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-- REVIEWS--
'Expendables' packed with action, violence, stars
By Talon Bronson in PORTLAND, Oregon, U.S.A.
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Movies that try to pull together an amazing cast of heavyweights
often seem to fail. The movie Be
Cool, a kind of sequel to Get
Shorty, had a grocery list of names that had to have casting directors
drooling. It also ended up being one of the worst films I have ever seen.
So it was with apprehension that I saw The
Expendables. I was looking forward to it in the respect that it had been a
very long time since I had seen a straight out action flick.
Read more
Fun and Games
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-- INSIDER'S GUIDE TO HIGH SCHOOL --
'Veggies' will change as high school
unfolds
By Nancy Hsu in BRISBANE, Australia
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In Brisbane, we don’t call first year high school students
freshmen, we call them veggies – which, now that I see it in writing, actually
sounds funnier than freshmen.
I’m not entirely certain why they’re called veggies, but I was
called a veggie countless times in my first year of high school, and I called
many first year students veggies when I became old enough.
My friends suppose we call veggies veggies because they’re
‘fresh to the market.’
We also thought veggies could have a demeaning connotation to
it, since it’s a term for people who are declared brain dead. That’s not very
nice, but high school isn’t very nice.
I am currently in my final year of high school (which is year
12 in Brisbane). I have three months to go until the ‘real world’ comes closing
in on me, and I’ve already begun to contemplate my time in high school.
The good. The bad. The man-I-wish-I’d-known-that-in-grade-eight.
I’d summarize the high school experience this way: It’s not
what you think it’s going to be.
Read whole story
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-- CARTOON --
-- INSIDER'S GUIDE TO HIGH SCHOOL --
Learn your talents and cling to optimism
By Pushkal Shivam in MUMBAI, India
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Aren’t
we in a race? High school years are a watershed in the history we write of our
lives. The formative years spent here lay a foundation for our tryst with real
life.
A host of
coming-of-age syndromes and other challenges bedevil the high school years.
Adopting the right approach
is crucial to our quest for success, which is in itself a highly contentious
term. Doesn’t that sound mumbo-jumbo?
The narrative for high school
years boils down to a simple analogy of a horse race. The very first day we
embark on a race which ends with the start of the journey of life.
There are various creatures
running in this race. You will find stallions neighing and galloping around in
their stomping ground. On the other hand, we have mares who preen and pout with
a vanity of their own. With both of them more than willing to mingle, the saga
of high school is scripted.
Oh wait – how can we forget
the depression-susceptible ponies that canter around hysterically? On the other
end of the spectrum, we have the academic racehorses – the ostrich-like
contenders who stick their heads in the books. In it to win it, huh?
And finally, importantly, not
to forget, we have the donkeys. Some call them bullies.
Donkeys in a horse race! It
is very likely that you will be confronted with one of these. Many of you, too,
might transform into ‘sage donkeys’ with time.
So, how can we tackle these
donkeys? Well, my solution is, to take them by their horns. Simply put, remain
stoic in response to their tantrums and see how their donkey spirit fades.
This race is a complex one,
and the track is full of twists and turns. Let’s delve deep into the nature of
this micro-race of our macro-life.
Why are our high school years
significant? It is because they are
the confluence of the peak of adolescence and the birth of individuality.
These are the years when we
come to our own.
Read whole story
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-INSIDER'S GUIDE TO HIGH SCHOOL-
Ten tips for making high school great
By Elaine Truong in LOS ANGELES, California, U.S.A.
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As an incoming senior, I have to admit that there
are a few tips I wish I’d known in my early years of high school. Here is what I
have learned about life, high school, and life outside of high school:
1) High school is the time for exploration.
Don't be afraid to try new activities. If I had not
agreed to take Drama on a whim in my freshman year, I wouldn't have joined
Technical Theatre and become a stage manager and lights technician, which I
ended up loving.
It's even better to join activities you don't
have friends in.
2) Surprisingly, there is a whole world outside your
high school.
I can't emphasize enough how many
opportunities there are in the world.
Ignorance is no excuse! Unless you live in Tanzania
with the Hadza tribes. In that case, you wouldn't be reading this right now.
But to everyone else, the internet is a portal of
knowledge. You can search online and find countless organizations that cater to
your passions, such as Youth Journalism International or Dosomething.org.
Not only will you meet new friends and expand your
social network, but you will also have the chance to grow and learn.
There is a lot more to high school than the normal
routine. Try to get involved in activities in your community that aren't related
to school.
If you like politics, join your city's youth council
or intern for your mayor. Get an internship or a job and always be on the
lookout for opportunities – if not for yourself, then to share with others.
The world is a fascinating place and it would be a
shame not to discover what it has to offer.
Read whole story
Join
Youth Journalism International and get a real
education
Young writers, photographers,
cartoonists and other journalists are encouraged to join YJI now
and add your name to the high-achieving teens
across the globe who belong. It is free to participate. Please see
youthjournalism.org
for more information. Click on the "Students" link. |
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