Opinion

Your Cheating Heart
Rave Names

Your Cheating Heart

By Joanna Duiker and Laura Lindsey

Guys cheat for the same reason that dogs chase their tails… because they can. The majority of people in our student body have either been victims of having their hearts broken or have broken a heart themselves. Many have probably done both, and sometimes this seems unavoidable. What seems to be the issue is that we simply fall for people who don't see us in the same way that others do, although some cases are not played out that way. Although there are many different ways that people can be at fault for the downfall of a relationship, there is one thing that they all have in common.. a selfish person. The ways they deceive us may vary and the excuses they tell may seem ridiculous and repetitive but the pain we feel unites us to one another and cautions us from falling too quickly the next time around. Another way that we are affected comes after experiencing this personal tragedy. We become too cautious and are no longer willing to take a risk on anyone that we may once again have acquired those same strong feelings.

Then again there are two types of people; people who hurt one another without realizing the consequences of their actions and those who really don't care at all and know what they've done but have chosen to repeat their same wrong doings. Sadly, those people who don't care are the ones that we tend to be attracted to most often because we always want what we can't have. However, that does not provide them with an excuse.

“Players”…we all know one, maybe not personally, but we've all known one. They get who they want, whenever they want, regardless of if they are in a relationship currently or not. Sometimes they lie to get what they want or feed you lines to make you feel like you're different from all the other girls that they were previously with. They make you feel "special" or better than the rest. Junior Jacob Barraza says, "Cheating is one of the worst things a person can do in a relationship. It's pointless and asinine." Players aren't only cheating in their relationships but they are also cheating themselves. Rather than cheating, a person should just end their current relationship. There isn't any point of being with someone if you aren't ready to be committed to them. If you have been with a person for a while and discover you have feelings for someone else just end it. Pretending that everything is ok is NOT the solution. If you are willing to cheat on someone after being with them for a while, then maybe they don't mean as much to you as you think. If you really liked someone, their best interest would come before your own. However, it does work both ways. If a person is willing to "hook up" with you knowing that you are in a relationship, then they are equally to blame. What reasons are there really to cheat? Why would you want to hook up with someone who is in a relationship? Innocent people get hurt at your expense. Are your reasons for cheating really worth it? Let's just pretend that they really do like you, someone who cheated with you will most likely cheat on you as well. Remember you can't change a player or their game, only they can change themselves. When it comes to cheating, if you do cheat, it is best just to come clean and make it right. Learn from your mistakes and improve yourself.

Then, we have liars. It's true that all people lie but what distinguishes a liar from the rest of us? Junior Brian Nelson said, "I am usually a very trusting person but after someone took advantage of that, I don't trust anybody." Compulsive lying is unnecessary. If you are lying to hide something, most likely it will end up revealing itself; and if you are lying to impress people so that they like you, it's pointless because they will never like you only the person you pretend to be. Lying to the person you like or are in a relationship with, won't benefit you what so ever. It ruins relationships and you end up lonelier than you started out being.

Lastly there are those people who lead you on. This is just as hurtful as being cheated on. It's mainly a problem when you aren't in a relationship but can be evident in a relationship also. Junior Alex Acosta says, "People who lead people on are inconsiderate to the female feelings. Guys who lead girls on are dumb." It's one of the most hurtful things you could do to a person. When you give someone who likes you the idea that they have a chance and then leave them hanging, you just single handedly damaged their self-confidence.

Cheating, lying, and leading people all coincide with each other. You can't do one without the other and they all can completely destroy a person. You don't know how a broken heart can affect someone, and although sometimes it's unavoidable, it's best to make decisions in the best interest of others. Junior Danny Vlahos said, "Treat others how you want to be treated. If you cheat, lie, or lead someone on, karma will get you and you too will discover what a broken heart feels like.

Rave Names

By Joey Alcala

It is very common to attend a rave and make a new friend. Such a person will generally have a 'normal' name like Sarah, Michael, or John. Oftentimes, however, they will be endowed with a unique name to fit their style or personality. That name they are knighted with is called a “Rave Name”. The concept of rave names can be simply defined as a raver's alter ego or party alias. A rave name is something a person earns and can received at a rave or rave-themed event such as a Raver Day at Disneyland. How one acquires the name is special, and it is the individual's choice whether or not to accept the name when it is offered. A rave name should revolve around a certain special event that defines the specific person. Common names are Rainbow, Sunshine, Skittles, or Roo, with my own name being Tripi Kitten.
My personal story with respect to a rave name is as follows: I had hair, or still do, that epitomizes a cat and someone had drawn whiskers on me and actually thought I was a cat. My name had already been Tripi because of my hair, but my friend who named me bluntly said, "You're Tripi Kitten now." It was kitten instead of cat because I'm short. This just shows how a certain event that created my name. The name one gets is usually something to be cherished and used as an introduction upon meeting other people at parties.
Rave names, however, have a slightly deeper, more emotional meaning than how fun and wild they appear. As stated before, a rave name serves as an alter ego; it represents an embellished form of the person. A rave name is something that should give the individual the confidence to be himself or herself and not care about what other's reactions. A rave name should symbolize the kind of friendly, cool and unique qualities that the person possesses and should help make them to be a more outgoing person because of the acknowledgement that someone has found them interesting enough to name them. Most feel that being given such a name brings great happiness. When a person earns a name it should just be thought of as just another chapter or page in their life to be remembered forever.

