VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3
February 2021
PIN TREE POS MYANMAR’S DEMOCRACY IS UNDER THREAT PERSEVERANCE AND INGENUITY LAND ON MARS
CURRY: A QUICK, HEALTHY MEAL THAT CAN BE READY IN A HURRY FOR STUDENTS
THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND PROCRASTINATION,
PINK SHIRT DAY
VROOM VROOM THE APPLICATION PROCESS
ADVICE COLUMN: ASK TOMMY VALENTINE’S DAY BLUES
February
2 FIRST GLANCE P.5: WORLD
P.10: SCHOOL
The Pinetree Post
STAFF
Myanmar’s Democracy is Under
FOUNDERS Russell Kim, Felix Guo
Ingenuity land on Mars
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Briana Ho, Julia Ye
Threat, Perseverance and
P.17: FEATURED
Vroom Vroom, The Application Process, Pink Shirt Day
P. 22: OTHER
ARTICLE EDITOR Briana Ho CONTRIBUTORS Kaylin Brereton-Stiles Bryan Chen Kevin Fan, Jon Gough Na-Yeon Kim, Florin Lee Michelina Lee, Zoe Li Alexandra Mandewo Kaleigh Morrow Shaina Rajwani Jennifer Shui Sophie Zhao GRAPHIC DESIGN Julia Ye SPECIAL THANKS TO The Pinetree Administration, Mr. Lau, Anonymous “Ask Tommy” Contributors, Alex Zhou, Doris Li, Michael Mo, Mrs. Armstrong, David Mestre, Dante Csmermak, Boya Chen, Whenshan Li, Marcus Ho, Jeremy Chung
Curry: A Quick, Healthy Meal, The Psychology Behind Procrastination, Advice Column, Valentine’s Day Blues
Comics
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: facebook.com/thepinetreepost
3
FIRST GLANCE
EDITOR’S NOTE
How to be Responsible Just kidding, I can’t remember the last time I washed my bedsheets. Briana Ho, Julia Ye Editors-in-Chief
Hi Pinetree! Okay, first of all, just for the record: I did not bully my Block B class into wearing pink on Pink Shirt Day - it was merely… tactical intimidation for the greater good. Yes. Um, so with that little disclaimer out of the way, let’s see what treats we’ve got for you this month! This issue’s theme is “responsibility” - wait! Hold on, stop, don’t run away! Gosh, I can smell the fear-sweat from all the way over here. Listen friends, whether you’ve got your life together or not, we’re here to help! Have a problem with procrastination? We’ve got an article explaining what’s behind it, student responses on their experience with it, and how you might be able to build better habits (The Psychology Behind Procrastination, page 19). How about driving tests? If you’re stressed about getting your learner or novice license, or if you’d just like some advice for someone who’s already done it, then look no further (Vroom Vroom, page 10)! Also, if you’re someone planning on going to postsecondary in a few years or a few months, whether
I have been too emotionally invested in weather forecasts. I WANT SNOW.
Source: Julia Ye
Some strawberry-flavoured clouds
Source: Julia Ye
you’re dreading the application process or pondering which offer to accept, we’ve got a very, very important article for you (The Application Process, page 13). And even for anyone like me who exerts every available braincell in order to cook Kraft Dinner, we’re going to teach you to make a meal by yourself (Curry: A Quick, Healthy Meal That Can Be Ready In
But at least we have pretty sunsets here.
