JANUARY 2021

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2

January 2021

PIN TREE POS 2020: A BLESSING IN DISGUISE? A WRITER’S TALE COVID-19 VACCINE AVOIDING BURNOUT MOB RIOTS THE U.S. CAPITOL IN ATTEMPT TO BLOCK ELECTION CERTIFICATION

WE’VE FORGOTTEN ABOUT YET ANOTHER THREAT TO THE HUMAN SPECIES COVID-19 VACCINE

ADVICE COLUMN: ASK TOMMY RESOURCES IN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY YOUTH WORKERS HOW’S Y’ALL DOING?

January

2 FIRST GLANCE P.5: WORLD

P.13: SCHOOL

The Pinetree Post

STAFF

FOUNDERS Russell Kim, Felix Guo EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Briana Ho, Julia Ye

Capitol Hill Riots,

Covid Updates, Climate Change, Good News

P.18: FEATURED

Student Interviews,

Resources from youth workers

P. 21: 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, Dan Shinn, Abby Soboleva, Termeh Tabrizi, and Ms. Walraven

A Writer’s Tale, Self-Care and Productivity Tips, Advice Column

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

Let’s Heal Together

Because if the bags under my eyes aren’t a testament to my spiraling mental state, I don’t know what is.

Briana Ho, Julia Ye Editors-in-Chief

Hi there Pinetree!

We’re super excited to bring you this issue, for this is the first time that all our members - new and returning - have contributed together! We Editors-inChief are absolutely blown away by our team’s work this month, and we’re ecstatic about seeing how our little saplings will grow throughout the year (because we’re the Pinetree Post, get it?).

This month’s theme is “recovery,” since we all could use a little more of that around here - especially after how our long-awaited 2021 began with a riot on Capitol Hill (Mob Riots The U.S. Capitol in Attempt to Block Election Certification, page 5). Despite the chaos, it’s important to look back at how far we’ve come while trying to make the best of things (2020: A Blessing in Disguise?, page 9), and look towards how close we are to the fabled “light at the end of the tunnel” (COVID-19 Vaccine, page 7). Perhaps we can even grab our friends and peer into the light together, into a future of recounting crazy lockdown stories and spending quality time free of masks (How’s Y’all Doing?, page 13).

Sometimes all you need is a cat photo.

Source: Jennifer Shui

Or two...

Source: Jennifer Shui

To recover, to heal, we must also focus on what we can do in the present. Many students and staff have felt drained by this pandemic, so in order to move forward, we have to take care of ourselves (Avoiding Burnout, page 19) and know where to reach for help (Resources in the school community youth workers, page 16).

a gosling one...

Or

Source: Kaylin Brereton-Stiles

Once we’ve found solid footing again, we must zoom out to look at the rest of the world.

There’s still lots of work to do and many problems we’ve abandoned in favour of the pandemic (We’ve forgotten about yet another threat to the human species, page 11), but maybe with the confidence that the pandemic has brought - proving that we can, indeed, change the course of fate if we and our governments set our minds to it - we can tackle those other problems with renewed vigor.

4 FIRST GLANCE

Hope you enjoy this issue of the Pinetree Post! Remember to like us on Facebook for new announcements, check out our website for monthly highlights (https://pinetreepost.wordpress.com/), 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.

Of course. How can we forget about a dog photo?

Source: Kaylin Brereton-Stiles

Now, if all of this is making your brain hurt and you need a small break, we’ve got you covered!

For fellow writers, readers, and even those who haven’t read a book for fun since fourth grade - one of our new members has a message for you, packaged neatly in humour and wit (A Writer’s Tale, page 18).

Also, Tommy’s back again this month, but we’ve got to warn you: he hasn’t gotten questions to his email, pinetreepost.asktommy@gmail.com, recently and I haven’t checked the basement for about a week, but when I went down there yesterday he’d shoved a heap of napkins under the door with miraculously tiny, neat crayon sentences carved into each piece. I managed to assemble them in presumably the right order, and I think he was having an existential crisis, so as any good owner would do I shamelessly published it (Advice Column: Ask Tommy, page 15). Please send him questions because I think he’s really bored. I also think he’s planning a mutiny, but only heaven knows why.

