ROAR ISSUE 2.
Contents
SENIOR TRIBUTE School Changes
By: PRARTHANA VENKATESH
page 1
page 5
page 3
page 16
SEDUCTION
By: PrARTHANA VENKATESH
Hear us ROAR
By: Phyu hnin lwin
ANONYMOUS
page 19
The Art of Deception
Openmindedness
by: dhruv seth
by: amy win
page 34 page 20
page 29 page 31
page 36 Life Hacks
by: Justin chan
Alumni Interviews
Who Are You
by: Chris hong
page 39 page 41
Happily Ever After
Star Wars VII
By: Pascal Swarbrick
By: taing nandi aung
page 47 Joe Juggles
By: Joey Johnson
page 49 The First Words
By: Ryan @ wai yan naing
Hear Us
ROAR BY: PHYU H NIN L WIN There are trophies in the cabinet inside the office, ranging from (trophies’ platitudes) to (another platitude). It’s not something we think about really, but our school is so rich in heritage and history. ISY has been educating students from all nations and beliefs for 62 years. We have been sending students to the same amazing schools around the world that other larger, well-known schools have. We are a SEASAC founding member. There is so much to celebrate and to take pride in as a Chinthe, If anything, please consider my words the reflections of a Chinthe about to leave a home that ISY has created not just for myself, but for generations None of this contradicts the fact that we are far from perfect. When the schools we interact with for conferences are giants such as UWC or JIS or NIST, the comparisons are clear in our eyes. Yes, we don’t have the swimming pools, the fancy facilities, the full variety
of classes that they may have, but we also have to understand the context of our school. Until recently, we lived somewhere that had been a pocket where time stood still in the world, and only in the past few years has change been in the country’s vocabulary.
What really makes ISY a home, is its sense of community.
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The school has changed so much in the 14 years that I’ve been here. I’ve seen the A Building torn down, the new elementary building and G building rise, the steps
be renovated beyond all, and the bamboo, god, all that bamboo. And now, we’re looking at changes happening at an exponential pace, the school is looking at a huge increase in student population and vast changes that will bring us to the standards of the schools with which we compete. However, beyond the aesthetics and sparkly new facilities, is what really makes ISY a home, its sense of community. We take for granted the security and support that our little pond provides us with, the friendships we forge here that do not falter even years after we’ve left the campus (as evidenced by the Chinthe alumni). We like to knock it down and complain a lot, but under all that, this is our school. It’s the feeling of there being more ISY supporters than any other school as the Chinthe cheers filled up the YIS gym at this year’s YAC volleyball semi-finals. The spirit when the entire school, from pre-schoolers,
to the seniors to the administration and faculty alike, took to the field to celebrate Thingyan. The hush when the lights dim in the ballroom during the senior graduation and the light of leadership is passed from the candles of the graduating class to the juniors, who become the newly inaugurated senior class and continue the decades-old tradition. These are things that as a senior,
I have most likely experienced for the last time as a Chinthe this year, but it doesn’t matter because once a Chinthe, always a Chinthe. Wherever I go, I will always be proud of coming from ISY, and we all should. There’s no other place like it. Within these walls, we have loved, laughed, cried, in short, we grow up here. We are lucky to be amongst the many generations before us who
have come and left ISY, and the many that will come in the future. We carry with us the pride and traditions from Chinthes of the past, the promise of ISY’s bright future and all the tears and laughter that color our journey. So please, keep the spirit burning. Support our athletes, our student groups, our teachers. Look upon our school with the pride that it deserves.
WE ARE THE CHINTHES
HEAR US ROAR U
S E D U C t I O n by: PRARTHANA VENKATESH
The wind convulsed, shrieking in agony He smirked, lips twitching with contempt When whispers stabbed him And his conscience blinked, He merely surrendered a smile. The world could whine and whimper Push and pull, It could hurl panic in his direction, And spit fear in his path But it couldn’t scratch his mind She watched him saunter past And she snickered to herself He could feel her She was coming for him, Ready to drag him back Into the penitentiary of her mind A tremble began in his knees And it grew into a shudder That shaded his senses Suffocated by solitude, He had been her salvation. Until a glimpse of her soul Revealed She Was An Aberration. The bane of his existence, The sole creature to ever witness the core of his passion, She flew into his arms. Beguiled by the pain she exuded, Ensnared by the sheer evil in her eyes, He took her hand And She Trapped Him.
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SENIORS Class of 2014 A TRIBUTE
n
D what will you miss most about ISY ?
G JI EUN LIM
I’ve lived in Yangon as long as I can remember so the fact that I’ll be leaving this place in a couple of months is both exciting and daunting. Countless memories flash by as I contemplate my fourteen years in Yangon. There are memories that I wish I never had and memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. The friends, the coaches, the teachers, the custodians and the general environment, will never be forgotten as all of it has made a great impact in my life. I think I will miss most the time I’ve spent after school on Tuesdays, Thursdays and the weekends on the field, either kicking a ball, or batting. I will miss the tan-lines, the injuries, the long lectures from coaches, and the friendly atmosphere that my fellow teammates bring out. Sports have played a huge role in making me grow as a person and I cannot imagine my life without it.
G kanha biswal
I came from Horizon and the environment there was really different and it was, I don’t know, although no one really knew each other, we knew each other as friends and students. It was like a big family but here, when I came, it was not only a big family, and I got to know people for who they are. And this really enabled me to make better relationships with people, so I can just go up to a person and say, “Hey Parsa” and it’s fine, because I can talk to them directly. It’s a small campus; I’m not going to get that anywhere else. And here, everyone cares that you’re here, not like in university where you’re just a student and you blend in. Not like here, where people know you and you have an identity. Like here, people kind of know me as the go-to tech guy; I’m not going to get that anywhere else.
G NUMI KARIM
G PHYU HNIN LWIN
I’m going to miss this library. I spent all my elementary years pretty much in here and here I learned to love books and I learned to love the written word. I learned to love reading and it has made me who I am. ISY itself has done that in all these different ways. The sense of community… I don’t think there’s a place like ISY in the world and I’m going to miss it so much. Here, I know everybody, I’m close with my teachers, I’m so close with my graduating class and there are just these bonds that have been created here that have made me a stronger person.
I’m anxious, excited and honestly kind of happy to be done because I’m just really tired of school right now… but I need to figure out what I’m doing next. I mean, I have to make my own friends… for the first time in my life, I have to MAKE friends, because I’ve always just had people here. I don’t even remember making friends, because I guess here, you just learn to get along. ISY is like a nest; safe and comfortable and that’s definitely what I’m going to miss the most
G HIRDEY RAMPAL
To people who still have time left here- I would just say, enjoy every day that you have here. Because when you come close to the last day, you remember everything that matters… I remember my first day of school here a ISY… I came out here on the field to play soccer and that’s what I do now, every day. So just enjoy all of these small things and the time that you have left here because I think you’ll really miss it when it’s almost time for you to go...”
G G SAUNG YATU
MAY K3
We’re a really fun class. We’re really close to each other and honestly, I thought I wouldn’t miss any of the people here but now that I think about how we’ll be apart next month, it really scares me. I’m not going to see them and that’s really scary to think about that. Also, in college, I think it’ll be most difficult to make close friends in college because after being in such a small community, moving to a much larger community will be really hard and I don’t know if the friends there will ever be as close to me as the friends here are.
Before I came to ISY, I was in Singapore… The environment was really different because over there, usually, people don’t seem like they want to be leaders… they’re just followers. But here, everyone’s a leader in their own way. The teachers here give us the chance to be who we are and explore by ourselves whereas in Singapore, they told us what to do and we never thought out of the box. That’s what makes ISY really different and the individual people so special.
G stefani JUST
As a graduating senior, I want to tell the people who still have time here that.. you guys-- WORK HARD. Personally, from experience, I didn’t work as hard as I should have and I do feel regretful about that even though I know that I’m going to improve myself in college. I want to leave ISY feeling feel proud and I want all other students to feel that way as well. I do feel proud of myself in a certain sense but I wish I did work hard. So just work hard, and don’t let other people decide what you want to do with your life… I think at ISY and also at other schools, people seem to give the name of the college you’re going to go to a lot of importance… but I believe that you should go where you think you’re going to fit in. Because if you think you’re going to fit into a community college- go to that. If you think you’ll fit into a business school with a lot of kids, then go for it. It should depend on you, not on other people where YOU want to go to college…
G RACHEL CHIN
I think the biggest difference between the community here and the community in San Francisco will be all the different groups of people and fitting into a specific one… because here, in my grade, we only have about 30 people… so basically, you just know a selection of people that you just kind of become friends with. But there, in college, I think we’ll finally have the chance to find our own identity and decide where we belong or want to belong.
