Dream Meanings
By Trenity Webber (6/17)
    Dreams can have different interpretations, and some even have symbols that can unlock hidden meanings from your subconscious mind. Dreams can also show you things you didn’t previously know about yourself.
     Some of the most common dreams people have are about flying; flying is one of the top ten reported dreams according to Psychology Today. Flying dreams are generally about good things. They basically mean that you’re on a “high” in your life (being really happy) or you finally have control over your life. The only negative thing about a flying dream is if you fall. If your dream consists of having troubles with flying or flying into things, then that can mean a lack of control in your life.
     The second type of dream I will be discussing is fairly common. These are water dreams, especially being in large bodies of water. For example, if you’re swimming against any type of current, you may be going against something and making problems harder than they need to be. If you’re drowning in your dream it could mean you’re under a lot of stress or in over your head. It could also mean that you’re trying to drown something out, like any troubles that you’re too scared to deal with.     
     Death is another common type of dream. If you have a dream about killing someone, it might mean your subconscious mind is trying to kill off an unpleasant part of your life. It could also mean that you have unresolved anger toward someone. If you have a dream about someone killing you, it could mean that you feel betrayed by them (you’re dying inside).
      I’ve only had this type of dream a couple of times. One of the times I distinctly remember being shot in the head on a highway by a celebrity. It made me jump out of my sleep and left me wondering why my mind would ever conjure up such a thing. 
Because a celebrity killed me I didn't see the connection about feeling betrayed. But once I did some thinking, I realized that it wasn’t the celebrity that was of significance; it was the role the celebrity played in their show that was significant. Once I made that connection the rest of my dream was pretty easy to piece together.
     If I wanted to, I could have tried to find some significance with the highway in my dream, or why it was night, etc. Dreams are so extensive, I could’ve gone on and on analyzing everything down to the last detail.
     I only discussed three types of dreams, yet I was able to branch off into countless possibilities. It’s good to analyze your dreams for deeper meaning. Doing so can help you come closer to figuring out difficult problems in your life. It’s also good if you’re feeling lost or don’t understand why something is the way it is.
     Analyzing dreams is one good step to gaining control and clarity in your life. To learn more about dream analysis, I recommend https://www.dreamscloud.com/en/dream-dictionary or https://www.psychologytoday.com

Dear America,
By Ashaliegh Carrington (3/17)
    We are sorry we are not what you want us to be. We are especially sorry for not believing in what you do. I know you being as kind as you were, taking me from my old home and bringing me here, at the very least we should be grateful.Your ideas have fascinated us yet you pull us to another section when we want to listen to you speak of freedom We are sorry that our voice is loud and that our hands are raised when you push us down on the pavement. We know it must be annoying to see us on your television everyday protesting against you.
     We are sorry that we don’t fit into your statistics of what a ‘Real woman’ is. We’ve never been able to accept our place.We are sorry that our ambitions are annoying, that we want to be more than what you have set up for us.. We also apologize for not being the shape you expect us to be; it’s hard for me to keep up with what you like.
     We do have to ask you one thing, if you don’t mind, when have you ever said sorry to us? Every day we have had to take your abuse whether it be through hate stares or the shackles of defying the stereotypes you put on us. We’ve worked twice the amount of hours but have been paid less. We’ve fought in all of your wars, while all you have done is try to stop us at the floor. We’ve have loved you; you have been all we’ve ever known.  
     We want to be allowed to love someone without being hated for it. We want to be able to walk on the sidewalk and not feel as though someone will try to attack us for being “scandalous”. All we ask of you is to fight for us as we have for you.
From,
Change

