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Bergen, Norway

Bergen! A rich, historical city on the west coast of Norway. I don’t know why every time I delve into the culture and beauty and history of these places I’m still surprised by what I find, but I am. Bergen is beautiful. Seriously. It looks like it should be the cover of one of those nature CDs they always have advertised in Target. When I asked my Norwegian friend what he most liked about his hometown, he gave me several answers, all vague. At least, I think he did—he’s approximately nine feet tall (by my estimate), so it can be hard to communicate when you stand as tall as his knees. Thus, rather than focusing on a specific bit of history, I’d like to explore the city as a whole (that basically means I’m about to write the best ever Bergen travel guide written by someone who has never traveled there).

Bergen is a coastal city of about 270,000 residents surrounded by mountains and fjords. Despite being the second largest city in the country, it still retains the charm and atmosphere one would expect from a town of a much smaller scale. Many influential figures from all areas of interest have come from Bergen. Historically, a notable figure for me is Edvard Grieg, the pianist and composer (I also learned that he looks like Albert Einstein, but that’s besides the point). For a more modern connection, Kygo, the famous DJ, is also from this city that apparently churns out musical talents.

Bergen is not young by any means; in fact, it is the former center of trade connecting Norway to mainland Europe more than 900 years ago. You might not see any stereotypical Vikings there today, but you would have then. This trade history is easy to see in the architecture of preserved buildings of Bryggen, the wharf and hub of sea trade from that time period. The same history can even be heard in the specific dialect of Norwegian, called Bergensk, spoken by the people of the Bergen area; the strong influence of foreign peoples due to trade altered the language, creating a dialect specific to that region.

Surrounding Bergen are seven mountains, all accessible and all offering views of the beautiful nature around you. The biggest attractions, however, are the fjords. Fjords are water passes carved through mountains millions of years ago by glaciers, some of which remain to this day. Western Norway is home to the largest of the Norwegian fjords, a few boasting branches that are home to fjord villages. From my Norwegian friend, I have gathered that the incredible nature here isn’t just a prime attraction for visitors worldwide, but a gem to the country that its residents are proud of and genuinely take advantage of, making trips to explore and taking it all in. Living from the nature.

There is so much beauty to be found. In Norway, and globally. I really can’t wait for my trip around the world.

Olivia

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Ayúdeme (Por Favor)

I’m so happy. So, so happy. And not just at this very moment, either. My every day life is at peace, and so am I. I’m reading books for fun, I’m eating (relatively) healthier, and, most notably, I’m spending time with the people I love. For as long as I remember, I spent every weekend at home, feeling numb to everything around me; today, I face the day with my friends by my side, laughing and joking around. Whether it be attending a club, the mall, or even just playing video games or talking on the phone, I’m pushing myself to new heights through my favorite people, and it feels incredible.

But this is where the sad part comes in: as I’ve taken more time for myself and become more happy because of it, my grades have slipped. Why is it that when I finally reach a level of happiness that has evaded me, mocked me even, for years, the other largest facet of my life suffers for it? It’s not a coincidence, that’s for sure. Despite my efforts, despite help from my family and friends, despite everything, I can only have one or the other. If I choose my studies, I’ll finish my high school and eventual college career with great grades and test scores and a degree in hand. The only cost is five more years of the depression I have been grappling with since the sixth grade. If I choose my happiness, my grades will continue to suffer, taking from me the opportunities I’ve been pushing towards for so long. The opportunities I know I deserve. Because that’s what it comes down to, right? Either way, I know I deserve both. I have the work ethic and the abilities to earn the success I’ve been striving for, the success that has always been emphasized by the world around me. And I, like everyone else on this earth, deserve to be happy, whatever that may mean for me. I know that now. So why is it that school, my stepping stone to future success and happiness, is the one thing preventing it all?

Olivia

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Test anxiety is the bane of my existence.

No matter how comfortable I feel with the material, I find myself struggling on every single test, every. single. time. It gets quite old after a while. Sometimes I just want to feel confident about the possible outcome before and after. I couldn’t tell you the last time I finished a test and said, “that went well” without being horrifically sarcastic.

I picture my test anxiety as a being in my head. If it sees a test in front of me, it takes all the knowledge that could possibly be applicable to successfully complete said exam, shoves it into a box, locks it three times, then throws it off a cliff into the ocean and is never seen again. Until the test is gone. Then all my logic and ability to think, floats back to the surface, piece by piece, and I recall all the completely idiotic mistakes I made.

It’s like my brain gets completely wiped. I go blind with utter panic and can’t do even the simplest of tasks without second guessing everything. For instance, just last block, I was taking a calculus test, and long story short, I decided that 2×1=3… Low in behold, that minor miscalculation completely ruined the entire outcome of the problem.

The most frustrating part is, I understand most of what I’m tested on. If I was given the same problem that was on that calculus test, I probably would have gotten it correct. But the second something counts for an important grade, or important anything, I psych myself out immediately. Also, most of my teachers don’t know I have this issue and probably think I’m dumb based on some of the steps in reasoning I take on exams. My test scores don’t show any reflection of my actual ability because I’m stunted by my own stress level, which is slightly problematic because test scores inherently are supposed to be a direct reflection of how much of a grasp one has on a skill. But that’s not the case for me, and for anyone else who has this same issue.

