Page 95 – Youth Are Awesome

“Zombies on Your Lawn”: A Lost Icon

Entertainment

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June 18, 2021

Plants vs. Zombies was my absolute favorite childhood video game. When I saw anyone who wanted to talk about anything, I would only talk about that game. My Wii username was “sunflower123”, and I called my favorite Mii “sunflower”. When I was 12, I planted flowers in my community with an all-adult volunteer group because I wanted to defend my neighborhood against zombies. Even now, when I see one of my friends whip out their phone and play PvZ, I jump up with excitement and my eyes get a little misty with nostalgia.

But why was this little indie game (at the time) so special to me? It was just a regular old tower defense game, and I thought Bloons Tower Defense had far better gameplay. The art was whimsical, but a bit simplistic at times. The level design, mechanics and difficulty were fine, but not stellar. So what made the difference? It was the end credits song, “Zombies on Your Lawn”.

When you complete PvZ ‘s 50-level grind and finally beat the game, you see a sunflower singing “Zombies on Your Lawn”. This song, for lack of a better word, is a bop. From the second I heard it, I was addicted. I loved the sunflower’s cute, soothing voice, the simple but sweet melody, and the dance (although this “dance” basically consisted of swinging your body from side to side). Just like every hit song on the Billboard Hot 100, it was catchy and danceable. And it made me fall in love with the entire game.

The “Zombies on Your Lawn” Chronicles

To fuel my end-credits-song addiction, I basically dedicated my whole PvZ game to sunflowers. There was this feature in the game called the “Zen Garden”, where you could grow and keep plants (like in the image below). I farmed the living daylights out of this garden, in hopes of getting a sunflower of my own. When I finally got a sunflower, I was horrified when it started swaying the opposite way from the end credits sunflower!

Complete Zen Garden! Plants vs Zombies - YouTube — The Zen Garden. Obviously, the best part of this image is the sunflower. Given that it sways the right way.

I loved planting as many sunflowers as possible. Whenever I played a level, I would always plant at least three rows of sunflowers. When the zombies ate my sunflowers, I would gasp in horror. My brother liked to randomly plant sunflowers next to the zombies, for the zombies to eat. I thought he was a monster. Many sunflowers swaying and dancing to the tune of “Zombies on Your Lawn” was better than one.

And just to remind you again, “Zombies on Your Lawn” made me change my Wii username to “sunflower123” and re-name my favourite Mii to “sunflower”…

But Then, Tragedy Struck…

A few weeks ago, my friend texted me: “They removed the end credits song from Plants vs. Zombies!”

I was devastated. This song was the entire reason why the game appealed so much to me. It was basically my entire childhood! I couldn’t confirm it, but I knew in my heart that “Zombies on Your Lawn” raised an entire generation. It was an exceptional end credits sequence-no, it was an icon. When the game lost the song, it lost a huge part of its appeal.

When EA bought Plants vs. Zombies, the PvZ franchise went down an unpleasant trajectory. Plants vs. Zombies 2 was convoluted, unappealing, and full of microtransactions. But no matter what happened with the franchise as a whole, I thought that the original Plants vs. Zombies game would remain unharmed. But now, the game feels like it has a huge, gaping void where “Zombies on Your Lawn” used to be. It just feels wrong that EA would remove the most iconic part of PvZ.

But I also felt pretty special when my friend broke the bad news to me. The way I saw it, I was in a sort of exclusive group. I was one of the lucky kids to play Plants Vs. Zombies when it first came out, to grow up singing and swaying, and to see “Zombies on Your Lawn” as the icon it deserved to be.

Featured Image created by me on Adobe Photoshop, using screenshots from this video

Information Sources: 1/2

Image Sources: 1/2

Your Daily Dose Of Snarky YouTube History

Lara Mylde

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June 17, 2021

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History. Everybody’s a product of it. Everybody’s affected by it. And in one way or another, I hope that your clicking on this article means you’re at least a little bit interested in learning more about it. If you’re not, maybe these channel recommendations will help you along. You may find it’s more interesting than you once thought.

