The Searchlight Spring Magazine 2024

chapter faith

chapter one aith

Finding faith in myself taught me who I am

A

personal

reflection on maturity in modern times

By Meghan McNeil Editor-In-Chief

Friendship stability has never been something I’ve had. I really really wish I did. I’d scroll on social media platforms seeing people who have been best friends since birth, knowing that could never be me. I blamed modern society for creating new challenges for maintaining relationships in adolescence that those in older generations cannot relate too. There was truly nothing more soul-crushingly, heartbreaking, negative thought inducing for me than being in middle school, sitting in my bed, scrolling and seeing my “friends’ posting a picture together. Looking back, I now have realizedhow insignificant that was, knowing it was as if my world was falling apart at the time. Even then I could not see that by putting my faith in the wrong people and determining my self worth based on others I was preventing my ability to find myself.

I believe in the one thing I can always have faith in, myself. Only recently did I gain the ability to put my faith in others. I used to think I was the problem in any conflict or obstacle I faced in my life and projected those problems onto others. The real problem was my inability to distinguish my self worth from the opinions of others and recognize my personal flaws.

I might not know all there is to learn, but I have continuously learned balance in life is as important to relationships as water is to life. When I would judge my life based on my relationships with others I could never be at peace with myself. I would lay awake at night thinking of things I did that could have possibly upset others or embarrassed myself. I now recognize the self destructive nature my lack of

balance can have on others. In my sophomore and junior year I would prioritize one friend over all others in hopes of gaining what society idealizes, a “best-friend”. But truly what makes someone your best friend? Do you prioritize them over other friends? Over yourself? It has taken time for me to realize my past unconscious obsession with having a “bestfriend”. I used to believe I never had one because nobody chose me over others, but that is not the case. I never chose myself over others, I never had a balanced lifestyle to maintain a stable relationship with others.

I am a chronic people pleaser. It is not something I feel the need to truly change about myself. I like to and want to have good relationships with people. But, there’s a line between people pleasing and selfdestructive people pleasing. I saw myself crossing this line when I got in between a friendship breakup. I frequently chose to be Switzerland in conflicts, I could no longer avoid conflict when I had to choose a side, putting my faith in the majority so I could have more friends. I still think about this choice as I am no longer friends with them, so I question would anything have changed if I chose not to take a side?

Although I rethink choices I’ve made in my life so far, I believe that each major one has made me who I am. Junior year was crucial to my journey of finding myself. I may have lost friends this year but every friend lost I learn more about myself and how to maintain real relationships with others. I changed myself to fit in with people I thought were “cool” and popular”. But the feeling of finding something new came and went rapidly. I did not have

stable friendships because I could not be stable in them, I got bored because I couldn’t recognize stability is often a choice and maintaining relationships takes work from all sides. Additionally, being able to realize when the behavior of others is causing you to not want to be around them, it is okay to talk to them about it, not just ignore it for the sake of wanting friends. After each loss of a friendship I would think about my cycle of friendship and would restart and burn out again and again. I thought of all relationships as temporary. It was a horrible mindset to be in. As my senior year of highschool comes to an end, I feel stable. I have faith in my friend group who I relate to and appreciate who I am. I met my boyfriend who supports me and loves who I am. I have my family who have always had faith in me and who have seen and dealt with my flaws and still love me. I believe maturity and self reflection have allowed me to have faith in myself. I know I have things I still need to work on but I am proud of myself for growing and learning from my mistakes. Recognizing my flaws allows me to break the cycle of being self-destructive in relationships, yet being able to realize when others are not worth my time and kindness. I’ve found faith in who I am and who I want to be. I know I am young, I know my life will change and most likely my values; change has helped me grow and become faithful in myself. I have faith in myself and now put faith in others who understand and support me, but also truly benefit my life, not just provide their mere presence to sustain human need for sociability.

Everything happens for a reason Trust the process

Navigating through challenges in life can bring feelings of doubt and stress to us, especially when it is a situation we have never dealt with before. Throughout high school, I have gone through many hard situations, and it was tough feeling like I had nothing constant in my life to fall back on. My opinions on things have changed, my relationships with people and even the way I see myself. However, the one belief that I have held onto through it all is the fact that everything happens for a reason. When I look back at things I “regret”, or old friends I have made and lost along the way, I remind myself that without those parts of my life I wouldn’t be where I am today. This idea ties in with the concept of the butterfly effect, which is the idea that the world is extremely interconnected and that one small incident can lead to a big complex situation. I truly believe that one of the most beautiful parts of life is that every event leads to another, and you won’t even realize it at the time. With every decision we make throughout the day, we could be sending our lives in a completely different direction.

On those days your alarm doesn’t go off and you’re running late and feeling frustrated, you never know if maybe that happened for a reason. If you left your house on time, there could have been an accident or you

By Liv Carney Lifestyle Editor

could have forgotten something important. Sometimes in life, I think everyone forgets to slow down and let things happen how they are supposed to. When I think back on some of the greatest memories I have and some of the best people I met, I realize without making one small decision somewhere along the way, those things would never have happened.

One small choice that has brought me a lot of happiness was the simple decision of taking journalism as an elective my sophomore year. I remember sitting with my chromebook towards the end of freshman year and realizing I needed to choose one more elective to have enough credits. I saw journalism and didn’t know if it was really something I would be interested in, but I decided to select it anyway because I enjoy writing. I never would have known that one small decision would still have such a large impact on my life to this day. To me, journalism is more than just a class, it is a family. The friendships and bonds I have made with my classmates, who are people I may never have connected with otherwise, are so strong. The memories I have made with these people inside and outside of class are filled with happiness and it was all because of one small decision.

Another small decision that has definitely impacted my life was deciding to hangout with friends on the last day of

junior year. It had been a long week of finals, staying up late to study and running off small amounts of sleep and large amounts of caffeine. I had been sick the whole week and was looking forward to going home and relaxing after my last final. After leaving school, I went out to get lunch with my friends and decided since I was already out, I would stop at the nail salon to get my nails done, and then I planned on going home. After my nail appointment, my friends asked me to hangout and although I was exhausted, I decided to anyway. Going out with my friends that day ended up being the most wonderful decision I could have made because it ended up leading to me meeting my current boyfriend. From that day to now, I have made the most cherishable memories with him and I never knew he would be exactly what I needed in my life. I believe that there is an invisible string attached with every person you meet and each person that comes into your life has a purpose. I have met a lot of people throughout my life, and while some have made a bigger impact than others, I think each person has had a purpose. Some people come into our lives to show what true love is, while others come into our lives to show the type of treatment we do not want to surround ourselves with. Despite the reason, every person is part of our journey to the next part in our life. Some

days may seem more boring than others when there is nothing exciting happening, but it is important to remember that each day does have a purpose and the small, day to day events that happen could be shaping something bigger happening within the future. I remember hearing one of my elementary school teachers saying “the years are long but the days are short”. I never truly understood that until recently when I looked back on high school. There have been days where it felt like everything was going wrong and the day would never actually come to an end, but I made it through and moved onto better days and better things. It can be hard to take a step back during a difficult moment and realize that you will not feel like that forever, but it is important to calm yourself down by knowing that nothing lasts forever. The events of that one bad day may be leading up to something wonderful that is going to happen within your life at some point. I think it is so important to be patient and truly trust that bad feelings and bad times never last. It is easy to get stuck in that dark mindset and to feel like your whole world is coming crashing down, but we have to remember that each day is a new opportunity. It is a new opportunity to meet people, to try new things and to be a better version of yourself than you were yesterday.

Faith lies within yourself... Learn to trust yourself, learn to trust the process

By Caroline Donnelly Staff Writer

Intuition, third eye sense, morals. Inner guidance. Gut feeling. When it comes to having faith, we often consider religion though faith stems from your own set of beliefs rooted in your moral compass. Whether it was taught or inherited, we all have a leading set of morals that defines what we believe as right or wrong that ultimately impacts our timeline of growth. Because of our individualized moral guidance, we choose paths that best align with our compass although others often feel inclined to pressure a stray. Especially in high school and our prime years of youth, it is as crucial as ever to remain loyal to your intuition that guides towards fate without sacrificing opportunities of fun and excitement. Everyone lives by a different set of ethics that are not to be questioned or judged by anyone else. In most cases, morals are developed by how one is raised and what values were instilled in children by their parents or influences growing up; however, as we get older, these morals can blur. For example, the standards that we hold ourselves to in elementary and middle school differs from those of high school. What we may deem as wrong as a child may not hold as an adult. Our morals change and develop as we age along our path of personal growth. We challenge our own morals subconsciously by taking risks and adapting to change as a

part of growing up without straying too far from our center values.

