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Finals cause stress

J o h n H e r s e y H i g h S c h o o l

orrespondentJ a n u a r y 1 3 , 2 0 1 2

CV o l u m e 4 4 I s s u e 6 1 9 0 0 E . T h o m a s S t . , A r l i n g t o n H e i g h t s , I L 6 0 0 0 4

Abby FeslJessica Lynk

The semester has come to a close and finals are next week. Grades come down to one test.

Most students begin to focus on studying the week or weekend before, but often find it difficult be-cause teachers generally have tests that will boost or destroy grades the week before finals.

“A few of them decide my grade, so I have to study now too,” junior Sarah Mulroe said.

While some students are hesitant about the tests, many think it’s a good way to review for fi-nals.

“I like it because it’s a good chance to learn more recent things,” ju-nior Mike Perlongo said. “And a good way to boost grades.”

To help students cope with the high stress levels, the Arling-ton Heights Memorial Library is teaming with Whole Foods Market in Palatine to provide brain friendly snacks.

Also, presentations by breathing and meditation specialists from Pulsation Yoga, Willow Yoga and Yogi Ram will be avail-able to any high school students.

Along with the brain friendly snacks and the breathing presentations, a section of the li-brary will be put off for high school students to have quiet study groups.

“Our library is looking to provide services for teens and this was a program I have seen been successful in other public libraries, so we decided to give it a shot,” director of teens at Arlington Heights Memorial Library, Tom Spicer said.

The quiet atmosphere entices many stu-dents to attend.

“It sounds helpful. It sounds relaxing, I would probably go,” sophomore Brianna Lear said.

“I will go, it will be quiet and easy to fo-cus,” junior Nicole Borst said.

Mulroe agrees, “Yoga’s calming and my nerves are not calm right now.”

Some students have distinct styles of studying that wouldn’t mix well with the Li-brary’s Lounge.

“I like studying on my own. It’s a good idea, but it probably wouldn’t help me much,” junior Amanda Petro said.

Finals generally cause a lot of stress. Grades, colleges, and GPA’s can boil down to how well finals are done.

After a few years of finals under their belt, upperclassmen have a few tips for underclass-men and peers.

“Start studying earlier, it’ll make you more pre-pared,” senior Kristen Pedersen said.

Preparing early is just as important as sleeping well the night before. The brain doesn’t retain knowl-edge as well on minimal hours of sleep.

“Don’t put stuff off, start working early, eat break-fast, and sleep well,” Perlongo said.

According to Mayo Clinic, positive think-ing results in better coping skills in hardships and times of stress.

“Make sure you study the things that matter and, most importantly, you be-

lieve you can do well on finals,” senior Andy Bisceglie said.

The library will be hosting the Li-brary Lounge from Monday through Thursday next week during all library hours, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. This will offer a peaceful atmosphere for students to get studying done.

“We want to show teens that the li-brary is a great place for group study, to find useful resources and just hangout,” Spicer said.

“It’s tough leading up to finals but the week is

overall relaxing.”

“Finals week is my favor-ite week because it gives me time to catch up on

my sleep.”

“I like finals week because I love getting out of school early.”

Arlington library helps students cope

Page 6

Junior expresses love for professional wrestling.

Students can find alternatives to weekend adventures and activities.

Senior Jordan Barone

Sophomore Sam Mulroe

Sophomore Sydney

The p sitives of finals week

•Graphic by: Lauren Kelley

January 13. 2012The Correspondent2 3The Correspondent2012January 13. 20122012

Julia Kedzior

Falling buildings, terrifying screams, or zombies eating away at human flesh. No mat-ter what comes to mind when someone says the word “apocalypse,” the topic has become un-avoidable with the new theory that the world will end on Dec. 21, 2012.

The human race has been anticipating the specific date for years, especially since the 2012 movie was released in 2009.

It’s pretty safe to say that a lot of people were scared that the world was going to end in some sort of tragic way, with the world looking like it’s going through all the worst natural di-sasters at once.

However, it seems that students today have taken a more careless approach and aren’t as worried that this is their last year on Earth.

“It’s stupid, people who actually believe it don’t know what they’re talking about, and it’s definitely not happening,” sophomore Russ Bartlett said.

Just as some people think that the coming doomsday will bring solar storms, collisions, and other gigantic tragedies, others claim that it’s an unreasonable claim made by the media just to psych us out.

“The people who made the movie were ob-viously just cashing in on it, and people are des-

perate to support it because people always like to think the world is ending. It happened with Y2K, with bird flu, swine flu, SARS and the Rap-ture guy, and we’re still here. People just like to

freak out about it,” Bartlett said.The way the news spread was alarmingly

fast, and soon everybody knew about the mys-tery of the end of the world. It’s no surprise that people started panicking and thinking up expla-nations and facts to go along with their predic-tions for a day that was still far in the future.

The countless websites, books, and articles created for the purpose of educating listed nu-merous facts about how the Mayan calendar stopped on December 21, 2012, and how the Earth was heading in for a big change that could most likely destroy us.

It’s hard to believe that the world as we know it may one day come to an end, and stu-dents seem to think that that day is later rather than sooner.

No matter how much the media hypes it up, they refuse to agree that the world is ending, and prefer to continue their lives and make plans for the future like they would in any other year.

“I don’t think it [the world] is going to end this year,” sophomore Lukasz Pytlak said.

Not thinking of it as a big deal means less stress, and that’s the way everyone wants to stay. With the beginning of the year, it’s nice to focus on the positive things that we look forward to.

“The Mayans probably ran out of space on their calendar,” Pytlak said.

Students stay positive despite rumored doomsday

Although many believe that the world will end at the end of 2012, students refuse to buy into

the hype.-NASA/MCT

New year, new me2012 brings hope to change students lives

Mackenzie Francis

For many, January is the beginning to a year that’s filled with a starting over and stop-ping bad habits. New year’s resolutions are one of the most common ways to go about picking up a new hobby or breaking a bad habit.

Every year, millions of American’s make a new years resolution, but according to psychol-ogytoday.com, not many keep them. “Research has shown, that after six months, fewer than half the people who make new years resolutions have stuck with them, and, after a year, that number declines to around ten percent.”

The big question that surrounds the resolu-tions, is why make them if one won’t keep them? “Everyone forget’s about them,” sophomore Sar-ah Jaffe said.

Making a new year’s resolution doesn’t nec-essarily mean meeting the goal that’s strived for- although that would be nice.

