Category: Opinion

  • 13 Reasons (More or Less) Why Season Three is Different

    The Netflix drama, 13 Reasons Why, was released in late August of this year. Season two ended with the aftermath of Tyler’s school shooting attempt, and season three picked up after the incident eight months later. While the two previous seasons focused on the main character of the show, Hannah, season three focused on the death of one of the most frustrating and hated characters, Bryce.

    The season starts out with Bryce missing after a huge brawl that took place during the homecoming game at Liberty High. Similar to seasons one and three, each episode analyzes one of a few of students at Liberty High and tries to make a connection between them and Bryce’s murder. Within 13 episodes, each of the suspects who were known to have issues with Bryce are interrogated.

    This season was a bit heartbreaking as one of the most hated characters, Bryce (hated for his sexually abusive behaviors, the role he played in Hannah’s suicide and the harm he caused to several girls), is seen trying to right his wrongs and become a better person. The show almost has you rooting for Bryce until you are once again reminded of what horrible acts he has been responsible for. He was seen trying to become a better friend to all the people he once hurt and seeking help to change who he is. As the show unfolds, each character is guilty of his death.

    Personally, I liked this season. I hated Bryce with every fiber of my being, but seeing him trying to get better was a reminder that people do have to ability to own up for their actions and actually want to change for the better. This show talks about real, raw topics such as bullying, rape, murder, and teenage social problems that are hardly addressed in the media nowadays. The show received backlash for some of the negative impacts it had, such as enabling suicidal tendencies in teens and for continuing the show. It is unknown if the show will be cleared for a fourth season but honestly, what would they even have to talk about?

  • Oh, Strap!

    Oh, Strap!

  • The Problem With PE

    The Problem With PE

    As obesity rates in the U.S. are rising, it is important that we exercise. As teenagers are constantly undergoing stress and life changes, exercise is extremely beneficial and should be encouraged.

    Harvard Health Publishing said in an article that exercise releases feel-good endorphins in the brain that improve mood and help with depression and anxiety. Some even say it acts similar to an antidepressant.

    Like most schools, 20 credits of physical education is required for graduation at Poly. However, if you do not pass 5 of the 6 standards for the state Physical Fitness Test, you are required to take a P.E. class or a sport until you graduate or pass the test.

    According to the UCLA Newsroom, out of 12 schools in the district, an average of only 37.8% of students were able to pass the fitness exam; approximately one in three students. In my second year of P.E., the only girl that was able to run the mile in less than ten minutes (one of the standards required to pass the exam) was only ever able to make that time once or twice at the very end of the year. Mind you, this class had a large majority of girls. Out of about 35 students, only nine were male, so only one girl being able to pass that one standard is outrageous.

    According to the California Department of Education, the fitness test is meant to be taken in fifth, seventh, and ninth grade. It is also stated that “the main goal of the test is to help students in starting life-long habits of regular physical activity.”

    The test was not designated to be religiously standardized like an annual benchmark. There is a multitude of healthy students on campus who exercise regularly outside of school but are not able to pass. A few of them may struggle with health issues that prevent them from passing. The issue with the physical education requirement is that the traditional kinesiology class is heavily focused on ability, not participation. Your grade depends on your accuracy at throwing, catching, or passing balls; how fast you can run, or how many push-ups or sit-ups you can do in one sitting.

    There’s no argument: exercise is important for everyone. But forcing students to meet these specific standards doesn’t make them enjoy it. If we wanted to be judged on how well we can kick a soccer ball or throw a baseball, then we would’ve joined the sport instead.

  • Food Fight

    As a student, I recognize the amount of food wasted during lunch and nutrition; some food is just left on school benches. What if the food was better? How much food will be conserved and not thrown away or half-eaten?

    I think we should look into fresh and better meals for students and faculty alike. What makes it bad? I think the biggest reason why it’s so flawed with some students is that some foods that are prepared are non-nutritious or simply unappealing. We come to hear students all the time groan about school food. “Ugh I hate this,” or “I’d rather just starve and eat when I get home,” is what most students say. I think the spicy mozzarella cheese sticks and the “turkey” sandwiches are disgusting somewhat. The worst thing that they do is that they don’t prepare meals fresh, and sometimes they are left soggy and disgusting. We must look into ways for food to be prepared fresh, hot, and ready. Why don’t they hire caterers to deliver food to our school? There must be some restaurants out there willing to cater for students; which consequently will also boost and encourage people to come to their restaurants if their food is good.

  • How Are Nazis Still a Thing?

    There’s an absurd number of Neo-Nazis in the United States today, something that just shouldn’t be possible. If they were all the grandchildren or great-grandchildren of Nazis who escaped Ger- many after the war ended and successfully sneaked into the Americas, then it would make a little bit more sense. Maybe the Neo-Nazis today were all raised with traditional Nazi values, straight from the motherland. The numbers would add up.

