Volume 111 Issue 8
News
2020: A Year Unlike Any Other
By Nada Hameed, James Kang, Rebecca Kim, Mahir Hossain, Madison Kim
As the unprecedented year 2020 comes to an end, here are some highlights on the international, national, and local level as well as an In Memoriam section on the lives lost.
News
Math Team Hosts Fourth Annual Downtown Math Invitational Virtually
By Mary Lee, Ziying Jian, Maggie Sansone, Sakura Yamanaka
In light of COVID-19, Stuyvesant’s math team hosted their Downtown Math Invitational competition virtually this year.
News
StuySquad, SING!, Tap Club, and StuyArts Organizes Cultural Dance Appreciation Panel Featuring Guest Speakers Eboné Vanityzo Johnson, Jason Samuels Smith, and Sangita Shresthova
By Rajhasree Paul, Zuzi Liu, Emma Chio
StuySquad, SING!, Tap Club, and StuyArts organized a cultural dance appreciation discussion panel featuring guest speakers Eboné Vanityzo Johnson, Jason Samuels Smith, and Sangita Shresthova.
News
Criminal Law Class Welcomes Guest Speakers Mark Berman (‘82) and Judge Charlotte Davidson
By Fahima Miajee, Peter Goswami, Christina Wang, Kai Li
Social studies teacher Linda Weissman hosted guest speakers Mark Berman (’82) and Judge Charlotte Davidson in her Criminal Law elective on December 2 and December 4, respectively.
Features
When Hands-On Becomes Cams On
By Amanda Brucculeri, Josslyn Kim, Rachel Vildman
A look how classes that required in-person interaction are working virtually.
Features
There’s No Place Like Home
By Christina Pan, Ariana Devito, Angela Cai
In a climate of much uncertainty, Stuyvesant students are weighing in on how quarantine has affected their family dynamics.
Features
A Head Start for 2021
By Juni Park, Andrew Oh, Khujista Umama
As the unprecedented year 2020 comes to an end, here are some highlights on the international, national, and local level as well as an In Memoriam section on the lives lost.
Features
How the Virus Stole Christmas (and How We’re Stealing It Back)
By Kaeliana Yu, Ellen Pehlivanian, Vanessa Chen, Catherine Ching
Stuyvesant student holiday wishlists and how gift-exchanging is being affected by COVID-19.
Science
A False Promise: Sweden’s Disastrous Bet on Herd Immunity
By Sonya Sasson
As the second wave of COVID-19 ravages Sweden, authorities consider whether or not to abandon their laissez-faire strategy and play it safe this time around.
Opinions
How De Blasio Stole Christmas
Mayor de Blasio’s plan to ticket casual visitation to Rockefeller Center is unnecessary and harmful. COVID-19 safety can be accounted for in more efficient and comfortable ways.
Opinions
The SHSAT: Is There Anything Wrong With It?
By Alex Cho
Some claim that the SHSAT is biased, but the real bias lies in the unequal education students receive.
Opinions
Lessons From Moving to New York
By Jinseo Hong
As an immigrant from Hong Kong, moving to America made me realize the multitude of problems that I never knew existed in the island.
Opinions
Sinophobia: Otherization and Orientalism
By Matthew Qiu
The nexus of Western knowledge production about the East has consecrated Orientalism in international relations discussion, propping up a caricature of China as a diametrically opposed entity in the reflection of the Occident.
Science
Is More Really Merrier?
By Olivia Zheng
From infamous murder cases to everyday cyberbullying, many partake in bystander apathy, a behavior psychologists and neuroscientists continue to try to explain.
Science
How Do Our Brains Manage Information Overload?
By Hellen Luo
The main cause of brain overload is fairly simple: our brains only have a limited capacity to store a certain amount of information at once. Experts and researchers have suggested a number of ways to improve the brain’s ability to process and handle information.
