Why I Recommend Reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerlad by Kavin Sivakumar

 Why I Recommend Reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerlad 

Kavin Sivakumar

The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerlad is a novel that is filled with surprising events, and follows deep themes such as why recreating the past is dangerous. Although the story was published in 1925 the themes that are learnt throughout the story are still relevant, and can still apply to many people today. The story takes place in the 1920s  in New York, and the story follows Nick Carraway as he meets his neighbor, Jay Gatsby. I believe this story will let you see that happy memories in the past should stay in the past, and trying to recreate it will only lead to consequences.

One of the main reasons I would recommend reading The Great Gatsby is because of the characters that are in the story. I mentioned two of the major characters, Nick and Gatsby, but they’re still many major characters that impact the story greatly. I find this important because when you first meet the character they seem minor, and not important to the story, but as you read on you will see the “minor” characters end up having a big role and impact on the story. In addition, the emotions, and personality of the “minor” characters play a major role on the main characters actions, and motives. I believe this is what makes The Great Gatsby different from most novels.

Another reason I would recommend reading this novel is it shows the danger of recreating the past. The story shows how even if you have all the money, and power in the world, trying to recreate the past exactly will lead to failure and disappointment. The story shows how people's emotions can change, and that trying to ignore your true emotions in order to try to recreate the time you were happy will only lead to you feeling disappointed. Also, the story highlights the point that you have to accept that people change, and refusal to accept change will only lead to disappointment later on in life.

​​ The novel is engaging, exciting because the story is well paced, and the events in the story don’t seem too sudden or too late. I find this point important because many people don’t like reading classic novels because they are considered to be paced slowly, however in The Great Gatsby the events happen in a timely fashion, which makes it enjoyable to read.

Overall, The Great Gatsby is a great novel to read if you have some free time or if you are looking to start a new book. The characters in the story will help drive the plot, and keep you invested in their lives. The lesson of recreating the past the story teaches us can help us see the past in a different way. Also, the pacing of the book makes it easy to read since the book keeps the story going without making the reader wait for a long time for the next major event to happen. All of these factors are what make The Great Gatsby such an amazing novel to read.

It's Okay Not to Have Everything Figured Out by Shuxuan Chang

 It's Okay Not to Have Everything Figured Out by Shuxuan Chang

      During a recent family gathering, everyone met at my grandma's house. After dinner, the adults began asking me and the other teenagers about our plans for the summer and our future. They asked questions like which college we wanted to attend and what career we hoped to have. Sometimes, those questions made me feel like I was expected to have everything figured out already.

        One of my relatives asked me about my dream college. Whenever I ask her a question, she often tells me, “You should search online instead of asking me.” I always felt confused by that. It wasn’t because she didn’t answer my question—it was because whenever she asked me for help, I always tried my best to answer her questions. I wondered why she couldn’t do the same for me. Later, she called my parents over and asked them about my grades. At one point, she asked them something that I didn’t understand, so I asked what it meant. She simply replied, “You don’t need to know.”

         On the way home, I kept thinking about what had happened. At first, I felt frustrated, but then I realized that not everyone likes to share what they know, and I can’t control how other people respond. What I can control is how I react. I also realized that it’s okay not to have every answer about my future right now. I’m still learning, growing, and figuring things out, just like many other teenagers. Asking questions doesn’t make me less capable—it’s part of learning, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

When Expectations Become Pressure by Shuxuan Chang

 When Expectations Become Pressure by Shuxuan Chang

                   At the beginning of summer break, my father asked me about my plans for the summer. I told him that I could accomplish many things in two months. For example, I wanted to volunteer, explore colleges I was interested in, research universities, and study next year’s classes.

        Every day, I try to complete my daily plan. Sometimes, I feel exhausted because I set too many expectations for myself. I keep telling myself, “I have to finish this today.” Even when I make a plan, I sometimes don’t have the motivation to follow it. I put a lot of pressure on myself, and it makes me feel tired. Sometimes, when my parents excitedly ask me about my progress, I tell them, “I don’t know. I just feel tired because I know I still have a lot of work to do.” Sharing my plans with others sometimes makes me feel more pressure. My parents told me that sometimes it is better to keep my goals private until I make progress.

