Back-to-School Issue

the

FOURTH estate

LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL

XXVII

ISSUE 1

SEPTEMBER 2019

CONTENTS news

4 feature

10 opinion

20

sports

a&e

22

29

THE BACK TO SCHOOL ISSUE

The sun sets over the harbor near Monomoy Pond on Nantucket Island.

ART by EMMA RAITH

Staff EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Daisy Finefrock Phoebe Stein

OPINION EDITOR Madeleine Nicks

PHOTOGRAPHERS Madeleine Nicks Phoebe Stein

CREATIVE DIRECTORS Mia Humberd-Hilf Emma Raith

ARTS and ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Violet Zhou

STAFF Amara Murphy Boning Zhang

NEWS EDITOR Ian Brown FEATURE EDITOR Frances Carlson

SPORTS EDITOR Macy Christal

ALUM CONSULTANT Rose Houglet FACULTY ADVISER Trish McHale, MJE

Letter from the Editors D

ear Laguna Blanca community,

Hey guys! This is Phoebe and Daisy in our first letter from the editors.

Welcome back! It feels good to be at Laguna again for another exciting year. We are both so happy to be starting our adventure as Editors-in-Chief (EICs), and we are so lucky to have such an embracing community waiting for us at each bump in the road.

Starting off as freshmen on the staff and idolizing our hardworking, dedicated EICs, it is incredible to be in the same position three years later.

During our past two years being a part of the Fourth Estate, we have stepped into our roles as writers, editors, and creators. In a near-impossible effort to carry out the legacy that our prior EICs have cultivated, we will strive to make the future issues ones that we as members of the Laguna Blanca Community are proud of.

Laguna has truly grown to be our family, and the students, teachers and administrators who we share the halls with are people who carry a key role in our own personal stories. We make this magazine for all of you— the classmate who gives us a pep-talk before a test, to the teacher who simply tells us “I believe in you,” and the administrator who is always there with a smile and a wave, and every other member of the community who takes time out of their day to make us feel recognized.

When we proposed a Summer issue, as the EICs did two years ago, we received overwhelming support from our dedicated advisor and passionate fellow staffers. Without their help and support, this magazine never could make it off the ground.

It was ambitious to bring forth the possibility of an issue during the early summer months, without the valuable class time and school resources, but we are so glad that this issue has come to fruition. With a back to school issue, we can create a standard for our magazine— a standard that highlights originality, continuity and the same passion for reporting that inspired The Fourth Estate 25 years ago.

The past few years have brought along so many learning opportunities, including how to deal with the best (and the worst) experiences of maintaining a student-run magazine. We hope that you enjoy this issue, and appreciate the hard work and dedication that it took to bring this issue to the state it is today.

Thank you for being a part of our community, and our family.

We can’t wait to continue this challenging journey with you as we begin our adventure as Editors in Chief of the Fourth Estate.

Editors-in-Chief Phoebe Stein & Daisy Finefrock

• MISSION STATEMENT The Fourth Estate is an open forum created for and by journalism students of Laguna Blanca Upper School. We hope to use this space to cover events, interviews and topics of interest in greater depth.

Our staff seeks to be a platform for creative expression and to report on events and ideas of importance to our readers and to focus on topics of significance and interest to inform and entertain the school community.

• LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Fourth Estate welcomes guest columns and letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and must be no longer than 400 words. Editors reserve the right to edit for length, clarity and/or taste. Anonymous letters will not be published. The Fourth Estate reserves the right to reject advertising. Opinions expressed in this publication reflect the perspectives of the staff whose goal is to inform our readers with reliable information from which to base decisions and opinions. Editorials represent the voice of the staff and are voted on by the entire staff. Columns and commentaries are labeled as such and represent the opinion of the author. The Fourth Estate publishes four issues per year with a senior insert in the last issue.

• BYLINE POLICY When two or three people work on a story, all names will be listed. If an editor rewrites a majority of a story, the editor’s name will be listed.

• CORRECTION POLICY The staff strives for accuracy. When factual errors occur, mistakes are found or brought to the attention of the staff, corrections will be printed in a corrections box in the next issue.

• COLOPHON This is the first issue and 26th volume (published in August 2019) of the Laguna Blanca School, 4125 Paloma Dr., Santa Barbara, CA 93110, magazine, The Fourth Estate. Contacts are available at tmchale@lagunablanca.org, (805) 687-2461 x317 or www.thefourthestate.net. Laguna Blanca School has an EK through 12th grade student population of approximately 400, with 100 in the Lower School, 110 in the Middle School and 182 in the Upper School, and a faculty of approximately 60. The Fourth Estate is an 8.5 by 11 general magazine, created on Apple computers on Adobe InDesign CC2019, using Big Caslon and FreightNeo Pro font families and printed on glossy paper free for students and $30 for an annual subscription. The magazine is distributed to all Upper School students through the school’s advisory program and sent by mail to subscribers, with 400 copies printed per issue. We are associated with NSPA, CSPA and JEA.

