New Lower School Programs Emphasize Hands-On Learning

Published on October 28, 2015 in News by Will Harper

Since its founding in 1963, Wesleyan has grown in various ways. Campus expansion, new programs, new students and teachers and changes in policy are all a part of making Wesleyan the best it can be each year. Recently, the school has been focused on specific improvements in the Lower School. These developments include new programs called the Passport Club and the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Lab as well as a discipleship program. Keep Reading

Social Awareness: Hand Washing

Published on October 27, 2015 in Features by Will Harper

Social Awareness is back. Mr. Baxley and Mr. McDaniel have returned to provide the Wesleyan community with tips and advice guaranteed to improve social skills. Each month the Green and Gold will debut a new episode. Enjoy!

Healthy Use of Technology Maximizes Efficiency

Published on October 26, 2015 in Editorial by Will Harper

“What ever happened to predictability? The milk man, the paper boy and evening TV?” I think it is safe to say that the concept of a designated man dropping off milk at everyone’s doorstep each week is a little bit outdated, but the opening line of the Full House theme song still poses an intriguing question that is worth addressing. Whatever happened to human interaction without technology?

This catchy tune preceding Bob Saget’s claim to fame makes us ask ourselves what about our world is changing so quickly, and are things really better this way. The remainder of the song is really about community. We are often so distracted by new technology and all the busyness in our world that we forget to look around at the people we love.

It seems like a new form of technology is released with every passing moment. If cell phones weren’t enough to prevent us from making dinner conversation, now we have our watches to look at. It blows my mind that anyone would ever feel the need to check Instagram on their watch. Before you know it, they’ll be making shoes with built in TV screens. The world we live in is so cluttered by technology that we sometimes spend more time looking at screens than reality.

Too many teenagers (and probably adults, too) have allowed social media and Netflix to consume their lives. On any given day, a Wesleyan student could wake up and check all of his social media outlets before he even brushes his teeth. Then perhaps he’ll watch a little TV before leaving the house. At school, he will spend hours staring at his computer screen and checking his phone whenever he gets the chance. After a long, hard day at school, he will come home and watch two hours of Netflix before doing his homework on his computer- all the while checking his phone every 30 seconds for texts, Groupme notifications or anything else to bolster his popularity.

Though it is intended to maximize efficiency, the technology-focused way of life that society has built creates a slew of seriously concerning problems. Children born in this decade will grow up playing with an iPad before they learn how to tie their shoes. Because technology is placed in the hands of young children, they begin to rely on it at far too young of an age.

I got my first cell phone when I was 13, and older generations always told me about how they didn’t have one until they were in college. Today, some kids are getting their first cell phone at the age of six, and no one thinks twice about it. Kids are learning to text each other well before they’ve developed strong social skills. Although, it might be fair to say that social skills themselves have changed. Perhaps the person with the strongest social skills is no longer the one who looks you in the eye when you’re talking, but the one who sends the most appropriately worded text message with the proper emoji’s.

Not only have we begun to overuse technology for communication purposes, but we have also learned to depend on on technology as our source of self-worth. Ordinary compliments have turned into “likes” and “favorites.” Our culture wants to create comparison in every way possible. If we aren’t competing to see who has the most likes, we are fighting for more notifications so we can proclaim our popularity.

As I’m sure you’re well-aware, technology has even created a new platform for bullying. The days of stealing lunch money are long gone. If a modern bully wants to rid himself of insecurity, he composes a “roast” on “Rapchat” to make fun of one or more of his peers.

Isn’t it ironic that I am typing this article on my computer for you, the reader, to view online? This addiction is inescapable. Our modern world has us all hooked, and there is really no way out. That being said, technology doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Just remember to look at something palpable every now and then, and don’t forget to breath. Turn your phone off every once in a while, and enjoy each other’s company. Realize that sometimes the technology that was created to increase efficiency actually makes our lives extraordinarily inefficient. Let every technological device you use be a productive tool rather than a distraction, and don’t let your phone replace your friends. Because after all, everywhere you look, there’s a heart.

He Said; She Said

Published on October 26, 2015 in Editorial by Will Harper

He Said:

Batman and Robin, Lucy and Ricky, Tom and Jerry, Koch and Hart, Obama and Biden, Ellie and Camille… these are some of the most famous pairs of our society, but one pair tops them all: Joey and Chandler. Joey and Chandler from the famous 90’s sitcom, Friends, did everything together. They kept ducks and chickens in their apartment, they dated the same girls, they watched the same TV shows and they even sat in the same recliners. Joey and Chandler were inseparable. When they tried to move away from each other, Chandler ended up with a creep for a roommate and they were back together in the blink of an eye. It’s tough to compare such close friends, but Chandler is definitely superior.

Chandler is funny, good looking, practical and caring. His terrible jokes bring a smile to everyone. Chandler also has a fascinating family. His mother is an outstanding writer of novels with questionable content, and his father likes to wear dresses. No one really knows what Chandler’s job is, but he makes good money, and according to Rachel, he is a transponster. Some people question Chandler’s decision-making based on his relationship with Janice, but I would argue that Janice was a catch. Not only is she gorgeous, but I think her laugh is endearing. Chandler didn’t care what other people thought of her because he is caring and sweet. He treated Monica extraordinarily well. Lastly, Chandler has style. He dresses like a real dad, and even pretended to be a dad once but got in quite a pickle when he lost the baby.

Joey on the other hand is a pig. He objectifies women and eats too much. He is also not the smartest. He starred in a commercial featuring lipstick for men, and he firmly believes that he can drink a gallon of milk in ten seconds. He once surrendered his masculinity by wearing a purse, and he thinks he can speak French. He is also forgetful and can at times be a bad friend. He was supposed to set Phoebe up on a blind date, and after forgetting to find someone, he bribed a random stranger ten minutes before. Though he is lovable, Joey clearly is not nearly as awesome as Chandler.

These two friends will live on as one of the most dynamic duos of all time. No matter what anyone says about Joey or Chandler, they hold special places in our hearts. Chandler’s place is just a little bit more special.

She Said:

Joey, Joseph Francis Tribbiani, Dr. Drake Ramoray, the best character in Friends; any of these names will do. It is not even a question that Joey is the most beloved character in the hit television show Friends. Let’s put it this way: who would pick a sarcastic, sometimes rude and awkward guy over a sweet, pretty, smooth-talking and loving guy who always has your back?

I am probably the biggest Friends fan in the world, and I have watched the entire show about ten times over, and every time I watch it, I hate a different character. I have hated Chandler about four times, but I have never hated Joey. This is because Chandler is just more annoying than Joey, and this is how the writers meant it to be. I am aware that Chandler is comic relief during the few intense parts of the show, but Chandler doesn’t even know how to be sensitive to the other characters when he needs to be. He says it best when he is trying to help Rachel with a problem and he says, “I’m not great at the advice… Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?”

Not only is Chandler brought down by his inability to be sensitive, but his track record with girls doesn’t exactly help his case. His first serious girlfriend is Cathy, who cheats on him, next is Aurora, who also dates two other men while dating him, and of course, Janice, who is the most annoying woman the show has ever seen. Add all these girls together “oh…my…God.” As Phoebe would say, “Your collective dating record reads like a who’s who of human crap.” Chandler struggles with feminine relationships throughout the entire show until he finally settles down with Monica, who, let’s be real, is way out of his league. Simply put, Chandler is sort of just the loser of the show that everyone makes fun of. I mean, not even his best friends know what he does for a living. I think everyone’s feelings towards Chandler is summarized best when Rachel tells Joey that out of all their friends, she would most likely punch Chandler.

Joey, on the other hand, is quite the opposite of Chandler. First of all, Joey is a great friend to everyone on the show. He is always there for his friends whenever they need him. For example, in season eight, when Joey thinks Phoebe is pregnant, he proposes to her so that she doesn’t have to be a single mother. Then, when Joey finds out that Rachel is actually the one who is pregnant, he proposes to her. Also, in season seven, when Phoebe is heartbroken over David, Joey consoles her even though he is mad at her for standing him up. Not only is Joey a great friend, but he is also a family man. Joey is there for his mom when he finds out his dad is cheating on her, and for his sister when she tells him that she is pregnant. Though Joey may not be the smartest guy out there, he is the sweetest and the most caring. In addition, Joey has a much cooler job than Chandler. Joey is an actor while Chandler is a..well um…something with numbers. Though it took Joey a while to have any success in his career, he finally got his big break when he landed the role of Dr. Drake Ramoray in Days of Our Lives. Also, everybody knows that Joey is very good with the ladies. I mean, who wouldn’t swoon over the pretty boy with the big acting job and the famous “how you doin’?” Simply put, Joey is the guy that the other guys want to be and the girls want to be with.

He Said; She Said

Published on September 29, 2015 in Editorial by Will Harper

Photo by: Ellie Hall

He Said:

by Will Harper

Frankfurter, Volkswagen, gummy bear, Autobahn, mythology, Bach, Beethoven, twisty pretzel, sausage, Birkenstock- these are a few of my favorite things- all of which happen to have originated in the great land of Germany. Pardon my “Sound of Music” reference. That epic film is actually set in Austria, but what is the difference? Germany has produced an abundance of cool people, food, inventions and other stuff, but there is one product of this magical place that stands far above the rest. Birkenstocks are the greatest things ever invented.

I do not even know what dumb shoes Emma is defending, but I promise Birkenstocks are superior in every way. These German feats of engineering are perfect for running, jumping, skipping, walking, galloping, karaoke, frolicking, dancing and anything else that anyone could ever do. Some of them are actually pretty ugly, but it is not always about looking the best. Regardless of how “stylish” they are, Birkenstocks undoubtedly make a fashion statement that is nothing short of heroic. Our president Barack Obama says, “I love Birkenstocks, and they are amazing.”** How could anyone ever disagree with the president? **not a real quote

Birkenstocks have been endorsed by a host of other celebrities too. For example, a quick google search would yield images of Usher, Ashton Kutcher, Heidi Klum, Ellie Hall, Camille High and Jesus all wearing these handsome foot coverings. Even the Oscar-less Leonardo DiCaprio has been known to sport some stocks every once in a while. The infamous plank that kept Rose alive but perplexingly did not have room for Jack at the end of “Titanic” was actually just a Birkenstock flipped upside down.

I received my first pair of stocks at the ripe age of 10. I wore them every day and slept in them until they bore a scent more foul than the areas of the freshman hallway surrounding Dr. G’s room during pig dissection. It wasn’t until my 17^th birthday that I finally got a new pair. Emma was furious. She sub-tweeted about me, but I used my new sandals to block out the haters. I could go on for days about all the great features of my Birkenstocks, but one basic principal of good “He Said; She Said” writing is to ensure that the articles are similar in length. That being said, I need to wrap things up because Emma will not have much to say about her lame shoes. Birkenstocks are perfect, and it is just silly to try and compare them to any other shoes.

She Said:

by Emma Parrish

Let me get this straight, this is in no way a “He said; She said” worth arguing over because it is evident that I will win. For starters, Birkenstocks are the most hideous “fad” to ever come back in style. Who remembers wearing those awful-clog shoes when they were 8? My point exactly, you were a child who did not have a sense of fashion. Now a days, you see teenage girls all over the Atlanta area wearing these hideous-sandal, style Birkenstocks. They all say that they are “comfortable”, but I would take fashion over comfort any day. A fashion blogger even said in a review that, “They’re not sleek and beautiful by any means.” By owning Birkenstocks, you are taking a major risk in your friendships because there is a high possibility that someone will disapprove. I will never forget the day Will made the horrible decision to get Birkenstocks for his 17^th birthday, I have not spoken to him since.

Everyone has seemed to have fallen into this trend simply because “everyone else is wearing them.” Well if everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you? No, I did not think so. Celebrities have a huge influence on the youth in America. Recently, pictures have surfaced of them wearing Birkenstocks in the tabloids. I believe that celebrities should use their fame to influence teenagers in a positive way, not making them think wearing obnoxious shoes in our society is okay. It is also concerning how attached some people have become to their so called “birks.” They think that it is okay to wear these atrocious, casual things with any outfit, during any season, now that is a fashion foe. It’s like wearing flip flops in the winter, it makes no logical sense. The worst part about it is that it comes in a variety of colors. Now I can somewhat handle the classic brown style but when I saw Jordi Fietz wearing yellow Birkenstocks, I nearly fainted. Birkenstocks are not cheap either. You are basically paying $100 to embarrass yourself. This money could easily go to something worthwhile like fighting world hunger or towards your college fund. Birkenstocks have already gone out of style at one point so it will not be too long before you start to see them slowly fade away again. The day I can walk through a store and never have to look at a pair of Birkenstocks again will be one of the best days of my life.

Will Harper - page 5

Will Harper has 28 articles published.

New Lower School Programs Emphasize Hands-On Learning

Social Awareness: Hand Washing

Healthy Use of Technology Maximizes Efficiency

He Said; She Said

He Said:

She Said:

He Said; She Said

He Said:

She Said:

Will Harper - page 5

Will Harper has 28 articles published.

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