Sterling Cub Reporter: October 2017

CUB REPORTER

Sterling High School | Volume 4 | Issue 1 | October 2017

SAME FACES, NEW SPACES Pg. 8

A Different Alteration Pg. 4

Working for the Win Pg. 7

New Program Causes Controversy Pg. 15

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| October 2017

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EDITORIAL

www.sterlingstudentpublications.com 308 E. Washington, Sterling, KS 67579 Phone: 620-278-2171 • Fax: 620-278-3237

STAFF EDITORS: • McKiah San Miguel • Grace Rowland REPORTERS: • Morgan Anderson • Natalie Nichols • Andy Norez • Taya Wilson • Kaylie Zimmerman ADVISER: • Todd Vogts GRAPHIC ARTISTS: • SHS Graphic Design Class ADVERTISING SALES: • Sterling Publications Staff

POLICIES The Sterling High School Cub Reporter and all subsidiary publications are designated forums of free speech. The print edition is published October through May of each school year by the journalism class at Sterling High School. It is distributed for no charge throughout Unified School District 376 buildings and the Sterling community. The first copy is free. Subsequent copies will cost $1 per copy. For information about being added to the subscription list, contact Todd Vogts at 620-278-2171. Letters to the editor are welcome. Email them to journalism@usd376.com. All letters must be signed. Anonymous letters will not be printed. All letters subject to editing for legal, grammatical and factual reasons.

ABOUT THE COVER PHOTO Sophomores Logan Weigel and Caleb Lambert kick an extra point during the home football game against Remington.

(Photo by McKiah San Miguel)

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Students, athletes feel favoritism Though teachers and coaches are here to educate and lead all pupils equally, some students feel that these adults play favorites when it comes to the classroom or athletic field. Playing favorites, or the illusion of playing favorites, can cause issues in class or on a sports team. Many students and athletes do their best all the time.

In sports, athletes can give their 100 percent everyday and maintain good attitudes, but they struggle getting the position or amount of playing time they want. In other instances, some don’t try as hard and don’t have the best attitudes, but they don’t have any trouble getting where they want to be. Players can stay after practice and make extra sacrifices for a sport they want to advance in, but it doesn’t help. For example, athletes choose not to maintain a job to be able to participate in sports. Hearing phrases in the locker rooms -- such as, “Coach doesn’t like me. That’s why I’m not on Varsity.” -- isn’t necessarily uncommon.

This can create a perception that some players feel that they’re being played down because they believe the coach doesn’t like them even if this may not be completely valid. This creates the need for coaches to be aware of such sentiments running through their teams. It can damage the team dynamic, and it

should be countered.

Likewise, students can feel the same way about teachers in the classroom.

Some teachers allow students to abide by different rules, for which other students would be punished. Not all students should be held accountable to the exact standards of everyone else.

However, if there are two students of the same capabilities, but one student is getting more attention due to the teacher and the student having more compatible personalities, it could limit how well the other student could do in that class due to the lack of a positive working relationship. This isn’t necessarily the fault of the teacher or the student as it is human nature to prefer certain types of individuals. However, in an educational setting, it’s important for teachers to be aware of this possibility in order to prevent damage to the learning environment.

We recognize that if this is happening, though it may not be intentional, coaches and teachers need to be aware this can be the perception. Make sure decisions are being made for good reasons, and if possible, being transparent about those reasons to the students and athletes to help eliminate anger or frustration that may be building.

— For The Editorial Board

BRIEFLY STATED Students participate in PowderPuff Sophmore Kinzie Comley runs fromFreshman Natalie Schweizer during PowderPuff on August 25th.

“The best part of PowderPuff was getting to play football with girls you didn’t know as well, and having fun while doing it, Comley said.”

Zeroto100

Have you ever wondered about all the cool stuff going on around SHS, and then thought of all the unfortunate stuff to happen? Here’s your guide to all the hot, and cold, stuff going on at SHS.

Students donated blood September 6th at the blood drive.