Arts and Entertainment
The Promise of Pictures: Why Virtual Museum Tours Are Necessary
Examining the relevance of virtual art tours and the solace they provide in such a stressful time.
Arts and Entertainment
A Farewell To the Best Titles on Netflix
By Jaein Ku
Netflix’s best titles are leaving by the end of the year, leaving Netflix viewers yearning for similar shows.
Humor
Apple Unveils Its Innovative New iPhone 13
By Ethan Lam
Apple Unveils Its Innovative New iPhone 13
Humor
Stuyathlon: The Best Sport Stuyvesant Has to Offer
I describe the sport of Stuyathlon and recount a couple stories from its history
Sports
From #SaveTheCrew to MLS Champions
By Matt Melucci
The Columbus Crew emerged victorious in the 2020 MLS Cup Final, overcoming both the Seattle Sounders and a global pandemic.
News
Students Take Covid-Era Tests and Competitions
By Jakob Gorisek-Gazze, Janna Wang, Pulindu Weerasekara, Isabella Jia, Neil Sarkar
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many tests, including the AMC, Science Olympiad exams, and the Independent School Entrance Exams, have adjusted accordingly to a virtual test-taking setting.
News
Alumni Association Hosts Discussion with New York City Mayoral Candidates Kathryn Garcia (’88) and Dianne Morales (’85)
By Isabella Jia, James Kang, Samia Islam
The Alumni Association hosted a conversation with Stuyvesant alumni and contenders of New York’s upcoming mayoral election Kathryn Garcia and Dianne Morales.
Features
Free Time: Fantastic or Futile?
By Calista Lee, Isabel Ching, Chloe Boccara
Remote learning has left Stuyvesant students with an abundance of free time. How are they using it?
Features
Virtual Physical Education: “A Whole New World”
By Olivia Woo, Angela Cai, Sammi Yang, Liana Wu
Physical Education––a class known for its interactive aspect––has switched over to a virtual setting. Stuyvesant Physical Education teachers and students share their opinions about the new format.
Features
COVID Couture
By Ariana Devito, Melia Moore, Khujista Umama
How Stuyvesant students’ styles have changed over the course of quarantine.
Features
Feminist, Femin-ish, and Femi-NO! Feminism at Stuyvesant
By Shivani Manimaran, Sabrina Chen, Soobin Choi, Christina Pan, Judy Chen
Stuyvesant reflects on what feminism means to them.
Features
Stuyvesant’s Sick of Being Sick
Many Stuyvesant students are sick. The coronavirus and other illnesses have struck at a difficult time—so how has it been?
Opinions
Why Socialization Events are Unappealing
Socialization events fail to make natural and long-lasting friendships, but we can take steps on our own by removing the focus on friendship entirely or becoming self-sufficient in creating friends.
Science
Genetically Engineered Spicy Tomatoes?
It may be possible to engineer tomatoes with an active molecule found in chili peppers using gene editing, but there are ethical concerns regarding genetically modified crops.
Science
One Flu Vaccine May Soon Just Be Enough
Florian Krammer at Mount Sinai has developed a universal flu vaccine that can grant immunity against all strains of influenza and eliminate the need for revaccination. It was recently tested in the phase one trial and the results were promising, suggesting that the use of chimeric HA to target the stalk of the HA glycoprotein is able to effectively produce antibodies against a wide variety of influenza strains.
Opinions
The Coat Controversy: A Wild Goose Chase
There is more than what meets the eye behind the popular winter clothing brand Canada Goose—namely, its exclusivity and unethical sourcing.
Science
Exoplanets and the Search for Earth 2.0
By Aryana Singh
Despite having discovered so many exoplanets, astronomers are still having difficulty finding “Earth 2.0.”
Opinions
Please… Just Switch to Zoom
By Erica Li
We need to switch from Google Meet to Zoom for everyone’s benefit.
