February 2015

THE LOVE ISSUE

6560 BRADDOCK RD. ALEXANDRIA, VA 22312

defineFRIENDSHIP What motivates us to become friends?

14

THE NICHE CLUBS

Introducing clubs with a unique focus

24

MONDAY POLLS

Review of tjTODAY’s new Twitter polls

28

MOVIES WITH VALENTINES tjTODAY features romantic films

HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDSHIP

THE MAGAZINE

IN-DEPTH || 6

TJTODAY

FEB. 2016 || VOL ISSUE55| ||www.tjtoday.org www.tjtoday.org FEB. 12,11, 2016 || VOL 1 1ISSUE

THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY || ALEXANDRIA, VA

CONTENTS 4 Renovation Update 5 Progress in LIFT IN-DEPTH 6 COVER STORY High school friendship 12 Guilty pleasures 14 Niche eighth period clubs SCI-AND-TECH 16 Science of dating websites 18 Heart-related research project SPORTS 20 Dance team 22 Gymnastics OPINION 24 EDITORIAL New look into admissions 26 Loving yourself ENTERTAINMENT 28 Romance films WHAT I'VE LEARNED 32 Anthony Murphy-Neilson

NewsMAKERS

NEWS

NEWS

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Anjali Khanna, Esther Kim TEAM LEADERS Ankit Agrawal, Kate Deng, Katherine Du, Adithi Ramakrishnan, Uzma Rentia DESIGN EDITOR Kate Deng BROADCAST EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Alexa Nguonly BUSINESS MANAGER Patrick Toulme STAFF REPORTERS Mei Baek, Neha Bhargava, Jiny Cho, Natalie Homnyom, Katherine Hughes, Albert Jang, Angel Kim, Anupama Jayaraman, Sruthi Jayaraman, Sabria Kazmi, Shehar Kachru, Minna Kuriakose, Madeline Old, Avni Singh, Nikita Sivakumar, Angie Sohn, Sammy Tavasolli, Bayliss Wagner, Millan Welman, Anna Zhang, Christine Zhao ADVISER Erinn Harris

tjTODAY is the official newsmagazine of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology published by the journalism staff.

The staff is deeply committed to a code of journalistic ethics that demands the exercise of accuracy, good judgment and impartiality.

The content of tjTODAY is determined by the editorial board.

Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of the staff of tjTODAY, but not necessarily the opinions of individual editors.

Photo courtesy of

Photo courtesy of Ro

Photo courtesy of S

NEWS

3

FEB 12, 2016 Anupama Jayaraman || STAFF REPORTER

BACKSTORY The Society for Science and the Public chose senior Kunal Shroff as one of 40 finalists for the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS).

Participants were required to submit a research project of their choice.

Shroff will travel to Washington, D.C. from March 10-16 to compete with the rest of the finalists for over $1 million in awards.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ENTER THE HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU 2016 INTEL STS? FOUND OUT THAT YOU HAD BECOME As a sophomore, I had heard about A FINALIST? Intel STS through a panel led by the My first reaction was shock. But 2014 semifinalists during tjSTAR. to stand here now as an Intel STS I learned that Intel STS is about finalist, I can only think about how developing better scientists for the surreal this whole experience has future rather than pitting research been and the rollercoaster of emoprojects against each other, which is tions I’ve been experiencing through what happens in traditional science it all. fair settings. In my view, that ideal is the right way to promote science in high schoolers and that is why I participated in Intel STS.

courtesy of Kunal Shroff

Millan Welman || STAFF REPORTER

and the assistance of Peter Gabor and Jonathan Osborne, discussed some of his experience with writing the book.

and Dr. Osborne also provided very useful input.

BACKSTORY The Jefferson Physics Team is set DO YOU THINK THE BOOK COULD to publish a new book, “Mechanics: DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AS REPRESENT FUTURE GOALS OF TJ An Extended Introduction,” on Feb. PHYSICS TEAM CAPTAIN IN PHYSICS TEAM? IF SO, HOW? 4. The book is intended to provide an WRITING THE BOOK I think the book is a big part of the in-depth resource for introducing me- Shankar and I each wrote about half improvements to Physics Team that chanics for physics students, covering of the chapters, and we’ve both been we’ve made this year. A book like this, advanced topics such as central forces, editing everything in the book for by and for Physics Olympiad particscattering, and damped and driven the last four months. We’ve also had ipants, will be a great resource for oscillations. Senior Ross Dempsey, lots of help from friends; Nirmaan Physics Team students who want to one of the captains of the team, who Shanker, Physics Team co-captain, has delve deeper. wrote the books with fellow officers given a lot of help editing. Dr. Gabor

ourtesy of Ross Dempsey

courtesy of Suzette Henry

and I think that’s a really cool WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO aspect of it.

ACCOMPLISH IN FUTURE COMPETITIONS? BACKSTORY WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF I’m looking forward to being in After her successful win on Dec. 4 POETRY OUT LOUD? a new environment.

I think they’re at the school-wide Poetry Out Loud I think what I enjoy the most is going to be recording and broadcontest, senior Ellie O’Reilly conbeing able to explore the poems. casting, which is really cool.

It’s so tinued onto the Regional contest Actually, for the competition this cool to hear other people reciting on Jan. 29, in which she took first year, I skimmed all the poems on poems.

There are such a variety of place. The next step in her journey the website.

So it’s just been really poems that you can choose.

And is the State contest on March 18 in fun to be able to read these poems I usually do one type because it’s Richmond, Va. and figure out which ones I think the type that I’m able to perform the best, but there are other people I’ll be able to recite well and figure out what the poet meant by each of who can recite the poems that I the lines. I love poetry. tend to shy away from really well Kate Deng || TEAM LEADER

4 NEWS Renovation Update 6 5 7 1: Hallway located next to the Franklin Commons 2: New entrance doors for the dome 3: Internet cafe space in the Franklin commons

2

4: Close-up of computers located in Franklin Commons

1

5: The space for second floor Franklin Commons

3 NOTE: The information in the last Renovation Update has now been changed.

4

OPENED FEB. 1:

OPENED FEB. 8: Dome Main office

OPENING IN MID-FEBRUARY: World Language Classrooms Four Internet Cafes Global Learning Center DESIGN // ANKIT AGRAWAL

Photos courtesy of Lynn Nguyen and Sharon Kim

TOUR TJTV

Explore a variety of blog posts on Winter Storm Jonas

VIDEO

College and Career Center Franklin Commons Half of Nobel Commons Cold food lunch line (near Franklin Commons) Student leadership room

6: New upstairs lounge area for students 7: Jefferson logo and space within the dome

1.

NEWS

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FEB 12, 2016

“LIFT”-ING STANDARDS OF DIVERSITY Jefferson’s first year of LIFT program starts off with success

O

Lilia Qian || STAFF WRITER

f the 93 middle school participants in Learning through Inquiry, Fellowship and Tutoring’s (LIFT), over two thirds applied to Jefferson. In January, about 20 of the students gained semifinalist status in the Jefferson admissions process.

“I think [LIFT] instills confidence [in participants]. I think exposure to TJ [helps] too,” assistant principal and LIFT program organizer, Shawn Frank said. “[Scholars] had tutoring sessions [at Jefferson] and they got to tour the school.

A lot of times people apply to TJ and they’ve never seen it.”

The LIFT program works to increase the number of low-income students accepted into Jefferson. By preparing LIFT scholars for Jefferson’s admission tests and exposing them to the school environment, the program strives to supply underrepresented individuals with

guidance and resources in the application process. LIFT aims to triple the amount of economically disadvantaged students

“Just having that person there as a resource does a lot and gives them someone to look up to.”

- Assistant Principal Shawn Frank

attending Jefferson within two years. “[LIFT is] going to hopefully lead to having an increasingly diverse student population,” Frank said.

LIFT, funded by a $100,000 grant from the Jack Kent Cooke foundation, provides academic enrichment opportunities.

Scholars participate in the Middle School Tech Institute (MSTI), summer courses that expose students to STEM. In addition to the preparatory courses and materials for the admissions test, LIFT also pairs their own scholars with student mentors throughout the school year.

“The student mentors are probably our most critical element, because when [LIFT] students have mentors they can relate to and talk to about what it means to come to TJ, it definitely goes a long way,” Frank said.

The second round of Jefferson’s application process, the essay portion, takes place on Feb. 20. Application decisions will be released to students around April 30.

ARTICLES

DESIGN // ANKIT AGRAWAL

2.

DESIGN // KATHERINE DU

IN-DEPTH

define that word

FRIEND (n.)

|| STAFF s the name suggests, “Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology” is a school with a competitive zeal and occasional cutthroat competition.

Many worry that such an atmosphere could be seen as suffocating for friendships, but for sophomores Mara Casebeer and Artemis Veizi, Jefferson is what brought them together.

A

“Artemis Veizi and I have four of the same classes together and we realized that we also live right next to each other,” Casebeer said. “We started studying together on weekends, and then became best friends.”

Casebeer and Veizi’s friendship strengthened through their first years of high school, as they connected in ways not limited to schoolwork. Their friendship has grown over time through a myriad of activities - the crazier, the better.

