Meenakshi Sathish Editor-in-Chief The earliest early action and decision deadlines are coming up within the next two weeks. Some seniors are prepared for this while others still have not gotten the memo about what Common App is. My grievances go out to those who are writhing in the pain of stress, but hope is not lost. Finishing, or starting for some people, college applications may seem like an impossible task given the small window of time, but nothing is possible and thinking so is not helping anyone. The best way to start knocking down things that need to be done is by creating a list of things to do. Here is a list of things a senior must do before sending off college applications. Create a Common App account: The great thing about Common App is that if you plan on applying to seven different schools, you don’t have to write out seven different applications. With the Common App the questions that every college needs are all put on one page, and they are all sent off to all the colleges of choice with the click of one button. On this site, the applier can also request recommendations, and write their essays. It is so easy that a baby could do it. With an account on Common App, the rest is pretty self-explanatory, and half the battle is done. One of my recommendations is either sit down with your parent(s), or give them the username and password, so they can fill out some of the questions that you may not know the answer to like questions regarding their employer or income tax. However not all schools are the Common App website. If it is not on the Common App, you can apply on CFNC (if the college is within the state), or chances are that they have their own admissions portal of their website. Call the admissions counselor if you are still lost on where to apply. If you feel like a college resume would better you application, get right to starting/finishing that up as well. Prioritize your colleges This is a little more applicable to those who started their applications earlier but is still nevertheless important. It is also especially important if you are the person who is applying to a good number of schools (ten and up). Figure out, highlight, and star the deadlines of each college, and know what they are each expecting. Many colleges require different supplements than others, and it is important to organize what you need from each school. Diligently plan out the order in which you complete each application, so you are not freaking out at the last minute. Amber Hancock-Burns Staff Writer “Together from the top,” is one of the most common phrases that the Apex Orchestra Director Mr. Miller will say. Many people around Apex know that the arts are one of the most featured departments at Apex, along chorus and theater, however not everyone knows that there is an orchestra. It is only one class, not multiple, and is only made up of about thirty-five people. The orchestra is made up of violins, violas (basically a larger violin), cellos, and stand up string basses. With around four to five concerts during a school year, orchestra is constantly working on their music in order to make it as close to perfect as they can. Kendyle Harris, a violinist, says that there is never enough time in the class and that something can always use work. Whether it is a certain section that is unable play their part or a certain piece of music is hard on everyone, something can always be improved on. The director, Mr. Miller says that we could always use more time, but we just don’t have it. Andrea Tyson Staff Writer It is time to head to the drugstore and find your perfect foundation match. You instantly spot a new foundation display. You start picking up the bottles and begin reading the shade names ‘Snow,’ ‘Porcelain,’ ‘Ivory,’ and ‘Tan,’ but where is the other half of the shades? Why are you not seeing ‘Caramel,’ ‘Ebony,’ ’Mocha,’ ‘Cocoa,’ or ‘Mahogany’ for those with deeper complexions? Is the absence of color at the drugstore solely an inconvenience, or could this be borderline colorism? Patrick LaLiberte Staff Writer “Row, row, row you boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.” I am sure you know that song; everyone does. It is a song that everyone has known since they were five years old. Most people know every word to it. However, something that most people don’t know about this song is that it holds a very important piece of information particularly in the last line; “Life is but a dream.” The song is telling you that life is just a dream, and you should not take it so seriously. And these simple nursery rhyme lyrics may have more real meaning and significance to them than you think. No one exactly prove that we are living in a dream. This theory has been debated by philosophers for a long time, and it cannot really be known for sure if the theory is true. If life really is a dream, then no one would ever really die; they just die in this life. After death, maybe they will just wake up in the “real” world, wherever that may be. Then later on, they might find out that that was a dream, too! Think about it; when you are in a dream, do you ever realize that you are dreaming? Do you ever realize that none of the things going on around you make any sense? I am sure we have all had dreams in which most of what is happening is impossible in this world, but in the dream, you just went along with it. Maybe it was snowing in ninety degree weather, or maybe your skin was purple. It is not until the next morning that you realize how crazy the dream was. During the dream however, you do not really take notice of these things. Ashton Baysden A&E Editor Mental illness is an invisible wound that affects so many high-school students while the people around them have no idea of their suffering. We get so caught up in what is going on in our lives that we often forget to consider the possibility that the girl in our homeroom or the boy in our fourth period could be desperately needing someone to talk to. According to Susan Wile Schwarz from the National Center of Children in Poverty, about 20% of adolescents have a diagnosable mental disorder, but this alarmingly high statistic typically does not occur to us when we are interacting with our peers at school. Mental illnesses like depression and anxiety are so widely dismissed that we often forget that they can affect anyone including our peers. Apex High School senior Allison Crowley is well-aware of the seriousness of the issue and is doing something about it. After seeing small pictures and magnets with the suicide hotline written on them around Apex, Crowley could not help but wonder, “Why not make it bigger? Why not spread the word more?” Such important messages are being communicated via such miniscule sources which is ultimately leading to a lack of knowledge about the matter. Now, she is taking it upon herself to spread the word by making posters raising awareness for mental health to put up around Apex High School. Crowley is making these posters with several goals in mind. She wants to educate people and end societal norms that are currently in place; there are stigmas attached to mental illnesses, and she is