Winner...What's the Price? Is it worth it?

By Laura Lindsey

If winners never lose and losers never win, then people cannot exist in between these two extremes. Our society is based on a system of winners and losers. Those who have money or something one-of-a-kind are defined as winners. All the others are "beneath" the winner; they are merely losers. Even in school, people are subjected to this harsh standard. They are told that they need to be the best: get the best grades, be the best at sports, have the most friends, or be musically inclined. Students struggle everyday to live up to these standards. How can we accomplish this? We must be competitive. We use our strengths to come out on top. However, by putting forth our strengths, do we also have to exploit others' weaknesses?
     Everyone possesses talents. Some still have not discovered what these talents may be, but they will eventually manifest. Then there are those who seem to excel effortlessly. However, regardless of the level of individual ability, competition is always present. In sports, for example, a person has to try out before becoming a part of the team. Only the best are chosen. So, how does someone become the best? In order to achieve that high title, he or she must practice harder and want it more than any other person. If someone falls behind, the individual cannot stop to help them; he or she must keep going. Then, if that person makes the team, a competitive nature becomes still more evident. The team as a whole is charged with the duty of discovering the other team's weaknesses and exploiting these for the sake of winning.
   So, is having a competitive nature really a positive? Junior Breanna Moore states, "When I play basketball I have to be competitive if I want to win. If you aren't competitive, then people will walk all over you." There are benefits and disadvantages to being competitive. First of all, some could say that it is morally wrong to use people's weaknesses or ignorance against them. However, doesn't that promote strength? When a person finds someone who is better than him or her, most are motivated to better themselves. Those who remain unmotivated end up working for those who strove to be the best. Is it possible to take this too far?
       With competition also come priorities. How far is someone willing to accomplish his or her goals? Is he or she willing to leave a close friend behind to make the team? Will the individual skip a party in order to study for a test the next day or practice for a band audition? Sometimes it is necessary to make sacrifices and set personal limits. Junior Danny Vlahos says, "Competition is a good thing most of the time and is needed to get ahead in a job or when playing sports." Some are competitive only on their playing field, whatever that may be, but others are competitive by nature, constantly driven to get ahead.
        A difficult but necessary lesson is that of distinguishing between times to be competitive and times to relax. Those who end up on top will strive to be the best and will argue if treated unfairly. Sitting back the entire time and watching life pass by is never the right thing to do. On the other hand, always searching for a battle to fight is not correct either. In this society, competition is necessary. Everyone has the ability to be the "winners" of society, so why not fight to get what is ours?

Your Cheating Heart

By Laura Lindsey and Joanna Duiker

As the state plunges deeper and deeper into a deficit of nearly $11.2 billion, legislators ponder the question of what should be done about the daunting bill. Unfortunately, one of the first plans involves reducing funding for education by a sizeable $2.5 billion. With California spending around $8,486 per student, the state spends just below the national average amount per student. If the financial plan goes through, funds will be cut and that $8,486 will sink even lower.
Such an amount is already enough to raise brows and inspire debate over the validity of the move; the consequences that ensue will undoubtedly make it more and more difficult for youth in California to receive higher education. This cut will most substantially impact students wishing to pursue a college degree, as many classes from all the public universities and community colleges will be dropped from the curriculum. In other words, a student's favorite theatre arts, Russian language, or jazz ensemble class may no longer be available because of decisions made by a few governing individuals. Students are therefore limited strictly to core classes and are given little space to pursue subjects they choose based on their interests.
In addition to these woes, it is also more difficult for incoming freshmen to be accepted into a preferred UC or Cal-State university. Because of the cuts, the Cal-State system will have to reject around 10,000 incoming students; the campuses will be more selective in choosing which students are eligible to attend. The students are certainly not to blame for wishing to receive higher education, yet the state pressures them to give twice the effort to be accepted – all because of the fiscal problems in the government. High school students should not be required to compete against one another to earn a spot in an institution, as the even greater selectivity of the schools only exacerbates this problem.
While high school and college students suffer the consequences of dealing with cut classes and increased tension of selective admissions, teachers also feel the repercussion from the cuts. Thousands of teachers may be laid off if the budge cuts are enforced, and the futures of aspiring teachers remain uncertain.
A controversy arises as more funds are found to be allotted for prison upkeep than for education. This issue sparks a polarized debate on issues regarding prisoner's lives versus education – whether the death sentence, which would spare millions of dollars of potential education funding, should be accepted or not.
As funds become more and more inaccessible, opportunities are limited and issues arise. While there are priorities besides education that the state must attend to, action should be taken to prevent further destruction of the education system's funds and the future of the nation's youths. Last week, the Governor pleaded with fellow Republicans to allow a tax increase so that services like education could continue to operate. But they have refused to compromise. Thus the situation continues.

