By: K. Marcantel
The students of the month for October are juniors Trinity Heaton and Cole Ellis. Trinity is the daughter of Jason and Shayla Heaton and Shea and Kelli Davidson. She is involved in band and twirling. Her favorite class is pre-cal with Coach Commander. Trinity’s favorite things to do when she’s not hard at work at school are hang out with her friends, support her high school’s football team, and shop. Her future plans include graduating, moving to Austin where she will attend college, and get a job. Cole is the son of Chad and Paulette Ellis. He is involved in baseball, UIL, NHS, and football. This brainiac’s favorite class is AP chemistry. Outside of school, Cole is known to hang out with his friends. In the future, Cole intends on attending Texas A&M to become a mechanical engineer.
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By: L. Adams, A. Walker
In the past, students have sometimes complained about cafeteria food, but over the last few years, those in charge of preparing our food have worked hard to find new food items and try new, inventive ways to make sure the food they serve is tasty. During National School Lunch Week, October 16-20, the ladies in the cafeteria gave out food samples to students and teachers to in effort to find new items for the menu. Those who participated were asked to fill out a survey about how much the liked the new foods, and prizes were awarded to some who participated. “It made me feel really happy when they had fish sticks,” English teacher Amanda Ware said. “I also liked the shrimp. It wasn’t as crunchy as I’m used to, but it was still very good.” A lot of students are giving very positive responses. “I really loved the chicken with teriyaki sauce. It was the bomb!” junior Harleigh Whitehead said. “It was so good, I literally asked my friend to get me more.” As with anything new, there were a few negative responses. “I hated the fishsticks,” Harleigh said. “After I ate it, I felt like I could taste the ocean.” The school will try to excite and encourage students to try new foods and experiences as the year goes on, and with the feedback they received from National School Lunch Week, they will be able to offer new menu items which students and teachers seemed to respond positively to. By: K. Marcantel
Depression forces people to not care about anything. Anxiety causes people to care too much about everything. Having both is staying in bed because you don't want to go to school but panicking because you don’t want to fail. Having both is wanting to see your friends because you’re scared to lose them then staying home because it’s too much effort. Having both is insanely hard to go through, but no matter who you are, where you came from, or what you’re going through, you are strong enough to survive it. Every year, people are diagnosed with anxiety, and people are diagnosed with depression. Not only is it hard to go through, but for those who’ve never had it, it’s hard for them to understand what it’s like in the mind of a person with one or both of these disorders. Everywhere you go, you most likely pass by someone who suffers with anxiety, depression, or possibly both. “I have had anxiety and depression,” junior Harleigh Whitehead said. “It’s like I’m constantly in a black hole that never stops falling. It’s really hard to overcome it, but when it gets out of control, I storm to my room and put in my earbuds to drown out my thoughts with music. Try not let it get to you like others and I do because once you fall, you fall hard. Just try your best to stay with the right mindset and crowd.” There are many people diagnosed with one or both of these disorders, but there are also many ways to treat it. A few ways are meditating to clear your mind, setting a routine so you stay on track and have structure in life, and challenging the negative thoughts with logic and all of your good moments. Another way to help with depression is to simply talk. It can feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders when you carry the burden of depression alone, but there’s always someone, whether it’s a friend, family member, or a local/school counselor. “I think everyone has feelings of anxiety or feels depressed at some point in their lives,” counselor Katilyn Woodley said. “To overcome feelings of anxiety, it is important to first address its physical manifestations. Breathe in through your nose, slowly. Breathe out through your mouth, like you are trying to blow out a birthday candle. Closing your eyes or listening to music can help. You may also have a phrase to repeat to yourself like ‘I am safe. I am breathing.’ If your feelings of anxiety or depression are interfering with your ability to function on a daily basis, please seek help from a professional.” Anxiety and depression bring on many overwhelming feelings. An important thing to keep in mind is that you, no matter how much you may feel you are, are not alone. While, yes, people handle things differently, so many others feel the same as you, and it’s good to find those like you so you are able to support each other. No one should have to face something as difficult as either depression or anxiety, so please don’t be afraid to reach out. It may just save you. “It’s okay to be scared, and it’s okay to ask for help,” Woodley said. “Depression and anxiety can be overwhelming. I often hear people say that they feel alone, or they’re scared they’re going crazy. You are not alone. These two scary things are treatable. My husband and I were on a trip together, and I was having my usual ‘airplane meltdown.’ My husband told me to look at the flight attendants. They were calm, smiling, and handing out snacks-and we were being thrown through the sky in a metal box! One of the flight attendants heard our conversation and came over with a bottle of water. She talked to me until I was calm and checked on me several times throughout the flight. Look for your flight attendants: school counselors, nurses, teachers, parents, or other trusted adults. Don’t be embarrassed to let them help you calm down, get the help you need, and check on you until your plane lands safely.” While depression and anxiety are very difficult, misunderstood disorders, you can survive them. You may not feel your inner strength, but it is there, and it makes you the warrior you are, fighting the battle against the darkness in your head. If you work your best to stay yourself, not let your demons take control, then you’ll grow into the radiant being you were meant to be. Overcoming either anxiety or depression, possibly both, is such a hard task, but your demons are not you. You are you. And you are beautiful, strong, and smart no matter who you are. Let those qualities shine instead of being consumed by the darkness by expressing yourself in maybe writing or art. No matter how you express yourself, as long as it helps you, continue to do it. Stay strong, warrior. By: K. Marcantel
You see pumpkin spice lattes, flannels, a new autumn color makeup palette, whatever that is. In the mind of this twisted little writer, the thought of fall is Halloween, Halloween, Halloween! And the new season of American Horror Story, but it’s also time for Halloween! That’s what fall is about, and everyone’s excited. Halloween is a spooky but fun holiday enjoyed by many. It started around 2,000 years ago from Celts believing on the day of October 31, the veil between the living and dead would be lifted, so they wore masks and costumes to ward away the dead/evil spirits. Today’s culture embraces the darkness of All Hallows Eve, going all out in costumes and decorations, making it the 6th most popular holiday nationwide. “I absolutely love Halloween because I love the dark, creepy vibes that it gives,” junior Harleigh Whitehead said. “My favorite part is getting candy from the store. I plan on watching scary movies with my mom and stepdad while pigging out on some candy.” Many people enjoy Halloween and have traditions they carry out as well as life-long memories from this unique and “scary” holiday. “My only tradition is wearing a mask all day because it’s the one day where people don’t look at you funny when you… wear a mask all day,” senior Trey Penn said. “One Halloween, my cousins and I faked a fist fight in their yard to scare someone driving by. That person ended up calling the cops, and they scared us while watching a ghost hunter show. Um… don’t do that; it’s not smart.” It’s not just students that are excited for the festivities of All Hallow’s Eve. Many teachers also can’t wait to show their freak side for this one special and spooky night. “Halloween is my favorite holiday because it’s the only holiday that allows me to use this fancy theatre degree of mine,” English 3, 1301, and journalism teacher Amanda Ware said. “I plan on going to a costume party! This year, Matt [Ware’s husband] and I will be Beetlejuice and Lydia. Of course, that’s before the actual day- on Halloween, we’ll take the kids trick-or-treating then give out candy at the house.” Though Halloween is known as scary, it’s actually very fun as well as a chance to express your crazy side, be someone/something different for a night, and/or make a new tradition with friends and family. So, stick to your pumpkin spice lattes, people. This girl has hoodies to steal and Tim Burton movies to binge because this is Halloween. By: K. Henigan
The air is cold, leaves are turning, and people are finally pulling out their old sweaters. It is fall. On September 22, fall officially started. With fall weather comes many things such as nights sitting by the fire and the sweet smell of pumpkin spice. “My favorite thing about fall has got to be the cooler weather and getting to wear long sleeves without being judged,” sophomore Trinity Ford said. Most people have the same opinion when it comes to what reminds them about fall. “I think of colder weather and flannels, scarves, and boots,” junior Kayla Butenschoen said. Halloween is also in the fall, and often, families come together and do fun activities for this holiday. “I like to go to the pumpkin patch with my family and carve pumpkins,” Kayla said. So grab your coziest sweater, a cup of your favorite warm drink, and enjoy the festivities fall has to offer. Happy Death Day Review
By: J. Collins and B. Copeland Happy Death Day is a movie that has gotten everyone in a frenzy to see. The movie is about a college student who relives the day of her murder with both it’s unexpected details and terrifying end until she discovers her killer’s identity. Everyday after she wakes up, she meets a boy named Carter. Since her death day is also her birthday, everything that happened on her birthday repeats. She also finds numerous ways to find her killer.The movie is of good quality and is very interesting. It has enough gore to count as a horror movie, but it definitely has enough laughs in it to make it a comedy. It has a playful way of actually teaching life lessons. “It was a pretty lit movie,” freshman Brooke Copeland said. “ I couldn’t stop laughing the entire time. The girl was extremely sarcastic. I would recommend this movie.” Overall, many people have this enjoyed this movie and would recommend it. Happy Death Day is a must watch. By: H. Whitehead
Don’t go outside; don’t hide. There’s nowhere to go; there’s nowhere hide. They lurk in the shadows; they follow behind. They prey on your fear; they love to scare. Who are they? What are they? They are killer clowns. Long ago, there used to be psychos that would dress up as creepy clowns and murder people. This is why many people today are terrified of clowns. Around this time last year, killer clowns were everywhere threatening schools, neighborhoods and preying on small children. They would hide in the woods and stalk children. It all started in South Carolina, and from there, other towns started noticing the creepy clowns. Some of these clowns didn’t hurt anyone. They would just stand in the woods and wave at the people. This is still very creepy and should not at all be happening. Just the sight of a clown should alarm people. Since the new Stephen King movie ‘It’ was released, some people are concerned that these clowns will come back to creep us out. So, let’s just assume the worst and stay away from the woods. Clowns could be the death of us, so good luck. By: H.Whitehead