“We’ve made croissants at midnight, played basketball in the snow and had a five-day sleepover,” Casebeer said.

Through their late-night antics and study sessions, Casebeer and Veizi have grown incredibly close.

“We are constantly in sync,” Veizi said. “[We have] a very

strong friendship, and it’s definitely successful.”

Though it comes with its academic stresses, high school years are a time when students can forge life-long friendships.

Given Jefferson’s competitive milieu, friendships can become a strong support system when family is not enough.

“My friends are always there to listen, to complain with me, to support me, or to just waste time doing nothing with,” senior Matthew Guo said.

The learning environment at Jefferson does differ in some ways from that of other schools, but in many cases this does not prevent the formation of lasting bonds.

“Friendships [at Jefferson] are very strong because we find ourselves connecting through similar events,” freshman Kaitlin Phan said. “No one really cares too much about how we appear to others because we all understand each other.”

Friends often help to ease stress arising from Jefferson’s challenging courses and demanding environment. When students are striving to perform their best, having friends as part of one’s support system reduces some of the pressure on

IN-DEPTH

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FEB 12, 2016

) an individual.

“I feel like especially at TJ where there’s so much competition and everything, having friends you know you can count on just tones it all down and makes the experience less cutthroat and more enjoyable altogether,” Guo said.

Outside of specific afterschool activities, upperclassmen have bonded in unique ways with those who are being newly introduced to a sport.

“I loved driving TJSD [Thomas Jefferson Swim and Dive] underclassmen with another senior and taking them out to dinner, For example, working with friends on academic projects allows so they would get a taste of both the family culture of the team and some good food,” senior Andrew Huang said. many students to relish the experience more, and encourages them to work for longer hours, as opposed to individual work.

But there are two sides to every story. As nurturing as the Jefferson environment can be, its competitive nature can some“[My best experiences with friends come from] working times lead to friendships that are based on ideals other than together for extracurriculars, and spending hours and hours building relationships.

A friendship can be built on “using” the making jokes and messing around while doing work,” freshman other person for one’s own social or academic benefit, rather Shihao Cao said. than growing and learning as a unit.

Friendships can form through a variety of mediums, from extracurricular activities and sports, to bonding through a group “There are definitely some friendships that take advantage of the competitive nature of [Jefferson] to try and use somebody,” project or final exam study session. junior David Liu said. “In the past, [students] have said, ‘I’m not “[Some highlights of friendships from marching band include] going to talk to you because you’re not useful to me.” spending competitions together, having lots of inside jokes, being able to rant about things easily because we both have similar Students at Jefferson may be accused of keeping their true thoughts or colors to themselves, perhaps to preserve a friendexperiences,” sophomore Grace Young said. ship or reputation.

8 IN-DEPTH Whatever the case, an environment such as Jefferson is one where it can be necessary to put on a fake smile or forgive and forget. Strong friendships at Jefferson are valuable and as such, not worth an inconsequential argument to lose.

“I feel like people complain about how TJ kids can be fake and not get their issues with each other out in the open, but I think that only very solid friendships that have been together for a long time can be comfortable calling each other out on things that upset them,” senior Aly Luckett said. “I also don’t think this is a TJ-exclusive thing; I think it happens for all teenagers. We’re all insecure and can be easily offended but don’t want to offend others by calling them out so we (unintentionally) end up being more offensive by trying to keep things to ourselves about other people.”

Friendships at Jefferson are often formed through shared classes, so when the new school year comes around friends often drift apart and become more like acquaintances. Given this, one may call into question the strength of high school friendships. How strong can a friendship exist if the number of classes together is the deciding factor in the relationship?

“I wouldn’t say growing apart would necessarily be a ‘bad’ friendship experience but I’d go from having a class or multiple classes with someone for one year, and being pretty good friends, to not seeing them at all for the next two years,” junior Carolyn Wang said. “[This] kind of makes us grow apart to the point where we don’t really talk anymore.”

However, some students believe that although the basis of Jefferson is not a conventional one it should not be looked at as any less of a friendship.

“I think a lot of Jefferson friendships form out of necessity, but that’s not always a bad thing,” freshman Sophia Wang said. “Students have had to adjust to making new friends and meeting people they wouldn’t have known before, and I think that’s a plus.”

No matter when or where, building healthy friendships is a skill that will serve an individual well. In a plethora of situations, relationships help open doors to various opportunities and experiences.

“I mean friends are what keep us alive,” Huang said. “We’re social animals, we need friends, and learning how to maintain friendships is something you need regardless of your path in life.”

FRIENDSHIPS AT JEFFERSON 86.4% of students believe students at Jefferson can form strong friendships

48.6% of students have been used by a friend at Jefferson

70.6% of students believe that a lack of shared classes gets in the way of friendships

72.5% of students could rely on a friend from Jefferson during a crisis based on a survey of 140 students

FRIEND OR FOE STUDENTS SHARE OPINIONS ON THE STATE OF FRIENDSHIPS AT JEFFERSON “A lot of my classmates are very logical and tend not to provide much emotional support or validation, which is probably to be expected in a school like this. I only have one or two friends I consider close, and even then they don’t know much about me. I believe a lot of people do have close friendships at TJ, but I have not personally formed many strong friendships.”

- Helena Lu, 9 “Sometimes a person wants to impress you so much that they go out of their way to lie and change who they are, making them no longer the same person whom you were friends with before, which is very sad.”

- Melina Seng, 10 “I hung out with older students when I was a freshman, and that made some of my friends in my grade feel abandoned. I didn’t mean to, but I didn’t put enough effort into listening and hanging out with them.”

- Ally Scholle, 12 DESIGN // Uzma Rentia

IN-DEPTH

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FEB 12, 2016

LOVING THE NUMBERS

Whether you’re “Single and Ready to Mingle” or in a relationship of your very own, there’s always something to love at Jefferson

FACT 1:

20.2%

of students surveyed stated their current relationship status to be “In a Relationship” “I think that the best part of a relationship is being able to be completely open with the other person and be able to be myself with them without them judging me for my - Sophomore Gabriella Barranta true self.”

FACT 2: Of the seniors surveyed, 16.2% said that their longest relationship lasted six months or less, and 37.8% said that their longest relationship lasted at least one year

“I always have someone that I can speak my mind to.

Even if I feel like the whole world is against me, my boyfriend is always there for me.”

FACT 3:

42.4% of single students

surveyed said they want to be in a relationship with someone

-Sophomore Grace Young

based on a survey of 168 students

DESIGN // Ankit Agrawal

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FEB 12, 2016

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Juniors - Let your Senior Year be relaxed!

"Crafting Your College Application" Summer Camp Choose from: August 1st – 5th August 8th – 12th August 15th – 19th August 22nd – 26th August 29th – September 2nd For more information: Website: www.nancylevonian.com E-mail: nancy.a.levonian@gmail.com Call: (703) 426-1962 Brought to you by Lives Under Construction

Monday – Friday, all day; see website For rising seniors: Finish the main part of your applications and some school-specific supplemental essays over one week in the summer, and let your senior year be anxiety-free! We cover: the character traits colleges look for; your "message" about your unique identity and extra-curricular activities; and writing essays that will intrigue the reader.

12 IN-DEPTH

DISTANCE IS JUST A NUMBER Hyun Jin Cho || Staff writer

Meet senior D.J. Jayachandran and Yale University freshman Julie Luo. They have been dating for a little under a year, and their relationship became long distance this past summer when Julie went off to college.

HE SAID

SHE SAID

Q: What are the best parts of your relationship?

Julie and I click really well. Ever since we started hanging out, we have been able to talk forever without a lull in the conversation.

Although we are pretty similar, we also have some differences that make each other better.

For example, I’m generally pretty lazy when deadlines are impending, but Julie’s work ethic and sense of responsibility has started to stick with me.

I think the greatest part is how happy we make each other. After a long day, coming back to my dorm and getting to see D.J.’s face over FaceTime makes my day infinitely better. I’ve never met anyone who I’ve clicked so well with. I love how silly we are with each other, always joking and teasing each other, acting like little kids. I’m constantly left wondering how I got so lucky to be able to call him mine.

Q: How has the distance affected your relationship?

I’d say that Julie going away has definitely impacted our relationship in a positive way.

Right now, it feels more solidified than it was back when she left for college. We definitely value our time together more. Even though I’m getting used to not seeing her regularly, I still wish we could see each other more often.

Guilty Pleasures Sabria Kazmi || STAFF WRITER

The secrets are out. Jefferson’s top guilty pleasure activities, artists and food have been revealed. Activity wise, the largest percentage of students have a guilty pleasure of watching TV or Netflix. It’s hard to tell what the top guilty pleasure artist would be because there is such a variety of artists, so the top artist goes to “other”. The food students eat as a guilty pleasure is a tie between chocolate and ice cream. Regardless of whether your guilty pleasure is something others share, like watching Netflix, eating ice cream or eating chocolate, it would appear everyone is guilty of something.

So really, you shouldn’t really feel guilty at all.

ies Activit

In a lot of relationships after a while, people start taking each other for granted. Being in a long distance relationship constantly reminds us to show appreciation and love for one another. When communication is crucial, it becomes more meaningful. D.J. always finds new ways to spontaneously surprise me.