What I Reveal With Clothes Doesn’t Define My Worth 
By ​Liz Colón (3/17)     
     If we take a look at the real definition of the word slut, it means, “a sexually promiscuous woman, or a woman who behaves or dresses in an overtly sexual way,” (Dictionary.com) The real definition of whore is, “a woman who engages in promiscuous sexual intercourse, usually for money.” If these are the true definitions of these words, then why are these used as derogatory words daily within our society? Why is there even a word to address a way of “sexual dressing.” Dressing up is just a term of expression, a display of confidence or comfort.
     The stigma begins in school. Girls are told that they don’t “respect themselves” if they show their skin in school. Whether it’s their shoulders, legs, or stomachs, girls are told that they need to “cover up” and “respect their bodies.” I understand the idea that revealing clothing isn’t appropriate for a professional learning environment. However, revealing clothing doesn’t define a girl’s self-worth or self-respect. The societal acceptance of how girls dress shouldn’t be based on a boy’s, I repeat, a boy’s  potential lack of self-control. Schools say that revealing clothing is a “distraction,” when really what they mean is, “Girls, it’s your fault that boys can’t control their hormonal behavior, so, cover up.” Boys should take responsibility for their actions and behaviors. If authoritative figures enforce the stigma of girls needing to constantly cover up around boys, it’s obviously going to reinforce the sexist behavior of slut-shaming.
      With this logic, if I decide to be confident and show the slightest sight of skin to those who surround me, I must be the sort of woman that sleeps around for money. If someone deems my outfit as “inappropriate,” I must be asking for sexual attention. Why can’t I be proud and love my body without having the fear that I could be categorized as a prostitute?
     Since this stigma begins at such a young age in schools, it teaches girls that modesty and purity within women is mandatory. Has anyone ever stopped to think that women wear “revealing” clothing such as camisoles, shorts, or even go braless, simply to be comfortable? To keep cool? Why does the way a woman dress have to identify her character rather than her well being or personal preference?
     When it comes to men, they are allowed to walk around shirtless publicly. They sag their pants as some sort of  “swagger,” even though many people think it’s actually quite foolish to purposely flash your underwear as a “fashion statement.” But it’s beyond risque if a woman’s bra strap is visible, right? A women’s bra strap--a strap is deemed as more unacceptable than a man’s underwear? Where is the logic in that?
     Women are repeatedly taught to hide their bodies, although everybody is aware that they are there. Are women supposed to deny that they have breasts or curvaceous features? For whose sake? The men that choose to lack self-control? The men who continuously choose to perceive women as sex objects? Why should a woman have to be penalized for a man’s behavior? Well, I’m going to be the one to tell you that women’s bodies are all around us. I will not apologize for having such a “distracting” physique that you feel the need to dictate the way I display it.

I am an Independent Woman 
​(Inspired by “I want a Wife” by Judy Brady)
By Renna Chambers (3/17)
     I am an independent woman. I do not serve anyone. I am not made to serve a man all hours of the day just because I am a woman. It is not my job as a woman to take care of the household chores.
    As a woman I am tired of being looked at as a potential housewife or to fulfill a man's sexual needs. If you ask any man what they look for in a woman, I bet they will say someone who can cook, clean, take care of the children, and prepare dinner every night. I am tired of being subjected to the idea of the "housewife lifestyle," where if I fail to fulfill the expectation of the role, I will be looked down upon.
     Is it okay for a man to not do his duty to take care of his family if he's not ready? It seems as though if a man is not ready to settle down, he can get up and leave the woman on her own, just so he can enjoy his life. Why is it okay for a man to do what he wants but a woman cannot? I should be able to do what I want and do what a man does. What if I don't want to take care of my child and I want to let the man do it; I am a bad mother now? Why can I not say I am not ready to settle down? Why can’t I move on with my life?  Why do I have to give up my freedom in order to be a wife? Why can a man be able to be a husband but still have a social life? I feel I couldn’t be a wife and have a social life and hang out with my friends because I have a duty to do my housework.
    I am sick and tired of all these theories and accusations about women. I was raised in a household where “Anything a man can do, a woman can do too.” I was raised that I don't need a man to do anything and I will not subject myself to live my life the way society think a woman should.

What I Think About Fake News By Leizhor Boateng
     Fake news is something that hadn’t really been brought to my attention until this last year. I started to hear about it more commonly around election time with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. I’d come to creative writing class and we talked about how people were being told that voting could be done online or through text message. That was really bizarre to me.
     Ever since then I’ve just wanted to know what the point of putting out fake news is to some people. It just makes no sense to me why you'd want to misinform people. News is very important everywhere in the world.
     The fact that some people are taking in fake news from unreliable sources is going to bite America in the butt big time. I say this because Americans are lazy. We read something and don’t even think about fact checking or looking any further about what we read. All we do is maybe share and pass on the fake news to the next person.
     I blame social media for the fact that fake news is getting so popular. People share, favorite, and retweet things all day every day and don’t even think about what they are doing. For example, there was a tweet saying “Vote for your president today” with a fake link to go vote for Clinton attached to it. That tweet went everywhere. People really were gullible enough to believe the tweet and think that their online vote counted. It was completely shocking for me to see that the tweet had thousands of retweets.
     In “Fact Checking Won’t Save Us From Fake News” Brooke Borel says that people share things that entertain them and start a conversation. They don’t really check if it’s true or not. I, myself, fall victim to doing things like this. If I see something online and it is interesting I might retweet it just to see what others think.        
​     We need to stop sharing things online that we aren't sure are true. Not only do we need to stop, but the people creating the fake news need to be stopped as well.
     Things like this make uninformed citizens feel like they are informed. You can’t really blame them. We can just hope and pray that fake news becomes less common. At some point we won’t even know what or who to believe!

