Venice.

Lesley Sayliss (née Wachtel) Attended STAHS 1973-1982 Which house were you in? Paris.

What was your favourite subject?

History at O level and Biology at A level.

Which sports did you play? Did you play for any teams?

Lacrosse, swimming and fencing. Lacrosse 1st XII and swimming team (every year and Captain).

What was your favourite non-house event? Inter-form Drama Competition.

What was your favourite school trip?

Blenheim Palace or King Tutankhamun’s treasures at the British Museum in 1972.

What was your favourite school trip?

First ever STAHS international lacrosse tour to USA (Philadelphia, New York and Boston) in April 1982.

Have you kept in touch with your friends from STAHS? Yes, I have kept in touch with several friends and rediscovered some more recently. I have two friends who I’ve known since we started STAHS together and I still see them every year that I come home to England.

What is your best memory of STAHS? Firstly, being House Games Captain and carrying the house banners through the Abbey. Secondly, as a Junior, being allowed to perform our form play The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe on the Senior School theatre stage in 1984. I played Mr. Tumnus.

What advice would you give to your younger self and current STAHS students?

Enjoy your years at school even if it seems like a drag sometimes. The memories you make there will stay with you for the rest of your life and will help shape your future. I feel privileged and lucky to have gone to such a great school.

How do you think your time at STAHS has influenced who you are today?

It gave me my moral and ethical compass for life, especially with regard to the importance of charity and giving to others. It taught me to value learning, working hard and playing hard. It gave me an all round love of history, geography, sciences, the value and use of Latin and taught me some basic cooking skills!

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1961

1956

Lesley’s form (J3W), 1973

The school pool is first opened. It is an outdoor pool.

What advice would you give to your younger self and current STAHS students?

Be more confident in who you are and what skills you have. It is okay to make mistakes, as long as you try your hardest; it is all part of life’s learning.

Boarding ends.

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LET ’S TAKE A STEP BACK

Imogen Woodley (née Walker) Attended STAHS 1984-1991 Which house were you in?

Verulam.

Ros Kitson Attended STAHS 1980-1991

What was your favourite subject?

Geography.

Which house were you in? Paris.

What did the uniform look like?

Air force blue skirt, blue and white striped shirt, navy jumper.

What was your favourite subject? Maths.

What was your favourite house event?

I think I liked Sports Day and Swimming Sports because they had a nice atmosphere. Maybe Swimming Sports better because Paris occasionally won that, but we never won Sports Day in the entire time I was at the school.

What was your favourite non-house event?

I loved the Carol Service because I loved singing the carols, particularly one called Three Kings from Persian Lands Afar.

What was your favourite school trip?

The whole school went to Alton Towers to celebrate its Centenary. We were supposed to go on a hired train but there was a train strike or something and the teachers had to organise coaches for us all with about one day to go. Such a good day out. I think we had the park to ourselves. I also went skiing once too, which I totally loved.

What was your favourite school trip?

I have two. One was a day trip to Alton Towers and the other was a trip to Russia (when it was still communist).

Ros dressed up for Edwardian Day as part of the Centenary celebrations, 1989 Ros on school skiing trip

What is your best memory of STAHS? My friends.

Have you kept in touch with your friends from STAHS? A few. But a lot I’ve lost touch with. Some more via Facebook. But some of these are people I was never actually friends with.

Ros in Sixth Form

What advice would you give to your younger self and current STAHS students?

I’m not big on advice. Everyone is different and needs different things. But I’d say, enjoy it and make the most of the opportunities. It’s an amazing place. To myself then, I’d say, you’ll rise above this and blossom one day so don’t be too disheartened.

it and make the most of the “enjoy opportunities. It’s an amazing place

“

1967

Imogen in her school uniform

Ringwood, previously a boarding house, is converted to music teaching.

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What is your best memory of STAHS? I have so many good memories, including water fights in the summer, putting on plays and being allowed into St Albans at lunchtime in Sixth Form. It’s mainly the lifelong friends I made.

What advice would you give to your younger self and current STAHS students?

My advice would be to enjoy it more - have fun, relax and don’t worry too much about small details. It’s an amazing time in your life and will be all the more richer if you relax into it and enjoy it. The world is a competitive place so you don’t need to rush to be super competitive; make sure you encourage and are kind to others - that is far more important in life and will set you in a good place.

“

“

have fun, relax and don’t worry too much about small details

to the fact that your goals “ bemightopenchange as you go through life

How do you think your time at STAHS has influenced who you are today?

I believe that it’s given me confidence and I have strong friendships with similar fundamental beliefs, which helps massively in later life. Without the nurturing school environment, combined with instilling a great work ethic and drive, I don’t think that I would be where I am now.

