Uni High Gargoyle Staff Blog

Today I inadvertently stumbled upon the only lucid definition of abstract art that I have ever been witness to. Dictionary.com told me that abstract art is “artistic content dependent on internal form rather than pictorial representation.” This actually makes a lot of sense to me because it explains why I can’t understand abstract art: I have no idea what the “internal form” of anything looks like.

I’m sure that many are able to find this aforementioned artistic content somewhere between the squiggles and the blue blob of paint on the canvas. I, however, am incapable of doing so.

I either lack the creativity or the gullibility to allow myself to be seduced by the notion that such work can also be known as art and is actually understandable and worth my time.

I prefer instead to mull over the idea that I know 4-year-olds, who can barely grip a pencil without making it look as if they’re handling a club, who can make more coherent and aesthetic artwork.

There are some days, though, when I truly wish I had this third-eye ability to see beyond that fact that the painting looks like the artist tripped and smacked their palette onto the canvas. I would really like to be able to appreciate the artistic thought that went into making sure that the red glob of paint landed right next to the blue blob of paint which kind of looks like a dog.

Despite all my sarcasm, though, I really do want to understand what is going on in abstract pieces of art. I would much appreciate a tutorial given to me by those who do understand this art so that I too may be at that level of comprehension.

Unless of course there is nothing to understand and those who do understand are simply pretending to understand. In which case, I firmly believe that the “internal form” of anything is not artistic subject matter and does not deserve to be sold as art.

— Shivani Khanna

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 10:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

What are the three adjectives that best describe your friend? This question was recently posited in the ever-annoying peer recommendations that are due tomorrow and which, of course, I have yet to finish.

These peer recommendations are essays, completed by friends and classmates, which discuss your positive traits and characteristics. They, hypothetically, provide the Student Services Office with more information about you, and many colleges also ask for peer recommendations.

But aside from the 20 minutes these blue sheets of paper take away from my day, there are other problems with them. How could I possibly sum up my friends and classmates in a paragraph or two? Isn’t my friendship with someone much more than three of his or her positive traits?

College admissions essays are, in general, useless. What was your most emotionally significant moment and why? That hardly gives me room to explain who I am. But, I’m at least given leeway to use anecdotes, throw in my own voice, and attempt to display the true Sarah.

However, peer recommendations are even worse. I don’t get to explain how my friend and I met. I don’t have the opportunity to show why we are still friends. The little sheet of paper doesn’t ask what the greatest thing about my friend is. Instead, I am given less than half a page to describe this person’s most unique quality.

Let me use a scenario to showcase the flaw with this system. Say that I label my friend’s most unique quality as her determination. She is an athlete, and she works hard to give her best performance at every game and practice. She never gives up, even when the score is lopsided and there isn’t a victory in sight.

Now, say that I have another friend, and not being very creative, I label that friend’s most unique quality as her determination. She really likes math, and is currently taking calculus. She works really hard to do well in the class and never gives up on a problem.

But how have I differentiated between these two girls? They are both determined, in numerous ways. They may be similar in numerous ways as well. But from this peer recommendation, it just sounds like they never give up on the task at hand, whether that is math or sports.

Plus, there are the cop-out adjectives. My friend is nice, happy, and sincere. Why, thank you for killing a tree just to write that watery mix of terminology. Half the people who are asked to write recommendations don’t really want to write them. So what is stopping someone from throwing some frilly words on a piece of paper and handing it in?

It seems that these peer recommendations aren’t really worth it. The few key characteristics that you might glean from thousands of recommendations aren’t important enough. You could learn that about a person from sitting down and talking to them. Why don’t we refrain from piling more work into a junior’s day and attempt to find other ways to learn that a student is nice?

— Sarah Pfander

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

It sneaks up on me every year, coming sooner than I expected. The event where the superstars of Hollywood all come together and give themselves a pat on the back. The Oscars always create much fanfare and never fail to showcase some of the most strange and bizarre fashion statements (I’m looking at you, swan dress).

Despite the ridiculous fanfare, the Oscars are always fun to watch. For some reason seeing what movies win the awards is enjoyable, even if I haven’t seen most of them. It is also always interesting to see pretty much all of Hollywood crammed together in one room (as the opening monologue often points out).

If the show only consisted of giving out awards it would probably last an hour tops and have no need to cut off long acceptance speeches. However, there are always montages and performances of the always-terrible nominees for the best original song, which make the show last half the night.

However, the last few years I’ve had a problem with the Oscars: I don’t have time to watch them! Without fail, since I’ve come to Uni, I always find myself working on some paper the night of the Oscars. Each year I tell myself that I’ll hurry and finish my work so I can finish my work early and watch, but I always fail and end up working during the Oscars.

Last year I was able to watch the very beginning with Jon Stewart’s opening and the first couple awards before I went to work. But this year I didn’t even do that. I was busy writing a paper, but every half hour or so I would go to the IMDB front page to see what awards had been announced (most of them seemed fairly predictable to me).

By Monday I had heard of the highlights of the show — Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Francis Ford Coppola giving Martin Scorsese his first Oscar, silhouette dancers making the “Snakes on a Plane” logo, and Al Gore making an appearance — and proceeded to watch them on YouTube when I got home.

But despite the conveniences of the Internet that allow me to know what happened without watching it, I’m totally going to watch it in real time next year …

… if I don’t have any homework.

— Deren Kudeki

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 9:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today was only our second day back to school, and somehow I already feel as exhausted and stressed as I was two weeks ago (before the snow days).

I suppose that those luxurious days off were taken for granted, because teachers have wasted no time getting back into the flow of things. Those tests, papers, and presentations that I had put off during Agora have caught up to me, and now I am stuck stressing out over all the information that I need to cram into my brain before the end of the week. Spring break is still a couple of weeks away, and knowing that, I still don’t have much to look forward to as the word “break” is synonymous with “test” in many teachers’ minds.

I feel extremely tempted to come home after track practice and sit on the couch and watch TV or log onto AIM or something along those lines — something that I had plenty of time to do during my days off. It takes extra effort for me to pull myself away from my music to buckle down on my flowchart memorization. It feels as though the days off really took a toll on me.

Some classes have been helpful by letting us watch movies, have in-class discussions, etc. And although I’m aware that I can’t just slack my way through these coming weeks, it feels nice to have a class or two that doesn’t require full-on super-genius-kid brainpower.