Remaining loyal to our inner faith while also venturing outside our comfort zone is a balance that is upset during teenagehood and early adulthood. Growth is a privilege that we are able to experience as we thrive in different stages of our lives and evolve to suit our own needs. Guidance during eras of change stems from within our own sense of morality to ease and protect our individuality and humanity as we adapt and grow. Faith is presented in all forms though it is universally defined as “complete trust or confidence in someone or something”. Your trust within your soul is developed with the understanding that everyone is equipped with an individualized set of moral guidelines that are in place to aid you along your personalized journey through the stages of life. Because we all rely on a different compass, we all grow and experience at a different pace than our neighbors.

Have faith within yourself, have faith within your timing, have faith within your journey and your growth. Your timing is right. There is no race. There is no competition. There is no finish line.

“You are exactly where you are meant to be. If you weren’t, you’d be somewhere else”

Establishing faith in yourself stems from confidence within your timeline. Developing an

internal sense of trust is a deeper and more individualized process that challenges our sense of identity and individuality. When we develop a sense of security with our own intuition and moral boundaries, we are able to better recognize the values of others that can be reciprocated. Faith can be taken up in the forms of love, hope, and stability that guide us towards the people and decisions we are meant to face. What life presents us with are the struggles that we are destined to face are the checkpoints of success and growth along our journeys. As we grow and change, we prosper and strengthen. Trusting the process is a crucial reference that keeps us grounded and faithful even during times of struggle to remind us that there is light at the end of the tunnel. To trust is to have faith. To love is to have faith. To believe is faith. When we start to trust in the timeline that revolves around our growth, we begin to recognize that we are shadowed by a power bigger than ourselves. Whether we choose to believe in a God or a guiding universal force, faith presents itself as both an internal and external force that is intertwined through the soul. A redefinition of faith soars beyond religion because faith silently and subconsciously encapsulates our thoughts and decision making without a trailing wake.

chapter

FRIENDS

chapter two IENDSHIP

Friendships within families The valuable friendships you evolve with throughout the years

By: Mia Destito Graphics Editor

Being the youngest of three girls is the biggest blessing in my life. Searching for a best friend was never necessary because my best friends were always with me from the start. There is no friendship as valuable as those that grow with you throughout the years and teach you important lessons along the way. My mother and sisters are the blueprint of what love should look like in relationships and have molded me to who I am today. I’m so grateful I get to call them my best friends. Different from friends you meet as you age, my family has gotten to know every version of me. They’ve memorized my tendencies, both positive and negative, and always know how to support me to be the best version of myself. No matter how unattainable my goals may seem I know I always have my personal cheerleaders rooting for me the entire way. Even at age six when I told them I would be the President, an engineer, and an artist all at once, they always made me feel like it was possible. At times when I fail to believe in myself, I always have a support system to fall back on and to build my confidence back up. My family is the first to hear about my accomplishments and always show excitement towards them. When the family group chat heard I was President of the National Art Honor Society, they reacted as if I was President of the United States. Similarly, their accomplishments make me so excited. They teach me to be happy for others so selflessly and how to

celebrate one another in our successes.

Growing up in the same household has molded our senses of humor similarly, so no one knows how to make me laugh as hard as my family does. If I’m ever upset, I leave my bedroom and hang out with my family for a while until I forget what was wrong in the first place. Being the youngest of three girls has definitely shaped my character and encouraged me to find humor in difficult times. As much emotional support as they provide, I can always rely on my family for a good laugh. We are able to build our humor off of one another and all provide a different dynamic to the family. They have taught me the importance of being a unique individual and have brought out my differences. We all have our own strong personalities that are so different yet complement each other well. In my opinion my sisters can be too laid back at times whereas I can be too tense, so we have always balanced eachother out well. I’m glad I have always had them to push me out of my comfort zone at times when I need it. As we grew up together they truly taught me the importance of having fun and loosening up which has really changed my overall character and outlook on life.

Along with our laughs, many tears have been shed in the household with three sisters so close in age. One of the most valuable lessons their friendship has taught me is forgiveness. After every fight

and disagreement we eventually come together and use our words to resolve the issue. Throughout the span of growing up it is common for friendships to fall out due to disagreements. Since I could never get rid of my family that easily, we learned to forgive one another and move on. I have a tendency of being stubborn, but my family allows me to let down my guard and learn to forgive one another. They taught me disagreements have the ability to strengthen relationships in the long run. Although we have argued throughout the years, no fight has ever been harmful enough to ruin our relationships. If anything, the stability of being a family provides comfort to make mistakes in our relationships. Having multiple chances to make mistakes and forgive one another only makes us stronger in the end.

Another huge belief my family has instilled in me is to stay a kid at heart. Surrounding myself with my family brings out my true personality. By nature, my inner child always finds a way of coming out. Growing up with my sisters and running down the stairs to see what Santa and the Easter Bunny brought us were some of my fondest memories. Even now, we keep many childhood traditions going strong, such as decorating our Christmas tree together and even having annual Easter egg hunts. Family traditions with my siblings are held close to my heart and still excite me after all these years. No matter how much we

age, our traditions still feel magical every year and there is no one I would rather experience them with. Most importantly, my family has taught me how to love others. My mother is a strong role model and living example of how to spread love every day. Her energy and thoughtfulness is contagious and spreads to everyone she meets, and that is the most important lesson I could take away from our relationship. I have never met a human that has changed so many lives by simply being in it, and everyday I strive to be the best version of myself for her. My mom can always notice when my “energy is off” and she takes me out for a drive to get my favorite soda and listen to my favorite songs until I’m happy again. I get my attentiveness to details from her and always attempt to uplift others the way she does. To know her is to love her and I have never known a friendship more valuable.

I am beyond proud to say that my best friends are the people who raised me and supported me throughout my whole life. I wouldn’t be myself without them and I’m grateful to continue to grow with them every day. I have never known such a versatile relationship where I can laugh with them yet also share my feelings. I’m very fortunate that I get to evolve with my family over the course of our lives and I cannot wait to see all they accomplish and who they become. I feel comfort in knowing I will always have a support system and built in best friends for life.

In life I believe it is important to have a person you can be inseparable with, a “best friend” if you will. Whether that’s through family, a partner, or even just a friend you meet unintentionally. There is no person who shouldn’t feel loved by someone they spend every moment with. However, no one prepares you for all the different “best friends” who come and go throughout your lifetime, and the process of grief that is followed within a friendship breakup. Because for years the words “best friend” have been shoved down your throat until you’re able to comprehend each symbol. You recognize when a friendship is important to you sooner or later, because you become compatible with someone or just bond or share similar interests. There is best friends anywhere between coming into your life on a random Tuesday, to someone who you once hated most in the world before you’re now inseparable. And of course best friends are everything in between.

The girl you met in your kindergarten classroom while you both are trying to figure out the world around you without a clue what you’re doing at all, is also the girl who helps you navigate through the path of “what is a best friend” The two of you would play in the mud and run around the neighborhood for hours until there was so much dirt under your feet it was nearly impossible to decipher through the dirt and skin, all while living off nothing but Capri Suns and Outshine Popsicles. You don’t realize until later that that friendship you thought was nothing more than two little kids just having fun was the foundation for your acknowledgment to ”what is a best friend”.

You don’t realize you’ve outgrown that little girl you once did everything with initially when you see her on Instagram and realize you don’t even know her favorite color anymore. Basically grief you didn’t know was there until after the matter. Grievance is weird. You’re oblivious that you aren’t friends with her anymore until you meet that girl in the mists of “the best four years of your life”. Starting out hating each other because of some stupid drama that won’t matter soon enough, before the two of you become inseparable It’s not until now that you realize the girl

What is a Best Friend? How can friendhsips shape us as a human?

By Maeve O’Connor Staff Writer

you hung out with everyday during your childhood was your best friend. But so is the girl you spend everyday with during your time you’re a teenager, since she is also your best friend. The two of you know that instead of dressing up, you will go to the mall and spend the money you don’t have on things you don’t need, then have gossip sessions on the drive back with all the windows rolled down blasting your summer playlist.

