Let's Play a Game: Spot the Nerd!
Friday, 06 November 2009 14:30
Sally
Spot the Nerd
Hey, do you want to play Find Waldo? Sorry, we don’t have that game here at Homecoming… how about playing Spot the Nerd?
Let’s start at the entrance. Most Homecoming couples come in fancy limos or cool cars. Well then how do you find the nerds? Well, they certainly aren’t those cool cats slowly entering the premises… they’re the ones behind them! Yup, they’re the ones coming to homecoming on those dashing new, flashy scooters. That’s right; I’m talking about hot, two-wheeled, super-attractive vehicles. Only the nerdiest of nerds have them. The next area where nerds tend to reside is the dance floor. See that group over there doing cool flips and break dancing moves? If you guessed they were the nerds… you should rewire that peanut you call your brain because that’s incorrect! Well, do you see that group of terribly slouched, some what insecure looking boys wearing tuxes with rainbow-colored bowties? No? I’m talking about the ones getting down, getting funky, and getting downright jiggy with it; the ones yelling “CAN YOU DIG IT”? Yup, right there. That small group is called the Don’t-you-think-I-dance-like-a-rock-star nerds. Next is the semi-large group of grumbling, angry looking nerds. Why are they so mad and red-faced? It’s because of the music of course. All they’re playing is pop, rock, hip-hop, and R&B. Enough of Akon, Chris Brown, Coldplay, and Relient K! From afar you can hear half the childish nerds screaming that they want Hanna Montana, The Jonas Brothers, or The Wiggles. The other half is screaming for the never ending classical melody of Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin. A small portion of nerds who are too confused in the situation are frantically shrieking,”Hanna Montana and Miley Cyrus! We want the best of both worlds!” Since the hip DJ is unable to satisfy their needs, the nerds are forced to sit on the sidelines and bash their eardrums with the loud, meaningless music. Moving on to the dark, cramped, uncharted sections of the Homecoming area, see any nerds? No? That’s because you’re not looking beyond the boys and girls delightfully sharing spit with each other. Still don’t see ’em? Well stand on your tippie toes and look over the sickening and unpleasant couples and notice the laptop screens. Yea, right there. Another group of nerds, hiding behind the secret make out sessions at Homecoming, sneaking envious peeks at their wet, sloppy, smooches. Why are they even at homecoming you ask? Well… the experience has been said to be pretty awesome, so they might as well go right? But just in case they got bored, they brought their laptops. A whole night contributed to playing Halo, Maplestory, Starcraft, and caring for their crops on the ever so popular Facebook game – Farmville. This group is called the yea-I-went-to-homecoming-do-you-think-I’m-cool-now nerds. The remaining portion of Spot the Nerd takes place throughout the venue. These nerds are scattered amongst the regular teens; can you spot them? No, not that kid staring at that girl's butt. We call those perverts not nerds. There’s one right next to you, shaking your date’s hand, and now moving on to the next attractive yet utterly creeped out female. This is the miscellaneous set of nerds; their weird actions are so diverse, yet still incredibly nerdy that they have yet to earn their own nerdy group name… so for now, let’s just call them the misc. nerds. That ends our game of Spot the Nerd. I expect that this has helped you develop a watchful eye for the several types of nerds. For certain none of you experienced the faintest sign of recognition as you read this article. If you did, well…haha…
Ring the Buzzer, Quiz Bowl is Here
Friday, 06 November 2009 14:25
Sally
If you happen to walk by P hall on Tuesdays after school, don’t be surprised to hear loud banging noises emanating from within classrooms. No, it is not your overzealous Chemistry teacher conducting a bizarre and hazardous experiment. Nor is it the construction crew demolishing yet another row of buildings. What you hear is the AHS Quiz Bowl team practicing for upcoming competition. Since team members are required to possess a wide range of knowledge in all subject areas, the best way for them to practice is by playing rounds against each other. During actual tournaments, they compete with buzzers, but during weekly practices, they settle for slapping tables and clapping hands as acceptable substitutes.
It’s no secret that the members of Quiz Bowl are a dedicated bunch. Although they only meet once a week as a team, they practice frequently together on IRC channels, are constantly in touch through email, and spend copious amounts of time independently researching about their favorite subject. As competitions begin, their hard work pays off, for the knowledge they gain allows them to do well against Quiz Bowl teams from other schools.
On Saturday, Oct. 3, Quiz Bowl competed in its very first tournament of the school year at UCLA’s Tournament Without An Interesting Name X (TWAIN X). Although the flu season had nearly deterred several competitors from attending, there were still enough members present for Quiz Bowl to divide into four teams rather than the usual two or three. In many ways, the tournament gave new Quiz Bowl members a tantalizing first taste of competition. The main goal, however, was to qualify for the National Competition by placing within the top three.
AHS’s A Team (comprised of seniors Alex Hu, Eddie Xue, Stanley Yuan and Tim Zheng) did just that, placing second overall. They lost by the narrowest of margins, going down to the Torrey Pines A team in a final tiebreaker round. Nevertheless, they secured the silver, an impressive feat by any standards. They also earned a spot in Nationals, which are to be held over the Memorial Day weekend in Chicago.
“Of course we are excited to qualify for Nationals,” said Quiz Bowl co-captain, Stanley Yuan, “but it was a good experience for everyone. The newcomers’ performance exceeded all of our expectations.”
Indeed, Arcadia’s B, C, and D teams posted strong results. All three came in with at least two wins overall. This is especially impressive given that no one is protected from going against the best teams (for example, a D team can very well compete against an A team).