Anyways, the comic is on page 21 for anyone wondering!

Love ya, Pinetree!

Briana Ho & Julia Ye Editors-in-Chief

5

WORLD NEWS

Mob Riots The U.S. Capitol in Attempt to Block Election Certification

What Exactly Happened at Capitol Hill?

Group of protestors attempting to break through security fencing on Jan. 6th, 2021

Source:meredith.com

Na-Yeon Kim Writer You might have seen some photos of people standing in front of the U.S. Capitol building while browsing social media. People are seen innocuously posing beside a statue wearing goofy outfits. However, newstations later revealed that hundreds or even thousands of protestors were putting many lives in peril. What exactly happened on this day?

On Wednesday, Jan. 6th, 2021, a mob of extremists stormed the Capitol after attending Donald Trump’s rally near the Whitehouse.

At 12 p.m., former President Donald Trump held a rally, voicing his bitterness towards his opposing law makers, and told his supporters to “walk down to the Capitol,” which incited the riot.

People marched down the street to the Capitol, ready to stop the election certification, and protested in front of the building. The peaceful protest quickly escalated into an uncontrollable terror, which left many people in fear, anger, and shame.

The Congress began the joint session at 1 p.m., counting the Electoral College votes and debating objections, yet unaware of the impending danger.

Within an hour, the destructive demonstrators successfully breached the security perimeters of the Capitol, despite the law enforcement’s attempt to secure the building. Photos and video footage of these objectors are seen shattering windows and breaking down doors to rush inside. Lawmakers were forced

6 WORLD to flee to safety after reports of gunshots inside the building, and were told to wear gas masks located under their seats. The mob, now inside the building, vandalized and looted government properties, shouting false claims- that Trump had won the 2020 presidential election.

Many Metropolitan officers and protestors were severely injured, or even killed during the riot; a Trump supporter was pronounced dead after being shot inside the Capitol building, including three other deaths.

“I think it’s the most shocking failure of security imaginable, to place the Congress of the United States at physical risk in an occupied congressional chamber because they weren’t prepared to deal with it,” said Gen. Barry McCaffrey, a retired U.S. army officer.

When it was clear that the police alone could not drive off the Trump supporters, the National guard was requested to the Capitol for assistance at 3:05 p.m. In the midst of the rebellion, an explosive device was found on the Capitol grounds,

which was never detonated. Around an hour later, Joe Biden, the elected president, directed Trump “to go on national television… and demand an end to this siege.” In response, Trump posted a video on Twitter, to tell the mob to “go home,” uttering his hostility towards the “fraudulent election.”

The Congress, at 9 p.m., resumed the joint session to count the Electoral College votes, and at 4 a.m., on Jan. 7, the Congress certified Joe Biden the winner of the 2020 election.

After the siege, lawmakers questioned why the Capitol security failed with such ease. Video footage circulating on social media showed some officers letting the extremists in the security barricades, and some taking selfies with the rioters.

Some believe that the Capitol officers were outnumbered so quickly because they did not consider the rioters as a major threat. Investigations continue regarding the failure of security, and the protestors that attacked the Capitol that day.

“Today is a reminder, a painful one, that democracy is fragile. To preserve it requires people of good will, leaders with the courage to stand up, who are devoted not to pursuit of power and personal interest at any cost, but to the common good,” said President-Elect Joe Biden.

Protestors storming the Capitol building. Man in the center of the photo was arrested after being seen pursuing a black Capitol officer in a video footage.

Source:weigelbroadcasting.com

7

WORLD NEWS

COVID-19 Vaccine

Newest update, who they’re giving it to and current state of restrictions

What happens inside the body when a person gets the COVID-19 vaccine?