FCCLA, FBLA, and Stuco held a movie party in the commans area, August 21st.

“My favorite part of highschool so far is the Stuco Mixer because I got to meet new people.”

Freshman Aubrey Anderson,

The second game of the season the football team loses to the Sedgwick Cardinals.

shares her opinion on what she is enjoying about high school during the first couple weeks of school.

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NEWS

Prather impacts students one needle at a time Morgan Anderson Many students at Sterling High School become involved in different extracurricular activities every year such as band, debate, choir, or even clubs such as FCCLA or STUCCO. What most people don’t realize is there is a class for sewing taught by Mrs. Prather during the third hour of everyday.

“Three years ago they made changes to the schedule,” said Carol Prather. “Many were told that we could teach whatever we want it to be as long as it was feasible and worthwhile. I’m hoping my students trust in me that I will try my hardest to help them produce a worthwhile product, help develop imagination, build up confidence that they can do it and if not they rip it out and try it again.

During this hour, many students are offered with a wide range of different projects such as sewing clothes, making quilts, and hemming pants which they can use in the future.

“I love being able to have free choice in what I make in this class,” said senior Lexi Edwards. “I already use this class to sew things I use everyday. It’s so handy to be able to make something that I need and I have learned so much and I feel like when I graduate, I can use this skill to make all kinds of things.”

After high school, these skills that they learn may be used when they move into college or maybe even adulthood.

“So far in this class I have learned how to sew on a button

Reporter @_morgs.__ and now if I lose a button, I can just sew it back on.” said sophomore Rylee Boeken. “This class is really fun because there are a lot of upperclassmen in it which allows me to be with people I would never talk to. You learn how to sew, of course, but you get to meet other people that you wouldn’t talk to or be around.

These skills can also teach me to be like my mom. When I was younger, my mom always used to make our halloween costumes so I want to do that for my kids too.”

Some students have been able to take this class more than once and continue to learn new skills every year. This allows them to grow in their skills and keep practicing in order to excel in future projects.

“The class this year is a lot bigger and a lot more girls got interested in it. They started to realize that other girls were doing it and they started realizing all of the projects that they were making,” said senior Hannah Vogt. “In this class, you learn how to sew on buttons, learn how to hem pants, and just learn how to fix things you wouldn’t know how to do without a sewing machine or knowing how to hand stitch. I would recommend this class because it’s not only helpful life skills, it’s something I think a lot of people find as a hobby. I didn’t really know I enjoyed it until I found out all the things you can learn and make and I found it really beneficial.”

(Photo by Morgan Anderson) Seniors Raegan Mantz and Camille Schweizer cut and design their semester projects in Mrs. Prather’s sewing class.

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ONE PAGE FOCUS

Industrial Arts Teacher Joshua Pounds teaching Anthony Karraker how to use one of Auto CAD’s features.

(Photo by Andy Norez)

New industrial arts teacher debuts at SHS Andy Norez As a new year rolls in it’s not the only thing that’s new, last year Keith Patterson retired after 26 years of service and experience and left a void that was filled by Joshua Pounds, Industrial Arts Teacher.

Pounds hails from Concordia to teach a variety of classes.

“I teach Woodworking, Drafting, Cabinet Making, and Industrial Technology,” Pounds said. “This is my first year teaching I just graduated from Fort Hays this last May.” Being new in town is not always the easiest thing and most have some level of difficulty with the people but the same cannot be said for Pounds.

“The people are down to earth and caring, “Pounds said,” They’re not about themselves and being the new person they welcomed me with open arms.”

When choosing a line of work most people choose a career that they are passionate about and love to do, and Pounds is

Reporter @Andy_Norez no different,”I get to work in a woodshop doing what I love, building stuff and teaching the students to build what I know.”

Pounds said,”I’m a hands-on person and I’ve always liked to build things in the woodshop, ” As well as having a love for woodworking he also had some influence by his parents.

“My dad is a teacher for Cloud Community College and has been there for forty years, and my mom works at the county treasurer office in Cloud County,” Pounds said,”Education has been in my blood just not at the High School level.”