4 • NEWS thefourthestate.net

CALENDAR

thursday 12

Girls Varsity Tennis Game Home @ 3:30

september 2019

monday 2 tuesday 3 wednesday 4 thursday 5 friday 6

Orientation/ Opening Day

Grade 9 - Monterey Grade 10 - Santa Catalina Island

wednesday 11

friday 13

Girls Varsity Tennis Game Santa Ynez @ 3:30

Grade 11 - Colorado River

Grade 5-12 Ice Cream Social 2:30 - 2:50 Outdoor Movie Night

tuesday 10

Girls Varsity Volleyball Game Home @ 6:00

TRIP WEEK

Grade 12 - El Capitan

monday 9

Girls JV Volleyball Game Home @ 5:00

Labor Day, School Offices Closed

Parent Welcome Coffee 9:00 - 11:00

Boys Varsity Football Game Home @ 3:30

Family Picnic On The Green 5:00 - 7:00

tuesday 24

Girls JV Volleyball Game Santa Ynez @ 4:30 Girls Varsity Volleyball Game Santa Ynez @ 5:30 WORDS by FRANCES CARLSON ART by BRAD ELLIOT and DEREK MUSCH and CHRIS JOHNSON

6 • NEWS thefourthestate.net

thursday 26

Girls JV Tennis Game Thacher @ 3:30

Girls Varsity Tennis Game Villanova @ 3:45

Girls Varsity Volleyball Game Thacher @ 6:00

Girls JV Volleyball Game Thacher @ 5:00

Girls JV Volleyball Game Home @ 5:00

Girls JV Tennis Game Muni Courts @ 3:45

Girls Varsity Volleyball Game Home @ 6:00

Co-Ed Varsity Cross Country Game Camino Real Park @ 4:45

thefourthestate.net NEWS • 7

US Advisory Gets a Revamp

Meet Andrew Wooden An Interview with the New Interim Head of Upper School

Alum Blake Dorfman ‘02 is well known for teaching in the Middle School and Upper School, as well as for his friendly and outgoing personality. He is active in the US Student Council, acting as a guide and organizer for students within the program. Now, Dorfman is taking on a brand-new role as Director of Student Life and bringing changes to the US advisory system.

WORDS by IAN BROWN ART by BRAD ELLIOTT

What is the Director of Student Life?

The Director of Student Life’s goal is to ensure that students in grades 9-12 have the best experience possible at school. This is done through setting high standards for personal conduct and seeing to it that student activities outside of the classroom are enriching, meaningful, and fun.

How did this idea come to fruition?

The position was previously called Dean of Students and was most recently held by Shane Lopes. That means I have big shoes to fill! The name change is mainly because the title of Dean of Students sometimes makes people think only of discipline. The new title is to help students realize that discipline is not my only job. I’m fortunate to also be able to focus on the entire student experience, handling all the fun stuff as well.

What jobs does it encompass?

It encompasses a lot! I have the privilege of being in charge of the Upper School Advisory program, Student Council, student events, clubs, and of course, student conduct.

Walk us through the proposed changes to the advisory system.

I’m taking over advisory from the wonderful Trish McHale, who has already created a strong framework. I’m so grateful for all that she does for the school.

This year, there will not be co-advisors. Instead, individual advisors will get to work with smaller groups of students. There will be more structure in regards to individual meetings with your advisor, and you will get to know each other very well.

The biggest change will be the introduction of student-led conferences, an initiative that Mr. Hereford has asked us to implement. Twice per year, students will lead a meeting with their advisor and parents to set personal goals and review progress.

You will be preparing for these during advisory time.

On a broader note, everything we do during advisory time will have a direct correlation to our four pillars: scholarship,

character, community, and balance. I want advisory to become a hallmark program at Laguna over the next few years.

What classes do you teach?

I will be returning to the English Department, sharing English 7 with Carol Nordgaarden, who was my English teacher in eighth grade at Laguna. She had a profound impact on me as a writer, and to be able to develop a new curriculum with her as a colleague is a real honor. I will also continue to teach our yearbook class, which I view as vital in documenting the history of the school.

Are there any new programs that might be added to student life currently in the works?

The student experience is already exceptional. I need to take this first year to assess our biggest strengths and gauge what additions or changes should be made. This year’s Student Council President, Kiki Tolles, is thoroughly dedicated to enhancing student life and has big plans for new events. I am fully supportive of her as we continue to hone the impact of the Student Council as a voice for students.

What is your favorite part of the new position?

I have my own office! No, seriously, it’s that I get to work so closely with students on things outside of academics. I’m really looking forward to having substantive, real conversations with students every day.

How do you envision this helping Laguna students? What are your goals in this position?

If I’m doing my job correctly, it will help students have an exceptionally meaningful and memorable experience here. Discipline will be approached in a formative manner, meaning students will have a clear picture of what went wrong and a consequence that is relevant and purposeful. My goal is to help students reach their potential and see the importance of strong character. I also want them to love and appreciate Laguna like I do.

8• NEWS thefourthestate.net

A

WORDS and ART by MIA HUMBERD-HILF

ndrew Wooden, Laguna’s new interim Head of Upper School, has been working for independent schools for over 40 years. He’s held positions including teacher, coach, Dean of Admissions, Interim and Permanent Head of School. Joining us from The Buckley School where he served as Interim Head of School. Prior to that, Wooden served as Head of School at Marymount in Santa Barbara. Laguna Blanca School’s community including faculty, staff, students and families welcome Wooden and look forward to getting to know him throughout the coming 2019-2020 school year.

What is your favorite high school memory?

“Discussing literature and writing with teachers and friends. Discovering new music that remains in my music library today.”

What do you think is the most important aspect of a positive school environment?

“From La Super Rica to Paradise Café. I miss East Beach Grill!”

“Healthy relationships among all members of the Laguna community. A good school is one where we each take care of one another. I hope that we listen empathetically to one another and that we are slow in judgment and have the patience to seek understanding.”

When you aren’t at school, what is your favorite hobby?

What are you most excited for during the first year working at Laguna Blanca?

“Walking our dogs on the beach, reading, and racing sailboats.”

“Getting to know the students and especially the senior class. I hear they have 20-20 vision. I look forward to meeting with Kiki and Emma to better understand their hopes for the year.”

