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Back to Artwork Portrait Back to Sections Jacqueline Taylor - Portrait By Jacqueline Taylor January 20, 2021 Graphite Volume 1 Issue 4

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Video Games and Quarantine By Augustine Magapan Volume 1 Issue 6 March 18, 2021 Image provided by the Washington Post Hello, and welcome back to another game review! First, we talked about the virtual headset, the Oculus Quest 2 , and the difference between that and the first Oculus Quest . In this issue, we are going to discuss video games I have played during quarantine, and those others have played as well. Video games served as a way to cope with boredom while being stuck at home. There will be no ranking system, but rather an analysis of the game and discussion about why people played it and how it became so popular. The first game I would like to discuss is Animal Crossing New Horizons . The trailer was released in June 2019 and no one was expecting this, but people hoped for Animal Crossing to come out for the Nintendo Switch. Animal Crossing involves you having an island or area of some sort and control what happens. You can plant trees, go fishing, catch bugs, spend time with friends, and talk to villagers. No, they aren’t the villagers like Minecraft ; instead, they are animals. You are the only human in the game. In addition, you can expand your property and do your best to make sure your island has the best rating. This game came out in March 2020 when quarantine quickly become more serious. Another thing is that there is this tanuki named Tom Nook, where he advises you and recommends actions you should take. However, when you do whatever he tells you to, you’ll be in his debt. It is a trend for the past games Nintendo has made, no matter where you go, you’ll always be in the debt of Tom Nook. To get out of debt, you’ll have to sell items and make profit off of them which can be done by selling bugs and fish, fossils, and many other things that can be valuable to his little companions, Timmy and Tommy. They run a shop where you can buy furniture and sell items to them. Going back to Animal Crossing New Horizons , people hoped there would be new creatures, fruits, more inventory space, and many more in-game functions. Once this game came out, millions of people started playing it as time progressed through quarantine. There is no competition between other people, and you’re able to be at peace when you play it. It’s a very simple game to play, and I enjoy playing it myself since you can get creative and enjoy all it has to offer. Another game that became popular during quarantine was Among Us . Yes, the game where you accuse people for being ‘sus’ or suspect for the things they do. This game first came out in 2018, but it hadn’t reached popularity until 2020. If you don’t know what this game is already, I advise you to download it on your phone for free and try it out. It is a game containing tiny space people who look adorable? I guess you can say that they look adorable for the fact they have floating hands that aren’t connected to any part of their bodies, as well as having cute legs. These brightly-colored space people must complete tasks to save their spaceship and win. Here’s the twist though: one, two, or three “imposters”. This means three players who aren’t space people. Rather, they are murderous characters who sabotage others and ultimately win by killing each space person who isn’t an imposter. If you are an imposter rather than a crewmate, knowing you need to kill every other player and making sure they don’t complete their tasks, you can also accuse them when it comes to a meeting. We will get to that later, but once all crewmates are eliminated, you win! Crewmates are the opposite of imposters; they are the ones who fulfill tasks and work together to make sure all the tasks are complete so you can win. When you see a dead body on the floor, you can report it so you can start a meeting. Meetings are when it starts to get serious because it’s like a court room. You must state your alibi and make sure you aren’t found guilty. Whether you are a crewmate or imposter, you should always try to prove yourself innocent while trying to either accuse other people. Well, that goes for me at least since when I’m in a meeting if I’m an imposter, I’d try to get into people’s heads saying that I’m innocent since I do a specific task or saying other things by the deceptive actions I have taken. Crewmates, on the other hand, should figure out who the imposter is but can be deceived by one another. It’s hilarious during some games, and other games you are dead silent and serious. Youtubers make it look fun and it’s also fun when you play with friends. Pewdiepie, Disguised Toast, KSI, and many more youtubers make it seem like the game is fun when you start getting into it: especially Corpse, a youtuber with an interesting tone of voice. Viewers love him and so do I. You should Among Us a try since it’s still common to see others playing. It’s still pretty popular. Our final game we can discuss for this issue is Minecraft . You heard me well, the blocky Lego-looking... oops! That’s Roblox . I meant to say the blocky cube game where you are in a world of blocks and you yourself are a block. Surely you must have heard the game since it came out almost ten years ago and has been a rollercoaster ride ever since. Some years the game was popular, other years people lost interest. If you still don’t know the blocky game, it started off with a man named Steve. That is the main character of the game followed along with Alex. Of course, you can have your own skins, but it should be noted that Steve and Alex were the first two characters to be in the game. You are also known as the ‘player’. After having your character, you spawn in the world and simply mine, otherwise known as breaking blocks. You break blocks to gather resources and materials and then craft them to make more materials and structures. You continue to repeat this process as if you were in the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods creating stone and iron tools. Sooner or later, you can find DIAMONDS. Diamonds are ores as well, like coal and iron. While adventuring and mining, you are going to encounter mobs like animals, zombies, and creepers. You must butcher the animals to eat so your hunger bar doesn’t go down, and dangerous mobs might kill you. Now that you know the overworld, there was an update that made Minecraft popular again during quarantine. It was the new “nether update” which is a new version of the nether. The nether is the opposite of the overworld; it’s the underworld where zombie pigmen, ghosts, wither skeletons, and other dangerous mobs are your obstacles. You can acquire more material in there as well, and that is only found in the underworld. However, there are new creatures lurking and biomes in the underworld. This contains piglins who will kill you if you don’t wear gold armor and will trade with you. The overall goal of Minecraft is to kill the Ender Dragon and go to the end. But it is not really the end since there will be a new beginning. Other than that, you should have fun and enjoy the game as a whole. You can get creative with what you build, and play with friends. After all, it’s cross-platforming. That concludes all the game review I have for this issue. I enjoyed writing this article and discussing something that I like. If you have any other recommendations on what I should review, please reach out to me, and we can have a fun time writing and reading about it here. I probably will write another article on video games during quarantine. These were only a few, and there are many more to come in the future to discuss. Thank you for reading, and see you guys soon! BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Portrait Back to Sections Family Photo By Luiginna Frederique January 20, 2021 Photography Volume 1 Issue 4

