Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Ask Ala: Valentines Day: Two Years Since the Start of COVID-19 By Alicja Paruch Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Image provided by The Sun Hello Ala! What can I do for Valentine’s Day this year? It has been two years since covid-19 initially shut down most of the world. Many activities, including Valentine’s Day gifting, have drastically shifted, for many from in-person to online. Many had to send gifts to their loved ones directly before vaccines became widely available. Now, with more opportunities, these special occasions can become exciting again. If you are planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day, I recommend going back to the traditional activities, and putting on a little twist if necessary. In order to relate to the traditional part of Valentine's Day celebrations, I recommend dining out or seeing a movie at the theatre. Though, as times progress and knowing that every relationship is different, you can consider other options! You can go to the mall, try to pick out outfits for each other, or buy matching jewelry. You can also try baking cookies or some type of dessert (check out the National Baking Month in North Star ’s last issue for some yummy recipes). In my mind, Valentine’s Day can definitely be celebrated around traditional activities, but in your relationship, you should make it about yourself! Do something that you enjoy, so that you have fun! Feel free to think outside of the box and enjoy your day together! BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Art & Culture Back to Sections Turkey the bird and Turkey the Nation By Kubra Beskardes Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Image provided by Boris Stroujko Turk - The word originally means “strength” though it’s not clear where it came from and it changed meaning during the time. To Persians it meant “barbarian,” but now it means “a person of Turkic origin,” so it does not only consist of “Turkish” people. In Turkey, we call ourselves just “Turks” because the direct translation of Turkish would be “Turkce” which is the language we speak, and a fun fact? It’s actually not Turkey, it’s Turkiye , the land of the Turks, so probably not many Turks would know that around the world, their country shares its name with a bird. Turkey the bird originated in the Americas and Turks originated in Central Asia and by the time the bird took this name, they were in Anatolia. This seems so irrelevant, but the story goes like this; Turkish merchants sold some wild fowls from either Africa or India to Europeans, and Europeans called the bird “Turkey (coq) Rooster” and Turkey for short. When they landed in the New World, they saw another bird of a totally different species and called it also turkey because they both looked similarly funny. So it remained “turkey.” Another fun fact? Turks call this bird “hindi” because we thought it originated from India. Eating turkey is not that common in Turkey. Not that we specifically don’t eat it, but because we are foreign to the bird or it’s foreign to us, Turks don’t want to eat something they don’t know. Personally, I only like turkey when it’s sliced and in between two breads; otherwise, I would not prefer it. But this whole story brings a question to the mind: when Europeans came to the Americas during the 15th and 16th centuries, back then Turks were under the name “Ottomans” not Turkey, because Ottomans consisted of many ethnicities so I would be wrong to call it Turkey. Turkey was formed in 1923, and – well - maybe they just went with “Turks Rooster or Turkish Rooster,” then it became just “turkey” over time. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Class Acts Giavanna Quagliata Volume 5 Issue 4 April 8, 2025 Don’t know how to get involved? I have an idea for you! Class Acts is a yearly competition for grades 10 through 12. During the event, four teachers are assigned to judge the competition. Each grade performs one act in each of the following categories: band, vocal, lip sync, and dance. Once the performances are finished, the judges make their remarks privately and decide which grade gets first, second, and third overall for their performances. Signing up is easier than you think it is. All you have to do is go to your Grade Council’s Team and look for the tab that says “CLASS ACTS 2025”. Fill out the form linked along with any friends who are part of your act, and your advisor will let you know if you made it into the show! Class Acts is Friday, March 14th at 7 PM. Do you know what that means? It means you can still sign up! Even if you don’t want to perform in Class Acts, you can always be there for support. If your friends are performing, or if you just want to go to check it out! Just ask your advisor or even a friend to help you get a ticket. Class Acts is for everyone, so whether you step up and perform or just sit in the audience, there’s no reason you shouldn’t get involved in this school activity. BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Fiction, Polaris Back to Sections Nature's Elegance By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 3 Issue 4 May 18, 2023 Image provided by Elaine Ching White flowers in bloom, Grace dark brown branches with poise, Nature's elegance BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Nightmare on Main Street Back to Sections Nightmare on Main Street- Elaine Ching Elaine Ching November 6, 2023 Digital Art Volume 4 Issue 1

