The pressure behind prom
Zara Iqbal, Opinion editor
March 3, 2019
I never thought my decision to skip Junior Prom (JP) was going to be that big of a deal. With JP right around the corner, I get asked whether or not I’m going to prom almost daily. And every time I say no, most of my friends frown at my lack of enthusiasm about the dance and list reasons why I ...
Constant Change: As I opposed beauty
February 28, 2019
Filed under OPINION
stared into the mirror. The sunlight poured through the window at my right; some of it reflected off the mirror, creating a small rainbow. It was beautiful. But that wasn’t what caught my attention. The three pimples on my forehead, the uneven eyebrows, the crooked bend in my nose, the cracked lips, the ...
Children on the catwalk
February 26, 2019
Filed under OPINION
he catwalks down the runway, chin held high and face caked with makeup. Clothed with eye-catching colors and luxurious brands, she stops at the edge of the red carpet and poses — one, two, three. The cameras shutter, capturing the fitted dress that frames her underdeveloped figure. With a glea...
Analyzing how the Course Information Fair affects students’ decisions
February 10, 2019
Filed under OPINION
On Feb. 1, freshmen, sophomores and juniors scrambled around campus, entering different classrooms to listen to information sessions held by teachers. This 70-minute period is known as the annual Course Information Fair, when students can ask questions and learn about the courses that they will sele...
So… what exactly is going on?
February 8, 2019
Filed under From the magazine, OPINION
Certainly, news comprehension has failed to take root. Prior to the ‘fake news’ era bombarding of recent years, news coherency concerns extended to the principles of news comprehension. The diction in a number of texts proves too advanced for the common reader, calling for the implementation of ...
Keeping up with the news
February 6, 2019
Filed under OPINION
Like. Share. Retweet. Hashtag. Our generation is consumed by social media and technology, constantly updated on the newest memes and hottest clothing trends. Despite the accessibility and convenience technology brings to our life, we sometimes forget to keep track of more important matters – namely,...
A Better Summer
Rana Aghababazadeh and Laasya Koduru
February 6, 2019
Filed under OPINION
The beginning of the new year is a prime time for applying to summer programs. Parents frantically search the web for a program that suits their child’s, or perhaps their own, interests and ambitions, while summer programs collect excessive application fees. For many high school students, summer has go...
Making the right call
February 6, 2019
Filed under From the magazine, OPINION
A sharp, throbbing fire pulses through your arm, flowing down past the elbow and swelling at the wrist. The crowd of people fades into the background, the soccer game long forgotten as a silent scream works its way up your throat. Peering down nervously, you examine your hand, flexing your fingers back ...
Coming out of my shell: Awkward Advice
February 6, 2019
Filed under Columns, From the magazine, OPINION
“Your time starts now.” I stood in front of a room full of eighth graders, and I was supposed to come up with an impromptu presentation about calligraphy in preparation for the AP Chinese exam I’d be taking the following year. The room was dead silent. I willed myself to speak, but words...
Working for the future
February 4, 2019
Filed under OPINION
Sparkling chandeliers. Lush sofas and curtains. A profitable job. A stable family. This is the life that many wish and plan for throughout the course of their lives, especially MVHS students. In a competitive learning environment such as MVHS, students often take part in many activities ...
The changes in our community
Rana Aghababazadeh, Zara Iqbal, Flora Peng, Collin Qian, and Claire Yang
February 1, 2019
Filed under Culture, Editorial, MULTIMEDIA PACKAGES, OPINION, Opinion Digital, Packages, Videos
The myth of reverse racism
January 27, 2019
Filed under Editorial, OPINION
“I hate white people.” The phrase has been casually littering social media platforms, and occasionally makes an appearance in everyday life. Making quirky “jokes” by generalizing white Americans has become a custom on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, where users poke fun at how white...
