Timberland High School could truly become its own country. The cafeteria’s abundance of toasted ravioli and processed beans could provide us with mediocre yet sound food. The family consumer students could sew everyone’s clothes and the chemistry lab could provide us with heat by Bunsen burner during the cold nights. We even have thespians and the school band to provide entertainment for us when we’re bored. Our high school has unlimited resources and is bursting with talent from students and faculty. Unfortunately, it takes a signature from Barack Obama and a trip to the moon in order to use…

For some reason, certain ages become milestones in our lives. Starting all the way back to turning age 1, parents can’t help but throw a blue or pink color scheme themed party. They’re usually full of adults who you won’t remember and other 1-year-olds who won’t remember you back, but you do have those dreaded baby pictures to remember the occasion. The next “big day” is the 13th: the day a pre-teen becomes a teenager. There are no benefits; you still can’t buy rubber cement or lottery ticket scratch offs, you can’t even drive yet; nonetheless, it’s labeled an important date for some reason. …

Timberland High School could become its own country. The cafeteria’s abundance of toasted ravioli and processed beans could provide us with mediocre, yet sound, food. The family consumer students could sew everyone’s clothes while the chemistry lab could provide us with heat by Bunsen burner during cold nights. We even have thespians and the school band to provide entertainment for us when we’re bored. Our high school has unlimited resources and is bursting with talent from students and faculty. But why aren’t we using the incredible resources that our school provides?  One reason we can’t …

Timberland High School could become its own country. The cafeteria’s abundance of toasted ravioli and processed beans could provide us with mediocre, yet sound, food. The family consumer students could sew everyone’s clothes while the chemistry lab could provide us with heat by Bunsen burner during cold nights. We even have thespians and the school band to provide entertainment for us when we’re bored. Our high school has unlimited resources and is bursting with talent from students and faculty. But why aren’t we using the incredible resources that our school provides?  One reason we can’t …

Skydiving, cliff jumping, parachuting: These items seem to always make it on the average person’s bucket list. I don’t think I’ve ever had the desire to jump head-first off entirely too high of surface areas, only to almost face death. We’ve all heard the saying “do something that scares you every day,” but I think I’d rather live by the words of the Bee Gees “stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.” Making a list of things to do or see before you die is a great way to stay motivated and do things you never thought you would. It takes the phrase, “life is too short” to another level by not just …

Skydiving, cliff jumping, parachuting: These items seem to always make it on the average person’s bucket list. I don’t think I’ve ever had the desire to jump head-first off entirely too high of surface areas, only to almost face death. We’ve all heard the saying “do something that scares you every day,” but I think I’d rather live by the words of the Bee Gees “stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.” Making a list of things to do or see before you die is a great way to stay motivated and do things you never thought you would. It takes the phrase, “life is too short” to another level by not just …

It’s a wonderful place where you have nothing to lose and feel like an emotional abomination. We all have our own forms of what rock bottom is. For some, it could be when your dog died, and now you don’t have anyone else around. For others, it could be the loss of a close loved one or maybe losing a job or even custody of your children. This wonderful place is one of the worst places to be stuck in and can be difficult to get out of. But, there is a shining light that beams down on rock bottom because things can only go up and get better from there. On Dec. 9, I hit rock bottom. Like most …

It happens more times than we like. What starts off as spending five minutes to check your notifications easily turns into hours of reading statuses and looking at pictures on the computer screen. Our brain tells us to do homework, take a jog or do anything else productive, but our bodies just sit there looking through that one-person-you’ve-only-met-once’s homecoming photos. Like nicotine in cigarettes or caffeine in soda, there’s something about this social networking site that is extremely addicting. To get to the bottom of this question, I’ve done what few teenagers have done before: I …

It happens more times than we like. What starts off as spending five minutes to check your notifications easily turns into hours of reading statuses and looking at pictures on the computer screen. Our brain tells us to do homework, take a jog or do anything else productive, but our bodies just sit there looking through that one-person-you’ve-only-met-once’s homecoming photos. Like nicotine in cigarettes or caffeine in soda, there’s something about this social networking site that is extremely addicting. To get to the bottom of this question, I’ve done what few teenagers have done before: I …

My uncle called me over. "Lani," waving his fingers. “Come dance ‘Little Brown Girl’.” Suddenly, the entire restaurant clapped and hollered, urging me to hula dance. I was frozen. I really shouldn’t have been surprised. Sitting at a booth in Kika’s Hawaiian Specialties on Saturday, my family brought out their ukuleles and started up a lshow in the middle of the restaurant. After feeding my uncle multiple excuses such as “I don’t remember the moves” and “I think I have food poisoning,” I eventually gave in and walked up proudly to dance the classic hula “Little Brown Girl.” When dancing, it …