Like many stuck-insiders with internet access over the past year and a half, my YouTube algorithm took me on a bit of a journey this year. From Chloe Ting challenges to 1950’s international high school debates to 9-second voiceovers of Twitter memes, I like to think I’ve experienced a wide range of the endless hours of audiovisual stimulation that YouTube has to offer.

The best thing to come out of my YouTube algorithm since the pandemic began, however, has to be the specific genre of video that I like to call “snarky history.” As their name would suggest, these videos are 1) about history and 2) wildly entertaining. Education and fun! What more could you ask for?

And thus, here you are. Here are my three favourite snarky and topic-wise history-adjacent YouTube channels for your enjoyment.

1. Extra Credits / Extra History

This may be a little bit like cheating since I technically knew about this channel long before the pandemic began, but we’re counting it because it only became a staple of my daily routine during the pandemic (I would watch videos while tidying, doing dishes, or working out). Extra Credits has a great team behind it that works hard to balance entertainment with historical accuracy—they even do a “Lies” episode at the end of each series explaining any details they fudged or omitted for simplicity as well as answering questions from viewers. The animation fits perfectly with the tone of their storytelling and they don’t just do history; they also talk about mythology, politics, and video games.

Choosing a favourite Extra Credits series is a hard decision because all of them are so interesting and well-done. I might go with either the Thermopylae videos or the Bismarck series. Highly recommend both if you’re looking for a starting point!

2. Overly Sarcastic Productions

I’m not the kind of person who will just subscribe to any old YouTube channel. I need to watch a few of their videos and get a feel for things before making any long-term commitments. But Overly Sarcastic Productions (OSP) had me sold immediately after I one day randomly stumbled across their channel trailer. It’s run by a pair of friends who go by Blue and Red (there’s also Cyan, Blue’s fiancee) and together they cover a wide variety of historical and mythological stories as well as talking about literature, tropes, and pop culture with the help of their animated avatars.

All of their videos are amazing (I’m starting to sound like a broken record here), but Blue’s History Hijinks series or any of Red’s Miscellaneous Myths videos are great places to dip your toes in if you really want to be entertained. In fact, why not watch their Pride Tales video in honour of Pride Month?

Check out the channel trailer here.

3. Oversimplified

This has been a more recent one. I’d always seen the Oversimplified videos hanging out in my recommended, but I never clicked on one until a couple of days ago when I discovered their more recent Napoleonic Wars video.

The tone of Oversimplified is a little more… absurd at times, but it’s very pointed and also highly funny. It’s got its own thing going, and it works especially well with its animation. As a bonus, the events they’ve covered so far happen to align really well with the Social Studies 20 curriculum in Alberta, if you’re into that sort of thing.

If you’re curious but not sold, just look them up and watch the first thirty seconds or so of any video. Here’s the Prohibition video. You won’t be disappointed.

Happy History-ing!

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Trying My Hand At A Villanelle

Uncategorized

Lara Mylde

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June 17, 2021

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Villanelle: A form of poetry featuring five tercets and a quartet, with an alternating rhyme scheme and a pair of repeating lines scattered throughout. To be honest, I’m not normally the type to spring for structured poetry. I tend to write very freeform poetry, if it can even be called that after a while.

But every once in a blue moon, my attention is caught by a particular turn of phrase and my brain is turned on to a new way to write poetry. In this case, I became fixated on the poem Mad Girl’s Love Song by Sylvia Plath, which we read in English last year. And Mad Girl’s Love Song happens to be a villanelle.

Then, after I learned that Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas (who was born on the same day as Plath, just about 17 years earlier) is also a villanelle, I had to try my hand at it. Here’s one villanelle which I came up with. Enjoy!

Higher Ground

I take to you like water takes to stone

I soak my soul; I crash against the coast

My brain aflame, my lungs like brittle bone

A foliage of daisies overgrown

They catch me, gently swaying at the post

I take to you like water takes to stone

The sun beats down, the clouds a taunting cone

Was there a time I didn’t know your name?