He’s willing to teach his students and share his knowledge and skills that he has gone to school to learn and share his interest in woodworking.

“I’ll be excited when we get in the workshop to see their skills,” Pounds said. “Ever since I was in the 8th grade I loved working in woodshop, it was in my blood.”

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119 W. Main Sterling, Kansas 67579 Telephone: 620.204.7150 www.genzada.com

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Have you ordered your yearbook yet?

The 2018 yearbook is on-sale for $40 until Christmas break!

See Mr. Vogts today!

NEWS

Vo-tech program sees increased enrollment Kaylie Zimmerman The vo-tech program has been an option for SHS students for around 15 years. This two-year program attracts students due to its variety of hands-on classes and has seen a significant increase in enrollment from previous years.

The number of students involved in vo-tech has doubled since last year, going from 9 to 18.

Hutchinson Community College offers vo-tech classes in many areas such as Auto Body, Automotive Technology, Machine Technology, Residential Construction, Welding Technology, Medical Aide, and CNA. These classes appeal to the more hands-on learning students and allows students to get out of a desk and into a work environment.

“I’ve never touched a book in that class,” said senior John Schweizer, “I haven’t set foot in a classroom, and the best part about it is not having to do that kind of stuff.”

For some students, vo-tech is a means of leading into another career.

“I want to do welding for art, for sculpting,” junior Abby Wohlgamuth said. “I saw the opportunity to take welding

Reporter @kayliezimm

during high school so I took it.”

Others, such as Schweizer, who is in his second year of votech, chose their area for future options.

“Construction is something I can use for just about anything I can do my whole life,” Schweizer said. “I’m not sure if it’s going to be a career yet or not.”

While the students do get college credit to kickstart their education and career, the grading scale can be strict.

“We have to pass certification,” junior Kyler Edwards said.

“It’s either a pass or fail grade, and if you don’t meet the requirements on it, you fail.”

Schweizer said he enjoys the fun atmosphere and different style of learning.

“It’s a great program and it’s a lot of fun. It’s work but it’s a lot of fun.”

Although the work can be hard, current students praise the program and encourage involvement.

“I would advise the sophomores to go for it,” said senior Alexander Brasher. “It’s life skills that you’ll need through everyday life.”

STAFF THANKS

Mr. Eric Wenzel, Congrats on all the great things you are doing with Future Business Leaders of America! Going to nationals two years in a row is no small accomplishment!

You are a valuable asset to Sterling High School and the community as a whole.

Keep up the great work!

— Black Bear Supporters Sterling High School |

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| October 2017

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FEATURE

BRINGING IN THE NEW

With a new year, comes new changes to fall coaching staffs Taya Wilson Along with a new school year comes change, that’s inevitable. However, this year Sterling High School has experienced more change than usual especially with fall sports.

In almost every fall sport a new coach has been introduced or reintroduced to coaching the sport. Cheerleaders met their new cheer coach, Tana Day. Cross Country was introduced to two familiar faces, previous Assistant Coach Larry Brownlee became the new Head Coach and bus driver Robert Humphreys joined the program as the new Assistant

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Reporter @_twils_

Coach.

Football saw a shift in coaching as Derek Schneider replaced Tyson Bauerle as the new Head Coach, Wes Laudermilk became the new Defensive Coordinator and Brian Richter came back as the new assistant coach.

In volleyball Wendy Calderwood took over as the C team coach, while tennis remained the same with Curtis Thompson at the helm.

A new face to Sterling High School Cheer, Day was very excited to be offered the job after Cacey Lacey stepped down

due to an offer at the Sterling College.

“When they offered it to me I thought, ‘Oh that’s cool!’ I like cheer and I like hanging out with kids, so I thought it was a fun way to do both,” Day said.

Before being a cheer coach Day was a full time college student at Sterling College. Even though she’s never coached before she uses her eight years of experience, six years from junior high to high school, and two years in college, to lay down her goals for the girls.

