"The Crucible" at West Broward High

November 7th, 8th, 14th and 15th West Broward High's drama program performed "The Crucible", Arthur Miller's classic drama on accused witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. Here are some shots from the first night. 

Ave Maria University

Being that I'm a senior, I need to start choosing what college I'm going to. I recently visited a school that I was accepted to. It's a beautiful Catholic University. I was very disappointed that it doesn't have a Journalism program, but the church on campus is lovely.

How to pick a college that is right for you

Finding out where you want to go to school after graduation can be stressful. However, with some research and preparation, applying to and choosing a college can be a little less worrisome.

Have somewhat of an idea on what you want to study - Knowing what you find interesting and what you would most likely want to spend your life doing is key when deciding on a college or university. With that idea in mind, researching for a school will be ten times easier. For instance, I want to study journalism, that's why I want to go to the University of Florida, for its communications department. Focus on schools that are strong in your preferred field.

Pick an ideal location - If you grew up in the snowy mountains of North Carolina, chances are you might want to study somewhere warmer and less icy. If you can't stand to see yourself staying in state, or vice versa, look up schools that fit your ideal location. Want to study in state, but still have that I'm-away-from-home college experience? Look into schools that are a few hours away, that way you'll be somewhat close to your parents in the event of an emergency, and won't have to pay rising out of state tuition. Remember, you'll be spending four plus years here, so make sure you love your surroundings.

Stay in budget, but don't downgrade - If there's one lecture I get often, it's the tuition talk my parents give me. They don't want to break the bank when paying for my schooling, but they also want me to have the best experience possible. When looking for a university, make sure to keep in mind the costs, but don't downgrade. If you have your heart set on going to a private school, make sure you research all the possible scholarships they offer, so you'll pay as less as possible. Student loans are a scary thing too, my aunt still hasn't paid off hers yet, and she's 40. You won't want to be trapped in a web of payments most of your life, but you don't want to settle for a community college if you have your heart set on a big school. Take grants into account - it's free money that you don't need to pay back.

FSPA Districts

So, it was really cool to compete at the Florida Scholastic Press Association this year, and it was even cooler to get 1st place for On-The-Spot Photo! For all of my journo-nerds reading, here's my winning picture.

Concepts of Time

Every second in a day is unique. Think about it. Every single moment in one day's duration will never happen again on that exact moment of time.

 

 As you are reading this, you might not be conscious of it by seconds have passed that will never happen again.  But, in terms of time seconds are not the only concept of time that is special.

 Weeks that pass cannot be relived. Once a week has passed we are onto the next one, same with months and years.  

 

So ask yourself this, how does one live each second, day, week, year and so on to the fullest? That depends on what makes you, as a person, happy. What I try to do is try to make every person I meet smile at least once. You might ask why I do this, the answer is simple. 

You never know what type of day that person is having and by making them smirk or grin you might have made their day better or if not that one second. That’s better than nothing right?

Of course you do not have to do this, I was giving an example. But, why not try to smile or giggle at something silly knowing that lame joke or weird picture has just made you live a moment in time that will never happen again?

Also, I would like state in my opinion, this is valid until a working time machine is invented and we as a people can actually relive the past.

The Acceleration of Technology in Today's Time

When was the last time you saw a VCR tape or a VCR player? Do you even know what a VCR tape is? How about Laser discs?  What about Floppy disks?

Back in the day, from maybe the 1960s to the late 1990s these items of technology were red hot. People thought they were hip if had that new smoking record from their favorite artist. These things are things of the past now, and considering all of the new technology in the world today, it makes sense.  

Think about in one days time how much of the things a person comes in contact with are digital? Let’s start from dawn to dusk, one wakes up maybe turns off an alarm clock. After successfully turning off that alarm clock five times and trudging into the bathroom they flick on the lights and freshen up. 

They make their way back to their bedroom flick on that light and get dressed. They do their hair maybe even a hair straighter or a curler, no bad hair days here. Feeling fresh and dandy they make their breakfast, using a toaster and an electrical stove they make the ultimate breakfast, an egg sandwich. 

They dash out the door and head off to live their day whether it be at school or work they encounter technology at every turn. Cell phones, televisions, office phones, cars, computers, the list can go on, depending where you are. 

They make it back home safe and sound they warm up some dinner and relax for a bit. It might be at a computer or maybe a television.  Relaxation may actually be somewhat analog for example reading a book but technology is there with that blinding LED light bulb. That's it from dawn to dusk.