A resolution is “the act of resolving or de-termining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.,” as stated on diction-ary.reference.com. Determination and effort

set one up with a high success rate for reaching their goal, but if it’s not reached, it technically still qualifies as completing a new year’s reso-lution. “I believe new year’s resolutions are for people trying to make a fresh start,” sophomore Francesca Hernandez said.

New year’s resolutions can even be used just to identify areas in a peoples lives, in which they want to make a change.

It can be hard to start off the new year try-ing to break bad habits and start better ones, though. Professionals suggest slowly building up towards the goal, with little things that come into play. According to goal-setting-guide.com, there are five steps for making and hopefully achieving a new year’s resolution.

They are: make it specific, realistic, known, measurable by time, and fun or rewarding. It has shown that being as specific as possible when making a goal for the new year is important.

Simply making the resolution to wash the dishes, probably won’t be enough.

Realistic dates and frequency can help pro-vide the extra step when making the goal. “All I’ve heard is the normal ‘eat healthier and ex-

ercise more.’ They never follow through with it though.” Jaffe said. Lack of specificity could be the reason.

A common new year’s resolution that is of-ten made by students is to earn better grades. This can be done by studying harder and going in for help in a subject, if needed.

With first semester ending, and second right around the corner, many would say it’s a great time to kick off these resolutions and start making the smarter habits included in them.

“I feel like [the new year is] just a clean slate for me to go off of. Especially with the new se-mester in school,” Jaffe said.

“Studies suggest that by making a resolu-tion, you are ten times more likely to succeed in your goal,” as stated on psychologytoday.com.

Whether planning to achieve a goal or just making a simple effort to change a bad habit, thinking of new year’s resolution does improve success rates.

“I think [new year’s resolutions are] good because they give people goals to improve them-selves, Hernandez said. “They don’t always last but at least for a little while it works.”

SIX...And then there were 8

Matt Stadnicki

One of the most anticipated events for 2012 among athletes and viewers alike are the 2012 London Summer Olympics. Every four years, this major event brings together the best ath-letes from the world to compete.

Since it only occurs every four years, the Olympics are a big deal.

Whether it’s the awe inspiring opening cer-emonies, or the athletes competing, the Olym-pics can motivate and entertain. “It shows what the best of the best can do,” sophomore Joey Szymanski said.

The Olympics kick off on July 27 with the opening ceremonies. They start with the parade of athletes, who enter the stadium with other athletes from their country. The main event of the opening ceremonies is the lighting of the Olympic torch.

After the opening ceremony, the events be-gin.

The London Olympics will host 26 sports, from racing, to swimming, to gymnastics, giv-ing sports fans at least one event to cheer for and watch.

The many events allow for events to be constantly being played. In addition, sports that aren’t as well known like Judo and sailing to get their fair share of attention and receive recogni-tion.

Many students appreciate the Olympics be-cause they can provide a source of inspiration to be better at one’s sport. “Seeing the people race with so much passion makes you want to com-pete at that level,” junior Robert Somary said.

The Olympics not only inspire people to do better at sports. The games themselves are a testament to the value of hard work and effort. “You see how the experts

do it, and you see how much time and effort they put in,”

sophomore An-drew Philipose

said.One of

the most e m o -tional events f o r a t h -l e t e s a n d

v i e w -

ers alike are the victory ceremonies, where the top athletes receive their medals: Gold for first, silver for second, and bronze for third.

During the ceremony, the athletes are stand on a podium as they are awarded their medals, and the gold medalist’s country’s national an-them is played.

The Olympics close on Aug. 12 with the Closing Ceremony. The ceremony starts out with all the athletes marching into the Olym-pic Stadium together, contrary to the Opening Ceremony, where the athletes entered with their countrymen.

During the closing ceremonies, the Olym-pic Torch, which was lit at the beginning of the games, is extinguished and the Olympic flag is handed off to the next host of the Summer Olympics, Rio de Janeiro.

After the Closing Ceremonies, viewers have to wait another four years for the best of

the best to compete again.2012 has many things in store, and

the Olympics is one of them.

Olympics delivers excitement for summer

Mitt Romney- Former governor of Massachusetts

ran for president in 2008He’s the most likely contender at this point

thanks to his notoriety from 2008 and the fact that his campaign funds are almost twice the amount his richest rival Rick Perry, but voters nor the media just don’t want to embrace him yet (as shown by SNL

here.) They’re worried about his stances on the issues. Romney cham-pioned statewide healthcare bill before it was introduced nationwide and turned the Tea Party into a full-blown rager. His moderate posi-tions on abortion and gay marriage are also giving voters cold feet.

Rick Santorum- Former Representative and Senator

from PennsylvaniaThe politician-turned-TV personality was one

of the highest ranking members of the GOP when he was in the Senate, but he was beaten after a nasty campaign in 2006. His staunchly conservative voting

record makes him a threat to Romney in the future, but only if he can get the nation to care about him. Almost of all the measly million campaign dollars he has is from his home state.

Ron Paul- Currently a Representative from

TexasIf the Tea Party was an actual party, Ron Paul

would be that guy with a lampshade on his head dancing on the couch. His extreme libertarian views have earned him the support of most of the Tea Par-

ty and a nationwide network of hardcore supporters, but those same values are also making less radical voters concerned. Paul wants to scale back America’s military presence overseas and shut down the IRS. He doesn’t mind gay people marrying each other, nor does he think Iran and China are planning to nuke us. He has ideas that differ from the rest of the field, but he’s too out of left field to win votes from moder-ates.

Michelle Bachmann- Currently a Reperesentative from

Minnesota, dropped outThe Tea Party darling talked a really big game:

she kept the question over Barack Obama’s birth certificate alive, took shots at democrats for doing things she didn’t like and did it all in short little

soundbytes that make 24-hour news networks go mad. She also doesn’t know which camera to talk into.

Jon Huntsman- Former governor of Utah

Huntsman is the Tim Tebow of politics. The guy is deeply religious and spent years as a missionary in Taiwan. He was a solid diplomat to China for a while and the media liked him. But as soon as he went into the big leagues, the conservative media turned on

him. Whenever he gets mentioned in the news, it’s usually about his social stance. Huntsman isn’t a conservative: he doesn’t care about gay marriage, doesn’t totally oppose abortion and he doesn’t want to deport illegal immigrants back to Mexico. Mainstream republicans simply won’t get behind him, so he’s going to drop out unless we see a case of divine intervention.

