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Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections How Does One Know When to Ask for Help? By Alicja Paruch Volume 2 Issue 6 April 14, 2022 Image provided by Ted Ideas Thank you for reaching out! Whether one is struggling mentally, has family issues or quarrels with friends, there are levels of intensity to it. Let’s also consider, everyone sees the world differently and perceives situations as normal for them, so this perception can vary. Your brain and body usually try to bring it up and signal to you that you might need help or support. Your mood may swing more, or you may be looking down more. Deep down, if something is not right; a person knows it subconsciously, but consciously blocks it. Mental health issues or toxic relationships may seem easily fixed from an outsider’s perspective, but the change needs to start with the person experiencing problems. Try to evaluate your situation. Does everything feel normal? Maybe something feels slightly off, but you just move on? Ask yourself questions and don’t be afraid to consider trying to see things through different lenses. Also, be honest with yourself: in the end you’re just thinking to yourself, and there is nobody judging you. You can compare your view to others’ as well. Maybe they react to similar situations differently? Try to gauge your input. How much of your situation depends on you? If you can try to change your perspective for one that makes you happier, give it a try. This is much easier said than done, but you’re in control of yourself, so take advantage of that. Also, remember to consider your choices. “Yes” and “No” are powerful words no matter how insignificant they may have become in problematic situations. Try to express your opinion more and say “No” to what you don’t agree with, and don’t be afraid to say “Yes” if you want something.  Is this the time to ask? If the situation is not in your hands, if you can’t control the outcomes and you are consistently getting hurt, it is time to ask. If you get overwhelmed by your emotions and can’t deal with them by yourself, ask for help. In these extreme cases, you should ask for help. If you want someone to listen to you, or just feel that someone is there, that is also the right time to ask. If your mental health starts to slip and you experience emotional distress, others continue to hurt you despite your pleas to stop, or situations that make you as a person uncomfortable or fall into a spiral of pain, then you should also be asking for help. “support” versus “help”: I wanted to emphasize that, no matter how big or small your problem may be, asking for help or support is something everyone needs, and you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for it! People you trust will always want to help you because life is not about how much you can accomplish by yourself, but how much you can grow from your experiences.  I also asked Ms. Kehoe, one of North’s school psychologists, the same question, so you can get the opinion of a professional as well. She said, "I know the question is when to ask for help, but before I get into that, I want to make sure to start off by saying that there is never a wrong time to ask for it. The kind of help or support you need will depend on what it is that is causing you to wonder if you need the support in the first place. Support can come in all forms, such as friends, family, teachers, coaches, school counselors, school psychologists, social workers, and outside therapists. For example, suppose it’s your academics that you’re overwhelmed with. In that case, it may be a conversation with your teacher that is necessary and assistance with a consistent extra-help schedule. Another example is that, unfortunately, some of our students have had to experience the passing away of a family member or another traumatic family event. In this case, you can let your parent and a trusted staff member know that you are going through a tough time, and they can help get you connected to help, such as check-ins with a mental health professional in the school building, and if needed on a more regular basis, a referral for outside therapy. Sometimes there doesn't need to be a significant event to occur… to feel like you need help. For instance, maybe you notice you have had trouble sleeping, feel unusually lethargic and/or unmotivated, have lost interest in activities that you usually love, and no longer have the desire to hang out with your typical peer group. These examples are just some of many that can tell you it may be time to ask a trusted adult for support or help to access it. No problem, too small or too big, should keep you from asking for support—asking for help is a STRENGTH, not a weakness. It can be as simple as telling your friend or family member, ‘I'm having a tough time right now; I don't know what I need or what would make me feel better. Can you try to help me figure it out?’” I hope this helps! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Nightmare on Main Street Back to Sections Psychedelic Nightmare By Arunima Roy October 8, 2021 Volume 2 Issue 1