Zoe’s geography trip to the Lake District, 2003

“

Have you kept in touch with your friends from STAHS? Yes, I am in contact online with many, and see lots still.

We now enjoy our children playing together and it’s great having friends who I’ve known since I was 11.

Zoe Smith (née Bidgood) Attended STAHS 1999-2006 Which house were you in? Julian.

What was your favourite subject? English.

Which extracurricular activities did you take part in? All the choirs!

What was your favourite house event?

All of them! Maybe House Drama or Debating?

What was your favourite non-house event?

I think the greatest was Activity Week in 2001 - I think it was the brainchild of Mrs Shackley and it was space-themed with a great play at the end. I also remember we had a great picnic for the Queen’s Golden Juliblee! I enjoyed all the concerts too though.

What was your favourite school trip?

Geography trip to Iceland in 2004!

What is your best memory of STAHS? Oh way too many to choose from, but all the trips, forming Gospel Choir and our Sixth Form Muck Up Day where we filled the entire lower corridor with balloons we’d all spent the previous day inflating.

A true team effort!

What advice would you give to your younger self and current STAHS students?

By all means have goals and aspirations but be open to the fact that they might change as you go through life, and it’s fine if they do. Choosing a different path to the one you were on before isn’t a failure or weakness, but the strength to be true to yourself as you evolve! Life rarely goes as planned and change is the only constant!

Also: you and what you want to do is more important than relationships! Never lose who you are while trying to fit into someone else’ s life.

Special thanks to Mrs Barnes for her help with this feature and the STAHS timeline

The Junior School buildings are opened and named Michael House.

1970

1967

Zoe’s drama trip to Stratford-upon-Avon, 2002

Coaches are first introduced.

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BRIDGING THE GAP

MAYA WOLSEY

BRIDGING TH

PAOLO BENDANDI @UNSPLASH

GENERATIONS. THE TIME

PERIODS IN WHICH WE GROW UP THAT BOTH DEFINE AND DIVIDE US. WHEN YOU THINK OF THE CONCEPT OF DIFFERENT GENERATIONS, WHAT SPRINGS TO MIND? FOR ME, I PICTURE A FAMILY LIKE MINE, IN WHICH A DAUGHTER IS ONLY SEPARATED FROM HER MOTHER AND HER GRANDMOTHER BY TIME. HOWEVER, THIS MIX OF GENERATIONS IS ACTUALLY RARE OUTSIDE THE FAMILY, WHICH CAN CAUSE HUGE RIFTS AND PROBLEMS FOR OUR SOCIETY.

A separation between generations is known as a ‘generation gap’, which means a difference of attitudes and opinions between people of different ages, often leading to misunderstandings. The idea was first introduced in the 1960s, when the baby boomers were coming of age.

The decade saw a period of huge economic growth in the Western world after World War II, which gave these teenagers freedom to rebel against their parents’ traditional views,

The new Senior School hall, science labs and classrooms are opened by alumna and film actress Dame Anna Neagle.

for perhaps the first time in history.

Results of this can be seen in the huge youth participation in the civil rights movement, as well as new and alternative movements, such as punk and hippie, all of which challenged their parents’ conservative outlook on life. It was the youth’s newfound sense of identity that brought about the emergence of the ‘teenager’ and the idea that there was a clear separation between the younger and older generations.

Millennial (1980-1994)

Gen X (1965-1979)

Baby boomer (1946-1964)

Silent generation (1925-1945)

Which Generation Are You?

1974

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Sociologists now refer to the ‘generation gap’ as ‘institutional age segregation’. Age segregation, although not as extreme as other types of social division, still negatively impacts society and causes splits between us. Difference is not a bad thing; we can acknowledge and appreciate the differences between separate generations’ cultural and economic experiences, without stereotyping or holding prejudices. However, in the professional world, there are sometimes clear tensions and strained relations between those of different ages. As a result of an ageing population, many people are now working past the typical retirement age, which means that there is a growing age gap in the workforce.

In a recent Human Resource Management study, more than 500 employees reported that 58% of their managers mediate conflicts between younger and older generations on a daily basis. A major reason for this is that millennials often feel that they are not given as much respect as their older colleagues, and consequently miss out on promotions and pay rises. On the other hand, a huge concern for baby boomers is that they are being pushed out of the workforce and replaced by younger employees. This form of ageism is a real problem that we need to eliminate in order to achieve a generationally diverse workforce that can function efficiently together.