Alexandra Mandewo Writer As of January, 2021, it may feel like we are in some sort of COVID-19 purgatory. We’re going to school in person, the local mall is still open, but life is far from the way it was this time last year. We are not in a total lockdown, but British Columbia is in a state of emergency. A state of emergency allows the government to make policies or laws to keep citizens safe- laws that the government normally would not be allowed to make. This includes policies like banning social gatherings, restricting non-essential travel and making masks mandatory in indoor public places.

These restrictions can, indeed, feel very restrictive, but they are necessary. There has been proof the restrictions work: B.C.’s daily case numbers are slowly decreasing from what they were at the end of last year. British Colum-

Source:betakit.com

bia’s top doctor, Dr. Bonnie Henry, believes that COVID-19 could have been much worse in B.C. compared to what it is right now. The reason it isn’t is due to B.C. citizens collectively complying to the life saving restrictions.

Ten months since our first lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19, many people have heard and hoped that the vaccine is our silver bullet. Although stopping the virus and getting back to ‘normal’ is not so simple. The goal of vaccinating as many people as possible is to make it harder for the virus to spread from one person to another. If a person gets the vaccine, their body will create an immunity to COVID-19, thus they will be less likely to contract the virus. With this in mind, BC has decided to focus on getting people most vulnerable to severe illness vaccinated first. This includes the elderly,

8 WORLD

B.C.’s Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix speaking at the now very familiar 3p.m. weekday COVID-19 press conference

health care workers providing care for COVID-19 patients and people in remote and isolated Indigenous communities.

However, British Columbia does not have vaccines for people under the age of 16, people who are immunocompromised and pregnant women. This can be alarming considering about fifty percent of our student body is under 16, meaning they cannot receive the vaccine yet. This is simply because the three ‘special groups’ have not completed their respective vaccine trials.

Currently, vaccine trials are underway for children and teens.

While many of us wait to get vaccinated we must keep up what we’re doing: wearing masks, social distancing and washing our hands. It is said that by September 2021, everyone who wants to

Source:Flickr / Government of B.C.

get vaccinated, will get vaccinated. So stay vigilant Pinetree, keep yourself and those around you safe by being considerate. Remember, one day we will establish a post-COVID new normal.

Who’s getting the COVID-19 vaccine first?

Source: Shutterstock.com

WORLD 2020: A Blessing in Disguise?

9

Positive Insights on an Unpredictable Year Shaina Rajwani Writer

As the new year begins, 2020 goes down as a year that will never be forgotten. Between COVID-19, the global movement against discrimination, and riots that occurred, life really gets put into perspective. As Canadians, we are privileged to be living in a widely diverse society, that has access to resources that may not be available elsewhere. The question is,

does 2020 really have a silver lining?

The world has become so preoccupied with life, compared to past generations. The biggest lesson learned by this year is sometimes, all you need to do is slow down, and appreciate the little things in life. The change in lifestyle was difficult. Society was so used to a set routine, and the pandemic really changed our typical reality. Now, there was suddenly more time to spend with your family and do the things that there would normally be no time for. With people outside our households, we still had a way to be connected, while being apart.

The use of technology helped individuals find the “new normal.� When the world went into lockdown, imagine how different our experience could have been if we did not have this innovation. As history has shown, a pandemic typically occurs every 100 hundred years. If it was the 1918 flu pandemic, the world would not have access to the resources that there are now. Now, individuals who lost their jobs have support from the government. There are now better ways to communicate, and simpler ways to achieve tasks that seemed impossible 20 years ago.

When schools and businesses were forced to close, some of them were still able to operate. This generation is the first to ever experience a fully virtual education system. While it seemed hard or frustrating at times, everyone was in the same boat. It was all trial and error, and in a way, brought the community closer together. We can all agree that as students, we have a new appreciation for our staff and teachers. Putting together lesson plans and making sure we learn efficiently is not an easy task. Doing jobs virtually was also something that was never expected, but thankfully individuals still were able to earn an income. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a perfect example of the positives of technology.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, Age 7.