My brain aflame, my lungs like brittle bone

My mother warns you’ll try to take my throne

But I’ve become accustomed to this game

I take to you like water takes to stone

And then I find a different seed has sown

Itself inside my heart and made its claim

My brain aflame, my lungs like brittle bone

I think were you to leave I’d walk alone

But every time I turned I’d see your ghost

I take to you like water takes to stone

My brain aflame, my lungs like brittle bone

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Some Tweets That’ll Just Make Your Day A Little Better

Ranya Bajaj

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June 12, 2021

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Some Tweets That’ll Just Make Your Day A Little Better

Exactly what the title suggests. Enjoy!

Hopefully mission accomplished!

Ranya

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

How Youth in Calgary are Empowering a Step in the Right Direction

Current Issues

Daniyal Sait

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June 8, 2021

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A recent discovery in Kamloops, British Columbia has put emphasis on the horrific existence of residential schools throughout Canada. The remains of 215 children, whose deaths were undocumented, were found at the ‘Kamloops Indian Residential School’. The further exposure of the tragic occurrences that took place within the walls of these schools has shed light on a terrible stain in the history of our country. The damage done has had a lasting effect on the families of the victims, and cannot just go away. But the best thing we can do for a wound is help it heal.

Hector-Louis Langevin is considered by many to be one of the fathers of Confederation. However, he was also one of the chief architects of Canada’s residential school system. Since 1936, a school in Calgary has been named after Langevin, but a recent movement backed by the students of that school calls for the name to be changed. In the words of those students, ‘while Langevin himself was long dead, the pain of the residential school system is still affecting the lives of many Indigenous people in Canada.’ Mayor Naheed Nenshi also called on school boards to change school names in order to facilitate healing in the First Nations community.

On June 1st, 2021, the Calgary Board of Education changed the name of Langevin School to Riverside School. This change is effective immediately, and is actually using the name that the school used prior to 1936. This does not erase history in any way – but it is important to acknowledge the fault in the actions of these people, and to avoid further damage to First Nation communities. Especially in a learning center such as Riverside School, a change like this can educate many people about our country’s history, including the aspects that are less spoken about.

This change is not the first of its kind. About 4 years ago, ‘Langevin Bridge’ was renamed ‘Reconciliation Bridge.’ The ‘Edmonton Eskimos’, a team in the CFL, were renamed to the ‘Edmonton Elks’. These changes pay respect to First Nations, who are a very important part of our history. They also show that we are learning from our mistakes, and that we can make a difference.

The renaming of Langevin School was started and encouraged by youth in our city. Seeing that an important step forward was taken by students as young as those in grade 5 is something that I think can provide hope for our society. It can inspire others to use their voice to make a change, or even bring a little light into the lives of people who have suffered from residential schools. As youth, we are the future of our world – and we have the power to ensure that it becomes a better place.

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Left Behind, How Students Are Being Affected By Covid Lockdowns

Michael Dimarzo

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June 8, 2021

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Students across the globe have been pulled backward this past year as though they’re tied to a rope. The constant variation between online and in-person schooling has left us confused, frustrated, and behind. A recent survey by CBC News suggests that 70% of educators say some students will never catch up. Friendships have dissipated with the devastating distance and loneliness has taken grip of many. Covid has of course, been less than ideal for everyone, but there is a large group of youth who are affected more than the average population. Imagine if you had an unsafe home or younger siblings to watch while parents are at work. There are a slew of scenarios that heighten the gap between students.

Why student safety tools are essential during a pandemic

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Most conversations about school during the pandemic revolves around cheating and how young people are getting off easy. This could not be farther from the truth. Being sent home for 14 days after someone comes to class with covid is not an uncommon event. This leads to students spending weeks and months at a time alone. The possibility of leading a regular social life and enjoying your school years has all but gone out the window. Mental health, however, is merely the tip of the iceberg. Only critical content being taught to save time and the added element of cheating has created a volatile base for future education – like a jenga tower balanced on one piece. It is concerning that when students move on to the work force or university that piece has the potential to be pushed out and the tower collapse.

A 12-year-old from BC just built a Guinness World Record Jenga Tower - Curiocity Group Inc.