Gen Alpha (2013-2025)

Gen X 9 7 9 1 5 (196

Gen Z 12) 0 2 5 (199

a h p l A Gen 5) 2 0 2 3 (201

ne e g t n Sil e 5 4 9 1 5 (192 ARLINGTON RESEARCH @UNSPLASH

1982

1980s

The first computer is loaned to the school.

gen x

al i n n e l l Mi ) 4 9 9 1 (1980

ANNIE SPRATT @UNSPLASH

Gen Z (1995-2012)

ation gener t n e l i S

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GAP

VASILIOS MUSELIMIS @UNSPLASH

HE

GAP GAP GAP GAP

n e g t n Sil e 5) 4 9 1 5 (192 mer o o b Baby 4) 6 9 1 6 (194

nial millen

oo b y b a B 96 1 6 4 9 (1 continued...

at r e n e G 19 5 6 9 1 (

The new Sixth Form centre is opened by the Countess of Verulam.

The world we live in is constantly changing, evolving and developing. This means that each generation grows up in very different social and economic circumstances to the next, reshaping the way that each one views the world.

For example, millennials and Gen Z, although close in age and technological ability, have very different attitudes when it comes to investing and saving money. A reason for this is that at the very beginning of the lives of those in Gen Z, the world suffered a huge recession which left many of their parents in economic difficulty. This, as well as seeing many millennials’ financial struggles with student loans and housing prices, has led them to be far more conservative than the previous generation when it comes to spending money.

Our economic situation as millenials and Gen Z is very different from those who came before us. Unlike previous generations, it is unlikely that we will have just one stable job until we retire. Factors such as the financial crisis, which has resulted in unstable zero-hour contracts becoming more common, the housing crisis and huge student debt mean that it’s unlikely that we will ever purchase property; only one in three millenials will ever buy a house.

Given that this is very different to the past, older generations find it more difficult to understand these struggles and are quick to assume that millennials are simply unreliable ‘job-hoppers’, who have limited concentration due to their preoccupation with technology.

1989

LIV BRUCE@UNSPLASH

The school celebrates its Centenary with a range of celebrations.

BRIDGING THE GAP

...blaming millennials for ‘ruining cereal’ by only eating avocados for breakfast...

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DOMINIKA ROSECLAY @PEXELS

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Rather than taking responsibility for our own actions, we all have a tendency to blame other generations for our difficulties, instead of working collectively to overcome them. For example, millennials and Gen Z often accuse the older generations of creating a climate crisis and leaving the younger ones to deal with it.

Whether it’s criticising the silent generation for voting Brexit or blaming millennials for ‘ruining cereal’ by only eating avocados for breakfast, there are many misconceptions and stereotypes that we need to let go of in order to create a society in which all generations feel equal. Perhaps if we change our mindsets, we will be able to see generational integration not only in our families, but in all aspects of our lives, including the workplace. As we come of age and begin to enter the workplace, it’s our responsibility as Gen Z to lead the way in creating a society in which all generations feel valued and play a part in shaping the future and the world that we live in.

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KEWL @PIXABAY

VISHAL SHAH @PEXELS

O T E M I T

MIA R A JA

BLURS RUSHING PAST OUR EYES. HUSTLE AND BUSTLE. THE HANDS OF A CLOCK, SPINNING IN ITS INEVITABLE CIRCLE.

Life is full of rushing, but it doesn’t have to be.

Imagine what would happen if we all took a moment to plan our time better so that we could take care of ourselves more efficiently. Mindfulness is a great way to do so and meditation can often be the key to finding your inner peace. Studies show that meditation improves anxiety levels 60% of the time, relieves symptoms of insomnia 75% of the time and lowers blood pressure 80% of the time. This has led people to a way of life that includes less medication and more meditation...

These are all common features in our everyday lives, but they shouldn’t be. It’s time to stop rushing and start living. Every day, we live at full speed, whether it’s wolfing down half a slice of toast in the morning and calling it ‘breakfast’ or slapping on concealer seconds before our stop on the train. But what would happen if we slowed down, even just for a moment?

The newly-built sports centre opens.

1996

1991

continued...

New Junior School buildings are opened by HRH Princess Margaret.

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TIME TO SLOW DOWN

Did you know that, on average, live for 25 years

ERIK NELSON @UNSPLASH

sloths while cheetahs only live for approximately 12?

1996

Now, this doesn’t mean that in order to escape the stress and fast pace of life, you should meditate religiously three times a day because, let’s be honest, none of us have that kind of time. Fortunately, mindfulness is more than just meditation.

