Category Archives: Entertainment

Editorials/Student Voice, Tech/Games

Opinions on the use of AI

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By: Cleo Newton

Image created with Wonder

AI has been developing over time and has recently started to become more prominent. With more people becoming more aware of AI and its use, they’ve started to use it for things such as image generation, writing tools, and for other personal uses.

Many people have different opinions on it. From the Pew Research Center, 18% of Americans view AI as a benefit while 37% view it as something to be concerned about. The other 45% are somewhere in between. Those who are worried are mostly concerned about the possibility of job loss, and their privacy. Some people think AI can allow work to be easier and more efficient.

Self driving cars have always been something people have dreamt of, and now that AI has improved, it’s a thing companies have been testing. Most Americans see this as risky and dangerous as people could get killed or injured. There are other people who think that self driving cars could be convenient because it would make getting around less stressful. Then again, those who make deliveries in cars or any other vehicle have the chance of losing their job.

AI generated art has been something many people and artists have been talking about recently. An article from IDS News says that because the AI cannot feel like humans can, it can’t really incorporate emotions into art the way humans can. While AI can be useful for making quick art, If people were to use AI to generate images more often, artists may not be able to make enough money to support a stable home life.

All in all, it seems like people have mixed feelings about the use of AI. It can take on tasks that some people wouldn’t want to do or would find inconvenient. Despite the fact it can be helpful, for some people, it can be a problem. I think that people’s biggest concerns around the use of AI are about privacy and job loss. I think that while AI can be helpful for some things, it can be a problem if people abuse it.

Tech/Games

‘Persona 5 Royal’ game review

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By: Persephone Pond

*Note: This article contains spoilers

‘Persona 5 Royal’ is a Japanese RPG style game that was initially released in Japan in 2019 as a newer rendition of the original game, ‘Persona 5’, in which there were small updates and included improvements. In 2020, ‘Persona 5 Royal’ was released in western countries such as the U.S., and immediately gained popularity as the 5th game in the ‘Persona’ series. Each game in the series follows its own characters and plot lines and is completely separate from each other, but the world and lore of the universe is the same. Today I’ll be writing about the newest release, ‘Persona 5 Royal’.

To summarize the lore to better understand this game, in addition to taking place in modern day Japan, there is another reality referred to as the Metaverse, in which people can form what’s referred to as a palace. A palace is a place in the Metaverse made up of a person’s distorted thoughts and values. Not just anyone has such distorted desires to create their own palace, so the general public’s distortions make up the bulk of the Metaverse. Within a person’s palace, at the core, is their treasure. Taking a person’s treasure from their palace will cause the palace owner to have a “change of heart”. As the palace is destroyed because of the treasure being stolen, this causes the person’s distortions to disappear and they become a changed person in the real world.

The Metaverse is more of just a name for this reality of palace’s made up of distorted thoughts and desires. If you walked out of a palace owned by one person, you’d find what’s referred to as Mementos.

Mementos is a palace by all literal standards, but it’s different from the palaces that are made up of one given person’s distorted desires. Mementos is the palace of the public, and it’s made up of the general public’s distorted thoughts and desires. Everyone has some variety of distorted thoughts, but no normal citizen could have these thoughts and desires to the degree where they’d have their own palace, but they still have an impact on the Metaverse, thus the creation of Mementos. The Phantom Thieves can’t only target big figures, they need to help the people directly too, so Mementos is basically the world you go to for side quests. On the Phantom Thieves official website, monitored by Shujin’s star male volleyball player Mishima—who is blissfully unaware of the Phantom Thieves being students at his same school—people will leave the names of others who are doing wrong, and that’s where you receive side quests, and when you’re able to visit Mementos.

Traveling to the Metaverse can be difficult. A navigation app is automatically downloaded on a persona wielder’s phone, and traveling to Mementos just requires a tap of a button, but it’s more complicated than that to get to a bigger person’s palace. You need the person’s full name, their location, and the form the distortion takes in the Metaverse. The form is basically the theme of the palace, whether it’s a bank, museum, or castle.

Not just anyone has the abilities to travel between the real world and the Metaverse. Specific people have the ability to awaken a persona, which is one’s true self. When in the Metaverse, these persona wielders transform into versions of themselves that reflect their inner/repressed selves, and gain great power that can be used to fight enemies and steal palace treasure.

