Spring Article: Goals for the next Quarter + Study Tips for Exam Season

By Gauri Gupta

We’ve finally finished 1st semester! After what feels like forever, we’re finally done with 50% of the school year. After coming back from more than a year of remote learning, this year had many bumps. However, now that we’re all used to learning in person, we’ve developed our individual studying habits. Although we hopefully finished off the semester strong, there is always room for growth and improvement. Now that AP and IB exams are coming up, it’s especially important for us to develop new habits to excel and succeed.

Many of us struggle to juggle all the schoolwork and extracurricular activities that we participate in. Several high-level IB and AP courses require lots of work, which is difficult to balance with sports, personal interests, jobs, and the many other things keeping us busy after school. In addition, many Interlake students struggle with procrastination, which prevents students from completing everything in a timely manner.

Madhumitra Kethini believes that if she procrastinates less and manages her time better, it would positively affect many elements of her life, including her sleep schedule. To accomplish this, she wants to “have some sort of planner to remind [herself] of upcoming assignments.” Something that worked for her was “having someone check in on [her] and checking in on them about upcoming projects and assignments so that she would be reminded about them well before the due date.”

The problem with many of us, however, is that we sometimes lack the motivation to study for tests and complete our assignments. It’s important to remain motivated and remember to regularly look at grades, talk to teachers about any questions, and establish a good study plan. Asking friends or family for reminders to complete assignments and encouragement can help combat laziness and create motivation to get work done.

Aryan Karthikeya, a sophomore, wants to not only get good grades, but also learn in the process, “especially for STEM subjects that [he’s interested in. He will do this by focusing less on getting perfect grades, but on focusing more on the actual content covered in class”. For the first semester, being “strategic about work” really helped him because instead of spending hours on one assignment, he would figure out how to finish it quickly. This helped him accommodate all his other activities. Mr. Stearns’ advice to “work smart, not hard” really influenced him because it helped him realize that spending a lot of time on studying helped him get good grades but it was also important to save time for subjects he was actually passionate about. For this spring semester, Aryan plans to prioritize exams he finds important and start studying early to prevent cramming.

As AP and IB exams start, it’s more important than ever to develop strong study habits. For some, planners and to-do lists are useful as they provide a visual reminder of responsibilities and a sense of satisfaction when checking off boxes. Having a study group where you study with your friends and remind each other of upcoming assignments may also help you stay on top of your work.

It’s especially important to develop clear priorities and devote adequate time to exams. Rather than cramming test prep a week prior, you should start well in advance.

It’s especially important that you realize what your priorities are and start devoting adequate time to things that are the most important. Instead of cramming in on your test prep a few weeks before your exam, you should start well in advance so that you become familiar with the material and have enough time to polish up your skills, without having to feel stressed or overwhelmed. Giving yourself some kind of a practice test on the material you will be quizzed on is vital, so you know what to expect, you know which areas you're good in, and you know the ones you need to work on. Remember to be realistic about what grade you expect from your classes and tests because it directly correlates with the amount of time and effort you put into it (don’t expect all A’s if you haven’t done your part in the studying)!

Most importantly, however, it’s important not to become too overwhelmed with all the work coming your way. It’s not uncommon for your academics and extracurricular pursuits to begin ramping up during this time of year, especially since Interlake is a very competitive and rigorous school. However, it’s important to remain calm and not overburdened with all your workload. As you study for your tests this season, be sure to allocate some time for your own personal fulfillment and enjoyment!

The Human Skin Microbiome: The New Age of Hygiene

By Trinity Lee

With the prolongation of the pandemic, hygiene-related products and procedures have become more important than ever. COVID-19 put a new focus on soaps, sanitizers, and showers, setting off dozens of trends and viral videos. However, with people washing their hands and sanitizing themselves more frequently than ever, there is a question of how all this scrubbing, moisturizing, and deodorizing affects the body.

At first glance, the human skin appears to be quite a simple organ- the cleaner it is, the healthier. However, excessive hygiene may actually cause unpredictable blemishes and the sudden appearance of pimples. Skin serves a multitude of purposes, which includes protecting our inner organs from dangerous pathogens and allowing our bodies to experience different sensations. However, it is also an extremely complex organ, serving as microbiome that houses a variety of bacteria, fungi, mites, and more. Despite the bad reputation of these little organisms, named the perpetrator of disease and destruction, many species of our skin’s microbiome are actually quite beneficial.

The microbiome on our skin constitute a delicate ecosystem. Many are benign and some even feed on the dirt and impurities on our skin. Microbiome also serves as a protectant, strengthening our immune system. Over-excessive hygiene could trigger our body’s immune system to perceive beneficial or benign microorganisms as threats. When we shower continuously or overuse soap and skin products, we are constantly wearing away at our natural microbiome, making our skin more prone to blemishes. Contrary to popular media messages, our skin should not be completely sterile.

Many people agree that when a pimple or unsavory blemish appears, they immediately turn to showers, cleansers, toners, serums, and face masks. Growing up, if a pimple or blotchy spot appeared on my face, I was constantly reminded to not touch it. But of course, I didn’t listen and instead attempted to wash it away with soap and water. I believed that scraping or scrubbing would make it disappear. However, it only led to more redness and created more damage.

Now, I understand that these mixed suggestions and rules are confusing. Would it be better to withhold showering altogether? Should all skincare be abandoned. As someone who swims, works out, and sweats every day, I shower frequently and keep up constant hygiene practices. I wouldn’t encourage anyone to let go of all cleanliness and hygiene. However, it should be taken into consideration that cutting down on showering or limiting use of skincare products can give your microbiome a well-deserved break.