​Dear Black Women
By Whitney Breland
     Being a young, black woman, I see a lot of foolery. Being in a high school setting for 4 years now, I see people who are not black trying to focus fake sympathy on injustice issues that go on, as if they actually care or can relate. There’s no reason why you need to go out of your way to pretend. As a black woman, I would respect you more if you act like the real you, and if you do not understand what it’s like to be black, then just say that.
     I go to a school where people like to hang with the black people because it makes you look “better.” I know people who take pictures with people of color only because it makes them look like they hang with a diverse crowd. Why do people feel like they need to use a person of color as an accessory to make them look good?
     I live in a world where wanting to be black seems like a necessity. Ever since being “woke” became a big thing in the world, everyone wants to be in the black culture. If you weren’t born or raised with that culture, you cannot say you are black. It bothers me because it’s not like I can say I’m Hispanic or white, so why are you allowed to say you’re a part of black culture?
     I understand that people find the culture interesting, but it’s not like we can pick and chose who we want to be. If you were to get stopped by a police officer, and they wouldn't see your skin color as black, then you’re not black.
     But if you're mixed race, it's difficult to decide how to identify yourself. I live in a world where people overlook colorism. Colorism is one of the biggest things in the black community. We seem to need to put one down to bring another up. Apparently we have different groups of blacks: light skin, brown skin, and dark skin. I never heard about it until I entered high school. Growing up, all I was taught by my mother was I am a black girl. It’s just been a different world as I’ve been growing up. The situations that I have been through are more in-depth than when I was little and it's scary that color is the biggest one of them.
     Another big thing that I’ve been through relates to hair. Never in a million years would I have thought that having hair would be a huge problem. Again, entering high school I started dealing with it. I can say I have been blessed with "good" hair--I can wear it naturally curly hair or straight.
     I have been complimented about my hair, which I do not mind. But what I do mind is automatically being told, “you must be mixed." Why must I be mixed to have nice hair? Black women have beautiful hair; we do not need to be “mixed” to have good hair.
     Lastly, black men like to downplay black women. You would think that because they're in the same community they would have each other’s backs. Now I do not have a problem with boys having specific preferences, but once they start putting one group of women down to bring another up that’s when I have a problem. I know black boys who say they will never date a black woman; they list flaws about them just so they can uplift other races. I do not understand why they feel comfortable enough to do that when they have black roots in them.
     At the end of the day, I just want my community to come together and love one another. And I'd appreciate it if those outside the community respected us within their hearts and not out of trying to gain something from us.
Love,
Whitney

Healthy Guidelines for Hopeless Romantics 
(It’s a Thing!)
By Renna Chambers
    Self-Love: Regard for one's own well-being and happiness” – Google.com
Hopeless Romantic: A person who has romantic notions about life. For a hopeless romantic: life = love. Especially when that person is involved in a relationship - He/she thinks about love and romantic relationships in a different way than other people. - whitesmoke.com
    I have been doing me for a very long time now. I don’t think people can hurt me anymore. Well, it’s hasn’t been too long; it’s only been a couple of months. To be more specific, it’s only been three months. In these past three months, I have been completely single, working on myself. It’s been the best three months I’ve had in a long time. I had been going through some rough times, so to actually to feel this good about myself is wonderful.
    Having self-love really does boost up my confidence. I had been feeling that I was never good enough for anyone. Believe me, ladies, it’s a horrible feeling. Please, I beg of you to never feel like you're not good enough. If you do feel that way you need to get away from whatever it is that is making you feel like that. If you're in a relationship that makes you feel like that, please leave it. No one should ever make you feel that type of way. You should be in a relationship that makes you feel good about yourself. Have you ever heard that phrase, “Find someone who will be your biggest fan”? Be with someone who does that for you. Ladies, a relationship is 50-50, never anything less and never anything more. Not even 51-49--that is not fair.
      It’s really difficult being a hopeless romantic and practicing self-love because I expect so much more from my relationships. As a hopeless romantic, I expect my relationship to be like the ones I see in the movies. So it’s a task to be a hopeless romantic and to have self love, because I feel like I'm not good enough to have a relationship like the ones I see in movies. I’m starting to believe that “true romance” is not even a real thing anyone.
    The person I’m dating will be putting 50-50 into the relationship, but then I will complain that he’s not doing enough to be extraordinary in the relationship, like impromptu dates and shopping. Even though the person will be doing enough, the 50-50, I don’t notice it until after I complain. So if you're a hopeless romantic person like I am, please don't feel bad or alone because I’m just like you and it's hard. But if I can have self-love for myself, then there is hope for you too to have self-love and boost yourself up without someone else doing it for you.
     A hopeless romantic always wants to be with someone and to never be alone. But believe me, ladies; being alone is not as bad as you think it will be. I learned that the hard way. I used to bounce from one guy to another and never give myself a break. I was so afraid of being alone that I never was alone, until one day my best friend yelled into my ear and told me to “STOP, GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK. BE YOURSELF, AND WORK ON YOU!” I finally heard her and listened and that’s the best thing I did.
     So ladies: key message here. Do you and work on you, and I promise you will feel so much better. When you're ready to get back out there and have enough confidence for yourself, go and do that, but never get into a relationship damaged and broken, because you will attract someone who will take advantage when you're down. 

