By Paige Sheldrake
Every morning at Glenelg High School it is a fight between students to get a spot in the parking lot. Sometimes it’s so bad that students don’t even have a spot and they have to park in the grass. This is a hazard and therefore not allowed because if it rains your car could get stuck in the grass and it also ruins the appearance of the grass. People continuously have to park on the grass and then get called down to the office to move their vehicle since they have to park in an actual space. There are multiple solutions to this issue, such as limiting the number of parking passes given out or assigning specific spots to each student and teacher. A solution to this parking problem is we could number the parking spots, as well as each student be assigned to a particular parking spot. Students would not have to fight for a space if they are running late. They could even decorate the space to make it their own. Students who play sports could have spots in the lot closest to the fields on which they play. Another solution would be to only give out as many passes as there are spaces. This would eliminate the issue of fighting for spaces that do not exist. Students who do not receive a parking pass would not have a chance at a space at all and therefore would not be able to park on school grounds. It would encourage students to get their information into the front office and buy their pass. This parking situation also is not fair to teachers because the students and the teachers both park in the same lot. Teachers should have assigned spots so they are guaranteed a spot no matter if they’re late. It would also be beneficial to give the teachers a specific section of the parking lot where they can park without having to deal with students and can easily access their vehicles. The parking issue is one that can be easily solved and many schools deal with it in the ways that are described above. Teachers and students have assigned spots and there is no abundance of passes given out, only as many as there are spaces in the lots. By Alex Long
Every morning, students flood into school with groggy faces and cups of coffee. Because school starts so early in the morning, students are forced to wake up at un godly hours of the morning. Some students even get up as early as 5 o'clock in order to get school on time to avoid receiving a detention. Getting behind the wheel this early in the morning to drive to school is dangerous to students, which is why schools should start later. Getting behind the wheel while you are sleepy is just as bad as driving while impaired. Discovery Channel says, “A recent study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that drowsy drivers are responsible for one in six — or 17 percent - of fatal car accidents.” High schools setting their start time so early in the morning increases the probability that someone will fall asleep while at the wheel and cause an accident. Lots of teachers say to just go to bed earlier, but the solution is not this easy. US News says, “For high school students who typically have five classes with different teachers, that could mean as much as 17.5 hours each week.” This means that students with five classes receive roughly 3.5 hours of homework every weekday. However at Glenelg, students have six classes everyday so they revive approximately 4.5 hours of homework each weekday. In addition to homework, students have many extra curricular activities such as sports or academic clubs. This leaves barely any time for dinner or family bonding. These afternoon obligations make it very difficult to get a good night's sleep, which leads to students being drowsy throughout the day. There is a two part solution to this problem. Firstly, schools should start later in order to allow students to get a good night’s rest. However, in order for students to still have time to participate in after school activities and spend time with family after school while still being able to get a good night’s sleep, teachers must assign less homework. This solution would ensure that students have free time after school to meet their responsibilities and be able to get a good night’s sleep, thus being well rested for school in the morning. If high schools were to start later and teachers assign less homework, students would be able to get the proper amount of sleep and be well rested in the morning. Students would also be more engaged throughout the school day because they were able to get a good rest the night before. By Torin Alexander
Hands sweating, heart pumping, feet tapping, getting back a test can be very tense. And what's even more torment is when you are able to see the teacher coming straight at you. At this point you can't be more flustered. Then the moment comes where you finally see your grade. So do students really care for what color the grade is written in? Many school boards across the country have decided that grading in a red ink can cause even more stress to a student. But to be honest, as a student, I don't really care what color the ink is in, all I care about is the actual grade. Red ink is commonly resembled to bad, which triggers kids to realize that they failed. To avoid seeing red ink is by actually studying! There is no reason why a student should be so sensitive that they can not bear to see the color red when they did not even study for the test or studied for a small period of time. Taking a test can be very