— Lizzy Warner

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 8:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just hours ago, my fellow staff member Alan Liang posted an entry titled “Lost,” which had nothing to do with the television program of the same name. And now, using an idea that I formulated days prior to this, I am writing about the very same program.

That is a coincidence. A mundane, only slightly unusual coincidence, but a coincidence nonetheless. ABC’s “Lost,” now in its third season, uses the coincidence as one of its key instruments in creating a complicated web of general, inexplicable mysteriousness. One of the questions that arises from the show is whether or not these bizarre incidents can truly be coincidental, or if they are the product of some supernatural force.

The show follows the lives (both past, present, and more recently, even future) of a group of plane-crash survivors on a remote tropical island. Every episode generally takes a look at the earlier life of one of the main characters. Early on, the group is attacked by a mysterious group of people who were not on the plane, but in fact were already on the island when the plane made its noisy, undignified entrance. Dubbed “the Others,” these enigmatic characters gradually become more visible to the viewer.

In the beginning, this show was fascinating, enthralling, and impossible to stop watching. Every episode both added and subtracted to the mysteries by revealing some and introducing quite a few more. As of late, however, there has been a notable decrease in, in layman’s terms, “things that happen.”

Last Wednesday, ABC introduced the show with the promise that three major mysteries of the show would be explained. I’d be crazy to miss that, right? Well, after an hour filled with things not happening, the show’s logo appeared, rather embarrassedly, to mark the end of one of the most unsatisfying installments yet.

At the time, I could not possibly imagine what three major revelations had occurred and have since resolved not to try and find out. It would be simply too sad. As far as I can gather, though, one of them was “Where did Jack get the tattoos on his shoulders?” Man, I almost went into a coma from shock when I found out that he got them … in Thailand. And they mean “He walks among us, but he is not one of us.” Deep.

The episode before this one was rather enjoyable because it returned to “Lost“‘s roots. The flashbacks were actually interesting, painting a compelling picture of one man’s tragic life, and featuring a heavy dose of delightful weirdness. By no small coincidence, the time the camera spent on the island was near an all-time low.

As much as I hate to admit, I’m going to keep watching. If there’s one aspect of “Lost” that has remained throughout, it’s the addictive quality. If I didn’t watch it tomorrow, you can bet that on Thursday morning I’d be on Wikipedia, reading a poorly-written episode summary.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to watch last night’s “24.” There’s a show that not only has a nonstop season but guarantees fulfillment and closure — the end of each season is the end of a season. However, there are still unexplained and/or unresolved issues that make the wait for next season even more enjoyable, given that we know they will be explained and/or resolved in episodes to come. As an added plus, “things happen” on a regular basis.

— Andrew Lovdahl

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 5:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Sometimes you’re lost. You’re done. You’re finished. Sometimes there really is no hope and when that time comes you just have to accept defeat. But when is that exactly? When can you throw in the towel? When can you just give up?

I’ve been struggling through school this year. The main the reason is because I’ve lost all motivation to continue working. I’ve always tried to impress people, but at Uni everyone is just as good as I am and now I realized that even if I impress people, nothing really comes from it. Sure, some people will give you a pat on the back, but most people will forget you as quickly as they hear of you.

Maybe it’s just me or maybe it’s just the middle of third quarter when nothing seems worthwhile. I can feel my grades dropping and I get stressed out from doing nothing. What’s wrong with me? Why is this happening? I don’t know where I’m going at the moment and I can’t find the right path.

So when is it right to quit? Not now. In the end, school is for getting an education for a job. The job will provide money and hopefully the money will provide happiness. In the end, things will work out — at least, that’s what I tell myself. At the moment I just have to keep pushing because education is necessary; education isn’t an option. For a better life, I need to be smart. My parents didn’t come all the way to America so I could just slack off.

Although I mention my parents, it’s not about them. They are the coaches — they’ll be there when I need them, they’ll tell me what I need to do and what I’m doing wrong, but in the end, it’s for me. That’s the most important thing, to realize that it is all for me.

When you are losing in a chess game, you could just give up. You could end it all in two seconds. But if there is any hope at all, even if you’ve made tons of mistakes, you should keep going. If you still have a chance, take it. After all, when you’re down, the only way to go is back up.

— Alan Liang

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I heard this morning on the radio that the price of stamps might be going up. Well that sucks, I thought. And then laughed. Because I never use stamps, anyway.

I don’t know when the last time I sent a letter was. E-mail is a lot easier, and if not that, then a MySpace or Facebook message would work just as well. And in these cases, the message would be sent instantly, without having to wait a day or two for a physical letter to arrive.

If you don’t want to take the time to type out an e-mail/message, you could just pick up a phone. So how many people still send out real letters?

I’m not talking about the icky stuff, the bills, magazine subscriptions, grades, etc. How many people actually send out personal letters? I don’t. I usually don’t think about letters at all, actually. But at the mention of stamps, I started to. Wouldn’t it be dreadfully cool to get a personal letter in the mail? Especially since no one these days ever expects them anymore.

I’m rambling. But I think that I’m going to write a letter sometime. And send it to … well, someone.

But I’ll do that after I finish the school day, go to rehearsal, finish my homework, and get some motivation.

And after I figure out where the stamp goes.

— Michelle Gao

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

All those amazing stories that I heard about Clarksdale, Miss., were confirmed last week as I and 17 other Uni students and three teachers spent Agora Days there on the annual Habitat for Humanity trip. It truly was an enlightening experience like none other I have had.

Among other things, the people we worked with were amazing. They came to help us hang drywall and mud, visited us bright and early to give devotions, and invited us to numerous potlucks. It was an unsurpassed generosity. The neighborhood kids were also extremely courteous and spent much time with us playing kickball, four square, and chalking the sidewalk.

The work itself was generally not overly tedious. We did things such as hang drywall, mud the walls, finish siding, help out at a local soup kitchen and elementary school, and fix problems in older Habitat houses. Six or seven hours of the day were for work, which seemed to pass quickly.

It was a learning experience as well. For most days, history teacher Bill Sutton would discuss with us the history of Habitat for Humanity in the area and the Mississippi Delta, as well as our personal reactions and thoughts. I learned a lot of other things as well, such as the game “Mafia,” which occupied a greater deal of our free time by the end of the trip. I also found out I’m pretty good at poker, especially when people go all in when I have two straights in a row.

