I was at high school the other day and I had to ask myself, what in God's green earth am I doing here? Because, of course, I really have no idea.
   So I started to think. Everyone else here is here to get attention. If you aren't in control or the life of the party, you're forgotten. But this makes no sense. We do this because we don't know who we ourselves are, and yet we want everyone else to know exactly who we are.
   Are we looking for love? Because this isn't the way to get it at all. Love is given out, not taken. If we really want to be loved and paid attention to, instead of being self-centered, what we really need to do is respect and notice OTHER people. Then everyone would be noticed and people wouldn't get left out and most importantly, no one would be stabbing each other in the back just so we can get noticed. We would stop looking at what is wrong with other people and why we are so important that everybody else is wrong. Maybe you want attention but you don't things like that. Fine. But I am writing this because I am angry. How is it that we were more mature in middle school? Why is it that if I through a party that I would be the one who was ignored? It's because so many think about only themselves! And no one's going to really respect them like human being until they stop. Because just a few people can make everyone else feel like high school is hell. That's why I still have no idea what I'm doing there. There is just no reason to treat people as your own social status bar.

[Note from upload department:
This article was reprinted from volume one, number two because it deserved a higher placing and better visual status. Anyone with complaints or comments please contact our email address.]

I was walking down the street one day and I saw one of those written ads for car insurance. Listed on the advertisement were five reasons why you should buy the insurance, and one word in each of those reasons were highlighted and bold, as if when you were reading it, you were supposed to shout out that word.
   Those words, in no particular order, were "Free", "Love", "Every", "Can" and "Will". I rearranged them into a sentence that I swear I will never forget for as long as I live. "Every free will can love."
   This sentence has a blunt meaning with a deeper purpose to it. I have never quite found out what it means, or what it was supposed to mean, yet it's powerful enough to become a saying that I live by.
   Maybe it implies that love is something so strong, powerful and rare, that only those who are able to free themselves completely from everything are those with that gift. The gift to love.

I’ve noticed yet another thing about high school that is starting to bug me. It’s the whole friendship vs. relationship thing. Let me explain, in high school I have noticed three major groups in the relationship game. The above average high school kid, the average high school kid and the below average high school kid. The above average high school kid seams to go into a relationship this way, I’ve noticed this it might not be true in all situations. Instead of going through any friendship what so ever the above average high school student just goes up to a guy/girl to ask them out, their only reason in asking them is because they are “hot” or that they want to get some standing with their friend pertaining to whom he/she is going out with. The whole don’t judge a book by its cover idea. They don’t get into the book at all they just take the tinsel cover outside for the whole package. I think you can get what I’m saying.
   The second group is the average high school student. These students ask someone out by either knowing the other guy/girl through friends or they have met each other once or twice in the halls or at other various locations. Yet they still base half or even more than half of their decision on the way they look. That tinsel cover of what people look like. Has our culture lost all sense of friendship and getting to know someone/something before you jump on board? Do you go to a doctor without doing research on what previous patients thought about the doctor? As if everyone does or your parents would.
   The final groups I have noticed in high school are students that fall below the popularity line. They have this tag on them either by their looks or by other countless factors that I will not list here. But on the other hand these kids seam to have the most understanding about relationships. The idea of good looks isn’t as important as the idea of whether or not the guy/girl is a match for each other. How do they get to know each other? Through friendships! The average relationship will last twice as long if not longer if you get to know each other before hand and then go into a romantic relationship. Because you know each other things seem to work out for the better more and the both of you are less worried about what others think about you. Isn’t that the definition of love, to care for each other through sickness and health? The idea that you will never give each other up because of what others think and by only what the each of you think. Americans have yet to realize this more than 50% of all people who get married will get divorced. We as a whole have yet to understand that, I bet mostly because of high school and college and the groups that are formed because of them. Do looks play a more important role in love than personality in high school? I say this is a definite yes I have experienced it myself. Is friendship more important to love or does friendship not work with “loving” someone?

Though my advice is meant to help you, my comments should not be taken too seriously. Please consider your own opinions before following this.


One of my close friends has been thinking of starting a band, and he's invited me several times to join him over at his house. However, my friend happens to be a drummer with a habit of accidentally shattering drumsticks. He consistently plays extremely loud and drowns out the rest of the band with the banging. Above all this, he doesn't have much experience and his beats are shaky at best. The rest of the members in the band are excellent players, and I'd like to separate my own way with the rest of the band but pick up a new drummer. What would you advise to say to my friend about this decision? He's a hilarious person, but the headaches we get are simply not worth it.

-Got The Rythmic Blues, Boulder, CO


   Dear Rythmic Blues,

Yours is a tricky situation. No matter what you do, your friend will be hurt, but if you do it the right way, it will be lessened. I suggest talking to your friend. Explain to him how you feel, although leaving out splitting from the band may be a good idea. Ask him to tone it down a bit and then give it a week or two. If he hasn’t changed by this time, it may be a smart idea to discuss leaving the band with the other people. If you all agree at this time that this decision would be best, explain to your friend lightly that you don’t feel the situation is working out and politely excuse yourselves from this position. After that, you may want to wait a little while to avoid damaging your friend’s feelings even more. During this entire process, please remember that your friend is only human, he’s not perfect, and that he does have feelings, feelings that are important.

Sincerely,
   - Allya Sercie


For several weeks now my friend Alyssa has been talking to me about her 'friend' who has a substance abuse problem. I'm worried that she's referring to herself in third person and she's crying out for help, but I don't know what to do. Ever since this began I've been seeing less and less of her, and her set of friends except for me have changed entirely. I've made excuses for avoiding several sleepovers because of my worries about drug use. Do you think Alyssa is becoming an addict? What can I do in order to bring her back from the dark side?

-Alarmed Schoolmate, Louisville, CO


   Dear Alarmed Schoolmate,

As people get into high school, they will change friends and do some, how do you say, sketchy stuff. A lot of this is due to peer pressure which is just a whole lot of stuff that has been forced into your head since you began health classes. So anyway, if I begin to sound like a school health teacher, please forgive me. Talk to your friend. Ask her if she’s the friend. Even if she denies it, you might want to try to help anyway. Parents, despite what teenagers may think, are an excellent recourse. Most parents care for their children and want nothing bad to happen. Therefore, I suggest you talk to her parents. Express your concerns. They may have some of the same ones you do, and you speaking up will simply reassure them. Not only this, but as parents, they have the ability to discipline their child and discuss it with them to a deeper level. If, however, the parents decide not to do anything, talk to your friend, tell her your concerns, about how you’re worried about her, and that if she’s doing anything, she needs to be careful and that you’re there for her. Hopefully she’ll listen. Good luck.

Sincerely,
   - Allya Sercie

"Peace is every step.
 The shining red sun is in my heart.
 Each flower smiles with me.
 How green, how fresh all that grows.
 How cool the wind blows.
 Peace is every step.
 It turns the endless path to joy."

   - Arnold Kotler / Thich Nhat Hanh,
       Peace Is Every Step

*    1 cup sugar
*    5 tablespoons flour
*    4 cups berries (any type)
*    2 pre-made pie crusts


1.)  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2.)  Mix sugar and flour.
3.)  Wash all berries.
4.)  Mix dry mixture into berries carefully.
5.)  Place one crust in bottom of pie pan.
6.)  Fill with berry mixture.
7.)  Place second pie crust on top and mold two pie crusts.
8.)  Cut several slits in the top of the pie crust.
9.)  Place tin pie crust holders on top of the edges of pie crust.
10.)  Bake for 40 minutes.
11.)  Let cool.
12.)  Enjoy with whip-topping, ice cream, or alone.