"Lottery Tickets" by Elizabeth Alexander
Review By Dante Frazer 2/17)     
     Elizabeth Alexander is an American essayist, poet, and playwright. She was the poet for Barack Obama's 2009 President Inauguration and was the Frederick Iseman Professor of Poetry and African American Studies at Yale University.        
     On February 9, 2015, Elizabeth Alexander published a personal memoir titled “Lottery tickets: mourning a husband” n The New Yorker. The author writes about her existential crossroads after the sudden death of her husband, Ficre Ghebreyesus. He died of heart disease just days before his 50th birthday.           
​     Instead of grieving, she reflects with great appreciation on her 15-year marriage to her late husband. The author shares personal stories about her grief and acceptance of the death of her husband. Ms. Alexander intertwines memories of Ficre and their lives together, while also writing about her many dreams of him and the challenges of his absence.        
​     Mr. Ghebreyesus was from Eritrea, which he left as a teenaged refugee. He made his way to Sudan, Italy, Germany, and then the United States. Once Ms. Alexander met him, he was a chef and part-owner of Caffe Adulis in New Haven. He also painted and found the beauty in everything.
     Compared to her poetry, autobiography, and inauguration poem, her powerful memoir is by far the most captivating. Elizabeth Alexander is a great writer. The title of this beautifully-written memoir is called “ Lottery Ticket,” because she found a fistful of lottery tickets her husband had bought two days before he passed away. The lottery tickets are significant because the day Ficre brought the ticket; he was confident he would win -- so confident that he bought 100 tickets. “I have to win it for you,” he said. “I have to win the lottery for you.” He was angry when he lost.
     “I am the wife of fifteen years. I am the plumpish wife, the pretty wife, the loving wife, the smart wife, the American wife. I am eternally his wife.” The author describes herself and her title as a wife in such a poetic and literary way to further relay her journey of acceptance to the audience. After Ghebreyesus's death, Ms. Alexander still has a very strong bond with him.
      Sudden death often mean people's lives are ripped apart. But through it all, Ms. Alexander’s optimism, reminiscences, and gratitude for Ficre is illustrated throughout the memoir. Even after his death, she is still his wife. I encourage anyone going through grieving or anguish to read Elizabeth's Alexander’s “The Lottery Ticket.”

C8H11NO2+C10H12N2O+C43H66N12O12S2 (Love)
By Dani Derraugh
      Love, in its coldest form, removed of all human experience in exchange for the frigid truth of science, is a series of unconscious, primal observations which cause a response in the hypothalamus. A systematic release of chemical reactions in response to facial symmetry, resemblance to your mother or father, whether it be in the eyes or the smile. It is finding a compatible and healthy mate to carry on your genes, one you will not diverge from, but stay and grow as a unit. That is love's original purpose, to stimulate the attraction and attachment necessary for reproduction.
     But when we gave that set of chemical reactions a name, we gave it warmth. We gave it feeling. Love is estrogen, testosterone, adrenaline, dilated pupils, and softly brushed hands. It is the quiet spread of excitement when you see someone whose genetics seem to be compatible with your own. It is when negative judgments become soft hisses, indistinguishable from the white noise of the radiator. It is when you look at someone and think Our offspring will be healthy, but you think it with more humanity, more vulnerability, I think you’re so wonderful.
     Love is vasopressin, someone else’s body heat against your skin. It’s the soft release of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, like milk swirling into coffee. The coarse agitation of chapped lips pressed against one another, and long, wonderful nights. It is Waffle Wednesday, or Taco Tuesday. I need you to ensure the survival of our offspring sounds like Did you eat dinner?
     Love is smiling so wide that it hurts, and smiling even more. It’s splitting desserts, and taking turns walking the dog in the morning. Eyelash wishes, and the sound at the end of a playlist, where it’s just a gentle hum.
Body language changes. A burst of corticotropin, and a dip in dopamine. Vasopressin becomes interpreted differently. Hate--impulsive and rambunctious. Adrenaline, the thunder of a slammed door, followed by stretches of over-thought silence. Hands run through hair. The stitch between a furrowed brow. A chemical absence and chill, even though there is someone just within reach.
     Cortisol, a reflection in the bathroom mirror where Our genes will ensure our survival becomes What did we do wrong? It’s the tense shuffle of feet on carpet. It’s reaching for the doorknob, the jump of static electricity racing along the path of least resistance.
     Averted eyes, softly brushed hands growing tense, the burst dam of your prefrontal cortex, releasing a torrent of judgment that was previously a mere hushed glow. It’s microwave dinners, and hands too heavy to hit the “snooze” button on the alarm clock. It’s the sound of a zipper, and the rolling murmur of a suitcase across the floor.
Our genes are compatible becomes silenced by our humanity. Because our personalities are not.

