Be Part of the Solution
(Published in the Feb. 14 edition of the San Mateo Daily Journal) The lives of a happy family, focused on advancing their education and bettering the community, were ripped away in North Carolina this week. Though murder is, unfortunately, nothing new, I still believe the press should be covering this more extensively against a larger backdrop of growing Islamophobia. There seems to be an almost normalization of this in many media outlets, focusing more on the murderer’s “cooperation with authorities” in an attempt to pass it off as a mere parking disagreement or potential mental illness versus a relatively obvious…
Mental Illnesses are not “Cute”
Social media and society have lightened the subject of mental illness, causing young adults to believe that having such disorders would make them “different”. The growing need to stand out in society has pushed some teenagers to the point where they over analyze their everyday emotions and self-diagnose a mental illness. Depression, anxiety, etc., are all real serious mental disorders that people have, however media is romanticizing these topics in shows and novels so that some teenagers would think that it would attract positive attention and pity or sympathy. Some people who claim to have these mental illnesses even get…
Cell Phones Vs. Education
Cell phones are a huge part of a high school student’s life. Many students nowadays have smart phones, where they are able to search the Web and do many things for school on their phones. Schools have been open to students having their phones on campus and using them, whereas some schools don’t even allow students to have phones on campus. Luckily, here at San Mateo High School, we have the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy set in place. What this policy means is that students can bring their phones, tablets, iPads, etc. to school and can use them…
New Police Regulations
Police across the country are struggling to regain the trust that many people once had in them. Could body cameras be the answer? Recent events such as those that occurred in Fergusson and Staten Island have caused many to believe that police officers are dangerous and will abuse their power. This brings police departments to look for ways to improve their relationships, including the proposed body cameras. These would be cameras mounted onto an officer’s uniform while they are on duty to record what they do. It would show exactly what happened in a situation where people claim there…
New Youtubers Surfacing
Which types of videos on Youtube are watched the most? Judging from the top Youtubers, the most popular genres are music, entertainment, and gaming. Recently, many new people on Youtube have surfaced, creating content similar to popular Youtubers like Pewdiepie or Zoella. In the comment sections of popular Youtubers, it’s a common sight to see these new Youtubers promoting their channels. The excessive amount of self-promotion was a part of why Pewdiepie, the most-subscribed Youtuber, disabled the comments several months ago. In his video, Pewdiepie described the comment section as being “mainly spam” and “people self-advertising.” However, not all of…
Superficiality of the Senior Polls
The Senior Polls are a tradition that has been carried on throughout in high schools for as long as yearbooks have been printed. They are lighthearted, and are not meant to acknowledge large accomplishments, but are seen as a big recognition simply because of tradition. The people who win the awards are the “best” in class, or the “most” something. However, the awards available are limited to physical appearance, such as the awards for “Best Eyebrows,” and “Cutest,” and awards like “Most likely to be late to graduation,” and “Life of the Party.” “People are getting recognized for really dumb…
How Counselors Deal with Mental Illnesses
If you’ve found yourself struggling with any personal issues or are just having trouble dealing with high school as a whole, you may have considered seeing a school counselor. However, are you aware of the services that counselors offer and how effective it is to see one? Schools all over our district offer psychological services to students suffering from mental illnesses or going through a hard time, whether it’s at home or at school. Counselors at San Mateo have proved to be effective, according to students who have visited and taken advantage of the counseling services available here at SMHS….
An Oppressed Korea
While the controversy around “The Interview,” movie has made sure that we are all aware of North Korea, how much do people really know? Everyone knows about the country the FBI claim to have hacked Sony for making a movie about assassinating its leader. It keeps an estimated 200,000 prisoners in labor camps and has been developing nuclear weapons technology for decades. Millions of its citizen have been suffering through the oppression of its government as it spends its money on military instead of simple necessities like food. If someone were to say anything against the government or attempt…
Is Hate Speech Glorified?
The freedom of speech is undeniably one of the most important human right one can have. A person should not have to fear for their lives for expressing their views on an issue. However, to what extent should that speech be protected? In the wake of the tragic events that occurred in the Charlie Hebdo headquarters in Paris, Je suis Charlie, an international movement that supports the Freedom of Speech and condemns the attacks in Paris, has ignited. Consequently, the cartoonists killed have been martyrized by the movement. What many people overlook, however, the grossly offensive and disrespectful things that are put Charlie Hebdo issues. The French government, who banned burqas and other types of…
Charging for Single-Use Bags is Good for the Environment
If you have done any shopping in the new year, you may have noticed that the price for paper and plastic bags has increased from 10 cents to 25 cents per bag. Although some are unhappy with the recent price hike that took effect starting January 1, 2015, it is a good way to remind people to be eco-friendly by using their own bags. The San Mateo County Reusable Bag Ordinance first went into effect in the city of San Mateo on June 6, 2013 in an effort to reduce the number of bags that end up in landfills…
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