Q: Describe your partner in 3 words.

Julie is selfless, determined, and talented.

D.J. is sefless, driven, and patient.

Q: How would your relationship be different if you were both seniors?

Yes, I think our relationship would be different, but I don’t necessarily think it would be better in any way. We have a really unique relationship and I think that’s one of the most special things about it.

It would definitely be a lot easier and convenient, but I’m glad we’re not. Having worked through the rocky parts of a long distance relationship has made it much stronger than it would have been.

Q: Describe your relationship before Julie went to college in 3 words.

Inseparable, spoiled, happy.

Comfortable, continuous, new.

Q: Describe your relationship after Julie went to college in 3 words.

Grateful, challenging, more mature.

Understanding, maturity, trust.

Carly Rae Jepsen Meghan Trainor One Direction Justin Bieber Demi Lovato Selena Gomez Fifth Harmony 5SOS Shawn Mendes Other

Foods

based on a survey of 225 students

DESIGN // Kate Deng Photo courtesy of Andy Zhao and Angelika Johns

Watching TV Sleeping Reading Eating Fanfiction Video Games Social Media Other

Artist s

Chocolate Ice Cream Baked Goods Pizza Fried Food Marshmallows Popcorn Other

IN-DEPTH

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FEB 12, 2016

WHO ARE THE CUTEST FRIENDS?

“My favorite memory is during biology we were talking about our blood types and most of the people in our class didn’t know, but I was like ‘I’m A,’ and she was like ‘You’re A? I’m A too.’” -Nakamura “And I said I was technically AO because my mom’s O. And she told me her mom was O too. And then we freaked out because we thought our compatibility was destiny.” -Yun

“I admire Minyoung’s hard work ethic. Everything he does he does with passion. He works hard in all of his subjects and doesn’t waste his time as much as I do.” -Kim “We do intentionally insult each other a lot, but John is just really nice to people, which is something I may or may not have a problem with.” -Hwang “Thanks friend.” -Kim Photo courtesy of Anant Das

Juniors Aakash Shukla and Shivam Kollur “My favorite memory would be the time we roomed together for a couple of weeks in Chicago and had a competition to see who’s the worse person.”

-Kollur “It was probably one of the funniest things I’ve ever done. We stayed up until like 2-3 every night doing the most random things and Shivam made everything really funny.” -Shukla Photo courtesy of Sraavya Poonuganti

PHOTO // Kate Deng

Junior John Serger and Senior Andy Zhao “My least favorite thing about Zhao is that he is too nice and will do anything for anyone.” -Serger “My least favorite thing about Serger is that John is really sassy sometimes. He thinks he’s being sassy but he’s really just hurting your feeling sassy. I’m just saying, John, I’m just saying. Sometimes the look hurts.” -Zhao “Sometimes you deserve the look.” -Serger Freshman results based off of a 25% majority (out of 526 polled). Sophomore results based off of a 44% majority (out of 552 polled). Junior results based off of a 34% majority (out of 536 polled). Senior results based off of a 44% majority (out of 486 polled.

Senior Juliana Bain and Stella Sotos “Stella is a loyal friend. I trust her with my secrets and we get along so well.” -Bain “One time over the summer we spent 120 hours and didn’t get sick of each other.” -Sotos DESIGN // Kate Deng

Photo courtesy of Juliana Bain

Freshmen Alexandra Yun and Ally Nakamura

Photo courtesy of Jun Chong

Sophomores John Kim and Minyoung Hwang

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IN-DEPTH

Upcoming Eighth Periods Every club at Jefferson brings its own unique touch to the school environment, and with so many to choose from, students truly get to explore their interests with clubs in their own “niche” affairs and raise funds for educational and medical supplies to send to the Angie Sohn || STAFF WRITER Pyongyang Summer Institute.

Meeting every Wed. A Block, This year, the club has invited guest Humanitarian Aid for North Korea speakers from institutes specializing (HANK) raises awareness on one of the in international affairs, such as Dr. Jae most deprived countries in the world.

Ku from the Paul H. Nitze School of HANK focuses on efforts supporting Advanced International Studies (SAIS) the human rights of North Koreans at Johns Hopkins University, and Ms. through spreading awareness and Suzanne Scholt. educating the public.

“I was compelled to join the club Formed by class of 2015 alumnus because it broke my heart to see the Christian Tae, HANK was created deprivation of human rights in a to bring awareness to North Korean country that is ever so close to the one

A

B

HANK

Little Sunshine

Angel Kim || STAFF WRITER

The Little Sunshine Project is family and teachers, and so he set apart from other service clubs asked if we can get in touch with at Jefferson in how personally its them,” Qian said. members interact with children The club currently is from around the world — all communicating with kids from through writing letters. an academy in China where Qian “Our mission was to write was an assistant. underprivileged kids in other “They’re from an English countries, and become pen pals academy and they’re trying to with them,” senior Lisa Qian said. work on their English,” Qian The club members also send said. “We’re basically introducing crafts and books. ourselves and having them “One of [our members] is interact with us.” really good at origami and they’re making paper projects,” Qian said.

The club has written to youth in Ethiopia and Romania in the past.

They choose projects through their officers’ connections.

“Last year the vice president Photo courtesy of Angel Kim had connections in Members of Little Sunshine Project meet Romania, [including] on Jan. 15

A

that I was born and raised in,” junior Suzie Bae, the president of HANK, said.

Photo courtesy of HANK

Bae and junior Rachel Lee meet Suzanne Scholt, president of the Defense Forum Foundation and vice co-chair of the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea.

Life in Movement

Avni Singh || STAFF WRITER

Life in Movement is a club that strives to reduce something students seem to have a lot of: stress.

The club meets every Wednesday during B block under the supervision of biology teacher Thomas Larson.

During meetings, the club members practice Ch’eng Mai Ching, a variation of the Yang Tai Chi form.

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese tradition practiced as a graceful form of exercise. It involves movements performed slowly and accompanied by deep breathing, which promotes inner peace and

calm.

“The philosophy behind practicing Tai Chi involves clearing your mind, so it’s relaxing and stress reducing,” junior Jason Zou said.

Tai Chi techniques can also be used outside of the club, in areas that require concentration and focus.

“Tai Chi teaches me techniques to clear my mind before tests or performances so that I can think clearly and perform my best. It also helps me stay active once the cheerleading season is over,” senior Kenny Chen said.

DESIGN || Ankit Agrawal

IN-DEPTH

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FEB 12, 2016

TAKING A TRI P THROUGH

VALEN-TIME-’S DAY

It’s more than just chocolate and flowers. Two Jefferson community members share the origins of their Valentine’s Day traditions

A

Lilia Qian || STAFF WRITER

s lingering traces of snow begin to melt away, students and teachers alike look forward to Valentine’s Day traditions to warm their hearts. Whether it is travel plans or gifts of chocolate, tradition never fails to bring people together.

“In seventh and eighth grades, my friend would print out those cheesy pickup line things from Tumblr and we would give them to our friends or random people at lunch,” freshman Elizabeth Ling said.

Ling and friends spread the joy by sending valentines on red construction paper, while others choose to celebrate love in places far from home.

“My girlfriend and I go to Saratoga, NY.

In Saratoga, there’s this contra dance that lasts for four days called the Dance Flurry.

We’ve been [going for] the last two years,” Daniel Rice, a research statistics teacher, said.

The dance, which takes place annually, is a Valentine’s Day tradition for many. Contra dance, a form of folk dance typically performed with many couples at once, creates a lively atmosphere, making the Dance Flurry a prime venue for making memories.

“There’s a lot of different parts that are really fun. At the end of the dance, they fill the stage with the thirty musicians, and they do a goodbye contra. If everyone from the whole weekend is there, then it’s jampacked full. That’s the best part — dancing

in a mob when you have no space, but somehow it still works,” Rice said.

Every tradition has its own story for where it began. Some have roots in history.

“Elisabeth [Mason], my girlfriend, went to New York State University, and she’s been contra dancing up there. She [decided to take] me along [two years ago],” Rice said.

“We plan on doing it this year.”

Other traditions start smaller, but are just as valuable.

“It was mostly [started by] my one friend, Jane, who would print everything out and put it on red construction paper and bring it to school,” said Ling. “There was this one [valentine] that [said] ‘I’ve got my ion you.’ and it was a picture of Bill Nye, and we gave it to our science teacher.”

THE HISTORY OF VALENTINES DAY TRADITIONS THIRD CENTURY A.D.

ARCHAIC PERIOD

The beginning of Valentine’s Day, when Father Valentine was executed on Feb. 14, after he wrote a letter to his love and signed it, “Your Valentine”

1913

Eros (Cupid) was depicted as a handsome immortal in the Archaic Period, but by the Hellenistic period, he was shown as a playful child.

MIDDLE AGES

Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized Feb. 14 and it became popular all over Europe, increasing the prominence of love as a Valentine’s Day symbol.

Industrial Revolution started the production of factory made cards. Hallmark cards began mass production, and grew to become a tradition.

1866

Sweet Hearts were invented by Sweet Hearts, creating them by pressing letters with dye into candy. It became a symbol of Valentine’s Day.

