THE MARK
The Mark
March 2018
Policy
Feature 4-6 27
A&E
Recipes Around M-A First Generation Students 25 International Week
Opinion
Staying Positive
Gerrymandering
The Mark Staff 8-9 7 28-29
Submission
Cover Package 12-13 18-19 22-23 24 20-21 Bitcoin
Instagram Culture Bay Area Basics
Digital Natives 14-17 Death of Outrage
Social Media Movements
The Mark, a feature magazine published by the students in Menlo-Atherton’s journalism class, is an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its readership. The Mark is distributed to its readers and students at no cost. The staff welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy, and obscenity. Submissions do not necessarily re�lect the opinions of all M-A students or the staff of The Mark. Send all submissions to submittothemark@gmail.com
About the Cover
In this issue of The Mark, we take a closer look at the digital culture that de�ines our generation. The Mark staff explores the �ine line between social media platforms that generate social awareness, and the ability to effect real change. Designed by our editors-in-chief, Lara and So�ia Karadogan, the cover of this issue embraces the methods of modern communication, representative of the many ways technology consumes our relationships. As natives of the Bay Area, we have the unique opportunity to analyze our world’s changing digital culture and create spaces for the M-A community to shape its digital narrative.
So�ia Karadogan Editor in chief
Lara Karadogan Editor in chief
Reid Diamond Content & Op-Ed Editor
Leah Marcus Copy Editor
Elley Goldberg Social Media Manager
Sarah Friedman Production Manager
Jonathan Dicks Guest Staff
Ava Honerkamp
Sarah Lehman Guest Staff
Agatha Medeiros
Sai Sema
Ellie Shepard
Aditya Srinath
Karina Takayama
Izzy Villa Guest Staff
Nate Viotti Guest Staff
Susie Choe Advisor
Our Guns or Our Lives?
Historically, gun control has been a controversial and polarizing issue in the United States. Ideologically, the Constitution asserts the right to bear arms. However, now more than ever, we need gun reform. Better gun laws do not entail scrapping the second amendment, it means practicality. It isn’t practical that any citizen can buy a military grade weapon with a high capacity magazine. It isn’t practical that anyone can buy a gun at a gunshow, no matter their background or mental state. The call for gun reform is not an abolishment of the second amendment; it is a plea for common sense. While it is paramount that all rights guaranteed under the constitution are upheld, staunch advocates of the second amendment seem to have blurred the line between fundamental rights and the safety of the American people, and over and over again, the American people are paying the price. Americans comprise 4.4 percent of the worldwide population. Yet, we hold 48 percent of the world’s guns and 31 percent of the world’s mass shooters. Of the 18 most deadly mass shootings in recent history, 7 occured in the United States, and compared to other high
income nations, the United States reports gun-related homicide rates 25.2 times higher. While the economy and innovation of the United States may surpass that of other developed nations, in terms of gun violence, we lag far, far behind.
In 1996, a gunman armed with a semiautomatic rifle shot and killed 35 people at several locations in and around Port Arthur, Australia. Following the massacre, the federal government and states of Australia agreed to make firearms regulations more uniform, including a ban on certain semiautomatic weapons, and they haven’t had one mass shooting since. In the United States, there are only two steps to buy a gun, 1. pass an instant background check and 2. Buy a gun.
The tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida on February fourteenth left 17 dead and adds yet another tally on the United States’ long list of gun related tragedies. In 2017, 58 people were brutally murdered in the Las Vegas shooting and another 26 lives were taken away at a Texas church. In 2016, a single gunman took the lives of 49 victims at an Orlando nightclub. While there has been outrage following each of these events, it has
eventually subsided without any notable change in policy. But after this recent shooting in Parkland, the atmosphere seems different and it is up to us to make Florida the straw that breaks the camel’s back and finally change the tide of American gun violence. Despite recent activism in response to the multiple shootings, the absence of bipartisan support in Congress has stymied serious gun reform. Presently, the values of the NRA, a major lobbying group trumps growing public sentiment to enact more gun control. The group asserts guns are not at fault for shooting casualties but instead at fault are mental health issues of the shooters. However, gun reform is not an either-or issue: a shooter can’t inflict damage without a weapon, and a gun can’t kill without someone to shoot it. Obviously there needs to be a two-pronged strategy to decreasing gun violence and mass shootings. Addressing the mental health issue in America is extremely important and representatives of the Republican party have been very vocal about better care for mental health, yet instead of supporting mental health aid in healthcare legislation, Republicans in
Congress put forth a bill to cut $800 billion out of a program that enabled millions of Americans to get access to the health care that they need. The hypocrisy is rampant. In addition to mental health care reform, policy change must be implemented to what kinds of guns people can buy and how they can buy them. Possibilities include raising the age limit to buy a gun from 18 to 21, banning military grade rifles such as the AR-15, conducting initial mental health evaluations and more rigorous background checks. So what can we do to aid gun reform? The most effective way of doing so is to vote. Voting for representatives who support gun reform is truly the only way for these laws to change as these people have the ability to alter state laws and, ultimately, help gun reform. We must participate in marches, walk-outs and debates to validate the issue with gun laws. Contact our congressmen by emailing or calling them. The more people on board, the more urgent the issue becomes. America loves its guns, there’s no question about that. The question is what do we love more - our guns or our lives?
SHANNON KIRKPATRICK, TEACHER
“After college I knew I wanted to do something in education of writing or something in English, but I wanted to explore passions, to have fun first - while I was still young and free and not tied down anywhere. And so, [...] I was honestly just on this website called culinaryschool. com [and] I found a school that was relatively reasonably priced in Florence, Italy. I was like ‘that’s what I want to do - I want to learn Italian and I want to make food’.
I went to culinary school for a year and got a degree in baking and pastry. I then moved back to Portland, where I’m from, and worked in a French style patisserie for a year and then worked in an Italian restaurant and did their dessert menu for another two years.
It was really nice to work with [my] hands, but at the same time, it didn’t feel intellectually challenging. I had been teaching beginning Italian classes at Portland Community College. I liked making the worksheets - even grading things. [Teaching] was always in the back of my mind as something I wanted to do.
I’ve always been drawn to the croquembouche. I made one for my own birthday party, I made one for a friend’s wedding. One of the reasons I originally started looking at culinary schools was I would always make cream puffs, and they would always collapse. It wasn’t until I got to culinary school that I realized what I was doing wrong. Now that I can do that, and make it really big and impressive, I’m like ‘I learned something, that actually works!”
FIND FULL RECIPE ON WWW.MACHRONICLE.COM
O QUEMB O UCHE
R
SAI SEMA, GRADE 11
“I’ve been eating this curry ever since I was little. You can easily find it on the streets of Fiji - in chicken curry wraps and from other chicken curry and masala street vendors. Chicken curry originated from the Indians that came from India to Fiji. In Fijian schools, you either learn English, Fijian, or Hindi, [the equivalent] of having English, Spanish, and French here. [India] has a lot of influence on our food and culture, and the different types of people [in Fiji].”