Friendships are weird. Best friends are weird. Learning the difference is so weird. I’m friends with the people in my math class, my teammates, or even co-workers. But I’m not best friends with them. When you learn what a best friend is, or who your best friend is for that matter, you’ll be met with the weight being dramatically different when you’re a child versus more grown up (ish). Then you lose those friendships with the girl you thought for sure would be your bridesmaid or the aunt to your kids and realize you’re now grieving a friendship breakup. I wish someone taught me those syllables of how much once a silly little best friend can hurt more than any other breakup. You were five when you met your first best friend. You were in kindergarten, your first year of school ever. You noticed the girl who you have yet to be friends with seconds after walking through the overly decorated doorway, dressed exactly as everyone else was. Same sort of dress, and Claire’s jewelry along with some variation of light up shoes that looked to be from the kids section of Target. She didn’t look that much different from all the other kids in the room since nearly everyone had the same first day nerves crawling up their back. She has a similar backpack, and school supplies (most likely from Target too), similar height, and practically the same shoes Before making your way to the rug for circle time, your teacher was already on her “welcome to kindergarten” speech that felt more like a yearly ritual than an actual greeting. But you let your thoughts wander off trying to decipher through who in the room would be your best friend. You heard your favorite TV show say something once about how most people have a best friend. The cartoons on your screen have to know what they’re talking about, so now as you’re sitting in your first day of classes, you’re going through who your best friend is. You ultimately came to the conclusion that the girl who you

guess looked very similar to you in a sense, would be your best friend. That just seemed the most logical. That first day was spent with absolutely nothing more than getting to know your class, school rules you have to follow, and not a single thing that you wouldn’t learn eventually while your mind was intentionally blocking out anything that didn’t matter. But after you discovered who your best friend was, nothing was really important. When the school day finally came to an end, you made your way to the bus making sure to get the window seat. Running to your mom upon arriving at your stop since your excitement from the first day was booming. From the classroom decorations, to the teacher, to the useless knowledge, to your best friend, you talked about how there was no meaning in your words, other than fragments of sentences or unfinished words. Getting home just to make your way to the fridge and getting your favorite snack just for your eyes to barely acknowledge your favorite tv show with the best friend episode. You wake up with a new commercial on the screen and a blanket over you, you know you didn’t fall asleep with. It’s still so bright outside, why are you wasting time. You shout to your mom you’re going to play outside and race down to the neighbor’s house, though you’re in first and last place. Practicing what you’re going to say when walking up the steps. The door opens and you forget everything but you guess it works because now you’re on her backyard swingset going over the universal rules for hide and go seek. She counts first while skipping over ninety of the actual numbers and the ones she does say come out all out of order. “One, two, three, fifteen, eleventy hundred, four, eighty three, ninety six, one hundred”. Thinking your hiding spot was foolproof yet still somehow getting caught, you’re in desperate need of a redemption round. You jump up and turn around to count with the same numbers totally out of order. Playing rounds and rounds of hide and seek all night, as this turns into an everyday occurrence for you both. It becomes the two of you fighting all the imaginary characters in your imaginary world. Going to the park with lemonade stained lips laughing at all the mulch stained to our knees. The game of tag on their lawn until your little feet carry you home to jump on her trampoline until your little bodies are too tired so

instead just lay under the summer night sky line making pinky promises you’ll probably end up forgetting anyways. Every day the swingset in the backyard would call your eyes until you muddy hands would try to scarf down the melting ice cream. You begin to learn what that “best friend” you were taught about really is. The girl you spend every day with. It becomes the two of your combined imagination fighting off all the realities and demons of the world. You don’t realize until you mature (a little at least) how those details of your childhood with her were so vital. The moments you spent with her laughing with your toothless smiles were your first experiences with a best friend. You don’t understand why or what makes her so important, it just happens that way you guess. But youre lucky to have been taught what a best friend is because now she’s standing by your side at your fifth grade graduation. You were fifteen when you met your new best friend. You were in your first year of high school, the start of freshman year. You still have your friends from middle school but you don’t have any classes with them nor do any of the same sports, so it’s hard to stay best friends with someone you barely see. The first day when the first bell rings and everyone slithers to either side of the hallway as you still are trying to find where your classroom is. You get there and look up to see everyone’s school pictures on the board to see if you recognize at least someone to talk to. The girl sitting next to you had an eerily familiar name. She was dressed in ripped jeans, and a top that you think you also bought back to school shopping. She was wearing the same sneakers and jewelry every girl in the school had after going viral over the summer. You spend the first half of class trying to remember where in the world did you know this girl from. Eventually the words “sixth grade” ring your mind. It was only half a sentence from the teacher but nevertheless that’s it. You knew her from then. That girl now sitting next to you is the girl you once hated the most. You sit there hoping she doesn’t think you both are still in the silent war, because you weren’t. You didn’t remember at first so you doubt she does too. At the moment you want to hate her though you don’t totally know why. But the longer you stare at her the more apparent that it be-

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Navigating friendships through the digital age How technology impacts relationships

By Hailey Brooks Staff Writer

Have you ever wondered if your screen time is secretly sabotaging your real-life friendships?

In today’s hyper-connected world, technology has become an important part of our daily lives. While it has undoubtedly brought numerous benefits and conveniences, it’s important to recognize that it can also have a negative impact on our relationships as social media continues to overcome our generation.

People who begin to gain access to apps like Snapchat, Instagram, Tiktok, etc. are most likely to gain more accessibility to engage in cyberbullying. With social media, it’s easier than ever for people to publicly shame or call out others for their actions or beliefs. While holding people accountable is important, public shaming can quickly escalate into a toxic and harmful environment, leading to online harassment, and a destruction of friendships.

It’s often noticed that textbased communication, such as messaging and emailing, can often lead to misinterpretation and miscommunication. Without the ability to convey tone of voice, facial expressions or body language, it’s easy for messages to be misconstrued. This can result in misunderstandings, and even conflicts among friends. The absence of non-verbal cues can make it challenging to truly understand what a person is trying to express, which constantly leads to strained friendships.

What’s more, in text based communication, there can be delays in receiving and responding to messages. This can lead to frustration, especially if someone feels ignored or neglected by a friend who takes a long time to reply and may create a sense of distance or lack of interest.

Social media platforms have also given a rise to a culture of comparison and envy. Constant exposure

to others' Snapchat or Instagram stories of highlights of their lives can lead to feelings of inadequacy and jealousy. Seeing friends having exciting adventures, and picture perfect moments can create multiple conflicts and unrealistic expectations. Seeing our friends or others stories can increase anxiety and constant need to be connected.

We feel that seeing people at a particular event, or simply an exciting experience gives us the need to want to feel that happiness they may be feeling behind that screen. Our anxiety and the need to be included in social gatherings will continue to incline and respond to the feeling of jealousy of their lives.

Furthermore, what I have even noticed in my experience with social media and the constant distraction of phones is reduced face to face interactions. Technology can sometimes replace face-to-face interaction, leading to a decline in the quality of our friendships that we have once created. Video calls and messaging apps can be convenient and easy to use, but they lack the same level of connection as in-person interactions, especially when it comes to facing apologies or conflicts with our friends.

For example, when one feels they need to confront someone over snapchat, almost every time it turns out worse than expected. One may decide to screenshot the text and share it with others or even use it as blackmail. Physical presence allows for deeper bonding, shared experiences. Even when hanging with friends in person, our phones are found to be the biggest distraction.

We may find ourselves constantly checking notifications, scrolling through social media feeds or even engaging in unrelated conversations online. This constant distraction can make our interactions feel fragmented and less meaningful, ultimately eroding our friendships.

Social media could also cre-

ate dangerous and feared outcomes when it comes to becoming friends with people online. Sometimes, when one adds someone on a particular app such as Snapchat, we don’t realize that even if the person may seem like a generally good person, we don’t truly know them on the inside and out for who they really are. This could also lead to us oversharing.

Sometimes people share too much personal information or private details once we have gained “trust” with one. Not only could this be dangerous because your information could get leaked but also, it could lead to discomfort or awkwardness within the friendship, especially if boundaries are crossed. It can often blur the lines between personal and public life as well. Sharing too much about yourself or your friends without their consent can violate their privacy and erode their trust in the friendship.

With the constant use of social media, people become so consumed by it that it affects their ability to engage with these face to face interactions that they should be having on a day-to-day basis. This dependency can stall friendships and make it challenging to maintain genuine connections.

What’s more, addiction can also consume a significant amount of time and energy. This can result in a decrease in the quality time spent with friends and when these important friendships are not nurtured and given attention, they will continue to weaken until suddenly they're gone.

To prevent social media from ruining friendships, it’s important to communicate openly, be mindful of what you share and remember that social media is mainly a highlight reel. It’s essential to prioritize real life interactions and maintain open and honest communication with your friends who mean something to you.

Best places to travel to in Massachusetts Here

By Madilyn Cataloni Staff Writer

are the top five places to travel to when you get bored

Have you ever felt bored just going to your friend’s house? Wanted a change of scenery that was both fun and different? As someone who has experienced exactly that, I have created my go to list of the most entertaining spots. Whether it be in the middle of winter or in the hot summer, there is a place for everyone.