A little more about personas; as they’re a reflection of their wielder, there’s one exception. You, the protagonist, has the incredibly rare ability to wield more than one persona at any given time. Personas give their wielder great and a wide variety of powers and damage types, including physical, gunshot, wind, fire, ice, curse, light, electric, nuke, and psychic. Each Persona has one strong damage type that typically are the abilities you get, and one weakness. This is especially helpful because as everyone in the group only has one damage type they can deal, with the exception of you, the protagonist, who can wield multiple personas, thus can switch between as you wish and can deal any damage type your personas allow.

This game is centered around a second year highschool student that you play as. As you navigate through life at Shujin Academy, you make lots of allies. Some of these allies end up finding out about the metaverse, and palace after palace, a new member is added to your team.

The first palace you gain three members to your team (each team member get’s their own code name, as to prevent any unseen circumstances where their identities would be revealed); Morgana, a cat-like creature who you discover in the first palace, and who turns into a cat when in the real world, code name Mona. Second, you meet Ryuji Sakamoto, a delinquent who formally was a track and field star, code name Skull. Third, Ann Takamaki is added to your team. Ann is an international model who’s a victim of the first palace’s owner, code name Panther. These three allies make up the core of your group of justice, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

Over the course of the next four palaces, you pick up four new members for your team, each bringing their own unique assets to the group.

The second palace belongs to a very famous and corrupt artist by the name of Maderame. Maderame is a huge figure to the public, but behind the scenes, he has a habit of plagiarizing his pupil’s work. In his palace, you meet Yusuke Kitawaga, one of Madarame’s star students. At first, Yusuke is oblivious to his master’s actions, but with the help of the Phantom Thieves, he awakens his own persona and gains the code name Fox.

The third palace is one of an underground mafia boss, Kaneshiro. Kaneshiro has his underlings go out and drag unsuspecting highschool students into laundering money and drugs for him, and this gets these students in huge debt and trouble. The Student Council president of Shujin Academy, Makoto Niijima, is already on the protagonist’s trail and suspects him to be a Phantom Thief, and once she finds out about the dangerous environment for students, she threatens the Phantom Thieves into finding Kaneshiro’s identity and changing his heart. Though Makoto was introduced as an obstacle, she later awakens her own persona and joins the Phantom Thieves in bringing Kaneshiro down, and earns the code name Queen.

The fourth palace introduces you to a new concept; someone asking for their heart to be changed. Futaba Sakura is a young hacking prodigy, and as she’s consumed in guilt and grief over her mother’s death, she anonymously requests for the Phantom Thieves help, as she already knows their true identities. In return, Futaba will shut down a huge network of hackers threatening to bring the Phantom Thieves down. Futaba is accidentally transported to the metaverse, and while in her own palace, she awakens a persona, joins the Phantom Thieves, and gains the code name Oracle.

The fifth palace belongs to a rich business owner, Okumura. Okumura is incredibly ambitious in his ventures, but his greed to grow his company completely blinded him, and he doesn’t realize how much his ambition is hurting his employees, and his daughter. Haru Okumura is a sheltered girl, who, in a similar manner to Yusuke, is enlightened with the truth about her role model’s actions. Haru joins the Phantom Thieves at the beginning of her father’s palace, and is given the code name Noir.

Now to actually get into the review of the game, ‘Persona 5 Royal’ is a wonderful and creative game. The aspects I’m going to be talking about in the rest of this article will cover the gameplay, storyline, and character development and relationships.

Starting off, the gameplay in this game is always an adventure. Within each palace, there are enemies called shadows, and these are the enemies you defeat to gain experience and level up. Their difficulty levels change depending on where in the palace you are, and finding any given shadow’s weakness and strong points can be surprisingly difficult. The fighting mechanics are always appropriately challenging and it’s always really rewarding to defeat a higher level shadow.

The palaces themselves are always built and disguised in such clever ways, and the overall layout and puzzles contained in the palaces are super fun to work through. The developers did a great job of making sure the puzzles are always in the right places and are never too easy, and these puzzles with the addition of shadows and mini bosses scattered throughout the palace make the appropriate difficulty level, and it really adds to the feeling of a job well done when you get through an especially difficult part.

The world building is also incredible, as the game play isn’t restricted to just the palaces. When you have free time, the game allows you to wander around the neighboring districts and cities around where you live. Going to different stores allows you to buy items that can be used to heal teammates, and you can buy items that up your stats and relationships with people. The ability to run around the city wild really adds to the illusion of choice within the game, and makes you feel like the story really is under your control.

