December 2023

THE COURIER December 2023 Volume 16 Issue 3 2840 E Orange Rd, Lewis Center, Ohio, 43035 Christianity Judaism Hinduism Islam THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAYS

2 DECEMBER A D S DESIGNER | MAKENNA SHRAGER

TABLE OF CONTENTS STAFF EDITORS TAYLOR GOUDIE | WRITING NICK WOOLARD | WRITING MAKENNA SHRAGER | DESIGN KARI PHILLIPS EDITORS IN CHIEF ADVISER DECEMBER 3 AVA VALENTIK | NEWS & CULTURE ADAM WELCH | SPORTS & COLUMNIST MOLLY SULLIVAN | OPINION LUNA PEREZ DELGADO | FEATURE ABI WYKOFF | COPY EDITOR NATALIA FAVILA INACUA | BUSINESS NATHAN STATEN | BUSINESS CAROLINE ALBERT | PROJECTS AUDREY SELSOR | DESIGN & PHOTO LILLY WOOD | DESIGN & PHOTO VALENTINA URBAEZ | COLUMNIST MALAK CHAHBOUB ZION CLIFTON CHAYCE GIDDENS LINCOLN HAKE MIA HARRINGTON ELLA KIRK ABBY KUILAN SHIV MAJMUDAR MACKENNA MILLER REEMA MOHAMED RAFIQ HIYA PATEL REBEKAH RICHTER SAVANNA SMITH TOC DESIGNER | MAKENNA SHRAGER CHECK OUT THE COURIER’S ONLINE SITE! ALL YOUR FAVORITE WRITERS AND DESIGNERS GO DIGITAL. SCAN THE CODE WITH YOUR CAMERA TO BE TAKEN DIRECTLY THERE! COVER DESIGNER | MAKENNA SHRAGER 3 THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAYS P. 12 ESSENTIAL ELECTIONS P. 6 MAKING A SPLASH P. 9 NUTS FOR BALLET P. 19 (TAYLOR’S VERSION) P. 23 DISCARD THE DRAFT P. 25

STAFF EDITORIAL S T A F F E D I T O R I A L missing the holiday spirit WRITER THE EDITORIAL STAFF | DESIGNER MIA HARRINGTON Tis the season to be jolly, or so the carol goes. But, as the years pass and the months go by, there’s an undeniable truth that many come to discover the older they get: the holidays don’t have the same magic they once did. While this may not be true for all, it’s important to note that it’s not the holidays becoming less special for some teenagers, rather, it’s how they view them that transforms. As children, the arrival of December meant starting new advent calendars, circling what is wanted from magazines and the tracking of Santa Claus himself. The anticipation of Christmas morning, the joyous ripping of gift wrap and the heaping amounts of toys all contributed to the sense of wonder and excitement that we all seem to crave now. The biggest contributing factor to the changing holiday spirit is the shift in perspective that comes with growing up. The gifts we used to unwrap are now our responsibility to shop and budget for. The time leading up to being with family and friends becomes stressful while trying to plan how to get to them. The days before winter break that we all used to look forward to are now filled with tests and studying instead of cocoa, movies and pajama parties. Instead of looking forward to winter break for the holidays and all that it brings, teenagers now look forward to being home and sleeping in. The break from school and stressful classes is longed for more than the piles of presents under the tree. Besides, most teens now know what they are getting before they even get the chance to peel back the paper on their gifts. Additionally, kids nowadays reach for the TV remote to flip through the best sports game reruns or turn on the newest update of their favorite video game in their free time over break. Instead of getting giddy over watching Santa make his way to their house on a glitchy “Santa Tracking” livestream, they go to bed early hoping to catch up on some much-needed sleep. Despite these new shifts, in age and mindset, there is a silver lining to be found in the changing nature of holiday excitement. The joy may not be as pure or young, but, in this, it becomes more mature and meaningful. The holidays take on a new role as a time of reflection, gratitude and a celebration of the strong bonds that made it through the test of time. It also becomes an opportunity for self-discovery and individuality while still having the comfort of family and tradition. The joy of giving takes on a new significance as teenagers begin to understand the value of thoughtful gestures and the love that comes from shared experiences. The once-eager excitement for Christmas morning may be replaced by learning that the holidays are not just about presents under the tree but about the presence of loved ones. The evolution of holiday excitement is a natural part of growing up. It’s not that the magic goes away entirely, but rather, it transforms into a quieter and more personal celebration. The holidays may not be as exciting as they once were, but learning the true meaning of them can be even more rewarding and special. 4 DECEMBER EDITORIAL STATEMENT The Courier is the official student-produced medium of news and information published by the Advanced Newspaper Journalism students of Olentangy Orange High School. The Courier has been established as a designated public forum for student journalists to inform, educate and entertain readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials, adults or sources prior to publication. The content of The Courier is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself. The Courier will not publish any material, determined by the staff or adviser, that is libelous obscene or disruptive to the school day. The adviser is Kari Phillips. Readers may respond to The Courier through Letters to the Editor. Letters may be mailed, e-mailed to thecourierstaff@ gmail.com or dropped off to room 2213. The staff asks that submissions be 300 words or less and contain the author’s name and signature. Editors reserve the right to edit or withhold publication of letters. The Courier strives to uphold the Canons of Professional Journalism, which includes accuracy, impartiality, etc. Therefore, major errors will be corrected in the next issue. Distiniction will be marked between news and opinion stories. . ‘

FRANTIC FOR THE FUTURE E D I T O R I A L it’s ok to not know WRITER TAYLOR GOUDIE | DESIGNER MIA HARRINGTON As college results start to come out for seniors, the talk of the future rises in discussion amongst students. Questions of “Where are you going to school?”, “What will you major in?”, and “What do you want to do after school?” float around the hallways. It’s absurd to be expected to know our purpose in life by 18 years old because our frontal lobes aren’t even fully developed until 25 years old. Kids shouldn’t be pressured into deciding what to do with the rest of their lives this early on. Growing up, I constantly heard talk of people’s wildest dreams of what they wanted to be when they grew up: astronauts, doctors and singers were amongst some of the most popular. Personally, I’ve always struggled with that question and responded with a simple “I don’t know yet.” Now, I’m 18 years old and months away from graduating high school, and I still have the same response to that question of what I want to be when I grow up. Trying to figure out the path of the rest of my life sounds like an impossible task to do right now. High schoolers still have so much of their lives left to figure out what they want to do yet are pressured to figure it out before college. One of the biggest questions seniors are forced to face when applying to college is what major they would like to study. Sure, there is always the choice to go in undecided, but many feel as though to get in at certain schools it’s best to pick now or it could make writing supplemental essays easier. For example, for some of the schools I applied to, I had to write an essay about why I wanted to go into my major. I don’t even feel strongly about my major and could see myself switching later on, so I really had to think deeply about what could’ve inspired me to pick my major that wasn’t just “It will make money” or “My parents do something similar to this.” It’s such a difficult decision to make because seniors must think about the rest of their lives and what job they want to have for the next 40 years or so. I struggle with this myself because when I think about different jobs, I can’t see myself doing a lot of them or enjoying them. I often think back to that saying, “if you enjoy your job, you won’t work a day in your life,” but I fear most jobs that would pay a comfortable wage don’t fit that criterion of being enjoyable. The idea of doing something I don’t enjoy every day for the rest of my life seems frightening. Additionally, even when picking majors and talking to other students who are writing applications, it can be easy to feel as though one is falling behind. There are so many examples of other students talking about their research experience, internships or inventions at such a young age, and it can feel difficult to compare to them. For instance, in my English class, we read examples of college application essays, and many included experience with college professors conducting research or conducting scientific research in labs with scientists or hospitals. This led me to spiral and feel as though I’m behind and haven’t been doing enough with my life. I’ve just been trying to get good grades in my classes, meanwhile other students are working with professionals and finding cures to diseases. Whilst they have had their whole future figured out and already began having experience in their fields of choice, I’m still at the beginning of wondering what to do. Growing up is scary. Figuring out the next steps of life is also scary. No one should feel behind in life because they aren’t sure yet. There’s so much time still, and people change their minds all the time. College students commonly switch majors, and even after college people switch careers too. Students shouldn’t let the pressures of deciding life consume them because it’s O.K. to still not know yet. DECEMBER 5 NURSING COMPUTER SCIENCE BUSINESS FINANCE ? ? ? ENGINEERING MARKETING PSYCHOLOGY EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY PRE-MED ART & DESIGN ? .