GRAPHIC // Kate Deng REPORTING // Minna Kuriakose

timeline information from http://www.history.com/news/ask-history/who-is-cupid and http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day

SCI&TECH THE SCIENCE OF DATING WEBSITES How dating websites help people find their perfect match

A

Avni Singh || STAFF WRITER

ccording to the 2014 United States Census Bureau, approximately 105 million people 18 years or older have idenfied themselves as single. That is 44 percent of the entire population of U.S. citizens above 18. Considering such a large portion of the population, it is no wonder that online dating websites, such as Match. com, continue to earn enormous popularity and profit over the past years.

“Dating websites are probably just a giant scandal for money,” freshman Ravi Dudhagra said. “They want you to pay money to use the website, and you can’t get the same information [about people] from those websites as you would from face-toface conversation.”

the CEO of OKCupid, talked about how University said in the journal Psychological OKCupid’s algorithm allows users to Science in the Public Interest. specify the answer they want from someone It is also easy for people to lie about who else. they are or what they look like, and a recent “If both people in a relationship are study showed that almost 60 percent of saying yes to this [Do you like to be the profiles on popular dating websites are fake. center of attention?], then they’re going to “There are some really creepy people on have massive problems,” Rudder said in the online dating sites and people can lie on video. their profile, so you don’t really know what Match.com uses a similar algorithm, but also allows users to specify a desired age range, hair color and body type. For example, if a person says he or she does not want to date someone older than 25, but looks at profiles of people older than 25, then Match.com will still make suggestions of people older than 25.

Putting statistics aside, how do dating sites Even though these dating sites use actually work? matching algorithms, scientists say that OKCupid, a dating website with roughly these algorithms do not actually function in 10 million users, uses an algorithm that the most ideal way. calculates “match percentage.” In order to “Developers of matching algorithms have use the algorithm, OKCupid collects data tended to focus on the information that by asking questions like “Do you like scary is easy for them to assess, like similarity in movies?” or “Do you want to have kids personality and attitudes, rather than the one day?” The more questions that two information that relationship science has individuals respond in the same way, the found to be crucial for predicting longhigher their match percentage will be. term relationship well-being,” Eli Finkel, In a TED-Ed video, Christian Rudder,

a psychological scientist at Northwestern

you’re getting yourself into,” sophomore Anusha Samant said. “I guess they’re good for meeting new people if you’re in an environment where you can’t meet new people. At TJ I feel like there’s no need because you’re surrounded by plenty of people.”

Many students stay away from dating sites and dating in general in order to focus on their schoolwork.

“At this point of my life I don’t think about dating. You could meet new people, but I’d rather just meet people in real life,” freshman Om Bhavsar said.

Despite these problems, there’s no denying that there’s a lot of information that goes into matching-making algorithms, and that dating websites are a quick way to meet new people, whether they’re real or not.

LOVE IN THE TIME OF INTERNET February

14 1 in 5 new relationships begin online

Percent of male dating website users: 52.4 Percent of female dating website users: 47.6

1 in 4 Americans have entered into a marriage with someone they met online

Average length of marriages that met online: 18.5

Information from Scientific American. Per Research Center and Statistic Brain

SCI & TECH

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FEB 12, 2016

WHY WE LOVE:

The connection between love and chocolate Uzma Rentia || TEAM LEADER

M

aybe it was amidst the petty squabbles in preschool or in your freshman math class. Nearly everyone has had a first crush, love and heartbreak. These important milestones are not likely to be forgotten and so some may find themselves reminiscing about a past love and wonder: how did it start and why did it end?

Scientists say that love starts in the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA), the area of the brain that perceives pleasure. The VTA releases a flood of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls cravings, to the caudate nucleus, causing it to signal for more.

A positive assessment of a partner is sent to the frontal lobe where a memory forms via hippocampus. Through this process humans get the motivation to get the girl or find their Prince Charming.

“The limbic system of our brain is associated with emotion along with stimulants like dopamine and norepinephrine that cause feelings of pleasure and adrenaline which is associated with love,” sophomore Cassie Quach, a member of Jefferson’s Neuro Society, said.

concentrations simmering in the brains of new lovebirds are similar to those who suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

The starry-eyed couples that line school hallways will not always remain that way.

Over time the obsessive love fades and the couple begins bonding. Serotonin levels increase as do levels of oxytocin and vasopressin. That does not mean that the

The Limbic System: Emotions are processed by the limbic system, located in the temporal lobe Amygdala: Controls emotional responses, like love, fear, anger and desire Hypothalamus: Regulates emotions, controls levels of desire, pleasure, aggression and anger.

Hippocampus: Interacts with the amygdala when a person has memories with emotional ties

Dopamine is not the only Information from nationalgeographic.com, cnn.com and livestrong.com ingredient in this chemical concoction; the brain also sends signals love has fizzled out, but rather a sense of to the adrenal gland, which secretes trust forms, curbing the needy feelings epinephrine and norepinephrine, which between partners. are responsible for the weak-kneed “Oxytocin, otherwise known as the love sensation and rapid-heart beat often read hormone, plays a large role in human about in stories or seen on the television. bonding but isn’t restricted to romantic The obsessive feeling associated with a love.

In fact, oxytocin is also an important fresh relationship is due to the drop in component to mother-infant relationships,” serotonin levels, which triggers a feeling sophomore Vivian Gruendel said. of desire. Studies show that the chemical

As months turn into years, couples turn to a molecule called corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) to keep them together. It creates an unpleasant feeling that causes the couple to long for each other when apart.

But what happens when love dies out?

Is it a classic case of “it’s me, not you,” or a problem on the other end? Researchers believe it is neither. Our brains may be hardwired to move on from a relationship after four years, or the time it takes to raise a child to infancy.

If romantic love is fickle, perhaps one can find a more reliable partner in chocolate. Chocolate triggers the same rush of dopamine, the inception of a positive memory in the hippocampus and the cravings associated with the love for another human. The key difference is that chocolate has something that keeps people invested in a relationship of sorts. It contains a variety of chemical stimulants that keeps people coming back, such as theobromine, phenylethylamine, caffeine and the feel-good chemical called anandamide. Chemists believe the anandamide in chocolate make the natural anandamide in our brain last longer, which creates a more permanent “chocolate high.” It also provides relief to the Central Executive, the parts of the brain that responds to internal experiences.

So the next time your insular cortex acts up following a bad breakup, chocolate may prove to be the best weapon in your arsenal. Or you could skip the relationship, heartbreak and whirlwind of fluctuating hormones and stick to chocolate from the beginning, finding comfort in the fact that the flow of dopamine - and love - won’t die anytime soon.

“I would rather have chocolate because falling love is tedious,” sophomore Nivitha Periyapatna said. “Falling in love is more trouble than it’s worth.”

DESIGN // Uzma Rentia

18 SCI & TECH

HEART & SCIENCE

S

Uzma Rentia and Katherine Du || TEAM LEADERS

eniors Jessica Nguyen and Vivek Batheja are conducting research under Zhe Han in the Cancer and Immunology Center at the Children’s National Medical Center as a part of Jefferson’s mentorship program. Both are investigating diabetic nephropathy, a form of diabetes characterized by progressive kidney disease. Their current objective is to combat diabetic nephropathy by finding a drug that will restore the nephrocyte function, while also aiming to see whether a diabetic mother will aggravate heart defects in the next generation.

PLEASE GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF YOUR PROJECT Nguyen: Our new project deals with observing if diabetic fly mothers pass on heart-related or other types of defects onto their progeny.

We spent the past few months developing an in-vivo diabetic nephropathy (diabetes characterized by severe kidney disease) model in D. melanogaster.

For this project, we’re using the same model to induce diabetes in wild type fly mothers and then breeding these with flies that have certain knockouts that are known to impair heart function and seeing if diabetes in the mother will exacerbate heart defects in the second generation.

Batheja: We are investigating the disease of diabetic nephropathy, which is the condition developed in about 30 percent of diabetic patients with noticeable damage to the patient’s kidneys due to high sugar content in your blood damaging your kidneys. And fruit flies have nephrocytes which are analogous to our kidneys, so good model to study.

WHAT ASPECTS OF THE RESEARCH ARE YOU SPECIFICALLY WORKING ON? Nguyen: We’ve been raising the diabetic flies and we’re about to collect virgins to breed them with the RNAi knockout flies. And after that we’re going to be looking at the survival rates and hopeful-

Senior Jessica Nguyen counts the number of larvae on agar plates from their egg collection .

ly imaging some. So we created the diabetic model, are raising the diabetic flies, breeding them, counting survival rates, dissecting, and imaging the heart tube.

Batheja: I have been finding the optimal sugar concentration to actually induce a diabetic model and measuring nephrocyte function to see if kidney function is diminished in these high sugar diet flies.

And now that we have developed a decreased function in nephrocytes, our goal will be to use a drug library that we have of 2000 drugs and see which drug actually can rescue nephrocyte function.

And hence, look into way to combat diabetic nephropathy.