Source:CBC News

Thanks to scientists, doctors and healthcare workers, we were able to find an effective vaccine close to only one year after the virus was discovered. People were more aware of the way the virus spread and knew the proper precautions to take. With the daily health updates that are provided, media and news play a major role in the success that humanity has over the pandemic. Knowing where and how the virus is affecting others allows people to ensure they are safe.

10 WORLD

Black Shirt Day, commemorated on January 15, to support Anti-Racism.

It is unfortunate that even during the pandemic, racial discrimination never rested.

Many individuals felt that protesting for human rights was the answer. These actions may have begun with a positive intention, in an attempt to be heard, but resulted in consequences When people were angry and frustrated, they made the wrong decisions. When these events occur, they can help society understand their root causes. The hope is that individuals gain more awareness on how to prevent violence from happening in the future.

that

Source:CBC News

we improved on what they accomplished!” 100 years from now, when people learn about 2020 and the pandemic, hopefully they will think, “Look at how much we improved on what they accomplished!” “Back then, this would have helped.” “The world is so different now!”

An important thought to keep in mind is

as times change, so do circumstances.

Something that works well currently may not work the same way in the future. If these events were to occur again, these experiences can be used as a way to learn and make advancements in the world. We can view unpleasant situations as learning opportunities. “look at how much

Effective COVID-19 vaccine found less than one year after virus was discovered.

Source:CBC News

11

WORLD We’ve forgotten about yet another threat to the human species

But don’t worry, it’s still there!

Florin Lee Writer,

For the past year, we have been so preoccupied with the global health crisis - and rightfully so - that we have forgotten about another looming threat to our species: climate change. During the early days of the pandemic, the lockdowns appeared to actually be beneficial for the environment when factory and traffic pollution suddenly decreased. Satellite images of the drastic improvements in air quality in China circulated through the internet, and some even made jokes about how COVID-19 was nature’s way of cleansing Earth of its parasites.

People are staying home more, as many workplaces have offered remote working options for their employees. Air traffic has also decreased significantly, which is beneficial for the environment, but means thousands of people have lost their jobs. This also means that there is an increase in demand for delivery services, with apps like Uber Eats and Skip The Dishes offering an at-home restaurant experience, and people shopping online more frequently.

There have been many negative consequences to the environment during the pandemic.

Many grocery stores banned reusable shopping

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought an increase in demand for delivery services.

Source: Korvia

12 WORLD

The MV Wakashio spilled more than 1000 tonnes of oil into the waters of important marine ecosystems.

bags due to hygiene concerns, and plastic packaging of goods increased greatly. The masks and personal protective equipment that people wear are often single-use, and have been filling landfills and polluting waterways with rapidity. How many people have seen blue masks dropped on the side of the road?

Source: Greenpeace Africa

istration tried to sell the drilling rights to an Arctic wildlife refuge. Last August, there was a massive oil spill in the waters of Mauritius, near multiple important (and protected) ecosystems. Experts think that more than 1000 tonnes of oil spilled into the water.

People may be more focused on the

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, gov- COVID-19 pandemic as of the moment, but ernments were in discussions to ban single-use climate change is still here, and Earth is becomplastics, but now there are so many other press- ing more polluted by the minute. Just like how we ing issues that are taking up their time that were suddenly forced to adapt to the biggest health worrying about climate change has been put on crisis the world has seen in centuries, could we also hold. Vancouver amended their plastics ban to bring change to slow down the destruction of our allow businesses to use single-use plastic prod- planet? ucts for another year, citing the pandemic as an issue. Just earlier this month, the Trump admin-

SCHOOL How’s Y’all Doing?

Student Interviews

Kaleigh Morrow, Jennifer Shui Writers, Interviewers

Pinetree is halfway through its first hybrid-quarter-system year! A lot has changed since the 2019-2020 school year, and there are so many things to look forward to. Before rushing into 2021, take a chance to reflect on last year.

In only six months, this year’s Grade 12’s will be graduating, but it does not feel like much time has passed. Student lives are busy. Between academics and extracurriculars, there is not always free time.

