by Saber Slate | Nov 21, 2019 | Athletics & Activities, Opinion & Reviews
On Wednesday, November 13th, Franklin High School opened its 2019 Fall Play: The Crucible! It stars a diverse and wide variety of characters played by over 30 following talented students.
In the first act of the story, we are introduced to the setting, characters, and plot. The story takes place in and around the town of Salem, Massachusetts in the spring of 1692. In the beginning of the play, we see girls dancing in the woods around a fire with Tituba, drinking what some may think is a witch’s brew, or possibly soup. Either way, it’s clear that something shady is going on. The visual effects during this time on stage really added to the mood conveyed by the story and setting. The girls are spotted by Reverend Parris, and his terrified daughter, Betty collapses from shock, it seems like. Betty accuses the ringleader of the girls, Elizabeth Proctor of being a witch, and the people of Salem insist she be brought to trial. It becomes a slippery slope for the town of Salem once more and more people find out about the “witchcraft.” Soon, it turns the townspeople against each other, showcasing the power of socially sanctioned violence.
The theme of this story lines up with the topic of McCarthyism, a practice that involves the use of unfair allegations and investigations without proper evidence. Joseph McCarthy was a senator of Wisconsin who led a campaign against alleged communists in the government during 1950-54, around the period when The Crucible was written. From this comes the idea of the witch hunt, which is exactly what these characters are doing in this story.
I think that the actors did an awesome job of bringing these characters to life. Each of them brought their own unique talents and styles to the stage to tell this tale, and they made it really easy to get connected to or relate to their characters. For me, this was fun to watch because I read The Crucible for AP Lit last year. Watching it be actually performed by my fellow students made the play more enjoyable for me than actually reading it as a book because I get to feel more connected to the characters and actually understand what’s happening over the course of the story.
I would like to thank all who were involved with The Crucible for their very hard and dedicated work in bringing this tale to life within Franklin High School. It was a delight to watch and it was nice to see how much these students have grown and learned from previous years.
by Saber Slate | Nov 4, 2019 | Advice
High school can be hectic no matter what grade you are in. Usually, on my agenda, I have at least one summative every week and surprise formatives in different classes and sometimes I don’t even know what we are learning in class! And for some of us, it might be a little bit difficult to pay attention or participate in class considering it may be a little boring or not as interesting based on our point of view. In order to fix all of those problems that involve procrastination or losing interest in a class, here are my seven best tips in order to stay focused when doing homework or studying while in school!
This might be quite obvious but paying close attention in class really helps build your understanding and knowledge about what your teacher is teaching. When you daze off or daydream during a lesson, you might lose sight of important information! Fixing this, you’ve gotta keep your head in the game. Stay on track and stay focused! It might be hard sometimes considering how hard you are working but try understanding and pretend to be interested in what you are learning about because, in the end, it’ll be worth it. You’ll understand what your teacher taught you and you will be more confident in what you have learned about!
This one is a little tricky because we all don’t have pretty or appealing penmanship. But if you do, rewrite your notes! It’s satisfying, effective, and fun to do. Not only that, but you will be able to reread them and fully understand what you have learned and applied it to the test. Rewriting your notes will not only help you based on studying but you can use them for exams so it is ready to go for you already and you will have less work to do.
Reviewing is key to memory! The more you put the needed information in your brain, you will understand more of what you actually learned. So, highlighting notes and important key terms is major for studying because it repeats the information you need in order for your memory to be accurate in all cases. Reviewing is also effective because you are reteaching yourself the lessons or important terms to yourself in order to be even more precise with your studying.
- Make a steady work environment
In order for your studying habits to be set, you are going to need to have a working environment set first. Now, this may change, but if you know that where you stay is where you are going to be productive stay in that area! For instance, if you feel more productive at the library, go to the library and do your work! Or, if you feel more productive in the living room, stay in the living room! If you want to take it a step further, get your own desk, personalize what you need, and make a work area in your room or somewhere in your house in order to maintain a focused and productive mindset. This is helpful because once you’ve entered the trap of procrastination and comfortable position, you will feel way too comfortable and unmotivated to do your work.
- Ask questions and participate in the class!
Now this one relates to the very first tip but it is in terms actually involving yourself in class and engaging yourself with what is going on. You need to take some risks, and use your voice! Ask questions, be involved so that you know what you are doing and learning in class. But in all honesty, this one is a little bit hard for me too because I am very shy and I don’t really ask my teachers any questions when I am confused because I would feel a little bit embarrassed. But that’s okay! Cause the sooner we can get over that fear, the more successful we will become.
Now, you’re probably thinking, “Come on KB, no one likes to read.” But you only have that mindset because you haven’t forced yourself to like books! It’s fun to dive deep into a book and exercise your brain because you are training your brain to be even more useful and studious so that you remember important concepts and details as well as to stay more focused. My best tip to enjoy reading is to read to your interests. Once that is covered, try reading a few minutes a day or every other day in order for your brain to get a little stretch. But in the end, you will be satisfied knowing how much you’ve read and how much faster the brain wants to work.
- Sacrifice some time to study and review
The harder you work, the better you will be. You want to be successful right? So, a big step in order to do is to make time for what you need to do! A lot of people fall short of being productive because they can’t find the right balance between work time and their own personal time for themselves. This is a problem because then they either lose themselves and become unmotivated to do anything or either find themselves having way more to do than normal. In order to fix this problem, you’ve gotta take some risks! Find time to do your work and on time too! Don’t slack and give your best effort! You got it.
