"The AP Test" by Lavender Li

Welcome to your first AP test. I will be your proctor. Don’t be nervous; you have just been preparing the entire year for this three hour block. I hope all of you are well. Listen carefully to these instructions. If you do not obey each and every one, you will be disqualified.

Did you eat something? If you did, great. You are going to be well nourished and ready to take the test. Your brain needs food to function properly.  If you did not, great. There is less of a chance of throwing up and disrupting the testing environment.

Do you have all your pencils? They must be yellow, number two pencils. No, not that shade of yellow, the other shade. You are disqualified. No, not a number one pencil, only number two. You are disqualified. It is important to have the right pencils to complete this test. Us AP people are very specific.

Did you put your phone in your locker? I hope you did because phones are a very serious testing violation. If you are found with a phone, the entire room will be disqualified. Do not be that person. If that happens, everyone sitting in this very gym will hate you because their tests will not be accepted.  

Do you have your pens for the essays? You may only use blue or black ink. Do not switch the colors in your essays. Do not even think about using a red pen. If your pen runs out of ink halfway through the test, I hope you have another one. If not, there is nothing I can do for you. Your test is over.  

Do you have your photo i.d.? A driver's license will suffice. I hope your pictures are good. If we cannot tell the picture is you, you will be disqualified. I’m sorry, rules are rules. A proctor will be around shortly to examine your ID. Have it out on your table.  

Did you learn anything this year? Was your teacher good? Do you even remember a minute of the class? This late in the year, I cannot do anything for you; it’s all on you. All the hours, days, and months have led up to this very moment. My only piece of advice; don’t screw up and when in doubt, pick “C”.

At this point, you may open your test booklet and silently freak out. Do not cry as that would disrupt the testing environment. Be sure to fully bubble in your answer and keep an eye on the clock. You will not be permitted any more time. Breathe in and out as you pick up your pencil and you may begin.

"Oceanic" by Mercedes Benz

Neck-deep in homework, my energy had been drained entirely. Instead of soaking into the blueness of the situation, I decided to dive into a refreshing novel at the library. Completely swimming with knowledge, the library is full to the brim with students. Casts of crabby characters, shivers of sharkish souls, and a vast assortment of pretty birds float about the cool room. After coasting in along with the waves of teenagers, I find a fishy situation. Upon the coral reef shelves, there rests a lack of fictional troves. Utterly shipwrecked, I collapse into a soft bed of cushions. Nearby, the top predators of the school, the librarian and an administrator, whisper words of suspicion. The keeper of such treasures, had sandy blonde hair and dark blue eyes. The other was the king of our school. Nobody had ever even thought of attacking this marauder of criminals, let alone manta-raid his treasures. Feeling a tad out of my depth, I left the cavern, drowning in a whirlpool of disappointment. I sailed through the hallway, weaving between the teeming wildlife until I spotted a familiar face with a watery complexion. Floundering and as winded as a fish-out-of-water, he relayed to me a spectacular sight. The valley of sports had been torn apart by an aggressive lion fish. The pirates had lit the soft bed of land with a volcanic eruption, creating a murky blaze of light. 

"GFL" by Victoria Lemmings

I suppose I’ve always been sort of a feminist. Even when I was in elementary school, I’ve always wholeheartedly believed that anything boys can do, girls are perfectly capable of doing, too (and usually, girls can do it even better). In fact, nothing frustrated me more than in fourth grade, when I was told I couldn’t play with the guys in their football game at recess. They played every single day, and I always watched and observed the plays they ran. Now, I was no stranger to football. My dad taught me how to throw a wicked spiral, and I often threw around the ball with my brothers in our backyard. I could throw, I could catch, and I could sprint pretty fast. I watched the Redskins on TV all the time so I knew all the rules and positions. However, when I asked the boys in my class if I could play with them, they laughed and said no.

This made me furious. They hadn’t even seen me play; they just refused because it would be weird for a girl to play with them. Not only was I angry, but I was also hurt, because I was friends with many of the boys in my class, and I expected them to treat me as an equal with respect. So I did the only thing that I could think of- I created my own football league for recess play. It was called GFL, the Girls Football League.