WHAT MADE YOU INTERESTED IN CONDUCTING THIS RESEARCH? Nguyen: We were imaging pericardial nephrocytes of diabetic flies throughout our project, and these nephrocytes surround the heart tube so we imaged that as well, and we noticed that the heart tube did seem to become more deformed with diabetes.

It’s pretty interesting to know that diabetes affects almost the entire body system, including the heart, especially as more and more people are developing diabetes with processed sugar diets.

WHAT PART OF THE PROJECT IS YOUR FAVORITE? Nyugen: My favorite part of the project

Photo courtesy of Jessica Nguyen

is figuring out and understanding the genetic crosses that we’re making - there’s a lot more to it, like balancers and drivers - but I really love genetics and seeing the real life applications of concepts that we’ve learned in Biology I and AP Biology is very gratifying.

Batheja: It is great to finally move onto drug screening as we continue into second semester mentorship, so my favorite part was finally finishing the first step of making the model, so we can move onto the more interesting part with the drug library.

WHAT ARE SOME IMPACTS YOU CAN FORSEE COMING FROM THE RESEARCH THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON? Nguyen: The lasting genetic effect of diabetes on several generations is a field that hasn’t been very well explored, and we are hoping that our fly models will shed some insight into how long-term diabetes in pregnant mothers can affect the health of their babies.

Batheja: Our ultimate goal is to rescue the fruit fly nephrocyte function, so we can thus look into the diabetic nephropathy in humans with possible drug candidates.

We are also coming up with new method of doing drugs screens in fruit flies, and this can be used further in drug screening Drosophila in any disease, from heart disease to cancer.

DESIGN // Uzma Rentia

ADS

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FEB 12, 2016

SPORTS Senior Night Snapshot

Jefferson varsity wrestling celebrated senior night in a triple header against Edison, Lee and Stuart on Jan. 20.

DANCE TEAM ATTENDS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

At Jefferson’s senior night, senior Vikram Gupta greets Edison before the match.

PHOTO // Anjali Khanna

Honored for Jefferson wrestling’s senior night, Vikram Gupta works to turn Edison for a pin.

Jefferson sophomore David Cho David Cho fights for an escape.

PHOTO // Anjali Khanna

Sophomore Clay Reppert prevents his opponent from escaping.

DESIGN // Katherine Du

hey are often shunted into the sidelines, tirelessly performing routines at home games in rain, sleet and snow, and yet, the majority of the cheers are reserved for those on the field. However, while most Jefferson students were busy studying for midterms and shoveling the remnants of “Snowmageddon,” Jefferson’s dance team was finally able to shine in a spotlight nearly 900 miles away, as they travelled to Orlando, Fla. to compete in the Universal Dance Association national championships.

“This year, TJ dance team participated in nationals for the first time. Going into it, I wasn’t expecting to make it all the way to finals--and we didn’t—but as a team, we wanted to give it our best shot and have fun,” senior Jennifer Song said.

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Levin

T

PHOTO // Anjali Khanna

PHOTO // Anjali Khanna

Uzma Rentia || TEAM LEADER

TJ Dance team members attend a National Dance competition in Orlando, Fla., from Jan. 29 to 31.

their routines long before the competition.

“Most of the other teams had been practicing their routines since August.

We only had the framework of our Although the team did not compete routines, and because of the minor past the semi-finalist round, being in changes it wasn’t as clean as we would the national circuit was an achievement have liked it to be,” sophomore Katie in and of itself. The teams had to Zhang said. overcome financial constraints and Rather than dwell on the outcome spent part of their summer at a camp to qualify for nationals. They practiced of the championship, the dance team remains optimistic and is looking for for weeks leading up to the event, ways to improve their standing should but took a chance and made minor they attend nationals again. alterations to their routine shortly before the championship.

“I wouldn’t really change this experience because I thought it was “We practiced the routine for quite a good one, even with the ups and a while, like throughout the whole downs,” Emma Zhang said. “But I season, but in the past two weeks, we think next time I would like to have made a lot of major tweaks to it to more time to go the parks and have make it a nationals-worthy routine, so fun and maybe start practicing our I would say we intensely practiced it routine sooner so that we are even for about two weeks leading up to it,” more prepared and we can do even junior Emma Zhang said. better.”

This decision might have proved to be a setback rather than an asset as most the other teams had finalized

SPORTS

FEBRUARY CALENDAR FEB. 12 V : 8:00 am @ Orange County HS Fr Girls : 4:30 pm @ J.E.B. Stuart HS Fr Boys : 4:30 pm vs. J.E.B. Stuart HS JV Girls : 5:45 pm @ J.E.B. Stuart HS JV Boys : 5:45 pm vs. J.E.B. Stuart HS V Girls : 7:15 pm @ J.E.B. Stuart HS V Boys : 7:15 pm vs. J.E.B. Stuart HS FEB. 13 V

: 8:00 am @ Orange County HS

FEB. 17 : TIME TBA @ Prince George’s Sportsplex

21

FEB 12, 2016

AWAY

HOME

GRAPHIC // Alexa Nguonly

FEB. 19 V

: 8:00 am @ PLACE TBA

FEB. 20 (swim): 8:00 am @ George Mason Univeristy V

: 8:00 am @ PLACE TBA

FEB. 26 : TIME TBA @ Boo Williams Sportsplex FEB. 27 : TIME TBA @ Boo Williams Sportsplex TRACK

WRESTLING

BASKETBALL

KEEPING TRACK OF THEIR STRIDES How athletes dealt with the erred scheduling of penultimate Track and Field meet PHOTO // Sammy Tavassoli

prepared themselves for an afternoon of hustling and slight confusion.

“Though my field event, the jumping event, usually has different flights, or orders of people competing, this particular meet operated with an open pit [so that] anyone My-Linh Budzien races to the finish line at the Episcopal League could go within a time winter track meet on Jan. 16. range, making the event disSammy Tavassoli || Staff Writer organized,” junior Elizabeth Hu, a co-captain on girl’s sprint, said. n the morning of Jan. 16, runners However, Jefferson’s athletes still felt at the Episcopal League Track and disadvantaged. The majority of the Field meet readied themselves at winter track and field team was attending the starting line in rampant anticipation.

Spectating athletes awaited their own events an invitational meet at Liberty University, in haste, for the rolling schedule of the meet and because of conflicting schedules, the gave no set times for events as they quickly league meet team was left without most of their athletes. proceeded one after another.

“I don’t think invitational meets are Adjacent to these athletes, another series necessarily prioritized above league meets, of field events simultaneously combut [the] Liberty [meet] was open to evmenced. Surrounded by a cluster of pole eryone, so that made it more appealing to vaults and rising tensions, competitors

O

attend,” freshman runner Ally Nakamura said.

Nonetheless, athletes still managed to make great strides. The meet, only the second to last league meet of winter, allowed for athletes to demonstrate their progress over the course of the season. “[Our team] is successful because everyone strives to do their very best through practice on a daily basis and encourages their teammates in their events as well,” Hu said.

“We better [ourselves] as athletes through excelling in events.”

With the season drawing to a close, improvements were not the only concerns for athletes, though. Moving past the success of simply qualifying for events remained an important matter, as well.

“I didn’t really have any goals for this season [when I started] because it’s my first time, and I just wanted to survive, to be honest,” sophomore Minyoung Hwang, a runner on the team, said. “But next year, I definitely do want to get better, especially at the events I did this year like the 300m dash, 55m dash, and 4x200 relay.”

DESIGN // Katherine Du

22 SPORTS

TREADING WATER

Snapshots of Swim and Dive team’s winter season MiJin Cho || STAFF WRITER PHOTOS// MiJin Cho

The swimmers and divers join together in a team huddle before the meet begins.

“I like the word ‘adrenaline.’ When it’s getting really close and you know you have to make it up for your team, it’s a feeling you don’t get anywhere else.”

Junior CJ Wilson stands ready for another dive. The Jefferson swim and dive team convened for a meet on Jan. 15.

“Our coach, Ian Handerhan, is the biggest part of our success. He emphasizes working really hard at practice, and it definitely pays off.”

-senior Charlie Lertlumprasert

-Sophomore Jonathan Pollock

GIRLS’ VARSITY BASKETBALL DEFEATS MARSHALL Angel Kim || STAFF WRITER

PHOTO// Angel Kim

After a week off school from the snow days, the Jefferson girls’ varsity basketball team won home game in a narrow victory against Marshall on Feb. 1 at 7:15 p.m.

Many members of the team went into the game feeling rested due to the time off, although they weren’t able to practice as usual prior to the game.

Junior Rachel Martinka dribbles the ball across the court as other players move in. The Jefferson girls varsity basketball team’s winning game against Marshall took place on Feb. 1.

reschedules,” junior Clare Connally said.

Jefferson held a narrow lead throughout most of the game, concluding at 39-37.

Marshall trailed by no more than four points at the end of each quarter. Jefferson had last played against Marshall on Dec. 15, losing 42-46.

“We lost them at overtime, so it was really “We got a lot of rest, [but] we were a little nice to win,” Connally said. rusty with our plays, but it kind of balanced As their season draws to a close, the team out,” junior Dana Scheetz said. works on their strength and continues to The snow also caused a number of use effective teamwork. games to be rescheduled. “[Everyone] knows what they need to “We have [a total of] seven games in do as a team,” Scheetz said. “It all works the next two weeks, and we have four together really well.”

