April 7, 2005 - Volume 34 Issue 12
Beat boredom
By Katie Hauser, jr.
Opinion Editor
As spring begins, so do the first stirrings of spring fever.
Every year, dozens of teens are stricken with this affliction.
One can never be sure of exactly when bordom is going to strike, so students
should have a well-stocked arsenal of possible cures. Although students may
complain about having nothing to do, they just need to search a little deeper.
Obvious solutions are to call friends for mindless chatter or to wander around
the house until one ends up in the kitchen with a tasty snack.
Computers can provide a break from the monotony that causes spring fever.
Students that use blogs can update their own or check on their friends. Games
are easily accessible through the Internet as well.
Other solutions may not sound like a lot of fun, but they can take students’
minds off of their boredom. Finishing homework or reading a book can fall
under this category.
When students become unresponsive to these treatments, there are still more
to try. They can get a new hobby. Streets and sidewalks are always available
to someone who wants to get out of the house and take a walk. Other forms
of exercise can also be found.
Just because students are suffering from spring fever does not mean their
school spirit should suffer. Spring sports have started their season, and
students can attend games to cheer on the teams.
If students have money, even more options are available to
them. They can go to the movie theater with friends. A cheaper option is to
rent a movie to watch at home or at a friend’s house.
For another escape from boredom, students can go shopping.
Some students are so involved in school and other activities that spring fever
does not hit them until later in the season. For those students, they should
enjoy the fact that they have the time to be bored and relish in the fact
that they have absolutely nothing to stress about for a little while.
If spring fever really does get the best of any students, they can resort
to a boredom buster that takes no effort at all. They can take a nap and hope
that when they wake up, there will be something to do.
If for some reason all of these fail, students can take the ultimate spring
fever cure. Although it may be difficult, they can ask their parents if there
is anything that needs to be done around the house. It may be an extreme option,
but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Cloudy with a chance of complaint
Springtime woes bother students
By Shawna Dawson, sr.
Reporter
Springtime, for some people, is a favorite season because of
the warm weather, weeklong vacation, and the sense that summer is coming soon.
However, not all people share this love of spring and rightfully so. Springtime
is ripe with opportunities for gripes and complaints, and a little soiling
of its generally sunny, lighthearted reputation.
Spring break is usually a time for fun in the sun, but it was not fun for
everyone this year because of the chilly, cloudy weather. Although some students
went out of state, a majority of people just stayed at home and were forced
to tough out the brutal cold.
“The cold weather ruined my spring break plans because I planned on
being outside a lot more, like going to the lake, but the weather was miserable,”
said Angie Whitaker, jr.
Unfortunately, it never seemed to get very warm for the entire week of spring
break, with it staying in the mid- to low-50s the whole time. Even if the
weather had gotten warmer, the grey skies and wind swept streets were not
very appealing at all. Spring has a bad reputation for being unpredictable
in its weather patterns, and rainy weather is among the top springtime woes.
The most frustrating part about springtime for some people is the onset of
pesky allergies. People tend to dread spring for all the sneezy, congested
inconvenience it causes due to the pollen now spreading from reviving plants
after winter.
“I get allergies very badly and I have to take shots twice
a week or I wake up with eyes swelled shut,” said Derek Wrestler, sr.
Another common springtime gripe shared by both teachers and parents is that
students get lazy with their responsibilities. Being so close to the end of
the year, especially after spring break, students are ready for summer vacation
and are losing interest in school work quickly. ‘Senioritis’ seems
to be settling in, even for the underclassmen.
“After settling in on home life, it is hard to get used to idea of school,”
said Daniel Weilert, so. “Upcoming tests, massive amounts of homework,
and tons of class projects are few of the many examples of why students pray
for summer to come very soon.”
It is likely that some of the seniors are planning to attend Allen or Neosho
County Community College, or somewhere close within the security range of
parents. However, several seniors are getting ready for a life away from Humboldt,
as they are going to attend college too far away too continue living here.
For many students and parents, the most exciting yet heartbreaking thing about
spring is graduation. Many seniors will be moving away after the summer, and
underclassmen realize that spring will be the last school season they share
with their older friends.
“I will miss the seniors because they are who we look up to and we hang
around with,” said Kellee Fredrick, jr.