Mindfulness is about paying attention to our everyday thoughts, emotions and actions and analysing them from a non-judgemental point of view. The first way to do this is to let our minds wander. This might sound slightly peculiar considering that we’re always told to focus, pay attention and stop daydreaming. However, sometimes the best way to focus is to not focus at all. If we stop ourselves from overthinking and instead acknowledge our worries, we can discover what we are concerned or stressed about and deal with these issues, possibly preventing future stress at moments when we don’t have time to get distracted.

Two dedicated ICT rooms are opened.

MINDFULNESS IS ABOUT PAYING ATTENTION TO OUR EVERYDAY THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS AND ACTIONS...

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Slowing down our pace of eating is also more beneficial than you may think. Usually, eating, especially during the week, seems more like a timed competition than a meal. However, this can actually have a negative impact on our health. Eating too quickly can cause metabolic syndrome, leading to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and strokes. Takayuki Yamaji, a cardiologist at Hiroshima University, and her colleagues carried out a study on 642 men and 441 women with an average age of 51.2 years. None of these participants had metabolic syndrome in 2008. They were then split into three groups depending on whether they believed that their eating pace was fast, normal, or slow. Five years later, the researchers reconnected with the participants and found that metabolic

syndrome had developed in 11.6% of fast eaters, 6.5% of the normal eaters, and 2.3% of the slow eaters. Eating slowly has also proven to build metabolism and improve digestion and hydration.

Technology also plays a significant part in our day-to-day lives and has a large impact on the pace that we think at.

From hasty double-taps to continuous channel-hopping, technology brings a new rapidity into our lives like never before. We say that we watch TV to ‘relax’ and ‘wind down at the end of the day’, but with the propaganda relentlessly thrown at our faces through adverts and constant flashing images, are our eyes and brains really having ‘downtime’?

There are barely seconds in between adverts, giving our brains little to no time to process the information that is

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continuously tossed our way and making it extremely difficult to be at peace with our minds.

Social media also certainly has an impact on the high speed that our brains are forced to work at. The ability to contact and be contacted by anyone anywhere, makes it even more difficult for us to ‘switch off’ and slow down. With 95 million Instagram posts made per day, there are plenty of images and captions that we get bombarded with, acting as a huge distraction and putting pressure on our brains to juggle more information throughout the day. Even during just one day without technology, time seems to slow down and we’re able to notice and enjoy our real lives better than before.

The Oakdene Library opens, in what was previously the staff room.

1999

1999

JARED RI

CE @UN

SPLASH

‘Slow’ is a word that often appears in my everyday life. From my slow processing speed to being (I’m pretty sure) one of the slowest eaters in the world – ‘Hurry up!’ and ‘Come on, we haven’t got all day!’ are phrases that I hear a lot. Fast speed is useful for many things, especially in school; if you’re a quick writer and a quick learner, these qualities are very helpful. Yet, I’ve recently discovered that being slow isn’t all that bad. Sloths move slower than any other mammal on the planet and this allows them to conserve energy. Did you know that, on average, sloths live for 25 years while cheetahs only live for approximately 12? ‘Slow’ teaches us to be patient. ‘Slow’ teaches us to handle with care, allowing for small mistakes to be noticed early on rather than a rushed attempt at something, only to discover a bigger mistake later on. ‘Slow’ teaches us to be more productive and creative, to appreciate the little things and to live in the now.

I’VE ALWAYS SEEN MY SLOWNESS AS MY BIGGEST WEAKNESS... NOW I REALISE THAT IT IS, IN FACT, MY GREATEST STRENGTH.

The Du Cane Drama Studio is opened.

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LITER ATURE & LIVING FOREVER

IMMORTAL.

DEFINED BY THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY AS AN ADJECTIVE MEANING ‘LIVING FOREVER; NEVER DYING OR DECAYING’. IMMORTALITY IS THE LONG SOUGHT-AFTER LOOPHOLE IN DEATH’S CONTRACT.

Literature & It is the fight against time by whatever means possible, from ambrosia in Greek mythology (no, not the rice pudding) to soul-sacrificing portraits à la Dorian Gray. So I ask you, is it really possible? It seems to me that it is – and perhaps Oscar Wilde, alongside many other writers, knew the secret. While writers are not physically immortal (they are not gods, although some avid fans may argue otherwise), they are immortalised through their words, which live on in their absence.

William Shakespeare has mastered immortality, living for over 400 years and counting. We are continuously exposed to Shakespeare’s literature and form our own impressions of him, based on our impressions of his work. We ‘know’ him because we know what he has written. Yet the Shakespeare that we know now is not the one who existed in the 16th century. Our own experiences of our current political, social and economic environments influence how we interpret his literary texts, and therefore how we interpret his character. A version of Shakespeare exists in the 21st century, and a version of him will undoubtedly exist in the 22nd century, but neither ‘version’ is representative of who he was when he was physically alive.