When there is a break, most students prefer to stay at home in bed, so COVID-19 has not changed routines much. To hear about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pinetree Post conducted a few student interviews.

Dan Shinn - Grade 11

Source: Kaylin Brereton-Stiles

PTP: What are you looking forward to after

the COVID-19 pandemic?

D: I am looking to relax, because I miss the semester system compared to the quarter system. [In the

13

quarter system] there are more frequent tests. When COVID-19 ends and hopefully it goes back to the semester system, maybe I can relax and do more extracurricular activities.

PTP: How do you feel about changes around the school?

D: I agree that it works well, but I think that the semester system is better in that [during the quarter system] we miss a lot of things that we would have covered if it was semester based.

PTP: Anything you want to eat after COVID-19?

D: Bubble tea. It is kind of awkward to go inside [the store].

PTP: Where do you want to travel after COVID-19?

D: I want to visit my family.

PTP: What do you miss from before COVID-19?

D: I miss going out and hanging out. I miss the whole system, because it is not coming back.

PTP: Do you feel stressed because of COVID-19?

D: I think I used to feel stressed about COVID-19, but now I am more or less accustomed to it, so it is fine.

PTP: What makes you happy? What do you do to manage stress?

D: Walk my dog, play games, and mathematics.

Mathematics is logical, so it is fun for me when I get the answer. Walking my dog [I get] some fresh air and I can take off my mask, so it feels more like last year.

Playing games is for entertainment.

PTP: What is one thing we all did before COVID-19 that you cannot imagine doing now?

D: Friendly relationships. I think that there is going to be more distance even when the pandemic ends. That is what I think is going to change.

PTP: What is the best thing that has happened to you, because of COVID-19?

D: Staying up late, because I can wake up at 12:00 p.m. and still go to school.

14 SCHOOL

Termeh Tabrizi - GradeSource: 12 Kaylin Brereton-Stiles Abby Soboleva - Grade 12

PTP: What are you looking forward to after the COVID-19 pandemic?

A: Getting together with family across the border and overseas, as we were planning before quarantine began.

PTP: What do you miss from before COVID-19?

A: Just the freedom to do things worry free, and the freedom to travel.

PTP: How has COVID-19 changed your life and the things you do?

A: The biggest area it changed for me was school, and it will probably affect my post secondary too. We are no longer able to visit family and friends outside Canada, which is also big. Otherwise, I spent most of my time at home before quarantine anyways, so that did not change much.

PTP: What’s the best thing that has happened to you because of this whole situation?

A: In the beginning of quarantine, I started exercising at home, which is something out of my character.

It did not last long though.

PTP: What are you looking forward to after

the COVID-19 andemic?

T: I cannot wait to have picnics with my friends! I also look forward to travelling more freely once heavy restrictions are lifted, and the overall safety of travelling improves. The first place I would like to travel to is my hometown to see my family.

PTP: What do you miss from before COVID-19?

T: I miss seeing my friends since the new quarter system makes it really difficult to try and match the times each of us are at school. Being able to see my friends almost everyday, even if we had no classes together, has been what I took for granted and deeply miss..

PTP: What do you do that makes you happy?

T: Making food! I have found cooking to be absolutely delightful ever since I was three years old, when I first helped my mom cook a Persian dish called “abgoosht.” Recently, I have become more engaged in baking and find it very enjoyable! I have been making different types of cake, Persian sweets, and breads; it is actually quite therapeutic.

PTP: How has COVID-19 changed your life and the things you do?

T: With COVID-19, I have learned to become much more conscious and aware of the things I do.

SCHOOL Though, I am still in the process of learning and have much to adjust to!

PTP: What’s the best thing that has happened to you because of this whole situation?

T: I used to be a very impatient person, but with the pandemic and change in lifestyle, as I have become more aware of myself, what I do, and my behaviours, I have become much more patient and understanding.

This has helped me cope with all the overwhelming challenges that come during such a “see-saw” time.

PTP: What’s one thing we all did before the pandemic that you cannot imagine doing now?

T: Not sanitizing or disinfecting high-touch areas, or things we use daily like our phones LOL.

