The Strange Case of Senioritis
by Shreeja Bhatacharjee
There will come a time in your lives (or one that has already happened) where you will be faced with an extremely large pile of work. And in the face of that extremely large pile of work, you will come to the brilliant decision of ignoring that pile of work and taking a nap. Maybe it’ll get done while you’re sleeping! Like me, you will soon figure out, no, that pile will not disappear as you sleep. It will only get bigger. While this situation can occur during any point in life, it is very probable it will happen in your senior year.
After spending first semester and your winter “break” slogging away to finish off common apps, AP homework, and entertaining your relatives, you will come back to second semester. And then it will happen. There will be work to be done, but your brain will not do that work. While this may seem like some random myth seniors made up to have an excuse to be lazy, the struggle is real, folks. For the past week, my brain refuses to work. Assignments take much longer than normal, my brain is incapable of coming up with ideas, and sleeping has become my favorite hobby, more than ever before.
My dad always told me this famous Indian saying, “What you can do tomorrow, do today. And what you can do today, do now.” Of course, in my mind, all I hear is, “What you can do now, do today. And what you can do today, do tomorrow.” This is probably the rule everyone with Senioritis lives by. Now you may be quick to point out that this is just procrastination. But let me tell you something, it really isn’t. As someone who has battled life-long procrastination, let me tell you, this is on a whole new level. When I procrastinate, I just kind of avoid the work. With Senioritis, my brain forgets the work exists, and even when I try to work, I stare at the page blankly, with no answers appearing.
While I make light of this situation, in reality, it is extremely frustrating. I’m used to being able to pull off work very quickly and efficiently. But now, it’s like all the pent up anger has caused my brain to stop working. Pent up anger at what you ask? At the constant running. From a young age, kids are pushed to try their hardest and work as hard as possible. And as the years go by, we are told to run even harder and harder. There are no breaks- during the summer, there’s always AP homework and during the winter, there’s more AP homework. The weekend, which is supposed to symbolize a small break each week, is just time to do more work. While the work is important for us to learn, part of me is frustrated that I can’t remember the last time I’ve actually had a break. And I think this is why people get Senioritis. The second semester of your final year in high school is when you realize that you haven’t had a much-needed break and that perhaps, that break will never come. So, in desperation, part of you tries to grab at whatever time you have left and make a break out of it (even at the expense of your grades).
So what can be done about this situation? While everybody else in the world will say otherwise, I’d say to take a break. Take one weekend off to dedicate to yourself and relax- watch movies, talk to friends, eat food, etc. Try not to think about the work for that one weekend. Naturally when you come back, you’ll find more work waiting for you. But I feel a proper full break is better than a weird combo of not working and trying to work but failing. After a proper small amount of time just for yourself, I think you’ll find yourself much more prepared to tackle the work head on. And a reminder- while it is easy to get caught up in the frustration of work, like I sometimes do, remember that one day, it won’t be meaningless work of subjects you don’t care about. One day you will be able to do work you actually care about it and want to do. This thought is what keeps me motivated and going.
Finally, for the people who have yet to experience Senioritis, prepare yourself for it will be frustrating. For the teachers who have students with Senioritis, please try to be considerate of them; your students genuinely are trying their hardest. And for those of you with Senioritis, don’t give up. Just know that the future isn’t more annoying work, it’s work that you are passionate about. And when you care about your work, it stops becoming work.
After spending first semester and your winter “break” slogging away to finish off common apps, AP homework, and entertaining your relatives, you will come back to second semester. And then it will happen. There will be work to be done, but your brain will not do that work. While this may seem like some random myth seniors made up to have an excuse to be lazy, the struggle is real, folks. For the past week, my brain refuses to work. Assignments take much longer than normal, my brain is incapable of coming up with ideas, and sleeping has become my favorite hobby, more than ever before.
