Issue 3

Thousand Oaks High School

LANCER The

Volume LX, Issue 3 - December 16, 2025

2323 N. Moorpark Rd. Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

www.tohsthelancer.com

Leaping into break The Lancer explores everything winter: annual campus performances, holiday traditions, sports, what makes a Lancer

Colby Simpson-with permission

What’s Inside 2

Staying Gold: Drama does “The Outsiders”

4

Winter Food Review: Newest treats from TJ’s

5

Movie Review: “Regretting You”

14

Sports Commit: Jillian McGillivary

2 NEWS

Thousand Oaks High School

STAFF LIST JOEY GOODNIGHT Editor-in-Chief

Greasers shine on T.O. stage Thousand Oaks theater department stays gold during fall play “The Outsiders” AVA ROCHA Staff Writer

GEMMA SPRAGGINS Editor-in-Chief JULIA PINEDA-DOMINGUEZ Managing Editor KAILAH SPENCER Managing Editor MADELYN FRIEDMAN Business Manager LAILAH SERNA News Editor ABIGAIL KERNS Opinions Editor SOPHIA MUNHALL Sports Editor Staff DORATHEA BURTON MIKEL GONZALEZ KELLY HOOLBOOM JORDYN LIEBOWITZ JOHNNY PHAN SOPHIE PODERS APRIL RAMOS AVA ROCHA LILAH SWAVING WILLOW VERCHER TYLER WINZENBURG

With their clear dedication, anticipation and support, the students of Thousand Oaks High School were able to make a play based on the book and later movie, “The Outsiders.” The play’s opening night was Nov. 20, and closed Nov. 22.

“It was a new experience because I got to actually sit and watch the show and watch things change and people improve instead of being up there,” junior Marley Due said. “I’ve done a lot of other things in theater, but I had never really been given a chance to have a say in how things are done creatively. It’s a thing I love to do, and I would like to see more sides of it.”

The cast, tech crew, co-director, director, are all roles that work together.

Adviser JOANNA OTEY

Having this variety of people cooperating with each other helps catch errors, provide support, and bring the story to life. It’s important to have others around you to guide you as well, with different ideas and designs.

However, materials can sometimes be a struggle with our theater department, but with support the participants are able to get what they need for the show.

“I think getting all the materials we need for the technical side of things is often, not always an issue because we always end up with the things we need. Or at least enough, but it’s always stressful.”

Due said.

The play had sound effects, fog, structure, paintings and furniture, making the play immersive and powerful with its color and creativity.

Members of the cast, despite having fun

Sarah Ziff - with permission

The Lancer is the official school publication of Thousand Oaks High School, created and produced by students in Journalism 1, Advanced Journalism and Advanced Journalism Honors courses.

The Lancer reserves the right to refuse advertising deemed inappropriate for high school publication. Guest editorials and “Letters to the Editor” are welcome, but must be signed and are subject to editing for length, libel, obscenity, and grammar. They can be sent to thelancer.tohs@gmail.com.

The Lancer is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NPSA) and NPSA AllAmerican Hall of Fame. The Oct. 31, 2024 issue of The Lancer took 9th place in NPSA’s Best of Show contest in Philadelphia, PA. Email: thelancer.tohs@gmail.com Instagram: @tohs_thelancermedia www.tohsthelancer.org

The Lancer

Fighting doctors, senior Greasers Ava Daugherty and Julia Bowden, convince freshman Juliette (Terry) Land and junior Katia Budrakey to let them see Johnny.

with their roles in the play, experienced some difficulties. However, sophomore Annabel Spohr, emphasizes how they were able to overcome issues through communication, and with that ability the show was able to move smoothly.

“I think it was pretty good. We all had a group chat so we would talk when we were in our rehearsal and we all got along pretty well. With the whole cast, tech and assistant director I think got along pretty good,” Spohr said.

Communication is a key part of theater, a great lead to connection, and cast members have expressed growing closer to those around them through the play.

Sophomore Alani Gray explains that the process not only allowed to advance her creative thinking but also helped her form relationships with other students with the same passions, contributing to the onstage chemistry.

“I definitely got closer to a lot of people and learned more about them, especially the upper classmen,” Gray said.

Senior Paulina Banaitis conveys her big role a little bit of a tough, but a fun one.

She displays a wonderful performance as one of her last ones here at TOHS, and behind the scenes of the play, having a good experience as well.

“At the end, we would go through and act or go through a scene and the director would give us feedback,” Banaitis said.

“The tech would always be there to help and always watching and doing a lot, and we all became friends with tech too. And it’s really nice.”

With a wonderful performance, the connections they strengthened, and the new experiences and knowledge, everyone involved with “The Outsiders” worked hard to make their vision a reality.

Strengthening Lancer community ASB takes charge of Inclusive Schools Week, highlighting inclusion on campus LAILAH SERNA News Editor From Dec. 8-12, Thousand Oaks High School will be participating in Inclusive Schools Week.

Inclusive Schools Week began in 2001, and is made to celebrate the progress in more diverse school campuses throughout the United States, highlighting students from many cultural backgrounds, disability, gender, and other factors to strengthen the lancer community. Contributing to a more welcoming environment for all students so they can enjoy their time at school This year, the TOHS ASB officers have scheduled many activities throughout the week that students can participate in to better connect with others at TOHS and feel more connected with their peers.

Starting the week off with a bang, on Monday there were 100 rubber ducks

hidden around campus that could be turned in for a prize in the quad. Wednesday, students gathered in the quad to sign their names on the Inclusive Schools Week Poster during lunch. On Friday, head down to the stadium, to participate in lawn games led by the TOHS Unified Sports program.

These fun activities are meant to bring students together and distract from the stressful day-to-day life of high school.

This year’s ASB President, senior Kinley Morehead, was involved in organizing Inclusive Schools Week this year, working to make it fun and inclusive for all students.

“I hope that [students] will realize the importance of celebrating Inclusive Schools Week,” Morehead said. “It’s very important that everybody feels included and wanted everyday.”

ASB collaborated with Unified Sports

to brainstorm activities, decorations, and ways to relay information to students to get them involved.

Junior Class President, Dany Shalhoub, is aware of the diverse community here at TOHS and wants students to do their part in taking charge in contributing to inclusivity on campus. “[This] is a good opportunity for people to be more aware that we have kids with disabilities on our campus and they’re students too, and that they should be involved in all the activities,” Shalhoub said.

It is important that all students on campus feel safe and welcomed everyday of the year, not just during this week. So take the time this week to make a new friend and make someone’s day, and be a positive influence on campus. We can all do our part to be a little more inclusive in our daily lives.

Off Campus Pass

Creative Commons

Destroyed, Southeast Asia experiences tragedy.

Southeast Asia natural disasters kill hundreds

New Orleans ICE crackdown

Zootopia 2 breaks box office records

On Dec. 1, landslides and deadly flooding killed hundreds and left many more homeless, as countries in Southeast Asia employ military personnel to help survivors. Torrential, extended rainfall has affected and caused flooding and landslides in the entire island of Sri Lanka and large parts of Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Although much of the region is currently in its monsoon season, scientists say that climate change has “turbocharged” weather events, such as this across the planet. In the hardest-hit areas, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, citizens are left walking through rivers with little to no belongings surviving the floods.

On Dec. 3, The Department of Homeland Security announced a new immigration enforcement crackdown.

In the operation dubbed “Catahoula Crunch.” Border Patrol originally planned to dispatch 200 agents to the New Orleans area to oversee the operations targeting those thought to be illegal immigrants. In a statement, DHS Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said that the administration targeted New Orleans and areas nearby because of local policies that limit cooperation between law enforcement and federal immigration. Local residents and officials were deeply unsatisfied with the Border Patrol’s operations.

“Zootopia 2,” the sequel to the Disney classic, “Zootopia,” released Nov. 26, has broken new records over Thanksgiving week. Earning an outstanding $556 million within the first 5 days of its release, with $156 million in the U.S. alone, “Zootopia 2” marks the highest ever international opening for an animated film. The movie also combined with the anticipated “Wicked: For Good” over Thanksgiving weekend to produce $290 million in an otherwise uneventful time at the movie theaters. For some, this comes as a good sign for other anticipated 2025 films such as “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.”

Issue 3

NEWS 3

DECEMBER 16, 2025

realities of When dance becomes art Harsh holiday season Dance classes, teams show off artistic skills at annual winter dance concert LAILAH SERNA News Editor JORDYN LIEBOWITZ Staff Writer Since the beginning of the school year, the students in the Thousand Oaks High School dance classes have been rehearsing for their “Artistry in Motion” themed Winter Dance Concert.

On Friday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 6, they performed their 32-dance set list for a sold out show on opening night.

Even moments before their sold out show on opening night started, dancers were seen practicing and making sure everything was perfect.

There are 100 TOHS dancers across the period one learning class, period four intermediate, period three advanced, TFT, and varsity. There was even an appearance from the Redwood Middle School dance team on the stage performing.

The dancers have spent hours rehearsing and perfecting their dances. Senior Tatum Hunzeker is a varsity dancer who has been working hard for opening night.

“We practiced either twice or three times a week and then after school on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Hunzeker said.

“It’s been very busy but very fun.”

Each dance set was inspired by a famous piece of artwork, such as “The Mona Lisa” and “The Great Wave of Kanagawa,” to bring the art to life through movement.

Sophomore varsity dancer Mya Messervy was very excited to not only perform but broaden her dancing skills.

“It’s a lot of hard work, but it all pays off because the concert is really fun, and they’re good memories,” Messervy said.

All dances were unique, intricate, and

meticulously choreographed by not only TOHS dance Director Jordan Jones, but by many creative students who felt inspired by the artworks.

Sophomore Addison Anello is an advanced dancer and was one of the student choreographers, who worked on the dance, “The Chateau de Chillen”, with partner sophomore Bayla Klaidman.

“It’s a lyrical dance about a castle on the hill, and it’s been really fun to do,” Anello said. “It’s really hard to think of what should come next, but it looks good when it’s all put together.”

During the show, after dance number 16, there is an intermission where all the dancers are allowed to take a break and meet with their loved ones before prepping for the remainder of the concert.

With a packed auditorium, it is difficult

to move around, but it is very heartwarming seeing all the dancers interact with each other and their proud friends and family.

The performances captivated each and every person in the audience, and when the dance you’re watching finishes, you hear the auditorium fill with cheers and applause for the hard working dancers.

The show ended with a special holiday performance set to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” where dancers went into the isles, engaging the audience with their routine.

The concert had a wide variety of dance styles, showcasing each and every performer’s talents, hard work, and dedication to putting on an innovative and entertaining performance.

Jordyn Liebowitz - The Lancer

Varsity dancers senior Piper Goehner, senior Abagail Garcia and sophomore Talia Munoz perform a ballet piece to an instrumental cover of “Dancing on my Own.”

TOHS pilots Magna AI platform Teachers incorporate AI platform into classrooms for student productivity MIKEL GONZALEZ Staff Writer With advances in AI and technology every year, innovative tools are constantly developed and released. Here at Thousand Oaks High School, AP Biology and AP Psychology are using Magna AI to help with student’s education and prepare them for AP exams in May. Once a student has completed an assignment, they input their work into Magna and the platform provides real-time feedback on their work.

AP Psychology teacher Jordan Daigneault has incorporated Magna into his class for students to receive quick, accurate feedback on their essay or free-response work. “It gives an opportunity for more feedback and potentially increasing their confidence,” Daigneault said. “If a student does poorly it gives them a big message that ‘Hey listen, you need to be going and reaching out to your teacher.’”

Daigneault also uses Magna for efficiency in his classroom. “It takes about 10 minutes for me to give a student a grade, and another 10 minutes to write out the feedback, so we’re talking about 20 minutes per student. With 100 students, just the sheer amount of time it would take me to do that is overwhelming,” Daigneault said.

However, teachers and students have also experienced challenges while using the new platform. Junior Addison Inman is taking AP Psychology this year and says there are difficulties using the AI at times.

“There are obstacles like navigating through it sometimes, which can be difficult, but other than that, it’s a really great platform,” Inman said. “I would say it’s pretty helpful and a good way to have our writing graded, and it doesn’t take very long.”

AP Biology teacher Jeffrey Lewis also said the educational AI takes some getting used to, but says the tool is beneficial for

students and teachers overall.

“There’s some definite kinks we’re working out, but that’s just part of getting used to using it, but those who’ve used it have really liked the feedback,” Lewis said.

“It’s designed for AP classes, so they’re getting more of a response than from ChatGPT or [Google] Gemini. They’re getting better information that is gonna give them better understanding.”

Both teachers agreed that this tool might begin to have more widespread use as the year continues.

“I think we’re certainly seeing a trend in society that AI is here, and it’s not going anywhere,” Diagneault said. If used responsibly, AI software like Magna AI has the potential to improve student outcomes and overall academic performance. If students receive great overall scores on their AP exams, TOHS might be seeing more tools such as Magna as a part of the yearly curriculum.