PTP: How do you feel about graduating during COVID-19?

T: Regardless of how much we will be able to do, I feel that graduating during a global pandemic will be unforgettable, which is essentially all I want for a graduation. Even if they are not the most cliche “fun memories,” I feel that when I am older and looking back on my high school years, it will spark an unusual but comforting reminiscence.

ADVICE COLUMN:

Ask Tommy Tommy Sharpe

Hello all,

My name is Tommy Sharpe, and welcome to the January edition of Ask Tommy! Unfortunately, there were no entries from last month, but that can be excused; it was pretty short notice.

That said, there will be NO EXCUSE if I do not get anything for February, so send your questions! I made it so simple that your little sibling could understand it, and ask what’s wrong with their older sibling for not submitting a question themselves.

Because of the crippling lack of responses, I had to go out and ask people QUESTIONS!

15 Honestly, I do ALL the work around here. I got a rather interesting prompt: Dear Tommy, Let’s say your great grandfather met your great grandmother at a party of some sort. Aristocratic ball let’s say. It was optional. Your entire existence literally depended on the split-second whim of your great grandfather. If he chose not to go, the world wouldn’t be much different, but you wouldn’t be here. It’s all choice. Your dreams, your motivations, your relationships, your future, everything would never have happened. Thoughts?

Sincerely,

This prompt hit hard for me, and really got me thinking. If everything stems from a binary choice, like a flip of the switch, then would our metaphorical weight be balanced on that one choice? If that choice did not follow through, or happened differently, then our being would not have happened.

I’m not sure I can answer this directly, but I will say this: are you grateful for living? If you are, then I don’t think the choice matters. What matters is that you are in control, and your choices are your own, not anyone else’s.

Another perspective is that if you do bad things it will still build upon the future. The future just keeps going. Instead of marrying, your ancestor might’ve made a conglomerate international company that could’ve changed the world. In comparison, him settling down would be BAD. But again, you exist. I don’t think it is worth it to judge yourself against possibility. You are very real (I think), so accept and cherish that! But remember, there’s always a good and bad side to every choice.

16 SCHOOL

I spoke to my philosophically inclined dad about this. He mentioned that my existence is a series of random possibilities that built up throughout his history. My dad met my mom in Korea, but if he never went to Korea, I wouldn’t exist. My dad saw a flyer in university to go to Asia, but he never went, I wouldn’t exist! My mom worked as a teacher before university, but if she had gone to post-secondary first, I WOULDN’T EXIST! My entire life is a cavalcade of chances, and I am grateful for each and every one to bring me where I am today.

Resources in the school

community - youth workers

How do the youth workers give us support?

Michelina Lee Writer

In cases when help is needed, there are many places that students can visit within the Pinetree community. While seeking help for course changes or suggestions, students can communicate with counsellors. When looking for volunteer or job opportunities, they can talk to career teachers.

However, do you know who youth workers are and how they help us in various situations? Fortunately, I was able to talk to Ms. Walraven, an immigrant youth worker who introduced me to all the details.

One that slightly existential note, that’s all for this week’s edition of Ask Tommy. Please send me any questions or comments you may have about school, life, or anything else at pinetreepost.asktommy@gmail.com. I hope you all have a great January!

Adieu, Students can find youth workers all around Tommy Sharpe the school. On the bottom floor, at the impulse area across from the cafeteria is where students can visit Ms. Walraven and Ms. Cridge. The international youth workers can be found in the counselling area and Ms. Roberston in A216.

Times and days of availability for youth workers vary, so students should check before visiting them.

Youth workers help students in various ways and have different roles to take. As with career teachers, youth workers can direct students in finding volunteer or job opportunities. They are there for students every step of the way and go to great Source: narvii.com Me when writing this lengths to find what is best suited for students.

Youth workers can also help students with schoolwork and assist those that may be facing hardships in their personal lives. This includes issues that the student might be dealing with from school, in their family, and even at work. Students at Pinetree are welcome to visit and talk to youth workers at any time, who will be available to give the kind of support that is very much needed.