Shakespeare’s name is immortal but his identity continues to evolve through each generation.

1999

time by t s in a g a t h ig It is t he f means possible, fr om (no, whatever in Greek myt hology ambr osia ice pudding) t o soul- rian not t he r g portraits åaàla Do sacrif icino I ask you, is it real ly Gray. S possible?

AARON BURDEN @UNSPLASH

SYD WACHS @UNSPLASH

NATASHA FOX

But does this take away from his so-called immortality? Does it matter that who he is now is not the same as who he was 400 years ago? Perhaps in order to be immortal, one has to change.

No ‘living’ person stays the same throughout their life; they grow, adapt, and their views and beliefs change in accordance with the challenges that society faces. To appeal to the 21st century’s love of technology, Shakespeare has merely undergone updates or different versions, but the model is the same. It is the adaptability of Shakespeare’s plays, and their ability to find meaning in every generation that provides the key to immortality. Literature that is unable to adapt may risk being forgotten.

Shakespeare’s plays continue to be relevant in today’s society. Directors, both of the stage and the screen, use their artistic licence to modernise and radicalise Shakespeare’s plays, from Peter Brook’s convention-breaking, circus-infused stage production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to Baz Luhrmann’s visually exotic, Floridian film adaptation of Romeo + Juliet. Modern classics such as The Lion King and 10 Things I Hate About You are based on Hamlet and The Taming of The Shrew, respectively.

The infant department is re-established with the introduction of Reception class. Prior to this the earliest pupils could join was in Year 3.

SUZY HAZELWOOD @PEXELS

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screen, e stage and th d n o t ey b nds imated tha guage exte re. It is est ltu cu r But his lan u o to f o ords in all aspects nd 1,700 w infiltrating uced arou d o ossip’ and tr ‘g in l’, al re b a ety ding ‘eye u Shakespe cl in , e ghout soci g a ro langu echo th u to . es u es tin liv the English n r u co all of o ’. His voice ence over flu as in r’ ‘fashionable le ve b re ia fo ves s an unden n that he ‘li e and he hold not just mea tinues to b es n o d co ity ce al n rt se re p of is es h His immo liv at s th ting the al; it ensure ations, affec er en g an individu t u o ely through felt collectiv le. many peop

Living Forever

HOW TO BE IMMORTAL

Yet is Shakespeare the exception? With his impressive portfolio of at least 37 plays and 154 sonnets, it is no surprise that we know who he is and allow him to live on. But what about writers who publish only one or two ‘immortal’ books?

We remember the name of the novel, poem or play but not necessarily who wrote it. ‘But who was that written by?’ – we proceed to rack our brains, searching for the name of the writer, hidden somewhere in the depths of our memories.

We often view literature in its own right, as having a life of its own, separate from its creator. Even if we do know the name of the writer who wrote a novel, often that is all it is: a name.

How can a writer be immortal if all that remains is their name on the cover, overlooked in favour of the much more impressive, fictional world of their text?

The Prep School moves to Wheathampstead.

2007

2003

Perhaps it does not matter if it is only a name. Perhaps a name is enough. The real testament to a writer’s ‘immortality’ is the impact that their literature has on society. In reality, we do not know that much about Shakespeare’s private life but that does not detract from his impact on public life. Literature is often influenced by the political and social climate of the time at which it was written; a text is the product of both the writer and their environment. It enables us to learn about the past, reflect on the present, and arguably ‘predict’ the future (in some cases, to a shocking degree of accuracy).

The mirror images found in literature give us a greater insight into human nature and how we relate to ourselves and one another, let alone to the writer. To read is to have a conversation with the writer; each time that someone opens a book, a connection is established between them and the writer, a connection that ties the writer to the living world.

Perhaps, paradoxically, a writer may be anonymous and still immortal, because their opinions and their perspective of the world live on, through the eyes of the reader.

Therefore, classics are classics for a reason. When it was first released, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird illuminated the problems surrounding racism, embedded in American society, on the back of the civil rights movement – echoing the Black Lives Matter movement today. Now, not only does the novel act as a window to the past, but it also serves as an urgent warning to the present of the inhumanity and brutality that humans are capable of – racism is still horribly prevalent today. It shows us how much further we have to go in terms of reaching racial equality, pushing us to be proactive and instigate real change.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, another classic, sheds light on the moral decay of a reckless society – one that is not far from our own today. His novel forces us to question our own values and priorities. Ironically, Fitzgerald lives on through his warning against acting as if one were immortal. He writes, ‘You can’t live forever; you can’t live forever’; his characters may not be able to, and neither may we, but Fitzgerald seems to have proven himself wrong – because he can.