Club Display: Cricket Club

By Aryan Kedarisetty

From the "gullys" of Mumbai to the pitch of Melbourne Cricket ground, cricket is a sport played by people of various ethnicities and backgrounds, giving rise to many notable players such as Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne, Brian Lara, and many others. Before exploring more on its presence in our school, we need to know what cricket is, and if you are interested in learning the rules of cricket, feel free to check out this brief video: https://youtu.be/wHEIT32ZEVs.

This year is the first year of the Cricket Club up and running at Interlake! The club administrators include Manthan Jain, Vismay Patel, Akshar Adurty, Aniketh Bondada, and Krish Wasson, and their advisor is our very own accountant Mrs. Tate! Collaboratively, they worked hard to start and introduce the sport to our school, and the club happens every Tuesday and Thursday, meeting from 3:45-4:45 for an entertaining match of cricket. More importantly, how has cricket impacted our Interlake Saints community?

An important purpose of the club is that it isn't only selective for pro players that dominate the field. In fact, after attending a few club meetings, I saw lots of newcomers having fun alongside the deadly bowlers and the strong batsmen, losing track of time and destressing themselves from that daunting, upcoming test. It was very heartwarming to see all the students from different backgrounds have fun together whilst giving each other tips and encouragingly patting each other's backs regardless of a win or a loss. I still recall one day where we had a close match: one ball and six runs to win. I watched Aniketh lift the ball, the next three seconds being as long as the bat he used. It was as if the scene happened in slow motion, as the ball landed just right before the boundary, resulting in four runs and the other team enjoying their clutch, 1-point up victory.

Despite the disappointing loss, I continue to cherish these memories to this day. I was walking home with a huge smile on my face, vividly remembering the amount of cheering, complimenting, and consoling. Through hard work, I was proud after learning how to bowl, bat, and run, my passion blazing as if my life depended on it. Our health benefitted after the constant habits of exercising, and with our team chemistry increasing simultaneously, the development of our skills and emotional connections with one another made the experience even more pleasant.

With the momentum of the club accumulating, I asked other members of the club about how they felt about the club? Vismay Patel, the Club's Treasurer, thought that "seeing people who have never played cricket before turning into real players while having fun is great." A prime example of this is Johnny Shen, who started as a novice and is rumored to be one of the best players in the club. He claims that the "[I]nterlake cricket club is a small community with big dreams." Overall, the goal of the cricket club can be best summarized in one word: fun. Playing cricket with these students was nostalgic. I reminisced the times in recess during elementary school, where all we wanted to do was feel free and run wildly. I think the club revitalizes this sense of joy, and it should be a crucial part of your life!

Cricket Club meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 3:30 in the Commons. During fall and winter, students will leave to play on the softball field, and in the spring, the group will walk to the nearby Ivanhoe Sports Field. To understand more about the club, check out their website (https://interlakecricket.com), created by Vismay Patel. Links to their content-filled YouTube channel, Instagram, and match results can be found there. Want to see how your friend is doing? Simply click on a match to see their stats! To join the club, join the Interlake Cricket Club Teams or get in touch with the admin so they can add you to the roster and provide more information. Don't be scared to come and try out the sport. Witnesses report that even Mrs. Tate has given a swing at the ball!

The Kids Are Not Okay

By Emma Huang

The students groan. It’s a cloudy Friday morning, barely 10 A.M., and a mindfulness lesson on how to manage stress is on the SMART Board. But a mindfulness lesson is the furthest thing from helpful.

In 2019, levels of depression and anxiety in teens increased. When the pandemic hit, things took a turn for the worse.

At Interlake, “mindfulness,” an attempt at mental health awareness by the school district, treats the symptom, not the problem. By displaying awareness presentations for the many stressed students that occupy the building on a daily basis, BSD fails to do what is most important – finding helpful solutions and listening to the problems students are facing. Instead, the district often chooses reputation-saving solutions that don’t solve anything.

The peak of their bad decision making arises in their expulsion of Riju Chawla, a former Interlake student, whose story is available on Instagram. In October of 2021, Riju attempted suicide at school.

After an emergency expulsion that lasted 4 weeks – “4 weeks of no education, no online school, nothing”, Riju says, she was transferred to a program that isolated her and punished her for her “behavior”, leaving her the sole occupant of her class.

After a second suicide attempt, Riju says, “we had my IEP (individualized education plan) meeting, where [the district] just let me know (even though it was supposed to be a team decision, which includes me and my family and anyone else on my ‘side’) that I would not be returning to my high school. Instead, they…forced a long-term placement at another high school in Bellevue School District. Making me leave my advanced learning, accelerated IB path to go somewhere that I didn’t know anyone and wouldn’t have the academic rigor that kept me going.”

It has become normal to overhear two students in the last bathroom stall during class talking about their friend who was suicidal. It has become normal to hear certain staff members dismiss a student’s anxiety and get away with it. It has become normal for BSD to punish the victim.

Sexual assault has been a problem in BSD for years, yet it took years until a large enough catalyst resulted in a walkout and spurred BSD into action. There has been little from them on the topic of how they handle mental health. Why? Because disrespecting the mental health of students happens so often that no resistance is given anymore.

BSD is so focused on educating us about mental health that they fail to realize the most important flaw – that adults, too, need mental health education. The staff needs a more in-depth training for how to handle mental health. All students should be given mental health days, no questions asked. There needs to be change.

Are School Computers as Useful as We Think?

By Shyam Arumugam