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An entire generation of learners has been divided. Some will exit the pandemic with success and others with detrimental failure. It is critical that once the corona virus fades students are closely monitored and those who fall below grade standards are given extra attention. Accepting that youth will be disadvantaged for their lifetime due to an unforeseeable pandemic is not an option. We must all be conscious of the barriers that others climb through during these arduous times.

The Importance of Supporting Local Musicians

Zainab Majid

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June 5, 2021

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Local music artists are hard workers in our community who often go unnoticed. They work hard to make music that means something to them and brings the community together. That friend of yours who records music in their basement? They could be the next Ariana Grande or Shawn Mendes! Who knows? It’s never too late to show some love to local artists and motivate them to keep going. Here are some of the countless benefits of supporting local singers:

Connecting your community and giving people a great conversation starter
Local music encompasses the artists’ community, which is most likely your community as well. It gives you a chance to relate to them at another level and meet new people. They most likely live near you as well, so this is an easy way to make friends! Especially great for people who find it hard to make friends!

Supporting local artists supports the community and it’s like supporting a small business!
You will probably get to meet the singer/ band and brag about meeting them when they go big. Going to their concerts not only makes you feel more connected to your community, but you’re also supporting local printers, bars or venues, and event photographers who make their money from marketing and capturing the event.

Local shows often cost less and make your city more interesting!
Who knows? You might find your new favourite song that speaks to you at a different level

For Calgarians, here are a couple you could consider supporting:

– Evan freeman: “Atmospheric indie-folk artist based in Calgary, Canada. New album Beyond the Stars released Dec 1, 2019”.

\Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0rp7bMLBl6unsfV2jqQXt0?si=FAqARboySk2yGz2gZ448Sw

– Rae spoon: “grew up in Calgary and now lives on the West Coast. A transgender artist, Rae uses the pronoun “they.” In 2019, they delved into the psyche with an album called Mental Health.”

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/507TICFblljsw2Nbk7wXbx?si=7pj6l5szQKenSFhHjp1Tqw

– 36?: This band started off in Calgary and is now gaining recognition worldwide!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3LDW8l1U9CKmwfCOTXPXi9?si=1sTFHcXERVSAiKAvnJaUyw

– Celeigh Cardinal: “a Métis musician from Alberta’s Peace Country who now lives in Edmonton, makes the list for her 2019 album Songs from a Downtown Apartment.”

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7HAq3UBI3pb8ok9k7dkdGR?si=2mLI_WXATIu_ZcaPl3H6aQ

Sources: 1,2, 3, 4

A Collection of Deep Quotes to Start Your Day Off Right

Uncategorized

Ranya Bajaj

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June 3, 2021

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Seven quotes – read one everyday of the week before starting your day <3

Monday:

Fall in love. Maybe it doesn’t have to be with someone. Fall in love with music, art, dancing in the dark, car rides at 1am, the glistening of the stars, the colors of the sun as it rises, the smell of flowers, the feeling of adrenaline that takes over your whole body and suffocates your lungs with joy, good friends who bring out your best, silence, noise, fall in love with the little things that make you feel most alive and find purpose. Fall in love with life.

– a.s.b.

Tuesday:

And in those moments where the sun is setting and the house is quiet and you are weary from the day, may you know that there is grace for you in the space, and no amount of heaviness or loneliness can take that away. And because of the grace, you are free to slow down. You are free to breathe and rest, no matter the things not sorted out, There might be some mystery here, and there might be some mystery here, and there might be longing, wondering, and waiting, but there will also be boundless peace that goes beyond any understanding running wild like a river through everything, no matter how heavy these moments feel. So rest easy, when evening is approaching. Tomorrow is surely coming but in the hours in between, you are free to rest till then.

– Morgan Harper Nichols

Wednesday:

Look around you. How many people do you think are settling? Probably a hell of a lot. People settle into okay relationships, okay jobs, okay friends, and an okay life. Why? Because okay is comfortable. Okay pays the bills, and provides a warm bed at night. Some people are fine with okay, and guess what? That’s okay. But okay is not thrilling, it isn’t passion, it’s not life-changing or unforgettable. Okay is not the reason you risk absolutely everything you’ve got for the smallest chance that something absolutely amazing could happen.