The actual story and plot the game revolves around is also incredible. The game really has the lore and world building down, partially because this is the fifth game in the series, and they’ve had a lot of time and published games to really get that down. The complexity of the plot really elevates as time goes on, and the more you play, the more layers you find there are to everything. There is so much to learn about the game and the world you’re playing in, and at first it might sound like a lot, but the game really does an incredible job of slowly letting you learn so it’s not a huge dump at the very beginning.

As a lot of good games do, there’s so much story and plot to get to, but this is done very well. The first five palaces are mainly there to introduce you to new characters so you can gain as many confidants as possible, and to get you used to the gameplay and the flow of the game. These first few levels ease you into the overarching plot, but still drops many small hints and allow you to try and piece everything together by yourself. It’s a good way to get you hooked and invested in the game before throwing the real problems at you, and giving you a real challenge.

The characters and relationships you can build are probably my favorite part of ‘Persona 5 Royal’. In this game, making allies, or confidants, strengthens the powers of specific personas that the protagonist can wield, therefore meeting and strengthening your bond with different characters is a must.

There’s a very wide variety of characters in this game, and each has their own unique characteristics and personalities. For the sake of time, I’ll be covering the Phantom Thieves and main characters and their attributes.

The main team consists of eight members total, gaining three allies right away and then one more for each of the next four palaces, as stated above. First you meet Ryuji while starting at Shujin, and when you first get transported to the metaverse, he’s accidentally transported there with you. Ryuji is a sort of outcast. After he stood up to the abusive track and field coach, the team was disbanded and all Ryuji’s teammates blamed him. As you hang out with, and strengthen your bond with, Ryuji, you learn more about his relationship with his mother, and that there’s more to him than just a shallow delinquent. As Japanese games and shows go, Ryuji is the romantically inclined guy in the group who wants to use his status to go out with girls, but looking past this archetype, he truly is an interesting and complex character.

Morgana is the brains of the group, and the only character with background knowledge on the Metaverse. Morgana is introduced at the beginning of the game, as the protagonist and Ryuji are in the Metaverse for the first time. We don’t know what Morgana truly is, as in the real world, he takes the form of a cat, and only people who’ve awakened a persona can talk to him. His character is shrouded in mystery, and is one of the core members of the team. Despite Morgana being an incredible asset, others in the team never fail to make him feel unwanted and useless by joking about him. Morgana has an incredible character arc later in the fifth palace, while the others learn his significance to the group.

Ann joins the team a little later in the first palace, after she’s forced to face reality and confront the fact that she’s suffering abuse from one of the teacher’s at Shujin. Ann has a wonderful arc where she realizes she’s more than just an object to be sexualized by others, and continues to help others who were suffering from the same abuse. Growing your bond with Ann allows you to learn more about her life as a model and absent parents. Her story is unique and she grows so much between the first palace and just a few months later.

In the second palace you’re introduced to Yusuke, and he’s kind of the odd one out in the Phantom Thieves. Yusuke attends an art school, in contrast to everyone else in the group (with the exception of Futaba) who attends Shujin academy. Yusuke was orphaned at a young age, and he was taken in by the second palace’s owner, Maderame, and his artistic talent was honed and shaped by the master. It was hard for Yusuke to accept that Maderame wasn’t a good person, and even months after learning this life changing information, Yusuke struggles to accept that his role model wasn’t who he thought. Despite this, Yusuke strives to be a mentor to others and through his hang out events, you grow much closer.

You’re introduced to Makoto pretty early on in the game, as she’s the student council president at Shujin. At first, Makoto is introduced as an obstacle in the way of the Phantom Thieves. She managed to learn the identities of the growing group after being asked to investigate the matter by the school’s principal. Instead of ratting the Phantom Thieves out, Makoto turns her attention to a mafia boss in the local area, and blackmails the Phantom Thieves so they would change his heart. After being transported to the mafia bosses’ palace, Makoto herself has a change of heart, and she awakens a persona and joins the Phantom Thieves. Makoto’s change of sides is really natural and it really showcases a lot of her incredible character. Enemy to friend is always a really nice trope, and Makoto was definitely the correct character to do this with. There’s also quite a bit more to her character than what you get within this palace. As you hang out with her, you learn that the top honor student really doesn’t know why she works as hard as she does.

There’s quite a few levels to Makoto’s character, and she’s really a great way to showcase how to write an interesting, complex character.