Of course, it was also a bonding experience. I got to know my classmates a lot better. At this time I should probably thank JJ a bunch for coming up with the nickname and interviews. We will get the third one someday. We ended the last night there by painting the wheel of respectability on the ceiling (you’ll understand “the wheel” when you take Mr. Sutton’s U.S. history class), signing shirts, and for some of us, staying up the whole night talking and sitting around in awe of the past week.

If you’ve been wondering about the song that we played today in the lounge during lunch, it’s “Round Here” by the Counting Crows, one of the theme songs of our trip. It might not sound too interesting the first few times you hear it, but after a week of exposure, it starts to stick and forces you to sing it every time it’s played.

There were literally hundreds of pictures of the Habitat trip taken, some of which can be found on Facebook. Be sure to take a look at some if you get the chance.

By the time we arrived in dreary Champaign-Urbana, everyone had started missing Clarksdale, its people, and warm weather. As Bethany told us on our last day, we are all currently dealing with reverse culture shock, which is pretty much culture shock, but when you are returning to your home.

One of the most defining moments of “Round Here” is near the end, which I will finish my entry with.

Round here we’re never sent to bed early
And nobody makes us wait
Round here we stay up very, very, very, very late

— Benjamin Fu

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 9:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last week during Agora Days, I took a class taught by science teacher David Stone called Companion Animal Miscellany. Mr. Stone brought in these soft, cuddly puppies from the Champaign-Urbana Humane Society. The puppies, with their sad-looking eyes and frisky character, were absolutely irresistible. That day, I went home thinking: I want a pet.

My parents now dread the idea of me getting a pet. In the past, I’ve had everything from exotic animals like salamanders, parrots, and chickens to common pets such as guinea pigs, parakeets, dogs, and cats.

Each time I get a new pet, I would always exhibit the exact same pattern of behavior. Initially, I’d be obsessed with my new “toy,” playing with it constantly and not allowing it to rest. However, after a week or two, I’d lose interest in it and my parents would always end up taking care of it for me.

Growing up, I was an irresponsible child. When I was about 8 years old, I got a salamander. A few days later, I decided that it was grotesque looking. I soon forgot about its existence, and I found it shriveled up and dead a month later. Then I got a parrot, but it pooped a lot and refused to talk, so I didn’t care for that anymore, either.

Yes, I sound like an awful, cruel person. But as a little kid, I just didn’t understand the responsibility that came with having pets. I thought that they were like toys, which I could just toss aside when I didn’t want them anymore.

In third grade, I convinced my parents to get me a kitten. This time, I vowed that I would never get bored with it and would always take care of it. The kitten was incredibly adorable. I sincerely cared for it and I treated it like a princess. I even taught it to perform tricks and took it for walks outside on a leash.

However, pets, no matter how wonderful they are, can be so annoying at times. My cat would frequently howl at night. Since it was my job to keep it from disturbing my parents, I would often be up the entire night, trying to comfort it. Over the course of a year, I gradually lost interest in it and, again, my mom became its main caretaker.

Recalling these memories, I realized that I should hold that thought about wanting a puppy. With my busy schedule and my tendency of getting bored easily, I think that it’s probably best that I don’t get a pet.

All prospective pet owners should ask themselves: Do I have the time, patience, money, and energy to take care of an animal? Just like me back when I was little, many people don’t realize the commitment that comes with having a pet. It’s sad that so many cats and dogs end up at the Humane Society or on the streets because their owners abandoned them.

— Elaine Gu

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 8:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Last week was the Habitat for Humanity trip to Clarksdale, Miss. Habitat was a week of peace, love, and service in the Clarksdale community. We crammed 23 people into a tiny house for a week without fighting. We were welcomed into the community with love, and everyone had the feeling of doing something for the greater good. Yes, it was intense, and at times depressing, but that feeling of doing something right was incredibly uplifting.

Unfortunately, the trip had an end. After bonding for a week with a very special group of people who had shared the same experiences and had been touched in the same ways, we had to return to our old lives that now seem so trivial and stupid.

I think everyone who went on the Habitat trip is experiencing reverse culture shock, trying to fit back in to the old community after experiencing something life-changing. Every one of us is trying to find some way of bringing Clarksdale back with us, be it volunteering at a soup kitchen or finding ways to bridge poverty gaps. Every one of us has changed.

— Bethany Hutchens

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 11:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Year after year, a large number of Uni students take the American Mathematics Contests. Some even prepare for it, and everyone is eager to check their answers after the test to see if they’ve qualified for the next round, the American Invitational Mathematics Exam. A good 10 or so always advance.

But then, it seems that everyone gives up. In the last two years, I haven’t seen anyone make a serious effort to do well on the AIME, even though it is one of the most mathematically rewarding contests in existence. I suspect that the typical mindset walking into the testing room goes something like this:

I’ve already qualified for the AIME. There’s no chance I can qualify for the USA Mathematical Olympiad, so I’m just going to grind out a few answers by brute force and enjoy my half day off from school.

To be sure, the AIME is a hard test. It usually takes eight or nine out of 15 questions to qualify for the USAMO. The national average score is consistently less than three. However, the fact that several Uni students can get a score of four or more tells me the USAMO might not be as far off as people think.

Another reason the AIME gets overlooked is that the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics contests happen at around the same time. Practicing for the ICTM is more appealing because it could translate into a recognizable award rather than simply a numerical score.

Unfortunately, students who brush off the AIME are missing an important opportunity. The AIME is discouraging because, unlike other contests, it often takes 20 minutes or longer to solve a single problem. But this is precisely why it is also extremely valuable.

Most people are accustomed to giving up or seeking help within 10 minutes of getting stuck on a problem. They don’t realize that learning is not a passive activity. The teacher gives you the theorems and techniques — you have to figure out the motivations and fundamental ideas that lie beneath them.

The AIME is an excellent way to build up the necessary skills to understand math at a deeper level, because its difficulty lies just beyond the comfort zone. In the course of tackling truly challenging problems, you accumulate your own insights and think about things in ways that make more sense to you. You empower yourself to learn new material without getting bogged down by countless formulas, because you see that most of them are simple extensions of a few core theorems.

