THE PULSE

This issue also has an exclusive interview with our super awesome new academic advisor, Ms. Maloni! I’d also like to thank all of our amazing contributors who helped bring this newspaper to life. So, without further ado, I hope you enjoy and thanks for tuning in. Happy reading!

-Evy Konstantopoulos

Hi, and welcome to this year’s first edition of The Pulse! We have a great issue planned for you, filled with great back-to-school ideas and creative pieces to help you get back into that school mentality and out of that summer funk (which, trust me, can be hard sometimes). We also have all the details on the up and coming TV shows and music headed your way this year.

Faculty Advisor: Ms. McIvor

Editor: Evy Konstantopoulos

Contributors: Gurleen Padda Arthega Selvarajen Vanessa Pugliesi Rosemarie Cianci Evy Konstantopoulos

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Interview with Ms. Maloni (2)

Entertainment Report (3)

Horoscopes (4-5)

Quick and Easy Lunches (5)

Short Story (6-9)

Thank you for picking up this issue of The Pulse! If you’re interested in writing for the next issue, sign up sheets will be posted around the school, and if you have any questions, please feel free to address them to shsmpulse2015@gmail.com

ISSUE 1, OCTOBER 2015

In This Issue:

Interview with Ms. Maloni By Gurleen Padda

A few days ago, I sat down with our new academic advisor, Ms. Maloni, to chat and get to know her a bit more. Here are some of the highlights.

How did you feel when you first found out that you received the position as vice-president? “I was thrilled! I was really happy when I received the call from Mr. O’Donnell. I first found out about the position from my sister and I feel that coming back to Sacred Heart was destiny. Receiving this position was meant to be and I am so glad to be able to give back to the school.”

How have your first few weeks been? “BUSY! We have been working on a lot of new projects, the Google Classrooms as an example, and I have been occupied with a lot of these new endeavours. It feels like I never left the school! I’m very happy to be back in such a lively and energy filled atmosphere.”

What major changes have you noticed in the school from when you were a student here until now and what has stayed the same? “There definitely wasn’t as much technology as you girls have accessible to you now. The discipline and the rules that are reinforced are also different than how things were when I was a student here. The building is essentially the same, except we didn’t have as many classes on the fifth floor, and of course there were some ‘aesthetic re-vamps’ in some areas of the school. We also had boarding students at the time and a lot more students in general. But many things have stayed the same. The core values and traditions are still the same and I feel like there’s still the same energy that there was when I was a student here.”

Were you a part of any extracurriculars at school during your time here as a student? “I was! I played on the basketball, track and touch football teams and I was also Stuart House Head in Sec. 5. I also remember being a part of Christmas Wishes and a lot of the ‘artsy’ productions at the school.”

What was your favourite subject as a student here? “I liked English, but I really enjoyed Religion class. I had Ms. Mastro at the time. I appreciated learning about different religions and learning more about my own. I owe a lot to learning about spirituality and religion as it has opened up a lot of paths for me in my life.”

How does it feel to be Ms. Filipovich's successor? “It’s definitely a big honour. She was such a pristine and elegant woman, who spoke so eloquently and knowledgably. She devoted a lot of time and energy to making this school great and made it look effortless. She has left big shoes for me to fill but I am honoured to fill them!”

Which other schools have you worked at? “Before Sacred Heart, I worked at the Mackay Centre, Foresthill Elementary School, Westmount Park Elementary, Academie Marie Laurier, Centennial Academy and Centennial College. It’s funny because when I graduated high school, I never imagined spending the rest of my life in schools!”

What do you miss about being a student here? “The fun! I loved just having my friends with me all the time, being silly with them, giggling and just enjoying being carefree.”

Have any of your co-alums the class of 97 reacted to the news of your new position? “Haha, well I have a lot of my co-alums and my sisters’ co-alums on Facebook so I did receive a lot of messages there. I also got a lot of congratulations through mail and phone calls. Everyone was very happy for me and I received so many positive messages from everyone.”

How has the experience as a prefect helped you in your professional life? “In many ways! I’ve learned a lot of things through being in roles of leadership, like being a role model for

others and taking control of a situation. To me, a leader connects with people, represents the school and is

able to find leaders in the people around them, which is something I learned being a prefect here.”

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Entertainment Report by Vanessa Pugliesi

Music:

Revival by Selena Gomez:

Selena Gomez’s long awaited second studio album Revival finally drops October 9th. Fans can expect a whole new side of her with pop and R&B inspired songs like her hit singles “Good For You” and “Same Old Love.” The album focuses on the singer completely rebuilding herself and is said to be her best work yet.

Honeymoon by Lana Del Rey:

Del Rey’s third studio album, Honeymoon was finally released on September 18th. It features noir-ish beats and Del Rey’s infamously elegant and fragile voice. With hit songs like “Honeymoon”, “Terrence Loves You” and “High by the Beach,” it’s definitely something you do not want to miss.

