Calling All Students: Pull Up Your Pants!

            We’ve all seen that clip from American Idol of General Larry Platt singing his famous song, “Pants On The Ground.” If not, go look it up on YouTube. It’s highly entertaining. In this song, General Platt sings about young people who wear their pants so low that they are basically, as he would say, “on the ground.” Yes, the song pertains to “gangsters,” but as I saw the video, I instantly thought of the people, mainly guys, walking around Oswego High School with their pants halfway off their waists.

            The Dress Code that is printed in our student handbook clearly states that, and I quote, “Clothing that does not completely cover undergarments” is prohibited. Imagine going up the stairs and the person in front of you has his pants halfway down. You have a full and unwanted view of his underwear. Personally, I’m not a fan of that at all. It’s happened to me before and I was disgusted. No one wants to see what color underwear you’re wearing or if they have Superman logos on them.

            Some people may not realize, or even care of that matter, but this violates the dress code. Girls are not allowed to wear certain articles of clothing, and though some may violate the dress code, that is not what we’re talking about here. I have seen a few girls sent to the main office because their outfits were deemed “inappropriate.” But, what about the guys who violate the dress code every single day? I’m not saying you have to drag them by the ear to the office and have their parents bring in another outfit for them, but why aren’t they made to follow the dress code like everyone else? Granted, I have heard teachers instruct students to fix their pants, but the students either ignore the teacher completely or comply, and once the teacher walks away, they go back to wearing them the way they did before. I’ve even seen a hall monitor instruct a student to pull up his pants and he disrespectfully replied, “If you don’t like it, don’t look.”

            Sure, to some it’s considered fashionable and fashion is a big part of some people’s lives. How a person dresses can reflect on his/her personality and even how they view themselves as an individual. Some people even imitate the styles of their favorite celebrities. But, I have to ask, how is wearing your pants half off of your body even comfortable? How do you walk? Doesn’t the breeze bother you?

            I’m not one to judge, but I do think this is a problem at our school and in our culture. In fact, I think it’s disrespectful. Even our president, Barack Obama, commented on the matter during an interview with MTV. “Having said that, brothers should pull up their pants. You’re walking by your mother, your grandmother, your underwear is showing. What’s wrong with that? Come on. You don’t have to pass a law, but that doesn’t mean folks can’t have some sense of respect for other people. A lot of people may not want to see your underwear, I’m one of them.” President Obama stated.

            He makes a great point. It’s about respect. Respect for yourself and for the others around you, who do not want to view your underwear on a daily basis. If you want to wear girl jeans that are three sizes too small or jeans that are three sizes too big, be my guest. Just make sure your boxers aren’t visible.

            Here’s another fashion suggestion; wear a belt! It’s not hard to put on a belt and secure it so it keeps your pants up. No, you don’t have to hike your pants up to your belly button like Steve Urkel, but just pull them up high enough so we don’t have to see your underwear.

(Originally published in Oswego High School's newspaper The Buccaneer Bulletin on March 31, 2010)

Never Shout Never: Warped Tour Concert Review

                                                        Christofer Drew of Never Shout Never playing for the crowd. 2010

The first thing I recall from this event was this: It was a very long day. As the day progressed I was trying my best to not fall asleep in between watching bands. Which was very hard, let me tell you. I was trying to save all of my energy for Never Shout Never's set, since they were the very last band to play. This was my very first time seeing them and I was so excited. As the last few bands played, people rushed to the pit to watch Never Shout Never's set. In a matter of minutes, the pit was packed full of anxious fans. I, being the short person that I am, couldn't see a thing, so I gladly moved to a seat where I could see everything perfectly.