“Basically, I laid out three goals for the year,” Day said. “First of all I want them to

(Photos by Taya Wilson and Kaylie Zimmerman) Left to right: Tana Day, Head Cheer Coach, Robert Humphreys, Assistant Cross Country Coach,Larry Brownlee, Head Cross Country Coach, Wendy Calderwood, Assistant Volleyball Coach, Brian Richter, Assistant Football Coach, Dan Whisler, Athletic Director.

be better cheerleaders. That might mean hitting a stunt they’ve never hit before, or increasing their flexibility or learning a new trick; whatever it might be I want them to be better cheerleaders. I want them to have fun and enjoy it, but I also want them to be better individuals, so, the way they speak to each other, the way they listen to people in authority, the way they support their school, whatever it might be.”

Cross Country may not be introducing a new face to the coaching program, it’s more of faces in different places.

Brownlee who climbed the ladder from Assistant Coach to Head Coach -- after Dan Whisler stepped down to spend more time with his family -- definitely has some experience under his belt.

“I’ve been working with Coach Whis-

ler for, I don’t know, 20 some years probably and I love the sport of cross country.

It get’s a lot of students involved and it’s a great sport, so I enjoy being around it. He (Whisler) needed to move on so he could be with his family more. It was kind of a natural progression for me to step into that position,” Brownlee said.

Joining Brownlee is the seemingly new Assistant Coach Humphreys, but there’s more to him than what meets the eye.

“I’d always wanted to be a coach and I enjoy the sport, I like to see kids work hard and improve, and to be around the sport and enjoy it some more,” Humphreys said. “We didn’t have cross country when I was in high school. Our track coach tried to get cross country, but the Board of Education at the time didn’t want to do it.

So what did Humphreys do instead of cross country? He set records on the track that were only to be broken by his own son, Kaleb Humphreys.

“I ran distance, ran the mile and two mile, and went to state three years and placed fourth every year. My senior year I broke the school record in the 3200m race at the state meet, which is always an exciting time to do something like that, and I already had the mile record, which has been broken since then, Kaleb has them both,” Humphreys said.

Similar to the shift in cross country, in football Schneider become the new Head Coach while Laudermilk became Defensive Coordinator and they both invited their old high school Football Coach Richter to join them on staff after Bauerle left to coach football in Hesston.

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BELOW: Assistant Football Coach, Brian Richter uses his headset to communicate with the coaches on the field during the second half of play against Remington. Also pictured is his son Blake Richter.

ABOVE: Tana Day, the new head cheer coach, steadies reaches up to steady a practice stunt before a game.

LEFT: Assistant Volleyball Coach, Wendy Calderwood instructs the C Team girls during practice.

“It was an interesting opportunity and I thought it would be a fun challenge,” Schneider said.

Some of his challenges look slightly different than others would as he remains the Head Coach of boys’ basketball and was recently introduced to his new daughter Stella Schneider.

“Being two Head Coaches, I think there are always the challenges of the time commitment to make sure that you’re dealing with the sport that you’re in and not for the up-coming sport,” Schneider said.

As for the baby Schneider already has a game plan sketched out.

“I think good planning and setting up boundaries of -- practice I’m home at 6:00, that’s a non-negotiable thing, and weekends, you know, sometimes you have to put a little bit more on your assistant coaches, delegate stuff a little bit more and

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trust that they can handle that and they can.” Schneider said. “As you get older you start to realize that things can go on without you, even though sometimes you think they can’t, they can and they will.”

Helping Schneider is Richter, a man who’s no stranger to the game.

“As most people know it’s really an old position,” Richter said, “I did it for 16 years then took four off, did it for four more years and have been off for four, and when Schneider decided to take the head job I told him I would come and help him, not so much for football as much as just some experience and guidance for him.”

Speaking of guidance, C team volleyball has been experiencing some new guidance under Calderwood after Paula Crandall stepped down.