Rick Perry- Current governor of Texas

Oh look, a charismatic sixty-something gover-nor from Texas wants to be president. That doesn’t ring a bell. He tries to not associate with the Bush family and even wants to bring all the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan but other than that, he’s

a near-clone of Bush’s policies. He fared poorly in the Iowa Caucus, but he’s 2nd in campaign funding among Republican candidates. However, that money cannot repair his slip-ups in the early stages of the campaign. During a debate, he declared that he was going to dismantle three departments if elected President: the Department of Commerce, Education, and... oh yeah, the EPA. One of his speeches in New Hampshire has gone viral because he appeared drunk. If Perry has any chance of winning the Republican ticket, he’ll have to seize it with an ad blitz.

Newt Gingrich- Former Speaker of the HouseGingrich is the most experienced man in the

race. His political genius is matched only by his ruthlessness. After leading Republicans to a majority in Congress in 1994, He played a Congressional game of chicken with Bill Clinton which led to a govern-

ment shutdown a year later. Gingrich also made the case for impeach-ing Clinton after the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke while having an affair with one of his own aides. The joke writes itself. He has also advocated secretly assassinating Iranian scientists in order to prevent them from developing a nuclear weapon, apparently unaware that Iran has already secretly acquired CNN and probably heard him say that. In short, Gingrich doesn’t seem like he’s capable of negotiating with fel-low leaders or talking people into voting for him, as shown by his 4th place finish in the pivotal Iowa Caucuses.

Hermain Cain- Former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza,

dropped outHe had a certain... spunkiness to him. It made

for good campaign fodder but couldn’t cover up his weaknesses. Specifically, he didn’t know anything about running a government. He doesn’t even know how to make a decent pizza. Cain didn’t know any-

thing about the Libyan Uprising and thinks that free speech doesn’t cover Muslims. There’s also all those sexual harassment accusations. But one moment captures the silliness of Herman Cain’s entire campaign, it has to be when he quoted the credits song to Pokemon: The Movie. -Dan Mika

“I like to watch all the swim-ming and diving events, male and female because I

stink at it.”

-English Teacher Jim Schiferl

“I love to watch women’s volleyball.”

-Sophomore Alan Augustine

“I like that it’s competitive.”-Freshman Martin Ivanov“My favorite thing is

watching the gymnasts.”-Junior Danielle Rivard

“I like seeing who wins the swiming races.”

-Senior Coco Hamann

As the 2012 Presidental Election looms, Republicans are search-ing for someone to challenge Barack Obama. Here’s a semi-serious look at who’s still running and some fun at the expense of those who dropped out.

• All photos courtesy of MCT Campus

Kevin Hyde

Though it may seem like Noodles and Company and Panda Express are two of the restaurants of choice amongst students, the mass market appeal is less than satisfactory. On top of that, it is almost impossible to not run into fellow Hersey students.

At certain times, it’s nice to just have a meal without be-ing reminded of school and its inhabitants. In that case, just a short drive down Northwest Highway, a hidden gem can be found at Dung Gia Vietnamese Restaurant.

Rather than the run of the mill Chinese food that in all actuality is quite repulsive, this Vietnamese cuisine is a bit of a departure from the rest of the food that teens would be dining on. Even if you are new to the cuisine, there is most definitely something for everyone whether it be a traditional chicken dish, or a more daring spicy dumpling plate.

Bubble tea and smoothies can also be purchased, adding to the appeal and creating an alternative to places like Jamba Juice and Starbucks.’

Vietnamese cuisine dishes out alternative

Madeline Weber

For most teens, a trip to a nature sanctuary or farm sounds more like torture rather than a fun and free alternative to going to the mall or seeing a movie.

Little do they know that spending a day surrounded by in-digenous plants, farm animals and other hidden treasures, found at Spring Valley Nature, can either be an escape from one’s troubles or a time to spend a day goofing around and discovering interest-

ing things with friends in a unique environment.

Whatever mood the day be-gins with, Spring Valley can al-ways guarantee an adventure no matter what time of year.

In the surprising location of downtown Schaumburg, Spring Valley is practically neighbors with Woodfield Mall, the classic go-to for many bored teens.

This option is definitely out of the ordinary for students, but go-ing into it open minded will result in a positive experience.

Adventure growsat Spring Valley Nature Center

As the new year rolls in, so do the abysmal social schedules that most students groan about. It is not uncommon to receive texts or Facebook statuses dur-ing these months consisting of, “OMG I am so bored. There’s nothing to do in this town.”

Instead of repeatedly complaining about the lack of things to do and sitting in friends’ basements, stu-dents need to open their eyes to the various opportuni-ties around them. Just a few towns over, teens can easily find new and exciting things to do.

Towns such as Schaumburg, Des Plaines, and Pal-atine can offer exhilarating options that teens can par-take in. That’s not to say, however, that there is nothing to do in their own towns. Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, and Prospect Heights all have plenty of plac-es to go, it just may take a little searching and going out of the comfort zone in order to fulfill each students’ seemingly endless need.

Yet another dilemma that students run into is that of going to the same old neighborhood haunts. We get it- those places get boring after a while and it seems

like students always run into certain individuals that they would much rather not be in close quarters with.

That said, students need to venture out and find suitable alternatives to these types of places. For example, instead of frequent-ing Noodles and Company every night, why not try a lesser known Vietnamese restaurant. Not only will students receive a much needed dose of culture, but they will also be able to quell their whining of not having anything to do.

Anything that gets teenagers out of the house and away from the boring night of aimlessly driving around and asking each other, “What should we do?” will be beneficial.

So instead of the whining and com-plaining, students can heed this advice and visit new and exciting places that they may not have otherwise thought of.

Break out of the Saturday night norm

• MADELINE WEBER

• MADELINE WEBER

Things ]to doClaudia Caplan

As children, it seemed that being enter-tained could be completed within minutes: the simplest of jokes, effortless to watch television programs, and straightforward group games. As teenagers, finding fun throughout the city or even state is most definitely not as easy as when we were five.

A game that seems not to have lost interest in the minds of children and high school stu-dents is the acclaimed Hide and Seek. To bring this game to the extreme, bringing along a group of friends and taking a trip to the modern Scan-

dinavian store, IKEA is just what my friends and I did.

One of the all time simplest ruling games is coming back for the big leagues to jump into. Finding a place that will challenge the veterans is a large location with multitudes of interest-ing hiding places. Full of tiny crooks and dark places full of crap to jump into, hide behind, or disappear into.

Finding friends in between carpets, behind dressers, and underneath beds was almost im-possible to accomplish with my friends in this mega store. This game brings back pastimes that will sure to throw you down memory lane.

