Editorials/Opinion Pieces in this Publication: Bring It On by Killian Evans Diwali by Grace Risha Super Siblings by Kennedy Jaye Babb Spring Hill 2023: A Look at the New Year by Cassidy Huey College Applications by Saina Srivastava Seasonal Depression by Mary Ellen Morrison
Bring It On by Killian Evans
On November 9 the Stallion Theater Group held opening night for the musical Bring It On. It featured sitcom-like comedy, to be further commented on, and a heartwarming, inspirational plot. The show altogether was spectacular, with all actors fitting their roles, choreography and lines near perfectly executed, and huge audience reception. The whole show would not have been the same without the comedic perfection mainly delivered by Bridget (Olivia Docteur), Steven (Cody Rivera), Twig (Billy McNeill), and Randall (Ryan Greene). Billy McNeill delivered perfectly executed lines and behavior in cooperation with Olivia Docteur’s presentation of an oblivious character. Ryan Greene’s innocence and buffoonery was hilarious and Cody Rivera’s singing was much appreciated by the audience throughout the entire performance. Despite the wonderful show put on by the stallion theater group, there were without a doubt challenges presented, as with any show, but not necessarily the faults of the cast or crew. First there were the noticeable mic interferences, featuring bumps and rumbles and, at times, completely cutting the voice of Kylar (portrayed by Sophia Knott) as well as Scout during the opening night introduction. There's also the space matter; our little theater doesn’t have the most room backstage, making space an issue when facing what Scout, one of the show stage managers, described as one of the biggest casts yet. Scout and Ella were able to counteract this challenge by effectively organizing the backstage chaos, which they described to be one of the largest aspects of their jobs, calling themselves cleaners "by day and stage managers by night.” Despite any issues or what others could idiotically say, the show was excellent, the people involved were exemplary, and the school where it was conducted is positively eccentric.
Diwali by Grace Risha
In America, the last three months of every year are filled with joyous celebrations. From the scary costumes for Halloween, the delicious food at Thanksgiving, to the merry spirit of Christmas, there is something for everyone. In all of this joy, it is easy for Americans to disregard other cultures and their important celebrations. In India, there are a plethora of celebrations, one particularly important toward the end of the year: Diwali. This holiday is around October or November and is a five day celebration, with a main celebratory day on the third day. This year it was November 10th through the 14th and I was lucky enough to be included in the celebration. Diwali has a deep history that prioritizes good over evil at its core. It roots back to Hindu mythology and is centered around the return of Lord Rama. It is the day Lord Rama, his wife Sita Devi and his brother Lakshmana returned to their homeland after their 14 year exile. Rama had defeated the demon king Ravana and the villagers lit a path upon his return. Another mythology story is that Diwali marks the day that Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura, freeing the people of his kingdom. The king declared this day a day of festivals upon his victory. The goddess Lakshmi is also celebrated during Diwali as she is the goddess of prosperity, wealth, and fertility. In a more romantic aspect it is said she chose Lord Vishnu, one of the most important deities, to be her husband on the day of Diwali. Either way, Diwali centers around the idea of good being triumphant over evil and prioritizes the use of light and prosperity. It marks new beginnings in Hindu culture. I learned that Diwali is celebrated in a plethora of ways and holds a multitude of traditions. The most notable is the lighting of 5 diyas (a type of lamp) in different places around the house. These places are usually darkened places that need light, such as bathrooms and kitchens. Before diyas are lit, all parts of the house are cleaned in order to rid the space of evil spirits and negativity. The entirety of the house is lit and bright, as Diwali is a celebration and festival of light. Continually, music and noise is often made in order to scare away spirits and celebrate good trumping evil. All clothes worn on this holiday are new as Diwali is seen as a beginning. Some of the most prominent cultural clothes for women are Saree’s, Kurtas, and Lehengas. Another big part of Diwali is food, particularly sweets. Chakli, peda, barfi, and laddoo are common sweets eaten during Diwali celebrations. Furthermore, decorations are prominent at this time and very colorful. One that is often displayed is a rangoli, which is colorful sands decorated in extravagant beautiful patterns. It is another expression of light and good, rooted in the history of Diwali and the reason for the celebration overall. As someone who is of American descent, I was ill informed about this holiday as a whole. I have always been fascinated by Indian culture and my best friend, Saina, started teaching me about the culture further since we first met. Last year on Diwali she explained the significance and history of the holiday, giving me my own Diya to decorate and light. This year, she graced me with the opportunity to participate in her family's celebration of the holiday. We created a rangoli together and lit candles around her house. She introduced me to hindu music, and showed me some of her traditional dancing. I was even allowed to participate in prayer, and taught about all the important aspects of the holiday itself. We ate amazing food and lit fireworks with many of our friends and her family. She even gifted me my own Kurta to wear, showing me the beautiful clothes of her culture. The celebration overall was beautiful and allowed for me to experience true culture. I am beyond thankful Saina and her family opened their hearts and home to me for this celebration. Although I may not be Indian, I will continue to celebrate Diwali and any other celebrations with them. I believe that the concept of good triumphing against evil is not something that must be centered on one culture or religion, it is a lesson we can all remember and be thankful for. I encourage you all to do more research on this holiday, and talk with your friends or peers who celebrate as well as to take part in as many of the traditions as possible. It is an eye opening experience and a beautiful beginning.