To begin, Cape Cod is not only the perfect summer spot, but can also be great during the winter. Cape Cod offers a variety of activities, whether it be visiting the beach, shopping at small boutiques or light house hunting, there is something for everyone. Almost all Cape Cod beaches are free and if you pack your own picnic you can spend virtually nothing. The scenery on the Cape is also beautiful, with aesthetic sunsets and sunrises and a wide variety of florals. While it depends on where you live, traveling to the Cape could only take 40 minutes. As budgets differ you have the choice of either packing your own food or stopping at one of the many restaurants, coffee places or dessert shops. One of the main reasons to go to the Cape would be to explore the beautiful beaches, but there is also a variety of entertainment such as concerts, visiting the Mayflower and going to drive in movies.

A place right off of Cape Cod

is the island of Martha’s Vineyard. Martha’s Vineyard offers beautiful beaches, picturesque houses, and delicious tasting food. While compared to the Cape, the costs are much more. Due to being on an island, you must take a boat or a ferry to access the island. When you arrive at the island, you also must figure out transportation. Ubers, taxi’s, jeep rentals and the bus are all great options. If you are planning on primarily taking Ubers and taxis beware because there’s a price markup due to being on an island. If you like having independence to explore, renting a jeep is a great option as the bus times are very specific and only go to certain places. For food, there are numerous Stop and Shops which allow you to keep costs down, but if you are planning on eating out Tocco Puro has great iced lattes and Espresso Love offers incredible breakfast sandwiches. For entertainment, sight seeing the Aquinnah Cliffs, bike riding around Oaks Bluff, sun tanning at Lambert’s Cove and exploring Chappy off of Edgartown are all great options. Another great spot in Massachusetts is the capital, Boston. Boston, to me, is a better New York. As a city, Boston offers lots of different entertainment for everyone. There are numerous places to shop such as on Newbury St, the Prudential Center or in Faneuil Hall. Boston is also home to TD garden and Faneuil Park where both sporting events take

place and concerts. In Boston, there are also museums, statues and numerous street shows one can go too. To get to Boston one can drive or hop on a train. Personally, I would not recommend driving as it is difficult to find parking with such narrow roads and high mark up for parking garages. Taking the train is the perfect option as it is fairly cheap. If you are a student you can present your student ID card and get your train ticket for half off. While navigating the train times can be difficult, once you get the hang of it, the skill will prove to be beneficial for anyplace you travel to in the future. With its historical value, picturesque water view, delicious food, and numerous options for entertainment, Boston is a great place to go to if you are feeling bored. If you are feeling athletic and up for a challenge, skiing or snowboarding are great options. Mountains near or in Massachusett include Wachusett, Pat’s Peak and Gunstock. Wachusett, being the first place I learned how to ski at, is a perfect beginner mountain. With smaller slopes and only an hour from Walpole, Wachusett is a perfect mountain for you. Pat’s Peak is another great beginner mountain but with a larger variety of blacks and blues. Gunstock, is more for an intermediate skill level as it only offers three green trains and more blues. If you are just learning to

ski or snowboard, Pat’s Peak and Wachusett are perfect. Skiing and snowboarding are great exercises and an all day excursion that will leave you feeling productive. The downside of skiing and snowboarding is the markup on food. Water bottles can cost $5-8 and chicken fingers and fries can range up towards $20.

Lastly, another great location near Massachusetts is Canobie Lake Park. Whether it be during the summer or Halloween, Canobie offers rides and games for everyone. During the weekends of October, Canobie has Screamfest where haunted houses are open with scary actors roaming around. Numerous rides such as roller coasters, carousel, ferris wheel, bumper cars and a kids specialized area offers entertainment for everyone. The price to go to Canobie Lake Park can be costly though especially with a large group. Food, drinks and games prices are marked up so it is much easier to bring food with you to eat in your car. With many different rides and games anyone could have fun and with the uniqueness of screamfest Canobie Lake park is a great option anytime during the year. Overall, there are many different options one can go to if feeling bored at home. If you are wanting to save money, quick trips to Boston and the Cape can be low cost and if you are feeling adventurous skiing and going to Canobie Lake Park can satisfy that craving.

chapter FORGIVEN

chapter three ORGIVENESS

The importance of forgiving oneself The efforts towards creating a healthier relationship with ourselves

By Sophie Murray A&E Editor

Growing up we are taught that forgiveness for others is an extremely important skill to have in order to become a well rounded person. It is an essential mindset that is learned through experiences and taught by the fact that we are in control of ourselves and our own feelings therefore, we preserve the rights to make our own decisions on how to treat people. The textbook definition of forgiveness is an “intentional decision to let go of resentment or anger.” A key word in the meaning of forgiveness is intentional. We forgive people mainly due to the reason we love and care about the person and are not willing to lose a relationship over feelings we have. Therefore, even when we are angry with ourselves, forgiveness is key because we ultimately need to be our own biggest supporters. However, it can be a lot harder to do than it sounds. Typically, we are so hard on ourselves when we make one small mistake so we resort to constantly beating ourselves up. We always teach people the importance of forgiving others, but why are we not teaching them to learn to forgive themselves? Learning to personally forgive myself and not hold myself to unreasonable standards and expectations that’d I’d never enforce on another person is challenging; however, it is a block all people need to learn to get over in order to better the relationships with themselves. First of all, it is important to understand that forgiving other people in our lives is drastically different than forgiving ourselves. When we forgive a friend, for example, for possibly hurting our feelings, we are not entangled in feelings of guilt but rather with feelings of anger or sadness. However, the person we are forgiving experiences the guilty feelings and even some stress or anxiety. When it comes to forgiving yourself, you play both roles. You experience both party feelings that ultimately spiral into a web of emotions that can be really difficult to escape from. When forgiving another person, we are able to discuss with them and hear all sides to a story. With ourselves, all we have

is our voice in our head serving as our inner critic. That is why forgiveness with someone else and forgiveness within yourself is extremely different. This is an important concept to understand when learning how to deal with our own grief and anger because it ultimately changes the way you can learn to forgive yourself better.

To start off, it is crucial to understand why it is so valuable to have a good relationship with yourself. It leads to a better sense of self-worth, self-acceptance and self-care. It results in an improved mental health and overall allows you to have a positive mindset that will help in many other aspects of your life. While no one has a perfect relationship with themselves, small steps to learn how to get better is essential and a lot of it comes from forgiveness within yourself. We are naturally our biggest critics. We judge ourselves more than any person and pick every aspect of ourselves apart. A situation or certain feeling always comes back to absorb our mindsets leaving us to constantly think about it, increasing our stress levels and creating tension within ourselves. These feelings damper our overall mood, holding us back from our best work for the day. So why is it so hard to forgive myself for mistakes I have made? Personally, I believe it is because we fail to teach the importance of our own feelings and solely focus on others. Individual mental health and feelings are forgotten when teaching people the concept of forgiveness and we often let ourselves go unnoticed thus allowing people to think that our personal feelings do not have as much value or worth as another person. Something that comes into play with ourselves very often is the small voice in our head which has the greatest impact because we can make it say anything we want. It says things that we would never say to another person because we consciously understand it is a hurtful thing to say. When we make mistakes, this voice in our head starts to go off and tear us apart, making us feel worse about ourselves even though these thoughts are self-inflicted. So, when you are learning to for-

give yourself, an essential aspect to remember is the fact that we can go against these thoughts in our head. With small steps, learning to shut off the voice in our head by distracting ourselves with different positive ideas or activities, listening to music, taking deep breaths all helps us get our minds off of it. While it is okay to debrief with yourself a situation that has happened or feelings you are experiencing, it is just as important to give yourself grief and to understand you are a human being which is another essential thing to remember. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes. If you had a person in your life that wanted forgiveness for something, how would you understand the situation? Would you listen to their reasoning and feelings? You would probably eventually forgive them after working all feelings out. If you can learn to deal with your own feelings as if you are dealing with someone else’s, it puts a lot into perspective and ultimately helps you realize you never actually have to be so hard on yourself. It is important to remember to treat yourself the way you would treat any other person. Essentially, the process of learning how to forgive yourself is really challenging; however, the overall outcome results in us having a healthier relationship with ourselves and will help us deal with similar situations in the future.

