Back to School: How to Rewire Your Summer Brain for School

by Erin, 9th grade

As we unwind in our summer mindset, thoughts of school begin to surface. While some look forward to getting back, many of us feel overwhelmed by homework and classes. This often leads to procrastination. Being prepared is essential to make the school year smoother over the next 180 days.

The younger generations, surrounded by social media and smartphones, often have a limited attention span, which affects their study habits. Healthline explains that compulsive phone use is triggered by a desire for stimulation, leading to a dopamine “reward” in the brain. Changing input can lead to different outputs, and being mindful of actions can help refocus priorities.

Instead of spending the next hour scrolling through your phone, try putting it away under a pillow. I’ve found it’s not easy to stop once you start, so it’s best to prevent it from happening. To avoid burnout and boredom, you can use a study method like the Pomodoro Technique, which involves studying for 25 minutes and then taking a 5-minute break. It’s a good way to minimize distractions. When you have reminders to look up something, jot them down so you can address them during your next break.

Hopefully, with peak productivity and your mind at ease, you can make room for the straight A’s, extracurriculars, and school activities you missed because you stayed up until midnight rushing to finish your English essay.

National Observances: National Chicken Wing Day July 29th

by Mateo, 11th grade

Chicken wings have been a staple of American cuisine. With the right sauces and dressings, just one small wing can pack a flavorful punch, making them an appetizer that can perfectly complement any occasion. Whether for a nice family outing at the local diner or a huge watch party for a big sporting event, chicken wings never fail to spice up the environment and satisfy your taste buds. Each year, on July 29th, National Chicken Wing Day is celebrated as a testament to the deliciousness and boldness of the savory morsels.

The National Chicken Council claims that chicken wings originated in the southern United States and have been a big part of Southern cooking for quite a while. However, they were never made with hot sauce until 1964, when bar owner Teresa Bellissimo whipped some up as a late-night snack for her son and his friends at her Buffalo, New York establishment. They enjoyed the hot wings so much that they were added to the menu the next day under the name “Buffalo Wings.” In no time, their popularity began to grow as many other bars started selling them to increase their beer sales. Eventually, major fast food chains such as McDonald’s, KFC, and Domino’s Pizza began selling and promoting chicken wings themselves. The mayor of Buffalo even started National Chicken Wing Day to celebrate their influence on American culture.

Nowadays, chicken wings are prevalent in the cuisine of many different cultures worldwide. Their combination of flavor, affordability, and compatibility with all kinds of sauces and dressings is arguably unmatched by any other food on the planet. As you may have guessed, the best way to celebrate National Chicken Wing Day is by enjoying some for yourself. Many places in today’s world serve chicken wings either exclusively or as their main meal, and the various sauces and sides they serve with their wings can be a bit overwhelming, so I will offer you some inspiration. Some of the most popular sauces served with chicken wings include BBQ, ranch, and buffalo sauce, but my personal favorite is garlic parmesan. Also, you cannot order wings without a side of French fries or celery sticks – they go together like peanut butter and jelly.

It doesn’t matter how you enjoy your wings; just make sure to take the time to appreciate the intricate history of the timeless snack.

Featured Pet: Meet Janie

by Jules, 9th grade

Janie is a one-year-old cutie cat searching for a forever home! Currently Janie and her kittens are staying at the OC Animal Care. Janie is now ready for a human companion. Openly displaying her affectionate nature, Janie’s purr-sonality is sweet and easygoing. Ready to share her soothing purrs Janie hopes to see you soon!

If you would like to meet or adopt Janie, please contact OC Animal Care at (714) 935-6848 and state Animal ID: A1866221 or visit their website at ocpetinfo.org.

New School Year: Time to Fix a Big Problem

by Marcella, 8th grade

Happy New School Year! Summer is coming to an end, and preparing for school is starting! Students and their families are going back-to-school shopping, and teachers are preparing for the new school year. But as the beginning of the school year draws close, we need to make sure our schools are safe for all students. Fighting is a very common thing at all Junior High Schools.

Fights are scary. Girls pulling hair, boys punching, kids pushing their way to see the fight. But what is worse is students running, pushing and pulling out their phones thinking it is fun.

Fights are a big problem at Junior High Schools. Fights make school not feel safe, and school is supposed to be the safest place for a kid. This is why students need to avoid fights, even if they are not in the fight itself. People need to understand how bad fights are. Parents and teachers need to tell their kids or students not to fight, not run towards the fight, not video the fight, and not ask for the video of the fight. For students, they need to understand that fights are not a good thing. Most students think it is fun to watch the fights. Many students run towards the fight and stand on lunch tables just to see the fight. Only a small percentage of JHS stand back away from the mob of kids trying to see the fight, terrified. Only a small percentage of students at JHS think that fights are wrong and scary. Those students who are scared by the fights need to tell their peers to stop encouraging the fights by cheering, running to see, recording, and asking for the videos.

By sharing these videos, students are not just encouraging the fights, but people are also being incredibly disrespectful towards the teachers and principals at the JHS. As it says in the article Dealing with fight videos from the website esafety.gov.au, “Sharing these recordings can lead to more violence or retaliation and sometimes encourage ongoing fighting. It can be humiliating and re-traumatizing for those filmed and may have a long-term negative impact on their emotional and mental wellbeing.”

Another thing that eggs on the fights is when a student takes their device home and shows their parent the video, and the parent laughs with their child, not seeing how wrong and horrifying this problem is. Adults also need to be aware of this problem and need to stop themselves and their children/students/nieces/nephews/grandchildren from video wing/watching/sharing/asking for/laughing at the video instead of seeing the problem and putting a stop to it.

People must stop fights. They are horrible, and students are not being helpful toward teachers and principals by recording them and sharing the recordings. The staff at JHS are trying to prevent these fights, but they can’t stop them all if no one helps them.

Point of View: Summer Break Activities

by Alicia, 7th grade

Summer break feels slow. Students who usually have hours worth of afterschool tasks are given an immense amount of free time. Even on top of summer programs and preparations for the following school year, there’s nonetheless so much space on our calendars to fill out compared to in school.

Some students like to take this time to stay at home as much as possible, enjoying the comfort of their beds. Others desire to fill their days with activities, from productive studying to raging parties.

Many students participate in summer camps, like an athletic camps. Introductory camps are where you’d typically find those exploring new things or those wanting to master the basics of something. It’s an astounding way to spend your summer, finding new hobbies.

There are definitely also those who prefer to focus intensely on their studies. They prep for their upcoming tests, look over schoolwork from the next school year, and search for opportunities that could end up on their college applications.

It’s not a complete summer without some fun, of course! Friends are meeting to see the July fireworks, throwing parties on warm beaches, and splashing in the crisp waters of a pool.

Summer break presents a remarkable opportunity for students to explore a range of activities. Whether you choose to relax at home, dive into new hobbies, focus on academics, or enjoy social events with friends, there’s something for everyone.

The freedom and flexibility of summer lets us discover things we enjoy and how we want to spend our time. Embrace the diversity of options and make the most of your summer break, creating memories.

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