Technology is everywhere and is evolving faster as time progresses.  What’s next on this ever accelerating agenda of technology? Will it include a mass production of hover cars and holograms?

Syria: Should we intervene?

President Obama has issued a letter seeking the House and Senate to weigh in on this pressing question. BBC News reports that 1429 people, 426 of them children, have died in a single chemical attack taking place in Syria at the hands of the government. Currently, the United Nations' weapons inspectors have left Syria after gathering evidence on the acts. The analysis of this evidence may take weeks to be completed. Meanwhile, innocent children and civillians continue to face inhumane violence as the world looks on; waiting for the United States to make a decision.

 

America is considered to be the greatest nation on Earth and one of the most envied because of our founding principle of freedom. Therefore, I firmly believe that we should step in. If we don't, who will? The United Kingdom's Defense Secretary has stated that the British army will not intervene while other nations are hesistant to make any final decisions.  

Our nation is a historial beacon of safety and justice, and thus we have a moral obligation to stand up for justice and human rights. This occurrence harkens back to the time of Hitler's regime, when millions of minorities were being persecuted and slaughtered in Europe during the Holocaust. The Allied Forces, including the United States, turned a blind eye to these monstrosites and waited years before acting upon such genocide. Precious lives could have been spared in that period, and the same is true for the civilians of Syria.

In addition to immediate action, I do believe that the United States government needs to inform the American public about what will take place in Syria and the extent to which the U.S. will participate in the country's affairs. I think that a lot of citizens felt that they were out of the loop when America entered the Middle East, an act of warfare that took an enormous economic and social toll on our nation. Thus, the public needs to be assured how we will deliver aid in a efficient and effective manner.

A creative breakfast

Hey there everyone, I woke up feeling creative, so I decided to make a classic breakfast.

Green eggs and ham, It was yummy, delicious and in a few moments...

Gone. Try adding a twist to your everyday meal, it is fun and can be as easy as adding seven drops of green food coloring to your eggs. 

Oshogatsu Festival - Happy New Year, Japanese Style

Ringing in the Year of the Snake, the Morikami Museum and Japanese gardens, situated in Boca Raton, hosted a Japanese Oshogatsu Festival on January, 13, 2013. There were Japanese Shishimai (Lion Dances), a mochitsuki making demonstration, traditional Japanese fortune telling, kite flying, dancing, and so much more.

Approximately 7,000 visitors were expected to show, and the festival was absolutely packed, brimming to the rim with people. It was difficult to even walk through the main lobby without brushing shoulders with at least a few strangers.

I worked as a volunteer, and helped out at the T-shirt silk screening station. Visitors would bring or buy blank t-shirts and get them ink silk screened with their choice of two designs: a Japanese lion (Shishimai), or a four-squared design featuring a Daruma doll (wish doll), a snake, flowers, and fan, which represented the new year of the snake. My partner, Jordan, screened the designs onto the shirts, while I sealed the ink with a hot iron press. This was such a popular activity among the visitors that a never-ending stream of people would continuously line up to get a customized silk screened Oshogatsu t-shirt. In fact, we eventually had to switch from black ink to red because we ran out of main supplies (luckily, Jordan came prepared). Some people were so excited that they literally took their own shirts off (of course, they had something underneath) to get them designed.

The Oshogatsu Festival was a blast. If you would like to experience one for yourself, then you will have to wait until next year. However, there is a Hatsume (Spring) Fair coming up in March, which will be held or two days on March 23 and 24.

Hope to see you there.

Until next time.

Sayonara,
Karam Atli

How It Feels to NOT Have a Smartphone

Sometimes, I feel very lonely.

I look around during lunch at school, and almost everyone has their eyes glued to a screen.

I could ignore them, and think of myself as original, someone who didn't hop onto the Steve Jobs is a genius, I should buy all of his products bandwagon. Someone who has better things to worry about then who tweeted this or who Instagrammed that.

Or, I could crawl into a corner and wonder why life is so horrible, and how I could be asking Siri where the best pizza place is instead of wallowing in the darkness.

Okay, that was a bit dramatic.

But you get my point.

Looking on the bright side, it's not like iPhones were always around. People lived happy lives without them. (You would be lying if you said you've never heard your parents tell you the "Back in My Day" spiel).

Sadly, the way Apple is moving, it doesn't look like iPhones will loose popularity any time soon.

In the mean time, I'll wait for someone to invent a time machine, so I can go back to the prehistoric era and be amongst my fellow dinosaurs.   

