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The World is Our Classroom: MEI 2017

Alice Choi
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It has been nearly three months since I stepped off the plane into the YYC airport, returning from the most incredible adventure of my life. Every day since then, I’ve been reminiscing about moments on the trip and wishing I could relive it. Going on a MEI trip was a truly extraordinary experience, and I will be forever grateful to be given such an amazing opportunity. 

Despite my enthusiasm about the trip now, before I signed up for the program, I was hesitant. The cost of the program is no small sum, and since I already had plans to spend the summer working to save up for university, going on MEI and spending the equivalent of first-year tuition was kind of going against my goal. However, after careful consideration and weighing out the pros and cons, I came to the conclusion that going on the MEI trip would be a more valuable choice. I am extremely happy (and relieved) that I made that decision. 

If you’re stuck in that spot I was one year ago — wondering if the MEI is worth it, or intimidated by the idea of leaving home for a month to travel with a group of strangers— this post is for you. Below I have compiled just a few of the many highlights of my trip, in hopes to convince those who are hesitating to press the “Apply Now” button, to just go for it.

Paris- So the adventure begins… 

The minute we arrived at our Paris hotel and unpacked our bags, the teacher said, “Okay go get some food and meet us back here at 6.” I was taken aback from this comment for several reasons.

  1. I have never set foot in Europe until that day.
  2. The only words I knew in French were “bonjour” and “merci,” which I couldn’t even say without a heavy I-am-definetely-not-from-here accent.
  3. My classmates were still basically strangers, given that I didn’t know any of their names.

Taking all this into consideration, going out to “get some food” was definitely not as casual as they made it sound. However, I was certainly not opposed to the idea of wandering Paris, so we formed a group and we set off in search of a French bakery.

This level of freedom and independence stayed consistent throughout the trip. We were allowed to explore the cities we were in during our designated free time between lunch and dinner every day. It was the little adventures we had in these moments— where we were free to go as we pleased in an unfamiliar city of infinite possibilities—that made the trip truly memorable.

Wouldn’t want to be welcomed to Paris any other way. This was the first of many Paris bakeries seven very hungry Canadians wandered their way into.

London- Doughnuts and Telephone Booths 

Although every single location we travelled to was exciting and has a special place in my heart, London takes the prize of my favourite city of the trip. Maybe it was because of my childhood dreams of living in London, but I immediately fell in love with the city.

On our last day in London, we spent the entire day exploring and checking everything off of our London bucket list. It was days like these that made me so grateful to have gone on this MEI trip. There is nothing more fulfilling than discovering and experiencing the world alongside your closest friends.

Doughnuts from Bread Ahead , supposedly the “Best Doughnuts in London.” After walking around in several circles, asking confused cafe workers, interrogating a kind lady, and waiting twenty minutes, we finally hunted down these tasty treats.

 

After asking five people that each gave us completely different directions, we successfully made it to Abbey Road. We had to quick in our attempts of re-creating the Beatle’s album cover because there were pedestrians waiting to cross and cars approaching in every direction. Therefore, if I look a bit tense, it’s because I was just a bit worried for our safety.

 

London sightseeing antics. We managed to squish six of us in one telephone booth and we shared a proud moment over our small victory.

 

The Tower Bridge was absolutely stunning, and the clear blue sky made the view even more exceptional. Dear London, you have stole my heart.

Lake District- A Note about Morning Workout

Every morning of the trip, unless the weather prohibited, we would start the day with a morning workout. I know the word “workout” may cause you to cringe, especially when it’s paired up with “7:00 am,” but I could assure you that it will be okay. It not only wakes you up and gets you energized for the adventure-filled day ahead, but also provides a very special glimpse of the world, exclusive to only those who rise with the sun. Paris has a completely new face when it is stripped of the evening tourists crowding its streets, and the scenic lake view is made even more breathtaking with the morning sun is reflecting off the surface. If this is not enough to convince you, and you still despise the thought of 7:00 am workouts, how mad can you really get at ultimate frisbee in front of the Louvre, yoga with a picture-perfect view of Buttermere Lake, and hikes overlooking Edinburgh?

Edinburgh- Bittersweet Endings 

Our journey came to a close at Edinburgh, Scotland. Knowing our days together were limited,  we made sure to treasure every moment with the friends we have made. From creating a “Getting Lost in Edinburgh” video series (just to document the countless times we found ourselves lost in the streets of Scotland), to cooking gourmet Tesco pasta dinners, to obnoxiously singing “All Time Low” in our dorm kitchen, the final days in Edinburgh were spent wisely.

By the end of the three weeks, we have all created lifelong memories and friendships that will not be easily forgotten. MEI was more than an academic program, but an experience that helped us to grow more independent, confident, and willing to take more risks. I will, without a doubt, look back fondly at Summer ’17 for many many more years to come.

Remember, the world is your classroom, and it is waiting for you to uncover all it has to offer.

What To See In Calgary this weekend

Annie Wang
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The Fibre Shindig

Date: Oct 21, 2017

Winter is coming and the weather is getting cooler. It is time to stock up on cozy fibre goods to stay warm. At this annual Fibre Shindig this weekend, local artisans will be selling items such as hand-dyed yarn, fibre tools, embroidery and handmade accessories like mittens.

For more information, visit: http://www.fibreshindig.com/

Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: $5 admission

Location: 

Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Centre
1320 5 Ave. N.W.
Calgary, AB

Haunted House Hamlet

Date: Oct 20 to Oct 22

Holloween is coming soon. For one weekend only, Theatre Canmore and the Artists’ Collective Theatre will be staging Haunted House Hamlet, an adaptation that follows the story of a young boy named Jimmy after he meets Hamlet in a haunted house. Ready to experience William Shakespeare’s famous play in a whole new way?

Times:
Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m.
Sunday 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

For more information, visit: theatrecanmore.com

Cost: $15

Location: 

Canmore Collegiate High School
1800 8 Ave.
Canmore, AB

 Aspen Crossing’s Train of Terror

Date: Oct 6 to Oct 28

There are a lot of haunted house going on in Calgary this month because of Halloween. But I think it would be really fun and special to step onto the Train of Terror and experience everything from haunted railway cars to eerie entertainment.  You will also experience fog effects, tight spaces, and close encounters with actors. The trip is about 90 minutes and recommended for adults.

Times:
The train departs at 5, 7 and 9 p.m.

For more information, visit: trainofterror.com

 Cost: $66

Location: 

Aspen Crossing
1 km west of Mossleigh, AB on Hwy. 24
Mossleigh, AB

Palette Fine Art Show and Sale

Date: Oct 21

Pick out a piece of artwork for your home decoration for winter and fall at this show and sale. There will be many types of fine art such as watercolors, mixed media and more. All the amazing arts are created by more than 50 local artists. There will also be live art demonstrations at the event, so it will be a good time to learn some skills.

Times: 
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit: facebook.com

Location:

Triwood Community Association
2244 Chicoutimi Dr. N.W.
Calgary

Image source:1/2/3/4/5

 

Why You Should Do Your Best

Madina Shaykhutdinova
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It’s that time of the year again. That time when all of the motivation you had at the beginning of the school year is starting to wear off. That time when assignments are piling up and procrastination is increasing, when you realize that nothing has changed from last year. That time when the stress is becoming noticeable.