TV Shows:

Scandal: Season 5 of ABC’s Scandal finally premiered on September 24th. Olivia Pope and her associates are at it once again and how could anyone forget the epic finale of last season? Knowing Shonda Rhimes, viewers can expect lots of drama and a huge focus on Olivia’s and the president’s relationship. The new season premiered with an estimated 10.8 million viewers

Empire: Fall marks the start of most TV shows but the premiere of season 2 of Empire marks more than that. Viewers will now go back to waiting for a week which feels like years for the next episode. Premiering on September 23rd, Empire brought in a record-breaking 16 million viewers, up six million from last season premiere. We can expect a season bigger and better than ever with guest stars such as Chris Rock, Alicia Keys, Lenny Kravitz, Pitbull and many more. Focusing on the feud between Cookie and Lucious Lyon over the company, it is something you have to watch.

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Horoscopes by Rosemarie Cianci

Libra: You have been very focused on completing a task or succeeding in a certain area. All of your

hard work will pay off this fall when you finally see the results you have been waiting for. The stars

are aligning in your favour during the month of October. Stay focused and don’t give up because you

can make your dreams a reality very soon.

Scorpio: Try, this fall season, to be more open to new ideas and opportunities. Don’t be closed

minded because new doors of possibilities may open for you in the coming weeks. Be on the lookout

for new activities or opportunities that might cross your path.

Sagittarius: Times have been tough for your astrology sign. It’s important to remember to take the

time to acknowledge your feelings in order to feel better. Once you do this, you can move on and get

better as the weather gets colder and colder.

Capricorn: Instead of talking about your problems and venting, it would be good to find new ways

to release tension and anger, such as yoga and meditation. These activities would help your sign this

month because the stars are in an imbalance for Capricorns for a short while coming up.

Aquarius: Always be careful about what you say. You might just hurt someone without realizing it.

This month, pay attention to what you say to your loved ones because you might not know or

understand what they are feeling. By the end of fall, you will have some positive news come to you so

be on the lookout!

Pisces: Sometimes it is good to tell your secrets to those that you trust, but sometimes Pisces are too

trustworthy and end up being disappointed by certain people. If there is something very secret to you

during this month, make sure to only confide in those you know will not spread your secrets and you

know you can count on.

Horoscopes inspired by: www.eugenialast.com/weekly.html

I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical.

-Arthur C. Clarke

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Horoscopes (continued)

Aries: Take the time this month to challenge yourself both physically and mentally. For example,

walk to school instead of taking the bus and try harder problems than you believe you can solve in

certain classes. You will feel a sense of accomplishment and you will see great improvements in

your health and your mood.

Taurus: This month, don’t waste your time on people who wouldn’t do the same for you. Focus

on yourself and you will feel so much better about yourself. Positivity is in the stars for Taurus, so

do whatever makes you happy during October.

Gemini: Fall will be a period of change for you, in both positive and negative ways. Don’t be

afraid of what will happen in the future, embrace all things new that come your way and learn to

cope with what you aren’t used to.

Cancer: Take your creativity to a whole new level this month. You will have many opportunities

to express yourself in many different ways so take advantage of them. It is your time of the year to

shine so take centre stage!

Leo: Your hard head will get you into some sticky situations this fall. Make sure to know your

boundaries and when to stop. However, it will also help when trying to get a new opportunity so be

persistent when attempting to reach your goals and use your stubbornness to never take no for an

answer.

Virgo: It is essential to talk through your problems and your feelings. Make sure that you figure

things out before they get worse and start affecting both you and your loved ones. It is the only way

for you to have full and complete happiness which is on your way coming soon.

Back-to-School Lunches

By Evy Konstantopoulos

Here are some super quick and easy lunches that you can easily bring to school when you forget (and it happens to all of us) to plan something in advance!

Chicken Wraps: 1/4 cup Ranch Dressing 4 large flour tortillas 4 cups watercress 2 cups chopped cooked chicken 1 cup chopped tomatoes 1/2 cup chopped red onion

Fairly simple, start by putting the dressing on the tortillas then placing all the ingredients before wrapping

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Back-to-School Lunches (continued)

A Choice That Changed My Life (Short Story) By Arthega Selvarajen

It was a normal sunny day, like any other, in New York City. The city

buzzed on, ignorant of the blazing sun and its heated rays. Honks and chatter formed the

background music to the city itself, always present but barely noticeable. People bustled about the

streets, trying to reach their destination as fast as possible, as if it were all a race. As if life itself

was a race. I was one of those people, going through the motions of the day without thinking,

without feeling. That was until I met her.