Thus, beyond qualifying for the USAMO, Uni students have a lot to benefit from setting some higher goals for the AIME. Many people are taught what they know. I encourage them to switch to the active voice and to learn.

— Alex Zhai

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 10:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, Agora Days is winding down and it is time to get back to the real classes. I don’t know about you, but I have a lot to catch up on.

For one thing, I have forgotten most of the sine and cosine graph stuff. That is really unfortunate because I have a test Wednesday. Also, I have an English paper that is due the day we get back. That is nothing compared to what the advanced calculus people have to deal with even though it is Agora Days.

Part of my mind still lingers on my upcoming assignments, I can’t fully enjoy this week of relaxation. I am worried about bombing my math test because it has been so long since I have done anything math-related.

What would be optimal is for every class to finish the unit right before Agora Days so that we can start a new unit right after we come back. This way, no one has to worry about their classes and can engage themselves fully in Agora Days.

That is what we did in U.S. history this year, and it really helped a lot. There was a test and a project due right before Agora Days. Everyone got those done, so when we get back, we will be fresh and ready to get started on a new unit.

Another solution would be to have one or two days after we come back for everyone to get on the same page.

I realize that this doesn’t apply to everybody, but it would definitely help me get back in the flow of things after Agora Days.

— Ranny Ma

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 9:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Over the past years I have come to dread registration day. It’s not because we have to start thinking about our futures, which I like to avoid as much as possible, but because then I have to think about both my parents wishes and my own when choosing next year’s courses.

Usually my problem is whether I should take chorus or not. Although I enjoy it immensely it isn’t a subject my parents care much about. They want me to do well in life and singing won’t help me with my career unless I decide to become a singer.

This year was a different story. The classes I chose would allow me to have a free period every other day, but my parents didn’t want that. To them having free periods only takes away from valuable time which could be spent in a classroom.

Even though I know my parents never had free periods when they went to school, I don’t think they realize what a free period does for Uni students. It’s a time in the middle of the day for us to unwind and get some work done in the process. I rarely spend my entire free period taking to friends. There might have been one or two this year during which I went out to eat with a group of people but that was because I didn’t have anything to do.

Free periods also allow me to do better in the classes I am taking. I can study for tests if I need to or do homework which didn’t get done last night because of a soccer game. I don’t even think they know that I usually work ahead on my homework. And sometimes it’s nice to just take a break. Even Uni students need down time, after all.

— Avanti Chajed

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 7:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wednesday was the last night all of those diehard Illini fans could watch their beloved Chief Illiniwek do his half-time shimmy.

Ever since I became aware of the chief controversy, I thought anyone who was pro-chief was an ignorant racist, to put things bluntly. I couldn’t understand how they 1) thought that a mock-Native American tribal dance could be respectful and 2) were so attached to a school mascot. Seeing the “Chief Forever” bumper stickers, billboards, and T-shirts made me cringe.

But last night at swim practice I learned something new about the people who are attached to the chief. At swim practice, a teammate of mine told us about the crowd’s plan to wear orange T-shirts the first half of the game and strip to black T-shirts for the second half. This sparked a discussion.

“Did you know that the tribe who wants the chief’s clothing back is the tribe who killed the Illini Indians in the first place?”

“We are so respectful of the chief. The guy who plays him actually goes to the reservation to learn the dance.”

“This is so sad. Why do they have to take away the chief? I know something bad’s going to happen.”

At this point I was more than a little bit irked. Did they not learn in history class that the Native Americans were brutally opressed by the various groups of colonials and conquistadors that came to take over the American continent? Did they not learn that the American government went on a brutal genocidal campaign against the Native Americans after the Civil War? Did they not see that there is a reason why Native Americans are pushed onto tiny reservations, and in many cases do not have access to the things that we all take for advantage, like a decent education?

And what about the name Native American? What does that imply about the land that “Americans” occupy?

As you can tell, I’m pretty heated about the comments my teammates made, and I’m not even super opinionated about this controversy. At first I was very angry at my teammates. How could they say such ignorant things?

But then I realized something. Though this is not a blanket statement about all pro-chief people, a great number of them are not racists. My teammates are very respectful and intelligent people. They wouldn’t just say things unless they actually meant it. When pro-chief people say that they respect the chief and the Illini Indians, they really, truly mean it.

How this respect is evident, I’m not so sure.

But maybe that’s the whole problem. The way pro-chief people show their respect is by going nuts during the half-time show when Chief Illiniwek comes out to dance. They really love the chief.

Though this is a true form of showing respect, the fact still remains that it is not respectful. Ask any Native American or knowledgeable person, and they’ll tell you why.

But a confusion about what is respectful and what is not doesn’t make a person racist, especially if their respect is genuine. Right?

— Andrea Park

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Blog. Blogblogblog. Does anyone else think that the word “blog” is a really, really weird word?

But that’s not my point. I was reading over my earliest blog entries from the beginning of freshman year earlier, and I went, “Wow. This is ridiculous. I was a really odd little girl back then.”

It was my first blog, on Xanga.com. My entries were full of “EEEEEEEEEE!!!!”s and “OMG!”s. I obsessed about the littlest things, dedicating pages and pages to how a homework assignment had taken “soooo” much more time than I’d thought it would (meaning it had taken 45 minutes, instead of only half an hour). They are spastic entries, with nothing of real substance. I laughed and laughed and laughed as I read them, amused by the way my 13-year-old mind had seen the world.

I am insanely glad that I kept that blog. I wrote about my first dance, being angry about having to get braces, and about problems with people at school. I look back on it and remember how I felt when I was writing it, the emotions that went through me.

That being said, though, sometimes it’s difficult for me to keep up with my current blog on Livejournal.com. Sometimes I just don’t have the time to write a commentary on my life at the moment; sometimes when I do have time, I simply don’t have the motivation.

It’s sad, though, because I really should have the motivation. It’s the same reason why lots of people still keep journals and diaries; I want to be able to look back on this and remember how I felt about things. I want to be able to remember the small things that were going on, as well as the big things: The last blog entry I wrote in my personal blog was about Agora Days, and what classes I have this year.

My point is: Personal blogs are awesome. They’re on the Web. They’re going to be there forever, as long as their owners don’t delete them. And you can look back at what you wrote and laugh like a crazy person.