Futaba breaks the trend of these palaces, as she asks for her own heart to be changed. Futaba’s mother was incredibly kind and gentle raising Futaba, but unfortunately, she was said to have committed suicide by jumping in front of a fast moving car. The men who reported this news to Futaba said that the reason her mother died was all because Futaba was a burden, and Futaba’s mother couldn’t take it anymore, but it was all a lie. Futaba lived with this guilt for years while being cared for by a man called Sojiro Sakura, and the weight of this trauma caused Futaba to figure out the identities of the Phantom Thieves and offered to help them if they could change her heart. Futaba was accidentally transported to the metaverse and awakened her persona there, and after figuring out the truth, she let go of that weight and joined the team. Futaba doesn’t know much about the world, as she had been a shut-in ever since her mother’s death, so strengthening your bond with Futaba allows you to learn more about her hacking abilities and teach her about the outside world.

Haru is a very awkward and reserved person. She has serious trust issues due to the fact that most of her friends from her childhood were only using her for her dad’s status. Haru’s father is incredibly wealthy and influential, and as an outcome, Haru has been surrounded by fakes for most of her life. Initially, Haru doesn’t want to join the Phantom Thieves once she learns about the metaverse because she’s still reluctant to oppose her father. Once the rest of the Phantom Thieves showed her her father’s true intentions and distortions, Haru’s mind was changed. Haru is very different from the rest of the group as her character is more reserved and less out there, but that isn’t a bad thing, and it brings a sense of balance to the group. Haru quickly bonds with the team, and as your bond strengthens with her, you get a better window into her modernity secluded yet interesting life.

All of the team members are so unique and interesting, and the way they all interact makes the game feel so much more real. The characters aren’t limited to these seven, but these are definitely some of the most important, and best written. One of the highlights of ‘Persona 5 Royal’ is definitely the characters and their development, and there really isn’t a character worth hating for lack of good writing reasons.

Overall, ‘Persona 5 Royal’ is very much worth the money. There are hours upon hours worth of entertaining and thought provoking characters and plot, and if you’re looking for a story driven game that you won’t finish to easily, ‘Persona 5 Royal’ is a wonderful option.

‘Persona 5 Royal’ is available on Steam, Playstation 5, Xbox, and the Nintendo Switch.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘All The Bright Places’

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By: Chloe Rocha

*Note: This article contains spoilers and deals with mental health issues including suicide

This article is a movie review on ‘All The Bright Places’ directed by Brett Haley. This movie was originally a book by Jennifer Niven, but was turned into a movie in 2020. The movie follows the story of two individuals; one being Theodore Finch, who is diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

In my opinion, Justice Smith who played Finch did a really good job at representing someone who would have bipolar disorder, shown by his experienced manic episodes and depressive period.

The other individual that the movie follows is Violet Markey, played by Elle Fanning. At the beginning of the movie you see Finch on a run and he comes across Violet standing on the ledge of a bridge looking down. The first thought that came to mind was that Violet may be depressed and is thinking about taking her life.

It is later revealed that she was on that bridge because that was where her sister Eleanor passed away at the age of 18 in a car accident 9 months prior. Violet was in the car when they crashed and she only suffered minor injuries but unfortunately Eleanor lost her life.

Throughout the movie the two are partnered together for a class project where the objective is to discover the “natural wonders” of their home state Indiana. While on their adventures they begin to develop feelings for each other and Finch helps Violet find happiness again after the loss of her sister. On the other hand, Finch begins to spiral out of control and eventually takes his own life at the end of the movie by drowning in a lake that is known to have no bottom, other wise known as “the blue hole”.

I really enjoyed this movie and have yet to read the book, but I have liked this movie for a long time and have rewatched it multiple times. I do recommend this movie, but in my opinion, you can either really like it or not care for it, so there is a select few that may enjoy it just as much as I do even though it’s not the typical “happy ever after” ending that you usually see in movies. This movie takes on serious topics about mental health and in my opinion is more realistic because in life it’s not always a happy ending and this movie showed that.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to the 988 Suicide & Prevention Lifeline site for a list of additional resources

Travel/Food

Ilhan Omar’s recipe that my family uses

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By: M. Ahmadad

Some sambusas the author’s mother made: Photo taken by the author

Sambusa is one of the most popular foods in Somali cuisine, and can be eaten to accompany a main dish or enjoyed simply on its own, with many variations of fillings. And, it also happens to be on the HPSH school lunch menu, so many students have already tasted the beef or lentil options.

For those looking to try their hand at making it, here is a recipe for beef sambusa, courtesy of my mother who got the recipe from an interview Ilhan Omar did where she talked about how using egg roll wrappers made hers special.