“I decided to take the position because I missed coaching and working with kids outside of class. I coached volleyball sev-

eral years ago, so that was going to be an easy transition for me,” Calderwood said.

Even with an easy transition Calderwood has one slight issue.

“The only thing I have a problem with is getting to practice on time because practice starts 15 minutes after school’s out and if I have kids in my room, questions or trying to figure something out I don’t usually get to the gym before everybody’s in there.” Calderwood said.

Finally the last major change that’s happened in sports this fall is Whisler as the new athletic director, but even this is likely to change in the next few years.

“I see this as a transition year,” Whisler said, “I’d like to have two full time science teachers so I don’t see this as a long term position for me, but hopefully it’s giving the district a chance to evaluate where they want to go with this position.”

LEFT: Sophomore Elizabeth Horsch cheers during the football game against Remington.

“I like how she (Tana Day) has experience and knows what she’s doing, she’s comfortable around us and does what needs to be done. She has helped me grow so much as a cheerleader.

BELOW: Senior Hans Anderson breaks a tackle during the second half of play against Remington. “Coach (Brian) Richter’s down-to-earthiness and previous experience is very helpful and motivates the team.”

ABOVE: Freshman Aubrey Anderson attempts to save the ball during a JV Tournament in Lyons. “I love Coach (Wendy) Calderwood with 100 percent of my heart because she’s extremely encouraging and treats us well, she’s one of my favorite coaches.

RIGHT: Junior Max Dutton takes a lap around the track during Cross Country’s preview night. “I think that Caoch (Larry) Brownlee has put in a lot of work over the summer and has developed new stratagies and work-out plans that will help us do better. He’s put in a lot of time to be a good coach especially from the logistics side of things.

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INFOGRAPHIC

MY WHOLE STORY

d

e c a r yG

lan w o R

B

Isabelle Christensen

ISABELLE CHRIST ENSEN

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My name is Isabelle Christensen, I’m 16 years old, and I’m from Eaton, Colorado. My step dad came into my life and taught me everything I know about the game of softball and I am very passionate about it. I started playing softball when I was five years old and I have been playing ever since. When I was ten years old I started playing fast pitch softball. In Colorado I played for a team called Triple Crown and often times I played with people seven years older than me. I was played up a lot of my life, and I love the challenge. When you compete with the best that’s how you become the best. I was raised to play for the name on my back and I want to make sure I do everything right for everybody. I want to prove it to my family and I take pride in making a good name for my and my family wherever we go. As a family you are a team and you work together, softball is also my family and that is very important to me. I see it as when we work together we get stuff done, but we all have to do it. If you only have eight girls you can’t do every job that needs to be done. One girl can’t do every job, it just teaches you a lot on how to work together and that you need everybody. Just like everyone in your life is significant one way or another, whether you’re on the bench cheering people on or whether you’re the catcher, the pitcher or first baseman you need everybody in some way, I think of life as that to. Outside of softball it’s not just hitting the ball, it’s not just running the bases. You have everything that goes into it.

The family aspect is the most important part of softball to me, I don’t care if we win or lose. We win as a team we lose as a team that’s just how it is.

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| October 2017 13

SPORTS

THE SHS

The Cub Reporter strives to cover everything we can, but with so many things going on in spring it can be difficult.

And so: The SHS Extra Inning was born. Here we cover everything we can fit in this space.

EXTRA INNING

mckiah san miguel

Junior Grace Rowland

Sophomore Logan Weigal

Junior Morgan Simpson

Who plays what?

Senior Alley Rowland Junior Nikki Clark

The Cub Reporter takes a look at the fall sports’ numbers

15%

13%

5%

16%

Volleyabll Girls

Tennsi Girls

Powderpuff Football Freshman Kayley Clark heads for the endzone while her teammates block for her during the Powderpuff Football game on Aug. 26.

(Photo by Grace Rowland)

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Cross Country Runners

Football Guys

Reporter @kiiaahhh

The Final Ace

Every year there are of senior athletes competing in the sports they enjoy, at Sterling High School especially. The girls tennis team happens to have one senior, Katie Comley. Her interest began at a young age due to the love for the sport and playing that was passed down through her parents Clark and Kay Comley.