— Michelle Gao

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 8:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am all about instant gratification. If we are talking in terms of the wheel of respectability and restrained passions, I am probaby at the bottom of the ladder (that won’t have made sense unless you have taken Mr. Sutton’s history class). When I have chocolate, I eat it; none of this saving it for later.

But, this means that I can’t see far enough ahead to determine consequences. When I want chocolate again, I don’t have anymore. Nevertheless, it’s hard for me to regret the immediate satisfaction that came upon initial chocolate consumption. So, if something is really good, great, cool, awesome, insert other positive adjective, then why hold back? Why look ahead when you can enjoy yourself completely right now?

That means, when I want Starbucks coffee, I want to enjoy the yummy goodness, not worry about the fact that what I’m drinking isn’t free trade. That means, when I am in the mood for a burrito, I am going to go to Chipotle and love that burrito, even if the tomatoes were picked by mistreated workers.

I have other reasons for not boycotting businesses besides my own lack of personal restraint. First of all, not giving Chipotle six of my dollars won’t stop them from mistreating their workers. It’s not as if every burrito I don’t buy saves another laborer.

Second of all, even if that was true, for every minute that I don’t buy things from Chipotle, their customer base is growing exponentially. Have I really made any progress by depriving them of my money?

Finally, when you avoid Chipotle and decide to go to Qdoba instead, I don’t think you have made much headway. Qdoba may be the lesser of two evils, but would they be able to compete with Chipotle and still be open if there wasn’t some wrongdoing in between the food production and your mouth?

This is a cynical way to look at this whole idea. It is a very narrow view of the world. I understand that. It is very selfish and I understand that as well. People may think I am heartless, but I do care about the mistreated workers. And, I wholeheartedly support those who choose to avoid morally questionable businesses.

But at the same time, I want to be supported in my choice to not boycott. If, in my opinion, personal enjoyment outweighs a somewhat noble yet completely unhelpful gesture, I don’t want to hear self-righteous flak about it. If I want Starbucks coffee, I don’t want to hear how bad it is to buy from them. I especially don’t want to hear how bad it is as you sip my coffee.

— Sarah Pfander

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 10:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I came across “Valentine ‘29,” a flash collaboration, which can be viewed through Newgrounds and Brainwash Studios among other places. I had never heard of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre before watching this video. Either no one else knows about it or I’m just really uninformed.

From curiousity I searched Google and came across a full-coverage story of Al Capone — the suspected leader of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. This story can be found in the Crime Library (specifically, the Valentine story can be found here).

Basic Summary:
Gang leaders Capone and Jack McGurn are believed to have planned an assassination attempt of another gang leader, Bugs Moran. Capone and McGurn’s team dressed as cops and baited Moran’s gang with fine whiskey at a cheap price staged in a garage at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 14, 1929. After Moran’s gang were in the garage, the fake cops arrived and ordered the seven members of Moran’s gang to line up against the wall. The men obeyed, following what they believed were police orders, and then were shot with their own guns.

With the cop disguises, Capone and McGurn’s team were able to leave the scene of the crime without suspicion. Capone and McGurn were nowhere near the crime scene. They executed a brilliant and horrifying plan, but they didn’t kill Bugs Moran as he never showed up (for more detailed information, you should probably read the full story [above link]).

It’s frightening that these things actually happen; you expect them from horror movies, but not in real life. I find it surprising that I had never heard of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre prior to the “Valentine ‘29” video. What do I not know? Do I even want to know?

It’s probably better to be informed about these things, about horrible events. It makes you wonder whether you really know what’s going on around you.

— Alan Liang

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I don’t usually write blog entries because I’m rather busy with the technical side of things, but it’s been in the back of my mind lately to try and write one. I have a few statistics and some news to share that I thought people might be interested in. Here’s a picture from the Online Gargoyle’s backend:

Wow. 847 comments (and a good 150 of those from our recent controversial editorial). We got our first comment over a year ago, couresty of Linda Song (Class of 2008), on a poem of Jackie Hedeman’s. I remember being ecstatic. Of course, back then, we didn’t get the hundreds of spam comments per day that we do now, but that’s OK. We have almost 400 MB of images by now, seven audio slideshows (one soon to be published), and six audio podcasts! We’re really growing.

Anyway, I was prompted to bring all this up by an e-mail I received from Mr. Porreca, the OG’s adviser, at 2:41 this morning (I wasn’t awake at the time). The e-mail was essentially a link to a studentpress.org URL (although the subject was a bit telling: “YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”). If you look at the URL, you’ll see “opm07,” which stands for Online Pacemaker 07.

The Pacemaker is a coveted high school journalism press award; the online version was introduced in 2001. The only reason I’d be getting such an e-mail is if we became finalists for this Online Pacemaker … and so we are. Expect a brief article to appear in the OG shortly, but basically, we’re one of nine schools to receive this honor, and hopefully, we have a chance of being one of the winners (2006 winners). We won’t find out until April, though. Maybe by then we’ll have 1,000 comments. Keep at it, guys!

— Ben Hyman

Posted by bhyman at 9:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It’s the second day of Agora Week and it’s been great to take spend an hour every day belly dancing and baking desserts. Agora Days are definitely my favorite Uni tradition and I wholeheartedly take advantage of lack of homework and excess of free time that comes with this week.

The cherry on the top it all though is the result of the National Scholastic Press Association’s (NSPA) contest for online journalism publications. Called the NSPA Online Pacemaker contest, this competition is meant to pick out those publications which are “setting the pace” for online journalism.

Fortunately for the Gargoyle we were one of the online publications privileged enough to be chosen as finalists. There are nine finalists and from these a circle of winners will be chosen.

After only being online for a year, I find it really amazing to see how far we have come from where we started. From only publishing a handful of stories a week I get to read several handfuls of stories per day. My reading experience is now optimized with the multimedia features which are part of stories. The increase in the number of comments per story has let me see how our readership has expanded and the breadth and depth of each article has let me see how my fellow staff members have improved as journalists in their ability to take on more complex and daring projects.

It’s mind-boggling for me to try and imagine the potential of this publication, and I am truly honored and proud to be a part of something so great. We’ve come a long way, and I’m excited about going even further as a member of next year’s staff.