Showcase: CHINTHE SENIORS art
Top Right: Jem Kurbanov Middle R ight: Rachel Chin Middle Left: Nyi Nyi Bottom Left: Hye Lin
JEM KURBANOVA "THE THREE SUNS"
JAE MIN CHO "THE BLOOD DIAMOND"
stephanie just
RACHEL CHIN
Aurora (saung yatu)
RIGSBY STEVENSON "PRIMAL"
NYI NYI OHN MYINT
HYE LIN CHOI
PRIYESH DUCHANIA
anonymous This is a story of a plastic soccer ball. My father has a strange fascination with soccer balls, from the toy ones he bought us as children to the expensive ones that FIFA comes out with every few years to promote the World Cup. He buys them all and displays them proudly at home and at the office and sometimes when he has time, he’ll take one down and kick it around with us. And I never understood his need to collect them nor when he kept trying to explain to me the nuances of why each ball was special. Until I did. He came from an impoverished family where Chinese New Year was a miracle because he would get his one new outfit for the year and he needed to work from a young age, delivering food with his bicycle from as young as 7 because every kyat counted. The story he tells me the most often though is about how he and the neighborhood children scrimped and saved until they could pool their money together and buy a plastic soccer ball (priced today at about 100 to 300 kyats)
and of afternoons spent in the rain and mud and that ball. As a man who sends his children to an international school, college in the States and provides them with a life and future he could never have imagined as a child, my father has come a long way and worked hard for every bit of it. Somewhere along the line, I’ve realized that in the fifty-year-old entrepreneur is still the little boy who would stare at plastic soccer balls behind glass in a store and couldn’t afford one. As he collects these soccer balls, I see the dirty, 12-year-old boy in him whose father was dying from asthma complications at a time and place where medication was too costly, whose mother was struggling to support eight children and for whom a soccer ball may have meant the freedom to be a child. Our parents live lives of courage and love and yes, mistakes before us and they’re not perfect but neither are we and it gets so easy to take them for granted. Of course there are conflicts, some tension will always be characteristic
of every relationship ever and we are growing up in a different world than they did, but at the end of the day, our parents bring us into this world with hope and unconditional love, and want to give us every tool we could ever need to realize the potential they’ve seen in us since the day we were born. This isn’t just our parents, this is all the adults around us, the men and women we see on the street to our teachers, because there’s always a story behind a face, and you never know who you’re judging before you know the tribulations behind them. I guess I’m trying to start a movement (if one didn’t exist before) of taking the time to ask the adults in our life, from our parents to our teachers, about their lives, share in their accomplishments and listen to their stories. There’s so much to learn. Take it from a grateful daughter whose father made sure she never had to grow up early, feel the absence of a father or ever want for a soccer ball.
POOF!
the pace of change By: prarthana venkatesh Today, we find ourselves immersed in the paradox that is Burma— a nation that maintains a façade of innocent placidity but pulses with the electrifying aura of rapid change. In keeping with the current pace of change, the administration has decided to bring about a series of developments, primarily in terms of infrastructure, in order to accommodate an influx of new students as well as to begin to move towards attaining state-of-the-art standards. ISY’s expansion will include the addition of another section to grades K-10. The plans for reconstruction include an indoor gym, swimming pool, art center, and an enlarged field. In an effort to brief those of you who have managed to remain in the dark regarding the upcoming changes, Roar decided to answer some FAQs.
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Which parts of the campus are being demolished? Quite simply, there will be no more D-building, E-building or lower court area; it’s all going POOF. And yes, we’ve had some beautiful experiences here, but regardless of how much of our campus is demolished, they can’t touch our memories.
How long will it take for this ‘transformation’ to take root? The construction will occur in phases, the first of which is expected to be complete in 20 months. However, Class of 2015—we probably won’t be able to take advantage of all the new facilities before we graduate.
Will there be an elevator in the new building? Some of us don’t like getting more exercise than absolutely necessary. YES, THAT IS IN THE PLANS. We’re aiming to develop a campus that is much more accessible to those with physical disabilities. Those of you who have suffered the pain of having to hobble up and down several flights of stairs while injured will no longer be subjected to such callousness. (*wink wink* Elvis).
Will teachers be more lenient about tardiness if we have to walk from the main campus to the houses where most IB classes will be held? Will breaks be longer? No. Many students have voiced their doubts regarding the issue of distance. However, it has been affirmed that the distance between the main campus and the other Golden Are high school stu- Valley property is not more dents really going to than that between the two have to walk all over farthest ends of school as it is. Golden Valley to get ISY students have always prided themselves on belonging to classes? to a school with a surprisingly Yup, according to Mrs. Powdeep-rooted sense of commuers, “it’s all part of our new P.E. nity. Hopefully, the temporary program”. Um no. She has a separation of certain classes sense of humor. Basically, the to different campuses will not foreign language classrooms fray the ties between stuand several IB classes will be dents, but instead result in the located in two nearby houses. strengthening of bonds (parOne is just outside the back ticularly in the two supposedly gate, and the other is a little quaint little houses around the bit further down. The most corner, which are expected we’ll lose is probably just a few to naturally become ‘hangout pounds from traipsing up and areas’). down from class to class a few times a day. But mandatory exercise is good, yes? Those of you who are under the impression that our relocation to a neighboring yet not as glamorous area of Golden Any students or parents who Valley means that we’re going wish to gain a little more into be stripped of technology, sight into our local metamorFEAR NOT. There will most phosis, check the ISY website definitely be internet systems in July for updated set up in both the houses information. we’re being relocated to.
ADVICE FROM
CHINTHE ALUMNI
G Once a chinthe always a chinthe.
MINN HTET KHINE ISY CLASS OF 2011 DUKE UNIVERSITY
Is there anything you wish you had done differently in high school?
If given the chance again, I would have liked to be introduced to computer science at ISY. It is such an increasingly important field. Some say it will be something everybody needs to know like reading, writing, and speaking. Also, I wish I had been more in touch with the community outside ISY.
Any advice about the college application process for high schoolers?
If you have the chance, try to visit as many schools as you can and talk to current students at those colleges. Being in Yangon, it’s hard to have this opportunity, but it’s really important that you find the right fit. The right atmosphere, the values and culture of the school that the best version of you can develop in. It’s abstract, and it’s hard, but I think it’s one thing that most high schoolers from ISY overlook.
What is a life lesson you have learnt after leaving ISY?
There are way too many awesome people to meet, things to experience and learn, so don’t waste too much time doing things you don’t enjoy.
Any life advice for ISY students?
Always push yourself. Try these two things to grow: 1) get to know someone better every day (whether it is learning something new about people you know or greeting and talking to a stranger) and 2) do something that you feel uncomfortable with or find challenging each day.
How did you chose your major or intended major and what is it like studying it?
Try different things and see what you like and are passionate about. I chose Economics because I like the way of thinking and approach to problems. I believe it can be applied to anything in the world and it makes you think analytically, critically, mathematically, and graphically. And then your communications skills in all domains to best share the results and intuition.
CAROLINE YOU ISY CLASS OF 2013 carnegie mellon university
What do you miss most about ISY and/or Myanmar?
I don’t miss and tell. See for yourself. But if you really want to know, here goes. We all complain about how horrible the IB program is and the mind games the notorious Burmese Internet speed play with us, thanks to our super reliable Internet provider. But on a cold lonely hailing December night, when you are incoherently typing out a paper on Hitler’s Anti-Semitic Ways at a speed that could rival the speed of light, something will hit you. You will be hit by the intense longing for the inescapable 40-degree sun (America still uses Fahrenheit, ugh). You will be hit by the happiness you feel when a small elderly lady gives you a sincere beetle-juice covered smile. And most of all, you will be hit by the weirdly funny memory of the time you and your group 4 (which consists of a childhood friend, an ISY newcomer who’s quickly becoming your friend, and possibly your significant other) are furiously crunching out fake data while complaining about how horrible IB is.