17

SCHOOL

At Pinetree Secondary school, there are five youth workers. Ms. Jeong, Ms. Xie, and Ms. Robertson are not at Pinetree every day, also working in different schools. Ms. Jeong and Ms. Xie are international youth workers and have the ability to speak Korean or Chinese, being able to help with translation. Within our diverse community, not everyone is fluent in English and can face a language barrier along the way. Youth workers can help translate for parents who are from different countries, enabling smooth communication so that information can be delivered more efficiently.

Ms. Robertson is an aboriginal education youth worker who mainly communicates with aboriginal students. However, students can feel free to talk to any of the youth workers.

Source: Kevin Fan

Ms. Cridge and Ms. Walraven are at Pinetree fulltime. They both develop programs and groups for students, usually during lunch or after school. Ms. Cridge is a youth worker who oversees all students and Ms. Walraven, who is an immigrant youth worker, helps immigrant, refugees, and newcomer students. She assists students with the help of the Settlement workers in Schools (SWIS) to make settlement plans and connect families to the community. This includes helping them with employment and student visas, finding housing, or interfacing with students in hopes that they will successfully merge into our Pinetree community.

Students can contact Ms. Walraven through her cell at 604-319-2049 or her email awalraven@sd43. bc.ca.

Source: Kevin Fan

Source: Kevin Fan

Ms. Walraven Whether it be finding job opportunities or having someone to rely on, youth workers are always there for students. Students are always welcome to visit youth workers, so feel free to reach out to them! .

18 FEATURED A Writer’s Tale What’s a writer’s biggest fear?

Hana Nouri Writer

If you think about it more, the more you notice it. How many times a day do you see a person holding a good ol’ book over a phone?

One dimensional characters, flat plo tlines, your book ending up on an old

Very few I bet, with the exceptions of a white lady’s recommendation list. All library or a bookstore of course, but even then you very true and unsettling fears. still see people on these obnoxious things called phones, mind you. I too have caught myself in the Whilst there are many things that send a shiver act. I would be scrolling endlessly when there’s a down a writer’s spine, there’s quite nothing that truly sets one in a state of horror than coming to fabulous, mind riveting book not even ten centimeters away from me. It is truly, utterly, downright the realization that one day people are going to sad. stop reading.

Although I’ve said all that, there’s a part of

At this point you’re probably thinking what in Godric’s Hollow are you going on about? me that also believes that reading and these stories You’re probably also thinking that I’m out of my can’t die. It’s everywhere we go. It’s everything we mind because, well, of course people are going to see. It’s in the way we speak. Think about it. The movies we see are all a big story, written by someread. They’re going to read their text messages.

They’re going to read their daily dose of celebrity one. Same goes for TV shows. We live to tell each scandals. They’re going to read their god awful in- other stories, written by ourselves. Written in our stagram captions up to the point where they regret minds, in our papers, in our screens. it and change it to a single emotionally jam packed

Next time you have the option to pick up a emoji. That’s not what I’m talking about. book, do it. Pick up that book and read it. Go to the library or the bookstore and find something

I’m talking about the usually rectangular shaped thing that consists of flattened dead trees that suits you. You don’t have to be the world’s most avid reader to read. Once you’ve read someand ink. This thing that we call a book. Writers, thing that’s peaked your interest it starts to become mostly younger ones, swim in the sadness that an addiction. It’s something that puts you through one day people are going to stop reading books when the digital world takes over. What this means this whole mental journey that you never thought you were going to experience. You get to live in a is that all the hard work, effort and love that we writers put in won’t count for anything. The career different reality. You get to live a different life.

A writer’s biggest fear comes in many different shades.

that we spent dreaming of since our wee ages might not do well in the real world. I personally feel this fear at an alarming rate.

No matter where we go, stories follow us.

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FEATURED Avoiding Burnout

work followed by a five minute break. Other common intervals are forty-five to fifteen and fifty to ten.