— Shivani Khanna

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Agora Days. The long anticipated week that every student awaits for. It’s a time in the middle of the cold, dull, weather to take a break from all the stress and the work. And I’m not going to disagree with anybody that this is a time to enjoy yourself, because spending my time in funny and laid-back classes is always fun. On the other hand, it never fails that I only end up piling-up my work load.

Although this may not apply to everybody, I know that I have two tests and two papers due the week after Agora Days, but have I started on any of those? No. Instead I’ve been enjoying my time coming home after track practice to sit down, watch movies, hang out with friends, etc.

If anything, though, I should be using this time to prepare for all the work that I have next week. In fact, we should all be taking advantage of this time, but it’s something that’s very hard to do when you’re actually getting a decent amount of sleep and you’re not forced to do hours worth of homework each day.

During a typical school week I tend to get five to six hours of sleep per night, so the other night when I got about eight hours I was shocked. I told myself that I deserved this time off and thought, ‘Hey, kids from other schools get these luxuries every night, why can’t I have it for just one week?’ — which I still strongly support.

But as I was sitting on my couch watching “Hitch,” the entire time I was telling myself, ‘Oh, Lizzy, you should probably get your math homework out and work on it during the movie.’ And did I? Of course not.

I told myself that I would finish the movie and start on my homework when the movie was over, so that I could focus better. But did I work on it after the movie? No, I went upstairs and read my book instead. (Now don’t you worry, Mr. Russell, it’ll be on your desk on Monday!)

The point is, we are all sitting here and enjoying this time off, when we know we should get working. It’s a hard thing to get motivated after Tuesday and Wednesday were snow days last week (so technically there was no specific homework on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday night), Friday was a half day with no classes (so we had no homework to do on Thursday night either), and now Agora Week.

We should all probably take this time to get working and get started for the long week to come. But despite this entry I am guessing the majority of students will still only start their homework Sunday night.

— Lizzy Warner

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 9:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After two years of sitting back and just letting Agora Week wash over me, I opted to co-teach a few classes this year. My main reason for doing this was to solidify my schedule. Instead of just hoping that there would be interesting classes, and further, that I would be able to get into them, I could guarantee that my day included a few solid hours of stuff that I would truly enjoy. I co-taught three classes this year, and factoring in two free hours and my required hour of journalism, there were only two slots that had to be filled by optional classes.

After coming in early to turn in my junior class requests, I had a wide-open first hour to waste. After a very halfhearted attempt to work on my history paper, I plopped down on a couch with my laptop and watched “Futurama.”

Next hour, I taught a Monty Python movie class with Noel Knox. My duties entailed: bringing a DVD; convincing Noel that we should watch the DVD instead of listening to sketches on the stereo; and flipping the disc over halfway through the hour. Not rigorous tasks by any measure, but it was neat to have that feeling of authority, however small.

After dodgeball class (where I used my dependable strategy of hovering around as far from the opposing team as possible and throwing whatever rolled my way to my imprisoned teammates across the gym), messing around with Squeak! in the PC lab, and devouring a lunch from Zorba’s (in retrospect, taking fourth free for lunch would’ve been better; the line at Za’s was ridiculous), I helped Carl Pearson, Deren Kudeki, Jacob Druker, and Paul Miller with basic instruction in 3D modeling. I took the same class last year, when only Jacob and Deren were teachers, and in the year since I have developed a significant interest in it.

Finally, before coming down to the Mac lab to write this up, I helped teach a second movie class, “Red vs. Blue.” The turnout was modest, but everyone there seemed to genuinely enjoy the show. This hour was probably the highlight of my day, since not only was I watching my favorite online show for an hour on a giant projector screen, but it was during school hours. The thought of watching cartoons and playing sports instead of simply sitting in class waiting for the day to end is, for me, exactly what makes Agora Days so appealing.

Given the fact that “Red vs. Blue” contains much more footage than we could fit into a single Agora week, and that we can expect the same people to turn out next year, I’m sure that “RvB” class will recur in Agora Days 2008. 3D modeling might also return, so my schedule for next year is already taking shape.

Overall, being a teacher is a fun experience, and I would encourage anyone to try it. All you have to do is assume the humble duties of taking attendance, changing DVDs, and nagging people about getting permission slips turned in.

— Andrew Lovdahl

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 8:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Finally it is here! One of the most anticipated times of the year for Uni students: Agora Days!

It’s a week that is probably better than spring break and probably as anticipated as summer. Not only do you not have to stress out about your normal classes, but you get to relax, hang out with your friends, and take fun classes.

Unlike a normal break, you never hear complaints of people being bored. There is always something new and exciting to see or do (or even learn!) in your classes. Even if you are stuck with some boring classes, fret not, for it lasts only a week. If you have classes that you really love, savor them now, for it lasts but a week.

Best of all is probably teaching classes, because you can share something you love with other students and bring something you enjoy into school. You can watch your favorite movie, play a favorite game or anything else you can think of.

This is a great opportunity for Uni students who are usually overworked and stressed out to have a chance to just kick back, relax, and have fun with their friends at school.

And then, if you are like me, go home to work on papers due after Agora Days …

— Deren Kudeki

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 3:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Have you ever wondered about why you dream of certain things?

Dreams are kind of like flavors of Baskin Robbins Ice Cream: They consist of so many varieties. There are sweet dreams that you wish would last forever, nightmares that you can’t wait to wake up from, and dreams that just leave you wondering: What was that all about?

There are dreams that you can’t remember the instant you wake up, and there are dreams that are so realistic that you can recall every detail. Oftentimes you dream of familiar people, and oftentimes you dream of complete strangers.

Some people say that you dream about your thoughts and experience throughout the day. If you’ve had a wonderful day, you’ll have good dreams. If you’ve watched a scary movie, you’ll get nightmares. Personally, I have never found that to be the case. My dreams are quite random. However, I’ve realized that every time I’m sick, I get nightmares.

I absolutely hate having nightmares. In my nightmares, I can never run or yell for help; my screams sound like whispers and my legs always feel like they’re glued onto the ground. Just when I’m about to die in my dream, I wake up. I don’t think you can possibly die in your dream. If you die, whose life would you be dreaming about?