You may be asking yourself if there is a point in even trying to succeed. Maybe you’re convinced that it’s impossible to get a decent grade because your English teacher marks too harshly. What’s the point in trying to produce good work when you’ll probably forget about it in a few months? Why should you even try to learn when you will probably never use it in the “real world”. Well, I am here to tell you that it’s not exactly about what you do, but more about how and why you do it.

It’s easy to complete work that is of a mediocre quality, not to the best of your ability. But what is the point in settling for inadequacy? What are you learning this way? The way you work now is how you will be working in the future. The way you deal with problems now is the way you will deal with problems down the road. You might as well set yourself up for success early on. What is important is that you do your best. This will be different for every person. What “your best” is will even change for you; doing your best when you are sick versus when you are healthy will look completely different. It is this mindset for constant improvement that is significant in life. It’s true that the assignment that you are currently stressing about may be forgotten soon, but it’s the effort that you put in that will end up being the most important in the long run. This can apply to anything that you do.

Sure, it’s possible that outside of the classroom you will never use the math you are learning. The mark you get on a project may not matter at all. It’s not about the actual material you are taught. The most important things are learnt during the “journey”. Think about it: have you ever been taught how to work with other people? Probably not. You were probably put with other people and you all had to work together to create a project. Maybe you barely knew these people. Maybe you didn’t like these people. Even though you may have forgotten what the project was about, what stays is the skills you learned while collaborating with others. This is much easier and more effective when you are willing to do your best.

I hope that this has maybe motivated you for at least a short while. Good luck!

Image source: 1

Countdown

Aaron Wen
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Ten,

To the stories that begin and never end,

To the ones who walk to the end of an endless tunnel.

To those who have hope in hopeless,

To the ones who walk forward.

 

Nine,

Not the moment when we met,

Not the place where we cried,

Not the teardrops of the rain,

Not the time you left me.

 

Eight,

Every day turns to night,

Every light withers to dark,

Every picture I see of you,

Every time, it comes back again.

 

Seven,

So much power you had at your fingertips,

So much control you had over me.

So much I gave up for you,

So much pain lingers in my heart.

 

Six,

Since that day you left me,

Since that evening in the rain,

Since the times of my control,

Since the teardrops in the rain, I have changed.

 

Five,

For every loss I made, I recover.

For every time I cried, the tears dry away.

For every moment I needed you, I stood again.

For all the times I had with you, I am better now.

 

Four,

Forever will I thank you for your love,

Forever will I thank you for breaking me down,

Forever will I grow with the thought of you,

Forever I never make the same mistake again.

 

Three,

Today, is the worst day.

Today, I see across the longest river,

Today, you come across again in my path,

Today, I see the sky fall yet again.

 

Two,

Too much.

Too many mistakes have been made.

Too much suffering have you dragged me through,

Too much love has been whispered to smoke.

 

One,

One chance to make it happen.

One opportunity to turn back the clock.

One moment can change everything…

 

I can’t.

A countdown never goes backwards.

Life never goes backwards.

What Makes Some Games Scary?

Marcus Chung
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Halloween is right around the corner, and there is no more appropriate time to talk about fear. The origin of the holiday is literally people trying to scare away the things that scare them. Back on the topic of fear, I recently played the scariest, most stressful, and downright traumatizing game  I’ve never had the joy of repeatedly dying in any game other than Bloodborne;  Hollow Knight. It was a great action game… Wait, action game? Didn’t I say it was really scary? Yes I did. The game may not have been made to instill fear in the player, but truth be told, it was far scarier than any “horror” game I’ve ever seen or played. To be perfectly honest, the only time I’ve ever felt more anxiety than when playing through Hollow Knight was when I totally didn’t procrastinate and had to write a blog post at 3:00 am because it was due the next day. Saying this, I didn’t really understand why I found this game scarier than others. It wasn’t that violent, nor did it have a super creepy story or characters, but it did have three things going for it that set up a pretty traumatic playthrough; the difficulty of the game, the sound design, and the art.

Starting things off, Hollow Knight isn’t that hard aside from certain locations and bosses. If you’ve played the game, you’ll know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, then the general difficulty of the game comes from its downright sadistic enemy placement, along with it requiring a lot of quick movements and reflexes. Otherwise, it’s not too hard. You know a game isn’t too difficult when I can beat it. But personally, when I hear “sadistic enemy placement” and “needs good reflexes”, I would guess that the game has a lot of unwanted surprises. The game does, in fact, have too many unwanted surprises. The game developers being constantly out to make your life miserable, and the constant threat of death changes you. It changes you real bad. You start being paranoid. Scared every time you enter a room. Jumping at every. Little. Noise. You. Hear. And it’s amazing! Anyways, the topic of noise brings me to sound design.

First things first. The soundtrack of Hollow Knight is downright phenomenal. A good soundtrack is supposed to immerse you in the game’s environment, as well as sound really good, and Hollow Knight’s OST by Christopher Larkin kills it in both of those criteria. However, it’s not the quality of the music that makes the game scary and stressful. It was how it was used in tandem with the sound effects and ambient noises. No game is scary all the time, especially one that isn’t even a horror game, so the majority of Hollow Knight is spent running around and killing stuff with moderately cheery music playing in the background. Then stuff happens, people start eating each other, and spiders. There is an entire area dedicated to spiders. Spider enemies, spider bosses, spider NPCs. It’s at this point where the sound design picks up. The music gets more ominous, there are constant sounds of living, moving, hungry things in the background, and sometimes the music just cuts out for dramatic effect. This change happens when you begin to see the darker side of the game’s story, and the two work together really nicely to create a sinister atmosphere.

A king without subjects.

The game’s transition is even scarier. The charming hand-drawn animation style is used to show a lighter and darker side of the same coin. The artist uses a lot of black and grey combined with desolate scenery to make the player feel alone, and the feeling of being alone when everything else in the world is actively trying to kill you is not a nice feeling. The messed-up enemy design is focused around bugs, with all the nice little bug quirks that include them eating each other and being parasitical.

Overall, there are a lot of factors that make a game scary. Difficulty, story, enemy design, the fact that I usually play during the knight (pun intended). There are simply too many to detail them all without doing a full-on analysis. The game developers of Hollow Knight did a fantastic job creating the world of their game, and this article barely does it justice. Other than the artsy, intellectual side of the game people like me fail to comprehend, the actual gameplay is fantastic and I would recommend giving it a try if you’re into that kind of thing.

 

Here is the cheery song I was talking about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABXga9y0B3I

And here’s the darker one. Can you hear the change?

 

 

All the pictures can be found below. None belong to me.

Featured Photo

First photo

Second photo

 

How to Get Work Done

Madina Shaykhutdinova
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If you’re like me, you probably procrastinate on getting work done every once in a while. You might even be procrastinating right now. Here I will share with you three things that I have found useful to help me complete my work.