College: The Pros, the Cons, and What to Expect

By Karam Atli

The thought of college lingers in the back of the mind of most high school students (I can relate since I’m a sophomore getting ready to take the SAT’s next year) ; especially those of juniors and seniors. Many of you may be wondering what exactly college life is like, how it feels to be a college student, and what to expect when taking your first steps into college. So that’s why I’m here today to tell you about my experiences as a college student living the college life.

Many of you might be thinking right now, Wait a second… didn’t she just say she’s a sophomore? What does she know about college? Well, you see, I do not go to just any ordinary high school. I attend Florida Atlantic University High School. In this school, we complete all four years of high school curriculum in our freshman year on the high school campus, which is located within the A.D. Henderson school grounds. However, once we become sophomores, we officially become college students. So as a sophomore, I am studying on the Florida Atlantic University campus as an actual college student, taking actual university classes, and yes alongside actual university students which are approximately 4-5 years older than me.

So sit back, get comfortable, and take some notes as I share my experiences in college and describe to you the pros, the cons, and what to expect when you become a college freshman.

The Pros:

1.       Making your schedule: This is by far one of the best things about college. Since we started school as a child, our class schedules have been created by school administrators. However, once you become a college student, this all changes. You now wield the majestic, mystical, and unknown power to create your very own schedule.  This way you can plan your class times around your own personal schedule.

2.       Less homework: One great thing about college is that there is significantly less homework for the classes in comparison to high school. However this can be both a good thing and also a bad thing. Good thing is that you have more time on your hands. However, the bad thing is that this will provide you will less opportunity to practice and remember the skills and lessons you learned in class. Instead, you must become more responsible and manage your time well by making use of it efficiently by studying.

3.       Fewer Exams: Just like the less homework pro, this can be both a good and a bad thing. Although you will have more time between exams, these exams will mostly likely count as more, have a greater impact on your final grade in the course, and also cover more material. Therefore, make a smart use of this in-between and minimalize that partying to save time for studying.

4.       Each Course Only Lasts One Semester: This means if you have to take a course that you despise and dread, it will only last one semester, HALF the time it would usually take in high school. So hip-hip-hooray for that!

The Cons:

1. 1. Less Caring Teachers: The big difference between high school teachers and college ones is not just the name change to professor, but also the fact that college professors usually care less for individual students than high school teachers do. It’s not that they are cold-hearted; it is because of the sheer number of students they teach as a whole. Some teachers teach up to a couple thousand students per week. This makes it difficult for the professor to answer individual questions from each student that may be confused on the lesson. Instead, a better way to answer your questions may be to ask your TA (teacher’s assistant) for assistant and clarification or even on campus tutors or supplemental instruction leaders.
2. 2.       Being Absent Can Be a Big Deal: In high school, being absent for a few days when you are sick or just can’t make it, was not a big deal. You would have days to make up missed exams or homework. However, college is a whole different playing field. Missing a day or two can really create a big dent in your grade. Losing valuable in-class participation points can be like giving up an easy A. Also, there are no make-up days for exams in college. Once you miss an exam, you will indeed receive a 0. So get your flu shots and take your vitamins everyone!

My Experiences:

We FAU High students usually conceal our high school identities from both our professors and our college peers. We do this not because we want to, but because some professors and students are not comfortable with the fact that high school students are in their class. In fact, when people ask me how old I am, I do not say I am 15, instead I say I am 17.

Sometimes, when Boca High dual-enrolled students march over advertising they are high school students, the college students are bewildered and shocked. However, they do not realize that there are many other high school students (FAU High) in their class as well. We FAU High kids sometimes laugh at the thought of the college students realizing that they are surrounded by high school students.

Other than that, college life has been a wonderful experience for me, and I really do enjoy it. It provides me with more of a sense of freedom and responsibility. Transitioning into a college lifestyle was not too difficult. Once you get the hang of commuting from one side of the campus to the other, the professor’s style of teaching, and your new schedule, you will do fine.

Funny Short Story:

My Biodiversity professor poked fun at the high school students by saying that the students who receive the high grades in his class are usually in high school. He explained that when you are 15, you still have to listen to and obey your parents; however, if a college student’s parents asked them if they finished their homework, the student would just roll their eyes and stare at them like they have problems.

So now that I have given all the advice I could give in this article, I just want to say to all the high school students out there, work hard and keep up those good grades everyone! It will all be worth it once you get accepted into your dream university!