Arts and Entertainment
Euphoria’s First Special Bridge Episode: Stripped Down and Emotional
By Samira Esha
Contrasting the structural style of the first season, Levinson creates a special episode of “Euphoria” that faces the realities of substance abuse at a far deeper level.
Arts and Entertainment
The End of Days: 2020’s Best Albums
By Shivali Korgaonkar, Morris Raskin
In a year as tumultuous as 2020, music has faced a unique challenge: helping people cope. Here are the best albums that got the world through the year.
Sports
The Real-Life Iron Man
By Yoonah Chang
Triathlete Chris Nikic made history as the first person with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman Triathlon.
Sports
Racism Ruins Sports Yet Again
After an act of alleged racism involving fourth official Sebastian Coltescu in a Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and İstanbul Başakşehir, players walked off the field in protest.
Sports
A Glance at the MLB Free Agent Market
Here’s what the free agent market looks like thus far into the offseason.
Sports
Racism Ruins Sports Yet Again
After an act of alleged racism involving fourth official Sebastian Coltescu in a Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and İstanbul Başakşehir, players walked off the field in protest.
Arts and Entertainment
Kwanzaa: Traditions Mixed With Modern Culture
Kwanzaa is a celebration of African heritage amongst Black Americans, one in which community is lifted above all, and Black culture comes alive.
Sports
A Look Ahead to the Playoffs
By Yaqin Rahman, Benjamin Hamel
Overall, the Chiefs may even go down as one of the best teams of all time and are most certainly the odds on favorite to be crowned Super Bowl champions at the end of this season.
Arts and Entertainment
“Dash and Lily”: Early Christmas Present or Chunk of Coal?
By Nicole Liu
Though “Dash and Lily” is not the most original show, it is still a cute and cheesy rom-com that is great for spreading holiday cheer.
Sports
Why Cricket Struggles to Grow in Popularity
By Nakib Abedin
Cricket is the second-most popular sport in the world, yet the first thing that comes into the minds of many Americans when they hear the word “cricket” is the insect. Why is this so?
Sports
LaVar Ball - Best Father in the NBA?
The Ball family is an extremely interesting basketball family who have an inspiring story of a dad who was able to bring all three of his kids into the NBA.
Arts and Entertainment
Running With The Wolfwalkers
Cartoon Saloon has once again produced an amazing film with gorgeous animation, loveable characters, fun storytelling, and a brilliant incorporation of historical strife.
Sports
How This Libero Sets Up His Team
By Aidan Look
Meet senior Nicklaus Yao from the boys’ volleyball team!
Arts and Entertainment
Spotify Wrapped: What Your Top Artists Say About You
Here’s what your 2020 Spotify Wrapped top artists say about you.
Arts and Entertainment
Phoebe Bridgers’s Haunted House With a Picket Fence
By Jenny Liu, Yasmine Chokrane
With several musical endeavors and Grammy nominations now under her belt, indie rock artist Phoebe Bridgers (and her beautifully tragic music) is finally getting the recognition she deserves.
Sports
Youtubers Step Foot in the World of Boxing
The Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. undercard proved that as long as they train like real fighters, there is a place for YouTube and social media personalities in the sport of boxing.
Features
I Give a Figaro! Why Opera Is Worth Caring About
Opera is ailing! Here is why it must be saved.
Arts and Entertainment
Stuyle Corner: HOW TO FASHION
By Julia Panas
Four steps to build a cohesive and fashionable outfit.
Arts and Entertainment
Season Four of “Big Mouth”: Same Show, Lots of Growth
By Roxy Perazzo
A review of season four of “Big Mouth,” Nick Kroll’s dirty, hilarious animated series.
Arts and Entertainment
Binge Instead of Browse: Some of the Best Shows to Put on Your Radar
By Adele Bois
A look at some of the hidden gems streaming online right now.
