“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” 

The iconic line from A Tale of Two Cities can be attributed to one major event, the TikTok ban. The TikTok users call it the worst of times, the worst 14 hours to be specific, while the Instagram Reels users call it the best of times. 

As a TikTok user I did not believe the app would actually go dark on January 19th. However, as I started getting notices when I opened the app that it would be shutting down, reality set in. When I woke up on the 19th and, out of habit, opened the app to a dark screen, I knew I needed something else to do. Some said they tried to reconnect with nature, which was hard because it was 2 degrees outside. Others, however, made the switch to Instagram Reels. I decided to give it a try, and it was awful. To all the people that willingly use Instagram Reels over TikTok, why? 

The main difference between TikTok and Instagram Reels is that TikTok is much more adaptive to your watching habits. Instagram, however, just gives “annoying weird cousin vibes” according to Meara. I agree with her assessment of the app. TikTok is there to entertain YOU, while Instagram Reels just takes a guess on what someone wants to watch. I think if Instagram Reels came up with a better algorithm for viewing habits, the app could MAYBE compete with TikTok. For now though, TikTok remains on top. 

On January 19th around 1 pm, the app came back. I think the app coming back online, at least for right now, is the correct action to take for two main reasons. One, so people can figure out what to do with their free time, possibly download Red Note, but I don’t know. Two, the amount of advertising for businesses that happens on TikTok that help people maintain their livelihoods is a staggering number, so those business owners will need some time to find other ways to get the word out about their business. 

I also believe this ban will inspire Gen Z. If we were of age to run for office, I think nine out of ten candidates’ slogans would be along the lines of “Time is TIK TOKING until change” or something like that. Maybe the ban does have some positive aspects to it in that sense though.

Just as the theme of rebirth comes up many times in A Tale of Two Cities, TikTok has been reborn!!! (For 90 days at least….) 

 

     “Most people quit their New Year’s resolutions by the Second Friday in January. It’s called Quitter’s Day, look it up” claims Apple in one of their newest Apple Watch Commercials called Quitters Day. 

     In honor of the month of January coming to a close, I wanted to make a tribute to New Year’s Resolutions. Otherwise known as the aspiring goals (or maybe lies) we tell ourselves December 31st when we say this year is going to be the best one yet!

     I feel like December 31st is typically the time we look back on the goals we set at the beginning of the year just to realize we accomplished less than half of them. However, I don’t think we should view that as a complete failure because sometimes we disregard how much in that year we really did. So, I think we need to stop expecting ourselves to achieve these crazy resolutions every year. Like really, who’s going to start reading everyday when they’ve never read books? Or, who’s going to immediately stop procrastinating when they already push every assignment off to the last minute? And who’s going to start running everyday when they’ve never even tried it before?

     I’m not saying these resolutions are bad. In fact, they’re really good things to start doing. But maybe we should phrase it a little differently. Maybe instead, we should start focusing on smaller goals (more like changes of habits). For example, instead of saying “my goal is to read 12 books this year, one per month”, we should say, “I’m going to make an effort to read 20 minutes a day”. By focusing on daily goals, long-term goals seem less daunting. I mean, creating a goal that says you’re going to read one book per month can quickly become something you push off to the last minute. It’ll be one excuse after the other and next thing you know, it’s the end of the month and you realize you haven’t read a single page. The same thing goes for every other resolution. It’s always “I’ll do it later”, but then later comes a lot faster than we thought. We need to instead set off specific times each day that will force ourselves to be productive. For example, “I’m going to read every day at 8 PM”, “I’m going to run every Tuesday and Thursday with my friend”, or “I’m going to go to a coffee shop every Monday to motivate myself to study”. By making things fun as well as doing them with people to hold ourselves accountable those resolutions quickly become new habits. Those goals become so much less intimidating. 

     So if you, like me, have already put off some resolutions you hoped to accomplish this year, I vote we forget New Year’s Resolutions. I mean, is the New Year really different than last year anyway? Maybe we’re all quitters, but everyone has to start from somewhere.

I’ve always categorized myself as a devoted night owl. Even on the weekends, my most productive homework hours lie between 9 and 11 PM, for better or worse. I could stay up well past midnight and still function the next day, but if you ask me to get up before 7 AM, we will have problems. Thus, as someone who has benefited and suffered from my night owl nature, I decided to investigate what a night owl truly is and why most people are wrong when they proclaim themselves to be night owls. 

The Sleep Foundation breaks down sleep habits into four groups, called chronotypes.