SPORTS

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FEB 12, 2016

READY TO TUMBLE

Jefferson’s gymnastics team strives for success throughout January FLIPPING OUT Nikita Sivakumar and Patrick Toulme || STAFF WRITERS

A

s the season comes to a close, Jefferson’s gymnastics team has been working to secure their routines for their last few meets.

about how the season would turn out.

However, Jefferson gymnastics has received multiple new members and is glad to work with new talents.

The gymnastics team meets three times a week. During each practice, they run through their routines, ensuring that they are perfect for competition. Both the coaches and athletes have bonded to ensure a flawless act.

“We got a lot of cheerleaders and dancers on the team this year, and their flexibility and jumps are amazing.

Their talent has really brought up our scores,” sophomore Anyesha Majumdar said.

“A lot of preparation for the meets are done every practice. We go over our routines until they’re ingrained in us and our coaches give us constructive criticism,” sophomore Cecilia Baek said.

In addition to exhausting practices, the team faced certain challenges during the beginning of the season.

Like other sports teams, the team returned without their graduated seniors and had preliminary fears

So far, the season has been successful, and the team has done a great job of combining their skills to put on an amazing show. All of the work from the season as a team hashes out to these final meets of the season.

“These next meets are really important, and we really need to score well to make it to the regionals. We’ve done pretty well so far, and we’re improving with every meet. With all the talent on our team, I’m sure we’ll reach our goal,” Majumdar said.

A step-by-step tutorial for the gymnastic flip

Step 1.

Stretch out your arm, leg, and neck muscles.

Step 2.

Run forward and “punchjump” forwards, landing firmly on your feet with your knees bent.

Step 3.

Using the newly gained momentum, jump once again, this time tucking in your feet and rolling forward in the air.

Step 4.

Land back on the ground and straighten your legs.

Photo courtesy of Maya Pabilonia

Junior Carolyn Wang casts for a “kip” during her bar routine. Both the cast and the kip are skills performed on the uneven bars in artistic gymnastics.

DESIGN// ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN

Information from iSport

OPINION LEAD EDITORIAL

Each year, acceptance rates to top-ranked universities dip to new lows. Are high school students too busy attempting to fill a resume that they neglect contributing to their communities?

REFORMING THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

A change to college admissions is long overdue, but are we moving in the right direction?

Throughout your four years of high school you’ve done nothing but stack your course load with APs, ace your standardized testing, earn a captain’s position on the debate team and play three varsity sports—and now, halfway through your senior year—you realize that it still might not be enough to get you into the school of your dreams.

ous academic environment, and a standardized test should theoretically provide admissions officers with a sense of the individual’s ability to perform.

Many view the college admissions process as broken because of ability to superscore and expectation that serious students will take the tests multiple times. This mentality Your story is similar to the tale of more and more high gives students with access to test preparatory programs school seniors like you with each coming year. Grades, SAT comparative advantage over students without. In addition, scores, community service and leadership-— what could the College Board’s decision to offer a testing date during make a 17-year-old seem more appealing to a top school the summer months for the first time since the 1970s only than the four tenants? Yet as acceptance rates to top-ranked worsens this problem when parents feel the pressure to enschools dip to an all time low, with Harvard at 5.9 percent, roll students in test prep outside the school year. As a result, Yale at 6.3, and Princeton at 7.4, it seems as if the nummany universities across the country are dropping the SAT ber of students who aim to fit the requirement for admission alto“formula” for college admissions is gether. But, is this the path to “The admissions process should both ending common practices for increasing dramatically as they grapple for the few slots that highly ranked admission like resume padding clearly signal that concern for others universities have to offer. and stacking the course load?

Believe it or not, colleges are beginning to take notice.

and the common good are highly

If Harvard University is truly interested in college advalued in admissions and describe missions reform, it should still Last month, Harvard University’s what kinds of service, contributions consider the standardized test Graduate School of Education reas a component to the applicaleased their own study on the college and engagement are most likely to tion, while also focusing more admissions process, a report from attention on the individual as lead to responsible work, caring the Making Caring Common Project a human being.

Whether this titled “Turning the Tide Inspiring relationships and ethical citizenship.” comes from more emphasis Concern for Others and the Common on the alumni interview and Good through College Admissions.”

-Harvard University’s “Turning the Tide” essay component, or rather a In hopes of both giving students de-emphasis on the number of of all socioeconomic statuses equal opportunity for adAP courses taken in the high school career—it is clear that mission and ending the practice of resume padding among action must be taken. high school students for good, the report de-emphasizes the Though it make take some adjusting, mission trips to importance of the number of higher level classes taken and far off places may begin to seem less important than they scores received on standardized testing, suggesting that Harused to be and suddenly the pressure of taking that one last vard should look at the individual through a more “human” AP course essentially ceases to exist, admissions reform is lens— taking special note of the impact of service and role needed if American universities are looking for students that each individual plays in his or her own communities. who will contribute to the betterment of society. Discussion Although “Turning the Tide” is a step in the right direcon the issue is merely the first step of many to make the tion for college admissions, more caution should be taken college admissions experience a fairer one for high school before simply throwing the value of standardized testing out seniors across the country. the window. High school students applying to top ranked schools must be able to show they can survive in a rigor-

OPINION

25

FEB 12, 2016

We need to be valuing our school’s culture, not its ranking Bayliss Wagner || STAFF WRITER

On my first day at Thomas Jefferson High School, pervasive piles of dirt, dim ceiling-less hallways and dingy half-functional bathrooms daunted me as I searched for my new classes. The next week, piles of homework and quarter exams intimidated me even more.

While I have met amazing people at Jefferson since freshman year, time-consuming academics have stressed my peers increasingly throughout my three years here.

Because schools aim only to educate, we sometimes believe that we do not need a vibrant “culture.” Especially at Jefferson, where administrators, parents and students alike speak of our national academic ranking, academic opportunities can seem more important than social activities.

But we must not forget that Jefferson is primarily a high school and secondarily a research institution.

Students all over America spend seven hours or more hours a day at school, meeting most of their friends there. Yet, Jefferson students are sometimes too busy to socialize. Commitments often require students to forgo lunches with friends for club officer meetings, quiz makeups or

studying alone. This all-business approach to learning can make school seem excruciatingly impersonal and even lonely, as we have all experienced in large math and science classes with few interpersonal interactions.

Focusing on school culture in this chaotic construction zone of a high school might seem impractical, but what kind of school would we be if we let this difficult situation interfere with our student’s social and mental health? We could improve student life by initiating greater emphasis on school sports while rewarding seniors with a more lenient senior lounge policy.

The new gym’s miraculously timely opening allowed our beloved homecoming spirit week to go on, but Jefferson would undoubtedly have found a way to host the pep rallies even if it had not opened in time. Likewise, a student body that recognizes the importance of student bonding and stress relief will find a way to create opportunities for them. And, while we still have distinctive traditions like J-Day and our over-the-top homecoming spirit week, we need to balance our excess of obligations throughout the entire year.

We must work together to take advantage of our SGA, our dedicated teachers, and each other to improve Jefferson’s school culture. Once we do, our overloaded students and even potential dropouts will discover how supportive the Jefferson community can become.

#PollMondays: What You Thought

Savings 38%

Stuff 16%

Experiences 36%

Charity 10% 45 votes 84 votes

Yes 86%

Watching Netflix 58%

No 14%

DESIGN // Kate Deng Creative Commons photo courtesy of pixabay user agoss, adriengs38, and openclipartvectors, free stock user warszawianka, j_alves, wiki commons user geekbing, fma12, and Washington Post.

Playing Studying Watching in Snow 10% for updates

13% 19% 96 votes

PHOTOS // Bayliss Wagner

From top to bottom, left to right: Surrounded by other seniors, Katie McLaughlan, Geetika Mahajan, and Stella Sotos (left to right) cheer for the varsity basketball team at an away game against Lee during the Marshall tournament; juniors Lauren Berry and Michelle Cao (left to right) finish their homework during lunch; juniors Jack Boyle and Yadeen Rashid put up Christmas decorations together; juniors Steven Li, Tim Cho, and Chappy Asel (left to right) cram during lunch for fourth period midterms.

Marco Rubio 23%

Ted Cruz 32%

Jeb Bush Donald Trump 9% 36% 78 votes

26 OPINION Graphic || ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN

From “Twilight” to “The Hunger Games” to even “King Kong,” the love triangle has found its way into the central plot of most entertainment.

Yet is the triangle actually detracting from the media itself?

TOUGH LOVE Love triangles tend to detract from a story’s main focus

Adithi Ramakrishnan and Uzma Rentia || TEAM LEADERS

F

or decades, romance has remained an underlying current driving many media forms forward, from the hero sweeping a girl off her feet to a connection from first glance. Recently a new romantic trope has been cropping up in literature, television and movies: the love triangle, a “battle” between two potential endgames that can become a nuisance for the character doing the choosing, the audience and the plot.