  1. Remove distractions. You have probably already been told this many times, but this is one of the most important things that you can do to increase your productivity. Close any tabs on all electronic devices that are not essential to the task. Go to an area where you can get your work done without other people bothering you. If it helps with blocking out surrounding noise, listen to music. Just be careful not to get distracted by the music. A Soft Murmur is a great resource if you would like something to minimize the sounds in your surrounding environment, where you can choose to have different amounts of various nature sounds playing.
  2. Start working. Although this may seem obvious, this is often the hardest part of completing the work. The project may seem so big that it is easier to just put it off for another day. You can start by dividing the work into smaller, more manageable tasks. Then, tell yourself to start working for a short amount of time, about 15 minutes or so. 15 minutes of working doesn’t sound too bad, right? When you are able to complete the small tasks and start working for a short amount of time, you are more likely to keep going because you have already accomplished something.
  3. Work for as long as you can without taking a break. What I have found to be one of the most detrimental things for my productivity is taking a “short” break. It is very easy for what was intended to be a 5-minute break to run for 50 minutes long. All of the passion that you had as you were beginning to really get into the work that was fueled by the desire to realize your ideas can disappear in a flash if you start to do something else and become uninterested.

 

Nobody is superhuman. It is not fair to expect yourself to be able to get everything done quickly and all at once. Instead of giving up at the thought of the enormity of the endeavor, all that is needed is a bit of planning and perseverance in order to complete it. Good luck!

Image source: 1

Culture Shock 2k17

~ Chu ☆ ~
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My time as a YVC volunteer has brought me pretty much everywhere: summer camps, green team events, Alberta Ballet, and now, a break-dance battle?

That’s right, last Saturday, I was lucky enough to volunteer at Culture Shock 2017, a youth driven art event celebrating culture and community, held at the Genesis Center.

(source)

If you know me at all, you would know that hip hop isn’t exactly my scene. I am probably the last person you would expect to be at a Bboy/girl battle. Being an introvert who gets headaches from loud music and cheering, my normal Saturday night would have honestly been spent in my room, listening to a French Disney playlist (like this one!), while procrastinating on homework.

Yet, Saturday evening, there I was, straying from my standard weekend night, and joining in all the “cool” kids at Culture Shock!

Of course, I know little to nothing about hip hop, or breakdancing, or anything to do with urban culture (the extent of my knowledge stems from the hip-hop class my elementary school offered, when they taught all the 1st graders to bounce our knees, and vaguely swing our arms, and maybe butcher a very slow “coffee grinder”?), but luckily, it didn’t matter, because the energy in the room was absolutely infectious. And it wasn’t long before I was cheering, and whooping along with everyone else.

Courtesy of the Antyx Community Arts facebook page

Despite being clueless about anything technical going on, everything looked, as I would come to say in the 20 million snapchats being constantly updated to my story, “hella fly”. As far as I could tell, limbs were flying, and hats were flipping off, and everything looked incredible. I had so much respect for all the time, and effort everyone clearly put into mastering this art.

The event went above and beyond my expectations. It was absolutely amazing spending a night getting to watch all these amazing youth artists in their element (including some very adorable kids!), and it left me incredibly wistful that I, unfortunately, don’t have a single rhythmic bone in me.

The evening started with a showcase, where all teams had the chance to show off their talents. Then, while the judges picked the top 16 teams, they held a cypher, basically a free for all circle where anyone could dance, or freestyle on the mic (as I’m sure all the Hip Teens™ would say, some sick beats were dropped). The battle began. A 16 team bracket was drawn up (courtesy of yours truly!), and things started to get serious.

Courtesy of the Antyx Community Arts facebook page

If I wasn’t impressed during the showcase, my jaw was dropped now. Each team was so talented, and it was captivating seeing how everyone was so unique, and quick on their feet. Competition was fierce. We saw amazing individuals, and unbelievable teams, and there were quite a few draws, it was so hard for the judges to decide!

After some tough rounds, and a little interlude of featured dancers, it was time for finals. It all came down to the Mighty Wookie Arms versus the Floor Convicts.

Final battle getting heated. Coolest part about being in charge of brackets? Getting front row seats to all the battles.

Following an intense battle, we had a winner. The Floor Convicts left it all on the floor, and traded it for two incredibly cool medals (!!), bringing us to the end of an amazing night.

The reigning champions with their very valuable medals! (Courtesy of Antyx Community Arts)

I was amazed by how different it was from what I was expecting. Though I might not know break-dancing, I know music, and I absolutely adored that the DJs didn’t just use the typical rap music I thought I would be listening to, instead bringing in funk, jazz, and latin elements. The music had everyone grooving, especially the DJs, who, dare I say were the most hype of all.

Rejecting the common stereotype of rude teenage Bboys/girls, there was no trash talking and no shade. The environment was phenomenal, with nothing but pure energy and support. I found it impossible to not get hyped up with everyone else, and you could almost feel the buzz in the air.

All in all, Culture Shock was an amazing experience, and is definitely up on my list of favorite volunteer projects! But the best part? Even if you missed the event, or you just want to see everything again, all the battles were video taped, and you can find them here. Better yet, there’s a break-dancing competition in Medicine Hat coming up on October 21 from 3:00 to 7:00 PM. You can find more information about that here. Hope to see y’all out there!

(featured image courtesy of Antyx Community Arts)

All the Ways to Cook Eggs (Part 1)

RunLin Wang
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I know that this isn’t the typical post that you would find on YAA, but I was truly inspired to do this. I woke up in the morning and I had to make myself some breakfast. Since it was the weekend, I decided to try and make some eggs. But I wanted something extraordinary, something unique that could be made using eggs. And so I took to the Internet. I was fascinated by all the different ways that eggs could be made, and the inner foodie within me came out. I actually ended up running out of time due to my perusing through recipes and I ate some simple milk and cereal instead. Here’s some of the amazing recipes that I found online for eggs.

Scrambled

Scrambled eggs are one of the most classic ways that you can cook eggs. It’s incredibly easy to do as well: you just crack some eggs into a bowl, whisk them, scramble them in the pan, and then you season them. Classic. Can’t go wrong.

However, you can take it over-the-top; just take a look at how Gordon Ramsay makes scrambled eggs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUP7U5vTMM0

 

Sunny-Side Up

These are really simple eggs to make, but if done right, they can truly taste like a delicacy. The trick is to get the yolk in the center done just right: not too runny, not overcooked. I’ve been making these for as long as I can remember, and this recipe is probably the best combination of simplicity and taste:

 

Hardboiled Eggs

Hardboiled eggs are probably the easiest to cook. All you do is stick them into a boiling pot of water, and you take them out after a couple minutes. Depending on how well done you want the yolk to be, you can leave them in the pot for a shorter or longer duration.

You can also make hardboiled eggs have a lot of special flavours. One traditional Chinese way of eating hardboiled eggs is to crack the eggshells and add them to boiled tea. That way, the flavour of the tea can get into the eggs. These “tea eggs” are great to have with other Asian foods, and they can serve as a standalone snack on road trips or while travelling.

 

Omelettes

While everything else mentioned so far has just been purely eggs, omelettes incorporate many different flavours into the egg. Want chives? Just add them. Looking for a zesty taste? Dice up some tomatoes. There’s so many ways to personalize omelettes, it’s really quite impressive.

I’ve added a video below, which shows the “tea egg” and an omelette made with lobster. In addition, there’s a third recipe, a truffle egg. It’s really satisfying to watch the yolk of the egg just being cracked open, and all that gooey goodness just flowing out.

 

This is only part 1 of how to cook eggs, due to all the different types that there are! Next time, I’ll write about some more recipes, like eggs benedict and poached eggs, and maybe even include a video of me trying to cook eggs myself!