– unknown

Thursday:

You have given so much to this, and I just hope that you know that even here, your work is not in vain. It might take a little longer to arrive where you want to be, but you are still free to take this day by day. Even when the world seems to be moving on without you. Even when you are weary of waiting. Even when you are having to watch others reach the same exact heights you were reaching for, you are not a failure. You are not behind. You will still arrive where you need to be in time. Your story is just going to look a little different. You are going to look back on this season and realize, there is no way you could have predicted these outcomes. But you will rise, anyway. You will find a strength you did not know you had. You will find that even when things did not go according to plan, it did not hinder you from travelling the course. All along, you were being prepared for something so much greater than you. And no matter the additional time it took, it was not too late for you.

– Morgan Harper Nichols

Friday:

You never really know the true impact you have on those around you. You never know how much someone needed that smile you gave them. You never know how much your kindness turned someone’s entire life around. You never know how much someone needed that long hug or deep talk. So don’t wait to be kind. Don’t wait fo someone else to be kind first. Don’t wait for better circumstances or for someone to change. Just be kind, because you know how much someone needs it.

– Nikki Banas

Saturday:

Always be the best person you can be. Be kind even when you’re tired. Be understanding even when you’re angry. Do more than you’re asked, and don’t ask for anything in return. Don’t silently expect anything either. Listen when someone talks, and really listen too, stop just thinking of how you’ll reply. Tell people that you love them and that you appreciate them. Go out of your way to do things for people. Be the greatest person you can possibly be and when you mess up, make up for it in the next moment or minute or day. One thing you should never do? Never spend your time trying to prove to anybody that you’re great, your actions will speak for themselves and we only have limited time on this earth, don’t waste it. If someone doesn’t see your light, don’t worry. Like moths, good people are attracted to flame and to light, and they will come.

– Unknown

Sunday:

If you’re feeling frightened about what comes next, don’t be. Embrace the uncertainty. Allow it to lead you places. Be brave as it challenges you to exercise both your heart and your mind as you create your own path toward happiness; don’t waste time with regret. Spin wildly into your next action. Enjoy the present, each moment, as it comes, because you’ll never het another one quite like it. And if you should ever look up and find yourself lost, simply take a breath and start over. Retrace your steps and go back to the purest place in your heart…where your hope lives. You’ll find your way again.

– Everwood

Enjoy! Sending you lots of love and virtual hugs<3

Ranya

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Leave a Mark: A Poem

Advice

Samarah Kanji

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May 31, 2021

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Leave a Mark

Ticktock ticktock ticktock

A sidewalk awaited for a scratch to be made in the concrete

Powdered polished snow sat on the trails expecting footprints to be made for others to follow

The wind of others whispered to others to follow their lead

Ticktock ticktock Ticktock

Bricks were added to the wall as the wall soon became a building within the arms of the clock

With open arms, I hugged opportunity like it was the asset to add to destiny

Some days rain drops interrupted the clock’s arms, but puddles were still splashed as the crowd followed

Ticktock ticktock ticktock

A lock of thoughts blocked the opening for there was only one key made from the marks on the pages

While our actions froze, the time didn’t

Was it too late to plant new trees for others to follow, or would this be pushed back like a person shoving books back into the shelf?

Ticktock ticktock ticktock

Your last dreams clung to my mind like a child not wanting to leave their mother

Ambitious aspirations began to enter the world for there was always a pen mark to be made on paper

Though the clock’s intimidation continued as we had to get started to get ahead of the people lined up to make their mark on the sidewalk

Inspiration for this poem:

This poem is about how people leave a mark in the world and how we should not be afraid to take on new opportunities. This is because when we do not do the things we really want to do, there is a strange feeling of regret. This poem is trying to say that we should not wait to do them when going for new opportunities but instead start now. I hope this helps people accomplish what they want and always remember, never be afraid to take on new things that could benefit you later!

