Whether covering the lawn of the average suburban home or a multi-million dollar golf course, grass has cemented itself as a major part of American culture. It can be seen as a status symbol, a representation of the American dream or the perfect place for your nuclear family to sit in the sun. What…
As I open social media after a long day at school, I am immediately inundated with videos discussing what influencers eat in a day and their promotion of unnatural bodies and unrealistic workout routines, all for the sake of wellness. Filling young minds with unachievable standards for a body, wellness culture, a lifestyle compiled…
There is a sword hanging over our heads: the expansion of generative artificial intelligence [AI]’s threat to humanity. The dangers of AI can not be ignored. As a junior in high school beginning to look at my future, I am horrified watching AI infiltrate every corner of our society. Teachers, peers, family, influencers and…
High school is stressful enough on its own, and many students have external issues that increase that stress, including medical conditions. I hold a 504 medical plan for Type 1 diabetes, and my accommodations range from the use of my phone to monitor my blood sugars to being able to leave class and reschedule…
Today, the government watches while a third party stalks. In cities across the United States, Flock Safety keeps tabs on people’s everyday lives by monitoring license plates, but how much privacy are we willing to lose for safer streets? In the shadows sits a black, round camera beneath a solar panel on a pole…
The world of anime is a vast uncharted one full of unique character design, varying genres and creative storylines. To non-anime watchers, anime is just badly written cartoons with over-exaggerated emotions, but that is only because they do not understand the art. Whether you are watching an action-packed adventure about heroes, a high school…
Sitting in a temple room full of brown people of many ages, I would find myself zoning out as the priest chanted hymns and mantras that translated as gibberish to me. I never grew up knowing what those holy moments meant, nor did I have any idea on how to appreciate the Hindu sector…
It exists everywhere, in our language, in our standards, in our media and in the way it is deeply ingrained in our minds. Misogyny goes unseen, so it is everyone’s job to unlearn the sexist mindset they have adapted. Many people may not notice how we always use words such as “bro,” “dude” or…
Sometimes I spend hours working on a homework assignment only to keep erasing my work and second guessing myself. I set aside time to study for a test and even after reviewing the material repeatedly, I feel defeated when I don’t get that perfect grade. The school system can sometimes produce toxicity around taking…
For most teenagers, Halloween shifts over the years from a night of bartering candy with friends into a hectic and uncoordinated series of jumps between parties in the dark. Many of us feel too old to trick-or-treat and too old to dress up at school, but what if it didn’t have to be that…