A season goal is not unusual for student athletes to have.

“I want to do my best,” Comley said, “but, I also want to make relationships with the girls on the team.”

As a senior Comley has the title of Team Captain, and although to some it would be stressful. She doesn’t let it affect her. When asked how she felt about the position she said she didn’t want a title to have a distinction between the players.

Q&A

Football Athlete Alan Anderson

CUB REPORTER: WHat is your goal this season?

Alan: My goal this season is to get as much playing time on Varsity as possible.

CR: Do you enjoy playing on Varisty, why?

A: I do enjoy playing on Varisty, I wish I got more playing time, but I am definitely happy with the amount of time I already get.

CR: Do you enjoy playing with upperclassmen and the relationships you’ve made with them?

A: I do! I have made a lot of connections with the upperclassmen and they have made the season a lot more fun to play in. I’v been able to make new relationships, which makes the sport more enjoyable to play.

OPINIONS POINT / COUNTERPOINT

To lift or not to lift . . .

Black Bear Power unforcing Bring back Bigger, Faster, technique and making gains Stronger to SHS weights class Throughout the school there has been discussion over the replacement of Bigger, Faster, Stronger with Black Bear Power. People will say that BBP isn’t as beneficial as BFS and that they aren’t “making gains” like they use to.

BBP implements multiple key exercises that the BFS program glossed over, such as stretching. Although BFS had a designated time for stretching it was short and often misused as some only stretched their jaws. BBP starts with roughly 10-15 minutes of mandatorily dynamic stretching that helps prepare the athletes joints for the exercises.

Another aspect BBP enforces is technique. Many people complain about the slow body weight complex that a beginner is forced to go through weeks before lifting begins, but the whole point is to ensure that the athlete has proper technique so that they won’t get hurt when the weight gets heavy. There were handfuls of cases, in previous years throughout the school, where you would hear about an athlete injuring their back or some other muscle during a BFS class due to too much weight or improper technique.

Weight lifting is designed to strengthen and prevent muscles from becoming injured.

Lastly, BBP focuses on resistance in just about every lift and body weight complex,

COLUMN BY TAYA WILSON @_twils_ something that BFS hardly even mentioned. Resistance training is one of the best things you can do for your body in the weight room. The American College of Sports Medicine promotes resistance training because it increases muscle strength and endurance, reduces the risk for injury, enhances performance, and helps with muscle toning and definition.

BBP not only helps us “make gains” but it also enforces key aspects of lifting. It’s not holding us back, it’s pushing us forward, into athletes we could potentially be.

This summer our weight program had a big change, rather than going straight into weights and doing heavy lifting we’re starting in body weight. Annoyingly we do bodyweight workouts for two weeks before we’re even considered to begin ‘Novice’ lifting. With that being said, when you begin to do ‘Novice’ lifting it begins are square one, lifting 5 pounds more that the last time an individual has lifted. The process is slow and seeing any sort of progress is almost impossible to see, especially after coming out of ‘Body Weight’ lifting workouts. Technique is important and that is what Black Bear Power specializes in. The Black Bear Power Program should be moved to Jr. High

Sterling High School |

COLUMN BY MCKIAH SAN MIGUEL @kiiaahhh weight classes to help incoming kids learn proper form, which would allow those students to come into high school knowing the correct technique. With that, it allows students to lift weights that they are fully capable lifting without having a starting weight of 15 pounds. Body weight has disadvantages that can cause issues with an individual’s body. Lunges can easily irritate the fluid sac above the patella and can cause extreme pain in the knee. Duck-walks are tough on your knees and can cause stress on ligaments and cartilage in the knee and this exercise doesn’t necessarily accomplish anything according to Men’s Fitness. Plyometrics also cause an issue for your knees, the impact from running and jumping can accelerate the arthritis process in your body due to the impact being 2-5 times more than your body weight. BFS should be brought back to SHS, we’ve had several injuries to ankles and a main focus of BFS was strengthening the ankle and other areas of the body. Black Bear Power does not seem have very many positive outcomes for our student athletes and that needs to change for the better of the athletes.