Any advice about the college application process for high schoolers?
Holy Chinthe, the adults (admins, teachers, alumni) weren’t kidding when they said location is key. Location is the key that makes or breaks your college experience. I wagered my college experience by attending a college that is located in a less than ideal city, Pittsburgh). Trust me, when I say even schools with spectacular rankings will not guarantee you a great college experience. If you don’t trust me, that’s fine too. You can ask my sister, Christine about the emotional hell her elder sister went through
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holy chinthes, the adults weren’t kidding when they said location is key.
Believe me, I really do know the feelings of pride, honor, and excitement you get when you tell someone “Hell yeah! I go to CMU, No. 1 school in Computer Science”. But those feelings fade and in the end, what I just want is to have the best and happiest 4 years of my life. Too bad, I didn’t realize it before I enrolled myself in CMU. Haha.
What is your school like?
I have never met a group of people as hardworking, smart, and quirky as CMU students. Sometimes their intelligence can make you feel like the dumbest person on earth. Live by Andrew Carnegie’s motto “My heart is in the work.” and you’ll thrive here. Also, the professors take tremendous pride in the painful assignments they give to their students. They say students’ tears inspire them to create more challenging assignments. However, their genuine attention and care for the students make up for their irritating assignments.
ISY CLASS OF 2011 YALE UNIVERSITY
EDWARD XU
What was the most difficult thing for you transitioning from high school to college (adjusting to a new environment, etc.)?
student resources? Are classes more lecture-based or seminar-based?
I think it didn’t occur to me that I was going to be on a campus with thousands of students, and that there was no way I was going to know all my classmates the way I did at ISY. It’s a concept that takes getting used to, and in a way that anonymity is quite nice sometimes! For me, New Haven’s freezing cold (and wind) was definitely a surprise! At ISY, I remember always putting everything off to the last-minute, and getting away with turning things in late or trying to get extensions. But in general, college is a lot more fast-paced in terms of work, and you gotta stay on top of work, assignments and projects every day.
What is a life lesson you have learnt after leaving ISY?
I wish a read a lot more. I think outside of required readings, especially in English, I didn’t read too much. It’s not just about being able to sound ‘smart,’ but also about having an informed opinion to jump in on conversations. And that’s only possible through exposure to books, both old and current.
I decided to study Architecture because of my passion for design and nation-building in Myanmar, but also because of the studio culture in Yale’s undergraduate architecture major. It’s the place where I’ve found a home away from home with 17 other amazingly passionate and diverse thinkers and do-ers, where we have our own desks in a shared studio space, where we give each other 3 AM desk crits, and where learning and growing is actually a collective project.
Is there anything you wish you had done differently in high school?
What do you miss most about ISY and/or Myanmar?
I definitely miss the community and the food. I miss the love and care everyone had for each other at ISY, and the student-teacher relationships that went beyond the classroom.
Any advice about the college application process for high schoolers?
The most important part is finding a school that’s the right fit for you. Read student blogs or talk to current students about their experiences. What is the culture? What do students do at 5 PM? At 2 AM? What are the
I think ISY definitely taught me to be compassionate and to be a great friend. Coming from a class with 40 students, all of whom I basically knew and cared for, I developed a sense of responsibility to those around me that I realize I’ve brought with me to college.
Any life advice for ISY students?
You probably haven’t heard this before, but life is long. Be in the moment, where neither past nor future exist. Be present, in whatever you do, sense, live, love, eat, or breathe.
How did you chose your major or intended major and what is it like studying it?
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Be in the moment, where neither past nor future exist. be present, in whatever you do, sense, live, love, eat or breathe.
GILLEAN BALUYUT ISY CLASS OF 2012 NORTH EASTERN UNIVERSITY What do you miss most about ISY and/or Myanmar?
I MISS MOHINGA. Also the heat. I miss the pagoda always being visible. I also miss Thingyan, SO MUCH, and Sabai Sabai. I miss Mr. Beesley, Mrs. Lin Myaing, Mr. Just, Mr. Sturmey. I miss weekends playing softball at the American Club. I miss easy trips to Bagan, Inle, and Ngapali. I miss the kindness you can find in just about every Burmese person you encounter.
Any life advice for ISY students?
Take your IB exams seriously, I know most of you are going to school in the states and have no contingencies, but being able to test out of introductory courses saves you time and money. Do you have any words for students interested in a gap year? For those of you interested in a gap year, I would say do it. Now is probably the ideal time to do it. It’s hard to take a yearlong break after graduating college because employers find it a negative quality if you aren’t employed within months of graduating, and while schools let you take time off (up to a year) anytime throughout your attendance, you risk losing touch with the friends you’ve already made at school, you come back for your second year and your friends are already third years, etc. People take time off for all sorts of reasons, I have a friend at school who grew up in New Jersey her whole life, but her parents were Korean. She took a year off to live with relatives in South Korea and get in touch with her roots. Another friend I have spent time interning, just trying to figure out what kind of career he wanted. During his gap year he realized that he wanted to be a trader after an internship in China allowed him to work on the trading floor. I took a year to do the above and travel, I lived in Manila with my family bonding with relatives I’d previously only seen once every few years. I worked at the American Chamber of Commerce as an intern, and I travelled around South East Asia. My last advice if you’re thinking about it: to maximize your time, defer an acceptance to a college that’s already accepted you, then you won’t have to spend four months applying again. Also, don’t take time off to sit around the house and play games. Use the time to find ways to grow as a person, as all your time should be spent doing anyway.
may thu hnin ISY CLASS OF 2011 columbia university What was the most difficult thing for you transitioning from high school to college (adjusting to a new environment, etc.)?
Feeling like everyone around me was a genius in their own right and that it was okay if I wasn’t one because I was here to learn and grow. After all if I was already one, what would be the point of being here?
Is there anything you wish you had done differently in high school?
Maybe to have learned more physics because now I don’t have the time to learn anymore physics.
What do you miss most about ISY and/or Myanmar? The warmth. Of people and of the weather.
Any advice about the college application process for high schoolers? It’s showtime and you’re up. Make those minutes count. Also, don’t forget to admire yourself; you’ve made it this far.
What is a life lesson you have learnt after leaving ISY? The world is a big place, brace yourself.
Any life advice for ISY students?
Work hard. But also revel. And constantly move forward.
How did you chose your major or intended major and what is it like studying it?
I am a financial economics major. It’s like figuring out the world. Economics helps me understand how and why individuals make the choices they do. Finance fascinates me in the way it has the power to expand and contract businesses, markets, and economies. I’ve been hooked since the first day of Mr. Stroupe’s IB Economics class.
What is your school like?
Columbia makes me feel humble and worthy at the same time. It is a tough but inspiring environment - it’s for those who want to push themselves as far as they can with the belief that they can do anything they set their mind to. Those are the people I’m honored to call my peers. In six months I’ll graduate from Columbia University in the City of New York and I’ll be proud to walk the streets a Lion.
MINn TUN ISY CLASS OF 2011 CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
What was the most difficult thing for you transitioning from high school to college (adjusting to a new environment, etc.)?
I personally thought the most difficult thing was the workload and time management. College course load is a huge jump when compared to that of high school and even though you have much more time and freedom, you really have to work to manage your time so that you don’t fall behind.
Is there anything you wish you had done differently in high school? I wish I tried a bit harder in the sciences (physics especially) and math back in ISY. Going into an engineering program means you really need a solid foundation in these subjects which I realized I lacked.
What do you miss most about ISY and/or Myanmar?
That close bond you share with your classmates. Here, with an undergraduate population of about 5000, people come and go. It wasn’t like that back at ISY.
Any advice about the college application process for high schoolers?
Don’t rush into things especially majors. Being undecided isn’t a bad thing. Take some time, figure out what you actually like and don’t like before making a decision. Even if you do make a decision and realize it isn’t for you, just switch out. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Any life advice for ISY students?
Make the most out of what you have. Sure, college might not be exactly what you imagined and you might not have the time of your lives but it is what you make it to be. And go to classes.