Where do you like to eat in Santa Barbara?

thefourthestate.net NEWS • 9

The New Student Council

DEAR LBS STUDENTS

Meet the four new, determined and excited leaders of 2019-2020’s student council.

WORDS by MADELEINE NICKS and FRANCES CARLSON ART by BRAD ELLIOT

Kiki Tolles, Student Body President

“With new projects to improve the Student Store and to digitize the Sign In/Out System, and new events like the Outdoor Movie Night and the Club Assembly, we are hoping to make the 20192010 Student Council one of the most active and effective yet.

We can’t wait to accomplish our goals and to represent our fellow students this coming year.”

Emma Raith, Vice President

“Kiki and I are very excited to represent the study body this year, and we look forward to making some big changes. As our first priority, we hope to revamp the student store and revise the current sign-in/out system. With our modified student council format, moreover, we hope to tackle new problems, organize more activities, and enhance daily student-life at Laguna!”

Caetano Perez, Treasurer

“This year I hope to maintain consistent store hours with more student volunteers and a reliables time schedule! I’m also looking to implement restock weekends so we can avoid bothersome food shortages. Finally, I’m looking to possible add more nutritious non-candy items to the store for a more healthy menu.”

Wesley Schulz, Secretary

“My goal this year is to work with the rest of the student council to implement the ideas outlined in Jacobs “manifesto” as best we can. I hope that by the end of this year people start to see the student council as less of a dance theme decider and more of a force of change in the student body. Other than that I am just excited to work with the team that has been built this from this past election and hope that we can serve the student body well.”

10 • FEATURE thefourthestate.net

L

aguna Blanca is known for its close community of students, teachers, staff and parents.

We know that when we need help, there will be dozens of Owls waiting with words of wisdom, whether it is friendly advice, horror-story-esque warnings about workloads, raves about teachers or the casual “don’t forget your calculator!”

One of the best aspects of being a part of the Laguna Blanca community is the knowledge that we aren’t alone with our apprehension or fears about classes. We have the best resources right next to us: students who have experienced the same worries that we have, and conquered them with a smile (sometimes...).

We asked students from each class to write a letter to students entering the year they just completed. These letters are mini pep-talks, advise columns and words of warning that will hopefully prepare fellow Owls for the exciting 2019-20 school year.

Good luck everyone, let’s make this another great year at Laguna Blanca!

WORDS by PHOEBE STEIN ART by BRAD ELLIOT

thefourthestate.net FEATURE • 11

DEAR

FRESHMEN,

W

9

elcome to high school. You made it! The next four years might seem a bit daunting, but it’s a right of passage you must go through. There will be good times, sleepless times, hilarious times, stressful times, and, if you’re anything like us, crying in the middle of class times. However, we believe in you.

Take the short time in Monterey, before school starts, to realize that you are about to enter a complete whirlwind that is the next four years of high school. Most importantly, reflect on what kind of a person you want to be in the next four years. Be the person who includes others, who appreciates the harder times and who works toward goals. Start new friendships, strengthen old ones. Put yourself out there, and start the ball rolling for the new year.

Before continuing to the rest of the year, you need to shut up and listen. You need sleep. No, you don’t need to keep studying. You need sleep. Sleep, please.

Now, for the year. Here is a crash course on your four, year-long teachers. First, Ashley Tidey. The number one rule is to never ever chew or bring gum anywhere near her. Secondly, print your homework or essays out before class. And third, have a planner or something that you can write assignments in. If you follow these three cardinal rules, and don’t sit in the back row of class, you will have a truly amazing, transformative year in English. Savor it.

Now for Erik Faust. This math class is unlike any other. You will laugh, cry and question the meaning of life. This is the place where you must exercise common knowledge. Don’t ask pointless questions, but take every opportunity to quote “Friends” and “The Office.”

Next up is Richard Nathan. You will often find yourself late at night trying to complete his most recent essay. The ultimate strategy of Civ is time management. Get a bunch of people in your class to all take good notes together, and appreciate the passion about history that Nathan brings.

And finally, we have Amanda Whalen. Whalen is the rock-solid backbone of freshman year. Take a deep breath when you enter her class, because you know everything is going to be alright. Make a quizlet for every test, ask questions in class, actually read the textbook homework and willingly accept the many snacks that she will bring in.

But, in addition to the class trips, the teachers, the academic everything, what you will truly appreciate and miss about freshman year are the little moments. The things outside of class, the unplanned adventures, the tiniest interactions and the biggest gatherings. These make up the heart and soul of the year, and what you will remember the most.

And we know it might sound weird and superficial, but take lots of pictures. By the end of the year, and for years to follow, the sad moments will be hilarious, the happy moments will be adorable and the normal everyday moments will mean the world to you.

Finally, the best thing you can do for yourself freshman year is to participate. Join the sports team, find a club, get involved in matters that are important to you. Explore the opportunities that Laguna offers.

Treasure this time in your life, we know we did.

- Frank and Mads

thefourthestate.net

UNLISTED TRIP ESSENTIALS FOOD Because this is one of the most “civilized” and least wilderness-camping of all class trips, enjoy the luxury and bring food (within reason). In other words, it’s time to go wild with your snacking experience. Whether you choose bars, candy or chips, bring enough to ration throughout the whole experience, even if it’s on long car rides or simple midnight snacking.

We recommend cookie butter, an entire loaf of bread or possibly a Nature Valley bar.

FUN Throughout the trip, you are given opportunities each night for an hour of free-relaxing-bonding group time. We wholeheartedly recommend bringing multiple decks of cards, Uno or any other easy portable group games.

But, if some cards are forgotten, you can also buy them in the gift shop, as well as other small snacks and treats.