T.O. students, families experience impact of strip of government funding LAILAH SERNA News Editor The months of November and December are times meant to be spent with family in celebration of the past year and what’s to come next. Unfortunately, for many families across the United States, these past few months have brought nothing but hardships as they have been trying to make ends meet.

Many families rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to assist them in being able to afford groceries. Those living in Ventura County are no exception, as members of the Thousand Oaks community have been greatly affected by the loss of such funding.

Thousand Oaks High School Spanish teacher and Latino Connection club advisor, Sandra Martinez-Galvan, has been a volunteer with Adelante Comunidad Conejo for years and has witnessed firsthand the impact that these repercussions have had on the Thousand Oaks community. At the end of every month, Martinez dedicates her time to distributing food and other necessities to families in need.

“We know that this is an expensive area to live in,” Martinez said. “So if we can help families have less expenses for supermarket items, they can use some of that money they were going to use for food to pay their rent.”

Adelante’s volunteers have been preparing more and more, collecting donations from establishments that often donate to accommodate for the rising number of people.

“On our last distribution, we had an increase of 20% of families coming in to get resources,” Martinez said.

President Donald Trump mandated the “Big Beautiful Bill,” on Jul. 24, that was made to alter government spending policies, such as health care and food aid. The bill alters the SNAP program’s work requirements, raising the number of hours a recipient must work in order to qualify for these benefits.

Now, it is required to have completed 80 hours per month of work or time volunteering, or they will only receive three months’ worth of benefits every three years. This will lead to nearly two million Americans not being able to meet the requirements to receive their food stamp benefits.

Many TOHS students have volunteered with Adelante over the past year and have been working to distribute goods to families across Ventura County.

Senior Allisson Morales has been volunteering since her junior year, and ever since then she packages and distributes food to people in the community.

“A lot of people from low-income families rely on [those resources],” Morales said. “I feel like it’s not fair [for them].”

Many parents work hard to ensure that their children have the necessities. Since government funding requirements have changed significantly, it’s unclear how many more families will be able to access food stamps and SNAP benefits.

People who do not meet these new requirements will likely start losing their benefits in March of 2026.

Off Campus Pass Employers cut hundreds of jobs, millions of employees

Netflix plans to purchase Warner Bros. for $82.7B

Trump’s lawyer barred as NJ attorney

In the past year alone, employers across the United States have cut 1.1 million jobs. This is the most jobs cut since 2020, when companies laid off 2.2 million workers during the pandemic. According to a report by firm “Challenger, Gray, & Christmas.” According to the firm, this year’s layoffs show a 54% increase from the previous year, and reportedly mark the 6th time since 1993 with job layoffs at an all-time high during the first eleven months of the year. Companies such as Amazon have announced layoffs due to A.I. taking over more tasks, with Amazon specifically stating in October that they plan to cut 14,000 jobs.

On Dec. 5, Netflix announced that it plans to purchase Warner Bros., merging the streaming service with the studio known for “Casablanca” and “Harry Potter” in a deal valued at $82.7 billion. This comes after Warner Bros.

Discovery, the parent of Warner, stated previously that it planned to split in two, separating CNN and cable networks from its streaming services. However, in Oct., Warner Bros. Discovery said it has also piqued the interest of other companies seeking to purchase whole or parts of the media conglomerate as well. Netflix, at $27.75 per share, gives the equity value of about $72 billion.

On Dec. 1, President Trump’s former personal lawyer, Alina Habba, was disqualified as acting U.S. attorney in the state of New Jersey. Habba was originally designated to the post as a temporary “interim” for the U.S. attorney, with the intention that her appointment would only last a max of 120 days. However, through a series of legal maneuvers by the Trump administration, Habba was able to maintain the position as a “special attorney” for an extended period of time.

A federal appeals court upheld a lower court decision that found the maneuvers to be unlawful, and therefore disqualified Habba from the position.

Creative Commons

Disqualified, attorney Habba no longer in position.

4 OPINION

Thousand Oaks High School

The Lancer

No white Christmas Toys ”R“ Us reopens Communites create festive magic without typical winter climate Another place that you can go to feel the joy and wonder of the Christmas spirit that hits closer to home is the Star Of Wonder Christmas Snowball fights and snow angels are two Festival run by Calvary Community Church classic winter activities that people of all ages in Westlake, on Dec. 13 at 3pm to 7pm. This enjoy around the world. However, here in festival is another attraction run with the use Southern California, we don’t get so lucky to of fake snow machines that create a slope for participate in the whimsical winter magic that people of all ages to go tubing down. so many appreciate.

They provide a free sweet treat from the We trade in building snowmen, a typical candy shop and have plenty of food trucks when family bonding activity, for icy winds with a the cold snow starts to become too much. You harsh sun that never seems to leave. Different never run out of activities to do, there is even organizations across California make attempts a petting zoo provided by the church that has at recreating winter wonderland to be able to goats and bunnies that will keep you occupied participate in the winter activities, but it is just for hours! not the same.

Not to worry if the frosty snow gets too One such place would be Snow Summit in cold, there is a firepit you can huddle around Big Bear California, while and get all cozy with your they are one of the only friends, making some soft places that receive snow “Tubing down the snow gooey smores’ to finish out during the warm California slope is super fun and the night. winter, they don’t always For many people who grew I never get bored with up watching movies filled get enough. Snow Summit is a popular skiing and with fresh snowfall and cozy the program.” snowboarding resort during winter moments, it can feel the winter season, with icy, heartbreaking to experience Miguel Macaraig snowy, slopes that seem to winter without any real get more artificial each year. snow. Instead of waking In Big Bear, the sun is too harsh for the snow up to frosted rooftops or seeing the world to be able to sit and stay, so Snow Summit is transformed into a white, sparkling scene, forced to bring out snow creating machines we’re met with the same dry hills and bright that take blocks of ice and shred them to create sunshine that continue to bug us everyday, in snow. every season.

While this helps keep the resort running, The lack of true winter weather makes it easy the machine-made snow often lacks the soft, to feel like we’re missing out on a seasonal powdery feel that natural snowfall brings. magic that others get to enjoy every year. Even Guests still enjoy the slopes, but many notice simple traditions, like catching snowflakes on the difference in texture and experience. your tongue or hearing the crunch of fresh snow The heavy reliance on artificial snow under your boots, become rare treats rather than continues to raise concerns about energy use familiar memories. and environmental impact in an already warm Even though we lack the Christmas magic region. Even so, Snow Summit continues to that snow gives so many across the country, draw crowds seeking a small taste of winter local programs like the one Calvary provides magic in Southern California, with it being one allow those of us Southern California natives of the few places where families can drive up who are used to spending Christmas day in to. shorts, a moment in a winter wonderland.

ABIGAIL KERNS Opinion Editor

DORATHEA BURTON Staff Writer Holidays are right around the corner, and that means packed stores filled with parents and students buying gifts for their loved-ones.

This year, a nostalgic part of almost every 2000s child’s childhood, has reopened just before the holidays.

Toys R Us was my favorite store as a child, and it was probably yours. But now it can be the new generation’s favorite store too. On Oct. 28, Toys R Us opened a store in Camarillo, just in time for holiday shopping.

Walking through the doors as a kid meant stepping into a world of imagination. Whether you were drawn to dolls, stuffed animals, building sets, or a new DS, there was always something that made the place unforgettable.

That sense of excitement is something many adults and teens still remember today.

When Toys R Us closed its doors several years ago, it left a hole not just in retail but childhood itself. Many kids, including my siblings and I, were sad to see it go. Of course, that is not to say it came entirely as a shock.

Over the years, toys gradually grew in price,

while many families found the same things elsewhere, cheaper, in much larger stores.

And online shopping became the new thing, driving out the need to go to individual stores to shop. Even so, Toys R Us was more than just a store. It was an experience for kids, where the excitement of exploring felt just as integral as the toys themselves.

With the reopening in Camarillo, that magic gets a second chance. Kids will once again be able to run freely up and down the aisles, discovering thousands of new toys in person rather than scrolling through them online.

Parents will have the chance to see items up close before buying, something that is becoming rare in the age of online shopping.

From the bold, colorful displays to the familiar presence of Geoffrey the Giraffe, everything about Toys R Us brings back a wave of nostalgia; it’s like walking into the toy aisle, but it’s a whole store of just toys.

It’s exciting to see a younger generation experiencing a part of my childhood I thought was gone. Hopefully, many more can feel the excitement of walking into a Toys R Us, and share that unique hands-on experience with friends and family.

Creative Commons

Imagination’s playground, After closing it’s stores in 2018 after bankruptcy, a new Toys R Us store is now located in the Camarillo Premium Outlets for those wanting to see and touch­.

Trader Joe’s winter food review

Compiled by GEMMA SPRAGGINS Editor-in-Chief and ABIGAIL KERNS Opinions Editor

Pastry Bites Feta & Onion

Organic Hot Cocoa Mix

Price:$5.49 Rate: 9.5/10 Review: The perfect savory-sweet appetizer for a

Price: $4.29 Rate: 8/10 Review: When we reviewed it, we made it with hot water

Eggnog

Mini Gingerbread People

Christmas party, ideal for impressing your guests. While there could have been more caramelized onions and pastry, the combination of all the ingredients was unforgettable and tangy.

Price: $3.99 Rate: 6.5/10 Review: Tastes basic at first, but the more you drink,

rather than milk, so the flavor was washed out. However, it still held inklings of a deep, rich chocolate, making it the perfect drink to snuggle up on the couch with. You can’t go wrong with classic hot chocolate, especially when pairing it with marshmallows or a candy cane.

Price: $4.49 Rate: 8/10 Review: Although these resemble dog treats, the

the more it turns into a vanilla milkshake filled with winter wonder. This simple drink can become a flavourful pair with the gingerbread cookies, a welcome surprise for Santa when he comes down the chimney.

gingerbread cookie has a perfect balance of cookie and frosting. The cute cutouts are festive and capture the holiday spirit while providing the taste of Christmas. A box of these could easily be gone in one sitting.

Holiday Marshmallow Dark Chocolate

Gingerbread House Kit

Price: $3.99 Rate: 8/10 Review: A simple holiday sweet is a fan favorite. The

simple flavors of marshmallow, chocolate, and peppermint blend perfectly. As is, it’s really good; the simplicity is a tad underwhelming, but that honestly makes it better. The simple sweet goes with anything, especially hot chocolate, as it can melt into the drink, adding flavor.

Price: $8.99

We didn’t build this yet, but it was a fun find for a reasonable price, given all the kit includes. Each Kit contains the essential materials needed to make a traditional German cookie house: hearty walls and roofing (pieces of gingerbread), outdoor décor (fruit gummies and chocolate buttons), and durable cement (a ready-to-make icing mix.)

There are also a few woodland creatures made of sugar (an owl, a deer, a squirrel, and a fox, to be exact) that you can place around the property to give your gingerbread house an even homier feeling. And since every house needs a foundation, you’ll also find a cookie base to make everything sturdy.

Issue 3

OPINION 5

December 16, 2025

THE JOUST The Lancer staff weighs in on holiday gift giving KELLY HOOLBOOM Staff Writer

MIKEL GONZALEZ Staff Writer

Gifting around Christmas time to all your friends is quite important, because ultimately, holidays are about celebrating those around you. Everything fun about the holidays revolves around other people, the Thanksgiving feast, trick or treating with friends; and giving gifts to those you care about. Every person around you deserves to be acknowledged equally, even friends.

How else to fulfill the cheerful aspect of the Christmas season than to give to others?

Think of the joy that is brought to you when someone goes out of their way to give a gift and show their appreciation for you. During the Christmas season you have a perfect opportunity to give not only a physical gift but the gift of that joy as well.

Although cost may be a problem for some, the joy a gift can bring doesn’t come from its monetary value, but the care put into it. Handcrafted gifts are often much more appreciated than others, allowing anyone to display the ultimate show of love, no matter the fiscal status.

Continuing the thought that gifts don’t need monetary value, why not bless all of your friends with love? Gifts can be windows into the time spent on friends, and how much a person thinks of them, which holds much more weight than a dollar amount. Reluctancy to spend time on a person speaks more to how deep the relationship really is rather than something as shallow of an excuse that is a person’s strange gifting abstinence.

Personally, friends are a core part of what fills my life and helps me get up every morning: without them, life would be much harder. It is important to me, and my core values as a person, that those I hold close to me know how vital they are in my life. Oftentimes, people try to hide emotions and care for others due to a fear of being too vulnerable, but that vulnerability can truly let another person feel seen, understood; and important.

Giving gifts, while a cliché, is an opportunity of vulnerability that has been practiced for thousands of years. Even though it might be a fiscal nightmare, hard to work into your schedule, or even just too much effort, if a person thinks those close to them aren’t worth it, are they even truly friends? Put yourself in the shoes of someone close to you, visualize how great it would feel to receive a heartfelt gift. You have the power to make someone feel that way, act on it.

Many people enjoy the adventure of finding the perfect Christmas gift for their loved ones. The act of wrapping a carefullychosen present in colorful wrapping paper can be fun, and seeing the expression on a person’s face when they receive your gift can fill them with joy.