How did you chose your major or intended major and what is it like studying it? I am currently an Electrical and Computer Engineer (ECE) with a depth in software engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. My personal experience as an ECE major has been a series of ups and downs. I’m going to be honest, being an engineering major, especially ECE, is tough. The amount of work you have and their difficultly will be unlike anything that has been thrown at you back in high school. At times, it will break you down and leave you in tears no matter how smart you may be. You’ll meet amazingly brilliant people that will make you question and doubt your own abilities. I face all this despair on a weekly basis. Being an ECE major however does have its moments where you feel that everything you went through was completely worth it. You learn real life applicable skills that will help you for the rest of your life and you learn to do things that will amaze even yourself. I still remember when I made my first internet proxy (in C), or the time I learned to make a signal jammer that turned off every TV in a 8 feet radius, or the time I made a bandpass filter that filtered a person’s voice in a roomful of noise and so on. After the 3 long years of ECE, I now know more programming languages than actual languages and ECE has given me lessons and experience that I never would have had the opportunity to receive otherwise.
ISY CLASS OF 2012 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
su htet htet win
What was the most difficult thing for you transitioning from high school to college (adjusting to a new environment, etc.)? Is there anything you wish you had done differently in high school?
The hardest part was adjusting to the workload. IB is definitely challenging but if you think you’re done working hard after high school, you’re in for a huge surprise hahah. If I could do things differently, I would have worked harder my senior year and tried harder for the IB exams because even though the scores don’t show up until you get accepted into college, what you learn (or didn’t learn) will really affect your time in college. If you just put in a little more effort, it will definitely pay off and you’ll have a much easier time in college.
deepest thoughts about life. I think it’s very important to spend a lot of time on the essay because it’s the only part of your application that isn’t just numbers on a paper and your personality has a chance to stand out. Really, just don’t stress and have fun with it! ☺
What is a life lesson you have learnt after leaving ISY?
The world is so big and so full of possibilities. Wherever you choose to go, whatever you decide to do (whether it be taking a gap year or starting work immediately) just know that there really is no wrong choice.
How did you chose your major or intended major and what is it like studying it?
Any advice about the college application process for high schoolers?
My intended major is Integrative Biology because I want to apply to Optometry School. I ended up choosing it because I thought about what I wanted to be in the future and chose a career in medicine because I really like helping people. It’s a LOT of work but I think it’ll be worth it in the end.
I honestly feel like a lot of college decisions are based on luck. That being said, I’m not saying you should just give up and just “go with the flow”. I think you should try the best you can and not be too disappointed if you don’t get accepted into your top choice. I know that a lot of people get really nervous about writing the essay, but honestly, just imagine that you’re talking to a really close friend that you haven’t seen in a while and telling them your
Go for it! (If you have a plan) I think gap years are definitely worth it because it’s awkward to take a gap year during college and after college because it’s easier to get a job right after college. But I think that if you don’t have a definite plan about what you want to do with your gap year, you might end up doing nothing and regretting not going to college earlier.
What do you miss most about ISY and/or Myanmar?
I miss my family and the closeness of the community. (The campus is huge)
Do you have any words for students interested in a gap year?
SIWAKORN YORKSIRIMANEE ISY CLASS OF 2011 SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY
What was the most difficult thing for you transitioning from high school to college (adjusting to a new environment, etc.)?
I found the transition to be easier than I had imagined (and feared). This is probably because when I finally committed myself to attending university, I was a lot more prepared, mentally and emotionally, for the challenges that come with freedom, independence and higher education. I was a very conflicted high school student who constantly overthought and overanalyzed. College choices and the prospect of future careers gave me hell. So in my opinion, the most difficult part of college is the first step: deciding to go. To succeed, you need introspection. Know yourself, and you’ll know your decision.
Is there anything you wish you had done differently in high school?
Honestly, I would take more control of student learning. It’s a shame that we aren’t allowed to review the syllabus and make revisions. It’s a shame that we aren’t taught to think rationally (as funny as that sounds, it’s actually an essential yet disregarded skill). In hindsight, I had many classmates who could have benefited immensely from learning the difference between sound arguments and the logical fallacies that appear so often in our lives. A debates club is also long overdue.
What do you miss most about ISY and/or Myanmar?
There’s a lot to miss about ISY. The school events have always been a pleasure, especially the International Day Indian dance. The teachers that have shaped and inspired me will never be forgotten. My friends and my family who are still attending ISY are always in my thoughts. But a notable part of ISY that I truly miss, is the sense of community and camaraderie that only develops after a prolonged period of time. Of Myanmar, I miss nothing. It’s one of the many perks of going to university in Singapore; Yangon is two hours away.
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to succeed you need introspection. know yourself and you’ll know your decision.
Any advice about the college application process for high schoolers?
Study hard. Play hard. Fall in love. Think. Be ambitious yet realistic. Read books that aren’t required of you: ‘The Alchemist’, ‘Crime and Punishment’, and ‘Anna Karenina’ are just a few suggestions. Watch “Casablanca” to see what love entails. Watch “Shawshank Redemption” to reinforce ideals of perseverance and virtue. Watch “Godfather” just because it’s awesome. Never stop developing yourself. The rest will follow.
What is a life lesson you have learnt after leaving ISY?
Always have clean underwear in reserve. In all seriousness, an important life lesson that has helped me through my problems is the belief that my thoughts create my reality. Regardless of the obstacle I face, I face it believing in myself and my ability to change the outcome. Do not sit back and pray for things to work themselves out. They often do not. So seize opportunities to make a difference in your life and potentially in others.
Any life advice for ISY students?
We live in a world of grey. So don’t jump to hasty conclusions or judgements of others. Be open to different perspectives and change. Avoid hatred and cruelty in others and be wary of these traits in yourself. Introspection is needed. It’s not hard but it’s not easy. Distinguish what you want from what you need; fulfill the latter before the former.
HARD. “ WORK PLAY HARD.
FALL IN LOVE. THINK. BE AMBITIOUS YET REALISTIC.
How did you chose your major or intended major and what is it like studying it?
I chose Economics because I’ve always been fascinated by the social science and the theories behind human interaction. My passion for the subject developed from IB and has sustained ever since. Studying Economics is like playing basketball. It’s a lot of fun if you have the passion for it. But you won’t be successful unless you work hard at mastering the skills needed. Economics requires a lot of maths and critical thinking. If any students would like to pursue this subject, just be aware of the requisites.
Do you have any words for students interested in a gap year?
Have an awesome gap year. Don’t sit around the house doing nothing. Trust me, I’ve had my bad days. And I regret having them. Plan the year out. Take an internship. Travel the globe. Learn a new language. Do whatever you want to do; but you have to want to do something. Since it’s a “gap” year, I assume you are intending to achieve a college education. Don’t procrastinate the applications. Either seek deference, or complete your essays/forms months ahead of the deadline. You’ll want to get the load off so as to enjoy your gap year experience.
What is your school like?
There’s so much to say about Singapore Management University, but I will try to be terse. Like every school, it has its pros and cons. Given the relatively small student population, classes comprise of a maximum of 45 students. This allows for a more interactive and engaging learning experience, a main perk when compared to larger universities. Indeed, the school takes full advantage of the small classes by including many group
projects, which provide us with opportunities to make friends and practice cooperation. The undergraduates that I’ve encountered are extraordinarily bright, friendly and interesting people with unique aspirations and passions. It is truly motivational to be surrounded by sedulous and ambitious peers. Besides its academia, SMU strongly encourages its students to explore themselves through new experiences. There are a myriad of clubs and co-curricular activities available to join and all one needs to do is sign up. Additionally, the school mandates that every student spend at least 80 hours serving the community. We believe in the importance of inculcating moral responsibility and humility in ourselves. It really is an honor to be a part of SMU. Every day, I face challenges and learn something new about myself and the world. It is not easy but I would not have it any other way.
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my thoughts create my reality. Regardless of the obstacle I face, I face it believing in myself and my ability to change the outcome.
TIFFANY HTET ISY CLASS OF 2013 CARLETON COLLEGE
Any advice about the college application process for high schoolers?
