VOLUME 8, ISSUE 5
CCover Art By: Ivan Luo, Sebastian Hernandez
APR 2022
FIRST GLANCE 2 P.4: WORLD
P.5: FEATURED
The Pinetree Post
STAFF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jennifer Shui
Ramadan
ARTICLE EDITOR Jennifer Shui
P.8: SPECIAL
Cherry Blossoms How to ace your exams!
P. 12: COMIC/ART
CONTRIBUTORS Kaylin Brereton-Stiles Jenny Hui Hyemin Kim Eunchae Lee Kaleigh Morrow Navid Mohammad Sarwar Mattias Wong GRAPHIC DESIGN Kevin Fan COVER ART Sebastian Hernandez-Lopez Ivan Luo SPECIAL THANKS TO The Pinetree Administration, Ms. Rioux
Goodbye High School
Artist Showcase Comic
GET INVOLVED IN THE PT POST! Although we at the Pinetree Post try our best to represent the voice of the everyone at Pinetree, we are only a small group of students. To find the most pressing topics and interesting avenues to explore, we rely on input from readers to curate relevant content only. Anyone is welcome to suggest a topic or provide an opinion for Pinetree Post writers and
contributors to look into further. Do you have something to say that needs your voice? The Pinetree Post also welcomes guest content, any time, of any kind. Feel free to submit an article on a topic you are passionate for, a comic you think everyone deserves to see, maybe even a letter to the editor! You can submit your original content to us at thepinetreepost@gmail.com.
Have a question or a request? Contact us at: thepinetreepost@gmail.com
3
FIRST GLANCE
EDITOR’S NOTE
Never Gonna Tell a Lie And hurt you :D Jennifer Shui Editor-in-Chief
Hey Pinetree! It is now April and we are still alive and kicking. Well, maybe just “alive”. It’s been a far rainier month than most of us are used to, and I know for a fact that it’s been affecting my mood. (To be honest, I think it’s also been affecting Mr. Jack’s mental health with all the tennis matches he’s had to reschedule. You got this, Mr. Jack!) As always, we hope our readers are doing wonderful this time of year. It’s hard to believe that yet another school year is almost coming to an end—but I’ll save those sappy reflections for a later issue (hint, hint). Spring, as they say, is a time of great change—and pretty views. A few weeks ago, before the torrential downpours started, we had a brief glimpse of Vancouver’s beautiful cherry blossoms. (Cherry Blossom Season, p.5) is a short and sweet guide to the significance of cherry blossoms and where you can typically find them in our community. Don’t skip over the great photos in the article! This month was a special one for some who practice religion; specifically, Islam. (Ramadan, p.4) speaks to the history, practice, and significance of this important religious practice. Seniors, we’re almost there! I’m sure everyone is relieved that Capstone interviews are done, but don’t worry - we’re happy to present some much less stressful interviews by our expert, Kaleigh Morrow. Check out (Grade 12 Interviews, p.8), which includes insightful reflections on the past four years and plans for the future, both for the rest of the school year and
beyond. Speaking of talented seniors, I was very glad when Jenny Hui stepped up to write (How to ace your exams!, p.6). I personally read it five times in hopes that I would be able to somehow absorb her brilliance through my computer screen. This month’s (Comic, p.13) by Sebastian Hernandez is as creative as ever, and features a cute Easter story this time around. In addition, please take a look at (Artist Showcase, p.12), featuring Amy Lee. Thank you for reading this issue of the Pinetree Post, brought to you by our hardworking team. Remember to spread the word so that more people in our community can feel connected through the stories and experiences we talk about! Email us (thepinetreepost@gmail.com) if you have a topic you’d like us to address next month or if you’re interested in writing a guest article yourself ! If you missed our previous issues, read them at https://issuu. com/thepinetreepost. Jennifer Shui Editor-in-Chief
WORLD 4 Ramadan Informative Article History, Practice, and Significance Navid M. Writer
Do you have that one friend who just doesn’t seem to eat anything during that one time of year? As you grow up, you might even build an admiration for your friend for not eating and drinking during those times. You’ve heard it has something to do with their religion, but you were never able to figure out what their actions signified, and what they truly were for. It all felt abnormal to you, but after all these years, a renewed spark for interest in this activity fuels a desire to ask your friend about it: Ramadan is the answer.