      I talked about this with my friend, and she said she had experienced the same thing. She realized that sharing every detail of her plans created a lot of pressure because everyone knew what she was doing. After that, she stopped sharing all of her goals with others. Listening to her experience helped me understand that sometimes, keeping some goals private can reduce unnecessary pressure. I also learned that it is important to focus on my own progress instead of worrying too much about other people’s expectations.

       After thinking about this, I realized that having goals is important, but I should not let my goals control my life. It is okay if I cannot finish everything perfectly. Sometimes, taking a break and adjusting my plan can help me move forward. Goals should motivate me, not make me feel trapped by pressure.

Bet on your life pt2 by Samhita Adapa

 

Though Kalshi is primarily used for sports betting, users can gamble on a variety of things on the app, such as weather, legislation, elections, the box office, and even military conflicts. Polymarket does essentially the same thing as Kalshi, giving users the chance to profit off predictions in any field. 

To me, these apps have never been that relevant. I’ve always heard about them in passing, maybe mentioned in a tweet or on Tiktok once in a while. But I think this February, when Iran’s Ayatollah was killed by an airstrike, a headline came out saying that “customers who bet on the death of Iran’s Ayatollah won’t get any of the $54 million wagered”(Somerland). That is when the full extent of the prediction market hit me. It wasn’t a couple bucks being bet on whether Timothee Chalamet finally wins an oscar this year(which actually had a pretty big prediction market in march), but more than 50 millions dollars being bet on a person’s death that will have huge political, social, and economical repercussions on the globe. There are people who treat this like a game and billionaires who are actively profiting off the death of thousands of humans. It makes you realize that there are actively people who are rooting for a person to die just to make a profit.  

This also brings into question how is this even legal? How are markets like Kalshi able to exist? It all comes down to one word, once again proving how much power language has in general. In all of their advertisements, Kalshi uses the word “trade” instead of “bet”. The company says that instead of making an offer or wager on an outcome, you buy shares of the outcome of an event. For example, if you were to predict the weather tomorrow was sunny, you would buy a “yes” share. Every share on the app is priced under $1. So if the “yes” share is priced at $0.40, that means the prediction market is saying that there is a 40% chance of it being sunny tomorrow. And if you do end up being correct, you receive a dollar then you make a profit of $0.60(payout-initial investment). It basically works as a stock market, trading shares with other users, selling shares to other users when the value goes up or cashing out yourself(Petrella). 

As for why it actually isn’t illegal, Kalshi is federally regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission(CTFC) and registered with the Designated Contract Market (DCM), so technically, on paper, you are not gambling. This is basically stopping state laws from outlawing the app since federal trumps state. But no matter how many words you use to dodge the outcome, there is no denying the fact that this is gambling. Users are wagering money on a bet or game or outcome, the literal definition of gambling. What Kalshi essentially does is take advantage of legal loopholes to sustain itself and protect themselves from any lawsuits, though some states, like New York, are trying.

What also expedited the crisis was the number of celebrities promoting prediction markets as well as marketing targeted towards Gen Z in particular. Recently, Chalamet did a Kalshi advertisement, leading many people to call him a “sellout” and “soulless”(Reddit). In preparation for the 2026 Worldcup, Lionel Messi also promoted Kalshi along with his teammates(Cunnigham). Celebrities promoting betting isn’t new. Kevin Hart’s been promoting Draft Kings Sportsbooks for centuries now. But there is something about these predictions markets that are even scarier. 

Kalshi also specifically targets younger adults as well. They use aggressive marketing, oftentimes following the latest trend or meme and trying to seem more culturally relevant. There is also a serious sense of FOMO regarding Kalshi. It’s seen as cool and if you aren’t on the app betting your money, then you’re missing out. Recently, Kalshi has been specifically targeting women as well, trying to expand beyond their primarily male audience. Odds are that if you scroll through Tiktok right now, you’ll eventually hit a Kalshi ad about a girl getting her boyfriend hooked on Love Island and making predictions on Kalshi. These advertisements are very similar to real Tiktoks, the only telling features being the paid promotion label at the bottom of the screen. They know that Love Island is insanely popular with women and is trying to appeal to them through that.

Though Kalshi very strictly makes sure no minors are gambling, sorry “trading”, they are still very resistant to the calls to ban people aged 18-21 from the app. Whereas many sportsbooks are 21+, Kalshi is only 18+. They are reluctant to push that bar higher because they know that younger people don’t have the self-restraint, wisdom, nor experience to control themselves(Cohen). They are the perfect consumer. 