Really research your colleges-and not just the name and the prestige but everything about it. I made the mistake in high school on jumping on the bandwagon of only applying to colleges based on the name. Even after I got in to the college a lot of the time I realized that I had done little to no research into what type of classes they offered, what the location is, what the community was like. I got lucky in the end- I chose the school, I felt, had the type of community I wanted to be with for the next four years and I couldn’t be happier. Carleton is great both academically and emotionally. Sometimes I think it was a lucky fluke I got in because it really is the best type of college for me as a person (I like that small close community type feel where competition isn’t so cutthroat). So my advice is that you really choose your college based on all those factors I mentioned. It’s easy to get swept away in the Ivy League madness that is our culture but I’d ask that you really ask yourself where you want to live for the next four years. Can you see yourself with that college community for the next four years? College is a lot like a relationship-you make a commitment. If the college isn’t the right fit for you or doesn’t align with your personality and interests then you’re going to have a rough time and it doesn’t have to be that way. College gives you the chance to really figure yourself out- what you want to be and where you want to go. I like to think that ISY was the time that most of us were trying to learn how to get up and college will be the time you’ll learn how to walk. It’s the first time for a lot of us that we’re truly independent- your choices are your own. So really when making that college choice think carefully of the type of environment and the type of community you want to be in when you’re figuring yourself out. That’s all I have to say on it-also don’t stress you’ll end up where you’ll end up and if you really don’t like your college to transferring is always an option.
Any life advice for ISY students?
Don’t stress out over the little stuff. I think I said this once as a senior in ISY that, really, the little stuff doesn’t matter. A lot of the time when you’re stressing out over unnecessary things, the things that are actually important are swept away in the chaos. Keep your priorities straight- you’ll find yourself enjoying ISY both socially and academically a lot more if you do.
What is your school like?
Carleton is like being in a euphoric bubble of quirky awkwardness that is endearing and lovable. Carleton quirk is a thing- everyone is so unique that when you put them all together it’s like an explosion of unique awesomeness. I’ve met people I would’ve never met before otherwisefrom so many different backgrounds and histories. It’s such a small school that it’s a really tight-knit community. On the academic side it’s challenging, a lot more than the IB but I can deal with the workload. Most of my teachers are really awesome and really want to help students learn things, there’s not much of an exam culture here since everything is faced paced (we have a trimester system, 10 week terms) so teachers are so much more focused on teaching you the material rather than getting you prepared for the test. For example, I’m basically in love with my microeconomics professor. She knows her subject to the bone and to demonstrate trade she using food, which wins points for me. I understand the subject now to a degree I wouldn’t have otherwise. I find myself understanding myself better here too, it’s the environment that lets me explore things about my identity and the people are really supportive throughout. We have a saying here: Carls help Carls, and it really shows. Basically I’d encourage anyone at ISY to apply and consider Carleton.
Amy Win on
how to make the world a better place. Can you not see me? Or do you just refuse to? I think it’s the latter. However, that is not what I want. I want you to open your eyes, and stop making up senseless lies. I want you to open your heart, clear your mind, and look around you. What do you see?
CHAOS.
That’s it, chaos. Now, can you see? That life isn’t just something you can stroll through carelessly, nonchalantly watching as our Earth suffers? As your loved ones hurt, and are hurt, day by day, night by night?
Ignorance is bliss, I agree.
However, it will also be your doom. Our doom. Our Earth is not perfect; nor the inhabitants that dwell upon it. The problem is the close-mindedness. The ‘me’, ‘me’, ‘me’, in every little action, or sentence. The fact that those who step outside of the norm, are no longer ‘sane’. Well, let me tell you a little something about sanity; the norm does not wield it. Why is the norm not sane, you may ask? To answer that question, what sane person walks- no, runs, into an open space, where any sort of dangers may lurk, with closed eyes? Their reasoning might be, ‘I close my eyes, because I’m
scared to face my dangers’. That’s a perfectly good reason, yet it’s not a very good tactic. You see, when you close your eyes, not only are you unable to perceive the bad, but you’re also unable to witness the good things in life; the upside to whatever obstacles that may lay in your way. Instead, all you can see are the little twinkles of light that dance between your eyelids- the flashes of images; disguises and impersonations, what you deem correct because you have nothing else that seems more reasonable than that- because you have your eyes closed.
X
Life isn’t just something you can stroll through carelessly, nonchalantly.
X
The fact is, honey, danger’s always going to be there, no matter how much you try to ignore it. It’s still going to brush by you, like ghosts in the night, but you’ll be unable to see it, because you don’t want to. You’ll feel it, though; you’ll feel its cold, icy, desperate grasps at your hair, your legs, your arms- trying to cling on, and claw away at your conscience. You won’t do anything about it though, will you?
You’re too scared’.
Yet, why do you continue to do it? Continue to run around in the same circles over, and over again, with ignorance prancing alongside you? That makes no sense whatsoever. Oh, and, ‘Y.O.L.O.,’ otherwise known as ‘You Only Live Once’, isn’t running into an open space where dangers lie everywhere, with your eyes closed. That, my friend, is called ‘stupidity’, and not ‘carpe diem’. Y.O.L.O. is not sprinting through a field of bear traps (the metal ones that really hurt), with your eyelids shut, either. That is ignorance, and frankly, a lack of common sense. Then why do many young people assume that this is what it is? That ‘Y.O.L.O.’ is the perfect reason for why they should go out and drink their senses away every single night, because they only live once? Perhaps, the true definition has not been made clear to them? Let me explain, then. Y.O.L.O. is actually running into that before mentioned open space, with open eyes, knowing that dangers lie ahead, but risking your life anyway to confront these dangers, in order to then get rid of them. Does it now make a little more sense? I truly hope so. All in all, those that reside on Earth, still have a long way to go, before truly understanding the purpose of being alive. That people, objects, technology, are still going to forevermore change and separate
X All in all those that reside on earth still have a long way to go before truly understanding the purpose of being alive.
X
the ‘norm’, until that norm no longer exists, and a new one is created. Therefore, open-mindedness should be a requirement for everyone to equip; let it be recycled throughout generations and generations, until a norm does not even exist. Now, assuming that the reader, whoever is viewing this piece, is now (hopefully) willing to be a little more open-minded about things around them, let’s
start with a little lesson to get them going. Open a new tab; search for any little thing you’ve ever wondered about. Autism, scallops, how rainbows are formed, Norse mythology- anything that has ever sprung into your mind. Now read, and learn. It does not have to be a website with ‘.gov’ or ‘.edu’ at the end- it can even be Wikipedia if you’re much too lazy.
Just, read, and learn. After that, take a deep breath. Open those closed eyes of yours, and look around you. What do you see?
The answer should be ‘everything’.
And anything.
Open a new tab; search for any little thing you’ve ever wondered about. [...] now read and learn.
P
BY DHRUV SETH
The art of deception is not one easy to master. Even the simplest of card tricks require a certain degree of illusion for to delude one into the senseless a magician must challenge the viewer’s reality and define his own such that the audience believes in what they see. An illusionist must deceive the human brain to believe what he sees, for if the illusionist doesn’t believe in his portrayal, neither will
tion that I had. I basked in this newly acquired glory and became, to my pleasure, the center of attention for the rest of the school year. The amazing thing was that I didn’t even know that this was magic; I’d always seen those magicians who took out a rabbit from a hat and blew out fire at birthday parties but little did I know that magic was present in even the simpler tricks.
the audience. The neuroscience behind magic is simple: the human brain doesn’t see everything, it takes shortcuts, and it executes algorithms that form a mental reality of what things are supposed to look like. Magicians use this very drawback to their advantage, using their acts not only for entertainment purposes but more importantly to reveal the human flaw of perception. At the age of 5, my dad showed me how to take off my thumb and put it back in using a simple trick of the hand; the next day in school, the trick became the next big thing. From door to door, every 5 year old was trying to reenact this trick with the same articula-
Once the audience is hooked in and they ‘think’ that the magician doesn’t have an edge, it’s only a matter of completing the trick and watching the amazement in their eyes, which is a reward in itself. Magic isn’t as practical and pragmatic as other art forms Although I’ve only recently and thus to truly understand started to appreciate magic, it, you need to look at the I understood very quickly that broader picture, because “the magic starts and ends at illu- closer you look, the less you sion. Magic is about catching actually see” – Now you see the audience where they’re me. not. It’s about distracting them from the thumb so that they think that ‘magic’ is really at work. And most importantly it’s about believing in your trick so that the audience doesn’t see through the illusion.
MAGIC STARTS AND ENDS AT ILLUSION. P
Thus performing magic itself requires a more sophisticated skill set, with simply performing not being sufficient. You see, even sophisticated card tricks are easy to see through if not performed correctly. Hence, it is important to bring in to play basic showman tricks, like talking to the audience while you’re doing the trick or making sure they interact with the deck so that they think that it’s a clean, fair deck.