Some people like to gift more personal things, others like to splurge on expensive clothing or electronics.

Either way, depending on the gift, this process can become expensive, especially if you like to buy gifts for all your friends.

However, when it comes to be too much, the ethical question is raised: Should you buy gifts for all your friends?

Personally, I think it depends on the amount of friends you have. If you have a couple friends, it might be nice to get each friend something small but meaningful, such as a figurine of a character from their favorite show or a gift card to their favorite restaurant.

For someone involved in a larger friend group, the process of coming up with an idea, getting a gift and then wrapping everything, can add up. Some people do not celebrate Christmas, but many do, and some might not be able to afford the cost of getting a gift for more than a few people.

Even through conveniences such as online shopping, purchasing a Christmas gift for every one of your friends can be too much of a good thing. It simply adds more to the busy holiday season.

While receiving a gift from a close friend can mean a lot to someone, there are alternative ways to show appreciation to your friends. For example, setting up a small gathering, such as a movie night with snacks or a festive game night, can be a good way to spend time with friends and show them that you care. Even just expressing your gratitude through words can fill someone with the Christmas spirit. If you really want to find gifts for your friends, you could focus instead on getting every friend something that means a lot to them for their birthday or another event, rather than a smaller gift on Christmas.

However, if you absolutely want to get your friends Christmas gifts, it might be a good idea to keep it small. Good examples for smaller Christmas presents might include a box of cookies or something personalized, such as an a stationery item or piece of jewelry.

Creative Commons

Iconic, Mariah Carey performs “All I Want for Christmas Is You” live for a television special.

through MY EYES story. At that point, why even include the deaths? They seemed out of nowhere, as there wasn’t an emphasis on how it ‘drew’ Going into the theater to see the movie her to make certain decisions, the story adaptation of the 2019 “Regretting You” could have been the same. novel by Colleen Hoover was already I would personally recommend not risky. As an avid reader who refuses to read wasting time and seeing it in the theater.

Hoover’s novels, the movies are all I have While I enjoyed the movie, I definitely to base my opinions on. While it’s nothing could have waited until it comes out for personal, I just don’t find books about free on streaming services. heartbreak and death to be something Unfortunately, the movie was quite someone should be romanticizing or find forgettable; nothing stood out, nothing a passion in writing. was special about it. Sure, it had its cute While the movie’s plot had potential, it moments, but from a romcom, that should also had some unusual be guaranteed, it seemed aspects that I couldn’t to be the only thing help but mention. The that really was able to amount of details that stand out. Specifically, were ignored or belittled in Clara and Miller’s was insane. Cheating relationship, we didn’t is severely normalized see any development. It throughout this movie, was more of a time jump and death seemed to from them not being be a topic that was together to them being moved on from too together. The movie is quickly. The plot of labeled as a “romcom,” GEMMA SPRAGGINS the character “Miller” yet it struggled to be being in love with the romantic. The only main character “Clara” aspect I remember is while in a different relationship is weird. Clara channeling her anger and sadness I understand how he was yearning for with her father’s and her aunt’s death her, but he also had planned on asking towards her high school relationship at Clara to the prom while actively dating sixteen. another girl. The fact that Clara would be I wouldn’t call myself an expert, but involved with Miller while she knows he definitely someone who knows how to has a girlfriend was overlooked entirely; recognize a good romcom. It’s always cheating should not be seen as normal. a hit or a miss when you see a movie And since Clara’s father and Aunt’s death, adaptation of a book. Especially with who were both having an affair with each romcoms, the context and feelings of the other, the mourning process felt hurried characters are more understood in a book. and ignored by all the characters. We only It helps understand the reasoning behind saw the mother be upset about the deaths, the questionable decisions that these which is understandable. The deaths were characters make. With that being said, a major plot point, but at the same time, Hoover should stick to her books being they weren’t as important as the love read rather than being watched.

GEMMA SPRAGGINS Editor-in-Chief

“Colleen Hoover should stick to her books being read rather than being watched.”

Mariah Carey: Overplayed?

KELLY HOOLBOOM Staff Writer Every year as the clock turns to midnight on the morning Nov. 1, radio stations and Spotify playlists around the country start to change dramatically. The likes of Micheal Buble, Frank Sinatra and Bobby Helms all start to invade our lives in one way or another. Althroughout there’s one name that seems to sit at the top of the charts every year: Mariah Carey.

Oftentimes the appeal of Christmas music is the tradition of it, not the quality of the song itself, hence why so many songs transcend the test of time. Most people have fond memories attached to certain songs, and associate aesthetics with each and every album. At the end of the day, if Christmas songs were separated from the holiday, would anyone listen to them?

Looking closer at the lyrics of these songs, they either solely play to the feeling of Christmas nostalgia the masses are looking forward to, or generic pop songs under the guise of festive sounding tunes.

What’s so special about Mariah Carey?

Seemingly nothing at first, the lyrics to her most popular Christmas song, “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, seems just like any other pop song anybody else could have made.

Infamously, Christmas is a holiday of connection with the people around you.

Holiday dinners, Christmas caroling, and even the simple act of giving and receiving gifts all center around showing your love to those around you and how much you care. The emphasis on human relationships and love opens the door

for pop song-writers to easily transition their regular love songs into something festive.

Holiday love songs are often what the public yearn for, the top festive songs somehow have a love story intertwined within their lyrics.

Understandably so as well, December is already quite a magical month when you commit to the holidays, so being able to spend that magical time with someone else makes it all that much better. By creating Christmas music with romantic plots, artists can placate both festive and love inspired aesthetics.

Although, love songs can take quite a sad turn, and while they still maintain the interest of the listener through how the song sounds or an interesting plot, they invoke sad emotions. For example, Wham!’s “Last Christmas” , while a classic catchy Christmas song, often creates a melancholic atmosphere when listened to, and can bring down the Christmas spirit. “Santa Tell Me,” on the other hand allows the listener to be uplifted by the mood it creates, although admittedly with a weaker Christmas aesthetic.

Mariah Carey walks this line in “All I Want for Christmas is You” perfectly. The lyrics stay festively relevant while still remaining romantic, and tell a positive story that uplifts those who listen to it. Although it is played quite a lot during the Winter months, it has added to the holiday atmosphere for years, and has created an impact that has and will continue to affect the way Christmas songs are written for decades. To be put simply, the song is a staple of festive activity, it may be overplayed, but that does not diminish its quality, and will go down as one of the best Christmas songs ever written.

6 FEATURES

Thousand Oaks High School

Erivo ends Wicked Long awaited conclusion makes debut on the big screen, ending a beloved storyline

JULIA PINEDADOMINGUEZ Managing Editor As the lights dim, people worldwide sit in silence, awaiting the highly anticipated continuance of Wicked, “Wicked: For Good.”

Starring singer-songwriters Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, the first part of Wicked based off the broadway show and originally a book, was released in 2024 and grossed billions of dollars, boosting the popularity of the actors and the Disney company. Wicked was especially known for its music, set design, iconic trend-setting, and its accurate portrayal of the characters.

As the movie ended with The Wicked Witch escaping the Wizard of Oz and leaving Emerald City, many fans waited to see what was in store for not only the story but also its design.

As someone who watched the first part and enjoyed how the story was told, one question came to mind when the second part was released: Would it be as good? What I meant by this was, would it meet my expectations? And to answer the question: No, it did not. Though controversial, I did not find “Wicked: For Good” to be as enjoyable as Act One of the story.

While there were moments of the movie I found interesting and compelling as someone who has not seen the original musical, such as the backstory and creation of the Tin Man and Scarecrow, most moments felt predictable and simple.

In one scene, the characters were dancing to the song “Dearest Glinda”, similar to the iconic and well-known lyrics “Dear Galinda, you are just too good” from the song “What is this Feeling?” from the first act. Likely a reference to address the popularity of the song in the first movie, it felt unnecessary and as if

The Lancer

Starbucks’ famous winter menu arrives KAILAH SPENCER Managing Editor

Creative Commons

they were trying to repeat its admiration.

While it wasn’t a horrible addition to the film, they could have used that time for another scene or created something new in it’s place.

“Wicked” seemed to focus on the character development and background of The Wicked Witch, while “Wicked: For Good” made an effort to showcase the struggles of Glinda to the audience, which I enjoyed because I could understand the character more and her actions. Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship is explored further in this film and their complicated, yet, loving dynamic is somthing watchers should look for. However, the director’s decision to do this did come with its consequences, as some parts of the movie felt rushed, in spite of the movie being two hours long. Towards the beginning of the film, Elphaba decides to make a deal with the Wizard of Oz, which seems very sudden, as it did not take her much convincing, and the acting did not portray an individual who was tied between two decisions.

Though there may not have been many “trendy” scenes growing in popularity online following its release compared to Wicked, there were scenes that caused laughter to echo throughout the theater, and the set and costume design did meet

expectations.

The setting was just as colorful and vivid throughout the film as it was in Act One, and the costumes were amazingly designed and, if anything, were much better in this film compared to last. The realism of the Tin Man was extremely accurate, fully transforming the actor and setting a stern and somber tone as his story is developed further.

It was very apparent that the costumes were designed with a great deal of detail and consideration, although, one scene I particularly did not find very PG, as it is rated to the public, as Elphaba gets back to her hide-out with Fiyero, opening what she had on to reveal a raunchy black lingerie set. A kissing scene follows with something else being inferred. While the original musical and book is known for having explicit scenes between the characters, portraying the characters in this light was unnecessary for the development of the story.

All in all, my theory that no sequel (or in this case a second part/act) can beat the original stands true; nevertheless, the movie ended the story of the Witch.

Wiwch well, filled with action, betrayal, and friendship, and I would recommend seeing it to properly comprehend the meaning or purpose behind the film.

Starbucks is back with yet another winter menu. Pumpkin Spice has been retired for the year and while it is, somehow, still 80 degrees in Southern California, Starbucks is helping to usher in the holiday spirit with a diverse selection of winter beverages.

Perhaps the most popular and anticipated winter item at Starbucks is the Peppermint Mocha. A blend of espresso, peppermint and chocolate, the drink can be enjoyed hot or iced and is a holiday staple for the coffeehouse.

The fan-favorite Eggnog Latte, Starbucks’ first-ever holiday espresso beverage, has also returned for a limited time. Enjoy steamed eggnog with a shot of espresso, topped off with ground nutmeg. For extra flavor, add eggnog cold foam on top.

Another classic, the Gingerbread Latte is Starbucks’ Blonde Espresso Roast mixed with milk and topped with whipped cream and pumpkin spice. Try it with chai, hot or iced, and topped with gingerbread cold foam.

The Chestnut Praline Latte is another option for coffeelovers with a sweet tooth. Available hot, iced, or blended, the drink consists of espresso, steamed milk, whipped cream and chestnut-praline topping.

The beloved Pistachio Latte and Pistachio Cream Cold Brew have also made their return for winter, joined by the brand new Pistachio Cortado.

The returning beverages are always something to look forward to, but Starbucks has added a few exciting items to the lineup.

This winter, Starbucks is debuting Caramel Protein drinks, including the Caramel Protein Matcha and the Caramel Protein Latte. For year-round enjoyment, Starbucks has also introduced sugar-free caramel syrup.

In the past year, a Dubai Chocolate craze has taken over social media and has made its way onto various restaurant menus.

Starbucks is no exception, with the arrival of the Iced Dubai Chocolate Matcha and Iced Dubai Chocolate Mocha.

Beyond drinks, a few new treats are on the Starbucks menu.

On Jan. 6, the new Truffle, Mushroom and Brie Egg Bites will join Starbucks’ breakfast menu for a limited time, and the Turkey Bacon, Cheddar and Egg White Sandwich will be revamped with Cherrywood-smoked turkey bacon and sharp white cheddar.

From drinks to snacks, Starbucks is spreading holiday cheer all around. Whether you’re putting up the tree, lighting the menorah, or just enjoying the presence of loved ones, there’s a Starbucks treat to make this holiday season a little sweeter.

If you give a Lancer a cookie Robert Haar leads teachers in conversations with a snack ABIGAIL KERNS Opinions Editor If happiness had a smell, it would be a warm cookie fresh from the oven. In light of this, Robert Haar, long-time teacher of AP US History and chair of the Social Sciences department, sends a weekly email on Tuesday named Cookie Connect to all teachers across campus about recent topics that he noticed in the classroom.

Haar, a previous yearbook adviser for 23 years, was interconnected with most teachers here at Thousand Oaks High School, however, after his transition to a history teacher, he felt he lost his connection to the Lancer community. In favor of revamping his bond with colleagues, he decided to start Cookie Connect.

“The origins of this was a little bit of wanting to reconnect to the community,” Haar said. ‘I was the yearbook advisor for a long period of time and I was able to really know a lot of faculty members through that, but really lost touch with people after I left that role.”

Haar explained how the topic of his emails typically revolve around improving the environment in which students learn as well as encouraging the faculty as a whole to connect through casual conversation.

