By Jonathon Davis High school feels like a countdown sometimes—four years to figure out who you are, what you want to do, and where you’re heading next. Between classes, tests, sports, and the pressure to “build your future,” it’s easy to feel like everyone else has a plan except you. Spoiler alert: they don’t. Here’s what people don’t tell you—high school is less about having everything figured out and more about learning how to explore . 1. You Don’t Need to Have a Five-Yea

By: Kyle Song The ferry horn echoed across Elliott Bay as the sun dipped below the Seattle skyline, turning the water to molten gold. Nora leaned over the railing, watching the ripples stretch like molten threads, carrying reflections of the skyscrapers behind her. She took this ferry every evening after her shift at the little bookstore on Pike Street, but tonight felt different — heavier somehow, as if the city itself was holding its breath. The ferry captain, an old man na

By: Jules Laurent When people talk about global crises, the same topics always appear first—war, climate change, political tension, economic instability. But beneath all of these lies a quieter emergency, one that unfolds drop by drop: the global water crisis . For millions of people, water scarcity is not a distant danger. It is a daily reality. And unless the world acts quickly, the crisis will reshape economies, migration patterns, public health, and even geopolitical stab

Each year, there's a singular event that fills me with anticipation and excitement – the Om Memorial 5k Run & Walk. Among the cherished memories of past years, one stands out vividly: standing alongside my peers, cheering on the diverse array of runners as they dashed past us. It was a moment of profound realization as I witnessed individuals of all ages, from toddlers to seniors, uniting in support of this important cause. The sight of our community coming together united in

A short story by Jules Laurent The first time I opened the cabinet, the light changed. It wasn’t dramatic at first—just a hush that moved across the library like a cat stepping onto a piano and deciding not to make a sound. Miss Petrescu, our librarian, calls it “the settling,” the way air makes room for things older than itself. The cabinet sits behind the reference desk, disguised as a double-doored thing for maps. But its label is written in a precise hand: Lost & Found of

By: Emma Kwan In 2025, the world faces a dangerous paradox: many of the most vulnerable people are now getting hit not just by economic hardship, but by an escalating climate and environmental crisis — and the result could reshape lives for millions. 🍽️ Hunger Is Back — and Spreading Recent data from the UNICEF–led Global Report on Food Crises shows a shocking trend: for the sixth year in a row, acute food insecurity and malnutrition have risen  in the world’s most fragile r

By Nadja Chavdarska It’s hard to open your phone these days without feeling a little hopeless. Wars, wildfires, elections that divide instead of unite, and a constant stream of bad news. You scroll past headlines about climate disasters, social injustice, and political chaos — and somewhere between your third class of the day and your fourth notification, it hits you: What’s even the point? I get it. We’re a generation raised in uncertainty. We watched adults argue about the

By: Nadja Chavdarska Technology has always shaped culture — from the printing press to the internet, each innovation shifts how we create, share, and experience art. In the 2020s, artificial intelligence is doing the same, especially in music, visual art, and literature. AI-generated music platforms are becoming increasingly popular. From electronic beats to full orchestral arrangements, AI can compose tracks in seconds, often mimicking the style of famous artists. Startups a

By Umar Chaudry In a world where invisible forces are increasingly defining the shape of life on Earth, one of the most urgent yet under-reported crises is quietly gaining speed beneath our feet and above our heads: the global freshwater decline. According to a recent report by World Bank, the planet is losing 324 billion cubic meters  of fresh water every year — enough to meet the annual needs of some 280 million people. World Bank Why This Matters When we think of climate c

Postcard 1 — Kyoto (postmarked April 17, 2032) Mika—You’re going to think this is a prank, but it’s me. Future you. The physics club’s “spooky action at a distance” project does more than make LEDs flicker. It opens a slit in the mail. Long story.I’m writing from Kyoto in spring. There’s a vending machine at the end of my street that sells hot cans of corn soup, and I swear it’s the perfect temperature to hold between your palms after biking along the Kamo River under trees t

(Yoon, John, and Hari Kumar. “What to Know about the Maha Kumbh Mela, the World’s Largest Human Gathering.” The New York Times , The New York Times, 14 Jan. 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/world/asia/india-hindu-festival-maha-kumbh-mela.html .) The Maha Kumbh Mela is a Hindu festival that is also the biggest human gathering that occurred this year from January 13th to February 26th. This year it occurred in Prayagraj, in Uttar Pradesh, India.  The Kumbh Mela is a large Hindu

A 2008 Hummer H3 Alpha, in a basic black paint job. (Credit: 2008 Hummer H3 Alpha for sale - Cars & Bids) The 2020 decade would see the return of a certain type of vehicle popular in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. In 2020, General Motors would begin making new Hummer EVs. These larger automobiles would be available as electric SUVs and pickup trucks. This would be a contrast to the mainly gas-powered Hummers, which were a larger variant of Jeeps. However, some people might be w

The feeling a young person gets when they are finally getting their first car is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. There are many different makes and models. This massive variety of different options often causes one to question if a model is safe, if the brand that produces it is reliable, and if the car is too expensive. However, in spite of all this uncertainty, there is one particular car that can satisfy all these factors and has become notably popular. This car

The debate over AP classes in high school is something that is discussed by almost all students. Most students ask the same question: Do I take an AP class? For some students, the answer is simple, but it’s not so simple to others. On one hand, these classes give students college credit and are a great way to challenge themselves. On the other hand, AP classes always come with a cost. As these classes continue to progress in the future, people become more unsure about taking

“ 80% of college students reported feeling overwhelmed, and 40% reported it was difficult to function” (Kosmin). This statistic by Kosmin illustrates that the majority of college students feel overwhelmed, and half of the majority are unable to function. This defines the difference between lazy and burnt out, wherelazy is caused by being overwhelmed and having a lack of motivation, while being burnt out is the exhaustion that causes one’s body to not function. Some people do

Childhood is a short period in time where an individual goes through one of the most important developmental processes in their lives. In those first few years, a child will be faced with challenges and experiences that will shape them into the person they become. Some people even go as far as to say they learned more from their childhood than they do from adulthood. This is because in the first few years of childhood you are building the fundamental blocks and foundation of

According to experts, whether our brains are mathematically inclined or not, the laws of physics encompass every aspect of our lives. Although we learn that biology concerns our very own existence and chemistry explains the reactions between the elements and the properties they are made out of–if it were not due to physics, those concepts would simply not exist.  When it comes to studying humanities and politics, it is engraved in human nature to want freedom and self express

Most of us used to imagine 2025 would be the year of flying cars and futuristic cities, and although we're as close as we've ever been to reaching those technological advancements, we're not quite there. Time has flew by, and we are now officially closing off the first quarter of the 21st century. 2025 is officially up and running, and with a new year, comes new goals. Everybody has been through the classic cycle of the New Year's Resolutions fiasco, where people will make a

Since the mid-19th century, the saying, ‘cherry on top’, has been used to describe the extra bonus one can receive in addition to the wonderful bowl of ice cream many would be excited to dive into. However, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the synthetic dye used in these cherries serves as a health hazard to society.  The dye called FD&C Red No. 3, has been a controversy among the public for the past three years. Since the color additive petition in 2022, s

As the powerful and ravaging fires in Los Angeles continue to spread, major efforts to mitigate the effects have been taken by California fire departments, volunteers, and the United States government. With at least 25 people dead, 12,000 structures destroyed, and over 2.5 billion dollars in federal funding for the prevention efforts, it's safe to say that California has been left in shock with the recent traumatizing events. At the moment, more than 92,000 residents are unde