Newspapers / North Carolina School of … / May 1, 2002, edition 1 / Page 8
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8 M may 2002 )l3fidDage ncssm I the stentorian Letter to the Editor So Like, Umm, You Know... Maybe everyone on campus should take a little time to reflect on how many opportunities they have been given and how many they have passed up. As I wind up the first year of my schooling here, I can’t help but to think of all the opportunities I have passed up. I don’t know if I am alone or not, but when I decided to attend NCSSM it was because of all the opportunities avail able to me that I wouldn’t have had at home. The most valuable asset this school has that I haven’t used is its diverse views. I have been given many opportunities this school year to try things I never have before or to learn about things that many people neglect. Just today I was asked to attend a discussion on vegetarianism and I decided not to attend. After walking away from the table, I started thinking about it and I wasn’t fair to the idea. I decided against attending the discussion because I didn’t ever plan on becoming vege tarian. Once I really got to thinking about it, I realized this was the best reason that I should attend. Now I realize that I lost out on another learning opportunity just because I wasn’t quite open . minded enough. Maybe everyone on cam pus should take a little time to reflect on how many opportu nities they have been given and how many they have passed up. I don’t think everyone would be happy with his or her ratios. I can’t say I am a changed soul, but perhaps next time I am pre sented with an opportunity to learn more I will give it a more serious consideration. Quinton Buesching Class of2003 Letter Policy The Stentorian reserves the right to edit for mechanics, content, and/or appropriateness. The Stentorian may choose not to print any letter based on quality, content, or space. We do not print anonymous letters. We ask authors to remain respectful of ail persons and institutions when voicing their opinions. Candis Watts W e all do it. Some of us do it more than others. It is eonta- gious and often goes by unno ticed, but unfortunately it shows the ignorance that each of us attempts to conceal. I am referring to the fillers and expletives that some use in between the words that aetual- ly have meaning. For exam ple, “I umm went to the umm. you know, hb and bought |"Next year, it will be worse: some umm yQu|- professor may sneer at you, publicly disgrace you, and then take off points from your grade. Think about it " like blue jeans and a uh like this yel low tank.” Now, what was I trying to say? Who knows? Who cares? It must stop, for “it is bet ter to be silent and be thought of as a fool then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” Nearly half of the student pop ulation will be embarking on a new adventure next year: col lege. When we were at “our old sehools” we had sweet teachers who would point out when we used one of those infamous sounds, but now many of our teachers just sneer at us and take off points from our grade. Next year, it will be worse: your professor may sneer at you, publicly dis grace you, and then take off points from your grade. Think about it. Try to remember the time(s) you have watehed the evening news, and the person being interviewed employed horrific grammar. Mind you, the interviewee is a represen tation of you. Yes, bad habits are hard to break, but we shall over come. Pointing out our prob lems is the first step to solving them. The first prob lem: kids today have a voeabu- lary that is about 10,000 words less than that of people the same age 20 years ago. Secondly, you cannot express something for which you do not have the words. Finally, we all work and live with people who talk aimless ly or, more tragically, without thinking. It’s a shame. These are my suggestions to eradicate this calamity: 1. Build your vocabulary. Buy a word-a-day calendar or make your own. Your vocabu lary should not stop growing just because you have taken the SAT and do not plan to take it ever again. The average person has aequired more than 70% of his or her vocabulary by the time s/he is four years old. Let’s not be average. 2. Think about what you are going to say. This sugges tion only works when you do it BEFORE you begin to speak; otherwise, this is good adviee gone down the drain. 3. Find words that you can substitute for those nasty expletives. 4. Do not use the word Tike’ unless you mean “simi lar to,” “resembling,” “to be fond of,” or “approximating.” 5. Someone once said “All men’s miseries derive from man not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.” MIS ERY ALERT! It is absolutely, by all means, uimeeessary to express your entire train of thought, especially when every other word or phrase is “umm,” “you know,” “like,” or “err.” Those words make your train of thought sound like a sixteen car pile up. In essence, beeome aware of your eonversational errors by listening to yourself when you speak, and I promise this: when you hear yourself use those villainous expletives, you will feel that you sound similar to that infamous inter viewee on the six o’clock news. What was your most memo rable NCSSM experience? Compiled By Elysa Wan The Stentorian’s Guide to End-of-Year Activities 'God, that could be incriminating." - Andrew Hardin 'Light-sabers in the fog." - Jadrian /\Ailes 'Dropping Jim Carey on Mike Newbauer." - Patrick Guley 'Playin' b-ball in the gym everyday." - Caroline Wong 7W2 O ver the years, the peo ple who run NCSSM have pieked up on the fact that saying goodbye to the people we’ve hung out with for a year or two isn’t exactly easy, so they’ve come up with all kinds of fun activities so we ean enjoy the last few days of school. Here’s a sampling, in chronological order, for the seniors who have forgotten and potentially confused jun iors. Spruntstock The festivities begin with your last chanee to play in a rockin’ NCSSM band or just listen to your talented friends. After the last exam of the year at 4:00 pm. May 30. SGA End-of-Year Lock-in See what the new SGA officers can do! Here’s a poem: Lots of fun Activities for everyone All the studying is done No reason not to come! 11:00 pm. May 30-May 31 in the PEC. Graduation Practice Seniors praetice walking across the stage, junior mar shals praetice herding people, and various staff members have fun trying to pronounee names eorrectly. 10:00 am. May 31. Award Ceremony and Slide Show The winners of the Director’s Cup and Principal’s Cup are announced. Then the slide show, which is quite possibly one of the best parts of the year, eomplete with photos of your friends making strange faces and good music. Guaranteed to make at least four people sit ting nearby you cry. May 31 - 2:00 pm for the awards and 3:00 pm for the slide show. Airband An extra-exciting lip syncing/karaoke event hosted r* "Lots of fun Activities for everyone All the studying is done No reason not to come!" by Ms. Moose and her mys tery co-host. Enjoy NCSSM’s wealth of performing talent. 7:00 pm. May 31. Email Joe Rick if you want to perform. Yearbook Signing Dance Dance with that special someone, get your yearbook signed by a hundred special someones, and read the Senior Wills and Quotations. Spend this last night with the people who matter the most, because you will miss them immeasurably. 9:00 pm - 1:00 am. May 31. Last but not least Keep your eyes out for the stupendous amount of good food in the last few days. Ben and Jerry’s, Jersey Mike’s, you name it! After the long months of PFM, the school wants us to eat well, so take advantage of every opportunity.
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Student Newspaper
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May 1, 2002, edition 1
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