I recruited girls in my class whom I thought would be a good addition to the GFL. I organized the group into two teams for scrimmages, assigned people positions, and made up plays for the girls to follow. We practiced for weeks. I must admit, I didn’t have much talent to work with, and at first it was nearly impossible to execute a simple pass to one of our wide receivers. Despite our rocky skills, I had a blast proving to my classmates and to myself that girls could play football if they wanted. We actually got much better with time; by our final few days, we scored multiple touchdowns per practice by throwing passes and running the ball.

After a month of solid practicing and scrimmaging during our thirty minutes allotted for recess, we decided that we were ready for the big leagues- we were ready to play against the boys’ team. I’ll spare the details on the actual match (it wasn’t the best game ever, and we lost by about 30 points), but I will say that it was an empowering experience. Though we were less skilled compared to the boys’ team, just the fact that we were trying and holding our own was the most important thing for me. I scored a touchdown, which was a real “in your face” moment to the boys who wouldn’t let me play with them before. Through GFL, I realized that I am proud to be a girl, and despite the inequality we may face on the playground or out in the “real world”, I am happy to prove the incredible capabilities of females.

"Road Patrol" by William Shakespeare

In the year 2052, the god of darkness, Tenebris, came down to earth and poisoned the night. He cursed the world by making darkness a physical appearance; he wanted to take over the world and put it into eternal night. His main goal was to isolate the cities and take over earth one city at a time, his only problem was it had to be done at nighttime. Tenebris made darkness deadly to the touch, one moment of contact and an innocent person would be completely consumed by the blackness that the dark brought with it. His soul would be ripped from his body, consumed by darkness, only leaving the body that whose insides were turned completely black. Society went into a frenzy, freaking out and rushing into the brightly lit cities such as New York and London. Humanity crowded roads and created days of traffic to enter into cities. As nighttime came, lampposts located on the streets were too weak compared to the power Tenebris gave darkness. Darkness swept over roads and highways, easily burning out the lamppost lights. Millions of people died on their journey to survival, only bodies left as evidence. While people were rushing into the cities, political leaders and scientists started producing new and powerful LED lights that shine all through the night and managed to keep darkness out of the cities. Once in the cities, people never left; they stayed within the safety of their home and rarely went out except for food and work. The government began to worry, knowing without travel the economy of the world would be seriously hurt. So, they began to construct lights that would make it safe for travel. The newly built roads had beaming LED lights located every twenty feet and high power generators to keep the lights on all through the night. But, to ensure that the roads are safe, there has to be someone to monitor it.

They’re called road patrol. Their job is to patrol the highways and make sure the lights are all in order. It may not seem like a big task, but the image of the lights going while people are driving can create fear amongst drivers. Ever since the invention of road patrol, they’ve never experienced a problem in all their years of service. The workers are equipped with light up vests, pants, shoes, and hats. If the lights were to go out, it assures them enough time to get the emergency lights running before darkness completely consumes the drivers. Road patrol has made their message very clear that their main concern is keeping the public safe. They put their lives at risk every day and constantly look for any signs of danger. Road patrol may not be as popular as the president, but they’re a vital part to society. They’re like the security blanket for children; they ensure that nothing will go wrong while they’re out on the roads doing their jobs.

"One Day" by Marsha Mellow

It only takes a moment when it happens.

you might blink, or take a little too long to get yourself straight

one day.