Nicole Cyr

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The Difficulties of Healthy Eating

One of the biggest problems in America today is the obesity epidemic. People in America eat unhealthy foods because that is what is marketed to them. Take route one for example. How many fast food restaurants do you see? There’s McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Dunkin Doughnuts, Krispy Kreme, and others. It’s hard for people to eat healthy when healthy food is harder to find, and fast food is cheap and easy

 

There are even more examples of this in Thornton Academy’s own cafeteria. When you go to lunch, take a look around. Healthier foods like salads, or wraps are more expensive than the unhealthy foods such as pizza and chicken tenders. Now, I’m not gonna say I never have those days where I eat like a grease pig, but I try my best to eat healthy. More people eat unhealthily because it is easier for them. It costs less money, and most of the time, it tastes better.
If America wants to solve the obesity epidemic, then they need to stop marketing the unhealthy stuff. Obviously, a large fast food company would not stop their own marketing, but businesses that sell healthier foods should make the healthy foods more accessible and cheaper. This would attract more customers, and bring people away from all the fast food. If a fast food company wanted to get its customers back, all they would have to do is sell healthier foods, so it all goes full circle.

woman in brown classic trench coat eating mcdo fries during daytime
Photo by freestocks.org on Pexels.com
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Wearing a Watch

A7E08B3A-24C2-42DD-81DB-0CC30FAFB6A4.jpegWearing a watch is a pleasant experience, overall.

First and foremost, a watch is a great piece of accessories. For those who wear business casual, a watch would simply add to the professional look of blouses and suits. For those who wear more casual clothing, a watch helps to create a balance between formalities.

Perhaps equally important is the convenience a watch brings. Whenever you want to check the time, you can raise your wrist by a mere distance up in the air, and voila! Seeing a watch up close might be easier than trying to decipher the time from a clock on the other side of a big conference room.

Wearing a watch also helps to assert a sense of independence and self-control. The most relevant situation is that you won’t have to ask other people what the time is. More specifically, if you are impatient every now and then, wearing your own watch would help to contain the hustle and bustle only to yourself, which reminds you to be responsible for your emotions. Moreover, when you are fully aware that time is passing by, you may prevent yourself from being tempted by distractions. Being fully aware of how much time you have also prepares you mentally for timed activities, such as taking the SAT. You can plan out how much time you will spend on specific questions or reading passages, for example.

Last but not least, a watch is on the top of the list for the perfect gifts. With new technological advances, a watch can also report your heart rate and the number of steps that you performed per day. In other words, a watch reminds you to watch out for your health and to take better care of yourself.

 

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Gillete commercial

Men need to hold other men accountable”
“The boys watching today will be h e boys of tomorrow
It’s only by challenging ourselves to do more that Ed can get closer to our best “

Sexism, oppression, and the battle of the genders, for thousands of years roles have been assigned to each gender and have been set there by society forcing us into believing those roles are who define us as people. These roles are been ingrained in everyday life that they have become almost unrecognizable. The roles of women being soft spoken, kind, gentle, and submissive but these characteristics aren’t who women are as a whole. Just like men’s roles as brave, bold, and strong aren’t their roles either. These roles are society’s roles forced upon us throughout history and ingrained in our minds. Gillette’s commercial is speaking up against these roles by telling their buyers to speak up and break out of these confining gender roles. Gillette encourages to take that step forward to stop the next generation into falling into those confining general roles. In the commercial they often said the phrase “boys will be boys” followed by a scene which showed one father stepping up and stopping a fight between two young boy. By stopping the fighting and not just saying “boys will be boys” they are saying that parents should be taking a step forward in making sure not to let parents assign their kids gender roles. Taking that step forward is taking action and becoming “the best a man can be”. Being a better version of yourself is setting a good example for the next generation. The clips of men saying sexist things and being sexist in the commercial is to raise awareness of sexism in everyday life and to hold men accountable. The point of the commercial isn’t to vilify all men but to hold men accountable for their sexist ways. All men are sexist but it’s the men who chose to accept their sexism and grow from it are the men are the men being “the best a men can be”. The commercial also touches up on the point that the boys watching the sexist behavior of other men are the men of the future. That is why it is so important to change sexist ways and gender roles so that the future generation will learn and change the behaviors of the past.

Liliana Sapiel

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The oppression

Liliana Sapiel                                 Internalized oppression: when a group of people are oppressed but then oppress each other just like how they were oppressed by their original oppressor.

