500 Days of Summer, movie review By: Sachi Dixit

 500 Days of Summer

By: Sachi Dixit

500 Days of Summer isn’t your typical love story, and that’s exactly what makes it

so relatable. Unlike other movies where everything just works out, this one shows that

relationships can be complicated, messy, and don’t always work out. That realism hits

hard as many of us experience it somewhere in our lives.

The movie follows Tom, who falls in love with Summer and imagines their

relationship as perfect. But as days pass, he realizes that might not always be the case.

The film does a great job showing both his highs and lows, and how heartbreak can be

painful and confusing. It’s realistic how feelings change, which a lot of movies skip.

Summer’s perspective also adds depth. Shes not the “perfect girl” or the villain,

shes just someone trying to figure out what she wants. Seeing the impact of her choices

mirrors real-life relationships, as two people might care about each other but still grow

apart.

Overall, 500 Days of Summer is refreshing because it doesn’t pretend love is

perfect. It shows that endings don’t always play out nicely, which is what makes it so

easy to connect with. It’s the kind of movie that sticks with you long after the credits roll.

I’d give it 4.5 out of 5 stars, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see the

struggles of relationships or just something that feels real and relatable.

Why I Recommend Reading “Long Way Down” By Jason Reynolds , article by Kavin Sivakumar

 Why I Recommend Reading “Long Way Down” By Jason Reynolds

Kavin Sivakumar

“Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds is a novel that covers topics such as violence and grieving the loss of a loved one. One of the important aspects of the story is the way it is written. Unlike most novels this story is written in verse. The story also has many messages and lessons that are shown throughout the story. These messages that are learnt from this novel are important for people to know if they are facing a similar situation. 

One of the reasons why I would recommend this novel to others is because the lessons that are learnt in the story are important for people to know because it addresses topics many people are facing. The main character in the story is struggling with the loss of his brother and he feels pressured by society to get revenge for him. Throughout the story they’re many characters that try to convince the main character not to go out with his actions because they know it can only lead to more violence. The novel encourages people to break the cycle of violence so no one in the future has to feel the same pain that you did. 

Another reason I would recommend “Long Way Down” is the book is written in a unique and different way. The story is written in verse which makes the story fast paced and easy to follow along. This style allows the reader to see the main character's emotions because they’re many moments when just the placement of the words have a deep and meaningful story behind them. For example, in one chapter of the story the words are shown going down one word at a time which shows that they have less time to make their decision if they want to go out with their plan. An important thing to know is the entire story takes place in a 60 second elevator ride and as he goes down every level he meets a new character that helps him when making his decision. 

The story also covers the importance of thinking while making choices and decisions. As the main character meets more characters that have been in the same place that he is in it forces him to think about the consequences that will follow if he goes through with his decision. The book shows that every choice has a consequence even if the consequence might not be immediately shown. 

Overall, “Long Way Down” is a great novel to read if you are looking for a book that can keep your attention and have meaningful lessons. The way the story is written in verse which allows the book to keep moving and catches the readers attention since they have to think about why the words are placed where they are placed because even that can have a meaning behind it. All of these factors are what make the novel “Long Way Down” such an amazing story to read. 

The Rain , a poem By: Sachi Dixit

 The Rain

By: Sachi Dixit

The rain drifts down softly,

like it has nowhere else to be.

It taps against the windows and rooftops,

soft and familiar

a sound that makes everything feel calm

The sky turns gray,

but not in a sad way

in a warm and cozy way

and the world feels quieter,

as if it’s taking a break

Inside, everything feels warmer,

I sit and listen as the rain falls,

steady and gentle,

and for once, there’s no rush to be anywhere

The rain doesn’t make me feel lonely.

It makes me feel cozy,

safe,

and at peace with staying right where I am.

Why Students Should Get More Sleep By: Sachi Dixit

 Why Students Should Get More Sleep

By: Sachi Dixit

Students should get more sleep because sleep is very important for health and

learning. When students don’t get enough sleep, they can feel more tired, stressed, and

unfocused throughout the school day. This makes it harder for students to succeed in

school, which is what we all want, right? Getting enough sleep helps the brain work

better and keeps students more energized.

Another reason why students need more sleep is because it affects their mental

health. Many students already stay up late on school nights, completing homework and

studying for tests, and then they have to wake up early to learn again? This exhausting

process negatively affects students' mental health, since without the right amount of

sleep, they could feel irritated, anxious, or mess up their emotions. When students are

well rested, they feel happier and are ready to take on the day.

Finally, schools should start considering starting later, so students can get the sleep

they need. It's a win-win for everyone since teachers could also come to school later. This

change is essential because it would positively affect students' mindsets and make their

grades higher since they are recharged and ready to learn. By giving students more time

to rest, schools are not just changing their schedules; they are investing in students’

health, success, and future.