Prediction Markets are terrifying because you can literally bet on anything and everything on these apps. You can make money and lose money on something as stupid as the weather outside. You could lose all your savings just because Enola Holmes 3 didn’t hit #1 on Netflix’s top 10.  The practice is predatory and absolutely should have major restrictions placed on it. And moral and ethical issues aside, there is a whole other can of worms to open regarding insider trading and the government’s role in all of this. 

Works Cited

Cohen, Marshall, and Elisabeth Buchwald. “‘The Ads Got to Me’: College-Age Adults Are Rushing to Prediction Market Sites. Addiction Experts Are Alarmed.” CNN, 28 May 2026, https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/28/economy/prediction-markets-kalshi-young-adults. Accessed 13 July 2026.

Cunningham, Mary. “From Chalamet to Messi, Prediction Markets Are Betting on Celebrities to Boost Their Brands.” CBS News, 19 June 2026, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/prediction-markets-celebrity-endorsements-kalshi-polymarket-messi/. Accessed 13 July 2026.

Petrella, Steven. “A Beginner’s Guide to Kalshi: A Lightly-Technical Explainer of Contracts & Pricing.” Action Network, The Action Network, 24 Jan. 2025, https://www.actionnetwork.com/education/how-to-bet-on-kalshi. Accessed 13 July 2026.

Sommerlad, Joe. “Kalshi Caught up in Firestorm of Controversy over Bets Placed on Death of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.” The Independent, 9 Mar. 2026, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/kalshi-bets-iran-ayatollah-ali-khamenei-death-b2932018.html. Accessed 13 July 2026.

“Kalshi.” Kalshi.Com, 2026, https://kalshi.com/markets/kxoscaracto/oscar-for-best-actor/kxoscaracto-26. Accessed 13 July 2026.

“Reddit - the Heart of the Internet.” Reddit.Com, 2026, https://www.reddit.com/r/fauxmoi/comments/1u39m14/timoth%c3%a9e_chalamet_sells_out_stars_in_a_new_ad_for/. Accessed 13 July 2026.

An Adventurous Turnaround by: Sarvessh Senthamarai Kannan

 An Adventurous Turnaround

by:  Sarvessh Senthamarai Kannan,

It was a boring Wednesday at my quiet home. As my mother dutifully prepared lunch, all

my stomach was craving was a thrilling adventure, something that would flip this day around. As

I heard the constant sizzling, I knew it was time for lunch. As I walked out of my room towards

the dining hall, I couldn’t help but notice the wall’s gray color, that’s the color that describes me

right now.

However, my brain quickly shifted gears as my disgusted sister questioned me, “Today’s

Saturday.”

“You know what that means.”

“Vegetarian and Greens Day,” we both gloomily stated.

At our house, it was the norm to eat all vegetarian on Saturdays. Mind you, though I am not a

vegetable fan, I don’t hate them per se. However, this constant horrible weekly lottery pick

always manages to bring out my least favorite underdogs; Bittery Bitter Gourd, No Spice No

Savor Spinach, and most infamously, fresh out of a horror movie, Bloody Beetroot. So as me

and my sister slumped into our chairs, we prepared ourselves for our vegetablized fate.

That’s when the tables turned, "Let's go to the Swinging Bridge Trail,” my dad exclaimed.

Overjoyed at the sound of adventure, me and my sister leaped away from the dining table to get

ready.We rushed to get dressed, practically tripping over ourselves in excitement. Within

minutes, we were in the car, the dull gray feeling of the morning already fading into something

much brighter. As we drove, I could feel the anticipation building, like something unforgettable

was waiting for us.

When we arrived at Swinging Bridge Traill, the first thing that hit me wasn’t the view—it was the

mosquitoes. They were everywhere. It felt like they had been waiting just for us, swarming

around like tiny helicopters. I swatted the air constantly, but somehow they always found a way

to sneak past my defenses. My sister complained loudly, and even my dad couldn’t stop

scratching his arm. Still, despite the annoying bites, we pushed forward into the depths of the

trail.