Source: Julia Ye
A Hurry For Students, page 17). It’s time to get responsible! Self-sufficient! If I go missing in my adulthood it’s probably because I ran out of microwaveable food and you’ll find me passed out in a McDonald’s dumpster in 10-Piece-ChickenMcNugget-Incompetency! See? No need to run away. There’s also the aspect of social responsibility, like being a good friend or contributing service to the community. Pinetree’s student Red Cross team works year-round to emphasize kindness and does even
4 FIRST GLANCE
In case any homebody forgets how the Henderson area looks like Source: Kevin Fan
more in February (Pink Shirt Day, page 15). And we can’t forget our global responsibility to be aware of the pressing conflicts (Myanmar’s Democracy is Under Threat, page 5) and monumental successes (Perseverance and Ingenuity land on Mars, page 8) that affect our fellow humans and shape our society. If you’ve gotten your fill of responsible, grownup content, then we have some fun stuff for you! If you’re salty about Valentine’s Day and are looking for someone to share that sentiment (first of all, how dare you, and secondly I’m guessing it’s because you missed the discount chocolate sales on the 15th), then we’ve got the article just for you (Valentine’s Day Blues, page 21). Oh, and Tommy’s back again this month
(Advice Column: Ask Tommy, page 12)! He got three whole responses from his email pinetreepost. asktommy@gmail.com, so he’s just having a great time. Keep ‘em coming! Moreover, I noticed that one response asked if there’s lore for “Ask Tommy,” which I think is coming from my previous little editor’s note spiels hinting at some sort of hostage situation. I’d like to clarify that it’s definitely all a joke, that I’m definitely not keeping Tommy in my basement, and that if I hypothetically did have an amateur columnist locked behind a heavy steel door in a secret basement accessible by a couple dark spiral staircases and trapdoors and Indiana-Jones-inspired booby traps it’s more for society’s safety than anything else. And speaking of fun, there’s a wholesome Comic on page 22 featuring everyone’s favourite buff bunny! Hope you enjoy this issue of the Pinetree Post! Remember to like us on Facebook for new announcements and follow us on Instagram for the latest updates (@thepinetreepost). Message us on Instagram or 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 ! Missed the last issues? Read them at https:// issuu.com/thepinetreepost. Go get ‘em, tiger! Briana Ho & Julia Ye Editors-in-Chief
5
WORLD NEWS
Myanmar’s Democracy is Under Threat
A 21st Century Military Coup d’Etat
Thousands protest in Myanmar to demand the release of their leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has allegations of genocide against Rohingya muslims.
Florin Lee Writer
On Feb. 1, 2021 the Myanmar military arrested leaders of the government, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. They disrupted people’s internet and phone access and declared a year-long state of emergency. This put all power in the hands of the military and its commander-in-chief, Min Aung Hlaing. But to understand why this happened, we first need to look at Myanmar’s turbulent political history. Myanmar, previously known as Burma, is located in southeast Asia, next to India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos and China. The dominant religion is Theravada Buddhism, with almost 90
Source:Sai Aung Main/AFP
percent of the population being Buddhist. In 1885, the British annexed Myanmar, and turned it into a province of British India. Myanmar is right in between what was then British India and China, so they saw it as their path to trade in China. There were many struggles for independence under British rule, but Myanmar only achieved sovereignty in 1948, after World War Two. After the war, the British agreed to Burmese independence, and a civilian government was born. However, Myanmar was still very politically unstable. Communists, ethnic minorities and other dissenters were unsatisfied with the government. Even the ruling political party, the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League (AFPFL), was divided. This inner turmoil resulted in the Burmese military, led by Ne Win, temporarily taking over con-
6 WORLD trol to stabilize the nation in 1958.
In 1960, Myanmar held a democratic election that reinstated the AFPFL, but in 1962, Ne Win led a military coup to regain control over the government.
He created a one-party political system, and turned Myanmar into a socialist country. Any dissent against the regime was not tolerated, and the government controlled the press. During his time in power, Ne Win made some very bad economic decisions, and in 1987, the United Nations declared Myanmar to be one of the least developed countries in the world. After almost 30 years in power, Ne Win stepped down as president in July 1988. That summer, Myanmar was racked with intense protests. Thousands of protesters died when the military tried to suppress the demonstrations. In Sept. 1988, the military declared martial
law, and formed a new government. They were also responsible for changing the name of the country to Myanmar. Surprisingly, the military government agreed to hold multi-party elections in 1990, which led to the National League for Democracy (NLD) winning a landslide victory. One of the leaders of the NLD was Aung San Suu Kyi, democratic activist and daughter of one of Myanmar’s greatest heroes. She was under house arrest at the time on the orders of the military. When the NLD won the election, however, the military refused to hand over power. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, they continued to rule the country. In 2010, Myanmar held another multi-party election. One of the reasons for this democratization was the many international sanctions against the country. Other nations did not approve of Myanmar’s authoritarian government and human rights violations, and this affected their economic growth.
The commander-in-chief of the Burmese military, Min Aung Hlaing, is now in control of the nation after a military coup on Feb. 1, 2021
Source:Ye Aung Thu/AFP
WORLD
Burma gained independence from Britain on Jan. 4, 1948.