Sophomore Chung Chan was unable to attend due to illness, but expresses optimism for the remainder of the season nonetheless, commenting, “Based on everyone’s performance at TWAIN, I would say that we have a great year ahead of us. I cannot wait to compete!”
The next competition for AHS's Quiz Bowl team is the ACF Fall Tournament, scheduled for October 31st at the California Institute of Technology. There, they will compete against college students. The questions will be significantly harder, delving deeper into the subjects and touching upon more obscure topics than normal high school tournament questions do.
We wish Quiz Bowl the best of luck at ACF Fall as well as all their upcoming events!
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Jason Jong Profile
Friday, 06 November 2009 14:22
Sally
The mere thought of analyzing a tricky math problem makes most students cringe, but for Senior Jason Jong, calculating formulas is actually a main interest of his. This physics Olympiad semifinalist is the captain of Ocean Science Bowl (OSB). OSB consists of members who are willing to “sail the high seas in search of ocean knowlegde.” Jason keeps them all on the same current by constantly pushing them to work harder, which entails sacraficing Fridays afterschool and weekend breaks. Although all 11 members of OSB depend on Jason to lead them to the regional competition, he humbly states, “OSB has fostered in me a newfound passion for the oceans that I never saw at first from a physicist's perspective. It has also been an honor to work and lead some of the most interesting scientists on campus.” With the close connection that this team shares, Jason believes they can steer all the way to 1st place! In addition to leading one of the most unique teams on campus, Jason is also a dedicated member of the Math Team and Science Olympiad.
While senioritis is slowly spreading across campus, Jason is challenging himself with several AP courses including AP Comparative Government and AP Literature. Surprisingly, history and English are his least favorite subjects so why did he choose to take these classes? Well, while students watch TV or play Nintendo Wii for relaxation, he takes science courses at Pasadena Community College “just for fun,” but his discipline to work expands beyond his hobbies. He strives to be the best he can in all subjects and challenges himself beyond his comfort zone. As a pianist and violinist in Orchestra 3, Jason doesn’t only excel academically, but is very well rounded. With all of these extracurricular activities consuming most of his time, Jason is still able to maintain more than a 4.0 GPA.
This Apache sacrifices hanging out with his friends during school to focus on his own aspirations and future since he plans to major in physics. Jason is driven to achieve his goals because “having a passion for physics motivates [him]. It drives [him] to be the best at what [he] likes the most.” No matter how high his aspirations are, he works incredibly hard to achieve them. Jason spent countless hours studying in order to earn his spot as a physics Olympiad semifinalist, but he won’t stop there. Jason is always aiming higher and this year he strives to be a physics Olympiad finalist.
It's Time to Dress Smart
Thursday, 05 November 2009 14:53
Sally Chung
The time has come again to parade around in costumes while indulging in sweet treats. Whether we are carving pumpkins at a local pumpkin patch, running through Knott’s Scary Farm, or getting spooked by a horror movie, all of us share the same desire to wear outlandish costume. Currently, the nerd look is a rising fad among teenagers. Yes, the dorky glasses and plaid tucked-in shirts have already been spotted around campus last Halloween, but don't be mistaken; this idea is still in style. Get inspired with these innovative ways to reinvent the nerd look. With ordinary, everyday clothes and this creative guide to lead you, the possibilities are endless.
School Nerd: What better way can you pay homage to Steve Urkel from Family Matters than to master his character for Halloween? Find a prim collared shirt and tuck it into a pair of pegged jeans. To add your own personal twist, wear colorful socks that express your personality. For the finishing touches, throw on bright-colored suspenders, a pair of oversized reading glasses, and adjust your backpack to a minimum fit. With your newfound excitement and haste to get to school, don't forget to throw on a cardigan to avoid catching a cold. However, Urkel’s mismatched preppy wardrobe is only a small part of him. Observe his spontaneous charisma such as the gangly way in which he walks to the enthusiasm in his nasally voice. Role-playing Urkel can finally be completed if you can mimic his actions on Halloween.
Science nerd: When you think of science nerds, you probably imagine the countless AHS students excelling in AP sciences. Well, how can you be the one science geek to stand out this Halloween? One nerd comes to mind (whose vast knowledge of all things science is tantamount to his impressive apparel): Bill Nye the Science Guy. Nye has a sophistication that you can obtain by donning a light blue lab coat over a white buttoned-down shirt. Wear a pair of lab goggles and gloves, and clip on a patterned bow tie to make your costume comical.
Business nerd: If you have a sarcastic sense of humor, the business nerd will suit you nicely. You might idolize Dwight Schrute from The Office or the character Napoleon Dynamite so here’s how to recreate their ensembles. Ask your father or brother to lend you a suit, (preferably in basic colors to achieve Shrute's appearance, brown if you’re emulating Napoleon’s) and wear a pair of fake glasses with thick lenses. No matter how crazed of a fan you are, looking like Dwight (as charming as he is) is not worth damaging your eyesight. Napoleon would wear a “Vote for Pedro” shirt underneath, but a dress shirt would suffice. Girls can create the illusion of knobbly knees by pairing a knee-length skirt with mismatched socks.
Jock Nerd: Before you claim this impossible to achieve considering it's an oxymoron, this clever guide has found a way to mix the cool jock with the awkward nerd. Try the basketball nerd this year for a more outrageous and original costume. Go against the norm of a typical jersey and basketball shorts, and try a tank top tucked into tight short shorts instead to give your outfit more nerd appeal. Accessorize with multiple neon sweatbands and a pair of bright tube socks. If you’re finding this hard to picture, refer to Jackie Moon of Semi-Pro. Of course, the afro isn’t necessary, but it would be a fun supplement.
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