FIND FULL RECIPE ON WWW.MACHRONICLE.COM
FIJIAN CHI C
SEARCHING FOR POSITIVITY
Currently, the media seems to be convoluted with bad news, creating a sense of fear and hopelessness. The seeming lack of good news makes it easy to assume the worst, allowing people to envision a world in which negativity dominates. However, despite the tragedies and hardships prevalent in 2018, there are still hopeful progressions being made. People are coming together and fighting back, finding more ways to make growth and change happen in our world. Every day, we move forwards towards change, pushing for a better future. Here are some recent examples of positivity in the news.
Updates on global warming and the deteriorating state of the climate are being constantly covered in the news. In spite
of the tragedies and crises that climate change has resulted in, there are positive advancements on protecting the planet being made that are being overlooked. For example, a research project to help repopulate coral and fish species in the Great Barrier Reef was recently launched near Cairns. Scientists are planting coral gardens in Australia, and coral samples will be deposited in the reef to help it thrive. Additionally, 126 countries signed a cross-country conservation agreement, to help protect migrating paths for endangered species such as blue sharks, lions, and chimpanzees. The contract prevents these species from being hunted or fished in their habitats. This is a “game changer” for migratory species, as it “puts pressure on countries to commit to vital international protection.” This contract benefits the blue shark especially, as it is one of the most hunted marine life in the world.
With the policies and morals that our current president supports, people have been outraged with the
circumstances for women. The support that he has gained from people throughout America has shone a light on the situation for women’s rights and gender-based crime, reminding every one of the lack of progress we have made. People are fighting for change all around the world: Contestants at beauty pageants in Latin America are speaking up about gender-based violence. At Peru’s Miss Universe contest, many women refrained from stating their bust, hip, and waist measurements, and instead recited intensely hard-hitting statistics about the gender based crimes that their countries face. This is impact, as they were able to address audiences that most feminists do not attempt to breach. Furthermore, men on Norway’s soccer team have taken significant wage cuts until the women’s soccer team receives equal pay. They were originally paid $818,000 per year, in contrast to women’s $387,000, regardless that they performed worse than the women’s team in international competitions. However, they have signed a contract ensuring that both teams will be paid $750,000 annually, the men’s team
donating money in order for the team to continue to grow. Other athletic teams should follow suit, to ensure equal pay for female athletes at a universal scale.
Recent coverage in the news seem to all stem from negative situations. However, despite tragedy and severity, it is important not to overlook the important changes that are still being made in the world. People are being brought together to fight back against oppression and hardships, citizens all around the globe pushing for change. As easy as it can be to lose hope in these times, it is important to remember that good still exists in our world and in all of us, and to see hope in humanity and our future. While not discrediting the tragic news covered by the media, it is imperative to remember that our situation is not as hopeless as it may seem, and we must continue to search for the good in the world and in one another.
by Karina Takayama
Study Spaces
Coffeebar
Coffeebar is the newest addition to the Menlo Park food scene, located just a couple blocks off Santa Cruz in a spacious building that opens up onto quiet streets. Parking is easy in big lots in front of the cafe, and the inside is roomy and welcoming. Unfortunately, it’s only really an option on the weekends given it closes at 3 p.m. regularly, but when it’s open it’s a great workspace. Food options are limited, but the coffee menu is full of good
Coupa Cafe
Coupa Cafe was a truly refreshing switch of pace from average cafes. The small restaurant has two cool locations a few blocks off University Ave. Outside the Lytton Street cafe, it gets a little loud with cars and trains passing by, but inside the restaurant it’s perfectly peaceful. Free Wifi and wellpriced coffee go well together if you want to do homework. The food offered has a Latin vibe, from the Venezuelan
Philz Coffee
If you want good coffee in an artsy, laid-back atmosphere, Philz is the place to go. There are two Palo Alto locations, and a third in downtown Redwood City. Philz on Forest Ave in Palo Alto is removed from the bustle of downtown, and the inside is spacious and decorated with rotating art from local artists. One of Philz’ signature offerings is a broad menu of customizeable drip coffees, with unique flavors from toffee to mint, and the food offering is impressive as well; avocado toast is a staple. The main drawback
$5.50
choices including an array of specialty lattes, like lavender and green tea. Coffeebar offers free and fast Wifi and many seating options. Given the seating is all inside and the surrounding streets are quiet, focusing and being productive feels natural. Part of Coffeebar’s appeal may be its novelty as one of few new cafes in the Menlo Park area, but I’d argue that the comfort and productivity offered will make it a regular meeting spot for many students.
$3.75
arepas to tacos, or premade snacks and pastries if you’re in the mood. Coupa also makes fresh smoothies and boba tea which are a nice break from regular coffee. The Wifi works well, the food is good, the coffee isn’t too expensive, and the ambience is the opposite of corporate. If you want somewhere easy to focus with a killer menu and fresh drink options, Coupa Cafe is a solid bet.
$4.50
is the crowd- on a Saturday afternoon all the comfortable couches and varied seats are usually full, and working outside is not ideal for focusing on homework. I was able to be productive despite the noise, but I think Philz is becoming a little too popular to be considered a good study spot. The trendy decor and social media fame that Philz is known for makes it more of a social environment than a serious study area. Visiting during less popular times of the day or grabbing a coffee and taking it to a quieter space may be a better option.
Instead of doing homework for hours a night, check out these various cafes to switch up your study routine!
Peet’s Coffee
Peet’s has a competing menu and a similar corporate vibe to Starbucks. Inside, the atmosphere is comfortable despite the nondescript art and small space. It was not crowded when I went in the early afternoon, and I was able to sit with a good view of downtown Menlo Park, connect to fast Wifi, and get to work. Given it’s towards
$3.00
the end of downtown, Peet’s is easy to park at in rear lots, and is far less noisy than Borrone or Philz. It’s a solid option for anyone looking for a classic coffeeshop homework spot without distractions. It beats out Starbucks for big chain cafes, but isn’t quite up to the more artisan offerings at Coffeebar or Coupa Cafe.
Cafe Borrone
The friendly restaurant boasts a prime location just off Santa Cruz, a sprawling patio, and an enormous menu that offers real food, not just coffee shop snacks. On a weekend morning, expect a line out the door if you’re coming around breakfast, brunch, or lunch, but seating usually isn’t too hard to find. From handwritten chalkboard menus to specialty drinks, the cafe is the near opposite of chain cafes like Starbucks and Peet’s. Unfortunately, it’s pricey if you order anything besides coffee or tea- my
Starbucks
If you want somewhere quick, reliable, relatively cheap, and convenient, Starbucks on Santa Cruz Ave in Menlo Park is perfect. On a Saturday afternoon, there were plenty of open seats given the small inside space, and enough people that the store felt productive but not overcrowded. The Starbucks menu is famously huge, and there’s something to be said for having so many options, but the quality and taste of the coffee is, in my
by Sarah Lehman
$2.50
iced coffee was only $2.50, but specialty drinks like the famous frosted mocha can get up to $5. Many of the food options, like breakfast sandwiches or bagel platters, are over $10. I chose to sit inside given the noise of El Camino Real and the train station from outside, but as I prepared to do my homework, I realized that the one thing Borrone lacks is Wifi. The only option is to use Kepler’s slow Wifi from the bookstore next door, so unless your work requires no Internet, Cafe Borrone is not the best option.