On the other hand, sweet dreams are the best. They allow me to live a fantasy life that I cannot have in the real world; maybe it consists of winning the lottery, or vacationing in the Bahamas, or even something like scoring a perfect on the SAT. Unfortunately, I eventually wake up to the obnoxious ring of my alarm clock. I’m always kind of disappointed after waking up from a good dream because poof, all the wonderful things in my dream world had just disappeared.

But then there are the completely random, out-of-nowhere dreams. I think they’re the most interesting because they’re just so odd. They’re the ones that you tell your close friends, who either end up laughing at you or giving you weird looks.

Dreams work through mysterious ways. Sometimes I wonder: How do I know that I’m not dreaming right now? And why do some people dream in color, while others dream in black and white?

Maybe some day we will be able to figure out why we dream about certain things. Maybe we’ll even learn to control our dreams. But until now, I’ll just pray that I won’t have any nightmares.

— Elaine Gu

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 9:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The current controversy in the sports world started when former NBA player John Amaechi admitted that he is gay in his new book called “Man in the Middle.” It is about the experience of being gay as a professional athlete.

Just yesterday as a response to the topic, retired NBA player Tim Hardaway called into a radio station and ranted on how he hates gay people and how he is a homophobe. Unfortunately, Hardaway probably represents a large number of athletes in professional sports.

The intolerance epitomized by Hardaway is probably why no more gay athletes have come out. Some have after they are finished with their pro careers, but I can imagine that coming out while playing can harbor harsh consequences. For instance, what are you going to do in the locker room, where everyone will give you a “Don’t try anything funny” look? How about when you don’t get playing time because the coach has something against gays?

In a perfect world, nothing would matter except how much of a baller you are. In reality, gays are going to have to overcome narrow-mindedness. David Stern, the NBA commissioner, has banished Hardaway from NBA all-star activities this weekend and said that the only thing the league cares about is whether you have game or not.

I think Amaechi paved a rocky path by coming out and that eventually more gay athletes will come out. I also hope that one day the only thing that matters, no matter what you do, is your ability and not your sexuality, faith, or skin color or anything else.

Also, shoutouts to the boys bball team. Close overtime win over Judah Christian. Clutch.

— Ranny Ma

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Shortly after schoolwide Spirit Week began, fellow Gargoyle staff member Sarah Pfander had a few things to say about our school spirit here at Uni. Namely, that we don’t have much. Maybe she was right. Maybe for Pink Day more people showed up in black. Maybe for Hippie Day more people showed up dressed up in “2007 Day” garb. But maybe Uni school spirit is just like anything else in this school, a step to the left (or right) of the mainstream but just as vivacious.

As I type out this blog entry, my voice is hoarse and my ears are ringing from the deafening cheering I took part in at the Uni High boys basketball game against Judah Christian. The students in the bleachers could not refrain from fidgeting in their seats and ultimately wound up jumping up and down so close to the actual court that they technically should have taken a few steps back.

This game was most certainly not the team’s best of the season; in fact, the last time the team played Judah Christian, they had a dominant lead throughout most of the game. But even that did not seem to quell the incredibly enthused cheering. As players wound up to take free throws, silence would overtake the fans and they would crouch down too.

But it’s not just the basketball team that experiences the Uni wave of pride. After the boys soccer team’s devastating loss at sectionals, Ms. Kovacs left a box of donuts in the lounge with a note expressing her pride at their fight.

Even my mother knows where one student spent his summer for a prestigious math competition.

Students always seem to be recognized for their achievements, even if outside of school, and appreciated as being unique members of the student body.

Perhaps its graduation nostalgia setting in, since we talked about processional and recessional music today, or perhaps it is the sound of all of those voices still pulsating in my ears, but the school spirit is most definitely alive.

It’s the kind of school spirit where, sure, the fans would have been disappointed had their team lost, but they would have been just as enthralled with the fight.

Besides, who else has both a “Benito Mussolini” and a “Sine, sine, cosine, sine” cheer?

— Dana Al-Qadi

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 10:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I figure that in a capitalist economy, most sellers are pretty good at adjusting prices and selections to the demands of their consumers. However, time and time again, the Uni vending machines have proved to be exceptions to this theory.

First of all, the prices. Not only are they too high (as can only be expected of vending machines), but sometimes they don’t make sense.

At some point, the prices for most of the snacks changed from 75 cents to 85 cents. Why 85 cents? That gives you a dime and a nickel for change, which is useless unless you take joy in collecting coins. Or if you plan on doing this five times, so that the 75 cents you accumulated would finally get you something from the vending machine. Oh wait, it’s 85 cents now.

And one of the drink machines also became more expensive this year; it now costs a dollar to purchase a tiny 10-ounce bottle of juice. No one buys that when another vending machine offers a 20-ounce bottle of Coke at the same price. For some reason, though, you can also buy two 12-ounce cans for that price.

But there are some foods that probably shouldn’t be sold in the vending machine, regardless of the price. For example, salted peanuts. I have never seen any Uni student purchase this item before.

Another example of a poor snack item is trail mix. Especially since it costs $1 for only a modest-sized packet, I can’t help but wonder if some of those bags of trail mix have been at Uni longer than I have. At least they could take them out to make room for something more profitable. If they’re out of good snacks, mechanical pencils would probably sell better too.

Even with the high (and sometimes absurd) prices, however, the convenience of the vending machines is still enough to attract lots of Uni buyers. If the people who own the vending machines are going to take advantage of this bountiful market, though, they should at least be good at it.

— Alex Zhai

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 10:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In light of the near-record low temperatures and heavy blizzards lately, many people are wondering, “What happened to global warming?” Aren’t we supposed to be having milder winters instead of blizzards and negative temperatures in mid-February? After all, excessive greenhouse gases emitted by cars and other man-made products prevent the sun’s heat from escaping the lower atmosphere, resulting in an increase in global temperature. It all makes sense, right?

Not necessarily. In fact, some suggest that global warming may just lead us into the next “Ice Age.” Yes, it sounds contradictory: warming, Ice Age. But for those of you who have seen the movie “The Day After Tomorrow” (as mentioned by Carl), you would know that global warming causes a shutdown of the Great Ocean Conveyor, unleashing furies of nature that completely bury New York under snow in just a few days. But just how much of a science fiction movie can become reality?

First of all, global warming can in fact slow down or put a stop to what is known as the Great Ocean Conveyor. This ocean current circulation is what accounts for the warm weathers of Western Europe and parts of North America.