ESSENTIAL ELohio passes issue one andWRITER CAROLINE ALBERT| DESIGNER ZION CLIFTON Ohio just experienced another election, and it was anything but a sleepy, boring midterm election. Among other things on the ballot, issue one, on women’s reproductive rights, and issue two, the legalization of recreational marijuana, caused an abnormally high voter turnout for this election year. This year was an off year election, meaning there were no major federal elections being held. “Voter turnout in an off-year election is normally very low. There are no federal offices up for elections, no house representatives, senators, presidents and typically Ohioans don’t show up to vote just how,” AP Government teacher John Carmichael said. However, this year, that was not the case. According to the Ohio Secretary of State Office and Spectrum News, more than 3.9 million Ohioans voted in this November’s election, about 800,000 more than what was seen back in August. The main contributor to the mass increase in voter turnout has to do with the controversy surrounding issue one on women’s reproductive rights. “While it’s debatable, certainly abortion as a subject by itself is one of the most controversial debatable issues we have period. Perhaps guns would be the other one but it’s hard to think of something more controversial,” Carmichael said. When a subject is as controversial, the topic in politics is known as a wedge issue. “Wedge issues are things that divide people and abortion is one of them. It’s one of the most divisive wedge issues we have ever seen,” Carmichael said Women’s reproductive rights are important to a lot of people, no matter what viewpoint someone may have. “Making a choice for my body and the empowerment of having control over my body is extremely important to me. Since this issue could change that control, I care about it deeply,” senior Kyleigh Jochumsaid. In the end, Ohioans overwhelmingly passed Issue one, a constitutional amendment, with 56 percent of the vote in favor, according to Bricker and Eckler, a law firm located in Central Ohio. For Ohioans, this means women will have the freedom to decide whether they would like to get an abortion within certain constraints stated in the issue. Those constraints allow the state to prohibit abortion after fetal viability, which is generally between 22 and 24 weeks into the pregnancy, except when necessary to protect the life or health of the mother, according to the Hill. However, even though the issue is passed, that doesn’t mean that everything goes into effect immediately. The issue will not take effect until this December, but it will not be implemented until courts apply the new constitutional standard to related lawsuits, most notably the ones that are challenging the current ban, according to the Hill. With the controversy surrounding the topic, push-back was inevitable. Some Ohio Republican lawmakers are proposing to take away the court’s authority to review cases related to implementing the passage of Issue one. In a statement, 4 Republican lawmakers claimed without evidence that there was a foreign election interference in the vote to pass issue one. Additionally, they threatened to block the ability of courts to interpret the new constitutional amendment, according to the Hill. As this continues to unfold, there is another major issue that was voted on and passed this November. Issue two was an initiative position, meaning it was initiated by citizens, to legalize the use of recreational marijuana. “Initiative positions allow average citizens to bring up an issue that they are interested in. This was not driven by a political party; this was driven at the grass roots by citizens who felt a need and want to be able to smoke marijuana recreationally without it going on their criminal record,” Carmichael said. There is another reason behind why the legalization of marijuana has become more popular throughout many states including Ohio. “Issue 2 is going to bring in so much tax revenue to the state and some states are finding hundreds of millions of dollars that they didn’t have before,” Carmichael said. For example, California now regularly gains more than $1 billion per year in tax revenue from marijuana. In addition, in 2022, states reported a combined total of $15.16 billion in tax revenue from recreational cannabis sales, according to the Motley Fool, a private financial and investing advice company. Many other states have legalized 6 N E W S DECEMBER 56.6% 43.4%

LECTIONS d issue and issue two 7 N E W S marijuana for this reason. The passage of issue two will more than likely bring in a lot of money into Ohio as well. It is predicted by The Ohio State University Drug Enforcement and Policy Center that Ohio will receive an additional $276 million to $404 million annual tax revenues from legal marijuana in the 5th year after legalization, according to Harm Reduction Ohio. “I would just say that from the tax base alone that the revenue from the marijuana is going to end up in the legislature and they are going to be able to allocate more money for schools because they will have more interest,” Carmichael said. Despite all of this, some people do have doubts about the passage of this issue. Protect Ohio Workers and Families, along with several other organizations, is the group that is leading the campaign against issue two. Additionally, Mike DeWine has expressed his opposition to the initiative as well, one of his concerns being that legalizing the drug would send the wrong message to children and pose danger to them, according to Idea Stream Public Media. Overall, the passage of both issues is major. One thing is for sure, as there is pushback and both issues are implemented into law, these issues will continue to be major topics in the news and of debate. . 1970- Jane Roe files lawsuit against District attorney Henry Wade deeming Texas abortion law unconstitutional 1973- The Supreme Court rules in favor of Roe with a 7-2 vote stating that women should have the right to an abortion under the 14th amendment 1976- An amendment called the Hyde Amendment was passed stating that government funds could not be spent on abortion, except for instances of rape, incest and or life threatening pregnancies 1992- The Supreme Court ruled a case on Planned Parenthood of Southern Pennsilyvnia, with a 5-2 vote creating new limits for states to create abortion restrictions 2003- Jane Roe files a motion to have her case overturned because she believed abortions were bad for women 2004- Jane Roe’s motion to get her case overturned is dismissed by a three judge panel 2016- Donald trump appoints three conservative judges making the supreme court majority conservative 2021- Dobbs v. Jackson was introduced to the Supreme Court that handled a 15-week abortion ban in Mississipi that if upheld would mean an official overturning of Roe v. Wade 2022- Supreme Court draft is leaked indicating the Roe v. Wade was to be overturned 2023- Ohio citizens vote to give women the right to controlling reproductive descisions DECEMBER A HISTORY OF ROE V. WADE 57% 43%

