It all started early last summer when my grandfather, Poppy, began hinting around that he wanted to buy a few cows. My Grammy and mom were completely against the idea, arguing that we have enough on our hands with the sheep and other farm animals, but my Poppy didn’t let their grumbling dete…
A consistent feeling follows me as the weather gets cooler, as grass begins to frost, as leaves begin to fall, as snowflakes tickle the tops of the trees. A constant feeling and reminder that December is not trailing far behind.
It has been six years since a student brought a gun to Philip Barbour High School and held a classroom full of kids and their teacher hostage. I can still see how it lives inside of everyone who has had to come into the building since then, attempting to find safety and comfort where it was …
What is misogyny in the entertainment industry? Misogyny is defined as a fixed prejudice toward women, and there are plenty of examples of misogyny in the entertainment industry. From women’s song lyrics to award show attire, there is always something the media can critique.
College. What an experience it has been.
It’s been a topic of debate whether or not transgender teenagers, kids and adults should be allowed to participate in sports. According to Gov. Jim Justice, the answer seems to be no, in spite of the fact that according to multiple sources, such as the HuffPost, he can’t point to one instanc…
My parents would warn, “Beware of the fall. You don’t know what lies there.” From youth, we are instilled with the fear of the fall. The potential threats that lie within the unknown darkness. It is enforced so far into our minds, that we forget it’s there. Until we are stuck within the mome…
Recently, my grandfather and I attended the Lee City Livestock Market in eastern Kentucky. We took a few of our young ewes and weathered rams to be sold. This was my first visit to the Lee City Market and only the second time to have joined my grandfather in taking sheep to be sold at auctio…
The 2020 presidential election showed the highest voter turnout in U.S. history, displaying Gen Z’s voting power for the future. Gen Z has shown to be the most progressive generation yet and given the rise of youth activism and social awareness, it’s no surprise.
Over the past couple of weeks, schools all across West Virginia have been opening their doors in hopes of a fresh start and a normal year.
Finding a balance in life is an art form that people spend their entire existence trying to find but are unable to. Striving to be able to take everything and not internally combust is something that everyone finds themselves looking to do.
Teenage mental health is so important. As much as people don’t like to admit it, most, if not all teens are struggling with mental health in some way or another. I deal with severe anxiety and depression on a daily basis. However, most adults I’ve met write off teenagers’ mental health issue…
Love falls behind a wall of society. Love can only be what others see fit. The prince shall save the troubled princess and happily ever after shall appear. However, not once have people stopped to question the reason behind the paradox of a prince being needed to save a princess from her tro…
A giant percentage of the Kanawha County student population — the ones who went online, including me — have just recently returned to regular school life. About as regular it can be, anyway.
When I tell someone I’m autistic, their first words are “I’m sorry.”
Dear fellow seniors,
The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines has been met with a mix of differing responses. As in any case of something controversial, there are those who support it and those who do not. Arguments can be made for and against the vaccine in a convincing manner. It truly comes down to a willingness to t…
At the end of each school year, students are required to complete 3 or 4 summative tests in order to accurately measure what we learned throughout the past school year and determine things such as class schedules. These tests are called the General Summative Assessment (GSA) and are given to…
On April 7, I decided that I wanted to do my part to end the pandemic by getting a COVID-19 vaccination. Looking forward to college, being vaccinated allows me to attend in-person classes and be free of quarantine after possible exposure.
I have never heard anyone deny the power that the internet has, but in a time when every aspect of life is through a screen, we must sit back and see just how powerful it is. With recent events, such as the short squeeze of stock by a Reddit campaign, it is undeniable to see that the interne…
COVID-19 has created a challenge for everyone, completely flipping lives upside down and changing the way that one approaches everything. It is clear to see that it has cast a dark shadow over the past year, and destroyed any semblance of a normal routine.