 

References:

(x) (x) (x) (x) (x)

 

 

The Butterfly

Fatima Saleem
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When paper meets pen, the potential and possibilities are limitless. The power of a single pen explores the boundless capabilities of my curiosity, as I write big ideas on little pieces of paper. These ideas are often my version of the truth, of how life works, but never have I truly encountered the truth. The people around me, my friends and family members, have often told what I presume is the truth, but I have no way to truly confirm that it is the truth. Can I read their minds? Is there more to their words? There are too many deceitful people in the world, even those with masks bejeweled with the sweetest of chocolates. Indeed, I have no way of knowing, and this endless struggle is how we, humans spend our lives. Between the letters of the word truth, if you take a moment to focus or perhaps, look with a microscope, you can evidently see the words “lies” scrambled through in the most miniature of fonts. And, one must question what is hidden behind even that, but to question so would only lead to our despair, our misery, where all information begins to seem false, and we begin to doubt ourselves. This has become our reality. Truth is an utterly inaccessible, enigmatic entity, a vague, however beautiful butterfly that we seek, one that flies farther the closer we get. If we were to capture this butterfly, there would be absolutely no guarantee that this butterfly would be covered in the brightest of shades, rather than a murky dark color.

“Ginger beer,” the young girl had cried the name of the alcoholic beverage as she walked into my house on Monday evening. She dressed in a slovenly fashion; her tie-dyed shirt barely covered her torso. Evidently, she drank her second beer in a coca cola can, for her words were slurred. She drank often to find relief from her sorrows, forcing herself to steal the liquor that would go unnoticed by her parents. Not that they cared with their hectic schedules. Following that, she leaned onto my desk in my room, apparently trying to stop herself from falling, “Was she telling the truth? Jamie said she wasn’t going to tell everyone at school though! I don’t want everyone to know-“ She hiccuped in between wails. “Did she tell you anything?” the young girl burbled on while scowling with frustration, glancing at her scars. She was scared, fearful that everyone would find out about her boundless secrets. She wished that she could wake up with amnesia, and stop stressing and questioning everything around her constantly. Her name was Jasmine, and this girl was my best friend.

She was in a repeat mode, one of contained misery and forced appearances of contentment. She was there, but she wasn’t really. As she faced the thoughts of her day ahead, she’d be thinking ahead to the end of the day where she could rest her head on her pillow and sink into her subconscious, her escape. She was one of those people, the kind that analyze everything too much and the kind that care too much, always seeking for the truth, distrusting whether the person talking to them was actually being honest. It was quite hysterical that she was searching for the truth in everyone when she was a liar, telling everyone that she lived in one of those enormous mansions, and that she had a boyfriend, but I would never say such things out loud to her. Seeking the truth was perhaps, worse than a disease, one without a cure. The truth is whatever we believe is the truth, and that is where the struggle should end, but it never did, never for her, never for the most of us. On an everyday basis, she would get frustrated at me, releasing all her tension and I never protested. She failed to master her emotions, and push away those unwanted feelings, and that was her most prominent flaw. Everything about her began faltering, shredding to little pieces and morphing into a small black seed. That seed grew into shackles that chained her to the distraught and self-wrecking lifestyle that she was living. If you were an outsider, someone who wasn’t as close to she as I was, you would never know that she was like this, and that she took everything personally, questioning everything. Jasmine was just like anyone else, pretending to be someone else, but really an entirely different individual. We have all had these thoughts, unsure of what the truth was and what the lie was. In one circumstance, we all want to know what the truth is, whether the other person is truly telling the truth, and in another situation, we wish to hide the truth, an obstacle in our path, one that we want no one else to discover in risk of tarnishing our immaculate reputations. She was the perfect embodiment of all mankind. It was as if truth was an innocent child, playing a game of hide and seek, hiding from the unpleasant, sinful monsters, or in other words, us.

 Tuesday afternoon, agitation trickled through Jasmine’s veins as she awkwardly strolled out of Rose Mary High School; oblivious to the peculiar looks she received. Here she was, staring blankly at a dirt road speckled with crystal raindrops. They splattered across the windshield of her car like a can of paint across a canvas. Gradually, she climbed into the driver’s seat; the worn out interior showed hints of discoloration. She felt miserable, bringing forth cries that refused to hold back. The trail of tears stained her pale, lifeless cheeks. She knew she shouldn’t have trusted anyone, even her best friend, Jamie. Rapidly, she ran her hands through her hair, knowing that just hours ago Jamie had in fact told the entire school that Jasmine had lied to everyone about her life, about where she lived, about her dreamy yet imaginary boyfriend, and that she should never be trusted again. After climbing high on the ladder of life, taking all the wrong steps, she realized, upon tumbling, that she had been climbing the wrong ladder the entire time, the ladder of flawlessness, with each step epitomizing her various lies. While she thought demons had overtaken the mind and the soul of those around her, and that everyone around her was not worth trusting, she had been the demon the entire time, the one doing all the lying. The one that no one could trust. But Jamie had been right, and Jamie and I were the only ones that knew she wasn’t rich, that she didn’t have a boyfriend or a proper family, and that she was never really part of all the sports she had named. It was all for attention, for appreciation. Jasmine had told all of us at school, during lunch, with a throng of bubbly girls gathering around the table that she lived in one those big Beverly mansions, and that she was rich. We had believed her. We had no way of knowing that she was lying, and we had never thought so much about it, until recently. Friends were naturally supposed to tell one another the truth, but in all honesty, we never would have given her all the attention if she was just another ordinary new girl. Still, were all the rumours that had been said about Jasmine the entire truth? Was there more to it, or less to it, and who could I believe? What was the truth, I questioned myself.

Sadistically enough, it was not Jamie, but rather me, who had told everyone.  Jamie was just a particularly easy target to point at, a pawn in my game. After all, she was the girl you could go to for all the gossip. Jasmine was a liar, and I had to tell everyone! I never told Jasmine that I was the one that had told everyone, and I made sure she wouldn’t talk to Jamie about it.  Jasmine was too cooped up in her own thoughts, her misery, and she had changed schools the day after the incident. For a mere moment, I felt guilty, but the odd feeling in my heart disappeared upon thinking about her lies. Still, she was my friend and I told the truth for her own benefit, so that she would realize that lying was no good. Telling her about my actions would only make the situation more chaotic and complex than it really was, and this too was no good.

Only I was aware that behind Jamie’s tough exterior was a sweet, acquitted girl who would never do anything to hurt her friends. Nevertheless, the truth about herself that she had showed was inevitably, the version of her that everyone saw, and the compassionate, quiet girl that I had portrayed to be, was how everyone saw me. The truth was what people saw, what they observed, and thankfully, they weren’t aware of the thoughts, the truth in my mind. Our lives weren’t a movie, nobody was holding a camera to our face, recording all our actions, and without a snapshot of reality, nobody really knew what was going on in our world. There were no facts, and even the facts could be altered by those astute.

Unlike Jamie, who I’m sure had secrets of her own; Jasmine was an entirely different story. She was a liar, and a brilliant one at that, and all her lies deserved to be revealed. I was never sure of the reason for her lies, but it had should not have mattered. She was feeding everyone around her lies about how perfect her life was, and in taking in these lies, we were composed entirely of lies. We had practically been her guinea pigs the entire time, the ones she could test her newest lies on, and determine whether they worked. I refused to be fooled by her charm, her façade of innocence, and by all the times that she had cried, as if she was truly human. In fact, she was human, but the kind that was free of feelings, of a moral conscience, and I was the kind that knew that everyone had to find out the truth, the kind that did humanity justice.