“It might be things like, how can we be better at classroom management, recognizing when students need support or that kind of thing…but also how we as a faculty can connect more. It encourages

us to get out of our own classrooms,” Haar said.

In his weekly email to all the teachers, Haar not only gives them information, but he prompts them to go find another teacher they aren’t familiar with to have a chat about the week’s topic. He encourages bringing a cookie or snack to share and meeting up with colleagues during the nutrition break or lunch to have a quick talk or check-in.

“Sometimes I’m encouraging them to go find someone from another department.

Sometimes, I do it by the alphabet, or I do it by building letters. Sometimes, I just say, ‘Just join your colleague and have this conversation,’” Haar said.

While sometimes it’s difficult to get out of the classrom, teachers love the idea.

“It’s a really great concept, particularly when Mr. Haar would give the goal of connecting with people we don’t know from other buildings,” Spanish teacher Eileen Moore said. “This forced me to get out of my isolation and drop off a cookie or muffin to a teacher I didn’t know as well as the teacher next door to me.”

With new teachers coming and going from TOHS, Haar pointed out that staying connected with members of the community is an important part of creating a positive environment not only for the staff, but the students as well.

Cookie Connect is a unique pathway to creating a more connected campus.

Issue 3

FEATURES 7

December 16, 2025

The Life of a Showgirl: Is I’ve seen Swift’s new era bop or flop? stranger

a musical deepdive compiled by Madelyn Friedman I’ve always been a Swiftie, and no matter what you think of her, Taylor Swift is extremely successful and iconic.

Her most recent album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” was released Oct. 3, marking it her twelfth studio album, and everyone had mixed opinions about it.

From her songwriting to the actual music itself, it was definitely a much happier album compared to her last four.

Let’s just say that I am loving being in my showgirl era. Do I think it’s her best album? No. But I think it’s allowed to be fun at this point in her life. With Swift being engaged to football star Travis

Kelce, it’s an exciting time for her.

The album starts with the track “The Fate of Ophelia,” which is an upbeat song with some of her strongest storytelling and pop instincts. Currently, it is the only song on the album with a music video. It’s been #1 for five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.

One of the most-discussed tracks is “Actually Romantic,” which fans are convinced doubles as a subtle diss track aimed at Charli XCX. It also happens to be one of my favorites. The song pretends to be soft and dreamy, but the lyrics are razor-edged; brilliant, Taylor. It’s been #38 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Opalite” is a popular one for sure, being #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It uses the gemstone as a metaphor for emotional clarity, with Swift reflecting on how she’s finally choosing peace after years of uncertainty. The lyrics describe realizing that the glow you were searching for in other people was something you could generate yourself. Overall, the song is a reminder that your light is self-made and strongest when it comes from you.

The title track, “The Life of a Showgirl” (feat. Sabrina Carpenter), is pure glitter. Sabrina Carpenter’s vocals blend perfectly with Swift’s, and the production—bigger, campier, and more theatrical than most of Swift’s work— makes the whole song feel like a sparkly stage musical. This track takes #32 on the Billboard Hot 100, and personally, I think it’s underrated.

This is the first era in years where she

AROUND T.O.WN

things

The last season of Stranger Things is here, one volume at a time Creative Commons

Taylor Swift from her tour before following up with her newest album.. steps away from her usual creative duo, Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner. This album is written and produced by Max Martin, Shellback, and Taylor Swift herself. Swift hasn’t worked with Max Martin and Shellback since “Reputation”, Swift’s sixth studio album. These two popular songwriters are known for writing several songs sung by Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, and more. The Life of a Showgirl definitely has similar sounds to 1989, Swift’s fifth studio album and Reputation.

Some people have even said there are some songs on the new album that might have been songs that never made it onto “1989” or “Reputation”.

In summary, “The Life of a Showgirl” may not be her deepest, but it’s easily one of her most playful, proving a universe that gave Taylor Swift room to breathe (and bedazzle).

Compiled by KAILAH SPENCER Managing Editor

Wild Lights Event at The Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College

7075 Campus Road, Moorpark December 19-23 6:00 – 8:30 pm Take a self-guided 45-minute stroll throughout the zoo that will be filled with dynamic lights, interactive festive experiences, and photo ops. This is not an animal-centered event; some animals will enjoy the lights, while others will be asleep. Admission for people 13+ is $17, $14 for seniors and children ages 3-12, and $10 for members. Children 2 and under are free.

Holiday Movie Marathon at the High Street Arts Center in Moorpark

45 E High Street, Moorpark Saturday, December 20 10:00 am-6:00 pm The City of Moorpark and the High Street Arts Center host their annual Holiday Movie Marathon. Admission is free, and concession stands will be available to purchase snacks and drinks.

Holly Jolly Half Marathon, 5K and 10K

152 Westpark Court, Camarillo Sunday, December 21 8:00-11:00 am The 13th Annual Holly Jolly Half Marathon, 5K and 10K is planned for Sunday, December 21, 2025 at the Pleasant Valley Soccer Fields. The course is on a mostly flat bike path, and there is no auto traffic to worry about.

Chanukah Celebration and Menorah Lighting

Constitution Park, Camarillo Sunday, December 21 2:30-4:30 pm Chabad of Camarillo hosts its annual Chanukah Celebration, which includes a lighting of the menorah, free donuts and latkes, music, a Chanukah gelt drop for kids, a circus show, and more. Admission is free.

Channel Islands Harbour Lights Dinner Cruise

3800 Cabezone Cir., Oxnard Sunday, December 21 5:00-7:00 pm Enjoy Scarlett Belle’s annual holiday lights harbor dinner cruise with festive lights, delicious food, dancing, and caroling. Tickets are $90 for passengers ages 9 and up, $45 for children 8 and under, and free for infants.

Annual Community Holiday Dinner

2420 E Hillcrest Dr., Thousand Oaks Thursday, December 25 11:30am-1:30pm Community members in need this holiday season are invited to join Temple Adat Elohim for a delicious hot turkey meal in the decorated social hall. Enjoy holiday music and gifts for children. The event is free, and all are welcome.

A Magical Cirque Christmas

2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks Monday, December 29 7:00 pm A festive spectacle of music, movement, magic, and comedy that takes audiences on a winter wonderland journey, making it a perfect holiday outing. Tickets range from $68-190.

GEMMA SPRAGGINS Editor-in-Chief As an avid watcher and die-hard fan of “Stranger Things”, there is a lot of excitement going into season five. With it being the final season, fans are on the edge of their seats, anticipating how it will end.

Volume one was released on Nov. 26, consisting of the first four episodes of the season. The next volume will be released on Dec. 25, with the finale on Dec. 31. The Duffer Brothers have done a great job in creating anticipation for the final season, promoting the show online and releasing a very actionpacked trailer months before.

For the past nine years, we have seen these characters grow up and almost die about 100 times, but we know that in the final season, a death is bound to happen. With Max’s brush with death at the end of season four, she is still hanging on by a thread. The rest of the main characters have already had a few near-death experiences this season, yet managed to survive.

I’m sure the remainder of season five will come with plenty of surprises, some upsetting but necessary.

The first two episodes of season five set the stage for the group’s adventures into the Upside Down with Hopper and Eleven stuck tracking down Holly Wheeler, who was kidnapped by a demogorgon. While the attack on the Wheelers was interesting and very action-packed, none of the characters died. At this point, the show is lacking drama because all of the main characters have managed to stay alive for five seasons. It’s pretty unrealistic for a show whose whole focus is on children surviving interdimensional creatures ten times stronger than all of them combined.

Besides that, the events leading up to Holly’s disappearance felt rushed, and the character developments since season four have been drastically different in some characters than others, specifically Dustin. Steve and Dustin have been best friends since season two, but this season, Dustin suddenly wants nothing to do with Steve and acts annoyed whenever they are with each other. Since the death of Eddie Mudison, Dustin has taken on a strange persona and acts like a wannabe rebel.

While this gives the audience someone to be annoyed at, his sudden hate for Steve and all his friends was so random.

One of the main couples in the show is Jonathan and Nancy, who have been together for most of the show at this point.

While this season doesn’t focus on their relationship as much, we saw Jonathan get what looked like an engagement ring from Murray in episode one. Their development has mostly been steady throughout the seasons, although there were tense moments of competition between Steve and Jonathan. It’s obvious that Steve still yearns for Nancy, but can’t be with her because she is with Jonathan. I hope that we see a glimpse of their future together, with Nancy hopefully saying yes to his proposal.

The last two episodes are mainly focused on going into the Upside Down and saving Holly while trying to kill Vecna.

While fighting Vecna, it was discovered that Will has powers.

Which I didn’t find surprising at all, because we have known he can sense the Mind Flayer. He had Vecna-like powers and was able to kill the demogorgon the same way Vecna killed his previous victims. Will’s power has put him in the light for this season, while also making him a target. I think it’s about time that Will becomes the main character again. As fans have pointed out, the cover of the new season has Will at the very top, when it is usually Eleven. I don’t believe they would kill Will as soon as he gets in the spotlight, but a theory might be going against that.

This season has made me notice how Stranger Things is connected to Harry Potter. Will has a piece of Vecna inside him, from when he was trapped in the Upside Down. Similar to how Harry Potter had a piece of Voldemort inside him when Voldemort tried to kill him. The similarities suggest, to me, that the show is going to end the same way Harry Potter did.

The characters will end up having to kill the part of Vecna inside Will.

At this point in the show I am emotionally attached to all the characters and truly don’t want anyone to die.

8 EVERYTHING HOLIDAY

Worldwide Winter Wonders 1.

A guide to holidays across the globe KAILAH SPENCER Managing Editor As the first semester begins to wind down, we enter one of the most festive times of the year: winter. During this time, a variety of holidays are celebrated from home to home, honoring the different cultures that make up the community.

From candlelit ceremonies to lively parades, the season is filled with many joy-filled traditions.

One of the most widely celebrated holidays, Christmas honors the birth of Jesus Christ and is observed all around the world. Popular traditions include decorating Christmas trees, exchanging gifts, singing carols, and spending time with loved ones. Within Christianity, celebrations can vary from attending Midnight Mass to observing the Advent season, which takes place in the four weeks leading up to Christmas.

Another popular winter holiday is Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights. Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of the oil that burned for eight nights. Each evening of Hanukkah, families light the menorah, play the dreidel game and enjoy foods like latkes and sufganiyot.

Created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa is a winter holiday dedicated to the celebration of African American heritage and culture. Spanning from Dec. 26-Jan. 1, each of the seven days focuses on one of the Nguzo Saba, or seven principles, such as unity, faith and self-determination. Each night, families light candles on the kinara and share meals, music and stories that honor community and ancestry.

In many Latin American countries and communities, Las Posadas is celebrated in the nine days leading up to Christmas. From Dec. 16-24, families participate in parades or processions, attend Mass, sing songs, and end the evening with a feast and a star-shaped piñata that represents the Star of Bethlehem.

Lunar New Year, which is typically celebrated in January of February, marks the beginning of a new year on the lunar calendar. Families clean their homes to sweep away bad luck, give red envelopes filled with money for good fortune, and celebrate with parades, lion dances and fireworks. It’s celebrated not only in China but across many Asian countries, including Vietnam, where it is known as Tết, and South Korea, called Seollal.

Similarly, Shōgatsu is celebrated from Jan. 1-3 and marks the beginning of the Japanese New Year. Family and friends gather to celebrate, and Otoshidamas, or money packets, are given to children. People rush to temples to pray for safety, fortune and good health, and the Emperor of Japan makes a speech on the final day. During this celebration, citizens are allowed to go inside the Imperial Palace. On Dec. 31, temple bells ring 108 times: 8 times to ring out the old year and 100 times to usher in the new year.

St. Lucia Day, or Saint Lucy’s Day, is a Scandinavian holiday, mainly celebrated in Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. Dec. 13 honors Lucia of Syracuse, a fourth-century martyr. The “Lucia Train” is a parade in which a young girl portraying St. Lucia leads a large group of people through the streets, all of whom are carrying candles, as St. Lucia is often referred to as the “bearer of light.” In homes that celebrate St. Lucia Day, the oldest or only daughter dresses in white and serves coffee & food to her family.

Celebrations may look different around the world, but the spirit of connection and togetherness is a common theme.

From lighting candles and opening presents to sharing a meal with loved ones or watching fireworks, this season is a chance to embrace culture and enjoy the warmth of community.

Thousand Oaks High School

The Lancer

Nos Chr

KELLY HO Staff Writer

(1990) 2. Elf (2003) 3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) 4. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) 5. A Christmas Story (1983) 6. Polar Express (2004) 7. Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) 8. Frosty the Snowman (1969) 9. Christmas Vacation (1989) 10. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

‘Twas the week before break ‘Twas the week before break and all over the campus Students said finals were scarier than Krampus While from some rooms was heard fun movies and laughs Other teachers made tests no student could pass The promise of break dangled just out of reach “Pay attention” was the skill that no teacher could teach Freshmen dreamed of napping, as stressed as they’d been They planned to do nothing, again and again

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Sophomores longed for hang outs, the freedom they’d seek Planning four trips to the mall over the next two weeks The juniors had visions of passing their classes with As And hoped Semester two would not ruin GPAs The Seniors were, well, the same as they’d been Slacking off and sleeping since senioritis set in When all of a sudden cheering came from the quad It was Dr. Bergmann dressed as ol’ Santa Claus

T on the “Nothin jacket is to roll u

Then everyone was quiet to hear what he’d say “I’m canceling finals! Ho! Ho! You will all get As!” While there’s no hope for that, despite wishes you make The Lancer hopes you all have a GREAT winter break!