With this mindset and advice in mind I can personally vouch that this mindset and guide to forgiveness truly works. Being a teenager is an extremely hard point in life and is essentially built up off of experiencing new things. Being a teenager introduces more independence and with that comes making mistakes. We are not supposed to know how to navigate having our own money, having a car, having freedom, all things that require vast responsibility. Mistakes are supposed to be made and ultimately help us grow. However, forgiving ourselves for mistakes or bad decisions we have made can be a struggle. Personally, I feel a lot of guilt when this happens which puts a large weight on my shoulders. For example, I work at a bakery and have been working

there for about a year now. Throughout my time working there I have made many mistakes. I have forgotten peoples orders, charged people for a wrong item, forgotten to put something in the right place, however, I always try to accept the mistake and move forward. Something I have noticed though is that throughout my work experience I have remembered the times that I have messed up and have made myself feel guilty for that rather than remembering good things that have happened, even as simple as a customer thanking me for taking the time to help them pick something out. I think it is important to remember where forgiving ourselves comes into play at a moment like this. This creates a full circle moment where we can blame the voice in our head for constantly coming back to what we have done “wrong.” Something that I have done to shut that down is to remember simply that things happen. Accidently charging someone for an item is not the end of the world. It is simply a moment in time you can use to remind yourself in the future to double check what you are doing. Mistakes are the way we grow and without forgiving ourselves for mistakes, growth can not be made in a healthy mindset. Learning to forgive oneself is a challenging mentality to achieve. It takes practice and effort but overall creates only positive benefits for yourself. Taking small steps to overcome the critics in our head and to give ourselves grief is crucial for a better relationship with oneself. Overall, it is most important to realize and remember we are all human. Mistakes are natural and the feelings we expierence as a result of this are natural. However, it is the way we deal with them that makes the biggest impact as it truly shifts the way we overall create a relationship with ourselves. It is most important to remember that our feelings should be valued just as much as anyone elses. Forgiving yourself is a crucial step towards creating better mental health overall and should be a practiced mentality for every person, especially teenagers. Take these ideas and advice to implement into your every day lifestyle.

Forgiveness alters relationships and the way one views the world

How a persons perception of others changes through forgiveness

Forgiveness means to let go of anger or resentment intentionally and it is something everyone experiences whether they want to or not. The way that forgiveness is handled is what can change a person. Forgiveness affects me and my friendships all the time. It also affects my mental health because of the hardships that come with it. Forgiveness is hard because of the people that do not deserve it. They can hurt you over and over again but you still forgive them because you are scared. Scared to stand up for yourself, scared to move on but in reality not forgiving can be what is best for you to grow and learn. While these are all very key factors to forgiveness, the most important thing is that you need to learn to forgive yourself. For any struggles or bad decisions made because there is nothing you can do to change them. The past is the past and to move forward, forgiving is necessary. Additionally, forgiveness makes people feel good about themselves and their choices. However, it can also bring a kind of guilt. Forgiving people gives me different feelings depending on the situation and why I am forgiving that person. It changes when I am waving my white flag out of pity or sincere apology. Accepting an apology can alter the course of one’s life. Their friendships can change and the people they trust could no longer be trustworthy. Any relationship can be affected by forgiveness and that is why it is such a heavy topic. Forgiving a person that does not deserve it or forgiving them because you feel bad can destroy your ability to actually speak up for yourself and not let others treat you like a doormat. People will continue to walk all over you if you can not stand up to them. Being scared of confronting someone only holds you

By: Caitlin McCabe Staff Writer

back. Fearing the future does not get you there any slower and moving on is what needs to happen. However, not forgiving someone could also be very consequential. Holding a grudge over a little argument is not a wise thing to do because a valuable friend will be lost over the smallest thing. Forgiving helps you grow as a person and learn from past mistakes. It helps you become more open to what people around you believe and can help communication with them as well. In the end it is not worth it and although choosing to forgive someone can be hard most of the time it is the right thing to do. Not only do you need to forgive others but you need to forgive yourself. Accepting your past mistakes is a huge step towards forgiving yourself. Having the skill to forgive yourself is something not a lot of people have. Although it is hard, it is also very crucial to get rid of any guilt or insecurities you may have. If you can tackle your own apologies any of that self doubt can disappear. It will not become nonexistent but your mental and physical state will become much more healthy. Moving forward goes hand in hand with forgiveness and even though it is difficult choosing to advance past your mistakes, in the end it only benefits you.

When a person takes accountability for their actions and has the courage to apologize it should not be overlooked. It may be hard to forgive depending on what they did but it is just as hard to say sorry and actually mean it. Everyone deserves a second chance and not accepting their apology can be just as worse as not having one at all. Apologies show that the person who wronged you wants to move forward and not

let disputes ruin a relationship. So, forgiveness should be shown to all people.

Forgiveness causes varying emotions for different people. For some people forgiving someone brings happiness and relief but for others it brings guilt and mistrust. After forgiving something a person did to hurt you most people feel accomplished and like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders. Being in an argument with someone can be extremely stressful and deteriorate your self esteem. Therefore, forgiving them can be a destresser and help you calm down. It also can comfort and relax you. For some people forgiveness does not make them feel good about themselves. When they forgive people who have repeatedly mistreated them they can feel a lot of remorse because they keep accepting the person’s mistakes and not standing up for what is right. Eventually if you have to keep forgiving someone the less you will trust them to do the correct thing. If the same thing keeps happening then the more a person is not reliable. This can weaken relationships because the person hurting you will become not dependable.

When it comes to forgiveness it is a very complicated topic. It is something everyone deserves at least once regardless of their actions. It has many different aspects and is exceptionally powerful. It changes various connections between people, good and bad. It strengthens and weakens friendships. Most importantly forgiveness adjusts how people see themselves. How they treat others and how they impact their life around them. Forgiveness does not just change the world around someone, it changes the person.

chapter FAREWELL

chapter four AREWELL

Goodbyes are essential for growth: how our insecurites can allow us to flourish

By Ciara Foley Editor-in-Chief

Traditionally, there is a stigma that evolves around goodbyes. They represent moments of grief, surrounding with feelings of loss and heavy emotion, such as graduations, losses of loved ones or even simply saying goodbye to someone or something. Some may fear the painful emotions that results from such events—others may fear moving forward. Goodbyes, however, bring forth one vital experience: change. While farewells can be negative, such are necessary in order to grow, to prosper as humans; without such, it would not be possible to move through life nor succeed as a person.

In a personal sense, the most prominent goodbye I have had within my life revolves around an insecurity. My entire life, I have had a stutter—and although I have learned different ways to attempt to maintain it, it has carried a burden on me for years. While yes, it is just a speech impediment to some, it created unwanted insecurities that simply grew throughout my childhood.

Saying my name, particularly, is the most mentally exhausting feat I’ve ever faced. As a person who, as previously stated, stuttered the majority of her life, pronouncing my name, Ciara, has been a daily challenge. It’s incredibly obnoxious, as it’s spelled with classic Irish grammar but pronounced as a generic American name, leaving almost anyone confused when first reading it. I’ve heard the mispronunciation ring off classroom walls, with lingering silence suggesting that I correct the misspoken teachers. Yet, it’s my identity—a profound aspect about me, the first perception people have. For years, I grew up choosing to have people identify me completely incorrectly—by mispronouncing my name entirely—rather than them knowing the truth: I stutter when I say my name. Ironically, most people stereotype the causes for stutters as insecurity and hesitation, which isn’t completely wrong; in reality, I spend every single day exerting all my efforts to simply get a consistently flowing sentence out. Since

my diagnosis at 2 ½, I’ve spent my life in and out of speech therapy, with hundreds of speech therapists that eventually didn’t work out— ultimately, I “graduated” around 9, solely because of unaccommodating techniques and teaching methods that didn’t result in any growth. I learned every technique and speaking tactic to get me out of the cage of stuttering—and of these sessions— but, more importantly, as I grew up, I gained the confidence to realize stuttering wasn’t a huge deal.

Despite my initial delusion of confidence, the reality of an impediment slowly became apparent to my 12 year old self. It began when I had to tell my teachers how my name was pronounced on the first day of middle school. It was the beginning of odd looks, silent smirks and whispering judgment that brought me down to reality: there was an intense stigma around stuttering, and I was the epitome of a girl no one was interested in getting to know. Overtime, I learned to conceal this through overfriendliness, a deception that convinced people my over-the-top optimism was my most prominent trait, when I just wanted a chance to form some type of genuine connection despite my difficulty communicating.

From then on, I believed everything about me was embarrassing. I didn’t allow myself to ask questions in class, order new food at restaurants, or talk to new people because of a presumption in my mind that nobody would be interested in listening. I craved desperately for an understanding, for someone to heal my impediment—instead, I was met with inner-voice arguments and hope that my future self had more courage than my current one.

My stutter was a source of shame that toyed with my perception of connection and judgment, but above all it stunted the development of my voice. I’ve always succeeded within academics and writing, yet spent years holding myself back from opportunity. What I failed to realize was that I couldn’t live under the opinions of people I didn’t know. How could I become

an author, achieve dreams of traveling the world when I couldn’t even bring myself to say my name, let alone speak to others? Stuttering is, in most cases, a lifelong impediment; so then, when would I achieve the infeasible goal of clear speech? As I’ve grown throughout the years, an epiphany of understanding discreetly dawned on me: my character, my voice, is worth more than a reputation of shyness and over optimism to hide my stuttering. I continue to carry a slight stutter, yet it echoes off the walls of a journalism classroom, where I speak to an entire class most school days. It is the same voice that’s won article awards, interviewed countless individuals, and discovered passion for reporting within a few years. It’s the same name, still stuttered today, that resides beneath headlines next to an “Editor-in-Chief” title. My stutter will always linger, always be simple to point out, yet it’s my impediment alone that molded a foundation of success I’ll carry throughout my future. While it is freeing to be able to have a mindset such as this, it has been a struggle for years to build and reconstruct my mind to think like this. However, after battling such insecurities for years, I know now how vital certain goodbyes are. To be clear, I will and cannot avoid my stutter and the affect it has had on me; rather, I choose to leave behind the negative, insecure aspect of it and embrace the pride of it instead. I carry years of learning and growing that I know I should be proud to have.