OSU ORIGINS S P O R T S the buckeye bhangra team WRITER ABBY KUILAN | DESIGNER HIYA PATEL | PERMISSION TO PRINT PAWAN MEDIDI The lights shine down on them as sweat drips down their face. Their hearts beat loudly like a drum in their chest as grins stretch down their cheeks. While on a stage in front of hundreds, as the applause becomes defeaning. This is a typical weekend for the OSU Origins dance team. The OSU Origins is an all-male competitive Bollywood fusion dance team. The team is a relatively new as it was only founded in 2021. It is a group containing 29 members, most attending OSU and a few members who are out of state or seniors in High school. “I’ve been dancing for Indian events since my childhood but I’ve never been a part of a dance team until this year,” a member of Origins and OOHS graduate Sharva Deodhar said. In its previous season, the team won first place at the Legends Dance Championship, a competition with over 150 other South Asian college dance teams from all over America. The team dressed up as jokers for its dance theme as they incorporated three styles of dance: hip-hop, Bhangra and South Indian. “Origins is special because the whole team is very tight-knit, and everyone is close with one another,” Origins member and Orange alumnus Shukanth Jojodae said. Due to the success of the team in previous seasons, popularity of the team spread quicky across campus. Because of this, more people showed up to their tryouts than years prior. Before the school year, they have a couple of workshops open to any interested male where they teach some basic choreography used in the team. After the various workshops, they hold auditions for spots in front of the captains. “Our focus this year will definitely be to focus on developing our technical dance fundamentals and stage presence since we are a younger team this year,” sophomore captain Suriya Saravanan said. Origins had their first competition of this season in Atlanta Georgia on Nov. 18. Even with half of the team being completely new members, and some living out of state, it still won fourth place. “The progress we made with the lack of experience our team had this year proves that we have a lot of positives for the spring season,” Origins member Visher Ramuni said. Members of the team all have personal goals for the season, whether it’s improving on a style they were struggling with or the intensity of the choreography. And the overall goal for the team to accomplish this season is to compete in the Legends Competition and once again win first place. “I want to help live up to the expectations that people hold for Origins because they won nationals last year,” Jojodae said. Practice ranges from two to three days a week, with each practice being around two hours each. However the closer it gets to a competition, they practice almost every day for around 6 hours. Their second competition of the season is set place to be this upcoming Feburary. “Some personal goals I have for myself is to become better at hiphop dancing and maybe even choreo some moves at some point,” Deodhar said. Inspired by what’s currently popular or already well known, the team comes up with songs and themes that will catch the eye of the audience and make them more aware of their dancing. They base those factors onto the costumes and mood for the dance. In their dance as jokers last year, they also added scenes of movies with the joker on a screen in the background as they danced. “Origins is important to me because of the brotherhood and the experience of dancing on stage with my friends. The rush of dancing on stages with hundreds of people watching you was nothing like I’ve ever experienced, and I was hooked from the first time I stepped on stage,” Saravanan said. 8 DECEMBER O R I G I N S . OSU Origins bhangra team at a competition in Atlanta, Georgia. You can watch the preformance on Desi Dance Network on Youtube.

MAKING A SPLASH S P O R T S dive into swim season WRITER NATHAN STATEN | DESIGNER HIYA PATEL | PERMISSION TO PRINT CAITLIN LAYNE The swim and dive team is starting its season. With a new head coach and a lot of previous state qualifying swimmers, the team is optimistic about the season. After placing 36th and 13th in states for the girls and boys teams respectively, the team has high aspirations to compete in states again this season. Junior Ella Longhouse competed in the state 200 medley and 400 free relay last winter. “I hope this season we can make it to states. Hopefully we have four boys and four girls, for the relay. We should go far with our relays,” Longhouse said. 500 meter freestyle record holder for the school junior Jamal Deek is also aiming high this season. “The biggest team goal for this season is to improve our rankings within the state level and compete at the highest level,” Deek said. Head Coach Erick Bey set some goals for the team’s success outside of team statistics. “The biggest goal for the year is to create a fun and hardworking culture for the team. With this, I want each person to achieve their goals and improve at the end of the season,” Bey said. Despite success, the swim and dive team has maintained low numbers throughout the last few years. Having only 25 swimmers and two divers this season has big effects on the team. “With a smaller team, we get to pick our events out and get to do what we like. I like being able to pick out what I am swimming at the meet,” Longhouse said. The large freshman class of swimmers this year has aided the team’s small numbers but not substantially. However, the small number of swimmers leads to a tight knit team. “This year we have added more swimmers to our team due to our freshman class. Yet, this doesn’t change our small team. It’s beneficial in a way that you get to know people on more of a personal level,” Deek said. Having a small number of swimmers and divers on the team has positive and negative effects for Bey as well. “While we would much prefer for the team to be bigger, the positive side to have a smaller team is that we can give more individual attention to each swimmer during practice and give more personal feedback,” Bey said. Alongside her goals for the team, Longhouse has goals for her own individual success this swim season. “This year my goal is to make it to states individually in the 100 breaststroke and our medley relay to make it as well,” Longhouse said. The swimmers aren’t the only members of the team with individual goals for the season. Erick Bey has set some goals for himself as well. He’s spent the last two seasons as the assistant coach and is now entering his first season as the head coach. “In my first year as head coach, I just want to try and create an atmosphere that is fun and where every swimmer wants to come to practice and looks forward to improving each day. I also plan on listening to the team and assistant coach to look for ways to grow as a coach as well throughout the year,” Bey said. DECEMBER 9 Junior Isabella De La Rosa competing in a swim meet. On the left, junior Adam Weist and junior Isabella De La Rosa after the swim meet. .

FROM THE SIDELINES C O L U M N WRITER ADAM WELCH | DESIGNER LINCOLN HAKE Almost a year ago, Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during a primetime football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills. As a Bengals fan, I remember watching that game and seeing pure panic and shock on display from my television screen. Players were torn from what they had just witnessed, and announcers didn’t even know how the game could be continued. While Hamlin is thankfully fine today and back to playing again, his story became heavily sensitized in the media and across America. As someone who likes to watch a variety of sports, Hamlin’s incident is not a specific outlier in the world of sport. Bronny James, son of NBA legend and alltime leading scorer Lebron James, collapsed at a University of Southern California basketball practice recently due to a cardiac arrest. In a soccer match, Denmark National team player Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during the Euro Cup against Finland in 2021. Even recently, Ghanaian soccer player Raphael Dwamena, who had a history of heart problems, died while playing in a match due to a collapse. I see instances of the media publicizing incidents like these more, and it left me wondering if heart problems are becoming more and more common in today’s athlete. To investigate, I interviewed Cardiovascular Expert Professor Victor Froelicher of Stanford University. Professor Froelicher is an expert in his field, co-author of the “Exercise and the Heart’’ textbook and the former Director of the Stanford Sports Cardiology Clinic from 2015-2019. Froelicher referenced National Library of Medicine data that showed 1 out of 40,000 to 1 out of 80,000 athletes die of SDC (sudden cardiac arrest) each year, and that the issue is not as prevalent in professional sports as it is displayed. Froelicher said that SDC prevalence is low and that it is heavily sensitized by publications due to the selling factor of athletes and sudden cardiac arrest. As far as recommendations for whether or how quick athletes should return to their sport after an injury such as SDC, Froelicher said that decisions are very carefully made with athletes who have suffered incidents,but recommendations by medical professionals cannot be guaranteed to be followed by some athletes. Luckily, he said the trend of SCD athletic events is going down thanks to revised guidelines including increased screenings and AED (automated external defibrillator) availability. The current state of the spread of information in the world today is increasingly in part through the dramatic growth of social media as a form of gathering news. According to a study from Temple University, verified users on social media platforms are more likely to spread fake news. With a plethora of verified sports media companies across various social media platforms, it’s not out of line to suggest some stories involving health shock to players can be blown out of proportion for clicks like Froelicher suggested. Luckily, even locally, the threat of cardiovascular risks is being fought at the high school in part with the MCORE foundation. The foundation offered a $79 screening provided to students on Dec. 6 during the school day and can identify whether someone is suscepitbile to heart conditions. Screenings like this can ensure athletes can play without worry and can locate any heart health risks high school athletes might have early on before their condition worsens. 10 DECEMBER . addressing athletes’ heart conditions Source: Observatoire Prevention