My dad always told me this famous Indian saying, “What you can do tomorrow, do today. And what you can do today, do now.” Of course, in my mind, all I hear is, “What you can do now, do today. And what you can do today, do tomorrow.” This is probably the rule everyone with Senioritis lives by. Now you may be quick to point out that this is just procrastination. But let me tell you something, it really isn’t. As someone who has battled life-long procrastination, let me tell you, this is on a whole new level. When I procrastinate, I just kind of avoid the work. With Senioritis, my brain forgets the work exists, and even when I try to work, I stare at the page blankly, with no answers appearing.
While I make light of this situation, in reality, it is extremely frustrating. I’m used to being able to pull off work very quickly and efficiently. But now, it’s like all the pent up anger has caused my brain to stop working. Pent up anger at what you ask? At the constant running. From a young age, kids are pushed to try their hardest and work as hard as possible. And as the years go by, we are told to run even harder and harder. There are no breaks- during the summer, there’s always AP homework and during the winter, there’s more AP homework. The weekend, which is supposed to symbolize a small break each week, is just time to do more work. While the work is important for us to learn, part of me is frustrated that I can’t remember the last time I’ve actually had a break. And I think this is why people get Senioritis. The second semester of your final year in high school is when you realize that you haven’t had a much-needed break and that perhaps, that break will never come. So, in desperation, part of you tries to grab at whatever time you have left and make a break out of it (even at the expense of your grades).
So what can be done about this situation? While everybody else in the world will say otherwise, I’d say to take a break. Take one weekend off to dedicate to yourself and relax- watch movies, talk to friends, eat food, etc. Try not to think about the work for that one weekend. Naturally when you come back, you’ll find more work waiting for you. But I feel a proper full break is better than a weird combo of not working and trying to work but failing. After a proper small amount of time just for yourself, I think you’ll find yourself much more prepared to tackle the work head on. And a reminder- while it is easy to get caught up in the frustration of work, like I sometimes do, remember that one day, it won’t be meaningless work of subjects you don’t care about. One day you will be able to do work you actually care about it and want to do. This thought is what keeps me motivated and going.
Finally, for the people who have yet to experience Senioritis, prepare yourself for it will be frustrating. For the teachers who have students with Senioritis, please try to be considerate of them; your students genuinely are trying their hardest. And for those of you with Senioritis, don’t give up. Just know that the future isn’t more annoying work, it’s work that you are passionate about. And when you care about your work, it stops becoming work.
Two Mondays ago (January 27th), the HeForShe Campaign launched in Guatemala. This campaign, spearheaded by actress and human rights activist Emma Watson, is a “solidarity movement for gender equality.” Far too often, the movement for gender equality is conceived as a struggle for women, led by women. Furthermore society tends to define feminism as women wanting to be better than men. Both of these assumptions are wrong and honestly rather ignorant. "Gender equality is not only a women’s issue, it is a human rights issue...” and that is the mindset that HeForShe hopes to instill. The campaign hopes to engage men and boys as advocates and agents of change for the achievement of gender equality and women’s rights. Because in the end, it takes women and men working together, with a common goal in mind, to kickstart a change.
The fact that HeForShe made its way to Guatemala in itself is a huge step forward for this small country. It is an act that is both exciting and astonishing to me. While many may try to deny this, Guatemala remains a country stuck in a past of patriarchal rule and traditional gender roles. Women still believe that it is their place to be submissive to men, and vice versa, men still think themselves to be dominant over women. Of course, as with many things, this phenomenon is much more present in the impoverished, low to middle classes of the country. The sad truth of the matter is that most of these people are indigenous.
As with many world issues, for me, the answer lies in education.
For the past four years, the Senior class has worked with the Elizabeth Recinos School in Fraijanes. I remember sitting with one young girl on a bright Saturday morning. Assuming that she attended the school, I asked her what grade she was in, to which I learned that she did not attend school at all. I then proceeded to ask her how old she was, “12,” she replied. She then quickly added, “Oh but, my two older brothers go here.” I paused. In my pauses I debated what to say, but the little angered feminist inside of me blurted out, “Why not you?” She looked at me with a confused look on her face.
“Why do they go to school and not you?” I clarified.
“Well because they’re boys. They need it more,” she explained very matter-of-factly.
“Oh,” I managed to let out through my pursed lips.
“What do you want to do when you grow up?” her sudden change of topic brought me back to Earth.