Otherwise, you are free to utilize the common area of the lodge, which features two glowing pool tables. During our short time, rivalries were created, alliances were made and noise complaints filed (just kidding… kind of).

EXTRA Along with these items that make up an important part of your experience, there are a few loose ends that need tying up. Because of the many car rides, headphones are utterly necessary. Nights can get a bit chilly, so if you have room for a comfy blanket, throw it in. Finally, these two things may be listed, but bear repeating.

First, your shoes do get wet, so bring an extra pair. Second, it’s always nice to have your own shampoo and conditioner to make you feel at home.

FEATURE • 13

DEAR

10

SOPHOMORES,

O

kay, so first, a couple of words of reflection: the sophomore year was one filled with incredible learning experiences and so much personal growth.

Yes, many of us have experienced the highs and lows of the second year of high school, however, we wouldn’t trade that valuable time with our favorite teachers for anything in the world.

The moments spent in an open discussion with Shertzer, sharing an amused eye-contact with Pointer and swinging by Tidey’s room for an always-ready word of advice made this year not only one where we learned immensely and deeply, but also one where we were shown the true meaning of personal growth.

Coming into the tenth grade was both daunting and exciting. It’s no longer that angst-filled freshman year where everyone is trying to find where they belong.

You’ve (hopefully) found your people who truly accept you and you’re ready to enjoy this blissful year before the torturous junior year arrives.

This is the time where you have a bit of wiggle room in your schedule and you get to decide what you’re passionate about.

This is the time for you to enjoy. The monstrosity of college applications and SAT scores will be creeping into your thoughts but it’s not something you need to be concerned about. Take this year to find what classes inspire you and what you’re passionate about instead of conforming to the role of a stressed and sleep-deprived teenager.

Egos get inflated after surviving freshman year. When freshmen graduate into sophomores, it’s a big deal. You’ve moved up a step in the food chain — people around you will be getting their driver’s license, dangling their keys in your face and bragging about their newfound freedom.

But, it’s important to remember that you’re still not quite at the top yet, and frankly may never be. In life, there’s always someone who garners more respect or holds superiority over you. So, we will give you the advice that we had to tell ourselves a few months into the year — deflate your ego a little bit and just be the most authentic version of yourself. We are all still young and constantly trying to turn the clock forward.

Yet there’s this other part of us which wishes we were back in middle school with no responsibilities. Little did we know that we will all be remembering these early high school years as the “easier days.”

Revel in your time not having excruciatingly difficult classes, don’t push yourself to be the big man on campus with millions of textbooks in hand and running on zero sleep.

You are still an underclassman and it’s crucial you recognize this — staying true to yourself and keeping focus is what will keep you on a steady path. This is the last year where you can really have fun, (hopefully) so find yourself and enjoy your classes (even though you may find yourself wanting to zone out- refrain).

With that, we wish you good luck. With the terrifying tests from Shertzer, the intense homework from Santos and the exhaustive essays from Hill you just might need it.

- Daisy and Phoebe

thefourthestate.net

SOPHOMORE ADVICE OSCAR HOUGLET “Don’t let Ms. Hill intimidate you — she’s actually pretty nice and will do yoga with you. Also, just accept that you won’t do well on Shertzer’s tests.”

KATE SPAULDING “Don’t procrastinate on any project and learn how to manage your time.

The sooner you get it done, the more time you have to revise, do other work, and sleep!”

ZANE ZEMECKIS “I’d say sophomore year isn’t that bad. Just do the work the teachers assign. I don’t think it’s too much to stress over.”

ELIZABETH BISNO “Especially for chem and math, the second you don’t understand something ask the teacher to clarify because you’ll be using that stuff later on and you want to create a solid foundation of understanding so that you don’t sink into the depths of despair later in the year.”

SOPHIA WEBSTER “If you don’t understand a concept in math don’t just procrastinate and say, ‘I’ll study before the test.’ Instead, go in and talk to the teacher.”

FEATURE •15

DEAR

JUNIORS,

J

11

unior year. It suddenly feels like you’re nearing the end, but you’re not quite there yet. Junior year is filled with constant reminders of “what’s ahead” and reminders of your always-present list of to-dos. There’s no shortage of pressure during this year, from both school related and non-school related sources. Specifically, however, most of these pressures are tied to one dreadful phrase: the college application.

The thought of having your achievements over the past 17 or 18 years scrutinized by strangers sinks in. Subsequently, fear, anxiety and stress will all find their way into the mind of a junior.

While you’re already longing for life in college, don’t let this take away from living in the moment. Junior year is fun, memorable and a huge period of transition. Let yourself find a balance between staying on top of all of your work and taking care of yourself with breaks.

Most importantly, the big changes you’ll experience in mindset, will happen quickly. Typically, that will make the anxiety of the college application process outweigh the excitement.

We won’t sugarcoat it. Junior year is rough. The college application process has a way of forcing you to compare yourself to other people. This constant comparison will make you feel a lot of self-doubts and sometimes will make you feel inadequate about your achievements. Remember that you are unique and that you should try and refrain from comparing yourself to others. Apart from peer pressure, regret is another source of pain.

Trust us, “I should have” is the most frequently-used phrases by every junior.

As you try to make the common application as loaded as possible, every junior inevitably and uniformly recalls all the times where he/she slacked off academically or failed to take advantage of certain extracurricular opportunities.

Every junior will make themselves believe that if they had done certain things, that would have made them a more qualified candidate for college application.

As this process takes course over junior year, make sure you don’t lose confidence in your worth as a student, person and college candidate. The stress of the college application process can make it easy to turn extracurricular activities into jobs instead of passions.