            Ingredients (generally makes 4-6):

  • Egg roll wrappers
  • Cooking oil (non-flavor or by preference)
  • Ground beef (85% lean)
  • Seasoning mix of choice (suggested: curry or goat meat powder)
  • Water (for sealing egg wrap around filling)
  • Minced green onions
  • Minced garlic cloves
  • Finely cut onions
  • Salt/grounded black pepper

*Amounts can vary depending on how many servings you’re making, and what meat/vegetable/spice ratio fits you best.

You’ll need a skillet, and at least one vegetable knife, and a skimmer. Also a plate.

Creating the filling:

  • In a large bowl, mix together your seasoning mix + salt and pepper with the ground beef well. Toss your minced onion, green onion, and garlic clove in according to the meat to veggie ratio you want. After adding, mix well into one complete filling for the sambusa

Preparing the shell of the sambusa:

  •  On a baking sheet, lay your egg roll wrappers down and cut them diagonally to form triangles.

Shaping the sambusa:

  • Place a tablespoon or less of the filling mix onto an egg wrap triangle, and use water to wet the edges before wrapping the bottom corners up and onto each other to form a triangle shape around the filling.

Cooking and serving:

  • Fill the skillet up with one or two tablespoons of oil and turn the stove to medium-high heat, after waiting for the oil to heat up, place your sambusa into the skillet. Turn gently with cooking tongs until the outer layer is golden-brown. Use a skimmer to lift the sambusa out, one at a time, and allow for the excess oil to drip off. Place on a plate. Wait for the sambusa to cool down enough to enjoy.

I hope this recipe/guide was helpful, have fun with making sambusa!

Travel/Food

State Fair food

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By: Oak Berg

Chicken on a stick with Thai noodles

The Minnesota State Fair is a food persons dream, with a shift scale of delights that deliver to all tastes and preferences. As a food person, I have walked  the fairgrounds and discovered some amazing meals that deserve recognition. In this article, I will share my top picks for the best Minnesota State Fair food.

First on the list is the basic corn dog, a simple yet delicious treat that never fails to please both young and old. The crispy batter and juicy hotdog create an amazing collaboration of textures that are irresistible.

Sweet Martha’s Cookies are a must-try for anyone with a sweet tooth. These warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies are freshly baked and loaded with chocolate chips, creating an amazing taste that is hard to resist.

The Pronto Pup is a tasty twist on the traditional corn dog, with a slightly sweeter batter that creates a unique and delicious flavor. The hot dog is encased in a golden, crispy exterior, adding another layer of texture to this delicious treat.

Last but not least, deep-fried cheese curds are an amazing pick that should not be missed. These bite-sized nuggets of cheese are coated in a light, crispy batter and deep-fried to perfection, creating a warm and gooey snack that pairs well with any other delicacy you choose to try.

Overall, the Minnesota State Fair offers a wide variety of mouthwatering treats that brings something to all tastes and preferences. From classic corn dogs and sweet chocolate chip cookies to unique twists on familiar favorites like the Pronto Pup and deep-fried cheese curds, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Make sure to invest in these foods during your visit to the fairgrounds.

Travel/Food

Best places to see fall colors in Minnesota

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By: Natalia Gercheva

Photo taken by the author

Autumn in Minnesota is one of the best places to experience some of the most beautiful leaf colors. Luckily, there are many parks you can go to, and walks you can take to be surrounded by nature’s beauty.

In Minnesota, mid-September to mid-October is when the trees start to change color. The official first day of fall is September 23rd so if you have the chance, I highly recommend going outside to admire this annual glorious phenomenon.

1. Winchell Trail in Minneapolis
This hike is a 2-mile round trip on a mostly unpaved trail with a moderate climb. This beautiful hike goes right along the Mississippi River gorge, and it is popular with bird watchers and naturalists. There are many trees along the trail, and the lighting makes the leaves’ colors pop.

2. Lake Maria State Park
This state park has a wide variety of trails you can go on varying in distance. There are 9 trails that range from 0.5 mi- 5.3 mi long. Lake Maria is located in Minneapolis, and it is an easy drive from anywhere in the area. This would be a perfect state park to go to with your family or friends to enjoy being outside in nature.

3. Minnehaha Falls Regional Park
Minnehaha Falls is one of the oldest parks in Minneapolis, where visitors can enjoy not only the autumn colors, but also a luscious 53-foot waterfall, river views, and limestone bluffs. The park is 193- acres and contains oak, elm, silver maple, basswood, hackberry and cottonwood trees. There are also native and prairie woodland wildflowers.