7
Source:Wiki Commons
president. Instead, the NLD created a new position for her, called state counsellor. This would give her the same authority as a prime minister. The military opposed this, and called it unconstitutional. In 2020, Myanmar held another parliamentary election, and once more, the NLD won. The The new civilian government that was elected in opposition, however, supported by the military, contested their win and claimed fraud. The election 2010 began easing restrictions on the press and authorities denied those claims, but on Feb. 1, 2021, other civil rights. They also released Aung San the military arrested Aung San Suu Kyi and other Suu Kyi from house arrest. members of the NLD, and declared a year-long state These changes began Myanmar’s jourof emergency. ney to internationalization, and many countries Protests have erupted across the country started to lift their sanctions against the nation. Tourism grew, as well as foreign investment, and against the coup, and Facebook deleted the Burmese military’s page for breaching its standards against Myanmar saw strong financial growth. inciting violence. As of Feb. 20, 2021, at least two In 2015, Myanmar held its first “free” protesters have died from police violence, and hunparliamentary elections in decades. dreds more have been arrested. Countries such as It was not entirely free, for the nation’s Rohingya the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Britain have announced sanctions against the military muslims were not allowed to run for office. The leaders, and the European Union is planning their result, Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD party won 80 percent of the available seats. However, she could own actions against the coup. Myanmar was under military rule for most of its modern history, and its not become the president. This was because of people will not stand for a return to those dark times. the constitution, which bans people with children who are foreign nationals from becoming
However, one notable change the military government made to the constitution was that one fourth of the legislative chambers had to be selected by the military.
8 WORLD NEWS
Perseverance and Ingenuity land on Mars
Perseverance lands over Mars
Anonymous Writer
Source:NASA
On July 30 2020, rover Perseverance and helicopter Ingenuity of the Mars 2020 mission of NASA, were launched from Earth from an Atlas V carrier rocket, with the objective of searching Mars for signs of past habitable conditions, biosignatures suggesting past microbial life presence,
and water. The team also intended for the rover to collect some 31 samples of rocks and surface soil to be brought back to earth for analysis and research on the geology of Mars. The rover Perseverance landed on Mars on Feb. 18 of this year in the Jezero crater (eponymously named after the village of Jezero in Bosnia and Herzegovina). Evidence suggests that life may have developed in the crater, as clay minerals were detected within and in proximity to the crater, suggesting that the crater once carried water, and whence its name “Jezero” was chosen due to the word meaning “lake” in various Slavic languages. It is hypothesized that should life have ever existed on Mars, it must have occurred 3-4 billion years ago, when water was still known to flow on the planet. The designated landing location was chosen for its abundance of potential research samples atop an ancient river delta.
Engineers observe the first driving test of Perseverance in December
Source:NASA
WORLD
SuperCam laser instrument mounted on the rover
Ingenuity is planned for deployment in the first thirty sols (solar day on Mars; one sol is just marginally more than half an hour longer than a day on Earth). Its principal purposes are to locate and investigate potential locations of interest on Mars, as well as formulate and organize the best routes of travel for the rover. It is capable of direct communication with the Perseverance rover and if it demonstrates its success, it will form a foundation on which future advanced iterations of the aircraft should be developed. However, this was not the only Mars mission to happen lately. The Hope orbiter spacecraft of the United Arab Emirates reached Mars on Feb. 9, after its launch on July 19 of last year. Likewise, the Tianwen-1 mission initiated by China saw its orbiter reaching Mars on Feb. 10, while the remaining lander and rover are expected to land sometime in May in the plains of Utopia Planitia. The flight controllers at NASA eagerly watched the spacecraft enter the Martian atmosphere at speeds nearing 20,000 km/h, and the signals indicating the successful landing of the
9
Source:Wikimedia Commons
spacecrafts aroused a wave of triumph which overcame the team of controllers who supervised the pre-programmed spacecrafts make their landings. NASA has laid forth its intention of retrieving the samples by 2031. “Today proved once again that with the power of science and American ingenuity, nothing is beyond the realm of possibility.”, American president Joe Biden tweeted a congratulation in commemoration of the auspicious moment.
10 SCHOOL Vroom Vroom
Tips for Getting Your Driver’s License Kaleigh Morrow Writer, Interviewer
A lot of Pinetree students are on the road, and learning to drive. Recently, getting a driver’s license has become a bit more complicated. Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) delays due to COVID-19 mean that written tests must now be booked, and in 2020 road tests were temporarily suspended. All of this might be worrying students. The Pinetree Post interviewed drivers about their experiences driving, with ICBC delays, and about any advice they have to offer.
After ICBC re-opened, their testing queue filled up quickly at almost every location, meaning one could expect to wait more than a month for their test since the initial phone call.
