Month: May 2019

JUULS

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Articles, News

JUULS: The Full Picture

As each day passes by, more and more people are using JUULs and e-cigarettes to vape, whether it is in restaurants, the back of the schools, or the mall. Many are under the impression that using these e-cigarettes is the safer option, or the the worst thing to ever happen. Little understand both sides.

“I know some people who [vape] that do it for the fun of it and how it makes them feel. There are also people do it because they see others doing so,” said Faith Beckford, a sophomore at MLEC.

The popularity of the Juul e-cigarette has skyrocketed since it was first introduced in 2015. Sales for this company has gone over 800 percent. From college campuses to beaches, there is bound to be someone vaping, seemly having the time of their lives.

“I see people vape just about anywhere, like in malls or in supermarkets. A lot of people use JUULS, ” said Tracy Bojorge, a senior at MLEC.

Many teens continue to vape, not thinking about any adverse effects e-cigarettes may cause. In their heads, the act of vaping is usually seen as “fun” and “cool.”

However, a pod alone has as much nicotine as twenty cigarettes. The consumption of too much nicotine leads to cardiovascular, and respiratory problems. It has also been proven to debilitate a person’s control over their impulses.

“I think e-cigarettes cause just as much damage. It still has chemicals, and when people smoke the vape they think it’s harmless. They’re actually dangerously addictive,” said Zhyenda Bain, a Sophomore at MLEC.

With flavors ranging from mint to fruit, and its portable containers, its allure makes it very easy for teens to get addicted.

Although there has been a ban on some of the JUUL flavors recently, now that people are addicted, they may go to great lengths to retrieve a pod.

While the adolescents vaping think that the action has no effect on them, exposure to the glycerol in the vape can lead to excessive irritation-eyes, skin and throat, redness, itching, or burning.

When used properly, however, using a JUUL pod comes with its benefits. E-cigarettes are meant for people to reduce their use and addiction to tobacco ones, as long as there is a set goal in mind.

“When used as a complete replacement, rather than in addition to cigarettes, they are a preferable alternative for smokers who haven’t had success with medically proven approaches,” said Dr. Linda Richter on the debate of whether or not cigarettes can help quit smoking.

And while smoking tobacco cigarettes can make having an anxiety attack 5 times more likely, vaping is known to help ease anxiety.

“Tobacco can cause sleeping problems. The sleep deprivation coupled with shortness of breath may lead to stress, anxiety, and panic. Vaping doesn’t cause any of the above problems,” said the Depression Health Network.

With the adverse health effects and addictiveness of JUULs and vaping presents, it is best to be used by those quitting tobacco or with a doctor recommendation. Otherwise, like in the case of teens who think juuling is “cool,” JUULing will cause negative impacts on one’s health, physically or psychologically.

Odds

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Creative Writing

The odds are against us

The world is against us

They think you and I can never be

They say

He’s too good for her

She’s too good for him

What is it that is so great about her

That only he can see?

 

The odds are against us

The world is against us

They want nothing more than to see us fail

They even say it to our faces

Don’t be with her

Don’t be with him

Can’t you see that everything would be better

If you’d forget her?

 

The odds are against us

The world is against us

 

Everyone has a million reasons why

Why we shouldn’t be together

Why we aren’t right for each other

 

But I have a reason to stay

And it’s the only one that matters.

Backlash

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Articles, Editorial

Social Media Plus Gen Z Equals Continuous Backlash

In an era in which social media is prevalent and every move made is monitored by other users, it is almost impossible to always remain perfect in the eyes of the public. One misstep can cause backlash not even twenty four hours later or come back to haunt someone for years. Second chances, it seems, are rarely given in today’s society.

The sensitivity of Generation Z (Gen Z) is constantly debated, some saying that Gen Z gets offended by just about everything. Yet, others believe that growing up witnessing a great deal of violence, such as the influx of school shootings and suicides, has desensitized them.

While the sensitivity levels of Gen Z seem to be in a weird paradox, one thing’s for certain: they never seem to give anyone a break on social media.

If someone were to record themselves simply saying their thoughts in a manner people may not like, the post would go viral, comments would be filled with backlash, and following that would be mockery by other users.

Just in April, Justin Bieber pulled an April Fool’s prank, in which he made it seem like his wife, Hailey Bieber, was pregnant and bearing his child. The prank resulted in controversy and was claimed to be insensitive to women with infertility issues.

Other celebrities have received backlash for resurfaced statements that were made years ago.

Artist Cardi B has faced criticism for saying she used to drug and rob men during her days as a stripper. She responded saying on an Instagram post, “I made the choices I did at the time because I had very limited options. I have a past that I can’t change we all do.”

Whether an incident happened recently, or fifteen years ago, it won’t go unnoticed, appearing in retweets and joked about in memes. Sometimes an individual will receive hate and criticism for a statement they’ve apologized profusely and faced consequences for twenty years later.

“For them it might have been a lifetime ago and they might have changed. But when it resurfaces, it doesn’t seem that way to us,” said Abigaelle Barreauny, a sophomore at MLEC.

This doesn’t go to say that the person doesn’t deserve part of the backlash. However, for one to hear a comment he or she made at age sixteen, and be held accountable for it the rest of their lives  is simply unfair and unnecessary.

Not giving second chances ultimately limits growth within society. When the media is always reminding one of a mistake they’ve made, it becomes increasingly difficult to move on.

A society that is unforgiving and stuck on the past doesn’t leave room for improvement. It’s time that after criticizing someone for their wrongdoings, people either move on or let it go. Everyone needs room to grow.