All healthy Muslims are expected to participate, and unhealthy Muslims are expected to do other things in honor of Ramadan (which will be touched on later). The day begins with waking up before the crack of dawn and beginning the day with a prefast. A typical prefast consists of, but is not limited to; foods that have a plethora of vitamins, minerals and fiber. After that, it is proper religious practice to pray five times a day (morning, afternoon, evening, post-breaking of fast and night), whether it is Ramadan or not. Muslims go through the day without eating, drinking, engaging in sexual activity, and putting on bad behavior. Then it is time for iftar, the breaking of the fast. My favorite part! It starts out with eating something light to get the stomach-churning once again and followed by the post-breaking of fast prayer. Once that is completed, you can eat until you disturb your stomach lining!
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Iftar being prepared at a Lebanese university. Afghans preparing to break their fasts at the end of the day.
Source: Unknown
History: Ramadan, at its root, means “scorching heat.” It does not have a defined date each year; instead, the official starting and ending dates of Ramadan go back 11 days each year because the Islamic Calendar is lunar. Muslims (followers of the Islamic faith) believe that Prophet Muhammad received the Quran from an angel named Gabriel in A.D. 610. Since then, Muslims have been practicing Ramadan for hundreds of years to honor the month that the Quran was given to us. Ramadan is celebrated for an entire month. The Practice:
Source: Unknown
Other Significance of Ramadan: Despite being all about the honor of Prophet Muhammad in receiving the Quran, in modern times, we have added an additional narrative to Ramadan. We have come to realize that there are people that are less fortunate than us and we undergo Ramadan to also understand what they go through every day. Acute hunger is not what the less fortunate want, and it is our responsibility to temporarily remove that burden. So, we donate. WE donate. We don’t donate to charities, or fundraisers (we sometimes do here in the West), we hand the money directly to the ones in need. It isn’t hard to find them in the Middle East; unfortunately, they are everywhere you go. As mentioned before, if you are unfit to participate in Ramadan, then you are expected to do something else. This is the place where
5 FEATURED you can make it up, alongside other participating Muslims. So, there you have it. Now you know the basic principles of Ramadan, from its past, purpose and its practice. Now you know what your friend is doing during those times, and maybe, just maybe you might be able to join them for a day. Eid Mubarak, Navid M. Disclaimer: For the article’s sake, I’ve excluded a few things about Ramadan due to its many intricate rules and ambiguities. This is not a complete information source.
Cherry Blossom Season Make the most out of it before it’s too late! Hyemin Kim, Eunchae Lee, Mattias Wong Writers
Cherry blossoms at Lafarge!
Source: Eunchae Lee
Due to Covid-19, we were not able to enjoy the cherry blossoms fully as COVID restrictions for the past two years have limited any large cherry blossom festivals. Nowadays, as restrictions are being lifted, we now have a chance to fully appreciate the cherry blossoms with family and friends. As the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers. Spring has come, bearing new life. You may spot beautiful cherry blossom trees blooming from across the street, in the park and perhaps even in your backyard. Blossoms can be spotted near our own school at Lafarge Lake, providing you and your friends the opportunity to take a stroll at lunch and relish the sight of delicate pink petals washed in golden sunshine. Many people also often plant cherry blossom trees in their gardens which eventually grow into large, branching trees that can be enjoyed by everybody. If for any reason you find yourself trapped inside, you can also find many cherry blossom photos online or on social media. Try a Google or Instagram search to find the best places for cherry blossom photos! Maybe you can take some beautiful pictures of your own. For our graduating class, fear not for universities are also blooming spectacularly. Try visiting the University of British Columbia (UBC) or Simon Fraser University (SFU), and touring the campus with your loved ones. It will definitely make for a beautiful memory you won’t forget. You might have noticed that cherry blossoms come in different sizes and colors. White blossoms, which look like popcorn, can be found at parks such as Queen Elizabeth Park and Stanley Park. Other kinds of cherry blossoms include the Autumnalis, which blooms in January and tricks people into thinking Spring has sprung early, and the Whitcomb, which blooms its vivid pink petals on the West side of Vancouver. But like our romantic partners, we shouldn’t just appreciate these magnificent flowers for their outer beauty. In Japan, they represent a renewal of our souls and the fleeting nature of life as cherry blossoms bloom at the end of the harsh winter but begin wilting after about two weeks. When you walk past a cherry blossom tree, perhaps let it remind you to squash a long running beef or set a new goal for self-improvement. With the pressure of final exams looming ever so close, it can be easy to lose sight of who you are and where you want to go. Take a walk to clear your mind, mother nature and her blushing cherry blossoms may help you get back on track.