INSANELY USEFUL
LIFE HACKS Have you ever been late for school because you slept through your alarm? Ever pull your earphones out of your pocket and find that they’re somehow magically tangled in an irreversible knot? Do you keep failing quizzes because you can’t read past 6 pages without getting positively BORED? Can’t even eat a Popsicle without getting your hands all sticky? Well say goodbye to the pain of the past because after reading these 6 life hacks, you can kiss those troubles goodbye!
#1 #1 Ever wonder why your earphones get tangled so easily while they’re in your pocket?
Well you don’t have to!
Use hair clips and paper clip binders to organize your cables!
CABLE HACK!
Are you a heavy sleeper?
Leave your phone or alarm inside a glass. The sound will be amplified!
#2
No more worries about sleeping through your alarms. Your only worry will be the increased risk of heart attacks…
Alarm Hack!
Are you the type who spends each morning looking for just the right thing to wear? Or do you just want to find a shirt without wrecking your entire dresser? Well, when you stack shirts on top of each other, you can’t see them now can you?
#3
Organize them vertically and you can take your own sweet time looking for the right thing to wear. DRESSER HACK!
Hot? Tired? Or…you know, thirsty?
Wrap a wet paper towel around your drink and leave it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. You probably know where this is headed:
ICE COLD BEVERAGE HACK!
#4
#5 Do you eat a lot of ice cream? That’s a stupid question: OF COURSE you eat a lot of ice cream! But you might prefer the cup to the cone because you can’t eat an ice cream cone without it melting all over your hand.
Well bye bye sticky hands, hello cupcake holder!
Jab your Popsicle or ice cream cone right through one and let it scoop up the melting cream. You can even drink out of it afterwards!
ICE CREAM HACK!
#6 Last, and certainly not least, hard-working ISY students, is one tip to help you get through those HL textbooks: Leave Gummi Bears or some other tasty snack on your reading material as checkpoints. When you reach those checkpoints, reward yourself for your hard work with a tasty treat.
Everything is better with a little sugar! STUDYING HACK!
Use these life hacks to make your own life just a little bit.
“Don’t live your life like another person” Teenagers are in a constant state of unrest (I know; I am one) – worrying about keeping up “cool” appearances, having “chill” friend, or “having a life”. We care so much to keep up appearances and to say the “right” stuff. But if you think about it, what really defines “cool”, or “having a life”? Nowadays, the media affects people, especially teenagers. Advertisements, movies and contents on social networks all promote a mainstream idea, and shun people who are and think otherwise. For instance, many teenagers are compelled to keep up a laid-back and uncaring attitude. Or being out all day with your friends aimlessly flirting with trouble. But, these do not decide if you are a “chill” person” of if you “have a life”. To me, “having a life” manifests itself as fulfilling your life with happiness. And where does happiness come from? It comes from following your passion – from the activity that you look forward to every morning, and the one you fall asleep thinking about. Everyone has a passion, and it is without doubt that they are different – humans are all different. Therefore, instead of shying away from what we really want to do, we should embrace it. We should not submit to the warped ideas of spending you day doing petty things. If you like playing basketball, then do it. If you like reading books, then do it. Reading books is not a crime! Not in the least
should it label you a “nerd”, a “geek” or “uncool”. You don’t have to throw away what you love in order to gain social acceptance. I have been through it. No condescension or arrogance intended, but I was once a teenager in 9th grade wanting to fit in with the “cool” kids – it was all for a girl. Because of that, apart from replacing bookshelves with wardrobes, I started to hold a false pretense of not “giving a sh**” in classes, while my heart strongly yearned to delve myself into the wonderfully bleak world of Edgar Allan Poe or the into the psychological factors behind the Rwandan genocide. I spent the time I would usually do sports going out with my friends. Added to that, I distanced myself from my family and old friends – the ones I went through elementary school with. However, because of the problems that arose with my parents during that period and my inability to see my fun-loving, true self in the mirror, I had the opportunity to correct my life. I now have balance my life – I give time for books and sports, while still going out with friends. In retrospect, the transformation that I experienced in 9th grade was alarming. Not only was I a complete jerk, but I almost also lost myself. Through this experience, I have ultimately learned that a person does not have to change himself to be socially accepted, and that being “cool” doesn’t matter. What matters is
Happily Ever After by: pascal swarbrick Towering skyscrapers dominated the landscape, blocking out the sun in some areas, giving the impression of night time to those who dwelled in the shadow of the great buildings. Constant noise from the honking of grav-cars, construction works and trailing underground trains thundered on the ears of all the people living there. In one particular underground station, it, like all of the other underground stations in the city, was a bustling hive of activity: people constantly shuffled about, auto-registers produced tickets. It was early evening, the time for rush hour. Dylan was among the hundreds of people
moving, shuffling about. He was looking forward to returning home, after a long and exhausting day at school. He was tall, thin, he had black hair. Dylan yawned, it was out of tiredness, and boredom with his life. He wanted something to change the flow in his life; gaming and school work simply didn’t cut it for him anymore. Luckily he did not have to wait long; the screeching of metal told him his transport was approaching. He, along with a least a hundred people stepped onto the train, as it’s opened doors opened the way for the passengers, whom, like dust being released from a vacuum bag, left the train. Holding onto
a pole, Dylan stood and waited for his stop. He turned to see a couple, sitting down, talking to each other quite happily. One of them, a girl about Dylan’s age, that is, a teenager, was holding a rose. Dylan remembered her face lit with surprise as the boy next to her gave it. The two were talking quietly, but Dylan could see that the boy was nervous, and shaking. A confession, he thought. Dylan’s view on romance was dim; he believed that too few actually enjoyed it for it to be worth it. The couple reminded him of Valentine’s Day, a day that he really couldn’t care about. A guy like me will never get a girlfriend. I’ll probably grow
old alone, Dylan thought bitterly. As Dylan sat down in his roller chair, he sighed. He had just finished his work and was looking forward to an online session with his friends, John, Ted and Jack. The three knew each other since middle school, and they all shared one interest: digital gaming. Opening his Vapor gaming account, Dylan scrolled through his chat box. He saw that John, Ted and Jack were already in a game session. As he was joining their match, Dylan put on his headphones. A pop-up blinked on his screen, he saw that a notice from his social account was sent. He opened it to see that it was a school announcement it read: “All high-School students
don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is approaching and those interested in buying roses and other gifts can now arrange to order them!” Dylan sighed, he really didn’t want to think about Valentine’s Day, it was a day for couples, not loners like him. Among his friends, only he and Ted were without girlfriends. Ignoring the pop-up, Dylan let himself enjoy the match. His game name was Da D, John’s was Big Bro, Ted’s was PalIdiot and Jack’s was PalJack. It was twenty minutes into the game when, John’s character suddenly killed Dylan’s. “What the hell man! Why’d you team-kill me?” Dylan typed into the chat box. “You were blocking the way.” John said, and laughed
shortly with a “lol” after the comment. John’s character moved to Dylan’s, and crouched, then quickly stood up. He repeated this action over and over. Dylan slapped his palm against his forehead. “Really John? Is friendly fire and teabagging the only thing that you’re good at?” A chorus of chuckles followed the comment. “Hey did you guys get the notice about Valentine’s Day?” Ted mentioned. Dylan groaned out load without knowing. “Yeah, and unlike some people, I’m actually looking forward to it.” Jack responded, emphasizing on the last part. “Yea what’s up with you man, why’d you always have to hate Valentine’s Day?” John asked, genuinely curious.
“Dylan’s view on romance was dim, he believed that too few actually enjoyed it for it to be worth it.”