DECEMBER 11 A D S scan to order online Order online at WWW.ALADDINS.COM EVERYONE SOMETHING FOR Our food is always preservative-free, made fresh daily using all-natural ingredients, with options for every dietary preference. 40 VEGETARIAN DISHES 30 VEGAN DISHES 40 GLUTEN-FREE DISHES 40 MEAT DISHES GRANDVIEW 1425 Grandview Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 (614) 488-5565 POWELL 9711 Sawmill Parkway, Powell, OH 43065 (614) 389-5438 WORTHINGTON 7227 North High St, Worthington, OH 43085 (614) 430-1730 CLINTONVILLE 2931 North High St, Columbus, OH 43202 (614) 262-2414 NEW ALBANY 6284 Dublin Granville Rd. Westerville, OH 43081 (614) 656-7060 DESIGNER | LINCOLN HAKE

THE SPIRIT OFexploring different family dynamWRITERS ELLA KIRK, REEMA MOHAMED RAFIQ, NATHEN STATEN & CAROLINE ALBERT | DESIGNER LILLY WO12 C O V E R DECEMBER The most wonderful time of the year is upon us. Christmas lights are up and menorahs are out as many different families settle in to celebrate the holidays. Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, Thanksgiving and more are all different holidays that are celebrated around this time of year. Many families celebrate each of these holidays, but their way of celebration may look different depending on the family. Christmas is a time to be with one’s family. It’s a time to relax, unwind and enjoy the cold winter weather from the warm indoors while perhaps sitting by the fireplace with a favorite blanket and a cup of hot chocolate. Teenagers can look out the window and smile, knowing there isn’t any school for two whole weeks. This scene is what winter break looks like for a lot of teenagers. However, for kids in foster care, they aren’t spending winter break in the home they grew up in. Holidays look different for everyone, no matter if it is a foster family or a “traditional” family. For one Orange mom, who wished to stay a n o n y m o u s for privacy reasons, winter break is a nice pause from the doctor’s appointments and case w o r k e r meetings that fill her plate as a foster parent. This mom has a 2-year-old biological son and a 10-year-old foster daughter. Although her family might look different from some, her love for her family is the same as everyone else. Although their situation is unfortunately not the case for every foster family, this family said they are “lucky to have parents that also treat our foster children the same as our biological children.” Foster families have a lot of uncertainty in their lives. It requires quick adaptation, and prepping for the holidays is no different. “I bought a set of matching pajamas for our family to wear on Christmas. I bought a pair for my foster daughter, but I left the tags on hers and they’re in my closet, in case she isn’t with us and I need to return them,” the mom said. Even though “within (their) family, (they) use the exact same budget for gifts for biological children and foster children,” the mom said. One of those exceptions is types of gifts. “We would buy them books about different types of families or an extra comfort item if they are having a tough time with a certain aspect of their life. We know from experience that kids in foster care typically don’t like c o n s t a n t l y b e i n g reminded of how different their life is. The situation they are in is not their fault, and they just want to live like any other kid. Giving them a sense of normalcy within a family can be comforting for them, so that’s what we try our best to do,” the mom said. Because placement changes could happen at any time, families don’t know when they buy a gift if that child will be with them during the holidays. “Spending time with family, Christmas break from school, seeing where my Elf on the Shelf moves every night and singing songs. The last two years, I asked Santa if he could help me get adopted, and I’m going to ask him again this year,” the 10-year-old child in the care of the Orange mom said. Placement changes can complicate celebrations, such as holidays like Christmas. It can be hard to know when to buy gifts for a child in your care. “If I see something that I know for sure that the kid will love, I go ahead and buy it for them, regardless of whether they will be with us. I just did this a few weeks ago for our foster daughter. I randomly found a pink acoustic guitar at a store, and I knew she would love it, so I bought it. If we don’t have her at Christmastime, I will happily send it to her next placement with her,” the mom said. There are some parts of holidays that the average person might think a foster family will miss out on. For example, the pure joy in seeing the young kids playing together. But a foster family is no different. “I love watching our biological son interact with his foster siblings and learning from them. I’m looking forward to that for this Christmas, too,” the mom said. Orange students celebrating Ramadan. Dinner Table dur

F THE HOLIDAYS mics, festivities and traditions OOD |PERMISSION TO PRINT DUA RAHIM & PEARL VYAS DECEMBER 13 C O V E R Holidays are a fun time of year, but they still come with hard parts. Foster children still know that they are different. And “being around so much extended families can often be a reminder for them that they are missing out on spending time with the family they were born into. This can bring up a lot of sadness and questions about their situation,” the mom said. This means that sometimes these families have to provide extra time and reminders, “giving them reassurances that they are valued and loved,” the mom said. And just like this mom always says, “Any kid who joins our family, even for the shortest amount of time, will forever be a part of our family,” she said. Christmas is globally celebrated and even garners its own winter break. Due to the mass amount of people who celebrate the holiday, many families celebrate Christmas differently because of the innate differences they have. However, those differences are the reason behind why not every family celebrates just Christmas or Christmas at all. Sophomore Sujtha Kadiresen’s family is a great example of this. Kadiresen is an only daughter in a family of three that celebrates Deepavali, more commonly known as Diwali. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, also falls around November this year, close to Thanksgiving break and the b e g i n n i n g of winter. This year the holiday is expected to go from Nov. 10- 15, the main day being Sunday, Nov. 12. D i w a l i is mainly celebrated by Hindus, the people who believe in Hinduism. The festival is mainly known as Diwali, but it’s true and the traditional name is Deepavali, according to Kadiresen. Over the years, the holiday has grown to be celebrated more and more in America, and almost seven in 10 Indian Americans celebrate Diwali, so it is a pretty well-known holiday according to Pew Research Center. “Deepavali is known as the festival of lights. It’s welcoming good over evil. It’s a very fun holiday with crackers and lights,” Kadiresen said. During Diwali time, Kadiresen and her family go to a temple, which is a sacred place of worship. They dress in their finest clothes and enjoy many different Indian sweets and snacks. In addition, many Hindus light sparklers and firecrackers at home to celebrate. However, Diwali falls in a different month each year, and it usually doesn’t fall near the Christmas season. Therefore, Hindus participate in a variety of traditions during Christmas time. “I participate in Christmas activities. Whether it be a Christmas party or giftgiving, Christmas is a very fun and a very happy time of the year,” Kadiresen said. Despite not religiously celebrating the holiday, she is involved in Christmas festivities. Kadiresan said she’s comfortable with being a part of Christmas festivities and D e e p a v a l i f e s t i v i t i e s . Kadiresan enjoys both holidays, but to her, her personal favorite is Deepavali. A z e e z a Nargis’s family is another great example of a family that celebrates a holiday other than Christmas. Nargis is an only child in a family of three that celebrates Ramadan. Another different religious holiday that many Muslims, the believers of Islam, celebrate is Eid/Ramadan. Ramadan is when Muslims fast for 30 days, from sunrise to sunset, leading up to their final celebration, Eid, and about 80 percent of American Muslims celebrated Ramadan in 2018, according to CNN. “It’s the last day of 30 days of fasting from early morning until evening sunset where we are thankful to our God for the food we receive. This is somewhat the daily life of someone who does not receive three meals every day, and it teaches us to not take food for granted,” Nargis said. Nargis is a Muslim and one who strictly doesn’t celebrate Christmas. She said that sometimes she feels out of place during Christmas festivities. However, she stays faithful to herself and her religion and awaits Eid that arrives a few months later, which she states to be one of her favorite days of the year. Ramadan is based on the lunar calendar. When the moon is a certain shape, it signals the start and end of Ramadan, causing the ring Ramadan. Orange students celebrating Diwali.