Why I recommend Reading “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell , article by Kavin Sivakumar

 Why I recommend Reading “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell

Kavin Sivakumar 

“Trifles” by Susan Glaspell is a short play that is filled with suspense and mystery. The story was written in the 1900s however the lessons that are learnt from the story are still important and relevant today. This short play will make you think about the little things in life and will make you wonder how many things you thought weren’t important were actually useful for you. 

One reason I recommend reading the play “Trifles” is the story shows how people can be overlooked and ignored. The story takes place with two detectives looking around for clues on who murdered a character’s husband. The two detectives also had wives who were friends with the wife whose husband got murdered. Back when this story was written women were thought of as lesser and less important as the males. So throughout the story the male detectives kept pointing out how women kept worrying over trifles, which meant they kept worrying over the silly and unimportant stuff. However, the women found something that could help the men in their investigation, but the males thought since their wives found it it wasn’t important. This shows that even if you believe something isn’t as important you can be wrong, and miss out on an opportunity that could have helped you. 

Another reason I would recommend this play is the story is short enough to read in under an hour. Even though the play is only a couple of pages long it still manages to bring out emotions such as suspense and set a mysterious and unsettling tone throughout the book. The story leaves you with a lot to think about after reading it such as wondering why some characters made the decisions that they did and the ending will leave you shocked. In short “Trifles” is a good play to read if you have some time to spare because of the tone that is set throughout the story.

The story also makes you think if being honest to the law will lead to fairness and justice. In the story a couple of the characters had to make a hard decision on if they should be honest to the law or allow justice to happen for their friend. Even though most people think that the law should come first after reading the story you can understand why they decided to protect their friend from punishment. 

Overall, “Trifles” is a great play to read if you have free time because the story manages to keep your attention and teach you lessons that can help you in life while only being a couple of pages long. The story makes you think over things and appreciate the little things that you might have looked over before. All of these factors are what make “Trifles” an amazing story to read. 

Why I Recommend Reading “Harrison Bergeron” By Kurt Vonnegut , by Kavin Sivakumar

 Why I Recommend Reading “Harrison Bergeron” By Kurt Vonnegut

by Kavin Sivakumar

“Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut is a short story that is filled with dramatic moments, thought provoking scenes, and the story includes a meaningful themes and messages. Although the story was written in 1961, the themes of the story are still meaningful and relevant.​​ The story takes place in a futuristic society where everyone is forced to be “equal”. This story makes you think and realize that being equal with everyone doesn’t mean everyone is treated fairly. 

One of the reasons that I would recommend this short story is it showed how the world would look like if everyone was “equal”. In this story they made everyone who are smarter, stronger, or more talented than others wear handicaps that makes everyone average and equal to each other. For example, if someone was stronger than average they had to wear weighted bags and if someone was smarter than average they had to wear a device that disturbs them from thinking for long periods of time. I believe that many people my age get restricted from what they can do by their friends or family which can make them feel related and feel like the characters who got handicapped in this story. 

Another reason I would recommend the short story “Harrison Bergeron” is it shows what having too much power can do to one person. In this story there is one character who controls all the handicaps around the country however she herself doesn’t wear any of the handicaps that she makes others wear. This shows that she thinks she is above the law and that everyone else should follow these laws but her. She keeps her power through fear of the people because if someone doesn’t wear their handicaps then she throws them in prison and she isn’t afraid of what people think of her because she can just use the handicaps she puts on everyone to make them forget that she is evil and has too much power. 

The short story is engaging and it is easy to follow because it doesn’t have any confusing vocabulary words. The story is only a couple of pages long so it is possible to finish reading the whole book in under an hour. Even though the story is only a couple of pages long it still manages to have deep messages and dramatic moments that will leave the reader thinking. This makes the story more memorable than other stories with longer text. 

Overall, “Harrison Bergeron” is a great short story to read if you have some time to spare. The story manages to be engaging with the reader while only being a couple of pages long. There are many moments in the story that will make you think if being “equal” actually means being fair. The story also has many other lessons such as what too much power can do to one person and what will happen if someone thinks they are above the law. All of these factors are what makes “Harrison Bergeron” such an amazing short story to read. 

Halls Without You, a poem By: Sachi Dixit

 Halls Without You

By: Sachi Dixit

We laughed through middle school hallways

Shared secrets between classes

And giggled during lunch

You were always there

Now you’re at a new school

The halls feel different

Classrooms feel empty

Jokes aren’t as funny

Everything feels quieter

I try to call, text, reach you

But it’s not the same

You’re somewhere else

Learning new things, making new friends

And I’m still here

Missing the way it used to be

I guess people grow

Things change

But middle school felt endless

Because of you