News
Students Take Covid-Era Tests and Competitions
By Jakob Gorisek-Gazze, Janna Wang, Pulindu Weerasekara, Isabella Jia, Neil Sarkar
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many tests, including the AMC, Science Olympiad exams, and the Independent School Entrance Exams, have adjusted accordingly to a virtual test-taking setting.
News
Alumni Association Hosts Discussion with New York City Mayoral Candidates Kathryn Garcia (’88) and Dianne Morales (’85)
By Isabella Jia, James Kang, Samia Islam
The Alumni Association hosted a conversation with Stuyvesant alumni and contenders of New York’s upcoming mayoral election Kathryn Garcia and Dianne Morales.
News
2020: A Year Unlike Any Other
By Nada Hameed, James Kang, Rebecca Kim, Mahir Hossain, Madison Kim
As the unprecedented year 2020 comes to an end, here are some highlights on the international, national, and local level as well as an In Memoriam section on the lives lost.
News
Math Team Hosts Fourth Annual Downtown Math Invitational Virtually
By Mary Lee, Ziying Jian, Maggie Sansone, Sakura Yamanaka
In light of COVID-19, Stuyvesant’s math team hosted their Downtown Math Invitational competition virtually this year.
News
StuySquad, SING!, Tap Club, and StuyArts Organizes Cultural Dance Appreciation Panel Featuring Guest Speakers Eboné Vanityzo Johnson, Jason Samuels Smith, and Sangita Shresthova
By Rajhasree Paul, Zuzi Liu, Emma Chio
StuySquad, SING!, Tap Club, and StuyArts organized a cultural dance appreciation discussion panel featuring guest speakers Eboné Vanityzo Johnson, Jason Samuels Smith, and Sangita Shresthova.
News
Criminal Law Class Welcomes Guest Speakers Mark Berman (‘82) and Judge Charlotte Davidson
By Fahima Miajee, Peter Goswami, Christina Wang, Kai Li
Social studies teacher Linda Weissman hosted guest speakers Mark Berman (’82) and Judge Charlotte Davidson in her Criminal Law elective on December 2 and December 4, respectively.
Features
Free Time: Fantastic or Futile?
By Calista Lee, Isabel Ching, Chloe Boccara
Remote learning has left Stuyvesant students with an abundance of free time. How are they using it?
Features
When Hands-On Becomes Cams On
By Amanda Brucculeri, Josslyn Kim, Rachel Vildman
A look how classes that required in-person interaction are working virtually.
Features
Virtual Physical Education: “A Whole New World”
By Olivia Woo, Angela Cai, Sammi Yang, Liana Wu
Physical Education––a class known for its interactive aspect––has switched over to a virtual setting. Stuyvesant Physical Education teachers and students share their opinions about the new format.
Features
COVID Couture
By Ariana Devito, Melia Moore, Khujista Umama
How Stuyvesant students’ styles have changed over the course of quarantine.
Features
Feminist, Femin-ish, and Femi-NO! Feminism at Stuyvesant
By Shivani Manimaran, Sabrina Chen, Soobin Choi, Christina Pan, Judy Chen
Stuyvesant reflects on what feminism means to them.
Features
Stuyvesant’s Sick of Being Sick
Many Stuyvesant students are sick. The coronavirus and other illnesses have struck at a difficult time—so how has it been?
Features
There’s No Place Like Home
By Christina Pan, Ariana Devito, Angela Cai
In a climate of much uncertainty, Stuyvesant students are weighing in on how quarantine has affected their family dynamics.
Features
A Head Start for 2021
By Juni Park, Andrew Oh, Khujista Umama
As the unprecedented year 2020 comes to an end, here are some highlights on the international, national, and local level as well as an In Memoriam section on the lives lost.
Features
How the Virus Stole Christmas (and How We’re Stealing It Back)
By Kaeliana Yu, Ellen Pehlivanian, Vanessa Chen, Catherine Ching
Stuyvesant student holiday wishlists and how gift-exchanging is being affected by COVID-19.