- JOANNA OTEY, Adviser

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Hanukkah lights up Thou MADELYN FRIEDMAN Business Manager I bet a lot of students at Thousand Oaks High School don’t know what Hanukkah is or why Jewish people celebrate it. As someone who has grown up Jewish, went to Hebrew school, and had a bat mitzvah, I know the story and I enjoy sharing it to those who don’t know, since there is more to this holiday than eating latkes and spinning dreidels.

Hanukkah celebrates the Jewish victory over oppression and the miracle of the Temple oil that lasted eight days instead of one. To remember this, Jewish people celebrate for eight nights by lighting eight candles.The eight candles are held in a nine-branched candelabrum called a menorah, or a Hanukkiah during Hanukkah time. The ninth slot holds one special candle: the Shamash (or the helper candle) used to

light the others. The shamash is sometimes set off to the side or in the center of all the other eight candles. That doesn’t mean that the shamash is less important. In fact, it’s the opposite, because as the “helper candle,” it is a symbol of people, and how each individual has the ability to help repair the world and spread light even in dark times. Jewish people light one more candle each night until all nine are burning brightly to celebrate the Festival of Lights.

This year, Hanukkah begins Dec. 14th and ends Dec. 22nd. Unlike Christmas, which is a national holiday, the holiday date changes every year.

Some families give one gift per each night (eight total) and opening presents is always a joy.

Sophomore Wyatt Rodman-Plost says that his family loves “celebrating at traditional Hanukkah… with giving gifts and

lightin One the bl night.

“As of brin anothe it’s jus May eating smile like la know be use sided

Issue 3

December 16, 2025

stalgia: Ghosts of ristmas’ past

OOLBOOM r

m lights, streets filled with decorated houses, crackling in the backdrop of a beautifully day living room; Christmas in the 90s and s a force to be reckoned with. But nowadays e is suburbs lined with unlit monochrome ees with even more fake snow, and 10 hours ated campfire sounds youtube video. Is this dern day Christmas warranted, or do we often upon the past with our rose tinted glasses? sy to look at older grainy polaroid photos of xpand that moment of joy to encapsulate the od. But was that moment truly joyous? Crisis 8 housing crisis and the War on Terror ravaged time, filling many with fiscal instability and r feeble child minds might not have been able he world around us was struggling, and the ’t too magical for many. wide fear for a variety of reasons creates a be excited for the holidays, and gives a reason might have been so magical. December might ceasefire from fear and a break for festivities.

People love something to look forward to and get excited about; the Christmas high can peak with an economic low.

Oftentimes spending time with family around the holidays is what allows us to be taken back into better, easier times in our lives.

“Sometimes I like to bake with my mother and make some cookies,” Senior Max Tucker said.

While old traditions may seem spectacular simply due to their status in the past, sometimes forming new habits to do around the holiday season can be just as easily exciting. Joy isn’t stuck in the past, there are always new ways to invent it.

“I’m going to some historical reenactments this year,” Tucker said. “I’m expanding what I do around the holidays, allowing myself to indulge in more of my hobbies.”

Getting stuck in the past and what might have made previous Christmas experiences magical holds us back from expanding our horizons on how we can have fun around the holidays. Tucker for instance is exploring more of his interest in history, and finding new ways to integrate it into the holidays.

This holiday season, do not limit yourself to what you’ve done in the past, experiment and expand your field of view of the festive spirit, meet new people, make new traditions, and find new ways to create joy.

weater Weather ABIGAIL KERNS Opinions Editor

ing to let that fashion sense shine under the boats we need to wear to keep warm this time Well you would not be alone in this endeavor, cross campus face something akin to seasonal n when that icy cold spreads in the beginning of day. Lucky for us however, it never gets so cold ave to fully bundle up, but just cold enough to ake a Lancer layer on the jackets.

In favour of keeping individual fashion expression alive in the face of layers of heavy jackets, sweaters can be a popular in-between choice that will keep one warm and self-expression coming.

And so, the school enters a period people like to call winter fashion.

William Stephans, a senior here at Thousand Oaks High School shares his opinion comfort of sweaters versus jackets. ng beats a sweater,” Stephans said. “I think a oo clunky, a sweater is nice and light, you can up the sleeves easily and be more comfortable.”

Sweaters can mean a variety of things, whether they be heavy and warm or simple and light. Stephans agrees that no matter the type of sweater, they are more feasible than jackets in California weather where it rarely goes below 30 degrees.

Jackets are too stiff and unnecessary most of the time here. Why have a big jacket when you could have a soft, cozy, ater hugging you all day?

However, sweaters are not the only noticeable trait of winter fashion that helps Lancers express themselves.

Instead of layering on the jackets, many turn t o layer leggings and jeans, long sleeves and t-shirts, and much more variety that reveal colorful patterns and designs. Stephans, one of many lancers, shares this idea.

“Winter fashion means layering. It means muted colors,” said Stephans. “I think it’s a good time to be able to press yourself with more clothing, more accessories.”

Excessive accessories can quickly become part of self-expression in a time of cold mornings when the sweaters with designs simply become not enough to show one's personality. Many turn to a diverse range of jewelry that has a backup, chunky bracelets and earrings all the way to dainty necklaces and rings so thin you can barely see them.

Winter fashion is an important part of making people feel comfortable and safe in their own body, creating a positive environment for lancers schoolwide. Selfexpression is shown in a number of ways, the clothing people put on their bodies being one of the most prominent points. Nothing can stop the flow of self-expression, not even the icy winds that creep through the halls.

usand Oaks

ng the menorah.” e of senior Braeden Rice’s favorite traditions is saying lessing and lighting the candles with his family each

s the Festival of Lights, I feel like it’s an importance nging more light into the world each night you light er candle making the Hanukkiah brighter, and I feel like st adding more light into the world,” Rice said. ybe it’s the tradition of cooking with my parents, but g Hanukkah foods, especially with my family, puts a on my face. I love eating traditional Hanukkah foods atkes or sufganiyot (jelly donuts). Gelt (or you might them as chocolate coins) is a popular treat that can also ed as currency in the dreidel game. The dreidel is a fourspinning top used in a game where players bet gelt on

which Hebrew letter the top will land on. Depending on the letter spun, a player will either win the whole pot, take half, add a coin to the pot, or do nothing. The letters on each side not only dictate what the player’s fate is for each spin, but also stand for the letters that begin each Hebrew word for “A great miracle happened there.” It’s always a sweet game, especially when you win.

Learning about other cultures and religions is so important and beautiful at the same time because not only is education key, but it breaks down barriers by showing us how people around the world find meaning. There is so much more to Hanukkah than just spinning dreidels and opening gifts.

Feel free to ask me any questions if you find me around campus. I love when we as students can share that sense of connection. Happy Hanukkah to all those who celebrate!

EVERYTHING HOLIDAY 9

Shopping Deals Save big on holiday gifts around town TYLER WINZENBURG Staff Writer If you are looking to buy a present or want a present for Christmas, where should you shop for the best deals? With the holidays coming, many wallets are being emptied on colorful plastic toys. My best friend spends almost his entire yearly allowance on just Christmas presents, so I made sure I found the best deals.

Let’s start with Amazon, a key place for finding the best holiday deals. Amazon has an enormous range of items: electronics, toys, home goods, fashion… basically everything you’re likely to buy for Christmas.

Best Buy is another place that is well known for their great Christmas Deals. Best Buy is especially well-known for offering major sales on electronics, making it a good place to buy gifts like laptops, TVs, gaming consoles, smart home devices, and appliances.

JCPenney, located in the Oaks Mall, offers impressive deals that beat out any store in the area. Here you can find clothes, accessories, home goods, and more. During this time, JCPenney often has big discounts on seasonal items, and special “deal of the day” promos. They usually offer coupons, plus cashback, so stacking a sale with a coupon can lead to a lot of savings.

Here are strategies to really lean into Amazon for Christmas deal-hunting. Start early, these deals often start before the actual days. Add key gifts to your wishlist or cart now, so you can check them quickly when deals drop. Use credit cards and payment methods that give you cash back, points, or rewards on holiday spending. With a little preparation and the right tools, you can maximize your savings and make your holiday shopping easier and more affordable.

10 FEATURES

Thousand Oaks High School

The Lancer

What makes a Lancer a Lancer?

Culture is what defines us, how we behave, how we relate to one another, and the way we think about the world, so what did students say is the culture of Thousand Oaks High School?

Compiled by JOEY GOODNIGHT, Editor-in-Chief

How do Lancers relate to one another?

How do Lancers describe campus culture?

The Lancer learns from students what it is like to be a Lancer and the things they believe contribute to the culture at Thousand Oaks High School

The word

Leilani Carmona Hernandez, senior:

Online spaces have a big impact on student relationships.

44.7% Agree

There is a strong sense of community in extracurricular groups or clubs.

“If I could define this campus in one word it would be comfort. I find a lot of comfort here; the programs that I’m in that take up a lot of time. The people I’ve met all have been so nice and I don’t think I’ve ever been mistreated at TOHS. It’s very much a live and let live situation; I don’t want to be made fun of, and neither do you, so we both just respect one another. I feel like there are a bunch of small communities here on campus; the programs I’m in are all very community based, they are all really inviting. I think the social culture here is very much based off the extracurriculars you take, like the football kids hang out with each other and the theater kids hang out with each other. We all have our little cliques, but I don’t think anyone is ever really opposed to hanging out with people who do different stuff on campus. We have our cliques yes, but it doesn’t refrain us from being friends with other people.”

Makenzie Cox, senior:

chill

was used by over 20 different students Charles Singer, junior:

“I feel like a lot of the people here are super nice and inclusive, this school barely has any real bullying or even teasing. Everyone in all of my classes is super nice. You don’t need to worry about any of that classic high school stuff here, people are super nice here and it’s very relaxed, you will make friends…it’s definitely chill here.”

“I would say that Thousand Oaks High School is pretty clique-y. There are obviously people who can move between groups, but those are that kind of people. I think to some degree school is a deciding factor in who you hang out with… personally that is a big deciding factor to me; football people hang out with football people, soccer people hang out with soccer people–that’s what I think might create the cliquishness. It’s the same with AP classes and CP classes; most of my friends are in the same AP classes as me, most of the CP kids are friends with other people in their CP classes. Depending on what program you join it’s welcoming, but I think some of the programs here are what create the cliquishness like our Pathways, Center or ETHOS programs.

Due to the time commitments, those programs create that kind of culture and definitely limit who you hang out with, and makes it difficult to branch out.”

What do Lancers value most from their high school experience?

44.4% Agree

Academic level (CP/AP) and grades are a big factor in social groups.

Native language and racial make up of TOHS 30% Disagree

The languages we speak and the cultures we come from end up being a large part of the groups we create with our peers, who we socialize with Race/ethnic make up of TOHS

Culture/ethnicity/race is a big factor in social groups.

28.8% Disagree

1.2% Black

7.5% Other languages

4.9% 5.6% Asian Biracial

39.7% Hispanic 46.8% White

Languages Lancers speak home

27.7% Speak English and Spanish

7.6% Spanish

57.6% Speak English

Issue 2

LANCER CONNECTION 11

December 16, 2025

LANCEROS Los

La Navidad con mi familia Daiyana Polino Columnista Invitada La Navidad es un tiempo muy especial para muchas personas en todo el mundo, pero para nosotros los latinos tiene un significado todavía más profundo. Es una época llena de tradiciones, recuerdos y momentos que guardamos en el corazón.

Para algunos, es el único tiempo del año en el que pueden ver a familiares que no han visto por mucho tiempo, ya sea porque viven lejos o porque la vida diaria no siempre permite reunirse. Cuando llega diciembre, todo se siente diferente: Las casas se llenan de luces, aromas y música que nos hacen recordar nuestra niñez.

Para muchos de nosotros, este tiempo es sinónimo de estar en familia. Es el tiempo

del chocolate Abuelita calientito con las conchas al lado, y las conversaciones largas que parecen no tener fin. Una de las tradiciones más bonitas es poner el nacimiento, que representa el día en que nació Jesús. Cada figura tiene su lugar especial y muchas familias lo arreglan juntas, recordando historias que pasan de generación en generación.

Otra tradición común es quedarse despiertos hasta las 12:00 de la noche para abrir los regalos. Crecer haciendo esto con mis primos fue algo que nunca voy a olvidar. La emoción de esperar que llegara la medianoche, escuchar los conteos y ver a todos sonriendo mientras abrían sus regalos es algo que todavía me llena de alegría cuando lo recuerdo. En los días de frío, mi familia también acostumbraba

encender con una fogata para que todos estuviéramos alrededor calentándonos y comiendo galletas.