These parks/ trails are my personal favorites, but some other noteworthy destinations are Taylors Falls, Fort Snelling State Park, and the Hyland Hills Ski Area. Although the time is limited, and the fall colors will change quickly, it will be a memorable experience, and definitely worth it if you decide to make one of these trips.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Red White & Royal Blue’

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By: Abisola Dosunmu

Image created with Hotpot AI

*Note: This article contains spoilers

‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ is a movie adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s bestselling original novel. It was released on August 11, 2023, on Amazon Prime. The movie recently reached No. 1 on Prime due to its popularity.

It featured two talented actors starring as the main leads: Taylor Zakhar Perez playing Alex Claremont-Diaz, the first son of the first female president, and Nicholas Galitzine playing Henry Fox, the prince of Britain. They meet, they cause an international scandal concerning a lot of cake during a very public royal wedding, and somewhere in the months of forced – then not so forced – contact to perform damage control, they slowly fall in love. But before that?

The ocean that separates those two couldn’t be wider, according to Alex. Alex has had a problem with Henry ever since he brushed him off at the Olympics, while Henry was just trying to grieve his dead father. This plot point doesn’t change much in the movie, however, the friendship part of their relationship felt rushed, rather than the natural progression and banter that was seen in the book. Understandable, the directors had to smush the entire book into a two hour movie, which meant some parts had to be entirely cut out from the movie, as it is with most movie adaptations. However, the movie would have been better if it was fleshed out in a six part series, rather than a two hour movie.

One thing I liked in the movie was the chemistry between the two male leads, Taylor and Nicholas. They really brought the characters Henry and Alex to life, the charisma and the banter between the two characters was very entertaining to watch. The movie wouldn’t have been half as enjoyable to watch without these two.

Still, the heart of the novel, ‘Red White & Royal Blue’, remains entirely the same in the movie. It reads like a corny romcom on the pages, but the actors and directors really brought the lightness and humor of it to life on screen.

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Editorials/Student Voice, Tech/Games

Why social media is bad for teenagers

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By: Lauren Kottke & Ella Sutherland

Image created with Wonder

*Note: This article was written at the end of the 2022/23 school year.

Social media has been consuming the lives and minds of teenagers and young adults. All of our friends have some type of social media platform and account. We use this as a way to see what each other is up to, keep in touch with distant friends, but mostly we get bored and we just scroll. Many times people we know, including us, have felt really down and our solution to these problems is to start scrolling on social media apps. This creates unhealthy habits and there are many problems with doing this.

In order to prevent social media from consuming teenagers the creators of social media platforms should restrict the amount of time teenagers can spend on social media.

The rise in mental illness within teenagers has skyrocketed since the rise in popularity of social media. COVID and the pandemic affected how often people used social media and the amount of time people went on these platforms and apps per day.

We were inside all day and we couldn’t go out and hang out with friends or go out to eat. We relied heavily on social media to keep us occupied and we resorted back to that when we were bored. Because we had access to this at the tap of a finger, we became lazy and we stopped doing creative things like crafts and projects, or even simple things like reading a book or journaling.

According to Statistica.com, a survey conducted between July and October 2020 revealed that 61 percent of Generation Z and Millennials were watching more videos on social media apps during the COVID-19 pandemic.

People spend too much time on social media per week which can lead to many negative things. There are many studies that show that being chronically online can affect your mental health and you can develop mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Social media can also affect teenagers self esteem. When you see your friends posting together you might end up feeling very left out wondering why you weren’t invited.

Social media also sets very unrealistic beauty standards for teenagers, and when you see them and feel like you don’t look as pretty as the people that post edited photos, you start to feel terrible about how you feel.

“Those who find themselves in this category often make toxic comparisons between themselves and those they follow online, and they come face-to-face with society’s perceptions of perfectionism, which is never truly obtainable.” – Selecthealth.org

Social media can be dangerous. On social media when you post things for the public you can become a target for bullies, stalkers, or unsolicited pictures. There are many instances where people have felt uncomfortable online whether that be from creepy messages or pictures of yourself getting exposed, or even receiving inappropriate photos that were not wanted. This can make it very scary for teenagers, especially young girls online.