Nobody would be able to find out what I had done; after all, truth was a butterfly flying farther and farther away, as footsteps came closer, and I had personally taken on the task of assuring so. It was as if the butterfly of truth was no longer living, and I was pulling it by a string attached to its wing, while people foolishly chased the butterfly. The most magical of facts about this butterfly is that as one touches the ever-beautiful butterfly, it disappears and falls into broken pieces. That one person is the only person who has encountered the truth, until the truth disappears. There is no assurance that when the individual blabbers to their friends, the truth that they are gossiping about is really the truth. We fail to trust one another, once again, questioning everyone and every phrase spoken around us. Still, I was continuously carrying the dead weight of the butterfly around, and at that point in my life, I had found pleasure in doing so, that is building a web of lies, controlling the world around me. After all, I held the butterfly in my hands. When I had told everyone about Jasmine’s lies, I had failed to realize that the butterfly had previously laid eggs, created more of its own kind, and its offspring would, in the long run, carry the truth to all the other girls at school. In grasping so, I became a nervous wreck, already planning my next lie to her, while the world proceeded to pursue the truth.

Source: Featured

What to Read for Debate Season

Jesse Lee
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We are in the midst of debate season for schools and for some of you, the first tournament is probably right around the corner. Since debate is a knowledge game, what should you read? Debate is a difficult challenge, one that requires an extensive comprehension on a wonderfully diverse set of disciplines when at the highest level. You have probably been told that you should “read for debate”, but what does that actually mean? What sorts of materials should you read? What is it exactly that you should take from them? “Reading for debate” is about learning as much as you can about as many different ideas, viewpoints, theories, and historical events as possible. The term is, of course, short-hand. You can learn by watching YouTube, by listening to podcasts, or by having conversations with smart and knowledgeable people. Remember that the core idea is learning.

Informational News Sources

You should attempt to take in some form of news at least daily. It doesn’t need to be a ton – a few minutes well-spent will put you far ahead of most of the pack. When you are deciding which news sources to frequent, choose national or international organizations. Local news is difficult to use outside of the region in which it is produced and tends to have a lower impact on judges.

Television – BBC, CNN, CBC News, Al-Jazeera
Newspapers – Globe & Mail, National Post, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal
Magazine – The Economist, Newsweek, Time
Podcasts – The Economist Podcast, BBC Documentaries, CBC’s The Current
The Monash Debating Review – A regularly published periodical that examines world issues from the perspective of competitive debate.

Maybe like myself, your parents always say “read more non-fiction, it helps your brain”. Although that may be true, reading for your enjoyment is important as well, be it fiction or non-fiction. However, in the case that you do want to be more knowledgeable by reading non-fiction, here are some suggestions based on some different topics.

Psychology – Predictably Irrational (Dan Ariely); Blink, The Tipping Point, Outliers and What the Dog Saw (Malcolm Gladwell); The Moral Animal (Robert Wright); The Social Animal (David Brooks); The Righteous Mind and The Happiness Hypothesis (Jonathan Haidt)

Economics – Freakonomics, Superfreakonomics, and Think Like a Freak (Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner); The Ascent of Money (Niall Ferguson);  Boomerang, The Big Short, and Flash Boys (Michael Lewis);  The Worldly Philosophers (Robert Heilbroner); Shock Doctrine (Naomi Klein)

Political Science/History –  Descent into Chaos (Ahmed Rashid); Colossus (Niall Ferguson); How Soccer Explains the World (Franklin Foer); Dead Aid (Dambisa Moyo); The New Jim Crow (Michelle Alexander); World on Fire (Amy Chua); The Great War for Civilization (Robert Fisk); The Better Angels of Our Nature (Steven Pinker); Who Owns the Arctic (Michael Byers)

Science –  The Selfish Gene (Richard Dawkins); A Short History of Nearly Everything (Bill Bryson); Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge (E.O. Wilson); The New Digital Age (Jared Cohen & Eric Schmidt)

Philosophy – Justice (Michael Sandel); On Liberty (J S Mill); What it Means to Be Human (Joanna Burke); Breaking the Spell and Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking (Daniel Dennett); The Moral Landscape (Sam Harris); Ideas that Matter (A.C. Grayling)

I hope this list helps you with debating and hopefully you will succeed in the future. Special thanks to my awesome debate mentor Keenan Macneal for teaching me and telling me about these books 🙂

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Is Spain on the edge for yet another Civil War?

Joshua Kim
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The chaos grows as the police officers shoot rubber bullets towards the protesters standing firmly to prevent the police force from confiscating ballot boxes. Mass foreign media rushes to the site to film the pandemonium. The officers are inflicting violence upon unarmed citizens these citizens include elders to young children. Some are screaming for help and the others scream to warn the protesters. This all happened last Sunday when the Catalan referendum was held to observe whether or not the Catalans want independence from Spain.

Warning: The following video contains a disturbing material (violence), please consider that in mind before you watch the video.

Video of police brutality on the protesters (The Guardian)

If you were caught up in recent news, you probably would have heard of the referendum in Catalonia, Spain and the conflict grows in the region. As the media says, Catalans were deciding whether or not to become independent from Spain and the referendum results were shocking. According to the Catalan officials, two days ago, 90% of the Catalans voted “Yes” for Catalan independence. However, during the process of the referendum, around 900 people were injured by the police force. The public uproared with the news, which led to more people running out to the streets to show their support, but as the video from above shows, the protest was disbanded by force by the police.

But first, we have to ask ourselves, why does Catalonia want to become an independent state?

According to the regional president of the independence campaign, Carles Puigdemont, he claims that Catalonia has a moral, cultural, economic and political differences with the Spanish federal government. This argument has gained more support from the Catalan public since the Great Spanish Depression that occurred from 2008 to the present day. According to the Catalan independence campaign, the region of Catalonia has contributed way more than the other parts of the country and because the Catalans got sick of supporting the federal government, Catalonia should gain independence.

How are the Spanish Government and the anti-independence group responding to the referendum?

Before the referendum even started, the Spanish government made a statement saying that the referendum was unconstitutional and will not have any effect on the status of the Catalan sovereignty. Then, right before the referendum started, the Spanish government sent forces to the voting booths around the Catalan region in order to stop the Spanish citizens residing in Catalonia from voting. The Catalan regional government quickly denounced the act, saying that the Spanish government is acting “beyond the limits of a respectable democracy.”. Seven hours before the booths closed, the Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, made a statement saying that the referendum “only served to cause serious harm to coexistence” among Spaniards but he is “not going to close any door” to dialogue. After the result came out the Spanish Prime Minister again emphasized on his point that the referendum was an illegal act and will not hold any significant effect on the autonomy of Catalonia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=Wv_Z-AtFVds

Official statement from the current Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy (The Guardian)

Meanwhile, the anti-independence groups of Catalonia have currently swirled in controversy as the media reports that some of the anti-independence protesters made a fascist salute while marching down the streets, chanting the far-right Spanish song ‘Cara Al-Sol’, a song chanted when the Fascist faction of Spain won the civil war in 1939 against the communists.