14 C O V E R DECEMBER days of Ramadan to vary from year to year, so in similar fashion to Diwali, the date fluctuates, as opposed to Christmas and other holidays that have a set annual date. “During the winter holidays, we usually spend time with our family watching TV series or going on vacation,” Nargis said, doing these activities helps her feel less out of place, and helps her enjoy her winter break as well. Nargis may not celebrate Christmas but she still celebrates New Year’s currently, as New Year’s isn’t based on a religious holiday but a general celebration for all. So now, when someone thinks of the holiday season, the first thing that comes to mind might not be Christmas. It could be Diwali, Hanukkah, Ramadan or any other holiday. Christmas may be one of the most globally celebrated holidays, but it certainly isn’t the only one that people can explore and learn about. Family is a major part of the holiday season in general. However not every family is “nuclear” in the sense that the family consists of children and their respective parents. Every family looks different in one way or another, and those differences affect how families celebrate around this time of year. One difference that is very common is a family consisting of divorced or remarried parents. Many families in the Orange community have parents that are divorced or separated, creating a different or unique holiday situation than a “typical” family. An example of one of these families is the Rogers family. is the mother of Junior Sophie Rogers, Amy Rogers. “We have written into the divorce decree that the kids are with their dad for Christmas on odd years (2021, 2023) and mom on even years. They’re with mom for Thanksgiving on odd years and with dad on Thanksgiving on even years,” Rogers said. Winter break for Olentangy is two weeks long. So many teens of divorced parents split the allotted time with each family, one week with one parent and one week with the other. “My schedule usually consists of staying for one week of winter break at one parent’s house and then going to the other parents house the day after Christmas until New Year’s Day. My parents organize where we go on holidays by just flipping holidays every year,” Sophmore Connor Morrison said. It isn’t always simple planning a holiday season with two households. Disagreements on when kids should travel can arise, especially depending on the distance between the two houses. “My ex-husband and I have tried hard not to involve the kids in any d i s a g r e e m e n t s . We’ve tried to be flexible with the schedule, especially because his family is in a country that’s 16 hours from here. When he takes the girls to his family it’s a two-three week trip. Being flexible is hard but we’ve both tried to keep the kids’ best interest in mind and remain selfless. I have learned to reach out to my family (parents and sister) for company during the times that I’m alone for the holidays,” Rogers said. Although separation creates many changes for families, many families find success adapting to those changes. “My family has adjusted well and created a schedule that is easy to understand for me and my brother. And while traveling during the holidays isn’t ideal, we have all been doing it for so many years that we don’t really think about it that much anymore,” Morrison said. The physical separation of having divorced parents can also be a big factor when considering the holiday season. “The worst part of having a divorced family during the holiday is having to waste time packing and traveling from one house to another. My dad lives far away so I also don’t know a lot of people at my dad’s house besides my family so I can’t celebrate the holidays with my friends,” Morrison said. Although a lot of the focus during a divorce is on the kids, parents are greatly affected during the holiday season as well. “It’s really hard to be without them during the holidays, and I’m sure it’s really hard for them to have to divide their time,” Rogers said. Many divorced parents use their limited holiday time as a motivator to celebrate the holiday season with more quality family time. “Having the freedom to choose what to do during the holidays and spend quality time with my girls is irreplaceable. We’ve Divorced family cele

DECEMBER 15 C O V E R created our own traditions and always look forward to the holidays because of that,” Rogers said. Despite the hardships, divorced or separated parents and their children choose to look at the positives during their unique holiday seasons. “The best part of having divorced parents during the holiday is obviously getting two Christmases so getting to relive Christmas day again as well as getting extra presents,” Morrison said. Even though a lot of families look different and celebrate different holidays, there are still nuclear families that just celebrate Christmas. Christmas is one of the most known and celebrated holidays throughout the world but even so, everyone celebrates it differently, with their own traditions and customs. Christmas mornings are almost always cheerful, filled with pajamas, food and happiness. However, many families celebrate it differently, even nuclear ones. Nuclear families consist of a married couple and their dependent children, and they mainly live under the same roof, according to Britannica. Many families have around the same traditions, and many people share similar feelings about the season of Christmas. One of these is the use of Christmas decorations. Christmas and lights are typically a main part of most nuclear families’ way of celebrating Christmas. Sophmore Kelly Li’s family is a perfect example of this. Li is the youngest daughter in a family of four, consisting of her, her parents and her older sister, who all celebrate Christmas. “My family and I put up Christmas lights, decorations and a Christmas tree,” Li said. This is just one of the ways that Li’s and many other families decorate their homes for Christmas, giving off a cozy and festive atmosphere. Christmas is about a multitude of things such as family, friends and love. It’s an annual festival that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, and almost 85 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas, according to Statistica. Many people participate in popular Christmas family traditions such as baking cookies, wrapping and buying each other gifts and spending time with family and loved ones. Aksa Kingsley is the youngest daughter in a family of 5, with two older siblings and two parents, that also participate in similar traditions to celebrate Christmas. “We buy gifts beforehand and wrap them. We then say what we are grateful for this year, eat delicious food and watch a movie,” Kingsley said. Kingsley also said that to her, the most important part of Christmas to her is spending time with her family. Christmas is a time to have fun and exchange gifts, as well as a time of gratitude. Li also mentioned that her family bakes cookies and builds gingerbread houses together as one of their traditions. So even though both of these families have different traditions, they all are somewhat similar. Seeing the decorations everywhere and listening to Christmas music are one of my favorite parts about Christmas,” Li said. In addition, Christmas decorations are a form of family bonding and yet another sign of Christmas spirit. “My favorite part of the Christmas season would be decorating the tree. Everyone doing it together just strengthens our bond,” Kingsley said. There may be many different traditions between different nuclear families who celebrate Christmas. However, in the end, a huge part of Christmas is spending time with family and enjoying time together. “Christmas means a lot to me, more than any holiday ever. Spending a day with the people you love the most always makes me happy and creates special memories with everyone,” Kingsley said. There are many aspects and traditions to Christmas, and it varies from family to family, but the main focus of the holiday is bonding and spending time with family. Everyone’s way or type of celebration during the holidays is going to look different.Whether someone has a traditional or non-traditional family, or celebrates two holidays instead of one, this time of year is centered around being surrounded by loved ones. . ebrating Christmas.