Although college counselors, teachers and parents constantly assure you that the “name” college you go to will not greatly impact your future, it’s hard for any of these comments to genuinely change the mindset of a stressed junior. As an alternative, try not to think about college as a destination, but rather as a new beginning.

Focus more on how you can achieve your life-goals in your college, rather than regretting over not getting into a better one. Always keep in mind that your value and potential as an individual can never be measured solely by what colleges you’re admitted to.

Remember that all the ways of coping with hardship that you will surely develop during junior years have profound impacts on your whole life, way beyond four years of college. Therefore, treat junior year not as a burden, but as a precious learning experience.

If we could offer any one piece of advice to an incoming junior, it would be about the balance. Remember that to succeed, you must make sure to take care of yourself. Remember to sleep and take time to do things for yourself.

Don’t worry juniors, you’ve got this!

- Mia and JZ

thefourthestate.net

JUNIOR ADVICE JULIA GUGLIELMO “Take this year to find what your interests and passions are! It makes everything more enjoyable and is super helpful when you are doing your college applications!”

LUCY CAO “Get sleep! Work can be overwhelming, but don’t forget self-care!”

CAETANO PEREZMARCHANT “Try hard, try everything and try differently: perseverance and discovery are fundamental to human nature, so exercise them.”

GRACE FITZPATRICK “I would say what worked best for me this past year was spending less time than I wanted with my friends in order to get the grades and testing over with — because it pays off.”

CHRISTIAN BRANCH “With how important junior year is, definitely make sure you are comfortable with your schedule but also have fun outside of school with friends and family because that will help with the stress.”

FEATURE • 17

12

DEAR

SENIORS,

W

ell, we finally made it. Our fourth and final year of high school is upon us, and as strange as it sounds to say, we are officially seniors. This year seemed unreal during ninth grade, but suddenly, it has gone from the distant future to the immediate present to remind us that college is just one year down the road.

Many students are in the habit of wishing school away, as it can be overwhelming or unpleasant to confront the mountain of work that is required to be successful throughout the year. While that may be what feels appropriate at the moment, try to remember that this is probably the last year you will ever be able to call yourself a high schooler.

Time doesn’t move backwards, and that means that should everything go according to plan, you’ll never be a member of the Laguna student body again. So, rather than looking to the future in desperation for our next summer break, make an effort to appreciate everything you love about our school in the moment.

Give this year your all in every way you can: watch Laguna sports games, be attentive during assemblies and appreciate everything our hardworking teachers have to say, because, chances are, no college campus will be able to match the tight-knit feeling of Laguna’s community.

No lecture hall will be able to provide the level of personalization that is found in a Laguna classroom, and it is highly unlikely that we, as students, will ever experience such a close relationship with our teachers when there are hundreds of other students around us hoping to learn from them as well.

It’s far too easy to think that our time in high school, and indeed, sometimes our entire childhoods, are going to stretch on for our entire lives. It’s the only role we really have been able to experience in life up to this point. Regardless, though, it is far from infinite, and moreover, it is scarily close to coming to an end.

Many of us have been with more or less the same kids for at least all of our high school years, and some of us have been Laguna students for as far back as elementary school. There is no doubt that college will mark a huge shift in our lives, and with just one more year before it is upon us, it is crucial to make the most of every moment we have left.

As anxious as some of us are to become more independent and start leading our own lives, which is certainly something that college facilitates, it’s probable that we will at one point or another find ourselves missing the community and friends we have made during our years at Laguna. Remember, though, it’s not quite over yet, so we do still have some time to enjoy everything that Laguna has to offer throughout the course of our Senior year.

I am by no means trying to put down the college experience. It is certainly something to look forward to, and it will open up doors to countless new opportunities that we would never have access to if we didn’t go. However, I do encourage this year’s senior class to try our hardest to remain present in the moment, through all the challenges and hardships this year may throw at us. By the end of the year, when our time at Laguna is officially over, we will be very glad we did.

- Ian Brown thefourthestate.net

STRUCKMEYER’S TIPS Managing College Applications and School work at the Same Time “Many seniors fail to appreciate the workload involved in being a strong college applicant. Aside from the supplemental essays that nearly all the top colleges require (in addition to the standard Common App essay), there’s all the research that goes into showing a college that you are a serious applicant. It’s not uncommon to have a workload equivalent to another AP class--and most Laguna seniors are already managing between 2 and 5 APs in their senior fall.

The best advice I can give is to stay organized and to work on it in regular, dedicated units of time. Create a Google Folder (with various sub-folders) to house all of the written documents--never should you write a response directly into a web-based field without carefully editing it in Google!

Set aside an hour or 90 minutes a week of pure college time, and stick to the schedule week in and week out.

Use the resources available to you in the College Center — Ms. Goodman and myself — by creating weekly or biweekly appointments to review your progress.

Keep in mind that for many students, the work they do in the fall of their senior year is the most crucial to the colleges’ assessment of your ability to handle their challenge. Stay organized and earn the best grades of your Laguna career!”

FEATURE • 19

School Stress vs Your Skin Three simple methods with products to match, that will help to keep the stress of school from having an effect on your skin.

WORDS and ART by MADELEINE NICKS

Introduction With the end of the school year, comes the beginning of summer. And, with summer comes sun, constantly being at the beach, sleeping late and catching up on all the TV shows you didn’t have time to watch during the school year. This rest and relaxation means a rejuvenation time for your skin. But when school starts again, so does stress. And stress — perhaps unbeknownst to you — is skin’s greatest enemy. Here are three easy methods that will keep you a step ahead of the effects of stress on your skin along with recommenced products for each method. But, the most important part of maintaining healthy skin during the school year is consistency. The more stressed you become, the more stressed your skin becomes.