Science
A False Promise: Sweden’s Disastrous Bet on Herd Immunity
By Sonya Sasson
As the second wave of COVID-19 ravages Sweden, authorities consider whether or not to abandon their laissez-faire strategy and play it safe this time around.
Opinions
How De Blasio Stole Christmas
Mayor de Blasio’s plan to ticket casual visitation to Rockefeller Center is unnecessary and harmful. COVID-19 safety can be accounted for in more efficient and comfortable ways.
Opinions
Why Socialization Events are Unappealing
Socialization events fail to make natural and long-lasting friendships, but we can take steps on our own by removing the focus on friendship entirely or becoming self-sufficient in creating friends.
Opinions
The SHSAT: Is There Anything Wrong With It?
By Alex Cho
Some claim that the SHSAT is biased, but the real bias lies in the unequal education students receive.
Opinions
Lessons From Moving to New York
By Jinseo Hong
As an immigrant from Hong Kong, moving to America made me realize the multitude of problems that I never knew existed in the island.
Opinions
Sinophobia: Otherization and Orientalism
By Matthew Qiu
The nexus of Western knowledge production about the East has consecrated Orientalism in international relations discussion, propping up a caricature of China as a diametrically opposed entity in the reflection of the Occident.
Science
Genetically Engineered Spicy Tomatoes?
It may be possible to engineer tomatoes with an active molecule found in chili peppers using gene editing, but there are ethical concerns regarding genetically modified crops.
Science
One Flu Vaccine May Soon Just Be Enough
Florian Krammer at Mount Sinai has developed a universal flu vaccine that can grant immunity against all strains of influenza and eliminate the need for revaccination. It was recently tested in the phase one trial and the results were promising, suggesting that the use of chimeric HA to target the stalk of the HA glycoprotein is able to effectively produce antibodies against a wide variety of influenza strains.
Opinions
The Coat Controversy: A Wild Goose Chase
There is more than what meets the eye behind the popular winter clothing brand Canada Goose—namely, its exclusivity and unethical sourcing.
Science
Is More Really Merrier?
By Olivia Zheng
From infamous murder cases to everyday cyberbullying, many partake in bystander apathy, a behavior psychologists and neuroscientists continue to try to explain.
Science
Exoplanets and the Search for Earth 2.0
By Aryana Singh
Despite having discovered so many exoplanets, astronomers are still having difficulty finding “Earth 2.0.”
Opinions
Please… Just Switch to Zoom
By Erica Li
We need to switch from Google Meet to Zoom for everyone’s benefit.
Science
How Do Our Brains Manage Information Overload?
By Hellen Luo
The main cause of brain overload is fairly simple: our brains only have a limited capacity to store a certain amount of information at once. Experts and researchers have suggested a number of ways to improve the brain’s ability to process and handle information.
Arts and Entertainment
The Promise of Pictures: Why Virtual Museum Tours Are Necessary
Examining the relevance of virtual art tours and the solace they provide in such a stressful time.
Arts and Entertainment
Euphoria’s First Special Bridge Episode: Stripped Down and Emotional
By Samira Esha
Contrasting the structural style of the first season, Levinson creates a special episode of “Euphoria” that faces the realities of substance abuse at a far deeper level.
Arts and Entertainment
A Farewell To the Best Titles on Netflix
By Jaein Ku
Netflix’s best titles are leaving by the end of the year, leaving Netflix viewers yearning for similar shows.
Humor
Apple Unveils Its Innovative New iPhone 13
By Ethan Lam
Apple Unveils Its Innovative New iPhone 13
Humor
Stuyathlon: The Best Sport Stuyvesant Has to Offer
I describe the sport of Stuyathlon and recount a couple stories from its history
Humor
Lesser-Known Variants of the Tooth Fairy
By Jasmine Wang
You’ll never look at dentists the same way again.