Back to Articles Sports Back to Sections Volleyball Clinics By Aleeza Dhillon Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Original photography by Aleeza Dhillon For the past few weeks, our school district has hosted volleyball clinics to improve the skills of seventh and eighth graders. With help from the volleyball coaches at all schools and older students, all participants have improved. We started by teaching the girls all the skills they would need to be the best they could be on the court. After that, we scrimmaged with them, which gave the coaches a sense of what they needed to work on. By the last session, the girls were playing actual games and displaying successful use of their skills. I attended many of these sessions, and the improvement was apparent. Not only did these girls become better players, but they also became better friends. On and off the court, their sportsmanship and friendship were evident. They bonded with each other through their love for the same sport. No doubt they will make selections for the next volleyball season much harder for all coaches! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Fiction, Polaris Back to Sections Emily Dickson By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image provided by Wikipedia Emily Dickinson was a prominent American poet born in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1830. Dickinson is known for her unique and unconventional style of writing poetry that often challenged the traditional forms of poetry during her time. She is recognized as one of the most significant and influential poets in American literature. Emily Dickinson was born into a wealthy and prominent family in Amherst, Massachusetts. Her father, Edward Dickinson, was a prominent lawyer and politician, while her mother, Emily Norcross Dickinson, was a homemaker. Dickinson received her early education at Amherst Academy, where she excelled in her studies and demonstrated a strong interest in literature. As a young woman, Dickinson was deeply influenced by the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Transcendentalist movement. She began writing poetry at a young age and continued to write throughout her life. Despite her love for writing, Dickinson was a private person and rarely shared her work with others. Dickinson's writing career spanned over three decades, and she produced over 1,800 poems during her lifetime. However, only a handful of her poems were published during her lifetime, and it wasn't until after her death that her work gained widespread recognition. Dickinson's poetry is characterized by its unconventional style, including her use of slant rhyme and irregular meter. Her poems often explore themes such as nature, death, love, and spirituality. Dickinson's work is also known for its use of vivid imagery and metaphorical language. Emily Dickinson's poetry has had a significant impact on American literature and culture. Her unconventional style of writing and her exploration of themes such as death and spirituality has influenced generations of writers and poets. Today, Dickinson is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential poets in American literature. Her work continues to be studied and celebrated, and her legacy as an iconic American poet remains strong. One of Emily Dickinson's most famous poems is "Because I could not stop for Death." This poem explores the theme of death and the speaker's journey toward it. Here is the poem in its entirety: Because I could not stop for Death— He kindly stopped for me— The Carriage held but just Ourselves—  And Immortality. We slowly drove—He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility— We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess—in the Ring— We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain— We passed the Setting Sun— Or rather—He passed us— The Dews drew quivering and chill— For only Gossamer, my Gown— My Tippet—only Tulle— We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground— The Roof was scarcely visible— The Cornice—in the Ground— Since then—’tis Centuries—and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses’ Heads Were toward Eternity—   References: Franklin, R. W. (Ed.). (1999). The Poems of Emily Dickinson: Variorum Edition. Belknap Press. Sewall, R. B. (1974). The Life of Emily Dickinson. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Smith, M. (Ed.). (1998). The Emily Dickinson Handbook. University of Massachusetts Press. Miller, C. R. (1997). Emily Dickinson: A Poet's Grammar. Harvard University Press. Vendler, H. (2010). Dickinson: Selected Poems and Commentaries. Harvard University Press.   Emily Dickinson was a prominent American poet born in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1830. Dickinson is known for her unique and unconventional style of writing poetry that often challenged the traditional forms of poetry during her time. She is recognized as one of the most significant and influential poets in American literature. Emily Dickinson was born into a wealthy and prominent family in Amherst, Massachusetts. Her father, Edward Dickinson, was a prominent lawyer and politician, while her mother, Emily Norcross Dickinson, was a homemaker. Dickinson received her early education at Amherst Academy, where she excelled in her studies and demonstrated a strong interest in literature. As a young woman, Dickinson was deeply influenced by the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Transcendentalist movement. She began writing poetry at a young age and continued to write throughout her life. Despite her love for writing, Dickinson was a private person and rarely shared her work with others. Dickinson's writing career spanned over three decades, and she produced over 1,800 poems during her lifetime. However, only a handful of her poems were published during her lifetime, and it wasn't until after her death that her work gained widespread recognition. Dickinson's poetry is characterized by its unconventional style, including her use of slant rhyme and irregular meter. Her poems often explore themes such as nature, death, love, and spirituality. Dickinson's work is also known for its use of vivid imagery and metaphorical language. Emily Dickinson's poetry has had a significant impact on American literature and culture. Her unconventional style of writing and her exploration of themes such as death and spirituality has influenced generations of writers and poets. Today, Dickinson