Image source: Getty Images

 

In Touch

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Articles, Feature

Going the Extra Mile to Keep A Friendship

Originally published in the Harbinger

As the school year comes to a close, a great fear approaches for seniors: separating from friends. It may feel like graduation will hold the last memories of hugs, conversations, and friendship; however, this doesn’t have to be the case. If both parties put in effort to keep the treasured bond, distance will no longer be a determining factor within the friendship.

Social media is becoming an integral part of the lives for many, and friendships can both be initiated and maintained through it. You can send snaps to your best friend and vice versa, showing how one another’s day is going or laughing at memes sent through the DMs of Instagram.

“We have a streak on snapchat and send each other posts on Instagram and Twitter,” said Alexandra Roberdeo, a MLEC alumnus and freshmen at Hamilton College, about her ongoing friendship with Daylin Delgado, a MLEC alumnus and freshman at Amherst College.

When you’re miles apart from each other with different schedules, talking to your best friend everyday is nearly impossible. But catching up once a week or every other week ensures that you keep in touch.

“We don’t call often but we’ve also never been the type to call all the time. We do update each other or ask each other questions like once a week,” said Daylin.

If you and your best friend are in different states, or even just different schools, there is always something new to talk about, ranging from teachers to mini adventures to relationships.

In trying to keep your bond, it is important to take advantage of every opportunity and never hesitate taking the time to tell your best friend about all the mishaps and exciting things that happened throughout the week.

And although busy schedules and distance may make it difficult to see each other often, try and make room for a visit or two. Perhaps this can be done spontaneously, on a weekend when you both are free or for special occasions such as birthdays.

“It’s not like the distance can get in the way. Last semester, I felt myself missing home a lot, so I took a train to Massachusetts and surprised Daylin,” said Alexandra.

It is also important to understand that while some friendships work out after high school, some simply don’t. It happens. However, it doesn’t hurt to try, especially if your friend holds great significance to you.

“Don’t worry about it. If it’s meant to last, it will. You can’t force something to work, but you should definitely work for it if it’s important to you,” said Daylin.

As the final days of high school approach, remember that with some effort, surprise visits, snap sending, and meme sharing, the bond you share with your best friend doesn’t have to end.

Habits

by Rhobie Toussaint, posted in Articles, Feature

You’re Not Alone: Things Mothers From the Caribbean and South America Tend to Do

It’s seven a.m. on a Saturday morning and you hear a voice complaining about how it is nearly 8:30 and that no one does anything in the house. Chances are that voice is your mother, and she’s either from the Caribbean or South America.

From Haiti to Nicaragua, one can find similarities in cultures, such as the dishes made. Thus, many people with parents from the Caribbean or South America can agree on different habits their mother have. One of them: Cleaning. A lot, maybe even excessively.

“My mom’s always doing chores, and she has to make it known that she’s doing them,” said Jarell Burks, a sophomore at MLEC.

Whether it is early on the weekends, or the middles of the week, many can agree that they spot their mother sweeping or mopping around the house. During this, she may [not so] subtly mention she does the most work in the household. It can get even worse – complaining after taking over the task because you’re not doing it right.

“When my mom tells me to clean, I clean. Mid-cleaning, she says, ‘you’re doing it wrong. Let me do it.’ Not even ten minutes later, I would hear her mutter, ‘I always have to do everything in this house,” said Laudith De Los Santos, a sophomore at MLEC.

Along with the great amount of cleaning, mothers from the Caribbean and South America make food that seems to last forever. A meal which only consists of rice, beans, and chicken can last from three days to an entire week.

“The food lasts for days, even more so on the holidays, added Laudith.

Laudith recalls the year her thanksgiving dinner which included turkey, rice, and potato salad, lasted for an abnormally amount of time. She said that it was New Year’s Day, and there was still Thanksgiving dinner being consumed.

“I wish I was kidding,” said Laudith.

It is as if whenever these mothers are cooking, they think “I wonder how long this food can last.” The answer, it seems, is always pretty long. And even though they tend to overcook, and the food can last a lifetime, some cook another dish before the leftovers are finished.

Mothers that are from South America and the Caribbean also tend to have a problem with time. As in over-exaggerating when they are telling you to hurry up. As in, saying you’re waking up an hour late, when it’s really ten minutes.

Junior Samendie Blanchet remembers the night she asked her mom to wake her up at 8 o’clock the next morning. “She woke me up at 6:30 telling me it was almost 8:00. I rushed for no reason.”

The cultural similarities that contribute to the similarities in habits are something the children of these parents bond over. There are posts on social media platforms, such as Twitter, in which one person posts about their mom cooking as if it was a disease, and somewhere in the comments, there is an “I’m convinced we’re all living the same lives.”

Recently, someone posted a comedic video on Instagram. In it, the male and the chef in the video was “God,” and the food he was making was the quality of Caribbean mothers. The amount of rice put in the pan represented the extent of the quality they have.

For example, the quality “best cooking” was on a sheet of paper was placed in the pan, followed by an abundance of rice being poured into it. However, when “admit when they’re wrong” was on the paper, the chef, or “God” places two grains of rice. He took one of them back.

So, if you have a parent from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Bahamas, Nicaragua, or anywhere else in the Caribbean or South America, and you experience being woken up at 7 a.m. with the sounds of cleaning and “I have to do everything here,” know that you’re not alone.

Someone not too far from you is probably being woken up the exact same way.