As we walked deeper into the trail, the scenery began to change. The trees grew taller, the air

felt fresher, and eventually, we found what felt like a hidden treasure—a perfect lake spot. The

water shimmered under the sunlight, reflecting the sky like a giant mirror. The gentle ripples

made it seem alive, and for a moment, everything felt calm. We sat there, taking it all in, letting

the peacefulness replace the chaos of the mosquitoes and the earlier boredom of the day.

That’s when things took an unexpected turn. My autistic friend, who had come along with us,

suddenly got up and started running. At first, I thought he was just excited, but he kept

going—faster and farther, straight down the trail. Without thinking, I jumped up and ran after

him. My heart pounded as I tried to catch up, calling his name, hoping he would stop.

The trail twisted and turned, and for a moment, I felt a surge of panic. But I didn’t stop. Finally,

after what felt like forever, I reached him. He had slowed down, breathing heavily but smiling. I

realized then that he wasn’t running away—he was running forward. He was pushing himself,

trying something new, something brave.

We walked back together, both out of breath, but something had changed. The day that started

off dull and disappointing had turned into an adventure full of surprises—mosquitoes, a beautiful

lake, and a moment I would never forget.

As we headed home, I thought about everything that had happened. Sometimes, the days that

seem the worst at the start can turn into something meaningful. Sometimes, even the smallest

decisions—like going on a hike—can lead to unexpected growth.

And most importantly, I realized that there is always room for a positive change, if that’s what

you truly want.

A Well Needed Change by: Sarvessh Senthamarai Kannan

 A Well Needed Change

by: Sarvessh Senthamarai Kannan

Finally, the week was over. Well, the first week of strenuous tennis summer camp was over. I

slumped down into my messy sofa, which I never cleaned due to my lack of time over the past

week. While every one of my friends skipped the last day of school just to get a headstart to

vacation in Bora Bora, I was practically sentenced to solitary confinement in my 4-hour tennis

camp that took place in the unforgiving and scorching heat. All I wished for was a change, a

meaningful change that could potentially drag me out of my never ending vortex of

tennis,study,eat,sleep repeat.

I sighed, “My fate for the next 2-months is sealed shut with an elephant sitting on top.”

I forced my legs to push me out of the couch and onto the study table. As I opened my

Geometry textbook for my fourth study interval of the day, my brain fell into a trance, blindly

following the preset “never ending vortex.”

An unfamiliar voice spoke out of my mothers phone, “We are going to go to the Sourland

Mountain Preserves for a hike. Would you like to join?”

It was my mother’s close friends. I genuinely did not care where we were going. All I wanted

was a change. 30 minutes later, I laced up my Nike shoes as we all piled up into the car, half of

us knowing the purpose, the other half just trying to get out of the house.

“Is it going to be fun?” my sister questioned.

“I don’t know, it's just a hike,” I replied.

Little did we know the plot of this story was going to go much deeper. As our blue SUV pulled up

into the rocking parking lot of the the preserve, our friends happily waved at us. As the parents

talked about work and how much it takes to take care of us naughty kids. I noticed that there

were extra two adults adults talking. Me and my sister gave each other one look and new what

was happening. We started our search for their kids, what age could they be, boy or girl? Then

we found them, sitting alone on a wooden bench full of slabs. One was a screenager, barely

looking up as we introduced ourselves. The other boy, small and reserved, was a shy one. Later

while we were eating lunch, I struggled to believe he was the same age as me. As we ate, I

couldn’t help but think about the trail. However, I knew the time would come. Sure enough, 1

hour later, we walked up to the start of the trail. Meanwhile, my dad hyping up the kids about

how fun this hike would be, a horror caught my eyes. Unable to believe my own sighting, I

slowly walked up to the “Welcome Bulletin Board of the Sourland Mountain Preserves.” The

board projected two bright snakes in which under captions it stated, “The Eastern Copperhead

and Ratsnake might encounter you on the way.” At that moment though brighter than neon

green and faster than a bullet shot through my head Holy smokes, this is what we are in for, I’m

out of here. But it was too late, the rest of the group had already started treading into the

wilderness. I looked at the floor, if you don’t feel me again, remember you were the last thing I

ever thought about. And so, my fate towards encountering a snake began. I sprinted up the trail,

up to the point where my sister and the group were walking. While everyone admired the beauty

of the wilderness, I couldn’t stop inspecting every hole we walked by, snake or no snake? To

make my paranoia worse, this trail was full of huge rocks that we had to walk on. Even as we

passed a sky view point, I couldn’t stop thinking about a snake slithering under the rock I was

standing on. I had never been so scared since the time my parents forgot me at a supermarket,

which explains the other side of this story.