If you can create a skincare routine that you are comfortable with and that you will complete on a nightly basis, then the state of your skin will not fluctuate.

Moisturizing When stressful activities, whether it be homework, tests or sports, start to fill your days, your skin tends to start to become dull and not luminous.

The best way to fix these and make your skin seem shiny (and overall rested) is by regularly moisturizing.

Invest in a soothing, creamy and hydrating moisturizer. If you are doing sports in the fall, I suggest trying one with SPF for constant sun protection.

By applying moisturizer daily, before any makeup, and after any more rigorous skincare routine at night, your skin will bounce back against the effect of stress.

Products Mario Badescu: Aloe Moisturizer: Best for daily hydration, especially with sensitive oily skin types Tatcha: The Dewy Skin Cream: Best for influx of hyaluronic acid Drunk Elephant: Lala Retro Whipped Moisturizer: Best for a decadent and restorative

Cleansing One of the biggest mistakes with skincare is overdoing it. When life gets stressful and your skin start to show it, many people result to just overdoing their normal skincare. Putting on more moisturizer or more toner or more serum or, the most popular mistake, over cleansing.

But by putting more products and different products, this is only causing your skin to work harder to adapt to the new processes. In addition, over cleansing will also damage a strong protective layer your skin tries so hard to make stay intact.

Instead, explore some gentle cleansers that you should use about twice a week. This will provide sufficient cleaning without taking large amount of time out of your busy schedule.

Products Glossier: Milky Jelly Cleanser: Best for soothing cleaning and removing any makeup buildup CeraVe: Renewing SA Cleanser: Best for light exfoliation, especially with sensitive skin Neutrogena: Oil-Free Acne Wash: Best for deeper cleaning and a cooling finish

Treating Perhaps the most common and irritating trait of stress-induced skin problems are stubborn, large, and obvious pimples. If you’re like most, stress means an increase in sweeter foods. With this stress, and sugar, your hormone levels are changing as well, and your natural production of hyaluronic acid decreased leaving your skin vulnerable to pimples and helpless against them.

This does not mean acne, which is a large quantity of smaller pimples. So, instead of a general product to apply everywhere, try the on-the-spot route to pinpoint and reduce stress pimples.

20 • OPINION thefourthestate.net

Products Neutrogena: On-The-Spot Acne Treatment: Best for a cooling touch to pimple, minimal sting Mario Badescu: Drying Lotion: Best for fighting red and puffy pimples, especially when used at night Dermalogica: Breakout Control: Best for it’s bacteria fighting formula and using under makeup

thefourthestate.net OPINION • 21

What’s the Perfect Snack for You? Take our quiz for a quick guide to finding the perfect snack for school days when you’re on the go!

1. How active are you?

4. Sweet or savory?

a) I work out and/or play a sport every day after school

a) Sweet

b) Occasionally I might workout, but not every day

b) Savory

c) A mix of both

c) I go home directly to study

2. How often do you find yourself hungry?

a) I am always hungry!

b) Occasionally, especially after a workout

c) Never

3. Fruits & veggies or chips & crackers?

a) Fruits and veggies

b) Chips and crackers

c) Other

5. Solid food or alternative? ie. smoothie, power bowl, etc.

a) Solid food, never a smoothie or power bowl

b) Smoothies or a power bowl are my go-to

c) I enjoy a mix of both

Ready, Set, Snack!

Mostly A’s APPLES AND PEANUT BUTTER Offering protein as well as a healthy dose of fiber, apples and peanut butter (alternatives for those who are allergic include, almond butter, sunflower butter, cashew butter etc.) will leave any athlete satiated before practice or after.

Mostly B’s AÇAI BOWL Packed with antioxidants and an assortment of possible toppings (nut butters, fruit, bee pollen, etc.) an acai bowl is the perfect light snack for hungry athletes on the go!

Mostly C’s TRAIL MIX A light snack for those who are not always hungry and enjoy a mix of sweet and savory flavors, trail mix is perfect for anyone looking to fulfill mild hunger.

WORDS by AMARA MURPHY ART by DAISY FINEFROCK PAGE by PHOEBE STEIN thefourthestate.net Arts and Entertainment 22 22 • A&E thefourthestate.net

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Keeping Things Posted

#sunstagrams PAGE by FRANCES CARLSON

Often, caught up in the madness of the school year, we forget how to use our planners to their fullest potential, leading to disorganization and lessened academic success.

I Now you don’t have to scramble to remember which assignments you do and don’t have and what exactly you need to get done. You have your homework planned and laid out not only helping you to stress less but to have more free time to get started on future assignments or, even better, relax.

t starts at the beginning of every school year, we are handed a new agenda and expected to properly utilize it in order to keep our daily lives organized. However, what often happens as the assignments pile on and our lives get hectic and begin to take a toll on our energy? What can one do?

Begin to use the one thing that can preserve your sanity, your agenda.

It is almost expected that we already know how to properly plan and maintain a running agenda, but the reality for many of us is that we do not and it affects everything from our ability to turn an assignment in on time to our preparedness for an exam.

Nonetheless, the school year has begun to roll around and, as we face the daunting task of managing both our academic and extracurricular lives it becomes necessary that we learn how to use our planner to its fullest potential.

By far, the most important step when it comes to staying organized is being able to prioritize.

While simply jotting down your assignments is helpful in an obvious way that it ensures you don’t forget you have homework being able to prioritize your assignments helps you to reach maximum productivity and that being said in order for your planner to be effective you are going to need much more than just your planner.

Post-it notes, that all-helpful square of paper that keeps your lists from overlapping and your agenda from looking like a piece of abstract art.