Karma
By Dante Frazer (1/17)
     Is Karma really a bitch? In Hinduism and Buddhism, the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence are viewed as deciding their fate in future existences. Do you believe that the universe tends to even things out in the end? Because it seems like what goes around doesn't comes back around. It's often the case that arrogant people don't face any punishment, bullies get away with their actions, and rich, powerful people seem to live by a different set of rules. Will justice ever be served? The supposed invisible force keeping moral order is doing a terrible job, while terrible people find loopholes around the laws without punishment.
     Every day on social media, someone flaunts their disregard for the written and unwritten rules of this world. Every minute, a criminal gets away with something new! Cutting corners is rewarded and being nice gets you nowhere. The world is filled with chaos created by a few bad apples spoiling the whole tree. All in all, karma is just a comforting concept created by people to satisfy their logical sides. Good and bad things happen to people randomly every single day, whether you are great person or a pain in everyone's side. Just because the universe doesn't hold you to any ethical and moral standards, it doesn't mean you can't set them for yourself.

The Trump Effect
By Floyd Robinson (12/16)
     I honestly don’t know what to feel right now. I don’t know if I should be scared or concerned, but all around I’m at a loss for words due to the fact that the 45th President of the United States is going to be a man named Donald Trump. For all the people that voted for Harambe (the dead gorilla) or Hennessey (an alcoholic beverage) or chose not to vote at all, I’m disappointed.
     Although President Obama still has some time in office, we have to prepare for an all Republican Senate and House of Representatives who share the same views as Donald Trump. This is the first time that I can remember this being the case. An all Republican government can be scary to think about, especially considering the fact that Donald Trump will be at the helm of the country.
     I’m only 17; I don’t understand politics and I honestly don’t think I ever will, but I don't think you can argue with the fact that if Bernie Sanders had not lost to Hillary Clinton in the primary, he would have made a better president than Donald Trump. During Hillary’s 2016 campaign, I noticed that this was her second time running for office. We all know that she lost in 2008 to Barack Obama. In 2008, history would have been made either way, as we would have had our first female or black President. I’ve come to the conclusion that if Hillary Clinton ran two times in two different eras, then America isn’t ready for a woman to be President of the United States. While Hillary's husband, Bill Clinton, was President, she saw the demands that being President has on not only yourself, but also on your family. Don’t you think that someone who has previous experiences with the Presidency and who has been into politics all of her life is a better choice than a celebrity businessman?
     It feels as if everything that Barack Obama has accomplished in the last eight years isn’t going to matter once Donald Trump takes over. Donald Trump is hard-headed; he isn’t going to listen to anyone but himself and the people who are kissing up to him. If that’s the case, I wouldn’t be surprised if America ends up in another war during his tenure.
     Donald Trump is already a multi-billionaire. As a matter of fact, he may even have enough money to buy the White House for himself, so the question that I have is, why decide to run for President? He says it’s to "make America great again." He used the tagline “Make America Great Again” during his campaign, but when has America ever been great? Yes, America may be the land of the free and the home of the brave, but for who, when you factor in civil and human rights, segregation, slavery, and police brutality.
     I’m a black teenage male in the United States that’s, once again, about to be run by a white man and a white-dominated government. People who have been waiting for Barack Obama’s eight-year term to end now have the chance to rejoice. I see that some people are excited, concerned, or most importantly, scared. I would put myself in that last category of the people that are scared of a Donald Trump-run America. I already have it bad enough with people viewing me differently just because of the color of my skin and the type of hair that I have. They assume that I’m a hoodlum or that I’m going to do something illegal; plus I always have to worry about being pulled over while I’m driving and ending up as another statistic.
     Recently on the news, I’ve been seeing that there are protests going on right here in New Haven due to the fact that Donald Trump won the Presidential Election. I understand people's dissatisfaction with the results from the election, but for the next four years we’re all going to have to work together to make this country a better place. People need to realize that it was we, the people, that elected Donald Trump to be President. All of this could’ve been avoided actually; people all throughout America never should have underestimated Donald Trump and because of the fact that he was underestimated, America has to pay the consequences by having him serve as our President of the United States.
     We don’t know how Donald Trump will be as President. He can either be downright horrible, because he’s Donald Trump after all, or he can be a decent-at-best President, but only time will tell. Right now, I think many people are still moving through the Five Stages of Grief--Denial; with people saying “that’s not my President”, anger: people feeling offended and disrespected because of the comments that Donald Trump has made towards specific nationalities, bargaining: people demanding a recount of votes in the states that Hillary Clinton lost, depression: people fearing that they’re going to be “deported” back to their homeland and lose their rights; and acceptance: the country accepting the fact that multi-billionaire and reality tv star Donald Trump will be America's new President.

