Should students study over break?
Collin Qian, Web Editor
January 25, 2019
Filed under OPINION
The bell rings and school is out, but it’s out longer than usual this time. You return home and take a deep breath, thinking about all the fun activities you’ll be enjoying this break, taking your time off of school to relax and hang out with friends and family. Yet for some odd reason, you still ...
Constant Change: As I sought out self-love
January 24, 2019
Filed under OPINION
hate birthdays. Okay, not all birthdays — I love other people’s — but when it comes to my own, I can’t help but associate a feeling of discomfort with them. I’m not saying I don’t love having a special day dedicated to me (it really feeds my narcissism), along with the cute texts, cards, p...
Fixating on grade updates defeats the purpose of online portals
January 23, 2019
Filed under Editorial, OPINION
Weeks after the conclusion of the first semester, students are now setting their expectant eyes toward the blessed horizon of summer vacation. Their hopes are high for a successful semester, prompted by a fresh start to the gradebook and the promise of a week-long break between every grading period. ...
Stand-up comedians are the opposite of racist
January 21, 2019
Filed under Editorial, OPINION
n El Estoque’s October issue, EE Opinion explored the dark side of humor, and how people have developed an instinct to deliberately seek offense from humor, especially from race-related jokes. Because modern stand-up comedians heavily rely on race as a primary topic in their sets, many comedy shows may be unsuit...
China currently holding Muslims in “re-education camps”
Zara Iqbal, Opinion editor
January 19, 2019
Filed under Editorial, OPINION
“For four days, they strung me up. My toes barely brushed the ground. For four days, they didn’t let me sleep. Tormenting me, torturing me.” This is only a fraction of the intense torture Omar Bekali went through when he was detained. Bekali is a Kazakh citizen who was born in China and lived there for 30 years. He was in Kazakhstan when Chinese officials escalated the separatism; the day after he came back to Xinjiang ...
New year, same me
Zara Iqbal and Flora Peng
January 12, 2019
Filed under Editorial, OPINION
As the holiday season comes to an end, the new year confronts us with the pressure of a supposedly fresh start to the rest of our lives. With this comes the responsibility of setting measurable goals, or rather, resolutions, aimed towards bettering ourselves. But as year after year passes and (perhaps)...
Describe a significant challenge…
December 18, 2018
Filed under OPINION
he activities we participate in and the grades we receive may show a lot about our interests and academic abilities. But to differentiate between applicants that may share the same extracurriculars and numbers, many colleges and universities require essays as a way to learn about students beyond their...
Make or break
December 18, 2018
Filed under From the magazine, OPINION
By Thursday, Nov. 15, smoke from Camp Fire had reached Cupertino and elevated its air quality index above 200. Air quality tracking websites such as AirNow.gov consider an index above 200 “very unhealthy.” That afternoon, Instagram and Facebook were flooded by MVHS students with drafts of emails ...
Worst of 2018
December 18, 2018
Filed under From the magazine, OPINION
Election Meddling Although the presidential election occurred in 2016, 2018 has been a year when controversy regarding election meddling, specifically on social media platfo rms like Facebook, has become an increasingly apparent issue. According to the New York Times, the Russians were able to reach a...
On the hunt
December 18, 2018
Filed under OPINION
It’s not easy being journalists: the role requires ordinary students to embark on peculiar expeditions, searching for the hidden gems we dub newsworthy pitches. A newsworthy pitch is a story idea virtuous enough to present to the public, serving as a badge of the publication’s integrity. Not a...
Cherishing Christmas: Comparing holiday traditions now to those of previous years
December 17, 2018
Filed under Columns, From the magazine, OPINION
here’s no holiday like Christmas. Sure, Halloween, Thanksgiving and New Year’s all have their perks, but Christmas holds a special place in my heart. As a young child, as soon as December came around, I would be prancing in my living room listening to “Frosty the Snowman” and “Rudolph t...
Constant Change: As I stopped believing
December 16, 2018
Filed under OPINION
he house smelled of sandalwood incense. I shuffled around awkwardly in my sari, feeling weird yet powerful draped in red silk. My anklets and bracelets clinked as I fidgeted. I stared at the altar brimming with sweets and fruits. I listened to my dad chant Sanskrit prayers and watched my mom sway back...
