by Reilly Jaworski | Jun 8, 2022 | Archive
Dear Seniors,
The walls of Franklin High School and the community around them have long made up the extent of your surroundings. As graduation approaches, we must remember the times that we have all shared here and we must also look to a bright future.
I hope that you can leap into your adult life with drive and passion, knowing that you are about to abound on a journey that will take you in many wonderful directions, all of which will be unique from the next person’s experience. I believe in everyone’s ability to thrive professionally and personally as we spread away from each other because I see how talented and promising each member of the class of 2022 is as they walk down the halls each day. We might not remember every single face we see in the yearbook as decades pass and memories fade, but hopefully thinking of FHS will sprout feelings of warmth when we sit retired, content, full of life and stories that have shaped who we have grown into.
Each of us has an incredible power within us at this moment and that is to choose a path that will make us happy. There is so much choice that is presented to us upon graduation, in regards to the places we go, the people we interact with, and the marks that we leave behind on the world. I hope that all of us leave a great many marks on the world. I wish you a life of excitement, peace, and abundance. I hope that when you do face tribulation, you face it with an attitude that trouble will shake in the presence. I hope that you never lose your teenage energy and optimism. Do not let the world leave you jaded; let it touch you and provide you with the energy to create, appreciate, and hope. Keep laughing, wishing, and loving. Every person adds a bit of light to this world that you must never let anything extinguish. Continue to live, grow, and radiate that light. It is the only magic this world will see.
As scary as the future may seem, it is ready for us. The future is full of opportunity and time to become exactly what we want to be and do exactly as we wish to do. Do not tremble at the sight of the future. Instead, stand before it and let yourself open up to what it has to offer you. I can’t wait to see all that you accomplish and all of the things that are waiting for you in the moments to come. Thanks for a great four years.
Best wishes,
A Fellow Senior
by Reilly Jaworski | May 25, 2022 | Column
Although the world is becoming more aware of the negative effects of animal testing, it is still a widespread issue, and drawing attention to its ramifications has not been made a priority. Many individuals feel overwhelmed by the topic, as they are not sure how to help the cause to put an end to animal testing, or at least make it a lesser relied on resource. In other cases, many people may not even know that it is an issue or why it should be stopped. By outlining this issue and calling attention to the negative effects, many options for putting it to an end will spring into effect by passionate individuals such as yourself. In educating yourself on this topic, I have faith that we can work together to draw the mistreatment of animals to a final close.
There are countless downsides to animal testing. According to PETA, The Animal Welfare Act, or AWA, is a U.S. law that governs the use of animals in experimental laboratories and it allows them to be burned, shocked, poisoned, starved, isolated, restrained, and brain damaged. This law, being the only one pertaining to animal testing, is a direct encroachment on animal rights. Even though the lives of animals are being put at risk, the United States and the world at large do not have a sense of urgency when it comes to remedying this problem. Further, in addition to animal lives being jeopardized at the hand of animal testing, the lives of humans suffer due to this practice as well. According to the U.S. National Institute of Health director, Dr. Elias Zerhouni, “‘The problem is that [animal testing] hasn’t worked, and it’s time we stopped dancing around the problem…we need to refocus and adapt new methodologies for use in humans to understand disease biology in humans’” (“In Vitro Methods and More Animal Testing Alternatives”). While animal lives are being brutally harmed, the lives of humans are also at stake, as animal testing is rarely accurate. According to Brittanica’s “ProCon,” 94% of products tested and approved on animals end up failing when they move into human trials. So, the lives of animals are taken advantage of for no reason, as testing on other species does not ensure the safety of human lives. Some people believe that drugs and other products still are capable of harming humans during clinical trials. According to the American Cancer Society, testing treatments on humans may be harmful because it may unveil unknown and dangerous side effects. While this may be true, it is important to note that there are alternative testing options available that leave humans and animals out of the equation and that these options are far more accurate than animal testing.