She was the most divine creature that I had ever laid eyes on. Her hair was magnificent, as

soft as silk, falling in small yet unruly ringlets. But her hair was not the only breathtaking asset she

possessed, for her face and body could be mistaken for that of a goddess or more, even if she was

clad in a pair of baggy sweat pants and a hoodie.Her voice was as sweet as honey, her humour had

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Pizza Quesadilla: Spray the bottom of a non-stick skillet with cooking spray

and preheat. When the pan is hot place a flour Tortilla in the pan. Fairly quickly spread on a few tablespoons of pizza sauce. Then add a layer of any toppings you like Then top with shredded cheese. Top it off with a 2nd flour Tortilla. Let it brown then flip it over. After both sides are browned and the insides are hot and

melted take the "pizzas" out to cool. Once cooled slice in 1/4 like a pizza and wrap snugly with

plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Recipes found on: http://www.kraftcanada.com/recipes/chicken-watercress-wraps-172572

http://www.food.com/recipe/lunchbox-pizza-quesadilla-385190

no boundaries and her laughter resembled that of chiming bells, musical yet beautiful. But the

moment that I lived for resided in her brilliant smile. Her smile not only lit up the entire room, but

set my heart on fire: fire so passionate, consuming, overwhelming that it was a wonder that my heart

did not stop all together. So, it did not surprise me when her name was as beautiful as she: Anastasia.

We met under inconvenient circumstances that involved me spilling my black coffee on her

dress. On the first day of college. To say that she was angry would have been an understatement, she

was furious. But her fury did nothing but make her more beautiful to me, as beautiful as a tiger,

gorgeous but dangerous. Yet infuriating her made me guilty, sad, like a piece of my heart was being

chipped off. So, I strove to make good of the situation by asking her out on a date. Her look was

priceless, one that I would remember in the years to come, one that would become the topic of

meaningless teasing. She was shocked, surprised, angry and happy all in one look. Needless to say,

she agreed to the date, one that would become the first of many.

Completing two years of college and three years of university, was a feat only manageable

due to the steady relationship that we had. She was my rock, my solid foundation, my love, my life.

But that did not mean our lives were simple together; we had our ups and downs. Ups as high as the

sky itself, and downs as low as the very core of this Earth. But we were always able to come back to

each other, only minutes passing by before we succumbed to each others apologies.

I thought what we had was enough to last a lifetime; I thought that the turmoil I had once

called my life would disappear in the rays of her love. Before she entered my life, I was but a mere

being with no emotions or feelings. The end result of abuse throughout my teenage life, loneliness

and fear were often my only friends. But Anastasia took away the fear and replaced it with love, took

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and fear were often my only friends. But Anastasia took away the fear and replaced it with love,

took away the loneliness for happiness. She was all I wanted, all I needed. But sometimes what you

want and need is quite the opposite of what you get.

One image was all it took for my entire world to go off its rails. That scene was replayed

again and again in my mind like a movie that would never stop. Obnoxious voices in my head had

started to voice my insecurities, my fears, my sadness, my pain caused by just this one image. That

image was Anastasia in the arms of another man in our bedroom.

I felt the beast within me stir and show its head. It had been feeding off my depression for

so many years and had finally begun to wake up. The apprehension on her face did not make me

happy. It made me ecstatic. I wanted her to suffer. I wanted her to feel the amount of pain she

caused me. I wanted her to see the ice that had began to encompass my soul.

I ripped the man out of her grasp and poured out my agony, my frustration, through punches

and kicks. I heard a voice behind me, but it seemed like it was submerged in water, low and

indecipherable. The voice was devastated, pain leaking through every word, but the most

predominant emotion was fear. That fear gave me a satisfaction that nothing had ever given me. It

had given me the motive to continue my brawl with the poor excuse of a man who slept with her.

Somewhere deep inside me a voice whispered for me to stop, but that voice was overruled by the

evil that took over my body.

What happened afterwards has been imprinted in my mind forever. A cloud of death

cloaked me wherever I went since that day. That day has been my downfall, the day my life had

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changed forever because the beast in me didn’t stop hurting the man. I didn’t stop. I was pulled

away by gentle hands which I would recognize anywhere, but unfortunately not even those hands

would tame my rage. I spun around and advanced on Anastasia, thinking of the ways I could hurt

her, make her cry in anguish. As I thought that, I saw a candle at the corner of my vision. A plan had

been formulated subconsciously, and before I could let my train of thoughts pass through my head, I

acted on my plan.

I took the candle and started to burn the bedsheets, her clothes, his clothes, and watched as

the fire got bigger, consuming everything in its path. This fire was so similar yet different to the fire

of love that had once enveloped me. This fire was overwhelming, passionate and consuming. But

this fire was overwhelmed by hurt, passionate for pain and consuming all good, leaving nothing but

remains in its path. This fire led to the end of my happiness, my life, my love.

The love of my life died in that fire, and I was sent to the place I now call home: The Mental

Institution of California. White walls greeted me and bid me sleep, once again my thoughts and

thoughts alone gave me company, solace and peace. But these thoughts also caused me anger, pain

and anguish. These thoughts made me think about the choices I had made in my life, the good and

the bad. These thoughts reverted me back to that night where I allowed my barbarian instincts to

take over, the night I was listed as unstable, the night where I realized that happiness was just a

myth, a mask of the pain that everyone suffers in their lives, a glimmer of hope brushed by an abyss

of darkness and misery. One choice was all it took to change my life for the worse, turn my heaven

into my personal hell, my happiness into nothing but anger, my sanity into insanity. That is why I

am happy that I am in between these white walls, walls which are not tainted by my past, giving me

a fresh palate to start my future. These walls I favour because they restrict me from having the one

thing that I dread : A choice.

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