Writers may achieve immortality as long as their words and ideas continue to evoke some form of response from people. Not only must their voices resonate with their own generations, but also with following generations. It does not always have to be the same conversation; literature is flexible and subjective, and has the power to change its meaning depending on who reads it. ‘Immortal’ writers are those who do not just write for themselves, but those who write for their contemporaries, and those who write for us.

Ultimately, immortality is a two-way street – it is our responsibility to choose whether we allow a writer to live on, and whether we want to continue having those conversations. But if Shakespeare is still alive after 400 years, it is fair to say that immortality is possible.

Perhaps the ancient Greeks, in their quest to live forever, should have relied on writing instead of ambrosia.

Development of the sports centre takes place, including the opening of the indoor pool.

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IMPRINT 2020

M AKING MEMORIES

FREESTOCKS.ORG @PEXELS

Making Memories

MEMORIES. WHAT IS YOUR OLDEST MEMORY? HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS IS YOUR OLDEST MEMORY? HAVE YOU EVER SAID TO YOURSELF, ‘I FORGOT THAT MEMORY EXISTED’? OR HAS SOMEONE REMINDED YOU OF A PREVIOUS EVENT, YET YOU HAVE NO RECOLLECTION?

ZARA YUNIS

Our memories shape us through time as we recall and re-experience past occurrences that we have already endured. They teach us how to deal with future experiences and which emotions are paired with these. The progression of technology has been revolutionary in enabling us to hold on to a memory. We are now able to capture every moment of our lives by using smartphones and cameras, immortalising memories in photos and videos.

However, is it possible for our minds to willingly forget events? Do we trick ourselves into thinking that something has happened when it hasn’t?

What is consolidation?

The process of making a memory is called consolidation and it takes anywhere from five minutes to an hour. However, if you do something during this consolidation period, such as watching a video on your phone or witnessing strange behaviour, it is likely that you will forget the details of what has just happened prior to this as your brain hasn’t consolidated that memory.

New information has been added, thus confusing your brain.

For example, if you have a concussion, it is unlikely that you will remember what happened right beforehand as the storage process (consolidation) has been disrupted.

The pavilion at the sports field is rebuilt after a fire.

2012

2010

LISA FOTIOS @PEXELS

The problem with memories in the human brain is that they are vulnerable long after being stored, and can become vulnerable again when retrieved. When retrieved, your brain has to reconsolidate these memories, but this can cause problems.

If you introduce new information during the reconsolidation window, you can permanently alter a memory, as new and old information confuse each other.

The Jubilee Centre opens.

IMPRINT 2020

A dif Do wfeerent ang contr le ol eve Marce rythin l Prous t, a Fre on tim g? nch no e and veli m

An easier way of explaining this is through the analogy of the game Chinese whispers. During the game, a word or phrase is whispered and each time that it’s passed on, it is processed by a different person, resulting in the initial meaning being changed over time. Similarly, when you retrieve a memory, you are effectively giving yourself the opportunity to change the memory before it is passed on again and stored.

To take it one step further, your brain may also create memories that never happened. This is called the ‘illusory truth effect’. This phenomenon occurs after repeated exposure to false information, to the extent that your brain becomes reliant on this information and it becomes all you know to be true.

What can be done about this?

2015

With the increasing advances of technology, it is even easier to remind ourselves of the specific details of a memory; smartphones and cameras allow us to take photos and videos of an event. The obvious advantage of this is that we are no longer able to alter memories to such a degree that they become radically different because we can access them with such ease. However, is there a benefit to not being able to remember something? Elizabeth Phelps, Professor of Psychology at New York University, claimed that this skill of our brain may help people to control unwanted memories that they have; these may be related to PTSD or other painful scenarios which, through time and reconsolidation, can be forgotten. Therefore, it is extremely subjective whether you think that this is a benefit or a downfall; on the one hand, you may wonder how trustworthy our brains are if rationality can be overpowered, whilst on the other hand, you may agree that this memory-altering ability makes us human.

Proust writes, ‘No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses, something isolated, detached, with no suggestion of its origin’.

Our senses are incredibly powerful; they trigger the unknown and allow us to relish in fond memories.

Perhaps by momentarily forgetting a memory, it makes us happier, because when we suddenly remember it again, we are able to enjoy a moment from the past.

Only real time can shape our memories, but the ability to lose, forget, delete, remember or create memories makes us human. If we all had a photographic memory then a long, ‘recorded’ version of our lives would not allow for us to make mistakes or have sudden ‘shudders’ of memories run through us; this ability makes us human.