Fun at IKEA: no assembly required

• MADELINE WEBER

5The CorrespondentThings To DoJanuary 13. 2012 January 13. The Correspondent4 Things To Do

CLICK A LINKTO FIND OUT MORE

• CARLOS ANDINA

http://dunggiarestaurant.com/

http://www.parkfun.com/spring-valley

http://g.co/maps/3v3zr

Obsession Brian Loomis

Let me start out by saying that I know this is a weird and definitely uncommon ob-session, but it is definitely an interesting one at the same time.

Ever since I was able to walk, I would follow the garbage truck up and down the street, with my mom’s supervision, of course. I got to know my garbage man very well and knew him by name.

That was way back when I was still in preschool and kindergarten, since then the obsession has evolved.

I am often asked what the reason for the obsession is, and to be very honest I am not really sure. It isn’t uncommon for kids to like trucks, but to grow up with it is a very differ-ent thing.

I guess that’s what happened; I never grew out of it. The obsession has now got-ten to the point that I can tell someone who his garbage man is, and what truck he drives. Alex Mueller’s garbage man is Benito, who drives truck 3179. Morgan Harris’ driver is Bill who operates truck 3199. Megan Brant’s garbage man is Russ who drives truck 3167, which was the first natural gas truck in the midwest.

Over the past few years, I have been a witness to several changes occurring within the waste hauling business which include au-tomation, buy outs of national haulers, and the beginning of a switch to using alternative gasses to power the trucks.

Each of theses changes are always chang-ing the way in which the waste is collected. I enjoy being able to see the way that these events impact the industry.

It isn’t uncommon for residents (usu-ally angry) to question me on why I am tak-ing pictures of their garbage being collected, which often leads to their disbelief on the ex-planation, although still upset.

Some friends share disbelief in my ob-session. Although I do try my best to explain, it isn’t the easiest to understand.

Even without understanding, people are fascinated by the obsession on a regular basis. They are often surprised that I have been able to get to know all of the drivers in Arlington Heights by name, as well as other towns, and even been able to get to know the higher ups within the company.

Despite people who often point out how weird it is, I am never going to stop following the garbage trucks because I would not know what to do with my time.

Becky Pauwels

Throughout high school, many students be-came fixated with things, whether they be tangible objects, activities, or ways of life. When this fixa-tion continues, it can rapidly become an obsession.

Senior Meaghan Meehan is obsessed with makeup. “I’ve always had an interest [in makeup] like any girl, but then I found girls on Youtube who had such a passion for makeup, and my love devel-oped from there.”

Meehan has many inspirations. “I love Bobbi Brown and Mario Dedivanovic, who is Kim Kar-dashian’s makeup artist. Kim’s makeup always looks amazing. I also love Elle and Blair Fowler

from YouTube.”“It takes me about 10 minutes to put on

my makeup for school. When I have time to actually do a full look, it takes me about

20 minutes,” Meehan said.Although Meehan doesn’t plan on

pursuing a career in makeup, she won’t rule it out completely. “If psychology doesn’t work out for me, cosmetol-ogy school would be a likely plan B,” Meehan said.

Senior Karolina Migus is obsessed with being a perfectionist. “I’m a perfectionist when it comes to homework, art, pretty much anything I do.”

Migus notes that being a perfectionist isn’t al-ways a thing. “It caused me to spend unintentional time perfecting something when I could have been doing something else,” Migus said.

However, it does have its rewards. “A side ef-fect is being organized. It helps me with school and studying,” Migus said.

Senior Mati Kolendo has a passion for soccer. “I love soccer because it’s a beautiful sport. People see it as a simple and boring sport, but like the best music or the richest art, the simplicity combines into infinite complexity.”

His passion is nothing new. “I became inter-ested in soccer when the Euro 2000 was in France. My dad would tell me everything about the game and my passion just started from there,” Koldendo said.

He likes the unifying aspects of soccer. “It’s an amazing game, it brings people from different cul-tures, religions, and political divides. When I play or watch the game, I can forget whatever is going in life, and just enjoy the game,’” Kolendo said.

Dancing through lifeObsessed dancers express their love for dance

Ashley Hawkins

According to Dictionary.com, an obsession is defined as “the domination of one’s thoughts or feelings by a per-sistent idea, image, desire, etc.” Discomania is an enthusiasm for disco music. Tulipomania is the craze for tulips. Theomania is the belief that one is a god. While there is no name for it yet, my obsession is with WWE and profes-sional wrestling.

Junior Jessica Jreisat was shocked that a petite blonde such as myself spent her time watching two bulky dudes duke it out in the middle of a ring. But I couldn’t imagine my life any other way.

My Mondays, Fridays, and the occasion-al Tuesday and Sunday, revolve around the wonderful squared circle and the people that step into it.

Five years ago, I was forced to watch WWE’s “Unforgiven” pay-per-view. My mother and brother were big professional wrestling fans and wanted to watch the show. If my mom was going to pay over $35 for an event, we had to give it our undivided atten-tion.

No goofing off, no sleeping, no home-work. My brother willingly complied, but I was a bit stubborn. Sitting with my arms folded, I pouted my lip as the show began. However, as I sat for those three hours, I found my eyes locked on the screen.

The stories that unfolded during each match mesmerized me. It wasn’t just two half-naked muscular guys pranc-ing around in the middle of a ring. Each match had a background, centered around a hot feud, and the business was settled with some wrestling.

I was captivated. Each wrestler had his own character, and it made it highly enter-taining to watch. From that day on, the WWE has had a choke hold on my heart, with no sign of loosening its grip. I was sucked into the cult known as the WWE Universe, and it doesn’t look like I’ll be let out no matter what Jreisat or anyone else thinks.

My walls are decked out in posters and magazine clippings displaying my favorite wrestlers and various events in professional wrestling history. Over the summer, I visited 7-Elevens all over the suburbs in hope of col-lecting the official WWE SummerSlam big gulp cups.

They rest in a case in the corner of my room, surrounded by additional wrestling memorabilia. In my dresser, I have over 25 WWE-related shirts, 20 of which are Randy Orton (my favorite wrestler) shirts, along with two pairs of sweatpants, three sweat-shirts, three hats, nine necklaces, two brace-lets, and a blanket all pertaining to WWE.

The magazines I read, the movies I watch, and the music I listen to is also related to this company. I’m a huge fan of “WWE Magazine“ and “Pro Wrestling Illustrated” (Yes, there is such a thing), frequently buying the latest issues.

When I feel the need to watch a good action movie, I pop in “The Marine” or “The Marine 2,” starring WWE Superstars John Cena and Ted DiBiase Jr. respectively. My iPod has numerous playlists dedicated to wrestler’s theme songs, pay-per-view theme songs, and original music by the WWE Su-perstars and Divas.

Attending 13 live events to date, I look forward to catching WWE shows all over the world in the future. I’ve been sucked into the realm of WWE, and don’t mind it at all. I’m not encouraging everyone to develop an ob-session. But sometimes, it’s nice to be unique.

Wrestlemania:Defines junior’s addiction to professional wrestling

Seniors catch mania in makeup Sophomore enthralled with garbage trucks

• Click here to share your obsessions

January 13, 2012

my strange January 13, 20126 7The CorrespondentThe Correspondent

•BRIAN LOOMIS

•BRIAN LOOMIS

•GRAPHIC BY:JESSICA LYNK

Jessica Lynk

Some baseball players have been playing since third grade. Some artists have been drawing

since they were signed up for art classes.

For most dancers, though, they have been dancing since they could walk. Throughout their lives, their obsession has developed. Although some would call it devotion, dance is constantly on their minds.

“I have been dancing for 11 years or since I was three,” freshman Abby

Wendell said.“I started dancing as a kid, when

my parents signed me up for dance classes,” senior Brianna Ulbert said

Students can define obses-sion any way they want. For some it means constantly thinking about dance, whereas others it means dancing constantly.

“I can break dance anywhere, so I am constantly practicing,” sopho-more Nathan Lee said.

Dance students can define their obsession by what style of dance in-spires them the most or by just dance in general.

“I spend my time dancing be-cause there’s never really a limit to dance, so I could keep improv-ing forever and ever. It’s also really fun, especially after, say, a long day at school; I just go to dance class or something and I lose myself in the movement,” sophomore Rino No-zawa said.

Dance students can be inspired by dancing daily because improve-ment is always easy to come by. Most dedicated students can find improvement daily.

“All my dance teachers who I’ve grown up with have inspired me to dance. I always look up them and they are always there for me and help me grow as a dancer,” senior Ulbert said.

Most dedicated dance students dance for at least two hours a day.

“I dance anywhere from 4 to 10 hours per day, depending on what day of the week it is,” Nozawa said.

When students start off in dance, they have to make a decision whether or not to continue.

“I stopped dancing because I be-came more involved in other sports like softball and soccer,” sophomore Carly Mandernach said.

As more sports become available to students, dance seems to be sent to the back of their minds for someone who did not take a interest or become obsessed.

“I actually originally wanted to do gymnastics because of the pretty leotards, but my mom thought that would be dangerous, so she signed me up for ballet,” Nozawa said.

Some students were forced into dance but continued and discovered their love.

“I started when my mom signed me up for dance classes,” Wendell said.

No matter what, many dancers al-ways find the pay-off in their obses-sion “I chose to spend my time danc-ing because it’s a great way to express yourself and it’s so much fun. It’s hard work but it always pays off in the end,” Ulbert said.

January 13, 2012The Correspondent8 9January 13, 2012

Do’s•Embracepersonalstyle.•Wearclothingthatfitsandflattersbodytype•Simpleoutfit,outstandingaccessories•Embracenaturalbeauty•Accessories:belts,rings,necklaces,watches.

Guysandgirlscanpullthisoff.•Dressfortheweather;jacketsandbootsinthe

winter,notsandals•Flannelsarealwaysinseason,comfortable,too•V-neckscanbecasualorformal;justdon’tgo

toodeep

Don’ts•Don’tconformbypurchasingabrandname,but

developanoriginalstyle•Wearleggingswithadress;weartightsinstead•Patternsdon’tmixwell,especiallystripesand

plaid•Anythingseethroughshouldbepairedwitha

coveruporsomethingunderneath•Keepcleavageminimal•Adraboutfitpairedwithheavymakeupdoesnot

go•Wearalldesignerlabelsatonce•Socksandsandalsarenotattractive

HERSEY’S UNIQUE FASHION

“What makes me different is that I’m a kid who finds a pair of chinos and a button-

down shirt to be comfy.”-Senior Joe Lehnert

“I always wear v-necks and prefer plain t-shirts that

compliment my pant color.”-Senior Brad Grochocinski

“I know I stand out, so I like to just be myself.”

-Junior Bianca Burns

“Fashion is an art. I like to make a put together look

with a twist.”-Junior Erin Johnson

Students speak wisdom on what to wearAshley Hawkins

Erika Murillo

The debate between dressing for style and dressing for comfort is raging. Throughout the halls, only a handful of students dress in nice ap-parel, looking slightly out of the ordinary com-pared to the mass of students wearing sweat-pants and t-shirts.

For a large majority, dressing in a skirt or khaki pants can be an uncomfortable distrac-tion, and instead they prefer to lounge in class, wearing articles of clothing that maximize com-fort.

“I wear sweatpants to school because they are more comfortable, and I don’t want to sacri-fice looks for comfort,” sophomore Eric Labahn said.

“I normally wear yoga pants and a t-shirt. If I dress more comfortably, I feel relaxed, which makes going to class less stressful,” junior Mary Sobczak said.

The thought of catching a few extra minutes of sleep is another appealing factor.

“I like wearing sweatpants because they’re more comfortable, and you can get more sleep in the morning because you just throw on a pair, before you leave,” junior Taylor Schill said. “Some people think I look like a bum, but it’s whatever.”

Others choose to sacrifice a bit of comfort in order to dress up.

Girls combine simple blouses with a sleek skirt and a pair of cute, clicking heels. Guys sport a v-neck with a slim pair of jeans.

For many, it’s not a matter of dressing nice for others, but rather dressing for oneself.

“I dress up for me, to feel good about my-self,” junior Christy Chacko said.

“I dress up because it makes me feel more confident,” junior Julia Swan said. “I don’t like looking lazy in sweatpants.”

This fashion craze isn’t just for girls; guys have also been seen sporting their own personal style.

“A lot of guys just wear basketball shorts and t-shirts because they don’t think it’s cool to look nice. I’ve never worn basketball shorts. I wanted to look better,” junior Ryan Vorndran said.

Whether dressing for style or comfort, stu-dents offer advice to help personalize appear-ance.

The most important aspect is to find a style that works for the individual and continue to play around with it.

“In regards to my personal style, I tend to gravitate towards more classic/simple pieces and then use bold shoes and jewelry to personalize my outfits. Tip- The easiest way to dress up an outfit is black jeans,” senior Monica Burckhardt said.

“A nice pair of leather boots goes with any outfit. I like all my clothes to fit well, so I start off with a slim canvas pant from H&M. Being win-ter, I love adding a cardigan or even vest with a strong neckline,” senior Brad Grochocinski said.