$3.25
opinion, subpar compared to smaller operations like Philz. What Starbucks lacks in personality and ambiance, it almost makes up for with its fast Wifi and array of prepackaged snacks, fresh pastries, and meal options, but the corporate vibe of the cafe detracts from being an ideal homework place. Compared to the cozy seating and vibrant artwork of Philz or the airy, upbeat ambiance at Coupa Cafe, Starbucks was ultimately underwhelming.
Illinois Texas California
No Sort of Yes
Only 29.4% of M-A students know what gerrymandering is and its implications while 70.6% do not know what it means or only understand the concept superficially.
The United States was founded on the principles of democracy and equality. However, over the last 242 years, the American government continues to struggle in creating an efficient and fair voting system. While many citizens are under the impression that their vote is equal to those around them, it is not always accurate: state governments can adjust the influence of votes by the way that congressional districts are drawn. In 2011, Republicans controlled State Senate and Assembly, giving them the authority to redraw district lines. Senator Dale Schultz (R) went to the “map room,” signed a nondisclosure agreement and was given the new map of the district. Gerrymandering is a system that allows government officials to manipulate district boundaries to favor one party. Schultz’ party drew district lines around democratic voting communities to favor his own party. They proceeded to concentrate the Democratic voters into fewer districts than his Republican supporters. This process would ensure his win because the prevalent
Republican districts would overwhelmingly vote for Republican electors. These electors, in turn, would count for one electoral vote. With an overwhelmingly greater amount of Republican districts than Democratic, a Republican was ensured to win a spot in the Senate. In an interview with the New York Times, Schultz recalls, “I took one look at the map and saw that if I chose to run for re-election, I could win, no trouble.”
Gerrymandering is a system that allows state governments to redraw district boundaries to change the influence of one’s vote for their chosen party. Each state has a set number of representatives depending on the population. California has 55 electoral votes, one for each district. If a state wanted to devalue the Democratic ballots, for example, they could group the Democratic voters into a select few districts and let the Republican neighborhoods represent more districts–therefore electing more Republican representatives. Rural and Republican-leaning states tend to concentrate Democratic voters into
small urban districts, also known as cracking and packing. The government separates communities into different districts depending on the party that the total community votes for (cracking) and creates a smaller amount of more concentrated districts for Democratic voters (packing) and thus devaluing the Democratic vote. Gerrymandering is abused by both the Democratic and the Republican parties despite the severity of its abuse in Republican leaning states. With one party allowed to choose the borders for each district, some districts are so skewed that they can take hours to cross. The Supreme Court will vote to see if gerrymandering is unconstitutional as it is a process that alters voting results, an illegal act.
The California state Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger (20032011-R), worked to outlaw the unconstitutional partisan gerrymandering. Schwarzenegger condemned the Supreme Court for not taking action against the gerrymandering system, “You know it’s a system where the
politicians are picking the voters, rather than the voters picking the politicians.” The actor and politician fought against the several problems created by gerrymandering. Gerrymandering creates “efficiency gap” which tracks the cracking and packing that happens in the districts. The efficiency gap is the waste of votes that do not count towards their party. This efficiency gap happens when the right to redraw district lines is abused. However, gerrymandering has never been an issue for California’s congressional districts. Even though the Republican districts are larger and have a lower population than Democratic districts, it represents an accurate view of the distribution of party votes. In 2016, roughly 512,000 people voted for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, while only roughly 145,000 voted for Republican candidate Donald Trump. The state overall voted overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton, more than doubling Trump’s voting results of 4 million, paralleling the voting results for each district. by Ellie Shepard
Bitcoin, one of the most popular cryptocurrencies, has recently been at the forefront of mainstream media during its rapid rise in value along with its sudden crash, but the implications of this cryptocurrency and many others like it will be far greater than its current value. While there is no publicly known CEO or founder of Bitcoin, a person or group using the pseudonym “Satoshi Nakamoto” is credited with its creation. In 2008, Nakamoto published a document that outlined how Bitcoin would work. Soon after that, an anonymous entity registered the Bitcoin. org domain, and in 2009 Nakamoto announced the release of Bitcoin. Upon its release, Bitcoin had no official price but as exchanges began, people quickly gave it a value. In 2010, one Bitcoin was worth less than one cent, but at its peak in December of 2017, a single Bitcoin was worth over $19,000. While there is no definitive reason for the drastic shift in valuation which occured in 2017 and 2018, experts point towards a few key factors such as: the idea of a currency that could remain valuable in times of government instability, investors fear of missing out on a new opportunity that frequented news cycles, and Bitcoin’s anonymity attracting illicit activity. Many speculate that Bitcoin’s significant decrease in value was due in part to a recent crack-down on Bitcoin in countries including Japan and China, as well as the increasing negative media that was circulating. As Bitcoin is a relatively new technology, its value is challenging to predict; there is not significant market history to study for patterns. While Bitcoin’s future may be uncertain, the attention it gained in media has changed the way many people view currency. In society, currency itself is constantly evolving, people once only valued currency backed by commodities such
as gold, but over time we have moved away from the gold-standard and to the fiatstandard; crypto-currencies have created a new view of currency as something that society puts value to that does not have to be anything more. Whether or not cryptocurrencies themselves remain valuable, they will have a continuing impact on how society views currency. Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies use a blockchain technology that is kept running by “miners”. The blockchain is a jointly managed database that allows for decentralization. Through having a global network of computers, Bitcoin can be controlled by its network rather than an external governing force. This global network of computers is made up of Bitcoin miners, people who use code to verify bitcoin transactions in order to earn Bitcoin.
Many early investors were not big investment firms, but young people interested in technology, and many Bitcoin miners, are university students. One Bitcoin millionaire who has been put in the spotlight is nineteen year old Erik Finman who invested in Bitcoin in 2011.
In an interview with Forbes, he explained that his initial interest in Bitcoin was because he “saw [it] as an incredible way to transcend the financial system including Wall Street.” His initial investment of one-thousand dollars eventually led him to become one of the first Bitcoin millionaires. According to CNBC, he had $4.4 million in Bitcoin when Bitcoin was worth $11,182 a coin. While media outlets have often portrayed Finman as a kid who got lucky, he saw the promising future of the blockchain technology. Finman and many other students paved the way for the success of the Bitcoin currency through mining Bitcoin as well as investing in it.