Para mí, está época es la mejor del año. Se pasa tiempo en familia, se ríe, se comparte y también se come muy bien. A mí me encantan los tamales y el pozole que hacen en estas fechas; tienen un sabor único que sólo se disfruta en Navidad.

Muchas familias también viajan a México para visitar a sus seres queridos y celebrar allá, rodeados de tradiciones más antiguas y profundas.

La Navidad, con todas sus costumbres, comidas y reuniones, es una época que une a todos. Es un momento para agradecer, recordar y disfrutar a quienes amamos. Por eso siempre será una de las épocas más especiales del año.

La temporada de la banda de percusiones (Drumline) comienza ASHLEY CHOCÓN AGUILUZ

Columnista Invitada

El programa de banda de Thousand Oaks High School está emocionado de comenzar la nueva temporada de la banda de percusiones conocida en inglés como Drumline. La banda de TOHS acaba de competir en la Asociación del Sur de California para Bandas y Orquestas con sus siglas en inglés SCSBOA y como finalistas marcó el fin de la temporada de banda de guerra. Después de trabajar duro por meses, muchos deciden también tocar en la banda de percusiones durante el invierno como deporte de invierno.

Esta banda consiste en dos secciones con instrumentos como la marimba, vibráfono, batería, sintetizador, bombo, platillos, tambor tenor. ¿Entonces qué es lo que hacen los músicos en la banda de percusiones de invierno? Igual que en la banda de guerra, compiten contra otras escuelas para ser finalistas en

campeonatos.

Junto con eso, cada año tienen un tema diferente y único. Muchos de los estudiantes están muy emocionados de comenzar la nueva temporada del 20252026. Daniela Figueroa dice: “Yo toco bombo, y me gusta estar en el programa

“Siempre estás ocupado con algo...y siempre tienes compañía.”

DANIELA FIGUEROA

de invierno de la banda de percusiones.

Siempre estás ocupado con algo. Nunca estás aburrido y siempre tienes compañía, entonces es muy divertido saber que no estás solo. Es muy increíble.”

Muchos de los estudiantes involucrados en el programa se encuentran muchas veces ocupados,

pero no les molesta porque es algo que les encanta hacer. Durante la banda de percusiones te encontrarás haciendo muchos nuevos amigos y teniendo nuevas experiencias. Leilani Hernández dice: “Yo toco los platillos, y creo que la banda de percusiones es muy divertida porque es una actividad en la cual puedes hacer muchos amigos nuevos y todos se conocen muy bien y se siente como si fuera una familia.

Es muy divertido porque nos divertimos creando el programa juntos.

Como nos pasamos casi todo el día en la práctica, nos da la oportunidad de conocernos mejor. Es una buena experiencia porque todos ahí son muy chistosos y amables. ¡Entonces deberían unirse!”

Se nota que a los estudiantes que están involucrados en la banda de percusiones (Drumline) de invierno les gusta estar involucrados en el programa porque es algo que les gusta y apasiona.

Cosas favoritas de días festivos

La distribución de alimentos gratuitos para los días de fiesta en nuestra comunidad

KEVINN CRUZ Columnista Invitado

ÁNGEL BALAM Columnista Invitado

Los días festivos son días que vas con tu familia y te pasas bien con ellos pero muchas personas se preguntan: ¿cuál día festivo es mejor? ¿cuál día festivo tiene la mejor comida?

En la siguiente encuesta hice estas preguntas a un grupo de estudiantes de nuestra escuela y esto es lo que me dijeron: ¿Cuáles vacaciones son mejores?

¿Cuál tiene la mejor comida: El Día de Acción de Gracias o la Navidad?

las vacaciones del Día de Acción de Gracias

el Día de Acción de Gracias 15.2%

3.8%

96.2%

84.8%

las vacaciones de Navidad

la Navidad

¿Cuál te gusta más?

¿Cuál te gusta más?

¿Cuál postre es mejor?

el pavo con comidas tradicionales de aquí

los macarrones con queso

los pays (pies)

23.1%

7.7%

11.5%

76.9%

92.3%

88.5%

los tamales u otra comida Latina

el pozole

el chocoflan

Con la llegada de los días de fiesta, es importante saber en dónde distribuyen alimentos gratuitos para las personas que neecesitan esa ayuda aquí en Thousand Oaks.

Adelante Comunidad Conejo va a tener una distribución de dispensas y regalitos de Navidad el sábado, 20 de diciembre de las 9:30 a las 11:00 de la mañana. Yo he sido voluntario en las distribuciones mensuales de Adelante y sé que distribuyen verduras, frutas, carne, postres, tortillas, cereales, huevos, queso, leche y muchas cosas más. Es un mercado comunitario sin costo alguno donde uno puede escoger lo que quiere y lo que necesita. Si hay algo que uno no necesita, o que no quiere, no se lo tiene que llevar. Si no puedes ir al mercado comunitario de Adelante, hay otras organizaciones en Thousand Oaks que también distribuyen comida varios días del mes: • St. Paschal Baylon, 155 E. Janss Rd. - Cada sábado de 9:00 a.m. a 10:00 a.m.

• Christian Church of Thousand Oaks 301 Avenida de las Flores - El primer y tercer lunes de cada mes, de 4:00 p.m. a 6:00 p.m.

• United Methodist Church, 1000 Janss Rd. - El primer, tercer y quinto viernes de cada mes, de 11:15 a.m. a 12:15 p.m.

• Adelante Shadows Apartment Pantry, 1949 Los Feliz Dr. - El segundo viernes de cada mes, de 5:00 p.m. a 7:00 p.m.

Los Deportes Unificados BRIANNA NOVELO NEGRÓN Columnista Invitada Los Deportes Unificados es un programa donde los estudiantes pueden ayudar a otros estudiantes con discapacidades a jugar juegos y hacer actividades. Thousand Oaks High School, Newbury Park Park High School y Westlake High School tienen el programa de Deportes Unificados para ofrecerles una buena experiencia a todos losestudiantes.

Aquí en nuestra escuela todos los lunes los estudiantes se reúnen durante el almuerzo para practicar, planear y prepararse para el evento que viene. Las tres escuelas se juntan y compiten en juegos como baloncesto, fútbol, etc. Cada estudiante tiene su propia pareja y se ayudan durante el juego que están practicando.

Muchas personas van a estos eventos para apoyar a los estudiantes y disfrutar de los juegos. El último partido de Deportes Unificados fue el 22 de octubre, que también fue el Día de la Unidad. Ese día los estudiantes de nuestra escuela se vistieron de color anaranjado para mostrar su apoyo contra la intimidación y acoso escolar.

Los estudiantes que son parte de este programa faltan a los períodos 1 al 3 u 2 al 4 para participar en estas actividades y partidos. Muchos de los alumnos que son parte en los Deportes Unificados lo hacen porque disfrutan ayudar a otros estudiantes y creen que todos deben tener las mismas oportunidades. La Inclusividad juega una gran parte en Deportes Unificados y es una de las partes más importantes del programa. Los Deportes Unificados proveen oportunidades y también resaltan la amabilidad en la escuela de TOHS. Sin duda, éste es un programa muy importante en las escuelas porque une a todos los estudiantes, aumenta la autoestima de los jóvenes y también muestra las personalidades de todos los que están jugando.

El programa de Deportes Unificados permite a los estudiantes reunirse y crear un lugar seguro donde todos pueden sentirse acogidos y valorados.

Los estudiantes deberían entrar gratis a los partidos JAZMIN ESCOBEDO Columnista Invitada Los estudiantes pagan $5 cada vez que van a un partido escolar, pero yo pienso que no hay ninguna necesidad de pagar este dinero si eres estudiante. Para empezar, muchos estudiantes no tienen el dinero para pagar y poder divertirse en los partidos. Además, los partidos son parte importante de la experiencia en la escuela secundaria.

Si los boletos fueran gratis, habría más estudiantes que asistieran a los partidos, habría más inclusión en la escuela y también habría más participación en días de espíritu para nuestra escuela. Esto nos llevaría a ganar más partidos porque tendríamos apoyo de toda la escuela.

Deberíamos buscar opciones para que los alumnos no tengan que pagar; como recaudar fondos o tener diferentes programas para los estudiantes. A veces yo quiero ir a partidos con mis amigos y muchas veces uno de ellos me dice que no puede asistir porque sus padres no pueden pagar.

Y eso me parte el corazón. Me pone triste el pensar cómo es posible que alguien que va a la escuela por siete horas o más y pone todo su esfuerzo para ir a la escuela no pueda divertirse una vez a la semana.

Hay muchas oportunidades en nuestra escuela para becas, almuerzo gratis y más. Sin embargo, yo creo que todo estudiante debe tener el privilegio y la oportunidad de ir a un partido sin tener que pagar.

También muchos estudiantes tienen el descuento de ASB (Asociación del Grupo Estudiantil) que vale $65 para entrar gratis todo el año a los partidos, pero si unos no pueden pagar $5, ¿cómo van a pagar $65?

Muchos padres también quieren ir a ver a sus hijos y apoyarlos, pero a veces ellos no tienen dinero para asistir. Les aseguro que cada estudiante que juega un deporte quiere que sus padres vayan a verlos jugar y a apoyarlos.

Otro beneficio de no pagar sería que tendríamos más estudiantes interesados en deportes porque si fueran a ver a otros y sus amigos, se motivarían a jugar un deporte.

Si más estudiantes fueran a los partidos, esto ayudaría a que menos estudiantes se portaran mal. Además, mejoraría la salud mental de los estudiantes porque tendrían mayor oportunidad de socializar, algo muy importante para los jóvenes de edades de la secundaria.

En fin, yo creo que entrar gratis a los partidos para los estudiantes traería muchos beneficios a nuestra escuela, como unidad, más inclusión y más espíritu positivo para nuestra escuela.

12 AD

Thousand Oaks High School

The Lancer

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WHILE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL

Issue 2

SPORTS 15

December 16, 2025

TOHS WINTER SPORTS ROUND-UP

JOHNNY PHAN Staff Writer WILLOW VERCHER Staff Writer

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

GIRLS’ WRESTLING

GIRLS’ WATERPOLO

Coach: Logan Baltau

Coach: Dennis Ritterbush

Coach: Craig Rond

2024-25 Record: Overall: 13-15; League: 3-7

2024-25 Record: Overall: 2-3-1

2024-25 Record: Overall: 23-8; League: 7-1

2025-26 Record: Overall: 6-0

2025-26 Record: Overall: 1-0-0

2025-26 Record: Overall: 4-3

Top Players: Senior Gabriel Chin, senior Stefen Sherman, senior Dylan McCord, junior Jake Ange, junior Jaydon Nwene

Top Players: Sophomore Naima Hagadorn, Senior Eileen Preston, Junior Morgan Burlesoh

Inside Story: “We’re always going to the gym together and practicing outside of school, and practicing a lot,” junior Jake Ange said.

Inside Story: “For team bonding, we all share food after we’re going through this big cut after everyone’s cutting like five to ten pounds, it’s bonding weirdly,” sophomore Naima Hagadorn said.

Top Players: Senior Aspen Abernathy, junior Kira Jones, junior Abigail Kerns, junior Charlotte McAuliffe, junior Delaney McDonough

Notable: “Jaydon Nwene will be a big positive for the team this year. He is someone who plays hard and looks to play at a fast pace, has a great motor and never has to be asked to play hard,” assistant coach Jacob Burton said.

Quotable: “My advice for athletes going through a hard time is to show up to practice no matter if you’re feeling tired, give it 100% every single time, and you’ll see improvement,” Hagadorn said.

BOYS’ SOCCER Coach: Vince Crandon

Notable: “We have a lot more girls than last year,” Hagadorn said. “It’s interesting because it’s full of good changes and bad changes.”

Notable: “I feel like we have a very great environment that’s really gonna foster a lot of team, teamwork, team creativity, and hopefully success throughout the season,” junior Kira Jones said.

2024-25 Record: Overall: 12-8-2; League: 6-3-1

BOYS’ WRESTLING

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Coach: Dennis Ritterbush

Coach: Clayton Cameron

2024-25 Record: Overall: 3-5-0

2024-25 Record: Overall: 13-10-3; League: 5-3-2

2025-26 Record: Overall: 1-0-0

2025-26 Record: Overall: 1-0

Top Players: Senior Jason Fry

Top Players: Senior Morgan Humphrey, junior Luchiana Shattuck, junior Presley Shattuck, junior Maddie Linville

2025-26 Record: Overall: 2-3-1 Top Players: Senior Till Koehler, senior Santiago Diaz, senior Alex Marco, junior Grant Weeks Quotable: Senior Till Koehler, senior Santiago Diaz, senior Alex Marco, junior Grant Weeks Inside Story: “Last year we went to watch an inspirational movie before the playoffs, and it was very memorable,” senior Santiago Diaz said.

Quotable: “Our team this year is like a power train,” junior Grant Weeks said. “We’re small but efficient and strive to do good this year.”