I believe now, it is even worse based on some of the wait times I have been hearing from other people around me. PTP: What advice do you have for people preparing to take their written test? A: My biggest advice is to just use your common sense. The test itself was not much at all to study for in my own opinion, I simply read through the information provided on the ICBC website and did a lot of the practice tests. The questions on the legitimate test were essentially those that were shown on the practice test; they were either worded differently, or they used a different application of logic to present the same concept as a question. I ended up skimming through the test and finished in less than ten minutes, scoring at around a 92: you only need an 80 to pass. PTP: What scares you about driving? A: This is quite specific of a worry but:
not finding a gap to pull the car over amongst a sea of other cars, in perhaps some sort of rush hour traffic jam, while an emergency vehicle is rushing behind me blaring its horn at me to get out of its way. Zhou, outside A204-A206, February 2021 Alex
Source: Kaylin Brereton-Stiles PTP: What license do you have? A: I currently hold a Learner’s Licence, until this
summer when I will be eligible for my Novice road test. PTP: How How have ICBC delays due to COVID-19 affected you? A: I actually planned to take my driver’s licence right after my 16th birthday at the end of March, 2020. However, that had to be postponed due to the lockdown and I ended up taking my test during early June, which had to be made with a phone appointment.
It is one of those things that is quite improbable yet gives quite the punch of anxiety when you put yourself in that hypothetical situation. PTP: What about driving are you confident in? A: I am quite confident in parking actually. I have driven golf carts as a kid and, although I know there is still a huge gap compared to a car, the overall feeling of parking is quite comfortable to me. PTP: Who is teaching you to drive? Are you taking lessons? A: I plan to take a lot of lessons with a driving instructor, after school alleviates a little around the end of June.
11
SCHOOL
PTP: How are you a responsible driver?
A: Currently, I’m making sure I never take any risks
and to always stay alert and careful of everything on the road; always be on edge.
PTP: What are your strengths in driving?
M: I can brake very smoothly :) PTP: Who is teaching you to drive? M: I took seven lessons when I first got my licence.
Right now, I simply drive around the neighbourhood to practice my driving skills. PTP: Do you think driving has made you more responsible? M: Driving has definitely made me a more responsible person. I have become much more aware of my surroundings and act in a more mature manner.
Doris Li - Grade 12
PTP: What license do you have? How long
Michael Mo - Grade 11
Source: Kaylin Brereton-Stiles
PTP: What license do you have?
M: I have the Learner’s Licence right now. PTP: What advice do you have for people preparing to take their written test?
M:
Read over the driver’s manual, pay attention to specific numbers such as speed limits and following distance, and do the practice tests on the ICBC website.
On exam day, just use your common sense and you’ll do good. PTP: How have ICBC delays due to COVID-19 affected you? M: COVID-19 has not really affected me in terms of doing the written test. One thing to note, though, is that you must book an exam time online. PTP: What scares you about driving? M: When I first started learning, I was especially scared about colliding with pedestrians. I felt that crashing with another car in slow-speed neighbourhood traffic probably won’t cause any major issues, but crashing into a person could get them seriously injured. As I become more comfortable with driving on the road, I no longer panic when people are crossing the streets; nevertheless, I am still extra careful when there are human beings wandering around.
have you had it? D: I have a Class 7 Novice License and I have had it for about half a month. PTP: How have ICBC delays due to COVID-19 affected you? D: The ICBC delay due to COVID-19 did not affect me doing my driving test or getting my license. I got to book and do my test at the time that I planned, which was early in February. PTP: What advice do you have for people preparing to take a driving test? D: My advice would be booking the test early since the spots are limited. Booking the test early can leave you with more choices as ICBC does not open during weekends. I booked my test at the end of December 2020 and I got an ideal time for my test in early February.
Another [tip] is to just practice! This is very important and basically all you need to do before taking the driving test.
The test only took about 30 minutes for me and it was not hard, so there is no need to be too worried. PTP: What responsibilities do you have as a driver? D: As a driver, my prior responsibility is of course keeping me and my passenger safe while driving. It is also important to keep all the other road users safe by following all the rules and being careful.