Don’t get me wrong—goodbyes, in many senses, can be associated with negative connotations. We experience such every single day, whether it’s simply saying goodbye to a friend at school or an event far more significant, such as moving away from your hometown. Goodbyes, however, bring forth one vital experience: change. While farewells can be negative, such are necessary in order to grow, to prosper as humans; without such, it would not be possible to move through life nor succeed as a person.

By Erin Malinn Opinion Editor

Coming into this class, I never expected to have a group of people like this, it’s the most random people drawn together in the best way possible, we talk so much it’s so enjoyable, it’s something i genuinely look forward to it makes my day to be with these people, nervous to make friends never thought I’d be at the point where I can openly talk to and joke around w people. I remember in sophomore and junior year, I was nervous to make friends. It’s weird to think we were just a bunch of strangers and classmates, and now we’re this big group of close friends.

I love seeing how people grow throughout the year through their writing. As I’m editing freshman articles, I can see them getting better and better in each one. It’s so cool that we are able to help them become better writers and inspire them. It inspires me to be better as well.

We all try to help each other out as much as possible, but it can be hard to receive criticism from your peers. From an editor-in-chief perspective, we have to go through and edit everyone’s articles, and it can make you feel like you’re not good enough. At the end of the day, it is to help you. You have to be open to fail-

The Seniors of the A Final

ure and some things might not work out, but this process is what makes you better. This class has taught me the importance of passion. There hasn’t been a single point in time where I haven’t enjoyed journalism, even in a writer’s block. I love the reward of writing and producing the paper, and that’s a feeling I have never felt like that with other subjects before. I have learned how important it is to truly enjoy what you do, for a major or for a future career. I truly enjoy being a part of this group.

Ciara Foley, Editor in Chief

I’ve always had a passion for writing. Journalism at first was just another opportunity for me to write, but it became so much more than that. This class has given me a voice, even when I didn’t know how to use it. As adolescents, our final years of school are about finding ourselves, and this can come as quite a struggle. Being able to get your voice out there, even when it is not a personal topic, is such a gratifying feeling. There are times when you know what you put out wasn’t your best, but it’s important to push past any bad feelings and

use it as motivation to work harder. You can’t always write about what you want, but you need to be able to pull the same amount of passion out of any piece.

I didn’t know anyone coming into this class. I was very shy and scared of being judged. Moving up in this class with the same group of people has created such a bond between us all. We have all grown confident within ourselves and around each other.

This class has taught me what I want to do with my life. It has shown me how to use my writing skills to their best ability and how they can uplift me in the future. Required classes teach you the general knowledge you need for your everyday life. Journalism teaches you how to place passion in your work, which is so much more valuable.

Erin Malinn, Opinion Editor

I’ve been involved with the Searchlight since middle school. I did a summer journalism program in 8th grade, and it inspired me to take journalism. My first year taking the class was a very big learning experience, it was the early basics of how to be a journalist. Once I began writing for the newspaper, I was able to help other people from my own

knowledge. As you mature in the class, you begin to develop your own unique sense of writing, because you understand the style you need to follow.

This class has brought me together with people I wouldn’t normally be friends with. Outside of this class, I wouldn’t have much in common with these people. Everyone does their own thing and has their own separate interests. It’s a mix of all these different artistic skills that comes together in this one final product. We’re so close because we’ve been through so much together every single year. You have to be willing to put your all into something. If you like this class and this topic, you have to show it by putting in the work and helping others. For you to appreciate it, you have to make those bonds that we have made. Working this close with others, you need to learn about each other and learn how to work as a team.

This class has made me feel less shy. I was very quiet and afraid to share my ideas, especially in a room full of people who are more experienced. I started speaking my ideas in my second year and it helped me feel more confident in myself. I love working hard for the final product.

the Searchlight: Goodbye

Meg McNeil, Editor in Chief

My first year in this class was intimidating because you had all these other upperclassmen that knew what they’re doing. It did, eventually, help me become more social. I think that the people I’ve worked with and the connections I’ve made have shaped me for the better because it has allowed me to reach out to so many groups of people and be myself without having to worry about what other people think.

This is the one class I look forward to every single day where I know I am going to have a good time, no matter what kind of day I have had. I’m able to come into this class and be able to laugh. That’s what bond really means to be, is people that I can really connect with as well as work hard with. This group of seniors that I work with are a hard working group of people. We don’t just work hard, we also have fun doing it. I think that’s a blessing in disguise.

This class has defined who I am. It helped pave the way for what I want to get into in the future. This class has helped me find who I want to be through my writing and interest. This class took a combination of the thing

I love the most, which is sports, and skills that I am really good at. You come to realize that people are on the same boat as you. People are also worrying about what people think about them and how they are perceived. I think the big key with this class is, no matter anyone else’s opinion, if it makes you happy, there’s nothing else that matters. You always have your chance to make yourself happy with what you write.

Max Grant, Sports Editor

I originally didn’t find this class interesting. But, as we continued projects and eventually started writing for the paper, I became more invested. It’s really interesting to be a part of something like this. Seeing my name on a product we worked really hard on is rewarding. You learn a lot from the people around you. If you’re ever struggling, it’s comforting to know that you are surrounded by people who know what they’re doing and are more than willing to help you succeed. Collaborating with everyone is inspiring. You get a lot of different ideas from sharing your thoughts. It really is a safe space to be creative. I have formed very close friendships with people I other-

wise wouldn’t have been close with. Having shared interests and something we can bond over makes us all closer. We all help each other out with article ideas, graphics, and page layouts. Beyond the academic value of learning better writing skills, the bond you create with people from staying after and working so closely together for years teaches you the importance of collaboration and how to work in a group setting. It sets you up for the future, whether you plan to work in a newsroom or not.

Creativity wise, I’ve been able to open up my mind more to new ideas. I don’t normally enjoy doing anything artistic, but I’ve been able to learn to. I’m able to create something entirely on my own, writing wise and art wise, and see it be part of this huge final product.

Liv Carney, Lifestyle Editor

When I first started journalism, I wasn’t entirely sure on how the class was going to work or how it was run. As the years went on, I realized how flexible the course is when it comes to creativity. It’s not just writing, it’s so much more combined ideas. There are so many areas of writingto get into, but there’s

also graphics and photography. There’s a place in the class for everyone to thrive and use their interests to create great pieces of work.

It’s very admirable how passionate people are about this class. There are so many people who give up their afternoons staying after to finish the paper, making sure everything is right and fits together. There’s not many classes you will do that for. It’s also something that creates a bond. We have our little group of editors. It’s a very interesting mix of people. As tiring as finishing the paper can be, you’re working with a group of people who are going through the same thing as you.

Don’t be scared to show your creative side. This class allows you to be creative in so many different ways and share your ideas without judgment. This class, out of all the others, is the one you can’t just work independently. It has taught me about teamwork, and showed the importance of helping those who don’t have as much knowledge as you. Everyone is always learning new skills and, as an editor, we need to help the newer students build their skills to their potential. Nicole Scotton, News Editor

Exploring change’s influence on us Change is an open door

By Joe Curran Staff Writer

No matter who you are, change will always be a struggle. Humans naturally are attracted by what they know, so when this is taken away, it can feel like the end of the world. Although it is hard, change can still be a good thing that opens new doors in your life. While it will always remain a daunting idea, letting go of things is needed for you to grow as a person. Although there are many good things that can come from change, it is still very much a double edged sword. One of its major drawbacks is the unforeseeable future. Even when people are able to decide whether or not to let go of something or make some other change, they can never have control of how this choice plays out. Change would be of no issue if not for this lack of control, you could just reverse the change if you had control, but once the ball of change starts rolling, it will not stop. Humans are coded to be afraid of the unknown and breaking this psychological limitation can prove to be an arduous task. This is why, for many, change makes them feel helpless. Other times, change is inevitable and that can be even worse. Things such as graduation, aging and death are both inevitable and foreseeable. Meaning that one knows it is coming and is forced to just wait for it, unable to do anything. Due to human nature, the tension leading up to something is oftentimes worse

than whatever actually occurs, so this waiting can feel torturous for many. Even though change has all of these issues, there are still many things that make it a good thing. Without change, we would never be able to grow as people and would always be stuck in one state. Being able to adapt to whatever happens is one of the things that has made humans thrive as a species, and we will fail if we are not able to do this. Changes work as a way to practice our adaptive abilities. Sometimes, even though we may not like it, we must just accept the change. As previously stated, it is required for growth. No matter how hard we fight change, it will always eventually happen so it is often better to just accept it and if you do, it may even turn out to be a good change. Even when we know it is most likely the right choice, it is still very hard to accept change. There is no easy way to do this, you just have to try and hope it works. A person will be swallowed up if they focus on what could have been instead of making do with what is. It is imperative to accept change at least sometimes or else one risks disconnecting themselves from reality. Change is hard, but it is an important part of our development. Without it, people could never grow. We need to learn to accept change as a fact of life and not try to keep everything the same. If we are able to do this, it will lead to a much more fulfilling life for people.