Getting Stuff Done!

(What to Do When You Are Stressing About Homework)

By Jack Li

Many of you may deem this article irrelevant, or ignore it, simply because the title seems uninteresting. Really, who wants to read an article about homework? Enough of it is assigned at school, parents constantly nag to finish it, and you cannot hang out with your friends because it has to be done! Are you the kind of person that surfs on MySpace when you are supposed to be doing a research paper? Do you do homework at one in the morning, five in the morning before school, or right before class? Then hopefully the following tips will help you focus more on what you need to do, and perhaps even give a little boost to your grade. So, will you read on now?

Good study and homework habits start in class. Remember your planner/agenda/binder reminder! It is important! You should write down everything pertaining to the homework assignment in that little blue book. Senior Alexander Richardson says, "It's good to keep notes on everything you need to do”. If have not used it yet, it is advisable to start NOW if you want to get your act together. Most people cannot remember everything that the teachers assign in class, and unless you have a photographic memory, you probably cannot remember either.

It is also important is to manage your time in class; if the teacher gives free time, start on your homework. Would you rather talk to your friends for a short time in class, or get your homework done and be able to hang out with them later? Of course the latter is much more sensible, but it is also important not to do homework while the teacher is teaching. You do not want to miss vital information for a test that is much more important than the homework you are doing.

Once you arrive home, read the planner to know what you must do, and start on your work. Putting homework off until later is not the best idea. Getting work done earlier takes a great deal of stress of the shoulders. It takes the fun out of relaxing if you are preoccupied with thoughts about all that homework that is waiting for you to do. It is almost like a dark cloud hanging over the day. In addition, you are significantly more productive in the afternoon or evening than late at night. A short assignment begun early in the afternoon can probably be finished within a few hours, allowing for more time to relax, and adding more hours to sleep. As Junior Josh Footlik says, "Finishing homework effectively gives you more time to do the stuff you want”.
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GET RID OF DISTRACTIONS! This is extremely important! To repeat, GET RID OF DISTRACTIONS! Every minute that used to get a snack, or to text your friend, is a minute more time it takes to finish to assignment. If it took you two hours to finish an assignment, but you were only working for one and a half, it still feels like you just spent two hours doing it. Efficient workers do ONLY what they are concentrating on at the time. If you are typing a report, it would be wise to unplug the internet connection. If it has to do with internet research, force yourself not to stray from your goal. If your friend is texting you, turn off your phone. Distractions are a waste of time, and they can certainly mess up a good habit of studying.

Do not forget the location where you do your homework, too. You need to have a set homework place, like on your desk, or on your bed. The location needs to comfortable and well lit, as you do not want to have bad eyesight from doing homework for four years in the same dimly lit corner of your room. Of course, it needs to be free from things that will distract you. In front of the TV is not a good location for doing homework. Choose an appropriate place in your house that you can go to everyday and FOCUS until you finish.

So what do you do if you are overwhelmed by homework? Everyone encounters these days, and everyone dreads it. When your math teacher decides they should assign 40 more problems than usual, your science teacher gives you a lab due the next day, your English teacher gives you two essays to do, and as a bonus, 50 vocabulary words for Spanish, do not panic; organize your tasks. Make sure all of your homework is written down in the planner, and as soon as you get home, start working. Put the assignments in order of significance and due date, and finish it in a systematical order. DO NOT think of it as a massive amalgamation of homework that is seemingly impossible to finish. Rather, think of it as each individual assignment, one task to be filled at a time.

Hopefully you gained something out of the time you took to read this. Maybe you will start to get your homework organized. Maybe you will start your homework earlier rather than at night. These tips have been helpful to people before, and no doubt they will be helpful to you too.

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