Onlinedegrees.unr.edu reported, “The Pew Research Center’s 2018 survey of U.S. teens determined that one in six teenagers have experienced at least one of six different forms of abusive behavior online:

  • Name-calling (42%)
  • Spreading false rumors (32%)
  • Receiving unsolicited explicit images (25%)
  • Having their activities and whereabouts tracked by someone other than a parent (21%)
  • Someone making physical threats (16%)
  • Having explicit images of them shared without their consent (7%)”

The creators of social media apps need to restrict and limit the amount of time that teenagers are allowed to spend on social media. The consequences of social media outweigh the rewards greatly and in the end, is not worth it for anyone. It is unsafe, it is mentally draining, and it is how we spend too much of our time.

Movies/TV/Theaters

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ review

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By: Mushtaq Yonis

*Note: This article contains spoilers

Official ‘Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse’ movie poster

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ is a sequel to ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’, a film based on Miles Morales as Spider-Man. This film stars Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, and more. It’s directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson. The plot revolves around Miles Morales as he journeys through alternate dimensions and teams up with other Spider-People to stop a new villain and to save his family!

Miles Morales is a 15-year-old sophomore in high school who was bitten by a radioactive spider and was Brooklyn’s one and only spider man for a year.

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ was probably one of the best animation movies I have watched before, the way they animated Hobie or Spider-Punk was incredible. Animators typically change poses and details every second frame but for Hobie his pose changed every third frame making it different from the characters around him.

I also love how they added characters from ‘Spider Man: Into the Spider- Verse’ to this new movie, like Peter Porker, Penni Parker, Peter B. Parker, Noir, Gwen, Spider Man 2099 etc.

We also saw some new characters/Spidermen in this movie as well, we’ve seen Ben Reilly or Scarlet Spider, Pavitr Prabhakar, Hobie or Spider-Punk etc. There’s a lot more we’ve seen when Miles visited the Spider-Society and having to fight the Spider Society in order to go home.

One thing I’ve wanted to talk about was the soundtrack for this movie, which was released by Metro Boomin and had features from Swae Lee, Lil Wayne, Offset, ASAP Rocky, Roisee, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, JID, James Blake Nav, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Ei8ht, Don Toliver, Wizkid, Beam, Toian, Coi Leray, 21 Savage, 2 Chainz, and Nas. The professional Rating for this Album 6.4/10 but for me I’ll give it a 7.5/10. My favorite song from this movie wasn’t in the album, which is “Mona Lisa” by Dominic Fike. It was played while Gwen was visiting Miles and they were swinging through the city of NYC.

If you haven’t watched the movie yet I highly recommend you to watch it! It’s still playing in theaters so make sure you watch it!

Student Creative Writing, Tech/Games

The life of a S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

1 Comment

By: Hoaseng Thao

Note: This is a student generated work of short fiction based upon an online game

In-game screen shot

Hello my friends, if you are reading this, then this is a message to the outside world from within The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Why am I writing this? Well I wanted to show to the world what life is like in the Zone as a S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

My name is Uni, I am a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and if you do not even know what a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is, then I will tell you. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. or Stalker, is an acronym containing the words, Scavenger, Traveller, Adventurer, Loner, Killer, Explorer, and Robber, all of which describes the basic Stalker who of course, stalks The Zone.

I originally came to Ukraine to enter the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, or most widely known by all Stalkers as “The Zone”. The reasoning for my entrance into The Zone was of course, for the wonders of adventure and the money that I can get from it, but of course, all of that baloney was just to lure unprepared Stalkers into entering The Zone so they can feed it’s inhabitants.

Originally, I entered The Zone as a Mercenary Stalker, a faction that has its headquarters in the Dead City, just south of Limansk and north of Yantar. In the first few days in The Zone, I was inexperienced with the surreal wildlife and the anomalous creatures that made their home in such a terrible spot on the planet. My first few missions as a trainee Mercenary, was to help deliver packages from Mercs in Dead City, to members of either the Freedom faction or the Bandits, the latter I am not so fond of.

But as I gained more experience in The Zone, the better reputation I had with fellow Mercs and other Stalkers, and the better I was at fighting both The Zone’s wildlife alongside the countless brainwashed Monolith soldiers that scatter The Zone. If you don’t know already, the soldiers within the Monolith faction are essentially brainwashed into worshiping a shiny rock in the heart of the Chernobyl Power Plant, and I personally like to refer to them as the “Shiny Rock Lickers” because of that.