chapter FUTUR

chapter five FUTURE

I hate my birthday

The struggle celebrating an inevitable passage of time

By Nicole Scotton News Editor

November 23rd is the only day of the year that I truly resent. I do all I can to avoid bringing it up in an attempt to lead all of those around me to forget about it. This year, it fell on Thanksgiving. It is “national eat a cranberry day”, often Black Friday and the day Miley Cyrus was born. But worst of all, it is my birthday. Birthdays serve as an unofficial holiday for an individual to celebrate their life and achievements, all while bringing their loved ones together. Ultimately, the concept surrounding birthdays is positive, I can’t deny that. A day full of wishes, sentimental gifts, and attention is hard to be unappealing with the right mindset. My mindset proves to be the wrong one as all I can reflect on this day are anything negative I can associate my birthday with. Strangely, I love celebrating other people’s birthdays; I enjoy making them feel special on a day that is unofficially their own. I find pleasure in assembling the perfect, meaningful gift for somebody I love and display how much they truly mean to me. So why do I not feel the same about mine?

I have a twin brother. I am 5 minutes older than him and have always used this advantage against him. Any time we got into my mothers car and he wanted the front seat I would tell him that I rightfully deserve that position as I am older than him, after all. However, this upper hand did not prevent the dread I felt on our birthday. My birthday has never only been my own. It is selfish, but sometimes I just wish we had different birthdays so that at the very least I had the day to

myself. Every year we would argue about what flavor cake we wanted or where we wanted to celebrate our birthday dinner. We would argue about who got to sit in the front seat and where we would host our birthday party. I have always wished for our birthdays to be celebrated separately but instead they are merged together, allowing no space for any individuality. It is as though our names are tied together with a string and nobody can untie. It is never “Nicole’s” or “Jason’s birthday,” but rather “Nicole and Jason’s birthday.” I love my twin brother, but I just sometimes wish we were not always correlated together. It is awkward to wish my brother a happy birthday, as it is also my own birthday. The marked spark that allows most to love their birthday is due to the opportunity that it provides for one to be celebrated solely by their friends and families. Perhaps my resentment stems from this day never being my very own. Perhaps I am egocentric. Or perhaps all I ever wanted was to be separated as my own person. The aspect I dislike the most of all about birthdays is the dread I feel knowing that I am getting older. Last year I “celebrated” my 18th birthday, legally labeling me as an adult. With this comes many expectations and responsibilities. I have to know where I am going to college, what I am going to do with my life and things like filing my taxes and making my own appointments. I do not feel quite ready to be an adult and carry that weight on my shoulders. I feel as though my aged body does not encapsu-

late my soul quite yet. I wish to be a young child again, swinging on my rusted green, creaky swing set in my backyard. I can practically feel the wind blowing through my hair as I swing back and forth. I feel bigger than the world at this moment, my biggest worry being my bedtime that I found to be unfair as it was far earlier than my older sisters. Back then, I wanted nothing more but to be a teenager. I wanted to be just like my sister and older cousins. I wanted to be dressed in the clothes they did, wear heavy eyeliner, straighten my hair to mimic them, listen to “teenager” music, and attend high school. In my mind, high school was the peak of everybody’s lives. This thought was heavily influenced by movies, and what I believed was the “typical teenager experience.” Oh how I was so pitifully wrong. Now that I have finally reached this desired age, ironically, I want to be young again. Each birthday for me is a reminder that I am drifting further and further away from childhood, but gravitating closer and closer to independence and an inevitable death. I find it funny how this age was all I wanted growing up. I would have never guessed that I would want to turn the clocks back and reverse time. Perhaps I am so discontent with aging because I am disappointed in myself– I am not where I wanted to be or living the life I expected to at this age. I expected more of myself when I was younger. I could not wait to see what the future would hold for me. I hoped to reach my dreams, look a certain way, and live a differ-

ent lifestyle. A part of me wants to apologize to my younger self for not meeting her expectations. Despite being surrounded by loved ones on my birthday, I always somehow feel a pit in my stomach. Birthdays make me feel so unexplainably alone. I wake up on the cold 23rd morning of November with an overwhelming number of text messages. My mom opens my bedroom door with a huge smile on her face, probably holding my cat, wishing me a “happy birthday sweetie.” She tells me there are gifts waiting to be opened by me in the living room downstairs. At this moment, I feel special. And although this gesture is rather sweet, I cannot help the sorrow feeling building inside of me. The moment is bittersweet. I read the text messages from my friends on my phone, all sending their wishes and posting loving photos of me on their social media. I smile because they remembered my birthday despite my attempts to conceal it from the world. I tried my very best to have them forget about my birthday, but it has not seemed to stop them. Looking at all of the pictures they have, I travel on a road full of good memories with the people I love from the past year. The year does not seem as bad anymore. “So when are we going to see you today?” They would probably ask. Great. Well I cannot say no to them now. I invite them over and they all bear meaningful gifts for me. I feel loved, and I feel like somebody to them. I feel like somebody. Perhaps birthdays are not so bad afterall.

How fashion will continue to influence the future

By Sophia Gibson Staff Writer

Decades have shown that teenage women’s fashion is prone to be changing constantly. As a result of new trends coming and going, there is a question as to whether or not previously popular clothing will make a reappearance in the future. Trends have come and gone for a variety of reasons and become consideered out of style after awhile of having popularity. With the effects of social media, fashion trends are changing even more constantly than they have in the past. Additionally, influencers play a big role in the types of fashion or clothing that is considered acceptable. Many people love to share their opinion on the internet which is directly related to the types of clothing that are considered to be in style or out of style. Many previously popular fashion trends have come and gone throughout the years due to stores simply not making that specific type of clothing anymore. As the years go on, I believe that certain trends will become popular again because of their uniqueness and ability for people to dress how they want to. When it comes to miniskirts, platform heels, disco, low-rise jeans, tracksuits, and skinny jeans, there are many chances for these trends to come back or for even completely new fashion styles that we do not know anything about yet to become popular.

Miniskirts in the 70s have always raised a question of whether they are appropriate or not and while this statement may be true in some circumstances; for many people my age, miniskirts can be more challenging to wear because of arising issues with the weather such as wind or cooler temperatures. This piece of clothing can also be very difficult to move in because it is such a small amount of material, leading me to believe that miniskirts will not make a big comeback in the fashion industry. This trend was previously popular because teenagers did not want to dress like their parents, they wanted ti show a different side of teenage life, and wearing miniskirts was a way to do that. Although the idea of wearing any skirts in general can be fun, I do not think that any

fashionable skirts will become popular in the coming years due to how popular certain pants have already become popular for the first time or again. Recently low-rise jeans have been a very popular trend for teenage girls. Many influences promote these pants and they can be seen on numerous clothing brand sites. Skinny jeans may be able to make a popular comeback completely as they have come and gone in waves of their popularity for the past few years. Many stores sell skinny jeans and I think they will continue to sell them even if they do not sell continuously very well, as they are a staple in some people’s lives. Skinny jeans are also a very comfortable type of pant which can be worn with anything. They are a type of clothing that is easy to style and easy to wear. They can also be dressed up or dressed down for any occasion. Skinny jeans can be worn for a night out with friends, a variety of jobs, or doing a round of groceries. These types of jeans are reliable and simple which I why I think they will always be showcased in stores.