• Lion: the “early bird”; they typically wake up early and are most productive in the early morning hours
• Bear: an intermediate; tends to follow sunrise and sunset.
• Wolf: the classic “night owl”; most productive in the late afternoon and tend to stay up late
• Dolphin: sensitive sleepers with fragmented sleep patterns and extremely inconsistent sleep schedules; often still alert while awake and insomniacs

However, according to research by the Sleep Foundation, only about 15% of people belong to the wolf sleep chronotype, or as we better know it, night owls, a shockingly low percentage. (For anyone curious, 15% are lions, 55% are bears, and 10% are dolphins).

In my questioning of this remarkable breakdown, I discovered that many people, most notably teenagers, classify themselves incorrectly into this group due to a common phenomenon known as “revenge bedtime procrastination.” As silly as it sounds, it’s a very real thing! It refers to sacrificing sleep for leisure activities (frequently known as doom-scrolling phone time) due to a lack of free time during the day, something I am certainly guilty of. We indulge in every bit of freedom we can get even if it pushes our sleep schedule back a few too many hours. However, just because someone follows this procrastination does not make them a night owl! The key difference between these revenge procrastinators and true night owls is that night owls are the most clear-minded and productive at late hours and tend to get sufficient sleep.

That begs the question: Are teenagers so often sleep-deprived because of their phones and other devices, or the larger “revenge bedtime procrastination” that haunts these teenagers with packed schedules? 

Other Incidental Findings:

The constant debate of psychologists is that of nurture vs. nature, that is, how much is controlled by genetics and how much is shaped by one’s environment. This is often applied to the study of chronotypes because there is a shockingly large amount of evidence that genetics play a significant role in chronotypes. So, although people can change their chronotype, some of it is predisposed. Additionally, this may be part of why there are some stereotypes regarding morning and night people.

Now I know that this is probably not a hot take. The public knows that 5th period is one of the best, and their interns constantly top the statistical charts. The #1, #2 and #5 interns with the most conferences come from 5th period (at the time of writing). However, the superiority of P5 goes much further than the stats. 

 

The environment of 5th period writing center is far superior to the 2nd, 6th, and 7th period alternatives. Senior writer Jesse Nathenson gave his account of the differences: “When I walked in during 5th period, I could tell I was made to feel at home. 7th period was also solid, but didn’t have that same energy.”

 

Leo Brinkley, Anna Rosenbaum, and Juliana Gentile, the so-called “Big 3,” all humbly accept the title of “Best Period.” Their relationship is often compared to the other trios of great, such as LeBron, Kyrie, and Kevin Love of the NBA or Rock Paper and Scissors out of the child’s game division. When asked about how the “Big 3” has impacted her SWC career, Anna stated that “the connection between us is so natural, these other periods just can’t keep up.”  

 

One downside of the P5 legacy is the negative impact it can have on the mentality of other period’s interns. 7th period intern Vivian Megenhardt admits she is often “horrified” of having to live up to the 5th period standard.

 

Showing no signs of stopping, 5th period continues to widen the gap between themselves and the rest.

I don’t know about everyone else, but this Winter has me feeling like a shell of a person. After about the third month of feeling like a literal ghost walking the halls, I decided there was no better time to rediscover the whimsy and childlike wonder that school, work, and the 2024 election cycle have stripped from me. This is not a guide that should be followed by anyone not on a course to rediscover some shockingly weird and scary parts of themselves.

1. Text your friends (or email when in school) WHATEVER IS ON YOUR MIND. 

Personally, I have been treating my group chat as a journal entry filled with whatever thoughts feel too big (i.e. too unique, full of wisdom, funny, etc.) to keep in my own brain. Make sure your friends follow BRAVE space guidelines to allow yourself to be as authentic as possible. 

    2. Put Instagram Reels away and read non-academic books that some consider socially unacceptable.

I’ve been revisiting books from my childhood that I haven’t touched since elementary school to see if they’re as amazing as I remember (they’re not, but the joy is still there), and reading books with covers so questionable I will not take them out in public (I hope to rediscover enough whimsy through this journey that such things as public humiliation will not bother me as much). This is the perfect activity for these cold months where it takes hours to get out of bed.

    3. Listen to music on full blast when doing homework.

It doesn’t matter what music you listen to. My favorites this week have been Beethoven’s Fifth and brat. Full volume is required. When you’ve stared at your textbooks long enough to have spots covering your vision this is a perfect opportunity to either 1) lay further down in bed or 2) get out of bed and shake every limb until your muscles hurt.

    4. Wear the clothes you want to wear but can’t figure out how, when, or why. 

I have one scarf that I’ve owned for years but have never worn. I think scarves are pointless, I can’t lie, however, I love this scarf, so I wear it. Whimsy is not about doing something you do because you HAVE to, but because you want to. If you take anything away from this let it be that.