Have you ever awaked in the middle of the night terrified of the world? Well, you just had a nightmare, so good luck. Don’t go to sleep; that’s when the dreams come to life. You never really know what your dream is going to be about which can make the nights pretty scary. Sleep is supposed to be peaceful. Why is it that some nights we are terrified and afraid of the world? Nightmares cause panic and discomfort. Some nightmares you will remember for the rest of your life. It could possibly take days or weeks to get over a bad dream which most people in the normal world don’t like. They can be vivid, and they can even come to the point where they scar you forever. Nightmares are terrifying for a reason. If you have bad anxiety or depression, then you are most likely to suffer through nightmares. It all depends on what you do on a daily basis. It’s really crazy how much we affect our own dreams and don't even realize it. A walk in the park could somehow stimulate something in our brains to create nightmares. So if little things like a walk in the park hurt us, how can we ever be safe from them again? Maybe our nightmares are preparing us for the real world. They teach us about hurt and pain, so maybe it’s just practice for the real thing. A virtual reality maybe? There are many theories about nightmares. We all have different ways of reacting to these nightmares; some people even enjoy them. Either way, nightmares are depressing. They can painfully hurt your chest and make you feel like you’re the weakest person in the world. A nightmare isn’t a joke, at least not to most of us. They come in all shapes and sizes to personally destroy us. By: K. Butenschoen and R. Herrera Hearing shots fired at you, running for your life, and wondering whether or not you will make it out alive is an experience that no one should ever have to go through. The Las Vegas massacre may not have affected everyone physically, but all United States residences were affected emotionally. With at least 58 people killed and 489 people injured, it has become one of the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. “I feel horrible for the families that have lost their loved ones,” junior Brenaaya Patterson said. “I can’t imagine looking on the news or getting a phone call to find out that my loved one is never coming home.” With multiple concert tragedies within the last year, the concern of concert safety comes into play. “This does not change the way I feel about concerts because most concerts are not out in the open,” junior Kaitlyn White said. “I feel safer in an inside concert rather than an outside. With the recent disaster I hope that security will try to step up their game to prevent this as much as possible.” The devastating news hit people pretty hard, and many were in shock that an event of this horrific magnitude could happen to such a large group of innocent people. “I was deeply saddened by the news; my heart goes out to families and victims affected by this tragedy,” junior Connor McCracken said. By: O. Ashalintubbi
It is said that humans are the most advanced, intelligent, and complex beings that are known to exist at this point in time. Humans are the only beings that are capable of choosing right or wrong, the only beings able to reason and fight our animal instincts. The human race as a whole is the only species capable of suppressing our desire for violence, greed, gluttony, pride, lust, laziness, and envy. Humans claim to be the best. But if we are so great, why do we deny the things we know? If we are so superior and intelligent, why do we become the animals we consider to be so far beneath us? Why do we allow ourselves to become slaves to our own instincts? Do we do this because we simply aren't as great as we claim, or because some people just love to be evil? We all live in a world of self perpetuating hate. We live our lives in the shadow of a looming certainty, death. We walk through life fearing the inevitable and ignoring the unknown. Why are we all living a life that we will come to hate when our dreams are just around the corner? In a world where we fabricate conflicts to affect society's view on racial, ethnic, national, religious, and cultural problems, why do we claim to be a visionary new generation? In a world where every nation is prone to act on their low contracted prejudice, do we ever really strive to enlighten our peoples or deny our own selfish inclinations? In a world where every inexcusable action, disappearing being ,self-murdering bomb, and terrorized soldier are all but a fleeting moment lost in the cosmos, why do we choose to dwell on the miniscule irrelevant moments? In a world where we are perturbed by the belief that the world revolves around us, why do we still allow our egos to turn the dials and pull the levers to our actions? In a world where our actions have no dictation on the lives we lead, why is it that we still try to preserve our own self-righteousness? Are we so confident in our government that we allow their opinions and beliefs to be shoved down our throats, and are we too ignorant to know they are false? Or are we simply too frightened by the truth? In conclusion, we live a life that contradicts almost everything that we so egotistically claim to be. We are so immersed in the irrelevant things that we can't seem to see the things that flaw us. Even though we claim to be advancing, why does it seem we are repeating our past mistakes? |
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October 2022
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