As love triangles’ presence steadily grows, creators of books and media need to reevaluate their necessity. While it was agonizing at first to watch a heroine struggle to save the world whilst juggling her needlessly complicated romantic life, love triangles have run their course. The stereotype of the young female heroine simultaneously saving the world and navigating her difficult love life has gotten old and out of hand. The fact of the matter is that love triangles, though compelling up to a certain point, should not be the main focus of a piece of work, and when they become it, the overall quality of the work declines. A quest to save the world loses some of its gravitas when most of its pages are filled with the heroine debating over which guy to choose.

An author can waste too many pages on this deliberation that can be better spent fleshing out a plot with character development and a satisfying resolution. While it is impossible to avoid rooting for one of the potential pairings, a television show becomes more appealing when it places its focus on its plot rather than its romance.

From Katniss, Peeta and Gale to Stefan, Elena and Damon, it always seems to be the a strong woman doing the choosing in an apparently “feminist” narrative. But how progressive is the story at its core when the presence of a love triangle feeds the stereotype about women and their obsession with romance? One of the most glaring errors with love triangles is they are often in conflict with a story that otherwise would have had a strong message of female empowerment. If writers have their hearts stuck on including love triangles, they should at least attempt to incite change by featuring a male at the top of a triangle and leaving women to explore their identity outside of what man they choose.

Inherently, love triangles themselves are not bad — it is the way they are written that can skew their portrayal in one way or another. Love triangles that preserve the strength of the lead heroine rather than characterize her by her romantic life are refreshing. Romance, in many ways, can enhance a television show or movie by adding a layer of emotion that keeps audiences invested, but for it to be truly successful, it must supplement the plot and not consume it entirely. Main characters involved in love triangles should exist separately from their romantic interests, because there’s more to a work of fiction than “getting the girl.”

All in all, love and its presence in works of fiction is not purely negative, but it is its portrayal and perception that pushes the verdict. Love triangles can be highly addictive or painfully dragged-out, but it is their construction that makes all the difference.

DESIGN // Adithi Ramakrishnan

OPINION

27

FEB 12, 2016

LOVING ME FOR ME Taking a closer look at the mental obstacles we face at

Jefferson, and how we can better appreciate who we are

L

Katherine Du || TEAM LEADER

oving yourself.

A mere two words, but from what I’ve perceived, they hold profound meaning that varies for each individual.

Why did I agree to write about something that is so abstract? I know how lack of self-appreciation can directly link to suicide; therefore, as a community we need to realize the power in cherishing oneself.

I was first seriously exposed to the idea of suicide in a plane, on the 14-hour return trip from a summer vacation in China. Having already watched two full movies, I decided to try a documentary, the first one from a scroll-down list of options. It happened to be on hotlines for veterans experiencing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The video detailed real-life situations, with over-thephone dialog, in which veterans were about to kill themselves while hotline volunteers grasped for whatever they could offer to help save the the individual and hopefully aid in their recovery.

that also means the other half led to veterans’ the now. voluntary deaths.

The present -- who you are today -- is These occurences are not isolated. Over heavily influenced by your past but only one in every 10 high school students have crafted by your current actions. Support attempted suicide, and one in six teenagers what you truly believe in, and continue to do have considered it seriously, according to the activities that will make you proud. Know Youth Suicide Prevention Program. where you are now, and know that you can change.

How can we learn to provide support for those who need it, whether that may be for ourselves or for others?

How can we make a vow to “from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish” a significant other while struggling to do the same for ourselves?

I believe that the root of loving oneself is to truly appreciate your past, present and future.

The past is the former experiences and culture that have shaped your identity.

When was the last time that you were satisfied with who you were or what you had accomplished? Feel those moments. Savor A suicide was successfully prevented in those moments. Use them as your fuel and about half of the incidents documented, but drive yourself to be an improved person in

SUICIDE SUPPORT

Helping YOURSELF

Loving your future is tricky, because you have no idea what will show up. However, caring about your future to the extent that you want to put forth effort in shaping who you will become is definitely a good step in showing self-appreciation.

We obsess over grades, media, and even other people. But when was the last time that you obsessed over yourself?

You may not be perfect, but that does not mean that you cannot be content.

However, if you do think you may have a mental illness, I strongly encourage you to seek help. Although attitude change is one part of improving mental health, receiving professional, outside help is vital in getting better.

Helping OTHERS

“If someone says that they’re thinking about 1. Seek support from... committing suicide...keep in conversation Suicide prevention lifeline: 1 (800) 273 8255 with them and listen to their problems, feelTherapist ings, and anything that’s going through their Support group mind so you can gain a better understanding TJ Active Minds of their situation. It’s also important to get a trusted adult or professional; TJ Active Minds 2. Find inspiration from... has great peer mentors who can serve as Listening to stories of recovery a first step to talking to this person, but you Reading survivors blog from American also need to contact a teacher, counselor, or Association of Suicidology: attemptsurvi- any other trusted adult.” vors.com - junior Laura Chu

3. Create a safety plan to...

Help yourself in preventing future incidents

Information from suicidepreventionlifeline.org GRAPHIC // Katherine Du

ENTERTAINMENT

LOVIN’ Media “How do you know [you love Adaline]?”~William Ginny Weasley “Nothing makes sense without her.”~Ellis + Harry Potter (27%)

Harry and Ginny’s relationship proves that it is possible to marry your celebrity crush- but not all of us are as cool as Ginny.

Although she begins the series in awe of him, by the end she more than matches Hermione Granger his hot temper and skill in both quidditch Annabeth Chase + Ron Weasley (34%) and battle. They get together just before + Percy Jackson (37%) Harry goes off to find the horcruxes Harry’s two best friends may to defeat Voldemort, but their re- Main protagonists of Rick Rihave spent the first few books lationship survives the war and ordan’s bestselling Percy Jackson of the Harry Potter series bickthe epilogue confirms their and the Olympians series, Percy and Annabeth are a beloved fictional couering, but hints of romantic tension eventual marriage. ple for many students at TJ. The son of throughout hinted at their endgame Poseidon and the daughter of Athena had a romance. Ron’s heart and moral compass, rough start, but developed a deep friendwhich are much stronger than his work ship and then a romance as they battled ethic, perfectly complement Hermimonsters and titans side by side. Fans one’s diligence and bookishness. said goodbye to the characters in The epilogue of the last Harry “We’ll always have 2014 with the end of the Heroes Potter book shows them marParis.” of Olympus series, but this ried and sending their own ~Rick ship is one that will sail on children off to Hogwarts. in our hearts.

When Adaline left Ellis because she feared she was falling too hard for him, Ellis’ dad, William, prepares to stop Ellis from chasing after her, worried if he didn’t love her enough his heart would be broken.

SHIPS of

CHOICE

As Ilsa prepares to escape from Casablanca to the U.S. at the end of the movie, Rick realizes he will never see her again and they promise to always remember their love for each other.

Jefferson students take a vote on their favorite onscreen couples... based on the survey of 160 students

Take a holiday in Rome Anna Zhang || Staff Writer

Although the black-and-white screen might throw you off, “Roman Holiday” is a true romantic classic with flair. The film follows a royal princess, who, fed up with her tireless schedule and formalities, escapes from her embassy and flees into the city of Rome, ending up in the care of an American news reporter looking for a big scoop. As the characters travel through the city, viewers bask in a beautiful view of Rome while enjoying the timeless comedy this film has to offer. Don’t pass up the film for just giggles though - watch until the end for poignant, romantic scenes that will play in your head long after the credits have rolled. Also be sure to keep an eye out for the gorgeous tiaras, draped dresses, and flowy skirts that won this film an Oscar for costume design, and be sure to take in Audrey Hepburn’s Oscar winning performance as Princess Ann!

A b

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ENTERTAINMENT

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FEB 12, 2016

An outpouring of love from and for iconic movies, books, and television shows celebrating romance

DESIGN // Katherine Du Photos courtesy of movie websites

Katherine Hughes, Nikita Sivakumar, Madeline Olld, Mei Baek || Staff Writers

“You must do me this honor… promise me you will survive... that you will never give up... no matter what happens... no matter how hopeless… promise me now, and never let go of that promise.”~Jack “I promise.” ~Rose Once the Titanic sunk,

in the middle of the freezing ocean, Jack Sherlock Holmes + John Watson (33%) and Rose cling to each other, hoping

Asami Sato + Korra (27%)

to get onto a lifeboat. In their last With the season finale in Sherlockians love watching moments together Jack keeps 2014, writers of the Nickelodeon the high functioning sociopath Rose awake and makes her animated TV show The Legend of solve crimes with his trusted acpromise to escape and live Korra blew the minds of fans all over the complice in the modern-day London for the both of them. world when, with the final few minutes of setting of BBC’s Sherlock series, but fans the show, they confirmed the pairing of two of of “Johnlock” are sure there is something the show’s powerful female protagonists- the Steve Rogers more to their relationship. With Sherlock as the brains and John as the heart, the + Bucky Barnes (24%) main character, Avatar Korra, and one of the smartest minds of the city, Asami two support and complement each Steve and Bucky were childSato. Watching the two beloved other in their many adventures. hood best friends and very close characters hold hands as they through adulthood until Bucky was faced their shared future was brainwashed by HYDRA to fight for the perfect ending to a series them and forget his old friend. After years beloved by fans. of thinking Bucky dead, Steve discovers that his opponent is Bucky after his mask falls off and refuses to fight, although none of Bucky’s memories come back to him until the emotionally-charged ending of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Their dedication to each other feeds a popular ship for Marvel fans.