Upon its release, Bitcoin initially attracted two main groups, the technologically savvy and
criminals. Much of the initial rise in Bitcoin’s value can be attributed to its use within The Silk Road, a website that promoted anonymity and was used as a platform for drug dealers and gun runners. Similar in function to eBay, it matched buyers to sellers and allowed users to rate one another. While Bitcoin was not solely reliant on the Silk Road, its value plummeted after the site was shut down. This decrease in value, while smaller, was not dissimilar to the major drop in value Bitcoin has had recently after the crackdown on the currency by governments including the Chinese government as well as South Korean government. These drops in value are two of many in the short history of Bitcoin, but they are some of the most significant. They demonstrate the difference in behavior between Bitcoin and traditional currencies as Bitcoin fluctuates far more frequently. While there are many issues with Bitcoin, countless investors have been interested in its relatively fast transaction time, lower transactions fees, independence from governments, and its finite supply. When Bitcoin was not as popular, transactions were efficient compared to other currencies, but as the network has grown, it has had difficulties maintaining as fast transaction times. Despite this, Bitcoin is still often faster than other wire transfers and some other cryptocurrencies. Another significant benefit of Bitcoin, especially to users planning to make larger transactions, is its lower transaction fees, compared to popular applications including Paypal. Many of the initial Bitcoin investors were interested in its independence from the government. This method of interaction fits those who do not trust government systems, those who live in countries with currencies that have virtually no value, and for those who are making illegal transactions. Over the
past few years Venezuela has been facing an economic crisis. Venezuela’s currency, the Bolívar, now has virtually no value. Amidst this time of crisis many Venezuelan citizens turned to Bitcoin in hopes that it would remain valuable. Seeing Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies making headlines in mainstream media, the Venezuelan government saw an opportunity to possibly bring their country out of debt through launching the first government controlled currency, the petro. Unlike Bitcoin, the Petro is backed by a commodity, crude oil. Whether or not the Petro proves to be successful, its implementation proves that cryptocurrencies are gaining traction. The finite supply of Bitcoin also appeals to many investors. Because there are 21 million Bitcoins available and there can never be more or less of them, it ensures that as there are more investments in Bitcoin, the value of a single Bitcoin will increase. Bitcoin is further beneficial as it can not become a limitation in terms of the number of investments possible because transactions can occur in smaller subunits. These subunits allow Bitcoins to be split up, much like cents to a dollar. Bitcoin is by no means a perfect currency, but its presence in mainstream media has caused the general public to accept cryptocurrencies as a viable currency rather than an alien thing of the future. While the popularity of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies may or may not be temporary, the idea of blockchain technology as well as computer-based currencies will have lasting effects. These first cryptocurrencies have led many people to create more cryptocurrencies that function in different ways and for different purposes. The popularity of Bitcoin has sparked innovations that could change the way people view and use currency.
by Ava Honerkamp
ARMCHAIR ACTIVISTS
There exists a misconception that uploading a post to Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, generates tangible impact. While expression of political opinions through such outlets increases social awareness, conversations rarely carry beyond digital spheres and change is seldom actualized. These users, coined “armchair activists,” are digitally ardent behind the protection of a screen, yet silent in public debate. By vaguely liking or disliking an issue, we only perpetuate political tension and disregard
realistic progress towards genuine social engagement. Simply because a hashtag is trending or an issue has reached a certain number of responses does not mean change is enacted. The #metoo and #timesup movements are rare exceptions where celebrity involvement and milliondollar donations have forced companies to revisit their policies on professional etiquette. Nonetheless, social media platforms have blurred the line social awareness and change.
by Sofia and Lara Karadogan
SOCIAL COMPLACENCY
e transition into 2018 demands a reassessment of public response. In the period between President Trump’s election and inauguration, protests and marches erupted. Individual voices joined in solidarity, refusing to stand by the administration’s future policies. While people took to the streets for various
reasons, all voices were directed towards the President. Initially, people were angered by Trump’s intent to divide rather than unite our nation. As months progressed and Trump’s comments were more derogatory than during his campaign, it became easier to be complacent and adopt the mentality that “this will pass.”
In the 2020 elections, current seniors, juniors, and some sophomores will have the power to vote and therefore utilize their voices to enact change. While social complacency and armchair activism threaten realistic progress towards reform, neither are indi erent because they maintain a level of social awareness. In the 2016 elections,
41.4% of eligible voters did not go to the polls and remained silent. Action begins with a conversation, and political ignorance detracts from our obligation to shape the American future. e solution is to speak up through all available social media, organizations, and public forums as well as participating in the necessary physical steps towards reform.
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Instagram has created a new culture, a new way of life and for many, an obsession. With 500 million daily active users and 4.2 billion likes each day, Instagram is a platform that influences all users on different levels. Teenagers are the ones most affected by this culture.
Let’s start by defining a large part of what Instagram revolves around: photos. There’s a trend that enables teenagers and other users to create a coherent-looking profile. This is called an Instagram theme. It can be defined as having visual consistency within the photos you post so that they all look good together – hence, “theme.” This ultimately leads to a larger following base which results in more “likes” on photos and more “follows” on an account. It makes sense: the more visually pleasing something is, the more people will be attracted to it. Here’s the catch though, because all photos must look good together, users begin revolving their lives around their Instagram theme. For example, if a user repeats blue tones on their Instagram photos (as shown left), then they will decide to have lunch with their friends in a restaurant that has a photogenic blue background. There are even numerous apps that can aid Instagrammers in keeping up with their theme. VSCO, an app that is meant to serve as a social media platform for photographers offers a variety of filters that hardcore Instagram users use to keep their photos looking high-quality and coherent. As Senior Leyla Arabian describes “having the same VSCO filters on each photo you post is the secret to achieving the perfect theme.” Another app, UNUM, recreates the user profile on Instagram to allow users to plan their themes by testing new photos next to the ones they have already posted. The photos are displayed on a grid similar to that of Instagram’s. The app also features “post reminders” to remind the user to post a photo at a popular time. This feature includes graphs that show which time is best for posting based on the specific Instagram account linked up to UNUM. It also allows for the planning of Instagram captions and will eventually even post the picture for you if a post is scheduled through this app.
Similarly, Followers+ is an app that allows Instagrammers to grow their platform. This app informs the user of who has followed and unfollowed them, how many likes their photos are getting and also has a feature that allows users to see the best time to post on certain times of the week. This app has helped many users expand their profiles as it gives them statistics on what kind of photos do best and when certain photos attract an audience. Though it may help grow one’s page, this app can also start movements like “follow for follows” –asking someone to follow you if you promise to follow them – or even reach a point where a user buys fake followers to seem more popular and loved.
Users do this because a large following can lead to an increased sense of cyber “power.” One of the aspects that come along with this “power” is paid partnership with companies. Users can partner up with brands to advertise and earn money from each post or story. Companies try to reach people with substantial platforms as they can serve as influencers to other users, and inspire others to use the products being advertised. Money tends to incentivize cheating or taking short-cuts, causing certain users to cheat their followers.
Instagram Stories are on a whole other level. As Senior Josephine Cotto describes, “Instagram stories are made for lower quality posts like happy birthday posts or ‘hey look at where I’m eating’ posts.’” Instagram has got it down: whether you have high-quality photos or lower quality photos/videos you’d like to share, you’ve got a place for both on one social media app.
Although this very complex process to post on Instagram may be fun to some people, it is also extremely easy to get addicted to the illusion of “social media life” instead of reality.