Grochocinski added, “When you wear solid tops the lines of the clothes are more accented. I always have my fitted structured pea coat with a scarf. I also never go anywhere without my J Crew waxed canvas and leather messenger bag,”

It is also crucial to be confident with ev-ery outfit. “Just wear what you like and want to wear, it doesn’t matter what other people think. If you like it, people will be able to tell and if that causes them to call you fashionable or whatever, then that’s cool too,” Sara Ramirez said.

Seniors Emily Smith and Samantha Tres

agree with Ramirez. “I like wearing clothes and knowing that no one else has them but me. I wear what I want, and I don’t care what anyone else thinks about it, just as long as I like it. When I like what I wear, it puts me in a good mood for the day,” Smith said.

“Be unique and wear what you like. Don’t be afraid to be who you are,” Tres said.

“It doesn’t really matter what others think because we all have our own ways of feeling comfortable at school, and mine is just to dress casually,” Sobczak said.

Some think that putting forth a little effort will pay off in the long run.

“It [dressing up] makes you look more pre-sentable. In the real world, you can’t wear sweats everyday,” Swan said.

Sweatpants and t-shirts don’t have to be kicked out of wardrobes com-pletely, though. Some students are completely fine with toning down their look and being comfort-able in class.

“I like sweatpants. Who cares what you look like. It’s not a fashion show,” junior Karlie Bless said.

A go-to accessory for every seasonAbby Fesl

Whether it’s fall, winter, or spring, I always have a “go-to” ac-cessory to spice up any outfit: scarves.

Scarves can be warm, casu-al, used to dress up an outfit, and worn in pretty much every season. Just this winter, I began to embrace scarves.

Whenever I wore jeans and a v-neck, I paired it with a scarf to add more flavor to my outfit. Then, I would wear yoga pants, a hoodie, and a casual, but fun, circle scarf.

Since my closet is not filled with millions of scarves, I have

found many ways to wear them. There’s the classic loop, the easy circle around twice, and the hang-ing options.

Just the other day, I got bored in one of my classes and decided to switch up the way I was wearing a scarf.

I pretended I was tieing a tie and my scarf ended up looking like a staircase of knots, which I later got a compliment on.

Although just a few options, many more are available that I have yet to discover.

Scarves are a must have for me, and essential in almost every-one’s closet.

These do’s and don’ts were compiled from the Correspondent staff. Click below to post your own fashion do’s and don’ts.http://www.johnhersey.highschoolmedia.org/2012/01/12/fashion-and-beauty/

What not to wear: fashion & beauty

Erika Murillo

Being fashionable means trying different styles and looks that stand out. From eye

makeup to personal accessories, anyone can get the look from the cover of a magazine.

Sometimes looking at a picture from a maga-zine or the internet of the perfect hair or

outfit can look difficult. However, following a couple of simple steps can lead to the perfect

look.

THE SMOKEY EYE LOOKEveryone loves the smokey eye look, but it can be difficult and not exact if the right shades aren’t used.step 1: apply black or gray eyeliner to top eyelid (thin or thick)step 2: apply a light shade of eyeshadow at the top of eyelid, by eyebrowsstep 3: apply a darker shade on the fold and around the edge step 4: with the same dark shade, apply it un-derneath the bottom lashesstep 5: coat both sets of lashes with mascara

STEPS TO A FISHTAIL BRAIDEven though a fishtail looks complicated and harder than a regular braid, it’s a lot more styl-ish.step 1: take hair apart into two sectionsstep 2: grab a piece from one side and cross it over to the otherstep 3: do step 2 again but with the other side

step 4: continue repeating steps 1 and 2 until desired look is achieved

HOW TO ACCESSORIZE A LBDThe LBD (little black dress) has to be in every-one’s closet, but sometimes finding the right accessory can be challenging.The LBD is simple yet classy. To make it even better, adding a necklace, earrings, or bracelets can and will make the dress stand out even more. Since the dress is all black, it’s better to choose a necklace of color. Red, purple, blue, pink, and even silver are colors that will defi-nitely work for a simple black dress. Necklaces with sparkle are also very likely to draw atten-tion than those without. Accessorizing may also depend on the occasion. Special occasions might require more elegant jewelry, where par-ties or even a date could just be lots of sparkle and color. However, earrings and necklaces shouldn’t be used together, for they might clash. Go with a ring or bracelet.

MAKE A HEADBANDFinding the perfect pretty headband to wear is hard. It’s better to make one and have it de-signed to one’s liking.All that’s needed is a plain headband (any color), beads and jewels, and a hot glue gun.step 1: pick any jewels or beadsstep 2: attach beads or jewels with hot glue wherever on headbandstep 3: once finished, let sit to dry

DIFFERENT WAYS TO TIE A SCARF

1st way: Slip Knotstep 1: fold scarf in halfstep 2: place it around the neckstep 3: grab both endsstep 4: stick it through the loop and then pull

2nd way: Loose Wrapstep 1: hold the scarf so that when holding it, length is even on both sidesstep 2: place it around the neck with ends hanging in the backstep 3: the right hand grabs the left side of the scarf and left hand grabs the right sidestep 4: pull both sides forward and that they’re evenstep 5: pull the middle to whatever length desired

3rd way: Fake Knotstep 1: place the scarf around the neck with ends to the frontstep 2: hold both sides of the scarfstep 3: take one side and wrap it around the otherstep 4: take the side that was used to wrap around and pull it through the loop madestep 5: adjust to let it hang

Necklaces hang with style

The Correspondent

FashionDo’sandDon’ts

How to enhance style for less

Michelle Chester

The best accessory for any out-fit is a necklace. It can pull together any outfit without being too showy. I always try to wear a necklace with every outfit, from casual to formal.

To accessorize, it all depends on what the actual ensemble is.

If the top has a graphic or a busy pattern, a shorter necklace closer to the neckline is best.

One or two complimenting colors work very well with this type of necklace, usually using a gold or a silver for one of the accents.

Too much could be a bit too distracting and make the out-

fit busier than it needs to be. For something that is more plain, a lon-ger necklace is the perfect finishing touch.

A gold or silver chain is usu-ally the best accent with this type of necklace as well.

Some type of ornament at the end with other accenting colors can brighten up an outfit and pull it to-gether for a nice, polished look.

What movie are you most excited about in 2012?

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

35%

TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN

18%THE HUNGER GAMES35%

Who do you think will get the republican nomination?

Mitt Romney 31%

Newt Gingrich 6%

John Huntsman 3%Ron Paul 18%

WHAT ELECTION?42%

What is your favorite summer Olympic sport?