Typically, after a day at school one will come home to find their agenda is a jumble of assignments and dates for tests and or quizzes and we revert back to the idea of prioritizing.

Staring down at an antagonizing list of to do’s isn’t going to help you get anywhere, in fact, it’s likely that it will lead to more stress and this is where the post-it notes come in to give you peace of mind.

Creating an “action list,” so to speak, of the things you need to get done will not only save you time but help you to become a more organized and productive student overall.

Creating an action list takes little to no time and is quite simple, you first have to look at everything you’ve written down in your agenda and prioritize what needs to be completed first.

After compiling that list mentally, you can take a post-it note and jot down your new action list and post it on the current day.

WORDS and ART by AMARA MURPHY

24 • A&E thefourthestate.net

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Summertime Teas Why do people drink hot tea in summer? How do changes of seasons impact our drinking preferences? What teas are recommended to accompany in summer? Let’s take a peek at the secrets of tea.

WORDS by VIOLET ZHOU ART by MADELEINE NICKS

White Tea A slightly fermented tea, white tea’s manufacturing process is especially simple and natural. Thus, just like green tea, white tea’s nutrients are mostly retained.

Besides clearing away heat, white tea extracts prevent bacterial growth such as staphylococcal infection, streptococcal infection, and pneumonia.

White tea is also beneficial to lower blood sugar. Here’s a good way to brew white tea: grab a handful of white tea, put it in the water at 104 ° F ~ 122 ° F, and soak for 4 to 5 hours. Afterward, wait for half an hour after lunch or dinner to enjoy.

Tea polysaccharides are easily decomposed at high temperatures, so the water cannot be too hot.

The magic of white tea is that you don’t have to worry about being sleepless after drinking, and this is why white tea is a reassuring choice for elders.

Oolong Tea

W

hy drink tea in the boiling summertime?

Imagining the heatwave in August, you would probably crave an appealing cup of ice-cold coca-cola rather than anything hot.

However, disfavoring drinking tea in the summer is a common misconception.

Regardless of how high the temperature is, tea stands as one of the top choice drinks, for it actually cools one down to normal homeostatic temperature, quenches thirst, and offers numerous benefits on health: helping to digest, strengthening the immune system, and avoiding reproductive issues, etc.

Besides, if the hot beverage is just not your cup of tea, there’s always the cold brew tea, in which the flavor is released through long periods of time rather than high temperature.

Though there is no restriction on drinking which type of tea in which season--you could simply pick the one you like, different properties and functions of types of teas correspond to respective seasons.

To be specific, to refresh, detoxify, and cool down yourself in spring and summer, less oxidized teas like green tea, white tea, and Tieguanyin (if you are an oolong-lover) are the best panaceas; to warm your inner body up in autumn and winter, on the other hand, more oxidized teas such as black tea and ripe pu-erh serve as great alternatives.

After making this clarification on the way season impacts our drinking preferences and why there are specific tea recommended to drink in summer, let’s take a peak at three most popular tea beverages to accompany in summer:

26 • A&E thefourthestate.net

When the spring and summer are handed over, a cup of strong-flavored Oolong, or Tieguanyin, well quenches thirst.

This is mainly because the tea soup contains tea polyphenols, sugars, amino acids, pectin, and vitamins, which react with saliva to moisturize the mouth.

At the same time, the caffeine in Tieguanyin urges a large amount of energy to be released through skin pores of the human body.

Scientific research indicates that after drinking a cup of hot tea, the energy released through sweating is equivalent to 50 times that of this cup of tea, so tea indeed cools people down and relieves the excessive heat in summer.

Green Tea Green Tea is the most popular type of tea to drink in summer.

Slightly bitter-tasted green tea offers functions of eliminating heat, detoxifying, reducing dryness, quenching thirst as well as strengthening the heart.

Without the process of fermentation, green tea also retains most natural substances of fresh leaves, containing abundant tea polyphenols, catechins, chlorophyll, caffeine, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients, all of which furnish anti-aging, anti-cancer, sterilizing, and anti-inflammatory effects.

Many people are used to taking a noon nap in summer. To give yourself a lift after the nap, brew a cup of green tea. The caffeine contained in green tea can stimulate your central nervous system, enhancing thinking and refreshing the mind.

Nevertheless, note not to drink green tea on an empty stomach, drink overnight tea, or take medicine accompanying the tea, since the tea can be an antidote. thefourthestate.net A&E • 27

Pronouncing Each Color Day Laguna’s eight-day, eight-color, five-period-per-day schedule is, admittedly, confusing. Students developed acronyms to keep track of the days. But the pronunciation of each day is still a matter of choice.

WORDS and ART by MADELEINE NICKS

Blue Day - A.H.F.E.C

Brown Day - B.A.G.F.D

Green Day - C.B.H.G.E

BAG-FUH-DUH or BAG-FUD

CABB-AGE or CA-BU-HUH-GU

Orange Day - D.C.A.H.F

Pink Day - E.D.B.A.G

Purple Day - F.E.C.B.H

AW-FEC or AH-FEC

DEE-CAF and THAT’S IT

ED-BAG and NOTHING ELSE

FEC-BUH-HUH or FEC-BUH

Red Day - G.F.D.C.A GUF-DUH-CU or GUH-FUD-A-CU

Yellow Day - H.G.E.D.B

The Hidden Side of Football American football has been increasingly associated with high risks for injuries. While such claim is undeniable, other shinning traits of football should not be overlooked.

T

o some, the words “high-school football” has become an American cultural landmark that generates vivid images: boys limping off the field with painful injuries, weekly parties and jocks who always seem to look for outlets to channel their excess of energy.