Obtaining more likes as your theme ameliorates or finding that posting more often results in more comments can incentivize the need to be active on Instagram. After all, a nice comment can make your day, and a few more likes on your photo may make you feel like others care about you, but that’s the central issue with Instagram: it’s addicting. The more you post, the more you want to stay online and go through other feeds. While going through Instagram can spark inspiration and serves as a creative outlet, jealousy often a resulting virtue. Going through Kylie Jenner’s Instagram, for example, can make some people envious of her and her material lifestyle. This is mostly because photos posted on Instagram are photos that users want the world to see, which usually includes a nice outfit or a photogenic location that not everyone may have access to. Moreover, this jealousy can even turn into bullying which can lead to pressure, frustration, and even depression. The pressure to put forth your best self always is not healthy, and that’s why there needs to be a limit, a conscious understanding that there is a problem that must cease. Post the photos you want and do what you want, for yourself and not for others.
An Instagram friendly solution to this comes to mind when Senior Scott Macdonald describes fake Instagrams known as “finstas.” These accounts are the way to go enter a “friendly” digital environment with no pressure and no one to impress. The concept behind “finstas” or “private accounts” are simple. They are secondary accounts which users create for only close friends or family members to follow. The photos or videos posted on these accounts are usually based on humor or fun memories, but the posts usually don’t include edited, well thought out photos. As Macdonald explains “it’s teenagers sharing teenager things with those they’re friends with. They’re private, but that allows for people to be a lot more open with what they post.” Although “finstas” are a relief to the main Instagram accounts, they do not omit the obsession of perfecting an Instagram profile to attract a following. So what is there to do? Is there even anything we can do?
BayArea Basics
Hella this, hella that, the Bay Area is the place to be at! Whether you’re getting hyphy to Mac Dre or reppin’ your city, you should already know we’re an area like no other. As the Bay is extremely diverse, natives are constantly surrounded by people with different backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures making the slang come from all different places. Here are some pointers on how to fit into the Bay.
There are a variety of things to do in San Francisco such as experience a ferry ride to Alcatraz or taste some fresh clam chowder at Pier 39. Once you hit the piers, you will feel the vibe! There are a lot of street performers that display their talent, whether it’s through art, dancing, or being a silver robot man. Yes, you read that correctly, a silver robot man. If you love rollercoasters and hanging by the beach at the same time, head over to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk! They’ve got rides such as The Big Dipper, Rock & Roll, and even a walkthrough haunted house filled with vampire and ghouls.
While you’re staying in the Bay Area, you will begin to catch on to the sports team very quickly. Whether you go for the Raiders or the 49ers, you gotta stick with your team and always rep because loyalty runs deep in the bay area.
Having trouble with your electronic devices? No worries, the Bay Area has your back! The Bay Area, also known as Silicon Valley, is home to Google, Facebook, Apple, and Twitter headquarters, making our culture spread through digital platforms. by Sai
Sema
Music Slang Essentials
When it comes to music, we know all the “hyphy slaps.” Here are some must-know songs.
Get Stupid (Remix) - Mac Dre
Tell Me When To Go - E-40
Superhyphy - Keak da Sneak
California Love - 2Pac
Anti - SOB x RBE
Thizzle Dance - Mac Dre
Yay Area - E-40
Big Tymin - Nef The Pharaoh
Never Goin’ Broke - Iamsu!, P-Lo, Kool John, Jay Ant & Skipper
Yadadamean - Ashley All Day
This Beat Hit - Young Curt
California - Colonel Loud ft. TI, Young Dolph & Ricco Barrino
Feelin’ Myself - Mac Dre
Blame Em - Yhung T.O
Paramedic - SOB x RBE
Function - E-40
Out The Bottle - Kamaiyah
Scrapin - K-Loc & Tone Bone ft. Keak Da Sneak & Turf Talk
The Bay Remix - Zion ft. San Quinn, Clyde Carson, Turf Talk & Casual
I’m From Oakland - Young Chop
32 Bars - Mike Sherm
To get by in the Bay Area, one must learn the slang. Aside from ‘Hella” (our most common term), there are definitley more of them to learn. Let’s see if you can keep up with our vibe.
Swoop
To pick someone up “Who tryna swoop me for the party tonight?”
Cop
To purchase.
“I copped me some jordans last night.
Hella
Extremely or very.
“Aye that song is hella lit!”
Slaps
A way to describe a very catchy Hip-Hop song.
“SOB x RBE got some slaps for real.”
On Mommas
Emphasizing that whatever you’re saying is the truth. “Bruh, on mommas though I for real met Stephen Curry.”
Hyphy
To get turnt.
“If you from the Bay, you gotta get hyphy when Mac Dre come on.”
Juiced
To be excited.
“I’m heading to the Warriors game tonight, I’m hella juiced.”
Yadadamean
Short for “you know what I mean.” “I’m not tryna fail my classes, yadadamean?”
Fasho
Abbreviation for “For Sure;” synonym for ‘yes’ or ‘okay.’
“I’ll fasho be at that party tonight, send me the addy.”
Don’t know where to go while staying in the Bay Area? This list contains all the essentials, such as the local foods, transportations, photo destinations, and even sports teams!
Basketball Team
Golden State Warriors
Sports Players
Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Colin Kaepernick
Restaurant
In N Out, The Cheescake Factory
Typical Food
Burger and fries, Clam chowder
Basic Food
Avocado on toast
Transportation CalTrain, BART
Baseball Team
Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants
Football Team
San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders
Photo Destinations
Battery Spencer
(Golden Gate National Recreational Area Conzelman Rd Sausalito, CA 94965), Palace of Fine Arts Theatre (3301 Lyon St, San Francisco, CA 94123)
Social Media Movements
by Agatha Medeiros
In today’s society, more people are speaking up and demanding for their natural rights. Social media has become a tool for people to have their voices heard as more people are getting involved and learning about social movements. Humans have the right to be who they are and to express how they feel and even more so, act upon those feelings, making social media a perfect outlet.
Specifically, social media has become a tool for women to finally have their voices heard. Women are opening up about their struggles with sexual harassment on digital platforms, which has led people to truly understand the struggles that comes along with being a woman. This has led widespread movements to spread, targeting countless years of injustice. The movements have even inspired women’s marches to increasingly get larger as the outrage continuously grows within people who keep hearing stories, who keep logging onto to social media and who keep empathizing with victims. People are realizing there are problems in the world, because those problems are being humanized. Making a change has become trendy.
Hashtags like #metoo bring increased awareness to the numerous cases of sexual harassment, causing universal outrage and unity. The tweet which started #metoo had over 61,000 replies and more than 22,000 retweets, proving the capacity that social media has to induce change.
The Black Lives Matter movement is a campaign against violence and racism towards black people that started on Facebook by Alicia Garza. Garza initiated the movement 2013 with the use of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on Facebook after George Zimmerman was acquitted of murder in the death of Trayvon Martin. She posted a status on Facebook that stated,“essentially a love letter to black people.” Her post went viral as people started to share the #BlackLivesMatter which even led to marches in order to demand change
with how the black community is being treated.
Similar to the #metoo movement, a group of 300 women in Hollywood started the #timesup movement on Twitter as a way to support women in the industry who have experienced harassment, abuse or discrimination. The #timesup movement dominated social media during the Golden Globes, and most celebrities wore black to indicate their support for the movement. The Time’s Up campaign has raised more than $15 million for a legal defense fund for victims.