Back to Artwork Lights On for Education Back to Sections Normal By Nehilah Grand-Pierre April 22, 2021 Colored Pencil Volume 1 Issue 7

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Midterm Elections 2022 - Exit Poll Analysis By Everton Prospere Volume 3 Issue 2 December 23, 2022 Image provided by CNN On November 8th, 2022, the United States hosted a series of elections throughout the nation. These elections, called midterms (as they fall between presidential elections) play a pivotal role in deciding the balance of power between the two major parties in the country: the Democrats and the Republicans. Midterm elections also highlight demographic trends among various groups of voters. In order to measure these developments, surveys of voters as they leave a polling station, known as exit polls, are used. Before the midterms, most of the nation expected a “red wave,” in which the Republican Party would take a majority in both houses of Congress. The media, particularly right-wing outlets, predicted this trend through partisan sources. It is factual that during midterms, the sitting president’s party is likely to lose seats, as campaign promises do not reflect their current political agenda; for example, this happened to George W. Bush, with the exception of the midterms after 9/11, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. However, a difference occurred in this election: the Democratic Party lost an extremely small number of seats compared to the predicted value, especially with Joseph Biden in office. This can largely be attributed to multiple events that occurred in the summer, including the Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade and the large number of right-wing extremist candidates running for office who could not appeal to voters, such as Kari Lake, a far right extremist in Arizona. In addition, as previously stated, the media projected the idea of an anticipated “red wave.” Regardless of this perception, according to Rutgers University, the media uses “anecdotal evidence” to add “depth” and detail on reports; despite this, these outlets fail to objectively view polling, which, according to researchers, did not indicate a full Republican takeover in this election cycle. Statistically speaking, exit polls offer important insight on the performance of different demographic groups between both dominating parties. As per NBC News, 58% of White citizens polled voted for Republicans while 40% voted Democrat. In contrast, 68% of non-White citizens voted Democrat while 30% voted Republican. This trend, overall, shows a continued support of minority populations for Democrats, while the majority of Whites vote Republican. When age is used as a lens, a large percentage of young voters, ages 18-24, according to CNN, vote Democrat compared to Republican, 61% versus 36%, respectively. However, the gap between these parties decreases as age increases, with voters 65 and older voting more Republican than Democrat, 55% versus 43%, respectively. While, at a glance, these statistics show that Democrats have a large amount of support across age groups, it should be noted that young citizens have the lowest voter turnout rate in the entire country. Political scientists largely attribute this issue to difficulties with voter registration and election knowledge due to a focus on college studies rather than politics. While these polls offer a broad outlook on the outcome of the 2022 elections, these midterms also pave the way for the 2024 presidential elections. Researchers will continue to analyze these results to determine trends and voter tendencies in the coming election cycles. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork The Memory Project Back to Sections Katherine Cevada - Memory Project By Katherine Cevada March 18, 2021 Volume 1 Issue 6