There are many alternatives to animal and human testing that are more beneficial than testing on animals. According to Lone Star College, alternatives, such as Draize testing, can be very beneficial. Draize testing involves synthetic skin that is created by synthetic cellular tissue, offering more accurate results than animal testing. Another alternative is Eyetex, which uses synthetic eyes that turn opaque when a substance harms them, closely resembling how a human would react if there were a substance to cause them harm. Computers may also be used in place of animal testing by stimulating and estimating damage that a product may cause. Other tests include those using human tissues and cells as well as in vitro testing, where tests are completed in a tube. Each and every one of these alternatives is deemed more suitable and capable of producing accurate results. It is important that we shed light on these alternatives and donate to fund these initiatives if we want to see a change in the treatment of both animals and humans.
Now that the public is aware of the downsides and the alternatives, it is imperative that we push for an end to animal testing together and encourage companies to stop using animals to test their products and start looking for alternatives. We as consumers can aid in this process by slowing our purchasing of products that use animal testing as well as donating to initiatives that fund different forms of testing. This form of protest and education will cause companies to spring into action, taking the necessary steps to abandon their harmful practices. You have the power to make a difference and change the lives of animals and humans for the better.
by Reilly Jaworski | Apr 16, 2022 | Advice, Opinion & Reviews
Children are equipped with certain habits and philosophies that often make them wiser than adults. There is something to be said about the energy and excitement that a child achieves when encountering even the smallest of joys. If you ever see a child walking in the street, watch as they stomp in puddles, even as their shoes get a little bit wet. For kids, a trip to the grocery store becomes a secret mission, and a walk in the park is actually a trek through an enchanted forest. While childhood brings about happiness, the natural flow of adulthood includes abandoning the magic of childhood. Starting in middle school and high school, we begin to take the smallest things in life for granted, even though they are the very things that should propel us to wake up every morning. Do not fret, though, because the magic that is lost is magic that can be obtained once again.
I want you to think about your daily routine. By changing how you perceive these tasks, and by getting reacquainted with some of your childhood hobbies, we are going to revive the magic in the things that you have to get done. Start visualizing at the very beginning of your day. Think right when your alarm queues you into the day. Are you frowning, straight-faced and tolerant, or happy and expectant? Some of the possible reactions that you may have in the morning correlate with how much sleep you may have gotten. That’s a whole other article that you should read, so we won’t touch on that right now. So, assuming you are well-rested in the morning, I want you to think of one good thing that you can do right away that will make your morning better. It could be anything from opening your shades to see the sunrise to stretching or making yourself a cup of tea. Little things make big things better. When your morning is good, the rest of your day will likely follow suit. Throughout the day and during the seemingly boring tasks, you have the opportunity to add in some bits of magic. And, if it doesn’t feel magical yet, don’t worry; we’re going to take care of that next.
Children have an amazing talent for being able to see things in the most positive way possible. As we grow older, we lose practice with this talent, but we never completely lose it; we simply have to work on it the way we work on homework, sports, and other things we care about. Some of us still naturally look at the glass as half full but still need help feeling this way when we are bored or not excited about anything. Others of us tend to look at most things negatively at first glance. We can fix our negativity by finishing every negative sentence with a positive “but” clause. For example, if you see that one of your favorite shows has been taken off Netflix, your first thought may be, “Are you serious? Now I don’t get to watch my favorite show!” Instead, your second thought should be, “But, I can try a new show that I might like even more.” Every negative thought should be ended with the addition of positive thought. “My mom is making me clean my room, and I don’t want to, BUT at least it will look nicer when I am done.” Simply changing the way you view inconveniences will make them enjoyable.
Why is it that we stop doing things that make us happy? This form of self-sabotage instigates countless problems in our adult lives. When did we stop being friends with everyone we came across? Why did we stop smiling at strangers and dancing in the grocery store? If there’s one thing I know, it’s that swinging on the swings is one of the greatest things you can do to nurture your soul, so why did you stop when you reached a certain age? The fearlessness that children embody is the very reason why you rarely see one sad. Or if they are sad, why they can rebound back to happiness a second or two later. Please sing your favorite songs at the top of your lungs, and please don’t worry too much about that test. I beg you to laugh at every joke and face every inconvenience with an unbreakable smile. I urge you to be a child for as long as you are an adult, and I promise you that there will always be happy things so long as you choose to see the happy things.
by Reilly Jaworski | Feb 7, 2022 | News
A whole day of roses, chocolates, movies coated in about five layers of tackiness, and widespread feelings of romance or dread depending on your circumstance. Valentine’s Day is a well-known holiday, but that’s not such universal knowledge, is how the infamous holiday came to be.