12 SCHOOL
ADVICE COLUMN:
Ask Tommy Tommy Sharpe
Hello all,
My name is Tommy Sharpe, and welcome to the February edition of Ask Tommy! I hope you all have been doing alright with the turn of the quarter! I’ve been relatively busy settling myself back into the general grooves and jams of classes! That said, my classes were much easier last semester, so I seem to only be doing the GROOVES of PAIN! Setting aside my tepid melodrama, I received three wonderful responses! All three were anonymous, yet again, but I’m glad some of you wrote something! That aside, how come almost every response I have gotten has been anonymous? I am very willing to respect your privacy, but seriously, is there some sort of conspiracy out there I’m not privy to? Am I getting strung along by a shadow organization, doomed to only answer one to three anonymous questions once a month for the rest of my life? I must find out the truth… The first one is the longest one, and also makes me concerned for the general state of your guys’ mental health. It is called what is life. hey toms what am i doing i am it is 12:52 am and i am listening to sea shanties my brain is gone i have doing writing marathon for long time how is you going me is also good as well i think i messed up my writing contest submission format but that’s okay bananas are tasty they are my friends
thanks toms i love you also sincrely, your favourite reader …Are you alright? You certainly don’t seem alright. I will endeavour to break this down bit by bit. What are you doing? You are writing a letter to me. While listening to sea shanties is all very well and good, at 12:52 am you should really be sleeping, especially on a school night. I hope your writing marathon went well. I am doing alright, as mentioned above. I’m glad you say you are doing reasonably well, though judging by the coherency of the email, I doubt your claims. I don’t know the strictness of the formatting, but I know that for most contests, if your formatting is bad, they will judge you by the content of your writing, so you don’t have to lose sleep over it. Bananas are indeed very tasty, but I’m afraid that eating your friends is in factfrowned upon in most societies. Lastly, you are very welcome, dear reader; feel free to send and responses any time, as can you all. My second email is a great deal simpler. It goes like this. Dear Tommy, Is there Ask Tommy lore now? Sincerely, Anon-kun
Behold, the PERFORMANCE PANT!
Source: haggar.com
13
SCHOOL Interesting question, Anon-kun. I’m tangentially aware the owner of the basement edits the Post, and I know that one of the artists drew a comic directly based off of my article last year. Just keep your senses peeled (not literally, that would hurt) and read carefully! You never know what might lie beneath… The third email is absurdist and nonsensical, but that’s my thing! Dear Tommy, what what the h*** what is this i was shopping for clothes online, and I found the HAGGAR PERFORMANCE PANT would you wear these? Anonymoose I searched it up; it’s the actual name. The image shown is just a pair of ordinary office slacks. Other than the name, there’s nothing special. They aren’t even exercise pants, where PERFORMANCE might be an important trait. It’s not even plural! Also, if you stick “performance” onto something, I think it automatically sounds really weird. Imagine dating someone who owns these, and you want to go out to dinner. You call upstairs to your significant other and ask them if they are almost ready. They call back down and say, “Just give me a moment, honey, let me put on my PERFORMANCE PANT!” Honestly, what would you think?
The Application Process From a Different American Perspective Anonymous Writer
The thought of university dominated my mind throughout high school. The seniors at Pinetree seem to collectively groan at the topic of applications, too. I have also been victim to being kept up at night, anxious about my future. But the reason I’m sharing this story in the first place is that after submitting my applications, I could genuinely say that writing university applications was fun.
Going to university is a mind-opening experience.
Source: wallpapercave.com
Before you dismiss me as crazy, let me explain. Despite the constant nagging thought of applying to university since eighth grade, I’d say my real application process started in grade 12. For the first time, I went from “what should I do?” to “what do I want to do?” That question became the bane of my existence. Ironically, the applica Yes, I would wear the PERFORMANCE PANT. tion process that gave me this dilemma helped me That’s all for this month’s edition of Ask Tommy. find my motivations. I focused on applying to universities in the As always, please send me any questions or comments US. For each one, I needed to answer a series of you may have about school, life, or anything else at pinetreepost.asktommy@gmail.com. I hope you all have questions since these universities want to know about their students’ character instead of just a great February! Adieu, grades. These questions were the source of all my Tommy Sharpe stress in the beginning of grade twelve, but it was also my light at the end of the tunnel. Here are a few examples:
14 SCHOOL
Find where you fit in.
1. Describe three experiences that have helped develop your passion for a possible career in STEM. 2. Describe the world you come from; for example, your family, school, community, city, or town. How has that world shaped your dreams and aspirations? 3. Tell us about something you do for the pleasure of it. For some people, seeing these questions makes them think “what do the universities want to hear?” The answer is actually very simple: They want to hear your honest response. But here’s how I learned to look at it. The real question we all wanted to ask was “how can I answer the question to get into this university?” Well, the thought process that put me at ease was, “if I answered the questions truthfully and got rejected, it means that this university wasn’t right for me.” I trusted the universities. I trusted that, after reading thousands upon thousands (even millions) of applications, admissions officers can tell if I belong with everyone else in that university. I was put at peace when I thought, “if I won’t fit into the university, I don’t want to be there, and I can let the admission officers decide that.”