It’ll just take one

one day and the rest of your life, however short, however complicated, however tragic

one day, thats it.

his one day came on that day.

it took less than a moment

later on he would wonder if he knew even before he set his curious eyes on her, he

would ponder the idea of just knowing, of something being so clear and right somewhere

deep inside your core that you just knew

he would mull over the word ‘soulmates’ thinking it fell short for him and her

thinking that something about the blue eyes that rose from behind the glossy frames of

her bright blue glasses was so familiar that they couldn’t have been strangers.

she wasn’t pretty

no

she was art

she was beautiful, sure, wrapped up tight into a black dress that looked more like a second

skin than an actual dress, red plastic cup clutched in a hand of chipped yellow nail polish and

rings, laughing, dancing.

but art is more than just that, she was more than just that

art makes you feel something, art stirs something deep in your stomach, something a lot like

awe. she was art, the best kind of art

"PSA: The Dangers of Spring Fever" by Lavender Li

This is an announcement from your local doctor. This year, Spring Fever (Morbus Fons) is a particularly strong strain. Due to the prolonged winter, Spring Fever has developed to be particularly nasty. It is important to know the symptoms and treatments of Spring Fever to protect you and others around you.

First of all, Spring Fever is caused by the changing of the seasons. Winter has just ended and your body is getting used to the new weather, including temperatures and hours of light. The changing of temperature confuses your internal thermometer, which affects how well your immune system fights off other types of illnesses. It is not uncommon for a person with Spring Fever to develop a cold or a stomach bug. The new and longer hours of sunlight disorients your biological clock, making it difficult for your body to fall asleep and wake up. This can lead to sleep deprivation and drowsiness.

Mixed with the natural allergies of pollen, the sufferers of Spring Fever suffer intense symptoms. Symptoms of Spring Fever include:

·         Drowsiness

·         Confusion

·         Runny noses

·         Weaken immune system

·         Desire to be outside

·         Desire to place flowers inside

·         Increase procrastination (often due to prolonged hours outside)

Spring Fever is easily treated. Treatment options include keeping a strict schedule or easing into the spring season. Keeping a strict schedule will help with procrastination and desire to be outside. With a strict schedule of times to be inside working and outside enjoying the weather, the symptoms of Spring Fever tend to decrease. Easing into the spring season also aid the symptoms of Spring Fever. Ways to ease into spring include, going to bed at normal times, gradually switching winter clothes to spring clothes, and keeping the thermostat colder to simulate winter. These gradual changes decrease some of the symptoms.  However, these methods of treatment might not be enough. If the case of Spring Fever is severe enough, your doctor may prescribe Flors Absente Febre or FeverbGone for short. This medicine reduces the symptoms without changing  your personal life. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of this in your life.

Spring Fever is a dangerous disease, especially this year. Knowing the symptoms of this disease is the first step in protecting yourself and others. Go to www.springfevergeneralinfo.gov for more details and information. Stay safe and enjoy your spring. 

"Love" by Justin Turner

They say it makes the world go round. People do crazy things for it. It's a universal feeling that exists across all cultures and even seems to exist within other animals. It's love.

It's funny how a few neurotransmitters firing off can bring people together and tear them apart. How the hormones in the body can make you feel pain without physical damage, cause war, or give you butterflies. Love is simply a part of biology yet it holds so much power.

I was playing with my baby cousin the other day and he was being his cheeky adorable self when I scooped him off the floor to get dinner and gave him a hug.

"Why did you give me a hug?" his two year old accent said.

"Because I love you."

"Why?"

"Why do I love you?"

"Yeah."

I was at a loss. Why does anybody love anyone?

"Because you're awesome, smart, and family."

"Okay."

But it wasn't okay. That wasn’t the actual answer. But it was the only thing that came to mind. Why do we love people? What makes us love others? There are so many different forms and situations, but I couldn't seem to put my finger on the reason why we love people. While my little philosopher sat and ate his soup I tried to think of a solution. What is the commonality between the people and things I love?

I've had a bit of time to think since then and I think that loving someone has to do with the experiences you have with that person. This of course refutes love at first sight, but just like the English language there are always exceptions. There was a study done recently that said that to can fall in love with anyone. All you had to do is answer some questions to each other and bam instant love. In our romanticized world it's hard to believe that there may not be a thing as a "one true love" and maybe that's clouding my judgement but I'm inclined to believe there's more to love than just a questionnaire. It's the memories you make... Maybe it isn't a complete answer but for now it will suffice. I have a whole life left to figure it out.