How are the rest of the world and other regions of Spain reacting to the referendum?

The current Prime Minister of Belgium, Charles Michel made a statement two days ago:

Violence can never be the answer!

In addition, the French Economy Minister, the Scottish First Minister, Premier of Quebec and the former Belgian Prime Minister all condemned the violent acts held by both sides, whereas the British Foreign Ministry and the Serbian Foreign Minister supported the government in Madrid saying that the constitution and laws of Spain should be present. The Venezuelan President supported the Catalan government while shaming the Spanish government for the brutal treatment towards the voters.

News media such as CNN and The Guardian have both condemned the Spanish government for police brutality in their actions of stopping the referendum.

In Quebec, politicians representing Parti Quebecois have shown support for the Catalan independence via their twitter account.

In Spain, citizens of Bilbao and Valencia, both showed solidarity for the Catalan citizens affected by the police brutality. Not only that, but four days ago, another independence-seeking region, the Basque region, had citizens gathering up in the streets to support the Catalan independence.

The updates on the referendum will be told later this month.

 

 

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Black and White Movies You Need To Watch Now!

Hilary Guo
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Old films will forever have a special place in my heart. I love black and white movies, especially the ones made in the early-mid 20th century. To me, they beat all of the new modern movies. My favourite thing is that little glitch on the screen that you can only see in those older B&W movies. I’m also a fan of the crackling sound that the movie makes when it goes quiet—you know what I’m talking about. But other than the little things, the general idea of a B&W movie just gets me excited. Chances are if you tell me that we’re going to watch an old movie, I’ll 110% agree with no questions. I love love love the acting in those movies. They’re obviously much more different than the acting we see in movies now. Back then, they mostly spoke in that old-timey accent which also changed the way they acted. Most likely, all people back then talked and acted like that, but still, I don’t know why I love it so much. They had different slang, different humour, and of course, the iconic vintage Hollywood stars like Audrey Hepburn and Betty Grable. In every aspect possible, B&W films are one of the best types of movies.

Roman Holiday, for example, is one of the most iconic “vintage” Hollywood classics. Starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, this movie was the start of the “celebrity-pretending-to-be-normal-and-falls-in-love-with-an-unsuspecting-civilian” idea. It’s one of my favourite movies, and it being black and white is a bonus. I love the way they talked and the romantic/comedic relationship Princess Anne (Hepburn) and Joe Bradley (Peck) shared. Roman Holiday is a super cute love story that I think inspired a lot of pop culture today.

Image result for roman holiday (source1) (source2)

Image result for roman holiday

Another B&W movie filmed in 1953 is “Stalag 17“. It is hands down my favourite movie ever ever ever. Not once did it make me bored. The movie, being two hours long, kept me interested and laughing the whole time. This is the type of humour I like that can only be found in old movies. It tells the story of a German POW camp in 1944, but especially about the American airmen residing in a particular barracks where their secrets somehow seem to be finding their way to the German guards. That only meant one thing: somebody inside the barracks was trading information with the guards. The unravelling of this mystery was actually quite shocking. Usually, the suspect becomes pretty obvious or predictable in mysteries but in Stalag 17 specifically, the ending was very surprising and even when I thought it was foreshadowing, it was actually leading me to believe the wrong person as guilty! It’s such a fantastic movie and don’t let the fact that it’s black and white make you think that it will be boring because let me tell you, it’s one of the least boring movies I have ever watched. Stalag 17 deserves soooo much more attention and love because it is wonderful. You can start watching it right here!

Going a little further back to 1930, one of the most influential and amazing black and white movies of that era was and will continue to be All Quiet On The Western Front, based on the WW1 book by Erich Maria Remarque. It’s no doubt a cinema classic. The film (and book) is about a group of German boys and their experience in the German Army in World War 1.  It demonstrates the tragic reality of war and its effects on the once innocent boys who lost their youth to the fight. No matter which side it was, there were always going to be boys who were forced to become men, hardened by battle. This film did such an awesome job at representing how the great war had changed the soldiers. It’s a super iconic war film whose quotes are still used today. Aaannddd, since it’s so old, the movie has a lot of those screen glitches and crackling noises which is PERFECT because I love that. Plus, they all use that transatlantic accent and everything about it is incredible.

Image result for all quiet on the western front filmImage result for all quiet on the western front quotes  Image result for all quiet on the western front film (source3) (source4) (source5)

Everyone needs a little black and white films in their life!

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A Playlist For Every Month Part 2! (you’re welcome again)

Hilary Guo
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As a “special edition” post for my one year anniversary here at YAA, I’ve decided to remake one of my most favourite posts! One year later, I’ve changed a lot. I have new and different perspectives, opinions, interests and obviously, a new spectrum of music taste. These songs will be all different from the last post, as I have discovered lots of new music. Hopefully, you guys learn to love these songs as much as I do, even if they’re a bit weird (old songs are really good, okay?). Here is, A Playlist For Every Month Part Two.

CEC=contains explicit content

January:

  1. Boys – Charli XCX: honestly such a bop, would 10/10 listen on loop for hours. Also, super relatable… sorry that I missed your party… I wish I had a better excuse like… I had to trash the hotel lobby… but I was… busy… thinking… ’bout… boys.
  2. Dance – Shane: I LOVE SHANE, I only found him a couple of months ago and he’s quickly become one of my faves. He’s super funny and his music is amazing. His dancing gives me life.
  3. Bad Liar – Selena Gomez: okay, no need to explain, who doesn’t love my QUeen SelenA GomEZ??
  4. Castle On The Hill – Ed Sheeran: wow wow wow, Ed’s voice sounds great in this one but tbh when does it not sound great?
  5. Sweetness – Jimmy Eat World: all I need to say is… if you’re listening ohhh woahhhh ohhh ohhhh ohhhh ohhHHHH
  6. Kitty From Kansas City – Rudy Vallee: GUYS NO JOKE THIS IS MY FAVOURITE SONG, JUST LISTEN. Her name was kittykittykittykittykittykittykitty from Kansas city, sure was a pity, she wasn’t pretty. This is music at its finest, I’m just saying.
  7. Safety Pin – 5 Seconds of Summer (track 7): been dancing to this since 2015 y’all. 

February:

  1. Your Man – Down With Webster: I love this song because it reminds me of my #MCM Jack Laskey. Also, the lyrics are relatable and the tune is super catchy- good luck trying to get this out of your head for the next week! I’ve never been in love, I’ve only been in clubs. 
  2. Not For Me – Bobby Darin: Okay, while you’re listening, close your eyes and imagine some 80’s guys in trench coats and sunglasses tiptoeing towards you in triangular formation while snapping. That’s what I see whenever I listen to this song. 
  3. Carolina – Harry Styles: everything about Harry Styles is my favourite, enough said.
  4. American Kids – Poppy (cec): That Poppy is kind of weird, but her music is sooooooooo good.
  5. 1985 – Bowling For Soup (cec): Asking the real questions here, whatever happened to sitcoms, game shows… on the radio…
  6. Thief – Ansel Elgort: can act, can sing and is attractive?? Ansel Elgort literally has it all.
  7. Fat Lip – Sum 41: I don’t want to waste my time, become another casualty of society… PREACH IT!