FEATURED 6
How to ace your exams! Effective ways to study Jenny Hui Writer
Peekaboo!
If you are reading this, you probably have finished your midterm exams. Whether you have done well (give yourself a pat on the back!) or not, it is always beneficial to learn some study tips since we are all lifelong learners. Plus, final exams are peeking their heads from the future. We all have endless tasks due today, yesterday, or by the end of this month. We have pulled all-nighters or skipped meals to finish the assignment we started only seconds before the “dead” line. We all have been through agonizing stress during finals week. A wonderful life without deadlines is what we all dream about. The million-dollar secret to destroying stressful
Source: Somepets.com
deadlines is to create a starting line - start the tasks as soon as they are assigned. It seems counterintuitive because we still have to spend the same amount of time on tasks. However, this small change in your mindset followed by actions will reduce your stress like magic. Stop piling up tasks and assignments before the deadline. Start now. Start reviewing for the upcoming test. Start previewing concepts in the next unit. Start working on the task you have been putting off for a while. Then, you will feel the sweetness of relief and freedom.
“Start today. Start this week. Start at the beginning of the month. Start now, it will change your life.” -Jenny Hui
7 FEATURED Have you ever forgotten to understand the text after reading it for a while? Do you ever find your eyes losing focus when reviewing notes? Have you ever read the entire note package multiple times but still cannot recall the concept during exams? You are not alone. Understanding from reading text is passive learning, even if you use highlighters. Reading is not at all useless, but there are more effective ways of learning.
“Active recall, the process of retrieving information from memory, stimulates neural pathways to increase longterm memory.” -Jenny Hui Active recall strengthens the ability to retain information and improves connections in the brain between different concepts. In many research experiments, the active recall group significantly outperformed the other groups. Studies also show that testing yourself just once is more effective than re-reading a chapter four times, given that you have at least some understanding of the topic. Examples of active recall include doing homework questions, “closed book” studying, using flashcards, and getting a blank piece of paper and writing everything you remember about the topic. You can also try making personal connections or connecting the concept with ideas in other units - maybe even completely opposite subject areas. Another way to practice active recall that I find quite entertaining is teaching the concept to someone or something (e.g., your pet, your water bottle, a pen, or just wind) by putting it in simpler language. As the saying goes, if you want to master something, teach it.
“The best way to cheat is to do the practice test.” -Jenny Hui (please don’t actually cheat) I am strongly against cheating, but I am merely trying to say that doing the practice test is immensely beneficial. Do not do the practice tests and toss them aside after you finish. While doing the practice tests, familiarize yourself with the difficulty, length, structure, and question types on the exam. After doing the practice test, focus on studying the topics you are unsure about, figure out why you are making certain mistakes, and
ask for help and clarification if needed. Many teachers only make minor adjustments in questions on the actual exam. I have even seen the same questions from practice tests. So in many cases, as long as you are confident when doing the practice test and have a thorough understanding of your mistakes, you will do amazing on the actual exam! Remember to pay attention to minor details emphasized by your teachers. In addition, don’t forget to read the questions carefully, show detailed and legible work, and use proper methods. In short, doing practice tests helps you find your weak spots, strengthens your memory, and familiarizes you with exam structures. It is also an example of active recall. Therefore, practice tests are at the top of my list of effective study methods. A quick search on the Internet will provide a nonexhausting list of study tips or exam preparations, but the three tried-and-true yet not-so-common habits above (start early, active recall, and practice tests) take some thought to appreciate and dedication to build in order to give you the power to ace exams. Of course, there are more intuitive and easier tips that work well like getting quality sleep, eating healthy, staying active, paying attention in class, taking notes and so on. However, if you want to step up your game towards long-term success, try the three things mentioned above. Lastly, always know that exam scores do not define who you are. They are simply assessments that show your understanding of a specific topic at that specific moment. If you have done your best to prepare, know that the score is only a portion of what exams are about! The process of learning itself is as meaningful as doing well on exams. Have fun studying and best of luck to you!