stressful, but if you only study for a small period, or not study at all, what do you expect the outcome to be. There is a very small chance that a student is able to get a good grade on a test without studying. Students that do poorly on tests should not be rewarded with something like a green pen that resembles a good job. Failing is failing and there is no loop hole around it. What angers me the most is that the school board actually thinks that kids are this sensitive where even a color can push us to the edge. Another thing that really irritates me is that the school board actually thinks its working. Kids should not be rewarded with a different color for their bad grade. A bad grade is a bad grade, and the sensors that cause them to have stress is because they got a bad grade, or they did poorly. Not because the grade is in red ink. The school board does not want kids to believe that they are failures, which is understandable. Kids should not believe that they are failures, especially at a young age. In a study by the European Journal of Social Psychology, Michael Slepian concluded that kids stress sensors were shown to be higher when given a red “X” or “wrong” highlighted in red. Even though this may be true and that students can have higher stress from red ink, there is still a way to avoid this, and that by studying for test and asking questions to understand the topics in the class. To conclude, excluding red ink to make a student feel better about a bad grade is very unnecessary. Students should clearly understand when they did poorly on a test and when they succeeded on it. Red ink is not the problem here, it is the student's willingness to study harder. ![]() By Sofia Weddle The boyfriend jean. Every girl’s worn them, and every girl has them. With a variety of colors, rippage, and cuffs, the boyfriend jean is a best friend to all those who yearn fashionable comfort. This past October, Paris Fashion Week proved that boyfriend jeans are just as in as they were back in 2009, when Katie Holmes set the entire celebrity world on fire with her new pants. Now, models, actors, and designers alike have opened up a spectrum of possibilities for the boyfriend jean. Whether you are looking for a sophisticated, chic, edgy, or soft style, boyfriend jeans can help you achieve that. Celebrities have caught onto the trend again, reinventing the “acceptable” way to wear these savvy pants. Even though these celebs’ styles may seem out of reach, any person can recreate their outfits just by looking through one’s wardrobe or everyday thrift store for inspiration, such as the basic boyfriend jean. As the classic pair of shiny, black heels are essential to any wardrobe, boyfriend jeans are essential to elevate any look. Here are some tips on how to wear these basic denim blues based on the street style outfits worn at Paris Fashion Week: Don’t Forget Heals to Pair Although the average person might sway away from matching heels with jeans, this look creates a more effortlessly chic aura. Jennifer Lawrence, Diane Kruger, Karlie Kloss, and Chiara Ferragni all rounded out their outfits with a pair of unique pumps. Heels will elongate your legs, which are hidden beneath looser pants, and add class to every style. Whether you opt for some little black heels or a pair of 5-inch pink pumps, you’ll make the jeans your own. ![]() Put Your Hair up, Darlin’ With the more relaxed look that boyfriend jeans tend to give if not dressed to the nines, loose curls or waves may give off a disorganized vibe. Instead, a slicked-back ponytail, a messy topknot, or a loose braid would be a wiser choice. Based off your personal style, any up-do could be created to match, which will both define your neck and shoulders and give off an enhanced sophistication. ![]() Don’t Be Afraid to Add Some Color... and Don’t Be Afraid Not To Just by looking at the photos of various PFW street style outfits, one can tell how each celebrity’s personality shines through with the same basic pair of boyfriend jeans. While Kruger ops for an elegant, vintage, frosty look, Ferragni struts in a showstopper blue and pink ensemble. Kloss takes a risky move that pays off, wearing a deep pink, 80s-esque, one-shoulder top with a long piece of material dropping down to her ankles. Lawrence, who dons multiple black pieces as well as black and white heels, also transforms a dark, basic look to a trendy, chic one with her midnight blue denim, branded bralette, and thin choker. It goes to show for all women that boyfriend jeans can become your own if only one takes risks (I mean fashionable risks). Add a Cute Clutch Clutches are a jean’s best friend. With the lax material that boyfriend jeans are made of, a compact, thin clutch adds an air of togetherness to an outfit. Mix and match colors, both fluorescent or natural, to create a new look every time you wear your boyfriend jeans. Avoid large and long satchels that may give your body a shorter or lazier look. By Samantha Larson