Influenced by such misconceptions, parents sometimes hinder their children from participating in this sport. Those impressions, however, mostly stem from excessive exaggeration by the media and movies. While modern media is skilled at depicting distorted images of high-school football, they often fail to illustrate the mental transformation and discipline that participation in football can lead to.

Brian McClintock ’20, who plays the position of receiver on Owl’s football team said, “I feel that modern entertainment’s view on football is a bit twisted because they either show the big plays or the huge hits, but never the hardwork behind it. Also, they do not do a good job of showing the camaraderie built while being on a team.”

What differentiates camaraderie formed in football to those of other sports can be attributed to football’s high risk of injury, and the

“The team is more of a closeknit family. You need to trust the person next to you otherwise nothing will work.”

WORDS by BONING ZHANG ART by MIA HUMBERD-HILF and PHOEBE STEIN

HUH-GUH-DA-BUH or HUH-GED-BUH

28 • A&E thefourthestate.net

ever-present risk of the sport. “The reason I think football has such a higher rate of camaraderie is because of how at stake your well-being is. In other team sports such as soccer and baseball, an error made by your teammate does not jeopardize your well being. In football, however, if a lineman or a receiver doesn’t block or do what they are supposed to, you or your brothers might get hurt,” Brian explains.

Although such a risky element of football surely proves to be a downside, the trust eventually formed between each player resembles that of soldiers, who also need to trust each other for their own well-being. ““We respect our opponent, we respect the referees and we respect each other,” said coach Shane Lopes, in an interview in the Santa Barbara News Press.

“Being responsible, doing our job, playing for the guy to the side of you and not really focusing on the outcome” are some of the highlights of football’s “rich learning experience,” Lopes continued.

Sangay Sherpa ‘20, Owl’s running back and offensive line, stresses the paramount importance of trust in football: “In football, I feel like the team is more of a close-knit family. You need to trust the person next to you otherwise nothing will work.”

While all sports require dedication and discipline to succeed, Football is one of the few that requires this big of a sacrifice. Thus, at some point in each football player’s career, such realizations will emerge. He can either take the pain, or let his team take the pain. There is no third option.

This level of sacrifice suitably prepares football players for the real world because it more closely resembles the hardship everyone is destined to face. Idealistic college graduates, who hold overly optimistic visions of achieving success in the real world, will be astonished by the level of effort required from them in order to “make it”. Football players, however, have known from a young age that success always demands high level of pain and sacrifice and a strong sense of community and respect.

thefourthestate.net SPORTS • 29

Almost every high school and college sport that starts in the fall has a preseason. Before the start of the sporting season, players undergo training and play in games before their season officially starts. Preseason is one of the most crucial times to prepare for regular season. Athletes are able to build a strong foundation which is important for improving skills, preventing future injuries, and quickly enhancing overall fitness. The most important aspect of preseason is slowly building fitness and gaining match practice through scrimmaging and games. By the time athletes play the first game of their fall season, they will have played at least five matches that don’t contribute to their record.

Give yourself plenty of time It’s important before your season starts to work on all aspects of the game and create a plan to follow. Setting goals is essential! Working out ahead of time and preparing will not only give you strength but help you become stronger for the season to come.

Ease into things It is important when you have been in off season to ease into things. Before the season you are relaxing, but once you get back into long practices and intensive drills it’s important to build up endurance. It is important that you listen to your body and do not push yourself too hard during your couple weeks of training.

Girls Volleyball

Girls Tennis

Boys Beach Volleyball

The volleyball girls’ first day of volleyball starts on Aug. 7. The first week is tryouts, where JV and varsity teams are selected.

Tryouts are two times a day, with a total of four hours a day played. Once teams are made, the actual preseason begins.

During the preseason, the girls team has matches that count against their record.

Since the season starts so early, preseason is crucial to the team.

Preseason for girls tennis starts on Aug. 12. They spend the first week fine tuning their skills to prepare for tryouts. Once JV and Varsity teams are selected, the tennis girls go through skill-based drills in their weekday practices. The tennis team plays a couple of friendly matches against other high schools in order for them to get prepared for their league games.

Starting late August, the boys beach volleyball team begins with conditioning in the sand. During the preseason, the boys are able to get used to the weather and the environment of the sport. Since beach volleyball is all about getting used to playing in the wind, they can practice these skills that will improve their game once they start league.

Football

The boys football team starts their preseason earlier than any other fall sport. They kick off practice with milder workouts in July that become more vigorous in early August. Most practices during preseason consist of outdoor conditioning and strength training. As the players become stronger, they begin learning plays and doing tackle drills.

Cross Country

Starting on Aug. 7, the co-ed cross country team eases into their practices with a light one mile run. As they build up more endurance, the team runs up to six miles a day on the trails of Hope Ranch. Recently, the team welcomed a new coach who leads drills which is immensely helping the team ease back in. Although they do not compete in any preseason competitions, the team is fully trained by the time their league starts.

Have a plan Before the season begins, it is important to plan out specific goals, workouts, or training that you want to accomplish during your offseason. Knowing your goals beforehand will allow you to focus and work more efficiently.

Watch footage from last year Most sports teams film games and practices. Use this to your advantage by watching game film and creating goals for improvement. Videos will help you improve awareness and remind you of what to focus on the upcoming season.

Play before getting on the court/field Getting touches before you start practice will help with your overall game. It always important to touch up on the basics.

Conditioning It is important to have good endurance when your team starts back up. Some great exercise ideas could be long runs, doing interval workouts, or going out to play your specific sports. Try to be active at least an hour a day. Having a good group to work with could help you push each other harder.

WORDS by MACY CHRISTAL ART by MIA HUMBERD-HILF and JACK STEIN

30 • SPORTS thefourthestate.net

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