    However, that is not the case. Our country is infested with ignorant, hateful, Anti- American, Jew-hating Nazis, and a great number of them aren’t even directly related to Nazis from World War 2; a lot of young Neo-Nazis today

    have American parents and American grandparents, who were born and raised right here in the United States, which makes this whole situation all the more absurd, for numerous reasons.

    First of all, I can’t think of anything more Un-American than Nazism. We straight up fought a whole war against Nazis. We had tons of propaganda about how evil Hitler and his beliefs were and why everyone should’ve enlisted and done their part to put a stop to his reign of terror in Europe. Our country had and should still have very strong opinions on Nazism. During World War 2 our entire country had pretty much devoted itself to fighting it.

    Millions of American soldiers died fighting Nazis. There are still people alive to- day who fought Nazis and people who have family members who fought Nazis–this country hates Nazis. So how in the hell is there such a big Neo-Nazi population in our country today? It’s like if 50 years from now, we had a bunch of Neo-ISIS members marching in the streets–it doesn’t make any sense. How is it possible that there are so many men out there today openly advocating for a cause that’s not only dangerous and hateful, but also extremely Anti-American?

    You’d think we’d be doing more as a country to shut down movements so detestable, but we’re not doing enough. Nazis are evil, wicked, ignorant, Anti-American scum. As such, they should be scared to show their faces in public and openly express their evil ideology be- cause we as a society should be showing them the same kind of viciousness they show Jews

    and other minorities. This is a hate group that openly calls for violence upon people–there’s no room for that society. No person should befriend or love them, no employer should give them jobs, and no organization should allow them any kind of position of power.

    And I’m not saying to take away their first amendment rights-if they want to publicly express their beliefs, I say go for it. Hell, I welcome it. It’ll make it easier for us good, responsible citizens to pick them out and practice our first amendment rights to publicly detest and ostracize those Nazi scum and carry out the justice they deserve.

    This isn’t even a political issue. An ideology of hate and violence based on race isn’t a political platform; it’s not anything worth respecting or defending.

  • Ready for the Real World?

    This week, I and many other seniors will be given a diploma and moving on into whatever kind of life we want to live. It is up to us to determine if we will continue education, have jobs, or just do nothing.

    I’ve been waiting for the moment to finally graduate and have my life set. But as that day is approaching closer, I dread it more and more. Why was I so excited for this as a kid and what made me think I would have everything figured out by then?

    If anything I feel more confused and overwhelmed than ever before. What exactly is in store for me? And why does it seem like I’m being pushed out into something I’m not really prepared for? Yup that’s right, adulthood. This has been a long struggle, being in in school, for SO many years. It’s routine and what I’ve been doing the past 13 years. In these 13 years what have I learned? Maybe some social skills and how kids can be cruel sometimes. The basic subjects such as math, history, english, and science. But what about managing my money? That’s only something that I’m really learning and investing in my senior year. Why does everything cost so much anyways? Applying for jobs, it’s a struggle, especially when I’ve been trying for months to get a job. Hello? I’ve been calling for so long now. Please give me a job, please.

    I’ve decided for myself that I will continue to do even more education, all in the favor of trying to have a career that will hopefully keep me stable. Good luck to me and all the other seniors who are going to struggle and try to survive.

  • Senior Appreciation

    At last, we have come to the end of this school year! Congratulations to all the students that have made it, but more importantly, con- gratulations to the seniors who have come so far and even now, are still continu- ing to go even further as they take their next big step in life. This school year, I have met so many amazing seniors that have influenced me and left a huge impact on me in several ways. They helped me settle in when I was unsure of what to do in a certain class, they were the greatest student counselors at Poly North, they were even there to assure me that I was always welcomed in a friend group. It was always the little moments that made

    them leaving me thankful for ever having the oppor- tunity to have met them. Friends, classmates, peers; call them whatever but to me they will always be one of the biggest influencers to have ever come into my life. I also feel like they should be more honored and feel proud of themselves as we should for them. After all, they once started out like everyone else. They began sprouting as a tiny bunny and grew throughout high school becoming the ex- travagant jackrabbits they are now. This class of 2019 should deserve more ac- knowledgement because even without knowing it, they influenced a lot of other people’s lives, not just mine.

  • YOU DON”T OWN ME!

    Everyone is their own person. This is what I have told myself my whole life. No one belongs to anyone. This is what my family has told me. However as I grow up, I am starting to be unsure of what I have been taught. The relationships I have seen throughout my life have been quite interesting, but what has always gotten my attention – not in a good way- are the people who find themselves feeling possessive over someone else.

    I have even found myself in situations where someone calls me their own and it had left me feeling extremely uncomfortable. I don’t like being controlled or told who to give my love and attention to. I also don’t like being guilt tripped into it. Whether it’s friend or partner, if someone makes me choose between two people, I won’t enjoy the pressure and as a result, end up answering insincerely. What I don’t like especially about people who are possessive is that they can sometimes take things too far and turn the relationship they’re in into a toxic one.

