Recently, the leaves have begun changing colors, and a chill breeze has settled into the crisp autumn air. It’s the season of oversized sweaters, pumpkin…
Posts published in “Opinion”
Most Choose Rigidness, But You Should Choose Boredom
About two students per high school apply to the Ivy League every year. This doesn’t account for the fact that some schools foster many more…
California Cannot Kill Leno’s Law
Leno’s Law, formally known as Senate Bill 712, was recently struck down by the California Assembly Appropriations Committee on August 29 after a year of…
Controversial Takes: Should You Be an Early Bird or Night Owl?
The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Although the lark (early riser) vs. owl (late risers) debate isn’t the…
What Are the Best and Worst Ways To Learn a Language?
If you’re reading this article, you probably want to learn a language. Maybe it’s because you are going on a trip, or you are planning…
Should Foldable Smartphones Become The New Normal?
In 2013, the first prototypes of the foldable smartphone were introduced to the public, and in 2019, they started to become available in stores. This…
Evaluating the Future of ICSD’s Phone Policy
Starting this school year, public schools across New York State implemented bell-to-bell phone bans in accordance with the provisions of the 2026 Fiscal Year Budget.…
Honest Reviews: Breakfasts to Energize Your School Day
It has been statistically proven that eating breakfast every day makes you smarter. Additionally, with the new phone ban in place, our education is being…
The Dark Side of AI in Education
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) usage in schools has become a controversial topic. As students become more dependent on AI, the question arises: Is…
Pay Teachers What They’re Worth: ICSD Needs a Better Salary System
Teachers in Ithaca schools face mounting expectations with abysmal pay. High turnover rates and fatigue caused by unreasonable hours increase the disconnect between students and…
Controversial Takes: The Craze Over Labubu Dolls
Social media is notorious for popularizing trends and short-lived fads that captivate millions of users. From various dances and foods, to even water bottles, this…
Coffee Drinkers, Try Switching to Matcha
During the school year, I, like many high school students, depend on caffeine to keep me awake during long nights of studying. I used to…
How Music and the Arts Hold the Power to Preserve Democracy
Undeniably, the previous generation’s understanding of democracy will clearly be different from the next’s. As this nation’s long-standing form of governance is being actively outmaneuvered,…
Controversial Takes: The Gen Z Protein Craze
In recent years, protein has transformed from a basic food group to a full-blown cultural obsession among members of Gen Z on social media. Creators…
Things You Must Do Over Summer Vacation
School is officially wrapping up soon! This means that the majority of us will have a lot of time to spare. Instead of using this…
Kidfluencing… Has It Gone Too Far?
Content warning: sexual assault. Recently, I sat down to watch Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing on Netflix. The three-episode series centers around social…
Honest Reviews: Months of the School Year
It’s hard to believe that we are near the end of the school year. Time has flown—seniors will be graduating, the technology trailers in the…
There is no overstating the importance of a good teacher on a student’s education. Having a good relationship with a teacher can provide students with…
For decades, Americans have been taught to be wary of the government. In 1986, then President Ronald Reagan stated his famous quote: “The nine most…
You know what they say—“April showers bring May flowers and AP exams.” These exams are the climax of most Advanced Placement (AP) classes and are…
Strengthening Suicide Prevention Resources in ICSD Middle Schools
Trigger Warning: The following content discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, please call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline…
Controversial Takes: Senioritis At Its Prime
By now, every high school senior knows this feeling. The college applications are in, no more SATs, and the mental countdown to graduation has begun.…
“Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now” were the few powerful, and possibly devastating words that millions of its users were met with upon opening the…
The United Kingdom’s New Order Is a Threat to American National Security
In early February, The Washington Post obtained evidence that the British government had sent a so-called “technical capability notice” that requires Apple to allow them…
Honest Reviews: Best Milk Tea Flavours
Various milk tea flavors. Shutterstock Are you stressed with exams? Have the seasonal blues? Drowning in all of the demands of high school? We have…
The 2024 Election Results (and Why They’re Suspicious)
Content warning: includes the discussion of sexual assault, discriminatory language. As we’ve passed the 2024 election, many feel confused, upset, and more. Though elections are…
Asian Americans, Confront Your Anti-Blackness
Asian and Black Americans share a long history of solidarity. In the mid-1960s, at the height of the Black liberation movement, Asian American civil rights…