“It’s so stupid, a day to celebrate love, I don’t get it.” Dylan said. All of his friends laughed, Dylan could feel the heat buildup in his cheeks and he reddened. “You’re grumpy about it ‘cause you can’t confess to Judy.” Ted mocked. “It’s not that. Besides I don’t even like her.” Dylan responded, he in return, only had more chuckling. “Of course you don’t.” John chimed in. “I don’t! Want me to prove it?” Dylan said, surprising himself. “That you like her? Ok, I dare you to write a ‘fession note and slip it in her locker or something.” Jack tempted. “And what the hell do I get in return? And how many times do I have to say it, I don’t like her!” Dylan shouted in the chat. “…Bro don’t you lie.” John said. Dylan sighed and gave in. “Fine I like her, there I said it.” “Finally, the big man admits it.” Ted said, and then the chatter stopped. Dylan waited, but no response. “Why don’t you tell her how you feel then, or at least get to know her.” Jack said, joining in. “But what if I get rejected? And what if I find out that I’m not serious about this at all?” Dylan asked, fear building up in-
side him. Could he really confess to Judy? The very thought was impossible to believe. “So what if you’re rejected? So what? Isn’t it better to tell her your feelings and get it over with it? Besides it’s not like you know her right?” Ted answered with questions. Dylan considered this and re-
sponded, “I’ll do it….if one of you faggots give me a SCP-58 for CS” he said on the group chat, referring to a rare time on Vapor. There was an uproar, Ted was the first to respond. “You’re kidding right? It costs like fifty credits, the real ones!” Dylan responded back, “Fifty credits or no ‘fession”.
“Fine, fine, we’ll get you a SCP58, but you slip in that confession note yea?” Jack said, finalizing the deal. “Deal” Dylan concluded. He hoped that he made the right decision. While the teacher had his back to the students, Dylan was writing out the confession note. He was feeling strangely confident, despite the fact that there was a big possibility that he would be rejected. He looked in front of him and saw the girl of his dreams, Judy. She was tall and slender, with shoulder length brown hair and brown eyes. Next to her sat Cynthia, Jack’s girlfriend. His heart was pounding, the note in itself contained a simple message saying, “Please meet me after school at 4 in the school park. –Anonymous”. Below that though, was a message containing all of his feelings for her, at least the ones that he could fit on the paper. He was glad none of his friends saw the contents of the notes, he would die of embarrassment if anybody else found out. And in the note was a rose. All he had to do was slip it in Judy’s locker and
ready himself for the big moment. Ted took out the note containing Judy’s locker number and combination. All he had to do was give Dylan the note and the rest would be up to him. And then another note came along. The girl sitting next to him secretly passed the note to him. It was from Jack. “Dude, can you give me Cynthia’s locker combination? I want to give her something.” Ted took out his phone containing all the locker combinations and looked it up. After writing it down, he looked up to see the teacher about to turn back. In a fit of panic, Ted quick-
ly hid the notes in his desk and looked like he was paying attention to the teacher. When he finally turned his back, Ted was about to take out the notes when suddenly his neighbor passed him another note, it was from John, “Dude Let’s troll Jack. D’you mind giving me his locker combination and number?” Ted wanted to groan out load but couldn’t. All these messages were giving him a headache. After writing down the combination, he was about to return it to John when suddenly the teacher came back. “What do you think you are doing Mr. Hox with your phone?” he said
approaching. Ted gulped, “Uhh nothing sir.” The teacher put out his hand. Ted, realizing that he had no choice, gave the phone to him. When class finally ended, Ted went to the teacher and asked him for his phone. “Mr. Hox, this is not the first time that you have done this to me. This is the sixth time already. You will be getting your phone tomorrow morning, no earlier than that.” He declared. Ted quickly walked back to his desk to get the notes. As he took out the notes, he realized that he couldn’t tell which note belonged to who. He discarded all the mes-
sages that were given to him and he couldn’t remember which combination belonged to which person. In a panic, Ted quickly tried to sort out but couldn’t as he saw Dylan, Jack and John approach. He tried putting on the best poker face that he had. “Hey guys, so yea, here’s your info. One for you. One for you and one for you.” He said, as he gave out the notes, hoping that he gave the right ones. Dylan opened the locker and placed the note in, all he had to do was wait. Jack opened up the locker and placed the flowers
in, all he had to do was wait. John opened up the locker and placed the prank in, all he had to do was wait. Jack, Ted and John were at their lockers, replacing their books for the next class. What happened was a surprise. When Jack opened his locker, he found a note with a rose in it, it read “Please meet me after school at 4 in the school park. –Anonymous”. Ted turned to see the note and he instantly realized, with horror, the error that he just committed. Just as Jack was closing his locker, not yet seeing the contents of the notes, Cynthia
came in behind with Judy. Jack turned to see Cynthia. “Hey Jack, how’s everything?” she asked. “Good I guess, school’s still giving us hell, surprise, surprise there. “He responded with a smile. Cynthia looked down and saw the rose in his hand, “What’s that?” she asked. “Umm it’s a rose I found in my locker, along with a note.” Cynthia read it and her eyes widened. She looked up and started at Jack dead serious. “Are you serious?” she asked. Jack’s eyebrows knitted together. “What’s the problem?” he asked. “A boy wrote this, and he says he knows you. I didn’t
know you had that kind of a relationship with boys. All this time… you were gay.” She said, stunned. “Wait, what I’m not gay.” Jack said, failing to understand. “It’s ok, a lot of men don’t realize that they’re gay until after they’re married. I think we should take a break, if you know what I mean.” Cynthia said as she handed him the note with both hands and walked away slowly. Jack stood there, unsure of what to make out of the situation. “What the heck did my girlfriend just call me gay?” he asked incredulous-
ly. “Umm yea looks like it, and it seems like you won’t be seeing her for a while.” John responded. Ted couldn’t help but swear out loud, “Damn it”. “What’s the matter?” Jack asked, curious. Both John and Jack turned to Ted’s direction. “I mixed up the notes and gave you guys the wrong notes.” He finally said after a sigh. Jack slapped his palm against his forehead. “Oh s***. I know that you screw up a lot, but god you really screwed it up s***face.” John joined in, “Wait, if Jack got Dylan’s letter, then
what did Cynthia and Judy get?” “Oh f***.” Said Jack and Ted at the same time and ran to the lockers. Cynthia opened her locker to receive another surprise. “Maybe you’re looking at this the wrong way, what if Jack isn’t gay, and it’s just some mistake?” Judy said as she was opening her own locker. “You might be right, but it’s so weird how Jack would get such a note from someone, I think I’ll have to keep a closer eye on him in the future, just to make sure that no one’s going to flirt with him or anything.” Cynthia responded, still unsure of how to react. Judy shook her head, “You’re overreacting.” She said, trying to offer sound advice. Cynthia didn’t listen to the last part. She opened up her locker. In her locker was a small device, a flat screen with a thin covering
behind it. She took it and turned it on. She regretted what she did. The moment her finger touched the activation rune, a massive face showed up on her screen. It was bloody, with scars and rotting teeth. She screamed and dropped the device. Judy also jumped in response and dropped her books. Behind them, John, Ted and Jack running towards them, trying to reach them. By the time they reached the girls, Cynthia picked up the screen and turned it off. “Oh my god, look, it’s not what you think Cynthia,
it was an accident.” Jack said, as he approached her. She stomped her foot and yelled, “What the hell is this?” Jack stammered for a moment, but regain his composure and motioned for John to step up. “Yea about that, it was meant to be a prank for Jack.” . John said, taking the screen from Cynthia. “It’s a terrible prank.” Cynthia said. Judy chuckled, “It’s actually pretty funny, but it’s not something I’d want to repeat again.” She said, opening her locker. In it, was a bouquet of flowers, Judy’s eyes widened in surprise.
She took the flowers and saw the card in her locker that fell from the bouquet. She took it and read it out loud, “All my love. From your awesome boyfriend, Jack.” She said turning back, still surprised. Cynthia’s face changed multitudes of colors, from normal, to pale, to blood red. She stomped off. Judy blinked and tried to catch up with Cynthia. “Do you think now is a good time to tell Cynthia that those were meant for her?” Ted asked Jack, who just shook his head and facepalmed. Dylan waited for Judy to meet up with him. He was anxious, already almost half an hour passed, and he still hasn’t seen her. That was when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see, not Judy, but his three friends. Ted was the first to talk, as he was the closest to Dylan. “Hey bro, so umm, see, there’s a little….uhh…little…incident.” he finally finished. Dylan blinked. John decided to make things simple for everyone, “Ted botched up the notes and now Cynthia thinks Jack’s a dick and/or gay and Judy isn’t coming here.” Dylan’s expression changed from that of confusion to horror. “Oh my god, what?!” he said. “So, Judy’s not coming.” He said, his voice deadpan. “There’s still a chance though.” John said. Dylan turned, “You can still tell Judy about your feelings, but rather than her come to you, you go to her.” He said. Dylan sighed. “I have to do this anyway right, since I’m guessing Cynthia hates you guys for messing around with her.” “Yup pretty much” Ted said.