Stress
By Esmerlee Grant 12/16
    I was always involved in drama from kindergarten to 7th grade. Whether it was about boys or the “He said,” “She said” problems, I was always in drama. People never liked me because of my “disturbing” attitude. I used to give people the worst stare and say the rudest things. I only did these things when people would annoy me or say something dumb to me. It just boiled my blood for some reason.
     I can’t even count on two hands how many arguments I had gotten into over the years. I have argued with every person in my class at least once and every single time I would shut them down. Eventually, I decided to make a positive change in my life because I noticed the negativity was starting to take a toll on me. I was always sad, confused, and quiet because no one would talk to me. Also, my attitude and stubbornness in sixth grade caused me to get my first suspension ever. I loved to talk back to my teachers, especially when I didn’t like them. That obviously didn’t turn out too well for me.
     You would think my attitude would have only affected my social life, but trust me, it affected a lot of things. My grades were poor and I got into arguments with my family. I was always getting in trouble, no matter the situation.
    I can say eighth grade is when I really started to become a better student, friend, and person in general. Every single summer since 2012 I got into a big issue. During the summer of 2015, I got into so much trouble with my family that I was grounded for the entire summer. This was when I realized I needed to stop.
     I completely deleted all my social media accounts and started from the bottom with my parents' trust. As soon as school started, I did all my work and made sure everything was always done. In school I was very quiet and made sure to mind my business, since those were my two biggest issues. It was hard to get used to keeping my mouth shut. After all, I was a loud mouth. Even when I felt like saying something I would have to hold it in. It was almost like practicing to be quiet. When I got home, I always made sure my room was clean and and that there were no dishes in the sink. After doing all these things I felt better on the inside.
    My parents started to notice my progress and saw that I was getting way better grades than ever. I was very content with my change. It took me a couple of months to get used to this daily routine. I look back now and all I think about is how much I hated looking at my grades and being disappointed or looking someone in the eyes and seeing them roll their eyes back at me.
     I'm so glad I decided to stop stressing about things I couldn’t control and started to focus on the one thing I could control: myself. From eighth grade to this day, school is my first priority and I stress absolutely nothing.
My friends continuously tell me their problems and I tell them the same thing, “do not stress.” Stress only brings more problems to your life. If you don’t stop stressing over everything, stress is going to take you over. Stress is not only school, or work. But stress is feeding into problems, wondering what people are saying about you, responding to every single negative thing. You may never look at things the way I do, but stress is like a heavy weight on your shoulders. Lift that weight up and be happy. Let the girls hate, let people talk their negativity, but don’t let it get to you. Don’t let it stress you.

Love From the Outside Looking In
Mellody Massaquoi (11/16)
     It seems like everyone in my life is in love; friends, family, and every stranger I see. My question is why? Why do people want to fall in love? Pleasure? To feel included? A lot of people try to convince me that love is this wonderful thing that has no faults. As a person that has never experienced romantic love, I have a different point of view; I'm an observer.

1. For starters: love isn’t just a wonderful feeling; you have to put your heart and soul into it and so does the person you’re in a relationship with. Love is a two-way street. If your “sweetheart” isn’t putting in work, then you don’t have a loving relationship; you have a job.
2. Love can hurt like hell: You will fight and argue no matter how strong your love is. You will have some times when you can’t stand to be in the same room with your significant other. And other times you’ll feel like he/she doesn’t love you. Commitment makes your love strong. If you can’t handle the commitment, then you can’t handle love. But if you want to be in love, make sure that you're ready for it. Love isn’t just a toy that you play with then put away when you get bored. You have to have the other person in mind. Love isn’t about one person; it’s about two people coming together, and if you can’t take that into consideration, then wait for when you can.
3. Love can be destructive: When you put all your energy into one other person, you might neglect everything and everybody else. For some people, that period of neglect can last for a long time. This can cause loss of friendship and family, and if your so-called boyfriend or girlfriend isn’t treating you right, then it could also destroy your self esteem.
4. Love is unpredictable: No matter how much advice you hear, you won’t be prepared for the fall. It's like when you get on a rollercoaster for the first time. Though people tell you about the rush, you can’t predict the feeling until you get on the ride. And from what I hear, it’s quite a rush!
5. Mind of your own: Make sure while you’re in your relationship that you have a mind of your own or your relationship will go sour fast. I have noticed that every time a person that doesn’t have a mind of his/her own is in a relationship, they end up getting hurt. They think they are happy until they try to say no. When they give their “lover” a piece of their mind, they usually end up with a nasty break up or worse--an abusive relationship they can’t get out of. Abuse can happen physically, mentally, emotionally, or all three. When love turns sour like that, don’t be a masochist, get out.
6. Don’t think love isn’t amazing either: Even though it has its ups and downs, if your love is true then, oh boy, what an amazing time you will have! You will feel like you are the only person in the world. Like this person is space and you are the stars. 
7. And for all the single people like me: Don’t worry. Love will come and when it does you won't remember anything I said. This advice is redundant because when you're in love, you’re blind. You won’t do anything smart and you will trip up a lot, but don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it.​