THE SCENE WRITER & DESIGNER AUDREY SELSOR DECEMBER T H E S C E N E 16 Junior Taylor Boyd poses on stage during the Friday night showing of the band’s ‘Friday Night Live’ performance showcasing its shows throughout the marching season. Boyd is a member of the color guard. “My favorite part of color guard is expressing myself and truly getting to be myself when I’m performing. I love being a part of a team where I feel like I belong,” Boyd said. .

DECEMBER T H E S C E N E 17

WORST GIFTS T R E N D I N G it’s the thought that counts WRITER & DESIGNER MALAK CHAHBOUB 18 DECEMBER Bad gifts can be quite dissapointing. Like recieving a frozen turkey or a mug that doesn’t exactly match your interests. It’s the thought that counts, but sometimes the execution fallls a little flat..

NUTS FOR BALLET F E A T U R E balletmet puts on the ‘nutcracker’ WRITER LUNA PEREZ DELGADO | DESIGNER MALAK CHAHBOUB The Nutcracker” ballet involves smuggling and secrecy. According to Yamaha, the composer of the ballet, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, smuggled an instrument called the celesta from Paris to St. Petersburg because he wanted to be the first to use it in a performance. Though “The Nutcracker” ballet is considered the most well-known ballet around the world, according to Wikipedia, the production is different depending on the ballet company that performs it. Each production company develops and presents its own rendition of the ballet, meaning each person has a different experience and memory of the ballet. “The Nutcracker” was first brought to the United States by George Balanchine in 1944. Since that first show in 1944, the ballet has found its way into Americans’ hearts and became the classical ballet of the holiday season. The ballet company BalletMet produces the most popular rendition of “The Nutcracker” in Columbus, staged in the Ohio Theater. The director of production at BalletMet Brandon Curtis has been with the company for eight years watching BalletMet’s rendition of “The Nutcracker” change and succeed. “You get to know the show really well. Some of our staff has been with us since the first show in 2004, and many of them come back every year,” Curtis said. Though she hasn’t been with BalletMet since 2004, this year will be junior Kaitlynn Hanna’s eighth year dancing in “The Nutcracker”. Like many members of the cast and crew, “The Nutcracker” is always a special tradition for Hanna. “‘The Nutcracker’ is so special to me because it’s really what inspired me to start dancing. My family would always go to see BalletMet’s Nutcracker every year when I was little,” Hanna said. Adrienne Selsor, a fan of “The Nutcracker” and mom to juniors Audrey and Will Selsor, had a very similar experience to Hanna. She was easily entertained by the spectacle and difficulty of the ballet. “I went with my parents and sister as a little girl and with my husband and kids as an adult. It is amazing the physical endurance dancers have to be able to move their bodies in a ballet,” Selsor said. For many American families, like Selsors, “The Nutcracker” is an integral part of many holiday traditions. In the United States, the ballet has become a Christmas classic. “Even if you don’t know anything about ballet, you still know ‘The Nutcracker’,” Curtis said. “Many people don’t realize until they see the show just how much music or how many characters they know. ‘The Nutcracker’ is a big part of the holidays.” To become so widely recognizable, lots of work had to go into the production of “The Nutcracker”. For Hanna this work takes place with rehearsals and choreography over the span of several months. “There is definitely a lot of work everyone puts in to make ‘The Nutcracker’ happen. The process starts very early from the shows, as the auditions are held in September,” Hanna said. “From there, rehearsals start the following week and are held every Saturday for the first couple of weeks. As we get more into November, you begin company rehearsals, which tend to be longer.” The difficult, lengthy process of the cast’s preparation is common for most ballets and companies. But the short and intense preparation that the crew must do is less common and much different compared to the dancers. “The show opens Thursday night, but we pack the trucks with equipment and artwork the weekend before. We work from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. the days leading up to the performance. It takes up to 100 dancers and 25 to 35 crew members building and emptying trucks. Finally, 15 crew members stay during the show to make everything happen,” Curtis said. With 23 performances in the span of 16 days, it’s daunting just thinking about the amount of work, time and effort that goes into producing The BalletMet Nutcracker. Thankfully, all the hard work pays off when families like the Selsors and Hannas get to experience the true magic of “The Nutcracker”. “People should see the production of BalletMet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ because it is such a special experience, and it really puts you in the holiday spirit! Especially seeing the show in the beautiful Ohio Theater, is so surreal, and it’s a beautiful and such a fun show to watch,” Hanna said. The magic and grandness of “The Nutcracker” is an experience like no other. Tickets can be found on the BalletMet website for performances that run from Dec. 7 to 23. Purchase tickets before they run out. 19 “ DECEMBER .

22 DECEMBER A D S DESIGNER | NATALIA FAVILA

(TAYLOR’S VERSION) C U L T U R E swift’s global impact WRITER TAYLOR GOUDIE | DESIGNER NATALIA FAVILA INACUA DECEMBER 23 Tim McGraw” was released in 2006, sparking the beginning of country singer Taylor Swift’s career. In 2014, “Shake It Off ” was released, shifting Swift to the pop music scene. In 2022, Swift released “Anti-Hero”, breaking various records and proving Swift’s power to stay at the top of the music industry decades after releasing her first song. Swift is taking the world by storm as one of the largest pop stars on the globe right now. She is currently performing on The Eras Tour, which has grossed over $780 million, according to Forbes. “Taylor is so influential right now because she’s currently on tour and has been forever, so everyone is talking about her,” junior Sophia Kulesa said. Kulesa attended two dates of The Eras Tour in Atlanta and Cincinnati. The Eras Tour garnered a massive audience and had people traveling far and wide, spending hundreds to thousands of dollars on tickets and wearing different outfits and costumes resembling Swift and her eras of music. It’s a three-hour show that spans all 10 of her albums or eras. “The Eras Tour really gained an audience when people realized it was going to be all of her albums, and they could hear their favorite songs that they’ve never heard before,” Kulesa said. On Oct. 13, Swift released “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” in theaters. This concert movie was received highly from fans and set multiple records. It’s the highest-grossing concert film of all time, according to Screen Rant. “Since concert ticket prices were so expensive and also extremely hard to buy because the demand was so high, this gave a more affordable price to people who wanted to see it and couldn’t,” senior and Swiftie Club President Kyleigh Jochum said. One of the biggest musical aspects of Swift’s career right now is putting out rerecordings of some of her previous albums. After having the masters of her music taken from her, she decided to go through the process of re-recording and has put out four of her six planned re-recorded albums. Most recently, Swift released “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” on Oct. 27. All the re-recorded music she puts out has “Taylor’s Version” in parentheses to denote that she owns it. “Taylor is re-recording her music to own her work because her previous record label sold it to someone else even though she expressed she wanted to buy it,” Jochum said. “It could influence other artists on owning their own work and helping them realize that they should if they want to own it. It could also inspire re-records from other artists who couldn’t buy their work.” Swift has been putting out music since 2006, and her growth in the music industry has no signs of slowing down. Swift has a massive fanbase that is always willing to support her and her music. According to Morning Consult, 53 percent of adults that live in America would consider themselves to be fans of Swift. “I love Taylor Swift because of her music. Her songs are so relatable, and her lyrics are emotional. Her songs let you get to look into her life while also being able to apply to anyone. I love that I can pick an album to match any mood I’m in,” Jochum said. “I love all of the Easter eggs, and I love talking about the re-records. Everything about being a Taylor fan is fun.” One of the more recent revelations that has shown Swift’s impact on culture is her link to the NFL, more specifically due to her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce. Her attendance at football games has even inspired her fans to tune in to games. “It has brought another demographic of people watching it because of the link. Personally, I have even started watching the Chiefs games because I love seeing her and also love hearing everyone talk about her,” Jochum said. Swift is a highly influential figure in the media. With her music, tour and movie, it’s nearly impossible to go online without hearing Swift’s name. She has one of the most devoted fan bases in the world and seems to plan to continue making music and performing for many years to come. “Many people relate to her music, and many people love how she is able to write emotions out so perfectly when for many people it is extremely hard to put words to what they’re feeling. She is also as influential as she connects with her fans on a more personal level whether that be through her music or Easter eggs that she leaves.” Especially at the height of The Eras Tour, even if you don’t like her music, you will probably still like her show, and it also connects with a broad audience,” Jochum said.. “