Source: unibuddy.com
MY job, then, was to find the universities that I liked and would fit me the best. I read about programs, professors, students, safety, extracurricular activities, weather, dining… comparing all the aspects that would be important to me. Although it took some time, I narrowed down my top choices. Time to tackle the questions. Here is my take on the secret recipe to “what universities want to hear”: I had convinced myself that these universities are the best fit for me, now I needed to prove this to the admission officers. Personally, I’ve been relatively stronger in mathematics and science, and I like trying out new hobbies and activities. Therefore, my dream school was a school with a reputation in engineering with a variety of clubs and a diverse student population. My answers tried to show how my personality and experiences would seamlessly fit me into the university. A major point to consider is, yes, prestigious universities are appealing, but if you really do get in and have to struggle through the rigorous courses for four years with people that have almost nothing in common with you, I would say it is not worth it. Instead of looking at rankings and reputation, I hope people strive to be a part of the RIGHT university with the right network of people.
15
SCHOOL If you take away anything from this article, I hope this paragraph sums it up. The university application process forces you to learn about yourself. We end up where we fit best if we are accurate about our passions and character in our applications. The rest we can leave to the admission officers. To end on a more personal note, those anxious nights I spent pondering my own personality and my future was worth it in the end. Even though I have been called lucky, I like to think it was my hard work and persistence that paid off. I had explored my options in high school. My efforts in volunteering, clubs, extra classes, and even in virtual information sessions helped me realize what I wanted to do and what I couldn’t stand to do for a living. It’s not an easy process but trying to answer those “who are you” and “why us” questions taught me more about myself than anything else ever has. The university application process was a mind-opening experience for me, and I hope my perspective makes the process a little more bearable for others as well.
Pinetree students prepare decor for Pink Shirt Day!
Pink Shirt Day Red Cross Leadership in creating impact around the community Michelina Lee Writer
Although many are against bullying, it has constantly been a huge problem which has negatively affected lots of people. Bullying can happen anywhere, including schools. According to BullyingCanada, at least one in three people have been bullied as an adolescent student in Canada. It happens when someone faces difficulties defending themself from a person who is hurting them, emotionally and physically, on purpose. Students, like us, may be put in a position dealing with teasing, taunting and social isolation during the most important time of growth. The worst part about bullying is that there are so many bystanders who stand as witnesses, yet do not take any action to stop bullying.
Source: Mrs. Armstrong
16 SCHOOL Let us go back to 2007, on the first day of school in Nova Scotia. A grade 9 student was being bullied simply because he had worn a pink shirt. Two grade 12 students, David Shepherd and Travis Price, witnessed everything that had happened. However, they did not just stand as bystanders. They took action in order to show that the bully’s “behaviour was not OK.” The two grade 12 students bought pink shirts and handed them out to fellow students, showing support for the grade 9 student. The decision to stand up for what was right has led to the creation of Pink Shirt Day. In Canada, Pink Shirt Day has become a national day of anti-bullying and every year, we wear pink shirts to stand up against bullying. At Pinetree Secondary School, continuous efforts are being made by students, teachers, and leadership programs to spread word about Pink Shirt Day and to fight bullying. An important course at Pinetree dedicated to building a connected community and raising awareness about
A Pinetree student decorated the gym with pink for Pink Shirt Day.
Source: Mrs. Armstrong
Ms. Mobilio is all smiles in her #choosekindness shirt.
Source: Kevin Fan
anti-bullying is LEADERSHIP SEL 12 - Red Cross Leadership for a Connected Community. In this course, students create videos, presentations, and campaigns in order to leave a positive influence on our community. While learning about what they can do to help reduce bullying, students in this course have created individual projects such as Instagram posts, posters, and decorations. An Instagram account has been created by students; it includes posts to promote Pink Shirt Day and to create educational messages about the LGBTQ community. This course not only addresses topics around bullying, but also topics such as how to recognize oppression, how to understand privilege, and how to participate in anti-oppression. Check out the course description booklet if you are interested! BullyingCanada states that in most cases, “bullying stops within 10 seconds when peers intervene, or do not support the bullying behaviour.” If you witness someone getting bullied, as with David Shepherd and Travis Price, stand up for them. Take action and create a meaningful time that will bring positive change in everyone’s lives. This year, Pink Shirt Day falls on February 24th so make sure to wear your pink shirts and show support.
