1. PBJs 2025

Image Credit: https://www.thisiswhyimbroke.com/banned-coffee/ Caffeine has saved me a lot of time. Whether it’s in the form of strongly infused tea leaves or in the flavorful depths of an energy drink, it is a powerful catalyst for concentration and energy and has been my reliable companion in completing my tasks. At its core, caffeine works by blocking adenosine, which is what is responsible for inducing sleepiness in us. Caffeine mimics the shape of adenosine and blocks the adenosine receptors without triggering the sleepiness effect, whilst also sharpening our mental clarity. I used to take 2 hour naps, believing that at the end of one will leave me feeling refreshed and energized enough so that I can tackle my homework. That strategy is not only inefficient as it takes time to execute, it also did NOT give me that result that I hoped for. I always woke up even more groggy and sleepier than ever, which obviously did not help me complete homework very well.  Some studies eve...

Photo Credit:  https://justenergy.com/blog/sound-energy-everything-you-need-to-know/ There are many forms of energy around us, but in my opinion the most enjoyable energy is sound energy. This is not just because I like listening to music, but just the magnitude of the energy itself. Sound waves are actual waves that move around us and bounce off walls, all to reach our ears. These waves make us hear different things based on their magnitudes. But the thing I like most about sound waves has to be the vibrations you feel when the sound waves are coursing through the air and ground. The other day I was at a dance performance. Dancing is always something I enjoy, but performing is something I love because of how the music feels when making every dance move, or how the stage shakes with every beat. Another place where the sound waves are buzzing in the air, is at a concert. At a concert, the music is played immensely loud, and there are huge crowds. The moment when the bass kic...

 A teacher is more than just an educator, they are a guide, mentor, and source of inspiration. A teacher's power is not just the lessons they teach, but how they are able to make the student's heard, seen, and valued. And for many, that means so much to them. I want you to think back to a teacher who changed your life. They could have encouraged you to do something when you felt like giving up; or saw something you were special at even before you saw it. Any teacher, has the ability to shape a student's confidence with a word of praise or even just a smile.   In 3rd grade, I was the quiet kid in school; can you believe that? I raised my hand  in class very few  times, and really only talked to my friends. I was kind of just there in the back of the class, until Mrs. Palmer noticed me. She was the teacher who made everyone feel welcome, and made you feel important. She had, what I like to call it, a superpower, to easily make a ordinary "random" memory into a spe...

The following piece explores the overlooked dimensions of power in America. As the seamless notion of power in society plays the perpetrator of all wrongdoings, it also encapsulates the potential to uplift marginalized voices and spread the notion of hope around the world. Power is what we make of it—its sole purpose is not to define greatness in itself, but rather the perseverance observed despite each of our fallibilities. Inspired by Allen Ginsberg's "America," the piece itself is a stark portrayal of protest poetry and power found through advocacy, while the content portrayed criticizes the corrupt misuse of power in a political context.  Like Toy Soldiers “America HAHAHA—is what the fat-green chicks dressed in suits laugh when they push the red button. America BOOM—is what the Nobody's hear on daily news-papers pressed to their ears. America F*CK YOU—is what every other country cries when we shuttle a bloody strike because we love to hiroshima every other s...

Teamwork Makes Dreamwork! Image of the Leadership class   “Teamwork makes dreamwork!” You’ve probably heard that phrase several times throughout your lifetime. Though it sounds cliche, it holds very true.  Teamwork, togetherness, collective action, whatever you want to call it, is the driving force behind almost everything. From creating political change through marching to the capital for civil rights in 1963, to transforming our own rotunda into a glitzy dance floor for homecoming, numbers can create meaningful changes, big and small. In this class itself, we work with others to write essays, create posters, brainstorm and more. Teamwork permeates our life in countless ways. Being a part of the leadership class helped me understand the full force that working together can have. Though a class of 60 people sounds like a lot, each person is invaluable in their contributions. For example, the seemingly simple task of hanging the streamers on the rotunda can take up to 10 people...

  If Pokemon were real, would fire types be illegal in California? Why do people say “the silence was deafening?” There’s just something about standing under the shower of hot water that relaxes and churns the brain simultaneously. One moment, I’ll be mindlessly shampooing my hair; the next, wondering how 629 flipped upside down is still 629. The power of these fleeting, ridiculous thoughts—better known as shower thoughts—lies in the fact that our minds are at its most creative when it’s least occupied. Shower thoughts provide purpose to even the most mundane of things, like that one oddly wedged ceiling tile in Mrs. Smith’s classroom. Science actually backs this up. When you’re engaged in a simple, repetitive task (like showering), your brain will enter a relaxed state, allowing your subconscious to “roam free.” This is why some of your best ideas or comebacks to an argument strike out of nowhere at the most random times. Your brain isn’t forced to solve a problem; it just does s...