Internalized oppression is a very big topic but I’m going to narrow it down by talking about the internalized oppression of Native American people on reservations. As a young native who grew up on and off a reservation I often got to see the outside perspective of my reservation and my people. I got to see the knitty gritty of my reservation without getting sucked into all the bad stuff. Most families on reservation either completely keep their children away from the reservation by moving away and not looking back, but other families get enfolded in the internalized oppression and there kids often get sucked into it. I am grateful for that because I got to see the beauty of my reservation and feel the love of my family without being separated from my culture and the reservation. My mother made an effort to keep me connected with my culture and my community, of course it was inevitable to be completely blind to the bad side of my community. It’s was hard to see the people who were close to me be controlled by drugs and alcohol, but that’s where I learned the meaning behind the substance abuse and high suicide rates, and domestic violence. I went to two schools one off the reservation and one on the reservation, that was the first time I realized there were two different worlds. A school on the reservation is different in many ways first off we don’t say the pledge of aligence, we don’t get tought the same history, or celebrate the same holidays. I never learned the pledge of aligence until I was in high school and when I first learned in it felt like I was tied down to something I don’t believe in. I felt pressured to just following the rest of the kids in class because otherwise I would be criticized by my classmates or the teacher. I could feel the stare if I sat down during the pledge, even when this is the country of my people I feel like I don’t belong here. Why is it because I have dark skin I don’t belong? Why is when I don’t follow societal rules I don’t belong? It’s really funny how the world works every thing is a contradiction. My people were oppressed for being native and expressing who we are, native children died running away from there oppressive boarding schools just to be native, and now white people think that they’re honoring us by wearing a headdress or putting a Native American as their mascot? My people fought and died for being native and now people think it’s alright to simply “honor”as they like. Honor is not a mascot or decoration, honor is respect, and that’s starts with learning about native culture and traditions. A mascot is just a face for a team and we are more than that.

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Fears

Sweat running down my face, butterflies in my stomach, my head spinning, “on your mark, get set, BANG!” I start running my legs are moving as fast as I can but somehow it feels like I’m just running in place. The world around me starts to shrink, what am I running from, who am I running from ? Am I running from the people, the competition, or am I running from myself. No, I’m running from the fear that’s inside of me, the fear of not running with my full potential, the fear of not being good enough.

Fear is inside of everybody, but there are people who overcome the fear before the fear overcomes them. Then their are the people who let the fear consumes them and get the best of them. Every time I set foot on the starting line fear consumes me. It feels like I can’t even function because I have a thousand thoughts running through my head of what could go wrong. Competitive track and field is much more than just naturally being fast, it’s about timing, pacing yourself, and half the battle is inside your head. When I run I have to push myself physically but also mentally. Pushing myself mentally is overcoming the fear of whatever is ahead and to just run. If I don’t believe I can push myself to run another mile, yard, or even another foot I can’t run to my full potential. Fear is what limits my full potential of running and every time I run I face that fear.

Liliana Sapiel

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Passamaquoddy bay

The blazing colors of red, orange, and yellow light up the sky as the sun rises upon the Passamaquoddy Bay. I can taste the salt in the air and smell the subtle but pungent mud flats as I take my morning walk. I take a moment to listen to the soothing sound of the waves flowing back and forth onto the pebbly beach. I look over the horizon and see an eagle flying high above me, I put my hand out almost as if I were to grab it, but instead I feel the energy and power of the eagle. My grandmother always said that after she died she would become and eagle and would give me strength, I never doubted that because she had the strongest spirit of anyone I knew.
I sit on a rock as I watch the sun rise over the placid bay which is painted with the colors of the sky. The stress, the anxiety, the grief all washed away by the oceans waves. My loved ones whom I’ve lost have taken the journey past the sunset to the other side and are greeted by my ancestors and the creator. I look at the sunrise, I am embraced by the sun’s overwhelming warmth which is filled with all the love given to me by my loved ones
Sometime when I look into the ocean I can feel myself drowning in the memories of the past. Those memories I keep dear to my heart, they give me pain and sorrow but they also give me happiness and the courage to move on. All those memories are lost at sea and I find it hard not to loose myself with them. I pick myself up and keep moving because after the sun rises there is the whole day ahead of me.

Liliana Sapiel

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School

School is a place for learning and growing and I respect the hard working teachers and staff who work there, but students shouldn’t be hating school to the point their depressed. I can appreciate learning but how I learn is what really determine’s my sting dislike for school. The part of school that sucks so much is how the system is designed. The system is designed around standardized testing which bases students grade’s on how well they’re doing in school. There is more to someone’s knowledge than what is shown on a test! Students spend there whole young adult life studying for tests and quizzes, but life isn’t a test! As students get older they often look over there social life, there health, and there familiy. Everyday my schedule looks something like this: wake up at 6am, go to school till 3pm, do clubs till c 4:30, do homework for 2 hours, study for another hour, eat dinner at 7pm get ready for bed at 8:30-9pm. Literally all of my day is dedicated to school. I barley have time to think about myself let alone treat myself out to something I enjoy. If I do treat myself out, it’s at the cost of my grades going down or getting behind on my homework. Grades are the devil that rule over my life and society tells us it determined my self worth. Yes, I am being just a little bit dramatic but many student unconsciously thinking that because the school system and society feeds us these lies and brainwashes us into thinking we aren’t good enough. Students shouldn’t feel like their stupid because they don’t have a good GPA or get a bad grade on a test. Students don’t deserve to feel like they are stupid, if anything schools are stupid for not making they’re students feel comfortable.

Liliana Sapiel

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