After a few weeks of surviving in, and doing tasks within, The Zone, I decided to head to Yantar to help pay for an ecologist that I already forgot the name of, for an exquisite piece of headwear known by many Stalkers as the Psi-Helmet. After paying the guy 20,000 roubles or something like that, he told me to wait two full days for the damn thing, but being a goodie two shoes of a Mercenary, I decided to sleep in his little research laboratory for a couple of days before receiving the headgear.

After receiving the Psi-Helmet, I was then told by the ecologist to turn off the Miracle Machine that could be found inside a laboratory known as Lab X-16 which couldn’t be turned off because of the Psi emissions that would fry the minds of any Stalker trying to enter that place. Knowing that I had the Psi-Helmet on me, I decided to enter the Lab as a favor for that Scientist. I’m not going to explain what happened in that lab as it was quite easy to get through besides the many Blood Suckers that somehow found their way into the lab.

After turning off the Miracle Machine, I was then ordered by the same ecologist, to turn off another machine known as the Brain Scorcher in order to stop the strong Psi Emission it blasted. Apparently, from what many Stalkers I came across told me, is that the Brain Scorcher was actually turned off at some point by Ukraine’s Chief Scientist Consultant, Strelok, but after a few years the Stalkers of the Monolith faction decided that they should turn it back on again.

In preparation for the mission, I decided to buy and upgrade a Mercenary Exosuit to prepare for the retaliation Monolith would already have for me when I finish the mission. Armed with a Rifle and Shotgun, and armored with one of the best equipment The Zone has to offer, and as I descended down to the labyrinth that held the Brain Scorcher, I could already feel the Psi-Emissions that the Brain Scorcher was blasting out.

With a limited amount of time before the Psi-Emissions would kill me, I bolted through the many Bloodsuckers that lived in that labyrinth and turned off the Brain Scorcher before the thing could kill me. After turning off the machine, I quickly exited the labyrinth as Monolith Stalkers began to rush my position, and as I exited the area, I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that it was finally over.

After some time, I decided to rest near a campsite as the moon began to shine down upon me, and there I was able to eat a can of Tuna before looking at my PDA for any new messages, and there was one that caught my attention: “Loners have declared a ceasefire with the Mercenaries” it said on my messages.

I made my way down to Rookie Village, the supposed headquarters of the Loner faction, a faction that was originally hostile to us Mercs but when I turned off the Brain Scorcher, they became more friendly to us. There in the Rookie Village, I met a trader named “Sidorovich” who scammed me of a few Artifacts and a female Stalker named “Hip”.

I was able to talk to Hip, who then asked me to find a TOZ-34 Bizon for her client, I accepted thinking that it would be easy but in reality I found myself running across The Zone, aimlessly looking for this weapon when I then asked other Mercenaries on the PDA where I can find a TOZ-34 Bizon.

Apparently, I had to go to the flea market to buy it, but when I went there, I had to pay around 90,000 roubles for the thing, and after paying for the damn thing and returning back to Hip, I later learned that her client died a few days ago, and knowing that, she decided to pay me back before asking me to help her with finding a couple artifacts for our good ol’ friend Sidorovich.

Hip needed help finding a Moonlight artifact, a Fireball artifact, and a Wrenched artifact, all of which I had to find as she watched me get sick from both radiation and a lethal dose of bullets. During our hunt for these artifacts, I decided to help a faction known as Clear Sky to help defend their pump station from an enemy faction, but as I entered the pump station and readied their defenses, I aimed my rifle scope at the enemy, and realized who we were fighting. We were fighting bandits, a friendly faction to us Mercs.

I can not describe what happened later but all I could say was that my reputation was ruined and the trust I had with fellow Mercs and Bandits was now faltering. I was left distraught and my morals seemed to be fleeting, but I knew that I had to move forward and rebuild my reputation from the ground up.

After that mission, me and Hip found the last remaining artifacts and we gave them to Sidorovich who gladly accepted and told me that the Freedom faction asked that Hip do another mission for them. After finishing Hip’s mission, she then told me to meet her at Rookie Village tomorrow night to which I told her about the mission from Freedom and she then told me her story of being a former Freedom member and how she doesn’t trust them as much as before.

After talking for a few bits, we decided to do a simple task of transporting medical supplies for Freedom before returning back to Rookie Village where we then parted ways. I returned back to Dead City, and looked at myself in the mirror and only saw a blood stained person across from me. I knew I couldn’t stand being a part of the Mercenaries any longer, so I returned to the Great Swamps to join the Clear Skies faction, to help their mission of healing The Zone.

Well, that is the story of my life as a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and if you are thinking about entering The Zone, then I highly recommend entering it via this link: