For the week of June 15-19, I spent my mornings learning how to “hack” computer systems. No, I wasn’t setting myself up for future lawsuits, I was actually participating in a hackathon event, where budding computer programmers tackle some of the challenges facing a wide range of business industries. At BitHacks 2020, students all over…
Category: Science, Technology, Health, and Environment
Why Some Americans Are Resistant to Wearing Face Masks During COVID-19
With the novel coronavirus, masks have been a common sight on individuals outdoors to prevent them from spreading and contracting the virus. Especially in countries hard hit by COVID-19, citizens have either made a moral obligation to wear masks or were mandated to wear them in order to limit the spread. However, in the…
Activities that Prioritize Mental Health During Quarantine
The world around us is moving fast — one day, we’re celebrating the start of a new decade, and seemingly the next, we’ve been caught up in a pandemic that’s sweeping across the globe. For some people, it is a devastating crisis that puts them on edge for their loved ones’ safety; for others, it…
How to de-stress during the quarantine
During this time of quarantine, many people have been stuck at home due to social distancing. Some may find themselves lying on their bed all day watching their phone or computer, others may spend time completing homework and assignments from online classes. Even though we are staying home all day, these few weeks have been…
A Near Goodbye
The date is now March 7, 2020. Anxiously tapping our feet, my family and I wait for the doctor in the examination room. However, my parents and I have different worries. While I silently pray that my dog, Dasom, will come back to us, my mother and father are sweating bullets over the medical bills. …
Great Games for the Lockdown Limbo
As COVID-19 continues to trap us inside our homes during quarantine, most look for ways to entertain inside the house while they pass the time. Technology has grown to become a big part of everyday lives, and many people have turned their attention to video games they can play online, through a gaming console or…
The Importance of Exercising During Times of Self-Quarantine
Because so many people are inevitably left with more time on their hands, it has become a trend to begin working on summer bodies. On social media platforms, including Instagram and TikTok, millions of home exercise videos are blowing up and reaching out to many people. These videos focus on a variety of things, including…
Staying Mentally Healthy At Home
The Coronavirus has turned everyone’s lives around. Our daily routines have been halted with no near certainty of return, further confining our living parameters to homes. Consequently, people are each faced with unprecedented losses- whether big or small. Abundant precious lives are lost. Our parents’ jobs are lost. Our anticipated summer plans are lost. Once-in-a-lifetime …
How MESA Promotes STEM in Underrepresented Ethnic School Communities
Mathematics, Science, Engineering, Achievement (MESA), is a college and career prep program for students and schools from predominately underprivileged communities. The program has been promoting the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), with 2020 being their fiftieth anniversary. For these past fifty years, MESA has shaped and guided thousands of students, and helped them become…
Valencia High School Choir Explores New Online Learning Techniques
COVID-19, commonly known as the “Coronavirus,” has been dominating the media in resourceful news, debatable topics, misleading numbers, and even memes to evoke humor. As the pandemic spreads, schools all over the world have shut down in precaution, leaving students with ambivalent feelings. Valencia High School’s choir, in particular, is one of many programs affected. …