Darshan Dhaduk Mrs. Smith English 11 AP 26 February 2025 Image credits: https://images.app.goo.gl/UYEyFnbrDASgKmcs5      During elementary school I thought that high school is easy and just a waste of time. Now fast forward a few years and I step foot on my first class in ninth grade. Walking into my first class, I still thought it might be a breeze and not too hard, but I was so wrong. Finals roll around and I soon realized how hard high school really is going to be.      Now high school is meant to be hard, and I really wished I knew that before. In the summer I signed up for so many basketball classes and other extra curriculars because I thought that I would not need to spend a lot of time in school, but it was the complete opposite. Third week of ninth grade and boom, five assignments due the next day and I didn’t start on any of them. Soon I started dropping the unnecessary extra curriculars that I had, just so I could focus and give more time to...

  Mini Pizzas, Max Power Few things in life hold true, undeniable power. Love? Maybe. Knowledge? Okay, sure. But have you ever had Trader Joe's mini pizzas? Because that is power.  Officially, they're called Spizzico di Pizza , but I just call them mini pizzas. They come in a frozen box with a dozen, deceptively simple yet life-changing. They are soft, cheesy, and perfect . They are the reason I've survived late-night study sessions, post-work exhaustion, and moments of existential crisis when I stare at my fridge and realize I have no idea what I want to eat. The power of these little pizzas isn't just in their taste, although they are eccellente . It's in their reliability. They never let me down. They just need to microwave for 1 minute, require zero effort, and make me feel like I have my life together (I absolutely do not). I could have a 10-page paper due, an SAT practice test looming, and my dog staring at me because I forgot to take him on a walk, bu...

  Here I am yet again, trying to think of something to blog about 2 hours before the deadline. We’ve all been there before—sitting down with the full intention of starting an assignment or studying for that chemistry test tomorrow, only to feel an overwhelming urge to scroll on your phone, watch one more YouTube video, or take a power nap. Procrastination gets a bad reputation, but what if it isn’t just a symptom of laziness?  Think about it—some of our best ideas come AFTER we’ve put it off for way too long. When a deadline looms dangerously close (i.e. chem assignment due tomorrow), the brain will enter an overdrive mode, firing all neurons at maximum power to get things done. Studies suggest that people who procrastinate actually tend to be more creative, since their minds subconsciously work on the task. So technically, this means that scrolling through memes for an hour is actually brainstorming, and not an excuse to be lazy.  But it is important to understand that t...

Emily Diao Mrs. Smith English 11 AP 12 February 2025 Image credit: https://www.top10vpn.com/guides/internet-censorship/ Link to article: https://www.thefire.org/news/blogs/free-speech-dispatch/chinas-censorship-goes-global-secret-police-stations-video-games Imagine waking up one day to find that the websites you rely on for news, communication, and entertainment are no longer accessible. Social media platforms censor discussions regarding political events, video games censor certain words, and criticism towards the government results in legal consequences. A hypothetical scenario like this is actually a daily reality for millions worldwide. The internet has recently become a battleground for power and control, governments and corporations shape digital spaces, deciding what can be seen, shared, and discussed. China is one of the most well-known enforcers of digital censorship, blocking access to Google, Youtube, and Twitter through the Great Firewall. Something concerning right now...

Photo Credit:  https://www.flexicon.com/Materials-Handled/Sugar.html           Sugar. Sugar. Sugar. What a beautiful thing. The best white substance that has been a constant throughout my whole life. I love it with all my heart. That wonderful sweet flavor with every granule is the definition of bliss. This addictive white substance has had a chokehold over me from the first time I had a piece of candy. Whether it’s chocolate, candy, juice, ice cream, or even cake, as long as something has sugar I know it will be good. Superman fell at the touch of Kryptonite, but, me, just hold up a Jolly Rancher and I would do anything. Sugar has to be one of the greatest things ever. Sugar is a basic macromolecule used by all organisms. Such a powerful substance it is. Why is sugar so powerful though? I think there are a few main reasons. The biggest one. It tastes amazing. Why would you want to eat that piece of broccoli in the fridge, when in the freezer rig...

 Darshan Dhaduk Mrs. Smith English 11 AP 12 February 2025 Image Credits:https://images.app.goo.gl/78iZoJHTXE4qBkEGA Sports is something that has made its way into my life, and it will not be leaving for a while. Whenever I either feel bored or just stressed, sports is the one thing that is there, and whenever I play, everything just goes away. Playing sports has both helped with my mental health and my physical health. Whenever I play, I feel like I am getting more and more younger as time goes on. My main sport is basketball, and I have been playing since I was three years old. It is that one thing from my childhood that has still stuck with me, and I am still not ready to let it go. Even though there are so many other things that I would rather do than play basketball, those things simply just have a end to it. Basketball though, does not. I can play for hours and hours and come back the next day just to feel like I am playing for the first time in my life. Watching sports is als...