Back to Articles Entertainment & Media Back to Sections Oculus Quest By Augustine Magapan Volume 1 Issue 2 November 24, 2020 Image provided by ZLATA IVLEVA On May 21st, 2019, the Oculus Quest was first released containing an abundance of reviews. I obtained the VR headset a year later on my birthday, August 17th, 2020. It came with two controllers and a charger for the gadget that’s for your head. Additionally, there were batteries in order to power the controllers. In comparison to other VR headsets, this one was wireless meaning there were no cords involved or any plugins you had to do. All you had to do was turn it on and simply set it up. A camera is installed the headset in order to set barriers and protect you from the outside environment where you can knock things down during the time you spend in the virtual world. It was an experience so different; there was so much to learn, and the quality of the headset was outstanding as well. There were demos previously installed, in case you didn’t buy any games or had any thought about a specific game you wanted to get. I first downloaded a game called Rec Room , comprised of numerous mini-games and adventures you can pursue, and enjoy the remarkable experience with friends on different platforms, such as PlayStation, a computer, or mobile, who have the game as well. If you want to share your vision with your friends or people in the room, you’re able to connect your VR to a TV or any device by using the Casting System installed. Having the Oculus was a very new experience and there’s still a lot to know about the headset. Recently, I learned about hand tracking meaning that the headset scrutinizes your hands, so you do not need to use the controllers. It made the headset simpler, but you would need the controllers still in order to play a game. Although there are many things you can do with the headset, you must have discipline while using it. According to Vesttech, a website that has numerous informational articles on technology, tech experts warn that the headset can give anxiety, nausea, eye strain, and radiation exposure. This means that you should be taking care of your body at the same time when you play by taking breaks. It’s best to play on the headset for about thirty minutes to an hour from my own experiences. Overall, the Oculus Quest is a great experience for people when they want to escape reality, into virtual reality. Ironically for me, I acquired the Oculus Quest too soon. Oculus has released a new version of the original Quest called the Oculus Quest 2 on October 13th, 2020. It has the same factors as the first but has a better performance. Furthermore, it’s $100 cheaper than the original device. Reviews say that it’s just like the first Quest but has a stronger ecosystem and better graphics. Compared to the original Oculus, it has 50, and supports 90 Hz. People can get slimmer feel and take it anywhere since it’s more portable and has less weight. New accessories are released, unlike the first Oculus; people can get a comfier experience depending on what they like to use and wear. Unfortunately, due to the Oculus Quest 2 having more features, there are no more sales for the Oculus Quest. Although this seems downhearted, this is just the start of a new beginning to the virtual world according to Oculus. They have many things planned for the future, and they will come out very soon. BACK TO TOP

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 First Snow By Navrosedip Kundlas Volume 2 Issue 4 February 10, 2022 Original photography by Navrosedip Kundlas Snow falls gently Blanketing the grass lightly Wind whispers in my ear Adding on to the cheer Every footprint leaves a mark Until it vanishes in the dark Little paws make a trail The snow captures every detail Fur covered in snow My little puppy looks like a marshmallow One deep breath is all it takes So I can smell the snowflakes Falling through the air Snow covers every ounce of my hair It melts on my tongue The evening is young My puppy stands still His heart beating with thrill Closing my eyes I know it’s time for our goodbyes Scooping up my puppy He smiles, completely happy And when his brown eyes fill with sunshine I know there is nothing more divine As the sun sets I’m in covered in blankets Hot cocoa warms my hands As my puppy stands I pick him up Then take a sip from my cup BACK TO TOP

Back to Artwork Who Am I Back to Sections Anonymous - Who Am I? - 8 By Anonymous November 19, 2021 Volume 2 Issue 2

Back to Articles News Back to Sections Post 2024 Election Leah Ally Volume 5 Issue 3 January 14, 2025 Image Provided by Elaine Ching With the 2024 Election recently coming to an end, it has been determined that Donald Trump will be the 47th president of the United States. Similar to many past elections, it is no secret that the results have left much of the country divided, especially with those who were in support of Kamala Harris’ campaign. Nonetheless, Trump is prepared to be sworn in and take office for his second term on January 20th, 2025, with J.D. Vance as his vice president. With many expectations and plans for his presidency, United States citizens eagerly anticipate what is next. However, what exactly can the United States expect in the next four years from his presidency? Prior to Trump’s victory, it was expected for much of the United States to make their voice heard by voting. This proved to be mostly accurate as 64% of eligible voters cast their ballots between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on or prior to November 5th. As usual, the candidate who receives most of the electoral votes, which is at least 270 out of 538, wins the presidency. In this case, Trump received the majority of the popular vote and electoral votes. According to