As this year is wrapping up, I feel as if I need to get my opinion on some problems out for everyone to enjoy. Over the course of this year, I have slowly gotten more and more annoyed by various things on social media.

The first, and foremost, most annoying social media problem we are facing right now is the “#MCM” and “#WCW” epidemic. What those letters stand for is “Man Candy Monday” and “Women Crush Wednesday”. So basically, this is a way to remind everyone that you do, indeed, have a crush on someone. That someone may be your boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, husband, or the option that really annoys me, which is some famous, attractive person that you have never met and never will meet. We get the fact that the person is attractive to you. And most of us don’t care. Junior Morgan Gust agrees, stating “Yeah, the #MCM’s are just fine every once in a while, but when you post one every single Monday, of the same guy, it becomes stupid and overrated. We get he’s your boyfriend.”

The second thing that annoys me is a new, fake, made-up word. That word is “bae”. Since saying the word “babe” takes so long to say, someone decided they should shorten it by one letter. According to Wikipedia, it was the original acronym for British Aerospace. Now, it is an acronym for “before anything else”, which is just an adorable way of saying someone is important to you. I don’t have any problem with the “important to you” part. The part I have a problem with is the “before anything else part.” Because, in all technicality, the only things that are actually before anything else are oxygen and water. If you don’t have those, you die. If you don’t have your “bae”, you should not die; therefore, they aren’t actually “before anything else”. In fact, there are many things, like food, that are also more important to living than your “bae.” For the record, typing the word is annoying me, so I’m going to move on and talk about my third problem with social media.

The “selfie.” It’s basically a picture of one’s self, taken by themselves, that shows people what they look like. One selfie, about every six months, is easily enough pictures for onlookers to know what you look like. Some people have taken the “selfie” to a level that is basically ridiculous. No one cares what you look like twenty minutes after you took the first picture for the day. Or the second picture. Or the third. I, at least, assume you haven’t had plastic surgery between the first picture and any others. If you have had plastic surgery, feel free to show us! If not, updating your picture of yourself, constantly, gets a little ridiculous. Please, just stop. If you have forgotten what you look like, or if you think others have forgotten what you look like, think twice, because if they actually know you, they remember what you look like. And why does hardly anyone smile in a selfie?  Why are people's eye purposely closed or squinty and lips pursed into a "duck face?"  While I’m on the topic of selfies, I had just as well point out the most obsessed selfie fan: fellow classmate Adrianne Nielsen.  She is a habitual “cover your face with your hand and take a selfie”, selfie taker. So, back to the picture at the top of this article, who does the “cover your face and take a selfie”, selfie better? Me or Adrianne Nielsen? Vote in the poll below.

High school students, especially those in Audubon, always seem to be motivated to be extra involved. Some balance music and sports activities, while others gravitate towards their own interests and hobbies outside of school. At Audubon High School, approximately 57% of students are involved with more than three extra curricular activities compared to larger city schools, such as 3A and 4A schools, with students being involved in one extra curricular activity. A planner is sometimes necessary in order to keep a school, sport, homework, and work schedule organized. Many students find themselves busy, and even that can be an understatement.

So with being involved in many groups, activities and academics, one may pose the question: Do they even have time to have a social life? It’s pretty clear that Audubon High School’s students lead very healthy social lives, simply judging from the amount of 'squirellyness' in day-to-day routines with one another. According to Courtney Walter, the school counselor, “I think most AHS students are able to balance school work, activities, and social lives fairly well. We encourage students to be involved in many things and hope that we've taught you something about time management. The great part about our small school is that those three areas are usually intertwined, which makes for a good balance. Social events are often centered around extracurricular activities with students who generally share the same academic workload, so there's some camaraderie in that.”

With all of that being said, it is clear AHS is a motivated group of students geared towards school and activities. What makes students like that, though? What drives students to be continually motivated? That question was posed to about twenty Audubon High School students that are heavily involved in extra-curriculars, work, and academics.  Responses of "what motivates you?" were anywhere from being with friends, college preparation, following the law, sports, living up to sibling’s reputations, and the importance of hard work. Junior Trevor Smith said, “What motivates me is trying to be the best I can be. I don’t settle for less than what I am capable of.”

Maddie Christensen, a senior who seems to be motivated more than ever, agrees that motivation is huge and adds, “Usually for early morning jazz choir, I tell myself that each practice will get us closer to being state jazz choir champs.”  Little did Christensen know then, that a few days later, Voices Only jazz choir would win 1st place on Tuesday.  She also lightheartedly adds, “Oh, and food. Gotta look forward to lunch.”

It’s clear that personal motivation is a driving force for Audubon students to be involved, even when the stress gets to be too much. But with the school year winding down, remember even the littlest thing can inspire greatness and keep a person moving forward.

