Another Summer Comes and Goes
“There’s a hundred and four days of summer vacation/ ‘Till school comes along just to end it/So the annual problem for our generation/ Is finding a good way to spend it…”
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He Said; She Said
Snapchat Stories
Brooks Lalley
How would you feel if your best friend wore the same dress as you to prom, even though she knew exactly what you were wearing? Well, Snapchat feels the same way about Instagram. This past summer, controversy arose as Instagram decided to add their own “story” feature to their app, practically stealing Snapchats signature shtick.
If you know anything about Wesleyan, you know that there is approximately zero tolerance for plagiarism. Therefore, it should come to no surprise that the Wesleyan community is not too excited that Instagram basically plagiarized Snapchat by stealing their most popular feature.
Honor Council member, Suzanne Godard said, “I think Instagram was trying to gain their popularity back because Snapchat is all the rage now, but I think they could have gone about that by coming up with something that was their own.” By supporting Instagram stories, Quinn is supporting plagiarism and by supporting plagiarism, Quinn should basically be sent to honor council. If this were a perfect world, Instagram would be sent to the honor council, receive a thorough investigation along with an intimidating stare down by Mrs. Wischerth and walk away with a punishment and lessons learned. But that is not the real world, and as for now, Instagram will remain the same.
Luckily for Snapchat, however, Instagram stories are not even that good to begin with. My opponent may argue that the pen accuracy is better; however if you are a living, breathing person you know that no one cares about pen accuracy. While given features such as drawing, chatting and privacy settings– along with the layout– largely remain the same, Snapchat offers many other options for more creativity. With geofilters, face recognition filters, countless stickers and (my personal favorite) Bitmoji, Instagram stories are no match for Snapchat.
What would life be without the ability to express ourselves through Bitmoji? And in what other circumstance would you be able to convey your emotions through Snapchat’s wide sticker variety that includes everything from a salty sloth to a crying pineapple?
Freshman Caroline Willis agrees. “My favorite Snapchat feature to use when I post stories is stickers because there are a lot of different ones for whatever you’re posting,” Willis said. In essence, Instagram may have worn the same dress as Snapchat on Prom night, but Snapchat slayed harder than Beyoncé, while Instagram looked like Solange.
Instagram Stories
Quinn Kaloper
Out of all the social media options these days, Instagram is for sure the favorite. Instagram is used for a variety of things, the obvious being posting pictures. What people occasionally overlook is that Instagram is used for editing pictures, sharing videos and my personal favorite, Direct Messaging. Don’t lie to yourself; you have edited a picture without even posting it. Who needs VSCO anymore? Anyway, the option of “DM-ing” or “Direct Messaging” is simply used to ‘slide into ones DMs’ by sending someone you follow a message. You could send the DM to a group or just to one person. The new fancy Instagram update is the Instagram stories. Yes, I said that correctly, Instagram stories.
Some will hate on Instagram stories because they think Instagram is trying “to be like Snapchat.” But, Instagram stories are so much better than Snapchat stories; no matter what people say. In fact, Instagram stories have a better pen accuracy and there is way more option for pen styles and colors to write on your stories. Though you can not see who has screenshotted it, it still shows who has viewed the story. Lastly, my favorite bonus is that there is easy access to swipe back and see the previous story. So many times I will be watching Snapchat stories and miss something interesting and have to go back and find whose story it was on, which is just a pain. Plus, now there is no inconvenience of having two different apps. From daily stories to your perfectly-edited “Instagram worthy” pictures, Instagram has it all.
Brooks says that I am supporting plagiarism and that I should be sent to the honor council, but that is just not right. What I am supporting is creativity. The creativity of drawing and expressing emotions. Some do not openly share their emotions on social media, but there are some that do—I respect that. Instagram stories are creative and have zero plagiarism. So… sorry (not sorry) Brooks; you’re wrong.
Snapchat is primarily just used in our current generation, unlike Instagram, which every generation uses. Most parents have an Instagram and even some grandparents. Only the cool and hip grandparents, of course. Parents and grandparents are grateful for the new update of Instagram stories so they don’t have to learn how to navigate a confusing app called Snapchat when they already know how to work Instagram. So, thank you Instagram engineers for creating Instagram stories.