FEATURED Curry: A Quick, Healthy Meal That Can Be Ready In A
17
Hurry For Students
Any Beginners Can Make It Without Trouble Na-Yeon Kim Writer
Have you ever tried cooking? If you have at some point in your life, how was the result? Did you create a delicious meal, or create an unpleasant looking dish, making a terrible mess during the process? At first, cooking can place a lot of stress on you, since there are an abundance of steps you have to watch out for. Preparing the right ingredients, being on edge for that perfect timing, wanting to get the exact measurements; it can be quite a big hassle, but the moment you learn to enjoy it, it becomes incredibly fun. However, you may struggle to find a suitable meal to cook. While some meals are too complicated to cook, others are too easy or just not your taste at all. In this case, try making curry. “If any dish deserves to be called global, it is curry. From Newfoundland to the Antarctic, from Beijing to Warsaw, there is scarcely a place where curries are not enjoyed,” said Colleen Taylor Sen. There are many reasons why curry is a perfect dish for students. High school students are in a rush most of the time to work on their assignments and projects, so they might be short on time to cook a proper meal. Most students will end up buying instant noodles that only take one or two minutes to make, since it is quick and easy and it at least fills their rumbling stomachs, but why eat those unhealthy noodles when you can make curry? A curry is simple to make, and it takes almost none of your precious time. It also provides the nutrients that you need to keep up the hard work.
It’s a dish you can be innovative with, and the results will always be a heavenly meal that makes you feel satiated. So without further ado, here’s how you can make yourself a delicious curry. First, you will need the ingredients, which can be bought at the local or asian supermarket. Do keep in mind that these ingredients are merely recommended, so go ahead and alter the recipe to your own liking.
Vegetables 1 potato ⅓ of regular sized carrot ¼ of large onion 3 garlics 1 curry sauce mix Peas 1/2 of bell pepper 1/2 of broccoli Meat 1~1/2 pounds of meat of your liking (chicken breasts, beef or pork)
Source: glebekitchen.com
18 FEATURED Finally, you will need two tablespoons of olive oil and a bowl of rice for serving. Now, with all these ingredients available at your fingertips, let’s get cooking. Before we get the fire going, slice all the vegetables to the sizes you desire. Then, prepare a medium sized fry pan and coat the inside with the olive oil. Turn on the heat to medium and stir fry the potato and the carrots first, then add the other vegetables and continue to stir for five minutes. When the time is up, pour 250 ml of water, and let it sit, stirring once in a while until it boils. Now add the curry sauce mix and the meat of your choice. Stir generously until the meat is fully
cooked. As the last step, pour the curry on the bowl of rice, or in a different bowl, then enjoy your nourishing meal! It’s difficult to take care of ourselves, especially nowadays when we are in constant isolation. Many people developed bad habits due to quarantine, such as ruining sleeping schedules or living on a diet that only consists of fast food deliveries and sweets. These habits help reduce the stress from all the appalling events that are happening around us. No matter what the case is, it is our responsibility to take care of our bodies and stay healthy and positive, even during these difficult times. So make yourselves a dish of healthy curry and stay motivated!
Resources: https://onelifetoeat.com/2015/04/29/cooking-for-one-chicken-curry-in-a-hurry/ https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-make-curry/
Curry served!
Source: taiken.co
FEATURED The Psychology Behind Procrastination
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When the voice in your head says, “I’ll start my project in ten minutes” and becomes “Oh no, it’s due in ten minutes!” Shaina Rajwani Writer
Have your parents ever asked you to clean your room, and you think to yourself, “Okay, just one more episode.” Suddenly you dose off and wake up to the sound of your parents’ footsteps approaching. How about that project or test you have had to study for that you keep avoiding, that you find yourself frantically trying to complete? Being in high school, it is likely that we have all experienced this countless times, even though our teachers tell us “due dates are closer than they appear.” (Don’t worry, our teachers were in high school once too!) If you are currently nodding your head, you are not alone. You are may be asking yourself, “Why do I procrastinate?” According to the New York Times, procrastination has nothing to do with laziness or poor planning. When you avoid a task, you know that it is not the best decision, but you chose to ignore that voice in your head telling you to be productive. Your productivity all depends on the attitude and emotion you feel towards a certain task. For example, if you are doing a project for a subject you are good at or enjoy, you use your passion as motivation. When you are able to show your strengths, your confidence builds. The reason you have no motivation to do a task can be associated with a negative emotion. If you have an assignment for one of your weaker subjects, you may have less confidence and fear that it is not your best work. These thoughts can lower your self-esteem. If you have a test, you may be anxious about making mistakes. If you have a negative mentality, this will cause you to be unmotivated. In the same way, household chores
are associated with feelings of being boring and tiresome. When you feel these emotions, you can find ways to make tasks more engaging. You can shift your mindset to be more positive and set goals for yourself to achieve. “If I complete half of these math questions, then I can watch one episode.” “By tomorrow, I will write three paragraphs for my essay.” “I will start studying a week before my test for a short amount of time each day, so it does not become overwhelming in the end. Then, I will definitely get a good mark on the test.” “I can listen to music while doing my chores.” By setting these goals, you create incentives which encourage you to be productive. Each time you procrastinate, it is a learning experience, and everyone has a different thought process. What works for your friends may not help you in the same way. Some of us may think, “I work well under pressure. I will begin my project 2 days before, so that I have the best ideas.” Or “If I begin this task 30 minutes before I will be more productive” Others may learn from previous experiences. “Next time, I will be more proactive and start my project sooner, so I can present my best work. This may not be my favourite subject, but I now know I can do better.” Each time you procrastinate, it is a learning experience, and everyone has a different thought process. What works for your friends may not help you in the same way. Some of us may think, “I work well under pressure. I will begin my project 2 days before, so that I have the best ideas.” Or “If I begin this task 30 minutes before I will be more productive” Others may learn from previous experiences. “Next time, I will be more proactive and start my project sooner, so I can present my best work. This may not be my favourite subject, but I now know I can do better.”