CLOTHING CATASTROPHE O P I N I O N overconsumption in thrifting WRITER MOLLY SULLIVAN | DESIGNER MACKENNA MILLER I n 2019, about 40 percent of Gen Z were buying second-hand clothing, compared to less than 30 percent in 2016, according to a report by ThredUp. In 2018, the world produced over 17 million tons of clothing, according to the Environmental Protection Agency compared to about two million just 50 years ago. Within the past few years, shopping at thrift stores, or ‘thrifting’ has become a trendy way to shop for clothes. While thrifting is not necessarily negative in any way, its popularity and the way some utilize it has brought negative effects, including a raise in prices and less clothing actually ending up in the stores. Out of that massive amount of production, 11.3 million tons entered the landfill. Although thrift shopping may seem like a trendy and environmentally friendly way to shop, at the current rate of consumption it is not necessarily beneficial. In reality, the waste produced by thrifting and the fast fashion industry are not much different. The appeal of ‘guilt free shopping’ because of the inexpensiveness and supposed sustainability causes customers to buy articles of clothing that they don’t necessarily need. Many believe that thrift shopping can assist with this vast percentage of waste produced by large clothing industries and is an excuse to overconsume. However, 10 to 20 percent of clothing donated to Goodwill is resold, and the other 80 percent is shipped to other countries such as Poland, Pakistan and Kenya, or they are recycled. Recycling textiles is energy intensive and wasteful. Since the vast majority of the clothing donated to Goodwill is thrown away, simply donating one’s clothing should not be the guilt-free solution to overconsume something they may not wear. On multiple social media platforms, it’s easy to find influencers displaying their ‘thrift hauls’ of tons of articles of clothing, and it can be argued that this is overconsumption. Fans have begun to flock to thrift stores, mimicking this behavior and participating in overconsumption. Influencers such as Emma Chamberlain have posted videos on YouTube, having entire series of hauls, reviewing clothes that are unable to be returned. The popularity of these influencers has increased the popularity of thrifting. On top of this, Depop, a popular shopping site created to resell old clothing, has also been utilized to sell items people find at thrift stores for high prices, especially high value or vintage clothing that they happened upon. This may not seem like an issue, but it is proven that thrift stores have jacked up their prices because of this. While the price increase as of now may not seem significant, if the rise in popularity continues, it can become a huge issue for people who need thrift stores to purchase clothing because of the cheap prices. This is an issue because it is not people in need who overconsume secondhand clothing, it is people looking for a new way to overconsume cheap clothes, as fast fashion has been deemed ‘unethical’ in other controversies involving sweatshops. Low-income shoppers in need of a way to purchase cheap clothing may be priced out, as thrift stores have jacked up their prices due to an increase in demand. It allows for an even smaller set of options for low-income consumers. Thrifting is not overall negative, and it still is a good option if looking for an inexpensive way to shop, but, it is important to remember the purpose and who the overconsumption may be affecting. 24 DECEMBER . In 2018, the world produced over 17 milion tons of clothing compared to 50 years ago, when only two million tons were produced yearly.

DISCARD THE DRAFT O P I N I O N issues with selective service WRITER MOLLY SULLIVAN | DESIGNER MACKENNA MILLER War has been a topic of discussion recently due to recent events that have occurred in the past year, and the age-old practice of the draft is under criticism. Many argue that society has outgrown this method to build up the military. An all- volunteer military proves to be more ethically convenient and creates a stronger military. In today’s society, a draft is unnecessary for a multitude of reasons. Compelling individuals to serve against their will is unjust, and citizens should have a choice whether they should have to serve in the military. Serving will likely disrupt their personal lives and aspirations, leaving behind their families at home. According to Pew Research Center, the US military is half the size it was in 1990. Because of this, some are concerned that this may be harmful and has diminished their trust in the military, as the percentage of American adults who trust the military has decreased by 14 percent since 2019. A draft would not result in a stronger military or improve it whatsoever; it would just make a larger army. America’s current method of an all-volunteer force results in volunteers staying in the military longer, that allows them to advance their skills with longer training and more consistency. Also, the cost of training a larger group for the military poses to be expensive, just for the training to be used on somebody who would prefer not to participate, especially if the person wasn’t necessarily interested in the military, and decided to leave just years after. Usually in the military, quality trumps quantity, as dedicated and motivated soldiers are way more beneficial than those who may have had to be forced to participate. Having a draft would bring little to no benefit towards the military while negatively affecting many people’s lives. The United States’ modern society tends to be against the draft overall. This is a large difference compared to other times in history, as a majority of Americans actually used to support the draft. According to Gallup News, a public poll shows that about 80 percent of citizens are against the draft and will riot if it is brought back. However, society has not always been against the draft, as only 36 percent of citizens were opposed to the draft in the 1970s. The draft’s former basis on age, gender and health may also pose as an issue in today’s society, as there have been conversations arising whether women should also be drafted. In the past, only men would have to sign up for the draft upon turning 18. Additionally, the military has not shown itself to be welcoming towards marginalized groups. A study done by Campus Times shows that 54 percent of women in the military reported sexual assault. Even if there was a draft, most Americans would be ineligible due to mental and physical health issues. According to USA Today, only 20 percent of Americans qualify to serve by the military’s standards. The small percentage of eligible Americans displays how unprepared today’s society would be for a draft. While this would make the military larger, it wouldn’t be a significant enough amount for the expenses. In times of conflict, the draft could also serve as a threat of legal consequences if avoided. This should not be an accepted form of punishment, as most people are not simply able to up and leave immediately when drafted. Overall, a voluntary registration system is optimal. Continuing to give citizens a choice whether they should be eligible for the draft is necessary. DECEMBER 25 .