Looking in the category of shoes, platform heels in the 90s have had a large impact on the fashion industry in the past due to their trend to come in and out of being an influence on many peoples inspiration. Many brands have continued to sell platform heels due to their interest towards many influencers. They can be worn with many different outfits due to their variety in colors and style. I believe that platform shoes will remain popular due to current influences as they promote these shoes very often. When it comes to everyday living however, platform heels can be a difficult type of shoewear to style because of how bold and noticeable they are. They can only really be worn with specific types of outfits and need to be styled appropiately to look good in an outfit. Also, they are not really a comfortable shoe to wear everyday which is why they are most popular in events where you need to make a statement. Another previously impactful shoes even before platform heels were loafers. To many people, having loafers meant that you were a confident and wealthy businesswomen with a fierce lifestyle. The opinions of loafers vary, many people my age believe that they are out of style and ugly for our generation

however I think that for the working generation, loafers act as a staple shoe and seem very comfortable. I do not think that loafers will ever make a big comeback simply because of the opinions of new and younger generations but I think that they will always remain a symbolic shoe that will be available for purchase at local shoe facilities.

Later on in the game, having a tracksuit was a necessity for the majority of people. Tracksuits could be worn when someone was actually working out or when someone needed to take a trip to the grocery store. Going to a local shopping mall would not even cause anyone to turn heads if you showed up in a full tracksuit with a surplex of colors. Many people were also bold enough to wear them to more upscale events such as fashion shows, allowing them to make their mark in fashion history. Tracksuits are still often a part of popular trends and still remain a staple that most people have in their closet, even if they are not worn often. Tracksuits are very comfortable and practical for the majority of people living an everyday life. They are appealing to many people due to their bright colors and ability to wear in any kind of weather. They are made of a material that can be worn in rain and have a thinner type material allowing them to be breathable yet still warm enough for fall days.

When many people think of the fashion trend of disco they think of the universal wear of bell bottoms however this trend has many other aspects that led to why it became so popular. The trend of disco falls under many categories of flashy dresses and skirts, any wide-legged pants, and any bold clothing in general that would make a statement to others. Disco will always be a notable style due to its popular and simple party theme, making it important for many people to have the staple of flare pants or wrap tops. Disco is so popular because of it’s relation to parties and because of the popular object the disco ball. It is pretty easy to find something disco to wear by a quick search on Amazon, making it an easy style to wear to a party if needed. As an everyday style however, I don’t think disco will ever be as influential on the world as it was 50 years ago. It is a very flashy style making it not easy to wear without

making a statement in the time period that we now live in. In the past few years however, flare leggings have taken shape and are pretty similar to the pants worn in the disco style. Flare leggings are very comfortable and popular in teenage fashion because of their versatility, they can be styled up or down and also come in many different colors; perfect for any type of weather or occasion. I think that these leggings will remain important to many teenage girls’ closets due to their versatility in outfits and comfort to wear everyday.

Not particularly a fashion trend but still a notable style was the idea of wearing something with animal print, denim, or velvet on it. It was popular to wear something like this in the 1990s and if you wore something like this you would be fitting in with the majority of other people seen anywhere. These types of patterns and materials were even worn day to day by many people. Animal print has begun to arise againthese past few years, many influencers wear leopard print to make a fashion statement. Although animal print is not for everyone, I believe that we will be seeing more of it at fashion shows due to its ability to stand out amongst a crowd and because of its past with fashion. The idea of wearing animal print does not exactly fit in with recent crowd appeals such as the minimalist style of a basic tee and jeans however, making it a clothing trend that I do not think will be worn by everyone When thinking of past fashion spurs and why they became so important to the future of fashion, it feels adamant that many of the trends that succeeded in the industry will continue to make an impact on influencing future fashion trends. Many trends have already made glimpes into new arising trends, revealing that they will most likely be at least talked about trends in the coming years. As people also continue to be influential on social media, they will be impacting the future of trends, as long as a portion of the public agrees with what they are wearing.

It is okay not to know

It’s time to stop worrying about the future and start trusting the uncertainty of what is to come

By Carly Schlittler Staff Writer

When I was five years old, I could perfectly present the timeline of the rest of my life to anyone who asked. I would live in a bright pink house with white accents. I would have a brick road that wouldleadtothedoubledoors of my castle. I would have six golden retrievers and three tabby cats. I would get married at twenty years old to a charming prince, and we would have twin girls. When I was younger I could not wait to grow up and enter this new life I had planned for myself. However, life started to get confusing whenIbecameajuniorandsenior, and between five and seventeen years old, my answer got less specific. Flash forward twelve years, I am nowhere nearthatgoal,andthatisokay. Even though I am not in a castle right now, I am perfectly happy with my life right now.

“Where will you be in five years?” is a notorious question that immediately sets people into a panic. Job interviews, teachers and even your own parents want to see if you have the rest of your life figured out. Somehow, they are expecting a serious answer when our adulthood years are barely starting. We are expected to know what our career is, where we will settle down, whenwewillgetmarried;however, we are just kids. Right now, we are just trying to keep our statistics grade up and make sure our voice does not get dry during a presentation.

People try so hard to make sure you have a plan for their life, but does anyone really have a plan they follow? Have you ever really had a set plan that followed everything you wanted? No one has to know where they will be in five years, and it is time for people to start accepting the uncertainty of the future. People needtostopplanningtheirentire life, and just focus on what is right in front of them. If you focus too much on the future, you will miss out on opportunities that will give you last-

ing memories as you grow up. It is okay not to know where you will be in the future because all that matters is what is happening right this second.

I am a senior in high school about to enter an entire new chapter of my life, and all the adults in my life continue to bring up college and careers when it tends to get quiet. My future has become the new icebreaker, but I never have the same answer. I have grown worried about my future and the pressure of my family’s expectations of me sometimes gets too much. I have yet to decide on a college, and my parents keep wanting to make a decision but I don’t know what to do. I never understood how people knew exactly what they wanted to do with their life, and I always hoped those people could make a decision for me.

All of these decisions and questions about my life worried me until I remembered my sophomore year of high school. I took a television production class and I felt completely out of place. One day, instead of filming news stories, my teacher wanted to give us a little piece of advice. He knew that when we went into our junior year of high school, everyone would pile on questions, and he decided that we needed a new perspective on our future when those questions were asked. He felt that his advice on the rest of our life was more important than projects or homework, and it was.

Hetoldusthatifwehad a plan for the next few years of our life, it would never work out. He told us that there is no point in aligning our future in a straight line because it never stays straight. His life turned in many different directions that he was not expecting in high school, but the new path he was put on made his life so much more enjoyable. He never saw himself teaching at Walpole, but he is utterly grateful life gave him new di-

rection. He is happy that his life changed and turned upside down because without it, he would have never had the familyandjobthatheclingsto sodearly.Hewisheshelearned that life is not always a straight path earlier, and now he is letting us indulge in his ideology so we can be prepared. The one aspect he wanted us to take away from his lecture was that we need to accept the bumps that come along the road. Do not throw away opportunities in your life that swerve you off your path. It is okay to change directions and your mind because nothing is permanent. We have to allow every change that comes into our life, and know that it is happening for a reason. It is okay to not have an answer for everything because we are not supposed to have everything planned out. Life gets pretty bumpy along the way, and it might get hard, but the best thing we can do is just allow everything into our life.

Hearing this completely altered the way I saw my future. I used to dread growing up and making decisions because I never understood how people had plans. I never understood how people have dream schools that they have always wanted to go to because how do they know that college is the one for them? How have they known exactly what they want to be when they grow up? I tried so hard to be one of those people who just have everything perfectly organized, but I realized that it is okay to not be that person. It is okay not to know.

I am forever grateful he talked to my class. People try so hard to shape us to have an answer for everything, but life is not that easy. If we try so hard to focus on our future, we will miss living and the future will come and we still won’t have an answer. Our future depends on the choices we make today, not the plans we make today., and not the plans we make for ten years

later. Plans change, life changes, and all we can do is just take life day by day. and accept everything that happens. Now, I am about to graduate high school and even though I have not chosen a school, I know everything will workout.IknowthatwhicheverschoolIchoosewillofferme amazing new opportunities and memories. I know that my pick for a school will become clear to me and I will be able to achieve my dreams. I have finally chosen a major I want to pursue in college, but that does not mean I am narrowing my future to that specific major. If I decide that my major is not the one for me, then that is okay. I will take college one step at a time, and not force myself to fit into a plan that is wrong for me. I know people believe that going to a college forces me to be there for four years, but I will decide my plans for what I believe is right for me. Thinking about my future does scare me, but I know that everything that happens is for a reason. I know I will find a college right for me and a career that will make me happy. I am forever grateful my teacher gave me this advice because now I am so excited forcollegeandwhatistocome. I hope that my advice helps anyone who is facing decisions that will inevitably change their life. I hope it helps anyone that feels so confused about what they will be when they grow up. This is for anyone who constantly worries about their future and tries to plan everything out before they grow up. I am going to be the one to tell you that everything will be okay. Not knowing your future does not mean that you are going to fail. It is okay not to know. It is okay to change your mind and make mistakes. You do not need to know everything about the next five years of your life. We are all human, and we are allowed the right to say “I don’t know” because “I don’t know” is an answer too.