    5. Take a break

Life moves fast enough, everyone reading this is on the tail end of high school (or teaching us), and we’re all tired. When things get too much, I implore you to let your mind wander to wherever is calling you, or no place at all. Let this break not be full of meaningless scrolling, but intentional thought, creation of art (in whatever form speaks to you), or even just going back to step 1. I’ve enjoyed reading poetry, especially the opium-dream-induced ravings of Samuel Coleridge (shoutout Ms. Lawlor and Ms. Grey). Remember to smell the roses.

This guide is not something that works for everyone, but I hope there is something here we can all take away. We’re all tired, we’re all cold, and most of us are stressed out. Let us not dive deeper into the depths of our despair, but rather wander into the heights of our ever-learning minds.

**Edit from 1/24. After posting this blog, I spent the night thinking about how many whimsical things I ALREADY have in my life that I wish I had included. Rediscovering one’s whimsy doesn’t just mean discovering new things or changing aspects of your life, but appreciating the fantastical things you already have in your life. As such, I’m going to include a short list of things in my life that make my brain tingle. I hope this can help you appreciate the fun and weird parts of your own life in the process.

1. My unrefined use of commas. As you may have noticed from this blog, I love commas. I will use commas EVERYWHERE in my writing, whether appropriate or not so much. I will never have my love of commas taken away from me, and I will continue to use too many of them until the key on my computer is weathered down into a little plastic stub.
2. Wearing inappropriate shoewear in the dead of winter. I don’t care if there are three feet of snow on the ground, I will be wearing my slippers to school. Maybe sneakers, if I’m feeling more awake in the morning. Snow will get into my shoes, my socks will get wet, I don’t care.
3. Having an ongoing daydream about the plot of a real or made-up-in-my-mind TV show that plays whenever I have a blank moment in my mind. This keeps me entertained and continuously in thought. Fully, I have made up characters and plots in my brain, it’s fun!
4. Randomly making movie and song references in the middle of any conversation. Having friends who do this too is a great addition. Half the time my conversations are less conversing and more rehashing of dialogue from a TV show I watched four years ago.
5. My car. My car is full of wonderfully whimsical things that I often look over. The first are the strings of my good friend Praslin’s bikini tied around the headrests in my car. Great decoration and wonderful memories. Second is my Lego dragon lady who hangs from my rearview mirror, named Esmerelda. Third is the Leprechaun glasses that hang next to Esmerelda and dramatically swing and crash around my car every time I make a turn. Fourth is the mass of blankets in my car from Senior Sunrise on the first day of school. I have no idea whose blankets are in my car but they are a nice thing to have in this frigid weather. Fifth is the simple fact that my car is made of plastic, not metal. I break my car constantly, it’s not a hard thing to do. I don’t particularly love this aspect of my car, but I’ve grown to appreciate her consistency and her perseverance to keep running even though I’m constantly trying to destroy her.

Eyes wide open,

I sweep the final touch on my sturdy canvas.

After ages and ages

And ages

Of whirling and twirling around,

Changing perspectives and lying on the cold, hard floor to simply

Evaluate my effort,

My pretty piece is finally complete.

Well, if you can call it that.

 

What if it’s never done?

I mean I’ll probably add a brushstroke or two,

Maybe some more highlights and details,

Or maybe nothing at all.

Either way,

Finished

Is never a word I would use

To describe the likes of

Delicate, dedicated, diligent work.

 

Why must everything come to an end?

Do you really have to proclaim everything

Finalized?

Is it not truly tangible

To live simply in your present,

And utterly appreciate what you have,

Here

And

Now?

The modern obsession with conclusion is dispassionately dreary.

 

So move on with your art,

Don’t waste and worry,

Just know that the act of living,

Is a little

Lifelong process.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, today we answer the question that’s been burning in everyone’s minds: “Could Meredith Anne Stevenson beat a bevy of 15 American river Otters in a fight?”

Let’s begin by analyzing our two competitors.

Meredith Stevenson is a 17-year-old, ex-competitive swimmer. From a young age she received training from masters of the art of kung fu as well as the physical combative technique of boxing. She has a soft spot for animals, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to go easy on these otters!

The North American River Otter is a beast found throughout most of North America, from the Rio Grande to Canada. Weighing in at between 10 and 33 pounds, with a length of between 2.5 to 5 feet, these animals are larger than you may first believe. Finally, their jaws have the strength to deglove a human finger—certainly not forces to be trifled with.

Because of the previously given facts, it may be originally—and somewhat accurately—believed that Meredith is at a massive disadvantage. This belief may be furthered by the fact that these two will be competing for dominance in, you guessed it, a river. Now, with Meredith’s professional swimming experience, it is difficult to neglect just how apt she is in this terrain. While the American River Otters’ swim speed of 8 mph is three times faster than that of an average human, Meredith is not your average human. She may, or may not, be able to keep pace with this baleful bevy of belligerent otters. Where things get difficult for Meredith is when the otters catch up.

