Can you tell me about the capping and pinning ceremony? I’m a 9th Grader, and I’ve heard a lot about it. 

Great question! The capping and pinning ceremony is when the 9th Graders get their sailor caps that are given by their Junior big sis, and the Sophomores get their lapel pins from their senior big sis. The big sis is determined and paired by distinguished members of ASB that. During the ceremony, some alumnae and faculty speak about Marymount and, for some, their experiences when they attended MHS.

What’s a good book to read?

You definitely asked the right person for good book suggestions! It’s hard for me to find a great, compelling book that I absolutely cannot put down, so here are a few of my favorites to share: The Hate You Give, Everything Everything, The Sun Is Also A Star, and Daring Greatly. 

The Hate You Give, by Angie Thomas, is a captivating, eye-opening novel about teen Starr Carter who endures the trauma, pain, and reactions from society of police brutality against her friend, Khalil, a Black teenager. Starr was a witness of Khalil’s death and had to combat the pressures and the constant media spotlight on her, all while switching between two controversially different worlds of her almost all-white private school and majority-Black neighborhood. After avoiding and fearing the consequences the spotlight of being the witness brings, she bravely puts herself out there to the world where she receives several unsolicited perspectives that push her to use her voice and, eventually, a platform to advocate against the violence of Black lives by police. 

Everything Everything, by Nicola Yoon, follows the life of Maddy Whittier, a teenager that lives with a life-threatening disease, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), which prevents her from stepping outside of her home. Until meeting and falling in love with Olly, her new neighbor, through their facing windows, she had never stepped foot outside nor experienced the normal events your average teenager would. After communicating online with him constantly, they make plans to meet. With this, the craving for adventure strikes between the two, and a life-changing realization is revealed!

Another amazing book by the talented Nicola Yoon, The Sun Is Also A Star, is set revolving around two hopeful teens, Daniel and Natasha, that accidentally cross paths in New York. With a ticking clock in their midst, Natasha tries to figure out how to

prevent the deportation of her and her family back to Jamaica, while Daniel decides whether to win over his strict parent’s

approval by letting them decide which college he attends or follow his dreams. When the two meet, impulsive Daniel tries to prove that he can make her fall in love with him in only one day,  but will he?

Daring Greatly is a self-help novel by successful author, lecturer, podcast host, and professor Brené Brown. This book pushes the reader to be open to risks and vulnerability in a world where it is feared. She teaches individuals how to be brave and exposed to the world, and ready for spontaneous curve-balls thrown by society. She provides personal and scientifically proven examples that enforce her teaching. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of living a life without a victimizing mindset and applauding the efforts made for personal betterment. 

A sailor sister is asking for some guidance and advice for VERY Early Onset SENIORITIS!! With Zoom, the senioritis is REAL and I, and many of my peers, are struggling. Please give some motivation to get through the rest of the year. 

As a junior, I can not officially label myself with early-onset seniorities; however, I will admit to losing some academic motivation given the school’s virtual setting this year. Given that, below are some of the most helpful tactics and strategies I have discovered to keep myself productive.

First, I like to make daily to-do lists to ensure that I am completing all of my tasks on time and managing my time wisely. I can be forgetful when I have a lot of open and pending thoughts all the time, so it is advantageous to keep a to-do list, as it is great for organizing Second, I have adopted a more positive attitude and try to see the good during these stressful times. It took a lot of hard work to encourage this mentality. I used to see stress as a negative feeling, but I have altered my view on school induced stress. It has helped me a lot and decreased the amount of tension and stress present. Third, when I get caught up and anxious by the pressures of school, I ask myself a variety of questions to calm myself and understand the next steps necessary. A question I like to ask often is “will the assignment/exam/etc. affect my life in five years if I do poorly?” 99.9% of the time, it absolutely does not, so I put away the unnecessary stress and save it for when I actually need the pressure. Fourth, I enjoy making study groups for some of my classes. For my social butterflies, it is a great way to see your friends and be productive or even make new friends. I have made some new friends throughout the COVID-19 pandemic purely based on the fact that we bonded through the same class. We struggled together and that made us close, and it was also beneficial since we studied and learned the material. When struggling together, we created an underlying motivation and goals together, furthering my first tip. Lastly, it may not be accessible to all, but I have had the opportunity to differentiate my school room and my homework/study room. I did all of my classes in my bedroom where my desk was, and then when it was time to complete my homework and study for my assessments, I did the work in the kitchen or outside at a table. The two locations helped mimic the pre-corona reality where I actually attended school campus, and then I would do my homework and study at home. It helped me focus and stay productive, and a change of scenery is always beneficial!