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Movies to Watch this Halloween Hydrangea, Staff Writer Volume 4 Issue 1 November 6, 2023 Image provided by Depositphotos Halloween is upon us once again, and with it comes the desire to watch horror films—or just something a little creepy! If you are looking for something to watch this Halloween, this article contains eight movies; whether you’re looking for something a little more fun, or you’re a horror fanatic, I hope I’ll be able to give you something new to watch or reintroduce you to an old favorite! (DISCLAIMER: Not every film on here is suitable for all students, especially younger ones. Even those with PG or PG-13 ratings may contain content that can be inappropriate for some.) Wendell and Wild (2022, dir. Henry Selick; PG-13) When Kat Elliot, an orphaned teenager with mysterious powers attending a Catholic school, summons demon brothers Wendell and Wild after they promise they will resurrect her parents. Kat, her classmate, a teacher with similar powers, and a demon-hunting janitor are pulled into an adventure full of zombies, cover-ups, punk rock, and criticism of the American prison system. While not quite scary, Henry Selick’s latest film, featuring the ever-hilarious Key and Peele duo, is a fun one to watch this month. Beetlejuice (1988, dir. Tim Burton; PG leaning PG-13) After a car accident, a young couple finds themselves stuck as ghosts haunting their own house. When unbearable new tenants and their mysterious daughter move in, they do everything in their power to try to scare them out—attracting a self-proclaimed “bio-exorcist” named Beetlejuice who causes even more trouble. More funny than scary, this is a great film to watch if you just want to get in the Halloween spirit! Coraline (2009, dir. Henry Selick; PG) Based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, this stop-motion animated movie follows a girl named Coraline and her discovery of another world that seems so much better than her own…that is, until its version of her family tries to keep her there forever! Admittedly, I’ve never finished this film, but I still think it’s an amazing movie that anyone who loves stop-motion animation should check out. Scream (1996, dir. Wes Craven; R) In this classic slasher, a girl named Sidney Prescott and her friends, cross paths with a masked killer terrorizing their town. This movie, full of twists and self-aware humor, is a must-watch for any newcomer to horror. M3GAN (2022, dir. Gerard Johnstone; PG-13) A sci-fi and horror mashup for the ages, this movie tells the story of M3GAN, a life-like robot programmed to be the perfect companion for children. When its inventor unexpectedly gains custody of her young niece, she uses the robot for assistance—but things get violent when it starts attacking anything it deems a threat to the girl. The Conjuring (2013, dir. James Wan; R) Moving is always a stressful event, but at least you’ll probably never be as unlucky as the Perrons, who find themselves haunted by an evil spirit in their new house. This film kickstarted a franchise that is still going strong today—a spin-off, The Nun II , just hit theatres back in September. IT (2017, dir. Andy Muschietti; R) Based on the classic Stephen King novel, a group of kids are terrorized by a demon who feeds off fear and have to overcome their various fears in order to defeat it. This movie follows the first half of the novel, while the second half is adapted into a sequel. Carrie (1976, Dir. Brian De Palma; R) Another Stephen King adaptation, this film follows Carrie White, a shy teenager bullied relentlessly at school and abused by her ultra-religious mother, who discovers that she has psychic powers. Things begin looking up for her when she is asked to prom by a popular boy and is even crowned Prom Queen—but when one final prank is played on her, things go terribly wrong. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Heckscher Back to Sections Broken Entry 11 April 14, 2022 Photography Volume 2 Issue 6

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections For what is fear, if fear cannot kill? Jasmine Roberts Volume 6 Issue 2 December 22, 2025 Are you scared of the dark, my child? Do shadows twist when you walk into a room? Does the howl of wolves signify your doom? Outside of this rickety old witch’s den, it is wild. The night looms over dunes of forests and sapphire hues of rivers that twist and turn like a labyrinth to nowhere at all, expect up to Heaven and over the Moon. Stay here within my arms young one, within these bat-caped arms. I cling ever so tightly and constrict your forever trembling heart, my little boa. The only thing to fear under my cape of crushed night is the spine-twisting images which are conjured up when you stare into its abyss and realize something’s not quite right. The nightingale sings inside or out of its silver-plated cage. The owls chatter, and the crows plot murder. Stay here tiny one, you smell of ozone and the rot of Hallow Eve’s pumpkins. Your tiny sighs blow a storm into my forever open eyes; they can never be shut. One must be vigilant when crickets grow hush, and the autumn leaves can no longer blush. You are scared of the large animal prints within darkened, mucky dirt, the snap of twigs, and the gust of Banshees calling their husbands from war. If you must know, those million twinkling stars in the dark are simply angels ready to bargain a red cherry lollipop for your soul. The gurgle of blood within a dying man’s throat is the work of a demon not even the devil can hold. The fairies want your teeth, and the elves want your toes, the Jinn want your birthday wishes, the gorgons want your drying skin, the Graeae want your eyes, and descending from Japan, Yokai are hidden behind your demise. So come inside my child, all this talking and my fangs have gone dull. Walk this way my child down the twisted corridor which connects to both left and right, but never before or after, or past or present, only day and night. Open your door and enter inside. Two one eyed ravens beg for you to leave Nevermore from the door and have a very good night. Goodnight my child, your skin now-striped black and white by moonlight. Goodnight, my child, and forever there will be a very good night. BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Purpose Back to Sections Isabella Somma - Blue Orange Study By Isabella Somma November 24, 2020 Volume 1 Issue 2