Avoiding Conflict
By Joleen Dagradi (11/17/16)
    Emotions can be fragile as river beds, changeable as the winds, violent as a cyclone and yes...even happy as a family's first child. With this everchanging phenomenon comes conflict that we really, really don’t want. Here is how to avoid drama as much as possible.
    WARNING--This is not the Ten Commandments. They are just my observations and advice.
     1. Culture: Not everyone is the same. This can be taken many different ways, so let me clarify. Individual people feel, think, and believe in different things. Things that make us each human in our own right, and because of these views we’ve each learned different things. Don’t let these differences be an obstacle.        
​     2. Be Patient: I know, I know. I’m not a patient person either. But if you stop, breathe, and let people explain their side of the story one thing at a time, things will be much less messy, and a battle might be avoided, or peacefully resolved.  
     3. Words: Be careful with what you say to others. Before an event goes down, try your best to calm yourself. Once that is done, have each person explain their view, one at a time. When angry, you can say a lot of really mean things. Some people won’t care for your acid lies or rotten truths. If things are getting bad, your opinions won't make things better. 
     4. Actions: Do not, and I repeat, Do Not, deliberately do something to upset someone for the entertainment of others. The extra drama is unneeded and unwanted. There is no way around this. If you ignore this advice, then at least don't make it worse." Just a prank, bro!" isn’t an excuse and never will be. If anything, it will start a fight.   
     5. Drama: This is a list in itself. Drama causes so much pain, destruction, and bias that it's best to avoid it as much as possible. But if you can’t avoid it, try to survive the damage, soldier. Good luck is the best I can say.
     6. Pain: No, not physical pain--mental. Don’t make it your reason for conflict. Revenge and hate only lead to more revenge and hate. Instead, seek comfort. Look for things that help you calm down: friends, music, reading, drawing, and writing are things that help me calm down. Find your comfort and go to it when you're hurt or need to calm down and think.
     7. Leave: ​If you can’t get someone to calm down or if you can’t calm down, pause it. Tell them you just need to go. They might call you a coward, or scream and whine about their hate, but keep going. It might hurt now but the fight you're about to have isn’t worth it. At least not if you can’t rightly express yourself or your side of the story.
     8. Seek professional help: If you can’t resolve an issue or series of issues yourself...you might want to take a trusted adult into your confidence.
     Conflict can’t always be avoided, but some things can be delayed enough to think things through, talk it out to a peaceful agreement, or to get an adult if needed.

Drugs
By Dante Frazer (11/16)
     “Just say no to drugs and yes to life” and “the thrill can kill” are two of many popular quotes about drugs and drug prevention. Former First Lady Nancy Reagan launched the “Just say no” campaign in the 1980s trying to get drugs off the streets of America. Since then, drugs are still a big issue in America today. 
    Drugs are a chemical substance; because of their chemical structure, they may affect the body and individual in many different ways. According to www.drugabuse.gov, 9.4 percent of Americans have used illicit drugs in the past month. Essentially, 1 in 10 people are walking around, going to work, driving, and taking care of their children while under the influence of illegal drugs. Having many people on drugs isn't a crime, it's a disease.
     Drugs were legal until The Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914. This law regulated opium and the opiate trade. The Narcotics Drug Import and Export Act of 1922 regulated the import and export of drugs into the U.S. Drugs have been around since the ancient humans, roughly 11,000 years ago. An anthropologist at the University of Valladolid in Spain found evidence of hallucinogenic drugs being used in ancient cultures around the world. With drug use being so prevalent, my question is no longer why people use drug --instead, it is how, as a functioning society, should we treat people found using these illegal substances.
     Often, those who have mental illnesses turn to drugs as a coping mechanism in order to deal with their symptoms. In some cases, those who struggle with drug addiction can sometimes develop mental illnesses, such as anxiety and depression. There are many stigmas when it comes to drugs and mental health. Because of these stigmas, most people don't go and seek the help they need.
     In a time when everything is accessible, there are so many different ways to escape the mundane world. Drugs are a pathway to an altered reality, but one where you don't have a sound mind or body. Although many things in life are now easier than ever, the burdens are also very high. Simply having a family, going to school, and holding down a job are huge stress factors. Some drugs are viewed as a means of relaxation, a way to calm the storm that is erupting in the mind.
​     Addiction is a disease, not a choice. Drugs change the brain--the structure of it and how it works. Addiction enslaves you; when you can stop hard drugs, you do not want to. When you want to stop, you can't.