He Said; She Said
Moe’s
Will Harper
Few debates ignite a fire within many Wesleyan students the same way that Mexican food does. Perhaps that statement could be misconstrued; what I mean is, students are very passionate about Mexican restaurants. Some like Moe’s, others like Chipotle, and Jack Connors worked at Taco Bell. One time I even heard of someone who liked Qdoba. The point is, for ages people have been arguing about why one is better than the other. To be honest, I think they are all good, but I do prefer Moe’s over Chipotle, so I suppose I can pretend like it’s a big deal to me just for the sake of beating Ellie.
In light of recent events, this isn’t really going to be that hard. If nothing else, Moe’s is simply better because it won’t give you Ebola. I heard that Chipotle’s food has Ebola in it. That stuff is dangerous. Just kidding, it’s actually E.Coli. On top of that, Moe’s tastes better. When scripture refers to Canaan as the land of milk and honey, they are talking about Moe’s queso. I don’t really have any cold hard facts at all, but based on my frequent visits to both establishments I am pretty sure that Moe’s offers way more bang for your buck.
Most importantly, Moe’s has a way better atmosphere. When you walk into Chipotle no one yells “WELCOME TO CHIPOTLE!!!” and honestly if they did that would be pretty weird. At the local Moe’s, Ignacio makes everyone feel welcome. For a good while back in the day, you could get a free t-shirt if you yelled “welcome to Moe’s” before the employees did. They stopped doing that because they were losing a whole bunch of money giving away all those free shirts. Also, Chipotle does not have the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine. Moe’s does have that. Plus, Moe’s has TV’s, and Chipotle does not. Maybe they are trying to promote social interaction or something pointless like that.
Anyway, this argument is just silly because all of the Mexican restaurants are pretty darn good. That being said, Willy’s is far and away the best.
Chipotle
Ellie Hall
Simply put, Chipotle is bae. Chipotle is the best Mexican restaurant in the Forum by far, much better than stupid Moe’s. There are many different Mexican restaurant similar to Chipotle; for example, Willy’s, Taco Bell, Cheeky’s, ect., but Chipotle is the obvious choice. I know that Will is arguing for Moe’s, but I know for a fact that he is a huge fan of Chipotle because more than once, he has made me sit with him while he enjoys his Chipotle burrito.
There are many things about Moe’s that are problematic, but the main one is that the food at Moe’s is not fresh. In fact, the food is so yucky that I refuse to eat there. Sometimes I wonder how long the food has been sitting out, and the fact that I even have to ask myself that question is a reason not to go there. Also, it is so annoying when you walk in to Moe’s and all of the workers yell at you. Sure, they are saying welcome, but I feel like I am being ganged up on, and it is not nice. Senior Alex Thompson, who also hates Moe’s couldn’t have said it better when he said, “If you hate yourself, you should go to Moe’s. It is the worst excuse for a Mexican restaurant ever created.” Keep Reading
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High School: More Than A Grade
High school, though primarily associated with academia, intrinsically functions as a catalyst for social experimentation, discovery and growth. One could certainly argue that the social ramifications of these four years even surpass those of academic nature. Education at the high school level is intended to cultivate and expand intellectual interests while preparing students for productive careers, but the byproduct of so many teenagers meeting in the same place for hours a day comes in the form of social development that is invaluable to the individual and to society.
Simply put, high school is the place where people really start to figure out who they are and how they interact with other people. Because the social facet of high school education accounts for such a large portion of its overall value, it is exceptionally worth-while for students to evaluate their social habits and interactions in order to ensure that they impact the high school experience positively.
Ultimately, the distinguishing factor between positive and negative social interactions and habits is attitude. By now, most students are sick of being told to change their attitude; adolescents are bombarded by parents, teachers, and just about everyone else telling them to improve their attitude. As monotonous as the message may be, it is so heavily emphasized for good reason. As it relates to social interactions, attitude is central to behavior. A positive attitude inevitably yields healthy, encouraging interactions and conversations. Alternatively, a negative attitude leads to insecurity and petulance. 100 percent of humans would rather find themselves in the presence of an encouraging, selfless person than a cantankerous, irritable bully.
Although many teachers and students are far too susceptible to hypersensitivity, many others refuse to acknowledge the harm they are capable and often guilty of inflicting. The only thing worse than an overly sensitive cry-baby complaining about a harmless joke is a bully who consistently hurts his or her peers without ever admitting to it or receiving retribution. Too often our desire for acceptance exceeds our urge to confront those who put down innocent others. Unfortunately, we are generally afraid to admit that sometimes people actually do hurt our feelings, and sometimes that is enough to do real damage.