Additionally, the LGBTQ movement advocates equal rights for lesbians, gay, bisexuals, transsexuals and queers. Before the LGBTQ community started to go on social media and fight for equality, they had little to no equal rights. The #LGBTQ has over 5,698,919 posts on Instagram and on Twitter the LGBTQ community shares news and achievements on their journey for equal rights almost constantly. Social media has had a great impact when it comes to spreading awareness about what the LGBTQ community is truly fighting for.
After the school shooting in Florida in February, survivors organized a group called Never Again MSD, it began on Twitter with the hashtag #NeverAgain. The group demanded legislative action to prevent shootings and the National Rifle Association is giving political contribution to the movement. The Women’s March Network is planning a school walk out on March 14 for the 17 lives lost in the shooting. There have even been debates on large platforms like CNN and numerous speeches made after the hashtag went viral. When social media first got famous, users would post simple things like getting coffee, now social media is being used as a platform to share opinions, demand rights and start movements to change injustice in the world. Social media is a tool, and we should take advantage of it.
DIGITALNATIVES
While having a computer in our pockets is a powerful tool, our dependency, and addiction to smartphones and social media has been shown to result in depression, anxiety, and many other adverse effects on physical and mental health. Many determinants of happiness and wellbeing are primarily out of our control; school or work can be tedious, people can be mean, and sometimes the world seems unfair. However, you do have control over what you do in your free time, and this very well may be the key to leading a happier, healthier life.
According to a national survey of eighth, 10th and 12th graders conducted annually by the University of Michigan, there has been a drop in teen happiness since 2012, the same year that smartphone ownership reached the 50% mark in the United States. The same study also found that adolescents’ psychological well-being decreased proportionally with the hours spent per week on screens, including the internet, social media, video chats, gaming, and texting. Teens who spent more time seeing their friends in person, exercising, playing sports, attending religious services, reading, or even doing homework were happier than those who spent more time on the internet or their phones. In other words, every activity that didn’t involve a screen was linked to more happiness, while every activity that included a screen was related to less happiness.
Overdependence on smartphones and screens often compounds the myriad of already present mental and physical disorders among teens and young adults. The spike in teen ownership of smartphones between 2010 and 2015 also parallels the spike of teen depression in the same period, pointing to the probable conclusion that increased phone usage leads to depression. Though it could be argued that depression leads to increased phone usage, multiple studies conducted by Public Library of Science (PLOS) have found that more time on social media leads to unhappiness while unhappiness doesn’t necessarily lead to more social media usage.
In addition to the apparent toll on mental health, overuse of
smartphones and social media can even be physically harmful. Hunching over your phone for extended periods of time can cause bad posture and back problems or carpal tunnel syndrome in fingers and wrists. The World Health Organization even classifies smartphones as “possible carcinogens” due to the emittance of radiation.
Teenagers and young adults today didn’t have smartphones at their fingertips as young children, but younger children and toddlers now do have easy access to screens, possibly resulting in an amplification of all these adverse effects on mental and physical health. Instead of distracting distressed young children with interactive toys like a coloring book, building blocks or faceto-face interaction, parents often give their children a screen, inadvertently conditioning children to use smartphones and screens as a social crutch. This may be a partial explanation of the addictive tendencies teenagers and young adults now feel towards smartphones, and may indicate an exacerbating problem as accessibility to smartphones and screens becomes more prevalent in early stages of child development.
Early brain development is determined by environmental stimuli or lack thereof. Essentially, young children develop an understanding of the world around them by experience, but with smartphones limiting the social interactions of many children, it is possible that many important milestones in social development come late or are even skipped altogether, later manifesting in higher levels of stress and depression and lower levels of happiness and mental well-being.
Smartphones and social media are now ingrained in our everyday lives, and it is essential that we learn to use our phones in moderation to lead happier, healthier lives. From breaking news to mindless YouTube videos, there exists a world of information in your pocket, but whether you responsibly take advantage of it, or complacently let it take control of you may very well determine the wellbeing of the generation defined as digital natives.
by Reid Diamond
International Week celebrates Menlo-Atherton’s diverse cultures and languages through shared food and festivities. The event, which began two years ago, is hosted by school clubs including the Latinos Unidos of Menlo-Atherton (LUMA), the French Club, the POLY Club, the Dream Club, the Black Student Union Club (BSU), the Mandarin Club, and the Asian Culture Club. From March 19 to March 22, students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in new cultural experiences and gain perspective on the different heritages that shape our campus.
Yaritza Hernandez Godinez, the head of the International Week committee, shares that “The process of planning international week starts by us emailing all the culture clubs that are at M-A. The clubs then send a reply detailing their planned activities and the items they intend to sell. After that, we put in a civic permit so that we have permission to use the green. We then map out where the cultural clubs will be assigned.” She continues by saying that “International week used to be done as international night in what used to be called the J building and since the J building no longer exists, international night became the week long event it is known as today.” Godinez says that highlights of International Week for her have been “the students enjoying all the different cultural food. Another key highlight is seeing the different cultures at M-A get together.”
The Asian Culture Club focuses on integrating, educating, and celebrating the array of Asian cultures at M-A, and it is their third year participating in International Week. Junior Juliana Zolopa,
co-president of the club explains that “although we are uncertain of what we will be doing for activities, some ideas in mind include calligraphy, teaching basic phrases in foreign languages, and painting Russian Nesting dolls.” Zolopa mentioned that the club plans on “sell[ing] boba tea on the Green as well.” Zolopa says that her experience participating in International Week was “very hectic, especially when selling tea. Although selling boba was difficult, it was a fun experience overall.” She and the rest of the club are excited to participate again.
Senior Shane Turner is the president of the French Club. This will be the French Club’s third year participating in the event. Turner states that International Week “tends to be one of the most memorable events of the year for us.”
Similar to past years, the French Club will be handing out baguettes with Nutella on Wednesday. Turner states that no other plans have been created or formalized yet, so for now, that is what the club plans on doing. Turner’s key highlights of International Week is “almost always the food. The fact that there is food everywhere–and I do mean everywhere, everyday–is a joyous and hilarious sight.” He also enjoys the “fact that we have so many different diverse clubs and the fact that so many of these diverse clubs step up their game for international week is the kind of thing that makes M-A really unique, so revel in it. And devour it.”
The LUMA club is run by President Junior Alondra Loza and VicePresident Junior Valery Marin, who describes the club’s aim to be “ about celebrating Latino culture and allowing others who want to learn more about it, [to] experience it as well.” This
will be LUMA’s second year participating in International Week. Last year, LUMA sold traditional Mexican food and had dancers perform traditional dances. Loza plans to make this year equally as festive, and intends to “sell Mexican popsicles and Aguas Frescas, as well as have ‘papel picado’ arts and crafts.” Loza said that she had a very positive experience overall, describing it as, “great! Everyone had a lot of fun, and we all bonded over Spanish music.” Marin added that her favorite moment of International Week is “definitely the day everyone gets to eat food from all the different cultural clubs because it demonstrates the idea of the U.S. as a cultural melting pot.”