“Buddy, how was school this year,” one of the uncles asked.

Unable to speak with proper confidence, I gave a truly disrespectful and dull reply, “Good.”

However I didn’t have enough time to further critique my disrespectful response to an adult as I

heard a bush make a noise. Now, I knew I wasn’t hearing things because my startled sister

turned around at the same time as me. We both slowly approached the bush when suddenly a

small creature leaped out.

“Snake, Snake Snake,” I stupidly yelled, unnecessarily causing commotion among the group.

That’s when my observant sister laughed, “Brother look, it’s just a chipmunk.” That was it I

thought, things can’t get any worse. Everybody just laughed it off, I laughed too, the only

difference being that I forced it. I truly still didn’t recover from what had just happened. As we

reached the end of the trail without encountering any snakes, I looked at the bright side of

things. That was a well needed change. Even if it was horrifying, it still pulled me out of my

never ending vortex. At that moment, I was the most relieved person there. I learned that

sometimes, the most horrifying experiences can give you the biggest happiness, even if it is

hard,

“Let’s go get ice cream,” my dad yelled. Everyone excitedly ran towards the car, except me. I

smirked at the snakes contained within the vibrant ink and paper.

“Can’t get me now can you!” I laughed.

I slowly picked up some dirt from the ground that held a familiar Nike pattern as I too ran

towards our car, content with the well needed change.

A Lesson From Nature by: Sarvessh Senthamarai Kannan

 A Lesson From Nature

by: Sarvessh Senthamarai Kannan

Coming off a 4 hour drive, the immediate thought of a nature hike resulted in exhaustive “no”

from my brain. “Watkins Glen,” my mother said. “Me and your father came here when you and

your sister were barely of the age to talk.” I forced a smile, hoping to cover my happiness at not

going with them. As the car rolled across the road as it did for the past 4 hours, I spotted a sign

“Visitor Center: Watkins Glen.” Me and my sister were super annoyed, for the past two days, we

had been stuck in a boring old national park. At tops, all we expected was an ice cream on the

way back. However, our parents had pulled out the dark bunny out of the hat.

“The scene at the top is amazing,” my mother insisted.

Me and my sister just accepted our fate as we slapped our sunscreen onto our faces. As soon

as we stepped in, I could not help but notice the insane amount of stairs leading up to one of the

four main water falls. I felt a slight change in the perception of this place.

Still, I refused the positive change. This place sucks, no thrill, no excitement.

Along the path, I noticed a very fast river, skimming past rocks and vegetation. It seemed

content, almost as if it was just accepting the tide of the water and the direction of the wind. The

change felt meaningful, the key to the lock of peace.

Further down the trail, my sister noticed a peculiar sighting, “Brother look, its curved tree.”

I looked closer, in the midst of all the green giants, a skinny sturdy tree slowly peeked out of two

heavy boulders. It looked like the survival of the fittest, a fight to do what it took to satisfy the

hunger and determination to grow. It reminded me of the time I was riding my bicycle with my

friends. Unaware of my flat tire, I accelerated down the hill at full speed, ready to make a sharp

left on the bottom. But as fate would have it, my front loosened a smidge, just enough to send

my bike into a 90 degree flop. I recalled my friends telling me, “I saw you tumble into the

sidewalk like you were ice skating.” I struggled to get my spine straight, as a huge scar under

my shirt revealed itself. To make matters worse, my leg had gotten severely damaged, blood

gushing from within. However, I refused to stay handicapped over the next 3 months, a time

where the doctor stated, “No physical activity.” However, while still in bed, I sharpened my chess

skills, shot laundry into the basket, and even read new genres of books that I would have never

read while being fully able. The connection between my old life and the determined tree gave

me a lesson from nature itself, one that would never erode or weather through rain nor wind. By

the time the trail was over, my once exhaustive and rejective brain had a basket full of new

lessons, lessons that would eventually become a life lesson. This experience taught me to

accept things as they come. It indirectly taught me to mold myself into a situation instead of

complaining.