Bryan Chen, Sophie Zhao Writers

2. Change of Pace - Discover a new hobby

Tips on productivity and self-care.

It has been a month since 2021 began, and over a year since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic worldwide. Pinetree has undergone its own set of changes in class procedures and safety regulations in the process. Under these restricting circumstances, it is much too easy to feel stressed, paranoid, and even depressed. However, there is more to this temporary lifestyle than its limitations.

The tips below, drawn from professional suggestions and personal experiences, are intended to combat burnout from those absurdly fast-paced science courses, low moods from the inability to hug a friend, and anything in between.

Textbooks on desk

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1. Planning - Factor in breaks without guilt

Our ability to manage our own schedule is more flexible than we might think. Physically writing out what we do in a day helps us visualize where our time has been going and lets us adjust. An important part of this process is to remember that adding breaks actually makes us more productive when we return to our responsibilities, making them just as important.

Specifically for studying, the Pomodoro Technique uses a timer to schedule twenty-five minutes of

Despite the onslaught of distressing events, life may feel dull due to the repetition of work, bad news, and restrictions. Thus, there needs to be a break this negative cycle. Give yourself two guilt-free hours to try out a new activity. Here are just a few possibilities: - Bake a batch of cookies - Clean your room (and find some nostalgic items) - Watch a movie you don’t know if you’ll like - Take photos at a new walking/hiking trail - Make a playlist you’d play on an adventure - Download a game you’ve been hearing about

Photo taken at the Coquitlam River Trail

3. Take advantage of virtual platforms - Everyone is in this together Remember that you are not alone in this pandemic.

The internet could feel overwhelming, but it is also a convenient means of social interaction when physical distancing is necessary. Don’t be afraid to text a friend first or even meet someone new; you could end up helping someone with their boredom or loneliness. You may also find people hosting online events or games. You may even want to host such an event yourself.

20 FEATURED 4. Try to make the most out of your classes Doing well in your academic courses starts at the effort you put in. Try to make the most out of the classes you’re taking, and genuinely apply yourself to do the best you can. As cliché and sometimes unrealistic as it is to say that, if you can harness your enthusiasm into pursuing the concepts in your lessons by the will of your own interest, you will begin to see that you can retain a lot more from what’s taught in the lessons, and as a result enjoy a significantly less onerous task when it comes to doing homework.

5. Find someone you can talk to about your struggles When you feel besieged on all sides by your life and its responsibilities, try and find someone you trust with whom you can unleash the defeatism and despair that’s cooped up in your mind about the dismal and unfortunate events that are holding you back. Perhaps this person has been through the same experiences and can assist you in coping or even resolving whatever is crippling your potential. Or, maybe just being able to talk to someone and let whatever is on your mind out is enough to make you feel better. So long as there is someone at your side even when life is not so easy, it becomes a lot less of a grueling task just to wake up.

6. Always continue trying to grow Always do whatever you can to see yourself grow.

Although just this piece of advice is really vague and uninsightful by itself, there’s a lot more to it than just food for thought. Continually trying to improve gradually begins with relinquishing your concerns for everything in the future, and only concerning yourself with one issue at a time. Where your flaws may lie are where you should accept and recognize their existence, but that is not to say that you should be content to leave them as they are. Ultimately, that means just to try and improve on a single thing each day, one at a time, and if you don’t see progress, give it a bit of time and try again later. Don’t feel pressured to be perfect, because chances are that the people around you aren’t as omniscient as they appear. Just live your

life and make sure you take adequate care of yourself, and you should be fine.

Maybe up to now you’re falling behind in school, or you just feel devoid of hope in terms of anything else. That’s understandable. Everyone has been there before, whether or not they make it conspicuous or not. However, when these sort of things happen, there are ways to handle them, and this article states a few. Apply them when you see fit and feel that they’ll benefit you. Always remember that countering the challenges imposed by the pandemic is indeed not a trivial task, but is certainly possible.

Believe in yourself and try and apply these strategies and tactics, and make the most out of the situation whenever you can.

OTHER Comic by Zoe Li

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