    I’m not saying this is indicated  for ALL relationships, but I feel if you want to be in a relationship, you and your partner should know limits. I don’t mean this to come out in any harmful way at all, it is just what I feel.

  • Winter Has Come Again

    Okay so, the final season of Game of Thrones is here! Not really, but it’s coming April 14, so it’s basically here. There are lots of theories about the end: the Night King prevails and everyone dies, Daenerys goes crazy and burns everyone, or Cersei goes crazy and burns everyone – the list goes on.

    I have my own theories on what will occur throughout the season but I have yet to really care about how it might end.

    However, the closer the end comes, the more I start to think about it. So… what I want to happen at the end of Game of Thrones is for winter to consume all of Westeros. To usher in a new Long Night, but I want the Night King to be vanquished, but even though he’s gone, winter still prevails.

    And I want the Iron Throne to be destroyed, no one wins the game, but someone survives to become the “ruler” of Westeros. I also don’t want everyone to die, but maybe just most people. Only a few left to rebuild and usher in the new world. The end is near, winter is here, I just hope I’m not disappointed by the ending.

  • Too Close For Comfort?

    In my opinion friendships only grow when you are close to each other, whether it may be physically or mentally. Society has made closeness an uncomfortable sanctum for friendship.

    In other words, people think that being physically and mentally close to someone means that they are bound to be together romantically, but that’s not necessarily true.

    I personally think that closeness can encompass physical actions towards one another in a friendly passion. For instance, two friends of the opposite sex or same sex can hug or cuddle without having feelings.

    Society has made people subject to thinking that close encounters with other individuals is uncomfortable or unacceptable in public.

    This could be because the media shows closeness only in the form of a relationship. I believe friends have the ability to not have feelings for one another and still be a caring and understanding person towards them. Society should be more open minded and allow closeness in public.

    The amount of people who do not accept closeness between friends in public is extremely high in my opinion. Therefore, the discomfort of society is out of control.

    Students at Poly, such as Marc Hines, a sophomore, said, “Boys sometimes believe that being close to a girl or opposite sex can make it look like [you] are together and that causes many problems.”

    I asked him why he felt as though there were problems created and he could only say that he was afraid of being questioned by his friends. If that is the reason why closeness is not accepted in society, then technically closeness is just seen as different for other people.

  • This Is A School, Not A Trash Can!

    There I am, walking, minding my own business and suddenly I feel the crunch under my feet. I look down and see crushed up goldfish on the ground. My eyes then move to scan the floor around me. Spilled hot chocolate and empty Gatorade bottles everywhere. Someone actually smashed their lunch against the wall. Honestly, what’s the point?

    I hate it when people just throw their trash on the ground when the trash can is literally right there! What kind of disgusting,  good-for-nothing bum can you be?!

    People who throw their trash on the ground, tells me something about them. They obviously have no respect for their school, the earth, and for themselves. Y’all are nasty. Just clean up after yourselves. What do you think the visitors see when they come to our school, the so called Home of Scholars and Champions?  You know what they think? That we’re just a bunch of immature and disrespectful delinquents.

    Don’t you feel bad for the schools janitors or staff who has to clean up after you treacherous children? It has gotten so bad that even Mr. Puth, our School Activities Director, has had to make  public  announcement to everyone  about this trash problem at our school.

    During lunch and nutrition, I see school faculty  and janitors try and clear out the hallways to try and reduce the trash people produce at school. That lasted about a week. A week later, the buildings were bombarded with students (not all) who just through their trash on the ground. It’s not the school’s responsibility to remind students to pick up after themselves.  These kids should know how to do the basics of cleanliness. I wonder, at home, do you throw trash on your ground and expect someone to clean it up? If not, then don’t do it at school.

    Quite honestly, I am appalled and disgusted. This is a public high school, not a public trash can.

  • Outraged By Nazi Imagery

    On the first weekend of March, students from Newport Harbor High School hosted party, in which they played a drinking game otherwise known as “rage cage”.

    In the “game’’, the students didn’t place the cups in the traditional triangle shape, but instead decided to place the cups onto a swastika. And in case you’re thinking, no, not the Buddhist kind.

    We’re talking about the symbol the infamous Nazis used during the horrific events of the holocaust. Not only did they place the cups into a swastika, some of the students even held up the Nazi salute for pictures that went viral on social media.

    Once I heard about what these students did I was disgusted. Especially because the students, along with many other people, were defending these actions.

    They said that it was a “joke” and that it doesn’t necessarily mean that they support Nazis. But honestly should people be joking about an organization that killed millions of people?

    No. Because it’s a sensitive subject that no one should be joking about. And believe me, I love myself some dark humor, but this is just outrageous and disrespectful.

    Many other people are outraged as well and it was even reported that some of the students in the picture were getting threatened at school and although I don’t think that the students deserve to be physically or mentally hurt, they should be accountable for their actions.