Hannah Chew and Patrick Kao are the copresidents of the Mandarin Club, which meets every other Friday in room E-14. Chew explains that the Mandarin Club’s central focus is to “educate our students and community about the Chinese culture and language.” This will be the Mandarin Club’s third year participating in International Week. Chew says the club “plans on selling Chinese food and setting up activities (i.e., chopstick games, art, etc.) during International Week.” When asked about their experience participating in the event in previous years, Kao said that there was a “large market of customers to purchase food.” Chew’s highlight of the event has been “interacting with the student body and getting to work with the various other culture clubs at M-A.”
With M-A’s diverse population, International Week gives a chance to the cultural clubs to display their pride for their culture. Selling food and activities brings the school to the green to enjoy themselves and bond with others.
by Sarah Friedman
Charming yet incredibly elusive
Warm yet skittish individual
Has an infectious sense of humor
Full of posh and charm
You are: OKAPI
Life of the party, Nuff’ said.
Bit inflexible, but you grow on people FLYCATCHER
Quite easy going, but has a mischievous side
Level headed, good under stress and reliable
You are: Slow LORIS
You are: Hooded SEAL
You
You are: BABIRUSA
You are: Bush DOG
You are: Clouded LEOPARD
You are: Saiga ANTELOPE Down to earth, looks out for others
Would you describe yourself as “High Maintenance”?
Do you prefer to have a few close friends or a wide-ranging social life? Start a few close friends an expansive social life
Illustrations by Tera
by
Aditya Srinath
First-Generation Students
For any high school student, a college application may feel daunting, tiresome, and stressful. For a firstgeneration college student, the pressures intensify.
A first-generation college student is a student whose parents did not obtain a college degree, and firstgeneration students are left with little outside help from family in the application process. Students may feel nervous with limited resources for application fees, experience in the working field, or knowledge of how to fill out forms. If their high school does not offer an official center where individuals can ask for guidance, students may feel alone when facing this process. Also, because they will be the first in their family to accept change and choose to continue their education, there is a change in identity between student and family. Families may also not be able to support their child if they go to college as opposed to staying at home and working.
The constant expectation to attend a four-year college, pay tuition, housing, textbooks, graduate with a degree, and immediately find a job is daunting, especially for students who are the first to forge this pathway in their family. The stress can lead many students to drop out before graduating, or not apply to college at all.
Senior Fernanda Moreno Rubio will be the first in her family to attend a four-year college next fall. During the application process, she struggled with figuring out how to correctly send in applications and “Not having the help I might need, or whenever I had questions, I couldn’t ask my parents.” Rubio applied to 14 colleges this year, and is now focusing on scholarship applications, which she described as “college applications and financial aid applications combined.” For her, that is a more time-consuming commitment. Rubio’s advice for juniors who will be in her position next year is to
“Seek help from anyone you know who has gone through this process. It might be hard, especially since you’re firstgeneration, so don’t be afraid to ask for that help.”
While many students identity as first-generation students, teachers at M-A have similar stories. Social Studies and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) teacher Mallory Byrne was a first-generation student who attended Sonoma State University (SSU). “It was pretty difficult for me to adjust living away from home and to be away from all of the friends that I had in high school. No one that I knew from high school went to Sonoma State, and I felt like I didn’t connect with my roommates,” Byrne said. She moved out after her senior year to live in a dorm at SSU. To help alleviate her tuition and textbook costs, Byrne became a Resident Assistant, which helped her “feel more connected to SSU.” Byrne wishes that she “was brave enough in high school and
college to ask for help when [she] knew [she] needed it.” M-A College and Career Advisor Mai Lien Nguyen helps students through the different challenges they may face. Nguyen understands that “Most of those challenges are because [students] don’t have easy access to the information, resources, expectations, and assistance at home and in their environment to help them pave a pathway to higher education.” Her advice for students is “Many people at M-A would love to help you, and yes you have to work twice as hard and be twice as determined to get what you want, but this is a time to be brave.” M-A provides resources that may be otherwise inaccessible, allowing first-generation students to fulfill their goals and achieve their postsecondary education. Firstgeneration students should not have to feel discouraged about the application process. by Izzy Villa
WINTER ATHLETES
MIRA TAN
Mira Tan got into ice skating when she was just 5 years old, but really started to put more focus into the sport when she turned 8. Although she does not have the Olympic aspirations she once had, she still practices almost every day and continues to compete at Ice Oasis rink in Redwood City. Tan wants winter sports, especially ice skating, to get more recognition especially in America than what it currently gets.
Tan states, “Winter sports don’t get the recognition at M-A or in the world that they deserve because we have swimming stars like Michael Phelps and gymnastics stars like Simone Biles, but ice skating stars you don’t really hear about.”
Olympics are going on.
“It would be cool to have ice skaters become more recognized. At least our own skaters. The general population probably only pays attention to winter sports when the winter olympics come around.”
Tan is proud about how she has progressed in her figure skating career. She competes in a few tournaments, but her favorite accomplishment was when she was able to land three different double jumps in just a year.
“I really enjoyed the Olympics in Korea. This is definitely a time when winter sports are far more recognized because nobody really talks about ice skating outside of the Olympics even though it is definitely one of the more popular winter sports.”
At Menlo-Atherton, we always seem to focus on football or basketball, but what about students that succeed in sports that are not even offered at M-A? With the Winter Olympics behind us, let’s highlight the athletes who do not receive the recognition they deserve at school for their efforts in winter sports.
by Jonathan Dicks
“WINTER SPORTS DON’T GET THE RECOGNITION AT M-A OR IN OUR WORLD THAT THEY DESERVE.”
She wants Olympians to at the very least be known in their hometowns by the majority of people, but unfortunately this is not the case. Tan doesn’t understand why skaters such as Karen Chen who is from Fremont, and even Vincent Zhou who is from Palo Alto, hardly get any credit for their hard work even in their hometowns. Ice skating just doesn’t seem to be mentioned at all in the national media or even in the local media for that matter unless the
Accessibility is a big thing that Tan believes the United States can help provide in order to give a boost to their medal count in the Winter Olympics. Although, the United States has a lot of people who do have access to ski resorts or figure skating rinks, a lot of kids never even have the opportunity as the nearest rink could be hundreds of miles away. Ice skating and other winter sports are seen as some of the most expensive sports as well which is a difficult factor for those that simply can’t afford them.
Tan even used to skate with Olympian, Vincent Zhou, and is proud to see the “local boy” who she knows goes to the biggest competition in the world for ice skating. Knowing a Olympic-athlete is highly unusual in most other sports compared to those featured in the Winter Olympics because of the fewer areas to
practice for these sports.
In the end, people don’t realize how much effort, patience and dedication it takes to become great at a winter sport. Tan states, “It is physically taxing especially when you start doing more jumps and spins.”
Tan and her friends continuously host fundraisers at her ice rink and she hopes that people can continue to donate winter clothes and winter sports gear to help bring more people into these sports. Hopefully, these Olympics have provided some inspiration for those who possess the dream to follow in Tan’s lead, but in others to realize the importance for recognizing these athletes not only in our community, but in our country as well. The media especially, needs to play their part.