“Well I want to change that.”
“Change what?” she inquired, with a puzzled expression on her face.
“I want to change the fact that you think that it’s more important for your brothers to go to school than you, because it’s not.”
No one sex needs education more, rather, both sexes equally need it. Because together we are more powerful than we are apart.
“ If men don’t have to be aggressive, women won’t be compelled to be submissive. If men don’t need to control, women won’t have to be controlled. Both men and women should feel free to be strong. It is time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideals. We should stop defining each other by what we are not and start defining ourselves by who we are. We can all be freer and this is what HeForShe is about. It’s about freedom. I want men to take up this mantle so their daughters, sisters, and mothers can be free from prejudice but also so their sons have permission to be vulnerable and human, too and in doing so, be a more true and complete version of themselves.”
The fact that HeForShe made its way to Guatemala in itself is a huge step forward for this small country. It is an act that is both exciting and astonishing to me. While many may try to deny this, Guatemala remains a country stuck in a past of patriarchal rule and traditional gender roles. Women still believe that it is their place to be submissive to men, and vice versa, men still think themselves to be dominant over women. Of course, as with many things, this phenomenon is much more present in the impoverished, low to middle classes of the country. The sad truth of the matter is that most of these people are indigenous.
As with many world issues, for me, the answer lies in education.
For the past four years, the Senior class has worked with the Elizabeth Recinos School in Fraijanes. I remember sitting with one young girl on a bright Saturday morning. Assuming that she attended the school, I asked her what grade she was in, to which I learned that she did not attend school at all. I then proceeded to ask her how old she was, “12,” she replied. She then quickly added, “Oh but, my two older brothers go here.” I paused. In my pauses I debated what to say, but the little angered feminist inside of me blurted out, “Why not you?” She looked at me with a confused look on her face.
“Why do they go to school and not you?” I clarified.
“Well because they’re boys. They need it more,” she explained very matter-of-factly.
“Oh,” I managed to let out through my pursed lips.
“What do you want to do when you grow up?” her sudden change of topic brought me back to Earth.
“Well I want to change that.”
“Change what?” she inquired, with a puzzled expression on her face.
“I want to change the fact that you think that it’s more important for your brothers to go to school than you, because it’s not.”
No one sex needs education more, rather, both sexes equally need it. Because together we are more powerful than we are apart.
“ If men don’t have to be aggressive, women won’t be compelled to be submissive. If men don’t need to control, women won’t have to be controlled. Both men and women should feel free to be strong. It is time that we all see gender as a spectrum instead of two sets of opposing ideals. We should stop defining each other by what we are not and start defining ourselves by who we are. We can all be freer and this is what HeForShe is about. It’s about freedom. I want men to take up this mantle so their daughters, sisters, and mothers can be free from prejudice but also so their sons have permission to be vulnerable and human, too and in doing so, be a more true and complete version of themselves.”
The Beauty of Mistakes
by Olivia Benecke
I’m not going to lie; I’m a bit on edge about writing this editorial. It’s not necessarily a pleasant topic, but it’s something I feel needs to be heard, not just by the Maya community but by human beings as a whole: We need to stop making such harsh assumptions about people we hardly know based solely on their mistakes.
I have a surprise for you: It turns out human beings make mistakes--some small, and others very, very big. Most of us regret them, wishing they would somehow magically blow away overnight. But I don’t, and I don’t think anyone else should either. I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, believe me, and I’ve spent many an hour praying, pleading, for a time machine to take me back just to give me one more chance (spoiler: it never comes). My mom always said “once you make a mistake, it’s impossible to undo; it’s like trying to un-ring a bell you just jingled.” As much as I am chagrined to admit it, she’s right. The best thing you can do with a lapse in judgement is learn from it. Once you do, you realize just how beautiful they really are. For me personally, the only way I can learn is through my own experiences. This has led to a lot of “ohhh, I probably should have done that,” or “well that wasn’t my finest idea” epiphanies. As much as I want to crawl out of my own skin thinking about them, I’m glad they happened, because now they will never EVER happen again. It’s kind of like when you’re out to eat, and you decide to branch out and order something you’ve never had before. You try it and and oh my God is it disgusting. Can you un-swallow it? Probably...but that’s not a good idea. Solution? Don’t order it again! It’s as simple as that. And so, I treasure each and every mistake I’ve ever made, and you should too.