Dylan facepalmed, and walked up. “Right guys, let’s do this. By the way if I fail this and get rejected and or killed by Cynthia, you guys can have my Vapor account.” He said, and gone he was. There they were, Cynthia and Judy. His heart was pounding in his chest. He walked up to them. “Hey guys!” he called out, they greeted in kind. The three briefly talked of their day and then the real conversation followed. When there was a moment of brief silence, Dylan began. “Hey Judy, I was wonder-
“no, it was not a rose, it was the rose.”
ing, could we by any chance talk in private, I kinda want to say something important to you.” He said as soon as he got to the girls. Judy was surprised and agreed, and Cynthia stepped back a bit, but not by much, a small smile forming. Dylan was shaking, he gulped and took a deep breath and said, “Judy, I don’t usually say this to girls, but I really like you. I’ve liked you for a while actually, and would you accept this rose as a token of that?” He tried to search for the rose in his bag but found that it was missing. He
began to panic. He searched frantically until he was practically emptying his bag for it. He looked to July and stammered. “Uhh …apparently I must have misplaced the rose….” He said, sweat pouring down his face, his hands shaking, his posture slouching slightly. Judy smiled, and took out a rose from a small separate bag nearby. She took out a rose from the bag, no it was not a rose, it was the rose, the one that he bought for her. She giggled slightly, and Dylan eased a fraction but was still tense. There was still the question to ask, “Judy, I-“, “Yes” she said, answer him and hugged him. Life was good.
Juggling Joe
BY: Juggling, it’s something that all of us have seen, but very few of us can adequately replicate. The idea of being able to keep 3 or more balls going continuously between both hands in a predetermined path is very enticing to watch, but even more desirable when mastered. I first tried to juggle when I was 11 years old as a PE requirement . Our gym teacher effortlessly demonstrated the cascade technique of juggling 3 balls. He had a pompous smile on his face, as if his ability to keep 3 balls in the air somehow made him superior to me. At the time, I thought this whole juggling thing was futile and unproductive, but nevertheless gave it a try, for no other reason than to wipe that smirk on my gym teacher’s face. Being a physically fit, athletic male, I expected to quickly master juggling, like learning to ride a bike at age three,
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JOEY
JOHNSON
or solving the Rubik’s cube at the age of eight. However, this wishful thinking disappeared as quickly as it had appeared: I couldn’t even do three tosses without dropping at least one of the balls. After trying unsuccessfully for what seemed like hours, I went back to the teacher, watching as he continued juggling, while his eyes were busy watching the rest of us fail. My eyes went quickly from the balls to his hands, then to his eyes, looking for the secret that allowed him to keep juggling for so long. I thought that juggling was like a magic trick, where if you watched it long enough, the secret would reveal itself. My PE teacher said that the only secret for learning to juggle was practice, but that couldn’t be right, I thought to myself. Well, 20 practice sessions later, I can tell you that practice really is the key.
Every time that you practice, you are training your eye and hand coordination, and just like playing an instrument, your hand-eye coordination becomes faster and more accurate every time you practice. Most of this time, this improvement is very gradual, so you hardly notice it, which can be very frustrating. However, if you video yourself the first time you try juggling, then every fifth practice session, you will see a steady improvement in your ability level. So, what happens, if you’re like me, and you’ve reached that twentieth or so practice session and you are an expert at juggling 3 balls in the cascade pattern. Now what? Well, juggling is kind of like practicing an instrument, with the conventional 3-cascade pattern being your hot cross buns song for your instrument. It is your starting point, and once you have mastered it,
You got to keep juggling, throwing your problems, fears, mistakes, insecurities, and even pride away.
you are ready for more advanced pieces, or in the case of juggling, the addition of tricks and pattern variations. There are numerous tricks and patterns that you can do with 3 balls, and each one requires various amounts of practice before mastering. These tricks can then be combined in order to produce a solo performance, with group juggling, as well as juggling while doing other activities, such as riding a unicycle or tight-rope walking becoming possible. The possibilities become endless when you consider that innumerable types of objects, as well as varying number of balls can be used. I used my juggling skills, I mean really used them, for the first time when I performed a solo-juggling act when I was sixteen at my school’s fun fair. I was allotted a ninety second-time slot to pull out all my tricks, in the hopes of dazzling the audience speechless. However, just like an athlete playing in his first professional game will tell you, there is some unknown reason, which we call pressure, that makes us freeze in real game situations, where we otherwise would not. It is what causes a Point Guard who can normally make 10 out of 10 free throws in practice to air ball the last-second shot, costing his team the game. Well, this same pressure hit me full force, like a freight train, when my time came to juggle in front of over 100 anxious, wide-eyed spectators. As my circus music, that accompanied my juggling routine started, I froze; I dropped the ball on my very first throw. It was ridiculous, after juggling for 4 years, most of the time subconsciously; when it mattered most, this skill forsook me. It was in this moment of complete humiliation that I discov-
to be important events in your lives, like the performance was for me, and you’re going to be expected to perform, and sometimes your going to screw up and drop the ball, like I did, literally, but you can’t let this stop you. You have got to keep juggling, throwing your problems, fears, mistakes, insecurities, and even pride away.
ered what juggling truly meant to me. The multicolored balls that I juggled represented all of life’s problems and obstacles that got thrown at me, and I juggled these problems and obstacles, tossing them 1 by 1, into the air. So, me messing up during my juggling routine actually went along perfectly with what juggling really is, which is picking up your problems, and throwing them away. So, I picked up the ball that I had dropped and drove on, not letting the fact I was dropping the ball stop the show. You see, there are always going
multicolored balls that I juggled represented all of life’s problems and obstacles that got thrown at me.
Now, besides the obvious benefit of increased hand-eye coordination and a cool ability, juggling is also a great way to entertain and meet new people. Juggling, like music, is able to overcome the language barrier, since no words are required to juggle. I can’t tell you how many times I have gone to an orphanage or been a volunteer at a camp and used juggling to entertain and strengthen my relationship with my surrounding peers. So, while juggling might seem useless at first, it’s ability to entertain and put a smile on someone’s face is almost like magic. Only magic isn’t real, while juggling is.
THE FIRST WORDS
written by: ryan @ wai yan naing
The principles of the joys and wonders of love plays the upmost important role in maintaining a caring community. There they are, the three of them, settled as a family on the grass, Father and Mother gaping at Baby in amazement; lost in their own untroubled world. The beam of sunlight extends down through the blossoms of a cheery tree and the blanket, the grass, and Baby’s face glow with red and white speckles. The vibrant sun is warm and brilliant, as it brushes Mother’s and Father’s t-shirts, and the napes of their necks. There are clouds in the sky of various kinds; colossal, milky, cotton-ball clouds, the type that makes Father so cheery that he’d feel like a water balloon with too much water, distended, bobbing from the faucet, filled up to the bursting with all those thoughts that now seemed so naive and youthful to him. Then again, he does not glance up at the clouds, only senses them, by the blotch-
es of warmth on his neck. As Father watches Mother gazing at Baby, he discerns the groove of her brow and down-turned mouth as the feeling of sorrow and misery, when really is the result of concern of Baby and selfless love both displayed on a face that is not customary to neither one. Baby views Mother’s features too and sees her face. He spots her rosy lips, emerald sea green eyes, brown silky hair and a sharp nose which characterizes Mother; “His Mother”. Love practically describes all of the mixed emotions he feels now only because there are no better words for it. Baby undergoes a feeling of comfort and protection as if he were being submerged head to toe in a warm pool of well-being and safety so thoroughly rigorous that Baby squirms, kicks and grins with the pleasure and thrill of it. When Mother and Father looks at him, he sees them and recognizes the shared bond of love.
Baby’s (tooth-less?) grin is powered through his feeling of exultation. With the jubilation of the surging stream of love, his tiny, pulpy (this word means soft) fists would sometimes clasp and unclasp with the overwhelming emotions that occupies him. He realizes what he wants to say and Mother and Father can perceive that as well. He starts configuring words in his mind, forming the wisps and associations and memories which surround the word like fallen leaves around a big tree. He sees his and her face, before him and inside of him, together.