Walking with Music Is the Best Way to Think by Aaliyah Sharma

 Walking with Music Is the Best Way to Think

  There’s something about walking with music that makes everything feel clearer. The moment your headphones go in and the world fades a little, your thoughts start to organize themselves. It’s not just a way to pass time; it’s a kind of therapy that doesn’t require talking to anyone. Whether it’s planning your next day, reflecting on a bad one, or just zoning out, walking with music creates space to breathe in a world that never slows down.

  When I walk with music, it feels like my mind finally matches my body’s rhythm. Songs seem to fill in the silence between thoughts, making it easier to sort through emotions that usually stay tangled. A playlist can turn a short walk into a full story — one where every step feels synced with the beat. Fast songs make the world feel cinematic, while slower ones help you pause and notice things you usually overlook.

  The best part is how personal it feels. No one else hears what you’re hearing or knows what memory a song triggers. It’s your own little world that moves with you. For a few minutes, the noise of life — school, stress, expectations — all fades, and it’s just you, your thoughts, and the music guiding them somewhere calmer.

  Maybe that’s why walking with music works so well. It’s simple, but it gives your mind exactly what it needs: movement, rhythm, and a reminder that sometimes, the best way to think is to stop trying so hard and just keep walking.

The Success of Rocket League by Muhammad Raza

  The Success of Rocket League

Rocket League, on the surface, seems like a very basic game: it entails two teams of 1-4 players trying their best to score goals with cars. There are some unique aspects to the game, such as the ability to boost or ride on walls, but aside from that, the concept is very simple. However, the fact that the game has been bought by Epic, one of the largest video game enterprises, and is a staple name among all gamers, means that there is definitely something about this seemingly repetitive game that has contributed to its success. As someone who has over 1700 lifetime wins in this game, I have a few theories as to why it is so popular. 

The first reason why I believe Rocket League is so popular is, actually, because of its simplicity. The game is very easy to pick up for new players because the concept isn’t hard to understand: it can be summarized by “soccer with cars”. There are also almost no special rules in Rocket League for most game modes, and winning is as simple as scoring more goals than your opponent. In terms of controls as well, the game follows basic car mechanics like stopping, starting, turning, and boosting with some additional controls. The fact that someone with no gaming knowledge can easily start with this game has definitely contributed to its success over its almost 10-year lifespan. 

The second reason why I believe that Rocket League is so popular is because of its high skill ceiling. Skill ceiling in a video game refers to how good the best players can be at the game compared to those who are less competitive. Games with high skill ceilings usually procure more play time because players know that they can always improve. While Rocket League is very simple, its skill ceiling is still very high due to the unique ways that players combine different mechanics. Furthermore, the game offers a ranked system for competitive players, which is accommodating for most people and is very rewarding to climb. This illustrates Rocket League’s appeal to both casual players and more serious gamers, which is a component of its popularity. 

The final reason for Rocket League being popular is simply the fact that it's a free game. Not much explanation is needed here, as free games tend to be more popular because players do not need to pay large amounts of money to get the game, nor do they have to pay for continuous PlayStation+ or Xbox Live subscriptions if they are on console. The game’s availability to everybody again highlights why it has become so popular and has had a continual player base for so long, and will most likely stay that way for years to come.

Why Academic Pressure Feels Heavier Than Ever by Aaliyah Sharma

 Why Academic Pressure Feels Heavier Than Ever by Aaliyah Sharma

  It feels like school was supposed to be about learning, but somewhere along the way, it became about survival. Every assignment, test, and grade feels like part of a bigger competition — one that no one remembers signing up for. The pressure to do well isn’t just about school anymore; it’s about the future, college, and proving you’re “enough” in a world that measures worth by achievement.

  What makes it worse is that everyone seems to be struggling silently. We all joke about stress, burnout, and caffeine addictions like they’re normal parts of being a student. But underneath the jokes, a lot of us are tired — not just physically, but mentally. The constant push to outperform ourselves and each other turns learning into something mechanical. We’re so focused on results that curiosity doesn’t even feel like part of the equation anymore.

  It’s hard not to compare yourself to people who seem to handle everything perfectly. Social media makes it look like everyone else is balancing AP classes, clubs, sports, and still finding time to smile. But no one posts about the nights spent crying over homework or the quiet panic of feeling behind. It’s not just school that’s exhausting — it’s the pressure to act like it’s all fine.

