Columns

In a lone lit room at the corner of the house, the clock reads 3:42 a.m. Sprawled on the lamplit desk are several papers, an open textbook and an open capped pen. Ripped Tootsie pop and Hershey's kiss wrappers also scatter the surface of the desk. A teenage girl sits in front of her work. Her eyelids slowly begin to close. On the left side of her computer screen sits an almost blank Word Document that reads "Healthcare Bill Research Paper" across the top. On the right side of the screen, an intense game of Connect Four continues as the girl struggles to focus her eyes on the pieces. Wait a second, let's start at the beginning.

As Valentine's Day approaches, it's easy to get caught up in the wave of finding true love. But I haven't just gotten sucked in by its current, I've been completely smothered by the maelstrom of "The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love."

“Get moving, senior!” said physical education teacher Yuko Aoki.

I hustled down the track—fists clenched and heart pounding—before my mind did a double-take, and I realized that, once again, my name at birth had been one-upped. Jokes and references aside, I’ll make it known here: I am a senior enrolled in physical education.

Conducting post-game interviews with players, running into former center and current Sharks development coach Mike Ricci (twice!) and receiving an inspirational speech from radio play-by-play voice Dan Rusanowsky comprised the stuff of dreams for an avid Sharks fan like me. That is, of course, until all of those seemingly impossible products of a teal-tinted imagination came to fruition on Nov. 10.

I have a twin.

This does not mean that we love the same things, do everything together and wear the same clothes. We are not identical. This is mostly because my twin is a boy.

Usually, when there are football games at school, my friends have to drag me to them. Watching any kind of sports game is extremely unexciting for me, which is why I was surprised to somewhat enjoy watching the San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks NBA Basketball game.

In first grade, it was the coolest thing ever. Everyone wanted to join and be a part of it, and you were uncool in the elementary schools if you weren't a member. Now, it's laughed upon and considered dorky to participate in.

Oh yes, I'm talking about Girl Scouts.

Why does spy-themed entertainment hold such a great attraction for people? There are so many books, movies and shows about espionage that it is surprising that that genre still makes money. Thing is, they probably get most of their market from me.

What do you eat for dinner when meat is off the menu? In most American households, dishes like roasted chicken and beef patty hamburgers are served daily, but not in my house. In our family, being a vegetarian is natural, and we have our own fancy dishes... wait, but don’t all vegetarians just eat salad all day long? OK, let’s back up. Believe it or not, there are actually more dietary options available to vegetarians than just salad.