As 8:15 rolled around, I was bouncing up and down, anxious and thrilled to hear all of my favorite songs played live and see the band that I love. I looked over to see my friend Shaughnessy, who is also a huge Never Shout Never fan, also bouncing in her seat. Just then, music started and the band quickly walked on stage, all except for lead singer Christofer Drew, who made his way to his stool on crutches. A word of advice to all of you reading this: do NOT jump off speakers. Nothing good ever comes out of it and you'll end up hurting your foot. Christofer even joked about it as a fan yelled, "Take your pants off!" he replied, "I can't. I have an injured foot, it's physically impossible for me to take my pants off right now." and laughed. But, despite being injured, Chris owned the stage with his humor and upbeat personality. I realized that for someone so small, Christofer Drew has so much love in him. It basically radiated out of him as he performed. You could literally feel how much he cared about every single person who was there and how thankful he was that we showed up to support them. In fact, during their set he constantly told us (the audience) how much he loved us, and that made every single person in that crowd feel special. Never Shout Never started their set with "Love Is Our Weapon" which everyone, including myself, screamed along.

After singing a few more songs, a male fan crowd-surfed his way up to the front and challenged Chris to a ukulele battle. Of course, Christofer laughed and accepted. He then had him come up on stage. The fan introduced himself, Bob was his name, and began to play a song, while Chris hopped on his good leg. The fact that Never Shout Never stopped their set to interact with a fan and invite him on stage with them just showed how incredible and kind this band is. Following Bob's song, the band continued to play "Trouble", but instead of singing the original version, Christofer replaced the word "she" with "Bob". (Example: "I'm in trouble, I'm an addict, I'm addicted to this BOB.") This was hysterical and I was singing that version all night long. In doing so, it made me love Christofer Drew even more because he showed that you don't have to be serious while performing; you can goof around and be silly. Never Shout Never also played "I Love You 5" and "Can't Stand It", two of my favorite songs. I don't think I could've screamed any louder. These songs were so upbeat and the audience danced and sang along with the band.

Sadly, like every other band, their set had to end. The very last song they performed was "The Past".  I'm not going to lie, this song made me cry. Not only is this a good song, but it has a lot of meaning to it. Hearing it live made me feel more connected to the band than I was before. Before singing a certain lyric, Christofer said "This next lyric is about my brother, who I miss very much." Him sharing that with us fans means more to us than you could ever imagine, believe me. Christofer wasn't just playing the music, but interacting with the audience and opening up to us, and that made the show. He even talked about his parents right before they played "What Is Love", which was about their divorce. He told us how much divorce sucked and how we all need to stay together for our kids so they won’t be “f***ed up”. Now my parents aren't divorced, but I'm sure that meant a lot to the fans who have gone through that experience. Knowing that someone else has gone through that probably made them feel a hell of a lot better. And knowing that someone is Christofer Drew, a person who they look up to and idolize, possibly made them an even bigger fan than they already were, I know that's how I would have felt.

As they finished playing their last song, the entire crowd roared with applause. With that, Christofer once again told us that he loved us and the band exited the stage. I strongly suggest that you attend a Never Shout Never show in the future; you’ll walk away from it feeling so happy and you’ll remember that feeling forever. Whether you’re black or white, gay or straight, fat or skinny; Never Shout Never’s music brings people together in a way no other band can. As soon as that music starts to play and you hear Christofer Drew singing the lyrics that mean more to you than anything in the whole world, you and everyone else in that audience has something in common: the love for that very band and that music. I guess what I’m trying to say is that Never Shout Never put on an outstanding show that night, one that I will never ever forget.

(Originally published on Never Shout Never's website in July 2010)

Body Image & Eating Disorders in the Media



                                                                                                                     credit: Google Images

When you look at people who are represented in the media today, you mainly see stick thin models and women who are deemed an “acceptable size”. The media portrays women who wear size negative zero clothing are “perfect” and anyone other than that, are ridiculed and judged. People, mainly women, are constantly dieting and trying to change the way they look.

According to the article “Nature vs. Nurture: The Media’s Effect on Body Image” by Sara Shea, the media does, in fact, “glamorize” thin people. Even young men are dealing with the media scrutinizing weight.