Sports
From #SaveTheCrew to MLS Champions
By Matt Melucci
The Columbus Crew emerged victorious in the 2020 MLS Cup Final, overcoming both the Seattle Sounders and a global pandemic.
Sports
How This Libero Sets Up His Team
By Aidan Look
Meet senior Nicklaus Yao from the boys’ volleyball team!
Arts and Entertainment
Spotify Wrapped: What Your Top Artists Say About You
Here’s what your 2020 Spotify Wrapped top artists say about you.
Arts and Entertainment
Phoebe Bridgers’s Haunted House With a Picket Fence
By Jenny Liu, Yasmine Chokrane
With several musical endeavors and Grammy nominations now under her belt, indie rock artist Phoebe Bridgers (and her beautifully tragic music) is finally getting the recognition she deserves.
Sports
Youtubers Step Foot in the World of Boxing
The Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. undercard proved that as long as they train like real fighters, there is a place for YouTube and social media personalities in the sport of boxing.
Features
I Give a Figaro! Why Opera Is Worth Caring About
Opera is ailing! Here is why it must be saved.
Arts and Entertainment
Stuyle Corner: HOW TO FASHION
By Julia Panas
Four steps to build a cohesive and fashionable outfit.
Arts and Entertainment
The End of Days: 2020’s Best Albums
By Shivali Korgaonkar, Morris Raskin
In a year as tumultuous as 2020, music has faced a unique challenge: helping people cope. Here are the best albums that got the world through the year.
Sports
The Real-Life Iron Man
By Yoonah Chang
Triathlete Chris Nikic made history as the first person with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman Triathlon.
Sports
Racism Ruins Sports Yet Again
After an act of alleged racism involving fourth official Sebastian Coltescu in a Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and İstanbul Başakşehir, players walked off the field in protest.
Arts and Entertainment
Season Four of “Big Mouth”: Same Show, Lots of Growth
By Roxy Perazzo
A review of season four of “Big Mouth,” Nick Kroll’s dirty, hilarious animated series.
Sports
A Glance at the MLB Free Agent Market
Here’s what the free agent market looks like thus far into the offseason.
Sports
Racism Ruins Sports Yet Again
After an act of alleged racism involving fourth official Sebastian Coltescu in a Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and İstanbul Başakşehir, players walked off the field in protest.
Arts and Entertainment
Kwanzaa: Traditions Mixed With Modern Culture
Kwanzaa is a celebration of African heritage amongst Black Americans, one in which community is lifted above all, and Black culture comes alive.
Arts and Entertainment
Binge Instead of Browse: Some of the Best Shows to Put on Your Radar
By Adele Bois
A look at some of the hidden gems streaming online right now.
Sports
A Look Ahead to the Playoffs
By Yaqin Rahman, Benjamin Hamel
Overall, the Chiefs may even go down as one of the best teams of all time and are most certainly the odds on favorite to be crowned Super Bowl champions at the end of this season.
Arts and Entertainment
“Dash and Lily”: Early Christmas Present or Chunk of Coal?
By Nicole Liu
Though “Dash and Lily” is not the most original show, it is still a cute and cheesy rom-com that is great for spreading holiday cheer.
Sports
Why Cricket Struggles to Grow in Popularity
By Nakib Abedin
Cricket is the second-most popular sport in the world, yet the first thing that comes into the minds of many Americans when they hear the word “cricket” is the insect. Why is this so?
Sports
LaVar Ball - Best Father in the NBA?
The Ball family is an extremely interesting basketball family who have an inspiring story of a dad who was able to bring all three of his kids into the NBA.
Arts and Entertainment
The Mysterious Affair of the Consulting Detective
The genre of Nordic Noir is told from the perspective of a consulting detective.
Arts and Entertainment
Running With The Wolfwalkers
Cartoon Saloon has once again produced an amazing film with gorgeous animation, loveable characters, fun storytelling, and a brilliant incorporation of historical strife.