    Girls, how many times have you been lead to believe some Prince Charming will come and sweep you off your feet, kiss you happily ever after, propose or marry you on Valentine’s Day, and also promises you the world? If so, you aren’t alone, actually about 6 million other people are out there waiting for the exact same thing.
Valentine’s Day is an over-exaggerated and highly cliché day for people who are believed to be in love to spend unnecessarily high amounts of money on useless everyday things. This Hallmark tradition of buying gifts of flowers – typically red roses, chocolates, heart shaped balloon, cute texts and a girl's favorite: jewelry, especially diamonds, gold or silver. Now, being a girl, to me this day is overly dramatized and rather annoying. Kasey Porsch, a junior, agrees and said, “I don’t really see the point of it”.
Some people on the other hand just go mad crazy over it. Sarah Mosinski said jokingly, “Valentine’s Day is only fun if you have a ‘lova’, and I got a ‘lova’.” When asked if she’s planning on getting anything for Valentine’s Day she stated, “he better be getting something good, hopefully a prom dress!” Now, as for me, “Valentine’s Day” the movie is a little more “real life." With break-ups on Valentine’s Day, and proposals’ and other stuff that could be done on a common day, but more exaggerated. Valentine’s is Hallmark's “money day” and economy booster. The average person will spend at least $130.97 just on this “holiday”. At least $7 billion will be spent on candies, flowers, chocolates and diamonds. Nice? Yes, but a little too predictable. I personally prefer the "Spongebob" Valentine’s Day episode where he gives Patrick a chocolate balloon because they’re friends. Sharing is care, but only if you truly care.

    Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, is just around the corner! Groundhog day was first documented way back in 1887, so this year marks the 127th annual celebration of this fine holiday.

    The groundhog, also known as woodchuck, land beaver, or whistle-pig, is, according to National Geographic’s website, the largest member of the squirrel family. They feast on vegetation all summer long in order to build up a large enough fat reserve to allow them to hibernate through the winter, which, according to Susie Bylund, “Sounds like a pretty good idea.”

    The hibernation of the whistle pig gave birth to the American tradition of Groundhog Day. Tradition states that if the land beaver arises from his hole in the dirt and sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.

    I, personally, have trouble comprehending that. In order for there to be shadows, there can’t be cloud cover. It must be sunny outside. Most of the time when it is sunny, there is a good chance the weather is at least mildly pleasant. So yes, when the weather is nice, the groundhog tells us that since it is nice outside, there will surely be six more weeks of winter.

    Maybe groundhogs prefer cloudy days. Maybe whistle pigs don’t care for tanning. Maybe they get sunburns easily and don’t wear adequate sunblock. Maybe land beavers should consider wearing sunglasses so the nice, warm sunlight doesn’t temporarily blind them. Maybe the sunlight hits their face and it triggers their photic sneeze reflex, causing them to sneeze. Maybe marmots shouldn’t be trusted to inform us if there will be six more weeks of winter, because I don’t have much faith in their methods of prediction.


*No groundhogs were harmed in the making of the above photo or article.

    Any time I have the misfortune of visiting a department store, I can’t help but be irritated.
    Since about mid-July, plastic Christmas trees have been sprouting up everywhere, clogging the aisles. The plastic Christmas tree truly is a handy invention; it allows one to purchase a tree, remove it from the two-sizes-too-small box, and assemble it inside your house. After Christmas (or a week before Easter), when one takes down the faux tree, they get the excitement of attempting to wrestle it back into the box it came in. Everyone knows that this is next to impossible, so one must figure out alternate ways of storage until next year. I was once told that the fake tree is an excellent idea because it leaves no mess; the individual that told me that must have never had a fake tree, because those little green “needles” have a nasty habit of finding a way into the carpet.
    The smell of pine cones and cinnamon is a wonderful smell, but only when enjoyed in strict moderation. I walked into a large discount store the other day and developed a headache due to the stench. Digital sleigh bells “jing-jing-jingling” through the loudspeakers didn’t help the headache either. That brings me to my next favorite part of the holidays: the music.
    Don’t get me wrong; I realize Christmas music has a time and place, caroling is a great way to spread some holiday cheer! I just believe that I shouldn’t have to endure the cacophony while deciding what variety of candle I can sniff to get my mind off of the pine cone aroma. It is my firm belief that there isn’t a single good Christmas song out there that I haven’t heard one too many times. And quite frankly, it drives me nuts.
    The last topic I am going to cover is on behalf of anyone with young children or siblings. It is this: why must we wake up extra early on Christmas morning to open presents? I realize it’s a tradition, but it’s as if we don’t hurry up and open them, Santa is going to slide back down the chimney and whisk them away! Sure, I’m excited too, but they’re not going anywhere!
    Although by now you may not think so, but I do love the holidays. They really are wonderful. They all possess a deep and powerful meaning. They get all of us students out of school, allow us to spend time with relatives, and hey, presents are awful fun, too. But man oh man, will I ever be excited when the Christmas decorations leave stores!