Super Siblings by Kennedy Jaye Babb
According to the National Institute of Health, in the United States, roughly 500,000 children are diagnosed with a life-altering illness; what isn’t on the record is the number of children who are siblings with life-altering illnesses. There are numerous factors affecting siblings of living with someone with a life altering illness. There are good, the bad, and the undisclosed issues. I would like to start by introducing myself, my siblings, and why I'm writing this article. I am Kennedy Jaye. I am a freshman here at Spring Hill High School, and I am a super sibling. What exactly does that mean? That means I am the sibling of a child with a life altering diagnosis, which in turn, has completely changed my life as well. When I was 11, my little brother, Thatcher, was diagnosed with something known as Juvenile Arthritis. It was world shaking for my family, but I wish I would have known then the effects it would have on my life, for the rest of my life. The timing was TERRIBLE. Soon after he was diagnosed, COVID 19 started, it was so stressful. I often thought to myself of the terrible things that would happen if my brother got covid. In this fear, I hid myself, and I often refused to hang out with others in fear they would give me Covid, which would potentially give my brother Covid as well. It was not all bad, around a year after my brother was diagnosed, I was able to start advocating awareness. But what did this mean for me? It gave me the ability and confidence to speak out for what I believed. This ability has been life-changing for me as I got older, due to those early times I advocated, I was able to start advocating for myself. I am, however, far from the only person who struggled from being a super sibling. There is an unofficially diagnosis called Glass Child Syndrome. What exactly does this mean? This is when a child, a super sibling to be exact, fears being anything other than perfect. Children with Glass Child Syndrome often fear they will only put extra stress on their parents. This means they often push themselves to get only the best grades, they become parent-like figures at young ages, they want to win every award they can, and even push themselves in other areas like sports. Although good grades, responsibility, awards, and sports sound great, like in the name, it turns the children to near glass. Glass children often have built up anxiety and feel alone in their situation. They feel like they could break at any moment. There is also often the feeling of not being able to be sick. What exactly does that mean? Many super siblings have to grow up watching their siblings be constantly sick, on meds and chemo, or in hospitals, so whenever they feel ill, it is hard to admit that. Many super siblings fear they are being ungrateful, or dramatic, to say they are sick or take on sick days. This can once again be tied to the harsh anxiety that super siblings gain from not wanting to put stress on their parents. There is a show I quite enjoy to watch. It is called Young Sheldon. In this show there is a character many don't know named Missy. In a episode that will always stick with me, Missy tries to run away, feeling like all of the parents' attention is always on her brothers. She wanted to live a life where she didn't have to always feel like a secondary child. This is the same feeling so many super siblings with Glass Child Syndrome have, like a secondary child. There is good to it, however. Many glass children have the ability to stand up for themselves and others. They have the ability to always know how to be kind. To wrap this article up I would like to talk about an important day. On April 10th, annually, there is something called super sibling day. On this day, find a super sibling, show the super siblings in your life that they are loved. To all my super siblings, stay strong, stay super.
Spring Hill 2023: A Look at the New Year by Cassidy Huey
The holiday season is quickly approaching; New Year's following suit. With the days starting to go by in a blur, we tend to reminisce about all that has happened leading up to this time of year. To welcome the New Year, I think we all are ready to reflect on all that has happened in 2023. So, let’s go behind the scenes and discover what some of our teachers are reflecting on this time of year, and a few of their most anticipated events in 2024 at Spring Hill. Mrs. Hay, one of our English teachers at Spring Hill, mentions how she was most looking forward to the winter dance, prom, and powder puff. Mrs. Hay works closely with the Student Council to help prepare and organize these events. She further reflects on how much she enjoyed being able to help out with haunted house, trunk or treat, and homecoming dance this past year. Each of these events are some of the most anticipated every year for both the faculty and student body, and this is widely expressed through the large amount of dedication from our students and teachers, who make these events possible. While each year is different in many respects, there are always people in our lives that help make each year that much better. Mrs. Hay mentions how her daughter and son help to make every year memorable for her. She describes how watching them grow into the people that they are meant to be as they learn, play, and have fun wherever they are makes her love every moment. Furthermore, Mrs. Hay expressed how proud she is of all of her students each year, as they continue to work hard and have a strong desire to improve, making each class enjoyable no matter the day. Mrs. Hay is very excited for 2024, as she loves experiencing the fresh start each year brings with more opportunities to make new memories. Taking a look at the math department here at Spring Hill, teachers including Mrs. Clement and Mrs. Keith is greatly anticipating the arrival of finals towards the end of this school year. While nerves always tend to spike during finals season, Mrs. Clement is confident that with some of the new course additions in her Algebra 1 classes such as interactive class notes, students will be able to go into their exams feeling prepared. She notes how each of her students are becoming more engaged in class with the new methods of note taking, and feels that these practices will help students understand each topic to a stronger degree. Similarly in the history department, Mrs. Brown, who teaches both European and world history, is very enthusiastic about the activities students are completing in her class. She mentions how there is never a dull moment in her classes, with all of her students having great enthusiasm and energy each day. There are a variety of activities going on in her classes, from her world history students who are working on Renaissance towers and Trade Route Adventure stories, to her European history students who are working on their Protestant Reformation Dinner Party assignments and Enlightened Coffee Chats. Through each and every day, Mrs. Brown is happy to say that all of her students have made this year and many others so special, and expresses her appreciation for all of their hard work. In short, there are so many aspects of life to reflect on this time of year, and even more things that help make each year memorable. Aside from academics, it is clear that all of our faculty at Spring Hill are beyond proud of all of the dedication and motivation that students are exhibiting daily towards their work and extracurriculars. We are very thankful for all of their support and work ethic that they bring to school every day; thank you teachers and faculty staff! Now let’s look forward to another amazing year at Spring Hill.