Next Commander in Chief
By Jake DeLucia (11/16)
     The 2016 Presidential Election has been the entire focus of the nation for the past few months. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are running against each other in what some are saying is the most important election of our lifetime.
     I am not big into politics or government, by my own choice. Although I should be, because it affects my life and future, I just don't find any interest in how our government works. Maybe that's why I honestly do not understand what the big deal is about the emails that were deleted by Clinton. People have said to me, “You know Hillary is a crook right?” to which I've responded, “But I also know that Donald Trump is sexist, racist, and homophobic, among other things.”
     I have seen so many acts of racism, sexism, and bullying in schools since Trump has decided to run for office. I cannot even imagine how much worse it will become if he is actually the Commander in Chief of our country. A President is supposed to reflect their people, not degrade some while empowering others. I think the biggest question in this election is, who do we want our children to look up to?
     Everyone makes mistakes, but when a person has spent their entire life degrading and segregating minorities, what makes you believe that he is going to change for the four years he is running our nation?
​     We have come too far in terms of integration to take even one step back. We need to have someone in office that relates to all different kinds of Americans, not just the billionaires on the top floor.  

Hillary vs. Donald
By Dante Frazer (10/16) 
     Hillary Clinton is an American politician. She served as U.S. Secretary of State during the first four years of President Obama’s administration. She is a former U.S. senator from New York and was first elected in 2000. She was a candidate for President, running against Barack Obama in 2008. From January 20, 1993-January 20, 2001 she served as First Lady when her husband, Bill Clinton, served two terms as President. She was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1947, graduated from Wellesley College, and earned a law degree at Yale Law School. She and former president Bill Clinton have one daughter named Chelsea.
     Donald Trump is a real estate developer, entrepreneur, and host of the NBC reality show, “The Apprentice.” He has been a public figure for over 45 years. He has property in areas like NYC, Atlantic City, Cincinnati, and Washington D.C. Trump is heavily involved in beauty pageants, entertainment, media, and sports. He was born in Queens, New York in 1946, and attended Fordham University for two years. He then transferred and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in Economics. Trump has been married three times, has five children, and eight grandchildren. He is currently married to his third wife, Melania Trump.
     The presidential candidates have lived two completely different lifestyles. One dedicated her life to politics, while the other dedicated his life to “the art of the deal.” Yet, they both feel as if they are suitable and have the right "temperament" to have their finger on the red button. I don't think anyone can dispute that Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump are both leaders in their own way; it's just the direction of each person's leadership that leaves some voters perplexed.
     Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump went head to head on three debates so far. It's hard to say who won, because so many different polls came out on behalf of each side. In order for a candidate to be eligible to participate in a debate, they have to demonstrate three credentials: Constitutional eligibility to become President, a polling average at least 15% in five selected national polls, and appearance on enough ballots to potentially reach 270 electoral votes.
     As a viewer of all three debates, the part that resonated with me the most was Hillary's response to an undecided voter in the second debate. “This isn't an ordinary time, and this isn't an ordinary election,” Hillary said and she's totally right. The next president will shape America's present and future like never before. These two candidates are polar opposites and want to live in two different Americas. The only difference is that one candidate lives in reality and the other candidate does not.

Thoughts on "The Hunger Games"
By Raven Joseph
     ​​As many of you know, "The Hunger Games," the famous trilogy written by Suzanne Collins, has amazed and kept the attention of many teens around the world since 2008. The trilogy was such a hit with younger viewers that each of the books were turned into successful action-packed movies. But are younger viewers being negatively affected by this series?
     "The Hunger Games" contains a plot motif where teenagers participate in a contest in which they must kill one another. It contains a setting where the country is broken into districts that work hard to provide resources for the Capitol, and it also contains characters that are left to suffer under extreme conditions. Is this something that children should be watching and reading about?
     Studies show that children who view violent acts on the big screen are more likely to show aggressive behavior and to fear that the world is scary. Studies also show that children who read books that contain an unrealistic world may start to believe that the world we live in may soon turn into the unrealistic world that they read about. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, the rational part of a teen's brain isn’t fully developed and won’t be until he or she is 25 years old. This gives teens quite a while to form various concepts of the world that they may have gotten from unrealistic, dystopian novels such as "The Hunger Games."
     Yes, "The Hunger Games," and books and movies like it, are a big hit with teens all around the world, but we must take into consideration that everything that is fun or interesting isn't always good for us, nor do they always have a positive effect on us. We currently live in a country where innocent people all over are killed every day! Is it really the best idea to support novels such as "The Hunger Games" that encourage the bad behavior we see in our world every day? Before you go out and watch a movie or read a book like "The Hunger Games" again, think about the negative effect that it may have on you, whether you are a young person or even an adult.