  Maybe what students need isn’t more motivation, but more understanding. Working hard should matter, but so should rest, self-worth, and happiness. School shouldn’t feel like proof of how much you can handle; it should be a place to learn who you are and what you care about. The pressure isn’t going away anytime soon, but maybe it doesn’t have to define us.

Why Comparison Is the Easiest Trap to Fall Into by Aaliyah Sharma

 Why Comparison Is the Easiest Trap to Fall Into by Aaliyah Sharma

  It starts quietly. You see someone’s grades, their art, their clothes, or their life online, and you tell yourself you’re just admiring them. But somewhere in that admiration, a little voice starts asking why you’re not like them. Comparison creeps in without warning, and before you realize it, you’re measuring your own worth by someone else’s highlight reel.

  I’ve noticed how easy it is to slip into that mindset, especially now when everything is visible. Social media makes it impossible not to compare. Someone always seems more accomplished, more confident, more put together. But what we forget is that we’re comparing our behind-the-scenes moments to someone else’s best ones. We see the end result, not the process. We see the photo, not the breakdown behind it.

  The truth is, comparison doesn’t motivate — it drains. It takes away the pride we should feel in our own progress. It makes achievements feel smaller and happiness harder to hold onto. No matter how much we improve, there’s always someone doing more, and that cycle never ends.

  I’ve learned that the only fair comparison is the one between who I am now and who I used to be. Everyone has their own pace, their own timing, and their own story unfolding quietly in the background. Maybe the point isn’t to catch up to anyone else, but to learn how to be proud of where you already are.

Photography by Krisha Shah

 Photography by Krisha Shah

Photography is important. It is a way of understanding the world around us and remembering it the way we see it. This means that it is often a way to remember our loved ones or travel back to a moment that occurred. For me, taking pictures is a way of reliving moments that have occurred a long time ago. It is a way of looking back and remembering moments with friends and family. I am able to relive fun childhood moments, such as elementary school musicals where we were all in large costumes, and holidays, where I got to visit and spend time with my family in India. Pictures of mountains and beaches help me relive the fun moments of vacations. Taking photos allows me to experience these moments another time and shows me how I have changed and grown as a person. Photography is a way of connecting with people around us and remembering these special moments. This is why it is so important to me that everyone takes photos.

Works Cited 

Feliciotti, Andy. “Why Is Photography Important? Deep Dive.” I Hit the Button, 

23 May 2023, ihitthebutton.com/why-is-photography-important/.

Movie Review: Student of the Year (2012) by Hanaa Haleem

Movie Review: Student of the Year (2012) by  Hanaa Haleem

Ever walked into the study hall and saw everybody looking “runway ready” despite it being exam season? Well, this is how characters appear in the bollywood movie, Student of the Year, featuring the well known actors Varun Dhawan (Rohan), Sidharth Malhotra (Abhimanyu) and Ali Bhatt (Shanaya). 

The story revolves around the three main characters above who all compete for the “Student of the Year” trophy. As easy as it may seem for Rohan, the son of a rich business tycoon, things do not go as planned as he does not use it to his best advantage. In competitions like this, friendships break, relationships get complicated, and jealousy gets intense. As it may not seem like a deep moral, I honestly felt quite motivated after watching this as I was alert to never take my resources for granted, especially if put under low expectations. 

If you think quite deep into small things, this movie may be emotional for you, but it is mainly filled by its entertaining, humor-filled, unserious scenes, and ties back into its main themes of competition and friendship. If you are a big fan of early 2000s movies like Mean Girls or High School Musical, then definitely give this movie a try as you get a taste into the lives of rich school kids in Bollywood competing like there is a never-ending reward.

My Dad by Hanaa Haleem

 My Dad by Hanaa Haleem

Last two weeks of November in 2022 — typically when people begin celebrations for Thanksgiving and enjoy their time off from school and work. Technically, I was away from school, but for a family emergency rather than a typical vacation you may have thought of. Unfortunately, my grandmother was diagnosed with insomnia, serving as a reason for why my mother had previously travelled to India to take care of her, meaning my Daddy and I had the obligation to do so too the following week. Constantly jet lagged, bitten by bugs, and catching sicknesses— I rethought my choice of coming here. 