THE MEMORIES THAT WE HAVE OR CREATE ARE WHAT GUIDE US ON OUR JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE.

STAHS wins The Sunday Times Independent Secondary School of the Year 2015-2016.

JON TYSON@UNSPLASH

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IMPRINT 2020

THE IM MOR ALIT Y OF IM MORTALIT Y

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ONE ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS THE DRIVE TO PRESERVE EXISTENCE. SOME PEOPLE’S GOAL IN LIFE IS TO LEAVE A LEGACY BEHIND, OTHERS WISH TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS.

So it is not surprising that life extension has been a key concern of humanity throughout recorded history. Up until recently, extending the human lifespan beyond the ‘natural’ limit was seen as selfish, dangerous and immoral. However, a new generation of ethicists and scientists has challenged these views and shown that arguments against life extension do not hold up well to serious scrutiny. We live in a society that is gradually becoming more accepting of change, and one in which the general public have a renewed faith in the progress of technology.

2016

DAN@WIKIPEDIA

Cryonics, from the Greek ‘kryos’ meaning ‘cold’, is the low temperature freezing (usually at -196 degrees Celsius) and storage of a human corpse or severed head, with the speculative hope that resurrection may be possible in the future. Cryonics procedures can begin only after clinical death and cryonics ‘patients’ are legally dead. Cryonics procedures ideally begin within minutes of death and use cryoprotectants to prevent ice formation during cryopreservation.

With the Cryonics Institute, the minimum fee for cryopreservation, which includes vitrification and long term storage, is $28,000.

The Hawking Building is opened by alumna Jane Hawking and her daughter Lucy, Stephen Hawking’s former wife and daughter.

We need to understand cryopreservation as a concept of life similar to the one used for frozen embryos. Some people view frozen embryos as living but others do not. However, as soon as they are implanted in a uterus, they are ultimately given life, which is the equivalent of human reanimation. The bioethical question posed by this issue is whether a cryopreserved human being is entitled to rights.

The idea of cryonics, to suspend life until treatment can be provided, has been around for at least a few hundred years.

However, modern cryonics is based on a more sophisticated understanding of death. In the past, death was defined as cardiac arrest but modern resuscitation techniques have stretched the definition of this. In his discussion of cryonics, Dr Ralph Merkle states, ‘If the structures in the brain that encode memory and personality have been so disrupted that it is no longer possible in principle to recover them, then the person is dead.’ The main limitation of current cryonics is that it is uncertain whether the information in the brain is truly preserved.

Cryonics is strongly consistent with the pro-life views of Christianity and other religions that value the sanctity of human life. John Warwick Montgomery, a Christian theologian, has written favourably about cryonics in ‘Cryonics and Orthodoxy’. He states, ‘I’m for cryonics: the future could well gain from those in the present who have come experientially to acknowledge the absolute lordship of the Christ of Scripture.’ Whenever negative views have been expressed, they are almost always based on the mistaken belief that cryonics is attempting resurrection, when it is actually a form of life support.

Normally, science demands that any trials on humans may only take place after successful trials on animals. The technique has been tested on mammals but it hasn’t worked, and yet companies are offering the service for a fee. All they can promise is storage and monitoring in liquid nitrogen at extremely low temperatures until a time when medical technology has evolved such that it allows patients to be revived. The premise of cryonics is based on a possibility rather than a probability of success, but what happens if these companies run out of money or if the storage technology goes wrong one day?

In an ideal world where ethics doesn’t interfere with science, it would be a medical breakthrough, but right now scientists don’t have all the answers. It raises so many ethical questions, such as how long should they keep people frozen for? And if a child were to be frozen, who would be their guardian once they reawoke, if it were 80 years later? The child isn’t old enough to make their own medical decisions and maybe not mature enough to understand what their options are. Although shown as successful in many science fiction films such as Star Wars, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Trek, I don’t think that we are scientifically advanced enough yet to fully understand all the aspects of cryonics.

Mandarin is introduced as a GCSE subject.

2017

2016

THERE IS ONLY ONE CERTAINTY IN LIFE FOR EVERYONE AND THAT IS DEATH. THE QUESTION IS: WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE ON SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES THAT TAMPER WITH THIS ONE CERTAINTY? The school magazine, run by Sixth Form, is rebranded as Imprint.

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...suspend life until treatment can be provided

Cryonicists do not believe that cryopreserved humans or animals are dead.

They often refer to a person who has been declared legally dead and cryopreserved as being in a state of ‘deanimation’. A cryopreserved individual is legally dead but cryonicists say that they can be reanimated.