Dealing with imperfect love of family Anna Zhang || Staff Writer

When police find the dead body of Lydia Lee frozen in a lake, her family is shocked.

What could have caused this perfect high school girl, who whizzed through college courses, chatted with numerous friends late into the night, with beautiful black hair and gorgeous blue eyes to end up dead, drowned in a lake? If you’re looking for an action-packed, adventurous novel full of justice and zeal, stay away. “Everything I Never Told You” by Celeste Ng is not a book of events and adventure, but a book of emotion driven by, you guessed it, love. In this book, you’ll find forbidden love, unrequited love, sibling love, adulterous love, and most importantly, the fierce, faceted, failing familial love of a Chinese-American family living in a small Ohio town in 1970, broken by the death of their precious girl and stumbling to piece the shards of their lives back together.

30 ENTERTAINMENT

“The Little Mermaid” faces unexpected delays TJ Theatre revises plans to accommodate the delayed opening night

Natalie Homnyom || STAFF WRITER

of TJ at different high schools. We’re looking to do it at Hayfield because it’s open and they have a nice theater,” junior Matthew Heninger said.

Additionally, the group has had to communicate over break to make sure everything is going well leading up to the production.

“There’s a lot of communication over Facebook reminding people to know their stuff and really get familiar with their material,” Chan said. Moreover, members such as Heninger have been practicing over break to make sure rehearsals are just as good as before.

Photo courtesy of Natalie Homnyom

Junior Aaryan Balu catches senior Sophia Martinese, portaying the lead role of Ariel, as they rehearse for opening night.

Natalie Homnyom || STAFF WRITER

W

ith Winter Storm Jonas came two feet of snow, a week and a half of snow days, and the cancellation of TJ Theatre’s original five shows of their first musical this year, “The Little Mermaid.” Because of school closure and the inability for anyone to travel, the cast and crew were unable to hold any performances at TJ on their scheduled dates.

Following the excitement leading up to opening night including a pajama day to spread the word, the sudden snow storm put a damper on production.

“I was pretty disappointed when I found out it was going to be pushed back because we put so much effort into it,” freshman Christina Blake said.

Furthermore, this long break also offered unexpected obstacles for a successful show from set to rehearsals to timing of the opening weekend.“It has totally messed everything up. We’re actually supposed to be finished with the show by now; our last performance was supposed to be [Jan 30],” junior Timmy Chan said.

Rescheduling new shows has proved to be difficult because of constant renovations at TJ.“The auditorium is being destroyed the same day we were planning to have open night,” sophomore Masha Goykhberg said.

As a result, there are plans to have the majority of “The Little Mermaid” performances in other locations, and rather than having performances the first week back, the play has been pushed back further.“We’re doing multiple performances out

“I’ve been listening to all the music on my off time to keep the tunes in my head. I’ve also been going through the script like the scene changes and the lines so I know when to come on and when to come off,” Heninger said. As of now the extra rehearsals for the next few weeks are for putting the finishing touches on the performance.

“We’re working on scene changes now to make everything smoother. Everyone knows their lines; most of us know our music. We’re also changing blocking a lot recently because we’re moving to a new stage,” Chan said.

Finalizing the date and location of opening night practice was not as efficient as it could be with the uncertainty of where and when shows will be.

“All the work that we’ve done at TJ, like all the work for scenes like making scenery, that’s kind of moot now if we’re not going to be able to do our performance here. Without [solid plans] we’re not sure what to work towards at this point,” Heninger said.

In the final stages of preparation, the cast and crew are working together to coordinate a perfect performance.

“Now it’s just a matter of finding out where we can do stuff and finalizing them. And obviously there are going to be people that can’t be here, and we’ll use understudies but it’s going to work out,” Blake said.

But those wishing to see it can look forward to “The Little Mermaid” coming soon. All shows will be at Hayfield Secondary School, and opening night will be on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. In addition, TJ Drama is still optimistic for a good performance.

Senior Debi Das said, “This is a show I think a lot of people would enjoy. Everybody can just sing along because they know a lot of the songs from the movies. The Little Mermaid is a huge thing for little kids so we’re really excited for them to come and see. We’re just really excited to put on a great show.”

LAYOUT // Katherine Du

ENTERTAINMENT

31

FEB 12, 2016

TURN DOWN FOR WHAT?

Never Sleep Alone // Kaskade

Natalie Homnyom || STAFF WRITER

Off Kaskade’s album, “Automatic”, “Never Sleep Alone” offers an alternative approach to the classic love song.

Photo courtesy of Ultra Records With an ethe real voice featuring from Tess Comrie and a dance beat, “Never Sleep Alone” depicts dying for love through a style Kaskade fans know and love. Although, the lyrics have a slightly dark feeling, they open up the song to be suited for many other settings other than the Valentine’s season, and allow those who are single as well as those who are in relationships to be able to enjoy “Never Sleep Alone” this February.

LAYOUT // Katherine Du

tjTODAY staff reviews popular new love-themed hits

1000 Times // Sara Bareilles

Same Old Love // Selena Gomez

“1000 Times” conveys the pains of being in the “friend zone” through vocal riffs, the Photo courtesy of Rolling Stone steady beat of a drum, accompanying piano chords and a prominent chorus that perfectly showcases the intense longing to which the song’s lyrics and Bareilles’ voice strive to relate.

The lyrics describe pain of silence she feels as she contemplates the inevitability of having an unrequited love, though progression through the song reveals that she is determined to continue loving despite the fact that her feelings will never be returned.

Selena Go mez tops the billboard with her hit “Same Old Love [Re mix]” – this time featurPhoto courtesy of genius.com ing hip hop artist Fetty Wap. At the lead in and end of the song, Fetty Wap adds the male perspective to this relationship song with his stylistic use of auto tune. The lyrics of “Same Old Love” are the lament of a woman pushed over the edge by a relationship gone bad -- really bad. Gomez’s voice both exhibits an emotional rawness and excellent vocal range, two features which truly make the song memorable. She is at her best in this sultry ballad genre.

Christine Zhao || STAFF WRITER

Patrick Toulme || STAFF WRITER

Commonalities between beloved books, movies and TV shows An exploration of connections between popular media PHOTO // Anna Zhang

Anna Zhang || STAFF WRITER

The diverse community at Jefferson has a wide range of interests when it comes to books, movies, and tv shows.

From cartoons and comics to scifi and soap operas, all the most beloved books, movies, and tv shows in the Jefferson community share some surprising commonalities.

Almost all loved TV shows seem to be foreign.

At Jefferson, Sherlock and Doctor Who are both very popular british drama and science fiction shows, respectively. Many students love the immense creativity Sophomore Mihir Patel wields a glowing and world building that these wand in history class. shows offer.

“What attracted me [to ‘Doctor Who’] at first was how cleverly all the logic flows together,” sophomore Frank Ding said. “And even

though it’s technically a ‘geeky’ show, sometimes it can teach lessons that we can apply to our own lives.”

Japanese cartoons, also known as anime, are a small subset of Asian TV shows that also have extreme popularity.

“We grew up watching a lot anime during our childhood,” senior Katherine Grosch said. “And now that it’s become so easy to stream anime for free over the Internet, people still watch anime if not more frequently at TJ these days.”

While TV shows are mostly foreign, beloved books cited by Jefferson students all seemed to be in a series, such as with the Harry Potter books, “Divergent”, and “The Hunger Games” series. Not surprisingly, popular books made popular movies as well, with Harry Potter once again dominating as a popular choice with Jefferson students. The Marvel Universe movies also had broad appeal, due to the wide range of protagonists such as Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, and more.

“I’ve grown very attached to the characters,” freshman Shruti Ray said. “I like that they’re relatable and yet also very deep, and also superheroes. The movies manage to be mature and epic but also funny at the same time.”

PHOTO // Alexa Nguonly REPORTING // Alexa Nguonly

“

You have to make sacrifices to succeed.

You can’t do everything. You want to do everything, but SOMETIMES

YOU HAVE TO LET THINGS GO.

[Music] doesn’t have to be perfect for you to enjoy it or be proud of it. IT’S

NOT ABOUT GETTING IT RIGHT, IT’S ABOUT HAVING FUN. LIFE’S TOO SHORT TO BE UNHAPPY, even if you don’t have nice things, even if you don’t go to the best high school in the world, anything like that, everyone deserves to be happy.

LISTEN TO WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY, try to ask questions, empathize with them, just let them know they are not alone and they can bounce back from whatever is keeping them down.

When I didn’t make the swim team,

I LEARNED TO JUST KEEP

TRYING. Sometimes you try something and it doesn’t go well, and you

can either let that keep you down and always be like ‘I’m not good enough,’ or you can just try again and maybe you’ll get there, maybe you won’t.

”

SOPHOMORE

ANTHONY || MURPHY-NEILSON WHAT I VE LEARNED