Best newA r t i s t

Jessie J20%

Childish Gambino20%

The Band Perry60%

11The CorrespondentFUTUREJanuary 13. 2012 January 13. 2012The Correspondent10 EXPLOSION

130 people polled

Gymnastics

37%

Swimming24%%

basketball21%

TRack & Field12%

Soccer6%

“The Hunger Games, the books are really good and I’m just obssesed.”

- freshman Elizabeth Niersbach

“Gymnastics, I like watching people do things I would never be

able to do.”-junior NIcole Borst

“The Band Perry has a lot of great songs and are fun to listen to.”

-senior Kelsey Haas

EXPLOSION!INTO THE FUTURE

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

12%

POW!

BANG!

BOOM!

January 13, 2012The Correspondent12 13The CorrespondentNew MediaJanuary 13, 2012New Media

Michael Miller

Video games aren’t usually seen as a basis for education. Most popular media coverage specu-lates on the effect of vio-lence in games on their players, with any benefit from playing usually out of the question.

Even though specific historical time periods, such

as World War II or the Civil War, are pres-ent in several games, they often serve as just a backdrop to the story line without includ-ing much historical content.

However destitute the mainstream vid-eo games industry may be of historical and educational content, the Assassin’s Creed series is a shining example of how a mas-terpiece of a game can also provide both of these in a captivating and brilliant way.

The series revolves around the conflict be-tween the Templars and Assassins that started during the Crusades. All of the games actually take place in 2012, as the modern day assassin Desmond Miles; his ancestors’ memories are ac-cessed through a machine called The Animus to ultimately locate ancient artifacts called Pieces of Eden.

The first game focuses on Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad, a 12th century assassin during the Crusades, and the next three feature Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a Florentine noble turned assassin from Renais-sance Italy.

All of the games include the backdrop of Desmond and his allies and their battle to stop the modern day Templars, now Abstergo Indus-tries, from launching their plan to create a New World Order before the 2012 end of the world.

As mentioned, the Assassin’s Creed games feature such historical time periods as the Cru-sades, Italian Renaissance, and in the latest game, 16th century Constantinople.

The key is, the games don’t just take place at these times, but rather immerse the player in

the culture, landmarks, people, and events of these times. “The Wall Street Journal” said that Assassin’s Creed II’s producers, “hired Renaissance schol-ars to advise on period garb, architecture, urban planning, weaponry and the like.”

The developers’ devotion to detail in every game has paid off spectacularly. Historical cit-ies like Jerusalem and Damascus of the Crusades and Florence and Venice of the Renaissance come alive with rich architectural design and lively, bustling city streets. Famous landmarks such as the Colosseum in Rome and the Hagia Sophia in Is-

tanbul tower over the landscape. Important and influential people like Leon-

ardo Da Vinci, Niccolo Machievelli, and Suleiman the Magnificient become friends and allies with the character. For every historical bit of informa-tion present in the game, a database is available to read all about these people and places. It is, in essence, history come alive, and as interac-tive and engaging as a video game can be. That’s without even mentioning the compelling story, beautiful soundtrack, and wonderful game play it-self.

Of course, Assassin’s Creed as it is now is not meant to replace actual textbooks anytime soon, as every detail isn’t always 100 percent ac-curate, and enough profanity and violence make it impractical for much classroom use.

While it could possibly serve as a template for future historical games purely meant for schools, what the series does provide now is invaluable: an interactive way to learn history that’s far more memorable than any traditional method.

Rather than just reading about these time periods, players experience them. Nothing ce-ments a landmark in memory more than climb-ing it, nor does the daily life of a city become more relatable than by seeing and interacting with the heralds, thieves, mercenaries, tailors, blacksmiths, and artists of the population.

Culture comes alive, as, for instance, words on a page become robes colored sage on wealthy Ottomans in Constantinople. And what better way to learn about the Pazzi Conspiracy, and Lorenzo Medici’s attempted assassination by the Pazzis in Florence of 1478, than to actively help save Lorenzo in Assassin’s Creed II?

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Music, movies, and what's hot

Check out some new tu

nes!

Can’t wait for these

movies!

Melanie Cohodes

The new year heralds the beginning of some movie series and the end of another.

The first movie adaption of the popular “Hunger Games” books is coming out, as well as “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” How-ever, the Dark Knight trilogy comes to an end with the release of “Dark Knight Rises.”

While “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Jour-ney” is a remake of the classic book and will definitely be attended by hardcore fans of the series, the other two movies are anticipated by students as well.

“[I’m looking forward to] “The Hunger Games,” sophomore Cheyenne Blakely said. “It has Josh Hutcherson in it, and he’ll be the best Peeta ever!”

“All the other movies were good,” sopho-more Kyle Drodze said about the Dark Knight trilogy. “I enjoyed the first two. Everyone in the city portrays him (Batman) as a villain after the

last movie, so I want to see how he plays that out.”

Sophomore Michael Feltes is going to see “The Hobbit,” but doesn’t think it will outshine the previously filmed trilogy.

“They did quite well with ‘Lord Of The Rings’ before, and in the trailer we’ve already seen some major deviation from the books,” Feltes said.

The movie adaption is actually in two parts, with the first being released in December 2012 and the second in December 2013.

Judging from the $150 million budget for each (compared to $94 million for each part of the trilogy, from The Hollywood Reporter), the movie is expected to be a success.

Movie adaptions of books are sometimes criticized for not finding actors that resemble the characters, but it doesn’t seem to be a prob-lem for “Hunger Games” or “The Hobbit”

“They’ve chosen well for movies in the past,

so I have complete confidence,” said Feltes.“They had some amazing choices,” Blakely

said about “Hunger Games.” “The guy who plays Gale is really great.”

“At first I questioned the casting choice, but the main girl, Jennifer Lawrence, was nominated for a big acting award, so I think she’ll deliver,” sophomore Alexandra Porcaro said.

Another issue that was mentioned about “The Hobbit” (changing parts of the books) is also absent from “Hunger Games.”

“According to the trailer it looks pretty much the same,” Porcaro said. “They take exact quotes from the book, and one of the actresses said it was a faithful adaptation. Plus the author helped to write the script.”

While 2011 was littered with box office flops, 2012 promises to be worth the six dollar ticket and five dollar popcorn of a movie theater.

Series start and end in 2012New year promises better movies

http:/ /www.youtube.com/

watch?v=G0k3kHtyoqc

http://www.youtube.com

/

watch?v=4S9a5V9ODuY

http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=GokKUqLcvD8

Brian Boyle

Nuclear war is inevitable, at least in the world of action films. Angry Russians, rogue secret-agents, and weapons of mass destruc-tion are no strangers to fiction, especially in spy thrillers like Mission: Impossible- Ghost Proto-col.