Since the school closures last March (wow, almost an entire year ago), everyone has been talking about what seniors are missing out on. Whether it’s their last year of high school or college, seniors are clearly not able to make the most of their final year of school. I can’t imagine how dis…
The United States of America has long been synonymous with freedom and equality. A strong sense of patriotism has been at the core for centuries, but when political parties begin to war, a civil unrest is bred. A civil unrest that is fueled by hate and fearmongering from both sides — hyperpa…
Over the course of this long quarantine, the Justice administration’s weekly press conferences have been an overarching constant in my home. Three days of the week, Jim Justice’s face would be on the screen during lunchtime, as we’d restlessly wait for any sign of COVID-19’s decline, and in …
This year’s start has been anything but dull. Within the first week we witnessed a travesty at the nation’s Capitol and rumors linking Kayne West to Jeffree Star (which were false in case anyone was still hoping for this to be substantiated). To say that the month of January was an overload …
Our country prides itself on progress — on innovating and adapting to the future, and on throwing out that which is outdated and obsolete. We accept that some things we did were stupid, or wrong, or in some cases morally bankrupt, but we’ve always tried to move past them. And, I believe it’s…
With only a few weeks left of the semester, it can feel like a constant battle to get through the school day. Especially now that almost every student is virtual.
It has been one year since the first case of COVID-19 was reported. Some disregarded the rapidly-spreading virus, while others were set into a state of panic. Regardless of which you were, none of us could have been prepared for what was to come.
At this point in time we have all gotten somewhat accustomed to this new normal. Anything that can be virtual is, and some (including myself) are even having holidays, such as Thanksgiving via Zoom. With the world adjusting so rapidly to a technology reliant system, one cannot help but wonde…
“It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving,” — Mother Theresa.
Turning 18 comes with a lot of responsibilities, and one of the most important is voting.
This election season has flown past; just the other day we were watching the senselessness of the first presidential debate and now the final one is behind us.
The second presidential debate was supposed to be a town hall style debate in which both candidates participated in answering questions from American voters.
I think we can all agree that the vice presidential debate was much better than the presidential debate.
Some people may disagree, but in-person learning needs to resume or many will fall behind. As a tenth-grade student at Van Jr. Sr. High School, the first two days of school were a little crazy, but most would give a lot to go back.
Our world has become a dangerous place. It harbors hate, anger and violence, right alongside people who will use these emotions against their own neighbors. The media occasionally fails to cover the truth regarding hate crimes, especially when these acts are also attached to feelings of bigo…
Like many other Americans. I tuned in to the presidential debate on Sept. 29 not expecting much, but not expecting it to be that horrifically unproductive.
How would you react in a split second if your life depended on it? That’s the question law enforcement officers across the country have to ask themselves every single day.
On July 8, the West Virginia State Board of Education made two major decisions — along with extending the requirement to teach cursive from elementary to middle school, they ended the one forcing high school students to read at least one of William Shakespeare’s plays.
Growing up, I learned to respect the environment and nature around me. I learned from a very young age that humans are part of the ecosystem and therefore should do everything in their power to protect and conserve it. However, I quickly realized that many people and corporations abuse their…
COVID-19 hasn’t gotten much better and school is starting soon. Some schools are doing all online and some are doing in-person school. Some are even doing half the week in-person and the rest online. They are all different and a lot of people have mixed opinions on what is safe to do and wha…
Imagine telling a baseball team they can play the game, but you are not permitted to use a bat. Imagine informing the football team that this season you can play but will not be allowed to tackle. Imagine playing a basketball game in which you were not allowed to dribble.
I wake up to an alert on my phone, reminding me that tomorrow is the senior awards ceremony. Oh wait ... that was a previous plan, placed on the calendar before I could even dream of today’s reality.
Out of all the active generations, it can be argued that Gen Z has the most humor about situations. In the face of danger, we make memes and TikTok videos regarding how we would die. While other generations see us as being immature and unable to handle reality, the truth of the matter is hum…
We’re going through another yearly ritual, losing sleep and productivity and growing more irritable all the time. I am, of course, talking about daylight saving time.
Everyone loves to come home to a nice, warm house, bundle up with warm blankets, or rock their favorite pair of fuzzy socks from time to time. What about enjoying your favorite meal, or any meal? If you have any pets, you know that they love these privileges as much as we do. Many, many anim…
Exercising your right to vote is more relevant now than ever in the United States.
On the second day of our new decade, an air attack sent by the Pentagon on Baghdad, Iraq resulted in the death of the head of Iran’s Quds Force and member of their Revolutionary Guard Corps, Qassem Soleimani, among the other damage. Soleimani’s death resulted in the supreme leader of Iran, A…
If sweatpants and hoodies are your go-to clothing, skipping class is a daily thing, your homework isn’t done and all you do is watch TikTok, then you may have senioritis.
Katherine Von Drachenberg, more commonly known as Kat Von D, is a famous tattoo artist, musician, fashion designer, YouTuber and social media influencer. She launched her self-titled cosmetics company approximately 11 years ago, and it gained popularity rapidly.