Lately I’ve noticed mistakes not only following people, but somehow becoming nailed to their names. For whatever reason, it has become a social norm to assign a person’s attributes to their mistakes, and it makes me...itchy. Yes, I do love my mistakes, but do I want to be defined by them? Oh please God, no. It is far too easy to get swept up in the excitement of gossip, but take it from me, being on the other end of it feels...absolutely awful. As if your own knowledge of your mishap wasn’t enough to make you wish the earth would swallow you whole, the second everyone else knows and has an opinion about it (and you!) you feel like collapsing. She stole something, but that doesn’t make her a thief; he lied, but in no way is he a liar; she failed a test but she is a million miles away from stupid; he said something mean, but he himself doesn’t have an ounce of bitterness in his body.
Mistakes need to be seen for what they are: journeys. Beautiful, disastrous, tedious, AND VERY PERSONAL journeys. I don’t care how old you are, we’re all still figuring it out, and I feel like we have the right to do so without being scrutinized. Mistakes are only a small component of who we are, so before you decide to judge someone, make sure you know them through and through, not only their mishaps. And side note: if someone seems to be making a lot of mistakes repeatedly and it’s clear they are no longer in control, how about asking them if they’re ok before placing a permanent label upon them? Watching someone spin out of control is hard, but trust me, it’s even worse being in the driver’s seat. If there’s anything I hope you will take away from this, it’s to mind your own business! Being mean is exhausting, give kindness a chance.
I have a surprise for you: It turns out human beings make mistakes--some small, and others very, very big. Most of us regret them, wishing they would somehow magically blow away overnight. But I don’t, and I don’t think anyone else should either. I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, believe me, and I’ve spent many an hour praying, pleading, for a time machine to take me back just to give me one more chance (spoiler: it never comes). My mom always said “once you make a mistake, it’s impossible to undo; it’s like trying to un-ring a bell you just jingled.” As much as I am chagrined to admit it, she’s right. The best thing you can do with a lapse in judgement is learn from it. Once you do, you realize just how beautiful they really are. For me personally, the only way I can learn is through my own experiences. This has led to a lot of “ohhh, I probably should have done that,” or “well that wasn’t my finest idea” epiphanies. As much as I want to crawl out of my own skin thinking about them, I’m glad they happened, because now they will never EVER happen again. It’s kind of like when you’re out to eat, and you decide to branch out and order something you’ve never had before. You try it and and oh my God is it disgusting. Can you un-swallow it? Probably...but that’s not a good idea. Solution? Don’t order it again! It’s as simple as that. And so, I treasure each and every mistake I’ve ever made, and you should too.
Lately I’ve noticed mistakes not only following people, but somehow becoming nailed to their names. For whatever reason, it has become a social norm to assign a person’s attributes to their mistakes, and it makes me...itchy. Yes, I do love my mistakes, but do I want to be defined by them? Oh please God, no. It is far too easy to get swept up in the excitement of gossip, but take it from me, being on the other end of it feels...absolutely awful. As if your own knowledge of your mishap wasn’t enough to make you wish the earth would swallow you whole, the second everyone else knows and has an opinion about it (and you!) you feel like collapsing. She stole something, but that doesn’t make her a thief; he lied, but in no way is he a liar; she failed a test but she is a million miles away from stupid; he said something mean, but he himself doesn’t have an ounce of bitterness in his body.
Mistakes need to be seen for what they are: journeys. Beautiful, disastrous, tedious, AND VERY PERSONAL journeys. I don’t care how old you are, we’re all still figuring it out, and I feel like we have the right to do so without being scrutinized. Mistakes are only a small component of who we are, so before you decide to judge someone, make sure you know them through and through, not only their mishaps. And side note: if someone seems to be making a lot of mistakes repeatedly and it’s clear they are no longer in control, how about asking them if they’re ok before placing a permanent label upon them? Watching someone spin out of control is hard, but trust me, it’s even worse being in the driver’s seat. If there’s anything I hope you will take away from this, it’s to mind your own business! Being mean is exhausting, give kindness a chance.