The New York Times , he had a total of 312 electoral votes with 77,095,526 individual votes, which is around 50% of the eligible voting population. In comparison, Kamala Harris received 226 electoral votes with 74,659,711 individual votes, which is approximately 48.3% of the eligible voting population. So, what led to these results? According to U.S. News , there were seven swing states that proved incredibly crucial to the election results, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Swing states refer to states that do not vote consistent with either party. In this election, every single swing state voted in favor of Donald Trump. This totaled up to 93 electoral votes, which Kamala Harris would fall short of. In terms of demographics, Trump proved to be more popular among the older group of voters, while younger voters were a 50-50 split. Kamala Harris was prominently supported by young women and minority groups; however, Trump’s favor among young men is what would eventually lead to his victory. Nonetheless, the United States has split opinions on his upcoming presidency. Expectedly, according to Pew Research Center, “Nearly three-quarters of Democrats (73%) say they are “fearful” about the state of the country, while 54% say they feel “angry.” On the other hand, “most Republicans (76%) say they feel hopeful about the state of the country, while nearly half (46%) say they are proud.” While these stats are expected after a competitive campaign, it raises questions on how Trump will unify the country and whether he will be successful in doing so. Now that the details and demographics concerning the 2024 Election have been established, what is Trump’s next step for the country? First, he must be inaugurated on January 20th to officially be sworn in. The Biden Administration has promised that there will be a smooth transition of power to ensure as much efficiency as possible for Trump. But as soon as he gets into office, Trump has plans waiting to be fulfilled. His most popular discussion has been surrounding immigration. It is no secret that he wants to limit people from foreign countries entering the United States, especially illegally. This relates to his focus on ideological screening. Ideological screening refers to the process of evaluating an individual's beliefs and values to determine their suitability for entry into the United States. He hopes ideological screening will help prevent criminal activity by filtering out individuals with anti-American sentiments and stop them from entering the country. Another hot topic of debate has been abortion, which is why many women were in support of Kamala Harris who promised to protect Roe v. Wade . However, Trump’s stance on abortion is not as obvious as Harris’s. Unlike his previous statements about banning abortion, he has now expressed that he believes that the status of Roe v. Wade should be specific to each state, meaning that there is no need for a national law to be made. Instead, he believes it to be a decision that should be made strictly federally. The economy is arguably the most important aspect of a country so how does Trump plan to address it? Well, he has put forth numerous tax and tariff policies that have gained the support of many recently. While he has been criticized for his previous policies only benefiting wealthy, high-class individuals he has since reformed these ideas by including reducing taxes on tips and overtime pay. This ultimately benefits those in the low to middle working class as they can fully enjoy the benefits of the extra money, they receive that is not included in their salary without paying taxes on them. Additionally, Trump has proposed eliminating taxes on Social Security benefits, which would benefit retirees and disabled individuals. Nonetheless, Trump is still ensuring that wealthy business-owning Americans benefit from his tax policies. According to AP NEWS, Trump will reduce the “corporate income tax rate to 15% from the current 21%.” This demonstrates Trump’s efforts to hopefully help all Americans regardless of background or economic status. At the same time, Trump has also expressed his thoughts on foreign trade. His plan includes increasing tariffs on imported goods, which would aim to protect American industries and jobs. Regardless of his seemingly straightforward plans, they are all considered to be controversial because of the possible drawbacks and risks for the economy. For instance, how will other countries react to his tariff policy, and will this increase costs for American consumers? Nonetheless the country awaits to see how his plans work out and whether they will reap benefits for all. With the election officially over it is unclear what is next for Kamala Harris and her political career, nonetheless her time as vice president and throughout her campaign has left a lasting impression on America. As Biden’s term comes to an end and Trump begins his, the transition will prove to be a crucial step for the next 4 years. With that, America awaits their new president, some with hesitancy, and some with a feeling of confidence. Sources: » 2024 General Election Turnout UF Election Lab High voter turnout in the 2024 election benefited Republicans | AP News 7 Swing States That Could Decide the 2024 Presidential Election | America 2024 | U.S. News How 5 Key Demographic Groups Helped Trump Win the 2024 Election | National News | U.S. News Biden and Trump promise smooth transition in White House meeting Presidential Election Results Map: Trump Wins - The New York Times A look at what Donald Trump has proposed for his second term | AP News BACK TO TOP