SPECIAL 8 Goodbye High School! Grade 12 Interviews Kaleigh Morrow Writer, Interviewer
There are officially only two more months in the school year. While it may have been slow for Grade 9’s, it was definitely fast for Grade 12’s. Normally Pinetree has a lot of events for seniors – Senior Sail, Winter Formal, Grad Dinner & Dance, Aftergrad, and Commencement but a lot has changed due to COVID-19. This year, Winter Formal (and its rescheduling attempt, Spring Fling) got cancelled. However, the Dinner Dance and Aftergrad are both happening, and Commencement is being held downtown at the Orpheum this year, after it was cancelled in 2020 and held in Pinetree’s parking lot in 2021. School admin is currently trying to hold a “trimmed-down” Senior Sail (on a boat in Vancouver harbour), so fingers are crossed that it will go on. Next year, graduating students will move on to something new. It may be university, a gap year, a trades program and apprenticeship, work, culinary school, fine arts or film school, or something else altogether. In this article, interviewees mention Simon Fraser University (SFU), a public research university in Burnaby, British Columbia; University of British Columbia (UBC), a public research university in Vancouver, British Columbia; California Institute of Arts (CalArts), a private art university teaching visual and performing arts in Santa Clarita, California; Royal College of Art (RCA), a postgraduate art and design school in London, United Kingdom. The Pinetree Post interviewed graduating students to find out about their year, and hear post-secondary plans.
Kendon Young (Grade 12) PTP: It is the last semester of high school, how are you feeling? K: It feels weird. In my family, I have always been the youngest by kind of a wide gap. So, I have always been used to [there being] someone at least a little bit older than me. So being a Grade 12, there is no one younger than me, and I am now one of the oldest people in the school. It is weird. I am happy to move on. I do not want to live in high school, but it is weird. It is a strange feeling. PTP: Did the last four years go by quickly? K: Yeah, especially with COVID-19 and Grade 10. For us, second semester in Grade 10 moving online. It just went, “Woosh.” Even in the quarter system in Grade 11, in Quarter 2 I did a class online. So in Grade 10 and 11, I had all these different chunks of time that I spent at home, doing school online. Especially the middle two years, they just flew by. PTP: How do you feel about Winter Formal and Spring Fling being cancelled? K: A little disappointed. Winter Formal and Spring Fling – they are kind of like dances. It would have been fun to see who would ask out who – all the juicy bits. I am not super upset about it. I did not even know when they were. PTP: Are you planning to go to Senior Sail? K: Yes, if it is up and running I will go. Mostly because everyone I know will be going. It feels like the Senior Sail should have always been in May when it is warmer, because the last years have been in October and it is really cold. PTP: Are you looking forward to Commencement? K: Yes, Commencement is actually the thing I am the most excited about, amongst the things not being cancelled. I went to my brother’s commencement in 2019. Going to the Orpheum, just being there, even if they are not playing music it is so [beautiful] – I love the Orpheum. I have been there only two or three times,
9 SPECIAL but it is so cool. I love that building so much. Also, caps and gowns are something to look forward to at the end of the year. Kind of “going out with a bang” or “going out on a good note.” “We are going to do some cool stuff when the year ends” instead of “just go home, you are done.” PTP: Is your whole family going to go see you? K: Yes, my close family. So, my mom, dad, sister, and brother. PTP: Are you going to the Dinner Dance and Aftergrad? K: I really want to do the Aftergrad. It sounds really fun. The Dinner Dance? It sounds alright, but the Aftergrad? That sounds really fun. I would like to go to both. They both sound really fun. PTP: Have you prepared formalwear for any events yet? K: No, I am pretty sure that I have to get a tuxedo and suits fitted this weekend. The thing with tuxedos is that they are expensive. So it is nice to be able to rent a tuxedo, use it for the commencement, and then give it back – save some money. I might buy a blazer for the Senior Sail, but otherwise I have not prepared anything. PTP: What are you doing for the rest of the school year? K: Honestly I am just cruising. In Grade 11 when we were picking courses, I picked the easiest, least academic, courses I could. I did that on purpose. I think my grades are looking fine right now, so I am looking to coast through and do some fun events. Have a nice calm exit out of high school. PTP: What are you doing in the summer? K: During the summer I have to work. I still do not have a job. I have never had a job, but I want to go to SFU Burnaby. I commuted a few weeks ago and it is so beautiful. It is such a nice campus. I want to go so bad, but the tuition is expensive and I do not have a college fund. So, I am going to take a gap year. I might even have to extend it by another half year or year, just to get money. After school, probably in May or June, I am going to start applying around. Doing things to try to get a job, so that I can get some money. PTP: Are you planning to work full time? K: I am going to get one full time job. Honestly, I do not think I need that much money that quickly, so I probably will not take any secondary jobs. It is a passion of mine, a goal for the future, that I want to be
an author. So, during the gap year I am going to work full time, and then with the spaces in between I will try to write a manuscript. I would like to do that, even though it is really hard.
Denise Chung (unpictured Grade 12) PTP: How are you feeling about the last semester? D: I feel like everything went by so fast. I am lucky to be one of the first years to experience graduation events during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am enjoying my last semester and I am hoping that everyone in Pinetree Secondary will enjoy their last semester as well. Spend some time with friends. PTP: Are you sad that Winter Formal got cancelled? D: Yeah, because I was planning with my friends to have a Winter Formal party after Winter Formal. We still got to have the party, but we wished that we had Winter Formal as well. PTP: Are you going to Senior Sail? D: I do not think I am, because I do not think that it is really worth it for three hours. PTP: Are you looking forward to Commencement? D: Yes, because I am part of the choir. Choir is going to perform at Commencement. Also I am really excited to be graduating. PTP: Have you prepared for Commencement? D: Yes, I started around October. I am really excited to wear my dress at the Dinner Dance. PTP: You are going to the Dinner Dance? D: Yes I am. Even though it is $175. I wish it was a little bit cheaper, but it is okay. PTP: Are you going to Aftergrad too? D: I am still thinking. It is in Pinetree Community Centre, so I am still thinking. PTP: What are you doing up until the end of the school year? D: I think that I will start finding part time jobs for the summer. PTP: Do you have plans for the summer? D: I do not think that I will be travelling outside, but I will maybe go on a short road trip. Find a part time job. Probably attend some local workshops to prepare myself for university. PTP: You are going to do a music program in university right?
SPECIAL 10 D: Yes, at UBC. Major in opera. PTP: Are you looking forward to university? D: Yes, actually I am very nervous about university life. First of all, I am going to live in a dorm. It is going to be a new environment for me. I am very excited to meet my future roommate, but also very nervous that I might not be able to adapt to university life. Also, the opera major is very different from other subjects, so I think it will be challenging but also fun. PTP: Do you think you are prepared for postgraduation? D: Honestly, I do not think that I am prepared enough. Mentally I think I need to prepare myself to be more independent. Physically I am good. PTP: Do you have any plans for after undergraduate? D: I am planning to continue studying for a master’s degree, but I might take a gap year in between to earn some working experience or just to take a gap from studying.
QQ Yi (Grade 12) PTP: How are you feeling about graduating, saying goodbye to high school? Q: It is the greatest moment in my life. “I do not know what to say anymore.” That is my actual feeling. PTP: Senior Sail just got rebooked, are you planning to go? Q: Yes! Senior Sail is the best! PTP: How are you feeling about Commencement? Q: Great, both of my parents are going to come! PTP: How do you feel about Dinner Dance? Q: It is overpriced I think. The buffet is really expensive.