See, if the bite force of one otter can deglove—remove the skin and fat from the muscle, tissue, and/or bone—a human’s finger, imagine the capabilities of 15 otters all in different directions. It is fair to say that Meredith would be missing much skin, except it isn’t fair to say that. This is because Meredith, similar to many of us humans, has access to a powerful tool, clothes. By swimming in a full hoodie and jeans/ sweatpants, while it will certainly slow her swim speed, it would make her effectively immune to any degloving attempts made by the otters. This alone renders the otters relatively defenseless and would bring about the ultimate conclusion of our match-up.

Ladies and gents, people and otters, suffice to say we have a winner. Through her determination, ability to swim, and access to clothing, Meredith Anne Stevenson is the undisputed winner against a 15-otter bevy. Life’s deepest question has been answered.

The Nightmare Before Christmas: Is it a Halloween or Christmas movie?

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a classic. It is remarkably fun and refreshing. Tim Burton has created a genre that gives voice to people that have Gothic but tender sensibilities. The plot balances dark humor with delightful singing and dancing. Combining Halloween and Christmas holiday themes came together delightfully well. If you haven’t seen the movie, here is a short explanation. The film takes place in a land called Halloweentown and follows Jack Skellington, Halloweentown’s beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the “real world.” When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life — he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry.

Many people debate whether the movie is considered a Halloween or Christmas movie, as it contains themes of both holidays. In my opinion, it is a Christmas movie. I say this because the movie opens on Halloween night. After that, the entirety of the movie is the whole cast finding out about, preparing for, and “celebrating” Christmas, and it ends with Sandy Claws saving Christmas at the last minute, then teaching the main protagonist about the meaning of the holiday (a classic and overused concept in holiday movies). Christmas movies almost universally see a protagonist go through a personal transformation due to Christmas and its related concepts. They end up happier and more content than they originally were at the beginning. At the same time, Halloween movies have a resolution, but there is nearly always some open-ended potential future issue. Yes, the movie is about Halloweentown and its ruler, but it takes place during Christmas time, has Santa Claus, and revolves around saving Christmas. Halloweentown and the Pumpkin King are the status quo of the movie, meaning Halloween is the norm. You don’t judge a movie by its norm. This separation from the norm is what defines the movie. The character arcs and conflict of the story all revolve around Christmas. Yes, the movie was released in late October/early November, but this was because the gothic nature and “Tim-Burtonness” of the film didn’t fit well with “traditional” American notions of Christmas, so it was believed that the concept of the movie would be better introduced between the holidays. Giving the audience a pretense of Halloween and establishing a “spooky” setting, the audience could better relate to Jack Skellington and his journey to understand the Christmas spirit. Also, Christmas is quite literally in the title. All of this makes The Nightmare Before Christmas a subversive masterpiece.

Growing up without any pets in the house, I often feel like I’m one of the few people who missed out on that experience. When most ice breakers inevitably include the question “What pets do you have?” I’ve always had to shake my head and say that I don’t have any.

My attempts to convince my parents to get a dog could probably fill a sitcom. As a kid, I was like a one-person marketing agency, complete with slideshow presentations and carefully rehearsed pitches. My parents, however, had their own strategy as they eventually got so tired of me asking despite them saying a hard no every time–my mom would tell me that it was not possible since my dad is “allergic to dogs”. For years, I accepted this until the Christmas of 2016: I was talking to my grandmother about my dad’s so-called allergy, and she looked confused. Turns out it was just a lie to dodge my relentless campaigns. However, once I found out about this lie, it only made the convincing attempts worse.

Every Christmas, my wishlist would include one word: dog. I held on to the hope that maybe, just maybe, one of these years it would happen…

Unfortunately, despite my efforts, a dog never became part of our family. Still, these memories remind me of the lengths that I was willing to go to for something that I wanted. Looking back, I’m honestly not sure how I thought I could ever change my parents minds.

I am sure we all love winter break, but do you know my least favorite part? Studying for finals. I think that next year this needs to change. The whole point of winter break is to take a break. I don’t know about you, but studying is not a break. In fact, it is the complete opposite for me. So I think that after this year, the semester should end when we go on winter break, and then when we come back, we have a brand new semester and no finals. If we want kids to have a real break, we should not have finals after break. A lot of them are not actually going to study, and then they will not do well on their finals. For those who are studying, they are taking away from time that they could be spending with friends, or just relaxing, which is how a break should be spent.

Here is a bulleted list as to why finals should be before break:

• It makes it easier to relax over break because you don’t have to worry about the tests you have to take after break.
• You can actually spend quality time with family and friends if you’re not studying.
• You can work better when you get back if you are well-rested from break.
• Students are less likely to study over break and thus are more likely to fail.

So, because of these reasons, we should only have finals before break, and NOT after.