I would be remiss if I neglected to mention that this editorial is intrinsically riddled with hypocrisy. Although I am guilty of all of the aforementioned wrongdoings, I can honestly say that high school has taught me to take far more pleasure from encouraging others than hiding my insecurities by putting others down. My favorite thing about the Class of 2016 is that my classmates and I have arrived at the realization that applauding and supporting each other in everything we do produces more joy and excitement than exploiting each other because of our differences. In conclusion, high school is about a lot more than learning. Take a break from stressing about grades every once in a while to evaluate what high school really means for you.
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He Said; She Said
Hot Weather
Ellie Hall
Whenever I am asked, “Would you rather be in extreme heat or extreme cold?” my answer is always heat without hesitation. There is one reason for this—being cold is the worst feeling in the entire world. It is not only uncomfortable, it is physically painful. It actually hurts my skin. In addition, being cold can actually be dangerous to your body. According to Physicians Health Network, cold weather can cause constriction of blood vessels in the skin, lower blood supply, a raise in blood pressure, etc.
Also, cold weather increases the chance of injury. Cold weather also tends to bring out the worst in everyone both physically and behaviorally. It makes your nose red and runny, it makes you pale because you do not want to go outside, it dries out your skin, it makes your lips chapped. Do not forget that it makes people look frumpier because they have to wear so much clothes. People tend to lose their beach bodies; basically it just makes everyone a less attractive version of themselves. Also, it makes people want to stay inside and play video games or eat, which causes them to get fat and pale. It also makes people less fun to be around because they are so angry because they are cold. No one likes being cold; if someone says they do, they are lying.
Hot weather is quite the opposite of everything I said about cold weather. Hot weather makes people more attractive and happier. It causes most to go outside, so they get tan which makes them look more youthful. Though it is true that extreme heat can also be dangerous, it is more easily controlled because heat leads you to drink more water. Also, hot weather means summer which means no school which means happiness for all.
It is also the time for people to take their trips to the lake or the beach that they so often advertise on Instagram. Along the same lines, how often do you see Instagram photos during the summer with the caption, “Take me back to winter.” The answer is never. However, if I had a dime for every time I have seen someone tell all of their many Instagram followers to “take them back to the summer,” I would be a millionaire.
Therefore, everyone agrees that heat is much better than cold. Don’t worry friends, it is almost spring, and heat is coming. Hang in there!
Cold Weather
Will Harper
When it comes to weather, everyone has their opinion about which season is the superior. Perhaps some people are too indecisive to choose one season, but they have some sort of opinion regardless. I think it’s great that we can all have our own opinion about weather, but I’ve noticed that a lot of people are wrong. For example, Ellie thinks that summer is better than winter.
As a precursor to my argument, I’d like to share a brief anecdote. Once upon a time, Jimmy and Petunia decided to go skiing. They drove up to the mountain with their bags packed and walked into the resort to buy lift tickets. “We’ll have two lift tickets, please,” Jimmy said to the man behind the counter. “It’s July,” replied the man, “go home.” Disappointed in themselves for forgetting that most fun things happen in the winter time, Jimmy and Petunia set off to look for something else to do. They searched the mall high and low, but they couldn’t find Santa anywhere. Finally, they asked a member of the mall staff where jolly Ole Saint Nick was. “It’s July,” said the man, “go home.” Disappointed in themselves for forgetting that Christmas happens in December, Jimmy and Petunia went home to cry because nothing exciting happens during the summer.
Jimmy and Petunia fell victim to a tragic situation – warm weather. Cold weather is far superior. For example, when it’s cold outside, anyone can easily feel more comfortable by simply wearing more clothing. If it’s hot, you can get totally naked and you’ll still be hot. Cold weather has so much more to offer. Warm clothing is way more stylish than stuff you might wear during the summer. Colder weather also means football season, basketball season and best of all, cuddle season. Everyone loves some good snuggle weather. When’s the last time you saw someone cozy up by a fire with some hot chocolate during August?
In addition to all of these benefits, colder weather also brings with it the holiday season. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are the three most enjoyable Holidays of the year. Not only do these holidays make life happier and more exciting, but they also mean that school is not in session for a good while. Speaking of which, cold weather also brings about the occasional snow day. Though rare, usually school is cancelled at least one day each year due to inclement weather. Even though it’s only a day, having school unexpectedly cancelled is one of the best feelings ever. In short, I’d rather be cold than hot 12 times out of 10.
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