PTP: Are you going to Aftergrad? Q: Yes, I am going to go. PTP: Have you prepared formalwear yet? Q: Yes, I got three different dresses. To the Dinner Dance, probably a red Notes du Nord dress with flowers and vibrant colours. Very vibrant scarlet red. PTP: What are you planning to do for the rest of the school year? Q: Trying not to fail Career Life Connections. I think that it is an easy class to fail. PTP: What are your plans for the summer? Q: Moving to California. We are paying the deposit for the dormitory apartment, and I have a roommate. So, I need to get along with her as soon as possible. The goal is to get there by early August. PTP: What school are you going to? Q: California Institute of the Arts. PTP: How are you feeling about it? Q: I am experiencing my “teenage hours.” So it is a hard time for me to think about the future. I also have to think “Am I going to do art for life?” A lot of big choices are being made. So, I think that I am pretty terrified, but also excited for the future. A lot of stress too. PTP: How is it going to be different from high school? Q: Definitely new challenges because I am going to live on my own. I need to sort things out on my own too, but I think that I am going to become independent sooner or later. PTP: How are you going to prepare yourself for the new school year? Q: I honestly do not know. Art is intangible and hard to describe. PTP: Do you think that high school prepared you for university? Q: No, our Art Department collapsed. We do not have any teachers whose profession is art. That is my opinion, my personal bias. PTP: How did you decide that art school was what you wanted to do? Q: I think it was my gut instinct that art is something really important for me. It really defines who I am as a person. So, I really want to pursue art as something for life. PTP: Who would you recommend art school to? Q: Anyone. Everyone has hidden talents that they do
11 SPECIAL not even recognize until they paint, or they touch the colours or textures. They are good. I think that most people are pretty talented. Or they have high aesthetics. PTP: What are you going to do after university? Q: I am planning to have my Master’s of Fine Arts somewhere, probably in Europe. Maybe at RCA. Since I am doing fine arts, I want to be a full time artist, or probably an art teacher and part-time having a studio set up as well.
Elaine Nie (Grade 12) PTP: How are you feeling about your last semester of highschool? E: Normal. I do not have too many feelings. Confused. There is not much to feel. It is kind of different, but at the same time it is not that different. PTP: Do you feel like the last four years went by quickly? E: Yeah. At first I was like, “Oh, it is so slow, I want to graduate,” but now I am like, “I do not want to graduate.” I have more problems to deal with now. PTP: Winter Formal and Spring Fling got cancelled. How do you feel about that? E: I am okay about it. Actually, I was the one who planned the Winter Formal. So all my efforts have gone to waste. It is okay though, because I did not really want to go, but I think a lot of people are sad about it. It would have been nice. PTP: Are you planning to go to Senior Sail? E: I am probably not going to go. There is no food, and I go for the food a lot, so I will probably have to pass. If there had been food, it would have been better than no food.
PTP: Who in your family is going to Commencement? E: My mom, dad, and sister. PTP: Are you prepared for Commencement? E: No, other than the graduating robe I have not prepared [what to wear] yet. I think it basically covers the whole body, so [I am not worried.] PTP: Are you going to Dinner Dance or Aftergrad? E: I might go to the aftergrad. PTP: Do you think Dinner Dance and Aftergrad are good graduation events? E: I feel like they are good events for people that like going out and being social. I just like games, so I am going to aftergrad. PTP: It is nearing the end of the school year. How will it look for you? E: It is pretty nice actually, because I have an easy semester. So I probably will not have too much homework. PTP: What are you doing in the summer? E: Just the normal. Work. PTP: What are you doing for post-graduation? E: Going to university for engineering. I am not sure what school yet. PTP: Do you think you are prepared for postgraduation? E: Emotionally? Sure, maybe. Physically? Maybe not. It seems complicated. PTP: Do you think that you will miss high school? E: No, I do not think that I will miss high school, but I am not necessarily looking forward to more school either… PTP: After university what will you do? E: Get a job and live life.
ARTIST SHOWCASE 12
Amy Lee
13 COMIC
Sebastian Hernandez-Lopez
COMIC 14
Sebastian Hernandez-Lopez
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