While legends of the holiday’s inspiration vary, they are all centered on one main figure: someone by the title of Saint Valentine. One story claims that Valentine was a priest in Rome during the third century. Emperor Claudius II instituted a rule that single men were better soldiers than those who had wives and family. So, he banned marriage. Valentine, not liking one bit of Claudius’ new craze, continued performing secret marriages for young lovers. When Valentine’s actions were found out by Claudius, he was sentenced to death. So, according to this story, Valentine’s last moments weren’t particularly fortunate. But, chin up, he does have a pretty cool holiday named after him. Viva la hopeless romanticism!
Our next gruesome story indicates that Valentine was killed after helping Christians escape the clutches of harsh Roman prisons. I don’t like this theory as much. Not incredibly romantic, so in light of the holiday at hand, we’ll move on.
Our last story is slightly less tragic, not at all idyllic, and pathetically romantic. It also happens to be my favorite rendition of Valentine’s history. The tale goes that while in prison, Valentine wrote the first actual “valentine” note before his death to a girl that he was in love with, who was, scandalously, the jailor’s daughter. Quite the affair. The letter is believed to have ended with, “From your Valentine,” a phrase that has carried over into today’s lexicon.
Although it’s likely we will never know the true history of the holiday, most of the stories are romantic, and all are a tad bit sad. If we can choose which one to believe is true, I’m going to stick to a more forgiving and romantic version, and leave out a bit of the gore.
Saint Valentine was an idealist in all of the possible histories he may have lived. When celebrating Valentine’s Day, we should remember to be optimistic, loving, and considerate people not just during the holiday, but moving forward.
by Reilly Jaworski | Nov 30, 2021 | Advice
College application season was a trying time for many of us seniors, making the month of October more difficult to get through than the average year. As many of us submitted our applications under the Early Action deadline, November should be a month of recuperation. This month should be about taking time for yourself. After spending the month of October giving attention to the future, I encourage you to spend your November occupying yourself with the present. Here are some easy ways to make November your month of relaxation and repose after undergoing a period of stress.
1. Workout
Exercise not only improves your physical health but your mental health as well. Releasing anxious energy through physical activity is proven to be one of the most effective ways of calming down an overactive mind. Exercising in as simple of a way as going for a walk will be an immense asset to the process of moving on from the stress of the application process.
2. Meditate
Being a major proponent of meditation myself, I maintain that this type of relaxation is life-changing and solves many problems. There are many different forms of meditation and all are centered around the focus of slowing down your thoughts and living within the moment instead of wandering behind or ahead of it. Practicing meditation frequently will help in calming your worries about the outcome of your application process.
3. Spend Time In Nature
Going outside if only for a few minutes helps us to remember that there are bigger things other than our problems. If you take the time to analyze the massive sky above you or the rooted and stable tree in your yard, you can learn a lot about how you should face your problems.
4. Hobby
Now that you have the time after an entire period of focusing solely on applications, you should take that time and use it for yourself. Do something you love, no matter how small. The little hobbies we love are what make life worth living. Even during stressful times, we should never lose sight of that.
5. Spend Time With Friends or Family
Spending time with the ones we love helps us focus on something other than ourselves. Loved ones help our problems appear manageable. Forgiving yourself can be even harder than forgiving others but spending time with our family and friends teaches us that we are worthy of forgiveness and love.
6. Relinquish Control
This is difficult for us all but very effective. What we must realize is that once we send out those applications, admission is not in our control. Fate and the college admission officers are in charge of your destiny now. If you don’t get into your top school, then you weren’t meant to go there. You will end up in the place that is right for you.