During occasional downtimes in the Madurai (not my hometown) hospital, my dad would take me around to get sweet Paniyaram (a South Indian crisp dumpling) and tea from local food stalls. When coming into contact with medical students, he encouraged me to network by asking about their current job and their interests in the field. The ungrateful seventh grade version of me obviously took no interest in these conversations, but still did as I was told in order to distract myself from the boredom of the India trip. As I usually travel to India for weddings or family visits over the summer, these odd two weeks felt so slow as I had limited internet access, no immunity to sicknesses, and constant grief over missed friend hangouts while in my hometown, Keelekarai. Little did I know I was in for a surprise — three days in…CHENNAI!; a city where my favorite cousins live, which is the highlight of each India trip. 

Each time we went to a restaurant or visited someone’s house in the evening, I looked out the window with a new sense of fulfillment followed by constant reflections on everything that happened within these two weeks. The entire time, I was counting minutes until we would return back to New Jersey, and was obviously relieved the moment I arrived. Looking back at my attitude, I realize that I did not appreciate the little things around me that now bring me instant joy today. Instead, I should have demonstrated curiosity during the networking sessions with medical students, engage  in meaningful conversations with my grandma whose wisdom I learn from now, and simply be present within moments of downtime without internet, including the small paniyaram stalls and walks to the nearby Annakadai (corner shop) in the blazing heat. It turns out that I took the precious time spent with my dad for granted and found inconveniences within all of the moments, which I now regret as he was always willing to keep me comfortable, safe, and entertained by the things in India which I cannot find anywhere else. To this day, the moments where I stay in my bed with a fever or cold give me flashbacks to this trip. I realize how much I exaggerated regarding discomfort from sicknesses, bug bites, jet lag and heat despite having a Dad who always ensured I was easily cured within the comfort of my Grandmother’s home, and still decided to surprise me with a trip to Chennai despite how  unappreciative and demanding I was the entire time. 

Thankfully, it was never too late to make up for this, even after two years. This summer, I only stayed in India for three weeks due to taking the chemistry summer course, and decided to travel with a mindset ensuring I make the most out of every small moment, regardless of how uncomfortable it feels. Cutting vegetables for sambar while my Grandma prepared the base in the kitchen, folding clothes while asking her funny questions — those touched with deeper sensations. It has been over a month since I was last in India, and I still laugh about our conversations and are reminded of them when doing the same for mom in the kitchen on Saturdays. Along with this, I was excited to help my younger cousin with her homework, and dance with her even when it felt silly. She would occasionally annoy me when I wanted to focus on my work or watch a movie, but I let it slide as I wanted to ensure she enjoys the temporary younger sibling experience, which my older brother provided me with my entire life. 

Moving back to the significance of my dad within this trip, I am proud to say that we spent meaningful moments reconnecting with nature and bonding. At times where I stressed over my academics throughout the nearing approach of school, he always healed me with motorcycle bike rides during hot nights. Holding onto his shoulders while he drove his bike, I felt the breeze overpower the blazing heat, acting as a natural AC while sweating. I learned more about him each time as he showed me some ordinary looking buildings with significance, and recalled childhood memories of buyers appearing in his front door to sell property. Seventh grade me would have easily zoned out when hearing his explanation of old property sales processes, but the new, matured version of myself truly ingrained each of his words into my memory and took interest in these conversations. Nowadays, I CRAVE for days where I get to hop on the motorcycle with him to nearby shops, and buy many snacks and stationary pens for less than $10. American shopping malls and dinner at Chaska (Pakistani restaurant known for their loaded fries) are no longer as appealing to me. Instead, I desire to experience these humid, breezy motorcycle runs with my dad, regardless of whether we go to my cousin's house, talk about his childhood, or buy paniyaram from the street stalls. Moreover, exploring the unknown, nearby places placed emphasis on the vastness of Keelekarai that I have not completely experienced yet, no matter how small I frame the village to be.

Those two weeks in India taught me that moments I once brushed off  like the slow walks to street stalls and humidity felt from inside the corner shops are the ones whose sensations stay. I have learned to be fully present and appreciate the small things within an ordinary moment that make it remarkable as they are temporary experiences that cannot be witnessed elsewhere. What I once used to dread are moments I now refer to as the highlights of the trip. From each word spoken during laundry folding sessions with my grandmother to the tender crispiness of the paniyaram, these moments brought to me by my dad are ones that I will no longer take for granted regardless of the circumstance as he ensures maximum comfort and generosity within each of them.