“The “thin ideal” is the media’s glamorized portrayal of extremely thin women. While this phenomenon primarily affects women between the ages of 18 and 25, it has also been proven to effect adolescents as well as males.” states the article.

The media can affect people in various ways. Some young women, even children, could be so self-conscious about their weight, that they would go as far as developing an eating disorder to lose weight and be the "perfect" size.

The Disney Channel, a network for children, has been called out on promoting eating disorders in an episode of the sitcom “Shake It Up” by one of their former employees, Demi Lovato. One of the characters in the episode says: “I could just eat you up. Well, if I ate…” which has the underlying meaning of saying that she suffers from an eating disorder.

The former Disney starlet has recently come out to the public and stated that she suffered from eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. Upon seeing the episode and hearing this remark, Lovato took to Twitter.

“What are we promoting here? #notfunnyatall. I find it really funny how a company can lose one of their actress' from the pressures of an eating disorder and yet still make a joke about that very disease.” wrote Lovato.

She then followed her statement with another message; "And is it just me or are the actress' getting thinner and thinner? I miss the days of Raven, and Lizzie McGuire. Eating disorders are not something to joke about."  Promptly after these tweets, Disney pulled the episode.

One would think that a children's network would support healthy eating habits, not ones that suggest not eating entirely, just to keep a slim figure. The media has a very powerful pull on society, and the next generation is so immersed in the media, that they will take everything that is being said and think that is how they should look. If a young girl sees a model on a magazine, which is a size one, she will believe that that is how she is supposed to look, and she will go throughout her life trying to be that size.

It is not healthy for people to be subjected to these ideals that the media puts on them. What the media does not realize, is that what they put out in magazines and television shows could potentially push a person with an eating disorder over the edge. It seems that no matter what, the media is always somehow criticizing someone. If you're overweight, you are criticized. If you're too skinny, you're criticized. Sometimes, it seems like nothing is ever good enough. And that is not a good message.

Television Reviews: Glee and American Horror Story

Glee is a television show that focuses on a group of high school kids in Lima, Ohio who are a part of their high school's glee club. The show revolves around the lives of these students and all of the problems that they face; bullying, coming to terms with their sexuality, relationship issues, and dealing with the ridicule that their fellow peers put them through just because they are part of the glee club. And, aside from focusing on their problems, the characters in this show provide catchy musical numbers to entertain the viewers.

After two successful seasons, Glee continues on with its third season and provides the viewers with story lines and characters that they can relate to.

American Horror Story, believe it or not, was also written by the writers and producers of Glee; Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. However, don't let the fact that these two shows share the same writers fool you, they are completely different. 

American Horror Story is about a therapist who moves from Boston to Los Angeles with his family, after being caught having an affair by his wife. The family moves into a refurbished mansion and try to live a normal life. But, they soon find out that the former owners of the house were murdered there and that their home was called "The Murder House" buy residents of their neighborhood. The house is inhabited by the ghosts of every single one of its former owner.

This show, unlike Glee, is very dark. If you watch this show, you are bound to see acts of violence (ie. the therapist's former mistress being murdered), nudity, and you will hear several swear words. When you watch Glee, however, you will not see any nudity or violence, and the only swear words you will hear are the occasional 'damn' or 'hell'. These two shows have completely different story lines and genres.

Tune in to FOX on Tuesdays at 8:00 pm for Glee and FX on Wednesdays at 10:00 pm for American Horror Story.

Harry Potter: The End of an Era

                                                          A street sign at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando Florida July 2011

                

            For the past fourteen years, the lives of millions have been affected by one fictional boy wizard and his quest to save the fictional Wizarding World from evil.

            Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was published on June 30^th, 1997, almost a decade and a half ago. It told the story of a young boy who was treated poorly by his aunt and uncle, only to find out that he was a wizard, and a very famous one at that.