College Applications by Saina Srivastava
That season is finally here: not only for peppermint mochas and Christmas cheer but the deadlines for college applications. Irrespective of whether it’s Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Decision, or a mixture of all, college is a looming deadline for all seniors. Last-minute essay fixes, ensuring all recommendations are in, sending transcripts, and turning the application in on time all contribute to stress. It is important during this time to find a way to keep cool, and to find ways to combat the senoritis and the burn-out. I’m on the same boat, so here are some things I’ve read and seen work out relatively well that I’d like to share:
Know what you want: Personally, I think half the stress from college applications is not knowing what to say, what you want to major in, or even where to go. I think figuring out one of the three is a great start to easing it. As soon as that’s done, it’s a lot easier to navigate the college realm
Make a timeline: This was a game-changer for me. I had a lot of colleges to apply to, and making a spreadsheet with all the colleges and their deadlines was actually magic for me. It allowed me to organize my thoughts and prioritize which deadlines were first
Take a break!: You are as efficient as you have rested. Without proper rest, socialization, and putting college applications on the back burner, your essays may not be as good as you want, which will only exacerbate the cycle of frustration. Take a break. Go hang out with friends. The essays will be there when you’re back
Your essays are a reflection of you, not the decision: I think a big source of my stress is not getting into the college I want. And quite frankly, the best way I’ve combated it is by realizing that I wrote my essays and achieved all I wanted in high school. Those are what I embody, what truly represents me. An email based on a couple of hours of review isn’t. The decision is out of my control, but my efforts aren’t
Obviously, I’m not a licensed anything, so I can’t say follow this advice for less stress during college applications, but I can say that these have mitigated mine. So it would be a recommendation of mine, and it will be over soon!
Seasonal Depression Mary Ellen Morrison
Here is last years writing on SEASONAL DEPRESSION and the updated version is as follows
Seasonal depression is a disease that affects nearly 10 million Americans per year with substantial symptoms almost nationwide. I know I can testify when the lake goes down and warmth starts to make an appearance less and less, I can feel my happiness fade. A large question that goes along with seasonal depression is why and how this nationwide emotional shift occurs? A broad answer is a quick shift in the weather with a more specific answer being a societal chemical imbalance. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) as winter starts a significant decrease in serotonin levels occurs to the brain because of a lack of molecular function within the brain. This change more often occurs from summer to winter but it is still seen in the change from winter to summer just depending on the person. This chemical change to the brain can display a variety of symptoms including anxiety, loss/gain of appetite, insomnia, weight fluctuation, and so much more. These symptoms cause changes in a broad variety of people that can lead to social withdrawal as well as an increase in sleeping amounts. All of these symptoms are specified based on the person and their relative circumstances. This means one person could notice anything from slight agitation to suicidal feelings. That is why seasonal depression isn’t talked about and promoted nationwide, simply due to the broad spectrum of symptoms and personalized decisions that come with it. All of these symptoms and feelings can be increased as the body’s vitamin D is lost in the winter for those who suffer from winter-based seasonal depression. As vitamin D drops within the body serotonin levels increasingly drop more and more furthering these depressive symptoms. Now on the other side of the spectrum, those who suffer from summer-based seasonal depression slip further into their depressive symptoms as the heat and humidity drain the body’s internal resources. I would like to take a moment to remind all readers that seasonal depression is subjective and knows no limits, so as we enter exam season make sure you take all of the correct precautions to protect your mental health. It is recommended by the National Institute of Health to reach out to a trained professional to receive counseling if you are feeling depressive symptoms. If you are feeling any of these symptoms and don’t have access to a counselor the Spring Hill guidance counseling team, our on-campus counselor, and even your teachers are all there to help you through this year. No matter what you are going through I hope you have a very happy holiday season filled with happiness and love.