v\
the
The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
Making
friends at
NCSSM
is as easy
as giving
away
Nutri-
Grain
bars
Jody Cedzidlo
^ranI^enior"
So there I was- stand
ing in the parking lot of the
Walnut Creek Amphitheater in
Raleigh. Surprisingly enough, I
wasn’t thinking about Raleigh
or even about walnuts. I was
wondering how I was going to
dispose of seven dollars worth
of food in five minutes. Neither
I nor my two friends were even
hungry...
I’d thought ahead, for
the first time since about 1992,
and attempted to come to a
show prepared. A gallon of wa
ter in my hands, a bag of gro
ceries on my back, I was not
going to pay an arm and a knee
cap for a soft pretzel and a
Pepsi.
Or so I thought. Secu
rity guards were searching bags
and folded blankets not for
guns or recording devices but
for food and drink, and forcing
concert-goers to discard their
sustenance at the gate. Blink
ing my eyes at a security guard,
I could only ask, “ Um, can we,
like, just stand here and eat
some of this, instead of throw
ing it away?” He finally con
sented, and all three of us
promptly stuffed apples into
our mouths and began concen
trating on such important issues
as chewing time and efficient
swallowing. Growing sick, I re
alized that there was no way
three people could eat four
apples, and an entire box of
Nutri-Grain bars, and a bag of
GoIdfish(crackers, that is- we’re
vegetarians) n less than two
minutes.
It was at that point that
my great realization began to
swim in my head. This wasn’t
voi.xnx, No. 1
just any great realization, mind
you. This was on of those
epiphanies- the kind that you
have to talk to your dog about,
because it doesn’t really seem
coherent at first. It occurred to
me, magnificently, to give the
food away. Saving other inno
cent young people from the soft
pretzel plot, I could get rid of
my food without wasting it, and
bring a smile to another’s face.
It was beautiful. This wasn’t the
epiphany, of course- that came
later. But my idea was the be
ginning.
The obvious problem
with my glorious plan was as
follows; I’m fairly shy, as a gen
eral rule. How was I going to
just waltz right up to a huge
group of strangers and start
yelling about Nutri-Grain bars
and goldfish? It seemed so em
barrassing...
So are you ready? Set?
Here’s the epiphany: there is
absolutely not one thing to fear
about talking to a group of one’s
peers for the first time. Two rea
sons... I’ll refer back to my ex
ample, although this epiphany,
like other ones, is broader than
Nutri-Grain generosity. First of
all, I had something very impor
tant in common with every soli
tary person in that parking lot: a
love of the same kind of music.
With that shared interest, we
had to be at least a little alike in
other ways, right? Second of all,
even if some people that saw me
thought. “Ohmygoodness-she-
is-such-a-moron...” it doesn’t
matter. Chances are, the people
I would care about knowing are
thinking well of me, so I lost
nothing by disgusting those
other people. And gained
intermitably- in all the smiles I
received, in several thank-yous
and in the few bellies that were
satisfied.
It may seem a stretch
to compare this situation to Sci
ence & Math, but just think
about it for a little bit. You don’t
have any food to get rid of (ex
cept if you have cafeteria work
service on egg burger day), but
you do have to reach out and
find some friends.
If you’re shy, try to
overcome it, because you are
worth every bit of what those
around you are worth. You’re
probably thinking, “Gosh.
These people are all so smart,
and so talented, and blah blah
blah.” Following that thought
should come one like this: “But
I am, too, or else 1 wouldn’t be
stuck in this bubble labeled
‘NCSSM.’” Give yourself the
credit you deserve- no one else
-Nutrigrain Continued on
Page 8
What to do... What to do...
Samantha Lea
Going to school.is a
bummer. Leaving home without
a car is a bummer. NCSSM is not
a bummer. There are tons of cool
things going
on at
NCSSM.
Sporty folks,
intellectual
folks, artsy
folks, and
even couch
potatoes can
enjoy the
events hap-
p e n i n g
around cam
pus.
What the ^
$#&% are
they doing?
Ultimate
Frisbee is a
popular
game that is
often played
on Watts
lawn. The yelling and diving
into the grass may seem a bit
odd, but hey, it is fun. There is
no off season for S&M soccer
and simply mentioning interest
in a game can get one started.
The PEC(a.k.a. gym) is an awe
some hang out. Aerobics
classes are held in the dance
studio, basketballs are in the
gym, and there is a free weight
and exercise room over the main
; .'I'
You will make so many new friends...You'll love them to death.
gym. Wound up a little tight?
The circumference of the school
is almost a mile. Put on those
running shoes, and have fun.
Rather dictate Swahili
than run a mile? Active activi
ties are just a small portion of
the things to do at NCSSM.
Many clubs at NCSSM host
events that occur on campus.
Join Stentorian, Blue Mirror, or
Gadfly. The publications never
have enough
people to finish
the work, and
are great ways
to meet people
with similar in
terests. Service
clubs have
great meetings.
Key Club orga
nizes trips and
projects on and
off campus as
well. Asian Cul-
tures club and
African Dance
and Music En
semble are eth-
I nic clubs. They
do not discrimi
nate, so leam a
new culture or
more about
your own. Go to
the library (I’m serious)- a lot of
people gather at the library. Find
a good book and relax in a comfy
chair.
Who said all the world
~What to do Continued on
Page 8
Class of 2001
Are you ready? You
made it, but do you think you
can handle what the year
holds? Mostofyou wUI real-
Ize that you are far fiom ready.
You most likely left something
important at home that you
think is absolutely necessary
in order for you to make it
through the school year. Well,
whatever you are stressing
about, you will get over it.
CMra down and enjoy your first
week. Use the first couple of
days to get organized (or rather
unorganized, whichever envi
ronment works best for YOU).
Don’t hesitate about getting to
know your teachers. They
know a lot more than you think
(trust me on this one) and they
really don’t mind shWig their
wisdom. Whether or not you
take any of the “advice” or
‘suggestions" seriously, al
ways keep in, mind that you
have been given an opportu
nity that most students would
do almost anything for. So
think of this experience as a
gift, and show your apprecia
tion by finding every possible
way - big or small - to contrib
ute to your new school. Take
on a £Q]]Bi£ of clubs that you
canPUTYOURHEARTINTO,
and do just that, give it your
ALl,. Be an achiever instep of
anoverachiever. You will sleep
April land addressing the student
body.
more, be healthier, have a sociai
life, leam more, and actually
make better grades. Don’t listen
to everything the seniors say
and leam from all your mistakes
(you will make them). Your ex
perience at Science and Math
will be like none else, so make
the best of it, and believe me you
will have fiin.
As far as advice con
cerning having a social
life...Have One! It will keep you
sane. However, do not let it
come before academics. Real
ize that you will be by yourself
at times and leam to enjoy this.
When you do make close
fiiaids remember diat the world
does hot revolve around them,
and there me other wonderful
people on campus whom you
haven’t met-so meet them. Eat
out once in a while, dress up
on Thesday’s (Dress for Suc
cess Day), always go to class,
take the rules seriously, do not
walk through Walltown (even
if you have muscles), and most
importantly, attend at least one
SGAmeetingamonth. Beyour-
self and if you do not know who
you are yet, don’t worry about
it, I am still figuring it out. If
you ever need help (emotional
or academic) don’t be afraid to
ask for it. There is someone,
somewhere on campus who
can relate. You have been
asked to attend one of the most
prestigious high schools in
North Carolina-CONGRATU-
LATIONS and good luck!!
Sincerely,
April Land
S.G.A. President