Since then, six more books have been released and everyone from young children, to teenagers, to even adults have gotten lost in the pages; fighting alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione to defeat Lord Voldemort.

            Along with the books, a series of films were created to bring the books and the characters in the books, to life. The first movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, was released on November 14^th, 2001. This was the beginning of a phenomenon that would last for years to come.

            From then on, whenever a new film was released, fans lined up for hours while waiting to get into the midnight premier. They even dressed in Hogwarts attire. Homemade wands and glasses that resembled the ones that Harry Potter himself wore, a fake lightning bolt scar drawn on their forehead, and sporting their house colors: red and gold for Gryffindor, silver and green for Slytherin, yellow and black for Hufflepuff, and  blue and silver for Ravenclaw.

            This fictional boy-wizard and his companions have changed the lives of many. Although almost fifteen years have passed since the first book was released and Harry Potter was introduced, the children that grew up reading about Harry and his struggles still keep him close to their hearts. To some, this is not just a series of books about some boy; this was an escape from the real world, a chance for them to be happy and carefree, a way for them to lose themselves for a little while and imagine themselves in Harry’s world.

            “Harry Potter saved my life,” Oswego State sophomore Victoria Wild stated. “Those books, they made me, and still make me, very happy. I would have been lost without them.”

            And not only were these books helpful for the readers, but Joanne “J.K.” Rowling herself were able to get through her depression simply by writing them.

            “If it had been an escape for all these children, you can imagine what it had been for me,” Rowling says during an interview with Oprah Winfrey.

            In honor of the book and movie series, Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida have built a Harry Potter theme park. The park includes an exact replica of Hogwarts School, the shops that Harry and his friends have visited, and even a few rides which take you along with Harry as he goes through certain places in the Wizarding World.

            Now, the movies and books have come to an end. The film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released on July 16^th, 2011. It was the very last film in the series and it took quite the toll on fans.

            “The movies and books are done; it feels like my childhood is really over now.” Oswego High School junior Hailey Thompson said.

            But, although the majority of fans are upset about the series ending and they feel that their childhood is now over; others believe that Harry Potter will continue to be a success even in the future.

            “It’s difficult seeing the series come to an end, because it was a big part of my life.” says Oswego State sophomore Brittany Sperino. “But, I honestly don’t think that it’s over. I think Harry Potter will be around for a very long time.”

            Even J.K. Rowling herself believes that her series will continue to be around for many years to come.

“Do I think they'll last? Honestly, yes.” says Rowling during an interview with MSNBC.

Even though the movies and books are finished, there is one thing that is certain: Harry Potter will live on forever in the books, the movies, the theme park, but, most importantly, in the hearts of every single person, to quote J.K Rowling’s dedication in the final book, “who have stuck with Harry until the very end.”

School Boy Humor: Concert Review



                                                                               Left: Phil Evans singing while his twin brother, Anthony Evans plays guitar



On Sunday February 26, fans gathered at The Hangout in Ilion to listen to several bands perform. The Hangout is conveniently located on the back side of the Red Roof Inn; if you blink while driving past it, you would miss it entirely. The tiny venue held over thirty people, who killed time by shooting games of pool and playing air hockey in the sitting room.

Anthony Evans, the guitarist for the show’s headlining band, School Boy Humor, greeted people as they entered the main room. He greeted people coming in. In his very tight black t-shirt with a picture of Taylor Lautner on it, his shiny lip ring, and his very interesting mohawk, he was quite the sight.

His twin brother and bandmate, Phil Evans, stood quietly next to him. Tired from the long trip from their last show, he greeted people with a smile and a wave, and continued to watch the bands before him perform. Meanwhile, their drummer Caleb Schultz, decided to venture off on his own and wander around the venue, watching people shoot games of pool and chomping on peanuts.

The days started off with performances by some local bands. Give Us Jersey and The Avondales, both from Syracuse, performed and caught the audiences’ attention with their upbeat songs. After a set change and ten minute intermission, a band called Rookie of the Year took to the performance space. The band consisted of only one person, Ryan Dunson, and his acoustic guitar. He waved at the audience and started his sound check.