Warm waters from the tropics are carried north by the Gulf Stream, cooling as it goes. By the time it reaches areas near Iceland and Labrador, it has turned cold and increased in salinity (due to evaporation). Since colder saltwater is denser than warmer freshwater, the water sinks to the bottom of the North Atlantic. More warm water from the equator replaces the sunken water and this circulation pattern, known as the Great Ocean Conveyor, is what brings warmth from the tropics to heat North America and Europe.

However, according to a report by NASA, the melting ice caps in the North Atlantic region are dumping excessive freshwater into the North Atlantic Ocean, interfering with this cycle. Since denser saltwater needs to sink to the bottom of the ocean in order to continue this circulation, the addition of freshwater may slow down or even stop the Great Ocean Conveyor.

The Ocean and Climate Change Institute reported that a disruption of the Great Ocean Conveyor is predicted to cool oceanic and atmospheric temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius (37 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit). Although this is only about a third of the temperature decrease experienced during major ice ages, it is comparable to the climate change the occurred during the “Little Ice Age” in Europe from the 16th to 18th century, which significantly impacted the European economy.

Fortunately, abrupt climate changes that happen over the course of a few days — like the one in “The Day After Tomorrow” — are not likely to occur. According to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, climate changes caused by a disruption in ocean circulation will probably happen over decades at the very fastest. Also, a shutdown of the Great Ocean Conveyor will not lead to a global “Ice Age” but rather regional cooling in areas of Eastern America, North Atlantic, and Western Europe.

Still, many scientists completely reject the theory that global warming will lead to cooling temperatures. Instead, they project that even if the Great Ocean Conveyor were to completely shut down, the temperatures of the affected regions would still increase, just at a slower rate than other areas.

Since the climate is dependent upon many factors, it is hard to predict what will be the exact effect of global warming. However, one thing that scientists do agree on is that global warming is definitely having an impact. So even though we might not all be completely buried under snow “the day after tomorrow,” we should still recognize that global warming is changing the Earth’s natural environment, and it’s a change for the worse — whether it’s going to get hotter or colder.

— Elaine Gu

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

When I was little I thought it would be fascinating to be able to read people’s minds. I felt it would be interesting to know how the people around me really felt about the things that can only bother little kids. I wondered if other people thought about the same things I did or if their thoughts were as unfocused as mine, which often go from one thing to another before I’ve really finished with the first. And I wouldn’t have hesitated to know what other people were thinking.

But now that I’ve grown a little older, and hopefully a little wiser, I don’t think that reading minds would be that great of an idea. Granted, sometimes I still want to know if other people really mean what they say, but then when I think about it more, I realize that knowing what other people think might not be the best idea. Often we refrain from saying things that pop up in our heads and aren’t very nice. After all, society has rules which must be followed and there might be a lot more fighting if we were all blunt and said the first thing that comes to mind. If we all can say hurtful things than who knows what we are capable of thinking?

So I think I’ll be keeping the penny and you can keep your thoughts, thank you very much.

— Avanti Chajed

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 8:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As I looked out the window on Valentine’s Day, I couldn’t help but get a feeling that something was horribly, fundamentally wrong.

It didn’t have to do with the fact that I was horribly and pathetically single on Valentine’s Day.

It didn’t have to do with the fact that my dad had just said the same horrible pun three times in a row.

What it was should have struck us all as obvious. There was an unbelievable amount of snow on the ground ON VALENTINE’S DAY. Aren’t we usually shoveling massive amounts of snow from our driveways in late December, as opposed to mid-February? I almost said “Merry Christmas” to my parents instead of “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

I was so dumbfounded by how late the snow was that I spent the rest of the day thinking about it, even when I was doing something else. After a few hours, I remembered that end-of-the-world movie “The Day After Tomorrow.”

Although I thought it was a cheesy piece of crap when I first saw it, the film began to grow on me as I sat there looking at the late snowfall. Maybe global warming is beginning to catch us once and for all. But then I made myself a sandwich and put it out of my mind.

As I was listening to music at around 10 p.m., I remembered it again. I also remembered the comment my neighbor had said to me earlier that day as I was shoveling snow: “Thank God we solved global warming.”

Although I’m still not sure whether or not he was saying that seriously or in jest, I’m bothered by it all the same. Maybe we should spend some more time thinking about why our snow days are coming in February than we do thinking of which hill to sled on.

— Carl Zielinski

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Valentine’s Day for those special and lucky lovebirds is a great holiday. Why shouldn’t it be? No one minds receiving tasty chocolates, fuzzy teddy bears, red roses, and florid love notes from their sweetheart.

But if you’re like me, very single, yesterday’s romantic holiday was hardly a treat. Ever since the fourth grade, watching everyone else give and receive delectable confectionaries has really put a damper on this day. It’s gotten to the point where seeing the telltale signs of red, pink, and white hearts, roses, and fat, naked cupids has, in some cases, made me sick to my stomach.

And it’s not just jealousy and loneliness (on the romantic front) that makes me greatly dislike this holiday. The overkill of mushy, gushy, googley-eyed romantic emotion just seems completely unnecessary!

However, I propose to all singletons out there to celebrate next year’s Valentine’s Day differently. In fact, I propose that instead of calling it “Valentine’s Day” we should call it “El Día del Amor y la Amistad.”

El Día del Amor y la Amistad , celebrated in Mexico, falls on the 14th of February as well. I am no scholar in Mexican culture, so I do not know exactly how it is celebrated.

However, the name, which in English translates as “The Day of Love and Friendship,” suggests to me that Feb. 14 is not just a day to celebrate the love for your significant other, but also a day to celebrate the love you have for your friends.

If you ask me, I think a day celebrating the love between friends is just as important as celebrating romantic love. Besides, I don’t think anyone takes enough time to appreciate how good their friends are. An official holiday would be a perfect time to reflect on and rejoice in how awesome your BFFs (best friends forever) are.

The best part about celebrating El Día del Amor y la Amistad is that everyone will be included! Husbands can still give their wives a bouquet of roses and you’ll still get a red teddy bear from your crush. But you can also plan on giving your friend a box of chocolates just to show how much you love them.

— Andrea Park

Posted by Gargoyle Staff at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)