is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential poets in American literature. Her work continues to be studied and celebrated, and her legacy as an iconic American poet remains strong. One of Emily Dickinson's most famous poems is "Because I could not stop for Death." This poem explores the theme of death and the speaker's journey toward it. Here is the poem in its entirety: Because I could not stop for Death— He kindly stopped for me— The Carriage held but just Ourselves—  And Immortality. We slowly drove—He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility— We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess—in the Ring— We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain— We passed the Setting Sun— Or rather—He passed us— The Dews drew quivering and chill— For only Gossamer, my Gown— My Tippet—only Tulle— We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground— The Roof was scarcely visible— The Cornice—in the Ground— Since then—’tis Centuries—and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses’ Heads Were toward Eternity—   References: Franklin, R. W. (Ed.). (1999). The Poems of Emily Dickinson: Variorum Edition. Belknap Press. Sewall, R. B. (1974). The Life of Emily Dickinson. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Smith, M. (Ed.). (1998). The Emily Dickinson Handbook. University of Massachusetts Press. Miller, C. R. (1997). Emily Dickinson: A Poet's Grammar. Harvard University Press. Vendler, H. (2010). Dickinson: Selected Poems and Commentaries. Harvard University Press.   BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Editorial Back to Sections What is Anime/What is “Fruits Basket”? By Liliana Ossa Volume 2 Issue 2 November 19, 2021 Image provided by Amazon.com You may ask: what is anime? If you didn't already know, anime is a type of cartoon show; it's a form of animation from Japan. It is characterized by vibrant colors, characters, and overall energy illustrated through the art style. These elements contribute to the emotion of the story and the characters too. Anime is not just a youth cartoon; it has many subtypes of plots, including psychological, romantic, and action plots. Fruits Basket is a Shojo anime (romance animation) that teaches subtle life lessons, like Shigure (a Sohma family member) teaching Tohru (the main character) how to balance her duties, and includes romantic features in its plot, like Tohru and Kyo's (a Sohma family member) blossoming romance. “Fruits Basket” is a story about Tohru Honda, an orphan. After she meets Yuki and Kyo, members of the Sohma family, her life changes drastically because of learning about the Sohma family secret! She learns when a Sohma family member is under a high amount of stress, when they're weak or when they're embraced by a human who isn't a member of the Chinese zodiac, the Sohma family member turns into their animal form. When Tohru found out about the Sohma family's secret, she promised to keep it, so Yuki and Kyo allowed her to live with them. Once Tohru learns about the hardships and pain that they have gone through, she wants to help them heal their emotional wounds because she is a kind-hearted and generous soul. Why I Like “Fruits Basket” In my opinion, Fruits Basket is a spectacular anime! The characters especially make the anime intriguing. It's fascinating how Yuki is hiding his traumatic past. However, he's still the "prince" of his school because of his charismatic nature. It's very interesting how all the girls that like Yuki think he's this perfect prince, but when he expresses to people he can trust that he's not perfect and has many insecurities. On the other hand, Kyo is considered a stereotypical "bad boy" due to his inability to open up to others and because of his aggressiveness. Whenever someone asks Kyo how he's doing or a question relating to his feelings, he always feels the need to attack them. Kyo doesn't like to feel vulnerable around others at all! Tohru is a very kind and generous character that wants to help the Sohma family treat their emotional wounds. She is the main character of the story and a mother figure to Yuki because she cooks for some of the Sohma's, cleans the house, and is very kind to them as well. The supernatural elements of Fruits Basket, like how Tohru's friend, Hanajima, had the electromagnetic power to see the right and wrong in people, also helped make me love the anime. You can't forget about the supernatural ability that the Sohma's had to transform into their animal form, either! It was the most crucial supernatural element in Fruits Basket, in my opinion. Overall, “Fruits Basket” is a wonderful Shojo (romance) anime that expresses romantic elements, like Tohru and Kyo's blossoming romance. Throughout the story, Tohru falls in love with Kyo because of the little things about him and their interactions since the beginning of the story. Kyo fell in love with Tohru's selflessness, loyalty, and how she always found a way to smile and laugh. Kyo and Tohru's romance was an essential part of the “Fruits Basket” story. I recommend you all tune in on this anime, as the story is impressive, the art style is eye-catching, and the characters are relatable and enjoyable. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Portfolio Back to Sections Portfolio - Argelina Jeune - 1 By Argelina Jeune June 13, 2022 Mixed Media Volume 2 Issue 7

Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Christabel By Katherine Cevada March 28, 2022 Digital Art Volume 2 Issue 5

Back to Artwork Back to Sections Elaine Ching By Elaine Ching November 7, 2022 Volume 3 Issue 1