My uncle called me over. "Lani," waving his fingers. “Come dance ‘Little Brown Girl’.” Suddenly, the entire restaurant clapped and hollered, urging me to hula dance. I was frozen. I really shouldn’t have been surprised. Sitting at a booth in Kika’s Hawaiian Specialties on Saturday, my family brought out their ukuleles and started up a lshow in the middle of the restaurant. After feeding my uncle multiple excuses such as “I don’t remember the moves” and “I think I have food poisoning,” I eventually gave in and walked up proudly to dance the classic hula “Little Brown Girl.” When dancing, it …

Submit. It’s one of the scariest words high school seniors can lay their eyes upon. Looking down at the application, I was having a panic attack while reality hit me. I’m officially applying to college. Is this real life? After having my essays edited multiple times by my old English teachers, new English teachers and teachers I don’t even have, I felt satisfied with what I was sending. In just weeks or even days, Saint Louis University, DePaul University and my beloved Northwestern University will review my application. The thought of this makes my insides turn inside out, but another …

It sounds like a breakup line: “Well, it’s been fun, but I’m ready to move on.” But, I’m not talking about moving on from an adolescent, it-wasn’t-going-anywhere-anyway type of relationship. I’m talking about something much more important: leaving high school and going off to college. Yes, it has been fun—from the Friday night football games to making piñatas in Spanish class—but at the same time, I can’t forget the late night world history study sessions and the ridiculously hard AP Calculus tests. I want a change of pace, and I think college is just what I need. “It’s not you, it’s me.” …

A $4,200 small tiger statue, a $280 bookmark and a $100 Christmas tree ornament. What do all three of these items have in common? The answer: They’re all overpriced. While these may be everyday purchases for shoppers at the Neiman Marcus in Plaza Frontenac, I can’t help but put my hand to my mouth and say “Oh my gosh, who would pay for this?” Roaming the upscale Ladue mall with my friend Alec, we were amazed by the highly priced items. Walking through Saks Fifth Avenue, the Chanel shoes mocked my Target sandals as the Prada pantsuits ridiculed the cheapness of my $20 cropped Old Navy jeans. …

A $4,200 small tiger statue, a $280 bookmark and a $100 Christmas tree ornament. What do all three of these items have in common? The answer: They’re all overpriced. While these may be everyday purchases for shoppers at the Neiman Marcus in Plaza Frontenac, I can’t help but put my hand to my mouth and say “Oh my gosh, who would pay for this?” Roaming the upscale Ladue mall with my friend Alec, we were amazed by the highly priced items. Walking through Saks Fifth Avenue, the Chanel shoes mocked my Target sandals as the Prada pantsuits ridiculed the cheapness of my $20 cropped Old Navy jeans. …

I hate homecoming. Right now, I am sitting at Bradden's, a small restaurant on St. Charles Main Street, resting for Round Two. I have scoured these streets like an eagle hunting its prey trying to find that one of a kind, stunning homecoming dress. I started with the perfect dress in mind: a strapless wrap around that pulls out toward the hip and cascades into a tougher tutu material that ends right above the knee and is of the richest shade of purple that you could imagine. After three hours, I’m willing to settle for a hand-me-down, sweetheart-neck dress with a rip that’s covered with duct …

I hate homecoming. Right now, I am sitting at Bradden's, a small restaurant on St. Charles Main Street, resting for Round Two. I have scoured these streets like an eagle hunting its prey trying to find that one of a kind, stunning homecoming dress. I started with the perfect dress in mind: a strapless wrap around that pulls out toward the hip and cascades into a tougher tutu material that ends right above the knee and is of the richest shade of purple that you could imagine. After three hours, I’m willing to settle for a hand-me-down, sweetheart-neck dress with a rip that’s covered with duct …

I can’t fall asleep. It is 11:24 p.m., and I’m tossing, turning and on occasion, accidentally hitting my dog with my restless feet which means, she too, must share my school-related insomnia, or as I like to call it, school-somnia. School-somnia is when a student can’t fall asleep due to academic, social or college-related worries. It’s common on the first day of school, also analogous with what many call “first-day jitters.” But tonight, my case of school-somnia is not induced by my first day of school but rather due to one question flooding my mind: Am I taking enough AP classes? Currently…

I can’t fall asleep. It is 11:24 p.m., and I’m tossing, turning and on occasion, accidentally hitting my dog with my restless feet which means, she too, must share my school-related insomnia, or as I like to call it, school-somnia. School-somnia is when a student can’t fall asleep due to academic, social or college-related worries. It’s common on the first day of school, also analogous with what many call “first-day jitters.” But tonight, my case of school-somnia is not induced by my first day of school but rather due to one question flooding my mind: Am I taking enough AP classes? Currently…

“I wish my life was more like High School Musical.” I caught myself saying this very phrase just a couple days ago. And although it got a chuckle out of my friend, who was with me at the time, I was completely serious. Although the movie is supposed to reflect high school life and shows the characters going through struggles, the plot would more than suffice my high school desires. A basic recap for those that haven't seen it — a very smart teenage girl loves to sing and does so with her hot boyfriend. She's also the editor of yearbook and winds up at Stanford. I’m sorry, but if that was my …