This reanimation should not be associated with resurrection.

...until a time when medical technology has evolved such that it allows patients to be revived

...procedures ideally begin within minutes of death

IMPRINT 2020

We can’t stop climate change because it’s already here, and it’s too late to reverse some of the catastrophic changes that have already been caused, but many people believe we can do more to slow it down. In 2018, Greta Thunberg, the teenage climate activist from Sweden, began protesting and demanding actions against climate change. She claims that we are ‘running out of time to save our planet’ and has inspired protests worldwide.

But are we already too late?

Even if we were to stop emitting greenhouse gases today, global warming would continue to happen for several more decades, if not centuries. Some scientists argue that a global disaster is already unfolding in both the North Pole and the South Pole. The Arctic, for example, may be ice-free by the end of the summer melt season within a couple of years. Furthermore, experts are concerned about the Earth suffering from irreversible changes that tip our climate into a new state of concern. Coral reefs are already reaching a point of destruction and oceans are becoming more acidic, impacting crop growth in some parts of the world.

However, the United Nations panel on climate change says that the impact of the crisis can still be slowed down if countries around the world take unprecedented action to reduce their use of fossil fuels and release less carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air. The UN

IS IT TOO L ATE?

IS IT T O O L ATE ?

OLIVIA SMITH

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panel’s researchers found that ‘human caused’ carbon dioxide emissions need to be cut by nearly half of 2010 levels by 2030 to avert the worst effects of climate change.

The main way to slow down climate change is to reduce carbon emissions, which is ultimately in the hands of the government, however there are a few things that we can do to help. Firstly, we need to unite, both locally and globally, to spread greater awareness and help cause a change. Secondly, we can eat in a more sustainable fashion. This includes eating more meat-free meals, buying organic or local food where possible, not wasting food and even growing your own produce. Finally, we can travel greener. In the wake of the coronavirus, I have certainly come to appreciate the outdoors much more, and can understand the importance of walking or using public transport as much as possible. With these factors combined, you could make a change.

However small, it’s still one step closer to saving the planet and with everyone united, this could have a massive impact.

2020

TWO YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE WARNED US THAT WE NEED TO LIMIT CLIMATE CHANGE TO THE 1.5 DEGREES CELSIUS MARK BY THE END OF 2030 IN ORDER TO STAVE OFF THE WORST IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. BUT IS THAT TOO BIG A CHALLENGE FOR SOCIETY?

GUILLAUME FALCO @PEXELS

IMPRINT 2020

eating more meat-free meals, buying organic or local food where possible, not wasting food and even growing your own produce

“

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STAHS temporarily closes its doors as the UK locks down due to the coronavirus crisis.

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There are also some more unusual ways that have been suggested to help slow climate change. Whilst everyone has been inundated with the typical ways to slow down the crisis, such as using your car less and turning off the lights, some scientists have begun to identify more unusual solutions:

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1 . H a v i n g S m a l l e r Children

MARCUS SPISKE @PEXELS

Six years ago, Matthew Liao, Director of the Center for Bioethics at New York University, released a study that found a correlation between a person’s size and their carbon footprint. He proposed that if embryos were genetically modified through ‘pre-implantation genetic diagnosis’ in fertility clinics, and an embryo was chosen that produced a smaller child, then climate change could be reduced.

PIXABAY @PEXELS

2 . P r e v e n t P e o p l e Eating Red Meat It would be nearly impossible to wean the global population off red meat but Liao has again suggested another method. Nature itself has provided a solution in the lone star tick, an insect native to the Southeast region of the United States. The tick’s bite causes alpha-gal syndrome, an affliction that causes the immune system to react when the person eats red meat. In other words, they develop an allergic reaction to red meat. It has been proven that cutting meat and dairy products from your diet could reduce an individual’s carbon footprint by two-thirds.

IMPRINT 2020

3.Educating Girls

ELLA OLSSON @PEXELS

So, it is up to us to do our part before time runs out.

The school supports the NHS by donating PPE, including visors produced by the DT teachers using the school’s 3D printers.

2020

2020

Last year, Project Drawdown ranked ‘giving young girls the access to schooling’ as the sixth of the 100 most effective ways to fight climate change. It is unbelievable to think that 130 million girls are deprived of an education. Girls who go to school grow up to be women who are more likely than men to recycle, invest responsibly, and prioritise social and environmental issues in the boardroom. Educated women are likely to have fewer children, and researchers have shown that having one fewer child is the most effective way to avoid increasing one’s carbon footprint.

The new Sixth Form centre and dining room open.

IMPRINT 2020

S T ALBANS HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIR L S SI X TH FOR M

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