Notable: The 2024-25 Junior varsity team won league last year, and varsity was a playoff contender. A combination of youthful enthusiasm and seasoned talent could lead to a strong team.

Quotable: “We put everything into practice,” junior Sawyer Quigley.

Notable: “We’ve got a lot of new freshmen, which will be great for the future, but right now it’s tough because they have to fill varsity spots with so few upper classmen,” junior Sawyer Quigley. “My advice to them is simple: Learn as much as you can and outwork everyone. Talent matters, but hard work closes the gap.”

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Inside Story: During their season, each week, the day before their games, the program will go to one of the teammates’ houses, and they will do team bonding called a “carb-load,” where they’ll eat pasta or carb-heavy foods to fuel themselves for their game the next day.

Inside Story: “We have pasta dinners before some of our games at each other’s houses, and then we’ll do something called secret sister, where you basically prepick a teammate before away games and get them gifts,” senior captain Morgan Humphrey said.

Notable: The girls’ soccer team, since they won’t have their home field this season, is going to be able to play at the Cal Lutheran University soccer field for some their home games but will play most games away.

Coach: Ashley Ontiveros 2024-25 Record: Overall: 19-8; League: 8-2 2025-26 Record: Overall: 6-0 Top Players: Senior Jillian McGillivary, senior Hailey Lauritzen, sophomore Doran Lawrence, sophomore Raquel Daringer Inside Story: “We go to Toppers after every home game, and the girls will get to get together after away games,” head coach Ashley Ontiveros said. “Pre-game, all the players share quotes and positive words to help get us game-ready.”

Craig Rond - with permission

Big splash - The girls water polo team brings the heat this season, showing strength, unity and grit in and out of the pool.

Quotable: “Injuries are going to happen,” senior Jillian McGillvary said. “Take care of your body, do what you need to get back, and don’t be sad if you can’t come back quickly. And most of all, have fun.”

Notable: The team competes in the Coastal Canyon League and participates in Division 4 for the Southern Section, indicating a strong program facing solid competition.

Ryan Halverson - with permission

Focused and fearless - The girls basketball team powers through the season with intensity and teamwork.

Pre season mindset A glimpse into TOHS boys basketball prep and dedication LILAH SWAVING Staff Writer Thousand Oaks varsity basketball is heading into the new season with confidence after a sharp and focused preseason. The team has been locking in during practices, developing chemistry and showing early signs that this season will exceed last year. With a hungry mindset and an improved energy they have a strong hope to beat Calabasas this season. The Lancers look prepared to open the season strong and set the tone to standout this year.

Senior Gabriel Chin said the team’s mindset is already miles ahead of where it was last season.

“It’s been a big team morale shift compared to last year, but this year the seniors are more locked in,” Chin said.

That leadership shift has helped set the tone in every practice, pushing the team to stay focused, work harder and keep each other accountable.

With seniors stepping up and the whole team showing what they’re here for, Thousand Oaks looks more prepared than ever to carry out the energy on opening night. That renewed energy isn’t just coming from the players, its being pushed from the top down.

Junior Tanner Blakney said the coaching staff has made a noticeable impact on the teams direction and expectations.

“Coaches are trying to build a better culture

for the whole program, not just one team,” Blakney said.

With that vision the Lancers are developing a stronger identity across all levels, creating consistency, accountability and a standard everyone is held to and expected to execute.

That growth is already showing up on the court especially when it comes to confidence and skill development. When asked if the team had taken a step forward compared to last season, Junior Jake Ange pointed to the impact of the younger players.

“Especially with our young talent, we’ve gotten a lot better in that aspect,” Ange said.

The mix of emerging underclassmen and focused upperclassmen has created a deeper, more competitive lineup, one that looks ready to hold accountability for making the 25-26 season more up to par than the 24-25 basketball season.

As the Lancers head into the season, there is one message echoing throughout the team “Winning Marmonte” is a goal the entire team has set for themselves, reminding themselves how they want to compete every game. With seniors leading the charge, coaches pushing to elevate the entire program and young talent stepping up with confidence.

TOHS feels more united and driven than ever. If their preseason focus has proven any point, it’s that the Lancers aren’t just talking about big goals; they are gearing up to chase competition head on.

@tohs_hoops - with permission

14 SPORTS

Thousand Oaks High School

The Lancer

Taylor plans, pushes, commits Senior quarterback Jackson Taylor fulfills dream, signs early with Boise State

Jordyn Liebowitz - The Lancer

Signing day - On Dec. 3, Quarterback Jackson Taylor signs to attend Boise State.

SOPHIA MUNHALL Sports Editor On Dec. 3, Thousand Oaks High School senior quarterback Jackson Taylor, signed with Boise State University. This isn’t just the next chapter of his football career; it’s the result of years of planning, pushing, and believing in a dream that once felt far away.

Taylor, who will graduate early this December to enroll at Boise State for spring football, said the decision took shape long before he ever threw a varsity pass.

“We planned it since middle school,” Taylor said. “We knew the extra seven months you’re there in college, working out in the winter, being there for spring ball, gives you a head start. It’s seven extra months of preparation, and more people are starting now. We knew it was going to be important for me.”

That early preparation and long-term vision made Taylor’s recruitment process feel even more surreal when Boise State called. After an unexpected opening in their 2025 class, the Broncos invited him on an official visit, a moment Taylor said made everything suddenly feel “real.”

“It was sort of last-minute, and when they called me and talked to me about how they wanted to reschedule and get it going again, I thought, you know, this might end up working out after all,” Taylor said. “Then we went on the visit, and everything happened from then.”

During that visit, Taylor said he knew almost immediately that Boise State was the place he wanted to spend the next four years.

“On the official visit, after I went back to the hotel with my parents, we talked about everything,” Taylor said. “It made the most sense that the school was right for me, the people were right for me, and

it was the right situation. I’m excited to do that.”

It didn’t hurt that the first thing Taylor saw after landing in Idaho was the Jackson Jet Center, a coincidence that felt almost symbolic. “Obviously, Jackson is my name, and J.E.T. are my initials,” Taylor said. “So when you see it, you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s cool, that’s kind of like a little sign!’”

But beyond the signs and scenery, Taylor said the deciding factor was how closely Boise State’s offensive system matched what he has run at TOHS. “They’re very similar,” Taylor said.

“There are great coaches there who coach it really well, and when we saw how similar the offense was, we both kind of knew it was a good fit.”

While the future awaits in Idaho, Taylor’s most cherished memories are still rooted in Thousand Oaks, especially this season’s emotional win over Newbury Park.

“We had lost the past two years every time we played them,” Taylor said. “To culminate my senior year with that victory, it was really cool. It was probably the win that I felt most excited about, for sure.”

Through every early morning workout, every challenge, and every extra rep, Taylor credits the people in his life for keeping him grounded.

“My parents have been unbelievably supportive, and I’ve had great coaches and teammates who believed in me,” Taylor said. “Everybody contributed. The right answer really is everybody.”

As he prepares to leave high school earlier than most seniors, Taylor admits that excitement and nerves go hand in hand.

“What I’m most nervous and excited for is the same thing, the transition,” Taylor said. “It’ll be a little nerve-racking, but at the same time, that’s what you’re most excited for.”

For Jackson Taylor, that next step begins now.

McGillvary trains, overcomes injuries, commits to Bobcats

For most high school athletes, stepping into a varsity role can be intimidating—especially when that role involves being the team’s kicker, the players responsible for game-deciding points. But for Thousand Oaks junior Landon Schwanauer, his first year on varsity has been marked not by hesitation, but by confidence and a deep appreciation for the team bond around him. ​Schwanauer’s opening season to his football career saw so many memories that will last a lifetime. Whether that was winning the homecoming game on his birthday, the team singing along to music on the way home from a blowout victory at West Ranch, or beating Newbury Park for the first time in three years. The homecoming victory was already a huge moment for the team, but having it fall on his birthday made it even more special.

Even as a first-year varsity player, Schwanauer has ​ referred to the experience as being nothing but positive.

While the transition to varsity can be stressful for a lot of athletes, Schwanauer has handled both practices and high-pressure moments without prior experience. ​“I feel like I’ve come a long way from where I was at the start of the season to where I am now,” Schwanauer said.

“I’ve made all my extra points, and I’ve gone one for two on field goals.”

Each year, there are several new players to the TO football program for a vast number of reasons, but what pushed Schwanauer over the hump to join the team? ​“I’ve always said I wanted to be a kicker, and knowing that there was an open spot on the team, I thought, Why not just give it a shot and see what I can do? ” Schwanauer said.

Schwanauer’s journey so far has not come without challenges. Balancing the demands of academics with practice every day is never easy. He was able to find strength through tough opponents and high pressure during crucial games to rally amongst his teammates. The inspiration provided by the Lancer football coaches and players served as a backbone for Schwanauer when his time came to kick a field goal and put points on the board for his team.

Looking ahead to a big senior season, Schwanauer will be ready to answer the call and contribute to another successful year of TOHS football. A strong work ethic will go a long way, as Schwanauer will likely see improvements from his first season of football. He will be one of the key players to watch for the 2026 season.

Jillian McGillvary’s next chapter is playing for University of California, Merced SOPHIA MUNHALL Sports Editor Thousand Oaks High School senior Jillian McGillivary’s journey to college basketball wasn’t a straight path. It was a winding one, full of casts, braces, taped ankles, long nights of doubt, and early mornings in the training room. But every step, even the painful ones, led her to where she is now: officially committed to UC Merced to play women’s basketball.

It’s a milestone she once wasn’t sure she’d reach.

“It means a lot that all my hard work has paid off,” McGillivary said. “I’m going to a school where I’ll be successful, and that feels really good.”

McGillivary didn’t grow up expecting to be a college athlete. In fact, she didn’t start playing basketball until eighth grade. But the moment she tried it, something clicked.

“I just really liked it when I tried it,” McGillivary said. That spark grew quickly into something bigger, a motivation strong enough to push her through years of physical adversity.

Over her high school career, McGillivary faced a knee injury, a concussion, a broken foot, a sprained ankle, and even a broken arm, injuries that came in waves, sometimes just as she was returning to form.

“Going through injuries is definitely hard,” McGillivary said. “But once you get that mental side of it, that you’ll get better, it becomes something you work through because you want to play more.”

One of the toughest moments came last season.

“Probably when I sprained my ankle and leg last year,” McGillivary said. “We had

playoffs in three weeks, so I had to get better really quickly. That was really hard.”

Through each setback, she relied heavily on her support system: her coaches, athletic trainers, club coach, and family.

“They helped me a lot, especially my high school coaches and my dad,” McGillivary said. “We had a lot of talks about getting through it mentally. Everyone played a part.”

Those experiences changed her, not just physically, but in the way she thinks about the sport.

“After I broke my foot and my arm, I realized how important injury prevention and recovery really are,” McGillivary said.

“I’m injury-prone, so taking care of my body matters a lot.”

Coming back from each injury wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t dramatic. It was slow, often frustrating, and full of conditioning.

“The hardest part was getting back in shape,” McGillivary said. “Once you stop playing, you’re out of shape fast.”

But those challenges built something in her, a toughness she carries into every practice.

“Going through adversity helps you learn how to deal with things,” McGillivary said.

“You learn how to help yourself.”

When she visited UC Merced, she immediately felt a sense of belonging.

The coaching staff, the honesty in their conversations, the connection with the players, and the campus itself all made the decision clear.

“It’s a UC, so academically it’s very prestigious,” McGillivary said. “And I just really connected with the coaches and players.

The facilities were really nice. Everything felt right.”

Now she’s looking forward to stepping into a faster, more competitive environment.

“I’m excited to play with high-level players,” McGillvary said. “The level and intensity will be entertaining.”

As she prepares to take the next step, McGillvary hopes younger athletes learn from her journey.

“Injuries are going to happen,” McGillvary said. “Take care of your body, do what you need to get back, and don’t be sad if you can’t come back quickly. And most of all, have fun.”

The joy of the game kept McGillvary moving forward, and now, it’s taking her to UC Merced in the center of California’s northern Central Valley.

Landon Schwanauer - with permission

Extra point - Junior Landon Schwanauer kicks for the Lancers in a heated match up against Westlake Warriors.

Jillian McGillivary - with permission

Creating Chaos - Jillian McGillivary hold back her Calabasas opponent to score.

Issue 3

SPORTS 13

December 16, 2025

Lancers step up for a big year Fantasy life, Boys enter season with confidence, ambition to win 2025-26 Marmonte League 2025 edition

WILLOW VERCHER Staff Writer

The soccer season has officially begun at Thousand Oaks High School and the boys teams are settling into training, focuisng on figuring out what this year’s lineup will look like. The team has big goals for this year.

“We’re trying to win the Marmonte League,” senior goalkeeper Triston Crandon said. “The ultimate goal is to win CIF, but our team’s looking really strong, and I think we’ve got a real shot at taking the Marmonte League this year.”

Crandon prepares for the season by changing the way he deals with frustration and conflict during games.