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Şirēຖ By Alanna Tieschmaker Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by The Teal Mango “ƓìɾӀ į ҟղօա ահąէ վօմ ժҽʂìɾҽ  ටհ վօմ'ɾҽ ʂմçհ ą ҍąժ ҍąժ Ӏìąɾ” Slowing down from her previous stroll, the teacher starts to look around. She had heard a beautiful, male voice that seemed to float from the music room. She peered into the room, intent on telling the singer off. It may be enchanting, but it was still a school day. “į աąղէ վօմ ąղժ į ʝմʂէ çąղ'է էąҟҽ ìէ” When she peered in, she was shocked by the changed appearance of the music room. Instead of a room filled with stands and chairs, a wide cavern with a dark blue floor. On closer inspection, she found the floor to not be a floor at all, but instead water that soaked the bottom part of her pants. In the middle of the water was a raised podium, with designs depicting waves along the sides. And perched on the top of the podium was an Adonis. He had dark black hair and ocean blue eyes. He was bare chested, which almost caused her to turn away, but something caught her eye before she could do so. Where the man's legs should be was a dazzling tail. It started with a light blue and faded into a dark purple. It was captivating. “Ϛօ Ӏìʂէҽղ էօ ʍҽ ահҽղ į ʂąվ ìէ" Her body froze as soon as the words were spoken, and her eyes widened. She tried to look away, but it was useless. Her struggles drew the attention of the man and their eyes met. He made a motion with his hand, urging her to come towards him and to her horror, her body started to walk forward into the water.  “Ͳհìʂ çօմӀժ ҍҽ քҽɾƒҽçէìօղ Ⱥ ѵҽղօʍ ժɾìքքìղց ìղ վօմɾ ʍօմէհ” A liquid slowly crept into her mouth, and she started to panic. It slightly burned and she wanted to spit it out, but she could not open her mouth. She was knee deep in water now and there were no signs of her body stopping. Why was the water so deep?   “Ϛìղցìղց Ӏìҟҽ ą ʂìɾҽղ...  Ꝉօѵҽ ʍҽ ահìӀҽ վօմɾ աɾìʂէʂ ąɾҽ ҍօմղժ” The siren, for that was what he must be, dived off the platform and landed gracefully in the water. As the water reached her chest, she could see him swim towards her, his strong tail rapidly propelling him forward.  “Ӌօմ'ӀӀ ҍҽ ʂҽҽìղց ʍҽ ìղ վօմɾ ժɾҽąʍʂ ... ҍմէ į'ӀӀ ҍҽ էհҽɾҽ ահҽղ վօմɾ ɾҽąӀìէվ...” She no longer had air to breathe from as the water engulfed her. A hand touched her cheek as she started to run out of air. Her vision started to fade and the last thing she saw before she passed out was his glowing blue eyes. “Ꭰɾօաղʂ...” BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Feature Back to Sections How To: Self-Publish By Leah Tyme Volume 1 Issue 8 June 8, 2021 Original infographic by Shinedip Kundlas (click to enlarge) Before anything, choose a pen name Any young and aspiring writer should use an alias when publishing their first book to save some trouble later on. Whether your book becomes world-renowned, or it bombs in the first week it’s out, your real name will be forever attached to it. Everything you do from that point forward will be compared to your novel, and if your book doesn’t do very well, it could bring down your chances for opportunities in the future. When choosing your pen name, choose something that makes you sound like a real person. It may be tempting to choose something fantastical, but very few people will be enticed to read a book by “Maximus the Dragon Master”. Choose a shortened version of your name or mix together the names of friends and family, and you’ll find the name to publish your masterpiece under! Now, write your book Okay, so now you know what name you’re going to publish under, you need to write something to publish! Figure out what story you’re going to make whether it be an autobiography, a dramatic retelling of a dream you’ve had, or even just a poem. Make sure that you spend as much time as you need to really develop and explore the topics and themes that you’re writing about but don't forget to set deadlines for yourself as to not procrastinate. Once you have a final draft, make sure you go back and edit what you have! No one wants to read a book full of typos, and you won’t be happy with a novel full of mistakes. Get an external editor (aka a friend) Now, while editing and polishing up your work can be good and beneficial for you, if you keep scrutinizing your work you might end up rewriting the whole thing! Speaking from personal experience, don’t spend too much time editing and changing your draft. Get an editor to do that instead! It doesn’t matter if you hire a professional or if you send a friend your manuscript. Most people will know if something doesn’t flow quite right and will catch a plot hole better than you ever will. Peer review is one of the best tools that you can use, and I’m sure that your friends and family will be happy to read your work! Time to publish Now it’s time to publish your book. You can use Barnes & Noble Press or Kindle Direct Publishing to upload your completed book and use the platforms to monitor sales and popularity. KDP allows you to publish via eBook or paperback, and Press makes it easy to track your revenue. Marketing is everything Seeing as how you’re not going through a publishing firm to get your book out there, you’re going to have to promote your book yourself. Luckily, it’s the 21st century, and you can advertise anything through social media. A good strategy would be to make pages for your book on Twitter or Instagram, and you can even make ads on these websites to spread your book even more. And you’re an author You’ve done it! You wrote your book, you chose your pen name, you published it online, and you made sure that everyone and their mother knew what it was and where to find it. You’re officially a self-published author! References https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G202172740 https://press.barnesandnoble.com/ https://publishingperspectives.com/2015/02/teenagers-10-steps-to-become-successfully-self-published/ https://www.sweetmessyfaith.com/home/teens-self-publishing-the-number-one-thing-you-must-do-and-its-not-edit-more BACK TO TOP