striving to break these stigmas through these posters. “I hope that after I start putting the posters up, talking about mental health will not be so taboo. I want people to feel more comfortable talking about it,” Crowley says. “I hope that people with depression will stop being seen as ‘lazy’ and people with anxiety will stop being seen as ‘attention-seekers’ and start being seen as serious as they really are.” Carlee Lewis Staff Writer Katie and Dalton Prager both were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at a young age. The two eventually met online and were eager to meet one another. Cystic fibrosis makes the body produce more mucus than needed, causing the mucus to plug tubes, ducts, and passageways. When two people with cystic fibrosis meet, it increases the risk of infection to the lungs. If they become a couple, it is almost certain both will develop an infection. Unfortunately, the odds were not in their favor. Both Dalton and Katie developed a lung infection and were put on a lung transplant list. They spent their first date riding roller coasters on King Island amusement park. Dalton gave Katie a necklace for her birthday. Almost immediately, Dalton gave Katie his infection. The two got married after two years of meeting. They were each other's self-proclaimed “other halves”. The two had to live in separate states for medical issues to be resolved. The couple rarely saw each other, so they would facetime every day. Dalton received his lung transplant before Katie. Katie struggled to get her lung transplant because of insurance issues. A year after Dalton’s lung transplant, he developed Lymphoma, meaning the transplant was not successful. Not far after Dalton, Katie also developed the disease. Jacob Sosdian Staff Writer The iPhone 7 is just around the corner, with new features and technology to this new Phone. We are here to talk about the good things, the bad things, and the things that may not be so good. Let’s start with the good things, first. The IPhone 7 and the 7 Plus are really fast so that is more than double the speed of the two-year-old iPhone 6. Their cameras give really nice and clear photos. The cameras carry 12 megapixel sensors, and Apple included optical image stabilization, a feature that helps photos remains clear even when your hands are shaky. Then we have the durability to the IPhone 7 and 7 Plus. The iPhones are now water resistant, people have dropped the phone into a bucket of water and the phone turns out to be ok. That does not mean you can play games under water. Another upgrade to the IPhone 7 and 7 Plus is that there is more storage, GB reaches to 32GB, 128GB, and 256GB capacities. With all of these new upgrades we have different colors for the IPhone 7 and 7 Plus. They have glossy jet black, matte black, gold, silver, and rose gold. I personally like the silver and matte black. Glossy jet black is shiny, but you can get a lot of smudges and finger prints on the back that I do not like, so you might as well get a case. What people are not looking forward to and this has been on almost everybody’s mind, is that the IPhone 7 does not have an audio jack. Now Apple has the new EarPods headphones that connect through the lightning connector port. Apple is also bringing something new and that is the Airpod headset. They work very well and the music sounds clear. The only problem that people have, especially for teens who want to walk around listening to music, is the look of the Airpod headset. People feel awkward wearing them because they look like cigarette butts hanging from your ears. Social media said that they look ugly. Who am I to judge? if something works, I’m happy with it. Andrea Tyson Staff Writer Imagine being a model for a moment. You are posing for the camera, and before you know it, you are playing Twister trying to perfect each pose the photographer wants to see. You have to keep your smile big enough and your hair just right. You put in all of this work, but you know it still will not be good enough. You finish the shoot, and you are already being critiqued. Your waist is not small enough; your skin is not light enough; your muscles are not as defined as they should be. The question is, why are these things seen as flaws? Modeling may sound like an simple job, but you are putting yourself out there for everyone to judge you. Your body will be airbrushed and photoshopped to meet whatever standard of beauty others want to see. Who is to tell you what the standard of beauty is or tell you that you do not fit into that standard? Beauty is different to everyone, so nobody can tell you what the standard is. Ashley Graham is a plus size model who is defying the odds and embracing her body for everything it is including all the “flaws” she may have. Graham is a twenty-eight year old from Nebraska. Graham was discovered in a mall at the age of twelve by two scouts who jump-started her modeling career. Graham has worked in multiple areas of the industry including editorials, commercials, runways, film, and television productions. When she is not posing for shoots, Graham is a spokesperson for unconventional beauty. She travels to high schools talking to young women about the importance of self-acceptance, female empowerment, body image, and having a sense of self-worth. Graham is also a co-founder of Alda, a group of models who are trying to change the modeling industry to include a more diverse group of women. Throughout her career, Graham has made great strides in getting more diversity in the mainstream modeling industry. One of her biggest accomplishments was being the first “plus size” model to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition in 2016. It was no surprise that Graham broke the internet after posting a photo on Instagram showing her cellulite. Ashton Baysden A&E Editor Fall is a beautiful time of year with the leaves turning red and pumpkin spice lattes making their annual comeback, but the beauty of the season is hard for seniors to enjoy when all they can see is college application deadlines looming in the distance like the Grim Reaper. September is the month where reality truly sets in for upcoming graduates as they scramble to choose schools, fill out applications, and write college essays. All the stress makes it hard for seniors to sit back and enjoy their last year before they enter the world of adulthood; what can they do to ease their anxiety? Kenison Garratt
Editor-in-Chief and A&E Editor It is a common belief that we go out of life similarly to how we entered it: wrinkly, cute, and in diapers. Well, I suppose the same can be said about high school, in the sense that we come into high school and leave it in the same way. In each case we have to stop and remind ourselves to breathe. Both times we are sad to think of the friends we are leaving behind, but we are excited for the relationships we may discover, and while we may know where we are going, we are still unsure of where our journey will truly take us and who we will meet along the way. Yet we continue onward, putting one shaky foot in front of the other. |
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