“Instead of moping about it or letting frustration get to me, I try to motivate my teammates and encourage them to do better next time, rather than just being

mad about it,” Crandon said.

The team’s mentality is something players across the roster are focused on. Varsity center back, Grant Weeks is working with the group to build a tough, competitive identity.

“I want teams to be scared of us,”

“I want teams to be scared of us.”

GRANT WEEKS

Weeks said. “One of my big goals is to win the league and go far in the playoffs.”

Center back Dany Shalhoub is also stepping into a larger role this season, with a focus on the team’s success rather than individual stats, believing the group is fully capable of competing for both league and CIF. Shalhoub highlighted leadership and passing as his strengths,

stressing the importance of staying mentally locked in.

“If you get stuck on one play, the team’s going to suffer, so I just think about the next play and keep my head up,” Shalhoub said.

Adding onto that, while he feels comfortable with the team’s formations, he hopes to continue improving his speed and strength as he adjusts to a higher level of play.

The program’s younger players are embracing the same mindset. Junior varsity goalkeeper Jayden Best said improving as a player and playing out of the back are areas he hopes to develop.

“I handle frustration by having a short memory and just moving on to the next play,” Best said.

With both varsity and junior varsity teams focused on their goals, the Lancers head into the season with a clear identity across the program.

From stunting to the sidelines Lancer embraces the change that comes with being a dedicated former athlete KAILAH SPENCER Managing Editor As a freshman excitedly performing at my first-ever football game, I never imagined that there’d be a day in high school when I wasn’t a cheerleader or on the stunt team. But things happen, and no athlete is safe from physical and mental setbacks.

I was a JV cheerleader my freshman year, varsity my sophomore year and on the varsity stunt team both years. Being in the program played a significant role in my transition from middle school to high school, and allowed me to meet some

of my best friends. It was certainly not always sunshine and rainbows, like any sport, but I will forever cherish the good memories I made.

This past spring, I came to the conclusion that my mental health and focus on school were more important than continuing with cheer, and decided not to return for my junior year.

Despite my time on the Thousand Oaks High School Spirit Squad coming to an end, I’m happy that I’ve been able to stay connected to the program as a team manager.

In my role as team manager, I’ve gotten to see cheer from a different

perspective. I get to watch the team perform as a spectator, but I also have the inside scoop and know the effort it took to make a cheer, stunt or halftime routine look so good. Even in my position now, it makes me so proud to watch my former teammates improve and excel in what they do, whether it’s in front of a crowd or at practice on a cold Tuesday night.

When I look back over the past three years, I’m glad that things happened the way they did and that I’m able to be in the position I’m in. Even when watching old videos back, I know I’m content with being a team manager and getting to support my former teammates.

Girls waterpolo team gets unexpected game at home Girls’ waterpolo competes in surprise home-game while keeping energy alive SOPHIA MUNHALL Sports Editor Calabasas High School, part of the Los Virgenes Unified School District, closed the doors to its pool due to smoke and ash from nearby wildfires, causing the water polo tournament, The Calabasas Coyote Cup, to be moved to Thousand Oaks High School. ​The Thousand Oaks girls’ water polo teams is overjoyed about this change because of its location and easy commute.

“I was really happy to stay at T.O. and be able to play in our pool because I really like our pool, it has a great facility. I was also happy I didn’t have to travel from school,” sophomore Avery Casey said.

Though it’s been awhile since the TOHS water polo team has played against Calabasas, they still have fond memories of the intense battles they’ve shared throughout the years.

“Last year we had a scrimmage against them, and I believe they ended up winning, but this year we came back and beat them, so it felt good to beat a good team with a strong program and strong girls,” junior Charlotte McAuliffe said.

The TOHS water polo team is a strong team of Lancers that competes against schools around the district, known for their hard work, they place an emphasis on focus and confidence.

“Just focus on the next thing in front of you if you’re in a game, just focus on that next play, that next moment,” junior Kira Jones said. “I think that breaking down

every little task ahead of you and making it smaller makes it more manageable. I think it’s easier to kind of get out of that slump.”

Games in any sport can be stressful especially when having the desire to properly represent your school, however it is important you learn to handle that stress before it takes over your skill. Especially, when facing one of your biggest battles of the year.

“Camarillo is our biggest rival team, Santa Barbara is really good, but Camarillo is the team we’re always trying to beat,” McAuliffe said.

Over the years, the Lancer and the Coyotes have had many major battles

leading to wins and losses for both teams, however, there is no clear winner.

Considering this, the Lancers have worked year round, consistently every week for up to three hours, preparing and advancing their skills to the next level.

“The water polo team is very prepared and is always ready for what’s coming,” McAuliffe said.

Building on not only their skills but relationship as a team, the Lancers have worked harder to become involved at every practice and expand their communication abilities; playing a significant part in their current and future success.

Stats, who’s participating at TOHS, Fantasy Football excitement explained AVA ROCHA Staff Writer Thursday, Sept. 4, Fantasy Football for the 2025 NFL season started. Through this exciting season, people have been hyping up teams, injuries, punishments and games. Students here at Thousand Oaks High School have been participating in fantasy football and expressed their excitement throughout the fall and winter seasons. Curious about the statistics of the a here at TOHS and fantasy football? A survey was put out for student participants to explain their experiences.

Surprisingly, there are more freshmen and junior participants in fantasy football than other grades: 9th grade with 46.2%, 10th grade with 15.4%, 11th grade with 23.1% and 12th grade with 15.4%. There are 84.6% male participants and 15.4% female participants. For a male-dominated sport, it is nice to see that there are female participants who also engaged in the activity. The majority, 46.2% of people, have been participating in fantasy football for more than five seasons, with only 15.4% of people having this be their first season. It seems that people have continued to be interested in fantasy football for awhile, with 92% of people participating each season. There are also some returning players and new players, with 7.7% of students not participating every year.

Many heart-warming responses say what drives them to participate is friends and family, with them being who they participate with. Fantasy football brings friends, family and the community together, as they cheer on their teams and bond over the love of the game. Many participants express feeling anxious, frustrated, and excited while still enjoying the competition, games, and punishments for their team.

“Every week, the lowest score in our fantasy football league has to post a TikTok that the person with the highest score chooses,” junior Cashton Davis said.

Davis has participated in fantasy football for three seasons and has also been partaking in the punishments. Wanting more understanding about how fantasy football punishments are worked out in teams, Davis explained how he feels about the penalties.

“I feel either extremely angry or extremely happy and there’s no in-between,” Davis said. “It does partially indicate what my emotions are for the week.”

Davis expressed high emotions while participating in fantasy football, an addition to the high adrenaline in the games and outcomes. However, junior Ryan Burton feels a little indifferent about the matter.

“Sometimes I feel a little anxious in a sense, because I’m putting myself out there,” Burton said. “At the same time, I find it kinda funny.”

Though both feel differently about the subject, they both express feeling happy and having fun at the same time, showing that even with the pressure, Fantasy Football brings people together.

“I feel like the only thing keeping some people competitive is the fact that they want to either avoid a punishment or win money,” Davis said.

Davis feels that fantasy football would not be the same without his league’s “punishments.” It’s one of the seasonal highlights to friends and family who participate, and also what seems to be a big motivator, even in rough times for their league.

Fantasy football is not time-consuming; planning your strategy and conducting research about players takes less than three hours a week to manage your team. The strategic skill, dedication, patience and management helps heighten important qualities, while being able to connect with people.

Being seasonal, it also brings nostalgic bonds to people who have been participating for a few seasons or more. Overall, fantasy football is an exciting twist to the sport that brings people together.

How many seasons have you played fantasy football?

1 11.8%

2 5.9% 5+ 47.1%

3 17.6%

Abigail Kerns - The Lancer

Pushing the limit - Junior Abigail Kerns plays each game with power and precision.

4 17.6%

Issue 3

BACKPAGE 16

December 16, 2025

How T.O.: De-stress

Every Lancer has a story

during the holiday break JOEY GOODNIGHT Editor-in-Chief As we move into winter break and the end of the semester, it can be easy to spend the two weeks off worrying about the results of finals, college applications, and the family drama that always comes about during the holidays. Even with all the stress, it’s important to use the break to relax, let your mind reset, and get you ready for the beginning of the next semester.

Relaxation isn’t simply something that happens to you, but something you can actively plan for and build into your day, and there’s no better time to dedicate some days to just chill than winter break.

One of the best ways to relax during the break is to spend time doing what you love, whether that be some type of art, crafting, video games, sports, or music. Spending time dedicated to hobbies you might otherwise not have the time to do during the semester is a great way to feel accomplished and get yourself out of the school mindset.

An even better strategy is to try setting a goal for the break that involves setting aside time for a hobby. Maybe it’s to finish your latest crocheting project, or get to a certain rank in your favorite video game. Whatever it is, having a goal that helps you spend some time each day of break off your phone and doing something you love can help make break feel like a real break.

I know sometimes it can feel eye-roll worthy, but spending time with family is an absolutely amazing way to destress. Family expectations can be stressful, but putting intentional effort into spending time with family that makes you feel seen and loved is an amazing way to get out of your own head and into the present moment, and can

make the holiday break way more exciting then simply two weeks off school. Reach out to your favorite cousins, plan something fun to do with your parents or siblings, or maybe spend an afternoon at your grandparents house. Spending time with family is a great way to feel thankful and rejuvenated.

Another great way to use the break intentionally is to try and get out of the house and spend some time with friends. Whether that be hosting a get-together, going holiday shopping, or even going on a day trip out of town, spending time with your friends is one of the most relaxing and rejuvenating activities there is. It’s easy to feel like all of your friends are probably too busy to hang out, but it’s always worth sending them a text; who knows, they might be thinking the same thing about you.

It might seem obvious, but we often underestimate the power of sleep in feeling rejuvenated. Getting to bed earlier and waking up later is a great way to catch up on the sleep debt that comes with finals season.

It can be easy to neglect your sleep when you know you don’t have to wake up for school the next morning, but trying to commit to a specific sleep schedule for the break helps keep your circadian rhythm in check and allows your brain to benefit from all the sleep it’s missed out on during the last semester.

If you’ve got nothing else to do, spending some time with a good book or show is a great way to give your brain a break.

Hallmark movies, that show your friend has been begging you to watch, or that book that you bought two years ago you’ve been saying every couple weeks that you’ll finally get to. Spending some time consuming some less overstimulating media than TikTok is an outstanding way to let your brain slow down.

Unfunny Comics

What is your go-to Starbucks order?

What’s your current favorite song?

What’s your hidden talent?

Antonio Folmar

Liam Andre

Doran Lawrence

“My favorite Starbuck’s drink is a Strawberry Acai Lemonade Refresher.”

“‘Weston Road Flows’

by Drake is my favortie song right now.”

“My hidden talent is that I can rap.”

What’s your favorite family tradition you hope never ends?

If you could instantly master any sport what would it be?

If you could have one superpower for a day what would it be?

Carl Larson

Lance Levin

“One family tradition that I hope never ends is going on vacation every summer to the Oceanside.”

“Pickleball, because you know how much aura you would have.

And the strength that comes with.”

Colton Oliver “I’d want the superpower to be able to fly.”

Who would you swap lives with for a day and why?

What’s one food you could eat every day for the rest of your life?

What’s one thing you want to achieve before graduation?

Emily Green

Tanner Halverson

Brandon Garcia

“I’d want to be Jenna Ortega, because... why not?”

“I could eat Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap every day.”

“I want to have a career plan in place by the time I graduate.”

By TYLER WINZENBURG

Compiled by LILAH SWAVING Co-Sports Editor

compiled by Kelly Hoolboom, Staff Writer

Christmas Sweaters As the festive season arrives, the chance to bundle up in thick colorful layers comes with the colder weather.

Especially with winter, the variety of colors and designs is quite wide.

Festive Starbucks From snowman cookies to peppermint mochas, Starbucks has changed their menu to match the season.

Expect the order line to expand with this change; festive drinks come with popularity.

Ice Skating What’s more romantic than a date on the ice? As the weather outside gets colder, and skating rinks open to the public, make sure to get in a skating session on the ice before the festive season ends.

Finals While they aren’t exactly positive, the ultimate tests of the year come up in only a few days. After all the stress that comes with studying, once final grades are in, we can all relax for at least two weeks.

Labubus While the trend was raving over the summer, quickly these little keychains fell into the abyss of irrelevancy.

Many of them can even be found in thrift stores and bargain bins.

Government Shutdown After a grueling 43 days, Congress finally agreed on a fiscal bill for our federal government; it passed both chambers of the legislative branch. As federal jobs begin to open up again, many try to get their livelihoods back.

Beach Days With the air getting crispier by the day, the rationale to make a day out to Malibu gets weaker and weaker, as the need for a wetsuit grows.

Ocean water keeps getting colder, and skies more and more overcast.

Pumpkin Spice As Christmas approaches, pumpkin spice slowly floats out of our favorite holiday caffeinated drinks and is replaced with peppermint.

But coffee isn’t the only dish rotated out: fall desserts often use pumpkin spice.