“Grab a seat, everyone. You’ve been on your feet all day. We can have a camp-fire type sing along.” He told the audience, who then sat on the ground before him.

Dunson first played on of his singles, “Slow Down”. He taught the crowd the lyrics of the chorus and asked them to sing along with him. When he got to the first chorus, he moved his mouth away from the microphone, so all that was heard was the sound of the audience singing.

He dedicated his last song to his grandfather, who had recently lost his battle with cancer.  There was not a dry eye in the whole house when he finished performing and the audience, including several members of other bands, gave him a standing ovation.

            Now, it was time for the last band to play. School Boy Humor, a band from Little Rock Arkansas, took to the stage. After a little mishap with a fog machine, which caused the whole venue to fill up with smoke, they began their set.

            They started with their single titled “7 Minutes In Heaven”, which got the entire audience jumping and singing along. They played songs off of their new album entitled “Show Me” and two songs off of their first self-titled album.

            Phil Evans, the lead singer, was full of energy. As he belted out the notes, he jumped around and interacted with the audience; ruffling several peoples’ hair and holding hands. The Evans brothers seemed to be enjoying themselves. If you looked past the twins at the drum set, you could see Caleb Schultz flipping his drumsticks while he played and having a good time.

            They closed their set with the fan favorite song “Camera Shy” and the audience sang along and cheered when the band had finished playing.

For a little over an hour, the members of School Boy Humor signed autographs, took pictures, and spent time with every fan. They did everything they could to put a smile on their fans faces. Needless to say, all bands gave their all during this show. If you ever have the opportunity to see any of these performers, take the chance and go to their show. You won’t regret it.

Social Networking Sites: Pros and Cons

In this day and age, having an account on a social networking site such as Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr is very common. To those who do not have a personal account for at least one of these websites may be deemed "weird" by their peers. Although these websites can be fun to use, they can become addictive very quickly.  For some, spending more than three hours on one website is part of their daily routine.

"The most time I've spent on Tumblr has been, oh, about six hours." says Oswego State student, Victoria Wild. "I usually go on there after work or school. There's honestly nothing else to do."

However, people who constantly update their social networking sites could be missing out on important events that are going on in their lives.

For example, your college's basketball team is playing their championship game tonight. Your roommate is on the team and asks you to go. But, instead of going out and enjoying yourself while interacting with your peers, you choose to sit at home in your room all alone to eat junk food and scroll through your news-feed to see what your ex-significant other is up to that night.

Another con of being "addicted" to these social networking websites is the level of procrastination that the users reach. If you have a ten page paper on the French Revolution due the next day and you haven't even finished the introduction because you are too engrossed in the game of Farmville that you're playing; you just might have a serious problem.

The question is this: why do people feel the need to be on these sites all of the time? Are they worried that if they step away from the computer for a few hours that they are going to miss something that could change their life forever?

"When I go on my Tumblr, I usually just look to see if any Glee spoilers were leaked." Wild continues. "I know, it's silly; but I can't help it. Tumblr sucks you in and doesn't spit you out."

Contrary to popular belief, these websites are good for several things. Keeping in touch with old friends and family members who have moved away is one reason why so many people log into their accounts every day.

”I have friends that have gone away to college, so I use Facebook to keep in contact with them and talk to them." says Oswego High School junior, Erin Chetney.

Another pro to these sites is users are becoming more technically advanced. When going out into the workforce, employers might require their employees to know how to work a computer and work websites online. Some people are even paid to spend most of their day online, blogging about news and current events.   

                                                                                                                            

Social networking websites may be fun and entertaining, but spending copious amounts of time online is not always a good thing. Step away from the keyboard and do something else for a change. Go outside, read a book, or take a walk. Go out and actually live your life in the real world, not behind a computer screen.