Spring is in the Air Favorite
Favorite
seasonal
activities, traditions held dear
By Blair Umholtz, sr.
Advertising manager
Often with the return from spring break, students are thrown
into spring fever.
With the season’s numerous activities, students and teachers may become
overwhelmingly busy, both inside and out of the classroom. Such activities
include spring sports, jobs, and school clubs, but this is certainly not the
end of the list.
There are many clubs and organizations that are offered outside of the school.
Hobbies and extra-curricular activities can take up a large amount of time,
as well.
Many activities take students out of the classroom during the normal school
day.
“Track and FFA take up a lot of my time during the spring due to ‘Aggie
Days’ and the many track meets,” said Works.
Also this spring, Works will be leaving for Discovery Days, an event where
4-Hers across the state gather at the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan
for leadership activities. This provides a chance to meet new people mixed
with various fun-filled learning experiences. Works will be leaving two days
earlier, however, to train as a spirit leader. Spirit leaders help to provide
leadership and inspiration for Discovery Days activities by encouraging delegates
to have fun and create a sense of belonging for all participants.
Over spring break, alone, few people had time to actually relax.
Some families used the time during spring break to take leave for a well-deserved
vacation, while others simply dreamed of one throughout their relentless schedule.
Haley Barton, sr., left during spring break for a missions trip. Barton’s
group traveled to the Believer’s Tabernacle in Wichita, where they hosted
a soccer camp for children in kindergarten through fifth grades. Barton described
a “ghetto,” called ‘Hilltop’ that they visited in
order to recruit more children for the camp. Barton said that there were kids
walking around barefoot.
“ I might add that it was a lot colder there than here [in Humboldt],”
said Barton. “I became closer to the people that I already knew, and
we all learned the importance of showing children love.”
“ It most definitely left an impression on me,” said Barton. “It
is really weird how people can drive two hours and already see such a difference.
Normally we think of other countries. We never think that there are actually
people like this in the U.S.”
Some members of the junior class have been active in the
construction of prom decorations, which is an ongoing springtime tradition.
Prom is a big springtime event in the minds of many students. Dress shopping
and tuxedo rentals are among common topics of conversation during the springtime
months. Dates spend much of their time discussing flowers, coordinating their
outfits to each other, and not to mention dinner and transportation plans
for the big night. Girls spend a lot of time, money, and energy on things
such as finding the perfect shoes and accessories, getting their nails and
hair done, and tanning. With all this activity and excitement, prom-goers
may find it hard to make time for much of anything else.
Some families even hold annual traditions during the spring. Senior Cara Tilman
has one such family.
“ Every Easter, [my family and I] go out to a field and fly kites if
the weather is nice,” said Tilman. “Sometimes we fish. It is very
enjoyable.”
Students who are excessively involved are also those who are often quite passionate
about the activities they take part in, activities which are especially big
in the springtime. Trey Zartman, jr., shows his feelings of excitement that
all of his hard will pay off.
“ I think that keeping active and being involved in organizations makes
high school a fun experience,” said Zartman. “Although it may
be difficult keeping up with everything and maintaining good grades, it is
still worth it. It also helps with when people go off to college and are in
a job position. The people that are met and the experience of high school
makes a big impact. People start developing skills right now. So, I just like
to stay active in things so I do not get so lazy. FCCLA provides a great opportunity
to develop leadership skills that we will need in the future. All the sports
that I am involved in keep me in shape. Spring sports are just a great way
to be involved in team activities. Being involved in a team is hard work,
and fun all year long. It is a great way to start achieving goals.”
When the warmer months approach, seniors are constantly expending their energy
in a barrage of responsibilities. Scholarship deadlines are passing, and essays
need to be written. College plans need to be finalized, and financial aid
needs to be applied for. However, amidst all the draining paperwork is the
sense of accomplishment that they will be graduating soon. The senior class
recently received their graduation announcements, and just like last spring’s
seniors, this year’s senior class members are busy addressing and personalizing
announcements in celebration of the big day in May.
Spring brings on a sense of both reflection and new beginnings. While the
school year is drawing to a close, students begin to remember all the great
times that they have had over the past year, and look forward to the summer
break, which draws even nearer.
However, it seems that no matter what students’ interests and obligations
are, spring is a great season for appreciating the activities and traditions
that they hold dear.
Back
To Cubtracks