March:

  1. Play Good Music At My Funeral – Shane: The most relatable song I’ve ever heard. Shane Niemi, I love you.
  2. Burning Bridges – Bea Miller (cec): such a cute song, especially the chorus where it kind of sounds like London bridge is falling down.
  3. Afterlife – Greyson Chance: I was so surprised when I found this song because look, it’s GREYSON CHANCE! Remember when he was on Family Channel all the time when he was younger?? Please listen to this song sung by my childhood crush.
  4. Lonely People – Orla Gartland: the tune of this song is so nice. It’s sort of like one of those profound indie songs, which means you should love it even more. 
  5. The Boys of Summer – The Ataris: This is a cover (so it’s not originally their song) but I like this one way more than the original because The Ataris made it sound more rock. So basically, they made it sound 48596x better.
  6. The Anthem – Good Charlotte: Highkey wish I grew up with early 2000’s music. Even though the fashion was bad, the music wasn’t. 
  7. Scotty Doesn’t Know – Lustra (cec): IF YOU WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO, IT’S MATT DAMON.

April:

  1. The Drugs – Mother Mother: Creds to 92.1 CJay. I immediately searched up this song after I heard it. My favourite part is the bridge, give my best to the mess, I’ve had my share of it all…
  2. The Future Freaks Me Out – Motion City Soundtrack: go out there and bust a move!
  3. Come On Eileen – Dexys Midnight Runners: five words, Perks Of Being A Wallflower. “They’re playing good music!” “Livingroom routine?” “Livingroom routine!” So iconic.
  4. 24/7 – David Correy (cec): Reminds me of my other #MCM Ross McCall. Lowkey, lowkey, that’s my baby… This is where good music is at!
  5. Slow Hands – Niall Horan: Confession, I didn’t realize it was Niall until I searched it up… But it’s so great to see him do this well on his own, you go Niall!
  6. We’ll Meet Again – Vera Lynn: Old but gold. I found this song earlier this year, and it was like going to a thrift shop and discovering a fab(ulous) find. I went into a music genre that didn’t seem too appealing but would you take a look at what I came out with?! This is the best song!! So what it’s early 20th-century era?? A GOOD SONG IS A GOOD SONG NO MATTER WHAT.
  7. Bored to Death – Blink-182: Blink-182 is still coming out with good songs, I must applaud them.

May:

  1. The Love Club – Lorde: This song is so underrated. It’s so good and totally deserves more attention. The melody is really catchy and like always, her lyrics are a bit strange, but in a good way. Lorde, you go girlfriend.
  2. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy – The Andrews Sisters: Such a bop from the 30’s. I love this song so much, the music, the lyrics, the ERA. It’s honestly the catchiest song, after hearing it for the first time, I practically knew all the words. He’s the boogie woogie bugle boy from company B!
  3. Shake It – Metro Station: Throwback! If she does it like this will you do it like that?
  4. Losers – Shane: SHANE AGAIN, I’m telling you I love him, each song just keeps getting better and better. Yeah, we’re losers in love…
  5. YOUTH – Troye Sivan: I’ve been watching Troye Sivan on Youtube since forever and seeing him take on his music career actually makes me so happy. He’s so good at singing and he’s literally the cutest human being ever. Troye, if you’re out there, I support you!!
  6. F.F.F  – Bebe Rexha ft. G-Eazy (CEC): Probably don’t want to play this around your mom… But this song is so relatable, you can catch me jamming out to this at 3 am!
  7. Ghost – Ella Henderson: This song reminds me of my OTP (one true pair) from X Company, Aurora and Alfred. Okay, so this is their song, don’t tell me otherwise. 

June:

  1. The Space Between A Rock And A Hard Space – 5 Seconds of Summer (track 4): fun fact: this was originally called “Catch 22”. See? I know stuff.
  2. Guys My Age – Hey Violet (cec): To be honest, I don’t really like Hey Violet but this song was too good to pass on.
  3. Strip That Down – Liam Payne: I LOVE POST-1D LIAM. LET’S GO, THIS IS MY JAM.
  4. Tear in My Heart – Twenty One Pilots: TOP has gotten so much more popular since when I first heard of them and this is the first song of theirs I ever heard. It gets me kinda nostalgic and brings back memories from summer ’15. 
  5. Big Jet Plane – Angus & Julia Stone: this is a really good calm-down song because it’s quite slow and relaxing. Also, I just really love daisies…
  6. Left The Broken – Bethan Leadley: No matter how hard I try, I’ll never be able to sing the word “broken” the way she does…
  7. Passionfruit – Drake (cec): I live for this instrumental. 

July:

  1. Edelweiss – The Sound Of Music: Who doesn’t love this musical?? 
  2. Bring The Boys Back Home – Pink Floyd: Hands-down, the best Pink Floyd song ever ever ever. For real, it’s their best song. It might only be a minute long, but you can’t put a timer on masterpieces.
  3. Brain Stew – Green Day: Green Day doesn’t need any explanations… they’re Green Day.
  4. Kiwi – Harry Styles: I love this side of Harry.
  5. Gasoline – Halsey (cec): Halsey is such a queen and all her songs are iconic. Her voice is beautiful, especially in this song. Do the people whisper about you on the train like me… saying you probably shouldn’t waste your pretty face like me…
  6. When We Were Young – Adele: Chances are, you’ve already heard this song a dozen times but Adele is a goddess, so listen to it again. 
  7. Candy Store – Heathers: The Musical (cec): SO iconic, it’s like Mean Girls, but in the 80’s. 

August:

  1. The Wire – HAIM: Indie music is good music.
  2. Look What You Made Me Do – Taylor Swift: I don’t care what other people say, I love the new Taylor- she’s so relatable. Honestly, Taylor is me after someone tries to beef with me. I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time. If you wanna mess with me, you’ll be asking for me to put your name on my list in red, underlined. I check it once, then I check it twice, OH!
  3. The King And All Of His Men – Wolf Gang: It gives me Alice in Wonderland vibes. Won’t you take me to the Queen of Hearts?
  4. I Love Kanye – Kanye West (cec): I want Kanye’s level of self-love…
  5. Victorious – Panic At The Disco: Brendan Urie’s forehead is bigger than my future…
  6. Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute): Der Hölle Rache Kocht In Meinem Herzen (Queen Of The Night Aria) – Wolfgang Mozart: Don’t let the fact that it’s Mozart discourage you, this is a really good song, well, opera actually, but just LISTEN to the orchestra and LISTEN to the voice. Like wow, do you have any idea how difficult it is to hit a high note like that?? This is a classical masterpiece!!
  7. Dear Maria, Count Me In – All Time Low: *cough* I got your picture, I’m coming with you, dear mariA COUNT ME IN!!! Always love All Time Low.