Sometimes, it isn't easy to love yourself. Many women experience a form of self hate at some point in their lives. It could be as little as wishing you could lose a few pounds, or something far more severe, like wishing you were a completely different gender. The media portrays women as thin, flawless, with flowing straight hair, and a perfect complexion. We see this portrayal everyday, in magazines, Youtube ads, on sides of buses and displayed grandly on billboards. Yes, these women are beautiful. But they aren't realistic. There is a significant difference between the media’s portrayal of beauty and real beauty. Real beauty is those little imperfections we see in ourselves. In reality, these imperfections are what make our bodies unique. Real beauty is that birthmark you cover up with foundation every morning. Real beauty is the silvery stretch marks you received from having your third child. Real beauty is the freckles that splash your cheeks and shoulders. Real beauty just isn't flawless skin and thin torsos. Loving each of your body’s quirks is a important step to loving yourself as a whole. Yes, you may have scars from when you were a teenager. Yes, your mother may say that your birthmark is ‘unsightly’. Yes, your skin may be as pale as Snow White’s. And yes, despite all of this, you are still beautiful. It’s hard to look at the women you see staring back at you from the page of the magazine and then look yourself in the mirror. It seems like they always have the perfectly white teeth, glossy hair, clear skin, and are perfectly thin. But you must keep in mind, that these photos are edited. Sure, the women are pretty in real life, but they're also human. They still have their typical bad hair days and the occasional acne break out. What’s important, is to acknowledge your own beauty, and disregard anyone who says otherwise. We are humans, and all humans are different in their appearance and mannerisms. Real beauty is in everyone. By Sofia Weddle
Social media is out of control. There are millions of people that use social media, such as the famous platform, Snapchat, which seemingly gives all your photos a disappearing act. On this specific app, there are many news outlets which provide articles and videos on relevant subjects, updated daily. While this portion of Snapchat may seem harmful, it is in fact a corruption device towards young children who use the platform. Most articles, posted by online news magazines and papers ranging from Cosmopolitan to Daily News to Food Network, have at least some type of mature or explicit content added each day. Instead of this continuing, these articles need to be sheltered from young eyes, because too many children are witnessing sexual and adult content regularly. When creating a Snapchat account, there needs to be a full terms and conditions page that each account owner can read, then accept or decline it. Also, users should have to provide their age to prevent those that are 14 and younger (right now Snapchat is rated 13 and up), which are immature ages, from viewing inappropriate content. If someone wants to read explicit news articles, there are many websites and apps for specific news platforms that provide that type of information. Snapchat and other social media outlets need to protect their young members from reading this mature content that is not for social media to share. Imagine your little sibling or family member approaching you, asking about Isla Fisher’s lingerie and seducement (Daily News), or what the article titled “5 Lesbians Reveal Their Most Awkward Period Sex Moments” (Cosmopolitan) really means. You would probably be mortified and angry at all of the news outlets letting mature content fly past the radar. Social media apps are allowing these outlets to post articles meant for 25 year olds, where most of their members are young tweens or teens. Our new generation of children are growing up with the weight of society’s most intimate information, facts that no young person should know about until they are grown. My brother has come up to me numerous times, singing a new pop anthem and saying, “Did you know this song is about you-know-what? The whole grade’s listening to it.” That, to me, is absurd. He is 12 years old and he is being exposed to explicit, mature music, which is influenced by radio, television, news platforms, and social media releasing this content without a second thought to its influence. My brother has Snapchat now too, and he says it’s just to talk to his friends, but can I really be assured that he hasn’t seen articles about drugs, intimate relationships, legal issues, and celebrity nudity? Most of these articles also include information about how to flirt with a crush, the best moves to make in bed, and the rock-hard abs of male celebrities. Does the world want young kids to grow up with body insecurities or the notion that they need to look or be like unattainable celebrities? My wishful answer would be: No, the world is too good of a place to wish that on children or open them up to sexual and influential content. However, the truth of the matter is that, yes, social media, especially Snapchat, is releasing this explicit information without a care towards how their young users will be influenced negatively. This mature content also leads young social media members to think more sexually. The youth of our generation is meant to be surrounded by controlled content that keeps their innocence intact, but instead, Snapchat and other social media outlets are releasing adult content and news for all ages to see. This cannot go on any longer, which is why mature news platforms need to be shielded from kids 14 and under through a terms and conditions page, as well as a necessary means for user’s to supply their age on the Snapchat sign up page. Child corruption by means of social media needs to end now. |
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