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These are ways you can view situations optimistically, which give you a much higher chance of success. Next time you find yourself procrastinating, visualize yourself reaching your goals. Surround yourself with positive energy and believe that you will accomplish anything you put your mind to.
We asked Pinetree students for their insights on procrastination:
FEATURED Valentine’s Day Blues
I swear I’m not a Valentine’s Day hater. Hana Nouri Writer
Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone like my ex-boyfriend on Friday nights. The Walmarts have been stocked with tooth breaking candy hearts, abnormally large teddy bears, and expired chocolate to the brim. My instagram feed has officially been fed with barbie and ken couples and the flowers they’re going to end up throwing away after the pictures have been taken. The worst is over. Although, this year Valentine’s Day has been spun on it’s head and given quite a kick. Covid truly ate our hearts and left us eating other (candy) hearts alone. Well, that is the truth for the percentage of us that are single. This lovely Valentine’s Day we saw….drum roll please….absolutely no social distancing. Yes, you heard it here first folks. Actually, you probably already knew, considering their hefty lack of hiding. Many proceeded to post their sad romanticism of the day on their socials. Oh, and I mean all their socials. Instagram? Posted. Snapchat? Posted. VSCO? Posted. Even that god forsaken app Tik Tok. Are you serious people? Could you have laid it off for one day? I know you’re probably thinking; Wow what a cynic! What a Valentine’s Day hater! Hear me out. I’m not being a cynic, I mean we’re in the middle of a pandemic. Other than that obvious fact, Valentine’s Day is just another day to me. It’s just another day that I wake up, make myself a bitter cup of bean juice, and go about my atrociously long evening. Speaking of atrocity, it’s time for my input of Valentine’s Day gifts and my personalized recommendations. Let’s start with flowers. I mean they’re nice if you’re an old white couple living in a retirement home run by scandal. Especially
21 roses, they’re such a tragic cliche. I don’t mind the simpler flower arrangements with daisies, lavender, and some small dainty ones, but roses are just a big no no. On to chocolates in those painfully cheap heart boxes. I hope I don’t have to go into detail with this one and that sentence summarized it up completely. Come on, we both know they taste like plastic. Now here are some of my expertise recommendations. First of all, socks! I’m telling you, no one can have enough socks. You can get some weird pattern ones, or some mis-matching ones. Also, the more stanky, used and stained, the better, of course. Next up, we got cheese. Some aged cheddar really warms the soul and extra points if you put the cheese in the old sock. It makes an unbreakable duo. One duo you’ll smell for weeks. I hope my recommendations shed some light on what to buy your lover for next Valentine’s Day because we both know you missed the mark this year. Sad, unfortunate, truly. On a serious note, this heart suffocating day, of course, has a meaning for many. Not only sappy, syrup, stricken couples. It’s a day for old friends to show their appreciation for one another, and for family members to show that they love you for more than just because you are blood (Thanks mom). It’s a day that reminds us to spread love wherever we go and keep the heart warm. I mean technically it should be warm either way because you are pumping blood through it, but that’s beside the point. It’s a time for us to spend a little bit of extra money for false serotonin. Just kidding, I think. Happy Saint Valentine’s day you sad, sad people. Love Hana.
Source: Tumblr
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Comic by Amy Lee
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