Pet Peeve: Social Media
by Eun Biy Ko
“Can you please put your phone away?”
Anyone who knows me well knows my hatred of technology--namely, the use of social media while hanging out with friends or family. I don’t understand why you would take your phone out and check Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. when surrounded by your loved ones. You can do that some other time. That funny post on Facebook, or that photo on Instagram won’t go away until the next time you pick up your phone.
Yes, some might argue that social media helps them connect with others, and I agree. However, it’s different to use these social networks at home by yourself, and to use them at a restaurant when your friends are sitting right in front of you. It might be an overstatement, but I find it disrespectful. It’s disrespectful how someone makes time to meet you, and you spend half of that time looking down at your phone. It’s disrespectful how someone is talking to you, and instead of listening to them you are taking pictures of the coffee to post it on your Instagram. It’s disrespectful how someone is waiting for your answer, but you didn’t hear the question because you were too busy talking to another friend on WhatsApp.
It saddens me how more and more people don’t socialize with others. No, I am not talking about socializing on social media because boy are we experts in that. I am talking about the face-to-face, more intimate interaction--the eye contact, the hand gestures, the facial expressions, the laughter, the nods of agreement, the light touch on the shoulder to let them know you’re still following what they’re saying, the spark in the eye when they talk about something they’re passionate about. What happened to that?
For once, I would like to have, or even see, a conversation without the interruption of an alarm on the phone. There have been several times where I walk into Starbucks and see a group of people with cellphones in their hands. When I am with my friends, I find myself constantly asking them to stop using their phones. Instead of this, however, I would like to see friends conversing with a cup of coffee in their hands. I would like to stop asking my friends to put their phones away and engage in a conversation.
I hope that by now, most of you have realized that you should reduce the times you pick up your phone when you are with your friends and family (I wish I could say ‘everyday’, but that calls for another article). Save your social networking sites for those times you are left with nothing to do, and there is no one else to keep you company.
So, let me ask you again: “Can you please put your phone away?”
Anyone who knows me well knows my hatred of technology--namely, the use of social media while hanging out with friends or family. I don’t understand why you would take your phone out and check Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. when surrounded by your loved ones. You can do that some other time. That funny post on Facebook, or that photo on Instagram won’t go away until the next time you pick up your phone.
Yes, some might argue that social media helps them connect with others, and I agree. However, it’s different to use these social networks at home by yourself, and to use them at a restaurant when your friends are sitting right in front of you. It might be an overstatement, but I find it disrespectful. It’s disrespectful how someone makes time to meet you, and you spend half of that time looking down at your phone. It’s disrespectful how someone is talking to you, and instead of listening to them you are taking pictures of the coffee to post it on your Instagram. It’s disrespectful how someone is waiting for your answer, but you didn’t hear the question because you were too busy talking to another friend on WhatsApp.
It saddens me how more and more people don’t socialize with others. No, I am not talking about socializing on social media because boy are we experts in that. I am talking about the face-to-face, more intimate interaction--the eye contact, the hand gestures, the facial expressions, the laughter, the nods of agreement, the light touch on the shoulder to let them know you’re still following what they’re saying, the spark in the eye when they talk about something they’re passionate about. What happened to that?
For once, I would like to have, or even see, a conversation without the interruption of an alarm on the phone. There have been several times where I walk into Starbucks and see a group of people with cellphones in their hands. When I am with my friends, I find myself constantly asking them to stop using their phones. Instead of this, however, I would like to see friends conversing with a cup of coffee in their hands. I would like to stop asking my friends to put their phones away and engage in a conversation.
I hope that by now, most of you have realized that you should reduce the times you pick up your phone when you are with your friends and family (I wish I could say ‘everyday’, but that calls for another article). Save your social networking sites for those times you are left with nothing to do, and there is no one else to keep you company.
So, let me ask you again: “Can you please put your phone away?”