Avoid NAUGHTY OR NICE O P I N I O N dos and don’ts of holiday movies WRITER NICK WOOLARD | DESIGNER ELLA KIRK I t’s the most wonderful time of the year, everyone. While many see cookies, gifts, snow and lights as the pinnacle of Christmas, I personally always picture one thing around the holiday season: the movies. With so many different choices of holiday films to indulge in, many people have differing opinions on which movies are the best and which are the worst. It can be stressful to pick the perfect film to play on Christmas Eve. But here, I am going to give some new, some old and some classic Christmas movies that should either be avoided or watched this holiday season. While this list may cause a lot of anger, hatred and disgust, it’s important to get my opinion across. More importantly, the right opinion. 26 DECEMBER 1. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” Is it a Christmas movie? Is it a Halloween movie? I’m not too sure actually because I’ve never watched it. But the thought of an oddly tall skeleton going on a magical Christmas adventure of self-discovery freaks me out. At least I assume that’s what it is. Either way, if you have to question whether it’s a Halloween or Christmas movie, then it’s not a Christmas movie. So don’t watch it. 2. “Home Alone 3” (and all that follow) I don’t know why movie producers try to make more than one sequel of a film. Yes, it brings in profit, but does that matter if the people don’t enjoy it? I cannot put myself through watching multiple crappy remakes of the first “Home Alone”. Not even Macaulay Culkin wanted to do more than two. Maybe take a hint. 3. “A Christmas Story” This might be a tough pill to swallow. I personally have nothing wrong with this movie; it’s a good movie, and a good story, just a little overrated. But after watching the movie hundreds of times on TNT’s “24 Hours of A Christmas Story”, I realized that I now need to move on. And so should everybody else. It isn’t the fantastic Christmas movie that everyone makes it out to be. It’s a good one, not a great one. 4. “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” I have so much hatred for this movie. I remember sitting there in the living room with my parents and siblings as we listened to this whole musical together. I remember them saying how much they enjoyed it, while I was ripping the hair off my head as the horrible songs made my ears ring. Tell the kids to stop singing and tell them to stop dancing. This movie should not be shown on a screen again and I urge everyone to avoid it. 1. “The Christmas Chronicles” A beautiful story of the coming together of a brother and sister in the name of Christmas. The story of this movie is one that I would imagine myself on as a kid. Watching Kate and Teddy travel the world with Santa Claus on Christmas Eve in Santa’s sleigh brought back so many memories from my childhood. Kurt Russell also does a fantastic job as a modern, comedic Santa while keeping the traits of the old, classic Santa. 2. “Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas” More people need to watch this movie every year. Every single Christmas, my family and I watch this together as we open presents. While it may seem like a very simple movie, it is much more complex than that. It is the complicated story of a monkey traversing the holiday world, while a stumbled man in the yellow hat tries to figure out what George’s true Christmas dreams are. 3. “Elf ” Yes, I know this is a cliché pick. But this movie deserves it. When anyone thinks of a Christmas movie, this is the movie that comes to mind. Buddy the Elf goes on a beautiful and funny adventure on trying to discover his real roots, but also learn what the true definition of family is. Please, feel free to watch this movie for the hundredth time. 4. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” This one is a personal favorite. There’s not a single dull moment in this movie. This movie will keep anyone who watches it entertained for the full hour and a half. As well as this, the very old and nostalgic vibe reminds me of how Christmas felt as a kid. I could watch this movie on repeat for hours, so definitely check it out this Christmas. Watch .

6 STAYING CURRENT C O L U M N go green for the holidays COLUMNIST VALENTINA URABEZ | DESIGNER ELLA KIRK As the fall season begins to wrap itself to make way for winter, the country welcomes the holidays along with it. As families bring out decoration boxes opened once a year to bring out decorations, the minds of many flood with the need for gifts. People can argue left and right about whether the holidays are a time for giving or receiving, but the overlooked aftermath is always found at the center: waste. It’s of no one’s surprise that consumption skyrockets during November and December, and our trash with it. Although a simple answer to keeping the planet clean during this time doesn’t exist yet, it could also be the season to get creative and implement ways to go greener. Wrapping paper: Starting off simple with the fastest thing to make its way to a landfill is wrapping paper. The beloved rolls that run anywhere from $3 to $29 dollars on Amazon just to be torn up are a major culprit of waste. Household waste increases by up to 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s according to Stanford University. Overall gift packaging adds one million tons to landfills every week during that period. So, while most of the fun is found in the mystery of what’s under the paper, people should find inspiration in stocking stuffers. One big sock filled with smaller treats doesn’t need wrapping to be enjoyable. Bigger gifts can come in bags, with preferably recyclable tissue paper. Newspaper, cloth, jars and baskets can replace that quick waste. Not only that but also reusable wrappings or containers can be seen as a gift all on their own. Whether it be more of a gag gift is up to the receiver, but it can still definitely be enjoyable. Food: One of the saddest scraps of the season is the mountains of food that feed giant holes in the ground instead of hungry mouths. Landfills are yet again the next consumer of family meals that can be avoided by taking a quick pit stop. Nearby, there are places like LSS Delaware County Food Pantry and Worthington Resource Pantry that are open to food donations for lower income families. There’s also always a need for more compost, whether or not a backyard is available. By means of improving soil health, it’s best to throw in whatever is left over from the holiday feast. Those who can cook can find creative ways to incorporate those leftovers in bigger meals or encourage guests to take food home with them. Energy: The holiday strain of saving energy around the home could also help save families pockets. When the tree or candles are lit, welcome the mood lighting they bring. There’s no need to keep everything turned on when the main attraction likely takes up most of the room. LED lights are cheap, effective and will likely brighten the room more than the traditional string lights. Putting lights on a timer to automatically turn off at a certain point of the night sucks up less juice, and so does unplugging lamps and devices while on vacation. Because the season is meant to bring friends and family together, carpooling is one of the simplest ways to do just that. Extra time, gas and energy is saved by piling into one car and enjoying the ride with loved ones. This time of year tends to be too hectic to spend worrying about how green habits are, but just some slight adjustments like these can lift the world bit by bit. DECEMBER 27 . with valentina

Kids Care Learning World Infants to Pre-School 8594 Sancus Blvd Columbus, OH 43240 BLOSSOM TRAIL DESIGNER | MAKENNA SHRAGER MIDTERM SCHEDULE FRIDAY, DEC. 15 TUESDAY, DEC. 19 MONDAY, DEC. 18 7:20a.m. - 8:55a.m. 9:05a.m. - 10:35a.m. 10:45a.m. - 12:15p.m. 12:20p.m. - 12:50p.m. 1:00p.m. - 2:35p.m. 1st period 2nd period 3rd period Lunch Study/Collaboration 7:20a.m. - 8:55a.m. 9:05a.m. - 10:35a.m. 10:45a.m. - 12:15p.m. 12:20p.m. - 12:50p.m. 1:00p.m. - 2:35p.m. 4/5th or 5/6th period 6/7th or 7/8th period 8/9th or 9/10th period Lunch Study/Collaboration 7:20a.m. - 8:55am 9:05a.m. - 10:35am 10:45a.m. - 12:15p.m. 12:20p.m. - 12:50p.m. 1:00p.m. - 2:35p.m. 11th period 12th period Make Ups Lunch Study/Collaboration