Back to Articles Advice Back to Sections Deodorant: A History of Scents, Smells and Why You Should Use It! Giancarlo Oliveri Volume 4 Issue 4 May 29, 2024 Image Provided by Elaine Ching Disclaimer: If you wear deodorant this does not apply to you, but you are more than welcome to read along! Good morning, Spartans! It is the dawn of a new school year! New classes, new teachers, new friends, and new weather patterns thanks to global warming! Undeniably, this building feels a lot warmer, causing many to sweat, perspire, and swelter, with interesting scents to come about. A sure-fire way to prevent certain odors is deodorant . The colorful history of deodorant dates back to the Ancient Egyptian civilization, where they incorporated oils, fruit, or even aluminum crystals (ouch!) as antiperspirants, effectively masking the stench stemming from the boiling Sun that still wreaks havoc on our building (Oars and Alps, 2013). Similarly, the Ancient Greeks incorporated natural techniques to smell pleasant, bathing regularly in baths scented with fragrant and aromatic oils, even spraying incense in the air (Oars and Alps, 2013). Following their innovation, the wealthiest of upper classes across numerous civilizations such as the Yuan, Ming, or Qing dynasties of Classical China, the Classical Mexica, Aztec, or Incans of South America, or popularly, Marie Antionette and the rest of the Versailles Third Estate in the late 1700s, used deodorant, most typically, in the form of perfume, typically, floral scented. However, contemporary deodorants similar to the ones used today rose to popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, developed and patented by Edna Murphey in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, titled “Mum” (Humble Brands, 2023). Originally, a waxy cream, the packaging differed from modern sticks of deodorant, arriving in a metal tin, and containing zinc, later evolved to contain antiperspirant ingredients such as aluminum compounds to control sweat and odor, connecting back all the way to the Ancient Egyptians (Humble Brands, 2023)! Now with this history lesson adjourned, I beg the question, do you want their work to go to waste? The Egyptians who pounded aluminum into crystals, the Ancient Aztecs who pulverized flowers into fragrances, and most recently, the incomparable Edna Murphey, who revolutionized how Americans would smell for years to come. Do you want their work to be all for nothing? Why neglect decades, even centuries, of human evolution and innovation? It used to be a privilege to smell pleasant, and now, you have the absolute, undeniable, and unbeatable right to every historical figure, and every person in this school to mask the musk! If you want to benefit the rest of humankind, do me, the rest of the student body, and the rest of the human body a favor, and wear deodorant. A Brief History of Deodorant – Humble Brands When Was Deodorant Invented and Why? | Oars + Alps ( oarsandalps.com ) BACK TO TOP

Back to Articles Polaris Back to Sections Strawberry Matcha Boba Tea Shea Flanelly Volume 6 Issue 2 December 22, 2025 I am strawberry matcha boba tea from the Kung-Fu Tea a couple miles from my house. A strange drink that probably shouldn't even exist. I splash when I walk. Sugar spills down my ribs, and the tapioca pearls rattle inside me Like loose teeth, like I was built with a chaotic touch. Every sip of me is a gamble Sometimes I'm pure sugar, Sometimes I’m bitter, like grass, Sometimes you choke on me and laugh about it later. Even sealed tight in plastic, I fizz, I shake, I want to explode through the straw, to stain your hands pink and green so you never forget I was here. But the truth is, I’m always half-finished, lukewarm by the time you notice me again. You carry me around like an obligation, like something too strange to throw away, and I sit there, wondering if I was ever really worth the sip. BACK TO TOP

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