KATE DOBSON
Freshman Kate Dobson has been ice skating since she was nine and competes for San Francisco’s ice theater team. She went to the World Championships in Michigan and placed in the top three with this team. Dobson is also hoping to qualify for next year’s World Championships in France. Although there isn’t a club team available at M-A, she would love for M-A to consider her sport for P.E. credit as well as appreciate the time she puts into this competitive sport.
“I would love to have a club and I would especially love to be able to use it to get out of P.E. because even though a lot of people ice skate, we still have to take PE next year.”
This demonstrates one of the many difficulties athletes who play winter sports face at M-A. Although we have a lot of students that compete in a winter sport, they are still forced to take a physical education (PE) class.
Dobson agrees as she states, “I think that winter sports do deserve more recognition. But at the same time, it is hard because of the lack of snow here. Most of us usually have to travel a lot. I think a lot of people forget that the [win-
NICK
BURG
Freshman Nick Burg has been skiing for most of his life and competes in skiing competitions for his team at Squaw Valley. Burg is one of the most dedicated skiers at M-A as he goes up to Lake Tahoe every weekend.
Burg stated, “I think that there are few kids that go up every weekend...I only know two other people that do what I do so there aren’t a lot of us.”
Burg could have left the Bay Area and gone to live full-time in Lake Tahoe, but he didn’t want to leave his friends and found it unthinkable to have his parents quit their jobs for him. Burg continues to compete at a high-level for one reason. His love for speed.
“I love going fast. My favorite type of skiing is GS (Giant Salom) skiing which is a type of racing where the gates are spread out and you get to go even faster.”
Although having any sort of skiing, or any winter sport team at M-A would be nearly impossible, Burg does believe that there is a reason for the lack of recognition of winter sports in this
ter sports] even exist except for when the olympics happen. It takes another four years before people think about it again.”
Although other sports are put forth first in this area there still seems to be a very tight-knit ice skating community, especially here in the Bay Area. Dobson is proud of this, “A ton of people from Ice Oasis [ice rink] went to watch trials in San Jose a few weeks ago together. Everybody in the ice skating community loves watching the Olympics because we all follow it really closely. We definitely all support each other in the figure skating community.”
Dobson hopes to continue ice skating for years to come and wants to
continue to compete in high-level events individually and her with ice theater team in San Francisco. She hopes that over the next several years, progress can be made to provide more people the access to play winter sports.
“I think winter sports are doing well. I think accessibility is the main issue. There are only 4 ice rinks somewhat close to us. If you live far away from one, then it is really hard time to practice. The same with skiing and snowboarding, but we need to try and make rinks and areas cheaper where people can practice in order to grow these sports.”
“I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FORGET THAT [WINTER SPORTS] EVEN EXIST EXCEPT FOR WHEN THE OLYMPICS HAPPEN.”
area and in the country in general.
“With a summer sport you can practice it everywhere, but most winter sports make you travel for hours. It is really difficult to do so it’s not for everybody.”
He also agrees that winter sports only get attention when the Olympics roll around and he doesn’t seem to have much of a problem with it as he states, “When people think of the name Olympics, it resonates with them that it is a really important and big thing. That is basically the only time skiing is paid attention to.”
He believes that although it is always good to expand winter sports and skiing in particular, it is nearly possible in a place such as the Bay Area, where basketball, baseball and football are put forth first over winter sports because of the deciding weather here.
With the Olympics behind us, winter sports are still in a very popular phase. Let’s just hope that they don’t disappear for the next four years.
“MOST WINTER SPORTS MAKE YOU TRAVEL FOR HOURS. IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO DO SO IT’S NOT FOR EVERYBODY. ”
RICHNESS CONTRAST
Asia is a region rich in contrasts. Through millennia of migration and colonialism, the culture of Asia influenced much of the world’s food, culture, politics, and economics. I traveled to Asia over the winter break to explore several Asian countries, tracing the steps of my great-grandmother and my parents, who each lived in Asia in the 1930s and 1990s respectively.
I began my trip in Shanghai, China, a city that is both inspiring and exhausting in its humongous scale. The city has felt the influence of many groups and ideas as it transformed from an ancient dynastic society to a colonial territory and now to a modern global powerhouse. The scale of this development is truly mindbending. My father shared tales of the completely different Shanghai he experienced in the late 1990s. In the city he described, residents traveled exclusively via bicycle and the Pudong district was empty marshland. Going back to the 1930s, when my great-grandmother lived there, and you’d find a city bustling with rickshaws, divided into concessions ruled by British, French, and American colonists, each bringing its particular culture and architecture. Today, Shanghai bustles with cars and the Pudong district is jammed with skyscrapers, a new one seeming to go up daily.
One would think that with this rampant development and globalization, China’s past would be forgotten. This is not the case. I saw many examples of how citizens fused the city’s past traditions into its modernity. In
a contemporary park, old men stood practicing the ancient art of calligraphy painting sidewalks with brush and water. Nearby, sitting next to a KFC, vendors sold the famous Shanghainese xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). Instead of forgetting traditions or ignoring new developments, these examples highlight how people in China have managed to instead infuse the past into their present daily lives. They combine cultures and adapt to modernization, while not forgetting what once was.
In Malaysia, cultural contrast is also evident with modern buildings climbing out of the flora and fauna. Malaysia is a young country, having established independence from Britain in 1957. Malaysia’s multiculturalism stems from its population of three major ethnic groups. The population is divided between Muslim Malay, Chinese (primarily Han), and Indian (primarily Tamil). This mix of cultures is most conspicuous when walking down the street: in one block, you pass people from diverse backgrounds, speaking different languages, in various garb ranging from hijabs to western style suits. Mamak stalls line the streets, serving multicultural delicacies that evince the rich variation present in the society. There, one can taste the diversity of Malaysian culture in a single bite of roti canai -- a buttery, layered, flatbread with its roots in Chennai, India. It comes with a scrumptious coconut chicken curry -- a blend of Nonya (ChineseMalay), Thai, Indonesian, and African spices that found their way to Malaysian kitchens via the ancient spice trade between
Europe, North Africa, and Asia.
My final stop, Singapore, shares many of Malaysia’s contrasts, the two having once been a united state. Singapore’s constantly-evolving skyline evokes memories of China. Yet, with its extremely clean streets and Bay Area prices, Singapore felt different—far more like a Western city than the others. Despite this modernness, Singaporeans have not forgotten their pasts. The cultural heterogeneity of the city still thrives, with vibrant neighborhoods such as Little India and Arab Street. The aisles of vendors in one of Little India’s hawker centres teem with chaos as people mill about, conversing and bargaining away their Singapore dollars. Walk a few blocks, and one is transported to Arab Street, with its grand mosque and smooth-talking silk vendors, a completely different Singapore. These lively quarters of culture offset the sleek and futuristic skyscrapers and manicured gardens, allowing Singaporeans to practice their own traditions while living with modern comforts.
Asia is home to many different groups, and thousands of years of culture and tradition lie tucked away in its mouthwatering dishes, its meticulouslypainted artworks, and its bustling street-corners. Modernization often poses a threat to this richness of diversity, its farreaching arms sometimes causing forgetfulness. However, my time spent in Asia left me optimistic -- I was inspired to see people embracing the contrasts, honouring the past while keeping their eyes on the future.
by Nate Viotti
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