September:

  1. High School Never Ends – Bowling For Soup (cec): I would just like to thank Spotify and its “Suggested Songs” feature for showing me this song.
  2. Pretty Girl – Maggie Lindemann (cec): This song is actually pretty deep. I’m more than just a picture, I’m a daughter and a sister. Maggie Lindemann also has a really nice voice.
  3. Be Careful, It’s My Heart – Vera Lynn (track 10): Vera Lynn is a vintage queen! I only dream of having a voice like hers. There hasn’t been a single song of hers that I haven’t liked. 
  4. Say It – Glenn Miller: Old music is absolutely amazing, as I have recently discovered, don’t be scared to give it a listen!!
  5. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen: Is this rock/opera perfection even real???? You’ve got that sick guitar instrumental in the middle followed by that opera-like verse. Thunderbolts and lightning, very very frightening me!!
  6. When Your Heart Stops Beating – +44: I’ll be there when your heart stops beating, I’ll be there when your last breath’s taken away…
  7. Ocean Avenue – Yellowcard: There’s a place off Ocean Avenue, where I used to sit and talk with you. 

October:

  1. Insecure – Shane: OH! Surprise, surprise, it’s Shane, AGAIN! This is the first song of his I ever heard and I fell in love instantly. Just watch the video, you have to love it. It’s absolutely hilarious. 
  2. Oh! It’s A Lovely War – Courtland and Jefferies: This is probably one of the oldest songs I listen to, but age is just a number and this song will always continue to be a gem.
  3. When The Lights Go On Again – Auf Wiedersehen Sweetheart (track 16): Goodbye Sweetheart! Is it a coincidence that all the best music came from the 40’s?
  4. Rejects – 5 Seconds of Summer: *slams fist on table* WHAT WAS I THINKING? *smashes glass* EVERYONE SEES IT *jumps off roof* IT’S NOT A SECRET *punches wall* THAT I’M JUST A REJECT.
  5. Roman Holiday – Halsey: A song about Audrey Hepburn sung by Halsey? Yes, please, that’s two icons in one song!
  6. Tipsy – J-Kwon (cec): #TBT
  7. I Melt With You – Modern English: I had just rediscovered this song a while ago after I had lost the slip of paper I had written the song name on at first. I found the paper under my bed, and let me just tell you that it was fate that led me to the paper. I don’t know what I would do without this song.

November:

  1. Still Breathing – Green Day: Definitely one of Green Day’s best songs. I don’t know why but it gets me so sentimental… I’m still alive!
  2. La Vie En Rose – Sophie Milman (track 9): What a musical treasure this is. It sounds so romantic, especially because it’s French.
  3. Manufactured – Shane (track 4): HAHAHA I BASICALLY HAVE ALL OF SHANE’S SONGS ON HERE. #WorthIt
  4. The White Hills of Dover – Vera Lynn: Catch me singing this song in the shower, in the car, and literally everywhere because it’s a jewel of a song.
  5. Sign of the Times – Harry Styles: CAN WE JUST TALK ABOUT HOW HE FLIES RANDOMLY IN THE MUSIC VIDEO. 
  6. Plaisir d’Amour – Michael Kamen and London Metropolitan Orchestra: In episode 6: The Breaking Point of my favourite miniseries, Band of Brothers, it plays this song near the end when they’re all in a church together after they had just lost some of their best men, and wow the tears just don’t stop falling. 
  7. Shoutout To My Ex – Little Mix: Need a good breakup song? This is the one for you! Tell it to us, Perrie!

December:

  1. 99 Red Balloons – Goldfinger (cec): Fun fact, this song was originally German, and there’s actually a German verse in the song and it’s the coolest thing ever.
  2. Gossip Girl – Grace Vanderwaal: She has such a cute voice and this song is super relatable. I thought you were real to me, the Gossip Girl!
  3. Sick of Losing Soulmates – Dodie (cec): Dodie has honestly one of the best voices I’ve ever heard. Also I pretty good sad song. 
  4. The Party Song – Blink-182: Iconic Blink-182, that is all.
  5. The Longest Day – The Band Of The Royal Military School: So, this is just an instrumental and it has no lyrics, but this song is fantastic. What really appealed to me in this song was the whistling- it makes it sound like a super old marching song. Everything about this song I would rate 10/10.
  6. You’re Not The One – Sky Ferreira: Add this one to your breakup songs.
  7. Then He Kissed Me – The Crystals: I got this song from Adventures in Babysitting, if you haven’t watched that movie yet, I would highly suggest. 

All edits are mine! Pictures are from here.

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10 Things I Know To Be True

Bhavana Vel
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As you get older, you will realize that there is one thing that becomes glaringly obvious.

Life is filled with change, chance, and uncertainty. But throughout my 14 years, I have garnered 10 things that I know and believe to always be true.

Here are mine. What are yours?

1. Nothing lasts forever. Whether it’s relationships, emotions, or good/hard patches in life: nothing is permanent.

2. One of the worst things in the world is losing someone you love.

3. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. It’s inevitable.

4. What goes around comes around.

5. It’s a horrible feeling when you miss someone desperately but there’s nothing you can do to fix it.

6. People tend to base their actions and how they present themselves on how people will perceive them.

7. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is let go- whether it be the past, a person, or a thing.

8. If you know you hurt someone and they continue to speak to you with the same excitement and respect, then they really do love you.

9. It’s painful when you feel yourself slowly drifting away from someone you once used to be very close to.

10. You must love yourself. You must be confident. You must accept the good and bad things about yourself, your strengths, and your weaknesses to be able to move forward in life.

sources: featured image/1/2/#8/3

Advice For Grade 10 Students

Julieanne Acosta
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Here are some pointers on what to do and what not to do in your first year in high school.

Newly pulled into grade 11, I still remember a little too much about being in grade 10. A huge new school with absolutely no idea where to go or what I’m doing. Although, there are a bunch of things that made last year memorable, not only for being the first year of high school but for the people I met and the opportunities that were given. Here’s some advice for new high-schoolers:

  • Don’t stay quiet. Speak up right away in class, to not only the teacher but the other students. Don’t be overly cocky with it, just strike a conversation with someone next to you or nearby and when the teacher asks a question, don’t hesitate to give your answer. You’ll find it easier to do the more you do it.
  • Be extremely careful going up and down stairs (Especially if your school is anything like mine during class change time.) This one sounds stupid but I cannot stress this enough. Look where you’re going. I get that you can finally look at your phone without hiding it behind a book or under your desk but you have no idea how many times I’ve fallen into someone from not paying attention and missing a step.
  • Analyse your teacher. Within the walls of high school, a bigger variation of teachers lay, a lot more than your middle school teachers. They all have different ways of teaching and because you’re in high school now, a lot of them tend to not have filters and will not hesitate to argue with you. Find out how your teacher is during the first few weeks of class. See if they’re the type who want to be argued with to stress a point or if it’s one of the classes you should stay quiet unless you have a question.
  • Join a club, athletic team, or theatre! Find the group of people you can really connect with because of your personal interests. You’ll regret not taking these opportunities.
  • Stay on top of your stuff. Even though something is due next week, get it done as soon as possible. Homework quickly piles up and you’ll soon find yourself drowning.
  • Being “popular” isn’t important. Don’t put your everything in being seen as one of the popular kids. It won’t even matter in a few years. Find a group of friends you love and you’ll be just as happy.
  •  Make a group of friends in each class! You’ll feel a lot happier about going to classes if you have a group to talk to.
  • Make a route to class. Make sure you know your way to each class by having a specific route down. That way time won’t be wasted on roaming the halls.
  • Last but not least, do not stop in the middle of the hall during class changes. Worst idea. You’ll get a lot of people annoyed and you could quite possibly be pushed off to the side. If you’re lost, step away from oncoming traffic to figure it out.

FI

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