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Deforestation & The Loss of Biodiversity

Bhavani Potdar

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May 31, 2021

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“Look closely at nature. Every species is a masterpiece, exquisitely adapted to the particular environment in which it has survived. Who are we to destroy or even diminish biodiversity?” These wise words from Biologist Edward Wilson refer to the effects of human activities such as deforestation on nature, and the problem this poses to biodiversity in the world today. With more than 80% of the world’s animal and plant species living in forests, deforestation can lead to a loss in biodiversity by causing the extinction of specialized species from habitat loss. This can affect us and the world in significant ways. In this blog post, I will talk about the problem of deforestation and solutions for it.

The Problem & Its Effects

In order to make sense of this issue, it is important to thoroughly understand the urgent problem of the loss of biodiversity due to deforestation. Deforestation refers to the purposeful cleaning or thinning of forests by humans, resulting in an overall decrease in the forest area. Between 1990 and 2016, the world lost 1.33 million square kilometres (an area larger than South Africa). 46% of trees have been felled since the start of deforestation of forests. And, at this rate, we are losing an alarming 27 football fields per MINUTE due to deforestation. As a result of these causes, the entire population of the earth is directly affected. Since biodiversity is the basis of ecosystems, it provides clean air, fresh water, medicines, food, and a stable climate, making it very important for humans. With these important aspects for life provided by biodiversity, individuals, and especially indigenous peoples suffer disproportionately from loss of biological diversity due to their lives, survival, development, knowledge, and health conditions being dependent on the forest ecosystems which are threatened because of the biodiversity loss happening close to their homes. Research establishes a proven connection between the interdependent weave of biodiversity and the ecosystem, and its crucial role in sustaining human life on the earth today. In addition, many scientists and doctors have warned about this crucial issue, “I can’t imagine anything more important than air, water, soil, energy, and biodiversity. These are the things that keep us alive” (Dr.David Suzuki). In the end, deforestation and the loss of biodiversity can directly have a serious impact on humans as biodiversity is the basis of whole ecosystems, but unfortunately, these problems also are created as a result of human activities.

The Solution

To tackle the problem of deforestation and biodiversity loss, there can be many things that can be done by both governments and individuals. But, arguably, the most effective step YOU can take is to raise awareness of the problem. As you raise awareness of the huge problem of the loss of biodiversity across the society, more people become acquainted with this problem, and the entire population can work as a community to make a difference to fight, voice their concerns about, and exert pressure against the practices of deforestation. Even though this may sound cliche, this will undoubtedly make a big difference.

Conclusion (And Too Long Didn’t Read Version)

On the whole, deforestation and the loss of biodiversity remains a significant problem in the world, today. The impactful steps of raising awareness about the importance of biodiversity may be a step to help stop this problem. Even though I focused on the loss of biodiversity as a result of deforestation in this article, deforestation can also affect many things such as climate change, which makes it of uttermost importance that we take action collectively to make a change. So that the world’s precious forests and global biodiversity can be preserved for humanity and future generations.

Sources 1/2/3/4/5/6 /7/8/9

Coping with Finals Stress

Shraavni Patankar

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May 29, 2021

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It’s that time of year again. The time of year where many of us are faced with the daunting task of writing finals. Throughout our education, all of us have written quizzes, tests and finals. Regardless of the importance or size of evaluation, one thing is certain; the accompanying stress and pressure. During this dreaded time, the added pressure and stress of succeeding only dampens our chances of success. Hopefully, this blog gives you insight into the reasoning behind this stress and ways to better manage it. Ultimately, being able to control this stress will lead to success, better mental health and a greater relationship with yourself and those around you.

While writing this blog, I remembered a YouTube video that my middle school math teacher showed the class before our PATs. Despite the pressure and stress that I felt that day, this video truly helped and to this day, it has stuck with me. If you want to see the video for yourself, click this link. Or you can continue reading this blog!

First of all, the days before an evaluation may be stressful. However, small quantities of stress can actually serve as motivation to keep pushing and get the test over with. In addition, stress is a sign that shows that you actually care about the evaluation. But remember, the key word is small. Higher quantities of stress can take a toll on your mental and physical health. These large amounts of stress will only affect your memory, leading to choking – the moment where your mind goes blank during an evaluation. Now, let’s address some of the most common fears that many students have during evaluations and ways to combat them, with some memes scattered throughout the blog!