Yet, when a film comes along that takes the exhausted cliche and reuses it to forge an in-credibly entertaining, exhilarating, and intense piece of cinema, it doesn’t matter that the plot feels familiar.

The cast is great with Tom Cruise repris-ing his role as super spy Ethan Hunt. British funny man Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn, a tech smart character who provides lots of comic re-

lief. Rounding out the cast is Paula Patton as the sexy-yet-strong spy, Jane Carter, and Jeremy Renner, as a military analyst with a shady back-ground. While the writing is witty, the acting is great, and the plot is interesting, the thing this film really excels at is its action set pieces.

One scene has Tom Cruise literally running down the side of the world’s tallest building, an-other scene has a street chase during a blinding sandstorm, and an even cooler one sees Jeremy Renner’s character navigating through a maze of air ducts using super magnets.

Despite what might at first appear as an un-inspired story line, Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol provides a fresh take on the action/spy thriller genre, and is a gotta see movie of the sea-son.

Photo courtesy of thehobbit-

blog.com

Photo courtesy of thehun-

gergamesm

ovie.com

“The GooGoo Dolls are

my favorite band because

they’re very inspiring and

they make me feel happy.”

-sophomore Hannah Bovino

A new year is the

perfect time to

check out some

new bands or

genres. Expand

your music library!

“I like listening to dubstep

because no matter what

mood I’m in, it pumps me

up.”

-sophomore Shaniah Duff

“I like K-pop because

it’s upbeat.”

-freshman Jennifer Chou

History prevails in ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series

http://assassinscreed.uk.ubi.com

Julia Kedzior

Once upon a time. The possibilities are endless. Fairies, princes, knights, and trolls are all magical creatures that are significant characters in abc’s new series, a drama called “Once Upon a Time.”

Not only are these char-acters based off of classic fairy tales like “Snow White” and “Cinderella,” but the in-teresting twist to it all is that

these characters don’t know who they are. Enchanted by a dark curse, they are trapped

in something that to them is the worst imagin-able prison: our modern world, and are given regular jobs, clothes, and families.

They have no idea that this is happening to them until a young boy tracks down his birth mom and drags her to Storybrook, a place these characters call home.

He’s convinced that he needs to make them remember their old personalities in order to break the curse and return them to their origi-nal time and place.

The exciting plot that switches between

scenes from before and after the curse will keep any storybook fanatic hooked the whole time, with surprising discoveries and beautiful visu-als.

So tune in next week to experience the magic of classic fairy tales in a completely new way.

Gotta:‘Once Upon a Time’ deserves multiple views

Dubstep songs:Devil’s Den by SkrillexCloudburn by Feed MePumped Up Kicks remix by Butch Clancy

K-pop (Korean Pop) songs:Genie by SNSDSorry, Sorry by Super JuniorI Am The Best by 2NE1Some GooGoo Dolls songs:“The Best Of Me” “All That You Are” “Soldier”.

Sports January 13, 2012The Correspondent14

TIMEOUT! with Ann

ie John

son

Q:

Q:

Q:

January

14

14

13

13How have you prepared for this season?

What has your biggest accomplishment been this season?I have won in all of the conference meets that I have been competing in this year.

What goals do you have for the rest of the season?I hope to make it to state by placing in the top five at sectionals and regionals.

•MADELINE WEBER

Girls basketball vs. Buffalo Grove “We have done a lot more scout-

ing and have a lot of added pressure.”-sophomore Renee Poulos

Bowling @ Fenton Invite “We have been encouraged to

improve through practice and drills .” -senior Jessica Caraba

Boys wrestling @ Buffalo Grove “This meet determines if we

can still be East Division champs.” -senior Conrad Bugay

Boys basketball vs. Buffalo Grove “BG is one of our biggest ri-vals, we practice hard no

matter.”-senior Vuk Vukovic

I have been involved with club gymnastics for the whole off season.

Erin Horne

Athletes here have a reputation for being successful- the school has hundreds of MSL titles displayed in the main hallway and sends a number of athletes to state-level competitions every year.

It’s no surprise, then, that many members of the class of 2012 plan to continue playing their sports in college.

While high school sports require a certain level of commitment, college sports redefine the word. Division 3 sports (the lowest compe-tition level in college) last around 19 weeks, and Division 1 sports run for half the year- about 26 weeks!

The length of the seasons makes it hard to imagine why students would attempt to juggle a college-level work load and a college sport.

“College sports would be another stress level in a new atmosphere. Swimming’s some-thing I do in high school because I like the peo-ple on it, but in college it’ll be really competi-

tive,” senior Chrissy Haskell said.But for some athletes, the benefits far out-

weigh the consequences.“I love it so much, I don’t know what I’d

do without it,” senior Alex Tinaglia said about softball.

Tinaglia also cites the intensity level of college sports and getting to travel for competi-tions as reasons for continuing her game.

Senior Maddie Liesz agrees that commit-ting to college athletics reaps certain benefits.

“It gets you involved in the school com-munity- you make more friends,” Liesz said.

Liesz’s situation differs from Tinaglia’s- while both are equally devoted to her sport (in this case, swimming and water polo), Liesz is considering walking on to a Division 3 team or playing club, while Tinaglia has set her sights on Division 1.

One of the main differences between Divi-sion 1 sports and Division 3 sports is the ability level of the players.

While many athletes capable of competing

in Division 1 choose to play Division 3 instead, it is still much harder to attain a spot on a Divi-sion 1 roster.

Liesz views swimming as a “healthy com-petitive outlet” and would be more than happy to compete at any level.

For her, as with many other high school athletes, the school itself rather than the com-petition level is what will dictate which college she chooses.

Tinaglia admits that finding a team that fits her was one of the most important aspects of her college search.

Recently, she verbally committed to Iowa State’s softball team.

“I did it because I’ve always wanted to play for a school and campus that I love. I’m ex-tremely excited about my decision- it was defi-nitely the right one,” Tinaglia said.

Whether they compete Divison 1 or Divi-sion 3, student-athletes here will continue their success stories long into the future.

Sophomore Jack Kintzle perfects his dive as he looks down and faces the pool. Junior Mateusz Obstoj performs a pike prior to entering the pool. The boys swimming and diving team went on to win the meet against Schaumburg at home on Jan. 5. Obstoj earned a point

total of 191.25 at the meet for his diving.

Seniors weigh college athletic options