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| October 2017 15

ENTERTAINMENT NOTE: Killer Serial Fiction is a part of Sterling Student Publications. It is the home of creative writing by Sterling High School creative writing students. Stories appearing here are works of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. These stories are presented for entertainment purposes only and are not intended to be read as being part of Sterling Student Publications news coverage. For more stories, visit www.sterlingstudentpublications.com/fiction.

The Box

BY JACOB PIEPLOW I . . . I think I can see them.

I mean, if I squint my eyes and look real hard I can almost make out the shapes of bodies. They’re doing all sorts of things.

I think... laughing? Dancing?

I can never tell anymore. I think I used to do that once, maybe. I’m not sure. Whatever it is, it’s been awhile. All I remember are the feelings. The feeling of twisting, and turning to the beat of the music. I remember the smells of home cooked food and the warm feeling of everyone dancing happily around me.

It was a wondrous feeling.

Orbs of light spinning around . Everyone talking and laughing and singing Oh it WAS!...it was...oh yes.

Just memories.

I always have to remember that all the feelings I think I’ve felt, are just memories, no, not even that. They’re just fragments of memories. It’s like, I only have three pieces of a puzzle that’s a thousand pieces long. My pieces, however, they don’t fit together.

They don’t make sense.

I’m alone in here.

I look out at those figures that sort of resemble people and I wonder. What would it be like to be rid of this place? This box I’m stuck in. This enclosure keeping me from seeing the world, from talking to others, from doing all the wondrous things I get to sit and watch them do.

I’ve tried to talk to the figures outside of the box, but they can never hear me. I try to scream and claw at the walls that confine me but nothing helps.

It feels as though every day the dark, translucent walls come closer, threatening to suffocate me. You know, maybe they will.

The thoughts have crossed my mind once or twice. What if they do crush me someday? Will anyone notice? Will there be anyone who legitimately cares that I’m missing? Or will there just

be an empty shell of something that used to be there?

I’ve seen no inclination that anyone outside cares that I’m here at all.

As I wait for what seems like an eternity I have to ask, “Who put me here?”

I ponder that question for a while. Who decides who gets to enjoy life and who doesn’t? Why me? Why was I the one chosen to spend eternity separated from the rest of the world. Is this all some sort of joke? Is that all life is? Are we all just waiting for some punchline that will never come, and then we find out that there isn’t one; we then just wait for the sweet release of death to take us away from the sounds of cruel laughter.

I sit in here and listen to the laughing. It almost never stops.

Sometimes I think it just seems easier to laugh along with them and forget what we’re laughing about entirely.

Then I stop and remember where I am.

What I am.

The box seems to tighten by the minute. It´s walls converge on my weary husk of a body. I shut my eyes as tight as I can. My breathing quickens as I think of my impending doom. The box mocks me. I can hear the laughs again. Tears escape from my eyes even though they are squeezed air tight. I am so afraid. I want someone to console me, someone to care.

I look around as I open my eyes, and the box is normal again.

It was just toying with me. Playing with my mind. It wanted to remind me.

It succeeded. It reminded me that, I am alone in here.

Completely, and utterly alone in my own little world.

Nobody to talk to. Nobody to hold. I can barely see anything from in here.

So, I just sit down, lean back against the wall, and I look at the figures, those glorious dancing things, from inside the box.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This was written for an assignment depicting loneliness. I was in a very dark place in my life. Although I am past that, I know that many of you reading this are not. So, I challenge you readers. You, who walk the halls and see countless faces only at face value. You see them, but you don’t take the time to know their stories. Each one of you has a story. I challenge you to learn each other’s stories. I challenge you to watch what you say to people and think about how it would affect them. After all, you never know who might be inside their own little box. — J.P.

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