There are many many more tips on how to be productive and stay focused in school but honestly speaking these are some of the best tips that have worked for me personally. All in all, school can be tough but you’ve gotta own up to it and work hard! When you do that, you will inspire people to work hard as well.
by Saber Slate | Nov 1, 2019 | Advice, Opinion & Reviews
Attention Saber Slate readers! We still have an Advice Column, and we’re still accepting submissions for advice! Recently, we got a whopping 1 new question from who wants to be called “Basement Bois.” Basement Bois asks:
“What looks good on guys during the winter? That isn’t the common sweats/vans/sweatshirt? I like to be in the basement a lot wearing steel toes and jeans, but how do i make that look Good? So I guess the real question is, How do basement kids look really good in the winter?”
Dear Basement Bois,
Flannels. The answer is always flannels. Flannels go with absolutely anything, no matter what kind of season. In the fall, pair flannels with jeans or khakis. During the wintertime, pair the flannel and jeans with some kind of hoodie or winter jacket (that doesn’t contain bright colors). In the springtime, just simply roll the sleeves of your flannel shirt back and opt for khaki shorts if it’s warm out. If it’s very hot out like in the summer, there are good short sleeve and thinner flannel shirts out there that are very nice. And during all seasons, wear cowboy boots. Cowboy boots go absolutely with anything, no matter what you wear. On a more serious note, just take it easy with what you wear. As long as you don’t try too hard to look good, you probably already look fine with a hoodie and jeans.
Thank you to Basement Bois for your submission! Remember to fill out Advice Column submissions at tinyurl.com/fhsadvice. Be sure to email fhsnewspaper62@gmail.com if you have any questions. Your submission may be featured in a future article, so stay tuned!
by Saber Slate | Oct 21, 2019 | Opinion & Reviews
Since the beginning of the year, new policies have been in effect here at FHS, with mixed reception from the student body. The most significant one, in my opinion, is the new cell phone policy. Teachers are required to enforce this policy, as quoted from the school handbook:
“In an effort to create a safe and effective learning environment Franklin High School students are permitted limited use of their personal electronic devices… Personal electronic devices include but are not limited to cell phones, headphones, AirPods, iPods, iPads, and Smart Watches.”
The policy goes on to state that devices can be used in the cafeteria during lunch periods and within the hallways before and after school. Devices can never be used in the school office, restrooms, locker rooms, or in the classroom. However, students can be allowed to use their device in the classroom “for the sole purpose of engaging in educational activities when specifically directed by their teacher.”
If students are caught violating the cell phone policy: On the first offense, the student’s phone will be confiscated and the teacher will take the phone to the main office. The student can pick up their phone at the end of the day. On the second offense, parents will be contacted and 45-minute detention will be issued. On their third offense, the parents must come to pick up the phone in the main office and the student will be issued a two hour Saturday detention. On the fourth offense, a conference with the student, their parents, and an administrator will be held.
Clearly, cell phone usage is a problem with a lot of the student body and I respect that the administration is taking the initiative here, instead of just leaving it up to the teachers to figure out what to do. But it’s ultimately up to the student to decide how to manage their cell phone usage during school.
by Saber Slate | Oct 3, 2019 | Advice
Stop comparing your looks, you’re already beautiful. Stop comparing your grades, you’re already smart. Stop comparing your style, you’re original. Stop comparing the number of likes you get on a post, they don’t define your popularity. One thing you should never do is to stop trying to be yourself.
It’s easy to fall out of place especially when you feel like you’re not in the right setting. A different group of friends that might not treat you right, feeling alone in hallways or at lunch, or even feeling so numb from not being appreciated enough.
But here’s this: you’ve just gotta keep going on from here. The pain will stay but it doesn’t last forever. And even when the pain does sink deep down into your heart, scream into a pillow, cry those tears out, and write those feelings out. Talk to a friend, take a soothing shower, but never hide your feelings away.
I am here to tell you that you are important. You are always going to be loved even when you feel like you don’t because, in somebody else’s mind, they are thinking of you.
The best thing I can tell you is to live a little when you feel out of place or overwhelmed with feelings. Live a little and learn how to love yourself in a way where you’re able to realize that you’ve just gotta keep pushing through on this game we call LIFE. Be brave and be bold, take some risks and never be afraid to try anything new.
This article is a reminisce of simply knowing that your thoughts are more powerful than they seem. You THINK that you’re not good enough but in reality, you’re more than enough for the people that love and care about you. You THINK that you’re ugly, but really, you are the most beautiful to the ones who know you. I’ve been there. Maybe too many times. Being Asian-American and the shortest student on school grounds seems to take my breath away sometimes. It almost seems as if being too independent can have some flaws as well. Thinking too much can lead to too much doubt.
So the conclusion is this: Beat your sadness! There’s no logic of it anyways and you will be happier in the long run. You’ll be able to find where your joy is and embrace it everywhere you go. Sometimes we let our emotions get out of hand and control the way that we think instead of understanding that we need to understand what we are worth more. The sadness that you have felt for a while reminds you that you are a warrior that is able to defeat your own battles. Because before you know it, you’ll understand that you are your only limit.
